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Waqas Dar

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Blog Entries posted by Waqas Dar

  1. Waqas Dar
    Iqbal was speaking at the foundation-laying ceremony of Aviation City at Aeronautical Complex, Kamra. Photo: file KAMRA: Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said on Thursday that a strong air force and aerospace platform is imperative for a strong nation.

    Iqbal was speaking at the foundation-laying ceremony of Aviation City at Aeronautical Complex, Kamra.
    Iqbal remarked that Pakistan Air Force has played a critical role in the war against terrorism and without its contributions the nation would have not registered the immense successes it has against the menace.
    Air force is an important element of any nation's power which has assumed new importance for national security, he said.

    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/79475c498774171b16c36b6ab47823b2.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9Ny82LzIwMTcgOTozMDozMyBBTSZoYXNoX3ZhbHVlPU51RlVKbEtpTkI2L25NbzkxNFlieWc9PSZ2YWxpZG1pbnV0ZXM9NjAmaWQ9MQ== style=center] Speaking about the aviation city, Iqbal remarked that the establishment of aviation city has come at a very appropriate time and fulfils the very need where knowledge and industry can work together to create new opportunities for Pakistan in the field of aerospace.

    On the other hand, Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman said that the aviation city will prove to be an important step towards achieving self-reliance in defence production. He said it is also an important lead towards production of fifth generation fighter jets in the country.
    He said the aviation city will help support economic activities.
    He further remarked that Pakistan is aiming towards self-reliance adding, ?we are pledged to follow it.?
    The Aviation City will also help nurture modern technology and research issues in aviation. Students will be offered higher education and provided with opportunity to conduct research and develop the field. 


  2. Waqas Dar
    United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Photo: AFP/file UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has thrown its weight behind the steps outlined by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to better position the UN to deliver tangible results in the lives of the people it services, as the organisation moves towards implementing the ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    The UN chief's recommendations, made in a speech to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), include establishment of a ?Funding Compact? between member states, strengthening the role of resident coordinators of country teams and shifting the chairmanship of the development system to the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed.
    In her preliminary comments on Guterres' recommendations, Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, stressed the importance of setting a clear path for consultations with member states as the process goes forward.
    The secretary-general's outlined vision will be translated into a full-blown report in December for consideration by ECOSOC and later the General Assembly.
    "As for the report itself, we fully support the principal objective of the review, which is to ensure that the UN Development System is well positioned to support implementation of the 2030 Agenda in a comprehensive manner," she said.
    On his part, the UN chief thanked Ambassador Lodhi for her support and comments.
    "While we agree that sustainable development builds resilience and sustains peace, and durable peace enables sustainable development, an over emphasis on prevention within the development context could fundamentally change the nature of the UN Development System," the Pakistani envoy said.
    "Maintaining the development focus of the System is critical," she added.
    Guterres said he agreed with Ambassador Lodhi that centrality of development should be maintained and all the work of the UN's Development system should be focused to this end. "Humanitarian and other aspects of our work will never be allowed to sacrifice the development focus of the system, " he added.
    Addressing the growing imbalance between core and non-core financing of the UN Development System and how it undermines predictability, effectiveness, coordination and accountability, Ambassador Lodhi said that addressing this will be critical to measuring the success of the reform.
    At the same time, she voiced concern that the "modest approach" outlined in dealing with the gaps associated with the SDGs coverage, saying the UN Development System should be able to assist countries in implementing them in a comprehensive manner.
    Ambassador Lodhi described as the "litmus test for success" the three principles identified in the report -- reinforcing national ownership and leadership; ensuring a country contextual response; and country level delivery.
    At the regional level, she said there was a need to improve the coherence and coordination of the UN Development System. "This review, however, should also factor in the diversity of various regions and their respective priorities."
    Ambassador Lodhi also welcomed the assigning of comprehensive responsibilities on Sustainable Development to the deputy secretary-general, creation of a redesigned SDG unit and an Executive Committee to promote integrated decision-making.
    Wining up the discussion, the secretary-general thanked the Pakistani envoy for her support to his reform initiative. "I also agree that while creating new linkages we must continue to focus on transparency and accountability," he said, responding to her remarks.
    "You pointed out your concern about our modest approach in dealing with gaps associated with the SDGs and I will like to say that we will continue to work with member states to make it a little less modest.


  3. Waqas Dar
    Pakistan?s pro-boxer and two-time silver flyweight world champion Muhammad Waseem defeated Panama?s Eliecer Valdez in Panama on Wednesday to register his sixth straight win.
    The World Boxing Council (WBC) number-one ranked Waseem, who hails from Quetta, knocked out Valdez in the second round while facing him on the undercard of the ?Puro Poder? boxing event in Panama, which was headlined by the return of former world champion Roberto ?La Araña? Vasquez.
    Waseem has been preparing in Panama since June 29 with Las Vegas-based trainer Jeff Mayweather for a probable WBC title fight later this year. The 29-year-old Waseem is expected to face world champion Mayweather Junior early next year.
    Pakistani becomes world number one boxer in flyweight category
    Muhammad Waseem will fight for the gold title in flyweight category later in September this year
    On July 17, 2016, Waseem became the first Pakistani boxer to have clinched the world silver belt by beating Jether Oliva of Philippines in Seoul. It was a rare feat from the fighter as he lifted the title in only his fourth fight of his career. Then, on November 27, 2016, he successfully defended his crown by upstaging the dangerous Giemel Magramo of the Philippines, also in South Korea, after a tough 12-round battle.
    Waseem became the world?s top-ranked boxer as per rankings released by the WBC for the month of June, 2017. He is the first Pakistani boxer to be listed as the number-one boxer in the flyweight category.


