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Waqas Dar

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Blog Entries posted by Waqas Dar

  1. Waqas Dar
    PARACHINAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan reached Parachinar on Friday to express his grief and solidarity with the families of victims after the town was rocked by twin bombings on June 23.

    The PTI leader also addressed the protesters, who have been staging a sit-in for the past few days.
    Earlier today, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa also reached Parachinar and assured locals while addressing a Jirgah that steps are being taken to make Parachinar a safe city.
    COAS Bajwa expressed his grief at the loss of innocent lives as a result of recent terrorist attacks in the city and promised to compensate the victims of terrorist bombings fairly.
    The Army Chief reaffirmed that the affected of Parachinar terrorist incidents would be given aid equal to other areas of the country.
    At least 75 people lost their lives and over 300 were injured in the back-to-back bombings that hit the city on June 23. The first blast occurred as people were busy shopping for Iftar and Eid in the Turi Bazaar area, close to a crowded bus terminal in Parachinar.

    The second explosion took place as people rushed to provide aid and rescue the wounded from the first explosion.


  2. Waqas Dar
    The State Bank of Pakistan, in its quarterly review of Pakistan's economy, has said that real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has increased to a decade high of 5.3 per cent.
    The SBP report added that certain other macroeconomic indicators, such as subdued inflation, investment growth and rising private sector credit have also showed an encouraging picture. 
    The real GDP growth in fiscal year 2016 (FY16) was 4.5pc. 
    "This acceleration was achieved on the back of a strong performance of agriculture and service sectors, which grew by 3.5pc and 6pc respectively," said the quarterly review. 
    The revival in the agricultural sector was brought about by favourable policy measures, including a subsidy on fertilisers, reduction in sales tax on tractors, and increased access to finance. 
    Better agriculture had a positive spill-over effect on the manufacturing and trade sectors. 
    Similarly, an overall improvement in business sentiment along with supportive policies, such as a low interest rate, high infrastructure spending and improved law and order has encouraged firms to pursue expansion plans. 
    A key contributor of the industrial sector, large-scale manufacturing (LSM), grew by 4.9pc in FY17 compared to 2.9pc last year.  
    Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) also played their part in boosting construction related industries. 

    Challenges faced
    The SBP report said the country has an adequate level of foreign exchange (FC) reserves, despite "some decline, there are no immediate concerns over its external position."
    "It is imperative to exploit all sources of FX inflows ? most importantly exports ? in order to comfortably finance the rising import demand."
    The report added that exports have been effected by a number of structural, institutional and entrepreneurial gaps, which have limited the country's competitiveness. 
    Another major challenge faced by the economy is low tax collection. Certain measure, such as differential tax structure for filers and non-filers can potentially increase the tax base, said the SBP report. 
    The quarterly review added that recent fiscal incentives for investment have led to deceleration in tax collection.  
    "Concerted efforts are required to further improve efficiency of the tax system."






     
     


  3. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said on Friday that elected governments in Pakistan have not been allowed to govern consistently.

    He added that the incumbent government has faced conspiracies, biases and revenge from certain quarters since it took over the reigns of power and added that Pakistan is being harmed more than the premier with the use of such tactics.
    Rafique claimed that certain foreign powers want Pakistan to become the next Syria or Egypt.
    ?Those who give examples of Tahrir Square should take a lesson from the fate of Egypt,? 
    ?Opinions of some self-proclaimed pious individuals can create chaos in the country," said the railways minister. 
    He added that those who are favouring one-sided accountability can plunge the country in to disorder and they should reflect on the results of their actions.
    "Those who are pulling the strings will be exposed in front of the nation," claimed Rafique. 
    The Panama Papers case Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has summoned Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz on July 5.
    According to sources, the premier's elder son Hussain Nawaz has also been summoned on July 4 and his younger brother, Hasan, on July 3.
    Hussain has appeared five times before the high-profile probe team whereas Hasan has been summoned twice already.
    The summons, dated June 25, 2017, has also asked the respondents to bring forth relevant documents related to the Sharif family's financial assets.



    The JIT, which resumed work today after taking a day's break for Eid on Monday, has asked all three siblings to appear before it at 11 am on their respective call dates


  4. Waqas Dar
    Saudi Arabia and its allies have demanded the closure of Qatar-based broadcaster Al-Jazeera - AFP file photo  GENEVA: The UN voiced outrage Friday at the demand from Gulf countries that Qatar-based broadcaster Al-Jazeera shut down, describing it as "an unacceptable attack on the right to freedom of expression and opinion."
    The closure of the broadcaster is one of 13 wide-ranging demands placed on Doha by Saudi Arabia and its allies as the price for lifting an almost month-long "blockade" on Qatar.
    The four countries have given Qatar a 10-day deadline for implementation ending on July 4.
    UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein "is extremely concerned by the demand that Qatar close down the Al Jazeera network, as well as other affiliated media outlets," his spokesman Rupert Colville told reporters.
    "Whether or not you watch it, like it, or agree with its editorial standpoints, Al Jazeera's Arabic and English channels are legitimate, and have many millions of viewers," he said.
    "The demand that they be summarily closed down is, in our view, an unacceptable attack on the right to freedom of expression and opinion."
    Colville stressed that countries that take issue with items broadcast on other countries´ television channels, "are at liberty to publicly debate and dispute them."
    "To insist that such channels be shut down is extraordinary, unprecedented and clearly unreasonable," he said.
    He warned that if Qatar goes ahead and shutters Al-Jazeera, "it would open a Pandora's Box of powerful individual states or groups of states seriously undermining the right to freedom of expression and opinion in other states, as well as in their own."
    With the support of the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, the Saudis announced on June 5 they were suspending all ties with Qatar, accusing it of support for extremist groups -- a claim Doha denies.
    They closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirate´s only land border, a vital route for its food imports. They also ordered all Qataris to leave and their own nationals to return home.
    And after Riyadh last week laid down its list of 13 demands for Qatar, the UAE warned the country should take them seriously or face "divorce" from its Gulf neighbours.
    Zeid is urging "all five states to take measures to solve this dispute in a calm, reasonable and lawful manner," Colville said, adding the countries should "ensure that any actions they take do not impact on the human rights of their own and other countries' citizens and residents.


