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Nawaz to react to NAB's 'money-laundering probe' in press conference today
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Former PM Nawaz Sharif. Photo: File ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday that he will hold a special press conference at the Punjab House today over the National Accountability Bureau?s (NAB) controversial new probe... -
Islamabad Police, journalists clash at World Press Freedom Day rally
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Geo News screengrabISLAMABAD: Islamabad Police on Thursday clashed with journalists participating in a rally to mark World Press Freedom Day.According to Geo News, the police stopped the rally at D Chowk and was not allowing journalists to march... -
DHAKA: The UN Security Council will press Myanmar to ensure that Rohingya who fled the country can return home in safety and freedom, an envoy said Monday after UN diplomats ended a tour of Bangladesh's refugee camps."This is a humanitarian crisis...
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For a man who started his Test career as a leg-spinner and batted at the No. 8 slot, Steve Smith has not only established himself as an efficient captain but also staked the claim as one of the most consistent batsmen in international cricket. If his artistry with the willow has enthralled fans over the years, Smith's leadership skills have allowed Australia to scale new heights in the sport. Soon, Smith's batting heroics saw him being identified as one of the 'Big Four' alongside Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root. The four batsmen were hailed as a cut above the rest owing to their sublime performances. But, while Root and Williamson struggled over time, the likes of Smith and Kohli left the others behind to ignite their individual rivalry - a dream contest that has elated fans over the years. © Reuters However, a cricketer who is usually in the news for his impeccable cricketing skills, Smith, in the past few days, has thronged the social media for all the wrong reasons. The Australian captain's shambolic role in Cameron Bancroft's disreputable act at the Newlands has now made him cricket's latest pantomime villain. "It (ball-tampering) was a pre-planned move concocted by the Australian leadership group over lunch. I'm not proud of what's happened. It's not within the spirit of the game", Smith admitted. "My integrity, the team's integrity, the leadership group's integrity has come into question and rightly so", he added. © Reuters His actions, that brought disrepute to the gentleman's game, saw him stepping down as Australia's captain with immediate effect. Following a detailed investigation, Cricket Australia (CA) appeared ruthless in handing year-long suspension to the right-hander. Soon, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also followed suit and barred Smith from participating in this season's Indian Premier League (IPL). If the sanctions levied on the Aussie batting sensation weren't enough, Smith was yet to face his biggest test. In arguably the lowest of lows of his career, Smith had no place to hide while addressing media, his fans, and fellow countrymen during a tearful press conference in Sydney. Answering for his sins, Smith didn't just sound but looked gutted too while regretting the incident for the rest of his life. “I take full responsibility, I made a serious error of judgment and I understand the consequences. It was a failure of leadership,” he said before breaking down at a press conference after his arrival in Sydney from Johannesburg. “I will do everything to make up for my mistake. If any good can come of this...it can be a lesson for others. I hope I can be a force for change. I know I will regret this for the rest of my life. I am absolutely gutted. Cricket is my life and hope it can be again. I'm sorry. I'm absolutely devastated," he added. © Reuters While the media reports have established that it was David Warner who instigated the plot which was eventually put to use by Bancroft, Smith did own up to the fact that he did effectively turn a blind eye to the Australian leadership group's heinous scheme. “For me, my weakness...I have made a big mistake in allowing this to happen. This is the first time I have seen this happen and it will never be happening again. I don't blame anyone, I'm the captain of the Australian team and I take responsibility for the actions that happened,” Smith said. Though we continue to argue if Smith is really to blame or not, the fact that the Australian cricketer has accepted what he may or may not have done, justifies the punishment and ire of fans. Many believe that it was coach Darren Lehmann's 'win at all costs' theory that probably clouded the judgment of one of the best in business. But, at the end of it all, Smith - who has already been compared to Australian legend Donald Bradman - looked devastated, broken and crippled by shame - nothing like we've ever seen before. While he surely did betray his fans and country, but Smith went on manfully, ashamed of his actions but not ashamed to show the world how abject he feels. © Reuters We've seen captains crying before, but there was something different about Smith. He could have made excuses but chose not to. He sought no mitigation and didn't implicate others, even when it seemed like a viable option. Smith didn't kill anyone, but he feels as if he has killed something. Cricket was more than a game to Smith and this is more than a professional disaster - something that was thoroughly visible in his emotional press conference. As a cricketer and a human being, Smith undeniably has the capacity for greatness. He reflected it in his batting, and once again indicated it while owning his mistakes. His path to redeem himself and script a comeback seems long and rocky, and there's little doubt over the dark times ahead. But, for the sake of cricket, let's hope that Smith returns with better judgment, or else the gentleman's game would be robbed off a great talent. And, as the past few days of madness comes to a sad end, Sachin Tendulkar - one of cricket's greatest ambassadors - seems to have delivered a much-needed guideline to cricketers: "Cricket has been known as a gentleman's game. It's a game that I believe should be played in the purest form. Whatever has happened is unfortunate but the right decision has been taken to uphold the integrity of the game. Winning is important but the way you win is more important".
