Dunya TV

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• Syria asks UN to look into alleged chemical attack
• Venezuela halts communication with US diplomat
• Qaeda says French hostage executed in Mali
• Afghanistan, 2 ex-Soviet nations to build railway
• Golf: Tiger tries to dethrone No 1 McIlroy
• Work begins on 2016 Olympic golf course in Rio
• Lleyton Hewitt advances in Sony Open
• US Open tennis prize money to reach $50M by 2017
• Malaria vaccine fails to work after four years: study
• Oil prices rise on surprise US inventory decline
• Dollar falls after Federal Reserve statement
• Shillingford proves Zimbabwe tormentor again
• Five Pakistanis gunned down in Cape Town
• Oil prices up as market awaits Fed statement
• Punjab Assembly dissolved

Syria asks UN to look into alleged chemical attack Posted: UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Syria asked U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday to appoint an independent mission to investigate an alleged chemical weapons attack that the regime has blamed on rebels in northern Syria.The rebels have denied the government claim and blamed regime forces for Tuesdays missile attack on Khan al-Assal village in northern Aleppo province. The Syrian National Coalition, the main opposition group, also demanded an international investigation Wednesday.The U.S. ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, said Wednesday the Obama administration has no evidence so far to support Syrias accusations, or that a chemical weapons attack occurred at all.If confirmed, the attack would be the first time a chemical weapon was used in Syrias two-year-old civil war.Syrias U.N. Ambassador Bashar Jaafari told reporters that he asked Ban to form a specialized, independent and neutral technical mission to investigate the use by the terrorist groups operating in Syria of chemical weapons yesterday against civilians in the town of Khan al-Assal in Aleppo.The Syrian government, which refers to the rebels as terrorists, said 31 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in the missile attack.Jaafari called the attack very serious and alarming and unacceptable and unethical. He said Syria asked the secretary-general for assistance in a sign of good faith, good will, good intentions to the international community and the Syrian people.U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said Ban has received a written request from Syrian authorities and it is being studied.He reiterated earlier that the secretary-general remains convinced that the use of chemical weapons by any party under any circumstances would constitute an outrageous crime.Ban spoke to Ahmet Uzumcu, director general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, on Tuesday and both expressed deep concern at the allegations of chemical weapons use. He said the organization is monitoring the situation.Jaafari recalled that Syria sent a letter to Ban and the U.N. Security Council in December warning that rebel groups might use chemical weapons and then blame the government.The Syrian government, if it has such weapons, will never use it against its own population, Jaafari said.He stressed that Syria is a party to most U.N. conventions on chemical, biological and nuclear weapons and had proposed a Security Council resolution in 2003 when it was a council member that would have required the Mideast to be free of all weapons of mass destruction. He said it was blocked by the threatened veto of an influential member, an apparent reference to the United States, Israels closest ally.

Venezuela halts communication with US diplomat Posted: CARACAS (AP) - Venezuelas government has halted lines of communication established by a top U.S. diplomat to protest what it says has been U.S. interference in the countrys internal affairs ahead of an election set next month to replace the late President Hugo Chavez.Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said in a news conference Wednesday that U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta Jacobson had violated Venezuelas sovereignty despite reaching out to the South American countrys government before Chavezs March 5 death.He accused Jacobson of supporting opposition candidate Henrique Capriles, although he didnt provide any evidence.We want normal relations with the United States based on mutual respect, Jaua said.He said the government had formally suspended any contact and any communication that had been established with the call of Mrs. Jacobson in the month of November. He emphasized, however, that diplomatic and consular relations would remain between the two countries.The U.S. Embassy in Caracas had not responded to a request for comment by Wednesday afternoon.Venezuelas government expelled two U.S. military attaches this month for allegedly talking to members of the countrys armed forces. Washington responded by ejecting two Venezuelan diplomats, who were honored by Jaua Wednesday.The two countries havent had ambassadors posted in each others capitals since 2010.Ahead of an April 14 presidential vote, Venezuelan officials have escalated their rhetoric against the U.S., with acting leader and government candidate Nicolas Maduro even accusing the U.S. of infecting Chavez with the cancer that killed him.And even as Maduro has said U.S. officials are backing Capriles candidacy, he has accused two former U.S. assistant secretaries of state of plotting to kill Capriles in the hopes of fomenting a coup. The U.S. State Department has rejected that accusation while calling for free and fair elections.On Wednesday, Jaua accused the former U.S. diplomats of seeking Central American mercenaries to carry out the supposed assassination plot.Hopefully there will be a rectification and the meddling of the United States will cease, Jaua said.

