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Waqas Dar

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Blog Entries posted by Waqas Dar

  1. Waqas Dar
    KAZAN: Claudio Bravo was Chile's hero on Wednesday as they beat Portugal 3-0 in a penalty shoot-out in the Confederations Cup semi-finals.
    The Manchester City goalkeeper saved all three penalties from Portugal's Ricardo Quaresma, Joao Moutinho and Nani, while Arturo Vidal, Charles Aranguiz and Alexis Sanchez nailed their spot-kicks for the South Americans.
    "We are satisfied with the result and how we played, but we have still not won anything," warned the 34-year-old Bravo.
    Chile progress to Sunday's final in St Petersburg to face either Mexico or Germany, who meet Thursday in Sochi in the other semi-final.
    "I'm very proud of this team. Claudio pulled off some good saves to keep us in the game," said Chile coach Juan Antonio Pizzi.
    "He had the ability to foresee where their players would put their kicks. Now it doesn't matter who we get, we just need to recover for the final."
    Losers Portugal will contest Sunday's third-place play-off in Moscow.
    Chile almost settled Wednesday's match in the dying stages of extra-time when both Vidal and substitute Martin Rodriguez hit the woodwork as Portugal hung on to take the game to a shoot-out.
    The defeat in Kazan will be bitterly disappointing for Portugal's superstar forward Cristiano Ronaldo.
    The Real Madrid star, who is facing doubts about his future in Spain as he prepares to answer allegations of tax evasion in a Madrid court next month, had won man-of-the-match awards in all three group matches.
    Before kick-off in Kazan, Manchester City's new signing Bernardo Silva shook off a foot injury he suffered in the 4-0 drubbing of New Zealand to make Portugal's starting line-up.
    With Pepe suspended, Jose Fonte partnered Bruno Alves at centre-back.
    Up front, AC Milan's 21-year-old striker Andre Silva partnered Ronaldo, but the pair endured a frustrating night at the hands of Chile's defence.
    Chile's coach Juan Antonio Pizzi named the same team which drew 1-1 with world champions Germany last Thursday as centre-back Gary Medel and midfielder Aranguiz both shook off knocks.
    Frantic opening

    The game got off to a frantic start which demanded early saves from both goalkeepers.
    With just six minutes gone, Sanchez put a superb pass in behind the defence, which landed just in front of Eduardo Vargas, but Portugal's goalkeeper Rui Patricio blocked the shot.
    At the other end moments later, a low Ronaldo cross put Andre Silva in space, but Bravo smothered the effort at close range.
    Aranguiz twice went close with efforts on the Portugal goal in the opening half and it was end-to-end stuff again after the break.
    Chile's Vargas forced Patricio into another reflex save, while Ronaldo fired at Bravo when Portugal counter-attacked immediately.
    Then Vidal's long-range effort went screaming just high and wide of the Portugal goal.
    Ronaldo sent a free-kick just over and had a shot blocked as both sides attacked relentlessly, but the scores remained goalless and the game went to extra time.
    There was no let up in the pace as Portugal's Andre Gomes went close while Sanchez headed Mauricio Isla's cross from the left just wide of the post.
    Joao Moutinho came on for Adrien Silva, who had worked tirelessly in midfield for Portugal, in the first period of extra time.
    With time almost up, Chile had a penalty appeal turned down when substitute Francisco Silva appeared to be fouled by Fonte in the area before Vidal, then Rodriguez rattled Portugal's woodwork.


  2. Waqas Dar
    The United States announced Wednesday it would implement tough new security rules for all airlines flying into the country, but held off from a threatened expansion of its carry-on laptop ban.
    Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly said evolving terror threats made it imperative to raise overall security standards, rather than take a piecemeal approach on personal electronics.
    "Make no mistake: our enemies are constantly working to find new methods for disguising explosives, recruiting insiders, and hijacking aircraft," Kelly said.
    "We cannot play international whack-a-mole with each new threat. Instead, we must put in place new measures across the board to keep the traveling public safe and make it harder for terrorists to succeed."
    The move put off for the moment an extension of the ban on laptops and other carry-on personal electronics to flights from Europe, something that had been under discussion for months.
    The laptop ban was instituted in March for eight North African and Middle East countries based on intelligence that the Daesh group was working to build a bomb into a tablet or laptop computer.
    For the same reason, Britain also banned similar-sized electronics from being carried into cabins on direct flights from six countries.
    In a speech at a conference of the Center for a New American Security, Kelly said the terror threat to airlines has not diminished.
    "In fact, I am concerned that we are seeing renewed interest on the part of terrorist groups to go after the aviation sector -- from bombing aircraft to attacking airports on the ground, as we saw in Brussels and Istanbul."
    He said airlines and airports around the world would have to implement a mix of new technological and physical screening methods for passengers and their devices.
    2,000 daily flights in focus

