Pakistan News Urdu Fast

The Labour Day — also known as May Day — is being observed today (Wednesday) around the world to express solidarity and honour the rights of the labour class. Special rallies, publications, television programmes, and seminars have been scheduled to express solidarity and honour their works. Rallies would be taken out in various parts of provincial capital by different students and political parties. The purpose of celebrating this day is to initiate steps for providing job protection to labourers and industrial workers against any exploitation. Radio Pakistan has also arranged special programmes to create awareness about workers' rights and to highlight the dignity in hard work. All public and private educational institutions, markets, and other organisations would remain closed in connection with May Day, which was declared a public holiday. The Punjab Home Department also directed the concerned departments to provide foolproof security to the participants of rallies and wa...

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday directed registration of all labourers associated with formal and informal sectors in the country so that their complete record could be available. He said the steps taken for protecting the rights of labour community should be taken in phases. Chairing a high-level meeting about the steps taken for the welfare of the labourers in the country, the prime minister said the real challenge was the implementation of the required laws for protecting the rights of labours and it needed full concentration. The prime minister said it was a top priority of the government to protecting the rights of the society's downtrodden sections, including labourers and domestic workers. He appreciated the steps taken in this regard by the Punjab government. The meeting decided that after approval by the prime minister, the government was going to formally launch ‘Ehsas Programme for Labour’ under Ehsas Programme of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government....

Venezuelans were expected to take to the streets on Wednesday for what opposition leader Juan Guaido pledged would be the “largest march” in the country’s history, a day after he called for the military to oust President Nicolas Maduro. In his boldest effort yet to gain the support of the armed forces, Guaido appeared early Tuesday morning outside a Caracas air force base with dozens of National Guard members. That triggered a day of violent protests, leaving more than 100 injured but without any concrete signs of defection from the armed forces leadership. “We know that Maduro does not have the backing or the respect of the armed forces,” Guaido said in a video message posted to his social media accounts on Tuesday evening. “We have seen that protest yields results. We should keep up the pressure.” Whether the protest turnout meets those lofty hopes will provide a key test for Guaido, as some supporters grow frustrated that Maduro remains in office more than three months after Gu...

President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan in their messages on the eve of Labour Day today reiterated the government commitment to effectively protect the rights of workers to help them meet emerging challenges of globalization. President in his message said Government will do its utmost to ameliorate and improve the socio-economic conditions of workers. He said that this day is not only a reminder of the struggle of workers but also an acknowledgement of their importance for national growth and progress. Prime Minister in his message said the labour day also affords us an opportunity to recognize the valuable contribution being made by the workers. He said dividends of inclusive economic growth cannot be realized if the workers are deprived of their due rights and opportunities. The Prime Minister said workers are our partners in growth and development. The Prime Minister said government is endeavoring to strengthen the labour market and have a plan to create 10 mill...

The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed the new local government bill amid the uproar and protest from opposition. As per details, the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed two bills, The Punjab Local Government Bill 2019, The Punjab Villages Panchayats and Neighborhood Councils Bill 2019. The opposition members tear down the copies of the agenda and staged walkout from the house. All LG intuitions will be dissolved after the approval from Punjab governor. The decisions had been taken during a provincial cabinet meeting with Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office in Lahore. Presiding over the meeting, CM Buzdar had said that the government had been committed to empower the local bodies of the province. وزیراعظم عمران خان نے پنجاب میں نیا بلدیاتی نظام لانے کا وعدہ کیا تھا۔ آج الحمدلله پنجاب اسمبلی نے اسے منظور کر لیا ہے۔ پنجاب حکومت کپتان کے وژن کو عملی جامہ پہنانے کے لیے کوشاں ہے۔ نئے بلدیاتی نظام کی منظوری پر تمام ممبران مبارکباد کے مستحق ہیں۔ #PunjabBaldiyatiInqilab — Usm...

