Dunya TV

---

• CNIC mandatory for casting vote: ECP
• UN pulls back Golan peacekeepers after abduction
• Libya to reshuffle govt within days: PM
• Obama, Netanyahu speak after Israel's Syria raids
• Nine feared dead in Italy cargo ship crash
• Italian court upholds Berlusconi tax fraud sentence
• Nadal through, Azarenka out of Madrid
• Chelsea held 2-2 by Spurs in Premier League
• Golf: Singh sues PGA Tour over antler doping charge
• Wrestling wants 2 new women's weight classes
• Garcia to face Lopez for WBO title in Dallas
• Oil rises above $96 on US supplies, weaker dollar
• Euro higher on strong German industrial data
• Ashraf's appointment as PCB chairman challenged
• Mushfiqur to quit as Bangladesh captain

CNIC mandatory for casting vote: ECP Posted: ISLAMABAD (Online) - The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said that no person will be allowed to cast vote at the polling station without having original Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC).A spokesman of the Commission advised people to bring their Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) for casting vote in the general elections.No other document including the copy of CNIC passport and driving license would be acceptable for casting vote.In reply to a question he said as per election laws anyone having expired Computerized National Identity Cards can cast his/her vote.

UN pulls back Golan peacekeepers after abduction Posted: UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The United Nations on Wednesday pulled peacekeepers back from an observation post in the Golan Heights ceasefire zone where four Philippine troops were abducted by Syrian rebels, a spokesman said.The move came as countries which contribute troops to the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) expressed renewed concern about security in the zone between Israel and war-stricken Syria.The Philippines called on the UN Security Council to exert all influence to obtain the release of the Filipino troops. The four were seized by Syrian rebels on Tuesday, only two months after 21 Filipino soldiers were abducted by the same group for four days.The four were at an observation post in the Al Jamlah zone of the Golan Heights. Syrian activists said fighting has continued in the zone.In light of the evolving security situation, peacekeepers from that position have been relocated, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said.UNDOF is operating in an extremely dangerous and unusual environment, he added.Nesirky said the four Filipinos were believed to be still near Al Jamlah.A rebel group calling itself the Yarmuk Martyrs Brigade says it is holding the peacekeepers for their own safety. The group also carried out the abduction of 21 Filipino peacekeepers in March.UNDOF has had indications that they remain unharmed. Efforts are still underway to secure their release, said the spokesman.UNDOF, which has been monitoring a ceasefire between Israel and Syria since 1974, has about 1,000 peacekeepers and civilian staff from Austria, the Philippines, India, Morocco and Moldova.Nesirky said he had not heard about any country seeking to withdraw from the force. Security measures were already stepped up after the March abductions and many patrols curtailed.But the Philippines called on the UN Security Council to ensure the safety of Golan peacekeepers. Austria's defense minister also said there was an exit strategy but that there was no plan to leave at the moment.The Philippines department of foreign affairs said it underscores that the apprehension and illegal detention of peacekeepers are gross violations of international law.The Philippines calls on the Security Council to exert all efforts and use its influence for the early and safe release of the Filipino peacekeepers, and ensure that the freedom of movement and safety and security of peacekeepers in all UN peacekeeping missions are observed.Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario met with UN undersecretary-general for peacekeeping operations Herve Ladsous in New York late Tuesday to coordinate efforts to free the four, according to the statement.The Security Council is due to renew the UNDOF mandate next month.

Libya to reshuffle govt within days: PM Posted: TRIPOLI (AFP) - Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan announced on Wednesday a cabinet reshuffle in the coming days, against the backdrop of a political crisis sparked by gunmen besieging two ministries.There will no doubt be a ministerial reshuffle in the coming days, he told a press conference, without specifying which portfolios would change.Zeidan also defended the gunmen as thowars, or revolutionaries, who fought to oust Libya's leader Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, but insisted that the siege of the ministries must be lifted soon.In Libya, we don't have militias, we have the thowars, said the prime minister, whose resignation has been the demand of some of the gunmen encircling the ministries for the past two weeks. Some of the fighters have pulled back, he said.Some of them are now trying to correct and repair what has taken place, he said, adding that he hoped for a total withdrawal very soon and reiterating that force would not be used.

