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Munter sees more 'rough' times with Pakistan
Police still clueless about vehicle used in Karachi blast
Karachi: Congo virus confirmed in Quetta surgeon
NASA expects satellite to crash to earth this week
Hughes ton lifts Aussies in Colombo Test
Islamabad: National Womens Football Cship begins
Lahore: Dengue claims 6 more lives
Europe debt worries sink US stocks
Indian bus crash kills 22: report
Activists say security forces kill 5 in Syria
US intensifies effort to head off UN showdown
UN chief condemns Yemen forces for protest deaths
Gunmen from Congo kill 36 at pub in Burundi
Obama proposes Buffett Tax on millionaires
Hamas, Fatah agree no Gaza demos over UN bid

Munter sees more 'rough' times with Pakistan

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The US ambassador to Pakistan predicted Monday that relations between the war partners will remain rocky but pledged greater effort to ensure that ordinary Pakistanis feel the fruits of US aid. In blunt remarks during a visit to New York, Ambassador Cameron Munter insisted that Pakistan has made progress in some areas -- such as improving relations with India -- but acknowledged shortcomings. "I want to be straightforward about this. This has been a rough year for our time with Pakistan and the difficulties that we ve faced, the difficulties in the relationship, are going to continue," Munter said at the Asia Society. "If I give myself a report card for the last year, C or D," he said. Munter pointed to the Pakistani decision to throw out US trainers after US forces conducted a top-secret raid in May that killed most-wanted extremist Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, home to the country s military academy. Munter also noted the tensions over CIA employee Raymond Davis, who was arrested for shooting dead two men in Lahore. The US Congress in 2009 approved a five-year, $7.5 billion aid package for Pakistan, hoping to fight anti-American sentiment by investing in civilian institutions instead of just the military. But Munter said that much of the assistance has been "invisible" to Pakistanis as it involved small projects and grants. Munter said that the United States will now put a priority on boosting Pakistan s energy supply, a major concern in a country with frequent blackouts and a rapidly growing population. "We re going to push hard in energy and it s going to cost a fair amount of American money, but it s an investment in something that everyone in that country is going to feel," he said. Despite the problems in relations, Munter credited US diplomacy with helping ease tensions between Pakistan and its arch-rival India. "We have been very supportive, and I think successful, in a quiet way in helping our Pakistani friends open up to India," Munter said. Munter rejected the viewpoint widely held in Indian and US policy circles that Pakistan s military, a major power-broker, was opposed to improving relations with India. "One myth I would like to puncture is that the Pakistani military is against the opening to India. That is not what I hear from my colleagues in the Pakistani military," Munter said.

Police still clueless about vehicle used in Karachi blast

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Police has sought help from traders of junk market to identify the vehicle used in the Monday morning blast. The investigators are still not sure whether it was a suicide blast or a vehicle was used in the incident. According to sources, Bomb Disposal Squad, FIA’s special investigation group and police’s special branch also failed to find remains of body parts of suspected suicide bomber. According to investigation officials, parts of vehicles found from the blast site are being tested and help of junk market traders was sought in this regard. It is not still clear that what was the model or colour of vehicle used in the blast.

Karachi: Congo virus confirmed in Quetta surgeon

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Senior surgeon of Civil Hospital Quetta, Dr Ayaz Mandokhail, was shifted to Karachi in suspicion of contracting Congo virus where he was tested positive after tests. Dr Ayaz is under treatment at a private hospital of Karachi. The number of Congo virus patients reached four in 2011. Earlier, Congo virus was confirmed in a 27-year-old youth in August but he was recovered from the disease.

NASA expects satellite to crash to earth this week

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A defunct NASA science satellite dispatched by a space shuttle crew in 1991 will come crashing back to Earth soon, with debris most likely landing in an ocean or unpopulated region, NASA officials said. In a statement released on its website on Sunday (September 18) NASA said re-entry was expected on Friday (September 23), "plus or minus a day." The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, or UARS, was turned off in 2005, becoming another piece of space junk loitering in Earth orbit. Most of UARS will burn up in the atmosphere, but up to 26 individual pieces, with a combined mass of about 1,100 pounds (500 kg), will survive the fall, NASA officials told Reuters. The largest chunk, part of the spacecraft s structure, is expected to be about 331 pounds (150 kg). The debris most likely will land in an ocean or in an uninhabited region of Earth. The satellite s orbit takes it over most of the planet, from as far north as northern Canada to the southern part of South America. The satellite is so big, its plunge through the atmosphere will be visible -- if anyone is around to see it, NASA said.

