Nawaz parts ways with Chaudhry Nisar: sources [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2oyse80 style=center] LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has parted ways with his long-term associate Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, sources informed Geo News on Tuesday. Nawaz decided to not extend an invitation to Chaudhry Nisar, who has been associated with the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) for over three decades, to the Central Working Committee (CWC) session held earlier today. The reported decision comes after Nisar openly opposed Nawaz's stance on the party's political strategy following the Supreme Court's July 28 verdict that ousted the former from holding public office. According to sources, Nawaz was not ready to invite Nisar despite the insistence of Shehbaz Sharif, Khawaja Saad Rafique, and Ayaz Sadiq. However, in a post made on social media later in the day, Maryam Nawaz denied the reports being attributed to Nawaz and said the statement is "absolutely false". The spokesperson for the former interior minister has said that Nisar will issue a statement in the next day or two. 'Nisar would remain with party' Speaking on Geo News' programme 'Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath', Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Nisar is displeased and does not come to party meetings. "But I feel that Nisar would have been invited to the [CWC] meeting," he said. The provincial minister said that Nisar would remain with the party and his concerns were not too grave to be eliminated. He said the Punjab CM would resolve the matter, since he has done so in the past as well. Asked about Nawaz decision to return home via GT Road after his disqualification by the Supreme Court, Rana said that at first, it was decided that Nawaz's rally would pass through the motorway, adding that the intelligence agencies warned of terrorism threat after a decision was made regarding going through the GT Road. The minister said that they thought there would be difficulties with regard to security in going through the GT Road, but Nisar convinced Shehbaz Sharif to take the rally from GT Road. He admitted that the former interior minister has always stood by the party, however, it is considered a good thing within the party to make certain things public. Rana said that people have accepted Nawaz's narrative and the entire party, including Shehbaz Sharif, stands by it. The minister further said the Punjab CM never deviated from Nawaz's narrative, rather he has spoken on Nawaz's narrative in party meetings. 'Issue between Nisar, Nawaz will be resolved' Earlier this month, on February 15, Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique had said that the issue between Nawaz and Nisar will be resolved. The federal minister was speaking on the recent issue between the two leaders over the selection of the route for Nawaz’s motorcade following the Panama case July 28 verdict. Rafique had said that Nawaz had not given any statement related to Nisar, adding that he is the one who suggested to Nawaz to take the Grand Trunk road route instead of the Motorway for reaching Lahore during the PML-N president's August rally. The statement comes after Nawaz in an apparent jibe at Nisar, who has publicly expressed reservations over various party policies, said that “certain people had advised me against taking out the rally through GT Road”. Imran invites Nisar to join PTI fold PTI chairman Imran Khan on February 11 had invited the former interior minister to join his party's fold. In his informal conversation with newspersons, Khan had said it would be better if Nisar joins his party, promising his support to the former interior minister even he chooses to contest the next election as an independent candidate. "At times, one has to have a bigger heart in politics," he had said.

Nawaz parts ways with Chaudhry Nisar: sources [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2oyse80 style=center] LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has parted ways with his long-term associate Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, sources informed Geo News on Tuesday. Nawaz decided to not extend an invitation to Chaudhry Nisar, who has been associated with the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) for over three decades, to the Central Working Committee (CWC) session held earlier today. The reported decision comes after Nisar openly opposed Nawaz's stance on the party's political strategy following the Supreme Court's July 28 verdict that ousted the former from holding public office.  According to sources, Nawaz was not ready to invite Nisar despite the insistence of Shehbaz Sharif, Khawaja Saad Rafique, and Ayaz Sadiq. However, in a post made on social media later in the day, Maryam Nawaz denied the reports being attributed to Nawaz and said the statement is "absolutely false".  The spokesperson for the former interior minister has said that Nisar will issue a statement in the next day or two. 'Nisar would remain with party' Speaking on Geo News' programme 'Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath', Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Nisar is displeased and does not come to party meetings. "But I feel that Nisar would have been invited to the [CWC] meeting," he said. The provincial minister said that Nisar would remain with the party and his concerns were not too grave to be eliminated. He said the Punjab CM would resolve the matter, since he has done so in the past as well. Asked about Nawaz decision to return home via GT Road after his disqualification by the Supreme Court, Rana said that at first, it was decided that Nawaz's rally would pass through the motorway, adding that the intelligence agencies warned of terrorism threat after a decision was made regarding going through the GT Road. The minister said that they thought there would be difficulties with regard to security in going through the GT Road, but Nisar convinced Shehbaz Sharif to take the rally from GT Road. He admitted that the former interior minister has always stood by the party, however, it is considered a good thing within the party to make certain things public. Rana said that people have accepted Nawaz's narrative and the entire party, including Shehbaz Sharif, stands by it. The minister further said the Punjab CM never deviated from Nawaz's narrative, rather he has spoken on Nawaz's narrative in party meetings. 'Issue between Nisar, Nawaz will be resolved'  Earlier this month, on February 15, Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique had said that the issue between Nawaz and Nisar will be resolved. The federal minister was speaking on the recent issue between the two leaders over the selection of the route for Nawaz’s motorcade following the Panama case July 28 verdict. Rafique had said that Nawaz had not given any statement related to Nisar, adding that he is the one who suggested to Nawaz to take the Grand Trunk road route instead of the Motorway for reaching Lahore during the PML-N president's August rally. The statement comes after Nawaz in an apparent jibe at Nisar, who has publicly expressed reservations over various party policies, said that “certain people had advised me against taking out the rally through GT Road”. Imran invites Nisar to join PTI fold PTI chairman Imran Khan on February 11 had invited the former interior minister to join his party's fold. In his informal conversation with newspersons, Khan had said it would be better if Nisar joins his party, promising his support to the former interior minister even he chooses to contest the next election as an independent candidate. "At times, one has to have a bigger heart in politics," he had said.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Russian truce plan fails to halt bombing of Syria's Ghouta Smoke rises from the besieged Eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria, February 27, 2018. — Reuters BEIRUT/GENEVA: A Russian call for a five-hour truce on Tuesday failed to halt one of the most devastating campaigns of the Syrian war, where residents said government warplanes resumed striking the eastern Ghouta region on Tuesday after a brief lull. Moscow and Damascus blamed rebels for the collapse of the truce, saying fighters had shelled a safe route intended for civilians to leave the enclave. The insurgents denied such shelling. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would press on with a plan to stage similar daily pauses in the fighting, allowing aid to be delivered to eastern Ghouta through what Russia describes as a humanitarian corridor. The United Nations said it was proving impossible to aid civilians or evacuate the wounded, and said all sides must instead abide by a full 30-day ceasefire demanded by the UN Security Council. “We have reports this morning there is continuous fighting in eastern Ghouta,” UN humanitarian spokesman Jens Laerke said. “Clearly the situation on the ground is not such that convoys can go in or medical evacuations can go out.” Hundreds of people have died during 10 days of government bombardment of the eastern Ghouta, an area of towns and farms on the outskirts of Damascus. The assault has been among the most devastating air campaigns of a war now entering its eighth year. With its Ghouta offensive, the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad is drawing on the military methods it has used to crush its opponents in other parts of Syria, including eastern Aleppo in late 2016. Intensifying bombardment of the besieged area has been coupled with probing ground assaults to test rebel defenses. With no sign of decisive international pressure to stop the attack, eastern Ghouta seems likely to meet the same fate as other areas won back by the government, where humanitarian corridors eventually became escape routes for defeated rebels. “A concrete humanitarian corridor has been set up that will be used to deliver humanitarian aid, and, in the other direction, a medical evacuation can take place and all civilians who want to leave can,” Lavrov told a joint news conference in Moscow after meeting French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. Escalation Residents in several towns in the eastern Ghouta described a brief pause in fighting, but said bombardment swiftly resumed. In the town of Hammouriyeh a man who identified himself by his first name Mahmoud told Reuters helicopters and warplanes were in the sky and conducting strikes. Siraj Mahmoud, a spokesman for the Civil Defence rescue service, which is funded by Western governments and operates in rebel areas, said artillery and air strikes had hit the region. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said helicopters and warplanes had struck four towns and artillery shelling killed one person. A UN Security Council resolution passed on Saturday called for a 30-day ceasefire across the entire country, but did not specify when it should start. It excludes some militant groups which are among the rebels in eastern Ghouta. That has meant the ceasefire has not been observed in practice. UN spokesman Laerke declined to comment on the Russian proposal for a five-hour truce, but called instead on all sides to obey the full 30-day ceasefire. “It is a question life and death - if ever there was a question of life and death - we need a 30-day cessation of hostilities in Syria as the Security Council demands,” Laerke, spokesman of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA), told a Geneva briefing. A rebel spokesman said people in eastern Ghouta did not want to leave the area despite the bombardment, because they feared arrest, torture or conscription by the government. Russia said it would guarantee the safety of any civilians who left. Eastern Ghouta, where the UN says around 400,000 people live, is a major target for Assad, whose forces have clawed back numerous areas with military backing from Russia and Iran. Rebels based in eastern Ghouta have intensified shelling of government-held Damascus. A medical official in the capital said on Monday 36 people had been killed in four days. Syrian state media reported eight people injured by rebel shelling on Tuesday. Damascus and Moscow say the campaign in eastern Ghouta is needed to halt such shelling. Even before the latest bombardment of the besieged area began, there was growing international alarm over humanitarian conditions in the eastern Ghouta because of shortages of food, medicine and other essentials. The multi-sided Syrian war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and driven half of the pre-war population of 23 million from their homes. Fighting has escalated on several fronts this year, with the collapse of Daesh (Islamic State) giving rise to conflict between other Syrian and foreign parties. As Assad has pressed the offensive against eastern Ghouta, Turkey has launched an incursion against Kurdish fighters in the northwestern Afrin region. Tensions have also flared between Iran and Israel, alarmed by Tehran’s influence in Syria. Syrian air defenses shot down an Israeli F-16 earlier this month as it returned from a bombing raid on Iran-backed positions in Syria.

Russian truce plan fails to halt bombing of Syria's Ghouta Smoke rises from the besieged Eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria, February 27, 2018. — Reuters  BEIRUT/GENEVA: A Russian call for a five-hour truce on Tuesday failed to halt one of the most devastating campaigns of the Syrian war, where residents said government warplanes resumed striking the eastern Ghouta region on Tuesday after a brief lull. Moscow and Damascus blamed rebels for the collapse of the truce, saying fighters had shelled a safe route intended for civilians to leave the enclave. The insurgents denied such shelling. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would press on with a plan to stage similar daily pauses in the fighting, allowing aid to be delivered to eastern Ghouta through what Russia describes as a humanitarian corridor. The United Nations said it was proving impossible to aid civilians or evacuate the wounded, and said all sides must instead abide by a full 30-day ceasefire demanded by the UN Security Council. “We have reports this morning there is continuous fighting in eastern Ghouta,” UN humanitarian spokesman Jens Laerke said. “Clearly the situation on the ground is not such that convoys can go in or medical evacuations can go out.” Hundreds of people have died during 10 days of government bombardment of the eastern Ghouta, an area of towns and farms on the outskirts of Damascus. The assault has been among the most devastating air campaigns of a war now entering its eighth year. With its Ghouta offensive, the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad is drawing on the military methods it has used to crush its opponents in other parts of Syria, including eastern Aleppo in late 2016. Intensifying bombardment of the besieged area has been coupled with probing ground assaults to test rebel defenses. With no sign of decisive international pressure to stop the attack, eastern Ghouta seems likely to meet the same fate as other areas won back by the government, where humanitarian corridors eventually became escape routes for defeated rebels. “A concrete humanitarian corridor has been set up that will be used to deliver humanitarian aid, and, in the other direction, a medical evacuation can take place and all civilians who want to leave can,” Lavrov told a joint news conference in Moscow after meeting French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. Escalation Residents in several towns in the eastern Ghouta described a brief pause in fighting, but said bombardment swiftly resumed. In the town of Hammouriyeh a man who identified himself by his first name Mahmoud told Reuters helicopters and warplanes were in the sky and conducting strikes. Siraj Mahmoud, a spokesman for the Civil Defence rescue service, which is funded by Western governments and operates in rebel areas, said artillery and air strikes had hit the region. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said helicopters and warplanes had struck four towns and artillery shelling killed one person. A UN Security Council resolution passed on Saturday called for a 30-day ceasefire across the entire country, but did not specify when it should start. It excludes some militant groups which are among the rebels in eastern Ghouta. That has meant the ceasefire has not been observed in practice. UN spokesman Laerke declined to comment on the Russian proposal for a five-hour truce, but called instead on all sides to obey the full 30-day ceasefire. “It is a question life and death - if ever there was a question of life and death - we need a 30-day cessation of hostilities in Syria as the Security Council demands,” Laerke, spokesman of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA), told a Geneva briefing. A rebel spokesman said people in eastern Ghouta did not want to leave the area despite the bombardment, because they feared arrest, torture or conscription by the government. Russia said it would guarantee the safety of any civilians who left. Eastern Ghouta, where the UN says around 400,000 people live, is a major target for Assad, whose forces have clawed back numerous areas with military backing from Russia and Iran. Rebels based in eastern Ghouta have intensified shelling of government-held Damascus. A medical official in the capital said on Monday 36 people had been killed in four days. Syrian state media reported eight people injured by rebel shelling on Tuesday. Damascus and Moscow say the campaign in eastern Ghouta is needed to halt such shelling. Even before the latest bombardment of the besieged area began, there was growing international alarm over humanitarian conditions in the eastern Ghouta because of shortages of food, medicine and other essentials. The multi-sided Syrian war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and driven half of the pre-war population of 23 million from their homes. Fighting has escalated on several fronts this year, with the collapse of Daesh (Islamic State) giving rise to conflict between other Syrian and foreign parties. As Assad has pressed the offensive against eastern Ghouta, Turkey has launched an incursion against Kurdish fighters in the northwestern Afrin region. Tensions have also flared between Iran and Israel, alarmed by Tehran’s influence in Syria. Syrian air defenses shot down an Israeli F-16 earlier this month as it returned from a bombing raid on Iran-backed positions in Syria.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Facebook launches new feature to help increase blood donations in Pakistan According to the social media giant, there are thousands of posts each month in Pakistan seeking blood donors on Facebook, and over 100,000 people in blood donation groups-Photo: AFP Facebook has launched a blood donations feature in Pakistan to make it easier for people to sign up to be blood donors, and to help connect donors with people and organisations in need, a press release said. “People using Facebook in Pakistan will be able to sign up to be blood donors either on their profiles or by visiting facebook.com/donateblood. All information will remain private and set to Only Me by default, but people can choose to share their donor status more widely. This feature will be available on Android, iOS and desktop,” the press release said. According to the social media giant, there are thousands of posts each month in Pakistan seeking blood donors on Facebook, and over 100,000 people in blood donation groups. “Pakistan, like many countries, has a shortage of safe blood. In some cases, this shortage means patients and their families are responsible for finding donors to replace the blood they receive from blood banks or hospitals,” the press release stated. The feature will help bring together donors, non-profit organisations, and health industry to be “useful to people”. Facebook also launched a similar feature in India and Bangladesh.

Facebook launches new feature to help increase blood donations in Pakistan According to the social media giant, there are thousands of posts each month in Pakistan seeking blood donors on Facebook, and over 100,000 people in blood donation groups-Photo: AFP Facebook has launched a blood donations feature in Pakistan to make it easier for people to sign up to be blood donors, and to help connect donors with people and organisations in need, a press release said. “People using Facebook in Pakistan will be able to sign up to be blood donors either on their profiles or by visiting facebook.com/donateblood. All information will remain private and set to Only Me by default, but people can choose to share their donor status more widely. This feature will be available on Android, iOS and desktop,” the press release said. According to the social media giant, there are thousands of posts each month in Pakistan seeking blood donors on Facebook, and over 100,000 people in blood donation groups. “Pakistan, like many countries, has a shortage of safe blood. In some cases, this shortage means patients and their families are responsible for finding donors to replace the blood they receive from blood banks or hospitals,” the press release stated. The feature will help bring together donors, non-profit organisations, and health industry to be “useful to people”. Facebook also launched a similar feature in India and Bangladesh.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Facebook launches new feature to help increase blood donations in Pakistan According to the social media giant, there are thousands of posts each month in Pakistan seeking blood donors on Facebook, and over 100,000 people in blood donation groups-Photo: AFP Facebook has launched a blood donations feature in Pakistan to make it easier for people to sign up to be blood donors, and to help connect donors with people and organisations in need, a press release said. “People using Facebook in Pakistan will be able to sign up to be blood donors either on their profiles or by visiting facebook.com/donateblood. All information will remain private and set to Only Me by default, but people can choose to share their donor status more widely. This feature will be available on Android, iOS and desktop,” the press release said. According to the social media giant, there are thousands of posts each month in Pakistan seeking blood donors on Facebook, and over 100,000 people in blood donation groups. “Pakistan, like many countries, has a shortage of safe blood. In some cases, this shortage means patients and their families are responsible for finding donors to replace the blood they receive from blood banks or hospitals,” the press release stated. The feature will help bring together donors, non-profit organisations, and health industry to be “useful to people”. Facebook also launched a similar feature in India and Bangladesh.

Facebook launches new feature to help increase blood donations in Pakistan According to the social media giant, there are thousands of posts each month in Pakistan seeking blood donors on Facebook, and over 100,000 people in blood donation groups-Photo: AFP Facebook has launched a blood donations feature in Pakistan to make it easier for people to sign up to be blood donors, and to help connect donors with people and organisations in need, a press release said. “People using Facebook in Pakistan will be able to sign up to be blood donors either on their profiles or by visiting facebook.com/donateblood. All information will remain private and set to Only Me by default, but people can choose to share their donor status more widely. This feature will be available on Android, iOS and desktop,” the press release said. According to the social media giant, there are thousands of posts each month in Pakistan seeking blood donors on Facebook, and over 100,000 people in blood donation groups. “Pakistan, like many countries, has a shortage of safe blood. In some cases, this shortage means patients and their families are responsible for finding donors to replace the blood they receive from blood banks or hospitals,” the press release stated. The feature will help bring together donors, non-profit organisations, and health industry to be “useful to people”. Facebook also launched a similar feature in India and Bangladesh.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Facebook launches new feature to help increase blood donations in Pakistan According to the social media giant, there are thousands of posts each month in Pakistan seeking blood donors on Facebook, and over 100,000 people in blood donation groups-Photo: AFP Facebook has launched a blood donations feature in Pakistan to make it easier for people to sign up to be blood donors, and to help connect donors with people and organisations in need, a press release said. “People using Facebook in Pakistan will be able to sign up to be blood donors either on their profiles or by visiting facebook.com/donateblood. All information will remain private and set to Only Me by default, but people can choose to share their donor status more widely. This feature will be available on Android, iOS and desktop,” the press release said. According to the social media giant, there are thousands of posts each month in Pakistan seeking blood donors on Facebook, and over 100,000 people in blood donation groups. “Pakistan, like many countries, has a shortage of safe blood. In some cases, this shortage means patients and their families are responsible for finding donors to replace the blood they receive from blood banks or hospitals,” the press release stated. The feature will help bring together donors, non-profit organisations, and health industry to be “useful to people”. Facebook also launched a similar feature in India and Bangladesh.

Facebook launches new feature to help increase blood donations in Pakistan According to the social media giant, there are thousands of posts each month in Pakistan seeking blood donors on Facebook, and over 100,000 people in blood donation groups-Photo: AFP Facebook has launched a blood donations feature in Pakistan to make it easier for people to sign up to be blood donors, and to help connect donors with people and organisations in need, a press release said. “People using Facebook in Pakistan will be able to sign up to be blood donors either on their profiles or by visiting facebook.com/donateblood. All information will remain private and set to Only Me by default, but people can choose to share their donor status more widely. This feature will be available on Android, iOS and desktop,” the press release said. According to the social media giant, there are thousands of posts each month in Pakistan seeking blood donors on Facebook, and over 100,000 people in blood donation groups. “Pakistan, like many countries, has a shortage of safe blood. In some cases, this shortage means patients and their families are responsible for finding donors to replace the blood they receive from blood banks or hospitals,” the press release stated. The feature will help bring together donors, non-profit organisations, and health industry to be “useful to people”. Facebook also launched a similar feature in India and Bangladesh.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Facebook launches new feature to help increase blood donations in Pakistan According to the social media giant, there are thousands of posts each month in Pakistan seeking blood donors on Facebook, and over 100,000 people in blood donation groups-Photo: AFP Facebook has launched a blood donations feature in Pakistan to make it easier for people to sign up to be blood donors, and to help connect donors with people and organisations in need, a press release said. “People using Facebook in Pakistan will be able to sign up to be blood donors either on their profiles or by visiting facebook.com/donateblood. All information will remain private and set to Only Me by default, but people can choose to share their donor status more widely. This feature will be available on Android, iOS and desktop,” the press release said. According to the social media giant, there are thousands of posts each month in Pakistan seeking blood donors on Facebook, and over 100,000 people in blood donation groups. “Pakistan, like many countries, has a shortage of safe blood. In some cases, this shortage means patients and their families are responsible for finding donors to replace the blood they receive from blood banks or hospitals,” the press release stated. The feature will help bring together donors, non-profit organisations, and health industry to be “useful to people”. Facebook also launched a similar feature in India and Bangladesh.

Facebook launches new feature to help increase blood donations in Pakistan According to the social media giant, there are thousands of posts each month in Pakistan seeking blood donors on Facebook, and over 100,000 people in blood donation groups-Photo: AFP Facebook has launched a blood donations feature in Pakistan to make it easier for people to sign up to be blood donors, and to help connect donors with people and organisations in need, a press release said. “People using Facebook in Pakistan will be able to sign up to be blood donors either on their profiles or by visiting facebook.com/donateblood. All information will remain private and set to Only Me by default, but people can choose to share their donor status more widely. This feature will be available on Android, iOS and desktop,” the press release said. According to the social media giant, there are thousands of posts each month in Pakistan seeking blood donors on Facebook, and over 100,000 people in blood donation groups. “Pakistan, like many countries, has a shortage of safe blood. In some cases, this shortage means patients and their families are responsible for finding donors to replace the blood they receive from blood banks or hospitals,” the press release stated. The feature will help bring together donors, non-profit organisations, and health industry to be “useful to people”. Facebook also launched a similar feature in India and Bangladesh.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

US seeing some positive indicators from Pakistan: Centcom chief [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2CKggfP style=center] WASHINGTON: US Central Command (Centcom) chief General Joseph Votel said on Tuesday that the US military is seeing some “positive indicators” from Pakistan. “We are now beginning to see very positive indicators ... that they are moving in the right direction,” Votel told a hearing of the US House of Representatives. In January, the United States announced that it was suspending the transfer of military equipment and security-related funds to Pakistan. “It does not yet equal the decisive action that we would like to see them take in terms of a strategic shift, but they are positive indicators,” added the central command chief. He also said that Pakistan is more responsive towards US concerns on militant safe havens. Votel had earlier said that Pakistan is essential for the success of United States' policy in South Asia. The suspension of security assistance to Islamabad came after Washington accused Pakistan of playing a “double game” on fighting terrorism and warned Islamabad it would have to do more if it wanted to maintain US aid. US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley had also confirmed that Washington would withhold $255 million in assistance to Pakistan. Haley's statement followed an angry tweet from Trump that the US had been rewarded with “nothing but lies and deceit” for giving Pakistan billions in aid.

US seeing some positive indicators from Pakistan: Centcom chief [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2CKggfP style=center] WASHINGTON: US Central Command (Centcom) chief General Joseph Votel said on Tuesday that the US military is seeing some “positive indicators” from Pakistan. “We are now beginning to see very positive indicators ... that they are moving in the right direction,” Votel told a hearing of the US House of Representatives. In January, the United States announced that it was suspending the transfer of military equipment and security-related funds to Pakistan. “It does not yet equal the decisive action that we would like to see them take in terms of a strategic shift, but they are positive indicators,” added the central command chief.  He also said that Pakistan is more responsive towards US concerns on militant safe havens. Votel had earlier said that Pakistan is essential for the success of United States' policy in South Asia. The suspension of security assistance to Islamabad came after Washington accused Pakistan of playing a “double game” on fighting terrorism and warned Islamabad it would have to do more if it wanted to maintain US aid. US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley had also confirmed that Washington would withhold $255 million in assistance to Pakistan. Haley's statement followed an angry tweet from Trump that the US had been rewarded with “nothing but lies and deceit” for giving Pakistan billions in aid.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Facebook says page of firebrand anti-Rohingya Myanmar monk removed Wirathu, a prominent face of Myanmar´s Buddhist ultra-nationalist movement, had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on the network, using it as a platform to attack Muslims, singling out the stateless Rohingya minority-AFP YANGON: Facebook has removed the page of a Myanmar monk once dubbed the "Buddhist Bin Laden" for his incendiary posts about Muslims, the company confirmed, as it faces pressure to clamp down on hate speech. Wirathu, a prominent face of Myanmar´s Buddhist ultra-nationalist movement, had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on the network, using it as a platform to attack Muslims, singling out the stateless Rohingya minority. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since last August following a military crackdown in Rakhine state that has been likened to ethnic cleansing by the US and the UN, but which has been applauded by Myanmar nationalists online. A Facebook spokesperson told AFP late Monday that Wirathu´s page had been removed. "Our Community Standards prohibit organizations and people dedicated to promoting hatred and violence against others", a Facebook spokesperson said in an email. "If a person consistently shares content promoting hate, we may take a range of actions such as temporarily suspending their ability to post and ultimately, removal of their account." The page was taken down in late January. Wirathu could not be reached for comment, but he said in a video last year that his account had been temporarily banned for 30 days because "Facebook is occupied by the Muslims." Facebook use has grown exponentially in Myanmar since a quasi-civilian government opened up the telecoms sector in 2013, making it easier for people to access the internet in the largely Buddhist country. Hardline monks like Wirathu took to the platform as well, gaining notoriety for fanning anti-Muslim hatred through inflammatory posts. His tirades have been blamed for stoking sectarian violence, which has plagued Myanmar´s transition to democracy. After Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi came to power in 2016, the government dissolved the Ma Ba Tha group to which Wirathu belonged, and slapped the monk with a one-year speaking ban. But the man who once appeared on the cover of Time magazine as the "face of Buddhist terror" remains influential. The social media giant has faced calls to rein in hate speech on its Myanmar accounts for years, with pressure mounting during the Rohingya crisis. Thet Swe Win, a Yangon-based interfaith activist, said Facebook´s move sent a symbolic message about not tolerating hate speech. But getting rid of the page will not resolve the problem, he warned. "They remove his account but not his videos, and his religious hate speeches, they are still on Facebook and his followers are spreading it," he said.

Facebook says page of firebrand anti-Rohingya Myanmar monk removed Wirathu, a prominent face of Myanmar´s Buddhist ultra-nationalist movement, had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on the network, using it as a platform to attack Muslims, singling out the stateless Rohingya minority-AFP YANGON: Facebook has removed the page of a Myanmar monk once dubbed the "Buddhist Bin Laden" for his incendiary posts about Muslims, the company confirmed, as it faces pressure to clamp down on hate speech. Wirathu, a prominent face of Myanmar´s Buddhist ultra-nationalist movement, had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on the network, using it as a platform to attack Muslims, singling out the stateless Rohingya minority. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since last August following a military crackdown in Rakhine state that has been likened to ethnic cleansing by the US and the UN, but which has been applauded by Myanmar nationalists online. A Facebook spokesperson told AFP late Monday that Wirathu´s page had been removed. "Our Community Standards prohibit organizations and people dedicated to promoting hatred and violence against others", a Facebook spokesperson said in an email. "If a person consistently shares content promoting hate, we may take a range of actions such as temporarily suspending their ability to post and ultimately, removal of their account." The page was taken down in late January. Wirathu could not be reached for comment, but he said in a video last year that his account had been temporarily banned for 30 days because "Facebook is occupied by the Muslims." Facebook use has grown exponentially in Myanmar since a quasi-civilian government opened up the telecoms sector in 2013, making it easier for people to access the internet in the largely Buddhist country. Hardline monks like Wirathu took to the platform as well, gaining notoriety for fanning anti-Muslim hatred through inflammatory posts. His tirades have been blamed for stoking sectarian violence, which has plagued Myanmar´s transition to democracy. After Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi came to power in 2016, the government dissolved the Ma Ba Tha group to which Wirathu belonged, and slapped the monk with a one-year speaking ban. But the man who once appeared on the cover of Time magazine as the "face of Buddhist terror" remains influential. The social media giant has faced calls to rein in hate speech on its Myanmar accounts for years, with pressure mounting during the Rohingya crisis. Thet Swe Win, a Yangon-based interfaith activist, said Facebook´s move sent a symbolic message about not tolerating hate speech. But getting rid of the page will not resolve the problem, he warned. "They remove his account but not his videos, and his religious hate speeches, they are still on Facebook and his followers are spreading it," he said.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Shakira pays 20 mn euros to Spain taxman: report n a relationship since 2011 with FC Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique, with whom she has two sons, the 41-year-old transferred her official residency to the Catalan city in 2015 MADRID: Superstar Shakira has handed over more than 20 million euros ($24.6 million) to tax authorities in Spain, a report said Tuesday, accused of not paying taxes despite being a resident between 2011 and 2014. Catalan daily El Periodico reported that the Colombian award-winning singer had paid the money "to settle part of the debt claimed by Spain´s tax authorities", corresponding to what she allegedly owes for 2011. The fiscal authorities filed an official complaint to prosecutors in Barcelona accusing her of not paying taxes, sparking an investigation, Jose Miguel Company, spokesman for the prosecutors´ office, told AFP. The official complaint only covers the period from 2012 to 2014, however, as the timeframe to prosecute alleged tax offences in 2011 has expired. In a relationship since 2011 with FC Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique, with whom she has two sons, the 41-year-old transferred her official residency to the Catalan city in 2015. Until then, it was in the Bahamas. But "that doesn´t match reality, with the children in school in Barcelona and her partner here," Company said, adding that prosecutors will decide in June whether to pursue the case. Shakira´s representatives, meanwhile, say that until 2014 she earned most of her money in international tours and didn´t live more than six months a year in Spain -- a prerequisite to be an official tax-paying resident in the country. With her mix of Latin and Arabic rhythms and rock influences, Shakira is one of the biggest acts from Latin America, scoring major global hits with songs such as "Hips Don´t Lie" and "Whenever, Wherever." She has sold more than 60 million records

Shakira pays 20 mn euros to Spain taxman: report n a relationship since 2011 with FC Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique, with whom she has two sons, the 41-year-old transferred her official residency to the Catalan city in 2015 MADRID: Superstar Shakira has handed over more than 20 million euros ($24.6 million) to tax authorities in Spain, a report said Tuesday, accused of not paying taxes despite being a resident between 2011 and 2014. Catalan daily El Periodico reported that the Colombian award-winning singer had paid the money "to settle part of the debt claimed by Spain´s tax authorities", corresponding to what she allegedly owes for 2011. The fiscal authorities filed an official complaint to prosecutors in Barcelona accusing her of not paying taxes, sparking an investigation, Jose Miguel Company, spokesman for the prosecutors´ office, told AFP. The official complaint only covers the period from 2012 to 2014, however, as the timeframe to prosecute alleged tax offences in 2011 has expired. In a relationship since 2011 with FC Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique, with whom she has two sons, the 41-year-old transferred her official residency to the Catalan city in 2015. Until then, it was in the Bahamas. But "that doesn´t match reality, with the children in school in Barcelona and her partner here," Company said, adding that prosecutors will decide in June whether to pursue the case. Shakira´s representatives, meanwhile, say that until 2014 she earned most of her money in international tours and didn´t live more than six months a year in Spain -- a prerequisite to be an official tax-paying resident in the country. With her mix of Latin and Arabic rhythms and rock influences, Shakira is one of the biggest acts from Latin America, scoring major global hits with songs such as "Hips Don´t Lie" and "Whenever, Wherever." She has sold more than 60 million records

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

London saw 40pc increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes in a year Anti-crime hate crimes went up from 1,204 the year before to 1,678 reported in the year up to January 2018-Photo: File (Reuters) Hate crimes against Muslims in London went up by 40 percent in a year, British media reported, citing figures from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime. Anti-Muslim hate crimes went up from 1,204 the year before to 1,678 reported in the year up to January 2018. US anti-Muslim bias incidents increased in 2016: report The report found a 57 percent increase in the number of incidents in 2016 Scotland Yard meanwhile said the figures may not fully represent the “hugely under-reported” hate crimes. London mayor Sadiq Khan denounced the uptick and warned those found involved will be punished. "I’m calling on all Londoners to pull together, and send a clear message around the world that our city will never be divided by individuals who seek to harm us and destroy our way of life," he said. A similar report in October had said violence, intimidation, assaults and other hate crimes targeting mosques and Muslims doubled in Britain in 2017. Hate crimes in Britain against Muslim community doubled during 2017 Crimes include racist abuse, threats to bomb mosques and attacks on mosques and worshipers The police recorded 110 hate crimes from March to July 2017 in Britain compared to 47 in 2016. Crimes include racist abuse, threats to bomb mosques, attacks on mosques and worshipers.

London saw 40pc increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes in a year Anti-crime hate crimes went up from 1,204 the year before to 1,678 reported in the year up to January 2018-Photo: File (Reuters) Hate crimes against Muslims in London went up by 40 percent in a year, British media reported, citing figures from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime. Anti-Muslim hate crimes went up from 1,204 the year before to 1,678 reported in the year up to January 2018. US anti-Muslim bias incidents increased in 2016: report The report found a 57 percent increase in the number of incidents in 2016 Scotland Yard meanwhile said the figures may not fully represent the “hugely under-reported” hate crimes. London mayor Sadiq Khan denounced the uptick and warned those found involved will be punished. "I’m calling on all Londoners to pull together, and send a clear message around the world that our city will never be divided by individuals who seek to harm us and destroy our way of life," he said. A similar report in October had said violence, intimidation, assaults and other hate crimes targeting mosques and Muslims doubled in Britain in 2017. Hate crimes in Britain against Muslim community doubled during 2017 Crimes include racist abuse, threats to bomb mosques and attacks on mosques and worshipers The police recorded 110 hate crimes from March to July 2017 in Britain compared to 47 in 2016. Crimes include racist abuse, threats to bomb mosques, attacks on mosques and worshipers.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Canada gravely concerned by Myanmar's jailing of journalists Detained Reuters journalist Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone are escorted by police while arriving for a court hearing after lunch break in Yangon, Myanmar February 14, 2018 GENEVA: Canada is gravely concerned by the imprisonment of two Reuters journalists in Myanmar, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland told the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday, adding that ethnic cleansing had taken place in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. “For true democracy to flourish, fundamental freedoms such as freedom of the press must be respected. That is why Canada is gravely concerned by the imprisonment of two Reuters journalists who dared to report on the crimes in Rakhine state,” she said. Freeland, a former editor of Thomson Reuters Digital, was speaking at a meeting of the UN council in Geneva. Reuters journalists Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, were detained on Dec. 12 over allegations they violated Myanmar’s colonial-era Official Secrets Act. Court proceedings are under way to decide whether the pair will face charges under the act, with the next hearing scheduled for Wednesday. The two reporters had been working on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men who were buried in a mass grave in northern Rakhine state after being hacked to death or shot by ethnic Rakhine Buddhist villagers and soldiers. After Reuters published its report on the killings on Feb. 8, calls have mounted for the release of the two reporters. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine state since Myanmar’s military launched a crackdown in late August in response to militant attacks. Myanmar has denied that ethnic cleansing has taken place, and said its troops were engaged in legitimate counterinsurgency operations. With reference to the Reuters journalists, Hau Do Suan, Myanmar’s ambassador to the United Nations, said this month that Myanmar recognized freedom of the press and the journalists were not arrested for reporting a story, but were accused of “illegally possessing confidential government documents.”

Canada gravely concerned by Myanmar's jailing of journalists Detained Reuters journalist Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone are escorted by police while arriving for a court hearing after lunch break in Yangon, Myanmar February 14, 2018 GENEVA: Canada is gravely concerned by the imprisonment of two Reuters journalists in Myanmar, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland told the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday, adding that ethnic cleansing had taken place in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. “For true democracy to flourish, fundamental freedoms such as freedom of the press must be respected. That is why Canada is gravely concerned by the imprisonment of two Reuters journalists who dared to report on the crimes in Rakhine state,” she said. Freeland, a former editor of Thomson Reuters Digital, was speaking at a meeting of the UN council in Geneva. Reuters journalists Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, were detained on Dec. 12 over allegations they violated Myanmar’s colonial-era Official Secrets Act. Court proceedings are under way to decide whether the pair will face charges under the act, with the next hearing scheduled for Wednesday. The two reporters had been working on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men who were buried in a mass grave in northern Rakhine state after being hacked to death or shot by ethnic Rakhine Buddhist villagers and soldiers. After Reuters published its report on the killings on Feb. 8, calls have mounted for the release of the two reporters. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine state since Myanmar’s military launched a crackdown in late August in response to militant attacks. Myanmar has denied that ethnic cleansing has taken place, and said its troops were engaged in legitimate counterinsurgency operations. With reference to the Reuters journalists, Hau Do Suan, Myanmar’s ambassador to the United Nations, said this month that Myanmar recognized freedom of the press and the journalists were not arrested for reporting a story, but were accused of “illegally possessing confidential government documents.”

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Jayendra Saraswathi and Shankarachrya tradition: All you need to know

Jayendra Saraswathi and Shankarachrya tradition: All you need to know

Shankaracharya Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal, the 69th head of the Kanchi Mutt, passed away today in Tamil Nadu's Kanchipuram, at 82....

