Siasat Wala Blog

Disney animation studios on Wednesday released the first teaser trailer of the sequel of one of their most famous movies “Wreck it Ralph”.  The sequel by the name of ‘ Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2′   has John C. Reilly’s lovable arcade game brute going digital with his best gal pal, Sarah Silverman’s Vanellope. This time Ralph and Vanellope von Schweetz must risk it all by traveling to the world wide web in search of a replacement part to save Vanellope’s video game, Sugar Rush. In this cyber city, ads are apparently a major nuisance. Rich Moore of Zootopia and Wreck-It Ralph co-writer Phil Johnston direct Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-it Ralph 2 . The film will break into theaters on Nov. 21, 2018. The post Disney releases trailer of ‘Wreck it Ralph’ sequel appeared first on ARYNEWS .

RAWALPINDI: Two Pakistan Army soldiers embraced martyrdom on Wednesday after Indian troops opened unprovoked firing in Bhimber sector along the Line of Control. According to Inter Services Public Relations, Pakistan Army troops responded to Indian unprovoked firing. There are reports of substantial damage to Indian posts. The martyred include sepoy Muneer Chohan, aged 32 years and resident of village Kahuta, and sepoy Amir Hussain, aged 28 and a resident of district Bhimber. The post Two soldiers martyred as Indian troops open fire across LoC appeared first on ARYNEWS .

ISLAMABAD: In apparent backlash of rising crude oil prices in the international market, the government on Wednesday increased the prices of petroleum products for the month of March.  The price of Motor Spirit  92 RON petrol has been increased by Rs3.56 per litre and will now be available for Rs88.07 per litre. It was previously available for Rs84.51 per litre. The price of diesel (HSD) was increased by Rs2.62 per litre, and will now be available for Rs98.45 as compared to earlier price of Rs95.83 per litre. Meanwhile, Light Diesel Oil (LDO) had been increased by one rupees to Rs65.30 per litre. Furthermore, Superior Kerosene Oil (SKO) has increased an exorbitant increase of Rs6.28 per litre and will now be available for Rs76.46 from its earlier price of Rs70.18 per litre. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority and Ministry of Energy had proposed increase in the prices of these products including a Rs6.94 per litre raise in the price of diesel but it was increased by Rs2....

DURBAN: Australia captain Steve Smith is looking for revenge in the upcoming Tests against South Africa to continue the trend which has seen the tourists dominate in recent series between the sides. “Certainly it’s a big series for us. We’ve had a lot of great contests over the years. South Africa got the better of us at home so we’d love to get them back for that one,” said Smith ahead of the start of the first Test at Kingsmead in Durban on Thursday. South Africa won 2-1 in a three-Test series in Australia in November 2016, their third straight series win there. However, Australia have a brilliant record away in South Africa, and it is an anomaly that Smith and his opposite number Faf Du Plessis put down to the similar conditions in both countries. Australia are aiming to build on a “magnificent” home summer which included a 4-0 Ashes defeat of England. “The conditions are similar but it’s still an away tour for us. I’ve got a goal as captain to play really well away from hom...

PARIS: French fashion brand Lacoste on Wednesday swapped the crocodile logo on its shirts for the first time in its history for 10 of the most endangered species on the planet. The green Lacoste crocodile — one of the world’s best-known logos — was replaced by the Sumatran tiger, the Javan rhino and the Cao Vit gibbon on the chest of its classic white polo shirts in a limited edition charity tie-in with the Save Our Species conservation group. All but a handful were sold out within hours of going on sale for 150 euros ($183) immediately after the brand’s Paris fashion week show. The number of polo shirts put on sale was directly linked to remaining numbers of each threatened species surviving in the wild — with only 30 for vaquita porpoises and 231 for Californian condors. Designer Felipe Oliveira Baptista also included camouflaged images of each of the endangered animals in the last 10 looks in his autumn-winter collection. “I think it is a great thing to do, and feels very gr...

