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Waqas Dar

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Blog Entries posted by Waqas Dar

  1. Waqas Dar
    A mini truck carrying oil overturned on Multan road near Manga Mandi on Saturday.  LAHORE: A mini truck carrying oil overturned on Multan Road near Manga Mandi on Saturday.
    The truck ? that was reportedly speeding ? overturned after one of its wheels dismantled, following which its oil tank started leaking.
    Reckless driving: Oil tanker overturns near Rahim Yar Khan
    The tanker, transporting around 40,000 litres of fuel, skidded off the road after the driver dozed off
    Traffic on the Manga Mandi to Phool Nagar route was promptly diverted by the Motorway Police.
    Three 1122 rescue cars reached the scene of incident. 
    In a similar incident last month, at least 152 people were burnt to death and scores injured after an oil tanker overturned and caught fire in Bahawalpur's Ahmedpur East town on June 25.

    152 burnt to death as oil tanker catches fire in Bahawalpur
    Scores injured in fire that broke out after oil tanker overturned and crowds rushed to collect fuel
    Most victims were residents of nearby localities who had rushed to the scene of incident to collect the leaking fuel after the tanker toppled, said rescue sources.




  2. Waqas Dar
    Katrina Kaif poses with an award on stage during IIFA Awards, July 14, 2017/AFP NEW YORK: The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) fired the opening salvo in a weekend of glitz, glamour and music for its annual awards, sending fans wild with excitement by hosting Bollywood stars in Times Square.
    Hundreds of people -- overwhelmingly South Asians joined by bemused onlookers, confused tourists and a smattering of Western converts to Bollywood -- cheered a fashion show and shrieked in delight when actors Shahid Kapoor blew kisses and Varun Dhawan performed on stage.
    Shahid Kapoor greets fans during IIFA ceremony in Times Square/AFP The crowd turned into a sea of camera phones and raised arms, a taste of the excitement building among Indian cinema fans in New York, the heart of a tri-state area home to around 1.8 million Indian-Americans.
    "It´s so nice, I feel so proud," beamed Neelam Singh, a 47-year-old software consultant and mother of one.
    "It looks like a mini India," she said of the so-called IIFA "Stomp" party in Times Square.
    Living in the United States for more than 20 years, she and her girlfriends have been planning what to wear for weeks, some jetting in from as far as Atlanta and Panama in the hopes of seeing their idols.
    Salman Khan pictured at IIFA Awards, July 14, 2017/AFP Events kicked off in earnest Friday with a concert honouring A.R. Rahman, the movie composer who won two Oscars in 2009 for best original score and best original song for "Slumdog Millionaire."
    That bonanza -- together with the awards ceremony on Saturday ? is being held at the 82,500-seat MetLife Stadium, an outdoor NFL venue across the Hudson River in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
    "We need you to pray a little for the rain Gods to be on our side," joked Kapoor on Thursday with downpours forecast.
    Soft power
    Alia Bhatt poses at IIFA Awards, July 14, 2017/AFP The 18th edition of the awards, which some dub the Oscars of Bollywood, comes at a time of growth for Indian film in North America.
    The organizers have been on a publicity blitz, ringing in the Nasdaq stock exchange bell Wednesday, drumming up sponsorship and marketing.
    Mohammad Asif, founder of the Bombay Theatre in Queens, said that since he set up shop in the mid-1990s, the number of cinemas showing Indian films in the United States has grown from around 15-20 to 200.
    He attributed the increase to the thriving Indian economy, bigger film budgets, an increase in the South Asian diaspora, and growing popularity among Afghans, Arabs, Russians and Caribbean immigrants.
    Increased cross-over with Indian stars such as Priyanka Chopra having roles in Hollywood is giving India more visibility and global exposure.
    Katrina Kaif speaks at IIFA Awards, July 14, 2017/AFP "This is really India´s soft power at its best, as we strive to develop our relationship with the United States further," consul general to New York, Riva Ganguly Das, told an IIFA press conference.
    But if IIFA´s hopes to reach out to new audiences by holding its awards ceremony each year overseas, it still has some way to go.
    "It´s a store," one American in Times Square said blankly when asked if he knew what Bollywood was. A passing British tourist said he had never heard of IIFA, nor star actors Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif.
    "I´ll probably move on," he said walking off.
    ´Waiting´
    Neither are drawn-out logistics and fluid timings to every taste in a city well versed in tight schedules.
    "I´m actually kind of upset because we´ve been waiting here for about three hours," said Nija Walker, 23, a funk-jazz drummer from New York´s Westchester suburb keen to learn more about Bollywood.
    Sushant Singh Rajput greets director Karan Johar at IIFA Awards 2017/AFP But Foram Dalal, 30, who studies management and information systems, travelled in from New Jersey with her parents, seven-month-old daughter, husband and friends determined to savor the moment.
    "Even if you see one star, it´s worth it," she told AFP in Times Square. "I´m more than overwhelmed to be at this place right now."
    With a viewership of almost 800 million, IIFA is India´s biggest media event and one of the world´s most-watched annual entertainment shows.
    "It´s a huge industry," said Habibah Hussain, a 37-year-old teacher and Pakistani tourist soaking up the atmosphere.
    "I´ve seen people who don´t even understand Hindi -- they watch it, because they dub it as well, and they´re famous. That´s why they´re here," she said gesturing to Times Square.


  3. Waqas Dar
    Balochistan MPA Abdul Majid Achakzai pictured in police custody. Photo: File QUETTA: An Anti-Terrorism Court on Saturday disclosed that it had rejected the bail plea of Balochistan MPA Abdul Majid Achakzai's whose speeding car killed a traffic sergeant last month.
    The court had reserved its verdict on Achakzai?s bail plea earlier on Wednesday and extended the accused's judicial remand by three days.
    Achakzai is presently in jail on judicial remand. 
    Traffic policeman Haji Attaulla succumbed to injuries after Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party MPA Achakzai allegedly ran him over while he was performing his duty near Quetta's GPO Chowk.
    Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on June 28 took suo motu notice of the incident and summoned a detailed report from the Balochistan police.
    After reports of a comprise with the MPA surfaced, the deceased traffic policeman?s son denied any such agreement.
    Slain policeman's son denies pardoning Balochistan MPA Achakzai. 
    ?Neither have we reached any agreement nor are we willing to compromise,? Attaulla?s son Moazzam said.
    Slain policeman's son denies pardoning Balochistan MPA Achakzai
    Uncle, grandfather were misled into signing blank paper, claims son
    During his judicial remand, two other criminal cases surfaced against the MPA in which his remand has been ordered by the court.


  4. Waqas Dar
    A US airman guides a US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone as it taxis to the runway at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, March 9, 2016/Reuters WASHINGTON: US forces have killed the head of the Daesh group´s Afghanistan branch, the Pentagon said Friday, marking the third time in a year the franchise has lost its leader.
    Abu Sayed was killed in a July 11 strike in Afghanistan´s northeastern province of Kunar on the headquarters of Daesh-Khorasan Province (IS-K), which also killed additional militants, the Pentagon said in a statement.
    "You kill a leader of one of these groups and it sets them back," Pentagon chief Jim Mattis told reporters.
    "It´s obviously a victory on our side in terms of setting them back. It´s the right direction."
    First emerging in 2015, IS-K overran large parts of Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, near the Pakistan border, but their part in the Afghan conflict had been largely overshadowed by the operations against the Taliban.
    US has no proof Daesh leader Baghdadi is dead: Mattis
    The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said earlier this week it had heard from senior Daesh leaders in Syria's that Baghdadi was dead
    Afghan and US forces had killed Abu Sayed´s two predecessors atop the group´s Afghan branch -- Hafiz Saeed in July 2016 and Abdul Hasib in late April of this year, the Pentagon said.
    Hasib and other top militant commanders were killed in a joint raid by US Army Rangers and Afghan special forces.
    At the time, the US military had said Hasib´s death would "help reach our goal of destroying them in 2017."
    "We will continue until they are annihilated. There is no safe haven for IS-K in Afghanistan," said General John Nicholson, who leads US Forces-Afghanistan.
    Pentagon officials say the group now numbers fewer than 1,000 in Afghanistan.
    The compound used by Hasib in Nangarhar province was not far from the spot where on April 13, the US military dropped the largest non-nuclear bomb it has ever used in combat, hitting Daesh positions.
    The deployment of the so-called Mother Of All Bombs (MOAB) killed at least 95 militants, according to the Afghan defense ministry, but fighting in the area has continued.


