Pak News Wire

Roger Federer suffers his earliest ever Australian Open exit since 2001

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/826613/roger-federer-suffers-his-earliest-ever-australian-open-exit-since-2001/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/826613-AustralianOpencopy-1422037306-677-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			MELBOURNE: A stunned Roger Federer was dumped out of the Australian Open yesterday in his worst showing since 2001 as Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova bounced back to stay in the title hunt. In the tournament’s biggest upset, the Swiss world number two had no answer to Italian Andreas Seppi, who he had conquered in their past 10 meetings. “Just a bad day. I wish I could have played better but clearly it was tough losing the first two sets,” said Federer after crashing out in the third round 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 7-6 (7/5). “I had chances to get back into it but let it slip. It’s a disappointing loss.” The defeat was the 17-time Grand Slam winner’s earliest exit in Melbourne in 14 years and aside from his second round Wimbledon flop in 2013, was the Swiss legend’s worst performance at a major in more than a decade. Federer was chasing his fifth Australian Open crown, but has now not won a Grand Slam title since Wimbledon in 2012. In contrast, Nadal was back to his best against Israel’s Dudi Sela, comfortably winning 6-1, 6-0, 7-5 after being pushed to the brink in a five-set epic in the second round when he suffered dizzy spells and cramps. “The other night was one of the toughest times I have spent on the court and my body wasn’t very well and I felt very lucky to get through,” said Nadal. Sharapova was also on fire, blitzing past Zarina Diyaz of Kazakhstan 6-1, 6-1 to erase memories of her big scare in the second round when she had to save two match points. Murray marches on, so does Bouchard Murray was also in form, easily beating Portugal’s Joao Sousa 6-1, 6-1, 7-5 and is yet to be seriously tested at Melbourne Park. He will next meet Bulgarian 10th seed Grigor Dimitrov, who struggled against 2006 Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis with the fired-up Cypriot pushing him to five gruelling sets. Rising star Bouchard also progressed, but made heavy work of downing France’s Caroline Garcia, taking 56 minutes to get through the first set before moving up a gear to win 7-5, 6-0. Third seed Simona Halep limped through against American world number 258 Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-4, 7-5 and will next meet Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer. Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych was a more convincing winner, powering past Serb Viktor Troicki while women’s 10th seed Ekaterina Makarova also went through.   Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th,  2015. Like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EtribuneSports">Sports on Facebook</a>, follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETribuneSports">@ETribuneSports</a> on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.

Roger Federer suffers his earliest ever Australian Open exit since 2001

MELBOURNE: A stunned Roger Federer was dumped out of the Australian Open yesterday in his worst showing since 2001 as...

Man catches rare ‘horror movie’ shark

Man catches rare ‘horror movie’ shark

A fisherman caught a rare 5-foot, frilled shark off the coast of Australia.

