Kabul                                                                                                                                                                                                     15 Aug 2018                                                                                                                                                                                         (Anadolu News)

At least 25 people were killed and more than 30 others injured when a suspected suicide bomber detonated his explosives at a private student coaching center in capital Kabul on Wednesday, according to officials.

Police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai told Anadolu Agency the bomber targeted the Dasht-e-Barchi area, a Shia majority part of the city, in the afternoon.

Close to 300 students were said to be present at the center at the time of the attack, Stanikzai said.

Local Pajhwok news agency put the toll at 25 dead based on information from government officials.

So far, there has been no immediate claim of responsibility.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed tweeted the armed group was not involved in the attack.

Moscow                                                                                                                                                                                                 15 Aug. 2018                                                                                                                                                                                         (Anadolu News)

The use of the U.S. dollar to put pressure on other countries will lead to the creation of an alternative world currency, costing the dollar its world currency status, a top Russian deputy told Anadolu Agency on Wednesday.

Anatoly Aksakov, who heads the Russian State Duma Financial Committee, said the dollar gained its "world currency" status in 1944 when, because of World War II, the national currencies of many countries were devalued while the dollar stayed stable. This resulted in more payments in dollars and its domination in international transactions.

"But today the U.S. administration is doing everything for the creation of a new world currency,” he said.

“More and more countries are considering transactions in national currencies. Meanwhile, the BRICS countries, which Turkey seems to be interested in joining, are discussing the possibility of creating a new currency for payments within the BRICS," he said, referring to the bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

The deputy said a BRICS currency would have good prospects, because the bloc possesses half of the world population, 30 percent of the world's industry, and 40 percent of the world's agriculture as well as the biggest natural resources deposits.

"The process of creating an alternative world currency can be completed within five years. It will depend on Washington, as the more the U.S. uses the dollar to exert pressure, the more motivation other countries will have to deny payments in the dollar," he said.

Many countries have already refused the dollar, said Aksakov, citing how China has started buying oil using its yuan, Turkey has withdrawn its gold deposits from the U.S., and Russia has significantly decreased its investments in U.S. government debt.

"Once the alternative world currency appears, the dollar will lose its significance, costing it half its current value. And with the loss of the dollar's value, the U.S. will lose its influence", he said.

Currently, the U.S. gross domestic product is some $20 trillion, including $5 trillion in real income, with $15 trillion coming from other countries using the dollar, he said, saying we should consider what losing that $15 trillion would cost the U.S.

Separately, Leonid Slutsky, head of the State Duma's Foreign Affairs Committee, told Anadolu Agency that Russia is standing by Turkey in a difficult situation.

"We are here, with our Turkish friends. We're glad to see that lira has started to recover from the first shock," he said.

"Russia got a similar shock when the ruble's value fell sharply in 2014. But it's not the end of days.

"Turkey has all the necessary resources -- political will, intellectual power -- to deal with this challenge. Turkey is not a country that can be suppressed by attacking its national value."

Ankara                                                                                                                                                                                                  15 Aug.2018

Turkey will never avoid protecting Turkish firms from unfair treatment by the U.S., Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan said Wednesday.

Speaking at the Turkey-Africa trade and economic relations consultation meeting in capital Ankara, Pekcan said Turkey will continue to take necessary steps to counter the U.S. moves.

"We have doubled tariffs on 22 products coming from the U.S., responding to the recent U.S. sanctions with additional tariffs worth $533 million last night," the minister said.

The U.S. is an important trading partner of Turkey but it is not the only one; our country has several partners and alternative markets, Pekcan said.

American President Donald Trump announced on Aug. 10 the U.S. was doubling aluminium and steel import tariffs on Turkey, fixing them at 20 percent and 50 percent, respectively.

Turkey has increased tariffs on several U.S.-origin products, including alcohol and tobacco products and cars, according to a new presidential decree published early Wednesday in the official gazette.

Pekcan added trade and economy should not be affected by political reactions.

She called for economic cooperations instead of a world with trade wars.

She said increasing Turkish investments in Africa remains one of the priorities for the government.

"We see great potential in this field. We will continue our joint works on increasing economic prosperity and employment," Pekcan said.

The Turkey-Africa Economic and Business Forum will be held in Istanbul on Oct. 10-11.

