Tuesday 8 November 2011

Dunya TV

Dunya TV


Zardari, Chinese delegation discuss bilateral relations

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>A Chinese delegation, led by Member of Central Committee of Communist Party of China (CPC), Lu Hao called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Bilawal House on Tuesday and discussed Pak-China bilateral relations and also ties between PPP and CPC.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The discussion involved wide ranging matters including mutual cooperation in economic and finance sectors besides the regional situation.He was accompanied by JIA Tingquan Deputy Secretary General CPC Committee of Gansu Province, WANG Yongqian Director General Foreign Affairs, JI Ping, Wang Huanxiang, Du Dingding and Zhao Xu.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Senator Jahangir Badar, Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, Pir Mazhar Ul Haq, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Taj Haider, Malik Asif Hayat and Dr. Asad Majid Khan were also present in the meeting from Pakistan side.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>President Zardari appreciated China&rsquo;s support for Pakistan&rsquo;s sovereignty and territorial integrity and underscored the importance of time-tested strategic partnership between the two countries.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He said it was encouraging to note that the traditional Pak-China friendship was being translated into economic cooperation for mutual benefit of the two countries.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The President said Pakistan attaches great importance to enhancing economic and trade links with China. He said that numerous areas such as energy, mining, infrastructure, information technology, telecom, agriculture, irrigation, railway, communication, finance and banking provided excellent opportunities for the peoples of two countries to take advantage and further promote mutual collaboration.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The President called for the need of currency swap agreement between the two countries as it would provide impetus to the existing level of mutual trade by facilitating business community. He also mentioned recently signed Currency Swap agreement with Turkey.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The President said that Chinese investors, businessmen were most welcome to undertake business ventures in Pakistan and take benefit of business-friendly policies and incentives offered by Pakistan Government.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Seeking more investments by Chinese companies in Pakistan, the President stressed upon the need for making efforts to realize full potential of bilateral trade.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He said China was like a second home to him and he was keen to learn from Chinese experience of development and progress.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The President thanked Chinese Government for inviting new generation of Pakistan to visit China and witness the unprecedented progress made by China.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He also thanked the Party for the warm reception and hospitality, extended to Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in his recent visit to China.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Hao congratulated the President on Pakistan&rsquo;s election to the United Nations Security Council&rsquo;s non-permanent seat and said that it demonstrated recognition by world community the constructive role played by Pakistan in promotion of international peace.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The President thanked the Chinese government for supporting Pakistan for the UN Security Council&rsquo;s non-permanent seat.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Discussing recent developments and war against militants, Mr. Hao appreciated Pakistan&rsquo;s countless sacrifices in making this world a safer place to live.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He said China greatly values scarifies made by Pakistani people in the war against terror.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The President said China is a factor of peace development, stability, and Pakistan condemns any attempt to undermine the sovereignty and integrity of China.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He also lauded that the two counties shared perception against the menace of terrorism and their resolve to cooperate with each other to eliminate this threat.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Hao thanked the President for meeting and assured continued support of their Chinese brothers to the people of Pakistan.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He also invited President Zardari to visit Gansu province, which the president agreed to consider.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Hao was of the opinion that both political parties should play their role in promoting harmony. <br />&nbsp;</p>


