Dunya TV

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• Asian markets higher ahead of US jobs data
• At least 43 dead in trawler sinking off Russia's far east: media
• Packed with health benefits, coffee gains ground with experts
• Golf: Ko eyes major breakthrough at Mission Hills
• Govt, PTI sign agreement for formation of judicial commission
• Thailand junta replaces martial law with absolute power
• PM to chair high-level meeting over Yemen crisis today
• Karachi: 2 terrorists killed as police action continues
• Football: England have edge over Italy, says Rooney
• Dollar eases after weak US economic data
• ECB raises Greek banks' emergency funding by 700 mn euros
• Rebels seize Syria-Jordan border as IS storms Damascus
• Obama calls Nigerian president-elect Buhari
• Four dead, 16 injured in fiery blast at Mexico oil rig
• Brazil's Oi slashes 1,070 jobs to cut costs

Asian markets higher ahead of US jobs data Posted: HONG KONG (AFP) - Asian markets climbed on Thursday after the previous days losses, with expectations for a Federal Reserve interest rate hike further dampened by a weak set of US data.The disappointing figures out of Washington also pushed Wall Street lower and weighed on the dollar but attention is now on the release of a key US job report on Friday.Tokyo rallied 1.17 percent, Hong Kong added 0.50 percent, Sydney put on 0.68 percent and Seoul 0.42 percent higher, with Shanghai advancing 0.33 percent.Analysts warned of some rocky weeks ahead after a strong rally across global equity markets in the first three months of the year as Greece attempts to reform its bailout and oil prices struggle.Expectations for an early summer US rate hike were all but dashed Wednesday after the release of the latest US indicators that included growth in the manufacturing sector slowing for the fifth straight month in March and construction spending dipping in February, led by a decline in public construction.Also, payrolls firm ADP said 189,000 private sector jobs were created in March, below the 200,000-mark for the first time since January last year.The Dow fell 0.44 percent, the S&P 500 dipped 0.40 percent and the Nasdaq lost 0.42 percent.And on currency markets the news weighed on the dollar, which fetched 119.63 yen in Tokyo Thursday, against 119.76 yen in New York.Investors will be now closely watching Fridays non-farm jobs figures to see if the economy remains strong enough to absorb a rate hike.Youve got payrolls tomorrow and youve still got the backdrop of Fed rate hikes that I think will come later, rather than sooner, Mark Lister, head of private wealth research at Craigs Investment Partners Ltd., told Bloomberg News.It will be tougher and more volatile from here.The euro bought $1.0754 and 128.65 yen, compared with $1.0760 and 128.86 yen. The European single currency continues to hold up as Greece tries to convince its international creditors to accept proposals reforming its bailout programme.On oil markets US benchmark West Texas Intermediate eased 55 cents to $49.54 while Brent slipped 53 cents to $56.57.Gold fetched $1,202.58 against $1,183.55 late Wednesday.

At least 43 dead in trawler sinking off Russia's far east: media Posted: MOSCOW (AFP) - At least 43 people have died and 26 others are still missing after a trawler sank off the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russias far east on Wednesday night, while 63 people were rescued alive, Russian media said.All in all 106 people have been taken aboard the ships participating in the rescue operation, an officer from the local maritime rescue coordination centre told Russian news agency TASS, adding that 43 of them had perished.