The British arm of troubled retailer Toys’R’Us is winding down its activities, administrators said Wednesday, as the US firm faces pressure from rival stores and online giant Amazon. It means up to 3,200 jobs are at risk and comes as British electricals retailer Maplin on Wednesday joined Toys’R’Us UK in falling into administration — the process whereby a troubled company seeks independent financial advice regarding its future. Maplin operates out of 217 stores across Britain and Ireland, employing close to 2,500 staff. Separately, restaurant chain Prezzo is set to announce the closure of around 100 of its Italian-style eateries, or one-third of its UK-wide total, and close its Tex-Mex chain Chimichanga, costing hundreds of jobs, according to people familiar with the matter. The collapse of certain major retailers in the UK comes as Brexit uncertainty appears to be impacting the country’s economic growth according to recent official data. “The challenging conditions in the UK r...

QUETTA: Four Frontier Constabulary personnel were martyred and eight others were martyred after suicide bomber struck in the outskirts of Quetta, ARY News reported.  The incident occurred in the Khonitalab Nawhisar area on the outskirts of the provincial capital. Rescue services said that injured have been shifted to nearby hospital where they are being administered medical aid. Two of the injured are said to be in critical condition. The blast reportedly occurred when security agencies were conducting a search operation, and a suicide bomber targeted a Levies and FC camp. The area was cordoned off after the blast and further evidence was collected from the site of the incident. FC spokesman the martyred and injured personnel have been shifted to CMH and FC hospitals in Quetta. Governor Balochistan Muhammad Khan Achakzai and and Chief Minister Abdul Qudus Bezinjo have strongly condemned the attack and expressed sympathies with the bereaved families. Interior Minister, Ahsan...

SHARJAH: Skipper Quetta Gladiators, Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss and elected to bowl first in the ninth match of the Pakistan super league (PSL) edition three here at Sharjah cricket stadium International stadium. Misbah-ul-Haq took charge of Islamabad after missing first two matches of this season. “The pitch looks dry and batting second will be an easy task,” sarfraz said after the toss. “We were also looking to bowl first but there is no worry we will try to put good total on the board,” Misbah Said. More to follow…. The post Quetta wins toss, decides to bowl first appeared first on ARYNEWS .

Looking after an elderly relative who lives alone can be a huge source of worry. But what if your smartphone could automatically alert you if your mother has stayed in bed all morning or suffered a fall? Small sensors that monitor home activity and can send alerts to smartphones are marking it easier to keep an eye on seniors from a distance, helping them to live independently for longer instead of going to a nursing home. The products on display at the Mobile World Congress, the world’s largest mobile phone fair in Barcelona, are part of the rapidly growing elderly care tech industry. This is expected to be worth $20 billion (16 billion euros) in the United States alone by 2020, according to Laurie Orlov, an industry analyst. “For the past couple of years the tech industry has become more interested in this area because they see an ageing population. Baby boomers represent a large market segment,” said Orlov, who began the Aging in Place Technology Watch blog in 2008. Sensors ...

ISLAMABAD: In a yet another significant development in the realm of ICT empowered socio-economic development, Ministry of IT and Telecom through the Universal Service Fund (USF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Huawei at the Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona. USF was established by the IT Ministry to spread the benefits of the telecom revolution to all corners of Pakistan, and promote the development of telecommunication services. Chief Technology Officer USF Syed Asif Kamal signed the MOU on Tuesday with the representative of Huawei, witnessed by Minister for IT & Telecom, Anusha Rahman Khan. Through this MOU, Huawei will contribute towards digital development in Pakistan via USF programs through appropriate utilization of its expertise in program design, training and sharing successful experiences of its national ICT portfolio across infrastructure broadband services, vertical public services and intelligent digital platforms. Speaking on the occasion, the ...

