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At over 300 meters across and some 125 meters deep, the ancient underwater sinkhole located off the coast of Belize is one of the largest of its kind anywhere in the world. Scientists engaged in a highly detailed, three-week long study of the Great Blue Hole have shared some of their findings online. Erika Bergman, oceanographer and pilot of one of the two mini subs fitted with high-res multibeam sonar equipment tasked with mapping what she described as a "majestic pit of acid" has published her impressions of the mysterious sinkhole on her blog. "It was otherworldly down there and our data is one more way to share this revelation," Bergman wrote, referring to the mission's detailed 3D study of the geographic formation. The mission, carried out late last year and funded in part by Virgin founder and billionaire Richard Branson, saw scientists take nearly two dozen dives to create a 3D map of the sinkhole using advanced sonar equipment, and capture unique, n...

The federal government on Thursday increased prices of petroleum oil and lubricants (POL), with petrol going up by Rs2.5 per litre. The new price of petrol will be Rs92.88 per litre, read a notification issued by the Ministry of Finance. Similarly, the price of diesel was increased by Rs4.75 per litre, taking it to Rs111.43 per litre. The new price of kerosene oil reached Rs86.31 per litre after it was increased by Rs4 per litre, according to the notification. The price of light diesel oil also went up by Rs2.5 per litre, reaching Rs77.53 per litre. The new prices will take effect from midnight on March 1. The notification said that authorities had worked out higher increase in the prices, owing to hike in oil prices in international market. "But the government decided not to pass on the full impact to the consumers and approved a reduced level of increase," it added.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday announced he will not attend a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) being hosted by the United Arab Emirates on March 1-2. Qureshi made the announcement in a joint session of the Parliament, which continued for a second day today in the wake of Indian aggression against Pakistan. Reiterating his protest against the OIC's decision to invite Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj to attend the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Abu Dhabi, Qureshi said he will not attend the session due to the inter-governmental organisation's failure to rescind the invitation to his Indian counterpart. Mentioning that the "UAE has always helped Pakistan in difficult times", Qureshi noted with regret that despite Pakistan's protest, the OIC's invitation to Swaraj was not rescinded. "There was no consultation over OIC invitation to Indian foreign minister. India is neither a membe...

Timely blitz by middle-order batsman Iftikhar Ahmed eased Karachi Kings' 134 run-chase and scripted a five-wicket win over Lahore Qalandars at the Dubai International Stadium. Ahmed scored 33 runs off 25 balls, with two boundaries and sixes, leading to a five-wicket win in 19.1 over. For Qalandars, Sandeep Lamichhane took two wickets, while David Wiese, Yasir Shah and Haris Rauf picked one each. First Innings Bowling first, Kings restricted Qalandars to 133 runs in their allocated 20 overs. AB de Villiers with his 33 runs innings off 32 balls remained the highest scorer for the Qalandars before giving his wicket to fast bowler Muhammad Aamir in his attempt to back-sweep. Sohail Akhtar contributed unbeaten 29 runs in the death overs of the innings. For the Kings, Iftikhar Ahmed took two wickets while skipper Imad Wasim, Muhammad Aamir and Umer Khan took one each.

Peshawar Zalmi would be happy they drafted Keiron Pollard in their side for Habib Bank Limited (HBL) Pakistan Super league (PSL) edition four as the Caribbean all-rounder saw his side to victory with a quick-fire 52 off just 27 balls on Thursday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. He was accompanied by Pakistan left-handed batsman Umar Amin who also contributed an important 54 off 37 balls to help Peshawar beat Multan Sultan in match 19 of HBL PSL4. Peshawar thought they had the script figured out when they decided to bowl first, but Johnson Charles entered as an anomaly with his 57 off 31 balls. He was well-supported by James Vince as he contributed 41 runs to Multan’s total of 172-5 in their 20 overs. Peshawar’s power-packed bowling line-up seemed disturbed as Hasan Ali, Liam Dawson and Umaid Asif were only the ones with wickets, each dismissing one batsman apiece, while the other two Multan batsmen were caught short of their crease ending up in run-outs. In their repl...