Packed with health benefits, coffee gains ground with experts Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - Long viewed as a controversial dark substance, coffee is gaining ground among medical experts who say it can protect against heart disease, Parkinsons, Alzheimers and diabetes, even if it is decaffeinated.Multiple studies published worldwide in recent years have concluded that coffee can be good for the health.In February, the US government issued new dietary guidelines, as it does every five years. But this years recommendations said for the first time that coffee is not generally harmful, even multiple cups per day.We looked at all the science, said Miriam Nelson, a professor in the School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, and a member of the committee that wrote the guidelines.We have found no negative, adverse effects on health when you drink up to three to five cups a day, she told AFP.In fact, there is a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, Parkinsons disease and a couple of cancers, including breast and prostate cancer, she said.She said a moderate amount would max out at 500 milligrams of caffeine per day.Researchers do not yet understand the reason for coffees health benefits.Thats why Tom Brenna, another member of the advisory group that wrote the new guidelines, urged some caution.Implying that coffee is going to cure cancer is not a very good thing to do, said Brenna, a professor of nutrition and chemistry at Cornell University.But after poring over the research, experts could find no reason for concern.There is no evidence whatsoever for negative health consequences in the general population and if anything, the signal was in another direction. It seems to be protective, Brenna added.The real takeaway is, have your coffee in the morning with complete confidence that at least on average, nobody ever found any problem.Pregnant women should limit themselves to about 200 milligrams of caffeine per day, just as a precaution, even though the panel found no evidence in reviewing the research that coffee was linked to premature birth, he said.Nelson would like to see more research on the effects of caffeinated energy drinks that are popular among youths, in order to find out how much caffeine may be toxic.She also cautioned against the extra calories that come when people add cream and sugar to coffee, which has very few calories on its own.Both scientists agree that the benefits of coffee, of which each grain contains 1,000 different molecules, goes beyond the caffeine and could be explained by antioxidants like polyphenols, which are also found in red wine and cocoa.These attributes could also explain the results of a recent study involving 25,000 men and women in South Korea that found those who drank three to five cups of coffee per day had cleaner arteries, with less of the cholesterol buildup that leads to heart disease.A study involving 2,000 people found coffee may help protect against Parkinsons disease, an incurable neurological disorder.Other studies have linked coffee consumption to lower incidence of Alzheimers disease.Researchers at Harvard University showed in 2011 that women who drank at least four cups of decaffeinated coffee per day had a 20 percent lower risk of depression.And in 2006, a study involving 90,000 US women showed that drinking two or three cups of coffee -- caffeinated or decaffeinated -- per day reduced the risk of diabetes.Coffee may also help extend life, according to a National Institutes of Health study on 400,000 US men and women aged 50 to 71, which found a 10 percent lower risk of dying from any cause -- except cancer -- among those who drank multiple cups of coffee per day.

Golf: Ko eyes major breakthrough at Mission Hills Posted: RANCHO MIRAGE (AFP) - Lydia Ko, at 17 already the youngest golfer ever to reach number one in the world, will try to add a first major championship to her sparkling resume this week at the LPGAs ANA Inspiration.A victory would make the South Korean-born New Zealander the youngest major champion in LPGA history, surpassing American Morgan Pressel, who was 18 when she lifted the trophy on the same Mission Hills Country Club Dinah Shore Tournament course in 2007.Although Ko hasnt finished in the top 25 in two prior appearances at Mission Hills, her remarkable recent consistency makes her the player to beat this week.One of my goals coming into this week was to be very consistent, give myself to be in good positions, and thats what Ive been doing, said Ko. I feel great, and I played good last week at the Kia Classic, and I didnt play so good there last year, and Im coming definitely with a little bit more confidence into this week.Ko brings a streak of 28 straight LPGA rounds under par into the tournament -- one shy of matching the record set by Swedish great Annika Sorenstam in 2004.Obviously because Im so close, it will be at the back of my mind because theres been so much talk about it, Ko said. If I break the record or if I tie it or if I dont break it, Im so happy that I can get so close to it even... I think its just going to be hard enough trying to concentrate on that putt going in the hole.American Lexi Thompson, who will this week try to join Sorenstam as the only players to win this trophy in back-to-back years, would love to be staring down the under-par record.I wish I had that, laughed Thompson, who outdueled Michelle Wie to lift the trophy last year.Theres not a weakness in her game, Thompson said of Ko. Shes very straight off the tee and has a great short game. Its great to play with her because she has a great attitude on the golf course, and probably the best tempo Ive ever seen on a golf swing or a putting stroke.A victory would also help Ko consolidate her position atop the world rankings, with former world number one Park In-Bee of South Korea threatening to unseat her with a win or even a runner-up finish -- depending on where Ko finishes.Park, who won the title here in 2013, was looking forward to the challenge.It feels like its been forever since we played in a major tournament, she said. Were finally here and I feel like Im in good form, so Im very, very excited.Park was pleased to see the rough up at Mission Hills, which promised to pose a tough challenge to any player who wants to take the traditional champions leap into Poppies Pond.I do like to see some longer rough and firm and fast greens for the major tournaments because we just dont get that every week, she said. I think its a good test because you have to hit the tee shot off the tee really straight and you have to judge the distance on the greens. I think because it is a major tournament, weve got to have something different.Thompson fired a four-under par 68 in the final round last year to collect her first career major in the tournament formerly known as the Kraft Nabisco Championship.She hasnt won since beating Wie in the tournament last year. Runner-up Wie then went on to clinch the second major of 2014 at the US Womens Open.Thompson is trying to join Sorenstam as the only players to win two straight titles at Mission Hills. Sorenstam did it in 2001 and 2002.After finishing in a tie for 10th last week, Thompson believes her game is good enough to win, and said that if shes in contention on Sunday shell be more comfortable after last years triumph.Its important to just slow down everything and take your time, breathe, and just focus on doing your routine before every shot, Thompson said.

