Kanye West makes brief return year after breakdown

Rap superstar Kanye West is back nearly a year after suffering a breakdown -- making a brief musical appearance in which he appears to keep his feud with Taylor Swift alive. West, a once omnipresent celebrity with a prolific media presence and high-profile marriage to Kim Kardashian, abruptly ended a tour and was hospitalised in November 2016 after unusual rants on stage. Making his most visible appearance this year, West contributed a verse on a song released Tuesday by Cyhi The Prynce, an Atlanta rapper whom West earlier signed to his label imprint. The song, "Dat Side," expounds on the perils of fame and hits back at critics, with West speaking of being African-American in his affluent Los Angeles neighbourhood. "Neighbours said they think I gave the neighbourhood a black eye," the 40-year-old father of two raps. He also appears to reference his ongoing rift with Swift. In his 2016 song "Famous," West boasts that the pop star may have *** with him as he takes credit for her celebrity -- a reference to how he disrupted her at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Swift voiced anger at the lyric and hit back in "Look What You Made Me Do," a vindictive track released in August. West on the latest track references the name of the controversial song as he raps: "The people claim to know you... get famous on you / Then they go and blame it on you / You just good, they can't ignore you." West's last major public appearance following his hospitalisation came in December when he unexpectedly showed up at Trump Tower in New York to meet then president-elect Donald Trump -- whose aides said he was mulling an official role for the rapper.

Atletico Madrid on the brink after dismal home draw with Qarabag

MADRID: Atletico Madrid?s Champions League hopes hang by a thread after they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Group C minnows Qarabag on Tuesday despite playing a large part of the second half against 10 men. The home side had far more chances than the team from Azerbaijan in the first half but fell behind in the 40th minute when Spanish midfielder Michel rose to meet a corner and delivered too powerful a header for Jan Oblak to keep out. Midfielder Thomas Partey equalised in the 56th minute with a thunderous long-range strike and Atletico were given another boost when Brazilian Pedro Henrique was sent off a minute later. Yet despite laying siege to the visitors? area, Atletico could not find a winner and, to complete their miserable night, they also had their own defender Stefan Savic sent off for a second booking in the 88th minute. ?We always tried to win the game but sometimes in this beautiful sport things don?t go your way and the ball just didn?t want to go in,? said Atletico coach Diego Simeone. ?We have to keep on fighting in the same way, the work of the players is spectacular, we have to keep believing in this team, and I do.? Atletico, Champions League runners-up in 2014 and 2016 and semi-finalists last season, are third in Group C on three points, five behind leaders AS Roma and four behind Chelsea. It means Atletico now need to hope for something remarkable to avoid a group stage exit for the first time since returning to Europe?s elite competition in 2013. Even if they beat Roma and Chelsea in their final two games, they will still need either the Italian side or Premier League champions to drop points against Qarabag. Should they draw with Roma in their next outing, they will need Chelsea to lose to Qarabag to have any chance of moving forward. Atletico went into the must-win game on the back of a disappointing 1-1 draw with Villarreal at home on Saturday and with only one win in their previous seven games in all competitions. They made a bright start as Antoine Griezmann hooked a venomous volley from outside the box to force a fine save from Ibrahim Sehic. The sight of the Bosnian goalkeeper repelling shots from the hosts became a familiar sight for the angst-ridden home fans in the Wanda Metropolitano stadium, which has yet to witness an Atletico win in the Champions League. After Partey?s sensational equaliser, Simeone continued his familiar routine at home games of waving his arms around to encourage the supporters to will on his side, but every time they came forward Sehic got in their way. He thwarted Kevin Gameiro, Diego Godin and captain Gabi in the second half before the final whistle sounded, signalling a likely end to Atletico?s recent thrilling spell in Europe?s top competition.

United close to knockout stage with 2-0 win over Benfica

Manchester United are almost certain to reach the knockout stage of the Champions League after they beat Benfica 2-0 at Old Trafford on Tuesday to make it a perfect four wins in Group A. An own goal by Benfica?s 18-year-old keeper Mile Svilar on the stroke of halftime and a Daley Blind penalty in the 78th minute were enough for United, who struggled at times to find their fluency. Jose Mourinho?s team now need just a point from their final two games in the group, against Basel and CSKA Moscow, to make absolutely certain of their place in the knockout stage for the first time in four years. The result moved them six points clear at the top of the group, yet United, who qualified by winning the Europa League last season, were well below their best, labouring in midfield and sloppy at times at the back. After the visitors started brightly, United could have taken the lead in the 14th minute when Anthony Martial went down under a challenge from Douglas but the Frenchman?s soft spot kick was saved by Svilar. At the other end, David De Gea, was forced into the first of a series of saves - superbly reaching a powerful drive from Diogo Goncalves. Romelu Lukaku then had two chances for United with Svilar pushing his low, left-foot shot wide in the 30th minute, before the Belgian headed over from a Martial cross. When the goal came, just before halftime, it had a strong element of good fortune to it. Svilar, the youngest keeper in Champions League history whose error had gifted United a 1-0 win when the teams met two weeks ago in Lisbon, could do nothing as a Nemanja Matic shot struck the post and bounced into the goal off his back. Benfica had several good chances to draw level but United keeper De Gea was his usual reliable self. The one time the Spaniard was beaten, Mexican forward Raul Jimenez?s shot struck the outside of the post after he had intercepted a loose pass from Eric Bailly to Chris Smalling. The introduction of Marcus Rashford for Martial injected some life into United?s attack and it was the 19-year-old who created the second goal. The winger burst into the area, skipping by two defenders before he was brought down by Andreas Samaris. Lukaku looked set to take the kick, but after an apparent intervention from Mourinho, it was Blind who converted. The result leaves United top of Group A on 12 points while CSKA Moscow and Basel each have six points with Benfica still without a point. CSKA won 2-1 at Basel in Tuesday?s other game in the group.

Barcelona held to goalless draw by battling Olympiakos

ATHENS: Barcelona must wait to confirm a place in the Champions League last 16 after dropping points for the first time in Group D in an absorbing 0-0 draw at Olympiakos Piraeus on Tuesday. On his return to his former club, Barca coach Ernesto Valverde watched his in-form side dominate for long spells and create some great chances, but the determined home team held on for their first point as they bid for a Europa League spot. Olympiakos goalkeeper Silvio Proto was a prominent figure in a frenetic and surprisingly open match at the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium, coming to the rescue to deny Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez on several occasions. Barcelona top the section with 10 points, having extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 15 matches with 13 wins and two draws, ahead of Juventus on seven points after their 1-1 draw at Sporting who have four. Takis Lemonis? Olympiakos team, who are also struggling in the Greek SuperLeague, finally opened their account as Barca were held to a goalless draw for the first time since April. Valverde, who won three league titles as Olympiakos coach in two spells at the Piraeus club between 2008 and 2012, was given a rousing welcome by the home fans who held up a giant banner which read ?Ernesto thanks for everything?. ?I was very moved by the whole experience of coming back here tonight,? said Valverde. ?I love the fans here and they appreciate my work; it was amazing to see such a reception for an opposing coach ? it speaks volumes for them really.? ?Olympiakos is a very strong team and with the help of their fans they have achieved a great result and we congratulate them for that. I would love to see them qualify to the next stage but there is a long way to go yet.? FAST START Barca started at breakneck speed with right back Nelson Semedo racing clear and forcing a fine low save from Proto. Olympiakos, with midfielder Kostas Fortounis in a lone striking role, were pushed back in the early stages but the Greece international looked lively when he broke forward. Barca came close to scoring in the 20th minute when Messi struck a shot that was parried clumsily for a corner by Proto. His strike partner Suarez missed Barca?s best chance of the half three minutes later, sending a low shot into the side-netting with the outside of his right boot from a tight angle. Messi?s first real run at the defence came in the 28th when the Argentine raced through a flurry of bodies into the box before his shot was saved by Proto?s outstretched left boot. Messi then had a shot blocked before seeing his curling free-kick, won by Suarez, beaten away by Proto. Fortounis should have done much better from Alaixys Romao?s lobbed pass on the counter but volleyed straight at Marc-Andre ter Stegan who gathered it comfortably. The visitors forged their best chance just after the hour but Messi uncharacteristically scuffed a poor first-time effort wide after a neat one-two with Suarez. Barca exerted more pressure as the second half wore on but had little to show for their efforts apart from a couple of blocked and wayward shots by a below-par Suarez, who also lobbed an effort on to the top of the bar with 10 minutes left. Proto made two more stops to thwart Messi, one from a free-kick and another from a powerful low shot, to ensure Olympiakos secured a creditable draw against their illustrious opponents.

FBR seize bank accounts of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan over alleged tax evasion

ISLAMABAD: The bank accounts of famed Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan were seized on Tuesday by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) over the evasion of taxes. According to FBR, non-payment of income tax worth more than Rs3 million in 2015 led the Federal Board of Revenue to seize the singer's available bank accounts in the country, recovering a sum worth 105,000 rupees from one of them. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to recover the remaining amount of due taxes. FBR claimed, it had imposed tax on Rahat after identifying a confidential transaction. The singer was obliged to pay income tax worth Rs 33,48000 for the year 2015, which he failed to comply with, and as a result, his bank accounts were seized to recover the due amount.

PSG sail into last 16 as Kurzawa nets hat trick in rout of Anderlecht

PARIS: Paris St Germain qualified for the Champions League last 16 in emphatic fashion when they extended their perfect Group B record with a 5-0 home win against Anderlecht on Tuesday, with fullback Layvin Kurzawa scoring a hat-trick. Neymar, back in the team after being sent off during the French ?classic? against Olympique de Marseille nine days ago, scored the second goal on the stroke of halftime after Marco Verratti?s opener, with Kurzawa completing the scoreline after the interval. PSG have 12 points from four games and lead Bayern Munich, who beat Celtic 2-1 away, by three points. Celtic have three points and Anderlecht have none, both clubs being eliminated from Europe?s premium club competition. PSG have scored 17 goals in the campaign and conceded none while Anderlecht have yet to net one. Providing they each win their next game, PSG and Bayern will battle it out for top spot in the final round of matches in December. ?It?s always a pleasure to score,? said Verratti after his second goal in 40 Champions League appearances. ?After scoring the first goal we played more freely and managed to secure a nice team victory. Everybody contributed, with notably the strikers helping with the defensive tasks. ?We also managed to play fast, which is always important against teams who come here to sit back and wait.? ?I scored thanks to my team mates? work. I needed that confidence boost,? said Kurzawa. ?Now I need to continue to work and further improve.? PSG dominated from the outset but Kylian Mbappe?s early strike from inside the box was blocked by Frank Boeckx. The France forward, however, found Verratti in the area on the half-hour for the Italy midfielder to fire the ball into the far corner. It was a deserved lead for PSG, who doubled their tally four minutes into stoppage time in the first half when Neymar?s 20-metre strike went past Boeckx. Neymar?s free kick bounced on to the post and into the path of Kurzawa, who poked home the ball seven minutes into the second half. The fullback made it 4-0 with a diving header in the 72nd and added his personal third six minutes later with a low shot after being set up by Angel Di Maria. PSG next take on Celtic while Bayern travel to Anderlecht on Nov. 22.

