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
    MNA Jamshed Dasti pictured in Multan Central Jail on June 9, 2017.  DERA GHAZI KHAN: An Anti-Terrorism Court on Friday approved Member of National Assembly (MNA) from Muzaffargarh's NA-178 constituency Jamshed Ahmed Dasti?s request for bail.
    Dasti and Meharpur Union Council (UC) Chairman Malik Ajmal were arrested on June 9 by the Punjab Police for forcibly opening a canal in Muzaffargarh on May 28, following which the irrigation department lodged a case against the MNA.
    The two men were presented in the duty magistrate?s court on June 9, following which they were shifted to Central Jail Multan on judicial remand.
    On June 10, opposition leader Khursheed Shah requested the National Assembly speaker to issue a production order for Dasti, so he could attend the budget session.
    Barred from meeting Dasti
    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Shah Mehmood Qureshi was stopped from meeting Dasti on his visit to Central Jail Multan to meet the MNA on June 10.
    While talking to the media, Qureshi said he had gone to the jail on the orders of the National Assembly speaker to get the release letter signed from Dasti.
    He said his party and its chief condemned Dasti's arrest and wanted him to be released.
    Awami Raaj Party stages protest against arrest 
    The MNA's Awami Raaj Party workers staged a protest against Dasti's arrest at Kumharan Wala Chowk in Multan on June 10. 
    Protesting workers chanted slogans against the government and said Dasti was being punished for helping the poor farmers. They said he opened the canal to irrigate the farmers' lands.
    The protesters warned the government to release the MNA within 24 hours or they would expand their demonstration.  


  2. Waqas Dar
    New York Jets owner Woody Johnson - File photo:Reuters  US President Donald Trump will nominate National Football League team owner Woody Johnson as US ambassador to Britain, the White House said on Thursday.
    Johnson, a billionaire investor and owner of the New York Jets, will require Senate confirmation to take up the diplomatic post. Johnson's nomination does not come as a surprise. In January, Trump referred to Johnson as "ambassador" during remarks at a luncheon and said the NFL team owner was "going to St. James."


  3. Waqas Dar
    A mosque is seen alone a coastline in Doha, Qatar, June 15, 2017/Reuters  DUBAI: Four Arab states boycotting Qatar over alleged support for terrorism have sent Doha a list of 13 demands including closing Al Jazeera television and reducing ties to their regional adversary Iran, an official of one of the four countries said.
    The demands aimed at ending the worst Gulf Arab crisis in years appear designed to quash a two decade-old foreign policy in which Qatar has punched well above its weight, striding the stage as a peace broker, often in conflicts in Muslim lands.
    Doha's independent-minded approach, including a dovish line on Iran and support for groups, in particular the Muslim Brotherhood, has incensed some of its neighbours who see the approach as a threat to their dynastic rule.
    The list, compiled by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain, which cut economic, diplomatic and travel ties to Doha on June 5, also demands the closing of a Turkish military base in Qatar, the official told Reuters.
    Qatar must also announce it is severing ties with terrorist, ideological and sectarian organizations including the Muslim Brotherhood, Daesh, al Qaeda, Hezbollah, and Jabhat Fateh al Sham, formerly al Qaeda's branch in Syria, he said, and surrender all designated terrorists on its territory,
    Qatar won't negotiate under boycott
    The four Arab countries accuse Qatar of funding terrorism, fomenting regional instability and cozying up to Iran. Qatar has denied the accusations.

    Qatari officials did not reply immediately to requests for comment. But on Monday, Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said Qatar would not negotiate with the four states unless they lifted their measures against Doha.
    The countries give Doha 10 days to comply, failing which the list becomes "void", the official said without elaborating, suggesting the offer to end the dispute in return for the 13 steps would no longer be on the table.
    The demands, handed to Qatar by mediator Kuwait also require that Qatar stop interfering in the four countries' domestic and foreign affairs and stop a practice of giving Qatari nationality to citizens of the four countries, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
    US State Department questions Gulf motives on Qatar boycott
    The State Department said it was
    Qatar must pay reparations to these countries for any damage or costs incurred over the past few years because of Qatari policies, he added. Any resulting agreement to comply with the demands will be monitored, with monthly reports in the first year, then every three months the next year, then annually for 10 years, the official said without elaborating.
    US President Donald Trump has taken a tough stance on Qatar, accusing it of being a "high level" sponsor of terrorism, but he has also offered help to the parties in the dispute to resolve their differences.
    Turkey has backed Qatar during the three-week-old crisis. It sent its first ship carrying food aid to Qatar and dispatched a small contingent of soldiers and armored vehicles there on Thursday, while President Tayyip Erdogan spoke with Saudi Arabia's leaders on calming tension in the region.


