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Waqas Dar

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Blog Entries posted by Waqas Dar

  1. Waqas Dar
    India has reported cases of the Zika virus, the World Health Organization said, adding that efforts should be made to strengthen surveillance.
    The WHO said that on May 15 India's health ministry reported three confirmed cases from the western state of Gujarat. Cases were detected during testing in February and November last year, while one was detected in January this year, according to the statement, which was released on Friday but did not gain public attention until Saturday.
    An Indian federal health ministry official said states were following standard protocols and there was "nothing to worry" about. The ministry had in March cited one confirmed case of Zika - from January of this year in Gujarat - while answering a question in India's parliament.
    "These findings suggest low-level transmission of Zika virus and new cases may occur in the future," the WHO said in the statement on its website.
    "Zika virus is known to be circulating in South-East Asia Region and these findings do not change the global risk assessment."
    In its most recent outbreak, Zika, which is mainly a mosquito-borne disease, was identified in Brazil in 2015 and has been spreading globally.
    When the virus infects a pregnant woman, it can cause a variety of birth defects including microcephaly, where the baby's head is abnormally small.


  2. Waqas Dar
    PESHAWAR: As part of their assault on grid stations run by the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO), workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ransacked the Sakhi Chasma grid station Saturday night.
    Protesting ?unfair? load shedding in their areas, PTI workers reportedly damaged the windows, guard room and boundary wall of the grid station. The protesters also forcefully restarted the supply of electricity to their areas.
    After negotiations between the protesters and officials from the police and PESCO, the demonstrators pulled out of the grid station and went home.
    Earlier on Saturday, for the second day in running, PTI workers led by the party?s MPA from Peshawar, Fazal Elahi, surrounded several grid stations in Peshawar and demanded the resumption of electricity to their areas.
    Also on Saturay, PTI workers led by several elected representatives ransacked the WAPDA office in Batkhela, Malakand and damaged furniture and other equipment. They were dispersed after the intervention of law enforcement officials.
    In a statement, Water and Power Minister Khwaja Asif condemned the PTI workers? assault. He claimed the grid stations being attacked are the same areas from where over 70% of electricity is stolen through the use of kundas. He added that residents of these areas also do not pay their bills. 


  3. Waqas Dar
    Very hot and dry weather is expected in the next twenty-four hours in plain areas of the country, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecasted on Sunday.

    A continental air continues to prevail over most parts of the country, the MET said.
    However, rain and thunderstorm are expected at a few places in Kashmir and its adjoining hilly areas

    Past weather:
    The weather remained very hot and dry in most parts of the country.
    Rainfall in the last 24 Hours (mm):
    NIL
    Today's highest temperatures:
    Turbat, Sibbi 52°C, BahwalnagarJacobabad 51, Larkana50, Dadu, Sukkur, Moen-jo-darro 49, Noorpurthal, R.Y Khan, Bhakkar, Bahawalnagar48°C.


  4. Waqas Dar
    Jerusalem buzzes with renewed energy in the days before the start of Ramazan, Islam's holy month, when the faithful abstain from eating and drinking during daylight hours.

    The Dome of the Rock is seen during sunset on the compound known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as Temple Mount in Jerusalem´s Old City, May 17, 2017. REUTERS/Ammar Awad  There's the bustle to prepare the al-Aqsa Mosque, the 8th-century Muslim shrine in Jerusalem's Old City, for the hundreds of thousands of Muslims who will come to pray.
    Palestinians employed by the Waqf, the Islamic trust that oversees the mosque and the ancient compound that surrounds it, set up tents for fasting worshippers to take a respite from the heat alongside the golden Dome of the Rock, the site where the Prophet Mohammad is said to have ascended to heaven.
    A Palestinian girl places her hand on a marble slab covered with perfume inside the Dome of the Rock located on the compound known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as Temple Mount, in Jerusalem´s Old City, May 4, 2017. REUTERS/Ammar Awad  Around the Muslim Quarter of the Old City, shopkeepers stock up on Ramazan essentials, including bright lights for decorations and Qurans and prayer beads for recitations.

    Firas Kazaz, a Palestinian muezzin, dressed in traditional clothing, calls Muslims to prayer, inside al-Aqsa Mosque, on the compound known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as Temple Mount, in Jerusalem´s Old City, May 17, 2017. REUTERS/Ammar Awad  Issam Zughaiar, 67, sells ornate Ramazan lanterns, called fanous, in the Old City's winding covered market. Each year, he visits factories around Jerusalem and neighbouring Jordan and Egypt to handpick his selection.
    The twisting alleyways are filled with the scent of sweets eaten at Iftar, the nightly breaking of the fast, including atayef, sugar-soaked pancakes with cheese or nuts, and date-filled ajwa cookies.
    An employee of the Jordanian Waqf, or Islamic trust, that oversees the area, cleans during preparations ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in the Dome of the Rock located on the compound known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as Temple Mount, in Jerusalem´s Old City, April 19, 2017. REUTERS/Ammar Awad  Dutch tourist Ari Heida came to see preparations at the holy esplanade, referred to as the Noble Sanctuary by Muslims and as Temple Mount by Jews, the site of an ancient Jewish temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.
    "This is why I like Jerusalem," he said. "It's the centre for Jews, Christians, and Muslims."
    Issam Zughaiar, 67, a Palestinian vendor arranges lamp shades at his shop in a market in Jerusalem´s Old City, May 10, 2017. REUTERS/Ammar Awad  That's also what makes this time particularly tense. Authorities have restricted access to the compound, which accommodates the esplanade that sits on large raised area between the Muslim and Jewish quarters of the Old City, in the past.

    geo_embedgallery
    For now, though, the politics has been pushed into the background by the bustle and energy of Ramazan preparations.

    Visitors walk past al-Aqsa Mosque at night on the compound known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as Temple Mount, in Jerusalem´s Old City, May 9, 2017. REUTERS/Ammar Awad  "What will happen in Ramazan, what the security situation will be like, whether Jerusalem be will be open, whether the mosque will be open, we are always optimistic," said Abed al-Rahim Sader Helmi Ansari, who works at Al Aqsa Mosque.

