Siasat Wala Blog

BEIRUT:  Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, who sparked a political crisis on Saturday by declaring his surprise resignation in Riyadh, has travelled to the UAE, Saudi-owned media said on Tuesday. His resignation has thrust Lebanon back onto the front line of the Middle East’s most biting rivalry, pitting a bloc led by Saudi Arabia and including the UAE against Iran and its allies. On Monday Saudi Arabia accused Lebanon of declaring war against it because of aggression by Iran’s Lebanese ally Hezbollah, dramatically escalating the crisis and threatening to destabilise tiny Lebanon. Saudi Arabia says Lebanon declares war, deepening crisis The ratings agency Moody’s has said that any return in Lebanon to the political paralysis that existed before Hariri joined a national unity government last year would harm its credit rating. The sudden nature of Hariri’s resignation has also fuelled speculation in Lebanon that he was coerced into quitting and has been held against his wil...

Waxworks of celebrities, sports persons and politicians such as Tom Cruise, Barack Obama and Christiano Ronaldo are admired by people all over the world. The craft requires taking careful and accurate measurements to create these wax statues, which are then polished and perfected to make for an exact replica. Madame Tussaud’s is one of the most famous museums in the world that displays wax statues, however, not all wax museums in the world craft flawless statues. Compiled from Cosmopolitan India , here is a list of the creepiest celebrity wax statues. Barack Obama PHOTO: COSMOPOLITAN David and Victoria Beckham PHOTO: COSMOPOLITAN Jennifer Aniston PHOTO: COSMOPOLITAN Beyonce’s wax statue sparks outrage Jennifer Lopez PHOTO: COSMOPOLITAN Justin Bieber PHOTO: COSMOPOLITAN Justin Timberlake PHOTO: COSMOPOLITAN Aamir Khan PHOTO: COSMOPOLITAN Katrina Kaif PHOTO: COSMOPOLITAN London’s Tussauds gets to work on Trump wax figure Selena Gomez PHOTO: C...

As much as we love her, we cannot deny that Scarlett Johansson has a 15-year-old trail of famous broken hearts behind her – a list which includes Ryan Reynolds, Jared Leto, Sean Penn, Jude Law, and the likes. “Scarlett likes to be in control,” Page Six quoted a fellow actor of the Hollywood beauty as having said. “Then, when she gets it, she gets bored.” Case in point: even before her second divorce from French journalist Romain Dauriac in September, the actress had gotten with Saturday Night Live star Colin Jost. Since then, the duo has been spotted here and there, with Scarlett playing the dutiful girlfriend to the 35-year-old comedian. PHOTO: FILE Many say it’s not surprising that Scarlett was drawn to Colin, a Harvard grad. “Colin’s smart, successful, and unpretentious,” they feel, and his dating history includes only one other celebrity. Scarlett, however, has been espousing various versions of a quote gave: “I don’t think it’s natural to b...

LONDON:  Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton avoided paying taxes on his private jet using an elaborate scheme now under investigation by British tax authorities, new leaked documents revealed on Monday. The driver received a £3.3 million VAT refund in 2013 after his luxury plane was imported into the Isle of Man — a low-tax British Crown Dependency, according to the BBC and Guardian newspaper. The revelations are the latest to emerge from the so-called Paradise Papers, released by the US-based International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). They allege accountancy firm EY and Appleby — the Bermuda-based law firm at the centre of the leaks — assisted Hamilton and dozens of other clients in setting up seemingly artificial leasing businesses to get multi-million-pound VAT rebates. The complex arrangements, which involved the individuals forming entities that rented their own jets, may contravene Europe-wide rules forbidding refunds for personal use, the media outlet...

TEXAS:  A former US serviceman who shot 26 worshipers to death during Sunday prayers in Texas was embroiled in a domestic dispute with his in-laws and had sent threatening text messages to his wife’s mother before the massacre, officials said Monday. The Pentagon separately disclosed that it had failed to furnish information about the gunman’s criminal record from his US Air Force service to a national database that should have prevented him from legally purchasing the firearms he bought. The killer, Devin Kelley, 26, was convicted by court-martial of assaulting his first wife and step-son while serving in an Air Force logistics readiness unit and spent a year in detention before his bad-conduct discharge in 2014, according to the Pentagon. The Air Force acknowledged on Monday that Kelley’s 2012 conviction on two counts of domestic violence were never entered into the National Criminal Information Center (NCIC) system, a US government data bank used by licensed gun dealers for c...

BANGKOK:  Face-scans or fingerprints will be needed to buy SIM cards in Thailand from next month as the kingdom tries to crack down on electronic fraud and encourage mobile banking. The new biometric system — which follows similar requirements in Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan — will begin on December 15, according to the telecoms regulator. “We’re entering the digital age, our money now is linked to mobile services. By doing this, trust in mobile banking or payment systems will be improved,” said Takorn Tantasith, secretary-general of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). “Some people used fake ID to register their SIM cards, which created a problem,” he added, assuring users their privacy would be protected. The face and fingerprint scans will be matched to government data linked to Thai national ID cards. Thailand’s political activity ban stays for now – PM Tourists will also be required to have face-scans checked against their passport ...