  4. Waqas Dar
    Moderate monsoon currents are penetrating upper and eastern parts of the country, according to Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
    Seasonal low lies over northeast Balochistan and a shallow westerly wave is affecting upper parts of the country and likely to persist during next 24-36 hours, said the Met department.
    Moreover, rain/thundershowers (with isolated heavy falls) with gusty winds are expected at scattered places including Islamabad, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Malakand, Hazara, Mardan, Peshawar, Kohat divisions), FATA, upper Punjab (Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Lahore divisions), Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.
    Rain and thundershowers are also expected at a few places of Sahiwal, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur divisions.
    On the other hand, hot and humid weather is expected elsewhere in the country, said the Met department.
    Past weather:
    Rain-thundershowers with gusty winds occurred at isolated places in Gujranwala, Sargodha, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Malakand, Hazara divisions, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Weather remained hot and humid in other parts of the country.
    Rainfall (mm):
    Punjab: Gujranwala 46, Sargodha (City 20, PAF 18), Joharabad, Faisalabad 16, Sialkot (A/P 14, City 02), M.B. Din, Mianwali 14, Gujrat 08, Jhelum, Chakwal 02, KP: Kalam 16, Balakot 06, Malamjabba 04, Pattan 01, Gilgit- Baltistan: Bagrote 04, Skardu, Gilgit 01, Kashmir: Muzaffarabad 12, Garhi Dupatta 02, Rawalakot 01.
    Yesterday's Highest Maximum Temperatures:
    Moenjodaro 46°C, Larkana, Dadu, Sibbi 45°C, Nokkundi, Sakrund, Sukkar, Shaheed Benazirabad 44°C.


    Data courtesy: Pakistan Meteorological Department 


  5. Waqas Dar
    DUSHANBE: Whoever comes to power should complete the five-year tenure, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said while speaking to the media in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on Thursday.
    He also spoke about the stock market decline in Pakistan, saying the current situation got the graph sloping downwards.
    The prime minister was speaking on the second day of his visit to Tajikistan, where he is likely to meet Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and attend the CASA conference on power matters.
    The Pakistani premier is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Water and Power Minister Khawaja Asif, Adviser to PM on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir and chairperson of the National Highway Authority, among other officials.
    A press release issued by the prime minister's media wing earlier said the visit to Tajikistan was reflective of the premier's vision to strengthen Pakistan's relations with neighbouring and regional countries and further increase regional connectivity.


  6. Waqas Dar
    KARACHI: Two people died and two others were injured late Wednesday night in random incidents in different areas of the metropolis, Geo News reported.
    One person was killed during firing in Korangi No. 2.5 area, while another was left wounded, rescue sources said.
    On the other hand, a stone pelting incident left one man dead in Karachi?s Khokhrapar locale, police stated. The victim was identified as Mohsin, security forces added.
    Stray bullet
    A child was injured by a stray bullet in the city?s SITE area late Wednesday night, rescue officers said. However, it could not be determined where the bullet came from.


  7. Waqas Dar
    KARACHI: Two crucial suspects in the Lyari gang war were taken into custody during an operation conducted late Wednesday night by the law enforcement agencies in the city?s troubled area, Geo News reported.
    Sources reveal that besides the arrested suspects, who are important elements in the prolonged Lyari gang war conflict, the primary goal of the raid was to round up the infamous leader Zahid Ladla and commander Tanvir. However, they were not caught.
    Ladla is wanted by security officials in dozens of cases of murder, attempted murder, and extortion, the sources added.
    Raids in Gulberg, Ittehad Town
    Security officers detained three suspects during operations conducted in various areas of the metropolis, Geo News reported.
    During a raid carried out in the city?s Gulberg area, police took into custody two suspects and recovered weapons and a motorcycle from them, Superintendent of Police (SP) said. The arrestees ? who have been identified as Shakeel and Salman ? were wanted in numerous cases of street crime, the official added.
    In addition, both suspects confessed to the street crimes they had committed earlier, the SP stated.
    On the other hand, one suspect was detained during an operation conducted in Baldia?s Ittehad Town area, police said, adding that weapons and a motorcycle were recovered from the arrestee.


  8. Waqas Dar
    China's Alibaba Group Holding Ltd launched on Wednesday a cut-price voice assistant speaker, similar to Amazon.com Inc's "Echo", its first foray into artificially intelligent home devices.
    The "Tmall Genie", named after the company's e-commerce platform Tmall, costs 499 yuan (56.77 pounds), significantly less than western counterparts by Amazon and Alphabet Inc's Google, which range from $120 to $180.
    These devices are activated by voice commands to perform tasks, such as checking calendars, searching for weather reports, changing music or control smart-home devices, using internet connectivity and artificial intelligence.
    China's top tech firms have ambitions to become world leaders in artificial intelligence as companies, including Alibaba and Amazon, increasingly compete for the same markets.
    Baidu, China's top search engine, which has invested in an artificial intelligence lab with the Chinese government, recently launched a device based on its own siri-like "Duer OS" system.
    The Tmall Genie is currently programmed to use Mandarin as its language and will only be available in China. It is activated when a recognised user says "Tmall Genie" in Chinese.
    In a streamed demonstration on Wednesday, engineers ordered the device to buy and deliver some Coca Cola, play music, add credit to a phone and activate a smart humidifier and TV.
    The device, which comes in black and white, can also be tasked with purchasing goods from the company's Tmall platform, a function similar to Amazon's Echo device.
    Alibaba has invested heavily in offline stores and big data capabilities in an effort to capitalise on the entire supply chain as part of its retail strategy, increasingly drawing comparisons with similar strategies adopted by Amazon.
    It recently began rolling out unstaffed brick-and-motor grocery and coffee shops, using QR codes that users can scan to complete payment on its Alipay app, which has over 450 million users. Amazon launched a similar concept of stores in December.