  5. Waqas Dar
    Prices of all other remaining petroleum products will remain unchanged. The government on Friday revised prices of petroleum products, reducing the price of petrol and diesel by Rs1.5, reported Radio Pakistan.
    Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said the price of petrol has been decreased by Rs1.5 per litre, while the price of high-speed diesel will will also be reduced by the same amount for the month.
    Petrol will now be sold at Rs71.3 per litre and diesel at Rs79.9.
    Dar added that the government will continue to provide a subsidy of Rs2.4 billion on petroleum products.

    "The new prices will become effective midnight," said the finance minister.
    Prices of all other remaining petroleum products will remain unchanged. 








  6. Waqas Dar
    File Photo AFP  ISLAMABAD: Pakistan based Information Technology (IT) companies are making their way towards international markets through their mobile applications and gaming apps.

    Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) is determined to support all such IT companies for creating constructive and conceptual mobile games.
    According to PSEB, there was dire need to promote gaming, animation at international level to increase the market revenue for Pakistani developers.
    There are already plenty of Pakistani IT companies working in international arena mainly named as `Mindstorm Studios', `GameView Studios',`Pepper PK' and `TkXeL'etc.
    From these companies, `TkXel' has created mobile applications and gaming companies from a university lab in Lahore while Pepper PK made history by developing paid BlackBerry applications which reached top rankings on BlackBerry's App World store.
    `Tintashhas' designed many innovative casual games for iPhone, iPad, and Android platforms.
    Games are not the only avenue on the mobile platform that Pakistani companies are focusing on, but a number of companies have looked at broader educational and infotainment markets.
    Folio3 - judged as one of the Harvard Business School's All-World Fast Growth 500 companies in 2010 - has interesting products in its portfolio.
    Folio3 has been instrumental in creating an online educational platform for Secret Builders - a company that boasts a virtual world for children 5 to 14 years old powered by a Web 2.0 community of children, parents, educators, writers, artists and game developers.
    Pakistan has produced some great gaming studios.
    The title animation sequence of Game of Thrones, the world's most-watched TV series these days, has been produced by Hameed Shaukat, a US-born Pakistani.
    Cricket Companion application which received worldwide recognition was also developed by TricastMedia, a Pakistani startup.
    Pakistani Visual Effects Artist, Mir Zafar Ali has received three Oscar awards for his work in The Golden Compass, Life of Pi and Frozen.
    Novaira Masood, a Pakistani animator, effects in some of the most popular Hollywood movies including Maleficient, A Christmas Carol, Thor, Transformers 3 and Jack the Giant Slayer.
    Like Novaira Masood, Laraib Atta is another emerging visual artist from Pakistan who has worked on visual effects for popular Hollywood flicks such as X-men, Godzilla, and Gravity to name a few.
    Talking to APP, official of Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) said, the board facilitated the IT Industry through a series of project and programmes for promoting innovation and technologies.
    He said, various benefits were being offered to the companies which got register with PSEB, it supported them in participating in International events.
    He said , Pakistan Software Export Board in collaboration with National ICT R&D Fund had launched a new internship program titled "Prime Minister's ICT Internship Programme".
    Through this program, PSEB has trained 3,000 ICT graduates with 16 or 18 years academic degrees which aims to develop a career in the ICT Industry.
    PSEB also was also playing important role in providing office space to IT companies and such facilities were necessary for creating a platform for information exchange and linkage between academia, industry and the government,he added.


  7. Waqas Dar
    File Photo: SECP Chairman Zafar Hijazi  ISLAMABAD: In a statement, SECP Chairman Zafar Hijazi said he had explained his position to the FIA team which had also been reflected to some extent in the story by Mr Ansar Abbasi.

    ?Since inquiry proceedings are continuing, I am not supposed to give any version publicly. Once the inquiry is complete, I will definitely explain my position publicly to my countrymen,? Hijazi said in a statement released on Friday.
    According to the SECP chairman, anti-money laundering proceedings and the proceeding under section 263 of the Companies Ordinance 1984 are two entirely different matters and should not be mixed. He added that the head of any orginsation cannot be supposed to be aware of deficiencies or short comings in a particular case file nor can he be considered responsible for any such deficiency or wrong doing.
    ?If this precedent of allowing subordinates to apportion blame for their omissions or wrong doings is allowed to be set, every subordinate officer may attribute his failings to the heads of organization,? Hijazi said.
    An article published in The News revealed that the Panama Case JIT?s allegation regarding record tampering and backdated noting and signing of SECP?s 2013 documents of Chaudhry Sugar Mills probe in 2016 had been proven correct.
    According to the article, informed sources said that heads may roll as the SECP officials though confirm that the probe against Sharifs sugar mills was actually dropped in 2013, in one of the two files of the SECP on the subject the entry of the closure of the Chaudhry Sugar Mill was signed backdated in June 2016. 


  8. Waqas Dar
    Mr. Perfectionist Amir Khan appeared in blockbuster Dangal and smashed all records.
    After appearing in the biopic of on former wrestler and coach Mahavir Singh, Amir Khan is all set and ready to perform in another biopic.
    Yes, it is happening!
    Siddharth Roy Kapur who has launched his own production house called Roy Kapur Films [RKF] has now announced his three projects.
    Out of those three project, one is astronaut Rakesh Sharma's biopic starring Aamir in the film. 
    The film will be directed by Mahesh Mathai.
    Aamir Khan is currently shooting for 'Thugs of Hindostan,' which also stars Amitabh Bachchan and Katrina Kaif in pivotal roles.




  9. Waqas Dar
    Rohingya Muslim children stand in a village in Rakhine state, Myanmar October 27, 2016 - Reuters Myanmar will refuse entry to members of a United Nations probe focusing on allegations of killings, rape and torture by security forces against Rohingya Muslims, an official said on Friday.