Municipal tax shenanigans: Unable to collect, CDA to squeeze existing taxpayers

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/826677/municipal-tax-shenanigans-unable-to-collect-cda-to-squeeze-existing-taxpayers/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/826677-CDA-1422045966-123-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			ISLAMABAD: City managers keep looking for new revenue generation sources instead of streamline and improve their dismal performance in collecting municipal taxes and other dues from existing sources. A review of the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) performance in the previous financial year exposes the civic agency’s inability to manage its budget. Meanwhile, the CDA’s finance wing has opted to go for the easy way out by levying additional taxes instead of going after tax evaders. Under the CDA Ordinance, The civic agency is an autonomous body and a self-accounting entity. It generates its income from taxes collected under revenue accounts and other sources such as land auctions. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/1-copy5.jpg" /> The figures for the financial year 2013-14 show that the CDA collected only Rs2.95 billion in municipal taxes against a target of Rs6.6 billion for the same year – almost 55 per cent less than the target. The taxes include property taxes, municipal services, environment and horticulture receipts, toll tax, allied receipts, and interest on deposits. Besides revenue accounts, the CDA also remained fail to achieve targets under the self-financing account – most notably in land sales. For FY2013-14, the CDA generated just Rs13.8 billion against a revenue target of Rs27.2 billion. CDA Finance Member Arbab Sher Bahadur spoke with The Express Tribune and acknowledged the failings in revenue collection. “Generally speaking, it mirrors the prevailing tax collection situation in the country, where people seem reluctant to pay to the government for the services facilities it provides,” Bahadur said. He later spoke of plans to revise tax rates, saying that property taxes were last revised in 2001, while property charges were last revised in 2000. The CDA had plans to revise these charges in FY2013-14 and a proposed revision effect was incorporated in its budget estimates, but the changes never materialized, further widening the gap between estimates and actual collection. “The situation is not ideal. But it’s much better than previous years,” the CDA board member commented. Wider net The authority has been mulling how to collect taxes imposed in FY2013-14 on private housing schemes and high rise buildings in the city. Both sectors are currently excluded from the CDA tax net with regard to property transfer and houses layout approval fees. “There are about 50 private housing schemes comprising of 60,000 units within the CDA’s municipal limits. The civic agency has decided to levy building control fees on them,” the finance member said, adding that for the FY2014-15, the CDA has estimated it would raise Rs50 million under this head. Similarly, he said, transfer fees on apartments in high-rise buildings would also be collected from now and the authority has a target of Rs500 million under this head. Bahadur said a variety of factors, including a staff shortage, had been delaying fee collection. The CDA approves NOCs and bylaws for private schemes and high-rise buildings, but when it comes to tax collection, the owners refuse to pay, Bahadur said, adding that societies and high-rise buildings owners were resisting the move, but they would have to pay taxes for the services they are provided. Bahadur said municipal tax collection estimates for the ongoing financial year have been kept realistic to reduce the between targets and actual collection. Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th, 2015.

Municipal tax shenanigans: Unable to collect, CDA to squeeze existing taxpayers

ISLAMABAD: City managers keep looking for new revenue generation sources instead of streamline and improve their dism...

An open letter to Shahbaz Sharif

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/826524/an-open-letter-to-shahbaz-sharif/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/826524-HussainNadimNewaagain-1422033902-244-160x120.JPG" width="160" /> 			</a> 			Dear Sir, I write to you as a Pakistani citizen who has been born and raised in Lahore for most part of life. I have nothing but praise for you for the work that you have done in terms of making Lahore a modern city — a symbol of progress under the new international paradigm of ‘<a href="https://www.google.com.pk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCEQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Felibrary.worldbank.org%2Fdoi%2Fpdf%2F10.1596%2F0195211243_Chapter6&ei=dKzCVLfsIdbtaMvygeAC&usg=AFQjCNEBHM3qrnDH3iYmSgfQe7ZJaMQAcg&sig2=Dk0itW4xAGppH_uDZ2c7mg&bvm=bv.84349003,d.d2s">cities as engines of growth</a>’. While many complained that you only invest in infrastructure, and that too only in Lahore, you responded and proved your good leadership by leading the way on education reforms in Punjab and infrastructure development in all the major cities of the province. While there is a lot of good that is being done on the macro-level, I would like to bring a few small, yet impactful things to your attention. As you may be aware that the fuel crisis has significantly tarnished the goodwill and efforts of the government, there is a lesson that has to be learnt out of this — an opportunity in crisis, as I would like to see it. Pakistan’s foremost enemy, I believe, is the growing population of the country and our living style that cannot be sustained by our economy and resources. While the economic turnover of the country is not your mandate as a provincial chief minister, how the cities in Punjab are organised, and lifestyle of the people is very much under your control. Just take, for instance, the way you enforced the 10pm cut-off rule for weddings in Punjab. Initially, there was a lot of hue and cry over the rule; but in time, people realised the advantages of the organised system. Before this law, <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/821547/celebrations-that-came-tumbling-down-4-die-as-roof-of-wedding-hall-caves-in/">marriage ceremonies would go on till 3am in the night</a>, with food served no earlier than 11pm, just how it is like in Karachi and rest of Pakistan today. Sheer waste of guests’ time, loud noise in the neighbourhood, and waste of resources was the eventual result. My Chief Minister, the overall lifestyle of our country has to be fixed; and it has to start from Lahore because that is the only place which can become a prototype for rest of the country under your leadership. Governance, as you are well aware, is not only about bureaucratic or financial reforms. Good governance of a country is also about psychological aspects of how things are organised, operated and felt by those observing it. To bring some level of discipline and governance to our cities, to reduce wastage and to cut down on crimes, you, Sir, have to start by enforcing the strict opening and closing hours of businesses. In a developing country from the Third World, like Pakistan, if shops and business can open up at 9.30am and shut down at 7pm sharp, we could save four to five hours’ worth of energy, reducing the burden on our economy. Secondly, there has to be a rule that students are only allowed to enroll in their neighbourhood schools so that <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/796765/grand-scheme-guardian-calls-metro-bus-an-important-project/">traffic congestion and travel time in cities can be massively reduced</a>. Additionally, schools should be made to provide transportation for students. Every functioning school bus means 50 less cars on the road. People naturally revolve their lifestyle around becoming part of an organised system — a society. After 9pm it is hard to witness any traffic on the roads during weekdays in any major city of the developed world. While, you once did implement strict business hours, and the effects were exceptional, it was later revoked. I am of the opinion that most of the problems faced by our country today, be it terrorism, economic decline or the energy crisis, is a product of our misplaced lifestyles in an unorganised society. Bringing discipline in our lifestyles through strict enforcement of business hours, student enrollment in neighbourhood schools, and other minor changes including road discipline can go a long way in bringing stability and sense of good governance in a chaotic country. Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th, 2015. Like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/EToped">Opinion & Editorial on Facebook</a>, follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETOpEd">@ETOpEd</a> on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.