US Congressional delegation calls on Zardari

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>A delegation of US Congressmen, led by Michael McCaul, called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Bilawal House on Tuesday and discussed Pak-US bilateral relations, strategic dialogue, Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs), war against terror, situation in Afghanistan and overall regional situation.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Other members of the delegation included Jeffrey Duncan, Henry Cuellar, Gene Green, Michael Fitzpatrick and Nick Palarino, Charles Snyder and Anne Bennet.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Secretary to President Malik Asif and Additional Secretary Foreign Affairs Dr Asad M Khan, assisted the President during the meeting.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Discussing Pak-US bilateral relations and recent developments, the President called for mutual understanding of each other&rsquo;s point of view and need for greater interaction at all levels to avoid any misunderstanding and negative impressions that would potentially endanger close working relationship at this critical hour.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>President Zardari emphasized upon the need for both sides to exercise restraint and avoid uncalled for public criticism as it undermines efforts to stabilize the equation and working closely for shared goals.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He said the democratic dispensation of Pakistan believed in trade rather than aid as a solution to the weak and stressed economy.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The President also called for expediting ROZs legislation, terming it crucial for creating economic opportunities particularly for the people of militancy-hit areas.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>About war against militancy and its impacts on Pakistan economy, the President said that combined affects of war against militancy and the recent natural calamities, have adversely impacted Pakistan economy thus restricting Government efforts to provide economic relief to the people.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He said that under the prevailing situation, international assistance in various projects was critical.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Discussing regional situation, the President reiterated Pakistan&rsquo;s principled stance of its abiding interest in the stability of Afghanistan.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He said Pakistan has always called for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned solution. He vowed Pakistan would continue to support all efforts, directed towards permanent peace, stability and development of Afghanistan.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He also mentioned recently held 6th Trilateral Summit and Pakistan&rsquo;s role to assist in efforts for restoration of stability and peace in Afghanistan.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Michael McCaul &reg; said that US will continue to attach great importance to bilateral relations and added that US-Pak relations should be encouraged at all levels.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He expressed strong commitment of US to continue to support Government of Pakistan in its efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>US Congressmen appreciated Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts to normalize relations with its neighbours and its decision to extend MFN status to India.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Pakistan, Russia to go for FTA, currency swap agreement

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The leaders of Pakistan and Russia have expressed the willingness to speed up work on the proposed Free Trade Agreement and currency swap arrangement to boost bilateral trade and further strengthen their economic ties.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, who had a frank discussion in a cordial atmosphere, also discussed the whole gamut of relations on the sidelines of the 10th Heads of Government meeting of the SCO.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The two leaders discussed several important issues including fight against terrorism and extremism besides calling for the need to adopt a regional approach in dealing with common challenges.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The two leaders discussed ways to strengthen relations by increasing cooperation in energy, trade, infrastructure development, agriculture, business cooperation and people to people contacts.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Prime Minister Putin said relations between Pakistan and Russia have reached a level, where both the countries were in a position to enhance trade, measuring up to their strong ties.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Prime Minister Gilani said Russia was an important country and a source of stability in the region and because of its geographical proximity and strength of economy it has contributed significantly for the socio-economic uplift of the region.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Russian premier also supported Prime Minister Gilani&rsquo;s proposals for implementing trade and energy projects.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He announced financing of 500 million US dollars for the CASA-1000 for the power transmission from Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan and Afghanistan.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Putin also offered Russia&rsquo;s assistance for the enhancement of the production capacity of the Pakistan Steel Mills by increasing its production from the current one million tonnes to three million tonnes.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He also offered coal gasification technology for the Thar coal and upgradation of the Guddu and Muzaffargarh power plants to increase power generation capacity to help meet country&rsquo;s growing energy needs.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Putin said in practical and tangible terms, Russia wants materialization of projects including TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline project and the Central Asia South Asia Electricity Trade and Transmission Project (CASA 1000).</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Gilani appreciated Russia&rsquo;s support for mega projects including CASA-1000 and said it was his fourth meeting with Prime Minister Putin.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He mentioned that he joined other leaders at the SCO forum despite the occasion of Eid because of the importance of the forum and also because of Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to the regional issues.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Another incident of desecration of graves surfaced in Karachi

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to details, around 50 graves were dug up and had body parts missing from them in Pir Jhanday Shah Graveyard near Sabzi Mandi in Karachi.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The incident came to light when people noticed smell coming out of graveyard. When the residents reached the graveyard they found that graves of their loved ones mostly children being dug up,</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Body parts and bones from bodies of children were stolen from many of the graves that were dug up.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Meanwhile, SSP East javed Alam Odhu while talking to Dunya News denied the news of desecration of graves and said that the graves were damaged due to water seepage from drainage of a nearby nulla.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Pakistan, India officials meet before S Asia summit

