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Waqas Dar

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Blog Entries posted by Waqas Dar

  1. Waqas Dar
    KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) was upgraded to the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) Emerging Markets status, on Tuesday.
    The PSX experienced a bullish trend early morning today, with the KSE-100 index up 400 points to reach the 52,700 level.
    The MSCI will review and announce the exact proportion of the Pakistani market and stock to be included and effective from June 1, 2017.
    The announcement would define the future course of the market.
    Read more: PSX touches new all-time high ahead of MSCI announcement
    The PSX, on Monday, touched an all-time high of 52,500 points after adding 770 points to the benchmark 100-index – a run primarily driven ahead of the MSCI announcement, industry veterans said.  
    MSCI, in a review on June 14, 2016, promoted Pakistan from the Frontier Markets to Emerging Markets Index.
    Initially, nine companies were included but two companies were removed in the November 14, 2016, review.


  2. Waqas Dar
    SYDNEY: Australia revealed details of a massive shipbuilding strategy Tuesday, its largest peacetime naval investment, with plans to construct dozens of new submarines and frigates to shore up its defence capabilities.
    Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the Aus$89 billion (US$66 billion) package -- first flagged in 2015 to replace its ageing fleets -- would boost local industry, with up to 5,000 jobs created in shipbuilding directly and double that in the supply chain.
    "We will transform our naval shipbuilding and sustainment industry here in Australia, with Australian workers, in Australian shipyards, using Australian resources," he said as he officially released the plan.
    "This is a plan for jobs, a plan for security, a plan for the opportunity that investment in our defence industry brings not just today and tomorrow, but for generations to come."
    The programme will produce nine frigates and 12 offshore patrol vessels, along with 19 Pacific patrol boats for neighbouring countries.
    It also includes 12 new submarines at a cost of Aus$50 billion, with French naval contractor DCNS last year selected to design and build them at an Adelaide yard, beating off competition from Japan and Germany.
    While no specific threat was cited, Defence Minister Marise Payne said the programme was designed to ensure "we have the most capable, agile and potent Australian Defence Force that we are able to achieve".
    "The future frigates, the offshore patrol vessels, the future submarines -- these are platforms that will deliver... the capability that we need to ensure we are protecting Australia and our interests."
    Under the plan, Australia's current ANZAC and Adelaide class frigates will be replaced with new ships better able to "detect, track and, if required, destroy enemy submarines".
    Its Armidale offshore patrol vessels, designed for border protection, will also be renewed, along with its diesel and electric-powered Collins Class submarine fleet.
    Turnbull said more than Aus$1.3 billion would be injected to modernise facilities in South Australia and Western Australia states so the work could go-ahead.
    A shipbuilding college will also be established for the training of the workers.
    Construction of the patrol boats is slated to start in 2018 with the frigates beginning two years later and the submarine build getting underway around 2022.


  3. Waqas Dar
    Embattled US President Donald Trump faced explosive allegations that he divulged top-secret intelligence to Russian diplomats in the Oval Office, a charge the White House scrambled to rebut Monday.
    The Washington Post reported that Trump revealed highly classified information on Daesh during a meeting last week with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Moscow's man in Washington Sergey Kislyak.
    In a shocking twist, the intelligence reportedly came from a US ally who did not authorise Washington to share it with Moscow. That development that could shatter trust that is essential to intelligence and counterterrorism cooperation.
    National Security Adviser HR McMaster denied the president had revealed "intelligence sources or methods," but acknowledged that Trump and Lavrov "reviewed a range of common threats to our two countries, including threats to civil aviation."
    The Post, citing unnamed officials, said that Trump went off script during the meeting, describing details about a Daesh terror threat related to the use of laptop computers on airplanes, revealing the city where the information was gathered.
    The Trump administration recently barred the use of laptops in the passenger cabin from several countries in the Middle East and is mulling the expansion of that ban to cover jets originating in Europe.
    "There's nothing that the president takes more seriously than the security of the American people. The story that came out tonight as reported is false," McMaster said without elaborating on which elements were wrong.
    "Two other senior officials who were present, including the secretary of state, remember the meeting the same way and have said so. Their on-the-record accounts should outweigh those of anonymous sources. I was in the room. It didn't happen."
    McMaster earlier refused to answer questions to a group of journalists gathered in the West Wing, saying "this is the last place I wanted to be" before leaving.
    The revelations are the latest in a wave of crises to hit the White House, which late Monday was in a state of shock, with aides frantically trying to put out the fire and determine the source of such damaging leaks.
    Since coming to office in January, Trump has lurched from crisis to crisis, lampooning the intelligence services, law enforcement and the media along the way.
    Last week, Trump threw his administration into turmoil by taking the virtually unprecedented step of firing his FBI director James Comey.
    Comey had been overseeing investigations into possible Trump campaign collusion with Russia to skew the 2016 election.
    The meeting came a day after that firing, and was already controversial in itself, a red carpet welcome for top aides of Vladimir Putin just months after being hit with US sanctions for meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
    Trump's administration was left red-faced after Moscow surprised them by releasing pictures of what was meant to be a closed-door meeting.
    Ryan wants 'full explanation'
    For Trump's already weary allies in Congress, the latest crisis brought more headaches and demanded yet more explanation from an administration that is struggling to leave its legislative mark.
    "We have no way to know what was said, but protecting our nation's secrets is paramount," said Doug Andres, a spokesperson for Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan.
    "The speaker hopes for a full explanation of the facts from the administration."
    Senior Republican Senator John McCain told CNN that "if it's true, it's obviously disturbing." But he cautioned: "Let's wait and see what this was all about first."
    Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer accused Trump of potentially putting American lives at risk.
    "If the report is true, it is very disturbing. Revealing classified information at this level is extremely dangerous and puts at risk the lives of Americans and those who gather intelligence for our country," he said.
    "The president owes the intelligence community, the American people and Congress a full explanation."
     


  4. Waqas Dar
    India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has raided the homes of former finance minister P. Chidambaram and his son, television news channels reported on Tuesday.
    A total of 14 locations in Chidambaram's home city of Chennai were searched by the CBI, India's main federal crime-fighting agency, Republic TV reported.
    A CBI spokesperson in New Delhi could not confirm the raids. Chidambaram, who served in the Congress government that was voted out of office in 2014, could not be reached immediately for comment.


