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Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

MWM announces countrywide protests against Mastung incident

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KARACHI (Dunya News) - Majlis Wehdat-ul-Muslimeen (MWM) has announced to launch countrywide protests and announced to stage sit-ins across the country on Wednesday (today) against Mastung tragedy.On Tuesday, at least 24 pilgrims were killed while another 44 injured in a bomb attack on 2 buses en route to Quetta from Iran.One of the two buses was completely destroyed in the attack. Among injured were members of Levies convoy.The attack took place at Dareen Garh area of Mastung; preliminary reports suggest that around 100 KG of explosives was used to carry out the attack.Various organizations announced 3-day mourning over the tragic incident and Hazara Democratic Party has announced a strike on Wednesday.According to reports, a suicide bomber smashed a vehicle -- filled with 100 KG of explosives – into two buses that were carrying pilgrims from Iran to Quetta. The intensity of the explosion set the area ablaze. According the reports, the attack site represents carnage with several body fragments and luggage scattered over the area.Security vehicles were also hit as a result. Casualties include women and members of levies convoy. The injured were rushed to the hospitals in Quetta.Various organization including Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) expressed grief over the incident announcing a 30-day mourning period whereas Hazara Democratic Party has called for strike across the country.Taking notice of the incident, Chief Minister Balochistan Abdul Malik Baloch sought the report of the tragedy. President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, former president Asif Ali Zardari, Muttehda Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, Jamaat Islami chief Munnawar Hassan and various other leaders have strongly condemned the attack.It is pertinent to mention here that this isn’t a first attack on pilgrims in Balochistan. Terrorists have killed dozens in similar incidents. Earlier this month, on January 1, 2014, a similar attack had left 3 dead and 49 injured.Prior to that, another attack took place on October 26, 2013 also in Mastung, 2 security personnel were hit and subsequently martyred while successfully foiling the attempt to blow the bus with explosives. In another incident on December 30, 2012, 19 pilgrims were martyred while injuring several others. Same year on December 21, another attack on bus claimed 3 lives. On December 19 also in 2012, another attack on pilgrims’ bus had claimed 3 lives and injured many.Same year, on June 8 2013, another bus en route to Iran carrying pilgrims was targeted resulting in martyrdom of 6; while another bus was blown with remote control explosive on June 11.

IMF raises global growth forecast

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday that the global economic recovery is strengthening as countries move away from austerity budgets and their banking systems are fortified.But the Fund remained cautious, saying the rebound in advanced economies is uneven and that they still face the threat of deflation.Meanwhile, emerging economies are wrestling with tighter monetary conditions and slower domestic demand.The Fund increased its estimate for world growth this year slightly, by a tenth point, to 3.7 percent, after a 3.0 percent pace in 2013.It was the first time in nearly two years that the Fund revised its growth forecasts upward: rougher conditions than expected have forced repeated downgrades of its predictions.The basic reason behind the stronger recovery is that the brakes to the recovery are progressively being loosened, said IMF chief economist Olivier Blanchard, in the Fund's newest assessment of the global economy.The drag from fiscal consolidation is diminishing. The financial system is slowly healing. Uncertainty is decreasing, he said.However, he added, there are significant differences between the United States, where growth looks increasingly solid, and Europe, where growth remains weak and even weaker in the countries of the eurozone's southern rim.Blanchard added that unemployment remains much too high in most advanced economies.But the Fund sees economic expansion continuing to accelerate into next year, when global growth should hit a healthy 3.9 percent.Most of the gains will come from advanced economies as emerging markets -- which had been the source of strength during the crisis years of 2008-2011 -- are themselves forced to restructure to address capital outflows and diminished competitiveness.Among advanced economies, the IMF sees US growth at 2.8 percent this year, euro area growth at 1.0 percent, and Japan at 1.7 percent.The faster growth in advanced economies will help the others, stimulating demand for their exports, the IMF said.Among the largest emerging economies, it forecast that China will grow 7.5 percent, India 5.4 percent, Russia 2.0 percent and Brazil 2.3 percent.Even so, the IMF remained cautious about the future. Strengthening global growth does not mean that the global economy is out of the woods, it warned.With the exception of China, domestic demand remains weak and a challenge in many developing countries, as global financial conditions slowly tighten.But many of those countries also face policy or political uncertainty, as well as bottlenecks for economic activity, with the latter weighing on investment in particular, the Fund said.The IMF said that a key worry is deflation in the advanced economies. The United States, Europe and Japan are all wrestling with uncomfortably low inflation, which, together with persistently high unemployment, has forced their central banks to continue strong stimulus programs.If people's expectations of future inflation drift down in response, actual inflation could turn out even lower than projected. That would increase real debt burdens and raise real interest rates, hampering growth, the IMF said.It said the advanced economies, including the United States, should not be hasty in withdrawing stimulus or raising interest rates.

