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Waqas Dar

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  1. Waqas Dar
    Eid is a great time to kick back, grab some popcorn and cozy up to a movie, of course once done with family outings. There are plenty of big budget projects, with star-studded casts, coming to a theatre near you from Hollywood and our very own Lollywood, this holiday.


    If you are headed to the theatres and aren?t sure what to watch, we?ve got your back. Here is a list of all the movies releasing on Eid:

    Yalghaar

    Based on true events, Yalghaar follows the lives of four young soldiers of the Pakistan army as they mount an assault against militants in the Piochar area of Swat.

    Starring:
    Shaan Shahid
    Humayun Saeed
    Adnan Siddiqui
    Ayesha Omer
    Sana Bucha

    Transformers: The Last Knight


    The war between humans and gigantic robots continues in this new saga. The Last Knight is the fifth instalment of the Transformers film series.

    Starring:
    Mark Wahlberg
    Anthony Hopkins
    Laura Haddock


    Pirates of the Caribbean 5
    The carefree, swashbuckling Jack Sparrow returns this summer to face off against his oldest nemesis, Capt. Salazar.


    Starring:
    Johnny Depp
    Javier Bardem
    Geoffrey Rush
    Orlando Bloom
    Keira Knightley

    Despicable Me 3
    The lovable Gru, an unsuccessful criminal turned father, meets his twin brother Dru in the third installment of the 3D computer-animated comedy film.


    Starring:
    Steve Carell
    Kristen Wiig
    Jenny Slate

    Mehrunisa V Lub U
    One of the most anticipated Lollywood flicks of the season is Yasir Nawaz?s upcoming romantic drama, which will hit screens during Eid holidays.


    Starring:
    Danish Taimoor
    Sana Javed
    Javed Sheikh

    *Information provided by Super Cinema and Cinestar.



  2. Waqas Dar
    Bollywood actor Salman Khan has always been making headlines whether it's about hit and run case or his alleged link-ups.
    The Dabangg actor who allegedly had an affair with Aishwarya Rai in the past has always maintained his silence whenever he is asked about getting married or in love.

    When Sallu Bhai was asked about the concept of marriage during an interview with an Indian magazine, he said, "Now, say if someone comes and asks me something straight up, like this whole marriage shit. They're really not interested, you know that. They just want to publish that marriage thingy. That pisses me off. For me, I think marriage is a waste of money!"

    Salman also revealed that he doesn't believe in love and it's just about the word 'need'.
    The Big Boss host further said "I don't believe in love at all. I don't think there's any reason for the word 'love' to exist. The word is 'need'. It depends on whose need is more. Or who you might need at some point. But she may not need you at all. This can also turn the other way round when you don't need her sometimes. So, basically, the need has got to be equal at all times. Which may or may not happen."

    Adding more to it, he said, "Then there is companionship, habit - that you've been together for so long - emotional connect, or the fact that both of you have flaws but you're aware of the larger picture, and that you're happy together. But 'love' is, essentially, need."
    If rumours are to be believed, Salman Khan is currently dating Romanian model Iulia Vantur and is often spotted with her at public events.





  3. Waqas Dar
    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to the US this weekend for his first meeting with President Donald Trump NEW DELHI: India´s leader heads to the US this weekend for his first meeting with President Donald Trump, seeking to build on growing ties between the world´s two largest democracies and move beyond disagreements over climate change.

    Relations between New Delhi and Washington warmed under Trump´s predecessor Barack Obama as India sought greater foreign investment and trade ties with Western nations.
    Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to work closely with the Trump administration, but obstacles soon emerged on issues such as trade and visas for Indians wanting to work in the United States.
    Then Trump accused India of seeking to profit from the Paris climate accord as he announced he was pulling out of the deal this month -- drawing sharp denials from New Delhi.
    Officials were eager to downplay expectations of the visit that begins on Sunday, describing it as "no frills" -- in contrast to Modi´s first US visit in 2014, when he basked in a rock star welcome at the Madison Square Garden arena in New York and addressed the United Nations.
    "If there´s one thing we want (from the visit), it´s chemistry," said one senior Indian official. "If the chemistry is good then frankly everything else gets sorted."
    Some commentators have argued that Modi and Trump should have a natural affinity as political outsiders who have risen to power in part by castigating the traditional ruling elite on a nationalist platform.
    One US official said the two leaders had a "lot in common" and noted Modi would be the first foreign dignitary to have a working dinner at the White House under the new administration.
    "We are really seeking to roll out the red carpet," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
    ´Make in India´ 
    Trump´s protectionist instincts, however, are at odds with India´s efforts to boost exports and encourage Western manufacturers to "Make In India" -- a flagship Modi scheme.
    The Indian premier castigated "rising parochial and protectionist attitudes" in a speech delivered shortly after Trump took office that was widely interpreted as a dig at the president´s "America first" mantra.
    A proposed overhaul of H-1B visas -- used by thousands of Indian software engineers to work in the United States -- has also caused concern in New Delhi.
    Analysts said Monday´s meeting at the White House would give Modi the chance to size up a US leader whose focus has so far been on ties with India´s regional rival China.
    "The meeting between the two leaders is very significant, obviously, because the new administration´s policies towards Asia and particularly India, are not very clear," said Sujit Datta, foreign policy specialist at New Delhi´s Jamia Millia Islamia University.
    "India´s relationship with the US is a very important one in terms of economic relations, trade, industry and wider strategic relevance regarding Afghanistan, Pakistan," he told AFP.
    Regional security is expected to be high on the agenda for the talks as Washington considers deploying up to 5,000 extra troops in Afghanistan to help local forces fighting the Taliban and other insurgent groups.
    The new administration has also indicated it could take a tougher stance on Pakistan, which India has long accused of harbouring militant groups.
    Modi was effectively barred from the United States for years after deadly communal riots in the western state of Gujarat during his time as chief minister. Most of those killed were Muslims.
    But after his landslide election victory, Modi built a strong rapport with Obama who became the first sitting US president to pay a second visit to India when he attended the 2015 Republic Day celebrations.
    Political analyst Ashley Tellis said in an interview with Asian Age that the meeting with Trump would give Modi "an opportunity to take the measure of the man, articulate India´s interests, and describe the opportunities those interests provide for the US".
    "I don´t think PM Modi can change Trump´s worldview. But he can help Trump to think of India as an opportunity rather than as a problem," said Tellis, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.