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Former Disney star Caroline Sunshine joins White House press team
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Caroline Sunshine. Photo: Getty Images Former Disney star 21-year-old Caroline Sunshine has joined the White House press team as an assistant according to CNN. Sunshine is the latest media figure to join the ranks of famous television faces, after CNBC host Larry Kudlow joined earlier this month as head of the White House National Economic Council and John Bolton, a Fox News analyst, who will be the next national security adviser. She is best known for her role in the Disney Channel show Shake It Up opposite Zendaya about teenage dancers where she played the role of Tinka Hessenheffer. In 2010 she starred in the movie Marmaduke alongside Owen Wilson. Recently she starred in the Lifetime movie, Mommy, I Didn't Do It. ?Caroline Sunshine was a White House intern. In college, she was involved with the American Enterprise Institute and an active member of her school?s Model United Nations team?, it said in a statement released by White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters. ?Prior to her internship at the White House, Carolina interned for the Office of House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, the College Republican National Committee and the California Republican Party,? the statement continued.? -
Mini PSL? Wahab Riaz's adorable daughter joins him in press conference
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
LAHORE: As media personnel and reporters gathered for the post-match press conference Tuesday night, they were met with what may be one of the most adorable of sights. Wahab Riaz sat behind the desk, accompanied by none other than his little daughter, Eshal Riaz, who had to struggle to reach the height of the mic. "We had the most adorable press conference tonight. @WahabViki with his daughter," wrote Roha Nadeem, a journalist who was present at the event. The cricketer dotes on his two-year-old daughter and has spoken of her in the past as well. Back in 2015, he tweeted a birthday wish to her, praying that "ALLAH always bless u with best of health n happiness". Prior to that, the little Eshal had to undergo a surgery, for which Riaz took to Twitter to ask fans to pray for her health. Preview Select Publish StatusDraftPublishedDeleted -
Kim told visiting South Korean presidential envoy Chung Eui-yong he was willing to discuss denuclearisation with the US. Photo: AFP 1 SEOUL: South Korean newspapers on Wednesday cautiously welcomed Pyongyang?s offer to discuss denuclearisation, but warned that major questions remained over its sincerity. Leader Kim Jong Un told visiting South Korean presidential envoy Chung Eui-yong there was "no reason" for Pyongyang to hold on to its nuclear weapons "if military threats towards the North are cleared and the security of its regime is guaranteed". Kim was willing to discuss denuclearisation with the US and said Pyongyang would stop nuclear and missile tests while talks are underway, Chung told a briefing, and the North and South agreed to hold a summit next month. Pyongyang has long said its nuclear arsenal is firmly off the negotiating table. "There are positive points in this agreement," the South?s conservative Chosun Ilbo daily said in an editorial. "However, a question mark still hangs over the key issue ? whether the North is genuinely willing to negotiate away its nuclear arsenal," it said. It noted the North promised "verifiable, irreversible and complete" denuclearisation in a 2005 agreement, but went ahead with a nuclear test a year later. It warned Pyongyang might attempt to weaken international sanctions through a rapprochement with the South, while playing for time to further develop its nuclear arsenal. "If this scenario unfolds, South Korea and the international community would again play into the North?s hands," it said in an editorial headlined: "Are we going to end the nuclear hostage situation or be cheated again?" The pro-business Joongang Ilbo daily said that an inter-Korean summit ? which would be the third of its kind -- would be meaningless unless it led to the North?s denuclearisation. The North had carried out 12 missile and nuclear tests since the South?s President Moon Jae-in took office in May last year, it pointed out, saying Pyongyang?s overtures were aimed at avoiding sanctions. "If the North really wants to have peace take root on the Korean peninsula, it should take concrete steps for denuclearisation", Joongang said. The independent Hankyoreh daily was more enthusiastic, welcoming the agreement as "an achievement with great significance that went beyond all expectations". The agreement "paves the way for a complete denuclearisation in the future", Hankyoreh said. The North?s state media made no mention of the offer in its coverage on Wednesday, with the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers Party, instead leading on messages of congratulation sent to Kim for the 70th anniversary last month of the founding of the North?s military. In a commentary, the paper said that Pyongyang?s possession of a nuclear arsenal was justified. "It was a shining victory for us in our struggle to achieve a parity in power with the US that we have come to develop hydrogen bombs and ICBMs," it said. "There was no other alternative for us in the highly confrontational situation where we alone have to face the US, the world?s largest nuclear-armed state, with our own means."
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Assad vows to press Ghouta assault, as civilians flee government advances
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Smoke rises from the besieged Eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria. Photo: Reuters Syrian President Bashar al-Assad vowed to continue an offensive in eastern Ghouta near Damascus on Sunday as his forces advanced into the last major rebel enclave near the capital. The offensive is one of the deadliest in the war and one local insurgent group called it a ?scorched earth? campaign. The government is pressing on despite Western calls for it to abide by a 30-day, countrywide ceasefire demanded by the UN Security Council. ?We will continue fighting terrorism ... and the Ghouta operation is a continuation of fighting terrorism,? Assad said in comments to journalists broadcast on state TV. The advances have forced thousands of civilians to flee deeper into the rebel-held territory, where some 400,000 people live, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and a resident said on Sunday. Government forces need to advance just a few more kilometres (miles) further to split the enclave in two, said a commander in the military alliance that backs Assad. The Observatory said government forces had seized a quarter of the territory. Assad said there was no contradiction between daily, five-hour humanitarian ceasefires called by his ally Russia, and ongoing combat operations, noting that advances by government forces in the last few days had occurred during the truce. The Russian ceasefire plan calls for five-hour pauses to allow for aid deliveries and evacuations of civilians and wounded. The U.S. State Department has called the Russian plan a?joke? and the White House on Sunday accused Russia of killing Syrian civilians. Assad, in his first comments on the offensive, said most people in Ghouta wanted to return to state rule. ?Therefore we must continue with the operation and in parallel open the way for civilians to leave,? he said. Russia and Damascus have accused rebels of preventing civilians from leaving eastern Ghouta during the daily ceasefires. Rebels have consistently denied this accusation and say people will not leave because they fear the government. A UN humanitarian official said people in eastern Ghouta were being subjected to unacceptable?collective punishment?, which is illegal under the Geneva Conventions. Assad dismissed Western statements about the humanitarian situation in eastern Ghouta as?a ridiculous lie?. With the war entering its eighth year, capturing the eastern Ghouta area would be a major victory for Assad, who has steadily recovered control of rebellious areas with Russian and Iranian support. The White House, in its strongest accusations of Moscow?s complicity in the offensive to date, said on Sunday that Russian military aircraft carried out at least 20 daily bombing missions in Damascus and eastern Ghouta between February 24 and February 28. ?Russia has gone on to ignore (a UN ceasefire?s) terms and to kill innocent civilians under the false auspices of counter-terrorism operations,? the White House said in a statement, saying the Russian aircraft had taken off from Syria?s Humaymim Airfield. French President Emmanuel Macron asked his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani to put pressure on the Syrian government to end attacks against the Ghouta region and to allow humanitarian aid to flow. British Prime Minister Theresa May agreed in a phone call with US President Donald Trump that Russia must use its influence to make Damascus cease the eastern Ghouta campaign, May?s office said. Without decisive Western pressure to halt the offensive, eastern Ghouta appears on course to meet the same fate as other rebel areas retaken by Assad, such as eastern Aleppo, recovered using similar tactics of siege, bombardment and ground assaults. Rebels eventually withdrew from eastern Aleppo in late 2016 in a mediated deal, leaving to opposition-held territory near the Turkish