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Waqas Dar

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Blog Entries posted by Waqas Dar

  1. Waqas Dar
    Shania Twain, the crossover country star whose huge success in the 1990s was followed by troubled years in which she lost her voice and husband, is ready with a comeback album.
    Twain, the top-selling woman in country music history, announced that she will put out a fifth album, "Now," on September 29 -- her first studio release since 2002.
    The Canadian-born singer unveiled the album's first single, "Life's About to Get Good," a buoyant tune about surviving setbacks that, true to Twain's style, is driven by a pop rhythm.
    "Life's about pain / It's all about forgiving and the will to walk away," Twain sings.
    Twain, 51, wrote the album on her own after working on previous music with her then husband, the reclusive producer Mutt Lange.
    The two divorced after Lange began a relationship with Twain's close friend, the singer said.
    Faced with both emotional turmoil and dysphonia, a vocal ailment, Twain said she lost her voice and required extensive therapy and treatment to sing again.
    Twain, who has already returned to live performances, said she had to overcome fear to work on "Now."
    "Of course it was scary coming out after all these years and writing an album on my own, which I did on purpose to push myself and really find and rediscover myself as a songwriter," she said Friday on NBC's "Today" show before a morning concert in New York's Rockefeller Center.
    Twain has sold more than 75 million albums as she found success beyond the confines of country music with songs such as "That Don't Impress Me Much," "You're Still the One" and "I'm Gonna Getcha Good!"
    Her sound, which brings pop production and rhythms to her country vocals, has proven to be a major influence in Nashville, with younger country artists routinely pursuing the crossover style.


  2. Waqas Dar
    Prime Minister Theresa May was rushed away under heavy police guard on Friday as protesters shouted "Shame on you" after she met residents who live near a tower block in London where at least 30 people died in a fire.
    May, already under pressure after a botched snap election, is facing widespread criticism for her response to the blaze. She has promised to set up a public inquiry and pledged 5 million pounds to help the victims.
    Separately, hundreds of protesters stormed the local town hall chanting: "We want justice."
    May has outlined a series of measures to help those left homeless by the devastating fire which engulfed the 24-storey apartment block on Wednesday.
    But fury has grown in the local community at what people say is the slow response from authorities to the fire and a failure to inform families and friends about the fate of loved ones.
    Media reports have said about 70 people are expected to have been killed, although police have not confirmed this.
    Local residents also say they are angry that their safety concerns had been ignored and that people had been told to stay in their flats in the event of a fire.
    May, who on Thursday met emergency services at the fire site but did not meet locals, visited residents, volunteers and community leaders at a nearby church on Friday and was rushed away afterwards by police as an angry crowd outside shouted "Coward" and "You're not wanted".
    A couple of miles away in west London, several hundred protesters stormed Kensington and Chelsea council town hall.
    The protesters barged their way through an automatic door at and sought to gain entry to an upper floor. Police barred their way and scuffles broke out, a Reuters reporter said.
    The protesters chanted: "We want justice", "bring them out" and "shame on you". The protesters were angered when no one from the council came out to address their concerns, reporters said.
    The local authority, which owns the tower block where families rent their homes, says it is doing all it can to support the victims and to help the relief operation.
    It issued a statement before the protest to try to address the concerns of residents. "We entirely support the calling of the public inquiry and will cooperate in whatever way we can with it so that local people have all the answers about what has happened," the council, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, said.
    DIVIDED SOCIETY
    While the deadly blaze at the Grenfell Tower in north Kensington has prompted an outpouring of generosity, it has also unleashed rage at the authorities as the charred tower was cast as a deadly symbol of a divided society.
    The block, which housed some 600 people in about 120 apartments, is in a low-rent housing estate next to one of the most affluent areas of Britain.
    There have been demands for answers as to how the blaze was able to engulf the building, trapping many on the upper floors. Exterior cladding that was added during a recent refurbishment might have played a part, local residents have said.
    The fire broke out less than a week after a election in which May lost her parliamentary majority.
    The criticism over the blaze has added to pressure on May who is trying to strike a deal with a Northern Irish party to stay in power. Her government is also due to launch difficult Brexit talks with the European Union on Monday.
    Earlier on Friday, May met victims privately at a central London hospital.
    "I spoke with people who ran from the fire in only the clothes they were wearing," she said in a statement. "They have been left with nothing ? no bank cards, no money, no means of caring for their children or relatives. One woman told me she had escaped in only her top and underwear."
    She has promised those left homeless by the blaze would be rehoused locally within weeks, and the 5 million pound fund would pay for emergency supplies, food, clothes and other costs.
    But even those within her own party said May should have faced the locals herself earlier.
    "She should have been there with the residents. You have to be prepared to receive people's emotions, and not be so frightened about people," former Conservative cabinet minister Michael Portillo told the BBC.
    QUEEN VISITS
    London Mayor Sadiq Khan wrote to May on Friday, saying residents felt increasingly enraged and frustrated by the slow response from the authorities.
    "The local community feels their grief has been made worse by the lack of information about their missing family members and friends," he wrote. Residents in other blocks with the same exterior cladding as Grenfell Tower were concerned, he wrote.
    "People are terrified that the same thing could happen to them," said Khan.
    However, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who was London mayor until last year, took to Facebook to attack opposition Labour politicians for "political game playing".
    Queen Elizabeth, 91, and her grandson Prince William also visited residents and emergency workers on Friday.
    "That's one of the most terrible things I have ever seen," William said of the tower's blackened shell.
    Some desperate residents pleaded to speak to the queen and her grandson about their plight and the fate of missing children as they left the site, with William promising he would return.
    London police said an investigation, led by a detective from its homicide and major crime unit, would examine whether criminal offences had been committed although they said there was nothing to suggest the fire was started deliberately.
    Commander Stuart Cundy said they had been able to remove the remains of only 12 victims from the building.
    "Sadly, it is expected that the total will rise and it is not expected that any survivors will be found," he said. Police have said it could take months to search the building and some victims might never be identified.


