6.0 magnitude earthquake strikes eastern Iran

USGS/MANILA BULLETIN TEHRAN: Three earthquakes hit eastern Iran in quick succession early Friday, the first a fairly strong magnitude 6.0 tremor that struck at a shallow depth close to the populous city of Kerman, the US Geological Survey said. It was followed by two less powerful 5.0 and 5.1 aftershocks in the same area, the survey said. "For the moment, no deaths have been reported but there has been destruction in several villages," Hossein-Ali Mehrabizadeh, an official with the crisis unit in Kerman, told state television. With the tremors hitting around 60 kilometres (35 miles) north of Kerman, USGS modelling predicted a low chance of widespread loss to life or property. But residents of the city came out into the street as the quake struck, and motorists were seen rushing to stock up on petrol, according to local media. Kerman´s crisis centre was activated, and rescue teams from the Red Cross and local authorities headed to affected areas for preliminary evaluations, a local official told state television. The University of Tehran´s seismology centre gave slightly different figures, announcing an earthquake of 6.1, followed by aftershocks of 5.1 and 4. The latest tremors come just over two weeks after a 7.3 quake killed more than 500 people in western Kermanshah province, close to the border with neighbouring Iraq. Iran sits on top of where two major tectonic plates meet and sees frequent seismic activity. Friday´s quake hit around 200 kilometres northwest of the ancient city of Bam, which was decimated by a catastrophic earthquake in 2003 that killed at least 31,000 people. In 1990, a 7.4-magnitude quake in northern Iran killed 40,000 people, injured 300,000 and left half a million homeless, reducing dozens of towns and nearly 2,000 villages to rubble. Iran has experienced at least two other major disasters in recent years -- one in 2005 that killed more than 600 people and another in 2012 that left some 300 dead.

Imam leads Lahore Blues to victory in National T20 Cup

Imam-ul-Haq scored 59 not out/PCB Twitter ISLAMABAD: Imam-ul-Haq?s superb not out innings of 59 runs led Lahore Blues to victory over Lahore Whites by 7 wickets in the final of the National Twenty20 Cup 2017-18 at Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi on Thursday. Chasing a low total of 127 runs, Imam-ul-Haq scored 59 runs off 49 balls, smashing seven 4s and a 6. Skipper Mohammad Hafeez hit 33 runs off 35 balls including three 4s and a 6, while Ahmed Shehzad contributed with 22 runs. Lahore Whites' Bilal Asif, Umaid Asif and Asif Ali bagged one wicket each for 23, 24 and 23 runs, respectively. Earlier, Lahore Whites managed to score 127 runs for 5 in 20 overs. Salman Butt hit 62 runs including eight 4s while Kamran Akmal scored 20. For Lahore Blues, Atif Jabbar took 2 wickets for 24, Salman Ali Agha 1 for 13, Khalid Usman 1 for 28 and Aizaz Cheema 1 for 26. Imam-ul-Haq (Lahore Region Blues) was declared Man of the Match. Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who was the chief guest on the occasion, gave away trophy to the winning team. Lahore Blues were awarded a cash prize of Rs 2,000,000 while Lahore Whites got Rs 1,000,000. Kamran Akmal of Lahore Whites, who scored 432 runs, was the best batsman of the tournament and took away a cash prize of Rs 50,000, while Umaid Asif of Lahore Whites bagged 14 wickets in the tournament and was declared the best bowler, receiving a cash award of Rs 50,000. Hammad Azam was named the best all-rounder and received cash prize of Rs 50,000.

Top women diplomats, defense officials join #metoo movement

(L) Sarah Sewall ? the US Under Secretary of State for Human Rights ? in New Delhi, India, January 13, 2016; (R) Wendy Chamberlin ? the Deputy Commissioner of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) ? in Nairobi, Kenya, February 18, 2005. Combination picture created on November 29, 2017. AFP/Money Sharma and Simon Maina/Files WASHINGTON: More than 220 serving and former US diplomats, defence, and national security officials have added their names to the #metoo movement, releasing a letter saying that sexual harassment is rife in their professions. In the open letter posted online late Monday, the "women of the national security community" protested abuse and discrimination, saying that as in the private sector their complaints are ignored and they are held back professionally by the men they work with. "We, too, are survivors of sexual harassment, assault, and abuse or know others who are," they wrote in the letter headed #metoonatsec. "This is not just a problem in Hollywood, Silicon Valley, newsrooms or Congress. It is everywhere. These abuses are born of imbalances of power and environments that permit such practices while silencing and shaming their survivors." The signatories include women who serve in or have served in senior positions at the Department of Defense and State Department, White House, and intelligence agencies, among them about 60 former and current ambassadors. They included former US ambassador to Pakistan Wendy Chamberlin; Suzy George, who was chief of staff at the White House National Security Council; and Sarah Sewall, former undersecretary of state for human rights. They said that despite the large number of women who enter their areas of work, many drop out and only a few make it to senior positions. "Many women are held back or driven from this field by men who use their power to assault at one end of the spectrum and perpetuate ? sometimes unconsciously ? environments that silence, demean, belittle or neglect women at the other," they said. "This community must also address the serious gender imbalances in senior leadership positions because male-dominated teams have been found to be more prone to abuses and more diverse teams are consistently linked to better outcomes," they said. They recommended that their agencies institute mandatory training for all employees on harassment issues and establish multiple clear and private channels for reporting abuse and collecting claims. They also called for exit interviews for all women leaving government service, which could better reveal the extent of harassment issues.

PNS SAIF arrives in Shanghai on goodwill training mission

Pakistani naval ship SAIF arrived on a goodwill visit and to participate in joint naval exercise in a bid to boost defence cooperation with their Chinese counterpart-APP SHANGHAI: Pakistani naval ship SAIF arrived at Wusong Naval Port here on Thursday on a goodwill visit and to participate in a joint naval exercise to further boost defence cooperation with their Chinese counterpart. The naval ship was welcomed by Pakistan?s Consul General in Shanghai, Naeem Khan, Senior Captain Wei Xiaodong of People?s Liberation Army (PLA) and officials of the government of Shanghai municipality. On its arrival, a band of PLA Navy played welcoming tunes. PNS SAIF, which is part of 18th Destroyer Squadron of Pakistan Navy, is commandeered by Captain Shahzad Iqbal. Speaking on the occasion, Captain Iqbal highlighted the significance of the visit and brotherly relations between Pakistan and China. ?We traveled more than 9,000 Nautical Miles from Pakistan to Shanghai. This distance will reduce manifold on completion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC),? he added. Senior Captain Wei Xiaodong of PLA receiving Commander Captain Shahzad Iqbal as the Pakistani naval ship SAIF arrived on a goodwill visit and to participate in joint naval exercise in a bid to boost defence cooperation with their Chinese counterpart-APP Captain Iqbal informed that PNS SAIF was built in 2010 in Shanghai and this was its first visit to Shanghai. He shared that the ship would participate in a bilateral naval exercise which he hoped would be advanced and meaningful. This would be the 5th Joint Naval Exercise in the series. Pakistan Navy and PLA Navy have longstanding relations. On its journey to Shanghai from Pakistan, PNS SAIF docked in Colombo, Sri Lanka and Pattaya, Thailand. After Shanghai, it plans to visit ports in the Philippines and Malaysia. The PNS SAIF, a sword class F22 P frigates of Chinese origin, is equipped with state of the art weapons, sensors and machinery, making it capable of undertaking a variety of maritime operations.

Cellular services suspended across Sindh?s major cities

KARACHI: Cellular services were suspended in Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur on Friday, to ensure security on Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) being observed with traditional religious zeal countrywide. The authorisation to suspend mobile phone services was given by the Ministry of Interior on Thursday. Services will remain suspended from 8am to 8pm today. Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) being celebrated with religious fervour today The sacred day begins with offering of special prayers in mosques Cell phone services would also remain suspended in Quetta from 8am to 8pm. Pillion riding has been banned in the city as part of the security arrangements for the auspicious occasion. The Government of Sindh had earlier requested the federation for suspending cellular and internet services. The Sindh home department had written a letter to the interior ministry requesting suspension of cellular and internet services in major cities of the province.

Merkel, Erdogan hold first phone call in months

LEFT: German Chancellor Angela Merkel smiles as she is offered Christmas trees at the Chancellery on November 30, 2017. AFP/dpa/Silas Stein; RIGHT: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during the Justice and Development (AK) Party's provincial heads meeting in Ankara, Turkey, November 17, 2017. AFP/Adem Altan/Files1 ISTANBUL: German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday discussed bilateral relations in their first phone conversation since tensions plunged to an all-time low this summer, Turkish media reported. According to state-run news agency Anadolu, Erdogan and Merkel are committed to "giving fresh impetus to bilateral contacts at the highest level", once a German government has been formed. The call came a day after a similar call between Erdogan and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Anadolu said. Ties between the two countries ? NATO allies with strong historic ties ? have nosedived over Ankara's arrest of German citizens and Berlin's strong criticism of the Turkish crackdown following last year's failed coup, which has seen over 50,000 people arrested. The Turkish government has however sent several reassuring signals in recent weeks, including the conditional release of two German nationals who had been detained in Turkey. A week after the German citizens were set free, the countries' foreign ministers also met in the southern Turkish resort of Antalya for informal talks ? the first meeting since the bitter row intensified. During the call Thursday, Merkel and Erdogan discussed the pact signed last year between Ankara and the European Union, which has reduced the number of migrant and refugee routes to Europe, according to Anadolu. Ankara has accused the EU of not granting the financial assistance promised under this agreement quickly enough. Erdogan also briefed the chancellor on a Turkey-Iran-Russia summit on Syria, held last week in the Russian resort of Sochi, according to Anadolu.