Australia to pursue crackdown on asylum-seekers' boats: PM

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SYDNEY (AFP) - Prime Minister Tony Abbott has declared Australia will pursue the crackdown on boats carrying asylum-seekers into its waters, saying Indonesia should understand it is a matter of sovereignty.Jakarta has reacted furiously to repeated incursions by Australian vessels into Indonesian waters, reportedly while attempting to turn back boats carrying would-be refugees, despite an official apology from Canberra.Speaking from Switzerland on Tuesday, Abbott said the relationship with Indonesia was, broadly speaking, his country's most important single one and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was a very good friend of Australia.All of that said, for us, stopping the boats is a matter of sovereignty and President Yudhoyono of all people ought to understand, does understand, just how seriously countries take their sovereignty, he told reporters in Davos.So we will continue to do what we are entitled to do to secure our borders.After winning elections in September, Abbott's conservative government launched Operation Sovereign Borders which aims to stop people-smugglers, who often operate out of Indonesia, from bringing asylum-seekers to Australia by sea.Arrival numbers have since dropped dramatically, but the policy which includes turning back boats when it is safe to do so has been received coolly by Jakarta and criticised by refugee advocates.Australia says the incursions were inadvertent but reports have suggested the warships might have known they strayed into foreign waters, a suggestion backed Wednesday by a retired Indonesian general.I studied in Australia -- in the military academy. The Australian navy doesn't have wooden boats, they have warships equipped with modern technology, Tubagus Hasanuddin told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.They should have known which part of the water is Indonesia and which is not.The Australian navy has also been accused of mistreating asylum-seekers onboard a vessel which was pushed back to Indonesia, with the ABC saying they claimed to have been beaten and burnt.The government has denied the claims, but the ABC reported that Indonesian police had said 10 asylum-seekers required medical treatment, including seven who had burns on their hands from holding onto a hot pipe on their ship's engine.The incursions have come as ties between the nations have been strained by a spying row triggered by reports that Australian spies tried to tap the phones of Yudhoyono, his wife and several top officials in 2009.