  4. Waqas Dar
    PORT OF SPAIN: India captain Virat Kohli refused to discuss the bitter departure of head coach Anil Kumble on Thursday, admitting he "respects" the former spinner but that he will not betray dressing room secrecy.
    Although his contract had come to an end at the conclusion of the Champions Trophy tournament in London last Sunday, Kumble was retained for the forthcoming brief Caribbean campaign.
    However, he announced his resignation the day after the title-holders and favourites succumbed to a crushing 180-run defeat to arch-rivals Pakistan in the final at The Oval.
    In announcing his decision, the former Indian leg-spinner said he had been informed by officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that "the captain had reservations with my style and about my continuing as head coach."
    The issue of an apparent strained relationship between Kohli and Kumble first arose three weeks earlier just prior to the start of the Champions Trophy with reports suggesting that players were uncomfortable with was described as Kumble´s "intimidating" style of man management.
    "What happens in the change room is something that´s very sacred and private to all of us, and something that I would not express in details in a public scenario," said Kohli, speaking to the media on the eve of the series against the West Indies.
    "His point of view is out there and we respect that decision. I have total respect for him as a cricketer and what he has achieved. There´s no taking away that aspect of him at all and we respect him totally."
    Kumble steps down as Indian coach after humiliating defeat against Pakistan
    According to Indian media, Kumble ?who is also a part of ICC?s cricket committee? has reportedly sent his resignation to BCCI CEO
    Had this development and the shock thrashing by Pakistan transpired ahead of a more challenging assignment there might be cause for worry.
    However in the West Indies, the Indians are taking on opponents whose form has dipped alarmingly in the past 12 months to the extent that they have won just three of 16 ODIs during that period and only managed a 1-1 draw in a rain-affected three-match series with Afghanistan in their last campaign.
    That series was played concurrently with the Champions Trophy, serving to highlight the steep decline of the former winners who failed for the first time in 42 years to qualify for a major International Cricket Council event.
    Unless they can upset the form book in five matches against India and a further five ODIs in England in September, the ninth-ranked West Indies also appear doomed to go through the qualifying tournament next year for the 2019 World Cup in England.
    "That´s no concern for me. We have to focus on our game and leave India to deal with their own problems," said West Indies captain Jason Holder when questioned about the circumstances of Kumble´s departure.
    "We have a chance of beating India but only if we deliver on the day in all departments of the game."
    ?Potent weapon missing?
    While they have rested experienced opener Rohit Sharma and exciting fast-medium bowler Jasprit Bumrah from the Champions Trophy squad, India still present an impressive front with strength and experience in all departments compared to a home side short on confidence and top-level exposure.
    From their last ODI meeting more than two years ago at the World Cup in Perth -- a four-wicket win for India with almost 11 overs to spare -- there are only two West Indian survivors in Holder and batsman Jonathan Carter.
    Greats lament 'sad day' as Kohli topples Kumble
    Kumble said Tuesday his position was
    In contrast the Indians have as many as eight players from their touring party who featured in that fixture headed by proven match-winners Kohli and former captain and wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
    Their vaunted batting line-up was obliterated by Pakistan´s seam attack in the Champions Trophy final but it remains to be seen if the West Indies bowling armoury, shorn of their most potent weapon in injured fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, can present similar challenges on the Queen´s Park Oval pitch for the first two matches, starting Friday.
    This is the first bilateral series between the two teams since the West Indies abandoned the scheduled full tour of India after the fourth ODI in Dharamsala in October, 2014 due to a dispute with their own players´ association in which the West Indies Cricket Board declined to intervene.
    Following Sunday´s second match, the teams travel to Antigua for the next two ODIs before the short tour wraps up in Jamaica where the final one-dayer will be played followed by the lone T20 International encounter on July 9.


  5. Waqas Dar
    Speculations have been made for quite a long time about the debut of star kids Sara Ali Khan and Jhanvi Kapoor who are all set to be launched in Bollywood this year.
    It was rumoured that both Sara and Jhanvi will be launched by Karan Johar but now only Jhanvi will be debuting under Karan's home banner.

    According to a leading Indian daily, Kareena Kapoor Khan wanted to see Sara work with Karan first, but Sara Ali Khan's mother Amrita Singh insisted that her daughter will be debuting under Ekta's home banner because they both are close friends.

    Amrita after her divorce with Saif Ali Khan went on to work in Ekta's show Kkavyanjali and also starred in her home production.
    Sara who almost signed KJo's film will now be debuting in Kedarnath directed by Abhishek Kapoor and produced by Ekta Kapoor because Amrita pulled out of the deal and gave her dates to Ekta.

    It is also being speculated that Sara might have lost a big chance of her big debut by working with Ekta first and skipping KJo.

    Meanwhile, Jhanvi is all set to make her debut in Student of the Year 2 and will also sign a three-film deal with Karan.
    Sara Ali Khan's loss is Jhanvi Kapoor's gain as Jhanvi will make her debut in Karan Johar's film.


  6. Waqas Dar
    Fakhar Zaman after scoring his maiden ton during Champions Trophy final against India MARDAN: Fakhar Zaman was once banned from playing cricket in his village and beaten by his brothers because he was simply too good -- but he has returned a hero after his starring role in Pakistan´s Champions Trophy win.
    His eyes bright, the tall 27-year-old posed for selfies and was garlanded with flowers as he was welcomed back to his home in Katlang in northwestern Pakistan.
    Fakhar said he was still taking it all in after he top-scored with 106 off 114 balls to lead Pakistan to a shock victory over arch-rivals India in the final, after making his ODI debut earlier in the tournament.
    "I did not feel much at that time," Fakhar told AFP, referring to Sunday´s final in London.
    "Then I came here, and people started coming here... They all are giving me love, so now I feel that I have done some great heroics."
    Fakhar reveals secret to his fearless batting
    Captain Sarfraz, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan discuss their victory on Geo News
    Bottom-ranked Pakistan produced a breathtaking display in the climax of a tournament featuring the world´s top eight one-day international nations.
    They piled up 338 for four, bolstered by left-handed opener Fakhar´s maiden hundred, in what was just his fourth one-day international.
    His efforts set social media alight during the match, with laudatory articles and memes quickly going viral.
    But, Fakhar said, it was not always so: in fact his village once refused to allow him to take part in local cricket games.
    "I played one or two hard-ball matches in school and scored some runs. I then became popular in the whole region and people used to say wherever I went that, ´He is a hard-ball player, don´t play with him,´" he said.
    His brothers even used to beat him up to stop him from playing, elder sibling Asif told AFP sheepishly.
    "But he never quit cricket, and has become a hero today," Asif added, joking: "He has become a lord for us".
    Sea change
    Fakhar said he had devoted most of his time to cricket as a child, but had never dreamt of playing beyond club level.
    Instead, he wanted to be a navy commando.
    "Joining the Pakistan Navy was the biggest turning point in my career," he said.
    Fakhar Zaman: From the Navy to cricket stardom
    Get to know the journey of Pakistan's opening batsman
    Recruited as a sailor, he appeared in a forces tournament where navy coach Nazim Khan spotted his talent immediately -- and encouraged him to quit the armed forces to focus on cricket.
    "(He) said, ´You can play cricket at a high level,´" Fakhar recalled.
    For five years he played in domestic tournaments, but it was his performance with the Lahore Qalandars in the popular Pakistan Super League T20 tournament that prompted national selectors to take notice.
    Fakhar got his first cap when he was included in the national T20 side for Pakistan´s West Indies tour in March this year.
    It was a slow start -- only 26 runs in two innings -- but it was enough to earn a place in the Champions Trophy squad. When regular opener Ahmed Shehzad failed to deliver in Pakistan´s opening game, a one-sided defeat to India, Fakhar had his chance.
    He grabbed it with both hands, scoring a valuable 31 in his debut game, two half-centuries in the following two matches and the century in the final to guide Pakistan to their historic victory.
    Now Pakistan´s newest star has no intention of resting on his laurels and, he said proudly, plans to play for his country "for a long time".