  5. Waqas Dar
    Businesses that failed to update Microsoft Windows-based computer systems that were hit by a massive cyberattack over the weekend could be sued over their lax cyber security, but Microsoft Corp itself enjoys strong protection from lawsuits, legal experts said.
    The WannaCry worm has affected more than 200,000 Windows computers around the world since Friday, disrupting car factories, global shipper FedEx Corp and Britain's National Health Service, among others. The hacking tool spreads silently between computers, shutting them down by encrypting data and then demanding a ransom of $300 to unlock them.
    According to Microsoft (MSFT.O), computers affected by the so-called "ransomware" did not have security patches for various Windows versions installed or were running Windows XP, which the company no longer supports.
    "Using outdated versions of Windows that are no longer supported raises a lot of questions," said Christopher Dore, a lawyer specializing in digital privacy law at Edelson PC. "It would arguably be knowingly negligent to let those systems stay in place.”
    Businesses could face legal claims if they failed to deliver services because of the attack, said Edward McAndrew, a data privacy lawyer at Ballard Spahr. "There is this stream of liability that flows from the ransomware attack," he said. "That's liability to individuals, consumers, and patients."
    WannaCry exploits a vulnerability in older versions of Windows, including Windows 7 and Windows XP. Microsoft issued a security update in March that stops WannaCry and other malware in Windows 7. Over the weekend the company took the unusual step of releasing a similar patch for Windows XP, which the company announced in 2014 it would no longer support.
    Dore said companies that faced disruptions because they did not run the Microsoft update or because they were using older versions of Windows could face lawsuits if they publicly touted their cyber security. His law firm sued LinkedIn after a 2012 data breach, alleging individuals paid for premium accounts because the company falsely stated it had top-quality cyber security measures. LinkedIn settled for $1.25 million in 2014.
    But Scott Vernick, a data security lawyer at Fox Rothschild that represents companies, said he was skeptical that WannaCry would produce a flood of consumer lawsuits. He noted there was no indication the cyber attack had resulted in the widespread disclosure of personal data.
    "It isn’t clear that there has been a harm to consumers," he said.
    Vernick said businesses that failed to update their software could face scrutiny from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which has previously sued companies for misrepresenting their data privacy measures.
    Microsoft itself is unlikely to face legal trouble over the flaw in Windows being exploited by WannaCry, according to legal experts.
    When Microsoft sells software it does so through a licensing agreement that states the company is not liable for any security breaches, said Michael Scott, a professor at Southwestern Law School. Courts have consistently upheld those agreements, he said.
    Alex Abdo, a staff attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, said Microsoft and other software companies have strategically settled lawsuits that could lead to court rulings weakening their licensing agreements.
    "This area of law has been stunted in its growth," he said. "It is very difficult to hold software manufacturers accountable for flaws in their products."
    Also enjoying strong protection from liability over the cyber attack is the U.S. National Security Agency, whose stolen hacking tool is believed to be the basis for WannaCry. The NSA did not immediately return a request for comment.
    Jonathan Zittrain, a professor specializing in internet law at Harvard Law School, said courts have frequently dismissed lawsuits against the agency on the grounds they might result in the disclosure of top secret information.
    On top of that, the NSA would likely be able to claim that it is shielded from liability under the doctrine of sovereign immunity, which says that the government cannot be sued over carrying out its official duties.
    "I doubt there can be any liability that stems back to the NSA," Dore said.


  6. Waqas Dar
    CHAKWAL: At least five were killed when a truck and van collided near Qasba Mona in Chakwal early morning on Tuesday.
    Eleven people injured in the accident were shifted to the hospital, rescue sources told Geo News.
    Read more: Four children, driver killed as oil tanker crushes school van
    On Monday, at least four schoolchildren and a driver were killed and eight children critically injured when a speeding oil tanker crushed a school van in Multan.                    
    The unfortunate accident took place on Makhdoom Rasheed Road when the oil tanker crushed the school van due to alleged over-speeding. According to reports, the injured and deceased were immediately shifted to Nishtar Hospital.
    A total of 12 children were on their way home in the school van.
    According to rescue sources, the van had to be cut to extricate the children


  7. Waqas Dar
    A westerly wave is affecting upper and central parts of the country and likely to persist till Wednesday morning, the Pakistan Meteorological Department forecasted.
    Dust, thunderstorm, and rain with gusty winds are expected at scattered places in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, FATA, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, upper Punjab (Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha, Faisalabad divisions), while at isolated places in Quetta, Zhob, Kalat, Multan, Sahiwal, D.G.Khan,  Bahawalpur, Sukkur, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad divisions in the next twenty-four hours.
    Read more: Here's how to beat the heatwave this summer
    Past weather                     
    The weather remained hot and dry in most parts of the country. However, dust-thunderstorm/rain with gusty winds occurred at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Kohat, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, D.G.Khan, Quetta, Kalat divisions, FATA and Kashmir.
    Rainfall in the last 24 Hours (mm)                              
    Kashmir: Rawalakot 26, Kotli 24, Muzaffarabad 10, Garidupatta 03, KP: Malamjabba 16, Parachinar 13 Cherat 10, Kohat 05, Parachinar 05, Kalam 04, Peshawar (PAF 04, City 02), Dir, Saidu Sharif, Balakot 02, Drosh 01, Punjab: D.G.Khan 05, Sargodha (PAF 04, City 02), Chakwal 03,  Balochistan: Barkhan 02, Khuzdar, Quetta (Samungli) 01.
    Read more: 7 easy hacks to beat the heat
    Yesterday's highest temperatures                            
    Dadu, Larkana 47°C, Bahawalnagar, Sukkur 46°C, Jacobabad, Noorpurthal, Bhakkar, Rahim yar khan 45°C.
     