An open letter to Shahbaz Sharif

Dear Sir, I write to you as a Pakistani citizen who has been born and raised in Lahore for most part of life. I have n...

The cycle of hate

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/826537/the-cycle-of-hate/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/826537-SaqebaNadeemNew-1422033633-228-160x120.JPG" width="160" /> 			</a> 			“I said, I don’t know whether I’m the boxer or the bag” — “Yellow Ledbetter” by Pearl Jam (possibly misheard lyrics). European and American Muslims have lived in the West for decades, for over a century or more. They have never had a problem with, or been the cause of violence over the <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/824100/fox-news-apologises-for-claims-of-muslim-only-zones-in-france-and-england/">derision or fun Western media pokes at religious icons</a> revered by the Abrahamic faiths. Western Muslims have the right to their sentiments and do feel hurt, disgusted and abused by the negative depictions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), but most would not retaliate with violence. However, no society can ensure non-violence once religious sensibilities are at issue. Western Muslims have knowingly adopted the culture of the West and accept all social issues their fellow citizens go through. They have participated in the democratic resolution of racial, national or religious problems that often surface in these societies, against various groups, in this melting pot. Almost all would not personally insult religious sensibilities of others, and hope for the same. They fully accept that in Western society, some people accept religion and some don’t. Disliking the insults against any religion is a freedom of choice available to those who choose not to poke fun at religious figures. The acts of terror and counter acts of war seen nowadays is a political situation — with Muslim and non-Muslim countries alike embroiled in such wars. <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825355/paying-for-freedom/">Religion has been used as an excuse for achieving other ends</a>. Western European nations and America should ensure the safety of their Muslim citizens and defend their right to freedom of religion. Those who give hate-filled bigoted comments against Islam in general, and put Western Muslims at risk, have fallen into the trap of the hate-filled terrorists. After acts of terror, hate speech is penned against Islam and Muslims with a broad stroke. The writers think they are exercising their right to free speech when <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825934/exacerbation-of-islamophobia/">speaking against Islam</a>, but they are merely acting as puppets of terrorists, who have cleverly stoked their bigotry. Western governments and media should ensure that their citizens are not manipulated into becoming puppets in the hands of terrorists and start committing hate speech or hate acts, thinking that they are justified in the face of terror acts. This is a never-ending cycle. The political wars will never end, but governments, media and power groups have a moral and ethical duty to ensure social domestic harmony. There is a need to remind citizens about vigilance against bigotry in order to maintain peaceful relations amongst the citizens based on Western democratic ideals. Freedom of speech may allow the creation of cartoons against anyone, but it does not mean that the hearts and minds of your citizens are allowed to be manipulated by writing venom-filled hate speech against a well-established religion or defame fellow citizens when cartoons or any other expression result in violent acts by a few intolerant terrorists. The journalists who create such cartoons have made a free choice to express themselves in a provocative manner and thus willingly have taken a risk, and the terrorists have willingly chosen an evil response. The remaining citizens, particularly Muslims, have nothing to do with their choices. The sad thing is that the unwarranted hate speech that follows terror attacks can incite hatred and lead to acts of violence against innocent people. It creates an atmosphere of oppression across every level of society for innocent Muslim citizens that curtails the pursuit of happiness. The moderate, or modern, or even orthodox peace-loving Western and European Muslims are not silent, though initially they were shell-shocked after the events that unfolded in Paris. Unfortunately, they can’t be heard above the din anymore. Western Muslims are relying on the civilised democratic process and system to look after their safety and interests, but sadly, no system is infallible. They are on the verge of becoming the innocent casualty of the political conditions of the past that started the current insane terror acts and the dangerous retaliatory bigoted hatred. Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th, 2015. Like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/EToped">Opinion & Editorial on Facebook</a>, follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETOpEd">@ETOpEd</a> on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.

