Dunya TV

---

• Election 2013: Candidates of political parties at a glance
• Pakistan expels NY Times reporter before elections
• Election postponed in NA-38
• Mandi Bahauddin: 18 injured in road accident
• Polling material reaches polling stations
• 'Strong evidence' Syria used chem weapons: US
• Russia says it will keep selling missiles to Syria
• 2 Indian ministers resign in latest gov't scandals
• Iran recalls its ambassador in Cyprus
• White House dismisses Benghazi criticism
• Dollar keeps climbing as G7 meet on world economy
• Nadal, Serena battle through, Sharapova cruises
• Murray ousted by Berdych in Madrid
• Athletics: Rudisha, Gatlin shine at Diamond League opener
• Vettel beats Alonso in 2nd Spanish GP practice

Election 2013: Candidates of political parties at a glance Posted: ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – According to details, for the general seats of the National Assembly, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) has fielded 238 candidates, Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) 222, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) 221, National Awami Party (ANP) 61,Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) 211, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) 167, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) 53 and there are 124 candidates of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) in the run for NA elections.For 294 general seats of Punjab Assembly, PTI has fielded 290 candidats, PPPP 225 candidates, PML-N 291, PML-Q 73, JI 210, ANP 9, MQM 233 and JUI-F has fielded 101 candidates.For 129 general seats of Sindh Assembly, PPPP has fielded 118 candidates, PML-N 41, MQM 125, ANP 26, JI 52, PML-Q 27 and JUI is contesting on 34 seats.In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PPPP has fielded 82 candidates for 99 general seats, PML-N 25, ANP 79, PML-Q 28, PTI 98, JUI-F 87, JI 86 and MQM has fielded 45 candidates.For 50 general seats of Balochistan Assembly, PPPP has fielded 33 candidates, PML-N 41, PML-Q 19, PTI 22, JI 20, JUI-F 47 and MQM is contesting on 14 seats.

Pakistan expels NY Times reporter before elections Posted: NEW YORK (AP) - Pakistan is expelling The New York Times Islamabad bureau chief on the eve of national elections, accusing him of unspecified undesirable activities, the newspaper said Friday.Declan Walsh, a longtime foreign correspondent who has been covering the country for the Times since January 2012, was handed a two-sentence letter early Thursday ordering him to leave, the newspaper said.Times Executive Editor Jill Abramson protested the expulsion in a letter to Pakistans interior minister, Malik Muhammad Habib Khan. Abramson described Walsh as a reporter of integrity who has at all times offered balanced, nuanced and factual reporting on Pakistan.Abramson wrote that the accusation of undesirable activities was vague and unsupported, and Mr. Walsh has received no further explanation of any alleged wrongdoing.On eve of Pakistani elections, been asked to leave, Walsh, 39, wrote on Twitter.Walsh, who worked for The Guardian newspaper of Britain prior to joining the Times, was quoted as saying that his expulsion was a complete bolt from the blue. I had no inclination that anything of this sort was coming. He has lived and worked in Pakistan for the past nine years.In recent days, Walsh reported on political patronage in Pakistan and the fatal shooting of the prosecutor who was investigating the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.Saturdays vote would be the first time in Pakistans 65-year history that a civilian government has completed its full term and handed over power in democratic elections. Previous governments have been toppled by military coups or sacked by presidents allied with the powerful army.

Election postponed in NA-38 Posted: KURRAM AGENCY (Dunya News) - The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced postponement of elections in NA-38 due to deteriorating security situation.According to ECP, the political agent in the area had requested the Election Commission of Pakistan to postpone election in the constituency due to deteriorating law and order situation. Accepting the request, the ECP has postponed polls in NA-38.Political administration is of the view that polling in the constituency was not possible due to ongoing military operation in some parts of Kurram Agency.

Mandi Bahauddin: 18 injured in road accident Posted: MANDI BAHUDDIN (Dunya News) – According to details, a speeding fire brigade vehicle collided with a bus coming from opposite side at the Rasool Road near Mandi Bahauddin, injuring 18 people.Rescue teams have reached the spot and shifted the injured to nearby hospital where condition of six wounded people is stated to be critical.

