Dunya TV News Letter

Dunya TV

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• Karachi: 6 including MQM worker shot dead
• Car bomb outside Syrian mosque kills 32
• Govt, Taliban demand to shun violence
• Delhi CM Kejriwal announces resignation
• Cricket: Irfan to miss Asia Cup, World T20
• Irfan to miss Asia Cup, World T20
• 62-year-old retired railway staffer dies in search of pension
• Quitting smoking makes you happier: study
• Not just baby talk, chatting spurs brain development: study
• Kitty litter parasite infects Arctic beluga whales
• Mega-merger would unite Comcast, Time Warner Cable
• Tea boy slur brews a backlash for Indias ruling party
• Asian carriers lift Singapore Air show deals to new high
• Indian inflation falls to eight-month low
• French economy grows 0.3% in 2013, flags at year end

Karachi: 6 including MQM worker shot dead Posted: KARACHI (Dunya News) – Six people including an MQM party worker were gunned down here on Friday. Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has given a three-day ultimatum to the government for arrest of culprits.Terrorist activities across the city continue despite the targeted operation. MQM worker Salamat Ali was shot dead at Soldier Bazar.The funeral of the slain party worker was offered at Nishtar Road following which, Doctor Saghir Ahmed said while addressing the media that MQM will consider observing a strike if culprits are not caught in three days.In a separate incident, a man was gunned down at Bhains Colony. Another body was found near super highway.In another incident, man succumbed to injuries. Two men were injured in cracker blast thrown by unidentified men at Dhobhi Ghaat Garden Town area.In an incident of firing exchange between two groups at Lyari, a man was killed.Another man was gunned down at Manghu Pir area.It merits mentioning here that several people including party workers have become victims of recent wave of terrorist attacks in Karachi despite the ongoing targeted operation.Earlier this week, MQM had announced to hold countrywide protests following the government’s failure to meet previous ultimatum.

Car bomb outside Syrian mosque kills 32 Posted: BEIRUT (AFP) - A car bomb attack outside a mosque in southern Syria killed dozens Friday and rebels detonated mines under a hotel used by the army in the north killing five, a monitor said.At least 32 people, including a child and 10 rebel fighters, were killed when the car blew up in front of the mosque in the rebel-held village of Yaduda in the southern Daraa province, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.Activists accused regime forces of responsibility for the attack, said the Britain-based monitor, adding that it expected the death toll to rise because many people were also wounded in the explosion.Meanwhile at least five soldiers were killed when Islamist rebels detonated mines under the Carlton hotel used by the in the northern city of Aleppo, said the Observatory.It said the rebels had dug tunnels under and around the Carlton and on Friday morning they set off mines to detonate them.At least five troops were killed and 18 others wounded in the attack, which also damaged parts of the hotel, said the Observatory.Fierce battles broke out after the attack, killing an unknown number of rebels, it added.Insurgents fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad's regime have used this tactic before, both in Aleppo, Syria's onetime commercial capital, and in Damascus province.On another front, fresh fighting broke out between rebels and the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).Though rebels once welcomed ISIL in the fight against Assad, horrific abuses in areas under their domination have turned much of the opposition against them.On Friday, the rebels drove out ISIL from their positions in five Aleppo provincial towns, including Hreitan, said the Observatory. But just before their withdrawal from Hreitan, ISIL's fighters executed 17 civilian relatives of rival Islamist rebel battalions.In Azaz, also in Aleppo province, clashes raged between rebels and ISIL, as the jihadists beheaded at least four rival opposition fighters, said the group.Islamist and mainstream rebels opened a front against ISIL on January 3. The jihadists were expelled from the oil-rich eastern province of Deir Ezzor last week.More than 136,000 people have been killed in Syria's brutal war since March 2011, and millions more have fled their homes.

Govt, Taliban demand to shun violence Posted: ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Pakistani government and Taliban negotiators Friday expressed concern over a wave of deadly attacks in the country, agreeing that both militants and security forces should refrain from actions which undermine ongoing peace efforts.The Pakistani Taliban claimed credit for a bomb blast that killed 12 policemen on a bus in the port city of Karachi on Thursday, the latest in a series of near-daily attacks since the government called for peace talks with militants to end their seven-year insurgency.Both the committees expressed deep grief and regret over anti-peace activities and declared that such incidents would have a negative impact on the peace efforts, a joint statement said after government and Taliban committees met on Friday.Referring to the recent incident in Karachi, the government committee adopted the stance that it would become difficult to continue the peace talks when anti-peace activities continue, it said.Therefore the Taliban must be asked to make an announcement that they are stopping all kinds of anti-peace activities and implementation of this announcement should be ensured, the statement quoted the government side as saying.It said that the Taliban committee agreed to the demand and asked the government to also make an announcement that it will not take any action which would create unrest.For lasting peace no side should use force, the statement quoted the Taliban side as saying.The chief of the Taliban committee, Maulana Samiul Haq, has called for a session of religious leaders on Saturday to take the clerics into confidence regarding the peace negotiations.Pakistani troops have been fighting for years against homegrown insurgents in the tribal belt, which Washington considers the main hub of Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants plotting attacks on the West and in Afghanistan.Nearly 7,000 people have been killed in the TTP insurgency since it began in 2007, according to an AFP tally.The start of 2014 has seen a surge in militant violence with more than 130 people killed.An air force bombardment of TTP hideouts in North Waziristan led many to believe a major military offensive was imminent until Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced the peace talks.Stability in nuclear-armed Pakistan is seen as important to neighbouring Afghanistan, where US-led NATO troops are pulling out after more than a decade of war.Washington has said it is watching the talks with the Taliban closely. It has long been pushing Pakistan to take action against militants using Pakistans tribal areas as a base to attack NATO forces across the border.

Delhi CM Kejriwal announces resignation Posted: NEW DELHI (AFP) - Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced his resignation Friday to protest the blocking of an anti-corruption bill, fewer than 50 days after taking power in the Indian capital.My cabinet has decided that we are quitting. Here is my resignation letter, Kejriwal told supporters of his fledgling Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party in the capital, brandishing a white sheet of paper.Straight after this, I am going to the Lieutenant Governor's office to hand in my resignation, he added, as his followers cheered.Kejriwal, who had been the head of a minority administration since taking power on December 28, said he would ask Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to immediately dissolve the Delhi assembly and organise fresh elections.Kejriwal's announcement came shortly after local legislators effectively shot down his efforts to bring in anti-corruption legislation -- the key plank of his manifesto in December's state elections.Kejriwal's party won 28 seats in Delhi's 70 member assembly and came to power with the help of the Congress party, which governs at national level.But Congress decided not to back Kejriwal in Friday's vote, claiming the measure was unconstitutional.While his elevation to one of the most important political posts in India was initially widely welcomed as a much-needed shock to the system, the former tax inspector has since come in for criticism over a series of stand-offs with the authorities.The self-styled anarchist staged a sit-in on the pavement close to the national parliament last month, triggering chaos in the city centre, as part of a push to be given greater powers of control over the police.

Cricket: Irfan to miss Asia Cup, World T20 Posted: RAWALPINDI (AFP) - Lanky Pakistan paceman Mohammad Irfan was left out of Pakistans 15-man squads for this months Asia Cup and next months World Twenty20 after a recurrence of a hip injury, selectors said.Irfan -- the tallest ever man to play international cricket at 7 feet one inch -- fractured his hip in Pakistans Twenty20 series against South Africa in United Arab Emirates in November last year.However, his recovery proved short lived when the injury recurred in a domestic tournament this week, prompting chief selector Azhar Khan to say Irfan had to be left out of the squads.Irfan was left out as he fell injured again and he needs some time for recovery, Khan told reporters while announcing the squads.The Asia Cup will be held in Dhaka, from February 25 to March 8. Besides Pakistan - the defending champions - India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and hosts Bangladesh will also take part in the event.The fifth edition of the World Twenty20 with 16 teams in competition will also be held in Bangladesh from March 16 to April 6.Misbah-ul Haq will lead the one-day team while Mohammad Hafeez will be Twenty20 captain.There were recalls for left-handed batsman Fawad Alam and paceman Mohammad Talha in the one-day squads while wicket-keeper batsman Kamran Akmal got one more chance in the Twenty20 team.Alam, 28, played last of his 27 one-day internationals in September 2010.Shoaib Malik was also included in the Twenty20 squad after being withdrawn from the tour of South Africa in November last year due to injury.Kamran and Malik will give experience to the team for the important event, said Khan.Kamran played last of his 50 Twenty20 matches in South Africa in March last year.Batsmen Asad Shafiq and Haris Sohail lost their one-day places after being part of the squads for the series against Sri Lanka last year.Squad (Asia Cup): Misbah-ul Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Sharjeel Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Anwar Ali, Bilawal Bhatti, Junaid Khan, Umar Gul, Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Talha.World Twenty20: Mohammad Hafeez (capt), Kamran Akmal, Ahmed Shehzad, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Sharjeel Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Junaid Khan, Bilawal Bhatti, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Akmal, Zulfiqar Babar, Mohammad Talha.

