Spain’s Martin defends European 20km race walk title Spain’s Alvaro Martin retained the 20km race walk title at the European Athletics Championships in Munich on Saturday
Martin, who previously won the Euro title in Berlin in 2018 but finished fourth at last year’s Tokyo Olympics, timed a personal best of 1hr 19min 11sec around the streets of the Bavarian capital in cool conditions.
Sweden’s Perseus Karlstrom, twice a bronze medallist at last month’s world championships in Oregon, claimed silver in 1:19.23, with another Spaniard, Diego Garcia Carrera, rounding out the podium, a further 0.22sec adrift.
Olympic champion Massino Stano of Italy, the world 35km race walk gold medallist, came in eighth more than two minutes off Martin’s pace.
Mexico arrests former top prosecutor over 2014 missing students case
Mexico on Friday arrested a former attorney general who led a controversial investigation into the disappearance of 43 students in 2014 — one of the country’s worst human rights tragedies.
Arrest warrants were also issued for dozens more suspects including military personnel, police officers and cartel members, prosecutors announced.
Ex-attorney general Jesus Murillo Karam is the most senior figure detained so far in connection with the case, which shocked the nation and generated international condemnation.
He is considered the architect of the so-called “historical truth” version of events presented in 2015 by the government of then-president Enrique Pena Nieto that was widely rejected, including by relatives.
Murillo Karam, a former heavyweight of the once-dominant Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), was arrested for the crimes of forced disappearance, torture and perverting justice, the attorney general’s office said.
Arrest warrants were also issued for 20 members of the military, five administrative and judicial officials, 44 police officers and 14 members of the Guerreros Unidos cartel, prosecutors later announced.
They are accused of involvement in organized crime, forced disappearance, torture, homicide and obstruction of Justice, they said.
The teaching students had commandeered buses in the southern state of Guerrero to travel to a demonstration in Mexico City before they went missing.
Investigators say they were detained by corrupt police and handed over to the Guerreros Unidos drug cartel which mistook them for members of a rival gang, but exactly what happened to them has been hotly disputed.
According to the official report presented in 2015, cartel members killed the students and incinerated their remains at a garbage dump.
Those conclusions were rejected by independent experts and the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, as well as the families.
‘State crime’ On Thursday a truth commission investigating the atrocity branded the case a “state crime” involving agents of various institutions.
It said that military personnel bore at least partial responsibility, either directly or through negligence.
“Their actions, omissions or participation allowed the disappearance and execution of the students, as well as the murder of six other people,” said the commission’s head, deputy interior minister Alejandro Encinas.
Further investigations were necessary to establish the extent to which military personnel participated, he said.
“An action of an institutional nature was not proven, but there was clear responsibility of members” of the armed forces, Encinas added.
The “historical truth” did not attribute any responsibility to military personnel.
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Friday that any soldiers and officials involved in the disappearance must face justice.
“Publicizing this atrocious, inhuman situation, and at the same time punishing those responsible, helps to prevent these deplorable events ever happening again” and “strengthens institutions,” Lopez Obrador said.
“We said from the beginning that we were going to speak the truth, no matter how painful it was,” he told reporters during a visit to the northwestern border city of Tijuana.
South Africa quick Nortje grateful for skipper Elgar’s ‘honesty’ South Africa fast bowler Anrich Nortje paid tribute to captain Dean Elgar’s “honesty” after the Proteas’ innings and 12-run rout of England in the first Test at Lord’s.
Nortje finished with match figures of 6-110 as South Africa completed a crushing victory inside three days in London to go 1-0 up in a three-match series.
The 28-year-old express quick was especially effective after lunch on Friday, taking three wickets for no runs in 10 balls to have Jonny Bairstow, Alex Lees and Ben Foakes all caught behind as he repeatedly topped speeds of 90 mph (145 kph) and even surpassed 95 mph at one stage.
There was no way back for England, who were dismissed for 149 in under 38 overs, with South Africa’s bowlers effectively giving themselves some unexpected, but valuable, extra rest ahead of Thursday’s second Test at Manchester’s Old Trafford.
South Africa were already top of the World Test Championship table before this game and they have now won eight of their 10 matches at this level since experienced opening batsman Elgar became their permanent captain in red-ball cricket last year.
“Dean is quite straight forward,” Nortje told reporters after stumps.
“If he thinks you’re not playing your A-game, he’ll tell you and the whole team respects that. We need that. You need someone to tell you and not to beat around the bush.”
Nortje, who occasionally got carried away with short-pitched bowling at Lord’s before reverting to a fuller length, added: “He will tell you if it is not good enough and at stages that is what happened.
