Dunya TV

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• Bilawal condemns bomb blasts in Karachi
• Karachi: Blast near PPP rally kills 5
• ECP directs provincial govt to ensure security of candidates
• Syria rejects US, UK chemical arms claims
• NATO plane crash in Afghanistan kills four
• Bangladesh building collapse death toll nears 350
• Guantanamo hunger strike widens to 100 inmates
• 11 reported dead in Mexico prison battle
• Boxing: Amir Khan picks himself up to beat Diaz
• Nadal beats Raonic to reach Barcelona Open final
• Sharapova, Li in Porsche GP final
• Man City beat West Ham 2-1 in Premier League
• Liverpool rout Newcastle 6-0 as Suarez ban begins
• Two killed, 14 hurt in blasts near MQM office
• Bangladesh builds lead as it seeks to level series

Bilawal condemns bomb blasts in Karachi Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) – In a statement, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed grief over the loss of lives in the bombings.He strongly condemned bomb blasts. Bilawal said that innocent people are being targeted in bomb blasts and insisted that the general election would be held in time at any cost.

Karachi: Blast near PPP rally kills 5 Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) – According to details, a bomb planted on a motorcycle went off in Lyari area of Karachi where Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was holding a public rally, killing at least five people and injuring 40 others.The PPP candidate for PS-111 Adnan Baloch is among the injured. This was the second blast on Saturday.Earlier, three people were killed and 15 others were injured in a blast at Orangi Town Qasba Colony near Muttahida Qaumi Movement office of Unit No 132.

ECP directs provincial govt to ensure security of candidates Posted: ISLAMABAD (APP) - Election Commission of Pakistan has once again directed the provincial governments to ensure the security of all contesting candidates and political leaders. The Commission has called upon the Provincial Government of Sindh specially to take all possible measures to ensure the security of all the contesting candidates and leaders of all political parties in the province particularly in Karachi by making foolproof arrangements.The Commission has strongly condemned the recent killing and kidnapping of leaders of MQM as well as attack on Party’s polling office April, 25.It condemned the incident and termed it as failure of the government contrary to the assurances given regarding maintenance of law and order in their respective provinces.

Syria rejects US, UK chemical arms claims Posted: DAMASCUS (AFP) - Syria on Saturday dismissed as a barefaced lie US and British claims it may have used chemical weapons, as staunch ally Russia warned against using such fears to intervene militarily in the strife-torn country.First of all, I want to confirm that statements by the US secretary of state and British government are inconsistent with reality and a barefaced lie, Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi said in an interview published on the Kremlin-funded Russia Today's website.I want to stress one more time that Syria would never use it -- not only because of its adherence to the international law and rules of leading war, but because of humanitarian and moral issues, Zohbi said.But the main opposition coalition challenged the denial and quoted rebels in Daraya near Damascus as saying missiles that carried warheads containing toxic gases were fired on Thursday and Friday at the town.When they exploded, they created a large gas cloud. The explosion led to 42 cases of choking accompanied by severe allergic reactions and severe vomiting, a statement said.The coalition urged an international investigation into the alleged attack.UN chief Ban Ki-moon has called on Damascus to approve a UN mission of inspectors to probe the alleged use of chemical weapons in the spiralling conflict that erupted in March 2011.But Zohbi said Syria could not trust UN inspectors from Britain and the United States.We also do not trust their qualifications. Their aim is to juggle with facts, he told Russia Today, although Syria would accept Russian inspectors.We won't mind if Russians would be among the experts; quite the contrary, we only welcome this idea. We are quite sure in their high qualification and ability to clearly see into such matters, he was quoted as saying.Along with China, Russia has blocked several UN Security Council draft resolutions threatening sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad's regime.US President Barack Obama warned Syria on Friday that using chemical weapons would be a game changer, after the US, Israel and Britain cited signs that Assad's regime has used the deadly agent sarin.But Obama said Washington must act prudently and establish exactly if, how and when such arms may have been used, promising a vigorous US and international probe into the latest reports.Russia warned against using these reports for military intervention.We must check the information immediately and in conformity with international criteria, and not use it to achieve other objectives. It must not be a pretext for an intervention in Syria, deputy foreign minister and Middle East envoy Mikhail Bogdanov said in Beirut.Zohbi linked the chemical arms accusations to what he said were qualitative changes on the battlefields to the advantage of regime forces, RIA Novosti news agency reported.On Friday he said at a news conference in comments published by the Interfax news agency that chemical weapons were used by rebels and originated in Turkey.