Irfan to miss Asia Cup, World T20 Posted: RAWALPINDI (AFP) - Lanky Pakistan paceman Mohammad Irfan was left out of Pakistans 15-man squads for this months Asia Cup and next months World Twenty20 after a recurrence of a hip injury, selectors said.Irfan -- the tallest ever man to play international cricket at 7 feet one inch -- fractured his hip in Pakistans Twenty20 series against South Africa in United Arab Emirates in November last year.However, his recovery proved short lived when the injury recurred in a domestic tournament this week, prompting chief selector Azhar Khan to say Irfan had to be left out of the squads.Irfan was left out as he fell injured again and he needs some time for recovery, Khan told reporters while announcing the squads.The Asia Cup will be held in Dhaka, from February 25 to March 8. Besides Pakistan - the defending champions - India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and hosts Bangladesh will also take part in the event.The fifth edition of the World Twenty20 with 16 teams in competition will also be held in Bangladesh from March 16 to April 6.Misbah-ul Haq will lead the one-day team while Mohammad Hafeez will be Twenty20 captain.There were recalls for left-handed batsman Fawad Alam and paceman Mohammad Talha in the one-day squads while wicket-keeper batsman Kamran Akmal got one more chance in the Twenty20 team.Alam, 28, played last of his 27 one-day internationals in September 2010.Shoaib Malik was also included in the Twenty20 squad after being withdrawn from the tour of South Africa in November last year due to injury.Kamran and Malik will give experience to the team for the important event, said Khan.Kamran played last of his 50 Twenty20 matches in South Africa in March last year.Batsmen Asad Shafiq and Haris Sohail lost their one-day places after being part of the squads for the series against Sri Lanka last year.Squad (Asia Cup): Misbah-ul Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Sharjeel Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Anwar Ali, Bilawal Bhatti, Junaid Khan, Umar Gul, Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Talha.World Twenty20: Mohammad Hafeez (capt), Kamran Akmal, Ahmed Shehzad, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Sharjeel Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Junaid Khan, Bilawal Bhatti, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Akmal, Zulfiqar Babar, Mohammad Talha.

62-year-old retired railway staffer dies in search of pension Posted: LAHORE (Dunya News) - After continuously traveling to Lahore from his hometown Pakpattan for over six months to unsuccessfully get his pension case through to the bureaucratic process, 62-year-old railway staffer Rab Nawas died after a cardiac arrest.Railway authorities scapegoated four employees by suspending them, Dunya News reported.62-year-old Rab Nawaz worked as ‘Points man’ for the Railways and the railway authorities reportedly made the man come to Lahore several times in a span of six months to go through the bureaucratic pension case registration process. What seemed like a never-ending process resulted in cardiac arrest and subsequent death of the man.Railway authorities said that the pension paperwork definitely takes ‘some time’ under normal circumstances and claimed that no negligence was made in Rab Nawaz’s case.The 62-year-old deceased couldn’t get the due pension in his life, but authorities vow to pay all the dues to his family by Monday.Railway authorities have suspended four employees over alleged negligence; none of them is an officer.

Quitting smoking makes you happier: study Posted: PARIS (AFP) - Moderate or heavy smokers who quit tobacco get a boost in mental wellbeing that, for people who are anxious or stressed, is equivalent to taking anti-depressants, a study said.British researchers examined 26 published investigations into the mental health of smokers.They looked at standardised scorecards for symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress and quality of life, derived from questionnaires completed by volunteers.The smokers were 44 years old on average and smoked between 10 and 40 cigarettes a day. They were questioned before they tried to give up smoking and again after their attempt -- an average of six months later.Those who succeeded in quitting reported reduced depression, anxiety and stress and had a more positive outlook on life compared with those who continued smoking.The effect sizes are equal or larger than those of anti-depressant treatment for mood and anxiety disorders, said the study.Quitters who had been diagnosed with psychiatric disorders enjoyed a similar improvement.Lead investigator Gemma Taylor of the University of Birminghams School of Health and Population Sciences said she hoped the findings would dispel a widespread misconception about smoking.Its a common myth that smoking actually is good for your mental health -- smoking relieves stress, smoking helps you relax, smoking helps you enjoy things -- and that common myth is really hard to overcome, Taylor said.But actually, the study showed that when you stop smoking and you break the nicotine withdrawal cycle, your mental health improves.Taylor pointed to a mainstream theory in tobacco addiction research: that a smokers psychological state fluctuates throughout the day as a result of exposure to nicotine.The sense of calm or wellbeing from a cigarette is followed immediately afterwards by classic withdrawal signs of a depressed mood, anxiety or agitation.Smokers, though, tend to misattribute these symptoms and blame them on stress or other factors.And because nicotine has a calming effect, they perceive that cigarettes improve their mental health.Smoking is already blamed for a wide range of physical diseases and disorders, ranging from cancer, blindness and cardiac problems to diabetes, gum disease and impotence.The UNs World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated last July that tobacco kills almost six million people each year, a toll that will rise to eight million annually in 2030.About four out of every five deaths will occur in low- and middle-income nations, it said.Despite a decline in smoking prevalence in some nations, in overall terms the number of people smoking today is greater than in 1980, due to population growth, according to a paper published last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Not just baby talk, chatting spurs brain development: study Posted: CHICAGO (AFP) - Baby talk is more than just bonding: chatting with your infant spurs important brain development that sets the stage for lifelong learning, researchers said.And while high-pitched, sing-song tones may capture your babys attention, the best way for them to learn is to be spoken to like adults. At least when it comes to vocabulary and sentence structure.Its not just how much speech you get, but the kind of speech you get, said Erika Hoff, a psychologist at Florida Atlantic University.Speech needs to be rich and complex.Talking to babies is so important that researchers say it is a major reason why children from disadvantaged backgrounds perform poorly in school.By the time they reach the age of five, the children of low-income, poorly educated parents typically score two years behind their privileged peers on standardized language tests.These differences can also be measured in the brain, said Columbia University neurologist and pediatrician Kimberly Noble.The human brain experiences incredible growth in its early years.By the age of three, it has formed 1,000 trillion neural connections -- the links between cells that help the brain do everything from picking up a stick to remembering song lyrics.A childs experiences really come into play to determine whether those connections strengthen or are dropped or pruned, Noble told reporters at the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences annual meeting.Noble and her colleagues compared the brains of children with low socioeconomic status to those whose parents are highly educated and paid well.While they found differences in the core cognitive systems that support social skills and memory, the largest disparities were in the brain structures for language development.With increasing age, children from higher socioeconomic backgrounds devoted more neural real estate to those regions, she said.- Rich, varied language early -Stanford University psychologist Anne Fernald has found that the language gap can be measured as early as 18 months. By a childs second birthday that gap is already six months wide.Fernald and her colleagues made recordings of what a group of low-income, Spanish-speaking children heard all day.They found that infants didnt gain much from simply overhearing their parents and caregivers talk -- the real learning came from being spoken to directly.It is crucial to develop culturally sensitive interventions to teach low-income parents to talk to their children, Fernald told reporters.Theres a wide range of views about whether its even appropriate to talk to a child -- in some cultures it is not, Fernald said.A pilot project she is running in San Jose to teach Latina mothers to engage verbally with their children has shown promising results.By 24 months, the children of more engaged moms are developing bigger vocabularies and processing spoken language more efficiently, Fernald said.While parents might want to help their children prepare for school by speaking to them in English, Hoff said they are usually better off sticking to their native tongue.A study she was set to present on Friday showed that when parents dont have a firm grasp of a second language, they arent able to teach it to their children.Instead, they end up limiting their childrens overall language development by failing to expose them to more complex speech.We want to do whatever it takes to give children access to rich, varied language input at an early age, Hoff said.Parents wanting to enrich their children with a bilingual education also have to weigh the cost.Learning two languages is a great thing. What we have to recognize is that learning two languages does not happen for free, Hoff said. You dont learn two languages as quickly as you learn one.

