Dunya TV

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• Indian PM's special representative meets with Nawaz
• EU ends arms embargo on Syrian opposition: Britain
• Wave of attacks kill 58 in Iraq
• DSP, five cops killed in Shangla blast
• Kerry in Paris for talks with Russian FM over Syria
• NA to meet on June 1, new PM to take office on June 5: Nizami
• MQM says power, water crises in Karachi artificially created
• APC demands re-polling in disputed constituencies under army
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• African Union to set up emergency military force
• PAF clinches National Basketball Championship
• Tomics father barred from watching French Open
• Six Baloch commanders surrender to authorities
• Couple killed over marriage of choice
• India arrests six bookies in Goa

Indian PM's special representative meets with Nawaz Posted: LAHORE (Dunya News) - Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's special representative S. K. Lamba met with PML-N President Nawaz Sharif.During the meeting‚ he conveyed a message of goodwill from the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh‚ which was reciprocated by Nawaz Sharif. Nawaz stressed upon the need to adopt the way of dialogue to settle all outstanding mutual issues between the two countries.

EU ends arms embargo on Syrian opposition: Britain Posted: BRUSSELS (AP) - The European Union said its member states within days will be able to send weapons to help Syria's outgunned rebels, seeking to pressure President Bashar Assad's regime ahead of planned peace talks mediated by the United States and Russia.Though no EU country has any such plans now to send arms, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the decision sends a very strong message from Europe to the Assad regime. He spoke after an all-day meeting of foreign ministers Monday that laid bare EU hesitation on feeding arms in a foreign conflict only months after the 27-member bloc won the Nobel Peace Prize.It is extremely important not to do anything to rock the boat. Start delivering weapons now would rock the boat. No one is intending to do that, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said. But in a bid to force Syria to participate in good faith at the prospective Geneva II talks next month, the meeting in Brussels dangled the option of sending in weapons and military equipment as soon as Saturday, when the current sanctions regime ends.The prospect of EU weapons for the rebels, while maintaining stiff economic sanctions against Assad's regime, also sends a message to Russia. Moscow has unabashedly sent weapons to Assad's regime and EU arms deliveries could partially re-balance the civil war when it comes to firepower.Several EU ministers said arming the opposition would create a more level playing field that could force Assad into a negotiated settlement.Britain and France, the EU's biggest military powers, had been pushing the bloc to lift its embargo on delivery of weapons into Syria to help the embattled opposition. But Austria, which has sent peacekeepers to the Golan Heights between Syria and Israel, was vocally opposed one of several EU countries that argued that the region is already awash in weapons.EU countries will individually examine their export license applications one by one and will not proceed at this stage with deliveries of military equipment, the joint declaration said, though it did not specify when that might change.EU ministers agreed to revisit the issue before Aug. 1, but countries, based on previous EU guidelines, can now decide for themselves whether they want to arm the rebels.The EU nations also agreed everything possible should be done to control any exports and make sure they do not fall into the hands of extremists or terrorists, one of the thorniest issues for France and Britain in their calls to arm the rebels. Each country will require adequate safeguards against misuse of authorizations (for export) granted, the EU text said.Hague said Britain would only send in weapons in company with other nations, in carefully controlled circumstances, and in compliance with international law.French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius left the talks earlier Monday to return to Paris to meet with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who are leading the effort to bring the two warring Syrian sides to the negotiating table.Assad's government has agreed in principle to participate in peace talks in Geneva, but the exact date, agenda and participants still remain unclear.In Paris, officials traveling with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had no comment on the EU arms decision.A State Department official also said the department was aware of Sen. John McCain, a proponent of arming Syrian rebels, crossing into Syrian territory on Monday. Further questions were referred to McCain's office, which confirmed the unannounced trip but gave no details.McCain met with anti-government fighters in Syria. The fierce critic of Obama administration policy in Syria has stopped short of backing U.S. ground troops there.France added urgency to the EU arms debate Monday, with Fabius pointing to increasing signs that chemical weapons were being used in the conflict.The EU nations have been steadfast opponents of Assad in the war and have steadily increased restrictive measures against his regime, including visa restrictions and economic sanctions. In February, the bloc amended the arms embargo to allow for non-lethal equipment and medicine to protect Syrian civilians. All those measures had been set to expire on May 31, but nearly all of the sanctions, including restrictions on exports and imports, visas, and funding for some Syrian companies, were extended for a year.Washington has been reluctant to provide rebels with more sophisticated weapons for fear they might end up in the hands of the radical Islamic factions, including the al-Qaida-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra, a group that has been the most effective fighting force on the opposition side.