OSLO: Has Donald Trump really been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize? The Norwegian Nobel Institute said Wednesday it had filed a police report after receiving a seemingly fraudulent nomination for the US president. “We have good reason to believe that a nomination we received concerning Trump has been falsified,” Nobel Institute director Olav Njolstad told AFP. He refused to provide further details, saying police were now looking into the matter. Each year, nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize must be submitted by January 31. Among those entitled to propose names are members of parliament and government, former laureates and some university professors. While the list of candidates is kept secret for at least 50 years, those who nominate are however allowed to disclose their choice. The Peace Research Institute of Oslo (Prio) said in early February that Trump’s name was on the list. Like last year, Trump was nominated for his “ideology of peace through strength” by an Ame...

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is to visit the United States from March 19-22, for the first time as heir to the throne, a Saudi government source told AFP on Wednesday. The much anticipated trip to Washington will follow a visit to Britain on March 7 for talks with Prime Minister Theresa May. US President Donald Trump hosted Prince Mohammed in March 2017, just weeks after taking office, and he chose Saudi Arabia for his first official overseas visit as president. Prince Mohammed, who was named heir in June 2017, is also expected to visit France in the coming weeks. The government source did not comment on Prince Mohammed’s schedule in Washington. Saudi Arabia has grown close to its longtime ally Washington under Trump, whose harder line on its arch-rival Iran and softer stance on arms sales are a welcome shift in policy for Riyadh. The post Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to visit US on March 19 appeared first on ARYNEWS .

Karachi Kings’ batting coach Faisal Iqbal talked about giving batting advice to the veteran all-rounder Shahid Afridi and his overall experience working the biggest franchise of the league. “We [me and Shahid] know each other for the past 25 years,” he told while speaking to ARY News when asked that Afridi is not a player who takes much advice from coaches. “We have played a lot of cricket together, including cricket at junior and club level,” he added. “We have very good understanding, we have been together for long time and have discussed cricket throughout, so there is nothing new. I and Shahid are close friends,” Faisal Iqbal added. When asked about advice given to foreign players such as Joe Denly, he said that players from Australia and South Africa face low-bounce pitches in the sub-continent. However, this is not worrisome as they need minor advice to tweak the pitches to their favour. “My efforts are according to the situation. These are world-class players and can adju...

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nehal Hashmi on Wednesday released from Adiala prison after completing a one-month sentence handed to him by the Supreme Court (SC) in a contempt of court case, ARY News reported. Speaking to media outside the jail, the PML-N leader said that he is not afraid of “conspirators” as they can only send him to prison or kill him but cannot stop him from working under their leader Nawaz Sharif. “I am not ashamed, why should I be ashamed, a thief should be ashamed of himself, he who uses his position for (personal or political) interests should be ashamed of himself… I am a proud Pakistani and will continue my struggle for making Pakistan a country Quaid-e-Azam, Allama Iqbal and my forefathers dreamed of,” said Hashmi who was welcomed by party men and supporters outside the prison. Hashmi maintained that he was a victim of revenge for he filed an appeal against the apex court’s verdict the very next day it was announced but the ...

SHARJAH: Former champions Islamabad United and twice runners-up Quetta Gladiators will seek a second win and change of fortunes as the Pakistan Super League 3 shifts to Sharjah on Wednesday. Quetta lost to Karachi by 19 runs in their first match before pulling off a comfortable nine wicket win against Lahore Qalandars in Dubai and will now look for their second win, while Islamabad lost to Peshawar Zalmi by 34 runs before sneaking a five wicket win over Multan Sultans. All six teams will complete their three matches today, with Karachi Kings leading the pack with six points in three undefeated matches. Multan Sultans are lurking behind after two wins and one defeat. Peshawar Zalmi has one win in two matches while Lahore Qalandars have lost all their matches in a disappointing campaign. Islamabad’s fragile batting, restricted to 142-9 by Peshawar will be bolstered by the arrival of South African batsman JP Duminy who took part in team’s practice on Tuesday. Their inspirational cap...