Kitty litter parasite infects Arctic beluga whales Posted: CHICAGO (AFP) - A parasite that is found in cats and can cause brain disease, blindness and miscarriage in people has been found for the first time in Arctic beluga whales, scientists said.Its emergence in western Arctic beluga has raised concerns about the indigenous Inuit people who eat whale meat as part of their traditional diet and may be exposed to new health risks.This common parasite in the lower 48 (US states) is now emerging in the Arctic and we found it for the first time in a population of western Arctic beluga, said Michael Grigg, a molecular parasitologist with the US National Institutes of Health.This is a parasite that is secreted by cats so what is it doing in the Arctic and why now is it in the beluga? And that is what we are starting to investigate. How did it get there?Grigg told reporters at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Chicago that the rise in the number of cats worldwide is likely increasing the risks of the parasites transmission.The beluga are apparently suffering only mild inflammation from the infection, but scientists can only judge that based on what they see, and there are concerns that if the parasite is causing deadly infections, the toll on marine mammals may go unseen in the vast Arctic.The regular travels of the belugas, from Canadian waters in the summer and back to Russian waters in the winter, mean that the parasites could get picked up anywhere along the route, said researcher Stephen Raverty, a veterinary pathologist with the British Columbia Agriculture Ministry.Some experts are concerned that global warming could be causing the spread of new diseases in the worlds oceans, and that the thawing of ice in the Arctic has removed a key barrier, allowing pathogens to move into new areas and infect vulnerable creatures.The animals themselves are telling us what is going on in the ecosystem, they are sending that message, said Sue Moore, a scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.We have to get better at interpreting it and bringing together the science of marine mammal health and marine mammal ecology.

Mega-merger would unite Comcast, Time Warner Cable Posted: NEW YORK (AFP) - Comcast unveiled plans Thursday to swallow rival Time Warner Cable in a mega-deal that triggered debate on the creation of a cable-Internet behemoth.News of the $45.2 billion deal uniting the largest two US cable firms raised regulatory concerns about the reach of Comcast, which owns NBC Universals film and television assets and is one of the largest providers of cable Internet.Comcast chairman and chief executive Brian Roberts said the plan would allow Comcast to deploy new technologies for delivering streaming content and use the Internet cloud, with greater efficiency.By combining, the companies said they could save $1.5 billion in operating costs while providing new services and products.The mutually agreed merger is a triumph for Comcast over its rival Charter Communications, the nations fourth largest cable operator, and Liberty Media Corp, its biggest shareholder.The deal represents an offer of $158.82 per share, about $23 above where TWC has been trading and comfortably above Charters offer of $132.50 a share, which was rejected as too low.Comcast is already a dominant force in cable with nearly 22 million video subscribers.Time Warner Cable, which was spun off as an independent company in 2009 from the Time Warner media-entertainment conglomerate, has 12 million.The companies said their merger agreement is subject to shareholder approval and regulatory review.But the news immediately raised concerns about the creation of a dominant force that spans cable, Internet and the content flowing over the networks.Trefis analysts warned the combined company would command about 30 percent market share for cable.Delara Derakhshani at Consumers Union said the merger has the potential to be a very bad deal for consumers.This industry is notoriously unpopular with consumers due to poor customer service, not to mention ever-increasing bills, and a deal this size doesnt exactly convince us that things will get better, she said.John Bergmayer at the consumer activist group Public Knowledge urged antitrust authorities and the Federal Communications Commission to block the deal.He said an enlarged Comcast would be the bully in the schoolyard, able to dictate terms to content creators, Internet companies, other communications networks... and distributors.Craig Aaron at the advocacy group Free Press said the deal would give Comcast a dominant share of the US pay-TV market and triple-play market for video, voice and Internet service.Americans already hate dealing with the cable guy... But this deal would be the cable guy on steroids -- pumped up, unstoppable and grasping for your wallet, Aaron said.John Simpson at the activist group Consumer Watchdog said the deal may be good for Time Warners shareholders and Wall Street fat cats, but there is no way creating this media juggernaut can be considered in the public interest.Comcast said that in order to address competition concerns, it is prepared to divest systems serving about three million subscribers, leaving a net gain of approximately eight million.That would bring Comcasts managed subscriber total to roughly 30 million.Analysts said regulators may approve the deal but impose conditions.While we see no fundamental barrier to deal approval, conditions may be placed on the combined company to amplify and extend the types of conditions that were placed on the Comcast-NBCU deal in 2010 aimed at fostering online and video competition, said RBC Capital Markets analyst Jonathan Atkin.The 2010 merger required Comcast and NBCU to sell content to other video providers at non-discriminatory prices, not discriminate against rivals through its set-top boxes and not take steps to restrict the distribution of its programs and films.Geoffrey Manne, senior fellow at the technology think tank TechFreedom said competition concerns should be minimal because Comcast has already agreed to conditions in these areas for its NBCU acquisition.If anything, the merger will effectively provide consumers with more bargaining power to rein in overall programming costs and lower their bills, Manne said.Comcast shares fell 4.1 percent to $52.97 and TWC rose seven percent to $144.81.

Tea boy slur brews a backlash for Indias ruling party Posted: NEW DELHI (AFP) - Indias tea makers are an industrious bunch whose road-side stalls are places of clanking kitchenware, gossip, and scalding hot brews.Many vendors like Jaiveer Jasiwal, whose grimy family-run stand can be found in the old part of Delhi, dream of bigger things. But few ever thought one of their own might one day rise to be prime minister.That prospect, in a country still riven by caste and ruled for most of its post-independence history by a single dynasty, looks increasingly likely with the rise of opposition leader Narendra Modi.And thanks to an ill-advised political barb from a ruling party MP who mocked Modis time as a chai wallah (tea boy), tea stands have been thrust centre stage in a bitter campaign for the national elections due by May.On Wednesday night, Modi began Chai pe Charcha (Discussion over Tea), which saw him slurp a glass in his home state and take questions about governance.The event was broadcast to tea stands and their working class clients across the country in 300 cities, including Jasiwals, a stones throw from the citys landmark Red Fort.He (Modi) represents people like us who have small means, but big dreams, said Jasiwal, 28, who also runs what he describes as a one-man business consultancy firm on the side.And if he can do it and I can sort of do it, then anyone can do anything. PM, doctor, teacher, actor, anything, he said.Modi, a hardline Hindu nationalist whose links to religious riots in 2002 make him a divisive figure, is pitching a message of jobs, development, aspiration and social mobility.One of his perceived assets is his background as a lower caste former tea boy from western Gujarat who raised through the ranks of grassroots Hindu organizations to become PM candidate for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).In his public addresses, often delivered in coarse Hindi and dripping with sarcasm, Modi routinely derides his main opponent, Rahul Gandhi, as a shahzada or prince.Gandhi, a Harvard-educated son, grandson and great-grandson of Indian prime ministers, still appears to struggle with his famous name and new role leading the ruling Congress party into elections.Faced with a backlash against the English-speaking political establishment, epitomised by the surge of the new Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party, the recent mockery of Modis background appears to have spectacularly backfired.Speaking at a meeting of the Congress party in January, upper house MP Mani Shankar Aiyar told reporters of Modi: There is no way he can be prime minister in the 21st century... But if he wants to come and serve tea here we can make some room for him.Gandhi reportedly later condemned the remark in private -- although he praised Aiyar publicly at the meeting -- and commentators quickly seized on a slur seen as both casteist and patronising.It was also at odds with the mood of the country at a time of immense economic change that has seen aspirations rise and the shackles of the ancient caste system loosen further.That remark can be very damaging, said Christophe Jaffrelot, from Sciences Po University in Paris, one of the leading international experts on India.I do think now that times have changed and you cant claim that the lineage is an asset. Its a liability, he told AFP.If true, in a country where business and politics have long been dominated by a handful of well-connected families, this would represent a radical change.See their mentality, Modi said recently at a campaign stop in northern Uttar Pradesh, referring to Congress, which has been in power nationally since 2004.They do not like if a chai wallah, a son of a poor mother walks with his head held high, he added. The Congress has insulted the poor, mocked my origins as a tea seller.Jaffrelot says only once has India had a prime minister whose background is comparable with Modis: H.D Deve Gowda, whose agricultural heritage and rustic Hindi set him apart from colleagues during his brief 1996-97 rule.And in a country where up to 90 percent of the working population have jobs in the informal sector -- like tea stalls -- Modi can sell his personal story to a formidable constituency.The problem with most politicians, be it Congress or BJP or whoever, is their arrogance, said tea seller Rameez, 33, who works in the Delhi suburb of Noida.As rickshaw drivers and factory workers waited for a drink he added: They feel only the rich and educated become prime ministers. At least Modi knows how to make tea, has Aiyar ever made anything himself? Doubtful.Rameez plans to open a restaurant.I dont think Ill become prime minister or the president, he said. But I definitely know that I can do something big.