WAIãPI:  When Japarupi Waiapi looks into the dense foliage of the Amazon rainforest, he sees the equivalent of a supermarket, pharmacy, furniture store – and that’s just the beginning. Food like coconuts, roots and bananas grows plentifully. Animals and fish are readily available for hunting, and the bark of many trees has medicinal uses. Just in terms of different wood types, “we see thatch for our roofs, we see bows, we see arrow heads,” Japarupi Waiapi, 45, says in the heart of Waiapi tribal land in eastern Brazil. Add to that palm for weaving backpacks, calabash for making bowls, reeds to use as drinking straws, banana leaves as table cloths, animal bones for tools – and all this literally there for the taking. Amazon and Gabo come to capital “We don’t depend on commerce or money,” Japarupi Waiapi says, explaining the tribe’s ancient, self-sufficient way of life, living in isolation from Brazil’s white settlers. “I tell my son: never put out your hand to the white man. Rely...

There’s a lot being said about creating a safe work culture for women. Actor Sonakshi Sinha has also added her voice in agreement to it, saying that a shift in workplace culture is needed. The entertainment industry – be it Hollywood or Bollywood – is having its moment of reckoning in the wake of sexual abuse reports coming in from all quarters. While Sonakshi is glad that women are speaking up, she feels the debate should have started “long back”.  The Akira star said, “I think it’s very important and this stir should have been made long back. Nobody deserves to be made to feel unsafe, especially while working. It should be something to look forward to. I am glad women are finally speaking out.” PHOTO: PINKVILLA It all started with numerous women coming forward to allege that Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein used his position to harass them. Since then, many have come out in the open to talk about sexual advances from big names such as Kevin Spacey, James Toback, Ben Affleck,...

LONDON:  West Ham have appointed former Everton and Manchester United boss David Moyes as their new manager, the struggling Premier League club announced on Tuesday. “We believe David is the right man to turn things around and get the best out of the players at the club,” joint chairman David Sullivan said. The Hammers sacked manager Slaven Bilic on Monday after a poor run of results that have left the east London side languishing in the relegation zone. West Ham sack manager Slaven Bilic Sullivan believes Moyes, 54, is the perfect choice to steer the club to safety. “We need somebody with experience, knowledge of the Premier League and the players in it, and we believe David is the right man to turn things around and get the best out of the players at the club. “He is highly regarded and respected within the game, and will bring fresh ideas, organisation and enthusiasm.” Moyes has been out of management since he resigned from Sunderland at the end of last season, having fai...

US Senator from Vermont Bernie Sanders, while speaking to The Guardian , warned that the world is becoming an international oligarchy which is controlled by a tiny number of billionaires. This statement comes in the wake of Paradise Papers leak which exposes the secrets of offshore investors. Sanders calls the enrichment of wealthy individuals and tax havens “the major issue of our time.” He further stated that Paradise Papers opens the door to a “major problem not just for the US but for governments throughout the world”. “The major issue of our time is the rapid movement toward international oligarchy in which a handful of billionaires own and control a significant part of the global economy. The Paradise Papers shows how these billionaires and multinational corporations get richer by hiding their wealth and profits and avoid paying their fair share of taxes,” the US senator from Vermont said. Paradise Papers reveal hidden wealth of global elite Sanders pointed a finger towards U...

Harvey Weinstein hired journalists, highly trained ex-spies and military personnel who used fake identities to try to stop accusers from going public with sexual misconduct claims against him, reported AFP . The news came as the Television Academy, which hands out Emmy Awards, was said to have expelled Weinstein “for life,” following a similar move by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which gives out the Oscars. Aishwarya Rai might have fallen prey to predator Harvey Weinstein Among the private security agencies hired by Weinstein starting around fall 2016 was Black Cube, which is largely run by former officers of Israeli intelligence agencies, including Mossad. Another was corporate intelligence giant Kroll. Two Black Cube private eyes met with The Black Dahlia actor Rose McGowan – before she publicly accused Weinstein of raping her – to obtain information. One of the investigators secretly recorded at least four meetings with McGowan while pretending to be a women...

NEW DELHI:  An enraged woman forced an airliner to make an emergency landing after she discovered mid-flight that her husband was apparently cheating on her. The woman, an Iranian national, was travelling from Doha to Bali with her husband and child on a Qatar Airways flight on Sunday, India’s Hindustan Times reported Tuesday. Qatar offers visa-free entry to 80 nationalities As her husband slept, she used his hand to unlock his fingerprint-protected phone, revealing the alleged affair in all its sordid detail. Angered by the discovery, the woman reportedly started to hit her husband. The cabin crew intervened but were unable to calm the situation. With the inflight episode spiralling out of control, the pilots decided to make an unscheduled stop in the southern Indian city of Chennai. The woman, her husband and their child were taken off the plane, which then resumed its journey to Indonesia, an unnamed security official told the paper. Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi makes eme...

