Oldham Coliseum: Historic theatre stages final act after funding cut

The final curtain falls on the Oldham Coliseum after it had its Arts Council England funding removed.

from BBC News - Entertainment & Arts https://ift.tt/jMV0XmJ

Prince Harry privacy case: battle with Mail owner begins

The Duke listened and took written notes as his court fight with Associated Newspapers began.

from BBC News - Entertainment & Arts https://ift.tt/8OtI1f6

Elon Musk Defends Paid Twitter As Blue Tick Ultimatum Looms

Elon Musk on Friday defended his controversial pay model for Twitter, claiming that any social media platform that didn't follow suit would fail because they would be swarmed by bots.

Musk made his prediction on the eve of Twitter's April 1 ultimatum that verified accounts with the cherished blue tick that had not forked over cash would lose it.

"The fundamental challenge here is that it's (easy) to create literally 10,000 or 100,000 fake Twitter accounts using just one computer at home and with modern AI (artificial intelligence)," Musk told a question and answer session on Twitter.

"That's the reason for really pressing hard on verified where the verified requires a number from a reputable phone carrier and a credit card," Musk said.

"My prediction is that any so-called social media network that doesn't do this will fail," Musk added.

The change in system puts pressure on companies, journalists and celebrities who used Twitter as their main channel of communication and relied on the blue tick for credibility.

And it also raises the specter of imposters and jokesters paying for an officially verified, but totally fake account.

In the US, the subscription plan, known as Twitter Blue, costs $8 a month or $84 a year, or $11 a month if bought through Apple's app store.

Since its creation in 2009, the blue tick or checkmark became a signature element that helped the platform become a trusted forum for news makers and campaigners.

But Musk and his fans said the blue check was decided by fiat in a secretive procedure and called it a symbol of an unfair class system.

Opening the blue tick to paying subscribers was among the first decisions made by Musk when he took ownership of Twitter last year, but his overhaul backfired.

Within hours, Twitter was flooded by fake yet verified accounts impersonating celebrities, major companies and even Musk himself.

Musk swiftly backtracked, but many advertisers fled the site, denying Twitter a major source of income that the CEO is struggling to replace.

For now, blue checks of celebrities -- including Justin Bieber and his 113 million followers or footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and his 108 million -- are tagged on the site as "legacy" accounts.

- 'Will be awful' -

The verified account conundrum also involves officials, charities and news media companies.

Already the White House, which will keep a special designation as a government entity, told employees it would not pay to have its staff's official Twitter profiles keep the blue tick, Axios reported.

News media companies, firms and charities already lost their blue tick and were tagged as verified business accounts under Musk's new system.

According to Twitter's website, these cost a hefty fee of $1,000 a month in the United States, and $50 for each additional affiliated account.

"This will be awful for those who can't afford the new fees," said Andrew Stroehlein, European Media Director of Human Rights Watch, who said his group would not pay for the privilege.

"It will damage the effectiveness of local activists, including human rights activists, who have long used Twitter for grassroots organizing," he added in a blog post.

The New York Times said it will not pay for a verified business account and that it would only subscribe for a blue tick for journalists when essential for reporting needs.

The "pay to play" verification model is also being tested by Twitter rival Facebook in Australia and New Zealand, which has also drawn major criticism.

Much is riding on Musk's ability to find a business model for Twitter.

Last week Musk put the current value of Twitter at $20 billion, less than half the $44 billion he paid for the social media platform just five months ago.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/2TqjmhX

Influencer Andrew Tate To Move From Jail To House Arrest: Romania Court

A Romanian court on Friday ordered that controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother be moved from jail to house arrest while they are investigated for alleged human trafficking and rape.

Tate, a British-American former kickboxer with millions of online followers, along with his younger brother and two Romanian women, are under investigation for allegedly "forming an organised criminal group, human trafficking and rape".

Tate, 36, and his brother Tristan, 34, were arrested in late December, and have been held in pre-trial detention ever since, which was again extended last week.

However, an appeals court "rejected the prosecution's proposal to extend the pre-trial detention" and ordered the pair be placed "under house arrest", according to a court ruling, which was seen by AFP.

The brothers -- who deny all charges brought against them -- were expected to be released later Friday.

Media thronged the entrance to the prison where they are being held.

Arriving there, one of their lawyers, Eugen Vidineac, said he had not been informed of the details of the court's decision.

The brothers have repeatedly said there is no evidence against them, while their lawyers have argued they are not a flight risk and should be released.

- Seized luxury cars -

The two men moved to Romania several years ago, and Tristan has a baby son who was born since his arrest.

As part of the probe, Romanian police have raided several properties connected to the Tate brothers and seized many of their assets, including a collection of luxury cars.

A court document from January said that one woman was "recruited" from the UK after she fell in love with Andrew Tate, who then brought her to Romania "with the goal of sexual exploitation".

The brothers, and the two Romanians also detained, allegedly trafficked, recruited and exploited women by coercing them into "pornographic acts with a view to producing and disseminating such material" online.

Flaunting his bulging muscles, cigars and fast cars, Tate's videos posted on social media fascinate millions of teenage boys.

Giving tips on how to be successful along with misogynist and sometimes violent maxims, the Briton's output has made him one of the world's best-known influencers.

In 2016, Tate appeared on the "Big Brother" reality television show in Britain but was removed after a video emerged showing him attacking a woman.

He then turned to social media platforms to promote his divisive views before being banned for misogynistic remarks and hate speech.

Tate was allowed back on Twitter after the South African billionaire Elon Musk bought the company.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/jgl3fak

IMF Approves $15.6 Billion Support Package For Conflict-Hit Ukraine

The International Monetary Fund has approved a $15.6 billion support package for Ukraine to assist with the conflict-hit country's economic recovery, the fund said in a statement Friday.

The Russian invasion has devastated Ukraine's economy, causing activity to contract by around 30 percent last year, destroying much of its capital stock and fueling poverty, according to the IMF.

The 48-month Extended Fund Facility program approved by the fund's board is worth roughly $15.6 billion. It forms the IMF's portion of a $115 billion overall support package comprised of debt relief, grants and loans by multilateral and bilateral institutions, the organization confirmed in a press conference Friday.

The new four-year program aims to "anchor macroeconomic and financial stability as well as to undertake critical structural reforms as the war continues," IMF deputy managing director Gita Gopinath said in a statement.

Of the total amount approved by the IMF, $2.7 billion is being made available to Ukraine immediately, with the rest of the funds due to be released over the next four years.

The more "ambitious structural reforms" to support sustained growth and post-war reconstruction, as well as facilitate Ukraine's path to EU accession among other goals, will be left until active combat ends, she added.

The program also includes additional guarantees from some IMF members in the event that active combat continues beyond the current estimate of mid-2024.

If the current conflict were to continue into 2025, it would raise Ukraine's financial needs from $115 billion to around $140 billion, said the IMF.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/JCtzy2j

Shubman Sizzles As Gujarat Titans Begin IPL Title Defence In Style

Shubman Gill eclipsed Ruturaj Gaikwad's high-quality knock with a dazzling half-century as Gujarat Titans began their title defence with a convincing five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in the IPL opener in Ahmedabad on Friday. Gaikwad was all class in his 92 off 50 balls before Titans pulled things back in the middle overs to limit Chennai Super Kings to 178 for seven after opting to bowl first in front of a near capacity crowd at the world's largest cricket stadium. In the form of his life over the past three months, Gill played some jaw-dropping strokes in his 63 off 36 balls to set up a fine win for the home team. Titans got home in 19.2 overs.

Gill's opening partner Wriddhiman Saha showed he has still got it as he smashed a couple of sixes and as many fours in his 16-ball 25 that got the Titans going in the run chase.

Gill's best shot of the innings was the back foot punch off CSK's impact player Tushar Deshpande and he followed with a pick up shot over midwicket. Titans' impact player Sai Sudharsan, who was used in place of an injured Kane Williamson, contributed with 22 off 17 balls.

When Gill departed, Titans needed 41 off the last five overs but CSK managed to take the game down to the wire.

It needed a cameo from Rashid Khan (10 not out off 3) to settled the nerves in the Titans dressing room.

Earlier, it was a display of effortless hitting from Gaikwad, who relied on his lofted drives over extra cover and crisp pull shots to collect as many as nine sixes.

Apart from Gaikwad, the only other batter who put the Titans under pressure was Moeen Ali who came up with a 17-ball 23. Ali's flat six off Mohammad Shami on a free-hit ball was the highlight of his cameo.

Gaikwad pulled IPL debutant Joshua Little on his very first ball to set the tone of his innings. That over went for 15 runs and with Shami conceding 17 runs in the following over, CSK got the momentum they were looking for.

Titans' trump card Rashid Khan was introduced in the powerplay and as he often does, he got the wicket that his team was looking for by getting the dangerous looking Ali caught behind.

Rashid's second over saw him getting rid of England Test captain Ben Stokes, who too was caught by wicketkeeper Saha, leaving CSK at 70 for three.

However, the fall of wickets did not make Gaikwad change his game as he kept getting the boundaries. He welcomed Alzarri Joseph into the attack by smashing him for three sixes in the eighth over.