Obama, Netanyahu speak after Israel's Syria raids Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama spoke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday, days after the latest Israeli air raids on Syrian targets and as Washington steps up its Middle East peace efforts.The White House said in a short statement that Obama and Netanyahu, who is visiting China, spoke by telephone, and discussed regional security issues and Middle East peace.US officials have declined to comment in detail on air strikes by Israel on targets near Damascus on Friday and Sunday which Israeli sources said destroyed Iranian missiles apparently destined for the Hezbollah militia.But Obama said on Saturday after the first set of Israeli raids that the Jewish state was justified in seeking to guard against the transfer of advanced weaponry to terrorist organizations like Hezbollah.The call between Netanyahu and Obama, who patched up a previously testy relationship during the US leader's trip to Israel in March, also came as Washington seeks to broker a breakthrough between Israelis and Palestinians.US Secretary of State John Kerry earlier announced he would return to Israel for his fourth trip in his new post later this month.Kerry is seeking to revive talks between the two sides which have been stalled since late 2010.

Nine feared dead in Italy cargo ship crash Posted: GENOA (AFP) - Nine people were feared dead on Wednesday after a container ship crashed in Italy's busiest port of Genoa, bringing down a 50-metre (164-foot) control tower, in an accident that revived memories of last year's Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster.The Jolly Nero ploughed into the dock late on Tuesday during a standard manoeuvre as it was being steered to exit the port on its way to Naples with a cargo of trucks and containers.Some of the victims were thrown into the water, while others were trapped in the tower's lift, which plunged into the sea, emergency workers said.Seven people died, four were injured and two are missing, Transport Minister Maurizio Lupi told parliament after visiting the scene of the crash.Prime Minister Enrico Letta also visited the site, as did the archbishop of Genoa Angelo Bagnasco, who is also head of the Italian Bishops' Conference.This is an immense tragedy, said Letta, who also visited the injured in hospital. Bagnasco said the incident had been a blow to the heart.The city will observe a day of mourning on Thursday and there will be a procession for the victims, several of them coast guard officials.Earlier media reports that a 50-year-old man, a telephone operator, had been pulled alive from the rubble on Wednesday were not confirmed.The man was officially listed among the fatalities.Lupi said there were three possible explanations for the accident: engine failure, a problem with cables used by the two tug boats towing the ship, or bad steering and excessively high speed.Prosecutors have placed the ship's captain and a port pilot who had been on board during the manoeuvre under investigation for multiple manslaughter and have impounded the ship.Prosecutor Michele Di Lecce said at a press conference he was also looking into a possible charge of attack on transport security since the control tower oversaw maritime operations for the entire Liguria region of northwest Italy.We do not rule out other people being placed under investigation, he said.ANSA news agency quoted a black box recording which appeared to indicate a technical malfunction since the ship was unable to stop reversing and could not be switched into a forward gear.There is no more water. What are you doing? a tug boat captain is heard telling the port pilot on the radio, ANSA said.I don't have the gear the pilot responds.The crash carried echoes of the Costa Concordia tragedy last year in which 32 people were killed when a luxury liner crashed into a Tuscan island.The Costa Concordia had been performing a risky salute manoeuvre close to the island of Giglio and six people face charges of manslaughter including the captain, Francesco Schettino.