     
    Data courtesy: Pakistan Meteorological Department 


  8. Waqas Dar
    The UN Security Council has strongly condemned North Korea´s latest ballistic missile test and vowed strong measures, including sanctions, to derail Pyongyang´s nuclear weapons programme.
    North Korea´s long-term bid to develop a credible nuclear attack threat to the US mainland saw it launch Sunday what appeared to be its longest-range missile yet.
    Pyongyang said the new weapon -- called the Hwasong-12 -- was capable of carrying a "heavy nuclear warhead".
    In a unanimous statement backed by the North´s main ally China, the council on Monday vowed to punish Pyongyang´s "highly destabilising behaviour" and demanded a halt to any further nuclear or missile tests.
    Pyongyang carried out two atomic tests last year, and has accelerated its missile launch programme, despite tough UN sanctions aimed at denying leader Kim Jong-Un the hard currency needed to fund his weapons ambitions.
    "There´s a lot of sanctions left that we can start to do, whether it´s with oil, whether it´s with energy, whether it´s with their maritime ships, exports," US Ambassador Nikki Haley told ABC television´s "This Week".
    "We can do a lot of different things that we haven´t done yet. So our options are there."
    The United States is in talks with China -- Pyongyang´s main trading partner -- on a possible new sanctions resolution and the Security Council is expected to hold a closed-door emergency meeting starting around 2000 GMT Tuesday.
    ´A substantial advance´
    Kim personally oversaw Sunday´s test, the official Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) said, and pictures by state media showed him gazing at the missile in a hangar before the launch.
    The missile was launched on an unusually high trajectory, before splashing down in the Sea of Japan (East Sea).
    Analysts said the test suggested an actual range of 4,500 kilometres (2,800 miles) or more if flown for maximum distance.
    "This is the longest-range missile North Korea has ever tested," Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in the US told AFP.
    On the respected 38 North website, aerospace engineering specialist John Schilling said it appeared to be an intermediate-range ballistic missile that could "reliably strike the US base at Guam" in the Pacific, 3,400 kilometres away.
    "More importantly," he added, it "may represent a substantial advance to developing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)".
    The North has made no secret of its quest to develop a missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the continental United States -- something President Donald Trump has vowed "won´t happen".
    KCNA cited Kim as saying the North would never succumb to what it called the "highly ridiculous" US strategy of "militarily browbeating only weak countries and nations which have no nukes".
    "If the US dares opt for a military provocation against the DPRK, we are ready to counter it," it said.
    ´Reckless provocation´
    In April Pyongyang put dozens of missiles on show at a giant military parade through the capital, including one that appeared to be the type launched on Sunday.
    There are doubts whether the North can miniaturise a nuclear weapon sufficiently to fit it onto a missile nose cone, and no proof it has mastered the re-entry technology needed to ensure it survives returning into Earth´s atmosphere.
    Sunday´s test came less than a week after South Korea elected a new president, Moon Jae-In, who advocates reconciliation with Pyongyang and had expressed a willingness to visit the North to ease tensions.
    But Moon slammed the latest launch as a "reckless provocation" and said dialogue would be possible "only if the North changes its attitude".
    Russian President Vladimir Putin said the test was dangerous, but warned against attempts to "intimidate" Pyongyang.
    Pyongyang could find itself the target of further global censure after security researchers reported Monday signs of a potential North Korean link to cyberattacks that have wreaked havoc on computer networks around the world.
    In the first clues of the origin of the massive ransomware attacks, Google researcher Neel Mehta posted computer code that showed similarities between the "WannaCry" malware and a vast hacking effort widely attributed to Pyongyang.
    Other experts quickly jumped on this as sign -- although not conclusive -- that North Korea may have been behind the outbreak.


  9. Waqas Dar
    Brad Grey, the former chairman and chief executive of Paramount Pictures, has died at age 59 of cancer, his family said on Monday, just three months after being forced out of his Hollywood job.
    His death shocked Hollywood, with few people in the industry apparently aware that he had been ill with cancer.
    Grey, who led Paramount Pictures for 12 years, was forced to step down in February after years of underperforming movies from the studio including Ben-Hur and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.
    "Brad passed away yesterday evening at his home in Holmby Hills, CA with his family by his side. The cause of death was cancer. He was 59 years old," Grey's family said in a brief statement on Monday.
    Grey was regarded as one of the most successful producers in Hollywood, with a hand in shows like HBO's crime series The Sopranos, Real Time with Bill Maher and Oscar-winning films including The Departed and The Wolf of Wall Street.
    No details were given about his cancer, which was not mentioned during his ouster from Paramount, and the news of his death took many by surprise.
    "Shocked &saddened by the loss of Brad Grey. He was a really good man. Kind &classy and a helluva boss. Oh man the world has lost a gentleman," wrote Step Up 2 director Jon M. Chu on Twitter.
    "He was always good to me, in the small passing moments we had. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones," tweeted Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn.
    Modern Family co-creator Steve Levitan said he was "so sad to hear about the passing of Brad Grey. He was a thoughtful partner on 'Just Shoot Me' and remained a friend."
    Grey joined Paramount in 2005 and during his tenure the studio produced or distributed hit films, including Transformers: Dark of the Moon, as well as the Star Trek and Mission Impossible franchises. He also co-founded Plan B Entertainment with Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, through which he produced The Departed.
    During his tenure at Paramount, Grey was responsible for a seven-year marketing distribution deal with Marvel and the 2008 acquisition of DreamWorks SKG for $1.6 billion. But the studio struggled in recent years and in February Grey and Paramount parted ways.
    In March, former Twenty-First Century Fox film studio chief Jim Gianopulos was hired to run Paramount Pictures, which is a unit of Viacom Inc.


  10. Waqas Dar
    The body of a girl, who was reported missing on Sunday evening in Manghopir, has been recovered from an empty plot nearby, rescue sources said.
    Having being reported missing by her parents the prior day, the girl has been identified as six-year-old Sidrah, revealed police officials, who added that her body bore torture marks.
    Police operations
    Four suspects have been arrested in search operations conducted by the police in Karachi’s Ittehad and Bahria Towns, police stated, adding that their names are Javed, Habibullah, Ghulam Shabbir, and Noorzada.
    Of these, police continued, Ghulam Shabbir and Noorzada have been held for violating the Resident Act, while contraband has been recovered from Javed and Habibullah.
    Another suspect was taken into custody following an operation in Gulshan-e-Iqbal here. The suspect – Abdul Sattar – was reportedly involved in street crimes, police mentioned. It went on to say that illegal arms and ammunition has been recovered from the arrestee, who has previously been arrested for illegal possession of arms as well.
    In snap checking, four additional suspects were arrested by police in the Pakistan Bazaar area. The arrestees – Sameer, Aman, Jameel, and Sharafat – are alleged to be involved in street crimes, and weapons were recovered from them, police sources disclosed.
    Two more suspects were held by police in an operation conducted in Sharifabad here, police mentioned. Both suspects – Hamza and Noman – were reportedly engaged in street crimes. A case has subsequently been registered against the two arrestees.
    Keamari firing, Korangi petrol pump robbed
    In related news, one person was reported dead due to a firing incident in Keamari, police said.
    On the other hand, unnamed armed persons stormed into a petrol station in Korangi area here, a CCTV footage that surfaced following the incident depicted. The robbers, who spent a good 30 minutes looting those present, have brought lock-breaking tools to access a secret locker.
    The muggers robbed customers of whatever cash they were carrying.
    While no further details emerged, police officials confirmed the incident and said that investigative activities have been commenced under the Zaman Town police station’s lead.