Titans did well to stem the flow of runs in the middle overs and got the wicket of Ambati Rayudu.

Shivam Dube struggled to find the big hits and that put pressure on Gaikwad who was caught in the deep in the 17th over and missed out on a deserving hundred.

Skipper M S Dhoni came out to bat at number eight but still managed to make an impact as he pulled Little for a six before flicking him for a four in the final over, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Williamson injured his knee while fielding at the boundary and limped off the field.

The last five overs yielded 45 runs for CSK.

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/v8HCZpa

Syphilis In Babies Skyrockets In Canada Amid Rising Drug Use

The numbers of babies born with syphilis in Canada are rising at a far faster rate than recorded in the United States or Europe, an increase public health experts said is driven by increased methamphetamine use and lack of access to the public health system for Indigenous people.

While syphilis has made a global resurgence over the last five years, Canada is an outlier among wealthy nations in its rate of increase: 13-fold over five years, according to Health Canada. The incidence of babies born with syphilis reached 26 per 100,000 live births in 2021, the most recent year available, up from 2 in 2017, according to the Health Canada data.

That total is on track to increase further in 2022, according to the preliminary government data obtained by Reuters.

Babies with congenital syphilis are at higher risk of low birthweight, bone malformations and sensory difficulties, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Syphilis in pregnancy is the second-leading cause of stillbirth worldwide, the WHO said.

Yet congenital syphilis is easily preventable if an infected person gets access to penicillin during their pregnancy.

Among the G7 group of wealthier nations for which data is available, only the United States had a higher incidence of syphilis at birth: 74 per 100,000 live births in 2021, triple the rate in 2017, according to preliminary figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

There were 2,677 cases of congenital syphilis in the U.S. in 2021 for a population of 332 million, according to preliminary CDC data. Canada had 96 cases for a population of 38 million, according to Health Canada.

People experiencing poverty, homelessness and drug use, and those with inadequate access to the health system, are more likely to contract syphilis through unsafe sex and pass it to their babies, public health researchers said.

"In high-income countries you see it in pockets of disadvantaged populations," said Teodora Elvira Wi, who works in the WHO's HIV, Hepatitis and sexually transmitted infection program.

"It's a marker of inequality. It's a marker of low-quality prenatal care."

What sets Canada apart are its Indigenous populations who experience discrimination and often have poor access to health and social services, said Sean Rourke, a scientist with the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, who focuses on prevention of sexually transmitted disease.

"It's just the whole system, and all the things that we've done in bad ways not to support Indigenous communities," he said.

Health Canada told Reuters it has dispatched epidemiologists to help provinces contain the increase in congenital syphilis. Spokesperson Joshua Coke said the federal government is expanding testing and treatment access in Indigenous communities.

Tessa, an Indigenous 28-year-old woman who asked to be identified only by her middle name, said she had a years-long crystal meth addiction and was homeless when she got pregnant in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

"I would be walking down the street just crying: 'Why am I living like this?'" she told Reuters.

She said she received no prenatal care until she went into labor in November, which is when she tested positive for HIV and syphilis during a routine test.

Her daughter was prescribed a 10-day course of antibiotics, administered by IV, and is now healthy, Tessa said. But she still thinks about the difficulties she experienced in accessing prenatal care.

"Having transportation, maybe, and a place to live, and being sober, probably would have helped, big time," she said.

Susanne Nicolay, nurse lead at Wellness Wheel clinic in Regina, Saskatchewan, which serves Indigenous and vulnerable populations, said providers needed to do more to expand access to health care. "The system always talks about patients that are hard to reach. But I think it's health providers that are hard to reach," she said.

'MULTIPLE FAILURES'

A lot needs to go wrong for a baby to be born with syphilis, said Jared Bullard, a Manitoba pediatrician who has been researching babies born with syphilis since 2021 in an ongoing study for the Public Health Agency of Canada.

"It's pointing at multiple failures along the path," he said.

In Canada, the rise in babies born with syphilis is concentrated in the three prairie provinces: Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Prairie provinces have higher crystal meth use and remote populations and Indigenous populations who may have trouble accessing health care, Bullard said.

Manitoba recorded the highest rate, with about 371 cases per 100,000 live births in 2021.

The province said in an emailed statement that it is expanding training for health care providers in addressing sexually transmitted infections, encouraging frequent testing and early treatment. It is digitizing its records of STI infections.

Saskatchewan has launched a public awareness campaign urging people to practice safe sex and get tested, said Dale Hunter, a spokesperson for the provincial health ministry. The province had an incidence of 185 cases of congenital syphilis per 100,00 live births in 2021.

Alberta said women aged 15-29 made up more than half of what it called a "significant increase" in syphilis rates. "The reasons for the increase are not fully known, but it is likely that a variety of factors have contributed to this rise," Alberta Health Services spokesperson James Wood said.

In preliminary results of a study of 165 infants exposed to syphilis, Bullard and fellow pediatrician Carsten Krueger found at least two-thirds were born to women reporting a history of substance abuse.

About 45% of the women identified as Indigenous and another 40% had no ethnicity recorded. Indigenous people make up about 5% of the Canadian population, according to census data.

About a quarter of the people in the study did not get tested because they got no prenatal care; about one-fifth of those who tested positive did not get treated. Bullard said he has also seen people get treated early in pregnancy and then get re-infected.

Public health researchers and clinicians said the rates of congenital syphilis began increasing before the pandemic and worsened as public health agencies diverted resources to COVID-19 testing and other pandemic-related health measures.

"All of the social circumstances that contributed to this have just gotten worse over the pandemic,” said Ameeta Singh, an infectious diseases specialist with an HIV/STI practice in Edmonton, Alberta.

This month Health Canada approved a syphilis and HIV test that can provide results in less than a minute, allowing providers to begin treatment right away.

Some public health researchers and providers are urging the Canadian government to buy and distribute the tests.

"We probably need a million tests to get out there around the country," Rourke said. "The solution's right in front of us."

Health Canada did not respond when asked about purchasing test kits.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/fzb8CZv

3 Children Among 11 Killed In Stampede At Food Distribution Centre In Pak

Eleven people were killed in a stampede during the distribution of food aid in Pakistan's Karachi on Friday, a health official said, one of several such incidents in recent weeks as the country's economic crisis bites.

The dead included five women and three children, police said, while five other people were hospitalised following the incident, which occurred at a charity-run distribution site set up at a local factory.

Thousands of people have gathered at flour distribution centres set up across the country, some as part of a government-backed programme to ease the impact of inflation, which is running above 30%, a 50-year high.

At least five other people have been killed and several injured in recent weeks at sites in other provinces in Pakistan. Thousands of bags of flour have also been looted from trucks and distribution points, according to official records.

The stampedes underscore people's desperation in the face of soaring costs, exacerbated by Pakistan's falling currency and a removal of subsidies agreed with the International Monetary Fund to unlock the latest tranche of its financial support packages.

The costs of basic goods have surged, with flour prices rising more than 45% in the past year.

The Pakistani government has launched the flour distribution programme to reach millions of families in need during the month of Ramadan that began last week.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/hzlMJHy

Gwyneth Paltrow ski-crash jury deliberates over who crashed into whom

The highly-watched trial draws to a close as the jury decides who crashed into whom

from BBC News - Entertainment & Arts https://ift.tt/6E4K3hd

Turkey Approves Finland's Bid To Join NATO

Turkey on Thursday became the final NATO nation to ratify Finland's membership of the US-led defence alliance in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Lawmakers unanimously backed the Nordic country's accession two weeks after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan publicly blessed the bid.

"This evening, we are keeping the promises we made to Finland," ruling party lawmaker Akif Cagatay Kilic said moments before the vote.

Turkey's approval leaves Finland -- which has a 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) border with Russia -- with only a few technical steps before it becomes the 31st member of the world's most powerful military bloc.

Officials expect the process to be completed as early as next week.

Finland and its neighbour Sweden ended decades of military non-alignment and decided to join NATO last May.

Their applications were accepted at a June alliance summit that was designed to show the Western world's desire to stand up to Russia in the face of Europe's most grave conflict since World War II.

But the bids still needed to be ratified by all the members' parliaments -- a process that stalled with Turkey and Hungary.

- 'Ample grievances' -

Erdogan put up stiff resistance to Sweden's candidacy because of a series of long-standing disputes.

He first signalled his more supportive stance on Finland's membership in January -- a position that forced the Nordic neighbours to bow to the diplomatic pressure and break up their bids so that both applications were not delayed.

The Hungarian parliament ratified Finland's NATO membership on Monday. It was expected to approve Sweden's accession during the current session ending June 15.

But a spokesman for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Wednesday called on Sweden to "clear the air" and address "an ample amount of grievances" for the vote to go ahead.

Sweden has upset Orban -- one of Europe's closest allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin -- by expressing alarm over the rule of law in Hungary.

It has also angered Turkey by refusing to extradite dozens of suspects that Erdogan links to a failed 2016 coup attempt and a decades-long Kurdish fight for an independent state.

Stockholm still hopes to join the alliance in time for a July summit in Vilnius.

Most analysts believe that Turkey will only vote on Sweden's candidacy after the country's May general election.

