Pak News Wire

Mastermind of terrorist cell in Belgium ‘still at large’

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/823809/mastermind-of-terrorist-cell-in-belgium-still-at-large/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/823809-BelgiumAFP-1421599053-163-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			BRUSSELS: The presumed mastermind of the terrorist cell dismantled this week in Belgium remains at large, a Belgian minister said Sunday, after arrests in Greece. Asked if the suspected leader remained on the run after two people were arrested in Athens Saturday in connection with the Belgian probe, Justice Minister Koen Geens told VRT television: “That is indeed the case.” “Last night’s arrests did not succeed in nabbing the right person. We are still actively looking for him and I presume we will succeed,” he added. Belgian media have named the suspected leader of the cell uncovered by police Thursday in the eastern town of Verviers as Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a 27-year-old Belgian of Moroccan origin. Two suspects were shot dead in a fierce gun battle with police during the raid, which smashed a cell plotting to kill Belgian police officers on the street and in police stations, local authorities said. According to Belgian media, the group’s suspected leader Abaaoud spent time fighting alongside the Islamic State group in Syria. He was already known to security forces after appearing in an Islamic State video, at the wheel of a car transporting mutilated bodies to a mass grave. Belgium’s Flemish-language VTM channel reported that Abaaoud had made calls from Greece to the brother of one of the two heavily-armed suspects killed in Verviers. A Greek police source said antiterrorism investigators sent DNA samples and fingerprints to Belgium to establish whether Abaaoud was among the suspects arrested in Athens. Initial reports had put the number of suspects in Greek custody at four but a police source said only two people were arrested, at least one of whom was released without charge Sunday. A spokesperson for the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office, Eric Van Der Sypt, said there was “no connection” between the suspects and the Belgian enquiry. In Belgium itself, 13 people were arrested in connection with the probe, five of whom have been charged with “participating in the activities of a terrorist group.” Weapons, bomb-making materials, police uniforms and fake documents were found during searches of their homes. Furthers searches were made Sunday in the Brussels district of Molenbeek where Abaaoud lived, media reports said. Two fugitives who left Belgium immediately after the attack were arrested in France. The arrests across Europe came a week after 17 people were killed in Paris, rekindling fears in Europe about the threat posed by young Europeans returning home after fighting alongside extremist groups in the Middle East. Belgium estimates that 335 of its people have gone to fight in Syria and Iraq in the last few years — making it the European country with the highest proportion of nationals enlisted with Middle Eastern militant groups. Of the 335 who have gone to fight — out of a population of 11 million — 184 are still there and 50 have been killed, while 101 have returned to Belgium, authorities have said.

Mastermind of terrorist cell in Belgium ‘still at large’

BRUSSELS: The presumed mastermind of the terrorist cell dismantled this week in Belgium remains at large, a Belgian m...

Wonders of the universe

Wonders of the universe

8 castles in the U.S.

8 castles in the U.S.

Bangladesh shuts down messaging services to quell violence

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/823746/bangladesh-shuts-down-messaging-services-to-quell-violence/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/823746-ViberTango-1421590264-205-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			DHAKA: Bangladeshi telecoms authorities Sunday shut down smartphone messaging and voice services Viber and Tango, which have become a popular communication medium for supporters of the anti-government protests now in their third week. The Bangladesh Telecommunications and Regulatory Commission closed down the apps “for the time being” on orders from law enforcement and security agencies, a commission spokesperson told AFP. He did not give reasons for the decision, but local television station Channel 24 said Viber and Tango were shut down to prevent protesters from “exchanging information” across the country. Viber and Tango have been popular among opposition protesters, including activists from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies who have launched a crippling nationwide transport blockade to try to topple the government. The protests have turned increasingly violent with activists firebombing hundreds of buses and trucks, and security forces retaliating with live bullets or tear gas. At least 25 people have died in the latest violence including about a dozen burnt to death after protesters firebombed buses. The government has deployed thousands of police, paramilitaries and an elite anti-militant force to crack down on the protesters. But the violence has continued unabated, disrupting transport services and shipments of garments, the country’s biggest export. The authorities also confined BNP leader Khaleda Zia to her office at the turn of the year after she called for her arch rival Hasina to stand down. Zia remains stuck in the compound. Zia wants Hasina to call fresh elections after last year’s controversial poll boycotted by opposition parties and marred by deadly violence. The United States, Britain and the European Union have expressed concern over the latest unrest with the EU, the nation’s biggest export destination, urging Hasina’s government and the opposition to hold talks to resolve the crisis.