border. The multi-sided war, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people since 2011, has escalated on several fronts this year, as the collapse of Islamic State has given way to other conflicts between Syrian and international parties. ?Scorched earth? One of the main insurgent groups in eastern Ghouta, Jaish al-Islam, said the government?s?scorched earth policy? had forced rebels to retreat and regroup, but vowed to recover lost territory. One resident estimated that thousands of people were on the move and seeking shelter in areas further from the frontlines. The Observatory estimated that between 300 to 400 families, which is likely several thousand people, had fled areas seized by government forces since Saturday. The pro-Assad commander said civilians were fleeing to the town of Douma. The Observatory says government shelling and air strikes have killed 659 people in eastern Ghouta since February 18, while rebel shelling of Damascus has killed 27. UN regional humanitarian coordinator Panos Moumtzis said violence has escalated in eastern Ghouta and mortars fired into Damascus had killed and injured scores of civilians. ?Instead of a much-needed reprieve, we continue to see more fighting, more death, and more disturbing reports of hunger and hospitals being bombed,? Moumtzis said in a statement. The United Nations later issued a statement saying it had received approval for a 46-truck convoy to the Ghouta town of Douma on Monday, carrying health and nutrition supplies, and food for 27,500 people. A second trip was planned for Thursday. Earlier, a UN official in Syria told Reuters a humanitarian convoy carrying life-saving supplies would not enter eastern Ghouta as had been planned on Sunday, citing a lack of permission. ?Disturbing reports? Moumtzis also expressed concern about the situation in Afrin, a Kurdish region under Turkish assault since January, saying there were ?disturbing reports? of civilian deaths and injuries and restrictions on civilian movement. Turkey, backed by Syrian militias, has gained ground in recent days in Afrin. The Observatory said the advancing forces could soon besiege Afrin city, where 1 million people live. The Observatory said Turkish forces had advanced to within 12 km of Afrin. Turkey?s army said on Sunday it captured seven settlements including the town of Sheikh Hadid. Turkish forces have taken control of the roads from Rajo and Jandaris to Afrin, it also said in a statement. Turkey has rejected Western calls for it to suspend the Afrin assault in line with the U.N. ceasefire, which does not apply to Islamic State, al Qaeda and groups associated with it, or other groups deemed terrorists by the Security Council. Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers? Party (PKK), which has fought a three-decade insurgency in Turkey and is deemed a terrorist group by the United States, the European Union and Turkey. The YPG has been an important ally for the United States in the fight against Islamic State. -
5 Bench Press Mistakes That Can Actually Get You Fatally Injured
ADMIN posted a blog entry in FDF Online News
The Bench Press is a classic exercise for building a muscular chest and developing upper body strength. But it is also a classic exercise for causing shoulder injuries. And in some cases, even killing people! Avoid these top 10 mistakes and perform the bench press safely and more efficiently for maximum strength & hypertrophy. 1) Using A False Grip © Tnation The false grip or the thumbless grip is where you place your thumb on the same side as your fingers. This seems comfortable to a lot of lifters as it places less stress on the wrist flexors. Problem: In case the bar rolls forward you do not have your thumb to stop it. The bar will drop faster than you can escape or your spotter can react. And it will drop right on your face, throat or the chest. This can kill you immediately or leave you with internal bleeding. False Grip Accident Dozens of people either die or get severely injured every year on the bench press using the false grip. I know some powerlifters have pressed massive weights for years safely using the false grip but it only takes just one mistake to kill you. This is why it is also called the suicide grip. Thus avoid it and grip the bar completely and clench it hard, making it a part of your hands. 2) Laying Too Forward on the Bench TAG 1ï¸â£ GYM BUDDY WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS! #StrongerTogether ðªð¼ - As a coach the most pleasurable feeling is enhanching my client's performance. - First one on one session with my client Rahul. And we made some subtle changes to his bench technique making it more efficient. Of course there's room for a lot more improvement but small step â¡ï¸giant leaps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . #benchpress #exercising #science #exercisetips #exercisescience #performancetips #gym #pushmore #smartwork #hardwork #heretocreate #howtobench #how #rogue #niketrainclub #lifting #powerlifting #technique #musclebuilding #fitnesscoach #fitnessscience #fitnesseducation A post shared by Yash Sharma (@alphayash) on Feb 5, 2018 at 5:31am PST This is a very common mistake. When you lay down too forward on the bench, the barbell is quite behind you. You have to externally rotate your shoulders to hold the bar first and then bring it forward. This produces unnecessary rotation in your shoulder joints which can cause injuries. Nonetheless, you also waste some energy bringing the bar forward. The Fix: Lay Down in a position where you can bench as soon as you 'unrack' the bar without the need of bringing it forward. For most people, this position will be such that when you look up the bar is just above your eyebrows or eyes. 3) Flaring Out The Elbows © Tammycravit Your elbows flare when they're 90° out at the bottom position of the bench, making your upper-arms perpendicular to your torso. It forces the bar to move in a vertical line. Vince Gironda popularized this technique of benching decades ago. Scientists often recommend this as the best way to stimulate chest muscles but in reality, it is the best way to cause shoulder impingement. This is because every time you bring the bar down using this technique, the bones of your upper arms press the rotator cuff tendons against the AC Joint (acromioclavicular joint). This annoys the rotator cuff causing damage and inflammation. 4) Fooling Yourself On The Bench © YouTube Here's what it looks like: you load the bar way more than you can push and ask the spotter to support you 'just a little bit' and bench 6-7 reps, with help. At last, the spotter says 'it was all you buddy' but actually it was not all you. End of story. If you are benching more than 2 reps with help, you are fueling your ego and fooling yourself. Take help for only unracking the bar and support when you can no more push the weights on your own at the final rep. 5) Not Arching the back © Tnation Arching the lower back serves 3 purposes: 1) Reduces range of motion (advantageous for powerlifters) 2) You're able to place your shoulders in a much safer position (advantageous for everyone) 3) With a rigid body, you are able to translate the force more efficiently (advantageous for everyone). A stronger bench press will help you overload on other accessory movements like incline, decline presses as well, resulting in greater overall size gains. We do not want to over exaggerate the arch like you must have seen in memes. But we do not have to bench with a flat chest either. With a flat chest, the elbows go below your torso surpassing the active range of motion (Not a good thing) Do it right: Drag your feet backward, getting a decent stretch in your hamstrings. Once you reach your flexibility limit, dig your feet flat into the floor, you may even raise your heels and get on toes. Now arch your lower back, and imagine digging your upper back into the bench. Remember your shoulders needs to be packed tightly all this time. -
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Tuesday paid tribute to the deceased Asma Jahangir, terming her a ?towering figure in the defence of human rights, including press freedom and free speech?. A news release by the journalists? network expressed sorrow over the demise of the human rights icon ?who dedicated her life to defending the freedom to inform in Pakistan and then in the entire world?. ?With just her courage and the strength of her conviction, she achieved spectacular progress and won admiration in Pakistan and in all the countries where she worked. She truly embodied the universality of our struggle,? RSF deputy director-general Antoine Bernard said. Asma Jahangir?s funeral prayers offered at Gaddafi Stadium Asma was buried at her family's farmhouse on Bedian Road, as per her wishes The RSF added that Jahangir?s death was a ?major blow? to the rights of the poor and the downtrodden. ?She embodied courageous support for journalists? fight for freedom, and will endure as a powerful symbol of freedom.? Jahangir, who co-founded the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and came to be known as a fearless voice of the marginalised sections of the society, passed away on Sunday after suffering a cardiac arrest. She was 66. Her funeral prayers were offered at Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday. She was known for speaking against human rights violations and her courageous stand against dictatorships. She was also a vocal opponent of judicial overreach and would often confront the superior judiciary when it would extend its jurisdiction in her opinion.
