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- PM to chair first meeting of peace talks committee today
- Dense fog: four killed, 27 injured in Punjab road accidents
- India win toss, bowl first against New Zealand
- 11 dead in Syria barrel bomb attacks: NGO
- US admiral nominated to be next NSA chief
- Tennis: Ailing Kvitova pulls out of Paris
- Football: FIFA demands Qatar working conditions update
- Formula One: Rookie Magnussen fastest on third day of testing
- Obesity among US kids starts early: study
- Oil prices rise on GDP data, heating demand
- Dollar gains on strong US growth numbers, Fed taper
- Cricket: Hughes replaces Marsh on South Africa tour
- Cricket: Kenya loses ODI status after loss to Scotland
- Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan condemns Bangladesh court decision
- Media trial being orchestrated against MQM, says Coordination Committee
| PM to chair first meeting of peace talks committee today Posted: ISLAMABAD (Online): The first meeting of a four-member committee constituted to hold talks with the Taliban will meet at the Prime Minister House on today (Friday), the PM’s assistant on national affairs Irfan Siddiqui said.Siddiqui who is also a member of the committee said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would chair the meeting.The meeting would deliberate upon the scope and mandate of the committee, sources said.During his National Assembly address on Wednesday, Prime Minister Sharif said peace should be given another chance as he announced the formation of a four-member committee to carry out the dialogue process with the Taliban.The committee comprises Irfan Siddique (PM’s Advisor on National Affairs), Major (retd) Aamir, Rahimullah Yousafzai (journalist) and Rustam Shah Mohmand (former Ambassador to Afghanistan).  |
| Dense fog: four killed, 27 injured in Punjab road accidents Posted: LAHORE (Dunya News) – Dence fog has virtually paralysed life in parts of Punjab. Poor visibility due to fog resulted in various accidents in Gujranwala region during night between Thursday and Friday, killing at least four people.At least 27 people also sustained injuries in traffic accidents in different parts of the province.According to Motorway officials, Motorway from Lahore to Pindi Bhattian has been closed as visibility was down to zero due to dense fog.The flight operations at the Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore were also suspended due to dense fog at the airport. All departing flights were delayed and the incoming flights were diverted to other airports.According to police, four people were killed and 20 others sustained injuries in traffic accidents in Gujranwala.The Motorway police have appealed the drivers to use GT Road for travel. The Motorway police have urged the drivers to drive slowly and switch on fog lights. They also requested people to stay home and avoid unnecessary travelling.  |
| India win toss, bowl first against New Zealand Posted: WELLINGTON (AFP) - India won the toss and sent New Zealand in to bat in the fifth and final one-day international in Wellington on Friday.The tourists have already lost the series 3-0 and will be looking to save face in the final one-dayer ahead of a two-Test series against the Black Caps next month.India made just one change, with opener Shikhar Dhawan replacing Stuart Binny, and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said his team needed to forge the big partnerships that have eluded them so far this series.Its important now to build pressure so its important that we get off to a good start, he said.New Zealand made two changes, dropping Tim Southee and Hamish Bennett from the bowling attack in favour of Mitchell McClenaghan and debutant Matt Henry.  |
| 11 dead in Syria barrel bomb attacks: NGO Posted: BEIRUT (AFP) - At least 11 people, including three children, were killed on Thursday by explosive-packed barrels dropped from Syrian army helicopters over the town of Daraya, a monitoring group said.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said two women were also among the dead, and others were injured in the attacks on the town in Damascus province.In northern Aleppo province meanwhile, at least eight people were killed in regime air raids on the Aleppo city district of Qadi Askar, the Observatory said.And the group reported at least six regime forces were killed when an Islamist rebel brigade blew up a building in the Karam al-Turab district, in southeastern Aleppo city.Another 10 regime forces were killed in a blast targeting a second building in a village on the outskirts of the town of Khanaser in Aleppo province overnight, the NGO said.Meanwhile, in central Homs province, the Observatory said at least 16 regime troops were killed in an overnight attack on an army checkpoint by Islamist rebels in an area west of Homs city.Fierce clashes raged overnight pitting regime troops backed by pro-regime militants and fighters from Lebanon's Hezbollah and the jihadist Al-Nusra Front and Islamist rebels in the area around Qusayr, the group said.In Lebanon, a security source said two Syrians were wounded by gunfire from the Syrian side of the border in the town of Wadi Khaled.The Red Cross and the Lebanese army worked to retrieve the two men, one of whom died of his wounds, the source said.Gun and rocket fire from the Syrian side of the border regularly spills over into Lebanon, killing and injuring Lebanese and Syrians in the area.  |