  3. Waqas Dar
    Catching up on lost sleep over weekends may help people keep their weight down, according to a study in South Korea.
    Not getting enough sleep can disrupt hormones and metabolism and is known to increase the risk of obesity, researchers write in the journal Sleep.
    ?Short sleep, usually causing sleep debt, is common and inevitable in many cases, and is a risk factor for obesity, hypertension, coronary heart disease, as well as mortality,? lead author Dr Chang-Ho Yun of the Seoul National University Budang Hospital told Reuters Health by email.
    Sleeping in may be better than napping, as the sleep may be deeper and follows the body?s sleep-wake rhythms more closely, Yun said.
    To determine how weekend sleep is related to body weight, the researchers used data from a nationwide survey of more than 2,000 people who ranged in age from 19 to 82 years old.
    In face-to-face interviews, researchers asked participants about their height and weight, weekday and weekend sleep habits, mood and medical conditions.
    The study team used this information to determine body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight relative to height, and whether participants engaged in catch-up sleep on weekends.
    Weekend catch-up sleep was defined as sleeping more hours on weekend nights compared to weekday nights.
    On average, the participants slept 7.3 hours per night and had BMIs of 23, which falls in the healthy range.
    About 43 percent of people slept longer on weekends by nearly two hours than they did on weekdays.
    People who slept-in on weekends tended to sleep shorter hours during weekdays, but slept more hours overall across the week.
    The researchers? analysis found that those who slept-in on weekends had average BMIs of 22.8 while those who didn?t engage in catch-up sleep averaged 23.1, which was a small but statistically meaningful difference.
    In addition, the more catch up sleep a person got, the lower their BMI tended to be, with each additional hour linked to a 0.12 decrease in BMI.
    ?Short sleepers tend to eat more meals per day, snack more, engage in more screen time and may be less likely to move due to increased sensations of fatigue when not rested,? said Jean-Philippe Chaput of the University of Ottawa in Canada, who wasn?t involved in the study.
    Chaput noted that getting 30 minutes of heart-pumping exercise per day can help improve sleep.
    ?Sleep experts say that if people need an alarm clock to wake up it is a sign that they don?t sleep enough,? Chaput said by email.
    ?The more good behaviours we can have every day (and sustain for the rest of our lives) the better it is for the prevention of chronic diseases and optimising health. Sleep should be one of these priorities,? he said.
    ?If you cannot sleep sufficiently on workdays because of work or social obligations, try to sleep as much as possible on the weekend. It might alleviate the risk for obesity.?
    ?Weekend sleep extension could be a quick fix to compensate sleep loss over the week but is not an ultimate solution for chronic sleep loss,? Yun cautioned.
    ?If average sleep duration over the week is far below the optimal amount even with weekend sleep extension, the benefits would likely dissipate,? Yun said.


  4. Waqas Dar
    US President Donald Trump speaks about the shootings in Alexandria, Virginia, from the White House in Washington, US, June 14, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque  WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump acknowledged on Friday he is under investigation in a probe of alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential race and possible collusion by his campaign ? and seemed to assail the Justice Department official overseeing the inquiry.
    Robert Mueller, the special counsel named by the department to investigate the Russia matter, is now examining whether Trump or others sought to obstruct the probe, a person familiar with the inquiry said on Thursday.
    "I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt," Trump wrote on Twitter, referring to his May 9 dismissal of James Comey.
    Trump did not identify "the man" but appeared to be questioning the integrity of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, the Justice Department's No. 2 official who appointed Mueller on May 17, supervises the probe, and wrote a memo to Trump critical of Comey that preceded Comey's firing.
    Hours later, a source close to Trump's outside legal team said Trump did not intend his tweet to be confirmation of the investigation but rather was reacting to a Washington Post story on Wednesday about the probe. The source spoke on condition of anonymity.