NATO plane crash in Afghanistan kills four Posted: KABUL (AFP) - A NATO plane crashed in Afghanistan on Saturday killing four service members, the coalition said, adding that early reports suggested the aircraft was not brought down by insurgents.The plane crashed in the south of the country, according to a statement from NATO's International Security Assistance Force.The cause of the crash is under investigation, however initial reporting indicates there was no enemy activity in the area at the time of the crash, it said.Most international soldiers in southern Afghanistan are from the United States, but the nationality of the dead was not released in line with coalition policy.There was no immediate claim of responsibility from the Taliban, who earlier Saturday announced the start of their annual spring offensive vowing a nationwide series of attacks as NATO troops withdraw.Aircraft crashes are fairly frequent in Afghanistan, where the 100,000-strong international mission relies heavily on air transport as it battles the insurgency across the south and east of the country.Earlier this month, two US troops were killed when a NATO helicopter crashed in the eastern Afghanistan, while five US troops died in the southern province of Kandahar in March when their helicopter came down during a heavy rainstorm.On Saturday, the Taliban said that their annual offensive would target international airbases and diplomatic buildings with multiple suicide bombings, insider attacks by Afghan soldiers and special military tactics.They warned Afghans working for President Hamid Karzai's stooge regime to distance themselves from the government to avoid being caught up in the promised violence, and called for young people not to join the police or army.This year's fighting season is seen as crucial to Afghanistan's future as its much-criticised security forces pit themselves against the Islamist extremists who have fought against the Kabul government since 2001.NATO combat operations in Afghanistan are due to end next year, and coalition commanders say that the local army and police have made enough progress to provide security and keep the Taliban at bay.Last week a study by the Afghanistan NGO Safety Office found attacks by the Taliban and other insurgents rose 47 percent in January-March compared with the same period last year.The United Nations has separately reported a rise of almost 30 percent in civilian casualties in the first quarter compared with the same period last year, with 475 civilians killed and 872 wounded.