  7. Waqas Dar
    US President Donald Trump offered support for emerging technologies including unmanned aerial vehicles and next-generation wireless networks in a meeting on Thursday with the chiefs of AT&T Inc and General Electric Co and other business leaders.
    The White House brought together venture capitalists and executives from the telecommunications and drone, or unmanned aerial system, industries to discuss how the government can speed technologies to market.
    The meeting, which lasted more than three hours including breakout sessions, is part of Trump's effort to tap industry experts on how to boost US. competitiveness in various fields and create jobs.
    On Monday, Trump met with the heads of 18 U.S. technology companies including Apple Inc, Amazon.com Inc, and Microsoft Corp, seeking their help to make the government's computing systems more efficient.
    He will meet with energy industry leaders next week.
    "We want them to create new companies and lots of jobs," Trump told the executives on Thursday. "We're going to give you the competitive advantage that you need."
    In attendance were Chief executives of several drone companies including Kespry Inc, AirMap, Airspace Inc, Measure UAS Inc, Trumbull Unmanned, and PrecisionHawk Inc.
    Drone makers argued that the administration should move faster to approve the broader commercial use of drones and noted that the Transportation Department does not require automakers to win pre-approval of self-driving vehicle technologies.
    Senior executives at Xcel Energy Inc, Verizon Communications Inc and CenturyLink Inc also took part. Venture capital firms included Revolution LLC, headed by AOL co-founder Steve Case, 500 Startups, Cayuga Ventures, Epic Ventures and Lightspeed Ventures.
    Obama administration rules opened the skies to low-level small drones for education, research and routine commercial use. The Trump administration is considering whether to expand drone use for deliveries beyond the view of an operator. Security issues would need to be addressed.
    The Federal Aviation Administration in March estimated that by 2021 the fleet of small hobbyist drones will more than triple and commercial drones will grow tenfold to about 442,000.
    Last year, regulators cleared the way for next-generation 5G wireless networks, with expected speeds at least 10 times and maybe 100 times faster than today's 4G networks. Testing is under way and deployment is expected around 2020 but infrastructure hurdles remain.
    Wireless signals need to be much faster and more responsive to allow advanced technologies such as virtual surgery or remote control of machinery. 5G networks could help to wirelessly connect devices such as thermostats or washing machines.


  8. Waqas Dar
    A beach in Belgium has been transformed into a giant sandy gallery, featuring larger-than-life superheroes, cartoon characters, and Cinderella's castle, for one of the world's biggest sand sculpture festivals.
    Working with 7,000 tons of sand, a team of 32 artists spent five weeks creating the 150 works for the Ostend Sand Sculpture Festival, which opens on Saturday and runs until September, providing rain does not wash away the exhibits.




    Many of the artists work in other mediums, such as wood or marble carving, and said they found sand sculpting presented some challenges.
    "What I like in the sand is that you must be very tactile while carving, I am also an ice carver and to compare with ice, the sand is very fragile," Russian artist Sergey Zaplatn told Reuters.


  9. Waqas Dar
    Facebook Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg revised the world's largest online social network's mission statement on Thursday to emphasize support for hobby clubs, civil society organizations and other community groups.
    The move comes as Facebook faces pressure from smaller rivals such as Nextdoor and Meetup, whose online networks bring together neighbors and people in the same area with shared interests.
    Zuckerberg said on his Facebook page that his company's new mission is to "give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together."
    The previous mission was "to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected." Facebook's pursuit of that mission has been criticized in the past 12 months after the network became one of the main distribution points for so-called fake news, which many think influenced the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
    Zuckerberg said in February he wanted to boost the number of Facebook users who are members of what they called "very meaningful" groups. Only about 5 percent were members of such groups, he said then.
    The head of Facebook, with 1.9 billion users and $27.6 billion in revenue last year, was in Chicago on Thursday to meet people who run group pages on Facebook.
    "If what you're trying to do is run a group that has thousands of people, you need tools to help manage that," he told CNN in an interview. Facebook wants to build those tools, he said.
    Alphabet Inc's Google also hosts community groups, as do Nextdoor and Meetup. Nextdoor, a site for neighbors to meet one another and share news and advice, said on Monday it was expanding into Germany after rapid growth elsewhere.
    Zuckerberg told CNN that supporting organizations built around neighbors, churches, pets and the like has a larger purpose.
    "Once people are coming together in these smaller groups, that actually grows and it ends up with much bigger changes in the world," he said.