    Rosenstein has said privately he may need to recuse himself from matters relating to the Russia probe because he could become a witness in the investigation, ABC News reported on Friday. ABC said Rosenstein told Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand she would have authority over the probe if he were to step aside.
    The Democratic National Committee (DNC) called on Rosenstein to recuse himself from the Russia matter, but said authority over the investigation should be given to Mueller and not another Trump appointee.
    While the Republican Trump administration initially said Rosenstein's letter was the reason the president fired Comey on May 9, Trump later said he did so because of the "Russia thing".
    Comey told a Senate panel last week he believed Trump fired him to undermine the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Russia probe. Comey testified that Trump directed him in February to drop an FBI investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn relating to the Russia matter.
    Comey testified it would be up to Mueller to decide whether Trump's action amounted to obstruction of justice, an act that could be cited in any effort in the Republican-led Congress to impeach him and remove him from office.
    Trump's lawyer hires a lawyer
    The Russia issue has cast a shadow over Trump's five months in office.
    In another indication of the seriousness of the probe, Michael Cohen, a personal attorney to Trump, said he has retained attorney Stephen Ryan, a former assistant US attorney, to represent him in the ongoing probes. Cohen has received a subpoena from one of the congressional committees looking into the Russia issue.
    Rosenstein has authority over the inquiry because Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself on March 2 after revelations of previously undisclosed meetings with Russia's ambassador to Washington while he was a Trump campaign adviser.
    Brand was confirmed as the No. 3 Justice Department official on a 52-46 vote in the Senate on May 18, with Democrats lining up against her.
    From 2011 until her confirmation, she was a lawyer for the US Chamber of Commerce business lobbying group's legal arm, which played a major role in marshaling legal opposition to environmental and labor regulations championed by Democratic former President Barack Obama.
    Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Senate Intelligence Committee member, said she was "increasingly concerned" Trump would try to fire not only Mueller, but also Rosenstein.

    "The message the president is sending through his tweets is that he believes the rule of law doesn't apply to him and that anyone who thinks otherwise will be fired," Feinstein said.
    A Trump confidant said this week the president had considered firing Mueller. Rosenstein, who would be responsible for actually dismissing Mueller, told US lawmakers he would fire him only with good cause.
    US intelligence agencies concluded in January that Russia interfered in the presidential race to try to help Trump win, in part by hacking and releasing emails damaging to his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.
    Moscow has denied any interference. The White House denies any collusion.
    Trump kept up his criticism of the investigations, writing on Twitter, "After 7 months of investigations & committee hearings about my 'collusion with the Russians,' nobody has been able to show any proof. Sad!"


  5. Waqas Dar
    WASHINGTON: A United States Navy destroyer ? USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) ? collided with a merchant ship, 56 nautical miles south-west of Japan's Yokosuka, late Friday night, the American naval warfare services said.
    The US Navy in its statement mentioned it has consequently requested assistance from the Japanese coast guard, while the extent of US personnel injuries is currently "being determined".
    "The extent of damage is being determined. [?] The incident will be investigated," the US Navy stated.
    ?This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is made available


  6. Waqas Dar
    Michelle Carter (right) in court during her trial. People.com via Faith Ninivaggi/The Boston Herald NEW YORK: A 20-year-old US woman was convicted of involuntary manslaughter Friday for ordering her teenage boyfriend to follow through on his long-planned suicide and for failing to save him from harm.
    Michelle Carter broke down in tears and sobbed into a tissue during the 20-minute juvenile court hearing in Massachusetts, which is likely to break new ground in a state that has no law against encouraging someone to commit suicide.

    Conrad Roy, 18, was found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning in his pickup truck in a parking lot in July 2014.
    The trial heard that Carter and Roy exchanged hundreds of text messages, in which the young woman, who was 17 at the time, urged him to follow through on his plan to kill himself, to conceal it from his parents, and lie to his mother.
    But Judge Lawrence Moniz said it was her instruction to Roy to get back into the vehicle ? during a telephone call after he stepped out ? and her failure to sound the alarm that was crucial to the conviction.
    Failure to take reasonable steps to alleviate the risk to another "can result in a charge of manslaughter", he noted in his decision.
    "This court, having reviewed the evidence and applied the law thereto, now finds you guilty on the indictment charging you with the involuntary manslaughter of the person Conrad Roy," Moniz told the packed court room.
    Carter, who waived her right to a jury trial, faces up to 20 years in prison. She will remain on bail until sentencing on August 3 in Taunton, south of Boston.
    In the closely-watched case, legal experts had questioned whether Carter's actions were enough to secure a conviction for involuntary manslaughter.
    The defence argued that Roy had been on a path to suicide "for years" and sought to minimise Carter's role in her boyfriend's life, saying the pair were in a "long-term texting relationship" and had met in person only a handful of times.
    The judge agreed that Roy had been "struggling" and "took significant action" himself, such as extensive research, securing a generator, water pump, parking his vehicle in an unnoticeable area, and starting the pump.
    'No action'
    "However, he breaks that chain of self-causation by exiting the vehicle, he takes himself out of the toxic environment," Moniz said.
    He did the same thing during previous attempts on his life, pausing to tell someone ? first a parent and then a friend who got him help.
    But it was different when he told Carter, in July 2014.
    "Instructing Mr Roy to get back into the truck constitutes wanton and reckless conduct by Miss Carter, creating a situation where there is a high degree of likelihood that substantial harm would result to Mr Roy," the judge said.
    In subsequent text messages to friends, Carter admitted to hearing him coughing and the loud noise of the motor, the judge noted.
    Prosecutors told the trial that the defendant stayed on the telephone listening to her boyfriend as he died in the truck.
    "She called no one," Moniz said, despite knowing where he was and having his family's telephone numbers. "And finally, she did not issue a simple additional instruction: 'get out of the truck'."
    The judge rejected a theory of involuntary intoxication raised by psychiatrist Peter Breggin, a defence witness who testified that Carter's own medication would have hindered her state of mind.
    Conrad Roy's father, who has the same name as his son, welcomed the verdict and thanked the judge before bursting into sobs.
    "This has been a very tough time for our family," he told reporters.
    "In reality, there are no winners here today," prosecuting attorney Katie Rayburn said.
    "Two families have been torn apart and will be affected by this for years to come. With that being said, we fervently hope that today's guilty verdict will bring some measure of justice to the friends and family of Conrad Roy."


