PM stated that national side had displayed outstanding performance in all three departments.
He added that Pakistan remained a far better side in matches against Australia and New Zeeland.
PM terms 11th series win in a row a big honor for young side.
He was addressing a ceremony at the Central Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in Beijing, during his first official visit to China since assuming charge as the Prime Minister of Pakistan in August this year.
“We need foreign investments more than ever before, because we have a current account deficit,” the Pakistani premier said, a day after he invited Chinese businessmen to explore Pakistan's vast investment potential.
“China, through CPEC, has given Pakistan an opportunity to attract [foreign] investments. CPEC is a blessing for Pakistan, it’s very important for the country, it’s an opportunity to attract investments,” he said.
PM Imran said his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and his counterpart Li Keqiang had given him even more confidence that Pakistan would be able to get out of the current economic crisis.
“My government is confident that we can get out of the crisis. For the last 15 years we have suffered as a result of the war against terrorism,” he told the gathering.
Pakistan’s foreign reserves have plunged 42 percent since the start of the year and now stand at about $8 billion, or less than two months of import cover.
Last month, Pakistan received a $6 billion rescue package from Saudi Arabia, but officials say it is not enough and the country still plans to seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to avert a balance of payments crisis. It would be Pakistan´s 13th rescue package from the multilateral lender since the late 1980s.
PM Imran said corruption and money laundering were the biggest problems facing Pakistan.
“Corruption, money laundering by the ruling elites created problems for the country, badly impacted the economy.”
He noted that Pakistan had been one of the fastest-growing economies in the world in the 1960s, and its five-year plan had even been emulated by South Korea and Malaysia.
From the mid-1980s onwards, unfortunately, Pakistan had started to suffer from corruption, he lamented. “Money laundering deprives a country of its resources, foreign exchange. Rich countries get richer, poor countries get poorer.”
PM Imran lauded China’s phenomenal achievements in reducing poverty and alleviating corruption, and said Pakistan wished to learn from its progress.
No country [other than China] has lifted 700 million out of poverty in 30 years, he observed. “The steps taken by China to achieve this, is what my party, my government is interested in learning,” he added.
The premier said Pakistan enjoyed a multidimensional relationship with China which encompassed a wide range of fields including economy, climate change, and other socioeconomic areas.
Pakistan and China on Saturday signed 15 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) for cooperation in diverse fields, including poverty alleviation in Pakistan, strengthening of cooperation in agriculture and industrial sectors and technical training.
Agreements were also signed between Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and Science Academy of China and between Chinese Academy of Science and Pakistan Meteorological Department.
Thanking China for the love and affection extended to him on his visit, PM Imran said the love between Pakistan and China did not only exist on a state-to-state level but could also be witnessed on people-to-people basis.
The premier will next leave for Shanghai to participate in the first China International Import Expo. He will be a keynote speaker at the inauguration of the expo, and among 18 heads of state and government who will be attending it.
More than 2,800 companies from 130 countries and regions, and 160,000 buyers from over 80,000 Chinese and foreign companies will participate in the expo.
At present, the Indian master blaster Virat Kohli holds record. He achieved this milestone in 27 T20I matches.
Babar Azam has scored 952 runs in just 25 T20Is at an healthy average of 52.88. Babar’s highest score in T20I is 97* whereas his strike rate is 123.47.
Pakistan will take on New Zeeland today and all eyes would be on Babar whether he would achieve break Kohli’s record or not. If Babar achieves this milestone in 27th innings of his career, he would be joint fastest to 1000 runs along with neighboring Kohli.
Mulook’s latest victory saw the acquittal of Bibi, a Christian woman who had been sentenced to death on charges of blasphemy. The Supreme Court on October 31 ordered Bibi’s immediate release stating that blasphemy charges could not be proven against her.
Following the apex court’s decision, religious parties staged protests in major cities across the country and incited violence against the lawyer as well as the judges.
Ahead of boarding a plane to Europe early Saturday morning, Mulook spoke to AFP and said, "In the current scenario, it’s not possible for me to live in Pakistan."
"I need to stay alive as I still have to fight the legal battle for Asia Bibi," he said.
When asked about the protests following the decision, Mulook said it was "unfortunate but not unexpected".
Regarding an agreement between the government and the protesters led by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), after which demonstrations across the country ended, Mulook said, "What’s painful is the response of the government. They cannot even implement an order of the country’s highest court."
He added that "the struggle for justice must continue".
"Her life would be more or less the same, either inside a prison or in solitary confinement for security fears" until a decision on the appeal, he further said.
The agreement signed by Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri and Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat and Pir Mohammad Afzal Qadri and Mohammad Waheed Noor from the TLP stated that the government will not object to a review petition over Bibi's acquittal.
Due process will be followed immediately to include the name of Asia Bibi in the Exit Control List (ECL), it was further agreed.
Earlier, the funeral prayers of the influential religious scholar and former senator, who was stabbed to death at his residence in Rawalpindi on Friday, were offered at the Khushal Khan College Ground.
Haq's funeral prayers were led by his son Maulana Hamidul Haq.
Several religious leaders and politicians, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor, provincial chief minister, JI Chief Sirajul Haq, former KP governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, ANP’s Ghulam Bilour, PML-N’s Raja Zafarul Haq and others attended the funeral.
Maulana Samiul Haq was stabbed to death while he was resting in his room at his residence in Rawalpindi on Friday. His son, Maulana Hamidul Haq, had said that the JUI-S chief's "driver-cum-guard went out for 15 minutes” and returned to find him dead.
Haq's son had further said: "He was trying to reach the protest in Islamabad but came back home due to roads being blocked. He was resting in his room after Asr [prayers] when his driver-cum-guard went out for 15 minutes. When he returned, he found Maulana Samiul Haq dead in his bed and his body covered in blood."
Another JUI-S leader, Maulana Abdul Majeed, had stated that there was no one present at the residence when Haq was killed. "We do not know who attacked him. He was alone, the person who was supposed to be with him had gone to the market," Majeed said.
Probe into assassination under way
Earlier today, a probe was launched into Maulana Samiul Haq’s assassination as forensic experts and investigation officers collected evidence from his Rawalpindi residence.
Police took Maulana Samiul Haq’s two domestic staff members into custody for questioning.
Meanwhile, investigation officers carried out fingerprint scans of the phone, glasses and other items belonging to the religious scholar. His phone records have also been obtained.
Further, CCTV footage of the housing society where the JUI-S chief resided is being obtained to identify the suspects.
FIR lodged
A first investigation report (FIR) of Haq’s assassination was registered earlier today.
