Dunya TV

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• Mandela on life support: clan elder
• Kevin Rudd sworn in as Australian prime minister
• US talks with Russia on Snowden ongoing: White House
• Three Britons found shot dead in Spanish villa
• Federer stunned in 2nd round by Stakhovsky
• Brazil reach Confederations Cup final
• England held to 1-1 draw by Chile at U20 World Cup
• Woods hopes he is fully healthy for the next major
• Oil prices slip on US data
• Pietersen back in England nets
• Clarke urges Australia to move forward after Arthur axe
• US Senate set to pass immigration bill
• Kidnappers of Czech women demand release of Dr Aafia
• Treason case: Musharraf to file plea against govts decision
• Turkey asks Twitter to reveal user identities

Mandela on life support: clan elder Posted: JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - Nelson Mandela is on life support, an elder in the South African icons clan said Wednesday, as President Jacob Zuma called off a scheduled trip to Mozambique.Yes, he is using machines to breathe, Napilisi Mandela told AFP after visiting the anti-apartheid hero. It is bad, but what can we do.Zuma cancelled a trip scheduled for Thursday after he found him to be still in a critical condition, a statement from the presidency said.

Kevin Rudd sworn in as Australian prime minister Posted: CANBERRA (AP) - Kevin Rudd was sworn in as Australian prime minister on Thursday three years and three days after he was ousted from the same job in an internal government showdown.Governor-General Quentin Bryce commissioned Rudd within half an hour of Parliament resuming for what is likely to be its last day before elections.I will do my absolute best, Rudd told Bryce, whom he appointed governor-general when he was last prime minister.Anthony Albanese was sworn in as deputy prime minister and Chris Bowen was sworn in as treasurer during the same ceremony. Rudd has yet say when he will announce his complete Cabinet after seven ministers resigned following former Prime Minister Julia Gillards ouster.Rudd faces a potential no-confidence vote in the Parliament which he would likely survive. But a loss could trigger an election as early as Aug. 3.Gillard tendered her resignation as prime minister Wednesday night after losing a ballot of ruling lawmakers to Rudd 57 votes to 45.Gillard had set Sept. 14 as the election date. But Rudd has given no indication of whether he would stick with that timetable.

US talks with Russia on Snowden ongoing: White House Posted: ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AFP) - The United States is in ongoing discussions with Russian authorities over the fate of fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden, White House spokesman Jay Carney said Wednesday.Carney, briefing reporters traveling with US President Barack Obama to Africa, reiterated Washingtons wish to see Snowden -- currently in the transit area of a Moscow airport -- expelled to face espionage charges.We are having conversations with Russian government officials. Im not at liberty to get into the details of those conversations, but were having the conversations, Carney said, without saying which officials were involved.There are a variety of people in our government and the Russian government under whose jurisdiction these issues fall, he said.The 30-year-old Snowden, a former contractor for the National Security Agency who revealed details of sweeping US surveillance programs to gather phone and Internet data, has not been seen since arriving in Moscow on Sunday.Russia says Snowden -- who has asked Ecuador to grant him asylum -- is still in a transit zone at Moscows Sheremetyevo airport.Carney said there was significant and improved cooperation with the Russian government on matters of law enforcement, especially after the Boston bombings, and that there was a clear, legal basis for Snowdens expulsion.We continue to make our case to the Russians and to any other countries that may serve as a place of transit of a final destination, State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said in Washington.Also in Washington, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel urged Moscow to do the right thing here and turn Snowden over to the United States.He has broken laws, Hagel told a press conference.Ecuador, which is sheltering WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at its embassy in London as he faces extradition to Sweden over allegations of sexual assault, again said it would assess his asylum request responsibly.But Quitos embassy in Washington lashed out at what it called recent statements made by United States government officials containing detrimental, untrue, and unproductive claims about Ecuador.This current situation is not being provoked by Ecuador, said the statement from deputy chief of mission Efrain Baus.