Qaeda says French hostage executed in Mali Posted: NOUAKCHOTT (AFP) - Paris was scrambling Wednesday to verify a claim by Al-Qaedas north African branch that it has executed a French hostage in retaliation for Frances military intervention in Mali.A man claiming to be a spokesman for Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) told Mauritanias ANI news agency late Tuesday that spy Philippe Verdon had been executed in Mali on March 10 in response to Frances intervention in northern Mali.The French President (Francois) Hollande is responsible for the lives of the other French hostages, the spokesman warned.The French foreign ministry said it was trying to verify the report. We cant say at the moment if it is credible, said a spokesman.Verdons father Jean-Pierre Verdon said he feared the worst. Im not under any illusion, but I will wait for confirmation, he told AFP.In all 15 French nationals, including Verdon, are being held captive in Africa, with AQIM claiming responsibility for six of the kidnappings.Verdon was seized on the night of November 24, 2011 along with Serge Lazarevic from their hotel in Hombori, northeastern Mali, while they were on a business trip.The families denied that the two men were mercenaries or spies.The president of a support committee for the two men, Pascal Lupart, said the French foreign ministry had informed the families early Wednesday about the AQIM statement.They told the family to treat it with caution. Nothing is confirmed, Lupart told AFP.AQIM claimed responsibility for the kidnappings, and in August last year a video showing Verdon describing his difficult living conditions was posted on a Mauritanian website.Extremist groups often use the private news agency ANI to distribute their statements or claims, which often turn out to be accurate.The French hostages families have in recent weeks expressed growing fears for their loved ones in the light of Frances military offensive aimed at routing Islamists from northern Mali.We will do everything to free our hostages, French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told parliament on Wednesday.France has in the past authorised the payment of ransoms to kidnappers in order to secure the release of its nationals, but officials say that has stopped since Hollande came to power last year.

Afghanistan, 2 ex-Soviet nations to build railway Posted: ASHGABAT (AP) - Afghanistan has signed a deal with ex-Soviet neighbors Turkmenistan and Tajikistan to build a new railway linking the three nations.Presidents Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov of Turkmenistan and Emomali Rakhmon of Tajikistan inked the preliminary agreement Wednesday in the Turkmen capital.The 400-kilometer (250-mile) railroad would link landlocked Afghanistan to a regional transport network, increasing the countrys export potential. It would link the Afghan town of Akina-Andhoi, about 650 kilometers (400 miles) northwest of Kabul to Atamyrat in Turkmenistan and Pyandzh in Tajikistan.The construction of the new railway is set to start in July in Turkmenistan. Turkmen workers will also build the Afghan segment of the railway.A 75-kilometer (47-mile) line from Afghanistan into Uzbekistan began operating in December 2011.