    A Palestinian vendor touches Muslim prayer beads displayed on sale at his shop in a market in Jerusalem´s Old City, May 10, 2017. REUTERS/Ammar Awad 



  5. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: The country is observing Youm-e-Takbeer on Sunday to commemorate the Pakistan?s historic nuclear tests in the Chaghi mountain of Balochistan on May 28, 1998.
    "Our atomic programme brought about a balance of power in South Asia," Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said in a statement.
    May 28 is celebrated as a national day commemoration of the Chaghai-I and Chagai-II tests when Pakistan detonated seven nuclear devices in response to India's five detonations of Pokhran-II in 1998.
    The tests made Pakistan the seventh nation to possess nuclear weapons and the first in the Muslim world.
    Shaheen III nuclear-capable missile at the March 23, 2016 parade in Islamabad. Photo: Reuters In his message on Youm-e-Takbeer, the premier said the nation is showing unity to make Pakistan an 'Asian Tiger' in economic terms as it had shown unity in 1998 during the nuclear tests.
    He said nineteen years ago, we made the country?s defense impregnable. Today, with same dedication and passion, the country?s economy is also being made strong and stable.
    Sharif said Youm-e-Takbeer is a strong message to the enemies that aggressors against Pakistan will meet an exemplary fate.




  6. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: The country is observing Youm-e-Takbeer on Sunday to commemorate the Pakistan?s historic nuclear tests in the Chaghi mountain of Balochistan on May 28, 1998.
    "Our atomic programme brought about a balance of power in South Asia," Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said in a statement.
    May 28 is celebrated as a national day commemoration of the Chaghai-I and Chagai-II tests when Pakistan detonated seven nuclear devices in response to India's five detonations of Pokhran-II in 1998.
    The tests made Pakistan the seventh nation to possess nuclear weapons and the first in the Muslim world.
    Shaheen III nuclear-capable missile at the March 23, 2016 parade in Islamabad. Photo: Reuters In his message on Youm-e-Takbeer, the premier said the nation is showing unity to make Pakistan an 'Asian Tiger' in economic terms as it had shown unity in 1998 during the nuclear tests.
    He said nineteen years ago, we made the country?s defense impregnable. Today, with same dedication and passion, the country?s economy is also being made strong and stable.
    Sharif said Youm-e-Takbeer is a strong message to the enemies that aggressors against Pakistan will meet an exemplary fate.




  7. Waqas Dar
    The nation is observing Youm-e-Takbeer on Sunday to commemorate Pakistan?s historic nuclear tests in the Chaghi mountain of Balochistan province on May 28, 1998.

    "Our atomic program brought about a balance of power in South Asia," Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said. 
    May 28 is celebrated as a national day in Pakistan in commemoration of Chagai-I and Chagai-II when Pakistan detonated seven nuclear devices in response to India's five detonations of Pokhran-II in 1998. 
    The tests made Pakistan the seventh nation to possess nuclear weapons and the first in the Muslim world.





  8. Waqas Dar
    People queue outside the Apple store in the Orchard shopping district during its opening day in Singapore on May 27, 2017. AFP/Roslan Rahman  SINGAPORE: Apple opened its first Southeast Asia store here on Saturday, drawing hundreds of excited fans to the swanky two-storey site in the city's upmarket shopping district.

    Located on the affluent Orchard Road, the new shop ? easily distinguished by its iconic glass facade ? is expected to be one of the most popular Apple stores in the world according to the US tech giant.
    Merchandise, such as the iPhone and MacBook, were strategically placed on display across the spacious first floor, while the upper level acted as a classroom for customers to participate in hands-on sessions.
    Hundreds of shoppers camped out in anticipation of the launch, while more than a thousand thronged the store soon after the doors opened, an AFP reporter observed.
    First in the queue was Xiang Jiaxin, a twenty-five-year-old Chinese national working in Macau who had queued for more than 12 hours overnight and planned a holiday to Singapore especially to coincide with the opening.
    "I am very happy and excited to be part of this. I have participated in the official store openings in Macau, Guangzhou, and Nanjing," he told AFP.
    Apple, which has a staggering $256.8-billion cash stockpile, celebrated its 40th anniversary, last year. The Silicon Valley legend sprang out of Steve Jobs' garage to reshape modern life with trend-setting gadgets.
    Most of its earnings come from the iPhone, which faces increasingly tough competition in a saturated market.
    The tech behemoth has almost 500 stores globally with more than a million daily visitors. Aside from Singapore, its Asia shops are located in Hong Kong, China, and Japan.
    A regional transport, business, and financial hub, Singapore attracted 16.4 million visitors last year.


  9. Waqas Dar
    LEFT: One of many Qualcomm buildings is shown in San Diego, California, US, on November 3, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo; RIGHT: A Blackberry smartphone is displayed in this illustrative picture taken in Bordeaux, Southwestern France, August 22, 2016. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau/File Photo  Canada's BlackBerry Ltd said on Friday that US chipmaker Qualcomm Inc has agreed to pay the software maker $940 million, including interest and legal fees, to settle a royalty dispute.
    Qualcomm had said in April that it would have to refund BlackBerry $814.9 million, plus interest and attorneys' fees, in an arbitration over royalties for certain past sales.

    The dispute between the two companies started in 2016 following Qualcomm's agreement to cap certain royalties applied to payments made by BlackBerry under a licensing deal.
    Qualcomm is expected to pay the final amount on or before May 31, BlackBerry said on Friday.