    Homeland Security officials said the agency would issue directives to about 180 air carriers in 105 countries, including US carriers, that fly into the United States.
    Collectively they operate about 2,000 US-bound flights each day carrying some 325,000 passengers.
    Kelly also said the United States would push harder for foreign airports to accept "preclearance" immigration operations manned by US Customs and Border Patrol officials to process US-bound passengers before they board their flights.
    Such operations have already been established in 15 locations in six countries, including Canada, Ireland and the United Arab Emirates.
    But it raises sensitive sovereignty issues to have US law enforcement officials operate inside another country.
    US officials remained vague about the specific requirements of the new program.
    Airlines will be pressed to adopt a mix of new measures, including installing new screening technology, making more use of chemical sniffer dogs, and other unspecified steps.
    But the precise requirements in each case would depend on individual airlines, the airports they fly from, and their current levels of security. Some will have to make only minor improvements, they said.
    Asked about timeframes, officials would only say that they would give adequate time for the airlines to adapt.
    "We are raising the bar globally" for security standards, said one senior official who declined to be identified.
    They also said they expect nearly all carriers to be able to meet the new standards.
    Those that cannot or will not, they said, would be forced to reject all passenger electronics, either in the cabin or hold of the aircraft, or may even find themselves unable to fly to the United States.


  3. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Pakistani rescuers were searching on Wednesday for a Spanish man and an Argentinian who went missing on a notoriously treacherous Himalayan peak known as "Killer Mountain", an official said.
    A ground team began searching for Alberto Zerain Berasatei from Spain and Mariano Galacan from Argentina but helicopters could not join the search effort due to poor weather, said Karrar Haidri, spokesman for the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
    The two men, who were part of a 13-strong expedition that set out last month to climb the 8,126 metre Nanga Parbat, the world´s ninth highest mountain, were last heard from on Saturday.
    The rest of their party had returned to base camp, Haidri confirmed.
    "In such weather conditions and without adequate food supply, survival appears unlikely but there was the case of Tomaz Humar a few years ago," Haidari said, adding that rescue officials are doing everything possible to find the men.
    Slovenian mountaineer Humar was trapped on Nanga Parbat for six days in 2005 before army helicopters found him trapped under a ledge at a height of nearly 6000 metres.
    Pakistan rivals Nepal for the number of peaks over 7,000 metres (23,000 feet) and is home to the world´s second-highest mountain, K2, as well as three others which are among the world´s 14 summits higher than 8,000 metres.
    In 2013, gunmen dressed as police officers shot 10 foreign mountaineers and a local guide at Nanga Parbat´s 4,200-metre base camp.
    The attack, later claimed by the Taliban, resulted in a major decrease in climbing expeditions, wrecking communities dependent on climbing tourism for income and depriving Pakistan´s economy of much-needed dollars.


  4. Waqas Dar
    Movie's record-breaking run has set a new and previously unthought of box office benchmark for Bollywood. Bollywood star Aamir Khan's hit wrestling movie "Dangal" has become the first Indian film to make 20 billion rupees, analysts said Wednesday, as it takes China's cinemas by storm.
    The Hindi movie's record-breaking run has set a new and previously unthought of box office benchmark for Bollywood films abroad while also highlighting the value of the Chinese audience to Indian filmmakers.
    "Dangal has crossed the 2,000 crore mark ($310 million) which has never been done before," Indian film trade analyst Ramesh Bala told AFP, pointing out that previous top Bollywood grosser "PK" made just $120 million.
    "Even 1,000 crore was a distant dream just a few months back. The bar has now been set very high," he added.
    "Dangal", directed by Nitesh Tiwari, is based on the true story of wrestling coach Mahavir Singh Phogat, who defies the odds by raising his daughters Geeta and Babita Phogat to become champion wrestlers.
    Geeta won a gold medal for India at the 2010 Commonwealth Games while her sister topped the podium at the same event in 2014.
    "Dangal" is a Hindi word used to describe a wrestling competition.
    The movie was released in India on December 23 last year and quickly became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time, beating the 2014 science fiction film "PK", which also stars Khan.
    Gender discrimination and strict parenting are among the film's themes. The issues appear to have struck an emotional response with Chinese viewers, who have alone contributed around $190 million to "Dangal's" takings, said Bala.
    "'Dangal' has become the highest-grossing non-Hollywood foreign film released in China," the analyst added.