Bangladesh shuts down messaging services to quell violence

DHAKA: Bangladeshi telecoms authorities Sunday shut down smartphone messaging and voice services Viber and Tango, whi...

100 years of New York City from above

100 years of New York City from above

A century of photos showing New York City from the skies

The week in 38 photos

The week in 38 photos

Teacher’s slap downs tot

Teacher’s slap downs tot

A toddler being hit by a teacher in a South Korean nursery is caught on camera, causing nationwide outrage. Paula Hancocks reports.

37 amazing sports photos

37 amazing sports photos

Look at me! 20 selfies of the week

Look at me! 20 selfies of the week

‘Perfect’ Chelsea delight Mourinho

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/823722/perfect-chelsea-delight-mourinho/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/823722-Chelsea-1421580210-475-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			SWANSEA, UNITED KINGDOM: Jose Mourinho said Chelsea had produced the “perfect” performance after a 5-0 win away to Swansea City on Saturday saw them extend their lead at the top of the Premier League. Oscar and Diego Costa both scored twice in the first half at the Liberty Stadium to leave Chelsea 4-0 up before the break and substitute Andre Schurrle added a fifth goal 11 minutes from time. Victory saw Chelsea move five points clear of Manchester City at the summit ahead of the champions’ match at home to Arsenal on Sunday. “It was a perfect performance,” said Chelsea manager Mourinho, whose side made light of a potentially awkward encounter in south Wales. “The way everything went our way was just perfect.” Chelsea may have scored five goals but their Portuguese boss praised the Blues’ defence, adding: “I thought the team played very well. JT (John Terry), (Branislav) Ivanovic, they all played well. They were solid defensively and the team showed real ambition. “The team has a clear identity. Sometimes you have good teams who play well, but without a clear identity. This team has been going in a certain direction and with a certain identity,” Mourinho said. “I am pleased with that. However, I keep saying that if you play fantastically well, but don’t win cups, in 20 years time nobody will remember you. Yes, we are playing well, but we have to win competitions. “It’s a young team with many years in front of them,” said Mourinho. “However, we are trying to make history this season. “Every game is different and this game, for Swansea, was a difficult one to prepare for because they were without three players in the same position (midfielders Ki Sung-yeung, Jonjo Shelvey and Leon Britton were all missing due to the Asia Cup, suspension and injury respectively). “It would be the same for us if we had to play without (Cesc) Fabregas, (Nemanja) Matic and Jon Mikel Obi. They (Swansea) are a team who like to play football from the back, but when you don’t have these players, it becomes a problem,” Mourinho explained. “Still, I thought we were clever. We pressed them in that area and we were aggressive in recovering the ball.” Mourinho insisted Chelsea’s latest victory had not made Manchester City’s task against Arsenal at Eastlands more difficult for Manuel Pellegrini’s men. “I don’t think Man City feel pressure. Like them, we have to win every game. We feel the responsibility.” Chelsea led inside a minute through Oscar and were rarely tested in a one-sided game, with their display labelled “devastating” by Swansea manager Garry Monk. However, the Swans boss said his side had made life too easy for the visitors. “It was a horrible performance,” said Monk. “It was way off the standards we’ve been used to, especially at home. It is very difficult to make the kind of mistakes we made and to win a game. “We had to be perfect today (Saturday) and we were far from it. It was our worst performance of the season and we’re all hurting. “To be fair, the fans were magnificent and I’m disappointed for them that we couldn’t give them a performance. I can only apologise. It’s my responsibility. ” Despite this thumping defeat, Swansea remained in the top half of the table and Monk said: “I am not worried about the long-term effect. We have shown in the past that we are capable of reacting straight away and getting a positive result.” But Monk added he had made his feelings known to his side during the interval. “Yes, I had a few words to say at half-time. I told them they weren’t doing themselves justice. “I’m sorry we couldn’t give Jose a game. He must be very happy. He’s got a fantastic team, he’s a great manager and their performance was devastating.”

