| SpaceX launches Korean satellite, sticks rocket landing Posted: MIAMI (AFP) - SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket Monday carrying a South Korean communications satellite to boost broadband coverage for southeast Asia and the Middle East, and stuck its 19th rocket landing in two years.The tall, white rocket roared into the blue sky over Cape Canaveral, Florida at 3:34 pm (1934 GMT), propelling Koreasat-5A toward a geostationary orbit some 22,000 miles (36,000 kilometers) from Earth.The satellite is designed to replace an earlier version, called Koreasat 5, which launched in 2006. The satellite was successfully deployed, SpaceX confirmed about 45 minutes after lauch.Minutes after launch, the rocket separated and the tall portion, called the first stage, fired its engines and maneuvered its grid fins to guide itself back to an upright landing on an ocean platform.Less than nine minutes after takeoff, the scorched rocket touched down on a droneship marked with an X and labeled Of Course I Still Love You.A little toasty but the Stage 1 is certainly still intact on the droneship, said a SpaceX commentator, as video images showed the rocket standing upright on the platform.Mondays launch marked the 16th for SpaceX so far this year.Headed by space enthusiast and solar energy entrepreneur Elon Musk, SpaceX is working on re-using rocket parts after launch -- rather than jettisoning them into the ocean as is the typical practice.So far, the company has managed to land 12 rockets on ocean platforms and seven on solid ground.The goal is to save money and eventually bring down the cost of space travel.  |
| Back-door contacts: Nawaz, Zardari likely to meet in London Posted: LONDON (Dunya News) – Back-door contacts have been established between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and a mutual friend of Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari is busy in bringing the two sides closer.According to sources, a mutual friend is busy in arranging a meeting between PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in London.The sources further informed that the meeting will take place very soon. Sources also said that Zardari is expected to reach London for the meeting with Nawaz Sharif soon.  |
| Sheikh Rashid calls on Tahirul Qadri in Toronto Posted: RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) – According to Lal Haveli, Rawalpindi spokesman, Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed called on Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri in Toronto on Monday and discussed current political situation in the country.Both the leaders also discussed about punishment for those responsible for removal of Khatam-e-Nabuwat (finality of Prophethood) clause from the oath of electoral representatives.Sheikh Rashid and Dr Tahirul Qadri also discussed about the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)’s references against Sharif family during the meeting.  |
| Sheikhupura: Building collapse leaves 4 dead, 9 injured Posted: SHEIKHUPURA (Dunya News) – A two-storey building collapsed near the main stop of Feroze Wattoan area of Sheikhupura on Monday, killing at least four people and wounding nine other, Dunya News reported.Police and rescue teams reached the spot and retrieved the dead and injured person from the rubble and shifted them to District Headquarters Hospital.The deceased were identified as 30-year-old Ahsan s/o Muhammad Aslam, 35-year-old Parvaiz s/o Amir Aslam, 70-year-old Haji Liaquat and 11-year-old Aysha.The injured who were shifted to District Headquarters hospital included 35-year-old Byshra Bibi w/o Abdul Majeed, 21-year-old Kashif Shahzad s/o Liaquat Ali, 29-year-old Surya Majeed d/o Abdul Majeed, 25-year-old Mawa Bibi w/o Kashif Shahzad, 26-year-old Sajid s/o Irshad Hussain, 65-year-old Saboor, 13-year-old Tayyba d/o Ghulam Shabbir, 6-year-old Azan and an unidentified man.  |
| PIA last flight from New York leaves behind dead body Posted: LAHORE (Dunya News) - Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) last flight from New York to Lahore left behind dead body of 26-year-old Nauman of Sahiwal to make space to bring back their own luggage.According to details, 26-year-old Nauman a resident of Karbala Road Sahiwal died suffered a heart attack and died in New York. His elder brother Bilal made the reservation to bring back dead body to Pakistan on the last flight of PIA from New York to Lahore.Bilal completed all the paper work and boarded the flight but when the flight landed at the Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport he was informed that dead body of his brother was left behind in New York. The PIA staff brought back their own luggage and equipment as this was PIA’s last flight from New York.The grief-stricken Bilal again left for New York to bring back body of his brother.The heirs of the deceased informed that they had made the announcement of the funeral prayers and the grave was also prepared. They have also requested the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to take action against PIA authorities.  |