The cycle of hate

“I said, I don’t know whether I’m the boxer or the bag” — “Yellow Ledbetter” by Pearl Jam (possibly misheard lyrics). ...

Saving the turf: The controversy of the 21st Amendment

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/826533/saving-the-turf-the-controversy-of-the-21st-amendment-2/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/826533-ShahzadChaudhryNewNew-1422033486-244-160x120.JPG" width="160" /> 			</a> 			In this concluding part of the series of articles that I have written on the 21st Amendment, I would like to discuss the two specific objections to the amendment that religious parties like the JUI-F and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) have raised. They object to the term ‘<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/819078/21st-amendment-govt-sowed-seeds-of-hatred-says-siraj/">religion and sect</a>’ based terrorism, and its further extension in terms of circumscribing those religious schools that produce religiously motivated and driven cadres, who believe in the exclusivity of their own strain of religious thinking while demonising the other. In the discourse on terrorism that has evolved since the ongoing spat, the more stringent fundamentalist strain said to be driving most extremist groups, including the TTP that is involved in an insurgency, and groups that have historically led a sectarian war in the length and breadth of Pakistan, becomes the primary source of disconcert and a pervasive danger to both the state and society. Therefore, religion and sect based terrorism finds mention in specific terms. This specific mention of both religion and sect indicates that the state needs to prioritise dealing with these types of threat that are more ominous. The counterpoint that religious parties make regarding non-religious groups engaged in terror is correctly observed. Why those were not included in a larger definition of the terror groups that pose a threat to the nation is because of their political connotation, which in itself engenders political sensitivities. <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/817386/bla-commander-among-eight-militants-slain/">Baloch nationalists’ secessionist movements</a> border on a brewing insurgency and perhaps, need a treatment similar to that of insurgent groups of Fata, but for the moment, the combined political wisdom suggests a political route to an age-old problem. In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Fata, the political initiatives to appease the groups have been many but without an abiding consequence of peace. Also, the insurgency in Fata targets the state and wishes to take over the entire country; the one in Balochistan has limited objectives. Groups in Fata and K-P use religion as an emotive multiplier, which unfortunately, has international linkages seeking transnational arrangements; the one in Balochistan remains a nationalist sentiment alone. There are other strategic factors mitigating the acuteness of one threat while imposing the gravity of the other. The MQM, too, has at times exhibited nationalist credentials, but is now a well mainstreamed political entity. There remain serious allegations of Mafiosi-style functioning in its conduct but that may also emerge from its insecurities based on its fortress sensitivity about Karachi — its main support base as a party. For fears that parties like the MQM exhibit, the <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/822404/a-nash-equilibrium-in-sindh-politics/">solution is in more democracy rather than in restricting or limiting democracy</a>. At the same time, militancy as a trait and organised crime is very much entrenched in Karachi’s culture; this will need a more effective law-enforcement mechanism with an effective judicial response rather than a military operation. Faith and sect-based terror, too, has shielded itself within the crime syndicates of the metropolis; those must be dealt with through laws and mechanisms as chosen for other areas of the country. Same is the case for the rampant sectarian terror in Balochistan. Many of the sectarian terrorist groups have relocated to Balochistan following operations in Fata and are <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/18352/shiagenocide-is-a-reality-not-just-a-fab-twitter-trend/&sa=U&ei=8pbCVPzMC8jW7AbgnIFI&ved=0CBgQFjAJOBQ&client=internal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNGby5qs0HHDFdQexjaM4j6jwPAFAg">targeting the Hazara community</a> to establish their dominating presence through the use of such terror. Those groups, too, need to be dealt with according to the same yardstick as for Fata and other religious-sectarian-militant groups. In such rampant factionalism, of both terror-sponsoring militant outfits and the crime syndicate, why should the army be keen to take on judicial responsibilities? The answer, unfortunately, lies in the dysfunction of the prevalent justice system. Its inability to stick to either the provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997, or the recently revamped Evidence Bill or the Protection of Pakistan Act, have failed to kick-start a sluggish judicial response to the need of trying and punishing where convicted individuals are involved in terrorism. A lackadaisical administration, which must not only apply the law but investigate and prosecute suspects in all kinds of alleged crimes, has generally failed and underwrites a poor judicial response to the threats that have mounted and multiplied in both their extent and intensity. Between <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/818571/speedy-trial-military-courts-to-try-nearly-3400-terrorists/">3,000-5,000 alleged terrorists are detained by the army</a> following their various operations in fighting the menace but the state apparatus responsible to arrest, prosecute and punish the suspects lies unattended despite years since the issue came up. Out of either inefficiency or fear of reprisals, neither the administration nor the judicial system would like to touch those individuals. Such is the apathy and casualness to what is an existential threat to the nation and the state of Pakistan. The courts are known to act as revolving doors for the terrorists who easily find freedom and relocation back with the groups. Evidence that is known against the alleged terrorists gets easily rejected for its non-admissibility based on various loopholes in the existing laws. It remains an unending story of inefficiency when it comes to the legal apparatus. The military courts, then, find relevance to complement what is inadequate. What if the 21st Amendment is struck down by the superior courts? Should they? This remains the most vexing issues of domains between the legislatures all over the world and courts that claim to have affirmed their right to protect the Constitution. To whom does the Constitution belong in the first place? Is it the courts or the people? Can a people seek to change a Constitution? If it is theirs, they must have the right to amend it. A Constitution is a living document and must breathe and exhale as per a living being. What it exhales is what is superfluous and what it breathes must be fresh to meet the needs of its body. As the times change and the requirements of statecraft evolve, a Constitution must too. That is the essence of the relationship between the people who own the state and the governments who will need to be given the relevant laws according to the aspirations of the people. Those aspirations get reflected in the majority opinion and sentiment and find enunciation through their chosen representatives. Parliament thus is as supreme as the people make it. The courts adjudicate according to the laws handed to them. If these domains get respected, the conflict and the overlap will significantly mitigate into a smoother working relationship; more synergistic than conflictual. Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th, 2015. Like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/EToped">Opinion & Editorial on Facebook</a>, follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETOpEd">@ETOpEd</a> on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.