Petroleum Minister Omar Ayub says the PTI government inherited gas prices from the last government. Chairing a meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday, he said increase in gas rates was necessary to improve the economic condition of gas companies. The Minister said gas prices had not been increased since 2015 despite OGRA recommendations for it. This resulted in accumulation of unrecovered amount of over 180 billion rupees for both SNGPL and SSGC up to 30th June 2018. The last government admitted his mistake of not increasing the gas prices at the ECC meeting held on May 17 last year.

The Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser has said that only the parliamentary diplomacy can pave the way for mutual development and progress in all socio-economic fields. He expressed these views while addressing seminar on "Pakistan-Kazakhstan Relation and Role of Parliamentary Diplomacy" at Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services in Islamabad today. The speaker said that the challenges being faced by the world can be tackled by mutual dialogue. He stressed n the Parliaments to engage in meaningful dialogue for resolving all present challenges. The Speaker said that Pakistan and Kazakhstan have always enjoyed close cooperation in the field of science, technology, agriculture, textile, pharmacology and surgical instruments.

Opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz has decided to challenge the new Punjab Local Government Bill 2019 in the court. Addressing media outside the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shhebaz said PA has passed the new local government bill by carrying one-sided proceeding in the house. “We’ll challenge the new local government bill in the court. “What was the need to end the local body system in Punjab as its 2.5 years tenure was still remaining,” he added. Earlier today, the Punjab Assembly passed two bills, The Punjab Local Government Bill 2019, The Punjab Villages Panchayats and Neighborhood Councils Bill 2019. Later, The Punjab Assembly session was adjourned to meet again on Thursday afternoon at 02 PM.

Additional Inspector General Karachi Amir Shaikh on Tuesday said security measures were being taken for Ramazan ul Mubarak. “We are devising plan about beggars and street crimes. We have made units to eradicate beggary,” Amir Shaikh said while talking to media in Karachi. He said the women should be given their rights. The Karachi police chief said the police department was working with the Inspector General Sindh for rights of women. Should any woman face a problem in the department, she should immediately inform about it, he said.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says his country will continue to export oil despite United States sanctions. In a televised address today (Tuesday), he said that US decision to bring Iran’s oil exports at the zero level is a wrong and mistaken conception and we would not let them to prevail.

Heirs of victims of the Sahiwal fake encounter case on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court (SC) for the formation of a judicial commission to probe the cold-blooded murders of three members of the same family by Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel. The petition submitted in the top court sought its intervention after the Lahore High Court refused to form a judicial commission to investigate the killings. The petition stated that the federal government has the authority to form a judicial commission, while its formation can bring forward real facts of the incident. It added that the Inspector General (IG) Punjab Police was not authorised to form a Joint Investigation Team (JIT), whereas, many pieces of evidence were removed by the CTD officials from the crime scene. “JIT members had summoned the suspects for identification parade despite being well aware of the accused [responsible in the shootout]. Moreover, the JIT is not trustworthy as it has tried to provide maximum protec...

An accountability court on Tuesday accepted the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) plea to close a corruption case against PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. Earlier today, Accountability Judge Jawadul Hassan had reserved the verdict after hearing arguments of a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor. The prosecutor had contended before the court that the bureau’s chairman had given his approval to close an inquiry against the Chaudhry brothers over alleged illegal purchase of 28 plots in the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) city. He said it transpired during investigation that it was the Chaudhry brothers’ employee who had purchased the plots and that no evidence was found to show their involvement in the scam. He, therefore, pleaded with the judge to grant its plea to close the case against the PML-Q leaders. Earlier, the corruption watchdog had clarified hat it shelved an inquiry against PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and...

Regional Director Asia Pacific & Middle East British American Tobacco Guy Meldrum called on Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad today [Tuesday]. He presented a cheque of 5 million rupees to the Prime Minister for Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of Pakistan Diamer Bhasha and Mohmand Dam Fund. Pakistan Tobacco Company Limited also pledged a donation of 20 million rupees towards PM’s Shelter Home project. The Prime Minister appreciated the company's contribution towards the Dam Fund and Shelter Home project.

Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider said on Tuesday that some elements were doing negative propaganda just to malign the Kashmir Freedom Movement. Addressing a seminar in Islamabad Raja Farooq said some elements are trying to harm the Kashmir cause by associating it with terrorists. AJK PM also criticised the PTI government by calling it an incompetent government. “We are facing difficulty to present the stance on Kashmir issue due to the incompetency of PTI-led government.

Warner Bros has set a release date for the third film in the Fantastic Beasts franchise according to The Hollywood Reporter. It will release on November 12, 2021. The last film, The Crimes of Grindelwald, released in November 2018. Ron Sanders, president, Warner Bros’ worldwide theatrical distribution and home entertainment, said, “J.K. Rowling created an awe-inspiring universe that has captivated people of all ages, taking us on an extraordinary magical journey. Warner Bros. is so proud to be the cinematic home of the Wizarding World and is excited about the future of the Fantastic Beasts franchise.” The Crimes of Grindelwald did not meet fans’ expectations and was dismissed by critics as well. It scored a rating of 37 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus being, “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald has glimmers of the magic familiar to Harry Potter fans, but the story’s spell isn’t as strong as earlier installments.” Commercially, too, The Crimes of Grindelwald...

Czech Republic international Josef Sural was killed and six other Alanyaspor players were injured Monday when their van crashed on the way home from a Turkish league soccer match. The 28-year-old Sural died in the hospital during emergency surgery, The six other players were reported to be in stable condition. Cavusoglu said Sural and his six teammates hired a private luxury van to return from a game at Kayserispor in central Turkey. The crash occurred near the entrance to the town of Alanya, on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. Cavusoglu said the driver of the van was being questioned by police. “Our pain is huge,” Cavusoglu said. State-run Anadolu Agency said the van veered off the road and overturned. It identified the injured players as Wanderson Baiano, Steven Caulker, Isaac Sackey, Papiss Demba Cisse, Welinton Souza and Djalma Campos. He said Sural’s wife rushed to the hospital where he informed her of the player’s death. Sural had two young daughters, he said. Sural, a forw...

Federal Cabinet has decided to observe the office timings from 10 am to 4 pm during the holy month of Ramazan to provide maximum relief to people observing fast without compromising their productivity. Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the Cabinet meeting in Islamabad today. Later, addressing a news conference along with Minister of Water Resources Faisal Vawda this afternoon, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan said a special committee has been assigned the responsibility to prepare a Ramazan package to provide maximum relief to the masses. She said the committee will also make sure that no load-shedding is done during the holy month. Firdous Ashiq Awan said the cabinet was taken into confidence regarding the proposed local government system in Punjab that will be modeled on the one already implemented successfully in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.   She said the new local government system will devolve the powers at the grass root l...

The head of NASA has warned that it is time to take the threat of an Earth-destroying asteroid seriously. NASA's administrator expressed concern that similar warnings have historically prompted amusement and said that asteroid collisions were more common than people believed. In the planetary defence exercises this week, simulating a global response to an Earth-destroying meteorite, NASA's first step will be to precisely measure the object's speed and trajectory. After that, a decision will have to be made: attempt to prevent the collision by deflecting the asteroid, or evacuate the area it could crash into. Planetary defence and astronomical experts have warned against humanity destroying large asteroids with nuclear weapons out of the concern that they would simply shatter into smaller dangerous pieces. The most likely response is to evacuate the area which the asteroid is expected to collide into, especially if the asteroid is smaller than 50m (164ft) across.   ...

Premier Inn owner Whitbread has warned that demand for its hotel rooms is being hit by an "acute period of political and economic uncertainty in the UK". The group said it saw a decline in business and leisure confidence over the fourth quarter of its financial year to the end of February, with the weakness increasing into March and April. Chief executive Alison Brittain said there were "ongoing signs of market weakness across both business and leisure especially in the UK regions". The warning covers a period when the UK has faced intense uncertainty over the terms of its departure from the EU - though Brexit was not specifically mentioned by the company as a factor. Whitbread said Premier Inn - which has more than 800 UK hotels - was worse hit than rivals because weakness was most felt outside London where it has a big exposure, rather than in the capital where it has a smaller presence. It made the warning as it reported full-year results showing a 0.6% de...

