Dunya TV

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• Islamabad: ANPs APC to be held today
• Violence erupts in Karachi after arrest of a political figure
• PPP, PML-Q to hold talks on seat adjustment
• Kayani to chairs Corp Commanders meeting today
• Valentines Day being celebrated today
• World's 'ugliest woman' buried 153 years after her death
• UN chief urges Security Council to end Syria deadlock
• 5 dead as plane makes emergency landing in Ukraine
• Iran agrees 'some points' with IAEA before nuclear talks
• Hamas and Egypt closing Gaza tunnels: sources
• Egypt cabinet approves new protest law
• Real and United finish all square in Madrid
• Beckham has 1st training session with PSG
• Roger Federer cruises into 2nd round at ABN AMRO
• Azarenka, Radwanska into 3rd round at Qatar Open

Islamabad: ANPs APC to be held today Posted: Several political parties, including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), will participate in the APC which will held today in Islamabad.First session of the APC will be held at 11:00am while the second will be held at 3:00pm.The ANP had called the conference to to evolve a common strategy to face the menace of terrorism and initiate talks with the Taliban.

Violence erupts in Karachi after arrest of a political figure Posted: According to details, violence broke out in Gulistan Jauhar area after Rangers arrested a former office-bearer of a political party.Angry demonstrators blocked the roads by burning tyres and also set ablaze four cars, four motorcycles and two rickshaws.The protesters also set on fire dozens of makeshift shops. The demonstrators also resorted to aerial firing as a result one man was wounded.Ranger launched a search operation in Rabia City building and arrested several protesters. The arrested persons were shifted to some undisclosed location.Meanwhile, some unidentified assailants hurled a hand grenade at a shop in North Nazimabad area but luckily it did not explode. Bomb disposal squad was called in to diffuse the bomb.

PPP, PML-Q to hold talks on seat adjustment Posted: After reaching seat sharing agreement for the National Assembly constituencies, The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) are scheduled to meet today to work out a seat adjustment formula for the provincial assemblies.The meeting between the PPP and PML-Q leadership will be held at the residence of PPP Punjab president Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo.

Kayani to chairs Corp Commanders meeting today Posted: Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani will chair the Corps Commanders meeting at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpidi.The meeting would review the professional activities of the army and plan strategies for the future. Situation of internal and external security would also be discussed during the meeting.The Corps Commanders meeting will also review security arrangements during the forthcoming general elections.

Valentines Day being celebrated today Posted: Valentine’s Day is being observed today across the world, including Pakistan. Valentine’s Day is actually a feast day for Saint Valentine most likely named after a Christian Roman priest.According to legend and the Encyclopedia Britannica, he signed a letter to his jailer’s daughter whom he had fallen in love with “from your Valentine”. Saint Valentine was killed in 270 A.D. by Roman emperor Claudius II Gothicus during the prosecution of Christians.The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. By the 15th century, it had evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards.This day has become a tradition across the world and Pakistan is also deeply influenced by the day. For florists, Valentine’s Day is one of the biggest business days of the year.

World's 'ugliest woman' buried 153 years after her death Posted: The “ugliest woman in the world” has been buried in her native Mexico, 153 years after her death and a tragic life performing in circuses as a freak of nature.Julia Pastrana suffered from hypertrichosis and gingival hyperplasia, which gave her excessive facial hair and a jutting jaw.Pastrana’s appearance earned her the nickname “bear woman” or “ape woman” in circuses across the United States and Europe.The indigenous woman was married to an American man, Theodore Lent, who profited from his wife’s condition, the BBC reported.According to The Awl, Lent advertised his spouse in The New York Times as a “link between mankind and the ourang-outang.”Pastrana died in 1860 after giving birth to a son who had the same excessive hair disorder and only lived for a few days, the BBC reported.Lent apparently continued to profit from his wife and son’s appearances even after their deaths, touring with their embalmed corpses for five years, The Awl reported.Eventually their remains ended up at the University of Oslo in Norway.Pastrana was buried in the northern Mexican state of Sinaloa on Tuesday after a campaign started by Mexican artist Laura Anderson Barbata to have her remains returned home.Barbata told The New York Times that she was moved by Pastranas sad story and felt she deserved the right to regain her dignity.“I hoped to help change her position as a victim to one where she can be seen in her entirety and complexity, Barbata said.

