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Waqas Dar

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Blog Entries posted by Waqas Dar

  1. Waqas Dar
    LAHORE: Pakistan Super League?s (PSL) sixth team was announced on Thursday as Schon Group purchased Multan franchise for PSL 2017.

    According to reports, the group bought the rights for the team for $5.2 million.
    Currently, the PSL consists of five teams, Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi. 

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  2. Waqas Dar
    Tamim Iqbal celebrates his fifty/REUTERS  LONDON: Tamim Iqbal´s superb hundred helped take Bangladesh to 305 for six against England in the opening match of the 2017 Champions Trophy at the Oval on Thursday.
    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


  3. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz Thursday assured the Senate that Pakistan would adopt a balanced policy in line with the recommendations of the Parliament with regards its participation in Islamic Military Coalition.

    In response to a Calling Attention Notice, the advisor said the 34 members countries alliance was announced in December 2015 but later it was redefined as Islamic Military Coalition as clarified by the Saudi Foreign Minister.
    He added the focus of the alliance was terrorism.
    Sartaj Aziz said it was also clarified during the process of framing mechanism that every member would be free to decide its participation in any activity by its free will and without any compulsion.
    Any member can opt for an area like training, consultation or military action as per its desire.
    Replying to questions by Senator Farhatullah Babar, he said no Terms of Reference (ToRs) or programmes and mechanism had been developed for the coalition by now.
    Therefore, there is also no question for ratification.
    "The government remains committed to take Parliament into confidence prior to ratification of any such ToRs or mechanisms.?
    He said any informal statement by an authority or official cannot be taken as ToRs or the mechanisms.
    "The formal position is that no ToRs or purposes have been yet finalised."
    He explained that Pakistan's policy on this matter is as per guidelines of the Parliament on April 10, 2015, and "We are having a balanced position in our relations with friendly countries yet we remain committed to maintain territorial integrity of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as protection of the Holy Places.?
    The advisor said the matter should not be raised on simply an assumption as the journal to which the member has quoted in the Calling Attention Notice, has also written that ToRs would be finalised when the defence ministers would meet.
    On the appointment of General Raheel Sharif, the advisor said he had vast experience to fight against terrorism.
    His appointment with the coalition will have no effect on our foreign policy rather his presence there may ensure some sort of balance.
    When Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani questioned with regards to Saudi King's statement about Iran, the advisor said Iran has been mentioned in the resolution, but it does not mean that all countries are joining for an action against Iran.
    "These are hypothetical questions as there would be choice for members to join an activity."
    He said it is a sad situation that Muslims nations are confronting one another and in such a situation we shall have to be extra careful.


  4. Waqas Dar
    Beirut, June 1, 2017 (AFP) -Lebanon has banned the screening of Hollywood blockbuster "Wonder Woman" because of its lead actress Gal Gadot, who served in the Israeli military, on the grounds of a long-standing boycott of the Jewish state.

    The decision sparked a social media frenzy, with some Lebanese mocking the authorities but others welcoming it as part of a campaign to isolate Israel.
    An official with Lebanon´s General Security told AFP the interior ministry has "decided to ban the screening of this film based on the recommendation of the Arab League´s Israel Boycott Office".
    Lebanon and Israel are still technically in a state of war, and the Arab League maintains a Damascus-based office responsible for coordinating a regional boycott of the Jewish state.
    Lebanon´s economy and culture ministry, which oversees the boycott of Israeli products locally, recommended the film be banned after last year requesting the Arab League office issue a blanket ban on all the work of the 32-year-old actress.
    Gadot, who like most young Israelis did military service, made headlines in 2014 for a Facebook post defending the Jewish state´s blistering offensive in the Gaza Strip run by the Palestinian movement Hamas.
    "I am sending my love and prayers to my fellow Israeli citizens," she wrote.
    "Especially to all the boys and girls who are risking their lives protecting my country against the horrific acts conducted by Hamas, who are hiding like cowards behind women and children."
    The Lebanese ban has sparked a storm on social media, with some welcoming the decision which led to advertising posters for Wonder Woman across the capital vanishing overnight.
    "The campaign to boycott supporters of Israel in Lebanon has succeeded," said the Arabic-language Facebook page of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which seeks to isolate Israel over its occupation of the Palestinian territories.
    But many in Lebanon mocked the decision as censorship or a waste of time, pointing out the film could be viewed online.
    "Liberating Palestine one movie at a time. #LiveLoveCensorship," wrote the Stop Cultural Terrorism in Lebanon group, which promotes freedom of expression.
    ´In typical Lebanese fashion´
    Blogger Elie Fares accused the government of inconsistency, pointing out that several of Gadot´s movies have aired in Lebanon in past years.
    "In typical Lebanese fashion and because we definitely have our priorities in order, Lebanon´s government decided to rise up from its slumber and resist, even though the movie has been announced for over three years now," he wrote on his "A Separate State of Mind" blog.
    "The fact of the matter is that if you have a problem with the content of a movie, the actor or actress leading it or anything pertaining to it... Simply don´t go watch it," he added.
    "Call for a boycott, but you sure as hell have no right in making sure no one else gets to watch it too."
    Lebanon is considered one of the most liberal countries in the Arab world, with a thriving arts scene.
    But its interior ministry´s censorship bureau occasionally bans content considered to incite confessional dissent, attacking morals or state authority, or to reflect Israeli propaganda.
    So far, Lebanon appears to be the only Arab country to order a ban on Wonder Woman, which remains scheduled for release across the region including in Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia later this month.