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Senior officials from arch-rivals India and Pakistan met in the Maldives Tuesday as they prepared for a summit of South Asian nations in the remote atoll of Addu, an official said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Maldivian Foreign Secretary Ahmed Naseer said India&nbsp;s foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai and his Pakistan counterpart Salman Bashir met during the meeting of senior officials, but declined to give details.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;They met, but I cannot comment on their bilateral matters and what they discussed,&quot; Naseer told reporters after officials met to hammer out a declaration to be approved by their foreign ministers and at the summit.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Naseer said foreign secretaries also discussed greater trade cooperation among members of the South Asian Association for Regional</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Cooperation (SAARC) and said Pakistan&nbsp;s decision announced last week to grant the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India had also figured in their talks.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>However, Naseer said they had also decided that any trade concessions agreed within the regional grouping should be better than the existing bilateral trade arrangements.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>However, he declined comment on Pakistan&nbsp;s MFN offer to India, the biggest member of the grouping which accounts for a fifth of humanity in one of the poorest regions in the world.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Many smaller members of SAARC, which groups Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, have expressed concern that Indo-Pakistan tensions were hampering regional trade.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani are due to hold talks on the sidelines of the summit on Thursday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The two prime ministers last met in March when Gilani accepted Singh&nbsp;s invitation to watch the India-Pakistan cricket World Cup semi-final. <br />They last held formal talks at the 2010 SAARC summit in Bhutan.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence in 1947, two of them triggered by their territorial dispute over Kashmir, which remains a major hurdle in any future comprehensive peace deal.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A full-fledged peace dialogue -- suspended by India after the 2008 Mumbai attacks blamed on Pakistan-based militants -- was resumed in February this year.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Yemeni official: Army kills at least 10 militants

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>A Yemeni official says security forces have killed at least 10 al-Qaida-linked militants in a battle near the town of Zinjibar, the capital of the southern Abyan province.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The official said the 10 were killed during heavy fighting Tuesday between government forces and Islamic militants who have seized the town.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Security has collapsed across the Arab world&nbsp;s poorest country during the nine-month popular uprising seeking to oust President Ali Abdullah Saleh. This has allowed al-Qaida-linked militants to seize entire towns in the country&nbsp;s south.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Another official said Yemen&nbsp;s air force bombed militant positions in the militant-controlled town of Jaar, also in Abyan province.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.<br />&nbsp;</p>


UN Council deadlocked on Palestinian bid: Report

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The UN Security Council is deadlocked on whether to accept or reject Palestine as a member of the United Nations, according to a draft report of a key committee obtained Tuesday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;The committee was unable to make a unanimous recommendation to the Security Council,&quot; said the report by the committee on admitting new UN members, adding to the troubles faced by the Palestinian application made by president Mahmud Abbas on September 23.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The United States has vowed to block any approval given by the 15-member Security Council but its membership committee still has to consider the bid.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The draft report avoids saying which countries supported or opposed the bid and whether there was a majority in favor or against. It said simply that &quot;differing views were expressed&quot;.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Palestinians have heralded their success in joining UNESCO where a majority vote of the agency&nbsp;s main conference accepted membership.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The route to full UN acceptance is packed with obstacles however.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The membership committee will meet on Friday when it must decide what action to take on the Palestinian demand. The report could be changed.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Any final vote on the bid at the full Security Council would need nine votes in favor, without any veto by one of the five permanent members. At the moment, the best diplomatic estimate gives them eight votes.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Brazil, China, India, Lebanon, Russia and South Africa have publicly backed the Palestinian case. Nigeria and Gabon have not indicated their vote but are expected to back the admission.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The United States has said it will veto and Britain, Colombia and France announced at a meeting of the committee last week that they would abstain.<br />Germany has not yet announced its stance, but is expected to abstain or vote no, diplomats said. Portugal and Bosnia are expected to abstain.<br />Portugal, current president of the Security Council, will now try to amend the committee&nbsp;s report to get a consensus, diplomats said, while predicting that it would be virtually impossible.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The membership committee cannot make a recommendation to the Security Council unless it has consensus, diplomats stressed.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Council members are now waiting for the Palestinians to indicate whether they want a full vote on the Security Council. Normally this will be made through Lebanon as the current Arab member of the body.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Italy's Berlusconi to resign after reforms pass