“At stages he thought what I was doing is the right thing and he encourages me to bring energy and bowl quick because that’s my job — to bowl quick, to try to bring energy and momentum for the team.
“It paid off here and hopefully it pays off again but he does encourage me to try to express myself as a bowler,” Nortje explained.
“I am really enjoying having him as a captain and it is nice to have that honesty from a captain as well.”
‘Unbelievable attack’ Nortje has taken 53 wickets in his 13 Tests at an average of exactly 27, having spent six months on the sidelines nursing back and hip injuries following last year’s T20 World Cup.
But he now finds himself back in Test action as a member of a formidable four-man pace attack that also includes spearhead Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and towering left-armer Marco Jansen.
The quartet were all in the wickets at Lord’s, with Rabada’s superb 5-62 in England’s meagre first innings 165, where Nortje offered good support with 3-63, leading the way.
“It is an unbelievable attack and guys have shown what they can do,” said Nortje.
“Everyone covers a different aspect in their own department and it is just really nice to be joining up and playing red-ball cricket with the team again.
“KG (Rabada) did unbelievably well for us in this game as well.”
‘Free in speech but imprisoned when moving’: A look at writers facing death threats The attack on Salman Rushdie in New York state on August 12 highlights the plight of other writers threatened with death, who are forced to live every moment in a state of fear. FRANCE 24 takes a look at numerous writers around the world who have received death threats.
The attack on Rushdie was all the more distressing for supporters of his right to free expression as Rushdie had lived freely in New York for years – thinking he was free – after the Iranian government said in 1998 that it would “neither support nor hinder” assassination attempts on Rushdie, as a precondition to normalise diplomatic relations with the UK.
The British police and MI5 had protected Rushdie in a string of safehouses for nine years, ever since the declaration of the Iranian fatwa on February 14, 1989 because his novel The Satanic Verses was deemed offensive to Islam.
Southee, Boult demolish Windies order as New Zealand level series
Tim Southee and Trent Boult combined to demolish the West Indies top-order batting as New Zealand scored a series-levelling victory in the second One-Day International of a three-match series at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Friday.
After Finn Allen’s 96 anchored the Black Caps to 212 off 48.2 overs batting first on another challenging pitch, Southee and Bolt claimed three wickets apiece as the home side limped to 63 for seven off 22.4 overs when a second heavy shower resulted in a prolonged delay to the day/night fixture.
Set a revised target of 212 off 41 overs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern scoring method, Yannic Cariah’s 52 in his debut ODI innings and a swashbuckling 49 off 31 balls by Alzarri Joseph gave the tourists a fright in a frenetic 85-run ninth-wicket partnership.
However Southee was summoned by stand-in captain Tom Latham and he responded immediately by bowling Joseph while Allen completed an excellent boundary catch to end Cariah’s effort as the West Indies were eventually dismissed for 161 off 35.3 overs to lose by 50 runs and set the stage for the series decider on Sunday.
Southee’s final figures were four for 19 while Boult’s six-over spell at the start of the innings earned him three for 18.
Earlier, opening batsman Allen’s effort off 117 balls with seven fours and three sixes was one of just four double-figure innings as the Black Caps, beaten in the first match by five wickets at the same venue two days earlier, were again found wanting against the home side’s combination of spin and pace.
“I’ve always known I’ve got the grit in me but I never showed it. Showing now that I can do it is good,” said Allen on receiving the ‘Man of the Match’ award.
“The wickets haven’t been batting-friendly but I have enjoyed the challenge.”
In just his second ODI, off-spinner Kevin Sinclair claimed four for 41, including the last three wickets, terminating a last-wicket stand of 31 between Mitchell Santner and Boult with a catch off his own bowling to dismiss Boult.
Former captain Jason Holder set the tone for the innings with an excellent opening spell, the fast-medium bowler snaring two early wickets and then returning to end Allen’s quest for the hundred in finishing with three for 24 off nine overs.
“It’s disappointing to lose so many wickets in the powerplay,” said West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran in reflecting on the opening period of his team’s reply when they slumped to 27 for six.
“Just one good partnership in the top order might have been enough to see us home.”
From the “leaning tower of pizza” to a fish slicing and cooking itself and a dragon emerging from a dragon fruit, Japanese artisans’ quirky plastic food sculptures went on display this week at an exhibition in Tokyo.
The models were made with the same painstaking detail as the rock-solid noodle soups and crispy-looking plastic snacks that have long been displayed outside Japanese restaurants where they are called “shokuhin sampuru”, or “sample food products”.
Sampuru are common outside ramen shops and family restaurants across Japan a century after stores began using wax models to advertise their menu to a growing middle class.