Doha                                                                                                                                                                                                     14 August 2018

Harsh hot weather and working day were  not obstacles to large number of Pak expatriates rather witnessed overwhelming participation of expatriate Pakistanis celebrating their 71st Independence Day in Qatar.

Community forums arranged various colorful events across Qatar.

The morning started with official flag hoisting by Charge d'Affaires Murad Baseer at the Pakistan embassy premises where record number of Pakistanis from all walks of life gathered to celebrate their independence day.  A number of people and children participated in their national flag green colour attire.

Sarwar Hussain, Third Secretary read out messages from President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain and interim Prime Minister Nasirul-Mulk for the Independence Day.

Murad Baseer in his speech said that he has witnessed great love and loyalty among expatriate Pakistanis for their country.  While extending his greetings to the community members, he stressed on the countrymen to keep remember those sacrificed their lives during struggle for independence.

A cake cutting ceremony took place after the speeches joined by Pakistan embassy officials followed by national songs sang by children.  Traditional Pakistani breakfast was served at the end of the colorful program.

Later in afternoon, renowned Pakistanis Riaz Bakali, Ashraf Siddiqui, Syed Ali Naqvi and Chaudhary Taher Mahmood celebrated Pakistan Independence Day along with various communities leaders at the Headquarters of Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy. A cake cutting ceremony was held supported by Community Outreaching Department of the Supreme Community. On this occasion, Ms Samantha Sifah, Head of Community Outreaching extended her greetings to the Pakistani community and she joined in cake cutting ceremony.

In the evening, a gala colourful event was organised by Pakistani forum 'All Pakistanis Overseas Organization Int'l ' in AlBanoush Club, Meisaeed. Hafiz Junaid Sial, Community Attache, Pakistan embassy was Chief Guest on the occasion. A separate report of the event please see separately.

 

 

Ankara                                                                                                                                                                                                   11 Aug. 2018                                                                                                                                                                                        (Anadolu News)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday rejected "threatening language" of the U.S. administration.

"They are threatening us. You cannot bring [Turkish] people to their knees by using a threatening language. We are knowledgeable with justice and law," Erdogan said in his address in the Black Sea province of Ordu.

Erdogan's remarks came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump ramped up his attack on Turkey by doubling U.S. tariffs on Turkish aluminum and steel imports to 20 percent and 50 percent, respectively.

Calling on the U.S., Erdogan said: "It is a shame. You prefer a pastor to a strategic ally of yours in NATO."

Turkey and the U.S. are currently experiencing rocky relations following Washington’s imposition of sanctions on Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul for not releasing American Pastor Andrew Brunson, who faces terrorism charges in Turkey.

Later speaking in northeastern Rize province, Erdogan spoke of Turkey’s plans to trade in local currencies with some countries.

“We are preparing to trade in our local currencies with the countries that we have the largest trade volume such as China, Russia, Iran, and Ukraine.”

Turkey is also ready to establish a similar system -- to not use dollar in trade -- with European countries, Erdogan noted.

Turkey will “never accept the order, which declares war against the whole world,” through the threats of sanctions, he said, referring to the U.S.

Without naming any country, Erdogan said that those -- who stand against Turkey for the sake of small calculations -- would pay the price.

Meanwhile, Erdogan visited the Unye district, Ordu, which was affected by heavy rainfalls since Wednesday afternoon that caused landslides and flooding.

Kabul                                                                                                                                                                                                      10 Aug 2018                                                                                                                                                                                          (AlJazeera News)

Taliban fighters have attacked Ghazni, Afghanistan's eastern provincial capital, leaving dead and wounded before Afghan forces pushed them out of the city, officials said.

The attack on Ghazni city began overnight on Friday. Within hours, the Taliban claimed to have much of the capital under their control.

US attack helicopters and drone aircraft provided government forces with air support.

Defence Ministry spokesman Mohammad Radmanish later said the army supported police and the city was now under control of government forces.

Al Jazeera's Charlotte Bellis, reporting from Kabul, said it was unclear how much of Ghazni was under government control as residents said they could still hear heavy gunfire and rockets.

"There are conflicting reports as residents say the Taliban has taken control of checkpoints across the city from the police.

"[But] the police, the government and the US are denying that claim, saying they have pushed back the fighters."

At least 14 security forces were killed and 20 wounded in the battle, said Baz Mohammad Hemat, administrator of the Ghazni city hospital.