    The government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi had already said it would not cooperate with a mission set up after a Human Rights Council resolution was adopted in March.
    "If they are going to send someone with regards to the fact-finding mission, then there's no reason for us to let them come," said Kyaw Zeya, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the capital, Naypyitaw.
    "Our missions worldwide are advised accordingly," he said, explaining that visas to enter Myanmar would not be issued to the mission's appointees or staff.
    Suu Kyi, who came to power last year amid a transition from military rule, leads Myanmar through the specially created position of "State Counsellor", but is also minister of foreign affairs.
    Although she does not oversee the military, Suu Kyi has been criticized for failing to stand up for the more than 1 million stateless Rohingya Muslims in the western state of Rakhine.
    She said during a trip to Sweden this month the UN mission "would have created greater hostility between the different communities". The majority in Rakhine are ethnic Rakhine Buddhists who, like many in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, see the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
    Some 75,000 Rohingya fled northwestern Rakhine state to Bangladesh late last year after the Myanmar army carried out a security operation in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents that killed nine border police.
    A UN report in February, based on interviews with some of the Rohingya refugees, said the response involved mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya, and "very likely" amounted to crimes against humanity and possibly ethnic cleansing.
    Myanmar, along with neighbours China and India, dissociated itself from the March resolution brought by the European Union, which called for a mission to look into the allegations in Rakhine as well as reports of abuses in ethnic conflicts in the north of the country.
    Indira Jaising, an advocate from the Supreme Court of India, was appointed to lead the mission in May. The other two members are Harvard-trained Sri Lankan lawyer Radhika Coomaraswamy and Australian consultant Christopher Dominic.
    Myanmar insists that a domestic investigation - headed by former lieutenant general and Vice President Myint Swe - is sufficient to look into the allegations in Rakhine.
    "Why do they try to use unwarranted pressure when the domestic mechanisms have not been exhausted?" said Kyaw Zeya.
    "It will not contribute to our efforts to solve the issues in a holistic manner," he said.
    An advisory panel headed by former UN chief Kofi Annan is set to propose solutions for the broader issues in Rakhine but has not been asked to investigate human rights abuses.


  10. Waqas Dar
    DG ISPR Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor spoke with reporters in Parachinar on June 30, 2017 - Geo News screen grab PARACHINAR: Director General Inter Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor said on Friday that additional army contingents had arrived in the city as part of enhanced security measures.

    At least 75 people lost their lives and over 300 were injured in back-to-back bombings that hit Parachinar on June 23. Grieving locals have protested following the blasts demanding safety and protection for all. 

    According to the DG ISPR some of the demands of protesters were political while the Chief of Army Staff had ordered to find solutions to security related demands. ?Additional army contingents have arrived, safe city project has been announced and better security measures will be taken.?


    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/4958beed908c280183fe4aa850a084cb.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9Ni8zMC8yMDE3IDk6MjU6MjAgQU0maGFzaF92YWx1ZT1aNFh0SmZLcUZ4U2U2WHhUdjJSZG5RPT0mdmFsaWRtaW51dGVzPTYwJmlkPTE= style=center]
    The DG ISPR informed reporters that the process to fence the border with Afghanistan was underway. ?In the first phase the sensitive areas used by terrorists to enter Pakistan would be fenced. While in the second phase the entire Pak-Afghan border would be fenced.?

    DG ISPR stressed that the Pakistan Army was committed to providing security to every part of Pakistan. ?The security of the entire country and all the people of Pakistan is equal,? he said.
    ?We are above any sect. We are Pakistanis and Muslims,? the DG ISPR added.
    Major General Ghafoor also said a united effort was required to rid Pakistan from the menace of terrorism.
    COAS reaches Parachinar 
    Earlier COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa reached Parachinar Friday morning, ISPR said in a statement.
    According to the ISPR, the army chief was briefed on the security situation and updated on the Parachinar incident. He will meet the tribal elders later in the day.  


  11. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan tweeted on Friday that media reports since the last two days had been exposing the record tampering by the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to protect the Sharifs.

    The PTI chairman added that the tampering if proven correct would be deliberate interference in due process and an attempt to impede justice. Imran Khan called for the perpetrators of this crime to be jailed.

    An article published in The News revealed that the Panama Case JIT?s allegation regarding record tampering and backdated noting and signing of SECP?s 2013 documents of Chaudhry Sugar Mills probe in 2016 had been proven correct.
    Informed sources said that heads may roll as the SECP officials though confirm that the probe against Sharifs sugar mills was actually dropped in 2013, in one of the two files of the SECP on the subject the entry of the closure of the Chaudhry Sugar Mill was signed backdated in June 2016


  12. Waqas Dar
    Jamshed Dasti seen speaking to media outside the ATC on June 29, 2017 - Screen grab LAHORE: A medical report of Member National Assembly (MNA) Jamshed Dasti has found no visible marks of violence, however, expert advise has been sought from a cardiologist, physician and dental surgeon on complaints of chest pain, epigestrim and toothache.
    A medical board was constituted to examine Jamshed Dasti after the MNA alleged that he was being tortured in jail.
    Dasti was imprisoned for forcefully opening a canal gate and speaking to the media outside an anti-terrorism court on Thursday claimed he was being tortured and his barrack had scorpions crawling around.
    The MNA said he was beaten and had been deprived of food at the Multan Central Jail.
    Following Jamshed Dasti?s video being broadcast on television, Chief Justice Lahore High Court took notice of the MNA?s alleged torture.
    The LHC chief justice has demanded a report on the matter from the sessions judge Sarghoda and the anti-terrorism court.
    The judges will send their report after visiting the jail on June 30.
    Meanwhile, a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court by Advocate Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta seeking suo moto notice on the video of Jamshed Dasti. The petition seeks Dasti?s appearance in the apex court and a medical examination of the MNA.  


