FundayForum
Register
Forum Blogs Gallery Files Poetry Books
Portal Facebook YouTube Twitter
👀 You are watching:
Jump to content
👉 Click here to explore Remote Jobs, Work From Home & Global News – USA 🇺🇸 | UK 🇬🇧 | Canada 🇨🇦 | Pakistan 🇵🇰 ×
🚫 Guest Access Notice ×
LIVE UPDATES

Waqas Dar

🔥 Admin/Core Authority
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    11,279

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    552

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by Waqas Dar

  1. Waqas Dar
    Displaced Iraqi girls who fled their homes pose as they celebrate Eid al-Fitr, in Mosul, Iraq June 25, 2017/Reuters MOSUL: People in the Iraqi city of Mosul celebrated their first Muslim Eid holiday without Daesh in years on Sunday after the militants were ejected from much of the city, and hoped the battle to recapture the remaining area would soon be over.
    Children gathered in squares on the eastern side of the city. Some played on old swings and others with toy guns and rifles, which were among the toys allowed by Daesh militants after they took over the city in June 2014.
    The militants implemented an extreme version of Islam which associated toys with a face, like dolls, with idolatry. They encouraged youngsters to train on weapons and changed text books to reflect their military ideology. Children were asked to add up bombs or bullets in maths exercises.
    Eid prayers were allowed under Daesh but festivities were not.
    Iraqi children enjoy riding a mini car as they celebrate Eid al-Fitr, in Mosul, Iraq June 25, 2017/Reuters But for many, Sunday's Eid celebrations were overshadowed by the destruction of their historic leaning minaret, blown up by the militants on Wednesday, and fears for thousands of civilians trapped in the Old City in western Mosul still under Daesh control.
    "It won't be real Eid before we return home," said a man in his 60s, displaced from the western side of the city, across the Tigris river, where fighting continues.
    Some expressed sadness over the destruction of the 850-year-old Grand al-Nuri mosque and its leaning 150-foot (45-meter) minaret.
    Iraqi children play as they celebrate Eid al-Fitr, in Mosul, Iraq, June 25, 2017/Reuters "Eid is not the same," said a man who declined to give his name as fear is still present even though Iraqi forces dislodged the insurgents from the eastern part of the city months ago.
    Iraqi forces took the eastern side from Daesh in January, after 100 days of fighting, and started attacking the western side in February. The militants are now besieged in Mosul's Old City.
    Daesh retaliated with a series of suicide attacks in Hay al-Tanak, a poor neighborhood west of the Old City.
    "The security forces blocked a violent attack carried out by (people wearing) explosive belts, in Hay al-Tanak," said a military statement, showing pictures of black smoke it said came from fires set to houses and cars by the militants.
    The Iraqi military didn't confirm Daesh statements that the insurgents took control of Hay al-Tanak and began attacking the nearby Hay al-Yarmuk neighborhood. Witnesses said they saw residents fleeing the area.
    "As our heroic forces are closer to declaring final victory over the Daesh gangs, I offer my most sincere congratulations for Eid al-Fitr," Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said in a statement.
    An Iraqi girl is seen as she celebrates Eid al-Fitr, in Mosul, Iraq June 25, 2017/Reuters A US-led international coalition is providing air and ground support in the eight-month-old offensive to drive the militants from their de facto capital in Iraq.
    About 350 Daesh fighters, most of them non-Iraqis, are defending their remaining stronghold in Mosul's densely populated Old City, an Iraqi general said on Sunday. He expected the battle for the city to end in days.
    Trapped
    "Most of the dead bodies are foreigners, most of the fighters are foreigners, we see some trying to escape across the Tigris," said Major-General Sami al-Arithi, a Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) commander.
    The US-trained urban warfare units are leading the fight in the narrow alleyways of the historic district which lies by the western bank of the Tigris.
    More than 50,000 civilians, about half the Old City's population, remain behind Daesh lines, complicating the troops' advance, Arithi told state TV.
    Displaced Iraqi residents carry biscuits and bottles of water as they walk past other residents waiting for the food distribution of an aid organization during the first day of Eid-al Fitr celebration in West Mosul, Iraq June 25, 2017/Reuters  The civilians are trapped in crumbling old houses in harrowing conditions, with little food, water or medicines, according to those who have escaped.
    Aid organizations say Daesh has stopped many from leaving, using them as human shields. Hundreds of civilians fleeing the Old City have been killed in the past three weeks.
    Iraqi authorities were hoping to declare victory in the northern city by Eid.
    Arithi said the CTS were about 25 meters (yards) from the Nuri mosque, from where Daesh 's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed his "caliphate" over parts of Iraq and Syria three years ago.
    A boy carries bottles of water and biscuits given by an aid organization during the first day of Eid-al Fitr celebration in West Mosul, Iraq June 25, 2017/Reuters The Iraqi government once hoped to take Mosul by the end of 2016, but the fighting has dragged on as the militants reinforced positions in civilian areas, launched suicide car bomb attacks, laid traps and kept up sniper and mortar fire.
    The fall of Mosul would mark the end of the Iraqi half of the "caliphate". Daesh remains in control of large areas of both Iraq and Syria.
    Baghdadi has left the fighting in Mosul to local commanders and has been assumed to be hiding in the Iraqi-Syrian border area. There has been no confirmation of Russian reports over the past week that he has been killed.
    In Syria, the insurgents' "capital", Raqqa, is nearly encircled by a US-backed, Kurdish-led coalition.