Bangladesh building collapse death toll nears 350 Posted: SAVAR (AP) - Police in Bangladesh took six people into custody in connection with the collapse of a shoddily-constructed building that killed at least 348 people, as rescue workers admitted Saturday that voices of survivors are getting weaker after four days of being pinned under the increasingly unstable rubble.Still, in a boost for the rescuers, 29 survivors were pulled out Saturday, said army spokesman Shahinul Islam.Most of the victims were crushed by massive blocks of concrete and mortar falling on them when the 8-story structure came down on Wednesday morning -- a time many of the garment factories in the building were packed with workers. It was the worst tragedy to hit Bangladesh's massive garment industry, and focused attention on the poor working conditions of the employees who toil for $38 a month to produce clothing for top international brands.Among those arrested Saturday were two owners of a garment factory, who a Dhaka court ruled can be questioned by police for 12 days without charges being filed. Also detained are two government engineers and the wife of the building owner, who is on the run, in an attempt to force him to surrender. Late Saturday, police arrested another factory owner. Violent public protests continued sporadically in Dhaka and spread to the southeastern city of Chittagong where several vehicles were set on fire.Working round-the-clock since Wednesday through heat and a thunderstorm, rescuers on Saturday finally reached the ground floor from the top of the mountainous rubble through 25 narrow holes they have drilled, said Brig. Gen. Ali Ahmed Khan, the head of the fire services.We are still getting response from survivors though they are becoming weaker slowly, he said, adding that rescue workers were now able to see cars that were parked at the ground level.The building is very vulnerable. Any time the floors could collapse. We are performing an impossible task, but we are glad that we are able to rescue so many survivors. He said the operations will continue overnight as chances fade of people surviving for a fifth day with possibly grievous injuries and the heat.The building site was a hive of frenzied activity all day with soldiers, police and medical workers in lab coats working non-stop. Rescuers passed bottles of water and small cylinders of oxygen up a ladder leaning against the side of the building to be given to possible survivors inside.They used bare hands and shovels, passing chunks of brick and concrete down a human chain away from the collapsed structure. On the ground, mixed in the debris were several pairs of pink cotton pants, a mud-covered navy blue sock and a pile of green uncut fabric.Nearby, Abul Basar wept as he awaited news of his wife, who worked in one of the garment factories. My son says that his mother will come back some day. She must return he cried.Every once in a while a badly decomposed body would be brought out, covered in cloth and plastic, to a spot where ambulances were parked. Workers furiously sprayed air-fresheners on the bodies to cover the stench, leaving the air thick with the smell of death and cheap perfume.The bodies were kept at a makeshift morgue at the nearby Adharchandra High School before being handed over to families. Many people milled around at the school, waving photos of their missing loved ones.Junior local government minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak put the death toll at 348. Military spokesman Shahinul Islam said 2,429 survivors were accounted for, including 29 who were pulled out Saturday.Junior Home Minister Shamsul Haque Tuku said police had arrested Bazlus Samad, managing director of New Wave Apparels Ltd., and Mahmudur Rahman Tapash, the company chairman. He told reporters that police had also detained the wife of Mohammed Sohel Rana, the owner of the collapsed Rana Plaza building, for questioning. The top three floors of the eight-story building were illegally constructed. Military spokesman Shahinul Islam said officials arrested Aminul Islam, chairman of Phantom Apparels Ltd., late Saturday in Dhaka.Authorities are still searching for Rana, a local politician, who hasn't been seen publicly since the building collapsed. Negligence cases have been filed against him. Police in Bangladesh often detain relatives of missing suspects as a way to pressure them to surrender.Dhaka police superintendent Habibur Rahman said Rana was a local leader of ruling Awami League's youth front. His arrest, and that of the factory owners, was ordered by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is also the Awami League leader.

Guantanamo hunger strike widens to 100 inmates Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - The number of Guantanamo detainees participating in a hunger strike has risen to 100 out of 166, a spokesman for the US-run military prison said Saturday.Among those refusing sustenance, 20 have been given nasal feeding tubes, Lieutenant Colonel Samuel House said in a statement. Five have been hospitalized but are not in life-threatening condition.The rapidly growing protest movement began on February 6, when inmates claimed prison officials searched Korans in a way they considered blasphemous, according to their lawyers. Officials have denied any mishandling of Islam's holy book.The strike, in its third month, has now turned into a larger protest by prisoners against their indefinite incarceration without charge or trial over the past 11 years.On Friday, the White House said it continues to closely monitor the hunger strikers and that President Barack Obama remained committed to closing Guantanamo.Some progress had been made under this administration and under the previous administration, White House spokesman Jay Carney said.He added that a fundamental obstacle to closing this detention facility ... remains in Congress.Lawyers for the detainees say the official numbers are too low and that around 130 inmates are observing the hunger strike.

11 reported dead in Mexico prison battle Posted: MEXICO CITY (AP) - A battle between groups of prisoners caused at least 11 deaths and 65 injuries on Saturday, according to officials in the central Mexican state of San Luis Potosi.The state attorney general's office said the clash began when a group of inmates, fed up with harassment by other prisoners, used homemade knives and picks to attack their rivals starting at about 4:15 a.m. (5:15 a.m. EDT; 0915 GMT) at the La Pila prison in the state capital.Agency spokeswoman Gabriela Gonzalez Chong said nine inmates died at the prison and two more in a hospital.Battles between drug cartels and other criminal gangs often has spilled over into prison battles in Mexico.The National Human Rights Commission reported in 2012 that prisoners, often linked to drug gangs, effectively run the interior of many Mexican prisons.The Zetas drug gang has been especially active in San Luis Potosi in recent years.