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Zainab murder: Analysts slam CM Punjab?s act of applause during press conference
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Geo News' programme Report Card. Photo: Geo News ISLAMABAD: Analysts slammed Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif?s round of applause and praises for concerned officials during Tuesday?s press conference confirming the arrest of seven-year-old Zainab?s murder. The analysts were speaking on Geo News programme ?Report Card?, where they reacted to the way the press conference was conducted. Out of six, four guests on the programme were against the way things turned out during the event, while two spoke in favour of applause. Hasan Nisar said that the conference was in bad taste. He said that recently, there seems to be a new trend in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders who use disturbing tactics to receive praise. Nisar called the act deprived of morals. He said that the way the press conference was held seemed saddening and disappointing. Meanwhile, Hafeezullah Niazi said that the clapping wasn?t over the death of Zainab, in fact, it was for the great achievement of catching the killer. ?All is well that ends well,? he said, adding that the government was under intense pressure due to the incident. Babar Sattar said that the press conference should have been held by the officials investigating the case instead of CM Shehbaz, as is the norm around the world. He said that it is unfortunate that there is a trend of jargon in the speeches of our leaders. Sattar said that the issue was unnecessarily politicised, adding that due to 2018 being the election year such a scenario was created. Arshad Bhatti was in favour of the applause during the press conference, saying that criticism should not be done for the sake of criticism. He said that the catching of the culprit was a huge step and the way the credit was given was not correct. Bhatti although said that if the Kasur child abuse scandal was properly handled then there were chances of saving Zainab. Analyst Imtiaz Alam said that it was a serious issue and every ?performer? surfaced through the incident, especially those who did politics. He lamented the lack of etiquettes during the press conference. ?If my body is lying in front of you, will you clap and smile that the killer has been caught?? he said. Mazhar Abbas expressed deep indignation over the way the press conference was conducted, saying that there is no need of applause for something which falls under one?s core responsibility. He reiterated that the press conference was in bad taste, adding that the CM should have been ashamed that such cases were taking place under his rule. -
What Virat Kohli's Fiery Press Conference Reveals About This Indian Team
ADMIN posted a blog entry in FDF Online News
India has lost test matches abroad before. They were battered, bruised and chewed out by the opposition in Australia, New Zealand and England not so long ago. Playing on pitches tailor made for fast bowlers has been an inherent weakness of any batting line-up that India has chosen in the last two decades and therefore, the recent series loss against South Africa comes as no surprise. But this time, however, the setup seems to be different. It's different because the team is lead by a captain who is incredibly uncomfortable talking about losses as seen in the press conference but has to put up a brave front for the team, especially after a game in which he scored a magnificent 150 runs in an innings. For those of you still wondering what I am talking about, here is a clip of the press conference which witnessed Virat Kohli in his true angry avatar going after a reporter for asking, what some would describe, as tough but fair questions. There's no denying the fact that when you lose a series straight up anywhere outside of India, there are questions asked of even the best of sides. But this Kohli-led team India, as many believe, is the best that we've got for such conditions. Kohli, for one, believes in fighting hard on the field and as witnessed earlier last evening, off it too. He has been hard on the team when they have underperformed and continues to push harder even now. What has changed after the second test match loss in centurion, however, is the perception of the fans who were reminded of all those times in the past where an away series win was considered a miracle. With two losses in two games, Virat's India has proven no better than that team which boasted of the 'Fab Four' but floundered badly on swinging and bouncing pitches. © BCCL So, what does Virat Kohli's fiery press conference tell us about the current Indian team and its mindset? Two things were pretty clear from what we witnessed. First, Kohli and the management don't think that they messed up the selection process and second, even though they lost the game, Kohli won't be baited into going in an overdrive over a couple of losses at the start of a year, that would see them travelling to England and Australia. And that is a sign of a good captain. It means that Kohli is personally willing to take responsibility for every opportunity that they missed on the field. As he said so himself in the press conference, “every guy in the squad is capable to play at this level but the team has to do it collectively for winning test matches away from home”. The team's priorities seem on point and that is the only reassuring drop of sanity amidst a string of bad performances by the batsmen. The current tour of South Africa will soon give way to another series with Sri Lanka and everything will then seem fine. The learnings though, from this particular series, will determine how the team performs in tougher conditions later in England (June) and then in Australia (November). Till then, we have one more dead rubber of a test match to go and the least we can do as Indian cricket fans, is let Kohli decide who gets to play and when, because in the end he's the same guy who's led India to 20 test wins in 34 games, no matter the conditions. -
I am pretty sure this article is going to receive some flak from some keyboard warrior who will add some silly quip like, 'do you even lift' and pass a remark or two about how my life sucks. Alright bro, more power to you and your keyboard ninja skills. This is actually a rant that was long time coming and here it is, in the form of an article. Over the years we've seen a ton of guys walk into the gym with an ego the size of a tank! They're the guys who need to make a ton of noise and look 'cool' while working out. One pet peeve when it comes to these sorts of gym bros is when they attempt a leg press. The pressing or better said 'pretending to press' hundreds of kilos on the leg press machine needs to stop. Why? Read on. © YouTube You heard it right. Those leg presses, where you load the weight of a car on the machine, are not a good workout. Period! Do not worry, I am going to make my case and back it with valid points. Hold your horses until then, warrior. The reasons why leg press personal records or posting videos of lifting extremely heavy on the presses is illogical because- 1. Because It Doesn't Make Any Sense Leg presses do not have real application in a real-life setting or a sport. There is no event or sport where you are supposed to lay down and press hundreds of pounds at a 45-degree angle, with an 8-inch range of motion. There will be a herd of sheep or their leader who will eventually come up with an argument that nor are there real-life situations where we are supposed to get under a bar, loaded with weights, and squat it. But the fact is that the squat is a movement that is performed everyday. The only difference will be the fact that you won't be lifting anything. But, there is no real-life application of pushing a load on an inclined slope with your legs. © YouTube 2. Your Back Does Not Support Your Ego (Science Has Proven It) Haven't you heard the stories by now? About how someone injured themselves or herniated their discs due to a simple mistake while lifting weights? It's very common. You know why? Because your back does not give a damn about your ego! Dr. Stuart McGill http://www.drdarden.com/readTopic.do;jsessionid=1C5CCAA36CB4AC4CA84D945FE4D50067.hydra?id=656345 , who has studied and conducted research on the causal mechanisms of back pain and rehab, and produced 240 peer-reviewed scientific journal papers on this topic, mentioned this in one of his books. “The leg press sometimes causes the pelvis to rotate away from the backrest when the weight is lowered. The resultant lumbar flexion produces herniating conditions for the disc.” Translation: Your back does not give a damn about your ego. That case holds true for almost any exercise but if we take the comparison of a squat, you will automatically focus on the little technical cues and form as you progress and start lifting heavier. © YouTube There is no doubt that a leg press will build the lower half of your body, but if you are prioritizing personal records on the leg presses, as primary work on your quadriceps, you are only chasing a false sense of strength. It is not going to make you any stronger or bigger. Want to verify my claim? Just try squatting with half the weight you push on a leg press with the perfect form and full range of motion. Then we'll talk. Author bio: Pratik Thakkar is the co-founder and director of GetSetGo Fitness, an online fitness company. He is regarded as someone who will make it easy for you to understand the process by putting things in the right context and providing science-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding. You can reach out to him at pratik@getsetgo.fitness.