  5. Waqas Dar
    Arms sales to India would accentuate military imbalances in the region and undermine strategic stability: FO ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Wednesday termed the joint statement released by the White House, after a meeting of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump, as unhelpful and said it aggravates an already tense situation.
    ?By failing to address key sources of tension and instability in the region, the statement aggravates an already tense situation,? said Nafees Zakaria, spokesperson for the Foreign Office (FO).
    The FO also said the meeting between the two leaders was a missed opportunity to have India alter its policies which are hostile and conducive to bringing peace in the region.
    ?India?s persistent gross human rights violations in Kashmir and state backed persecution of religious minorities in India need to be replaced by respect for basic human dignity, protection of life, property and freedom of speech,? said the FO spokesperson.
    ?Democratic stewardship, as claimed in the statement, demands that as a minimum.?
    'Accentuate military imbalances'
    Pakistan also expressed concern over the sale of advanced military technology to India.
    ?Such sales accentuate military imbalances in the region and undermine strategic stability in South Asia.?
    The spokesperson added that such a sale would further encourage India to adopt aggressive military doctrines and may even lead to military adventurism by India.
    ?Transfers of modern military hardware and technologies as well as repeated exceptions made for India have dis-incentivized India to engage in efforts to establish a strategic restraint regime and a durable security architecture in the region,? added Zakaria.
    Zakaria said that Pakistan has been the primary victim of terrorism in region.
    ?Pakistan?s contributions and sacrifices in fighting terrorism are un-matched.?
    The FO expressed its regret over India?s attempts to ?appropriate a leadership role in the fight against terror? as it is responsible for ?much of the terror unleashed in recent years in Pakistan?.
    The statement added that India has supported the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) as a proxy against Pakistan.
    ?India's culpability in creating this further source of regional insecurity cannot be ignored.?
    Referring to Indian-occupied Kashmir, the spokesperson said that Pakistan believes in the legitimacy of the Kashmiri struggle and reiterated that the country is ready and committed to ?resolve all outstanding disputes, especially Jammu and Kashmir, with India through peaceful means and in accordance with UN?.


  6. Waqas Dar
    KARACHI: The city was lashed with its first monsoonal rainfall of the current season which brought relief from the punishing heat the metropolis was experiencing.

    Many parts of the city faced power outages after the rain started. 
    Meanwhile, highway police asked the people to adopt precautionary measures while driving.
    According to a Met Office official, the city is likely to receive rain during the next 24 hours that would bring down temperatures. 
    The Met Office said the maximum temperature was expected to range between 36 to 38 degrees centigrade during that period.
    The maximum temperature recorded in the city on Wednesday was 38.5 whereas the minimum temperature was recorded at 30.5 degrees Centigrade.
    Humidity in the at the start of day was recorded as 73 per cent, whereas it was 61pc in the evening.


  7. Waqas Dar
    Under a bilateral agreement, religious tourism is the responsibility of the government of Pakistan and India, says FO.  ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) said on Wednesday that Indian authorities are not allowing more than 150 Sikh pilgrims, who are waiting at the Attari station in India?s Punjab, to travel to Pakistan despite the arrangement of a special train.
    The statement from the FO added that earlier in the year Indian authorities had cited ?technical reasons? for not allowing Sikh pilgrims to travel to Pakistan and as a result, a large number of people were unable to attend religious festivities.
    ?Then also Pakistan in an attempt to facilitate the Yatrees (pilgrims) had sent a special train to India to bring the Yatrees but it was refused by India,? said the FO.
    Under a bilateral agreement, religious tourism is the responsibility of the government of Pakistan and India, added FO?s statement.
    ?It is unfortunate that this has been hampered twice in a short period this year depriving many Sikh Yatrees of the opportunity to participate in their religious festivals.?
    The FO expressed hope that India will take effective steps to resolve the matter as soon as possible. 


  8. Waqas Dar
    BEIJING: China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that Pakistan stands on the frontline in the war on terror and the international community must appreciate Pakistan`s role.

    "The international community must appreciate Pakistan`s role in the war against terror," said the ministry and added that ?it is wrong to associate terrorism with few countries".
    The statement from Beijing comes after the White House called on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries.
    Beijing also emphasised that increased cooperation is required in the war against terrorism and reiterated that China denounces all forms and kinds of terrorism

    India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a meeting with President Trump had earlier called on all nations to resolve territorial and maritime disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law.

    "Both our nations have been struck by the evils of terrorism, and we are both determined to destroy terrorist organisations and the radical ideology that drives them. We will destroy radical Islamic terrorism. Our militaries are working every day to enhance cooperation between our military forces. And next month, they will join together with the Japanese navy to take plart in the largest maritime exercise ever conducted in the vast Indian Ocean," said Trump.


  9. Waqas Dar
    [embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/d1e35b2b04d8bf4fc6aad0d89c1c4710.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9Ni8yOC8yMDE3IDE6NDk6MzQgUE0maGFzaF92YWx1ZT1qQ0FqWW9YUXM1UktHeC80VDgyMGZBPT0mdmFsaWRtaW51dGVzPTYwJmlkPTE= style=center] ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan said on Wednesday that any objection against the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the Sharif family is equivalent to raising an objection against the Supreme Court.