Dead bodies of Taliban fighters remained on the street after the exchange, provincial police chief Farid Ahmad Mashal told the Associated Press news agency.

He said the bodies of 39 Taliban soldiers were recovered beneath a bridge in the southern edge of the city.

Air strikes called in to quash the offensive also killed dozens of Taliban, he said.

All shops in the city were closed due to the fighting. The road from Kabul to Afghanistan's southern provinces was also closed because it runs through Ghazni.

The attack on the strategic city, which straddles the main route between the capital Kabul and southern Afghanistan, demonstrated the Taliban's strength amid speculation of a possible ceasefire during the Eid holiday this month.

In June, a three-day truce over the Eid al-Fitr holiday brought unprecedented scenes of unarmed Taliban fighters mingling with security forces in Kabul and other cities, offering a glimpse of peace and fuelling hopes of negotiations to end the war.

The Taliban have so far failed to take and hold any provincial centre since they overran the northern city of Kunduz in 2015 before being driven off, with the support of US air strikes and Special Forces units.

 

Vienna                                                                                                                                                                                                    (Xinhua News)

The twin pandas Fu Feng and Fu Ban celebrated their second birthday party with their mother on Tuesday 7th of August 2018 by receiving birthday gifts, packages of potatoes, carrots and special bamboo shoots.

The mother, Yang Yang, opened the gift packages first and then joined by Fu Ban, the brother, who was more curious, while the sister Fu Feng was a bit shy, said a panda keeper, adding the whole family is in good health condition.

"The twin pandas are both very playful, the female is a bit shy and the boy is more curious, easy to be attracted by new things," a keeper told Xinhua, noting "they also still drink milk from the mother Yang Yang." The twins are also eating bamboos, she added.

The twins were born in the summer of 2016. The cubs' father Long Hui died of tumor in December 2016. Yang Yang and Long Hui arrived in Austria in 2003 and they managed to breed five giant pandas naturally at the Schonbrunn Zoo.

In Europe, most pandas are bred through artificial insemination.

Under the contract signed between China and Austria, the offspring of Yang Yang and Long Hui should be returned to China after two years old. However, due to the hot summer, the twins are supposed to leave for China in autumn, a bit late than expected.

The other three offspring of the panda couple, Fu Long, Fu Hu and Fu Bao, which mean lucky Dragon, Tiger, and Leopard respectively, were returned to China after two years old, an age the cubs in the wild should leave their mother.

Since the twins are still with the mother, the zoo currently has no plan to find a stepfather for the cubs.

"We hope that after the twins have left soon we will get a new male and we also hope Yang Yang will have other offspring in the future," the panda keeper said.

The giant pandas are the most famous symbol of the Schonbrunn Zoo which attracts a large number of visitors every year.

New York                                                                                                                                                                                               09 Aug. 2018                                                                                                                                                                                       (AP News)

First lady Melania Trump’s parents were sworn in as U.S. citizens on Thursday, completing a legal path to citizenship that their son-in-law has suggested eliminating.

Viktor and Amalija Knavs, both in their 70s, took the citizenship oath at a private ceremony in New York City. The Slovenian immigrants, a former car dealer and textile factory worker, had been living in the U.S. as permanent residents.

The Knavses slipped in and out of a side entrance at a Manhattan federal building flanked by Department of Homeland Security police. Some workers inside didn’t know what was going on. The couple said little, other than Viktor telling a reporter “thank you” when asked how they felt about becoming Americans.

The Knavses’ lawyer said they had “travailed a wonderful journey.”

Lawyer Michael Wildes said the Knavses applied for citizenship on their own and didn’t get any special treatment. He confirmed that Melania Trump sponsored their green cards. Her husband, President Donald Trump, has proposed ending most family-based immigration, which he refers to as “chain migration.”

“This golden experiment, these doors that are in America, remain hinged open to beautiful people as they have today,” Wildes said after the ceremony.

Amid a bitter debate over immigration — particularly the Trump administration’s separation of children from families crossing the border illegally — Wildes said the Knavses’ attaining citizenship was “an example of it going right.”

Melania Trump, who has been vacationing with her husband in Bedminster, New Jersey, did not accompany her parents.

Her spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, declined to comment. She said the first lady’s parents “are not part of the administration and deserve privacy.”

Wildes wouldn’t say how long the Knavses have lived in the U.S. Under the law, permanent residents must live in the country for at least five years before applying for citizenship.