US House leaders press scandal-hit congressman to resign

US Representative John Conyers speaks to a reporter at the end of a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, November 26, 2017, AFP/Getty Images North America/Alex Wong/Files WASHINGTON: The top House leaders of both parties on Thursday called for Democratic lawmaker John Conyers ? the longest-serving member of Congress ? to resign over allegations of sexual harassment and of an attempted cover-up. Their calls came just hours after the 88-year-old Conyers was hospitalized after becoming lightheaded, dizzy, and experiencing shortness of breath, according to his lawyer Arnold Reed. US media described the illness as stress related. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi ? who as recently as Sunday seemed to defend Conyers ? said Thursday the allegations against him were "serious, disappointing and very credible", adding that she was praying for Conyers and his family. "However," she added, "Congressman Conyers should resign." Republican leader Paul Ryan, on the other hand, told reporters, "Yes, I think he should resign immediately. I've been briefed on the torrent of allegations and I think he should." But Conyers' lawyer was defiant, saying the congressman was "in good spirits" and would not be pressured to resign. "It is not up to Nancy Pelosi. Nancy Pelosi did not elect the congressman. And she sure as hell won't be the one to tell the congressman to leave," Reed told a news conference in Detroit. 'Tremendous stress' Taken together, the two calls seemed to leave Conyers with scant hope of clinging to a seat he has held since 1965. Should he quit the Congress, he would join an ever-lengthening list of prominent men to see their careers and reputations damaged by allegations of sexual misconduct. Sam Riddle ? a political consultant and friend of Conyers ? told reporters earlier Thursday that the lawmaker's health condition was caused by the "tremendous stress due to media hounding, and political vultures and serial accusers", The Detroit News reported. "That type of stress would affect anybody." Multiple women have accused Conyers of sexual harassment. Marion Brown ? a former Conyers staffer ? told the NBC Today show Thursday that he had asked her in 2015 to "sexually satisfy him". "He just violated my body," she said. Brown said she had reached a settlement with Conyers that included a non-disclosure agreement, but decided to speak out regardless. BuzzFeed News ? which reported on the Brown settlement earlier this month without revealing her name ? said Conyers had paid her $27,000 from his congressional office budget. The House Ethics Committee is investigating the allegations. Reed on Thursday sought to cast doubt on Brown's credibility, questioning why she stayed in the congressman's employ despite the alleged harassment. "She had an opportunity 15 years ago to come out, and she didn't. But she's jumping on the bandwagon now," Reed said, insisting that Conyers be allowed due process to defend himself against the allegations, which Conyers has denied. Others under pressure Nevertheless, the congressman on Sunday stepped down as ranking member of the powerful House Judiciary Committee. Several prominent US lawmakers have been hit by allegations of sexual misconduct in the wake of the accusations targeting movie mogul Harvey Weinstein ? allegations that have given rise to a torrent of accusations against many others in the entertainment, media, and political world. Senator Al Franken of Minnesota ? a fellow Democrat who is accused of touching or kissing several women without their consent ? is also under pressure to step down. In the Republican camp, Alabama candidate for the US Senate Roy Moore ? accused of harassing and molesting teenage girls as young as 14 ? has faced calls from within his own party to drop out, although he continues to enjoy the support of President Donald Trump.

Amazon brings Alexa from home to office in a new AI push

Toni Reid ? the vice president of Alexa experience and Echo devices at Amazon ? speaks at the 2017 Business Insider Ignition: Future of Media conference in New York, US, November 30, 2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson WASHINGTON: Amazon announced Thursday it is bringing its Alexa digital assistant to the workplace, expanding artificial intelligence (AI) efforts that have gained traction in the home market. "Alexa for Business brings the Alexa you know and love into the workplace to help all types of workers to be more productive and organized on both personal and shared Echo devices," Tara Walker ? of Amazon Web Services ? said in a blog post. "In the workplace, shared devices can be placed in common areas for anyone to use, and workers can use their personal devices to connect at work and at home." Amazon ? which has taken the lead with its Alexa-powered devices for home automation and other services ? said the digital assistant can help workers get directions around the office, report an equipment problem or order supplies. "You can simply say, 'Alexa, start the meeting,' (and) Alexa turns on the video conferencing equipment, dials into your conference call, and gets the meeting going," Walker said. AI-assisted translations The program can make phone calls, send messages or find information, according to Walker. The announcement marks the latest push for Amazon in expanding its cloud-based computing offerings, which tie into the Alexa-powered devices. Its voice-activated assistant has become the most popular for home hubs and has been integrated into televisions, cars, home appliances, and other devices. Amazon made the announcement at its AWS re:Invent conference, where it revealed that Alexa and Alexa-enabled devices will be coming to Australia and New Zealand early next year. The company also unveiled its cloud-based Amazon Translate service powered by artificial intelligence. "Organizations and business now have the ability to expand products and services in other regions more easily by allowing consumers to access websites, information and resources in their preferred language using automated language translations," said Walker.

Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) being celebrated with religious fervour today

[embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2kbwxqJ style=center] ISLAMABAD: Eid Milad-un-Nabi ? the birthday of Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) ? is being observed across the country with traditional religious zeal on Friday (today). The day started with 31- and 21-gun salute in the federal and provincial capitals, respectively, following a night full of celebration, Mehfil-e-Naat, conferences, and fireworks. State and religious organisations, Milad committees, and individuals have planned a large number of activities, comprising processions, seminars, conferences, and discussion programmes to mark the annual event. The sacred day begins with offering of special prayers in mosques for upholding and flourishing of Islam and religious teachings, unity, solidarity, progress, and welfare of the Muslim ummah. Numerous Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) processions will be taken out across the country and Mehfil-e-Milad will be held to celebrate the occasion. 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal traffic plan issued for Karachi, Lahore Citizens have been requested to take alternate routes to avoid any inconvenience All streets and roads, as well as bazaars, shopping centres, and government and private buildings, have been beautifully decorated and illuminated with lights, colours, and banners bearing the writings about the celebration of Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) across the country. Gates have been erected at all major roads and streets in all small and major towns of the country in connection with Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) celebrations. Private and public buildings have been illuminated with mesmerizing green and white lights on this occasion to express festivity. Many vendors have set up colourful stalls with a unique collection of badges, stickers, flags, and banners inscribed with religious slogans to pay respect and reverence to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) across the country. Federal and provincial governments have already prepared contingency security plans with coordination of other law enforcement agencies to guard the processions and other events to be held on the day. Special checking of the route in Islamabad would be completed before the procession starts and bomb disposal squad would clear the route on the day. More than 2,000 police personnel ? including 300 traffic policemen ? are performing security duties on the occasion in the federal capital, while special teams of Rangers, crime investigation department (CID), and the special branch police are assisting in the smooth performance of their duties. The main procession in Islamabad will be taken out at Sector G-7 (Sitara Market) and culminate near the shrine of Hazrat Sakhi Mehmud at Aabpara Market. The areas will be completely cordoned off via a heavy deployment of law enforcement personnel. Strict monitoring of the main procession ? through Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras installed recently ? is part of the security plan. Parking vehicles on the route of the procession will be prohibited. No one would be allowed to stand on the rooftops of the commercial and residential buildings situated along the route of the main procession while armed police personnel would be deployed on the rooftops of the buildings. Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) celebrations begin in Karachi More than 23,000 police personnel will be deployed for security across Karachi on Friday Police patrolling has also been enhanced in many areas. The faithful would be checked with metal detectors and walk-through gates would be installed at the entry points of the processions. The route of the main procession would be sealed completely and streets on the route would also be barricaded. In Rawalpindi, as many as 3,500 policemen have been deployed in Rawalpindi district to ensure security for the processions of Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH). The main procession route, DAV College Chowk, Fowara Chowk, Raja Bazaar, Bansaa Wala Chowk, and Buni Chowk would be barricaded. All the traffic would be diverted on other routes. Murree Road diversions would be at Rialto Chowk, Liaquat Bagh, Committee Chowk underpass, Naz Cinema Chowk, Rawal Road Turn, Double Road, Gungmandi near City police station, and at other main chowks. PM?s message on Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) Congratulating the nation on the occasion of Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH), Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi urged the need for following the path of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to create an environment of love, peace and harmony in the country. ?Our survival and our worldly and religious successes depend on completely following Uswa-e-Hasna,? the Prime Minister said in his message on the occasion of 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal, 1439. ?Today we have to pledge that, by completely following Uswa-e-Hasna, we will create among ourselves the qualities of unity, mutual harmony, tolerance, and sense of responsibility, which are helpful in taking our country and nation forward on the path of development.? ?The best way to celebrate this blessed day is an affirmation from ourselves to prove before the world with our character, way of talking and acts that we are the Ummah of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH).? The Prime Minister said the last prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) came in this world as ?Rehmat-ul-Aalameen? not only for Muslims but for the whole of mankind and the universe. ?By virtue of this, the day of 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal is the greatest day not only in the Islamic history but also for the whole universe and humanity,? he added. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari felicitates nation Bilawal Bhutto Zardari ? the chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) ? facilitated the nation on the auspicious occasion of Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) on Thursday. He said he was dismayed that the celebrations this year are marred by the way some people resorted to violence weeks ahead of the holy day. "The Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) preached and practised tolerance, humility and understanding, not violence. He would have never approved violence even in his name.? PML-N President Nawaz Sharif's message Nawaz Sharif ? the former prime minister and president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) ? on the occasion of Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) said that youth should be introduced to the real teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). The nation should take lessons from Holy Prophet?s (PBUH) life and promulgate brotherhood, Nawaz said. ?We should protect the rights of minorities and discourage those who want to divide the nation,? the PML-N president said, adding that those spreading discord should be discouraged. Imran Khan greets Muslims Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman late Thursday tweeted greetings on the occasion of Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH). CM Sindh shares felicitations Chief Minister of Sindh Murad Ali Shah congratulated the entire human race on the occasion of Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH). ?Congratulations to the entire human race on the birth of a Holy Prophet (PBUH) ? who rid the world of an era of barbarity and ignorance,? Shah said in a video message. He further said that adopting the Holy Prophet?s (PBUH) teachings could save humanity from being destroyed.

Five facts about Mike Pompeo, expected to replace Tillerson

CIA Director Mike Pompeo arrives at the FDD National Security Summit in Washington, US, October 19, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/Files The following are five facts about Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo, who, according to a senior administration official on Thursday, would replace Rex Tillerson as US secretary of state within weeks under a plan developed by the White House. Most hawkish voices on North Korea Pompeo, 53, regularly briefs President Donald Trump on intelligence matters and is considered one of the most hawkish voices on North Korea in Trump?s inner circle. Downplayed Russia's role in 2016 US election Pompeo has downplayed the extent of Russia?s intervention in the 2016 US presidential election, saying Moscow has sought to influence American elections for decades. Outspoken critic of Iran Like Trump, Pompeo is an outspoken critic of Iran and has called for scrapping the 2015 deal curbing Tehran?s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. In October, he said Iran was ?mounting a ruthless drive to be the hegemonic power in the region?. Supports government collecting comms data Pompeo has supported the US government?s sweeping collection of Americans? communications data. In an opinion piece published last year, he called for restarting the bulk collection of domestic telephone metadata and combining it with financial and lifestyle information into one searchable database. Retired Army officer, Harvard Law grad Before taking the reins at the CIA in January, Pompeo was a conservative Republican member of the US House of Representatives from Kansas. He is a retired Army officer and a graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point, New York, and Harvard Law School.

