FundayForum
Register
Forum Blogs Gallery Files Poetry Books
Portal Facebook YouTube Twitter
👀 You are watching:
Jump to content
👉 Click here to explore Remote Jobs, Work From Home & Global News – USA 🇺🇸 | UK 🇬🇧 | Canada 🇨🇦 | Pakistan 🇵🇰 ×
🚫 Guest Access Notice ×
LIVE UPDATES

Waqas Dar

🔥 Admin/Core Authority
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    11,281

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    553

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by Waqas Dar

  1. Waqas Dar
    Protesters ask people to boycott purchase of fruits from June 2 to June 4. Photo: file KARACHI: Reacting to the soaring prices of fruits in Ramazan, a group of citizens have called for a boycott of the edible items to bring down the 'unjust' rates. 
    Concerned citizens have launched a movement on social media asking for three-day boycott of buying fruits.



    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/6c8761ab3c5c2def0d103eaaf44b685e.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9Ni8xLzIwMTcgNTo1OToyNSBBTSZoYXNoX3ZhbHVlPXNzTEdXSU1jVWNSa1J6b3BsdGkvNHc9PSZ2YWxpZG1pbnV0ZXM9NjAmaWQ9MQ== style=center] The messages, which started circulating on WhatsApp Wednesday night, asked people to boycott the purchase of fruits from June 2 to June 4 in order to bring their prices down to a normal level.

    One of the messages asked people to consume ?salan? [curry] instead of fruits during iftaar. "Only through the boycott the fruit sellers decrease the prices," the message read further.
    Another message asked for boycott of fruits with sky rocketing prices. 
    In Ramazan, vendors tend to increase prices of essential items whose sale spikes as the demand increases. However, some sellers claim the rise in prices is not man-made but natural as demand increases manifold. 


  2. Waqas Dar
    Nehal Hashmi ISLAMABAD: Former senator from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Nehal Hashmi, will be appearing before the Supreme Court today to explain his recent outburst against the prime minister?s ?enemies?.

    Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar on Wednesday took suo motu notice of Hashmi's speech in which he threatened Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif?s unidentified ?enemies?.
    Earlier, the prime minister suspended Hashmi?s party membership and directed him to tender his resignation from the Senate, informed Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb.
    The party authorities have also issued a show cause notice to the PML-N leader and have instructed him to step down from the party position of general secretary of PML-N Sindh.
    Hashmi then forwarded his resignation to the Senate secretary, citing "inevitable reasons" due to which he could not continue to further discharge his responsibilities as a senator.
    The resignation will now be forwarded to the Senate chairman for approval.
    The controversy
    Earlier, a video emerged of a Hashmi in which he was seen threatening the prime minister?s unidentified ?enemies?.
    "The one you are investigating is the PM's son," Hashmi roared.
    Without identifying who he was referring to, Hashmi said, ?You will not be spared; you are in service now but remember you will retire tomorrow.?
    "Those investigating us [must know] we will observe your day of judgment,? he stated further.
    In the video, Hashmi also lashed out at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan, casting doubts over the money trail of his Bani Gala estate. ?We will reduce the space in this country for your kids and your family," he added.
    However, speaking to Geo News later, Hashmi said he was referring to politicians and not anyone else.


  3. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Former senator from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Nehal Hashmi, will be appearing before the Supreme Court today to explain his recent outburst against the prime minister?s ?enemies?.

    Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar on Wednesday took suo motu notice of Hashmi's speech in which he threatened Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif?s unidentified ?enemies?.
    Earlier, the prime minister suspended Hashmi?s party membership and directed him to tender his resignation from the Senate, informed Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb.
    The party authorities have also issued a show cause notice to the PML-N leader and have instructed him to step down from the party position of general secretary of PML-N Sindh.
    Hashmi then forwarded his resignation to the Senate secretary, citing "inevitable reasons" due to which he could not continue to further discharge his responsibilities as a senator.
    The resignation will now be forwarded to the Senate chairman for approval.
    The controversy
    Earlier, a video emerged of a Hashmi in which he was seen threatening the prime minister?s unidentified ?enemies?.
    "The one you are investigating is the PM's son," Hashmi roared.
    Without identifying who he was referring to, Hashmi said, ?You will not be spared; you are in service now but remember you will retire tomorrow.?
    "Those investigating us [must know] we will observe your day of judgment,? he stated further.
    In the video, Hashmi also lashed out at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan, casting doubts over the money trail of his Bani Gala estate. ?We will reduce the space in this country for your kids and your family," he added.
    However, speaking to Geo News later, Hashmi said he was referring to politicians and not anyone else.