  2. Waqas Dar
    The social networking giant has indicated willingness to commit production budgets as high as $3 million. Photo: Reuters  Facebook Inc is in talks with Hollywood studios about producing scripted, TV-quality shows, with an aim of launching original programming by late summer, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.
    The social networking giant has indicated that it was willing to commit to production budgets as high as $3 million per episode, in meetings with Hollywood talent agencies, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. 
    Facebook is hoping to target audiences from ages 13 to 34, with a focus on the 17 to 30 range. The company has already lined up "Strangers", a relationship drama, and a game show, "Last State Standing", the report said.
    Facebook could not be immediately reached for comment.
    The company is expected to release episodes in a traditional manner, instead of dropping an entire season in one go like Netflix Inc and Amazon.com Inc, WSJ reported.
    The company is also willing to share its viewership data with Hollywood, the report said.
    Apple Inc hired co-presidents of Sony Pictures Television, Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, earlier this month, to lead its video-programming efforts.
    Apple began its long-awaited move into original television series last week, with a reality show called "Planet of the Apps", an unscripted show about developers trying to interest celebrity mentors with a 60-second pitch on an escalator.
    The company's future programming plans include an adaptation of comedian James Corden's "Carpool Karaoke" segment from his CBS Corp show that will begin airing in August.


  3. Waqas Dar
    FILE PHOTO: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures during a session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russia, June 2, 2017. Photo: Reuters.  US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold their first face-to-face meeting in Washington on Monday, seeking to boost US-Indian relations despite differences over trade, the Paris climate accord and immigration.
    Their White House session promises less pomp than Modi's previous visits to Washington, which included former President Barack Obama taking him to the Martin Luther King Jr memorial in 2014.
    But Trump administration officials have pointed to both leaders' impact on social media - each has more than 30 million Twitter followers - as proof that they are cut from the same cloth, and predicted the two would get along well.
    Trump built a Trump Tower property in Mumbai and spoke warmly of India during his presidential campaign last year.
    "The White House is very interested in making this a special visit," said one senior official. "We?re really seeking to roll out the red carpet,"
    Modi will try to strengthen ties that have appeared to loosen. Indian officials, noting both men's tendency to speak their mind, were anxious to see how they get along.
    They will have one-on-one talks followed by statements to the news media without taking questions. They will then have a working dinner, the first time Trump has played host to a foreign dignitary at a White House dinner.
    "If the chemistry is good, everything else gets sorted," said an Indian official. "The only way is up. How much up we go depends on the leaders. If they click, we go up higher."
    While progress is expected in defense trade and cooperation, there are frictions elsewhere.
    Trump, who campaigned on an "America First" platform, has been troubled by the growing US trade deficit with India. He has called for reform of the H-1B visa system that has benefited Indian tech firms.
    He set the United States on a path to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement and accused India of negotiating unscrupulously for the accord in order to walk away with billions of dollars in aid.
    Meanwhile, Indian officials reject suggestions that Modi's "Make in India" platform is protectionist and complain about the US regulatory process for generic pharmaceuticals and rules on fruit exports to the United States.
    They stress the importance of the huge Indian market to US firms and major growth in areas such as aviation, which offer significant opportunities for US manufacturers.
    Rick Rossow, an India expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the frictions in US-Indian relations since Trump took office on Jan. 20 add gravity to the meeting.
    "The meeting will provide more clarity on whether the past six months have been Act 1 in a surprising friendship or Round 1 of a protracted slugging match," he said.


  4. Waqas Dar
    CARDIFF: AB de Villiers left South Africa´s tour of England saying he would decide his cricket future in August.
    One of the outstanding batsmen of his generation, the 33-year-old headed home after captaining the Proteas in a 19-run defeat by England in Cardiff on Sunday that saw them beaten 2-1 in a three-match Twenty20 series.
    They previously lost a one-day international series to England by the same scoreline and then suffered a hugely disappointing first-round exit at the Champions Trophy.
    But a Test series against England is the centrepiece of a four-month tour.
    However, it has long been planned that de Villiers would miss the four-Test campaign to take a break from the strain of being one of the world´s leading players in all three international formats, as well as a man in demand at lucrative Twenty20 franchise events around the world.
    Bangladesh are due to tour South Africa in September and de Villiers said he expected to know by then what his international workload would entail.
    "I am going to meet with CSA (Cricket South Africa) in August, and that will decide my (international) future," de Villiers told reporters after making a typically dashing 35 off 19 balls.
    ´Won´t pick and choose´
    "We will see what works for both parties," added the gifted shotmaker, who has scored more than 8,000 runs in 106 Tests, including 21 hundreds, at an average of over 50.
    "We are not going to pick and choose games, but we are going to make a final decision about what happens for the next few years."
    Asked what he would do for the next couple of months, de Villiers said: "I am going to spend a bit of time off at home with the family, I´m going to welcome my new youngster into the world, and obviously look to stay fit.
    "I want to make sure I am ready for September, when Bangladesh come."
    For all his success at Test level, de Villiers´s burning ambition is to help South Africa win a maiden World Cup title.
    Their attempts since a 1992 debut -- after years of isolation due to apartheid -- have been dogged by bad luck and reverses snatched from the jaws of all-but-certain victory, leaving South Africa with the unwanted tag of "chokers".
    The next World Cup takes place in England in two years´ time and de Villiers, in charge for a heartbreaking 2015 semi-final loss to co-hosts New Zealand in Auckland, said Sunday: "It´s my main dream to win a World Cup for South Africa, or to be part of it in one way or another"
    But de Villiers, whose stunning 31-ball century against the West Indies at Johannesburg in 2015 remains the fastest ODI hundred, added: "I don´t even think it´s in my hands, what is going to happen.
    Malan leads England to series win over South Africa
    The 29-year-old left-hander blasted 78 from 44 balls, including 12 fours and two sixes
    "I will wait until the final decision on the coach and things like that are made," he explained, with Russell Domingo´s future already uncertain before he left the tour prior to the Proteas´ three-run win in the second Twenty20 at Taunton on Friday after his mother was involved in a traffic accident.
    "Then I can also have a chat to CSA, to see where I am going to fit in."
    As well as de Villiers, South Africa could be without another senior batsman in Faf du Plesiss for the first Test at Lord´s, which starts on July 6.
    Du Plessis, the Proteas´ Test skipper, is awaiting the birth of his first child, who is expected in the first week of July.
    De Villiers, asked if he had thought about staying on to lead the Test side if du Plessis -- who missed the Twenty20 series in anticipation -- was still absent, replied: "No, not at all.
    "I am batting really well at the moment, and really enjoying that. I love scoring runs, and that is all I am going to miss over the next two months."


