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Obama TV Ad Aims To Calm Prophet Protests

The United States has paid for adverts on Pakistani television which show President Obama and Hillary Clinton denouncing an anti-Muslim film.

The government has spent \$70,000 (£43,000) for airtime on seven channels as it tries to stem outrage over the American-made movie.

Protests surrounding the film have led to 30 deaths in at least 20 countries, including one attack in which the US ambassador to Libya was killed.

In Pakistan, thousands of protesters clashed with police in the capital, Islamabad, near a diplomatic enclave.

The chaotic scenes on Thursday left at least 50 people injured.

The 30-second advert shows clips of Mr Obama and his Secretary of State during speeches made after the violence flared last week.

Mr Obama is shown saying: "Since our founding the United States has been a nation that respects all faiths. We reject all efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others."

Mrs Clinton then says: "Let me state very clearly, the United States has absolutely nothing to do with this video. We absolutely reject its contents. America's commitment to religious tolerance goes back to the very beginning of our nation."

The advert, translated into Urdu, includes an image of the US seal "to make clear it's official", the US State Department said.

The advert is expected to reach an audience of 90 million Pakistanis. Some of the country's stations have carried it free of charge.

The film that sparked the protests, called Innocence of Muslims, is believed to have been made by extremist Christians.