Golf: Tiger tries to dethrone No 1 McIlroy Posted: ORLANDO (AFP) - Tiger Woods, who can overtake Rory McIlroy for World No. 1 by defending his title this week at Bay Hill, says he and ski star Lindsey Vonn went public as a couple to combat stalker-azzi.A day after Woods and Vonn told the world they were dating and shared photos on their Facebook pages, Woods explained why they made that decision at a news conference on the eve of the $6.2 million US PGA Arnold Palmer Invitational.Were very happy where were at, but also we wanted to limit the stalker-azzi and all those sleazy websites out there, paparazzi following us, Woods said.Photographers seeking a valuable picture of the couple had put at risk the health of Woods two children with ex-wife Elin Nordegren -- five-year-old daughter Sam Alexis and four-year-old son Charlie.Ive had situations where it has been very dangerous for my kids, the lengths paparazzi will go to, Woods said. We basically devalued the first photos. Unfortunately thats just the way it is in our society right now. We felt it was the best thing to do and Im very happy about it.Woods, a 14-time major champion who will try to close the gap on the record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus when he plays at next months Masters, has spent a record 623 weeks atop the world rankings, but none since October of 2010 after injuries and an infamous sex scandal saw him stumble from the top 50.I fell to 50-plus there for a while, Woods said. To gradually work my way back is something Im proud of. Its not easy to get there in the first place and to sustain it isnt easy at all.Im very pleased where Ive come from -- 50-plus to where Im at is no small task.World No. 2 Woods has won five titles in the past year, a run that began at Palmers event last year when he won his first PGA title since the scandal. This year, Woods has already collected triumphs at Torrey Pines and Doral.But doubters say he will not be fully back to the form of glory days until he ends a major title drought that dates to the 2008 US Open.I feel like Im headed in the right direction from where I have come from, Woods said. Id like to get to 19-plus myself.Woods, whose return to success has coincided with his romance with Vonn, seeks his eighth career title at Bay Hill. He would become the first man to win the same PGA event eight times, although he already has eight career victories on the same course from seven PGA titles and the US Open at Torrey Pines.It has been a long process, Woods said. I was hurt for a long time. I had to make swing changes that were drastically different than what I was doing before. It has taken some time.After Nicklaus offered earlier this month that he thought Woods would pass his major title total but that at age 37 he had better get with it, fellow golf icon Palmer said he gives Woods a chance but one that shrinks every year.I think right now looking at him and watching him play, he looks probably as strong and as good from a golf perspective as Ive ever seen him, Palmer said. His swing and his posture and his attitude is far better than it has been in some time.I give him a chance. I suppose that every year its a little more fleeting, however, and he will have to really work hard to keep himself up and keep his mental attitude if hes going to do it.Top-ranked McIlroy, who is dating ninth-ranked womens tennis star Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, is idle this week but the field at Bay Hill still offers more than a few challengers who could deny Woods despite his history there.Woods will be paired alongside Englands Justin Rose and reigning British Open champion Ernie Els of South Africa, who won at Bay Hill in 2010 and 1998.Brandt Snedeker is making his first start since straining a rib muscle in a victory at Pebble Beach last month.Reigning Masters champion Bubba Watson and reigning US Open champion Webb Simpson are also in the field, as is 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley.

Work begins on 2016 Olympic golf course in Rio Posted: RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Work has finally begun on the 2016 Olympic golf course after delays caused by a legal dispute over ownership of the site.The organizing committee for the Rio de Janeiro Games said on Wednesday that clearing work had begun to remove non-native vegetation after a permit was issued by the city. Construction is set to begin in April and Carlos Nuzman, head of the organizing committee, said the course would be ready for a test event in 2015.The move should come as a relief to the International Olympic Committee, which has repeatedly downplayed the ongoing legal dispute but was officially notified about it by court officials during a recent inspection visit to Rio. Two different companies have claimed ownership of the land, with one having announced plans to build a housing complex there instead.

Lleyton Hewitt advances in Sony Open Posted: KEY BISCAYNE (AP) - Three-time Grand Slam winner Lleyton Hewitt advanced to the second round of the Sony Open by beating Joao Sousa of Portugal 6-1, 7-6 (3) on Wednesday.Hewitt, the 32-year-old Australian who once topped the world rankings, made his first start in the event since 2009. The wild card is 91st in the world. He has been injured for much of the past three years, undergoing hip surgery and operations on his left foot.Xavier Malisse of Belgium beat American qualifier Rajeev Ram 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-4.Russias Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 2006 womens champion, beat Lourdes Dominguez Lino of Spain 6-3, 6-3.