  10. Waqas Dar
    Oscar-winning filmmaker Ron Howard is stepping into a galaxy far, far away for the upcoming "Star Wars" Han Solo spin-off movie, Lucasfilm announced on Thursday, after the film's production was thrown into upheaval by the surprise departure of its directors.
    Howard is one of Hollywood's best-known directors with films such as "Frost/Nixon" and "A Beautiful Mind" to his credit.
    Lucasfilm's president, Kathleen Kennedy, announced on Wednesday that filmmakers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, best known for the 2014 hit "The Lego Movie," had left the project due to creative differences.

    "Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are talented filmmakers who have assembled an incredible cast and crew, but it?s become clear that we had different creative visions on this film, and we?ve decided to part ways," Kennedy said in a statement on StarWars.com.
    Kennedy announced Howard's hiring for the film on Thursday, saying in a statement, "At Lucasfilm, we believe the highest goal of each film is to delight, carrying forward the spirit of the saga that George Lucas began forty years ago."
    Film trade publications reported that Lord and Miller had clashed with Kennedy and veteran "Star Wars" writer Lawrence Kasdan over the comedic direction of the film.
    The untitled Han Solo movie will follow the origin story of young Han Solo, the handsome, roguish space smuggler made famous by actor Harrison Ford. It started filming in February in London. Production is on a brief hiatus amid the directorial changes until Howard takes over on July 10, Lucasfilm said.
    Rising star Alden Ehrenreich will play Han Solo, while Donald Glover will play Lando Calrissian, made famous in George Lucas' original "Star Wars" trilogy by actor Billy Dee Williams. Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke and Thandie Newton will also star in the film.
    The spin-off is part of Walt Disney Co's expanding slate of "Star Wars" movies, which was rebooted by 2015's blockbuster hit, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." That film made more than $2 billion at the global box office.
    The Han Solo film is the second of three stand-alone "Star Wars" films that kicked off with last year's "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story."


  11. Waqas Dar
    British Prime Minister Theresa May. Photo: AFP BRUSSELS: British Prime Minister Theresa May promised Thursday to let EU citizens stay after Brexit as she met sceptical European leaders for the first time since her disastrous election gamble.

    Under pressure from all sides since losing her parliamentary majority in the June 8 vote, May held out an apparent olive branch on the uncertain fate of three million Europeans living in Britain.
    German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the plans were a "good start", but added that "there are still many, many other questions" to be dealt with over Brexit.
    Merkel had earlier made clear that Britain´s exit was not at the top of the agenda for the remaining 27 EU members, as they try to capitalise on a renewed sense of optimism to put the bloc back on track after years of austerity and crisis.
    The EU sought instead to show its unity by pressing ahead with plans on counter-terrorism, defence and by renewing damaging economic sanctions against Russia over the war in eastern Ukraine.
    "For me the shaping of the future of the 27 is a priority coming before the issue of the negotiations with Britain on the exit," said Merkel, Europe´s most powerful leader.
    New French President Emmanuel Macron, attending his first summit, added that the EU had to "establish our own strategy based on our own interests".
    May makes ´clear commitment´ 
    A year after its shock referendum vote to leave the EU, Britain is mired in crisis. May´s weakened position has raised fresh questions about whether her plan to leave the European single market will proceed.
    Over dinner at the summit, May addressed the issue of citizens´ rights, one of the key three priorities for the opening stage of Brexit negotiations that began on Monday.
    No EU citizen currently in Britain would be asked to leave on Brexit day, she said, while EU citizens living in Britain for more than five years will get "settled status".
    "The UK´s position represents a fair and serious offer and one aimed at giving as much certainty as possible to citizens who have settled in the UK," May told her colleagues.
    The prime minister said she expected any offer by Britain to be matched by the EU for the one million Britons living on the continent, a government source said.
    But her proposal sets up a clash with the EU after she rejected Brussels´s demand that the European Court of Justice oversee and resolve any dispute over citizens´ rights post-Brexit.
    May said the pledge on EU citizens would instead "be enshrined in UK law and enforceable through our highly respected courts".
    She also drew criticism from a campaign group of EU citizens, the3million, which called her offer "pathetic".
    "It fails on several points which would enable EU citizens in the UK to continue to live normally after Brexit," it said.
    Other crunch Brexit issues are Britain´s estimated 100 billion euro (88 billion pounds, $112 billion) divorce bill, and Northern Ireland, which will be on Britain´s only land border with the EU after Brexit.
    Imagine there´s no Brexit 
    Earlier, EU President Donald Tusk had channelled John Lennon´s "Imagine" as he said he hoped Brexit could be reversed -- though others immediately poured cold water on the idea.
    "Who knows? You may say I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one," the former Polish premier said with a broad smile, quoting Lennon´s iconic song.
    But Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel -- who has strongly argued for EU unity on Brexit -- said Tusk should let it be.
    "I am not a dreamer and I am not the only one," Michel told reporters, saying he thought it was "British humour" by Tusk.
    Tusk said the EU had turned a corner in the year since the Brexit vote, adding: "Never before have I had such a strong belief that things are going in a better direction."
    But the stage was later set for a possible row over the future of the European Banking Authority (EBA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which will be relocated from Britain after Brexit.
    The 27 EU leaders without May agreed to decide the future of the regulatory bodies, which bring both money and prestige, by November.
    Law to combat online terror
    In Brussels, security was stepped up after Tuesday´s failed bomb attack at one of the city´s main rail stations by a Daesh sympathiser, following strikes in Britain and France.
    EU leaders on Thursday urged Internet firms to do "whatever is necessary" to combat online extremism promoting such attacks, warning governments were ready to legislate if they did not act.
    They also endorsed the EU´s growing efforts to build up defence capabilities, especially amid concerns about US President Donald Trump´s commitment to transatlantic ties.



