2.9 magnitude earthquake jolts Balochistan
QUETTA: An earthquake of low intensity jolted various districts of Balochistan on Sunday, resulting in minor property damages, however, no casualty was reported. According to the geological wing of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), tremors measuring 2.9 on the Richter scale were felt in Quetta, Chaghi, Jaffarabad, Kalat and other districts of Balochistan. People rushed out of their homes, shops and other buildings as the tremors were felt. Walls collapses and minor damages were incurred in some dilapidated houses and buildings. The epi-center was of the quake was reported to be 60 kilometer south-west of Kalat, 12 kilometers deep inside the earth crust.
Source:Pakistan Today
February 17, 2019 08:15 UTC
India hosts first 'yoga on a pole' world championships
Kalina was among some 100 competitors from 15 different countries taking part in the Mallakhamb World Championships in Mumbai over the weekend. Thousands join India’s Modi for world yoga celebration; some wear masksThe sport, first mentioned in Indian texts in 1135, is popular in western Maharashtra state — of which Mumbai is the capital — but is little known outside India. “Malla means wrestler and khamb means pole,” explains Uday Deshpande, the organiser of the event and India’s most renowned Mallakhamb practitioner. “When you perform yoga on the ground you get lots of benefits — meditation, breathing, concentration. “”you perform yoga at eight feet high you get the same benefits but you also develop your confidence, your courage,” he tells AFP.
Source:The Express Tribune
February 17, 2019 07:31 UTC
Japan's PM nominated Trump for Nobel Peace Prize on US request: Asahi
Trump claims that he is nominated for opening talks and easing tensions with North KoreaTOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe nominated US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize last autumn after receiving a request from the US government to do so, the Asahi newspaper reported on Sunday. The report follows Trump’s claim on Friday that Abe had nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize for opening talks and easing tensions with North Korea. US carrier leads warships in biggest ever Japan defense war gameThe Japanese leader had given him “the most beautiful copy” of a five-page nomination letter, Trump said at a White House news conference. The Nobel Foundation’s website says a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize may be submitted by any person who meets the nomination criteria, which includes current heads of states. Under the foundation’s rules, names and other information about unsuccessful nominations cannot be disclosed for 50 years.
Source:The Express Tribune
February 17, 2019 07:18 UTC
Helicopter evacuation for Canadians trapped in Haiti
The rescue comes during an ongoing unrest that has plunged Haiti into a political crisisOTTAWA: A group of 131 Canadian tourists on Saturday were evacuated via helicopter from their beachside resort in Haiti after being trapped for one week at the site due to ongoing unrest. The tourists were ferried in shifts to the Port-au-Prince international airport, where they boarded a flight to Canada, tour operator Transat told AFP. Thousands of Haitians protest corruption, rising living costs“The only way currently to leave was by helicopter. Separately, there are 25 high school students from Quebec schools still trying to get home from Haiti. On Friday, Canada officially warned its citizens against all travel to Haiti, an advisory issued after the temporary closure of its embassy in Port-au-Prince.
Source:The Express Tribune
February 17, 2019 06:56 UTC
IS 'caliphate' on brink of defeat in Syria as Trump urges Europe to do more
He was speaking after Trump said on Friday there would be ‘great announcements’ about Syria over the next 24 hours. Trump on Saturday said the caliphate was “ready to fall and that the United States was asking European allies to take back more than 800 Islamic State fighters captured in Syria and put them on trial. We are pulling back after 100% Caliphate victory!”Trump has sworn to pull US forces from Syria after Islamic State’s territorial defeat, raising questions over the fate of Washington’s Kurdish allies and Turkish involvement in northeast Syria. STILL A THREATIts capacity then for strategic retreats in hard times, followed by rebounds when circumstances changed, has prompted numerous warnings that Islamic State’s defeat has not ended the threat it poses to the region. That attack came soon after Trump pledged to pull out, saying Islamic State was already defeated, rattling allies and prompting defense secretary Jim Mattis to resign.
Source:The Express Tribune
February 17, 2019 06:45 UTC
Scholars, poets pay tribute to Hamza Baba
Call for building an auditorium and a museum dedicated to the poetLANDI KOTAL: Scholars, poets and writers paid homage to renowned Pashto poet, prose writer Ameer Hamza Shinwari, more affectionately known as Hamza Baba or ‘Baba-e-Ghazal’ as his 25th death anniversary was marked in the Khyber tribal district. In this regard, a function jointly arranged by the Hamza Baba Adi Jirga and the Shalman Adbi Tolna, in his native Landi Kotal village. Landi Kotal Assistant Commissioner along with literature scholars and Urdu, Pashto and Persian linguists of the province and from across the border attended the event. While addressing the gathering, famous Pashto writer Dr Yar Muhammad Maghmoom paid tribute to the poet. He said that Shinwari not only promoted Pashto literature through his writings but also left an indelible mark on Urdu and Persian poetry.
Source:The Express Tribune
February 17, 2019 06:11 UTC
World bishops head to Vatican for sex abuse summit
Victims' groups demand a concrete action plan on fighting paedophiliaVATICAN CITY: Pope Francis gathers bishops from around the world at the Vatican this week for a hotly-awaited summit on tackling the wave of child sex abuse scandals assailing the Catholic Church. In many parts of the world, discussing violence towards children and even sex is taboo, leading the Vatican to organise this week’s “educational” gathering. Some abuse victims, particularly from countries where their plight is ignored, have also been invited to attend. McCarrick, 88, who resigned from the Vatican’s College of Cardinals in July, is the first cardinal ever to be defrocked for sex abuse. In the United States, the Protestant Southern Baptist Convention has been hit by a wide-ranging sex abuse scandal involving almost 400 pastors, volunteers and teachers over two decades.