US Open tennis prize money to reach $50M by 2017 Posted: NEW YORK (AP) - After a year of closed-door meetings with tennis players seeking a greater say in the sport and a larger slice of Grand Slam revenues, the U.S. Open is making big changes.New Yorks Grand Slam will increase its annual prize money to $50 million by 2017 roughly double what it was last year and permanently schedule the mens semifinals on Friday and mens final on Sunday starting in 2015.As part of an unprecedented five-year agreement with the mens and womens professional tours, the U.S. Open also is making an additional $4.1 million increase to this years prize pool, on top of an already-record $4 million jump announced in December. That brings the 2013 total payout to $33.6 million from the $25.5 million in 2012.The U.S. Tennis Association announced the changes on Wednesday, a day after they were formally presented to the ATP Player Council at a meeting in Key Biscayne, Florida.Roger Federer said it perhaps best of all: Its time for us to work together, as opposed to working against each other, USTA Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Gordon Smith said in a telephone interview.Federer, the 17-time major champion, is president of the ATP Player Council. He is not playing in the Sony Open that began this week at Key Biscayne, but participated in Tuesdays meeting via telephone. Federer joined other top players, including No. 1 Novak Djokovic, in lobbying the USTA and organizers of other major tournaments in an effort that began about 12 months ago.Its a very positive step for players. You know, it proves that players, I think, are more united than ever. I believe that these are some significant changes in the negotiations with Grand Slams, Djokovic said on Wednesday in Key Biscayne. It hasnt happened for, I think, ever or for many, many years that we have such increases. We just feel like we deserve it.There is a lot of players not just the top players, but a lot of players who are in top 100, top 200 who deserve to have a better living from this sport.Aside from wanting more money, some male players complained the U.S. Open had been the sports only Grand Slam with their semifinals and final on consecutive days. The USTA liked its old Super Saturday setup two mens semifinals and the womens final all on that days schedule at Flushing Meadows, followed by the mens final on Sunday but tournament director David Brewer acknowledged it was time to scrap it.We realize the game has changed and how they play the game is different even than it was 10 years ago, Brewer said.The format weve had for 30 years was putting players and the tournament in jeopardy at some point.In December, the USTA said it would move the 2013 womens singles final to Sunday and the mens final to Monday, building in a day of rest ahead of each title match and moving from a 14-day tournament to 15 days.That schedule will remain in place in 2014, but the U.S. Open will shift things in 2015: Womens semifinals Thursday, mens semifinals Friday, womens final Saturday, mens final Sunday.Personally, I am not happy with a Monday final, but it is the way it is for the next two years, Djokovic said. I think we have to accept it, and then after that, it all goes back to normal, hopefully, for Sunday final, like every Grand Slam has.Another change coming in 2015: Mens first-round matches will be played over the U.S. Opens opening two days, instead of three.Asked to describe the nature of the negotiations with players, which began about a year ago, USTA Chairman of the Board and President David Haggerty said: I wouldnt say necessarily pressure. I would say spirited discussions.The USTA does not plan to pay for the higher prize money with a similar leap in ticket prices.Frankly, well take somewhat of a hit, Smith said, but its the right thing to do for the Open and for the players, so were doing it.The distribution of the new prize money how much will go to the singles champions, for example, or to losers in the early rounds or to doubles teams hasnt been decided. An announcement is expected closer to the start of the U.S. Open, which runs from Aug. 26 to Sept. 9.The USTA did confirm its commitment to equal paychecks for men and women. But it is not ready to say exactly how prize money will go up between now and 2017, other than that it will increase each year.The USTAs prize money announcement comes before the French Open (which starts on May 26) and Wimbledon (starts on June 24) say how much they will offer this year.Haggerty said the Grand Slams have not coordinated their efforts to placate players.