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Madhya Pradesh bypolls: Congress ahead in both Assembly seats

Madhya Pradesh bypolls: Congress ahead in both Assembly seats

As of mid-morning today, the Congress is leading in Kolares and Mungaoli, two key Madhya Pradesh Assembly constituencies that held bypolls o...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Fertiliser subsidy: Govt starts drive to identify farmers for cash transfer

Fertiliser subsidy: Govt starts drive to identify farmers for cash transfer

Aiming to roll out cash transfer for fertiliser subsidy to farmers directly in place of the current practice of paying this to the manufactu...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

For this Nagaland MLA, polling day is no less than marathon

For this Nagaland MLA, polling day is no less than marathon

It's 7am and four people are sweeping the sprawling lawn outside and two dogs lie curled up, not wanting to be disturbed this early, as ...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Connectivity a pipe dream for Meghalaya's smallest polling station

Connectivity a pipe dream for Meghalaya's smallest polling station

At Kamsing, under Amlarem constituency in Meghalaya's West Jaintia Hills district, voting has always been a leisurely exercise.With just...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Karti's arrest is diversionary tactic, vendetta politics: Congress

Karti's arrest is diversionary tactic, vendetta politics: Congress

Karti Chidambarm, son of former Union minister P Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI today. The Congress termed it a "diversionary tact...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Development first, 'solution' second for Dimapur voters

Development first, 'solution' second for Dimapur voters

When voters in Nagaland's commercial capital Dimapur pressed the EVM button on Tuesday, development was the first thing on their mind. ...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Fashion and festivity rule Meghalaya polling

Fashion and festivity rule Meghalaya polling

An air of festivity bathed the hill station as people turned out in large numbers in colourful attire to exercise their democratic right on ...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

INX Media money laundering case: CBI arrests Karti Chidambaram

INX Media money laundering case: CBI arrests Karti Chidambaram

The CBI this morning arrested Karti Chidambaram in Chennai in connection with the INX money laundering case. The national investigative agen...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Why today's results of 2 Madhya Pradesh bypolls are crucial

Why today's results of 2 Madhya Pradesh bypolls are crucial

Buoyed by winning the Chitrakoot assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh (MP) in the November 2017 bypoll, the Congress will today be eagerly lookin...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

In a first, Rajya Sabha TV runs special programme on ‘right-wing icon’ Veer Savarkar

In a first, Rajya Sabha TV runs special programme on ‘right-wing icon’ Veer Savarkar

In a departure from the usual for state-run television channel Rajya Sabha TV, a 24-minute feature on ideologue and political thinker Veer S...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Now, Karnataka poll announcement may be deferred to April

Now, Karnataka poll announcement may be deferred to April

Confusion prevailed over the schedule for the forthcoming assembly elections in Karnataka after the Election Commission (EC) indicated that ...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

They find the job, then train you for it

They find the job, then train you for it

from India News | Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India - Times of India http://ift.tt/2CoSE4J

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Manoj Baitha, BJP man accused of mowing down 9 kids, surrenders to Bihar police

Manoj Baitha, BJP man accused of mowing down 9 kids, surrenders to Bihar police

from India News | Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India - Times of India http://ift.tt/2t4eUx0

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

After his 10% commission jibe, Narendra Modi calls govt ‘seeda rupaiyya’

After his 10% commission jibe, Narendra Modi calls govt ‘seeda rupaiyya’

from India News | Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India - Times of India http://ift.tt/2HSh3iA

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Land bill: Most BJP netas skip JPC meet

Land bill: Most BJP netas skip JPC meet

A meeting of the joint parliamentary committee on the land acquisition bill, set up in 2015, could not be held on Tuesday as only six of the...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Foodgrain production may touch record 277 mn tonnes

Foodgrain production may touch record 277 mn tonnes

India's overall foodgrain production may touch a record of 277.49 million tonnes in the 2017-18 crop year (July-June) with output of pul...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

2 hurt as Pakistan violates truce; 72 schools shut

2 hurt as Pakistan violates truce; 72 schools shut

72 Schools Shut (Cleared by Aarti ma'am) from India News | Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India - Times of India http:/...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Mantri who debunks Darwin's theory is chief guest for science day

Mantri who debunks Darwin's theory is chief guest for science day

Though the minister will not participate in the discussion, he will deliver the inaugural address. "National Science Day" is celeb...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Scarface Remake Brings Back Director Antoine Fuqua

Scarface Remake Brings Back Director Antoine Fuqua

Just over a year after exiting the Scarface remake, director Antoine Fuqua is back in talks to direct Universal's long-awaited remake. ...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Saudi views Pakistan as one of top destinations for investment: deputy minister February 27, 2018 at 11:01PM RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister for Foreign Trade Abdulrahman Alharbi on Tuesday said that Saudi Arabia views Pakistan as one of top destinations for making investments. The statement was made at a meeting of Pak-Saudi Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment in Riyadh on Tuesday. Commerce Secretary Mohammad Younus Dagha headed Pakistan delegation at the two-day talks. Additional Secretary BOI Saleem Ranjha and Pakistan's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Khan Hasham Bin Saddique along with technical team were also part of the Pakistani side. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties in line with the understandings developed during the meeting of Pak-Saudi Joint Ministerial Commission held in Islamabad last month. During the meeting, the Saudi side acknowledged and appreciated Pakistan's position as a preferred destination for investment in view of its macroeconomic indicators, growth projects, strategic location and overall investment regime. Saudi officials showed their interest in investing in Pakistan in many sectors including petrochemicals, dairy, livestock, mining and others. The meeting agreed that Saudi Arabia will send a technical team to Pakistan to review the sector-specific opportunities and projects. The two sides agreed to activate Pak-Saudi Joint Business Council within two months and that Pakistan will hold a single-country exhibition in Saudi Arabia in 2018. In order to further boost trade relations, the forum agreed to mutually facilitate the trade by overcoming issues like visa fees, registration of companies, shipment delays and mutual recognition of standards. Dagha appreciated the progress made on various important matters at the meeting and assured support to Saudi investors in various sectors. The joint working group will reconvene in Islamabad in April 2018 to discuss sector-specific initiatives.

Saudi views Pakistan as one of top destinations for investment: deputy minister February 27, 2018 at 11:01PM RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister for Foreign Trade Abdulrahman Alharbi on Tuesday said that Saudi Arabia views Pakistan as one of top destinations for making investments. The statement was made at a meeting of Pak-Saudi Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment in Riyadh on Tuesday. Commerce Secretary Mohammad Younus Dagha headed Pakistan delegation at the two-day talks. Additional Secretary BOI Saleem Ranjha and Pakistan's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Khan Hasham Bin Saddique along with technical team were also part of the Pakistani side. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties in line with the understandings developed during the meeting of Pak-Saudi Joint Ministerial Commission held in Islamabad last month. During the meeting, the Saudi side acknowledged and appreciated Pakistan's position as a preferred destination for investment in view of its macroeconomic indicators, growth projects, strategic location and overall investment regime. Saudi officials showed their interest in investing in Pakistan in many sectors including petrochemicals, dairy, livestock, mining and others. The meeting agreed that Saudi Arabia will send a technical team to Pakistan to review the sector-specific opportunities and projects. The two sides agreed to activate Pak-Saudi Joint Business Council within two months and that Pakistan will hold a single-country exhibition in Saudi Arabia in 2018. In order to further boost trade relations, the forum agreed to mutually facilitate the trade by overcoming issues like visa fees, registration of companies, shipment delays and mutual recognition of standards. Dagha appreciated the progress made on various important matters at the meeting and assured support to Saudi investors in various sectors. The joint working group will reconvene in Islamabad in April 2018 to discuss sector-specific initiatives.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Amnesty for undisclosed foreign assets to be launched March 15: minister February 27, 2018 at 10:10PM KARACHI: The government has planned to introduce an amnesty for Pakistanis having undisclosed foreign assets by March 15, Rana Mohammad Afzal, Minister for State on Finance and Revenue said on Tuesday. Addressing the function at Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association (PHMA), Afzal said that the amnesty scheme had been finalised with an aim to provide an opportunity to people for bringing back their foreign assets to the country. The minister further said that the government has planned rationalising tax rates in the upcoming budget and added that, in order to provide relief to salary persons, the government would propose enhancing the minimum threshold for charging income tax to Rs800,000 from existing Rs400,000. The government is also devising a plan to reduce the corporate income tax rate from 30 percent to 20 percent in a phased manner, he further said. Afzal added that the government was focusing on increasing foreign exchange reserves as $3 billion is scheduled to be paid to the IMF. The minister for state on finance and revenue said that the foreign exchange reserves have declined due to a significant rise in imports. and added that the import bill during the last fiscal year was $55 billion. The bill, however, included imports of power generating and other machinery. Commenting on payment of sales tax refunds, he said the government had set a deadline of February 15 for releasing all outstanding refunds but due to engagements of the finance ministry related to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the refund payments were delayed. “There is no change in policy for sales tax refunds,” he said and added that all those refund claims where Refund Payment Orders (RPOs) had been issued would be paid instantly. He estimated that around Rs160 billion refunds were payable. Javed Balwani, Chairman, Pakistan Apparel Forum apprised the minister that exporters were facing immense problems due to a high cost of production and stuck up sales tax refunds. Bilwani also said that exporters were forced to obtain interest based loans due to liquidity issues. The chairman of Pakistan Apparel Forum also complained regarding the attitude of customs authorities saying that those were focusing on imports rather giving facilitation to exports, which are a major source of bringing foreign exchange into the country. Bilwani suggested that reducing the cost of production could help in improving export numbers.

Amnesty for undisclosed foreign assets to be launched March 15: minister February 27, 2018 at 10:10PM KARACHI: The government has planned to introduce an amnesty for Pakistanis having undisclosed foreign assets by March 15, Rana Mohammad Afzal, Minister for State on Finance and Revenue said on Tuesday. Addressing the function at Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association (PHMA), Afzal said that the amnesty scheme had been finalised with an aim to provide an opportunity to people for bringing back their foreign assets to the country. The minister further said that the government has planned rationalising tax rates in the upcoming budget and added that, in order to provide relief to salary persons, the government would propose enhancing the minimum threshold for charging income tax to Rs800,000 from existing Rs400,000.  The government is also devising a plan to reduce the corporate income tax rate from 30 percent to 20 percent in a phased manner, he further said.  Afzal added that the government was focusing on increasing foreign exchange reserves as $3 billion is scheduled to be paid to the IMF.  The minister for state on finance and revenue said that the foreign exchange reserves have declined due to a significant rise in imports. and added that the import bill during the last fiscal year was $55 billion. The bill, however, included imports of power generating and other machinery. Commenting on payment of sales tax refunds, he said the government had set a deadline of February 15 for releasing all outstanding refunds but due to engagements of the finance ministry related to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the refund payments were delayed. “There is no change in policy for sales tax refunds,” he said and added that all those refund claims where Refund Payment Orders (RPOs) had been issued would be paid instantly. He estimated that around Rs160 billion refunds were payable. Javed Balwani, Chairman, Pakistan Apparel Forum apprised the minister that exporters were facing immense problems due to a high cost of production and stuck up sales tax refunds. Bilwani also said that exporters were forced to obtain interest based loans due to liquidity issues. The chairman of Pakistan Apparel Forum also complained regarding the attitude of customs authorities saying that those were focusing on imports rather giving facilitation to exports, which are a major source of bringing foreign exchange into the country. Bilwani suggested that reducing the cost of production could help in improving export numbers.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Ogra recommends Rs3.56 increase in petrol price for March February 27, 2018 at 08:49PM [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2GOK7q4 style=center] ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has sent a summary seeking an increase in the price of petroleum products to the federal government, it emerged on Tuesday. An increase of Rs3.56 for petrol has been recommended by OGRA, while kerosene oil has a suggested increase of Rs6.28 and an increase of Rs6.94 has been recommended for light-speed diesel. The new price of petrol will be Rs88.7 per litre, whereas, the price of diesel will be Rs102.77 per litre. The price of diesel has been set keeping in view general sales tax of 31 percent. For all other petroleum products, the prices have been set on the basis of 17 percent GST.

Ogra recommends Rs3.56 increase in petrol price for March February 27, 2018 at 08:49PM [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2GOK7q4 style=center] ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has sent a summary seeking an increase in the price of petroleum products to the federal government, it emerged on Tuesday. An increase of Rs3.56 for petrol has been recommended by OGRA, while kerosene oil has a suggested increase of Rs6.28 and an increase of Rs6.94 has been recommended for light-speed diesel. The new price of petrol will be Rs88.7 per litre, whereas, the price of diesel will be Rs102.77 per litre. The price of diesel has been set keeping in view general sales tax of 31 percent. For all other petroleum products, the prices have been set on the basis of 17 percent GST.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Ever-hungry Virat Kohli wants more from India

Ever-hungry Virat Kohli wants more from India

Ever-hungry Virat Kohli wants more from India from Sports - Videos - The Times of India http://ift.tt/2FB0qr4

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Nidahas Trophy: Rohit to lead India; Kohli rested

Nidahas Trophy: Rohit to lead India; Kohli rested

Nidahas Trophy: Rohit to lead India; Kohli rested from Sports - Videos - The Times of India http://ift.tt/2HO6bT1

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Want to forget past and start new chapter with Pakistan, says Ashraf Ghani [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2GPAWWf style=center] KABUL: Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani said on Wednesday that Kabul is ready for talks with Pakistan, adding that they want to forget the past and start a new chapter. Calling on Pakistan to hold government-to-government talks, Ghani said the best place to hold peace talks is Kabul, according to Tolo News. Ghani made the remarks during a speech at the opening of the Kabul Process for Peace and Security Cooperation which went under way today. The conference, the first part of which was held in June last year, comprises representatives from around 25 countries, including Pakistan, and members of international organisations. The aim of the meeting is to find a settlement to the decades-long conflict in Afghanistan. 'Peace in Taliban's hands' In a message to the Taliban, the Afghan president said peace is in their hands today and called on the group to accept peace and come together to save this country. He said that the peace process and a ceasefire must be agreed upon and that Taliban must be declared a political group. Around 25 countries and organisations are attending the conference. Photo: ToloNews Ghani laid out several olive branches to the Taliban in his speech, saying the government will provide facilities and security to those who join the peace process, work on freeing prisoners, provide passports for Taliban members and their families and will issue visas, open an office for them including in Kabul and will also work to remove sanctions against Taliban leaders, according to Tolo News. Earlier, the Afghan president said consensus is still needed to take coordinated action among states to counter the threat faced by Afghanistan. Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani in his opening remarks said that peace in Afghanistan would benefit the whole region and the world at large. In a tweet on Tuesday evening, Ghani had said he would present a detailed peace offer to the Taliban and Pakistan on behalf of the Afghan people. "We wish to march toward a lasting peace in #Afghanistan and in the region!" he had said in the message.

Want to forget past and start new chapter with Pakistan, says Ashraf Ghani [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2GPAWWf style=center] KABUL: Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani said on Wednesday that Kabul is ready for talks with Pakistan, adding that they want to forget the past and start a new chapter.  Calling on Pakistan to hold government-to-government talks, Ghani said the best place to hold peace talks is Kabul, according to Tolo News.  Ghani made the remarks during a speech at the opening of the Kabul Process for Peace and Security Cooperation which went under way today.  The conference, the first part of which was held in June last year, comprises representatives from around 25 countries, including Pakistan, and members of international organisations.  The aim of the meeting is to find a settlement to the decades-long conflict in Afghanistan.  'Peace in Taliban's hands'  In a message to the Taliban, the Afghan president said peace is in their hands today and called on the group to accept peace and come together to save this country. He said that the peace process and a ceasefire must be agreed upon and that Taliban must be declared a political group.  Around 25 countries and organisations are attending the conference. Photo: ToloNews Ghani laid out several olive branches to the Taliban in his speech, saying the government will provide facilities and security to those who join the peace process, work on freeing prisoners, provide passports for Taliban members and their families and will issue visas, open an office for them including in Kabul and will also work to remove sanctions against Taliban leaders, according to Tolo News.  Earlier, the Afghan president said consensus is still needed to take coordinated action among states to counter the threat faced by Afghanistan.  Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani in his opening remarks said that peace in Afghanistan would benefit the whole region and the world at large. In a tweet on Tuesday evening, Ghani had said he would present a detailed peace offer to the Taliban and Pakistan on behalf of the Afghan people.  "We wish to march toward a lasting peace in #Afghanistan and in the region!" he had said in the message. 

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Trump discusses Iran in calls with Saudi, UAE leaders: White House [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2CMV4Ga style=center] WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump discussed Iran’s “destabilizing activities” and other security and economic issues in separate telephone calls with senior Saudi and Emirati leaders on Tuesday, the White House said. In calls with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates, Trump thanked them for highlighting ways that Gulf Arab states “can better counter Iranian destabilizing activities and defeat terrorists and extremists,” the White House said. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, along with Bahrain and Egypt, cut off travel and trade ties with Qatar in June, accusing it of supporting terrorism and their arch-rival Iran. The United States is trying to resolve the dispute. Qatar denies the charges and says the four Arab countries aim to curtail its sovereignty. The two crown princes, as well as Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, are planning to visit Trump for bilateral meetings in March and April, a senior US official said on Friday. The agenda for the meetings will include setting up a summit of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council, the official said, which Washington hopes will be held later this year, as well as Middle East peace and Iran. Trump also discussed enhancing bilateral partnerships on security and economic issues with the Saudi and Abu Dhabi crown princes, the White House said.

Trump discusses Iran in calls with Saudi, UAE leaders: White House [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2CMV4Ga style=center] WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump discussed Iran’s “destabilizing activities” and other security and economic issues in separate telephone calls with senior Saudi and Emirati leaders on Tuesday, the White House said. In calls with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates, Trump thanked them for highlighting ways that Gulf Arab states “can better counter Iranian destabilizing activities and defeat terrorists and extremists,” the White House said. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, along with Bahrain and Egypt, cut off travel and trade ties with Qatar in June, accusing it of supporting terrorism and their arch-rival Iran. The United States is trying to resolve the dispute. Qatar denies the charges and says the four Arab countries aim to curtail its sovereignty. The two crown princes, as well as Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, are planning to visit Trump for bilateral meetings in March and April, a senior US official said on Friday. The agenda for the meetings will include setting up a summit of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council, the official said, which Washington hopes will be held later this year, as well as Middle East peace and Iran. Trump also discussed enhancing bilateral partnerships on security and economic issues with the Saudi and Abu Dhabi crown princes, the White House said.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

N. Korean leaders used Brazilian passports to apply for Western visas: sources A scan obtained by Reuters shows an authentic Brazilian passport issued to North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un (L) and late leader Kim Jong-il (R). Handout via REUTERS LONDON: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his late father Kim Jong Il used fraudulently obtained Brazilian passports to apply for visas to visit Western countries in the 1990s, five senior Western European security sources told Reuters. While North Korea’s ruling family is known to have used travel documents obtained under false pretences, there are few specific examples. The photocopies of the Brazilian passports seen by Reuters have not been published before. “They used these Brazilian passports, which clearly show the photographs of Kim Jong Un and Kim Jong Il, to attempt to obtain visas from foreign embassies,” one senior Western security source said on condition of anonymity. “This shows the desire for travel and points to the ruling family’s attempts to build a possible escape route,” the security source said. The North Korean embassy in Brazil declined to comment. Brazil’s foreign ministry said it was investigating. A Brazilian source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the two passports in question were legitimate documents when sent out as blanks for consulates to issue. Four other senior Western European security sources confirmed that the two Brazilian passports with photos of the Kims in the names of Josef Pwag and Ijong Tchoi were used to apply for visas in at least two Western countries. It was unclear whether any visas were issued. The passports may also have been used to travel to Brazil, Japan and Hong Kong, the security sources said. Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported in 2011 that Jong Un visited Tokyo as a child using a Brazilian passport in 1991 - before the issue date on the two Brazilian passports. ‘Josef Pwag’ Both 10-year passports carry a stamp saying “Embassy of Brazil in Prague” with a Feb. 26, 1996, issue date. The security sources said facial recognition technology confirmed the photographs were those of Kim Jong Un and his father. The passport with Jong Un’s photo was issued in the name of Josef Pwag with a date of birth of Feb. 1, 1983. So little is known about Jong Un that even his birth date is disputed. He would have been 12 to 14 years old when the Brazilian passport was issued. Jong Un is known to have been educated at an international school in Berne, Switzerland, where he pretended to be the son of an embassy chauffeur. Jong Il’s passport was issued in the name Ijong Tchoi with a birth date of April 4, 1940. Jong Il died in 2011. His true birth date was in 1941. Both passports list the holders’ birthplaces as Sao Paulo, Brazil. The first security source declined to describe how the passport copies had been obtained, citing secrecy rules. Reuters has only seen photocopies of the passports so was unable to discern if they had been tampered with.

N. Korean leaders used Brazilian passports to apply for Western visas: sources A scan obtained by Reuters shows an authentic Brazilian passport issued to North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un (L) and late leader Kim Jong-il (R). Handout via REUTERS LONDON: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his late father Kim Jong Il used fraudulently obtained Brazilian passports to apply for visas to visit Western countries in the 1990s, five senior Western European security sources told Reuters. While North Korea’s ruling family is known to have used travel documents obtained under false pretences, there are few specific examples. The photocopies of the Brazilian passports seen by Reuters have not been published before. “They used these Brazilian passports, which clearly show the photographs of Kim Jong Un and Kim Jong Il, to attempt to obtain visas from foreign embassies,” one senior Western security source said on condition of anonymity. “This shows the desire for travel and points to the ruling family’s attempts to build a possible escape route,” the security source said. The North Korean embassy in Brazil declined to comment. Brazil’s foreign ministry said it was investigating. A Brazilian source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the two passports in question were legitimate documents when sent out as blanks for consulates to issue. Four other senior Western European security sources confirmed that the two Brazilian passports with photos of the Kims in the names of Josef Pwag and Ijong Tchoi were used to apply for visas in at least two Western countries. It was unclear whether any visas were issued. The passports may also have been used to travel to Brazil, Japan and Hong Kong, the security sources said. Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported in 2011 that Jong Un visited Tokyo as a child using a Brazilian passport in 1991 - before the issue date on the two Brazilian passports. ‘Josef Pwag’ Both 10-year passports carry a stamp saying “Embassy of Brazil in Prague” with a Feb. 26, 1996, issue date. The security sources said facial recognition technology confirmed the photographs were those of Kim Jong Un and his father. The passport with Jong Un’s photo was issued in the name of Josef Pwag with a date of birth of Feb. 1, 1983. So little is known about Jong Un that even his birth date is disputed. He would have been 12 to 14 years old when the Brazilian passport was issued. Jong Un is known to have been educated at an international school in Berne, Switzerland, where he pretended to be the son of an embassy chauffeur. Jong Il’s passport was issued in the name Ijong Tchoi with a birth date of April 4, 1940. Jong Il died in 2011. His true birth date was in 1941. Both passports list the holders’ birthplaces as Sao Paulo, Brazil. The first security source declined to describe how the passport copies had been obtained, citing secrecy rules. Reuters has only seen photocopies of the passports so was unable to discern if they had been tampered with.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Three taken to hospital after letter opened at Virginia military base Image: REUTERS Video/Screenshot WASHINGTON: Eleven people fell ill and three were transported to a hospital on Tuesday after a letter was opened at a US military base in Arlington, Virginia, the fire department and a base spokeswoman said. “Someone opened a letter and everyone at the office started feeling badly,” Leah Rubalcaba — a spokeswoman for Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall — said. The three people taken to a hospital were in stable condition, Arlington Fire Department said on Twitter. The letter was opened in the Marine Corps’ portion of the base, which is located near Washington. “An envelope containing an unknown substance was received” at the base, the Marine Corps said on Twitter. “Personnel in the affected building took immediate preventative measures by evacuating the building,” it said.

Three taken to hospital after letter opened at Virginia military base Image: REUTERS Video/Screenshot WASHINGTON: Eleven people fell ill and three were transported to a hospital on Tuesday after a letter was opened at a US military base in Arlington, Virginia, the fire department and a base spokeswoman said. “Someone opened a letter and everyone at the office started feeling badly,” Leah Rubalcaba — a spokeswoman for Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall — said. The three people taken to a hospital were in stable condition, Arlington Fire Department said on Twitter. The letter was opened in the Marine Corps’ portion of the base, which is located near Washington. “An envelope containing an unknown substance was received” at the base, the Marine Corps said on Twitter. “Personnel in the affected building took immediate preventative measures by evacuating the building,” it said.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Kushner loses access to top intelligence briefing: sources US President Donald Trump passes his adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner at the White House in Washington, US, December 7, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/Files WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and close adviser, Jared Kushner, has lost access to the most valued US intelligence report, the President’s Daily Brief, as the White House imposes greater discipline on access to secrets, two US officials familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. Kushner, who has been operating under an interim security clearance for about a year, had his access to the highly classified briefing cut off in the past few weeks, said the sources. A third official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein recently passed new information to White House Counsel Don McGahn that led to the slowing or stopping of Kushner’s pending clearance application. The nature of that information was not clear. It also is unclear if and when Kushner’s access to the briefing, known as the PDB, which requires clearance higher than the Top Secret level, would be reinstated. Kushner, a wealthy New York businessman married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, has not received his full security clearance because of his extensive financial links, which have taken a long time to examine. He has revised his security clearance form, called an SF-86, several times. A White House spokesman for Kushner did not immediately return a phone call and email seeking comment. Trump ignored reporters’ shouted questions about Kushner and his clearance at an event on Tuesday afternoon. Kushner’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement: “Mr. Kushner has done more than what is expected of him in this process.” “My inquiries ... have confirmed that there are a dozen or more people at Mr. Kushner’s level whose process is delayed, that it is not uncommon for this process to take this long in a new administration, that the current backlogs are being addressed, and no concerns were raised about Mr. Kushner’s application,” Lowell said. Trump’s White House has been grappling with the security clearance issue since it emerged this month that staff secretary Rob Porter worked for Trump for a year with a temporary clearance despite accusations by his two former wives of domestic abuse. Porter has maintained his innocence. The President’s Daily Brief is distributed to a small number of top-level US officials. It includes highly classified intelligence analysis, information about CIA covert operations and reports from the most sensitive US sources or those shared by allied intelligence agencies. New security clearance policies announced by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly “will not affect Mr. Kushner’s ability to continue to do the very important work he has been assigned by the President,” Lowell said. But one of the US officials who said Kushner had lost access to the daily brief said that without it, his role in some major policy deliberations, including on China and Russia, could be limited. Broad portfolio Kushner has had a broad portfolio in the White House. He has taken the lead on Trump’s plan to forge a Middle East peace deal and led the Office of American Innovation, which is intended to modernize and downsize government programs. Kelly, whose handling of the Porter case was heavily criticized, decreed on Feb. 16 that any interim security clearances for staffers whose background investigations had been pending since June 1 or before would be discontinued within a week. A source familiar with the matter said the situation had caused tensions between Kushner and Kelly. On Friday, Trump said he would leave it to Kelly to settle the security clearance dispute with Kushner, but left little doubt he wanted the case settled in a way that allowed Kushner to keep his job. As president, Trump could grant Kushner a full security clearance on his own authority. White House spokesman Sarah Sanders would not comment on whether Kushner’s security clearance issues had been resolved. “He’s a valued member of the team and he will continue to do the important work that he’s been doing since he started in the administration,” she told a briefing. A top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote to McGahn and FBI Director Christopher Wray on Tuesday, asking for more information on the number of White House officials with interim clearances. The letter by Senator Chuck Grassley, the committee’s Republican chairman, and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, suggested bipartisan concern over the issue. Citing reports that dozens of officials are operating with interim clearances, the two lawmakers wrote: “If true, this raises significant concerns that ineligible individuals, who hold positions of public trust, may have access to sensitive or classified information.”

Kushner loses access to top intelligence briefing: sources US President Donald Trump passes his adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner at the White House in Washington, US, December 7, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/Files WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and close adviser, Jared Kushner, has lost access to the most valued US intelligence report, the President’s Daily Brief, as the White House imposes greater discipline on access to secrets, two US officials familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. Kushner, who has been operating under an interim security clearance for about a year, had his access to the highly classified briefing cut off in the past few weeks, said the sources. A third official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein recently passed new information to White House Counsel Don McGahn that led to the slowing or stopping of Kushner’s pending clearance application. The nature of that information was not clear. It also is unclear if and when Kushner’s access to the briefing, known as the PDB, which requires clearance higher than the Top Secret level, would be reinstated. Kushner, a wealthy New York businessman married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, has not received his full security clearance because of his extensive financial links, which have taken a long time to examine. He has revised his security clearance form, called an SF-86, several times. A White House spokesman for Kushner did not immediately return a phone call and email seeking comment. Trump ignored reporters’ shouted questions about Kushner and his clearance at an event on Tuesday afternoon. Kushner’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement: “Mr. Kushner has done more than what is expected of him in this process.” “My inquiries ... have confirmed that there are a dozen or more people at Mr. Kushner’s level whose process is delayed, that it is not uncommon for this process to take this long in a new administration, that the current backlogs are being addressed, and no concerns were raised about Mr. Kushner’s application,” Lowell said. Trump’s White House has been grappling with the security clearance issue since it emerged this month that staff secretary Rob Porter worked for Trump for a year with a temporary clearance despite accusations by his two former wives of domestic abuse. Porter has maintained his innocence. The President’s Daily Brief is distributed to a small number of top-level US officials. It includes highly classified intelligence analysis, information about CIA covert operations and reports from the most sensitive US sources or those shared by allied intelligence agencies. New security clearance policies announced by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly “will not affect Mr. Kushner’s ability to continue to do the very important work he has been assigned by the President,” Lowell said. But one of the US officials who said Kushner had lost access to the daily brief said that without it, his role in some major policy deliberations, including on China and Russia, could be limited. Broad portfolio Kushner has had a broad portfolio in the White House. He has taken the lead on Trump’s plan to forge a Middle East peace deal and led the Office of American Innovation, which is intended to modernize and downsize government programs. Kelly, whose handling of the Porter case was heavily criticized, decreed on Feb. 16 that any interim security clearances for staffers whose background investigations had been pending since June 1 or before would be discontinued within a week. A source familiar with the matter said the situation had caused tensions between Kushner and Kelly. On Friday, Trump said he would leave it to Kelly to settle the security clearance dispute with Kushner, but left little doubt he wanted the case settled in a way that allowed Kushner to keep his job. As president, Trump could grant Kushner a full security clearance on his own authority. White House spokesman Sarah Sanders would not comment on whether Kushner’s security clearance issues had been resolved. “He’s a valued member of the team and he will continue to do the important work that he’s been doing since he started in the administration,” she told a briefing. A top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote to McGahn and FBI Director Christopher Wray on Tuesday, asking for more information on the number of White House officials with interim clearances. The letter by Senator Chuck Grassley, the committee’s Republican chairman, and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, suggested bipartisan concern over the issue. Citing reports that dozens of officials are operating with interim clearances, the two lawmakers wrote: “If true, this raises significant concerns that ineligible individuals, who hold positions of public trust, may have access to sensitive or classified information.”

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

'Indian and Pakistani peasants': Top Australian cop quits over inappropriate posts Victoria state’s Assistant Commissioner Brett Guerin, who was also an ethics chief and one of Australia’s top police officers. Image courtesy: The Australian via News Corp. MELBOURNE: One of Australia’s top police officers has quit after being linked to crude racist, sexist, and pornographic online posts that his boss described Tuesday as "shocking". Victoria state’s Assistant Commissioner Brett Guerin, who was also an ethics chief, resigned late Monday after an explosive report in Melbourne’s The Age newspaper detailing numerous YouTube posts written under his alleged online pseudonym "Vernon Demerest". "It is behaviour that is completely and utterly unacceptable at Victoria Police," Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton told reporters. "There are a lot of shocked people ... It’s completely out of character with what we know the assistant commissioner has been doing." "Demerest" — the name of the character played by actor Dean Martin in the 1970 movie Airport — made racist remarks that included references to "third world dullards" and "Indian and Pakistani peasant(s)", the newspaper reported. Some alleged posts by Guerin, including for videos about Somali pirates and of Argentina losing to the Netherlands in the 1998 World Cup, are too racially offensive to publish. "Demerest" also wrote sexually explicit comments about Australian sporting matches, the Age said. Guerin was already on suspension and being investigated by the police’s anti-corruption watchdog after revelations last week that he made vulgar sexual remarks on a website about a former female police commissioner and a police union chief. He admitted to a Melbourne radio station he had written the online comments under the same fake name, and that he was ashamed about his mother and daughters reading them. "The language I used ... was completely inappropriate, embarrassing and I can understand people saying ‘what the hell is this bloke doing?’," Guerin, a policeman for more than four decades, told commercial station 3AW station last week. "The reason I did it under a fake name is clearly if I had gone in with my own name, it would have been associated with Victoria Police." Ashton stressed that the scandal was not a reflection of the wider culture among his officers. "We will be talking to the emerging community, multicultural communities that we have been working with for a long time and making sure that they know it is not representative of the views of Victoria Police," he said.

'Indian and Pakistani peasants': Top Australian cop quits over inappropriate posts Victoria state’s Assistant Commissioner Brett Guerin, who was also an ethics chief and one of Australia’s top police officers. Image courtesy: The Australian via News Corp. MELBOURNE: One of Australia’s top police officers has quit after being linked to crude racist, sexist, and pornographic online posts that his boss described Tuesday as "shocking". Victoria state’s Assistant Commissioner Brett Guerin, who was also an ethics chief, resigned late Monday after an explosive report in Melbourne’s The Age newspaper detailing numerous YouTube posts written under his alleged online pseudonym "Vernon Demerest". "It is behaviour that is completely and utterly unacceptable at Victoria Police," Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton told reporters. "There are a lot of shocked people ... It’s completely out of character with what we know the assistant commissioner has been doing." "Demerest" — the name of the character played by actor Dean Martin in the 1970 movie Airport — made racist remarks that included references to "third world dullards" and "Indian and Pakistani peasant(s)", the newspaper reported. Some alleged posts by Guerin, including for videos about Somali pirates and of Argentina losing to the Netherlands in the 1998 World Cup, are too racially offensive to publish. "Demerest" also wrote sexually explicit comments about Australian sporting matches, the Age said. Guerin was already on suspension and being investigated by the police’s anti-corruption watchdog after revelations last week that he made vulgar sexual remarks on a website about a former female police commissioner and a police union chief. He admitted to a Melbourne radio station he had written the online comments under the same fake name, and that he was ashamed about his mother and daughters reading them. "The language I used ... was completely inappropriate, embarrassing and I can understand people saying ‘what the hell is this bloke doing?’," Guerin, a policeman for more than four decades, told commercial station 3AW station last week. "The reason I did it under a fake name is clearly if I had gone in with my own name, it would have been associated with Victoria Police." Ashton stressed that the scandal was not a reflection of the wider culture among his officers. "We will be talking to the emerging community, multicultural communities that we have been working with for a long time and making sure that they know it is not representative of the views of Victoria Police," he said.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Russia 'both arsonist and firefighter' in Syria: US general Commander of the US Central Command General Joseph Votel waits for the start of a round-table meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, November 9, 2017. REUTERS/Virginia Mayo/Pool/Files WASHINGTON: A senior US general accused Russia on Tuesday of playing a destabilizing role in Syria and acting as “both arsonist and firefighter”, as a brief truce unilaterally declared by Moscow in the eastern Ghouta region collapsed. The United States and Russia have been on different sides of the seven-year-old war, with Moscow heavily backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad whose forces are besieging eastern Ghouta, a rebel-held area near Damascus. “Diplomatically and militarily, Moscow plays both arsonist and firefighter, fueling tensions among all parties in Syria... then serving as an arbitrator, to resolve disputes, attempting to undermine and weaken each party’s bargaining positions,” said US Army General Joseph Votel. Votel is the head of the US military’s Central Command. He was speaking to a House of Representatives Armed Services Committee hearing. Over the past week, Syria’s army and its allies have subjected eastern Ghouta to one of the heaviest bombardments of the war, killing hundreds. A Russian call for a five-hour truce on Tuesday failed to halt the bombing, with residents saying that government warplanes had resumed striking the region after a brief lull. The United Nations said it was proving impossible to aid civilians or evacuate the wounded, and said all sides must, instead, abide by a full 30-day ceasefire demanded by the UN Security Council. Russia's Syrian ally Votel said Russia had failed to rein in its Syrian ally. “I think either Russia has to admit that it is not capable, or it doesn’t want to play a role in ending the Syrian conflict. I think their role is incredibly destabilizing at this point.” He added that Moscow was using Syria to test new weapons and military tactics, and it had increased its surface-to-air missiles in the region that threatened the US’ ability to “dominate the airspace.” As Daesh militants near defeat in Syria, tensions between the US and Russia have risen and added uncertainty to an already complex battlefield of opposing local fighters and their international backers, which also include Turkey and Iran. Votel became the latest in a string of senior US defence officials to decline public comment on whether Russian civilian contractors were involved in a February 7 attack on the US and US-backed forces in Syria. US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has said that the United States is still unsure who directed the attack. Reuters has reported that about 300 men working for a Kremlin-linked Russian private military firm were either killed or injured in Syria. US Senator Chris Coons told reporters on Tuesday there were “a fair number of Russian and Iranian and Syrian casualties”.

Russia 'both arsonist and firefighter' in Syria: US general Commander of the US Central Command General Joseph Votel waits for the start of a round-table meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, November 9, 2017. REUTERS/Virginia Mayo/Pool/Files WASHINGTON: A senior US general accused Russia on Tuesday of playing a destabilizing role in Syria and acting as “both arsonist and firefighter”, as a brief truce unilaterally declared by Moscow in the eastern Ghouta region collapsed. The United States and Russia have been on different sides of the seven-year-old war, with Moscow heavily backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad whose forces are besieging eastern Ghouta, a rebel-held area near Damascus. “Diplomatically and militarily, Moscow plays both arsonist and firefighter, fueling tensions among all parties in Syria... then serving as an arbitrator, to resolve disputes, attempting to undermine and weaken each party’s bargaining positions,” said US Army General Joseph Votel. Votel is the head of the US military’s Central Command. He was speaking to a House of Representatives Armed Services Committee hearing. Over the past week, Syria’s army and its allies have subjected eastern Ghouta to one of the heaviest bombardments of the war, killing hundreds. A Russian call for a five-hour truce on Tuesday failed to halt the bombing, with residents saying that government warplanes had resumed striking the region after a brief lull. The United Nations said it was proving impossible to aid civilians or evacuate the wounded, and said all sides must, instead, abide by a full 30-day ceasefire demanded by the UN Security Council. Russia's Syrian ally Votel said Russia had failed to rein in its Syrian ally. “I think either Russia has to admit that it is not capable, or it doesn’t want to play a role in ending the Syrian conflict. I think their role is incredibly destabilizing at this point.” He added that Moscow was using Syria to test new weapons and military tactics, and it had increased its surface-to-air missiles in the region that threatened the US’ ability to “dominate the airspace.” As Daesh militants near defeat in Syria, tensions between the US and Russia have risen and added uncertainty to an already complex battlefield of opposing local fighters and their international backers, which also include Turkey and Iran. Votel became the latest in a string of senior US defence officials to decline public comment on whether Russian civilian contractors were involved in a February 7 attack on the US and US-backed forces in Syria. US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has said that the United States is still unsure who directed the attack. Reuters has reported that about 300 men working for a Kremlin-linked Russian private military firm were either killed or injured in Syria. US Senator Chris Coons told reporters on Tuesday there were “a fair number of Russian and Iranian and Syrian casualties”.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Russian truce plan fails to halt bombing of Syria's Ghouta Smoke rises from the besieged Eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria, February 27, 2018. — Reuters BEIRUT/GENEVA: A Russian call for a five-hour truce on Tuesday failed to halt one of the most devastating campaigns of the Syrian war, where residents said government warplanes resumed striking the eastern Ghouta region on Tuesday after a brief lull. Moscow and Damascus blamed rebels for the collapse of the truce, saying fighters had shelled a safe route intended for civilians to leave the enclave. The insurgents denied such shelling. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would press on with a plan to stage similar daily pauses in the fighting, allowing aid to be delivered to eastern Ghouta through what Russia describes as a humanitarian corridor. The United Nations said it was proving impossible to aid civilians or evacuate the wounded, and said all sides must instead abide by a full 30-day ceasefire demanded by the UN Security Council. “We have reports this morning there is continuous fighting in eastern Ghouta,” UN humanitarian spokesman Jens Laerke said. “Clearly the situation on the ground is not such that convoys can go in or medical evacuations can go out.” Hundreds of people have died during 10 days of government bombardment of the eastern Ghouta, an area of towns and farms on the outskirts of Damascus. The assault has been among the most devastating air campaigns of a war now entering its eighth year. With its Ghouta offensive, the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad is drawing on the military methods it has used to crush its opponents in other parts of Syria, including eastern Aleppo in late 2016. Intensifying bombardment of the besieged area has been coupled with probing ground assaults to test rebel defenses. With no sign of decisive international pressure to stop the attack, eastern Ghouta seems likely to meet the same fate as other areas won back by the government, where humanitarian corridors eventually became escape routes for defeated rebels. “A concrete humanitarian corridor has been set up that will be used to deliver humanitarian aid, and, in the other direction, a medical evacuation can take place and all civilians who want to leave can,” Lavrov told a joint news conference in Moscow after meeting French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. Escalation Residents in several towns in the eastern Ghouta described a brief pause in fighting, but said bombardment swiftly resumed. In the town of Hammouriyeh a man who identified himself by his first name Mahmoud told Reuters helicopters and warplanes were in the sky and conducting strikes. Siraj Mahmoud, a spokesman for the Civil Defence rescue service, which is funded by Western governments and operates in rebel areas, said artillery and air strikes had hit the region. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said helicopters and warplanes had struck four towns and artillery shelling killed one person. A UN Security Council resolution passed on Saturday called for a 30-day ceasefire across the entire country, but did not specify when it should start. It excludes some militant groups which are among the rebels in eastern Ghouta. That has meant the ceasefire has not been observed in practice. UN spokesman Laerke declined to comment on the Russian proposal for a five-hour truce, but called instead on all sides to obey the full 30-day ceasefire. “It is a question life and death - if ever there was a question of life and death - we need a 30-day cessation of hostilities in Syria as the Security Council demands,” Laerke, spokesman of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA), told a Geneva briefing. A rebel spokesman said people in eastern Ghouta did not want to leave the area despite the bombardment, because they feared arrest, torture or conscription by the government. Russia said it would guarantee the safety of any civilians who left. Eastern Ghouta, where the UN says around 400,000 people live, is a major target for Assad, whose forces have clawed back numerous areas with military backing from Russia and Iran. Rebels based in eastern Ghouta have intensified shelling of government-held Damascus. A medical official in the capital said on Monday 36 people had been killed in four days. Syrian state media reported eight people injured by rebel shelling on Tuesday. Damascus and Moscow say the campaign in eastern Ghouta is needed to halt such shelling. Even before the latest bombardment of the besieged area began, there was growing international alarm over humanitarian conditions in the eastern Ghouta because of shortages of food, medicine and other essentials. The multi-sided Syrian war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and driven half of the pre-war population of 23 million from their homes. Fighting has escalated on several fronts this year, with the collapse of Daesh (Islamic State) giving rise to conflict between other Syrian and foreign parties. As Assad has pressed the offensive against eastern Ghouta, Turkey has launched an incursion against Kurdish fighters in the northwestern Afrin region. Tensions have also flared between Iran and Israel, alarmed by Tehran’s influence in Syria. Syrian air defenses shot down an Israeli F-16 earlier this month as it returned from a bombing raid on Iran-backed positions in Syria.