    And they recommended another six-month rollover of tough economic sanctions imposed against Russia in 2014 over the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which has claimed 10,000 lives.


  12. Waqas Dar
    Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) pictured in Karachi's Clifton vicinity.  KARACHI: The Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) on late Thursday conducted security checks in various shopping malls in Karachi?s Clifton vicinity.
    The paramilitary force, in measures to ensure tight security arrangements in the city ahead of Eid-ul-Fitar, used its bomb disposal unit and canines to search individual shops in malls.
    Security forces remained on high alert, as the Rangers patrolled bazaars in Clifton and conducted snap-checking near Two Swords, Third Avenue in Clifton.

    The police detained two suspects and seized weapons from their possession during an operation in the city?s Gabol Town vicinity.
    The arrested suspects include a street criminal and a fugitive, the police said.
    Three suspects were apprehended from Karachi?s Kharadar area during a police patrol late Thursday.
    ?We have confiscated weapons, a motorcycle, and contraband found in the arrested individuals? possession,? a police spokesperson said. ?A case has been registered against the suspects who were involved in various instances of street crime.?
    In a separate police operation in Karachi?s Malir Al-Falah, a street criminal was detained. The authorities confiscated weapons, cash, and phones found in his possession. 


  13. Waqas Dar
    Photo: File Hot and humid weather is expected in most parts of the country in the next twenty-four hours, the Pakistan Meteorological Department said on Friday. 
    However, rain and thunderstorm with gusty winds are expected at a few places in Malakand, Hazara, Multan, Bahawalpur, D.G. Khan divisions, and Kashmir.
    Light rain and drizzle are expected at a few places along Sindh coast.
    Past weather
    Rain-thundershower with gusty winds occurred at scattered places in Malakand, Hazara, Gujranwala, Bahawalpur, D.G.Khan divisions, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
    The weather remained hot and dry in most parts of the country.
    Rainfall in the past 24-hours(mm)
    Punjab: Bahawalpur (AP 64, City 05), Bahawalnagar 16, Gujrat 11, D.G.Khan 01, Kashmir: Muzaffarabad 04, Kotli 01Gilgit-Baltistan: Skardu 05, Gilgit 04, KP: Kalam 04, Pattan, Kakul, Balakot 03, Peshawar (City 02, A/P 01).
    Today's highest maximum temperatures
    Nokkundi 47°C, Turbat 45°C, Dadu? Panjgur 44°C.


    Data Courtesy: Pakistan Meteorological Department


  14. Waqas Dar
    LEFT: India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mexico City, Mexico, June 8, 2016. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido; RIGHT: US President Donald Trump in Washington, US, March 19, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts  The United States is on track to announce plans to supply India with 22 Guardian drones in a deal worth more than $2 billion, a source familiar with the deal said on Thursday.

    The approval of the sale of the naval variant of the Predator drone comes ahead of a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United States as he tries to revitalise relations with Washington. The deal would still require approval by Congress.
    Securing agreement on the purchase of 22 unarmed drones is seen in New Delhi as a key test of defence ties that flourished under former President Barack Obama but have drifted under President Donald Trump, who has courted Asian rival China as he seeks Beijing's help to contain North Korea's nuclear program.
    Modi's two-day visit to Washington begins on Sunday.


  15. Waqas Dar
    Donald Trump at a rally in Las Vegas, US, February 23, 2016. AFP Photo/John Gurzinski WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump admitted on Thursday he does not have recordings of his private meetings with fired FBI Director James Comey, after fueling speculation for weeks of secret Oval Office tapes.
    But Trump's belated admissions did little to quell allegations that he has sought to stifle investigations into possible collusion between his presidential campaign and Russian interference in last year's election.
    "With all of the recently reported electronic surveillance, intercepts, unmasking and illegal leaking of information, I have no idea whether there are 'tapes' or recordings of my conversations with James Comey, but I did not make, and do not have, any such recordings," Trump said on Twitter.
    The admission threw a new twist into allegations, fed by Comey's own claims, that Trump wanted the Federal Bureau of Investigation to pull back on its probe into the Russia scandal.
    Those accusations are believed to now be part of an independent Justice Department probe into possible illegal obstruction of the investigation by the president.
    Trump's tweet came after weeks of challenges to the White House to prove the assertion that he might have recordings of his conversations with the former FBI chief, whom he fired on May 9.
    Facing a slew of criticism for sacking the man investigating the Russia scandal, Trump warned Comey there could be retribution if he revealed anything of their private conversations.
    "James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes'our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!" Trump tweeted on May 12.
    That claim quickly raised concerns that Trump, like some US presidents in the past, was secretly recording all of his conversations in the White House.
    And it took on more weight when Comey leaked out his own private memorandums of several discussions with Trump, in which he described the president as improperly pressuring him over the Russia probe.
    Trump was 'extremely clear'
    In a June 8 hearing in Congress, Comey described several meetings with Trump and said he, in fact, hoped the tapes do exist, as they would support his account of their discussions.
    "I've seen the tweet about tapes. Lordy, I hope there are tapes," he told the Senate Intelligence Committee.
    Democrats had demanded Trump come up with the tapes as they sought support for allegations of illegal obstruction.
    Democrats sitting on the House Intelligence Committee that is investigating Russian interference in the election and possible Trump campaign collusion had threatened to issue a subpoena if the White House failed to turn over the supposed tapes of Comey discussions by June 23.
    Trump for weeks fed speculation about the tapes, repeatedly fending off questions about them with quips that he will answer the question "sometime in the near future," as he said on June 9.
    White House deputy spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders parried reporters' questions as to whether other officials had made secret recordings in the White House.
    "The president's statement today via Twitter is extremely clear," she said.
    Asked if Trump regrets the original tweet, she replied, "I don't think so."
    But pressed on the reasoning behind that first message, Sanders replied, "I think it was more about raising the question of doubt in general."
    Accusations of intimidation
    But with Trump's new admission, Democrats were raising questions about why he wrote the original tweet directed at Comey, suggesting it was part of a pattern of obstruction.
    "If the President had no tapes, why did he suggest otherwise?" asked Adam Schiff, senior Democrat in the House Intelligence Committee.
    "Did he seek to mislead the public? Was he trying to intimidate or silence James Comey? And if so, did he take other steps to discourage potential witnesses from speaking out?"