Italian court upholds Berlusconi tax fraud sentence Posted: ROME (AFP) - An Italian court on Wednesday upheld a tax fraud conviction for former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, confirming his sentence of one year in prison and a five-year ban from public office.The court confirms the sentence against Silvio Berlusconi, a judge in Milan said in a live audio feed broadcast by news channel Sky TG 24.Berlusconi is now expected to appeal the ruling in Italy's highest court, which would suspend the punishment pending a final ruling in the case which revolves around his Mediaset business empire.The initial trial began seven years ago, highlighting delays in Italy's justice system.We knew it would go like this, Berlusconi's defence lawyer Niccolo Ghedini told reporters.I do not think there is a connection between this verdict and political stability, said Ghedini, who is also a member of parliament from Berlusconi's People of Freedom party.Berlusconi's party won nearly a third of the vote in a general election in February and is now an influential member of a newly-formed grand coalition led by leftist moderate Enrico Letta.The cabinet is already riven with tensions and political analysts warn Berlusconi could bring down the government within months as opinion polls indicate that he would win fresh elections.Berlusconi's former education minister Mariastella Gelmini said the ruling was incomprehensible and Renato Schifani, a pro-Berlusconi senator, said it reflected an ongoing judicial persecution.The appeal verdict was the latest twist in a 20-year legal saga that began when the flamboyant billionaire first burst onto the political scene.Berlusconi rarely if ever shows up at trials and is not obliged to under Italian law, although he has made occasional declarations to the court without cross-examination as the system allows.The case revolves around prices of film distribution rights bought by Mediaset that were artificially inflated in order to avoid taxes.The court acquitted Berlusconi's business associate Fedele Confalonieri, the current chairman of Mediaset.Berlusconi is also a defendant in a trial for having sex with an underage 17-year-old prostitute while he was still prime minister, and then abusing the powers of his office by putting pressure on police to release her from custody.A verdict in that case is expected imminently.The 76-year-old Berlusconi was also convicted in March over the publication of police wiretap transcripts in a newspaper he owns, which were leaked in order to discredit a political rival.He is appealing that conviction.Berlusconi has been found guilty before but all his convictions have either been overturned on appeal or have expired under a statute of limitations.Supporters and Berlusconi himself say he is unfairly victimised by left-wing judges who are out to get him, but critics say he has used his influence and wealth to dodge the law.Ghedini said the tax fraud trial should have been moved to another city -- a defence request that was turned down -- because judges in Milan were biased.Even if his convictions are upheld throughout the appeals process, Berlusconi is unlikely ever to see the inside of a prison cell as sentencing guidelines for over-70s in Italy are lenient.

Nadal through, Azarenka out of Madrid Posted: MADRID (AP) - Rafael Nadal swept past Benoit Paire of France 6-3, 6-4 to reach the third round of the Madrid Open on Wednesday.Nadal landed nearly 80 percent of his first serves and athletically recovered some seemingly impossible shots in a match which Paire stretched to nearly 90 minutes.Nadal's hopes of returning to the top four in time for the French Open were boosted by Novak Djokovic's shock exit from Madrid on Tuesday.Sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic beat Jerzy Janowicz of Poland 6-7 (3) 6-3, 6-2 and Kei Nishikori of Japan downed Viktor Troicki of Serbia 7-5, 6-2.In women's play, Ekaterina Makarova of Russia ousted third-seeded Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 to reach the third round.Azarenka, runner-up in Madrid the past two years, lost her temper, broke her racket and argued with chair umpire Mariana Alves.She berated Alves after picking up a second code violation for smashing her racket in the third set.After all you've done, how are you still in the game? Azarenka shouted at the official while on court.Azarenka said she felt confused by some refereeing decisions.I didn't understand what happened, what I did, she said. I was very sure that I didn't have a code violation, that's why I broke my racket.The Belarusian double-faulted five times and made only just over half of her first serves, compared to a 60 percent first-serve accuracy for Makarova.I played more against myself, trying to prove to myself certain things, more than I was focusing on my opponent, Azarenka said.Azarenka, who missed Indian Wells and the Miami Open in March due to an ankle injury, said she still felt rusty but was happy there was still one clay tournament Rome before heading to Roland Garros.I have been making mistakes, she said. But that's what comes after not playing for a long time. I still have another tournament before the French Open to compete in.

Chelsea held 2-2 by Spurs in Premier League Posted: LONDON (AP) - Gylfi Sigurdsson grabbed a late equalizer as Tottenham twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at Chelsea on Wednesday, leaving the race for the final two Champions League spots wide open.Spurs' chances of finishing in the English Premier League's top four is out of their hands now, though, with the result keeping them fifth in the table behind Chelsea and Arsenal with two games left.Ramires' 39th-minute goal looked to have earned Chelsea three points that would virtually have secured the team a place in Europe's top competition for an 11th straight season, but Sigurdsson placed a curling shot into the corner in the 80th.Emmanuel Adebayor's superb finish in the 26th following a run from inside his own half canceled out Oscar's opening goal in the 11th.