| US admiral nominated to be next NSA chief Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama has nominated a US Navy officer, Vice Admiral Michael Rogers, to take over as head of the embattled National Security Agency.Rogers, 53, would take the helm at a fraught moment for the spy agency, which is under unprecedented pressure after leaks from ex-intelligence contractor Edward Snowden revealed the extent of its electronic spying.This is a critical time for the NSA, and Vice Admiral Rogers would bring extraordinary and unique qualifications to this position as the agency continues its vital mission and implements President Obamas reforms, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who recommended Rogers for the post, said in a statement Thursday.If confirmed by lawmakers, Rogers would also take over as head of the militarys cyber warfare command.In response to the furor triggered by the Snowden media leaks, Obama has proposed reforms to rein in the NSAs spying authority in some areas.Rogers, who trained as an intelligence cryptologist, would succeed General Keith Alexander, who has served in the top job since 2005.He currently heads the US Fleet Cyber Command, overseeing the navys cyber warfare specialists, and over a 30-year career has worked in cryptology and eavesdropping, or signals intelligence.Although well-versed in code-breaking and digital warfare, Rogers will be confronted with civil liberties and privacy questions under an intense public spotlight.His confirmation hearings in the Senate are likely to be dominated by the ongoing debate about the NSAs espionage, and whether its sifting through Internet traffic and phone records violates privacy rights and democratic values.Hagel said he was confident that Admiral Rogers has the wisdom to help balance the demands of security, privacy and liberty in our digital age.Like Alexander, the naval officer would not only run the powerful NSA but would also serve as chief of the US militarys Cyber Command.Obama has decided to keep the dual-hatted arrangement, even though some top officials recommended splitting up the two jobs.The president also rejected suggestions to name a civilian as NSA director.The Pentagon announced that the new NSA deputy director would be Richard Leggett, making him the agencys senior ranking civilian, acting as a chief operating officer.Leggett has managed the NSAs media leaks task force, which evaluated the effect of Snowdens disclosures of reams of classified information.In a December interview with CBS televisions 60 Minutes, Leggett said he would be open to having a conversation with Snowden about a possible amnesty in return for a full accounting of what the ex-contractor took and where the files are now.I would need assurances that the remainder of the data could be secured, and my bar for those assurances would be very high, he said.Snowden faces an array of espionage charges in the United States and has been granted asylum in Russia.Describing himself as a whistleblower, Snowden has said in media interviews that he feels vindicated by the public debate over the NSAs role that has followed his leaks.  |
| Tennis: Ailing Kvitova pulls out of Paris Posted: PARIS (AFP) - Second seed Petra Kvitova pulled out of the Paris WTA Open on Thursday citing respiratory problems, with organisers giving her place to a lucky loser.Kvitova of the Czech Republic withdrew ahead of her second round date with France's Alize Cornet.Cornet went on to defeat Kvitova's compatriot, Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, 74th in the WTA rankings, 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3.I was absolutely intent on playing today but I had to see my doctor as I wasn't feeling well, Kvitova said.I've got a sore throat and after practising this morning I realised that after 10 minutes I wasn't able to breathe so unfortunately I was forced to withdraw.Kvitova, ranked sixth in the world, won the Paris Open in 2011.Cornet needed four match points to see off her Czech opponent who had originally lost in qualifying.She will next play Germany's world number 39, Andrea Petkovic who put out France's 62nd-ranked Kristina Mladenovic, 6-4, 6-2.Mladenovic