Dunya TV

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• Pakistan face India in Azlan Shah Cup today
• Musharraf decides to return on March 24
• Ties with Pakistan difficult but essential, US official
• Sindh Assembly condemns Badami Bagh incident
• Ch Nisar forwards names for caretaker PM
• Homemade alcohol kills 51 in Libya: health ministry
• Mortar attack in Damascus kills 6 civilians
• White House rejects Karzai's charges
• US expels two Venezuelan diplomats
• Marguc, Engeli win gold at snowboard World Cup
• Nadal advances on walkover at Indian Wells
• Bolt wins Laureus Awards for sportsman of the year
• Hayatou re-elected unopposed as CAF president
• Oil little changed; pump price down to $3.70
• Dollar mixed after weak Chinese data

Pakistan face India in Azlan Shah Cup today Posted: Two former giants of field hockey, Pakistan and India, will meet today in a crunch match of Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament being played in Ipoh, Malaysia.Pakistan, India match will start at 3:00pm PST. In the other matches of the day, defending champions New Zealand will face South Korea while Australia will take on hosts Malaysia.Pakistan opened their campaign at the tournament with a 4-3 win against New Zealand before being crushed 6-0 by Australia last night.India, on the other hand were beaten by six-time champions Australia 4-3 in their opening encounter, while South Korea beat India 2-1 in second match.

Musharraf decides to return on March 24 Posted: According to details, prominent leaders of All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), workers and world media representatives will accompany former president Pervez Musharraf on his return to Karachi from Dubai on March 24.The APML leaders and workers have been advised to reach Dubai on March 23. The sources said that an advertising campaign will also be launched before Musharraf’s return.

Ties with Pakistan difficult but essential, US official Posted: The US has said crisis no longer looms over its relationship with Pakistan as over the past year, both the countries have worked hard to overcome the period of strain in their ties.Weve had, as you might imagine, as has been clear, some difficult issues, but I do think were at a point here where we dont have a crisis hanging over the relationship. We continue to work intensively with the Pakistanis on the kinds of issues, and well continue to do so, US national security adviser Tom Donilon said.We have had with Pakistan a very important partnership in the counter-terrorism area. And indeed the Pakistanis have suffered thousands of casualties in the battle against extremism, said Donilon, who was here to deliver a public speech on the US policy towards Asia at the Asia Society.He said Pakistan has been an important partner of the US in its efforts against the most extreme elements.We have had difficult issues between the US and Pakistan. And indeed we had a long period of time when it felt like our relationship always had a crisis. We obviously had a difficult time after we executed successfully the Abottabad raid against Osama bin Laden in May 2011 and there was a reaction, he said.Donilon also referred to Islamabad closing the crucial ground lines of communications to Afghanistan after the terrible cross border incident in November 2011 in which two dozen Pakistani soldiers were killed.We have worked through these issues. I think, actually are now at a point where were having broader conversations without the overlay of some crisis, and talking about kind of more fundamental strategic interests that we have in common, he said.The national security adviser said the US and Pakistan have in common a stable Afghanistan at the end of this process, and the two countries are working together on that.We both have in common the fight against extremist elements, and we continue to work on that, he said.Referring to the upcoming general elections in Pakistan, Donilon termed it as a milestone towards strengthening of the democracy in the country, and said the US will be watching that.

Sindh Assembly condemns Badami Bagh incident Posted: The Sindh Assembly, which met for three hours and 50 minutes in the 18th sitting of the ongoing 40th session, unanimously adopted a resolution to condemn the violence on Christian community in Badami Bagh, Lahore.The house also unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the Sindh government to approach the federal government with the recommendation of including blood group information in CNICs.Four out of seven questions appearing on the agenda were raised and answered on the floor by the relevant minister.Additionally, members asked 38 supplementary questions to bring further clarity on the answers.The Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition attended the session as the Speaker presided over the entire proceedings. The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MQM, NPP and ANP also attended the sitting. The quorum visibly lacking at various stages was not pointed out by any member.