UN chief urges Security Council to end Syria deadlock Posted: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on the Security Council Wednesday to overcome its paralysis and take meaningful action to stop the bloodshed in Syria where nearly 70,000 people have died.It is essential for the Security Council to overcome the deadlock and find the unity that will make meaningful action possible, he said at the Organization of American States here.Ban said that while the 15-member Council remains paralyzed and Syria politically polarized, the deaths and human rights violations are mounting.Its long past time we resolved this conflict, he said, adding that the international community must keep pushing for a political solution despite the difficulties.UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said Tuesday that almost 70,000 people have died in the conflict, which is now nearly two years old.Russia and China have vetoed three western-drafted resolutions which would simply have threatened sanctions.

5 dead as plane makes emergency landing in Ukraine Posted: Five people died when an Antonov AN-24 plane with dozens of football fans on board made an emergency landing in the eastern Ukraine city of Donetsk on Wednesday, officials said.Most of the survivors were able to walk off the plane by themselves, emergency ministry spokeswoman Svytlana Borodyna told AFP, adding that there had been 44 people on board the plane operated by domestic airline Yuzhne Avialinii.The cause of the accident was not immediately clear but the plane was flying from the southern resort city of Odessa when it overturned and began breaking up upon landing at Donetsk airport, according to the ministry.Aside from the five dead, twelve people were injured in the incident, Borodyna said.One of the survivors told AFP the passengers were on their way to Donetsk to watch a Champions League match between Shakhtar Donetsk and German side Borussia Dortmund.We were all going to the match in Donetsk because we love our club, said Igor, who declined to give a second name, as he received treatment for a sprained arm in hospital.The Champions League last 16 clash opened with a minutes silence for the victims before kick-off late on Wednesday.A local security source had earlier said that the plane overturned and wound up in a field some 700 metres (yards) from the airport runway.It was unclear whether the aircraft had skidded off the runway after landing or whether it had overshot the runway, local media said, adding that there was heavy fog at Donetsk airport at the time of the accident.I was lucky, added Igor, who is in his 40s. After the crash I found myself in the plane lavatory. I was able to push myself up with my feet.My shoulder hurt but I started to walk, unsteadily. Someone helped me... they took me by the arm and walked me out of the plane. There was so much fog I couldnt see anyone, not even the plane, he recalled.The Antonov AN-24 is a twin-engined 50-capacity propellor plane dating from the Soviet period, with more than 1,000 built between 1959 and 1979.The planes are still widely used for regional flights in former Soviet countries.

Iran agrees 'some points' with IAEA before nuclear talks Posted: Iran agreed on some points in talks with UN atomic experts in Tehran on Wednesday, two weeks ahead of negotiations with world powers aimed at finding a diplomatic solution to end a standoff over its nuclear ambitions.Some differences were resolved and agreement on some issues in the modality was reached, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Irans envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency.New proposals, Soltanieh said, had been put forward in the meeting but they would be discussed at future meetings.He did not say if a date had been agreed for the resumption of talks with the IAEA, whose chief inspector Herman Nackaerts led its delegation to Tehran.Nackaerts had hoped that in Tehran, the IAEA would finalise the structured approach document which would allow a probe into a possible military dimension of Irans nuclear drive.The Vienna-based agency says overall, credible evidence exist that until 2003 and possibly since Iran conducted nuclear weapons research, despite repeated denials from Tehran.The IAEA is also pressuring Tehran to grant it access to Parchin, a military base near Tehran where the agency suspects Iran could have carried out experiments with explosives capable of triggering a nuclear weapon.Those calls have been spurned by Tehran, which says it should first reach a final agreement with the IAEA before such visit is debated.Wednesdays discussions took place as the P51 group of the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany are gearing for parallel diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to curb parts of its nuclear drive.The six are to meet Iranian negotiators in the Kazakh city of Almaty on February 26, after an eight-month hiatus and failed meetings in Istanbul, Baghdad and Moscow.European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who coordinates efforts with the P51, said on Wednesday she hoped Iran would show some flexibility at the upcoming talks.We hope that Iran will come to these negotiations with flexibility, and that we can make substantial progress, Ashton told the UN Security Council.We remain determined to work towards a solution to the Iran nuclear issue based on the dual-track approach, combining sanctions and dialogue, she said.The West and Israel suspect the Islamic republic is masking the development of a nuclear weapons capability under the guise of a programme Iran insists is purely aimed at peaceful purposes.Iran is already slapped with multiple sets of Security Council sanctions for its refusal to stop uranium enrichment, a process that can be used for peaceful atomic purposes as well as for making the core of a nuclear bomb.