UN extends Syria round to mid-December, presidency not yet on table

United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura attends a news conference after meetings during the Intra Syria talks in Geneva, Switzerland November 30, 2017. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse GENEVA: The United Nations said on Thursday that it was extending a round of Syria talks in Geneva until December 15 aimed at shaping a political solution to end the war, but that the presidency had not yet been discussed. UN mediator Staffan de Mistura said that the talks would focus in particular on a new constitution and UN-supervised parliamentary and presidential elections, as well as on 12 core principles that he declined to enumerate. ?We have not discussed the issue of the presidency. We have been discussing the 12 principles. You will see they are of a broad nature but they have an impact on everything in the future constitution,? he told a news conference. ?These are essential because they do refer to what could be a shared vision of the kind of Syria that the Syrians want to live in,? he said. Syria?s opposition has always said that President Bashar al-Assad must step down, but his negotiators have refused to discuss the issue, and his recent successes on the battlefield have strengthened his hand. ?I want to believe that that issue should come up from the Syrians through UN-supervised elections,? de Mistura said. With more than two weeks ahead, the round was effectively just beginning, he said, noting that the government negotiators had arrived late and might take a few days out to ?consult and refresh? in Damascus before returning to Geneva around Tuesday. On Thursday he began shuttling between the two sides, installed in separate rooms off the same corridor, but he said having a contact in-person was less important than meeting on the substance, and the atmosphere was ?professional and serious? on both sides. He said the talks had solid diplomatic backing, with recent support from Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump, and Assad, as well as a telephone call from US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at the start of the round. The defeat of Daesh in its main strongholds in Syria had also produced ?a moment of truth?. ?All this takes place against quite a backdrop. It?s just not a normal round of talks,? de Mistura said. ?Have you seen how people are talking to each other, how those who were involved in the conflict for the first time are taking positions that are in the direction of a political dialogue?? And for the first time in eight rounds of Syria talks presided over by de Mistura, the opposition is represented by a unified negotiating team, raising the possibility of direct talks between the two sides.

US attorney general Sessions evasive on Russia probe: congressmen

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions arrives for a closed-door interview with the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol in Washington, US, November 30, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts WASHINGTON: US Attorney General Jeff Sessions refused to answer questions on Thursday during a closed congressional hearing about whether President Donald Trump ever instructed him to hinder the Justice Department?s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, according to Democratic lawmakers who attended. Sessions testified behind closed doors for several hours before the US House of Representatives Intelligence Committee. Representative Adam Schiff, the committee?s top Democrat, told reporters he was troubled by Sessions? refusal to answer what he believes are essential questions. ?I asked the attorney general whether he was ever instructed by the president to take any action that he believed would hinder the Russia investigation and he declined to answer the question,? Schiff told reporters after the hearing. ?There is no privileged basis to decline to answer a question like that. If the president did not instruct him to take an action that would hinder the investigation, he should say so. If the president did instruct him to hinder the investigation in any way, in my view that would be a potential criminal act,? Schiff said. Representative Mike Quigley, another Democratic committee member, said on MSNBC that Sessions ?is one of the most forgetful persons who works out of Washington, D.C., or he?s being less than candid with the American public.? Sessions declined to comment to reporters as he left the secure hearing room. The panel is among several congressional committees, along with the Justice Department?s special counsel Robert Mueller, investigating allegations that Russia sought to influence the US election and potential collusion by Trump?s campaign. Moscow has denied any meddling and Trump has said there was no collusion. Another source familiar with his testimony said that Sessions said he could not remember the answers to many important questions, and the answers he did provide concerning meetings with Russians tracked statements he had previously made in other congressional hearings. Nothing improper A spokeswoman for Sessions said he has consistently declined to discuss his communications with Trump in the past, and that he has also previously said he was never instructed to do anything illegal or improper. When he was a Republican US senator, Sessions was an early supporter and close adviser to Trump during his run for the White House. Democrats have accused Sessions of repeatedly changing his sworn testimony throughout several prior congressional hearings about meetings and contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian officials. Schiff said committee members asked Sessions questions during the closed hearing about his prior testimony and about ?interactions the campaign had with Russia.? The intelligence committee also met for more than three hours on Thursday with Erik Prince, who founded the private military contractor Blackwater and was a supporter of Trump?s presidential campaign. One focus of Thursday?s interview was expected to be a meeting Prince had in the Seychelles Islands in January, which some news reports later described as an effort to connect the incoming Trump administration with Moscow. Prince?s sister, Betsy DeVos, is Trump?s Secretary of Education, and he has said the Seychelles meeting had nothing to do with Trump. Schiff told reporters there were some ?unresolved issues? after Prince?s testimony. Prince complained that the hearing had wasted time and taxpayer dollars on a ?meaningless fishing expedition.? A spokesman for Prince later issued a statement saying Prince had volunteered to answer questions. ?As we have said throughout, Mr. Prince has never acted on behalf of President Trump, the transition team or his administration regarding Russia.? The Republican-led committee is planning to publicly release the transcript of Prince?s closed hearing, described as ?public in a closed setting? within about three days. There is no plan to release a transcript of Sessions? testimony.

Tiger dazzles in long-awaited return from injury

Tiger Woods hits from the sand on the 15th hole during the first round of the Hero World Challenge golf tournament at Albany, New Providence, The Bahamas, November 30, 2017. USA TODAY Sports/Kyle Terada Tiger Woods dazzled in his much-anticipated return from injury on Thursday at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas where the former world number one flashed a fist pump and did not seem bothered by his troublesome back. Woods, competing for the first time after a nearly 10-month layoff during which he had spinal fusion surgery, appeared pain-free at the Albany course on the island of New Providence where he mixed five birdies with two bogeys for a three-under-par 69. That left him in a four-way share of eighth place and three shots behind Britain?s Tommy Fleetwood after the first round of the elite 18-man event featuring eight of the world?s top 10. ?I didn?t know what I could do,? Woods told Golf Channel. ?I?ve been playing a lot of holes at home, but it?s a little different when you have to tee it up in a tournament.? Woods, who two months ago said he was only hitting 60-yard shots, drove mostly well off the tee, made some solid putts and impressive par saves but at times also let out expletives and slammed his club in frustration. Riding high after a pair of consecutive birdies, Woods was two shots off the lead at the par-five 15th hole when his tee shot sailed far right. He took a drop and went on to two-putt for his second bogey of the day. From there he went on to close out with a trio of pars to cap a round that showed, perhaps, that the 14-times major champion still has plenty left. Missed putts After narrowly missing birdie putts on his opening two holes Woods hit his approach shot at the par-five third to about 40 feet and went on to tap in for birdie. On the next hole, Woods caught his chip heavy and was left with a 15-footer from just off the green from where he coolly rolled his ball into the middle of the cup for par before pumping his right fist to the delight of the cheering gallery. Woods, who turns 42 on Dec. 30, delivered a more subdued fist pump at the par-three eighth where he rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt after his tee shot settled on the edge of the green. Playing alongside friend and FedExCup champion Justin Thomas, Woods, dressed in black with a white hat, showed his first bit of frustration at the par-five ninth when, after failing to reach the green in two, he made a mess of a chip. Despite being about 30 feet from the cup after two shots Woods settled for his first bogey of the day to reach the turn in one-under 35. Woods responded nicely with a birdie from 15 feet at the next hole. Best chip After his tee shot at the par-three 12th sailed wide right and into rough, Woods promptly slammed his club to the ground but quickly calmed down and delivered perhaps his best chip of the day to within four feet for a solid up and down. He carried that momentum to the next hole where he rolled in his fourth birdie of the day, this time from 22 feet. Woods laid up off the tee at the par-four 14th, then delivered a stunning wedge shot from 88 yards that settled about two feet from the cup, leading to his second consecutive birdie. It appeared that Woods was about to make a charge to the top of the leaderboard at this point until his errant tee shot at 15 took the wind out of his sails. ?I felt rusty starting after a month and half (off) so I can?t imagine what it felt like for him,? said Thomas, who also carded a 69. ?He played well. I truly felt like he was going to play well just from when we played and then practice around here.? A 79-times winner on the PGA Tour who was world number one for a record 683 weeks, Woods lost form in recent years due to injuries and his ranking has plummeted to 1,199th. This marks the second consecutive season that Woods has made his return to action at the tournament after a lengthy absence. He finished 15th in the 17-man field 12 months ago after a 15-month layoff. Woods then missed the cut at Torrey Pines in January and withdrew from the Dubai Desert Classic the following week because of a back spasm.