The Knavses’ citizenship ceremony was kept hush-hush around the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building.

Security guards and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services workers in offices adorned with President Trump’s portrait said they were unaware of anyone being sworn in there on Thursday. New citizens are normally minted on Fridays, they said, and often the ceremonies are held at the federal courthouse across the street.

The Knavses raised Melania, born Melanija, in the rural industrial town of Sevnica while Slovenia was under Communist rule.

She attended high school in the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana, and changed her name to Melania Knauss when she started modeling.

She settled in New York in 1996 and met Trump two years later. They married in 2005.

Viktor Knavs is 74, two years older than his son-in-law. Amalija is 73.

Trump hasn’t commented or tweeted about his in-laws’ newfound citizenship.

Around the same time the Knavses were completing the ceremony, he was tweeting his rage about the ongoing Russia probe (“an illegally brought Rigged Witch Hunt”) and his excitement about plans for a sixth branch of the military (“Space Force all the way!“).

Doha                                                                                                                                                                                                      09 August 2018                                                                                                                                                                                  (QNA)

Pilot Maj Gen. Ghanem bin Shaheen Al-Ghanem, Chief of Staff of Qatar Armed Forces  met today with Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, Commander of US Air Force in the Middle East .

The meeting discussed bilateral relations in the defence and military fields and means of enhancing and developing them.

Staff Brigadier (Sea) Tariq Khalid Al-Obaidli, Head of International Military Co-operation Authority, Qatar Armed Forces attended the meeting.

Lahore                                                                                                                                                                                                   06 Aug. 2018                                                                                                                                                                                      (Daily Express Tribune)

The Central Executive Committee of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has nominated party President Shehbaz Sharif for the office of prime minister.

Meanwhile, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that the party will stage a protest demonstration with other parties on August 8 (tomorrow) in front of the Election Commission of Pakistan office in Islamabad against the rigged elections.

The committee meeting continued for five to six hours, chaired by Shehbaz at the central secretariat in Model Town. Raja Zafarul Haque, Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Hamza Shehbaz, Rana Sanaullah, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Rana Mashhood and other leaders attended the meeting.

The meeting reviewed in detail the situation after the election, contacts with other parties against alleged rigging and government formation in federation and Punjab. A committee formed to compile a white paper against alleged rigging presented its initial recommendations and Shehbaz expressed his satisfaction and advised it to expedite its work.

The meeting discussed in detail the statistics about the numbers in Punjab and any future role. It was also decided to give a tough time to the forthcoming government.

The issue of Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar came up and it was decided that legal struggle against the NAB judgment would continue. The meeting also strongly condemned the torching of schools in the Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, spokesperson Aurangzeb said that the meeting once again condemned the rigged elections and decided that struggle to create coordination with other parties would continue. She said that the actual mandate was replaced with a rigged one. “The party condemns the minority mandate and will bring all the issues before the people.”

PML-N will provide proofs of rigging in front of the nation which will explain the historic rigging, she said. Most candidates have not been provided Form 45 till date while most of them were provided results on pieces of plain paper as Form 45, she added. Results of many candidates were withheld. Candidates, including those of PTI, have objections on such matters. RTS system crashed at a crucial time. “The PML-N and other parties will provide proof about this,” she claimed.

She said that the meeting condemned the censorship of the press. She questioned that if a 120-day long sit-in could be given live coverage, why the elections that the PML-N rejected and people and other political parties had objections about, could not be portrayed independently. “Imran loudly spoke of opening constituencies and then took a U-turn.”

He had said that he would open as many constituencies as people had complaints about but on the application of recounting, Babar Awan has contacted the Supreme Court for a stay order. Imran should let the recounting happen if he has no fear of defeat, she said.

On government formation in Punjab, she said the party was in contact with independent members. A “party meeting will be called once again very soon to take a final decision”.

She said PTI was purchasing loyalties with money, while the PML-N would never indulge in such politics.

Former minister Ahsan Iqbal said that Imran had devastated all political ethics to fulfil his desire of becoming prime minister. “The level of rigging that Imran used to become PM is unprecedented.” He used to condemn us for talking to certain parties, but today, he’s making friends with them and trying to form the government with their help, Iqbal added.

“What, according to him was highly unacceptable for us to do, has become highly appreciable for him to act upon. This is just the beginning. In the days to come, he will act against each and every word he uttered,” said the former interior minister.