  5. Waqas Dar
    Tamim Iqbal celebrates his fifty/REUTERS  LONDON: Tamim Iqbal drove Bangladesh past 200 with a sure-footed century which saw the hosts struggling to get wickets in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 opener at The Oval on Thursday.

    England were handed their first breakthrough by all-rounder Ben Stokes who broke Bangladesh's opening stand at 56-1 with Soumya Sarkar's wicket.
    Liam Plunkett claimed Imrul Kayes' wicket next, reducing Bangladesh to 95-2. 
    But the tourists were stabilised by some power-hitting from Tamim, who was helped along by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim. 
    Bangladesh started off cautiously against the hosts' bowling attack, after England won the toss and asked Mashrafe Mortaza's side to bat first.

    Sarkar was given a new life earlier when Moeen Ali dropped a sitter off Jake Ball's delivery.
    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


  6. Waqas Dar
    Tamim Iqbal celebrates his fifty/REUTERS  LONDON: Tamim Iqbal powered Bangladesh past 150 with a sure-footed half century which saw the hosts struggling to get wickets in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 opener at The Oval on Thursday.

    England were handed their first breakthrough by all-rounder Ben Stokes who broke Bangladesh's opening stand at 56-1 with Soumya Sarkar's wicket.
    Liam Plunkett claimed Imrul Kayes' wicket next, reducing Bangladesh to 95-2. 
    But the tourists were stabilised by some power-hitting from Tamim, who was helped along by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim. 
    Bangladesh started off cautiously against the hosts' bowling attack, after England won the toss and asked Mashrafe Mortaza's side to bat first.

    Sarkar was given a new life earlier when Moeen Ali dropped a sitter off Jake Ball's delivery.
    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


  7. Waqas Dar
    Pakistani mountaineer Colonel (retd) Abdul Jabbar Bhatti, who became the fourth Pakistani to scale Mount Everest, reached home on Thursday after recovering at a hospital in Nepal.
    Colonel (retd) Bhatti, along with a fellow Nepali mountaineer, had been stranded due to a lack of oxygen on base camp 4 from where they were rescued and taken to a hospital in Kathmandu, where the retired colonel remained under treatment for a week.
    Fourth Pakistani to scale Mount Everest rescued
    Abdul Jabbar Bhatti scaled the world?s highest peak on Sunday
    On his return, the adventure climber thanked all those who helped him achieve the momentous feat and said he was proud of being back on the Pakistani soil.
    ?I feel proud to have reached Pakistani soil. People helped me beyond what I could have imagined,? he said, adding that the government has traditionally not supported adventurers in the past.
    Colonel (retd) Bhatti said he made a world record by spending a night on Mount Everest.
    ?I scaled Mount Everest due to my sheer determination,? he said. 