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday sought an extension on the six-week bail granted to him on medical grounds by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. According to details the petition filed by Sharif states that a review petition has been filed in the Supreme Court on its March 26 decision. The petition seeks an extension in the Nawaz’s bail until a decision on the review petition. Nawaz Sharif's bail is set to expire on May 7.  Nawaz, thrice the prime minister of Pakistan, had been in jail since December 2018 following his conviction in Al Azizia corruption reference in line with the Supreme Court’s July 2017 verdict. An accountability court on December 24 had found the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader guilty in the Al Azizia Steel Mills reference and sentenced him to seven years in prison. He had been granted bail on medical grounds by the apex court on March 26 for six weeks. On April 25, Nawaz Sharif submitted a review petition in the Supreme Court seeking perma...

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has extended interim bail of former Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah till May 8 on Tuesday. Two member bench comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiani heard the plea. Leader of Pakistan People’s Party(PPP) Qaim Ali Shah along with his counsel Farooq H. Naek appeared in the hearing pertaining to the fake bank accounts case. Prosecutor NAB told the court that arrest warrants of Shah have not been issued yet, investigation against him was underway. The court on the plea of Farooq H. Naek extended bail of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and till May 8 and deferred the hearing. On last hearing, Shah was granted bail by the court till April 30(today). Earlier, Shah was granted bail by the IHC against surety bonds of Rs1 million each in the cases, and directed him to cooperate with the NAB investigation team. The former chief minister is named in a report by the joint investigation team tasked to probe the fake accounts case...

Wahab Riaz said he was upset over not being included in the World Cup squad as players work hard for this opportunity. However, when asked why he wasn’t selected, Riaz told reporters to pose this question to the selection committee. “There are good times and bad times in cricket. Whenever I get the opportunity to play for the national side I will perform.” The fast bowler said England was the strongest side for the World Cup and Pakistan was capable of performing well in the tournament.

Pakistani heartthrob Mahira Khan is embracing her grey hair graciously, and in doing so, she is breaking away from the industry’s obsession with the youth. In her latest Instagram post, the superstar admitted she was starting to look and feel older but said that she was quite liking it. “I saw these pictures and thought - ‘Damn I look older’. I do. I feel it. In my bones. On my face. The white strands in my hair. And I quite like it - not nearly as much as I love the kid in me, but it’s getting there x,” she captioned her photos. In the photos, the actor is donning a pleated midnight blue sari by designer duo Menahel and Mehreen, and has a fresh and glowy makeup, complete with a simple ponytail. Rounding up her look are diamond and emerald-encrusted drop earrings.

Outgoing Japanese Emperor Akihito on Tuesday performed the main ritual to hand over the Chrysanthemum Throne to his son Naruhito -- Japan's first abdication in more than two centuries. Akihito technically remains emperor until the stroke of midnight when the country ushers in the new imperial era of Reiwa, or "beautiful harmony", that will last as long as Naruhito reigns. In a brief speech, the 85-year-old said he had spent the 30 years of his reign performing his duties with "deep respect and love for the people." "That has been a great blessing," he added. And he offered his "heartfelt gratitude to the people of Japan who accepted me as the symbol of the state and supported me." The brief ritual in the sumptuous "Room of Pine" in Tokyo's Imperial Palace saw the outgoing emperor turn over the throne in the presence of the imperial regalia -- an ancient sword and sacred jewel that are considered to legitimise an emperor. ...

Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Hafiz Hafeez-ur-Rehman has called for timely completion of ongoing power projects. Presiding over a briefing session in Gilgit, he said in first phase 6MW hydel power project would be started at Attabad in Hunza to overcome power shortage. He directed Power department to complete 2.5MW Kargah and one MW sai Jeglote power project by October this year. He directed to ensure recovery of outstanding bills of electricity from consumers and Government department as well.