had only returned to Paris on Monday after winning the Australian Open mixed doubles title with Canada's Daniel Nestor.After putting in a fine performance to knock out world number 10, Simona Halep on Wednesday, she ran out of steam in the second round.After travelling for 30 hours,I came straight to training and my neck problems returned on Thursday, she said.At the start of the match,I couldn't serve and the injury limited my movement.Meanwhile, Belgian eighth seed Kirsten Flipkens beat Austria's Yvonne Meusburger, 6-1, 6-3 and will face top seed Maria Sharapova in Friday's quarter-finals.Ukraine's Elina Svitolina put out Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan, 6-1, 6-2.She will next face Italian third seed Sara Errani who saw off compatriot Karin Knapp, 6-4, 6-3.Friday's fourth quarter-final sees Germany's Angelique Kerber face Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.  |
| Football: FIFA demands Qatar working conditions update Posted: ZURICH (AFP) - Qatar's 2022 World Cup organisers have been told to update world football chiefs on measures being taken to improve the working conditions of thousands of expatriate workers employed on the project.In a report last year, Amnesty International said migrant workers were being treated like animals while this week the Nepalese embassy in the Qatari capital of Doha revealed that almost 200 labourers from the Asian country had died in 2013, many from heart failure.The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy in Qatar shall provide FIFA by February 12, 2014, with a detailed report on the improvement of working conditions in Qatar, said a FIFA statement.The report will then be used to prepare for the hearing at the European Parliament on February 13, which will be attended by Dr Theo Zwanziger as the FIFA representative mandated to deal with the matter.Dr Zwanziger has held various meetings with human rights and labour organisations in recent weeks, including Amnesty International and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), in order to strengthen the dialogue between various interest groups and to reach a sanctioned approach, added the statement.We are currently in the middle of an intensive process, which is exclusively aimed at improving the situation of workers in Qatar, said Dr Zwanziger. Ultimately, what we need are clear rules and steps that will build trust and ensure that the situation, which is unacceptable at the moment, improves in a sustainable manner.After the hearing at the European Parliament, a report will be delivered to the FIFA Executive Committee on March 20 and 21.The Nepal embassy in Doha said it registered 191 deaths last year compared with 169 the year before.Harikanta Paudel, a senior embassy official, told AFP by telephone that the highest number of deaths occurred in July when 32 workers died.A Kathmandu-based foreign ministry official said that a third of the deaths recorded were due to unnatural heart failure.More than one million Nepali migrant workers work in the Gulf region and Southeast Asia. Qatar alone hosts around 400,000 Nepalis as part of its two million strong migrant workforce.  |
| Formula One: Rookie Magnussen fastest on third day of testing Posted: JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA (AFP) - Denmarks Kevin Magnussen stole the show on his first outing as a Formula One driver in the McLaren MP4-29 as he was fastest, whilst reigning world champions Red Bulls struggles continued on day three of pre-season testing in Jerez, southern Spain.Magnussen took over from teammate Jenson Button, who had gone fastest in the morning, for the afternoon session and bettered the Britons mark with an effort of 1min 23.276 secs.Williams Felipe Massa was second fastest with Lewis Hamilton in third as the Mercedes continued to pile on the miles.The Englishman didnt match teammate Nico Rosbergs mammoth 97 lap effort from Wednesday, but was the busiest man on the track as he went around 62 times.By contrast, it was another frustrating day for Red Bull and their new driver Daniel Ricciardo as the Australian only managed three laps before the Austrian team called off their efforts early for a second consecutive day.Red Bull have only completed 14 laps over the opening three days and seem well behind their title rivals with only nine more days testing to come before the season gets underway for real in Australia in March.Another former champion Fernando Alonso also made his first appearance of the season in the Ferrari F14-T.The Spaniards arrival drew a much larger crowd than in the previous two sessions and Ferrari enjoyed another satisfactory day as Alonso finished fifth fastest after completing 58 laps.  |