  10. Waqas Dar
    French President Emmanuel Macron (L) and British Prime Minister Theresa May (R). Image: AFP TAORMINA: France's new President Emmanuel Macron on Friday brushed off Theresa May's request for early talks on a trade deal with the EU after Brexit.
    As the two held their first official talks on the sidelines of the G7 summit, British Prime Minister May repeated that she would like to start talks on trade at the start of the negotiations, rather than waiting until after the thorny issues of Britain's financial settlement and expatriate rights are resolved.
    "As regards Brexit, I'm very clear and I remain clear that we have under the (EU) treaty up to two years to negotiate withdrawal and the future relationship, and when we leave the EU, it's important that we know not just what the withdrawal terms are but what that future relationship will be, which will include trade," she told reporters.
    May also "reaffirmed her wish for early clarity on the position of EU citizens in the UK and vice versa", a Downing Street spokesman said.
    However, a source in the French delegation said Macron had insisted on the EU's position that the terms of the divorce must be thrashed out first.
    "The European Union will be united in the Brexit negotiations, but France and the United Kingdom will continue to maintain close ties in areas of economic, security and diplomatic cooperation between our two countries," the source said.
    Britain triggered the two-year process of leaving the European Union on March 29, following a referendum vote last year to end its four-decade membership of the bloc. The start of formal negotiations must wait until after a general election that May has called for June 8.
    May met separately at the G7 with US President Donald Trump, a critic of the EU who had declared his support for Brexit.
    The Downing Street spokesman said, "The president and the prime minister reaffirmed their commitment to increasing trade between the UK and the US, including a post-Brexit trade deal."


  11. Waqas Dar
    Image: Two motorcyclists in the dark as the city experiences a major power breakdown on first fast of Ramazan. May 28, 2017.1 KARACHI: With the start of Ramazan on Sunday, the city was greeted by a notorious, unwelcome guest ? load-shedding ? as darkness fell upon numerous areas during Sehri, Geo News reported.
    A major power outage was experienced in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Johar, Malir, FB Area, Liaquatabad, Landhi, Kharadar, North Karachi, Sir Syed Town, Shadman Town, Keamari, among others, as the clocks ticked to the time to start fasting.
    The electricity breakdown also continued in Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Quaidabad, Steel Town, Hub, Maripur, Mochko, Naval Colony, and surrounding areas.
    According to a National Transmission and Despatch Company Limited (NTDC) spokesperson, the power outage occurred due to an extra high-tension line tripping early Sunday morning, causing generators in Jamshoro and Hubco power plants to shut down.
    The spokesperson added that electricity has been provided to restart the affected generators.
    The impact on Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) was significantly higher in comparison, the NTDC spokesperson noted, explaining that the national grid usually supplies 550 MW of power to Karachi.
    "Power is expected to resume from Jamshoro and Hubco power plants in approximately 2 hours," the spokesperson said.

    K-Electric spokesperson Sadia Dada, on the other hand, stated that the process to restore power is underway with the help of Water and Sewerage Board?s installations. The official added that power at Dhabeji and Pipri pumping stations has been resumed.
    Almost 50-60 percent of the metropolis faces a lack of electricity at present, Dada said, reiterating the same reason behind the power outage as that of the NTDC spokesperson.
    ?A 500-KV Jamshoro transmission line caused the power outage,? Dada explained, adding that efforts are underway to normalise the impacted areas.


  12. Waqas Dar
    Arsenal?s Francis Coquelin, Olivier Giroud, and Granit Xhaka celebrate after Aaron Ramsey (not pictured) scores their second goal against Chelsea during FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium. May 27, 2017. Reuters/Darren Staples  LONDON: Arsenal salvaged some silverware from a traumatic season as they beat Premier League champion Chelsea 2-1 in the FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday thanks to Aaron Ramsey's late winner.
    Chelsea had been hot favourites to complete a remarkable debut season for manager Antonio Conte but was not at their clinical best as Arsenal, who finished fifth in the league, lifted the Cup for the third time in four seasons.
    They have now won it a record 13 times while manager Arsene Wenger, who is yet to say whether he will be extending his 21-year reign, is now the most successful manager in the history of the competition with seven wins.
    Chelsea made a woeful start and was behind after four minutes thanks to Alexis Sanchez's controversial opener but when Diego Costa levelled in the 76th minute it seemed they would complete a memorable season.
    Conte's side had to play the last 20 minutes with 10 men after Victor Moses was dismissed following a second yellow card for diving.
    Ramsey's header in the 79th minute knocked the stuffing out of Conte's side and Arsenal could even have extended their lead in the closing stages as Chelsea finally buckled.
    Wenger, who failed to finish in the top four for the first time since taking charge in 1996, celebrated with his players in front of the massed red ranks of Arsenal fans at the end.
    "We had an outstanding performance from the first minute onwards," the 67-year-old Wenger said.
    "This team has suffered. They've united and responded. I said last week this team will be in the championship with one or two good buys. They showed strength and unity and played spectacular football today."
    Underdogs Arsenal enjoyed a dream start although there was a huge debate about whether Sanchez's effort should have stood.
    When his initial attempt to chip the ball into Chelsea's area was blocked, he appeared to knock the rebound forward with his arms before running through and shooting past Thibaut Courtois despite Ramsey standing in an offside position.
    Confusion reigned as the goal was initially disallowed but after consulting with his assistant Gary Beswick who had raised his flag, referee Anthony Taylor awarded the goal.
    Chelsea never properly recovered from that body blow and Arsenal could have been out of sight before halftime.
    Mesut Ozil had a shot back-heeled off the line by Gary Cahill while Chelsea had an amazing escape when Danny Welbeck's header thumped against the post and Ramsey bundled the ball back against the same upright.
    Despite being all at sea Chelsea did threaten with Costa denied by a perfectly-timed tackle by Per Mertesacker who was making his first start for Arsenal for 13 months.
    Arsenal keeper David Ospina also bravely denied Costa, receiving a blow to the head for his troubles.
    Chelsea started the second half with more tempo and Footballer of the Year N'Golo Kante warmed Ospina's fingers with a deflected drive from distance before Moses brought a fine save from Ospina after Costa played him in.
    Chelsea were required to play the last 20 minutes a man down after referee Taylor's second big call of the day, deciding that Moses had thrown himself to the floor under no obvious contact from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
    Just when it seemed their double hopes were slipping away, Costa equalised when his weakly-hit shot brushed off the excellent Mertesacker and past the diving Ospina.
    But Arsenal had the last laugh when Chelsea's defence went AWOL again, allowing Ramsey the freedom of the box to head substitute Olivier Giroud's astute cut-back past Courtois.