‘Perfect’ Chelsea delight Mourinho

SWANSEA, UNITED KINGDOM: Jose Mourinho said Chelsea had produced the “perfect” performance after a 5-0 win away to Sw...

Movie review: Still Alice – losing her mind

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/822755/movie-review-still-alice-losing-her-mind/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/822755-STILLALICEcopy-1421419371-455-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			For someone who has witnessed the struggles of Alzhiemer’s first-hand, Still Alice strikes home with its honest and compassionate treatment of the subject. Based on the novel of the same name by writer and neuroscientist Lisa Genova, the film recounts the life of a linguistics professor at Columbia University, Dr Alice Howland, who finds out that she is suffering from early-onset Alzheimer’s. The disease makes managing her marriage, her work and the relationship with her children a Sisyphean task as it chips away at the very core of her identity and accomplishments. Julianne Moore is spectacular in her portrayal of Alice — a woman slowly losing grip on her mind while traversing a gamut of emotions with just an arch of an eyebrow. Her sublime performance has already won her a Golden Globe, a nomination for a BAFTA and could also finally land her the Academy Award. Alec Baldwin plays Dr John Howland, Alice’s ambitious medical researcher husband who labours to be there for his wife. Their children, Anna, Lydia and Tom are played by Kate Bosworth, Kristen Stewart and Hunter Parish respectively and while all of them give strong performances, Stewart’s is especially notable. The disease and its progression are documented from Alice’s point of view so the viewer has to pay attention to the little details as they unfold to truly appreciate the dexterity of the screenplay. What makes Still Alice a tough watch is witnessing how Alice’s decline causes her to only faintly resemble the fierce woman she once was, and eventually become invisible. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/moive01.jpg" /> Directed and adapted for the screen by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, Still Alice is one of the most difficult movies to get through and yet one of the most rewarding. As Glatzer himself suffers from a progressive neurological disorder, it often bears listings of a personal nature. The script and direction is understated and the directors’ admiration of Yasujir Ozu’s Tokyo Story is evident in the film’s emotional restraint and similarities in the plot such as the family structure and profession of the lead character. Denis Lenoir, the famous French cinematographer who has worked with renowned names such as Jacques Audiard and Olivier Assayas, is instrumental in visualising Alice’s decline. As the movie begins, the visuals bloom and are almost ethereal but become jaded as the plot progresses, keeping in line with the effects of the disease that takes over without warning. There are few films that explore the pain of losing one’s own identity and sense of being, and do so as powerfully, honestly and painfully as Still Alice. It is definitely one of those films that is hard to watch, but even harder to forget. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/star.jpg" /> Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, January 18th, 2015.

Movie review: Still Alice – losing her mind

For someone who has witnessed the struggles of Alzhiemer’s first-hand, Still Alice strikes home with its honest and co...