  16. Waqas Dar
    QUETTA: A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged in the Civil Line police station against unknown persons for a hit-and-run incident that took place here at GPO Chowk on Tuesday.

    Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party MPA Dr. Abdul Majeed Khan Achakzai?s speeding car on Tuesday hit and collided with another car at the GPO Chowk intersection, sandwiching Traffic Sergeant Sub-Inspector Haji Ataullah in between and leaving him critically wounded. The police official, despite being rushed and admitted to a hospital, succumbed to the injuries and passed away later.
    While the MPA?s car was taken into custody and its driver detained, according to police claims, the case was registered under Sergeant Asim against unidentified persons.
    It is still unclear whether the police claims were true, and if they were, why the case was filed against unknown persons.


  17. Waqas Dar
    Pakistan players cheer as they lift Champions Trophy 2017, after having defeated India by 180 runs at the Oval, London. ? AFP ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has sanctioned immediate release of Rs215 million for the Pakistan cricket team, according to a notification issued Thursday, days after they outclassed arch-rivals India to lift the Champions Trophy 2017.

    Pakistan thrashed India in the Champions Trophy final played at The Oval, London, defeating the arch-rival by 180 runs on Sunday.
    All 15 players in the winning squad and 13 officials of team management will be given Rs10 million and Rs5 million each.
    PM Sharif will distribute cheques among players and officials at a special ceremony to be held at PM House on July 5.
    A copy of the notification issued by the Finance Division. The historic win sent the entire nation into frenzy.
    Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, felicitating the Pakistan side for their brilliant performance, also announced Umrah package for their entire squad.
    Ali Riaz Malik, Chief Executive Officer of Bahria Town, also announced 1-kanal plot for Fakhar Zaman in Bahria Sports City, and Rs1 million each for all players. 


  18. Waqas Dar
    Star Pakistani pacer Mohammed Amir says England opener Alastair Cook has asked him to teach him Urdu.?File photo LONDON: Pakistan bowler Mohammed Amir has praised the way former England captain Alastair Cook welcomed him to Essex ahead of his upcoming debut with the English county.
    Left-arm paceman Amir joined Essex after helping Pakistan win the Champions Trophy, with the 25-year-old taking three for 16 in Sunday's stunning 180-run demolition of India in the final.
    He is expected to play in Monday's County Championship fixture against title-holders Middlesex, having seemingly earned his redemption following a spot-fixing ban in 2010 that brought a five-year ban and nearly ended his career.
    After his return, Amir was granted a visa to tour England last year which prompted England opener Cook to declare match-fixers should be banned for life to protect cricket's integrity.
    But Amir, who signed a deal to join Essex back in November, said there was no hostility between himself and Cook and insisted their relationship is already "very good".
    "I met him the first day when I arrived and he was very nice," said Amir. "He said to me, the funny thing, 'I want to learn Urdu (Amir's native tongue), so you have to teach me'.
    When Amir was granted a visa to tour England last year, England opener Cook declared match-fixers should be banned for life to protect cricket's integrity.?Reuters/file photo "No (there are no issues between us), nothing.

    "He's always nice and always very supportive. Everybody knows he´s a good batsman and a very nice human being, so I think it will be a very good journey with him.

    "The way the people treat me, they are very nice to me; the way they gave me a reception was very, very inspiring for me."
    Amir admitted his starring display at The Oval against India had given him a real jolt and hopes that success will translate into a successful summer in English domestic cricket.
    "That was a career booster. The way I performed in the final for my country feels very, very good, I don´t have words for that," said Amir.
    "After the way we won the final, your confidence will go up, and I will use that, definitely.
    "It will be a very good summer for me; my first time playing county cricket. I´ve met good people here and hope it will be a good journey."


  19. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan on Thursday announced not to get married before the elections, scheduled to be held in 2018.
    During an informal conversation with journalists in Islamabad, he also announced that his party would invite Sheikh Rasheed to join PTI, adding that he has fought bravely against the ?mafia.?
    In 2016, there were rumours regarding the third wedding of cricketer-turned-politician after he gave a statement during a wedding in Manchester, United Kingdom.
    ?I can?t give you the best advice because I don?t have a very good track record. But maybe third time lucky?, he was quoted as saying to newly-wed couple.
    Imran Khan has been twice divorced. His last marriage with television anchor Reham Khan ended in October 2015.
    His first wife Jemimah Goldsmith married him in 1995. The couple got divorced in 2004 and have two sons.


