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Waqas Dar

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Blog Entries posted by Waqas Dar

  1. Waqas Dar
    Passengers make their way in a security checkpoint at the International JFK Airport in New York, US.  October 11, 2014. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz  WASHINGTON: The Trump administration has rolled out a new questionnaire for US visa applicants worldwide that asks for social media handles for the last five years and biographical information going back 15 years.
    The new questions, part of an effort to tighten vetting of would-be visitors to the United States, were approved on May 23 by the Office of Management and Budget despite criticism from a range of education officials and academic groups during a public comment period.
    Critics argued that the new questions would be overly burdensome, lead to long delays in processing, and discourage international students and scientists from coming to the United States.
    Under the new procedures, consular officials can request all prior passport numbers, five years' worth of social media handles, email addresses and phone numbers and 15 years of biographical information including addresses, employment and travel history.
    Officials will request the additional information when they determine "that such information is required to confirm identity or conduct more rigorous national security vetting," a State Department official said on Wednesday.
    A screenshot of the new social media questions section in the US visa application form. The State Department said earlier the tighter vetting would apply to visa applicants "who have been determined to warrant additional scrutiny in connection with terrorism or other national security-related visa ineligibilities."
    President Donald Trump has vowed to increase national security and border protections, proposing to give more money to the military and make Mexico pay to build a wall along the southern US border.
    He has tried to implement a temporary travel ban on people from six Muslim-majority nations that a US appeals court refused to reinstate, calling it discriminatory and setting the stage for a showdown in the Supreme Court.
    The Office of Management and Budget granted emergency approval for the new questions for six months, rather than the usual three years.
    While the new questions are voluntary, the form says failure to provide the information may delay or prevent the processing of an individual visa application.
    Immigration lawyers and advocates say the request for 15 years of detailed biographical information, as well as the expectation that applicants remember all their social media handles, is likely to catch applicants who make innocent mistakes or do not remember all the information requested.

    The new questions grant "arbitrary power" to consular officials to determine who gets a visa with no effective check on their decisions, said Babak Yousefzadeh, a San Francisco-based attorney and president of the Iranian American Bar Association.
    "The United States has one of the most stringent visa application processes in the world," Yousefzadeh said. "The need for tightening the application process further is really unknown and unclear."


  2. Waqas Dar
    LONDON: England captain Eoin Morgan said the side injury suffered by all-rounder Chris Woakes was a major concern after his team crushed Bangladesh by eight wickets in the opening game of the Champions Trophy on Thursday.
    Woakes bowled two overs before being forced off and Bangladesh racked up a competitive total of 305 for six before Joe Root's 133 not out guided England to an easy victory.
    "It is a worry when he (Woakes) goes off the field and can't come back on and bowl," Morgan told a news conference.
    "He's going to have a scan tonight. He's obviously been very impressive for us over the last couple of years - and a mainstay, very reliable guy. He would definitely be a loss if he couldn't play."
    Root also suffered an injury scare when he damaged his calf early in his innings but he made light of the problem to post his highest one-day international score.
    "It's all right - it looks like it's just a bit of cramp," Root said.
    "I must not have eaten well enough this morning. I don't see it as too big an issue."
    Opener Alex Hales made 95 and Morgan's 75 not out steered his team to victory with Root as England began their bid to win a first global 50-over title.
    "Obviously, Alex continued his form," Morgan said. "Joe, unbelievable, as usual, and it was nice for me to get some runs as well."
    BIG DISAPPOINTMENT
    The major disappointment for England was another failure for opener Jason Roy, who was caught at short fine leg for one to continue his poor run and intensify the calls for in-form Jonny Bairstow to replace him in the side.
    Morgan, however, said Roy will keep his place in the team for England's next match against New Zealand in Cardiff on Tuesday.
    "I thought he (Roy) was terribly unlucky today," Morgan said.
    "It was quite smart, bowling a slow ball, and brave ... a big gamble. That sort of stuff can happen. You can get out in that sort of fashion when you're short on runs. But, yes, certainly we believe in him."
    Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza said his team had failed to score enough runs in favourable conditions.
    "On this wicket we were a little bit short. In the middle patches we couldn't get any wickets and Root and Morgan took the game away from us," he said.
    "We need more variety in our attack. We will think about playing an extra bowler."


  3. Waqas Dar
    World number one Andy Murray set up a French Open blockbuster against Juan Martin del Potro on Thursday, the latest chapter in what has developed into an epic rivalry.
    Murray, the 2016 runner-up, reached the third round with a bruising 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) win over Martin Klizan of Slovakia.
    Del Potro, playing in Paris for the first time in five years, went through after Nicolas Almagro retired in tears with a knee injury.
    The giant Argentine was immediately hailed for his sportsmanship when he embraced and consoled the sobbing, stricken Spaniard courtside.
    Out on Suzanne Lenglen court, world number 50 Klizan smashed 57 winners but 67 unforced errors as his all-or-nothing game proved in vain against top seed Murray.
    "I expected a tough match. Martin goes for his shots, he can hit winners with that forehand from anywhere on the court," said Murray.
    The Scot beat Del Potro in a marathon Olympic final in 2016 before the Argentine, now 30 in the world, gained his revenge with a come-from-behind win in five sets in the Davis Cup semi-final.
    "It will be very tough. Juan Martin is playing a lot better than his ranking," said Murray as he looked ahead to Saturday's clash.
    Del Potro, no stranger to injury after a career-long battle with wrist problems, made the third round after Almagro quit in tears during the third set with a left knee injury.
    In a moving conclusion on Court Two, Del Potro sat next to a sobbing Almagro, offering him water while trying to to console the heartbroken 31-year-old.
    Del Potro had also gone to the Spaniard's aid when he had collapsed at the back of the court, weeping, just moments earlier.
    'Heart first'

    "I tried to find good words for him at that moment. I say to him, try to be calm. Try to think about his family, his baby," said Del Potro.
    "Sometimes the heart is first more than the tennis match."
    Del Potro, 28, had taken the first set 6-3 before Almagro claimed the next by the same score.
    They were locked at 1-1 in the third when Almagro quit.
    Del Potro also suffered an injury scare himself when he pulled up, holding his left groin in the second set.
    Third seed Stan Wawrinka, the 2015 champion, reached the last 32 for the 10th time with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 win over Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine.
    Wawrinka will face Italy's Fabio Fognini for a place in the fourth round.
    Japanese eighth seed Kei Nishikori routed France's Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-0, 7-6 (7/5) and set up a rare all-Asian clash with South Korean Hyeon Chung.
    Chung, the 21-year-old world number 67, followed up his first round win over US 27th seed Sam Querrey with a 6-1, 7-5, 6-1 victory against Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan.
    Nick Kyrgios's Australian Open ended in a 5-7, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 loss to big-serving Kevin Anderson of South Africa.
    Anderson, ranked at 56 in the world, made the most of the 18th-seeded Australian's 42 unforced errors to progress.
    Unseeded 21-year-old Karen Khachanov of Russia continued his impressive debut, beating Czech 13th seed Tomas Berdych, a semi-finalist seven years ago, 7-5, 6-4, 6-4.
    In the women's event, Czech second seed Karolina Pliskova and third-seeded Simona Halep of Romania, both firm women's title favourites after the first round exit of world number one Angelique Kerber, went through.
    Pliskova, 25, reached the third round for the first time at the seventh attempt but had to fight to see off Russian world 86 Ekaterina Alexandrova, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
    Halep, the 2014 runner-up, cruised to a 6-4, 6-3 win over Germany's Tatjana Maria.
    However, crowd favourite Eugenie Bouchard's struggles continued with a 6-3, 6-0 loss to Latvian 17th seed Anastasija Sevastova.
    Fifth seed Elina Svitolina, a quarter-finalist in 2015 and recent Rome champion, fought back to beat Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova, a quarter-finalist last year, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
    Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, seeded nine, saw off Belgian qualifier Alison Van Uytvanck 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-3.




  4. Waqas Dar
    British pop star Robbie Williams and US group The Black Eyed Peas will join Ariana Grande at Sunday's charity concert in Manchester for families of the victims of last week's terror attack, organisers said.
    The "One Love Manchester" gig at the city's Old Trafford cricket ground has already attracted a stellar line-up including Katy Perry, Coldplay, Justin Bieber, Pharrell Williams, Miley Cyrus, Take That, Usher, Little Mix and One Direction's Niall Horan.
    The concert will honour the 22 people killed -- many of them children -- and the 116 wounded in the suicide bomb attack at the end of Grande's show at the Manchester Arena on May 22.
    Manchester-born Salman Abedi, a 22-year-old of Libyan origin, was named as the bomber.
    Police on Thursday released new images of Abedi, calling for the public's help in tracking his movements in the days leading up to the attack.
    "What we still need to understand is if he had any of the bomb parts in his possession before he went out of the country, this is why we're tracking his movements so carefully," it said in a statement.
    Proceeds from the Sunday's concert will go to a fund set up to help the victims' families. The attack shook the country and led to the temporary suspension of a general election campaign.
    Performances at the 50,000 capacity stadium will kick off at 7.15pm (1815 GMT) and will be streamed online and broadcast by the BBC.
    Tickets went on sale Thursday, selling out within six minutes, with website Ticketmaster reporting "incredible" demand.
    Organisers have announced that anyone present at last month's deadly concert will be able to attend the tribute concert for free.
    A spokeswoman for Ticketmaster said that "over 10,000 unscrupulous applications" had been made on Thursday, with people applying for free tickets despite not attending the original concert.
    The ticket operator had set aside 14,200 tickets for those at the May 22 show, but received more than 25,000 applications.
    Ticketmaster said it was also cancelling tickets of people who were reselling them.
    "At Ticketmaster we are doing everything we can - including extending today's deadline -- to ensure that tickets go to the actual fans and not the opportunists or touts who have also been applying for free tickets," the company said.
    Several secondary ticketing sites such as Stubhub and Viagogo have pledged to not allow the reselling of tickets for the concert on their websites.
    Grande, who said that she was "broken" by the atrocity, returned to her home in Boca Raton, Florida, the day after the attack.
    The 23-year-old Grande cancelled dates on her "Dangerous Woman Tour" until June 7, and called on her fans to "come closer together, to help each other, to love more, to sing louder and to live more kindly and generously than we did before".