  9. Waqas Dar
    SINGAPORE: Robots are getting softer.
    Borrowing from nature, some machines now have arms that curl and grip like an octopus, others wriggle their way inside an airplane engine or forage underwater to create their own energy.
    This is technology that challenges how we think of, and interact with, the robots of the not-too-distant future.
    Robots are big business: by 2020, the industry will have more than doubled to $188 billion (147.2 billion pounds), predicts IDC, a consultancy. But there's still a lot that today's models can't do, partly because they are mostly made of rigid metal or plastic.
    Softer, lighter and less reliant on external power, future robots could interact more safely and predictably with humans, go where humans can't, and do some of the robotic jobs that other robots still can't manage.
    A recent academic conference in Singapore showcased the latest advances in soft robotics, highlighting how far they are moving away from what we see as traditional robots.
    "The theme here," says Nikolaus Correll of Colorado University, "is a departure from gears, joints and links."
    One robot on display was made of origami paper; another resembled a rolling colostomy bag. They are more likely to move via muscles that expand and contract through heat or hydraulics than by electricity. Some combine sensing and movement into the same component - just as our fingertips react to touch without needing our brain to make a decision.
    These ideas are already escaping from the lab.
    SMALL, AGILE
    Rolls-Royce, for example, is testing a snake-like robot that can worm its way inside an aircraft engine mounted on the wing, saving the days it can take to remove the engine, inspect it and put it back.
    Of all the technologies Rolls-Royce is exploring to solve this bottleneck, "this is the killer one," says Oliver Walker-Jones, head of communications.
    The snake, says its creator, Arnau Garriga Casanovas, is made largely of pressurised silicone chambers, allowing the controller to propel and bend it through the engine with bursts of air. Using soft materials, he says, means it can be small and agile.
    For now, much of the commercial action for softer robots is in logistics, replacing production-line jobs that can't yet be handled by hard robots.
    Food preparation companies and growers like Blue Apron, Plated and HelloFresh already use soft robotics for handling produce, says Mike Rocky, of recruiter PrincetonOne.
    The challenge, says Cambridge Consultants' Nathan Wrench, is to overcome the uncertainty when handling something - which humans deal with unconsciously: figuring out its shape and location and how hard to grip it, and distinguishing one object from another.
    "This is an area robots traditionally can't do, but where (soft robots) are on the cusp of being able to," said Wrench.
    MARINE INSPIRATION
    Investors are excited, says Leif Jentoft, co-founder of RightHand Robotics, because it addresses a major pain point in the logistics industry. "Ecommerce is growing rapidly and warehouses are struggling to find enough labour, especially in remote areas where warehouses tend to be located."
    Some hope to ditch the idea that robots need hands. German automation company Festo and China's Beihang University have built a prototype OctopusGripper, which has a pneumatic tentacle made of silicone that gently wraps itself around an object, while air is pumped in or out of suction cups to grasp it.
    The ocean has inspired other robots, too.
    A soft robot fish from China's Zhejiang University swims by ditching the usual rigid motors and propellers for an artificial muscle which flexes. It's lifelike enough, says creator Tiefeng Li, to fool other fish into embracing it as one of their own, and is being tested to explore or monitor water salinity.
    And Bristol University in the UK is working on underwater robots that generate electrical energy by foraging for biomatter to feed a chain of microbial fuel-cell stomachs. Hemma Philamore says her team is talking to companies and environmental organisations about using its soft robots to decontaminate polluted waterways and monitor industrial infrastructure.
    This doesn't mean the end of hard-shelled robots.
    Part of the problem, says Mark Freudenberg, executive technology director at frog, a design company, is that soft materials break easily, noting that most animatronic dolls like Teddy Ruxpin and Furby have rigid motors and plastic casings beneath their fur exteriors.
    To be sure, the nascent soft robot industry lacks an ecosystem of software, hardware components and standards - and some companies have already failed. Empire Robotics, one of the first soft robot gripper companies, closed last year.
    RightHand's Jentoft says the problem is that customers don't just want a robot, but the whole package, including computer vision and machine learning. "It's hard to be a standalone gripper company," he says.
    And even if soft robots find a niche, chances are they still won't replace all the jobs done by human or hard-shelled robots.
    Wrench, whose Cambridge Consultants has built its own fruit picking robot, says he expects to see soft robots working with humans to harvest fruit like apples and pears which are harder to damage.
    Once the robot has passed through, human pickers would follow to grab fruit hidden behind leaves and in hard-to-reach spots.
    "It's a constant race to the bottom, so there's a pressing business need," Wrench said.


  10. Waqas Dar
    File NEW YORK: Oil prices tumbled about 4 percent on Wednesday, ending their longest string of daily gains in more than five years, as climbing OPEC exports and a stronger dollar spurred selling.
    Brent crude futures LCOc1 settled down $1.82, or 3.7 percent, at $47.79 a barrel. Prices had climbed for eight straight sessions to Monday.
    US West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 fell $1.94, or 4.12 percent, to settle at $45.13 a barrel.
    "It's a transition from being overbought for a while," said Tyche Capital Advisors senior research analyst John Macaluso.
    "I really don't think it's too much fundamentals driving the move today - seems more like a reversal of the trend. Eventually someone comes out of the market and everyone follows and you have to take profits."
    Prices pared losses in post-settlement trade after data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute showed US crude inventories fell 5.8 million barrels in the week to June 30 to 503.7 million barrels, exceeding forecasts for a draw of 2.3 million barrels. The API data, normally released Tuesday, was delayed by the US Fourth of July holiday.
    Official data from the US Department of Energy is due on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT), also delayed a day.
    Oil traders hope vacationing motorists heading for the beach in July will help US gasoline demand heat up along with sweltering summer temperatures, helping drain crude inventories.
    Oil exports by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries climbed for a second month in June, Thomson Reuters Oil Research data showed.
    OPEC exported 25.92 million barrels per day (bpd) in June, up 450,000 bpd from May and 1.9 million bpd more than a year earlier.
    The rise came despite OPEC's vow to rein in production until March 2018 and came on the heels of Reuters' monthly OPEC production survey which found output jumped to a 2017 high last month as Nigeria and Libya continued to pump more. Both OPEC members are exempt from the output cut deal.
    Russia, which led other non-OPEC producers to join the deal, would oppose any proposal for deeper cuts at OPEC ministerial meeting later this month, Bloomberg reported, citing four Russian government officials.
    "The air is getting thin for oil prices. The price increase just ran out of steam, which is not very surprising, given the news flow of rising OPEC supplies," said Carsten Fritsch, senior commodity analyst at Commerzbank.
    Another analyst said the strong dollar provided less incentive to invest in greenback-denominated commodities such as crude oil. The dollar pared some early gains but remained near a one-week high.
    The head of the International Energy Agency told Reuters that rising output from key oil producers could hamper expectations that the oil market would rebalance in the second half of the year.
    Saxo Bank cut its year-end Brent crude price forecast to $53 a barrel from $58. Yet traders and analysts pointed to some technical signs that could lead to a recovery.
    "The longer term moving average systems need stronger moves over $51.50 in Brent and $49 to $49.50 in WTI which is where the 100-day and 200-day moving averages are," said Scott Shelton, broker at ICAP in Durham, North Carolina.
    "Spending more time up here to get the shorter term moving averages to cross would also generate buying."