  20. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: In an apparent reference to the Joint Investigation Team probe of Sharif family, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan said on Thursday that he is getting closer and closer to winning the "Panama Test match".

    Speaking to journalists here today, Khan said he would start a massive street movement after Eid if there is an attempt to make the JIT controversial.
    "They (PMLN) are preapring Maryam Nawaz as the next Prime Minister as they are now left with no any other option," he said. 
    "2017 is the year of election. The Chief of Army Staff has assured that polls will be transparent. Soldiers will be deployed inside and outside polling stations."
    The PTI chief said that the judges have made it clear that the Qatari prince's letter would be of no worth if the Qatari royal family member does not appear before the JIT.
    "We are soon going to win the Supreme Court match. The JIT report is about to come; PM Nawaz should start taking stress pills."
    Responding to the allegations made by his former party leader Javed Hashmi, he said that the Rs 30 million investment by Shaukat Khanum in Thailand had been returned back to Pakistan.
    The special bench of the Supreme Court has directed the Panama case Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the Sharif family's financial assets to submit its final report on July 10.
    The direction was given after the JIT submitted its third and second-last progress report to the bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh.
    The JIT, formed on May 6 in light of the Supreme Court's April 20 judgment in the Panama case, was given 60 days to complete its probe. However, since the original deadline was falling on a Friday, and with the JIT taking a day off on Eid, July 10 has been decided as the deadline to submit its final report.
    On June 7, the JIT had submitted its midterm report before the special bench. The bench had expressed satisfaction with the JIT?s progress in the probe, and reiterated that the investigation has to be completed within the stipulated 60-day period.


  21. Waqas Dar
    ANKARA/RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa Thursday called on Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and thanked him for his country's support to Pakistan at various international fora, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

    The two figures discussed matters relating to regional security and commonality of challenges facing the two brotherly countries, the ISPR said in a statement.
    COAS, Turkish president discuss regional security, mutual interest affairs
    The two figures note that Turkey and Pakistan can always count on each other's unconditional, sincere support
    The Turkish premier appreciated Pakistan's positive role in the region as well as in the Muslim world. He reiterated Turkish support for Pakistan's stance on Kashmir, the statement read.

    General Bajwa thanked PM Yildirim saying Pakistan and Turkey share same stance on many issues.

    The army chief said that Pakistan supports Turkey's position on Cyprus and its efforts against terrorism, it added.
    COAS arrives in Turkey for official visit
    On arrival, COAS visited Ataturk Mausoleum and laid floral wreath to pay homage to the father of Turkish nation and penned down his respects on the visitor?s book
    Earlier on Wednesday, the COAS, who arrived on an official visit to Turkey on June 20, held meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, defence minister and senior officials of the Turkish armed forces.

    General Bajwa discussed matters of mutual interest and regional security with them.
    The two sides also agreed upon potential for cooperation in the field of security policies, defence production and human resource training. 


  22. Waqas Dar
    File Photo. NEW DELHI: Indian police said Thursday that 15 Muslims arrested for celebrating a recent Pakistani cricket victory over India would not be charged with sedition, but could still face prison for cheering the rival side.

    The villagers from central Madhya Pradesh state were arrested Monday after letting off fireworks and cheering for Pakistan as the underdogs thrashed India by 180 runs in the final of the Champions Trophy in England.
    A Hindu neighbour in Burhanpur district complained to police and the men were detained for sedition -- which can carry a life sentence -- among other offences, drawing criticism from rights groups.
    20 arrested in India for celebrating Pakistan?s Champions Trophy victory
    Individuals were arrested on charges of sedition.
    But Burhanpur police chief Raja Ram Parihar said the sedition charges had been dropped as there was no evidence the men chanted anti-India slogans.
    "They did shout slogans in favour of the Pakistan cricket team and lit firecrackers, but that does not warrant sedition charges," Parihar told AFP.
    However, they still face charges of disrupting communal harmony and criminal conspiracy for the rowdy celebration in Burhanpur, which has large Muslim and Hindu populations and a history of religious violence.
    Rights group Amnesty international slammed the arrests and demanded the men be immediately released.
    At least eight other cricket fans were arrested around India on sedition charges after celebrating Pakistan?s thumping win against the arch-rivals.
    Passions run high in both countries over cricket, especially when the hostile neighbours meet on the pitch.
    Cricket fans in both countries have been arrested in the past for supporting rival teams.
    Around 60 Indian students were arrested for sedition in 2014 after being accused of cheering for Pakistan after a similar upset over India.
    Last year a Pakistani man was arrested for waving an Indian flag after his idol Virat Kohli, India?s cricket captain, made a match-winning century. 