Three Britons found shot dead in Spanish villa Posted: MADRID (AFP) - Police found three Britons shot dead in a house near the resort city of Malaga on Spains Costa del Sol on Wednesday in what they suspect is a double killing and suicide, officials said.A source in the Civil Guard told AFP that a man and two females were found with bullet wounds in a house in the town of Mijas, southwest of Malaga, and identified them as British.An initial hypothesis is being considered that it is a family and that the man killed the woman and then his daughter and then committed suicide, said the source, who asked not to be named.The results of the investigation are being awaited for that to be confirmed, said the official, declining to give the ages or any other details of the family.Several Spanish media cited unnamed sources saying that the mother was disabled and the daughter had Downs Syndrome, but officials would not confirm this.Police sealed off the yellow villa and its garden containing palm trees a swimming pool in the Torrenueva district of the town, an AFP photographer saw.Press photographs published online showed officials bringing what appeared to be a body on a stretcher out of the villa earlier.Media quoted officials and neighbours saying the family had been renting the house for several years.Reports said the owner of the property had found the family there dead when he visited after not hearing from them for several weeks.A spokesman for the British embassy in Madrid said: We are aware of these reports and we are investigating urgently.

Federer stunned in 2nd round by Stakhovsky Posted: LONDON (AP) - It was already one of the most tumultuous days in Grand Slam tennis history, with seven players forced out by injuries, two of the top-3 seeded women eliminated and six former No. 1-ranked players leaving early.So what else could happen to make this a day like no other at Wimbledon?Heres what: the worlds greatest grass-court player losing on his favorite Centre Court the most famous stage in tennis to a 116th-ranked qualifier who had never beaten a top-10 player in his life.Seven-time champion Roger Federer was stunned by Sergiy Stakhovsky in the second round at the All England Club on Wednesday, his earliest loss in a Grand Slam tournament in 10 years.The 27-year-old Ukrainian outplayed Federer, serving and volleying his way to a 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 7-5, 7-6 (5) victory that stands out as one of the sports biggest upsets.Magic, Stakhovsky said. I couldnt play any better today.Federers loss ended his record streak of reaching at least the quarterfinals at 36 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments, a run that began at Wimbledon in 2004, shortly after a third-round exit at that years French Open.Its always a disappointment losing any match around the world, and particularly here, Federer said. Ive had some great moments here, but also some tougher ones. Cant have em all. It was a tough loss today.The result capped a chaotic day of injuries, walkovers, retirements and shock results.Third-seeded Maria Sharapova, the 2004 champion, fell to a 131st-ranked qualifier. No. 2 Victoria Azerenka was among the seven injury withdrawals believed to be a Grand Slam single-day record in the Open era. Federer became the seventh former No. 1 player to exit the championships on this one day.Only two days ago, two-time champion Rafael Nadal was bounced in the first round by 135th-ranked Steve Darcis.After only three days of play, five of the top-10 seeded women and four of the top 10 men are already out of the draw.The owner of a record 17 major titles and the defending champion here, Federer hadnt been beaten in the second round or earlier at a Slam since a first-round defeat at the 2003 French Open.The 31-year-old Federer said he wont panic and will work hard to come back stronger.Im looking forward to whats to come, he said. Looking forward to next year, that I can do better next year. Federer said the end of his quarterfinal run does not represent the end of an era.I still have plans to play for many more years to come, he said. Its normal that after all of a sudden losing early after being in the quarters 36 times, people feel its different. Federers defeat was his earliest at the All England Club since a first-round loss in 2002 to No. 154-ranked Mario Ancic. Stakhovsky is the lowest-ranked player to beat Federer at any event since then.Earlier, third-seeded Sharapova, the 2004 Wimbledon champion, was stunned 6-3, 6-4 by 131st-ranked Michelle Larcher de Brito of Portugal in the second round.Sharapova slipped and fell several times on the grass on Court 2 and received medical treatment from the trainer in the second set.It wasnt serious enough to force Sharapova to quit, as so many others did Wednesday either by walkover or mid-match retirements.Among the casualties: Azarenka (walkover, right knee), mens No. 6 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (retirement, left knee), John Isner (retirement, left knee) and Darcis (walkover, right shoulder).Also out: 10th-seeded Marin Cilic (walkover, left knee); 2006 quarterfinalist Radek Stepanek (retirement, left hamstring); and Yaroslava Shvedova (walkover, right arm).The International Tennis Federation said the seven players forced out is believed to be the most in one day at any Grand Slam event in the 45 years of the Open era.Very black day, Cilic said of the spate of injury withdrawals. The other days, other weeks, there were no pullouts. Everything just happened today.If that wasnt enough, the tournament lost all those former No. 1 players: Sharapova, Azarenka, Caroline Wozniacki, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic among the women, and Federer and Lleyton Hewitt among the men.With Azarenka and Sharapova gone, the prospect of Serena Williams lifting the womens trophy for a sixth time look even stronger. Williams, who is riding a 32-match winning streak, had already been considered the overwhelming title favorite.There were a few moments of normality on this crazy day at the All England Club.Second-seeded Andy Murray advanced easily to the third round with a 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 victory over Yen-hsun Lu of Taiwan on Court 1.The tournament also lost 2002 champion Hewitt, who was ousted by 189th-ranked German qualifier Dustin Brown, 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-2.The dreadlocked Brown, who switched nationality from Jamaica in 2010, was in tears after beating the Australian.I cried like a little girl, said Brown, who has played mainly on the lower-tier challenger circuit in 2013 and had never won a match at Wimbledon until this year.Isner, the 18th-seeded American, retired during his second-round match against Adrian Mannarino of France after only two games.The retirement came three years after Isner beat Nicolas Mahut 70-68 in the fifth set at Wimbledon in the longest match in tennis history. Now, Isner is out after one of the shortest matches at Wimbledon.I always serve and land on my left leg, like I have done 20 million times playing this game, and this is the first time I just felt this sharp pain, he said.