  4. Waqas Dar
    In this photograph taken on April 12, 2017, an Indian worker packs glass bangles at a factory in Firozabad. Photo AFP FIROZABAD: Hanuman Prasad Garg doesn´t blame rising fuel prices or pressure from cheap knock-offs for the slow demise of the glass industry where Indian artisans have forged bangles for centuries. He blames the Taj Mahal.

    The ancient glass quarter in Firozabad never recovered after authorities blamed smoke drifting from its furnaces for yellowing the Taj´s magnificent white marble, threatening the beauty of India´s number-one tourist attraction.
    The artisans were banned from burning coal and forced to use costly gas to fuel their furnaces instead -- and yet two decades on the Taj is still losing its lustre.
    In this photograph taken on April 12, 2017, Indian traditional glassmaker Zafar Ahmad makes an item at his workshop inside his home in Firozabad. Photo: AFP "Because of the Taj Mahal, the entire industry is suffering," said Garg, president of a glass industry association in Firozabad, roughly 35 kilometres (22 miles) from the 360-year-old monument.
    Inside the blazing-hot workshops dotting the district, the Taj is a sore point for many of the craftsmen toiling over thousand-degree furnaces to fashion the glittering bangles that sell for pennies across India.
    Their industry dates back almost as far as the Mughal-era mausoleum itself.
    But many factories have closed or downsized considerably as the price of natural gas has steadily climbed in recent years, throwing generations of glass artisans onto the scrap heap.

    Now authorities are considering closing the historic district for good.
    A fragile industry
    In this photograph taken on April 12, 2017, an Indian worker packs glass bangles at a factory in Firozabad. Photo: AFP Crouched over a flame in his tiny workshop, Zafar Ahmad skillfully carved a delicate bird from a searing hot blob of molten glass as he fretted about his family-run business.
    "I have been making glass items since I was 10 years old. This is the only thing I know. My entire household is involved in this work," he told AFP, using a naked flame to tease the glass into form.
    "But still it is so difficult to survive. I can´t even afford sending my four children to decent schools. I can´t imagine what will happen to them if God forbid I am out of work," he added.
    Artisans earn little more than 300 rupees ($5) per day, despite the extreme conditions.
    Competition from cheaper plastic and metal bangles has also made it harder for those crafting glass by hand, a costlier and more time consuming process.
    In this photograph taken on April 12, 2017, an Indian artisan attends a government-run training workshop to learn new techniques in glass art in Firozabad. Photo: AFP A Supreme Court ruling in 1999, giving Firozabad two years to retrofit their factories with gas instead of coal, has gradually eroded their razor-thin margins, pushing many to the wall.
    Garg said pollution had come down, but the phasing out of gas subsidies had seen input costs climb year on year.
    "Ours is a labour-intensive industry and everyone suffers on account of this," he said.
    Polishing talent
    Despite the interventions, the Taj is still yellowing, prompting authorities to search for stricter rules on potential pollutants in the area.
    Other coal-powered industries in districts closest to the mausoleum have also been shut down, while motor vehicles are not allowed within a 500 metre radius of it.
    In this photograph taken on April 12, 2017, Indian workers use razors to cut glass bangles at a factory in Firozabad. Photo: AFP Mud packs have been applied periodically to draw the stain from the stone, but authorities have struggled to stop the discolouration.
    A 2015 joint study by Indian and US researchers concluded smog from burning fossil fuels, dung and garbage in and around Agra city was tarnishing the marble.
    The artisans of Firozabad feel their days are numbered, and face the very real threat of being turfed out of their homes and businesses for good.
    The National Green Tribunal, India´s federal environment court, is considering shifting the entire industry elsewhere, and has ordered samples be taken from the furnaces of Firozabad to test for pollutants.
    To offset the disruption, the government is trying to bring artisans like Ahmad into the modern era, teaching them to sell their goods online and run stalls at state-run craft fairs in major centres.
    Shahbaz Ali, chairman of the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation, said: "No one can take away their talent. They have rich traditional knowledge, we are just polishing it."