  4. Waqas Dar
    Teenagers? late-night mobile phone use is harming their sleep and potentially their mental health, according to researchers.  Teenagers? late-night mobile phone use is harming their sleep and potentially their mental health, say researchers who advised that ?physical boundaries? be set overuse of such devices in the bedroom.
    A longitudinal study of 1,101 Australian high school students aged between 13 and 16 found poor-quality sleep associated with late-night texting or calling was linked to a decline in mental health, such as depressed moods and declines in self-esteem and coping ability.
    Lead researcher, Lynette Vernon of Murdoch University in Perth, said her findings were evidence of the need for curfews for teenagers to be established around the use of devices in their bedrooms. Adolescents who used their phones as alarms should replace them with clocks in order to maintain ?physical boundaries?, she said.
    Researchers examined teenagers? mobile phone use and their subsequent changes in wellbeing over four years of high school from 2010 to 2013 and found increasingly unencumbered access led to increases in psychosocial maladjustment.
    Vernon said mobile phones had become entrenched in young people?s lives, and many did not have their use restricted. She pointed to international research that found about 80% of the young had access to a mobile phone.
    The former high school teacher said she had observed her own pupils coming into the classroom tired. ?I noticed it was affecting their performance ? that was a few years back, too.?
    Though the link between late-night phone use and sleep, and between sleep and wellbeing, had been established in previous research, this was the first study to assess all three together, she said.
    ?It?s important to have the research to translate to parents and teachers, who probably haven?t experienced to the same extent what kids are doing.
    ?If you?re finding your son or daughter is moodier and not coping at school, you often put that down to adolescence ? but it could be as simple as them not sleeping at night.?
    The study specified sending and receiving messages and/or phone calls, so did not distinguish between mobile phones and smartphones or social media, The Guardian reported.
    Students in Year 8 who reported higher levels of night-time mobile phone use also reported higher levels of depressed mood and externalising behaviour and lower self-esteem when surveyed one year later.
    Few teenagers indicated that they never used their phone after lights out, and on average, younger teenagers? healthy mobile phone habits became more problematic as they advanced through high school.
    ?The outcomes of not coping ? lower self-esteem, feeling moody, externalising behaviours and less self-regulation, aggressive and delinquent behaviours ? the levels increase as sleep problems increased.?
    Teenagers who reported ?constantly texting into the night,3am.? said when surveyed a year later, the problem had worsened. ?It?s escalating ? they?re highly invested in it ... Some kids are staying up un3 am.?
    The study, Mobile Phones in the Bedroom: Trajectories of Sleep Habits and Subsequent Adolescent Psychosocial Development, was published in the Society for Research in Child Development on Tuesday.
    Teenagers need eight to 10 hours of sleep for healthy development, Vernon said.
    Phones disrupted sleep in two ways, with the bright light from screens disrupting natural circadian rhythms, and messages received before sleep spiking ?cognitive and emotional arousal?, said Vernon.
    Education was the best prevention, Vernon said, and it was most effective if it began before children were given their first mobile phone. ?As a mother of teenage kids, I think you?ve got to negotiate and negotiate early.?
    Parents could also set a good example by demonstrating good habits around phone use themselves. ?Back when they?re aged seven to 10, you have to role model ? you put your phone in a basket at night, it doesn?t go into your bedroom, it becomes normalised in the household and you have a much easier job.?


  5. Waqas Dar
    Aamir Khan seems to have found a new fan base in the world?s second-largest film market. Three of his last four films were box office hits in China, with 2016 sports drama ?Dangal? becoming the country?s most successful non-Hollywood foreign release.
    Based on the true story of an amateur wrestler who pushed his daughters to become medal-winning professionals, the film has made $127 million in ticket sales in the country. Khan, who traveled to China to promote ?Dangal? and his 2015 film ?PK?, spoke to Reuters about cracking the Chinese market and what it means for Bollywood.
    Q: When did you first realise the potential of the Chinese market?
    A: When ?3 Idiots? was very much loved in China. Even before the film released there, I started getting messages about how the youth in China have watched the film on pirate websites. It went viral in China and that was the first time I got an inkling that the Chinese audience really loved our film. Then they started watching other films of mine ? ?Ghajini? and ?Taare Zameen Par? - and I used to get messages about it.
    Q: What do you think is the reason for your success in China?
    A: I don?t know. I don?t even know what the reason for my success in India is (laughs). Ultimately you don?t know what people will connect with. In broad terms, you could say that they have connected emotionally with my films. I went to China at the time of the ?PK? release and the kind of response I got was really heart-warming.
    ?PK? also did well in China. It made around 120 crore rupees ($18.5 million), which was very good. But ?Dangal? has just gone through the roof and this was something we had not expected. I was hoping the film would be loved but didn?t think it would go to this extent? It seems to me that the audience in China, their emotional key, is very similar to an Indian emotional key and that is what worked here.
    Q: Given the restrictions on the release of non-Chinese films there, did you do anything different with ?Dangal??
    A: There was nothing different that we did. What I do know is that on the Chinese side they had managed to keep the piracy at bay. That was an important point. Also, they went very aggressive over the number of screens. I have no control over this, but I was surprised that they released in more than 7,000 screens, which is double the screens that we released in India.
    Q: Is there anything you?d like to do differently in China for your next films?
    A: The next film I am doing is called ?Secret Superstar? and I would like it to release in China. After that, I am doing ?Thugs of Hindostan?, which releases next year. What I would like for both these films is a day and date release for China (releasing on the same day as India). And in the long term, I?d like to work on an Indo-China co-production. If we could come up with a story that involves the two people and a story which resonates with both audiences, that would be even more exciting. But that depends on how we can develop the story and all that. It is a possibility I?d like to explore.
    Q: What will it take for more Bollywood films to succeed in China?
    A: With any audience, you have to make a good film to connect. Ultimately that is what matters.
    Q: What does the success of ?Baahubali? and ?Dangal? in international markets tell you?
    A: ?Baahubali? and ?Dangal? have opened windows. Now it is up to other film-makers to also make content which appeals to people. First of all, ?Baahubali? has also appealed to local audiences. Both these are films that connected with their home audiences first.


  6. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's son Hussain Nawaz has been summoned by the Panama case Joint Investigation Team (JIT) for the third time on Thursday (today).

    Prior to this, Hussain had been summoned by the JIT on May 28 and 30. The prime minister?s younger son, Hassan Nawaz, had also been summoned by the JIT on Wednesday but he failed to appear.
    In his last appearance, Hussain recorded his second statement with the JIT and also provided documents. Speaking to the media afterwards, he said he had provided all the documents that the JIT had asked for.
    The JIT is investigating the prime minister's family?s global financial dealings in light of the Supreme Court's April 20 judgment.
    Panama case: JIT questions Hussain Nawaz for six hours
    Panama probe team has asked premier?s son to furnish relevant documents
    Panama case: Hussain Nawaz expresses anger following statement to JIT
    Prime minister?s son has objected to two JIT members 'bias'
    The head of the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Zafar Hijazi, will be appearing before the JIT on Friday.
    Sources revealed that the JIT sent notices to the SECP chief for personal appearance to apprise the probe body as to the measures undertaken in the investigation so far.
    Sources added that the SECP chief will also be bringing with him all relevant records and documents related to the Panama case.
    JIT sends second letter to Qatar?s Al-Thani family
    The JIT wrote a second letter to Qatar?s Al-Thani family, giving them three options to record their statements.
    The first option mentioned that two members would leave for Qatar to record the statements in relation to the probe.
    The second option was to send a written response to aid the investigation.
    According to the third option, a statement through video link can also be shared by the Qatari family.
    On Tuesday, the JIT questioned Hussain and National Bank of Pakistan President Saeed Ahmad for around four and twelve hours, respectively.
    The JIT, headed by Federal Investigation Agency Additional Director Wajid Zia, includes members from SECP, State Bank of Pakistan, National Accountability Bureau, Military Intelligence and Inter Services Intelligence. 