Golf: Singh sues PGA Tour over antler doping charge Posted: NEW YORK (AFP) - Vijay Singh sued the US PGA Tour on Wednesday, claiming the tour damaged his reputation with an unwarranted pursuit of an anti-doping case against him that was dropped last week.I am proud of my achievements, my work ethic, and the way I live my life, Singh said in a statement issued through is attorney, Peter R. Ginsberg. The PGA Tour not only treated me unfairly, but displayed a lack of professionalism that should concern every professional golfer and fan of the game.The lawsuit, filed in the New York state supreme court, charges the tour with violating its duty of care and good faith in failing to determine that Singh had, in fact, not violated the tour's anti-doping policy with his use of deer antler spray, which he acknowledged in a Sports Illustrated article published in January.Analysis showed the spray contained the hormone IGF-1, a substance listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and PGA Tour prohibited lists and one the tour had warned players against using in August of 2011.However, the lawsuit contends that the IGF-1 contained in the spray was inactive, and could not have affected Singh's performance in any way -- and that tour officials could have ascertained that before proceeding against the three-time major champion.Court documents show that the lawsuit also says that other players who admitted using the spray were not sanctioned, and that the case against Singh -- during which his earnings were held in escrow -- affected his focus and play.Tour commissioner Tim Finchem announced on April 30 that Singh would not be suspended, after WADA had informed the tour that the world anti-doping body no longer considered using the deer antler spray to be prohibited unless it resulted in a positive test, which never happened in Singh's case.After exposing Singh, one of the PGA Tour's most respected and hardest working golfers, to public humiliation and ridicule for months, and forcing Singh to perform the type of scientific analysis and review that the PGA Tour was responsible for performing, the PGA Tour finally admitted that the grounds on which it sought to impose discipline were specious and unsupportable, the lawsuit says.Singh has won three major titles -- the 2000 Masters and the 1998 and 2004 PGA Championship.

Wrestling wants 2 new women's weight classes Posted: Wrestling's international governing body is poised to add two weight classes for women in its push to remain in the Olympics, The Associated Press has learned.Nenad Lalovic, the acting president of FILA, told The AP on Wednesday that a rules committee will recommend the move which would also eliminate a weight class in both men's freestyle and Greco-Roman during the organization's congress in Moscow next week.Wrestling officials would then include the change in their May 29 presentation to the International Olympic Committee for provisional status in the 2020 Olympic Games.The IOC recommended in February that wrestling be removed from the Olympics after the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.There were seven weight classes for men's freestyle and Greco-Roman at the recent London Games and four for freestyle women. Lalovic said the six proposed weight classes for women would likely fall between 50 and 74 kilograms.Women's wrestling today is very spectacular. Very interesting to watch, Lalovic said. Why shouldn't we be representative of women as well as men?FILA spokesman Bob Condron said it's not clear which men's weight classes might be cut to make way for an expanded women's program.Lalovic, a Serbian who is expected to be elected as FILA's permanent president next week, also said FILA's constitution is being tweaked to give women a more active role in the organization. He said he plans to insist upon adding a female vice-president to the governing body, and that a female commission is set to be formed as well.Women have become very important in our sport as athletes. But they also have to be important as administrators, Lalovic said.If the change from four to six women's weight classes is approved, it could open up a discipline that's been dominated by Japan since its inclusion in the Olympics in 2004. The Japanese claimed three of the four gold medals awarded in London after winning two each in Beijing in 2008 and at the Athens Olympics four years earlier.

Garcia to face Lopez for WBO title in Dallas Posted: DALLAS (AP) - Mikey Garcia will put his minor WBO featherweight title on the line against Juan Manuel Lopez on June 15 in Dallas.The bout at American Airlines Center will be the first for Garcia since taking the crown from Orlando Salido on a unanimous decision in New York in January. Garcia is 31-0 with 26 knockouts.Both of Lopez's professional losses have been to Salido in the past two years. The most recent was in March 2012, and he was suspended for a year by Puerto Rican boxing authorities for accusing the referee who stopped the fight of betting on the match.Lopez (33-2, 30 KO) returned from the ban in February and stopped Aldimar Silva Santos in the ninth round.