Wave of attacks kill 58 in Iraq Posted: BAGHDAD (AFP) – The attacks are the latest in a wave of violence that has raised fears of a return to sectarian conflict in the country.The unrest, including bombings in Baghdad that mainly targeted Shiite areas, comes at a time of heightened tensions in Iraq, with the Sunni minority accusing the Shiite-led government of marginalising and targeting their community.With the new attacks, nearly 1,000 people have been killed in Iraq in less than two months -- a bloody wave of unrest Iraqi authorities have so far failed to stem.No group immediately claimed responsibility for the latest attacks, but Sunni militants linked to Al-Qaeda often set off coordinated explosions, in particular targeting Shiites whom they regard as apostates, in a bid to foster tensions and undermine confidence in the security forces.More than a dozen bombings in and around Baghdad killed at least 55 people and wounded 187, security and medical officials said.Two of the blasts, both involving vehicles rigged with explosives, went off near used car dealerships in Habibiyah, destroying dozens of cars as Iraqs national football team were playing Liberia in a friendly at Shaab stadium a short distance away.Guards are here, and a car explodes here, screamed Fadhel Hanoun, a used car dealer who lamented that not only had people died, but many had lost their savings, locked up in cars they had hoped to sell.How can we understand this? he said, adding: This is a failed state.Another man walked past, crying and shouting, You must know, this was an organised operation.Checkpoints, they do not actually check the cars entering here, he said, alluding to the multiple searches vehicles had to pass through to get to the dealerships.Baghdad has been hit by a number of bombings, often in Shiite areas, so far this month, in which dozens of people have died.Elsewhere, shootings in the disputed province of Kirkuk killed an anti-Al-Qaeda militiaman and a private generator operator, while a roadside bomb in the main northern city of Mosul left a police colonel dead.Iraqs autonomous Kurdish region wants to incorporate oil-rich Kirkuk over the federal governments strong objections -- a dispute diplomats and officials say is a major threat to the countrys long-term stability.The areas of north Iraq where the attacks occurred are home to substantial populations of Sunni Arabs, the community that has for months held demonstrations against alleged government targeting and discrimination.While the government has made some concessions aimed at placating protesters and Iraqi Sunnis in general, such as freeing prisoners and raising the salaries of Sunni anti-Al-Qaeda fighters, underlying issues have yet to be addressed.And an April 23 security forces raid on a protest site that sparked clashes in which dozens died sent tensions soaring higher still.Analysts say government policies that have disenfranchised Iraqi Sunnis, coupled with Shiite-led authorities refusal to make any major concessions to the protesters, have given militant groups fuel and room to manoeuvre among the disillusioned community.With the latest attacks, more than 500 people have been killed in May, making in the deadliest month in at least a year.Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki last week ordered a shake-up of top security officers in the countrys provincial security commands and division-level leadership.One of those changes was to sack the head of the Baghdad Operations Command, which is responsible for security in the capital.The unrest also comes amid myriad political rows and fears that civil war in neighbouring Syria could spill over into Iraq and plunge the country further into crisis.A massive operation by Iraqi security forces against Sunni militants in the countrys western desert, which included the deployment of troops on the border with Syria, entered its third day on Monday.Violence in Iraq has decreased from its peak at the height of Iraqs sectarian conflict in 2006 and 2007, but attacks remain common, killing at least 220 people each month so far this year.

DSP, five cops killed in Shangla blast Posted: SHANGLA (Dunya News) – According to details, DSP Poran Circle Khan Bahadur along with five police cops was on a routine patrolling when the police van was targeted with a remote controlled device near Kotke area, killing all the officials on the spot.The bang of huge explosion created panic in the area.According to eye witnesses, firing was also heard after the explosion.The security forces cordoned off the area and launched search operation.