  23. Waqas Dar
    American Airlines Group Inc said on Thursday that Qatar Airways, the Gulf country´s state-owned airline, had expressed interest in buying as much as a 10 percent stake worth at least $808 million in the US airline.
    The potential investment comes against a background of diplomatic and competitive turbulence for Qatar Airways, its home country and US airlines.
    Operations at Qatar Airways were disrupted after four Arab nations cut diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar this month in the worst diplomatic crisis in the region in years.
    Separately, American, United Continental Holdings Inc, and Delta Air Lines have pressed the US government to take action to curb US flights by Qatar Airways and rival Gulf carrier´s Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways.
    The US carriers charge that their Gulf rivals have received billions of dollars in unfair state subsidies, allegations the Gulf carriers deny.
    Investors cheered news of Qatar´s potential investment in American Airline, sending shares of the US carrier up more than five percent in pre-market trading.
    American shares were up about 2 percent in regular morning trade.
    Qatar Airways indicated its interest in buying a stake in American on the open market, American said in a regulatory filing.
    Qatar Airways said in a statement that it sees a "strong investment opportunity" in American Airline and that it "intends to build a passive position in the company with no involvement in management, operations or governance.?
    Qatar Airways plans to make an initial investment of up to 4.75 percent, it will not exceed 4.75 percent without prior consent of the American Airlines board.
    Qatar Airways will make all necessary regulatory filings at the appropriate time.
    "American Airlines declined comment and it was not clear how American´s board or management would respond to Qatar´s potential investment.
    American, in its filing, noted potential obstacles to Qatar´s plan to acquire the stake.
    American said its rules prohibit "anyone from acquiring 4.75 percent or more of the company?s outstanding stock without advance approval from the board," and said it had received no request from Qatar for such approval.
    Further, American said, "there are foreign ownership laws that limit the total percentage of foreign voting interest to 24.9 percent.
    "Qatar Airways, the Middle East´s second biggest airline, also owns 20 percent of British Airways-owner International Airlines Group (IAG) and 10 percent of South America´s LATAM.
    Qatar Airways, American Airlines, IAG´s British Airways, Iberia and LATAM, are all members of the oneworld airline alliance.
    Qatar Airways Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker has said the investments so far were purely financial, though he has looked for opportunities to cut costs or expand service with the oneworld alliance airlines in which it owns stakes.
    Qatar Airways and British Airways have a revenue sharing partnership between their respective hubs in Doha and London, and Qatar Airways plans to launch flights to LATAM´s base in Santiago, Chile.
    The crisis has seen Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt close their airspace to Qatar Airways, forcing it to cut flights to those countries, fly longer routes and thereby adding costs.
    Al-Baker, who has been highly critical of the blocking of airspace, has said Qatar Airways would use the aircraft used to fly to those countries for fast-track expansion plans elsewhere.


  24. Waqas Dar
    Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Google pressed US lawmakers and the international community on Thursday to update laws on how governments access customer data stored on servers located in other countries, hoping to address a mounting concern for both law enforcement officials and Silicon Valley.
    The push comes amid growing legal uncertainty, in the United States and across the globe, about how technology firms must comply with government requests for foreign-held data. That has raised alarm that criminal and terrorism investigations are being hindered by outdated laws that make the current process for sharing information slow and burdensome.
    Kent Walker, Google's senior vice president and general counsel, announced the company's international framework during a speech in Washington, D.C., at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank that wields influence in the Trump White House and Republican-controlled Congress.
    He urged Congress to update a decades-old electronic communications law and follows similar efforts by Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O).
    Both companies had previously objected in court to US law enforcement efforts to use domestic search warrants for data held overseas because the practice could erode user privacy.
    But the technology industry and privacy advocates have also admitted the current rules for appropriate cross-border data requests are untenable.
    The Mountain View, California-based company called for allowing countries that commit to baseline privacy, human rights and due process principles to directly request data from US providers without the need to consult the US government as an intermediary. The measure is intended to be reciprocal.
    Countries that do not adhere to the standards, such as an oppressive regime, would not be eligible, but the framework could incentivize better respect for digital privacy among those nations, Walker said.
    Google did not detail specific baseline principles in its framework.
    'URGENT ISSUES'
    "This couldn't be a more urgent set of issues," Walker said in an interview before his speech, noting that recent acts of terrorism in Europe underscored the need to move quickly.
    Current agreements that allow law enforcement access to data stored overseas, known as mutual legal assistance treaties, involve a formal diplomatic request for data and require the host country to obtain a warrant on behalf of the requesting country. That can often take several months.
    In January, a divided federal appeals court refused to reconsider its decision from last year that said the US government could not force Microsoft or other companies to hand over customer data stored abroad under a domestic warrant.
    The US Justice Department has until midnight on Friday to appeal that decision to the Supreme Court. It did not respond to a request for comment.
    US judges have ruled against Google in similar recent cases, however, elevating the potential for Supreme Court review.
    Companies, privacy advocates and judges themselves have urged Congress to address the problem rather than leave it to courts.
    US lawmakers have worked on bipartisan legislation, known as the International Communications Privacy Act, in recent years that would modernize cross-border data requests, but it has failed to become law.
    Walker said on Thursday Google largely supported the legislation, calling it necessary to move forward with international agreements.
    Google also asked Congress to codify warrant requirements for data requests that involve content, such as the actual message found within an email.
    Chris Calabrese, vice president of policy at the Center for Democracy & Technology, said Google's framework was "broadly correct" but urged caution about the process for letting countries make direct requests to providers.
    "We need to make sure the people in the club are the right people," he said.


  25. Waqas Dar
    NEW DELHI: India's share of world cricket revenues will increase from $293 to $405 million under a new deal agreed at a meeting of the game's global governing body in London, the Press Trust of India reported Thursday.

    The deal came after India protested a decision in April to divide revenues more equitably among members of the International Cricket Council (ICC) ? a move which would have cost the Indian cricket board a large chunk of its funding over the next eight years.
    PTI revealed details of the new agreement ahead of the release of an official statement later Thursday. It said England will receive $139 million, while Australia, Pakistan, West Indies, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh would get $128 million and Zimbabwe $94 million.
    An unnamed official for the Board of Control for Cricket in India told PTI that "the BCCI has agreed to the terms and conditions" of the deal.
    India had earlier threatened to withdraw from the Champions Trophy tournament beginning in England on June 1 unless the revenue-sharing deal was restructured.
    The deal drawn up in April was aimed at curbing the dominance of cricket's wealthiest nations ? India, Australia and England ? with more money flowing to minor Test nations and associate members like Ireland and Afghanistan.


  • Recently Browsing   0 members

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