Saving the turf: The controversy of the 21st Amendment

In this concluding part of the series of articles that I have written on the 21 st Amendment, I would like to discuss...

Who’s who in Saudi royal family?

Who’s who in Saudi royal family?

King Salman has taken over as the leader of Saudi Arabia following the death of his brother King Abdullah.

NHL to give fans a players view of the game by sending GoPro cameras onto the ice

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/826645/nhl-to-give-fans-a-players-view-of-the-game-by-sending-gopro-cameras-onto-the-ice/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/826645-goproimage-1422037383-681-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			WASHINGTON: Ice hockey fans will get a new perspective on the fast-moving game when National Hockey League players don GoPro cameras, starting with this weekend’s all-star fixture. It’s the first time that GoPro manufacturer has struck a partnership deal with a professional sports league, the league said Friday. “The NHL will use GoPro’s innovative equipment and expertise to deliver hockey fans never-before-seen perspectives of the game,” it said in a statement. Players on Saturday will take to the ice with helmet-mounted GoPros — high-definition video cameras popular when filming extreme sports — at the NHL’s all-star skills competition, then on Sunday at the widely-watch all-star classic. Both games are being played in Columbus, Ohio. Going forward, regular NHL games will be captured on GoPro for national and regional telecasts as well as online streaming on GoPro and NHL websites, the league said. “On-ice footage of the best players in the world is among the point-of-view GoPro content fans can expect this season,” it added. In return, GoPro will enjoy what the league called “prominent brand exposure” on NHL broadcast, digital and social media platforms.

NHL to give fans a players view of the game by sending GoPro cameras onto the ice

WASHINGTON: Ice hockey fans will get a new perspective on the fast-moving game when National Hockey League players do...