  13. Waqas Dar
    MANCHESTER: Police on Saturday released security camera images of Manchester suicide bomber Salman Abedi on the night he massacred 22 people at a pop concert.
    Investigators also gave details of the 22-year-old's last hours as they appealed to the public for any information about his movements in the days running up to Monday night's attack.
    The photographs taken from CCTV footage show a bespectacled Abedi, who has a small moustache, in trainers, jeans, black sleeves, a black cap and a black puffer waistcoat, over which the straps of his backpack can be seen.
    The accompanying police statement, by Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins and Senior National Coordinator UK Counter Terrorism Policing Neil Basu, said one of the last places he went to was a "city centre flat and from there he left to make his way to the Manchester Arena", where the attack took place.
    "The flat is highly relevant as a location which we believe may be the final assembly place for the device."
    Eleven suspects held
    Eleven people are currently in custody in the UK in connection with the attack by Abedi, who was of Libyan origin but born in Manchester.
    His father and brother have been detained in Libya.
    The police said the probe had made "good progress" and they "now need people to tell us if they have any information about his movements from 18 May when he returned to the UK through to Monday night".
    The statement did not say where Abedi had come from, but a relative in Libya earlier told AFP that the bomber had travelled from the North African country to Manchester.
    Turkish and German officials also said he passed through Istanbul and Duesseldorf airports.
    The statement from Greater Manchester Police and UK counter-terrorism police said they had a 1,000-strong team working "around the clock" on the probe.
    Fourteen locations are still being searched.
    "In the past five days we have gathered significant information about Abedi, his associates, his finances, the places he had been, how the device was built and the wider conspiracy," the statement said.
    'Remain vigilant'
    Britain on Saturday lowered the terror threat level from critical ? its highest level ? to severe, but British Prime Minister Theresa May said the country should remain "vigilant".
    "A significant amount of police activity has taken place over the last 24 hours and there are now 11 suspects in custody," May said, adding, "The public should be clear about what this means. A threat level of 'severe' means an attack is highly likely."
    British intelligence experts no longer believe another attack is imminent after police made significant progress in their investigation into the bomb attack.

    The new threat assessment means soldiers who have been assisting police would be withdrawn from Britain's streets from midnight on Monday.

    Police arrested two more men as they closed in on a suspected network behind Abedi and said they had a greater understanding of how his device was made.
    British officials have confirmed Abedi had recently returned from Libya and the officers said police needed information about his movements from May 18 when he returned to Britain.

    A third of those killed in Monday's bombing were children, and another 116 people were injured. The attack, which has been claimed by Daesh, targeted concertgoers at the end of a show by US teen pop idol Ariana Grande.


  14. Waqas Dar
    Gregg Allman, whose soulful vocals made the Allman Brothers Band one of rock's top acts in the 1970s with songs such as Ramblin' Man in a career also marred by tragedy and drug abuse, died on Saturday at the age of 69, his official website said.
    "It is with deep sadness that we announce that Gregg Allman, a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band, passed away peacefully at his home in Savannah, Georgia," it said.
    Drummer Butch Trucks, another founding member of the band, died aged 60 on January 24.
    The Allman Brothers Band was started in Macon, Georgia, in the late 1960s by Gregg and older brother Duane, who became the band's guiding force and one of rock's most revered guitarists before he was killed in a motorcycle accident at age 24. In its heyday, the band was a staple on radio stations and released albums ranked among the best in rock history.
    Gregg was the band's lead singer, keyboardist and a key songwriter as it put out a string of hits. He wrote several of them ? Whipping Post, It's Not My Cross to Bear, Midnight Rider, Ain't Wastin' Time No More, and Melissa ? while others were renditions of old blues songs, including One Way Out and Statesboro Blues.
    The band was an early progenitor of what became known as Southern rock. In addition to blues, the band also was known for its crystal guitar harmonies between Duane and Dickey Betts, jazz influences and a free-wheeling approach that sometimes led to 20-minute songs. Rising above it all was Gregg's voice.
    "He sounded like he'd already lived a thousand lifetimes," singer Sheryl Crow told Rolling Stone magazine.
    $20 guitar
    Gregg and Duane spent their early childhood in their birthplace, Nashville, Tennessee, listening to a blues radio station. After their father was killed by a hitchhiker, their mother moved them to Daytona Beach, Florida.
    The brothers showed little interest in school but were passionate about music and often fought over the $20 guitar that Gregg had bought at Sears.
    "Duane and I caught it like an illness," Gregg told Southern Living magazine. "We didn't eat, we didn't sleep, we didn't think about anything except music."
    As teenagers, they began playing a series of bands, including racially integrated ones, a rarity at the time in the South. When they first went on the road in 1965 with a band named the Allman Joys, the name was borrowed from a popular candy bar called Almond Joy.
    After unfulfilling experiences with the music industry in Los Angeles, Gregg and Duane ended up in Macon, Georgia ? hometown of Little Richard and Otis Redding ? in 1969 and brought together the Allman Brothers Band.
    They were a scruffy-looking, denim-clad assemblage, and Gregg stood out with his long golden-blond hair. The band members developed a family-style relationship, bonding while hanging out at Macon's Rose Hill cemetery, with Duane in what Gregg said was the father role.
    The band's first three albums ? including At Fillmore East, considered a ground-breaking live recording at the time ? made them stars, but shortly after that, Duane had his fatal motorcycle crash in Macon in 1971.
    The rest of the band was stricken but carried on and put out another well-regarded album, Eat a Peach. Then 13 months after Duane's death, bassist Berry Oakley was killed in a similar motorcycle accident only a few blocks from where Duane had been killed. They were buried next to each other in Rose Hill.
    Cocaine on a bar
    The band carried on but fell into the trap of rock star excess. Drugs became so prevalent that the first time they entered their new private plane, they were greeted by the words "Welcome Allman Brothers" spelled out in cocaine on the bar, Gregg wrote in his memoir, "My Cross to Bear."
    By the mid-'70s, the cloud over the band grew darker as Gregg became a heroin addict and Betts assumed leadership. When Allman's valet, Scooter Herring, was arrested for drug dealing in 1976, Allman, then married to singer-actress Cher, accepted immunity and testified to a grand jury against the man who acquired drugs for him.
    What had once been a familial group split up over what was seen as Allman's betrayal. He would go on to a solo career, as well as taking part in reformations of the Allman Brothers before bringing down the curtain on the group in 2014 with a four-hour show in New York that included original members Butch Trucks and Jai Johanny Johanson.
    The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 but Allman said in his book that he was too drunk to enjoy it.