Kerry in Paris for talks with Russian FM over Syria Posted: PARIS (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Paris Monday for private talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as the two men seek to bring together the warring sides in Syria to end the bloodshed.Kerry was to brief his Russian counterpart on a Friends of Syria meeting in Amman last week, at which the 11 ministers of the core group told Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that refusing to negotiate was not an option.In a statement in the early hours of Thursday after marathon diplomatic talks, the Friends of Syria warned Assad that if he refused to back moves to end the fighting they would boost their support for the opposition.The group emphasised that until such time as the Geneva meeting produces a transitional government, they will further increase their support for the opposition and take all other steps as necessary, the statement said.It also voiced deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Syria, as well as the threat... to the stability and security of neighbouring countries hosting Syrian refugees.More than 94,000 people have been killed in the war now in its third year, which is threatening to spill over Syrias borders with the growing engagement of Hezbollah militants fighting on the regime side.Kerry and Lavrov last met earlier this month in Moscow, at which they agreed to work in tandem to bring together the Assad regime and the opposition in a peace conference with the aim of working towards a political transition.Kerry also wants to hear from Lavrov about his discussions with the Assad regime, which according to the Russians has in principle agreed to attend the conference.Syrian opposition leaders meanwhile are meeting in Istanbul to choose a new leadership and parliamentary composition, and have so far not decided whether to attend peace talks, which will most likely be held in Geneva next month under the aegis of the United Nations.The US top diplomat has warned that unless the two sides can be persuaded to come to the table the world would witness the continued tragic disintegration of a country that will go down further into more violence and more bloodshed and more destruction.After their talks, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius was to host a private dinner with the two men.Kerry arrived from Amman and is on the last leg of an eight-day overseas trip, which has taken him so far to Oman, Jordan, Israel, the West Bank, and Ethiopia.He is due to fly back to Washington on Tuesday.

NA to meet on June 1, new PM to take office on June 5: Nizami Posted: ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Talking to newsmen on the occasion of his visit to National Press Club on Monday, Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Arif Nizami said that the National Assembly will meet on June 1, while elections for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker would be held on June 3.He said that the President would administer oath to the next Prime Minster on June 5.Arif Nizami said there were some complaints of rigging in the elections and the Election Commission was addressing these complaints.He said it is for the first time that a caretaker set up conducted free‚ fair and transparent elections.Responding to a question‚ the minister said there should not be any secret fund of any ministry including Ministry of Information.He disclosed that his name was also included in the list of journalists that was submitted to the Supreme Court.

MQM says power, water crises in Karachi artificially created Posted: KARACH: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement has demanded of the president and the prime minister to take notice of what it said was an artificial power and water crisis in Karachi.In a press conference on Monday, Haider Abbas Rizvi said that 90 percent of gas from the Sui Souther Gas Company Limited was being given to the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited.He expressed serious concerns over the tug of war between the SSGC and the Karachi Electric Supply Company Limited.He demanded of the president, interim prime minister, Sindh interim chief minister and Governor to take notice of power and gas crisis.He said that there was an old dispute between the SSGC and the KESC and called on Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad Khan to broker a deal between the two entities.“Entire nation is facing energy crisis and the MQM will extend its full cooperation to the new government in overcoming the crisis.”Rizvi said the water and energy crisis in Karachi had been created artificially with economic and political motives.

APC demands re-polling in disputed constituencies under army Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) - The All Parties Conference held under the aegis of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold reelections, under army supervision, in the constituencies where there have been complaints of rigging.Shah Mehmood Qureshi of PTI chaired the conference attended by leaders of PPP, PML-N, PML-Q JI, JUP, AML, MQM, Sunni Tehreek and Sindh United Party.Leaders of all the political parties were of the view that worse kind of rigging took place in Karachi during the Elections 2013.The political parties unanimously declared the performance of ECP as disappointing.However, PPP leader Senator Taj Haidar opposed the holding of elections under the supervision of army.

