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PIA post-Hajj flights suffer delay
Pak-India cooperation to benefit region: US
Court grants bail to two accused in grave digging case
Girl, soldier among 21 killed in Syria rights group
US shifts soldiers from Iraq to Kuwait
US Middle East advisor Dennis Ross to resign
Palestinian doubts over UN membership bid
Dozens of Occupy protesters arrested at Berkeley
Mladic says too ill to attend war crime court hearing
Euro gains against dollar as Greece names new PM
Oil price rises to near $98 per barrel
Federer holds course for first Paris Master final
Lyle grabs lead Open at Australian Open
Molinari, Morrison tied for lead at Singapore Open
Tiger Woods finally gets endorsement for bag

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Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Hajj flight PK-2502 was scheduled to arrive at 10:40pm on Thursday but it touched down at the Islamabad Airport at 12:46am on Friday. Another PIA flight PK 7682, bringing back 455 pilgrims, reached Karachi from Jeddah three hour late. Meanwhile, PIA Peshawar-bound flight PK-2102, bringing back 327 pilgrims, was also late by five hours than its original schedule. However, Managing Director PIA Nadeem Khan Yousufzai was of the view that the delay in the arrival flights was not a fault of PIA. He said the delay was caused because ‘Moallims’ transported the pilgrims late to the Jeddah Airport. The pilgrims as well as their relatives and friends are facing hardship due to inconvenience caused by delay in post-Hajj flights.

Pak-India cooperation to benefit region: US

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Welcoming the meeting between the prime ministers of Pakistan and India in Maldives on the sidelines of the SAARC summit, the US on Thursday said cooperation between the two countries is going to benefit the region. "We have said many, many, many times from this podium that we support constructive dialogue between the two countries," State Department spokesperson Mark Toner said at his daily news conference. "You know, it is to the benefit of the region that these two countries cooperate more closely, both on the economic front but as well as on other issues. We see this as a win-win for the region," Toner said in response to a question about the meeting between the two Prime Ministers.

Court grants bail to two accused in grave digging case

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The court has accepted the bail of the culprits, involved in digging up graves and stealing bodies against the surety bonds of Rs 20,000 each. Gulshan-e- Maimar Police Station arrested two brothers hailed from Hindu community, namely Krishan and Cheatan for digging up graves in the Gaddap Town Graveyard and stealing the bones of deceased. On Thursday the police presented them before Judicial Magistrate (West) Ashfaq Ali Nizamani amid strict security measures. The lawyer of the accused submitted the bail plea of both the offenders, which was accepted by the court against the surety bonds of Rs 20,000 each. It is pertinent to mention here that the incident of digging up graves and stealing bones form the graves was discovered, when people visited the cemetery on the occasion of Eid. The visitors saw that many graves were dug up and the dead bodies were vanished.

Girl, soldier among 21 killed in Syria rights group

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A young girl and six soldiers were among 21 Syrians killed on Thursday as security forces pressed a crackdown on protests and in clashes between troops and army deserters, a human rights group said. The deadly clashes came as protest organisers called for nationwide demonstrations on Friday to demand the Arab League suspend Syria s membership in the pan-Arab group. The Arab League, under international pressure to act after Syria failed to honour its peace plan and stepped up the brutal protest crackdown, is to hold talks on Friday ahead of an extraordinary weekend meeting on the crisis. On the ground on Thursday, an eight-year-old girl was among 11 civilians killed by security forces in the besieged central city of Homs, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The bodies of another five missing people were also found in the Homs region, the Observatory said in a statement. "Security forces arrested three wounded people in a private hospital" in Homs, and several others were detained in Jassem, in southern Daraa province, the Observatory added. In the northwestern province of Idlib, near the Turkish border, four civilians were killed during raids by the security forces, said the Britain-based watchdog. Also in Idlib, "at least four soldiers in the regular army were killed at dawn in an attack, headed by armed men -- probably deserters -- on a military checkpoint in Has region, near Maaret al-Numan town," said the Observatory. Early on Thursday, in Jabal al-Zawiya, people began a general strike, responding to protesters there, while security forces tried to force them to open closed shops, said the same source. In eastern Syria, two soldiers, one an officer, were killed and five soldiers wounded in another attack on a military checkpoint, east of Deir Ezzor. And in Harasta, near Damascus, clashes took place between the military and presumed deserters.