OPEC, Russia agree oil cut extension to end of 2018

Saudi Arabia's Oil Minister Khalid al-Falih (R) sits next to Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak as he addresses a news conference after an OPEC meeting in Vienna, Austria, November 30, 2017. REUTERS/Heinz-Peter Bader VIENNA: OPEC and non-OPEC producers led by Russia agreed on Thursday to extend oil output cuts until the end of 2018 as they try to finish clearing a global glut of crude while signalling a possible early exit from the deal if the market overheats. Russia ? which, this year, reduced production significantly with Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for the first time ? has been pushing for a clear message on how to exit the cuts so the market doesn?t flip into a deficit too soon, prices don?t rally too fast, and rival US shale firms don?t boost output further. Russia needs much lower oil prices to balance its budget than OPEC?s leader Saudi Arabia, which is preparing a stock market listing for national energy champion Aramco next year and would hence benefit from pricier crude. The producers? current deal, under which they are cutting supply by about 1.8 million barrels per day (BPD) in an effort to boost oil prices, expires in March. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters the OPEC and non-OPEC allies had agreed to extend the cuts by nine months until the end of 2018, as largely anticipated by the market. OPEC also decided to cap the combined output of Nigeria and Libya at 2017 levels below 2.8 million BPD. Both countries have been exempt from cuts due to unrest and lower-than-normal production. Falih said it was premature to talk about exiting the cuts at least for a couple of quarters as the world was entering a season of low winter demand. He added that OPEC would examine progress at its next regular meeting in June. ?When we get to an exit, we are going to do it very gradually ... to make sure we don?t shock the market,? he said. OPEC and Russia together produce over 40 percent of global oil. Moscow?s first real cooperation with OPEC ? put together with the help of President Vladimir Putin ? has been crucial in roughly halving an excess of global oil stocks since January. With oil prices rising above $60, Russia has expressed concerns that an extension for the whole of 2018 could prompt a spike in crude production in the United States, which is not participating in the deal. A joint OPEC and non-OPEC communique said the next meeting in June 2018 would present an opportunity to adjust the agreement based on market conditions. The Iraqi, Iranian, and Angolan oil ministers also said before Thursday?s meetings that a review of the deal was possible in June in case the market became too tight. International benchmark Brent crude rose around 0.5 percent on Thursday to trade above $63 per barrel. Glut or shortage? Just as OPEC gathered in Vienna, US government data showed that US oil production rose 3 percent in September to 9.48 million BPD. But Falih said OPEC ?won?t be quick on the trigger? to react to short-term US output spikes. US shale oil producers ? which effectively triggered the global oil glut of recent years ? have been adjusting their message over the past year, switching away from the combative language with regard to OPEC actions. ?If producers in the US increase their rig count over the next few months due to higher prices then I expect another price collapse by the end of 2018,? said Scott Sheffield, the executive chairman of Pioneer Natural Resources Co, one of the largest producers in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico, the largest US oilfield. ?I hope that all US shale companies will maintain their current rig counts and use all excess cash flow to increase dividends back to their shareholders,? he told Reuters. Gary Ross ? a veteran OPEC watcher and founder of Pira consultancy ? said the market could surprise on the upside with Brent rising to $70 if there were a major supply disruption. ?Everywhere you look there is an ever-present risk to supply,? Ross said. ?In Iraq?s Kurdistan there is a major risk to oil exports because of tensions with Baghdad, in Libya militias are still fighting, in Nigeria the risks of disruptions are significant, Venezuela is on the verge of default, Iran could again face US financial sanctions, and even in Saudi Arabia political risk is on the rise,? Ross added. The production cuts have been in place since the start of 2017 and helped halve an excess of global oil stocks although those remain at 140 million barrels above the five-year average, according to OPEC. Russia has signalled it wants to understand better how producers will exit from the cuts as it needs to provide guidance to its private and state energy companies. On Thursday, Novak said all companies were on board with the latest limits.

Grisham's 'Rooster Bar' climbs to top of US bestsellers

John Grisham?s latest legal thriller The Rooster Bar reclaimed the top spot on the US fiction bestsellers chart on Thursday. Data released by independent, online, and chain bookstores, book wholesalers, and independent distributors across the US was used to compile the list. Hardcover Fiction Last Week 1. The Rooster Bar by John Grisham 2. Hardcore Twenty-Four by Janet Evanovich 3. The People vs. Alex Cross by James Patterson 4. Origin by Dan Brown 5. The Midnight Line by Lee Child 6. End Game by David Baldacci 7. Artemis by Andy Weir 8. Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson 9. The Whispering Room by Dean Koontz 10. Two Kinds of Truth by Michael Connelly Hardcover Non-Fiction 1. Xanathar?s Guide to Everything 2. The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It! by Ree Drummond 3. Tribe of Mentors by Timothy Ferriss 4. Obama by Pete Souza 5. Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson 6. Capital Gaines by Chip Gaines 7. Promise Me, Dad by Joe Biden 8. Guinness World Records 2018 9. Killing England by O?Reilly/Dugard 10. Grant by Ron Chernow

3.4-earthquake tremors felt in Balochistan's Sui, surroundings

File Photo SUI: Earthquake tremors were felt Thursday night here in the city as well as its surrounding areas, Geo News reported, citing PEMA office. The quake's intensity was recorded as 3.4 on the Richter scale, PEMA said, adding that the depth was measured at 37 kilometres. The epicentre of the earthquake was 10 kilometres north-east of Sui, PEMA added.

SantaClaus 11/30/2017 Welcome to Funday Urdu Forum. Please feel free

SantaClaus 11/30/2017 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

Hundreds of pterosaur eggs reveal early life insights

Detail of pterosaur egg specimen ? showing eggs and bones ? are visible in this photo taken in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, November 21, 2016. Courtesy Alexander Kellner/Museu Naciaonal/UFRJ/Handout via REUTERS1 RIO DE JANEIRO: Scientists have peered inside the largest collection of fossilized pterosaur eggs ever found, using 3D scans to reveal new insights into these flying cousins of dinosaurs, researchers said Thursday. Pterosaurs were reptiles, and the first creatures ? after insects ? to evolve powered flight, meaning they flapped their wings to stay aloft instead of simply jumping and gliding. They went extinct along with the dinosaurs some 66 million years ago. Until now, scientists had found some pterosaur eggs with remains inside, including three in Argentina and five in China. But the latest report in the peer-reviewed US journal Science is based on the biggest collection to date ? 215 fossilized eggs that were found in a three-meter (one-yard) long sandstone block in northwestern China's Hami City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Sixteen of the eggs contained fossilized remains of a pterosaur species known as Hamipterus tianshanensis. None held a full set of pterosaur bones, likely because pieces were lost over the years due to storms and floods. But scientists did find the partial wing and skull bones ? along with one complete lower jaw ? which fill in aspects of pterosaurs' life cycle that has been poorly understood until now. Using three-dimensional computed tomography scans, they discovered intact and well-developed thigh bones suggesting the creatures "benefited from functional hind legs shortly after hatching," said the report by palaeontologists in China and Brazil. But weak chest muscles indicate "that newborns were likely not able to fly" and "likely needed some parental care." Nesting behaviour Adult pterosaur bones were also scattered across the site, a sign that they returned to the same nesting spots over time, much the same as modern day sea turtles. The massive numbers of eggs and bones point to major storms thrashing the site, submerging the eggs in a lake where they floated briefly before sinking and becoming buried alongside adult skeletons. Researchers also noted that the cracked exterior of the eggs resembled the fragile softness of lizard eggs. "All are deformed to a certain extent, which indicate their pliable nature," said the study. One of the young pterosaurs was estimated to be "at least two years old and still growing at the time of its death, supporting the growing body of evidence that pterosaurs had long incubation periods". An accompanying Perspective article in the journal Science ? written by D. Charles Deeming of the University of Lincoln ? called the study "remarkable for the number of eggs in association with adults and juvenile pterosaurs that it reports on". However, many questions remain, including whether the size of each clutch was really two as previous studies have suggested, just how the pterosaurs concealed their eggs, whether beneath vegetation or sand or soil and why so many of the eggs appear dehydrated. "Hopefully additional finds of equally spectacular fossils will help us answer such questions," he wrote.

Matt Lauer apologizes after 'Today' firing as more women come forward

Host Matt Lauer pauses during a break while filming NBC's 'Today' show at Rockefeller Center in New York, US, May 3, 2013. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/Files NEW YORK: Longtime Today show host Matt Lauer apologized for what he called his ?troubling flaws? in a statement read out on the NBC morning show on Thursday, a day after the network fired him for inappropriate sexual behaviour. As his 20 years as a fixture of US morning television came to an abrupt end, Lauer found himself among the growing ranks of powerful men in US entertainment, politics, and media to be felled in recent months by accusations of sexual misconduct. 59-year-old Lauer ? who got married for the second time in 1998 ? said in his statement that some of the accusations against him were ?untrue or mischaracterized?, without explaining further, but said that ?there is enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed.? He was fired after a female colleague complained to NBC officials on Monday evening about a pattern of inappropriate sexual behaviour that began while they were on assignment at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia, according to NBC statements. Since then, at least two more women have gone to NBC with similar complaints against Lauer, the Today show reported on Thursday. None of the women has been publicly identified. ?Repairing the damage will take a lot of time and soul searching and I?m committed to beginning that effort,? Lauer said in the statement, which was read by his former co-host Savannah Guthrie at the start of Thursday?s broadcast. ?It is now my full-time job,? the statement said. ?The last two days have forced me to take a very hard look at my own troubling flaws.? Lauer said he was ?truly sorry? for the pain he had caused. Reuters has not independently verified the accusations. NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack said the network had never received a complaint about Lauer?s conduct prior to Monday but that ?we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident?. Jeff Zucker ? a former Today show producer who rose up the ranks to become president of NBCUniversal ? said he had never heard any complaints against Lauer during his time at the network, where he spent 25 years before joining CNN as president in 2013. ?There was never a suggestion of that kind of deviant, predatory behaviour, not even a whisper of it,? Zucker said during the Business Insider IGNITION 2017 conference in New York on Thursday. He called the allegations against Lauer ?incredibly disturbing? and sad. Lauer was promoted to a host of the Today show in 1997 and went on to become one of NBC?s highest-paid personalities ? reportedly being paid $20 million a year. The Comcast-owned network did not respond to questions about its plans for replacing Lauer. Media analysts say his sudden departure could send some viewers to morning-news rivals, at least in the short term. Today dominated the morning rating wars for much of Lauer?s tenure but it was overtaken in 2012 by Good Morning America on Walt Disney Co?s ABC network.