  13. Waqas Dar
    The primary target of a crippling computer virus that spread from Ukraine across the world this week is highly likely to have been that country's computer infrastructure, a top Ukrainian police official told Reuters on Thursday.
    Cyber security firms are trying to piece together who was behind the computer worm, dubbed NotPetya by some experts, which has paralyzed thousands of machines worldwide, shutting down ports, factories, and offices as it spread through internal organizational networks to an estimated 60 countries.
    Ukrainian politicians were quick on Tuesday to blame Russia, but a Kremlin spokesman dismissed "unfounded blanket accusations". Kiev has accused Moscow of two previous cyber strikes on the Ukrainian power grid and other attacks since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
    A growing consensus among security researchers, armed with technical evidence, suggests the main purpose of the attack was to install new malware on computers at government and commercial organizations in Ukraine. Rather than extortion, the goal may be to plant the seeds of future sabotage, experts said.
    International firms appear to have been hit through their operations in the country.
    Slovakian security software firm ESET released statistics on Thursday showing 75 percent of the infections detected among its global customer base were in Ukraine, and that all of the top 10 countries hit were located in central, eastern or southern Europe.
    Arne Schoenbohm, president of BSI, Germany's Federal cyber security agency, told Reuters in an interview on Thursday that most of the damage from the attack had hit Ukraine, and Russia to a lesser extent, with only a few dozen German firms, affected.
    "In all of the known cases, the companies were first infected through a Ukrainian subsidiary," the German official said.
    SMOKESCREEN
    Ukraine's cyber police said in a statement on Thursday morning that it had received 1,500 requests for help from individuals and companies in connection with the virus.
    The malicious code in the new virus encrypted data on computers and demanded victims pay a $300 ransom, similar to the extortion tactic used in a global WannaCry ransomware attack in May.
    A top Ukrainian police official told Reuters that the extortion demands were likely a smokescreen, echoing working hypotheses from top cyber security firms, who consider NotPetya a "wiper", or tool for destroying data and wiping hard disks clean, that is disguised as ransomware.
    "Since the virus was modified to encrypt all data and make decryption impossible, the likelihood of it being done to install new malware is high," the official, who declined to be identified, wrote in a phone text message to Reuters.
    Information Systems Security Partners (ISSP), a Kiev-based cyber research firm that has investigated previous cyber attacks against Ukraine, is pursuing the same line of inquiry.
    ISSP said that given that few people actually paid the $300 demanded removing the virus, money was unlikely to be the primary object of the attack.
    "It's highly likely that during this attack new attacks were set up," said ISSP chairman Oleg Derevianko.
    "At almost all organizations whose network domains were infected, not all computers went offline," he said by phone. "Why didn't they all go offline? We are trying to understand what they might have left on those machines that weren't hit."
    Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov said the virus was first and foremost spread through an update issued by accounting services and business management software.
    "Also involved was the hosting service of an internet provider, which the SBU (Ukraine's state security service) has already questioned about cooperation with Russian intelligence agencies," he said, according to a statement.
    DESTRUCTIVE INTENT
    Technical experts familiar with the recent history of the cyber escalation between Russia and Ukraine, say these latest attacks are part of the wider political and military conflict, although no "smoking gun" has been found to identify the culprits.
    John Hultquist, a cyber intelligence analyst with FireEye, said the failed ransomware attack disguises an as yet unseen destructive motive. "If it were an attack masquerading as crime, that would not be unprecedented at all," Hultquist said.
    Some cyber security researchers have said the fact that the Kremlin's two flagship energy companies are victims of the attack could suggest Moscow was not behind it.
    Russian oil major Rosneft was one of the first companies to reveal it had been compromised by the virus and sources told Reuters on Thursday computers at state gas giant Gazprom had also been infected.
    For technical reasons, NotPetya appears to be more targeted than last month's global ransomware attack, known as WannaCry. When first infected by WannaCry, computers scanned the internet globally for other vulnerable machines.
    By contrast, NotPetya does not randomly scan the Internet to find new computers to infect. It only spreads itself inside organizational networks, taking advantage of a variety of legitimate network administration tools.
    This makes it far harder for anti-virus software or network security technicians to detect. It also gives it the capacity to infect other Windows computers, even those with the latest security patches, several security firms warned on Thursday.
    "Petya is proving to be more sophisticated than WannaCry in terms of scope, ability to be neutralized, and apparently, the motivation behind its launch," corporate security consulting firm Kroll has advised its clients.
    So far, NotPetya appears only to have been distributed inside Ukraine via a handful of so-called "watering hole attacks" - by piggy-backing on the software updating feature of a popular national tax accounting program known as MEDoc.
    Kaspersky, a global cyber security firm based in Russia, also said they found a second distribution point on a local news site in the city of Bakhmut, Ukraine, which infected visitors who clicked on the site with the ransomware-like attack.
    "Our analysis indicates the main purpose of the attack was not financial gain, but widespread destruction," said Costin Raiu, Kaspersky?s global head of research.
    "NotPetya ..combined elements of a targeted watering hole attack we?ve traditionally seen used by nation states with traditional software exploitation to devastate a specific user base," Lesley Carhart, a Chicago-based security researcher, wrote in a blog widely shared online by top security experts.


