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Waqas Dar

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Blog Entries posted by Waqas Dar

  1. Waqas Dar
    MARDAN: An employee of Abdul Wali Khan University, wanted for inciting the mob to murder Mashal Khan over unfounded blasphemy allegations, has been arrested, Mardan police said on Sunday.
    The latest arrest of AWKUM employee, identified as Bilal Baksh, has taken the tally of total suspects in police custody to 34.
    According to Mardan DPO Mian Saeed, Bilal, a computer operator at the university, shouted slogans calling for the murder of Mashal Khan and incited the mob, which was beginning to gather around Mashal, to carry out the horrific lynching.
    On Saturday, police arrested another suspect, a student named Amir, from Tangi tehsil in Charsadda. The suspect was identified in the lynching video that surfaced soon after the horrific killing of Mashal at the hands of the violent mob.
    Read more: Two new videos of Mardan lynching case surface
    Amir was reportedly a close friend of the main suspect Wajahat, who confessed to the crime before a magistrate in Mardan on April 17 and said he acted on the directions of some employees of the university administration.
    Read more: Mashal lynching suspect confesses, says he acted on university admin’s directions
    Mashal Khan, who was a student of journalism at AWKUM, was lynched by an enraged mob at university premises on April 13 which had accused him of blasphemy.


  2. Waqas Dar
    DAMASCUS: An Israeli attack on a Syrian camp for pro-government forces killed three fighters near the Golan Heights on Sunday, an official from the forces said.
    The official told AFP that two fighters were also wounded in the attack on the Al-Fawwar camp near Quneitra in southwestern Syria, adding that it was unclear whether the damage was inflicted by an air strike or shelling.
    The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group confirmed the early Sunday attack but had no further details.
    Israel´s army on Friday said it targeted positions inside Syria in retaliation for mortar fire that hit the northern part of the Golan Heights.
    Syria´s official news agency SANA said Israel had struck a Syrian army position in the province of Quneitra on the Golan plateau, "causing damage".
    The Syrian government labels rebel groups and jihadists fighting the regime as "terrorists" and accuses Israel of backing them.
    Israel seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community.
    Around 510 square kilometres of the Golan are under Syrian control.
    The two countries are still technically at war, although the border remained largely quiet for decades until 2011, when the Syrian conflict broke out.
    The Israeli side is hit sporadically by what are usually deemed to be stray rounds, and Israel has recently taken to opening fire in retaliation.


  3. Waqas Dar
    DADU: Imran Khan on Sunday said that after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari's turn to be held accountable for corruption.
    Addressing members of the press in Dadu, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman alleged that the PM and Zardari were both corrupt.
    "Zardari has stolen the nation's money, it is his turn now," Khan said. "This country is being looted since the past 25 years."
    Commenting on the Supreme Court (SC) verdict on the Panama case, the PTI chief said, "The people [PML-N] distributing sweets and celebrating the verdict are fools. The SC has stated that institutions have been paralysed."
    "The SC rejected the Qatari prince's letter," Khan said. Qatar's Prince Hamad Bin Jassim bin Jaber Al-Thani had written a letter that stated that Nawaz Sharif's son Hussain Nawaz had acquired the London flats via a business settlement with the Al-Thani family. The letter was submitted to the Supreme Court in the Panama Case.
    Read more: Battle of words continues between PML-N, PPP leaders
    The PTI chief said that his party has started a revolutionary movement to wake up the nation. "I have arrived late in Sindh, but we will hold a large-scale rally here."
    Earlier on Saturday, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Maryam Aurangzeb congratulated the PTI chief on the Prime Minister’s ‘victory’ in the Panama case.
    “The PM and his family have been vindicated of all allegations by the Supreme Court’s decision,” Aurangzeb said.


  4. Waqas Dar
    QUETTA: A new case of Congo virus has been confirmed in Kohlu area of Balochistan, local hospital sources said on Sunday.
    A patient suspected of suffering from the Congo virus was admitted to Fatima Jinnah hospital three days ago.
    The patient remains under treatment at the hospital and has been declared to be out of danger, the sources said.
    This is the second case of the Congo virus reported in Balochistan during the ongoing month. At least 30 cases of the virus were detected in the province during 2016.
    Health experts urge people to be wary of symptoms like headache, vomiting, red eyes, bleeding and severe body pain. They advise that anybody suffering from these symptoms rush to a nearby hospital because early diagnosis can save lives.
    Congo virus lives on animals’ skins and is referred to as a tick. Animals with thicker hair are at a higher risk of being infected with the virus.