Oil rises above $96 on US supplies, weaker dollar Posted: NEW YORK (AP) - Oil climbed to its highest price in more than a month on Wednesday, after the government reported U.S. crude supplies increased less than analysts expected.In New York, benchmark crude for June delivery rose $1 to finish at $96.62 a barrel. It hasn't settled that high since April 2.The Energy Department said oil supplies grew last week by 200,000 barrels to 395.5 million barrels, which is 4.2 percent above year-ago levels. Analysts were expecting an increase of 1.9 million barrels in the week ended May 3.Lower imports of crude and busier refineries explain the smaller-than-expected increase. Refineries operated at 87 percent of capacity last week, up 2.6 percentage points from the week before. Still, demand for gasoline fell 2.4 percent over the past four weeks, and demand for distillates, such as heating oil and diesel, also fell.Oil also got a boost as the dollar weakened against the euro. Oil is traded in dollars, so it becomes more attractive to investors with foreign currency as the dollar retreats.Brent crude, which is the benchmark for international oil varieties, was down 6 cents to end at $104.34 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

Euro higher on strong German industrial data Posted: NEW YORK (AFP) - The euro gained ground Wednesday against the dollar and the yen after a surprisingly strong report on German industrial output in March.The euro bought $1.3156 at 2100 GMT Wednesday, up from $1.3074 late Tuesday.The euro traded at 130.25 yen, up from 129.47 the prior day.The dollar edged higher on the yen, trading at 99.01 compared with 98.99.Markets were caught off guard by a positive German economic indicator for the second day in a row. On Tuesday, data showed German industrial orders rose unexpectedly in March.On Wednesday, data showed that Germany's industrial production rose by 1.2 percent in March, well above the 0.2 percent decline expected by analysts. The results smashed expectations, according to a Western Union Business Solutions market note. This caused traders to stampede back into the euro during the London session, as traders began to curtail the thought of another possible interest rate cut that has been dogging the euro since last week's European Central Bank (ECB) meeting.The euro gained further strength on news that Portugal successfully returned to the long-term debt market for the first time since obtaining bailout funding two years ago. Portugal priced $3 billion euros at an interest rate of 5.669 and saw buying interest of more than $10 billion. Meanwhile, a quiet US economic calendar has left investors with little fresh news on which to base the dollar versus other currencies.Going forward, further signs that the US economy is improving at a better pace than expected will continue to support the dollar, said Omer Esiner, chief market analyst at Commonwealth Foreign Exchange.Over the very near-term however, lack of data or news to trade off of could keep the greenback biased somewhat lower.The British pound traded at $1.5536, up from $1.5482 late Tuesday.The dollar traded at 0.9352 Swiss franc, down from 0.9401.

Ashraf's appointment as PCB chairman challenged Posted: ISLAMABAD (AP) - A former member of the PCB's board of governors filed a petition in Lahore High Court on Wednesday against the election of Zaka Ashraf as the new Pakistan Cricket Board chairman.Mohammad Anwar said in his petition that unbridled powers are conferred upon the patron for the appointment of the chairman without following the open and transparent selection process.The PCB's 11-member board of governors earlier chose Ashraf after he was recommended by its four-member nomination committee.Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also the patron of the PCB, had shortlisted Ashraf and Aftab Ahmad Khan a former chairman of Lahore Stock Exchange for the post.Both were interviewed by the nomination committee on Wednesday.Zardari directly appointed Ashraf as chairman last year. However, a new election process was triggered when the PCB's constitution was amended after the International Cricket Council set a June deadline requiring more independence for cricket boards.Two members of the nomination committee a retired judge and a government official were directly appointed by Zardari, while the other two were from the board of governors.Lahore High Court judge Abid Aziz Sheikh has asked the PCB to file their comments by June 18.

Mushfiqur to quit as Bangladesh captain Posted: BULAWAYO (AFP) - Mushfiqur Rahim will quit as captain of Bangladesh after two Twenty20 internationals against Zimbabwe this weekend.Wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur made the announcement after Bangladesh lost the third one-day international by seven wickets on Wednesday, conceding a one-day series to Zimbabwe despite beating them by a record margin in the first match.The Tigers began their tour of Zimbabwe as favourites after an encouraging trip to Sri Lanka, but lost the first Test by 335 runs before winning the second to earn a share of the series.This is probably my last tour as captain, he told reporters after Wednesday's defeat. I will resign once we get back to Dhaka.The reason is the way we lost the games and at the same time I failed to perform. I think I failed to lead my team, so the two T20 matches will be my last as captain.The 24-year-old only took over as Bangladesh captain in September 2011, after his predecessor Shakib Al Hasan was removed from the job.Shakib's dismissal also came in the wake of a tour to Zimbabwe, when the African side won the one-off Test that signalled their return to the five-day game and triumphed 3-2 in the one-day series that followed.

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