  11. Waqas Dar
    Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Bob Iger has revealed that hackers claimed to have access to an unnamed upcoming movie and have demanded a ransom, the Hollywood Reporter said on Monday.
    Iger made the comments during a town hall meeting with ABC employees in New York City, the Hollywood Reporter said, citing multiple sources.
    The hackers have demanded that a huge sum be paid on Bitcoin, but Disney has refused to pay, the publication said.
    Disney was not immediately available for comment.


  12. Waqas Dar
    LONDON: At least thirteen crew members of Lahore-bound Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight were detained by the British Police at the Heathrow Airport on Tuesday over security threats.
    The British authorities detained thirteen crew members from PIA's flight PK-758 coming from Islamabad to London.
    According to British Police, the crew has been taken under custody for interrogation over security concerns.
    Nothing was found during the search of the crew and plane, said PIA sources.
    The crew is still under investigation at the Heathrow Airport.
    PIA is seeking to protest against the misconduct.


  13. Waqas Dar
    Lahore and surrounding areas experienced light drizzle late Monday night, turning into gentle rainfall with cool breezes, which made the overall weather pleasant.
    The sky was dotted with heavy clouds in the dead of the night, with lightning interspersed with rain, breaking the intense heat spell. Kasur also witnessed light rain with strong winds.
    According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), this enjoyable weather is expected to continue through Tuesday evening. On the downside, however, 130 feeders of Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) tripped, causing power outage in numerous areas.
    Sindh continues sweating
    Temperatures in Karachi and Hyderabad are expected to shoot as high as 36° and 41° Celsius, respectively, the PMD said, with weather forecasted to remain hot. Dadu and Larkana are anticipated to touch 47° Celsius, Bahawalnagar and Sukkur 46°C, and Jacobabad, Noorpurthal, Bhakkar, and Rahim Yar Khan to reach 45°C.
    “A westerly wave is affecting upper and central parts of the country and likely to persist till Wednesday morning,” the department explained, highlighting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, FATA, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, upper Punjab as areas set to face dusty thunderstorms and gusty winds.
    Highest rainfall, on the other hand, was recorded in Rawalakot and Kotli at 26mm and 24mm, respectively.
    Various cities in upper Punjab and eastern side of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been experiencing rain over the past week.


  14. Waqas Dar
    SEATTLE: With evocative montages of the American west scrolling on screens behind them, Irish rockers U2 kicked off the US leg of their "Joshua Tree" tour on Sunday with a few jabs at the new political landscape.
    The tour was billed as a look back at the band's 1987 breakthrough album "The Joshua Tree" with its globe-spanning hits "With Or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For."
    U2 started with one of their even earlier songs, "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and its opening lines "I can't believe the news today", before roaring through "New Year’s Day", "Pride", and the whole Joshua Tree LP played in the order of its tracklist.
    Bono largely steered clear of the overt references to President Donald Trump that had peppered his performances during the election campaign. But more guarded references to modern-day events kept breaking through.
    "Some of you think that the dream is dead. Maybe that dream is just telling you to wake up," Bono said during "Pride," as the words of Martin Luther King were projected behind him.
    The screen switched to images of models in front of a faded American flag and vast desert landscapes.
    Other scenes showed the destruction in Syria and a girl there appealing for help.
    Speaking about the band's charitable organization One, which fights poverty, Bono urged the crowd to "organize" for change.
    "Nothing scares ... politicians like people getting organized. That's how it should be, the government scared of the people, not the other way around," he said.
    The lead singer gave a shout out to Bill and Melinda Gates, who were both in the sold-out audience at Seattle's CenturyLink Field venue, hailing them as "luminary figures" for their charitable work.
    Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder, joined the band on stage for "Mothers of the Disappeared", the last track on The Joshua Tree's flipside.
    The band saved more recent hits for the encore, belting out "It's a Beautiful Day" and "Elevation" as Bono called on women to "unite to rewrite history as her-story".
    Bono also acknowledged US Mother's Day on Sunday, dedicating the song "Ultraviolet" to "women who stood up or sat down for their rights, who insisted, resisted, persisted for their rights."
    U2 will play 33 shows to 1.7 million people during the "Joshua Tree" tour. The tour is also the top-selling concert in the US this summer, according to ticket seller StubHub, with most shows already sold out.
     


  15. Waqas Dar
    France's new President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday vowed to give a new impetus to Europe, even if it requires treaty change, after Macron appointed a prime minister from the conservative camp.
    Macron, the fervently pro-European centrist sworn in as head of state on Sunday, in keeping with tradition made his first trip abroad to Berlin, its power couple partner at the heart of the European project.
    There, the 39-year-old leader urged a "historic reconstruction" of Europe to battle populism sweeping the continent, following his defeat of far-right leader Marine Le Pen.
    Merkel, in power for a decade, agreed the two core European powers wanted to give "a new push" to their cooperation and "new momentum" to the Franco-German axis.
    "There is a common understanding that we can't just focus on Britain leaving the EU but that, first and foremost, we have to think about how we can deepen and crisis-proof the European Union, and especially the eurozone," she said at a joint press conference.
    Ahead of his visit, Macron's ideas on reforming the eurozone -- including setting up a separate budget, legislature and finance minister for the currency bloc -- had sparked scepticism in Berlin.
    Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble had warned that such deep-reaching reforms would require EU treaty changes, which were "not realistic" at a time when Europe was hit by a surge of anti-euro populism.
    But Merkel left the door open, saying that "from the German point of view, it's possible to change the treaty if it makes sense", while Macron also said that there was "no taboo" on this issue.
    Macron also soothed German concerns over the mutualising of "old debt" between eurozone countries, saying he does not favour the idea of so-called eurobonds, but adding that he was open to sharing future burdens.
    Redraw map