- 'Legitimate target' -

NATO was created as a counterweight to the Soviet Union at the onset of the Cold War era that began immediately after the Allies defeated Nazi Germany.

The bloc has gone through waves of expansion that brought it ever closer to Russia's borders.

NATO's reach into east and south European countries that were once under Moscow's effective control infuriated the Kremlin and created growing strains in its relations with Washington.

Putin cited the threat of NATO expanding into Ukraine as one of his main reasons for launching the war 13 months ago.

But the conflict has had the opposite geopolitical effect from the one envisioned by Putin.

Ukraine is now receiving tanks and other heavy weapons from NATO members that it hopes to use in a new counter-offensive planned for the coming weeks or months.

Finland never seriously discussed NATO membership until Putin went to war.

The Kremlin at first appeared to play down the significance of the bloc reaching a new stretch of Russia's northwestern frontier.

But Russia has stepped up its diplomatic rhetoric in recent weeks.

Stockholm this week summoned the Russian ambassador after he said Sweden and Finland would become a "legitimate target" of "retaliatory measures" -- including military ones -- if they join NATO.

Putin last weekend also announced plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in neighbouring Belarus.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/VvBsZMf

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI Live Score Updates

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, 3rd Odi Live Updates: Keeping an eye at securing automatic qualification for the World Cup, Sri Lanka will look to win the third ODI against New Zealand and hope for some other results to go in their favour. Their hopes took a major blow on Tuesday when heavy rain and gusting winds forced the second ODI against New Zealand to be abandoned without a ball being bowled. Having also lost the first ODI in the three-match series, Sri Lanka are now ninth in the Super League table with 82 points, six points behind West Indies. (LIVE SCORECARD)

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/jl5Qwxn

Mould Problem Puts Son Permanently On Antibiotics, Mother Asks For Help

A young mother of five children in the UK has reported that a significant dumping issue in her home is the reason why her son is frequently becoming sick and using antibiotics.

She said that for seven years, there was mould in each of the three bedrooms of her Whitstable home.

According to KentLive, the 31-year-old has two sets of twins, aged three and nine, and another child who is 12. However, one of the nine-year-olds has an immunoglobulin A (IGA) deficiency. IGA is an antibody found in the inner lining of the nose, airways, and gut, which means a deficiency could make someone more susceptible to catching diseases and illnesses.

"I have had a severe mould problem for seven years now, and the council is constantly doing pointless work that is not solving it," she said.

Yet the council claimed that the first notice of mould in the house it received was in November of last year, and that it has plans in place to help address the problem.

"Initial treatment work and repointing took place in December. More substantial work, including thermoboarding, is booked in for early May, and we were in touch with her yesterday about the installation of a passive ventilation system," a Canterbury City Council spokesman said.

According to the National Health Service of the UK, if you have damp and mould in your home, you're more likely to have respiratory problems, respiratory infections, allergies, or asthma. Damp and mould can also affect the immune system.

It further stated that some people are more sensitive than others, including babies and children,older people, those with existing skin problems, those with respiratory problems, and those with a weakened immune system, such as those having chemotherapy.

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/BUIvd90

US Urges Americans In Russia To Leave "Immediately"

US State Department Secretary Antony Blinken on Thursday requested the Americans living in Russia to leave the country "immediately", after the reporter was arrested in Moscow.

Taking to Twitter, Mr Blinken said, "We are deeply concerned over Russia's announcement it has detained a U.S. citizen journalist. The @StateDept's highest priority is the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad. If you are a U.S. citizen living or travelling in Russia - please leave immediately."

These remarks came after an American reporter for Wall Street Journal (WSJ) Evan Gershkovich was arrested in Russia on espionage charges, according to Al-Jazeera.

In a statement, Mr Blinken said, "We are deeply concerned over Russia's widely-reported detention of a U.S. citizen journalist. We are in contact with the Wall Street Journal on this situation. Whenever a U.S. citizen is detained abroad, we immediately seek consular access, and seek to provide all appropriate support."

"In the strongest possible terms, we condemn the Kremlin's continued attempts to intimidate, repress, and punish journalists and civil society voices," the statement added.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also expressed concern over the arrest of Evan Gershkovich in Russia. She also stated that last night, White House and State Department Officials spoke with Gershkovich's employer, the Wall Street Journal.

"The Administration has also been in contact with his family. Furthermore, the State Department has been in direct touch with the Russian government on this matter, including actively working to secure consular access to Gershkovich," the press secretary said in a tweet.

"The targeting of American citizens by the Russian government is unacceptable. We condemn the detention of Gershkovich in the strongest terms. We also condemn the Russian government's continued targeting and repression of journalists and freedom of the press," she added.

She also stated that the US government should heed the warning to not travel to Russia.

US citizens residing or travelling in Russia should depart immediately, as the State Department continues to advise, Ms Pierre tweeted.

WSJ in a statement said, "The Wall Street Journal is deeply concerned for the safety of Gershkovich."

The Federal Security Service (FSB), a top KGB successor agency, said that the WSJ reporter was detained from the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg while he allegedly tried to obtain classified information.

In a statement, the FSB said, "Gershkovich acting on the instructions of the American side, collected information constituting a state secret about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex", read a WSJ report.

The FSB has also alleged that Mr Gershkovich "was collecting classified information about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex that constitutes a state secret", according to Al-Jazeera.

The local media stated that he was covering the war in Ukraine and the Wagner mercenary group before getting detained.

The mention of the date of arrest was not there in its statement, however, Mr Gershkovich could be imprisoned for about 20 years if he gets convicted of espionage.

Ever since the Cold War, he is the first journalist from an American news organisation to be detained in Russia on suspicion of espionage, and his detention comes at a time of intense international concern due to the conflict in Ukraine, according to Al-Jazeera.

Mr Gershkovich covers Russia and Ukraine and was duly accredited as a journalist as a correspondent for the Wall Street Journal's Moscow office.

His most recent assessment, which was released last week, concentrated on the stagnation of the Russian economy in the face of Western sanctions.

The Wall Street Journal hired Evan Gershkovich, 31, who was formerly employed by AFP in Moscow. Before, he worked as a reporter for The Moscow Times, according to his bio in Wall Street Journal.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/EhaUDQ4

'Hotel Rwanda' Hero Paul Rusesabagina Arrives In US: White House

Outspoken Rwandan government critic Paul Rusesabagina, whose efforts to save people during the 1994 genocide inspired the Hollywood film "Hotel Rwanda," has arrived in the United States after being freed from prison, the White House said Wednesday.

"I'm pleased to welcome Paul Rusesabagina back to the United States. We're glad to have him back on US soil & reunited with his family & friends who've long waited for this day to come," US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan tweeted.

Rusesabagina was released on March 25 after more than 900 days behind bars, after the Kigali government commuted his 25-year sentence on terrorism charges.

His detention had thrown a spotlight on Rwanda's record of crushing political dissent and free speech under President Paul Kagame.

Rusesabagina was convicted in September 2021 of backing an armed rebel group after a trial that his supporters denounced as a sham.

The 68-year-old, who is also a Belgian citizen with US permanent residency, has been in failing health and his family said he was tortured during his 939 days in detention.

US President Joe Biden had earlier welcomed Rusesabagina's release, calling it a "happy outcome."

"Paul's family is eager to welcome him back to the United States, and I share their joy at today's good news," he said in a statement on March 25.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/pjmwokO

Dmitry Muratov: The Russian journalist refusing to be silenced

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov is looking for hope in his country's younger generation.

from BBC News - Entertainment & Arts https://ift.tt/daxRbmE

Paul O'Grady alter ego Lily Savage 'a voice for a queer generation'

Fellow drag queens praised the character for helping to pave the way for thousands of artists.

from BBC News - Entertainment & Arts https://ift.tt/YvOFx3j

Pope Francis Hospitalised In Rome For Respiratory Infection

Pope Francis, 86, was admitted to a hospital in Rome on Wednesday with a respiratory infection which will require a stay of a few days, the Vatican said.

"In recent days Pope Francis has complained of some breathing difficulties," said Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni in a statement.

The pontiff was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital for medical checks, which revealed "a respiratory infection... that will require a few days of appropriate hospital medical treatment", Bruni said, adding that a Covid-19 infection had been excluded.

Earlier in the afternoon, the Vatican had said Francis had been admitted "for some previously scheduled checks."

The pope, who this month marked 10 years as head of the Catholic Church, had earlier appeared in good spirits at his weekly audience at the Vatican, smiling as he greeted the faithful from his "popemobile".

However, he was seen grimacing as he was helped getting into the vehicle and Italian media reported he was taken to hospital by ambulance.

"Pope Francis is touched by the many messages received and expresses his gratitude for the closeness and prayer," said Bruni's statement.

A Vatican source told AFP that the pope's appointments for Thursday morning were cancelled.

The Argentine pontiff suffers from chronic knee pain that has forced him to rely on a wheelchair in recent months.

The Gemelli was the same hospital where he underwent an operation on his colon in July 2021 after suffering from a type of diverticulitis, an inflammation of pockets that develop in the lining of the intestine.

He remained in hospital for 10 days. A year later he admitted he was still feeling the effects of six hours spent under anaesthetic during the surgery.