El Shaarawy strikes twice as Roma rout Chelsea 3-0

ROME: Stephan El Shaarawy struck twice, including the fastest goal of this season?s Champions League after just 39 seconds, to help thrust AS Roma to the top of their Champions League group with a convincing 3-0 win over lacklustre Chelsea on Tuesday. Following the sides? thrilling 3-3 draw in London two weeks earlier, the Italian international striker?s brace was the highlight of another impressive display from Roma which allowed them to leapfrog the English champions at the summit of Group C. El Shaarawy?s thunderous first-minute shot was the earliest recorded in any match in the competition this term and, despite Chelsea creating early chances, Antonio Rudiger?s defensive indecision allowed him to nip in for a neatly-taken second after 36 minutes. Not for the first time this season, Chelsea again looked uncharacteristically disorganised at the back as Diego Perotti thrashed home a third after 63 minutes to move Roma on to eight points, one clear of Chelsea, who slip to second. After the thrilling fare between the two sides at Stamford Bridge, the one-sided nature of the return, which saw Chelsea suffer their biggest defeat under Antonio Conte since their 3-0 loss at Arsenal last season, was a sign of unsettled times for the Italian. Yet it took no time for the duel to explode into life again. When Aleksandar Kolarov?s hoofed ball from the left flank was nodded back a mite fortuitously by Edin Dzeko in Roma?s opening foray, El Shaarawy was on to the loose ball in a flash to send his right-footed shot on the half-volley crashing past Thibaut Courtois. Chelsea countered brightly with Eden Hazard causing problems for the home rearguard, Alvaro Morata hooking one shot over from close range and Tiemoue Bakayoko heading just wide. Yet when the former Roma man Rudiger had a lapse of concentration at the back, allowing El Shaarawy to pounce on a speculative ball forward from Radja Nainggolan and nudge his effort expertly past Courtois, Chelsea?s poise disintegrated. Most shocking for Conte was just how tamely his side capitulated after the break, looking nothing like the team which looked so solid throughout their Premier League title-winning campaign. Cesc Fabregas, in his 100th Champions League match, typified the malaise by giving the ball away to kick start the move that saw Perotti strike a fierce 25-metre shot past Courtois. The Argentine should then have made it four but ballooned his shot high and Courtois had to make two fine saves in a minute, including a dazzling stop at point blank range from substitute Kostas Manolas, to spare Chelsea further indignity. The Premier League side?s only consolation after their nightmarish Halloween performance was that they were still effectively in control of their destiny after Atletico Madrid?s surprise draw with Qarabag.

Watford, Stoke charged by FA for failing to control players

Watford and Stoke City have been charged by the English Football Association for failing to control their players during Saturday?s Premier League match at Vicarage Road. Watford captain Troy Deeney has already been charged with violent conduct for his part in the clash between players in the final minutes of Stoke?s 1-0 victory. Deeney grabbed Stoke midfielder Joe Allen?s face and neck, with match referee Michael Oliver showing a yellow card to both players. Stoke manager Mark Hughes described the incident as ?unpleasant?, saying Deeney should be punished for the incident. Both clubs have until 1800 GMT on Friday to respond to the charge.

New York City police investigate reported vehicle strike, shooting in Manhattan

NEW YORK: New York City police were investigating reports of gunfire and a vehicle striking people in lower Manhattan on Tuesday afternoon, and one person has been taken into custody, police officials said. Police were unable to confirm if there were any injuries, but local media reported at least five, including possible fatalities. The incident took place near the West Side Highway and Chambers Street, police said. An eyewitness said that he saw a white pick-up truck drive south down the bike path alongside the West Side Highway at full speed and hit several people. The witness, a man identified by the name ?Eugene,? said bodies were lying outside Stuyvesant High School, one of the city?s elite public schools. He also reported hearing about nine or 10 shots, but was not sure where they came from. The West Side Highway runs on the western edge of Manhattan, alongside the Hudson River.

Govt revises fuel prices for November, petrol increased by Rs2.49 per litre

ISLAMABAD: The government on Wednesday revised prices of petroleum products, increasing the price of petrol by Rs2.49 per litre. Prices for high-speed diesel (HSD) was increased by Rs5.19 per litre, while the price for light-speed diesel (LSD) was increased by Rs3 per litre. The government also increased the price of kerosene oil by Rs5.19 per litre. The new prices will come into effect from November 1 (today). The Oil and Gas Regulation Authority (Ogra) forwarded a summary to the federal government, seeking an increase in the prices of POL products.

Pakistan is a resilient, sports loving nation: COAS

RAWALPINDI: The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday said that Pakistan is a resilient, sports-loving nation. ?Pakistanis are peace and sports-loving resilient nation, bound to rise despite all challenges," the military?s media wing tweeted on behalf of the COAS on the successful conclusion of the Pakistan Motor Rally organised by the Pakistan Army. Director General (DG) of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor in a tweet said that the army chief believes that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will be successful. "CPEC will be truly successful when it lifts Balochistan to its rightful place. [The] army shall extend full support for its socio-economic development,? the DG ISPR tweeted. The motor rally, which began on October 21 and concluded today (October 31) upon reaching Gawadar, was organised to commemorate the 70th year of the country's independence. geo_embedgallery It included 103 vehicles and 82 motorbikes drawn from different motor clubs across the country.

Croatian village gives shelter to abandoned bears

Orphaned, abandoned or abused Croatia's brown bears that are unable to survive in the wild are finding a new home in the country?s only sanctuary for the furry natives. Photo: AFP file KUTEREVO: Orphaned, abandoned or abused Croatia's brown bears that are unable to survive in the wild are finding a new home in the country?s only sanctuary for the furry natives. Up to 1,000 bears are estimated to live in the southeastern European country, particularly in the central forested areas of Gorski Kotar and Lika. Although they are a protected species, Croatian authorities allow the hunting of around 100 bears each year. ?Our goal was to provide refuge for cubs who lost their mothers, were abandoned or due to any other reason could not function alone in the wild,? said Ivan Crnkovic-Pavenka, 71, who set up the sanctuary in 2002. A cub found by children in a rain-swollen river was the first resident of the shelter in the picturesque village of Kuterevo, which sits in the foothills of the Velebit mountain range in central Croatia. Crnkovic-Pavenka says it can be a problem when people take home cubs found in the wild ?there is a period of ?cuddles with these velvety little creatures? but the bears have to be killed when they start to bite and scratch. Instead, the animals at the sanctuary, all of them sterilised, are divided by age into three open-air spaces totalling 2.5 hectares (6.1 acres) and surrounded by electric fencing. So far the refuge has hosted 15 bears, some of whom were eventually re-released into the wild. Among them was Luka Gora, who ?used to climb a tree and spend the whole night there whining?. Another female bear escaped with a wild bear who, attracted by her scent, managed to enter the shelter. From neglect to new life There are currently nine resident bears, mostly named after their human rescuers and the place where they were found. Six-year-old Mlada Gora, who likes to eat nuts and sunflowers, lost her mother to hunters and came to the shelter as a cub of five months after she was found searching for food next to a busy highway. The oldest bear, 34-year-old Mirna, is also the smallest due to earlier neglect: she was kept in a tiny concrete cage at a zoo on the Adriatic coast which was closed down in 2015. Brown bears can live up to the age of 40, but hunting has brought their average age in the Croatian wild down to between four and eight years. The number of those killed by vehicles is also increasing. Around 20,000 visitors are attracted to the sanctuary each year and the brown bear has become the symbol of the local village, Kuterevo. Entry is free and the shelter survives on donations and the work of around 300 volunteers a year. ?The bears brought new life here,? said 84-year-old local resident Dragica Biondic.

Bangladesh arrests pilot accused of plot to hijack plane

Sabbir Emam, a pilot with state-run Biman Bangladesh Airlines, was detained in Dhaka with three others suspected of links to a militant group. Photo: AFP file. DHAKA: Bangladesh on Tuesday arrested a pilot from the national airline accused of plotting with terrorists to hijack or crash a plane in a spectacular attack, police said. Sabbir Emam, a pilot with state-run Biman Bangladesh Airlines, was detained in Dhaka with three others suspected of links to a militant group blamed for a cafe siege last year that left 22 people dead, including 18 foreigners. The Rapid Action Battalion police unit said Sabbir plotted with senior extremists from Bangladesh to crash a plane into the homes of politicians or to take passengers hostage. ?He is a dangerous person and is working at a sensitive place like Bangladesh Biman, which the country?s important individuals use,? the battalion said in a statement. Sabbir, a pilot since 2014, flew a Boeing 737 passenger jet as recently as Monday for Bangladesh?s flag carrier, the battalion said. Neither Sabbir?s family or lawyers could be immediately reached for comment. Sabbir allegedly had ties to senior militants including Sarwar Jahan, the head of a new JMB faction, before he was killed in a police raid. Police say Sabbir and Sarwar plotted a plane attack with another man, Abdullah, who was killed in a raid in September along with six others, including his wife and children, in an apartment building in Dhaka. The building was owned by Sabbir?s father, who was questioned by police. The homegrown JMB group has been blamed for a string of deadly attacks on foreigners, atheist bloggers, rights activists and religious minorities in Bangladesh. The most prominent was in July last year when militants stormed an upmarket cafe in Dhaka and massacred 22 hostages. The attack was claimed by a terrorist group but the government denied any role by the international militants. JMB remains active despite efforts to decapitate its leadership by Bangladesh police, who have while killed more than 70 alleged militants since the cafe attack. Police have warned of new cells and plots to stage attacks in Bangladesh.