There has been an uptick in high-profile kidnappings in Balochistan, causing panic among the health and academic workers in the province. The latest victim was Dr Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil a neurosurgeon in Quetta. On December 13, 2018, the doctor was blindfolded at gunpoint and shoved into a vehicle by armed men near his residence. His car was found with shattered windows not to far from his private clinic. Thereafter, the Balochistan government and the police registered a First Information Report (FIR) and promised to recover him. They even formed a Joint Investigation Team (JIT). However, after 48 days in captivity and with no hope of being found, Dr Khalil had to cut a deal with the men who had held him captive. The doctor remembers being blind-folded and taken to an unknown location, says his friend, Dr Zahid Mandokhel. Then last month, he paid Rs. 50 million, after which they dropped him off near Chaman, to make his way home. Dr Khalil was not the first. There have been severa...

YouTube said Thursday it will disable user comments on a broad array of videos featuring children to thwart "predatory behavior" after revelations about a glitch exploited for sharing of child pornography. The Google-owned video-sharing service announced further steps to crack down on inappropriate comments a week after an investigation showing how comments and connections on child porn were being displayed alongside innocuous videos. "We recognize that comments are a core part of the YouTube experience and how you connect with and grow your audience," YouTube said in a posted message to creators. "At the same time, the important steps we´re sharing today are critical for keeping young people safe." YouTube said that during the past week it has suspended comments on tens of millions of videos to prevent users from exploiting of the software glitch for nefarious purposes. "These efforts are focused on videos featuring young minors and we will co...

US President Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen returned to Capitol Hill on Thursday to speak behind closed doors with a congressional panel investigating Russia’s interference in the 2016 general elections, capping a week of testimony in which he levelled new allegations of wrongdoing at his former boss. Cohen did not respond to questions as he arrived for his third and final session in Congress this week. His private testimony before the House Intelligence Committee was expected to last into the evening. The panel has been probing Russian election meddling and any collusion with the Trump campaign. In dramatic public testimony on Wednesday before the House Oversight Committee, the one-time “fixer” for Trump accused the president of breaking the law while in office and said for the first time that Trump knew in advance about a WikiLeaks dump of stolen emails that hurt his 2016 election rival, Hillary Clinton. Committee chairman Elijah Cummings, a Democrat, said his panel...

Turkey’s military launched the largest naval exercise in its history on Thursday, carrying out drills with frigates, corvettes and submarines in the Black Sea, Aegean and eastern Mediterranean. The nine-day exercise is aimed at testing the readiness of command bases and operation centers throughout Turkey’s territorial waters, the defense ministry said. On board the frigate TCG Barbaros, gunners fired live ammunition at mock targets floating on the waves. Nearby, helicopters lowered soldiers onto a ship’s deck, while other personnel deployed a remotely operated underwater vehicle. The Barbaros was deployed in the Aegean Sea north of the Gallipoli pensinsula, close to Turkey’s land border with Greece. The two NATO allies came to the brink of war in 1996 in a sovereignty dispute over islets in the Aegean. As part of the drill, the Turkish bases are also planning operations and testing them on a locally developed naval warfare game system, the defense ministry said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday welcomed Prime Minister Imran Khan's decision to release the captured Indian fighter pilot in what was seen as an effort to deescalate the gravest crisis between the two countries in years. "The report of the release of the Indian pilot by the Pakistani authorities would be very much a welcome step," UN chief's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in response to a question at a regular briefing at the United Nations' headquarters in New York. The Indian pilot, whose was plane was downed by Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets on Wednesday, was then taken into custody. "We would encourage both parties to do whatever they can to deescalate the situation and this is the message that has been passed on by the United Nations and, I think, by the international community as a whole," the spokesperson added. Dujarric said Guterres was in touch with both India and Pakistan at various levels. Meanwhile, UN General A...

Two suicide car bombs exploded in Mogadishu on Thursday evening, killing at least 15 people, a Somali official said. The first explosion occurred just after the 8 p.m. local time when a vehicle loaded with explosives were detonated on one of the capital’s busiest streets, Maka Al-Mukarama Road. Eyewitnesses said dozens of people were sitting outside hotels and restaurants in the area when the bomb exploded. Journalist Abdishakur Mohamed Mohamoud was sitting outside a coffee shop when it occurred. “Before the explosion, a street trader saw a parked vehicle with emergency lights on, we suspected the car is exploding, we started to run and then the same car exploded,” Mohamoud told VOA. “It was a huge explosion (heard) throughout the city.” Mohamoud said saw 13 dead bodies when he returned to the site of the explosion to help some of the wounded. He said among the dead was a well-known imam who used to lead prayers on Maka Al-Mukarama Road for people who could not reach mosques. A...