    ?Nawaz Sharif, in his press conference, said the JIT did not answer his questions. He should know that it is a criminal investigation and he is accused of money laundering,? said the PTI chairman while speaking to the media.
    ?Money laundering is more damaging than corruption.?



    Imran claimed that the nation has accepted the prime minister as a criminal and the people are ready to respond to his call and will come out on the streets.
    He further said the premier?s media talk in London showed that the JIT probe is going against his expectations, hence the prime minister is now discrediting the JIT.
    ?It?s a pressure tactic by PML-N,? the PTI chief remarked.
    Imran Khan said that the only person responsible for Maryam Nawaz being summoned before the JIT is the prime minister.
    ?PM Nawaz sent his money abroad in the name of his children to save himself. He is responsible for the JIT summons.?
    ?The Naya Pakistan will not be made through road and underpasses it will come into existence through the implementation of law and order,? he said.

    ?By not visiting Parachinar yet, what message are you conveying to small provinces,? asked Imran while referring to the recent terror attacks in Parachinar.
    'PTI chief is a proclaimed offender'
    State Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb while speaking to Geo News, said that the "PTI chief is a proclaimed offender and on what grounds is he speaking for the Supreme Court".

    "Those who are running away from three courts are ironically talking about rule of law," she said. 


  10. Waqas Dar
    "Our enemy is now trying to target and fragment us along sectarian, ethnic lines which merits a unified national response,? says Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa.?File photo RAWALPINDI: The Army said on Wednesday that enemies of Pakistan, hostile intelligence agencies and anti-state elements, are deliberately trying to create ethnic and sectarian divide through recent terrorist attacks.
    The Army statement, released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), further said that ?our enemy is now trying to target and fragment us along sectarian, ethnic lines which merits a unified national response?.
    The statement by the military?s media wing comes after a spate of recent attacks in Quetta and Parachinar claiming more than 70 lives and leaving dozens injured. The attacks, all on June 23, shook the country after it had witnessed a period of relative calm.
    ?The ongoing malicious campaign of enemies of Pakistan which is also being spread on social media is highly regrettable and we all need to be cognizant of it,? added the ISPR statement.
    ?For us every Shaheed / injured is equal regardless of sect / ethnicity and indeed is a great loss,? ISPR quoted Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa as saying.
    The army chief added that the religious rights of minorities are fully respected.
    COAS meets clerics from all sects
    Gen Bajwa has met clergy from all sects in the previous few days for their positive involvement in defeating this ?ongoing sinister campaign?, said ISPR.
    The statement further added that those responsible for the attacks in Parachinar will be brought to justice and the families of the victims will be compensated without any discrimination.
    ?Alhamdulillah, we have brought the security situation in country including Fata under control and shall not allow its regression under any cost,? said the army chief. 


  11. Waqas Dar
    RAWALPINDI: Awami Muslim League leader Sheikh Rasheed said on Wednesday that if Nawa Sharif had given up prime-ministership in wake of Panama Leaks issue, then Maryam wasn?t required to appear before the Joint Investigation Team.

    Sheikh Rasheed was speaking to media after visiting the injured of the Bahawalpur incident.
    He said that Nawaz Sharif was asked earlier to step down from the position of prime minister, but he did not pay heed.
    ?The politicians would wake up from a slumber within eight ten days,? said Sheikh Rasheed.
    The Panama Papers case JIT has summoned Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz on July 5.
    Maryam Nawaz summoned by Panama case JIT on July 5
    Maryam will be the sixth member of the Sharif family to be summoned by the JIT
    According to sources, the premier's elder son Hussain Nawaz has been summoned on July 4 and his younger brother, Hasan, on July 3.
    The summons, dated June 25, 2017, has also asked the respondent to bring forth relevant documents related to the Sharif family's financial assets. 


  12. Waqas Dar
    JEDDAH: A traffic accident in the suburb of Jeddah resulted in the death of 10 people, including seven members of a Pakistani MPA?s family.

    The accident took lives of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Sadia Sohail?s brother-in-law?s family members.
    According to Saudi Department of Civil Defence, Pakistani citizens killed include Javed Rana, his wife, son, daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandson and three others.
    According to sources, the incident took place on Tuesday morning and those deceased would be buried in Jeddah. 


  13. Waqas Dar
    After working in the Bollywood as a musician, Adnan Sami is now planning for something more.
    According to Indian media, singer Adnan Sami is all set to make his acting debut in Bollywood.
    Afghan- In Search Of A Home is the story of a musician refugee from Afghanistan who flees his country of birth under difficult circumstances in search of identity and home.