  7. Waqas Dar
    RAWALPINDI: At least three civilians were injured due to unprovoked firing by Indian forces at the Line of Control (LoC), the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Thursday.
    Indian troops initiated unprovoked firing at the Battal, Jandrot and Hotspring sectors at the LoC early Thursday morning. Pakistani border forces effectively engaged the Indian positions and gave a 'befitting' response.
    On May 23, the Pakistan Army denied claims made by the Indian Army of destroying Pakistani posts along the LoC.
    The ISPR said in a statement that Indian claims of destroying Pakistani Army posts in Nowshera Sector was totally baseless and misleading.
    "On the contrary, Indian Army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation including heavy mortar and artillery fire on civil population in Bhimber Sector on 13 May which resulted in civilian casualties and damages to civil infrastructure", the statement read.


  8. Waqas Dar
    Manchester suicide bomber Salman Abedi likely purchased most of the key bomb components himself and many of his actions were carried out alone, British police investigating the attack said.
    Officers in the northern English city have arrested 16 people since the attack in a packed concert hall killed 22 children and adults and injured 116 others last week.
    "Our enquiries show Abedi himself made most of the purchases of the core components and what is becoming apparent is that many of his movements and actions have been carried out alone during the four days from him landing in the country and committing this awful attack," said Russ Jackson, head of the North West Counter Terrorism Unit.
    Police have been probing Abedi's last movements by delving into his phone calls and watching his movements on closed-circuit television.
    "We have also have a good understanding of the likely component parts of the bomb and where these came from," said Jackson.
    Officers were still trying to determine whether Abedi was part of a wider network, which could not be ruled out yet.
    They are also keen to find out why he kept going back to the Wilmslow Road area of Manchester and to find the blue suitcase he used during those trips, Jackson said.
    Police also raided a property in Rusholme, central Manchester, on Wednesday as part of their investigation.
    A 21-year-old man who was arrested at an address in Nuneaton, central England, a week ago was released without charge. Ten men remain in custody for questioning, police said.


  9. Waqas Dar
    Background image: Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Las Vegas, Nevada. June 18, 2016. REUTERS/David Becker/Files  Trump, it seems now, made an attempt to turn his embarrassing typo into an awkward joke, hoping that everyone will play along.
    But whether it was a simple keyboard slip or the 70-year-old US President Donald Trump's 'senior moment', his huge catalogue of Twitter bloopers regularly offers evidence that a spelling-challenged, speed-tweeter occupies the Oval Office.

    "Who can figure out the true meaning of 'covfefe' ??? Enjoy!" the American head of state tweeted hours later, after deleting the original, hilariously concerning one with the typo.
    At 9:06 AM PST, Wednesday, Trump had written, "Despite the constant negative press covfefe."

    During his election campaign last year, the former businessman had notably declared, "I'm very highly educated. I know words; I have the best words."
    'Media witch hunt'
    The original message, which seemed to have been the start of a Trump complaint about media coverage, soon became a top trend on Twitter. The cryptic tweet sparked a flood of humour and ridicule on the Internet, but also highlighted the inability of his communications team to control White House messaging.
    The word doesn't exist in English or apparently any human language. Mock interpretations said it was Russian for "I resign", ancient Egyptian for "media witch hunt", or more unprintable things.
    The Regent's English Language Center in London wrote, "We can confirm that 'covfefe' is not an English word. Yet."
    Newsweek declared it the "word of the year ? or century."
    The yet-to-be-properly-defined word also made its way into the Urban Dictionary, a website that collates online word submissions.

    Democratic US Senator Al Franken, in a CNN interview on Wednesday morning, joked, "A covfefe is a Yiddish term for 'I got to go to bed now,'" dismissing the tweet as a late-night error.
    Conservative commentator and radio show host Laura Ingraham tweeted in response to Trump's guess-the-meaning post that, "It's so bad--the collusion b/t (between) the Dems & the press, the establ(ishment) vs the ppl(people), that we needed a new word to describe it all.
    'Small group of people know'
    However, pressed later on the issue, White House spokesman Sean Spicer held tight to the "secret", quipping, "The president and a small group of people know exactly what he meant."

    But on a serious note, it shows that four months into his administration, the US president's unfiltered use of the medium remains unchecked. The consequence is deep turmoil in his communications staff.
    The White House is rife with rumours that the boss is preparing mass firings, and this week, communications director Mike Dubke resigned just four months into the job.
    Merriam-Webster goes 'covfefe' over Trump's bizarre tweet
    Why Donald Why!
    Donald Trump's vague tweet sends internet's meme world into frenzy
    Late Tuesday night, US president tweeted: Despite the constant negative press covfefe








    For reporters as well as observers, these mistakes are symptomatic of the collective lack of experience and discipline in the White House.
    Trump himself appears frustrated that he can't get out the message he wants, privately and publicly expressing fury over a litany of bad headlines that he blames on his staff.
    Silly or serious?
    Trump's tweets ? complete with spelling errors, rants about "fake news" and even a mistweet at a British woman instead of his own daughter ?often result in a collective sigh from both critics and backers, who wonder, 'What next?'
    The White House team has repeatedly fallen prey to embarrassing errors ? a list of global attacks released in February included "Denmakr" (Denmark) and "San Bernadino" (San Bernardino).
    When British Prime Minister Theresa May visited Washington, the presidential and vice-presidential agenda both spoke about "Teresa", and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was referred to as the president of his country.
    But coming amid reports Trump will pull the United States out of a global climate deal, the "covfefe" phenomenon illustrated how his Twitter habit can divert attention from his policy agenda.

    His off-the-cuff tweets can have a real impact, influencing relations with key allies like Germany, sending a major company's stock plummeting or riling Washington on issues like the FBI probe into Russian meddling in US politics.

    The Republican president has said using Twitter helps him speak directly to Americans and bypass the media, which he has long criticised.
    'I'm moving on'
    Nevertheless, the communications team appears to have given up. Rather than try to spin Trump's sometimes contradictory views, they have turned to just praising the president and repeating what he says.