“Normally we have to follow orders from clients. We take their views on board when we’re making items,” plastic food artist Shinichiro Hatasa, 57, told
But when dreaming up fun designs, “you can use your imagination. How it ends up is totally up to you,” he said.
For the exhibition, Hatasa crafted an ear of corn leisurely sunbathing on a beach.
Other creations on display included a deep-fried shrimp with four breaded legs roaming like a tiger on a mountain of shredded cabbage and a Tetris game made of chicken.
A Japanese breakfast dish of fermented soybeans called natto appeared to spiral in the air, resembling a powerful cyclone — nicknamed, naturally, a “nattornado”.
Around 60 sculptures were on display, some silly but others designed to showcase the artists’ formidable skills.
“They are not real, but they look so real. It’s wonderful,” said exhibition attendee Reiko Ichimaru.
‘Burgers are for beginners’ All the models were handmade by specialists at Iwasaki Group, Japan’s leading maker of “sampuru”, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year.
At an Iwasaki factory in Yokohama near Tokyo, artisans first take moulds of ingredients from actual meals cooked by the firm’s restaurant clients.
Then they begin the meticulous work of decorating the samples to look as realistic as possible, from moisture droplets on chilled glass to subtle bruises on a fruit’s surface.
“Fresh things are more difficult to make. Fresh vegetables, fresh fish. Cooked items are easier,” because the colours are less complicated, factory head Hiroaki Miyazawa, 44,
“Hamburger patties are for beginners,” he added.
Fake food is a multi-million-dollar market in Japan, but sampuru production has been hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, which reduced demand for dining out.
Sampuru makers hope more tourists will soon be allowed into the country to boost the restaurant industry, but they are also putting their unique skills to use elsewhere.
For example, Iwasaki artisans have made replica bananas at different degrees of ripeness for factories to use to train new employees.
Orders have also come in from IT sales merchants, who want to use mock 5G wi-fi routers in their presentations.
Meanwhile, at the exhibition, the more original offerings are delighting children and adults alike.
“I think the number of restaurants using plastic food displays is decreasing,” said Yutaka Nishio, 52.
“It’s interesting to preserve this as art. It’s really great.”
Eight dead as Somali forces battle Al-Shabaab at besieged hotel
At least eight civilians have been confirmed dead in an attack by Islamist militants on a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu, an official said Saturday, as security forces continued to battle gunmen holed up inside.
Fighters from the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab group stormed the popular Hayat Hotel on Friday evening in a hail of gunfire and bomb blasts.
Sporadic gunfire and loud explosions could still be heard early Saturday, many hours after the start of the assault.
It is the biggest attack in Mogadishu since Somalia’s new president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, was elected in May after many months of political instability.
The jihadist group, which has been waging a deadly insurgency against Somalia’s fragile central government for about 15 years, claimed responsibility.
Crucial national talks on the future of Chad that the ruling junta says will pave the way for elections begin on Saturday but the forum has been overshadowed by delays and boycotts.
More than 1,400 delegates from the military government, civil society, opposition parties, trade unions and rebel groups will gather in N’Djamena for the “national dialogue” that is scheduled to last three weeks.
The talks are the brainchild of junta chief General Mahamat Idriss Deby.
Deby took power in April 2021 at the age of just 37 after his father, who ruled for 30 years, was killed during a military operation against rebels.
He has said the forum should open the way to “free and democratic” elections after an 18-month rule by the junta — a deadline that France, the African Union (AU) and others have urged him to uphold.
But the “dialogue”, which should have begun in February, has been marred by delays as Chad’s myriad rebel groups, meeting in Qatar, squabbled over whether to attend.
In the end, around 40 groups on August 8 signed up to a deal entailing a ceasefire and guarantee of safe passage.
On the agenda is lasting peace, reforming state institutions and a new constitution that will be put to a referendum.
Junta chief Deby signed a decree on Wednesday saying the decisions taken at the forum will be “legally binding”.
Deby will speak at around 10:00 am (0900 GMT), said Saleh Kebzabo, a vice president of the forum’s organising committee and one-time opponent of the elder Deby.
The dialogue would then begin on Sunday or Monday, Kebzabo told AFP.
AU Commission chief and Chadian Moussa Faki Mahamat will also speak at the talks’ opening.
‘Skewed in advance’ On Thursday, two exiled rebel leaders, Timan Erdimi and Mahamat Nouri, returned to Chad to participate in the forum.
“We signed this agreement to rebuild Chad,” Erdimi, the head of the Union of Resistance Forces
Chad, one of the world’s poorest countries, has endured repeated uprisings and unrest since independence in 1960.
The talks face major challenges according to observers: time pressure and the fact that two of the biggest rebel groups are not taking part.