Ball game brings rare joy to Rohingya refugee boys

In a refugee camp in Bangladesh crammed with makeshift bamboo shelters, Rohingya boys gather on one of the few remaining clear areas of ground for an energetic bout of chinlone. Photo: AFP file. KUTUPALONG: In a refugee camp in Bangladesh crammed with makeshift bamboo shelters, Rohingya boys gather on one of the few remaining clear areas of ground for an energetic bout of chinlone ?a version of keepie-uppie that is one of the few pleasures they can still enjoy. Chinlone, a cross between football and volleyball played with a woven cane ball, is hugely popular in the villages of Myanmar where the refugees are from. For the children, it offers a brief respite from the fight for survival in squalid camps that have tripled in size with the arrival of more than 600,000 Rohingya in little more than two months. They are fleeing a fresh outbreak of ethnic violence in Myanmar?s Rakhine state, where militant attacks on police posts in August. When Mohammad Faisal fled Myanmar during an earlier bout of violence three years ago, his chinlone ball was among the prized possessions he packed into the small bag that was all the family could take. ?I love it. All my friends love this sport,? the 16-year-old told AFP in the Kutupalong refugee camp as he and his friends enjoyed a kickaround. Chinlone ?a much loved sport across Myanmar ?involves six players keeping a ball above the ground using any part of their body except their hands. To the untrained eye it looks like a particularly elaborate form of keepie uppie, with expert players performing flips as they kick the ball high into the air. ?The fun is to keep the ball on air as long as you can. We would often keep it up there for more than an hour,? said Saiful Islam, 18, a keen chinlone player who was born in the camp. Nurul Amin, 37, recalls how he used to play the sport with his Rakhine neighbours in their village in mainly Buddhist Myanmar before ethnic tensions set in. Many of the refugees have said their ethnic Rakhine neighbours took part in the violence that has forced hundreds of thousands to flee, including burning Rohingya homes and mosques to the ground. ?That was the time when there was a lot of camaraderie between the communities. There were sports competitions in every village in Rakhine,? said Amin. ?The trust is broken forever. There?s no way we will gather again to play chinlone.?

Russia, Turkey and Iran agree to plan for Syria 'congress'

ASTANA: Russia, Turkey and Iran pledged in Kazakhstan Tuesday to bring the Syrian regime and its opponents together for a "congress" to help nudge peace efforts towards a more lasting political settlement. A joint statement released by Russia and Iran, who support the regime, and Turkey, which backs the rebels, referred to an "initiative of Russia" to hold a congress to bring Syrian government representatives and opposition groups together. A statement on the Russian foreign ministry website on Tuesday listed 33 Syrian organisations invited to a "Congress of Syrian National Dialogue" in the Russian city of Sochi on November 18. The congress proposal was one of the few notable outcomes from the seventh round of talks on Syria held in the Kazakh capital Astana and widely viewed as Moscow's attempt to stamp its own imprint on a settlement for Syria. However, representatives of the Syrian opposition in Astana immediately cast doubt on the plan. Yahya al Aridi, an advisor for the Syrian opposition, called the suggestion "a jump in the air to another place". The talks that began in January have run parallel to negotiations taking place in Geneva with the backing of the United Nations. Recent rounds of talks in the Central Asian nation have focused on ironing out the details of a Russia-led plan establishing four de-escalation zones in Syria. The plan was first tabled in Astana in May to minimise fighting between government forces and moderate rebel factions and improve civilians' access to aid. But international organisations have warned that the zones are failing to curb a recent uptick in fighting that has seen the humanitarian situation in the country worsen significantly.

Our leader is Nawaz, after him Shehbaz: Saad Rafique

KARACHI: Senior Pakistan Muslim League ? Nawaz (PML-N) leader and Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique on Tuesday said that the party's only leader is Nawaz Sharif. ?Our leader is Nawaz, and after him Shehbaz,? Rafique said while talking on Geo News? programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath. He emphasised that the two brothers are two sides of the same coin. Responding to a question about rumours about the party?s leadership, Rafique said that there is ?no question about Nawaz?s leadership? in the party. ?Hamza Shehbaz and Maryam Nawaz are our younger brother and sister and the two of them have their own political struggles, but they are not our political leaders,? he said, adding that only Nawaz Sharif holds the power to give direction and narrative to the party. Discussing the PML-N's prime ministerial candidate for the upcoming general elections, Rafique said that if Nawaz remains to be legally barred to hold public office, Shehbaz could prove to be a ?very capable prospect.? ?The future PML-N prime ministerial candidate shall be decided when the time comes,? he said, ?Nobody has worked for the country in the past 70 years the way Shehbaz has, and he can prove to be a very capable candidate.? The minister also refuted the rumours of the party resorting to taking revenge from 'institutions. "Our party has never declared that it shall take revenge for the unfair behaviour toward the party," he said. ?The PML-N has never clashed [with the institutions] and nor will it do so because it is not in the best interests of Pakistan,? Rafique insisted. ?We shall hold on to patience and pass through this [turmoil].? He said that the 'unfair behaviour' is not a new trend and it has continued for a long time but speaking up against it isn?t wrong. ?Our fight isn?t personal, it is based on principals.? Rafique stressed that the PML-N had never resorted to hatching conspiracies, levelling allegations or defaming ?others,? but it shall raise its voice through constitutional channels. ?Addressing our supporters in our constituencies is our fundamental right and there is nothing wrong with speaking to our voters,? the PML-N leader insisted.

Five killed as dumper falls on car in Swabi

SWABI: Five people were killed after a dumper fell on a car near Topi bypass, the police informed on Tuesday. Moreover, as many as three children were also injured in the accident. The deceased and the injured were taken to a nearby hospital. On June 12, a four-year-old girl was killed in a road accident when a dumper truck hit a motorcycle here at the Johar Mor bridge, near Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Geo News reported. The crash had left the deceased girl?s parents injured, rescue sources said. Girl, 4, killed in dumper truck accident near Karachi?s Johar Mor The crash left the deceased girl?s parents injured, rescue sources said. Rescue officials revealed further that the affected family resides in the metropolis? Korangi area. Moreover, a man had died after a dumper truck hit him near Karachi?s Ayesha Manzil area on June 18, last year. An enraged crowd present at the spot assaulted the driver and tried to set the vehicle on fire. Police reached the area and tried to bring the situation under control. The dumper driver was later taken into custody by police.

FBR extends deadline for filing of tax returns to Nov 15

[embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2zUNAQn style=center] KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has extended the deadline to file annual income tax returns and wealth statements to November 15. The last date for filing the returns for 2016-17 was earlier announced to be October 31. All those whose annual salary from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017 is above Rs.400,000 are required to file their income tax returns along with wealth statement for the financial year 2016-17. Usually, the FBR extends the deadline many times a year to encourage people to file their returns.

Saudi Arabia to begin issuing tourist visas 'soon'

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia plans to start issuing tourist visas "soon", authorities said Tuesday, as the kingdom seeks to attract international visitors in a radical overhaul of its oil-dependent economy. Tourism is seen as a major driver of growth as the kingdom attempts to wean itself off its dependence on petrodollars amid a protracted oil slump. "Tourist visas will be introduced soon," Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, head of the Saudi tourism authority, was quoted as saying in a statement. He did not specify a time frame. Aside from millions of Muslims who travel to Saudi Arabia for the annual Haj pilgrimage, most visitors currently face a tedious visa process and exorbitant fees to enter the kingdom. Prince Sultan's comment comes ahead of Saudi Arabia's first archaeology convention in Riyadh next week as the government seeks to showcase some of its historic sites. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in August announced a massive tourism project to turn 50 islands and a string of sites on the Red Sea into luxury resorts. Although richly endowed with natural beauty, the kingdom is hardly seen as a tourism hotspot. But authorities in recent months have sought to project a moderate image with a string of reforms, including the decision allowing women to drive from next June. The kingdom is also expected to lift a public ban on cinemas and has encouraged mixed-gender celebrations - something seldom seen before. The moves appear designed to project the kingdom in a favourable light as it seeks to attract badly needed foreign investment.

Alone45 10/31/2017 Welcome to Funday Urdu Forum. Please feel free to

Alone45 10/31/2017 Welcome to Funday Urdu Forum. Please feel free to browse around and get to know the others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. Please click here and find out your name post at the end of last page of topic. So lets start your 1st post with your introduction. How about that

Top 10 Japanese Horror Movies We Wouldn't Recommend To The Faint-Hearted

Horror has always been a tricky genre to play with – more like a hit or miss – for the directors. You either make a great film that attains cult status or you make something so bad that it makes people burst out laughing instead of screaming in fear. After all, there's a reason why Stephen King's 'It' and 'The Exorcist'; and '1920'and 'Phoonk' exist in the same universe. But, no matter how much we shriek and tremble after watching Hollywood classics, Japan is the badass daddy of all when it comes to playing with horror and supernatural thrillers. © Showgate J-Horror has been making people pee their pants in fear since 1960s when classics like 'Onibaba' and 'Kwaidan' were released and is worshipped globally by every avid fan of supernatural thrillers. They bow down in front of the awesome imagination and rich story-telling of Japanese directors. Well, for a land that has given us Akiro Kurosawa and Takashi Miike; you can't expect anything but the best. So, without further ado, we present to you the ultimate J-horror list that we bet you wouldn't be able to watch alone. So, go ahead and dare your friends to finish the entire list. 1. Ringu - 1998 © Basara Pictures Hideo Nakata does a fantastic job in scaring the life out of people with his 1998 psychological horror 'Ringu'. The film revolves around a reporter who sets out to investigate the mystery behind a certain videotape that is cursed – whoever watches the tape dies within 7 days. The 2002 hit film 'The Ring' starring Naomi Watts was an American remake of this classic. 2. Ju-On: The Grudge - 2002 © Pioneer LDC The brutal murder of a woman and her child casts an evil curse on a house and anyone who sets foot inside gets killed by the vengeful spirits. Directed by Takashi Shimizu, this movie is the third installment in the 'Ju-on' series. 3. Noroi: The Curse - 2005 © Xanadeux Created in a documentary and 'found footage' format, this movie revolves around a paranormal expert who disappeared while filming the most disturbing documentary of his career on an ancient demon. This movie f**ks with your mind as you try to figure out who the real demon is. 4. Audition - 1999 © Basara Pictures Takashi Miike waves his magic wand around 'Audition' and turns it into a classic film that you just can't afford to miss. A widower decided to start dating again and stages an audition to meet potential partners. He eventually starts dating a woman only to realize that she might be a psychopath with a dark and brutal past. 5. Onibaba - 1964 © Kindai Eiga Kyokai If you haven't seen 'Onibaba', then you are really missing out on the best movie ever made in the world. Directed by Kaneto Shindo, this is a historical drama horror in the backdrop of a civil war, where two women kill soldiers and steal their possessions. One of the women comes across a demon mask and dons it to frighten the other woman. 6. Marebito - 2004 © Adness K.K. 'Marebito' is another classic which many people wouldn't even dare to watch in the first place. The mere synopsis sends chills down our spine, so one can only imagine how gruesome and intense the movie is going to be. A cameraman, obsessed with fear brings a woman home, only to realize that she survives on blood. How he looks after her, while dodging certain bizarre characters, weaves the rest of the plot. 7. Over Your Dead Body - 2014 © Celluloid Dreams 'Over your dead body' also known as 'Kuime' is a 2014 J-horror movie that takes on through the life of characters both on and off stage. As the line between reality and fantasy gets blurred, the characters find themselves trapped in a deadly love game that soon turns into an evil grudge. 8. Kwaidan - 1964 © Toho Company Another classic film directed by Masaki Kobayashi, 'Kwaidan' is a compilation of four Japanese folk tales, each with their own tinge of supernatural elements that will surely leave you trembling in fear. We recommend this as a must-watch movie. 9. Ichi The Killer - 2001 © Omega Project When Takashi Miike helms a film, there is no room for any doubts about the movie being an average one and 'Ichi The Killer' furthers the same. Also known as 'Koroshiya Ichi', this movie is a Japanese crime-horror that revolves around a sadomasochistic hoodlum who comes across a psychotic killer after his boss goes missing. 10. Dark Water - 2002 © Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co. The movie talks about a mother who is going through an ugly divorce and fighting for her young daughter's custody. However, after the mother and daughter move into a new apartment, they realize they aren't the only residents. They start seeing disturbing visions and start getting haunted by the ghost of a young girl who tries everything to draw them towards the supernatural. Most of you must be getting all jazzed up for 'trick or treat' aka Halloween. But, for the rest it's yet another legit reason to binge-watch horror movies, along with the uninvited guests who will join us between 3 and 4 a.m. (ghosts should get an opportunity to watch their on-screen avatars too).