    Earlier Monday in Paris, Macron named centre-right lawmaker Edouard Philippe as prime minister in a further effort to splinter the country's traditional parties and redraw the political map.
    Philippe, a little known 46-year-old MP and mayor of the northern port of Le Havre, comes from the moderate wing of the right-wing Republicans party and is seen as a pragmatist.
    His appointment was seen as a strategic move by Macron, who is trying to woo modernisers of all stripes to his new centrist party, the Republique en Marche (Republic on the Move, REM), having already won over dozens of moderate Socialist MPs.
    Former investment banker Macron, who trounced Le Pen in the May 7 presidential run-off, aims to take votes from both the Republicans and Socialists in next month's crucial parliamentary election.
    Philippe has been presented as his Trojan horse on the right of the spectrum.
    Taking over from outgoing prime minister Bernard Cazeneuve during a short ceremony, Philippe described himself as "a man of the right" who was driven by "the greater good".
    'Break the right'

    Like Macron, Philippe is a product of France's elite ENA college who once worked in the private sector and has little truck with the country's fraying left-right divide.
    Relatively unknown outside his northern fiefdom, he has never served in a national government.
    After campaigning for Socialist prime minister Michel Rocard as a youth, he switched to the right, becoming a close ally of centre-right former prime minister Alain Juppe.
    The German-speaking father of three, who writes crime novels in his spare time, was elected to parliament in 2012.
    Juppe on Monday praised him as "a very talented man".
    His appointment is a further blow to the Republicans, who have been trying to regroup after the presidential vote and prevent defections to Macron's camp.
    Political transformation

    Republicans secretary-general Bernard Accoyer said there were no immediate plans to expel Philippe from the party but that he would have to "clear up the ambiguity" about his loyalties.
    Some in the party have argued in favour of an alliance with Macron.
    Around 20 MPs on Monday issued a statement urging the Republicans and centre-right UDI to "accept his outstretched hand", saying the right needed to "take the full measure of the political transformation taking place before their eyes".
    Macron needs a majority to push through his ambitious plans to loosen France's strict labour laws, boost entrepreneurship and reduce class sizes in tough neighbourhoods.
    But his year-old party faces a battle for seats, with the Republicans, Le Pen's National Front, the radical left and other losers of the presidential election all plotting revenge.
    Leftist firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon said that Philippe's appointment as premier showed the right had been "annexed" by the tentacular Macron.


  16. Waqas Dar
    Cholera has killed at least 180 people in Yemen in recent weeks, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Monday, a day after authorities declared a state of emergency in the capital Sanaa and called for international help.
    Sanaa is controlled by the armed Houthi movement, which is aligned with Iran and fighting a Western-backed, Saudi-led coalition. More than 10,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in more than two years of war, which has also destroyed much of the country's infrastructure.
    Only a few medical facilities are still functioning and two-thirds of the population are without access to safe drinking water, the United Nations has said.
    Dominik Stillhart of the ICRC told reporters in the port city of Aden that at least 180 people had died from the acute diarrhoeal disease since April 27, and that 11,000 more suspected cholera cases had been reported across the impoverished country.
    Houthi authorities have said 115 of those who have died were in the city of Sanaa and its province.
    "What is happening today exceeds the capabilities of any healthy health system, so how can we (cope) when we are in these difficult and complicated conditions," Saba news agency quoted the Houthi-run administration's health minister Mohammed Salem bin Hafeedh as saying.
    The ministry, after meeting in Sanaa with U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator Jamie McGoldrick and other international officials, called on humanitarian organisations and aid donors to help it avert an "unprecedented disaster".
    It declared a "state of health emergency in the capital," the agency said.
    Saba said 8,595 suspected cholera cases were recorded in Sanaa and other Yemeni provinces between April 27 and May 13, while laboratory-confirmed cases were 213. The disease can be fatal within hours if left untreated.
    The World Health Organisation (WHO) earlier put the death toll at 51. It has also said that 7.6 million people in Yemen live in areas at high risk of cholera transmission.
    A cholera epidemic late last year petered out but outbreaks are becoming more frequent.
    Sanaa has been worst hit, followed by the surrounding province of Amanat al-Semah, WHO data has shown. Cases have also been reported in other major cities including Hodeidah, Taiz and Aden.
    Some 17 million of Yemen's 26 million people lack sufficient food and at least three million malnourished children are in "grave peril", the U.N. has also said.


  17. Waqas Dar
    This year – 2017 – marks a decade since the iPhone was unveiled to the world, but Apple Inc. intends to celebrate it by upping iPhone 8’s price to new highs, some reports indicate.
    While the positive buzz around the new device – also unofficially dubbed iPhone X, iPhone 7S, and iPhone Edition – suggests fresh design and improvements in the features, Goldman Sachs is the latest and fourth outlet to say iPhone 8 will come with a whopping $1,000 price tag.
    Rubbing salt in the ‘wound’ to the loyalists’ pocket is the fact that this may be just the starting price!
    In a note, Goldman Sachs’ Simona Jankowski and her team of analysts said, “We expect the iPhone 8 to have 128GB and 256GB models priced at $999 and $1,099, respectively,” Business Insider reported.
    This is, therefore, simplified as follows: iPhone 7S: from $649, iPhone 7S Plus: from $769, and iPhone 8: from $999.
    Interestingly though, Jankowski argues that iPhone 8 is definitely coming soon, despite insider sources giving hints that Apple will not be announcing a new iPhone iteration this year. “Apple usually explores multiple designs in parallel. However, with only four months left until launch, we believe Apple has now locked down the design,” the analyst explained.
    Earlier, Nikkei, 9to5mac – citing celebrated Apple analyst Ming Chi-Kuo – and FastCompany have also claimed iPhone 8’s price will touch $1,000.
    Nevertheless, here’s a brief forecast of what iPhone 8 may offer: 5.8-inch OLED screen, no bezel and all screen, 3D sensing, better and faster NAND/DRAM memory, capacity starting at 128 GB, A11 processor, no home button, and biometric authentication.
    So will you spare Rs. 100,000 for the new iPhone?