  5. Waqas Dar
    Tickets for an all-star benefit concert in aid of the victims of the Manchester bomb attack sold out within minutes of going on sale on Thursday.
    The "One Love Manchester" concert will be headlined by Ariana Grande, the US singer whose concert in the northern English city on May 22 was hit by a suicide bombing that killed 22 people and wounded 116.
    Coldplay, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Pharrell Williams, Take That and the Black Eyed Peas will also perform at the concert at the Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground on Sunday.
    Fans who attended Grande's previous show are being offered free tickets to the concert which will be broadcast on British television. Proceeds from tickets sold will go to the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund set up to aid grieving families and victims of the attack.
    In a statement announcing the benefit concert, Grande said she hoped to "honour the ones we lost, their loved ones, my fans and all affected by this tragedy".


  6. Waqas Dar
    Smoke billows from the Resorts World building in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Update [04:52 AM PST]: Around dawn, the body of the suspected gunman was found in a hotel room in the complex close to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and an air force base.
    Police said it appeared the suspect had killed himself after firing at officers searching the still-smoking building. "Our assessment is he burned himself. He committed suicide," Oscar Albayalde, chief of the capital's police office, said in a radio interview.
    Officials said at least 30 people were hurt, some seriously, as they rushed to escape what at first had been feared as a militant attack.
    Update [04:20 AM PST]: The suspect in the firing incident is dead, according to media reports.
    The cause of his death is still unconfirmed. Philippines national police killed a man who fired shots inside a casino in the Philippine capital, AFP reported citing authorities.
    "He's dead. He was killed by our troops," police chief Ronald dela Rosa told the GMA television network.
    However, according to Reuters, the gunman killed himself, police said.
    Update [02:50 AM PST]: At least 25 people were hurt, some seriously, as they rushed to escape, medical officials, including those from the Philippine Red Cross' local Pasay Chapter, said.
    Jeri Ann Santiago, who works in the emergency room at the San Juan de Dios hospital, close to Resorts World, said 13 people were being treated, but more were on the way.
    Most of the patients were suffering the effects of smoke inhalation and some had injuries such as fractures, she added, explaining that none had gunshot wounds.

    In addition, windows were smashed at the casino complex as police searched for the gunman responsible, a local police officer said.
    However, a police officer at the scene mentioned there were no more gunshots, responding to an AFP journalist's prior report of more gunshots being heard. The policeman stated the sound of the blasts was from the windows being smashed, but could not say why the windows were smashed.
    On the other hand, 54-year-old Gil Yonco stood weeping in the street at around 5 AM local time, since his daughter had been inside Resorts World on the second floor.
    Yonco's daughter had called him for help because she was getting suffocated by smoke. However, there was no answer when he tried to call her back. "I am very worried as a parent, I need to find her," he said.
    Ronald Romualdo, a maintenance worker at Resorts World, said he saw a woman fall from an upper floor while trying to escape. "Several people were injured," he added.
    Update [02:30 AM PST]: At least three more gunshots have been heard at the casino complex as police look for a gunman who had fired an assault rifle earlier, an AFP reporter on the scene said.
    Some windows at the complex shattered as the gunshots were heard, according to the reporter, about five hours after the man went into the casino and fired what police said was an M4 rifle and then disappeared.
    Update [02:25 AM PST]: "We are looking into a robbery angle because he did not hurt any people and went straight to the casino chips storage room," National police chief Ronald dela Rosa noted.
    The top security official said the suspect was "foreign-looking, a Caucasian, about six feet tall". However, the gunman may have escaped because smoke had obscured footage for CCTV cameras, he added.
    Thirteen people had been treated at a nearby hospital for smoke inhalation and fractures, hospital staff told Reuters.
    Update [02:00 AM PST]: "There hasn't been anyone shot... there are only injuries from people who tried to escape in a stampede or from smoke," dela Rosa said on DZMM radio.

    The gunman, however, was still on the loose after firing an assault rifle, the national police chief said regarding the incident at Manila Resort, which is across a road from one of the main terminals of the Philippines' international airport.
    Some people inside the casino recounted feelings of terror when the shooting occurred.
    "I was about to return to the second floor from my break when I saw people running. Some hotel guests said someone yelled 'ISIS'," Maricel Navaro, an employee of Resorts World, told DZMM radio.
    "Guests were screaming. We went to the basement locker room and hid there. People were screaming, guests and employees were in panic," Navaro added.

    "When we smelled smoke, we decided to go for the exit in the carpark. That's where we got out. Before we exited, we heard two gunshots and there was thick smoke on the ground floor."
    Update [01:50 AM PST]: While Daesh immediately claimed responsibility, stating "lonewolf soldiers" from its group carried out the attack, as per SITE Intelligence Group that monitors terrorist organisations, dela Rosa said police "cannot attribute this to terrorism".
    He said it may have just have been an attempted robbery, pointing out the gunman tried to steal the gambling chips.
    Update [01:30 AM PST]: National police chief Ronald dela Rosa issues a statement on the incident.
    "There hasn't been anyone shot," dela Rosa said on DZMM radio, adding there was no indication yet it was a terrorist incident. "We cannot say this is an act of terror? he did not hurt anyone," he explained.
    Dela Rosa said the man, who appeared to be acting alone, walked into one of the gambling rooms and fired an M4 rifle at a large television screen, then poured gasoline onto a gambling table and set it alight. He said the man then fired again at a stock room containing gambling chips and filled a backpack with them.
    The man then left the room and went upstairs to a hotel section of the complex, according to dela Rosa, who added that there are no reports of hostage-taking, although the gunman has not yet been caught.
    "We have cleared the rooms (on the floor of the hotel the gunman was last seen) but we don't see where he is," dela Rosa said.
    Update [01:20 AM PST]: A spokeswoman for the US State Department said earlier it was not aware of any US citizens being affected but was continuing to gather information.
    "We remain in close contact with local officials," she said, adding that US citizens were advised to exercise caution and monitor local media for further information. 
    Update [01:10 AM PST]: Through Twitter updates, the Manila Resort management commented on how Philippine National Police is carrying out an operation to analyse the situation, but refused to share further information saying it "may jeopardise their movement at this point".

    The company added that it has "no official information as to the identity or affiliation of the persons responsible" for the incident.
    Update [01:05 AM PST]: Philippines police chief says as far as he is concerned, there is no indication that the firing incident at Manila Resort was an act of terrorism.
    Update [01:00 AM PST]: A gunman with an assault rifle entered Manila Resort's gaming area and set fire to the tables, the police chief added.

    Update [12:59 AM PST]: Philippines Armed Police was seen entering Manila Hotel near Resorts World, a witness told Reuters.

    Evacuated employees and guests of hotels stand along a road and watch as smoke billows from a Resorts World building in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Update [12:50 AM PST]: US President Donald Trump Thursday expressed sadness and sympathy for victims of what he labelled a "terrorist attack" at a casino in the Philippines capital Manila.
    "We're closely monitoring the situation," Trump said in response to the gunfire attack, which was quickly claimed by Daesh.
    "But it is really very sad as to what is going on throughout the world with terror. Our thoughts and our prayers are with all of those affected."
    White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer also tweeted.
    Update [12:30 AM PST, Friday]: Military spokesman Restituto Padilla said the police were in control of the situation and the army was monitoring closely.
    Policemen stand guard near evacuated employees of a hotel near a situation at a Resorts World building, in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Philippines Red Cross responded to the incident right away.
    Various people took to Twitter to talk about the attack.
    Original reporting [11:45 PM PST, Thursday]: MANILA: Gunshots and explosions rang out from an entertainment resort in the Philippine capital Manila early on Friday and local media reported armed men were inside the complex.
    The company mentioned that it is currently working with the local police to offer the best possible security to the visitors.

    Resorts World Manila said on social media it was on lockdown and the local fire department said a blaze was burning on the second floor of the building.
    "We ask for your prayers during these difficult times," Resorts World said on Twitter.
    Witnesses who spoke to radio stations said several gunmen were seen in the complex. News channel ANC said there were two gunmen, wearing masks and black clothes.

    The information could not be immediately verified.
    Smoke billows from the Resorts World building in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Pictures circulated on social media of the resort, close to the city's airport, showing plumes of smoke pouring from a building.
    A source at one of the resorts told Reuters that employees were being evacuated and declined to give more details.
    As the drama unfolded, dozens of police trucks and a handful of huge Special Action Force vans and armoured personnel carriers lined side streets near the hotel, casino and shopping mall complex.

    Heightened security
    The Philippines has been on heightened alert amid a crisis in the south of the country, where troops have been battling Daesh rebels since May 23.
    Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte imposed martial law last week across the southern region of Mindanao to crush what he said was a rising threat of Daesh there.
    He declared martial law shortly after militants went on a rampage through the southern city of Marawi, which is about 800 kilometres (500 miles) south of Manila.
    (Editorial note: Content shared by users on social media has not been independently verified).

