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EC ready for elections at any given time: Shakirullah Jan
By-election in NA-151 Multan today
UK police accuse 3 of Pakistan terror training
Older people with asthma run greater risks: study
Nearly 100 killed across Syria: NGO
6 die in Bulgaria as bus carrying Israelis bombed
US drought worst in 25 years, food prices to rise
Oil prices firm after Syria, anti-Israel attacks
Dollar rises as Bernanke gives no hint of stimulus
Haas beats Simon to advance in Hamburg
Pietersen out of England T20 squad
Sri Lanka cricket contract dispute settled
South Africa eye top spot
Karachi: Blast near Rangers vehicle kills 2, injures 4
Pakistan wants no role in Afghanistan: Khar

EC ready for elections at any given time: Shakirullah Jan

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Acting Chief Election Commissioner, Justice Shakirullah Jan has declared that the government was welcomed to hold general elections at any given time as the Election Commission is fully prepared. Replying to a question while talking to media upon his arrival at Multan Airport from Islamabad on Wednesday, he also declared that Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) enjoyed financial autonomy. “Whatever amount is required by ECP, it is government’s responsibility to provide “, he said, adding that according to rules the ECP was enforcing the Rs1.5 million electoral expenses’ limit for each candidate. “If any associate of any candidate spends in excess of Rs.1.5 million, this would also be accounted for in the restricted Rs1.5 million limit, and would also entail legal action”, he deliberated. Replying to another question he also informed the media that voters of far-flung areas would be provided transportation, while those residing nearby would have to make their own arrangements. To yet another question, he said that it was not in the jurisdiction of ECP to punish those using elections for other illegal advantages, and could/would only be handed over to administration for appropriate punishments.  “If any act of rigging was discovered/suspected anywhere, strict checking and investigations would be carried out” he assured. He also said that the forthcoming by-elections of NA-151 constituency, to be held today would be a test-bed for all previous untested/un-implemented regulations, according to directives of the Supreme Court. Deliberating on the NA-151 by-elections, he said that the jurisdiction covered 29 polling stations, the voters of which would be provided due transportation. Replying to yet another question, he rejected the notion that voters had not been provided with elections slips according to voters’ list, and said that postal services had been delegated with the responsibility for the purpose.

By-election in NA-151 Multan today

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By-election in NA-151, seat vacated by former Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani after his disqualification, would be held today (Thursday). Ten candidates are contesting in by-election in the aforementioned constituency of the Multan while nine candidates are independent out of ten. The son of former PM Gilani, Abdul Qadir Gilani is the only candidate, who is contesting election on Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) ticket. The real competition of Abdul Qadir Gilani would be with Shaukat Hayat Boson, who is younger brother of former federal minister and leader Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Sikandar Hayat Boson. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) did not announce to bring its candidate for by-election in NA-151, however¸ it is pertinent to mention here that the local leadership of PML-N is supporting Shaukat Hayat Boson. In his election campaign Shaukat Hayat Boson raised the issues including loadshedding, corruption, slogans of change and price hike etc, which were raised by PML-N and PTI against the ruling party PPP. On the one side, former PM Gilani is supporting his elder son and on the other side Sikandar Hayat Boson is supporting his younger brother. Former PM Gilani addressing a public gathering during election campaign of PPP candidate Abdul Qadir Gilani on Sher Shah Road, said that the independents of media and judiciary which we are experiencing today is the fruit of PPP and endeavors of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. Gilani said that his disqualification disgraced the mandate of the people, therefore, adding “We again came to the court of the masses, he said that the people of NA-151 would cast their vote in favour of his son. He said that PPP would never bow down in front of any dictator, rather we faced them courageously with the power and support of the masses. If all institutions would remain in their domain, then there would b no confrontation among them, the former PM added.

UK police accuse 3 of Pakistan terror training

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Three British Muslims including a convert who was featured in a documentary about radical Islam and a former London police support officer have been charged with traveling to Pakistan for terror training, police said early Thursday. Scotland Yard said in a statement that Richard Dart, 29, Imran Mahmood, 21, and Jahangir Alom, 26, had traveled to Pakistan between 2010 and 2012 "with the intention of committing acts of terrorism or assisting another to commit such acts." The statement also alleges that the three provided others with advice and counseling about how to travel to Pakistan, find training, and how to stay safe while there. Dart was featured in a recent BBC documentary, "My Brother the Islamist," which chronicled the efforts of his filmmaker stepbrother Robb Leech to understand why the former had rejected his family and embraced an uncompromising form of Islam. Alom who was arrested in an armed raid at his home only a mile (1.6 kilometers) from London s Olympic Stadium was identified by Scotland Yard as a former police support officer. Police said, however, that the case is not Olympics-related. Both men have appeared in YouTube videos in which they expound on their hardline beliefs. Police did not immediately release much information on Mahmood. His address was given as down the street from London s Royal Air Force base Northolt, where Typhoon jets and other military elements are due to provide security for the 2012 Games, which begin July 27. The force also said that a fourth person, 22-year-old Ruksana Begum, was charged with having material likely to be of use for terrorism.

