JAN 09 (DNA) – Kashmir is not only known for its unrivalled natural beauty — snow-covered mountain peaks, blue rivers and rich culture — but also for its mouthwatering traditional food like rogan josh, dum olav, matschgand, goshtaba, modur pulav, aab gosht and many more. To wash all the lovely food down, the Kashmiris have a special pink-coloured tea called noon chai which has a creamy, buttery and slightly thick consistency but is thin enough to sip gently.
Iran bans English in primary schools after leader’s warning
DUBAI, JAN 08 (DNA) – Iran has banned the teaching of English in primary schools, a senior education official said, after Islamic leaders warned that early learning of the language opened the way to a Western “cultural invasion”. “Teaching English in government and non-government primary schools in the official curriculum is against laws and regulations,” Mehdi Navid-Adham, head of the state-run High Education Council, told state television late on Saturday. “This is because the assumption is that, in primary education, the groundwork for the Iranian culture of the students is laid,” Navid-Adham said, adding that non-curriculum English classes may also be blocked.
Two skiers die in avalanche in Austrian Alps
VIENNA, JAN 06 (DNA) – An avalanche in the Tyrolean Alps has killed two German skiers, Austrian police confirmed after the second victim was found under the snow on Saturday. The accident occurred Friday as the two young men from Bavaria skied a steep slope on the Grossglockner, Austria’s highest mountain. They were off piste when an avalanche that was 100 metre wide and 400 metres long came crashing down and buried them.
Popular chef Zubaida Tariq passes away after short illness in Karachi
KARACHI (DNA) – Famous chef, media personality and sister of writer Anwer Maqsood, Zubaida Tariq aka Zubaida Apa has passed away in Karachi on Thursday night after a brief illness. Zubaida Apa was popular for her cooking skills and housekeeping remedies. She has also hosted several shows and wrote various culinary books. According to family sources, her funeral prayer and burial will take place after Friday prayers at Sultan Masjid in Defence Housing Authority today.
SBP takes steps for transactions to be denominated in Chinese Yuan
KARACHI, JAN 02 (DNA) – State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), in the capacity of the policy maker of financial & currency markets, has taken comprehensive policy related measures to ensure that imports, exports and financing transactions can be denominated in CNY. Both public and private sector enterprises (i.e. both Pakistanis and Chinese) are free to choose CNY for bilateral Trade & Investment activities.
US in the dock under Donald Trump By Ansar M Bhatti
The UN General Assembly on Dec 21, 2017 in its extra-ordinary session adopted Pakistan co-sponsored resolution declaring US President Donald Trump’s decision to move American Capital to Jerusalem, by 128 votes. Only nine countries chose to side with the US President while 35 countries including Australia, Canada, Israel, Romania, Hungary did not attend the session. The UNGA decision and the earlier decision of the UN Security Council in which 14 countries out of 15 voted against Trump decision, may not force belligerent American President to withdraw his decision, nevertheless huge moral and political pressure from the international community has ostensibly put America on the back foot.
Kim vows North will mass-produce nukes, missiles
SEOUL (DNA) – Kim Jong-Un vowed North Korea would mass-produce nuclear warheads and missiles in a defiant New Year message Monday suggesting he would continue to accelerate a rogue weapons programme that has stoked international tensions. Kim, who said Monday that he always had a nuclear launch button on his desk, has presided over multiple missile tests in recent months and the North’s sixth and most powerful nuclear test — which it said was a hydrogen bomb — in September. “We must mass-produce nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles and speed up their deployment,” said Kim in his annual address to the nation.
Oil prices close at 2-1/2 year peak
NEW YORK, DEC 27 (DNA) – Oil prices in New York jumped to a two-and-a-half year high Tuesday and briefly topped $60 a barrel due to a Libyan pipeline explosion and frigid weather in the US. The benchmark US contract, West Texas Intermediate for February delivery, rose $1.50 to $59.97 a barrel after earlier breaching $60 for the first time since June 2015. Brent North Sea crude for February delivery advanced $1.77 to $67.02 a barrel, a level not seen since mid-2015.
President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev makes historic address to Oliy Majlis
TASHKENT, DEC 25 (DNA) – The event, held in the Palace of Symposiums in Tashkent, was attended by members of the Senate and deputies of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, heads of the Cabinet of Ministers, ministries and departments, representatives of diplomatic corps and representative offices of international organizations accredited in our country, activists of non-governmental non-profit organizations. Deputies of district, city and regional Kengashes of people’s deputies, heads of executive bodies and economic management at all levels, representatives of non-governmental organizations and the public, ambassadors of our country in foreign countries observed the event through video conferencing.
WAPDA win 50th National Volleyball Championship
LAHORE, DEC 25 (DNA) – While successfully defending their title, Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) won 50th National Men’s Volleyball Championship held at POF Sports Complex Wah Cantt.WAPDA defeated Navy 3-1 in the final of the Championship. With this tremendous performance in the National Volleyball Championship, WAPDA managed to win the Men’s title for 3rd consecutive time, according to WAPDA spokesman Sunday.