France stops large shipment of radioactive Belarus mushrooms

PARIS: France has stopped a large shipment of Belarus mushrooms contaminated with low-level radioactivity probably from Chernobyl and not linked to a radioactive cloud that appeared in southern Russia last month, officials said on Thursday. Earlier, Pierre-Franck Chevet ? the head of French nuclear regulator ASN ? told the French Senate that traces of caesium had been found on imported mushrooms from Russia but did not mention Belarus. A spokesman for French nuclear safety institute IRSN said a few days ago, customs officials found that a 3.5-tonne shipment of Belarus mushrooms ? coming through Frankfurt, Germany ? was contaminated with caesium 137, a radioactive nuclide that is a waste product of nuclear reactors. While the contaminated mushrooms did not represent a health threat to consumers, the shipment will be destroyed in a specialized incinerator in coming days, the IRSN said. ?There is no link with the ruthenium 106 pollution,? the official said. Earlier this month, the IRSN said that a cloud containing radioactive ruthenium 106 originating from southern Russia had blown over large parts of Europe in October but added that there was no danger to people. Russia later confirmed it had measured ruthenium pollution at nearly 1,000 times normal levels in the Ural mountains, but did not acknowledge any accident. ?As the mushrooms came from Belarus, it is very likely the contamination originated in Chernobyl,? the official said. ASN did not reply to a number of Reuters calls later on Thursday. Highly unusual Chernobyl, Ukraine is just south of the Belarus border and was the site of a major nuclear disaster in 1986. Cesium 137 ? which has a 30-year half-life ? is still widely found in the areas around Chernobyl. The official said it was highly unusual for such a large shipment of mushrooms to be stopped and that none of the produce had made it onto French retail markets. Mushrooms, more than any other vegetable, concentrate radioactivity because their thread-like root systems spread over a large area for several meters on the surface around the plant. The IRSN said eating tens of kilos of the Belarus mushrooms would expose a consumer to a radioactivity level similar to natural ambient radioactivity during a whole year. Chevet added there had been no risk for the customs officials, even if they had touched the mushrooms with their bare hands. In a statement, French consumer protection agency DGCCRF said the Belarus mushrooms had caesium 137 levels above legal limits but contained no ruthenium 106. The agency said that following the discovery of the ruthenium, it had started testing samples of food products imported from the regions affected by the radioactive cloud. So far, it has not found food items with ruthenium 106 levels above legal thresholds.

Wall Street gains, Dow tops 24,000 as tax bill gains steam

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) ? with a screen displaying the Dow Jones Industrial Average as it crosses 24,000 ? in New York, US, November 30, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid NEW YORK: The S&P closed at a record high and the Dow Jones Industrial Average broke above the 24,000-point mark for the first time on Thursday as investors gained confidence that the Republican party?s push for a US tax overhaul would succeed. Republican Senator John McCain?s decision to back the tax bill provided a new jolt of momentum for the legislation. McCain had helped defeat Republicans? efforts to repeal Obamacare, and a ?yes? vote by him on the tax measure was considered crucial. He said the tax bill would boost the economy, although it is ?far from perfect?. ?We have seen ?no? votes flipping to the ?yes? column, so that makes the passage of the bill more certain but also moves it up on the calendar,? Bucky Hellwig ? the senior vice president at Alabama-based BB&T Wealth Management ? said. ?The rush is on right now to get that cranked out, and investors are saying we?re ready to buy into that.? The Senate was due to begin voting on amendments to the bill later on Thursday, with a final vote late in the evening or early Friday. The blue-chip Dow index has crossed four 1,000-point milestones this year on the back of strong corporate earnings, robust economic data, and hopes for corporate tax cuts. The tax bill would cut the corporate tax rate to 20 percent from 35 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 331.67 points (1.39 percent) to 24,272.35, the S&P 500 gained 21.51 points (0.82 percent) to 2,647.58, and the Nasdaq Composite added 49.63 points (0.73 percent) to 6,873.97. Trading volume was unusually high. The Russell 2000 ? of smaller companies ? closed up 0.12 percent, hitting its third record close in a row. However, it lagged the large-cap index gains, suggesting that expectations for tax cuts were not fully priced in. ?We haven?t seen a sustained rally in small caps, and we still don?t know the details? of the tax bill, Hellwig said. ?But it?s moved forward, which is significant in terms of the planning for 2018.? The market has priced in only a 20 percent to 40 percent probability of tax cuts, according to UBS strategists. A reduction in the corporate tax rate to 25 percent could boost S&P 500 earnings by 6.5 percent, UBS US equity strategist Keith Parker estimated. The S&P and the Dow have registered eight straight months of gains, while the Nasdaq has posted five consecutive months of increases. On Wednesday, the Nasdaq posted its biggest one-day drop in more than three months as investors sold technology stocks. However, the S&P technology sector erased some of its losses on Thursday to end up almost 1 percent. The S&P energy index was the strongest sector, rising 1.55 percent after OPEC agreed to extend oil production cuts to the end of 2018. Industrials rose 1.53 percent, helped by an almost 2 percent jump in transportation stocks, which would get a big boost from corporate tax cuts. The S&P Financials sector pared earlier gains to end up 0.6 percent, boosted by expectations that bank tax cuts would be passed on to investors in the form of share buybacks. Data that pointed to a sustained increase in underlying price pressures and a drop in first-time applications for unemployment benefits last week also helped sentiment. About 9 billion shares changed hands on US exchanges in the busiest trading day since June 23. This compares with the 6.56 billion average for the last 20 sessions. Advancing issues outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by a 1.41-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.13-to-1 ratio favoured advancers. The S&P 500 posted 119 new 52-week highs and no new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 184 new highs and 23 new lows.

Trump considers plan to replace Tillerson with CIA chief: US officials

A combination photo of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo (L) on May 11, 2017, and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington, US, November 28, 2017. REUTERS/Eric Thayer/Yuri Gripas/Files WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump is considering a plan to oust Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, whose relationship has been strained by the top US diplomat?s softer line on North Korea and other differences, senior administration officials said on Thursday. Tillerson would be replaced within weeks by CIA Director Mike Pompeo, a Trump loyalist and foreign policy hard-liner, under a White House plan to carry out the most significant staff shake-up so far of the Trump administration. Republican Senator Tom Cotton, one of Trump?s staunchest defenders in Congress, would be tapped to replace Pompeo at the Central Intelligence Agency, the officials told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. It was not immediately clear whether Trump had given final approval to the reshuffle, but one of the officials said the president asked for the plan to be put together. Tillerson?s long-rumoured departure would end a troubled tenure for the former oil executive, who has been increasingly at odds with Trump over issues such as North Korea and under fire for planned cuts at the State Department. Tillerson was reported in October to have privately called Trump a ?moron,? something the secretary of state sought to dismiss. That followed a tweet by Trump that Tillerson should not waste his time by seeking negotiations with North Korea over its nuclear and missile program, widely seen as a sign of the secretary of state being marginalized. Trump has soured on Tillerson mostly because of the ?moron? report, his less-confrontational approach on North Korea and differences over the Qatar crisis, one senior US official said. Trump asked John Kelly, the White House chief of staff, to develop the transition strategy, and it has been discussed with other officials, one administration source said. Under the plan, which has been in the works for weeks and was first reported by the New York Times, the reshuffle would happen around the end of the year or shortly afterwards, the official said. Asked whether he wanted Tillerson to remain in his job, Trump sidestepped the question, telling reporters at the White House: ?He?s here. Rex is here.? State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Kelly told Tillerson?s chief of staff on Thursday the reports on Tillerson being replaced were not true. Nauert added that Tillerson ?serves at the pleasure of the president.? Asked about Tillerson, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the secretary of state remained in his post. ?When the president loses confidence in someone, they will no longer serve here,? she said. Pompeo, a former congressman, has moved to the forefront as he has gained Trump?s trust on national security matters. Tillerson, 65, has spent much of his tenure trying to smooth the rough edges of Trump?s unilateralist ?America First? foreign policy, with limited success. On several occasions, the president had publicly undercut his diplomatic initiatives. A source familiar with Tillerson?s thinking said the secretary of state?s original plan when he took the job was to leave in February. If carried out, the staff changes would be the latest in a string of firings or resignations in the Trump administration including the departures of the chief of staff, national security adviser and FBI director. Foreign police hardliner Pompeo, 53, has taken tough foreign policy stands, especially on Iran, and talked about how his agency is becoming more aggressive and how he has been focusing on deploying more CIA officers overseas. He has offered effusive praise for Trump in despite the president?s criticism of US intelligence agencies, some of which concluded that Russia conducted an influence campaign to boost Trump in the 2016 presidential election. Tillerson has at times put distance between himself and Trump?s positions. At a private dinner of foreign policy veterans last month, a senior White House official criticized Tillerson for failing to support the president?s agenda, according to a person familiar with the matter. Tillerson joined Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in pressing Trump not to pull the United States out of an agreement with Iran and world powers over Tehran?s nuclear capabilities. Tillerson has taken a more hawkish view than Trump on Russia and tried to mediate a dispute after four Arab nations launched a boycott of Qatar. In September in Beijing, Tillerson said Washington was probing North Korea to see whether it was interested in dialogue and had multiple direct channels of communication with Pyongyang. The next day, Trump appeared to dismiss those efforts in a tweet, telling Tillerson he was ?wasting his time.? Tensions have also run high between Tillerson and veteran diplomats who oppose his proposed staff and budget cuts.

Yemen Houthis claim ballistic missile hits Saudi target

Houthi fighters walk in Sanaa, Yemen, November 30, 2017. AFP/Mohammed Huwais DUBAI: Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels said Thursday they fired a ballistic missile at Saudi Arabia and hit a military target, in the second such attack this month, after threatening to retaliate over a crippling blockade. "We confirm the success of our ballistic missile trial, which hit its military target inside Saudi Arabia," the Houthi-run Al-Masira television channel said. A spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthi rebels in Yemen did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Hours earlier in a speech broadcast on Al-Masira, rebel chief Abdulmalik al-Houthi warned against "prolonging the blockade" imposed on Yemen following a November 4 rebel missile attack that was intercepted near Riyadh international airport. "Should the blockade continue, we know what (targets) would cause great pain and how to reach them," he said. Saudi Arabia and its allies tightened the longstanding blockade on Yemen's ports and the main international airport in Sanaa in the wake of the November missile attack. The move prompted the Houthis to warn that they considered "airports, ports, border crossings, and areas of any importance" in Saudi Arabia, as well as its ally the United Arab Emirates, legitimate targets. "We will not stand idly by ? we will seek more radical means to prevent both the tightening of the blockade and all acts aimed at starving and humiliating the people of Yemen," the rebels' political office said this month. Riyadh accuses its arch-rival Iran of arming Yemen's Houthis and, earlier this month, Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said this "could be considered an act of war". Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of supplying the Houthis with arms. Iran's foreign ministry has denied the accusation. Rebel rift The Houthis ? a northern minority that has long complained of marginalisation ? descended on the capital Sanaa from their mountainous region in September 2014, seizing the city with little resistance. Security forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh ? who ruled Yemen for decades until he resigned under pressure in 2012 ? joined forces with the Houthis. Together, they forced the government of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi to flee to the main southern city of Aden and later to Riyadh. Saudi Arabia and a coalition of mainly Arab allies launched air strikes in March 2015 against the Houthis and later sent ground troops to support pro-government forces. The conflict has claimed more than 8,600 lives since the Saudi-led coalition joined the government's war against the rebel alliance. More than 2,000 people have also died of cholera this year. The United Nations (UN) has warned Yemen faces mass famine unless the Saudi-led coalition allows more food aid into the country, long the poorest in the region. The coalition allowed limited supplies into select areas in Yemen last weekend. Yemen's conflict ? which has enabled Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and Daesh to flourish in the chaos of war ? shows no sign of waning. The Houthi-Saleh rebel alliance has also begun to unravel, with clashes between the Houthis and fighters loyal to the former president leaving at least 14 dead on Wednesday. Violence between the two ? whose alliance first began to show cracks in August ? flared again Thursday night, localised in southern Sanaa and around the residence of two of Saleh's nephews.