US shifts soldiers from Iraq to Kuwait

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A roughly 4,000-soldier US army Brigade Combat Team will deploy from Iraq to Kuwait as a reserve force until well after US forces depart Iraq, leaders of the unit said on its Facebook page. The posts come after a US defence official said the Pentagon was considering shifting some of the US soldiers due to depart Iraq by year s end to Kuwait, amid concerns about Iraq s stability and Iran s role in the region. According to posts from the commander and command sergeant major of the 1st Cavalry Division s 1st Brigade Combat Team, the unit will complete its 12-month tour, which began in Iraq in mid-July 2011, in Kuwait. "Troops and families of the 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division are being notified that 1/1 CAV will likely be repositioned ... for the remainder of their 12-month deployment," said a post signed "Ironhorse 6," meaning the unit s commander, Colonel Scott Efflandt. "This force will function as a reserve in the region to provide maximum flexibility for response to contingencies," it said. "It also demonstrates our lasting commitment to regional stability and security, and the robust security relationships we maintain with our regional partners," it said. A later post signed "Ironhorse 9," meaning Command Sergeant Major Lance Lehr, confirmed the news, and gave the unit s mailing address as Camp Beuhring, Kuwait. The unit has been "re-missioned for another task within our scope of responsibility in accordance with our original deployment orders," the post said. "Of course, we all wanted to come home early, but we knew that our mission required us to be deployed for a full year." All of the roughly 31,000 US soldiers remaining in Iraq are to leave the country before the end of 2011.

US Middle East advisor Dennis Ross to resign

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President Barack Obama s key Middle East advisor Dennis Ross said Thursday he would resign after a period of turmoil in the Arab world and a difficult period in US relations with Israel. Ross, a veteran US peace negotiator, said in a statement he had made a promise to his wife to return to private life after two years in the administration -- and had outstayed that promise by a year. Ross said in a statement that he was returning to private life with "mixed feelings." "It has been an honor to work in the Obama Administration and to serve this president, particularly during a period of unprecedented change in the broader Middle East. "Obviously, there is still work to do but I promised my wife I would return to government for only two years and we both agreed it is time to act on my promise.  "I am grateful to President Obama for having given me the opportunity once again to work on a wide array of Middle Eastern issues and challenges and to support his efforts to promote peace in the region." White House spokesman Jay Carney said that Ross, a special assistant to the President, had played a key role at a "historic time in the Middle East and North Africa." Ross played "a critical role in our efforts to apply unprecedented pressure" on the Iranian government and had also supported democratic transitions in the region, Carney said. Carney said that Obama would continue to periodically draw on Ross s counsel going forward. Ross is known as a longstanding and patient negotiator in the Middle East with deep ties with successive generations of Israeli leaders. His critics though have sometimes whispered that he is too close to Israel. Ross, however, who also served president Bill Clinton, also spent long periods of time with Palestinian leaders, through years of frustrated US-brokered efforts to forge peace between Israel and the Palestinians. He leaves at another uncertain moment in the history of testy ties between the Obama White House and the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and at a point where Israel-Palestinian peace talks have shuddered to a halt.

Palestinian doubts over UN membership bid

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Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki said the leadership was waiting for the results of the Security Council s membership committee meeting on Friday to decide on its next step. The 15-member council is divided on whether to accept or reject the state of Palestine as a full member, according to a draft report of the committee which diplomats said would be approved on Friday. Only six council members have firmly committed to supporting membership. The Palestinians cannot now hope to get the necessary nine votes in favor of membership, diplomats said. And the United States has threatened to veto the measure if they do. So Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas must now decide whether to press for a full vote at the Security Council, and a diplomatic confrontation with Washington, or to try for super-observer status at the UN General Assembly. "We are not going to contemplate any other option until we know for sure what will take place tomorrow," Maliki said. "Only when we receive the final report and we listen to the position of the different members of the Security Council, only then we ll decide what we will do. "We are not contemplating any other option unless we determine that the Security Council is already closed and we are not saying that yet," said the Palestinian official, who is on a visit to the United States. France and some Arab nations are pressing Abbas to seek the General Assembly path as a first step to membership. The United States could not block the measure and it would be guaranteed of success in the 193-member body. "For the moment, the Palestinians have not indicated they will press for a Security Council vote and they do not want us to work on a General Assembly resolution," said a Security Council diplomat, on condition of anonymity.

Dozens of Occupy protesters arrested at Berkeley

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Dozens of people were arrested during Occupy demonstrations at the University of California, Berkeley campus, as authorities twice clashed with protesters trying to set up encampments. The bulk of the arrests came Wednesday night, as authorities in riot gear confronted demonstrators. Television news footage from outside the university s main administration building showed officers pulling people from the steps and nudging others with batons as the crowd chanted, "We are the 99 percent" and "Stop Beating Students" Thirty-two people were arrested on suspicion of resisting and delaying police officers and failing to disperse, UC Berkeley police Lt. Alex Yao told the Daily Californian (http://bit.ly/sMxDeb). The officers eventually formed a perimeter around the steps of the building. As the evening wore on, the crowd swelled as protesters debated whether to stay overnight. The university reported earlier that an administrator had told the protesters they could stay around the clock for a week, but only if they didn t pitch tents or use stoves or other items that would suggest people were sleeping there. The protesters voted not to comply with the demand and to go ahead with setting up a tent site they dubbed "Occupy Cal" to protest financial policies they blame for causing deep cuts in higher education spending.