Talad Rom Hoop: Trained to sell

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/822736/talad-rom-hoop-trained-to-sell/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/822736-copy-1421418990-769-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			Markets in Thailand are usually famous for their vibrant colours, hustle-bustle and aromatic alleys but the Talad Rom Hoop, or the Umbrella Pull-down Market, is also unique in other ways. The small, narrow market that runs along Meaklong River, almost 70 kilometres southwest of Bangkok is one of the largest fresh seafood markets in Thailand and is centred on the Maeklong railway track. Before the railway track was built in 1905, it was a place for the locals to gather and sell foodstuff. The vendors however refused to move even after the track was completed. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/3-copy.jpg" /> <blockquote> Stalls cover the railway track which is used as a footpath for visitors. PHOTO: DANIAL SHAH </blockquote> <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/5-copy.jpg" /> <blockquote> The market resumes its usual hustle-bustle once the train has passed. PHOTO: DANIAL SHAH </blockquote> While it looks like any other open-air market in Asia — busy with a variety of produce and haggling customers — unlike other markets, passenger trains pass through it eight times a day, every day of the week. Even though there is a margin of almost eight inches of safety between the railway track and the vendors along with signals by guards to ensure that the track is cleared when the train passes, some travelers have reported accidents on their personal blogs. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/4-copy.jpg" /> <blockquote> A vendor safeguards her stall and holds an umbrella for the train to pass through. PHOTO : DANIAL SHAH </blockquote> <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/2-copy1.jpg" /> <blockquote> Vibrant colours and aromatic alleys make the market a major tourist attraction. PHOTO : DANIAL SHAH </blockquote> Shop vendors wait for the piercing sound of the signal and within a minute, the entire market is moved back from the rails. This distinctive feature has made the market a major tourist attraction. Their cameras at bay, tourists wait for the trains as vendors slide their carts back. Some vendors even install wheels on their carts for easy manoeuvring. The awnings are lifted up out of the way of the train, the goods and tables are retracted, and people stand just centimeters from the passing carriages. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/6-copy.jpg" /> <blockquote> Vendors have a minute or two to move the entire market back from the track before the train comes through. PHOTO: DANIAL SHAH </blockquote> Within seconds of the train passing, the goods are back on the track, the awnings are down and business resumes as usual. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Even-though-the.jpg" /> Danial Shah is a travel writer and a photographer. He tweets @DanialShah_ Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, January 18th, 2015.

Talad Rom Hoop: Trained to sell

Markets in Thailand are usually famous for their vibrant colours, hustle-bustle and aromatic alleys but the Talad Rom ...

Book review: Half Girlfriend – full flop

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/822759/book-review-half-girlfriend-full-flop/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/822759-halfgirlfriendcopy-1421419603-368-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			A boy, a girl, romance and tragedy — Chetan Bhagat’s latest offering, Half Girlfriend has all the makings of a perfect Bollywood script but fails to impress as a decent read. To start with, Bhagat did not write a book, he wrote a screenplay and he seems to have put in little effort in presenting it as a novel in its paperback format. The book is divided into three parts, one for each city — Delhi, Bihar and New York. The Delhi part, despite all its follies, is actually based on real-life possibilities. It showcases the struggles of Madhav, a boy from a village who doesn’t speak English, in elite Delhi schools like St Stephens. The romance in this section comes as a mixed bag but the titular character, Riya is quite impressive — an Indian girl who plays basketball instantly captures the reader’s attention. But while there are some unusual character twists, there is an equal amount of cheesiness that dampens their novelty. The book goes downhill from here as nothing really happens in Bihar. We meet Rani Sahiba, Madhav’s likeable mom and have a few laughs but the Bihar episode of the Riya-Madhav story is mundane and unrealistic overall. It also seems as if it has been lifted from the Bollywood movie, Swades. It is the part set in New York, however that seems most influenced by Bollywood and is clichéd enough to make one cringe. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/chaten-bhagat-copy.jpg" /> <blockquote>Author Chetan Bhagat</blockquote> Even though Half Girlfriend is disappointing overall, it does have a few good things worth mentioning. For example, it is written in incredible detail which makes it fairly easy for the reader to visualise what is going on. In terms of literary quality, while the language is fairly simple, this book is way ahead of Bhagat’s earlier works. The storyline, however, is extremely weak. Forget nuance and layers, the book lacks even a basic structure, which leaves the reader lost and confused in a few instances. Even the title has virtually no relevance to the basic premise of the book and seems like a marketing gimmick meant to incite the reader’s curiosity. Moreover, the main characters of the book lack depth and are extremely hard to relate to. Madhav, the royal boy from Bihar, who is not-so-royal anymore, is stereotypical and crude. He cannot speak English and his resulting inferiority complex is exaggerated beyond comprehension. Riya, the basketball playing, independent girl seems impressive in the beginning, but soon loses that charm due to her idiotic and senseless actions in Bihar and New York. On the whole, Rani Sahiba is perhaps the only solid character in the entire story. To sum it up, Half Girlfriend could classify as Chetan Bhagat’s worst book but might just make for a perfect Bollywood romantic-comedy. Samra Muslim is a digital marketing professional, an avid reader and a movie buff. She tweets @samramuslim Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, January 18th, 2015.