They include the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), which triggered the offensive in the northeast last year that ended in the elder Deby’s death.
FACT has said it considers the talks to be “skewed in advance”.
Wakit Tamma, a large coalition of opposition parties and civil society groups, also refuses to take part, accusing the junta of “human rights violations” and preparing for Deby’s candidacy as president.
Several civilians killed in an Al-Shabaab attack on a hotel in Somalia At least 12 people have been killed in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu after al Shabaab militants attacked a hotel leading to a siege that authorities are still trying to end, an intelligence officer told Reuters on Saturday.
The attackers struck the Hayat Hotel on Friday evening with two car bombs, before entering the facility while firing their guns and seizing control.
“So far we have confirmed 12 people, mostly civilians, died,” Mohammed, an intelligence officer who only gave one name, told Reuters “The operation is about to be concluded but it is still going on.”
Sounds of explosions punctuated the night as government forces tried to wrest control of the hotel back from the militants, witnesses said.
Large sections of the hotel were destroyed by the fighting, they said.
Washington boosts military aid to Ukraine, strikes continue in the east Washington on Friday announced that it would be providing $775 million of additional military aid to Ukraine. Meanwhile, Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, was hit again, resulting in the deaths of at least 15 people. Read about the day’s events as they unfold on our liveblog. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).
6:50 a.m.: More than 21,000 people evacuated from occupied Ukrainian territories in ten days More than 21,000 people have been evacuated in ten days from Ukrainian territories occupied by the Russian army, including more than 9,000 from the Zaporizhia region and more than 8,000 from the Kherson region, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Verechtchuk announced Friday.
3:35 a.m.: Several dead in new strikes in Kharkiv Kharkiv (north-east), the second largest city in Ukraine, has been the target of new strikes, with at least fifteen people killed, the city’s authorities said Friday.
00:10: Eight mayors of European cities travel to Kyiv The mayors of Marseille, Lyon, Athens, Florence, Helsinki, Oslo, Riga and Tirana travelled to Kyiv on Friday and ratified a memorandum of understanding “in the presence” of Volodymyr Zelensky “for a sustainable reconstruction of Ukrainian cities”, according to a statement.
In this press release from the city of Marseille (south-east France), its mayor Benoît Payan explains that this text “intends to set up joint actions and reaffirms the ambition to allow, as soon as peace is restored, a rapid, ecological rehabilitation” and “respectful of the rule of law, as well as the civil and social rights of populations”.
23:30: US Defense Department announces new military aid to Ukraine The US Defense Department on Friday announced a new $775 million arms package for Ukraine aiming to help Kyiv turn the tables and begin regaining territory occupied by Russian forces.
The Russian offensive, which began February 24, has been brought to a standstill, a senior Pentagon official told reporters, and the new package includes a range of precision missiles, anti-armor weaponry, surveillance drones, artillery and mine-clearing equipment that could boost Ukrainian offensive operations.
“You are seeing a complete and total lack of progress by the Russians on the battlefield,” the official said, speaking to reporters on the condition of anonymity.
ISLAMABAD: In areas of the nation affected by recent flash floods and rain, the government has begun distributing monetary assistance worth 25,000 rupees per family right away. The first round of distribution began on Friday among Balochistan flood victims, including Jhal Magsi, Khuzdar, and Qilla Abdullah, which continued to be the areas most severely affected by rain and flooding.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated during a ceremony held in Islamabad in this regard that all pertinent institutions and international partners are working nonstop to aid those impacted by the floods. A total of 37 billion rupees will be given out through the Benazir Income Support Program to flood victims across the nation, he claimed, beginning on Friday in Balochistan.
The damage assessment in flood-affected areas will be done with cooperation from provincial governments and international partners after this urgent cash assistance, according to the prime minister. He stated that this is an opportunity for all of us to put politics aside and assist our kin who are in need.
Speaking at the event, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, who also serves as the chairman of the Flood Relief Coordination Committee, said that during the initial relief operation, we gave the populace quick access to food, medicine, and other essentials as well as monetary help. In the following step, he explained, we are assessing the damages in conjunction with the NDMA and the provincial governments in order to carry out rehabilitation and reconstruction in the flood-affected areas.
The Minister stated that this will be followed by a thorough examination of the nation’s current infrastructure, as well as its redesign and overhaul, with assistance from our international partners, including the United Nations, the Asian Development Bank, and the World Bank, which are offering us specialised services in this regard. He claimed that the goal of this work is to effectively combat future natural disasters.
Shazia Marri, the minister for poverty alleviation and social safety, joined the ceremony via video link and declared that this financial assistance would be given to flood victims in a transparent manner using accurate and validated data from BISP. She pleaded with all parties involved to assist the administration and identify any gaps in this plan.