    ?This is a developing story and will be updated as details are made available.
    (Editing by Haseem uz Zaman)


  7. Waqas Dar
    Smoke billows from the Resorts World building in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Update [04:20 AM PST]: The suspect in the firing incident is dead, according to media reports.
    The cause of his death is still unconfirmed. Philippines national police killed a man who fired shots inside a casino in the Philippine capital, AFP reported citing authorities.
    "He's dead. He was killed by our troops," police chief Ronald dela Rosa told the GMA television network.
    However, according to Reuters, the gunman killed himself, police said.
    Update [02:50 AM PST]: At least 25 people were hurt, some seriously, as they rushed to escape, medical officials, including those from the Philippine Red Cross' local Pasay Chapter, said.
    Jeri Ann Santiago, who works in the emergency room at the San Juan de Dios hospital, close to Resorts World, said 13 people were being treated, but more were on the way.
    Most of the patients were suffering the effects of smoke inhalation and some had injuries such as fractures, she added, explaining that none had gunshot wounds.

    In addition, windows were smashed at the casino complex as police searched for the gunman responsible, a local police officer said.
    However, a police officer at the scene mentioned there were no more gunshots, responding to an AFP journalist's prior report of more gunshots being heard. The policeman stated the sound of the blasts was from the windows being smashed, but could not say why the windows were smashed.
    On the other hand, 54-year-old Gil Yonco stood weeping in the street at around 5 AM local time, since his daughter had been inside Resorts World on the second floor.
    Yonco's daughter had called him for help because she was getting suffocated by smoke. However, there was no answer when he tried to call her back. "I am very worried as a parent, I need to find her," he said.
    Ronald Romualdo, a maintenance worker at Resorts World, said he saw a woman fall from an upper floor while trying to escape. "Several people were injured," he added.
    Update [02:30 AM PST]: At least three more gunshots have been heard at the casino complex as police look for a gunman who had fired an assault rifle earlier, an AFP reporter on the scene said.
    Some windows at the complex shattered as the gunshots were heard, according to the reporter, about five hours after the man went into the casino and fired what police said was an M4 rifle and then disappeared.
    Update [02:25 AM PST]: "We are looking into a robbery angle because he did not hurt any people and went straight to the casino chips storage room," National police chief Ronald dela Rosa noted.
    The top security official said the suspect was "foreign-looking, a Caucasian, about six feet tall". However, the gunman may have escaped because smoke had obscured footage for CCTV cameras, he added.
    Thirteen people had been treated at a nearby hospital for smoke inhalation and fractures, hospital staff told Reuters.
    Update [02:00 AM PST]: "There hasn't been anyone shot... there are only injuries from people who tried to escape in a stampede or from smoke," dela Rosa said on DZMM radio.

    The gunman, however, was still on the loose after firing an assault rifle, the national police chief said regarding the incident at Manila Resort, which is across a road from one of the main terminals of the Philippines' international airport.
    Some people inside the casino recounted feelings of terror when the shooting occurred.
    "I was about to return to the second floor from my break when I saw people running. Some hotel guests said someone yelled 'ISIS'," Maricel Navaro, an employee of Resorts World, told DZMM radio.
    "Guests were screaming. We went to the basement locker room and hid there. People were screaming, guests and employees were in panic," Navaro added.

    "When we smelled smoke, we decided to go for the exit in the carpark. That's where we got out. Before we exited, we heard two gunshots and there was thick smoke on the ground floor."
    Update [01:50 AM PST]: While Daesh immediately claimed responsibility, stating "lonewolf soldiers" from its group carried out the attack, as per SITE Intelligence Group that monitors terrorist organisations, dela Rosa said police "cannot attribute this to terrorism".
    He said it may have just have been an attempted robbery, pointing out the gunman tried to steal the gambling chips.
    Update [01:30 AM PST]: National police chief Ronald dela Rosa issues a statement on the incident.
    "There hasn't been anyone shot," dela Rosa said on DZMM radio, adding there was no indication yet it was a terrorist incident. "We cannot say this is an act of terror? he did not hurt anyone," he explained.
    Dela Rosa said the man, who appeared to be acting alone, walked into one of the gambling rooms and fired an M4 rifle at a large television screen, then poured gasoline onto a gambling table and set it alight. He said the man then fired again at a stock room containing gambling chips and filled a backpack with them.
    The man then left the room and went upstairs to a hotel section of the complex, according to dela Rosa, who added that there are no reports of hostage-taking, although the gunman has not yet been caught.
    "We have cleared the rooms (on the floor of the hotel the gunman was last seen) but we don't see where he is," dela Rosa said.
    Update [01:20 AM PST]: A spokeswoman for the US State Department said earlier it was not aware of any US citizens being affected but was continuing to gather information.
    "We remain in close contact with local officials," she said, adding that US citizens were advised to exercise caution and monitor local media for further information. 
    Update [01:10 AM PST]: Through Twitter updates, the Manila Resort management commented on how Philippine National Police is carrying out an operation to analyse the situation, but refused to share further information saying it "may jeopardise their movement at this point".

    The company added that it has "no official information as to the identity or affiliation of the persons responsible" for the incident.
    Update [01:05 AM PST]: Philippines police chief says as far as he is concerned, there is no indication that the firing incident at Manila Resort was an act of terrorism.
    Update [01:00 AM PST]: A gunman with an assault rifle entered Manila Resort's gaming area and set fire to the tables, the police chief added.

    Update [12:59 AM PST]: Philippines Armed Police was seen entering Manila Hotel near Resorts World, a witness told Reuters.

    Evacuated employees and guests of hotels stand along a road and watch as smoke billows from a Resorts World building in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Update [12:50 AM PST]: US President Donald Trump Thursday expressed sadness and sympathy for victims of what he labelled a "terrorist attack" at a casino in the Philippines capital Manila.
    "We're closely monitoring the situation," Trump said in response to the gunfire attack, which was quickly claimed by Daesh.
    "But it is really very sad as to what is going on throughout the world with terror. Our thoughts and our prayers are with all of those affected."
    White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer also tweeted.
    Update [12:30 AM PST, Friday]: Military spokesman Restituto Padilla said the police were in control of the situation and the army was monitoring closely.
    Policemen stand guard near evacuated employees of a hotel near a situation at a Resorts World building, in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Philippines Red Cross responded to the incident right away.
    Various people took to Twitter to talk about the attack.
    Original reporting [11:45 PM PST, Thursday]: MANILA: Gunshots and explosions rang out from an entertainment resort in the Philippine capital Manila early on Friday and local media reported armed men were inside the complex.
    The company mentioned that it is currently working with the local police to offer the best possible security to the visitors.

    Resorts World Manila said on social media it was on lockdown and the local fire department said a blaze was burning on the second floor of the building.
    "We ask for your prayers during these difficult times," Resorts World said on Twitter.
    Witnesses who spoke to radio stations said several gunmen were seen in the complex. News channel ANC said there were two gunmen, wearing masks and black clothes.

    The information could not be immediately verified.
    Smoke billows from the Resorts World building in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Pictures circulated on social media of the resort, close to the city's airport, showing plumes of smoke pouring from a building.
    A source at one of the resorts told Reuters that employees were being evacuated and declined to give more details.
    As the drama unfolded, dozens of police trucks and a handful of huge Special Action Force vans and armoured personnel carriers lined side streets near the hotel, casino and shopping mall complex.

    Heightened security
    The Philippines has been on heightened alert amid a crisis in the south of the country, where troops have been battling Daesh rebels since May 23.
    Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte imposed martial law last week across the southern region of Mindanao to crush what he said was a rising threat of Daesh there.
    He declared martial law shortly after militants went on a rampage through the southern city of Marawi, which is about 800 kilometres (500 miles) south of Manila.
    (Editorial note: Content shared by users on social media has not been independently verified).

    ?This is a developing story and will be updated as details are made available.
    (Editing by Haseem uz Zaman)


  8. Waqas Dar
    WASHINGTON: Former FBI Director James Comey will testify next Thursday before a US Senate panel investigating Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 US election, in a hearing that could be difficult for President Donald Trump.
    In his first public appearance since Trump fired him on May 9, Comey will address the Senate Intelligence Committee on June 8. He will speak at both an open session and behind closed doors, which would allow him to discuss classified information, the committee said.
    Allegations that Russia may have helped Trump win the 2016 presidential election and questions about possible collusion by members of his campaign are being investigated by several US congressional committees as well as by the Justice Department.
    Comey is expected to be asked about conversations in which Trump reportedly pressured him to drop an investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn, one of several Trump associates who are drawing scrutiny about Russia and last year's US election.
    Russia has repeatedly denied any effort to interfere in the US election, and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said some Russians might have acted on their own without their government's involvement.
    Trump has denied any collusion between Russia and his campaign and has repeatedly questioned the US intelligence finding that Putin led an operation that included computer hacking, fake news and propaganda intended to swing the election in Trump's favor over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
    Comey was leading the FBI's probe into the allegations, and his firing sparked a political uproar. Facing rising pressure, the Justice Department earlier this month named another former Federal Bureau of Investigation chief, Robert Mueller, as a special counsel to investigate the allegations.
    On Wednesday, the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, which is also looking into the allegations, approved subpoenas for Flynn and Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, in connection with its probe.
    The committee's Republican chairman, Representative Devin Nunes, who had recused himself from the panel's Russia probe, also approved subpoenas to the CIA, FBI and National Security Agency for information relating to the "unmasking" of the names of Trump campaign advisers inadvertently picked up in top-secret foreign communications intercepts.
    Committee aides complained he had acted unilaterally, and the top Democrat on the panel, Representative Adam Schiff, said Nunes' actions violated his recusal decision.
    "Commitments to recuse himself have not been fully honored," Schiff told MSNBC.
    He also said the US intelligence agencies were cooperating with the House panel and that it was therefore unclear why Nunes would issue the subpoenas, which constitute a formal demand for information.
    In a further sign of strain between the two, Schiff told the network it was up to Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan to stop such conduct and he believed Nunes should delegate his subpoena power to demand such information.
    Schiff also rejected Putin's suggestion that patriotic Russians, rather than the Russian state itself, could have staged cyber attacks to influence the US election.
    Trump on Thursday backed Nunes' efforts to investigate actions by US security and other officials who had served under previous President Barack Obama.
    "The big story is the 'unmasking and surveillance' of people that took place during the Obama Administration," Trump said in a tweet.