Court rejects stay Mexican's execution in Texas

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - A US federal judge in Texas on Tuesday rejected a request for a stay of execution for a Mexican man convicted of murder, despite protests from both the US and Mexican governments.Edgar Tamayo Arias, 46, is scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection on Wednesday for the 1994 murder of a policeman in Houston.His case has sparked widespread protests, as Tamayo was not advised of his right to receive consular assistance at the time of his arrest -- in violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.The 1963 treaty, to which 176 nations are party including the United States, sets out how authorities must act when foreign nationals are arrested or detained.This involves notifying the individuals in question of their right to have their consulate informed of their arrest. They subsequently also have the right to consular assistance.Federal judge Lee Yeakel rejected a request by Tamayo's lawyers for a stay as well as a review of the case, which the International Court of Justice has been demanding since 2004.Yeakel ruled that the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles had provided Tamayo adequate due process in accord with Supreme Court and federal court precedent.His lawyers immediately said they would appeal, meaning the case could end up in the hands of the Supreme Court before the scheduled time of execution at 2300 GMT Wednesday.The attorneys, Maurie Levin and Sandra Babcock, called the actions of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles inexcusable, citing the international repercussions of the case.It is widely known that the Texas clemency process is the weakest in the nation, in the state that executes the most, they said, adding that the board had refused to consider evidence that Tamayo is mentally handicapped and that his trial was fundamentally unfair.Earlier Tuesday, the US government put pressure on Texas to grant a postponement.State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said Washington was asking for a delay in execution, until we can see whether denying him this access -- the consular access he's afforded under the Vienna Convention -- prejudiced the outcome.We've made our position very clear that this is an issue that could impact the consular access we get to American citizens overseas who are arrested, Harf added.Secretary of State John Kerry wrote to Texas governor Rick Perry late last year, asking for a stay and emphasizing the importance of the case on a wider diplomatic level.Mexico has complained bitterly about the imminent execution, and repeatedly asked for it to be postponed.In central Mexico on Tuesday, about 200 people protested the scheduled execution in the city of Cuernavaca.Demonstrators, many dressed in white, carried signs reading What do we want for Edgar Tamayo? We want freedom and We demand a pardon for Edgar Tamayo as they marched towards the city's main square.

2nd ODI: India win toss decide bowl first against New Zealand

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HAMILTON (AFP) - India won the toss and decided to bowl first in the second one-day international against New Zealand in Hamilton on Wednesday.It was a decision that pleased New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum with Seddon Park historically a bat-first wicket.We are happy with that, McCullum said after losing the toss and being told to pad up. It seems to be a decent batting surface first up and hopefully it will slow up later in the day.New Zealand last played in Hamilton two weeks ago when the West Indies batted first and amassed 363-6 before rolling New Zealand for 160 in under 30 overs.New Zealand made one change to their side which won the first ODI against India in Napier on Sunday by 24 runs with Kyle Mills coming in for the injured Adam Milne. India kept the same line up.A possibility of rain late in the day may bring the Duckworth-Lewis system into play to adjust the scoring for a shortened game.Teams: New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Jesse Ryder, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum (captain), Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi, Nathan McCullum, Tim Southee, Kyle Mills Mitchell McClenaghan.India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni (captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravi Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami.Umpires: Chris Gaffaney (NZL), Rod Tucker (AUS)TV umpire: Gary Baxter (NZL)Match referee: David Boon (AUS)

Obama to invite 47 leaders to US-Africa summit in August

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama will invite 47 leaders to a landmark US-Africa summit in August, seeking to widen US trade, development and security ties with an increasingly dynamic continent to which he traces part of his ancestry.Obama will send out invites to all African nations that are currently in good standing with the United States or are not suspended from the African Union -- meaning there will be no place for states like Egypt or Zimbabwe.Obama will hold the talks on August 5 and 6, seeking to cement progress from his trip to Africa last year.A White House statement said the trip would advance the administrations focus on trade and investment in Africa, and highlight Americas commitment to Africas security, its democratic development, and its people.The idea for the summit, which takes place with Washington increasingly aware of Chinas attempt to enhance its diplomatic profile in Africa, was first announced by Obama in a speech in Cape Town in June.Egypt, which has caused the Obama administration to thread a foreign policy needle with an erstwhile ally after a military takeover, is not eligible to attend as it is currently suspended from the African Union.The United States maintains sanctions against the Zimbabwean government of Robert Mugabe and key officials over suppression of democracy and what Washington sees as politically motivated violence.Other notable absentees on the invite list include Sudan and Madagascar.One notable inclusion is Kenya, where President Uhuru Kenyatta is currently awaiting a delayed trial at the International Criminal Court on charges related to violence after an election in 2007 that left 1,000 people dead.The indictment has been one of the reasons why Obama is yet to visit the homeland of his late father as president.But Obama has spoken to Kenyatta on the telephone, and the Kenyan leader has enjoyed more interaction with the outside world since a massacre at the Westgate Mall in Nairobi in September claimed by Somalias Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab insurgents.