Boxing: Amir Khan picks himself up to beat Diaz Posted: SHEFFIELD (AFP) - Former world light-welterweight champion Amir Khan had to climb off the canvas to keep on course for a shot at the division's champions by out-pointing Julio Diaz on Saturday.Khan, 26, was floored in the fourth round and looked on the brink of another knockdown in the 11th of a thrilling catchweight (143 pounds) 12-round non-title contest with Mexican Diaz at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield.In Khan's first performance back on British soil for two years, the 2004 Olympic silver medallist triumphed by scores of 114-113, 115-113 and 115-112 in a close fight.Khan improved his record to 28 wins and three defeats, while Diaz suffered his eighth career defeat in a 49-fight career. It was another thrilling encounter the Briton was involved in but as exciting as he is, he also showed he is still vulnerable.Khan, from Bolton in northern England, can now remain hopeful of a rematch with either Danny Garcia or Lamont Peterson, the Americans who have beaten him in the last two years.Promoters Golden Boy had told Khan victory would propel him to a shot at the light-welterweight division's undisputed world champion later this year.Garcia was due to defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Association (WBA) titles against Zab Judah hours after Khan had finished with Diaz, while Lamont Peterson is set to defend his International Boxing Federation (IBF) belt against Argentina's Lucas Matthysse on May 18. The winners of Garcia-Judah and Peterson-Matthysse will then meet, and Khan hopes to now face the victor of that unification fight.Khan made a measured start and former world lightweight king Diaz, 33, did not land a single meaningful blow in the opening round as the Briton fired out his jab before darting out of range.It was a pattern that Khan repeated in the second, attacking with three punch clusters rather than jumping in with big punches that would leave him open.But in the fourth round Khan did leave himself open and Diaz seized the chance, with two cuffing left hooks sending the home hero down.Khan bounced up at the count of three and did not look seriously hurt before sensibly getting on his bike to ride out the rest of the round.Khan was better in the fifth and sixth rounds, landing some big blows that left Diaz cut by the corner of the right eye.But Diaz was always dangerous and Khan looked vulnerable again as it turned into a brawl in the eighth.The fight had swung Khan's way but in the tenth it swung back to the Mexican who had the Briton rocking early on with a left hook to the side of the head.Another left-right further dazed Khan who then backpedalled unsteadily to survive a nervous tenth round.Worse was to come from Khan in the 11th and he looked there for the taking as his hands dropped and Diaz repeatedly nailed him.Khan was hurt by a left and right hook before another combination caught him flush as his career hung in the balance.But Khan's head cleared between rounds and he finished the fight boxing off his back foot, flicking out the jab.His younger brother Haroon, 21, made a successful professional debut at super-flyweight with a 40-37 points win over fellow Englishman Brett Fidoe. Haroon, who won bronze at the 2010 Commonwealth Games boxing for Pakistan, afterwards said: I could have boxed better and there was more pressure on me than in the amateurs. Now I'm looking to kick on in my next few fights.