  11. Waqas Dar
    File KARACHI: The weather turned pleasant after parts of Karachi received light drizzle, Geo News reported.
    According to Met office, the process of light drizzle could continue for next 24 hours, however, there is no chance of heavy rain in the metropolis.
    Moreover, dust-thunderstorm and light showers with gusty winds are expected at isolated places in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Bahawalpur, DI Khan, Sahiwal, Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir, according to Pakistan Meteorological Department.
    Weather is expected to remain dry in various areas of the country.



  12. Waqas Dar
    BERLIN: Ties between China and Germany are about to enter a new phase, China's president said, as he met the German chancellor before a G20 summit that is expected to highlight their differences with the United States on a host of issues.
    President Xi Jinping and Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged on Wednesday to work together more closely on a range of issues, two days ahead of the G20 summit in Hamburg that US President Donald Trump is also due to attend.
    Trump's testy relationship with both China and Germany is pushing the two countries closer together, despite Berlin's concerns about human rights in China and frustrations over market access.
    "Chinese-German relations are now about to have a new start where we need new breakthroughs," Xi told a joint news conference with Merkel in Berlin. He said he hoped to make a "new blueprint, set our sights on new goals and plan new routes" for cooperation during his visit to Germany.
    "We will have difficult discussions, since bringing 20 states together with all their developments and ideas is not easy," Merkel said.
    Tension is likely both at the summit and outside it. Thousands of protesters are expected to demonstrate for a raft of causes, ranging from anti-globalisation to failure to tackle climate change. Already, German police have used water cannon to disperse around 500 anti-capitalist protesters.
    Much of the tension will revolve around Trump. In an article for German newspaper Handelsblatt Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe urged the G20 states to continue working together on climate protection, after Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 Paris agreement on climate change policy.
    And World Bank President Jim Yong Kim told Handelsblatt he agreed with Merkel on climate change, saying: "We cannot wait". In contrast to Trump's protectionist stance, Kim also stressed that free trade was key to alleviating poverty and boosting prosperity.
    Merkel has lashed out at Trump's administration for taking the view that globalisation is creating winners and losers. She told the newspaper Die Zeit that as G20 president, she had to work on reaching agreement rather than contributing "to a situation where a lack of communication prevails".
    To symbolise their close ties, Merkel and Xi opened a garden at the Berlin Zoo for Meng Meng and Jiao Qing, two giant pandas on loan from China who were seen sitting on wooden benches munching bamboo when a red curtain covering their enclosure was opened. Merkel described them as "two very nice diplomats".
    Merkel said she and Xi had also talked about wanting to quickly sign an investment treaty that would ultimately turn into a full-blown free-trade agreement. They discussed as well improving cooperation on cyber security and working more closely together on fighting international terrorism.
    In addition, they discussed bilateral cooperation in countries such as in Africa and Afghanistan, with Merkel highlighting an agreement to jointly build a hydroelectric power plant in Angola.
    But she added: "In my view we must intensively pursue the human rights dialogue, looking at how different parts of society can better express themselves. In this respect, cooperation in the field of civil society can be further strengthened."


  13. Waqas Dar
    Britain said on Wednesday it was sending in a task force to help run the local authority struggling to cope with the aftermath of a London tower block blaze which killed at least 80 people.
    Kensington and Chelsea council has been criticised by victims' relatives and survivors for its handling of the disaster in Grenfell Tower on June 14 and its leader quit last week over the response to the fire.
    "The delivery of the initial response on the ground was simply not good enough," housing minister Alok Sharma told parliament. He said the task force sent to help the council would focus on housing, regeneration and community engagement.
    Within days of the fire, Prime Minister Theresa May promised that all residents from the tower would be offered good temporary homes in the local area within three weeks.
    But that deadline passed on Wednesday and, while 139 families had been offered homes, only 14 had been accepted and just three had moved in. Many rejected the homes offered as unsuitable.
    "No one will be forced into a home they do not want to move to," said Sharma.
    The main opposition Labour party accused May's Conservative government of being consistently slow to act.
    "It's been off the pace at each stage following this terrible tragedy," said John Healey, Labour's housing spokesman. "The three weeks are up, yet whole families who've lost everything are still in hotels and hostels."
    Anger also persists over the failure to provide definitive answers about those still missing since the fire. Some local people say the scale of the death toll is deliberately being kept low.
    "I completely understand their desire for answers and we are committed to providing as much information we can, as soon as we can," police commander Stuart Cundy said on Wednesday, adding that all visible human remains had been recovered.
    "In total we have made 87 recoveries, but I must stress that the catastrophic damage inside Grenfell Tower means that is not 87 people. Until formal identification has been completed to the coroner's satisfaction I cannot say how many people have now been recovered."
    The fire has also thrown a spotlight on the safety of exterior cladding used to provide insulation and improve the external appearance of Grenfell Tower and other high-rise blocks. Since the blaze, the government said cladding tested at nearly 200 sites had failed fire tests.