Asian carriers lift Singapore Air show deals to new high Posted: SINGAPORE (AFP) - Singapore Air show organizers on Friday announced a record high of more than $32 billion in deals as Asian carriers ordered more aircraft to meet explosive demand for cheap, short-range travel.European manufacturer Airbus accounted for nearly half of the total, with almost $15 billion worth of orders for its popular A320 single-aisle plane and flagship A380 superjumbo.The total figure beats the previous record of $31 billion set during the 2012 edition of the biennial event, and was more than triple the $10 billion spent in 2010.It is Asias largest combined aviation and defense show, with more than 1,000 exhibitors from 47 countries participating.Trade days ended Friday and the exhibition will be open to the public over the weekend.Emerging Asian carriers were the stars of the air show, forging deals that underscored the regions importance as the growth driver of global aviation.Jimmy Lau, managing director of Experia Events which organized the air show, predicted an upward trend for smaller aircraft plying domestic routes.The people who will be likely making good inroads are (firms such as) Embracer and Bombardier who will be selling their regional jets to countries like Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, Lau said during a press conference.Airbus received its first order of the year for the double-decker A380, the worlds biggest passenger plane, when British-based leasing firm Amedeo signed an $8.3 billion deal for 20 of the aircraft.The purchase agreement put Airbus on track to meet its target of 30 orders for the A380 in 2014.Airbus had suffered some setbacks last year with the discovery of cracks on some of the giant jetliners wings.Airbus also won an order for 63 A320 jets worth $6.4 billion from fledgling Vietnamese budget carrier VietJetAir.Apart from the firm orders, the deal covered rights for VietJetAir to acquire or lease 38 more A320s, potentially boosting its current fleet of 11 tenfold.Airbus also used the event to showcase the new generation A350-XWB wide-body aircraft to Asian buyers. It is on track to come into service at the end of the year.US rival Boeing secured a commitment from Thai budget carrier Nok Air to buy 15 single-aisle B737s worth $1.45 billion.Myanmars national carrier Myanma Airways signed a deal to lease 10 Boeing 737s that will ply international routes as the once-reclusive country opens up further to the outside world.Brazilian manufacturer Embraer sprang a surprise when it announced a firm order for 50 of its E-Jets E2 aircraft worth $2.94 billion from Indian carrier Air Costa, which began operations only in October last year.The deal with Air Costa also includes purchase rights for 50 more of the aircraft, which can seat between 70 and 130 passengers.Airline executives say many smaller cities in Asia remain underserved despite the rapid growth in budget air travel, and they will use the new planes to connect such destinations to metropolitan centers.Economists said Asias expanding middle class is driving demand following years of steady economic growth in the region.The United States, which was this years featured country and showcased both defense and commercial products, said it was satisfied with the results.The visitors here are serious about seeking American technology, quality -- and potential partners. These are the customers that change business for our exhibitors and the reason why so many American businesses of all sizes come to this show, said Tom Kallman, who managed the US pavilion at the event.

Indian inflation falls to eight-month low Posted: NEW DELHI (AFP) - Indias inflation fell to an eight-month low in December due to easing food prices, data showed Friday, providing some good news for the government ahead of national elections.The scandal-hit Congress-led government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is desperate to tame inflation and revive the economy as it seeks a third term in office at national elections due by May.The Wholesale Price Index -- the most widely watched price barometer -- eased to 5.05 percent in January from a year earlier, down sharply from 6.16 percent the previous month.The decline was on par with analysts forecasts of just under six percent.The latest figures come after the government announced this week that retail inflation -- compiled using a narrower basket of goods -- plunged to a two-year low of 8.79 percent in January.With industrial output shrinking by 0.6 percent in December in the third straight monthly contraction, business has been clamoring for a cut in lending rates to help boost slumping growth.But the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised its benchmark policy rate to 8.0 percent last month in a bid to wrestle down inflation, which it has signaled is its top priority.In its mid-year review on the economy presented to parliament this week, the government also said prices need to be curbed.The outlook on growth is also threatened by certain downside risks, the biggest being the high rate of inflation, which further dents the ability of the RBI to extend monetary policy support to growth revival, it said.Ministry of Commerce and Industry figures showed Friday food prices, a main driver of inflation, rose 8.80 percent year-on-year, but were down from a rise of 13.68 percent in the previous month.The cost of all vegetables rose 16.60 percent year-on-year, down from 57.33 percent last month, while onions, regarded as a cooking essential in India, rose 6.59 percent, down from a 40 percent rise in December.

French economy grows 0.3% in 2013, flags at year end Posted: PARIS (AFP) - The French economy turned in slightly firmer growth than expected last year, expanding by 0.3 percent, but disappointed in the final quarter in a mixed message for the beleaguered government.This was a stride ahead of the governments own estimate that the economy would limp into growth of just 0.1 percent in 2013, and will come as a small relief in the run-up to municipal elections.Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said in remarks on France 2 television that the latest official figures, although better than expected, meant that more has to be done to get unemployment down.The latest official figure for the year was just ahead of the national statistic institutes forecast in December of 0.2-percent growth.But since then the INSEE institute had already slightly upgraded its estimates for growth in the first and third quarters, from shrinkage of 0.1 percent to zero.However, in the last three months of the year, the economy showed growth of 0.3 percent, INSEE said in its first estimates.That fell short of its forecast in December for expansion of 0.4 percent.The government, faced with weak and unsteady recovery from recession, will be thankful for every extra drop of growth, as it struggles to engineer a change of policy to cut charges on businesses and to make deep cuts in public spending.Growth raises the prospects of job creation, although these figures are far too low to begin to dent record unemployment in the country, one reason why Francois Hollande, a socialist, is suffering from the lowest approval ratings on recent record for a French president.Growth also raises revenue from taxes which the Socialist-Green government urgently needs to help meet European Union rules for reducing the public deficit, along with fraught negotiations under way to cut deeply into public spending.France has the euro zone’s second-biggest economy.The state of its finances is closely watched by its partners, in particular economic powerhouse Germany which reported growth of 0.4 percent for the last quarter on Friday, after 0.3 percent in the previous quarter.Hollande has turned his sights on the economy in the hope of avoiding a heavy defeat in local elections next month.A critical factor in French growth is household consumption, and this rose by 0.4 percent last year having fallen by the same amount in 2012.However, a vital factor in recovery is investment, and in the fourth quarter this showed signs of getting going, rising by 0.6 percent after seven quarters of retreat.In remarks to AFP, INSEE explained: There is really a coincidence of three factors: investment has risen after two years of falls, consumption was robust at the end of the year, and exports rose in the fourth quarter.Moscovici said: I am not satisfied, and I say lets do more.

 

Aerial Firing – Violent Celebrations

Aerial firing is an idiotic & dangerous act, yet experienced quite often here in Pakistan.

Why do they do it?

• Well for one, Show off! Shooters believe this way they are looking cooler, dashing & impressive. For them, it is something that attracts attention and respect. Many people do consider this show off as an enjoyment. Those usually does not belong to a literate class.

• This is used to express their might and dominance.  By such act they are sending message “Let’s play” to certain people, group of people based on caste, tribe, controversy or cause etc. Or this can be an attempt to upset their adversaries. Well that works if you ask me, they do get upset, jealous and angry on this and they too start doing same thing. This can lead to anything which is certainly not so peaceful.

• To spread harassment and terror among innocent civilians, to prevail some evil cause I suppose.

• People do that check functionality of their weapons, Just to make sure the damn thing works. You may not believe but maybe some 5% of gun owners would go to guns clubs or ranges to test their weapons or shoot for fun. The rest considers sky the target. Gun clubs and shooting ranges are not a common thing around here and I hear they are expensive too.

How do they do it?