UN defends Iran's exclusion from Syria peace talks

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UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The United Nations on Tuesday strongly defended Iran's exclusion from Syria peace talks after criticism from Russia and the Tehran government.Iran failed to come up with a promised written statement on the Syria conflict and so UN leader Ban Ki-moon was forced to act, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said.Haq also said Ban was anxious that countries attending the talks, which start in Montreux, Switzerland, on Wednesday, were negotiating in good faith.Ban rescinded an invitation to Iran on Monday just 24 hours after announcing that the ally of President Bashar al-Assad would be at the talks.The Syrian opposition had threatened to boycott the event if Iran was present and the United States insisted that Iran had to agree to an international communique calling for a transitional government in Syria.UN officials said Ban spent several days negotiating with Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on publicly supporting the 2012 Geneva communique which calls for the transitional government in a bid to end Syria's three-year-old war.There was an oral understanding that the secretary general had been led to believe would be followed by an actual written understanding, Haq told reporters to explain the invitation to Iran.In fact the opposite is what happened, that Iran stated the same positions that it had held previously. And that is why he expressed his disappointment at Iran's decision and took his decision to disinvite them, the spokesman added.Ban was in contact with the United States and other key parties during the talks, Haq added.Zarif blasted the UN decision and called on Ban to provide the real reasons for the withdrawal.This behavior is beneath the dignity of the UN's secretary general, the minister was quoted as saying by Iranian media.Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called Tehran's exclusion a mistake.Ban has insisted the aim of Wednesday's conference, to be followed by direct negotiations between Assad and opposition representatives in Geneva from Friday, is to implement the 2012 Geneva communique.Iran has repeatedly refused to sign up to the Geneva document which was agreed by Russia, a strategic Assad ally, the United States, which backs the opposition, and other key powers.It doesn't really make sense to have someone participate in discussions if they are doing it without understanding what the basis of the discussions are, Haq said.Although the various parties come in with different understandings of the situation, different understandings of who to support and why, what we are doing is relying on them to act and negotiate in good faith, he added.The makeup of the Syrian opposition delegation is uncertain after a key bloc broke away from the Syrian National Coalition on Monday in protest at its participation in the talks.We had wanted a broadly representative delegation, we will see tomorrow who is there to speak and participate, said Haq.But we continue to be hopeful that the delegation that is present in Montreux ... will be broadly representative of the Syrian opposition, added the spokesman.

Tennis: Tomas Berdych to lead Czechs Davis Cup opener

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PRAGUE (AFP) - World number seven and Australian Open semi-finalist Tomas Berdych will lead holders the Czech Republic into their Davis Cup tie against the Netherlands later this month, captain Jaroslav Navratil announced on Tuesday.Berdych, 28, will be flanked by 44th-ranked Radek Stepanek, Lukas Rosol and Jiri Vesely in the World Group, first round match-up in Ostrava, close to the Czech border with Poland, on January 31-February 2.We hope to continue our recent run of results, said Navratil, whose team beat Spain in the 2012 final and then defeated Serbia to retain their crown in Belgrade late last year.Berdych is in great form. He is serving brilliantly and is very strong from the baseline.Berdych himself is still envisaging the prospect of taking a rest from Davis Cup competition after the meeting with the Dutch.I have won the trophy twice. I have done a lot of things for the team over the last 10 or 11 years. I would say I deserve a rest, he told Czech media in Melbourne.The beaten finalist at Wimbledon in 2010, Berdych advanced to the semi-finals of this years first Grand Slam with a four-set victory against Spains David Ferrer on Tuesday.He will meet Stanislas Wawrinka in the last four in Melbourne.