The FIR was filed on the complaint of the religious scholar’s son, Maulana Hamidul Haq, against unknown persons in the Airport Police Station.
As per the FIR, Maulana Samiul Haq was attacked at 6:30pm and was stabbed 12 times in his stomach, chest, forehead and ear.
Maulana Hamidul Haq further said that they did not want to get the JUI-S chief’s post-mortem conducted.
Who was Maulana Samiul Haq?
Born in 1936, Haq was one of the senior-most religio-political figures in Pakistan and came from the spiritual family of Akora Khattak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He was the son of late Maulana Abdul Haq, a respected religious scholar and founder of the Darul Uloom Haqqania, one of the largest and most influential madrassas (seminaries) in the country. Maulana Samiul Haq later served the head of the Darul Uloom Haqqania after his father's death.
He was twice elected as member of the Senate of Pakistan—from 1985 to 1991 and again from 1991 to 1997.
According to the Senate website, Haq was an active protagonist of the Tahreek-i-Khatam-e-Nabowat in 1974 and Tahreek-i-Nizam-i-Mustafa in 1977.
"He was a member of the Majlis-i-Shoora in 1983-85 and was a member of the Presidential Committee on religious matters. He was elected to the Senate in 1985 and was one of the principal movers of the historic Shariat Bill in the Senate. He [was] re-elected as Senator in 1991 for another six-year term," reads the Senate website.
In 2014, the JUI-S chief headed a committee formed for peace talks with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The talks, despite repeated rounds, failed to yield results and the then Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led government subsequently launched a crackdown on militants following terrorist attacks on Karachi's Jinnah International Airport and then the Army Public School in Peshawar later that year.
His party has been an ally of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The PTI also gave him a ticket for the 2018 Senate election, but he could not be elected to the upper house.
The prime minister assured maximum facilitation to Chinese companies for business in Pakistan. He was speaking to a number of heads of major Chinese business groups that called on him in Beijing, a statement issued from the PM's office said.
The executives included Chen Fenjian, Chairman China Railways Construction Corporation (CRCC), Chen Siqing, Chairman Bank of China Group (BOCG), Yan Zhiyong, Chairman POWER CHINA, Da Can Like, Chairman China Rainbow International Investment, Charles Yang, President Huawei Middle East Region and Lyu Zexiang President China Gezhouba.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed, Adviser to PM Abdul Razzak Dawood, Minister for Planning Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi and Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan were present during the meeting.
Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, Ambassador Masood Khalid and other senior officials were also present.
The business leaders congratulated the prime minster on victory in the elections and assuming his office.
They said under the leadership of the PM Khan, Pakistan would enter into new era of development and expressed their gratitude for the support Pakistan was extending to the Chinese companies in hydropower, renewable energy, construction, infrastructure development, ICT and other sectors particularly under the CPEC projects.
The executives expressed their desire to further invest in Pakistan’s socio-economic sectors.
Khan appreciated the business ventures of Chinese companies in Pakistan, particularly under the CPEC projects, and expressed his satisfaction over the progress on these projects.
He also shared his socio-economic reform agenda with the Chinese businessmen.
Sgt. 1st Class Debra Richardson, a Resolute Support spokeswoman, said Saturday in a statement that another U.S. service member was wounded in the attack.
The statement said the attacker was a member of the Afghan security forces and initial reports indicate the assailant was immediately killed by other Afghan forces.
The two U.S. service members were medically evacuated to Bagram Airfield, where the wounded service member is undergoing medical treatment and is in stable condition, it said.
The incident is under investigation.
Richardson said the name of the service member who was killed would be withheld until next of kin is notified.
Awe-inspiring though they are, they are not detailed enough to help us in our search for life in the trillions of galaxies across the universe. And physicist Justin Crepp says the prospects for finding life out there are very good.
“If tens of a percent of stars have planets that could resemble the earth and potentially have life, then the implications are that there are billions of them just within our Milky Way Galaxy.”
Crepp, an associate professor of Physics at the University of Notre Dame, has been hard at work answering the age-old question, “Are we alone in the universe?” As a member of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Exoplanet Science Strategy, his job is to make recommendations on how and what the U.S. will explore in space over the next decade.
Up close and personal with planets
In September, the committee released its initial 260-page report detailing seven recommendations. First, it encourages NASA to fly a space-based mission to directly image and characterize earth-like planets around other stars and take pictures of them. But Crepp says that’s a very challenging technical problem.
“If you try to image a planet, you run into several difficulties,” he explains. “One is that their separation is very small on the sky. So, you need to spatially resolve and isolate the signal of the planet. So, you need a certain size telescope to do that. The problem is earth’s atmosphere blurs out the images, and so it exacerbates the issue.”
Another issue is that the starlight is so bright, scientists need to find a way to block it to see the planets around it. The committee thinks the technology to do that exists, but they must be able to get above the earth’s atmosphere with the right equipment to make it happen.
Better eyes on the skies
That leads to the committee’s second recommendation, this one, for the National Science Foundation: complete work on the Giant Magellan Telescope in Chile, and start to build the proposed Thirty Meter Telescope in Hawaii. The new technology in these super telescopes will produce images 10 times sharper than those from the Hubble, even though they are ground-based.
Their highly sophisticated equipment will also allow scientists to greatly enhance the work of the third recommendation: completing the partially funded Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope or WFIRST. When launched into space, it will search for and gather information on planets hundreds of light years away.
Crepp says that data will help scientists learn what the planets are made of.
“Is it a giant puffy atmosphere, or is it a rock or somewhere in between? Is it a water world? We don’t know the answers to these yet, but we’re just starting to get the first hints and inclinations what these worlds might be like around other stars,” Crepp said.
More importantly, scientists will try to determine if there are any signs of life.
The panel’s other recommendations include building new highly sensitive equipment, creating new ways for multidisciplinary teams all over the world to collaborate on various aspects of the project, and forming a profitable investor program to further laboratory, ground-based and theoretical telescopic research.
The big question
Crepp notes that people have wondered for millennia if our planet was unique in the universe, whether we are truly alone.
“This is a question that impacts not only science but theology, philosophy and other areas. It’s a curiosity. It’s part of being human. Is our world special? Is it isolated? Are there other planets out there that have life? Can we communicate with them? Are they our distant brethren? How are we related to one another? If so, what can we learn from one another? So, that’s the motivation for a lot of people on our panel to go to work on a daily basis.”
The report from the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Exoplanet Science Strategy will be reviewed by Congress. Portions of it may be included in the final 2020-2030 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey, which will fund the continuing search for exoplanets and the study of extraterrestrial life.
