Kabul                                                                                                                                                                                                     04 Aug. 2018                                                                                                                                                                                       (Anadolu News)

The death toll from Friday's twin suicide-bombing in a Shia mosque of Gardez city rose to 34 on Saturday.

Sardar Wali, spokesman of the provincial chief of the Afghan National Police (ANP), informed Anadolu Agency two suicide attackers opened fire at the worshipers before blowing themselves up. He said the two male attackers were wearing "burqas" to hide explosive vests and automatic weapons.

President Ashraf Ghani called the attack an act against Islam aimed at spreading hatred and division. “Such criminal acts of terrorists among our people cannot create religious divisions, because Afghanistan is exemplary in Islamic unity and religious affiliation in the Islamic countries, and this will remain unchanged forever,” Ghani said in a statement.

Singapore                                                                                                                                                                                             03 August 2018                                                                                                                                                                                   (Yonhap)

South Korea on Friday proposed holding a special group summit with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states next year.

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha made the offer during an annual session with her counterparts from the 10 countries in Singapore on the eve of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

The minister said it would be a chance for the "epoch-making" strengthening of substantive cooperation between the two sides.

The Southeast Asian countries welcomed Kang's suggestion to hold the summit in her country, according to her ministry.

They will decide the specific schedule and location for the meeting when President Moon Jae-in visits here in November for the South Korea-ASEAN summit. Singapore is the rotating host of this year's ASEAN gatherings.

In the ASEAN-South Korea foreign ministers meeting and a Mekong-South Korea foreign ministers meeting, Kang pointed out the regional bloc's importance.

"Today, ASEAN plays a central role in convening regional strategic forums, setting the agenda, and, above all, bringing world leaders together to discuss regional and global issues of common concern," she said.

She also introduced the Moon administration's "New Southern Policy" aimed at improving relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as India and Pakistan. The slogan is three Ps: people, prosperity and peace.

South Korea has long sought to expand partnerships with those nations as part of efforts to diversify its diplomatic and economic partnerships.

Kang emphasized her government's approach is serious and sincere, not just rhetorical.

The ASEAN bloc, with a population of 630 million, is South Korea's second-largest trading partner, with the two-way trade volume totaling US$149.1 billion in 2017, rising from $118.8 billion the previous year.

Kang then took part in the 8th Mekong-Republic of Korea Foreign Ministers' Meeting, a consultation channel launched in 2011 with the aim of promoting developmental cooperation and other partnerships with five countries in the Mekong region: Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.

She said that the countries are emerging as a "growth engine of the world's economy."

The two sides agreed to work to elevate their bilateral relations to a new level through the New Southern Policy.

Islamabad                                                                                                                                                                                            02 August 2018                                                                                                                                                                                   (Daily Dawn)

The leaders of various political parties attending the multi-party conference (MPC) have announced that they will approach the parliament for the formation of a government with their own chosen representatives.

The meeting was held in Islamabad on Thursday in the wake of the alleged rigging during the July 25 elections.

Upon the conclusion of the meeting, it was announced that a draft had been prepared by a 16-member committee, outlining the decisions that had been taken by the parties in consensus.

According to the draft, prepared by Senate opposition leader Sherry Rehman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mushahid Hussain, the parties have decided that the prime minister shall be appointed from the PML-N, the speaker of the National Assembly from the PPP and the deputy speaker from the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA).

Rehman, while addressing the media, said that the parties have already rejected the election results, adding that "the mandate taken by the opposition was rigging-laden".

Speaking on behalf of all the parties, she announced that they would "fight the puppet government" and lodge a protest within and outside the parliament.

The PPP leader added that the parties would jointly release a white paper within a few days and that a working committee had already been formed for this.

"Nadra has admitted that the RTS system was not faulty but was rather jeopardised. The level at which the elections were rigged, with one organisation having been given the right to run the process, is unacceptable," she declared.

Moreover, Hussain said that the committee would decide the future course of action and that a meeting in this regard would be held on Friday at Rehman's office.

ANP leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain strongly asserted that they are "stepping into the battlefield with the aim of winning" and expressed confidence that they would succeed in forming a government.

