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SC larger bench to hear memo issue case today
Iran warns 'reciprocal action' to Britain shutting embassy
EU split over slapping oil sanction on Iran
Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood says wants to form govt
OIC urges Syria to cooperate with Arab League
Blast near DCO office in Peshawar
200 arrested at Occupy Los Angeles as park cleared
Fire in crowded Hong Kong neighbourhood kills 9
Two feared dead in New Zealand helicopter crash
Paris: No plans to cover Eiffel Tower with plants
In mice, a step towards a vaccine for HIV
Pakistan, Bangladesh first ODI today
Man United knocked out of cup by Crystal Palace
Djokovic says 'represents' all peoples of ex-Yugoslavia
Athletics: Jamaican stars to race at US indoor meet

SC larger bench to hear memo issue case today

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The Supreme Court of Pakistan will hear the memogate case today (Thursday); meanwhile Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Mian Nawaz Sharif would argue the case in apex court. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Chief Justice of Pakistan has constituted nine member larger bench to hear the Constitution Petition filed in the Supreme Court of Pakistan on the issue of alleged memo delivered to Admiral Mike Mullen, US Joint Chiefs of Staff. The bench of apex court is comprises of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja, Justice Tariq Parvez, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Amir Hani Muslim, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry. Constitution petitions have been filed by Watan Party, M. Tariq Asad, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar and another. Notices have been issued to the counsel for the petitioners and Attorney General for Pakistan. Meanwhile, a meeting was held in Raiwand Lahore, in which senior party leaders of PML-N participated including senior counsel Fakruddin G Ibrahim and it was decided that Nawaz Sharif would argue the plea in Supreme Court today. It is worth mentioning here that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has filed a constitutional petition with regard to ‘memo controversy’ in the Supreme Court on 22 November. PML-N leaders including Nawaz Sharif, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Ishaq Dar, Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Abbasi, lt general (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch and other PML-N leaders from various provinces have filed the constitutional petition under Article 184-3 of constitution through senior advocate of apex court Fakharuddin G Ibrahim. Meanwhile court has clubbed another petition on memo issue filed by advocate Tariq Asad, with the case. PML-N has made president, Federation, Chief of the Army Staff, Hussain Haqqani, Mansoor Ijaz, DG ISI Ahmed Shuja Pasha and foreign secretary party in the case.

Iran warns 'reciprocal action' to Britain shutting embassy

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Iran on Wednesday warned that it will take measures against Britain after its decision to close the Islamic republic s embassy in London, a foreign ministry spokesman said. "The British government s asking Iranian diplomats in London to leave this country is a passive and hasty action," the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said. "Obviously the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran will take reciprocal action in this regard and holds the British government responsible for protecting the diplomatic properties and belongings in London," he added. "What happened at the British embassy in Tehran was unpredictable. It occured due to the anger of some demonstrators over Britain s policies regarding the Islamic republic," Mehmanparast said. He noted that none of the British diplomats were hurt and said the judiciary was "dealing" with the "violators." Iran "is committed to international obligations, and considers unacceptable any aggression towards diplomats and diplomatic properties," Mehmanparast added. Earlier, top lawmaker Aladdin Brujerdi lashed out at Britain for shutting the Iranian embassy in London and warned of "repercussions" and urged other European Union nations not to follow suit. "Britain is responsible for all the repercussions of its action," Brujerdi, chairman of the Iranian parliamentary national security and foreign policy commission, told Al-Alam news channel. Mehmanparast and Brujerdi were responding to British Foreign Secretary William Hague who earlier said London was shutting its embassy in Tehran and ordering the immediate closure of Iran s embassy to Britain. Iranian diplomats had until Friday to leave the country, Hague said. The announcement was in response to Tuesday s storming of Britain s embassy in Tehran by Iranian protesters who Hague said were likely sent by the Islamic republic s rulers. "We (parliament) reduced diplomatic ties (with Britain) but public opinion is pleased that British diplomats are no longer in Iran," Brujerdi said.

EU split over slapping oil sanction on Iran

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The European Union, which is poised to slap sanctions on dozens of Iranian companies and individuals, remains split over targeting the country s oil sector, diplomatic sources said Wednesday. With Spain, Greece and Italy significantly dependent on oil from Iran, "there will be no oil sanctions against Tehran" announced at talks Thursday between the EU s 27 foreign ministers, an EU diplomat said. The ministers are expected to agree an assets freeze and travel ban on an extra 143 Iranian companies and 37 people while calling for a resumption of global talks on Iran s contested nuclear programme. "France, Germany and Britain are in favour of oil sanctions," said another diplomatic source "but there is no agreement between the 27". "Oil imports is quite often a national interest of great importance because some member states do import a lot of oil from Iran," said the source. EU data shows oil imports of crude oil from Iran in 2010 amounting to 5.8 percent of total EU imports, making the country the fifth supplier at the time after Russia, Norway, Libya and Saudi Arabaia. Of that total, Spain accounted for 14.6 percent, Greece for 14 and Italy for 13.1 percent. EU diplomats said cash-strapped Greece led opposition to an oil embargo, with one source adding: "Iran sells them on credit which is a considerable advantage in these times."

Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood says wants to form govt

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Partial results Wednesday showed the Muslim Brotherhood emerging as the biggest winner in Egypt s landmark parliamentary elections, and leaders of the once-banned Islamic group demanded to form the next government, setting the stage for a possible confrontation with the ruling military. The generals who took power after the February fall of Hosni Mubarak have said they will name the government and the parliament would have no right to dissolve it. They have also sought to wrest from the new parliament the more long-reaching and crucial role of running the process for writing the new constitution. But the Brotherhood s confidence was riding high after the unexpectedly large turnout this week for two days of voting. Millions lined up at the polls for the first of multiple rounds of balloting in their country s first free election in living memory. Even before polls closed on Tuesday, Mohammed Mursi, head of the Brotherhood s Freedom and Justice Party, told reporters outside a polling center in Cairo that the majority in parliament must put together the government, which he said should be a coalition of the main parties. Another top Brotherhood figure, Sobhi Saleh, said on Wednesday that Mursi s comments were a message to the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces not to act unilaterally. "You can t come and say,  I choose the government and I sack the government.  Its over, the people have emerged," he said. "If you impose a government on me that I don t endorse, you are creating tension in the relationship." The high turnout, he said, shows that Egyptians want a fully empowered parliament and that "you, yourself, are subject to the people s authority," referring to the generals. Final results from the round, which covered nine of Egypt s 27 provinces, will be issued Thursday night. The Brotherhood appeared convinced it surpassed already high expectations. Saleh, for example, boasted the group won 50 percent. But the true extent of its win was not yet known. In rural provinces in particular, the main party of the ultraconservative Islamist Salafis, who are more hard-line than the Brotherhood, appeared to do surprisingly well, cutting into the Brotherhood vote. In other places, the main liberal-secular grouping made a strong showing.

OIC urges Syria to cooperate with Arab League

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Foreign ministers of the world s largest Muslim body urged Syria on Wednesday to cooperate with the Arab League, which imposed unprecedented sanctions on Damascus over its crackdown on months of protests. Ministers from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) called on the regime of President Bashar al-Assad to "respond to the decisions of the Arab League," according to a statement released at the end of emergency talks on Syria. The OIC also urged Damascus to "immediately stop using excessive force against civilians... to spare the country the danger of internationalising the crisis," it added. The statement, issued after the meeting that was attended by the Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, urged "all parties in Syria to renounce violence and resort to peaceful means." OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, speaking after the meeting, said the group "urged Syria to stop violating human rights and to allow Islamic and international human organisations access to Syria."  The meeting was also attended by Ali Akbar Salehi, the foreign minister of Iran which is a key regional ally of the regime in Damascus. Earlier, Ihsanoglu reiterated the Jeddah-based group s rejection of any moves "to internationalise the crisis." "We also refuse any military intervention and affirm our respect to Syria and its sovereignty... and welcome international and Arab efforts" to reach a solution, he said. But the OIC chief expressed frustration at the lack of any breakthrough to end the violence since March that the United Nations says killed more than 3,500 people, mostly civilians, in its first eight months.

Blast near DCO office in Peshawar

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According to initial reports a powerful blast occurred in the early hours of Thursday near DCO office in Peshawar. The blast was so severe that it destroyed the outer wall of the DCO office. Police and rescue teams have reached the blast site. The law enforcement agencies have cordoned off the area after the blast. No casualty was reported till filing of this report.

200 arrested at Occupy Los Angeles as park cleared

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More than 1,400 police officers, some in riot gear, cleared the Occupy Los Angeles camp early Wednesday, driving protesters from a park around City Hall and arresting more than 200 who defied orders to leave. Similar raids in Philadelphia led to 50 arrests, but the scene in both cities was relatively peaceful. Police in Los Angeles and Philadelphia moved in on Occupy Wall Street encampments under darkness in an effort to clear out some of the longest-lasting protest sites since crackdowns ended similar occupations across the country. The moves came after other cities including New York where the movement was born acted to remove campers on grounds their tent cities were health hazards and disrupted local business. Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck praised the officers and the protesters for their restraint and the peaceful way the eviction was carried out. Officers flooded down the steps of City Hall just after midnight and started dismantling the two-month-old camp two days after a deadline passed for campers to leave the park. Officers in helmets and wielding batons and guns with rubber bullets converged on the park from all directions with military precision and began making arrests after several orders were given to leave. There were no injuries and no drugs or weapons were found during a search of the emptied camp, which was strewn with trash after the raid. City workers put up concrete barriers to wall off the park while it is restored. By morning, the park was clear of protesters, said LAPD officer Cleon Joseph. The raid in Los Angeles came after demonstrators with the movement in Philadelphia marched through the streets after being evicted from their site. About 40 protesters were arrested after refusing to clear a street several blocks northeast of City Hall, said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey. They were lined up in cuffs and loaded on to buses by officers. Six others were arrested earlier after remaining on a street police that police tried to clear.

Fire in crowded Hong Kong neighbourhood kills 9

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Police say a fire that started at market stalls and spread to homes in a crowded Hong Kong neighbourhood has killed 9 people and injured dozens. People climbed to the roofs of low-rise apartment buildings as the fire spread after breaking out in the early morning Wednesday. It wasn t brought under control until midday. Footage by The Associated Press and local media showed firefighters rescuing people and victims being carried on stretchers. Officials said nine people died and 34 were injured. The fire was in Mong Kok, an area packed with stalls selling toys, clothes and accessories. Mong Kok, on the Kowloon peninsula across the harbor from Hong Kong Island, is among the world s most densely populated neighborhoods. Police said the fire had a "suspicious origin" and are investigating.

Two feared dead in New Zealand helicopter crash

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A pilot and conservation worker are missing and feared dead after the helicopter they were flying to fight a fire crashed into the ocean off New Zealand s far north coast. Northland police inspector Lou Alofa said the helicopter was located Thursday morning in about seven metres (23 feet) of water and that dive teams were on their way to the scene. He said the chopper went missing Wednesday night while fighting a large scrub fire in Matai Bay near Kaitaia. Alofa said the fire broke out at about 7 p.m. Wednesday. Reports indicate the fire burned down at least two homes. Department of Conservation spokesman Rory Newsam said a Northland staff member is missing and the agency was meeting Thursday with the family of the worker.

Paris: No plans to cover Eiffel Tower with plants

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An engineering company says it s preparing plans to blanket the Eiffel Tower in live plants, but Paris City Hall has denied it will happen. In a statement, city hall said it "refutes the existence of any project to vegetalize" the iconic monument. Wednesday s statement dismissed as "lacking substance" a report in the Le Figaro daily that said Ginger engineering company is working on a €72 million ($95 million) plan to hang the tower with 600,000 plants for four years. The report said the company is testing its design on a small model. Meanwhile, officials with Ginger insisted the report is true and that the project is under way. Company officials emphasized it would be financed by corporate sponsors not public funds.

In mice, a step towards a vaccine for HIV

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Genetically modified mice fought back the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) after they had been injected with genes to make antibodies, the first line of defence in the immune system, the report said in the journal Nature. First identified in 1981, AIDS has claimed at least 25 million lives, although the annual toll is falling sharply from the peak of the pandemic in response to drug treatment. But AIDS campaigners say the pandemic will only be crushed once a vaccine emerges. So far, in clinical trials, only one candidate formula has had even a modest effect, providing a shield of only 31 percent against the risk of HIV infection. This has prompted researchers to return to the drawing board, to look for "broadly neutralising antibodies" -- Y-shaped proteins that are the immune system s foot soldiers -- among the tiny number of people with an innate ability to resist HIV. So far, this trawl has turned up around 20 so-called "bNAbs," but there are big unknowns as to how they work and, if so, whether they can be made into a deliverable vaccine. Delving into this, a team led by David Baltimore at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) says it has developed a way to deliver bNAb-making genes to lab mice. The rodents were engineered to carry human cells that allow HIV to penetrate and reproduce. The approach, called Vectored ImmunoProphylaxis, or VIP, entails using a harmless virus as a "Trojan horse" in which they tucked the genes able to turn out specific bNAbs. They then injected the virus into the leg muscles of the mice, where it holed up in cells, enabling the bNAb genes to produce antibodies in response to HIV. The mice were first challenged with just one nanogram of AIDS virus -- enough to infect most non-treated mice that received it -- but the dose was eventually cranked up to 125 nanograms without problems. There were no signs of any side effects. "VIP has a similar effect to a vaccine but without ever calling on the immune system to do any of the work," said Alejandro Balazs, lead author of the study, in a press release issued by Caltech. "Normally, you put an antigen or killed bacteria or something into the body, and the immune system figures out how to make an antibody against it. We ve taken that whole part out of the equation." The team stressed that the jump from mice to humans is large. "We re not promising that we ve actually solved the human problem," said Baltimore. "But the evidence for prevention in these mice is very clear." He added the team was drawing up plans to cautiously test the method in small-scale human clinical trials. Baltimore co-won the 1975 Nobel Prize for Medicine at the age of 37 for his work on reverse transcriptase, a key enzyme in the reproduction of retroviruses -- the family that includes HIV.