  5. Waqas Dar
    SEOUL: North Korea said on Sunday it was ready to sink a US aircraft carrier to demonstrate its military might, as two Japanese navy ships joined a US carrier group for exercises in the western Pacific.
    US President Donald Trump ordered the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group to sail to waters off the Korean peninsula in response to rising tension over the North's nuclear and missile tests, and its threats to attack the United States and its Asian allies.
    The United States has not specified where the carrier strike group is as it approaches the area. US Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday it would arrive "within days" but gave no other details.
    North Korea remained defiant.
    "Our revolutionary forces are combat-ready to sink a US nuclear powered aircraft carrier with a single strike," the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said in a commentary.
    The paper likened the aircraft carrier to a "gross animal" and said a strike on it would be "an actual example to show our military's force".
    The commentary was carried on page three of the newspaper, after a two-page feature about leader Kim Jong Un inspecting a pig farm.
    North Korea will mark the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean People's Army on Tuesday.
    It has in the past marked important anniversaries with tests of its weapons.
    North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, two of them last year, and is working to develop nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the United States.
    It has also carried out a series of ballistic missile tests in defiance of United Nations sanctions.
    North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threat is perhaps the most serious security challenge confronting Trump.
    He has vowed to prevent the North from being able to hit the United States with a nuclear missile and has said all options are on the table, including a military strike.
    WORRY IN JAPAN
    North Korea says its nuclear program is for self-defense and has warned the United States of a nuclear attack in response to any aggression. It has also threatened to lay waste to South Korea and Japan.
    US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday North Korea's recent statements were provocative but had proven to be hollow in the past and should not be trusted.
    "We've all come to hear their words repeatedly, their word has not proven honest," Mattis told a news conference in Tel Aviv, before the latest threat to the aircraft carrier.
    Japan's show of naval force reflects growing concern that North Korea could strike it with nuclear or chemical warheads.
    Some Japanese ruling party lawmakers are urging Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to acquire strike weapons that could hit North Korean missile forces before any imminent attack.
    Japan's navy, which is mostly a destroyer fleet, is the second largest in Asia after China's.
    The two Japanese warships, the Samidare and Ashigara, left western Japan on Friday to join the Carl Vinson and will "practice a variety of tactics" with the US strike group, the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force said in a statement.
    The Japanese force did not specify where the exercises were taking place but by Sunday the destroyers could have reached an area 2,500 km (1,500 miles) south of Japan, which would be waters east of the Philippines.
    From there, it could take three days to reach waters off the Korean peninsula. Japan's ships would accompany the Carl Vinson north at least into the East China Sea, a source with knowledge of the plan said.
    US and South Korean officials have been saying for weeks that the North could soon stage another nuclear test, something the United States, China and others have warned against.
    South Korea has put is forces on heightened alert.
    China, North Korea's sole major ally which nevertheless opposes Pyongyang's weapons programs and belligerence, has appealed for calm. The United States has called on China to do more to help defuse the tension.
    Last Thursday, Trump praised Chinese efforts to rein in "the menace of North Korea", after North Korean state media warned the United States of a "super-mighty preemptive strike".


  6. Waqas Dar
    Former president, General (retired) Pervez Musharraf has said that Indian prime minister Narendra Modi is taking anti-Pakistan actions.
    "The Indian PM does not want to resolve problems between the two countries, although being a bigger economy, India would have to take the first step," Musharraf said in an interview to an Indian television channel.
    The former chief of army staff said that ‘anti-Muslim’ activity is on the rise in India.  
    “India has lost its secular credentials and become anti-Muslim,” he said. 
    Musharraf said that the Pakistani nation is more progressive and moderate than Indians, which is why religious parties in Pakistan have never been in a position to form a government, whereas an extremist party (Bharatiya Janata Party) is in power in India.
    Discussing his views on the political situation in Pakistan, the former president said that a third political power is required in the country. He expressed his desire to visit Pakistan and hoped that the armed forces would help him in that regard.
    Read more: Musharraf wants to return if provided foolproof security
     
     
     
     