Hamas and Egypt closing Gaza tunnels: sources Posted: Gazas Hamas rulers have closed hundreds of tunnels running under the territorys border with Egypt due to health concerns over some smuggled items, an official said on Wednesday.Less than 270 tunnels are operating now, down from around 1,200 tunnels in 2010, the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.Many of them were closed down because they were used to smuggle banned materials that harm citizens.The Hamas government forbids the importation of drugs and any other items it considers potentially harmful into the Palestinian enclave which is under an Israeli blockade.Another Gaza source said Hamas had closed about 900 tunnels, and a tunnel operator said others were being flooded from the Egyptian side.The Egyptian security forces pump water into the tunnels which leads to their collapse and closure, said Abu Samir, owner of a tunnel near the Gaza border town of Rafah.There is no work in Gaza, he told AFP.What can we do to live? The tunnels are the most important source of livelihood in Gaza now... no matter how many times they demolish them we will rebuild.Abu al-Assad, another tunnel owner, said: The Egyptians closed down the tunnels twice after the (outbreak of their) revolution but I rebuilt after months because to us it is a matter of life and death.Hamas, he added, had allowed tunnels to multiply and issued permits for their use to bring in essential commodities, after the Islamist movement seized control of the coastal strip in 2007.The tunnels have been a vital lifeline for the flow of food, clothes, building materials and fuel into the impoverished territory, which Israel has blockaded since 2006.

Egypt cabinet approves new protest law Posted: Egypts cabinet on Wednesday approved a new draft law regulating public demonstrations that was swiftly slammed by rights groups as restrictive.The law, which needs the ratification of the upper house of parliament, was created to ensure the peaceful nature of demonstrations, Justice Minister Ahmed Mekki told reporters.The law aims to protect the right (to demonstrate) and prevents mixing peaceful protests, which the state vows to protect, and attacks on people and property as well as disrupting public order, he said.The text stipulates that organisers must inform authorities of plans to protest in advance and the interior ministry has the right to reject a demonstration.Protests will be restricted to a specific location in each province to be decided by the governor, according to the official MENA news agency.The law also prohibits the setting up of platforms for speakers and the use of tents during sit-ins, as well as the carrying of banners or the chanting of slogans deemed defamatory or insulting to religion or state institutions.The draft law was criticised as restrictive by rights groups.It imposes restrictions on the right to demonstration and violates all principles of freedom of expression, charged Ahmed Ezzat, who heads the legal unit at the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression.The role of the interior ministry goes beyond securing the event to interference in the subject of the event and its organisation, he said in a statement.Egypts revolution that toppled president Hosni Mubarak two years ago was largely driven by demands to end the longtime dictators police state.Activists have repeatedly called for a reform of the interior ministry but the draft law, if approved, is likely to spark further tensions between police and protesters.Egypt has witnessed violence, insecurity and price hikes, fuelling political turmoil already plaguing the country.Protests between police and protesters, who accuse Islamist President Mohamed Morsi of betraying the revolution that brought him to power, have often turned violent and sometimes deadly.

Real and United finish all square in Madrid Posted: Danny Welbeck and Cristiano Ronaldo headed a first-half goal apiece as Real Madrid and Manchester United played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the last-16 of the Champions League on Wednesday.Former United star Ronaldo levelled on 30 minutes with his seventh Champions League goal of the season, making him the top-scorer in the competition, after Welbeck had headed home a corner 10 minutes earlier.Alex Ferguson had promised goals before the match and they came early enough, but then his team put on a battling performance with David De Gea excellent in goal to take a draw into the second leg at Old Trafford on March 5.Before kick-off all the talk was about the exclusion of a centre-half on either side.It was expected that Pepe, who has only managed 25 minutes since an ankle operation at the turn of the year, would not be risked in such a big game for Real.However, the omission for the visitors of Nemanja Vidic was a surprise after the Serb failed to even make the bench after captaining his side in a 2-0 win over Everton on Sunday.Sami Khedira had the first effort for the home team in the second minute on finding space in the area, but he pulled his shot well wide.Next it was Angel Di Maria who tried his luck from outside the area before De Gea tipped a goal bound shot from Fabio Coentrao onto the post.United weathered the early storm and when Welbeck and Shinji Kagawa combined well to win a corner on 20 minutes it was Welbeck who eluded the marking of Ramos to head home the opening goal and his first in the competition this season.Ronaldo hammered wide the rebound of his own blocked free-kick before grabbing the equaliser 10 minutes later when he leapt above Patrice Evra to head home a Di Maria cross from the left.