  5. Waqas Dar
    Photo: File  The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Monday said that a seasonal low lies over North Balochistan and its adjoining areas on Monday.
    A westerly wave continues to affect upper parts of the county, with monsoon currents expected to penetrate in Pakistan, the PMD said.
    Hot and humid weather is expected in most parts of the country. However, rain and dust-thundershowers with gusty winds are expected at isolated places in Zhob, Kalat, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha, Mirpurkhas divisions, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, FATA and Kashmir.
    Light rain and drizzle are expected at a few places along the Sindh coast.
    Past weather
    The weather remained hot and humid in most parts of the country, however, rain and dust-thundershowers with gusty winds occurred at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara, Rawalpindi, Kalat divisions, and Kashmir.
    Rainfall in the last 24 hours (mm)
    KP: Lower Dir 23, Saidu Sharif 12, Malamjabba, Balakot 05, Kashmir: Rawalakot 23, Garhi Dupatta 04, Muzaffarabad 03,Balochistan: Khuzdar 05, Punjab:Murree 05.
    Today's highest maximum temperatures
    Sibbi 48°C, Dalbandin, Dadu 47°C, Nukkundi, Bhakkar 45°C.


  6. Waqas Dar
    Actor Mark Wahlberg arrives for the US premiere of the film 'Transformers: The Last Knight' in Chicago, Illinois, US, June 20, 2017. REUTERS/Kamil Krzaczynski  LOS ANGELES (Variety.com): It seems the Transformers franchise is rusty.
    As of Sunday morning, Transformers: The Last Knight, the fifth instalment directed by Michael Bay, looks to bring in $69.1 million from 4,069 domestic locations during its five-day opening weekend.
    That's a franchise low for the sequel from Paramount and Hasbro, behind the first in the modern series, which earned $70.5 million in 2007. The Last Knight carries an estimated $217 million production budget.
    This makes Transformers: The Last Knight the latest summer blockbuster to bank on overseas ticket sales to have a shot at turning a profit. In China, the big-budget action sequel made $41 million on its opening day alone. The projected international come through Sunday is $196.2 million, powered by $123.4 million in China.
    The Last Knight comes at a time when Paramount could have used an all-around hit, following recent misses Baywatch and Ghost in the Shell. While the latest Transformers movie has been advertised as "the final chapter" and Bay's last go-around, the franchise will continue ? Paramount has at least two more movies slated, including a spinoff that could star Hailee Steinfeld.
    The franchise has historically been massively profitable and seen solid multiples for the studio. Together, the first four earned over $1.3 billion domestically and well over $3.5 billion worldwide.
    The latest take on the series centres on an alliance between Bumblebee, Cade Yeager ? who Mark Wahlberg also played in 2014's Age of Extinction ? and roles played by franchise newcomers Anthony Hopkins and Laura Haddock. Together, the team works together to save the world.
    Audiences have earned the film a B+ CinemaScore, while critics have mostly dismissed it ? it currently holds a 15% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
    The Last Knight was uncontested at the box office this weekend, but a few indie releases showed traction. Sofia Coppola's The Beguiled remake from Focus Features played at four theatres this weekend and should gross $240,545 with a strong per screen average before it expands to over 500 locations next weekend.
    "We're thrilled by this opening," said Lisa Bunnell, Focus Features' distribution president. "This is Focus' third collaboration with Sofia and she's created an entertaining, atmospheric thriller featuring strong female representation in front of and behind the camera."
    And Kumail Nanjiani's critically adored romantic comedy The Big Sick should earn $435,000 during its opening weekend in five locations ? that would give the Lionsgate and Amazon Studios release the highest per-screen average of any film that has opened this year so far.
    "Kumail and Emily's true story provided audiences of all ages a much-needed alternative to the summer blockbusters," said Bob Berney, Amazon Studios' distribution chief.
    Otherwise, Wonder Woman continues to post impressive numbers and holds onto second place during its fourth weekend in theatres. This weekend, it should earn an additional $25.2 million, bringing its domestic total to $318.4 million.
    Earlier this week, the film became the highest-grossing live-action movie to be directed by a woman ? a major distinction for Patty Jenkins.
    Disney and Pixar's Cars 3 also looks to earn $25.2 million domestically during its second weekend. Some estimates have the film slightly lower, just below $25 million. The family film, which won last weekend's box office, is expected to pass the $100 million mark in North America by Monday.
    Transformers: The Last Knight's performance is a tough break for the summer box office's bottom line domestically. For the past two years, this weekend has seen monster grosses for Jurassic World and Finding Dory.
    Now, attention is turned toward a trio of releases next weekend, as the box office hopes for a shot in the arm from Despicable Me 3, Baby Driver, and The House.