Iran's First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri says a recent plan by the administration of US President Donald Trump to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero is doomed to fail, because Americans ignore the country’s immense economic potentialities. Jahangiri made the remarks while addressing an economic meeting on the role of free trade zones in helping the country skirt the unilateral sanctions imposed by Washington against Tehran, in the southern Iranian island of Kish on Monday. "They (Americans) seek to cripple the country’s economy and pile up social pressure [on the government] through reducing the government’s sources of revenue … but thanks to plans made [to counter such measures] this move will certainly fail,” Iran's first vice president said. The US administration said in a statement on April 22 that, in a bid to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero, buyers of Iranian oil must stop purchases by May 1 or face sanctions. The move ended six months of waivers, w...

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd said on Monday it will pay $250 million to settle a US lawsuit faulting the Chinese e-commerce company for concealing a regulatory warning about its ability to stop counterfeiting before it went public in 2014. The lawsuit accused Alibaba of securities fraud for failing to disclose it had met with China’s State Administration for Industry and Commerce on July 16, 2014, two months before the company’s $25 billion initial public offering. Alibaba’s American Depositary Shares slid 12.8 per cent on Jan 28-29, 2015, after the SAIC issued a white paper based on concerns raised at the meeting, saying many products sold on Alibaba websites were fake or infringed trademarks. The white paper also said the SAIC delayed releasing its findings so the IPO would not be affected. Monday’s proposed class-action settlement covers investors in Alibaba ADS and ADS options in the 4-1/2 months preceding the release of the white paper, which was later withdrawn. The accord, wh...

Election Commission of Pakistan was not authorised to disqualify any lawmaker named in the “Fourth schedule”, said the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in its verdict issued on Tuesday. The high court released its verdict which elucidated powers of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for disqualifying a legislator whose name is mentioned in the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). Justice Amir Farooq announced the verdict, saying that ECP was not eligible to declare any lawmaker disqualified included in the list of persons. Earlier, a petition was filed in the high court against ECP’s move which disqualified Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Shah Muhammad from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)’s Bannu-89 constituency over his inclusion in the list. PTI’s Shah Muhammad had been disqualified as MPA and a member of district council by the commission on September 21 – 2017. Muhammad’s case had represented by prominent lawyer Dr Babar Awan. Fourth Sc...

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd said on Monday it will pay $250 million to settle a US lawsuit faulting the Chinese e-commerce company for concealing a regulatory warning about its ability to stop counterfeiting before it went public in 2014. The lawsuit accused Alibaba of securities fraud for failing to disclose it had met with China’s State Administration for Industry and Commerce on July 16, 2014, two months before the company’s $25 billion initial public offering. Alibaba’s American Depositary Shares slid 12.8 per cent on Jan 28-29, 2015, after the SAIC issued a white paper based on concerns raised at the meeting, saying many products sold on Alibaba websites were fake or infringed trademarks. The white paper also said the SAIC delayed releasing its findings so the IPO would not be affected. Monday’s proposed class-action settlement covers investors in Alibaba ADS and ADS options in the 4-1/2 months preceding the release of the white paper, which was later withdrawn. The accord, wh...

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday completed its probe against Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani in the assets beyond means case. According to details NAB Karachi has asked the accountability board’s chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal to file a reference in the case. Durrani who is being investigated in three cases pertaining to illegal appointments, accumulating assets beyond means and embezzlement of funds was arrested by NAB on February 20. On April 26, the Sindh High Court ordered NAB to wrap up the investigation against Durrani in four weeks. NAB Karachi has also sent recommendations for a supplementary reference to be filed against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Kamran Michael and an inquiry to be launched Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) corruption case.