  9. Waqas Dar
    File BELFAST: Pakistan drew 2-2 with Ireland in the first game of the three-match hockey series at Lisnagarvey.
    An interesting edge of seat contest saw the hosts twice coming from behind to hold Pakistan 2-2.
    In front of a packed house, the green shirts went ahead early in the 9th minute when Aleem Bilal converted a penalty corner with a powerful drag flick.
    The lead did not last long. Connor Harte, who was playing his 200th international, availed a pass from Shane O' Donoghue in the 17th minute.
    Just two minutes before the half-time, Ali Shan restored the lead for Pakistan when he put in the ball after a Dilber try had rebounded off the goal keeper's pads.
    Ali Shan restored Pakistan's lead before half-time but the tantalising battle continued on resumption as Jeremy Duncan's late goal earned the Irish a draw.
    In the last quarter, Jeremy Duncan finished off an excellent combined move involving Alan Sothern and Matthew Nelson to make it 2-2.
    The second match of the three test series is scheduled on Saturday.


  10. Waqas Dar
    Smoke billows from the Resorts World building in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Update [02:50 AM PST]: At least 25 people were hurt, some seriously, as they rushed to escape, medical officials, including those from the Philippine Red Cross' local Pasay Chapter, said.
    Jeri Ann Santiago, who works in the emergency room at the San Juan de Dios hospital, close to Resorts World, said 13 people were being treated, but more were on the way.
    Most of the patients were suffering the effects of smoke inhalation and some had injuries such as fractures, she added, explaining that none had gunshot wounds.

    In addition, windows were smashed at the casino complex as police searched for the gunman responsible, a local police officer said.
    However, a police officer at the scene mentioned there were no more gunshots, responding to an AFP journalist's prior report of more gunshots being heard. The policeman stated the sound of the blasts was from the windows being smashed, but could not say why the windows were smashed.
    On the other hand, 54-year-old Gil Yonco stood weeping in the street at around 5 AM local time, since his daughter had been inside Resorts World on the second floor.
    Yonco's daughter had called him for help because she was getting suffocated by smoke. However, there was no answer when he tried to call her back. "I am very worried as a parent, I need to find her," he said.
    Ronald Romualdo, a maintenance worker at Resorts World, said he saw a woman fall from an upper floor while trying to escape. "Several people were injured," he added.
    Update [02:30 AM PST]: At least three more gunshots have been heard at the casino complex as police look for a gunman who had fired an assault rifle earlier, an AFP reporter on the scene said.
    Some windows at the complex shattered as the gunshots were heard, according to the reporter, about five hours after the man went into the casino and fired what police said was an M4 rifle and then disappeared.
    Update [02:25 AM PST]: "We are looking into a robbery angle because he did not hurt any people and went straight to the casino chips storage room," National police chief Ronald dela Rosa noted.
    The top security official said the suspect was "foreign-looking, a Caucasian, about six feet tall". However, the gunman may have escaped because smoke had obscured footage for CCTV cameras, he added.
    Thirteen people had been treated at a nearby hospital for smoke inhalation and fractures, hospital staff told Reuters.
    Update [02:00 AM PST]: "There hasn't been anyone shot... there are only injuries from people who tried to escape in a stampede or from smoke," dela Rosa said on DZMM radio.

    The gunman, however, was still on the loose after firing an assault rifle, the national police chief said regarding the incident at Manila Resort, which is across a road from one of the main terminals of the Philippines' international airport.
    Some people inside the casino recounted feelings of terror when the shooting occurred.
    "I was about to return to the second floor from my break when I saw people running. Some hotel guests said someone yelled 'ISIS'," Maricel Navaro, an employee of Resorts World, told DZMM radio.
    "Guests were screaming. We went to the basement locker room and hid there. People were screaming, guests and employees were in panic," Navaro added.

    "When we smelled smoke, we decided to go for the exit in the carpark. That's where we got out. Before we exited, we heard two gunshots and there was thick smoke on the ground floor."
    Update [01:50 AM PST]: While Daesh immediately claimed responsibility, stating "lonewolf soldiers" from its group carried out the attack, as per SITE Intelligence Group that monitors terrorist organisations, dela Rosa said police "cannot attribute this to terrorism".
    He said it may have just have been an attempted robbery, pointing out the gunman tried to steal the gambling chips.
    Update [01:30 AM PST]: National police chief Ronald dela Rosa issues a statement on the incident.
    "There hasn't been anyone shot," dela Rosa said on DZMM radio, adding there was no indication yet it was a terrorist incident. "We cannot say this is an act of terror? he did not hurt anyone," he explained.
    Dela Rosa said the man, who appeared to be acting alone, walked into one of the gambling rooms and fired an M4 rifle at a large television screen, then poured gasoline onto a gambling table and set it alight. He said the man then fired again at a stock room containing gambling chips and filled a backpack with them.
    The man then left the room and went upstairs to a hotel section of the complex, according to dela Rosa, who added that there are no reports of hostage-taking, although the gunman has not yet been caught.
    "We have cleared the rooms (on the floor of the hotel the gunman was last seen) but we don't see where he is," dela Rosa said.
    Update [01:20 AM PST]: A spokeswoman for the US State Department said earlier it was not aware of any US citizens being affected but was continuing to gather information.
    "We remain in close contact with local officials," she said, adding that US citizens were advised to exercise caution and monitor local media for further information. 
    Update [01:10 AM PST]: Through Twitter updates, the Manila Resort management commented on how Philippine National Police is carrying out an operation to analyse the situation, but refused to share further information saying it "may jeopardise their movement at this point".

    The company added that it has "no official information as to the identity or affiliation of the persons responsible" for the incident.
    Update [01:05 AM PST]: Philippines police chief says as far as he is concerned, there is no indication that the firing incident at Manila Resort was an act of terrorism.
    Update [01:00 AM PST]: A gunman with an assault rifle entered Manila Resort's gaming area and set fire to the tables, the police chief added.

    Update [12:59 AM PST]: Philippines Armed Police was seen entering Manila Hotel near Resorts World, a witness told Reuters.

    Evacuated employees and guests of hotels stand along a road and watch as smoke billows from a Resorts World building in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Update [12:50 AM PST]: US President Donald Trump Thursday expressed sadness and sympathy for victims of what he labelled a "terrorist attack" at a casino in the Philippines capital Manila.
    "We're closely monitoring the situation," Trump said in response to the gunfire attack, which was quickly claimed by Daesh.
    "But it is really very sad as to what is going on throughout the world with terror. Our thoughts and our prayers are with all of those affected."
    White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer also tweeted.
    Update [12:30 AM PST, Friday]: Military spokesman Restituto Padilla said the police were in control of the situation and the army was monitoring closely.
    Policemen stand guard near evacuated employees of a hotel near a situation at a Resorts World building, in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Philippines Red Cross responded to the incident right away.
    Various people took to Twitter to talk about the attack.
    Original reporting [11:45 PM PST, Thursday]: MANILA: Gunshots and explosions rang out from an entertainment resort in the Philippine capital Manila early on Friday and local media reported armed men were inside the complex.
    The company mentioned that it is currently working with the local police to offer the best possible security to the visitors.

    Resorts World Manila said on social media it was on lockdown and the local fire department said a blaze was burning on the second floor of the building.
    "We ask for your prayers during these difficult times," Resorts World said on Twitter.
    Witnesses who spoke to radio stations said several gunmen were seen in the complex. News channel ANC said there were two gunmen, wearing masks and black clothes.

    The information could not be immediately verified.
    Smoke billows from the Resorts World building in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Pictures circulated on social media of the resort, close to the city's airport, showing plumes of smoke pouring from a building.
    A source at one of the resorts told Reuters that employees were being evacuated and declined to give more details.
    As the drama unfolded, dozens of police trucks and a handful of huge Special Action Force vans and armoured personnel carriers lined side streets near the hotel, casino and shopping mall complex.

    Heightened security
    The Philippines has been on heightened alert amid a crisis in the south of the country, where troops have been battling Daesh rebels since May 23.
    Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte imposed martial law last week across the southern region of Mindanao to crush what he said was a rising threat of Daesh there.
    He declared martial law shortly after militants went on a rampage through the southern city of Marawi, which is about 800 kilometres (500 miles) south of Manila.
    (Editorial note: Content shared by users on social media has not been independently verified).