Prior to the arrival of European settlers, tens of millions of bison grazed and stampeded across America's Great Plains in herds that could stretch 160 kilometers (100 miles) end-to-end. The huge animals were crucial to the lives and economies of Plains tribes, providing shelter, food, clothing, weapons, tools and even children's playthings. Tribes revered the animal as a gift from the Creator, and it was--and remains--central to their spiritual beliefs.
During the latter half of the 19th Century, as part of its strategy to subjugate tribes, the U.S. Army slaughtered buffalo by the millions, and by 1900, fewer than 100 animals remained. About two dozen buffalo found a haven in Yellowstone National Park, where they have been protected and roamed freely ever since.
"The history of Native American people and buffalo is very similar in that we both now live on remnants of our former vast territories—buffalo in parks and refuges and Native Americans on reservations," said Jason Baldes, bison consultant for the Eastern Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming and tribal buffalo coordinator for the National Wildlife Federation's tribal partnerships program.
"After the atrocities suffered by Native American people through federal policy, we finally have the ability to finally return buffalo back to our communities," Baldes said. "It's really a way to help us heal."
Today, about a half million buffalo live in the U.S. and Canada. Most are not genetically pure, having been cross-bred with cattle, so they are classified as livestock, not wildlife. However, a genetically pure herd of about 5,000 bison roams freely throughout Yellowstone National Park.
More than 60 tribes comprise the Inter-Tribal Buffalo Council and today manage a collective herd of more than 20,000 buffalo—among them:
The Eastern Shoshone Tribe has partnered with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) to restore 20 buffalo to the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming with the goal of expanding the herd to more than 1,000.
The Blackfeet Nation in northern Montana launched a buffalo restoration program in 2016, releasing 88 buffalo from a historic herd from Elk Island National Park in Alberta, Canada.
The A'aninin and Nakoda tribes reintroduced 31 buffalo to the Fort Peck Reservation in north-central Montana in 1977. The herd now numbers more than 600 head, and with the help of the national non-profit conservation organization Defenders of Wildlife (DOW), the tribes have reintroduced genetically pure wild buffalo from Yellowstone.
The Assiniboine and Sioux tribes in 2000 purchased 100 buffalo from the Fort Belknap tribes and with help from the NWF and DOW, secured an additional 200 genetically pure Yellowstone buffalo in 2012; their arrival was documented in the video below.
These projects are a beginning, said Baldes, and tribes are a long way from restoring the herds of the past.
"The challenges are overcoming the assimilationist and colonialist mindset that restoring the buffalo is contrary to progress," he said. "At Wind River, we are working on a process to manage buffalo as wildlife, and that's extremely difficult because for some reason we're stuck in a paradigm of belief that we have to manage buffalo like cattle—having them fenced in and doing roundups, ear tagging and vaccinations."
Baldes envisions expanding buffalo habitat from tribal to public lands, a prospect that makes western cattle and sheep ranchers shudder.
"We certainly understand past cultural connections to bison grazing and the fact that there is an industry burgeoning around bison now," said Ethan Lane, executive director of federal lands at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. "But the reality is that a 1,000- or 2,000-pound (450- or 900-kilograms) grazing animal needs to be managed in that environment, and the idea that you are just going to roam free without any management is just not realistic.
He cites fears about the transmission of brucellosis, an infectious bacterial disease that can decimate sheep and cattle herds. Ranchers also worry that wild-roaming buffalo could exhaust grazing and water resources.
"Our antennae really go up when we see these pushes to pursue an idealistic, fence-free roaming bison herd. It's simply not 1860 anymore, and you can't go into these things with blinders on."
At this week's summit, tribes and leaders from the NWF, DOW and the World Wildlife Fund will discuss the spiritual and cultural benefits of restoring buffalo, share management success stories, and address ranchers' environmental concerns.
"The story of buffalo is not unique to Native Americans," said Baldes. "The buffalo has been designated America's national animal and is important to all Americans. We have to begin thinking about making room and allowing buffalo to be buffalo."
Sanctions on Iran are expected to be reinstated Monday, the result of U.S. President Donald Trump's withdrawal earlier this year from the nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers. Any country importing Iranian oil that does not receive a waiver will be subject to U.S. financial penalties.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the waiver decision in a conference call Friday, but did not specify which countries will be exempted or how long they would last. He said only that the European Union will not be granted an exemption.
"We expect to issue some temporary allotments to eight jurisdictions, but only because they have demonstrated significant reductions in their crude oil and cooperation on many other fronts and have made important moves toward getting to zero crude oil importation," Pompeo said.
Earlier, Bloomberg reported that South Korea, India and Japan are among the exempted countries.
All three countries are among Iran's biggest oil customers, and have argued that if they stop their purchases immediately, it would cause a worldwide spike in oil prices.
Turkey's Energy Ministry announced Friday that Turkey is among the countries that will be given an exemption, but said the government does not yet know all the details.
Two of the eight countries receiving a U.S. waiver will completely cut off imports of Iranian oil in a matter of weeks, while the other six will "greatly" reduce their imports, Pompeo said.
The sanctions are part of what the Trump administration calls a "maximum pressure" campaign aimed at convincing Iran to abandon its nuclear program and end its support for U.S. foes in the Middle East. Pompeo says the campaign is working
"The maximum pressure we have imposed has caused the rial (currency) to drop dramatically, (President Hassan) Rouhani's cabinet is in disarray, and the Iranian people are raising their voice even louder against a corrupt and hypocritical regime," Pompeo said.
After Pompeo's announcement, President Trump tweeted what looks like a movie poster image of himself with the words "Sanctions are Coming, November 5." The typeface and phrasing were inspired by the TV series "Game of Thrones.''
HBO, which creates the TV series, said in a statement, "We were not aware of this messaging and would prefer our trademark not be misappropriated for political purposes."
The U.S. on Monday will also expand sanctions on a wide range of Iranian entities, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said.
"This includes hundreds of targets previously granted sanctions relief under the JCPOA (the Iran nuclear deal formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), as well as more than 300 new designations," Mnuchin said.
Notably, the Trump administration is not completely cutting off Iran from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) international banking system — an option that had been considered.
Mnuchin says the U.S. has informed SWIFT that it would be subject to U.S. sanctions if it provides financial messaging services to "certain designated Iranian financial institutions."
But "humanitarian transactions to nondesignated entities" will continue to be allowed," he said.
Speaking to VOA Persian at the State Department, U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook said Washington is urging banks around the world to enable the sale of food, medicine and medical devices to help the Iranian people.
"The biggest challenge we have is the Iranian regime has a banking sector that doesn't comply with banking standards," Hook said. "And that makes it very hard for foreign banks to facilitate humanitarian sales [to Iran]."