  15. Waqas Dar
    US President Donald Trump delivers remarks to U.S. 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  SIGONELLA, ITALY: With trouble facing him back home, U.S. President Donald Trump ended his nine-day overseas journey in dramatic fashion on Saturday, addressing U.S. troops at a campaign-style rally.
    Trump flipped traditional U.S. foreign policy upside down on his tour through the Middle East and Europe, coddling Middle Eastern leaders with questionable human rights records while demanding traditional European allies pay more for their defense.
    At a Group of Seven summit in the resort town of Taormina on the island of Sicily, Trump refused to entreaties from the other six allies to maintain U.S. support for the Paris climate agreement, insisting he needed more time to make up his mind.
    In a hangar at Naval Air Station Sigonella, which is also on Sicily, Trump was introduced by his wife Melania, who has raised eyebrows during the trip by twice flicking away her husband's hand when he tried to hold hers.
    "My husband worked very hard on this trip and I am very proud of him," she said.
    Trump, whose Marine One helicopter landed from Taormina to the soaring soundtrack of the "Air Force One" movie, emerged from two days of closed door summitry to declare his trip a success.
    Trump said he had helped forge more international cooperation in the fight against Islamist militants, a threat he said was underscored by a suicide bomber in Manchester, England, and the killing of Coptic Christians in Egypt.
    "It was a tremendously productive meeting where I strengthen American bonds," said Trump. "We have great bonds with other countries and, with some of our closest allies, we concluded a truly historic week."
    Trump skipped the traditional end-of-trip news conference to avoid facing questions about a host of problems he faces upon his return to Washington later on Saturday.
    His May 9 firing of former FBI Director James Comey has raised concerns about whether he was trying to squelch a federal probe into his campaign's ties with Russia last year.
    The questions have been intensified in the wake of disclosures on Friday that a senior adviser, Jared Kushner, the husband of Trump's daughter Ivanka, had contacts with the Russians in December about opening a secret back channel of communications with Moscow.
    Trump used his trip to promote "America First" policies, promoting $110 billion worth of arms sales to Saudi Arabia and telling G-7 allies that the United States needs a more level playing field on trade.
    His body language on the trip demonstrated his typically brash behavior, dramatized by his demands that NATO allies pay more for their defense and his refusal to explicitly declare that the United States backs Article 5 of the alliance's charter, which requires each member to come to the defense of each other.
    His pushing aside of the prime minister of Montenegro to get in place for a family photo generated headlines across Europe.
    At Sigonella, Trump said his appeals to NATO allies to pay more was working.
    "Money is starting to flow in," he said. "It's only fair to the United States. We're behind NATO all the way. But we want to be treated fairly."


  16. Waqas Dar
    Indian meat traders plan to take the government to court over new rules banning the trading of cattle including buffalo for slaughter, calling it a move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration to hurt the business run mainly by Muslims.
    The environment ministry said this week that animal markets will only be able to trade in cattle meant for agricultural purposes, the biggest blow yet for meat suppliers facing several reverses under Modi's three-year old Hindu nationalist government.
    The slaughter of cows, considered holy in Hinduism, is banned in most Indian states and laws on the issue have become more stringent over the past few years. Muslims, who make up 14 percent of India's 1.3 billion people, dominate the Indian meat industry.
    Muslim man dies after attack by cow vigilantes in India
    Pehlu Khan, 55, died in hospital late Monday, two days after a mob attacked his cattle truck on a highway in Alwar in the western state of Rajasthan
    Mob in India kills two Muslims over suspected cow theft
    Two Muslim men have died after they were attacked by Indian villagers
    India is the biggest seller of buffalo meat in the world, with exports of more than $4 billion a year to countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia and Egypt.
    But that could change following the government's May 23 notification regarding changes to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, made public on Friday. It requires owners to declare that cattle have not "been brought to market for sale for slaughter" and for market committees to verify that the buyer is an "agriculturist by seeing the relevant revenue document".
    The new rules define cattle as bulls, cows, buffalo, steers, heifers, calves and camels.
    "The business is dead," said Aqil Qureshi, president of the Delhi Buffalo Traders' Welfare Association who runs a slaughterhouse outside the city and sells hides to leather companies. "We will take legal help, we will hit the streets. Who does not fight for their livelihood?"
    The environment ministry said in a statement on Saturday that the regulation was to protect "animals from cruelty and not to regulate the existing trade in cattle for slaughter houses". Animals for slaughter will have to be bought from farmers directly, it said.
    Abdul Faheem Qureshi, a lawyer in the southern city of Hyderabad and head of the All India Jamiatul Quresh Action Committee, said direct buying was "not always practical" and that he was drafting a court appeal after meeting with many of his "shocked" trader clients.
    Al Faheem Meatex, an exporter in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, said buying buffalo directly from farmers was likely to raise costs, given stringent norms on cattle transportation.
    "It will raise costs for us but what else can we do?" the company said. "We will see if we can get some relief from the court."
    Qureshi said the new law would only embolden cow vigilantism groups. Muslims have been assaulted by Hindu hardliners over the past few years on suspicion of eating beef or illegally transporting cattle.
    GVL Narasimha Rao, a spokesman for Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, had no immediate comment. Government spokesman Frank Noronha did not respond to requests for comment.