Lieutenant General Akhtar Nawaz, the chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority, had stated that this financial assistance is not compensation because that decision would be taken in light of the ongoing joint damage assessment. According to him, this financial assistance is intended for places that have been labelled as disaster areas or will be in the days ahead as the rains continue to fall heavily. He claimed that compared to the previous thirty years, this year’s rainfall increased by 150 percent.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, Minister for Finance and Revenue Miftah Ismail, Advisor to Prime Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira and others attended the ceremony. He said hundreds of people died due to these rains and flash floods including our senior army officers and ‘jawans’ who laid their lives while serving their fellow countrymen in pain.
Awaiting your arrival to obtain the new Apple iPhone 14. It appears that you won’t have to wait long at all because it’s been said that the launch event will happen a little sooner than we anticipated. And what’s even better is that the Apple Watch Series 8 is reportedly set to debut on the same day.The iPhone 14 launch event is reportedly scheduled for September 7, just three weeks away and one week earlier than we would anticipate based on Apple’s timeline from past years. There will likely be four different phone models, albeit they won’t be the same four we’ve seen in prior years. The iPhone Pro is anticipated to have significant camera upgrades. For more information on what we anticipate, see our summary of all rumours concerning the iPhone 14, but here’s more about the alleged debut date.
Apparently, the iPhone 14 will ship earlier than planned, according to a report by Mark Gurman at Bloomberg (opens in new tab). According to him, the launch will occur on September 7, a Wednesday. That puts the release date earlier than normal in good faith since it is only one day later than the date in a rumour we heard last week. And it appears like you won’t have to wait too long to get your hands on a new iPhone 14: they’re anticipated to go on sale on September 16, which is probably also the day that iOS 16 will be released.
Apple will be releasing four iPhone 14 variants, according to Gurman, who has a good track record of correctly predicting Apple information like this. The iPhone 14 Max is a brand-new addition to the lineup, and it should be ideal for anyone who wants a sizable phone without having to pay for premium features. There will be the ordinary iPhone 14, the iPhone 14 Pro, and of course a super-sized iPhone 14 Pro Max.
There won’t be an iPhone 14 tiny, which is a major letdown for anyone who loves a smaller piece of Apple. This was to be expected given the release of the iPhone 14 Max. The normal iPhone 14 and Max versions are likely to still include the A15 CPU, so if you prefer a smaller iPhone you’d do almost as well to choose last year’s model, even though the new iPhone 14 Pro models are slated to feature a new A16 chip (see our guide to the best iPhone 13 mini prices to find the best deal).
What else is there for you to know? Gurman claims that the new Pro models’ cameras, which will have a 48 megapixel wide-angle camera in addition to 12 megapixel ultrawide and telephoto cameras, will be significantly improved (and bigger) in addition to having better video recording and battery life.
Gurman predicts that in addition to the Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Series 8 Pro, and Apple Watch SE 2, the company will also officially unveil the Series 8 at its event on September 7. He claims that the Series 8’s standout features will be additional features for women’s health, a body temperature sensor, and, most likely, a speedier processor.
Anyone looking for a real wristwatch for athletics might consider the Apple Watch Series 8 Pro. According to Gurman, it will have a more substantial display, a tough titanium case, additional fitness monitoring functions, and a longer battery life. And all he has to say about the Apple Watch SE 2 is that it will have a speedier chip, which is sufficient for us.
We shouldn’t have to wait too long to learn about Apple’s next announcements because, of course, the Cupertino company will likely have many more than anyone has imagined. Bring on September 7! If you can’t wait till then, check out our list of the top Apple offers and savings for back-to-school 2022.
KARACHI: After experiencing a pullback during the previous two days, the Pakistani rupee continued its upward trend versus the US dollar on Friday.
According to data provided by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the local currency gained 0.14% to settle at Rs214.65 in the interbank market. Analysts and currency dealers predict that the currency will continue to be under pressure until the board meeting of the International Monetary Fund, which is slated for August 29.
After an absence of more than four weeks, the foreign exchange reserves also increased. Investors’ faith in the local currency was increased by assurances on the availability of US dollars.
Prior to his second marriage to Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck stepped out in Georgia with his daughter Violet, who bears a strong likeness to her mother, Jennifer Garner. He looked suave in a button-up shirt.
Violet, who resembles her mother to a T, was seen holding hands with her adoring father on Sunday while wearing a long, white floral dress and looking as stunning as ever. Ben, meanwhile, appeared tough in a brown button-up shirt with breast pockets that he was sporting with the sleeves slightly rolled up and not tucked in.