Polling material reaches polling stations Posted: ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – According to details, polling material has reached polling stations across the country under military surveillance and handed over to presiding officers.At least 50 security officials will be deployed at each sensitive polling station while armed forces will also monitor the election process from air.Meanwhile, borders with all neighbor countries have been sealed and the armed forces have been put on high alert.

'Strong evidence' Syria used chem weapons: US Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday there was strong evidence that the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had used chemical weapons against rebel forces.This fight is about the terrible choices that the Assad regime has made with its willingness to kill anywhere... to use gas, which we believe there is strong evidence of use of, Kerry said during a Google hangout.The US government cited for the first time two weeks ago the Syrian regimes possible use of chemical weapons against its own people, but President Barack Obama stressed there was insufficient proof to determine whether a red line had been crossed.In an interview published Thursday, Vice President Joe Biden said the Obama administration was treading cautiously on Syria after what it sees as Washingtons past errors in the Iraq invasion and occupation.Insisting that President Barack Obama and his team had helped restore Americas image in the world, Biden told Rolling Stone magazine that we dont want to blow it like the last administration did in Iraq, saying weapons of mass destruction.In other remarks at Fridays Google hangout, Kerry turned to Syrias future, saying: If youre willing to compromise in the choosing of the people who will run that transitional government and you choose in good faith people who are prepared to put in front of the people of Syria a fair choice about who their leader ought to be, then I believe you could avoid war and you could have a settlement.

Russia says it will keep selling missiles to Syria Posted: BEIRUT (AP) - Russia defended its sales of anti-aircraft systems to the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, just days after joining forces with the U.S. for a new push to end Syrias civil war through negotiations.Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov avoided saying whether those sales included advanced S-300 batteries. Israel has asked Russia to cancel what it said was the imminent sale of the S-300 missiles, portrayed by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry as destabilizing to Israels security.The S-300s would make it harder for the U.S. and other countries to even consider intervening militarily or enforcing a no-fly zone in Syria. The U.S. has urged Russia an Assad ally along with China, Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia to cut off weapons supplies to Syria.Despite such disagreements, Russia and the U.S. decided this week to convene an international conference to bring representatives of the Assad regime and the opposition to the negotiating table. Such talks would aim at setting up a transitional government. No date has been set.The regime and the Syrian opposition have welcomed the idea, but with conditions. The opposition says talks can only begin once Assad and his aides have left. The regime says it will keep fighting the rebels, without saying at which stage it would be willing to halt its fire.The civil war, which began as a popular uprising against Assad in March 2011, has killed tens of thousands of Syrians and displaced several million. The two sides are deadlocked, though the regime has scored recent military gains.On Friday, the U.N. commissioner for human rights, Navi Pillay, raised alarm over the western rebel-held town of Qusair, close to Lebanon, which has been besieged by Syrian troops for several weeks.Pillay said her team reported a major troop buildup in the area and noted that an increasing number of residents were being displaced.The commissioner said she fears atrocities if Qusair is overrun. Last week, regime forces were blamed for killing dozens of civilians in Banias and Bayda, two communities in western Syria.