| US detains 10-year-old Mexican girl with cerebral palsy Posted: CHICAGO (AFP) - US immigration officials last week followed a 10-year-old undocumented girl with cerebral palsy to a Texas hospital and detained her after surgery for deportation, advocates charged Monday.The American Civil Liberties Union, in a letter sent to multiple government agencies in charge of refugee children, demanded Rosa Maria Hernandez be released to her parents, who live in the US city of Laredo along the Mexico border.Forcibly separating Rosa Maria from her family inflicts serious psychological and emotional injury on her and on her entire family, the ACLU said in its letter.The civil rights group gave the government until Tuesday afternoon to release the child, before it would take immediate legal action.Hernandez suffers from cerebral palsy, a brain developmental illness that affects body movement and muscle control.Her mother brought her illegally into the US from Mexico when she was three months old for better medical care, according to US media reports. They crossed from Nuevo Laredo to Laredo -- adjacent cities separated by the border.The girl traveled last week by ambulance to a hospital in a nearby Texas city for surgery, accompanied by a US citizen adult relative.Immigration agents stopped them at a checkpoint and followed them to the hospital, where they monitored her medical treatment and took her into custody after doctors released her, according to the ACLU and media reports.Her arrest has caused outrage, with some questioning the Donald Trump administrations priorities, amid increasing detentions of undocumented immigrants.US President Donald Trump has called for tougher enforcement, promising to focus on those who commit crimes while in the US illegally.Supporters raised more than $26,000 on GoFundMe to help with Hernandezs legal costs.The Washington Post, in an editorial, questioned the judgment -- not to mention humanity -- of federal agents.And, US Congressman Joaquin Castro -- a Texas Democrat who sits on foreign affairs and intelligence committees -- last week added, A small child who just had surgery is not a threat.The US agency in charge of child migrant care told AFP that it could not comment on a specific case. It said it generally endeavors to release children to approved sponsors through an application process.US Customs and Border Protection did not respond to a request for comment.  |
| Hazlewood targets England's batting greenhorns Posted: SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia paceman Josh Hazlewood has warned Joe Roots England tourists and their raft of Ashes debutants they risk being exposed if their big guns dont fire in the coming series.Englands depleted squad touched down in Perth on Sunday without suspended star all-rounder Ben Stokes.Their arrival coincided with Hazlewoods Test pace partner Mitchell Starc picking up a career-best eight wickets with the pink ball in a Sheffield Shield match in Adelaide.The world number twos inexperienced batting line-up has been highlighted as its biggest weakness as it aims to emulate the feat of Andrew Strauss men by becoming only the second England team to retain the Ashes urn in Australia in 31 years.While doubts remain about the security of Australias top six batsmen, there is an air of confidence among their bowling attack heading into the opening Test at the Gabba on November 23.If you get him (Root), Alastair Cook and Jonny Bairstow, who have been scoring runs the last few years, it places extra pressure on the inexperienced guys even more so, Hazlewood told Fairfax Media.If we get the wood on them hopefully the rest fall in line.Only Root, Cook and Bairstow have played a Test in Australia, while Gary Ballance was dropped during the last Ashes series and James Vince, Mark Stoneman and Dawid Malan have played a combined total of 17 Tests without scoring a century.Root, rated the worlds second-best Test batsman, shapes as the key wicket for Australia despite a horror campaign in 2013/14 when he passed 50 once in eight innings and was then dropped.Hes a pretty good all-round player, you dont get to the top couple for no reason, Hazlewood said. He seems to be scoring quicker at the moment as well, at 80 strike-rate, the last 12 months.Hes definitely getting on with it so hopefully that gives us an extra couple of opportunities. Hes got a pretty well-rounded game at the moment.Starcs best first-class figures of his career could not have come at a better time, but will also be welcomed by the England seamers, particularly Stuart Broad.Broad is expected to be a handful at Adelaide Oval when the tourists play their first day-night Test in early December.Its been a long time since Ive played a four-day fixture so it was nice to get some overs under the belt (37.4 for the game) and get ready for that first Test, a fit-again Starc said on Sunday.The ball swung and nipped a little bit and I managed to get it to move both ways and find a way to get a few wickets.  |