MUMBAI: Indian mobile carrier Aircel Ltd has filed for bankruptcy, it said on Wednesday, pressured by a high debt pile and mounting losses following a price war triggered by a telecom upstart. Talks between Aircel, 74 percent owned by Malaysia’s Maxis Communications Bhd, and Reliance Communications Ltd (RCom) to combine their wireless operations ended late 2017 due to regulatory and legal uncertainties, and interventions by various parties. Aircel, whose debt amounts to 155 billion rupees ($2.38 billion), then tried unsuccessfully to restructure its debt. “Post-detailed discussions with the financial lenders and shareholders, the company could not reach consensus with respect to restructuring of its debt and funding,” Aircel said in a statement. Aircel said it had decided to pursue a resolution under the country’s Bankruptcy Code as the “appropriate recourse.” The entry of Reliance Jio in 2016 with free voice and cut-price data plans forced smaller operators to exit the crowded...

STOCKHOLM: Workers spending their lunch break at the gym may be commonplace in most Western countries, but in Sweden some employers are pushing the idea even further, making on-the-job exercise compulsory. Every Friday, employees of fashion and sportswear retailer Bjorn Borg leave their desks at the company’s Stockholm headquarters to get their weekly workout at a nearby gym. There is no getting out of it: for more than two years the company founded by the Swedish tennis legend has made on-the-job exercise mandatory at the initiative of chief executive Henrik Bunge, a 44-year-old built like a wrestler. “If you don’t want to exercise or be a part of the company culture, you have to go,” says Bunge, without batting an eye. So far no one has quit because of the requirement, he adds. The main aims of the policy — shared by other firms such as city water company Kalmar Vatten and construction consultancy Rotpartner — are to boost productivity and profitability while fostering camarad...

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said a safe World Cup this summer would be essential for the country’s image, as the violence from Russian fans at Euro 2016 shadows preparations. In a speech to police, Putin said that Russia, which is to host the championship for the first time, “must hold it at the highest level and most importantly, ensure maximum security for players and fans.” “Of course you play a crucial role in achieving this aim,” Putin told police. “I don’t doubt that at the World Cup you will also act appropriately in any given situation, in strict accordance with the law.” He stressed that “the way this event goes and our country’s image will directly depend on your smooth, skilful work.” The world football governing body FIFA on Friday expressed “complete trust” in Russia’s ability to ensure a safe World Cup, despite violence involving fans of Spartak Moscow in Spain during which a policeman died. Russia will host the tournament in 11 cities f...

PARIS: Just as bats bounce sound waves off objects to find their way in the dark, some blind humans spontaneously make clicking sounds with their mouths to navigate the world, scientists said Wednesday. Not only that, but they adjust the speed and volume of the clicks when they need to zoom in on a hard-to-place object. “Even though people have not been ‘designed’ to echolocate, they have adapted their brains extraordinarily well to detect faint echoes and to instinctively adjust emissions as the task changes,” said Lore Thaler of Durham University in the UK, co-author of a study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The research team tracked down eight blind people with experience in echolocation for the study. They placed the “expert echolocators” in a noise-insulated room, then conducted experiments by placing a wooden disk at different angles from the person — straight ahead, at 45, 90, or 135-degree angles to their left, or directly behind them — ...

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday said there is no such notion of appointing someone as party president for life in a genuine democratic political party. Talking to press here, the PTI chief said former president Zia-ul-Haq was acceptable to Nawaz Sharif but General (retd) Pervez Musharraf was no good for him. He commended PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan’s role and said Nisar maintained his dignity after denying to work under Maryam Nawaz, ousted premier Nawaz Sharif’s daughter. Khan said the Sharif brothers have been plundering the nation’s wealth through their corrupt practices. “Shehbaz Sharif has spent Rs 9 trillion in last nine year [in his tenure as Chief Minister Punjab],” he claimed. He went on saying that Sharifs undertaken mega projects to receive heavy kickbacks. Deploring the passage of anti-accountability bill in the Punjab assembly, Khan said the entire nation condemned the resolution passed against National Accountabilit...