Nadal beats Raonic to reach Barcelona Open final Posted: BARCELONA (AP) - Seven-time winner Rafael Nadal beat Milos Raonic 6-4, 6-0 to reach the Barcelona Open final on Saturday.After the semifinal was delayed for rain, Nadal overcame an early break and dominated the rest of the way, with Raonic's big serve proving no match for his all-round game.The fifth-ranked Spaniard will play countryman Nicolas Almagro in Sunday's final after he defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-2, 6-1 to reach his second clay-court final of the year.Nadal has won 38 straight matches on the Real Club de Tenis' outdoor red clay and has reached six straight finals winning three since returning from a seven-month injury layoff due to tendinitis in his left knee. His eight-year winning run at Monte Carlo ended last weekend when he lost in the final to world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.His last loss at the Barcelona Open came 10 years ago to Spain's Davis Cup captain, Alex Corretja.Raonic started strong and broke Nadal to love to go up 2-0 after having struck two aces in his first service game.But after that initial misstep, Nadal wouldn't give up a single break chance while converting five of 11 to ease past his rival.Nadal finished off the first set with a slam after wearing Raonic down with a series of his left-handed drives to work his way to the net.The Canadian crumbled and Nadal cruised to his third victory in as many meetings with Raonic, who ceded the decisive point by hitting wide.Almagro will play his first final at Barcelona after falling in his two previous appearances in the semis.He dominated Kohlschreiber, striking nine aces and breaking the German four times while not allowing him one chance to steal his serve.Almagro threw both hands into the air when Kohlschreiber's final return fell into the net.The fourth-seeded Almagro lost his other clay-court final this season to John Isner in Houston.

Sharapova, Li in Porsche GP final Posted: STUTTGART (AP) - Defending champion Maria Sharapova will face Li Na in the final of the Porsche Grand Prix in a matchup of the last two French Open winners.Sharapova came from behind in the third set to beat Angelique Kerber 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in the first of Saturday's semifinals. The second-seeded Li followed with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States, the odd player out as a qualifier among the three top-seeded players in the last four.The top-seeded Sharapova committed two consecutive double-faults to drop her serve at the start of the decisive set. But Sharapova won the last eight points and clinched the match when her third-seeded German opponent hit a backhand long. Sharapova was pushed to three sets for the third straight match in Stuttgart and wasted a chance to serve out the match in the ninth game after taking a 5-3 lead.I like it quick and easier but the great thing is I got through them, the Russian said.Li broke serve for 2-1 in second set, only to lose the advantage in the very next game with a double-fault. But Mattek-Sands could not hold on, dropped her serve in the seventh game and double-faulted on Li's second match point. Li became the first Asian player to win a Grand Slam singles title when she became the French Open champion in 2011.The match was very tight, she played good tennis, Li said.Li has never beaten Sharapova in five previous matches.After winning in Stuttgart last year, Sharapova went on to take the French Open title as well. But she would not draw parallels between the two seasons.It's too early to talk about the French Open and I don't like to compare different years. You play different players, different conditions, but you can build confidence if you have success on the same court, the Russian said.Sharapova, ranked No. 2 in the world, is looking for her second title of the year after winning in Indian Wells. She would be the first player to defend her title in Stuttgart since Lindsay Davenport in 2005. Sharapova now has 15 straight wins on clay.The Russian set the tone in the first set by breaking serve in the opening game. Kerber saved two set points but then produced a double-fault to give it away. But the German rallied in the second, twice breaking Sharapova's serve with aggressive play.I lost momentum by not being aggressive, Sharapova said.Both players mixed sizzling winners on the lines with errors on simple shots. Sharapova was particularly inconsistent, hitting 42 winners but also producing 44 unforced errors.But her strong finish in the last two games allowed Sharapova to collect her fourth career win against the sixth-ranked Kerber, against one defeat.I came through in the end, I did my job, Sharapova said. I am pleased how I fought in the third.Kerber said she had given it her best shot.In the end, she played very well, she hit the ball well and she was confident, Kerber said. She played the big points incredibly well. That's why she is No. 2 in the world.