In an interview in January, Francis said the diverticulitis had returned.

- Speculation -

Pope Francis had to cancel or curtail activities several times last year because of the pain in his knee and in a July 2022 interview acknowledged that he needed to slow down.

His health has been the frequent subject of speculation, particularly the question of whether he will follow the example set by his predecessor and retire if he cannot continue.

Benedict XVI, an eminent German theologian, shocked the world in 2013 by becoming the first pope since the Middle Ages to resign.

The two "men in white" co-existed within the walls of the tiny Vatican state for almost a decade, before Benedict died on December 31.

Francis has said he would follow Benedict in stepping down if his health made him unable to do his job.

However, he told an interviewer in February that papal resignations should not become "a normal thing", adding that for the moment it was not on his agenda.

- Still active -

Despite his advancing age and health problems, Francis continues to travel widely.

Huge crowds greeted him on a visit earlier this year to South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, a testament to his ongoing popularity.

Next month, Pope Francis is due to visit Hungary and meet Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

In the past decade, he has sought to forge an image of a more open, compassionate Church, although has faced internal opposition, particularly from conservatives.

Francis almost died when he was 21 after developing pleurisy -- an inflammation of the tissues that surround the lung -- according to biographer Austen Ivereigh.

He had part of one of his lungs removed in October 1957.

He has also talked about the surgical removal of cysts from the top lobe of his right lung.

He insisted he had made "a complete recovery... and never felt any limitation since then".

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/wEzk3dP

Rashid Khan Overtakes Wanindu Hasaranga To Reclaim No. 1 T20I Bowler's Spot

Afghanistan's milestone victory against Pakistan echoed throughout the world of cricket. It was the first time Afghanistan had beaten Pakistan in a bilateral T20I series and star spinner Rashid Khan was the main beneficiary as he overtook Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga to again become the top ranked T20I bowler in the world once again. The right-arm bowler collected a wicket in each of the three matches against Pakistan in Sharjah, with his miserly economy rate in both of Afghanistan's victories during the first two games of the series being a standout.

Rashid's teammate Fazalhaq Farooqi was the standout pacer during the series with a total of five wickets and an economy rate of just 4.75 and the left-armer shot up an eye-catching 12 spots to third overall in the latest rankings update.

It means Afghanistan now have three players inside the top 10 of the T20I category for bowlers, with spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, part of the talented trio, at the eighth spot following his four wickets for the series against Pakistan.

While regular Pakistan skipper Babar Azam was rested for the series and he dropped one place to fourth in the T20I batter rankings, stand-in skipper Shadab Khan impressed and was duly rewarded on the latest rankings update.

Shadab improved eight spots to fourth on the T20I all-rounder rankings and jumped six places to 12th overall on the list for bowers, while teammate Mohammad Wasim shot up nine spots to 23rd in the same category.

West Indies' series victory over South Africa saw a host of their players jump up the T20I rankings list, with beanpole quick Alzarri Joseph improving 17 spots to 33rd overall for bowlers and teammate Johnson Charles jumping a whopping 92 places to 17th for batters.

South Africa duo Rilee Rossouw (up two spots to sixth) and Reeza Hendricks (up eight places to 12th) also made good ground on the T20I rankings for batters in what was a high-scoring and entertaining series.

There was some movement on the ODI charts this week too, following the completion of Australia's series away from home in India and Zimbabwe's series with the Netherlands.

Australia spinner Adam Zampa jumped three places to sixth overall on the list for ODI bowlers, while Zimbabwe veteran Sikandar Raza improved one spot to fifth in the all-rounder category.

India opener Shubman Gill rose to a career-high rating of 738 points in fifth place on the list for ODI batters, with skipper Rohit Sharma jumping one spot to eighth overall in the same category.

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/xwuel0L

EU Removes Pakistan From List Of "High-Risk Third Countries"

The EU has removed Pakistan from its list of "High-Risk Third Countries" that do not have a robust anti-money laundering and countering terrorist financing regime, a move welcomed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday as a major development which would facilitate the cash-strapped country's businesses.

The developments come as a much-needed breather when Pakistan faces an economic crisis.

The EU's delegation in Pakistan termed it an "important positive step" for Pakistan.

"In line with last year's FATF (Financial Action Task Force) decision, the EU has decided to remove Pakistan from its list of countries with high risk regarding money laundering and financing of terrorism," it said on Twitter.

It was referring to the decision by the global money laundering and financing watchdog, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), to remove Pakistan from its list of countries under "increased monitoring".

In a statement announcing the news on Wednesday, Pakistan's Ministry of Commerce said the listing of Pakistan in 2018 had resulted in creating a regulatory burden affecting Pakistani companies doing business with the 27-member bloc.

Pakistan was included on the list in 2018, placing the country under additional regulatory restrictions.

The list includes countries that the European Union considers to have strategic deficiencies in their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing frameworks.

Prime Minister Sharif in a Twitter post said that the decision would facilitate the country's businesses, individuals and entities.

"De-listing of Pakistan from EU's updated list of high-risk third-countries is a major development which would facilitate our businesses, individuals and entities," the Pakistan leader tweeted.

PM Shehbaz also said it was a reflection of the government's unwavering resolve to further strengthen the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regime.

According to the Delegated Regulation, following the measures implemented to address the action plans agreed with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Nicaragua, Pakistan and Zimbabwe remedied the strategic deficiencies in their respective AML/CFT regimes and no longer pose a significant AML/CFT threat to the international financial system.

Pakistan's Ministry of Commerce said the EU member states' "Obligated Entities" will no longer be required to apply "Enhanced Customer Due Diligence" while conducting transactions with individuals and legal entities established in Pakistan.

The entities include credit institutions, financial institutions, auditors, external accountants, tax advisors, notaries, independent legal professionals (acting on behalf of and for their client in any financial or real estate transaction), estate agents and individuals trading in goods.

Pakistan's exclusion from the list would add to the comfort level of the European economic operators and is likely to ease the cost and time of legal and financial transactions by Pakistani entities and individuals in the EU, according to the ministry statement.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in a statement said that it would help Pakistan's economy.

"Pakistani businesses and individuals would no longer be subjected to enhanced customer due diligence by European legal and economic operators," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/fMnrI17

D and D: Why Hollywood is keen on a 50-year-old game

As the role-playing game inspires another Hollywood adaptation, we look at its enduring popularity.

from BBC News - Entertainment & Arts https://ift.tt/j634Crk

Pak Government Tables Bill In Parliament To Curtail Chief Justice's Powers

Pakistan's Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Tuesday tabled the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023 aimed to limit the discretionary powers to take suo motu notice by the chief justice of Pakistan, Geo News reported.

The house has sent the proposed bill to the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on Law and Justice for further approval which will meet on Wednesday morning under the chair of Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk.

The committee will send it back to the lower house. After the NA passes the bill, it will be sent to the Senate for approval.

The decision of Pakistan's government comes a day after two Supreme Court judges -- Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail raised questions over the powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan. The two judges said the apex court "cannot be dependent on the solitary decision of one man, the Chief Justice."

The court must be regulated through a rule-based system approved by all judges of the court under Article 191 of the Constitution," Justice Shah and Justice Mandokhail wrote in a 27-page dissenting note for the apex court's March 1 verdict in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa suo motu.

In his speech on the floor of the house during the National Assembly session, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sought parliamentary action in this regard. He termed the dissenting note "a ray of hope," as per the Geo News report.

Shehbaz Sharif said, "The voices for change stemming from the judiciary itself is certainly a ray of hope for the country." Sharif's party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has accused the judiciary of "bench-fixing," as per the news report.

While speaking on the floor of the house, Pakistan's Law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that the Supreme Court's reputation was damaged due to the actions taken in the name of suo moto notices.
"We have even seen that era when suo motu notices were taken on trivial matters [...] also, in the past, several review cases were delayed and not fixed for hearing," Azam Nazeer Tarar said.

Tarar said that the dissenting note of the two judges has led to further concern. He stated that the decisions taken under suo motu notices could not be appealed earlier. He further said, "It is important to give the chance to appeal an order and the parliament has always demanded that the right to appeal should be given."

The bill includes shifting the powers of taking suo motu notice from the chief justice to a three-member committee comprising three senior judges.

Furthermore, the bill includes a clause regarding the right of challenging the decision which could be filed within 30 days and will be fixed for a hearing in two weeks' time.

According to the bill, every clause, appeal or matter before the Supreme Court shall be heard and disposed of by a bench formed by the committee comprising the Chief Justice of Pakistan and two senior judges. The bill also stated that the decision of the committee shall be made as per the majority.

In a 27-page note for the apex court's March 1 verdict in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa suo motu, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail called it important "to revisit the power of 'one-man show' enjoyed by the office of the Chief Justice of Pakistan [Umar Ata Bandial]."

Expressing their views against running a "one-man show", Justice Shah and Justice Mandokhail stressed that it results in a concentration of power in the hands of one individual, making the system more susceptible to the abuse of power, as per the Geo News report.