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday said he was hopeful to "take down the tensions" between Pakistan and India after having "good conversations" with leaders from the two neighbouring countries. "I spent a good deal of time on the phone last night talking to leaders in both countries, making sure there was good information exchanged, encouraging each country to not take any action that would escalate and create increased risk," Pompeo told reporters travelling with him from Hanoi, Vietnam to Manila in the Philippines. "We were and continue to be very engaged with the issue between India and Pakistan. "I am hopeful that we can take down the tension there, at least for the time being, so they can begin to have conversations that don’t portend risk of escalation to either of the two countries," he noted, adding that the United States was "working hard on that". Trump's right-hand man had also spoken on the matter o...

Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan receives praise for decision to release Indian pilot from all over the world. Captured Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman will release today (Friday) as a gesture of peace towards New Delhi and a step showing deescalation in favour of regional peace. PM Imran Khan receives praise for decision to release Indian pilot UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed PM Imran's decision to release the captured Indian fighter pilot in what was seen as an effort to deescalate the gravest crisis between the two countries in years. "The report of the release of the Indian pilot by the Pakistani authorities would be very much a welcome step," UN chief's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in response to a question at a regular briefing at the United Nations' headquarters in New York. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated the PM Imran on hi...

Pakistan will release captured Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman today (Friday) as a gesture of peace towards New Delhi and a step showing deescalation in favour of regional peace. The move was announced Thursday by Prime Minister Imran Khan at a joint session of Parliament after Pakistan a day prior had shot down two Indian aircraft that had crossed the Line on Control (LoC) and captured Wing Commander Abhinandan — something that came as an unexpected setback for India. Abhinandan would be handed over at Wagah border crossing to officials of the Indian High Commission. On the other side of the border, according to BBC, Indian officials have said they were "extremely happy" that their pilot would be released. While Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj had commented that "India does not wish to see further escalation of the situation". Prime Minister Narendra Modi is yet to make a public comment. De-escalation efforts shouldn't be considered weakness PM...

Actor Luke Perry, known for his roles in "Riverdale" and "Beverly Hills 90210" has reportedly been hospitalized after suffering a reported stroke. TMZ reported first on Thursday that paramedics responded to Perry's home in Sherman Oaks at around 9.40 a.m. and that he was brought to a hospital. People also reported that Perry suffered a stroke. A representative for Perry told INSIDER that "Mr. Perry is currently under observation at the hospital." Perry plays Fred Andrews, father of Archie Andrews, on The CW's "Riverdale," and he first found fame as Dylan McKay on "Beverly Hills 90210." Fox announced on Wednesday that it was rebooting "Beverly Hills 90210" with the original cast, but Perry had not signed on, according to TMZ. Perry also appeared in "The Fifth Element," and his other TV roles include "Oz," "Jeremiah," and "Body of Proof." In 2017, Perry spoke to TV Insider ...

Karachi Kings captain Imad Wasim has won the toss and elected to bowl first against Lahore Qalandars in the 20th match of the Pakistan Super League at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday night. Previously, both teams clashed on February 16 at Dubai where the Kings emerged the victorious by 27 runs. Squads Karachi Kings: Imad Wasim (captain), Babar Azam, Liam Livingstone, Colin Ingram, Sikandar Raza, Mohammad Rizwan, Sohail Khan, Mohammad Amir, Usman Shinwari, Umar Khan, Aamer Yamin, Ben Dunk, Iftikhar Ahmed, Colin Munro Ali Imran, Osama Mir Lahore Qalandars: AB de Villiers, Fakhar Zaman, Sohail Akhtar, AP Devcich, Brendan Taylor, Yasir Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Rahat Ali, Agha Salman, Hassan Khan, GC Viljoen, Salman Butt, Corey Anderson, David Wiese, Sandeep Lamichhane, Fakhar Ali

A baby boy weighing just 268 grams (9.45 oz) at birth was sent home after months in a Tokyo hospital, the smallest surviving male baby in the world, Keio University hospital said. The boy was born through Caesarean-section last August after he failed to gain weight during the pregnancy and doctors feared his life was in danger. The boy was in intensive care until his weight reached 3.2 kilograms (7 pounds) and he was discharged on Feb. 20, said Dr. Takeshi Arimitsu of the university's School of Medicine, Department of Paediatrics. "I am grateful that he has grown this big because, honestly, I wasn't sure he could survive," the boy's mother told Reuters. The previous record was held by a boy born in Germany in 2009 weighing 274 grams, according to the Tiniest Babies registry managed by the University of Iowa. The smallest girl was born weighing 252 grams in Germany in 2015, according to the registry.