  5. Waqas Dar
    Venus Williams bids to become the oldest Grand Slam champion in Saturday´s Wimbledon final LONDON: Venus Williams believes her big game experience will prove decisive as the American star bids to become the oldest Grand Slam champion in Saturday´s Wimbledon final against Garbine Muguruza.
    At an age when her contemporaries have long since retired, Williams is playing some of the best tennis of her glittering career and she can cap her remarkable renaissance on Centre Court this weekend.
    Back in the All England Club final after an eight-year absence, the 37-year-old hopes to become both the oldest Wimbledon and major winner since the Open era began in 1968.
    "There´s times where maybe you aren´t as relaxed as other moments, but it´s about handling it. I know how to do that a lot better," said Venus ahead of her 16th major final.
    "For me it´s just about betting on myself every time. When I look across the net, I don´t think it´s the right mentality to believe in that person more than me."
    Earning a sixth Wimbledon title, nine years after she last lifted the Venus Rosewater Dish, must have seemed like an impossible dream for Williams when she battled an autoimmune disease that left her fatigued and threatened to force her out of tennis.
    Yet, in the twilight of her career, Venus has hit a rich vein of form over the last 12 months.
    She was Australian Open runner-up in January to sister Serena, only to have her life thrown into turmoil last month when she was accidently involved in a car crash in Florida that led to the death of an elderly man.
    A less strong-willed personality would have gone into hiding, but Venus, after choking back tears when asked about the incident at the start of Wimbledon, has taken solace in her tennis.
    Venus Williams faces lawsuit over deadly crash
    The police report described Williams as being
    "There were definitely some issues. There´s definitely a lot of ups and downs," she said.
    "I just try to hold my head up high, no matter what is happening in life. In sport especially, you have injuries. You have illnesses.
    "I feel very focused still. I like to take courage in the fact that I´ve been playing well this tournament."
    Having crushed Johanna Konta with a masterful semi-final victory that made her the oldest Wimbledon finalist for 23 years, Venus admitted she is relishing her return to prominence when many had written her off.
    "I´ve played some good tennis in different points of my life. I think it´s wonderful to have the opportunity to play well and to be strong," she said.
    "Experience can either work against you or for you. I like to think it´s working for me.
    "This year has been amazing in terms of my play, playing deep into the big events.
    "I´m definitely in the position I want to be in. It´s a long two weeks. Now I´m knocking on the door for a title. This is where I want to be."
    Courage
    Muguruza has enjoyed a revival of her own over the last fortnight With Serena absent from Wimbledon while she prepares to have her first child later this year, Venus has seized the opportunity to impose her ferocious will to win on a series of opponents almost half her age.
    Now she will lean on Serena for advice on how to vanquish former French Open champion Muguruza, who lost to Venus´s sister in the Wimbledon final two years ago.
    "I miss her so much. I try to take the same courage on the court that she would have," Venus said.
    "I´m sure she´s going to give me hopefully some things that will make a difference for me in the match."
    Inspired by her decision to hire compatriot Conchita Martinez as her temporary coach for Wimbledon, Muguruza has enjoyed a revival of her own over the last fortnight.
    Since winning her maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open last year, Muguruza had endured something of a sophomore slump as her ranking dropped out of the top 10.
    Martinez became the only Spanish woman to win Wimbledon in 1994 and her soothing words of wisdom have guided Muguruza to her third Grand Slam final.
    Beating in-form Venus in their first meeting on grass will be her toughest test, but the Spanish 14th seed is convinced she can emulate her coach´s memorable triumph.
    "All the names that I read on the honours board, I know all of them. For the last years, you see a lot of Williams surname," she said.
    "So I look forward to putting a Spanish name back there."


  6. Waqas Dar
    FILE PHOTO: International passengers embrace family members as they arrive at Washington Dulles International Airport after the Trump administration's travel ban was allowed back into effect pending further judicial review, in Dulles, Virginia, US, June 29, 2017.  WASHINGTON: The US Justice Department on Friday asked the Supreme Court to block a judge's ruling that prevented President Donald Trump's travel ban from being applied to grandparents of US citizens and refugees already being processed by resettlement agencies.
    In a court filing, the administration asked the justices to overturn Thursday's decision by a US district judge in Hawaii, which limited the scope of the administration's temporary ban on refugees and travellers from six Muslim-majority countries.
    The latest round in the fight over Trump's March 6 executive order, which he says is needed for national security reasons, came after the Supreme Court intervened last month to partially revive the two bans, which were blocked by lower courts.
    The Supreme Court said then that the ban could take effect, but that people with a "bona fide relationship" to a US person or entity could not be barred.
    The administration had narrowly interpreted that language, saying the ban would apply to grandparents and other family members, prompting the state of Hawaii to ask Hawaii-based US District Judge Derrick Watson to expand the definition of who could be admitted. He ruled for the state late on Thursday.
    In the court filing, the Justice Department said the judge's ruling "empties the (Supreme) Court?s decision of meaning, as it encompasses not just ?close? family members but virtually all family members.
    The conservative-leaning Supreme Court is not currently in session but the justices can handle emergency requests. The administration's application could be directed either to Justice Anthony Kennedy, who has responsibility for emergency requests from western states, or to the nine justices as a whole. If the court as a whole is asked to weigh in, five votes are needed to grant such a request.
    "The truth here is that the government?s interpretation of the Supreme Court?s stay order defies common sense," said Omar Jadwat, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union involved in challenging the ban. "That?s what the district court correctly found and the attorney general?s misleading attacks on its decision can?t change that fact."
    In his decision, Watson harshly criticised the government's definition of close family relations as "the antithesis of common sense."
    Watson also ruled that the assurance by a resettlement agency to provide basic services to a newly arrived refugee constitutes an adequate connection to the United States because it is a sufficiently formal and documented agreement that triggers responsibilities and compensation.
    In the court filing, the Justice Department said Watson's ruling on refugees would make the Supreme Court's decision on that part of the executive order "effectively meaningless."
    The ruling, if left in place, means refugees can continue to be resettled in the United States, beyond a cap of 50,000 set by the executive order. That limit was reached this week.
    The Supreme Court's decision last month revived parts of Trump's March 6 executive order banning travellers from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days, as well as refugees for 120 days. The court also agreed to hear oral arguments in the fall over whether the ban violates the US Constitution.