  14. Waqas Dar
    Germany´s midfielder Leon Goretzka celebrates after scoring a goal during the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final football match between Germany and Mexico on June 29, 2017/AFP SOCHI: Germany booked their place in the Confederations Cup final as Leon Goretzka scored twice in a devastating opening spell to Thursday´s 4-1 semi-final win over Mexico.
    Attacking midfielder Goretzka ran riot in Sochi with goals on six and eight minutes before Timo Werner and substitute Amin Younes netted in the second half.
    Marco Fabian scored Mexico´s stunning consolation in the 89th minute with a thunderbolt free-kick from long range.
    World champions Germany will face Chile in Sunday´s final in St Petersburg while Mexico play Portugal in Moscow´s third-place play-off.
    "We now need to reward ourselves for our hard work and we want to get the title," said Goretzka.
    The Germans drew 1-1 with Copa America champions Chile when the teams met last Thursday in Kazan.
    "We already played them in the group stage and we know they are good, they are one of the best teams in the competition I have seen so far," said Germany captain Julian Draxler.
    Goretzka and Werner are now the tournament´s joint top-scorers with three goals a-piece in Russia.
    Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio said the result was not a fair reflection.
    His side had twice as many shots as the Germans, but could not take their chances.
    "Our way of playing is very aggressive. We try to get forward all the time and we paid for that," Osorio said.
    "They are fair winners, but the scoreline would seem to suggest they were way better and I don´t think that was the case."
    Germany head coach Joachim Loew pulled a surprise before kick-off by naming 20-year-old Benjamin Henrichs on the right wing for only his third international and first start in Russia.
    The bold move paid off as Henrichs pounced on an early mistake and his pass found Goretzka sprinting towards the box.
    The Schalke forward took the ball in his stride and stroked his shot past Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa on six minutes.
    Goretzka struck again soon after when Werner´s pass split the Mexican defence open and he drove home.
    The early goals sparked life into comeback kings Mexico, who fought back in all three group stage matches to beat New Zealand and Russia after scrambling a draw with Portugal.
    Mexico´s midfielder Oswaldo Alanis (L) fights for the ball with Germany´s midfielder Leon Goretzka (C) and Mexico´s midfielder Hector Herrera/AFP  Midfielder Giovani dos Santos was a constant first-half threat.
    When Draxler was caught napping on the edge of the area, Dos Santos robbed him of possession, but fired just wide.
    LA Galaxy´s Dos Santos and his Villarreal namesake Jonathan Dos Santos forced Germany goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen into a double save with half an hour gone.
    Javier Hernandez squandered Mexico´s best chance when his effort flew agonisingly over the woodwork just a few minutes later.
    Mexico sustained the pressure and Hector Herrera´s free-kick had to be tipped over the bar by Ter Stegen.
    It stayed 2-0 at the break, but Mexico had 62 percent possession in the first half and 10 shots to Germany´s five.
    The world champions tightened their defence accordingly for the second half and Ter Stegen was rock-solid in denying Mexico´s half-chances.
    It was three shortly before the hour mark when Draxler´s pass into the area found Jonas Hector, who drew Ochoa for Werner to tap home for his third goal in Russia after Sunday´s double against Cameroon.
    Goretzka was replaced by Liverpool midfielder Emre Can for the final 23 minutes as Loew rested him for Sunday´s final.
    With 15 minutes left, Raul Jimenez headed against the crossbar with Ter Stegen beaten.
    There was nothing on when Fabian stepped up for a free-kick just inside the German half, but his strike rocketed into the top corner.
    The Germans were briefly rattled, but replacement Younes settled any nerves with a fourth goal in injury-time.


  15. Waqas Dar
    Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed poses with the Champions Trophy near the London Tower Bridge. Photo: IDI/Getty Images LAHORE: Pakistan?s limited-overs captain Sarfraz Ahmed is expected to be handed Test leadership in a meeting of the PCB Board of Governors on July 19.
    The board?s governing members are expected to meet on July 19, in what would be the last major meeting under the chairmanship of the outgoing Shahryar Khan.
    According to sources privy to the development, Sarfraz, who already leads his side in ODIs and T20Is, is likely to be named Test captain in the meeting, before the current chairman Shahryar Khan?s tenure ends in August this year.
    Miandad wants Sarfraz as Test skipper
    Pakistan will play a three-match Test series against West Indies which begins on April 21
    Shahryar Khan, as well as several other cricketing greats, have already declared Sarfraz to be the strongest candidate for the Test captainship. 
    The 30-year-old skipper?s case was further strengthened after he led Pakistan to a historic title win in the ICC Champions Trophy earlier in June by thrashing India.

    Sarfraz was also appointed vice captain to Misbah-ul-Haq in Pakistan?s tour to the West Indies before the Champions Trophy. The final decision about his Test captaincy is expected to be mere formality. 


  16. Waqas Dar
    Protestors rally in New York against President Donald Trump's ban on travelers from six mostly Muslim countries - AFP  WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump's ban on refugees and travelers from six mainly Muslim countries went into effect late Thursday, after a Supreme Court decision allowed it to go forward following a five-month battle with rights groups.
    The Trump administration says the temporary ban is necessary to block terrorists from entering the country, but immigrant advocates charge that it illegally singles out Muslims.
    The 90-day ban on visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, and a 120-day ban on refugees, will allow exceptions for people with "close family relationships" in the United States.
    But activists said the government has defined that too narrowly, excluding relationships with grandparents and grandchildren, aunts and uncles and others.
    And many were concerned about a possibly chaotic rollout of enforcement of the ban, like that in January when it was first announced.
    Immigration rights activists and lawyers were waiting to help arrivals at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and other airports to be sure those from the six countries with valid US visas were allowed in after the ban went into effect at 8 pm Thursday Eastern time (0000 GMT Friday).
    The Department of Homeland Security, which was heavily criticized for mishandling many arrivals when the ban was first attempted in January, promised a smooth rollout this time.
    It stressed that anyone with a valid visa issued before the ban begins would still be admitted, and that all authorized refugees booked for travel before July 6 will also be allowed.
    "We expect business as usual at the ports of entry starting at 8 pm tonight," said a DHS official. "Our people are well prepared for this."
    The Trump administration insists the ban was necessary to protect the country from terror threats, and to give immigration authorities more time to tighten vetting of travelers and refugees.
    "As recent events have shown, we are living in a very dangerous time, and the US government needs every available tool to prevent terrorists from entering the country and committing acts of bloodshed and violence," a senior administration official told reporters Thursday.
    Trump claims political victory
    But implementing it, even with exceptions, was also claimed as a political victory by Trump, after federal appeals courts twice blocked his order saying it violated constitutional protections of religion and overshot his own presidential powers.
    Immigrant rights groups and Democrats in Congress continued to label Trump's order "illegal" and said the exemptions provided in a Supreme Court ruling on Monday remained unfair.
    According to guidelines issued by the State Department, people with "close family relationships" would be exempt from the ban. It defined that to include parents, spouses, children, sons- and daughters-in-law, siblings and step- and half-siblings.
    But "close family" does not include grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-in-laws and sisters-in-law, fiances and any other "extended" family members, the guidelines say.
    People with formal relationships with a US entity -- who have for instance been offered a job or been accepted to study or lecture at a university -- will also qualify for visas during the ban. But a hotel reservation, even if already paid for, does not qualify.
    Even as travel officials across the US were making final preparations for putting the ban into place, opponents were preparing new legal maneuvers.
    Late Thursday, Hawaii asked federal district Judge Derrick Watson to clarify the scope of the travel and refugee bans in the Pacific island state -- and who, specifically, the ban refers to when stating that only an immigrant´s close family members can travel to the US.
    "In Hawaii, 'close family' includes many of the people that the federal government decided on its own to exclude from that definition. Unfortunately, this severely limited definition may be in violation of the Supreme Court ruling," Attorney General Douglas Chin, said in a statement.
    'Redefining family'
    Democratic legislator Bennie Thompson blasted the government for a "lack of preparation and transparency" in putting the ban into place.
    "Just hours before the president´s unconstitutional and misguided travel ban takes partial effect tonight, administration officials briefing Congress were unwilling or unable to provide meaningful answers about how they determined whom the ban would affect," said Thompson, the senior Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee.
    Rama Issa, executive director of the Arab American Association of New York, said the government is redefining what a family is.
    "I was raised by my grandparents, so the idea of grandparents not being part of a family is very foreign to me," she said at Kennedy International, preparing to help arrivals after the ban takes effect.
    "I'm engaged to get married. I have family who lives in Syria today -- not only my father, but my aunts and uncles who I would love to be at this wedding, and unfortunately are not going to be able to be here."