  8. Waqas Dar
    Prime Minister Theresa May could lose control of parliament in Britain's June 8 election, according to a projection by polling company YouGov, raising the prospect of political turmoil just as formal Brexit talks begin.
    The YouGov model suggested May would lose 20 seats and her 17-seat working majority in the 650-seat British parliament, though other models show May winning a big majority of as much as 142 seats and a Kantar poll showed her lead widening.
    If the YouGov model turns out to be accurate, May would be well short of the 326 seats needed to form a government tasked with the complicated talks, due to start shortly after the election, on Britain's divorce from the European Union.
    A later poll, a separate regular survey carried out by YouGov for Thursday's Times newspaper, showed May's Conservative Party just three percentage points ahead of the Labour opposition, which has been eating into her lead since the start of the campaign.
    The Conservatives were on 42 percent, down a point from last week, with Labour up three points, the YouGov survey said.
    The findings again weakened sterling GBP=D4 which had earlier fallen almost a cent against the U.S. dollar on the YouGov model before rising on a Kantar poll which showed May's lead had increased to 10 percentage points.
    May called the snap election in a bid to strengthen her hand in Brexit negotiations, to win more time to deal with the impact of the divorce and to strengthen her grip on the Conservative Party.
    But if she does not handsomely beat the 12-seat majority Cameron won in 2015, her electoral gamble will have failed and her authority could be undermined just as she tries to deliver what she has told voters will be a successful Brexit.
    If May fails to win an overall majority, she would be forced to strike a deal with another party to continue governing either as a coalition or a minority government.
    That would raise questions about the future of Brexit, Britain's $2.5 trillion economy and British policy on a range of issues including corporate taxation and government spending and borrowing.
    LANDSLIDE TO LOSING?
    When May stunned politicians and financial markets on April 18 with her call for a snap election, opinion polls suggested she could emulate Margaret Thatcher's 1983 majority of 144 seats or even threaten Tony Blair's 1997 Labour majority of 179 seats.
    But polls had shown May's rating slipping over the past month and they fell sharply after she set out plans on May 18 to make some elderly people pay a greater share of their care costs, a proposal dubbed the "dementia tax" by opponents.
    A total of eight polls carried out since the May 22 Manchester suicide attack have shown May's lead over the Labour Party narrowing, with some suggesting she might not win the landslide predicted just a month ago.
    When asked by a reporter if she would resign if she lost seats, May dodged the question on Wednesday, saying that the only poll that mattered was the election on June 8.
    Recent opinion polls have shown May's lead has contracted to a range of 5 to 14 percentage points. YouGov's election model was based on voting intention figures which gave May a lead of just 3 percentage points, YouGov said.
    "Once the Conservative lead falls below 7 points we are potentially in the world of a hung parliament," said John Curtice, a leading election expert who is president of the British Polling Council.
    "Support for Labour among younger voters has gone up and gone up dramatically but then the crucial question is whether these young people will come out to vote," Curtice said.
    YouGov, using a technique called "Multilevel Regression and Post-stratification", uses a range of factors including demographics, past elections and voter profiles to build a model which can come up with an estimate of how the vote will be split in individual constituencies.
    Michael Ashcroft, a former Conservative Party donor who funds polling, uses the same types of modelling as YouGov but came up with a very different estimate of the election: May winning 396 seats and Corbyn winning 180 seats.
    Other projections suggested May would win soundly. The Electoral Calculus website, which predicts the results based on polls and electoral geography, said May would win 371 seats and Labour 205 seats.
    Betting markets give a more than 80-percent probability of May winning an overall majority, though they were wrong ahead of the unexpected Brexit result in the June 23 referendum last year.
    YouGov acknowledged that its predictions were controversial and allowed for a wide margin of error, adding that the samples in each constituency were small.
    Jim Messina, a polling and data adviser for the Conservative Party who worked on Barack Obama's campaign, said the YouGov numbers were stupid and that he had spent the day laughing at them.
    YouGov allowed for big variations in the outcome of the election, ranging from as high as 345 seats for the Conservatives, 15 more than their current number, to as low as 274, the pollster's chief executive, Stephan Shakespeare, said.


  9. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Those putting up a circus did what they do, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said after a joint session of the Parliament on Thursday.
    ?But we will continue to work for the people,? the premier said, answering a question while talking to the media.
    When asked if the government will be able to complete its five-year term, the premier said ?InshAllah [God willing]?.


  10. Waqas Dar
    MIAMI: A new NASA mission aims to brush by the sun, coming closer than any spacecraft in history to its scorching heat and radiation in order to reveal how stars are made, the US space agency said Wednesday.
    After liftoff from Kennedy Space Center in Florida in July 2018, the Parker Solar Probe will become the first to fly directly into the sun´s atmosphere, known as the corona.
    The plan for the unmanned spacecraft is to orbit within 3.9 million miles (6.3 million kilometers) of the sun´s surface.
    Temperatures in that region exceed 2,500 Fahrenheit (1,377 Celsius), for which the spacecraft is equipped with a 4.5-inch-thick (11.43 cm) carbon-composite shield.
    Roughly the size of a small car, the probe will make seven flybys of the sun over a seven-year period, in what NASA described as a "mission of extremes."
    Traveling at a speed of 430,000 mph, the spacecraft will move fast?like going from New York City to Tokyo in less than a minute.
    Scientists hope its data will improve forecasts of solar storms and space weather events that affect life on Earth, satellites and astronauts in space.
    Time for a visit
    The spacecraft will measure plasma waves and high-energy particles, and carry a white light imager to capture images of the structures through which it is flying, according to Nicola Fox, mission project scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland.
    "We will brush closely by it," she said at an event in Chicago to unveil the mission, which NASA has touted as promising to provide humanity´s closest-ever observations of a star.
    "You can learn so much from looking out the window," Fox said. "You can see the sun is shining, you can see the birds are singing. But until you actually go out, you have no idea quite how hot it is out there or how windy it is, or what the conditions are like."
    "I think we have really come as far as we can with looking at things and now it is time to go up and pay it a visit," she added.
    A 20-day launch window for the spacecraft´s liftoff atop a Delta IV Heavy rocket opens July 31, 2018.
    Re-named after astrophysicist
    Initially called Solar Probe Plus, the mission was renamed after the astrophysicist Eugene Parker, 89, professor emeritus at the University of Chicago.
    He published the first paper to describe solar wind?the high-speed matter and magnetism constantly escaping the sun?in 1958.
    "This is the first time NASA has named a spacecraft for a living individual," said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA´s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.
    "It´s a testament to the importance of his body of work, founding a new field of science that also inspired my own research and many important science questions NASA continues to study and further understand every day."
    Parker, who is days away from his 90th birthday, described the mission as "very exciting."
    "One would like to have some more detailed measurements of what´s going on in the solar wind," he said.
    "I´m sure that there will be some surprises," he added. "There always are."