  7. Waqas Dar
    Border refugee camps are where Afghans found their love for cricket/AFP KHURASAN REFUGEE CAMP, PAKISTAN: The manicured emerald pitch at Lord´s in London, where Afghanistan played for the first time ever Tuesday, is a world away from the border refugee camps where the country found its love for cricket.
    In dusty Pakistani camps like Khurasan, young barefoot cricketers have no pitch, no kit, no wickets, no helmets, no gloves and no shade -- only the hunger that helped catapult Afghanistan into the elite group of Test nations last month.
    Millions of Afghans fleeing war have sought refuge for nearly 40 years in camps outside Pakistan´s border city of Peshawar, where they have been exposed to the cricketing fever that has gripped their neighbouring nation since Britain colonised the sub-continent centuries ago.
    "We learned cricket here and we took this cricket with us to Afghanistan, and now Afghanistan has a team which plays on a world level and the entire world has recognised it," 35-year-old Abdul Wahid, a refugee from Kunar province, tells AFP.
    He and a generation of Afghans spent years cheering for the Pakistani team before daring to dream of more.
    Wahid, who missed out on a spot in the national team but now coaches refugees, says his contemporaries in the camps learned to play with tennis balls. The best of them would go on to join academies in Peshawar, where they encountered the hard cricket ball for the first time.
    'They worried about how to afford the kit but played every day' Faridullah Shah, a coach with the Pakistan Cricket Board, remembers the fierce determination of the Afghan players who reached the academies.
    "They used to work as labourers until the afternoon and were later playing cricket here... The team of Afghan players was named the ´Team of Chickens´" as many were trying to survive by supplying poultry in Peshawar, he says.
    They worried about how to afford kit but played every day, Shah recalls. "They had extreme eagerness -- more than our players -- and that was the reason for their success."
    Surviving on biscuits
    At the Islamia Cricket Academy, selector Qazi Shafiq, a former first class player, agrees.
    "Afghans are quick learners -- if you pinpoint a mistake, he understands ... then he will work hard on that," Shafiq says.
    "I will not mention his name but one Afghan national player told me that he had to borrow money to reach here... and then he could only afford a 10-rupee (10-cent) packet of biscuits a day on which to survive."
    Asghar Khan, a coach and twice the president of the Peshawar district cricket association, remembers Afghan players as "the beauty of tournaments here".
    Afghanistan team huddle at Lord's during match against MCC XI He rattles off a list of names, from Mohammad Nabi -- whom Khan praises for his "long, long sixes" -- up to Asghar Stanikzai, captain of the Afghan cricket team. All learned in Peshawar, Khan says, with many like Shapoor Zadran beginning in the refugee camps.
    A picture of Afghan cricket star Muhammad Shahzad from his days as a club player in Peshawar is still on display in Gymkhana, the biggest of the city´s cricket academies -- testament to his entertaining playing style even as he faces an ICC suspension for failing a drug test.
    Fans in the Taliban
    Today, the number of Afghan cricketers training in the Peshawar academies is dwindling, officials say.
    Pakistan launched a bid to drive refugees back into Afghanistan last year which has seen hundreds of thousands of people flow back over the porous border, while new restrictions imposed by both Islamabad and Kabul are also affecting the players.
    Whether the changes will stall the country´s meteoric rise remains to be seen.
    Cricket in Afghanistan struggled under the hardline Taliban, which viewed sports as a distraction from religious duties.
    But now even members of the Taliban -- whose regime was toppled 16 years ago but is now surging again, dealing stinging blows to Afghan forces -- have caught the cricketing bug, one insurgent commander tells AFP.
    The ecstasy with which Afghans greeted the news they had been granted Test status, and the enthusiasm with which fans watched the Lord´s match -- even though it was rained out, leaving the players without a result -- suggests a brighter future for cricket players, even as insecurity spirals once more.
    Arshad Khan, a 17-year-old left arm spin bowler from eastern Nangarhar province who now trains at the Islamia academy, says he has made a commitment to himself that one day he will play for Afghanistan.
    "I am hopeful that I will be selected," the young refugee says.


  8. Waqas Dar
    Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Zubair Mehmood Hayat addressing the Passing Out Ceremony for Midshipmen Commissioning and Short Service Commission (SSC) at the Pakistan Naval Academy in Karachi on Saturday. Photo: PTV  KARACHI: The Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Zubair Mehmood Hayat on Saturday said Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) is operating from Afghanistan to target the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
    While addressing the Passing Out Ceremony for Midshipmen Commissioning and Short Service Commission (SSC) at the Pakistan Naval Academy in Karachi the CJCSC said, ?We are aware of the enemies? designs to hamper CPEC.?
    He emphasised that the Armed Forces of Pakistan will defeat all plans of enemies.
    ?We are taking synergetic efforts to deal with challenges,? he said. ?Attempts to coerce Pakistan have failed in the past.?
    Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah pictured at the ceremony. Photo: PTV The CJCSC ? at the ceremony attended by 100 officers including 28 cadets from Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia -- said the armed forces want to cleanse Pakistan of terrorism.
    General Hayat reiterated that Pakistan seeks harmonious co-existence with its neighbours, and stated that peace in Afghanistan is fundamental to peace in Pakistan. 
    The ceremony was attended by dignitaries including the Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah. 


  9. Waqas Dar
    Bernecker died in hospital Wednesday after falling 22 feet from a balcony headfirst onto concrete. Photo: Facebook/John Bernecker  LOS ANGELES: Hollywood paid tribute Friday to "Walking Dead" stuntman John Bernecker after he was killed in a fall on set.

    Bernecker died in hospital Wednesday after falling 22 feet (6.70 meters) from a balcony headfirst onto concrete, according to The Hollywood Reporter, citing a county sheriff´s report.
    An assistant director told police the stuntman missed a safety cushion "by inches" and tried to break his fall by grabbing a railing after he slipped, celebrity news website TMZ reported.
    AMC said in statement circulated among US media outlets that it was temporarily shutting down production of the hit show, which is filmed in Georgia.
    The actors´ union SAG-AFTRA issued its own statement describing Bernecker as an "accomplished stunt performer."
    "This tragic and untimely loss of a member of the SAG-AFTRA family is heartbreaking, and our thoughts are with his loved ones and his friends and colleagues in the Georgia production community," it said.
    "The safety of our members is paramount. We will work with the authorities and closely monitor their investigations into this tragic incident."
    Bernecker´s resume included stunt performances in several recent films, including "Get Out," "Logan" and "The Fate of the Furious."
    His family said they would donate his organs, according to a statement posted on the website of the LifeLink Foundation, an organ donor network based in Florida.
    "The family of John Bernecker is heartbroken to confirm that John has passed away from injuries sustained earlier this week," the statement said.
    "Although devastated by their loss, John´s loved ones have ensured his legacy will live on, not only through the personal and professional contributions he made during his life, but also by their generous decision to allow John to save lives as an organ donor."


  10. Waqas Dar
    Malala Yousafzai, a citizen-turned celebrity who is a ray of hope for millions around the world, enjoys an adorable bond with her brother.
    The 20-year-old Nobel Laureate and human rights activist on Friday posted a handwritten card her brother Khushal sent her on her birthday and it displayed the typical tone of sibling love and rivalry.
    ?You are not just an amazing person but you are also an amazing sister,? Khushal wrote in the card.
    But thinking it may have become too cute, he then wrote, ?But to become great like me, you have to follow my ways. So follow me on Twitter.?

    To which, Malala replied with, ?Ok, I will follow you @Khushal_KY - but just for today. Make it count!?
    She also added an unamused emoji.
    In a special message delivered via Geo News earlier this week, Malala advised her fellow countrymen and women to prioritise education.
    ?On my birthday today? this is my message to all Pakistanis: Believe in yourself, speak up for your rights, [and acquire] education, because it is very important for the future of Pakistan. It is only through education you can change the future of your country and take it forward,? she said.
    Malala Yousafzai is finally on Twitter
    On her first day on Twitter, the young women?s rights and education activist has already amassed 13.5 million followers
    ?Speak up for your rights? ? Malala?s exclusive message on her 20th birthday
    'Believe in yourself, speak up for your rights, [acquire] education because it is very important for the future of Pakistan'








    To parents, she said, ?If you can give something [precious] to your children, it is education. Through education, they can progress and contribute to their country and family.?
    Malala, who was shot by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan terrorists in 2012 in her hometown of Swat, Pakistan, joined Twitter a few days ago and informed her followers about her plans.