  7. Waqas Dar
    KABUL: The United States has confirmed death of senior member of global terror outfit 'Daesh' in an airstrike in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province earlier this month, according to a US Forces-Afghanistan statement issued Friday.

    Jawad Khan, Daesh's senior director of media production, was killed in an airstrike in Achin, Nangarhar, on June 3, read the statement.
    "His death will disrupt Daesh network, degrade their recruitment process and hinder their attempts to conduct international operations," said Gen. John Nicholson, Commander of US Forces Afghanistan, in the statement.
    Khan worked as senior Daesh communicator in Khorasan branch of the terror group. His elimination will deprive the outfit of a "skilled propagandist", the US military stated.
    The airstrike also destroyed a major media production hub of Daesh, the statement added.
    In the past 10 months, Afghan and US counter-terrorism forces have eliminated several key Daesh leaders including their emir, Hafiz Sayed Khan and his successor, Abdul Hasib.
    The US military further said that there were no civilian casualties associated with the strike on June 3.


  8. Waqas Dar
    KARACHI: Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC), in its bid to contain growing street crimes during Ramazan, has nabbed four suspected street criminals, officials said Friday, who have confessed to their involvement in over 35 muggings.

    AVCC, acting on the directives of IG Sindh AD Khawaja, launched a crackdown on street criminals in the megapolis, said SSP AVCC Tariq Razzak Dharejo.
    The law enforcers also seized weapons and snatched goods from arrested suspects.
    The suspects have been identified as Abdullah, Zulfikar, Muhammad Shakil and Tanvir, the official said. Officials seized four handguns and a snatched motorbike from the suspects, Dharejo said.
    The motorbike, snatched from Paposh Nagar area of the city, carries registration number KEC-3210.
    Police have lodged a case against arrested suspects and are further interrogating them.


  9. Waqas Dar
    KARACHI: Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah on Friday said that "Mian sahib understands puppet show very well, but the premier at times pretends to be innocent to make a fool out of others".

    Speaking to media here, Shah said he wishes for the representative assemblies in the country to complete their term.
    "We have seen elected prime ministers being taken to gallows and appearing before the courts twice," he said, referring to Pakistan People's Party (PPP) founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was executed in Gen Zia regime, and Yousuf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervez Ashraf, who were summoned by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in the former PPP regime.
    "Had I been in place of Nawaz Sharif, I would not have appeared before the joint investigation team as a prime minister," the opposition leader said.
    About the probe panel's possible questioning with the premier, Shah said the investigators might have asked him about his statements inside and outside the assembly.
    The opposition leader said the premier didn't appear to be speaking truth the way he read out a written speech. "If you haven't done anything, then why did you give explanations in the National Assembly?"


  10. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: Special Assistance and Spokesperson to the prime minister Musadiq Malik on Friday termed the attitude of the Joint Investigation Team?s (JIT) as biased and urged the Supreme Court to remove uncertainity from the investigatives team?s attitude.
    He said, while addressing a press conference, that in such a scenario, the decision presented by the JIT would be doubtful.
    The spokesperson also alleged that witnesses in the case were being forced to withdraw their affidavits and were threatened with imprisonment.
    ?Since coming into power, conspiracieswere being hatched against the PML-N government,? said Malik and added that vertain internal and external forces wanted to destabilise the country.
    He said an elected prime minister had presented himself for accountability for the first time in the country?s history.
    ?All speculations have been proved wrong yesterday when the premier appeared before the JIT,? and added that the prime minister appeared before the JIT without any protocol to enhance the honour and dignity of the judiciary and institutions.
    ?The prime minister appeared before the JIT even though his name was not included in the Panama Papers,? said Malik.
    The spokesperson also added that the prime minister had presented all relevant documents and details to the apex court and the JIT regarding his family?s business.
    ?An impression is being given that the case is of corruption and money laundering,? said the spokesperson while also question the veracity of the JIT report submitted in SC regarding Hussain Nawaz?s leaked picture.
    He said the picture was leaked by an unknown person belonging to an unknown institution.
    Malik alleged that PTI chief Imran Khan was telling lies and the PTI chief is guilty himself. 