    The movie is directed by Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru and Sami will be seen playing the protagonist in the movie.

    Adnan last worked with the director in Salman Khan starer Lucky...No Time for Love in 2005 and gave the music for the film.
    Adnan said ?the movie is very close? to his heart as it is his first movie as an actor and as an Indian.



  14. Waqas Dar
    Miranda Kerr has handed over $8.1m of jewellery, allegedly bought for her by a Malaysian financier with stolen money, to the US justice department. Photo: AP LOS ANGELES: Australian model Miranda Kerr has turned over $8.1 million worth of jewellery to the US Justice Department following allegations that the items were linked to a massive money-laundering scheme involving a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund.
    Kerr handed over the jewelry -- given to her by Malaysian financier Jho Low -- last Friday to federal agents in Los Angeles, a spokesman for the model told AFP.
    "From the start of the inquiry, Miranda Kerr cooperated fully and pledged to turn over the gifts of jewelry to the government," he said.
    "Ms Kerr will continue to assist with the inquiry in any way she can," he added.
    Kerr is among a number of celebrities who have been sucked into the scandal involving the Malaysian fund called 1Malaysia Development Bhd, or 1MDB.
    Earlier this month, Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio turned over an Oscar won by Marlon Brando, along with other gifts given to him by Low, who allegedly laundered more than $400 million stolen from 1MDB through an account in the United States.
    Neither Kerr nor DiCaprio are defendants in civil-forfeiture lawsuits filed by the justice department in the case.
    The scandal has rocked the Malaysian governing class, exposing Prime Minister Najib Razak to allegations of corruption, which he has denied.
    Razak created the 1MDB fund shortly after coming to power in 2009, saying it would help modernize the country.
    1MDB now carries debt of some 10 billion euros ($11.2 billion). The prime minister and fund officials have consistently denied any wrongdoing.


  15. Waqas Dar
    Joint Investigation Team's sessions are held at the Federal Judicial Academy. Photo: file   ISLAMABAD: The Panama Papers case Joint Investigation Team (JIT) is reviewing the details of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif?s business accounts in its session under way at the Federal Judicial Academy.

    According to sources, Habib Bank?s senior officers appeared before the JIT with details of premier?s bank accounts on Wednesday?s session. Habib Bank officers also presented details of the Hudaibiya Paper Mills to the JIT.

    The joint investigation team (JIT) has been constituted by the Supreme Court to probe businesses and financial dealings of the people mentioned in the Panama Papers. 

    Maryam Nawaz summoned 
    The 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 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.
    Maryam Nawaz summoned by Panama case JIT on July 5
    Maryam will be the sixth member of the Sharif family to be summoned by the JIT
    The summons, dated June 25, 2017, has also asked the respondent to bring forth relevant documents related to the Sharif family's financial assets.
    The JIT, which resumed work on Tuesday after taking a day's break for Eid-ul-Fitr, has asked all three siblings to appear before it at 11am on their respective call dates. The JIT works out of the Federal Judicial Academy in Islamabad.
    Maryam will become the sixth member of the Sharif family to appear before the high-profile probe team, formed on May 6 in light of the Supreme Court's April 20 judgment in the Panama Papers case.
    Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appeared before the JIT on June 15.
    Countdown till July 10
    The special bench of the Supreme Court overseeing the JIT?s work directed the investigators to submit their final report on July 10.
    The direction was given after the JIT submitted its third and second-last progress report to the bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh.
    On June 7, the JIT had submitted its midterm report before the special bench.
    The bench had expressed satisfaction with the JIT?s progress in the probe, and 


  16. Waqas Dar
    PARACHINAR: The relatives of those martyred in the Parachinar bombings continued the protest for the sixth day on Wednesday, demanding that the demonstration would continue till those in authority arrive to hear the grievances of the bereaved.

    The relatives of the deceased have put forth the demand that Chief of Army Staff, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and other high-level officials should visit the area.
    The business centres of the Turi Bazaar were closed down since the terrorist attack. The tribal leaders of the community said that the Bangash tribe is being targeted by terrorists.
    The tribal leaders said that unlike the other areas, the injured were given only Rs 0.1 million rupees while the relatives of those martyred are given only Rs0.3 million.
    Until the approval of demands, the protest would continue, added the protesting members of the community.
    At least 72 people were martyred and over 300 injured after two subsequent blasts rocked a densely populated area of Parachinar in Kurram Agency on Friday evening.
    Won't let enemy fan sectarianism in country, says COAS
    Residents of Parachinar are holding a sit-in against the government following Friday's deadly blasts
    The bombings 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 blast took place as people rushed to provide aid and rescue the wounded from the first explosion.