  18. Waqas Dar
    Germany must act to reduce the massive trade surplus that has stoked friction with European neighbours and the United States, the International Monetary Fund warned Monday.
    "In 2016 Germany's current account surplus was the world's largest in dollar terms," IMF economists noted in a report.
    "Policies that boost public and private investment and reduce the need for private saving ... would accelerate the necessary external rebalancing process."
    US President Donald Trump and EU partners have criticised Germany's trade surplus -- the amount by which its exports outweigh its imports -- saying that it is costing growth and jobs in their own economies.
    IMF staff praised "prudent management" in Germany's public finances but repeated a long-standing call for policies "encouraging investment, promoting labour supply and boosting productivity".
    Berlin has in recent years booked massive surpluses in tax income even as it pays down debts under the no-new-borrowing policy of Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble.
    But critics accuse the tough finance chief of failing either to invest enough in infrastructure to secure long-term growth, or to cut down the government's slice of a swelling economic pie.
    Looking to social policy, the IMF recommends reducing tax on labour to boost businesses' readiness to hire new workers, as well as reforming pensions to encourage people to work longer.
    An ageing population is a key concern for the German economy, as the post-World War II "baby boomer" generation heads towards retirement in the coming decade.
    Meanwhile, the economists argue against rolling back tough labour market reforms introduced in the early 2000s.
    Ahead of September elections, Social Democrats are campaigning to change the so-called "Hartz reforms", which are credited with boosting the number of people in work, in part by reducing benefits for the long-term unemployed.
    Instead, policymakers should make it easier for women with children to return to work and for refugees to integrate into the labour force, the IMF recommends.
    The IMF said that in the near future, Germany's economy should continue to perform well as foreign demand for its goods compensates for rising prices dampening consumption at home.
    Nevertheless, "anti-globalisation policies abroad could negatively affect long-term prospects for the Germany economy," it warned, adding that "in the euro area, an insufficient progress in the reform agenda may rekindle stress".
    Chancellor Angela Merkel was later Monday set to meet newly-inaugurated French President Emmanuel Macron, who was elected on a platform that includes working together with Germany to secure deep reforms to the 19-nation single currency zone.


  19. Waqas Dar
    Rapper and record producer Logic toppled Kendrick Lamar from his three-week hold on the top of the Billboard 200 album charts with his new release Everybody, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures on Monday.
    Everybody sold 247,000 units for the week to take the No. 1 spot, while country singer Chris Stapleton had his best sales week ever with new album From A Room: Volume 1, which sold 218,000 units to take second place.
    Read more: Pop music's 'bad girl' Miley Cyrus debuts new image, sheds eccentricities
    Lamar's Damn. added another 134,000 to land in 3rd place.
    The Billboard 200 album chart tallies units from album sales, song sales (10 songs equal one album), and streaming activity (1,500 streams equal one album).
    On the digital songs chart, which measures online single sales, Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi's Despacito – in a version that features Justin Bieber – finally rose to the top spot in the United States with sales of 104,000.
    Interesting: Kendrick Lamar stays atop Billboard album sales chart
    The song, recorded with fellow Latin star Daddy Yankee and first released in January, has already proved a global sensation.
    Miley Cyrus's new romantic single Malibu, on the other hand, managed a disappointing 22nd place on the digital songs chart in its first week of release.


  20. Waqas Dar
    Maria Sharapova broke seven times to win her opening match at the Rome Masters on Monday, with the Russian wild card advancing over American Christina McHale 6-4, 6-2.
    The five-time Grand Slam champion, who is coming back onto the WTA after completing a 15-month doping ban, advanced to the second round at the sun-drenched Foro Italico as she beat McHale for a fifth time in a row.
    The former No 1, whose ranking has recovered into the 200s after a Stuttgart semifinal and a second round last week in Madrid, overcame seven double-faults in victory on the clay in 90 minutes.
    She came through a hic-cup near the end, losing serve as she prepared to wrap it up while leading 5-1, but recovered in the next game to emerge the winner.
    Sharapova is still waiting to hear if she will receive a wild card entry into Roland Garros starting a week from Sunday.
    "I'll focussed on my match, I'm playing tomorrow," Sharapova said; "But nothing is a disappointment after being away from the game for 15 months."
    The match began unsteadily, with three breaks of serve in the first 17 minutes, McHale took an early 3-1 lead. But the rhythm steadied as the experienced Sharapova pegged back her opponent and got to work to sweep the first set from the back foot.
    Sharapova is playing Rome for the ninth time, winning the title in 2011, 2012 and two years ago; the 30-year-old owns 11 WTA tour-level titles on clay.
    "Winning matches will get me places, so if that's where it got me today, then I will take it," the Russian said.
    "The fact that I'm back and playing three weeks in a row now and three events in a row for me is a big deal. That's my focus."
    In the ATP men's first round, ninth seed David Goffin beat Thomaz Bellucci 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-4 and American
    Sam Querrey upset French 11th seed Lucas Pouille 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (10/8).
    Tomas Berdych, the number 12, beat German Mischa Zverev 7-6 (9-7), 6-4; Jan-Lennard Struff put out Australian Bernard Tomic 6-7 (6-8), 6-1, 6-4.