  11. Waqas Dar
    RAWALPINDI: Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mahmood Hayat during his second day of the official visit to China, called on Air Marshal Xu Qilian, Vice Chairman of Central Military Commission. Matters related to prevailing strategic environment and bilateral defence and security cooperation were discussed during the meeting.

    According to Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), General Zubair Mahmood Hayat also called on Mr Yu Zhengsheng, Chairman Chinese People's Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Mr Meng Jianzhou, Secretary of Political and Judiciary Commission and Mr Tang Dengjie, Administrator of State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND).
    During these meetings, both sides resolved to stand together as Iron Brothers during current and emerging scenarios.
    CJCSC also had an interaction with Chinese Think Tanks, "China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations", "Academy of Military Sciences" and "China Institute for International Strategic Studies?. CJCSC dilated upon emerging security challenges and response strategies both at regional and global level.


  12. Waqas Dar
    PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. ? FILE PESHAWAR: Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Friday said that Nawaz Sharif has staged a new drama every day and likened the premier to a "monarch against whom no one could dare speak".

    "It matters not even if Nawaz Sharif denigrates institutions on a daily basis. He had the Supreme Court attacked, but did not appear before it. Yet he stood before Grade 20 officers in the (Panama case) joint investigation team" the PPP chairman said, while addressing party workers in Peshawar.
    Bilawal alleged that "Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan both are made by the establishment, and have the same mindset".
    Regretting prevailing outages in Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said if people protest against it then the government labels them as pilferers. "Mian Sahib! It's not the people who are thieves; it's you and your theft has been identified.
    "You were not held accountable in 1972, but it is going to be held now," the PPP chairman added.
    He further lamented that provinces were not being given their share under the NFC award.
    Commenting on situation in KP, Bilawal said the people here bore the brunt (of terrorism) and rendered numerous sacrifices.
    Criticising the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led provincial administration, he said the (KP government) and Imran Khan have been boasting of social justice and a 'change' in the province, but that is only limited to Twitter.
    The PPP chairman said Imran Khan's claims were propaganda, similar to Premier Sharif's boasts of development.


  13. Waqas Dar
    Weapons recovered from North Waziristan. -ISPR Security forces on Friday seized a large quantity of weapons and ammunition from vilages in Datta Khel tehsil in North Waziristan Agency, said a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
    Recovered weapons included 12.7mm heavy machine guns, sub-machine guns, missile launchers, RPG-7 rocket launchers and ammunition of various calibres.
    Security forces also recovered 107mm rockets and improvised explosive devices with detonators, added the statement by the military?s media wing. 


  14. Waqas Dar
    NEW DELHI: Television advertising rates for Sunday?s cricket final between India and Pakistan are 10 times the normal price, industry sources said, as millions of fans are expected to tune in for a clash that last time ranked among the six most-watched sporting events.

    Pakistan, the lowest-ranked team at the Champions Trophy tournament, upset host and favourites England to set up a final with defending champions India, feeding a frenzy for a game that commands a fanatical following in the region and among its diaspora.
    A 30-second spot during the final to be broadcast by Rupert Murdoch?s Star Sports is expected to cost nearly 10 million rupees ($155,267), far higher than the 1 million rupees that advertisers pay on average for most Indian shows, said a person involved in buying ads.
    Most of the TV spots for the final, to be played in London, were pre-booked with firms such as Nissan Motor, Intel Corp, Emirates, Chinese mobile maker Oppo and Indian tyre maker MRF signed up as commercial partners for the tournament.tyre maker MRF signed up as commercial partners for the tournament.
    Fewer than 10 percent of the slots are left for the final, a person in the sports broadcasting industry said.
    Companies still wanting to air their ads will be paying a higher rate than those who pre-booked, said the person, who did not want to be named, citing business confidentiality.
    "India v Pakistan Final...!!!!!!!! All TV execs around the world are now cracking a nice bottle open to celebrate," tweeted former England captain Michael Vaughan.
    India captain Virat Kohli is the only cricketer among the world?s 100 highest-paid sportsmen, ranking 89th with annual income of $22 million, according to a list compiled by Forbes.annual income of $22 million, according to a list compiled by Forbes.
    Before the Champions Trophy, the last time India and Pakistan played a one-day international was during the 2015 World Cup.
    That game, won by India, was one of the top-six most viewed sporting events, along with the soccer World Cup final and Usain Bolt?s 100-metre sprint at the 2012 Olympic Games, the sports broadcasting industry source said.
    "That was a league game, this is the final," the person said.
    "You can expect this to be even bigger."
    India and Pakistan have already met during the tournament?s group stage, with India winning easily.
    More than 200 million people watched that game, according to Indian media, citing BARC India.
    For Sunday?s final, viewership is expected to be 30-40 percent higher.