  17. Waqas Dar
    QUETTA: The photo has been obtained of MPA Abdul Majeed Achakzai sitting in the vehicle which he ran over a policeman a few days back, proving he is guilty of the killing.
    The photo available with Geo News shows Achakzai sitting on the driving seat, holding a mobile phone to his ear. Besides, another photo has been obtained that shows as an air cooler placed outside the bars of the MPA's jail.
    A discriminatory attitude in the case of Achakzai was witnessed earlier as well when, despite the incident's CCTV video, FIR was registered against 'unidentified persons'. But later, police included his name in the report.
    A few days back, Achakzai ran a traffic policeman, Haji Ataullah, over. A video of the incident went viral on social media, following which police took action against the death of their colleague.
    The MPA was elected to the provincial assembly from Killa Abdullah on PB-13 from Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party. 


  18. Waqas Dar
    After proving herself in the Bollywood, gorgeous Saba Qamar is once again planning to clean bowled the audience with another powerful appearance.



    A few days back Saba Qamar shared pictures on her social media account hinting towards her upcoming venture of the late social media sensation, Qandeel Baloch's biopic Baaghi.
    After much hype, the teaser of the biopic is finally here and yes.. it definitely is something!
    The 14-second teaser gives us a glimpse into the life of Qandeel Baloch who was brutally murdered by her brothers in the name of honour-killing.
    The thrilling teaser starts off with one of the social media videos of Qandeel Baloch and ends with her calling everyone a liar which actually points toward the hypocrisy of the society.
    Saba Qamar who is also known for performing bold and daring characters truly nails the character of Qandeel Baloch in the teaser.
    The star-studded cast also includes Sarmad Khoosat and Osman Khalid Butt.


  19. Waqas Dar
    Former captain Ravi Shastri will apply to become India´s head coach after the national cricket board extended the application deadline. Photo: file  NEW DELHI: Former captain Ravi Shastri will apply to become India´s head coach after the national cricket board extended the application deadline following Anil Kumble´s shock exit, reports said Wednesday.

    "Yes, I have decided to apply for the job," the cricketer-turned-television commentator was quoted as saying by the New Indian Express.
    Top names such as former batsman Virender Sehwag and Australia´s Tom Moody are already in the running for one of the toughest jobs in cricket.
    Shastri applied for the job last year after being team director between 2014-16.
    Kumble was appointed instead and coached India to five Test series victories but resigned last week, stating his partnership with India captain Virat Kohli had become "untenable".
    Former all-rounder Shastri, 55, has been touted as a strong candidate who has a good relationship with Kohli.
    The new coach for the world´s number one Test team will be decided by a three-man committee made up of former India stars Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman.
    Ganguly was reportedly key in Kumble being chosen over Shastri in June, last year. The two former captains have publicly rowed over the coach´s post.
    However Ganguly said of Shastri´s renewed candidacy: "Everybody has the right to apply. We will find out."
    The Board of Control for Cricket in India has said applications will be accepted until July 9. The BCCI is aiming to announce the new coach before India head to Sri Lanka in July.