WhatsApp back online in Pakistan after mysterious global outage

A photo illustration shows a chain and a padlock in front of a displayed Whatsapp logo January 13, 2017. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Files WhatsApp ? the web messaging app ? is back online after experiencing an unexplained outage Thursday night that was reported by various media outlets, as well as users from around the world. As per The Independent, the app "was not sending or receiving messages according to multiple users, many of whom have taken to social media to highlight the issue". ?WhatsApp users around the world are unable to access the service. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working to fix the issue as soon as possible," a spokesperson for the app said, according to the publication. Reports of the outage started coming in on Thursday night around 11:37 PM PST. A screenshot ? taken at 12:30 AM PST, Friday ? shows the number of users who reported an outage in WhatsApp's services. Geo.tv/Screenshot via Down Detector At least 2,552 reports were filed at Down Detector ? an independent app-monitoring website ? as of 12:30 AM PST, Friday. The chatting platform ? owned by social media giant Facebook ? is quite dependable, with few issues reported compared to other similar apps. A screenshot ? taken at 12:30 AM PST, Friday ? shows the number of users who reported an outage in WhatsApp's services. Geo.tv/Screenshot via Down Detector The worst-hit regions in the world include western Europe and east side of South America. Thousands of WhatsApp loyalists took to Twitter to highlight the issue. ?This story will be updated once more information is available

What's wrong with a joke? Macron defends air-conditioning gag in Africa

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron has a reputation for disarming hostile audiences with repartee and humour, but his latest verbal jousting on a trip to Africa has drawn criticism at home. In an interview broadcast late on Wednesday, Macron dismissed as ?ridiculous? suggestions he had offended Burkina Faso?s President Roch Marc Kabore when he quipped with students that Kabore had left the room to fix the air-conditioning. The exchange came during a boisterous 90-minute question-and-answer session at Ouagadougou University earlier this week that followed Macron?s promise of a new era in relations between France and Africa. When one of the students in the audience grilled Macron over what he would do about Burkina Faso?s constant power cuts, the 39-year-old replied: ?You speak to me like I?m a colonial power, but I don?t want to look after electricity in Burkina Faso. That?s the job of your president.? Earlier heckles turned into laughter and applause. When Kabore later left the hall, Macron joked: ?You see, he?s gone. He?s left to fix the air-conditioning.? Shortly after, a smiling Kabore returned to his seat. Macron?s remark touched off a social media frenzy, splitting those who defended it as lighthearted banter and others who complained of paternalistic overtones. Far-right rivals accused him of ?bordering on racism?. ?That?s ridiculous,? Macron said in an interview with France 24. ?We have a relationship of equals, that means we can joke with one another.? Macron has courted trouble with his language before. He was widely criticised this summer after saying that Africa faced ?civilisational? problems. In France he has provoked anger by describing opponents as ?slackers? and urging workers to ?stop kicking up a bloody mess?. Firing back at his critics, Macron said it was those who deemed it inappropriate to joke with an African leader who were guilty of patronizing the continent. ?I would have had a laugh about it with any European leader with whom I have this kind of relationship. I don?t with (German Chancellor) Angela Merkel, but I do for example with (European Commission president) Jean-Claude Juncker,? he said.

White House says Tillerson 'continues to lead the State Department'

WASHINGTON: The White House responded to speculation about Rex Tillerson's imminent departure as Secretary of State Thursday, saying he was still in the job and "there are no personnel announcements at this time." "Secretary Tillerson continues to lead the State Department and the entire cabinet is focused on completing this incredibly successful first year of President Trump's administration," press secretary Sarah Sanders added in a statement. Trump fuels Tillerson firing speculation US President Donald Trump on Thursday passed up an opportunity to publicly back his embattled Secretary of State, fueling rumors that Rex Tillerson may be on his way out the door. Asked if he wants Tillerson to remain in his post, Trump said only that "Rex is here" at the White House, a break from the usual expression of confidence in such a circumstances. A senior White House official earlier did not deny reports that Tillerson would be replaced by CIA director Mike Pompeo - a rumor that has been circulating for weeks but which was firmly reported by the New York Times and other US media. The newspaper quoted unnamed senior administration officials as saying Trump had soured on Tillerson and was ready for a change at the State Department, probably around the end of the year. The two men have aired striking differences in public. Trump surprised many observers when he tweeted that Tillerson was "wasting his time" pursuing contacts with North Korea, and Tillerson was quoted as having said that the president was a "moron." The former ExxonMobil executive has also defended the Iran nuclear deal, which Trump last month disavowed. Under the purported plan, Pompeo would be replaced at the CIA by Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas and a hawk on Iran and an important Trump ally on national security issues. A Cotton aide told AFP that "Senator Cotton's focus is on serving Arkansans in the Senate." His departure would leave Republicans with another seat to defend, at a time when their Senate majority already in question. Cotton won his seat easily in 2014, and is tipped as a future presidential contender, but Trump´s unpopularity means Republicans can no longer assume victory in even deep red states.

12th Rabi-ul-Awwal traffic plan issued for Karachi, Lahore

KARACHI: Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) celebrations have begun in Karachi with religious zeal and fervour, while authorities have finalised a comprehensive traffic plan on the occasion. The details of main processions on Eid Millad-un-Nabi (PBUH) are as follows: Procession of Dawat-e-Islami lead by Mr. Yousuf Saleem Attari Sahab at 02:30 pm Route: Shaheed Masjid Kharadar, Plastic Market, Denso Hall, Light House, Jamia Cloth, Saeed Manzil, Frere Chowk, Left turn Nasira School to Masjid-e-Gulzar-e-Habib Procession lead by Maulana Akbar Dars at 02:30 pm Route: Memon Masjid, M. A Jinnah Road, Tibet Center, Regal Chowk, Shara-e-Liaquat, Fresco Chowk to Aram Bagh Masjid. Procession of Jamat-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat Pakistan lead by Shah Abdul Haq Qadri at 03:00 pm Route: Memon Masjid, M. A Jinnah Road, Tibet Center, Numaish to Nishtar Park The Karachi Traffic Police on Thursday issued instructions pertaining to main procession on MA Jinnah Road as well as other processions around the city. As soon as the procession will proceed from Shaheed Masjid Kharadar & Memon Masjid, all vehicular traffic coming from Lea Market, Agha Khan Jamat Khana, Kharadar, Crane Chowrangi, G Allana Road and Mai Kolachi will not be allowed to head towards MA Jinnah Road and diverted through alternate routes. All vehicular traffic coming from Keamari via Jinnah Bridge will not be allowed to proceed towards MW Tower and diverted through alternate roads from Jinnah Bridge. All roads/streets/lanes falling on both sides of the above routes of the procession will be closed for all types of vehicular traffic and sealed. All type of vehicular traffic shall be diverted on alternate roads/street/lanes from the following points from MW Tower up to Old Exhibition to Nishter Park. 1. MW Tower/MA Jinnah Road. 2. Junction of II Chundrigar Road/Mumtaz Hussain Road. 3. Junction of II Chundrigar Road/Mir Karam Ali Talpur Road. 4. Junction of Sh: Liaquat/Awan-e-Alamgir Road. 5. Junction of Sh: Liaquat/Sara-e-Alamgir Road. 6. Junction of Sh: Liaquat/Altaf Hussain Road. 7. Junction of Sh: Liaquat/Hussan Ali Affandi Road. 8. Junction of Sh: Liaquat/Dr.Ziauddin Ahmed Road. 9. Junction of Sh: Liaquat/Baba-e-Urdu Road. 10. Junction of Sh: Liaquat/Mohammad Bin Qasim Road. 11. Junction of Sh: Liaquat/ leading towards High Court Road. 12. Junction of Sh: Liaquat/Sarmad Road 13. Junction of Sh: Liaquat/Abdullah Haroon Road. 14. All other street/Lanes falling on Sh: Liaquat. 15. Junction of Preedy Street/Dr Dawood Pota Road. 16. Junction of Preedy Street/Preedy PS Road. 17. Junction of AH Road opposite Ghafoor Chamber. 18. Junction of Aga Khan Road/leading towards Grammar School. 19. Junction of Dr Dawoodpota Road/leading towards Mansfield Street. 20. Mansfield Street/leading towards Lines Area. 21. All roads/street of lines area room Mansfield Street up to Old Exhibition. 22. Junction of Sh: Quaideen/link road behind Mazar-e-Quaid. 23. Junction of link road behind Mazar/Dada Bhoy Noorji Road (PPP Chowrangi). 24. Intersection opposite, Islamia College. 25. Junction of Altaf Hussain Road/leading towards old market/City Court near Denso Hall. 26. Junction of Dr Tahir Saifuddin Road/leading towards Hassan Ali Affandi Road behind sessions court building. 27. Junction of Hassan Ali Affandi Road/Chand Bibi Road. 28. Junction of NJV School/MA Jinnah Road. 29. Junction of Jamila Street/leading towards Ankale Sariya. 30. Junction of Agha Khan 3rd Road /Coast Guard Road. 31. Junction of Soldier Bazar/Kiyani Road opp. Coast Guard Headquarters. 32. Junction of Soldier Bazar/Mansfield Street. 33. All roads/lanes/street on Soldier Bazar/Bahadur Yar Jang Road from Agha Khan Road up to Guru Mandar. 34. All lanes/roads/Street from Altaf Hussain Road up to Ankale Sariya Hospital. All vehicular traffic coming from University Road via New MA Jinnah Road shall not be allowed beyond Jail Flyover. The vehicles will be diverted from Jail Flyover or Kashmir Road. All vehicular traffic coming from University Road via New MA Jinnah Road shall not be allowed to proceed further on MA Jinnah Road and will be diverted from left turning towards Ayesha Aziz Roundabout to Shahra-e-Quaideen or Corridor-III to Saddar Road. All vehicular traffic approaching Guru Mandar from Peoples Chowrangi will not be allowed to proceed towards MA Jinnah Road and will be diverted from Binori Town Light Signal to Central Jail side. All vehicular traffic approaching Guru Mandar from Lasbella via Business Recorder Road will not be allowed to head towards MA Jinnah Road and will be diverted towards Jahangir Road, Jamshed Road, Binori Town Light Signal towards Central Jail side. All lanes/roads/street of Bahadur Yar Jung Road from Guru Mandar up to Mansfield Street will be closed. All vehicular traffic coming from Shahrah-e-Quaideen shall not be allowed to proceed towards Old Exhibition (Numaish) and it will be diverted from Sh: Quaideen/Society Light Signal towards Aysha Aziz Chowrangi to Kashmir Road. As soon as the procession of Maulana Akbar Dars will begin from Memon Masjid towards Aram Bagh Masjid, all kind of traffic coming from Empress Market shall be diverted towards Zaib-un-Nisa Street and from Shahrah-e-Liaquat to Aram Bagh Light Signal towards Dr. Ziauddin Road. From Court Road towards MR Kiyani Chowk. No vehicle will be allowed to park from Tibet Chowk to Regal Chowk and Regal Chowk to Aram Bagh Masjid. The Karachi Traffic Police requested all motorists to not adopt the route of the 12th Rabi-ul-Awal processions and advised them to use alternate roads/streets/lanes to save them from traffic congestion issues. Lahore traffic plan In Lahore, the traffic police said following routes will remain closed at the time of processions: District courts to Data Darbar Urdu Bazar to Mori Gate Azadi Flyover to Pir Makki U-turn, Data Darbar and Bhhati Chowk Fawwara Chowk on McLeod Road to Australia Chowk The image below details all instructions issued by Lahore Traffic Police for citizens on Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH):