2 Indian ministers resign in latest gov't scandals Posted: NEW DELHI (AP) - Two key Indian ministers resigned late Friday in the latest political and financial scandals to tarnish Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs minority government less than a year before parliamentary elections.The opposition blocked proceedings in Parliament after the scandals came to light more than a week ago, demanding the resignations of the two ministers as well as the prime minister.Singhs government has been wracked by controversy in recent years, including troubles surrounding the hosting of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the poorly run sale of cellphone rights and an alleged misallocation of coal fields that auditors said lost the country of billions of dollars.Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and Law Minister Ashwani Kumar have handed their resignations to Singh, an official in the prime ministers office said, speaking anonymously because he was not authorized to talk to reporters.Bansal quit after one of his relatives was accused of accepting a bribe in exchange for a plum appointment on the railway board.Yes, I have resigned, Bansal told reporters.Kumar resigned as the government was embarrassed by Indias top court objecting to his rewriting a draft investigation report into a controversial coal deal to soften its criticism of the government. Federal investigators are examining how coal blocks were sold to private companies without competitive bidding.Ranjit Sinha, director of Central Bureau of Investigation, submitted an affidavit to the court earlier this week saying that the draft investigative report on the coal allocation scam was vetted by Kumar and other government officials before it was submitted to the court.In the railway ministry case, opposition leaders allege that Bansals relatives have enriched themselves by trading on their connections with the minister.Federal investigators said they have arrested five people, including ministry official Mahesh Kumar, who allegedly paid 9 million rupees ($166,000) to Bansals nephew Vijay Singla to get a plum appointment to the railway board.Indian media reports say the money paid was part of a 100 million rupees ($1.85 million) payoff to secure for Kumar the key position with control over awarding huge contracts to private parties for signal and telecom equipment.Singhs governing coalition split after he decided early this year to push through a series of economic reforms, including fuel subsidies and letting in foreign retailers. It is surviving with the support of two powerful regional groups.

Iran recalls its ambassador in Cyprus Posted: NICOSIA (AP) - Iran has withdrawn its ambassador in Cyprus to protest the countrys decision to extradite an Iranian to the United States for prosecution, officials said Friday.The Cyprus Foreign Ministry said Iran objected to last months extradition of Iranian Saeid Mohabat to the U.S. to face charges of breaching United Nations sanctions against Iran, and that Iran responded by recalling its ambassador on Wednesday for consultations in Tehran.Cyprus acted after one of its courts ruled there was enough evidence to indicate that Mohabat may have committed serious offenses and that authorities were therefore obligated to satisfy a U.S. extradition request under international law, the ministry said in a statement.Foreign Ministry Permanent Secretary Andreas Mavroyiannis told The Associated Press that Iran was displeased with the extradition but that Mohabat had received due process under the law.Government spokesman Christos Stylianides said Cyprus was absolutely bound to its international obligations. However, he expressed hope the issue wont harm his countrys ties with Iran.We believe that our relations with Iran and bilateral cooperation wont be affected as a result of this incident and will remain at their current levels for the mutual benefit of both people, Stylianides said.Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou said Mohabat, 45, was sought for his alleged role in a bid to transfer prohibited weapons systems from the U.S. to Iran in violation of U.N. sanctions imposed regarding Tehrans nuclear program. He said Cypriot authorities arrested Mohabat when he arrived in the country on the strength of an Interpol warrant.The U.S., Israel and many Western nations fear Irans nuclear program is aimed at producing atomic weapons. Iran denies this, insisting that the program is designed for peaceful purposes.

White House dismisses Benghazi criticism Posted: WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House says Fridays public disclosure of emails related to the attack on a U.S. compound in Libya is an attempt by Republicans to politicize the investigation.Spokesman Jay Carney says lawmakers have known about the emails since earlier this year. And he disputed the notion that the emails suggest the White House was more involved in the crafting of talking points about the attacks than previously indicated.The talking points suggested that the attacks on the Benghazi compound were spontaneous. It was later revealed that the attacks were planned.The emails show White House officials were aware of the concerns from other agencies, including the State Department, about mentioning that specific groups might have been behind the attacks.