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African Union to set up emergency military force Posted: ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, May 27, 2013 (AFP) - The African Union said Monday it will set up an emergency military force to rapidly quell conflict on the continent, amid frustration that a planned peacekeeping force was still not operational after a decade.Almost all countries have agreed that we will have rapid response capability in Africa, AU chairman and Ethiopian President Hailemariam Desalegn told reporters at the close of a two-day AU summit.The AUs African Standby Brigade to intervene in sudden crises -- a proposed force of 32,500 troops and civilians drawn from five regions of the continent -- has made little headway since preparations for it started a decade ago.Only two of five regional sections are close to becoming operational.This is meant as an interim measure pending the full operationalisation of the African standby force, AU security commissioner Ramtane Lamamra told reporters at the pan-African blocs headquarters in the Ethiopian capital.In the meantime, crises, unconstitutional changes of government, massive violations of human rights are likely to happen here and there, so from a responsible point of view, we say we cannot wait until we get a perfect tool to be used.South Africa, Uganda and Ethiopia have pledged troops to the proposed interim force, Lamamra said. Funding and troop contributions will come from member states on a voluntary basis.The AU was criticised for not responding fast enough in Mali, after soldiers seized power in a coup in March 2012, opening the way for Islamist rebels to take over the countrys north.This led to the rapid collapse of one Africas more stable democracies, prompting a French military intervention to oust the extremists in January.Africa could have done better, could have moved faster and could have perhaps made some significant effort so that the French contribution would not have been indispensable, Lamamra added.Its quite unfortunate that 50 years after our independence our security is so much dependent on a foreign partner.The AUs Peace and Security Council (PSC), the blocs body for tackling conflict, remains hampered by financial constraints, with military missions largely funded by western donors.However, the AUs force in Somalia, where 17,700 AU troops from five nations are fighting to claw back territory from Al-Qaeda linked Shebab insurgents from the government, has made impressive achievements.But this success is not without cost.One senior UN official recently estimated as many as 3,000 African troops had been killed in Somalia since 2007, similar to the numbers of UN peacekeepers killed worldwide since 1948.Although funding for that mission comes mainly from Western backers, its role in Somalia shows the potential for an AU force.The commitment of African nations to peacekeeping roles is clear: the peacekeeping mission in Sudans war-torn western Darfur region is a hybrid AU-UN force, while Mali now has a -- belatedly deployed -- African-led international support mission.Five of the top ten contributors of soldiers and police officers to UN missions are African.

PAF clinches National Basketball Championship Posted: PESHAWAR (Online): Pakistan Air Force clinched the trophy of the National Basketball Championship for the third consecutive year after defeating arch-rival Pakistan Army in thrill-packed final played here at PAF Sports Complex with hundreds of spectators witnessed the jubilations.Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Personnel) Syed Athar Hussain Bokhari (HI (M), SBT was the chief guest on this occasion and witnessed the final.President of Pakistan Basketball Federation Asif Bajwa, Secretary Lt. Col Nasim Butt, Director Sports PAF Sports Control Committee Group Captian Shahid Nadeem, Wing Commander and Commanding Officer PAF School of Physical Fitness Ejaz Khan, other high military and civil officials and hundreds of cheering spectators were also present and witnessed thrilling final fought on rattling face.The players of the two teams were really did hard efforts for their respective teams in the four quarters final with some stunning show of the perfect baskets, dribbling and run down the flank were also enjoyed by the sitting spectators.Both PAF and Army have the services of international basketball players as they were tied the first quarters 17-13, followed by the second quarters led by PAF 31-19 and at the end of the first session PAF was leading with 31-19.It was the last two quarters in which PAF took the momentum by keeping Army under tremendous pressure in the thrill-packed match.The PAF players comprising Ahmad Jan, Nouman Baloch,Prime Shah, Asfandiyar, Muhammad Akram played well and contributed valuable score. Ahmad Jan was the top scorer with his individual 27 score with five three pointers which turned the table in favour of PAF. Akram contributed 12 points, Prime Shah (12) and Tanvir 12 were the key points scorer. Tanveer scored two three points, Prime made two three pointers and Akram scored two three pointers.For Army Mudassir Khan scored 13 points with 3 three pointers, Pervez scored 27 points with one three pointer and Akram scored 6 individual points.In the third position match Wapda defeated Higher Education Commission 64-62 in closely contestant encounter and took third position. For Wapda haris Khan scored 18 individual points, Atif Mukhtiar scored 18 individual points while Ali Ja scored 7 points and for HEC Aqib scored 17 individual points, Muhamamd Naveed and Zahid scored 10 points each while Muhammad Ali and Zohaib scored eight individual points each.At the end, the chief guest gave away the trophies, medals and cash prizes to the winners, runners-up and third position teams. A total of 11 teams took part in the 52nd National Basketball Championship organized by PAF Sports Control Committee besides it providing all boarding and lodging to the teams.The players and officials lauded the efforts being put in organizing the event by PAF in befitting manners.They also lauded Chief Warrant Officer Safdar and Officer Commanding Wing Commander Ejaz Khan for providing all out facilities during their stay.