Britain and Ireland said on Friday they are close to securing a deal on the post-Brexit border with Northern Ireland.
Senior ministers from both governments met in Dublin to discuss their future relationship, even visiting the currently-open border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
"I think we're very close to resolving it, I certainly hope we are," Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said at a press conference.
British Cabinet Office minister David Lidington said "We're certainly, as Simon says, very close to resolving it."
Lidington said negotiations in Brussels now need to "continue and intensify further."
But neither party offered a vision of how they plan to resolve the impasse. Both countries agree there should be no border or customs barriers between the two Irelands that could undermine the hard-won peace.
Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, also present at Friday's meetings, said Britain "will not accept any Brexit proposals that threaten the economic or constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom."
Outcome of the meeting? More meetings.
What they did agree on was to have regular, high-level meetings between the two countries.
Mary-Lou McDonald, who leads the left-wing nationalist party Sinn Fein, said Raab was "simply going through the motions" rather than seeking a solution.
"We need to act in a responsible way, in a way that recognizes the real jeopardy and damage that Brexit can and will do to our economy, potentially to our peace agreements," she said.
Meanwhile the Democratic Unionist Party, which props up the Conservative British government, repeated its rejection of any deal that would introduce a customs and regulatory check between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
"Northern Ireland must not be carved into an arrangement which undermines the constitutional or economic integrity of the United Kingdom," DUP leader Arlene Foster said.
The child died of malnutrition in a refugee camp in northern Yemen, her family told the Times on Thursday.
"My heart is broken," Mariam Ali, the girl's mother, was quoted as saying.
"Amal was always smiling. Now, I'm worried for my other children."
The Times also quoted Mekkia Mahdi, a Yemeni doctor who had treated the girl shortly before her death, as saying: "We have many more cases like her."
A starving Yemini child captured in photos by @NYTimes last week has died.
— AJ+ (@ajplus) November 2, 2018
Amal Hussain was 7-years-old.
"My heart is broken," her mother said. "Amal was always smiling. Now I’m worried for my other children." https://t.co/O0uRcNv2Ca pic.twitter.com/JVzRm3P24N
The photograph by Pulitzer Prize-winner Tyler Hicks, which showed the emaciated girl lying on a bed inside a mobile UNICEF clinic in Aslam, touched a nerve with people across the world and sparked an outcry over a crisis that has been called by the United Nations the worst in the word.
Speaking to The Takeaway radio programme earlier this week, described how photographing Amal was "difficult" and "heartbreaking" but also "important."
"She really sums up how tragic and how bad the malnutrition and the starvation have really become in Yemen," the photographer said.
'At risk of death'
Yemen, the Arab world's poorest country, has been embroiled in a devastating war since September 2014, when Houthi fighters swept into the capital, Sanaa, and overthrew President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's internationally recognised government.
Worried by the rise of the Houthis, believed to be backed by regional rival Iran, a Saudi-UAE-led military coalition launched an intervention in 2015 in the form of a massive air campaign aimed at reinstalling Hadi's government.
Civilians, including children, have borne the brunt of the conflict which has killed at least 10,000 people since the coalition intervened in Yemen, according to the UN. The death toll has not been updated in years and is likely to be far higher. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), an independent watchdog, recently said around 56,000 Yemenis had been killed in the violence.
The UN has repeatedly criticised the alliance's bombing campaign and placed it on a blacklist of child rights violators last year.
Last week, UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock told the UN Security Council that Yemen is in danger of being engulfed by an "imminent and great big famine" that could affect 14 million people, or around half of the population.
Lowcock said that the looming famine could be "bigger than anything any professional in this field has encountered during their working lives".
The cost of food has increased by 35 percent in the last 12 months and if trends continue the riyal will reach an exchange rate of 1,000 to the US dollar, UN officials have also warned.
"Lack of food, displacement, poor nutrition, disease outbreaks and eroding healthcare" have also affected 1.1 million malnourished and lactating women, and if the situation continues to deteriorate, up to two million mothers may be increasingly at risk of death," the UN Population Fund reported on Thursday.
AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES
Bayern Munich are at the forefront of plans to create a European Super League which could also feature Borussia Dortmund and Schalke, in a report by Football Leaks made public by German magazine Der Spiegel.
According to the report, Bayern instructed their lawyers to examine whether Bayern could withdraw from the Bundesliga. Michael Gerlinger, the club's chief legal counsel, added that no one was truly serious about the idea and that it was soon "completely off the table."
Questions were also asked as to whether the club would be obligated to release their players for international duty if they left UEFA.
The attorney added though, that the Super League was something different. As Der Spiegel reported this would involve "brands" playing against one another, which would mean a different level of commercialization, one that Bayern Munich, one of the biggest clubs in the world, would have to be a part of.
Bayern wouldn't be alone. Along with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Juventus, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain, 11 "founding members" immune from relegation would form the league. Borussia Dortmund are among a clutch of "invited teams" (along with Atletico Madrid, Olympique Marseille, Inter Milan and Roma) who would join but could be relegated into a second tier, the possibility of which is still being discussed.
These 16 clubs have been asked to sign a declaration of intent before the end of this month to join what would be a privately run Super League from 2021 onwards. Breaking away from their national associations and playing without the governance of UEFA would increase income for those involved.
These proposals, which come ahead of next year's talks over Champions League rights and the distribution of prize money in the new cycle from 2021, suggest that the league would run for 34 weeks, with games on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, and a knockout round at the end of the season.
Rummenigge's role
It is reported that in a meeting of the European Club Association (ECA) in February 2016, Bayern Munich CEO and then ECA chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge stated that the ECA and UEFA were striving for an "evolution of the competitions" and that there would be an "exchange of ideas... at different levels" and a few "informal working groups" would address the issue.
Der Spiegel report though that at the same time, international law firm Cleary Gottlieb was investigating, on behalf of Gerlinger, the legal issues surrounding the foundation of a Super League.
Bayern released a statement late on Friday in response to the reports, reiterating that they were "unaware of recent plans for a so-called Super League... nor has Bayern taken part in negotiations relating to such plans."
Rummenigge was quoted as saying: "Bayern Munich stands by its membership of the Bundesliga and, as long as I am chairman of the board of Bayern, also by the club competitions organised jointly by UEFA and the ECA."
Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke did not comment directly on the report, saying only to Spiegel he believes "that some of the big clubs are working on it" but that plans were "not very concrete."
Could Bayern and co leave the Bundesliga?
While the Super League would likely replace the Champions League, it isn't exactly clear what would happen to domestic league competitions for the clubs involved.