Hughes ton lifts Aussies in Colombo Test

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Australia opener Phil Hughes scored his first Test hundred in 2-1/2 years as Sri Lanka pressed for a series levelling victory in the third and final Test.  The Australians, trailing by 157 runs on the first innings, finished the fourth day at 209 for three wickets for an overall lead of 52.  Hughes was undefeated on 122 with 16 fours and a six and captain Michael Clarke had scored eight.  Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath grabbed all three Australian wickets to fall to end the day with figures of three for 54.  Herath first trapped Shane Watson lbw for 21, a decision the batsman challenged and lost.  Shaun Marsh fell to a bat-pad catch at short leg for 18 although television replays showed the ball brushing past his pad to fielder Lahiru Thirimanne. Marsh did not challenge the decision but walked off.  Ricky Ponting became Herath s third victim when he failed to get on top of the ball and edged a catch to Mahela Jayawardene at slip for 28.  Earlier Angelo Mathews scored his maiden test hundred to give Sri Lanka a handy first-innings lead of 157.  Mathews, 85 not out overnight, was stuck nervously in the nineties, losing three partners in quick succession but finally reached his century with a cover-driven four off Peter Siddle. Tillakaratne Dilshan was other main contributor with an innings of 85.

Islamabad: National Womens Football Cship begins

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The championship started with a colourful and beautiful ceremony at the Sports Complex in Islamabad. In the opening match of the championship, Young Rising Star, Punjab defeated Balochistan 2-0.  The second match of the day proved one-sided as defending champions Young Rising Star thrashed Mehran Club by 25-0. In the third match Islamabad defeated Army 5-0.

Lahore: Dengue claims 6 more lives

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At least six more people died of dengue in Lahore, taking death toll to 46. In Karachi too, a girl died of dengue fever. The number of dengue patients in Punjab has crossed 6,500 mark while cases of overcharging were also reported in government hospitals. According to Mayo Hospital sources, Anayat Mashi of Narowal died today. He was admitted in the hospital two days ago. Muhammad Asif, a resident of Phoolnagar, died in General Hospital while Farooq of Township died at Military Hospital. Meanwhile, Seerat Fatima of Okara lost her life due to dengue fever at the Sheikh Zayad Hospital and Noor Jahan of Jalo More died at Social Security Hospital while Tahir Ghafoor died at a private hospital in Garden Town. At least 205 new cases of dengue were reported in Punjab during the past 24 hours out of which 173 belonged to Lahore. The number of dengue patients in Punjab reached 6,666 out of which 6,126 were reported in Lahore. In Karachi, death toll from dengue reached 3 after four-year-old Fazila of Musharraf Colony lost her life due to dengue fever. At least 19 new cases were reported in the city taking the number of patients to 80. According to dengue control centre, 53 new cases were reported in Rawalpindi while six more patients were admitted in the PIMS in Islamabad. Meanwhile, post-graduate trainee, Doctor Sidra of District Headquarters Hospital, was shifted to the intensive care ward in critical condition. In Faisalabad, the number of dengue patients reached 345 after 31 new patients were admitted in different hospitals of the city. At least six more patients were brought to District Headquarters Hospital Sheikhupura while private laboratories in the city have refused to reduce test fee for dengue. The private laboratories are charging Rs 400 as test fee for dengue virus. One dengue case was also confirmed in Sialkot while two patients were also reported in Hussain Khanwala, a suburb of Pattoki. At least 11 new cases of dengue were reported in Multan, raising the number of patients to 84 in the city while five new patients were admitted in different hospitals of Bahawalpur. Meanwhile, three new cases of dengue were reported in tribal areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Europe debt worries sink US stocks

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US stocks slid Monday, snapping a five-session winning streak as traders worried about a possible Greek public debt default and eurozone inaction to confront the crisis. The Dow Jones Industrial Average skidded 109.44 points (0.95 percent) to 11,399.65 in closing trade. The broader S&P 500 dropped 11.62 points (0.96 percent) to 1,204.39, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 10.19 points (0.39 percent) to 2,612.12. Although the indexes sharply trimmed heavy earlier losses, Wall Street was firmly in sell mode after European Union finance ministers over the weekend failed to find a convincing way to tackle Greece s sovereign debt crisis.