Govt, PTI sign agreement for formation of judicial commission Posted: ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday signed an agreement for the formation of judicial commission in Islamabad. The 7 page agreement was signed by the Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar and Iqbal Zafar Jhagra from the government while PTI leaders Jehangir Tareen and Shah Mehmood Qureshi signed the agreement with the media acting as a witness.According to the Finance Minister, all parliamentary parties were taken into confidence for the formation of judicial commission. He stated that the ordinance will be issued on Wednesday. Dar stated that the parliament will have no credibility if the election rigging was proven by the commission.PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi while talking to the media stated that the requests to improve election procedures will lead to betterment. He stated the public’s confidence in electoral process will be restored.The judicial commission formed after signing of the agreement between government and PTI will investigate accusations of rigging in the elections of 2013.The judicial commission will comprise of 3 Supreme Court of Pakistan judges while the members will be content with Supreme Court’s Chief Justice leading the commission.

Thailand junta replaces martial law with absolute power Posted: BANGKOK (AP) - Thailands junta lifted martial law in most of the nation, but 10 months after staging a coup, it remains firmly in control with new laws invoked Wednesday that essentially give it absolute power.The government of former army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha had faced growing pressure from foreign governments, human rights groups and particularly Thailands own business community to revoke martial law.Although it wasnt generally visible in everyday life there were few soldiers in the streets it scared off foreign investors and hurt tourism, which accounts for nearly 10 percent of the GDP. Tour operators called it a tourist deterrent, partly because many insurance companies wont cover travelers to countries under martial law.Thailands king on Wednesday formally approved a request from the junta that martial law be lifted.In its place, though, the junta invoked a special security measure called Article 44 in the military-imposed interim constitution that gives Prayuth the power to override any branch of government in the name of national security, and absolves him of any legal responsibility for his actions.Thai media have referred to it as the dictator law. Under similar legislation in the 1960s, a Thai dictator carried out summary executions.From the outside, the lifting of martial law is good news for business and tourism, said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist and director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Bangkoks Chulalongkorn University.But from the inside, were functionally in the same boat, he said about Article 44. Similar restrictions are still in place. And where there are pockets of dissent and political expression it is likely to be more draconian.The main difference between the two measures is that martial law which remains in place in several southern provinces where the army is fighting a decade-old Islamic insurgency is very specific and Article 44 is very vague.Martial law places the military in charge of public security and allows arrests without warrants, trials of suspects in military courts, bans on public gatherings, and censorship in the name of preserving order.The junta issued one order with 14 articles late Wednesday under Article 44 that are similar, giving the military the authority to make arrests, conduct searches and seize assets, censor the media and crack down on any threats to national security or the monarchy. Some reiterated previous junta orders imposed after last years coup, like bans on political rallies of more than five people and threats to jail those who violate junta orders. Other orders under the article could be issued later.The New York-based group Human Rights Watch said the decision to invoke Article 44 marked Thailands deepening descent into dictatorship.Thailands friends abroad should not be fooled by this obvious sleight of hand by the junta leader to replace martial law with a constitutional provision that effectively provides unlimited and unaccountable powers, said Brad Adams, the groups Asia director.Thailands military has a history of intervening in politics, having seized power 12 times since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932.Prayuth imposed martial law on May 20, 2014, when he was the countrys army chief. On May 22, he led a coup that toppled the elected civilian government after months of sometimes-violent street protests.Stability was restored but at a steep price. Thailands democratic institutions were dismantled, and the countrys authoritarian rulers have crushed dissent.Critics say the coup leaders real goal is to eliminate the political influence of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was overthrown in a 2006 coup. His sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, was ousted by a court ruling just days before last years coup and later barred from holding office for five years.The coup was part of a societal schism that in broad terms pits the majority rural poor, who back the Shinawatras, against an urban-based elite that is supported by the army and staunch royalists, who see the Shinawatras as a threat to the traditional structures of power.Since the coup, the junta has moved to consolidate power. In July, the military adopted the interim 48-article constitution and formed a junta-appointed legislature. In August, the legislature appointed Prayuth as prime minister a post he said he will retain until elections, though no date has been set. Polls were initially promised for this year, then pushed to sometime in 2016.Prayuth sought to downplay concerns about Article 44, saying nobody had made much fuss about it until now.Article 44 will be exercised constructively, Prayuth said. Dont worry, if youre not doing anything wrong, theres no need to be afraid.