Beckham has 1st training session with PSG Posted: David Beckham started his first practice session with Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday amid a media frenzy as dozens of camera crews and photographers jostled for position at the clubs training ground in the western suburbs of Paris.The 37-year-old former England captain joined PSG two weeks ago in a surprise move and is working on his fitness to be ready for Sundays match at Sochaux. If he does not get up to speed for that game, he could play the week after at home against French title rival Marseille.Beckham is trying to achieve the unique feat of winning championships in four different countries following title success with Manchester United, Real Madrid and the Los Angeles Galaxy. He made his last appearance for the Galaxy on Dec. 1.Camera crews from countries like England and Sweden packed a balcony overlooking the Camp des Loges training complex as Beckham jogged and took part in light training drills with his new teammates.At one stage, Beckham took off his football boots and was wearing only his socks as he did some sprint work in a sand pit, designed to improve his stamina, resistance and leg strength.After the others had finished training, Beckham then spoke for a few minutes with one of the clubs fitness trainers before walking off and waving as photographers shouted his name.Fans were not allowed inside the training complex to watch the hour-long session but about 200 supporters braved the cold conditions and mingled among the police vans scattered outside as they waited for a glimpse of Beckham when he arrived and left.Beckham joined PSG on a five-month contract which expires in June and has not yet said whether he will continue playing after that.PSG beat Valencia 2-1 in the first leg of the last 16 in Spain on Tuesday in the Champions League and could be in contention to play in the return leg at Parc des Princes on March 6.Although Beckham joined on a free transfer pledging to donate his wages to a childrens charity he is one of several big names in the expensive team, along with Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Argentina winger Ezequiel Lavezzi, Brazil center half Thiago Silva and Brazil winger Lucas.PSG leads Lyon by six points and Marseille by eight with 14 matches remaining.

Roger Federer cruises into 2nd round at ABN AMRO Posted: Defending champion Roger Federer cruised into the second round of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament on Wednesday by beating Grega Zemlja 6-3, 6-1.Federer, a two-time winner at the indoor hard court tournament, had taken a two-week break after losing a grueling five-set semifinal to Andy Murray at the Australian Open and he showed signs of rustiness early against Zemlja.The Slovenian dropped only one point on his first two service games and then forced two break points on Federers serve in the fourth game.But that was as good as it got for the No. 64-ranked Zemlja. Federer switched up a gear, saved both break points and broke in the next game and again in the ninth game to take the opening set.The second set was over even quicker, with Federer closing out the match in 58 minutes.Federer conceded he took a while to get into his stride after his break and get used to the conditions at Ahoy arena.Hall play is different. Its warmer, so the ball flies more and it takes a bit of getting used to, he said. The first ones are never easy. But Im happy to be back and playing well.Earlier Wednesday, Gilles Simon beat Italian qualifier Matteo Viola 6-3, 6-1 to secure a place in the quarterfinals, and fellow Frenchman Julien Benneteau joined him after a 6-1, 6-3 win over Victor Hanescu.Marcos Baghdatis reached the second round when Benoit Paire of France retired while trailing 6-0, 6-7 (3), 4-0.Another French player, fourth-seeded Richard Gasquet beat Viktor Troicki of Serbia 7-6 (3), 6-1 to reach the second round.

Azarenka, Radwanska into 3rd round at Qatar Open Posted: Fresh off winning a second consecutive Australian Open, top-ranked Victoria Azarenka breezed into the third round of the Qatar Open with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Romina Oprandi on Wednesday.The defending champion was joined by fourth-ranked Agnieszka Radwanska and former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki. Radwanska beat Australian qualifier Anastasia Rodionova 6-3, 6-2, and Wozniacki downed Sorana Cirstea of Romania 7-6 (7), 6-0.American Sloane Stephens, who upset Serena Williams in the Australian Open quarterfinals, lost to Klara Zakopalova 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5).Stephens pulled out of Fed Cup against Italy last week after aggravating an abdominal muscle injury and suffering from a stomach virus.Azarenka will retain her top ranking if she reaches the final and Williams fails to reach the semifinals. She made a nervous start, dropping serve to fall 2-0 behind. But the Belarusian recovered to break three times and win the first set.Azarenka then took a 3-0 lead in the second set.Radwanska had little trouble with the 131st-ranked Rodionova, breaking to go up 3-1 on the way to winning the first set.The second set was even more one-sided, with the Pole breaking twice on the way to victory in which she said the wind changed every couple of minutes. It was very tricky.Radwanska has started the season well, winning in Sydney and Auckland and reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. Having reached the Wimbledon final last year, she feels ready to challenge for the No. 1 ranking.Several seeded players lost, including the 16th-seeded Stephens. Marion Bartoli, seeded ninth, lost to Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-4, while No. 17 Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic was beaten 6-4, 6-2 by Christina McHale of the United States. Urszula Radwanska, the sister of Agnieszka, upset 15th-seeded Roberta Vinci of Italy 6-2, 5-7, 6-0.Wozniacki saved four set points in the tiebreaker before going up 1-0 when Cirstea hit a crosscourt backhand wide. The second set was a procession with the Dane breaking three times.

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