LAHORE: Having served out his one-month sentence for a speech he made as a Senator, Nehal Hashmi was released from Adiala Jail (Central Jail Rawalpindi) on Wednesday.  A visibly charged Hashmi said he had been made a victim of revenge for standing by Nawaz Sharif. He added that his life and livelihood were in the hands of the Almighty, not in the hands of the conspirators.  Hashmi who was disqualified from holding public office for a period of five years by the Supreme Court of Pakistan for threatening then prime minister Nawaz Sharif's unidentified 'enemies', said he was had been victimized.  "My appeal was filed the very next day after my sentencing, but one month has passed and my appeal has not been heard," Hashmi told journalists, adding, "See, if justice has prevailed or victimisation has prevailed." 

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior aide Jared Kushner has lost his top-level security clearance, sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday, a decision with potentially profound implications for the US administration. Two sources, who could not speak on the record because the status of security clearances is classified, confirmed US media reports that the 37-year-old White House aide will no longer be able to access America’s most closely guarded secrets. The White House — up to and including the president himself — refused to comment on the record, but officials insisted that the decision would not impact Kushner’s role. Still, Kushner’s loss of access to “Top Secret/SCI (Sensitive Compartmented Information)” data casts serious doubt on his status as a powerbroker inside the White House and his ability to negotiate Middle East peace. Kushner had been an integral part of Trump’s election campaign and, among White House advisors, is seen as something like a fi...

Mothers of young children may be largely unaware of the biggest burn risks to their little ones and even what age group is most likely to get burned, Australian researchers say. The study team surveyed almost 500 mothers of young kids in Queensland, and just one third knew the top cause of burns to young children while only one in 10 knew how long the correct treatment should be applied. “Hot beverage scalds are the leading cause of childhood burns in Australia and many other developed countries,” lead author Jacqueline Burgess told Reuters Health in an email. “In Australia, hot beverage scalds account for 20 percent of all the burns we treat – a figure that has remained constant for the past 15 years,” said Burgess, a researcher at the Center for Children’s Burns and Trauma Research at the University of Queensland in South Brisbane. About 75 percent of these burns occur in children under the age of 24 months, she added. “Our study was undertaken to address this problem.” The r...

TOKYO: Tokyo on Wednesday unveiled its long-awaited mascot for the 2020 Olympic Games: a futuristic blue-checked, doe-eyed character with pointy ears and “special powers” that was picked by schoolchildren across mascot-mad Japan. The mascot, which has yet to be named, was selected by elementary school kids from a shortlist of three competitors instantly recognisable as “made in Japan”. The students picked option “A”, which, according to the Tokyo 2020 organisers, has a “strong sense of justice and is very athletic”. Helpfully, it also has a magical power that enables it “to move anywhere instantaneously”. Its Paralympic counterpart sports pink checks derived from Japan’s famous cherry blossom and is “usually calm, however, it gets very powerful when needed”. Its magic power: “It can talk with stones and the wind. It can also move things by just looking at them”. The pair, which have “opposite personalities” but are “very good friends”, received over 100,000 votes — more than t...

KOT MOMIN: Ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday for the umpteen time turned his guns on the Supreme Court judges for first disqualifying him as premier and then as PML-N head. Addressing a gathering of workers here, Sharif said PML-N candidates for the Senate polls had been deprived of the party symbol of lion, and asked why they were being meted out injustice. Blasting the judiciary, he said he was first dislodged from the office of the prime minister for not receiving salary from his son and then was disqualified from the party presidency. He said renowned lawyers as well as politicians acknowledged that the court decision was not correct. Even PTI chief Imran Khan himself conceded that the reason on which he was disqualified was weak one, he added. Amid slogans against the Supreme Court verdicts against him, Sharif said his disqualification mutilated the sanctity of votes. Those who will not respect votes, people will not respect them, he declared. He said he ful...