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A villager goes through the process of a fingerprint scanner for the Unique Identification database system at an enrolment centre at Merta district in the desert state of Rajasthan, India, February 22, 2013. Photo: Reuters1 NEW DELHI: The Indian government named a reporter in a police complaint after she wrote an article alleging a data breach in a federal identity database, drawing criticism from a journalist group that accused officials of trying to muzzle free speech. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which runs the world?s largest biometric identity card scheme called ?Aadhaar?, started investigating a report last week by The Tribune newspaper which said access to the identity database of more than 1 billion citizens was being sold for just 500 rupees, or $8 (6 pounds), on social media. UIDAI on Sunday said four people were named in its complaint to police in New Delhi to investigate the incident, including the reporter, and also her newspaper, which is based in the north Indian city of Chandigarh. The Editors Guild of India condemned UIDAI?s action, saying it was designed to ?browbeat a journalist.? ?It is unfair, unjustified and a direct attack on the freedom of the press,? the Guild said in a statement on Sunday. The UIDAI said in a statement on Sunday that it respects freedom of press, adding that it was duty bound to name everyone involved in the incident, including the reporter. ?It does not mean that those who are named in the report are necessarily guilty,? the authority said. The Tribune newspaper said it regretted the decision of the authorities. India last year slipped three places to 136th in the World Press Freedom Index of 180 nations, compiled by Reporters Without Borders. Journalists in India have increasingly become targets of online smear campaigns, with prosecutorial actions being used to gag journalists who are overly critical of the government, the group said. The Tribune newspaper last week reported that it was able to buy login credentials to the government?s Aadhaar database, allowing it to acquire information such as the names, telephone numbers and home addresses of millions of people. The alleged breach is the latest in the Aadhaar programme which is facing increasing scrutiny over privacy concerns. After the report was published, the UIDAI said the ?case appears to be an instance of misuse.? The Aadhaar scheme was introduced in 2009 to streamline welfare payments and reduce wastage in public spending. Since then, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been keen to mandate the use of Aadhaar for everything from filing income taxes to the registration of mobile phone numbers and booking railway tickets.
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US lawmakers press FBI on alleged bias in Clinton, Trump cases
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Incoming FBI Director Christopher Wray speaks to Federal Bureau of Investigation employees during his installation ceremony at FBI headquarters in Washington, U.S., September 28, 2017. REUTERS WASHINGTON: The Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee lambasted the FBI on Thursday over how it handled an investigation into Hillary Clinton?s use of a private email server, and questioned whether Justice Department officials gave her preferential treatment over President Donald Trump. During a routine oversight hearing before the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, Republicans questioned FBI Director Christopher Wray, who took over at the helm of the Federal Bureau of Investigation after Trump abruptly fired the previous head, James Comey, earlier this year. Republicans, including Trump, have in recent weeks ramped up their attacks on the FBI and openly questioned its integrity. ?The FBI?s reputation as an impartial, non-political agency has been called into question recently. We cannot afford for the FBI - which has traditionally been dubbed the premier law enforcement agency in the world - to become tainted by politicization or the perception of a lack of even-handedness,? Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte said. Their criticism comes as Special Counsel Robert Mueller has charged four people from Trump?s inner circle since October as part of an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election. Republicans had been frustrated with Comey?s decision not to charge Hillary Clinton for sending classified emails through her private email server. With potential challenges looming for the party as it heads into the 2018 congressional elections, House and Senate Republican leaders have ramped up attacks on Comey, Mueller and the FBI in recent weeks with a fresh round of congressional inquiries. Most recently, Republicans have questioned whether Mueller?s team has a political bias against Trump, after media reports said FBI agent Peter Strzok was removed from working on the Russia probe because he had exchanged text messages that disparaged Trump and supported Clinton. Strzok was involved in both the Clinton email and Russia investigations. Representative Jerrold Nadler told Wray he expected the attacks on the FBI to grow louder as the special counsel?s investigation continues and the ?walls close in around the president.? ?Your job requires you to have the courage to stand up to the president, Mr. Director,? Nadler said. ?There are real consequences for allowing the President to continue unchecked in this manner.? Republicans have also separately accused the FBI of improperly basing wiretap requests on a dossier written by Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence investigator who was hired by the firm Fusion GPS to do opposition research for the Democrats. Steele?s dossier alleges collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign in the 2016 presidential election, and claims the Russians possess compromising information that could be used to blackmail Trump. To date, however, there has been no evidence to suggest the FBI wiretaps were improperly obtained. -
US Representative John Conyers speaks to a reporter at the end of a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, November 26, 2017, AFP/Getty Images North America/Alex Wong/Files WASHINGTON: The top House leaders of both parties on Thursday called for Democratic lawmaker John Conyers ? the longest-serving member of Congress ? to resign over allegations of sexual harassment and of an attempted cover-up. Their calls came just hours after the 88-year-old Conyers was hospitalized after becoming lightheaded, dizzy, and experiencing shortness of breath, according to his lawyer Arnold Reed. US media described the illness as stress related. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi ? who as recently as Sunday seemed to defend Conyers ? said Thursday the allegations against him were "serious, disappointing and very credible", adding that she was praying for Conyers and his family. "However," she added, "Congressman Conyers should resign." Republican leader Paul Ryan, on the other hand, told reporters, "Yes, I think he should resign immediately. I've been briefed on the torrent of allegations and I think he should." But Conyers' lawyer was defiant, saying the congressman was "in good spirits" and would not be pressured to resign. "It is not up to Nancy Pelosi. Nancy Pelosi did not elect the congressman. And she sure as hell won't be the one to tell the congressman to leave," Reed told a news conference in Detroit. 'Tremendous stress' Taken together, the two calls seemed to leave Conyers with scant hope of clinging to a seat he has held since 1965. Should he quit the Congress, he would join an ever-lengthening list of prominent men to see their careers and reputations damaged by allegations of sexual misconduct. Sam Riddle ? a political consultant and friend of Conyers ? told reporters earlier Thursday that the lawmaker's health condition was caused by the "tremendous stress due to media hounding, and political vultures and serial accusers", The Detroit News reported. "That type of stress would affect anybody." Multiple women have accused Conyers of sexual harassment. Marion Brown ? a former Conyers staffer ? told the NBC Today show Thursday that he had asked her in 2015 to "sexually satisfy him". "He just violated my body," she said. Brown said she had reached a settlement with Conyers that included a non-disclosure agreement, but decided to speak out regardless. BuzzFeed News ? which reported on the Brown settlement earlier this month without revealing her name ? said Conyers had paid her $27,000 from his congressional office budget. The House Ethics Committee is investigating the allegations. Reed on Thursday sought to cast doubt on Brown's credibility, questioning why she stayed in the congressman's employ despite the alleged harassment. "She had an opportunity 15 years ago to come out, and she didn't. But she's jumping on the bandwagon now," Reed said, insisting that Conyers be allowed due process to defend himself against the allegations, which Conyers has denied. Others under pressure Nevertheless, the congressman on Sunday stepped down as ranking member of the powerful House Judiciary Committee. Several prominent US lawmakers have been hit by allegations of sexual misconduct in the wake of the accusations targeting movie mogul Harvey Weinstein ? allegations that have given rise to a torrent of accusations against many others in the entertainment, media, and political world. Senator Al Franken of Minnesota ? a fellow Democrat who is accused of touching or kissing several women without their consent ? is also under pressure to step down. In the Republican camp, Alabama candidate for the US Senate Roy Moore ? accused of harassing and molesting teenage girls as young as 14 ? has faced calls from within his own party to drop out, although he continues to enjoy the support of President Donald Trump.