  14. Waqas Dar
    TOKYO: At least 10 people were missing, including a child, and 400,000 were forced from their homes after record rains battered southwestern Japan for a second day on Thursday, sending rivers surging over their banks, a government official and media said.
    Parts of Fukuoka prefecture on the southwestern island of Kyushu were hit by 774 mm (30.5 inches) of rain in nine hours on Wednesday, about 2.2 times the amount of rain that falls in a normal July, NHK national television said.
    Some 7,500 rescuers, including police, firefighters and soldiers from Japan's Self Defence Forces, were mobilized to help with evacuations and search for the missing. Forty helicopters were on standby until the weather improved.
    "There are many reports of people whose safety cannot be confirmed, things like 'a child was swept away by the river' and 'my house was swept away and I can't get in touch with my parents'," chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga told an emergency early morning news conference.
    "We will keep in close contact with the disaster-hit areas and work with all our energy to save lives and ascertain the extent of the damage," he said.
    Fukuoka and Oita prefectures, both largely rural areas, were the worst-hit by the rain, which was caused by a low pressure area on the Pacific Ocean that fed warm, moist air into Japan's seasonal rainy front.
    Residents spent a worried night at evacuation centers set up at schools and government buildings on high ground amid reports of landslides and flooded roads.
    "It wasn't just the rain, there was thunder and lightning too. I couldn't see anything ahead of me," one woman at an evacuation center told NHK.
    A schoolboy sitting with his family told NHK: "I haven't heard from some of my friends, and I'm really worried."
    There were no immediate reports of major transportation problems, but television footage showed a railway line left broken and twisted by floodwaters.
    The same area was pounded by heavy rain earlier this week from Tropical Storm Nanmadol, which has since passed out to sea.
    The rain in Japan comes on the heels of a storm system that caused severe flooding across southern China that killed 56 people and cost almost $4 billion in damage.


  15. Waqas Dar
    Two experimental treatments for skin cancer, tailor-made to target a particular patient's tumours, proved safe in small-scale trials, their developers reported Wednesday.
    The vaccines also triggered an immune response to tumour cells, they said, although this does not necessarily equate to a cure.
    These are the first drug trials in humans with personalised vaccines directed at neoantigens -- molecules, caused by DNA mutations, found in cancer cells. The results of both were published in the journal Nature.
    Neoantigens do not appear in normal cells of the human body, making them an ideal target for cancer therapy. Conventional treatments such as chemotherapy kill healthy cells as well as sick ones, with severe side-effects for patients.
    "The vaccine was shown to be feasible, safe and consistently immunogenic (producing an immune response) in all patients vaccinated," study co-author Patrick Ott of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston told AFP of the first vaccine, dubbed NeoVax.
    Unlike a traditional vaccine that prevents disease, the aim of NeoVax is to prevent cancer from recurring in melanoma skin cancer patients after their tumours have been surgically removed.
    For the time being, the team cannot conclude that their vaccine has this effect.
    They tested the therapy in a Phase I safety trial on six melanoma survivors. Twenty-five months later, on average, four had not had a recurrence.
    But this is not conclusive.
    "The number of patients who were treated is low, so there is certainly a likelihood that these patients would have stayed cancer-free without vaccine," said Ott.
    Typically, at least half of melanoma patients relapse within two years.
    Further study needed

    Ott said there is already one type of cancer vaccine, for prostate cancer, on the market, but it is not widely used.
    Another, for lung, bladder, and skin cancer, is undergoing a Phase II efficacy trial, in combination with another drug.
    "We've long recognised in cancer that every patient's tumour is different," the team said in a statement.
    "With recent advances in technology, it's now becoming possible to create a therapy that's suited to target an individual's tumour."
    The NeoVax treatment contained up to 20 neoantigens derived from patient tumours.
    The researchers sequenced the DNA of tumour cells and healthy cells from each person to identify cancer-specific mutations and pinpoint the neoantigens involved.
    The patients had their immune systems "trained" to recognise these molecules, with the goal of stimulating an attack.
    In a second study published in the same journal, a team tested another personalised vaccine on 13 people with melanoma.
    This vaccine was similarly safe and induced an immune response, they concluded.
    "The two studies confirm the potential of this type of approach," Cornelis Melief of the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands wrote in a comment.
    Next-phase trials in larger groups of participants are now needed, he said, "to establish the efficacy of these vaccines."


  16. Waqas Dar
    Even A-list celebrities can be hurt by the venom on Twitter.
    Lady Gaga has rallied to support Ed Sheeran after the English songwriter revealed he is avoiding Twitter due to abusive comments -- some from Gaga's "Little Monster" fan base.
    "I wish all people on the internet would be positive and loving and a part of creating an online community that is kind and empowering, not hateful and mean," Lady Gaga wrote late Tuesday on Instagram as she posted a picture of herself with Sheeran.
    "No reason to tear down an artist simply because they are on top," she wrote.
    Sheeran -- whose "Divide" is the top-selling album so far this year in the United States -- said earlier in the week that he was no longer reading Twitter. His account in recent weeks consists mostly of tour photos reposted from his Instagram feed.
    "I go on it and there's nothing but people saying mean things. Twitter's a platform for that," Sheeran told the British tabloid The Sun.
    "One comment ruins your day. But that's why I've come off it," he said.
    The ginger-bearded 26-year-old insisted he had not targeted Gaga, whose diehard fans took him to task over a recent interview.
    Speaking on Apple Music's Beats 1 radio, Sheeran said he was open to outside advice as he did not want to feel "invincible" after his successes.
    "I do not want to do the Super Bowl years later, after my biggest success, just to prove I'm still relevant," he said.
    Gaga put on a widely praised show in February during halftime of the latest Super Bowl, the title match of American football which is the top-watched event each year in the United States.
    Gaga has been outspoken in fighting bullying, in part through her Born This Way Foundation.
    Cyberbullying has drawn growing attention amid the rise of social media, with critics accusing President Donald Trump of crossing the line with recent posts.