  20. Waqas Dar
    PARIS: Throughout its 4.5-billion-year history, Earth has been repeatedly pummelled by space rocks that have caused anything from an innocuous splash in the ocean to species annihilation.
    When the next big impact will be, nobody knows.
    But the pressure is on to predict -- and intercept -- its arrival.
    "Sooner or later we will get... a minor or major impact," Rolf Densing, who heads the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, told AFP ahead of International Asteroid Day on Friday.
    It may not happen in our lifetime, he said, but "the risk that Earth will get hit in a devastating event one day is very high."
    For now, there is little we can do.
    And yet, the first-ever mission to crash a probe into a small space rock to alter its trajectory suffered a major setback when European ministers declined in December to fund part of the project.
    "We are not ready to defend ourselves" against an Earth-bound object, said Densing. "We have no active planetary defence measures."
    Hitherto relegated to the realms of science fiction, tactics could include nuking an incoming asteroid, using lasers to vaporise it, sending a space "tractor" to drag it off course, or bumping it into a new direction.
    But first, we need to be able to spot the threat.
    Astrophysicists monitoring the risk classify objects into sizes ranging from a few millimetres to behemoths 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) across -- the size of rock that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs some 65 million years ago.
    The smallest type enter Earth´s atmosphere daily, burning up prettily as shooting stars.
    End of days
    The largest occur once every 100 million years, and the next impact could well ring in the end of human civilisation.
    But when would it happen?
    So far, experts have managed to list more than 90 percent of asteroids in the dino-killing range, and determined that none poses an immediate threat.
    A much bigger concern is the whereabouts of millions of asteroids in the 15- to 140-metre (49- to 460-feet) range.
    One such object, a 40-metre space rock, caused the largest impact in recent history when it exploded over Tunguska, Siberia, on June 30, 1908 -- the date on which Asteroid Day is marked.
    The blast flattened some 80 million trees over 2,000 sparsely-populated square kilometres (772 square miles) -- an area bigger than greater London.
    Tunguska-sized events happen, on average, every 300 years or so.
    "Imagine that this type of asteroid would fall in a very populated area like... Paris or Germany, I mean this is something that would be really, really a catastrophe," said Nicolas Bobrinsky, programme manager of the European Space Agency´s Space Situational Awareness project, which surveys asteroids.
    At least the ones it knows of.
    The Chelyabinsk impact in 2013, for example, caught everyone unawares.
    A once-a-decade category rock of about 20m exploded in the atmosphere over central Russia with the kinetic energy of some 27 Hiroshima bombs.
    The resulting shockwave blew out the windows of nearly 5,000 buildings and injured more than 1,200 people.
    "Now that we have discovered most of the (asteroids) that are about a kilometre in size and larger, the goal is to discover most of the ones which are (up to) about 140 m," said Patrick Michel, an astrophysicist with France´s CNRS research institute.
    "This is the threshold -- if an object of this size impacts the Earth -- for regional damage at the scale of a country or a continent."
    Another unknown is long-period comets: wanderers of the Solar System which can take centuries or millennia to orbit the Sun, and whose passage has never been recorded.
    Eye on the sky
    Europe is setting up a network of telescopes to provide us with a heads-up.
    Scheduled for completion in about two years, it "will scan systematically the sky every night and any asteroid which is coming... would be detected with a warning time of approximately two to three weeks," said Bobrinsky.
    This is admittedly "not much, but it´s better than what we have now," he added.
    At the very least, it would allow for cities to be evacuated, or a shockwave warning to be issued.
    "Contrary to all other natural risks that we face on Earth, like tsunamis, earthquakes and things like that, this is the only one that we can predict," Michel said.
    What is needed is cooperation between politicians and space agencies -- and especially money.
    An asteroid deflection system would require "something in the order of 300-400 million euros" (dollars), according to Bobrinsky -- a minuscule amount compared to the cost of disaster.
    The United Nations declared June 30 International Asteroid Day to raise public awareness about what event organisers describe as "humanity´s greatest challenge".
    It was initiated by astrophysicist and Queen guitarist Brian May, and moviemaker Grigorij Richters who directed the sci-fi film 51 Degrees North about an asteroid headed for London.
    The initiative has the backing of dozens of scientists, astronauts, and celebrities, many of whom will take part in a special 24-hour live broadcast Friday, with round-the-clock asteroid programming by the European, Japanese and American space agencies.


  21. Waqas Dar
    An artist's rendering shows the South American native ungulate Macrauchenia patachonica which had a number of remarkable adaptations, including the positioning of its nostrils high on its head in this illustration released on March 17, 2015. Photo: Reuters PARIS: Charles Darwin, Mr. Evolution himself, didn´t know what to make of the fossils he saw in Patagonia so he sent them to his friend, the renowned paleontologist Richard Owen.
    Owen was stumped too. Little wonder.
    "The bones looked different from anything he knew," said Michael Hofreiter, senior author of a study published Tuesday in Nature Communications that finally situates in the tree of life what Darwin called the "strangest animal ever discovered".
    "Imagine a camel without a hump, with feet like a slender rhino, and a head shaped like a saiga antelope," Hofreiter, a professor at the University of Potsdam, told AFP.
    Macrauchenia patachonica -- literally, "long-necked llama" -- also had a long rubbery snout and with its nostrils high on the skull just above its eyes.
    For nearly two centuries, biologists and taxonomists argued over the pedigree of this bizarre beast, which weighed 400 to 500 kilos (850 to 1100 pounds), lived in open landscapes, and snacked on grass and leaves.
    But its mixed bag of body features, and a paucity of DNA evidence, made it nearly impossible to determine whether M. patachonica was truly related the llama after which it was named.
    As it turns out, not really.
    Evolutionary dead end
    A new kind of genetic analysis revealed that Macrauchenia was more akin to an ancient placental order known as Perissodactyla that includes horses, rhinos and tapirs.
    "We had a difficult problem to solve here," said lead author of the new study Michael Westbury, also at the University of Potsdam.
    "When ancient DNA is so degraded and full of unwanted environmental DNA, we rely on being able to use the genomes of close relatives as a kind of scaffold to reconstruct fossil sequences," he said in a statement.
    But Macrauchenia -- itself an evolutionary dead end -- didn´t have any close cousins that we know of.
    To solve the puzzle, Westbury and a 20-strong team of scientists used mitochondrial DNA extracted from a fossil found in southern Chile to decode the extinct mammal´s origins.
    Inherited from the mother alone, the mitochondrial genome is smaller and has more copies in the cell -- and thus in fossils -- than DNA from the more complex nuclear genome, Hofreiter explained.
    "Mitochondrial DNA is very useful for evaluating the degree of relatedness among species," he said.
    The team eventually pieced together almost 80 percent of the total genome, making it possible to situate Macrauchenia in an evolutionary timeline.
    The creature´s lineage, they concluded, split with that of modern perissodactyls some 66 million years ago, about the same time a massive asteroid slammed into Earth and wiped out non-avian dinosaurs.
    Macrauchenia survived until the late Pleistocene, 20,000 to 11,000 years ago.
    "Why it disappeared we really don´t know -- it is still an open question whether it was humans, climate change, or a combination of the two," said Hofreiter.