Russia says its submarine fired missiles at Daesh base in Syria

MOSCOW: Russia said Tuesday its submarine deployed in the Mediterranean fired three ballistic missiles to destroy a command post of Daesh group in Syria's eastern Deir Ezzor province. "A missile strike with three Kalibr missiles destroyed a command post with large numbers of militants and armed vehicles and also a large weapons and ammunition depot," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement posted on Facebook. It said the strikes targeted the area around the town of Abu Kamal, one of the few remaining urban strongholds of Daesh in Syria. The ministry added it could confirm "the destruction of all the given targets." It posted a video on Twitter of a missile blasting out of the sea. There have been heavy clashes between the Syrian army and Daesh group in the city of Deir Ezzor, capital of the Deir Ezzor province in eastern Syria. Russia said Tuesday that its Veliky Novgorod submarine has carried out four cruise missile strikes on terrorist groups since it was deployed to the Mediterranean in late August. At Russia's Syrian naval base of Tartus in the eastern Mediterranean, Russian ships have played a prominent role backing up an aerial bombing campaign in support of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. The submarines are covered from Syria by Moscow's S-300 and S-400 missiles systems and its Bastion coastal defence system.

India, Nigeria, Thailand join top business reformers

Developing economies such as Nigeria, India, Thailand and El Salvador have made the largest strides in improving their business. Photo: AFP file. WASHINGTON: Developing economies such as Nigeria, India, Thailand and El Salvador have made the largest strides in improving their business climates while New Zealand and Singapore retained their top ranks for ease of doing business, the World Bank said Tuesday. In an annual report on 190 countries? efforts to encourage investment and job creation by cutting red tape and reforming regulations, the global lender also said Sub-Saharan Africa was again the region which saw the most progress ?but countries there varied widely in performance. ?It is particularly gratifying to see that many of the reforms are being carried out in economies and sectors where they are most needed,? Rita Ramalho, acting head of the bank?s Global Indicators Group, said in a statement. Now in its 15th year, the annual report tracks indicator areas such as the ease of starting a business, connecting to power grids, contract enforcement, taxes and bankruptcy proceedings and then scores countries for their commercial environments and improvements made over time. Countries with higher scores also tend to create more jobs, according to the report, but it warned this correlation should not be interpreted as a cause. Countries with lower scores also tended to exhibit higher income inequality, it said. War-torn Somalia remained at the bottom of the list while the island nation of Mauritius ranked 25th, higher than Thailand, Poland and Spain ?showing broad variety of experiences in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, women can now open businesses without first getting permission from their husbands but 36 economies still put barriers before women entrepreneurs, according to the report. White House advisor Ivanka Trump last month touted the launch of a World Bank-fund aimed at promoting entrepreneurship among women. India ranked 100th, up more than 30 places, and was among the top ten most-improved, having implemented eight reforms between 2016 and 2017. India also had the highest score in South Asia for protecting minority investors. The United States moved up two places to sixth, ahead of Britain but behind Hong Kong and South Korea. Mainland China, the world?s second-largest economy, held steady at 78th and scored a low 172nd in for dealing with construction permits, even though the country?s recent building boom helped propel economic growth. According to the World Bank, Beijing and Shanghai perform below international best-practices, with 23 steps and 249 days required to obtain a permit and related costs amounting to 7.8 percent of the cost of actual construction. In 60th-ranked Turkey, by comparison, which ranks 96th in construction, permits took only 18 steps and 103 days, costs amounted to four percent.

Bitcoin jumps as CME unveils plan for futures contract

NEW YORK: Bitcoin prices rose Tuesday after exchange giant CME Group announced it planned to launch a futures marketplace for the cryptocurrency in the fourth quarter. The move is a vote of confidence in the controversial virtual currency, which has not been listed on a major exchange previously. The CME operates a range of prominent exchanges around the world and handles three billion contracts a year. "Given increasing client interest in the evolving cryptocurrency markets, we have decided to introduce a bitcoin futures contract," said Terry Duffy, chief executive of the Chicago-based CME exchange group. "As the world's largest regulated FX marketplace, CME Group is the natural home for this new vehicle that will provide investors with transparency, price discovery and risk transfer capabilities." The start of the exchange is contingent on regulatory approvals, CME said. The contract will be for bitcoin futures, a derivative product that sets pricing for a commodity or financial instrument at a future date. Some types of futures contracts rarely result in delivery of the underlying asset. Since November 2016, CME has published each day at 1600 GMT a bitcoin reference rate (BTT) based on the trade flow of major spot exchanges. The announcement sets up a race between CME and its Chicago-based rival CBOE Holdings, which in August announced plans to launch a cash-settled bitcoin futures contract in the fourth quarter of 2017 or early 2018 with the Gemini Trust Company. The CBOE said the launch depended on a review by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The cryptocurrency market has grown to $172 billion, with bitcoin accounting for 54 percent, CME said. Near 1445 GMT, bitcoin was worth $6,367, up 4.3 percent compared with Monday's closing price, according to Bloomberg. The value of bitcoin has risen rapidly since its launch in February 2009 from a few cents to about $1,000 at the start of 2017 before this year's surge. The currency has encountered some roadblocks. China barred its trade on virtual currency markets, and some prominent figures in finance, such as JPMorgan Chase chief executive have also sharply criticised bitcoin.

Axed Catalan president stays in Brussels 'for safety'

BRUSSELS: Catalonia's axed separatist leader said Tuesday that he would stay put in Brussels after being dismissed by the Spanish government, but denied he would seek asylum to avoid possible rebellion charges. Calling himself the "legitimate" Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont told a packed news conference he was in Brussels "for safety purposes and freedom" and to "explain the Catalan problem in the institutional heart of Europe." "We want to denounce the politicisation of the Spanish justice system, its lack of impartiality, its pursuing of ideas not crimes, and to explain to the world the Spanish state´s serious democratic deficiencies," he said. The 54-year-old, whom Spanish prosecutors want to charge with rebellion - punishable by up to 30 years in jail - and sedition, denied, however, that he would seek legal protection from Belgium. "I am not here in order to demand asylum," Puigdemont said. The media-savvy and floppy-haired former journalist did not detail how long he intended to stay but said that other members of his "legitimate" government would remain in Catalonia to "carry out political activity". Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said that Puigdemont - who has said he is ready to go to prison rather than give up on independence - "will be treated like any other European citizen". The Belgian leader was at pains to stress that his government had "not undertaken any step to encourage Mr Puigdemont´s arrival on Belgian soil". Motorway to Marseille After being axed on Friday, Puigdemont reportedly drove hundreds of kilometres (miles) from Catalonia to Marseille in southern France with several members of his dismissed cabinet and then flew to Belgium. His departure is the latest dramatic twist in the saga over semi-autonomous Catalonia's drive for independence that has presented Spain with its biggest political crisis in decades. With its own language and distinct culture, Catalonia, which accounts for a fifth of Spain's economy and 16 per cent of its population, is deeply divided over independence. On October 1, Catalonia held an unregulated referendum - marked by a heavy-handed operation by Spanish police - that saw a large majority in favour of seceding from Spain Turnout was just 43pc, however, and Spain's top court ruled the plebiscite illegal. Puigdemont insists this gave the Catalan parliament a mandate to declare independence on Friday, a decision beamed onto big screens to cheering crowds in regional capital Barcelona. But the reaction from Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's government was swift and emphatic. Invoking a never-before-used article of the constitution, Madrid dismissed Catalonia's leaders and imposed direct rule. Previously the region had a high degree of autonomy over key sectors such as education, healthcare and the police. On Tuesday Spain's top court ordered the suspension of the Catalan parliament´s independence declaration. Spain's Civil Guard police force meanwhile searched the headquarters of Catalonia's regional police in a probe centred on the independence referendum, a spokesman said. Spain's Supreme Court summoned the former speaker of the Catalan parliament to charge her. The international community including the European Union, struggling with Brexit and other challenges, has largely spurned the independence declaration and backed Rajoy. Slow down There had been speculation that Catalan leaders and civil servants might seek to disrupt Madrid´s imposition of direct rule but it passed off without major incident. "We haven't come across a single civil servant who isn't doing his or her duty," Enric Millo, a central government representative in Catalonia, said Tuesday. But it appears that the crisis has converted more Catalans into independence supporters. A regional government opinion poll carried out in October showed there are more Catalans who favour independence than not. Carried out in October, it showed 48.7pc of respondents said they wanted a separate state against 43.6pc who didn't. In the last such poll conducted in July, those against independence were close to 50pc versus 41.1pc in favour. Still, a former Catalan minister, Santi Vila, told Catalan radio Rac1 Tuesday that Puigdemont´s government had been "under the illusion" that it would be easy, and that the independence drive "could take place rapidly and without damage." Puigdemont said in Brussels that he did not want to put Catalan civil servants in a "difficult situation" and that the independence drive should "slow down" to avoid unrest. Rajoy has called snap elections for December 21 to replace the Catalan parliament in a drastic bid to stop the secessionist drive. Puigdemont said on Tuesday that he accepted the "challenge" and that he would "respect" the result. He urged Madrid to do the same if separatists retain their majority.