Brazil reach Confederations Cup final Posted: BELO HORIZONTE (AP) - Brazils players wept with joy inside the stadium, and Brazilian protesters were sprayed with tear gas outside it as the countrys national football team reached the Confederations Cup final despite another wave of mass demonstrations on the streets.Brazil beat neighbors Uruguay 2-1 with an 86th minute header from Paulinho in a performance that failed to reach the commanding heights of earlier games.As thousands of anti-government protesters clashed with police nearby, inside the Mineirao Stadiujm, Brazils footballers reached Sundays final in Rio de Janeiro with a patchy display.Security was high at the semifinal as protesters, in part angered by the billions of dollars spent on World Cup preparations, targeted this high-profile semifinal in the latest in a series of demonstrations that have taken place in Brazil during the Confederations Cup. They were met by tear gas and rubber bullets during clashes with police, but the match itself was unaffected by the protests.Protests have already been announced for Sundays final at the Maracana Stadium.Its a new team and this is going to help us grow for the World Cup, Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar said. We know that we can face a very difficult opponent (and win).Cesar prevented Uruguay from taking the lead in Belo Horizonte, saving a penalty kick from Uruguay striker Diego Forlan in the 13th minute. The save turned out to be decisive.Just as they later did for the winner, Paulinho and Neymar combined to help set up Brazils opener just before halftime.Neymar brought down Paulinhos high ball and, after his initial shot was saved by goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, Fred pounced on the loose ball to score.Although Edinson Cavani seized on sloppy defending to equalize for Uruguay three minutes into the second half, Brazil finally started to click as an attacking force and now either Spain or Italy stand between the host nation and a third consecutive Confederations Cup title.We are not ready yet, Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said. We have to go through this, through all these situations so we can grow and evolve ... and reach the World Cup in better shape.What I have to show them is the progress that they made. This is how I make them self-confident, he said.With each victory, Scolari is raising expectations that Brazil can replicate its 2002 World Cup success under him and clinch the title for the sixth time in 2014.We played with our hearts, Scolari said, before sounding a note of caution: Mainly, from the middle of the field onwards, we still lack a link there so we can have better chances to score.Inside the stadium, animosity was directed from the start at Uruguay captain Diego Lugano, who enraged Brazil by accusing Neymar of diving on the eve of the match.The crowd was even more incensed when Lugano won a penalty in the 13th minute, although there was little to dispute David Luizs tugging of the defenders shirt.Facing a wall of noise, Forlan struck low and Cesar dived correctly to his left.It was the fourth penalty out of eight in the tournament so far to be missed.Forlan was the most potent attacking threat on the pitch as Brazil struggled to impose itself on the game. The swagger and verve the Brazilians had rediscovered to open the tournament with three group-stage victories was missing in an edgy start by the hosts.Neymar, on whose shoulders the nations World Cup hopes are resting, was lacking the service to make an impact.There was the occasional moment of menace, with Hulk using his strength to burst through the defense, but Uruguay came closer to taking the lead.Uruguays resistance was eventually broken by Fred. Two defenders proved to be an ineffective barrier, even to a scuffed shot from Fred which landed in the bottom corner of the net.Brazils elation disappeared three minutes into the second half.Slack defending gifted Uruguay its way back as several chances to clear the danger were wasted. A clearance from Luiz lacked urgency, then Thiago Silvas pass to Marcelo was easily intercepted by Cavani, who scored past Cesar.However shoddy the work of Brazils defenders, the quality of the forwards started to shine through as the game became feisty, with five yellow cards awarded.Brazil pressed and probed for the winner: Fred struck over from Neymars cross and the star forward had an effort saved himself.The game was heating up, and Neymar exchanged taunts with Uruguays Alvaro Gonzalez before sarcastically blowing him a kiss.But Neymar helped to ensure Brazil had the last say in the match, as he floated a corner into the penalty area that Paulinho rose above Martin Caceres to meet and head into the net.It was an even match, maybe we even had more chances than Brazil, but football is like this, Uruguay striker Luis Suarez said. In the end they found a way to win.