On certain occasions including but not limited to weddings, basant, shab-e-barat, wins of any kind or rivalry collisions. Men gather on one spot and start discharging their weapons of course towards sky. More shooters means more fun and dominance. Peoples will gather around them and praise the best shooters. Since most of them have no idea what SOP of a firearm is the name of what sparrow, They do everything in highly unprofessional and quite funny attitudes. Thus meanwhile (that happens often) a shooter blows somebody’s head with an accidental shot. Whole party ends because of dead/injured guy. Google it and see for your self.

At one moment they are hooting, challenging, singing while shooting their weapons.

Suddenly next moment, they are holding their beloved cousin, brother or friend in their arms saying last prayers for the dead on very same spot. How odd.

Also as these shootings occur,  Grown ups and kids do gather around them or lean their heads from their rooftops to get amusement. Sometimes one of those too becomes bulls eye. In such cases usually shooter escape from crime scene. On top of that, such individuals can be drunk too as that is also a “fun thing” during celebrations. So there is nothing safe nearby this playground. Avoid going near them at all times.
To test fire,  Individuals usually go to rooftops of backyards to check their weapons. Not to mention the panic and scare that produces for the neighbourhood. Children nearby start crying and people rush around to find out who is killed. Though it is very common so neighbourhood does not go paranoid but children still do cry and get scared.
I visited a friend not long ago. We were having a walk on his crops land. He was carrying a 7mm bolt action rilfe ( long range shooter). During our conversation as I inquired him about this rifle saying..

“I think you are quite fond of bolt action” I said.
“This weapon was built 50 years ago, My father inherited this from my grandfather and now this is inherited to me. It has a very smooth function. Let me show you”

Next moment he very quickly shoots 4 rounds while walking. Shooting angle was shocking 15 degree straight ahead. You can imagine it as if a person shoots at a target 3 meters high on 10 meters distance. I know that’s insane. He turned back and looked at me for approval for weapons quick functionality.But  I was looking straight ahead where I could clearly see houses and streets of a small village maybe a kilometer distance.  Trajectory was set directly in middle of that village.

“Those projectiles are definitely going to land there somewhere packing a deadly punch” I thought.

I didn’t argue with him as it was a waste of words. I like to think, most of such shooters think since the weapon only makes bang and projectile is unseen. Its untouched too. It is not going to hit anybody or anything with destructive force. At least they behave like that. My friend was no exception.

Should they do it? well, me going against this is not going to change shit. Never. But still I want to say this is very dangerous. Innocent people suffer serious injuries or death. This causes disturbance for others. Not to mention this is fairly stupid thing quite frankly. Oh and did I mention this is crime according to Pakistan Penal Code’s section 337-H(ii) ? Because it is! Shooter will face charged and prosecution.

Dunya TV News Letter 07-Feb-2014

Dunya TV

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• Syria must speed up removal of chemical weapons: UN
• 7 bombs hit Baghdad as US lawmakers slam Maliki
• At least 22 dead in central Nigeria attack: locals
• Tennis: Nadal withdraws from Buenos Aires event
• Golf: Woods confirms he'll skip WGC Match Play
• Golf: Forsyth back in the hunt at Joburg Open
• Rallying: Ogier in lead in Sweden
• Cycling: German Kittel wins Dubai Tour 2nd stage
• Oil strikes 2014 peak
• Dollar mixed ahead of January jobs report
• Sri Lanka question 'illegal' ICC revamp
• England remain coy over Pietersen axe
• Nigeria's ex-militant leader held over 'inflammatory' comments
• Eight dead, one missing in South Africa mine blaze
• Syria, UN in 'Homs aid deal' as Aleppo fighting hots up

Syria must speed up removal of chemical weapons: UN Posted: UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - Syria must move faster to remove its deadly chemical weapons stockpile and meet the June 30 deadline set for destroying its arsenal, the UN Security Council demanded Thursday.The 15 member nations call upon the Syrian Arab Republic to expedite actions to meet its obligations, the councils president for the month, Lithuanias UN ambassador Raimonda Murmokaite, told reporters..The chemical weapons must be transported to the Syrian port of Latakia in a systematic and sufficiently accelerated manner, Murmokaite insisted, after summarizing the closed door discussions the council held earlier Thursday with Sigrid Kaag, who is tasked with coordinating Syrias disarmament.Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has pledged to eliminate Syrias entire chemical weapons arsenal by the end of June or face sanctions, including the possible use of force.Less than five percent of the deadly stockpile has been removed from Syria, according to Washington, and Damascus has just missed another key deadline.Rejecting in part Damascas explanations for the delay, the Security Council noted that, according to UN assessments,Syria has sufficient material and equipment as well as substantial international support to transport their chemical weapons stockpile in line with deadlines.The Lithuanian ambassador welcomed the cooperation between the government and the joint mission by the United Nations and Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical weapons led by Kaag.The councils members remain committed to seeing the 30 June deadline met, Murmokaite concluded.Earlier Thursday, diplomats said Kaag had told the council that Syrias delay in destroying its chemical arsenal was not insurmountable but Damascus must sharply step up the pace to meet its deadlines.As the Council is aware, the intermediate timeline objectives have not been met. Syria is at critical juncture, diplomats quoted Kaag as warning the council.Western powers have expressed concern at the slow pace of the handover, fearing that Assad is playing for time, but Russia, Syrias key ally on the UN Security Council, called for calm.Things are moving along, Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin said on Wednesday.We are confident this project is going to be accomplished in a timely manner and these chemicals are going to be destroyed.But, even before Kaags briefing, envoys remained skeptical.We feel the times for excuses has run out, British ambassador Mark Lyall Grant said as he arrived.There needs be proper arrangements for accelerating the process of getting the chemicals out of Syria.The United States says only about four percent of Syrias declared arsenal has left the port of Latakia so far -- far less than the 700 tonnes the country was supposed to dispose of by the end of 2013.In addition to the 700 tonnes of the most deadly agents that should have been dealt with last year, another 500 tonnes of less deadly category two chemicals should have left by Wednesday.In fact, only two small shipments have left Latakia, on January 7 and 27. Another 120 tonnes of isopropanol is due to be shipped before March 1.The UN Security Council last year backed a US-Russian deal to destroy Syrias vast chemical arsenal after chemical attacks near Damascus that Washington blamed on the regime.

7 bombs hit Baghdad as US lawmakers slam Maliki Posted: BAGHDAD (AFP) - Seven bombs ripped through Baghdad killing seven people Thursday, hours after American lawmakers criticised the slow pace of political reconciliation in Iraq which they said was stoking the worsening violence.The blasts, which mostly targeted Shiite-majority neighbourhoods of the capital, come amid the countrys deadliest protracted period of unrest since 2008 as security forces grapple with near-daily attacks and battle militants in Anbar province.Diplomats have called for the Shiite-led government to do more to reach out to the disaffected Sunni Arab minority, but with a general election looming in April, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has taken a hard line.There has been no let-up in the bloodshed, with seven bombs going off across Baghdad from around noon (0900 GMT), while militants also mounted a massive, though ultimately abortive, assault on a jail in northern Iraq.The blasts in the capital killed at least seven people and wounded more than 40, security and medical officials said.Four of the neighbourhoods hit are populated mostly by Iraqs Shiite majority. The other three bombs went off in commercial districts in the centre of Baghdad.The blasts came a day after 33 people were killed in the capital, 25 of them in a series of bombings near the heavily fortified Green Zone, which is home to parliament, the prime ministers office and the US and British embassies.No one immediately claimed responsibility for the latest attacks, but Sunni militant groups, including the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), have claimed previous bombing campaigns targeting Shiites in the capital.Elsewhere in Iraq on Thursday, a car bomb near a Kurdish political partys offices killed one person in Tuz Khurmatu, while a police general and his bodyguard were wounded by a bombing in Baquba.In Nineveh province in the north, militants mounted a massive assault on Badush prison late on Wednesday, reminiscent of twin attacks on jails near Baghdad last July that succeeded in freeing dozens of inmates.The attempted prison break left one guard dead and 14 wounded, and involved mortar fire as a riot broke out inside the jail, but was ultimately repulsed, the justice ministry said.US House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Ed Royce said on Wednesday that Malikis failure to do more to address Sunni grievances had allowed ISIL to exploit the minority communitys alienation to sharply step up its attacks.As head of state, while he may not be up to it, Maliki must take steps to lead Iraq to a post-sectarian era, Royce said.Al-Qaeda has become very skilled at exploiting this sectarian rift, and Malikis power grab has given them much ammunition.US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq and Iran Brett McGurk insisted Maliki had made changes since he visited Washington in November and got a very direct message from President Barack Obama on enlisting the Sunnis into the fight.ISIL has also been fighting security forces in Anbar, a mostly Sunni desert region bordering Syria where militants have held parts of Ramadi and all of Fallujah for weeks.Security forces and tribal auxiliaries have made slow progress in Ramadi but recaptured several neighbourhoods late Tuesday, an AFP journalist reported.In Fallujah, however, security forces have largely stayed out of the city for fear that major incursions could spark high civilian casualties and heavy damage to property.The city was a bastion of the Sunni insurgency following the 2003 US-led invasion, and American troops there fought some of the costliest battles since the Vietnam War.Ahmed Abu Risha, a prominent tribal leader in the Sunni Awakening movement, which allied with US troops against Al-Qaeda and now supports the government, said an attack on the city was imminent and has urged anti-government fighters to lay down their arms.The standoff in Anbar has prompted more than 140,000 people to flee their homes, the UN refugee agency said, describing it as the worst displacement in Iraq since the peak of sectarian fighting between 2006 and 2008.

