Spain’s prime minister says he will not give in to “blackmail”, amid calls for him to resign over alleged links to a suspect in a payments scandal. Mariano Rajoy said he would fulfil the mandate given by the Spanish people. The calls came after a newspaper published text messages he allegedly sent to the suspect, Luis Barcenas, ex-treasurer of his Popular Party (PP). Meanwhile Mr Barcenas repeated in court allegations that Mr Rajoy received payments from a slush fund.
‘Glee’ convention becomes memorial for Monteith
What was supposed to be a weekend celebration of the musical TV series “Glee” turned into an impromptu memorial of song and dance for Cory Monteith after news of the “Glee” co-star’s death rocked a “Glee” fan convention in England.
Firing kills four in Quetta: police
QUETTA: At least four people were killed Monday evening when armed men opened fire at a vehicle in Quetta, the capital of insurgency-hit Balochistan province. Fayyaz Sumbal, the Deputy Inspector General Police, said four militants opened fire at the vehicle on Masjid road area of Quetta. All four men sitting in the vehicle were seriously wounded and succumbed to their injuries on their way to the Combined Military Hospital, he said.
Nawaz inaugurates first private hydro power plant in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan opened its first private hydroelectric power plant on Monday, moving to tackle a deepening energy crisis that has devastated its already struggling economy. The new government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif won an election in May partly on promises to fix persistent power cuts lasting some 12 hours in parts of the nuclear-armed nation of 180 million people. On Monday, Sharif travelled to the northern province of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to oversee the launch of a new project he says will offer a significant boost to the ailing power sector.
New Indian High Commissioner arrives in Lahore
LAHORE: The newly appointed Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Dr TCA Raghavan arrived in Lahore via the Wagah border on Monday, DNA reported. Addressing media persons at the Indo-Pak border town of Amritsar in India, Raghavan said that he desired to tackle the challenges and treats faced by the relations between the two neighbouring countries.
Fat-boosting gene mystery ‘solved’
The mystery of a genetic flaw which greatly increases the risk of obesity in one in six people has been solved by an international group of scientists. A version of an obesity gene, called FTO, had been linked to a bigger belly, but the reason why was uncertain. A study, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, showed it made fatty foods more tempting and altered levels of the hunger hormone, ghrelin.
Afridi’s brilliance must not mask Pakistan’s batting failure
Pakistan was rescued yesterday by one man’s dazzling performance. The mercurial Shahid Afridi scored 76 and claimed seven wickets to pummel the West Indies in a comeback performance of epic proportions. He walked in the middle when the Pakistan’s score was a sorry 47-5, and combined with captain Misbah-ul-Haq for a record-breaking sixth wicket partnership of 120 runs.
Moin Khan named new chief selector
KARACHI: Pakistan’s cricket bosses on Monday appointed former captain Moin Khan as chief selector, a post he said he took on as a challenge. The 41-year-old takes over from Iqbal Qasim, who stepped aside earlier this month in a move seen as a reaction to the team’s miserable performance in the Champions Trophy in England.
Second ODI: Pakistan to capitalise on hosts’ struggling batsmen
PROVIDENCE: In the wake of a thumping 126-run series-opening victory, Pakistan will again seek to capitalise on the struggles of the West Indies batting line-up for the second One-Day International at the Guyana National Stadium on Tuesday.
BBC not to publish report on Altaf Hussain on its website
LONDON: The BBC has decided not to publish on its website the investigative report on Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and its London based chief Altaf Hussain aired on BBC-2 channel as part of its famous program ‘Newsnight’ a few days back. A brief documentary prepared by Owen Benett Jones, a well-known reporter for ‘Newsnight’, was broadcast a few days back on BBC-2. The documentary mainly focused on the investigations being conducted by London Police in connection with mysterious murder of MQM convener Dr. Imran Farooq, charges of money laundering and alleged incitement of violence in Pakistan by Altaf Hussain’s speeches.
