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EDINBURGH: Ten beaches around Scotland have been rated as having “poor” water quality, new figures show.The rating from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) means the beaches — 12 per cent of the total assessed — have not met strict environmental water quality standards this year.In contrast, however, around a third of bathing waters have been labelled “excellent” and the remainder were also judged to have met the higher standards that came into force four years ago. The figures were released as the bathing season gets under way, and come as the environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful gave 61 beaches awards in recognition of their high standards for visitors. According to Sepa, fewer bathing waters have been rated as “poor” since the tighter standards were introduced in 2015. Of those that fell below standard, four were in the Solway area (Brighouse Bay, Dhoon Bay, Rockcliffe and Sandyhills) and three were in the West of Scotland (Ayr — South Beach, Heads of Ayr and

SINGAPORE: Beijing warned on Friday that the US should not underestimate China’s military as the top defence officials from both countries met on the sidelines of a security forum.As Beijing and Washington vie for influence in a region hosting potential flashpoints such as the South China Sea, Korean Peninsula and the Taiwan Strait, acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan met Chinese Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe for 20 minutes Friday.Chinese defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian said they "reached some consensus" on issues of common concern, adding that Wei "particularly emphasised the Taiwan issue".China sees Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified, despite the two sides having being ruled separately since the end of a civil war on the mainland in 1949. Beijing is regularly angered by US warships transiting through the Taiwan Strait, which it considers its territorial waters."He (Defence minister Wei) pointed out that the US has recently had a

NEW DELHI: India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday named his trusted aide Amit Shah to the key home affairs ministry as part of a major cabinet shakeup for his second term in office.Nirmala Sitharaman moved from defence to become finance minister in a second shock, while career diplomat S. Jaishankar became foreign minister. Hardline Hindu nationalist Shah was the president of the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who masterminded Modi’s second straight landslide victory in the country’s national election.Shah, 54, will now pursue Modi’s nationalist agenda in internal security, immigration and other key national issues. A controversial figure, Shah was accused of ordering police to carry out three extrajudicial killings in his home state of Gujarat in 2005. He was banished from the western state for two years before being cleared in 2014 for lack of evidence.Recently he hit the headlines after comparing illegal immigrants to "termites" that must be thrown out of

GENEVA: Julian Assange has been subjected to drawn-out "psychological torture", a UN rights expert said on Friday, accusing the United States, Britain, Ecuador and Sweden of "collective persecution" of the WikiLeaks founder.The United Nations special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Nils Melzer, also warned that if London agrees to an extradition request from Washington, Assange risked the death penalty.Melzer visited the Australian whistleblower in a London prison on May 9, nearly a month after his arrest at Ecuador’s embassy where he had been holed up for seven years. "It was obvious that Mr Assange’s health has been seriously affected by the extremely hostile and arbitrary environment he has been exposed to for many years," Melzer said in a statement."Most importantly, in addition to physical ailments, Mr Assange showed all symptoms typical for prolonged exposure to psychological torture, including extreme stre

NATIONAL HARBOR, United States: The world’s premier spelling bee has ended in an unprecedented eight-way tie after hours of intense competition among American youngsters tackling some of the English language’s most obscure words.Texas seventh-grader Rohan Raja became the eighth and final winner of the National Spelling Bee’s 92nd annual competition on Thursday after a correct recital of the word "odylic", earning a wild round of applause from the audience.He hoisted the trophy with the seven other kids to survive the final round after successfully spelling a slate of tongue-twisters, including auslaut, erysipelas, bougainvillea, aiguillette, pendeloque, palama and cernuous.The winners were "the most phenomenal assemblage of spellers in the history of this storied competition", said the bee’s long-time official pronouncer Jacques Bailly. Each will receive a $50,000 cash prize in addition to their own trophies, organizers said.An American institution, the Scripps Nati

TEHRAN: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif has criticised some Arab rulers for siding with the Israel regime on the status of Occupied al-Quds, saying the holy occupied Palestinian city is not up for sale.In a post on his official Twitter account on Friday, Zarif added that no one has the right to cede Jerusalem al-Quds as the first Muslims’ qibla (the direction toward which Muslims pray).“A few Arab rulers believe that if they follow (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu, they’ll be able to achieve their illusions,” he said.The top Iranian diplomat; however, emphasized that the Israeli premier “has failed to protect Israel, despite his Iron Dome, so how can he protect THEM?”Also on Wednesday, Zarif said that the occupied city of Jerusalem al-Quds belongs to Palestine and the Palestinian nation, stressing that neither the United States nor the Israeli regime can make decisions about it.“Al-Quds (Jerusalem) is neither America’s to give away nor Israel’s to take. And NOT

MADRID: An influencer in Spain was sentenced to 15 months in jail and 20,000 euros for posting a YouTube video in which he offered a homeless man biscuits stuffed with toothpaste, a court said on Friday.Kan-Hua Ren, known as ReSet, was found guilty of an offence against moral integrity in his video published in January 2017 on his channel and since removed, the Barcelona court said.He was sentenced to 15 months in jail, which he won’t likely have to serve. Sentences of up to two years are generally not implemented in Spain for first-time offenders in non-violent crimes.Ren was also ordered to pay 20,000 euros ($22,300) in compensation to the victim and his channels will be closed down for five years. "Challenged" by one of his followers, Ren, who was 19 at the time, filmed himself removing cream from inside biscuits and replacing it with toothpaste. Then he gave them to a Romanian beggar along with a 20-euro bill."Maybe I went a little far, but let’s look at the positive

SEOUL: North Korea executed its special envoy to the United States following the collapse of the second summit between leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump, a South Korean newspaper reported on Friday.The Chosun Ilbo said Kim Hyok Chol, who laid the groundwork for the Hanoi meeting and accompanied Kim on his private train, was executed by firing squad for "betraying the supreme leader" after he was "won over to the US" during pre-summit negotiations."Kim Hyok Chol was executed in March at Mirim Airport along with four senior foreign ministry officials following an investigation," the newspaper quoted an unidentified source as saying. The other officials were not named.Asked about the account, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington was trying to verify it. "We’ve seen the reporting to which you’re referring. We’re doing our best to check it out," he told reporters on a visit to Berlin."I don’t have anything else to add to

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Friday it was time for Mexico to "take back" the country from drug cartels, claiming that his newly announced tariffs would help stop the flow of narcotics over the border.Late on Thursday, Trump said he would impose tariffs on all products from Mexico from June 10 at a rate of five percent -- a rate that would increase incrementally if Mexico does not clamp down on cross-border migration."Mexico must take back their country from the drug lords and cartels. The Tariff is about stopping drugs as well as illegals!" Trump tweeted. The US leader claimed that "90% of the Drugs coming into the United States come through Mexico & our Southern Border. 80,000 people died last year, 1,000,000 people ruined.""This has gone on for many years & nothing has been done about it. We have a 100 Billion Dollar Trade Deficit with Mexico. It’s time!"Trump’s announcement of fresh tariffs -- which came as the US, Me

KIEV: Ukraine’s Petro Poroshenko retained control over his political party on Friday as the former president and his allies seek to win back support two months before a crucial parliamentary vote.Last month the pro-Western politician suffered a crushing defeat in presidential elections to comedian Volodymyr Zelensky amid popular anger over the country’s separatist war in the east, corruption and poverty.Poroshenko’s party has since launched a major re-branding effort to recover from his ballot box defeat ahead of the snap polls set for July 21.Last week the party -- called Petro Poroshenko’s Bloc Solidarity -- announced it was changing its name to European Solidarity. Poroshenko was elected leader of the renamed party on Friday."I am very grateful to you for electing me head of the European Solidarity party," Poroshenko said minutes after the unanimous vote that was broadcast live by a private Ukrainian channel. The party -- seen as Poroshenko’s political vehicle -- was previ

BEIRUT: The US-led coalition said on Friday it had unintentionally killed more than 1,300 civilians in air strikes during its fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria since 2014.The figure is far lower than the death tolls given by groups which have monitored the conflicts in the two countries. "The coalition conducted 34,502 strikes between August 2014 and the end of April 2019," it said in a statement.During this period, it "assesses at least 1,302 civilians have been unintentionally killed by coalition strikes". The coalition said it was still assessing 111 additional claims of civilians deaths, and was ready to receive new allegations or fresh evidence to review.The coalition has repeatedly said it does all it can to avoid civilian deaths. Amnesty International welcomed the latest acknowledgement of responsibility, but said the real civilian death toll was likely much higher."The coalition remains deeply in denial about the devastating scale

UNITED NATIONS, United States: The United Nations Security Council decided on Friday to cut 1,000 troops from a regional peacekeeping force in Somalia, despite a rise in attacks by the Al-Shabaab militia in Mogadishu.The council voted unanimously to draw down the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), but left the door open for the council to revisit that decision if violence worsens.The resolution put forward by Britain reduces AMISOM troops by 1,000 to a ceiling of 19,626 by February 28, but maintains 1,040 police. The force’s mandate was extended for a year.Under a transition plan agreed in 2017, AMISOM will gradually hand over security to Somali forces, but the African Union has raised concern about the extra responsibility as the country heads to elections next year.The United Nations is seeking to shore up stability in Somalia, where al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab fighters have been seeking to topple the government for a decade.The Shabaab were chased out of Mogadishu in 2011 by

HELSINKI: Five of Finland’s centre-left parties have reached a coalition agreement following April elections, and could be officially appointed to government next week, the incoming Social Democrat prime minister Antti Rinne said on Friday.Rinne led his party to a razor-thin victory in last month’s general election, holding off the far-right Finns Party which surged into second place on an anti-immigration agenda.However Rinne, a 56-year-old former trade union boss who was known for his fiery negotiating skills, opted to go into coalition with the Centre Party of outgoing Prime Minister Juha Sipila.The parties, along with the Green party, Left Alliance and Swedish People’s Party, a centrist group which represents Finland’s Swedish-speaking minority, have been hammering out a detailed list of their forthcoming policies, known as the government programme, to be published on Monday."The content is ready, and now over the weekend we’ll check some of the wording of the text and some of

ISTANBUL: Syrian NGOs decried on Friday the inaction of the international community to mounting violence in the last Jihadist stronghold of Idlib, saying it had triggered the biggest wave of displaced people since the war began.As well as killing dozens of civilians, the recent bombardments by Syrian and Russian forces in northwest Syria have pushed 300,000 people towards Turkey’s border, the NGOs said at a press conference in Istanbul."This is the single largest mass displacement in Syria since the beginning of the crisis" in 2011, they said in a statement. More than two-thirds of those displaced are living without shelter, with border camps already running at double capacity, they added."The latest offensive began in March and has amplified since April 26, turning into a daily massacre," said Raed Saleh, head of the "White Helmets" civilian defence group. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Friday that almost 950 people had been killed in the la

MANILA: Tonnes of garbage sent to the Philippines years ago was shipped back to Canada on Friday after a festering diplomatic row, as Asian nations increasingly reject serving as dumping grounds for international trash.After a long campaign to urge Canada to take back the rotting waste, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte lashed out at Ottawa last week and ordered the refuse returned immediately. The 69 shipping containers of garbage were loaded onto a cargo vessel at Subic Bay, a former US naval base and shipping port northwest of Manila, and began the lengthy trip to Canada."Baaaaaaaaa bye, as we say it," Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin wrote on Twitter, along with images of the vessel leaving. Canada’s Environment Minister Catherine McKenna welcomed the news of the trash being returned, telling reporters on Thursday: "We committed with the Philippines and we’re working closely with them." from The News International - World http://bit.ly/2WewNYg

BLANTYRE, Malawi: Malawi’s opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera on Friday rejected the result of last week’s presidential election, saying he had launched a court battle to have the vote annulled on the grounds of fraud.Chakwera lost the election by just 159,000 votes to incumbent Peter Mutharika, who was hurriedly sworn into office the day after the delayed result was issued on Monday. "I reject the Malawi Electoral Commission’s fraudulent presidential results," Chakwera said in a statement.He said he was filing a high court petition to have the election declared void. "What we have witnessed in front of our very eyes is not an election, but daylight robbery, a crime against our decency as a people and our democracy as a nation," he said. Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party (MCP) last weekend obtained a brief court injunction to halt the release of the results, claiming "very glaring irregularities".The party said that results sheets were covered in correction

ALGIERS: Large crowds of Algerians on Friday took to the streets of the capital, where dozens were detained ahead of the latest protest two months after leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned.Demonstrators filled avenues in central Algiers chanting slogans against a push to hold presidential elections in July and rejecting calls by the armed forces chief for dialogue. "No elections with this gang in power," the crowd shouted.Protesters are looking to keep up the pressure on the North African state’s ruling elite with weekly rallies despite the end of Bouteflika’s two-decade rule. Police had earlier rounded up some 50 people, mainly young men, in the heart of Algiers ahead of the planned protest.Those detained had their IDs and mobile phones confiscated and were loaded into vans, an AFP journalist reported. Demonstrators taking to the streets are demanding the resignation of all those tainted by ties to the former regime.Local journalists reported that people were out in force i

DUBLIN: Ireland’s supreme court on Friday dismissed a bid by Facebook to block a landmark data security case from progressing to the European Court of Justice.The top European court in Luxembourg is now set to hear the case in July, answering questions on whether the personal information of EU citizens is afforded adequate protection from American government surveillance during EU-US data transfers."We are grateful for the consideration of the Irish Court and look ahead to the Court of Justice of the European Union to now decide on these complex questions," Facebook said in a statement.The case stems from a 2013 complaint from Austrian privacy lawyer Max Schrems, following the revelations by US whistleblower Edward Snowden. Schrems raised concerns that the data of European Facebook users was being accessed by US surveillance programmes such as the PRISM system described in Snowden’s disclosures.In 2017, Ireland’s high court ruled that the US government engaged in "mass i

ANKARA: Turkey has dismissed reports alleging that Ankara is considering delay in the delivery of advanced Russian built S-400 air defence missile systems in the wake of US pressure and threats of imposing sanctions over the purchase of the military hardware, emphasizing the plan is going on as planned.“Reports of some media organs in recent days which say Turkey considers delaying S-400 procurement on US demand are baseless,” Hami Aksoy, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, said on Friday.“Our procurement process of S-400 from Russia is ongoing as planned,” he added.Aksoy further noted that Turkey’s offer to form a working group with the United States to discuss Ankara’s pending procurement of Russian S-400 is still valid.On Thursday, a top Pentagon official said consequences would be “devastating” for Turkey’s joint F-35 fighter program and its cooperation with the US-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) if the country proceeded with its plan to purchase Russian S-400 missi

TOKYO: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte voiced rare frustration with China on Friday, urging progress on a code of conduct for the contested South China Sea, which he warned was becoming a "flashpoint". Duterte was delivering a speech at an economic forum in Tokyo, but veered off script with remarks about the resource-rich sea, over most of which China claims sovereignty despite competing claims from the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan and Vietnam. from The News International - World http://bit.ly/2I5d0Ak

MAPUTO: Militants in northern Mozambique killed 16 people on Tuesday in their deadliest attack since launching an insurgency in the remote region in 2017, local sources told AFP on Friday.Islamist fighters have targeted remote communities in the gas-rich, Muslim-majority Cabo Delgado region since October 2017, killing more than 200 people and forcing thousands from their homes.A Mitsubishi truck was ambushed as it was carrying passengers and goods on a dirt road in the coastal district of Macomia, sources said. Confirmation of the fatalities only emerged on Friday. Attackers threw home-made explosives into the truck and then opened fire. from The News International - World http://bit.ly/2WgOLcn

MAKKAH: Prime Minister Imran Khan Saturday  delivered a keynote speech at the 14th OIC Summit  in Makkah, saying "Islam has nothing to do with terrorism."In his address to the Summit in the Kingdom,  PM Khan  said that  Kashmir dispute must be resolved as per UN resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiris, adding that   peaceful struggle of the people of Kashmir and Palestine must not label as terrorism. from The News International - National http://bit.ly/2Z0VX9K

VIRGINIA: At least eleven people were reportedly killed and  several  others injured in a mass shooting at a government building in the US state of Virginia on Friday.According to the local police officials, the suspect, who is being said  a long-term and current employee at Virginia Beach Municipal Center, where the shooting occurred, fired "indiscriminately".The gunman, whose identity was not released, was killed when police responded to the incident.Police Chief James Cervera said the gunman was killed after officers opened fire."We just heard people yelling and screaming at people to get down," Megan Banton, an administrative assistant in the building, told local television news station. from The News International - World http://bit.ly/2Xqwy97

MANILA: The jewelry of former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos, famed for her extravagant spending and vast shoe collection, will go on sale with the proceeds going to benefit the Philippine public, the president’s spokesman said on Thursday.The government’s assets recovery body had sought President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval for the sale of one of the three sets of jewelry confiscated three decades ago after the fall of Imelda’s husband, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. “I asked (Duterte), are you going to give your go signal to sell? (He said) yes, as long as the proceeds from the sale will benefit the public,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo told reporters in Tokyo where Duterte is on a working visit. The collection, seized in Hawaii, where Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos lived in exile, includes a rare 25-carat, barrel shaped diamond which London-based auction house Christie’s said in 2015 could be valued at $5 million.The government had tried to auction the collections in

MAKKAH: Saudi Arabia prepared to hold emergency Arab summits on Thursday to deliver a strong message to Iran over regional security after attacks on Gulf oil assets this month as American officials said a U.S. military deployment had deterred Tehran.Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which have lobbied Washington to contain foe Iran, have said they want to avoid war after drone strikes on oil pumping stations in the kingdom and the sabotage of tankers off the UAE. Riyadh accused Tehran of ordering the drone strikes, which were claimed by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group. U.S. national security adviser John Bolton said on Thursday that evidence of Iran being behind the tanker attacks would be presented to the United Nations Security Council as early as next week. Tehran denies any involvement in either one. Saudi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf said ahead of the two late night summits of Sunni Muslim Gulf leaders and Arab leaders, that the attacks must be addressed with “stre

WASHINGTON: The White House requested a Navy ship bearing the name of US President Donald Trump’s late rival senator John McCain be kept “out of sight” during a recent presidential trip to Japan, US media reported Wednesday.The request came from an official who said he had been briefed on requirements for the visit by the White House Military Office and the Seventh Fleet, which is stationed in Japan. “USS John McCain needs to be out of sight,” the email seen by the Wall Street Journal said. “Please confirm #3 will be satisfied,” it added, referring to the request. The order apparently posed a conundrum because the ship was undergoing repairs and would have been difficult to move before Trump arrived on Tuesday to deliver a speech on a neighboring ship. from The News International - World http://bit.ly/2EKT0Ct

KABUL: At least six people were killed and six more wounded in a suicide blast outside a military academy in the Afghan capital on Thursday, an official said.The attack outside the Marshal Fahim National Defense University in western Kabul took place at the road entrance to the war college. Kabul police spokesman Firdaws Faramarz said the suicide bomber had been on foot. He blew himself up when a soldier challenged him.“Based on initial information, six people killed, six wounded, police have reached the scene,” Faramarz said. The attacker “detonated himself before reaching his target”, Faramarz added, without providing further details.The attack happened around noon (0730 GMT), a time when students typically leave school early during the month of Ramadan. No group immediately claimed responsibility. Police and security forces in and around Kabul have come under frequent attack in recent weeks, even as the US and the Taliban have held talks about a possible peace agreement. from The

JOHANNESBURG: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday cut the number of cabinet ministers from 36 to 28, in a move he said would tackle the country´s “bloated” government and improve efficiency. Half the new ministers are women, making South Africa one of the world´s few gender-balanced governments. Ramaphosa announced the new line-up after he led the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party to victory in elections earlier this month. He took office last year after the ousting of graft-tainted Jacob Zuma, who had expanded the number of ministerial posts in an alleged attempt to strengthen his patronage network. from The News International - World http://bit.ly/2EKfNhs

VIENNA: Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen appointed the head of the country´s consitutional court as Austria´s first female chancellor Thursday to lead an interim government until elections in the autumn. Brigitte Bierlein will now be tasked with forming a cabinet after the previous government collapsed spectacularly over the so-called “Ibiza-gate” corruption scandal. “I will seek to win Austrians´ trust,” Bierlein said alongside Van der Bellen in a televised statement Thursday, saying she would hold talks with political parties and civil society organisations in the coming days. She said that Clemens Jablons, a previous president of the Supreme Administrative Court, was “ready to take up the posts of vice-chancellor and justice minister”. She added that she would put forward diplomat Alexander Schallenberg for the post of foreign minister. from The News International - World http://bit.ly/2XcQwnC

MIAMI: A Florida man escaped from a police officer during a traffic stop and then called the 911 emergency number to complain. “What do we pay you guys for?” 19-year-old Nicholas Jones said on the call. “I´ve driven past four cops.” An audio recording of the call was posted by the Florida Times-Union on its website. Jones was pulled over during a traffic stop May 4 in St Johns county, Florida. He made the 911 call about an hour after fleeing in his car. The startled 911 dispatcher asked Jones to explain what he was talking about. “I mean he (the police officer) turned his lights on me and got behind me and as he was walking up to my car I did a donut around him and left him,” Jones said. “OK, you want to now see the officer. Or... What´s your question?” the dispatcher said. “Like... My question is ... I´m assuming he put an APB (all-points bulletin, or broadcast) out that has someone looking for my car... so like he definitely got the plate number but I´ve passed like four cops just dr

LONDON: Nirav Modi, India´s fugitive jeweler to the stars, appeared at a London court on Thursday as his extradition battle focused on which prison India would send him to. Accused of involvement in a massive bank fraud that rocked India´s corporate community, Modi, 48, appeared in custody at Westminster Magistrates Court and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth. Judge Emma Arbuthnot, England´s chief magistrate, said she wanted to know within 14 days which prison the Indian authorities intended to hold Modi in. Arbuthnot also said she wanted to receive the opening note in the case within six weeks, after state prosecutors, acting on behalf of the Indian authorities, said it would be difficult to provide it within four weeks. from The News International - World http://bit.ly/2XcQoEE

MAKKAH: Prime Minister Imran Khan has performed Umrah along with First Lady Bushra Maneka on Friday.PM Imran was accompanied by a number of eminent cabinet members on the spiritual journey including CM Punjab Usman Buzdar, CM Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Mehmood Khan, Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Youth Affairs in KPK Atif Khan, Special Assistant to PM Imran on Special Affairs Naeem-ul-Haque, Senator Faisal Javed Khan and other noted politicians. The premier will also offer Friday prayers in Masjid-ul-Haram. PM Imran arrived in Medina a day earlier for a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia and paid respect at Roza-e-Rasool (Peace Be Upon Him) while offering Nawafil prayers in Medina. PM Imran will also attend the  Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit in Makkah today. The OIC Summit titled "Makkah Summit: Together for the Future”, hosted by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, aims at developing a unified stance of Muslim leaders to address rising tension in the Gulf.

ISLAMABAD: Continental air is prevailing over most parts of the country. A shallow westerly wave is present over upper parts of the country.Weather Forecast for Friday:Mainly hot and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country. However, dust-thunderstorm/rain is expected at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara, Kohat, Peshawar, Bannu, Rawalpindi divisions, Islamabad and Kashmir.Weather Forecast for Saturday:Mainly hot and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country. However, dust-thunderstorm/rain is expected at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara, Kohat, Peshawar, Bannu, Rawalpindi divisions, Islamabad and Kashmir.Past 24 Hours Weather:Weather remained hot and dry in most parts of the country, while very hot in eastern Balochistan, Sindh, plain areas of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.Rainfall (mm) during Last 24 hrs:Nil.Yesterdays Highest Maximum Temperatures:Jaccobabad, Sukkur, Moenjodaro 49°C, Larkana, Rohri, Bahawalnagar 48°C, Bhakkar, R.Y.Khan, Khanpur, Noorpur Tha

Pakistan: Today's Sehar and Iftar timingsToday is the 25th day of Ramzan 2019 in Pakistan. Muslims abstain from eating and drinking between Sehar and Iftar time (dawn till dusk) during the holy month.Below are Sehar and Iftar timings for two major school of thoughts: Fiqa Hanafia (Sunni) and Jafaria (Shia) living in six major cities of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir on 25th Ramzan 2019.Karachi Sehar and Iftar TimingsHanafia Sehar: 04:15 am - Iftar 07:17 pmJafariaSehar: 04:05 am - Iftar 07:27pmLahore Sehar and Iftar TimingsHanafiaSehar: 03:22 am - Iftar 07:02 pmJafariaSehar: 03:12am - Iftar 07:12 pmRawalpindi Sehar and Iftar TimingHanafiaSehar: 03:18 am - Iftar 07:12pmJafariaSehar: 03:08 am - Iftar 07:22 pmPeshawar Sehar and Iftar TimingHanafiaSehar: 03:22am - Iftar 07:19pmJafariaSehar: 03:12 am - Iftar 07:29 pmQuetta Sehar and Iftar TimingHanafiaSehar: 03:57am - Iftar 07:28 pmJafariaSehar: 03:47 am - Iftar 07:38 pm from The News International - National http://bit.ly/2HObu76

Here are the prayers timings for Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta on May 31, Friday, 25th Ramadan. (Starting time)KarachiFajr: 4:15 am, Zohar: 12:30 pm, Asr: 3:53pm, Maghreb: 7:17pm, Isha: 8:44pmSunrise: 5:42LahoreFajr: 3:22am, Zohar: 12:01 pm, Asr: 3:40 pm, Maghreb: 7:02 pm, Isha: 8:39 pmSunrise: 4:58IslamabadFajr: 3:18am, Zohar: 12:06 pm, Asr: 3:50 pm, Maghreb: 7:13pm, Isha: 8:54pmSunrise: 4:59PeshawarFajr: 3:23 am, Zohar: 12:12pm, Asr: 3:57 pm, Maghreb: 7:19, Isha: 9:01pmSunrise: 5:04QuettaFajr: 3:58am, Zohar: 12:30, Asr: 4:06 pm, Maghreb: 7:28, Isha: 9:02 pmSunrise: 5:31 from The News International - National http://bit.ly/2HMBnUF

 MAKKAH: Former Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Khan Afridi has performed Umrah  along with his daughters. The cricketer Friday posted a video on his Tweeter handle,  carrying one of his daughters on his back. Soon after  getting the honour of performing an Umrah, the legendary cricketer - who is father to four daughters named Ansha, Ajwa, Asmara and Aqsa - shared a video on his Twitter account in which he can be seen along with his two daughters walking in   Masjid-ul-Haram.Sharing the blessed moments from The Great Mosque of Makkah, the Boom Boom Afridi also wrote some heartwarming lines on his Twitter account, "This sound of Allah o Akbar, this moment, this blessed night, I feel so blessed to be here & ask #Allah for forgiveness & bless my countrymen & all humanity & shower countless blessings on #Pakistan."He added: "Whosoever gets a chance, must visit Medina & Makkah & perform Umrah in Ramadan.". from The News International - National htt

KARACHI: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) on Thursday recommended  to increase petrol price by Rs8.53 per litre for the month of June.Ogra, in its summary forwarded to Petroleum Division, has also purposed to increase prices of high speed diesel and kerosene oil by Rs8.99 and Rs1.69 per litre respectively. The new suggested price of kerosene oil after the hike will be Rs98.46 per litre.An increase of Rs1.68 in price of light diesel has also been suggested, hiking it to Rs88.62 per litre.Sources indicated that Ministry of Finance, after consulting with the Prime Minister, will finalize the proposed price hike. The new rates are expected to be applicable from June 1.It is pertinent to note here that the government had hiked the petroleum prices by as much as Rs9.42 before the start of Ramzan.  from The News International - National http://bit.ly/30UX7VZ

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday urged the countrymen to avail the tax amnesty scheme introduced by the government for avoiding any scrutiny in the future, and help steer the country out of prevailing economic crisis.“We have introduced a scheme for declaration of the assets. This is the easiest one. This is valid till June 30. This is an opportunity for you to declare your benami properties and bank accounts. You will not get such a chance after June 30,” PM Imran remarked in his televised message to the nation.Khan, who is in Saudi Arabia to attend the 14th Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Makkah, said the institutions had access to and were collecting all the relevant data including the local and foreign bank accounts and assets. So, it was better to serve the country by declaring the assets.“By this, we can brighten the future of our children, make the country self-dependent and uplift our poor people. Above all, you will have sound sleep without an

BEIJING: China and Pakistan militaries will continue to maintain a good momentum of relations and high-level exchanges and actively conduct cooperation in different services this year, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense said on Thursday.“China and Pakistan are good neighbours who uphold peaceful coexistence. We are brothers, trusted friends and good partners who seek common development,” Spokesman of Chinese Ministry of National Defense Wu Qian said while responding to a question asked by APP during his monthly briefing held here.He informed that in the year 2019, China and Pakistan militaries would maintain a good momentum of relations and high level exchanges.“Both countries will actively conduct cooperation and exchanges in our different services and educational institutions,” he added.The spokesman said the two countries would also organize many joint exercises and training oriented towards real combat situation and work together to achieve more fruitful results across the bo

KARACHI: Former Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Khan Afridi has said that he was proud of Pakistan Army for placing itself first and foremost on the line for accountability.Shahid Afridi took to Twitter saying “Death penalty and imprisonment to its senior officers on charges of spying is a difficult but bold decision. That’s why our Army is strong.”Chief of Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday endorsed punishment to two Army and one civil officer on the charges of espionage/leakage of sensitive information to foreign agencies prejudice to the national security.Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the military, in a statement said “The officers were tried under Pakistan Army Act (PAA) and Official Secret Act by separate Field General Court Marshal (FGCM) for separate cases.”Lieutenant General Javed Iqbal (retired) was awarded 14 years rigorous imprisonment, while Brigadier Raja Rizwan (retired) awarded death sentence, the statement said.While, doctor Wasim

MADINA: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday paid respect at Roza-e-Rasool (S.A.W) and offered Nawafil there.PM Imran Khan also offered Namaz-e-Asar (Asr prayers in Masjid-e-Navbi S.A.W).Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and others were also present.PM Imran Khan is in Saudi Arabia to attend the 14th Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit, being held in Makkah on May 31.The Prime Minister will represent the country at the summit titled ‘Makkah Summit: Together for the Future”, hosted by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, which aims at developing a unified stance of Muslim leaders on rising tension in the Gulf. from The News International - National http://bit.ly/2MhGhx7

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the federal government was not serious in running the constitutional bodies which was evident from the fact that the prime minister left National Economic Council (NEC) meeting without getting the PSDP approved and the next day the national media carried the news that the PSDP was approved.This he said on Thursday while addressing a press conference here at Committee room of Old Assembly Building. He was flanked by Sindh PPP President Nisar Khuhro, Minister Excise Mukesh Kumar Chawla, Advisor on Information Murtaza Wahab and Advisor on Jails Aijaz Jakharni.The chief Minister said that the NEC was a 13-member constitutional body headed by the prime minister and constitutionally it has to meet twice in a year. It was first meeting of the year and the next meeting has to be convened.Mr Shah said that the federal government presented a five-year plan in the NEC meeting and with its presentation the prime minister loudly said a

Rawalpindi: Chief of Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa has endorsed punishment to two Army and one civil officer on the charges of espionage/leakage of sensitive information to foreign agencies prejudice to the national security.Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the military, in a statement said “The officers were tried under Pakistan Army Act (PAA) and Official Secret Act by separate Field General Court Marshal (FGCM) for separate cases.”Lieutenant General Javed Iqbal (retired) was awarded 14 years rigorous imprisonment, while Brigadier Raja Rizwan (retired) awarded death sentence, the statement said. While, doctor Wasim Akram (Employed at Sensitive Organization) was awarded death sentence. from The News International - National http://bit.ly/2W2D5Fk

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Thursday dismissed a petition seeking action against former chief minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif for alleged corruption in Ashiana Housing Scheme Lahore.The bench declared the petition as non-maintainable and asked the petitioner to approach Lahore High Court (LHC) for relief.A divisional bench, comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani, heard the petition filed by ex-finance secretary IHC bar association Raees Abdul Wahid.The petitioner had stated in his plea that he won a house in Ashiana Housing Scheme in balloting but the officials concerned had been demanding bribe from him.A fraud was done with him on the name of housing scheme, he alleged.He prayed the court to issue directives for registration of a first information report (FIR) against former CM Punjab.He had also given an application to Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) but nothing availed.The chief justice asked the petitioner whether he had

ISLAMABAD:  Human Rights Minister  Dr Shireen Mazari on Thursday said  her ministry has inducted first transgender person.In a tweet, the minister  welcome Ayesha Moghul who she said is going to work in the Ministry of Human Rights as a resource person."Welcomed our first transgender Ayesha Moghul who is going to work in MOHR as a resource person - Thank you ," she tweeted.The announcement also accompanied a  picture of Ayesha Moghul in the office of Dr Shireen Mazari.Twitter users  have lauded doctor Mazari for hiring the transgender in her ministry ."Highly appreciated. They have a complete right to secure respectful place in society," said a user Azhar Butt while responding to the minister's tweet."Great step! welldone!!," said another tweet. from The News International - National http://bit.ly/2I5nobs

KARACHI: Member National Assembly Mohsin Dawar has been arrested from North Waziristan days after  he was accused of launching  an attack on Kharqamar check post in the tribal district near border with Afghanistan.Dawar  went into hiding since a  group of men reportedly  led by him and MNA Ali Wazir  stormed a security check-post in North Waziristan on May 26.Mohsin Dawar was  among the nine people nominated in the FIR into the incident.At least three people  were reportedly killed when   they clashed with security forces  on Sunday.Ali Wazir was arrested following the attack while Mohsin Dawar was at large. from The News International - National http://bit.ly/2W3xrm9

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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday  left for Saudi Arabia to attend the 14th OIC Summit to be held in Makkah on Friday.The title of the conference is “Mecca Summit: Together for the Future.” Chaired by  King Salman, the conference aims to develop a unified stance on current issues and events in the Islamic world.Ahead of the Summit, a meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers was held in Jeddah. It deliberated on adopted outcome documents for the Makkah Summit. Speaking during the meeting, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi drew the participants' attention towards grave human rights violations taking place in occupied Kashmir.He sought support of the OIC member states for constituting a commission of inquiry under the UN to investigate the violations and excesses in the held territory. Shah Mahmood Qureshi also made a detailed reference to the situation in Palestine, strongly condemning the continuing Israeli atrocities against innocent Palestinians.He called

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LAHORE: An accountability court on Thursday ordered NAB to file reference against Khawaja Saad Rafique and Salman Rafiuqe .The orders came during the hearing of a case pertaining to irregularities in Peragon Housing Societ. Salman Rafique attended the hearing while the  court was informed that Saad Rafique was in Islamabad to attend National Assembly session.A NAB officer told the court that NAB chairman has approved the reference which would be submitted soon.Khawaja Saad Rafique and Salman Rafique were arrested from court premises on December 11 last year after the Lahore High Court cancelled their bail   from The News International - National http://bit.ly/2XgN4rU

Tokyo: Malaysia will continue using Huawei products "as much as possible," bucking a global trend prompted by security concerns and a US ban on the Chinese firm, the country´s prime minister said Thursday.Mahathir Mohamad, speaking at a conference in Tokyo, acknowledged the security concerns but said they would not deter Malaysia."Yes, there may be some spying. But what is there to spy (on) exactly in Malaysia? We are an open book," the 93-year-old said at the Future of Asia forum.Mahathir said Huawei had access to research "far bigger than the whole of Malaysia´s research equivalent.""So we try to make use of their technology as much as possible.""Everybody knows, if any country wants to invade Malaysia, they can walk through, and we will not resist because it´s a waste of time," he added.His comment came after a wave of controversy over the Chinese telecommunications firm, which has been hit by allegations of espionage and faces a US

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MUMBAI: The B-town stars Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, who  are apparently busy to promote their upcoming film Bharat, made  some interesting revelations about each other. Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif  engaged their hundreds of crazy fans by revealing some interesting details about each other at the sets of The Kapil Sharma Show.The fresh promos for the episode show quirky exchanges between Katrina, Salman and Kapil. Khan's words about her co-star suggest as he still has the same feelings for the actress as he had in past. During the discussion about Katrina’s svelte looks and the diet, Archana Puran Singh shared how Katrina had quit smoothies during "De Dana Dan". Salman could not restrain himself and quipped, “Inhone smoothie kya mujhe bhi chorr diya... (Not just smoothie she even left me).”Earlier, at an event in Mumbai, Katrina Kaif - who is rumored to have dated Salman Khan once and shares a friendly relationship with him now - was quizzed by a reporter about her rol

After calling out Bollywood megastar Salman Kha, Sona Mohapatra has come forth with evidence of getting abused at the hands of his fans. The Indian singer shared a screenshot of her getting threats and abuse from one of Salman’s fuming fans after she called the actor out for continuously attacking Priyanka Chopra and for perpetual sexist undertones that his remarks often contain. Such & such mails come my way regularly , from the followers of this hero’ of bad behaviour. ????This beacon of human’ values who inspires such serial toxic behaviour is actually claiming the title of #Bharat , drawing parallels with our great nation, nothing lesser,” she said on Twitter. The troll had addressed Sona saying: "Once again if you tell anything bad about Salman Khan from bl**dy, f**king mouth, I will get into your house and kill you. It's the final warning, you sl*t."Earlier Sona had entered the cold war between Priyanka Chopra and Salman Khan slamming the latter saying: “Cus @pr

A day after Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn’s father and Indian director Veeru Devgan passed away, the former’s daughter Nysa Devgn stepped out to head to the salon, fueling the internet trolls. The 16-year-old daughter of B-Town pair Kajol and Ajay Devgn, attracted the internet trolls looking for an excuse to attack her, once again as she stepped out to go to the salon, a day after her grandfather and acclaimed Indian director Veeru passed away. Social media users called out the teenager for not ‘mourning enough’ over the demise of her grandfather and going about her business of getting a salon session. Nysa was donning a strapless crop top with cargo pants as she headed down to the parlor. Meanwhile, pictures and videos have been circulating from the director’s funeral showing Ajay in mourning as well as Kajol using Aishwarya Rai’s shoulder to cry on.  from The News International - Entertainment http://bit.ly/2XduWzl

With the ICC World Cup 2019 on the brink of start, Pakistani actor Iqra Aziz is getting her cricket spirit on by cheering for team Pakistan in her latest video.The 25-year-old Suno Chanda actor in her latest Instagram post is sprinting with happiness and pride as the green shirts are buckling up to play their first match of the mega tournament on Friday against West Indies.Along with the video of her chanting slogans, donning the Pakistani jersey and getting the cricket sprits up, the actor captioned the photo: “Pakistan lives in my heart and I am so so proud of our cricket team who are going for the World Cup Dana Dan sixers and fours are going to help in bringing the trophy home!All the best boys, you got this!!”In the video she can be heard saying: “As time is passing by our enthusiasm is also surging high. Prayers of the entire country are with you because we have to clean-bowl the entire world and no matter what, we are here and we will be here supporting our Pakistani team.” fr

MUMBAI: Bollywood newbie Sara Ali Khan always make headlines for her candid photos, this time her family photo has gone viral on the internet.A family photo of Sara Ali Khan along with father Saif Ali Khan, brother Ibrahim, grandmother Sharmila Tagore, stepmother Kareena Kapoor and Taimur Ali Khan was shared on Instagram by her aunt and actress Soha Ali Khan.Soha captioned the image it as “Like the branches of a tree.”Soha's husband Kunal Kemmu, recently, celebrated his 36th birthday. Saif, Kareena, Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi joined them. Recently, Sara paid a visit to Kartik Aaryan's house and the pictures of the duo flooded the internet.Sara Ali Khan and her crush Kartik Aaryan are in the limelight these days. from The News International - Entertainment http://bit.ly/2I4geV1

Bollywood's new sensation Sara Ali Khan and her crush Kartik Aaryan are in the limelight these days.The couple who is rumoured to be dating seem to be paparazzi's favourite as they are often snapped during public outings. Recently, Sara paid a visit to Kartik Aaryan's house and the pictures of the duo have gone viral. Fans can’t stop gushing over the glimpse of their favorite stars.The ‘Kedarnath’ starlet was spotted in casual attire while Kartik Aaryan was seen in a light colored loose shirt with a blue P-Cap on head. On the work front, the duo will next be seen in their upcoming movie 'Aaj Kal'.  from The News International - Entertainment http://bit.ly/2YUZvdC

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Budapest: Seven South Koreans have died and 19 others are missing after a tourist sightseeing boat capsized and sank on the Danube in Budapest, Hungarian and South Korean officials said Thursday.The accident happened near the parliament building in the heart of the Hungarian capital after a collision with a larger river cruise boat during torrential rain at around 09:15 pm (1915 GMT) on Wednesday, according to local media.A total of 33 South Koreans were onboard, Seoul´s foreign ministry said, confirming the seven dead were Korean. The 26-metre tourist boat, called the "Mermaid," was also carrying two Hungarian crew members."Our services have recorded the death of seven people," Pal Gyorfi, a spokesman for Hungarian emergency services, said early Thursday morning."Another seven people have been taken to hospital in a stable condition with hypothermia and shock symptoms," Gyorfi added.The temperature of the river is between 10 and 15 degrees, according to l

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's foreign minister  Wednesday called on Islamic nations to reject Iran's "interference" in the affairs of other countries.Addressing a gathering of foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah city, Ibrahim al-Assaf said."Tehran´s support for Huthi rebels in Yemen is proof of Iranian interference in other nations´ affairs and this is something that... Islamic countries should reject." The minister further said that the Kingdom condemned terrorist attacks aimed at threatening the supply of oil. He also stressed a need of   political solution in Syria. He also stressed the need for the return of the Rohingya refugees to Myanmar and justice served to them. He also renewed Saudi support for Libya to resolve its current crisis.The meeting was a preparatory gathering ahead of the full OIC meeting on Friday.The king asked Allah to make the  summits a success for the good of Arab and Muslim nations.Earlier, King S

A top US military officer said Wednesday that Russia is "probably" violating the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, opening a new area of disagreement as the two powers negotiate arms control.Lieutenant General Robert Ashley, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, part of the US military that provides analysis, voiced alarm at Russia's modernization of its nuclear forces."The United States believes that Russia probably is not adhering to the nuclear testing moratorium in a manner consistent with the zero-yield standard," Ashley said in a speech at the Hudson Institute, a think tank."Our understanding of nuclear weapon development leads us to believe that Russia's testing activities would help it improve its nuclear weapons capabilities," he said, adding that the United States by contrast has strictly adhered to the ban.Pressed by a reporter to explain Russia's alleged wrongdoing, Ashley appeared to retreat from the charge that Moscow

SAN FRANCISCO: Uber riders prone to rude behavior such as leaving trash or urging drivers to speed may be booted from the c under a policy change that took effect here Wednesday.Uber riders in the US and Canada who have been consistently rated poorly by drivers will soon begin getting notices that they are at risk of losing access to the service.The policy change was rolled out in Australia and New Zealand last year, and recently in India, according to Uber. It is to be expanded to other Uber markets, with timing to be determined."Respect is a two-way street, and so is accountability," Uber head of safety brand and initiatives Kate Parker said in an online post."While we expect only a small number of riders to ultimately be impacted by ratings-based deactivations, it´s the right thing to do."Riders at risk of being left at the curb by Uber will receive tips on how to improve their ratings, with suggestions such as being polite; not leaving behind messes, and refrain

WASHINGTON: The US military's top general said Wednesday that Chinese President Xi Jingping reneged on promises not to militarize the South China Sea and called for "collective action" to hold Beijing responsible.General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Pentagon's Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he was not calling for military action, but stressed that there was a need to enforce international laws."The fall of 2016, President Xi Jinping promised President Obama that they would not militarize the islands. So what we see today are 10,000-foot runways, ammunition storage facilities, routine deployment of missile defense capabilities, aviation capabilities, and so forth," he said in a talk on US security and defense at the Brooking institution."So clearly they have walked away from that commitment.""The South China Sea is in my judgement not a pile of rocks," he continued, referring to the series of reefs and outcrops that have been claimed as te