    In early May, Spicer ? whose job is believed to be in the balance ? began responding to journalists' questions by saying things like "The tweet speaks for itself. I'm moving on."
    And rather than try to interpret Trump's controversial remarks in Riyadh, Jerusalem, Brussels, and Sicily last week, White House aides took to simply lauding his first trip abroad as "extraordinary" and "historic."
    "It shows how quickly and decisively the president is acting to strengthen alliances, to form new partnerships, and to rebuild America's standing in the world," Spicer said.


  10. Waqas Dar
    The owners of a Mexican hotel using the name Hotel California on Wednesday said a trademark infringement lawsuit by the Eagles, whose song "Hotel California" is arguably the band's most famous, should be dismissed.
    Hotel California Baja LLC, which runs the Todos Santos hotel in Baja California Sur, said the band long ago waived its trademark rights, having waited four decades to assert them since releasing the song "Hotel California" on a 1976 album with the same name.
    The owner said it "flatly denies" the Eagles' "baseless contention" that the 11-room hotel seeks to mislead travelers into thinking the property is associated with the band.
    "Any alleged use of plaintiff's trademarks is not likely to cause confusion, deception or mistake as to association, connection, sponsorship, endorsement, or approval of plaintiff," the owner said in a filing in Los Angeles federal court.
    Lawyers for the Eagles were not immediately available for comment.
    In their May 1 lawsuit, the Eagles said the defendant encourages guests to believe their hotel is associated with the band, including piping its music through a sound system, to sell T-shirts and other merchandise.

    The hotel is located about 1,000 miles (1,609 km) south of San Diego and 48 miles (77 km) north of Cabo San Lucas.
    It was named Hotel California at its 1950 opening, underwent some name changes, and later revived the original name after a Canadian couple, John and Debbie Stewart, bought it in 2001.
    US District Judge Gary Klausner scheduled a conference in the case for Aug. 21.
    The album "Hotel California," won the 1977 Grammy Award for record of the year.




  11. Waqas Dar
    LEFT: US President Donald Trump stands in front of a US flag while listening to US first lady Melania Trump give a speech to US troops at the Naval Air Station Sigonella before returning to Washington D.C. at Sigonella Air Force Base in Sigonella, Sicily, Italy, May 27, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst; RIGHT: The Sheldon Glacier with Mount Barre in the background, is seen from Ryder Bay near Rothera Research Station, Adelaide Island, Antarctica, in this NASA handout photo. REUTERS/British Antarctic Survey  WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump may be dragging out his decision on whether to ditch the Paris climate agreement, but major American corporations have not waited for a government signal to start cutting their carbon emissions.
    Before Trump had even raised the possibility of scrapping US involvement in the landmark 2015 treaty, Coca-Cola and engineering giant General Electric (GE) already had pledged to reduce their carbon footprints by 25 percent and 20 percent, respectively, by 2020.
    Apple, meanwhile, boasts of running its US operations on 100 percent renewable energy.
    "We believe climate change is real and the science is well accepted," GE CEO Jeff Immelt said last month, offering a stark contrast to an administration that features prominent climate change deniers.
    Agribusiness giant Monsanto told AFP it was "committed" to helping "farmers adapt to and mitigate climate change".
    Even energy-sector heavyweights ? those who seemingly have the most to lose from tougher environmental rules ? are joining the trend started by the Paris Agreement, which aims to keep global warming "well below" two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
    Oil giant Chevron "supports continuing with the Paris Agreement as it offers a first step towards a global framework", spokeswoman Melissa Ritchie said.
    Rival ExxonMobil recently implored the White House not to exit the climate treaty in order to respond effectively to climate "risks".
    'Saves them money'
    Just a few years ago, the US business world was using all its weight to impede climate talks, notably leading to the collapse of a 2009 summit in Copenhagen.
    But many companies now find their image at stake in the United States, where opinion polls indicate the public are concerned by global warming and want to remain in the Paris agreement.
    While growing environmental awareness has played a role, corporate America's conversion is not solely the result of do-gooder impulses.
    "The companies are increasing their commitments in the climate area irrespective of (Trump's) decision because it saves them money, it reduces their risks and most importantly, it's a massive market opportunity," said Kevin Moss of the World Resources Institute.
    The bottom line has indeed shifted for businesses. Major investors are exiting fossil fuels and companies are facing increasing pressure to adapt their growth models to a world without carbon.
    "Our customers, partners, and countries are demanding technology that generates power while reducing emissions, improving energy efficiency, and reducing cost," said GE's Immelt.
    Oil prices have fallen through the floor in recent years, with a barrel of benchmark crude hovering around $50, down from more than $80 a decade ago. As a result, investing in the sector is much less profitable.
    As a sign of the times, Exxon shareholders on Wednesday voted to force the company to factor in tougher climate policies on emissions and disclose how they may affect company revenues.
    Structural changes
    Trump also has pledged to revive the coal industry but given the boom in natural gas, which produces 50 percent less carbon dioxide and is far cheaper than coal, most experts say that will be difficult to accomplish on a large scale.
    Still, fracking, or hydraulic fracturing ? a principal means of natural gas extraction ? also faces stiff criticism for its environmental impacts.
    The costs of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, also have come down sharply, thanks in part to investment and public subsidies that have made the sector more attractive.
    Melissa McHenry, a spokeswoman for the major US generator American Electric Power, said her company had diversified into renewables and was investing "in renewable generation and other innovations that increase efficiency and reduce emissions".
    Lynn Good, head of Duke Energy, told The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that "because of the competitive price of natural gas and the declining price of renewables, continuing to drive carbon out makes sense for us".
    There is still scepticism in certain quarters, particularly on the costs of climate policies.
    The American Petroleum Institute, an industry body representing 625 businesses, is wary of "government mandates that could increase energy costs", according to spokesman Eric Wohlschlegel.
    But Moss of the World Resources Institute said withdrawal from the Paris accord will not stop the momentum, and companies will continue down their current path "even without it because everybody else is doing it".
    "The only countries we'll be in the company of if we pull out are Syria and Nicaragua," he said.