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Premier Silvio Berlusconi promised Tuesday to resign after Parliament passes economic reforms demanded by the European Union, capping a two-decade political career that has ended with Italy on the brink of being swept into Europe&nbsp;s debt crisis.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Berlusconi met for about an hour Tuesday evening with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano after losing his parliamentary majority during a routine vote earlier in the day. In a statement, Napolitano&nbsp;s office said Berlusconi had &quot;understood the implications of the vote&quot; and promised to resign once parliament passes economic reforms designed to spur growth and rein in Italy&nbsp;s public debt.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A vote on the measures is planned for next week.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Berlusconi&nbsp;s government is under intense pressure to enact quick reforms to shore up Italy&nbsp;s defenses against Europe&nbsp;s raging debt crisis. However, a weak coalition and doubts over Berlusconi&nbsp;s leadership ignited market fears of a looming Italian financial disaster that could bring down the 17-nation eurozone and shock the global economy.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Italy&nbsp;s borrowing rates spiked Tuesday to their highest level since the euro was established in 1999. The yield on Italy&nbsp;s ten-year bonds was up 0.24 percentage point at 6.77 percent. A rate of over 7 percent is considered unsustainable and proved to be the trigger point that forced Greece, Portugal and Ireland into accepting financial bailouts.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In a dramatic shift from his usually defiant tone, Berlusconi conceded late Tuesday he no longer had a parliamentary majority and would step aside for the good of the country. &quot;The markets don&nbsp;t believe that Italy is capable, or has the intention of approving these reforms,&quot; he told his private Mediaset television.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;Things like who leads or who doesn&nbsp;t lead the government&quot; is less important than doing &quot;what is best for the country,&quot; he said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The president&nbsp;s office said that once Berlusconi resigns, Napolitano would begin political consultations to form a new government. The most widely discussed name to lead a technical government is Mario Monti, the former EU competition commissioner, though Berlusconi&nbsp;s right-hand man, Gianni Letta, and the head of his political party, Angelino Alfano, have also been mentioned and rejected by the opposition.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Sarkozy complained to Obama of 'liar' Netanyahu: Report

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>French President Nicolas Sarkozy called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a &quot;liar&quot; in talks with US President Barack Obama, who then complained of having to deal with him daily, a report said Tuesday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The private conversation, held during the G20 summit in the French city of Cannes last week, was overheard by a number of journalists after it was inadvertently transmitted over a system used for translation, media website Arret sur Images reported.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;I can&nbsp;t stand him anymore, he&nbsp;s a liar,&quot; Sarkozy said in French during the talks.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;You may be sick of him, but me, I have to deal with him every day,&quot; Obama replied in comments that were translated into French.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A number of journalists confirmed hearing the remarks.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Without providing further quotes, the website said Obama had also chastised Sarkozy for not having informed the United States of France&nbsp;s plans to vote in favour of Palestinian membership in UN cultural agency UNESCO.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Journalists were able to hear the conversation after they were given translation devices for a press conference but told they would receive headphones later, the website reported.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Plugging their own headphones into the devices, they realised they could hear the French translation of the conversation between the two leaders.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The website quoted a number of journalists saying a group decision was made not to report the conversation as it was considered private and off-the-record.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>White House spokesman Jay Carney dodged questions about the incident.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;I don&nbsp;t have any comment on a reported conversation that apparently took place in a bilateral (meeting),&quot; Carey said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He did however note that &quot;it is well known that... the US and France do not agree on the UNESCO vote regarding the Palestinians.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;The president&nbsp;s very firm position has been efforts to achieve UN membership in UN agencies by the Palestinians were premature and counterproductive.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>French foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero told journalists the incident was &quot;hype&quot;.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;I&nbsp;ve heard about the hype.... I don&nbsp;t want to talk about it. It&nbsp;s hype,&quot; Valero said, telling journalists to ask Sarkozy&nbsp;s office to confirm the remarks.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Berdych beats Verdasco to advance in Paris