  5. Waqas Dar
    A man reads the Koran in a mosque during the fasting month of Ramadan, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 29, 2017. Photo: REUTERS DUBAI: Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, and most other Gulf Arab states celebrate the Muslim Eid ul-Fitr feast today to mark the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, regional media said on Saturday.
    Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will also mark the holy day today, media reports said.
    On the other hand, the Sultanate of Oman said Monday will be the first day of the Eid.
    The timing of Eid can vary in different countries depending on the sighting of the new moon, which marks the start of the month in Islam´s lunar calendar.
    Regional stock markets are closed during the holiday. Saudi Arabia´s stock exchange will be closed from June 25 and will resume trading on July 2.


  6. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Fawad Chaudhry said on Sunday that the country is bleeding while Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is enjoying holidays in London.

    The PTI leader was speaking to media, where he highly criticised the PM for being absent in wake of back-to-back tragedies that have hit the country within a short time.
    He said that the country is facing administrative and political crisis.
    The country was hit by one after another tragedy beginning with the suicide attack in Quetta, which resulted in the death of 14 people, including seven policemen, on Friday. The attack was followed up by twin attacks in Parachinar, which took 67 lives and injured several others.
    When the country was reeling from the three attacks in one day, four policemen were gunned down in Karachi by unknown assailants.
    The PM along with his family members left the country on June 18 for Saudi Arabia, and is set to return on June 30.  The Sharif family usually spends the last 10 days of Ramazan in the Holy Cities.
    On June 25, the prime minister is expected to go to London for a medical checkup. On May 31 last year, the premier underwent a heart surgery in London. In that visit, Sharif spent almost 50 days out of the country while the Panama crisis was brewing at home.


  7. Waqas Dar
    KARACHI: The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee led by Mufti Munibur Rehman would meet on Monday for sighting of the Shawwal moon while the zonal committees will hold meetings at their respective locations, Geo News reported.
    The meeting would be held at the camp office of the Meteorological Department where evidence of moon sighting would be collected.
    Muslims throughout the celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on first of Shawwal.
    According to the Pakistan Meteorological (Met) Department, there are visible chances of the Eid moon being sighted on June 25 (today).
    Shawwal moon sighted in Saudi Arabia
    Muslims in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Japan and European countries will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Sunday
    As per the Met office, the Shawwal moon started appearing in the sky at 7:29AM on Saturday. Scientifically, the moon will be sighted for the longest duration in Pakistan in Jiwani area of Balochistan on June 25.
    The moon will be seen in the sky for 75 minutes.
    Since the sky is also expected to be clear in most parts of the country on June 25, there are chances it be sighted on that evening i.e. after the 29th fast in many areas of Pakistan is observed, according to the Met department. Therefore, chances are high of Eid being celebrated on June 26 across the country.


  8. Waqas Dar
    Britain's parliament was hit by a "sustained and determined" cyber attack on Saturday designed to identify weak email passwords, just over a month after a ransomware worm crippled parts of the country's health service.
    The House of Commons said it was working with the National Cyber Security Centre to defend parliament's network and was confident it had protected all accounts and systems.
    "Earlier this morning we discovered unusual activity and evidence of an attempted cyber-attack on our computer network," an email sent by parliamentary authorities to those people affected said.
    "Closer investigation by our team confirmed that hackers were carrying out a sustained and determined attack on all parliamentary user accounts in an attempt to identify weak passwords."
    Britain's National Health Service was hit by a massive global ransomware worm in May which crippled the computer system and forced some hospitals to turn away patients.
    The National Cyber Security Center is part of Britain's GCHQ spy agency, set up last year to tackle what the government believes is one of the biggest threats to British security.
    Chris Rennard, a member of the Liberal Democrat party in the upper House of Lords, was the first to draw attention to the problem, using Twitter to announce: "Cyber security attack on Westminster, Parliamentary emails may not work remotely, Text urgent messages."
    A spokeswoman for the House of Commons confirmed that unauthorized attempts had been made to access parliamentary accounts and said systems were in place to protect member and staff details.
    "As a precaution, we have temporarily restricted remote access to the network," she said. "As a result, some Members of Parliament and staff cannot access their email accounts outside of Westminster."
    Liam Fox, the minister for international trade, said the attack was not a surprise and should act as a warning to people across the country to the threat posed by cyber hackers.
    "We've seen reports in the last few days of even cabinet ministers' passwords being for sale online," he told broadcasters.
    "We know that our public services are attacked so it's not at all surprising that there should be an attempt to hack into parliamentary emails."