    ?This is a developing story and will be updated as details are made available.
    (Editing by Haseem uz Zaman)


  11. Waqas Dar
    Smoke billows from the Resorts World building in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Update [01:30 AM PST]: National police chief Ronald dela Rosa issues a statement on the incident.
    "There hasn´t been anyone shot," dela Rosa said on DZMM radio, adding there was no indication yet it was a terrorist incident. "We cannot say this is an act of terror? he did not hurt anyone," he explained.
    Dela Rosa said the man, who appeared to be acting alone, walked into one of the gambling rooms and fired an M4 rifle at a large television screen, then poured gasoline onto a gambling table and set it alight. He said the man then fired again at a stock room containing gambling chips and filled a backpack with them.
    The man then left the room and went upstairs to a hotel section of the complex, according to dela Rosa, who added that there are no reports of hostage-taking, although the gunman has not yet been caught.
    "We have cleared the rooms (on the floor of the hotel the gunman was last seen) but we don't see where he is," dela Rosa said.
    Update [01:20 AM PST]: A spokeswoman for the US State Department said earlier it was not aware of any US citizens being affected but was continuing to gather information.
    "We remain in close contact with local officials," she said, adding that US citizens were advised to exercise caution and monitor local media for further information. 
    Update [01:10 AM PST]: Through Twitter updates, the Manila Resort management commented on how Philippine National Police is carrying out an operation to analyse the situation, but refused to share further information saying it "may jeopardise their movement at this point".

    The company added that it has "no official information as to the identity or affiliation of the persons responsible" for the incident.
    Update [01:05 AM PST]: Philippines police chief says as far as he is concerned, there is no indication that the firing incident at Manila Resort was an act of terrorism.
    Update [01:00 AM PST]: A gunman with an assault rifle entered Manila Resort's gaming area and set fire to the tables, the police chief added.

    Update [12:59 AM PST]: Philippines Armed Police was seen entering Manila Hotel near Resorts World, a witness told Reuters.

    Evacuated employees and guests of hotels stand along a road and watch as smoke billows from a Resorts World building in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Update [12:50 AM PST]: US President Donald Trump Thursday expressed sadness and sympathy for victims of what he labelled a "terrorist attack" at a casino in the Philippines capital Manila.
    "We're closely monitoring the situation," Trump said in response to the gunfire attack, which was quickly claimed by Daesh.
    "But it is really very sad as to what is going on throughout the world with terror. Our thoughts and our prayers are with all of those affected."
    White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer also tweeted.
    Update [12:30 AM PST, Friday]: Military spokesman Restituto Padilla said the police were in control of the situation and the army was monitoring closely.
    Policemen stand guard near evacuated employees of a hotel near a situation at a Resorts World building, in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Various people took to Twitter to talk about the attack.
    Original reporting [11:45 PM PST, Thursday]: MANILA: Gunshots and explosions rang out from an entertainment resort in the Philippine capital Manila early on Friday and local media reported armed men were inside the complex.
    The company mentioned that it is currently working with the local police to offer the best possible security to the visitors.

    Resorts World Manila said on social media it was on lockdown and the local fire department said a blaze was burning on the second floor of the building.
    "We ask for your prayers during these difficult times," Resorts World said on Twitter.
    Witnesses who spoke to radio stations said several gunmen were seen in the complex. News channel ANC said there were two gunmen, wearing masks and black clothes.

    The information could not be immediately verified.
    Smoke billows from the Resorts World building in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Pictures circulated on social media of the resort, close to the city's airport, showing plumes of smoke pouring from a building.
    A source at one of the resorts told Reuters that employees were being evacuated and declined to give more details.
    (Editorial note: Content shared by users on social media has not been independently verified).

    ?This is a developing story and will be updated as details are made available.
    (Editing by Haseem uz Zaman)


  12. Waqas Dar
    WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Thursday said he will withdraw the United States from the landmark 2015 global agreement to fight climate change, spurning pleas from US allies and corporate leaders in an action that fulfilled a major campaign pledge.
    "We're getting out," Trump said at a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden in which he decried the Paris accord's "draconian" financial and economic burdens. He said American withdrawal "represents a reassertion of American sovereignty."


    Trump said the United States would begin negotiations either to re-enter the Paris accord or to have a new agreement "on terms that are fair to the United States, its businesses, its workers, its people, its taxpayers."
    With Trump's action, the United States will walk away from nearly every nation in the world on one of the pressing global issues of the 21st century. The pullout will align the United States with Syria and Nicaragua as the world's only non-participants in the accord.
    Trump tapped into the "America First" message he used when he was elected president last year, saying, "I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris."
    "We don't want other leaders and other countries laughing at us any more. And they won't be," Trump added.
    "In order to fulfill my solemn duty to protect America and its citizens, the United States will withdraw from the Paris climate accord," Trump said.
    The United States was one of 195 nations that agreed to the accord in Paris in December 2015, a deal that former US President Barack Obama was instrumental in brokering.
    Obama, in a statement, expressed regret over Trump's action.
    "The nations that remain in the Paris agreement will be the nations that reap the benefits in jobs and industries created. I believe the United States of America should be at the front of the pack," Obama said.
    "But even in the absence of American leadership; even as this administration joins a small handful of nations that reject the future; I?m confident that our states, cities, and businesses will step up and do even more to lead the way, and help protect for future generations the one planet we?ve got," Obama added.
    Supporters of the accord condemned Trump's move as an abdication of American leadership and an international disgrace.
    "At this moment, when climate change is already causing devastating harm around the world, we do not have the moral right to turn our backs on efforts to preserve this planet for future generations," said US Senator Bernie Sanders, who sought the Democratic presidential nomination last year.
    "Ignoring reality and leaving the Paris agreement could go down as one of the worst foreign policy blunders in our nation's history, isolating the US further after Trump's shockingly bad European trip," Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse added.
    Under the pact, which was years in the making, nations both rich and poor committed to reducing emissions of so-called greenhouse gases generated by burning fossils fuels and blamed by scientists for warming the planet.
    The United States had committed to reduce its emissions by 26 percent to 28 percent from 2005 levels by 2025. The United States, exceeded only by China in greenhouse gas emissions, accounts for more than 15 percent of the worldwide total.
    Trump, who campaigned for president last year with an "America First" message, promised voters an American withdrawal.
    US supporters of the pact said any pullout by Trump would show that the United States can no longer be trusted to follow through on international commitments.
    International leaders had pressed Trump not to abandon the accord. At their meeting last month, the pope gave Trump a signed copy of his 2015 encyclical letter that called for protecting the environment from the effects of climate change and backed scientific evidence that it is caused by human activity.
    Despite pressure from allies in the Group of Seven rich nations at a meeting in Italy last week, Trump had refused to endorse the agreement, rebuffing leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Britain.
    Virtually every nation voluntarily committed to steps aimed at curbing global emissions of "greenhouse" gases such as carbon dioxide generated from burning of fossil fuels.
    Leading climate scientists say the emissions trap heat in the atmosphere and have caused a warming planet, sea level rise, droughts and more frequent violent storms.
    Last year was the warmest since records began in the 19th century, as global average temperatures continued a rise dating back decades that scientists attribute to greenhouse gases.
    They warned that US withdrawal from the deal could speed up the effects of global climate change, worsening heat waves, floods, droughts and storms.
    During the campaign, Trump said the accord would cost the US economy trillions of dollars with no tangible benefit. Trump has expressed doubts about climate change, at times calling it a hoax to weaken US industry.
    CAMPAIGN PROMISE
    The Republican vowed during the campaign to "cancel" the Paris deal within 100 days of becoming president on Jan. 20, part of an effort to bolster US oil and coal industries.
    China, which overtook the United States as the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in 2007, and the European Union will seek on Friday to buttress the Paris agreement, with Li meeting top EU officials in Brussels.
    In a statement backed by all 28 EU states, the EU and China were poised to commit to full implementation of the agreement, officials said.
    Trump has already moved to dismantle Obama-era climate change regulations, including the US Clean Power Plan aimed at reducing emissions from main coal-fired power plants.
    Some US states, including California, Washington and New York, have vowed to continue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and continue engaging in the international climate agreement process.
    Oil majors Shell and ExxonMobil Corp supported the Paris pact. Several big coal companies, including Cloud Peak Energy, had publicly urged Trump to stay in the deal as a way to help protect the industry's mining interests overseas, though others asked Trump to exit the accord to help ease regulatory pressures on domestic miners.


  13. Waqas Dar
    Smoke billows from the Resorts World building in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Update [12:50 PM PST]: Washington, June 1, 2017 (AFP) -US President Donald Trump Thursday expressed sadness and sympathy for victims of what he labelled a "terrorist attack" at a casino in the Philippines capital Manila.
    "We're closely monitoring the situation," Trump said in response to the gunfire attack, which was quickly claimed by Daesh.
    "But it is really very sad as to what is going on throughout the world with terror. Our thoughts and our prayers are with all of those affected."
    Update [12:30 PM PST, Friday]: Military spokesman Restituto Padilla said the police were in control of the situation and the army was monitoring closely.
    Policemen stand guard near evacuated employees of a hotel near a situation at a Resorts World building, in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Original reporting [11:45 PM PST, Thursday]: MANILA: Gunshots and explosions rang out from an entertainment resort in the Philippine capital Manila early on Friday and local media reported armed men were inside the complex.
    The company mentioned that it is currently working with the local police to offer the best possible security to the visitors.

    Resorts World Manila said on social media it was on lockdown and the local fire department said a blaze was burning on the second floor of the building.
    "We ask for your prayers during these difficult times," Resorts World said on Twitter.
    Witnesses who spoke to radio stations said several gunmen were seen in the complex. News channel ANC said there were two gunmen, wearing masks and black clothes.