  7. Waqas Dar
    KAZAN: Christian crosses and Islamic crescent moons jut into the sky from the multicoloured roof of the "Universal Temple" in the provincial Russian city of Kazan.

    The mosaic-covered jumble of minarets, spires, and onion domes is the eccentric creation of local artist Ildar Khanov, who dreamt up until his death in 2013 of uniting all of the world's major faiths in his childhood home.
    Khanov's vision was to foster understanding between religions in Russia's multi-ethnic Tatarstan region ? a majority Tartar Muslim area nearly 1,000 kilometres east of Moscow that is a melting pot of different cultures.
    Now the job of looking after ? and trying to finish ? his ambitious project near the banks of the Volga river has fallen to his niece Elvira Galeeva.
    "This place was not intended to hold religious ceremonies, it is a symbolic location," Galeeva told AFP during a tour. "He wanted to plant the seeds in people's minds to make ideas of harmony and tolerance grow."
    Rococo and Socialist Realism
    Khanov's fantasy is a dazzling mixture of kitsch and rococo excess that continually throws up surprises for visitors.
    Next to the entrance, there is a turret dedicated to the memory of Mother Teresa. The Catholic room is decked out like a church and the Orthodox Christian section is decorated with wooden walls and icons.
    Elsewhere, a work-in-progress Egyptian sphinx stands in an empty building inscribed with Islamic scriptures.

    geo_embedgallery
    The hot potch is understandable for an artist who was born a Muslim but grew up under the state atheism of Soviet rule.

    Some of the friezes and decorations are clearly influenced by the Communist-era genre of Socialist realism and reference 20th-century horrors such as the bombing of Hiroshima.
    After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the idea to transform his former family home reportedly came to Khanov in a vision.
    "One night Christ came to me and said 'You will wake at dawn, get a shovel from the shed, and start work on a universal temple," he told France's Le Figaro newspaper in 2012 before his death at the age of 72.
    Originally, the artist had even more grandiose plans and wanted to build an entire town with the world's biggest Holocaust memorial. For now, his creation has only rooms to seven of the 16 major faiths he intended to honour.
    Volunteer workers who helped build the temple are still busy at the site.
    'Another sort of union'
    The striking building is a tourist draw for those coming to Kazan and should attract more attention as the city hosts the Confederations Cup football tournament this month and the World Cup in 2018.

    geo_embedgallery
    At a time of religious tensions around the globe and when Moscow is locked in its worst standoff with the West since the Cold War over the Ukraine crisis and Syria, some say the temple's message is more important than ever.

    "When the political situation is tense, then it is important to think about something more elevated where people of different religions can unite," said visitor Roman Butyn from Siberia.
    "Today, we are all linked by the internet but here there is another sort of union thanks to religion," chimed in his companion Nadezhda Miloserdova.
    Sadly, however, even this symbol of harmony has not escaped disputes.
    Some two months ago, a fire tore through the building, damaging the Buddhist section, a tower dedicated to Judaism, a theatre room, and a library.
    Galeeva said a police investigation is under way and that the blaze could have been due to an arson attack linked to a family disagreement.
    But despite the setback, she is hopeful that the temple will eventually be completed along the lines envisioned by her uncle.
    "We would like to make a cultural and education centre and to realise the dream of Ildar Khanov," she said. "This will take years, maybe all of our lives."
    ?THUMBNAIL: A photo taken on June 24, 2017, shows a small a sculpture of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun at the "Universal Temple" in Kazan, Russia. AFP/Yuri Cortez


  8. Waqas Dar
    Earthquake tremors were experienced in numerous cities in the country?s north-eastern region early Monday morning ? or the night before the first day of Eid ? Geo News reported.

    Citizens in Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, and surrounding areas of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) felt jolts right after Fajr prayers experience on Monday.
    It is yet unclear whether there are any casualties due to the earthquake.


  9. Waqas Dar
    Image courtesy: Ameer Alavy Twitter (@AmeerAlavy) LONDON: A huge fire, which erupted in an apartment block late Sunday night here in Mansfield Road Gospel Oak, spreading from one of the flats on the second floor, is now under control, London Fire Brigade said.
    "One man was treated by London Ambulance Service for smoke inhalation," London Fire Brigade revealed in a statement on its website, adding that the second-floor apartment was "badly damaged" with some portions of the two flats above the destroyed one also impacted by the fire.
    In addition, the department mentioned that people "who were in the hallways, stairwells, and common parts of the block" were asked to leave while those who were inside at the time of the fire and not affected by the consequent smoke were told to stay put.