FIFA confirms loss of three major sponsors

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/826464/fifa-confirms-loss-of-three-major-sponsors/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/826464-FIFAofficialAFP-1422030202-434-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			ZURICH: World governing body FIFA confirmed on Friday that three major sponsors have ended their relationships with the organisation, but said there was nothing unusual about the development. Oil manufacturers Castrol, tyre company Continental and healthcare giant Johnson and Johnson have followed Emirates and Sony by choosing not to renew contracts with FIFA that expired last year. British newspaper the <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/11365072/Fifa-admits-it-faces-sponsorship-challenge-after-being-deserted-by-five-commercial-backers.html">Daily Telegraph</a> claimed the three companies had been deterred by allegations of corruption that have been levelled at FIFA following the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. But in a statement sent to AFP, FIFA marketing director Thierry Weil said: “Rotations at the end of a sponsorship cycle are commonplace in the sports industry and have continuously occurred since the commercialisation of the FIFA World Cup began. “It is natural that as brands’ strategies evolve they reassess their sponsorship properties.” “The contracts with Castrol, Continental and Johnson and Johnson were always planned to run until the end of 2014 and therefore expired on December 31, 2014, accordingly.” Weil added that FIFA was in “advanced negotiations with a number of companies” regarding sponsorship deals for the next World Cup cycle. FIFA has already signed up Russian oil and gas giant Gazprom as a commercial partner ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Quoted by the Telegraph, a spokesperson from Castrol said: “We have not been sponsors of FIFA since, I believe, the World Cup last year.” Johnson and Johnson stated: “It was a decision that was made for business reasons after a comprehensive review.” Continental told the newspaper: “It was a great platform for us and now we’re using football on a regionalised level.” British politician Damian Collins, who is leading a campaign to impose reform on FIFA, said the sponsors’ withdrawals proved that the organisation had become a “toxic brand”. FIFA and its 78-year-old Swiss president Sepp Blatter have been dogged by accusations of corruption ever since Russia and Qatar won the rights to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in 2010. Blatter, who has presided over FIFA since 1998, will seek a fifth term in office in a presidential election scheduled to take place on May 29.

FIFA confirms loss of three major sponsors

ZURICH: World governing body FIFA confirmed on Friday that three major sponsors have ended their relationships with t...

What the heck is Deflategate anyway?

What the heck is Deflategate anyway?

Let's call this NFL game balls for dummies.

Patriots quarterback says he ‘didn’t alter the ball’

Patriots quarterback says he ‘didn’t alter the ball’

New England quarterback Tom Brady says he didn't deflate footballs at Sunday's playoff game and didn't notice if they were diffe...

Anne Hathaway on producing ‘Song One’

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/826438/anne-hathaway-on-producing-song-one/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/826438-annehathawaywidescreencopy-1422023880-715-160x120.JPG" width="160" /> 			</a> 			LOS ANGELES: After winning an Oscar in 2013 for best supporting actress in the musical <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1707386/">Les Miserables</a>, Anne Hathaway is taking on a new challenge as a producer. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2182972/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Song One</a> is an independent film also starring Hathaway, as an academic who finds connection through her brother’s music after he falls into a coma. It premiered at Sundance Film Festival last year and released in US theaters on Friday. Hathaway, 32, talked to Reuters about her first producing experience and Catwoman. What does Song One explore through music? Every time I say it’s about the healing power of music, I feel like I have to dodge someone throwing a tomato at me because it sounds so sincere, but it’s true. I am someone who believes in that and … I think this film is about second chances. What producing challenges did you face? The practicalities of ‘If you don’t do it, it’s probably not going to get done.’ When you’re an actor, there are so many safety nets under you. If you’re playing an astronaut and you need to speak to an astronaut, the producer goes ‘Here’s an astronaut for you to talk to.’ When you’re the producer, you’re like ‘I have to go find this.’ So this just woke me up to how really good a lot of producers I’ve worked with have been. With more superhero movies, as you’ve already played Catwoman in the Dark Knight films, would you reprise the role? When you play Catwoman, you accept that you’re not the only one that’s ever played her, and you’ll probably not be the last one … it is bittersweet in that way. So, it’s your role for a while, until the next one comes along. For me, my version of the character was so based on the idea of existing in (director) Chris Nolan’s Gotham, so I couldn’t imagine reprising it with anyone else, and I don’t think Chris has any plans to do that, so I think that’s probably the end of the ride for me.  Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th,  2015. Like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ETLifeandStyle">Life & Style on Facebook, </a>follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETLifeandStyle">@ETLifeandStyle</a> on Twitter for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

Anne Hathaway on producing ‘Song One’

LOS ANGELES: After winning an Oscar in 2013 for best supporting actress in the musical Les Miserables , Anne Hathaway...