  17. Waqas Dar
    If you're an Adele fan, we have some bad news for you. 
    The Hello singer was considering an end to live shows earlier this year  but after performing the first of four shows at London's Wembley Stadium on 28 June, it is getting clear that "touring doesn't suit her particularly well."
    A fan shared a handwritten note published in the program for the event on Instagram.
    In the note, Adele said, "So this is it after 15 months on the road and 18 months of 25 we are at the end. We have taken this tour across UK + Ireland, throughout Europe, all over America and I finally got to go to Australia and New Zealand too. Touring is a peculiar thing, it doesn't suit me particularly well. I'm a real homebody and I get so much joy in the small things. Plus I'm dramatic and have a terrible history of touring. Until now that is! I've done 119 shows and these last 4 will take me up to 123, it has been hard out an absolute thrill and pleasure to have done."


    "I only ever did this tour for you and to hopefully have an impact on you the way that some of my favourite artist have had on me live. And I wanted my final shows to be in London because I don't know if I'll ever tour again and so I want my last time to be at home. Thank you for coming, for all of your ridiculous love and kindness. I will remember all of this for the rest of my life. Love you. Goodnight for now." the singer added.

    In March, Adele revealed on stage in Auckland in March that this tour could be her last.
    She said, "Touring isn't something I'm good at. applause makes me feel a bit vulnerable," she said at the time. "I don't know if I will ever tour again. The only reason I've toured is you. I'm not sure if touring is my bag."


  18. Waqas Dar
    Don't get worried or think about UFOs if you see something glowing in the sky.


    Because NASA has finally managed to launch its mission to create ephemeral, glowing clouds for the first time.

    The suborbital sounding rocket took flight at 4:25 a.m. ET Thursday from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia and released its payload ? which consisted of 10 vapor-filled canisters ? shortly afterward.

    It took NASA 11 launch attempts to get this mission off the ground, in part because of strict weather requirements.

    Once at altitude, those canisters produced green-blue and red artificial clouds that should allow scientists to learn more about how particles move through space.
    The artificial auroras were seen by skywatchers up and down the East Coast of the United States.
    NASA in a statement said, "Wallops received nearly 2,000 reports and photos of the cloud sightings from areas as far north as New York, south to North Carolina, and inland throughout Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and points in-between."


    In the video footage, the blinking auroras started off as a bright blue-green color and then fade to a deeper hue of blue in the sky.







  19. Waqas Dar
    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/ae0c753184224771fb1b7d836258e336.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9Ni8zMC8yMDE3IDc6MTI6MTAgQU0maGFzaF92YWx1ZT14VnEzR2ZlOExqcmFhNFYzMG1PNW1nPT0mdmFsaWRtaW51dGVzPTYwJmlkPTE= style=center] ZURICH: Money kept by Pakistani nationals in Swiss banks fell marginally to CHF (Swiss franc) 1.4 billion (Rs1.55 trillion) in 2016, even as the same from India fell for the third consecutive year to hit a record low.

    As per the latest data released on Friday by Switzerland's central bank SNB (Swiss National Bank), the total funds linked to Pakistan in Swiss banks stood at CHF 1.41 billion at the end of 2016, down nearly six percent from CHF 1.51 billion a year ago, foreign media reported.
    This included funds amounting to CHF 1.38 billion (down from 1.47 billion at 2015-end) held directly by Pakistani nationals and entities and CHF 0.029 billion (down from 0.036 billion) through fiduciaries or wealth managers.
    Earlier in 2015, these funds had risen 16 percent from CHF 1.3 billion at 2014-end.
    The decline follows two consecutive years of rise in Pakistan-linked funds in Swiss banks, while the same for India has fallen for the third consecutive year now and stood at CHF 0.676 billion at the end of 2016 ? a decline of 45 percent.
    This is the second time that the funds linked to Pakistan in Swiss banks have exceeded that of Indians.
    A number of other major countries also saw their funds falling in Swiss banks amid a global clampdown against the erstwhile banking secrecy walls in the Alpine nation.
    However, these official figures disclosed by SNB do not include the money that the foreign clients of Swiss banks might have kept in the name of shadow entities or shell companies.
    Also, these figures do not indicate towards the quantum of alleged black money, which has been a matter of a major political debate in various countries, including India and Pakistan. As per the SNB data, the total funds linked to Pakistan in Swiss banks stood at a record high level of CHF 3.43 billion in 2001 but has come down considerably since then. By 2013, it fell to as low as CHF 1.23 billion, the lowest since 1996 since when this data is available. However, it has risen by six percent and 16 percent during the last two years 2014 and 2015, respectively. As per the SNB data, the total money held in Swiss banks by all their foreign clients from across the world rose from CHF 1.41 trillion (USD 1.45 trillion) to CHF 1.42 trillion (USD 1.48 trillion) in 2016. 
    The story was originally published in The News 