Ch Nisar forwards names for caretaker PM Posted: Opposition leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar has forwarded three names to Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf for the caretaker prime minister.The names included Justice (r) Nasir Aslam Zahid, Justice (r) Shakirullah Jan and a veteran politician from Sindh, Rasool Bakhsh Palejo.

Homemade alcohol kills 51 in Libya: health ministry Posted: TRIPOLI (AFP) - More than 50 people have died in Libya since Saturday after drinking cheap homemade alcohol and hundreds were poisoned, the health ministry said on Monday, as the authorities in the Muslim country vowed a crackdown on booze trafficking.The ministry said 38 people died in Tripoli hospitals while 13 others perished on their way to neighbouring Tunisia, where their families were hoping they could be treated.At least 378 people were poisoned after drinking the homemade brew known locally as Boukha that was tainted with methanol, the ministry added, while urging Libyans to stop consuming any form of alcohol.A security official, asking to remain anonymous, said the authorities were preparing to crackdown on suppliers and traffickers of alcohol, whose sale and consumption is prohibited in Libya, although it can be found on the black market.Interior ministry spokesman Houssine al-Ameri told AFP that an investigation had been launched to determine who was responsible for the killer booze.A health ministry source said at least two women were among the victims but refused to give further details due to the delicate nature of the issue and the sensitivities of the families of the victims in the ultra-conservative country.Tripoli medical centres health chief Youssef al-Wafi said on Sunday that preliminary tests revealed the symptoms of poisoning from the consumption of homemade alcohol containing methanol.He said those thought to have consumed the toxic drink ranging in age from 19 to 50.

Mortar attack in Damascus kills 6 civilians Posted: DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) - Mortar shells struck a Christian neighborhood and a football stadium at game time in Damascus on Monday, killing six civilians and wounding at least 24 in what appeared to be an escalating campaign by rebels to sow fear in the Syrian capital.Opposition fighters trying to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad have stepped up mortar attacks on Damascus in recent weeks, striking deeper than ever into the heart of the city.Rebel fighters tried in the past to establish bridgeheads in the capital, but were pushed back to the Damascus suburbs by regime forces. Recent rebel mortar attacks on civilian targets signal a new tactic in trying to loosen Assads grip on his main stronghold.In the latest attacks, four mortars hit Bab Sharqi, a predominantly Christian area known for its old churches. One shell fell in a park, two near an ice cream shop and a fourth hit a house nearby, said a government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.Six people were killed and 24 wounded, officials said. It was one of the highest death tolls in recent mortar attacks on the capital.There was no fighting in the area at the time.A mortar shell also hit the Tishrin football stadium in another neighborhood, the central Barakmeh district, wounding several people during a game, according to the state-run news agency SANA.Gen. Mowaffak Joumaa, head of the Syrian General Sports Federation, said the mortar landed just off the pitch during the second half of a game, causing light damage. Four players on the bench and a journalist were hurt, he said. They were taken to hospital and were in stable condition.The Syrian conflict erupted two years ago, initially as a largely peaceful uprising against Assad. In response to a brutal regime crackdown, Assads opponents took up arms, sparking a civil war. More than 70,000 have been killed and some 4 million out of a population of 22 million have been forced from their homes by the fighting, according to U.N. estimates.The fighting has affected most areas of Syria.There are no more enclaves of stability in Syria today, and the civilian space is almost completely eroded, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, head of a U.N.-appointed commission investigating war crimes in Syria, told reporters in Geneva.He said the commission has collected evidence on 20 massacres in Syria, a reflection of the civil wars growing brutality. This includes three in the central city of Homs since December, he said.The commission began its work in August 2011 after being appointed by the 47-nation U.N. Human Rights Council. In a report Monday, the panel described Syria as a marketplace of war, opening the door to rampant corruption and extortion.