  9. Waqas Dar
    Britain's Radiohead returned to Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage on Friday, 20 years after a legendary performance at the festival, with a set that mocked Prime Minister Theresa May's election campaign and pulled songs from nearly all of their albums.
    The band from Oxfordshire, England, first headlined in 1997, one of the wettest years in the festival's history, when they lifted a sodden crowd with music from their album "OK Computer".
    Featuring songs about alienation, capitalism and modern technology, the band's third album sounds oddly prescient in a politically divided and anxious Britain in 2017.
    Fans expected "OK Computer" to feature heavily in the set on Friday, the same day a version of the album was re-released, including tracks that did not make the cut 20 years ago, called "OK Computer OKNOTOK 1997 2017".
    The band opened with "Daydreaming" from last year's "A Moon Shaped Pool", followed by "Lucky", the first of a host of "OK Computer" tracks that included "Exit Music (For a Film)", "Let Down", "Paranoid Android" and "Karma Police".
    Singer Thom Yorke changed the lyric at the end of the song "Myxomatosis" to "strong and stable", apparently mocking a slogan that May repeated many times in her campaign.
    "See you later Theresa; Shut the door on the way out," Yorke said, in one of his few addresses to the crowd.
    May has yet to form a stable government in Britain, more than two weeks after an inconclusive national election.
    LIFE-CHANGING
    Radiohead's two-hour show went down well with fans, but left some newcomers underwhelmed, evidenced by a steady stream of people heading off to other stages.
    Tom Martin, a 30-year old from Cork, Ireland, was not disappointed by a band he had long followed. "It was the best gig I've ever seen," he said.
    Earlier in the day, English duo Royal Blood drew a huge Pyramid Stage crowd for a masterclass in straight, hard rock as their second album "How Did We Get So Dark?" went straight to the top of the charts.
    Lead singer and guitarist Mike Kerr, who formed the band with drummer Ben Thatcher in 2013, said playing the main stage at the world's biggest greenfield festival was "life-changing, terrifying and ridiculous".
    The festival started with a minute of silence on Friday morning in memory of recent terror attacks and the devastating Grenfell Tower fire before Hacienda Classical eased revelers into the first day of music.
    Peter Hook, the bass player from Manchester bands Joy Division and New Order, led the crowd in reflecting on "our hopes and our prayers for life, love, and freedom, the things we are here to celebrate".
    Other performers on the main stage at Worthy Farm in southwest England, included 81-year-old Kris Kristofferson and English indie band the xx.


  10. Waqas Dar
    US President Donald Trump in his office in Trump Tower, New York City, US, May 17, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson  WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Saturday sent "warm greetings" to Muslims celebrating the end of Ramazan after his administration broke with the tradition of hosting a White House event to recognise the holy month.
    "On behalf of the American people, Melania and I send our warm greetings to Muslims as they celebrate Eid al-Fitr," Trump said in a statement. "During this holiday, we are reminded of the importance of mercy, compassion, and goodwill."
    "With Muslims around the world, the United States renews our commitment to honour these values."
    Since the Bill Clinton administration, the White House has each year hosted either an event to mark the Eid al-Fitr feast ? that ends the fasting month of Ramazan ? or a meal breaking the dawn-til-dusk fast, known as an iftar.
    Secretary of State Rex Tillerson reportedly rejected a request by his department's office of religion and global affairs to hold an event for the holiday.
    Trump has come under fire for his history of anti-Muslim rhetoric on the campaign trail that included calls for surveillance of US mosques and an outright ban on Muslims entering the country in the name of national security.
    A week after becoming president he issued a ban on travellers from several predominantly Muslim countries, which has been frozen by the US courts after sparking global chaos and outrage.
    Yet during a visit to Saudi Arabia last month, Trump softened his tone on Islam, rejecting the idea of a battle between religions in an address before dozens of leaders of Muslim countries.


  11. Waqas Dar
    French President Emmanuel Macron plays tennis with French wheelchair tennis player Michael Jeremiasz (Rear C) during a visit to a site near the Invalides in Paris on June 24, 2017, in a bid to promote the candidacy of the city of Paris for the Summer Olympics Games in 2024. AFP/Pool/Jean-Paul Pelissier  PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron tried his hand at sports including boxing and wheelchair tennis to support Paris' bid to host the 2024 Olympics on Saturday.

    Paris and Los Angeles are vying for the Games and, as part of the French capital's campaign organisers, staged an Olympic Day where fans could try out various sports.
    "Paris 2024 is a project supported by the whole of France," said Macron. "And it is important to send out the message that the head of state is fully on board."
    France's interest in hosting the Games was a question of "pride and optimism," insisted Macron, who, at 39 years, is the youngest president in French history.
    French President Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with spectators during a visit to an Olympic promotional venue in Paris on June 24, 2017. AFP/Pool/Jean-Paul Pelissier  Macron certainly looked fully on board as he gamely thrashed out a few points at wheelchair tennis on the Pont Alexandre-III over the River Seine and pulled on boxing gloves to spar with the boxers.

    "There is the universal Olympic spirit, but, when I play, I always play to win," said the former civil servant and investment banker who swept to victory in the French Presidential election in April and took office in May.
    The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is expected to announce a decision on July 11 on whether to name the host for the 2024 and 2028 Games simultaneously. The IOC's main meeting in Lima on September 13 will then vote on the host for both editions.
    Paris has not hosted the Summer Olympics since 1924 and last hosted the Winter Olympics in Albertville 1992.


  12. Waqas Dar
    RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Saturday presided over a high-level security meeting in the backdrop of recent spate of terrorist activities in the country, according to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

    The COAS was briefed in detail about the recent incidents and their manifest linkages with terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan operating under the patronage of NDS and Indian covert agency, RAW.
    The meeting was held a day after three deadly attacks in Karachi, Quetta and Parachinar, killed 85 people, including 11 policemen, and wounded more than hundred others.
    Seven policemen among 14 killed in suicide car bombing in Quetta
    Nine policemen said to be among 21 injured; investigations under way
    Death toll from twin blasts in Parachinar rises to 67
    The two back-to-back explosions occurred as people were busy shopping for Iftar and Eid in Turi Bazaar area








    General Bajwa said that since 9/11, Pakistan is one of the few countries which have borne the brunt of terrorism and made monumental sacrifices to effectively neutralize this menace in its state territories, the ISPR said in a statement.