PM to chair high-level meeting over Yemen crisis today Posted: ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will preside over a high-level meeting on the Yemen crisis today (Thursday). Khawaja Asif and Sartaj Aziz will brief the meeting on their recent tour of Saudi Arabia, reported Dunya News.According to sources, chiefs of the services will also attend the meeting. The sources added that the issue of Pakistan’s compliance to Saudi Arabia’s request for cooperation will also be discussed during the meeting in addition to issues of evacuation of Pakistanis from Yemen and sending Pakistan Army.The issue of calling an All-Parties Conference (APC) is also expected to be deliberated upon during the meeting.The PM is also expected to brief the meeting on his tour to Turkey.According to sources, in the first phase of his tour, PM will meet Turkish leadership and will take them into confidence regarding Pakistan’s foreign policy, endeavoring to align the course of actions of both countries.The sources added that Pakistan will try to take Muslim countries on board however it will try to solve the Yemen crisis by diplomacy.The government sources said Pakistan’s role in Islamic world will bring positive results to the situation adding that the PM had cancelled his plans for upcoming 3 days.

Karachi: 2 terrorists killed as police action continues Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) – Attempts to improve the security situation of Karachi are still ongoing. 2 terrorists were killed on Thursday during a clash with the police. The clash occurred at Pirabad area during routine police patrol.Terrorists fired at the police and they responded with shooting back at the suspects. Two suspects named Takrim-ul-Haq and Imran were killed due to the retaliatory shooting. The terrorists belonged to a banned organization. 2 grenades and ammunition was found from the killed suspects.On the other hand, culprits involved in various criminal activities were arrested from Much Ko area in injured condition after a clash with the police.Police also arrested 11 Afghan individuals possessing ammunition from Pakistan Bazar in Orangi Town area of Karachi. A case was registered against the individuals according to the Foreign Act.Meanwhile, police took 7 suspicious individuals into custody from Tariq road Liberty Chowk during a search operation.