    ?It is incidents like this which show how important it is to know what to do in the event of a fire, especially if you live in a flat," Wayne Johnson, a station manager who was present at the site, commented.
    The official urged people to install fire and smoke alarms in their houses and to get them checked for functionality regularly.
    Firefighters immediately reached the scene of the blaze in West Hampstead area, which comes just a few days following the deadly incident in Grenfell Tower that left at least 79 people dead and countless others injured.

    Despite speculations, the cause of the flames has not been identified yet.

    60 skyscrapers fail safety tests
    Sixty high-rise buildings have failed safety tests carried out after the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the British government said on Sunday according to Reuters.
    British officials are conducting tests on some 600 high-rise buildings across England after a fire ravaged the Grenfell Tower block in west London on June 14, prompting public anger over the Conservative government's budget cuts.
    On Friday, some 4,000 residents were forced to evacuate their homes in north London after the fire brigade ruled that their blocks were unsafe.
    The Department for Communities said in a statement that 60 high rise buildings across 25 local authority areas had now failed the tests.
    ?Content shared by individuals on social media has not been independently verified.


  10. Waqas Dar
    England's Dawid Malan plays a shot during the third Twenty20 (T20) international cricket match. ? AFP CARDIFF: Debutant Dawid Malan's hard-hitting 78 helped England to a 19-run victory over South Africa in Cardiff on Sunday to secure a 2-1 series win.

    The 29-year-old left-hander Malan, who was born in London and brought up in South Africa, blasted 78 from 44 balls, including 12 fours and two sixes as England, whose captain Eoin Morgan was rested, made 181 for eight.
    South Africa were never really in the run chase, especially after captain AB de Villiers was caught in the deep by Alex Hales off the spin of Mason Crane for 35, leaving his team at 82 for four.
    They eventually fell short on 162 for seven.
    Chris Jordan picked up three wickets for England who will be delighted to have won the series while also blooding some new talent.


  11. Waqas Dar
    LEICESTER, England: South Africa defeated Pakistan by three wickets in the Women World Cup match played in Leicester on Sunday.

    Pakistan scored 206 runs for eight in the first innings. The South African side achieved required target in 49 overs at a loss of seven wickets.
    Laura Wolvaardt scored 52 runs, while Lizelle Lee hit 60 to steer South Africa to victory.
    Pakistan's Sadia Yousuf took two wickets.


  12. Waqas Dar
    Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Saturday said all challenges will be overcome by staying united and steadfast as a nation, while wishing the country on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). 
    "Pak Army stands shoulder to shoulder with victims of terrorism and fire," the ISPR quoted the army chief as saying. 
    The statement added that General Bajwa shares the "grief of fellow Pakistanis on Eid".
    Earlier today, at least 152 people were burnt to death and scores injured after an oil tanker caught fire in Bahawalpur's Ahmedpur East town.
    More than 117 people were injured in the incident.

    Dozens of people were killed on June 23 when bombs exploded in Quetta and Parachinar. In a separate gun attack, four policemen were martyred in Karachi on the same day. 




  13. Waqas Dar
    Chinese workers at Gwadar port. -AFP ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has deployed a 15,000-strong military force to protect Chinese nationals working on energy and infrastructure projects in the country, the president said Sunday, after the abduction of a Chinese couple raised safety concerns.
    President Mamnoon Hussain told visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Islamabad that the protection of Chinese citizens working in Pakistan was the "top priority" of the government, according to a statement issued by the presidency.
    Beijing is investing around $50 billion in its South Asian neighbour as part of a plan unveiled in 2015 to link its far-western Xinjiang region to Gwadar port in Balochistan with a series of infrastructure, power and transport upgrades.
    But fears over safety arose last month when two Chinese workers were abducted in Quetta, the capital of the southwestern Balochistan province, which is at the heart of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project but racked by separatist and militancy.
    Authorities were going to all possible efforts to arrest those responsible for kidnapping, Hussain said.
    Pakistan has been battling militancy and insurgencies in Balochistan since 2004, with hundreds of soldiers martyred and militants killed in the fighting.


  14. Waqas Dar
    PESHAWAR: Corps Commander Peshawar Lieutenant General Nazir Ahmed Butt reached Parachinar on Sunday and assured the families of the martyrs and local tribes that those responsible behind the attack would be traced as the death toll reached 72.
    The corps commander addressed the local Jirga and emphasized that the role and participation of locals in support of security forces is vital in bringing back normalcy in Parachinar, said a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
    LT Gen Butt also visited the injured and offered prayers for the martyrs. 
    The back-to-back explosions occurred as people were busy shopping for Iftar and Eid in the Turi Bazaar area, close to a crowded bus terminal in Parachinar, Kurram Agency.
    The second explosion took place as people rushed to provide aid and rescue the wounded from the first explosion. 


  15. Waqas Dar
    PESHAWAR: A bomb resembling a toy killed at least six children Sunday in Speenmark village in the South Waziristan, officials said.

    The bomb exploded while the children were playing with it in the tribal district.
    "Six children aged between six to 12 years, all boys, were killed by a toy bomb and two others wounded critically," a local government official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
    Another local security official confirmed the incident and casualties.
    The origin of the bomb was unclear.
    Dozens of children, mostly in north-west Pakistan, have lost their lives in the past when playing with "toys" that turned out to be explosive devices.
    South Waziristan is also one of the seven tribal areas, where the army has for more than a decade been battling militants linked to the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
    Pakistan army launched an operation in June 2014 in neighbouring North Waziristan to wipe out terrorist bases in the tribal areas and end an insurgency that has cost thousands of civilian lives since 2004.
    As a result, security has improved. 