    "Unfortunately our sacrifices against terrorism are not well acknowledged and we are often subjected to demand of 'Do More'," the statement quoted the army chief as saying.

    The meeting concluded that "while counter-terrorism efforts by Pakistan continue, it is time now for the other stake holders particularly Afghanistan to 'Do More'."
    Recent terrorist attacks linked to sanctuaries in Afghanistan: ISPR

    Four policemen martyred in Karachi gun attack
    Policemen had stopped at a local eatery for Iftar when the attack occurred
    The COAS reiterated that they will continue their efforts to positively contribute towards regional peace & stability, and won't allow use of the Pakistani territory against any other country, the statement said.

    He appreciated efforts of security forces, intelligence and law enforcement agencies in foiling countless terrorist bids under ongoing operation 'Raddul Fasaad'.
    General Bajwa further expressed his resolve to eliminate the menace of terrorism to ensure safety & security of Pakistan, and its resilient people, whom he said were the real strength of their valiant forces.


  13. Waqas Dar
    SAINT PETERSBURG: Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 75th international goal as Portugal trounced New Zealand 4-0 in Saint Petersburg on Saturday to advance to the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup.
    The Real Madrid star struck from the penalty spot on 33 minutes to fire the European champions in front before Bernardo Silva turned in a second goal four minutes later.
    Andre Silva added a third on 80 minutes before Nani completed the rout in stoppage time to ensure Portugal progressed to last four as winners of Group A, finishing above Mexico on goal difference.
    Mexico eliminated hosts Russia with a 2-1 win in Kazan to join Portugal on seven points, with Fernando Santos´ side to face the runners-up of Group B on Wednesday for a place in the July 2 final.
    Copa America holders Chile lead Germany on goal difference ahead of the final round of matches in Group B, although Australia and Cameroon still harbour outside qualification hopes.
    Santos fielded an attacking line-up packed with experience and resisted the temptation to rest Ronaldo with Portugal still requiring a point to qualify and vying with Mexico and Russia for top spot.
    Ronaldo twice threatened the New Zealand goal in quick succession, nodding straight at goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic on 24 minutes and then clattering the crossbar shortly after with another header from a Ricardo Quaresma cross.
    But the Portugal captain made no mistake after Danilo was wrestled to the ground in the area by a combination of Tom Doyle and Tommy Smith following a corner.
    Ronaldo buried the resultant penalty beyond Stefanovic to draw level with former Hungary great Sandor Kocsis and within nine goals of the legendary Ferenc Puskas´ European record of 84 at international level.
    Portugal swiftly doubled their lead when Eliseu´s dangerous low cross from the left was forced home by Silva, although there was brief concern for the new Manchester City signing as he landed awkwardly on his ankle.
    New Zealand skipper Chris Wood nearly grabbed a lifeline for the All Whites on the hour, but his back-post effort was scrambled off the line by a combination of Rui Patricio and Bruno Alves.
    Ronaldo could have added to his tally when he climbed to meet a Nelson Semedo delivery, his header scooped away by Stefanovic who then stood tall to superbly deny Andre Silva.
    Santos withdrew Ronaldo on 67 minutes with the semi-finals in mind, and his replacement Nani struck within moments of his introduction only for Stefanovic to brilliantly tip behind his deflected shot.
    Silva finally provided Portugal with further breathing space 10 minutes from time as the AC Milan-bound striker ran at the Kiwi defence before drilling into the roof of the net.
    Former Manchester United winger Nani then drilled in a fourth in injury time, with Portugal now having lost just one of their last 23 competitive fixtures. 


  14. Waqas Dar
    London: British lawmakers on Saturday said they were unable to access their e-mail accounts remotely as parliament´s security team battled against a cyberattack.
    Liberal Democrat lawmaker Chris Rennard tweeted that there was a "cyber security attack on Westminster; Parliamentary e-mails may not work remotely."
    A House of Commons spokesman confirmed that "the Houses of Parliament have discovered unauthorised attempts to access parliamentary user accounts.
    "We have systems in place to protect member and staff accounts and are taking the necessary steps to protect our systems," it added.
    The threat follows reports in British media, including the Times, that hackers were selling passwords for MPs online.


  15. Waqas Dar
    RIYADH: Muslims in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Japan and European countries will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Sunday after the Shawwal moon was sighted there on Saturday.

    After the moon sighting, the first of Shawwal will fall on Sunday, June 25, which Muslims across the world celebrate as Eid-ul-Fitr.
    In Pakistan, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will meet Sunday for sighting Shawwal moon. It is likely that the entire country will celebrate this Eid on the same day, depending upon the sighting of the moon.
    According to the Met Office, there are high chances for the moon sighting on Sunday.


  16. Waqas Dar
    NEW DELHI: Facebook has introduced new security features for women using the social media platform in India, including the ability to prevent strangers from downloading their profile pictures, the company said Thursday.