At least 22 dead in central Nigeria attack: locals Posted: JOS (AFP) - At least 22 people were killed in a raid in restive central Nigeria on Thursday, locals said, in the second such attack in the area this week.Gunmen opened fire in the predominantly Muslim village of Mavo in the Wase local government area of Plateau state at about 2:00 am (0100 GMT) in an apparent warning, witnesses said.Security forces in the area went to investigate and the gunmen returned in the early afternoon, shooting villagers and burning houses.The attackers came to the village in their hundreds and started shooting sporadically. I counted 22 persons who were already dead. Over 10 houses were also burnt, said local resident Nangak Bako.It was unclear who carried out the attack but on Tuesday, about 30 people were killed in two mainly Christian villages in the nearby Riyom district in a similar raid and more than 50 houses burnt.The interim administrator of Wase council, Zakari Haruna, and state police both confirmed the attack but neither gave a casualty figure. There was no immediate comment from the military.Plateau state has a long history of ethnic and religious violence between Hausa-speaking Muslim Fulani herdsman and Christian groups.The state lies in Nigerias so-called Middle Belt, where the majority Muslim north meets the predominantly Christian south.More than 10,000 people are thought to have died in tit-for-tat violence in Plateau and neighbouring Kaduna state since 1992, Human Rights Watch said in December last year.Other causes include perceived favouritism or discrimination on the part of the local authorities towards the two groups.

Tennis: Nadal withdraws from Buenos Aires event Posted: PARIS (AFP) - World number one Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from next week's ATP tournament in Buenos Aires because of a lingering back injury, the Spaniard announced on Thursday.Nadal posted a video on his official YouTube page, in which he said he had failed to fully recover from the back problem that plagued him during last month's Australian Open final.I wanted to make an announcement that really fills me with sadness. I will not be able to play in the tournament in Buenos Aires, Nadal said.Since I came back from the Australian Open with my back injury I have not been able to train.It is impossible for me to prepare properly for a tournament as important as Buenos Aires, so very unfortunately I have to take this decision.The 13-time Grand Slam champion was beaten 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 by Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka in the final in Melbourne.

Golf: Woods confirms he'll skip WGC Match Play Posted: LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Tiger Woods made it official on Thursday, confirming on his website that he'll skip the WGC Match Play Championship this month.The world number one announced that his next tournament will be the US PGA Tour's Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, February 27-March 2.After that he'll play the World Golf Championships Cadillac Championship at Doral near Miami, and the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Orlando -- in both of which he is the defending champion.The WGC-Cadillac is March 6-9, and the Palmer Invitational is March 20-23.That will then give Woods some time off before he tackles the first major of the year, the Masters at Augusta National April 10-13.The Honda Classic is close to my home, and I want to support it whenever I can, Woods said. We have a Learning Center at Murray Middle School in Stuart, Florida, and this event does so much to help the community, including the efforts of the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation.Woods' victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational last year was his eighth title at Bay Hill, and vaulted him back to number one in the world for the first time since 2010.I'm also excited about spending time with Arnold and defending my title at his tournament and the WGC-Cadillac. I'm looking forward to seeing what they've done at Doral, Woods said.Although he is a three-time winner of the WGC Match Play, Woods's decision to skip it had been expected.Even though original plans to travel to Sochi to watch girlfriend Lindsey Vonn have fallen by the wayside because of the knee injury that forced Vonn out of the Winter Games, Woods said he decided to use the week to get ready for the later events closer to his Florida home.I had planned to take that week off and travel with Lindsey to Sochi, but unfortunately that won't happen, Woods said. Instead, I'll stay home and prepare for the Florida tournaments.

Golf: Forsyth back in the hunt at Joburg Open Posted: JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - Scotlands Alastair Forsyth carded a seven-under 64 on the West Course to share the first-round lead in the European Tours Joburg Open on Thursday with Italian Ryder Cup star Edoardo Molinari and home hope Justin Walters.Also on seven under after 65, but on the par-72 East Course, was another Scot, Craig Lee.The field is split between the East and West Courses for the opening two rounds before the action descends on the East lay-out for the weekend.Forsyth, a two-time European Tour winner who has had to go back to Qualifying School, needed just 30 shots to reach the turn.The front nine was probably as good as Ive played in a long time, he said.I seemed to do everything right on the front nine, but I struggled a little on the back, where I ended up between clubs a few times. No dropped shots and seven birdies, so Im never going to complain with that.The 32-year-old Molinari has been impeded by a string of fitness issues since making his Ryder Cup debut alongside brother Francesco at The Celtic Manor Resort in 2010.Having finished tied for ninth in Dubai last week, the former US Amateur Champion was once again in fine form.Three British Open Championship places are on offer to the best-placed players in the top 10 not already exempt, with all of the leading trio yet to secure an invite to Royal Liverpool.Lee admitted that the added incentive of a major Championship debut was spurring him on.Its really hard to figure out where you are in the field with two golf courses, and with the east being slightly tougher I feel like Im in a good position, he said.If we can keep the same level of golf then we might be able to separate ourselves from the bunch.You dont really change your strategy, but its a great reward for three lucky guys wholl get a chance to play in The Open.Walters is also seeking a maiden major appearance - but may elect not to go to Hoylake even if he qualifies because his girlfriend is due to give birth that week.

Rallying: Ogier in lead in Sweden Posted: HAGFORS (AFP) - Frances Sebastien Ogier held the lead at the end of Thursdays action in the Rally of Sweden, the second leg of this years World Rally Championship.Volkswagen driver Ogier, the defending world champion and winner in Sweden last year, leads two fellow Volkswagen drivers in Andreas Mikkelsen of Norway and Jari-Matti Latvala of Finland.Mikkelsen trails by a margin of 5.8 seconds, with Latvala 12.2 seconds off the pace after a day which featured six stages covering a total of over 60 kilometres on icy roads and saw drivers cross the border into Norway.Ogier and Mikkelsen have won six of the seven special stages between them since the start of the event on Wednesday evening, with Estonias Ott Tanak winning special stage five.I didnt expect to finish the day in first place after being first on the road this morning, admitted Ogier.Friday will feature nine more special stages with almost 120 kilometres timed.

Cycling: German Kittel wins Dubai Tour 2nd stage Posted: DUBAI (AFP) - German cyclist Marcel Kittel, from team Giant-Shimano, secured his first victory this season after winning on Thursday the second stage of the Dubai Tour 2014.The 122-kilometre (76-mile) race started from the Dubai World Trade Centre, with 127 cyclists from 16 teams spanning around desert highways before concluding at the tip of the man-made Palm Island.American Taylor Phinney won the inaugural stage on Wednesday.Many roads were closed for the tour and several schools closed in fear of traffic problems.The four-stage race is, held for the first time in the Gulf emirate is 416.9-kilometre (259-mile) long.