  12. Waqas Dar
    All 13 Turkish soldiers on board a Cougar military helicopter were killed when it crashed after getting caught in a high-voltage power line in the Senoba district of Turkey's southeastern Sirnak province, the army said on Wednesday.
    In a statement, the army said the AS 532 Cougar had crashed shortly after taking off around 6:55 PM GMT (11:55 PM PST) on Wednesday. It said emergency search and rescue teams were dispatched to the area and evaluations were underway at the crash site.
    Broadcaster CNN Turk said Defence Minister Fikri Isik would travel to Sirnak, while presidential sources said President Tayyip Erdogan had been briefed on the crash following a National Security Council meeting earlier on Wednesday.


  13. Waqas Dar
    Tennis player Serena Williams speaks to the media as she arrives to present the Serena Williams Signature Statement Fall Collection at New York Fashion Week in Manhattan, New York, US. September 12, 2016. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo  PARIS: Serena Williams will be the mother of a baby girl if sister Venus is to be believed after she appeared to let the secret slip on Wednesday.

    Venus, playing at the French Open in Paris, told a TV interviewer, "She's going to call me her favourite aunt."
    "We all like 'baby V, baby Lyn, baby Isha'. We all want the baby to be named after us," the 36-year-old told Eurosport.
    Serena announces engagement to Reddit co-founder

    Serena to be back on the court after baby
    Williams said she took a photo of herself each week to document the progress of her pregnancy










    Serena, who revealed she was pregnant in April, has refused to discuss the gender of the baby she is expecting with fiance, Alex Ohanian, the founder of Reddit.
    She was at Roland Garros on Wednesday watching her older sister defeat Kurumi Nara in the second round on the showpiece Philippe Chatrier court.


  14. Waqas Dar
    Comedian Kathy Griffin arrives at the Carousel of Hope Ball in Beverly Hills, California US. October 8, 2016. REUTERS/David McNew/File Photo  NEW YORK: US comedian Kathy Griffin may have hoped to make art in holding up a prop depicting Donald Trump's bloodied, severed head. But the stunt cost her a job with CNN and achieved the unthinkable ? uniting conservatives and liberals in outrage.
    The president castigated the comedian on Wednesday, saying she "should be ashamed of herself" for the grisly-looking photograph.
    "My children, especially my 11-year-old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!" he tweeted.
    It didn't matter that the outspoken Trump critic and award-winning performer had already apologised and asked celebrity photographer Tyler Shields to remove the picture from the Internet. It was not enough to save her job.
    "CNN has terminated our agreement with Kathy Griffin to appear on our New Year's Eve program," the network's communications division announced.
    CNN had earlier called the picture "disgusting and offensive," and said it was "evaluating" its annual New Year's Eve coverage, which Griffin co-hosted for a decade with Anderson Cooper. The CNN anchor slammed the image as "completely inappropriate".
    First Lady Melania Trump also criticised Griffin, who has twice won Emmys for her reality show My Life on the D List.
    "As a mother, a wife, and a human being, that photo is very disturbing," she said in a rare statement.
    "When you consider some of the atrocities happening in the world today, a photo opportunity like this is simply wrong and makes you wonder about the mental health of the person who did it," she added.
    The Secret Service also said it would look into the incident, tweeting that threats against protectees "receive the highest priority of all of our investigations".
    In a 31-second video posted on social media late Tuesday, Griffin said, "I beg for your forgiveness. I went too far. I made a mistake and I was wrong."
    But the 56-year-old was initially more defiant.
    "There was blood coming out of his eyes, blood coming out of his... wherever," she captioned the photograph Tuesday in reference to a remark Trump made on the campaign trail about US journalist Megyn Kelly, who moderated a presidential debate.
    'Repugnant and vile'
    "I do not condone any violence... I'm merely mocking the mocker in chief," Griffin tweeted later. Both messages have since been deleted and the photograph has been removed from her social media account.
    Trump's eldest son Donald Jr, who runs the family business in New York, and Mitt Romney, the defeated 2012 Republican presidential nominee, were among those conservatives who slammed the photograph.
    "Our politics have become too base, too low & too vulgar, but Kathy Griffin's post descends into an even more repugnant & vile territory," Romney tweeted.
    Even Trump critics vented their disapproval.
    "It is never funny to joke about killing a president," tweeted Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of former President Bill and Trump's election rival Hillary.
    "I think she was thinking she was making some artistic statement, but that image has no place in our political dialogue," Al Franken, a Democratic senator from Minnesotafavouriteormer comedian on the long-running television show Saturday Night Live, told MSNBC.
    Apart from CNN, Squatty Potty, a Utah-based bathroom products company, suspended an advertising campaign featuring Griffin, calling the picture "deeply inappropriate".
    Shields has not commented publicly since the controversy broke. He is listed on his website as an artist and "Hollywood's favorite photographer", who has evolved from being the "bad boy of photography".
    US newspapers were scathing on the editorial pages.
    "In a strange way Griffin's shameful stunt might have given Americans their greatest moment of unity since Trump's unexpected election," wrote USA Today.
    "Those who hate Trump with all their gut, and recoil at the crass and nasty direction he's taken our politics, should be the first to condemn imagery that normalises violence against him," said the New York Daily News.


  15. Waqas Dar
    Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton takes part in the Women for Women International Luncheon in New York City, New York, US, May 2, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid  RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CALIFORNIA: Hillary Clinton on Wednesday said hoaxes and false news stories on Facebook contributed to her loss in last year's US presidential election, adding to a list of factors she blames for her defeat.
    The former Democratic candidate said earlier this month that interference by Russian hackers and the then-FBI Director James Comey helped tip the election to Republican President Donald Trump.
    Speaking at a technology conference near Los Angeles, Clinton on Wednesday mentioned Facebook by name and said that fake stories spread on the social network influenced the information that people relied on.
    "The other side was using content that was just flat-out false and delivering it in a very personalised way, both sort of above the radar screen and below," Clinton said during an on-stage interview at the Code Conference.
    A representative for Facebook could not immediately be reached for comment.
    Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said just after the November election that it was "crazy" to think that fake news on the site had influenced the election in any way.
    In December, though, Facebook said it would introduce tools to prevent fake news stories from spreading. It also said it would work with organisations, such as fact-checking website Snopes and ABC News, to check the authenticity of stories.