Ben and Jennifer are getting ready for their three-day wedding extravaganza, which will begin with a rehearsal dinner on Friday night.
Pakistan has unequivocally denounced India’s attempts to rig the pre-election process in the occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir and urged the international community to take note of these activities.
“Pakistan absolutely opposes the premeditated Indian attempts of pre-poll rigging and overt manipulation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir,” the Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.
The new action of allowing temporary residents in the occupied zone to register as voters, according to the statement, “is a clear demonstration of the deceitful Indian design to influence the outcome of’so-called’ elections” in the territory.
SYDNEY: Wednesday’s decision by Australia’s top court to reject a finding that Google had violated the law by providing a link to a disputed newspaper article has once again brought attention to the country’s procedures for handling internet libel cases.
The High Court of Australia’s seven-judge panel voted 5-2 to overturn a previous decision that the website had an active involvement in disseminating the disputed piece by serving as a “library” for it, arguing that this was untrue.
Where responsibility for internet defamation lies in Australia has long been a subject of debate, but the ruling has just added to the complexity.Large platforms like Google and Facebook, which is owned by Meta Platforms, have been under examination for years in order to determine whether they should be held accountable for libel.
KARACHI: Gold continued to lose money on Friday, falling only a pitiful Rs. 200 per tola and Rs. 171 per 10 kilos.According to information made available by the All Sindh Sarafa Jewellers Association (ASSJA), the price of gold was Rs142,400 per tola and Rs122,085 per 10 kilos.
In the last two days, the price of the yellow metal fell by Rs 3,000 per tola.It should be mentioned that the price of gold is currently below its actual cost. Compared to the price in Dubai, gold is Rs 5,000 less expensive per tola.
Bullion prices fell $19 per ounce to close at $1,752 on the global market as traders looked for indications of additional US Federal Reserve policy tightening.
In the meantime, today’s domestic market silver prices stayed constant at Rs1,540 per tola and Rs1,320.30 per 10 kilos.
Asad Umar, the secretary general of the PTI, asserted on Friday that a police van had stopped at his home to inquire about his whereabouts.”A police vehicle once stopped at my house and questioned my coworkers if Asad Umar lives there.
Following the event, Umar tweeted without giving any other information, “Let’s see what their objective is.The PTI leader’s assertion follows last week’s arrest of his colleague Shahbaz Gill for inciting the populace against governmental institutions.
On the basis of a complaint from the Islamabad government, Gill had a treason case filed against him in Kohsar Police Station.After the PTI alleged that he was tortured in jail, his case was moved from an Islamabad court to a hospital in the federal capital where it is currently being heard.
According to reports, Lady Louise Windsor, who is sometimes referred to as the Queen’s “favourite” grandchild, is working in a garden for minimum wage.
The 18-year-old daughter of Prince Edwards and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, has been making £6.63 per hour since completing her A-levels in June.
The member of the royal family, who lives in a £30 million mansion in Bagshot Park, Surrey, is said to be employed as a helper in the garden where she welcomes visitors and assists with trimming and planting.
“The employees appeared to adore her. Another shopper said, “It’s not every day you purchase your begonias from a princess,” and a third said, “I couldn’t believe it was Lady Louise, I had to look twice.”
She is a really kind and humble young lady who treats customers with respect. She appeared to be enjoying her work.The client continued, “You’d never imagine the Queen’s granddaughter would take on a career working behind a till.”
Royal experts and critics have urged Prince Harry to “move away from the light and close the personal narrative.”The time has unquestionably arrived for Harry to leave the spotlight and end the personal narrative, she wrote there.
Despite the fact that it is “too late to stop the much awaited memoir,” the expert feels that this is the time for him to put down his pen.
Because, in the words of the Hollywood film Ghost, “hanging on to a life that doesn’t want him anymore,” Harry will free himself if he doesn’t complain and doesn’t explain.
Former Indian captain and right-handed hitter Virat Kohli last recorded an international century one thousand days ago.On November 23, 2019, Kohli played Bangladesh in a Pink Ball Test and recorded his last century for his country. His recent struggles are the buzz of the cricketing community.
The former Indian captain, who has 70 international tonnes to his credit, has gone three years without adding another century.Kohli was left out of the Indian team that travelled to the West Indies due to his poor performance.
Additionally, he is not travelling with his country’s team to Zimbabwe at the moment.The Asian competition will take place from August 27 to September 11 in Dubai and Sharjah after political and economic unrest in Sri Lanka.
WELLINGTON: Two toddlers, whose remains were discovered in luggage purchased at an online auction for an abandoned locker last week, are the subject of an investigation by New Zealand police.
A family in Auckland discovered the remains last week while sorting through the contents of a storage container they had unknowingly purchased. As a result, police opened a homicide investigation.