Russian truce plan fails to halt bombing of Syria's Ghouta Smoke rises from the besieged Eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria, February 27, 2018. — Reuters  BEIRUT/GENEVA: A Russian call for a five-hour truce on Tuesday failed to halt one of the most devastating campaigns of the Syrian war, where residents said government warplanes resumed striking the eastern Ghouta region on Tuesday after a brief lull. Moscow and Damascus blamed rebels for the collapse of the truce, saying fighters had shelled a safe route intended for civilians to leave the enclave. The insurgents denied such shelling. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would press on with a plan to stage similar daily pauses in the fighting, allowing aid to be delivered to eastern Ghouta through what Russia describes as a humanitarian corridor. The United Nations said it was proving impossible to aid civilians or evacuate the wounded, and said all sides must instead abide by a full 30-day ceasefire demanded by the UN Security Council. “We have reports this morning there is continuous fighting in eastern Ghouta,” UN humanitarian spokesman Jens Laerke said. “Clearly the situation on the ground is not such that convoys can go in or medical evacuations can go out.” Hundreds of people have died during 10 days of government bombardment of the eastern Ghouta, an area of towns and farms on the outskirts of Damascus. The assault has been among the most devastating air campaigns of a war now entering its eighth year. With its Ghouta offensive, the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad is drawing on the military methods it has used to crush its opponents in other parts of Syria, including eastern Aleppo in late 2016. Intensifying bombardment of the besieged area has been coupled with probing ground assaults to test rebel defenses. With no sign of decisive international pressure to stop the attack, eastern Ghouta seems likely to meet the same fate as other areas won back by the government, where humanitarian corridors eventually became escape routes for defeated rebels. “A concrete humanitarian corridor has been set up that will be used to deliver humanitarian aid, and, in the other direction, a medical evacuation can take place and all civilians who want to leave can,” Lavrov told a joint news conference in Moscow after meeting French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. Escalation Residents in several towns in the eastern Ghouta described a brief pause in fighting, but said bombardment swiftly resumed. In the town of Hammouriyeh a man who identified himself by his first name Mahmoud told Reuters helicopters and warplanes were in the sky and conducting strikes. Siraj Mahmoud, a spokesman for the Civil Defence rescue service, which is funded by Western governments and operates in rebel areas, said artillery and air strikes had hit the region. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said helicopters and warplanes had struck four towns and artillery shelling killed one person. A UN Security Council resolution passed on Saturday called for a 30-day ceasefire across the entire country, but did not specify when it should start. It excludes some militant groups which are among the rebels in eastern Ghouta. That has meant the ceasefire has not been observed in practice. UN spokesman Laerke declined to comment on the Russian proposal for a five-hour truce, but called instead on all sides to obey the full 30-day ceasefire. “It is a question life and death - if ever there was a question of life and death - we need a 30-day cessation of hostilities in Syria as the Security Council demands,” Laerke, spokesman of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA), told a Geneva briefing. A rebel spokesman said people in eastern Ghouta did not want to leave the area despite the bombardment, because they feared arrest, torture or conscription by the government. Russia said it would guarantee the safety of any civilians who left. Eastern Ghouta, where the UN says around 400,000 people live, is a major target for Assad, whose forces have clawed back numerous areas with military backing from Russia and Iran. Rebels based in eastern Ghouta have intensified shelling of government-held Damascus. A medical official in the capital said on Monday 36 people had been killed in four days. Syrian state media reported eight people injured by rebel shelling on Tuesday. Damascus and Moscow say the campaign in eastern Ghouta is needed to halt such shelling. Even before the latest bombardment of the besieged area began, there was growing international alarm over humanitarian conditions in the eastern Ghouta because of shortages of food, medicine and other essentials. The multi-sided Syrian war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and driven half of the pre-war population of 23 million from their homes. Fighting has escalated on several fronts this year, with the collapse of Daesh (Islamic State) giving rise to conflict between other Syrian and foreign parties. As Assad has pressed the offensive against eastern Ghouta, Turkey has launched an incursion against Kurdish fighters in the northwestern Afrin region. Tensions have also flared between Iran and Israel, alarmed by Tehran’s influence in Syria. Syrian air defenses shot down an Israeli F-16 earlier this month as it returned from a bombing raid on Iran-backed positions in Syria.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

US seeing some positive indicators from Pakistan: Centcom chief [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2CKggfP style=center] WASHINGTON: US Central Command (Centcom) chief General Joseph Votel said on Tuesday that the US military is seeing some “positive indicators” from Pakistan. “We are now beginning to see very positive indicators ... that they are moving in the right direction,” Votel told a hearing of the US House of Representatives. In January, the United States announced that it was suspending the transfer of military equipment and security-related funds to Pakistan. “It does not yet equal the decisive action that we would like to see them take in terms of a strategic shift, but they are positive indicators,” added the central command chief. He also said that Pakistan is more responsive towards US concerns on militant safe havens. Votel had earlier said that Pakistan is essential for the success of United States' policy in South Asia. The suspension of security assistance to Islamabad came after Washington accused Pakistan of playing a “double game” on fighting terrorism and warned Islamabad it would have to do more if it wanted to maintain US aid. US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley had also confirmed that Washington would withhold $255 million in assistance to Pakistan. Haley's statement followed an angry tweet from Trump that the US had been rewarded with “nothing but lies and deceit” for giving Pakistan billions in aid.

US seeing some positive indicators from Pakistan: Centcom chief [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2CKggfP style=center] WASHINGTON: US Central Command (Centcom) chief General Joseph Votel said on Tuesday that the US military is seeing some “positive indicators” from Pakistan. “We are now beginning to see very positive indicators ... that they are moving in the right direction,” Votel told a hearing of the US House of Representatives. In January, the United States announced that it was suspending the transfer of military equipment and security-related funds to Pakistan. “It does not yet equal the decisive action that we would like to see them take in terms of a strategic shift, but they are positive indicators,” added the central command chief.  He also said that Pakistan is more responsive towards US concerns on militant safe havens. Votel had earlier said that Pakistan is essential for the success of United States' policy in South Asia. The suspension of security assistance to Islamabad came after Washington accused Pakistan of playing a “double game” on fighting terrorism and warned Islamabad it would have to do more if it wanted to maintain US aid. US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley had also confirmed that Washington would withhold $255 million in assistance to Pakistan. Haley's statement followed an angry tweet from Trump that the US had been rewarded with “nothing but lies and deceit” for giving Pakistan billions in aid.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Facebook says page of firebrand anti-Rohingya Myanmar monk removed Wirathu, a prominent face of Myanmar´s Buddhist ultra-nationalist movement, had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on the network, using it as a platform to attack Muslims, singling out the stateless Rohingya minority-AFP YANGON: Facebook has removed the page of a Myanmar monk once dubbed the "Buddhist Bin Laden" for his incendiary posts about Muslims, the company confirmed, as it faces pressure to clamp down on hate speech. Wirathu, a prominent face of Myanmar´s Buddhist ultra-nationalist movement, had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on the network, using it as a platform to attack Muslims, singling out the stateless Rohingya minority. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since last August following a military crackdown in Rakhine state that has been likened to ethnic cleansing by the US and the UN, but which has been applauded by Myanmar nationalists online. A Facebook spokesperson told AFP late Monday that Wirathu´s page had been removed. "Our Community Standards prohibit organizations and people dedicated to promoting hatred and violence against others", a Facebook spokesperson said in an email. "If a person consistently shares content promoting hate, we may take a range of actions such as temporarily suspending their ability to post and ultimately, removal of their account." The page was taken down in late January. Wirathu could not be reached for comment, but he said in a video last year that his account had been temporarily banned for 30 days because "Facebook is occupied by the Muslims." Facebook use has grown exponentially in Myanmar since a quasi-civilian government opened up the telecoms sector in 2013, making it easier for people to access the internet in the largely Buddhist country. Hardline monks like Wirathu took to the platform as well, gaining notoriety for fanning anti-Muslim hatred through inflammatory posts. His tirades have been blamed for stoking sectarian violence, which has plagued Myanmar´s transition to democracy. After Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi came to power in 2016, the government dissolved the Ma Ba Tha group to which Wirathu belonged, and slapped the monk with a one-year speaking ban. But the man who once appeared on the cover of Time magazine as the "face of Buddhist terror" remains influential. The social media giant has faced calls to rein in hate speech on its Myanmar accounts for years, with pressure mounting during the Rohingya crisis. Thet Swe Win, a Yangon-based interfaith activist, said Facebook´s move sent a symbolic message about not tolerating hate speech. But getting rid of the page will not resolve the problem, he warned. "They remove his account but not his videos, and his religious hate speeches, they are still on Facebook and his followers are spreading it," he said.

Facebook says page of firebrand anti-Rohingya Myanmar monk removed Wirathu, a prominent face of Myanmar´s Buddhist ultra-nationalist movement, had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on the network, using it as a platform to attack Muslims, singling out the stateless Rohingya minority-AFP YANGON: Facebook has removed the page of a Myanmar monk once dubbed the "Buddhist Bin Laden" for his incendiary posts about Muslims, the company confirmed, as it faces pressure to clamp down on hate speech. Wirathu, a prominent face of Myanmar´s Buddhist ultra-nationalist movement, had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on the network, using it as a platform to attack Muslims, singling out the stateless Rohingya minority. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since last August following a military crackdown in Rakhine state that has been likened to ethnic cleansing by the US and the UN, but which has been applauded by Myanmar nationalists online. A Facebook spokesperson told AFP late Monday that Wirathu´s page had been removed. "Our Community Standards prohibit organizations and people dedicated to promoting hatred and violence against others", a Facebook spokesperson said in an email. "If a person consistently shares content promoting hate, we may take a range of actions such as temporarily suspending their ability to post and ultimately, removal of their account." The page was taken down in late January. Wirathu could not be reached for comment, but he said in a video last year that his account had been temporarily banned for 30 days because "Facebook is occupied by the Muslims." Facebook use has grown exponentially in Myanmar since a quasi-civilian government opened up the telecoms sector in 2013, making it easier for people to access the internet in the largely Buddhist country. Hardline monks like Wirathu took to the platform as well, gaining notoriety for fanning anti-Muslim hatred through inflammatory posts. His tirades have been blamed for stoking sectarian violence, which has plagued Myanmar´s transition to democracy. After Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi came to power in 2016, the government dissolved the Ma Ba Tha group to which Wirathu belonged, and slapped the monk with a one-year speaking ban. But the man who once appeared on the cover of Time magazine as the "face of Buddhist terror" remains influential. The social media giant has faced calls to rein in hate speech on its Myanmar accounts for years, with pressure mounting during the Rohingya crisis. Thet Swe Win, a Yangon-based interfaith activist, said Facebook´s move sent a symbolic message about not tolerating hate speech. But getting rid of the page will not resolve the problem, he warned. "They remove his account but not his videos, and his religious hate speeches, they are still on Facebook and his followers are spreading it," he said.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

London saw 40pc increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes in a year Anti-crime hate crimes went up from 1,204 the year before to 1,678 reported in the year up to January 2018-Photo: File (Reuters) Hate crimes against Muslims in London went up by 40 percent in a year, British media reported, citing figures from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime. Anti-Muslim hate crimes went up from 1,204 the year before to 1,678 reported in the year up to January 2018. US anti-Muslim bias incidents increased in 2016: report The report found a 57 percent increase in the number of incidents in 2016 Scotland Yard meanwhile said the figures may not fully represent the “hugely under-reported” hate crimes. London mayor Sadiq Khan denounced the uptick and warned those found involved will be punished. "I’m calling on all Londoners to pull together, and send a clear message around the world that our city will never be divided by individuals who seek to harm us and destroy our way of life," he said. A similar report in October had said violence, intimidation, assaults and other hate crimes targeting mosques and Muslims doubled in Britain in 2017. Hate crimes in Britain against Muslim community doubled during 2017 Crimes include racist abuse, threats to bomb mosques and attacks on mosques and worshipers The police recorded 110 hate crimes from March to July 2017 in Britain compared to 47 in 2016. Crimes include racist abuse, threats to bomb mosques, attacks on mosques and worshipers.

London saw 40pc increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes in a year Anti-crime hate crimes went up from 1,204 the year before to 1,678 reported in the year up to January 2018-Photo: File (Reuters) Hate crimes against Muslims in London went up by 40 percent in a year, British media reported, citing figures from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime. Anti-Muslim hate crimes went up from 1,204 the year before to 1,678 reported in the year up to January 2018. US anti-Muslim bias incidents increased in 2016: report The report found a 57 percent increase in the number of incidents in 2016 Scotland Yard meanwhile said the figures may not fully represent the “hugely under-reported” hate crimes. London mayor Sadiq Khan denounced the uptick and warned those found involved will be punished. "I’m calling on all Londoners to pull together, and send a clear message around the world that our city will never be divided by individuals who seek to harm us and destroy our way of life," he said. A similar report in October had said violence, intimidation, assaults and other hate crimes targeting mosques and Muslims doubled in Britain in 2017. Hate crimes in Britain against Muslim community doubled during 2017 Crimes include racist abuse, threats to bomb mosques and attacks on mosques and worshipers The police recorded 110 hate crimes from March to July 2017 in Britain compared to 47 in 2016. Crimes include racist abuse, threats to bomb mosques, attacks on mosques and worshipers.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Canada gravely concerned by Myanmar's jailing of journalists Detained Reuters journalist Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone are escorted by police while arriving for a court hearing after lunch break in Yangon, Myanmar February 14, 2018 GENEVA: Canada is gravely concerned by the imprisonment of two Reuters journalists in Myanmar, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland told the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday, adding that ethnic cleansing had taken place in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. “For true democracy to flourish, fundamental freedoms such as freedom of the press must be respected. That is why Canada is gravely concerned by the imprisonment of two Reuters journalists who dared to report on the crimes in Rakhine state,” she said. Freeland, a former editor of Thomson Reuters Digital, was speaking at a meeting of the UN council in Geneva. Reuters journalists Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, were detained on Dec. 12 over allegations they violated Myanmar’s colonial-era Official Secrets Act. Court proceedings are under way to decide whether the pair will face charges under the act, with the next hearing scheduled for Wednesday. The two reporters had been working on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men who were buried in a mass grave in northern Rakhine state after being hacked to death or shot by ethnic Rakhine Buddhist villagers and soldiers. After Reuters published its report on the killings on Feb. 8, calls have mounted for the release of the two reporters. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine state since Myanmar’s military launched a crackdown in late August in response to militant attacks. Myanmar has denied that ethnic cleansing has taken place, and said its troops were engaged in legitimate counterinsurgency operations. With reference to the Reuters journalists, Hau Do Suan, Myanmar’s ambassador to the United Nations, said this month that Myanmar recognized freedom of the press and the journalists were not arrested for reporting a story, but were accused of “illegally possessing confidential government documents.”

Canada gravely concerned by Myanmar's jailing of journalists Detained Reuters journalist Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone are escorted by police while arriving for a court hearing after lunch break in Yangon, Myanmar February 14, 2018 GENEVA: Canada is gravely concerned by the imprisonment of two Reuters journalists in Myanmar, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland told the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday, adding that ethnic cleansing had taken place in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. “For true democracy to flourish, fundamental freedoms such as freedom of the press must be respected. That is why Canada is gravely concerned by the imprisonment of two Reuters journalists who dared to report on the crimes in Rakhine state,” she said. Freeland, a former editor of Thomson Reuters Digital, was speaking at a meeting of the UN council in Geneva. Reuters journalists Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, were detained on Dec. 12 over allegations they violated Myanmar’s colonial-era Official Secrets Act. Court proceedings are under way to decide whether the pair will face charges under the act, with the next hearing scheduled for Wednesday. The two reporters had been working on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men who were buried in a mass grave in northern Rakhine state after being hacked to death or shot by ethnic Rakhine Buddhist villagers and soldiers. After Reuters published its report on the killings on Feb. 8, calls have mounted for the release of the two reporters. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine state since Myanmar’s military launched a crackdown in late August in response to militant attacks. Myanmar has denied that ethnic cleansing has taken place, and said its troops were engaged in legitimate counterinsurgency operations. With reference to the Reuters journalists, Hau Do Suan, Myanmar’s ambassador to the United Nations, said this month that Myanmar recognized freedom of the press and the journalists were not arrested for reporting a story, but were accused of “illegally possessing confidential government documents.”

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Humanitarian ‘pause’ takes effect in Syria enclave Photo: AFP DOUMA: A humanitarian "pause" announced by Russia in Syria’s deadly bombardment of Eastern Ghouta took effect Tuesday, offering a short window for the enclave’s traumatised residents to emerge from their basements. The daily five-hour respite, which began at 9:00 am (0700 GMT), was announced by Russia under pressure from international powers anxious to stop more than a week of air strikes, artillery fire and rockets that killed more than 500 people. Moscow said it would allow some of the nearly 400,000 people living in the rebel-held area to leave the battered enclave through safe corridors. Russia hinted regime forces had not ruled out targeting certain areas or groups. Rocket fire was reported at least once after the start of the truce but no major breaches were immediately recorded. A spokesman for the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva said it was not yet clear when aid could be sent in. "We cannot send people on a convoy in any area on the promises of whomever. We have to see a ceasefire actually taking place on the ground" before aid trucks can be deployed, Jens Laerke told AFP. The "pause" falls short of the month-long ceasefire the United Nations had supported in a bid to stop one of the bloodiest assaults in Syria’s seven-year-old conflict. "Five hours is better than no hours, but we would like to see an end to all hostilities extended by 30 days, as stipulated by the Security Council," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group, more than 550 civilians — almost a quarter of them children — were killed in nine days of bombardment. Air strikes, barrel bombs dropped by regime aircraft and heavy artillery shelling have turned several towns in Eastern Ghouta into fields of ruins. Rockets and shells fired from the enclave -- which lies within mortar range of central Damascus -- have also claimed around 20 lives in regime-controlled areas in recent days. ‘Truce is a farce’ Residents in the enclave were relieved to have some respite from the bombs that have rained on their homes since February 18, but many remained defiant and reluctant to leave the enclave. Some residents left the basements they had been cowering in for days to check on their property and buy food despite skyrocketing prices in the enclave, besieged since 2013. "This Russian truce is a farce. Russia is killing us and bombing us every day," said Samer al-Buaidhani, a 25-year-old resident of Douma, which is the main town in Eastern Ghouta. "I don’t believe it’s safe for me or my family to leave by this system," he told AFP, when asked about the Russian pledge to open humanitarian corridors. A statement by Russia’s Centre for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria said the decision to enforce a "humanitarian pause" was made jointly with Damascus. "The Syrian government forces will cease combat actions against terrorists during this pause," it said, adding however that the measure was effective only in certain areas of Eastern Ghouta. "The required number of buses and ambulance cars has been prepared" at a checkpoint to evacuate the sick and wounded, said the statement by the centre, a Russian body monitoring humanitarian efforts and peace initiatives in Syria. According to the United Nations more than 700 people need urgent medical evacuation from Eastern Ghouta. Syrian state television aired live footage of the checkpoint area but no civilians could be seen boarding the waiting buses. In Hammuriyeh, another town in the sprawling semi-rural enclave, Mohammed Abdullah said the pause left civilians with a choice between two evils. "The truce is not in the people’s interest, we have two options: death or displacement," said the 30-year-old. "The campaign we were targeted with was an extermination campaign, not a simple bombardment. What we want is a full and permanent ceasefire for all of Ghouta," he said. The scenario put in place by the regime and its Russian ally was reminiscent of the deal that saw civilians bused out of the northern city of Aleppo in late 2016.

Humanitarian ‘pause’ takes effect in Syria enclave Photo: AFP DOUMA: A humanitarian "pause" announced by Russia in Syria’s deadly bombardment of Eastern Ghouta took effect Tuesday, offering a short window for the enclave’s traumatised residents to emerge from their basements. The daily five-hour respite, which began at 9:00 am (0700 GMT), was announced by Russia under pressure from international powers anxious to stop more than a week of air strikes, artillery fire and rockets that killed more than 500 people. Moscow said it would allow some of the nearly 400,000 people living in the rebel-held area to leave the battered enclave through safe corridors. Russia hinted regime forces had not ruled out targeting certain areas or groups. Rocket fire was reported at least once after the start of the truce but no major breaches were immediately recorded. A spokesman for the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva said it was not yet clear when aid could be sent in. "We cannot send people on a convoy in any area on the promises of whomever. We have to see a ceasefire actually taking place on the ground" before aid trucks can be deployed, Jens Laerke told AFP. The "pause" falls short of the month-long ceasefire the United Nations had supported in a bid to stop one of the bloodiest assaults in Syria’s seven-year-old conflict. "Five hours is better than no hours, but we would like to see an end to all hostilities extended by 30 days, as stipulated by the Security Council," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group, more than 550 civilians — almost a quarter of them children — were killed in nine days of bombardment. Air strikes, barrel bombs dropped by regime aircraft and heavy artillery shelling have turned several towns in Eastern Ghouta into fields of ruins. Rockets and shells fired from the enclave -- which lies within mortar range of central Damascus -- have also claimed around 20 lives in regime-controlled areas in recent days. ‘Truce is a farce’ Residents in the enclave were relieved to have some respite from the bombs that have rained on their homes since February 18, but many remained defiant and reluctant to leave the enclave. Some residents left the basements they had been cowering in for days to check on their property and buy food despite skyrocketing prices in the enclave, besieged since 2013. "This Russian truce is a farce. Russia is killing us and bombing us every day," said Samer al-Buaidhani, a 25-year-old resident of Douma, which is the main town in Eastern Ghouta. "I don’t believe it’s safe for me or my family to leave by this system," he told AFP, when asked about the Russian pledge to open humanitarian corridors. A statement by Russia’s Centre for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria said the decision to enforce a "humanitarian pause" was made jointly with Damascus. "The Syrian government forces will cease combat actions against terrorists during this pause," it said, adding however that the measure was effective only in certain areas of Eastern Ghouta. "The required number of buses and ambulance cars has been prepared" at a checkpoint to evacuate the sick and wounded, said the statement by the centre, a Russian body monitoring humanitarian efforts and peace initiatives in Syria. According to the United Nations more than 700 people need urgent medical evacuation from Eastern Ghouta. Syrian state television aired live footage of the checkpoint area but no civilians could be seen boarding the waiting buses. In Hammuriyeh, another town in the sprawling semi-rural enclave, Mohammed Abdullah said the pause left civilians with a choice between two evils. "The truce is not in the people’s interest, we have two options: death or displacement," said the 30-year-old. "The campaign we were targeted with was an extermination campaign, not a simple bombardment. What we want is a full and permanent ceasefire for all of Ghouta," he said. The scenario put in place by the regime and its Russian ally was reminiscent of the deal that saw civilians bused out of the northern city of Aleppo in late 2016.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Two killed as snow, sub-zero temperatures paralyze Europe Visitors take pictures near a frozen rock face at the "Stolby" (Rock Pillars) national nature reserve, with the air temperature at about minus 24 degrees Celsius (minus 11.2 degrees Fahrenheit), outside the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia February 27, 2018. Photo: Reuters BUCHAREST: Two people were found dead in Romania as snow and sub-zero temperatures across much of Europe saw flights cancelled, road and rail transport disrupted and schools closed on Tuesday. A Siberian weather system forecasters have called the “beast from the east” brought the coldest temperatures for years to many regions. The freeze was expected to continue for much of the week. In southern Romania, an 83-year-old woman from Adancata was found collapsed in the snow and died on the way to hospital, the Institute for Emergency Situations (ISU) said. A 65-year-old man was found dead late on Monday in the eastern county of Suceava, an official told state news agency Agerpres. Parts of a motorway linking the capital Bucharest to Constanta and dozens of other roads were closed. More than 80 trains and 15 flights were cancelled, Romanian police said, and Romania’s Black Sea ports were closed. Record snowfall of 182 cm (72 inches) paralyzed the northern Croatian town of Delnice and rescue services took several hours to evacuate residents in the nearby village of Mrzle Vodice. Temperatures hit a low of -20 degrees Celsius in Zavizan on the Velebit mountain. Schools were closed in Bucharest and ten Romanian counties as well as across western and central Croatia. The roofs of dozens of houses collapsed under the weight of snow in the Unsko-Sanski canton in northwestern Bosnia. State-run RTCG TV reported that Montenegro’s main Golubovci airport was closed for several hours overnight. In Britain, parts of the east saw up to 10 cm of snow and the weather service said temperatures could fall towards -10 degrees Celsius in some rural areas. Some schools closed on Tuesday and train services and some flights were cancelled. In London, snow-covered some parts of Westminster and a blizzard briefly swept through the Canary Wharf financial district. A rare snowstorm in Rome on Monday prompted Italian authorities to call in the army to help clear the streets. As the storm moved south on Tuesday, Naples saw the most snow since 1956. It blanketed the beach and covered fishing boats in small city ports such as Santa Lucia and Mergellina. With a snow-covered Mount Vesuvius providing the backdrop, the snow paralyzed traffic and train services. Schools were closed in Naples and much of southern Italy.

Two killed as snow, sub-zero temperatures paralyze Europe Visitors take pictures near a frozen rock face at the "Stolby" (Rock Pillars) national nature reserve, with the air temperature at about minus 24 degrees Celsius (minus 11.2 degrees Fahrenheit), outside the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia February 27, 2018. Photo: Reuters BUCHAREST: Two people were found dead in Romania as snow and sub-zero temperatures across much of Europe saw flights cancelled, road and rail transport disrupted and schools closed on Tuesday. A Siberian weather system forecasters have called the “beast from the east” brought the coldest temperatures for years to many regions. The freeze was expected to continue for much of the week. In southern Romania, an 83-year-old woman from Adancata was found collapsed in the snow and died on the way to hospital, the Institute for Emergency Situations (ISU) said. A 65-year-old man was found dead late on Monday in the eastern county of Suceava, an official told state news agency Agerpres. Parts of a motorway linking the capital Bucharest to Constanta and dozens of other roads were closed. More than 80 trains and 15 flights were cancelled, Romanian police said, and Romania’s Black Sea ports were closed. Record snowfall of 182 cm (72 inches) paralyzed the northern Croatian town of Delnice and rescue services took several hours to evacuate residents in the nearby village of Mrzle Vodice. Temperatures hit a low of -20 degrees Celsius in Zavizan on the Velebit mountain. Schools were closed in Bucharest and ten Romanian counties as well as across western and central Croatia. The roofs of dozens of houses collapsed under the weight of snow in the Unsko-Sanski canton in northwestern Bosnia. State-run RTCG TV reported that Montenegro’s main Golubovci airport was closed for several hours overnight. In Britain, parts of the east saw up to 10 cm of snow and the weather service said temperatures could fall towards -10 degrees Celsius in some rural areas. Some schools closed on Tuesday and train services and some flights were cancelled. In London, snow-covered some parts of Westminster and a blizzard briefly swept through the Canary Wharf financial district. A rare snowstorm in Rome on Monday prompted Italian authorities to call in the army to help clear the streets. As the storm moved south on Tuesday, Naples saw the most snow since 1956. It blanketed the beach and covered fishing boats in small city ports such as Santa Lucia and Mergellina. With a snow-covered Mount Vesuvius providing the backdrop, the snow paralyzed traffic and train services. Schools were closed in Naples and much of southern Italy.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Make Holi a super-special affair for your partner

Make Holi a super-special affair for your partner

Rather than just spending the first few hours of the morning in playing Holi and binging on sweets, here's how you can make the entire d...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

OMG! Kim Kardashian just wore a lehenga!

OMG! Kim Kardashian just wore a lehenga!

In the photograph, she is seen wearing a light mustard coloured lehenga paired with a red choli blouse from LifeStyle - Latest Lifestyle N...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Everything about accidental drowning!

Everything about accidental drowning!

It is way more common than you think! from LifeStyle - Latest Lifestyle News, Hot Trends, Celebrity Styles & Events http://ift.tt/2HPj...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Stephen King's Dark Tower to be a TV show

Stephen King's Dark Tower to be a TV show

Fans of Roland Deschain rejoice, he's going to get his own TV show. from LifeStyle - Latest Lifestyle News, Hot Trends, Celebrity Styl...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Types of bathtubs and which one to choose!

Types of bathtubs and which one to choose!

from LifeStyle - Latest Lifestyle News, Hot Trends, Celebrity Styles & Events http://ift.tt/2EZ28FI

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

15 culinary terms you must know

15 culinary terms you must know

There are certain foods and cooking techniques that may leave you reaching out for the dictionary and you don’t have to go to a culinary sch...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Big B visiting Kirori Mal College for this...

Big B visiting Kirori Mal College for this...

KMC's alumnus Amitabh Bachchan will be visiting the college in April this year to attend the foundation stone laying ceremony of college...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

20 unhealthiest foods on the planet

20 unhealthiest foods on the planet

Just because you’re not sick doesn’t mean you’re healthy. This saying fits into the modern lifestyle where everything we eat or drink is adu...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Women at greater risk of heart disease than men

Women at greater risk of heart disease than men

A sudden cardiac arrest is when the heart unexpectedly stops beating, restricting blood flow to all the other vital body parts. from LifeS...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

What kind of bread do you associate with?

What kind of bread do you associate with?

We all love bread, but have you ever thought that the kind of bread you love the most somewhere also reflects the kind of person you are? So...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Marvel Celebrates MCU 10th Anniversary with New Character Posters

Marvel Celebrates MCU 10th Anniversary with New Character Posters

Eight new character posters have been unveiled featuring some of the MCU's most beloved heroes as Marvel Studios' 10th Anniversary c...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Jungle Cruise Character Details and Supernatural Twist Revealed

Jungle Cruise Character Details and Supernatural Twist Revealed

Find out who The Rock and Emily Blunt are playing when Disney brings their iconic theme park ride Jungle Cruise to the big screen. from Mo...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

9 Movies That Deserved More Oscar Love in 2018

9 Movies That Deserved More Oscar Love in 2018

While the 2018 Oscar nominations were full of surprises, there were quite a few movies that got shockingly overlooked. from Movie News htt...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Guardians Director Confirms Yet Again That Baby Groot Is Groot's Son

Guardians Director Confirms Yet Again That Baby Groot Is Groot's Son

Director James Gunn has finally answering one burning fan question about the lineage of Groot and his offspring. from Movie News http://if...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Shazam First Look at Zachary Levi in Costume

Shazam First Look at Zachary Levi in Costume

The first set photo from Shazam shows Zachary Levi in his quite accurate costume, but are fans going to like the minimalist approach? from...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Predicting the 2018 Oscar Winners

Predicting the 2018 Oscar Winners

It's anyone's guess who will walk away with this year's biggest Oscars, but some artists seem more destined to win then others. ...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Scarface Remake Brings Back Director Antoine Fuqua

Scarface Remake Brings Back Director Antoine Fuqua

Just over a year after exiting the Scarface remake, director Antoine Fuqua is back in talks to direct Universal's long-awaited remake. ...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Paul Walker Documentary Will Honor Fast & Furious Actor

Paul Walker Documentary Will Honor Fast & Furious Actor

Paramount Network and I Am Heath Ledger producer Derik Murray are teaming for a Paul Walker documentary. from Movie News http://ift.tt/2GM...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

10 Forrest Gump Facts You Never Knew

10 Forrest Gump Facts You Never Knew

You might think you know Forrest Gump after all these years, but there are still plenty of secrets to discover. from Movie News http://ift...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Lewis Gilbert, James Bond Director, Dies at 97

Lewis Gilbert, James Bond Director, Dies at 97

The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker director Lewis Gilbert has passed away at the age of 97. from Movie News http://ift.tt/2F9JytH

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Fox Has 5 More X-Men Movies Planned Through 2020

Fox Has 5 More X-Men Movies Planned Through 2020

20th Century Fox wants to release three new X-Men movies in 2019, with another three coming in 2020, before the Disney merger goes through. ...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Jennifer Lawrence Trashes Best Picture Nominee Phantom Thread

Jennifer Lawrence Trashes Best Picture Nominee Phantom Thread

Though Paul Thomas Anderson's Phantom Threat is up for 6 Oscars, Jennifer Lawrence says she can't make it through three minutes. f...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Why Guardians of the Galaxy Director Ditched Its Star Wars Connection

Why Guardians of the Galaxy Director Ditched Its Star Wars Connection

The original Guardians of the Galaxy script had a direct connection to Star Wars but James Gunn cut it from the movie. from Movie News htt...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Can Death Wish End Black Panther's Box Office Reign?

Can Death Wish End Black Panther's Box Office Reign?

Black Panther faces its toughest box office competition in its third weekend, facing off against Red Sparrow and Death Wish. from Movie Ne...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Last Jedi Director Has Seen Han Solo, What Does He Think?

Last Jedi Director Has Seen Han Solo, What Does He Think?

Director Rian Johnson has some encouraging words for the Star Wars universe after seeing the Han Solo movie for the first time. from Movie...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Silver Surfer Movie Planned with Marvel Legend Brian K. Vaughn

Silver Surfer Movie Planned with Marvel Legend Brian K. Vaughn

Brian K. Vaughn has been set by 20th Century Fox to write the Silver Surfer script as Fox prepares for its big transition to Disney. from ...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

The Week Of Trailer #2 Gets Rock and Sandler Ready for a Wedding

The Week Of Trailer #2 Gets Rock and Sandler Ready for a Wedding

Netflix shows off the full-length trailer for the latest Adam Sandler comedy The Week Of, which reunites him with longtime collaborator and ...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Living Space Trailer Turns One Couple's Safe Space Into a Nightmare

Living Space Trailer Turns One Couple's Safe Space Into a Nightmare

A romantic holiday takes a sinister turn when a young couple take refuge in a house that holds a very dark secret in Living Space. from Mo...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Infinity War Cast Announces Marvel Unites Charity Campaign

Infinity War Cast Announces Marvel Unites Charity Campaign

Paul Bettany, Sebastian Stan and Karen Gillan appeared on Good Morning America to to kick off a huge charity campaign. from Movie News htt...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Netflix Is Launching Over 700 Original Movies and TV Shows in 2018

Netflix Is Launching Over 700 Original Movies and TV Shows in 2018

Netflix CFO David Wells says the company will have a total of 700 original movies and TV shows on their streaming service by the end of 2018...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

HBO's Fahrenheit 451 Trailer Pulls Michael B. Jordan Into a Fiery Dystopia

HBO's Fahrenheit 451 Trailer Pulls Michael B. Jordan Into a Fiery Dystopia

HBO releases the first official trailer for Fahrenheit 451, an adaptation of the Ray Bradbury classic. from TV News http://ift.tt/2CK0d1I

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Could Freddy Vs Jason Vs Ash Happen on Ash Vs Evil Dead? Bruce Campbell Speaks

Could Freddy Vs Jason Vs Ash Happen on Ash Vs Evil Dead? Bruce Campbell Speaks

Bruce Campbell contemplates the possibility of getting Robert England and Kane Hodder to cameo in Ash Vs Evil Dead before the series comes t...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Black Panther Fan Petitions Netflix for Wakanda Origins TV Show

Black Panther Fan Petitions Netflix for Wakanda Origins TV Show

One Marvel fan wants to see Netflix release a new TV show chronicling the origins of Wakanda from Black Panther. from TV News http://ift.t...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

HBO's Paterno Trailer Stars Al Pacino as Late Penn State Coach

HBO's Paterno Trailer Stars Al Pacino as Late Penn State Coach

The full trailer for HBO's Paterno starring Al Pacino has been released along with the premiere date. from TV News http://ift.tt/2Fq9j...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Facebook launches new feature to help increase blood donations in Pakistan

Facebook launches new feature to help increase blood donations in Pakistan

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Facebook launches new feature to help increase blood donations in Pakistan

Facebook launches new feature to help increase blood donations in Pakistan

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Patients suffer as Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital runs short of funds

Patients suffer as Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital runs short of funds

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

KP bill suggests end to shackles for prisoners [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2HQMGJy style=center] PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has prepared a draft bill to introduce various reforms to the prisons in the province, including an end to the requirement for prisoners to wear shackles. The home ministry has sent the draft of Prison Rules 2018 Amendment Bill to the provincial cabinet for approval. The bill also recommends an end to flogging prisoners. In case of an emergency or to attend an event, the prisoner will have to seek permission from the Deputy Commissioner instead of the home secretary, the bill further suggests. Also included in the bill are recommendations regarding provision of clean and better meals to prisoners as well as using latest tools for prison security. Home secretary Ikramullah Khan told Geo News the reforms are aimed at bringing prison rules at par with modern standards and are aimed at relief for prisoners and their families.