  11. Waqas Dar
    Ben Stokes celebrates with teammates after breaking Bangladesh partnership/REUTERS  LONDON: England all-rounder Ben Stokes gave England their first breakthrough after claiming opener Soumya Sarkar's wicket, reducing Bangladesh to 56-1. 
    Bangladesh started off cautiously against the hosts' bowling attack, after England won the toss and asked Mashrafe Mortaza's side to bat first in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 opener at The Oval on Thursday.

    Sarkar was given a new life earlier when Moeen Ali dropped a sitter off Jake Ball's delivery.
    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, are making 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


  12. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office has strongly rejected as baseless allegations from Afghanistan that Pakistan is behind the recent terrorist attack in Kabul.

    At his weekly news briefing in the capital on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said the accusatory approach is unhelpful towards efforts to peace.
    He said Pakistan itself has suffered immensely from terrorism and it has given unparalleled sacrifices in the war on terrorism.
    Pakistan has the highest stakes in when it comes to the peace and stability of Afghanistan more than any other country, he stated.
    Our commitment to peace in Afghanistan is based on sincerity and is beyond any doubt, he added.
    Zakaria, however, said it is disappointing that certain elements which have no interest in peace want to damage relations between the two neighbouring countries.
    They are trying to malign Pakistan for their vested agenda, he claimed, adding that the onus of setbacks in Afghanistan cannot be put on Pakistan or others.
    He said Pakistan believes in politically negotiated settlement of the Afghan issue as there is no military solution to the conflict.
    Responding to questions regarding the Kashmir dispute, the spokesperson said peace, stability and development will remain elusive in the region without the resolution of the outstanding dispute between Pakistan and India.
    He said India is escalating tension on the border and committing ceasefire violations in order to divert attention from the Kashmir dispute.
    He said the latest Indian unprovoked firing on the Line of Control resulted in the martyrdom of two civilians and injuries to seven others.
    The spokesperson said India is using different tactics to malign the purely indigenous freedom movement of the Kashmiri people.
    He, however, said India will never succeed in its attempts as the movement is being led by the Kashmiri people.
    He said Pakistan will continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people in their just struggle for right to self-determination.
    He said the world community should play its due role in resolution of Kashmir dispute in line with the United Nations? resolutions.
    Responding to a question, the spokesperson said the China Pakistan Economic Corridor is a regional connectivity project which will link Central Asian states, South Asia and the Middle East.
    He made it clear that the project is not against any other country.
    He said India itself is inviting investment from different countries in the areas which are under its illegal occupation or are the disputed territories.
    Zakaria also stated that India is perpetrating and financing terrorism in Pakistan.
    He said we have caught Indian agent Kulbhushan Yadav who has confessed that he was sent by his government to destabilise Pakistan.
    About reports that India is hiring Afghan refugees to perpetrate sabotage activities in Pakistan, he said this further exposes the very face of India which is conspiring to create troubles in another sovereign country by using vulnerable segments of society.


  13. Waqas Dar
    Afghan cricket team/Getty Images  KABUL: Afghanistan have cancelled proposed home and away cricket fixtures with Pakistan after a deadly bomb attack which hit the country?s capital on Wednesday.

