HOUSTON: US Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee has said that America view all faiths and ethnicity with respect and honor this is why people from all over are welcomed in US and are absorbed in American society. Addressing the Iftar dinner for Houston residents hosted by Mayor Anise Parker, the Congresswoman said that America provides complete freedom of religion and expression.
LeT, TTP, Al-Qaeda violating Pak sovereignty: Kerry
ISLAMABAD: In an exclusive interview with Geo News senior anchor, Hamid Mir, US Secretary of State John Kerry said terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Al-Qaeda were violating the sovereignty of Pakistan. “Pakistan faces a very serious threat. LeT, TTP, Al-Qaeda and Haqqani network attack and kill people in mosques. They blow people up in market places.”
Azarenka celebrates birthday with win
CARLSBAD, United States / California: Top-seeded Victoria Azarenka, playing for the first time since an injury withdrawal from Wimbledon, celebrated her birthday with a WTA win at Carlsbad on Wednesday. Australian Open champion Azarenka, ranked third in the world, cruised into the quarter-finals with a 6-2, 6-3 second-round victory over former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy.
Everyone’s mandate is respected: PM Nawaz
KARACHI: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived here on a short-visit on Thursday accompanied by Information Minister Parvez Rasheed, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and other PML-N representatives. The prime minister was greeted by Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad and Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah at the Jinnah International Airport upon his arrival. Speaking to the media after offering Fateha at the Quaid’s mausoleum, Prime Minister Sharif said the mandate of each political party was respected. “We can only move forward together.”
Mugabe allies claim victory as rivals reject ‘sham’ Zimbabwe poll
HARARE: Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s allies declared Thursday that the veteran leader had romped to an election victory, a claim rejected by his rival who branded the vote a “sham.” A top member of Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party told AFP that Mugabe had trounced Morgan Tsvangirai and his Movement for Democratic Change in Wednesday’s presidential and parliamentary elections. “We have romped (to victory) in a very emphatic manner,” said the party member who asked not to be named. “We have won all of them, including the presidential and parliamentary.”
Imran Khan refuses to apologise in contempt of court case
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan has refused to tender an apology in the contempt of court case, DNA reported. “I am ready to go to the jail but I will not apologise,” khan said. Khan has said that he will not back down from his stance till his last breath and will not apologise even if he is declared ‘ineligible’ and sent to jail. He said that the Supreme Court made a big mistake by taking notice of ‘contempt of court’.
Syria’s Assad ‘sure of victory’
DAMASCUS: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, increasingly confident after his forces inflicted two major defeats on rebels in as many months, repeated on Thursday that he was “sure of victory.” Assad, speaking to mark Army Day, was also said to have made his first known trip outside of the capital in more than a year, to visit a former rebel bastion nearby now largely in the hands of loyalists.
China owes Hollywood millions after halting payment for films
LOS ANGELES: China has stopped paying Hollywood studios for its films in a dispute over a Chinese tax on movie profits, Hollywood trade papers reported Tuesday. Tens of millions of dollars in box office revenues are owed in arrears to the likes of Disney, Warner, Universal, Paramount, Fox and Sony, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
ECC approves sugar export to Iran
ISLAMABAD, July 30: The government on Tuesday allowed sugar export to Iran against electricity import.It also allowed continued higher margins to Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and petroleum dealers and put an immediate ban on import of gold and export of live animals. The decisions were taken at a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, presided over by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar that also decided to strictly go by the procurement rules in import of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to ensure transparency instead of seeking exemptions.
ECP forms special wing for LB polls
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has begun its preparations for the holding of local government elections. The commission on Wednesday issued a notification pertaining to the formation of a special wing in relation to local bodies’ polls that are to be held in the four provinces. A spokesman for the ECP said the special wing includes four Grade 17 officers and has sections relating to local bodies’ elections to be held in the Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