  15. Waqas Dar
    TEHRAN: Iran on Friday condemned new sanctions adopted by the US Senate and vowed to respond with "reciprocal and adequate measures".
    Tehran "will take reciprocal and adequate measures to guarantee its national interests", foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi said, quoted by ISNA news agency.
    He did not elaborate.
    The Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly passed tough sanctions on Iran for its alleged "continued support of terrorism" and the bill has been sent to the House of Representatives for approval.
    The new restrictions impose mandatory sanctions on people involved with the Islamic republic´s ballistic missile programme and those that transact with them.
    It also applies terrorism-related sanctions to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and re-enforces aspects of the arms embargo on Iran.
    Ghassemi retorted that the measure against Iran´s ballistic missile programme was "totally illegal and illegitimate".
    "Iran´s armed forces will continue to defend the country´s security and interests," the foreign ministry spokesman said. "Iran´s ballistic programme is totally legitimate."
    There continues to be strong resistance in Washington to the 2015 nuclear deal Iran signed with world powers, with many lawmakers still unhappy with the deal.


  16. Waqas Dar
    NEW YORK: Amazon will acquire upscale US grocer Whole Foods Market, known for its pricey organic options, for $13.7 billion, the companies announced Friday, in a deal that underscores the online retailer´s growing influence.
    Under the all-cash deal, Amazon will acquire the Texas-based champion of organic and specialty food for $42 a share. Whole Foods traded in the mid-$30 range for May and the first part of June.
    Whole Foods, which has faced pressure from activist investors, will continue to operate stores under its brand and will be led by co-founder and chief executive John Mackey, the companies said.
    "This partnership presents an opportunity to maximize value for Whole Foods Market´s shareholders, while at the same time extending our mission and bringing the highest quality, experience, convenience and innovation to our customers," Mackey said.
    In May, under pressure from Jana Partners, Whole Foods replaced five board members and its chief financial officer.
    The hedge fund said the company was undervalued and needed to overhaul its operations and consider "strategice alternatives," a term usually used to indicate a sale.
    The deal is the latest big move for Amazon and its charismatic chief executive Jeff Bezos, who grew Amazon from a small online bookseller in the 1990s into a global retail behemoth that delivers a wide range of goods and creates award-winning entertainment broadcasts.
    "Millions of people love Whole Foods Market because they offer the best natural and organic foods, and they make it fun to eat healthy," Bezos said.
    The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2017 following regulatory approvals and a Whole Foods shareholder vote.
    Trading of Whole Foods shares was halted, while Amazon rose 2.0 percent to $983.40 in pre-market trading. 


  17. Waqas Dar
    LAHORE: Chairman PCB Shahryar Khan called the strong-worded allegations of Amir Sohail on Sarfraz Ahmed and Pakistani cricket team as "disgraceful unwarranted and vicious remarks by a frustrated former cricketer".
    In the statement - which doesn't mention Sohail`s name - the PCB chairman also appreciated Team Pakistan for performing brilliantly in the Champions Trophy.
    "The PCB and the entire nation whole heartedly supports captain Sarfraz and his team before the most important match faced by Pakistan in over 2 decades," said PCB Chairman. 
    Moreover, Khan disclosed that the PCB will lodge a formal protest with Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority for allowing such 'unpatriotic remarks to be aired on television'.
    Speaking as a guest in a show on a private media channel, former opener Amir Sohail insinuated that the other teams deliberately threw matches in Pakistan?s favor in the ongoing Champions Trophy.
    Sarfaraz needs to be told that he hasn?t done anything special at all as Pakistan was forced to win the games by someone,? he said. ?We all know what happens and what not, and I can?t tell you how they have won the games, I can?t name them.?
    ?Sarfaraz should just play his cricket. We are well aware of everyone?s calibre ,? the former captain added.

    Giving his reaction on Sohail`s statement Former Indian Skipper Sourav Ganguly while speaking to India Today called the former opener, 'stupid'.
    ?Yea you must be stupid, ridiculous,? said Ganguly. ?Somebody who played for the country and captained should be appreciating the way they [Pakistan team] come to the final.?


  18. Waqas Dar
    RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Friday said that terrorism cannot be defeated by closing eyes from one's own responsibilities and resorting to throwing blames outside as being done by few players in the region.

    He was addressing participants of National Security and War Course at National Defence University Islamabad.
    Highlighting internal and external challenges to national security, COAS said that the full spectrum of threat demands comprehensive national response and Army is fully engaged in enabling that response in coordination with other institutions of the state.
    According to Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), COAS said that terrorism has no religion, sect or ethnicity. Pakistan has fought against this menace indiscriminately and shall root it out through ongoing operation Radd-ul-Fasaad.Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), COAS said that terrorism has no religion, sect or ethnicity. Pakistan has fought against this menace indiscriminately and shall root it out through ongoing operation Radd-ul-Fasaad.
    He said that Pakistan Army is committed to defence and security of the country and shall continue to perform with support of the people of Pakistan.
    Earlier, on arrival at NDU, COAS was received by President NDU Lieutenant General Rizwan Akhtar.