Protestants, Catholics mark 500 years since Reformation

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C) waves to wellwishers as she walks to her car after leaving the Schlosskirche (All Saints' Church, Castle Church) in Wittenberg, Germany, where she attended a celebratory mass on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Photo: AFP WITTENBERG: Catholic and Lutheran leaders Tuesday begged forgiveness for violence sparked by the Reformation, as worshippers celebrated 500 years since the religious revolution that created the Protestant church. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrived for a service at the church where German theologian Martin Luther is said to have first displayed his list of criticisms of the Catholic church in 1517. Legend has it Luther nailed his "95 theses" to the church door in a brazen challenge to the powerful institution, creating shock waves that eventually changed the face of Christianity. The Reformation caused major upheaval in Europe, leading to wars, persecutions and exoduses, including the departure of the pilgrims for what was later to become America. The deadliest of Europe's religious conflicts was the Thirty Years' War which ended in 1648 and after which religion's role in European politics was reduced. The Vatican and Lutheran World Federation released a rare joint statement on the anniversary Tuesday, saying they "begged forgiveness for our failures and for the ways in which Christians have wounded the Body of the Lord and offended each other during the five hundred years since the beginning of the Reformation until today". "We recognise that while the past cannot be changed, its influence upon us today can be transformed to become a stimulus for growing communion, and a sign of hope for the world to overcome division and fragmentation," the statement read. ´Overcoming differences´ The service at the gothic Schlosskirche (All Saints' Church) in Wittenberg in eastern Germany marks the end of year-long celebrations by Protestants in 700 German towns and cities. Ahead of the service, celebrants crowded the street leading to the 16th-century house of worship, which houses Luther's tomb. Luther challenged Catholic clerics' practice of selling "indulgences" to repentant worshippers. He said Christians could not buy or earn their way into heaven but only entered by the grace of God, and his challenge had widespread ramifications, including the establishment of the Church of England in Britain in 1534. However, the theologian's name has also been associated with one of Germany's darkest periods: his attacks on Judaism in his writings were used as a reference for Nazi ideology. Merkel, herself the daughter of a Protestant pastor, said it was essential that Luther's anti-Semitism never be scrubbed from his theological legacy. "That is, for me, the comprehensive historical reckoning that we need," she said in her weekly video podcast on Saturday. There are many theological differences between Protestants and Roman Catholics, including whether or not the Bible is the highest authority in matters of faith and whether the pope has full power over the Church. In the joint statement, both parties committed to "overcome remaining differences between us", adding that it was "clear that what we have in common is far more than that which still divides us". The precise number of Protestants is difficult to establish, given the number of Churches and offshoots, but the independent Pew Research Center estimates there were more than 800 million in 2011.

iPhone X is best yet and FaceID works, mostly: reviewers

An attendee uses the Face ID function on the new iPhone X during a presentation for the media in Beijing, China October 31, 2017. Photo: REUTERS The first reviews of Apple Inc?s eagerly awaited iPhone X are out and the verdict is clear: it is the best iPhone yet. The run-in to the November 3 release of the redesigned glass and stainless steel device has been dominated by concerns over the supply and functionality of its new FaceID access system. At $999, it is also the most expensive phone the company has ever launched, but going by channel checks run by market analysts, demand is already far outstripping supply. ?It?s thin, it?s powerful, it has ambitious ideas about what cameras on phones can be used for, and it pushes the design language of phones into a strange new place,? Verge reviewer Nilay Patel said in a lengthy review, which he promised to keep updated as he explored more features. There is no home button in the iPhone X, a key feature on previous phones, and users instead tap the device to wake it up. The fingerprint sensor is gone as well, replaced by the much-talked-about FaceID, which unlocks the phone by recognising your face with the help of a front-facing ?TrueDepth? infrared camera. So does the FaceID work? Reviewers had reservations. While the feature works even if the user changes their appearance, wearing sunglasses for instance, it may not work as well if some key facial features are obscured. CNET reviewer Scott Stein posted pictures of himself with various props, giving FaceID a thumbs up under most circumstances. ?I tried the phone with at least five of my coworkers. None of their faces unlocked it - although none of them look remotely like me,? he said, adding that all the tests worked far better than Samsung?s face unlock feature on the Galaxy Note 8. Reviewers said FaceID, as well as the lack of a home button, would take some getting used to. Reviewers said Apple had given guidance that the system works best at a distance of 25 to 50 centimetres away from your face or about 10 to 20 inches. The iPhone X also has wireless charging and is the first time Apple has used an OLED display. ?The iPhone X display is the best display I?ve ever seen on a smartphone,? said CNBC?s Todd Haselton. ?I had my doubts before going into the review because Samsung?s Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 smartphones were at the top of my list. But Apple took screens from Samsung and had its engineers' fine tune them.? Apple shares were up almost 1 percent in early trading in New York.

Iraqi forces advance to edge of final Daesh bastion Al-Qaim

BAGHDAD: Iraqi forces on Tuesday battled up to the edge of Al-Qaim, the largest town still held by Daesh in the country, as they pushed a final assault on the militants. Iraq's Joint Operations Command said government troops - backed by US air strikes and tribal fighters - captured the village of Al-Obeidi, some 20 kilometres from the Syrian border on the eastern outskirts of the town. "IS fighters resisted the advance of the troops, but the majority retreated to positions in the centre of Al-Qaim," it said in a statement. Al-Qaim and the surrounding pocket of barren desert territory along the Euphrates river is now the last remnant in the country of the self-styled caliphate Daesh declared after rampaging across Iraq and Syria in 2014. Iraq launched the offensive on the Al-Qaim region - which also includes the smaller town of Rawa - on Thursday to finish off a punishing campaign that saw it force the militants out of their major urban stronghold Mosul in July. Al-Obeidi was "one of the most important locations for IS fighters, who were there in great numbers," local tribal militia commander Qatari al-Obeidi told AFP. "They had arms caches and production lines for making explosives and preparing suicide bombers." Since the start of the offensive, last week government forces have also retaken a cement plant and phosphate processing facility, said operation commander General Abdel Amir Yarallah. As Iraq makes its final push, Daesh is also battling for survival against competing offensives backed by the US and Russia in the territory just over the porous border in Syria. Long before the rise of Daesh, Al-Qaim became renowned as a hotbed of insurgency in the wake of the US-led invasion in 2003. The roughly 150,000 people living in the Al-Qaim region - with 50,000 inside the town itself - are from a small number of influential tribes. Under Daesh, the town has been a vital supply route for its forces in Iraq and the oil-rich province of Deir Ezzor it once dominated over the border in Syria.

Hate campaign shuts down French anti-harassment hotline

French feminists who set up an anti-harassment phone line announced that they had been forced to shut it down after just three days because of a wave of insulting messages. Photo: AFP file. PARIS: French feminists who set up an anti-harassment phone line announced Tuesday they had been forced to shut it down after just three days because of a wave of insulting messages. Activists Clara Gonzales and Elliot Lepers launched the ?anti-relou? (anti-annoyance) mobile phone service Friday, encouraging women being hassled by insistent men to give its number out instead of their own. If a man who refused to take ?no? for an answer texted the fake number, he would receive an automatic response reading: ?If a woman says no, there´s no point in insisting.? Gonzales and Lepers said they axed the service late Monday after the number received ?more than 20,000 insulting messages? over the course of a few hours. The organisers were also targeted on Twitter with a flood of hate messages including death threats, while dozens of food orders were made to their homes. ?We were the victims of a coordinated attack against the service and a campaign of harassment against us personally,? Gonzales and Lepers wrote in a statement. ?We will try to reactivate a similar service as soon as possible.? They added: ?Above all we want a government response that matches the expectations expressed by the whole of society in recent weeks concerning the fight against violence targeting women.? The trolling campaign comes in the midst of a global outpouring of anger over sexual harassment and abuse following the Harvey Weinstein scandal. The French initiative took its inspiration from a similar phone number set up by US feminist pop culture website The Mary Sue following the claims against Weinstein and millions of other men around the world. The coordinated wave of text messages appears to have been intended to bankrupt the initiative ?which had launched an online fund-raising campaign ?as the service sent an automatic reply to each one. Gonzales and Lepers said the campaign against them was organised via an infamous youth forum on website jeuxvideo.com ?roughly a French equivalent of the English-language message board 4chan, a hub for young internet trolls.

Egypt says air force kills militants after attack

CAIRO: Egypt's military said Tuesday its air force had carried out a desert raid, killing "a large number of terrorist elements" responsible for the deaths of 16 policemen earlier this month. The policemen were killed in an October 20 shootout with militants on the road between Cairo and the Bahariya oasis in the Western Desert, a rare flare-up outside the Sinai Peninsula. Authorities are fighting the Egyptian branch of Daesh, which has killed hundreds of security personnel in northern Sinai, more than 500 kilometres from the site of this month's clash. The state television said Tuesday the military had acted on "confirmed information" on the whereabouts of the militants involved. The air force attacked a hideout in "a mountainous area west of Fayoum" south of Cairo, it said. The raid destroyed three four-wheel-drive vehicles carrying large quantities of weapons, ammunition and "extremely explosive material", it said. Armed forces and police are combing the area for other fugitives, it added. The defence ministry said that on October 20 it had sent police to the area, less than 200 kilometres southwest of Cairo, after learning that militants there were "hiding, training and preparing to carry out terrorist operations". As they approached, militants opened fire with heavy weapons, triggering a shootout that lasted several hours and also left 13 police officers injured and one missing, the ministry said. No group has yet claimed responsibility.