  16. Waqas Dar
    President Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday dismissed calls for Turkey to close a military base in Qatar and said a wider list of demands issued by four Arab states was an unlawful intervention against the Gulf emirate's sovereignty.
    In his strongest statement of support for Qatar in the nearly three-week-old crisis centred on the Gulf state, Erdogan said the call to withdraw Turkish forces was disrespectful and that Doha ? which described the demands as unreasonable ? was taking the right approach.
    Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain imposed a boycott on June 5 on Qatar and issued 13 demands including closing Al Jazeera television, curbing relations with Iran, shutting the Turkish base and paying reparations.
    Doha said it was reviewing the list, but said it was not reasonable or actionable.
    "We approve and appreciate the attitude of Qatar against the list of 13 demands," Erdogan, speaking outside a mosque in Istanbul, said. "...This approach of 13 demands is against international law because you cannot attack or intervene in the sovereignty of a country."
    The demands are apparently aimed at dismantling Qatar's interventionist foreign policy which has incensed conservative Arab peers over its alleged support for Islamists they regard as threats to their dynastic rule.
    Both Qatar and Turkey, whose ruling AK Party has its roots in Islamist politics, backed a Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt before it was overthrown in 2013.
    The Arab states have demanded Qatar cut any links to the Brotherhood and other groups they deem to be terrorist, ideological or sectarian.
    Bahrain's state news agency on Sunday confirmed the demands set out by un-named Gulf officials on Friday, including that Qatar close the Turkish base, end military cooperation with Ankara inside Qatar and stop supporting militant groups.
    "The demands aim to achieve regional countries' stability, stand firmly against foreign interference and stop support for terrorist organizations," it said.
    'No pullout'
    Turkey, the most powerful regional country to stand by Qatar, has sent 100 cargo planes with supplies since its neighbors cut air and sea links. It has also rushed through legislation to send more troops to its base in Doha.
    Two contingents of Turkish troops with columns of armored vehicles have arrived since the crisis erupted on June 5, and Defence Minister Fikri Isik said on Friday that further reinforcements would be beneficial.
    "The strengthening of the Turkish base would be a positive step in terms of the Gulf's security," he said. "Re-evaluating the base agreement with Qatar is not on our agenda."
    Hurriyet newspaper said last week a joint exercise by Turkish and Qatari forces was expected following the Eid ul-Fitr holiday which started on Sunday, and the number of Turkish soldiers sent to the Gulf state could eventually reach 1,000. An air force contingent was also envisaged, it said.
    Erdogan said Turkey had also offered to establish a military base in Saudi Arabia, but never received a clear answer.
    "If Saudi Arabia wants us to have base there, a step toward this also can be taken," he told reporters. "I made this offer to the king himself and they said they will consider this."
    "They did not come back to us since that day and even though they still didn't come back to us on this, asking Turkey to pull back its troops (from Qatar) is disrespectful against Turkey".
    Speaking outside the Istanbul mosque after prayers marking the Muslim Eid ul-Fitr holiday, Erdogan said he would continue his planned program despite feeling briefly unwell.
    "I had a little condition about my blood pressure, related to my diabetes," he said.


  17. Waqas Dar
    LONDON: At least six people were injured on Sunday after a car mounted a pavement outside a sports center in the northern English city of Newcastle, but the incident is not believed to be terrorism-related, police said on Sunday.
    Local media said hundreds of people were celebrating Eid, which marks the end of Islam's holy month of Ramadan, at the sports center and that two children were among the casualties.
    "On Sunday June 25, at approximately 9:14 a.m. Northumbria Police received reports that a vehicle had collided with pedestrians outside of Westgate Sports Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne," the police said in a statement.
    "Police enquiries are ongoing to establish exactly what happened but, at this time, it is not believed to be a terror incident." Police said a 42-year-old woman had been detained and was in custody.


  18. Waqas Dar
    Photo: File Pakistan welcomed the creation of the new UN Counter-Terrorism Office and congratulated Russia on the appointment of veteran Russian diplomat Vladimir Ivanovich Voronkov as the Under-Secretary-General for the newly established office on Sunday.
    Speaking at a meeting of the Advisory Board of the UN?s Counter-Terrorism Center, Pakistan?s Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi said she hoped the new office will bring better coordination and coherence across the UN system on counterterrorism, according to a press release issued by the Pakistan Mission to the UN.
    Pakistan expects the new office to also play an important role to improve coordination in counter-terrorism related capacity building assistance to the member states, at their request, as well as in the balanced implementation of the UN?s Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy across its four pillars, Lodhi added.
    She said Pakistan looks forward to working closely with the newly established office and will provide all possible assistance to the new Under-Secretary-General in the implementation of the mandate provided to him by the General Assembly.
    The new UN Office of Counter Terrorism (OCT), was established following the adoption by the General Assembly of a resolution by consensus on June 15, 2017. Its creation represents the first major reform of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to be implemented since his assumption of office.
    On June 21, 2017, the Secretary General appointed Vladimir Ivanovich Voronkov, the Russian Ambassador in Vienna, as the Under-Secretary-General to lead the OCT.
    Pakistan is a member of the Advisory Board of the UN?s Counter-Terrorism Center, whose recent meeting reviewed the UN body?s work.
    In her remarks, Ambassador Lodhi emphasised that the need for the UNCCT to develop a greater understanding of various terrorist movements, their specific motivations, objectives, organisations and modus operandi. ?We cannot build an effective response without such understanding.?
    The Pakistani envoy appreciated the UNCCT?s work and stated that it had played an important role in developing programmes and projects for enhancing capacity and capabilities of the member states to respond to the growing threat of terrorism at global, regional and national level.
    She told the participants of the meeting that since its inception the UNCCT had come a long way, and had worked to create synergies within the UN bodies by adopting an ?all of the UN? approach. 
    The UNCCT?s wide-ranging programmes including border security and management, assistance to member states in terrorist designations and assets freezing, youth empowerment initiatives and various other programs have helped build the technical capacity of Member States in combating terrorism.
    Going forward, she said, it is also important that the UNCCT?s projects and programmes keep pace with the rapidly evolving and multi-faceted threat posed by terrorist and extremist ideologies. In this regard, it is important that member states are encouraged to take the initiative in identifying their specific needs, which could then be addressed by the UNCCT through close coordination and consultation with the respective states.
    Apart from Pakistan, the members of the Advisory Board include Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Morocco, Nigeria, Norway, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US, and the EU (as guest member).