Dollar keeps climbing as G7 meet on world economy Posted: NEW YORK (AFP) - The US dollar pushed higher Friday and the yen sagged as the finance chiefs of the G7 began meeting outside London on global economic challenges and Japan stuck to its guns on monetary easing.The euro dropped back below the $1.30 line while the dollar almost touched 102 yen, underscoring the better economic shape the US finds itself in than its G7 brethren.At 2200 GMT the euro was at $1.2993, down from $1.3044 late Thursday.The dollar traded at 101.62 yen, compared to 100.55 yen a day earlier.The euro also gained on the Japanese currency, rising to 132.03 yen from 131.17.The Group of Seven top economies opened fresh talks on spurring growth Friday amid US-Europe divisions over the scale of austerity and renewed market focus on currency wars after the yen hit new dollar lows.The two-day meeting in Aylesbury, northwest of London, is also being attended by top representatives from the European Union and International Monetary Fund.Our task is to nurture the recovery, British finance minister George Osborne said.The meeting began a day after the dollar cracked the 100 yen level for the first time in four years, marking a 30 percent climb since last September as Japan sharply expanded its stimulus program, aiming to pull out of deflation.The fall in the Japanese currency has given its domestic economy a boost.But economic rivals are worried that the Bank of Japan has deliberately sought to push down the yen's value to gain international competitiveness.Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso defended the policy Friday before leaving Tokyo for the G7 meeting.We are not touching on the currency market but rather trying to exit from deflation, he told reporters.Kathy Lien of BK Asset Management said the yen's fall was predictable and didn't foresee a reversal soon.The Bank of Japan has eliminated any reason to buy yen over the next two years and local investors are finally beginning to realize it, she said.The dollar also gained on the British pound Friday: the pound slipped to $1.5354 from $1.5451. And the dollar rose to 0.9560 Swiss francs from 0.9479 francs.

Nadal, Serena battle through, Sharapova cruises Posted: MADRID (AFP) - Rafael Nadal overcame a stiff test from compatriot David Ferrer to reach the Madrid Masters semi-finals Friday while Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova stayed on course for a mouth-watering title showdown.World number five Nadal had to come from a set and a break down to win 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-0 over world number four Ferrer.Nadal admitted that recovering the break when Ferrer led 4-2 in the second set was the key moment.I was up and down through the whole match and when you are up and down against David it is difficult to win, said Nadal, who had also been two points from defeat in the 12th game of the second set.I am very happy and I was lucky to come through at the end of the match. He was very unlucky not to be in the semi-finals.World number 113 Andujar reached a first Masters semi-final with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Roger Federers conqueror in the last round, Kei Nishikori.In the womens event, Williams and Sharapova stayed on course for a battle for the world number one slot in the final as they progressed into the last four with wins over Anabel Medina Garrigues and Kaia Kanepi respectively.However, current number one Williams was given a huge scare by 30-year-old wildcard Garrigues before battling through 6-3, 0-6, 7-5.In an uncharacteristically wild performance, Williams racked up nearly 50 unforced errors throughout the nearly two and a quarter hours of play, and she is determined to start afresh when she faces Sara Errani in the semi-finals on Saturday.I definitely want to cut back on my unforced errors, said Williams, who conceded a love-set for only the seventh time in her career.The fact is I was able to get through it. Tomorrow I start out at 0-0, so its important for me to let it go and just play a new match tomorrow.There were far fewer problems for Sharapova as she continued her run of not losing a set so far in the Spanish capital with a comfortable 6-2, 6-4 win over world number 51 Kanepi.I was just happy to get past the quarter-finals, said Sharapova who goes on to face Ana Ivanovic for a place in the final.I feel like Ive been stuck in this tournament so its nice to be in that stage. I felt like I was facing a really good clay court player today. A lot of her success has come on clay.I faced her at the French Open where she had really good wins last year, so I know that shes capable and shes playing really well.Ivanovic sealed her place in the last four with a 6-3, 6-1 win over sixth seed Angelique Kerber, whilst seventh seed Errani ended Ekaterina Makarovas fine tournament, 6-4, 6-3.

Murray ousted by Berdych in Madrid Posted: MADRID (AFP) - Andy Murray became the latest big name to fall at the Madrid Masters as he was beaten by sixth seed Tomas Berdych 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 in the quarter-finals on Friday.The world number three paid for his gruelling encounter Gilles Simon less than 24 hours earlier as he lacked the requisite energy to cope with the Czech who moves on to face either Jo-Wilfred Tsonga or Stanislas Wawrinka in the semi-finals.Murrays defeat means that all three top seeds have been knocked out after the earlier dismissals of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.