Pakistani stocks end higher; rupee weakens

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KARACHI (Reuters) - Pakistans main stock exchange closed higher on Tuesday with the benchmark 100-share index of the Karachi Stock Exchange rising 0.38 percent, or 103.75 points, to 27,104.70.Led by volume in small stocks, participation at the bourse remained high. The textile sector attracted investors on the back of impressive export figures, dealer Asad Siddiqui at Topline Securities said.Nishat Mills Ltd rose 1.79 percent to 140.80 rupees and Hira Textile Mills Ltd was up 2.59 percent to 17.05 rupees.The rupee ended weaker at 105.45/105.49 against the dollar compared to Mondays close of 105.40/105.46.Overnight rates in the money market remained flat at 9.50 percent.

North Waziristan operation: Imran Khan expresses reservations

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ISLAMABAD: (Dunya News) – Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan has expressed concerns over security forces’ aerial operation against militants in North Waziristan on Tuesday.Imran Khan was chairing a central core committee session of the party where the terrorist attacks on security forces were strongly condemned However; PTI chief also expressed concerns over the counter-terrorism policy and armed operation against the militants in North Waziristan saying the armed operation should be the last option.PTI chief also said that the government should isolate those Taliban groups who are willing to negotiate from others. He further said the government should brief the parliament about the development of peace talks and that political leadership of the country should be taken into confidence about the security situation and military operation.Imran Khan also emphasized on the evacuation of women and children from areas of conflict before bombing.

60 Afghan de-miners briefly held hostage by gunmen: officials

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HERAT (AFP) - An armed group briefly held about 60 Afghan de-miners hostage in the northwest of the country on Tuesday before an operation by security forces freed them, officials said.The mine clearance workers, employed by the British Halo Trust, were taken by gunmen from a camp in the Pashtun Zarghun district of Herat province early in the morning.It was not known whether the kidnappers belonged to an insurgent group, but Halo said they were not Taliban members.All the abducted de-miners have now been freed, Sediq Sediqqi, spokesman for the interior ministry, told AFP.Police surrounded the mountain where they were being held, and after an operation, managed to free them all. We are still gathering facts on the abductors.Abdul Hamid Hamidi, deputy police chief of Herat province, confirmed the release. We launched an operation against the kidnappers in the mountains and freed the hostages, he said.All the de-miners were Afghans and most were from the local area.A spokesman for the Halo Trust also said the men had been freed, adding that the abductors were not Taliban insurgents and no claim of responsibility had been received.The Halo Trust has about 3,000 workers in Afghanistan, which is one of the most mined countries in the world after suffering decades of conflict.The organisation, which has worked in Afghanistan since 1988 despite civil war and the hermetic Taliban era, shot to fame in 1997 when Diana, Princess of Wales, visited a minefield that Halo staff were clearing in Angola.Her son Prince Harry is a keen supporter of the Trust, as is actress Angelina Jolie, who is one of its trustees.Halo says it is the worlds oldest and largest humanitarian landmine clearance organisation, with projects in countries including Angola, Cambodia and the Ivory Coast.Since 1989, when the Soviets left Afghanistan, more than 4,000 people have been killed and 17,000 injured by mines, according to an estimate by the UNs Mine Action Coordination Center of Afghanistan.The figure does not include devices laid in the current conflict.