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Tomas Berdych is just one win away from securing a berth in the ATP World Tour Finals after beating Fernando Verdasco of Spain 6-3, 7-5 in the second round of the Paris Masters on Tuesday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The 2005 Paris champion won five straight games in the first set to rally from a 3-1 deficit, hitting 12 winners to only three for Verdasco.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Berdych then broke the Spaniard twice for a 5-2 lead in the second set but wasted four match points to let Verdasco level at 5-5.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Yet, the fifth-seeded Czech broke Verdasco again with a forehand pass before clinching victory with a crosscourt backhand winner.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Andy Roddick also moved into the third round by downing Julien Benneteau of France 6-4, 6-4.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The 13th-seeded American made only 12 unforced errors compared to 25 for Benneteau.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Roddick hit a forehand return winner followed by a running forehand winner down the line to take the first set.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The 2003 US Open champion rallied from 3-1 down in the final set to convert his first match point with a backhand volley.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Meanwhile, Feliciano Lopez of Spain, Ivan Dodig of Croatia, Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine, Jeremy Chardy of France and John Isner of the US won their first-round matches.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Lopez beat Michael Llodra of France 7-6 (7), 6-3, Dodig rallied past Fabio Fognini of Italy 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, Stakhovsky defeated Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-4, 6-3, and Isner edged Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland 6-7 (3), 7-5, 7-6 (5). Dodig will next take on top-seeded Novak Djokovic.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Lopez saved four set points in the tiebreaker before jumping to a 4-0 lead in the second set and firing an ace to clinch victory. The Spanish lefty will next play eighth-seeded Gael Monfils of France.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Nishikori got a cold dose of reality after stunning Djokovic last weekend to reach the final of the Swiss Indoors in Basel. He could only convert two of 14 break chances against Stakhovsky, who won to meet Viktor Troicki of Serbia.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Marcel Granollers of Spain had not recovered from his heroics of last weekend either as the Valencia Open winner lost the first set 6-3 to Chardy before retiring because of an ankle injury.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Chardy broke Granollers at 3-2 and clinched victory by cracking three aces in the final game. The Frenchman moved on to face second-seeded Andy Murray.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Isner relied on his strong serve against Wawrinka, slamming 20 aces including one on match point.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Oil price above $96 per barrel on Iran concerns

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Oil prices are above $96 per barrel as tensions rise over Iran&nbsp;s nuclear programme and OPEC boosts its demand forecast.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Benchmark crude on Tuesday rose 56 cents to $96.08 per barrel in morning trading in New York. Benchmark oil hasn&nbsp;t traded above $96 in more than three months.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Brent crude rose $1.22 to $115.78 per barrel in London.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Prices rose as Iran&nbsp;s president vowed to press ahead with the country&nbsp;s nuclear programme. The United Nations is expected to report this week that Iran has been studying nuclear weapons.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Meanwhile, OPEC boosted its medium-term forecast for global oil demand to 92.9 million barrels per day by 2015, up 1.9 million barrels from the previous forecast.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Stocks turn higher as Berlusconi promises to leave