Athletics: Rudisha, Gatlin shine at Diamond League opener Posted: DOHA (AFP) - Kenyas world and Olympic 800m champion David Rudisha was one of 11 athletes to register season-best performances as the Diamond League opened in Doha on Friday.Rudisha won in 1min 43.87sec with Ethiopias Mohammed Aman, the only man to have beaten the Kenyan in the last three years, taking second in 1:44.21.The Kenyan broke his own world record at the London Olympics last summer with a time of 1:40.91.Its a season-best, but I can do better in the coming weeks, said Rudisha.In the mens 100m, Americas 2004 Olympic champion Justin Gatlin won in Doha for the second successive year.The 31-year-old, whose career was interrupted by a four-year doping ban, timed 9.97sec to beat fellow American Michael Rodgers with Jamaicas Nesta Collins in third, both men 0.02sec behind.However, the 100m field was missing Olympic champion and world record holder Usain Bolt as well as world champion Yohan Blake.I have had a cold these last few days, but I am happy with this time at the start of the season, said Gatlin, who was the bronze medallist at the London Olympics.Elsewhere, Americas Dawn Harper-Nelson, the 2008 Olympic 100m hurdles gold medallist and silver medallist in London last year, improved her seasons best to 12.60sec.Harper-Nelson, who had run 12.62sec in Jamaica last weekend, finished ahead of compatriots Kellie Wells (12.73) and Queen Harrison (12.74).Ethiopias Hagos Grhhiwet, who has only just turned 19, celebrated his birthday in style by winning the 3,000m.The world cross-country champion won in a time of 7min 30.36sec to hammer home his status as the natural heir to four-time Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele.Allyson Felix, who collected triple gold -- 200m, 4x100m and 4x400m -- in London, was defeated in the 200m by world champion Amantle Montsho of Botswana.Other Olympic champions taking victories on Friday were Croatias Sandra Perkovic in the discus, thanks to a throw of 68.23m and Americas Christian Taylor with a 17.25m leap in the triple jump.Former basketball player Brittney Reese, the Olympic gold medallist in the long jump, won with 7.25m.Reese, also the world champion, finished ahead of Nigerias Blessing Okagbare (7.14m) and Americas Janay DeLoach (7.08m).

Vettel beats Alonso in 2nd Spanish GP practice Posted: BARCELONA (AP) - Formula One championship leader Sebastian Vettel posted the fastest time ahead of archrival Fernando Alonso in the second practice session of the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday.Alonso had the best time in the rain-affected first session, where Vettel drove more cautiously, but the Spaniard finished .017 seconds behind the German as sunshine bathed the Circuit de Catalunya for most of the afternoons run.Vettel clocked 1 minute, 22.808 seconds considerably faster than the 1:25.252 Alonso managed for Ferrari in the morning run.Vettels Red Bull teammate Mark Webber was third quickest and the Australian was .083 behind, with Finlands Kimi Raikkonen fourth fastest in his Lotus.Saturdays qualifying promises to be highly competitive, with the top six in the second practice separated by .332 seconds. Ferraris Felipe Massa was sixth, followed by Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.Every driver apart from Max Chilton and Paul di Resta managed at least 30 laps, with Nico Rosberg getting 45 laps out of his Mercedes.Vettel, who finished the first practice down in 19th place, flew out as soon as the afternoon session began.The track design, with its long corners and changes in speed, offers a good test for the car upgrades providing it stays dry, and the afternoon conditions were perfect. Times dropped considerably as drivers tested out Pirellis new modified hard tires.Pirelli has made them slightly harder and longer-lasting after complaints they were wearing out too quickly, leading drivers to save up tires for race day and cutting short their practice runs. There appeared to be an issue with Di Restas rear tires, however, when he went off track and banked onto the grass after completing 25 laps.The upgrades are likely to prove especially crucial to McLaren as Jenson Button and Sergio Perez try to kickstart their bitterly disappointing seasons.Perez tried out the cars new nose late in the afternoon session, which he finished in 13th place, a place behind Button, who did not do a timed lap in the first practice.Button and Perez have managed only one fifth-place finish between them, and have had to clear the air after clashing during last months Bahrain GP, where Button rebuked the Mexican for overly aggressive manoeuvers.

You are subscribed to email updates from Dunya TV To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610