    Designated the UN Messenger of Peace in 2017, Malala has advocated education from a very young age, by speaking against the Taliban and making efforts to keep girls in school through the Malala Fund and other initiatives.

    It's quite heartwarming to see that even after becoming a Nobel laureate, Malala has not allowed fame to get to her head and stays a humble, simple person. Kudos to her!


  11. Waqas Dar
    Former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga COLOMBO: Former Sri Lanka skipper Arjuna Ranatunga on Friday demanded an investigation into the country´s 2011 World Cup final defeat by India amid allegations of match fixing.
    Ranatunga, 53, in a video posted on his Facebook page, said he was shocked by Sri Lanka´s six-wicket defeat in the final at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.
    "I was also in India giving commentaries at the time. When we lost, I was distressed and I had a doubt," Ranatunga said. "We must investigate what happened to Sri Lanka at the 2011 World Cup final."
    "I cannot reveal everything now, but one day I will. There must be an inquiry."
    Without giving names, Ranatunga said players could not hide the "dirt" with their clean white cricket clothing.
    Sri Lanka, batting first, scored 274-6 off 50 overs and appeared in a commanding position when Indian superstar Sachin Tendulkar was caught for 18. India turned the game dramatically thanks partly to poor fielding and bowling by Sri Lanka.
    Local media have raised suspicions of Sri Lankans throwing the match, but there was no formal call for an investigation till Ranatunga´s outburst.
    Ranatunga´s spokesman Thamira Manju told AFP that he was writing to President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe complaining about the state of cricket in the country.
    India players perform victory parade after winning 2011 World Cup There have been recriminations in the country since Sri Lanka suffered a humiliating 3-2 loss to bottom-ranked Zimbabwe in a five-match one-day series on home soil this month.

    There is also growing tension between Sri Lankan sports authorities and players about the use of managers, including an agent who represents more than half the national team.

    Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera has said he wants to regulate agents in cricket in a bid to prevent the possibility of one individual fixing matches using a network of players under his management.
    Former Skipper Kumar Sangakkara, who led Sri Lanka in the 2011 World Cup defeat, has publicly defended his manager, a foreign national, who is also an agent for many other local players.
    Nehra, Gambhir rubbish allegations 
    Former India opener Gautam Gambhir slammed the match-fixing allegations by Ranatunga, saying that he should back his allegations with evidence.

    "I am surprised by Arjuna Ranatunga's allegations. These are serious comments by a very respectable voice in international cricket. I think to clear the air, he should back his claims with proofs," Gambhir, who scored 97 in the World Cup final, was quoted as saying by Indian media.

    Gautam Gambhir top-scored for India with 97 in 2011 World Cup final  Ashish Nehra, another key member of the 2011 World Cup winning team, rubbished the allegations.

    "I don't wish to dignify Ranatunga's comments by airing my views on the issue. There is no end to these kind of statements. If I question Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup victory, is it in good taste? So let's not get into it. But yes, it is disappointing when someone of his stature says something like this," Nehra told local media. 
    Corruption record
    Last year, the International Cricket Council imposed a three-year ban on a top Sri Lankan official Jayananda Warnaweera for failing to cooperate with an anti-corruption investigation.
    Warnaweera, a former Test player who was facing a two-year domestic ban over allegations of involvement in match-fixing, failed to attend interviews with an ICC anti-corruption unit.
    Sri Lankan players and umpires have been accused of match fixing in the past, but Warnaweera was the high ranking official to be found guilty and penalised.
    Sri Lanka´s cricket board suspended a fast bowling coach and sacked a part-time employee for their alleged roles in approach to two Sri Lankan players to arrange a defeat by West Indies at Galle in October 2015.
    An unnamed man linked to a bookmaker had offered the two players some 10 million rupees (around $70,000) to lose the match.
    Betting is illegal in most of the cricket-mad Indian subcontinent, but backstreet bookmakers -- many with underworld links -- still flourish.
    Although no big-name Sri Lankan player has ever been convicted of corruption, several former stars have made allegations of match fixing or spot-fixing -- when players deliberately bowl or field badly to give away a set number of runs.
    With additional input from web desk


  12. Waqas Dar
    A woman checks her mobile phone as she walks past a mobile store of Reliance Industries' Jio telecoms unit, in Mumbai, India, July 11, 2017.  MUMBAI: Fears Indian telecom upstart Reliance Jio suffered a major data breach, compromising the personal data of over 100 million customers, have prompted calls for India to adopt more robust laws to protect consumers.
    Jio has repeatedly denied any breach took place and said that names, telephone numbers and email addresses of Jio users on a website called "Magicapk" appeared to be "inauthentic." The website was later shut down.
    The company, part of conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd, said on Monday that its subscriber data was safe and protected by the highest levels of security.
    However, Jio filed a complaint the same day alleging unlawful access to its systems, police have told Reuters.
    Jio did not respond to requests for comment.
    In contrast to companies in the European Union, which has stringent data protection standards, companies in India do not have to disclose data breaches to clients, information security professionals said.
    "It raises questions of security and accountability," said Pranesh Prakash, policy director at the Centre for Internet and Society (CIS), a research organisation.
    People complained on Twitter about personal information of Jio users being available on the Magicapk site. Several local news outlets said their checks had led them to believe a leak had occurred.
    "A rule to report breaches exists, but it is unenforceable," says Prakash. "It says you're not liable if you're following reasonable security practices. What 'reasonable' means is not defined."
    Advocates of stronger laws in India say a data breach in countries with more stringent cyber laws, such as Britain or the United States, would prompt an inquiry by regulators.
    After reports of a data leak at Verizon earlier this week, for example, the U.S. telecoms firm quickly responded with an explanation of what had occurred, how it had happened and the extent of the problem.
    "India is at a nascent stage. For good norms in Asia, look to Singapore. It's been praised for not having cyber security issues by the UN," Srinivas Kodali, an independent security researcher, said.
    Not a Priority
    "We don't have full-menu data protection laws," said Apar Gupta, a Supreme Court lawyer working on data privacy issues. "We don't even have an institutional framework or expert body to implement the limited data protection regulations that do exist. It's so limited it's more accurate to say no law exists."
    In May alone, there were two data security incidents in India.
    The records of 17 million customers of Zomato, a popular food-delivery app, were put on sale online. Zomato initially advised customers that their passwords were secure, but later advised users to change them.
    Separately, a CIS report said the Aadhaar numbers of as many as 135 million Indians had leaked from government databases and could be found online.
    The number, similar to a U.S. social security number, is unique to each Indian citizen and the Aadhaar database also stores a user's biometric data. The government is pushing for Aadhaar numbers to be used in everything from opening bank accounts to filing tax returns.
    For India, data privacy is not a priority, said Amry Junaideen, a risk advisor at audit firm Deloitte.
    "From an organisational perspective there's really no incentive other than being a good corporate citizen, to report a breach," he said, noting that in the European Union and the United States the regulatory framework is basically for the good of the consumer, but that this is not the case in India.
    India, home to the back offices of many large multinationals and outsourcing companies, has also unsuccessfully sought "data-secure" status from the European Union since 2012.
    The status is vital for information sharing between entities in the EU and India, because it means the EU is satisfied that data protection rules in a country meet its standards, so data of EU citizens can be sent to that jurisdiction.
    Raman Chima, policy director at Access Now, which advocates stronger digital rights, says weak data privacy laws are likely the main stumbling block to "data-secure" status.
    In 2010, a European Union study of data protection in India noted there were "no aspects of India's data protection which would unequivocally be regarded as 'adequate' by European Union standards as yet".