When posed that question, Watzke told Der Spiegel: "For as long as I carry responsibility around here, BVB will not leave the Bundesliga." However, Watze also admitted that Dortmund has to "keep all its options open" because if a Super League ever became a reality "it couldn't happen without BVB."
However, a stumbling block for Dortmund and any other German club that intends to join the league is the immediate financial hit relating to players' contracts.
Player contracts in Germany contain a clause that binds them exclusively to the Bundesliga, and that theoretically could allow players to terminate their contracts unilaterally and switch teams without a transfer fee, potentially costing German teams that want to participate hundreds of millions of euros.
Months of work
These latest revelations from Football Leaks are a result of a remarkable 70 million documents being inspected by 80 journalists from 15 different media groups across 8 months, including work with members of European Investigative Collaborations (EIC).
There were also revelations made about UEFA and how the association knowingly helped Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City get around their own Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.
Air Marshal Asim Zaheer was commissioned in GD(P) branch of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in November, 1984.
During his outstanding career, he commanded a fighter squadron, an operational air base and PAF Academy, Risalpur.
In his staff appointments, Air Marshal Asim Zaheer served as deputy director Operations (F-16) and Chief Project Director (CPD) Falcon. He also served as air attaché to France.
Air Marshal Asim Zaheer is a qualified flying instructor. He is a graduate of Combat Commanders’ School, National Defence University and General Staff College, Germany.
He holds a master’s degree in war studies and is a recipient of Hilal-i-Imtiaz.
On October 7, #GazaDeservesLife campaign was launched with the aim of making contribution towards the development of Gaza strip, and alleviating the suffering of its people.
The campaign is supervised by the Regulatory Authority for Charitable Activities. Qatar Red Crescent, Qatar Charity, Education Above All, and the Silatech Foundation are participating in the campaign.
The campaign aims to raise QR10m to cover the urgent needs of the people of Gaza in five main fields. Those five fields are health, education, social welfare, water, and economic empowerment.
The campaign reflects the support of the people of Qatar and their commitment towards fulfilling the humanitarian needs of the people in Gaza, especially in times of need.
It also reflects the integration of Qatar’s official and popular roles in carrying out their humanitarian duties, both in terms of urgent relief assistance in times of disasters and crises, or in the implementation of sustainable development projects that promote the chances of peace and stability and fight poverty.
The Israeli occupation army has threatened to demolish the house of this family as a punitive measure after their son, Ashraf, carried out a shooting operation a few weeks ago in Barkan industrial area, killing two Jewish settlers and injuring others.
One of the participants in the sit-in said that the local residents have a duty to support the family of Na’alwa and stand by them in their difficult times, adding that showing solidarity with the family of Ashraf annoys the Israeli occupation.
The Israeli army recently kidnapped members of Ashraf’s family to pressure him to turn himself in and carries out daily campaigns in Shuweika and different areas of Tulkarem to look for him.
The couple have named their first child Izhaan Mirza Malik which also means God s gift in Arabic.
On Friday, the first pictures of Izhaan were out as Sania was seen leaving the Rainbow Children’s Hospital & Birthright by Rainbow at Banjara Hills where she was admitted for the delivery.
The agreements were signed during delegation-level talks between the two countries at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Khan, who is on his first official visit to China after assuming charge as prime minister, led the Pakistani delegation which included Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Finance Minister Asad Umar among others. The Chinese delegation was led by Prime Minister Li Keqiang.
Agreements pertaining to poverty alleviation in Pakistan, strengthening cooperation in agriculture and industrial sectors and technical training were signed by the two sides.
It was also agreed that China will support Pakistan in establishing special economic zones, according to sources.
A document on strategic-level talks between foreign ministers of two countries was also signed.
The two countries also signed MoUs for cooperation in forestry, earth sciences and transfer of electronics.
Agreements were also signed between Higher Education of Pakistan and Science Academy of China and between Chinese Academy of Science and Pakistan Metrological Department.
Upon arrival at the Great Hall of the People, the Chinese premier accorded warm welcome to PM Imran and an official welcome ceremony was held during which a guard of honour was presented to the Pakistani prime minister.
Earlier today, the premier laid a floral wreath at the Heroes Monument at Tiananmen Square.
PM Imran reached China on Thursday night, where he was welcomed by Chinese Transport Minister and Ambassador to Pakistan, Li Xiaopeng and Yao Jing, respectively, at the Beijing Capital International Airport.
Pakistan is expected to receive $6 billion economic package from China during PM Imran's visit, sources earlier said. A loan of $1.5 billion and a grant of $1.5 billion are expected to be offered, along with an additional package of $3 billion for CPEC.
$1.5 billion are expected to be deposited in the State Bank of Pakistan, while Pakistan Railways may also be included in the package.
A parliamentary committee formed to investigate the 25 October incident found that some Jordanian ministries were negligent and has prompted questions over how prepared government agencies are to handle such emergencies.
"Education Minister Azmi Mahafzah and Tourism Minister Lina Annab today submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz," a Jordanian official told AFP.
State media similarly reported that the two ministers had tendered their resignations.
The resignations followed widespread shock after a school outing was caught up in a flash flood, and dozens swept away.
Pupils, their teachers and minders had stepped out of their bus in a tourist area called Al-Miyah al-Sakhina when they were hit by a flood that washed them towards the sea.
Twenty-one people were killed in the incident, while 37 others were rescued in a major operation involving helicopters and divers.
Annab wrote on Twitter that she was stepping down "in the shadow of the general political climate and the painful period".
Several members of Jordan's parliament called earlier this week for the two ministers to be dismissed because the outing had been authorised in spite of warnings of bad weather.
King Abdullah, who described the disaster as a "huge tragedy," also called on Thursday for an independent committee to be set up to investigate what happened and establish who was to blame.
The floods, which followed torrential rains, poured through valleys and deep ravines, sweeping people, vehicles and livestock to the shores of the Dead Sea.
The murder of the royal insider-turned-critic has provoked widespread outrage and fuelled an international debate about arms deliveries to Saudi Arabia.
Turkey's chief prosecutor on Wednesday confirmed for the first time that Khashoggi was strangled as soon as he entered the consulate on October 2 as part of a planned hit, and his body was then dismembered and destroyed.
“We now see that it wasn't just cut up, they got rid of the body by dissolving it,” Yasin Aktay, an official in Turkey's ruling party, told the Hurriyet newspaper on Friday.
The claim echoed what a Turkish official had earlier told the Washington Post ─ for which Khashoggi was a contributor ─ that authorities are investigating a theory the body was destroyed in acid.