Football: England have edge over Italy, says Rooney Posted: MILAN (AFP) - Manchester United star Wayne Rooney believes a new-look England proved they have the edge over Italy based on the evidence of their 1-1 draw in Turin on Tuesday.After a largely unproductive first-half display in the friendly at Juventus Stadium, where Graziano Pelle hit a 29th minute opener for the hosts, it took a superb leveller from Spurs winger Andros Townsend for England to complete their turnaround in what was a far more promising second half.England had travelled to Turin without injured forwards Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck, forcing manager Roy Hodgson to reshuffle his side and deploy several players in unfamiliar positions.Rooney, who was partnered up front by Harry Kane making his first start in an England shirt having come on as a substitute and scored on his debut against Lithuania last Friday, admitted there was disappointment in the England dressing room at half-time.But he believes the second-half display has shown their potential, as well as underlining their superiority over an Italy side which like them has been heavily overhauled since they both went out at the group stage of the World Cup finals last year -- Italy failing to build on their opening 2-1 win over the English.We were all disappointed with our performances as a team and as individuals, thats why we are so pleased with the result in the end - we came out in the second half and showed we are a better footballing team, I feel, than Italy are, said Rooney.Even though we had a lot of changes we know we are better than that. Our preparations werent (reflected in) what we showed in the first 45 minutes.I think we showed good character second half, we came out and I thought we dominated the game, created the best chances and were unlucky in the end not to win it.Rooneys belief was based on how much sharper England were than their opponents once they found their stride in the second-half.Their pressure finally paid off with Townsend creating space on the edge of the area to beat Buffon with a precise shot at the keepers far post.Italy coach Antonio Conte -- who replaced Cesare Prandelli after the World Cup flop -- said England played like a side that was used to winning.Theres not a lot friendly about these games, said Conte.But you cant forget that England have won their past seven games since the World Cup, and theyve shown their desire to remain unbeaten.Rooney said that it was no mean feat to get back into a game against a side that historically are past masters at guarding a lead jealously.It is important not to lose games, said Rooney.Dont get me wrong, this is a good result against Italy away, when they have gone in front and they are really good at trying to kill the game.We didnt let them do that, we tried -- we knew we had to be patient at times -- but I really felt we could hurt them on the break and in the channels, certainly with their three defenders and we got more joy with that.I dont think they coped well physically, I think they tired in the last 10 or 15 minutes and thats when we should punish them. I think probably it was a fair result over all, added the 29-year-old.

Dollar eases after weak US economic data Posted: NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar weakened slightly Wednesday after a batch of disappointing US economic data raised concerns about the strength of the recovery, suggesting a delay in higher interest rates.The greenback, which has been on a lengthy tear, took a hit along with US equities following the downbeat data on manufacturing, construction spending, and private-sector job growth.The latter, a report from payrolls firm ADP showing a slump in business hiring in March, the first drop below 200,000 jobs since January 2014, cast a shadow over markets ahead of Fridays highly anticipated government labor report for March.Although the monthly ADP report is not considered a reliable indicator of the Labor Departments report on nonfarm payrolls, it was enough to suggest a slight higher risk of disappointment in the March jobs data, said Joe Manimbo at Western Union Business Solutions.Analysts expect the official report to show a slowdown in jobs growth, with the economy adding 250,000 nonfarm payrolls after 288,000 in February, and the jobless rate remaining unchanged at 5.5 percent.Moodys Analytics said the ADP report and employment details in the ISM manufacturing survey led it to cut its forecast for March nonfarm payrolls by 40,000 to 220,000.Underwhelming job growth Friday would dampen US rate hike expectations and weigh on the dollar, Manimbo said.The Federal Reserve is closely monitoring the jobs market as it gauges when to raise ultra-low interest rates this year.2100 GMT Wednesday TuesdayEUR/USD 1.0760 1.0741EUR/JPY 128.86 128.95EUR/CHF 1.0405 1.0444EUR/GBP 0.7259 0.7246USD/JPY 119.76 120.06USD/CHF 0.9670 0.9724GBP/USD 1.4823 1.4823

ECB raises Greek banks' emergency funding by 700 mn euros Posted: ATHENS, April 1, 2015 (AFP) - The European Central Bank on Wednesday further increased the maximum Emergency Liquidity Assistance that Greek banks can obtain by 700 million euros, a banking source said.The latest move lifts the total ceiling to 71.8 billion euros ($77.3 billion).Greek banks are dependent on the ECB for financing, but the eurozones central bank no longer accepts Greek sovereign bonds as collateral for loans.It had done so previously under a special waiver mechanism, but rescinded that waiver until Athens new anti-austerity government under Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras can reach a new debt deal with its creditors.Without the waiver, Greek banks now rely solely on ELA, which is more expensive than normal central bank refinancing operations.Greek banks have a desperate need for liquidity. From early December to the end of February, individual account holders and business account holders withdrew 25 billion euros on the back of fears about Greece defaulting under Tsipras radical government.