Nation not individuals to decide minus, plus formulas: Nawaz

[embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2z0MxS7 style=center] LONDON: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Nawaz Sharif, weighing in on the debate surrounding the minus-Nawaz formula for PML-N, remarked that it is the decision of the nation and not individuals. While speaking to the media on Tuesday, he remarked that ?nation has the say on the decisions surrounding minus and plus formulas.? He added, ?individuals cannot take such decisions on their own.? Rumours are rife pertaining to ?minus-Nawaz? formula for the ruling PML-N. However, party leaders have time and again claimed that this formula is unacceptable. Earlier in the day, Punjab Law Minister and senior Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday said that the party will not accept the 'minus-Nawaz' formula. PML-N won't accept 'minus-Nawaz' formula: Rana Sanaullah 'We will not accept the minus-Nawaz formula, this was firmly our stance and shall remain to be so' While speaking on Geo News' Programme Geo Pakistan, he remarked: ?We will not accept the minus-Nawaz formula; this was firmly our stance and shall remain to be so." 'Minus-Nawaz formula unacceptable' On Monday, the party senior leaders in a high-level huddle reiterated their support for Nawaz and said a minus Nawaz formula is not acceptable. It was reportedly said during the meeting that Nawaz?s disqualification on the basis of Iqama [foreign work permit] had rallied supporters around him as the party feels he was not given a fair trial in the Panama Papers case. The participants of the meeting also said that there is no space in the political landscape of the country for any unconstitutional step and there is no support from any quarter for such measures. Shehbaz to be PM if PML-N wins 2018 polls Moreover, it was also decided in the party meeting, which was held in London, that if victorious in next year's general elections, the party's prime ministerial candidate will be Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Shehbaz to be PM if PML-N wins 2018 polls, decide party leaders Decision made in high-level PML-N meeting in London on Monday As reported in Geo News' programme Aaj Shahzab Khanzada Kay Saath on Monday night, according to sources, it was also decided in the meeting, chaired by PML-N President and former premier Nawaz Sharif and attended by Shehbaz and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, among others, that statements on party policy will now be given by the Sharif brothers and not their respective children ? Maryam Nawaz and Hamza Shehbaz. During the meeting, which lasted over three hours and was held at Hasan Nawaz's office, Shehbaz and the prime minister attempted to convince Nawaz to avoid clashing with state institutions, especially so close to next year's general elections. Agreeing with the proposal, sources said Nawaz was of the opinion that one cannot be expected to stay quiet if an injustice has been meted out to them.

PTI will oppose any legislation aimed at delaying general elections: Imran

[embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2gZGVRc style=center] KARACHI: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan on Tuesday said that his party will oppose any legislation that aims at delaying the general elections. <="" a><="" blockquote>="">=""> Imran took to Twitter to express his opinion, which comes a day after he alleged that the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz's (PML-N) president and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif seemed to be desperate for another National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO)-like deal. ?He is desperate for NRO to avoid conviction on money laundering and save his Rs300 billion stashed abroad from being frozen,? Imran had tweeted. Photo: Imran Khan TWITTER A high-level PML-N huddle in London, on Monday, had decided that Nawaz would continue as the head of the PML-N but also tone down his tirade against state institutions on the basis of his "unfair trial". The former prime minister had said that he will return to Pakistan to attend the corruption trial against him on Friday. PML-N huddle in London decides minus-Nawaz formula not acceptable Talking to media after arriving in London, former PM said a weak government results in a weak state Last week, the accountability court hearing corruption references against the Sharif family issued bailable warrants for the former premier in the three references against him as he has lately been a no-show in the proceedings. The references against the Sharif family pertain to the Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metals Establishment, their London properties and over dozen offshore companies owned by the family. The hearing was then adjourned until November 3, with the last chance for the former premier to ensure his presence in court.

Google ditched autopilot driving feature after test user napped behind wheel

CALIFORNIA: Alphabet Inc's self-driving car unit stopped developing features that required drivers to take control in dangerous situations, its chief executive said Monday, as autopilot reliance left users prone to distractions and ill-prepared to manoeuvre. The decision followed experiments of the technology in Silicon Valley that showed test users napping, putting on makeup and fiddling with their phones as the vehicles travelled up to 56 mph. John Krafcik, the head of Waymo, which was formed in 2009 as a project within Alphabet's Google unit, told reporters that about five years ago the company envisioned technology that could autonomously drive cars on highways as a quick way to get on the market. Other self-driving automakers include similar autopilot features for highway-driving in vehicles, but they require drivers to take over the steering wheel in tricky situations. Waymo planned to do the same. "What we found was pretty scary," Krafcik said on Monday during a media tour of a Waymo testing facility. "It's hard to take over because they have lost contextual awareness." Krafcik said the company determined a system that asked drivers to jump in at the sound of an alert was unsafe after seeing videos from inside self-driving cars during tests. The filmed tests were conducted in 2013, with Google employees behind the wheel. The videos had not been publicly shown until Monday's event, Waymo spokeswoman Lauren Barriere said. The company decided to focus solely on technology that didn't require human intervention a couple of days after the napping incident, said Krafcik, who joined as CEO in 2015. It has also since argued against allowing "handoffs" between automated driving systems and people. "Our technology takes care of all of the driving, allowing passengers to stay passengers," the company said in a report this month. The two drive controls provided to passengers in Waymo's Chrysler Pacifica minivans are buttons for starting a ride and asking the vehicles to pull over at their next chance. Waymo is running a ride-hailing pilot program around Phoenix, Arizona that chauffeurs an undisclosed, but growing number of users in self-driving cars. The service area is limited to well-mapped roads on which Waymo has extensively tested. Krafcik declined to specify when the company would expand beyond the small experiment, saying only that such a moment is getting close. "He reiterated that the company is simultaneously also identifying ways to launch self-driving trucks, municipal transit services and partnerships with carmakers. "We see four potential applications, whether it's Waymo branded or not," he said.

PML-N won't accept 'minus-Nawaz' formula: Rana Sanaullah

LAHORE: The Punjab Law Minister and senior Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday said that the party will not accept the 'minus-Nawaz' formula. "We will not accept the minus-Nawaz formula, this was firmly our stance and shall remain to be so," Sanaullah stressed while talking on Geo News' Programme Geo Pakistan. Responding to a question about a possible change in the party leadership, the provincial law minister said that Nawaz Sharif will continue to be the final authority for all decisions. "Every member has the right to consult and express their opinions, but the final decisions will be taken by Nawaz Sharif," he said. He also denied the rumours of rifts within the PML-N, though former interior minister and senior PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, on Monday, openly admitted to the existence of issues in the party. ?If [members of the party] rise above personal interests, only then issues that exist within the party and even personal interests can be tended to,? Nisar had said in an informal conversation with the media. PML-N needs to rise above personal interests: Nisar ?If party members rise above personal interests, only then internal party issues, personal interests can be tended to? Sanaullah dismissed Nisar's statement by saying that the latter's opinions were 'his own' and only he could explain his statement best. "The party has shown [good] performance under Nawaz's leadership and shall continue to do so," he said, adding that Nawaz has never resorted to tactics like lockdowns and protests. The provincial law minister said that the party had 'bowed down' to the Supreme Court's July 28 decision to disqualify Nawaz from holding public office but the party leadership had the right to disagree with the verdict. "If Nawaz questions the decision or defends himself, how can that be termed as the politics of resistence?" Sanaullah said, responding to an allegation that the PML-N has resorted to the 'politics of resentment.'

What has gone wrong with Real Madrid?

Just a few month ago, Real Madrid became the champions of both Spain and Europe. Winning the Champions League first time in the history of the competition. The royal team from Madrid were widely recognised as the best team in the world. Domestically, Los Blancos are in trouble, trailing Barcelona by 8 points this early in the season, Real Madrid has never had such a big deficit in the league. So what has changed for Real Madrid, which has had five players featured in FIFAPRO WORLD XI just last week? Squad Depth Real Madrid was known for their options available on the bench, where the likes of Alvaro Morata, James Rodriguez, Pepe had to fight for a starting position in the team. Even though Madrid did sign few of the hottest youth prospects, such as Dani Ceballos and Theo Hernandez, and had Jesus Vallejo, Marcos Llorente and Borja Mayoral return from loan spells but that is not enough. All the signings mentioned are talented and can be the best in the future, but at this point in time, they can?t be relied upon to change games by themselves. Lack of Late goals The men in white salvaged points on nine different occasions in the last 10 minutes. In the current campaign, only Cristiano Ronaldo?s winner at Getafe has snatched a late victory, while the team has conceded in the 93rd minute to lose at home to Real Betis last month. Overconfidence Real Madrid lost to Girona 2-1 after taking the lead early on with the help of Isco. Zidane couldn?t be blamed for taking the opposition lightly as he named his strongest 11 available. However, Real did take their foot off the gas after taking an early lead in Catalonia. ?We lacked a bit of attitude, we allowed them to come back very easily,? admitted Isco. ?We need to play better and work harder,? added midfielder Casemiro ?Madrid are always obliged to win.? Striker problem After selling Morata, Real Madrid only have Benzema as an out and out striker. Though Benzema was never known for scoring goals week in and week out, he holds the play and makes room for the likes of Ronaldo and Bale to score goals. This season hasn?t been the case at all, with Bale injured and Ronaldo misfiring, Real Madrid are finding it hard to score goals freely as they did last season. Ronaldo has only scored a single goal in the league, although a suspension saw the 32-year-old miss the first four La Liga fixtures, one goal in six games is his worst start since joining the club. Injury Crisis It would be unfair to put the entire blame on Ronaldo. Real Madrid has had a fair share of their players injured early on in the season. Real Madrid has had 10 injuries in 12 matches so far this season. With Carvajal recovering from a heart problem, Navas and Bale are set to miss their crucial tie against Tottenham in the Champions League. Madrid clearly have a talented squad, but they need to get their domestic focus back quickly or Barcelona will disappear over the horizon before the first Clasico of the season at the Bernabeu on Dec. 23.