  7. Waqas Dar
    PARIS: France goes to the polls on Sunday for the first round of a bitterly fought presidential election, crucial to the future of Europe and a closely-watched test of voters' anger with the political establishment.
    Nearly 47 million voters will decide, under tight security, whether to back a pro-EU centrist newcomer, a scandal-ridden veteran conservative who wants to slash public spending, a far-left eurosceptic admirer of Fidel Castro or appoint France's first woman president, to shut borders and ditch the euro.
    The outcome will be anxiously monitored around the world as a sign of whether the populist tide that saw Britain vote to leave the EU and Donald Trump's election in the United States is still rising, or starting to ebb.
    Emmanuel Macron, 39, a centrist ex-banker who set up his party just a year ago, is the opinion polls' favorite to win the first round and beat far-right National Front chief Marine Le Pen in the two-person run-off on May 7.
    For them to win the top two qualifying positions on Sunday would represent a seismic shift in the political landscape, as the second round would feature neither of the mainstream parties that have governed France for decades.  
    "It wouldn't be the classic left vs right divide but two views of the world clashing," said Ifop pollsters' Jerome Fourquet. "Macron bills himself as the progressist versus conservatives, Le Pen as the patriot versus the globalists."
    But conservative Francois Fillon is making a bit of a comeback after being plagued for months by a fake jobs scandal, and leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon's ratings have surged in recent weeks. Any two of the four is seen as having a chance to qualify for the run-off.
    The seven other candidates, including the ruling Socialist party's Benoit Hamon, two Trotskyists, three fringe nationalists and a former shepherd-turned-centrist lawmaker are lagging very far behind in opinion polls.
    Months of campaigning has been dominated by scandals which have left many voters agonizing over their choice. Some 20-30 percent might not vote and about 30 percent of those who plan to show up at the polling stations are unsure whom to vote for.  
    Adding uncertainty to France's most unpredictable election in decades, pollsters say they might not be able to give precise estimates of the outcome at 8 p.m. (1600 ET) as usual, because small and medium-sized polling stations will be open one hour longer than in past elections. 
    "CHEERING MADLY"?
    Bankers and brokers in Paris and far beyond are expected to be glued to their screens all evening. The possibility of a Le Pen-Melenchon run-off is not the most likely scenario but is one which alarms them.
    While Macron wants to further beef up the euro zone, Le Pen has told supporters "the EU will die." She wants to return to the Franc, re-denominate the country's debt stock, tax imports and reject international treaties.
    Melenchon also wants to radically overhaul the European Union and hold a referendum on whether to leave the bloc.
    Le Pen or Melenchon would struggle, in parliamentary elections in June, to win a majority to carry out such radical moves, but their growing popularity worries both investors and France's EU partners.
    "It is no secret that we will not be cheering madly should Sunday's result produce a second round between Le Pen and Melenchon," German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said, adding that the election posed a risk to the global economy.
    Both US President Donald Trump and his predecessor Barack Obama have shown interest in the vote.
    Obama spoke with Macron over the phone on Thursday, and Trump said the following day he expected the killing of a policeman by a suspected Islamist in Paris to boost Le Pen's chances.
    Previous militant attacks, such as the November 2015 killings in Paris ahead of regional polls, did not appear to boost the votes of those espousing tougher national security.
    If either Macron or Fillon were victorious, each would face challenges.
    For Macron, a big question would be whether he could win a majority in parliament in June. Fillon, though likely to struggle less to get a majority, would likely be dogged by an embezzlement scandal, in which he denies wrongdoing.
    Some 67,000 polling stations will open at 8 am, monitored by more than 50,000 police officers.


  8. Waqas Dar
    LONDON: Half of Britons back Prime Minister Theresa May´s Conservatives ahead of a snap general election in June, according to a new opinion poll published Sunday.
    Polling company ComRes, which conducted the survey for the Sunday Mirror tabloid, said it was the first time the Conservatives had reached the symbolic 50 percent support mark since January 1991.
    The online poll put the Tories up four points on the previous week, while the main opposition Labour party was unchanged on 25 percent.
    The smaller centrist opposition Liberal Democrats, campaigning on a pro-European ticket, were unchanged on 11 percent.
    Other surveys published this weekend recorded a smaller but still significant lead for the Conservatives, putting their support between 40 and 48 percent, with Labour on between 25 and 29 percent.
    With almost seven weeks to go until the June 8 election, however, ComRes chairman Andrew Hawkins warned of the risk that Conservatives supporters may become complacent.
    "That is a nice problem for a party to have, but it is nonetheless a particular challenge in an election which may well be marked by low turnout and thus bring about some unpredictable and possibly surprising individual constituency results," he said.
    May, who took office after the EU referendum last year, surprised Britain by calling a snap vote on Tuesday, saying she wanted a mandate to take the country into Brexit.


  9. Waqas Dar
    MADRID: Barcelona have called on Spain’s Court for Sport (TAD) to reach a decision regarding the availability of their forward Neymar for the Clasico against Real Madrid on Sunday.
    Spanish media reported that the Brazilian will travel with the Barcelona squad for the game in Madrid despite doubts over his eligibility for selection.
    There has been widespread confusion about Neymar’s availability after he was handed a three-game ban following a sending-off in a game against Malaga this month.
    “The club requests the TAD issue a resolution,” Barca said in a statement on Saturday.
    “It is not true that FC Barcelona has asked for an opinion on whether the player is eligible or not.
    What the TAD was asked is that they assess the appeal and, subsequently, declare the player’s availability.
    The club is still waiting for an answer from the TAD.
    "The standard period of suspension for two yellow cards is one game, but Neymar´s conduct towards the officials after his dismissal led the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to hand down an additional two-match punishment.
    Neymar has served the first game of his ban and Barca are still contesting that the additional two-game suspension is excessive.