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EU to press May at summit, UK dismisses Brexit offer talk
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
European Council President Donald Tusk looks on during a news conference at a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium, October 20, 2017. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli GOTHENBURG: European Union leaders will press Theresa May to meet their conditions soon for launching post-Brexit trade talks when she holds talks on the sidelines of a summit in Sweden on Friday, EU officials said. The British prime minister dismissed via a spokesman a report on Thursday that she was ready to raise her offer of cash to settle London?s obligations to the Union on leaving but a top EU lawmaker said he came away from a meeting with May in London optimistic that Britain was moving towards a deal with Brussels. At the Gothenburg talks devoted to labour and social reform, May will have a chance to speak to her peers on the sidelines ? though German Chancellor Angela Merkel will skip the event. A key moment may be May?s meeting before lunch with Donald Tusk, the summit chair who is overseeing the withdrawal process. Tusk will remind May, according to an EU source, that ?time is short? to deliver on hopes raised at an EU summit in October that sufficient progress would be made toward agreeing divorce terms this month that leaders would give a green light in mid-December to opening talks on the future relationship. Michel Barnier ? the Union?s chief negotiator ? has said he needs to hear more from Britain on three key divorce conditions, including the financial settlement, by the start of next month if the EU is to be in a position for all 27 other national leaders to trigger the second phase at a summit on December 14-15. EU officials have begun internal preparations to be able to launch trade negotiations after the summit, the source noted but added, ?Tusk will inform May that such a positive scenario is not a given, will require more work and that time is short. ?And he will ask May how the UK plans to progress on the three key issues for Phase One.? More money? May?s spokesman described as ?speculation? a newspaper report that she was planning to spend another 20 billion pounds (26 billion euros) to settle EU demands for Britain to pay its share of spending the EU has already agreed during British membership but will not actually pay out until after it leaves. ?I would say it is yet more speculation,? he said. ?We want to make progress as quickly as possible and we want to move onto talks about the future relationship as quickly as possible.? A further 26 billion euros would go a long way to meeting a demand that Brussels has put at around 60 billion euros. That is because May has already asked for a two-year transition period after Brexit in March 2019. That would bring in some 20 billion euros as Britain would go on contributing to the budget to retain its full membership of the European single market. A Merkel ally in Brussels, Manfred Weber, the German leader of the centre-right bloc in the European Parliament, struck a notably upbeat tone after meeting May and other key British ministers in London on Tuesday. While insisting he had not heard concrete new proposals ? that is not his role ? he came away believing the British wanted to move toward a divorce deal. ?My main message is I am more optimistic,? he told reporters. ?There is progress.? As well as the Brexit ?bill?, Brussels also wants Britain to offer more in the way of rights for EU citizens living there and ensuring that its border with Ireland will remain unobstructed while also not creating a loophole in EU customs arrangements. -
Warsi was the first female Muslim cabinet member in 2010 A former British-Pakistani minister has said that hate speech and Islamophobia have become a ?plague? in British newspapers and asked for a parliamentary investigation into the issue, the Guardian reported. Muslims were the principal target of this campaign, she said in an address at an event. The former lawyer and Tory minister said: ?In sections of our press, it is relentless and deliberate. Steadily and methodically using paper inches and columns to create, feed and ratchet up suspicions and hostilities in our society, driving communities apart and creating untold ? and unnecessary ? fear and distress. ?Poisoning our public discourse, making it almost impossible to have sensible discussions about real challenges, crowding out tolerance, reason and understanding. ?And this drip-drip approach has created a toxic environment where hate crime is the highest it has been since records began.? ?This is true not just of two or three notorious dailies, but also of papers some still regard as responsible and ethical. Anti-Muslim hate speech is becoming a regular feature even in the more ?respectable? parts of the press and that?s why it is becoming more dangerous. ?Islamophobia is Britain latest bigotry blind spot. It?s where the respectable rationalise bigotry, couch it in intellectual argument and present it as public interest or honest opinion that allows the rot of xenophobia to set in.? Warsi also slammed newspapers running bigoted and sensational headlines against Muslims, saying she was shocked by the headline ?1 in 5 Brit Muslims? sympathy for jihadis? in the Sun in 2015. These newspapers ?wilfully sending a message to its readers that Muslims are frightening people with whom Christian children are not safe. ?It pandered to bigoted stereotypes, was extraordinarily irresponsible and most shockingly was untrue.? Warsi had resigned in protest over the UK government?s policy on Gaza in 2014. She had been appointed to a foreign office post in 2012 and was also the minister for faith and communities. She had previously been the chairperson of the Conservative Party and was appointed as the first female Muslim cabinet member in 2010.
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Reporters gather in the courtyard of a media outlet's office during a protest in Istanbul, Turkey, March 4, 2016. REUTERS/Kursat Bayhan/Zaman Daily/Files The United States said on Monday it would fund rural media outlets in Hungary to help train and equip journalists in defence of an independent media it sees subject to growing pressure and intimidation. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has increased media control by legal changes, regulatory steps, and takeovers of outlets by business sector associates. The moves have alarmed Western partners with the approach of elections, due in April 2018, which he is widely expected to win comfortably. The trend was especially strong in rural Hungary, where government-controlled public media and a handful of outlets friendly to the ruling Fidesz party are the only news sources most people get. That is where the $700,000 US program focuses. ?The Department of State... seeks a partner for the United States Government who will help educate journalists and aspiring journalists on how to practise their trade,? a State Department official said in a statement emailed to Reuters. ?The United States has publicly and privately expressed our concerns about the status of the free press in Hungary on multiple occasions,? the official said. ?Hungary has committed to upholding these standards.? The government had no immediate comment. The program offers technical and financial assistance to media outlets, as well as increased local and international exposure, small grants, and other tools. They can use the funds after May 2018. 'Numbers dwindling' Washington denied entry to top officials of his government on corruption charges in 2014, and Orban ruffled feathers with attacks on the US-chartered Central European University, an issue yet to be resolved. The US Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor launched the program after the top US diplomat in Budapest cited an erosion of media freedoms. ?There are still independent and opposition media outlets here that are able to practise journalism with broad editorial freedom,? Chargé d?Affaires David Kostelancik said last month at a journalism conference. ?That is a good thing.? ?However, their numbers are dwindling, and they face challenges in the advertising market that the pro-government outlets do not. They face pressure and intimidation... as a result, fewer and fewer Hungarians are exposed to the robust debate and discussion that is so important ? in fact, fundamental ? to a representative democracy.? Reacting to those comments, Foreign Ministry State Secretary Levente Magyar said the government would ?continue to reject all statements that affect Hungarian internal affairs and are based on misrepresentation in the strongest possible terms?. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, an intergovernmental human rights and media freedom watchdog, has said media pluralism has declined in Hungary.