| Obesity among US kids starts early: study Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - Obesity among US children is largely established by kindergarten, a study said Wednesday, adding that nearly half of those obese at 14 already had the problem at age five.The study published in the New England Journal of Medicine also showed that over 14 percent of children enter kindergarten overweight and are four times more likely than normal weight children to become obese by the eighth grade.Although trends in the prevalence of obesity are well documented, there is surprisingly little known about new cases of childhood obesity, wrote lead researcher Solveig Cunningham, assistant professor in the Hubert Department of Global Health at Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University in Georgia.The researchers used data from children who took part in a study of kindergartens in 1998 and 1999.With appropriate adjustments the data sample was representative of all of the estimate 3.8 million S children in kindergarten during that time.Examining incidence may provide insight into the nature of the epidemic, the critically vulnerable ages, and the groups who are at greater risk for obesity, Cunningham wrote.The study showed that 14.9 percent of kids entering kindergarten are overweight. The researchers used body mass index charts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).The rate of obesity rises to 20.8 percent when kids reach age 14.Incidence of obesity at age 14 was highest among black children (17 percent), followed by Hispanics (14 percent). The rate was 10 percent among whites and children of other races.Children from the richest 20 percent of families had the lowest rates of obesity in kindergarten than those of all other socio- economic groups, the study said.At all ages between five and 14, the rate of obesity was highest (25.8 percent) among the poorest children.We have evidence that certain factors established before birth and during the first five years are important. Obesity-prevention efforts focused on children who are overweight by five-years-old may be a way to target children susceptible to becoming obese later in life, Cunningham wrote.  |
| Oil prices rise on GDP data, heating demand Posted: NEW YORK (AFP) - US oil prices Thursday rose to their highest level of 2014 on solid US economic growth data and higher demand for heating oil due to cold weather.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for March delivery jumped 87 cents to $98.23 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.European benchmark Brent oil for March delivery gained 10 cents to $107.95 a barrel in London.Thursday's rise came after data showed US gross domestic product grew 3.2 percent in the fourth quarter, above the 3.0 percent expected by analysts.Analysts were especially cheered by a 3.3 percent rise in consumer spending, the sharpest quarterly growth in three years.US GDP figures boosted demand expectations of the world's biggest oil consumer, said Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at traders CMC Markets UK.Matt Smith, a commodity analyst at Schneider Electric, also pointed to the ongoing polar conditions in the US as a bullish factor for oil.Smith noted that home heating oil prices rose 1.1 percent Thursday, lending support to crude. You're seeing US markets rally today, not only on GDP data, but on the potential for ongoing higher demand for heating oil, Smith said.  |
| Dollar gains on strong US growth numbers, Fed taper Posted: NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar gained against the euro and other major currencies Thursday after the US reported strong fourth-quarter growth and the Federal Reserve decided to pare back its stimulus.At 2200 GMT the euro traded at $1.3554, down from $1.3662 late Wednesday.The dollar rose to 102.71 yen from 102.25 yen, while the euro slipped to 139.21 yen from 139.71.The British pound dipped to $1.6489 from $1.6560 while the dollar gained to 0.9023 Swiss franc from 0.8943.The dollar's gains came after official data showed US economic growth at 3.2 percent in the fourth quarter, above the 3.0 percent expected by analysts.The report followed Wednesday's decision by the Federal Reserve to cut back its stimulus by another $10 billion a month, the same size and the cut announced in December, to bring the bond buying program down to $65 billion a month and on track to expire by the end of the year.The prospect of faster growth and less easy money sent US bond yields higher and made the dollar more attractive to buyers.David Song of DailyFX suggested the Fed move puts it on an opposite path to the European Central Bank, and predicted more downward pressure on the euro.The single currency may weaken further in February should the European Central Bank show a greater willingness to further embark on its easing cycle, he said.  |