  10. Waqas Dar
    LONDON: Eden Hazard fired Chelsea into the FA Cup final as the Belgian´s blistering strike ensured Antonio Conte´s selection gamble paid off in his side´s dramatic 4-2 win over Tottenham on Saturday.
    Blues boss Conte sprang a major surprise by starting with Hazard and Diego Costa on the bench in the Wembley semi-final as he looked ahead to the Premier League leaders´ vital fixture against Southampton on Tuesday.
    But Conte´s bold moves proved inspired as Hazard´s replacement Willian put Chelsea ahead early on and then restored their lead in the second half after Harry Kane´s equaliser.
    Dele Alli levelled again for Tottenham, but Conte had all the answers and, when he sent on Hazard, the Belgian blasted Chelsea back into the lead.
    Nemanja Matic´s thunderous long-range effort sealed a final date against Arsenal or Manchester City, who meet in the second semi-final on Sunday.
    Having seen their lead at the top of the league cut to four points by second placed Tottenham last weekend and looking vulnerable following a limp defeat at Manchester United, this should be a huge psychological boost for Conte´s men.
    They rode their luck at times but showed a decisive killer instinct while their London rivals came up short in crunch time.
    Tottenham, losers yet again at Wembley and still without an FA Cup final appearance since 1991, need an immediate response in their midweek trip to Crystal Palace if they are to get revenge by pipping Chelsea to the title.
    Conte´s decision to pick Willian and Michy Batshuayi instead of Hazard and Costa triggered a round of second guessing, but it took just five minutes for the former Juventus coach to be vindicated.
    Breaking at pace, Chelsea worked the ball towards Batshuayi and his deft backheel sent Pedro surging clear.
    When the Spaniard was sent sprawling by Toby Alderweireld´s lunge, Chelsea were hoping for a more severe punishment than the yellow card shown by referee Martin Atkinson.

    Chelsea celebrate goal against Tottenham Hotspur/AFP
    But their frustration was short-lived as Willian stepped up to exact retribution from the free-kick, the Brazilian´s superb 20-yard strike eluding Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris before nestling into the far corner.
    Kane has been the spearhead of Tottenham´s impressive run this season and the England striker´s typically predatory finish drew them level in the 18th minute.
    Exposed
    As Christian Eriksen prepared to whip over a cross, Kane was already on the move and his awareness gave him a valuable extra yard of space on Chelsea defender Nathan Ake as he stooped to guide a delicate header past Thibaut Courtois.
    But, despite controlling possession for long periods, Pochettino´s side still ended the half behind as his decision to play Son Heung-Min out of position at left wingback was exposed in the 43rd minute.
    Kante slipped a pass to Victor Moses and when the Nigerian´s surge into the penalty area was halted by Son´s rash tackle Atkinson gave the penalty on the advice of his linesman.
    Batshuayi wanted to take it, but Conte demanded Willian step up and he stroked home the spot-kick in confident style.
    It could have been a major momentum changer, yet Tottenham were level again in the 52nd minute.
    Barely looking up as he received the ball, Eriksen unfurled a majestic pass towards Alli, who timed his run perfectly to slide in front of Luiz and direct a close-range finish past Courtois.
    Conte responded by sending for the cavalry as Costa and Hazard came on for Willian and Batshuayi in the 61st minute, while Cesc Fabregas was introduced soon after.
    Once again, Conte´s instincts were spot on and the Italian´s changes brought the winner in the 75th minute.
    Fabregas´s corner was only partially cleared and Hazard seized the ball just inside the area before drilling a blistering finish beyond Lloris.
    If that was a memorable strike, there was even better to come five minutes later when Hazard teed up Matic and Serb´s thunderous 30-yard rocket sent Chelsea into raptures.


  11. Waqas Dar
    KINGSTON: Legendary Pakistan batsman Younis Khan has shot down rumours which hinted he could take back his retirement decision and continue to play for Pakistan for another few years.
    In a video statement on Sunday, Younis confirmed that his decision to retire from international cricket after the Test series against West Indies was final.
    “There is a lot of speculation that perhaps I am taking back my decision to retire from Test cricket. There is no truth to this. My decision to retire from Test cricket is final,” he said.
    The veteran batsman, who is just 23 runs away from becoming the first Pakistani cricketer to score 10,000 Test runs, said he announced his retirement after careful deliberation and would not take back his decision.
    Read more: Younis eyes final Test milestone
    “I will not take back my retirement even if I score a century in every innings during the West Indies series,” Younis said, stressing that there was no need for any ‘conspiracy theories’.
    “I play for Pakistan, not India,” he said, as he urged his fans not to doubt his abilities and keep supporting Pakistan.
    Younis further asked the fans to pray for Pakistan’s victory against the West Indies.
    Read more: Younis Khan: a code of conduct for next generation
    On Saturday, Pakistan's outgoing skipper Misbah-ul-Haq said he felt Pakistan still needed Younis Khan.
    "He can play for another year or two," he said as he reflected on his favourite batting partner's cricketing journey ahead of his final Test series, sparking speculation that Younis might be taking back his decision to quit Test cricket.