Turkey holds interest rates unchanged

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ANKARA (AFP) - Turkeys central bank kept its key interest rates steady on Tuesday despite intense market pressure, sending the local currency plunging to new lows.The banks decision had been expected after Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci on Monday ruled out any hike in rates despite the currencys rapid decline in the face of a deep political crisis.The bank said in a statement after its monthly policy meeting that it was holding its key overnight rate at 7.75 percent, one-week repurchasing or repo rate at 4.5 percent and its borrowing rate at 3.5 percent.However, the banks monetary policy committee also gave itself room for manoeuvre, saying: Liquidity policies need to be tightened in order to make the inflation outlook compatible with its medium term targets.Also the bank said it would make interbank interest rates rise to 9 percent on additional monetary tightening days.The lira was quoted at around 2.2548 to the dollar and 3.0505 to the euro shortly after the decision while the Istanbul stock exchange was up 0.94 percent to 66,381.88 points.The central bank has been under pressure from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogans embattled government not to raise interest rates in order to to boost growth and keep inflation in check.Instead, it has been using its foreign currency reserves to shore up the currency, selling about $17.6 billion last year.The currency has been on a sharp downward spiral since mid-December when police launched an anti-corruption probe that has embroiled members of Erdogans inner circle.Most analysts had expected the bank to hold fire on any rate increases after Zeybekci said on Monday that the central bank should not raise rates because it would be an inconclusive step and put a permanent burden on our economy.But London-based Capital Economics said Todays move adds to what is already a muddled monetary policy framework and will raise further questions about the credibility of the central bank.It added that the lira is likely to come under further pressure.Turkeys finances, like those of other emerging economies, are also under pressure over the US Federal Reserve move to reduce its monetary stimulus programme.While the government has insisted its growth target of four percent for 2014 remains intact, Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said last week that inflation might be higher than forecast because of the liras depreciation.Turkeys inflation was registered at 7.4 percent last year and the government had been predicting 5.3 percent for 2014.The banks decision coincided with a pessimistic report card on Turkey issued by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.The London-based EBRD cut its economic growth forecast for Turkey to 3.3 percent for this year from a previous estimate of 3.6 percent, blaming the impact of its domestic political crisis and tighter US monetary policy.

Mastung tragedy: Attack on bus kills 24 pilgrims, injures 44

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MASTUNG: (Dunya News) – At least 24 pilgrims have been killed while another 44 injured in a bomb attack on 2 buses en route to Quetta from Iran here on Tuesday. One of the two buses has been completely destroyed in the attack. Among injured are members of Levies convoy. The attack took place at Dareen Garh area of Mastung; preliminary reports suggest that around 100 KG of explosives was used to carry out the attack. Various organizations have announced 3-day mourning over the tragic incident and Hazara Democratic Party has announced a strike on Wednesday.According to reports, a suicide bomber smashed a vehicle -- filled with 100 KG of explosives – into two buses that were carrying pilgrims from Iran to Quetta. The intensity of the explosion set the area ablaze. According the reports, the attack site represents carnage with several body fragments and luggage scattered over the area. Security vehicles were also hit as a result. Casualties include women and members of levies convoy. The injured have been rushed to the hospitals in Quetta.Various organization including Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) have expressed grief over the incident announcing a 30-day mourning period whereas Hazara Democratic Party has called for strike across Quetta city on Wednesday.Taking notice of the incident, Chief Minister Balochistan Abdul Malik Baloch sought the report of the tragedy. President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, former president Asif Ali Zardari, Muttehda Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, Jamaat Islami chief Munnawar Hassan and various other leaders have strongly condemned the attack.It is pertinent to mention here that this isn’t a first attack on pilgrims in Balochistan. Terrorists have killed dozens in similar incidents. Earlier this month, on January 1, 2014, a similar attack had left 3 dead and 49 injured. Prior to that, another attack took place on October 26, 2013 also in Mastung, 2 security personnel were hit and subsequently martyred while successfully foiling the attempt to blow the bus with explosives. In another incident on December 30, 2012, 19 pilgrims were martyred while injuring several others. Same year on December 21, another attack on bus claimed 3 lives. On December 19 also in 2012, another attack on pilgrims’ bus had claimed 3 lives and injured many.Same year, on June 8 2013, another bus en route to Iran carrying pilgrims was targeted resulting in martyrdom of 6; while another bus was blown with remote control explosive on June 11.