    Research by the social media giant found that some Indian women were reluctant to show their faces in their profile pictures, fearing the images could be misused.
    In response, Facebook teamed up with local activists to develop two tools that offer women greater control over their profiles and "help keep them safe online," wrote product manager Aarati Soman on the company's blog.
    The first safeguard -- identified by a small shield and blue border on the image -- prevents strangers from downloading, sharing or tagging themselves in someone else's profile picture, or taking a screen shot of the image.
    The second overlays an additional design on the image that research shows dissuades people from making a copy of the image, Soman added.
    Facebook plans to offer these tools in other countries based on what it learns in India.
    "These tools will be available to both men and women as they continue to roll out more broadly," a Facebook spokesman told AFP.
    Facebook has 184 million active monthly users in India, its second-largest market after the United States.


  17. Waqas Dar
    Peshawar: The country has issued its first third-gender passport to a transgender activist, who hailed the move as a step forward for the marginalised community.

    Farzana Riaz, a transgender from Peshawar city, said the new passport would help her campaign globally on behalf of her community.
    "I have received my passport which mentions my gender as X and not as a male or female," Farzana told AFP on Saturday.
    "Earlier I had a passport which had described my gender as a male. But this time I told the authorities that I won´t accept my passport if it does not identify me as a transgender," the 30-year-old co-founder and president of rights organisation TransAction said.
    "Now it will be more convenient for me to travel abroad because earlier I faced problems at international airports because of a contradiction in my appearance and *** mention on my passport," she added.
    In 2009, Pakistan became one of the first countries in the world to legally recognise a third ***, allowing transgenders to obtain identity cards, while several have also run in elections.

    They number at least half a million people in the country, according to several studies.




  18. Waqas Dar
    The CIA had top-level intelligence last August that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally ordered an operation to help Donald Trump win the US presidential race, the Washington Post reported Friday.
    The intelligence shocked the White House and put US security chiefs on a top-secret crisis footing to figure out how to react.
    But amid confidence that Democrat Hillary Clinton still had the election in the bag and worries over president Barack Obama himself being seen as manipulating the election, the administration delivered warnings to Moscow but left countermeasures until after the vote, the Post reported.
    After Trump´s shock victory, there were strong regrets among administration officials that they had shied from tough action.
    "From national security people there was a sense of immediate introspection, of, ´Wow, did we mishandle this,´" a former administration official told the newspaper.
    The Post said that as soon as the intelligence on Putin came in, the White House viewed it as a deep national security threat. A secret intelligence task force was created to firm up the information and come up with possible responses.
    They couldn´t do anything about embarrassing WikiLeaks revelations from hacked Clinton emails. The focus turned to whether Moscow could disrupt the November 8 vote itself by hacking voter registration lists or voting machines, undermining confidence in the vote tally itself.
    Worried about making the situation worse, the administration put off retaliating, and instead delivered stiff warnings directly to the Russians not to go farther.
    At least four direct warnings -- Obama to Putin, spy chief to spy chief, and via top diplomatic channels -- appeared to have an impact, officials told the Post. They believe that Moscow pulled back on any possible plans to sabotage US voting operations.
    "We made the judgment that we had ample time after the election, regardless of outcome, for punitive measures," a senior administration official told the Post.
    Options to retaliate were on the table early: more crippling sanctions on the Russian economy, leaking information that would embarrass Putin diplomatically, and launching cyberattacks on Russian infrastructure were high on the list.
    But Trump´s shock victory dampened the response.
    Obama took modest measures at the end of December, expelling 35 Russians and adding to existing sanctions. He also, according to the Post, authorised a plan to place cyberattack implants in the systems of critical Russian infrastructure.
    But it remains unclear, the Post said, whether Trump has followed through with that.
    Trump on Friday questioned Obama´s response to the Russian hacking crisis.
    "Just out: The Obama Administration knew far in advance of November 8th about election meddling by Russia. Did nothing about it. WHY?" he posted on Twitter.
    In an interview with Fox News program "Fox and Friends" that will air Sunday, Trump groused that Obama´s response did not get more media coverage.
    "The CIA gave him information on Russia a long time before they even -- before the election. And I hardly see it. It´s an amazing thing," Trump said in an excerpt released by the program Friday evening.
    "If he had the information, why didn´t he do something about it? He should have done something about it. But you don´t read that. It´s quite sad.


  19. Waqas Dar
    Photo: File Indian police Saturday said one person has been arrested after a mob stabbed a Muslim teenager to death on suspicion of carrying beef, an offence in many parts of the Hindu-majority country.
    Cows are revered by Hindus and slaughtering them as well as possession or consumption of beef is banned in most Indian states, with some imposing life sentences for breaking the law.
    Junaid Khan, 15, was travelling from New Delhi on Friday with three of his brothers when a fight erupted over seats.
    Between 15 and 20 men pulled out knives and set upon the brothers while making anti-Muslim comments and insisting one of the packets they were carrying contained beef.
    While Khan was stabbed to death, his brother Shakir sustained injuries on the throat, chest and hands, police said.
    "The fight started over seats. We are looking into the matter and we have arrested one of the accused who is a 35-year-old old man from (northern state of) Haryana," Ajay Kumar, a government railway police official told AFP.
    Khan´s brother Hassem told reporters the mob ignored their repeated pleas that they were not carrying any beef.
    "They were pointing at a packet which had food and saying we should not be allowed to sit since we were carrying beef," Haseem said.
    The incident is the latest such attack by Hindu vigilantes in India, where there have been a spate of assaults against Muslims and low-caste Dalits.
    In the last two years, nearly a dozen Muslim men have been killed across the country on suspicion of eating beef or smuggling cows.
    Critics say vigilantes have been emboldened by the election in 2014 of Prime Minister Narendra Modi´s Hindu right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party.
    Last year Modi criticised the cow protection vigilantes and urged a crackdown against groups using religion as a cover for committing crimes.