The U.S. has counted more measles cases in the first two months of this year than in all of 2017, and part of the rising threat is misinformation that makes some parents balk at a crucial vaccine, federal health officials told Congress Wednesday. Yet the vaccine is hugely effective and very safe — so the rise of measles cases “is really unacceptable,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, infectious disease chief at the National Institutes of Health. The disease was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, which means it was not being spread domestically. But cases have been rising in recent years, and 2019 is shaping up to be a bad one. Republican and Democratic lawmakers at the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing bemoaned what’s called “vaccine hesitancy,” meaning when people refuse or delay vaccinations. “These outbreaks are tragic since they’re completely avoidable,” said Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky. “This is a public health problem for which science has already provided a solutio...

Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Thursday against Indian aggression and showed complete solidarity with armed forces of Pakistan. The resolution was tabled before the house by chairman public accounts committee Cap (retd) Sikander Ali. The house unanimously condemned the Indian air force’s aggression along the line of control. The house also praised the quick response of the Pakistan army particularly the Pakistan Air Force by shooting down two Indian aircraft. The house said that “Pakistan is a peaceful and responsible atomic country but there is no compromise on our national security and sovereignty. If India challenges our sovereignty, we will not tolerate it and will respond with full zest”. GB Chief Minister Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman while addressing the house said that “no one wants war because wars destroy nations, cultures and everything and the only destruction is left behind”. He further added that the country was in a state of war and “the people...

Prime Minister Imran Khan received a telephonic call from Turkish President Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday evening, who appreciated his statesman -like offers to India for de-escalating the situation and working towards peace. The Turkish President said Islam is a religion of peace that underscores resolving disputes in a peaceful manner. He appreciated Imran Khan's announcement to release the captured Indian pilot. He said this gesture is a sign of strength. Imran Khan briefed President Erdogan on the situation as it evolved over the past few days and the efforts he made to de-escalate the crisis. Both leaders agreed that President Erdogan’s visit to Pakistan for the Pakistan-Turkey High Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting would provide the opportunity for an in-depth overview of bilateral relations and the way forward. UAE Crown Prince appreciates Prime Minister's willingness to resolve all issues in peaceful manner The Crown Prince of United Arab Emir...

As New Delhi presented what it claimed was ‘incontrovertible proof’ that Pakistan used its F-16 fighter jets in Wednesday’s air action, a fact-checking exercise revealed that the missile remains the Indian military found in fact belonged to a missile sold by the US to Taiwan. India’s top military brass on Thursday displayed the remains of an American-made missile as ‘absolute proof’ that the Pakistan Air Force used F-16s in aerial operations conducted the day before. Claiming that the missile could only have been launched by an F-16, the Indian generals tried to strengthen their claims that the Indian Air Force also shot down a PAF F-16 while losing a MiG-21. The wreckage displayed by the Indian generals identified the missile as an AIM-120C-5 AMRAAM. A crucial detail, however, appears to have been overlooked by the Indian military in their attempt to provide evidence. Markings on the wreckage also identified the contract serial number of the missile as FA8675-05-C-0070. A Google ...

Brushing all speculations aside, the chairman PCB Ehsan Mani on Thursday announced that eight PSL matches will be held in Pakistan as initially scheduled. There were rumours following the border tension between Pakistan and India that PCB may be forced to hold matches in UAE instead of taking them to Pakistan. However, Mani said that PCB is committed to hold matches in Pakistan and that the matches would be held as planned. “This is our unanimous decision that matches will be held, according to the plan, in Pakistan,” Mani said at a press conference along with PSL franchise owners. “I’m thankful to all the franchise owners and other stakeholders who supported our decision,” the chairman PCB added. Mani said PCB was committed to holding matches in Pakistan and that there was no doubt about that. He also confirmed that all the foreign players have agreed to visit Pakistan. “Those who had made a commitment to visit Pakistan initially have reconfirmed their availability and commitme...

The chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka BS Yeddyurappa has admitted that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aggression against Pakistan would help win the party 22 of 28 seats in the state in the upcoming elections, local media reported. “It has enthused youths; all this will help us in winning more than 22 Lok Sabha seats (in Karnataka),” the BJP leader said. Following the statement by Yeddyurappa, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala reiterated the Indian opposition’s claim that the BJP was using the killing of army personnel for political gains. Earlier, the chief of Indian extremist political party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Raj Thackrey called the Indian soldiers killed in the Pulwama attack “political victims” and said the truth would be revealed if the country’s National Security Adviser (NSA) Arjit Doval was probed.

While most people think that cats are cute enough as is, one woman in the city of Nanjing decided to “improve upon” her kitty’s appearance by making it go under the knife. At a cost of 10,000 yuan ($1,500), a local vet reportedly performed “double eyelid surgery,” a procedure that is typically undergone by Asian women who want to make their eyes look bigger, on the animal. The owner had believed that her cat’s eyes were “ugly” and wanted to make her pet “prettier.” Images broadcast by a local television station in Jiangsu province show the poor kitty with eyes that are red and swollen with a line of stitches under each one and a protective cone around its neck. The station spoke to various vets in the area who reacted differently to the operation. One worker at a local pet hospital claimed that the double-eyelid operation was a common one for dog owners who wanted their pooches to compete in pageants. Another vet said that she would never perform such a “senseless” procedure on a ...

KIC 8462852, a star in the Gygnus constellation about 1,470 light-years from Earth, has wowed professional astronomers and citizen scientists alike for years with the irregular changes in its brightness, which scientists have theorised could be caused by an alien megastructure blocking light waves from being beamed out into the galaxy. A group of astronomers from the US, the Netherlands, Australia and Greece have conducted a new investigation into the mysterious KIC 8462852 star, also humorously (and perhaps appropriately) known as the WTF Star, in an attempt to get a handle on the causes of odd fluctuations in the intensity of the light it projects. The study involved scanning the celestial object for traces of laser radiation of more than 24 megawatts, the lower limit of laser light detectable by the Lick Observatory's Automated Planet Finder telescope in Mount Hamilton, California, in a bid to find alien life. According to the researchers' thinking, 24 megawatts+ is a l...

Two Saudi sisters fleeing what they described as beatings in their home country face a deadline for deportation from Hong Kong within hours unless authorities extend their stay. The pair, aged 18 and 20, whose identities have not been revealed in a bid to secure their safety, say they could face death if they are deported. Their lawyer, Michael Vidler, said the immigration department had acknowledged their request and were hopeful a visa extension beyond Thursday’s deadline would be granted. “We are in fear every day we are in Hong Kong. We want to leave to a third country place of safety as soon as possible. We desperately hope that this will happen very soon,” the sisters said in a statement issued by their lawyer. The sisters arrived in Hong Kong in September 2018 after running away from a family holiday in Sri Lanka. They have applied for asylum in an unidentified third country. While fleeing through Hong Kong, they were prevented from boarding a flight to Australia and were...

The United Nations and Belgian authorities are currently conducting parallel investigations into the alleged unblocking of frozen bank accounts of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi who was overthrown and killed in October 2011. The UN has blamed Belgium for illegally unfreezing late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s government assets, the Belgian Le Soir newspaper reports. “The UN Security Council’s Libyan Sanctions Committee has ruled that unblocking interests on deposits of the Libyan government of Muammar Gaddafi [at Euroclear Bank in Brussels] runs counter to the sanctions regime," Le Soir said, adding that the ruling was made back on 17 December 2018, but that the document “remained unnoticed”. Acting Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, for his part, declined to comment on the matter. The UN ruling comes after the Brussels prosecutor's office reported in December that Belgian investigators interrogated a former finance ministry official in connection with their ...