KP bill suggests end to shackles for prisoners [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2HQMGJy style=center] PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has prepared a draft bill to introduce various reforms to the prisons in the province, including an end to the requirement for prisoners to wear shackles. The home ministry has sent the draft of Prison Rules 2018 Amendment Bill to the provincial cabinet for approval. The bill also recommends an end to flogging prisoners. In case of an emergency or to attend an event, the prisoner will have to seek permission from the Deputy Commissioner instead of the home secretary, the bill further suggests. Also included in the bill are recommendations regarding provision of clean and better meals to prisoners as well as using latest tools for prison security. Home secretary Ikramullah Khan told Geo News the reforms are aimed at bringing prison rules at par with modern standards and are aimed at relief for prisoners and their families.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Facebook launches effort to help boost newspaper subscriptions WASHINGTON: Facebook on Tuesday announced a $3 million pilot project aimed at helping US newspapers boost paid digital subscriptions. The move was the latest by the huge social network to respond to concerns that it and other online platforms have hurt news organisations by dominating internet advertising. The "local news subscriptions accelerator," part of the Facebook Journalism Project, will work with a small group of metro news organisations "to unlock strategies that help publishers build digital customer acquisitions on and off our platform," said a statement from Campbell Brown, Facebook's head of news partnerships. Facebook recently took steps to enable publishers to encourage paid subscriptions directly from the social network, moving away from requirements that news organisations offer free content in links from Facebook. The new initiative builds on that effort by offering guidance to publishers to help their digital initiatives. "We know Facebook is one part of the strategy to engage readers and ultimately drive paid subscriptions," Brown said. Facebook will offer "coaching from digital subscription experts" to help build reader engagement, she added. The effort by Facebook comes amid ongoing woes of legacy news organisations which have had trouble replacing revenues lost from print advertising in the digital space, with many outlets implementing new or revised "paywalls." Facebook said it is working in the project with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News, Denver Post, Miami Herald, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Omaha World-Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer, Seattle Times, San Francisco Chronicle, The Tennessean and Newsday. Brown said Facebook would coordinate with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism to share findings through the Local Media Consortium, Local Media Association, and the News Media Alliance.

Facebook launches effort to help boost newspaper subscriptions WASHINGTON: Facebook on Tuesday announced a $3 million pilot project aimed at helping US newspapers boost paid digital subscriptions. The move was the latest by the huge social network to respond to concerns that it and other online platforms have hurt news organisations by dominating internet advertising. The "local news subscriptions accelerator," part of the Facebook Journalism Project, will work with a small group of metro news organisations "to unlock strategies that help publishers build digital customer acquisitions on and off our platform," said a statement from Campbell Brown, Facebook's head of news partnerships. Facebook recently took steps to enable publishers to encourage paid subscriptions directly from the social network, moving away from requirements that news organisations offer free content in links from Facebook. The new initiative builds on that effort by offering guidance to publishers to help their digital initiatives. "We know Facebook is one part of the strategy to engage readers and ultimately drive paid subscriptions," Brown said. Facebook will offer "coaching from digital subscription experts" to help build reader engagement, she added. The effort by Facebook comes amid ongoing woes of legacy news organisations which have had trouble replacing revenues lost from print advertising in the digital space, with many outlets implementing new or revised "paywalls." Facebook said it is working in the project with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News, Denver Post, Miami Herald, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Omaha World-Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer, Seattle Times, San Francisco Chronicle, The Tennessean and Newsday. Brown said Facebook would coordinate with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism to share findings through the Local Media Consortium, Local Media Association, and the News Media Alliance.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Seven wheelchair-bound passengers injured in Islamabad airport accident [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2t31Vvu style=center] ISLAMABAD: Seven wheelchair-bound passengers were injured at Benazir International Airport after an ambulift tipped over after suffering hydraulic jack failure. The incident also damaged an engine of the aircraft, which belongs to an international airline. The engine's cowl suffered visible damage after being hit by the ambulift. The injured passengers were shifted to a local hospital for medical treatment after the incident, said airport sources. The aircraft was inbound from Dubai.

Seven wheelchair-bound passengers injured in Islamabad airport accident [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2t31Vvu style=center] ISLAMABAD: Seven wheelchair-bound passengers were injured at Benazir International Airport after an ambulift tipped over after suffering hydraulic jack failure.  The incident also damaged an engine of the aircraft, which belongs to an international airline. The engine's cowl suffered visible damage after being hit by the ambulift.  The injured passengers were shifted to a local hospital for medical treatment after the incident, said airport sources.  The aircraft was inbound from Dubai. 

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Ogra recommends Rs3.56 increase in petrol price for March [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2GOK7q4 style=center] ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has sent a summary seeking an increase in the price of petroleum products to the federal government, it emerged on Tuesday. An increase of Rs3.56 for petrol has been recommended by OGRA, while kerosene oil has a suggested increase of Rs6.28 and an increase of Rs6.94 has been recommended for light-speed diesel. The new price of petrol will be Rs88.7 per litre, whereas, the price of diesel will be Rs102.77 per litre. The price of diesel has been set keeping in view general sales tax of 31 percent. For all other petroleum products, the prices have been set on the basis of 17 percent GST.

Ogra recommends Rs3.56 increase in petrol price for March [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2GOK7q4 style=center] ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has sent a summary seeking an increase in the price of petroleum products to the federal government, it emerged on Tuesday. An increase of Rs3.56 for petrol has been recommended by OGRA, while kerosene oil has a suggested increase of Rs6.28 and an increase of Rs6.94 has been recommended for light-speed diesel. The new price of petrol will be Rs88.7 per litre, whereas, the price of diesel will be Rs102.77 per litre. The price of diesel has been set keeping in view general sales tax of 31 percent. For all other petroleum products, the prices have been set on the basis of 17 percent GST.

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Black Panther 2 Release Date, Spoilers and What We Know

Black Panther 2 Release Date, Spoilers and What We Know

Black Panther 2 is going to have some big shoes to fill after the smash success of the first movie. from Movie News http://ift.tt/2EXBkRT

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Give expense info of PM's travel by AI: CIC to MEA

Give expense info of PM's travel by AI: CIC to MEA

CIC R K Mathur rejected the contention of the ministry that details of the amount, reference numbers, dates of bills raised by IAF and Air I...

February 28, 2018 No comments Read More

Lashkar terrorist killed in Kashmir

Lashkar terrorist killed in Kashmir

The police are ascertaining the identity of the terrorist who is understood to be not a local, an official said, adding necessary legal acti...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Meghalaya, Nagaland Assembly polls begin: Congress looks to retain hold, BJP looks for clean sweep in Northeast

Meghalaya, Nagaland Assembly polls begin: Congress looks to retain hold, BJP looks for clean sweep in Northeast

from India News | Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India - Times of India http://ift.tt/2F8fy17

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Jordan’s King Abdullah arrives in India today: 10 reasons why his visit is significant

Jordan’s King Abdullah arrives in India today: 10 reasons why his visit is significant

King of Jordan Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein arrives in India for a three-day visit starting today. He will hold official talks with PM Narendr...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

PM Modi urges Meghalaya, Nagaland to vote

PM Modi urges Meghalaya, Nagaland to vote

from India News | Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India - Times of India http://ift.tt/2BVsfuy

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Rahul Gandhi chats with farmer, family in their cane field

Rahul Gandhi chats with farmer, family in their cane field

from India News | Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India - Times of India http://ift.tt/2sY5nYj

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Rahul Gandhi’s call leaves booth worker thrilled

Rahul Gandhi’s call leaves booth worker thrilled

from India News | Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India - Times of India http://ift.tt/2EYcT7d

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Vote for BJP, we’ll resolve Mahadayi issue: Amit Shah

Vote for BJP, we’ll resolve Mahadayi issue: Amit Shah

from India News | Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India - Times of India http://ift.tt/2ESUNqY

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Naga People's Front complains about model code 'violation'

Naga People's Front complains about model code 'violation'

'Ad By Alliance In Nagaland Papers Makes Slew Of Promises' from India News | Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India -...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Meghalaya assembly poll begins amid tight security

Meghalaya assembly poll begins amid tight security

Voting will be held in 59 seats as the polling in Williamnagar in East Garo Hills district has been countermanded following the killing of N...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

China pushes back against criticism of plan for Xi to stay in power A woman picks a souvenir necklace with a portrait of Chinese President Xi Jinping from a selection that also includes necklaces featuring late Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong at a stall in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas Peter BEIJING: China’s plan for President Xi Jinping to remain in office indefinitely has sparked social media opposition, drawing comparisons to North Korea’s ruling dynasty and prompting a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist to accuse it of creating a dictator. The social media reaction late on Sunday quickly saw China swing into a concerted propaganda push by Monday, blocking some articles and publishing pieces praising the party. In Washington, the White House said it was up to China to decide whether to do away with presidential term limits. The ruling Communist Party on Sunday proposed to remove a constitutional clause limiting presidential service to just two terms in office, meaning Xi, who also heads the party and the military, might never have to retire. The proposal, which will be passed by delegates loyal to the party at next month’s annual meeting of China’s largely rubber-stamp parliament, is part of a package of amendments to the country’s constitution. It will also add Xi’s political thought to the constitution, already added to the party constitution last year, and set a legal framework for a super anti-corruption super body, as well as more broadly strengthen the party’s tight grip on power. But it seems the party will have its work cut out trying to convince some in China, where Xi is popular thanks in part to his war on graft, that the move will not end up giving him too much power. “Argh, we’re going to become North Korea,” wrote one Weibo user, where the Kim dynasty has ruled since the late 1940s. Kim Il Sung founded North Korea in 1948 and his family has ruled it ever since. ”We’re following the example of our neighbour,’ wrote another user. The comments were removed late on Sunday after Weibo, China’s answer to Twitter, began blocking the search term “two-term limit”. In an unusual step amid intense international media attention, China’s foreign ministry, which normally only comments on diplomatic matters, said amending the constitution was a matter for the Chinese people. Since 1954, when the constitution was first adopted, everybody can see that it has been “continuously improved”, spokesman Lu Kang told a daily news briefing. “I hope everyone can acknowledge the voice of all the Chinese people.” White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told a regular briefing that President Donald Trump supported having term limits in the United States. But when it came to China, “that’s a decision for China to make about what’s best for their country,” she said. Earlier on Monday, Trump heaped praise on Xi for his help on North Korea. “I think that President Xi is unique,” Trump said, highlighting his relationship with the Chinese leader, but making no mention of the proposed changes. “China has really done more probably than they’ve ever done because of my relationship - we have a very good relationship,” Trump said. “We have a very good relationship. But President Xi is for China and I‘m for the United States.” Trump has had a complex relationship with China since taking office last year, repeatedly threatening tough action against Beijing over trade and putting the countering of China, as well as Russia, at the centre of a new defence strategy announced last month. At the same time, Trump has gone out of his way to praise Xi and stress the importance of their close relationship built up in one-on-one summit meetings. State media China’s widely read state-run newspaper, the Global Times, said in an editorial the change did not mean the country’s president will stay in office forever, though it did not offer much explanation. “Since reform and opening up, China, led by the Communist Party, has successfully resolved and will continue to effectively resolve the issue of party and national leadership replacement in a law-abiding and orderly manner,” it said, referring to landmark economic reforms that began four decades ago. The party’s official People’s Daily reprinted a long article by Xinhua news agency saying most people supported the constitutional amendments, quoting a variety of people proffering support. “The broad part of officials and the masses say that they hoped this constitutional reform is passed,” it wrote. The WeChat account of the People’s Daily, after initially posting a flurry of positive comments under its article, then disabled the comments section completely late on Sunday. It was back again by Monday, complete with remarks lauding the party. The overseas edition of the same paper’s WeChat account removed entirely an article focusing on the term limits, replacing it with the lengthy Xinhua report summing up all the amendment proposals. In one confusing moment for many Chinese, Xinhua initially only reported the news in English. Jokes have also circulated on social media. One shows a picture of a condom in its wrapper under the words “doing it twice is not enough”. Others shared pictures of Winnie the Pooh, an internet meme that plays on Xi’s supposed likeness to the rotund cartoon bear, an image censors have repeatedly tried to remove. Parts of the stock market took heart from the news. Chinese speculators pounced on stocks with “emperor” in their name on Monday. The decision has also unsettled some in the Chinese territory of Hong Kong, where authorities have been trying to rein in a pro-democracy movement. “This move, which would allow for a single individual to amass and accumulate political power, means that China would again have a dictator as her head of state - Xi Jinping,” said Joshua Wong, one of the movement’s leaders. China is likely to see any such criticism as a plot against the party. “Every time China deliberates on reforms and key decisions, effect on public opinion is worth pondering,” the Global Times wrote. “Misinformation and external forces’ meddling will affect public opinion in China.” Still, on China’s streets, there was some support for Xi staying on. “I think in our country, nowadays, many policies, such as deepening reforms, need more continuity,” said Beijing resident Zhao Yisu, 42. “Particularly in politics, I believe stable leadership is good.”

China pushes back against criticism of plan for Xi to stay in power A woman picks a souvenir necklace with a portrait of Chinese President Xi Jinping from a selection that also includes necklaces featuring late Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong at a stall in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas Peter BEIJING: China’s plan for President Xi Jinping to remain in office indefinitely has sparked social media opposition, drawing comparisons to North Korea’s ruling dynasty and prompting a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist to accuse it of creating a dictator. The social media reaction late on Sunday quickly saw China swing into a concerted propaganda push by Monday, blocking some articles and publishing pieces praising the party. In Washington, the White House said it was up to China to decide whether to do away with presidential term limits. The ruling Communist Party on Sunday proposed to remove a constitutional clause limiting presidential service to just two terms in office, meaning Xi, who also heads the party and the military, might never have to retire. The proposal, which will be passed by delegates loyal to the party at next month’s annual meeting of China’s largely rubber-stamp parliament, is part of a package of amendments to the country’s constitution. It will also add Xi’s political thought to the constitution, already added to the party constitution last year, and set a legal framework for a super anti-corruption super body, as well as more broadly strengthen the party’s tight grip on power. But it seems the party will have its work cut out trying to convince some in China, where Xi is popular thanks in part to his war on graft, that the move will not end up giving him too much power. “Argh, we’re going to become North Korea,” wrote one Weibo user, where the Kim dynasty has ruled since the late 1940s. Kim Il Sung founded North Korea in 1948 and his family has ruled it ever since. ”We’re following the example of our neighbour,’ wrote another user. The comments were removed late on Sunday after Weibo, China’s answer to Twitter, began blocking the search term “two-term limit”. In an unusual step amid intense international media attention, China’s foreign ministry, which normally only comments on diplomatic matters, said amending the constitution was a matter for the Chinese people. Since 1954, when the constitution was first adopted, everybody can see that it has been “continuously improved”, spokesman Lu Kang told a daily news briefing. “I hope everyone can acknowledge the voice of all the Chinese people.” White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told a regular briefing that President Donald Trump supported having term limits in the United States. But when it came to China, “that’s a decision for China to make about what’s best for their country,” she said. Earlier on Monday, Trump heaped praise on Xi for his help on North Korea. “I think that President Xi is unique,” Trump said, highlighting his relationship with the Chinese leader, but making no mention of the proposed changes. “China has really done more probably than they’ve ever done because of my relationship - we have a very good relationship,” Trump said. “We have a very good relationship. But President Xi is for China and I‘m for the United States.” Trump has had a complex relationship with China since taking office last year, repeatedly threatening tough action against Beijing over trade and putting the countering of China, as well as Russia, at the centre of a new defence strategy announced last month. At the same time, Trump has gone out of his way to praise Xi and stress the importance of their close relationship built up in one-on-one summit meetings. State media China’s widely read state-run newspaper, the Global Times, said in an editorial the change did not mean the country’s president will stay in office forever, though it did not offer much explanation. “Since reform and opening up, China, led by the Communist Party, has successfully resolved and will continue to effectively resolve the issue of party and national leadership replacement in a law-abiding and orderly manner,” it said, referring to landmark economic reforms that began four decades ago. The party’s official People’s Daily reprinted a long article by Xinhua news agency saying most people supported the constitutional amendments, quoting a variety of people proffering support. “The broad part of officials and the masses say that they hoped this constitutional reform is passed,” it wrote. The WeChat account of the People’s Daily, after initially posting a flurry of positive comments under its article, then disabled the comments section completely late on Sunday. It was back again by Monday, complete with remarks lauding the party. The overseas edition of the same paper’s WeChat account removed entirely an article focusing on the term limits, replacing it with the lengthy Xinhua report summing up all the amendment proposals. In one confusing moment for many Chinese, Xinhua initially only reported the news in English. Jokes have also circulated on social media. One shows a picture of a condom in its wrapper under the words “doing it twice is not enough”. Others shared pictures of Winnie the Pooh, an internet meme that plays on Xi’s supposed likeness to the rotund cartoon bear, an image censors have repeatedly tried to remove. Parts of the stock market took heart from the news. Chinese speculators pounced on stocks with “emperor” in their name on Monday. The decision has also unsettled some in the Chinese territory of Hong Kong, where authorities have been trying to rein in a pro-democracy movement. “This move, which would allow for a single individual to amass and accumulate political power, means that China would again have a dictator as her head of state - Xi Jinping,” said Joshua Wong, one of the movement’s leaders. China is likely to see any such criticism as a plot against the party. “Every time China deliberates on reforms and key decisions, effect on public opinion is worth pondering,” the Global Times wrote. “Misinformation and external forces’ meddling will affect public opinion in China.” Still, on China’s streets, there was some support for Xi staying on. “I think in our country, nowadays, many policies, such as deepening reforms, need more continuity,” said Beijing resident Zhao Yisu, 42. “Particularly in politics, I believe stable leadership is good.”

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

'Don't worry about the NRA,' Trump tells US governors US President Donald Trump arrives for the 2018 White House business session with state governors in the White House, Washington, US, February 26, 2018. AFP/Mandel Ngan WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday urged governors not to be afraid of the nation’s most powerful gun lobby as they seek to beef up school safety after last week’s deadly mass shooting in Parkland, Florida. Trump has embraced the National Rifle Association’s call to safeguard schools by arming teachers, but he also has voiced support for strengthening background checks for prospective gun buyers - a proposal the politically powerful NRA has traditionally resisted. “Don’t worry about the NRA. They’re on our side,” Trump told more than 35 governors, including Rick Scott of Florida, during a White House meeting. “If they’re not with you, we have to fight them every once in awhile. That’s OK. They’re doing what they think is right.” The long-simmering national debate between proponents of gun rights and advocates of firearms controls was reignited by the Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, an affluent suburb of Fort Lauderdale. The 14 students and three adult educators killed were shot with a semiautomatic AR-15-style assault weapon, which authorities say was purchased legally last year by the accused gunman, Nikolas Cruz, when he was 18 years old. Cruz, now 19, a former Stoneman Douglas student who authorities say had a history of run-ins with the law and was expelled from school for disciplinary problems, has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder. Trump, a Republican who backed gun rights during and since his 2016 presidential campaign, has been under pressure to show he is responding without alienating Republicans who oppose firearms restrictions. He plans to meet with lawmakers from both parties to discuss possible legislation on Wednesday, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters. Age limit for rifles Trump had last week said he wanted to raise the legal minimum age for buying an assault rifle to 21. But on Monday - a day after he had lunch with three senior NRA officials - he failed to mention the idea in the school safety plans he discussed with governors. The NRA has opposed higher minimum ages for purchasing guns. The White House said on Monday that Trump was still looking at details of such a measure. The NRA could not be reached for immediate comment. Trump did express support for bolstering the nation’s system of background checks for gun buyers to better keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally disturbed. That could be an uphill battle, particularly heading into congressional elections in November. Past bipartisan pushes to fix gaps in the background check system after other tragic mass shootings have floundered in the US Congress, and some Republican senators have already expressed concerns about renewed efforts. An attempt by Senate leadership on Monday to quickly consider a bill and bypass time-consuming procedural steps was blocked by Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah. Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana told reporters that he wants to ensure people flagged as ineligible to buy guns have the right to appeal. “We’re trying to work on language to say that if they’re going to send your name in, you’ve got to be notified first,” said Kennedy, noting people with common names could face problems. Arming teachers Trump told governors that he believes arming trained teachers is the most cost-effective way to protect students and deter would-be shooters. Washington Governor Jay Inslee, a Democrat, told Trump that teachers in his state do not want to carry weapons. “I have listened to the first-grade teachers who don’t want to be pistol-packing first-grade teachers,” Inslee said. But Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, said more than 100 school districts in his state have trained teachers and other staff to carry a weapon and respond to attacks. “Some school districts, they promote it,” Abbott said. “They will have signs out front, a warning sign, ‘Be aware there are armed personnel on campus.'” Florida plans to invest $500 million to have a significant law enforcement presence in every public school in the state, Scott told the governors meeting. Trump says would have run in Trump also lashed out at some of the law enforcement officers who were first to arrive at the school. “The way they performed was, frankly, disgusting,” Trump said of reports that some deputies hesitated to go after the gunman. He added that he believed that if he were in the same situation, he would have run into the school “even if I didn’t have a weapon.” An armed sheriff’s deputy who was assigned as the school resource officer resigned rather than face suspension. He was found to have stayed outside the building during the attack instead of going in to confront the gunman, according to Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel. Trump has called the deputy, Scot Peterson, a “coward.” An attorney for Peterson defended his actions in a statement, saying he had remained outside because he believed the gunfire was occurring outside the school. “Allegations that Mr. Peterson was a coward and that his performance, under the circumstances, failed to meet the standards of police officers are patently untrue,” attorney Joseph DiRuzzo said in a statement. Investigators are also looking into reports from the neighbouring Coral Springs Police Department that three other sheriff’s deputies who were outside the school during or just after the shooting failed to enter immediately. Moreover, Israel has acknowledged his investigators are examining whether his office mishandled two telephone tips in 2016 and 2017 that warned Cruz was collecting weapons and might be inclined to commit a school shooting. Israel, a Democrat first elected sheriff in 2012, has come under sharp criticism from 74 Republican state lawmakers calling for him to be removed or suspended from office.

'Don't worry about the NRA,' Trump tells US governors US President Donald Trump arrives for the 2018 White House business session with state governors in the White House, Washington, US, February 26, 2018. AFP/Mandel Ngan WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday urged governors not to be afraid of the nation’s most powerful gun lobby as they seek to beef up school safety after last week’s deadly mass shooting in Parkland, Florida. Trump has embraced the National Rifle Association’s call to safeguard schools by arming teachers, but he also has voiced support for strengthening background checks for prospective gun buyers - a proposal the politically powerful NRA has traditionally resisted. “Don’t worry about the NRA. They’re on our side,” Trump told more than 35 governors, including Rick Scott of Florida, during a White House meeting. “If they’re not with you, we have to fight them every once in awhile. That’s OK. They’re doing what they think is right.” The long-simmering national debate between proponents of gun rights and advocates of firearms controls was reignited by the Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, an affluent suburb of Fort Lauderdale. The 14 students and three adult educators killed were shot with a semiautomatic AR-15-style assault weapon, which authorities say was purchased legally last year by the accused gunman, Nikolas Cruz, when he was 18 years old. Cruz, now 19, a former Stoneman Douglas student who authorities say had a history of run-ins with the law and was expelled from school for disciplinary problems, has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder. Trump, a Republican who backed gun rights during and since his 2016 presidential campaign, has been under pressure to show he is responding without alienating Republicans who oppose firearms restrictions. He plans to meet with lawmakers from both parties to discuss possible legislation on Wednesday, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters. Age limit for rifles Trump had last week said he wanted to raise the legal minimum age for buying an assault rifle to 21. But on Monday - a day after he had lunch with three senior NRA officials - he failed to mention the idea in the school safety plans he discussed with governors. The NRA has opposed higher minimum ages for purchasing guns. The White House said on Monday that Trump was still looking at details of such a measure. The NRA could not be reached for immediate comment. Trump did express support for bolstering the nation’s system of background checks for gun buyers to better keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally disturbed. That could be an uphill battle, particularly heading into congressional elections in November. Past bipartisan pushes to fix gaps in the background check system after other tragic mass shootings have floundered in the US Congress, and some Republican senators have already expressed concerns about renewed efforts. An attempt by Senate leadership on Monday to quickly consider a bill and bypass time-consuming procedural steps was blocked by Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah. Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana told reporters that he wants to ensure people flagged as ineligible to buy guns have the right to appeal. “We’re trying to work on language to say that if they’re going to send your name in, you’ve got to be notified first,” said Kennedy, noting people with common names could face problems. Arming teachers Trump told governors that he believes arming trained teachers is the most cost-effective way to protect students and deter would-be shooters. Washington Governor Jay Inslee, a Democrat, told Trump that teachers in his state do not want to carry weapons. “I have listened to the first-grade teachers who don’t want to be pistol-packing first-grade teachers,” Inslee said. But Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, said more than 100 school districts in his state have trained teachers and other staff to carry a weapon and respond to attacks. “Some school districts, they promote it,” Abbott said. “They will have signs out front, a warning sign, ‘Be aware there are armed personnel on campus.'” Florida plans to invest $500 million to have a significant law enforcement presence in every public school in the state, Scott told the governors meeting. Trump says would have run in Trump also lashed out at some of the law enforcement officers who were first to arrive at the school. “The way they performed was, frankly, disgusting,” Trump said of reports that some deputies hesitated to go after the gunman. He added that he believed that if he were in the same situation, he would have run into the school “even if I didn’t have a weapon.” An armed sheriff’s deputy who was assigned as the school resource officer resigned rather than face suspension. He was found to have stayed outside the building during the attack instead of going in to confront the gunman, according to Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel. Trump has called the deputy, Scot Peterson, a “coward.” An attorney for Peterson defended his actions in a statement, saying he had remained outside because he believed the gunfire was occurring outside the school. “Allegations that Mr. Peterson was a coward and that his performance, under the circumstances, failed to meet the standards of police officers are patently untrue,” attorney Joseph DiRuzzo said in a statement. Investigators are also looking into reports from the neighbouring Coral Springs Police Department that three other sheriff’s deputies who were outside the school during or just after the shooting failed to enter immediately. Moreover, Israel has acknowledged his investigators are examining whether his office mishandled two telephone tips in 2016 and 2017 that warned Cruz was collecting weapons and might be inclined to commit a school shooting. Israel, a Democrat first elected sheriff in 2012, has come under sharp criticism from 74 Republican state lawmakers calling for him to be removed or suspended from office.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Lebanon PM to visit Saudi for first time since ‘resignation’ Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri is seen at the governmental palace in Beirut, Lebanon, October 24, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/Files BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he has accepted an invitation Monday to visit Saudi Arabia, returning for the first time to the kingdom where he announced a shock resignation that he later rescinded. The November 4 resignation and his prolonged stay in Saudi Arabia stirred tensions between Riyadh and Beirut, amid suspicions he had been placed under house arrest until France intervened and he returned to Lebanon where the announcement was reversed. Hariri said Monday he received the invitation at a meeting in Beirut with Nizar al-Alula — a Saudi envoy — and that he would make the trip "as soon as possible", in a statement issued by his office. "The main aim of Saudi Arabia is that Lebanon becomes its own master" and "totally independent", he said. Relations between the two countries have been strained by the competing influences in Lebanon of regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Saudi envoy’s visit comes ahead of May 6 legislative elections, Lebanon’s first since 2009 following three extensions of parliament’s mandate.

Lebanon PM to visit Saudi for first time since ‘resignation’ Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri is seen at the governmental palace in Beirut, Lebanon, October 24, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/Files BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he has accepted an invitation Monday to visit Saudi Arabia, returning for the first time to the kingdom where he announced a shock resignation that he later rescinded. The November 4 resignation and his prolonged stay in Saudi Arabia stirred tensions between Riyadh and Beirut, amid suspicions he had been placed under house arrest until France intervened and he returned to Lebanon where the announcement was reversed. Hariri said Monday he received the invitation at a meeting in Beirut with Nizar al-Alula — a Saudi envoy — and that he would make the trip "as soon as possible", in a statement issued by his office. "The main aim of Saudi Arabia is that Lebanon becomes its own master" and "totally independent", he said. Relations between the two countries have been strained by the competing influences in Lebanon of regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Saudi envoy’s visit comes ahead of May 6 legislative elections, Lebanon’s first since 2009 following three extensions of parliament’s mandate.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

UN chief calls for new push to rid the world of nuclear weapons UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse GENEVA: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Monday for a new global effort to get rid of nuclear weapons, drawing a cautious response from envoys of atomic-armed powers at odds for decades over nuclear disarmament. Speaking to the Conference on Disarmament at the UN complex in Geneva, Guterres said many states still wrongly thought that nuclear weapons made the world safer. “There is great and justified anxiety around the world about the threat of nuclear war,” he said. “Countries persist in clinging to the fallacious idea that nuclear arms make the world safer ... At the global level, we must work towards forging a new momentum on eliminating nuclear weapons.” The Conference on Disarmament is the world’s main forum for nuclear disarmament, but since 1996 it has been deadlocked by disagreements and distrust between rival nuclear powers. Ambassadors from the United States, China, and France said they shared his concerns about the current security environment but their comments suggested it would be an uphill struggle to end two decades of stalemate in nuclear negotiations. US Ambassador Robert Wood said negotiators needed to “look reality in the eye” and accept that nuclear disarmament in the near term was unrealistic. It was not the time for bold new disarmament initiatives, but the United States was committed to the “aspirational goal” of eliminating nuclear weapons and would stand by its commitments, Wood said. “Even in these difficult times, the United States will seek the development of measures that may be effective in creating the conditions for future nuclear disarmament negotiations,” he told the forum. Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong said China appreciated Guterres’ efforts but said reform should not be rushed. “Reducing the role of nuclear weapons in national security doctrines and abandoning the nuclear deterrent policy based on the first use of nuclear weapons constitutes the most practical and feasible nuclear disarmament measure at present,” Fu said. French Ambassador Alice Guitton said Guterres’ statement was very timely, but disarmament could not be decreed, it needed to be built with patience, perseverance and realism. Dangerous direction Guterres said talks should target not only nuclear, chemical and conventional arms but also autonomous and unmanned weapons, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and space-based systems. There are currently around 150,000 nuclear weapons worldwide and the arms trade is flourishing more than at any time since the Cold war, with $1.5 trillion of spending annually, he said. Taboos on nuclear tests and chemical weapons usage were under threat, he added, while talk of tactical nuclear weapons was leading in an extremely dangerous direction. Earlier this month the United States published its “nuclear posture review”, which justified an expansion of its “low-yield” nuclear capability by saying it would deter Russia’s tactical nuclear weapons. Last week diplomats and disarmament experts discussed Guterres’s initiative with UN officials during a retreat near New York, and he is expected to launch his plans around April or May with “practical and implementable actions”. “The challenges are enormous, but history shows that it has been possible to reach agreement on disarmament and arms control even at the most difficult moments,” Guterres said.

UN chief calls for new push to rid the world of nuclear weapons UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse GENEVA: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Monday for a new global effort to get rid of nuclear weapons, drawing a cautious response from envoys of atomic-armed powers at odds for decades over nuclear disarmament. Speaking to the Conference on Disarmament at the UN complex in Geneva, Guterres said many states still wrongly thought that nuclear weapons made the world safer. “There is great and justified anxiety around the world about the threat of nuclear war,” he said. “Countries persist in clinging to the fallacious idea that nuclear arms make the world safer ... At the global level, we must work towards forging a new momentum on eliminating nuclear weapons.” The Conference on Disarmament is the world’s main forum for nuclear disarmament, but since 1996 it has been deadlocked by disagreements and distrust between rival nuclear powers. Ambassadors from the United States, China, and France said they shared his concerns about the current security environment but their comments suggested it would be an uphill struggle to end two decades of stalemate in nuclear negotiations. US Ambassador Robert Wood said negotiators needed to “look reality in the eye” and accept that nuclear disarmament in the near term was unrealistic. It was not the time for bold new disarmament initiatives, but the United States was committed to the “aspirational goal” of eliminating nuclear weapons and would stand by its commitments, Wood said. “Even in these difficult times, the United States will seek the development of measures that may be effective in creating the conditions for future nuclear disarmament negotiations,” he told the forum. Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong said China appreciated Guterres’ efforts but said reform should not be rushed. “Reducing the role of nuclear weapons in national security doctrines and abandoning the nuclear deterrent policy based on the first use of nuclear weapons constitutes the most practical and feasible nuclear disarmament measure at present,” Fu said. French Ambassador Alice Guitton said Guterres’ statement was very timely, but disarmament could not be decreed, it needed to be built with patience, perseverance and realism. Dangerous direction Guterres said talks should target not only nuclear, chemical and conventional arms but also autonomous and unmanned weapons, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and space-based systems. There are currently around 150,000 nuclear weapons worldwide and the arms trade is flourishing more than at any time since the Cold war, with $1.5 trillion of spending annually, he said. Taboos on nuclear tests and chemical weapons usage were under threat, he added, while talk of tactical nuclear weapons was leading in an extremely dangerous direction. Earlier this month the United States published its “nuclear posture review”, which justified an expansion of its “low-yield” nuclear capability by saying it would deter Russia’s tactical nuclear weapons. Last week diplomats and disarmament experts discussed Guterres’s initiative with UN officials during a retreat near New York, and he is expected to launch his plans around April or May with “practical and implementable actions”. “The challenges are enormous, but history shows that it has been possible to reach agreement on disarmament and arms control even at the most difficult moments,” Guterres said.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Britain is facing serious far-right terrorism threat, says UK's top officer Mark Rowley — Britain's top anti-terrorism officer — speaks to the media outside New Scotland Yard in London, Britain, March 24, 2017. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/Files LONDON: Britain faces a new and significant threat from organized far-right terrorism, the UK’s most senior counter-terrorism officer said on Monday as he revealed police had foiled four plots by right-wing extremists in the last year. “The right-wing terrorist threat is more significant and more challenging than perhaps public debate gives it credit for,” Mark Rowley — London’s Assistant Commissioner — told reporters. Britain has been a prime target for homegrown and foreign militants since the 2001 attacks on the United States. But Rowley said until the last two years, far-right activity was limited to unpleasant protests and hate crimes, with serious incidents limited to the actions of isolated individuals. The MI5 domestic spy agency are now involved in investigating the far-right and he warned that British groups were seeking links with international extremists. “It’s a significant part of the terrorist threat. Right-wing terrorism wasn’t previously organised here,” Rowley said. “There are many Western countries that have extreme right-wing challenges and in quite a number of those the groups we are worried about here are making connections with them and networking,” he said, declining to give further details because it was a new, live intelligence phenomenon. Last year, there were five deadly militants attacks in Britain, including one carried out by a man who drove a van into worshippers leaving a London mosque after developing a hatred of Muslims by reading extreme right-wing material online. The previous year, a Nazi-obsessed loner murdered lawmaker Jo Cox in a frenzied street attack a week before the referendum on the European Union. Since then, Britain has banned National Action and two other spin-off groups, the first extremist right-wing organizations to be outlawed since the 1940s. 'Committed to violence' “For the best part of 18 months in the UK we have a homegrown, white supremacist, neo-Nazi terrorist organisation that is pursuing all the ambitions of any other terrorist organisation committed to violence,” Rowley said. “That should be a matter of great concern for all of us.” Since the first of the 2017 deadly attacks last March, Rowley said police had foiled 10 extremist conspiracies and four far-right plots, although he said he could not provide details of these as they were subject to ongoing court cases. To show the overall scale of the threat Britain faced, he said there were 600 terrorism investigations currently ongoing involving more than 3,000 suspects. Over the last three years, terrorism arrests had doubled while in the same period some 2,000 people have been referred to the government’s counter-radicalisation Prevent program, with a third of these over far-right concerns, he said. Rowley, who, next month, steps down from the role he took on in 2014, said militant and far-right extremists were a toxic combination, feeding off each other and pursuing the same agenda of division, fear and hatred. He reiterated British concern about extremists’ use of the internet and said he expected technology and internet firms would react to a mixture of persuasion and regulation as the banking sector had done. He also said it was important that an agreement struck with the European Union (EU) for when Britain leaves the bloc in 2019 did not damage relations with their European colleagues. “Whatever the arrangements, we need something that provides at least a good a platform for cooperation as we have today,” he said.

Britain is facing serious far-right terrorism threat, says UK's top officer Mark Rowley — Britain's top anti-terrorism officer — speaks to the media outside New Scotland Yard in London, Britain, March 24, 2017. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/Files LONDON: Britain faces a new and significant threat from organized far-right terrorism, the UK’s most senior counter-terrorism officer said on Monday as he revealed police had foiled four plots by right-wing extremists in the last year. “The right-wing terrorist threat is more significant and more challenging than perhaps public debate gives it credit for,” Mark Rowley — London’s Assistant Commissioner — told reporters. Britain has been a prime target for homegrown and foreign militants since the 2001 attacks on the United States. But Rowley said until the last two years, far-right activity was limited to unpleasant protests and hate crimes, with serious incidents limited to the actions of isolated individuals. The MI5 domestic spy agency are now involved in investigating the far-right and he warned that British groups were seeking links with international extremists. “It’s a significant part of the terrorist threat. Right-wing terrorism wasn’t previously organised here,” Rowley said. “There are many Western countries that have extreme right-wing challenges and in quite a number of those the groups we are worried about here are making connections with them and networking,” he said, declining to give further details because it was a new, live intelligence phenomenon. Last year, there were five deadly militants attacks in Britain, including one carried out by a man who drove a van into worshippers leaving a London mosque after developing a hatred of Muslims by reading extreme right-wing material online. The previous year, a Nazi-obsessed loner murdered lawmaker Jo Cox in a frenzied street attack a week before the referendum on the European Union. Since then, Britain has banned National Action and two other spin-off groups, the first extremist right-wing organizations to be outlawed since the 1940s. 'Committed to violence' “For the best part of 18 months in the UK we have a homegrown, white supremacist, neo-Nazi terrorist organisation that is pursuing all the ambitions of any other terrorist organisation committed to violence,” Rowley said. “That should be a matter of great concern for all of us.” Since the first of the 2017 deadly attacks last March, Rowley said police had foiled 10 extremist conspiracies and four far-right plots, although he said he could not provide details of these as they were subject to ongoing court cases. To show the overall scale of the threat Britain faced, he said there were 600 terrorism investigations currently ongoing involving more than 3,000 suspects. Over the last three years, terrorism arrests had doubled while in the same period some 2,000 people have been referred to the government’s counter-radicalisation Prevent program, with a third of these over far-right concerns, he said. Rowley, who, next month, steps down from the role he took on in 2014, said militant and far-right extremists were a toxic combination, feeding off each other and pursuing the same agenda of division, fear and hatred. He reiterated British concern about extremists’ use of the internet and said he expected technology and internet firms would react to a mixture of persuasion and regulation as the banking sector had done. He also said it was important that an agreement struck with the European Union (EU) for when Britain leaves the bloc in 2019 did not damage relations with their European colleagues. “Whatever the arrangements, we need something that provides at least a good a platform for cooperation as we have today,” he said.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Trump says would have run unarmed into Florida school US President Donald Trump holds a discussion about school shootings with state governors from around the country at the White House in Washington, US, February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Monday he would have rushed unarmed into the Florida school targeted by a mass shooter, as student survivors of the massacre brought their campaign for gun control to Washington. Nearly two weeks after the attack in Parkland, Florida left 17 people dead, the US Congress reconvened after a one-week recess under intensifying pressure to address the national scourge of gun violence. Trump has called for reforms in the wake of the tragedy, including tougher background checks on firearm purchases, but the White House has yet to support specific legislation in Congress, where enacting federal gun restrictions faces major obstacles especially in an election year. During a meeting with state governors at the White House, Trump said he would have felt compelled to confront the shooter personally, had he been on the scene. "I really believe I’d run in there even if I didn’t have a weapon," Trump told the governors. "And I think most of the people in this room would have done that, too," said the president, adding: "You never know until you’re tested." Trump has vocally criticized an armed deputy who failed to intervene in the February 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, and took up that theme again Monday calling the performance of some local law enforcement "frankly disgusting." The deputy, Scot Peterson, pushed back through his lawyer against such "uncalled for attacks upon his character," recounting the shooting step by step and saying he positioned himself outside a school building because he believed the shots were originating from outside. "The allegations that Mr. Peterson was a coward and that his performance, under the circumstances, failed to meet the standards of police officers are patently untrue," lawyer Joseph DiRuzzo said in a statement. Lunch with the NRA Spurred to action by the mass shooting — the worst to hit a US school in six years — several Parkland survivors travelled with fellow students to the US Capitol Monday to meet with lawmakers on gun violence. The group declined to speak to reporters. Trump, who touted his Second Amendment credentials on the 2016 campaign trail, said he lunched Saturday with Wayne LaPierre, the head of the powerful National Rifle Association which opposes several of the proposed gun measures, and told him changes were needed. "We’re going to do strong background checks. Very strong," Trump told the governors. "If we see a sicko, I don’t want him having a gun." Trump has also called for a strong focus on boosting school security and has controversially promoted the idea of arming some teachers and staff in addition to on-campus guards. The vast majority of Democrats want to bring gun control efforts to fruition in Congress, and a new CNN poll showed that 70 percent of Americans support stricter gun laws, up 18 points since October. Republican leaders in the Senate and House of Representatives have remained largely silent on the issue, however, with their party split on how to proceed. Republicans from suburban districts — where calls for gun control have gained ground — have expressed openness to raising the age limit for purchasing semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21 or banning devices that turn such weapons into machine guns. Senator Susan Collins, a Republican moderate, said she supports expanding background checks, raising the age for buying assault-style weapons and addressing the issue of mental health. "I definitely want to see the issue taken up," she told AFP. Emotional return to Parkland But many conservative lawmakers consider any restriction of gun rights as a creeping assault on citizens’ constitutional right to bear arms. The split appeared to leave the prospects of significant new gun legislation in doubt. "I’m a little bit pessimistic that something will happen," moderate House Republican Charles Dent told CNN Monday. With the gun debate raging, Parkland students and teachers made an emotional return to their high school for an orientation day on Sunday, setting foot on site for the first time since the February 14 massacre. Staff returned to work on Monday, and classes were to resume Wednesday. Several Parkland students have been confronted with ugly false accusations that they are actors exploiting a tragedy. But on Monday they received praise from First Lady Melania Trump, who said she was "heartened to see children across this country using their voices to speak out and try to create change. "They are our future and they deserve a voice," she said.