Malaria vaccine fails to work after four years: study Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - A new vaccine that has raised hopes of becoming a potent new tool in the battle against malaria seems to stop working in children after four years, according to research published Wednesday.The vaccine candidate -- known as RTS,S -- is not yet on the market, but ongoing trials in seven African countries generated hope that it might help slow new malaria cases as drug resistance to the deadly parasite grows.One child in Africa dies every minute from malaria, a mosquito-borne disease that kills an estimated 655,000 people every year. There is currently no vaccine available that offers full protection against it.The latest data comes from a phase II follow-up study on 320 children in Kenya which found that in the first year after vaccination, protection against malaria was 43.6 percent, but that dropped to zero by the fourth year.It also found that the more often a child was exposed to malaria, the less effective the vaccine appeared to be.The vaccine's efficacy was 45.1 percent in children with below-average exposure to malaria, but just 15.9 percent in children with above-average exposure, said the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine.Despite the falling efficacy over time, there is still a clear benefit to the vaccine candidate, said senior author Phillip Bejon.We now need to look at whether offering a vaccine booster can sustain efficacy for longer, added Bejon, a fellow at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme and the Centre for Tropical Medicine, University of Oxford.Early results from larger, ongoing phase III trials have shown the vaccine cut malaria cases in half during the first year of follow-up in young children, and by about a third in babies.Mary Anne Rhyne, a US spokeswoman from GlaxoSmithKline, the pharmaceutical company that makes the vaccine, said the Kenya study is small and uses data from just one of many trial sites, while larger studies are still under way.The Phase III pivotal study, involving 15,460 children, is ongoing and should provide meaningful insights into the vaccine candidate's efficacy in different malaria parasite transmission settings, longer-term efficacy (2.5 years after primary vaccination) and the impact of a booster dose, she told AFP in an email.These analyses are expected to be publicly available by the end of 2014.In the meantime, she said, the vaccine is still under development and subject to the evaluation of its benefits and risks by the regulatory authorities before being made available.In November 2012, results from phase III tests on 6,500 infants showed that the RTS,S vaccine only protected about a third of very young babies, compared to success rates of between 47 percent and 55 percent in children between the ages of five and 17 months.At the time, GSK's chief executive officer Andrew Witty described those results as a little frustrating.The RTS,S vaccine candidate trial is the largest of its kind, and is being conducted at 11 sites across seven African countries.There are several other projects under way with vaccine candidates in clinical trials worldwide.Separately on Wednesday, a group of international researchers announced progress in studies on mice that could lead to a new malaria vaccine candidate for humans, one that appears not to create drug resistance in the parasites.This is one of the first drugs ever to kill the malaria parasite in all three stages of its life cycle, said Dennis Kyle of the University of San Francisco College of Public Health's Global Infectious Diseases Research team.The drug, called ELQ-300, is being prepared for clinical trials, according to the research published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Oil prices rise on surprise US inventory decline Posted: NEW YORK (AFP) - Prices were also strengthened by the Federal Reserve's widely expected move to maintain its stimulus program.A barrel of West Texas Intermediate for delivery in April sold for $92.96, up 80 cents on the New York Mercantile Exchange.European benchmark Brent oil for May delivery closed at $108.72 a barrel, up $1.27.The rally came as the US Department of Energy reported that oil inventories fell by 1.3 million barrels in the week ending March 15. Analysts had forecast a build of 1.7 million barrels.The inventory numbers are a little bit bullish, said Andy Lebow, senior vice president for energy futures at Jefferies Bache.At the same time, the inventory report showed that the demand numbers were weak, Lebow said. The report said total US petroleum demand came in at 17.77 million barrels a day, down 4.5 percent from last week's level.Analysts said the low value of the dollar was also supportive of higher oil prices. Because oil is traded in dollars, the commodity becomes cheaper for consumers using stronger currencies when the dollar declines.The Federal Reserve's decision to keep its monetary easing policies in place gave further support to the euro compared with the dollar.It's steady as she goes, Stephen Schork, analyst at the Schork Report, said of the Fed policy.Like other markets, the oil market kept one eye on the debt crisis in Cyprus, with the Cypriot government scrambling to find alternative ways of raising funds to get the EU-IMF bailout loans.David Bouckhout of TD Securities said while Cyprus is itself a small economy, markets are concerned about what its plight means for the eurozone.If it were to leave the eurozone, that would set a precedent, Bouckhout said.

Dollar falls after Federal Reserve statement Posted: NEW YORK (AP) - The dollar fell against most major currencies Wednesday after the Federal Reserve kept its bond-buying policy unchanged.Traders also bought the euro and other higher-risk currencies after Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said that the U.S. economy has been improving in recent months.The euro rose to $1.2943 in late trading Wednesday from $1.2875 late Tuesday. The British pound rose to $1.5118 from $1.5105.Traders are still waiting to see how Cyprus will stave off bankruptcy after the country's government rejected a plan to contribute to a bailout package by seizing money from people's bank accounts.The dollar fell to 0.9436 Swiss franc from 0.9478 Swiss franc and to 1.0251 Canadian dollar from 1.0275 Canadian dollar.The dollar rose to 95.89 Japanese yen from 95.09 Japanese yen.