  12. Waqas Dar
    WASHINGTON: International Monetary Fund members on Saturday dropped a pledge to fight protectionism amid a split over trade policy and turned their attention to another looming threat to global economic integration: the first round of France's presidential election.
    Concerns that far-right leader Marine Le Pen and far-left rival Jean-Luc Mélenchon, both critics of the European Union, could top the field in Sunday's vote added to nervousness over US trade policy at the IMF and World Bank spring meetings.
    "There was a clear recognition in the room that we have probably moved from high financial and economic risks to more geopolitical risks," IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde told a news conference.
    Lagarde, a former French finance minister who has warned that a Le Pen presidency could lead to political and economic upheaval, added that a policy shift from "growth momentum to more sharing and inclusive growth" was now needed.
    A communique from the IMF's steering committee on Saturday dropped an anti-protectionism pledge, adopting language from the Group of 20 nations that the Trump administration sought last month in Germany as it develops a strategy to slash US trade deficits.
    Earlier in the week, the IMF had warned that protectionist policies that restrict trade could choke off improving global growth.
    Instead, the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) statement pledged that members would "work together" to reduce global trade and current account imbalances "through appropriate policies."
    Mexican central bank chief Agustin Carstens, the IMFC chairman, said most countries have some trade restrictions and that protectionism was an "ambiguous" term.
    "Instead of dwelling on what that concept means, we managed to put it in a more positive, more constructive framework," Carstens told a news conference.
    Some officials chose to focus on the brightening global economy instead of the risks posed by the French election, new US trade barriers and Britain's decision to leave the European Union, said James Boughton, a former IMF official.
    "There's an awful lot of forced optimism about what these people are saying," said Boughton, who is now with the Centre for International Governance Innovation, a Canadian think-tank. "Until the train goes off the tracks, everything looks fine."
    US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin called for the IMF to step up its surveillance of members' foreign exchange rates.
    President Donald Trump "believes in reciprocal trade deals and reciprocal free trade," Mnuchin told Lagarde in an on-stage interview. "What that means is that if our markets are open there should be a reciprocal nature to other markets which should be open as well."
    CONTINGENCY PLANS
    The French election presents free trade advocates with a third potential blow in less than a year after Britain's EU referendum and Trump's election on a platform to restrict imports and protect US jobs.
    Trump has voiced support for Le Pen, the National Front candidate who has promised a referendum on France's membership in the EU.
    Investors fear that a potential run-off between Le Pen and Mélenchon, who has vowed to end the independence of the European Central Bank, would roil financial markets and drive out capital.
    ECB policymaker Ewald Nowotny said on Saturday that the central bank was ready to provide emergency cash to French banks if necessary.
    "If there should be problems for specific French banks liquidity-wise, then the ECB has the ... ELA, Emergency Liquidity Assistance, but we don't expect, of course, any special movements," Nowotny, who heads Austria's central bank, told reporters at the IMF.


  13. Waqas Dar
    ROME: Pope Francis urged governments on Saturday to get migrants and refugees out of holding centers, saying many had become "concentration camps".
    During a visit to a Rome basilica, where he met migrants, Francis told of his trip to a camp on the Greek island of Lesbos last year.
    He met a Muslim refugee from the Middle East there who told him how "terrorists came to our country". Extremists had slit the throat of the man's Christian wife because she refused to throw her crucifix on the ground.
    "I don't know if he managed to leave that concentration camp, because refugee camps, many of them, are of concentration (type) because of the great number of people left there inside them," the pope said.
    The American Jewish Committee (AJC) later urged the pope "to reconsider his regrettable choice of words" for using the term concentration camp.
    "The conditions in which migrants are currently living in some European countries may well be difficult, and deserve still greater international attention, but concentration camps they certainly are not," the AJC's head, David Harris, said in a statement.
    "The Nazis and their allies erected and used concentration camps for slave labor and the extermination of millions of people during World War II. There is no comparison to the magnitude of that tragedy," he said.
    Francis praised countries helping refugees and thanked them for "bearing this extra burden, because it seems that international accords are more important than human rights".
    He did not elaborate but appeared to be referring to agreements that keep migrants from crossing borders, such as deals between the European Union (EU) and Libya and the EU and Turkey. Humanitarian groups have criticized both deals.
    The pope urged people in northern Italy, home to an anti-immigrant party, to take more migrants, hoping that the generosity of southern Italy could "infect the north a bit".
    Noting that Italy had one of the world's lowest birth rates, he said, "If we also close the door to migrants, this is called suicide."
    The basilica of St Bartholomew is a shine to Christians killed for their faith in the 20th and 21st centuries.
    It contains a prayer book used by Father Jacques Hamel, the 85-year-old French priest killed by Islamist militants who stormed into a church in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray last year, forced Hamel to his knees, and slit his throat while they chanted in Arabic. His sister Roselyne attended the service.