    The information could not be immediately verified.
    Smoke billows from the Resorts World building in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro  Pictures circulated on social media of the resort, close to the city's airport, showing plumes of smoke pouring from a building.
    A source at one of the resorts told Reuters that employees were being evacuated and declined to give more details.
    ?This is a developing story and will be updated as details are made available.


  14. Waqas Dar
    People rushing out of the Resorts World hotel in Manila. ? Twitter MANILA: Gun shots and explosions rang out in an entertainment resort in the Philippine capital Manila early on Friday as local media reported armed men were inside the complex.

    Resorts World Manila said on social media it was in lockdown and police were in control of the situation.
    "We ask for your prayers during these difficult times," Resorts World said on Twitter.
    Witnesses who spoke to radio stations said several gunmen were seen in the complex. News channel ANC said there were two gunmen, wearing masks and black clothes.
    The information could not be immediately verified.
    Pictures circulated on social media of the resort, close to the city's airport, of plumes of smoke pouring out of a building.
    A source at one of the resorts told Reuters employees were being evacuated and declined to give more details.


  15. Waqas Dar
    Picture Courtesy: Mercurio Viaggiatore from Twitter Thick black clouds of smoke have been seen over the Vatican following reports of an explosion at an auto garage, confirmed foreign press reports.

    Photos and videos of plumes of smoke filling the air were being shared on social media.
    A local channel has reported that fire broke out inside a car depot in Via Mattia Battistini, Rome, and that over 50 cars were involved after a "series of explosions".
    The huge fire reportedly rose up over the entire western area of the capital.
    The fire service and police were at the scene immediately and people living nearby closed their windows.
    An eyewitness living nearby - who tweeted images of the scene- said it looked to be coming from a neighbourhood just behind Vatican City.


  16. Waqas Dar
    The 1955 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible classic car that belonged to Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah. ? Reuters The car belonging to Mader-e-Milat (mother of the nation) Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah is being restored by the Government of Pakistan at National Museum in Karachi.

    A mechanic lying underneath the classic. ? Reuters The condition of the vehicle ? 1955 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible classic car ? was first brought to light in 2007 when pictures were published on Pakistani automotive websites.
    Technicians work on the 1955 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible classic car. ? Reuters The vehicle was taken away from the Mohatta Palace for repairs several years ago.
    Earlier, the vehicle was left to rot under the open sky in the parking lot of the Sindh Information and Archives department.
    A workman shows a worn-out part of the vehicle. ? Reuters Mohsin Ikram, a vintage car enthusiast, had taken upon himself the onerous task of restoring the vehicle to its original state.
    The wheel of the car. ? Reuters Technicians working to restore the vehicle to its original shape. ? Reuters In an interview with the News last year, Ikram had said that the cars had been pulled out of the garages at Mohatta Palace when the building was to undergo renovation in 1997 and parked out in the open next to the sea. It was the saline air from the sea that had been causing the rust and the corrosion.


  17. Waqas Dar
    A cop scaring away youth playing street cricket in Hyderabad. ? Geo News screengrab HYDERABAD: With continuing power outages in nearly every city across country, police in Hyderabad have cracked down on youth playing night cricket in the streets illuminated through illegal connections.

    Citizens in a number of cities have long been playing street cricket before Sehri during Ramazan. However, in most of the cases the streets are lit through illegal connections commonly referred to as 'Kundas'.
    But continuing power outages drew authorities' attention toward the pilferage of electricity for these night cricket matches. The law enforcers in Hyderabad cracked down on youngsters playing street cricket on Wednesday night.
    They smashed bulbs on wires hanging across in various streets and confiscated bats and other items from players.


  18. Waqas Dar
    Joe Root´s career-best unbeaten 133 saw England to an eight-wicket win over Bangladesh in the opening match of the 2017 Champions Trophy at the Oval on Thursday.
    England, set 306 for victory, finished on 308 for two with 16 balls to spare.
    Root´s innings was his highest in one-day internationals, surpassing his 125 against South Africa at Centurion last year.
    England´s total was also the highest score by a team batting second to win a Champions Trophy match, topping Sri Lanka´s 297 for three against them at the Oval four years ago.
    Root put on 159 with opener Alex Hales (95) and an unbroken 143 for the third wicket with skipper Eoin Morgan (75 not out).
    But worryingly for England, bidding to win their first major International Cricket Council ODI trophy, paceman Chris Woakes bowled just two overs before suffering a potentially tournament-ending left side strain.
    And Jason Roy, a day after Morgan guaranteed his tournament place, fell for just one -- his fifth single figure score in his last six ODI innings.
    Meanwhile Root suffered a calf injury while batting.
    Earlier Tamim Iqbal´s 128 was the centrepiece of Bangladesh´s 305 for six after they lost the toss.
    Tamim received excellent support from Mushfiqur Rahim (79) in a third-wicket partnership of 166.
    That was Bangladesh´s highest ODI stand outside of Asia, surpassing the 141 put on by Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah when the Tigers knocked England out of the 2015 World Cup with a dramatic 15-run win in Adelaide.
    Plunkett double 
    Both batsmen, however, fell in successive balls from Liam Plunkett to leave Bangladesh 261 for four in the 45th over.
    Fast bowler Plunkett took four wickets for 59 runs from his maximum 10 overs.
    England came into this tournament featuring the world´s top eight ODI sides having made huge strides in white-ball cricket in the past two years.
    But they had to work hard in the field against a Bangladesh side skittled out for just 84 by Champions Trophy holders India in a warm-up match at the Oval on Tuesday.
    All-rounder Ben Stokes despite a knee problem that had previously hampered him in his delivery stride, made the breakthrough when, with the last ball of his first over, Soumya Sarkar uppercut him straight to substitute Jonny Bairstow at deep cover for 38.
    But as the runs kept coming, an increasingly frustrated Stokes exchanged words with Tamim and mockingly patted him on the shoulder at the end of the 32nd over, with umpires Rod Tucker and S Ravi intervening to calm tempers.
    Meanwhile a single against off-spinner Moeen Ali saw Tamim to his ninth ODI century in 124 balls, including 11 fours and a six.
    The 28-year-old, who drove Ali for another soaring straight six, fell when wicket-keeper Jos Buttler held a skyed pull off Plunkett.
    The batsmen had crossed and next ball Mushfiqur carelessly holed out to long-off, with Bangladesh only managing a relatively modest 43 off the last five overs.
    There was no comfort for Roy on his Surrey home ground when he saw an attempted scoop off Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza brilliantly caught by a leaping Mustafizur Rahman at short fine leg.
    Hales, rarely troubled by a Bangladesh attack lacking a genuine fast bowler, struck a four and a six off successive balls only to hole out off the leg-spinner´s next delivery.
    Bangladesh thought they had Morgan out for 22 when Tamim, running in from long-on, claimed a low catch but third umpire Bruce Oxenford ruled the ball had touched the turf.
    Root´s two off Mortaza took him to a 10th ODI hundred in 115 balls with six fours.
    Not known as a big-hitter, Root later lofted Rubel Hossain for a straight six and ended the match with a four off Mossadek Hossain.
    Bangladesh return to the Oval to face Australia on June 5, with England continuing their Group A campaign against New Zealand in Cardiff the following day.
    Playing XI

    England
    Bangladesh
    With additional input from AFP


  19. Waqas Dar
    LONDON: Joe Root scored an unbeaten century as tournament hosts England beat Bangladesh by eight wickets in the opening match of the 2017 Champions Trophy at the Oval on Thursday.
    England set 306 for victory, finished on 308 for two with 16 balls to spare.
    Root was a career-best 133 not out and England captain Eoin Morgan 75 not out, with their unbroken stand worth 143. Opener Alex Hales was out for 95.
    England suffered an early loss as Mustafizur Rahman took an exceptional catch of Jason Roy on the bowl of Mashrafe Mortaza.
    Earlier, Tamim Iqbal´s superb hundred helped take Bangladesh to 305 for six against England.
    The left-hander received excellent support from Mushfiqur Rahim (79) in a third-wicket partnership of 166.
    That was Bangladesh´s highest stand in a one-day international outside of Asia, surpassing the 141 put on by Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah when the Tigers knocked England out of the 2015 World Cup with a dramatic 15-run win in Adelaide.
    Both batsmen, however, fell in successive balls from fast bowler Liam Plunkett to leave Bangladesh 261 for four in the 45th over.
    Fast bowler Plunkett led England´s attack with four for 59 from his maximum 10 overs after Chris Woakes went off after bowling just two overs because of a left side strain.
    England, who came into this tournament featuring the world´s top eight ODI sides as one of the favourites after making huge strides in white-ball cricket in the last two years, were given plenty to think about after skipper Eoin Morgan opted to field despite sunny skies promising good batting conditions.
    Tamim´s fellow left-handed opener Soumya Sarkar should have been out for 11 when he turned Jake Ball off his pads only for Moeen Ali to drop a two-handed catch at square leg.
    But all-rounder Ben Stokes, who had been struggling for bowling fitness because of a knee injury, made the breakthrough with the last ball of his first over when Sarkar, on 38, uppercut him straight to substitute Jonny Bairstow at deep cover.
    Imrul Kayes (19) fell when a miscued drive off Plunkett was well caught by a diving Mark Wood at mid-on to leave Bangladesh 95 for two in the 20th over.
    That was the cue for Tamim and the diminutive Mushfiqur to take charge.
    An increasingly frustrated Stokes exchanged words with Tamim and the all-rounder mockingly patted him on the shoulder at the end of the 32nd over.
    Tamim was unimpressed and umpires Rod Tucker and S Ravi intervened to calm tempers.
    Mushfiqur then punished Ball for dropping short by cutting him to the third man boundary. He went to a 48-ball fifty by driving part-time off-spinner Joe Root for four.
    A single against off-spinner Ali saw Tamim reach his ninth ODI century in 124 balls. The 28-year-old then went down the pitch to drive Ali for a soaring straight six.
    He was out when a skyed pull off Plunkett was held by wicket-keeper Jos Buttler.
    The batsmen had crossed and next ball Mushfiqur carelessly holed out to long-off, with Bangladesh only managing a relatively modest 43 off the last five overs. 
    England have been transformed since their dismal World Cup performance two years ago, with their power batting making them even more formidable in their own conditions.