According to a statement released by the police on Thursday, the two kids were between the ages of 5 and 10 and had been deceased for some time. They continued without giving further specifics, “The luggage had been in storage for a while.”
Apple, which recently terminated roughly 100 contract employees, is the most recent business to do so.This year, similar actions have been taken by other tech behemoths like Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon.
The hiring of new employees in the technology industry appears to be slowing down. Up until last year, IT companies hired a lot due to the increased demand for their products caused by pandemic lockdowns.
But now, things are altering. According to JP Gownder of Forrester Research, it now depends on the kind of tech company we’re talking about.
He claimed that while some businesses actually had performance issues, others merely wished to proceed slowly and cautiously.He used Netflix as an example, citing how it had to lay off 450 workers as a result of tougher competition.
The economy was a concern for other businesses. Even the largest businesses slow down and take preventative measures to safeguard themselves when the economy is uncertain.
Pakistan has surpassed Afghanistan to claim the third slot in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League after constantly playing well against the Netherlands.
Pakistan is playing the Netherlands in a bilateral series in Rotterdam, and with one game left, on August 20, they have won the series 2-0.
According to the most recent ICC standings, Pakistan has 110 points following their consecutive victories after playing 17 matches in the current cycle with a net run rate of +0.221.
The team coached by Babar Azam has so far won 11 games and dropped six.Bangladesh is ranked second with 120 points, while England is first with 125 points.
LONDON: This winter, Britain risks a “humanitarian disaster” as low-income households are forced to make tough decisions that could result in significant physical and mental sickness, a healthcare advocacy group warned on Friday.
Prime Leader Boris Johnson has resisted calls to offer greater assistance to families dealing with rising costs, saying his administration will defer to the next prime minister, who will enter office in early September, on important budgetary matters.
According to Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents organisations in the healthcare sector, “the UK is confronting a humanitarian crisis.”
“Many individuals might have to make the terrible decision of forgoing meals in order to keep their homes warm or living in damp, chilly conditions.
KARACHI: According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s (PMD) forecast, Karachi won’t likely have severe rain today, the monsoon season’s current wet spell that has been battering the port city appears to be partially done (Friday).
However, the metropolis is expected to experience sporadic light to moderate showers until August 22, according to the most recent weather forecast from the Met office.
Karachi and other parts of Sindh continued to experience sporadic downpours on Thursday.Up until August 20, Sindh’s upper and central regions are anticipated to see severe rain. The Met Office issued alerts earlier this week for flash floods and heavy rainfall in Sindh from August 16 to August 19.
In addition, 669mm of rain was reported in Quaidabad, 612mm in Defence Housing Authority (DHA), 583mm in Surjani Town, 556mm in Nazimabad, 477mm in Saddar Town, 437mm in Kiamari Town, 425mm in Orangi Town, 424mm in University Road, and 400mm in North Karachi.
ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan, the chairman of the PTI, on Friday sought justice for Shahbaz Gill, his chief of staff, and alleged that he had been sexually assaulted while in police custody.
The PTI chairman issued a string of tweets claiming, “All the photographs and videos plainly reveal Gill was tortured both psychologically and physically, including sexual abuse – most too terrible to narrate.”
A district and sessions court in Islamabad decided earlier today to transfer Gill to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for a reevaluation of his health notwithstanding the police’s request to extend his remand in a sedition case.
The court noted that Shahbaz Gill’s condition was not good when announcing the judgement reserved by Judicial Magistrate Raja Farrukh Ali Khan, the on-call judge.
ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik on Thursday said the coalition government was offering ample opportunities to business community through a long term and focused planning.
Addressing to the 5th Leaders in Islamabad Business Summit 2022 “ Imagineering the future” here, the minister said that the government was introducing business friendly policies to incentivize the investors.
The summit was jointly hosted by Nutshell Group and Martin Dow, in strategic partnership with Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI).
Musadik Malik said that the continuity in policies was inevitable for sustainable economic development.
The minister stressed the need for virtualization of production systems in the wake of globalized world and increased virtual connectivity among the people.
“Education is the basic right of every citizen of the country and it is the prime responsibility of the government to provide equal opportunities to everyone,” he added.
The minister said Pakistan could be seen as a result of imaginations from the future including the building of dams, generation of 11,000 megawatts and the Lady Health Care Program in the country.
“Pakistan will be a changed country in 2047 with imaginations of the future and its implementation in the country is vital through consistent policies for various sectors to be rolled out without interventions,” he said.
At present, Musadik said the nation was struggling for getting basic human rights for access to education and health even in 2022, which was being taken for granted in the world.