White House rejects Karzai's charges Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - The White House on Monday strongly rejected allegations from Afghan President Hamid Karzai that the United States was colluding with the Taliban to justify the presence of US troops in the country.Thats categorically false, and nobody believes it, White House spokesman Jay Carney said when asked about Karzais remarks.In comments that marred the first visit by the US defense secretary, Chuck Hagel, Karzai charged that Taliban bombings helped the United States argue for a long-term military presence and that Washington was holding daily talks with the insurgents behind the backs of his government.It is their slogan for 2014, scaring us that if the US is not here, our people will be eliminated, Karzai said on Sunday.Hagel said he told Karzai that his allegations were incorrect but he played down the presidents comments, saying the Afghan leader faced political pressures.Echoing remarks by the commander of US and NATO troops in Afghanistan, General Joseph Dunford, the White House said Karzai had it all wrong.The United States has spent enormous blood and treasure for the past 12 years supporting the Afghan people ...in the effort to ensure stability and security in that country.The last thing we would do is support any kind of violence, particularly involving innocent civilians, he said.

US expels two Venezuelan diplomats Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States has expelled two Venezuelan diplomats in a tit-for-tat move after Caracas ordered two US Air Force officers out of the country, the State Department said Monday.Embassy second secretary Orlando Jose Montanez and consular official Victor Camacaro, who worked in New York, were each declared persona non grata by the United States on Saturday, department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.Both have now left the country, she added.When you have an incident that you consider unjust... you need to take reciprocal action and make your point clear, Nuland said.The expulsion came just 24 hours after the funeral of late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, who died last week after losing his battle with cancer, adding a new wrinkle to the already strained relations between the two countries.The two countries have not had ambassadors in their respective capitals since 2010 and diplomatic relations have not been normalized despite several direct contacts between the governments.Venezuela will hold a new presidential vote on April 14, with newly sworn-in interim President Nicolas Maduro -- Chavezs handpicked successor -- the heavy favorite to win against opposition leader Henriquer Capriles.It was Maduro who last week announced the expulsion of two US military attaches from Venezuela -- shortly before he announced Chavezs death.Maduro accused the Americans of acting to destabilize the country, going as far as to suggest the United States was behind the cancer that killed Chavez.The US State Department branded the allegations absurd.Nuland said Monday there was work that we would like to do together, particularly in the areas of counterterrorism, counternarcotics, economics and energy relations. But its going to take a change of tone from Caracas.

Marguc, Engeli win gold at snowboard World Cup Posted: Rok Marguc of Slovenia and Hilde-Katrine Engeli of Norway earned their first career snowboard World Cup victories Sunday by winning parallel giant slalom events.Marguc beat Matthew Morison of Canada in the mens final to follow up on the world championship gold he won in the parallel slalom in January. He had three previous World Cup podium finishes — the last one coming two years ago in Moscow.In the womens race, Engeli beat Patrizia Kummer of Switzerland in the final.Engeli won the parallel slalom world championship title in 2011 but had never been on the podium at a World Cup event before.

Nadal advances on walkover at Indian Wells Posted: INDIAN WELLS (AFP) - A 4.7 earthquake that shook the California desert proved the most exciting moment of Rafael Nadals Monday morning as he advanced to the fourth round at Indian Wells on a walkover.The former world No. 1, playing his fourth tournament since returning last month from a seven-month injury absence, was preparing to take to the court when he learned third-round opponent Leonardo Mayer of Argentina had pulled out with a bad back.Thats bad news, especially for the fans and for Mayer, said Nadal, who was applying tape to his fingers in preparation for the match when he heard.I talked with him. It seemed like its nothing very, very bad -- just a typical back problem beginning when he was warming up his serve.Mayers sudden withdrawal left Nadal feeling a little flat, but the Spaniard was quite animated when describing the earthquake, which originated from an epicentre just 30 miles (50 km) from Indian Wells.I was very scared. First time in my life, said Nadal, adding he was so alarmed to feel a massage table move beneath him his legs were shaking when he got up.Nadal, who is playing his first hard-court tournament since a sore left knee forced him out of the semi-finals at Miami last March, said he wouldnt put in a lot of extra practice, but would work out in the gym.The pass into the round of 16 at the years first Masters tournament gives Nadal a chance to rest the troublesome left knee, but it also denies him the match experience he says he needs to build on the comeback he began with three clay-court tournaments in Latin America.He reached the final in his first tournament back, at Vina del Mar, Chile, then won titles in Sao Paulo and Acapulco.Nadal has said hes not sure how his knee will hold up on the more punishing hard courts at Indian Wells and at the Miami Masters that follows, but he hopes hell soon be back playing a normal schedule.In the fourth round hell face either Italys Andreas Seppi, the 20th seed, or Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis.Gulbis is on a hot streak. He won his third career ATP title at Delray Beach last week as a qualifier and after coming through qualifying here has posted two convincing victories.Gulbis beat Spains Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-2 in the first round and dispatched ninth-seeded Serb Janko Tipsarevic 6-2, 6-0 in the second round.