The Pak Army will start a search operation for the missing mountaineers at Nanga Parbat on Thursday (Today). Two foreign mountaineers, Daniel Nardi from Italy, and Tom Ballard from UK, who were attempting to summit Nanga Parbat through a new route, the Mummery Spur, went missing from the camp-4 on Feb 24 from, and are feared dead. Nardi and Ballard along with two Pakistani mountaineers, Rehmatullah Baig and Karim Hayat, had started climbing Nanga Parbat in early January. On Jan 29, the Pakistani climbers quit the expedition after snow avalanches buried the tents of their team at camp-2. However, the two foreign climbers continued their adventure to summit Nanga Parbat. According to an official source, Daniel Nardi and Tom Ballard went missing after having reached at camp-4 situated at 6,300 meters. Mr Baig, who initially accompanied the missing mountaineers, told on Wednesday that he talked to people at the base camp on Wednesday, and they said that there was no contact with Na...

The Israeli military may have committed war crimes in 2018 when 189 Palestinians were killed and 6,100 wounded at Gaza protests, a UN human rights inquiry has found. Palestinian demonstrators “did not pose an imminent threat of death or serious injury to others when they were shot, nor were they directly participating in hostilities,” the panel’s report said on Thursday, citing confidential information about those responsible for the killings. The commission said every use of live fire during the protests was unlawful, while also calling on Palestinians to cease the use of incendiary kites and balloons. The UN report took into account hundreds of interviews with witnesses and victims, as well as medical records, photos, video and drone footage. The independent panel wants the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to pass the findings to the International Criminal Court. Tel Aviv slammed the report, branding accusations a “theatre of the absurd.” “No one can ...

The nuclear summit between United States President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un in Hanoi ended abruptly on Thursday as they cut short their discussions and failed to reach an agreement. The second meeting between the two leaders was supposed to build on their historic first summit in Singapore but they failed to bridge their differences and did not sign a joint statement as initially scheduled. “Sometimes you have to walk and this was just one of those times,” Trump told reporters. Trump said that the sanctions imposed on Pyongyang over its nuclear programme had been the sticking point. “Basically they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety and we couldn't do that,” he said. But he insisted he was “optimistic that the progress we made” before and at the summit left them “in position to have a really good outcome” in the future. “I'd much rather do it right than do it fast,” he added. The outcome fell far short of the pre-meeting expectations and...

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said efforts for de-escalation should not be considered weakness. Addressing the joint session of Parliament, the premier stressed, "All issues should be resolved through dialogue. Despite us opening the Kartarpur corridor, we received no response from India." "When the Pulwama attack happened, we were blamed within 30 minutes," he lamented. "I'm not saying that India has a part to play in India but I asked them to share evidence." Lauding the Pakistani media, the premier said, "Indian media created war hysteria. Our media showed solidarity and acted responsibly." The premier said, "We had understood that they [India] will do something. PM Imran explained, "The only purpose of our strike was to demonstrate our capability and will. We did not want to inflict any casualty on India as we wanted to act in a responsible manner." "I had said that if India does something then we will r...

Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr. Faisal said that Pakistan is ready for talks on all subjects including terrorism. The dossier will be reviewed by the FO following which any and all legal evidence will be probed. Islamabad will take action against credible evidence provided by the arch-rival. The FO said that Prime Minister Imran Khan already made it clear that Pakistan will help in the Pulwama attack investigation. Pakistan is ready for talks on all subjects including terrorism, the statement added. Elaborating on the captured pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman’s condition, the FO said the Indian Air Force pilot was safe and sound. “The armed forces rescued him from the mob that went after him after his plane crashed in Kashmir.” Islamabad is yet to decide whether he will be declared a prisoner of war and which convention will be applied. “The decision will be announced in a day or two.” On the upcoming sessions of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation where India h...

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Thursday said Pakistan is willing to consider returning the Indian pilot if it means de-escalation of ties between the two countries. The foreign minister said, "India handed over a dossier to the acting High Commissioner of Pakistan a day earlier and we will examine it. The foreign minister said, "India handed over a dossier to the acting High Commissioner of Pakistan a day earlier and we will examine it. I will evaluate the dossier with an open heart and then see if talks will be held on that." "We are willing to return the captured Indian pilot if it leads to de-escalation," he added. The foreign minister further said, "Prime Minister Imran Khan is ready to hold a telephonic conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi." Regarding Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj attending the meeting of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) next month, Qureshi said, "India is neither a member of ...