  17. Waqas Dar
    CARACAS: Pipe-wielding government supporters burst into Venezuela's opposition-controlled congress on Wednesday, witnesses said, attacking lawmakers and journalists in the latest flare-up of violence during a political crisis.
    Hours afterwards by late afternoon, a crowd of roughly 100 people was still besieging the building, trapping people inside, witnesses said. Some of the those outside brandished pistols and some shouted they would cut water and power supplies.
    The crowd had gathered from early outside the National Assembly building in downtown Caracas, chanting in favour of President Nicolas Maduro. Suddenly at late morning, several dozen people ran past the gates with pipes, sticks and stones and went on the attack.
    They injured at least three opposition lawmakers who stumbled bloodied and dazed around the assembly's corridors, witnesses said. Some journalists also were robbed.
    The worst-hurt lawmaker, Federico De Grazia, was hit on the head, fell unconscious, and was eventually taken by stretcher to an ambulance. His family later said he was out of critical condition and being stitched up.
    "This is Venezuela today," said Freddy Guevara, the assembly vice president and opposition leader. "Criminals attack the National Assembly, the armed forces are complicit in this madness, but the people and the lawmakers resist and advance."
    Throughout the day, explosions apparently from fireworks were occasionally heard around the congress building.
    Downtown Caracas is a traditional stronghold neighbourhood for the government and there has been a string of melees there since the opposition thrashed the ruling Socialist Party in December 2015 parliamentary elections.
    "We're kidnapped," said opposition lawmaker William Davila from inside congress where politicians where transmitting events live from their telephones.
    In a speech during a military parade for Independence Day, Maduro condemned the "strange" violence in the assembly and asked for an investigation. But he also challenged the opposition to speak out about violence from within its ranks.
    During three months of anti-government unrest in which at least 90 people have died, young demonstrators have frequently attacked security forces with stones, homemade mortars and Molotov cocktails, and burnt property. They killed one man by dousing him in gasoline and setting him on fire.
    "I want peace for Venezuela," Maduro said. "I don't accept violence from anyone."
    Mexico, Colombia and the United Kingdom repudiated Wednesday's events. "I condemn the grotesque attack on the Venezuelan assembly," tweeted UK ambassador John Saville.
    Venezuela's opposition is demanding general elections to end socialist rule and solutions to the OPEC nation's brutal economic crisis. The government says its foes are seeking a violent coup with U.S. support.
    HELICOPTER ATTACKER VOWS TO FIGHT ON
    Earlier, a Venezuelan police officer who staged a helicopter attack on government buildings in Caracas last week appeared in an internet video vowing to continue fighting.
    "Once again we are in Caracas, ready and willing to continue our struggle for the liberation of our country," police pilot Oscar Perez said in the video, wearing a military uniform and wool cap, with a Venezuelan flag and rifle behind him.
    Perez had not been seen since he hijacked a helicopter last week and flew through Caracas pulling a "Freedom" banner. He opened fire and dropped grenades on the Interior Ministry and Supreme Court but nobody was injured.
    Maduro, 54, the successor to Hugo Chavez, called that attack a terrorist assault to overthrow him and lambasted Western nations for not condemning it.
    But many government critics doubt the official version, and some even suggested it may have been staged to divert attention from the country's economic and political crises.
    In the video, Perez said the attack was "perfectly achieved" with no collateral damage "because it was planned, because we are not murderers like you, Mr Nicolas Maduro."
    Perez said he had staged an emergency landing on the Caribbean coast following the attack, and returned to the capital after hiking through mountains. The Information Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
    Perez, who has portrayed himself as a James Bond-cum-Rambo figure on social media, also is an actor who starred in a 2015 movie about the rescue of a kidnapped businessman.
    Although he has claimed wider support within the security forces, Perez's actions so far appear to be a rogue stunt organised by a small group of disaffected policemen.
    Venezuela's opposition has been staging demonstrations against Maduro for three months, saying he has created a dictatorship and destroyed the country's economy.
    They say Maduro is seeking to consolidate control through a Constituent Assembly, a superbody that will be elected at the end of July. The opposition has promised to boycott the vote, which it says is rigged in favour of the ruling Socialist Party.
    "We are fully sure of what we are doing and if we must give up our lives, we will hand them over to the people," Perez said in the video. "If this constituent assembly takes place, there will be no Venezuela."
    Before the attack on them, opposition lawmakers held a session denouncing the president as a "dictator" and approving a plebiscite that the opposition is organising for July 16, asking Venezuelans what they think of Maduro's plans.