Man City beat West Ham 2-1 in Premier League Posted: MANCHESTER (AP) - Manchester City responded to the disappointment at conceding the Premier League title to Manchester United by beating West Ham 2-1 on Saturday to strengthen its grip on second place.Sergio Aguero put City ahead in the 28th minute after being set up by Samir Nasri, who cut through the West Ham defense by playing a one-two with David Silva.Yaya Toure curled the winner into the top corner of the net in the 83rd after also being teed up by Nasri.City goalkeeper Joe Hart made a mistake in stoppage time while appearing to struggle with a back injury, letting Andy Carroll's shot squirmed through his legs.We had the control of the game, we dominated for 90 minutes we were unlucky to concede that goal at the end, City defender Pablo Zabaleta said. We should defend better but it's three points. We need to keep going.City has an eight-point cushion over Arsenal, with the focus now winning the FA Cup next month against Wigan next month.We have probably been a bit inconsistent this year, not like last season, and probably that has cost us the title, Zabaleta said. But we are working to improve, keep winning trophies and we have the cup final at Wembley.It is always special to win that competition as well, so we'll try to come back stronger next year and try to win the title back.West Ham remained 10th and is virtually assured of staying up.I was just concerned about the players over respecting the opposition in the first half and having plenty of possession but just giving it straight back and sitting in, West Ham manager Sam Allardyce said. We had to improve on that from the very start of that second half, and we got in their final third and we persisted to do that throughout the whole of the game.But as our problem has been all season, as we know, is creating chances and not enough goals scored.

Liverpool rout Newcastle 6-0 as Suarez ban begins Posted: NEWCASTLE (AP) - Liverpool showed it has plenty of attacking options even without Luis Suarez by routing Newcastle 6-0 in the Premier League on Saturday as the striker started a 10-match ban for biting an opponent.Daniel Sturridge and Jordan Henderson each scored twice, while Daniel Agger and Fabio Borini also found the net in a dazzling display that shifted the spotlight away from the club's battle with the football authorities over Suarez's ban.Suarez was accused of damaging the image of English football by sinking his teeth into Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic during a match last Sunday.Liverpool and the Uruguay striker, who was banned for eight matches last season for racist abuse, reluctantly accepted the latest hefty sanction after disputing the length of the ban.The 6-0 win lifted Liverpool's spirits but not its position in the standings, where it remains seventh.

Two killed, 14 hurt in blasts near MQM office Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) – The incident occurred at Orangi Town Qasba Colony near Muttahida Qaumi Movement office of Unit No 132.The windowpanes of nearby buildings were broken as a result of the blast.MQM leader Wasih Jalil said unit office was closed for the last three days and there was no report of any casualty of any party.Earlier addressing a rally in Nawabshah, MQM chief Altaf Hussain had said that MQM, PPP and ANP were being targeted by the terrorists.Having information about the blast, security forces cordoned off the site of occurrence and started search operation. However, no group or outfit has accepted the responsibility of the blast.Situation is the metropolis is going from bad to worse with the passage of time and destructive forces tend to put stumbling blocks in the way of general elections.Interim government apparently has failed to maintain law and order situation in the metropolis.

Bangladesh builds lead as it seeks to level series Posted: HARARE (AP) - Bangladesh bowled Zimbabwe out for 282 and built a 272-run lead by stumps on the third day of the second test on Saturday, pushing for the win that would level the series between crickets lowest-ranked teams.Seamer Robiul Islam took 5-85 and spinner Sohag Gazi had 4-59 to do the damage for the Bangladeshis at Harare Sports Club as Zimbabwe fell well short of Bangladeshs first-innings 391.The Bangladesh batsmen then pressed home their advantage in the final test, with Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim both making half-centuries in the 163-5.Shakib was out late in the day for 59, but his partnership of 84 with skipper Rahim, who was 50 not out at the close, took Bangladesh away from danger at 18-3 and 65-4 and into a match-winning position with two days to go.Continuing on 158-4, Zimbabwe lost Malcolm Waller early and relied on 86 by allrounder Elton Chigumbura to get it close to 300.Wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami also chipped in with 42 in just his second test but after Chigumbura became one of Islams five wickets, the Zimbabweans bell away to concede a 109-run, first-innings deficit.Zimbabwe had a glimpse of a turnaround when it removed Tamim Iqbal, Jahurul Islam and Mohammad Ashraful cheaply, partly thanks to paceman Shingirai Masakadzas opening burst that eventually helped him to 3-33.But Shakib and Rahim, as they did in the first innings, settled Bangladesh and forged toward a 300-run lead before Shakib fell to Chigumbura four overs from stumps.Zimbabwe won the first of the two tests in Harare by 335 runs.

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