| Cricket: Hughes replaces Marsh on South Africa tour Posted: SYDNEY (AFP) - Injured batsman Shaun Marsh has been ruled out of Australia's tour of South Africa, with Phil Hughes handed another chance to prove himself at Test level.Marsh has been struggling with a calf strain and stayed back in Perth for intensive treatment.As Shaun Marsh's calf injury has not improved as much as required over the past four days he has been withdrawn from the Test Squad for the tour of South Africa, National Selector John Inverarity said in a statement late Thursday.Phillip Hughes had been placed on standby and now comes into the Test squad as a replacement for Shaun. Phillip will head to South Africa as soon as possible.Hughes has played 26 Tests since his debut in 2009, but has never been able to hold down a regular place in the side. On Thursday, fast bowler Jackson Bird was declared fit and was due to fly out to join the rest of the squad in South Africa on Friday after being cleared of a back injury.Australia play their only warm-up match in Potchefstroom from February 5 ahead of three Tests, with the first in Centurion on February 12.  |
| Cricket: Kenya loses ODI status after loss to Scotland Posted: NAIROBI (AFP) - Kenyan cricket suffered a double blow on Thursday following the national teams three-wicket loss to Scotland in their World Cup qualifier in New Zealand by losing their one-day international status.Kenya, once regarded as one of the strongest associate members of the International Cricket Council (ICC) needed to win the final Super Six game to avoid losing its ODI status after failing to secure a place in the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.It is sad for Kenya cricket but there is nothing we can do about the situation. We have to wait for the team to come back on Sunday before deciding the way forward, a top Cricket Kenya official told AFP.Kenya was awarded the one-day ranking in 1997 following their impressive World Cup debut the previous year.But a series of administrative malpractices, coupled with internal strife among the national team players have led to a sharp decline over the last decade.Three older players including former team captain Steve Tikolo were called out of retirement to play in the New Zealand tournament and help Kenya to their sixth successive World Cup appearance.Kenya is also set to lose out being part of the ICC High Performance Programme, launched in 2001 to assist in the funding of the development programmes within the leading ICC Associate member countries.  |
| Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan condemns Bangladesh court decision Posted: LAHORE (Online) - Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan chief Syed Munawar Hasan has strongly condemned a Bangladesh court decision awarding death sentences to the JI, Bangladesh chief and a former minister, Muti ur Rahman Nizami, and thirteen others, and termed it political vendetta.He has appealed to the Pakistan government and all other Muslim rulers to play their role in preventing this tyranny and pressurize BD Prime Minister Haseena Wajid to stop political victimization of her opponents.In a press statement here on Thursday, he said that the false case made out against the Bangladesh JI chief had fully exposed India which had a hand behind all political victimization in Bangladesh.He said that a false case had been made out against Muti ur Rahman Nizami for smuggling arms and ammunition to secessionists in India.He pointed out that Muti ur Rahman Nizami was not named at the initial stage of the case and his name was included much later, as such the very foundation of the case was false. Besides, he said, that no sane person could accuse a person like Muti ur Rahman Nizami of arms smuggling.Syed Munawar Hasan said that the people of Bangladesh had already rejected the court decision and there was deep concern among the BD people over India’s increasing hold on their country.  |
| Media trial being orchestrated against MQM, says Coordination Committee Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) - Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Coordination Committee has said that the party and its chief are being subjected to media trial.Addressing a press conference here at Nine Zero, the Coordination Committee said that international conspiracies are being hatched against the party and its chief Altaf Hussain.The committee strongly condemned British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) report regarding Dr Imran Farooq’s murder case. The report is slanderous. It has been mischievously manipulated to soil MQMs image, said MQM leader Kahaliq Maqbool Siddiqui.Siddiqui, who was flanked by other MQM Coordination Committee members, also accused BBC of rigging the report to distort the facts so that it could be given an anti-MQM slant.A statement issued by the Coordination