  18. Waqas Dar
    Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Venus Williams breezed into the third round at Wimbledon on Wednesday, while fellow former champion Petra Kvitova tumbled out.
    Williams, Kei Nishikori and Johanna Konta had to grind their way into the last 32, while new mum Victoria Azarenka continued her comeback bid for Grand Slam glory.
    Dustin Brown, the dreadlocked German with Jamaican roots, knocked out Nadal in the second round two years ago at the All England Club.
    However, world number one Murray was not caught out by his extrovert drop shots, racing to a ruthless 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory on Centre Court.
    "Once I got the break in the first set, I felt the momentum was with me. I started to see the shots he was going to play a little but quicker and that allowed me to get to some of the drop volleys," the British star said.
    Next up for Murray is a clash with colourful Italian 28th seed Fabio Fognini.
    Fourth seed Nadal, fresh from winning a historic 10th French Open, had a comfortable ride against fellow left-hander Donald Young of the United States, the Spaniard winning 6-4, 6-2, 7-5.
    He faces Russian 30th seed Karen Khachanov next.
    "I'm happy now, it's great to be back in the third round without losing a set," Nadal said.
    "I take it easy now, just trying to enjoy every moment. I'm having a great season."
    Kvitova feeling sick

    Two-time champion Petra Kvitova, the bookmakers' title favourite, lost 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 to Madison Brengle of the United States.
    Kvitova, playing in her second Grand Slam since recovering from a terrifying knife attack in her home, needed medical assistance during the third set.
    "I just could not breathe, and I was feeling a bit sick," the Czech 11th seed said.
    "I felt like an animal. But a very slow animal."
    Troubled US five-time champion Williams survived a scare against Chinese rising star Wang Qiang, eventually winning 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
    Williams is trying to concentrate on tennis against the backdrop of impending legal action back home over a fatal car crash.
    "The past is something that you can't change, if it was good or bad. I like to live in the future. I don't want to think about the past, per se. It's done," she said.
    Williams next faces Japan's Naomi Osaka, who ousted Czech 22nd seed Barbora Strycova.
    Former world number one Azarenka, playing her first Grand Slam tournament since giving birth to first child Leo in December, knocked out Russian 15th seed Elena Vesnina 6-3, 6-3.
    She hopes to become the first mother to win the Wimbledon singles since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1980.
    "It's really fun that I'm able to go home and spend time with my son," the Belarusian said.
    Azarenka next faces British wildcard Heather Watson, who downed Latvian 18th seed Anastasija Sevastova.
    Big day for Brits

    British sixth seed Konta reached the Wimbledon third round for the first time with a marathon 7-6 (8/6), 4-6, 10-8 win over Donna Vekic which left her opponent in tears.
    With Konta, Watson, Murray and Aljaz Bedene's wins, four British players have reached the Wimbledon third round for the first time since 1997.
    But Murray said: "I'd rather set the goal at reaching second weeks and quarter-finals and contending for Slams."
    Nishikori dug deep to keep his Wimbledon hopes alive as the Japanese ninth seed ground out a 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 6-1, 7-6 (8/6) win over Ukrainian qualifier Sergiy Stakhovsky. He next faces Spanish 18th seed Roberto Bautista Agut.
    Fans shielded their faces from the sun with towels, programmes and napkins as temperatures reached 29 degrees Celsius (84 degrees Fahrenheit), while several players bothered by an invasion of flying ants.
    "I almost wanted to stop because they were hitting you in the face when you were trying to hit balls," said Sam Querrey.
    The American and his fellow seeds Marin Cilic, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gilles Muller, Steve Johnson made it through.
    Russia's temperamental Daniil Medvedev, who had knocked out world number three Stan Wawrinka, crashed out to Belgian qualifier Ruben Bemelmans.
    Medvedev threw coins at the umpire's chair before apologising for the bizarre gesture which he insisted was not meant to imply the official was corrupt.
    In the women's draw, second seed Simona Halep went through in straight sets, while fellow seeds Elina Svitolina (4th) and Dominika Cibulkova (8th) also made it.
    French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko joined them in the third round with a late evening three-set win over Canadian qualifier Francoise Abanda.


  19. Waqas Dar
    KARACHI/LONDON: Suspended Pakistani Test cricketer Nasir Jamshed, who recently made headlines pertaining to Pakistan Super League spot-fixing scandal, is having a tense relationship with his wife, sources confided to Geo News Wednesday.
    Samara Afzal, Jamshed's wife, lent weight to the reports when she posted a message on Twitter, stating, "Relationships break down but life must go on".

    She, however, refrained from divulging further details of her relationship with the suspended cricketer.

    Also, Samara has not been responding to the queries from her followers, despite reading their messages on the micro-blogging site.


  20. Waqas Dar
    MEXICO CITY, July 5 (Reuters) - At least 26 people died in a shootout in the northern Mexican border state of Chihuahua early on Wednesday, according to a spokesman from that state´s attorney general´s office.
    The incident, which took place near the rural community of Las Varas, involved two armed groups, and the number of dead could rise, spokesman Felix Gonzalez told Reuters.


  21. Waqas Dar
    Bollywood megastar Priyanka Chopra?s latest car selfie on a Sunday sparked a debate which many film actresses fall victim to time and again.

    Pee Cee, who uses Twitter and Instagram regularly, posted a closeup selfie in her car on a casual Sunday. The picture was captioned: Summer lovin... #carfiesunday."
    Unfortunately, the picture proved to be fuel for the social media enthusiasts who immediately started speculating if the actress has gone with a lip job.
    This is not the first time the actress has been accused of going through beauty procedures to enhance her looks.
    Earlier, when she posed for a magazine cover, social media users vented out against Photoshop usage on models, which creates unrealistic body standards. People had pointed out that Priyanka?s armpits looked quite unrealistic due to Photoshop, following which the actress tweeted a picture without a filter, posing with her hands on her head, showing flawless armpits.
    Not only that, the actress in the past has also been enquired regarding a possible nose job -- something she vehemently denied.


  22. Waqas Dar
    RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Bajwa held a reception on Wednesday for Pakistan cricket team and the management, according to an Inter-Services Public Relations statement.

    He also asked the team to continue to be hard-working and humble as they are the ambassadors of Pakistan, said the ISPR release.
    Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board Shaharyar Khan thanked the Army Chief for his support and making a conducive environment for the sport in the country.
    Chairman Executive Committee PCB Najam Sethi also thanked the Army Chief for the support in holding the PSL final in Lahore.
    The players also thanked the COAS for holding the reception and honouring them, said the ISPR, adding that the players also recognised the Army?s contribution in the war against terror.
    On Monday, the prime minister hosted the players and honoured them for their performance during the recently concluded ICC Champions Trophy.
    No need to plead with any country to play in Pakistan, PM tells Shahryar Khan
    Pakistan defeated India on June 18 to win the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 final
    "There is no need to plead with any country to visit Pakistan, those who want to play in Pakistan will visit themselves," said the premier at the occasion.
    After the conclusion of the premier's speech, he distributed prize money among the players and participated in a photography session with PCB's management and players.  