    But a determined Bangladesh, after an absence of more than 10 years, have made a welcome return to the Champions Trophy ranked sixth, above both Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
    Both teams feature several survivors from Bangladesh´s 15-run shock win at Adelaide which condemned England to a woeful first-round exit from the last World Cup.
    It was a result that led England to completely revamp their approach to the white-ball game.
    ?We´re getting better too?
    Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza, although accepting England were a far better side than the one his team knocked out of the 2015 World Cup, insisted the Tigers had improved too ahead of their Champions Trophy opener.
    Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza during a press conference on the eve of Champions Trophy opener against England/AFP  "We just recently beat New Zealand in Ireland," Mortaza told reporters at The Oval on Wednesday.

    It was some encouragement for Bangladesh after a 2016/17 tour of New Zealand where they were beaten in all formats.
    "We couldn´t win any matches, but the thing is, we played really good cricket," said Mortaza. "It´s just we couldn´t finish well, that´s it."
    Mortaza, also Bangladesh´s captain in Adelaide, played down the significance of that result by telling reporters at the Oval on Wednesday: "Look, it was a long time back. And after then, England is a totally different team. The way they are playing, if you look at the last two years, their performance, they win almost everything. And especially at home, they are a serious side."
    Ben Stokes: England?s go-to man in Champions Trophy
    The dynamic all-rounder is credited for England's revival in limited-overs cricket
    "But we know that we are also a better side; that we are a very improving side,? he added.
    ?We have some exciting youngsters like Mustafizur and Sabbir Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, those players are also in our side."
    Bangladesh were shot out for 84 by Champions Trophy title-holders India at The Oval on Tuesday in a crushing warm-up defeat.
    The long wait
    England captain Eoin Morgan will hope to lift the trophy in two-and-a-half weeks/Getty Images  England´s only global one-day title came at the World Twenty20 in 2010 and they lost the 2013 Champions Trophy final to India at Edgbaston in a game reduced to 20 overs per side.

    With a powerful batting lineup, including pugnacious openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales, Test captain Joe Root, Morgan, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler, England usually score their runs rapidly.
    The hosts, however, faced a hiccup when they lost spectacularly against South Africa in the third and final ODI of the recently-concluded series, slumping to 20 for six in tough conditions on the way to defeat at Lord´s.
    "It´s a lesson with the bat and ball - our bowlers to be disciplined and to our batsman that, sometimes, you have to sit in," Morgan said.
    Playing XI
    England
    Bangladesh
    With additional input from AFP


  20. Waqas Dar
    LONDON: Joe Root`s ton has taken England near to their 306-runs target against Bangladesh. 
    The hosting team now need less than 100 runs to win the Champions trophy`s opening match. 
    Earlier, Alex Hales missed his century by five runs after giving an easy catch to Sunzamul Islam.  

    However, innings from Hales and Joe Root put England in a strong position against Bangladesh in the chase of 306 runs in the opening match of the 2017 Champions Trophy at the Oval on Thursday. 
    England suffered an early loss as Mustafizur Rahman took an exceptional catch of Jason Roy on the bowl of Mashrafe Mortaza.
    Earlier, Tamim Iqbal´s superb hundred helped take Bangladesh to 305 for six against England.
    The left-hander received excellent support from Mushfiqur Rahim (79) in a third-wicket partnership of 166.
    That was Bangladesh´s highest stand in a one-day international outside of Asia, surpassing the 141 put on by Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah when the Tigers knocked England out of the 2015 World Cup with a dramatic 15-run win in Adelaide.
    Both batsmen, however, fell in successive balls from fast bowler Liam Plunkett to leave Bangladesh 261 for four in the 45th over.
    Fast bowler Plunkett led England´s attack with four for 59 from his maximum 10 overs after Chris Woakes went off after bowling just two overs because of a left side strain.
    England, who came into this tournament featuring the world´s top eight ODI sides as one of the favourites after making huge strides in white-ball cricket in the last two years, were given plenty to think about after skipper Eoin Morgan opted to field despite sunny skies promising good batting conditions.
    Tamim´s fellow left-handed opener Soumya Sarkar should have been out for 11 when he turned Jake Ball off his pads only for Moeen Ali to drop a two-handed catch at square leg.
    But all-rounder Ben Stokes, who had been struggling for bowling fitness because of a knee injury, made the breakthrough with the last ball of his first over when Sarkar, on 38, uppercut him straight to substitute Jonny Bairstow at deep cover.
    Imrul Kayes (19) fell when a miscued drive off Plunkett was well caught by a diving Mark Wood at mid-on to leave Bangladesh 95 for two in the 20th over.
    That was the cue for Tamim and the diminutive Mushfiqur to take charge.
    An increasingly frustrated Stokes exchanged words with Tamim and the all-rounder mockingly patted him on the shoulder at the end of the 32nd over.
    Tamim was unimpressed and umpires Rod Tucker and S Ravi intervened to calm tempers.
    Mushfiqur then punished Ball for dropping short by cutting him to the third man boundary. He went to a 48-ball fifty by driving part-time off-spinner Joe Root for four.
    A single against off-spinner Ali saw Tamim reach his ninth ODI century in 124 balls. The 28-year-old then went down the pitch to drive Ali for a soaring straight six.
    He was out when a skyed pull off Plunkett was held by wicket-keeper Jos Buttler.
    The batsmen had crossed and next ball Mushfiqur carelessly holed out to long-off, with Bangladesh only managing a relatively modest 43 off the last five overs. 
    England have been transformed since their dismal World Cup performance two years ago, with their power batting making them even more formidable in their own conditions.

    But a determined Bangladesh, after an absence of more than 10 years, have made a welcome return to the Champions Trophy ranked sixth, above both Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
    Both teams feature several survivors from Bangladesh´s 15-run shock win at Adelaide which condemned England to a woeful first-round exit from the last World Cup.
    It was a result that led England to completely revamp their approach to the white-ball game.
    ?We´re getting better too?
    Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza, although accepting England were a far better side than the one his team knocked out of the 2015 World Cup, insisted the Tigers had improved too ahead of their Champions Trophy opener.
    Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza during a press conference on the eve of Champions Trophy opener against England/AFP  "We just recently beat New Zealand in Ireland," Mortaza told reporters at The Oval on Wednesday.

    It was some encouragement for Bangladesh after a 2016/17 tour of New Zealand where they were beaten in all formats.
    "We couldn´t win any matches, but the thing is, we played really good cricket," said Mortaza. "It´s just we couldn´t finish well, that´s it."
    Mortaza, also Bangladesh´s captain in Adelaide, played down the significance of that result by telling reporters at the Oval on Wednesday: "Look, it was a long time back. And after then, England is a totally different team. The way they are playing, if you look at the last two years, their performance, they win almost everything. And especially at home, they are a serious side."
    Ben Stokes: England?s go-to man in Champions Trophy
    The dynamic all-rounder is credited for England's revival in limited-overs cricket
    "But we know that we are also a better side; that we are a very improving side,? he added.
    ?We have some exciting youngsters like Mustafizur and Sabbir Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, those players are also in our side."
    Bangladesh were shot out for 84 by Champions Trophy title-holders India at The Oval on Tuesday in a crushing warm-up defeat.
    The long wait
    England captain Eoin Morgan will hope to lift the trophy in two-and-a-half weeks/Getty Images  England´s only global one-day title came at the World Twenty20 in 2010 and they lost the 2013 Champions Trophy final to India at Edgbaston in a game reduced to 20 overs per side.

    With a powerful batting lineup, including pugnacious openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales, Test captain Joe Root, Morgan, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler, England usually score their runs rapidly.
    The hosts, however, faced a hiccup when they lost spectacularly against South Africa in the third and final ODI of the recently-concluded series, slumping to 20 for six in tough conditions on the way to defeat at Lord´s.
    "It´s a lesson with the bat and ball - our bowlers to be disciplined and to our batsman that, sometimes, you have to sit in," Morgan said.
    Playing XI
    England
    Bangladesh
    With additional input from AFP


  21. Waqas Dar
    A car is ablaze following an explosion in Saudi city of Qatif. ? Al Arabiya RIYADH: An explosion took place in a Saudi Arabian city of Qatif on Thursday and emergency vehicles converged on the scene, a witness told AFP.