  19. Waqas Dar
    MUMBAI: An Indian court on Friday found six men guilty of involvement in a series of blasts in the city of Mumbai in 1993 that killed 257 people and wounded 800, the latest in scores of convictions related to India´s most deadly bombings.
    The special anti-terrorism court said the six had transported weapons and planted bombs, which targeted landmark buildings in the financial hub, including the main stock exchange.
    A seventh man was acquitted on a lack of evidence. 
    All of the seven men were arrested between 2003 to 2010.Arguments to decide on the sentences will begin on Monday, said Deepak Salvi, special prosecutor for the Central Bureau of Investigation, India´s federal police, who said he would seek the maximum penalties available for each of the convicted men.
    The maximum penalty is death.
    "It´s a victory for the CBI, Mumbai police and the people of India who trust in justice," Salvi told Reuters.
    Lawyers for the men were not immediately reachable. Legal proceedings against those accused of being involved in the bombings have resulted in more than 100 convictions, most of which are still winding their way through the legal system because of appeals and commutations of sentences.

    One suspect in the case, Yakub Memon, was hanged in 2015.


  21. Waqas Dar
    NEW DELHI: There is never a dull moment when India and Pakistan clash in cricket. Ahead of their showdown in the Champions Trophy final on Sunday, here are five of their most memorable spats:

    When Miandad mimicked More
    Indian wicketkeeper Kiran More angered Pakistan?s mercurial Javed Miandad at the 1992 World Cup in Sydney with constant appeals for a dismissal. Miandad looked furious when More at one stage appealed for a run out, leaping up and down the pitch. Miandad turned towards More and the two exchanged sharp words. The next ball, More flipped the bails off when Miandad was clearly in. The Pakistani imitated More by jumping up and down in one of the most comical moments in international cricket. India won the group match, but Pakistan won the title.
    Prasad?s perfect send-off
    In their 1996 World Cup quarter-final in Bangalore, Pakistan opener Aamer Sohail aggressively went after India?s opening bowlers. He brought up his 50 at more than a run a ball and celebrated with a blistering four off Venkatesh Prasad. As the ball raced to the fence, Sohail mocked Prasad, pointing to the region with the bat as if to say, "Go fetch". Sohail tried to repeat the slash off the next ball but was bowled. It was Prasad?s turn to hit back. India won the match but went out to eventual winners Sri Lanka in the semi-final.
    Gambhir, Afridi sledgefest
    Pakistan?s tour of India in 2007 is remembered for Indian opener Gautam Gambhir and Pakistan?s Shahid Afridi nearly coming to blows during a one-day international in Kanpur. Gambhir hit Afridi for a four and a verbal joust followed. The next ball the players collided as Gambhir ran for a single. A heated argument ensued with the players hurling abuse at each other. Afridi recently recalled the spat. He said Gambhir was not the friendliest cricketer around and they wouldn?t be sharing a coffee with anytime soon.
    Gambhir?s drinks clash with Akmal
    Gambhir was in the thick of controversy again in 2010 when he clashed with wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal during an Asia Cup game at Dambulla. Tempers boiled over after Akmal?s confident appeal for caught behind was denied by the umpire. During the drinks break, the two were at each other?s throats before captain MS Dhoni pulled aside Gambhir to calm things down. Later in a TV programme, Gambhir brushed aside the spat as a heat-of-the-moment thing and blamed the broadcaster for showing the row instead of advertisements during the break.
    Harbhajan run-in with Akhtar
    The bare-knuckle rivalry between India and Pakistan again came to the fore in the 2010 Asia Cup clash. Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh and Shoaib Akhtar exchanged abuse in Punjabi, a language they both speak, after the Indian hit the ?Rawalpindi Express? for a massive six. Harbhajan had the last laugh when he hit the winning six with one ball to spare, triggering wild celebrations in the Indian dressing room. Harbhajan said the two were often rivals on the pitch, but friends off. "Shoaib once threatened me he would come to my room and beat me. I told him come, let?s see who beats whom. I was really scared. He is a great hulk," the Indian said of their relationship last year.


  22. Waqas Dar
    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan - File image  ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Friday said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had lied over the Qatari prince's letter to the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) and National Assembly (NA).

    ?Had the Qatari letter been true there would have been at least a banking transaction. When Nawaz Sharif addressed the assembly, there was no mention of the Qatari prince ? but the name was suddenly mentioned in the Supreme Court,? said the PTI chief while addressing a press conference to announce the inclusion of former PPP leader Imtiaz Safdar Warraich.
    He further added:?Starting from one factory and then expanding it to 30 factories while remaining in power is corruption. Nawaz Sharif is accused of corruption, money laundering, concealment of assets and tax evasion.?
    ?Our demand from Nawaz Sharif is to disclose the source of income from which he bought the London flats and the proof of how the money was transacted abroad,? Khan said.
    The PTI chairman said that PM Nawaz should swear upon his children that the Qatari letter is true. Taking further jibes he said that the ruling party is making the JIT controversial as they failed to manage and bribe it.
    ?Those who were distributing sweets on the Supreme Court`s verdict for JIT are now calling it controversial,? adding, ?They have every time given bribe to people. They have never been accountable; during the time of General Musharraf they fled away and later they signed Charter of Democracy with Asif Ali Zardari. It is the very first time they are being probed.?
    Khan threatened that in case the government would not follow the Supreme Court`s decision in true letter and spirit he will bring people on streets.
    ?Pakistani nation is standing with the Supreme Court and JIT. There are some who are scaring that if the decision doesn?t come in our favour ? people will not accept It ? does that mean whoever wins elections have a license to steal. Richard Nixon had a mandate but he was forced to resign because of obstruction of justice,? Khan said.