Lebanon: Saad Hariri says ready to form govt with Hezbollah

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BEIRUT (AFP) - Ex-premier Saad Hariri has said his bloc is prepared to form a government with Hezbollah to resolve Lebanons months-long political deadlock, although they back opposite sides in the Syrian conflict.The shift by Hariri, who heads the so-called March 14 coalition, comes despite a Beirut car bombing last month that killed a Hariri adviser, Mohammad Chatah, and was blamed by his bloc on Syrian-backed Shiite movement Hezbollah.Hariri, in an interview with his Future TV broadcast late on Monday, also stressed that Hezbollah ministers in any future government he heads must not have veto powers.For nine months, since the resignation of prime minister Najib Mikati, Lebanon has been in political paralysis, with March 14 and Hezbollah and its allies unable to agree on a new government.Chatahs was the latest in a string of assassinations in Lebanon of anti-Damascus politicians that began in 2005, with the killing of Saad Hariris father, Rafiq Hariri, another former premier.We have been targeted with assassinations for nine years, and we have waited and waited. But will we wait for the country to burn down? Hariri told Future TV.I have made this decision (to accept forming a government with Hezbollah) for the sake of Lebanons interests, rather than my own, Hariri added.But, he said, I will not accept (that Hezbollah hold) the veto-wielding third of posts in a future cabinet.Hariri also stressed he would not allow a future government to provide cover for Hezbollahs role in the war in neighbouring Syria, and that he would insist Lebanon remain neutral.Yes, I am marching with the Syrian revolution... but the difference between me and others is that I am marching politically. I am not sending thousands of soldiers, said Hariri.He was referring to the thousands of fighters which Hezbollah has sent into Syria to battle alongside regime troops against the mostly Sunni rebel forces.Hariri, exiled in France since 2011, has said he will return to Lebanon for legislative elections scheduled for November.Syria dominated Lebanon politically and militarily for 30 years until 2005, when an international outcry over Rafiq Hariris killing forced Damascus to withdraw its troops.The Future bloc leaders statements follow last weeks opening in The Hague of a trial in absentia of four Hezbollah members over Rafic Hariris assassination.Syrias President Bashar al-Assad at the weekend described the trial in an interview with AFP as a tool to pressure his Hezbollah allies.Hariri slammed the claim, saying: Oh, so Assad is as transparent as they come?... Hes killed 200,000 people (in Syria) and he gave the order to assassinate Rafiq Hariri.He said he hoped the Hague-based court would indict the Syrian head of state over his fathers killing.

U.S stocks move higher on solid earnings

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NEW YORK, (AFP) - US stocks Tuesday moved higher amid mostly positive corporate earnings reports as markets resumed trade following Mondays Martin Luther King holiday.About 35 minutes into trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 11.84 (0.07 percent) to 16,470.40.The broad-based S&P 500 rose 7.96 (0.43 percent) to 1,846.66, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index increased 25.77 (0.61 percent) to 4,223.35.Solid earnings from Johnson & Johnson, Delta Air Lines and others boosted sentiment at the start of another busy week of fourth quarter earnings releases.The guidance heard this week could go a long way toward helping the broader market break out of its early-year stupor or, conversely, leave it feeling some wintertime blues, said Briefing.com analyst Patrick OHare.Analysts also pointed to a move by Chinas central bank to inject $42.1 billion worth of cash into the worlds second biggest economy as positive for growth.Delta jumped 3.4 percent after earnings came in at 65 cents per share, two cents above expectations. Traffic rose 2.0 percent in the most recent quarter.Dow component Johnson & Johnson fell 1.8 percent after reporting net income of $1.23 per share, three cents above analyst expectations. But the company forecast 2014 earnings of $5.75-$5.85 per share, whereas analysts project $5.85.Dow Chemical shot up 5 percent following reports that activist hedge fund Third Point had taken a stake in the company and was pressing for a reorganization of assets.Aluminum company Alcoa rose 6.5 percent after JPMorgan Chase upgraded the stock on a tightening market for the metal.Mondelez International fell 2.5 percent after announcing that activist shareholder Nelson Peltz would join its board. Peltz reportedly is dropping his campaign to push Mondelez to merge with Pepsico.The yield on the 10-year US Treasury held steady at 2.83 percent, the same level as Friday. The 30-year bond slipped to 3.75 percent from 3.76 percent. Bond prices and yields move inversely.
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