MMA general secretary Liaquat Baloch said that the parties have all come together to "protect the Constitution and democracy", adding that they will "carry on the struggle for fair elections".

"In a first for the country, all the parties have come together to reject the unjust elections," said PML-N stalwart, Ahsan Iqbal.

Besides members from PML-N, PPP, and MMA, other political leaders in attendance at the conference belonged to the Awami National Party (ANP), the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP), the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), and the National Party (NP).

Due to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)'s decision to join the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in forming a government at the centre, it was not invited to attend the conference.

Additionally, members of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal and the Mustafa Kamal-led Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) were not present at the meeting.

Istanbul                                                                                                                                                                                                 02 August 2018                                                                                                                                                                                   (Anadolu News)

Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (ISG) will be one of the designated airports of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation.

A letter of intent was signed between ISG, which is located at the Asian side of the city, and D-8, also known as "Developing-8", to enhance cooperation among the member countries.

The deal was inked by Azmi Murat, the ISG executive director, and D-8 Secretary General Ambassador Dato Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari.

"The letter of intent specifies our desire to cooperate and to found partnership between Sabiha Gokcen International Airport and the D-8," Shaari said.

"Sabiha Gokcen International Airport will not only be the designated airport of the D-8 but also it will provide Fast Track Lane to the citizens of D-8."

The deal also aims to "provide a better connection between people to people, between business to business, between tourists and travelers," he added.

As part of the letter of intent, ISG will also provide lounge services for all travelers from D-8 member states.

"We can show how members states of D-8 to facilitate the needs of the citizens of the D-8 in order to develop economic cooperation, economic development, economic growth, and at the same time, uplifting the standard of living of all citizens of member states," Shaari noted.

"We look forward to having closer relationships with the D-8 airlines particularly," he added.

For his part, ISG's Azmi Murat also expressed his gratitude over the signing a letter of intent with D-8.

Stating that Sabiha Gokcen has been the first designated airport of the D-8 he said: "We look forward to working closely with all the eight member countries."

"We are very ready to work [with] special facilities of the D-8 member countries," Murat added.

ISG will also assign spaces on billboards for D-8's marketing activities and will create air links among the member countries' airports.

Turkey holds the rotating chairmanship of the D-8 for the next two years, and for the second time in 20 years.

On June 15, 1997, the D-8 was launched after late Turkish Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan proposed the creation of an economic group consisting of eight emerging economies from the Muslim world.

Alongside Turkey, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, and Pakistan founded the organization based in Istanbul.

Today, two of its members -- Turkey and Indonesia -- are among the group of the world’s 20 biggest economies.

New York                                                                                                                                                                                               02 August 2018                                                                                                                                                                                  (CNNMoney)

Apple just became the first American public company to cross $1 trillion in value.

The iPhone maker achieved that big number on Thursday when the stock passed $207.04 a share. Apple is now up more than 20% this year.

Shares surged after Apple reported earnings that topped forecasts and a healthy outlook on Wednesday.

Even though some think Apple (AAPL) needs a new product to keep sales and profits booming, Apple has rallied past the trillion level thanks to solid sales of the iPhone 8 and X -- particularly in China and Japan -- and surging services revenue from the App Store.

Apple is benefiting from investor euphoria surrounding the tech sector broadly as well -- and it could soon have company in the trillion dollar club.

Amazon (AMZN), Google owner Alphabet (GOOGL) and Microsoft  (MSFT) have all rallied to near record highs this year, too. Amazon is worth nearly $900 billion while Google and Microsoft are each now worth more than $800 billion.

Apple is not the first publicly traded company in the world to surpass the trillion dollar mark though.

Oil giant PetroChina (PTR) briefly topped a trillion dollar valuation in 2007 when its stock began trading in Shanghai, but shares quickly plunged afterward. PetroChina, which is also listed on the New York Stock Exchange, is now worth about $205 billion.

In a recent press release by Apple, it announced financial results for its fiscal 2018 third quarter ended June 30, 2018. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $53.3 billion, an increase of 17 percent from the year-ago quarter, and quarterly earnings per diluted share of $2.34, up 40 percent. International sales accounted for 60 percent of the quarter’s revenue.