  13. Waqas Dar
    QUETTA: Polling for by-election in Pakistan's second-largest constituency NA-260 Quetta-cum-Chaghi started on Saturday morning.
    According to the provincial election commission, the polling will continue till 5pm without any break.
    The provincial government has announced that schools and colleges in Quetta and Chaghi will remain closed on Saturday.
    The seat had fallen vacant due to death of MNA Abdul Rahim Khan Mandokhail of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), who had won the General Elections 2013 on the party?s ticket. The predominantly rural NA-260 had witnessed a record high turnout of 41% during the 2013 elections.
    The multi-district constituency spanning Chaghi, Nushki and parts of Quetta has a total of 460,202 registered voters including 185,835 (40%) women.
    As many as 36,203 new voters - 18,737 men and17,466 women - have been added to the electoral rolls after the general elections 2013, making for a 10% increase.
    Fair and Free Elections Network (FAFEN) has deployed 26 trained observers to cover the entire constituency comprising 407 polling stations.
    Using detailed standardised checklists, FAFEN observers are overlooking the voting, counting and consolidation of results processes.
    Overall, 993 polling booths - 571 male and 422 female ? have been set up. A total of 17 candidates - nine political parties and eight independents ? are contesting the NA-260 by-election.
    PkMAP has not formally positioned any candidate. The Jamiat Ulema-e Islam Fazl (JUI) has given its party ticket to Haji Muhammad Usman Badini, while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has fielded Munir Ahmad Baloch.
    The Balochistan National Party (BNP) has positioned Mir Bahadur Khan, Jamiat Ulema-e Islam Nazryati (JUI-N) Maulana Qari Mahar Ullah, Awami National Party (ANP) Malik Ibrahim Kasi, Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) Umair Mahmood Hasni, Jamiat Ulema-e Islam Sami (JUI-S) Syed M Tahir Shah Akhunzada, Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) Ahmad Ali Kohzad and Mustaqbil Pakistan (MP) gave its ticket to Zahir Shah.
    The constituency has witnessed an intense election campaign by JUI-F and PkMAP.
    The Election Commission of Pakistan has sought help from the Army and Frontier Constabulary (FC) and Quick Response Force to ensure security for the polling day.
    With additional input from APP


  14. Waqas Dar
    Photo: File  Monsoon currents are penetrating southern parts of the country and likely to continue during the next three days, the Pakistan Meteorological Department said on Saturday.
    A shallow westerly wave is affecting western parts of the country and likely to persist during the next few days.
    Rain-thunderstorm (with isolated heavy falls) with gusty winds are expected at a number of places in lower Sindh (Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad, Karachi divisions), Balochistan ( Zhob, Kalat, Sibbi, Naseerabad, Makran) while at scattered places in Sukkur, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad, D.G. Khan, Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi divisions, FATA & Kashmir in the next twenty-four hours. Hot and humid weather is expected in all other parts of the country.
    Past weather
    Rain-thunderstorm occurred at a number of places in Mirpur Khas divisions and at isolated places in Karachi, Makran, and upper FATA in the last twenty-four hours.
    Rainfall (mm) in the last 24 hours
    Sindh: Islam Kot 57, Badin 40, Mithi 31, Diplo 20, Chhor 16, Nagarparker 14, Chachoro 12, Dahli 08, Karachi 01, Punjab: Lahore ( City 47, Airport 08), Okara 03, FATA: Parachinar 30, Balochistan: Ormara 02.
    Yesterday's highest maximum temperatures
    Nokkundi 45°C, Sibbi 43°C, Dadu 42°C.


    Data courtesy: Pakistan Meteorological Department


  15. Waqas Dar
    What is the definition of an artistic ? but very expensive ? selfie disaster? An exhibition of crowns displayed on domino-like pedestals.
    A woman, in an attempt to take the perfect selfie with one of the crowns, got too close to one of the pedestals at Hong Kong-based artist Simon Birch's event.
    She lost her balance and tripped backwards, causing the first pedestal to topple, and consequently, making others in line behind go bam!
    The renowned multimedia artist, who hails from Britain, is offering art enthusiasts the chance to view his creations at Los Angeles' 14th Factory pop-up gallery.
    It cost an estimated $200,000, Birch told the New York Times, which doubts the authenticity of the 'accident', saying it may have been "staged".

    Nevertheless, Birch responded in an email stating it was very real. However, he stuck to believing in people and refused to put "signs up urging visitors to be careful".
    ?Crowns are fragile things. They are symbols of power. Perhaps it?s ironic and meaningful that they fell.?


  16. Waqas Dar
    Turkish plainclothes police officials detain a protester during a demonstration in Ankara on July 14, 2017, in support of two hunger-strikers. AFP/Adem Altan  ISTANBUL: Turkey on Saturday will hold an intense series of events to celebrate the first anniversary of the defeat of last year's attempted coup, showcasing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's grip on power.

    The authorities have declared July 15 an annual national holiday of "democracy and unity", billing the foiling of the putsch as a historic victory of Turkish democracy.
    Two hundred and forty-nine people, not including the plotters, were killed when a disgruntled faction in the army sent tanks into the streets and war planes into the sky in a violent bid to overthrow Erdogan after one-and-a-half decades in power.
    But they were thwarted within hours as the authorities regrouped and people poured into the streets in support of Erdogan, who blamed followers of his ally turned nemesis, the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, who denies involvement.
    Without hesitation, the authorities embarked on the biggest purge in Turkey's history, arresting 50,000 people and sacking over 100,000 more. Erdogan also shored up his position by winning an April 16 referendum on enhancing his powers.
    'Epic of July 15'
    The scale of Saturday's nationwide commemorations is aimed at etching July 15, 2016, into the minds of Turks as a key date in the history of the modern state founded in 1923 out of the ruins of the Ottoman Empire.
    "From now on, nothing will be as it was before July 15," Erdogan said in a speech on Thursday.
    He compared the defeat of the coup to the World War 1 1915 Battle of Gallipoli where Ottoman troops famously withstood an onslaught by invading Allied soldiers in what became one of the founding narratives of the modern state.
    "States and nations have critical turning points in their histories that shape their future. July 15 is such a date for the Republic of Turkey," he added.
    Giant posters designed by the presidency have sprung up across billboards in Istanbul showing gaudy paintings that portray the key events of the coup night, including the surrender of the putschist soldiers.
    "The epic of July 15," says the slogan.
    'Justice' march
    Turkey's opposition put political disputes aside on the night of the attempted coup.
    But this has frayed since the April 16 referendum, with critics accusing Erdogan of pursuing one man rule and cracking down on anyone who expresses dissent.
    In the latest swoop, authorities on Friday announced the dismissal of a further 7,563 soldiers, police and officials, with nearly 350 retired army members also stripped of their rank.
    Coming on the eve of the anniversary, a statement said those targeted were "linked to terror organisations, or groups determined to have been acting against the state's national security".
    Earlier this month, Turkey also detained the country director of Amnesty International and over half a dozen rights defenders on charges of belonging to a terror group.
    Turkey remains under a state of emergency imposed on July 20, which has been renewed three times.
    The commemorations will for Erdogan be a helpful riposte to a giant opposition rally ? the largest in years ? held last Sunday by the head of the Republican People's Party (CHP) Kemal Kilicdaroglu at the end of a nearly one-month foot march pushing for "justice" in Turkey.
    Public transport is free in Istanbul over the weekend while mobile operator Turkcell has sent text messages to clients promising them a free extra gigabyte of data from July 15.
    Meanwhile, illuminated anti-coup slogans have been hung between the minarets of some of Istanbul's greatest Ottoman mosques.
    "Let our unity be everlasting," says one of them.
    'Bridge of Martyrs'
    A special session of parliament at 1000 GMT starts the commemorations.
    Erdogan, at the centre of the events, will then fly to Istanbul to take part in a people's march on the bridge across the Bosphorus that saw bloody fighting a year ago.
    The bridge has since been renamed Bridge of the Martyrs of July 15.
    At midnight local time (2100 GMT) people across Turkey will take part in "democracy watches", rallies commemorating how people poured out into the streets.
    Erdogan will return to Ankara and at 2300 GMT give a speech in Parliament to mark the time it was bombed.
    A monument to those killed will then be unveiled outside his palace in the capital as the dawn call to prayer rings out.