Police arrested a doctor suspected to be responsible for the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Larkana’s Ratodero district, on Tuesday. Dr Muzaffar Ghanghar, who is employed at a public hospital, is an HIV patient himself, police said, as they registered a case against the accused and produced him before a local court. The number of HIV-positive cases rose to 39 as panic gripped the district and authorities tried to ascertain the causes behind the spread of the virus among the residents. Twenty-two children are among the patients diagnosed with HIV, the virus that causes the deadly AIDS disease which claimed a million lives worldwide in 2016. Dr Sikander Memon, in-charge of the Aids Control Programme in Sindh, said a team will arrive in Ratodero next week to determine the causes behind the transmission of the HIV among the residents. According to an estimate by Dr Memon, there are over 100,000 HIV-positive people in Sindh, however, the Aids Control Programme ha...

Police arrested a doctor suspected to be responsible for the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Larkana’s Ratodero district, on Tuesday. Dr Muzaffar Ghanghar, who is employed at a public hospital, is an HIV patient himself, police said, as they registered a case against the accused and produced him before a local court. The number of HIV-positive cases rose to 39 as panic gripped the district and authorities tried to ascertain the causes behind the spread of the virus among the residents. Twenty-two children are among the patients diagnosed with HIV, the virus that causes the deadly AIDS disease which claimed a million lives worldwide in 2016. Dr Sikander Memon, in-charge of the Aids Control Programme in Sindh, said a team will arrive in Ratodero next week to determine the causes behind the transmission of the HIV among the residents. According to an estimate by Dr Memon, there are over 100,000 HIV-positive people in Sindh, however, the Aids Control Programme ha...

Prime Minister Imran Khan will perform the ground-breaking of Mohmand Dam on May 2, Senator Faisal Javed said on Tuesday. The Senator made the announcement on Twitter, saying: “Prime Minister Imran Khan to perform the ground-breaking of Mohmand Dam on 2nd May 2019. Special thanks to all the donors who are contributing for this great cause.” Prime Minister Imran Khan to perform the ground-breaking of Mohmand Dam on 2nd May 2019 insh'ALLAH #WaterForLife #Dams #PakistanZindabad Special thanks to all the Donars who are contributing for this great cause Masha'ALLAH #Prayers — Faisal Javed Khan (@FaisalJavedKhan) April 30, 2019 After its construction, Mohmand dam will be able to store 300,000 cusecs of water. The dam has gross capacity of 1.9 million acre feet (MAF), live capacity 0.67 MAF with power generation potential of 800 megawatts (MW) and annual energy production of 2862 GWh. The Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) in March awarded long delayed contract ...

An accountability court on Tuesday reserved a verdict on the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) plea to close a corruption case against PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. According to details Accountability Judge Jawadul Hassan reserved the verdict after hearing arguments of a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor. The prosecutor contended before the court that the bureau’s chairman had given his approval to close an inquiry against the Chaudhry brothers over alleged illegal purchase of 28 plots in the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) city. He said it transpired during investigation that it was the Chaudhry brothers’ employee who had purchased the plots and that no evidence was found to show their involvement in the scam. He, therefore, pleaded with the judge to grant its plea to close the case against the PML-Q leaders. Earlier, the corruption watchdog had clarified hat it shelved an inquiry against PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat ...

Pakistan Meteorological Department on Tuesday predicted that Karachi will face the brunt of hot weather from today as the maximum temperature in the city will remain between 39–41 Celsius. The met office had earlier cautioned that a heat wave will grip the city from May 1st–3rd. Heat Wave Early Warning Centre of the PMD had informed the city authorities and the public that during the three days’ span maximum temperature in day would range between 40-42 Celsius. The low pressure in the Arabian Sea hampers routine sea breeze to the city during the heat wave and hot and dry winds could blow from north and northwest, the heat wave warning centre said. The weather department has advised the citizens, civic authorities and all stakeholders to take precautionary measures. The government of Sindh has announced measures to address the extreme weather condition including setting up heatstroke centres in the city at 115 points. The health department has declared heat wave alert at 13 hosp...