  22. Waqas Dar
    Qatar's Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani (L) and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson shake hands before a meeting at the US State Department on June 27, 2017 in Washington, DC. PHOTO: AFP WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia reiterated Tuesday that its demands on Qatar were not negotiable, as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held talks with the Qatari foreign minister on the Gulf states crisis.
    Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, who was also in Washington, was unbudging amid attempts by US and Kuwaiti diplomats to mediate the row which has left Qatar, a US ally, isolated under a trade and diplomatic embargo set by its Gulf Arab neighbors.
    "Our demands on Qatar are non-negotiable. It´s now up to Qatar to end its support for extremism and terrorism," Jubeir said via Twitter.
    Riyadh has laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar, included the closure of Al-Jazeera, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate.
    The United States though has cautioned that some of the demands would be difficult for Qatar to accept, asking the Saudis for a clear list of grievances that are "reasonable and actionable."
    Shortly after Jubeir´s comments, Tillerson met with Qatar´s top diplomat Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
    He was to meet later with Kuwait Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Sabah. Kuwait has taken on the official role of mediator in the spat.
    State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said talks would continue through the week, but added the Saudi demands remained "challenging" for Qatar.
    "Some of them will be difficult for Qatar to incorporate and to try to adhere to," she said.
    "We continue to call on those countries to work together and work this out."
    Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain announced on June 5 they were suspending all ties with Qatar, accusing it of support for extremist groups -- a claim Doha denies.
    They have also closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirate´s only land border, a vital route for its food imports.
    The move placed Washington uncomfortably in the middle, with its close economic and security ties with both sides.
    Qatar is home to the largest US base in the region, Al-Udeid. Bahrain is home to the US Navy´s Fifth Fleet.
    The US and Saudi militaries work closely together as well.


  23. Waqas Dar
    Tremors were felt in Peshawar, Chitral, Upper Dir and Malakand. Photo: Geo News PESHAWAR: Earthquake tremors jolted several parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday morning.

    Tremors were felt in Peshawar, Chitral, Upper Dir and Malakand.
    According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the earthquake was recorded at 5.3 on the Richter Scale.



    The earthquake struck at a depth of 213 kilometers and its epicentre was Hindukush region in Afghanistan.


  24. Waqas Dar
    Lasith Malinga appeared before a special inquiry panel of SLC on Tuesday, and accepted the charges against him. Photo: Getty Images COLOMBO: Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga has received a suspended one-year ban after pleading guilty to comments he made to the media in breach of his contract, the country´s cricket board has said.
    The 33-year-old´s sanction will be suspended for six months and he would also lose 50 percent of his match from the next one-day international he plays in case of a similar breach, Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement.
    After his return from the Champions Trophy, Malinga had twice breached the terms of his contract by making statements to the media without the prior written consent of the board´s Chief Executive Officer, SLC had said while launching a disciplinary inquiry against the fast bowler.
    Malinga has been named in the 13-man squad for Sri Lanka´s first two ODIs against Zimbabwe at home.
    The African nation will play five ODIs and a lone test on their tour.
    Former South Africa wicketkeeper-batsman Nic Pothas has been named Sri Lanka´s interim coach after Graham Ford stepped down last week.


  25. Waqas Dar
    A high value Balochistan Liberation Army activist, identified as Abdul Rasool alias Ustad/Borjon/Boss, along with his group surrendered to security forces, according to Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

    The Baloch militants also surrendered their group?s weapons and ammunition.
    ?The group surrendered due to writ of state enabled through effective intelligence and successful security operations,? stated the ISPR.
    According to Pakistan Army?s media cell, Abdul Rasool was involved in terrorist activities in Pasni, Kulanch, Dashat and Mand areas of Balochistan.
    ?His surrender will go a long way in improving lasting peace and stability of Pasni, Kulanch, Dashat and Mand areas of Balochistan,? the ISPR statement added.
    Terror plot foiled in Balochistan
    Frontier Constabulary Balochistan foiled another terrorist activity in Quetta on Wednesday.
    Moreover, an improvised electronic device (IED) was spotted on Sabzal Road and neutralize. The bomb was aimed to target Eid celebrations .


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