  17. Waqas Dar
    Taiwan Premier Lin Chuan (4th L) looks on during a protest by opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and People First Party (PFP) legislators calling for a boycott of the forward-looking project at the Parliament in Taipei on July 14, 2017. AFP/Sam Yeh TAIPEI: Taiwan's parliament descended into chaos for a second consecutive day Friday with lawmakers wielding chairs above their heads and throwing water balloons as they brawled over a controversial infrastructure project.

    It followed repeated disruption on Thursday when rival legislators grabbed each other's throats in angry scuffles during a review of the budget for the project.
    The plan is one of President Tsai Ing-wen's signature proposals and includes building light rail lines, flood control measures and green energy facilities.
    But the opposition Kuomintang party is against the project, saying it favours cities and counties faithful to Tsai's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and has been devised to secure support for the party ahead of next year's regional elections.
    Critics have also questioned the whopping Tw$420 billion ($13.8 billion) cost of the project.
    Premier Lin Chuan was prevented from delivering his report on the budget Thursday after a water balloon was thrown towards him and he left the chamber, with the session called to a halt.
    Lin stood on the sidelines again Friday, unable to start speaking as chaos erupted around him.
    Opposition lawmakers raised large padded office chairs above their heads, surrounding the podium and tussling with rival legislators to prevent Lin from presenting the report as more water balloons were thrown.
    The session was suspended Friday morning.
    One lawmaker feeling unwell after the brawl was sent to the parliament's clinic.
    Outside the building, the Kuomintang's acting chairman Lin Jung-tzer led a group of legislators and protesters, chanting, "Send back the budget, defend Taiwan!"
    President Tsai has seen her popularity plummet to under 40 percent from nearly 70 percent when she took office in May last year as her government attempts to tackle a range of divisive issues from gay marriage to pension and judicial reforms.
    Violent protests erupted outside the parliament in April when opponents of pension reforms attacked politicians and scuffled with police, prompting Tsai to call for calm and restraint.
    Parliament was also plunged into chaos late last year when opposing lawmakers brawled in the chamber, as labour activists set off smoke bombs outside in protest at proposed holiday cuts. 


  18. Waqas Dar
    An imaging satellite and 72 micro-satellites were launched into orbit Friday from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Russian space agency Roscosmos and research centre Glavcosmos announced.
    The Soyuz 2-1A rocket successfully lifted off at 0643 GMT with the satellite payload, Roscosmos said in a statement.
    According to Russian news agencies, Glavcosmos, charged with putting the satellites into orbit, later reported that by 1441 GMT all the satellites had successfully separated. They were released into three different orbits.
    "For the first time in the world, such a complex and large mission has been developed and implemented," said Glavcosmos.
    The primary payload, the Kanopus-V-IK satellite, is to provide wide-angle images of the Earth and will be used especially to detect forest fires or to update the topography of maps.
    The 72 small satellites include those made by Japan, Germany and Canada along with 62 nanosatellites known as CubeSats, developed by the United States.


  19. Waqas Dar
    DALLAS: Former US presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton told a forum in Dallas on Thursday that they were able to forge mutual bonds of respect and friendship because the other had been gracious in victory and respectful of presidential power.

    The two did not mention President Donald Trump once during a nearly hour-long discussion where they traded quips and insights. But they offered indirect references that many in the crowd of about 300 people at the George W. Bush Presidential Library took to be references to the current president.
    "He (Clinton) was humble in victory, which is very important in dealing with other people," Bush said at the event to mark a graduation at the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, a partnership among the Bush, Clinton, Lyndon Johnson and George H.W. Bush presidential centres.
    Clinton said, "If you want to be president, realise it?s about the people, not about you.
    "You want to be able to say 'things were better off when I quit, kid?s had a better future, things were coming together.' You don?t want to say, ?God, look at all the people I beat.'"
    Current President Trump has come under criticism from Democrats who have said he fires off excessive and unwarranted criticism against his predecessor, Democratic President Barack Obama and the person he beat in the election, Democrat Hillary Clinton.
    Republican Bush said while in office he sought Democrat Clinton's advice. Clinton said when he left office he told incoming President Bush that he would offer him help and treat him with respect.
    Bush and Clinton said they have enjoyed their lives after the presidency but would not trade their current status for their eight years in office.
    "The decisions you make have a monumental effect on people,? Bush said, adding humility is a key quality for any president.
    ?Presidency is often defined by the unexpected. It makes the job interesting," he said.
    Clinton said, "If you don?t deal with the incoming fire, it will undermine your ability to do anything else. If all you deal with is incoming fire, you can?t keep the promises you made when you were running."
    The two also exchanged jokes about being grandfathers, with Bush saying his grandchildren call him "jefe," Spanish for "chief."
    "The best thing that can happen to you when you are in politics is to be consistently underestimated," Clinton said.
    "I was pretty good at that," Bush returned.
    COVER IMAGE: Former US Presidents Bill Clinton (L) and George W. Bush participate in a moderated conversation at the graduation class of the Presidential Leadership Scholars program at the George W. Bush Presidential Library in Dallas, Texas, US, July 13, 2017. REUTERS/Brandon Wade



  20. Waqas Dar
    If a monster space rock crashes into our planet or radiation from an exploding star boils our oceans, humans and most other life forms will disappear.
    But one creature is sure to survive, according to a study published Friday.
    And it will keep going for as long as the Sun doesn't die -- at least another 10 billion years.
    Earth's designated heir is the tardigrade, a microscopic, grub-like, eight-legged animal that can live in water or on land, in extreme pressure high or low.
    Also known as a water bear or moss piglet, it can withstand sizzling heat, freezing cold, and high radiation, 30 years without food, and even being dried to a crisp.
    Despite its diminutive size -- under a millimetre (0.04 inches) -- it is considered the world's toughest animal.-- it is considered the world's toughest animal.
    The tardigrade, said researchers from Oxford and Harvard, will survive all foreseeable astrophysical catastrophes -- asteroid strikes, exploding stars (supernovae) or gamma ray bursts -- and "be around for at least 10 billion years."
    That is far better than the diagnosis for our own species.
    "Without our technology protecting us, humans are a very sensitive species. Subtle changes in our environment impact us dramatically," said Rafael Alves Batista of Oxford University, a co-author of the study in the journal Scientific Reports.
    "There are many more resilient species on Earth. Life on this planet can continue long after humans are gone."
    Batista and a team set out to determine what kind of a catastrophe would be required to wipe Earth clear of all life.clear of all life.
    And they found it would be nigh impossible -- once life takes root, it is surprisingly difficult to eradicate.
    Supernovae or gamma-ray bursts, electromagnetic explosions that happen in other galaxies, could deplete the Earth's protective ozone layer which protects us from radiation. But life could continue below ground, and deep under water.
    And on Mars?