    Pakistan were set to play their first Twenty20 match in Kabul later this year in what was seen as an opportunity for the neighbours to ease tensions over border skirmishes and alleged proxy warfare.
    The Kabul match, set for July or August, would have been followed by a fixture in Pakistan and a full series at an unspecified date.
    But the Afghanistan Cricket Board issued a strongly worded statement late on Wednesday, cancelling the matches in light of a truck bombing in the city´s diplomatic quarter that killed at least 90 people.
    Massive Kabul truck bomb kills 90, wounds hundreds
    Explosion occurred in high-security zone housing foreign missions
    No group has claimed responsibility for Wednesday´s attack, although the Taliban has denied involvement.
    "The ACB hereby cancel all kinds of cricket matches and initial mutual relationship agreement with the Pakistan Cricket Board," the Afghan board said on its Facebook page.
    Afghanistan´s intelligence agency has blamed the Taliban-allied Haqqani Network for the attack.
    The development leaves Pakistan´s cricketers even more isolated in the region.
    India has refused to play a full series since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, while ties with fellow Test team Bangladesh have also soured after Pakistan pulled out of a planned series in July.
    Pakistani officials said they were unhappy that Bangladesh were not willing to send their team to Pakistan.
    Only minnows Zimbabwe have been willing to tour the country since a 2009 militant attack on the visiting Sri Lanka team.
    Cricketing relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan were not always so frosty.
    Afghans learned to play cricket in refugee camps in Pakistan after they were forced to leave their homes in the wake of the Soviet invasion in 1979.
    The sport struggled to get a foothold in Afghanistan under the hardline Taliban, but has become hugely popular since the regime was toppled in a US-led invasion in 2001.
    While Pakistan has supported the Afghan team by supplying equipment and arranging fixtures with the fledgling side, rival India has also been keen to lend its support.
    Last year, Afghanistan´s national team shifted its base from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates to Noida, Delhi, while India´s former batsman Lalchand Rajput replaced Pakistan´s Inzamam-ul-Haq as their national team coach.


  14. Waqas Dar
    Western Digital is considering fresh investment to build another flash memory chip plant in western Japan in an effort to show its commitment to the country, a source familiar with the matter said.
    The California-based company is embroiled in a dispute with business partner Toshiba Corp over plans to sell the Japanese firm's prized semiconductor unit and is arguing that it should be given exclusive negotiating rights.
    The two firms operate four memory chip plants in Yokkaichi through their joint ventures. Their fifth plant is currently under construction.
    The amount of investment and a timeline for the plant's construction have not been decided, the source said, who was not authorized to speak on the matter and declined to be identified.
    The source also said Western Digital CEO Stephen Milligan will visit Japan next week for talks with Toshiba to resolve the spat.
    A spokesman for Western Digital could not be immediately reached for comment.


  15. Waqas Dar
    Imran Khan (R)had contacted Jemima (L) on Tuesday night and asked her for record of bank transactions pertaining to the purchase of land in Bani Gala. Photo: file  Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan?s ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith has succeeded in tracking down 15-year-old bank statement to prove Imran?s money trail in the case surrounding the purchase of the PTI chief?s estate in Bani Gala.
    She shared on Twitter, ?finally tracked down 15 yr old bank statements to prove Imran Khan money trail/ innocence in court.?
    She added, ?Now please go after the real crooks.?
    According to sources, Imran Khan had contacted Jemima Goldsmith on Tuesday night and asked her for record of bank transactions pertaining to the purchase of land in Bani Gala.
    Speaking to media in Abbottabad, Imran Khan remarked that he has gotten the account details from Jemima, which will soon be submitted to the court.
    Only those who lie need to rely on letters from Qatar, he remarked, adding that people have to tell a 100 lies just to hide one lie.  
    Jemima had informed him that the bank through which the money was transferred has been merged in Lloyds Bank, UK. She then contacted Lloyds Bank and assured of providing it to Khan's lawyers as soon as she received it.
    On Wednesday, Imran's counsel, Naeem Bukhari, presented details relating to the purchase of Bani Gala land in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.The apex court was hearing a petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi pertaining to foreign funding of the PTI.
    During the hearing, Bukhari told the court that the first remittance worth Rs14.5 million was paid through Rashid Ali Khan via bank cheque on April 11, 2002. Subsequently, Rs3.5 million and Rs1 million were paid on September 3, 2002, and October 1, 2002, respectively.
    SC asks 14 questions from Imran on Bani Gala land purchase, offshore firm
    How was land in Bani Gala purchased before Jemima transferred amount for it from London, the SC inquires
    On January 23, 2003, Rs5.7 million were paid, while another Rs0.8 million were paid afterwards, he told.
    Bukhari had said that Jemima transferred a total of Rs40.848463 million for the purchase of land in Bani Gala.
    On May 30, the SC had issued notices to Imran Khan and his party over issues related to the money trail. During the course of the hearing, the chief justice stated that Imran Khan has to prove the money trail for the purchase of the Bani Gala land.