  16. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has contacted his ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith for the record of transfer of funds for the purchase of his Bani Gala estate, sources told Geo News Wednesday.

    According to sources, Imran Khan telephoned Jemima on Tuesday night and asked her for record of bank transactions pertaining to the purchase of land in Bani Gala.
    Party sources informed Geo News that Jemima told the PTI chief that the bank through which the money was transferred has been merged in Lloyds Bank, UK. She has also contacted Lloyds Bank and assured of providing it to Khan's lawyers as soon as she received it.
    Meanwhile, PTI spokesman Naeemul Haq claimed that all record pertaining to the amount sent for the purchase of Bani Gala land is present. He, however, rejected reports of Jemima's arrival in the country as 'baseless.'
    Earlier 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.
    On January 23, 2003, Rs5.7 million were paid, while another Rs0.8 million were paid afterwards, he told.
    Bukhari said Jemima transferred a total of Rs40.848463 million for the purchase of land in Bani Gala.
    At this, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar said the record shows part of the amount transferred by Jemima, while remaining remittances does not have her name.
    He told Bukhari that he had to satisfy the court regarding five remittances, questioning, "Where did $280,000 came from."
    The court further sought details of PTI's objections in foreign funding case by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and its opinion regarding its jurisdiction to hear the case.
    The court then adjourned the hearing until Thursday.


  17. Waqas Dar
    KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday said that the PM Nawaz has pushed the entry country into darkness.

    While speaking in the inauguration ceremony of Nooriabad 100 MW gas-fired power project, Bilawal congratulated Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah for installing the power plants despite serious hindrances created by federal government.
    Bilawal Bhutto said that conspiracies were hatched when Sindh government created power, distribution & dispatch companies
    ?But with the grace of God both the companies, power and Transmission & Dispatch, have developed to be successful companies which has installed a power plant laid transmission line,? he said.
    Bilawal said Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto had signed 25000 MW prowler project during her tenure but sorry to say he [PM Nawaz Sharif] scrapped all the project and plunged the country into darkness,? he said and added the he (PM) would be ousted in JIT and if escaped from it then people would oust him.
    He said that PPP never play politics on national development but ?it is Mian Sahab [PM] who scraped 25000 MW power projects signed and approved by Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto just for his political shortsightedness.?
    Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah while addressing on the occasion congratulated people of Sindh said that the province has launched its first major power project along with its transmission line.
    ?This is big success and I would say it is the success of people of Sindh,? he said.
    The chief minister said that the power plant was conceived by then president Asif Ali Zardari and it was planned to install on the abandoned gas fields, however, the federal government not only refused to hand over the abandoned gas fields but at one stage was reluctant to provide gas for this project.


    The chief minister warned Hesco, Sesco to perform efficiently, otherwise the government would install its own power plants to establish their own distribution system.


  18. Waqas Dar
    Afghan security forces personnel are seen at the site of a car bomb attack in Kabul on May 31, 2017 - AFP KABUL: At least 90 people were killed and hundreds wounded Wednesday when a massive truck bomb ripped through Kabul's diplomatic quarter, bringing carnage to the streets of the Afghan capital just days into the holy fasting month of Ramazan.
    The victims appeared mainly to have been Afghan civilians.

    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/7b7f525accf926b3b075908e039b5756.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9NS8zMS8yMDE3IDQ6Mjg6MzIgUE0maGFzaF92YWx1ZT0zdTNUTi9lZDBSZ2RqZmluQjU0blZnPT0mdmFsaWRtaW51dGVzPTYwJmlkPTE= style=center]
    Bloodied corpses littered the scene and a huge cloud of smoke rose from the highly-fortified area which houses foreign embassies after the rush-hour attack tore a massive crater in the ground and blew out windows several miles away.
    No group has so far claimed the powerful blast, which officials said was caused by 1,500 kilogrammes (1.6 US tonnes) of explosives hidden inside a sewage tanker, in what appeared to be a major intelligence failure.
    Rescue workers were digging bodies from the rubble hours after the explosion, many of them disfigured and charred, as anguished residents searched for missing relatives. Dozens of mangled and upturned cars choked the roads as wounded survivors and panicked schoolgirls scrambled to safety.
    The attack underscores spiralling insecurity in Afghanistan, where the NATO-backed military, beset by soaring casualties and desertions, is struggling to beat back insurgents.
    "In this powerful attack 90 people have been killed and 400 wounded, including many women and children," said the government´s media centre, with health officials warning the toll could climb further.
    President Ashraf Ghani slammed the attack as a "war crime".
    Afghanistan´s intelligence agency blamed the Taliban-allied Haqqani Network for the attack.
    Kabul blast hurts German embassy staff, kills guard: minister
    The bomb, one of the deadliest in Kabul and coming at the start of the holy month of Ramadan, exploded close to the fortified entrance to the German embassy, killing a security guard and wounding some staff, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Twitter.
    ?Such attacks do not change our resolve in continuing to support the Afghan government in the stabilisation of the country," he said.
    Basir Mujahid, a spokesman for city police, said the explosives were hidden in a sewage tanker. He suggested that the German embassy might not have been the target of the blast, which sent clouds of black smoke into the sky near the presidential palace.
    "There are several other important compounds and offices near there too," he told Reuters.
    The blast, which shattered windows and blew doors off their hinges in houses hundreds of metres away, was unusually strong.
    Afghan security forces arrive at the site of a car bomb attack in Kabul on May 31, 2017 - AFP The Taliban denied responsibility and said they condemned attacks that have no legitimate target and killed civilians.
    Daesh, the other main militant group active in Afghanistan, has carried out high-profile attacks in Kabul, including an attack on a military hospital in March that killed more than 50 people.
    The NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) mission in Kabul said Afghan security forces prevented the vehicle carrying the bomb from entering the heavily protected Green Zone that houses many foreign embassies as well as its headquarters, also suggesting it may not have reached its intended target.
    Germany cancelled a planned flight deporting migrants to Afghanistan after the blast, its ARD broadcaster said, citing the interior minister. Germany began carrying out group deportations of Afghans in December, seeking to show it is tackling the high number of migrants by getting rid of those who do not qualify as refugees.