Trump says would have run unarmed into Florida school US President Donald Trump holds a discussion about school shootings with state governors from around the country at the White House in Washington, US, February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Monday he would have rushed unarmed into the Florida school targeted by a mass shooter, as student survivors of the massacre brought their campaign for gun control to Washington. Nearly two weeks after the attack in Parkland, Florida left 17 people dead, the US Congress reconvened after a one-week recess under intensifying pressure to address the national scourge of gun violence. Trump has called for reforms in the wake of the tragedy, including tougher background checks on firearm purchases, but the White House has yet to support specific legislation in Congress, where enacting federal gun restrictions faces major obstacles especially in an election year. During a meeting with state governors at the White House, Trump said he would have felt compelled to confront the shooter personally, had he been on the scene. "I really believe I’d run in there even if I didn’t have a weapon," Trump told the governors. "And I think most of the people in this room would have done that, too," said the president, adding: "You never know until you’re tested." Trump has vocally criticized an armed deputy who failed to intervene in the February 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, and took up that theme again Monday calling the performance of some local law enforcement "frankly disgusting." The deputy, Scot Peterson, pushed back through his lawyer against such "uncalled for attacks upon his character," recounting the shooting step by step and saying he positioned himself outside a school building because he believed the shots were originating from outside. "The allegations that Mr. Peterson was a coward and that his performance, under the circumstances, failed to meet the standards of police officers are patently untrue," lawyer Joseph DiRuzzo said in a statement. Lunch with the NRA Spurred to action by the mass shooting — the worst to hit a US school in six years — several Parkland survivors travelled with fellow students to the US Capitol Monday to meet with lawmakers on gun violence. The group declined to speak to reporters. Trump, who touted his Second Amendment credentials on the 2016 campaign trail, said he lunched Saturday with Wayne LaPierre, the head of the powerful National Rifle Association which opposes several of the proposed gun measures, and told him changes were needed. "We’re going to do strong background checks. Very strong," Trump told the governors. "If we see a sicko, I don’t want him having a gun." Trump has also called for a strong focus on boosting school security and has controversially promoted the idea of arming some teachers and staff in addition to on-campus guards. The vast majority of Democrats want to bring gun control efforts to fruition in Congress, and a new CNN poll showed that 70 percent of Americans support stricter gun laws, up 18 points since October. Republican leaders in the Senate and House of Representatives have remained largely silent on the issue, however, with their party split on how to proceed. Republicans from suburban districts — where calls for gun control have gained ground — have expressed openness to raising the age limit for purchasing semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21 or banning devices that turn such weapons into machine guns. Senator Susan Collins, a Republican moderate, said she supports expanding background checks, raising the age for buying assault-style weapons and addressing the issue of mental health. "I definitely want to see the issue taken up," she told AFP. Emotional return to Parkland But many conservative lawmakers consider any restriction of gun rights as a creeping assault on citizens’ constitutional right to bear arms. The split appeared to leave the prospects of significant new gun legislation in doubt. "I’m a little bit pessimistic that something will happen," moderate House Republican Charles Dent told CNN Monday. With the gun debate raging, Parkland students and teachers made an emotional return to their high school for an orientation day on Sunday, setting foot on site for the first time since the February 14 massacre. Staff returned to work on Monday, and classes were to resume Wednesday. Several Parkland students have been confronted with ugly false accusations that they are actors exploiting a tragedy. But on Monday they received praise from First Lady Melania Trump, who said she was "heartened to see children across this country using their voices to speak out and try to create change. "They are our future and they deserve a voice," she said.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Saudi king sacks chief of staff in major military shake-up [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2CpqZkl style=center] RIYADH: Saudi King Salman has sacked the military chief of staff and a host of other top commanders, state media said Monday, in a major shake-up of the defence establishment. The monarch also replaced the heads of the ground forces and air defences, as well as senior officials at the interior ministry, in a series of late-night royal decrees. No official reason was given for the sweeping overhaul, but it comes as the Saudi-led coalition’s military intervention in Yemen against Iran-aligned Huthi rebels nears the end of its third year. "Termination of the services of General Abdul Rahman bin Saleh al-Bunyan, Chief of Staff," the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said, adding that Fayyad al-Ruwaili had been appointed as his replacement. Al-Bunyan’s sacking came after he inaugurated a major exhibition this week by the Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), the state-owned defence company, which illustrates ongoing efforts to reform the sector. "These Saudi royal decrees appear to be part of the kingdom’s national defence strategy," Theodore Karasik — a senior advisor at the consultancy Gulf States Analytics — told AFP. "A military transformation is under way in Saudi Arabia. The changes come on the heels of the SAMI exhibition, which is a critical part of the Prince Mohammed’s reform plan to create an indigenous defence program." Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — the heir to the throne and the son of the monarch — is the country’s defence minister and has been consolidating his grip on power in recent months. The changes come in the midst of an ever-worsening conflict in Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s government has been fighting the Huthis since 2015 in a conflict that has led to what the United Nations describes as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. More than 9,200 people have been killed in the conflict and another nearly 2,200 Yemenis have died of cholera amid deteriorating sanitation conditions, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Separately, a series of civil appointments were announced in other decrees late Monday. In an unprecedented announcement, Tamadar Bint Yousef al-Ramah — a Saudi woman — was appointed the deputy minister of labour and social development. And Prince Turki bin Talal — the brother of billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal — was appointed deputy governor of the southern Assir Province. Prince Al-Waleed — dubbed the Warren Buffett of Saudi Arabia — was among princes, ministers, and tycoons detained in Riyadh’s luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel in an unprecedented crackdown on what the government called elite corruption. The Ritz-Carlton reopened for business on February 11, more than three months after becoming a gilded prison for Saudi elites.

Saudi king sacks chief of staff in major military shake-up [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2CpqZkl style=center] RIYADH: Saudi King Salman has sacked the military chief of staff and a host of other top commanders, state media said Monday, in a major shake-up of the defence establishment. The monarch also replaced the heads of the ground forces and air defences, as well as senior officials at the interior ministry, in a series of late-night royal decrees. No official reason was given for the sweeping overhaul, but it comes as the Saudi-led coalition’s military intervention in Yemen against Iran-aligned Huthi rebels nears the end of its third year. "Termination of the services of General Abdul Rahman bin Saleh al-Bunyan, Chief of Staff," the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said, adding that Fayyad al-Ruwaili had been appointed as his replacement. Al-Bunyan’s sacking came after he inaugurated a major exhibition this week by the Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), the state-owned defence company, which illustrates ongoing efforts to reform the sector. "These Saudi royal decrees appear to be part of the kingdom’s national defence strategy," Theodore Karasik — a senior advisor at the consultancy Gulf States Analytics — told AFP. "A military transformation is under way in Saudi Arabia. The changes come on the heels of the SAMI exhibition, which is a critical part of the Prince Mohammed’s reform plan to create an indigenous defence program." Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — the heir to the throne and the son of the monarch — is the country’s defence minister and has been consolidating his grip on power in recent months. The changes come in the midst of an ever-worsening conflict in Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s government has been fighting the Huthis since 2015 in a conflict that has led to what the United Nations describes as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. More than 9,200 people have been killed in the conflict and another nearly 2,200 Yemenis have died of cholera amid deteriorating sanitation conditions, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Separately, a series of civil appointments were announced in other decrees late Monday. In an unprecedented announcement, Tamadar Bint Yousef al-Ramah — a Saudi woman — was appointed the deputy minister of labour and social development. And Prince Turki bin Talal — the brother of billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal — was appointed deputy governor of the southern Assir Province. Prince Al-Waleed — dubbed the Warren Buffett of Saudi Arabia — was among princes, ministers, and tycoons detained in Riyadh’s luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel in an unprecedented crackdown on what the government called elite corruption. The Ritz-Carlton reopened for business on February 11, more than three months after becoming a gilded prison for Saudi elites.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Maverick climber calls off ‘suicidal’ solo bid to summit K2 Russian climber Denis Urubko, French climber Elisabeth Revol, and Polish climber Adam Bielecki pose for a picture at the base of the Diamir Face of Nanga Parbat, Pakistan, January 28, 2018. Image: Adam Bielecki/Handout via REUTERS/Files ISLAMABAD: Russian-Polish climber Denis Urubko has called off his attempt to summit K2 alone during winter, a post on his former teammates’ Facebook page said Monday, after a weekend drama saw him begin what another climber had called a suicide mission. Urubko, 44, was part of a team of Polish mountaineers attempting to be the first to scale the world’s second highest peak in winter. But he broke away from the group on Saturday after a series of disagreements, sparking fears for his safety on one of the world’s most dangerous climbs. On Monday, he ended his attempt, capping a dramatic three days on the mountain, a statement on the Polish expedition’s Facebook page said. "Denis Urubko, according to his convictions regarding the end of the winter season, decided to leave the Winter Expedition on K2," the statement said. "The decision was accepted by the participants of the expedition, who did not see any further possibility of cooperation with Denis after his independent attempt to get (to) the top." The rest of his former team are believed to still be preparing their own summit bid. The Polish team arrived at the K2 base camp late last year, enduring sub-zero temperatures and gale-force winds. But Urubko had become increasingly frustrated with their pace after a series of delays, including the daring night-time rescue of French mountaineer Elisabeth Revol on another Pakistani mountain, Nanga Parbat, in January. Urubko had volunteered to go to Nanga Parbat as part of that rescue team. But K2 expert Rehmat Ullah Baig said the mission forced the Poles to readjust their initial plans and choose a new route, a move that Urubko was said to be unhappy with. He left his team members behind on Saturday after arguing that waiting until March would make a summit more difficult. "He has had a heated debate with the team leader and left for the summit without saying a word," a porter accompanying the group told AFP on condition of anonymity. The Polish team confirmed the incident, saying Urubko left Camp Two without a radio after refusing to speak to the expedition’s leader. ‘Completely suicidal’ Fellow mountaineers had expressed concern at any solo attempt while also acknowledging Urubko’s extraordinary abilities. "He is the most outstanding Himalayan climber of today. You can rank him among the top five active legends of mountaineering," said Pakistan’s most accomplished climber Nazir Sabir, who has summited both K2 and Everest. Others said the lone attempt was the height of recklessness. "A solo attempt of K2 in winter is completely suicidal," said Pakistani climber Mirza Ali. Asghar Ali Porik — the owner of Jasmine Tours that is organising the summit — said he had not yet been informed about arranging Urubko’s journey back. But he hailed the climber’s decision to call off his bid as "expected and honourable". Earlier, on Monday, an expedition spokesman told AFP that for the rest of the Polish team, some of whom are in base camp and some at Camp Two, "the expedition is going according to the plan". Everest has been summited by thousands of climbers young and old but K2 is a much lonelier place. Around 300 have made it to the top since the first ascent 60 years ago. Many climbers have died on the descent. Northern Pakistan is home to some of the world’s tallest mountains, including K2 in the territory of Gilgit-Baltistan. Nestled between the western end of the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush mountains, and the Karakoram range, Gilgit-Baltistan has 18 of the world’s 50 highest peaks.

Maverick climber calls off ‘suicidal’ solo bid to summit K2 Russian climber Denis Urubko, French climber Elisabeth Revol, and Polish climber Adam Bielecki pose for a picture at the base of the Diamir Face of Nanga Parbat, Pakistan, January 28, 2018. Image: Adam Bielecki/Handout via REUTERS/Files ISLAMABAD: Russian-Polish climber Denis Urubko has called off his attempt to summit K2 alone during winter, a post on his former teammates’ Facebook page said Monday, after a weekend drama saw him begin what another climber had called a suicide mission. Urubko, 44, was part of a team of Polish mountaineers attempting to be the first to scale the world’s second highest peak in winter. But he broke away from the group on Saturday after a series of disagreements, sparking fears for his safety on one of the world’s most dangerous climbs. On Monday, he ended his attempt, capping a dramatic three days on the mountain, a statement on the Polish expedition’s Facebook page said. "Denis Urubko, according to his convictions regarding the end of the winter season, decided to leave the Winter Expedition on K2," the statement said. "The decision was accepted by the participants of the expedition, who did not see any further possibility of cooperation with Denis after his independent attempt to get (to) the top." The rest of his former team are believed to still be preparing their own summit bid. The Polish team arrived at the K2 base camp late last year, enduring sub-zero temperatures and gale-force winds. But Urubko had become increasingly frustrated with their pace after a series of delays, including the daring night-time rescue of French mountaineer Elisabeth Revol on another Pakistani mountain, Nanga Parbat, in January. Urubko had volunteered to go to Nanga Parbat as part of that rescue team. But K2 expert Rehmat Ullah Baig said the mission forced the Poles to readjust their initial plans and choose a new route, a move that Urubko was said to be unhappy with. He left his team members behind on Saturday after arguing that waiting until March would make a summit more difficult. "He has had a heated debate with the team leader and left for the summit without saying a word," a porter accompanying the group told AFP on condition of anonymity. The Polish team confirmed the incident, saying Urubko left Camp Two without a radio after refusing to speak to the expedition’s leader. ‘Completely suicidal’ Fellow mountaineers had expressed concern at any solo attempt while also acknowledging Urubko’s extraordinary abilities. "He is the most outstanding Himalayan climber of today. You can rank him among the top five active legends of mountaineering," said Pakistan’s most accomplished climber Nazir Sabir, who has summited both K2 and Everest. Others said the lone attempt was the height of recklessness. "A solo attempt of K2 in winter is completely suicidal," said Pakistani climber Mirza Ali. Asghar Ali Porik — the owner of Jasmine Tours that is organising the summit — said he had not yet been informed about arranging Urubko’s journey back. But he hailed the climber’s decision to call off his bid as "expected and honourable". Earlier, on Monday, an expedition spokesman told AFP that for the rest of the Polish team, some of whom are in base camp and some at Camp Two, "the expedition is going according to the plan". Everest has been summited by thousands of climbers young and old but K2 is a much lonelier place. Around 300 have made it to the top since the first ascent 60 years ago. Many climbers have died on the descent. Northern Pakistan is home to some of the world’s tallest mountains, including K2 in the territory of Gilgit-Baltistan. Nestled between the western end of the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush mountains, and the Karakoram range, Gilgit-Baltistan has 18 of the world’s 50 highest peaks.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Kidnapping of Afghan provincial deputy governor from Pakistan turns out to be farce Deputy Governor of Kunar Mohammad Nabi Ahmadi. — Geo News screengrab PESHAWAR: The kidnapping of deputy governor of Afghanistan's Kunar province from Peshawar has turned out to be a farce, official sources said Monday, after his brother uncovered the conspiracy to malign Pakistan. Reports emerged in October 2017 that Mohammad Nabi, deputy governor of Afghanistan's Kunar province, had gone missing from Peshawar and the Afghan embassy had contacted the Pakistani Foreign Office regarding the incident. The Afghan embassy had also informed the FO that the official was in Pakistan for medical treatment and the embassy had been unable to contact him. Official sources informed Geo News that the deputy governor and his family played a farce to defame Pakistan. Afghan provincial deputy governor allegedly goes missing from Peshawar Official from Kunar province was in the country for medical treatment They said the official entered Pakistan via Torkham border on October 27, 2017, but illegally returned to Afghanistan without having his name entered. Later, the deputy governor dramatized his kidnapping during treatment at a clinic in Peshawar, sources said. Pakistani officials solved the matter, in which the statement by Mohammad Nabi's brother proved to be quite helpful. Following his arrest, Habibullah, brother of the deputy governor, told Pakistani officials that Mohammad Nabi entered into Pakistani territory on visa, but illegally crossed the border and returned to Afghanistan after a while. Habibullah said that Mohammad Nabi during his disappearance remained in hiding at the residences of two of his brothers-in-law in Kabul. Pakistan has informed the Afghan government that the 'missing' official was actually hiding in Kabul, sources added.

Kidnapping of Afghan provincial deputy governor from Pakistan turns out to be farce Deputy Governor of Kunar Mohammad Nabi Ahmadi. — Geo News screengrab PESHAWAR: The kidnapping of deputy governor of Afghanistan's Kunar province from Peshawar has turned out to be a farce, official sources said Monday, after his brother uncovered the conspiracy to malign Pakistan. Reports emerged in October 2017 that Mohammad Nabi, deputy governor of Afghanistan's Kunar province, had gone missing from Peshawar and the Afghan embassy had contacted the Pakistani Foreign Office regarding the incident. The Afghan embassy had also informed the FO that the official was in Pakistan for medical treatment and the embassy had been unable to contact him. Official sources informed Geo News that the deputy governor and his family played a farce to defame Pakistan. Afghan provincial deputy governor allegedly goes missing from Peshawar Official from Kunar province was in the country for medical treatment They said the official entered Pakistan via Torkham border on October 27, 2017, but illegally returned to Afghanistan without having his name entered. Later, the deputy governor dramatized his kidnapping during treatment at a clinic in Peshawar, sources said. Pakistani officials solved the matter, in which the statement by Mohammad Nabi's brother proved to be quite helpful. Following his arrest, Habibullah, brother of the deputy governor, told Pakistani officials that Mohammad Nabi entered into Pakistani territory on visa, but illegally crossed the border and returned to Afghanistan after a while. Habibullah said that Mohammad Nabi during his disappearance remained in hiding at the residences of two of his brothers-in-law in Kabul. Pakistan has informed the Afghan government that the 'missing' official was actually hiding in Kabul, sources added.

February 27, 2018 2 comments Read More

Trump calls for closer attention to warnings after Florida massacre WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday said authorities need to do a better job of handling warnings about violent people of the sort that were missed ahead of this month’s shooting at a Florida high school that killed 17 people. Trump’s comments came as he met with governors at the White House, where Florida Governor Rick Scott said state officials need to take additional steps to improve school security, including adding mental health counselors in all schools. The Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, the second-deadliest shooting at a US public school, stirred the nation’s long-running debate on gun rights, which are protected by the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. Trump, a Republican who backed gun rights during and since his 2016 presidential campaign, last week suggested that arming teachers could help stop more rampages. Washington Governor Jay Inslee, a Democrat, told Trump that teachers in his state do nor want to carry weapons. Scott, also a Republican, has said he will work with Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature to raise the minimum legal age to buy guns in the state to 21, from 18, with some exceptions. Investigators said the assault was carried out by Nikolas Cruz, a 19-year-old former student at the high school, who legally purchased a semiautomatic AR-15 assault weapon nearly a year ago. Police charged Cruz, who had been kicked out of the school due to disciplinary problems, with 17 counts of premeditated murder. The shooting has rattled long-drawn political lines on gun rights in the United States, where Republican officials have often backed any efforts to tighten gun ownership rules, often out of concern about potential retribution by the powerful National Rifle Association. Trump has said he plans to limit sales of “bump stocks,” an accessory that can modify a legally purchased semiautomatic rifle to fire at high rates of speed akin to a machine gun. Fully automatic machine guns are largely banned under US law. The NRA has pushed back against that idea, saying that new restrictions on firearms would impinge on the rights of law-abiding gun owners while having no effect on public safety. Last October, a retired real estate investor and high-stakes gambler used multiple assault rifles equipped with bump stocks to kill 58 people at a Las Vegas outdoor concert, the deadliest attack by a single gunman in US history. Bump stocks have not played a prominent role in other recent US mass shootings. US Congressman Steve Scalise, the No. 3 Republican leader in the US House of Representatives who was badly wounding in a shooting last summer, questioned the logic of restricting gun purchases after the attack. Instead, he said his focus was on failures by law enforcement, following reports that the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local police had received multiple warnings about the alleged shooter. “All these breakdowns in government show you why so many people, millions of people across the country, want to have the right to defend themselves,” Scalise told Fox News on Monday. “Passing laws that take away rights of law-abiding gun owners, that is something that concerns a lot of us.”

Trump calls for closer attention to warnings after Florida massacre WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday said authorities need to do a better job of handling warnings about violent people of the sort that were missed ahead of this month’s shooting at a Florida high school that killed 17 people. Trump’s comments came as he met with governors at the White House, where Florida Governor Rick Scott said state officials need to take additional steps to improve school security, including adding mental health counselors in all schools. The Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, the second-deadliest shooting at a US public school, stirred the nation’s long-running debate on gun rights, which are protected by the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. Trump, a Republican who backed gun rights during and since his 2016 presidential campaign, last week suggested that arming teachers could help stop more rampages. Washington Governor Jay Inslee, a Democrat, told Trump that teachers in his state do nor want to carry weapons. Scott, also a Republican, has said he will work with Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature to raise the minimum legal age to buy guns in the state to 21, from 18, with some exceptions. Investigators said the assault was carried out by Nikolas Cruz, a 19-year-old former student at the high school, who legally purchased a semiautomatic AR-15 assault weapon nearly a year ago. Police charged Cruz, who had been kicked out of the school due to disciplinary problems, with 17 counts of premeditated murder. The shooting has rattled long-drawn political lines on gun rights in the United States, where Republican officials have often backed any efforts to tighten gun ownership rules, often out of concern about potential retribution by the powerful National Rifle Association. Trump has said he plans to limit sales of “bump stocks,” an accessory that can modify a legally purchased semiautomatic rifle to fire at high rates of speed akin to a machine gun. Fully automatic machine guns are largely banned under US law. The NRA has pushed back against that idea, saying that new restrictions on firearms would impinge on the rights of law-abiding gun owners while having no effect on public safety. Last October, a retired real estate investor and high-stakes gambler used multiple assault rifles equipped with bump stocks to kill 58 people at a Las Vegas outdoor concert, the deadliest attack by a single gunman in US history. Bump stocks have not played a prominent role in other recent US mass shootings. US Congressman Steve Scalise, the No. 3 Republican leader in the US House of Representatives who was badly wounding in a shooting last summer, questioned the logic of restricting gun purchases after the attack. Instead, he said his focus was on failures by law enforcement, following reports that the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local police had received multiple warnings about the alleged shooter. “All these breakdowns in government show you why so many people, millions of people across the country, want to have the right to defend themselves,” Scalise told Fox News on Monday. “Passing laws that take away rights of law-abiding gun owners, that is something that concerns a lot of us.”

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Russia calls daily truce in battered Syria enclave Syrians walk past destroyed buildings in Arbin in the militant-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta. -AFP DOUMA: Russia called a daily "humanitarian pause" in Syria's Eastern Ghouta, bowing to international pressure to halt the carnage in the militant-held enclave where fresh strikes claimed more civilian lives on Monday. A UN Security Council resolution for a 30-day truce had remained a dead letter since it was passed on Saturday, and Moscow, the Syrian regime's main backer, ended up setting its own terms to stem one of the worst episodes of bloodletting in Syria's seven-year-old conflict. The United Nations, France and Germany had made pressing appeals for Russian President Vladimir Putin to demand its Damascus ally enforce a ceasefire, including in Eastern Ghouta. He eventually agreed to a five-hour daily window that would allow residents of the battered enclave east of the capital to come out of the underground shelters they have been cowering in. "On the instructions of the Russian president, with the goal of avoiding civilian casualties in Eastern Ghouta, from February 27 - tomorrow - from 9:00 to 14:00 there will be a humanitarian pause," Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said. According to a statement sent to AFP, he said there should be similar pauses in the southern Al-Tanf border region and Rukban, near the Jordanian border. Shoigu said "humanitarian corridors" would be opened to allow civilians to leave, adding that their locations would soon be divulged. UN chief Antonio Guterres had expressed frustration with the lack of results the resolution yielded and stressed Monday in Geneva: "Eastern Ghouta cannot wait. It is high time to stop this hell on earth." The intensity of the bombardment on Eastern Ghouta had eased somewhat over the weekend but deadly strikes and shelling never stopped. Trapped in rubble An AFP correspondent in Douma said the bombardment had been very heavy overnight and impeded rescuers in their work. The regime intensified its air campaign against Eastern Ghouta, which has been outside government control since 2012, at the beginning of the month. On February 18, the Syrian government further turned up the heat on the territory controlled by terrorist groups. The UN said in a statement Monday that a staggering 76 percent of private housing in Eastern Ghouta was damaged. Much of the nearly 400,000-strong population of Eastern Ghouta has moved underground, with families pitching tents in basements and venturing out only to assess damage to their property and buy food. Russia dismissed reports of a chemical attack as "bogus stories". The regime has reinforced its deployment around the enclave over the past month, raising fears of a ground offensive that aid groups have warned could cause even worse suffering. Other flashpoints With Daesh's once-sprawling "caliphate" now wiped off the map, the regime has looked bent on completing its reconquest and Eastern Ghouta is a key target. The militants only control an estimated three percent of Syria territory, small pockets which various anti-Daesh forces continue to flush out. The Observatory reported that at least 25 civilians were killed in a wave of air strikes on holdout Daesh fighters in eastern Syria on Sunday. It said the strikes were carried out by the US-led coalition but a US military spokesman said "there were no reported coalition strikes conducted in Syria" that day. Another flashpoint in Syria has been the northern region of Afrin, where Kurdish forces have come under attack from neighbouring Turkey since January 20. Turkey has warned it did not consider that the UN ceasefire resolution, which is not limited to Eastern Ghouta but whose wording excludes operations against terror groups, should affect its offensive on Afrin. Macron on Monday called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who considers the Syrian Kurdish militia to be "terrorist", to stress the truce should apply there too.

Russia calls daily truce in battered Syria enclave Syrians walk past destroyed buildings in Arbin in the militant-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta. -AFP DOUMA: Russia called a daily "humanitarian pause" in Syria's Eastern Ghouta, bowing to international pressure to halt the carnage in the militant-held enclave where fresh strikes claimed more civilian lives on Monday. A UN Security Council resolution for a 30-day truce had remained a dead letter since it was passed on Saturday, and Moscow, the Syrian regime's main backer, ended up setting its own terms to stem one of the worst episodes of bloodletting in Syria's seven-year-old conflict. The United Nations, France and Germany had made pressing appeals for Russian President Vladimir Putin to demand its Damascus ally enforce a ceasefire, including in Eastern Ghouta. He eventually agreed to a five-hour daily window that would allow residents of the battered enclave east of the capital to come out of the underground shelters they have been cowering in. "On the instructions of the Russian president, with the goal of avoiding civilian casualties in Eastern Ghouta, from February 27 - tomorrow - from 9:00 to 14:00 there will be a humanitarian pause," Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said. According to a statement sent to AFP, he said there should be similar pauses in the southern Al-Tanf border region and Rukban, near the Jordanian border. Shoigu said "humanitarian corridors" would be opened to allow civilians to leave, adding that their locations would soon be divulged. UN chief Antonio Guterres had expressed frustration with the lack of results the resolution yielded and stressed Monday in Geneva: "Eastern Ghouta cannot wait. It is high time to stop this hell on earth." The intensity of the bombardment on Eastern Ghouta had eased somewhat over the weekend but deadly strikes and shelling never stopped. Trapped in rubble An AFP correspondent in Douma said the bombardment had been very heavy overnight and impeded rescuers in their work. The regime intensified its air campaign against Eastern Ghouta, which has been outside government control since 2012, at the beginning of the month. On February 18, the Syrian government further turned up the heat on the territory controlled by terrorist groups. The UN said in a statement Monday that a staggering 76 percent of private housing in Eastern Ghouta was damaged. Much of the nearly 400,000-strong population of Eastern Ghouta has moved underground, with families pitching tents in basements and venturing out only to assess damage to their property and buy food. Russia dismissed reports of a chemical attack as "bogus stories". The regime has reinforced its deployment around the enclave over the past month, raising fears of a ground offensive that aid groups have warned could cause even worse suffering. Other flashpoints With Daesh's once-sprawling "caliphate" now wiped off the map, the regime has looked bent on completing its reconquest and Eastern Ghouta is a key target. The militants only control an estimated three percent of Syria territory, small pockets which various anti-Daesh forces continue to flush out. The Observatory reported that at least 25 civilians were killed in a wave of air strikes on holdout Daesh fighters in eastern Syria on Sunday. It said the strikes were carried out by the US-led coalition but a US military spokesman said "there were no reported coalition strikes conducted in Syria" that day. Another flashpoint in Syria has been the northern region of Afrin, where Kurdish forces have come under attack from neighbouring Turkey since January 20. Turkey has warned it did not consider that the UN ceasefire resolution, which is not limited to Eastern Ghouta but whose wording excludes operations against terror groups, should affect its offensive on Afrin. Macron on Monday called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who considers the Syrian Kurdish militia to be "terrorist", to stress the truce should apply there too.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Bollywood actors Sridevi worked with

Bollywood actors Sridevi worked with

from Latest Entertainment News, Movies News, Celebrity News, Breaking News | Entertainment - Times of India http://ift.tt/2t1CVF3

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Sridevi was like a bird in a cage: RGV

Sridevi was like a bird in a cage: RGV

What was with Sridevi’s life? Director Ram Gopal Varma who worked with her in two films and knew her well said she was always in problems an...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

'Boney Kapoor was crying like a baby'

'Boney Kapoor was crying like a baby'

Even as the country is still coming to terms with the untimely demise of Sridevi, there are speculations surrounding her sudden death in Dub...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Video: Taimur watching Saif playing cricket

Video: Taimur watching Saif playing cricket

Taimur, who is currently in Rajasthan with his parents Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan, was quite the star attraction in town when he ...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Watch: Sridevi grooving to ‘Chittiyan Kalaiyan’

Watch: Sridevi grooving to ‘Chittiyan Kalaiyan’

The unexpected passing of legendary actress Sridevi is yet to sink into the hearts of her grieving family, friends and fans. The diva who wa...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Sridevi's demise: How things unfolded

Sridevi's demise: How things unfolded

from Latest Entertainment News, Movies News, Celebrity News, Breaking News | Entertainment - Times of India http://ift.tt/2BQHdBI

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Watch: Zayn Malik’s cover of ‘Teri Deewani’

Watch: Zayn Malik’s cover of ‘Teri Deewani’

Recently, the former 'One Direction' singer took to Instagram to share a video of his cover of Kailash Kher’s ‘Teri Deewani’. In the...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

SRK-Gauri Khan arrive at Anil Kapoor’s house

SRK-Gauri Khan arrive at Anil Kapoor’s house

Last night, Shah Rukh Khan and wife Gauri Khan were snapped as they arrived at the Kapoors’ residence. from Latest Entertainment News, Mov...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Shahid spotted at airport with his family

Shahid spotted at airport with his family

from Latest Entertainment News, Movies News, Celebrity News, Breaking News | Entertainment - Times of India http://ift.tt/2GPC0JL

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Insane New House Shark Trailer Brings Jaws Indoors

Insane New House Shark Trailer Brings Jaws Indoors

The second trailer for House Shark will keep you off the toilet for the foreseeable future. from Movie Trailers http://ift.tt/2GMkJRI

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Live-Action Dora the Explorer Movie Gets Summer 2019 Release Date

Live-Action Dora the Explorer Movie Gets Summer 2019 Release Date

Paramount has set a late summer 2019 release date for their live-action Dora the Explorer movie, which will be directed by James Bobin. fr...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Joaquin Phoenix Dodges Joker Question, Thinks Movie Sounds Amazing

Joaquin Phoenix Dodges Joker Question, Thinks Movie Sounds Amazing

Joaquin Phoenix claims to know nothing about Martin Scorsese's Joker origin movie, but sounds interested. from Movie News http://ift.t...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Gemma Chan Is Kree Scientist Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel

Gemma Chan Is Kree Scientist Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel

Humans star Gemma Chan will play Kree scientist and spy Minn-Erva in Marvel's highly-anticipated Captain Marvel. from Movie News http:...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Solo Movie Timeline Takes Place During the Empire's Best Days

Solo Movie Timeline Takes Place During the Empire's Best Days

Solo's place in the official Star Wars timeline has been revealed thanks to some spin-off books. from Movie News http://ift.tt/2F8rcsQ

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Black Panther Success Has Theater Owners Demanding More Diversity

Black Panther Success Has Theater Owners Demanding More Diversity

Head of the National Association of Theater Owners, says Black Panther and Wonder Woman should lead to more diverse superheroes on the big s...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Nightwing Movie May Get Delayed for 5 Years or More

Nightwing Movie May Get Delayed for 5 Years or More

Chris McKay recently came aboard to direct Dungeons and Dragons for Paramount, slated for a 2021 release, although he still has no plans to ...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

What's Happening with The Last of Us and Uncharted Movies?

What's Happening with The Last of Us and Uncharted Movies?

Naughty Dog creative director Neil Druckmann offers an update on the status of the Uncharted and The Last of Us movie adaptations. from Mo...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Insane New House Shark Trailer Brings Jaws Indoors

Insane New House Shark Trailer Brings Jaws Indoors

The second trailer for House Shark will keep you off the toilet for the foreseeable future. from Movie News http://ift.tt/2GMkJRI

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Wonder Woman 2 Villain Is Cheetah?

Wonder Woman 2 Villain Is Cheetah?

A new report claims that Diana Prince will be going up against DC villain Cheetah in Wonder Woman 2. from Movie News http://ift.tt/2FA0Def

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Last Jedi Book Unravels the Truth Behind Snoke's Past

Last Jedi Book Unravels the Truth Behind Snoke's Past

Details about Snoke's backstory and the beginnings of the First Order are revealed in The Last Jedi book adaptation. from Movie News h...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Wreck-It Ralph 2 Motion Poster Reveals Who Really Broke the Internet

Wreck-It Ralph 2 Motion Poster Reveals Who Really Broke the Internet

Disney shares a new official poster and motion poster for the long awaited sequel Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It-Ralph 2. from Movie ...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Ready Player One Sneak Peek Seeks New Leaderboard Recruits

Ready Player One Sneak Peek Seeks New Leaderboard Recruits

Warner Bros. is taking Ready Player One fans on an Easter Egg hunt of their own in a new contest. from Movie News http://ift.tt/2HK11Y1

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Weinstein Company Is Filing for Bankruptcy After Sale Falls Through

Weinstein Company Is Filing for Bankruptcy After Sale Falls Through

The impending sale of The Weinstein Company to investors Maria Contreras-Sweet, Ronald Burkle and Lantern Asset Management has failed. fro...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Black Panther Success Leads to New STEM Center in Oakland, California

Black Panther Success Leads to New STEM Center in Oakland, California

Disney pledges $1 million to the Boys and Girls Club of America to open a STEM center in Oakland, California thanks to the success of Black ...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Zack Snyder Confirms Man of Steel & Justice League Superman Theory

Zack Snyder Confirms Man of Steel & Justice League Superman Theory

Director Zack Snyder chimes in on a fan theory that connects Man of Steel to Justice League through a deleted Superman scene. from Movie N...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Mark Hamill to Meet Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Director for Role

Mark Hamill to Meet Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Director for Role

Mark Hamill and James Gunn spoke about a possible Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 role on social media over the weekend. from Movie News ht...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

How Last Jedi Sets Up Leia's Death in Star Wars 9?

How Last Jedi Sets Up Leia's Death in Star Wars 9?

One of The Last Jedi's most controversial scenes has set the stage for General Leia's untimely demise in Star Wars 9 according to a ...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Gemma Chan Is Kree Scientist Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel

Gemma Chan Is Kree Scientist Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel

Humans star Gemma Chan will play Kree scientist and spy Minn-Erva in Marvel's highly-anticipated Captain Marvel. from Casting News htt...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

FIA presents Shoaib Shaikh before court in money laundering case Axact CEO Shoaib Shaikh pictured as officials of the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) transport him to the district court for the hearing of a money laundering case against him here on February 27, 2018. Photo: Geo News KARACHI: Axact CEO Shoaib Shaikh reached the district court south for the hearing of a money laundering case on Tuesday. Shaikh was arrested on Monday evening after the Sindh High Court (SHC) rejected his protective bail application, which was submitted after the court approved the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) appeal against the acquittal of those accused in the Axact money laundering case. The Axact CEO's legal counsel had requested the court to grant a three-day protective bail. Hearing of Axact fake-degrees case adjourned The court had earlier heard the case regarding the issuance of fake degrees and diplomas by the company. Additional district and sessions judge south ordered the FIA to submit details of the appointment of a lawyer for the case. FIA arrests Axact CEO Shoaib Shaikh in money-laundering case Personnel of the FIA, police and Rangers were instructed to arrest the Axact CEO after the SHC approved FIA's appeal The judge, irked by the media coverage, ordered police officials to remove all journalists from the courtroom. The court then adjourned the case's hearing till March 3. Session court ordered to charge accused The sessions court on Monday was ordered to charge the accused persons and wrap up the case within three months. The court had ordered Shaikh and others accused in the case to appear before the trial court on March 3. The cases The Axact scandal surfaced in May 2015, when The New York Times published a report had claimed the company sold fake diplomas and degrees online through hundreds of fictitious schools, making “tens of millions of dollars annually”. The FIA had then filed a plea against the acquittal of Shaikh in 2016 in a money laundering case, arguing that he was exonerated from the charges by the trial court despite strong evidence that proved his involvement in money laundering. The accused in the money laundering case include, Chanda Exchange Company's Mohammad Younis and Junaid, who allegedly received 170 million rupees through 116 cheques.