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Stocks turned higher Tuesday once investors got the news they had been hoping for: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi would resign once a new budget was passed. The Dow Jones industrial rose 36 points in early afternoon trading.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Italy became a key focus for investors this week after doubts emerged that the country would go through with a tough package of austerity measures.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Many investors saw Berlusconi as an obstacle to sweeping economic reforms that would be needed to help Italy cut its debt load and avoid sinking into a debt crisis.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Yields on Italian government bonds spiked close to 7 percent Tuesday, a sign that markets are questioning the country&nbsp;s ability to pay its debt. Unlike Greece, Portugal or Ireland all of which received financial lifelines Italy has too much debt to be rescued by its European neighbors.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>US stock indexes turned lower after Berlusconi narrowly survived a confidence vote, an indication that he might continue to cling to power. Indexes turned higher immediately after headlines crossed around 2 p.m. Eastern saying that Berlusconi had promised to step down after the Italian parliament passes economic reforms being demanded by the European Union.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Europe&nbsp;s debt crisis has dictated much of the trading in financial markets since the beginning of October. Investors fear that a default by Greece or another nation that shares the euro currency could lead to a widespread financial crisis similar to the one in 2008 after the fall of Lehman Brothers.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;Europe is the last big question hanging over the market, and drowned out a decent earnings season,&quot; said Rick Fier, vice president of equity trading at Confier Securities. &quot;The market has been so whipsawed lately that it&nbsp;s really just staying in place until we know some more outcomes.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Dow was up 36 points, or 0.3 percent, at 12,104 shortly after 2 p.m. (1900 GMT). Wal-Mart Stores Inc. rose 2.2 percent, the most of the 30 stocks in the Dow.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The S&amp;P 500 rose 7, or 0.5 percent, to 1,267. The Nasdaq composite rose 16, or 0.6 percent, at 2,711.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>European shares were broadly higher, but also gave up some of their gains after the results of the Italian vote came out. Italy&nbsp;s main index was up 0.7 percent. It had been up 2.5 percent earlier in the day. Germany&nbsp;s main index rose 0.6 percent, France&nbsp;s 1.3 percent.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Conjoined twins undergo separation surgery in US

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Maria and Teresa Tapia from the Dominican Republic were born joined at the lower chest and abdomen, and shared a liver and other organs.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A team led by Dr. David Lanning, surgeon-in-chief at the Children&nbsp;s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, completed a 20-hour surgery Monday on Maria and an 18.5-hour surgery on Teresa. The procedure included dividing the liver, pancreas and other shared organs and reconstructing their abdominal walls.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Lanning says the 19-month-old girls are in stable condition in pediatric intensive care.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The toddlers and their mother, Lisandra Sanatis, arrived in Richmond about two months ago to prepare for the lengthy, intricate surgery.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Large asteroid nears Earth for rare flyby

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>NASA says there is no chance of a crash landing when it zips past our planet. Astronomers have aimed their telescopes to catch a glimpse of the 2005 YU55 asteroid, which is about as big as an aircraft carrier but will not be visible to the naked eye, when it passes at 6:28 pm (2328 GMT).</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;Frankly, for anybody this is going to be really hard to see. This is 100 times more dim than what the human eye can see. You need a good telescope,&quot; said NASA spokeswoman Veronica McGregor.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The near-spherical, 1,300-feet (400-metre) in diameter asteroid often travels in the vicinity of Earth, Mars and Venus, but &quot;the 2011 encounter with Earth is the closest it has come for at least the last 200 years,&quot; the US space agency said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Other asteroids of this size pass by Earth frequently, though the last such event happened in 1976 and the next will not happen again until 2028 when an asteroid called 2001 WN5 will skim about halfway between the Moon and Earth.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>This asteroid is expected to pass a bit further away; about .85 times the distance of the Moon to the Earth, or a distance of 202,000 miles (325,000 kilometres) from the center of the Earth.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The space rock&nbsp;s closest pass will be off the Pacific Coast of Central America, southwest of Guatemala City, as it travels in a northwesterly direction, according to McGregor.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Skywatchers should be equipped with a telescope that has a minimum aperture of six to eight inches (15-20 centimetres), experts said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;2005 YU55 is one of the potentially hazardous asteroids that make close approaches from time to time because their orbits either approach or intersect the orbit of the Earth,&quot; said Robert McMillan, an associate research scientist at the University of Arizona.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>McMillan discovered the asteroid in 2005 as part of the university&nbsp;s Spacewatch Project, a solar-system-scanning group of scientists near Tucson, Arizona.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>However, astronomers know from analyzing the trajectory of the asteroid that it will not hit Earth this time.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The asteroid&nbsp;s next closest pass is set to take place in 2094, at a distance of 167,000 miles (269,000 kilometres), according to forecasts.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Iqbal day being observed today

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The main event will be held at Mazar-E-Iqbal in Lahore where Pakistan fresh guards will assume duties at the Mazar.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Cultural, educational and literary organizations have chalked out different programmes to mark the day in a befitting manner and pay homage to the great poet who envisioned the idea of a separate homeland for the Muslims of subcontinent.<br />&nbsp;</p>


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