    The French, Turkish and Chinese embassies were among those damaged, the three countries said, adding there were no immediate signs of injuries among their diplomats. The BBC said one of its drivers, an Afghan, was killed driving journalists to work. Four journalists were wounded and treated in hospital.
    Video shot at the scene showed burning debris, crumbled walls and buildings, and destroyed cars, many with dead or injured people inside.





    "Felt like an earthquake"
    At the Wazir Akbar Khan hospital a few blocks away, there were scenes of chaos as ambulances brought in wounded and frantic relatives scanned casualty lists and questioned hospital staff for news.
    "It felt like an earthquake," said 21-year-old Mohammad Hassan, describing the moment the blast struck the bank where he was working. His head wound had been bandaged but blood still soaked his white dress shirt.
    Another lightly wounded victim, Nabib Ahmad, 27, said there was widespread destruction and confusion.
    "I couldn't think clearly, there was a mess everywhere," he said.
    Frenzy erupted out outside the hospital as ambulances and police trucks began bringing in the bodies of those killed. Some bodies were burned or destroyed beyond recognition.
    Pakistani diplomats, staff injured in attack
    Pakistan?s Foreign Office condemned the attack and according to a press statement officials from the country?s embassy had been injured.
    Some Pakistani diplomats and staff sustained minor injuries in the attack and their residences were also damaged, according to press release of Pakistan?s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
    ?Pakistan being a victim of terrorism understands the pain and agony that such incidents inflict upon the people and society. The people and Government of Pakistan extend their heartfelt sympathies and deepest condolences to the Government and the people of Afghanistan and the bereaved families,? the statement said.
    ?While reiterating condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, we pray for early recovery of the injured. We firmly stand with our Afghan brothers in this hour of grief and anguish,? it added. 
    Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also condemned the terror attack and expressed solidarity with the Afghan government and people.  
    In a statement, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa strongly condemned the incident and expressed grief on the loss of precious lives and damage to various embassies' infrastructure, including Pakistan's. We stand with [our] Afghan brothers and its security forces in [the] fight against terrorism and militancy, he stated further.

    geo_embedgallery
    Indian, Japanese Embassies damaged 

    Manpreet Vohra, India´s envoy to Afghanistan, told the Times Now television channel the bomb went off around 100 metres from India´s embassy, one of several in the area.
    "We are all safe, all our staff, all our personnel are safe. However, the blast was very large and nearby buildings including our own building have considerable damage in terms of broken glass and shattered windows and blown doors etc," he said.
    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: "We strongly condemn the terrorist blast in Kabul. Our thoughts are with the families of the deceased & prayers with the injured."
    The explosion also shattered windows at the Japanese Embassy. "Two Japanese embassy staffers were mildly injured, suffering cuts," a foreign ministry official in Tokyo told AFP.
    France also reported damage to its own embassy and the German one.
    Pentagon chief Jim Mattis has warned of "another tough year" for both foreign troops and local forces in Afghanistan.
    Afghan troops are backed by US and NATO forces, and the Pentagon has reportedly asked the White House to send thousands more troops to the country to break the deadlock in the fight against the Taliban.
    US troops in Afghanistan number about 8,400 today, and there are another 5,000 from NATO allies. They mainly serve in an advisory capacity -- a far cry from the US presence of more than 100,000 six years ago.
    The blast was the latest in a long line of attacks in Kabul. The province surrounding the capital had the highest number of casualties in the first three months of 2017 due to multiple attacks in the city, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence.










  19. Waqas Dar
    KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysia Airlines flight was forced to return to Melbourne to land late Wednesday after a "disruptive" passenger on board the Kuala Lumpur bound flight claimed he was carrying a bomb, Malaysia?s deputy transport minister said.

    "It is not a hijack. One disruptive passenger tried to enter the plane?s cockpit," Deputy Transport Minister Abdul Aziz Kaprawi told AFP.
    The passenger, a Sri Lankan national who was apparently drunk, was overpowered by the plane?s crew and later arrested at Melbourne?s airport, he said.
    "The passenger... claimed to have a bomb. But it was not a bomb but a powerbank," Aziz added.
    The passenger was later arrested by Australian authorities in Melboure.
    "Everyone on board is safe," Aziz added.
    "He was taken out of the plane handcuffed by Australian security officers."
    Malaysia Airlines confirmed the plane was forced to return to Australia and had safely landed in Melbourne.
    "MH128 safely landed in Melbourne Airport at 11:41pm," the airline said in a statement. "Safety and security are of Malaysia Airlines? utmost priority.


  20. Waqas Dar
    Former Chelsea star player John Terry has expressed his hope to visit Pakistan to play a showcase match of Leisure League Pakistan in future.

    Terry, in a video message, congratulated the World Group chairman Mehmood Trunkwala for developing the game of football in Pakistan.


    "I?d like to congratulate Mehmood Trunkwala and the World Group for their initiative in developing football in Pakistan,? said the 2012 Champions League winner. ?I hope to personally visit Pakistan in the future to see the development myself and play a showcase match there.?

    Terry also sent his best wishes to Ronaldinho and Nicolas Anelka for their seven-a-side football league matches all across Pakistan.

    ?I like to wish Ronaldinho and my ex-teammate Nicholas Anelka all the very best for their forthcoming events,? he added.