Oil strikes 2014 peak Posted: LONDON (AFP) - Oil rallied Thursday to the highest level so far this year, propelled by the weak dollar, upbeat jobless claims data and strong heating fuel demand in the United States.US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for delivery in March jumped as high as $98.83 per barrel. It later stood at $98.16, up 78 cents from Wednesday.Brent North Sea crude for March rose 58 cents to stand at $106.83 a barrel in afternoon London deals.The oil market extended gains after US data showed weekly new claims for unemployment insurance fell to 331,000 from 351,000 the previous week.The bright data weighed on the greenback, which makes dollar-priced crude cheaper for buyers using stronger currencies. That tends to boost demand and prices.Crude futures also won solid support on stronger demand for heating fuel in the United States as the country grapples with severe winter, dealers said.The 20,000 drop in weekly jobless claims has helped weaken the US dollar and push US oil prices to four-week highs as another snow storm gets ready to hit the Eastern United States, said analyst Michael Hewson at trading firm CMC Markets UK.This has helped drag Brent prices higher along with it, even though todays European economic data was disappointing, with German factory orders sliding 0.5 percent in December.The improvement in US jobless claims, a sign of the pace of layoffs, came a day ahead of the Labor Department's January job growth and unemployment data.The oil market had risen on Wednesday after a closely-watched US oil inventories report suggested severe winter weather across large parts of the country was pushing up demand for heating oil.Stockpiles at the trading hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, sank 1.5 million barrels, the Department of Energy (DoE) said on Wednesday, indicating strong demand and lifting oil prices.US commercial crude reserves rose 400,000 barrels in the week ending January 31, the DoE added, much smaller than the average analyst estimate of 2.2 million.But traders focused on the fourth straight week of declines in distillates, which include diesel and heating oil.Distillates fell 2.4 million barrels, far more than the 2.0 million barrels estimated.Freezing conditions continue across the States, supporting heating oil demand, said analyst Lucy Sidebotham at British-based energy consultancy Inenco.Treacherous snow and freezing rain struck the northeastern United States on Wednesday, disrupting thousands of flights and causing traffic chaos for millions.More than 600,000 people were without power as high winds and ice knocked down trees and electrical lines.Most were in Pennsylvania, but New Jersey and New York also experienced significant outages.A state of emergency was declared in New Jersey and New York, where dwindling reserves of salt -- used to melt snow and road ice -- was a problem.

Dollar mixed ahead of January jobs report Posted: NEW YORK (AFP) - The dollar was mixed Thursday ahead of a US jobs report that could shed light on the health of the US economic recovery as the Federal Reserve reduces stimulus.The euro scored broad gains after the European Central Bank held its key interest rates steady and downplayed risks of damaging deflation in the eurozone.If the ECB is holding tight, maybe it means the situation is not so dramatic and recovery in Europe is still under way, said Alexandre Baradez, analyst at IG brokerage.The euro bought $1.3591 around 2200 GMT, up from $1.3533 late Wednesday.The common European currency advanced to 138.79 yen from 137.30 yen.The dollar also made headway against the Japanese currency, fetching 102.10 yen compared with 101.45 yen the prior day.The US Labor Department's report of January data on job creation and unemployment early Friday could make or break the greenback, said Kathy Lien of BK Asset Management.An abysmal December jobs report published in early January sent the dollar reeling. Market hopes are high that the shockingly low 74,000 jobs generated in December were a blip due to severe winter weather.Economists are predicting 175,000 jobs were added in January and the unemployment would remain unchanged at 6.7 percent.Lien noted that Thursday's strong US equities gains, a rally in risk currencies and an uptick in Treasury bond yields point to investor expectations for a solid jobs report, adding she was among those seeing job numbers rebounding.If they don't, the US economy is in big trouble and (new Fed chair) Janet Yellen's credibility will come under serious scrutiny, she said. There's a risk that the increase will fall short of expectations, driving the dollar sharply lower.Yellen, who took the helm of the central bank on February 1, is in the spotlight as she guides the Fed's exit from its massive stimulus begun under her predecessor Ben Bernanke.The pound, meanwhile, firmed against the dollar after the Bank of England held its record-low main interest rate steady. Sterling bought $1.6323, up from $1.6308 late Wednesday.The dollar slipped to 0.9004 Swiss franc from 0.9035 franc.

Sri Lanka question 'illegal' ICC revamp Posted: LONDON (AFP) - Sri Lanka have insisted plans for wholesale reform of the International Cricket Council are in conflict with the organisation's fundamental principles.Last month the ICC said it had reached unanimous agreement on the outline of a plan to give the sport's most financially powerful nations -- India, England and Australia -- a greater say in running the world game.Sri Lanka, together with Pakistan and South Africa, had already objected to the proposals when they were leaked ahead of an ICC board meeting in Dubai.Soon after the talks, it became clear several countries still had concerns ahead of Saturday's follow-up meeting in Singapore, which could see a vote on implementing the plans.In a letter seen by AFP in London, Sri Lanka Cricket board president Jayantha Dharmadasa has written to the ICC's head of legal affairs, Iain Higgins, warning the reforms are not valid in law.The letter, sent to the ICC's Dubai headquarters on February 5, states that one of the objects for which the ICC was established was to regulate and promote the game worldwide in co-operation with its members.However, Dharmadasa argued the proposed changes take away power from the 10 full members and vest it in an inordinately disproportionate manner in just three full members, namely the boards of India, England and Australia. The purported resolutions also have the effect of taking a disproportionately large share of the funding available from the ICC and distributing it among these three full members, Dharmadasa added. This is contrary to the equal revenue share model that is enshrined in the constitution.The other major proposed change is the end of the current Future Tours Programme, designed to give all 10 leading countries a regular diet of international cricket, and a return to 'bilateral' series.Critics such as former England captain Michael Atherton have said the plans represent the end of the notion that a fair and principled and just body can govern cricket in the interests of all.But the 'Big Three' have insisted their scheme is about more than their own self-interest, with England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Giles Clarke saying: If the status quo was so successful, why were so many countries in a perilous financial state?He added: All countries earn more through this proposal. No member would earn less and, if our predictions are correct, most will earn an awful lot more. How can that be bad for cricket?

England remain coy over Pietersen axe Posted: LONDON (AFP) - England national selector James Whitaker refused to reveal on Thursday why Kevin Pietersens international career had been cut short, citing legal reasons.Whitaker, in his first public appearance since replacing Geoff Miller as Englands selection supremo, was the first member of the England and Wales Cricket Board hierarchy to comment since a carefully-worded statement issued Tuesday signalled the end of star batsman Pietersens time in the international game.The intervening 48 hours had seen the ECB widely criticised by the likes of England great Ian Botham for failing to provide a specific reason as to why Pietersen, Englands leading run scorer across all international formats, had been jettisoned.That left a statement which spoke of a need to rebuild not only the team but also the team ethic and philosophy after Englands 5-0 Ashes series thrashing in Australia.Whitaker, asked about Pietersens England exile, told Sky Sports: That is a legal position and at the moment Im not at liberty to say.Whitakers mobile phone then appeared to ring and the interview was briefly halted.But when it resumed, he added: Unfortunately Im not in a position to reiterate what reasons there have been.Thursday saw Whitaker announce Englands first post-Pietersen squads for the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh and the preceding limited overs series in the West Indies.The one-day international team and the England Twenty20 team has played a number of matches over the last 12 months or so without Kevin and, on occasion, performed very well, and I would hope thats the case going forward, said former batsman Whitaker, a one Test wonder against Australia in 1986.Its still a surprise going to an ICC competition without one of your leading run-scorers but the players and management are well rehearsed in coping without him.What I can say is this is a group of players who can look forward to re-energising the team going forward with different values, (to) re-evaluate the culture of the team.England, over the last four or five years, have shown these good values.Over time they can dissipate a little but now is a good time to rewrite those values.Uncapped duo Moeen Ali and Stephen Parry were included in a 15-man group for both events, while fellow newcomer Harry Gurney will head to the West Indies.The only time England have won a major limited overs international trophy was when, with Pietersen playing a leading role, they triumphed at the 2010 World Twenty20 in the Caribbean.