  14. Waqas Dar
    Hollywood actresses Blake Lively and Jessica Chastain were among the six women honoured on Friday for their philanthropic efforts with organisations helping women and children.
    They joined singer-actress Audra McDonald, television personality Gayle King, Viacom media executive Shari Redstone, and Chelsea Clinton, vice chair of the board of the Clinton Foundation, at Variety's Power of Women lunch recognising their charitable work.
    Chastain backs women's healthcare organization Planned Parenthood, which she credits for giving her "the career that I have today".
    "I'm the first person in my family ... not to have a baby when I was a teenager, first person to go to college and have a college education, and to be able to have the choice in family planning," she told Reuters.
    Lively, who was recognized for her work with the Child Rescue Coalition to stop the spread of child pornography, said she felt "shy" about being at the star-studded luncheon.
    "Just because of the company I'm in, and you never feel like you deserve to be there, you know?" she said.


  15. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: The federal government has again appointed Dr. Irshad as chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue, sources informed Geo News, a day after he retired from his post.
    Sources said the government has issued a notification of Dr. Irshad's re-appointment for a period of 66 days.
    The Grade-22 official of the Inland Revenue Service retired a day ago, upon reaching 60 years' age.
    A summary of his re-appointment had been forwarded to the prime minister. Sources said the decision was made while keeping budget for the next fiscal year in view.
    The replacement of FBR chief at this time could hinder budget preparations, they added.


  16. Waqas Dar
    LAHORE: At least seven people were killed in separate incidents after rains lashed several districts in Punjab late Saturday, Geo News has learnt.
    Weather turned pleasant because of light and heavy rains in several Punjab districts including Lahore, Vehari, Sahiwal and others. The temperature in Lahore dropped down by 14°C, according to the Met Office.
    The downpours, however, claimed seven lives in Kamonki and Sheikhupura, according to rescue sources.
    Four of a family died after roof of a dilapidated house collapsed in Kamonki, rescue members said. The deceased included two women and two minors.
    In another incident, high-tension power transmission wire fell on an under-construction house in Sheikhupura's Rachna Town.
    As a consequence, six labourers, who were working on the site, were electrocuted. They were shifted to a hospital, wherein three of them were pronounced dead upon arrival.
    The deceased labourers were identified as Asif, Rizwan and Muzammil.
    Agriculture experts maintain that fresh spell of rain and dust storm are not good for wheat crop, which is ready to be harvested.
    More showers are expected in parts of Khyber Pakhtukhwa, Punjab, FATA, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad on Sunday, the Met Office says.
    On the other hand, heavy rains and thunderstorm is expected at some places in Quetta, Zhob, Naseerabad.
    Weather will remain hot and dry in remaining parts of the country, it said.


  17. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Saturday strongly condemned the "barbaric act of terrorism" in Afghanistan and said Pakistan stands in solidarity with their Afghan brethren.
    In a message released by the PM's media wing, Sharif said; "My government and the people of Pakistan stand in solidarity with the government of Afghanistan and our Afghan brethren in this hour of grief."
    Terrorists struck the Balkh province leading to the loss of the precious lives of Afghan soldiers.
    "We strongly condemn this barbaric act of terrorism. Our heart goes out to the victims of the attack," the prime minister said.
    "We express our heartfelt condolences with the bereaved families and pray for speedy recovery of the injured," he added.
    Premier Sharif termed terrorism a common enemy and a threat to peace in the region. "Pakistan feels the pain of our Afghan brethren as we have also suffered from this scourge."
    "I wish to reaffirm that we stand by Afghanistan and its people in their fight against terrorism and pursuit of peace and stability," he added.