Korean Male Pop Stars Are Breaking Stereotypes of Masculinity & It's A Glorious Revolution

Shiny and glowing skin, smoky eyes, perfectly coiffed hair and eye-popping apparel. No we are not talking about our lovely Bollywood divas, but the classic look of K-pop male idols. Now, while India is yet to fully embrace the Korean wave of music what we can learn and appreciate for sure is how these “Hallyu” (Korean wave) artists are smashing stereotypes of masculinity left, right and centre. © Twitter-SM Entertainment Let's be brutally honest. How many times have you made fun of a man who seems to be dressed a wee bit more flamboyantly than the usual? How many times have you smirked wickedly when a guy talked about his love for shoes? And lastly, how many times have you channelled your inner Supreme Court judge when facing a man talking passionately about skincare? We are all guilty here. After all, Indian men were brought up with the concept of a certain defined radius of masculinity which, God forbid, no one dare challenge. I can't tell you how many times I have mentally beaten up people (both men & women) for saying things like “Pink? Really? I thought you were a guy!” or this particular one which turns me into an angry bear, “GAY LAG RAHA HAI!”. I swear, such narrow minded barbs and jabs only show how much more we need to develop as a society. via GIPHY The Korean pop industry boasts of a stellar line up of “pretty boy” bands who besides smashing records with their amazing music are stealing millions of hearts across the globe with their perfect, doll-like look which, sometimes, appears to be computer generated (seriously). via GIPHY Bands like BTS, EXO and GOT7, who are the current flavour, are filled with boys who are driving women around the planet to insanity with their looks. Colourful hair, skin which is unbelievably clear and a pop of tint on their lips is enough to leave fans obsessing for hours. Unfortunately, this look is brushed aside as downright “girly” as the concept of men wearing makeup is still unacceptable in many of our societies. © Twitter- Big Hit Entertainment V from BTS is one classic example of someone who constantly juggles bold choices and regular looks, pulling off both with flair. On stage while performing, he flaunts bedazzled jackets, oversized hoodies, smoky eyes, contact lenses and unbelievably bouncy hair. © YouTube While appearing on talk shows and game shows, he jazzes up the regular shirts-pants combo with a beret or earrings. Both ways, he ends up looking immaculate in pictures which leave his fans and public, in general, with jelly-legs. via GIPHY Now, while some of our Indian bros are still learning how to use a face wash (sigh), we have men in Japan and Korea who not only use a variety of skincare products but also dabble with make up in their daily routine. They are ditching the traditional 'manly suit', which has always been believed to be a confidence booster for men, and are boldly embracing outfits & colours that highlight their personal best features, ranging from displaying sexy collarbones to flaunting sculpted thighs and knees. © Twitter- Allure K-pop's leading men are redefining the very idea of masculinity, and while it is still being digested by men from other cultures and countries, we applaud their daring choices which highlight their individuality and speak volumes about their identity. © Facebook- Shinee Official Many Korean idols openly talk about their rigorous skincare regimes and often take to social media showing fans how they take care of their skin and the range of products they use. The sheer confidence with which they display that side of theirs is commendable. Sadly, here in India, we still lose our minds when an actor wears pink or rocks an outfit that is even slightly unconventional for a man. © Viral Bhayani We are hoping Bollywood stars take a page from Korean “oppas” and just stop already with the predictable blue-black-suit-shirt-sneaker look which is just…no other way to say this…BORING! Why should poor Ranveer Singh single-handedly shoulder the burden of being the daring fashion challenger? © Facebook Ranveer Official However, top marks go to our men from the North-East, whose fashion sense can give stellar competition to their female counterparts. Many men from the north-eastern states are inspired by K-pop artists and it is visible in their day to day life. I lived in Nagaland for four years and was witness to it. I dreaded going to church every Sunday, because I knew I would be the only one looking like garbage in my plain jeans and shirt while the Naga dudes layered their hoodies with leather jackets and rocked artfully ripped jeans and sneakers. Most importantly, they did not just copy paste K-pop fashion, but carried a certain look with their individuality stamped over it. © Facebook- Big Bang If a man wants to look more physically attractive to others, or even himself, then no one has the right to stop him. There is no set concept of masculinity in any culture and everyone needs to be open to change. Some are able to celebrate themselves as men within the traditional boundaries while some find solace in a hint of kohl. © Facebook- BTS By showing their fans that they can be sexy even with shiny jackets and oversized sweaters, K-pop idols are sending a message saying “Watch me! There is nothing girly in this. I can sing, dance while looking pretty and still rock your damn world.” via GIPHY via GIPHY So, just unclench already and walk boldly into that salon and ask for a facial if you want. This writer has personally seen men who are trying to experiment with makeup, skincare and keep up with fashion trends, but are violently demotivated by society including their own sisters and girlfriends. We are forgetting that gender roles are not set in stone and we have all the right to bring about change. Experimenting is the key here and it needs to be embraced by both sexes. © Facebook- BTS Official Now, while K-pop single-handedly cannot bring a revolution into the lives of Indian men, it can surely inspire one to go beyond the boundaries and have fun with life. So, the next time you see your buddy trying to jazz up his regular look, please don't be a jerk and shoot him down with your venomous jibes. Also, if you feel your hands inching towards that particularly funky pair of shoes, go for it.

Faryal tells fans to 'relax' after criticism pours in on Halloween costume

American-Pakistani model Faryal Makhdoom found herself in the middle of yet another controversy, and this time it was not because of her relationship with British-Pakistani boxer Amir Khan. The model dressed up as DC supervillain Poison Ivy for Halloween and her followers were not happy. Social media users lashed out at the model for ?disobeying Islam? after she unveiled her stunning makeover on Instagram. Amir Khan?s estranged wife has hit back at her fans asking them to ?relax? after coming under fire for dressing up as DC supervillain Poison Ivy for Halloween. The snap showed her wearing a bright-red wig and face gems. Some fans were unhappy that the model had decided to celebrate Halloween. ?As a Muslim, u shouldn?t really dress up but looks alright,? an individual wrote. Another comment said: ?You?re a role model to so many young Muslims. May Allah swt guide you and us.? Others ran to her defence, with one commenting: ?What?s in celebrating Halloween? It?s not a sin. Like u just some creepy makeup and costume that?s it. Duh.? The 26-year-old model could not let the controversy pass without commenting herself. The pregnant model, who has previously admitted that she was ?not perfect Muslim?, visited her comment section to tell fans to take it easy. She wrote: ?It?s a Halloween look guys. It?s not an everyday party look lol. Please relax.? Faryal later removed the video from her Instagram account. Faryal and Amir split up earlier this year in a string of explosive tweets in which Khan accused his wife of cheating on him with fellow boxing star Anthony Joshua. She had hit out at the former light-welterweight world champion with claims he had slept with other women during their four-year marriage, writing: ?After all these years. I?ve always defending a cheat, always stuck around for him, always had his back.? In September, Faryal had said she wanted to get back together for the sake of their unborn child and apologised to her in-laws for their public spat. The couple is now in the process of a divorce despite earlier claims that they were trying to give their relationship another go. But boxing champ Amir tweeted: ?Unfortunately it didn?t work out between Me and Faryal and we are still going ahead with the divorce. We are in good talking terms. We have to think about our daughter Lamaisah who I will always be there for. I wish Faryal all the very best for the future.?

Do not see a future for MQM, Imran: Wassan

Parliamentarian Mazoor Hussain Wassan speaking to media on October 31, 2017. Photo: Geo News screen grab2 KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Home Affairs Manzoor Hussain Wassan claimed that there is no future for political opponents, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairperson Imran Khan. ?MQM?s name will cease to exist and the party will be dissolved. More people will leave the party and another party will be formed in its place,? he predicted while speaking to media on Tuesday. In the future, MQM?s head will be in Dubai, he claimed further. Speaking of the PTI chief, he remarked ?people who wanted to use Imran for their personal gains have done so. Don?t see a future for Imran either.? Instead of Pakistan Peoples Party Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, it will be Imran who will be imprisoned, he claimed. ?Imran says that Zardari will be imprisoned. I say that Imran will be imprisoned.? He also remarked: ?Time for dreams has ended, now I predict future.? Speaking about the future of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, he said that it is possible that either Maryam Nawaz or her uncle Shehbaz Sharif will become the prime minister. Reacting to PML-N Head Nawaz Sharif returning to Pakistan, he said if Nawaz Sharif returns to Pakistan, it is possible that he is not able to go back to London. ?Nawaz Sharif will definitely be jailed.? Wassan claimed that important decisions will be made in November.

Michael Jackson tops Forbes list for top earning dead celebrities

Michael Jackson - AFP File Photo It?s been ten years since the king of pop passed away, yet he continues to generate millions of dollars. In a list released by Forbes, Jackson is the number one dead celebrity when it comes to generating revenue for the fifth consecutive year. According to Forbes, Michael Jackson generated $75 million which was boosted by the release of a new greatest hits album, a Las Vegas Cirque du Soleil show and a stake in the EMI music publishing catalogue. Second on the list is golf legend Arnold Palmer who generated $40 million. The creator of the Peanuts franchise, Charles Schulz ranks third with $38 million. The list also includes Elvis Presley who ranks fourth with $35 million and Bob Marley who ranks fifth with $23 million.

Blast hits Afghan capital Kabul: witnesses

KABUL: A loud blast shook windows and doors in an area of the Afghan capital Kabul where many foreign embassies and government departments are based, Reuters reporters heard on Tuesday. The cause of the blast and the extent of any damage was not immediately apparent.

National Assembly to retain 272 seats: Ayaz Sadiq

NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq addressing the media on Tuesday. Photo: Geo News LAHORE: The National Assembly of Pakistan will retain 272 seats, a decision which was taken during the meeting of parliamentary parties. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq said while the number of seats would remain the same there would be a change in the allocation for provinces. ?The number of seats for Punjab will decrease, KP and Balochistan will see an increase, while an additional seat would be allocated for Islamabad.? It was decided in the meeting that nine seats from Punjab, out of which seven are general and two are reserved for women, will be decreased. However, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will witness an increase of five seats, of which four will be general seats and one reserved for women candidates. Balochistan will see an increase of three national assembly seats, two general and one for women. Sindh and Fata will not see any changes in the number of seats, while Islamabad Capital Territory would have and increase of one seat in the assembly. Sadiq, speaking to the media, elaborated that a short NA session will be held as the "decision has been made in principle" to not increase the number of NA seats, which would remain capped at 272. He added further that after the national assembly passes the bill, it will be passed on to the Senate. "We are trying to get it done by Friday, and will then present it [bill] in the Senate," said Sadiq. The speaker of the assembly said the decision was taken after knowing the time constraints faced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). "All agree that the seats should not be increased." Earlier today, Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) Secretary Babar Yaqoob said that after holding the new census, it is not possible to conduct polls on the old constituencies. Yaqoob said the ECP is worried about the delimitation of constituencies in light of the new census. He informed that the delimitation and work on voters? lists would be undertaken simultaneously, but added that he feared there will be more room for error if the ECP is given less time for these exercises. Yaqoob said even if by November 10 the government is able to complete the legal formalities with regard to the new constituencies, the ECP will be able to make it work.