England held to 1-1 draw by Chile at U20 World Cup Posted: ISTANBUL (AP) - Striker Harry Kane scored a second-half equalizer to earn England a 1-1 draw against Chile in the Under-20 World Cup on Wednesday.Kane collected a pass from midfielder Ross Barkley in the 64th minute and beat goalkeeper Dario Melo with a low shot at the near post to give England its second point of the tournament after drawing 2-2 against Iraq in its opener.Nicolas Castillo had put Chile in front from the penalty spot in the 32nd after Daniel Potts brought down Chile winger Angelo Henriquez in the Group E match.Iraq was playing Egypt in the groups late game on Wednesday.In Group F, Uruguay earned its first points by beating New Zealand 2-0 with goals from Giorgian De Arrascaeta and Nicolas Lopez.

Woods hopes he is fully healthy for the next major Posted: BETHESDA (AP) - Tiger Woods cant say whether his left elbow will be fully healed in time for the British Open, only that it will be good enough.Woods returned to the AT&T National on Wednesday as the defending champion only in name.Doctors have recommended that he sit out this week at Congressional, along with next week at The Greenbrier, because of a left elbow strain that has been bothering him for more a month and was made worse by hacking out of the dense U.S. Open rough at Merion.I pushed it pretty good at the Open to play it and to play through it, Woods said. Made it worse by hitting the ball out of the rough, and eventually got a point where I wasnt able to play here. Were treating it, and eventually Ill start the strengthening process, then starting hitting balls to get up to speed for the British.The British Open is July 18-21 at Muirfield, and Woods could not say that he would be at 100 percent by then.How about ... good enough, he said.There was no visible evidence of an elbow injury until he began dangling his left arm and flexing his wrist after hitting out of the rough at Merion in the opening round. He eventually said he first hurt it during The Players Championship, which he won on May 12, but he did not mention a specific shot or even a round.On Wednesday, he said it wasnt a single shot.It was just playing there, and it didnt feel good then early in the week, but I pushed through it, Woods said. It progressively just got worse. Got to a point where I was starting to struggle a little bit.Woods still played the Memorial in the month between The Players Championship and the U.S. Open, which he conceded might have been a mistake. Woods was the defending champion and a five-time winner at Muirfield Village, so it was shocking when he turned in a 44 on the back nine the highest 9-hole score of his PGA Tour career and wound up 20 shots out of the lead. That was his largest deficit in a full-field tournament.Asked if he should have sat out the Memorial, Woods said, It would have been better, yes.I wouldnt necessarily say regret, Woods said. I wish I would have played better so I didnt have so many shots I had to hit.Woods had won three out of four tournaments going into the Memorial the exception was a tie for fourth in the Masters. In the two tournaments afterThe Players Championship, he finished a combined 32 shots out of the lead with a scoring average of 73.6. That includes his score of 293 at Merion, his worst ever in the U.S. Open.He is treating the injury with electrical stimulation, ice, soft tissue treatment and anti-inflammatories to help with the swelling.Eventually, as I said, Ill start the strengthening process here, he said. Hopefully, that will be sooner than later, and then start hitting balls.Woods already has won four times this year, twice as many as anyone else, and he has established a comfortable margin again at No. 1 in the world.He still remains stuck on 14 majors dating to the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, which he won despite shredded knee ligaments and a double stress fracture in his lower left leg.Now 37, Woods has to cope with injuries at an alarming rate.He had reconstructive surgery on his left knee after his U.S. Open win. He withdrew from The Players Championship in consecutive years, with a sore neck in 2010 and after only nine holes in 2011 with Achilles tendon and other injuries in his left leg that forced him to miss two majors.Woods said he has been dealing with injuries much longer.I played with a lot in my early 20s and no one ever knew about it, he said. I just didnt play in certain tournaments. I took a few weeks off here and there, and that was the end of it. But I played a few events where I really shouldnt have played, and it caused some damage. Theres a difference between being hurt and being injured. Its a delicate balance. I know what its like to play both, unfortunately.You can play hurt, he said. But playing injured, it can sideline you for a while.Woods attended the opening ceremonies at the AT&T National, which benefits his foundation, and then he did a couple of interviews. The biggest pain Wednesday was not being able to play Congressional, which has hosted four major championships and presents as strong as test as the PGA Tour offers all year.Looks like the golf course is in fantastic shape, he said. Its green. Its lush. Its thick. Temperature is up. Its going to present a hell of a test for the guys. Ill be watching.

Oil prices slip on US data Posted: LONDON (AFP) - Global oil prices slid on Wednesday as investors fretted over weaker-than-expected economic growth data and the latest snapshot of crude inventories in top consumer the United States.Brent North Sea crude for delivery in August dipped 27 cents to stand at $100.99 a barrel in London late afternoon deals.New Yorks main contract, West Texas Intermediate light sweet crude for August, shed 58 cents at $94.75 a barrel.The oil market fell after the Commerce Department slashed its estimate for growth in the January-March period to just 1.8 percent, compared to the previous estimate of 2.4 percent.Crude oil turned lower ... as demand concerns came back to the forefront following the release of some disappointing economic data, said analyst Fawad Razaqzada at traders GFT Markets.Consumer spending and business investment were both weaker than initially thought, while exports -- previously reported to have grown -- had actually dropped 1.1 percent on the quarter.Crude futures also fell back after the US Energy Information Administration announced that American oil reserves were flat at 394.1 million barrels in the week ending June 21.Market expectations had been for a drop of 1.7 million barrels, according to analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires.The EIA added that gasoline or petrol stockpiles surged by 3.7 million barrels.That outstripped expectations for a gain of just 660,000 barrels and indicated weaker-than-expected demand.The inventories data underscores a growing feeling among analysts that demand remains just too weak to rationalise a barrel of Brent crude above $100 and WTI $95, especially as there is also ample, and rising, supply of oil in North America, added Razaqzada.Gasoline or petrol demand is normally expected to surge in the summer season, when Americans take to the roads for their holidays.

Pietersen back in England nets Posted: LONDON (AFP) - Kevin Pietersen returned to the England ranks on Wednesday with a specially organised practice session.The South Africa-born batsman has been out of England action with a knee injury that forced his early exit from the tour of New Zealand in March and was sidelined from all cricket until making a superb unbeaten 177 for Surrey in a County Championship match last weekend.In his absence England have played return home Test and one-day series against New Zealand while, still without arguably their best batsman, they suffered a five-run loss to India in the Champions Trophy final at Edgbaston on Sunday -- a defeat that meant theyd still to win a major one-day international title.Pietersen was also not included in the England side that lost the first of two Twenty20 internationals against New Zealand at The Oval, Surreys home ground, by five runs on Tuesday.However, the 32-year-old was at the London venue for a 20-minute net session on Wednesday supervised by England spin bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed and is expected to play against the Black Caps in Thursdays series finale.Pietersen has also been included for Englands Ashes warm-up match against Essex which starts on Sunday, with the first Test against Australia starting at Trent Bridge on July 10.One plus point for the home side from Tuesdays loss was the form of towering seamer Boyd Rankin, making his England debut in all formats for his adopted country following 52 one-day internationals for his native Ireland.The 6ft 8in Rankin needed just four balls to take his first England wicket on Tuesday and finished with admirable figures of one for 24 in his maximum four overs during a contest dominated by batsmen on both sides.Yes, I was pretty happy, the Warwickshire paceman said.I was quite nervous for the first few balls but then settled down when I got that wicket.So it was nice.It was a good pitch. I tried to do what I normally do, hit back of a length, and keep calm under pressure.There was that short boundary but I was trying not to think about that. I was just concentrating on what I normally do.I was pretty happy with my figures but it was a shame we couldnt get over the line.