Rebels seize Syria-Jordan border as IS storms Damascus Posted: DAMASCUS (AFP) - Rebels backed by Syrias Al-Qaeda affiliate seized control Wednesday of the last border crossing with Jordan that had been under regime control, dealing a major blow to President Bashar al-Assad.Armed groups, joined today by Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front, took over the Nasib border point from regime soldiers on the Syrian side of the frontier, said Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.A coalition of rebel groups had launched the offensive Tuesday, and Al-Nusra joined them late Wednesday.A pro-regime security source said the Syrian army withdrew from the Nasib border crossing.Abdel Rahman said the takeover meant there was no longer a regime presence on the border with Jordan.Shortly afterwards, regime helicopters began dropping barrel bombs -- crude weapons made of oil drums or barrels stuffed with explosives -- on rebel positions near Nasib, said the Observatory director.There was no immediate information on any casualties.Jordan had said earlier it closed the crossing, which leads to Syrias Daraa province, to both travellers and goods.It was a preventive measure to safeguard the lives and security of travellers due to the fighting underway on the other side of the border, Interior Minister Hussein Majali told AFP.Rebels have been gaining territory in the southern province of Daraa, cradle of the 2011 Arab Spring-inspired uprising against Assad that triggered Syrias civil war.Last week they seized full control of the ancient town of Bosra al-Sham, pushing pro-regime forces out after days of heavy fighting.In January rebels -- including Al-Nusra Front -- seized an important government army base in the province.ISs first Damascus forayIn another upset for the regime, the extremist Islamic State group stormed a refugee camp in Damascus its first assault inside the capital.Clashes between armed factions and IS terrorists raged in the Yarmuk refugee camp in southern Damascus after the extremists overran much of the Palestinian haven in a lightening assault.Fighters from IS launched an assault this morning on Yarmuk and they took over the majority of the camp, said Anwar Abdel Hadi, the Palestine Liberation Organisations political affairs director in Damascus.They reached the Palestinian hospital and 15th Street, which are in the centre of the camp, he said.The Observatory said IS took control of a large part of Yarmuk during fighting with Palestinian groups also opposed to Assad.According to the Observatory, the terrorists had infiltrated the camp from the rebel-held town of Hajar al-Aswa.But by Wednesday evening, an armed group loyal to Palestinian movement Hamas had regained some of these areas, said the Britain-based monitoring group.It said three people had been killed in the fighting.The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said it was extremely concerned about the safety of civilians in Yarmuk and that some 3,500 children were in extreme risk of death, serious injury, trauma, and displacement.Yarmuk, located only six kilometres (3.7 miles) from downtown Damascus, was once a thriving home to 160,000 Palestinian refugees and Syrians.But it has been devastated by fighting and a tight blockade imposed by the army nearly two years ago that created dire humanitarian conditions.The camp, covering an area of just two square kilometres (less than a square mile), has seen its population dwindle to only about 18,000.Last year, it witnessed scenes of desperation as thousands of people crammed into devastated streets to queue for food distributed by UNRWA.Rebel fighters had withdrawn from Yarmuk in February 2014 under a deal that left only Palestinian anti-regime groups inside.IS, which declared a self-styled caliphate last year over large parts of Syria and Iraq under its control, has fought against the Assad regime and rebel groups as it seeks to gain territory.A Yarmuk activist said IS launched the attack after some of its members were detained following the murder there of a leader of the Palestinian movement Hamas on Monday.In other developments Wednesday, groups attacked regime positions south of the northwestern city of Idlib, now under the control of rebels, the Observatory said.The groups have taken control of one-third of Al-Mastumah, where regime forces fled after leaving Idlib, Abdel Rahman said.The Syrian army captured a strategic position in the rebel-held town of Zabadani, northwest of Damascus on the road to Beirut.More than 215,000 people have been killed and more than half of the countrys population has been displaced since the Syrian conflict erupted in March 2011.

Obama calls Nigerian president-elect Buhari Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama spoke to Nigerian President-elect Muhammadu Buhari and outgoing leader Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday, praising both for their role in the countrys first democratic transfer of power.Obama spoke to the men separately to commend them for their leadership during Nigerias election, the White House said.Obamas administration has lavished praise on Buhari and Jonathan following an election in Africas most populous country and its largest economy.Buharis victory and Jonathans quick concession has helped write a new chapter in the countrys often turbulent history.Nigeria has suffered six military coups since independence from Britain in 1960 and has seen 16 years of unbroken civilian rule by Jonathans party.This historic step for Nigeria and Africa, said Obamas National Security Advisor Susan Rice.President Jonathan has acted as a true statesman, putting Nigeria first at a truly historic moment.Nigeria boasts vast natural resources and Africas largest consumer base, but has been plagued by poverty, poor governance and a bloody insurgency by Boko Haram.The election has raised hopes that the country may be ready to poised to turn the corner.