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After Sattar's tirade, Mustafa Kamal to hold press conference today
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
[embed_video1 url=http://stream.jeem.tv/vod/3f94822ab8e7588a005011226e5e93e7.mp4/playlist.m3u8?wmsAuthSign=c2VydmVyX3RpbWU9MTEvMTEvMjAxNyA2OjUxOjQ0IEFNJmhhc2hfdmFsdWU9MWhLNk9VVXN3NGo5RWRDSkplemZXUT09JnZhbGlkbWludXRlcz02MCZpZD0x style=center] KARACHI: Pakistan Sarzameen Party (PSP) Chairman Mustafa Kamal is expected to address a press conference today amid a heated political climate in the provincial capital. The press conference will be held at the Pakistan House at 12PM. Sources informed Geo News that the PSP chief will address a press conference on Saturday, along with the party president Anees Qaimkhani. Kamal is expected to respond to Sattar's claims in detail at Saturday's presser. The PSP chief on Friday responded to Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) chief Farooq Sattar's allegation against him of "insulting Muhajirs." Kamal, in his message to media, said, "Hold your breath sahib; it's our turn now." Referring to his joint-press conference with PSP chairman Mustafa Kamal, Sattar had said at a press conference on Thursday: "We were left disappointed. Kamal agreed to unite with me and in front of me he said the MQM belongs to its founder," said Sattar. "Muhajirs and their mandate was insulted yesterday," he had said. Sattar had announced to quit the party and politics hours after Rabita Committee had expressed their confidence in his leadership. Farooq Sattar retracts decision to quit MQM-Pakistan Engineered politics can never work, MQM-P leader said in press conference Thursday night The decision had came a day after MQM-Pakistan and Pak Sarzameen Party had announced to join hands. Sattar subsequently retracted his decision, saying his mother has convinced him to keep on serving the people of Pakistan. -
Farooq Sattar addresses press conference following MQM-P's high-level meeting
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan's Head Farooqi Sattar is addressing a press conference following party's high-level meeting. MQM-P's meeting was chaired by Rabita Committee Deputy Convener Kanwar Naveed Jamil, as Sattar decided to skip it. After the meeting, MQM-P members including Kamran Tessori, Nasreen Jalil, Wasim Akhtar had reached Sattar's residence to "pacify him". "Sattar bhai is upset," Tessori told the media, adding" we have come here to pacify him". However, sources suggested that Sattar refused to meet the party leaders. In the meeting, MQM-P members decided that the party?s name, symbol and manifesto will remain intact, adding that all members have expressed full confidence in Farooq Sattar?s leadership. The sentiments were expressed by Rabita Committee Deputy Convener Kanwar Naveed Jamil. Addressing the media, Jamil shared that the developments pertaining to joining hands of PSP and MQM-Pakistan were discussed in-depth. He said that three important decisions were made during the meeting. First is that MQM?s name, flag, election symbol and manifesto will remain intact, he said. ?MQM would stay the same as it was, political alliances are formed quite often and there is nothing extra ordinary regarding it,? he claimed, adding it has nothing to do with MQM?s integrity. The members also decided that MQM will contest the elections on the seats they have won earlier. Moreover, the party leadership has shown trust in the leadership of Sattar. Earlier, party members had shared that party head Farooq Sattar won't be attending the party's high-level huddle. The session is being held a day after MQM-Pakistan and Pak Sarzameen Party announced to regroup under "one name, one election symbol." Interestingly, it is being said that Kanwar Naveed also has his reservations against MQM-Pakistan joining hands with PSP. An official statement from the party stated that Sattar was not in attendance due to "personal commitments." According to sources, Sattar decided to skip the session due to internal pressure from some of the party members, who threatened to leave the party if Sattar headed it. Many other members tried to convince Sattar to not succumb to the pressure as it would create a negative image in the media, said sources, but Sattar still chose to skip it. -
Assault on Ahmad Noorani an attack on press freedom: Ahsan Iqbal
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, while condemning the attack on journalist Ahmad Noorani, remarked that the attack on the journalist is an attack on the freedom of press. While speaking in National Assembly session on Thursday, the interior minister said the case?s investigation is being reviewed on daily basis. ?Those responsible for the cowardly attack will be arrested soon,? he added. Noorani was assaulted on the federal capital's Khayabane Suharwardy road on October 27, when his car was stopped by three men travelling on a motorcycle near Zero Point Interchange while he was on his way home in Islamabad from Rawalpindi. Police release sketches of Ahmad Noorani attack suspects Pictures of six suspects, extracted from CCTV footage obtained from Safe City Project, have also been sent to NADRA for identification The three men got down from their unmarked motorcycle after chasing down Noorani's car while another three, who were standing where the car was stopped with another unmarked motorcycle, joined in and severely beat up Noorani and his driver with iron rods after throwing out the keys from the ignition. The attackers sped away on the two bikes, with no licence plates, towards Zero Point after onlookers began gathering at the site and traffic started coming to a halt on the busy road. PPP stages protest While presenting his stance before the assembly, Opposition leader Khursheed Shah said that ?technocrats don?t do much but show as if they have done a lot.? Addressing government representatives, he asked: "Please tell us from which taxes are the motorways being built? The motorways are being built from loans." He remarked: "The government should also tell us what have they done in the health sector. Women are giving birth on the roads in Lahore." "You are only working in areas where you can make money. You are unwilling to supply electricity to smaller provinces," he alleged. Putting for a motion, Shah said that we want a five percent decrease in sales tax on petrol, adding they also want an eight percent decrease in sales tax on diesel. Following this, Pakistan Peoples Party members staged a protest against the increase in petrol prices and chanted slogans of ?shame, shame?. Replying to Shah, Iqbal challenged him to review the performance of the government. Speaking about taxes, Iqbal said that the government has not imposed any new taxes. ?We have continued the taxes which were imposed during the tenure of PPP [Pakistan Peoples Party],? he remarked. ?The government has always tried its best to provide relief to people,? he added. In the entire region, Pakistan has the lowest prices. Today, the level of investment in the country has set a new record, he said. Credit should be given to the government for including Thar Coal power project into China Pakistan Economic Corridor, he added. -
Trump to press China on North Korea, trade on Beijing visit
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
US President Donald Trump delivers remarks to reporters as he welcomes United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (not pictured) for a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, US, October 20, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/Files WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump will urge President Xi Jinping to make good on his commitments to pressure North Korea when he visits China next month, a senior White House official said on Monday, stepping up a strategy to have Beijing help rein in Pyongyang. Isolating North Korea further over its nuclear and ballistic missile tests is a key goal for Trump on what will be his longest foreign trip to date. Trump will call on Xi to fully implement UN Security Council resolutions against Pyongyang and take other steps to pressure North Korea. China, North Korea?s sole major ally, accounts for more than 90 percent of trade with the isolated country. China has said it will strictly enforce UN Security Council sanctions banning imports of coal, textiles, and seafood, while cutting off oil shipments to the North. But a senior White House official who briefed reporters ahead of Trump?s trip said China needs to do more to comply with two UN Security Council resolutions that were approved unanimously, including with China?s support. ?We would like to see China follow through on those commitments. We would like to see China do