  19. Waqas Dar
    KOHLU: Security forces foiled a terror plot in Kohlu district of Balochistan on Sunday as part of the ongoing Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, Geo News reported.

    Intelligence agencies and levies personnel conducted an operation in tehsil Kahan of Kohlu district, according to security sources. In the operation, they seized a huge amount of explosives material including mines and weapon.
    Recovered weapons include a machine gun with 170 rounds, 75 mortar bombs, 14 mortar fuses, 11 anti-tanks mines, six anti-tank fuses, 1,328 rounds of light machine gun, and a satellite phone, said the security sources.
    Ammunition recovered in Lahore
    In another operation, about 47,500 bullets were recovered from a vehicle in Lahore?s Shera Kot on Sunday.
    Two suspects, identified as Noor Jan and Anwar Shah, were also arrested. The suspects were travelling to Lahore from Peshawar, according to the police.
    The police stopped the ?suspicious? vehicle at a checkpoint and recovered bullets of pistol and 9mm from it.
    A case has been registered and further investigation is under way. 


  20. Waqas Dar
    LONDON: The Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday cut short his visit to Britain to return home today. 
    The PM expressed remorse over the loss of precious lives after an oil tanker caught fire and subsequently exploded in Bahawalpur's Ahmedpur East town on Sunday morning to claim 148 lives. 
    142 burnt to death as oil tanker catches fire in Bahawalpur
    Scores injured in fire that broke out after oil tanker overturned and crowds rushed to collect fuel
    Earlier in the day, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry said that the country was bleeding while the PM was enjoying holidays in London.
    The PTI leader was speaking to media, where he criticised the PM for being absent in the wake of back-to-back tragedies that have hit the country within a short time.

    PM vacationing in London while Pakistan bleeding: Fawad Chaudhry
    The PTI leader was speaking to media, where he highly criticised the PM for being absent in wake of back-to-back tragedies
    While talking to members of the press after offering Eid prayers in a mosque in central London, the premier said the National Action Plan had significantly reduced the incidents of terrorism in the country.

    ?[Peace and stability] conditions in Pakistan are steadily improving,? the PM said.
    He added that he met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and both leaders mutually agreed on a few matters.
    ?We are working to make our relations with Afghanistan better,? the prime minister said.




  21. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday that Pakistan has the capability to bring stability to the region, adding that in order to put that thought to fruition a meeting should be held of Pakistan, China and Afghanistan.

    The Chinese Foreign Minister is currently on a visit to Pakistan, during which he met President Mamnoon Hussain and made the above-mentioned statements.
    The Chinese FM further said that the future of Pak-China friendship?s future is outstanding.
    Later in the day, the Chinese FM along with Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz gave a joint press briefing, after holding a meeting at the PM House.

    Sartaj Aziz said that Pakistan and China see eye to eye when it comes to the balance of power in Pakistan.
    Peace in Afghanistan is in favour of Pakistan, said Sartaj Aziz, adding that it was agreed to increase cooperation among China, Pakistan and Afghanistan. 
    Chinese Foreign minister Wang Yi on Saturday arrived in Pakistan on a two-day visit to discuss the bilateral ties.




  22. Waqas Dar
    Bollywood Beauty Kangana Ranaut once again, opened up on nepotism while taking a dig at Karan Johar.
    The Queen actress who is quite famous for her blunt and bold style said that her much-talked about the debate with Karan Johar on nepotism did not affect her at all.
    During a recent interview with Anupam Kher, on his show, The Revolver Rani star said that she felt KJo's blog on nepotism was "more of a brainwash than being objective."
    "Honestly, the debate did not affect me at all. I am quite self-sufficient at this point of time in my life as I have also launched my own production house. I want to propagate my story and there should be nothing wrong about it. When Karan Johar posted a blog on nepotism, I felt it was more of a brainwash than being objective," she said.
    In one of the episodes of the last season of 'Koffee with Karan,' Kangana accused the filmmaker of favouring star kids. 
    Karan Johar who at that moment took it sportingly on the show, later confessed that he was offended by Kangana's remark.
    As a result, a blog 'In Defence Of My Nepotism,' was published.
    Karan Johar also tweeted, "Dear Nepotism...can you pave the way for skepticism and cynicism....both these words also want to be famous!!!!" 
    Kangana, during the interview, said that the 'privileged' star kids effortlessly get audience and critics from the very beginning of their career, whereas, it takes a lifetime for an outsider to reach that starting point.
    Kangana said, "Do these Bollywood kids know that it takes almost 10 years to build an audience and to get a critic. These star kids already start from a point where they have everything and they are not aware of the fact that for an outsider, it can take his entire lifetime to reach the starting point." 
    "I got one critic after struggling for 10 years and no one cared whether I was alive or dead prior to me becoming a star. One has to earn their critics, so you are privileged, let me put this way and yes, it is not your fault. But at the same time, it is a democracy and we cannot let the society be segregated in this extreme manner and we have to make sure everyone is given the equal opportunities." she added.