  16. Waqas Dar
    A street vendor sells cigarettes to a customer on a street in Jakarta, Indonesia - Reuters  A proposed Indonesian tobacco law will roll back regulations to discourage smoking in a country that already has one of the highest smoking rates in the world and open the floodgates to advertising aimed at teenagers, a health ministry official said.

    If the bill initiated by the parliament is passed, companies will no longer have to put grim pictures on cigarette packs of lung cancer or other diseases linked to smoking, said Mohammad Subuh, director-general of disease prevention and control at the health ministry.
    Under existing regulations, 40 percent of the front and back of a cigarette pack must contain a "health warning" in the form of pictures and text.
    Under the tobacco bill, reviewed by Reuters, cigarette packs would not be required to have a specific portion dedicated to health-related pictures. Cigarette businesses that put up advertisements, either in electronic, printed or outdoor media, do have to include a health warning that is "written with clear alphabets, easily read and proportionate."
    School and playground areas would be designated as "no- cigarette-smoke zones" instead of "no-cigarette zones", which would allow cigarettes to be sold or displayed there, Subuh said.
    "Indonesia is the most liberal country for the tobacco industry," said Subuh, who oversees the health ministry's tobacco control efforts.
    "Let's not open again the opportunities for the industry to lure teenagers to party with cigarettes. It's like jumping from a helicopter without a parachute," he said in an interview.
    Output Increase 
    Last year, 54.8 percent of males between 15 and 19 years old were smokers in Indonesia, more than double the percentage of smokers in 2001, according to the health ministry. The price of a pack of cigarettes in Indonesia can be less than $2.
    A shocking video of a toddler reportedly puffing up to 40 cigarettes a day on the island of Sumatra went viral around seven years ago, firing up anti-tobacco activists who said it underscored the problem of underage smoking in Indonesia.
    "Indonesia is terrifying because it has among the most baby smokers in the world. From elementary school until high school, the smoking rate is also one of the highest," the health ministry's Subuh said.
    Indonesia is the only country in the Asia-Pacific region that has yet to ratify or be a party to the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which seeks to protect against the harmful consequences of smoking.
    The tobacco bill mainly aims to sharply increase cigarette output in Indonesia, already the world's fourth-biggest producer, at a time when other Asian countries are taking measures to curb smoking.
    Proponents of the bill say it would safeguard a vital economic sector that employs millions of people and contributes nearly 10 percent of state revenues.
    "We don't mind some regulations, as long as they are not excessive," said Abdus Setiawan, a board member at the Indonesia Tobacco Growers' Association. Setiawan said he already considers emblazoning cigarette packs with the message that "smoking kills" to be "excessive."
    To become law in Indonesia, the tobacco bill has to be agreed between the government and the parliament. President Joko Widodo agreed in March to start discussions on the bill with the parliament, but it is unclear when the president will make a decision.


  17. Waqas Dar
    At the toss. Photo: ICC LONDON: Hosts England won the toss and elected to bowl first against Bangladesh in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 opener at The Oval on Thursday.

    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, are making a welcome return to the Champions Trophy ranked sixth, above both Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
    Both teams are set to 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, insists 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.
    The opening match between England and Bangladesh will kick off at 2:30 pm PST (9:30 GMT).
    Playing XI
    England
    Bangladesh
    With additional input from AFP


  18. Waqas Dar
    PPP's Aitzaz Ahsan speaking while addressing media outside parliament on Thursday. Photo: Geo News screen grab  ISLAMABAD: Opposition Leader in the Senate, Aitzaz Ahsan, has demanded a full court bench of the Supreme Court to investigate reports that the court's registrar interfered with the Panama case probe.

    Talking to the media after the Parliament's joint session on Thursday alongside other opposition leaders, the Pakistan Peoples Party senator alleged that the prime minister planted a news report to pressurise the Supreme Court.
    A recent article claimed that the Supreme Court registrar made a WhatsApp and FaceTime call to the chairman of the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, suggesting a particular name for inclusion in the Panama case Joint Investigation Team (JIT).
    Ahsan termed it a fabricated story, and alleged that the prime minister wants to make the JIT and the Supreme Court controversial as they are investigating his financial dealings abroad. 
    He added that action should be taken if the registrar is found guilty, and urged the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take this news report seriously. 
    Talking about former PML-N senator Nehal Hashmi's outbursts against 'those investigating the PM', Ahsan said Hashmi was speaking Nawaz Sharif's words. He claimed that the former senator got carried away in his message, but would still be awarded by the PM later on. 
    Before Ahsan, opposition leader Khursheed Shah also claimed that the federal government is behind Hashmi's outburst. 
    Talking about the joint session, he said the opposition was united in the decision to boycott the president's speech. He added that ?there has been nothing but chaos in the government since the last year.?