  20. Waqas Dar
    Chinese military police and rescue workers are seen at the site of a landslide in in Xinmo village. -AFP BEIJING: At least six people were found dead and over 100 remained missing hours after a massive landslide buried a mountain village in southwest China on Saturday as rescuers frantically scoured through rocks for survivors.
    A couple and a baby were rescued and taken to hospital after 62 homes in Xinmo village were swallowed by boulders when the side of a mountain collapsed, according to the Maoxian, or Mao county, government.
    The government said on its Weibo social media account that six bodies were recovered while 112 people remained missing. State media had earlier revised the number of missing people down from 141 to over 120.
    The early morning landslide, which officials believe was triggered by heavy rains, blocked a two-kilometre (one-mile) stretch of river and 1.6 kilometre of road, according to state media.
    Rescuers and local residents used ropes to move a boulder while dozens of others, aided by sniffer dogs, searched the rubble for survivors, according to videos posted online by the Maoxian government and state broadcaster CCTV.
    Bulldozers and heavy diggers were also deployed to remove boulders, while villagers and soldiers lifted rocks with their bare hands.
    Rescuers brought spotlights to continue the search after sunset. Nearly 2,000 police, soldiers and civilians were taking part in the rescue.
    Medics were seen treating a woman on a road.
    No sign of the village could be seen in aerial footage, which showed a grim and grey rock-strewn landscape covering the area where it once existed by a river.
    A fourth survivor had been spotted earlier in the day but officials did not say whether he was finally pulled out of the rubble hours later.
    "It´s the biggest landslide in this area since the Wenchuan earthquake," said Wang Yongbo, one of the officials in charge of rescue efforts, referring to the disaster that killed 87,000 people in 2008 in a town in Sichuan.
    More rain forecast
    Local police captain Chen Tiebo said the heavy rains that hit the region in recent days had triggered the landslide.
    "There are several tonnes of rock" over the village, he told CCTV.
    "It´s a seismic area here. There´s not a lot of vegetation," Chen said.
    Trees can help absorb excess rain and prevent landslides.
    Tao Jian, director of the local weather service, told CCTV that the 2008 earthquake had "weakened the mountain" and that "a weak rain can provoke a geological catastrophe".
    President Xi Jinping called for rescuers to "spare no effort" in their search for survivors and prevent more disasters, state media said.
    China´s national weather observatory said more heavy rain was expected in parts of Sichuan and other southwestern provinces.
    Past disasters
    Landslides are a frequent danger in rural and mountainous parts of China, particularly at times of heavy rains.
    At least 12 people were killed in January when a landslide crushed a hotel in central Hubei province.
    In October landslides battered eastern China in the wake of torrential rains brought by Typhoon Megi, causing widespread damage and killing at least eight.
    More than 70 were killed by a landslide in the southern commercial hub of Shenzhen in December 2015, caused by the improper storage of waste.
    One of the deadliest landslides took place in 1991, when 216 were killed in southwestern Yunnan province.