Speaking on the occasion, former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Zubair Mahmood Hayat noted that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was the future of Pakistan, which would bring immense strategic benefits to the country.
He stressed the need for a national consensus and political will to move forward on the account to the next level.
The minister said Pakistan stood among the 20 nations of high significance in the emerging new world with capabilities and vulnerabilities alike, however we needed to optimize our strength and move ahead in the right direction.
“Pakistan needs fundamental correction to stabilize the economy as its strengths and vulnerabilities are known by everyone including the issues of taxes and the role of cartelization in the industries which is hijacking the economic benefits,” he maintained.
Pakistan is a country of 240 million people which is the 5th most populous country, the 4th most intelligent, and the 5th largest English-speaking diaspora having the largest digital connectivity in the land, he said and added the country had still all fundamentals in place but these had never been put together which was a problem.
Felicien Kabuga, an alleged financier of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, will go on trial in The Hague on September 29 facing charges of genocide and crimes against humanity, a UN judge announced Thursday. Once one of Rwanda’s richest men, Kabuga allegedly helped set up hate media that urged ethnic Hutus to “kill Tutsi cockroaches” and funded militia groups. Now in his 80s, Kabuga was arrested in France in May 2020 and transferred to a UN tribunal in The Hague to face charges of playing a key role in the slaughter of 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. “The Chamber orders the trial to commence at the Hague branch with opening statements on the 29th of September… and evidence to start on the 5th of October,” Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT) judge Iain Bonomy said. Wearing a dark suit, spotted black tie and striped white shirt, a frail-looking Kabuga listened intently through headphones perched on his head. Earlier he was pushed into the courtroom in a wheelchair. Kabuga was originally scheduled to appear in court in Arusha, where the other arm of the MICT resides, but judges had ruled he would remain in The Hague “until otherwise decided.” In June, the judges denied a defence objection, ruling Kabuga was indeed fit to stand trial. Bonomy said on Thursday the defendant would appear “three times a week for two hours at a time.” Kabuga is being held at the tribunal’s detention unit a few kilometres (miles) away. He will be allowed to attend hearings through a video link if necessary, the judge said. “Routine is an important part of Mr Kabuga’s life,” he said. “Whatever is required will be done.” Kabuga listened motionless but told Bonomy he wanted to change lawyers when asked if he wished to address the court. His current defence lawyer, Emmanuel Altit, pleaded not guilty on his client’s behalf at Kabuga’s first appearance in November 2020. He faces six charges including one count of genocide and three counts of crimes against humanity: persecution, extermination and murder. The UN says 800,000 people were murdered in Rwanda in 1994 in a 100-day rampage that shocked the world. An ally of Rwanda’s then-ruling party, Kabuga allegedly helped create the Interahamwe Hutu militia group and the Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), whose broadcasts incited people to murder. The radio station also identified the hiding places of Tutsis where they were later killed, prosecutors said in the indictment. More than 50 witnesses are expected to appear for the prosecution, which said they needed about 40 hours to wrap their case. Prosecutors said Kabuga controlled and encouraged RTLM’s content and defended the station when the minister of information criticised the broadcasts. AFP
A blast which ripped through a mosque packed with worshippers in the Afghan capital Kabul killed at least 21 people and wounded more than two dozen others, police said Thursday. The number of bombings across Afghanistan has dropped since the Taliban returned to power, but several attacks — many targeting minority communities — have rocked the country in recent months, including several claimed by the jihadist Islamic State group. No group has yet claimed Wednesday evening’s blast. “The blast was caused by explosives placed inside the mosque,” Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran told AFP Thursday. He said 21 people were killed and 33 wounded. The Italian non-governmental organisation Emergency, which operates a hospital in Kabul, said on Wednesday evening it had received 27 victims from the blast, including three fatalities. Most of the patients were “suffering from shell and burn injuries”, it said via email. In a later tweet, the hospital said five children were among those it treated, including a seven-year-old. Wednesday’s blast comes nearly a week after a suicide attack killed top Taliban cleric Rahimullah Haqqani, who was killed along with his brother at his madrassa in Kabul. Haqqani was known for angry speeches against IS, which later claimed the attack. The group has primarily targeted minority communities such as Shiites, Sufis and Sikhs. The Taliban say they have defeated IS, but experts claim the group remains a key security challenge for the hardline Islamists. While IS is a Sunni Islamist group like the Taliban, the two are bitter rivals and greatly diverge on ideological grounds. The blast came as senior Taliban leaders on Thursday led a major gathering of more than 2,000 religious clerics and elders in the southern city of Kandahar, the movement’s de factor power base. In a statement sent to the media, a Taliban spokesman said “important decisions will be taken in the conference”. AFP