    Even a complete loss of atmosphere would not affect species on the ocean floor.
    A large asteroid strike could cover the Earth in a cloud of Sunlight-blocking dust, causing temperatures to drop and a so-called "impact winter."
    Creatures dependent on light would die off, but in volcanic vents in the deep ocean, life would continue.light would die off, but in volcanic vents in the deep ocean, life would continue.
    No space rock big enough to cause a complete species annihilation is on a collision course with our planet, the team found.
    Nor are there massive stars or potential gamma ray sources near enough to boil Earth's oceans if they erupted.
    The only event that would kill even the tardigrades, is when the Sun eventually burns out.
    "Although near supernovae or large asteroid impacts would be catastrophic for people, tardigrades could be unaffected," said co-author David Sloan.
    Tardigrades have a body divided into four segments, each with a pair of legs ending in sharp claws.
    They live in moss, on plants, in sand, in fresh water or in the sea.sand, in fresh water or in the sea.
    Water bears can survive temperatures as high as 150 degrees Celsius (302 degrees Fahrenheit) and as low as minus 270 degrees Celsius (-454 Fahrenheit).
    They can come back from being dried out to a lifeless husk for decades, and withstand near-zero pressure in outer space as well as the crushing depths of the Mariana Trench, 11 kilometres (seven miles) below sea level.
    They can survive radiation up to 6,200 gray (Gy). A dose of 6 Gy can kill a human.
    The tardigrade's extreme resilience points to another tantalising possibility -- the existence of life elsewhere in our Solar System in places once thought too hostile.
    If a tardigrade can survive these extreme conditions, then so may other creatures beyond Earth's atmosphere.
    Subsurface oceans believed to exist on Jupiter's moon Europa and Saturn's Enceladus, "would have conditions similar to the deep oceans of Earth where tardigrades are found," said the authors.


  21. Waqas Dar
    PARIS: President Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump marked France's national day together on Friday at a military parade which clearly delighted the US leader and showcased warming relations between the two men.
    But the day was tinged with mourning, coming a year on from a militant massacre that claimed 86 lives in the southern city of Nice, where Macron led remembrances after the Paris ceremonies.
    Trump was Macron's guest of honour at national day celebrations in the capital as this year also marked the centenary of the United States entering World War I.
    The parade featured French and American troops marching down the fabled Champs-Elysees and the traditional flypast of French jets, this year followed by the US aerobatic team along with two F-22 stealth fighters.
    US troops dressed in the brown uniform and gaiters of the Great War were among 3,720 soldiers in the parade.
    "Nothing will ever separate us," the 39-year-old Macron said from the reviewing stand, adding that Trump's presence by his side was "the sign of a friendship across the ages" between their countries.
    "Today our two countries stand taller -- and more united -- than ever," Trump, 71, said in a statement issued by the White House after his departure, which featured yet another muscular handshake between the men, this one lasting a full 25 seconds.
    Macron then flew to Nice, where a year ago, a Tunisian extremist rammed a 19-tonne truck through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day along the famous Promenade des Anglais hugging the Mediterranean.
    In less than three minutes, 86 people including 15 children were crushed to death and another 450 were injured. Of the dead, 37 were foreigners of 19 different nationalities.
    The Daesh group claimed responsibility, saying the attack was carried out by one of its "soldiers" -- who was shot dead at the end of his rampage -- though no direct link has been found.
    They 'loved freedom fiercely'

    "Our attackers simply want to see us grieve, and you responded with your dignity," Macron said during Friday's observances in Nice, which included a low-key military parade and moving tributes by relatives of the dead.
    "We will respond with the merciless fight against terrorism... while also preserving our values, our state of law, the love of freedom and the memory of those who loved freedom fiercely that July 14 evening.
    "July 14 in Nice will never be the same and it will never be the same in France," he added.
    Thousands of people gathered along the Promenade des Anglais, laying red, white and blue tiles to spell out France's national motto: "Freedom, Equality, Fraternity."
    Earlier, the French leader elected in May bestowed awards, including the coveted Legion of Honour, on emergency workers and police who responded to the carnage.
    Trump left Paris where Macron on Thursday had rolled out the red carpet for a visit hoping to improve relations and persuade the US president to change his mind about withdrawing from the global Paris agreement on climate change.
    Trump said cryptically after their first talks that "something could happen with respect to the Paris accord... but we will talk about that over the coming period of time."
    The US leader had appeared isolated at a meeting of top countries last weekend in Germany over his decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris accord. His protectionist stance on trade has also set him adrift.
    But warm body language between Trump and Macron seemed at odds with broader concerns about the transatlantic relationship since the former Apprentice TV show host entered the White House in January after an election victory two months earlier.
    Truffle sauce

    The two men enjoyed a "dinner between friends" on Thursday at a Michelin-starred restaurant on the Eiffel Tower.
    Joined by their wives Brigitte and Melania, they tucked into beef with truffle sauce and warm strawberry and yogurt sorbet, with one of the most celebrated views in the world as their backdrop.
    Despite their differences on climate change and trade, the two leaders focused on their close cooperation against IS in Syria and Iraq.
    "We are fighting to destroy the terrorist organisations that threaten all civilised peoples and that continue to exact a terrible toll on the French people, including one year ago today," Trump's statement said.
    "Together, we will eliminate their safe havens, end their financing and eradicate their ideology."
    France has been under a state of emergency since November 2015, when 130 people were slaughtered in a wave of coordinated violence across Paris, with French lawmakers voting last week to extend it for the sixth time.
    Terror attacks in France have killed more than 230 people since January 2015. Interior Minister Gerard Collomb says seven terror plots have been foiled since the start of this year.


  22. Waqas Dar
    Vernon Philander's unbeaten fifty revived South Africa, after Stuart Broad sparked a collapse that saw the Proteas lose four wickets in the last session of a see-saw first day of the second Test at Trent Bridge on Friday.
    South Africa were 309 for six at stumps after returning captain Faf du Plessis won the toss.
    Philander was 54 not out and recalled all-rounder Chris Morris, one of three changes to the side that lost the first of a four-Test campaign by 211 runs at Lord's last week, 23 not out.
    Their unbroken seventh-wicket partnership was worth 74 runs with Philander, primarily a pace bowler, making his second fifty of the series.
    South Africa had been 179 for two at tea, but they soon slumped to 235 for six.
    The previously well set Quinton de Kock (68) and Hashim Amla (78) both fell to Broad as the fast bowler, who led England's attack with three wickets for 47 runs in 19 overs, struck on his Nottinghamshire home ground.
    But conditions for batting improved as the day wore on, with grey clouds replaced by sunny blue skies at stumps.
    "The sun came out at the wrong time," Broad told Sky Sports.
    "It's a pretty good pitch to bat on, but when there's cloud you feel in the game a little bit."
    To the very first ball after tea, left-hander de Kock -- whose tally of 11 Test fifties but just three hundreds is an indication of a sometimes frustrating talent -- chased a wide Broad delivery and edged to former England captain Alastair Cook at first slip.
    Amla eventually paid the price for repeatedly mis-hooking when such a shot off Broad found Mark Wood at long leg.
    South Africa's Heino Kuhn was hit on the helmet by a bouncer from England's Mark Wood on the first day of the second Test at Trent Bridge, on July 14, 2017 It was a careless way for an experienced batsman -- this innings saw Amla become just the fourth South African to score 8,000 Test runs -- to get out.
    Broad had now taken two wickets for three runs in 22 balls -- some way short of his stunning eight for 15 in Australia's 60 all out when England clinched the Ashes in their last Test at Trent Bridge two years ago, but important all the same.
    All-rounder Ben Stokes then took two for four in 11 balls.
    Du Plessis (19) was well-caught left-handed down the legside by diving wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow off a thin glove.
    The skipper reviewed but replays upheld the fine decision of on-field umpire Paul Reiffel.
    But there was no doubt when Temba Bavuma (20) was caught behind off Stokes trying to leave the ball.
    'Fill a gap'