  17. Waqas Dar
    Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa has conveyed his wishes for the holy month of Ramazan to Muslims in Pakistan and all over the world, a tweet by Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations said.
    ?COAS conveys 'Ramzan Mubarak' to people of Pakistan and Muslims across the globe. "May Allah continue His blessings upon us ? Amen," the tweet reads.
    Ramazan will be observed in Pakistan from Sunday, after the Ruet-e-Hilal committee announced on Friday that Ramazan moon has not been sighted.
    Saudi Arabia, along with other Gulf states, and several other countries observed the first day of Ramazan on Saturday.


  18. Waqas Dar
    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (L) and French President Emmanuel Macron talk as they attend the Summit of the Heads of State and of Government of the G7on May 26, 2017 in Taormina, Sicily.-AFP
    "A liberal fantasy dream sequence", "a bromance," "insanely romantic".

    The Internet was abuzz Friday with pictures of French President Emmanuel Macron and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau schmoozing at the G7 summit in Sicily, strolling through flowered walkways and chatting against the backdrop of a sparkling blue Mediterranean sea.
    "Apparently Justin Trudeau and Emmanuel Macron flew to Sicily for their wedding photoshoot," netizen @sherlockify joked on Twitter.
    The reaction to the telegenic pair's encounter in the picturesque, hillside town of Taormina, immortalised by Macron himself who tweeted a video of their meeting, provided some light relief from a summit otherwise devoted to thorny issues such as climate change and the threat of extremism.
    "The Franco-Canadian friendship has a new face," Macron tweeted after sitting down for talks with Trudeau and taking the now famous stroll.
    "@JustinTrudeau, it's up to us to take on the challenges of our generation!"
    "Sitting down with @EmmanuelMacron for the first time, talking jobs, security & climate -? looking forward to more conversations, my friend," Trudeau responded on Twitter, posting pictures of both smiling, shaking hands, and looking out over the Mediterranean, their dapper suit jackets billowing in the breeze.
    Trudeau, 45, is popular with liberals worldwide for his commitment to fighting climate change and easing the refugee crisis -- in stark contrast to the United States, Canada's powerful neighbour.
    Macron, 39, has only been in power for 12 days but enjoys similar kudos, particularly abroad where he has been compared to Trudeau.
    "This image of Trudeau and Macron in Sicily is right out of a liberal fantasy dream sequence," tweeted Dhruva Jaishankar, an expert on foreign policy at the India section of the Brookings Institution think tank.
    Others were even more explicit.
    "Le swoon, le sigh," tweeted netizen MissMary, above a photo of both leaders in apparent earnest chat.
    "Is there a budding bromance between Macron and Trudeau? Two hunks!" added @MaureenRamsden.


  19. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Renowned scholars from all schools of thought have issued a unanimous decree declaring suicide attacks, armed insurgency against the state and the use of force in the name of enforcing Shariah as 'Haram' or forbidden in Islam.

    The decree, signed by 31 well-known religious scholars, was issued at a national seminar titled 'Reconstruction of Pakistani society in the light of 'Mithaq-e-Madina' (Charter of Madina) and announcement of 'Paigham-e-Pakistan' (Message of Pakistan), held at the International Islamic University, Islamabad.
    Addressing the concluding session of the seminar organised by the Islamic Research Institute of International Islamic University, President Mamnoon Hussain said the association of humanity with the Madina Charter for resolution of the issues was because it guaranteed the fundamental rights of economy, justice and education.
    The seminar also featured the announcement of a unanimous declaration named as 'Paigham-e-Pakistan', signed by the religious scholars from all schools of thought, calling for action against the forces fanning extremism, true implementation of the law dealing with blasphemy and discouraging mob justice in this regard.
    Terming the declaration as historic step taken by scholars, the president said he had also been trying to persuade Ulema to give the people a narrative against terrorism and extremism but the IRI took lead in this regard.
    The seminar was attended by Rector IIU Professor Masoom Yasinzai, President IIU Ahmed Yousuf Darweish, Chairman Higher Education Commission Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, prominent religious scholars, including Mufti Rafi Usmani, Mufti Muneebur Rehman, Maulana Hanif Jalandhari, Mufti Naeem Ahmed and others.
    Professor Masoom Yasinzai presented the unanimous declaration, while Mufti Rafi Usmani read out the religious edict signed by all religious scholars, which condemned terrorism and extremism, declared suicide attackers and their supporters as traitors, declared Jihad a jurisdiction of Islamic state and disallowed use of force in name of enforcement of Islamic laws.
    He said the consideration of developing the society in accordance with the Charter of Madina, despite the experiences and incidents of the previous century was satisfactory. "Being Muslims, we aspire for peace in the whole world and desired progress, prosperity and welfare for the entire humanity."
    President Mamnoon also emphasised that a counter-narrative needs to be built to negate the narratives of extremism, hate and terrorism, and to promote peace, harmony and respect of others.
    It is necessary to impress upon contemporary world that the ideas they harbour about Pakistan and Muslim Ummah in this regard have nothing to do with reality, he added.
    The religious scholars, in the decree, fully backed operations Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad against the enemies of Pakistan.
    The declaration was signed by Mufti Muneebur Rehman, Mufti Rafi Usmani, Maulana Hanif Jalandhari, Mufti Muhammad Naeem, Maulana Abdul Razzak Sikandar, Allama Riaz Hussain Najafi, Maulana Muhammad Yasin Zafar, Maulana Ghulam Muhammad Sialvi, Maulana Zahid Mahmood QasmiMufti Mahmoodul Hassan Mahmood, Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani and others.