“According to the latest information we have, the reason they cut up the body is it was easier to dissolve it,” said Aktay, an adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who was close to Khashoggi. “They aimed to ensure no sign of the body was left.”
'Brutal, barbaric and ruthless'
The Turkish official quoted by the Washington Post said that “biological evidence” found in the consulate's garden indicated the body was likely disposed off near where Khashoggi was killed.
Saudi authorities have denied Turkish police permission to search a well in the consulate's garden, but did allow them to take water samples for analysis, according to local media reports.
US State Department spokesman Robert Palladino on Thursday called for Khashoggi's remains to be located and returned to his family for burial as soon as possible.
Khashoggi's fiancee Hatice Cengiz, who waited outside the consulate as the journalist entered to obtain documents for their upcoming marriage, said what was done to his body was “brutal, barbaric and ruthless”.
“It is now up to the international community to bring the perpetrators to justice. Of all nations, the United States should be leading the way,” Cengiz said in opinion article published in the Washington Post, The Guardian and other media outlets on Friday.
“The Trump administration has taken a position that is devoid of moral foundation,” she wrote, adding that “there will be no cover-up”.
The murder has placed strain on the decades-old alliance between the US and Saudi Arabia and tarnished the image of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the ultra-conservative kingdom's de facto ruler.
Sanctions 'weeks away': US
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has indicated that sanctions would soon be imposed on the individuals responsible.
“It'll take us probably a handful more weeks before we have enough evidence to actually put those sanctions in place, but I think we'll be able to get there,” he said on Thursday, adding that President Donald Trump had vowed accountability for all involved in the “heinous crime”.
Trump has called the affair “one of the worst cover-ups in history”, but warned halting a Saudi arms deal would harm US jobs.
Germany and Switzerland have vowed to halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia until the case is clarified.
After initially insisting Khashoggi left the consulate unharmed, then saying he died in a brawl during an interview gone wrong, the Saudi regime has admitted he was killed by a “rogue operation” and arrested 18 people.
Erdogan has called for the 18 suspects ─ including the alleged 15-man hit team who travelled to Istanbul and left the same day ─ to be extradited for trial in Turkey.
Prince Mohammad bin Salman, who has positioned himself as a Saudi reformer, has denounced the murder as “repulsive” and strongly denied any involvement.
In her article, Cengiz noted that the one-month anniversary of Khashoggi's death fell on the UN's International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.
“We must all send a clear message that authoritarian regimes cannot kill journalists ever again,” she said.
The administration official told Bloomberg that waivers were aimed at preventing oil price hikes and would be granted in exchange for continued import cuts.
The source said US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo was expected to announce the number of exemptions later on Friday.
In addition to Japan, India, and South Korea, the US would grant the oil waiver to China as well, two people familiar with Washington-Beijing discussions said on the condition of anonymity.
The other four countries to get waivers remained to be identified, but Turkey was predicted to be one of them. Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez announced on Friday he had heard rumors that the US is going to exempt Ankara from the upcoming sanctions.
However, he said, he had not received written notification regarding the possible exemption.
Previously, Pompeo had said it was "our expectation that the purchases of Iranian crude oil will go to zero from every country or sanctions will be imposed,” but also acknowledged that waivers were being negotiated with nations that said crude from the Middle East producer was critical to their energy industry.
Iran’s reaction
Iran on Friday said that the waivers granted by the US showed the Iranian crude was needed and could not be withdrawn from the market.
"The waivers granted to these eight countries shows that the market needs Iran's oil and it cannot be pulled out of the market ... I don't know whether these waivers are permanent or temporary ones," IRIB quoted Iran's Deputy Oil Minister Ali Kardor as saying.
The US decision to grant the waivers came after major importers of Iranian crude resisted calls by Washington to end their oil purchases as winter looms.
The US will reintroduce the new sanctions targeting Iranian oil on Monday and American officials have said Washington does not want to harm friends and allies dependent on the oil.
The waivers would ensure the continued flow of Iran’s crude oil to the global market, potentially calming fears of a supply crunch and further suppressing international oil prices just before midterm elections in the US.
However, the waivers seem to be making the sanctions totally irrelevant, as the countries receiving them account for a lion’s share of the oil Iran exports.
According to the Iranian Oil Ministry, 60 percent of the country’s oil exports go to Asian countries, including China and India – the two top clients – as well as South Korea and Japan, and the remaining 40 percent to European countries including Turkey.
PM Imran and his Chinese counterpart are leading delegations of their countries. The Pakistani delegation includes Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Finance Minister Asad Umar.
According to sources, the delegation-level talks will focus on cooperation in different sectors and strengthening bilateral ties. Agreements pertaining to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), agriculture and trade are also expected to be signed, sources added.
Upon arrival at the Great Hall of the People, PM Imran was received by the Chinese premier and was presented a guard of honour.
Earlier today, the premier laid a floral wreath at the Heroes Monument at Tiananmen Square.
PM Imran reached China on Thursday night, where he was welcomed by Chinese Transport Minister and Ambassador to Pakistan, Li Xiaopeng and Yao Jing, respectively, at the Beijing Capital International Airport.
Pakistan is expected to receive $6 billion economic package from China during PM Imran's visit, sources earlier said. A loan of $1.5 billion and a grant of $1.5 billion are expected to be offered, along with an additional package of $3 billion for CPEC.
$1.5 billion are expected to be deposited in the State Bank of Pakistan, while Pakistan Railways may also be included in the package.
Compared to September this year, the consumer price index (CPI) in October increased by 2.6pc.
The government has projected a 6pc annual inflation target for 2018-19, which was already crossed in October.
The average rate in FY18 was 3.92pc versus 4.16pc in the year before.
Between July-October 2018, the inflation edged up to 5.95pc this year from 3.5pc posted over the corresponding period of last year.
The State Bank has been warning of overheating demand pressures building up in the economy since at least January this year. It has attributed these pressures to the recovery in global commodity prices, including oil, growing domestic demand and depreciation of the rupee pushing up the overall inflation steadily.
In its latest annual report released weeks ago, the SBP also pointed out that the money supply has been increasing and crossed the previous high water mark set in 2008 by touching 46.5pc of GDP in FY2018. In response, the central bank raised interest rates to try and restrain the growth of the money supply, but said this effectiveness of these hikes “hinges upon coordinated attempts to maintain fiscal discipline”. On the contrary, though, the fiscal deficit has shown no signs of contracting.
The CPI tracks the prices of around 480 commodities every month in urban centres across the country.
Food inflation was up 2.7pc on an annual basis but edged up 1.9pc month-wise. Prices of non-perishable food items were higher by 5.22pc during the month under review while those of perishable products fell by 12.74pc.