FIA presents Shoaib Shaikh before court in money laundering case Axact CEO Shoaib Shaikh pictured as officials of the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) transport him to the district court for the hearing of a money laundering case against him here on February 27, 2018. Photo: Geo News KARACHI: Axact CEO Shoaib Shaikh reached the district court south for the hearing of a money laundering case on Tuesday. Shaikh was arrested on Monday evening after the Sindh High Court (SHC) rejected his protective bail application, which was submitted after the court approved the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) appeal against the acquittal of those accused in the Axact money laundering case. The Axact CEO's legal counsel had requested the court to grant a three-day protective bail.  Hearing of Axact fake-degrees case adjourned The court had earlier heard the case regarding the issuance of fake degrees and diplomas by the company.  Additional district and sessions judge south ordered the FIA to submit details of the appointment of a lawyer for the case.  FIA arrests Axact CEO Shoaib Shaikh in money-laundering case Personnel of the FIA, police and Rangers were instructed to arrest the Axact CEO after the SHC approved FIA's appeal The judge, irked by the media coverage, ordered police officials to remove all journalists from the courtroom.  The court then adjourned the case's hearing till March 3.   Session court ordered to charge accused The sessions court on Monday was ordered to charge the accused persons and wrap up the case within three months. The court had ordered Shaikh and others accused in the case to appear before the trial court on March 3. The cases The Axact scandal surfaced in May 2015, when The New York Times published a report had claimed the company sold fake diplomas and degrees online through hundreds of fictitious schools, making “tens of millions of dollars annually”. The FIA had then filed a plea against the acquittal of Shaikh in 2016 in a money laundering case, arguing that he was exonerated from the charges by the trial court despite strong evidence that proved his involvement in money laundering. The accused in the money laundering case include, Chanda Exchange Company's Mohammad Younis and Junaid, who allegedly received 170 million rupees through 116 cheques. 

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Sindh governor meets Punjab counterpart in Lahore Punjab Governor Rafique Rajwana (left) with Sindh Governor Mohammad Zubair (centre) and PML-N leader Sardar Mehtab Abbasi (right). LAHORE: The governors of Punjab and Sindh met Tuesday to discuss the political situation of the country. Sindh Governor Mohammad Zubair met his Punjab counterpart, Rafique Rajwana, in Lahore. Senior leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, including Sarfar Mehtab Abbasi, were also present at the meeting.

Sindh governor meets Punjab counterpart in Lahore Punjab Governor Rafique Rajwana (left) with Sindh Governor Mohammad Zubair (centre) and PML-N leader Sardar Mehtab Abbasi (right).  LAHORE: The governors of Punjab and Sindh met Tuesday to discuss the political situation of the country. Sindh Governor Mohammad Zubair met his Punjab counterpart, Rafique Rajwana, in Lahore. Senior leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, including Sarfar Mehtab Abbasi, were also present at the meeting. 

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

MQM-P convenership petition in ECP: Response from Sattar summoned [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2ERDeHQ style=center] ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday summoned a response from Farooq Sattar in Muttahida Qaumi Movement - Pakistan's (MQM-P) convenership petition. The infighting between party members over nominations for the upcoming Senate elections has resulted in the emergence of splinter groups, led by Dr Farooq Sattar and the Rabita Committee respectively. Sattar's response is to be submitted on the next hearing, scheduled on March 1. His lawyer, Babbar Sattar told the media, that two requests were filed against his client. "The ECP has given us limited time to file the response," Sattar said, adding that he will give a detailed response on the next hearing. 'Can solve matter through ECP or directly' Speaking to the media outside the ECP, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that the party's Bahadurabad faction was open to negotiations. "This is a discussion on a few issues between brothers," he said. "We can solve this matter both, through the ECP and directly." Siddiqui further said that the ECP's decision would be final and acceptable by all parties to the petition. According to recent developments, the Bahadurabad group had refused the PIB faction's suggestion to dissolve the Rabita Committee. The former had, in turn, suggested the party's PIB group to constitute a parliamentary board. Barrister Farogh Naseem, of the Bahadurabad faction, also reiterated that Sattar is like a brother to the members of the splinter group. Discussing the case's proceedings, he said that Sattar was issued a notice 10 days ago but his lawyer tried to get an extension today. 'Sattar instructed to save party from split' Kamran Tessori, in a media address outside the ECP premises, said that Sattar had issued instructions to save the party from a possible split. "The other side also wants Farqoo Sattar to be appointed as the party's convener," Tessori told the journalists.

MQM-P convenership petition in ECP: Response from Sattar summoned [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2ERDeHQ style=center] ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday summoned a response from Farooq Sattar in Muttahida Qaumi Movement - Pakistan's (MQM-P) convenership petition.  The infighting between party members over nominations for the upcoming Senate elections has resulted in the emergence of splinter groups, led by Dr Farooq Sattar and the Rabita Committee respectively.  Sattar's response is to be submitted on the next hearing, scheduled on March 1. His lawyer, Babbar Sattar told the media, that two requests were filed against his client. "The ECP has given us limited time to file the response," Sattar said, adding that he will give a detailed response on the next hearing.   'Can solve matter through ECP or directly' Speaking to the media outside the ECP, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that the party's Bahadurabad faction was open to negotiations.  "This is a discussion on a few issues between brothers," he said. "We can solve this matter both, through the ECP and directly." Siddiqui further said that the ECP's decision would be final and acceptable by all parties to the petition.  According to recent developments, the Bahadurabad group had refused the PIB faction's suggestion to dissolve the Rabita Committee. The former had, in turn, suggested the party's PIB group to constitute a parliamentary board.  Barrister Farogh Naseem, of the Bahadurabad faction, also reiterated that Sattar is like a brother to the members of the splinter group.  Discussing the case's proceedings, he said that Sattar was issued a notice 10 days ago but his lawyer tried to get an extension today.  'Sattar instructed to save party from split' Kamran Tessori, in a media address outside the ECP premises, said that Sattar had issued instructions to save the party from a possible split.  "The other side also wants Farqoo Sattar to be appointed as the party's convener," Tessori told the journalists.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Multan Metro case: Punjab govt says Faisal Subhan created fake company Spokesperson of the Punjab Government Malik Ahmed Khan. Photo: Geo News file LAHORE: Spokesperson of the Punjab government on Tuesday expressed doubt on the character of Faisal Subhan — CEO of Capital Engineering which was probed for corruption allegations in the Multan Metro Bus project. "Subhan created a fake company by colluding with a man named Aijaz," Malik Ahmed Khan said on Geo News' programme Geo Pakistan. "His character is suspicious." Counterfeit letters from Chief Minister of Punjab Shehbaz Sharif and Mushahid Hussain Syed used to create the company. "China's regulatory authority probing into the matter discovered that such a company doesn't exist," Khan said. The PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Monday had said that Subhan confessed to the Chinese regulatory authority investigating corruption charges in the project that Shehbaz and his family received hefty kickbacks in their overseas accounts. Nawaz, Shehbaz busy filling their pockets, says Imran "Shehbaz Sharif has spent nine trillion rupees through his chosen bureaucrats like Ahad Cheema," Imran had said. "The real issue of Pakistan, today is, that will this mafia continue to loot the public's money that should be spent on clean drinking water projects, health, and education?" The case The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) had blacklisted Jiangsu Yabaite Technology Co Ltd forever and awarded the maximum penalties to the company and its owner in December last year. The Chinese company’s fraud was highlighted when the Pakistani media reported that Shehbaz was allegedly involved in money laundering and sent a huge amount of kickback money to China through Yabaite. The Punjab CM had not only strongly rebutted the media reports but also sent legal notices to the media organisations that were involved in the alleged misreporting. The case was then referred to the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan. The National Accountability Bureau's Multan extension had also started a probe into the alleged money laundering in the Multan Metro Bus project.

Multan Metro case: Punjab govt says Faisal Subhan created fake company Spokesperson of the Punjab Government Malik Ahmed Khan. Photo: Geo News file LAHORE: Spokesperson of the Punjab government on Tuesday expressed doubt on the character of Faisal Subhan — CEO of Capital Engineering which was probed for corruption allegations in the Multan Metro Bus project. "Subhan created a fake company by colluding with a man named Aijaz," Malik Ahmed Khan said on Geo News' programme Geo Pakistan. "His character is suspicious."  Counterfeit letters from Chief Minister of Punjab Shehbaz Sharif and Mushahid Hussain Syed used to create the company. "China's regulatory authority probing into the matter discovered that such a company doesn't exist," Khan said.   The PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Monday had said that Subhan confessed to the Chinese regulatory authority investigating corruption charges in the project that Shehbaz and his family received hefty kickbacks in their overseas accounts. Nawaz, Shehbaz busy filling their pockets, says Imran "Shehbaz Sharif has spent nine trillion rupees through his chosen bureaucrats like Ahad Cheema," Imran had said. "The real issue of Pakistan, today is, that will this mafia continue to loot the public's money that should be spent on clean drinking water projects, health, and education?" The case The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) had blacklisted Jiangsu Yabaite Technology Co Ltd forever and awarded the maximum penalties to the company and its owner in December last year.  The Chinese company’s fraud was highlighted when the Pakistani media reported that Shehbaz was allegedly involved in money laundering and sent a huge amount of kickback money to China through Yabaite.  The Punjab CM had not only strongly rebutted the media reports but also sent legal notices to the media organisations that were involved in the alleged misreporting.  The case was then referred to the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan.  The National Accountability Bureau's Multan extension had also started a probe into the alleged money laundering in the Multan Metro Bus project.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

PPP’s Kaira hails decision of Shehbaz being made PML-N president [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2sU6W9u style=center] LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples Party Punjab President Qamar Zaman Kaira has hailed the decision of making Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif the president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. While speaking to the media, Kaira said Shehbaz was on good terms with the bureaucracy but had been disrespectful towards PPP. The PPP leader also said that it was easier to talk to PML-N former chief Nawaz Sharif than to Shehbaz. Kaira’s statement has come at a time when reports have surfaced of Shehbaz being made the president of PML-N, following the disqualification of Nawaz as the party head. Nawaz was removed from his position in PML-N after Supreme Court announced its verdict on petitions challenging the Elections Act, 2017 ruling that a person disqualified under Article 62 and 63 cannot serve as the head of a political party. The verdict also ruled that “all steps taken, orders passed, directions given and documents issued, by Nawaz after the July 28 verdict will be deemed to be nullified. As a consequence, Senate tickets distributed by Nawaz also stand null and void, further casting doubt whether Senate elections will be held on March 3. Elections Act 2017 was pushed through the upper and lower houses of the parliament earlier and had paved the way for Nawaz to resume his position as party president after being disqualified in the Panama Papers case.

PPP’s Kaira hails decision of Shehbaz being made PML-N president [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2sU6W9u style=center] LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples Party Punjab President Qamar Zaman Kaira has hailed the decision of making Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif the president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. While speaking to the media, Kaira said Shehbaz was on good terms with the bureaucracy but had been disrespectful towards PPP. The PPP leader also said that it was easier to talk to PML-N former chief Nawaz Sharif than to Shehbaz. Kaira’s statement has come at a time when reports have surfaced of Shehbaz being made the president of PML-N, following the disqualification of Nawaz as the party head. Nawaz was removed from his position in PML-N after Supreme Court announced its verdict on petitions challenging the Elections Act, 2017 ruling that a person disqualified under Article 62 and 63 cannot serve as the head of a political party. The verdict also ruled that “all steps taken, orders passed, directions given and documents issued, by Nawaz after the July 28 verdict will be deemed to be nullified. As a consequence, Senate tickets distributed by Nawaz also stand null and void, further casting doubt whether Senate elections will be held on March 3. Elections Act 2017 was pushed through the upper and lower houses of the parliament earlier and had paved the way for Nawaz to resume his position as party president after being disqualified in the Panama Papers case. 

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

PML-N all set for power show in Patoki today [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2Cs7qrw style=center] PATOKI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is all set to hold a public meeting in Patoki today. The Chief Minister of Punjab Shehbaz Sharif along with other prominent leaders is expected to address the rally. Shehbaz likely to be elected interim party president After Nawaz Sharif's disqualification as party head, the ruling party is likely to elect Shehbaz as its interim president at a meeting of the central working committee (CWC) in Lahore later today. The Punjab chief executive would likely be elected as the permanent party president through the party's general council within 45 days. The party leadership earlier agreed that apart from the senior vice-president of the party, the CWC can also elect another office-bearer as the interim president. The meeting is likely to adopt a resolution reposing its confidence in Nawaz Sharif.

PML-N all set for power show in Patoki today [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2Cs7qrw style=center] PATOKI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is all set to hold a public meeting in Patoki today. The Chief Minister of Punjab Shehbaz Sharif along with other prominent leaders is expected to address the rally. Shehbaz likely to be elected interim party president  After Nawaz Sharif's disqualification as party head, the ruling party is likely to elect Shehbaz as its interim president at a meeting of the central working committee (CWC) in Lahore later today. The Punjab chief executive would likely be elected as the permanent party president through the party's general council within 45 days. The party leadership earlier agreed that apart from the senior vice-president of the party, the CWC can also elect another office-bearer as the interim president. The meeting is likely to adopt a resolution reposing its confidence in Nawaz Sharif.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Anyone dumping garbage in public spaces will be prosecuted : Sindh govt Photo: File KARACHI: The Sindh government will proceed against those littering the city's public places, bazaars and roads. A notification issued by the Sindh home department on Monday states, anyone found dumping garbage on public property will be prosecuted. While the department's attempts to clear trash piles from Karachi and Hyderabad have not been as successful as anticipated, especially considering the political spats and rising costs, it has, however, banned littering in places that are not designated garbage dumps. Further, the notification added that action will also be taken against anyone who resorts to burning rubbish piles in the city's public places, bazaars or roads. The dumping of trash in open areas does not only pollute the environment but also affect the health of those living there, stated the notification. The water commission appointed on the orders of Supreme Court had taken notice of industrial, medical and domestic waste being dumped in open areas. During a hearing held earlier in February, Justice (retd) Amir Hani Muslim, who was heading the commission, observed that there was no improvement in the state of sanitation in Karachi. While talking about his recent visit around the city, he mentioned of seeing garbage dumped unattended on various spots of the metropolis. Justice (retd) Amir Hani also spoke about the cleanliness of public hospitals, telling the provincial health secretary that a very sorry state of hygiene was observed during his recent inspection of the facilities in Karachi. He said public hospitals were not disposing of medical waste as per rules, therefore, it could be seen dumped in streets close to the hospitals, one of them being Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital in the city. Health Secretary Fazlullah Pechuho admitted to the facts and said his department would make efforts to improve the condition.

Anyone dumping garbage in public spaces will be prosecuted : Sindh govt Photo: File KARACHI: The Sindh government will proceed against those littering the city's public places, bazaars and roads. A notification issued by the Sindh home department on Monday states, anyone found dumping garbage on public property will be prosecuted.  While the department's attempts to clear trash piles from Karachi and Hyderabad have not been as successful as anticipated, especially considering the political spats and rising costs, it has, however, banned littering in places that are not designated garbage dumps. Further, the notification added that action will also be taken against anyone who resorts to burning rubbish piles in the city's public places, bazaars or roads. The dumping of trash in open areas does not only pollute the environment but also affect the health of those living there, stated the notification. The water commission appointed on the orders of Supreme Court had taken notice of industrial, medical and domestic waste being dumped in open areas. During a hearing held earlier in February, Justice (retd) Amir Hani Muslim, who was heading the commission, observed that there was no improvement in the state of sanitation in Karachi. While talking about his recent visit around the city, he mentioned of seeing garbage dumped unattended on various spots of the metropolis. Justice (retd) Amir Hani also spoke about the cleanliness of public hospitals, telling the provincial health secretary that a very sorry state of hygiene was observed during his recent inspection of the facilities in Karachi. He said public hospitals were not disposing of medical waste as per rules, therefore, it could be seen dumped in streets close to the hospitals, one of them being Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital in the city. Health Secretary Fazlullah Pechuho admitted to the facts and said his department would make efforts to improve the condition. 

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

China pushes back against criticism of plan for Xi to stay in power A woman picks a souvenir necklace with a portrait of Chinese President Xi Jinping from a selection that also includes necklaces featuring late Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong at a stall in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas Peter BEIJING: China’s plan for President Xi Jinping to remain in office indefinitely has sparked social media opposition, drawing comparisons to North Korea’s ruling dynasty and prompting a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist to accuse it of creating a dictator. The social media reaction late on Sunday quickly saw China swing into a concerted propaganda push by Monday, blocking some articles and publishing pieces praising the party. In Washington, the White House said it was up to China to decide whether to do away with presidential term limits. The ruling Communist Party on Sunday proposed to remove a constitutional clause limiting presidential service to just two terms in office, meaning Xi, who also heads the party and the military, might never have to retire. The proposal, which will be passed by delegates loyal to the party at next month’s annual meeting of China’s largely rubber-stamp parliament, is part of a package of amendments to the country’s constitution. It will also add Xi’s political thought to the constitution, already added to the party constitution last year, and set a legal framework for a super anti-corruption super body, as well as more broadly strengthen the party’s tight grip on power. But it seems the party will have its work cut out trying to convince some in China, where Xi is popular thanks in part to his war on graft, that the move will not end up giving him too much power. “Argh, we’re going to become North Korea,” wrote one Weibo user, where the Kim dynasty has ruled since the late 1940s. Kim Il Sung founded North Korea in 1948 and his family has ruled it ever since. ”We’re following the example of our neighbour,’ wrote another user. The comments were removed late on Sunday after Weibo, China’s answer to Twitter, began blocking the search term “two-term limit”. In an unusual step amid intense international media attention, China’s foreign ministry, which normally only comments on diplomatic matters, said amending the constitution was a matter for the Chinese people. Since 1954, when the constitution was first adopted, everybody can see that it has been “continuously improved”, spokesman Lu Kang told a daily news briefing. “I hope everyone can acknowledge the voice of all the Chinese people.” White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told a regular briefing that President Donald Trump supported having term limits in the United States. But when it came to China, “that’s a decision for China to make about what’s best for their country,” she said. Earlier on Monday, Trump heaped praise on Xi for his help on North Korea. “I think that President Xi is unique,” Trump said, highlighting his relationship with the Chinese leader, but making no mention of the proposed changes. “China has really done more probably than they’ve ever done because of my relationship - we have a very good relationship,” Trump said. “We have a very good relationship. But President Xi is for China and I‘m for the United States.” Trump has had a complex relationship with China since taking office last year, repeatedly threatening tough action against Beijing over trade and putting the countering of China, as well as Russia, at the centre of a new defence strategy announced last month. At the same time, Trump has gone out of his way to praise Xi and stress the importance of their close relationship built up in one-on-one summit meetings. State media China’s widely read state-run newspaper, the Global Times, said in an editorial the change did not mean the country’s president will stay in office forever, though it did not offer much explanation. “Since reform and opening up, China, led by the Communist Party, has successfully resolved and will continue to effectively resolve the issue of party and national leadership replacement in a law-abiding and orderly manner,” it said, referring to landmark economic reforms that began four decades ago. The party’s official People’s Daily reprinted a long article by Xinhua news agency saying most people supported the constitutional amendments, quoting a variety of people proffering support. “The broad part of officials and the masses say that they hoped this constitutional reform is passed,” it wrote. The WeChat account of the People’s Daily, after initially posting a flurry of positive comments under its article, then disabled the comments section completely late on Sunday. It was back again by Monday, complete with remarks lauding the party. The overseas edition of the same paper’s WeChat account removed entirely an article focusing on the term limits, replacing it with the lengthy Xinhua report summing up all the amendment proposals. In one confusing moment for many Chinese, Xinhua initially only reported the news in English. Jokes have also circulated on social media. One shows a picture of a condom in its wrapper under the words “doing it twice is not enough”. Others shared pictures of Winnie the Pooh, an internet meme that plays on Xi’s supposed likeness to the rotund cartoon bear, an image censors have repeatedly tried to remove. Parts of the stock market took heart from the news. Chinese speculators pounced on stocks with “emperor” in their name on Monday. The decision has also unsettled some in the Chinese territory of Hong Kong, where authorities have been trying to rein in a pro-democracy movement. “This move, which would allow for a single individual to amass and accumulate political power, means that China would again have a dictator as her head of state - Xi Jinping,” said Joshua Wong, one of the movement’s leaders. China is likely to see any such criticism as a plot against the party. “Every time China deliberates on reforms and key decisions, effect on public opinion is worth pondering,” the Global Times wrote. “Misinformation and external forces’ meddling will affect public opinion in China.” Still, on China’s streets, there was some support for Xi staying on. “I think in our country, nowadays, many policies, such as deepening reforms, need more continuity,” said Beijing resident Zhao Yisu, 42. “Particularly in politics, I believe stable leadership is good.”

China pushes back against criticism of plan for Xi to stay in power A woman picks a souvenir necklace with a portrait of Chinese President Xi Jinping from a selection that also includes necklaces featuring late Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong at a stall in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas Peter BEIJING: China’s plan for President Xi Jinping to remain in office indefinitely has sparked social media opposition, drawing comparisons to North Korea’s ruling dynasty and prompting a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist to accuse it of creating a dictator. The social media reaction late on Sunday quickly saw China swing into a concerted propaganda push by Monday, blocking some articles and publishing pieces praising the party. In Washington, the White House said it was up to China to decide whether to do away with presidential term limits. The ruling Communist Party on Sunday proposed to remove a constitutional clause limiting presidential service to just two terms in office, meaning Xi, who also heads the party and the military, might never have to retire. The proposal, which will be passed by delegates loyal to the party at next month’s annual meeting of China’s largely rubber-stamp parliament, is part of a package of amendments to the country’s constitution. It will also add Xi’s political thought to the constitution, already added to the party constitution last year, and set a legal framework for a super anti-corruption super body, as well as more broadly strengthen the party’s tight grip on power. But it seems the party will have its work cut out trying to convince some in China, where Xi is popular thanks in part to his war on graft, that the move will not end up giving him too much power. “Argh, we’re going to become North Korea,” wrote one Weibo user, where the Kim dynasty has ruled since the late 1940s. Kim Il Sung founded North Korea in 1948 and his family has ruled it ever since. ”We’re following the example of our neighbour,’ wrote another user. The comments were removed late on Sunday after Weibo, China’s answer to Twitter, began blocking the search term “two-term limit”. In an unusual step amid intense international media attention, China’s foreign ministry, which normally only comments on diplomatic matters, said amending the constitution was a matter for the Chinese people. Since 1954, when the constitution was first adopted, everybody can see that it has been “continuously improved”, spokesman Lu Kang told a daily news briefing. “I hope everyone can acknowledge the voice of all the Chinese people.” White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told a regular briefing that President Donald Trump supported having term limits in the United States. But when it came to China, “that’s a decision for China to make about what’s best for their country,” she said. Earlier on Monday, Trump heaped praise on Xi for his help on North Korea. “I think that President Xi is unique,” Trump said, highlighting his relationship with the Chinese leader, but making no mention of the proposed changes. “China has really done more probably than they’ve ever done because of my relationship - we have a very good relationship,” Trump said. “We have a very good relationship. But President Xi is for China and I‘m for the United States.” Trump has had a complex relationship with China since taking office last year, repeatedly threatening tough action against Beijing over trade and putting the countering of China, as well as Russia, at the centre of a new defence strategy announced last month. At the same time, Trump has gone out of his way to praise Xi and stress the importance of their close relationship built up in one-on-one summit meetings. State media China’s widely read state-run newspaper, the Global Times, said in an editorial the change did not mean the country’s president will stay in office forever, though it did not offer much explanation. “Since reform and opening up, China, led by the Communist Party, has successfully resolved and will continue to effectively resolve the issue of party and national leadership replacement in a law-abiding and orderly manner,” it said, referring to landmark economic reforms that began four decades ago. The party’s official People’s Daily reprinted a long article by Xinhua news agency saying most people supported the constitutional amendments, quoting a variety of people proffering support. “The broad part of officials and the masses say that they hoped this constitutional reform is passed,” it wrote. The WeChat account of the People’s Daily, after initially posting a flurry of positive comments under its article, then disabled the comments section completely late on Sunday. It was back again by Monday, complete with remarks lauding the party. The overseas edition of the same paper’s WeChat account removed entirely an article focusing on the term limits, replacing it with the lengthy Xinhua report summing up all the amendment proposals. In one confusing moment for many Chinese, Xinhua initially only reported the news in English. Jokes have also circulated on social media. One shows a picture of a condom in its wrapper under the words “doing it twice is not enough”. Others shared pictures of Winnie the Pooh, an internet meme that plays on Xi’s supposed likeness to the rotund cartoon bear, an image censors have repeatedly tried to remove. Parts of the stock market took heart from the news. Chinese speculators pounced on stocks with “emperor” in their name on Monday. The decision has also unsettled some in the Chinese territory of Hong Kong, where authorities have been trying to rein in a pro-democracy movement. “This move, which would allow for a single individual to amass and accumulate political power, means that China would again have a dictator as her head of state - Xi Jinping,” said Joshua Wong, one of the movement’s leaders. China is likely to see any such criticism as a plot against the party. “Every time China deliberates on reforms and key decisions, effect on public opinion is worth pondering,” the Global Times wrote. “Misinformation and external forces’ meddling will affect public opinion in China.” Still, on China’s streets, there was some support for Xi staying on. “I think in our country, nowadays, many policies, such as deepening reforms, need more continuity,” said Beijing resident Zhao Yisu, 42. “Particularly in politics, I believe stable leadership is good.”

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

'Don't worry about the NRA,' Trump tells US governors US President Donald Trump arrives for the 2018 White House business session with state governors in the White House, Washington, US, February 26, 2018. AFP/Mandel Ngan WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday urged governors not to be afraid of the nation’s most powerful gun lobby as they seek to beef up school safety after last week’s deadly mass shooting in Parkland, Florida. Trump has embraced the National Rifle Association’s call to safeguard schools by arming teachers, but he also has voiced support for strengthening background checks for prospective gun buyers - a proposal the politically powerful NRA has traditionally resisted. “Don’t worry about the NRA. They’re on our side,” Trump told more than 35 governors, including Rick Scott of Florida, during a White House meeting. “If they’re not with you, we have to fight them every once in awhile. That’s OK. They’re doing what they think is right.” The long-simmering national debate between proponents of gun rights and advocates of firearms controls was reignited by the Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, an affluent suburb of Fort Lauderdale. The 14 students and three adult educators killed were shot with a semiautomatic AR-15-style assault weapon, which authorities say was purchased legally last year by the accused gunman, Nikolas Cruz, when he was 18 years old. Cruz, now 19, a former Stoneman Douglas student who authorities say had a history of run-ins with the law and was expelled from school for disciplinary problems, has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder. Trump, a Republican who backed gun rights during and since his 2016 presidential campaign, has been under pressure to show he is responding without alienating Republicans who oppose firearms restrictions. He plans to meet with lawmakers from both parties to discuss possible legislation on Wednesday, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters. Age limit for rifles Trump had last week said he wanted to raise the legal minimum age for buying an assault rifle to 21. But on Monday - a day after he had lunch with three senior NRA officials - he failed to mention the idea in the school safety plans he discussed with governors. The NRA has opposed higher minimum ages for purchasing guns. The White House said on Monday that Trump was still looking at details of such a measure. The NRA could not be reached for immediate comment. Trump did express support for bolstering the nation’s system of background checks for gun buyers to better keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally disturbed. That could be an uphill battle, particularly heading into congressional elections in November. Past bipartisan pushes to fix gaps in the background check system after other tragic mass shootings have floundered in the US Congress, and some Republican senators have already expressed concerns about renewed efforts. An attempt by Senate leadership on Monday to quickly consider a bill and bypass time-consuming procedural steps was blocked by Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah. Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana told reporters that he wants to ensure people flagged as ineligible to buy guns have the right to appeal. “We’re trying to work on language to say that if they’re going to send your name in, you’ve got to be notified first,” said Kennedy, noting people with common names could face problems. Arming teachers Trump told governors that he believes arming trained teachers is the most cost-effective way to protect students and deter would-be shooters. Washington Governor Jay Inslee, a Democrat, told Trump that teachers in his state do not want to carry weapons. “I have listened to the first-grade teachers who don’t want to be pistol-packing first-grade teachers,” Inslee said. But Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, said more than 100 school districts in his state have trained teachers and other staff to carry a weapon and respond to attacks. “Some school districts, they promote it,” Abbott said. “They will have signs out front, a warning sign, ‘Be aware there are armed personnel on campus.'” Florida plans to invest $500 million to have a significant law enforcement presence in every public school in the state, Scott told the governors meeting. Trump says would have run in Trump also lashed out at some of the law enforcement officers who were first to arrive at the school. “The way they performed was, frankly, disgusting,” Trump said of reports that some deputies hesitated to go after the gunman. He added that he believed that if he were in the same situation, he would have run into the school “even if I didn’t have a weapon.” An armed sheriff’s deputy who was assigned as the school resource officer resigned rather than face suspension. He was found to have stayed outside the building during the attack instead of going in to confront the gunman, according to Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel. Trump has called the deputy, Scot Peterson, a “coward.” An attorney for Peterson defended his actions in a statement, saying he had remained outside because he believed the gunfire was occurring outside the school. “Allegations that Mr. Peterson was a coward and that his performance, under the circumstances, failed to meet the standards of police officers are patently untrue,” attorney Joseph DiRuzzo said in a statement. Investigators are also looking into reports from the neighbouring Coral Springs Police Department that three other sheriff’s deputies who were outside the school during or just after the shooting failed to enter immediately. Moreover, Israel has acknowledged his investigators are examining whether his office mishandled two telephone tips in 2016 and 2017 that warned Cruz was collecting weapons and might be inclined to commit a school shooting. Israel, a Democrat first elected sheriff in 2012, has come under sharp criticism from 74 Republican state lawmakers calling for him to be removed or suspended from office.

'Don't worry about the NRA,' Trump tells US governors US President Donald Trump arrives for the 2018 White House business session with state governors in the White House, Washington, US, February 26, 2018. AFP/Mandel Ngan WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday urged governors not to be afraid of the nation’s most powerful gun lobby as they seek to beef up school safety after last week’s deadly mass shooting in Parkland, Florida. Trump has embraced the National Rifle Association’s call to safeguard schools by arming teachers, but he also has voiced support for strengthening background checks for prospective gun buyers - a proposal the politically powerful NRA has traditionally resisted. “Don’t worry about the NRA. They’re on our side,” Trump told more than 35 governors, including Rick Scott of Florida, during a White House meeting. “If they’re not with you, we have to fight them every once in awhile. That’s OK. They’re doing what they think is right.” The long-simmering national debate between proponents of gun rights and advocates of firearms controls was reignited by the Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, an affluent suburb of Fort Lauderdale. The 14 students and three adult educators killed were shot with a semiautomatic AR-15-style assault weapon, which authorities say was purchased legally last year by the accused gunman, Nikolas Cruz, when he was 18 years old. Cruz, now 19, a former Stoneman Douglas student who authorities say had a history of run-ins with the law and was expelled from school for disciplinary problems, has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder. Trump, a Republican who backed gun rights during and since his 2016 presidential campaign, has been under pressure to show he is responding without alienating Republicans who oppose firearms restrictions. He plans to meet with lawmakers from both parties to discuss possible legislation on Wednesday, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters. Age limit for rifles Trump had last week said he wanted to raise the legal minimum age for buying an assault rifle to 21. But on Monday - a day after he had lunch with three senior NRA officials - he failed to mention the idea in the school safety plans he discussed with governors. The NRA has opposed higher minimum ages for purchasing guns. The White House said on Monday that Trump was still looking at details of such a measure. The NRA could not be reached for immediate comment. Trump did express support for bolstering the nation’s system of background checks for gun buyers to better keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally disturbed. That could be an uphill battle, particularly heading into congressional elections in November. Past bipartisan pushes to fix gaps in the background check system after other tragic mass shootings have floundered in the US Congress, and some Republican senators have already expressed concerns about renewed efforts. An attempt by Senate leadership on Monday to quickly consider a bill and bypass time-consuming procedural steps was blocked by Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah. Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana told reporters that he wants to ensure people flagged as ineligible to buy guns have the right to appeal. “We’re trying to work on language to say that if they’re going to send your name in, you’ve got to be notified first,” said Kennedy, noting people with common names could face problems. Arming teachers Trump told governors that he believes arming trained teachers is the most cost-effective way to protect students and deter would-be shooters. Washington Governor Jay Inslee, a Democrat, told Trump that teachers in his state do not want to carry weapons. “I have listened to the first-grade teachers who don’t want to be pistol-packing first-grade teachers,” Inslee said. But Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, said more than 100 school districts in his state have trained teachers and other staff to carry a weapon and respond to attacks. “Some school districts, they promote it,” Abbott said. “They will have signs out front, a warning sign, ‘Be aware there are armed personnel on campus.'” Florida plans to invest $500 million to have a significant law enforcement presence in every public school in the state, Scott told the governors meeting. Trump says would have run in Trump also lashed out at some of the law enforcement officers who were first to arrive at the school. “The way they performed was, frankly, disgusting,” Trump said of reports that some deputies hesitated to go after the gunman. He added that he believed that if he were in the same situation, he would have run into the school “even if I didn’t have a weapon.” An armed sheriff’s deputy who was assigned as the school resource officer resigned rather than face suspension. He was found to have stayed outside the building during the attack instead of going in to confront the gunman, according to Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel. Trump has called the deputy, Scot Peterson, a “coward.” An attorney for Peterson defended his actions in a statement, saying he had remained outside because he believed the gunfire was occurring outside the school. “Allegations that Mr. Peterson was a coward and that his performance, under the circumstances, failed to meet the standards of police officers are patently untrue,” attorney Joseph DiRuzzo said in a statement. Investigators are also looking into reports from the neighbouring Coral Springs Police Department that three other sheriff’s deputies who were outside the school during or just after the shooting failed to enter immediately. Moreover, Israel has acknowledged his investigators are examining whether his office mishandled two telephone tips in 2016 and 2017 that warned Cruz was collecting weapons and might be inclined to commit a school shooting. Israel, a Democrat first elected sheriff in 2012, has come under sharp criticism from 74 Republican state lawmakers calling for him to be removed or suspended from office.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Nadal unfazed by rankings race on return Rafael Nadal of Spain in action against Roger Federer of Switzerland in the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament finals held in Shanghai, China, October 15, 2017. REUTERS/Aly Song/Files ACAPULCO: Rafael Nadal says he will not be thinking about reclaiming his world number one ranking when he makes his return from injury at the Mexico Open in Acapulco on Tuesday. The 31-year-old Spanish star will play his first match since limping out of the quarter-finals at the Australian Open when he faces Feliciano Lopez. Following his exit in Melbourne last month, Nadal has ceded his number one ranking to Roger Federer, who became the oldest player to claim the top spot on February 19. While a victory this week would not be good enough to overhaul Federer, it would leave Nadal primed to replace the Swiss star at Indian Wells or Miami next month. Nadal, however, insists he is not motivated by a desire to reclaim the position from his long-time rival. "I play this tournament because I like it and, not because I'm trying to be number one in the world," Nadal said. "At this point in my career, I'm looking to be happy, and play in the proper weeks, whether No. 1 or No. 5 in the rankings." Top seed Nadal will start as the favourite to win in Mexico this week, where he also won in 2005 and 2013. Nadal meanwhile said he has fully recovered from the right leg injury that scuppered his Australian Open campaign. "I took a couple of weeks of rest and worked hard on rehabilitation," he said. "Last week I started practising hard again. I feel ready. Injuries are part of my career. It's not the first time. "Of course it's tough, especially at this point when you feel ready to compete well. "For me, it was a good chance to be fighting for an important title in Australia. But it happened and I can't complain."

Nadal unfazed by rankings race on return Rafael Nadal of Spain in action against Roger Federer of Switzerland in the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament finals held in Shanghai, China, October 15, 2017. REUTERS/Aly Song/Files ACAPULCO: Rafael Nadal says he will not be thinking about reclaiming his world number one ranking when he makes his return from injury at the Mexico Open in Acapulco on Tuesday. The 31-year-old Spanish star will play his first match since limping out of the quarter-finals at the Australian Open when he faces Feliciano Lopez. Following his exit in Melbourne last month, Nadal has ceded his number one ranking to Roger Federer, who became the oldest player to claim the top spot on February 19. While a victory this week would not be good enough to overhaul Federer, it would leave Nadal primed to replace the Swiss star at Indian Wells or Miami next month. Nadal, however, insists he is not motivated by a desire to reclaim the position from his long-time rival. "I play this tournament because I like it and, not because I'm trying to be number one in the world," Nadal said. "At this point in my career, I'm looking to be happy, and play in the proper weeks, whether No. 1 or No. 5 in the rankings." Top seed Nadal will start as the favourite to win in Mexico this week, where he also won in 2005 and 2013. Nadal meanwhile said he has fully recovered from the right leg injury that scuppered his Australian Open campaign. "I took a couple of weeks of rest and worked hard on rehabilitation," he said. "Last week I started practising hard again. I feel ready. Injuries are part of my career. It's not the first time. "Of course it's tough, especially at this point when you feel ready to compete well. "For me, it was a good chance to be fighting for an important title in Australia. But it happened and I can't complain."

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Lebanon PM to visit Saudi for first time since ‘resignation’ Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri is seen at the governmental palace in Beirut, Lebanon, October 24, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/Files BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he has accepted an invitation Monday to visit Saudi Arabia, returning for the first time to the kingdom where he announced a shock resignation that he later rescinded. The November 4 resignation and his prolonged stay in Saudi Arabia stirred tensions between Riyadh and Beirut, amid suspicions he had been placed under house arrest until France intervened and he returned to Lebanon where the announcement was reversed. Hariri said Monday he received the invitation at a meeting in Beirut with Nizar al-Alula — a Saudi envoy — and that he would make the trip "as soon as possible", in a statement issued by his office. "The main aim of Saudi Arabia is that Lebanon becomes its own master" and "totally independent", he said. Relations between the two countries have been strained by the competing influences in Lebanon of regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Saudi envoy’s visit comes ahead of May 6 legislative elections, Lebanon’s first since 2009 following three extensions of parliament’s mandate.