Indian bus crash kills 22: report

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A head-on collision between a bus and a trailer carrying iron rods killed 22 people in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, a report said Monday. "The bus collided with the trailer around 3:30 am, killing 13 people on the spot. The rest succumbed to injuries in hospitals," police superintendent A. V. Minz. The iron rods pierced the bus, resulting in many casualties, he said, adding that about 25 others were injured in the accident, which happened near Bundu, about 50 kilometres (31 miles) from state capital Ranchi. India has the highest annual road death toll in the world, according to the World Health Organization, with accidents caused by speeding, careless driving and poor roads. About 125,000 people, or 340 a day, died on the country s roads in 2009, according to the latest statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau.

Activists say security forces kill 5 in Syria

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Syria s 6-month-old uprising has descended into a bloody stalemate pitting government forces against angry crowds of protesters. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said military forces conducted deadly raids in Houla, an area consisting of several villages in central Homs province, killing five people. The observatory quoted one of its activists in the area as saying there was intense shooting, and tanks have cut roads in the area. The UN human rights office said Monday that Syrian security forces have killed at least 100 people during the past week. UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Kang Kyung-wha said the latest figures bring the death toll during months of unrest in Syria to more than 2,700 people, including at least 100 children. President Bashar Assad, whose family has ruled Syria for more than four decades, insists the unrest is being driven by a foreign conspiracy to destroy the country and says security forces are the real victims. On Monday, the state-run media said a "terrorist group" ambushed two buses in the central province of Hama, killing four police officers. Syria has banned independent media coverage, making it difficult to verify the reports. The Syrian uprising began in mid-March, part of the wave of protests in the Arab world that have toppled autocrats in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

US intensifies effort to head off UN showdown

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The United States pressed ahead with intensive talks aimed at averting a showdown over Palestinian statehood at the United Nations this week, asking key Muslim ally Turkey not to allow its rift with Israel to grow wider and hoping to coax cooperation from a noncommittal Russia. As President Barack Obama and other world leaders headed to New York for the annual UN General Assembly session, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met her Turkish counterpart and was to see Russia s foreign minister later in the day. A senior US official said Clinton had encouraged Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to repair badly strained ties with Israel and play a positive role in resolving the Palestinian issue that is looming large over the General Assembly that opens on Wednesday. A second senior US official added that Washington was particularly concerned about frayed Turkey-Israel ties because the Palestinian confrontation has raised the stakes for further confrontation. Officials said they would like the Turks, who support the Palestinian bid, to lower tensions with Israel by toning down what has been sharp rhetoric regarding the Jewish state in recent weeks. This, the officials said, could improve the atmosphere at the United Nations. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because Clinton s meetings were private. Clinton seemed to be referring to a Turkish pledge to send warships to back up any future aid convoy attempting to break the Israeli siege of the Gaza Strip, but officials said that wasn t specifically discussed. Israelis fear the statehood bid could further hamper their international standing, having lost a longtime ally in Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and its close partnership with Turkey, the only Muslim nation in NATO. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas vowed not to back down despite "tremendous pressure" on the bid for UN recognition and membership in the world body. Abbas insisted that the statehood goal should not derail a resumption of direct negotiations. The US views the Palestinian plan as counterproductive and a potential roadblock to the peace effort. The US has vowed to veto the measure in the UN Security Council. The pressure from the United States and other quarters was matched by feverish efforts to offer the Palestinian leadership a viable plan forward, conscious that the current state of negotiations with the Jewish state is leading nowhere.

UN chief condemns Yemen forces for protest deaths

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UN leader Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned "the excessive use of force" by Yemeni security forces after dozens of demonstrators were killed in two days of violence. Ban is "gravely concerned about the escalation of violence in Yemen" and calls for restraint, said his spokesman Martin Nesirky. "He strongly condemns the excessive use of force by government security forces against unarmed protestors in the capital Sanaa," added the spokesman. The secretary general urged all political groups to work with the UN envoy to Yemen, Jamal Benomar, and the Gulf Cooperation Council to find a peaceful end to the country s crisis. Protesters demanding the departure of President Ali Abdullah Saleh have again taken to the streets and security forces have killed at least 53 people and wounded 942 in two days, according to protest organizers.