things bilaterally as well that might even go beyond things that are mandated by those UN Security Council resolutions,? the official said. Though China has been angered by North Korea?s repeated nuclear and missile tests and demanded they stop, Beijing also sees the United States and South Korea sharing responsibility for rising tensions because of military drills they carry out in the region. China?s special envoy for the North Korea nuclear issue, Kong Xuanyou, met his US counterpart, Joseph Yun, in Beijing on Monday, China?s Foreign Ministry said, where they had a ?deep exchange of views on the Korean peninsula issue?. The ministry did not elaborate. Trump, who has threatened to ?totally destroy? North Korea, has frequently asked China to help rein in North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. But this strategy has so far failed to stop Pyongyang conducting nuclear bomb tests at an underground facility and firing ballistic missile tests into the Pacific Ocean over Japan. ?Critical? threat The threat from North Korea has grown to a ?critical and imminent level? and the United States, Japan and South Korea must address the matter, Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera told his US and South Korean counterparts in talks on Monday. Onodera?s remarks underscored the deep concern in Tokyo about North Korean weapons tests as Pyongyang seeks to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the United States. The White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Trump is looking for a peaceful resolution of the North Korea standoff. Asked by reporters whether an offer by former President Jimmy Carter to serve as a US envoy to North Korea would be accepted, the official said: ?There?s nothing planned.? Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Monday he outlined for Trump his country?s efforts to pressure North Korea over its nuclear program but also advised the US leader to use talks to help resolve the conflict. ?There is no quick and easy solution. Pressure is necessary but so is dialogue. The US will need to work with others, including China, South Korea and Japan and Russia to resolve the issue,? he said. With Xi consolidating power in the wake of a Communist Party Congress in Beijing, Trump believes the Chinese president will have a greater authority to take steps against North Korea, senior administration officials said last week. Trump?s November 3-14 trip will include visits to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Trump will also be tough on trade during talks with Xi as he seeks to reduce the US trade deficit with China, the White House official said. ?We have huge barriers that Americans companies have to surmount to gain access to the Chinese market. The president is intent on rectifying that situation,? the official said. Despite Trump?s fierce criticism of China?s trade practices during the presidential campaign, he has mostly held off on any major trade action while his administration works with Beijing on North Korea. China has insisted it is doing all it can, and some Chinese diplomats say the Trump administration has overestimated how much influence Beijing has over its defiant neighbour. Even as China has shown signs of tightening enforcement of sanctions on North Korea, it has stopped short of agreeing to US demands for a fuel embargo and has urged the United States to negotiate with Pyongyang. -
KARACHI: The annual book fair by Oxford University Press is starting across Pakistan on October 15, according to an announcement made on Friday. As per the announcement, the month-long event would be held at the Oxford bookshops in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, Sargodha, Peshawar, Abbottabad, Quetta, Hyderabad and Sukkur. It will also be held for a shorter duration in Mirpurkhas, Larkana, Khairpur, Shahdadpur, Sukkur, Pano Akil, and Shaheed Benazirabad. The yearly event offers discounts on a wide range of books and draws a large number of visitors, including children, booksellers, librarians, students and teachers. The book fair features a diverse selection of books, including locally published and imported books for children, English Language teaching material, reference and even course books. Well-researched academic and general books on international affairs, politics, history, literature, as well as biographies and memoirs of prominent Pakistani personalities will also be showcased. The ever-popular range of Oxford's hallmark English and bilingual dictionaries and thesauruses will be available at reduced prices. The Platinum Series launched in celebration of Pakistan's 70 years will also be featured at the event. The series comprises over 70 titles on Pakistan, covering a broad spectrum of disciplines, from history, gender studies, economics, sociology, and politics, to literature, art, culture, and much more. Written by renowned academics and experts in the relevant fields, these books showcase Pakistan's rich, varied, and evolving history.
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Close Grip Bench Press Or Bar Dips: Which Exercise Builds Better Triceps?
ADMIN posted a blog entry in FDF Online News
Big, ripped arms are every guy's dream. Sadly though, not many will see that dream come true. Well, at least until they start training their arms like they are supposed to. The biggest mistake most dudes make is to train the bicep more and neglect the triceps. If you didn't know, the arms consist of 65% triceps and merely 35% biceps. Yup, triceps are the bigger muscles in the arm. Therefore, in order to witness overall arm development, tricep training is the way to go. For anyone who has worked on their arms, the question then arises: close grip bench press or bar dips? Which one of the two compound movements is a superior tricep builder? Let's dig in to find the answer. Joint Action And Muscles Involved In Close Grip Bench Press And Bar Dips Primary Muscles: Anterior Deltoids and Triceps Brachi Joint Action: Both the close grip bench press and parallel bar dips have almost similar joint action, which is shoulder flexion and elbow extension. The only difference that occurs with parallel bar dips is the shoulder extension beyond its neutral position. Parallel Bar Dips © Bodybuilding Parallel bar dips are an old school tricep builder. It's performed on a set of parallel bars with an overhand grip while keeping the elbows close. To initiate the exercise, hang on the bars while extending your elbows and then lowering your body down with an upright torso and your chest puffed out. When the elbow angle is around 90 degrees, we extend it again to the starting position. Effectiveness and Safety How effective is this exercise? In my opinion, it is a very good exercise but puts the shoulder joint at a very high risk. While performing this exercise, the shoulder extension range usually goes beyond its neutral range (45-60 degrees is its neutral range). In this exercise, while lowering themselves down, people often perform the shoulder extension up to 90-degrees or more, increasing the vulnerability. This puts undue stress on the anterior ligaments of the shoulder joint and it may cause serious shoulder issues in the long run. But Can I Perform Parallel Bar Dips By Avoiding Extensive Shoulder Extensions? Of course you can, but by doing this exercise at a mere 45- 55-degree shoulder extension, the movement range is almost cut in half, making it less effective for the triceps. Close Grip Bench Press © Bodybuilding Again, a great mass builder, the close grip bench press has been a favorite choice for most elite coaches when it comes to building triceps. It is very similar to the regular flat bench press; however, the only difference is in the grip width and elbow movement. The elbows here are tucked in the eccentric phase. The ideal grip for this exercise is the shoulder width or a grip slightly narrower than the shoulders. Taking too narrow a grip will put undue stress on the wrist joint which is not a smart way to train. Effectiveness and Safety Well, in my opinion it is probably the best tricep mass builder. The following are the reasons as to why- 1) Since your spine is neutral and supported in this exercise, you can lift a good amount of weight. 2) Even people with shoulders issues can afford to perform this exercise. 3) Both males and females can do it easily as when it comes to parallel bar dips, it is a big challenge for most females. 4) Shoulder joint movement takes place in its strongest and safest range. Conclusion Both the exercises have proven effective for tricep development. However, from a safety perspective, the close grip bench press takes the upper hand. Note: In case you already have some shoulder issues, strictly avoid parallel bar dips.