Turkmenistan sells China ice cream as energy profits melt

ASHGABAT: Reclusive Turkmenistan hailed on Tuesday its first shipment of ice cream to China as the crisis-stricken Central Asian country seeks to diversify its exports beyond hydrocarbons. Ata Bayramov, a representative of state-endorsed Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, said a private company, Taze Ay, had dispatched over six tonnes of ice cream to China, which is also Turkmenistan's leading purchaser of natural gas. "This is a trial party designed to test the ground for further cooperation," Bayramov told AFP. If the trial delivery is successful, "the company plans to increase supplies and the number of assortments," he added. According to Turkmenistan's state statistics committee, the tightly-controlled republic does not presently export any other food products to China. Strongman leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has implored businesses to add diversity to an economy where hydrocarbons equal more than 90 per cent of exports. A growing economic crisis in Turkmenistan has seen the government slice nearly a fifth off the value of its manat currency in 2015 while slashing subsidies that made water, electricity and gas effectively free earlier this month. Downward pressure on energy prices in recent years and the collapse of a long-term contract to supply natural gas to the Russian market last year has increased Turkmenistan's dependence on Chinese demand. Turkmenistan sits on the world's fourth largest reserves of natural gas in the world.

Reviewing if PSL final will be held in Karachi or not: Sethi

PCB Chairman Najam Sethi while speaking to media on October 31, 2017. Photo: Geo News screen grab LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board Chairperson Najam Sethi shared that it is currently being reviewed if the final of Pakistan Super League season three will be held in Karachi or not. While speaking to media, Sethi remarked that discussions are being held pertaining to PSL season three. It was also advised that two playoffs of PSL should be held in Lahore, he shared. The schedule of West Indies tour of Pakistan will be announced in coming days, PCB chairman shared on Tuesday. When asked if India will play in under 19 tournament, Sethi replied: ?I don?t know if India will play in Pakistan or not. If India doesn?t, it can forfeit the match.? However, the tournament will for sure be held in Pakistan, he added. On the other hand, Director Cricket Operations Haroon Rashid remarked that only Quaid-e-Azam Tournament shouldn?t be counted as domestic cricket. Speaking about the necessity of hosting international matches and teams, he said that it would considerably reduce the financial burden from the cricket board. ?When we play with other countries in their home grounds, it meant us having to reciprocate that. However, many international players did not want to come to Pakistan. Now, that the country?s security situation has improved, we are trying that at least juniors teams come play in Pakistan,? he explained. On October 27, reports emerged that PCB is still waiting for a final word from Cricket West Indies (CWI) on the proposed tour of Pakistan by the West Indies team for a series of three T20Is. A source in PCB had confirmed to Geo.tv that PCB has sent the proposed itinerary and the related plans to the CWI and the board is now waiting for the final approval. ?We are hoping for a reply from them by Wednesday,? the source had remarked. A joint statement from PCB and CWI had stated that Cricket West Indies and Pakistan Cricket Board were advancing discussions that would see the West Indies team play three T20 matches against Pakistan in Lahore in late November. However, the statement then had said that the proposed tour will be subject to the ICC World XI team's visit to Pakistan and affirmation of manageable security by ICC-sponsored security experts.

5 Unknown Female Erogenous Zones You Should Definitely Know About

A lot of men are probably unaware of the fact that women have special areas on their bodies, where a boatload of sexual pleasures resides. All you guys have to do is find the right spot(s) to turn the heat up a little and enjoy giving your woman some extra loving. For those who are unaware, these spots are known as the erogenous zones and some of them are away from the usual breasts, nipples, clitoris and anal area. The word 'erogenous' comes from the Greek word ' eros' which means love and the English word 'genous' which means producing. So to put it simply, there are tons of other 'love producing' zones in a woman's body you probably didn't know about, that heighten sexual pleasure for her and make your work much easier! If you remember that iconic scene from the hit sitcom 'Friends', where Monica is talking to Chandler about the seven most common erogenous zones in a woman's body (seven, Seven, SEVEN!), you will be surprised to know there are more than seven and some of them are not really known at all. Everyone responds to touch differently and each zone develops different stimuli to touch. So here we are, talking about the lesser known erogenous zones in a woman's body. Listen up! The Collarbone Yeah, kind of an important one, the collarbone, apart from being an extremely elegant part of a woman's body is also very sensitive to touch. If you lay your fingers right and stroke her collarbone, it can certainly seem intensely pleasurable for her. The skin around the collarbone is quite thin, so it makes it even more sensitive to touch. Don't be rough around the edges! © Thinkstock The Fingertips The fingertips are known to be the second most sensitive part of the body (the first being the tongue), since they have the ability to touch and feel things around. Lightly graze your tongue on her fingertips or suck on them gently. You can also use a bit of your teeth but be gentle. © Thinkstock The Spine This one's the least explored zone of all and also one of the most pleasurable. You can gently kiss the length of her spine as you go down her back or trail her spine with just one finger applying the right pressure. See her tremble with pleasure and get all goosbumpy! © Pexels The Ears The fairly common pleasure producers are the ears. Nibble, suck and bite her earlobes and she's yours. You could also gently kiss the back of her ears and see her body tingle while doing so! Here's a trade secret: While you're roaming about her breasts doing your thing, gently caress her earlobes with your fingers and watch her go insane with pleasure! © Thinkstock The Feet Okay, maybe ask you woman to wash her feet before she gets into bed with you. Why? Because feet are sexy and they deserve some love! Nibble and bite her toes. You can also lick and suck her heels (if they aren't cracked). It will drive her mad. The foot area, if caressed well, can turn from awkward to strongly erotic if the right technique is used! © Thinkstock There are many more zones that turn a woman on immensely but for now you can start with the easier ones. They're damn easy to locate, in case you want to give up being Sherlock for a night! We'll come back with some 'complicated' erogenous zones on a woman's body, very soon! Till then, happy exploring!

Despite T20 World Cup Win, Indian Blind Cricketers Have To Pay For A Place In State Team

The Indian cricket team won many accolades after winning the 2017 World T20 for the blind in February. In a spirited showing in the summit clash, India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by nine wickets to clinch the World title in Bangalore. In their second consecutive T20 World Cup title win, the Indian team put up a brilliant performance with eight victories in nine games. Such was their performance that it drew plaudits from every corner of the country. From cricket bigwigs to famed celebrities, India's team for the blind won everyone over. But, just 10 months later, their feats and the laurels they brought to the country have already been forgotten. Not just that, they are now being asked to pay for a place in the state teams! In a stunning revelation by Mid-Day, India's World Cup-winning blind cricketers have been asked to part with 30 per cent of their prize money for a place in the state side for the national cricket tournament for the blind. © BCCL More stunning is the fact that players who don't contribute their hard-earned rupees are in danger of not getting picked for their respective state teams. Indian cricketer Anish Baig has revealed that he is not part of the Maharashtra team playing the national cricket tournament because he did not contribute 20 per cent of his T20 World Cup prize money and other earnings to the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) and another 10 per cent to the Cricket Association for the Blind in Maharashtra (CABM). "I want to play for Maharashtra and of course for India again, but since I had not paid a total of 30 per cent of my prize money and earnings to the associations, I was not included in the Maharashtra team for this event," Mumbai-based Baig was quoted as saying by the Mid-Day. Baig also revealed that India's all-rounder Ketan Patel also missed out on a spot in the Gujarat team for the Nationals due to a similar reason. Barring Baig and Patel, all members of the T20 World Cup-winning side have contributed to their respective associations and are playing in the tournament held across Mumbai. © BCCL "The Boards have given us a platform to play cricket by raising money and we too contribute to the Board. I have contributed Rs 1.5 lakh from my earnings to CABI and Rs 1 lakh to the Cricket Association for the Blind in Andhra Pradesh," Indian captain Ajay Reddy said. Reacting to the allegations, CABM secretary Ramakant Satam revealed: "After the World Cup triumph, we helped him (Baig) get Rs 15 to Rs 20 lakh, but later on, he was not in contact with us. Even though there is a regulation that a player has to give 10 per cent (of his prize money) to the state association and 20 per cent to the national body, we told him not to give a single rupee to us, but continue to play cricket." While Satam highlighted the mandate for players to share some of their prize money and earnings to the associations, CABI president GK Mahantesh claimed it was up to the players. "The players had a meeting and decided to contribute to their state as well as the national association. © BCCL I have to check, but I think except Anish and Ketan all others from the World Cup-winning team put in some amount. Both (Baig and Patel) have some issues with their state associations. They are very good players and I am happy to talk to both players and resolve the matter," Mahantesh said. Whether the players are obliged to share their prize money with the associations or not, the latest controversy has once again highlighted the plight of Indian players who continue to suffer at the hands of red-tapisim and corruption across state bodies in the country.

Witchcraft helped us beat Pakistan in Tests, says Sri Lanka captain

Dinesh Chandimal COLOMBO: Sri Lanka´s surprise two-match Test cricket win against Pakistan this month was down to witchcraft, captain Dinesh Chandimal said Tuesday, drawing mockery on social media. Chandimal told reporters he had received a special blessing from a meyni, or sorcerer, ahead of the two-match series in the United Arab Emirates. "I am always ready to accept the blessings of anyone -- whether it is a meyni or any clergy," Chandimal told reporters after returning to Colombo. "You can have talent, but without this blessing you can´t move forward." His comments came a week after Sri Lanka´s sports minister denied ordering the struggling national team to use witchcraft ahead of the Test series. Dayasiri Jayasekara threatened to sue a sorcerer for claiming that at his request she cast a spell over Pakistan to ensure Sri Lanka´s victory. Several Sri Lankan politicians, business leaders and sports stars put their faith in witchcraft or astrology. Former president Mahinda Rajapakse took the advice of his personal astrologer before calling an election two years ahead of schedule in January 2015, only to lose badly. Chandimal said the sorcerer he consulted was the mother of a friend, and he was willing to accept her blessings. But since the Test victory, Sri Lanka have fared less well. They lost 5-0 in the subsequent one-day series against Pakistan and also went down in a three-match Twenty20 series. Sri Lankan fans made fun of Chandimal and criticised his sorcerer online, with many calling her a fraud. "You made predictions, tied talismans, held poojas, but finally we were humiliated," posted one social media user. "So Rangana Herath went to "Hogwarts" as well," tweeted another.