Older people with asthma run greater risks: study

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A University of Cincinnati study recently published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), revealed that the death rate among the 65-and-over set is 14 times higher than in patients 18 to 35 years old. Researchers looked at 104 patients and found that those aged 65 and older who were obese were five times more likely to have poorly controlled asthma than those of average weight. The study also found that older patients with asthma may be more susceptible to the effects of traffic air pollution. The reason is unclear, but may be due to potentially impaired responses to highly reactive molecules produced in their bodies as they breathe in the polluted air, the researchers said. Older patients tend to have other medical conditions that can exacerbate asthma symptoms. They also are more likely to develop respiratory failure. And seniors with mild asthma attacks had the same level of breathing trouble as younger patients with severe attacks.

Nearly 100 killed across Syria: NGO

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Nearly 100 people were killed on Wednesday in violence across Syria, including 16 in Damascus, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Britain-based watchdog reported that 97 people were killed across Syria, including 46 civilians, eight rebel fighters and 43 regime troops. All but one of those killed in the capital were civilians. Violence engulfed Damascus for a fourth straight day as a bombing killed three of the regime s top security chiefs who were meeting at the National Security headquarters, in an attack claimed by the rebel Free Syrian Army. The Observatory reported clashes across the southern, eastern and western outskirts of Damascus, with the most intense fighting in Al-Midan near the city centre. "FSA fighters welcomed the news of the killing of the three officials by telling regime troops to defect from the army before the regime falls," an activist in Al-Midan who identified himself as Ahmed told AFP via Skype. Clashes also broke out on the edges of Palestinian refugee camp Yarmuk, the Observatory s Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. Residents of the camp said they feared a major onslaught as violence came closer to their neighbourhood, which has become a place of refuge for people fleeing nearby violence-stricken districts. Troops also shelled besieged districts of the central city of Homs on Wednesday, the Observatory said, adding violence also struck the nearby city of Hama, where five civilians were killed. "In some areas of Hama there are snipers everywhere and they are shooting at anything that moves," a Hama-based activist told AFP via Skype. "In other areas, people are handing out sweets to celebrate" the death of the three regime officials. More than 17,000 people have been killed in violence since an anti-regime revolt broke out in Syria in March last year, according to the Observatory. It is impossible to independently verify death toll reports on Syria.

6 die in Bulgaria as bus carrying Israelis bombed

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A bomb exploded on a bus carrying Israeli youth in a Bulgarian resort Wednesday, killing at least six people and wounding 32, officials said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it "an Iranian terror attack" and promised a tough response. The explosion took place in the Black Sea city of Burgas, some 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of the capital, Sofia. TV images showed smoke billowing from the scene a parking lot at the local airport where the Israeli tourists had landed shortly before the blast. Several buses and cars were on fire near the shell of the exploded vehicle. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, after being briefed by his Bulgarian counterpart, said the explosion was caused by a bomb placed on the bus. He said seven people died, but by Wednesday night the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry had placed the death toll at six and the number of wounded at 32 people. No group immediately claimed responsibility. But Israelis often have been targeted outside their country, and Wednesday s attack coincided with the 18th anniversary of the bombing of a Jewish community center in Argentina that killed 85 people. Israel suspects archrival Iran of being behind several of those assaults. The two nations have long been in dispute over the nature of Iran s nuclear program. Israel has warned it will use military force to curb Iran s program if it must because it believes Tehran wants atomic weapons a charge Iranian officials deny. The Israeli premier noted that Wednesday s attack followed similar attacks or attempted attacks in India, Georgia, Thailand and Kenya and Cyprus in recent months. He said that once again, "all signs point to Iran," though he did not offer any evidence to back up the claim. "This is an Iranian terror attack that is spreading across the world," Netanyahu said. "Israel will react strongly to Iran s terror." The White House, which has preferred to pursue sanctions and diplomatic pressure against Iran in the nuclear dispute, also strongly condemned the attack, with President Barack Obama calling it "barbaric." British Foreign Secretary William Hague also condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the families of the victims. Tehran did not immediately issue any comment.

US drought worst in 25 years, food prices to rise

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A drought scouring the farming heartlands of the United States is the worst for 25 years and could drive up food prices, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Wednesday. The United States is the world s biggest producer of corn and soybeans, and the warning came as some farmers warned they may be forced to harvest crops early to sell the stalks off cheaply as animal feed. "I get on my knees every day and I m saying an extra prayer now. If I had a rain prayer or a rain dance I could do, I would do it," Vilsack told reporters after briefing President Barack Obama on the crisis. Vilsack revealed that 78 percent of US corn and 11 percent of soybean crops had been hit, and compared the situation to a 1988 drought that cut production by 20 percent and cost the economy tens of billions of dollars. "This will result in significant increases in prices for corn. We ve seen a 38 percent increase since June 1 in the price of a bushel of corn -- it s now $7.88. A bushel of beans has risen 24 percent," he said. Vilsack said the intensity of the drought was not as great as in 1988 but 61 percent of the country is affected, a much larger area than 25 years ago. "Part of the problem we re facing is that weather conditions were so good at the beginning of the season that farmers got in the field early," he warned. "As a result, this drought comes at a very difficult and painful time in terms of their ability to have their crops have good yields." The secretary said the government had increased the number of territories designated as drought disaster zones, bringing the total to 1,297 counties in 29 states, where farmers will be eligible for assistance. Vilsack said Obama had ordered that the interest rates on emergency loans for farmers be reduced and that emergency areas be opened up for livestock grazing and hay production as feed costs rise. But he said consumer food prices should not rise immediately, since the costs from the farm door are a small proportion of a final supermarket bill, and in any case it will take a while for the crisis to reach store shelves. "There is some degree of uncertainty about all of this," he said. "Technology has allowed us to have more drought-resistant crops. The spotty nature of drought, the spotty nature of rains can sometimes result in better yields than anticipated. We re just going to have to see." The US Federal Reserve s latest report on economic conditions, the Beige Book, released Wednesday recorded wide variations in drought conditions, but noted a drop in the amount of corn being turned into biofuels.

Oil prices firm after Syria, anti-Israel attacks

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Global oil prices headed higher Wednesday, driven by heightened political tensions in the Middle East after bomb attacks against Syria and Israelis. New York s main contract, light sweet crude for August, finished at $89.87 a barrel, a gain of 65 cents from Tuesday s closing price. Brent North Sea crude for delivery in September jumped $1.16 to close at $105.16 a barrel in London trade. "Tensions continue to escalate in the Middle East," said John Kilduff, an analyst at Again Capital. "The latest developments in Syria moved up prices." Crude futures won support from worsening violence in Syria, stoking concerns over supplies from the oil-rich Middle East. Rebels claimed a bomb attack in Damascus that killed three of President Bashar al-Assad s security chiefs. The bombing prompted US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to warn that Syria was "spinning out of control." The market also was underpinned by concerns over a deadly bomb blast Wednesday targeting Israeli tourists at an airport in Bulgaria, killing seven people. Traders shrugged off news of a smaller-than-expected decline in crude oil inventories in the United States, that suggested soft demand in the world s top oil consumer. The US Department of Energy reported day that American crude oil inventories sank by 800,000 barrels in the week ending July 13. Expectations had been for a larger decline of 1.1 million barrels, according to analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires.

Dollar rises as Bernanke gives no hint of stimulus

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The dollar is rising against the euro after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gave no indication that the Fed was about to step in again to help the U.S. economy. In his second day of testimony before Congress, Bernanke said Wednesday that economic growth remains weak and that the Fed will contemplate additional action if unemployment stays high. But he offered no hints that the Fed would launch another round of bond purchases. The Fed has already launched two rounds of bond purchases, most recently in August 2010. Those programs push interest rates lower and can weaken the dollar. The euro fell to $1.2269 in afternoon trading Wednesday from $1.2289 late Tuesday. The British pound fell to $1.5650 from $1.5647. The dollar fell to 78.79 Japanese yen from 79.09 yen.

Haas beats Simon to advance in Hamburg

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Veteran Tommy Haas rallied to upset defending champion Gilles Simon 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 Wednesday for a place in the quarterfinals of the German Tennis Championships. Haas beat Roger Federer for the title in Halle, Germany, in June and is looking to become the first home player to win the tournament since Michael Stich in 1993. Haas will next meet another German, Florian Mayer, who routed Robin Haase 6-2, 6-1. Fourth-seeded Marin Cilic stayed on course for a second title in two weeks by dismissing Federico Delbonis 6-3, 6-2. Albert Ramos beat Lukas Rosol 7-6 (8), 4-6, 6-3.