Govt revises fuel prices for December, petrol increased by Rs1.48 per litre

ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday revised prices of petroleum products, increasing the price of petrol by Rs1.48 per litre, reported Geo News. Petrol will now retail at Rs77.47 per litre. Prices of diesel was increased by Rs1.36 per litre, while the price for light-speed diesel (LSD) was increased by Rs3.12 per litre, said sources. The government also increased the price of kerosene oil by Rs4.39 per litre. After the increase, diesel will retail for Rs85.95, LSD for Rs52.12 and kerosene oil will be sold for Rs57.58. The new prices will come into effect from December 1.

White House says Tillerson 'continues to lead the State Department'

The White House responded to speculation about Rex Tillerson's imminent departure as Secretary of State Thursday, saying he was still in the job and "there are no personnel announcements at this time." Photo: AFP WASHINGTON: The White House responded to speculation about Rex Tillerson's imminent departure as Secretary of State Thursday, saying he was still in the job and "there are no personnel announcements at this time." "Secretary Tillerson continues to lead the State Department and the entire cabinet is focused on completing this incredibly successful first year of President Trump´s administration," press secretary Sarah Sanders added in a statement.

French mother confesses to killing five babies

PARIS: A French mother was charged Thursday with murdering five of her babies in a case solved by DNA evidence obtained years later after a brawl between neighbours. Fourteen years after the bodies of four of the babies were found in a forest, Sylvie H., aged 53, has admitted to murdering five children, the public prosecutor in the eastern city of Mulhouse told a press conference. The killings are believed to have taken place from 1993-1995 and 2003-2005. The body of a fifth baby was found at the suspect?s home. The mother, who has three other children aged 18, 27 and 32, revealed this week that she gave birth alone at home each time, without the father?s knowledge. Investigators had for years puzzled over who was behind the infants? deaths. An autopsy showed at least two were strangled with cords. But with no DNA evidence linking the babies to a parent, the case went cold until September 2016 when Sylvie H., her partner and her eldest son were involved in a fight with their neighbours. Investigators looking into the dispute took DNA samples from the mother -- and to their surprise realised they had a match with the samples taken from the babies in 2003. When officers arrived to arrest the woman at her home in a Mulhouse suburb on Tuesday "she understood immediately why they had come for her" and confessed to the killings, prosecutor Dominique Alzeari said. The father of the children, who appeared "absolutely unaware" of the killings, was "very upset", Alzeari added. The woman?s motives remain unclear. She faces life imprisonment if convicted. In Germany, a woman was sentenced to 14 years in prison last year after being found guilty of killing four of her babies by suffocation.

Teachers ?forced? 88 female students to strip as punishment in Indian school

About 88 female students of a school in Arunachal Pradesh were forced to undress as punishment by their teachers, reported Hindustan Times. The classes VI and VII students of an all-girls school were allegedly ?punished? for writing obscene comments about their head teachers and another student. The piece of paper was discovered by the teachers, who then asked the students who was responsible for writing it. When no student was forthcoming, the teachers made all students undress in front of other students. According to the police, the students from Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, Tani Happa (New Sagalee) in Papum Pare district were subjected to the humiliating treatment on November 23. The issue came into light after the students approached the All Sagalee Students Union (ASSU), later a case was also registered. Police confirmed that an FIR has been filed, adding that the case has been forwarded to the women police station. ?The officer in-charge of the (women) police station said the victims and their parents along with the teachers will be interrogated before registering a case,? said a police officer.

Peace committee member among 5 killed in South Waziristan

Five, including a peace committee member, were killed in an explosion in South Waziristan Agency. According to the political administration of the agency, the explosive device was installed on a roadside in Spinkai area of Sarokai in South Waziristan. The peace committee member killed in the explosion has been identified as Wali Jan Mehsud. His brother was among the ones critically injured in the incident. Bomb blast in Swat kills peace committee member's father Zeb was targeted when he was in his car with his father and two other people on route to Mingora from his home. Peace committee members are targetted time and again in the districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and agencies of its adjoining Federally Administered Tribal Areas. In October, a peace committee member was targetted in Ghar rea of Malam Jabba in Swat. The targetted person, Ahmed Zeb, was in his car with his father and two other people, when the incident took place. In the targetted attack, Zeb?s father was killed while two others were critically injured, police had said.

Separatism has 'come to an end': Madrid envoy to Catalonia

BARCELONA: The failure of Catalonia's declaration of independence and Madrid´s imposition of direct rule on the region have put a firm "full stop" to separatism, the central government´s envoy in Catalonia said. "This story of the referendum and of the (independence) process has ended, full stop," Enric Millo, a veteran Catalan politician who has been the government's representative in the region since November 2016, told AFP this week. Millo was speaking just weeks before regional elections on December 21, called by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy after the Catalan parliament declared unilateral independence at the end of October. After that declaration, Rajoy's government took direct control of the semi-autonomous region and sacked the Catalan government in a bid to end a crisis that had started when separatist leaders held an independence referendum on October 1 despite a court ban. But the independent republic proclaimed by separatist lawmakers on October 27 fell apart in a matter of days. Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and some of his regional ministers went off to Belgium, while the rest were jailed by a judge investigating them on charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds. Since then, some separatist leaders have recognised they were not ready to create a new country, or that they didn't have enough support in the deeply divided region. 'Could only end in one way' "It´s not that they weren't prepared, it's that they lied for years," said Millo, who is originally from Girona, a pro-independence stronghold that was led by Puigdemont between 2011 and January 2016, before he became Catalan president. "This, without a shadow of a doubt, could only end in one way - great deception and great failure. "The independence movement hasn't yet assumed this failure and continues to look for formulas and ways to try and hide the fact that this has come to an end." Millo said the elections would allow "a new stage" to open up for the region, divided over the years by the conflict between separatist authorities and the central government. Opinion polls suggest separatist and anti-independence parties will be neck-and-neck. Millo said he hoped "the new government, whatever it's political leaning, will commit to fulfilling the current law". He added it was important to "re-establish" dialogue between the Catalan and central governments. That dialogue, he said, could be bilateral between both executives, and seek to better the region's financing and investment in Catalan infrastructure. But one issue will remain non-negotiable: holding an independence referendum. For Millo, re-election of Puigdemont "would be bad news". "He has already demonstrated that he isn't ready to talk and that the only thing he wants is breaking away and breaking the law." "It would probably lead us to another blockage which would be very damaging."

Cheese back on top: Google finally fixes burger emoji

Google made good on its promise to fix the hamburger emoji, which led to an online debacle last month. The people who argued that the cheese goes on top of the burger won, and the emoji has been fixed, according to Emojipedia, a site which tracks the emoji universe and all the changes. The burger emoji has been updated in the Android 8.1. The emoji now matches all its other counterparts where the cheese is on the top. On October 28, a user pointed out: ?I think we need to have a discussion about how Google's burger emoji is placing the cheese underneath the burger, while Apple puts it on top.? The tweet had more than 51,000 likes and 25,000 retweets. Replying to this, Google CEO Sundar Pichai replied he would ?drop everything? to address this issue. As a result, internet started debating over the correct way to stack a cheeseburger. Google even went to experiment with putting the cheese at the bottom, according to one of the users. The update has finally put the debate to rest!