Gunmen from Congo kill 36 at pub in Burundi

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Burundi, a tiny nation still reeling from a civil war that killed more than 250,000 people, is awash in weapons but attacks like this are rare. Still, the region borders eastern Congo, which is wracked by violence from a myriad of rebel groups. Bujumbura province governor Jacques Minani said the attackers targeted the pub in Gatumba, west of Burundi s capital, after crossing the river from Congo. Survivor Jackson Kabura, who was shot in the stomach, said the men entered wearing military fatigues. "One of them said,  kill them all, kill them all. Make sure there s no survivors, " he said. Congolese military spokesman Col. Sylvain Ekenge said officials were "astonished" by reports that the attackers were believed to be from his country. He said the perpetrators are more likely to be rebels from Burundi s last rebel army, the Forces for National Liberation. He said Congolese forces had captured some of the Burundian fighters in Congo several months ago. "It is they who often attack Gatumba and its surroundings, even if Burundian authorities call them bandits, but in this forest there are (Burundian rebel) fighters," he said. For the past year there have been reports that the extremist Burundian Hutu rebel group, led by Agathon Rwasa, is operating in eastern Congo and may be preparing for war in Burundi. Burundi has suffered attacks on police which allegedly are linked to a renewed rebellion by the group. At UN headquarters in New York, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attack and called on all parties to exercise restraint, his spokesman Martin Nesirky said. Ban "hopes the perpetrators of these crimes will be brought to justice promptly," Nesirky added. The UN mission in Congo has reported the presence of NLF fighters and bases in eastern Congo, and suggestions they may be allied with Rwandan Hutu rebels also operating there.

Obama proposes Buffett Tax on millionaires

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But Republicans rejected it as a political stunt and made clear the proposal has little chance of becoming law. Vowing to veto any plan that relies solely on spending cuts to reduce deficits, the Democratic president s recommendations set the stage for an ideological fight with Republicans opposed to tax increases that will stretch through Election Day 2012. "I will not support any plan that puts all the burden of closing our deficit on ordinary Americans," Obama said. "We are not going to have a one-sided deal that hurts the folks who are most vulnerable." Obama s speech reflected a more aggressive defense of Democratic principles after he took a battering in two previous budget battles with Republicans this year that helped drive his approval rating to new lows. Most Americans say they are unhappy with Obama s economic leadership, and the president s re-election hopes could hinge on his ability to convince voters that Republicans represent the rich, not the middle class. On Monday, he repeatedly said all Americans must pay their "fair share" of taxes, and he sharpened the difference between his vision for America and that of Republicans in a speech meant to regain support among core supporters who have said Obama has failed to stick to liberal principles. Republicans have consistently opposed any measures resembling tax hikes, saying they will hurt the struggling economy by increasing the burden on job-creating businesses. Republican leaders stuck to that position on Monday, quickly rejecting Obama s plan. "Veto threats, a massive tax hike, phantom savings, and punting on entitlement reform is not a recipe for economic or job growth," said Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell. John Boehner, speaker of the House of Representatives and the top Republican in Congress, said Obama failed to offer a "serious" recommendation to the special bipartisan congressional committee tasked with finding at least $1.2 trillion in savings. "Pitting one group of Americans against another is not leadership," Boehner said.

Hamas, Fatah agree no Gaza demos over UN bid

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"They (Fatah and Hamas) have agreed to cancel any action or demonstration supporting or denouncing the recourse by Abu Mazen (Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas) to the United Nations," a Hamas official said in a statement. "In accordance with the reconciliation agreement and efforts to bring an end to division, Fatah and Hamas have agreed to unify their positions in Gaza in order to avoid any action which might divide us again," it added. The statement also warned that the Hamas authorities "will forbid any demonstration supporting the Abu Mazen initiative," after a Fatah chief in Gaza Saturday called for peaceful demonstrations there before the UN statement bid. Hamas, which ousted Fatah forces from Gaza after deadly clashes in 2007, has criticised the decision to apply for full UN membership and warned that no Palestinian leader has a mandate to sacrifice fundamental Palestinian rights.

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Cricket - Sports

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

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