  20. Waqas Dar
    Meg Lanning goes over the top, Australia v Sri Lanka, Women's World Cup, Bristol, June 29, 2017/Getty Images/ICC LONDON: Australia captain Meg Lanning made a superb century as the reigning champions made it two wins out of two at the women´s World Cup with a tournament-record chase to beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets at Bristol on Thursday despite a stunning hundred from Chamari Atapattu.
    The Sri Lanka number three made an unbeaten 178 -- the third highest individual score in a women´s one-day international -- in a seemingly competitive total of 257 for nine.
    Atapattu´s innings featured 22 fours and six sixes.
    But poor fielding and catching meant Sri Lanka´s spin-dominated attack rarely looked like defending such a score, with Lanning making 152 not out -- her 11th ODI century a record for women´s matches at this level.
    Lanning ended the match in style, hitting a six to bring up her 150 and seal victory for Australia with nearly six overs to spare.
    It was their second dominant success of the tournament, after an opening eight-wicket win over the West Indies.
    ´Very special´
    But Atapattu received the player of the match award and an admiring Lanning said: "Once she got going, it was hard to stop her. We couldn´t stop her in the end, anyway. We know she likes to hit the ball hard and straight. We tried a whole lot of plans but none of that worked -- a very special innings."
    Lanning added: "In the innings break, I said we need someone to get a big score. It was good that I managed to do that."
    Sri Lanka captain Inoka Ranaweera had mixed emotions, saying: "I think we need to build partnerships and play in the middle, so I am disappointed. I am proud of Chamari, I am very happy. For our next game against England, we will look to make fewer mistakes."
    India beat WI
    Smriti Madhana celebrates her century with Mona Meshram/Getty Images India, who stunned hosts England with a 35-run victory, also made it two wins from two as they overpowered the West Indies by seven wickets at Taunton on Thursday.
    Opener Smriti Mandhana got to three figures with an unbeaten 106 following her 90 against England.
    She added 108 runs for the third wicket with captain Mithali Raj (46) after India were in trouble at 33 for two chasing a modest 184.
    "Smriti played well for her hundred, it was a crucial innings she played," said Raj.
    India´s spinners made life so tough for the West Indies that even the usually dynamic Deandra Dottin -- holder of the fastest century in women´s T20Is -- could manage a mere seven off 48 balls.
    The West Indies slumped to 91 for six before some late-order hitting boosted the total.
    "We didn´t get the batting right in the middle," admitted West Indies captain Stafanie (attn eds: correct) Taylor. "We have the batters to do it but I think it´s up to the batters to take more responsibility in their actions."
    All the eight teams involved play each other once, with the top four contesting the semi-finals.
    The final takes place at Lord´s on July 23.


  21. Waqas Dar
    Roger Federer returns to Wimbledon as favourite to capture a record-breaking eighth title and become the tournament's oldest champion - AFP LONDON: Roger Federer believes his decision to skip the clay court season will pay rich dividends when he gets to crunch time in his bid for a record eighth Wimbledon title.
    Having won the Australian Open during an unexpectedly strong start to the season, Federer opted to miss the French Open and the tournaments leading up to Paris so he would stay fresh for Wimbledon.
    The 35-year-old knew he had a much better chance of winning Wimbledon, where he lifted the trophy seven times, than he did at Roland Garros, where he has triumphed only once.
    Although Federer lost in the first round of his return to action in Stuttgart, he quickly shook off the rust, winning the grass-court tournament in Halle for the ninth time, and he is confident the healthy state of his mind and body will be crucial in the latter stages at Wimbledon.
    "The idea is to be mentally fresh still and eager to play, hopefully when the second week rolls around," Federer told reporters at a Laver Cup launch in Wimbledon on Thursday.
    "I've done that without making any compromises about the grass-court season.
    "Originally I was going to take seven weeks off and then play the clay, but I decided to take 10 weeks off.
    "I never had any regrets. When I take a decision I move on with it. I got an incredible amount of practice on grass. Now Wimbledon is coming around you want to feel your best and play your best.
    "I just have to focus on my first round and take it from there. If I go deep I think it could be very beneficial that I didn't play clay at all."
    With Federer's game motoring along nicely, the 18-time Grand Slam champion is favoured by the bookmakers to win Wimbledon for the first time since 2012.
    Historic
    That would move the Swiss star past Pete Sampras and William Renshaw into sole possession of first place in the list of male Wimbledon champions.
    Federer's charge towards another historic milestone could be helped by Andy Murray's hip injury, which prompted the reigning Wimbledon champion to withdraw from two exhibition matches this week and sparked fears about the world number one's readiness to defend the title.
    Factfile on tennis great Roger Federer ahead of Wimbledon Novak Djokovic, three times a Wimbledon winner, is enduring a crisis of confidence after the worst run of his career, while French Open champion Rafael Nadal hasn't been past the fourth round at the All England Club since 2011.
    American legend John McEnroe won Wimbledon three times and he agrees with the odds-makers that Federer is in pole position to hoist the trophy on July 16.
    Federer is happy to have McEnroe's support, but he insisted the threat from Murray, Djokovic and Nadal is still strong.
    "It's nice John thinks highly of me this season, but does it get me a couple of free rounds or maybe some big points?" Federer said.
    "Look, Australia went well, so did the hard courts in general and now last week in Halle.
    "I'm healthy, so from my side I feel good about my chances but there is such a long way to go.
    "There are other guys that feel great right now as well so I know it's going to be a tough one. They will have their chance to win it.
    "I do believe Wimbledon will be won by one of the top contenders. I hope I'm there and if John thinks so that's even better."