    The president did not speak about the problems faced by the people in Federally Administered Tribal Areas, he said further. 

    ?The institutions have been threatened; judiciary and the armed forces have all been targeted. But, the president stayed silent on these issues,? he added. ?The institutions are being challenged openly; the president has failed to perform his duties.?
    ?We are not allowed to speak in the parliament,? he remarked, adding that the opposition members tried to solve the issue in the parliament and not on streets. ?For the first time such a situation has come up that we have to take to the streets.?
    A senator made startling remarks and immediately that senator was removed from the post. The opposition believes that the government was behind the remarks made by that senator, Shah said while referring to statements made by Hashmi.
    ?The government wanted to threaten the institutions, which it has done now,? he added.

    Addressing the media, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf?s Shah Mehmood Qureshi remarked that if he was in the government he would have pondered over why opposition is reacting so aversely.

    Opposition?s protest should have government analyse the measures they have taken to turn opposition completely against them.
    ?The government can get the budget passed with majority. But, this compromises the rules of democracy,? he added.
    Government pushed the opposition to hold a session outside National Assembly, said Jamaat-e-Islami?s chief Siraj-ul-Haq. ?Government is responsible for all its actions.?


  19. Waqas Dar
    LONDON: Hosts England take on Bangladesh in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 opener at The Oval on Thursday, as Eoin Morgan?s side finally looks to end drought in the mega tournament with its vibrant and aggressive brand of cricket.
    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, are making a welcome return to the Champions Trophy ranked sixth, above both Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
    Both teams are set to 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, insists 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.
    The opening match between England and Bangladesh will kick off at 2:30 pm PST (9:30 GMT).
    Squads
    England
    Bangladesh
    With additional input from AFP


  20. Waqas Dar
    Jason Roy takes flight during a fielding drill, Champions Trophy 2017, The Oval, May 31, 2017/AFP LONDON: England opener Jason Roy can breathe easy after skipper Eoin Morgan confirmed the out-of-form opener will retain his place alongside Alex Hales in the Champions Trophy beginning on Thursday.

    Roy managed scores of one, eight and four in recent one-day international series against South Africa but Morgan ruled out tinkering with the opening partnership.
    "The decision will remain the same throughout the tournament. Jason Roy is part of our strong opening partnership with Alex Hales. He´ll definitely play," Morgan said.
    Morgan´s faith in Roy means Jonny Bairstow, who scored three fifties in his last four ODI knocks, will not earn selection unless a team mate is injured.
    "I cannot see it changing. If we want our players to play cagey or without freedom, yes, we would change things and probably half of us wouldn?t be here," Morgan said.
    "Jonny will miss out unfortunately. It´s been the case like that for the last couple of years. He´s been very good when he´s come in, but each and every one of us within the batting department has had ups and downs over the years.
    "And one of the strongest parts of reinforcing the way that we play, and the freedom in which we play with, is backing that up with selection."
    Hosts England take on Bangladesh in the opener of the eight-team tournament on Thursday.


  21. Waqas Dar
    Hearts of SRK fans just sank when they heard the death news of King Khan which was later proved as a hoax.


    According to Indian media, European News Network, El Pais TV, carried a news which read, ?Tributes have poured in for Indian film actor, producer and television presenter Shah Rukh Khan after he was killed along with seven others when a private jet he was traveling in crashed."

    "It is believed to have been caused by turbulent weather. He was traveling in a Gulfstream G550 jet with his personal assistant and others to Paris for a meeting. The death of Shah Rukh Khan has stunned the Indian diaspora worldwide." The news added.


    The death hoax created a havoc in India, but fortunately, nothing of the sort happened.



    According to the reports, the news also reached to the Joint Commissioner of Mumbai police who immediately contacted SRK's management.

    Over the contact, he was assured that the superstar is filming in Mumbai and is absolutely fine. 
    As per Indian tabloid, ?This isn?t the first time that Shah Rukh Khan has been at the receiving end of a death hoax. But this time, It had already been picked up by legitimate French and Indian websites. SRK?s team had to field calls all day.?