The judges said that a collegial system with checks and balances helps "prevent the abuse and mistakes in the exercise of power and promote transparency and accountability." They stressed that collegial system ensures good governance as it rests on collaboration, shared decision-making and balance of power.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/C4aOecJ

Mike Pence Ordered To Testify Against Donald Trump In US Capitol Riot Case

A US judge has ordered former vice president Mike Pence to testify about his conversations with Donald Trump leading up to the 2021 assault on the Capitol, multiple media outlets reported on Tuesday.

Washington's Chief Judge James Boasberg reportedly ruled that Pence should have to provide answers to a federal grand jury on any questions probing potential criminality by the then-president.

But Pence can decline to discuss his actions on the day of the insurrection itself, when he was serving as president of the Senate for the certification of the election, the reports said.

The ruling, which remains under seal, marks a partial victory for the Justice Department as it probes the insurrection, which was linked to several deaths, left more than 100 police officers wounded and led to more than 1,000 arrests.

Trump is running for the White House again in 2024, and Pence indicated he may challenge him for the Republican nomination.

Investigators are probing Trump's role in provoking the violence on January 6, 2021 as part of a broader alleged effort to cling to power after losing the presidential election to Joe Biden.

Both Pence and the government's quasi-independent prosecutor, Special Counsel Jack Smith, can challenge the parts of the decision that didn't go in their favor.

Neither has announced whether they intend to appeal, although Pence has previously vowed to fight his summons all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary.

Pence and Trump have been at loggerheads since Pence refused to go along with Trump's efforts to overturn the election. Section of the pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol called for Pence to be hanged, forcing him to flee.

Pence has already described many of the relevant conversations with Trump in "So Help Me God," a memoir published last year, but he refused to testify before a House committee that investigated the insurrection.

He had argued unsuccessfully that he was allowed to avoid giving evidence under the Constitution's "Speech or Debate" clause, which shields officials in Congress from legal proceedings specifically related to their work.

The judge also rejected a separate assertion by Trump of executive privilege -- which protects aides from having to testify about certain conversations with presidents.

The offices of Trump and Pence did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump is frontrunner by a considerable margin in the contest to be the Republican nominee in the 2024 presidential election.

But he faces legal jeopardy on several fronts, including a separate federal investigation into his handling of classified documents and probes into election interference in Georgia and a hush money payment in New York.

He denies all wrongdoing, claiming to be the victim of a multi-pronged "witch hunt."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/rDPvw2U

Prince Harry Accuses UK Royals Of Hiding Phone Hacking From Him

Britain's Prince Harry has accused his family of withholding information about phone hacking from him to avoid sitting in the witness box and opening "a can of worms", a witness statement released Tuesday said.

The Duke of Sussex made the claim in submissions for a privacy claim he and other celebrities have filed against the publisher of the Daily Mail, Associated Newspapers (ANL).

Lawyers for the group, which also includes pop superstar Elton John, claim ANL commissioned the breaking and entry into private property, illegally intercepted voicemail messages and obtained medical records.

The alleged wrongdoing dates from 1993-2011, but some went on as late as 2018, according to their lawyer David Sherborne.

In his partially redacted statement, Harry stated he "became aware that I had a claim that I could bring" only in 2018, in part due to the royal family -- which he refers to as "the Institution".

"The Institution was without a doubt withholding information from me for a long time about... phone hacking," he added.

"That has only become clear in recent years as I have pursued my own claim with different legal advice and representation."

The prince went on to state: "The Institution made it clear that we did not need to know anything about phone hacking and it was made clear to me that the Royal Family did not sit in the witness box because that could open up a can of worms."

The prince, who lives in California, made a surprise appearance at London's High Court on the first two of four days of hearings this week, on Monday alongside John and other figures involved.

- 'The bubble burst' -

ANL has described the allegations as "preposterous smears" and an attempt "to drag the Mail titles into the phone-hacking scandal".

It is trying to end the legal claims by arguing they are "stale" and "based on no credible evidence", so should not go to trial.

A spokesperson for ANL said that Harry "has become a serial litigant against Mail newspapers with whom he seems obsessed".

Britain's phone-hacking scandal, which first blew up in 2006, saw journalists at the Rupert Murdoch-owned News of the World hack into the voicemails of royals, celebrities and murder victims.

It triggered the closure of the mass-selling Sunday tabloid, a mammoth police investigation, a judge-led inquiry and criminal charges that gripped Britain for years.

Harry, the younger son of Britain's King Charles III, has long had a difficult relationship with the media.

In his statement, he said leaving the UK had proved pivotal in bringing the lawsuit.

"It is not an exaggeration to say that the bubble burst in terms of what I knew in 2020 when I moved out of the United Kingdom," the prince stated.

He concluded by arguing he was bringing the claim "because I love my country and I remain deeply concerned by the unchecked power, influence and criminality" of the publisher.

"The British public deserve to know the full extent of this cover up and I feel it is my duty to expose it," he added.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/iGS0Acu

US School Shooter Bought 7 Weapons Legally, Used 3 To Kill Six

28-year-old Audrey Hale, who shot dead six people at Nashville's Covenant School, had bought seven weapons legally and used three of them in the horrific tragedy on Monday. Metro Nashville Police Department Chief John Drake in press briefing said that the weapons were purchased from five different local gun stores and were legally purchased.

John Drake said Hale self-identified as transgender without offering further clarity. Mr Drake and other officials repeatedly referred to the attacker with female pronouns, though Hale used male pronouns on a LinkedIn page that listed recent jobs in graphic design and grocery delivery, Reuters reported.

"She was under a doctor's care for an emotional disorder. Law officers know nothing about the treatment she was receiving. Her parents felt that she should not own weapons. The parents felt that Audrey had one weapon and that she sold it," John Drake said, adding that the weapons had been hidden around the house.

In the brief press conference, Mr Drake said that they still did not have a motive for the attack. "We believe that the students that were targeted were randomly targeted. There was no particular student that she was looking for during the incident."

Mr Drake indicated that Hale may have had some training.

"As they arrived on the property, there were police cars being hit by gunfire. The suspect was at an upper level. We believe that there was some training (for her) to be able to shoot from a higher level. She stood away from the glass so that she wouldn't be an easy target to be shot," he said.

He said that Audrey Hale's manifesto contained several writings that the Nashville police department and the FBI were still going through. It contained information about different locations, a map of the attacked school, a drawing of how Hale would enter and the assault that would take place.

The police chief added that had there been a law in place, authorities would have been able to take the weapons away from Hale prior to the attack. "Had there been a law and had it been reported that she was suicidal or that she was going to kill someone, had it been made known to us, then we would have tried to get those weapons. But as it stands, we had absolutely no idea."

Police got the call about the attack at 10:14 am and by about 10:24 they had engaged the suspect. On why the school was targeted, he said that all they know is that Hale was a student of the church but were unsure yet if that was a contributing reason.

Helplines
Vandrevala Foundation for Mental Health	9999666555 or help@vandrevalafoundation.com
TISS iCall	022-25521111 (Monday-Saturday: 8 am to 10 pm)
(If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/k28ZFlL

Jay Z Is Now Worth $2.5 Billion, Warren Buffett's Old Comment On Him Resurface

Billionaire Warren Buffett predicted that young people would soon turn to Jay-Z for financial guidance during an old interview with the rapper. Interestingly, the artist's net worth is now $2.5 billion, according to the latest Forbes estimates. Jay-Z was also the first billionaire rapper in the world. Since then, his fortune has increased as a result of a number of wise business decisions and ventures, creating what Forbes refers to as "a sprawling and diversified empire." According to its Real-Time Billionaires ranking, he is the 1,205th richest person in the world. 

Amid this, an old Forbes interview of Jay-Z with the legendary investor is going viral. In the interview, he compared his approach to his music career with the Oracle of Omaha's strategy of investing only in businesses he knows rather than what is most popular. 

"Music is like stocks. There's the hot thing of the moment. People tend to make emotional decisions based on that. They don't stick with what they know, you know, 'This is who I am. This is what I do.' They jump on this next hot thing. And it's not for you." Jay-Z told Forbes at the time.

At the conclusion of their conversation, Mr Buffett predicted that young people would soon turn to Jay-Z for financial guidance.

"Jay is teaching in a lot bigger classroom than I'll ever teach in. For a young person growing up he's the guy to learn from," the billionaire said. 

With investments in Armand de Brignac champagne, D'Usse cognac, and different investment properties in New York and LA, Jay-Z became the first billionaire rapper back in 2019. His wealth has increased as a result of the expansion of his entertainment firm Roc Nation, the sale of the streaming service Tidal and numerous investments in businesses like Uber. 

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/1mSYTji

Australia's Steve Smith To Debut As Commentator at Indian Premier League

Australia's Steve Smith will debut as a commentator at the upcoming Indian Premier League, the tournament's broadcaster said Tuesday, ending the mystery about his return to the event. The 16th edition of the cash-rich Twenty20 extravaganza begins Friday in Ahmedabad, with 10 teams and a host of global stars in attendance for the eight-week tournament. "Steve Smith has joined the expert panel for the marquee tournament. Smith will be making his broadcast debut with Star Sports, adding his invaluable insights and expertise to Star Sports' already impressive roster of panelists," the broadcaster said in a statement.