  22. Waqas Dar
    SYDNEY: Cricket Australia and the country´s players looked set to miss a deadline to resolve a pay dispute on Friday, potentially leaving players unemployed and threatening fixtures including this year´s Ashes series.
    The current Memorandum of Understanding between CA and the Australian Cricketers´ Association (ACA) expires at midnight (1400 GMT) with hopes of a late breakthrough fading fast.
    The warring parties have failed to come to an agreement over revenue-sharing, and almost 230 players will be out of contract and will not be paid a retainer until a new MoU is agreed.
    Players who are on multi-year contracts that go beyond June 30 will continue to be paid, and will be required to play and train as before.
    The Australia A tour to South Africa in July is the first in the firing line, with its fate unknown if a new accord is not struck.
    Australia´s Test tour to Bangladesh in August and September and the lucrative one-day international series in India in September are also at risk, along with the showpiece home Ashes Test series against England later this year.
    The women´s team are currently competing in the World Cup in the United Kingdom. They have a special contract that will run until the tournament is complete.
    Australia players warned of unemployment as pay row deadline looms
    Coming tours to Bangladesh and India at risk along with England´s Ashes tour to Australia later in the year
    Players are due to assemble in Brisbane for training on Monday ahead of the scheduled Australia A tour of South Africa. The first tour match is supposed to start on July 12.
    Reports said that CA could hand out-of-contract stars like Glenn Maxwell and Usman Khawaja tour contracts that would ensure their participation in the series, although there is also the possibility of a boycott if no agreement is reached.
    The ACA board and executive are set to hold a meeting in Sydney on Sunday where they will consider the players´ response should the agreement lapse and the bulk of contracted cricketers become unemployed.
    CA want to modify the current pay model whereby players receive a share (around 25 percent) of agreed cricket-related gross revenue, and replace it with a revised offer to divide a portion of surpluses among all players as well as deliver pay rises for men´s and women´s international and domestic cricketers.
    The updated offer, made last Friday, was rejected by the ACA which remains staunchly opposed to any move away from a revenue-sharing model.
    The players´ union released its own proposal last March under which the definition of revenue is broadened and players receive a smaller (22.5 percent) share.
    That was rejected by CA, which said it retained the "inflexible" income-based revenue model to distribute payments. Since then, negotiations have remained at a virtual standstill.


  23. Waqas Dar
    LONDON: Prime Minister Theresa May won backing for her policy programme with a slender parliamentary majority on Thursday in the first test of her authority after an election setback and growing pressure on her Brexit and austerity agenda.
    May cut short a visit to Berlin and her defence minister, Michael Fallon, left Brussels to dash back to Britain for the vote, underlining her precarious position after she lost her Conservative Party's parliamentary majority in an election on June 8 that she did not need to call.
    On Wednesday, she saw off an attempt by the opposition Labour Party to defeat her in a vote on public sector pay, thanks partly to the support of a small Northern Irish party which she secured under a deal to help her pass legislation.
    It was that backing that helped her squeeze enough votes to pass her policy programme, set out to parliament by Queen Elizabeth last week, winning with 323 votes to 309.
    "This is ... the way we intend to govern. Living within our means, creating good jobs, paying people well, investing in the future by working with business ... implementing the will of the British people to leave the EU in a way that is orderly and sensible," business minister Greg Clark said before the vote.
    "We vote tonight not just on a programme of legislation but on a fundamental approach to the future of this country."
    The vote was not without difficulties. Opposition parties proposed amendments which tested the discipline of May's supporters and the government had to make a concession on abortion rights, making funds available in England for women arriving from Northern Ireland for abortions, to avoid defeat.
    Other amendments challenged her stance on Britain's departure from the European Union, demanding that the country stay in the bloc's single market, and on austerity, criticising her for not investing in the economy.
    Both were rejected.
    But the vote shows how difficult it will be for May to push through legislation needed to ease Britain's departure from the European Union and underlines how little room for manoeuvre she has as Conservative lawmakers jockey for position to replace her.
    Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the Conservative programme was "in tatters" and should bend to the will of voters who wanted an end to public sector cuts, which some have blamed for a fire that killed at least 80 in west London and for straining a police service battling militant attacks.
    "Theresa May does not have a mandate for continued cuts to our schools, hospitals, police and other vital public services or for a race-to-the-bottom Brexit. Labour will fight these policies every step of the way," he said in a statement.
    "Labour won support in every region and nation of Britain for our jobs-first Brexit approach and our policies that would transfer wealth, power and opportunity to the many from the few."


  24. Waqas Dar
    Construction is shown on Mischief Reef, in the Spratly Islands, the disputed South China Sea in this June 19, 2017 satellite image released by CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) to Reuters on June 29, 2017. CSIS/AMTI DigitalGlobe/Handout via REUTERS China has built new military facilities on islands in the South China Sea, a US think tank reported on Thursday, a move that could raise tensions with Washington, which has accused Beijing of militarizing the vital waterway.
    The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), part of Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies, said new satellite images show missile shelters and radar and communications facilities being built on the Fiery Cross, Mischief and Subi Reefs in the Spratly Islands.
    The United States has criticized China's build-up of military facilities on the artificial islands and is concerned they could be used to restrict free movement through the South China Sea, an important trade route.
    Last month, a US Navy warship sailed within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef in a so-called freedom of navigation operation, the first such challenge to Beijing's claim to most of the waterway since US President Donald Trump took office.
    China has denied US charges that it is militarizing the sea, which also is claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.
    Trump has sought China's help in reining in North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, and tension between Washington and Beijing over military installations in the South China Sea could complicate those efforts.
    China has built four new missile shelters on Fiery Cross Reef to go with the eight already on the artificial island, AMTI said. Mischief and Subi each have eight shelters, the think tank said in a previous report.
    In February, Reuters reported that China had nearly finished building structures to house long-range surface-to-air missiles on the three islands.
    On Mischief Reef, a very large antennae array is being installed that presumably boosts Beijing's ability to monitor the surroundings, the think tank said, adding that the installation should be of concern to the Philippines due to its proximity to an area claimed by Manila.
    A large dome recently was installed on Fiery Cross and another is under construction, indicating a sizeable communications or radar system, AMTI said. Two more domes are being built at Mischief Reef, it said.
    A smaller dome has been installed near the missile shelters on Mischief, "indicating that it could be connected to radars for any missile systems that might be housed there," AMTI said.
    "Beijing can now deploy military assets, including combat aircraft and mobile missile launchers, to the Spratly Islands at any time," it said.


  25. Waqas Dar
    China will launch a series of artificial intelligence (AI) projects and increase efforts to cultivate tech talent as part of a soon to announced national AI plan, the China Daily said on Friday, citing a senior official.
    The country is focusing on AI as it is seen as a tool to boost productivity and empower employees, the paper said.
    China will roll out a slew of AI research and development projects, allocate more resources to nurturing talent and increase the use of AI in education, healthcare and security among other things, said Wan Gang, the minister of science and technology at a conference in Tianjin.
    The plan will soon be released to the public, said Wan.
    China will build cooperation with international AI organizations and encourage foreign AI firms to set up R&D centers in the country, he added.


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