Food items whose prices increased the most in October were chicken, up 35.25pc, eggs 14.41pc, tomatoes 3.85pc, fresh vegetables 3.7pc, spices 1.89pc, betel leaves & nuts 1.77pc, and wheat 1.56pc.
In the same category, however, onion dipped 4.43pc month-on-month, fish 1.38pc, pulse mash 1.18pc, and gram whole 0.20pc.
On the other hand, non-food inflation rose 10pc, 3pc on yearly and monthly basis, respectively.
The increase in non-food inflation is mainly driven by uptick in prices of gas, crawling up 104.9pc, newspapers 15.9pc, communication and apparatus 7.54pc, doctor fee 3.39pc, drugs and medicines 3.32pc, motor fuel 3.23pc, water supply 2.7pc, personal equipment 2.62pc, medical tests 2.37pc, transport services 2.04pc, motor vehicle accessories 1.88pc and construction input items 1.83pc.
The non-food prices also remained under pressure on account of education index, which rose to 11.54pc, clothing and footwear 6.73pc, housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuel 9.87pc, furnishing and household equipment 6.99pc, health 9.21pc, transport 18.6pc and recreation and culture 8.57pc.
Core inflation, measured by excluding volatile food and energy prices, was recorded at 8.2pc year-on-year and 1.1pc on a monthly basis. Core inflation has been steadily rising for the past couple of months.
The gradual build-up of domestic demand is evident in the upswing in core inflation. Of the 89 commodity groups of CPI, it covers the price movement of 43 items. Due to the continuous increase in education and healthcare costs, core inflation remained higher on average compared to the same period last year.
Average inflation, measured through the sensitive price index, crawled up 2.3pc in July-October as against negative 0.84pc in the previous year, while wholesale price index was up 10.97pc from 1.38pc in 2017-18.
Protests by religious parties, led by the TLP, had erupted on Wednesday after the Supreme Court ordered the release of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman on death row since 2010, acquitting her of blasphemy charges.
Following the agreement, the TLP leaders announced they were ending their sit-ins. The party chief, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, subsequently asked protesters to disperse from all sit-ins peacefully.
"After almost 48 hours, we have reached a conclusion following detailed negotiations including both federal and provincial government representatives," Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri told.
Qadri, who was one of the signatories of the five-point document, said the government had agreed to the protesters' demand that it would not object to a review petition over Asia Bibi's acquittal.
The federal minister said that due process would be followed according to law where the Supreme Court or High Court would be requested to include her name in the Exit Control List (ECL).
The five points of the agreement are listed below:
1. A review petition has been filed in the Asia Bibi case which is the right of the petitioners. The government will raise no objections over the review petition.
2. Due process will be followed immediately to include the name of Asia Bibi in the Exit Control List (ECL).
3. Immediate legal action will be taken over the martyrdom of any individuals during the protest campaign against the acquittal of Asia Bibi.
4. All those arrested on October 30 or afterwards in the protest campaign against Asia Bibi's acquittal will be released immediately.
5. The TLP apologises to anybody whose sentiments have been unnecessarily hurt during the incident.
The agreement was signed by federal minister Qadri and Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat — who represented the government — and Pir Mohammad Afzal Qadri and Mohammad Waheed Noor from the TLP.
Pakistan are currently the number one side in T20Is.
They have lived up to the tag by beating Australia (3-0 margin) and now already have a 1-0 lead against New Zealand in the ongoing T20I of series.
A win in Dubai will earn the men in green their 11th consecutive T20I series win.
But the Kiwis will not be pushovers and will look to make amends from the mistakes committed in the last match.
While the bowlers were up to the mark, the batters fell apart in the last few overs. Hence, they will surely want to keep the series alive by winning the second game.
Corey Anderson hit a 25-ball 44 not out with four boundaries and two sixes while opener Colin Munro scored a 28-ball 44, also with two sixes and four boundaries.
Teenage paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi finished with 3-20 while Mohammad Hafeez and Imad Wasim took a wicket apiece.
Pakistan lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first match by two runs in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
The protests which continued for three consecutive days are expected to be ended in the hours to come.
The agreement to this effect has been signed by Minister of Religious Affairs Dr Noor ul Haq Qadri and Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat from the government side.
Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan Patron in Chief Pir Muhammad Afzal Qadri and Central Nazim Muhammad Waheed Noor also signed the document on behalf of their organization.
According to agreement, a review appeal has been filed in the case of Asia Bibi which is the legal right of complainants and government will have no objection on it.
Immediate legal action will be taken on deaths, if any, in the movement against the acquittal of Asia Bibi. The agreement adds that people who have been arrested against the acquittal of Asia Masih from October 30th onwards will be immediately released.
As per the agreement:
A prompt action will be taken to place Asia Bibi s name on Exit Control List,
A review petition, which is the right the complainant, will be filed against her acquittal and the government will not oppose it,
The protesters who were arrested on October 30 and later on will be released soon.
Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan will submit a written apology over their vandalism.
The government s negotiating teams and the Ulema will hold a joint press conference shortly in Lahore.
Earlier, thousands of demonstrators blocked major roads across Pakistan in protest against the acquittal of a Christian woman in a high-profile blasphemy case.
The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) political party, led by Khadim Rizvi, organised rallies in cities across the South Asian country on Thursday, despite a warning from Prime Minister Imran Khan not to "force the government to have to take action".
Aasia Bibi, 53, who was on death row for eight years, was acquitted by the country s top court on Wednesday, with judges saying the prosecution contained "glaring and stark" contradictions.
In this regard, a gathering for ‘qawwali’ will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where one of the world s most loved South Asian music artists, Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan will perform mystical and spiritual singing along with his team.
Dunya news further added that a large number of Saudi citizens including Pakistani Embassy officials will attend the ceremony in Riyadh.
Earlier - April 18, 2018 - Saudi Arabia broke a 35-year ban on movie theaters with a special showing of the Disney blockbuster "Black Panther" in the Saudi capital that allowed men and women to sit together.
The prime minister, who is currently on an official visit to China, said that Haq's services would always be remembered.
He stated that the country had been deprived of an important religious leader.
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has also denounced the assassination and sought a report from the Inspector General Punjab Police.
Maulana Samiul Haq assassinated at his home in Rawalpindi
Senior religious scholar and former Senator Maulana Samiul Haq has been assassinated at his residence in Rawalpindi on Friday.
The religious scholar's family and Jamiat Ulema Islam-Sami (JUI-S) officials confirmed the news of his death.