| Sprint, T-Mobile shares sink after report says talks off Posted: SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Shares in Sprint and T-Mobile fell sharply Monday following a Japanese media report that merger talks between the third- and fourth-largest wireless operators had been called off.T-Mobile fell 2.8 percent to $61.21 and Sprint, which is controlled by Japans SoftBank, sank 4.6 percent to $6.65 at 1800 GMT.Japanese financial newspaper Nikkei reported that the two carriers had called off talks aimed at creating a stronger competitor to top US carriers Verizon and AT&T.The report said SoftBank and T-Mobile parent Deutsche Telekom failed to agree on terms of a tie-up.The two firms had held talks in 2014 on a merger but ended discussions in the face of opposition from US regulators.In the latest round, reports said the German parent group had insisted on a majority stake and that SoftBank did not want to cede control.T-Mobile ranks third among US wireless carriers by subscribers, followed by Sprint in fourth place.Together, the pair would have 131 million subscribers, which would see them virtually match second-ranked AT&T and pose stiff competition to market leader Verizon Communications.SoftBank chief executive Masayoshi Son, who was among the first businessmen to meet President Donald Trump after his election victory last year, had been reportedly pushing for the tie-up as part of his effort to invest $50 billion in business and job-creation in the United States.  |
| Roma coach wants 'same mentality' in Chelsea rematch Posted: ROME (AFP) - Roma coach Eusebio Di Francesco called on his players to have the same mentality against Chelsea in Tuesdays Champions League game in Rome as in London two weeks ago.Roma have won all three of their league games since drawing 3-3 with Chelsea a fortnight ago, and Di Francesco called on his team to continue to build on the performance at Stamford Bridge.In London we saw a beautiful Roma and tomorrow I want to see the same mentality, Di Francesco told Mondays press conference at the Stadio Olimpico.I want the same mentality as the one we adopted in our previous games. The mentality must be the same. That game must be a starting point for us.The idea is also to be more realistic than during the last three league matches (three 1-0 wins) where we lacked something.Roma -- who have not reached the quarter-finals since 2007-2008 -- are now looking for a victory to overtake Antonio Contes men at the top of Group C.The winner of the clash at the Stadio Olimpico will be well-placed to reach the last 16.I hope we will play with the same approach, maybe we can also be more effective and take more of our chances, continued Di Francesco.Were growing and the great strength of this team is that we give away very little.We respect Chelsea, but were also convinced about what we can do.Roma have a number of injury problems with record summer signing Patrik Schick still not fit to play.He has been reporting some pain when he kicks the ball, so he had new tests which did not show any major problem, said Di Francesco.Either way, tomorrow he will not be included in the squad list, and we will assess for the next game against Fiorentina.Roma have also been hampered by injuries to Gregoire Defrel (ankle), Bruno Peres (hamstring) and Rick Karsdorp (cruciate ligament).I dont believe in coincidences or bad luck. We have to look at Bruno Peres separately, who got injured in a very specific part of his hamstring, said the Roma coach.In general, however, we are working hard on solutions. But regardless of what you all are saying, I only have one thing in mind - tomorrow we are playing Chelsea, in front of our fans.It will be a great atmosphere and I hope the team will make them happy.  |
| Lukaku should be 'untouchable', says Mourinho Posted: MANCHESTER (AFP) - Jose Mourinho says Romelu Lukaku should be untouchable after questioning his treatment by Manchester Uniteds fans for the second time in three days.Lukaku made a lightning start to his United career, scoring 11 goals in his first 10 games for the club following his $99 million move from Everton in July.However, he has not scored in his past five appearances and Mourinho has suggested that he is not getting enough support from the fans.The manager voiced his displeasure initially to MUTV, the clubs in-house television station, after Saturdays 1-0 Premier League win over Tottenham, in which Lukakus flick created the winning goal for Anthony Martial.Lukaku, 24, also hit the post during that match, and Mourinho was keen to emphasis his centre-forwards general contribution as his team