U.S. presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke on Monday laid out one of the most detailed climate policies so far in the crowded Democratic field, calling for a $5 trillion investment in clean energy technology and infrastructure over 10 years with a goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. O’Rourke, the former Texas congressman, made climate change the focus of his first major policy announcement, unveiling the plan ahead of a campaign stop meeting with scientists at the iconic Yosemite National Park in California. “The greatest threat we face — which will test our country, our democracy, every single one of us — is climate change,” O’Rourke said in a statement. The plan lays out a series of executive actions that would reverse the “energy dominance” policies of President Donald Trump, who has been rolling back environmental regulation to increase domestic fossil fuels production. O’Rourke’s measures include U.S. re-entry into the Paris Climate Agreement, ordering a reduction in...

Scientists in the United States say they have taken a step toward developing a possible diagnostic test for chronic fatigue syndrome, a condition characterized by exhaustion and other debilitating symptoms. Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine said a pilot study of 40 people, half of whom were healthy and half of whom had the syndrome, showed their potential biomarker test correctly identified those who were ill. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME, is estimated to affect some 2.5 million people in the United States and as many as 17 million worldwide. Symptoms include overwhelming fatigue, joint pain, headaches and sleep problems. No cause or diagnosis has yet been established and the condition can render patients bed- or house-bound for years. The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday, analyzed blood samples from trial volunteers using a “nanoelectronic assay” - a t...

In Occupied Kashmir, during the fourth phase of sham Indian parliamentary elections not a single person voted in sixty villages of Anantnag, Islamabad constituency yesterday. However, army soldiers, paramilitary forces and police personnel remained alert guarding polling stations.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi says Pakistan is making sincere efforts for success of the Afghan peace process. Addressing Seventh Round of Pakistan-Afghanistan Track-II Dialogue in Islamabad on Tuesday, he said he has visited different countries and also held several meetings with US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad for peace in Afghanistan. He said peace in Afghanistan is imperative for regional connectivity. He said Afghan people themselves have to decide their future. Inviting Afghanistan to build a new future and make a new beginning, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Pakistan and Afghanistan have shared future. He said Pakistan played its due role in development of Afghanistan, pledging projects worth one billion dollars. The Minister said Afghanistan is a Pakistan's major trading partner, and the two countries do trade through rail and road. He said Afghanistan's importance in regional connectivity cannot be ignored as complet...

Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development has launched a mobile phone application ‘Call Sarzameen App’ to swiftly address the issues facing Pakistani expatriates and their families. The application was formally launched following the complete success of its pilot project. The app’s web portal was introduced in November last year on trial basis which received around 531 complaints, out of which, 361 had been resolved while 96 were in process, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Zulfikar Bukhari told state-run wire service. He said the app was developed by the overseas ministry in collaboration with the National Information Technology Board (NITB) to introduce e-governance in his ministry and provide the Pakistani diaspora instant relief by solving their issues swiftly. Bukhari said he would monitor the complaints himself, in addition to the Prime Minister Office, adding that “this is our valuable asset and ...

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has approved a corruption reference against former Sindh minister Abdul Rauf Siddiqui over alleged misuse of authority and making illegal appointments. The corruption watchdog’s executive board gave the go-ahead to the filing of a reference against Siddiqui upon completion of investigation against him. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan (MQM-P) leader has been accused of making 372 illegal appointments and causing a loss of Rs420 million to the national kitty. The bureau’s executive board also approved 12 corruption inquiries against a former president of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Saeed Ahmed and officials of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), Wapda, Port Qasim Authority, Sahiwal Coal Power Company. Inquiries against officials of Punjab and Sindh police, University of Swabi, Civil Aviation Authority and Bacha Khan Airport, Peshawar were also approved.