Committee of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Thursday said that life of Altaf Hussain is in a serious danger.A message of the party chief has also been issued by the Coordination Committee.In his message, Altaf Hussain said that false allegations were being leveled against him on international level and a conspiracy had been hatched to file baseless cases against him.The MQM chief said that he continued his mission despite the hardships and imprisonment in past but never bowed before any pressure and will never bow before any foreign pressure.Altaf Hussain directed the MQM’s Coordination Committee, elected representatives and workers to take his message seriously. He urged the party workers to continue his mission and follow his true ideology in case of any harm to his life.It is worth mentioning here that UK prosecutors have asked Pakistan to trace two suspects believed to have been involved in the 2010 murder of Imran Farooq, a senior leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).He was stabbed outside his home in Edgware, London, close to the Pakistani political party’s international HQ.Documents obtained by BBC Newsnight name the suspects as Mohsin Ali Syed and Mohammed Kashif Khan Kamran.They are believed to be in Pakistani custody but not under formal arrest.The investigation into Mr Farooq’s murder has seen more than 4,000 people interviewed, but so far the only person arrested in the case has been Iftikhar Hussain, the nephew of MQM’s London-based leader Altaf Hussain.Iftikhar Hussain was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, but is now on police bail. It is an arrest the party says was based on wrong information.MQM senator Farogh Naseem has described Iftikhar Hussain as not a person who is really with himself mentally. He said Iftikhar Hussain had suffered at the hands of the Pakistani authorities.In November 2011 - 14 months after the murder - Metropolitan Police chief Bernard Hogan-Howe said his force was liaising with Pakistani authorities over two arrests believed to have been made in Karachi.Since then, however, the force has refused to confirm or deny that it is seeking Pakistani assistance.The Pakistani government has denied anyone has been arrested and officials have failed to respond to questions about the request from the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service.The documents, obtained by Newsnight from official sources in Pakistan, suggest Mohsin Ali Syed and Mohammed Kashif Khan Kamran secured UK visas on the basis of being granted admission to the London Academy of Management Sciences (LAMS), in east London.The documents name two other men. One is Karachi-based businessman Muazzam Ali Khan, of Comnet Enterprises, who is believed to have endorsed the suspects’ UK visa applications and was in regular contact with Iftikhar Hussain throughout 2010.The other is Atif Siddique, an educational consultant in Karachi, who is believed to have processed them.Atif Siddique said he was not the agent of LAMS and did not know the two suspects.Mr Ali Khan has not responded to e-mails and phone calls offering him the chance to respond.A director of the college, Asif Siddique - Atif Siddique’s brother - has confirmed the two students were meant to study there. One of them registered, but failed to attend.LAMS is designated as a highly trusted partner of the UK Border Agency, which means it is supposed to report the non-attendance of students within 10 days of the 10th missed student encounter with staff. Asif Siddique said the college had reported one of the student’s non-attendance to the UK authorities in May 2012.The Home Office has refused to say whether or not it believes LAMS broke the rules for reporting non-attendance, but has said it is not currently investigating the college.Mohsin Ali Syed, in his late 20s, arrived in the UK in February 2010. He moved between a number of London addresses, including bedsits in Tooting, in south London, and Whitchurch Lane, in Edgware.Mohammed Kashif Khan Kamran arrived in the UK in early September 2010. Phone records indicate the two moved around together and it is believed they kept Mr Farooq under surveillance.The murder weapons were left at the scene of the crime and the documents seen by Newsnight state that the British authorities are seeking DNA samples as evidence that could be used in a British court.Records show that both men left the UK on 16 September 2010, a few hours after the murder had happened, and flew to Sri Lanka, and then on to Karachi on the 19 September.According to immigration officials in Pakistan, security officials picked them up on the tarmac before they left Karachi airport. Pakistani security sources deny that the men were picked up as a result of a British tip-off.  |
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