Lebanon PM to visit Saudi for first time since ‘resignation’ Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri is seen at the governmental palace in Beirut, Lebanon, October 24, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/Files BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he has accepted an invitation Monday to visit Saudi Arabia, returning for the first time to the kingdom where he announced a shock resignation that he later rescinded. The November 4 resignation and his prolonged stay in Saudi Arabia stirred tensions between Riyadh and Beirut, amid suspicions he had been placed under house arrest until France intervened and he returned to Lebanon where the announcement was reversed. Hariri said Monday he received the invitation at a meeting in Beirut with Nizar al-Alula — a Saudi envoy — and that he would make the trip "as soon as possible", in a statement issued by his office. "The main aim of Saudi Arabia is that Lebanon becomes its own master" and "totally independent", he said. Relations between the two countries have been strained by the competing influences in Lebanon of regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Saudi envoy’s visit comes ahead of May 6 legislative elections, Lebanon’s first since 2009 following three extensions of parliament’s mandate.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

UN chief calls for new push to rid the world of nuclear weapons UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse GENEVA: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Monday for a new global effort to get rid of nuclear weapons, drawing a cautious response from envoys of atomic-armed powers at odds for decades over nuclear disarmament. Speaking to the Conference on Disarmament at the UN complex in Geneva, Guterres said many states still wrongly thought that nuclear weapons made the world safer. “There is great and justified anxiety around the world about the threat of nuclear war,” he said. “Countries persist in clinging to the fallacious idea that nuclear arms make the world safer ... At the global level, we must work towards forging a new momentum on eliminating nuclear weapons.” The Conference on Disarmament is the world’s main forum for nuclear disarmament, but since 1996 it has been deadlocked by disagreements and distrust between rival nuclear powers. Ambassadors from the United States, China, and France said they shared his concerns about the current security environment but their comments suggested it would be an uphill struggle to end two decades of stalemate in nuclear negotiations. US Ambassador Robert Wood said negotiators needed to “look reality in the eye” and accept that nuclear disarmament in the near term was unrealistic. It was not the time for bold new disarmament initiatives, but the United States was committed to the “aspirational goal” of eliminating nuclear weapons and would stand by its commitments, Wood said. “Even in these difficult times, the United States will seek the development of measures that may be effective in creating the conditions for future nuclear disarmament negotiations,” he told the forum. Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong said China appreciated Guterres’ efforts but said reform should not be rushed. “Reducing the role of nuclear weapons in national security doctrines and abandoning the nuclear deterrent policy based on the first use of nuclear weapons constitutes the most practical and feasible nuclear disarmament measure at present,” Fu said. French Ambassador Alice Guitton said Guterres’ statement was very timely, but disarmament could not be decreed, it needed to be built with patience, perseverance and realism. Dangerous direction Guterres said talks should target not only nuclear, chemical and conventional arms but also autonomous and unmanned weapons, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and space-based systems. There are currently around 150,000 nuclear weapons worldwide and the arms trade is flourishing more than at any time since the Cold war, with $1.5 trillion of spending annually, he said. Taboos on nuclear tests and chemical weapons usage were under threat, he added, while talk of tactical nuclear weapons was leading in an extremely dangerous direction. Earlier this month the United States published its “nuclear posture review”, which justified an expansion of its “low-yield” nuclear capability by saying it would deter Russia’s tactical nuclear weapons. Last week diplomats and disarmament experts discussed Guterres’s initiative with UN officials during a retreat near New York, and he is expected to launch his plans around April or May with “practical and implementable actions”. “The challenges are enormous, but history shows that it has been possible to reach agreement on disarmament and arms control even at the most difficult moments,” Guterres said.

UN chief calls for new push to rid the world of nuclear weapons UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse GENEVA: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Monday for a new global effort to get rid of nuclear weapons, drawing a cautious response from envoys of atomic-armed powers at odds for decades over nuclear disarmament. Speaking to the Conference on Disarmament at the UN complex in Geneva, Guterres said many states still wrongly thought that nuclear weapons made the world safer. “There is great and justified anxiety around the world about the threat of nuclear war,” he said. “Countries persist in clinging to the fallacious idea that nuclear arms make the world safer ... At the global level, we must work towards forging a new momentum on eliminating nuclear weapons.” The Conference on Disarmament is the world’s main forum for nuclear disarmament, but since 1996 it has been deadlocked by disagreements and distrust between rival nuclear powers. Ambassadors from the United States, China, and France said they shared his concerns about the current security environment but their comments suggested it would be an uphill struggle to end two decades of stalemate in nuclear negotiations. US Ambassador Robert Wood said negotiators needed to “look reality in the eye” and accept that nuclear disarmament in the near term was unrealistic. It was not the time for bold new disarmament initiatives, but the United States was committed to the “aspirational goal” of eliminating nuclear weapons and would stand by its commitments, Wood said. “Even in these difficult times, the United States will seek the development of measures that may be effective in creating the conditions for future nuclear disarmament negotiations,” he told the forum. Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong said China appreciated Guterres’ efforts but said reform should not be rushed. “Reducing the role of nuclear weapons in national security doctrines and abandoning the nuclear deterrent policy based on the first use of nuclear weapons constitutes the most practical and feasible nuclear disarmament measure at present,” Fu said. French Ambassador Alice Guitton said Guterres’ statement was very timely, but disarmament could not be decreed, it needed to be built with patience, perseverance and realism. Dangerous direction Guterres said talks should target not only nuclear, chemical and conventional arms but also autonomous and unmanned weapons, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and space-based systems. There are currently around 150,000 nuclear weapons worldwide and the arms trade is flourishing more than at any time since the Cold war, with $1.5 trillion of spending annually, he said. Taboos on nuclear tests and chemical weapons usage were under threat, he added, while talk of tactical nuclear weapons was leading in an extremely dangerous direction. Earlier this month the United States published its “nuclear posture review”, which justified an expansion of its “low-yield” nuclear capability by saying it would deter Russia’s tactical nuclear weapons. Last week diplomats and disarmament experts discussed Guterres’s initiative with UN officials during a retreat near New York, and he is expected to launch his plans around April or May with “practical and implementable actions”. “The challenges are enormous, but history shows that it has been possible to reach agreement on disarmament and arms control even at the most difficult moments,” Guterres said.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

US defends moves to roll back ‘net neutrality’ rules US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Ajit Pai arrives at a Net Neutrality hearing in Washington, US, February 26, 2015. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/Files BARCELONA: The head of the US Federal Communications Commission defended Monday his move to roll back rules requiring internet providers to treat all traffic equally, saying it was needed to encourage investment in new super-fast wireless networks. The commission in December adopted the proposal by Republican-appointed chairman Ajit Pai to end the so-called "net neutrality" rules adopted in 2015. Activists have staged protests around the US and online, saying dominant broadband providers could favour their own services and hinder those of rivals and charge more for certain kinds of access. Critics of the "net neutrality" rule, however, argue it was based on utility-style regulation designed for 1930s telephone companies. Pai said the move was needed to give the private sector "greater incentives to invest" in the new generation of super-fast 5G wireless networks and ensure the United States keeps its technological edge over other nations. "To lead the world in 5G, the United States needs modern light touch market-based regulation, not a one-size-fits-all utility model that was developed in the 1930s," he told the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The first deployment of 5G wireless networks — which are quick enough to download a full-length film in less than a second — are expected in key markets like the United States, Japan, and South Korea at the end of the year. 5G is seen as key to developing newer "next generation" services such as telemedicine or autonomous driving. Several lawsuits are expected to try to block the change. Last month technology companies including Alphabet Inc and Facebook Inc threw their weight behind efforts to reverse the Trump administration’s plan to repeal the Obama-era rule designed to protect an open internet.

US defends moves to roll back ‘net neutrality’ rules US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Ajit Pai arrives at a Net Neutrality hearing in Washington, US, February 26, 2015. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/Files BARCELONA: The head of the US Federal Communications Commission defended Monday his move to roll back rules requiring internet providers to treat all traffic equally, saying it was needed to encourage investment in new super-fast wireless networks. The commission in December adopted the proposal by Republican-appointed chairman Ajit Pai to end the so-called "net neutrality" rules adopted in 2015. Activists have staged protests around the US and online, saying dominant broadband providers could favour their own services and hinder those of rivals and charge more for certain kinds of access. Critics of the "net neutrality" rule, however, argue it was based on utility-style regulation designed for 1930s telephone companies. Pai said the move was needed to give the private sector "greater incentives to invest" in the new generation of super-fast 5G wireless networks and ensure the United States keeps its technological edge over other nations. "To lead the world in 5G, the United States needs modern light touch market-based regulation, not a one-size-fits-all utility model that was developed in the 1930s," he told the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The first deployment of 5G wireless networks — which are quick enough to download a full-length film in less than a second — are expected in key markets like the United States, Japan, and South Korea at the end of the year. 5G is seen as key to developing newer "next generation" services such as telemedicine or autonomous driving. Several lawsuits are expected to try to block the change. Last month technology companies including Alphabet Inc and Facebook Inc threw their weight behind efforts to reverse the Trump administration’s plan to repeal the Obama-era rule designed to protect an open internet.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Britain is facing serious far-right terrorism threat, says UK's top officer Mark Rowley — Britain's top anti-terrorism officer — speaks to the media outside New Scotland Yard in London, Britain, March 24, 2017. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/Files LONDON: Britain faces a new and significant threat from organized far-right terrorism, the UK’s most senior counter-terrorism officer said on Monday as he revealed police had foiled four plots by right-wing extremists in the last year. “The right-wing terrorist threat is more significant and more challenging than perhaps public debate gives it credit for,” Mark Rowley — London’s Assistant Commissioner — told reporters. Britain has been a prime target for homegrown and foreign militants since the 2001 attacks on the United States. But Rowley said until the last two years, far-right activity was limited to unpleasant protests and hate crimes, with serious incidents limited to the actions of isolated individuals. The MI5 domestic spy agency are now involved in investigating the far-right and he warned that British groups were seeking links with international extremists. “It’s a significant part of the terrorist threat. Right-wing terrorism wasn’t previously organised here,” Rowley said. “There are many Western countries that have extreme right-wing challenges and in quite a number of those the groups we are worried about here are making connections with them and networking,” he said, declining to give further details because it was a new, live intelligence phenomenon. Last year, there were five deadly militants attacks in Britain, including one carried out by a man who drove a van into worshippers leaving a London mosque after developing a hatred of Muslims by reading extreme right-wing material online. The previous year, a Nazi-obsessed loner murdered lawmaker Jo Cox in a frenzied street attack a week before the referendum on the European Union. Since then, Britain has banned National Action and two other spin-off groups, the first extremist right-wing organizations to be outlawed since the 1940s. 'Committed to violence' “For the best part of 18 months in the UK we have a homegrown, white supremacist, neo-Nazi terrorist organisation that is pursuing all the ambitions of any other terrorist organisation committed to violence,” Rowley said. “That should be a matter of great concern for all of us.” Since the first of the 2017 deadly attacks last March, Rowley said police had foiled 10 extremist conspiracies and four far-right plots, although he said he could not provide details of these as they were subject to ongoing court cases. To show the overall scale of the threat Britain faced, he said there were 600 terrorism investigations currently ongoing involving more than 3,000 suspects. Over the last three years, terrorism arrests had doubled while in the same period some 2,000 people have been referred to the government’s counter-radicalisation Prevent program, with a third of these over far-right concerns, he said. Rowley, who, next month, steps down from the role he took on in 2014, said militant and far-right extremists were a toxic combination, feeding off each other and pursuing the same agenda of division, fear and hatred. He reiterated British concern about extremists’ use of the internet and said he expected technology and internet firms would react to a mixture of persuasion and regulation as the banking sector had done. He also said it was important that an agreement struck with the European Union (EU) for when Britain leaves the bloc in 2019 did not damage relations with their European colleagues. “Whatever the arrangements, we need something that provides at least a good a platform for cooperation as we have today,” he said.

Britain is facing serious far-right terrorism threat, says UK's top officer Mark Rowley — Britain's top anti-terrorism officer — speaks to the media outside New Scotland Yard in London, Britain, March 24, 2017. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/Files LONDON: Britain faces a new and significant threat from organized far-right terrorism, the UK’s most senior counter-terrorism officer said on Monday as he revealed police had foiled four plots by right-wing extremists in the last year. “The right-wing terrorist threat is more significant and more challenging than perhaps public debate gives it credit for,” Mark Rowley — London’s Assistant Commissioner — told reporters. Britain has been a prime target for homegrown and foreign militants since the 2001 attacks on the United States. But Rowley said until the last two years, far-right activity was limited to unpleasant protests and hate crimes, with serious incidents limited to the actions of isolated individuals. The MI5 domestic spy agency are now involved in investigating the far-right and he warned that British groups were seeking links with international extremists. “It’s a significant part of the terrorist threat. Right-wing terrorism wasn’t previously organised here,” Rowley said. “There are many Western countries that have extreme right-wing challenges and in quite a number of those the groups we are worried about here are making connections with them and networking,” he said, declining to give further details because it was a new, live intelligence phenomenon. Last year, there were five deadly militants attacks in Britain, including one carried out by a man who drove a van into worshippers leaving a London mosque after developing a hatred of Muslims by reading extreme right-wing material online. The previous year, a Nazi-obsessed loner murdered lawmaker Jo Cox in a frenzied street attack a week before the referendum on the European Union. Since then, Britain has banned National Action and two other spin-off groups, the first extremist right-wing organizations to be outlawed since the 1940s. 'Committed to violence' “For the best part of 18 months in the UK we have a homegrown, white supremacist, neo-Nazi terrorist organisation that is pursuing all the ambitions of any other terrorist organisation committed to violence,” Rowley said. “That should be a matter of great concern for all of us.” Since the first of the 2017 deadly attacks last March, Rowley said police had foiled 10 extremist conspiracies and four far-right plots, although he said he could not provide details of these as they were subject to ongoing court cases. To show the overall scale of the threat Britain faced, he said there were 600 terrorism investigations currently ongoing involving more than 3,000 suspects. Over the last three years, terrorism arrests had doubled while in the same period some 2,000 people have been referred to the government’s counter-radicalisation Prevent program, with a third of these over far-right concerns, he said. Rowley, who, next month, steps down from the role he took on in 2014, said militant and far-right extremists were a toxic combination, feeding off each other and pursuing the same agenda of division, fear and hatred. He reiterated British concern about extremists’ use of the internet and said he expected technology and internet firms would react to a mixture of persuasion and regulation as the banking sector had done. He also said it was important that an agreement struck with the European Union (EU) for when Britain leaves the bloc in 2019 did not damage relations with their European colleagues. “Whatever the arrangements, we need something that provides at least a good a platform for cooperation as we have today,” he said.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Trump says would have run unarmed into Florida school US President Donald Trump holds a discussion about school shootings with state governors from around the country at the White House in Washington, US, February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Monday he would have rushed unarmed into the Florida school targeted by a mass shooter, as student survivors of the massacre brought their campaign for gun control to Washington. Nearly two weeks after the attack in Parkland, Florida left 17 people dead, the US Congress reconvened after a one-week recess under intensifying pressure to address the national scourge of gun violence. Trump has called for reforms in the wake of the tragedy, including tougher background checks on firearm purchases, but the White House has yet to support specific legislation in Congress, where enacting federal gun restrictions faces major obstacles especially in an election year. During a meeting with state governors at the White House, Trump said he would have felt compelled to confront the shooter personally, had he been on the scene. "I really believe I’d run in there even if I didn’t have a weapon," Trump told the governors. "And I think most of the people in this room would have done that, too," said the president, adding: "You never know until you’re tested." Trump has vocally criticized an armed deputy who failed to intervene in the February 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, and took up that theme again Monday calling the performance of some local law enforcement "frankly disgusting." The deputy, Scot Peterson, pushed back through his lawyer against such "uncalled for attacks upon his character," recounting the shooting step by step and saying he positioned himself outside a school building because he believed the shots were originating from outside. "The allegations that Mr. Peterson was a coward and that his performance, under the circumstances, failed to meet the standards of police officers are patently untrue," lawyer Joseph DiRuzzo said in a statement. Lunch with the NRA Spurred to action by the mass shooting — the worst to hit a US school in six years — several Parkland survivors travelled with fellow students to the US Capitol Monday to meet with lawmakers on gun violence. The group declined to speak to reporters. Trump, who touted his Second Amendment credentials on the 2016 campaign trail, said he lunched Saturday with Wayne LaPierre, the head of the powerful National Rifle Association which opposes several of the proposed gun measures, and told him changes were needed. "We’re going to do strong background checks. Very strong," Trump told the governors. "If we see a sicko, I don’t want him having a gun." Trump has also called for a strong focus on boosting school security and has controversially promoted the idea of arming some teachers and staff in addition to on-campus guards. The vast majority of Democrats want to bring gun control efforts to fruition in Congress, and a new CNN poll showed that 70 percent of Americans support stricter gun laws, up 18 points since October. Republican leaders in the Senate and House of Representatives have remained largely silent on the issue, however, with their party split on how to proceed. Republicans from suburban districts — where calls for gun control have gained ground — have expressed openness to raising the age limit for purchasing semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21 or banning devices that turn such weapons into machine guns. Senator Susan Collins, a Republican moderate, said she supports expanding background checks, raising the age for buying assault-style weapons and addressing the issue of mental health. "I definitely want to see the issue taken up," she told AFP. Emotional return to Parkland But many conservative lawmakers consider any restriction of gun rights as a creeping assault on citizens’ constitutional right to bear arms. The split appeared to leave the prospects of significant new gun legislation in doubt. "I’m a little bit pessimistic that something will happen," moderate House Republican Charles Dent told CNN Monday. With the gun debate raging, Parkland students and teachers made an emotional return to their high school for an orientation day on Sunday, setting foot on site for the first time since the February 14 massacre. Staff returned to work on Monday, and classes were to resume Wednesday. Several Parkland students have been confronted with ugly false accusations that they are actors exploiting a tragedy. But on Monday they received praise from First Lady Melania Trump, who said she was "heartened to see children across this country using their voices to speak out and try to create change. "They are our future and they deserve a voice," she said.

Trump says would have run unarmed into Florida school US President Donald Trump holds a discussion about school shootings with state governors from around the country at the White House in Washington, US, February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Monday he would have rushed unarmed into the Florida school targeted by a mass shooter, as student survivors of the massacre brought their campaign for gun control to Washington. Nearly two weeks after the attack in Parkland, Florida left 17 people dead, the US Congress reconvened after a one-week recess under intensifying pressure to address the national scourge of gun violence. Trump has called for reforms in the wake of the tragedy, including tougher background checks on firearm purchases, but the White House has yet to support specific legislation in Congress, where enacting federal gun restrictions faces major obstacles especially in an election year. During a meeting with state governors at the White House, Trump said he would have felt compelled to confront the shooter personally, had he been on the scene. "I really believe I’d run in there even if I didn’t have a weapon," Trump told the governors. "And I think most of the people in this room would have done that, too," said the president, adding: "You never know until you’re tested." Trump has vocally criticized an armed deputy who failed to intervene in the February 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, and took up that theme again Monday calling the performance of some local law enforcement "frankly disgusting." The deputy, Scot Peterson, pushed back through his lawyer against such "uncalled for attacks upon his character," recounting the shooting step by step and saying he positioned himself outside a school building because he believed the shots were originating from outside. "The allegations that Mr. Peterson was a coward and that his performance, under the circumstances, failed to meet the standards of police officers are patently untrue," lawyer Joseph DiRuzzo said in a statement. Lunch with the NRA Spurred to action by the mass shooting — the worst to hit a US school in six years — several Parkland survivors travelled with fellow students to the US Capitol Monday to meet with lawmakers on gun violence. The group declined to speak to reporters. Trump, who touted his Second Amendment credentials on the 2016 campaign trail, said he lunched Saturday with Wayne LaPierre, the head of the powerful National Rifle Association which opposes several of the proposed gun measures, and told him changes were needed. "We’re going to do strong background checks. Very strong," Trump told the governors. "If we see a sicko, I don’t want him having a gun." Trump has also called for a strong focus on boosting school security and has controversially promoted the idea of arming some teachers and staff in addition to on-campus guards. The vast majority of Democrats want to bring gun control efforts to fruition in Congress, and a new CNN poll showed that 70 percent of Americans support stricter gun laws, up 18 points since October. Republican leaders in the Senate and House of Representatives have remained largely silent on the issue, however, with their party split on how to proceed. Republicans from suburban districts — where calls for gun control have gained ground — have expressed openness to raising the age limit for purchasing semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21 or banning devices that turn such weapons into machine guns. Senator Susan Collins, a Republican moderate, said she supports expanding background checks, raising the age for buying assault-style weapons and addressing the issue of mental health. "I definitely want to see the issue taken up," she told AFP. Emotional return to Parkland But many conservative lawmakers consider any restriction of gun rights as a creeping assault on citizens’ constitutional right to bear arms. The split appeared to leave the prospects of significant new gun legislation in doubt. "I’m a little bit pessimistic that something will happen," moderate House Republican Charles Dent told CNN Monday. With the gun debate raging, Parkland students and teachers made an emotional return to their high school for an orientation day on Sunday, setting foot on site for the first time since the February 14 massacre. Staff returned to work on Monday, and classes were to resume Wednesday. Several Parkland students have been confronted with ugly false accusations that they are actors exploiting a tragedy. But on Monday they received praise from First Lady Melania Trump, who said she was "heartened to see children across this country using their voices to speak out and try to create change. "They are our future and they deserve a voice," she said.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Saudi king sacks chief of staff in major military shake-up [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2CpqZkl style=center] RIYADH: Saudi King Salman has sacked the military chief of staff and a host of other top commanders, state media said Monday, in a major shake-up of the defence establishment. The monarch also replaced the heads of the ground forces and air defences, as well as senior officials at the interior ministry, in a series of late-night royal decrees. No official reason was given for the sweeping overhaul, but it comes as the Saudi-led coalition’s military intervention in Yemen against Iran-aligned Huthi rebels nears the end of its third year. "Termination of the services of General Abdul Rahman bin Saleh al-Bunyan, Chief of Staff," the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said, adding that Fayyad al-Ruwaili had been appointed as his replacement. Al-Bunyan’s sacking came after he inaugurated a major exhibition this week by the Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), the state-owned defence company, which illustrates ongoing efforts to reform the sector. "These Saudi royal decrees appear to be part of the kingdom’s national defence strategy," Theodore Karasik — a senior advisor at the consultancy Gulf States Analytics — told AFP. "A military transformation is under way in Saudi Arabia. The changes come on the heels of the SAMI exhibition, which is a critical part of the Prince Mohammed’s reform plan to create an indigenous defence program." Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — the heir to the throne and the son of the monarch — is the country’s defence minister and has been consolidating his grip on power in recent months. The changes come in the midst of an ever-worsening conflict in Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s government has been fighting the Huthis since 2015 in a conflict that has led to what the United Nations describes as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. More than 9,200 people have been killed in the conflict and another nearly 2,200 Yemenis have died of cholera amid deteriorating sanitation conditions, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Separately, a series of civil appointments were announced in other decrees late Monday. In an unprecedented announcement, Tamadar Bint Yousef al-Ramah — a Saudi woman — was appointed the deputy minister of labour and social development. And Prince Turki bin Talal — the brother of billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal — was appointed deputy governor of the southern Assir Province. Prince Al-Waleed — dubbed the Warren Buffett of Saudi Arabia — was among princes, ministers, and tycoons detained in Riyadh’s luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel in an unprecedented crackdown on what the government called elite corruption. The Ritz-Carlton reopened for business on February 11, more than three months after becoming a gilded prison for Saudi elites.

Saudi king sacks chief of staff in major military shake-up [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2CpqZkl style=center] RIYADH: Saudi King Salman has sacked the military chief of staff and a host of other top commanders, state media said Monday, in a major shake-up of the defence establishment. The monarch also replaced the heads of the ground forces and air defences, as well as senior officials at the interior ministry, in a series of late-night royal decrees. No official reason was given for the sweeping overhaul, but it comes as the Saudi-led coalition’s military intervention in Yemen against Iran-aligned Huthi rebels nears the end of its third year. "Termination of the services of General Abdul Rahman bin Saleh al-Bunyan, Chief of Staff," the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said, adding that Fayyad al-Ruwaili had been appointed as his replacement. Al-Bunyan’s sacking came after he inaugurated a major exhibition this week by the Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), the state-owned defence company, which illustrates ongoing efforts to reform the sector. "These Saudi royal decrees appear to be part of the kingdom’s national defence strategy," Theodore Karasik — a senior advisor at the consultancy Gulf States Analytics — told AFP. "A military transformation is under way in Saudi Arabia. The changes come on the heels of the SAMI exhibition, which is a critical part of the Prince Mohammed’s reform plan to create an indigenous defence program." Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — the heir to the throne and the son of the monarch — is the country’s defence minister and has been consolidating his grip on power in recent months. The changes come in the midst of an ever-worsening conflict in Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s government has been fighting the Huthis since 2015 in a conflict that has led to what the United Nations describes as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. More than 9,200 people have been killed in the conflict and another nearly 2,200 Yemenis have died of cholera amid deteriorating sanitation conditions, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Separately, a series of civil appointments were announced in other decrees late Monday. In an unprecedented announcement, Tamadar Bint Yousef al-Ramah — a Saudi woman — was appointed the deputy minister of labour and social development. And Prince Turki bin Talal — the brother of billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal — was appointed deputy governor of the southern Assir Province. Prince Al-Waleed — dubbed the Warren Buffett of Saudi Arabia — was among princes, ministers, and tycoons detained in Riyadh’s luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel in an unprecedented crackdown on what the government called elite corruption. The Ritz-Carlton reopened for business on February 11, more than three months after becoming a gilded prison for Saudi elites.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Sridevi's death caused by accidental drowning geo_embedgallery Gallery photos: Indian media DUBAI: Authorities in the UAE confirmed on Monday that Bollywood actress Sridevi died after accidentally drowning, earlier Indian media reports had claimed her death was caused by a cardiac arrest. "The death of Indian actress Sridevi occurred due to drowning in her hotel apartment's bathtub following loss of consciousness," the Dubai police tweeted, citing a post-mortem. [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2EUnOTk style=center] The body of the late actor was not released by Dubai authorities to the family on Monday, and it is expected that the body will now be released on Tuesday. Executive Editor of UAE's Khaleej Times, Vicky Kapur, told India's ABP News that Dubai Police will also record the statement of husband Boney Kapoor after her sudden demise. The forensic report was sent to the public prosecutor's office, which will decide the merit of the case and then take further action if required. If doubt is present, the Dubai authorities will not let any individual, deemed a person of interest, to leave the country. The release of the body also has no bearing on the police taking further action. The body of Sridevi, one of the biggest names in Hindi cinema, had been due to be brought back to Mumbai on Monday by charter flight. Hundreds of heartbroken fans gathered outside her Mumbai home hoping to catch a final glimpse of the star before her cremation, now likely to take place on Tuesday at the earliest. Bollywood shock "I have always been a huge fan of her work. Equally I have been an admirer of the grace and dignity with which she conducted herself," actor Aamir Khan wrote on Twitter. "I join all the millions of her fans in mourning her demise. Ma'am, we will always remember you with love and respect," he added. Fellow actor Ranveer Singh tweeted that he was "shocked and saddened to hear about the untimely demise of one of Hindi cinema's greatest superstars". Actress Alia Bhatt posted on Twitter: "Nothing makes sense. I have no words... just completely shocked. RIP Sri Devi. My icon forever. Love you." The actress was in Dubai with her family, including husband Boney Kapoor and daughters Khushi and Jhanvi, to attend her nephew Mohit Marwah's wedding. Sridevi's body could not be repatriated on Sunday as the final investigation reports from Dubai Police were not ready by late evening, Khaleej Times quoted officials dealing with the legal formalities. The actress reportedly had a fainting spell in her bathroom and was immediately rushed to Rashid Hospital in Dubai. 'Bereaved and shocked' According to the report, the hotel's management had refused to comment on the matter and an employee stated that the matter is under police investigation. "Boney Kapoor, Jhanvi, Khushi and the entire Kapoor, Ayyappan and Marwah family is deeply bereaved and shocked with the untimely loss of Sridevi Kapoor," said the statement, issued by the Yash Raj Films (YRF) on behalf of the family. "They thank the entire media for their prayers, support, and sensitivity during their time of grief. Late Sridevi Kapoor's body will arrive in India tomorrow," it said. Sridevi at an awards ceremony. Image: REUTERS Video/Screenshot Born Shree Amma Yanger Ayappan in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, Sridevi appeared in around 300 films and was awarded the Padma Shri — India's fourth highest civilian award — for her service to the film industry. Sridevi made her acting debut at the age of four and her career spanned more than four decades. She worked in India's regional Tamil-, Telugu-, and Malayalam-language films before making her Bollywood debut in 1979, becoming a national icon with a string of blockbuster films, including Chandni, Mr India, Mawali and Tohfa. Sridevi famously took a 15-year-break from the silver screen after marrying film producer Boney Kapoor but returned in 2012's hit comedy-drama English Vinglish. Her most recent film was last year's Mom. She was set to see Jhanvi — the eldest of her two daughters — make her Bollywood debut.

Sridevi's death caused by accidental drowning geo_embedgallery Gallery photos: Indian media DUBAI: Authorities in the UAE confirmed on Monday that Bollywood actress Sridevi died after accidentally drowning, earlier Indian media reports had claimed her death was caused by a cardiac arrest.  "The death of Indian actress Sridevi occurred due to drowning in her hotel apartment's bathtub following loss of consciousness," the Dubai police tweeted, citing a post-mortem. [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2EUnOTk style=center] The body of the late actor was not released by Dubai authorities to the family on Monday, and it is expected that the body will now be released on Tuesday.  Executive Editor of UAE's Khaleej Times, Vicky Kapur, told India's ABP News that Dubai Police will also record the statement of husband Boney Kapoor after her sudden demise. The forensic report was sent to the public prosecutor's office, which will decide the merit of the case and then take further action if required.  If doubt is present, the Dubai authorities will not let any individual, deemed a person of interest, to leave the country. The release of the body also has no bearing on the police taking further action.  The body of Sridevi, one of the biggest names in Hindi cinema, had been due to be brought back to Mumbai on Monday by charter flight.  Hundreds of heartbroken fans gathered outside her Mumbai home hoping to catch a final glimpse of the star before her cremation, now likely to take place on Tuesday at the earliest. Bollywood shock "I have always been a huge fan of her work. Equally I have been an admirer of the grace and dignity with which she conducted herself," actor Aamir Khan wrote on Twitter. "I join all the millions of her fans in mourning her demise. Ma'am, we will always remember you with love and respect," he added. Fellow actor Ranveer Singh tweeted that he was "shocked and saddened to hear about the untimely demise of one of Hindi cinema's greatest superstars". Actress Alia Bhatt posted on Twitter: "Nothing makes sense. I have no words... just completely shocked. RIP Sri Devi. My icon forever. Love you." The actress was in Dubai with her family, including husband Boney Kapoor and daughters Khushi and Jhanvi, to attend her nephew Mohit Marwah's wedding. Sridevi's body could not be repatriated on Sunday as the final investigation reports from Dubai Police were not ready by late evening, Khaleej Times quoted officials dealing with the legal formalities. The actress reportedly had a fainting spell in her bathroom and was immediately rushed to Rashid Hospital in Dubai. 'Bereaved and shocked' According to the report, the hotel's management had refused to comment on the matter and an employee stated that the matter is under police investigation. "Boney Kapoor, Jhanvi, Khushi and the entire Kapoor, Ayyappan and Marwah family is deeply bereaved and shocked with the untimely loss of Sridevi Kapoor," said the statement, issued by the Yash Raj Films (YRF) on behalf of the family. "They thank the entire media for their prayers, support, and sensitivity during their time of grief. Late Sridevi Kapoor's body will arrive in India tomorrow," it said. Sridevi at an awards ceremony. Image: REUTERS Video/Screenshot Born Shree Amma Yanger Ayappan in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, Sridevi appeared in around 300 films and was awarded the Padma Shri — India's fourth highest civilian award — for her service to the film industry. Sridevi made her acting debut at the age of four and her career spanned more than four decades. She worked in India's regional Tamil-, Telugu-, and Malayalam-language films before making her Bollywood debut in 1979, becoming a national icon with a string of blockbuster films, including Chandni, Mr India, Mawali and Tohfa. Sridevi famously took a 15-year-break from the silver screen after marrying film producer Boney Kapoor but returned in 2012's hit comedy-drama English Vinglish. Her most recent film was last year's Mom. She was set to see Jhanvi — the eldest of her two daughters — make her Bollywood debut.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Maverick climber calls off ‘suicidal’ solo bid to summit K2 Russian climber Denis Urubko, French climber Elisabeth Revol, and Polish climber Adam Bielecki pose for a picture at the base of the Diamir Face of Nanga Parbat, Pakistan, January 28, 2018. Image: Adam Bielecki/Handout via REUTERS/Files ISLAMABAD: Russian-Polish climber Denis Urubko has called off his attempt to summit K2 alone during winter, a post on his former teammates’ Facebook page said Monday, after a weekend drama saw him begin what another climber had called a suicide mission. Urubko, 44, was part of a team of Polish mountaineers attempting to be the first to scale the world’s second highest peak in winter. But he broke away from the group on Saturday after a series of disagreements, sparking fears for his safety on one of the world’s most dangerous climbs. On Monday, he ended his attempt, capping a dramatic three days on the mountain, a statement on the Polish expedition’s Facebook page said. "Denis Urubko, according to his convictions regarding the end of the winter season, decided to leave the Winter Expedition on K2," the statement said. "The decision was accepted by the participants of the expedition, who did not see any further possibility of cooperation with Denis after his independent attempt to get (to) the top." The rest of his former team are believed to still be preparing their own summit bid. The Polish team arrived at the K2 base camp late last year, enduring sub-zero temperatures and gale-force winds. But Urubko had become increasingly frustrated with their pace after a series of delays, including the daring night-time rescue of French mountaineer Elisabeth Revol on another Pakistani mountain, Nanga Parbat, in January. Urubko had volunteered to go to Nanga Parbat as part of that rescue team. But K2 expert Rehmat Ullah Baig said the mission forced the Poles to readjust their initial plans and choose a new route, a move that Urubko was said to be unhappy with. He left his team members behind on Saturday after arguing that waiting until March would make a summit more difficult. "He has had a heated debate with the team leader and left for the summit without saying a word," a porter accompanying the group told AFP on condition of anonymity. The Polish team confirmed the incident, saying Urubko left Camp Two without a radio after refusing to speak to the expedition’s leader. ‘Completely suicidal’ Fellow mountaineers had expressed concern at any solo attempt while also acknowledging Urubko’s extraordinary abilities. "He is the most outstanding Himalayan climber of today. You can rank him among the top five active legends of mountaineering," said Pakistan’s most accomplished climber Nazir Sabir, who has summited both K2 and Everest. Others said the lone attempt was the height of recklessness. "A solo attempt of K2 in winter is completely suicidal," said Pakistani climber Mirza Ali. Asghar Ali Porik — the owner of Jasmine Tours that is organising the summit — said he had not yet been informed about arranging Urubko’s journey back. But he hailed the climber’s decision to call off his bid as "expected and honourable". Earlier, on Monday, an expedition spokesman told AFP that for the rest of the Polish team, some of whom are in base camp and some at Camp Two, "the expedition is going according to the plan". Everest has been summited by thousands of climbers young and old but K2 is a much lonelier place. Around 300 have made it to the top since the first ascent 60 years ago. Many climbers have died on the descent. Northern Pakistan is home to some of the world’s tallest mountains, including K2 in the territory of Gilgit-Baltistan. Nestled between the western end of the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush mountains, and the Karakoram range, Gilgit-Baltistan has 18 of the world’s 50 highest peaks.

Maverick climber calls off ‘suicidal’ solo bid to summit K2 Russian climber Denis Urubko, French climber Elisabeth Revol, and Polish climber Adam Bielecki pose for a picture at the base of the Diamir Face of Nanga Parbat, Pakistan, January 28, 2018. Image: Adam Bielecki/Handout via REUTERS/Files ISLAMABAD: Russian-Polish climber Denis Urubko has called off his attempt to summit K2 alone during winter, a post on his former teammates’ Facebook page said Monday, after a weekend drama saw him begin what another climber had called a suicide mission. Urubko, 44, was part of a team of Polish mountaineers attempting to be the first to scale the world’s second highest peak in winter. But he broke away from the group on Saturday after a series of disagreements, sparking fears for his safety on one of the world’s most dangerous climbs. On Monday, he ended his attempt, capping a dramatic three days on the mountain, a statement on the Polish expedition’s Facebook page said. "Denis Urubko, according to his convictions regarding the end of the winter season, decided to leave the Winter Expedition on K2," the statement said. "The decision was accepted by the participants of the expedition, who did not see any further possibility of cooperation with Denis after his independent attempt to get (to) the top." The rest of his former team are believed to still be preparing their own summit bid. The Polish team arrived at the K2 base camp late last year, enduring sub-zero temperatures and gale-force winds. But Urubko had become increasingly frustrated with their pace after a series of delays, including the daring night-time rescue of French mountaineer Elisabeth Revol on another Pakistani mountain, Nanga Parbat, in January. Urubko had volunteered to go to Nanga Parbat as part of that rescue team. But K2 expert Rehmat Ullah Baig said the mission forced the Poles to readjust their initial plans and choose a new route, a move that Urubko was said to be unhappy with. He left his team members behind on Saturday after arguing that waiting until March would make a summit more difficult. "He has had a heated debate with the team leader and left for the summit without saying a word," a porter accompanying the group told AFP on condition of anonymity. The Polish team confirmed the incident, saying Urubko left Camp Two without a radio after refusing to speak to the expedition’s leader. ‘Completely suicidal’ Fellow mountaineers had expressed concern at any solo attempt while also acknowledging Urubko’s extraordinary abilities. "He is the most outstanding Himalayan climber of today. You can rank him among the top five active legends of mountaineering," said Pakistan’s most accomplished climber Nazir Sabir, who has summited both K2 and Everest. Others said the lone attempt was the height of recklessness. "A solo attempt of K2 in winter is completely suicidal," said Pakistani climber Mirza Ali. Asghar Ali Porik — the owner of Jasmine Tours that is organising the summit — said he had not yet been informed about arranging Urubko’s journey back. But he hailed the climber’s decision to call off his bid as "expected and honourable". Earlier, on Monday, an expedition spokesman told AFP that for the rest of the Polish team, some of whom are in base camp and some at Camp Two, "the expedition is going according to the plan". Everest has been summited by thousands of climbers young and old but K2 is a much lonelier place. Around 300 have made it to the top since the first ascent 60 years ago. Many climbers have died on the descent. Northern Pakistan is home to some of the world’s tallest mountains, including K2 in the territory of Gilgit-Baltistan. Nestled between the western end of the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush mountains, and the Karakoram range, Gilgit-Baltistan has 18 of the world’s 50 highest peaks.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Maverick climber calls off ‘suicidal’ solo bid to summit K2 Russian climber Denis Urubko, French climber Elisabeth Revol, and Polish climber Adam Bielecki pose for a picture at the base of the Diamir Face of Nanga Parbat, Pakistan, January 28, 2018. Image: Adam Bielecki/Handout via REUTERS/Files ISLAMABAD: Russian-Polish climber Denis Urubko has called off his attempt to summit K2 alone during winter, a post on his former teammates’ Facebook page said Monday, after a weekend drama saw him begin what another climber had called a suicide mission. Urubko, 44, was part of a team of Polish mountaineers attempting to be the first to scale the world’s second highest peak in winter. But he broke away from the group on Saturday after a series of disagreements, sparking fears for his safety on one of the world’s most dangerous climbs. On Monday, he ended his attempt, capping a dramatic three days on the mountain, a statement on the Polish expedition’s Facebook page said. "Denis Urubko, according to his convictions regarding the end of the winter season, decided to leave the Winter Expedition on K2," the statement said. "The decision was accepted by the participants of the expedition, who did not see any further possibility of cooperation with Denis after his independent attempt to get (to) the top." The rest of his former team are believed to still be preparing their own summit bid. The Polish team arrived at the K2 base camp late last year, enduring sub-zero temperatures and gale-force winds. But Urubko had become increasingly frustrated with their pace after a series of delays, including the daring night-time rescue of French mountaineer Elisabeth Revol on another Pakistani mountain, Nanga Parbat, in January. Urubko had volunteered to go to Nanga Parbat as part of that rescue team. But K2 expert Rehmat Ullah Baig said the mission forced the Poles to readjust their initial plans and choose a new route, a move that Urubko was said to be unhappy with. He left his team members behind on Saturday after arguing that waiting until March would make a summit more difficult. "He has had a heated debate with the team leader and left for the summit without saying a word," a porter accompanying the group told AFP on condition of anonymity. The Polish team confirmed the incident, saying Urubko left Camp Two without a radio after refusing to speak to the expedition’s leader. ‘Completely suicidal’ Fellow mountaineers had expressed concern at any solo attempt while also acknowledging Urubko’s extraordinary abilities. "He is the most outstanding Himalayan climber of today. You can rank him among the top five active legends of mountaineering," said Pakistan’s most accomplished climber Nazir Sabir, who has summited both K2 and Everest. Others said the lone attempt was the height of recklessness. "A solo attempt of K2 in winter is completely suicidal," said Pakistani climber Mirza Ali. Asghar Ali Porik — the owner of Jasmine Tours that is organising the summit — said he had not yet been informed about arranging Urubko’s journey back. But he hailed the climber’s decision to call off his bid as "expected and honourable". Earlier, on Monday, an expedition spokesman told AFP that for the rest of the Polish team, some of whom are in base camp and some at Camp Two, "the expedition is going according to the plan". Everest has been summited by thousands of climbers young and old but K2 is a much lonelier place. Around 300 have made it to the top since the first ascent 60 years ago. Many climbers have died on the descent. Northern Pakistan is home to some of the world’s tallest mountains, including K2 in the territory of Gilgit-Baltistan. Nestled between the western end of the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush mountains, and the Karakoram range, Gilgit-Baltistan has 18 of the world’s 50 highest peaks.