  22. Waqas Dar
    About 266kg heroin, 455kg cannabis were seized from a dhow in Indian Ocean on Thursday morning. Photo: UK's Ministry of Defence  Royal Navy frigate HMS Monmouth, known as the ?Black Duke?, seized 266 kilogrammes heroin and 455kg cannabis resin, with a total street value in the UK of around £65m from a vessel in Indian Ocean.
    The contrabands, which were hidden in the freezer of a fishing ship, were later destroyed by the British soldiers.
    The suspicious dhow was intercepted by two teams of the British war ship in the Indian Ocean in an area not normally known for fishing.
    The teams, comprising Royal Marines from 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group and the other of Royal Navy search specialists , spent 60 hours painstakingly scouring the vessel for narcotics, before eventually finding them hidden in a freezer beneath three tonnes of ice.
    "Such a substantial seizure of drugs will deal a significant blow to the international narcotics trade which is known to provide funding for terrorist organisations,? said HMS Monmouth's Commanding Officer Ian Feasey.
    Lieutenant Alison Ross, one of HMS Monmouth's boarding officers, said: "After such a long search I had doubts we would find anything, but the reactions of the crew to our activity in certain areas was enough to convince us that there was illegal cargo.
    HMS Monmouth will now continue her patrols of the Indian Ocean as part of Combined Task Force 150 (CTF150), a coalition of warships with a mission to promote maritime security in order to counter terrorist acts and related illegal activities, which terrorists use to fund or conceal their movements.


  23. Waqas Dar
    Photo: AFP NEW DELHI: Signs of a rift between India´s skipper Virat Kohli and coach Anil Kumble have shaken the country ahead of the team´s campaign to win a second straight Champions Trophy.

    As India prepare to launch their tournament against Pakistan in Birmingham on Sunday, Indian media is abuzz with reports of differences between Kohli and Kumble over tactics and training.
    With Kumble´s one-year contract ending this month, the Indian board´s move to advertise the job ahead of the 50-over showpiece event raised eyebrows.
    The deadline for applications ended on Wednesday. However, batting legend Sunil Gavaskar believes the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was just "following procedure".
    Gavaskar, attempting to reassure fans, said an invitation for applications did not reflect tensions in the Kohli-Kumble relationship.
    "You will never have a situation when the captain and coach of any country is on the same page," Gavaskar said at the Aaj Tak Salaam cricket convention in London on Wednesday.
    "It is impossible for that to happen because the coach had played in the earlier generation and that´s why the approach may be slightly different from the current generation."
    "It might not be something actually happening on the field -- it could be something to do with practice sessions or team combinations," the former captain added.
    "I don´t think that should be taken too seriously because these discussions are healthy for the team."
    Kumble ´has done nothing wrong´
    Indian newspapers have speculated that cracks in the Kohli-Kumble relationship prompted the BCCI to hunt for a new coach.
    The Times of India reported that players were not happy with Kumble´s hard task-master approach, and that the captain and coach had several run-ins during this year´s home series against Australia.
    A headline in The Hindu read "Kohli, Kumble at loggerheads?" with the report adding that Kumble´s proposal to field left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the third Australia Test in Ranchi set off trouble between the two.
    Yadav was finally included in the playing XI in the fourth and final Test, with Ajinkya Rahane leading the side in place of an injured Kohli.
    Despite the apparent tensions, Kumble has had a brilliant run as coach, helping the Kohli-led side win all five Test series since his appointment in June last year.
    "Kumble has done a very good job as coach. I am simply going by the results and when you go by the results of last year, you can say he has done nothing wrong," said Gavaskar, the first batsman to breach the 10,000-run mark in Tests.
    It was also reported that the advertisement of the India coaching job has met with a lukewarm response, with few big names coming forward.
    While Kumble is an automatic candidate for a new contract, the Times of India said Australia´s Tom Moody and New Zealand´s Daniel Vettori were also being discussed.


  24. Waqas Dar
    Molly Peters, the Bond girl has died. She was 75.
    Her death was announced on the official James Bond Twitter account, which read, "We are sad to hear that Molly Peters has passed away at the age of 75. Our thoughts are with her family."
    Molly played Nurse Patricia Fearing opposite Sean Connery in James Bond film 'Thunderball.
    The news of her death comes close on the heels of the passing of Bond star Roger Moore who passed away on May 23rd, 2017.





  25. Waqas Dar
    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/f29cda174c20c3dee5acf65afebc01e0.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9Ni8xLzIwMTcgNjoyMzozOSBBTSZoYXNoX3ZhbHVlPUhKdUoxOVlESHJWbWh1ZUJoVEtONmc9PSZ2YWxpZG1pbnV0ZXM9NjAmaWQ9MQ== style=center] A mystery stench engulfed different parts of Karachi Wednesday night which left many citizens baffled. 

    Soon, the smell became the main topic of discussion among residents on social media. 

    The obvious trolls were of course there to give their two cents too.

    A Facebook page, titled Weather Updates PK, stated that the smell stemmed from a change in wind direction, but still did not get to the root cause of the foul odour. 



    However, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has yet to reveal any detail regarding the strange smell. 




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