Mladic says too ill to attend war crime court hearing

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Bosnian Serb ex-army chief Ratko Mladic Thursday told the former Yugoslav war crimes court he was too ill to attend a hearing, while a judge considered ordering a full report into his health. The 69-year-old former general who is charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, has complained of being ill since his first appearance before the Hague-based tribunal in June. "I am unable to attend court proceedings on this date due to illness," Mladic said in a document Thursday, published by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). "I waive my right to be present at the court on this date and give my consent for the proceedings to continue in my absence, but in the presence of my counsel," he said in a signed statement. Mladic, who faces 11 counts before the tribunal was scheduled to appear Thursday to plead on a new charge relating to the murder of 30 Muslims at Bisina in eastern Bosnia on July 23 1995. "Earlier today, Mladic was examined by the Detention Unit Medical Officer who confirmed that the accused is indeed too unwell to attend the court," ICTY spokeswoman Nerma Jelacic confirmed. Tribunal judge Alphons Orie postponed Mladic s appearance as he continued with the hearing to check on the status of his case. But Orie said: "Because of the medical issues brought to the chamber s attention during the last few days, it is considering ordering a medical report addressing the medical full picture of the accused s health." The man dubbed the "Butcher of Bosnia" was arrested in Serbia on May 26 after 16 years on the run. He told judges he was a "gravely ill man" at his first appearance on June 3.

Euro gains against dollar as Greece names new PM

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The euro rose against the dollar Thursday after Greece named a new prime minister, raising hopes that the country will accept Europe s latest debt deal and fend off bankruptcy. The appointment of Lucas Papademos as Greece s new prime minister came after four days of tense talks between Greek politicians. Worries that Greece would be unable to agree on a new leader sent the euro to a four-week low against the dollar Wednesday. The euro rose to $1.3624 in afternoon trading Thursday from $1.3540 late Wednesday. Papademos will replace outgoing Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, who resigned after announcing last week that he would put Europe s latest debt deal to a public vote. The announcement shocked European leaders, and Papandreou later reversed his decision on the vote. Also helping boost the euro Thursday was speculation that the leading economist Mario Monti may replace Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. That talk helped push Italy s key borrowing rate below 7 percent Thursday, a day after it spiked above that critical level. Italy, Greece, Portugal and Ireland were forced to get financial lifelines after their rates rose above 7 percent. In other trading Thursday, the British pound rose to $1.5942 from $1.5917 late Wednesday. The dollar fell to 77.63 Japanese yen from 77.85 Japanese yen, to 0.9051 Swiss franc from 0.9097 Swiss franc and to 1.0214 Canadian dollar from 1.0228 Canadian dollar.

Oil price rises to near $98 per barrel

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Benchmark crude rose $2.04, or 2.1 percent, to finish at $97.78 per barrel in New York. Brent crude rose $1.40 to end at $113.71 a barrel in London. Greece and Italy turned to economists to lead them out of their debt crises. Greece chose Lucas Papademos as prime minister. In Italy, Mario Monti received increasing support to replace outgoing Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Those countries continue to face massive financial hurdles, but the leadership changes were taken as a sign that Italy and Greece are serious about reducing their debts. A default in either country would be devastating for the world economy, possibly leading to bank failures, a drop in spending and weaker oil demand elsewhere. Investors were also encouraged to see that Italy could still raise money by selling nearly $7 billion in 12-month bonds. The interest rate was well below analysts  expectations, implying stronger-than-expected confidence in the Italian economy. "Their economy still has a lot of problems, but that bond sale showed it s not as bad as feared," PFGBest analyst Phil Flynn said. There was also some upbeat economic news in the U.S. on Thursday. The Labor Department said that the number of people applying for jobless benefits fell last week to 390,000 the lowest level since April. In other energy trading, heating oil rose 5.25 cents to finish at $3.1511 per gallon, while gasoline futures fell less than a penny to end at $2.6368 per gallon. Natural gas finished virtually unchanged at $3.65 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Federer holds course for first Paris Master final