Pietersen out of England T20 squad

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Kevin Pietersen s dream of helping England defend their World Twenty20 title appeared to have been dashed when he was left out Wednesday of an initial 30-man squad for this year s edition in Sri Lanka. Pietersen, England s man of the tournament when they won the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean two years ago -- their first major limited overs title -- recently retired from all white ball internationals. The South Africa-born batsman wanted to continue to play Twenty20 matches while opting out of 50 overs per side one-day international fixtures. But England said the terms of his central contract meant he had to be available for both of those formats and that the only alternative was to quit all limited overs international cricket, which he duly did. Team officials were concerned that if they granted Pietersen his wish England, now on a 10-match winning streak in ODIs, would see several other leading players also quit one-dayers. Pietersen, who remains one of the first-choice picks for the Test side, suggested last week he would return to one-day internationals if something could be done about making sure he wasn t burnt out by England s packed schedule. But the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) held firm to their stance that players cannot "pick and choose" which limited overs matches they play in. Provisional England World Twenty20 squad: Stuart Broad, (capt), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Gareth Batty, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Scott Borthwick, Tim Bresnan, Danny Briggs, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Steven Croft, Steven Davies (wkt), Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Craig Kieswetter (wkt), Michael Lumb, Stuart Meaker, Eoin Morgan, Graham Onions, Samit Patel, Matt Prior (wkt), Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Graeme Swann, James Taylor, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes, Luke Wright

Sri Lanka cricket contract dispute settled

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Sri Lanka cricketers and administrators settled a dispute over central contracts on Wednesday, ending a potential boycott of the inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League next month. National captain Mahela Jayawardene said his players will sign their contracts before they leave for Hambantota on Thursday for a five-match one-day international series against India. Jayawardene warned this week that the cricketers might not take part in the SLPL because of disagreements over the contracts offered by cricket authorities. Sri Lanka Cricket has been widely criticized for mismanagement and corruption and delaying payment to the players. Commenting on the series between last year s World Cup finalists, Jayawardene said it was an ideal opportunity to build on the improvements in the just-finished series against Pakistan, and prepare for the home World Twenty20. India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said his players were refreshed after a rare long rest and will be focused on clinching the ODI series rather than thinking of the World Twenty20 The series of five ODIs and one Twenty20 starts on Saturday.

South Africa eye top spot

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Graeme Smith warned England on Wednesday his South Africa team were determined to take the hosts  number one ranking in Test cricket away from them. If the Proteas win the upcoming three-match series, they will replace England at the summit of the International Cricket Council s standings. South Africa captain Smith, speaking on the eve of the first Test, which starts at the Oval here on Thursday, said his side s strong away record made them genuine contenders. "We ve been really consistent," said Smith. "Maybe we haven t got some of the victories we would have liked but away from home our record speaks for itself. In all conditions I think it s fair to say that we ve been the most consistent team over a period of time. "We re looking forward to getting hold of that ranking and performing well. This Test series offers us an opportunity." England captain Andrew Strauss acknowledged the home team faced "a very strong challenge". He said: "South Africa are a very fine side. They ve proved that over the last couple of years and they ll be determined to knock us off our perch.  "It will be a good gauge for us. The rankings say we are number one and we have to go out and prove it." Smith insisted he believed South Africa were well prepared despite only playing one two-day game and a three-day match before the Test series, both of which were rain-affected. "I know it s been a topic of discussion but I think there s a real feeling of contentment and clarity in the squad. We ve had more preparation time than on most of our tours. We re at a point where we want to be." Opening batsman Smith claimed the touring team s bowling was stronger than when South Africa won their last series in England in 2008 -- the last time England lost a Test series on home soil. "Since the last time we played in England Morne (Morkel) and Dale (Steyn) are further on in their development and their skills and they still have the same sort of pace which is great," Smith insisted.  He added the introduction of Vernon Philander as a third seamer and Imran Tahir as a leg-spinner had given an extra dimension to the attack.

Karachi: Blast near Rangers vehicle kills 2, injures 4

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At least two people have been killed and four others injured, including Rangers officials, after a blast near a Rangers vehicle in Karachi, police and rescue sources said. According to sources, the blast occurred near People’s Chowrangi area of Karachi, killing at least two people and injuring three Rangers officials and a child. A motorcycle and a rickshaw were also destroyed in the blast. According to Rangers sources, the explosive material was planted in the rickshaw, however, police sources said that it was a hand grenade attack. The injured have been shifted to a local hospital in Karachi. Police and law enforcement agencies have cordoned off the area and started a search operation.

Pakistan wants no role in Afghanistan: Khar

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Talking to media after briefing Senate standing committee foreign affairs, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said that stable and peaceful Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s interests. Talking about Pak-US relations, the foreign minister said that ties with the United States are of historic nature. She informed that only operational fee will be charged for NATO supply. Also speaking on the occasion, standing committee member Haji Adil said that the committee is satisfied with Foreign Office briefing on NATO supply. He said that the roads damaged by containers will be repaired by NATO countries.

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Cricket - Sports

Thursday, July 19, 2012

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