  18. Waqas Dar
    KARACHI: A man was injured in a shooting, while a fugitive among 16 suspects was held in different raids in Karachi late Saturday, police said.
    The firing incident took place in Soldier Bazar area over a domestic dispute, police said. It left a man injured, who was shifted to hospital.
    Police conducted a search operation in Baldia Town's Saeedabad area and apprehended 15 suspects, said SP Baldia Asif Razzaq.
    A fugitive, Gul Nawaz, who had escaped from an anti-terrorism court (ATC) was also among the arrested suspects, he added.
    Meanwhile, Frere police nabbed suspect and recovered four stolen motorbikes from him, officials said.
    The suspect, Yasin Ali, was identified with the help of close circuit TV (CCTV) camera footage.


  19. Waqas Dar
    KINGSTON, Jamaica: Mohammad Amir completed a five-wicket innings haul and West Indies captain Jason Holder reached a fifth half-century as the home side reached 278 for nine in their first innings on a rain-ruined second day of the first Test against Pakistan at Sabina Park on Saturday.
    Only 11.3 overs were bowled in the entire day as inadequate covering from heavy overnight and early morning rain left damp patches on the pitch and a sodden area of the outfield, delaying the start of play by four hours.
    By the time the showers returned in late afternoon with even greater ferocity, just 55 minutes play was possible during which Amir and Holder shone through the gathering gloom.
    After the home skipper and Devendra Bishoo extended their eighth-wicket partnership to 75 against the second new ball, Amir had Bishoo caught at the wicket for 28.
    He then bowled Alzarri Joseph without scoring to achieve his first five-wicket haul since returning to international cricket last year following a five-year ban for spot-fixing.
    Most impressive in the left-arm fast bowler´s effort was his accuracy as reflected in figures of five for 41 off 24.3 overs before the showers swept across the ground and drove the players off the field for the last time for the day.
    Holder´s defiance was also admirable, the captain reaching the half-century mark by hoisting debutant Mohammed Abbas for a straight six.
    He resumes alongside last man Shannon Gabriel on the third day, weather permitting, on 55 off 69 balls with two sixes and seven fours embellishing his defiant innings.


  20. Waqas Dar
    RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's King Salman issued a royal decree on Saturday restoring financial allowances for civil servants and military personnel that had been cut under austerity measures.
    "The royal order returns all allowances, financial benefits, and bonuses to civil servants and military staff," said the decree, broadcast on state-run Ekhbariya TV.
    In September Saudi Arabia cut ministers' salaries by 20 percent and scaled back financial perks for public sector employees in one of the energy-rich kingdom's most drastic measures to save money at a time of low oil prices.
    The measures were the first pay cuts for government employees, who make up about two-thirds of working Saudis.
    The decree said they were a response to the sharp drop in the price of oil, the main source of state revenues.
    It said the measures had helped the kingdom begin achieving the objectives set out in its economic reform program, Vision 2030, which include improving state revenues and curbing the budget deficit.
    Other decrees appointed one of Salman's sons, Prince Khaled bin Salman, ambassador in Washington and another, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, state minister for energy affairs.
    Further decrees replaced the kingdom's information and civil service ministers and set up a committee to investigate allegations of abuse of the civil service office.
    A national security center was established under the royal court and Ibrahim al-Omar was named governor of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority, known as Sagia.


  21. Waqas Dar
    ROME: Feeding a growing global population will become almost impossible if the world doesn't take better care of its rapidly deteriorating soils, a humanitarian agency warned on Earth Day.
    More than a third of arable land is already degraded because of soil erosion - the loss of the topsoil by wind, rain or use of machinery - as well as contamination of soil and city sprawl, according to Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
    "If we don't start to address the issue of soil erosion I don't see how we can address the food security needs," Lori Pearson, an agricultural adviser at CRS told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
    Here are some facts on soils degradation and farming:
    * Roughly 95 percent of all food in the world is produced in soil.
    * More than 35 percent of ice-free land has been cleared of vegetation and converted to agriculture leaving soils more exposed to erosion and losses in soil carbon and nutrients.
    * Earth's soils contain more carbon than the planet's atmosphere and vegetation combined.
    * When land is overexploited or degraded, trapped carbon is released back into the atmosphere, resulting in planet warming emissions.
    * It takes nature between 100 and 1,000 years to produce 1 cm of soil, and if poorly maintained it can be lost in a single rainfall, or high wind.
    * The world is currently losing soil 10 to 20 times faster than it is replenishing it.
    * Each year 25 to 40 billion tonnes of topsoil are carried away by erosion.
    * Crop losses to erosion could reach 10 percent by 2050 - equivalent to removing roughly all the arable land in India from crop production - if no action is taken.
    * With the global population set to reach more than 9 billion by 2050, food production must rise by about 60 percent to generate enough for everyone to eat.
    *Planting more lentils, chickpeas and other pulses can improve the health of the world's soils. Sources: U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition Foundation