Smith, 33, announced his return to the tournament on Twitter on Monday, saying in a teaser video: "Namaste, India. I've got some exciting news for you: I'm joining IPL 2023."

That post sparked speculation he might return to the tournament as a player. The video drew considerable mirth on social media for Smith's robot-like performance in the 15-second clip, during which he didn't blink.

"DON'T blink if you're being held at gunpoint," one Twitter user quipped.

Another fan advised Smith, who recently led Australia in two Tests and three one-day internationals in India, to use his bat and not the microphone on his Indian return. Smith last played for the Delhi Capitals in the lucrative IPL in 2021 before he went unsold in the auction for the following season.

The star batsman kept himself out of this season's mini-auction in December but can be picked up as an injury replacement by any team.

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/4vJWKgH

Actor Orlando Bloom meets children affected by Ukraine war and visits Zelensky

The Lord of the Rings star, who is a goodwill ambassador for Unicef, also met President Zelensky.

from BBC News - Entertainment & Arts https://ift.tt/6q3Yp8h

China Spent $240 Billion Bailing Out 'Belt And Road' Countries: Report

China spent $240 billion bailing out 22 developing countries between 2008 and 2021, with the amount soaring in recent years as more have struggled to repay loans spent building "Belt & Road" infrastructure, according to a study published Tuesday.

Almost 80% of the rescue lending was made between 2016 and 2021, mainly to middle-income countries including Argentina, Mongolia and Pakistan, according to the report by researchers from the World Bank, Harvard Kennedy School, AidData and the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

China has lent hundreds of billions of dollars to build infrastructure in developing countries, but lending has tailed off since 2016 as many projects have failed to pay the expected financial dividends.

"Beijing is ultimately trying to rescue its own banks. That's why it has gotten into the risky business of international bailout lending," said Carmen Reinhart, a former World Bank chief economist and one of the study's authors.

Chinese loans to countries in debt distress soared from less than 5% of its overseas lending portfolio in 2010 to 60% in 2022, the study found.

Argentina received the most, with $111.8 billion, followed Pakistan on $48.5 billion and Egypt with $15.6 billion. Nine countries received less than $1 billion.

People's Bank of China (PBOC) swap lines accounted for $170 billion of the rescue financing, including in Suriname, Sri Lanka and Egypt. Bridge loans or balance of payments support by Chinese state-owned banks was $70 billion. Rollovers of both kinds of loan were $140 billion.

The study was critical of some central banks potentially using the PBOC swap lines to artifically pump up their foreign exchange reserve figures.

China's rescue lending is "opaque and uncoordinated," said Brad Parks, one of the report's authors, and director of AidData, a research lab at William & Mary College in the United States.

The bailout loans are mainly concentrated in the middle income countries that make up four-fifths of its lending, due to the risk they pose to Chinese banks' balance sheets, whereas low income countries are offered grace periods and maturity extensions, the report said.

China is negotiating debt restructurings with countries including Zambia, Ghana and Sri Lanka and has been criticised for holding up the processes. In response, it has called on the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to also offer debt relief.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/AHp2CU5

Gwyneth Paltrow ski crash trial: Accuser heard 'blood-curdling scream'

A man suing Gwyneth Paltrow over a ski crash says it sounded "like someone was out of control".

from BBC News - Entertainment & Arts https://ift.tt/5LPu04Z

US School Shooting: Attacker Believed To Be Ex-Student, Say Police

The female shooter who killed three children and three adults Monday at a private school in Nashville is believed to have once been a student at the facility, city police said.

"My initial findings is that at one point she was a student at that school, but it's unsure what year," Nashville Chief of Police John Drake told reporters.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/vhStraQ

Amazon Loses Bid To Toss Consumer Antitrust Lawsuit In US

Amazon.com Inc must face consumer claims that its pricing practices artificially drove up the cost of goods sold by other retailers in violation of US antitrust law, a federal judge has ruled.

The ruling by US District Judge Richard Jones in Seattle on Friday came in a prospective antitrust class action that has estimated damages of between $55 billion to $172 billion.

The lawsuit was filed in 2020 by residents of 18 states, including Virginia, Texas, California, Florida and Illinois, challenging an Amazon policy that retailers cannot offer lower prices for goods sold elsewhere if they also want their product available on the Amazon Marketplace platform.

Jones' order trimmed the lawsuit but said consumers can move ahead with their case.

Plaintiffs lawyer Steve Berman of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, a lead attorney for the proposed class, said "Amazon's main arguments are rejected," and called the ruling "good news for tens of millions of consumers who have been overcharged by Amazon."

An Amazon spokesperson declined to comment.

Amazon has denied the plaintiffs' claims, arguing that its "Fair Pricing Policy" has procompetitive benefits and that US antitrust law encourages such a policy.

The e-retail giant can still defend its pricing practices at a later stage in the litigation, and also can urge the court not to allow consumers to sue as a class. The court said it wants to review a class certification briefing schedule by mid-April.

A separate private consumer suit, also pending in Seattle federal court, alleges Amazon's practices have increased prices for items sold on the company's own platform.

Attorneys general in California and Washington, DC, also have sued Amazon over pricing policies.

The case is Frame-Wilson et al v. Amazon.com Inc, US District Court, Western District of Washington, No. 2:20-cv-00424-RAJ.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/ceBfr23

Cricketer Kedar Jadhav's Father Found After Going Missing From Pune Home

Cricketer Kedar Jadhav's father Mahadev Jadhav was found hours after he went missing from their Pune home on Monday, a police official said. As per Kedar Jadhav's complaint at Alankar police station, his 75-year-old father, who suffers from dementia, had left their Kothrud home for a morning walk and was last seen exiting the gate of the housing complex. Mahadev Jadhav was found in Mundhwa area, the official said. "His condition is fine and he has been reunited with his family," Senior Inspector Ajit Lakde of Mundhwa police station said.

Kedar Jadhav represented India in 73 One-Day Internationals and has been playing for the Maharashtra Ranji team since 2007.

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/KI2YDOT

"Imran Khan Has Turned Politics Into Enmity": Pakistan Minister

In a startling remark, Pakistan's Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has termed ousted prime minister Imran Khan 'enemy' of the ruling PML-N saying he has taken the country's politics to a point where either "he (Imran) will get murdered or us".

The remarks of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) senior leader, who is very close to former premier Nawaz Sharif, sparked an outcry among the political circles especially Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

Imran Khan, after surviving a gun attack on him during a rally in Wazirabad, Punjab in November last year, named Rana Sanaullah behind the assassination attempt on him. Imran Khan, 70, also mentioned the names of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a senior ISI officer in an application for FIR for their role in the murder plot.

In an interview to a couple of private TV channels on Sunday, Sanaullah said: "Either Imran Khan or us will get murdered. He has now taken the country's politics to a point where only one of the two can remain -- PTI or PMLN. PMLN's entire existence is in jeopardy and we will go to any extent against him to settle a score with him. Imran Khan has turned politics into enmity. Imran Khan is now our enemy and he will be treated like that," Sanaullah declared.

Asked if such remarks could result in anarchy in Pakistan, the minister said: "Anarchy already prevails in Pakistan." Reacting strongly to Rana Sanaullah's statement, PTI leader and former federal information minister Fawad Chaudhry said: "This is a direct life threat to Imran Khan from the PMLN coalition government." "Is Sanaullah running a gang or government? The Supreme Court had rightly declared Sharifs-led PMLN a Sicilian mafia and his statement is evidence of it," he said.

The PTI has also urged the SC to take notice of this as it is an open threat to Imran Khan's life.

"If anyone has any doubts about Rana Sanaullah's murderous intent towards Imran Khan. This is a direct threat given by the cabal of crooks' interior minister. The judiciary should take note," PTI senior leader and former minister Shireen Mazari said in a tweet.

The PTI said it has never witnessed in the past that a ruling party openly declared eliminating a popular leader of Pakistan. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/HZaFzo2

Eurovision 2023: Mae Muller and other hopefuls get pre-parties started across Europe

Participants of the song contest begin the build-up to Liverpool by performing for fans across Europe.

from BBC News - Entertainment & Arts https://ift.tt/qZ7egba

UK PM Rishi Sunak To Unveil New Measures Against Anti-Social Behaviour

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will unveil new measures on Monday to crack down on antisocial behaviour by focusing on policing in several areas of England and Wales, as he works to win over voters in the run-up to an election expected next year.

Rishi Sunak, who has seen a small tick up in his approval ratings since last month and received a boost when he curtailed a rebellion in his party over Brexit, is increasingly setting out his policy agenda to try to close a double-digit lead in the opinion polls for the opposition Labour Party.

He will say the new measures, including "hotspot" policing and a ban on nitrous oxide or laughing gas, underscores his zero-tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour which will see offenders receiving swift and visible punishments.

"Anti-social behaviour undermines the basic right of people to feel safe in the place they call home," Rishi Sunak said in a statement.

"The public have rightly had enough - which is why I am determined to restore people's confidence that those responsible will be quickly and visibly punished."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/5B37VpQ

200 Barrels Of Oil Leaks Into Water At Southern England's Poole Harbour

Anglo-French oil company Perenco's UK unit said on Sunday that a limited oil leak occurred at one of its well sites in Wytch Farm in Dorset, southern England.