  21. Waqas Dar
    President Donald Trump will follow through on a campaign pledge to pull the United States out of a global pact to fight climate change, a source briefed on the decision told Reuters, a move that promises to deepen a rift with US allies.
    Trump, who has previously called global warming a hoax, did not confirm the decision in a post on Twitter, saying only, "I will be announcing my decision on the Paris Accord over the next few days."
    Trump refused to endorse the landmark climate change accord at a summit of the G7 group of wealthy nations on Saturday, saying he needed more time to decide, and promised an announcement this week.
    A US decision to withdraw from the accord could further alienate American allies in Europe already wary of Trump and call into question US leadership and trustworthiness on one of the world's leading issues. A pullout also would be one more step by the Republican president to erase the legacy of his predecessor, Democrat Barack Obama, who helped broker the accord and praised it during a trip to Europe this month.
    The decision will put the United States in league with Syria and Nicaragua as the world's only non-participants in the Paris Climate Agreement. It could have sweeping implications for the deal, which relies heavily on the commitment of big polluter nations to reduce emissions of gases scientists blame for sea level rise, droughts and more frequent violent storms.
    The accord, agreed on by nearly 200 countries in Paris in 2015, aims to limit planetary warming in part by slashing carbon dioxide and other emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. Under the pact, the United States committed to reducing its emissions by 26 to 28 percent from 2005 levels by 2025.
    Environmental groups derided the Trump administration's reported decision. The Sierra Club said a US withdrawal from the Paris deal would be a "historic mistake." Friends of the Earth said it would make America the world's "foremost climate villain."
    Axios news outlet, which first reported the withdrawal, said details of the pullout are being worked out by a team that includes EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, an ally of fossil fuel industries. The choice is between a formal withdrawal that could take three years or leaving the UN treaty that the accord is based on, which would be quicker but more extreme, according to Axios.
    International leaders began reacting to the reports of Trump's plans.
    A withdrawal by the United States would be disappointing but the European Union stands ready to take global leadership on the issue, European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said in Brussels.
    "There is a much stronger expectation from our partners across the world from Africa, Asia and China that Europe should assume leadership in this effort and we are ready to do that," Sefcovic added.
    France's ambassador to the United States, Gerard Araud, said on Twitter that the Paris agreement "doesn't infringe on US sovereignty" and noted that major American corporations had supported the deal.
    Finland's Prime Minister Juha Sipila said a US withdrawal would be a big setback, adding that "we must find partners to continue, because this work must not stop."
    Campaign promise
    Trump had vowed during his 2016 presidential campaign to "cancel" the Paris deal within 100 days of becoming president as part of an effort to bolster US oil and coal industries. That promise helped rally supporters sharing his skepticism of global efforts to police US carbon emissions.
    Trump has repeatedly expressed doubts about climate change, at times calling it a hoax to weaken US industry. An overwhelming majority of scientists the human use of fossil fuels for energy is driving climate change.
    The decision to withdraw from the climate accord was influenced by a letter from 22 Republican US senators, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, calling for an exit, Axios reported.
    The United States is the world's second-biggest carbon dioxide emitter behind China.
    Supporters of the climate pact are concerned that a US exit could lead other nations to weaken their commitments or also withdraw, softening an accord that scientists have said is critical to avoiding the worst impacts of climate change.
    Canada, the European Union, and China have said they will honor their commitments to the pact even if the United States withdraws. A source told Reuters that India had also indicated it would stick by the deal.
    After taking office, however, Trump faced pressure to stay in the deal from investors, international powers and business leaders, including some in the coal industry. He also had to navigate a split among his advisers.
    Trump aides including Steve Bannon, Stephen Miller, lawyer Don McGahn and Peter Navarro, along with EPA chief Pruitt, argued hard for leaving the accord. They said the deal would require the US government to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, which would hurt business.
    Trump's administration has already begun killing Obama-era climate regulations.
    The "stay-in" camp, which included Trump's daughter Ivanka, chief economic adviser Gary Cohn, and Energy Secretary Rick Perry, had argued the United States could reduce its voluntary emission-cuts targets while still keeping a voice within the accord.
    Oil majors Shell and Exxon Mobil have also supported the pact along with a number of Republican lawmakers. 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.
    Both solar- and coal-related exchange traded funds were widely underperforming the overall stock market on Wednesday. America's largest coal miners, FirstSolar fell more than 3 percent. Arch Coal and Peabody Energy were both down more than 2 percent.


  22. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Finance minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday announced a decrease in the prices of petroleum products, with petrol price slashed by Rs1.20 per litre while diesel is down by Rs.1.60.
    New prices for petrol and diesel are Rs72.80 and Rs81.40, respectively.
    Prices of light diesel and kerosene oil remain unchanged.
    The prices will take effect from 12AM on Thursday.

    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/befdee2335f727508dcf07d695e62f55.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9NS8zMS8yMDE3IDQ6NTI6MTQgUE0maGFzaF92YWx1ZT1jQ1FMeVpDNDZZNGZxTzdjVmtDYW1RPT0mdmFsaWRtaW51dGVzPTYwJmlkPTE= style=center]





  23. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Finance minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday announced a decrease in the prices of petroleum products, with petrol price slashed by Rs1.20 per litre while diesel is down by Rs.160.
    New prices for petrol and diesel are Rs72.80 and Rs81.40, respectively.
    Prices of light diesel and kerosene oil remain unchanged.
    The prices will take effect from 12AM on Thursday.


  24. Waqas Dar
    MUMBAI: India's economic growth unexpectedly slowed to its lowest in more than two years, dragged down by construction, manufacturing and trade services, and stripping the country of its status as the world's fastest-growing major economy.
    Annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the January-March period came in at 6.1 percent, compared with a provisional 7.0 percent in the previous quarter, government data showed on Wednesday.
    The expansion was much slower than the 7.1 percent forecast by economists in a Reuters poll. It was also lower than China's growth of 6.9 percent for the first three months of 2017.
    "This data is closer to the ground reality than the previous ones," said Anjali Verma, an economist at PhillipCapital in Mumbai.
    The figure is the lowest since the December quarter in 2014, which registered 6.0 percent growth, Reuters data shows.
    The weak GDP data will be a setback for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who completed three years in office last week.
    Wednesday's figures, however, have not changed expectations for monetary policy. Analysts still expect the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to keep interest rates on hold.
    "We continue to expect the RBI to remain on pause, with any rate hikes ruled out," said Shubhada Rao, chief economist at YES Bank.

    Construction activity contracted 3.7 percent year-on-year in the March quarter compared with a 3.4 percent growth in the prior quarter. Manufacturing grew 5.3 percent in the last quarter from a year ago, slower than an annual rise of 8.2 percent in the December quarter.
    Annual growth in trade, hotels and transport services slowed to 6.5 percent in the January-March period from 8.3 percent a quarter ago.


  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...