  21. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: The government on Monday presented the Right of Access to Information Bill 2017 in the Senate to promote the right of access to information and facilitate and encourage prompt disclosure of information at the lowest, most reasonable cost.
    Once the bill becomes an act of the Parliament, it would facilitate every Pakistani to have access to information on the working of the federal government's ministries, divisions, and subordinate offices, including autonomous bodies, subject only to reasonable restrictions imposed by the law.
    Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani referred the bill – moved by Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting, and National Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb – to the committee concerned for deliberation and bringing back to the House.
    Under the bill, the principal officer of each public body shall ensure that the record held by that body is properly maintained to comply with the obligations under this act and each body shall bring its record management practices in line with Secretariat Instructions 2014 or any other instructions of the federal government.
    The principal officer of each public body shall ensure that within six months of commencement of this act, relevant record is duly published, including uploading over the Internet in a manner that best ensures these are accessible subject to reasonable restrictions based on limited resources.
    In this regard, the bill mentions to categories like description of the public body's organizations and functions, duties, powers, and services it provides to public, including a directory of its officers; statutes, statutory rules, regulation, by-laws, orders, and notifications; substantive and procedural rules and regulations evolved or adopted by the public body; relevant facts and background information relating to important policies and decisions that have been adopted, along with a statement of policies adopted by the public body and the criteria, standards or guidelines upon which discretionary powers are exercised; description of its decision-making process as defined in the federal government instructions 2004 and any instructions for the time being; detailed budget of the public body, including proposed and actual expenditures, original or revised revenue targets, actual revenue receipts, revision in the approved budget and supplementary budget; the methods whereby information in the possession or control of the public body may be obtained and the prescribed fee required along the name, title, and contact details of the designated officials; reports, including performance reports, audit reports, evaluation reports, inquiry or investigation reports, and other reports finalized; and camera footages at public places, wherever available which have a bearing on a crime provided that if the information or record pertains to a period prior to 2008, the same shall be published within reasonable time.
    According to the bill, the record that would be made public shall include the policies and guidelines; transactions involving acquisition and disposal of property and expenditure undertaken by a public body in the performance of its duties and functions; information regarding grant of licenses, allotments and other benefits, privileges, contracts, and agreements made by public body; final orders and decisions, including decisions relating to members of public; and any other record, which may be notified by the minister-in-charge of the federal government as public record for the purpose of this act.
    Mentioning to the exclusion of certain records, the bill states that nothing contained in the aforementioned section shall apply to notings on files, subject to final decision by the body; minutes of meetings, subject to final decision of the body; any intermediary opinion or recommendations subject to final decision; record of banking companies and financial institutions relating to accounts of their customers; record relating to defence forces, defence installations or connected therewith and ancillary to defence and national security excluding all commercial and welfare activities; record declared as classified by minister-in-charge of the federal government provided that the minister shall have to record reasons as to why the harm from disclosure of information outweighs public interest, and further that information pertaining to allegation of corruption and violation of human rights shall not be excluded; record relating to personal privacy of any individual; and record of private documents furnished to a public body either on an express or implied condition that information contained in any such documents shall not be disclosed to a third party.
    The bill further states that every public body, within 30 days of the commencement of this act, shall notify one or more designated officials not less than ranks of BPS-19 or equivalent and, where no designated official has been notified, the principal officer shall be treated as the designated official. The designated official shall be responsible for ensuring that requests are dealt with promoting full compliance by the public body of its obligations under this act, while the request by any citizen shall be moved through the designated official since they shall be responsible for assisting the applicant in resolving problems.
    If the required information had not been available with the public body, the applicant shall be informed within ten days of the application, while the public bodies shall also be bound to proceed on applications as early as possible but not later than ten working days. Moreover, the information needed to protect the life and liberty of any individual shall be provided within three working days.
    The proposed law also provides that a public body shall not be required to disclose exempt information provided that where only part of record or the information falls within the scope of the exceptions provided for in this act; that part shall be severed and the residual record or information shall be provided to the applicant.
    The bill states that an applicant, who is not satisfied by decision of the designated officer or where he is not communicated a decision within stipulated time, shall have the provision to appeal before the Information Commission within 30 days. Any such appeal shall be free of cost and the Commission shall decide the appeal within 60 days and public body shall bear the burden of proof.
    Furthermore, within six months of the commencement of this act, the Prime Minister shall establish Pakistan Commission on Access to Information to be known as Information Commission who will enjoy operational and administrative autonomy except as specifically provided by this act.
    The Commission shall comprise three Commissioners to be appointed by the Prime Minister with one qualified to be a judge of High Court, one in the service of Pakistan in BS-22, and one from civil society having 16 years of education from a recognized institution and 15 years experience in the field of social sciences.
    The Information Commissioners shall be less than 65 years of age, while the Prime Minister will also appoint Chief Information Commissioner among the Commission members who will hold the office for four years. During this period they shall not be eligible to hold any other public office or to be connected to any political party and work on full time basis.
    Moreover, he or a member may be removed from office on serious complaints of mental and physical incapacity and misconduct against them. Such a complaint shall be lodged before a five-member parliamentary committee comprising two Senators nominated by the Chairman Senate and three MNAs nominated by Speaker National Assembly.
    The Information Commission shall have powers to receive and decide on appeals and all powers direct or incidental, as necessary to perform its functions as provided for in this act and the powers to acquire, hold, and dispose of property, while the federal government shall make annual budgetary allocations to Information Commission.
    The bill also provides that any person who acts willfully to obstruct the implementation of this act, obstructing access to information, interfering with the work of Information Commissioner or destroying record without lawful authority shall be committing an offence that shall be punishable with a fine not exceeding Rs. 50,000. The federal government shall make rules for carrying out purposes of this act while the Information Commissioner may make regulations not inconsistent with the provisions made by the federal government.
    However, if any difficulty arises in giving effect to this act, the federal government may make such orders, not inconsistent with the provisions of this act.


  22. Waqas Dar
    MIAMI: Coming down with the flu, bronchitis or pneumonia can dramatically raise the risk of a heart attack -- up to 17-fold -- in the days and weeks following the infection, researchers said Monday.
    The findings confirm earlier research that pointed to an apparent link between respiratory infection and cardiac crises, scientists at the University of Sydney reported.
    "A respiratory infection can act as a trigger for a heart attack," said senior author Professor Geoffrey Tofler.
    "The data showed that the increased risk of a heart attack isn't necessarily just at the beginning of respiratory symptoms, it peaks in the first seven days and gradually reduces but remains elevated for one month."  
    The study, published in the Internal Medicine Journal, was based on 578 patients who suffered a heart attack due to a coronary artery blockage.
    Patients were asked about their activities before having a heart attack, including if they experienced a recent "flu-like illness with fever and sore throat", or of they had been diagnosed with pneumonia or bronchitis, said the report.
    Seventeen percent of patients reported symptoms of respiratory infection within one week of the heart attack, and 21 percent within 31 days.
    "Possible reasons for why respiratory infection may trigger a heart attack include an increased tendency towards blood clotting, inflammation and toxins damaging blood vessels, and changes in blood flow," said Tofler.
    "Our message to people is while the absolute risk that any one episode will trigger a heart attack is low, they need to be aware that a respiratory infection could lead to a coronary event," he added.
    "Don't ignore symptoms that could indicate a heart attack."        
    Symptoms may include shortness of breath, pain and pressure in the chest and arms, nausea, dizziness or breaking out in a cold sweat.
    Heart attacks tend to happen most often during the winter, and could be linked to the seasonal rise in flu and other respiratory infections, researchers said.