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Thursday said Pakistan is willing to consider returning the Indian pilot if it means de-escalation of ties between the two countries. Foreign minister said, "India handed over a dossier to the acting High Commissioner of Pakistan a day earlier and we will examine it. I will evaluate the dossier with an open heart and then see if talks will be held on that." "We are willing to return the captured Indian pilot if it leads to de-escalation," he added. The foreign minister further said, "Prime Minister Imran Khan is ready to hold a telephonic conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi." Regarding Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj attending the meeting of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) next month, Qureshi said, "India is neither a member of OIC nor an observer." "The host country had invited the Indian foreign minister as a guest speaker for one inaugural session. I have sp...

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said "reasonably attractive news" has been received from Pakistan and India and hoped that escalation between the two countries "will be coming to an end". Addressing a news conference in Hanoi after a meeting with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, the US president opened his remarks by discussing the situation with India and Pakistan. "We have I think reasonably attractive news from Pakistan and India," he said. "They have been going at it and we have been involved in trying to have them stop and we have some reasonably decent news hopefully that will be coming to an end. It’s been going on for a long time for decades and decades. There is a lot of dislike unfortunately so we have been in the middle trying to help them both out, see if we can get some organisation and some peace. And I think that is probably going to be happening,” the US president said. Earlier today in a statement issued by the Pentagon, Acti...

In light of the ongoing tensions between Pakistan and India, operations of the Samjhota Express have been suspended temporarily, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday. A press statement by the Foreign Office (FO) said that the operations will resume "as soon as the security situation improves between India and Pakistan". The Samjhota Express runs twice a week (Monday and Thursday) from Lahore to Attari via the Wagah railway station. Yesterday, the Pakistan Railways had said that the train would depart for Attari at 8am as usual. Security arrangements across Pakistan have been tightened in light of tensions between the two neighbouring countries. Flight operations were suspended when Pakistani airspace was closed to commercial flights on Wednesday. Tensions between the neighbouring countries escalated after an Indian aircraft violated Pakistan's airspace on Tuesday. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had "immediately scrambled" and the Indian plan...

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres renewed his offer of good offices to de-escalate the tensions between India and Pakistan, reiterating his "deep concern" as hostilities between escalated Wednesday. "His good offices remain available should both sides agree," the UN chief's spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said in response to a question at the regular noon briefing at the United Nations's headquarters in New York. The secretary-general has spoken to Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi this morning, the spokesperson said, and that he was also in contact with India at various levels. "The Secretary-General is following with deep concern the current situation between India and Pakistan," Dujarric said in the wake of reports that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had shot down two Indian aircraft and captured two pilots. "He (UN chief) appeals to both sides to urgently take steps to lower tensions through meaningful mutual engagem...

Former Oasis tour manager Iain Robertson and ex-Creation Records MD Tim Abbot speak to Sky News about their time with the band. Lifting the lid on the story of Oasis and the Gallagher brothers is perhaps a difficult promise to make. Twenty-five years on from when it all started, the Britpop glory-day highs and the break-up lows, the partying, the fall-outs and traded insults, the drugs, the fights, the cancelled shows, the smashed teeth; it has all been well documented. Not least in Supersonic in 2016, the documentary which charted the band in their halcyon period up to the record-breaking gigs at Knebworth in 1996, the biggest the UK had ever seen at the time. The film followed the band's meteoric rise and delved into the soap opera that is the fractious relationship between Noel and Liam.

Islamabad United on Wednesday defeated Karachi Kings by five wickets following in a thrilling Pakistan Super League (PSL) match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The Kings had set United a decent 169-run target but a catch dropped by Mohammad Rizwan became a turning point in the thriller, allowing Asif Ali to smash 70 runs in 38 balls. United's Phil Salt scored 46 runs, while Shadab Khan hit a last-ball sixer to add to his team's glory. Earlier, United had won the toss and elected to bowl first. But things did not really go United's way as the Kings top order hit boundaries left, right, and centre. Opener Babar Azam top-scored for the Kings with 68 runs off 50 balls — 40 off those coming off 10 boundaries. One-down, Liam Livingstone added a blistering knock of 56 off 31, with five fours and four sixes. Azam and Livingstone put together 78 runs for the second wicket partnership. Rumman Raees took three wickets for 27 runs in his four overs, while Faheem Ash...