  20. Waqas Dar
    Afghan residents gather at the scene of a suicide car bomb that targeted a CIA-funded pro-government militia force-AFP KHOST: A suicide car bomber killed 18 people in the eastern Afghan city of Khost on Saturday, officials said, in the first major insurgent attack at the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
    No group has so far claimed responsibility for the bombing, which provincial authorities said targeted Afghan security forces working with American troops in Khost province.
    The attack is the latest in a series of assaults on Western-backed forces as the Taliban step up their annual spring offensive and the insurgency expands more than 15 years after they were toppled from power in a US-led invasion.
    "A suicide car bomb in Khost province has killed 18 people and wounded six others, including two children," said interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish.
    "The target was a public bus station which was hit by the bombing. The victims were in civilian clothes and it is difficult to verify their identities at this stage."
    But provincial police chief Faizullah Ghairat said the victims were civilians and members of the elite Khost Provincial Force (KPF) working with US troops.
    "The bombing took place early morning when KPF members were heading to work," Ghairat told AFP.
    The brazen attack comes just a day after at least 15 Afghan soldiers were killed when Taliban fighters attacked their base in Kandahar, in the third major insurgent assault this week on the military in the southern province.
    The assault in Shah Wali Kot district followed insurgent raids earlier this week on military bases in the same area and Maiwand district, bringing the death toll among Western-backed troops to around 60.
    The battlefield losses mark a stinging blow for NATO-backed Afghan forces and have raised concerns about their capacity to beat back the resurgent Taliban.
    Afghan forces are beset by unprecedented casualties and blamed for corruption, desertion and "ghost soldiers" who exist on the payroll but whose salaries are usurped by fraudulent commanders.
    During another deadly Taliban attack on security outposts in southern Zabul province on Sunday, local officials made desperate calls to Afghan television stations to seek attention because they were unable to contact senior authorities for help.
    The pleas for attention, a major embarrassment for the Western-backed government, highlighted the disarray in security ranks.
    The Taliban launched their annual spring offensive in late April, heralding a surge in fighting as the US tries to craft a new Afghan strategy.
    US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis last month warned of "another tough year" for security forces in Afghanistan.
    The United States and several NATO allies are considering sending thousands more troops to break the stalemate against the resurgent militants.


  21. Waqas Dar
    Two men were stabbed to death in the US city of Portland on Friday when they tried to stop their attacker from harassing two women because they appeared to be Muslim, police said.
    The incident unfolded on a commuter train hours before the start of Ramadan when most of the world's 1.6 billion Muslims observe a religious fast.
    The attack began shortly before 4:30pm when a man started yelling ethnic and religious slurs towards two women who appeared to be Muslim on a MAX train at the Hollywood Transit Station, the Portland Police Department said in a statement.
    Three men who intervened were stabbed, two fatally. The attacker was arrested shortly after he got off the train, police said, adding that the women left the scene before police could interview them.
    "In the midst of his ranting and raving, some people approached him and appeared to try to intervene with his behavior and some of the people that he was yelling at," Portland police spokesman Pete Simpson said during a news conference aired by local news outlets.
    "They were attacked viciously by the suspect," he added.
    In a statement responding to Friday's attack, the Council on American-Islamic Relations said that anti-Muslim incidents increased by more than 50 percent in the United States from 2015 to 2016 due in part to President Donald Trump's focus on militant Islamist groups and anti-immigrant rhetoric.
    "President Trump must speak out personally against the rising tide of Islamophobia and other forms of bigotry and racism in our nation that he has provoked through his numerous statements, policies and appointments that have negatively impacted minority communities," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad.
    The administration says that while it strongly opposes extremist militants, it has no quarrel with Islam.
    Following the attack, police said one of the men died at the scene while another died at a hospital. The third man was treated for non-life threatening injuries.
    "These were folks just riding the train and unfortunately got caught up in this," he said.
    Witnesses told police that the two young women were possibly Muslim. One wore a hijab.
    Portland police did not identify the suspect or the victims.


  22. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: The first round of China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Practical Cooperation Dialogue was held in Beijing on Saturday, at which the three sides exchanged in-depth views on trilateral cooperation in a friendly atmosphere and agreed to promote practical measures for cooperation, according to the Foreign Office of Pakistan.

    The dialogue was co-chaired by Director General Mansoor Ahmad Khan from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Director General Xiao Qian from Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Director General Khalid Payenda of Afghan Ministry of Finance.
    The three sides noted that trilateral cooperation among Pakistan, Afghanistan and China is conducive to peace, stability and development of Afghanistan and the region, the FO said in a statement. The three countries appreciated the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and its benefits for promoting regional connectivity.
    They agreed to advance practical cooperation in various areas so as to promote mutual benefit and regional economic integration under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, agreeing to organise workshops, seminars and different forums.
    China and Pakistan will explore trilateral cooperation in areas of infrastructure, energy, education, health, agriculture, human resource training and capacity building based on the needs of Afghanistan and according to China and Pakistan's respective assistance programmes for Afghanistan, the statement read.
    The three sides highly appreciated the outcome of discussions and agreed to make the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Practical Cooperation Dialogue a regular forum.