Four dead, 16 injured in fiery blast at Mexico oil rig Posted: MEXICO CITY (AFP) - An explosion and a fire erupted on an offshore oil platform operated by Mexicos Pemex on Wednesday, killing at least four workers, injuring 16 and forcing 300 to be evacuated.Eight firefighting vessels with water cannons were deployed to battle the blaze as smoke billowed skyward at the Abkatun A-Permanente platform on the Gulf of Mexicos Campeche Sound.The blast took place at 3:40 am in the dehydration and pump area of the platform, located off the coast of eastern Campeche state, the ASEA energy safety agency said in a statement.The fire is under control but has not been extinguished, a Pemex spokesman told AFP, adding that the explosion had not triggered an oil spill.Some 300 workers were taken to other platforms in the area while the injured were transported to Pemexs general hospital in Ciudad de Carmen. Two were in serious condition.AFP obtained a video taken from a boat showing huge flames and smoke engulfing much of the platform in the middle of the night.Investigation pendingPemex said one of the dead was a company employee while another one worked for Cotemar, a contractor. The two others had yet to be identified.The priority in this emergency is to protect the safety of personnel, contain the fire and care for the injured, the ASEA agency said, adding that all the workers were removed from the rig.President Enrique Pena Nieto expressed condolences to families of the victims and ordered and investigation, which ASEA said it would lead.The Campeche Sound, some 85 kilometers (53 miles) from the coast, contains the two biggest shallow-water oil deposits in Mexico, with 200 platforms extracting 78 percent of the countrys crude.Analysts said the accident contributed to a rise in crude prices on Wednesday, with the US benchmark surging $2.49 to close at $50.09 a barrel and London prices rising $1.99 to $57.10.History of accidentsThe fire is latest incident to hit the state oil firm in recent years.In 2007, two Pemex platforms collided in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 21 workers and causing a large oil spill.In January 2013, a gas buildup caused an explosion at the companys Mexico City headquarters, killing 37 people.A natural gas plant explosion killed 30 people near the northeastern state of Tamaulipas in September 2012.Pena Nieto pushed through a sweeping energy reform bill last year that opens the sector to foreign investors in a bid to reverse falling production and modernize aging infrastructure.Pemex, which provides a third of Mexicos tax revenue, posted a $17.7 billion loss in 2014, hit by falling global oil prices, fuel thefts by gangs and the pesos drop against the dollar.The government will hold its first auction in July for shallow-water projects on the Gulf of Mexico.

Brazil's Oi slashes 1,070 jobs to cut costs Posted: RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - Struggling Brazilian telecoms firm Oi said Wednesday it was cutting 1,070 jobs this month in a reorganization as it looks to slash costs and target greater efficiency in a highly competitive market.The company announced it was making the cuts to reduce by around 20 percent personnel-related costs, and would not proceed with planned hirings.Oi, which employs some 18,000 people, added it expected to jettison executives in October with a view to streamlining decision-making and begin a process simplifying its structure.The Rio-based firm, which culled 150 jobs in October, identified this year as challenging in all regards in the macroeconomic context and also the telecoms sector.Oi is the market leader in Brazil for fixed line telephony but only ranked fourth for cell phones.Until January, it owned Portugal Telecom, prior to the sale of the Portuguese assets to French group Altice after a planned merger failed to materialize.The chairman of Brazils national telecom workers federation Fenattel, Almir Munhoz, said most of the job cuts would be in Rio.But he indicated the sector was losing jobs across the board with Vivo, Nextel and Spains Telefonica-- the top mobile operator in Brazil that last year acquired Brazils GVT -- all making cutbacks.Munhoz told the Valor financial daily that recent mergers and acquisitions had maxed out the sectors capacity for further integration and to land new customers.He forecast a difficult 2015 for telecoms as a whole with consumers already strapped for cash in an economy that analysts see as heading for recession amid low growth and rising inflation and debt.Neither Vivo nor Nextel immediately responded to requests for comment.

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