Clarke urges Australia to move forward after Arthur axe Posted: TAUNTON (AFP) - Australia captain Michael Clarke has urged his team-mates to put their recent off-field problems behind them and concentrate on the business of regaining the Ashes after a troubled build-up to next months first Test against England.Clarke, Australias best batsman, returned to action against Somerset on Wednesday following a recurrence of a longstanding back problem in the first of two warm-up maches -- the tourists also face Worcestershire -- before the first Test at Trent Bridge on July 10.The Somerset match was also former Test batsman Darren Lehmanns first as Australia head coach after Mickey Arthur was sensationally sacked on Monday just 16 days out from the Ashes.Our mindset as a group is to move forward, there is no doubt about it, Clarke told Sky Sports. I think the boys trained really well yesterday and a lot of guys have come down early today to get some work in. Were working really hard.We know that improvements needed from whats happened in the past, Clarke added.Australia made an early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy, where they also lost to England, and are without opener David Warner for the Somerset and Worcestershire games.Warner was banned by Cricket Australia after admitting punching England batsman Joe Root in a Birmingham bar following the Champions Trophy defeat.Warners suspension came just a few weeks after he was fined for an abusive Twitter rant at two Australian cricket journalists but Clarke said now was the time to focus on cricket.In our team nobodys guaranteed selection, youve got to earn the right to play in the first Test match and weve got two practice games for the boys to make the most of the opportunity, he said.Theres nothing more special for an Australian player, and Im sure its the same for the English, than an Ashes series.We know were the underdogs and were looking forward to the challenge.Hopefully we can start with this game and build some momentum into that first Test match.Meanwhile Arthur arrived back in Perth, Western Australia, where the South African confirmed to waiting reporters his mother had died from cancer.Australias players in Taunton wore black armbands as a mark of respect.Mickey as coach was very close to us all and we felt the desire to mark our respects, a Cricket Australia spokesman said.

US Senate set to pass immigration bill Posted: WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate is poised to push landmark immigration legislation across a few final hurdles ahead of passage as early as Thursday of the bill opening the door to US citizenship for millions.The legislation cleared an early procedural hurdle this week with room to spare, and more procedural votes were due Wednesday. The White House-backed bill would pour billions into border security and offer a path to citizenship to some 11 million immigrants now in the United States illegally.A permanent, commonsense solution to our dysfunctional system is really in sight, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, said Wednesday on the Senate floor. It is my hope that our colleagues in the House will follow the Senates lead and work to pass bipartisan reform and do it now.Opponents werent convinced.It continues to promote false promises that the border would be truly secure, said Sen. Charles Grassley, a Republican.Prospects were anything but clear in the Republican-controlled House, where many conservatives oppose citizenship or even legalization for people in this country illegally.The leader of the House, Speaker John Boehner, a Republican, reiterated Wednesday that he has no plans to hold a vote on the Senate-passed immigration bill. We are not going to take up the Senate bill, the speaker told fellow Republicans in a meeting Wednesday morning.Some conservatives in the House are taking a strong stand on immigration in the hopes of warding off challenges from even more conservative candidates from their own party in primary elections next year.The House Judiciary Committee was to vote Wednesday on legislation requiring employers to verify their workers legal status. Its the third in a series of single-issue immigration bills the committee has voted on as it takes a piecemeal approach to overhauling the nations immigration system, in contrast with the Senates comprehensive bill.In the Senate, after the addition of $38 billion in provisions strengthening security on the border with Mexico, doubling the size of the border patrol, and completing hundreds of miles (kilometers) of fencing, the legislation looked likely to command support from around 14 Republicans on final passage.Thats more than enough to ensure the 60-vote margin needed for passage in the 100-member chamber, as all 52 Democrats and the two independents who usually vote with them look likely to stick together.As time drew short to cut any last-minute deals before final action on the bill, there was still some hope of negotiating a few final amendments that could bring even more Republicans on board.Sen. Rob. Portman, a Republican, was pushing an amendment to strengthen an electronic employment verification program made mandatory in the bill. I cant vote for (the bill) without it, Portman said.Sen. Saxby Chambliss, a Republican, sought changes to a new agriculture workers program that he said makes it too easy for farm workers to get permanent U.S. residency.But the measures sought by Portman and Chambliss are being opposed by some immigrant advocacy groups, and some Senate Democrats believe the bill has enough Republican support as is without pursuing more changes.