Source:The Express Tribune
February 17, 2019 06:00 UTC
Islamabad Police arrest around 1,000 murder suspects in past month
At least two murder cases solved, two suspects arrestedISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Police have claimed to have arrested 998 outlaws over the past 30 days and recovered stolen items worth more than Rs75.6 million, including 38 cars and 27 motorbikes from them. Police also claimed to have nabbed 74 suspects in 52 cases of street crime and theft and recovered looted items worth Rs16.4 million. Prime suspect in Ramsha murder case arrestedMoreover, police claimed to have arrested 27 motorbike thieves and recovered 19 bikes from their possession. A further 16 people were held for their involvement in tampering with vehicles and 22 vehicles were recovered from them. Moreover, two murder cases were solved and two people suspected to be involved in them were nabbed during this period.
Source:The Express Tribune
February 17, 2019 05:15 UTC
Kashmiris targeted by angry mobs across India
In the wake of the Pulwana attack, Kashmiris living across India have come under attack by angry mobs belonging to hard-line Hindu groups. Dozens of Kashmiris living outside the Indian occupied valley have been threatened, assaulted or forced to vacate their residences. Twenty-three-year-old Nisar Ahmad, who studies physics at an institute in Dehradun, in the Uttarakhand state, said Kashmiri students were beaten by a mob on February 15. “Following the suicide attack, two Kashmiri students were ruthlessly beaten by a mob in Sudhowala area. Bashir, 24, from Haryana state’s Ambala city, said “violent mobs threatened” Kashmiri students to leave their rented places “immediately through announcements on loudspeakers”.
Source:The Express Tribune
February 17, 2019 04:30 UTC
Protestors ‘manhandled’ by PTI workers
During the visit of Federal Railway Minister Shaikh Rasheed to HyderabadHYDERABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers allegedly manhandled the media workers protesting during the visit of Federal Railway Minister Shaikh Rasheed to Hyderabad on Saturday. The media workers were protesting outside the railway station and chanted slogans against Rasheed and Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry. The minister was scheduled to hold a media talk at the station, but he headed to the Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI). The protesters followed and some were allegedly manhandled by PTI workers. Published in The Express Tribune, February 17th, 2019.
Source:The Express Tribune
February 17, 2019 04:07 UTC
Speech-impaired woman killed after rape
Police arrest three suspects, FIR will be lodged after post-mortem reportHYDERABABD: A speech-impaired woman was allegedly killed after rape in her home in Jamshoro district on Saturday. The police have arrested three suspects and one of them was taken to the local hospital for the medical test. The victim was alone at her home in Kotri SITE area when unknown culprits entered her house and strangled her to death after rape. Jamshoro SSP Touqeer Muhammad Naeem told the media at Kotri taluka hospital that three suspects had been arrested. The mother of the victim told the media that her daughter was alone at the home at the time of the incident.
Source:The Express Tribune
February 17, 2019 03:45 UTC
Sahiwal tragedy: Cops aware of family's presence in car, JIT informed
Sources said a CTD sub-inspector told the JIT that he was directives to carry out firing upon the car by his superior officers. He said when the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) offiicials chased the car, they saw women and children inside and informed the superiors. “However, the officers ordered action despite the presence of women and minors in the vehicle,” he told JIT officials. The JIT sources said the investigation will be completed soon and the report will be sent to higher officials. Earlier, the CTD claimed that the officials could not see women and children due to the car’s tinted glasses.
Source:The Express Tribune
February 17, 2019 03:45 UTC
Doctors continue their protest as another round of talks fails
The deadlock between the Sindh government and doctors has left patients of the whole province without heath care services. NICH denies allegationNICH Director Dr Jamal Raza, however, dismissed the allegation that the doctors’ boycott was the cause of the children’s death. Dr Umar Sultan, Dr Yasmeen Imrani, Dr Mehboob Ali of YDA and Dr Pir Manzoor from PMA attended the meeting with Wahab. The adviser to chief minister said that the public was suffering due to doctors protest and an immediate resolution was desired. The strike continues at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Hospital, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICD), Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital, Lyari General Hospital and NICH.
Source:The Express Tribune
February 17, 2019 03:33 UTC
Stock market remains under pressure as KSE-100 drops 1%
Market watch: Lack of triggers drags KSE-100 lower in thin volumesThe week kicked off on a sour note as the KSE-100 index lost over 500 points due to mounting selling pressure. Unfortunately, the trend could not be sustained and the index shed points after a statement from IMF resident representative Teresa Sanchez. On the flip side, sectors that contributed positively include oil & gas exploration companies (up 70 points), and cements (17 points). Scrips that dragged the index down were HBL (74 points), PSO (64 points), PAKT (45 points), BAHL (29 points) and PSEL (26 points). Foreign buying continued this week clocking-in at $12.1 million compared to a net buy of $12.2 million last week.
Source:The Express Tribune
February 17, 2019 03:33 UTC
Pressure may ease as petroleum product imports fall
The drop in energy imports is necessary to control the current account deficit and improve the balance of payments situation as the energy bill comprises around one-fourth of total imports of Pakistan. Energy imports dropped 16% to $1.02 billion in January 2019 compared to $1.22 billion in the same month of last year, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported. Energy imports also include liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). “Though the economy is growing, the oil import bill has come down (which is a good omen),” he said. The downturn in oil prices was playing a meaningful role in reducing Pakistan’s energy import bill in dollar terms.
Source:The Express Tribune
February 17, 2019 03:11 UTC