Dunya TV

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• Construction of Bhasha Dam crucial, says Zardari
• McCain: Obama weakness has led Mideast toward crisis
• South Africa police: Blast kills 5 prisoners
• Three Palestinians killed in Gaza violence
• UN planning peacekeeping force for Syria
• Pomney, Obama clash in last-chance debate
• Oil prices fall after Caterpillar cuts outlook
• Euro rises on Spain election results
• Federer opens bid for sixth title with win
• Hewitt beats Monaco in 1st round at Valencia Open
• Lionel Messi on a roll as Barcelona faces Celtic
• World Cup host city may move Fan Fest venue
• Italian scientists jailed over quake warning failure
• Pak youth make world's largest human national flag
• Britons list holiday home as 2nd address

Construction of Bhasha Dam crucial, says Zardari Posted: President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday chaired a meeting at Aiwan-e-Sadr, to review current energy situation and the progress made so far on various initiatives undertaken by the government to overcome the power and gas shortage in the country.The meeting reviewed progress on Construction of Diamir Bhasha Dam and the efforts being made to garner finances for this important project.The President said that construction of water reservoirs especially Diamir Bhasha Dam was crucial for the country to enhance its water storage capacity, which he said would help ensure food security and enhance agricultural productivity.The President said that early completion of Diamer-Bhasha Dam would help ease water and energy problems of the country in view of its huge storage capacity and power generation to the tune of 4500 mega watt and urged for taking all possible steps to ensure timely completion of the multi propose project.Advisor to PM on Petroleum, Dr. Asim Hussain briefed the meeting about the availability of gas and fuel for the power generation, progress on import of LNG and LPG and the Winter Gas Plan.

McCain: Obama weakness has led Mideast toward crisis Posted: Four years of failed leadership by US President Barack Obama has dragged the Middle East to the edge of a major crisis that could dramatically destabilize the region, Senator John McCain warned Monday.McCain laid down a withering critique of the commander-in-chiefs foreign policy just hours before Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney face off in Florida in their third and final presidential debate.Look at our relations with Russia. Four years and no progress with Iran on nuclear weapons, strained relations with Israel, Al-Qaeda coming back strongly in Iraq, things deteriorating in Afghanistan, McCain fumed.Monday nights debate, which focuses on international affairs, will be a chance for Romney to tag the president as a weak leader, a label he hopes will stick until Americans head to the polls on November 6.The foreign policy debate is about leadership, how the president can answer for our failed leadership throughout the world, McCain said.He expressed particular anger about the presidents inaction on Syria, where a revolt against strongman Bashar al-Assads regime has left more than 34,000 people dead, according to activists.McCain, who lost the 2008 election to Obama, warned of arms continuing to pour in to the Syrian regime from Russia, and Iranian agents on the ground in the country.And what has this administration done? Absolutely nothing. And just as many of us had predicted, its beginning to spill over -- into Lebanon, into Jordan, into the other countries in the region, and we are on the verge of a serious crisis.The influential senator has been among Congresss strongest advocates for broader intervention in Syria, including greater efforts to arm Syrian rebels, a position Romney shares.With Romney widely seen as besting Obama in the first debate, and Obama seen as making a comeback to win the second with fiery retorts to Romney on issues like Libya, Mondays showdown will be crucial.McCain sniped about Obamas performance in last weeks debate, saying he wasnt presidential in his aggressive tone with Romney.McCain described the presidents attacks as a sign of desperation, but also, not a lot of class.

South Africa police: Blast kills 5 prisoners Posted: A blast outside a prison in central Johannesburg Monday killed five prisoners and seriously wounded four others, a police official said.Prisoners trying to escape from custody detonated an explosive device as a van traveling from court approached the Johannesburg Prison Monday afternoon, South African Police Brig. Neville Malila told The Associated Press. The blast shattered the vans door and then at least two prisoners tried to flee. Inside the van were 36 prisoners and two police officials, Malila said.It was an attempt to escape, Malila said. None of the prisoners succeeded in getting away, he said. At least one of the fleeing prisoners was shot and wounded by the police, he said.Prisons and police officials later told reporters in Johannesburg that an investigation was under way to determine how the prisoners plotted to escape and what kind of explosive device was used.Police Maj. Gen. Oswald Reddy said that an unknown explosive device was detonated as the vehicle approached the prison facility. It was very carefully planned, he said of the plan to escape.

Three Palestinians killed in Gaza violence Posted: Israeli air strikes killed two Gaza militants Monday as they clashed with troops who crossed the border on the eve of a landmark visit by the Qatari emir, medics said, and a third man died later in disputed circumstances.The flare up provoked threats of revenge from the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the ruling Hamas movement, and a pledge from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that there would be no immunity for those firing on the Jewish state.Two air strikes took place around the northern town of Beit Hanun where militants were firing mortar rounds at an Israeli tank and several military vehicles which had crossed the border into Gaza territory, witnesses and security sources said.The first strike hit north of Beit Hanun, critically wounding four Qassam Brigades militants, one of whom later died, medics and the militant group said.As the clashes continued, Israel launched a second air strike east of Beit Hanun, killing a militant from the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and critically wounding another man, the same sources said.The Qassam Brigades confirmed that the first strike had killed one of its militants and critically wounded another three, naming the dead man as Abderahman Abu Jalaleh, 25, and describing him as a local commander.The second strike killed a PRC militant whom the group named as Yasser al-Tarabin. The identity of the wounded man was not immediately clear.The Israeli military said both strikes had targeted a rocket launching squad.The squad was targeted in response to mortar shell fire at a routine IDF (army) patrol in the area, near the Israeli kibbutz of Nir Am, a statement said of the first strike. An identical statement was issued following the second.Israeli police said that ahead of the strikes, militants fired a wave of rockets into southern Israel.Four rockets landed in the early hours of the morning, spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP. They were fired from the Gaza Strip and landed in open areas, not causing any damage or injuries.During the late afternoon Palestinian medical services and witnesses said a third air strike at Beit Hanun left a man critically wounded, and later said that the man, Khalil al-Kafarna, 21, had died of his injuries.It was not immediately known if he was a militant.An Israeli military spokeswoman denied that aircraft had struck again.

UN planning peacekeeping force for Syria Posted: The United Nations is already planning for a peacekeeping force in Syria should a cease-fire in that country take hold and pending a Security Council mandate, the U.N. peacekeeping chief said Monday.Herve Ladsous said, however, it was still too early to say how many peacekeepers might be deployed in such an eventual force.I would confirm that, of course, we are giving a lot of thought to what would happen if and when a political solution or at least a ceasefire would emerge, Ladsous told reporters a U.N. briefing.U.N. and Arab League envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi met with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus Sunday as part of his push for a cease-fire between rebels and government forces for the Eid al-Adha holiday, which begins Oct. 26.Syrias state-run news agency SANA said Damascus supports the truce proposal, but would not commit to halting fire during a four-day Muslim holiday until Western countries and their Gulf allies stop supporting rebels and halt their weapons supplies to the anti-regime fighters.Brahimi told reporters, following a closed-door meeting, that he also had held talks earlier with opposition groups inside and outside the country and received promises but not a commitment from them to honor the cease-fire.Brahimi replaced Kofi Annan as envoy to Syria after the former U.N. secretary-general resigned last August, frustrated by a lack of progress.Under Annans peace plan the U.N. sent a 300-strong unarmed observer mission to Syria to oversee the cessation of violence but the team was forced to withdraw in August because of escalating fighting which has continued until today.Its a shocking fact that everyday 150 to 200 civilians are killed and it has almost become part of the background noise and it is simply unacceptable, Ladsous said.Diplomats say that Ladsous has told Brahimi he could put together a force of up to 3,000 peacekeepers in the event a longer truce took hold.But Ladsous said, it certainly would be premature to mention a figure because it would depend on the situation.The deployment of any U.N. peacekeeping force would be contingent on the approval of the 15-member Security Council, which has long been deadlocked over the issue of Syria. Permanent members Russia and China have to date vetoed three resolutions on Syria because they threatened sanctions against Assads government.

Pomney, Obama clash in last-chance debate Posted: US President Barack Obama and Republican foe Mitt Romney will battle over foreign policy today in their last debate of a White House race that is deadlocked with two weeks to go.The rivals faced a final chance to land a decisive blow in front of millions of television viewers, before a last-ditch dash for votes in a bitter campaign that has exposed the sharp political divide splitting America in two.They were expected to duel over policy on Libya, China, Afghanistan, Syria and Irans nuclear program, though will likely produce more political heat than insight into how either of them would run US diplomacy in the next four years.Foreign policy is unlikely to decide who wins on November 6, with the economy driving the election, but Romney is under pressure to show basic competence as a potential commander-in-chief following a string of blunders.Obama enters the debate in swing state Florida with his longtime polling advantage under siege. Romney is nosing ahead in national polls and eroded Obamas foundation in the battleground states that will decide the election.Romney won the first debate after a lethargic performance from Obama but the presidents feisty showing on Long Island, New York last week meant he emerged with honor restored, leaving the third debate as a tie-breaker of sorts.Both the foes toured the debate venue at the Lynn University, where they will sit at a table with moderator Bob Schieffer, a veteran CBS news anchor, in a set up which will rule out their predatory prowling of the second debate.

Oil prices fall after Caterpillar cuts outlook Posted: Oil prices extended heavy losses Monday after Caterpillar, the worlds largest maker of construction and mining equipment, cut its sales outlook, stoking oil demand fears.New Yorks main contract, light sweet crude for November, dropped $1.32 from Friday to finish trade at $88.73 a barrel, after having lost $2 last Friday. The contract expired at the close.In London, Brent North Sea crude for delivery in December settled at $109.44 a barrel, down 70 cents from Fridays closing level.The New York futures contract, fell into the red partly because of Caterpillars third-quarter financial results, said John Kilduff at Again Kilduff.Considered a bellwether of the global economy, Caterpillar cut its profit and sales forecast for full-year 2012, suggesting a sharp slowdown in the fourth quarter, warning the global economy was weaker than it had expected.It is a real harbinger for the commodity sector -- not just oil but copper as well -- that demand looks poor into next year, and that is consistent that demand for next year is looking soft, Kilduff said.Investors also fretted about economic uncertainty in the United States, the worlds biggest crude oil consumer, amid a tight presidential race ahead of the November 6 election and the tax increases and spending cuts, dubbed the fiscal cliff, scheduled to occur at year-end.Both commodity and equity markets are pulling back as general market sentiment turns south with US fiscal cliff uncertainty likely limiting the upside over the next 3-6 months, BMO Capital Markets analysts said.The oil markets kept an eye on unrest in the oil-rich Middle East.The ongoing fighting in Syria and Lebanon provide some support to the oil market giving upside momentum, while investors try to remain cautious about the Middle East crisis, said Sucden Financial analyst Jack Pollard.Oil prices tumbled more than $2 on Friday in London and New York as traders worried about demand following a batch of poor earnings reports from US companies and a European Union crisis summit that disappointed.

Euro rises on Spain election results Posted: The euro rose against the dollar Monday after regional election results in Spain made it more likely that the country will ask for a bailout.Spains Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy won an election in his home state. The results were seen as a vote of confidence in Rajoys handling of the economy. Traders expect Spain to ask for financial aid from Europes bailout fund soon.The euro rose to $1.3045 late Monday from $1.3023 late Friday.The Japanese yen fell to its lowest level against the dollar in over three months after Japan said that its exports fell 10.3 percent in September from a year earlier. The country said it was hurt by Europes debt crisis. The dollar jumped to 79.89 Japanese yen Monday from 79.28 Japanese yen late Friday.The British pound fell to $1.6006 from $1.6014. The dollar rose to 99.38 Canadian cents from 99.34 Canadian cents.The dollar fell to 0.9275 Swiss franc from 0.9285 Swiss franc.

Federer opens bid for sixth title with win Posted: Roger Federer began his bid for a sixth title at the Swiss Indoors by beating substitute opponent Benjamin Becker 7-5, 6-3 on Monday to reach the second round.The German ranked 83rd with one career title had replaced injured Frenchman Jeremy Chardy as the first opponent for the Swiss home hero and world number one.Federer, who has won five of the last six editions at the St Jakobshalle where he got his start in tennis as a ballboy at the tournament almost two decades ago, needed to work to get past the persistent Becker, whom he beat in their last two meetings, the last in 2010.I was well-prepared to play Becker instead of Chardy, said Federer, bidding for his 77th career title this week and after more than 300 weeks spent as the ATP number one.You have to keep the game of these guys in mind, You dont play them that much but you need to know how they play,The winner advanced in just under 90 minutes after a first set which took an hour and fired 10 aces in victory.But the Swiss didnt have it all his own way, missing on six break points in the opening set and going down a break in the second before finally settling in, taking charge and running out the winner.I dont know exactly how I changed it around, said Federer, playing his first match since losing a Shanghai semi-final nine days ago to Andy Murray, sitting out this tournament with a back injury.He broke me at 2-3 but I was able to get it straight back. It all went so fast at the end, but the first set was really tough.Federers win was his 65th of the season against nine losses. He owns an ATP-leading six titles in 2012.It is just so great to play at home as world number one after the season Ive had, said Federer. Its a wonderful feeling to be here playing at the top of my game.Sometimes things just all come together.Federer is making his 13th appearance in his hometown tournament and now stands 44-7 at the event. Besides his five titles he also played finals in 2000-01 and 2009.The winner will await an opponent from Brazilian Tomaz Bellucci, finalist at the weekend in Moscow, and Japans Go Soeda.Elsewhere in the first round, Julien Benneteau of France beat Russian Andrey Kuznetsov 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 while Pole Lukasz Kubot advanced over Slovak Lukas Lacko 6-4, 6-4.

Hewitt beats Monaco in 1st round at Valencia Open Posted: Former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt knocked out Juan Monaco of Argentina 6-3, 6-4 in the opening round of the Valencia Open on Monday, ending a 10-match losing run against top-10 opponents.The Australian wild-card entry broke the 10th-ranked Monaco twice in the opening set and three times in the second at the indoor hard-court tournament. The loss makes it difficult for the Argentine to qualify for the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London.Hewitt will face Ivan Dodig after the Croatian qualifier beat Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 6-2, 7-6 (6).Fernando Verdasco beat Tommy Robredo 6-3, 6-4 in an all-Spanish match. He will play Marin Cilic of Croatia.Also, David Goffin of Belgium beat Pablo Andujar of Spain 6-2, 6-2.

Lionel Messi on a roll as Barcelona faces Celtic Posted: With Lionel Messi running rampant in attack, Barcelona must tighten its leaky defense against Celtic knowing a win on Tuesday will give it total control of Group G in the Champions League.Messi scored his club record 21st career hat trick in Barcelonas wild 5-4 victory at Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday, which kept it at the top of the Spanish league alongside Atletico Madrid.But its been a decade since the Catalan team last conceded 11 league goals through the first eight rounds, and Celtic will look to exploit the vulnerability at the Camp Nou after coming off a win at Spartak Moscow.Spartak hosts Benfica in the other group match, and the Portuguese club is already facing a must-win scenario after taking only one point from its opening two games.Barcelona is hopeful center back Gerard Pique will return from a foot injury with Carles Puyol sidelined and makeshift pair Alex Song and Javier Mascherano unconvincing in a league victory that maintained Barcelonas unbeaten start to the season.Pique didnt train on Monday, while Dani Alves is doubtful and Sergio Busquets is suspended for Tuesdays game.I think were the team with the most goals scored so one thing offsets the other. If we can maintain this ratio we wont have to worry, coach Tito Vilanova said. Were trying to improve all aspects of our game to allow fewer goals. And Celtic is always a complicated opponent.Messis 15 goals including a league-high 11 are the main reason Barcelona is unbeaten through 10 games this season.Statistics are just a detail, the important thing is that we keep on winning, Messi said after his 59th goal of the calendar year.The Argentina forward has already scored 71 goals for club and country in 2012 to leave himself only four shy of matching Peles record of 75 in a single year in 1959.I dont know how you can stop him, said Celtic assistant coach Johan Mjallby, who watched Messis performance against Deportivo. He doesnt really play as a recognized striker. We know we cant switch off for a second. We know they are brilliant going forward.Messis goals have been aided by Cesc Fabregas, who stepped in to Xavi Hernandezs usual playmaking role with ease in guiding the attack at Deportivo. The former Arsenal captain has turned into a versatile player for Vilanova, who has used him in various positions throughout one of the best starts by any Barcelona coach to a season.Ive always had confidence in my abilities and Im working really hard, Fabregas said. Ive felt really comfortable in this system since the start of the season.Celtic is coming off its first Champions League away win in 21 matches but Barcelona is unbeaten at home in 17 in the competition. Celtic is winless in 12 trips to Spain although, the Scottish team has managed two draws at the Camp Nou in three visits.

World Cup host city may move Fan Fest venue Posted: Government officials in the Brazilian jungle city of Manaus say they may have to change the location of its Fan Fest venue because construction work may not be completed in time for the 2014 World Cup.FIFA announced all the Fan Fest sites in April, but now the government of Amazonas state says it is looking for an alternative location in Manaus because it isnt sure if the memorial where the event would take place will be ready.FIFA says it has not yet received any official documentation in this regards, but reiterates that any change to the initial projects would need to be approved again by footballs governing body and the local World Cup organizing committee.

Italian scientists jailed over quake warning failure Posted: An Italian court convicted seven scientists and experts of manslaughter for failing to adequately warn citizens before an earthquake struck central Italy in 2009, killing more than 300 people.The court in LAquila also sentenced the defendants to six years in prison. Each one is a member of the national Great Risks Commission.In Italy, convictions arent definitive until after at least one level of appeals, so it is unlikely any of the defendants would face jail immediately.Scientists worldwide had decried the trial as ridiculous, contending that science has no reliable way of predicting earthquakes.Among those convicted were some of Italys most prominent and internationally respected seismologists and geological experts, including Enzo Boschi, former head of the national Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology.I am dejected, desperate, Boschi said after the verdict. I thought I would have been acquitted. I still dont understand what I was convicted of.The trial began in September 2011 in this Apennine town, whose devastated historic center is still largely a ghost town.The defendants were accused in the indictment of giving inexact, incomplete and contradictory information about whether small tremors felt by LAquila residents in the weeks and months before the April 6, 2009, quake should have constituted grounds for a quake warning.The 6.3-magnitude quake killed 308 people in and around the medieval town and forced survivors to live in tent camps for months.Many much smaller earth tremors had rattled the area in the months before the quake, causing frightened people to wonder if they should evacuate.I consider myself innocent before God and men, said another convicted defendant, Bernardo De Bernardinis, a former official of the national Civil Protection agency.Prosecutors had sought conviction and four-year sentences during the non-jury trial, which was led by a judge.A defense lawyer, Filippo Dinacci, told reporters that the sentence would have big repercussions on public administration since officials would be afraid to do anything.

Pak youth make world's largest human national flag Posted: About 24,200 students made the human flag and broke the earlier record made by Hong Kong in 2007 with 21,726 participants.Gareth Daeves, Adjudicator of Guinness World Records (GWR), announced that Pakistan has set the world record by making biggest human flag.Earlier on Monday, 1,936 Pakistani students broke record of the largest human mosaic.The human mosaic was of the Shahi Qila (Lahore Fort) and the official announcement of the new record was made by a representative from the Guinness Book of Records.

Britons list holiday home as 2nd address Posted: The 2011 Census figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that 165,095 people said they stayed at a holiday home for 30 days or more a year.The local authorities with the largest recorded number of second addresses used for holidays were Cornwall, at 10,169, and Gwynedd in north west Wales, which covers part of the Snowdonia National Park and the Lyn Peninsula, at 7,784.The figures, gathered for the first time by the Census, showed 1.57 million (2.8%) of the usual residents in England and Wales reported having a second address in another local authority in the two countries that they used for 30 days or more every year.

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