prepared for Tuesdays Champions League home match against Benfica.The fans are the fans and I am also told the fans pay for their tickets and they are free to express themselves the way they want to express themselves, Mourinho said at Uniteds training base.But my job is to protect my players when I feel they deserve it and I think Romelu is one of the players who should be untouchable in terms of the respect from everyone.Its not one ball that hit the post or not one save from the opposition goalkeeper that can make Romelus contribution below the top level. Hes playing extremely well for us.What he does for the team is fantastic, added the United boss. He is fantastic. And playing football, for a striker, is not just about scoring goals.Mourinho rejected the suggestion that Lukaku can be a quiet presence when he is not scoring goals, arguing that the striker gave Tottenhams Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Eric Dier a tough time on Saturday.- Knockout phase -Victory over Benfica could secure Uniteds place in the knockout phase of the Champions League and Mourinho believes his team are growing stronger in Europe.The manager believes the club have made progress since winning the Europa League last season, when they also finished in the relatively low position of sixth in the Premier League.This is a logical consequence of evolution, said Mourinho. We played in the Europa League and won it, so my team are now playing in the Champions League. I think we are much better than last year or three years ago.Our main aim is to finish first in the group. We want to get to the last 16 as first in the group.United defender Eric Bailly echoed his managers suggestion that the team are getting stronger, in a season in which English teams are flourishing in the Champions League.All five Premier League sides in the competition are currently top of their groups and Bailly said: We know its one of the best leagues and there are good teams, and theyre getting good results.Its something important for the league, and the Premier League has always been strong.We have to think of ourselves and carry on this run. Right now were doing very well, winning games, lets hope this carries on.  |
| Pak Army to provide financial assistance to female Pakistani cyclist Posted: RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) – On special instructions from Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa, Pakistan Army will now provide financial assistance to Malakand based cyclist Samar Khan.Samar Khan will now be able to participate in mountain cycling competition in Tanzania and will maneuver her cycle over the highest mountain of Africa Mount Kilimanjaro.Samar Khan is the first Pakistani cyclist to ride a cycle on a glacier in Karakoram range. According to ISPR, COAS said that the youth is the future of the country and should be encouraged to follow their passions and specialize in their respective fields.  |
| Gritty Windies dig in before Cremer strikes Posted: BULAWAYO (AFP) - Zimbabwe legspinner Graeme Cremer struck late on day two to end a turgid opening stand and keep the West Indies in check in the second Test at Queens Sports Club on Monday.A grinding partnership of 76 in almost 47 overs between Kraigg Brathwaite and Kieran Powell had given the West Indies a solid base in their reply to Zimbabwes 326 all out, before Cremer removed Brathwaite for 32 to send the visitors to stumps on 78 for one.There are a lot of runs in that wicket, said West Indian fast bowler Kemar Roach. The new ball hasnt been doing much - no major bounce or seam movement.Once the guys settle and put their heads down to bat, I think well be fine.Powell closed the day unbeaten on 43, while nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo was yet to get off the mark.While the second half of the day was attritional, the first half had been entertaining as Hamilton Masakadza turned his unbeaten 101 from Sunday into 147, and Sikandar Raza scored a battling 80.With the pair extending their partnership for the fifth wicket to 90, Zimbabwes total moved along from an overnight 169 for four to 246 for four before the West Indies struck three times in quick succession.Masakadza top-edged a delivery from legspinner Bishoo and was caught by wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich, before Malcolm Waller and Regis Chakabva both departed cheaply, with Chakabva becoming Bishoos 100th Test dismissal.From 267 for seven Raza stabilised the innings alongside captain Cremer, but the West Indies took the second new ball after lunch and needed just 55 deliveries to wrap up the tail.Raza was caught at second slip off the bowling of Shannon Gabriel, while Cremer was run out and debutant Tendai Chisoro was trapped lbw by Roach, who finished with figures of 3 for 44.In reply, Brathwaite and Powell ended a run of 18 innings without a fifty partnership as they took the patient approach to batting on a slow, turning surface.They cautiously guided their side through the first 16 overs to reach tea on 25 without loss, then added just 51 runs in the next 31 overs.Offspinner Raza bowled his 13 overs for just 10 runs as the West Indies at times ground to a halt, giving Zimbabwe confidence that a couple of quick strikes on the third morning will put them back in charge of a game that they must win to earn a share of the series.Considering the number of overs weve bowled, the run rate is a bit slow, even for Test cricket, said left-arm spinner Chisoro.So if you add two wickets onto that score, its a different ball game.  |