"He was trying to reach the protest in Islamabad but came back home due to roads being blocked. He was resting in his room during Asr time when his driver-cum-guard went out for 15 minutes," Haq's son Maulana Hamidul Haq said.
"When he returned, he found Maulana Samiul Haq dead in his bed and his body covered in blood."
The religious scholar's family and Jamiat Ulema Islam-Sami (JUI-S) officials confirmed the news of his death.
"He was trying to reach the protest in Islamabad but came back home due to roads being blocked. He was resting in his room during Asr time when his driver/guard went out for 15 minutes. When he returned, he found Maulana Samiul Haq dead in his bed and his body covered in blood," Haq's son, Hamidul Haq, told media via telephone.
Haq was one of the senior most religio-political figures in Pakistan who had twice been elected as a senator. He was member of the Senate of Pakistan from 1985 to 1991 and again from 1991 to 1997.
His party has been an ally of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The PTI also gave him ticket for the 2018 Senate election, but he could not be elected to the upper house.
The JUI-S chief headed a committee formed for peace talks with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in 2014.
The talks, despite repeated rounds, failed to yield results and the then Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led government subsequently launched a crackdown on militants following terrorist attacks on Karachi's Jinnah International Airport and then the Army Public School in Peshawar later that year.
Zulfiqar is an officer of the Police Service Pakistan (PSP) group and has served as IG Motorway Police.
His other postings including IG Operations Punjab, DIG Operations Punjab, DIG CTD Punjab, RPO Multan, CPO Multan, SSP Special Branch Lahore, SSP Operations Lahore among other designations.
Earlier, the Supreme Court suspended an order transferring IGP Islamabad Jan Muhammad. The apex court was hearing the case pertaining to the transfer after it was reported that Muhammad had been removed after he allegedly refused to take action on a complaint by Federal Minister Azam Swati’s son.
Jan Muhammad who had resumed charge as the IGP a day earlier, appeared before the Supreme Court and excused himself from performing his duties.
Talking to media in Islamabad on Friday, he termed PM Imran’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping successful, adding that a Pakistan is likely to receive a huge financial package from Beijing.
The nation will hear good news soon, he added.
The minister went on to say that the prime minister’s China visit would rid the country out of economic crisis.
The PM’s visit would be of historic importance, Fawad said and added prime minister was making tireless efforts to rid the country out of economic crisis.
Earlier, he hoped PM Imran Khan’s first visit of China will open up new vistas of prosperity through expanding its exports to China and attracting more Chinese investment in the country.
He said China has always been a close and reliable friend of Pakistan. He said we desire to learn from the experiences and successes of China in different sectors.
The minister said: “Cooperation in agriculture and security realm will be part of our discussion with the Chinese leadership.”
The ODI series against New Zealand will commence from November 7. The first two matches of the series will be played in Abu Dhabi on November 7th and 9th, respectively, whereas the third and final ODI of the series will be played in Dubai on November 11th, 2018.
Pakistan ODI Squad against New Zealand :
Fakhar Zaman
Muhammad Hafeez
Imam Ul haq
Babar Azam
Shoaib Malik
Asif Ali
Haris Sohail
Sarfraz Ahmed ( C ) - W/K
Shadab khan
Imad Wasim
Faheem Ashraf
Hassan Ali
Junaid Khan
Shaheen Shah Afridi
Usman Khan Shinwari
In a tweet, the minister said that rumours that are being spread on social media about operation against the protesters are false.
The government wants to avoid violence and till the last moment, its option would be peaceful end of the issue, he stated.
The minister for information went on to say that negotiations with protesters are underway and that another meeting with them and Minister for religious Affairs Noor-ul-Haq Qadri is expected today.
Scientists at the National Toxicology Program, which carried out the major study, this week published final reports that express more confidence in links between cellphone radiation exposure and some tumors in rats than they did in draft reports earlier this year.
Their final reports, for example, concluded that there is “clear evidence” that male rats exposed to high levels of cellphone radiation developed cancerous heart tumors, after initially saying there was just “some evidence”—a less certain classification.
They also said there was “some evidence” of brain and adrenal gland tumors in male rats that were exposed to cellphone radiation after characterizing that evidence as “equivocal” earlier this year.
The changes were made after scientists in charge of the study accepted the recommendations of a panel of experts that reviewed the findings.
In female rats and male and female mice, the link between cancers and exposure to cellphone radiation was less clear, the researchers said. One surprising finding in the study was that exposed male rats lived longer and had a significant reduction in a type of kidney disease.
John Bucher, a senior scientist at the NTP, warned on a call that the exposure used on rodents in the study was “not directly comparable to the exposures that humans typically experience when using a cellphone.”
The study focused on radio frequency radiation akin to what’s used in 2G and 3G cellphones and exposed animals to cellphone radiation at levels higher than what human cellphone users typically experience.
Mr. Bucher said he personally has “no hesitation at all” in picking up the phone for short calls, but for longer calls he tends to use “earbuds or some other way of increasing the distance between the cellphone and my body.”
He said the NTP’s role was to conduct the research for regulatory agencies and the public, not to issue warnings to consumers.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration asked the NTP to carry out the study in 1999 because usage of cellphones was widespread and little was known about the impact of cellphone radiation.
Mr. Bucher said future research will focus on newer generations of wireless technology such as 4G, 5G and Wi-Fi and that researchers had learned ways to accelerate the speed of new studies.
“I am 100 per cent certain that we will be able to resolve the matter through dialogue,” the matter of state for interior said while speaking to the media in Islamabad.
As protests against a Supreme Court verdict acquitting Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who had been sentenced to death on blasphemy charges, continue for a third day today, Afridi said, “We are in constant contact with those who are leading the protests.”
The minister of state for interior further said that Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is currently on a visit to China, is also constantly being briefed on the situation.
“We will not use any form of power, but if there is violence then the state will enforce its writ and take pro-active measures to ensure the safety of people and property,” he added.
Further, speaking about the decision to hold talks with the protesters, Afridi said, “We are receiving positive messages from the Wafaq-ul-Madaris and people from all schools of thoughts. We are also in harmony with the opposition parties as well as all stakeholders, including civil-military.”
“All decisions are being taken after consultations. Even right now, our team is meeting the chief minister,” the minister of state for interior added.
Regarding the Supreme Court verdict, Afridi said, “The decision upholds that no blasphemy was proven and we should be happy about that.”
He further highlighted, “All stakeholders love and uphold that there can be no compromise on respect for the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).”
Shifting focus to the premier’s China visit, Afridi said, “In the past, such as at the time of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, the former premier used to take his younger brother but this time the Balochistan chief minister is accompanying the prime minister and this is Naya Pakistan.”