    It was the latest incident in the city, where Daesh militants have carried out deadly attacks in recent years.
    "The explosion was very huge," the witness said, asking not to be identified.
    Armoured and other police vehicles sealed off the area after the explosion, the witness said.
    Saudi television channel Al-Arabiya reported a car bombing was the cause of the explosion.
    Video and photographs posted on social media showed a vehicle engulfed in flames in the middle of a street, with dense black smoke rising around it.
    Other images showed what appeared to be at least one charred body lying beside a vehicle, which looked like an SUV, after firefighters extinguished the blaze.
    In 2014, Daesh began a campaign of bombings and shootings that has killed more than 40 people in Saudi Arabia´s Eastern Province, which includes Qatif.
    In August, police said they shot dead a would-be suicide bomber targeting a mosque in Qatif.
    Two months later, a gunman killed five people at a meeting hall in Saihat district of Qatif.
    Last month, violence escalated around a redevelopment project in the old section of Awamiya, a Qatif-area town.
    The interior ministry said criminals engaged in the drug and arms trade were involved in the unrest.
    A police officer was killed by a rocket-propelled grenade, following the shooting deaths of an infant and a Pakistani man, in Awamiya.


  22. Waqas Dar
    Pakistan?s biggest IT company by revenue Inbox Business Technologies plans to hold an initial public offering (IPO), expecting to raise Rs1.5 billion, Bloomberg reported.

    Inbox Chief Executive Officer Mir Nasir said the company plans to sell a 39 percent stake in the IPO to be held in June. Nasir said he is targeting revenue to get double to $100 million in five years.
    ?Providing agility for the digital age?, Inbox started out as company dealing with assemblage of computers and laptops in 2001 and now provides a range of services, including IT and cloud services, to the public and private sector.
    Inbox?s biggest customer is the government, which contributes 80% to its revenue, Bloomberg quoted the CEO as saying, while telecommunication companies and banks are also major spenders.
    ?Our own industries are now starting and taking notice of the digital disruption concept and they are getting more and more automated,? Nasir said. ?You need Pakistani Tatas and Wipros.?
    Inbox Technologies provides services for various sectors, including defence, financial companies and others.




  23. Waqas Dar
    LONDON: Alex Hales missed his century by five runs after giving an easy catch to Sunzamul Islam.  
    However, innings from Hales and Joe Root have put England in a strong position against Bangladesh in the chase of 306 runs in the opening match of the 2017 Champions Trophy at the Oval on Thursday. 
    The hosts suffered an early loss as Mustafizur Rahman took an exceptional catch of Jason Roy on the bowl of Mashrafe Mortaza.
    Earlier, Tamim Iqbal´s superb hundred helped take Bangladesh to 305 for six against England.
    The left-hander received excellent support from Mushfiqur Rahim (79) in a third-wicket partnership of 166.
    That was Bangladesh´s highest stand in a one-day international outside of Asia, surpassing the 141 put on by Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah when the Tigers knocked England out of the 2015 World Cup with a dramatic 15-run win in Adelaide.
    Both batsmen, however, fell in successive balls from fast bowler Liam Plunkett to leave Bangladesh 261 for four in the 45th over.
    Fast bowler Plunkett led England´s attack with four for 59 from his maximum 10 overs after Chris Woakes went off after bowling just two overs because of a left side strain.
    England, who came into this tournament featuring the world´s top eight ODI sides as one of the favourites after making huge strides in white-ball cricket in the last two years, were given plenty to think about after skipper Eoin Morgan opted to field despite sunny skies promising good batting conditions.
    Tamim´s fellow left-handed opener Soumya Sarkar should have been out for 11 when he turned Jake Ball off his pads only for Moeen Ali to drop a two-handed catch at square leg.
    But all-rounder Ben Stokes, who had been struggling for bowling fitness because of a knee injury, made the breakthrough with the last ball of his first over when Sarkar, on 38, uppercut him straight to substitute Jonny Bairstow at deep cover.
    Imrul Kayes (19) fell when a miscued drive off Plunkett was well caught by a diving Mark Wood at mid-on to leave Bangladesh 95 for two in the 20th over.
    That was the cue for Tamim and the diminutive Mushfiqur to take charge.
    An increasingly frustrated Stokes exchanged words with Tamim and the all-rounder mockingly patted him on the shoulder at the end of the 32nd over.
    Tamim was unimpressed and umpires Rod Tucker and S Ravi intervened to calm tempers.
    Mushfiqur then punished Ball for dropping short by cutting him to the third man boundary. He went to a 48-ball fifty by driving part-time off-spinner Joe Root for four.
    A single against off-spinner Ali saw Tamim reach his ninth ODI century in 124 balls. The 28-year-old then went down the pitch to drive Ali for a soaring straight six.
    He was out when a skyed pull off Plunkett was held by wicket-keeper Jos Buttler.
    The batsmen had crossed and next ball Mushfiqur carelessly holed out to long-off, with Bangladesh only managing a relatively modest 43 off the last five overs. 
    England have been transformed since their dismal World Cup performance two years ago, with their power batting making them even more formidable in their own conditions.

    But a determined Bangladesh, after an absence of more than 10 years, have made a welcome return to the Champions Trophy ranked sixth, above both Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
    Both teams feature several survivors from Bangladesh´s 15-run shock win at Adelaide which condemned England to a woeful first-round exit from the last World Cup.
    It was a result that led England to completely revamp their approach to the white-ball game.
    ?We´re getting better too?
    Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza, although accepting England were a far better side than the one his team knocked out of the 2015 World Cup, insisted the Tigers had improved too ahead of their Champions Trophy opener.
    Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza during a press conference on the eve of Champions Trophy opener against England/AFP "We just recently beat New Zealand in Ireland," Mortaza told reporters at The Oval on Wednesday.

    It was some encouragement for Bangladesh after a 2016/17 tour of New Zealand where they were beaten in all formats.
    "We couldn´t win any matches, but the thing is, we played really good cricket," said Mortaza. "It´s just we couldn´t finish well, that´s it."
    Mortaza, also Bangladesh´s captain in Adelaide, played down the significance of that result by telling reporters at the Oval on Wednesday: "Look, it was a long time back. And after then, England is a totally different team. The way they are playing, if you look at the last two years, their performance, they win almost everything. And especially at home, they are a serious side."
    Ben Stokes: England?s go-to man in Champions Trophy
    The dynamic all-rounder is credited for England's revival in limited-overs cricket
    "But we know that we are also a better side; that we are a very improving side,? he added.
    ?We have some exciting youngsters like Mustafizur and Sabbir Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, those players are also in our side."
    Bangladesh were shot out for 84 by Champions Trophy title-holders India at The Oval on Tuesday in a crushing warm-up defeat.
    The long wait
    England captain Eoin Morgan will hope to lift the trophy in two-and-a-half weeks/Getty Images  England´s only global one-day title came at the World Twenty20 in 2010 and they lost the 2013 Champions Trophy final to India at Edgbaston in a game reduced to 20 overs per side.

    With a powerful batting lineup, including pugnacious openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales, Test captain Joe Root, Morgan, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler, England usually score their runs rapidly.
    The hosts, however, faced a hiccup when they lost spectacularly against South Africa in the third and final ODI of the recently-concluded series, slumping to 20 for six in tough conditions on the way to defeat at Lord´s.
    "It´s a lesson with the bat and ball - our bowlers to be disciplined and to our batsman that, sometimes, you have to sit in," Morgan said.
    Playing XI
    England
    Bangladesh
    With additional input from AFP


  24. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: In what appears to be a deepening rift between the PML-N government and the judiciary, the former on Thursday issued a statement expressing 'deep sorrow and regret' over remarks by a Supreme Court judge painting the government as a 'Sicilian mafia'.
    The government while expressing immense sorrow over the remarks termed it "against judicial traditions and code of ethics of the apex court".

    In a statement, a federal government spokesman said the "honourable judge, without having complete knowledge of the matter, not only levelled baseless allegations against the government, but also termed action taken by the prime minister a reaction to the contempt of court notice issued to Hashmi by the Supreme Court.?
    Nehal Hashmi threatens those investigating PM?s son, warns of consequences
    PML-N Sindh leader was addressing Youm-e-Takbeer event
    On Wednesday, a video emerged of Nehal Hashmi in which he was seen threatening the ones "investigating the prime minister's son". The video draw an outpour of anger from various corners, prompting the PM to suspend basic party membership of Hashmi, followed by his resignation from the Senate.
    The controversy also moved the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar to take suo motu notice of Hashmi's outburst against the prime minister's 'enemies'.
    SC serves contempt notice to Nehal Hashmi, compares outburst with mafia threats
    Former PML-N member's outburst cost him his Senate seat, party membership
    "It is very unfortunate that, during the hearing, an honourable judge called the government a 'Sicilian mafia' and the Attorney General Pakistan its representative. [The remarks] have struck a blow to the image of Pakistan and tarnished its reputation in the world. Such baseless allegations are in violation of the judges' own oath and code of conduct," the statement read.

    The spokesman said the facts are not only against this, but entire record of print and electronic media shows the government expressed its extreme displeasure as soon as remarks by Hashmi came to the fore.

    The government also clarified that the remarks by the PML-N senator reflected his personal views, he added.




  25. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) government has expressed 'immense sorrow' over remarks by an honourable judge of the Supreme Court, terming it "against judicial traditions and code of ethics of the apex court".
    In a statement, a federal government spokesman said the "honourable judge, without having complete knowledge of the matter, not only levelled baseless allegations against the government, but also termed action taken by the prime minister a reaction to the contempt of court notice issued to Hashmi by the Supreme Court.?
    The spokesman said the facts are not only against this, but entire record of print and electronic media shows the government expressed its extreme displeasure as soon as remarks by Hashmi came to the fore.
    The government also clarified that the remarks by the PML-N senator reflected his personal views, he added.




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