| US takes back nine helicopters from Pakistan provided for anti-terror operations Posted: ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – US had given nine helicopters to Pakistan’s Interior Ministry for anti- terror and recon operations at Pak-Afghan border in year 2002 but later decided to take them back, four units were taken back to US last year while five remaining helicopters are set to be returned on Tuesday.The helicopter’s operational command structure consisted of US personnels and helicopter flights were only given green signal after clearance from US personnels in their entire operational history in Pakistan.The command crew for helicopters used to be granted Pakistani visas for five years as long as helicopters remained operational in Pakistan.The five remaining helicopter units will be loaded in US cargo aircraft at Benazir Bhutto International Airport, from where the flight will take off with remaining units on Tuesday.  |
| Trump aides indicted as Russia probe accelerates Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - Donald Trumps former campaign chairman and two other senior aides have been charged as part of the investigation into Russias manipulation of the 2016 election, bombshell court documents revealed Monday.Paul Manafort and associate Rick Gates were hit with a dozen indictments ranging from conspiracy against the United States to money laundering, while another former campaign aide pled guilty to lying about Kremlin-related contacts.The unsealed charges were an explosive opening salvo from special FBI investigator Robert Mueller, after months of speculation and spin about possible Trump campaign collusion with Moscow.While falling far short of being a smoking gun for conspiracy, the unproven charges suggest a pattern of top Trump associates looking East for political and economic gain.Manafort, 68, and campaign business partner Rick Gates, 45, were charged with allegedly hiding millions of dollars gleaned from work with Ukrainian politician Viktor Yanukovych and his pro-Moscow political party.George Papadopoulos, a former Trump foreign policy advisor, admitted he tried to hide contacts with a Moscow-linked professor who was offering dirt on Trumps election rival Clinton.Papadopoulos also said he met with a woman he described as Vladimir Putins niece as well as with the Russian ambassador in London in March last year, after which he told other campaign officials that they had discussed arranging meetings with Trump and campaign staff.The revelations prompted a furious and defiant reaction from Trump, who dismissed allegations of collusion and called on election rival Hillary Clinton to be investigated.Sorry, but this is years ago, before Paul Manafort was part of the Trump campaign. But why arent Crooked Hillary & the Dems the focus????? Trump tweeted. ....Also, there is NO COLLUSIONBut the charges signal a dramatic new phase in Muellers investigation, one that holds grave perils for the Trump presidency.Papadopoulos told the FBI that he had informed Trump and others in a March 2016 meeting that he could organize a meeting between then candidate Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.Through his false statements and omissions, defendant Papadopoulos impeded the FBIs ongoing investigation into the existence of any links or coordination between individuals associated with the campaign and the Russian governments efforts to interfere with the 2016 presidential election, the indictment said.US intelligence agencies have concluded that Putin ordered a vast influence campaign to help Trump win election, including the hack and release of Democratic Party and Clinton campaign emails.As Muellers investigation has rumbled forward, Trump and allied media organizations like Fox News have increasingly called the former FBI directors independence into question.Democrats -- who dismiss counter allegations against Mueller and Clinton as a blatant attempt to divert attention -- on Monday called for the special counsel to be protected.The President must not, under any circumstances, interfere with the special counsels work in any way, said top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer.If he does so, Congress must respond swiftly, unequivocally, and in a bipartisan way to ensure that the investigation continues.Manafort and Rick Gates were due to appear before a US magistrate later Monday.