  22. Waqas Dar
    MIAMI: An unmanned Cygnus cargo ship carrying a load of supplies and science experiments arrived safely at the International Space Station on Saturday, according to live images broadcast on NASA television.
    Working from inside the orbiting lab, US astronaut Peggy Whitson and her French counterpart Thomas Pesquet operated the station´s external robotic arm to grab the approaching spaceship at 6:05 am (1005 GMT).
    The Cygnus spacecraft is packed with 7,626 pounds (3,459 kilogrammes) of crew supplies, hardware and dozens of experiments aimed at studying fire, growing food and cancer therapies.
    After the astronauts unpack the Cygnus, they will reload it with trash that will burn up along with the spacecraft upon re-entry into Earth´s atmosphere on July 25.
    This supply mission by Orbital ATK is the company´s seventh as part of a $1.9 billion contract with NASA.
     


  23. Waqas Dar
    DHAKA: Bangladesh on Saturday appointed all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan as their next captain for Twenty20 internationals, replacing retired fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza.
    Mashrafe announced his retirement from the game’s shortest format during Bangladesh recent series against Sri Lanka.
    Shakib’s appointment was confirmed in a meeting of the Bangladesh Cricket Board at its headquarters in Dhaka.
    "Since Mashrafe has retired, the board unanimously agreed to appoint Shakib as Bangladesh’s next captain for Twenty20 internationals," BCB president Nazmul Hasan told reporters after the meeting.
    "A few other names were discussed but in the end we all have agreed to appoint Shakib," he said.
    Nazmul did not give any timeframe for Shakib, who is expected to assume his role against Pakistan in July.
    Shakib, who captained Bangladesh in 2009-11 in all formats of the game, has so far led the team in four Twenty20 internationals, which they all lost.
    With his appointment, Bangladesh have now three separate captains for three formats with Mushfiqur Rahim leading the Test side and Mashrafe at the helm of one-day international side.


  24. Waqas Dar
    DADU: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairperson Imran Khan while taking a jibe at Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari remarked that the PPP leader, who called Imran politically inexperienced, has destroyed his own party with his ‘expertise’.
    PPP is the smallest political party in all the four provinces, Imran said while speaking to a rally in Dadu on Saturday. “
    Zardari has no empathy for the people of Sindh, he said, adding that the farmers in Sindh fear Zardari.
    The PTI leader then spoke about the Panama case verdict. “We are thankful to God for Supreme Court’s verdict.” He remarked that the Supreme Court’s ruling has brought Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s real face to the forefront.
    “Nawaz lost his moral status after the verdict of the Panama case,” he reiterated, adding “it is Nawaz Sharif’s bad luck that his name came up in the Panama case.”
    He remarked that he has tried his best to ensure that Nawaz Sharif replied to his questions in the National Assembly. “Khawaja Asif used to say that people will forget the Panama case.”
    He accused Nawaz Sharif of rigging elections in Punjab and Zardari of rigging them in Sindh.
    On corruption in the country he said, “the rulers looted the nation’s money making a poor country poorer.”
    He added, “Corruption has destroyed the nation. The country’s hospitals and education institutes have been destroyed because of corruption.”
    A day will come when police in Sindh will be of the same level as police in KP, he remarked. “If Sindh’s police department is improved then cruelty will seized to exist.” The worst condition is of the people in Sindh, he added.
    On the occasion, Liaquat Jatoi also announced that he has officially joined PTI. “I welcome Liaquat Jatoi to PTI,” said Imran while welcoming the leader.


  25. Waqas Dar
    The Reluctant Fundamentalist actor Riz Ahmed has been made a cover star for Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential figures in the world.
    The British actor of Pakistani origin appears in the publication's Pioneers section, sharing the list with the likes of Moonlight's Barry Jenkins and Ivanka Trump.
    Ahmed has appeared in popular TV shows including The OA, the final series of Girls and The Night Of. He is well known for his roles in a number of films including Nightcrawler, Rogue One and Jason Bourne.
    "Look! Riz Ahmed has been quietly pursuing every passion and opportunity for many years as an actor [The Road to Guantánamo, Four Lions, Nightcrawler], rapper ['Post 9/11 Blues','Englistan'] and activist [raising funds for Syrian refugee children, advocating representation at the House of Commons],” wrote Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda paying tribute to the actor.
    "To know him is to be inspired, engaged and ready to create alongside him. The year 2016 was when all the seeds he planted bore glorious fruit, and here's the best part: he's just getting started."
    He thanked Miranda for his tribute and support in a tweet.
     
    Other categories in the publication honoured leaders, artists and icons. Cover stars for the icons and artists category are Oscar winners Viola Davis and John Legend.
    Musicians Ed Sheeran and Demi Lovato and other influential personalities including Donald Trump and Pope Francis also appear in the list.


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