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Roger Federer closed on a first ever Paris Masters final when he beat Richard Gasquet to reach the quarter-finals on Thursday, after Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray had swept into the last eight. Federer, the third seed, broke the home favourite in the opening service game of their evening match at Bercy Arena and secured another break when Gasquet double-faulted at 2-4 down, before clinching the set with a nonchalant volley. After an early exchange of breaks in the second set, Federer broke again and went on to complete a 6-2, 6-4 victory with an inside-out forehand winner on his first match point. Federer will meet Juan Monaco in the last eight, after the unseeded Argentine survived two match points against American seventh seed Mardy Fish, who was forced to retire with a hamstring injury when leading 6-1, 6-7 (6/8), 2-1. Djokovic overcame a first-set wobble to beat Serbian countryman Viktor Troicki 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. The world number one was broken twice in the first set and folded on Troicki s first set point when he drove a backhand into the net. Djokovic went 2-0 up in the second set, only for Troicki to level, but the top seed broke again to go 4-2 ahead with a cross-court backhand winner before levelling the match. Troicki had lost his last nine encounters with Djokovic and the 15th seed s resistance broke apart in the third set, enabling the 2009 champion here to complete his comeback and take his place in the last eight. Djokovic will meet sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the 2008 champion, for a place in the semi-finals after the Frenchman overcame Italy s Andreas Seppi 6-3, 6-4. In-form Murray made it 18 games unbeaten with an impressive 6-2, 6-2 win over Andy Roddick that took just 62 minutes and reduced the American number 13 seed to angrily smashing his racquet half-way through the second set. Murray, the second seed, will now face Czech fifth seed and 2005 champion Tomas Berdych, who beat 11th-seeded Serbian Janko Tipsarevic in straight sets. Tipsarevic s defeat means the line-up for the year-end ATP Tour Finals in London has now been finalised, with Berdych, Tsonga and Fish claiming the three places that were up for grabs at the start of the week. Fish s withdrawal against Monaco means he faces a race against time to get fit for the start of the November 20-27 event, but he said he would be prepared to play regardless of the condition of his hamstring. Spanish fourth seed David Ferrer continued his serene progress to the last eight by winning 6-3, 6-2 against Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine.

Lyle grabs lead Open at Australian Open

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Cancer survivor Jarrod Lyle held off a powerful American contingent, including former world number one Tiger Woods, Thursday to be the first-round leader of the $1.54 million Australian Open at The Lakes. The Australian, ranked 477th and who fought off leukemia as a teenager in 1999, carded a seven-under 65 in an unblemished round that included an eagle three at the 14th and five birdies. Lyle, who must go through qualifying school next month to avoid playing in the secondary Nationwide Tour next season after losing his tour card with a 161st finish on the money list, was pursued by Americans, Dustin Johnson and Nick Watney, a shot back on 66. Woods, who has not won a tournament for two years precipitating a slump in his world ranking to 58, wrestled with gusty afternoon winds to keep in touch, three shots off the lead. His 68, which included four birdies, was his first bogey-free round in nine months. "I hit it really good today, that was exactly how I have been hitting it at home, so that s good and I ve taken it to the golf course in these conditions and hit all the shots," Woods said. "I just grinded, I was very patient all day and just took advantage when I could. "With these conditions it s easy to make a couple of bogeys in a row and get it going the wrong way and I just had to be patient, there wasn t going to be a lot of guys in the afternoon hitting 60s." World number five Johnson, here for next week s Presidents Cup as the top-ranked American player, fired eight birdies in his six-under round. "I made a lot of good putts, some tap-ins and some three-four footers, and I played really solid all day and made some great iron shots," said Johnson, who reeled off five consecutive birdies from the 12th hole. "I was a little rusty at the start, it was the first time I ve been in competition for five-six weeks now, but then got it going pretty well." Watney collected five birdies in his closing six holes in the afternoon to finish with an impressive six-under.

Molinari, Morrison tied for lead at Singapore Open

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Edoardo Molinari and James Morrison both shot 9-under 62 Thursday to share the lead after the first round of the Singapore Open. The 30-year-old Molinari, who has won two European Tour tournaments, holed six birdies for a 29 on the final nine holes at the Sentosa Golf Club. "My putting was excellent today," the Italian said. "I holed everything inside 10 feet." Y.E. Yang (63) was in third, one stroke behind, while Japan s Daisuke Maruyama (64) was fourth. Four others were at 65. Graeme McDowell (68) is six strokes behind the leaders while Phil Mickelson (71) trails by nine. Mickelson said Singapore s hot and humid tropical weather may have helped fuel the day s low scores. "I think when it s warm like this the ball flies straighter and it is easier to play," the American said. "Your muscles feel lose and you swing it much freer and that should equate to lower scores." The tournament, marking its 50th anniversary, is using both the Serapong course and the Tanjong course to accommodate 204 players.

Tiger Woods finally gets endorsement for bag

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Woods has signed a deal with Fuse Science, Inc., a Florida company that deals with energy and nutrition products. The deal was announced on Thursday, although Woods will not display the company on his golf bag until the Chevron World Challenge next month. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Woods is playing the Australian Open this week, followed by the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne in which players  endorsements give way to team uniforms. Woods has not had an endorsement on his bag since AT&T dropped him nearly two years ago because of his serial adultery. He has used his Tiger Woods Foundation logo throughout the last two seasons.

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Thursday 10 November 2011

Dunya TV

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