  23. Waqas Dar
    WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump´s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, made a pre-inauguration proposal to the Russian ambassador to set up a secret, bug-proof communications line with the Kremlin, The Washington Post reported Friday evening.
    Kushner, a close adviser to Trump, went so far as to suggest using Russian diplomatic facilities in the United States to protect such a channel from being monitored, The Post said, quoting US officials briefed on intelligence reports.
    The revelation is yet another sensational element in the deluge of allegations raising questions about the Trump team´s relationship with the Russians, who US intelligence agencies say tried to sway the November election in Trump´s favor and thus deny Hillary Clinton the presidency.
    And it ensures that Trump will be thrust back into the din of the Russia scandal upon his return to Washington this weekend following his first foreign trip, a tour of the Middle East and Europe.
    The Washington Post said the secret communications proposal was made December 1 or 2 at Trump Tower in New York, according to intercepts of Russian communications that were reviewed by US officials.
    Michael Flynn, who would become Trump´s national security adviser before being fired 24 days into the job for not telling the truth about meetings he held with the Russian ambassador, was also at the meeting, The Post reported.
    The Russian ambassador, Sergei Kislyak, was surprised by Kushner´s idea of the secret channel and passed it on to the Kremlin, the Post said. It did not specify what came of Kushner´s alleged pitch, if anything.
    The White House did not immediately comment on the report.
    Jim Himes, a Connecticut Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told MSNBC, that not disclosing such contacts "raises a lot of questions."
    "If it´s true that somebody did ask for some kind of private line, some kind of mode of communication that was secure, that was unusual, boy does that raise a whole bunch of questions."
    Besides the Kushner developments, which strikes at Trump´s core by drawing his family into the crisis, the White House also faces a cascade of other worries in the coming week.
    The Senate Intelligence Committee has "asked President Trump´s political organisation to gather and produce all Russia-related documents, emails and phone records going back to his campaign´s launch in June 2015," The Post reported. There was no immediate White House reaction.
    Fired former FBI director James Comey has promised to testify at an open session before the Senate Intelligence Committee, sometime after Monday´s Memorial Day holiday.
    The White House staff itself could be facing upheaval. CBS News reported that Trump is expected to consider plans for a shakeup of his communications operation upon his return.
    And Oleg Deripaska, a Russian once close to Trump´s former campaign manager, has offered to cooperate with congressional bodies probing alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US election, The New York Times reported Friday.
    Kushner at center stage
    But Kushner, a 36-year-old real estate developer who is married to Trump´s daughter Ivanka, is likely to take center stage in the coming days.
    Reserved in public, he was on prominent view during Trump´s first presidential trip, as befits a trusted behind-the-scenes adviser involved in everything from Middle East peace to an initiative to streamline the US bureaucracy.
    The Post reported earlier that investigators are focusing on meetings he held in December with Moscow´s ambassador and the head of a Russian bank that has been under US sanctions since 2014.
    Kushner has offered to talk to Congress about these meetings, according to his lawyer Jamie Gorelick.
    The Post and other media have been careful to note that their sources did not say Kushner was a "target" of the investigation, nor that he was accused of any wrongdoing.
    If he were a "target," it would suggest Kushner was a main suspect of the investigation.
    The Post reported last week that the Russia investigation had been extended to a top White House official as a "significant person of interest."
    Kushner is the only person currently in the White House known to be under investigation.
    Russia contacts
    At least four other former campaign aides or advisers have been reported to be under FBI scrutiny as well?Flynn, former campaign manager Paul Manafort, sometime Trump adviser Roger Stone, and ex-campaign adviser Carter Page.
    The FBI investigation is now being overseen by Robert Mueller, a respected former FBI director who was given broad powers to pursue the case as a special counsel after Trump abruptly fired Comey on May 9.
    The key question before the FBI is whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia in its effort to tilt the 2016 US election in the Republican´s favor, which included a damaging hack of Democratic campaign emails.
    Trump has denied any collusion, calling the probe "the greatest witch hunt" in American political history.
    Former CIA director John Brennan revealed this week that intelligence chiefs had been looking into suspicious contacts between Trump campaign associates and Russian officials since mid-2016.
    The Senate and House Intelligence Committees also are investigating, but not with an eye to bringing criminal charges.
    In early December, after Trump had won the elections, Kushner and Flynn met in New York with Kislyak.
    Kushner also met that month with Sergei Gorkov, chairman of VneshEconomBank, the state bank under US sanctions since July 2014.
    Both those meetings have since been publicly acknowledged by the White House, but Kushner initially failed to declare them on forms submitted to obtain a security clearance.
    His lawyer later said it was a mistake, telling the FBI that he would amend the forms. Not making a full and honest statement can be a federal crime punishable of up to five years in prison.


  24. Waqas Dar
    Adviser to the prime minister on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz Adviser to the prime minister on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz condemned violence against Kashmiris by Indian forces, saying the country is making claims about the presence of Daesh in the valley to suppress Kashmiris? struggle.
    In a statement issued by the foreign office, Aziz called upon the international community, United Nations, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the members of UN?s P-5 group to help end the slaughter of the people of Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK).
    The adviser condemned the ban on media in the valley, saying India has banned social, electronic and print media in the country to stop reports of its brutality from surfacing.
    India has also resorted to flaring tensions along the Line of Control (LoC) to divert attention from its crimes against Kashmiris, Aziz said. He said that India is continuously violating LoC ceasefire agreements and expressed reservations about targeting of civilian populations along the LoC.
    ?Thousands of men and women in India have started a movement against the country; India is trying to frame these Kashmiri men and women as terrorists,? said Aziz.
    He said that the Indian forces are killing Kashmiri youth in fake encounters. Aziz added that Pakistan has taken up the issue of attempts to convert the Kashmiri populace into a minority in the UN.


  25. Waqas Dar
    Citizens purchasing vegetables at a local market KARACHI/LAHORE: With the arrival of Ramazan, prices of food items, especially fruits and vegetables, have soared to unprecedented levels irking citizens greatly. 

    Authorities seem unable to rein in profiteers from exploiting citizens in the fasting month. Lemon, which is considered an essential ingredient of soft drinks in Ramazan, has gone virtually extinct in Lahore. Retailers are selling it for Rs400 per kilogram.
    The price of spinach among vegetables has also been hiked, whereas apple and banana are being sold at Rs380 and 280 respectively.
    Same is the case in rest of the cities across the country, with profiteers putting up their desired rates of everything.
    In Karachi, prices of all food items, relating to Sehr and Iftar in any way, have been hiked.
    In Quetta and Peshawar, fruits, vegetables, chicken and other items' prices were raised beyond purchasing power of a common man, days ahead of Ramazan.
    The hike in prices has greatly irked the masses, who have been criticising authorities for failing to put an end to profiteers' monopoly.


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