Pakistan, Bangladesh first ODI today

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Pakistan will take on Bangladesh in the first match of the three-match ODI series today at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. Bangladesh will take to the field toady with a very poor record against Pakistan in the limited version of cricket. The hosts have only one win against the visitors in their last 26 ODI encounters since 1986. Bangladesh beat Pakistan by 82 runs in the group match of the ICC Cricket World Cup in Northampton, England in 1999. Pakistan played their last full three-match ODI series in Bangladesh in 2001-2002 and made a clean sweep with a 3-0 victory over Bangladesh. In the last encounter, Pakistan crushed Bangladesh by 139 runs in the Asia Cup last year in Dambulla, Sri Lanka. Pakistan earlier started their campaign against Bangladesh with a thumping 50-run win in the only T20 match on Tuesday. Pakistan will play the second ODI against Bangladesh on December 3 at the SBNS in Dhaka and the third and last ODI on Dec 6 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong under the floodlight, before the two-match Test series that will begin in Chittagong on Dec 9.

Man United knocked out of cup by Crystal Palace

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Manchester United was knocked out of the League Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday by Crystal Palace, the second-tier club scoring in extra time for a 2-1 victory and its first win at Old Trafford since 1989. Former Premier League midfielder Darren Ambrose put Palace ahead in the 65th minute and a weak United lineup needed a penalty equalizer from Federico Macheda four minutes later to take the game into extra time. Striker Glenn Murray then headed a free kick by Ambrose past goalkeeper Ben Amos in the eighth minute of added time to earn Palace a semifinal against fellow League Championship side Cardiff. Having won on Tuesday, Liverpool and Manchester City will meet in the other semifinal.

Djokovic says 'represents' all peoples of ex-Yugoslavia

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Tennis number one Novak Djokovic said Wednesday he considered himself a "representative" of all peoples of the former Yugoslav federation that broke up in a series of bloody wars in 1990s. "I feel as the representative of all peoples of former Yugoslavia and I want to say that here, in Banja Luka," Djokovic was quoted as saying by daily Nezavisne Novine s online edition. Djokovic was in Banja Luka, capital of the Serb-run entity in Bosnia, after being voted Person of the Year by Nezavisne Novine s readers. "Sport really connects people. Citizens of Bosnia have shown that they love sport and respect athletes  success," the 24-year old Serb player said. Djokovic was greeted in the centre of Banja Luka by hundreds of supporters, mostly youth who, according to local media, skipped classes to see him. Djokovic has enjoyed one of the greatest seasons in tennis history after winning the Australian Open, Wimbledon, the US Open and five Masters events, as well as replacing Rafael Nadal as world number one. Six former Yugoslav republics - Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovenia - are today independent countries.

Athletics: Jamaican stars to race at US indoor meet

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Jamaican sprint stars Asafa Powell and Veronica Campbell-Brown will race in the US Open indoor meet next month at New York s Madison Square Garden, USA Track and Field announced on Wednesday. The event replaces the traditional Millrose Games in the famed Manhattan arena on January 28. Former 100-metres world record-holder Powell and world and Olympic champion Campbell-Brown will compete in the short sprints in the year s first major US meet. "Having Veronica and Asafa at the Garden will help spotlight the international importance of the Olympic year, with the US Open as the first round of the 2012 USA-Jamaica rivalry," USA Track interim chief executive Mike McNees said. Powell, 29, has not competed indoors since 2004 and last raced in New York at a 2009 Diamond League event. He held the 100m world record at 9.77 seconds from 2005 until compatriot Usain Bolt broke the mark in 2008 in New York. Campbell-Brown is the two-time defending Olympic 200m champion, reigning World Indoor 60m champion and won world outdoor crowns at 100m in 2007 and 200m earlier this year. She also won the Millrose Games 60m crown last season.

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Cricket - Sports

Thursday, December 1, 2011

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