Perenco UK said the spill was being contained and an investigation will be launched.

"Any spill is an extremely serious matter and a full investigation will be launched to ascertain what happened in Poole Harbour," Perenco UK's Wytch Farm General Manager Franck Dy said in a statement.

BBC reported that a major incident was declared after about 200 barrels of reservoir fluid leaked into the water at Poole Harbour.

Perenco UK produces about 40,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day, of which about 14,000 barrels is from Wytch Farm.

Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC) has activated an oil spill plan and the pipeline had been shut down, with booms placed on either side of the leak, BBC said.

PHC did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for a comment.

Last year, the company's parent company declared force majeure for 150 days following a leak at its Cap Lopez oil terminal in Gabon.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/uy1tFIw

Israel PM Fires Defence Minister Over Call To Stop Judicial Reforms

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday fired Defence Minister Yoav Galant a day after he broke ranks, citing security concerns in calling for a pause to the government's controversial judicial reforms.

On a day when 200,000 people took to the streets of Tel Aviv to protest the reforms, Mr Galant -- who had been a staunch Benjamin Netanyahu ally -- on Saturday said "we must stop the legislative process" for a month in view of its divisiveness.

The plans to hand more control to politicians and diminish the role of the Supreme Court have been questioned by Israel's top allies including the United States, while regularly igniting protests in Israel.

"The growing social rift has made its way into the (army) and security agencies. It is a clear, immediate and tangible threat to Israel's security," said Mr Galant, who is a member of Benjamin Netanyahu's own right-wing Likud party.

"I am committed to Likud values... and placing the State of Israel above all... but major changes on the national level must be made through deliberations and dialogue," he said, also calling for a halt to the protests.

Detractors see the reform project as threatening Israel's democracy, but the government argues changes are needed to rebalance powers between lawmakers and the judiciary.

Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday decided to "dismiss Defence Minister Yoav Galant", the prime minister's office said in a brief statement.

In response to the decision, Mr Galant countered on Twitter: "The security of the State of Israel has always been and will always remain the mission of my life."

- Slim majority -

Mr Galant's call for a halt to the reforms came before lawmakers are due to vote this coming week on a central part of the proposals, which would change the way judges are appointed.

Two other Likud lawmakers had tweeted their support for Mr Galant, raising questions over whether the government could count on a majority if it pushes ahead with a vote.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid responded on Twitter to Mr Galant's dismissal by saying the prime minister can fire Mr Galant, "but he cannot fire reality and cannot fire the people of Israel who are standing up to the insanity of the coalition".

"The Prime Minister of Israel is a danger to the security of the State of Israel," Mr Lapid added.

Mr Galant, a former general, was named to his post in December as part of Netanyahu's coalition with far-right and ultra-Orthodox allies.

He is the first casualty but other high-level officials have also expressed reservations.

Earlier this month, President Isaac Herzog, who holds a largely ceremonial role, voiced concern over the deepening rift in society and presented a proposed compromise, which the government rejected.

Isaac Herzog raised the spectre of "a genuine civil war".

- 'Illegal' intervention -

Israel's attorney general on Friday accused Benjamin Netanyahu of "illegal" public intervention on the reform programme, after he made a nationwide TV address the previous evening.

Isaac Netanyahu is on trial over charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, which he denies.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara said the prime minister's televised declaration "and all interventions on your part on the process" of adopting the judicial reforms "is illegal".

The prime minister must "avoid any involvement in changes in the judicial system and particularly in the process of nominating judges, as this places you in a situation of conflict of interests," Baharav-Miara argued in an open letter published by the justice ministry.

In his televised address, the prime minister vowed to "responsibly advance" the reforms and "end the rift" they have caused in the nation.

A parliamentary committee has amended the draft law with the aim of making it more palatable to opponents, but the opposition has ruled out backing any part of the reform package until all legislative steps are halted.

Demonstrators have meanwhile announced a "national paralysis week", including countrywide rallies, protests outside ministers' homes and on Wednesday outside parliament.

Isaac Netanyahu's broadcast gave rise to contempt of court accusations filed with the Supreme Court by a non-governmental organisation, the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, an anti-corruption group.

The NGO's complaint, seen by AFP, alleges Isaac Netanyahu violated an agreement with the court that an accused prime minister does not have the right to act in a matter that could constitute a conflict of interest.

Isaac Netanyahu has until April 2 to respond to the complaint, the Supreme Court said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/SCcYjZf

WPL 2023: Hayley Matthews Claims Purple Cap, Meg Lanning Takes Orange

Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hayley Matthews bagged the Purple Cap, while Delhi Capitals captain Meg Lanning took the Orange Cap in the inaugural Women's Premier League on Sunday. After an outstanding campaign, Lanning was declared the WPL 2023 Orange Cap winner. The DC captain top-scored with 35 runs in the final inning and finished the season with 345 total. After nine matches, she finished the season with an average of 49.29 and a strike rate of 139.11.

Nat Sciver-Brunt, the match-winner for MI in both the knockouts and the competition, came in second. Before the playoffs, she wasn't even among the top five.

Hayley Matthews, one of the most significant players in the competition, won the Purple Cap after an outstanding stint that trigger DC's demise. The Caribbean all-rounder finished with 3-5 off of four overs, increasing her total number of wickets to 16. She was on par with Sophie Ecclestone of UP Warriorz, but she had a higher average and economy rate.

Over the course of the competition, MI's superiority in bowling was clearly seen. Amelia Kerr, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Saika Ishaque, and Issy Wong, among others, reached the list of the top 10 wicket-takers in the competition.

Coming to the match, Nat Sciver-Brunt's unbeaten half-century and tight spells from bowlers helped Mumbai Indians beat Delhi Capitals by 7 wickets to become the inaugural champions of Women's Premier League 2023 (WPL) here at Brabourne Stadium on Sunday.

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/DzNnr1I

Mumbai Indians thrash Delhi Capitals By 7 Wickets, Win Inaugural WPL Title

A late flourish from England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt (60 not out) helped Mumbai Indians beat Delhi Capitals by seven wickets in a low-scoring summit clash to become champions of the inaugural Women's Premier League in Mumbai on Sunday. In front of a partisan crowd that filled the Brabourne Stadium here to the brim, Mumbai Indians chased down the target of 131 with three balls to spare to lift the trophy. Opting to bat first, Delhi Capitals suffered a collapse to be reduced to 79 for 9 in 16 overs but posted a respectable total of 131 for 9, thanks to a 52-run partnership for the unbroken 10th wicket between Shikha Pandey (27 not out) and Radha Yadav (27 not out).

It was not an easy run chase for MI but they eventually crossed the line, reaching 134 for 3 in 19.3 overs, with Sciver-Brunt and captain Harmanpreet (37) playing crucial roles.

Sciver-Brunt (60 not out from 55 balls, 7x4), also the Player of the Final, struck her third fifty and finished second behind DC captain Meg Lanning (345) in run-scorers' chart in the WPL with 332 runs.

Harmanpreet (37 from 39 balls, 5x4s) and Sciver-Brunt joined forces when MI were precariously placed at 23 for 2 in the fourth over, and combined their batting prowess to soak the pressure and add 72 runs for the third wicket.

MI needed 45 runs from the last five overs though they had eight wickets in hand then. Sciver-Brunt was 28 off 38 balls at that stage but she struck a flurry of boundaries to help her side cross the line.

In the process, Mumbai Indians recorded their second win over Delhi in three meetings this season, with their bowlers producing a stunning show in the first half.

MI made a shaky start, with Yastika Bhatia (4) hitting straight to deep midwicket for the fourth wicket of the final on a full toss, off Radha Yadav. Jess Jonassen dealt the second blow to Mumbai with Hayley Matthews (13 of 12 balls, 3x4s) chipping one straight to short midwicket.

Earlier, Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav fought back with a counter-attacking 52-run unbeaten stand for the 10th wicket, lifting Delhi to 131 for 9.

Delhi Capitals were off to a rocky start, collapsing from 74 for 3 in the 11th over to 79 for 9 after 16, thanks to devastating show from overseas bowlers Hayley Matthews (4-2-5-3), Isabelle Wong (4-0-42-3) and Amelia Kerr (4-0-18-2).

However, the 52-run stand between Shikha (27 not out from 17 balls) and Radha Yadav (27 not out from 12 balls) took them across the 100-mark and gave them a fighting chance.

Shikha hit three fours and one six in her knock, Radha smashed two boundaries and as many maximums.

Earlier, Matthews, Wong and Kerr had shared a total eight wickets between them to put Mumbai in a strong position.

While the Caribbean all-rounder Matthews took her wickets tally to 16 - highest in the tournament alongside UP Warriorz' Sophie Ecclestone - Wong and Kerr also finished at 15 wickets each.

Saika Ishaque failed to get any breakthrough and ended up with an impressive 15 wickets too.

The final was off to a dramatic start with MI claiming the first three wickets off full-tosses from Wong.

The first two decisions were ruled against the batters by the third umpire.

Shafali Verma (11 off 4 balls, 1x4s, 1x6s) began with a six over long-on and a four on the next ball in the second over from Wong, sliced over backward point to beat the third man.