  23. Waqas Dar
    In a recent survey by Gallup Pakistan, as many as 51 per cent of Pakistanis believe that the Supreme Court`s decision on Panama Leaks will be against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family.

    In a sample size of 1,700 participants, 48pc suggested that the judiciary will give a clean chit to the first family and the percent chose not to give an answer.
    Another question asked was whether Hussain Nawaz`s leaked picture was a failure of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), 56pc of the respondents believed that it was indeed a failure of the JIT while 43pc said it was not.
    In the survey, 51pc of the participants also said concerns raised by PML-N and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had politicised the JIT probe, whereas 48pc disagreed.
    When asked if the those JIT members should resign against whom the government has shown a lack of confidence, 57pc participants said they should resign while 43pc disagreed.
    The survey also said that 43pc people believed that criticism of JIT on social media and other platforms was justified while 57pc said it was not.
    On a separate question, 44pc of the participants said the final JIT report will be controversial while 55pc said otherwise.
    Replying to a question on whether the prime minister's appearance before the JIT was a good move 44pc believed that PM Nawaz had no other option than to appear before the team whereas 55 percent hailed it as a good move.
    Asked whether their opinion of the prime minister has turned favourable after his appearance before the JIT, 32pc said their opinion has turned favourable while 34pc believed that their perception of him has worsened.  


  24. Waqas Dar
    File Photo LONDON: Joe Root says he feels excited by the prospect of finally leading England in a Test on the eve of the South Africa series opener at Lord´s.

    Months of waiting will come to an end on Thursday for the 26-year-old Yorkshire batsman, who was named as Alastair Cook´s successor as Test captain back in February.
    England, however, have been concentrating on limited overs action since then but Thursday´s match, the first of a four-Test series, will mark their return to red-ball cricket.
    "I´m very excited," Root told reporters at Lord´s on Wednesday.
    "For it to finally come round has made it feel a little bit more real. I just want to get out there."
    Root confirmed that Hampshire spinner Liam Dawson would play on Thursday.
    Meanwhile recalled batsman Gary Ballance will come in at number three, the new skipper at four and their Yorkshire team-mate Jonny Bairstow at five.
    "I have had a long time to think about a few things since becoming captain and that is the decision I have made," said Root. "I think it is where I play my best cricket."
    Dawson´s inclusion means that, for the second year in a row, uncapped paceman Toby Roland-Jones has missed out on the chance of making a Test debut at his Middlesex home ground.
    This match will be left-armer Dawson´s first Test on home soil after he made a debut in an innings and 75-run defeat by India at Chennai in December.
    The 27-year-old Dawson made an unbeaten 66 in that match and also took two for 129 in 43 overs, conceding on average just three runs an over.
    "When he came into the side he bowled with great control," said Root of Dawson.
    "He looked very at home and he will complement the rest of the attack as well."
    Questions of Ballance
    Ballance, dropped twice by England, has forced his way back in after piling on the runs for Yorkshire -- he is averaging over 101 in the First Division of the County Championship this season -- even though his last six Test innings have yielded just 49 runs in total.
    "In terms of Gary I look at how he has performed this year and the amount of runs he has scored and he has been phenomenal," said Root of the Zimbabwe-born 27-year-old left-hander.
    "A lot of people asked questions about the last time he played for England but I look at his game now, as do the other selectors, and he is a completely different player."
    England lost eight Tests last year although they did start 2016 by completing a 2-1 series win in South Africa.
    "We had a tough year last year in Test cricket but I think a lot of the squad is very settled and has learnt a lot from that and is ready to put that right this year," Root said.
    Root averages over 52 in Test cricket, having scored 11 hundreds in 53 matches at this level.
    Concerns have been expressed that the responsibility of captaincy might hinder Root´s run-scoring.
    But, having seen fellow leading batsmen Steve Smith (Australia) and Virat Kohli (India) continue to score heavily as Test skippers, the new England captain said: "I can´t see how I´ll approach batting differently.
    "I´ve generally prepared as I´d normally prepare for any other Test.
    "When I get out in the middle, I´ll look -- as I have previously -- to play the situation that´s in front of me."
    South Africa have lost just one away Test series in the last 10 years and Root said: "They´re a side that generally always play well in foreign conditions.
    "Their seamers have proved to be very strong in the past. A lot of the guys have experience of facing them over in South Africa, which should help going into this series.
    "But it´s about making sure we look after our game now."


  25. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday took notice of the current spike in US dollar against the Pakistan Rupee in the interbank market, touching Rs108.
    According to a press release by the finance division, the finance minister has ?expressed deep concern, indignation, and disappointment at the fact that the current political situation is being exploited by certain individuals, banks and entities, resulting in the artificial rise of the interbank rate of the US Dollar versus the Pakistani Rupee.?
    The spike negatively affected the country?s Foreign Exchange (FX) markets, stated the press release.
    The Finance Minister said that the responsible persons and entities in this matter will be identified and appropriate action will be taken against them in the national interest, the statement read. 
    The US dollar surged to its 2.5-year-high against the Pakistan Rupee in the interbank market on Wednesday.
    After closing at Rs104.90 on Tuesday, the dollar gained Rs3.12 to hit Rs108 today.
    US dollar climbs to Rs108 in interbank market
    US dollar gained Rs3.12 on Wednesday to hit Rs108
    According to sources, foreign investment outflows from the Pakistan Stock Exchange have resulted in the surge. 



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