- Focus on Ukraine -Manafort was among the participants of a June 9, 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with a Kremlin-linked lawyer that raised suspicions of collusion between the campaign and Moscow.The meeting was arranged by Trumps eldest son, Donald Jr, in hopes of receiving damaging information on Clinton.Manaforts indictment made no mention of Russian involvement in the US campaign, however, focusing instead on Manaforts earlier Ukrainian ties.A long-time political operative and consultant, he was recruited in March 2016 to round up pro-Trump delegates to the Republican Party convention.Then in June Trump named him campaign chairman, replacing fired Corey Lewandowski.But in August he resigned as Ukraine corruption investigators released files showing large payments to Manafort companies and it became clear he was under investigation in the United States in relation to that.Federal law enforcement officials were reportedly aware of wire transfers linked to Manafort as far back as 2012, when they began investigating whether he committed tax fraud or helped the Ukrainian regime -- at the time close to Russian leader Vladimir Putin -- launder money.  |
| Six dead as Israel blows up tunnel from Gaza Posted: GAZA CITY (AFP) - Six Palestinians were killed Monday as Israel blew up what it said was a tunnel stretching from the Gaza Strip into its territory, a rare case of such an incident since a devastating 2014 war.Ashraf al-Qudra, spokesman for the Hamas-led Gazan health ministry, confirmed six men had been killed.One of the men came from Hamas armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades confirmed, while at least some of the others were believed to be from Islamic Jihad, an allied militant group.Their deaths were announced after Israel neutralised a terror tunnel leading into southern Israel, military spokesman Jonathan Conricus told journalists.The tunnel was detonated from within Israel, close to the security fence.Tunnels dug by Gazas Islamist rulers Hamas were a key issue in the last war with Israel in 2014, but discoveries of those stretching into the Jewish state have since been rare.Islamic Jihad said in a statement that the tunnels were part of the policy of deterrence to defend the Palestinian people.It added they were studying potential responses to this dangerous escalation.Conricus said the Israeli military was not seeking a further escalation.He said the tunnel was targeted around two kilometres (less than two miles) from the Israeli village of Kissufim, but added that no Israelis had been in danger.He said the tunnel was still being dug and no opening was found in Israeli territory. The military had been monitoring it for some time, Conricus said, declining to say when it was first discovered.In April 2016, Israels military said it had located and destroyed a tunnel extending from the Gaza Strip into Israel in the first such discovery since the 2014 conflict.Breakthrough technologyHamas forces have used tunnels in the past to enter Israel and carry out attacks.We are developing breakthrough technology to deal with the tunnel threat, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.We are implementing it. Today we located a tunnel and destroyed it. Whoever seeks to harm us will be hit.Conricus also said Israel used advanced technology to locate the tunnel but declined to elaborate.Mondays operation came as Palestinian rival factions Hamas and Fatah seek to follow through on a reconciliation deal signed earlier this month aimed at ending a decade-long rift between them.Hamas is due to hand control of the Gaza Strip back to the Palestinian Authority by December 1 under the agreement.The Islamist movement seized the enclave in a near civil war with Fatah, based in the occupied West Bank, in 2007.Israel has warned that it will not accept a unity government that includes Hamas if the Islamist movement does not disarm and recognise the country, among other demands.Israel launched its 2014 operation in Gaza with the stated objectives of halting rocket fire and destroying attack tunnels into Israel.During the war, 32 tunnels were discovered, including 14 that extended into Israel, according to a UN report on the conflict.It was the third war in Gaza since 2008 and the longest, deadliest and most destructive.It killed 2,251 Palestinians, while more than 10,000 were wounded and 100,000 were left homeless.On the Israeli side, 74 people were killed, all but six of them soldiers.Israeli leaders have been keen to show they are addressing the threat of tunnels from the Gaza Strip.A state inquiry in February accused Netanyahu and top army brass of being unprepared for the tunnels used by Hamas during the 2014 conflict.  |
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