Bolt wins Laureus Awards for sportsman of the year Posted: RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Usain Bolt has been named sportsman of the year at the Laureus Sports Awards, with Europes Ryder Cup golfers honored as the best team.Bolt has won his third Laureus Award after another dominant Olympic performance on the track at London, winning the gold in the 100, 200 and 4x100-meter relay. The European Ryder Cup team has been rewarded Monday for its remarkable rally against the U.S. at Medinah.British heptathlete Jessica Ennis has been chosen the sportswoman of 2012, while Andy Murray has been named the top breakthrough athlete and Felix Sanchez the main comeback athlete.Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner was the winner in the action category after becoming the first skydiver to go faster than the speed of sound. Brazils Daniel Dias won the disability award.

Hayatou re-elected unopposed as CAF president Posted: MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) - Issa Hayatou has been re-elected unopposed as president of the Confederation of African Football for a final four-year term.The 66-year-old Hayatou was the only candidate and was retained unanimously at a vote in Marrakech, Morocco, on Sunday.FIFA President Sepp Blatter then presented the Cameroonian with a special certificate to commemorate his 25 years at the helm of CAF.Earlier this month, FIFA executive committee member Jacques Anouma was barred from being a candidate to lead African football, losing his legal challenge to stand for election against Hayatou.The Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed Anoumas appeal against CAF, which refused to accept his election bid after he was made ineligible by rule changes engineered by Hayatou.Hayatou challenged Blatter for the FIFA leadership in 2002 and lost.

Oil little changed; pump price down to $3.70 Posted: NEW YORK (AP) - Benchmark oil rose 11 cents to end at $92.06 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The price was below $91 a barrel during morning trading.Although oil shows a gain of nearly 2 percent over the past three trading sessions, many traders believe the large supply of oil in the U.S. will keep a lid on the price.Last week the Energy Department said that the nation's supply of crude is 10.3 percent above year-ago levels. And U.S. oil production, at more than 7 million barrels a day, is at the highest level since the late 1990s.Jim Ritterbusch, president of energy consultancy Ritterbusch and Associates, estimates that oil supplies grew another 2.5 million barrels in the week ended March 8. He also said oil could start to fall toward $85 a barrel later in the week if U.S. economic data boosts the dollar. A stronger dollar makes oil a less enticing investment for traders using other currencies, since oil is traded in dollars.Pump prices fell slightly over the weekend. The nationwide average for a gallon of gas is $3.70, down 9 cents from a year ago.Brent crude, used to price many kinds of oil imported by U.S. refineries, fell 63 cents to finish at $110.22 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

Dollar mixed after weak Chinese data Posted: NEW YORK (AP) - The dollar was mixed against other major currencies following disappointing Chinese economic data over the weekend.The euro rose to $1.3018 in afternoon trading from $1.3005 late Friday. The British pound fell to $1.4907 from $1.4936.Weak Chinese industrial production and retail sales figures added to concerns that the country's recovery may have slowed.The dollar rose to 96.30 Japanese yen from 95.82 Japanese yen.The dollar fell to 0.9492 Swiss franc from 0.9511 Swiss franc.

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