PESHAWAR:  An anti-polio drive team narrowly escaped a blast, on Tuesday, set up to target them in Munda, Bajaur Agency. Approximately six team members were busy administering drops during the drive when an IED planted nearby went off in the area known as Arif Kalay. A police official at the blast site told The Express Tribune that while the explosion caused fear and the campaign was temporarily halted, no loss of life or injury was reported. Polio team security attacked in Bajaur Agency Earlier, in Chitral, as temperatures fall to a minimum of four degrees Celsius, a three-day vaccination campaign in the valley had apparently been delayed until November 10 with the district management preoccupied with preparations for a political gathering by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan scheduled to be held later this week. Officials involved in the anti-polio campaigns say that while the campaign continues the year around, the winter season between November and March ...

ISLAMABAD:  The Supreme Court (SC) has wondered why the fundamental right to fair trial enshrined in Article 10-A of the constitution cannot be applied in cases pertaining to the superior judges. The development came on Tuesday during the hearing of a petition filed by Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, a serving judge of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), wherein he has appealed for an open trial before the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC). A five-judge larger bench of the apex court is hearing the petition of Justice Siddiqui, who has been accused of misconduct. “If Article 10-A can be applied in ensuring the rights of an office boy then why can it not be applicable in judges’ matters?” asked Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh, a member of the bench, adding that the matter was essential in ensuring the independence of judiciary. SC seeks AG’s help over IHC judge’s plea for open trial The top court judge also observed that there were over 100 questions involved in the matter. Later, the hearin...

Apple said none of its operations were moved from Ireland and that changes made to its corporate structure in 2015 were specially designed to preserve tax payments to the United States, and not to reduce taxes anywhere else. The statement on Monday from Apple comes following criticism of its tax affairs after reports based on the “Paradise Papers” showed that the iPhone maker shifted key parts of its business to Jersey as an offshore tax haven in a move to maintain a low tax rate. iPhone X makes Apple more money per phone than the iPhone 8 The “Paradise Papers” are a trove of financial documents leaked mostly from Appleby, a prominent offshore law firm. The documents were obtained by Germany’s Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper and shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and some media outlets. Reuters has not independently verified them. Appleby was not immediately available for comment. Apple said it pays billions of dollars in taxes to the Unit...

SEOUL:  North Korea’s efforts to advance its nuclear arsenal will be “front and center” during talks with South Korean officials, US President Donald Trump said ahead of the bilateral meetings in Seoul on Tuesday. Trump heads to Japan with North Korea on his mind In recent months, Trump has criticized South Korea President Moon Jae-in over his support for diplomatic engagement with Pyongyang – something the US president once called “appeasement” – and has threatened to pull out of a free trade pact between the two countries. N Korea readies missile launch ahead of US-S Korea drill Trump said the talks would also address trade issues, including South Korea’s acquisition of American defense equipment. The post North Korea ‘front and center’ in talks: Trump appeared first on The Express Tribune .

MUZAFFARABAD:  Commander 10 Corps Lieutenant General Nadeem Raza, on Tuesday, met the members of Mirpur Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) football team. The team won the “12th Open All Russia Football Competition – Future Depend on You- 2017” held at Moscow from October 25 to 28. Commander 10 Corps Lieutenant General Nadeem Raza appreciated the achievement of the young children and assured them full support for their training and other assistance. World football giants come calling – and Karachi goes crazy Pakistani team has qualified for the Street Children Football World Cup scheduled in Russia in March 2018. The green team won all matches of the tournament and even defeated India and host Russia. Later, Lt Gen Nadeem Raza further stated that Pakistan is full of talent and our children showed that they can win any competition in any filed of sports saying we are proud of our young football players who worked hard to win the tournament. The post AJK football team players meet Lt ...

MILAN:  Juventus closed the gap at the top of Serie A with a 2-1 win over bottom club Benevento on Sunday as leaders Napoli were held by Chievo and Inter Milan drew 1-1 against Torino. Napoli drew 0-0 in Verona and have 32 points from 12 games, one point ahead of Juventus who move ahead of Inter, now another point back in third. Despite their battling performance, newcomers Benevento, nicknamed ‘Le Streghe’ (The Witches), have now lost their first 12 games of the campaign, matching the worst start to a season in any of Europe’s big five leagues set by Manchester United in 1930. “It seemed like a cursed game, as the ball just did not want to go in, but we needed to be calm, sharp and not too hasty,” said Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri. Napoli — after falling 4-2 to Manchester City in the Champions League in midweek — dropped two points as they struggled with the absence of injured trio Pepe Reina, Faouzi Ghoulam and Arkadiusz Milik. “We were coming off a difficult run of g...