Maverick climber calls off ‘suicidal’ solo bid to summit K2 Russian climber Denis Urubko, French climber Elisabeth Revol, and Polish climber Adam Bielecki pose for a picture at the base of the Diamir Face of Nanga Parbat, Pakistan, January 28, 2018. Image: Adam Bielecki/Handout via REUTERS/Files ISLAMABAD: Russian-Polish climber Denis Urubko has called off his attempt to summit K2 alone during winter, a post on his former teammates’ Facebook page said Monday, after a weekend drama saw him begin what another climber had called a suicide mission. Urubko, 44, was part of a team of Polish mountaineers attempting to be the first to scale the world’s second highest peak in winter. But he broke away from the group on Saturday after a series of disagreements, sparking fears for his safety on one of the world’s most dangerous climbs. On Monday, he ended his attempt, capping a dramatic three days on the mountain, a statement on the Polish expedition’s Facebook page said. "Denis Urubko, according to his convictions regarding the end of the winter season, decided to leave the Winter Expedition on K2," the statement said. "The decision was accepted by the participants of the expedition, who did not see any further possibility of cooperation with Denis after his independent attempt to get (to) the top." The rest of his former team are believed to still be preparing their own summit bid. The Polish team arrived at the K2 base camp late last year, enduring sub-zero temperatures and gale-force winds. But Urubko had become increasingly frustrated with their pace after a series of delays, including the daring night-time rescue of French mountaineer Elisabeth Revol on another Pakistani mountain, Nanga Parbat, in January. Urubko had volunteered to go to Nanga Parbat as part of that rescue team. But K2 expert Rehmat Ullah Baig said the mission forced the Poles to readjust their initial plans and choose a new route, a move that Urubko was said to be unhappy with. He left his team members behind on Saturday after arguing that waiting until March would make a summit more difficult. "He has had a heated debate with the team leader and left for the summit without saying a word," a porter accompanying the group told AFP on condition of anonymity. The Polish team confirmed the incident, saying Urubko left Camp Two without a radio after refusing to speak to the expedition’s leader. ‘Completely suicidal’ Fellow mountaineers had expressed concern at any solo attempt while also acknowledging Urubko’s extraordinary abilities. "He is the most outstanding Himalayan climber of today. You can rank him among the top five active legends of mountaineering," said Pakistan’s most accomplished climber Nazir Sabir, who has summited both K2 and Everest. Others said the lone attempt was the height of recklessness. "A solo attempt of K2 in winter is completely suicidal," said Pakistani climber Mirza Ali. Asghar Ali Porik — the owner of Jasmine Tours that is organising the summit — said he had not yet been informed about arranging Urubko’s journey back. But he hailed the climber’s decision to call off his bid as "expected and honourable". Earlier, on Monday, an expedition spokesman told AFP that for the rest of the Polish team, some of whom are in base camp and some at Camp Two, "the expedition is going according to the plan". Everest has been summited by thousands of climbers young and old but K2 is a much lonelier place. Around 300 have made it to the top since the first ascent 60 years ago. Many climbers have died on the descent. Northern Pakistan is home to some of the world’s tallest mountains, including K2 in the territory of Gilgit-Baltistan. Nestled between the western end of the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush mountains, and the Karakoram range, Gilgit-Baltistan has 18 of the world’s 50 highest peaks.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

US trying to 'embarrass' Pakistan with terror financing list: Miftah Ismail Advisor to PM Miftah Ismail. — Reuters FILE ISLAMABAD: Advisor to PM on Finance Miftah Ismail has brushed off concerns that economic growth will suffer because of the country’s re-inclusion on a terrorist financing watch list, and lashed out against the United States for seeking to “embarrass” the nation. Washington last week persuaded member states of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to place Pakistan back on the “grey list” of nations with inadequate terrorist financing or money laundering controls. Pakistan was on the list for three years, until 2015. The diplomatic setback has sparked anger in Islamabad against United States, which championed the motion against Pakistan at the FATF meeting in Paris. It represented another blow to the worsening relationship between the uneasy allies. Ismail, who led Pakistan’s negotiations in Paris, told Reuters that Washington did not seem genuinely eager to see Pakistan boost its terrorist financing regulations and was instead bent on humiliating the country. “If the Americans were interested in working with us and improving our CTF (counter-terrorist financing) regulations, they would have taken the offer I was making them,” Ismail said. “But their idea was just to embarrass Pakistan.” Ismail said that he urged the United States to allow Pakistan until June to fix any outstanding CTF issues and ceded ground in negotiations to strike a deal, but that the US was determined to see Pakistan suffer. He said Pakistan’s law-enforcement shortcomings are often confused for lack of desire, especially at provincial level, where police officers are poorly trained when it comes to terrorist financing legislation. “The will is there,” he added. The advisor to PM ruled out Pakistan’s retaliating against Washington over the FATF listing. He said the country would keep working to improve its CTF capabilities and win the confidence of Britain, Germany and France, who co-sponsored the US motion in Paris. Pakistan hopes to be removed from the grey list in six to 12 months from June, when it will be officially placed on the watch list, Ismail added. 'Little hiccup' The PM's aide said he did not foresee the FATF decision acting as a brake on Pakistan’s economy, which, with growth above 5 percent, is expanding at its fastest pace in a decade. “I would rather not be in the list, but I don’t think it will hurt” economic growth, Ismail said, adding that ordinary Pakistanis would not see any impact from the FATF move. He pointed out that Pakistan’s economic growth accelerated even during the period the country was last on the watch list. From 2012-2015, exports and foreign currency reserves expanded, while its stock market shot up by more than 200 percent, he said. “We are focused on improving our economy and overcoming this little hiccup,” Ismail said. “We will continue on our path forward.” Later during his appearance on Geo News show 'Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath', the PM's aide said, "We are not in any list at present. The decision has been made to put Pakistan on a monitoring and reporting list, commonly known as grey list. [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2oDjNb5 style=center] "There has been a perception that if we were not included in the grey list then we would be put on the black list. There is no question about that, given all what we have done, including anti-money laundering laws, anti-terrorism laws [made] in Pakistan." Ismail said that after all this, it is impossible to put Pakistan on the black list. He clearly stated that "between now and June" Pakistan is not included in any list, adidng, "There is no reporting requirement nor we have to do anything in this period." Ismail said they informed all the concerned countries, including those four states behind the proposal against us, about measures taken by Pakistan. "They said that you took quite long and that they do not have an analysis of all this." He further said that they grey list does not impose any sanctions and so it would not impact Pakistan's economy.

US trying to 'embarrass' Pakistan with terror financing list: Miftah Ismail Advisor to PM Miftah Ismail. — Reuters FILE ISLAMABAD: Advisor to PM on Finance Miftah Ismail has brushed off concerns that economic growth will suffer because of the country’s re-inclusion on a terrorist financing watch list, and lashed out against the United States for seeking to “embarrass” the nation. Washington last week persuaded member states of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to place Pakistan back on the “grey list” of nations with inadequate terrorist financing or money laundering controls. Pakistan was on the list for three years, until 2015. The diplomatic setback has sparked anger in Islamabad against United States, which championed the motion against Pakistan at the FATF meeting in Paris. It represented another blow to the worsening relationship between the uneasy allies. Ismail, who led Pakistan’s negotiations in Paris, told Reuters that Washington did not seem genuinely eager to see Pakistan boost its terrorist financing regulations and was instead bent on humiliating the country. “If the Americans were interested in working with us and improving our CTF (counter-terrorist financing) regulations, they would have taken the offer I was making them,” Ismail said. “But their idea was just to embarrass Pakistan.” Ismail said that he urged the United States to allow Pakistan until June to fix any outstanding CTF issues and ceded ground in negotiations to strike a deal, but that the US was determined to see Pakistan suffer. He said Pakistan’s law-enforcement shortcomings are often confused for lack of desire, especially at provincial level, where police officers are poorly trained when it comes to terrorist financing legislation. “The will is there,” he added. The advisor to PM ruled out Pakistan’s retaliating against Washington over the FATF listing. He said the country would keep working to improve its CTF capabilities and win the confidence of Britain, Germany and France, who co-sponsored the US motion in Paris. Pakistan hopes to be removed from the grey list in six to 12 months from June, when it will be officially placed on the watch list, Ismail added. 'Little hiccup' The PM's aide said he did not foresee the FATF decision acting as a brake on Pakistan’s economy, which, with growth above 5 percent, is expanding at its fastest pace in a decade. “I would rather not be in the list, but I don’t think it will hurt” economic growth, Ismail said, adding that ordinary Pakistanis would not see any impact from the FATF move. He pointed out that Pakistan’s economic growth accelerated even during the period the country was last on the watch list. From 2012-2015, exports and foreign currency reserves expanded, while its stock market shot up by more than 200 percent, he said. “We are focused on improving our economy and overcoming this little hiccup,” Ismail said. “We will continue on our path forward.” Later during his appearance on Geo News show 'Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath', the PM's aide said, "We are not in any list at present. The decision has been made to put Pakistan on a monitoring and reporting list, commonly known as grey list. [embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2oDjNb5 style=center] "There has been a perception that if we were not included in the grey list then we would be put on the black list. There is no question about that, given all what we have done, including anti-money laundering laws, anti-terrorism laws [made] in Pakistan." Ismail said that after all this, it is impossible to put Pakistan on the black list. He clearly stated that "between now and June" Pakistan is not included in any list, adidng, "There is no reporting requirement nor we have to do anything in this period." Ismail said they informed all the concerned countries, including those four states behind the proposal against us, about measures taken by Pakistan. "They said that you took quite long and that they do not have an analysis of all this." He further said that they grey list does not impose any sanctions and so it would not impact Pakistan's economy.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Samina Baig appointed UNDP National Goodwill Ambassador UN Resident Coordinator Neil Buhne and UNDP Resident Representative for Pakistan confer the UNDP National Goodwill Ambassador for Pakistan to Samina Baig. -APP ISLAMABAD: Renowned mountaineer Samina Baig was appointed the National Goodwill Ambassador for Pakistan by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Monday. The first Pakistani woman to have climbed Mount Everest, Baig will lead efforts to build national awareness and partnerships around Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly those related to climate change, environmental protection and women’s empowerment. “Pakistan is amongst the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change," said United Nations Resident Coordinator in Pakistan Neil Buhne. "Preparing for its effects, and instituting environmental protection, will safeguard economic development for future generations. Moreover, half of Pakistan’s population, its women, are under-represented in education, the workforce and in decision-making. Empowering women to play their full role in society is not only an ethical imperative, it is essential for sustainable development," added Buhne. “UNDP’s National Goodwill Ambassadors are leaders in their societies and role models for us all. "As the national goodwill ambassador for Pakistan, Baig will use her profile to highlight issues that shape Pakistan’s future, and build the partnerships required to address them,” said UNDP Pakistan Country Director Ignacio Artaza. Born in Gilgit-Baltistan, at the age of 22, Baig became the first Pakistani woman to climb Mount Everest. By the time she turned 23, she had climbed the highest mountain on each of the world’s seven continents. Awarded the Pride of Performance award by the government of Pakistan, today she presides over Pakistan Youth Outreach Foundation to encourage youth, especially women, to participate in outdoor activities. As a mountaineer, she bears witness to the critical importance of preserving Pakistan’s fragile ecosystems and preparing for the effects of climate change. “I am greatly honoured to be part of UNDP," said Baig. "From the remotest village of Pakistan and reaching the summit of the world’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest, and beyond the borders, scaling a peak in Antarctica and the seven highest peaks of the seven continents, in some of the harshest conditions, my entire climbing purpose was to empower women through these adventures and encourage gender equality." With my brother, I have experienced the significant impact of global warming and climate change on our mother earth, added the mountaineer. "UNDP’s national goodwill ambassadors are inspirational women and men who serve as spokespersons to uphold the United Nations Charter and the Sustainable Development Goals," said Baig further.

Samina Baig appointed UNDP National Goodwill Ambassador UN Resident Coordinator Neil Buhne and UNDP Resident Representative for Pakistan confer the UNDP National Goodwill Ambassador for Pakistan to Samina Baig. -APP ISLAMABAD: Renowned mountaineer Samina Baig was appointed the National Goodwill Ambassador for Pakistan by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Monday. The first Pakistani woman to have climbed Mount Everest, Baig will lead efforts to build national awareness and partnerships around Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly those related to climate change, environmental protection and women’s empowerment. “Pakistan is amongst the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change," said United Nations Resident Coordinator in Pakistan Neil Buhne. "Preparing for its effects, and instituting environmental protection, will safeguard economic development for future generations. Moreover, half of Pakistan’s population, its women, are under-represented in education, the workforce and in decision-making. Empowering women to play their full role in society is not only an ethical imperative, it is essential for sustainable development," added Buhne. “UNDP’s National Goodwill Ambassadors are leaders in their societies and role models for us all. "As the national goodwill ambassador for Pakistan, Baig will use her profile to highlight issues that shape Pakistan’s future, and build the partnerships required to address them,” said UNDP Pakistan Country Director Ignacio Artaza. Born in Gilgit-Baltistan, at the age of 22, Baig became the first Pakistani woman to climb Mount Everest. By the time she turned 23, she had climbed the highest mountain on each of the world’s seven continents. Awarded the Pride of Performance award by the government of Pakistan, today she presides over Pakistan Youth Outreach Foundation to encourage youth, especially women, to participate in outdoor activities. As a mountaineer, she bears witness to the critical importance of preserving Pakistan’s fragile ecosystems and preparing for the effects of climate change. “I am greatly honoured to be part of UNDP," said Baig.  "From the remotest village of Pakistan and reaching the summit of the world’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest, and beyond the borders, scaling a peak in Antarctica and the seven highest peaks of the seven continents, in some of the harshest conditions, my entire climbing purpose was to empower women through these adventures and encourage gender equality." With my brother, I have experienced the significant impact of global warming and climate change on our mother earth, added the mountaineer.  "UNDP’s national goodwill ambassadors are inspirational women and men who serve as spokespersons to uphold the United Nations Charter and the Sustainable Development Goals," said Baig further. 

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Lodhran rape case: ATC hands over suspect to police on seven-day remand LODHRAN: An Anti-terrorism court sent on Monday the main suspect of the rape and murder of a six-year-old girl on a seven-day physical remand to police. 18-year-old Ali Haider, the main suspect in the killing of Aasma, was presented before the ATC today. The suspect was brought to the court under strict security, where he confessed to his crime before the ATC. In his confession, Ali said that he committed the heinous crime alone and lured the girl by telling her that he is taking her to swings. Haider Ali also spoke to media, saying that Aasma died during rape, following which he threw her body into nearby bushes. Six-year-old girl raped, killed by cousin in Lodhran Police said 18-year-old Ali Haider has confessed to the crime A case was filed by the girl’s brother Javaid, following which police had arrested four suspects, including two of Aasma’s cousins. During interrogation, the accused confessed to the crime. Although the rape and killing of minors is not an uncommon occurrence, the cases have started surfacing lately after murder of Zainab in Kasur, which sparked outrage throughout the country.

Lodhran rape case: ATC hands over suspect to police on seven-day remand LODHRAN: An Anti-terrorism court sent on Monday the main suspect of the rape and murder of a six-year-old girl on a seven-day physical remand to police. 18-year-old Ali Haider, the main suspect in the killing of Aasma, was presented before the ATC today. The suspect was brought to the court under strict security, where he confessed to his crime before the ATC. In his confession, Ali said that he committed the heinous crime alone and lured the girl by telling her that he is taking her to swings. Haider Ali also spoke to media, saying that Aasma died during rape, following which he threw her body into nearby bushes. Six-year-old girl raped, killed by cousin in Lodhran Police said 18-year-old Ali Haider has confessed to the crime A case was filed by the girl’s brother Javaid, following which police had arrested four suspects, including two of Aasma’s cousins. During interrogation, the accused confessed to the crime. Although the rape and killing of minors is not an uncommon occurrence, the cases have started surfacing lately after murder of Zainab in Kasur, which sparked outrage throughout the country.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Trump calls for closer attention to warnings after Florida massacre WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday said authorities need to do a better job of handling warnings about violent people of the sort that were missed ahead of this month’s shooting at a Florida high school that killed 17 people. Trump’s comments came as he met with governors at the White House, where Florida Governor Rick Scott said state officials need to take additional steps to improve school security, including adding mental health counselors in all schools. The Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, the second-deadliest shooting at a US public school, stirred the nation’s long-running debate on gun rights, which are protected by the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. Trump, a Republican who backed gun rights during and since his 2016 presidential campaign, last week suggested that arming teachers could help stop more rampages. Washington Governor Jay Inslee, a Democrat, told Trump that teachers in his state do nor want to carry weapons. Scott, also a Republican, has said he will work with Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature to raise the minimum legal age to buy guns in the state to 21, from 18, with some exceptions. Investigators said the assault was carried out by Nikolas Cruz, a 19-year-old former student at the high school, who legally purchased a semiautomatic AR-15 assault weapon nearly a year ago. Police charged Cruz, who had been kicked out of the school due to disciplinary problems, with 17 counts of premeditated murder. The shooting has rattled long-drawn political lines on gun rights in the United States, where Republican officials have often backed any efforts to tighten gun ownership rules, often out of concern about potential retribution by the powerful National Rifle Association. Trump has said he plans to limit sales of “bump stocks,” an accessory that can modify a legally purchased semiautomatic rifle to fire at high rates of speed akin to a machine gun. Fully automatic machine guns are largely banned under US law. The NRA has pushed back against that idea, saying that new restrictions on firearms would impinge on the rights of law-abiding gun owners while having no effect on public safety. Last October, a retired real estate investor and high-stakes gambler used multiple assault rifles equipped with bump stocks to kill 58 people at a Las Vegas outdoor concert, the deadliest attack by a single gunman in US history. Bump stocks have not played a prominent role in other recent US mass shootings. US Congressman Steve Scalise, the No. 3 Republican leader in the US House of Representatives who was badly wounding in a shooting last summer, questioned the logic of restricting gun purchases after the attack. Instead, he said his focus was on failures by law enforcement, following reports that the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local police had received multiple warnings about the alleged shooter. “All these breakdowns in government show you why so many people, millions of people across the country, want to have the right to defend themselves,” Scalise told Fox News on Monday. “Passing laws that take away rights of law-abiding gun owners, that is something that concerns a lot of us.”

Trump calls for closer attention to warnings after Florida massacre WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday said authorities need to do a better job of handling warnings about violent people of the sort that were missed ahead of this month’s shooting at a Florida high school that killed 17 people. Trump’s comments came as he met with governors at the White House, where Florida Governor Rick Scott said state officials need to take additional steps to improve school security, including adding mental health counselors in all schools. The Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, the second-deadliest shooting at a US public school, stirred the nation’s long-running debate on gun rights, which are protected by the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. Trump, a Republican who backed gun rights during and since his 2016 presidential campaign, last week suggested that arming teachers could help stop more rampages. Washington Governor Jay Inslee, a Democrat, told Trump that teachers in his state do nor want to carry weapons. Scott, also a Republican, has said he will work with Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature to raise the minimum legal age to buy guns in the state to 21, from 18, with some exceptions. Investigators said the assault was carried out by Nikolas Cruz, a 19-year-old former student at the high school, who legally purchased a semiautomatic AR-15 assault weapon nearly a year ago. Police charged Cruz, who had been kicked out of the school due to disciplinary problems, with 17 counts of premeditated murder. The shooting has rattled long-drawn political lines on gun rights in the United States, where Republican officials have often backed any efforts to tighten gun ownership rules, often out of concern about potential retribution by the powerful National Rifle Association. Trump has said he plans to limit sales of “bump stocks,” an accessory that can modify a legally purchased semiautomatic rifle to fire at high rates of speed akin to a machine gun. Fully automatic machine guns are largely banned under US law. The NRA has pushed back against that idea, saying that new restrictions on firearms would impinge on the rights of law-abiding gun owners while having no effect on public safety. Last October, a retired real estate investor and high-stakes gambler used multiple assault rifles equipped with bump stocks to kill 58 people at a Las Vegas outdoor concert, the deadliest attack by a single gunman in US history. Bump stocks have not played a prominent role in other recent US mass shootings. US Congressman Steve Scalise, the No. 3 Republican leader in the US House of Representatives who was badly wounding in a shooting last summer, questioned the logic of restricting gun purchases after the attack. Instead, he said his focus was on failures by law enforcement, following reports that the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local police had received multiple warnings about the alleged shooter. “All these breakdowns in government show you why so many people, millions of people across the country, want to have the right to defend themselves,” Scalise told Fox News on Monday. “Passing laws that take away rights of law-abiding gun owners, that is something that concerns a lot of us.”

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Ed Sheeran named world's best-selling artist of 2017 Ed Sheeran. -FILE LONDON: British folk-pop phenomenon Ed Sheeran on Monday was named the best-selling artist in the world in 2017 by the global recorded music industry group IFPI. Sheeran's "A Divide" was the best-selling album of last year and "Shape of You" was the best-selling single, London-based IFPI said in its announcement. Sheeran is the fifth recipient of the Global Recording Artist of the Year Award after One Direction (2013), Taylor Swift (2014), Adele (2015) and Drake (2016). "The success Ed has achieved is astonishing and a testament to his ability to write and perform songs that connect with a truly global fanbase," IFPI chief executive Frances Moore said in a statement. Drake came second in the ranking, followed by Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Bruno Mars, The Weeknd, Imagine Dragons, Linkin Park and The Chainsmokers. The ranking includes digital and physical album and single sales, as well as audio streaming. Max Lousada, chief executive of Warner Music UK, said Sheeran´s "ability to tell stories and make people feel is what stands him out from the crowd". Sheeran lost out to grime star Stormzy at the Brit Awards in London last week but earlier this month took Best Pop Solo performance at the Grammies in New York for "Shape of You".

Ed Sheeran named world's best-selling artist of 2017 Ed Sheeran. -FILE LONDON: British folk-pop phenomenon Ed Sheeran on Monday was named the best-selling artist in the world in 2017 by the global recorded music industry group IFPI. Sheeran's "A Divide" was the best-selling album of last year and "Shape of You" was the best-selling single, London-based IFPI said in its announcement. Sheeran is the fifth recipient of the Global Recording Artist of the Year Award after One Direction (2013), Taylor Swift (2014), Adele (2015) and Drake (2016). "The success Ed has achieved is astonishing and a testament to his ability to write and perform songs that connect with a truly global fanbase," IFPI chief executive Frances Moore said in a statement. Drake came second in the ranking, followed by Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Bruno Mars, The Weeknd, Imagine Dragons, Linkin Park and The Chainsmokers. The ranking includes digital and physical album and single sales, as well as audio streaming. Max Lousada, chief executive of Warner Music UK, said Sheeran´s "ability to tell stories and make people feel is what stands him out from the crowd". Sheeran lost out to grime star Stormzy at the Brit Awards in London last week but earlier this month took Best Pop Solo performance at the Grammies in New York for "Shape of You".

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Russia calls daily truce in battered Syria enclave Syrians walk past destroyed buildings in Arbin in the militant-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta. -AFP DOUMA: Russia called a daily "humanitarian pause" in Syria's Eastern Ghouta, bowing to international pressure to halt the carnage in the militant-held enclave where fresh strikes claimed more civilian lives on Monday. A UN Security Council resolution for a 30-day truce had remained a dead letter since it was passed on Saturday, and Moscow, the Syrian regime's main backer, ended up setting its own terms to stem one of the worst episodes of bloodletting in Syria's seven-year-old conflict. The United Nations, France and Germany had made pressing appeals for Russian President Vladimir Putin to demand its Damascus ally enforce a ceasefire, including in Eastern Ghouta. He eventually agreed to a five-hour daily window that would allow residents of the battered enclave east of the capital to come out of the underground shelters they have been cowering in. "On the instructions of the Russian president, with the goal of avoiding civilian casualties in Eastern Ghouta, from February 27 - tomorrow - from 9:00 to 14:00 there will be a humanitarian pause," Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said. According to a statement sent to AFP, he said there should be similar pauses in the southern Al-Tanf border region and Rukban, near the Jordanian border. Shoigu said "humanitarian corridors" would be opened to allow civilians to leave, adding that their locations would soon be divulged. UN chief Antonio Guterres had expressed frustration with the lack of results the resolution yielded and stressed Monday in Geneva: "Eastern Ghouta cannot wait. It is high time to stop this hell on earth." The intensity of the bombardment on Eastern Ghouta had eased somewhat over the weekend but deadly strikes and shelling never stopped. Trapped in rubble An AFP correspondent in Douma said the bombardment had been very heavy overnight and impeded rescuers in their work. The regime intensified its air campaign against Eastern Ghouta, which has been outside government control since 2012, at the beginning of the month. On February 18, the Syrian government further turned up the heat on the territory controlled by terrorist groups. The UN said in a statement Monday that a staggering 76 percent of private housing in Eastern Ghouta was damaged. Much of the nearly 400,000-strong population of Eastern Ghouta has moved underground, with families pitching tents in basements and venturing out only to assess damage to their property and buy food. Russia dismissed reports of a chemical attack as "bogus stories". The regime has reinforced its deployment around the enclave over the past month, raising fears of a ground offensive that aid groups have warned could cause even worse suffering. Other flashpoints With Daesh's once-sprawling "caliphate" now wiped off the map, the regime has looked bent on completing its reconquest and Eastern Ghouta is a key target. The militants only control an estimated three percent of Syria territory, small pockets which various anti-Daesh forces continue to flush out. The Observatory reported that at least 25 civilians were killed in a wave of air strikes on holdout Daesh fighters in eastern Syria on Sunday. It said the strikes were carried out by the US-led coalition but a US military spokesman said "there were no reported coalition strikes conducted in Syria" that day. Another flashpoint in Syria has been the northern region of Afrin, where Kurdish forces have come under attack from neighbouring Turkey since January 20. Turkey has warned it did not consider that the UN ceasefire resolution, which is not limited to Eastern Ghouta but whose wording excludes operations against terror groups, should affect its offensive on Afrin. Macron on Monday called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who considers the Syrian Kurdish militia to be "terrorist", to stress the truce should apply there too.

Russia calls daily truce in battered Syria enclave Syrians walk past destroyed buildings in Arbin in the militant-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta. -AFP DOUMA: Russia called a daily "humanitarian pause" in Syria's Eastern Ghouta, bowing to international pressure to halt the carnage in the militant-held enclave where fresh strikes claimed more civilian lives on Monday. A UN Security Council resolution for a 30-day truce had remained a dead letter since it was passed on Saturday, and Moscow, the Syrian regime's main backer, ended up setting its own terms to stem one of the worst episodes of bloodletting in Syria's seven-year-old conflict. The United Nations, France and Germany had made pressing appeals for Russian President Vladimir Putin to demand its Damascus ally enforce a ceasefire, including in Eastern Ghouta. He eventually agreed to a five-hour daily window that would allow residents of the battered enclave east of the capital to come out of the underground shelters they have been cowering in. "On the instructions of the Russian president, with the goal of avoiding civilian casualties in Eastern Ghouta, from February 27 - tomorrow - from 9:00 to 14:00 there will be a humanitarian pause," Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said. According to a statement sent to AFP, he said there should be similar pauses in the southern Al-Tanf border region and Rukban, near the Jordanian border. Shoigu said "humanitarian corridors" would be opened to allow civilians to leave, adding that their locations would soon be divulged. UN chief Antonio Guterres had expressed frustration with the lack of results the resolution yielded and stressed Monday in Geneva: "Eastern Ghouta cannot wait. It is high time to stop this hell on earth." The intensity of the bombardment on Eastern Ghouta had eased somewhat over the weekend but deadly strikes and shelling never stopped. Trapped in rubble An AFP correspondent in Douma said the bombardment had been very heavy overnight and impeded rescuers in their work. The regime intensified its air campaign against Eastern Ghouta, which has been outside government control since 2012, at the beginning of the month. On February 18, the Syrian government further turned up the heat on the territory controlled by terrorist groups. The UN said in a statement Monday that a staggering 76 percent of private housing in Eastern Ghouta was damaged. Much of the nearly 400,000-strong population of Eastern Ghouta has moved underground, with families pitching tents in basements and venturing out only to assess damage to their property and buy food. Russia dismissed reports of a chemical attack as "bogus stories". The regime has reinforced its deployment around the enclave over the past month, raising fears of a ground offensive that aid groups have warned could cause even worse suffering. Other flashpoints With Daesh's once-sprawling "caliphate" now wiped off the map, the regime has looked bent on completing its reconquest and Eastern Ghouta is a key target. The militants only control an estimated three percent of Syria territory, small pockets which various anti-Daesh forces continue to flush out. The Observatory reported that at least 25 civilians were killed in a wave of air strikes on holdout Daesh fighters in eastern Syria on Sunday. It said the strikes were carried out by the US-led coalition but a US military spokesman said "there were no reported coalition strikes conducted in Syria" that day. Another flashpoint in Syria has been the northern region of Afrin, where Kurdish forces have come under attack from neighbouring Turkey since January 20. Turkey has warned it did not consider that the UN ceasefire resolution, which is not limited to Eastern Ghouta but whose wording excludes operations against terror groups, should affect its offensive on Afrin. Macron on Monday called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who considers the Syrian Kurdish militia to be "terrorist", to stress the truce should apply there too.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Weinstein Company announces bankruptcy plans Harvey Weinstein. -File NEW YORK: Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein's former company has announced it will file for bankruptcy, complaining that talks with frontrunner investors to buy the troubled studio had collapsed, leaving it with "no choice" but to go to the wall. The Weinstein Company said that it had failed to reach a deal with an investor group led by Maria Contreras-Sweet, a former Obama administration official, for a reported $500 million despite a last-minute push to make the deal palatable to New York prosecutors. State attorney general Eric Schneiderman in New York, where the studio is headquartered, filed a lawsuit against the firm on February 11, fearing that the imminent sale could leave Weinstein's victims without adequate redress. Schneiderman said any deal should embody three principles: adequate compensation for victims, protection for employees and the removal of executives who had been complicit in Weinstein's misconduct for 12 years. In a two-page letter to Contreras-Sweet dated Sunday, the company's representatives said they had worked "tirelessly" to accommodate Schneiderman's principles. It revealed that they had sacked David Glasser, the former chief operating officer who had been earmarked to stay under the buyout, but whom Schneiderman said had covered up years of Weinstein's abuse. "A deal that essentially removes the two Weinstein brothers but leaves the rest of management intact, we think, should be unacceptable," he had said. But the company complained that the investor group had not kept its side of the bargain on Schneiderman's principles nor on stumping up interim funding required to run the business and maintain employees before the buyout was finalised. "We must conclude that your plan to buy this company was illusory and would only leave this company hobbling toward its demise to the detriment of all constituents," read the letter, which was widely circulated by the US media. "This board will not let that happen. Despite your previous statements, it is simply impossible to avoid the conclusion that you have no intention to sign an agreement -- much less to close one -- and no desire to save valuable assets and jobs," it said. 'Only viable option' "While we deeply regret that your actions have led to this unfortunate outcome for our employees, our creditors and any victims, we will now pursue the board's only viable option to maximise the company´s remaining value: an orderly bankruptcy process." There has been no immediate public comment from Contreras-Sweet. While her investor group had come out on top, there were nearly a dozen other bids, including one from Qatari group beIN, Hollywood studio Lionsgate, and another female-led investor group lined up behind audiovisual production company Killer Content. There has also been no public comment from Schneiderman. Weinstein, whose films received more than 300 Oscar nominations and 81 statuettes, went into career meltdown last October with bombshell exposes in The New York Times and New Yorker alleging years of sexual misconduct. More than 100 women have since accused him of sexual harassment, assault and rape going back 40 years, leading not only to his career annihilation but to a US reckoning about harassment and abuse that has toppled a litany of powerful men in various sectors. He and younger brother Robert started their powerful Hollywood careers by founding Miramax, which was sold to Walt Disney in 1993. In 2005, they founded The Weinstein Company, which went on to steer numerous films to box office magic and awards glory for movies such as "The Artist," "The King's Speech" and "The Iron Lady." Weinstein resigned from the board of the company just days after the accusations began. The twice-married father of five is being investigated by British and US police, but has not been charged with any crime. He denies having non-consensual sex and is reportedly in treatment for sex addiction. Since the scandal flared, dozens of civil suits have been brought against Weinstein and the company, mostly by women who accuse him of sexual misconduct.

Weinstein Company announces bankruptcy plans Harvey Weinstein. -File NEW YORK: Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein's former company has announced it will file for bankruptcy, complaining that talks with frontrunner investors to buy the troubled studio had collapsed, leaving it with "no choice" but to go to the wall. The Weinstein Company said that it had failed to reach a deal with an investor group led by Maria Contreras-Sweet, a former Obama administration official, for a reported $500 million despite a last-minute push to make the deal palatable to New York prosecutors. State attorney general Eric Schneiderman in New York, where the studio is headquartered, filed a lawsuit against the firm on February 11, fearing that the imminent sale could leave Weinstein's victims without adequate redress. Schneiderman said any deal should embody three principles: adequate compensation for victims, protection for employees and the removal of executives who had been complicit in Weinstein's misconduct for 12 years. In a two-page letter to Contreras-Sweet dated Sunday, the company's representatives said they had worked "tirelessly" to accommodate Schneiderman's principles. It revealed that they had sacked David Glasser, the former chief operating officer who had been earmarked to stay under the buyout, but whom Schneiderman said had covered up years of Weinstein's abuse. "A deal that essentially removes the two Weinstein brothers but leaves the rest of management intact, we think, should be unacceptable," he had said. But the company complained that the investor group had not kept its side of the bargain on Schneiderman's principles nor on stumping up interim funding required to run the business and maintain employees before the buyout was finalised. "We must conclude that your plan to buy this company was illusory and would only leave this company hobbling toward its demise to the detriment of all constituents," read the letter, which was widely circulated by the US media. "This board will not let that happen. Despite your previous statements, it is simply impossible to avoid the conclusion that you have no intention to sign an agreement -- much less to close one -- and no desire to save valuable assets and jobs," it said. 'Only viable option' "While we deeply regret that your actions have led to this unfortunate outcome for our employees, our creditors and any victims, we will now pursue the board's only viable option to maximise the company´s remaining value: an orderly bankruptcy process." There has been no immediate public comment from Contreras-Sweet. While her investor group had come out on top, there were nearly a dozen other bids, including one from Qatari group beIN, Hollywood studio Lionsgate, and another female-led investor group lined up behind audiovisual production company Killer Content. There has also been no public comment from Schneiderman. Weinstein, whose films received more than 300 Oscar nominations and 81 statuettes, went into career meltdown last October with bombshell exposes in The New York Times and New Yorker alleging years of sexual misconduct. More than 100 women have since accused him of sexual harassment, assault and rape going back 40 years, leading not only to his career annihilation but to a US reckoning about harassment and abuse that has toppled a litany of powerful men in various sectors. He and younger brother Robert started their powerful Hollywood careers by founding Miramax, which was sold to Walt Disney in 1993. In 2005, they founded The Weinstein Company, which went on to steer numerous films to box office magic and awards glory for movies such as "The Artist," "The King's Speech" and "The Iron Lady." Weinstein resigned from the board of the company just days after the accusations began. The twice-married father of five is being investigated by British and US police, but has not been charged with any crime. He denies having non-consensual sex and is reportedly in treatment for sex addiction. Since the scandal flared, dozens of civil suits have been brought against Weinstein and the company, mostly by women who accuse him of sexual misconduct.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Intezar murder case: Prosecutor recommends inclusion of anti-terrorism clauses Intezar Ahmed, 19, was killed after the police's Anti Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) officials opened fire on his vehicle on Khayaban-e-Ittehad, DHA on January 13. — Geo News screengrab KARACHI: The special public prosecutor in Intezar murder case on Monday recommended the trial court to include anti-terrorism clauses in the case. Intezar Ahmed, 19, was killed after the police's Anti Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) officials opened fire on his vehicle on Khayaban-e-Ittehad, DHA on January 13. The court of Judicial Magistrate South conducted hearing of the case on Monday, wherein special public prosecutor submitted interim challan by the police. Interim charge-sheet prepared in Intezar murder case Eight of the policemen, who were detained earlier, have been booked for murder, sources said The court had directed the prosecutor for scrutiny of police challan. The public prosecutor, after having scrutinised the challan, recommended inclusion of relative clauses of anti-terrorism act in the case. Meanwhile, police also submitted its report pertaining to acquittal of one of the accused, Abbas, on the basis of lack of evidence. After this, the court reserved its verdict on whether or not the challan is admissible, and on the acquittal of accused Abbas. The court will announce its verdict on February 28, while it also directed for submission of a final challan without any delay.

Intezar murder case: Prosecutor recommends inclusion of anti-terrorism clauses Intezar Ahmed, 19, was killed after the police's Anti Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) officials opened fire on his vehicle on Khayaban-e-Ittehad, DHA on January 13. — Geo News screengrab KARACHI: The special public prosecutor in Intezar murder case on Monday recommended the trial court to include anti-terrorism clauses in the case. Intezar Ahmed, 19, was killed after the police's Anti Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) officials opened fire on his vehicle on Khayaban-e-Ittehad, DHA on January 13. The court of Judicial Magistrate South conducted hearing of the case on Monday, wherein special public prosecutor submitted interim challan by the police. Interim charge-sheet prepared in Intezar murder case Eight of the policemen, who were detained earlier, have been booked for murder, sources said The court had directed the prosecutor for scrutiny of police challan. The public prosecutor, after having scrutinised the challan, recommended inclusion of relative clauses of anti-terrorism act in the case. Meanwhile, police also submitted its report pertaining to acquittal of one of the accused, Abbas, on the basis of lack of evidence. After this, the court reserved its verdict on whether or not the challan is admissible, and on the acquittal of accused Abbas. The court will announce its verdict on February 28, while it also directed for submission of a final challan without any delay.

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Canadian university releases guide for in-flight emergencies

Canadian university releases guide for in-flight emergencies

Doctors issued guidelines on how to treat in-flight medical emergencies after study finds rise in passengers falling ill at 36,000 feet Th...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More

Sridevi: The supermom!

Sridevi: The supermom!

Sridevi was the perfect mother and mentor, who made sure that her daughters had the best of everything. from LifeStyle - Latest Lifestyle ...

February 27, 2018 No comments Read More