Tomics father barred from watching French Open Posted: PARIS (AP) - The French tennis federation said Monday that security officials have been told to bar John Tomic from the Roland Garros complex if he tries to enter with a ticket.John Tomic has been charged with assaulting his sons hitting partner before the Madrid Open and has been barred from getting credentials to any ATP tournament.Bernard Tomic of Australia will face Victor Hanescu of Romania in the first round on Tuesday.Our tournament committee decided for the purpose of avoiding any trouble inside Roland Garros that Bernards father will not be allowed in, the FFT said.Bernard, his agent and the ATP were informed by us several days ago. Instructions have been given to the ticket sales office and to the gates.A Madrid court has postponed John Tomics case until October. He is accused of headbutting Thomas Drouet near their hotel before the Madrid Open.At 20, Bernard Tomic is seen as Australias most promising player. He reached Wimbledons quarterfinals in 2011, but his young career has been marred by controversies.In November, he was fined and put on a 12-month good-behavior bond after twice being stopped by police for driving offenses near his Gold Coast home.In late October, police were called to a high-rise apartment building in the Australian resort of Surfers Paradise after residents saw two men, one of them naked, wrestling and fighting in a hot tub on the balcony. One of the men was later identified as Tomic.

Six Baloch commanders surrender to authorities Posted: QUETTA (Online) - Six militant commanders involved in number of sabotage acts have surrendered to Sibbi Scouts authorities.Commander Arzi and five others including Ahmed Khan, Bakht Ali, Sharbat Khan, Bani and Bhaggo Khan surrendered with their families to Sibbi Scouts here on Monday.All of the militants took oath not to indulge in subversive activities and remain loyal to the country.Speaking on this occasion, Col. Afzal Mehmood and DIG Qamarul Hassan expressed gratitude, and provided financial assistance to the former Baloch commanders and their families.

Couple killed over marriage of choice Posted: TOBA TEK SINGH (Online): A couple, allegedly charged with marrying against the will of families was killed and their bodies recovered from an isolated part of Devidas area.Police discovered the whereabouts of the couple with the help of identity cards, whence it was further revealed that one Ismail had eloped with one, Sumaira, whom he had married later on.The parents of the female had registered a case against Ismail for kidnapping of the girl in Thana Choobara, while both were missing for 15 days, after which mutilated dead bodies of both, bearing marks of torture before being killed by bullets, were discovered.However, according to latest developments, the kin of boy had arrived in Toba Tek Singh and took custody of his body, while his elder brother said that Ismail had been missing for last 10 days, and had married a consenting girl of adjoining village.

India arrests six bookies in Goa Posted: PANAJI (AFP) - Indian police said Monday they have arrested six bookmakers in Goa state who were part of an syndicate betting on Indian Premier League cricket matches.The tournament has been reeling from a spot-fixing scandal which has led to the arrest of three cricketers and 11 bookies. It was not immediately clear if the Goa arrests were linked to the other case.We have arrested six persons in connection with cricket betting activity, Goas deputy inspector general O.P. Mishra told AFP, adding that investigations are still in progress.A senior officer said the bookies were all from Mumbai but had been in Goa for the last 45 days, since the IPL tournament began -- staying in a rented apartment. The arrests were made in a joint operation with Delhi police.We are interrogating the persons who were arrested earlier in the day. Whether they are linked to any greater syndicate, underworld or any player in IPL would be known only later, the officer said, declining to be named.The police were expected to address a press conference later on Monday to reveal the names of the accused.On Sunday the son-in-law of Indias cricket board chief was suspended from any involvement in the sport pending an inquiry into his role in the spot-fixing scandal.Gurunath Meiyappan, part of the management team of IPL team Chennai Super Kings, was arrested by police in Mumbai on Friday for allegedly betting on matches in connivance with bookies and a Bollywood actor.Spot-fixing is the illegal practice of rigging specific parts of a match for financial gain. Betting on cricket is also illegal in India.The three cricketers are accused of deliberately bowling badly in specific overs in return for tens of thousands of dollars, after striking deals with bookmakers.This years IPL tournament ended on Sunday night.

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