    The PTI Chairman reiterated that the Supreme Court should order resignation from PM Nawaz until the end of JIT probe against him.


  23. Waqas Dar
    ISLAMABAD: No employee of the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan was involved in leaking Hussain Nawaz?s photo, read a statement issued from the commission on Friday.
    SECP stated that neither had they received any complaint from the Joint Investigation Team of leaking of Hussain?s photo, nor any of its officers were returned to the commission.
    Hussain, the prime minister?s elder son, submitted a petition in the apex court against the leaking of his picture during his visit to the JIT headquarters. In his petition submitted through his counsel Khawaja Harris, Hussain called the recording of the JIT proceedings a pressure tactic.
    SC seeks reply from JIT over Hussain Nawaz's leaked picture
    PM's son submitted petition stating leaked picture, recording of proceedings a violation of law and JIT's code of conduct
    Subsequently, the Supreme Court sought reply from the Panama Papers JIT against the issue.
    However, in its report submitted to the apex court, JIT did not mention the name of the individual responsible or his department. It only stated that the person responsible was removed from his position and sent back to his department.
    The report added the parent department confirmed of departmental enquiry being completed and appropriate disciplinary taken against the individual.






  24. Waqas Dar
    LONDON: South Africa´s Marais Erasmus and England´s Richard Kettleborough will be the on-field umpires for the Champions Trophy final between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced Friday.
    Both officials are known for their calm demeanour, a quality that could come in useful with a capacity and raucous crowd expected at The Oval in south London on Sunday when India and Pakistan meet in the latest edition of international cricket´s most high-profile clash.
    Erasmus, a 53-year-old former Boland fast-medium bowler, will be standing in his 71st one-day international, having officiated during Pakistan´s eight-wicket semi-final win over tournament hosts England in Cardiff on Wednesday.
    Sunday´s match will be the 44-year-old Kettleborough´s 72nd ODI as an umpire.
    The former Yorkshire and Middlesex batsman was in the middle for Thursday´s second semi-final, when title-holders India beat Bangladesh by nine wickets at Edgbaston.
    Australia´s Rod Tucker will be the television umpire on Sunday, with Sri Lanka´s Kumar Dharmasena the reserve official.
    Both Tucker and Dharmasena stood in each of the semi-finals.
    David Boon, the former Australia batsman, will be the match referee for the final, which marks the conclusion of a tournament featuring the world´s top eight ODI sides.
    Unlike four years ago, when India won the title by beating England in an Edgbaston match reduced to 20 overs per side by rain, a reserve day for the final has been scheduled in the event of bad weather.
    India began their title defence with a 124-run thrashing of Pakistan at Edgbaston on June 4.
    Jun 18: Champions Trophy final, The Oval (0930 GMT start)
    Umpires: Marais Erasmus (RSA), Richard Kettleborough (ENG)
    TV umpire: Rod Tucker (AUS)
    Match referee: David Boon (AUS)
    Reserve umpire: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI)


  25. Waqas Dar
    Photo: Twitter LONDON: Local police on Friday arrested a man at the fence surrounding the British parliament on suspicion of carrying a knife, which comes nearly three months after an Islamist terror attack in the same area.
    The man was detained at 11:10 am (1010 GMT) by the Palace of Westminster in central London, police said in a statement.
    "The man -- aged in his 30s -- was arrested on suspicion of possession of a knife. There are no reports of any injuries," the brief statement said.
    A bearded man, wearing black trousers and a grey sweatshirt, could be seen being held against the fence with his arms behind his back by a police officer.
    A parliamentary spokesman said: "We are aware of an incident outside the Palace of Westminster, which is being dealt with by the Metropolitan Police."
    On March 22, knifeman Khalid Masood drove into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four, and fatally stabbed a policeman guarding the gates of parliament before being shot dead by armed officers.
    On April 27, a man was arrested across the street from parliament. Police said knives were recovered from him.
    Khalid Mohammed Omar Ali, 27, of north London, was charged with the intention of committing acts of terrorism engaged in conduct in preparation for giving effect to that intention.
    He was also charged with two counts relating to explosive substances in Afghanistan in 2012.
    Friday´s arrest comes on the first anniversary of the murder of MP Jo Cox, who was shot and stabbed to death in her constituency by a man with links to neo-Nazi organisations.
    More than 110,000 events were to take place around Britain between Friday and Sunday for "The Great Get Together" in honour of Cox, celebrating her belief that "we have far more in common than that which divides us".


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