Over 400 US Marines being withdrawn from Syria anti-Daesh operation

WASHINGTON: Over 400 US Marines involved in battling Daesh in Syria are being withdrawn as part of a cut in forces after the capture of militant "capital" Raqqa, the US-led coalition said Thursday. The Marines had deployed to Syria in March and used 155mm howitzers to support local forces as they fought to retake Raqqa. "With the city liberated and ISIS on the run, the unit has been ordered home. Its replacements have been called off," the coalition said in a statement. The coalition's director of operations Brigadier General Jonathan Braga called the move "a real sign of progress" as the militants have seen the vast swathes of ground they seized across Syria and Iraq in 2014 reduced to just a few remaining pockets. "We're drawing down combat forces where it makes sense, but still continuing our efforts to help Syrian and Iraqi partners maintain security," Braga said in the statement. A recent report from the Pentagon's Defense Manpower Data Center said that as of September 30, the US military had 1,720 troops in Syria and 8,892 in Iraq. Those numbers were far above the officially released figure of 503 in Syria and 5,262 in Iraq, and even after the announcement of the Marine withdrawal, that supposed 503 figure hadn´t budged. An alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), retook Raqqa from the militants in October after a brutal onslaught supported by artillery and air power from the US-led coalition. The international group - which began targeting the militants in 2014 - is still supporting the militia in an operation in neighboring Deir Ezzor province. The Syrian government backed by Russian firepower is currently conducting a separate offensive in the same region. As operations change from taking back territory to more of a counter-insurgency, the need for equipment like heavy artillery has diminished, Pentagon spokesman Major Adrian Rankine-Galloway said. Now the goal is more to "train local security forces to defend their territory," he said. 'Adjustments to military support' Since Raqqa's capture, coalition strikes have dropped off drastically and, under pressure from Turkey, Washington has promised "adjustments to the military support" for the SDF. Kurdish officials have, however, insisted that cooperation will continue between the two sides, while the US has said coalition forces do not expect to end their mission until a peace deal is negotiated in Syria. In a separate statement released Thursday the coalition said that 801 civilians had been killed unintentionally in the more than 28,000 air strikes it has conducted and that it is still probing 695 reported incidents. Monitoring group Airwars insists that number is well below the true civilian toll of the bombing campaign, estimating that almost 6,000 innocent lives have been lost. As the "caliphate" the militants declared now looks set to be wiped off the map, there are major questions over what comes next in Syria's complex war that has claimed over 340,000 lives since 2011. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - and his main backers Iran and Russia - now have clear military superiority in the country and international players led by Moscow are making their most concerted push to halt hostilities. But any progress towards an overall political settlement remains fraught with obstacles and UN-backed talks involving the regime and opposition currently taking place in Geneva have been clouded by major disagreements.

Recommendations to be furnished for approval of manganese quantity in petrol

KARACHI: The committee, formed by the prime minister pertaining to probe addition of manganese to gasoline by fuel suppliers, will furnish recommendations for approval of quantity of manganese in petrol specifications, sources told Geo News Thursday. Earlier this months, Pakistan?s state oil and gas regulator said it will investigate a complaint filed by Honda Motor Co?s Pakistan subsidiary, Honda Atlas Cars (Pakistan) Limited, which said the harmful additive appeared to be damaging the engines in its vehicles. Manganese can be added to fuel to make it appear to be of a higher quality, but it can reduce fuel economy as well as potentially harm public health due to emissions. In August 2016, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet had approved the use of 92 RON petrol in the country, after which its import began in Nov 2016 while local refineries also started refining same grade gasoline. Sources informed Thursday that the government has not approved quantity of manganese in the specifications of RON 92 petrol. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) and Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan (HDIP) also turned a blind eye to the issue. However, the committee, formed by the premier to probe the matter, will not present recommendations for approval of a specified quantity of manganese in petrol. The Honda complaint had said tests had found dangerous levels of manganese in fuel samples from Shell Pakistan Limited, Total Parco Pakistan Limited, and Pakistan State Oil Company Limited. The tests had shown levels of manganese of up to 53 milligrams per kilogramme (mg/kg), while the additive is deemed at a ?danger level? at 24 mg/kg, the Honda complaint said.

Snap CEO announces design overhaul, takes a dig at Facebook and Twitter

The popular photo-sharing platform is all set for a major design overhaul. Photo: Reuters Snapchat users should gear up for change, as the social-media platform is ready to roll out changes to a few test-user later this week. The popular photo-sharing platform is all set for a major design overhaul. Co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel recently made the announcement, and also took a dig at competitors Facebook and Twitter over the issue of fake news. The company is redesigning its app to separate media and social communications, making it easier to use and understand, Spiegel wrote in an opinion piece in Axios on Wednesday. ?We think this helps guard against fake news and mindless scrambles for friends or unworthy distractions,? Spiegel said, taking a jibe at rivals Facebook and Twitter. ?The separation takes an important step forward towards strengthening our relationships with our friends and our relationships with the media,? he added. The design overhaul will focus on separating the ?Discover? page on the right and the ?Friends? page on the left. ?Discover? allows you to see stories from vetted publishers, stories from around the world or stories from influencers or people you chose to follow, while the ?Friends? page features updates from close friends and family. The changes will be available to all users on iOS and Android devices in the coming weeks, reports say. The entire redesign was done in-house, a Snapchat spokesperson was quoted as saying. Social media giant Facebook has been accused of copying Snapchat in the past. Earlier, this week, it started working on a feature similar to Snapchat?s ?Streaks? which is an addictive game that encourages friends to send messages back and forth for consecutive days.

Govt promotes three PAF officers to air vice marshal

Air Vice Marshals Soban Nazir Syed (left), Muhammad Zahoor Faisal (centre) and Rizwan Riaz (right). ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan has promoted three Pakistan Air Force officers to the rank of air vice marshal. According to a press release issued from PAF on Thursday, the air commodores promoted to the rank of air vice marshal are Muhammad Zahoor Faisal, Soban Nazir Syed and Rizwan Riaz.

IN PICTURES: Pakistan lights up for Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH)

Buildings, streets, roads, mosques have been illuminated across Pakistan on account of the birth of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) on 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal, which will be marked on Friday. The celebrations started last week during which many buildings were lit up and currently many processions are being held across the country. A beautiful illuminated view of street decorated with lights in connection with Eid Milad-un-Nabi in Karachi. Photo: PPI A mosque is seen illuminated ahead of Eid-e-Milad-ul-Nabi in Rawalpindi, Pakistan November 29, 2017. Photo: REUTERS A beautiful illuminated view of street decorated with lights in connection with Eid Milad-un-Nabi in Rawalpindi. Photo: PPI A look of luminous street which decorated on the occasion Eid Milad-un-Nabi at the locality of Hussainabad in Karachi on Monday, November 27, 2017.Photo: PPI Illuminated look of streets and building in Hyderabad on the occasion of Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi. Photo: PPI Pakistani Muslims stand outside an illuminated mosque during celebrations marking the Eid Milad-un-Nabi in Karachi on November 29, 2017. Photo: AFP Illuminated look of streets and building in Hyderabad on the occasion of Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi. Photo: PPI Illuminated look of Aram Bagh Moque on the occasion of Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi,in Karachi. Photo:PPI Pakistani residents walk through a decorated market for Eid Milad-un-Nabi (birthday of the Prophet Mohammad) festival in Lahore on November 29, 2017. Photo: AFP Pakistani residents walk through a decorated market for Eid Milad-un-Nabi in Lahore on November 30, 2017. Photo: AFP Beautiful illuminated view of residential building in Karachi on the occasion Eid Milad-un-Nabi on Sunday, November 26, 2017. Photo: PPI

Two killed, nine hurt in Ukraine courtroom blast

KIEV: Two people were killed and another nine injured on Thursday after two hand grenades were detonated by the father of a victim in a murder trial in southeastern Ukraine, police said. The incident occurred in the city of Nikopol, about 240 kilometres from the separatist east of the country, during the trial of several men accused of killing two people in 2016, according to a statement from regional police. During the hearing, the father of one of the victims pulled out and detonated two hand grenades, killing one and wounding seven other people, it said. Later a police spokesman confirmed the death of the second person - one of the defendants - after he was taken to a hospital. The spokesman added that a total of nine people were wounded, including the defendants, court personnel and guards. The tragedy highlights the arms trafficking problem in Ukraine since the conflict between Russian-backed rebels and Kiev army erupted in April 2014 in the country's east and has since then killed more than 10,000 people. In November, Kiev police said two men were detained after 6.5 kilogrammes of explosives were found hidden in a car that was parked near a shopping centre in a densely populated area on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital. Also this month, in the eastern war-torn Donetsk region police intercepted a car that was illegally carrying hundreds of cartridges and six hand grenades. Security forces in southern Odessa region have also announced the arrest of a man suspected of trafficking weapons from the conflict zone.

Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) to be celebrated with religious fervor on Friday

[embed_video1 url=http://ift.tt/2kbwxqJ style=center] ISLAMABAD: Eid Milad-un-Nabi, the birthday of Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) would be observed across the country with traditional religious zeal on Friday. The government and religious organizations, Milad committees and individuals have planned a number of activities including Milad processions, seminars, conferences, and discussion programmes to celebrate the annual event. The sacred day will begin with offering special prayers in mosques for upholding and flourishing of Islam and religious teachings, unity, solidarity, progress, and welfare of the Muslim ummah. Numerous Eid Milad-un-Nabi processions will be taken out across the country and ?Mehfil-e-Milad? would be held to celebrate the occasion. All city streets and roads including bazaars and shopping centres, government and private buildings have been beautifully decorated with lights and banners bearing the writings about the celebration of the Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) have been illuminated across the country. Gates have been erected at all major roads and streets in all small and major towns of the country in connection with Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) celebrations. Private and public buildings have beautifully been illuminated with colourful lights on this occasion to express jubilation over the sacred day. Many vendors have set up colourful stalls with a unique collection of badges, stickers, flags and banners inscribed with religious slogans, to pay respect and reverence to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) across the country. Federal and provincial governments have already prepared contingency security plans with coordination of other law enforcement agencies to guard the processions and other events to be held on the day. Special checking of the route in Islamabad would be completed before the procession starts and bomb disposal squad would clear the route on the day. More than 2,000 police personnel, including 300 traffic policemen, will perform security duties on Eid Milad-un-Nabi in the federal capital, while special teams of Rangers, crime investigation department (CID), and special branch police will assist in the smooth performance of their duties. The main procession in Islamabad will start from Sector G-7 (Sitara Market) and culminate near the shrine of Hazrat Sakhi Mehmud at Aabpara Market. The areas will be completely cordoned off through heavy deployment of law enforcement personnel. Strict monitoring of the main procession, through Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras recently installed, is part of the security plan. Parking vehicles on the route of the procession will be prohibited. No one would be allowed to stand on the rooftops of the commercial and residential buildings situated along the route of the main procession while armed police personnel would be deployed on the rooftops of the buildings. Police patrolling had also been enhanced in many areas. The faithful would be checked with metal detectors and walk through gates would be installed at the entry points of the processions. The route of the main procession would be sealed completely and streets on the route would also be barricaded. In Rawalpindi, as many as 3,500 policemen will be deployed in Rawalpindi district to ensure security for the processions of Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH). The main procession route, DAV College Chowk, Fowara Chowk, Raja Bazaar, Bansaa Wala Chowk and Buni Chowk would be barricaded. All the traffic would be diverted on other routes. Murree Road diversions would be at Rialto Chowk, Liaquat Bagh, Committee Chowk underpass, Naz Cinema Chowk, Rawal Road Turn, Double Road, Gungmandi near City police station and at other main Chowks.