Shillingford proves Zimbabwe tormentor again Posted: ROSEAU, Dominica (AFP) - Zimbabwe crumbled yet again to the spin of Shane Shillingford as the West Indies reached a commanding position at the close of the first day of the second and final test at Windsor Park here on Wednesday.Playing in front of his home fans, Shillingford followed up his nine-wicket match haul from the first test in Barbados the previous week with a haul of five for 59.Marlon Samuels, who claimed his best test innings figures of four for 13 on the opening day at Kensington Oval, snared three for 15 to bundle out Zimbabwe for just 175.Kyle Jarvis removed Kieran Powell and Darren Bravo in quick succession when the home side replied, but Chris Gayle (61 not out) and Marlon Samuels (26 not out) reasserted the West Indies dominance in an unbroken 79-run third-wicket stand that took their team to the close at 114 for two.It leaves the Zimbabweans needing a performance that has been beyond them in recent years in winning the test to square the series.In stark contrast to their parlous position however, the day started promisingly for the Zimbabweans after they were inserted by West Indies captain Darren Sammy with openers Vusi Sibanda and Tino Mawoyo putting on 42 at better than a run-a-minute before the introduction of Shannon Gabriel shifted the tide of play completely.Mawoyo was bowled offering no shot and the burly fast bowler then removed Sibanda, who had hammered three consecutive fours off Kemar Roach, the attacking player tamely stroking a full toss low to Roach at mid-on.From that point on, the visitors struggled to get back on an even keel, Brendan Taylor's topscore of 33 being the captain's best effort of a disappointing tour while debutant Sean Williams showed a bit of character in getting to 31.Yet none were able to cope with the extravagant bounce and turn extracted by Shillingford especially from the surface, the local boy delivering almost immediately as he was brought on when his doosra disposed of Hamilton Masakadza before lunch.An injudicious attempt at a reverse sweep by Taylor off the same bowler in the afternoon brought about his demise.Despite some patient resistance by Craig Ervine and Williams, Ervine's dismissal by Samuels - playing down the wrong line to a straight delivery - triggered a slide that saw the last six wickets capitulating for 34 runs.Faced with another daunting task after this latest batting failure, Zimbabwe enjoyed a glimmer of hope through Jarvis' double-strike with the West Indies score on 35.But the optimism was to be short-lived, Gayle overcoming an uncertain start to reach his first test half-century in eight innings while Samuels looked as fluent and as threatening as ever heading into the second day of a match that already seems to be out of the reach of the Zimbabweans.

Five Pakistanis gunned down in Cape Town Posted: JOHANNESBURG (Dunya News) — Foreign Office is of the view that two alleged robbers have been arrested while police is conducting raids for arrest of the remaining ones.South African police say two robbers stealing a safe shot and killed five Pakistani men and wounded a sixth in a ghetto outside the tourist resort of Cape Town.Spokesman Col. Tembinkosi Kinana said the attack took place in a house believed used as a bakery late Tuesday.The attackers took off with the safe. Kinana said police arrested a 28-year-old South African who had a gun and the safe. He would not say what was in the safe.The robbery was particularly brutal even by the standards of violent crime that have become a norm in South Africa. Kinana said the attackers shot six people, all Pakistani citizens. Four died at the scene, another at the hospital and the sixth victim is in critical condition.

Oil prices up as market awaits Fed statement Posted: NEW YORK (AP): The price of oil was up slightly around midday Wednesday as the market waits to hear from the Federal Reserve about the future of its stimulus program for the U.S. economy.Benchmark oil for April delivery gained 22 cents to $92.74 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price many kinds of oil imported by U.S. refineries, rose 61 cents to $108.06 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.The Fed ends a two-day policy meeting on Wednesday. It is expected to keep interest rates low and maintain other measures meant to stimulate economic growth feeding expectations of rising oil demand.Earlier the Energy Department said crude oil supplies declined last week by 1.3 million barrels, or 0.3 percent, to 382.7 million barrels, which is 10.5 percent above year-ago levels. Analysts were expecting supplies to increase. Although those figures sound bullish for oil prices, futures are lower since the report came.In other energy futures trading on the Nymex:Wholesale gasoline was flat at $3.05 a gallon.Heating oil rose 1 cent to $2.97 a gallon.Natural gas fell 5 cents to $3.92 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Punjab Assembly dissolved Posted: LAHORE (Dunya News) - The Punjab provincial assembly stands dissolved after Governor Punjab Wednesday signed the summary sent to him by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.Earlier, PML-N Chief Mian Nawaz Sharif in a press conference had announced that Punjab Assembly would be dissolved Wednesday.It must be recalled that PML-N was facing criticism for its reluctance to dissolve the Punjab Assembly after the dissolution of assemblies in three other provinces.PTI chief Imran Khan had said that Punjab rulers were trying to stick to power for influencing the elections.He had urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to take notice of the fact.After the step it is now being hoped that elections for the National Assembly and four provincial assemblies can take place on the same day.

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