However, the Delhi dasher was caught at point by Kerr off a full toss from the English bowler which was waist high.

Wong dealt another blow to the Delhi Capitals, again off a surprise full toss with Alice Capsey (0) failing to control her shot. The catch was completed by a stunning diving effort from Amanjot Kaur at extra cover, and left Delhi reeling at 12 for 2 in 1.5 overs.

Jemimah Rodrigues (9 off 8 balls, 2x4s) began with a superb cover drive off the first delivery she faced off Wong and brought out another drive against Sciver-Brunt in the third over. But before that, Lanning smacked two fours on the first two balls to shrug off some pressure.

But Delhi sunk further when a low full toss swinging away from the off stump from Wong, who changed the bowling ends, had Jemimah playing it straight to Hayley Matthews at point.

DC, who were 38 for 3 at the end of the powerplay, were steadied by Lanning and Kapp. At the halfway mark the Capitals were relatively safe at 68 for 3, but the worst was yet to come.

From 74 for 3 in the 11th over, Delhi Capitals collapsed to 77 for 7 after 14 overs with some poor batting and communication in the middle.

Kapp (18 off 21 balls, 2x4s), who hit her first four on the 17th ball she faced, was removed by Kerr in the 11th over with Yastika Bhatia grabbing the catch.

The South African all-rounder added 38 runs for the fourth wicket in 37 balls.

Mumbai Indians, however, made the biggest breakthrough in the 12th over when Delhi's captain and mainstay Lanning was run-out for 35.

Lanning's hesitation to run after Jess Jonassen (2) hurdled a delivery off towards Amanjot at cover cost her dearly, with Bhatia breaking the stumps.

Kerr claimed her second wicket by getting rid of Arundhati Reddy (0), and after Matthews spilled a return catch off Jonassen's bat in the 14th over, she grabbed a similar chance.

Matthews returned to cap off her best spell in the WPL, getting Minnu Mani (2) stumped to take her 15th wicket in the competition, and added one more when she got one to sneak between Taniya Bhatia's (0) bat and pads for her third wicket in the game to leave DC tottering at 79/9.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/QpM5x87

"Not A Crime, Not A Misdemeanor": Donald Trump On Hush Money Case

Donald Trump on Saturday shrugged off his possible indictment as he used his first presidential campaign rally for the 2024 election to take aim at his political opponents.

"The district attorney of New York under the auspices and direction of the 'department of injustice' in Washington DC was investigating me for something that is not a crime, not a misdemeanor, not an affair," he told supporters in Waco, Texas.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is investigating a $130,000 payment from Donald Trump's office to pornographic actress Stormy Daniels in the weeks leading up to the 2016 presidential election.

"I never liked 'Horse Face'," Donald Trump said, using his derogatory name for Stormy Daniels.

"That wouldn't be the one. There is no one. We have a great First Lady."

Donald Trump had said he would be arrested last week, warning that his indictment could result in "potential death & destruction," apparently from angry supporters.

He would become the first former or sitting president to ever be charged with a crime if the grand jury, a panel of citizens convened by Alvin Bragg, decides to indict.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/yP5mCoe

3 Dead, 7 Injured Due To Heavy Rainfall, Flooding In Afghanistan: Report

More than three people in Afghanistan died, and seven have been injured due to heavy rainfall and flooding during the last two days, the country's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Saturday, Afghanistan based Khaama Press reported.

According to Khaama Press, on Friday and Saturday, nine provinces were affected by severe weather, which resulted in the partial or complete destruction of more than 756 homes.

Balkh, Zabul, Faryab, Uruzgan, Nimroz, Nangarhar, Kunar, Nuristan, and Laghman were the most severely affected provinces.

Sahfihullah Rahimi, a spokesperson for the Disaster Management Authority, said that the affected families were provided with necessities such as food, tents, and blankets.

And a team will send to visit and survey the damaged area, according to Khaama Press.

Khaama Press recently reported citing NDMA that at least ten people were killed and over 60 injured after flash floods and earthquake hit Afghanistan.

The spokesperson for the department, Shafiullah Rahimi announced the latest update on the number of deaths and injuries from the recent natural disasters in the country.

The latest natural disasters have resulted in serious financial and human losses, as a result of which roughly 800 houses have been completely destroyed in earthquakes, and more than 100 in flash floods across the country.

The epicenter of the recent earthquake was 40 Km to the south-Southeast of Jurm district in Afghanistan's Badakhshan province, according to US Geological Survey, also jolted Kabul, Kunar, Paktika, Takhar, Laghman, Baghlan, Samangan, Kunduz, Panjshir, Parwan provinces, according to Khaama Press.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake of 6.8 magnitudes struck 40 km south southeast of the Jurm district of Badakhshan, Afghanistan.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/kp0w2Lb

Ex Pak PM Imran Khan Kickstarts Minar-e-Pakistan Rally Despite "Threats"

Former premier Imran Khan has been leading the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's rally at Lahore's monumental Minar-e-Pakistan ground despite the interim Punjab government's "threat alert" that terrorists might target political events in the provincial capital.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan has arrived at the venue and will address the crowd, but from a bulletproof container, which has been placed at the jalsa ground to ensure his security, Geo news reported.

The provincial government alerted that the 70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician, who was ousted as the prime minister in April last year and is embroiled in 143 cases, could be targeted by terrorists.

The government in its alert announced the terrorists carrying explosive material had reached Lahore and will either target political rallies or law enforcers deployed for the security of those events.

As the party prepared to hold the gathering, the government placed containers on the way leading to Minar-e-Pakistan, creating hurdles for people seeking to partake in the rally.

Caretaker Punjab Information Minister Amir Mir, however, said people were not being restricted from going to the rally because of the barriers, but the law enforcement agencies were ensuring citizens' protection through these measures.

The minister also said the workers of any political party were not being prevented from joining the rally and that the government had given permission to PTI to hold the event.

The routes leading to Minar-e-Pakistan from Ravi Bridge and the railway station are closed, while containers have also been placed at the city's Shah Alam Market.

The police have separately arrested over 50 PTI workers from different areas of Rahim Yar Khan, while 26 workers including PTI leader Javed Akhtar Ansari's son were arrested in Multan, Geo News reported.

The PTI claimed that many workers have also been detained from Lodhran and Bhakkar.

Calling on workers to walk to the rally if the roads were blocked, PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the administration had cluttered the city with barricades to undermine the party's scheduled public rally, which was suggestive of panic in the government camp.

"How can they call themselves democratic? Are the workers of PML-N arrested?" Mr Qureshi said talking to the media hours ahead of the rally.

"Despite all the obstacles, people will come," Mr Qureshi said while strictly advising workers not to take the law into their hands.

"The police and the administration are requested to remove the containers," Mr Qureshi passionately appealed to the authorities, adding that the obstacles were proof that PTI's power show was proving to be a success even before starting.

He claimed the police had arrested around 1,500 to 1,800 PTI workers since the announcement of the rally.

He also issued an advisory on the political workers' code of conduct by telling them not to carry sticks or stones to the rally but come armed with passion.

"There's no weapon greater than passion," Mr Qureshi said.

The PTI leader said they were taking legal action against the postponement of elections from April to October this year.

"Given the sensitivity of the situation, the Chief Justice of Pakistan is requested to hear the plea on the causal list." The PTI chairman, taking to Twitter, called on his supporters in Lahore to attend the rally after Taraweeh prayers which he believes will "break all records".

The deposed prime minister said that he will give his vision of "Haqeeqi Azadi" and how to pull the country out of the mess the "cabal of crooks have put our country in".

The alert - issued by the CCPO Lahore's intelligence branch -- said "credible information" was received that foreign intelligence agencies contacted Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) commander Mukarram Khurasani to "cause instability in the country by whatever means".

The threat alert further predicted that the JuA commander "could have specifically assigned" Imran Khan as the top target, and other targets included people gathered at the PTI chairman's residence at Zaman Park, PTI's gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan on Saturday, and also rallies carried out by the PTI "as they would appear to be a softer target", Dawn newspaper reported.

Imran Khan had on March 13 announced a rally at the Minar-e-Pakistan - the same venue where he launched his campaign for the 2013 elections with a massive show of power.

He originally scheduled the rally for March 19 but the Lahore High Court had directed the PTI to reschedule its rally and have a dialogue with the administration.

Subsequently, the LHC had on March 22 disposed of a petition of the PTI seeking permission to hold a public rally at the venue after the party and the city administration reached an agreement.

The PTI chief kicked off his election campaign from Lahore at the end of the second week of March following wrangling with the interim government of Punjab over a ban imposed by local administration on public gatherings.

Earlier in the day, the Lahore ATC granted Khan interim bail till April 4 in three cases filed at the Lahore Race Course police station - two of which were on March 14 and March 15 - relating to the clashes that took place between PTI supporters and the police outside the PTI chief's Zaman Park residence.

Imran Khan has been in the dock for buying gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch, which he had received as the premier at a discounted price from the state depository called Toshakhana, and selling them for profit.

Imran Khan was ousted from power in April last year after losing a no-confidence vote, becoming the first Pakistani prime minister to be voted out by the National Assembly. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/20GlsSB