Musharraf seeks travel to Saudi Arabia to condole King’s demise

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/826504/musharraf-seeks-travel-to-saudi-arabia-to-condole-kings-demise/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/826504-musharraf-1422029642-483-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			ISLAMABAD: Former president (retd) general Pervez Musharraf has requested the government to allow him to travel to Saudi Arabia to condole late King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz, who died on Friday in the oil-rich country. “Musharraf wants to condole with King Abdullah’s family — for it we have requested the interior ministry to lift his name from the Exit Control List (ECL),” the All Pakistan Muslim League’s chief coordinator Ahmed Raza Kasuri told The Express Tribune. The government had put Musharraf’s name on the ECL since he was facing various trials in the country, including for treason. Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/826284/saudi-arabias-king-abdullah-dies-at-90-royal-court-statement/" target="_blank">died</a> on Friday and was replaced by Crown Prince Salman, the OPEC-kingpin’s royal court said in a statement. King Abdullah, believed to be around 90 years old, was hospitalised in December suffering from pneumonia and had been breathing with the aid of a tube. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who has long standing ties with the Saudi royal family, <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/826346/pm-nawaz-pays-tribute-to-king-abdullah-as-he-departs-to-attend-funeral/" target="_blank">attended</a> the king’s funeral prayers. Expressing grief and sorrow over the demise of King Abdullah, PM Nawaz said the late ruler had a “special place in the heart of every Pakistani being the custodian of Islam’s holy mosques”. Moreover, leaders world over condoled the death of the aged king as well.

Musharraf seeks travel to Saudi Arabia to condole King’s demise

ISLAMABAD: Former president (retd) general Pervez Musharraf has requested the government to allow him to travel to Sa...

Yasir Jaswal’s Jalaibee gets a release date

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/826457/yasir-jaswals-jalaibee-gets-a-release-date/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/826457-jalaibeecast-1422025383-720-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			KARACHI: One of this year’s most anticipated films has gotten a release date! Yes, Yasir Jaswal’s star-studded Jalaibee will finally hit the screens on March 20. The team behind the film announced the date on their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jalaibeethefilm" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>. They also unveiled the films’s first poster. <img alt="" height="888" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/15580_1593532304214624_6949022254115065158_n1.jpg" width="625" /> <blockquote>POSTER: JALAIBEE OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE</blockquote> <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/0-LINE-1420726462.jpg" /> <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/650404/yasir-jaswal-offers-first-glimpse-into-his-jalaibee/" target="_blank">RELATED: Yasir Jaswal offers first glimpse into his ‘Jalaibee’</a>   <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/0-LINE-1420726462.jpg" /> The poster and release date come over a year after its trailer was released on December 25, 2013. The trailer had piqued the curiosity of many who saw the stylised eye-pleasing visuals, powerful sound design, engaging dialogue and contemporary music appealing. The trailer also revealed the first ever usage of an American muscle car in a Pakistani film. Jalaibee mostly features a cast of film-debutants including the likes of the versatile actor Adnan Jafar, Asal Din Khan, Ali Safina, Danish Taimoor, Uzair Jaswal, and VJ cum model Wiqar Ali Khan. Zhalay Sarhadi is the only one in the crew to have had past silver screen experience, from her role in Ramchand Pakistani. The film has been produced under the label of REDRUM Films in association with Jaswal Films and Sermad Films. <iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/82643935" width="635" height="357" frameborder="0" title="Jalaibee Official Teaser" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe>

Yasir Jaswal’s Jalaibee gets a release date

KARACHI: One of this year’s most anticipated films has gotten a release date! Yes, Yasir Jaswal’s star-studded Jalaib...

Report: Chiwetel Ejiofor in talks for ‘Doctor Strange’

Report: Chiwetel Ejiofor in talks for ‘Doctor Strange’