As the north prepared for the battle of Winterfell, people in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi were surprised to see Tyrion Lannister serving flatbread at a local restaurant. Waiter Rozi Khan has taken social media in his homeland - where “Game of Thrones” has a strong following - by storm for his uncanny resemblance to U.S. actor Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister in the HBO fantasy series. Until a few months ago, the 26-year-old had never heard of Dinklage. But his life changed when the son of the restaurant owner he works for spotted the resemblance and posted his picture on Facebook. “In the beginning, they started calling me Peter Dinklage. After that I saw his show, and then slowly, slowly I became famous,” Khan told Reuters. The resemblance goes beyond facial features: both men are also 4 feet 5 inches (135 cms) tall. “My wish is to work in movies. And my other wish is that I should meet Peter Dinklage,” Khan added. The eighth and final season of the wildly popul...

An accountability court (AC) on Tuesday once again deferred the announcement of its reserved verdict on acquittal plea filed by former law minister Dr Babar Awan in Nandipur Power Project reference. The court on Friday had reserved its verdict and was set to announce it today (April 30). As soon as the hearing underwent today, the AC Judge, Arshad Malik said, the pleas of acquittal filed by other accused in the reference are also under the trial in the court. “The court will announce its verdict after hearing all the pleas”, he remarked. The court later adjourned the hearing into the case until May 6. It may be recalled that the NAB court earlier, had reserved the verdict in the case twice but deferred the announcement of its reserved verdict on acquittal plea filed by former law minister Dr Babar Awan. The Nandipur reference The National Accountability Bureau in the reference, contended that the project had faced a delay of two years, one month and 15 days, resulting in a los...

John Singleton, who made his directorial debut with the acclaimed film “Boyz n the Hood” about young men struggling in a gang-ridden Los Angeles neighborhood, died on Monday at the age of 51, his family said, days after he suffered a stroke. “We are sad to relay that John Singleton has died,” the family said in a statement. “John passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family and friends.” Earlier on Monday, the family said it had made the “agonizing decision” to withdraw life support from Singleton, who was being cared for at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles since having a stroke on April 17. Singleton was a native of South Central Los Angeles, the community that was the setting for “Boyz n the Hood,” a drama about friendship amid the peril of gang violence. He became the first African-American and the youngest person to be nominated for an Academy award for best director, at age 24, for the movie, which he also wrote. Singleton later directed films such as action f...

The chief executive of Russia’s state-owned arms trade company Rosoboronexport says Turkey has expressed great interest in the acquisition of Russian military hardware other than advanced S-400 air defense missile systems. Aleksandr Mikheev said on Monday that Turkish officials have voiced eagerness to purchase other Russian-built air defense systems of various ranges, anti-tank munitions as well as remote controlled weapon stations. Mikheev further noted that Moscow and Ankara have already established several joint ventures aimed at developing new state-of-the-art fighter jets and helicopters, modules for armored vehicles and maintenance of weaponry previously sold to Turkey. The Russian official went on to say that Russia and Turkey, thanks to the “constructive dialogue between their political leadership,” have managed to thwart foreign rivals' bids to meddle in their bilateral military cooperation. On April 10, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia is interested in e...

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the remnants of Daesh terrorists and al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra militants continue to stage provocations and are reluctant to abide by a ceasefire agreement in the northwestern province of Idlib. Lavrov said during a press conference in Moscow on Monday that the terrorist outfits, especially militants from the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham terror group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, are constantly breaching the de-escalation zone agreement by attacking civilians and carrying out provocations against the Syrian Arab Army in the troubled region. The top Russian diplomat went on to say that the Syrian government had every right to protect people living in the country, including Idlib province, which is under the control of al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra. “There’s a limit to everything. The situation in Idlib and other areas where terrorists are still active cannot go on like this forever. We will proceed from the fact that the Syrian...

US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells has said that the United States would support the policies aimed at bringing economic stability in Pakistan. She was talking to Adviser to PM on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh along with a delegation. Matters pertaining to promotion of economic and business relations between the two countries were discussed in the meeting. The Adviser informed the delegation that Pakistan values its ties with US and both countries need to work to create an environment to move forward for the mutual benefits. He referred to the sacrifices rendered by the people and Armed Forces of Pakistan while fighting the war on terror. The Ambassador Wells lauded Pakistan’s efforts for promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan.