Pakistan News Time

ISLAMABAD: The prices of high-speed diesel (HSD) and petrol for March are likely to increase by almost Rs7 and Rs4 per litre on Wednesday — the highest since October 2014 due to increased rates in the international market. Interestingly, next month’s prices have been worked out on the basis of higher-than-notified tax rates on the orders of the Ministry of Finance to enable the government to announce a relatively lower rate for political objectives. In an order, the finance ministry has ordered calculation of prices on the basis of 31 per cent GST on high speed diesel (HSD) and 17pc on all the other products. This is despite the fact that notified-GST rate on HSD at present is 25.5pc, 7.5pc on kerosene and light diesel oil (LDO) and 17pc on petrol. In addition, the government is also charging Rs8 per litre petroleum levy on HSD, Rs10 per litre on petrol and Rs6 and Rs3 per litre on kerosene and LDO, respectively. Based on existing tax rates and import prices reported by Pakistan S...

In a rare public expression of dissent in China, a well-known political commentator and a prominent businesswoman have penned open letters urging lawmakers to reject a plan that would allow President Xi Jinping to rule indefinitely . Their impassioned statements on a popular messaging app were circulated widely after the ruling Communist Party announced a proposal on Sunday to amend the constitution to scrap term limits on the president and vice president. In a statement on Monday on WeChat to Beijing's members of China's rubber-stamp parliament, Li Datong, a former editor for the state-run China Youth Daily , wrote that lifting term limits would “sow the seeds of chaos". “If there are no term limits on a country's highest leader, then we are returning to an imperial regime,” Li told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “My generation has lived through Mao. That era is over. How can we possibly go back to it?” Wang Ying, a businesswoman who has advocated government ...

Facebook has removed the page of a Myanmar monk once dubbed the “Buddhist Bin Laden” for his incendiary posts about Muslims, the company confirmed, as it faces pressure to clamp down on hate speech. Wirathu, a prominent face of Myanmar's Buddhist ultra-nationalist movement, had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on the network, using it as a platform to attack Muslims, singling out the stateless Rohingya minority. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since last August following a military crackdown in Rakhine state that has been likened to ethnic cleansing by the US and the UN, but which has been applauded by Myanmar nationalists online. A Facebook spokesperson told AFP late Monday that Wirathu's page had been removed. “Our Community Standards prohibit organizations and people dedicated to promoting hatred and violence against others”, a Facebook spokesperson said in an email. “If a person consistently shares content promoting hate, we may take a range ...

Two Chinese cricketers are set to join the Peshawar Zalmi squad on Thursday for the tenth fixture of the Pakistan Super League 2018 in Sharjah. Jian Li and Yufie Zhang were recruited by the Zalmi in an effort to promote cricket in China, the team's China representative, Amir Suhail Afridi told APP on Tuesday. "We will provide them a platform to recognise their talent and motivate them to achieve international recognition," he said, adding that the Chinese cricketers would join the Zalmi camp at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The team is set to play a match against the Quetta Gladiators in Sharjah on Thursday. The Zalmi, the defending champions, have won only one of their three matches and are placed at the fourth spot among the six PSL teams. The Gladiators have won one match and lost another, placing third so far. The House of Zalmi had organised a Global Zalmi League in Feburary ─ a fan-based league of cricket enthusiasts with representative Zalmi clubs ...

Five people were injured when an ambo-lifter, which is used for carrying patients, collapsed at Islamabad's Benazir Bhutto International Airport, DawnNewsTV reported on Tuesday. Four passengers — including three women and a loader — were injured and shifted to a hospital for treatment, airport officials said, adding that the condition of the loader identified as Qamar was critical. The injured passengers include Mohammad Lateef, Kulsoom Begum, Bilqees Akhter, and Rafiqa Bibi. The collapsing lifter slightly damaged the left wing of the Emirates Airline plane, with which it was attached. The incident took place at a time when the private airline's flight was about to leave for Dubai, officials said. Subsequently, the plane was moved from the runway to repair the damage, they added. from The Dawn News - Home http://ift.tt/2F8MVkp

Punjab government spokesperson Malik Ahmed Khan on Tuesday dubbed Faisal Subhan, director of Capital Construction and Engineering Ltd, a "suspicious character" in an interview to GeoNews' programme Geo Pakistan . Subhan, who is accused of involvement in corruption in the Multan Metro Bus Project (MMBP), recently went 'missing' after allegations surfaced that he had transferred money to the Punjab chief minister’s (CM) personal accounts. According to media reports last year, Capital Construction and Engineering Ltd, a subcontractor of the MMBP, had been involved in laundering money along with Chinese company Jiangsu Yabaite Technology. Allegations of corruption against CM Punjab had subsequently emerged. A report on ARY News had accused Sharif of receiving more than Rs10 million in kickbacks from the MMBP. However, Sharif had declared in a subsequent press conference that the company "did not exist" and told the media house to "fear God" ...

Saudi King Salman on Monday replaced top military commanders including the chief of staff, state media said, in a major shake-up of the kingdom's defence establishment. The monarch replaced the heads of the ground forces and air defences, as well as civilian officials including several deputy ministers, in a series of late-night royal decrees. No official reason was given for the sweeping overhaul, but it comes as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pursues military reform and a bloody campaign against Yemen's Houthi rebels nears the end of its third year. “Termination of the services of General Abdul Rahman bin Saleh al-Bunyan, Chief of Staff,” the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) announced, adding that Fayyad al-Ruwaili had been appointed as his replacement. Al-Bunyan was retired after he inaugurated an arms exhibition this week in Riyadh by the Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), the state-owned defence company, which has drawn several global defence firms. “A mili...

The Taliban has called for direct talks with the United States (US) to find a “peaceful solution” to the conflict in Afghanistan, in an apparent policy reversal after months of escalating attacks. Civilian casualties surged in recent months as militants from the Taliban, as well as the militant Islamic State group, unleashed a wave of bloodshed in urban areas and on security forces in response to a new open-ended military policy by US President Donald Trump. In a statement posted late on Monday, the Taliban said it “calls on American officials to talk directly to the Political Office of Islamic Emirate regarding a peaceful solution to the Afghan quandary”, using its official name. There has been no response to the offer from US officials, who have historically insisted any talks must include the Afghan government in Kabul. The call for talks comes a day before the second round of a regional peace conference in Kabul, where representatives from 25 countries will discuss counter-ter...

An 11-year-old boy was allegedly raped and assaulted in Sukkur's Navan Goth area and admitted to hospital in critical condition, family and police told DawnNews on Tuesday. An uncle of the victim told DawnNews that his nephew was sent to fetch bread from a local market on the night of February 25 when the prime suspect intercepted and lured him into going along with him. Subsequently, the suspect subjected the victim to sexual assault and left him in a critical condition, the relative said. The boy somehow managed to reach home, he said, adding that the family then approached the New Pind Police Station and admitted the boy to Civil Hospital Sukkur for medical treatment. According to the victim's family, the influential family members of the suspect are forcing the victim's family to not pursue the case. Police have so far been unable to nab the accused. The uncle of the victim told DawnNewsTV that police had initially arrested a close relative of the suspect but la...

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Tuesday stressed that he as well as the other Supreme Court judges are devoid of any political inclination. "We have no political agenda," said Justice Nisar while hearing a suo motu case regarding a hike in prices of medicines. "I was the smallest lawyer [in stature] of the country," Justice Nisar said, adding: "Even now I am the smallest judge." He said that the time has arrived to show that something is being done and that he simply wants people to be given their rights. "I do not even want to touch political cases," said Justice Nisar, who has faced criticism from the ruling PML-N over using what the party calls "unbecoming language" and his rulings . "In the pensions case, we [the bench] got the pension increased from Rs1,300 to Rs8,000 for widows so that they can at least buy a painkiller for themselves," Justice Nisar said. The CJP said that the court does not ...

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Miftah Ismail has brushed off concerns that economic growth will suffer because of the country’s re-inclusion on a terrorist financing watchlist , and lashed out at the United States for seeking to “embarrass” his country. Washington last week persuaded member states of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to place Pakistan back on the “grey list” of nations with inadequate terrorist financing or money laundering controls. Pakistan was on the list for three years, until 2015. The diplomatic setback has sparked anger in Islamabad against the US, which championed the motion against Pakistan at the FATF meeting in Paris. It represented another blow to the worsening relationship between the uneasy allies, who have long differed on how to combat militants waging war in Afghanistan. It has also heightened concerns that Pakistan is becoming internationally isolated, and that its economy could suffer if global banking intuitions cut lin...

LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will hold the much-awaited meeting of its central working committee (CWC) on Tuesday (today) to elect the party’s ‘interim’ president, after the Supreme Court struck off a controversial amendment to the Elections Act, 2017 which allowed the party’s former chief Nawaz Sharif to resume leadership of the party after being disqualified in the Panama Papers case in July last year. PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq will preside over the CWC meeting which will be held at the Sharif family’s Model Town residence. Climate Change Minister and PML-N’s information secretary Mushahidullah Khan told Dawn on Monday that the election of an interim president of the PML-N was the top agenda item for the CWC meeting. “Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is a ‘favourite’ to become the party’s interim president on Tuesday,” he confirmed. “At the moment, there is no candidate for the slot of interim president of PML-N other than Shahbaz Sharif. However, the...

A powerful earthquake two days ago killed at least 15 people, injured dozens and brought work to a halt at four oil and gas fields in a remote Papua New Guinea region, the local governor said Wednesday. from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2GOCMqo

A powerful earthquake rattled forest villages and a large gold mine in central Papua New Guinea early Monday, but there were no immediate reports of injuries. from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2F1htVv

A newly built avant-garde mosque in the heart of Iran’s capital would have hard-liners shouting from the minarets — if there were any. from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2CkNF5f

AstraZeneca is spinning off six early-stage experimental drugs into a new US$250 million standalone biotech company focused on severe autoimmune diseases. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2GM6Umj

SYDNEY: Whole villages were flattened and water sources spoiled by a powerful earthquake that killed at least 20 people, residents said on Wednesday as rescuers struggled to reach the hardest-hit areas in Papua New Guinea's remote, mountainous highlands. The magnitude 7.5 quake rocked the rugged ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2oAZjR5

With stealth jets entering service, leaked pictures of new high-tech naval artillery and proud reports of manoeuvres that "dare to shine the sword," China's armed forces are putting on a show of power as they lobby for greater defence spending. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2F7zkdp

SINGAPORE: The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and the Singapore Sports Hub inked a three-year deal on Wednesday (Feb 28) to make the National Stadium the “Home of the Lions”.  The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will see the 55,000-seater stadium host a minimum of seven international ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2FC5Fqh

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has questioned whether the proposed winter break would work successfully in England, saying the Premier League was completely different to other European leagues. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2ovkbck

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince said the kingdom's anti-corruption crackdown was needed to meet budget targets, comparing the purge to chemotherapy in an interview with the Washington Post published on Wednesday. Authorities rounded up dozens of princes, top officials and businessmen ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2oAtIOs

On the banks of the Parana River, machines hum 24 hours a day in Argentina's grain ports, churning out soy-based animal feed and shooting it straight into the hulls of ships bound for buyers worldwide. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2GPV5LU

BEIJING: China's smog-prone port city of Tianjin issued its first level 2 "orange" pollution alert this year effective from March 1, the city government said in a statement on its website on Wednesday. Pollution is expected to blanket the city and nearby regions, including Beijing and Hebei, until ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2HS2CLA

LOS ANGELES: A new generation of South American players will be on display as Major League Soccer kicks off its 2018 season this weekend, highlighting the growing attractiveness of the competition as a destination for emerging talent. More than a decade after David Beckham's move to Los Angeles ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2GOC2Se

SINGAPORE: Turn up at 12pm at Raffles Place and pay S$3 into a box to get S$50 in return was the premise of what seemed to be a publicity stunt on Wednesday (Feb 28). But the excitement of the afternoon ended after an hour, as hundreds of people had gathered in hopes of getting free money ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2CNZpbY

BEIJING: President Xi Jinping's leap toward lifelong rule has largely been met by guarded silence in world capitals as governments try to predict how China's formidable leader will wield his newfound power on the global stage. The Communist Party's move to lift presidential term limits will allow ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2HQcPZ3

TOKYO: Japan's lower house of parliament will hold a confirmation hearing on March 2 for Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda, who has been nominated for another term, a lower house official said on Wednesday. His hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m.-3:35 p.m. (0400-0635 GMT). A separate hearing for ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2HOjMcW

Chinese electric vehicle startup Nio has hired eight banks including Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs to work on a planned U.S. stock market listing this year worth up to US$2 billion, people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2oB05MV

Players as young as 15 were being targeted by European rugby clubs of both codes, which was causing concern for New Zealand Rugby (NZR), the board's chief executive Steve Tew has said. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2CpjLwE

HONG KONG: Hong Kong unveiled short-term relief measures and capital spending initiatives to sustain growth in an expansionary budget on Wednesday (Feb 28) that carried hefty strategic spending to try to bolster the city's innovation industries. Financial Secretary Paul Chan, addressing the city's ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2CMy764

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri left for Riyadh late on Tuesday, his media office said, for his first to the Saudi capital since he abruptly resigned there in November. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2CLCA92

Japan may be an island nation surrounded by the bounty of the sea, but businessman Tetsuro Sogo is looking inland to raise one of the country's most loved sushi fish: salmon. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2CMwVj6

TEGUCIGALPA: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley pledged on Tuesday to raise the problem of drug trafficking at the United Nations after visiting Honduras and Guatemala this week and appeared to finesse a threat made by President Donald Trump to cut aid over the flow of drugs into the ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2BXOEr8

Chinese electric vehicle startup Nio has hired eight banks including Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs to work on a planned U.S. stock market listing this year worth up to US$2 billion, people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2EWTPdh

The recent volatility in the global stock market may make some investors feel queasy, but it is providing a buying opportunity in biotechnology stocks. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2BSBETv

Winning stockpicker T. Rowe Price Group Inc has a message for investors: do not give up on bonds. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2F0eY6r

Video-recording of interviews, greater protection for sexual and child abuse victims and an expanded community sentencing regime are the highlights in a slew of suggested amendments to Singapore’s legal system. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2HQkvKM

Dan Ivascyn, the group chief investment officer at Pacific Investment Management Co (Pimco), eschews making big, splashy investment or market calls, unlike his legendary predecessor, Bill Gross. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2BUJlIM

- Thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled a strip of land on the border between Myanmar and Bangladesh after the two countries met to discuss resettling them, an official and a community leader said. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2EWbwdg

SINGAPORE: Twelve new MRT trains will be the first in Singapore to have "tip-up seats" to create more standing space for commuters during peak hours. The new trains on the North-South and East-West Lines (NSEWL) will have four sets of three tip-up seats located in the centre of each car. The ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2F3rrSI

KARACHI: Madiha Kayani made shocking revelations about the murder of Intezar in an explosive video message that she recorded on Tuesday night. “It was a planned murder,” she said, referring to Intezar’s death. “Since I am the only eyewitness to the incident and I reported that the man sporting the moustache is the murder, I... The post Video: Madiha Kayani makes shocking revelations about Intezar’s murder appeared first on Samaa TV . from Samaa TV http://ift.tt/2F0KQb5

DHAKA/YANGON: Thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled a strip of land on the border between Myanmar and Bangladesh after the two countries met to discuss resettling them, an official and a community leader said, reported Reuters. The United Nations refugee agency has expressed concern that some 5,300 people who were staying in the area –... The post Thousands of Rohingya flee ‘no man’s land’ after resettlement talks appeared first on Samaa TV . from Samaa TV http://ift.tt/2F0zhAH

NEWS DESK: The housing crisis is getting worse, Brexit negotiations aren’t easing up any time soon, even hot cross bun prices are on the rise… you’d be forgiven for thinking Britons don’t have a lot to be happy about. However, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the opposite is... The post Women report higher life satisfaction in Britain but are more anxious: study appeared first on Samaa TV . from Samaa TV http://ift.tt/2CLwNQR

LARKANA: One person was shot dead and another was injured when armed assailants opened fire on two brothers in the city on Wednesday.  According to details, the incident took place at Larkana’s Resham Gali area when armed assailants opened fire on two brothers who were on their way to a Kachehri (local court). Asad Ameen,... The post One person killed, another injured in Larkana firing incident appeared first on Samaa TV . from Samaa TV http://ift.tt/2EWgfLK

Pakistani actor Adnan Siddiqui was one of the first people who got to the hotel to console Sri Devi’s husband after news broke that the legendary Bollywood actress had passed away.  Adnan Siddiqui spoke to an Indian channel and shared the experience of coming to grips with Sri Devi’s death and how her family reacted... The post Boney Kapoor was ‘crying like a baby’: Adnan Siddiqui appeared first on Samaa TV . from Samaa TV http://ift.tt/2CrS8TK

DUBAI: Islamabad United will take on Quetta Gladiators in the ninth game of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2018 at Sharjah on Wednesday. The match will begin at 09.00 pm Pakistan Standard Time (PST). Islamabad United is at fifth place in the rankings while Quetta Gladiators are third. The winners of the inaugural edition of the... The post PSL 2018: Islamabad United take on Quetta Gladiators appeared first on Samaa TV . from Samaa TV http://ift.tt/2GPsSFc

NEWS DESK: Martial arts require a good level of physical strength, but those who take up training also need to develop an incredible amount of mental acuity. Mental strength is so important to martial arts that researchers have found karate experts’ stronger punching force may be down to a better control of muscle movement in... The post Martial arts can improve attention span in long term: study appeared first on Samaa TV . from Samaa TV http://ift.tt/2EZLIbY

KARACHI: Adnan Pasha, the suspect in the Shahrah-e-Faisal firing incident, appeared before the city court on Wednesday for proceedings pertaining to the case.  Police brought in the suspect who is accused of firing shots at Karachi’s busy Shahrah-e-Faisal road and issuing challenges to police and Rangers personnel. Police claimed that Pasha had been arrested following... The post Shahrah-e-Faisal firing incident: Adnan Pasha appears before court appeared first on Samaa TV . from Samaa TV http://ift.tt/2owDQIK

NEWS DESK: A capsule carrying two U.S. astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut from the International Space Station landed in snowy Kazakhstan on Wednesday after a five-and-a-half month mission, a NASA TV live broadcast showed, reported Reuters. The Soyuz spacecraft brought back Joe Acaba and Mark Vande Hei, from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration,... The post U.S.-Russian crew returns from space station: NASA TV appeared first on Samaa TV . from Samaa TV http://ift.tt/2CMcAu8

LAHORE:  At least two people were electrocuted to death in Lahore’s Misri Shah area on Wednesday. The incident occurred as 12-year-old Momin touched the main electricity wire by accident. 35-year-old Masooma, his mother, ran towards him along with her two-year-old daughter Noor Fatima for help. As soon as she touched the pipe, both the mother and daughter suffered a fatal electric shock. They died while being shifted to the hospital. from Pakistan Today http://ift.tt/2t1LMqb

ISLAMABAD: The Airport Security Force (ASF) foiled a bid to smuggle over one and a half kilogram ice-heroin and arrested the smuggler at Islamabad airport on Wednesday. The ASF spokesman said that during the search of baggage of passengers, leaving for Muscat through a private airline flight at Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad, 1.6 kilograms concealed in nimko packs was recovered. The ASF arrested the accused identified as Asad Zaman who later along with recovered drug worth millions of rupee in the international market, was handed over to ANF for further investigation. from Pakistan Today http://ift.tt/2owNE5w

QUETTA: Balochistan Frontier Corps (FC) raided several militant hideouts in the province-wide Intelligence Based Operations (IBOs), the media cell of Pakistan Army said on Wednesday. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that a heavy cache of arms was recovered in the operations. Chaman, Kohlu, Sibbi, and Uch were some of the areas where the security forces conducted these raids. ISPR told that the aim of these raids was to disarm and eliminate all hidden terrorist hideouts, as part of the nationwide Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad. The recovered ammunition and arms include sub-machine guns, RPG grenades, and suicide belts. On January 30, it was reported that Balochistan FC had arrested 10 suspected terrorists during multiple IBOs in in Dera Murad Jamali and Dera Bugti. Similar IBOs were also conducted on January 25 where the security forces had apprehended 20 terror suspects from Dera Murad Jamali, Pashtoon Abad, Sangan, and Shahreg areas. from Pakistan Today http://ift.tt/2...

BARCELONA:Four-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton sat out the second day of pre-season testing on Tuesday after Mercedes said they wanted to make the most of good weather with rain threatening. The Briton had been due to take over from Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas in the afternoon at the Circuit de Catalunya but […] The post Hamilton sits out second day of Formula One testing appeared first on Daily Times . from Daily Times http://ift.tt/2oC3z1J

In yet another ruling against Christians with deeply-held beliefs attempting to run their own business, a Hawaii appeals court has sided against the owners of a bed and breakfast who denied renting a lesbian couple a room in their own home. from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2FcB9Wu

The U.S. House of Representatives honored the life and legacy of famed evangelist Billy Graham Tuesday evening after he passed away last week at age 99.  from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2FaB2KN

From those in the public eye to people living more quiet lives, the Rev. Billy Graham's ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ had a profound ripple effect of lives changed around the world, in all walks of life. from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2FdpI0u

Numerous firefighters and paramedics have responded to Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Va. for a hazmat situation. from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2FaHnWA

An ex-convict wrestled a firearm away from a gunman during a church service in Amarillo, Texas, saving numerous lives -- and then was mistakenly shot by police. from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2FBYhLT

The House Intelligence Committee on Saturday released a Democratic memo in redacted form that seeks to undercut Republican claims of FBI surveillance abuses. from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2F3eUyV

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Tuesday the creation of a new opioid task force to target drug manufacturers and distributors who are fueling the prescription painkiller epidemic. from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2ouK0t2

A federal judge cleared the way Tuesday to build a wall along the southern border, dealing a major win to the Trump administration. from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2FFBPS9

WASHINGTON – Lawmakers are preparing to receive the casket of the late Rev. Billy Graham, who will lay in honor in the Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday and Thursday. Rev. Graham is the fourth civilian ever to be honored in this way. from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2otRFrg

The Satanic Temple of Arizona is suing the city of Scottsdale after being prohibited from giving the invocation at one of the city council meetings in 2016. from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2HNQGdA

Countless people around the world are mourning the death of late evangelist Billy Graham. Anne Graham Lotz says she hopes her father's death is a "wake-up call" for the church. from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2CMxd9m

Former President Bill Clinton paid his respects to late Rev. Billy Graham at the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, North Carolina Tuesday.   from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2FCszOC

An Illinois girl's basketball team chose to share the Gospel during their competition at the state tournament last week.  from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2CKJrzy

A Supreme Court decision blocks a March 5th ending date for the DACA program which provides temporary permits for Dreamer immigrants to study and work in the U.S. from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2CKTcO8

Thousands of people from all walks of life — including a former president — filed slowly past the casket of the Rev. Billy Graham on Monday to pay their final respects to a man who reached millions with his message of salvation through Jesus Christ. from CBNNews.com http://ift.tt/2GMvyDk

Suzie Hardy, the former “E! News” stylist who has accused Ryan Seacrest of years of sexual harassment and abuse, is challenging the host’s attempt to discredit her allegations. “I remained quiet for years out of fears that my story wouldn’t be believed and that I would be subject to scorn and ridicule for telling it,” […] from Variety http://ift.tt/2ovrnVL

SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched the sixth episode of the first season of “Black Lightning,” titled “Three Sevens: The Book of Thunder.” Black Lightning’s (Cress Williams) secret is out — at least to one person who matters a lot to the family man and superhero. In the sixth episode of […] from Variety http://ift.tt/2t30j4Y

In today’s film news roundup, Ang Lee starts shooting Will Smith in “Gemini Man,” “I Think We’re Alone Now” gets U.S. distribution and Liz Biber leaves Global Road. PRODUCTION STARTS Ang Lee has begun shooting on the long-delayed thriller “Gemini” Man, starring Will Smith as an elite assassin targeted and pursued by a mysterious young […] from Variety http://ift.tt/2Fc3gVF

iQIYI, one of China’s video streaming market leaders, has filed for an IPO that will see its shares traded on the New York-based NASDAQ exchange. The company has filed a prospectus that provides a sketch of financial details and temporarily gives a valuation of $1.5 billion. That figure is provisional and is almost certain to […] from Variety http://ift.tt/2t1CzhI

The serial strip-mining of the ‘80s and ‘90s shows no sign of slowing down. One way to indicate where “Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G.” fits on the retro-drama continuum is to say that it’s not in the realm of FX’s “The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” which remains the […] from Variety http://ift.tt/2F62FF9

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A U.S. judge blocked California from requiring that the popular weed-killer Roundup carry a label stating that it is known to cause cancer, saying the warning is misleading because almost all regulators have concluded there is no evidence that the product's main ingredient is a carcinogen. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines http://ift.tt/2oBgD7C

By all accounts, the most recent episode of “Walking Dead” was tragic (RIP Carl). In the Season 8 midseason premiere on Sunday, Carl enjoyed a touching moment with his sister Judith (Chloe and Sophia Garcia-Frizzi), saying goodbye before his inevitable death from a zombie bite. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines http://ift.tt/2EYbphm

An American tourist has been arrested in Japan after police found the severed head of a woman in a suitcase in his holiday rental flat. Yevgeniy Vasilievich Bayraktar, 26, from New York, is currently in custody and being questioned by police following the discovery in Osaka last week. The victim is believed to be a woman, 27, from Sanda in Hyogo prefecture, who was last seen on CCTV cameras alongside Mr Bayraktar, just hours before she went missing on February 16. Security footage reportedly captured the pair meeting at a train station in Osaka around midnight and then entering the apartment building together. The woman had earlier told a friend that she was planning to meet a man she had met via a social networking site, according to local newspapers. Arms, legs, and a torso were also found in a mountainous area nearby Credit: AFP Her relatives raised the alarm with police on February 17 when she failed to return home and her mobile phone stopped working. Mr Bayraktar wa...

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian federal police arrested the son of former finance minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday, but the agency which has been investigating suspected criminal misconduct related to approvals of investment deals, did not reveal the charges. from Reuters: World News http://ift.tt/2t5jWsW

KABUL: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani offered recognition of the Taliban as a legitimate political group, as part of a proposed political process that could lead to peace talks aimed at ending more than 16 years of war, reported Reuters. At a meeting on Wednesday of nations involved in the so-called Kabul Process, aimed at building... The post Afghan President Ghani makes offer to Taliban for peace talks appeared first on Samaa TV . from Samaa TV http://ift.tt/2ou3o9s

(Reuters) - West Virginia teachers on Tuesday ended a four-day strike that had kept more than 277,000 students out of class, after the state's governor agreed to a 5 percent pay raise. from Reuters: U.S. http://ift.tt/2HQvUKl

The Parking.sg app, which launched last October, was unavailable for Android users on Tuesday. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2F7JRoH

SEOUL: South Korean prosecutors on Tuesday (Feb 27) demanded a 30-year-jail sentence for former president Park Geun-hye for corruption and abuse of power. Park, 66, was sacked by the country's top court in March last year over a wide-ranging corruption scandal and has been held in custody for ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2EVRXSi

WASHINGTON: The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday wades into a major privacy rights fight between Microsoft Corp and the Justice Department, weighing whether U.S. law allows prosecutors to compel technology companies to hand over data stored overseas. The nine justices will hear arguments in a case ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2CJylLd

South Korea has yet to decide how to regulate the cryptocurrency market, a senior government official said on Tuesday. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2FzQK00

China's regional governments need to take more responsibility for local pollution and stop blaming others, a senior environmental official said on Tuesday, following increases in smog in the Yangtze and Pearl river delta regions in January. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2BSvrXC

The drive uses Kaizen principles - a Japanese term signifying continuous improvements in workflow over time - that are employed at companies like Toyota. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2HOsp7b

SEOUL: South Korean prosecutors on Tuesday sought a 30-year jail term for former President Park Geun-hye who was ousted last year amid an influence-peddling scandal that rocked the country's business and political elite. Park, 66, was dismissed in March after being impeached and is standing trial ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2HQfIJ6

China is expected to announce a reshuffle of its top diplomats at an annual meeting of parliament in March, aiming to deal with U.S. President Donald Trump's growing suspicion of Beijing, several sources familiar with the plan said. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2FxLTME

MANILA: The Philippines will allow an investigation into alleged human rights abuses in its bloody war on drugs, but not if it is conducted by the United Nations' current special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, a senior official said on Tuesday. More than 30 mostly Western countries have ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2EYYlUI

China is expected to announce a reshuffle of its top diplomats at an annual meeting of parliament in March, aiming to deal with U.S. President Donald Trump's growing suspicion of Beijing, several sources familiar with the plan said. from Latest News http://ift.tt/2ouuXPU

BANGKOK: A 200 billion baht (US$6.4 billion) high-speed rail project linking three key airports in Thailand has been approved by a high-level committee led by Prime Minister Chan-O-Cha, the Bangkok Post reported on Monday (Feb 26).  The Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Committee has reportedly ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2HRgeqw

BEIJING: China went into overdrive on Tuesday (Feb 27) to defend the Communist Party's move to lift term limits for President Xi Jinping as criticism persisted on social media in defiance of censorship. The party has shocked many observers by proposing a constitutional amendment to end the two ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2GMFfSb

SINGAPORE: A 58-year-old Singaporean man has been sentenced to 50 months’ jail and fined S$11 million for dealing in duty-unpaid cigarettes, the Singapore Customs said in a press release on Tuesday (Feb 27). Tong Chye Heng, a repeat offender, pleaded guilty to five charges of storing, possessing ... from Latest News http://ift.tt/2Fz8mZZ

KARACHI : Axact CEO Shoaib Shaikh on Tuesday reached the district court south for the hearing of a case pertaining to money laundering. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday arrested Axact CEO Shoaib Shaikh after the Sindh High Court (SHC) entertained the agency’s petition against the acquittal of Shaikh and others accused in a money laundering case. SHC Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto led a two-member bench that sent the money laundering case to the trial court for further proceedings and ordered Shoaib Shaikh to show up before the trial court on March 3. The FIA prosecutor requested the SHC to order set aside the impugned verdict, contending that there was sufficient evidence against the Axact CEO. The defence counsel, while denying all the charges levelled against Shoaib, requested the court to dismiss the FIA’s appeal. After hearing the arguments from both sides, the bench accepted the FIA’s appeal and ruled the verdict of the sessions court that acquitted...

KABUL : The Taliban urged the United States on Monday to begin talks to end almost 17 years of war in Afghanistan, adding to a series of signals that suggest a greater willingness to explore options for dialogue. In its statement late Monday night, two days before the start of a meeting of regional leaders in Kabul to discuss ways of ending the war, the movement said it wanted a peaceful resolution. “The Political Office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan calls on American officials to talk directly to the Political Office of Islamic Emirate regarding a peaceful solution to the Afghan quandary,” it said. “It would help in finding a solution if America accepts the legitimate demands of the Afghan people and forward its own concerns and requests for discussion to the Islamic Emirate through a peaceful channel,” it said. The Taliban also said in the statement that the group made it clear to the US in its recent letter that “war is not our choice, rather...

SINGAPORE: Singapore on Tuesday proposed a new law to deal with terror attacks by preventing people in the area from taking photos or videos of the incident and communicating about police operations. Ranked as one of the safest countries in the world, Singapore has been stepping up efforts to deter terrorism in recent years. The proposals, which the city-state’s Straits Times newspaper said would apply to journalists and carry punishments such as fines or prison, were part of a Public Order and Safety (Special Powers) Bill 2018 introduced in parliament. The measure would allow police to issue a “communications stop order”, following approval from the home affairs minister, the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement. That would “require all persons in the incident area to stop making or communicating films or pictures of the incident area, and stop communicating text or audio messages about the ongoing security operations in the incident area,” it added. The MHA said informa...

FAISALABAD: Cyber Crime Cell of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Lahore reportedly arrested a man from Faisalabad accused of harassing and blackmailing woman by using her inappropriate photos. The accused, identified as Muhammad Amir, was taken into custody by the FIA officials at a renowned multinational food chain restaurant. The arrest was made after the cyber cell was tipped-off. Talking to media, FIA officials confirmed that a complaint had been lodged against Amir by victim Sobia Atif who accused him of harassing and blackmailing her by using inappropriate photographs. Amir is accused of blackmailing Sobia in exchange for sexual favours and money. Amir was supposed to be present on the premises of the restaurant where Sobia would give him Rs1.5 million in exchange for the entire personal data. The FIA team reached the spot and arrested Amir. Sources said FIA has successfully retrieved the personal data from Amir’s mobile phones. A case was filed against the accused...

NEW YORK: Junk,  the sprawling, weighty drama by Pakistani-American playwright Ayad Akhtar exploring the underhanded world of junk bonds and Wall Street in the 1980s is this year’s winner of the Edward M Kennedy Prize for Drama Inspired by American History, reported The New York Times . The play, which ran on Broadway at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center and closed last month, was an ambitious undertaking, using a cast of 19 characters to deeply examine various capitalist perspectives. A  New York Times review said that the show “unfolds with the crispness and legibility of a conscientiously assembled spreadsheet.” A scene from Junk The prize jury, made up of playwrights, scholars and others, said that Junk  “trenchantly examines the financial behaviour and the flawed system of thought in the 1980s that paved the way for the polarized world in which we now live — manufacturing debt.” It added that the play “speaks directly to the aims of the prize, enli...

DOUMA:  Russia called a daily “humanitarian pause” in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta, bowing to pressure to halt the carnage in the rebel-held enclave where bombardments eased late Monday after hours of deadly raids. A UN Security Council resolution for a 30-day truce had remained a dead letter since it was passed on Saturday, and Moscow, the Damascus regime’s main backer, ended up setting its own terms to stem one of the worst episodes of bloodletting in Syria’s seven-year-old conflict. The United Nations, France and Germany had made pressing appeals for Russian President Vladimir Putin to demand its Damascus ally enforce a ceasefire, including in Eastern Ghouta where more than 500 civilians were killed last week. Putin agreed to a five-hour daily window that would allow residents of the battered enclave east of the capital to emerge from their underground shelters. “On the instructions of the Russian president, with the goal of avoiding civilian casualties in Eastern Ghouta, from Feb...

ABBOTTABAD: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) circuit bench in Abbottabad on Tuesday suspended the sentence of 25 suspects in the Mashal Khan lynching case and released them on bail. This was announced by a two-judge bench on appeals filed by the suspects who were awarded three years of jail term in the case by an anti-terrorism court. On February 8, an Anti-terrorism court in Haripur jail had given the verdict in Mashal Khan lynching case, under which one person was given the death sentence, five persons were given multiple terms of life imprisonment, and 25 others received jail sentences. The court also acquitted 26 people in the case. On April 13, 2017, Mashal Khan, 23, a student at the Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan was lynched by a mob, allegedly comprising of his fellow students riled up by allegations of blasphemy against the young man. As details of this bone-chilling event, including a video recording of the event, were reported, a different picture started to emerge— ...

LAHORE: In another incident of the brawl on premises of Lahore sessions court, a claimant party thrashed accused in absence of police officials on Tuesday. According to media reports, the accused, Arshad, had come to the court for the hearing of aerial firing case registered against him in Janubi Chauni and was seeking approval of his bail plea. The argument between the accused and his opponents turned into a brawl as latter kicked and punched him, an eyewitness stated. No police officer was present during the violence as lawyers came to rescue of Arshad. This is the third incident of violence inside the sessions court within last two months. On February 20, two lawyers were shot dead by another lawyer after a clash at the court. As per details, after a verbal exchange over a longstanding property dispute, one of them resorted to firing and killed two others. Police nabbed the suspect named Kashif Rajput immediately after the incident. On January 31,...

LAHORE:  Punjab’s Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is equally acknowledged by the political leaders at home and global leaders for all the projects undertaken by him. Here are the different accounts when he was praised by global leaders all around the world. On September 16, 2017, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan while welcoming Sharif in Istanbul commended his leadership skills. “Under your leadership, the journey of development and prosperity of Punjab is commendable and the efforts of Pakistan government for the provision of energy as well as the eradication of terrorism are worthwhile,” he expressed his sentiments. “The projects initiated in collaboration with Turkey in the Punjab province are vivacious symbols of Pak-Turk friendship,” said Erdogan. During a meeting on May 16, 2017, Minister of Communist Party of China (CPC) Wang Yajun, said that Punjab had attained major development goals in his tenure which was surprising as well as impressive. Tajik Ambassador Jo...

ISLAMABAD:  Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) sought a written reply from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday in the foreign funding case, with respect to a petition that accused the ruling party of receiving funds from prohibited sources. ECP bench heard the petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in which Faisal Chaudhry, party’s counsel, appeared before the officials. The PTI petition demanded scrutiny of the accounts of PML-N to determine whether the latter received funds from prohibited sources under the election laws. The PML-N’s lawyer requested time to respond to the allegations when asked about the ruling party’s position on the matter. ECP has told PML-N to submit its written response by today. The bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Raza, adjourned hearing till March 6. On February 19, PTI submitted a petition against PML-N and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in party funding case. The PTI’s counsel explained to the bench ...