    De Kock had at least justified his promotion to number four in place of the dropped JP Duminy.
    "Faf asked where I would like to bat and I said that I would like to bat at four," wicket-keeper de Kock told reporters after what he said was an "up and down day".
    "I've always liked to bat high up but the team make-up has never allowed me to.
    "With this Test there were a few selection things that came up so I thought there was a gap there they might need me for."
    Du Plessis, by his own admission, faced a "tricky decision" after winning the toss after not playing at Lord's following the birth of his first child.
    Yet despite grey skies overhead and Trent Bridge's reputation for aiding swing bowling, he opted to bat first in the hope his top order could overcome a difficult first hour.
    It looked a sound plan as South Africa lost just Dean Elgar, the stand-in skipper at Lord's, before lunch.
    Amla went to a 93-ball fifty by driving left-arm spinner Liam Dawson for six.
    Philander, again demonstrating his batting ability, pulled Broad for a resounding four that raised a fifty stand with Morris.
    England were unchanged from the XI that marked Joe Root's first match as captain with a thumping win where the new skipper made 190 in the first innings.
    All South Africa's batsmen wore black armbands in memory of the late mother of Proteas coach Russell Domingo, after she died recently following injuries sustained in a car crash.


  23. Waqas Dar
    Cuba's President Raul Castro attends an ALBA alliance summit to mark the fourth anniversary of the death of Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez in Caracas, Venezuela, March 5, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins HAVANA: Cuban President Raul Castro on Friday denounced US President Donald Trump's partial rollback of the US-Cuban detente, saying it ignored broad public support for better relations and would satisfy only a few Cuban-American hardliners.

    In his first public riposte to Trump since the latter unveiled his new Cuba policy last month, Castro told the national assembly that any attempt to topple the revolution would fail, as it had under 11 previous US presidents.
    "We reject the manipulation of the topic of human rights against Cuba, that can be proud of much in this area, and does not need to receive lessons from the United States nor anyone," Castro was quoted as saying by state-run media Cubadebate.
    Foreign media does not have access to the twice-yearly meetings of the national assembly.
    Trump said last month he was cancelling former President Barack Obama's "terrible and misguided deal" with Communist-run Cuba. In reality, he left in place many of Obama's changes, including the reopened US embassy in Havana.
    But he ordered tighter restrictions on Americans travelling to Cuba and a clampdown on US business dealings with the military in the Caribbean island.
    Castro said Cuba remained open to negotiating matters of bilateral interest with the United States, sticking to the relatively conciliatory tone it has struck of late.
    "Cuba and the United States can cooperate and live side by side, respecting their differences," he said. "But no one should expect that for this, one should have to make concessions inherent to one's sovereignty and independence."
    Castro said Trump had clearly been ill-informed about Cuba's history with the United States and Cubans' patriotism.
    The setback in the normalisation of relations with the United States comes as Cuba already faces a wide array of political and economic challenges.
    Castro has seven months to go before he steps down as president, although he will remain head of the Communist Party, in which political power is vested in Cuba. His generation, which has ruled Cuba since the 1959 revolution, is dying.
    Meanwhile, Cuba's main political and trade ally Venezuela is in crisis with triple-digit inflation and shortages of food and medicine fanning protests against the socialist government.
    Castro on Friday reiterated Cuba's solidarity with Venezuela, saying the country was suffering a "nonconventional war imposed by imperialism and oligarchic sectors" that were fomenting violence in the streets.
    Despite lower oil shipments from Venezuela, the Cuban economy managed to grow 1.1 percent in the first half of the year, bouncing back from a recession in 2016, Castro said.


  24. Waqas Dar
    Earl Simmons, also known as the rapper DMX, exits the US Federal Court in Manhattan following his presentment on income tax evasion charges in New York City, US, July 14, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid NEW YORK: Rap artist and Hollywood actor DMX pleaded not guilty on Friday to federal charges that he concealed income from the government for years to avoid paying $1.7 million in taxes.

    Wearing a white t-shirt with the word "RAW" on the front, Earl Simmons, 46, whose stage name is DMX, was released on a $500,000 bond after entering the plea in Manhattan federal court. He is expected back in court on Monday for a status conference.
    US prosecutors on Thursday unsealed a 14-count indictment accusing Simmons of hiding millions of dollars he earned from hit songs, including "X Gon' Give it to Ya" and "Where the Hood At."
    Simmons faces up to five years in prison if convicted of the most serious charge.
    Following the hearing, Simmons thanked his fans for their support and told reporters he had come up with some new lyrics after he was taken into custody on Thursday evening.
    His bail conditions require Simmons to remain in New York City but his lawyer, Murray Richman, said on Monday he would request permission for Simmons to travel for shows this summer, which include concerts in Philadelphia, Miami, and Houston.
    Richman told Reuters on Thursday that Simmons was "charged over the failure of others to do what he hired them to do".
    Prosecutors maintain Simmons evaded his tax obligations through a cash-only lifestyle and by depositing royalty checks in the bank accounts of his managers, who then gave him cash or used the money to pay his personal expenses.
    The rap star's prior arrest record includes charges of animal cruelty, reckless driving, drug possession, weapons charges, and probation violations. He has had several felony convictions and served prison time in Arizona.
    "The length of his record is remarkable," US Magistrate Judge Andrew Peck said at Friday's court hearing.
    Aside from recording hit songs, often with lyrics rooted in rage and violence, Simmons has starred in such films as the 1998 crime drama Belly, the 2000 action movie Romeo Must Die, and the 2003 heist film Cradle 2 The Grave.


  25. Waqas Dar
    Parents line up their babies to race in the NYC Triathlon's annual Diaper Derby, July 14, 2017, in New York City. AFP/Dominick Reuter  NEW YORK: It's a race of laughter, false starts and wild bottle waving: New York's Diaper Derby sees 30 infants battle it out for glory in a three-meter crawling contest.

    There is only one real rule: trying to stumble to your feet is not allowed. From the sidelines, parents will on their progeny with bottles of milk, television remote controls, or jangling keys.
    There is no stopwatch, and the time it takes these cherubic racers to power down the 10-foot mat is unpredictable. One child might suddenly peg out midway. Another breaks down in tears. A third crawls off backwards.
    Held in the same Manhattan hotel that hosted Donald Trump's victory party last November, it has been organised for the last seven years by the New York City Triathlon, which this year holds its adult event Sunday.
    While most parents are after fun memories rather than the diaper-shaped trophy, Tamara Cacchione admits to warming up nine-month daughter Maya up with the theme song from the Hollywood boxing epic "Rocky."

    geo_embedgallery "She loves other babies? I am worried she may try to kiss the other kids," she says, having travelled from upstate with her husband, grandparents, aunt, and uncle.


    "This will be something fun to tell her? maybe if she has children or when she is bigger I can show that she did this."
    Kimi Mei, from Brooklyn, admits to subjecting 10-month-old son Hunter to a "little bit" of training by setting him against a friend in the park.
    But her "secret weapon" is the remote control he "is not allowed to play with and he always wants to play with".
    "So I brought it today and I am hoping I can light it up and he will go for it."
    Chris Kennel, who drove in from Georgia to take part in the triathlon, wants son Carson to become an athlete and thought "he'd have a chance to win."
    But in the end, 11-month-old Brooke crawled off with the trophy. An out-of-town girl from Dallas, Texas, she made a beeline for the finish line and won all the glory.
    "She just likes to crawl around a lot," said mother Kristy Bender as her daughter dribbled into the microphone.


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