Nigeria's ex-militant leader held over 'inflammatory' comments Posted: ABUJA (AFP) - Nigerias secret police said on Thursday that it was holding a former militant leader from the oil-rich Niger Delta, in the latest crackdown on potential trouble before elections next year.Presidential and parliamentary polls are scheduled for February 2015 but tensions are already rising between President Goodluck Jonathans ruling party and the main opposition.Department of State Services (DSS) spokeswoman Marylin Ogar told AFP that Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, leader of the outlawed Niger Delta Volunteer Force, had been invited for questioning.His invitation is based on our earlier warning to all Nigerians to desist from making inflammatory statements that could threaten (the) peace and security of the nation, she said. He is still with us.The Niger Delta Volunteer Force led a violent campaign to seek a greater share of Nigerias oil wealth from the people of the resource-rich south during the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo, who ruled from 1999 to 2007.The activities of Asari-Dokubo, a Muslim convert formerly known as Melford Dokubo Goodhead Jr, led to a substantial drop in Nigerias oil production, prompting the government to jail him.He was released in 2007 after renouncing violence, and has lately been drumming up support for Jonathan, who also hails from the Niger Delta region.The last time Obasanjo arrested me, my arrest reduced Nigerias oil production to 700,000 barrels per day, he was quoted as saying in the local media.This time, we will reduce it to zero and we will match violence with violence. We are ready for them. Jonathan will complete his tenure of two terms whether they like it or not.Asari-Dokubo is concerned that another president may roll back on agreements that have seen a greater share of oil revenues distributed back to the producing regions.Last week, the DSS quizzed Nasir El-Rufai, a former minister and key opposition figure, over comments he made that were interpreted as a possible incitement to violence.The DSS last month warned anyone seeking to foment unrest before the keenly watched vote after the two main parties traded threats and insults over the key state of Rivers, in the southern Delta.The states governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has been locked in a battle with Jonathan for months over claims that Rivers was missing out on lucrative oil revenue and federal infrastructure projects.Amaechi was one of five governors to defect last year from Jonathans Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), prompting dozens of lawmakers to follow suit.The APC on January 23 accused state police commissioner Joseph Mbu of being a de facto military governor for disrupting peaceful party rallies, including one in which a key Amaechi ally was shot.Mbu is widely seen by the opposition as loyal to Jonathan.On Thursday, the Police Service Commission announced that Mbu would be redeployed from Rivers to the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja, without specifying the date for the transfer.He will be replaced by Johnson Ogunsaki, who moves from the Special Fraud Unit.The information commissioner for Rivers state, Ibim Semenitari, said Mbu had been a major embarrassment for the police while APC spokesman Lai Mohammed said their stance had been vindicated.God has answered our prayer. When God has answered your prayer and He is on your side, what else can you say? he added.People accused us of making too much noise about Mbu. But our so-called noise has paid off. Let us watch and see what happens.

Eight dead, one missing in South Africa mine blaze Posted: DOORNKOP (AFP) - Eight workers have been found dead deep inside a burning South African gold mine, their union said Thursday, as rescuers raced to find one miner still missing.The bodies were discovered late Wednesday at the mine west of Johannesburg, National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) spokesman Livhuwani Mammburu told AFP.An earth tremor is thought to have triggered the accident at Harmony Golds Doornkop mine, some 1.7 kilometres (more than a mile) below ground.After the tremor, a resulting rock fall is thought to have damaged electric cables and started the fire that caused the most serious mining accident in South Africa since 2009.Seventeen miners had initially been trapped by the blaze.On Wednesday eight were rescued from a underground refuge chamber, a sealed unit with compressed air and water supply.Eight more were found dead after a search that was hampered by heavy smoke and ground tremors. The search continues for the ninth employee, Harmony Gold said in a statement.Like his colleagues, the unnamed miner was provided with a rescue pack, which provides enough air to breathe for 30 to 35 minutes -- theoretically enough time to get to a rescue chamber.As rescue teams toiled underground to find the man, hundreds of his colleagues gathered in front of the shaft for a memorial service to the eight men that did not make it.They joined in prayer and -- although many come from neighbouring Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique -- sang South Africas national anthem.People died, these guys are my colleagues, said miner Zacaria Maude.Its not good when you wake up in the morning you say youre going to work -- you tell your wife and children -- but at the end of the day, you never come back. I find it very, very, very sad.Company CEO Graham Briggs told AFP said the firm was working to make contact with the families of the deceased and provide counselling and financial help.No matter what it costs to recover the situation, we will spend that money to recover the situation, he said.InvestigationMining Minister Susan Shabangu described the incident was deeply regrettable and said an inquiry would begin as soon as the last man was found.We must ensure that we do all we can to get to the bottom of what caused this incident, in order to prevent similar occurrences in future, she said.Operations at Harmony Golds Doornkop mine will cease until the area has been declared safe for employees.Accidents are commonplace in South Africas mines, which are the deepest in the world.In July 2009, nine workers were killed in a rock fall in a platinum mine.The same year, at least 82 people digging illegally in an disused gold mine shaft died when a fire broke out underground.Throughout the 20th century, an estimated 69,000 people died South Africas mining industry, according to a government-sponsored commission of inquiry.But the number of fatal accidents has fallen sharply in recent years.According to union figures, 112 people died in the mines in 2012.The gold industry has over the past five years improved its health and safety standards tremendously, and for such an incident to occur is obviously a setback, said Shabangu.Doornkop is a single-shaft mine, which operates up to two kilometres down on the Kimberley and South Reefs. The mine produced 3,631 kilogrammes of gold in 2013.The Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed firm is Africas third largest gold producer, with operations also in Papua New Guinea.South Africas gold mining has steadily decreased over the past 40 years, sliding from top global producer to world number six.The country produced 167,235 kilogrammes of gold in 2012.

Syria, UN in 'Homs aid deal' as Aleppo fighting hots up Posted: DAMASCUS (AFP) - Syria and the UN have struck an aid deal for besieged areas of Homs, officials said Thursday, as more than 250 people were reported killed in six days of barrel-bomb attacks in Aleppo.Also in northern Syria, rebels seized control of most of Aleppos central prison, freeing hundreds of detainees, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.A week after peace talks in Geneva at which the situation in besieged districts of the city of Homs was discussed, state news agency SANA said an agreement has been reached to allow aid in and safe passage out for civilians.Homs governor Talal al-Barazi and UN resident coordinator Yaacoub El Hillo have reached an agreement securing the exit of innocent civilians from the Old City (of Homs) and the entrance of humanitarian assistance for civilians who choose to stay, SANA said.There had previously been no deal on the exit of men, or the entry of much-needed aid into the city, where activists say some 3,000 people have been surviving on little more than olives for weeks.According to SANA, the relevant Syrian authorities will implement the deal by providing the necessary humanitarian assistance, including food, shelter and medical aid for innocent civilians who leave the besieged districts. It added that food, medicine and other assistance will be sent in for civilians who choose to stay in the neighbourhoods.Rebel-held Old City districts of central Homs have also come under near-daily shelling ever since the army blockaded them in June 2012.Abu Ziad, an activist in a besieged area, told AFP via the Internet that the families are ready to leave. Many of them want to leave.Among the besieged are at least 1,200 women, children and elderly people, according to the Britain-based Observatory.Activists have frequently highlighted the plight of new mothers trapped in the siege, as being unable to breastfeed their infants as a result of their own malnutrition.In Aleppo, more than 250 people have been killed in regime barrel bomb attacks, said the Observatory, as a coalition of rebels announced a new military operation in the province.The Islamic Front -- a huge alliance grouping tens of thousands of rebels -- and the jihadist Al-Nusra Front announced an operation dubbed Truthful Promise Approaches, a reference to a passage in the Koran.The announcement comes as the Syrian army seeks to take territory in the rebel-held eastern part of Aleppo city.Troops are moving in from areas around Aleppo international airport after recapturing territory nearby and reopening it to air traffic.The ground campaign has been accompanied by six consecutive days of aerial attacks involving explosive-packed barrel bombs dropped from army helicopters.The Observatory said that at least 257 people have been killed in barrel bomb attacks on eastern Aleppo since Saturday, including 11 on Thursday.The dead include at least 76 children, according to the group.Hundreds more have been wounded in the raids using the controversial unguided munitions, which have been condemned by rights groups as indiscriminate.The heavy casualty toll has sparked a mass exodus from the worst-hit neighbourhoods in the east of the city.Once the countrys economic hub, Aleppo has been divided between government control in the west and rebel control in the east since a rebel offensive in mid-2012.Suicide attack starts prison assaultJust outside the city, rebels and jihadists on Thursday seized control of most of Aleppos central prison after months of fighting, freeing hundreds of detainees, the Observatory said.State television denied the report, saying soldiers and security forces had thwarted an attack against the prison by terrorist groups.Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP that Islamic Front member Ahrar al-Sham and (Al-Qaeda affiliate) Al-Nusra Front have taken control of 80 percent of Aleppo central prison and freed hundreds of prisoners.The advance came after a suicide attack carried out by an Al-Nusra fighter at the prisons main entrance.An Ahrar al-Sham fighter, meanwhile, told AFP on condition of anonymity that the clashes were continuing.The fighting is ongoing. We have taken control of one of the prison buildings and brought down the regime flag, he said via Skype.