  21. Waqas Dar
    Qatar on Saturday denounced a sweeping list of demands from Saudi Arabia and its allies in an escalating Gulf diplomatic crisis as unreasonable and an impingement on the emirate´s sovereignty.
    Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt want Qatar to meet the 13-point ultimatum in return for an end to a nearly three-week-old diplomatic and trade "blockade" of the emirate.
    Qatar has been given 10 days to meet the demands, which apparently include a call to close down broadcaster Al-Jazeera, but Doha said the requests were unrealistic.
    "This list of demands confirms what Qatar has said from the beginning -- the illegal blockade has nothing to do with combating terrorism, it is about limiting Qatar´s sovereignty, and outsourcing our foreign policy," said Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed Al-Thani, head of Qatar´s government communications office, in a statement.
    "The US secretary of state recently called upon the blockading nations to produce a list of grievances that was ´reasonable and actionable´.
    "The British foreign secretary asked that the demands be ´measured and realistic´. This list does not satisfy that criteria."
    The four Arab governments delivered the demands to Qatar through mediator Kuwait on Thursday, more than two weeks after severing all ties with the emirate and imposing an embargo.
    The document has not been published but has been widely leaked and the demands are sweeping in their scope.
    They include the closure of Al-Jazeera television, a long-standing source of conflict between Doha and neighbouring countries which accuse it of fomenting regional strife.
    Qatar faces Gulf ´divorce´
    The ultimatum also include calls for Doha to cut ties to groups including the Muslim Brotherhood, Daesh, Al-Qaeda and Lebanon´s Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.
    Qatar has also been asked to hand over opposition figures wanted by its three neighbours and Egypt and to downgrade diplomatic ties with Iran.
    Notably, it has also been told to shut a Turkish military base in the emirate.
    Qatar´s foreign affair ministry said it was "studying" the list, "in order to prepare an appropriate response".
    Meshal Hamad Al-Thani, Qatar´s ambassador to the United States, tweeted that the list was meant to "punish Qatar for its independence".
    Qatar was warned by one of its most hawkish critics in the region that unless it meets the list of demands, Doha faces "divorce" from its Gulf neighbours.
    Anwar Gargash, the UAE´s state minister for foreign affairs, said Qatar should yield to the demands.
    "It would be wiser that (Qatar) deal seriously with the demands and concerns of the neighbours or a divorce will take place," he wrote on Twitter.
    The demands confirm that "the crisis is profound," Gargash added.
    He also said Qatar leaked the document containing the demands by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, which cut diplomatic ties earlier this month, accusing Qatar of sponsoring terrorism.
    Qatar strongly denies such charges.
    ´Attempt to silence´ 
    Al-Jazeera, one of the largest news organisations in the world, responded to the demands by saying it "deplores" calls for it to be taken off air.
    "We in the network believe that any call for closing down Al-Jazeera is nothing but an attempt to silence the freedom of expression in the region and to suppress people´s right to information," the broadcaster said in a statement.
    In the other official response out of Qatar, its Human Rights Committee said the demands represented "gross violations" of basic rights.
    Qatar is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council with Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
    As well as cutting diplomatic ties, Qatar´s neighbours closed their air space to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirate´s only land border, vital for its food imports.
    Qatar is home to the largest US base in the region, Al-Udeid, and Bahrain is home to the Fifth Fleet of the United States Navy.
    The US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has urged a diplomatic solution and Washington had been pushing for a clear list of grievances that are "reasonable and actionable".
    His spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Tuesday the United States was "mystified" that Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies had failed to present details justifying their embargo on Qatar.
    US President Donald Trump, however, has made statements siding with Saudi Arabia in the crisis.
    British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said Friday that any conditions placed on Qatar should be "measured and realistic".


  22. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: The United States on Saturday condemned the multiple terror attacks that shook the country on June 23 and assured Pakistan of cooperation to combat the threat of terrorism, said a statement released by the US State Department.
    ?We will continue to work with the Government of Pakistan and our partners across the region to combat the threat of terrorism,? said the statement.
    The statement also added that the US stands with the people of Pakistan in their fight against terrorism.



    Condolences were also offered to the victims and their families.
    At least 55 people were killed on June 23 when multiple terror attacks rocked Pakistan after a period of relative calm. 
    Triple bombings in Quetta and Parachinar and a gun attack on policemen in Karachi shook the nation days before the end of Ramazan. 


  23. Waqas Dar
    LONDON: India had their second big win in hockey against Pakistan in the past six days.

    India defeated their traditional rivals 6-1 in the 5-8 position playoffs, of the Hockey World League Semifinal Round, also the qualifiers for the Hockey World Cup, at London?s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
    Now Pakistan would play China in the 7th/8th position match on Sunday.
    SCORERS:
    India: Ramandeep Singh 2, Talwinder Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Harmanpreet Singh. Mandeep Singh
    Pakistan: Ejaz Ahmed


  24. Waqas Dar
    File Photo ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday said terrorism surges in the country whenever Afghan border crossing are opened.

    Nisar passed the remarks while speaking to military high-ups, a day after at least 55 people were in multiple terror attacks across the country.  
    In a telephone call with Chief of General Staff Lt General Bilal Akbar, Director General Sindh Rangers Major General Mohammad Saeed and Inspector General FC Balochistan Major General Nadeem Ahmed Anjum, the interior minister expressed his concerns over allegations leveled against Pakistan after any incident of terrorism in Afghanistan.
    Nisar said a better border management system must be introduced in order to control terror activities across the country.
    He added the West does not take notice of terror attacks in Pakistan originating from the country?s western border.
    The interior minister also said that two alerts were conveyed to relevant authorities of the province but safety mechanisms were not put in place. 
    The Pakistani military has blamed terrorist "sanctuaries" in Afghanistan for recent bombings in the country.
    In February, officials of the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad were summoned to the General Headquarters of the Pakistan Army, where they were handed over a list of 76 terrorists orchestrating attacks inside the Pakistani territory from Afghanistan.



  25. Waqas Dar
    The Frontier Corps (FC) and intelligence agencies on Saturday destroyed three camps of banned outfits in Balochistan's Dera Bugti and Kahan, said a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). 
    At least two improvised explosive devices were also defused during the search operations conducted by security forces. 
    The ISPR added that an important terrorist affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) was also arrested during the operations. 
    The terrorist was involved in "serious crimes", said the military's media wing. 
    Earlier in February, the army launched a nationwide operation titled 'Radd-ul-Fasaad', which would include wide security and counter-terrorism operations in Punjab and the continuation of ongoing operations across the country.
    The operation?s aims include the elimination of the residual and latent threat of terrorism, consolidating gains of operations made so far and ensuring the security of Pakistan?s borders.
    The operation will entail conduct of broad spectrum security and counter-terrorism operations by Rangers in Punjab, continuation of ongoing operations across the country and focus on more effective border security management.












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