Book review: Half Girlfriend – full flop

A boy, a girl, romance and tragedy — Chetan Bhagat’s latest offering, Half Girlfriend has all the makings of a perfec...

Listen to Shehzad Roy’s cover of ‘Lab Pe Aati Hai’ in honour of Peshawar school attack victims

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/823709/listen-to-shehzad-roys-cover-of-lab-pe-aati-hai-in-honour-of-peshawar-school-attack-victims/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/823709-shehzadroysong-1421573600-361-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			KARACHI: Singer Shehzad Roy released a revamped version of the song ‘Lab Pe Aati hai’ last week in honour of the memories of the over 130 schoolchildren who died in an attack on Peshawar’s Army Public School last month. The song, based on Allama Iqbal’s poem, is essentially a child’s prayer to God seeking benevolent qualities of character and a life serving humanity. <div id="fb-root"></div> <script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152893754835971" data-width="625"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"></div></div> The main verse of the song is penned as follows: “Ab pehle se zyada zaroori hai parhna…. Kyunke hum masoomon ne hai apne kal ko badalna” Just recently, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had also released a song to pay tribute to the young victims who lost their lives in the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) massacre on December 16. The video had used a child’s voice for the song, which was nothing short of emotional and touching. It also showed the courage and bravery of children who are still suffering in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Listen to Shehzad Roy’s cover of ‘Lab Pe Aati Hai’ in honour of Peshawar school attack victims

KARACHI: Singer Shehzad Roy released a revamped version of the song ‘Lab Pe Aati hai’ last week in honour of the memo...

Ex-Sri Lanka leader’s brother accused of killing editor

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/823692/ex-sri-lanka-leaders-brother-accused-of-killing-editor/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/823692-Ghotabayajpg-1421566080-759-160x120.JPEG" width="160" /> 			</a> 			COLOMBO: Sri Lankan authorities are investigating a claim that the toppled president’s younger brother ran a “death squad” and ordered a high-profile newspaper editor’s assassination, a police spokesperson said Sunday. Former defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse ordered the hit on Lasantha Wickrematunga in January 2009, ex-public relations minister Mervyn Silva alleged in a formal complaint lodged with police Saturday, the spokesman said. Wickrematunga was fatally shot in 2009, just days before he was due to testify in a defamation case Rajapakse had filed against his paper, which had been highly critical of the then-ruling family. “We have received a complaint that Gotabhaya Rajapakse was responsible for abductions, assaults and murder,” police spokesperson Ajith Rohana told AFP. “Three murders have been mentioned and one is that of Lasantha Wickrematunga. He (Rajapakse) is accused of running a death squad.” Rajapakse could not be contacted for comment. Wickrematunga and his Sunday Leader newspaper were vocal critics of Rajapakse’s administration, and had accused Gotabhaya of corruption over the purchase of second-hand aircraft and arms for the military. At the time, the government denied it was behind Wickrematunga’s killing, but Saturday’s complaint reopens the unsolved murder case. Since Mahinda Rajapakse’s defeat during January 8 presidential elections, complaints have flooded a Sri Lankan anti-graft commission alleging huge corruption by members of his administration. The ex-leader himself faces allegations that he tried to use military force and remain in office when it became clear during the vote count that he was headed for a defeat. Sri Lanka has faced international strictures over its dismal human rights record during the past decade, with rights groups accusing Rajapakse of silencing critics and dissidents. In his complaint, Silva also said Gotabhaya was the “architect of white van abductions”. Being “white-vanned” became synonymous with abductions in Sri Lanka after dozens of people were abducted in white vans, their dead bodies later dumped by the road. The tactic was widely reported to be used by security forces against opponents during and after the island’s drawn-out Tamil separatist conflict, which ended in May 2009. Scores of independent journalists and political dissidents are still living abroad in exile. Rajapakse’s administration also faced allegations that his troops killed at least 40,000 Tamil civilians while crushing Tamil Tiger guerrillas in the final stages of the ethnic war. The new government of Maithripala Sirisena has promised reparations and a domestic investigation into war time atrocities committed by security forces.

Ex-Sri Lanka leader’s brother accused of killing editor

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan authorities are investigating a claim that the toppled president’s younger brother ran a “death s...