Kidnappers of Czech women demand release of Dr Aafia Posted: PRAGUE (Reuters) - A video message on Wednesday purporting to show two Czech women hostages in Pakistan demanded the release of a Pakistani national jailed in the United States in return for their freedom.Antonie Chrastecka and Hana Humpalova, both 24, were kidnapped in March. They speak in the video message, against a background of photographs of Aafia Siddiqui, a neuroscientist who was given an 86-year sentence by a U.S. court in 2010 for shooting at FBI agents and soldiers in Afghanistan.The sentence was upheld by an appeals court last year.We appeal to our families and our president and all Czech people and the European Union to make every effort for cooperation, Humpalova reads in the video, saying it was shot on April 16, a day after the Boston Marathon bombings.Our health is in good condition but our life in risk.The video also showed close-ups of the two womens passports and a sign saying: Our Demand is only: release Dr. Aafia.It made no mention of the identity of the kidnappers.Reuters could not verify the authenticity of the video. The Czech foreign ministry said it was analysing the tape.Czech television station TV Nova said it was given the video by a person calling herself Orna Moshe. It was also posted on a Facebook page which was set up under that name on Sunday.The two women were kidnapped in the southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan, near the Afghan border. There had been no news on their fate since they disappeared and no group claimed responsibility for the abduction.Pakistans Taliban claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of a Swiss couple in 2011, saying they could be freed if Siddiqui was released. The couple escaped after eight months in captivity. The Swiss government denied paying any ransom.

Treason case: Musharraf to file plea against govts decision Posted: ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Sources close to former President Perviaz Musharraf have revealed that he is going to file a petition in the Supreme Court against the announcement by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in which he had announced that a treason case would be filed against Pervaiz Musharraf.Earlier, Advocate General Wednesday had officially informed the Supreme Court that the PM had directed the law ministry to file a treason case against the former dictator.Musharraf is reported have said that a media trial had been initiated against him, and state machinery was also being used against him.He further said that he was facing hurdles in the acquisition of justice.

Turkey asks Twitter to reveal user identities Posted: ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey said on Wednesday it had asked Twitter to set up a representative office inside the country, which could give it a tighter rein over the microblogging site it has accused of helping stir weeks of anti-government protests.While mainstream Turkish media largely ignored the protests during the early days of the unrest, social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook emerged as the main outlets for Turks opposed to the government.Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has described sites like Twitter as a scourge, although senior members of his party are regular users, saying they were used to spread lies about the government with the aim of terrorising society.Police detained several dozen people suspected of inciting unrest on social media during the protests, local reports said.We have told all social media that ... if you operate in Turkey you must comply with Turkish law, Transport and Communications Minister Binali Yildirim told reporters.When information is requested, we want to see someone in Turkey who can provide this, there needs to be an interlocutor we can put our grievance to and who can correct an error if there is one, he said.While Ankara had no problems with Facebook, which had been working with Turkish authorities for a while and had representatives inside Turkey, Yildirim said it had not seen a positive approach from Twitter after Turkey had issued the necessary warnings to the site over the matter.Twitter will probably comply too. Otherwise this is a situation that cannot be sustained, he said, without elaborating, but stressed the aim was not to limit social media.An official at the ministry, who asked not to be named, said the government had asked Twitter to reveal the identities of users who posted messages deemed insulting to the government or prime minister, or which flouted peoples personal rights.It was not immediately clear whether Twitter had responded.In a statement, Facebook said it had not provided user data to Turkish authorities in response to government requests over the protests and said it was concerned about proposals internet firms may have to provide data more frequently.Turkeys interior minister had previously announced the government was working on new regulations that would target so-called provocateurs on social media but there have been few details on what the new laws would entail.One source with knowledge of the matter said the justice ministry had proposed a regulation whereby any Turk wishing to open a Twitter account would have to enter their national identification number, but that this had been rejected by the transport ministry as being technically unfeasible.Twitter last year introduced a new feature called Country Withheld Content, that allows the service to narrowly censor tweets considered illegal in one specific country, causing some concern among users.The website implemented the feature for the first time inOctober in response to a request by German authorities, blocking messages in Germany by a right-wing group banned by police.Turkey last year said it had won a long-running battle to persuade YouTube to operate under a Turkish web domain, givingAnkara more control over the video-sharing website and requiring the firm to pay Turkish taxes.Turkey banned the popular website for more than two years in 2008 after users posted videos Turkey deemed insulting to the republics founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.Rights groups have long pressed Turkey to reform strict Internet laws and analysts have criticised the ease with which citizens and politicians can apply to have a site banned.Turkey cites offences including child pornography and insulting Ataturk to justify blocking websites.But Turkish users have increasingly turned to encryption software to thwart any ramp up in censorship of the Internet.

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