  23. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali announced that load shedding will not be held during the three-day Eid-ul-Fitr holidays, from June 26 to June 28.

    ?We want to spread happiness by ensuring uninterrupted supply of power to the people,? he added.
    He said that the government has created a record of producing 19, 252 Megawatt of electricity, we have additional power to provide now. In the next six to eight months, electricity production will reach 25,000 MW.
    Load shedding continues in Karachi
    On the other hand, the government failed to live up to its promises as load shedding continues during the last days of Ramazan in Karachi.
    In many parts of the city such as Golimar, Kemari, Moosa Colony, Liaquatabad CI area, Malir, Shah Faisal Colony, Landhi, Ibrahim Hyderi, North Karachi, Orangi Town, Mauripur, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Lyari, New Karachi and Surjani Town electricity remained suspended early Sunday morning during Sehri time. 


  24. Waqas Dar
    A Palestinian man dressed in a bear outfit plays with a girl near the Dome of Rock at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem. Photo: AFP  Indonesian Muslim youth wait outside their home to greet friends and neighbours during Eid-ul-Fitr in a neighbourhood in Tangerang, in the suburbs of Jakarta. Photo: AFP A Palestinian girl takes a selfie during a Eid-ul-Fitr prayer gathering in Gaza city on June 25, 2017. Photo: AFP Palestinian boys hold balloons as Muslims gather for the morning Eid-ul-Fitr prayer near the Dome of Rock at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem. Photo: AFP

    Libyan men take photos as Muslim worshippers gather at the Martyrs´ Square in the capital Tripoli to perform Eid-ul-Fitr prayers on June 25, 2017 to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramazan. Photo: AFP    Muslim women take pictures of themselves before Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on June 25, 2017. Photo: AFP  Kyrgyz Muslims pray in central Bishkek on June 25, 2017, during celebrations of Eid-ul-Fitr marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramazan. Photo: AFP Palestinian Muslims attend the Eid-ul-Fitr prayer in open area in Gaza city on June 25, 2017. Photo: AFP

    A group of women pose for a picture, before the start of Eid-ul-Fitr prayers, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramazan at Luneta Park in Metro Manila, Philippines. Photo: REUTERS Libyan Muslim worshippers greet each other as they gather at the Martyrs´ Square in the capital Tripoli to perform Eid-ul-Fitr prayers on June 25, 2017. Photo: AFP Residents, who fled the conflict in Marawi, greet each other after attending Eid-ul-Fitr prayers on the grounds of the city hall in Iligan City on the southern island of Mindanao in Philippines. Photo: AFP 

    A Palestinian woman holds balloons as Muslims gather for Eid-ul-Fitr prayer near the Dome of Rock in the Old City of Jerusalem. Photo: AFP Muslim worshippers perform Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at the Blue mosque (Sultanahmet) on June 25, 2017 in Istanbul. Photo: AFP  An imam delivers a sermon during an Eid-ul-Fitr prayer on the grounds of the city hall in Iligan City on the southern island of Mindanao. Photo: REUTERS A boy looks on amongst Muslims praying during Eid-ul-Fitr prayers, marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramazan in Singapore. Photo: REUTERS Young Kosovo Muslims attend the Eid-ul-Fitr prayer near the Sulltan Mehmet Fatih mosque in Pristina on June 25, 2017. Photo: AFP Afghans greet each other outside the Shah-e Doh Shamshira Mosque, on the first day of Eid-ul-Fitr. Photo: REUTERS



  25. Waqas Dar
    Australia said on Sunday it will push for greater powers to tackle the use of encrypted messaging services used by terrorists and criminals at an upcoming meeting of ministers from the "Five Eyes" intelligence network.
    The United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, will meet in the Canadian city of Ottawa next week, where they will discuss tactics to combat terrorism and border protection, two senior Australian ministers said.
    Australia has made it clear it wants tech companies to do much more to give intelligence and law enforcement agencies access to encrypted communications.
    ?I will raise the need to address ongoing challenges posed by terrorists and criminals using encryption,? Australian Attorney-General Senator Brandis said in a joint statement.
    ?These discussions will focus on the need to cooperate with service providers to ensure reasonable assistance is provided to law enforcement and security agencies.?
    Tech firms such as Apple and Facebook, which owns encrypted messaging service WhatsApp, have been criticized in the United Kingdom and the United States for not doing enough to crackdown on so-called dark spaces where extremists can communicate.
    Industry involvement in thwarting the encryption of terrorist messaging will be a priority for Australia at the gathering, Senator Brandis said.


  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...