  23. Waqas Dar
    May 15 BBC police drama "Happy Valley" was the big winner at Britain's BAFTA awards recognizing excellence in television, beating on Sunday heavily-tipped Netflix drama "The Crown."
    The series took the Best Drama prize, and its leading actress Sarah Lancashire also pipped "The Crown" star Claire Foy to the best actress award at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards.
    The Netflix royal drama had been nominated for five awards, but failed to pick any up on the night, with actors John Lithgow, Jared Harris and Vanessa Kirby losing out in their respective acting categories.
    US actor Cuba Gooding Jr. was on hand to accept the International award on behalf of "The People Vs. OJ Simpson: American crime story," in which he played the title role, beating out Netflix's critically-acclaimed "Stranger Things," and Amazon's "Transparent."
    Adeel Akhtar took the honors for best actor in "Murdered By My Father," a BBC drama focused on an honor killing in a British-Asian family. He beat out competition from actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Robbie Coltrane.
    Actress Joanna Lumley accepted the BAFTA Fellowship award, a prize for lifetime achievement, from her "Absolutely Fabulous" co-star Jennifer Saunders, and delighted the crowd by briefly slipping into her character from the show during her acceptance speech.
    Speaking to reporters on the red carpet before the event, Lumley hailed the standards in the modern television industry.
    "Terrific standards both in acting and production values and everything so really thrilling - really, really good. It's just that I think it's so diffused now, so spread out that sometimes you go through rather sulkily going 'Oh there's nothing on television tonight'. What? Look again," she said.


  24. Waqas Dar
    PARIS: “Excess" diesel truck and car emissions claimed about 38,000 lives worldwide in 2015, said a study Monday that sought to quantify deaths due to pollution that carmakers sought to hide.
    Four-fifths of these additional premature deaths due to nitrogen oxide pollution occurred in three regions -- the European Union, China and India, researchers reported in the journal Nature.
    NOx are poisonous gases that contribute to acid rain and combine with ammonia to create particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause cancer, chronic breathing problems and premature death.
    Until recently, estimates of deaths attributable to NOx pollution was based on levels reported by vehicle makers.
    Since 2015, however, it has become clear that Volkswagen and other manufacturers used so-called "defeat devices" to disguise the true extent of diesel engine emissions, which are far higher on the road than in laboratory testing.
    The new study of 11 major car markets -- the others are Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Korea and the United States -- revealed that diesel vehicles spewed at least 50 percent more NOx under real-world driving conditions than their makers claimed.
    That translates to 38,000 deaths due to "excess" emissions, out of an estimated total of 107,000 lives foreshortened to diesel car and truck fumes in 2015, the researchers found.
    The study focused on how NOx emissions contribute to air pollution in the form of ozone and fine particulate matter.
    Long-term exposure is linked to disability and premature death due to stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) -- a degenerative condition of the lungs.
    The elderly are especially vulnerable.
    "The consequences of excess diesel NOx emissions for public health are striking," said lead author Susan Anenberg, co-founder of Environment Health Analytics, a policy research group based in Washington DC.
    Text-evading software
    Commercial trucks and buses are by far the biggest culprit worldwide, accounting for more than three-quarters of excess NOx output.
    Ninety percent was emitted in just five countries or regions -- Brazil, China, the EU, India and the United States.
    For light-duty vehicles -- small trucks, cars and vans -- the EU produced nearly 70 percent of global excess NOx emissions, the study found.
    An earlier study calculated that pollution from 2.6 million Volkswagen cars equipped with test-evading software and sold in Germany from 2008 to 2015 will cause more than 1,200 premature deaths in Europe.
    But defeat devices are not the only cause of additional NOx emissions, according to the new research.
    Others included faulty engine calibration, poor maintenance, tampering by vehicle owners, and sub-standard certification testing.
    To estimate damage caused by NOx emissions, the study combined data from vehicles used in real-world conditions, computer modelling of the atmosphere, satellite observations, along with health and climate models.
    The researchers calculated that diesel NOx pollution will cause more than 183,000 premature deaths per year by 2040.
    "Globally, the single-most important action to reduce the health impacts of excess diesel NOx emissions is for countries to implement and properly enforce" European standards for heavy vehicles, said co-author Ray Minjares, a researcher at the International Council on Clean Transportation, a Washington-based research group.
    Experts not involved in the research said it was likely conservative in its conclusions.
    "The study may well underestimate the full consequences for public health," said Roy Harrison, a professor of environmental health at the University of Birmingham in England.


  25. Waqas Dar
    KARACHI: Senior Indian journalist Prem Shankar Jha said on Monday said that the Indian government should be ashamed of its atrocities in Indian Occupied Kashmir.
    “Police rule won’t end Kashmiris fight for freedom,” he remarked while speaking on Geo News’ show, Capital Talk.
    He also added that about seven million Indian forces have been deployed in Kashmir but these forces won’t be able to suppress the voice of Kashmiris.
    “After seeing the conditions of Kashmir, I want to die of shame,” he claimed, adding “the path we are on will lead us to hell.”
    In the recent times, Indian aggression in Indian-occupied Kashmir has reached unprecedented levels. Thousands of Kashmiris have been martyred for raising their voice against the violence.
    Read more: Indian forces launch massive operation in Occupied Kashmir
    Moreover, Indian state authorities in IOK ordered internet service providers to block social media services including Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp on April 16.
    On May 4, Indian forces cordoned off more than 20 villages in Shopian district of Occupied Kashmir, in the wake of a surge in rebel attacks on the occupying forces in recent weeks.
    Read more: Three civilians, policeman killed in occupied Kashmir
    According to NDTV, more than 3,000 personnel of the Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force and Jammu and Kashmir police were involved in the search operation launched early Thursday morning.
    "Over 30 companies of Indian forces have besieged villages in Shopian since 3 am looking for armed fighters," IoK local Faysal had tweeted.





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