LAHORE: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has categorically denied that suspended fast bowler Mohammad Aamir has been allowed to play domestic cricket by the game’s world governing body. Speaking to DNA from Dubai, a spokesman of the ICC confirmed that the ICC Board had already constituted a four-man committee during the ICC annual conference week last month, on the request of the Pakistan Cricket Board interim committee chairman Najam Sethi, but clarified that any decision regarding Aamir’s five-year ban would only be made by the ICC Board.
England hold nerve to clinch 14-run win
NOTTINGHAM: James Anderson took five wickets for the second time in the match as England just held their nerve to win the first Ashes Test against Australia by 14 runs at Trent Bridge on Sunday. When Australia lost their ninth wicket on the fifth and final day, they were 80 runs adrift of their victory target of 311 and all but out of the match. But by lunch they were 291 for nine, just 20 runs away from a stunning upset with Brad Haddin 69 not out and James Pattinson unbeaten on 22.
Egypt ‘freezes assets’ of Muslim Brotherhood leaders
Egypt’s public prosecutor has frozen the assets of 14 Islamist leaders, according to judicial sources. The Muslim Brotherhood head Mohammed Badie and his deputy Khairat al-Shater are reported to be among them. Mr Badie and other Brotherhood figures are already the subject of arrest warrants, while the ousted President Mohammed Morsi remains in custody. On Sunday, army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi defended the decision to remove him from power.
France ‘must do more’ on rail safety
French President Francois Hollande has called for “much more” to be done to maintain the rail network, in a Bastille Day interview two days after a major train accident near Paris. He told French TV more effort must go into conventional lines, with the priority on the regional network. Friday’s train crash at Bretigny-sur-Orge south of Paris left six people dead and 30 injured. Initial findings by the French train company blame a fault on the track.
Militants torch oil tankers in Balochistan
QUETTA: Armed militants torched four oil tankers carrying fuel for a Chinese company in Chaghi district of Balochisan on Sunday evening. Ghullam Haider, a Levies official told Dawn.com that militants opened fire on four oil tankers carrying fuel for a Chinese company, operating in the Saindak Copper-Gold project, in Chaghi district of Balochisan. He said all four tankers caught fire during firing by militants.
Heathrow fire: Ethiopia Dreamliner fleet to stay flying
Ethiopian Airlines says it is to continue operating its fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners after one caught fire at London’s Heathrow airport on Friday. Investigators are trying to find the cause of the blaze, which took place months after the aircraft was grounded worldwide over a battery problem. Heathrow’s runways were closed for 90 minutes on Friday, and some evening flights delayed by more than six hours. Ethiopian Airlines took delivery of four Dreamliners in 2012.
Saudi Arabia warns pilgrims over coronavirus
Health officials in Saudi Arabia have asked pilgrims visiting its holy sites to wear masks in crowded places to stop the spread of the MERS coronavirus. A list of requirements issued by the health ministry also tells elderly people or those with chronic diseases to postpone their pilgrimage. Thirty-eight people have died from the virus in Saudi Arabia. Millions of Muslims from around the world are expected to take part in the Hajj this October. Once a year, pilgrims make the journey to Mecca in Saudi Arabia and pray together before the Kaaba.
Ephedrine case: Court orders seizure of properties of Lashari, three others
RAWALPINDI: During Saturday’s hearing of the ephedrine quota case, the Control of Narcotics Substances (CNS) court ordered the seizure of assets belonging to former federal health secretary Khushnood Akhtar Lashari as well as propriters of three pharmaceutical companies over their failure to appear for the hearing, DNA reported.
5pc tax on import of used clothing
ISLAMABAD: The government has imposed five per cent sales tax on import and local supply of second-hand and worn clothing. A notification SRO657 was released here on Friday by the Federal Board of Revenue to implement the decision immediately. In July-May 2012-13, Pakistan imported 354,895 metric tonnes ($137.315m) of worn clothing—jackets, sweaters, trousers, shirts, overcoat, kids garments falling under PCT heading no 6309.0000 as compared to 370,855 metric tonnes ($136.170m) during the same period in the previous year, showing a 4.30pc decline in terms of quantity.