MUMBAI: Thousands of heartbroken fans as well as top celebrities of the film industry arrived at the residence of later actor as India said farewell to Bollywood legend Sridevi Kapoor following her shock death from accidental drowning in a Dubai hotel bathtub aged just 54. Some carried roses while others held photos of the late screen icon as they queued patiently to pay their final respects at a condolence service in the western Indian city. Legends of Hindi cinema, including actresses Aishwarya Rai and Kajol, were among the mourners at the Celebration Sports Club in the Andheri West area of Mumbai — the home of the Bollywood film industry. Heavy security lined the streets to control the crowds, which included people who had travelled hundreds of kilometres to be there. Several fans chanted prayers as Sridevi’s body was brought the short distance from her home to the club at 9:00 am. “It’s a shock to believe that she is no more. We want to p...

LONDON: British filmmaker Lewis Gilbert has died at the age of 97, James Bond producers said of the director famed for his work on three 007 movies. “It is with great sadness that we learn of the passing of our dear friend Lewis Gilbert,” producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said Tuesday, describing the director as “a true gentleman”. “He made an enormous contribution to the British film industry as well as the Bond films… His films are not only loved by us but are considered classics within the series,” the added. Gilbert directed Sean Connery in the 1967 “You Only Live Twice”, returning to the British film series a decade later with “The Spy Who Loved Me” (1977) and “Moonraker” (1979) starring Roger Moore. While most well-known for his work on the spy series, Gilbert also directed a young Michael Caine in the 1966 movie “Alfie” which gained four Oscar nominations. Born in east London in 1920, Gilbert’s first directing credit came in 1945 with “The 10 Year Plan”, a...

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Wednesday said Pakistan and the United States (US) desire to move forward and find common ground for continued cooperation. At a weekly news briefing, FO spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said the latest visit of senior director at the US National Security Council Lisa Curtis was an indication of this desire. He said during the visit, both sides expressed the desire to work together to pursue the common objective of stabilizing Afghanistan. He said Pakistan has always maintained that the only solution of Afghan conflict lies in politically negotiated settlement, which should be Afghan led and Afghan-owned. He pointed out that military approach of seventeen years has failed to render desired results and increased miseries of Afghan civilians. To a question about belligerent statements by Indian Army Chief, the spokesman said these reflect the unfortunate jingoistic mindset in India. He said as a responsible member of the international community, P...

WASHINGTON: At least 11 people including nine Marines fell sick after an envelope containing a suspicious letter was opened at a US military base near Washington. A gunnery sergeant opened the envelope received on Tuesday at Joint Base Fort Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia. Fort Myer is adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery and is jointly controlled by the Army and Marine Corps. It is also home to the Army’s Third Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard, which serves as the presidential honor guard. People who were exposed reported symptoms including itchy hands and faces and bloody noses, a Marine official told NBC News. The building was evacuated immediately. The official said the envelope was addressed to the Marines’ headquarters battalion on the base, not to an individual. “Shortly after receiving the letter, 11 people started to feel ill and caused the evacuation of the building,” Major Brian Block, a Marine spokesman said. After the evaluation of ...

BEIJING: With stealth jets entering service, leaked pictures of new high-tech naval artillery and proud reports of maneuvers that “dare to shine the sword,” China’s armed forces are putting on a show of power as they lobby for greater defense spending. Although it is the world’s largest military, the People’s Liberation Army has been privately unhappy that it got less than double-digit funding increases the past two years. It has recently been making the case that it needs more money to deal with increased global uncertainty, diplomats and several sources with ties to the armed forces say. In the run-up to the defense budget’s release at the annual meeting of China’s parliament next week, state media outlets have been filled with coverage of military drills, advanced new equipment and thrilling tales of derring-do in a new film very loosely based on China’s evacuating people from Yemen’s civil war in 2015. The overall message is clear: China faces serious challenges, from U.S. Pr...