Wednesday, December 7, 2011

The Express Tribune Newsletter: December 8, 2011

 

Today's Headlines

December 08, 2011

Rumours run riot: Zardari's heart condition sets pulses racing by
Irfan Ghauri / Zia Khan

The times are such in Pakistan.President Asif Zardari flew to Dubai on Tuesday triggering a seemingly endless stream of contradictory statements from his top aides, speculation from 'insiders' and 'experts', and wild conjecture that the county's powerful security establishment was plotting to oust the embattled leader from office, leading to a frenetic day for those following the story.
_______________________________________________ 

National/City

Keeping an Eye: US diplomats concerned over speculations
Kamran Yousaf
Every minute that President Asif Ali Zardari's status – politically and in terms of health – remains unconfirmed will be a nervous one for foreign capitals invested heavily in the region, particularly Washington. 

'Imran Khan following in Bhutto's footsteps,' says Shah Mahmood Qureshi
Owais Jafri
Newly-appointed vice chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI), Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that Imran Khan is following in the footsteps of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Dr Fai pleads guilty to secret funding from ISI
Huma Imtiaz
Nearly five months after he was arrested, Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, director of the Kashmiri American Council, admitted that he had secretly received funds from the government of Pakistan, including the Inter- Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, for the past two decades. 

LUMS professor receives Google Faculty Research Award
News Desk
Dr Umar Saif, the Associate Professor for Computer Science at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), who was receognised by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) earlier this year, has been awarded the prestigious Google Faculty Research Award. 

Forces may feel fuel pinch even after supply resumes
Zafar Bhutta
As Afghan-bound Nato oil trucks while away, the government is mulling imposing a permanent ban on export of locally-produced petroleum products, except jet fuel.
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Business

Revised gas outage schedule: Fertiliser gets the better of industrial sector
Zafar Bhutta
As the government faces pressure from different consumers in Punjab for gas supply, the cabinet scheduled to meet today (Thursday) may approve a revised gas load management plan that would extend gas closure for the industrial sector to four or five days and ensure uninterrupted supply to the fertiliser sector. 

CNG stations to stay shut for 18 hours in Sindh
Our Correspondents
Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), in accordance with the federal government's gas load management plan, has decided to shut down gas supplies to compressed natural gas (CNG) stations in Karachi and other cities of Sindh from 11 pm on December 8 (Thursday) to 5 pm on December 9 (Friday).
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Sports

A bad day for Pakistan hockey: Captain
Our Correspondents
In the aftermath of Pakistan's dismal show in the Champions Trophy in New Zealand, the country's hockey federation chief selector Hanif Khan placed blame on the coach Michel van den Heuvel and the team management. 

SAFF Championship: Unbeaten Pakistan crash out
Natasha Raheel
The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) expressed its disappointment after the team played out a 1-1 draw against Nepal to crash out of the eight-nation Saff Championship underway in New Delhi.
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Life & Style

Khussas: A step towards tradition
Hani Taha
Any Lahori will tell you that when visiting Lahore, a trip to Khussa Mehal is as crucial on your 'to do' list as is visiting the Badshahi Mosque and having a meal at Cucoo's. 

Beauty 101: Get rid of dry skin this winter
Tehreem Aidrus
With chapped lips, scaly arms and cracked heels everywhere, it's beginning to look a lot like winter.
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Opinion

Be mediocre
Sami Shah

Bon(n)fire of the vanities
Tanvir Ahmad Khan 

Fed on lies — for how long?
Imtiaz Gul 

What the US and Pakistan must do now
Atia Kazmi 

Running with the hare
Dr Tariq Rahman 

Blogs

'Don't tickle your baby's feet'
Bushra Anwar 

Islamabad diary: 'Neto, Zadari' rhetoric and nothing else to say
Nadir Hassan 

Analysing Veena: If the hat doesn't fit…
Hafsa Ahmad 

MFN doesn't translate to BFF
Adnan Khalid Rasool 

Poll

Do you believe Veena Malik's picture on FHM's cover are morphed?

No (80%, 646 Votes)
Yes (20%, 157 Votes)
Total Voters: 803

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Monday, December 5, 2011

The Express Tribune Newsletter: December 06, 2011

 

Today's Headlines

December 06, 2011

 

Afghan endgame: Islamabad missed, but no surprises at Bonn
Our Correspondents

With key players missing, an international conference on Afghanistan's future in the German city of Bonn wasn't expected to produce much. And the event lived up to its billing.
_______________________________________________

National/City

Key US senators urge review of Pakistan funding
AFP
The United States must "fully review" its ties with Pakistan and consider cuts or new restrictions to military and economic aid, Republican senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham urged Monday.

Review on the cards: Pakistan summons envoys from world capitals
Kamran Yousaf
Pakistan appears to be shaping for a paradigm shift in its foreign policy, with a flurry of directives making their way from Islamabad to its missions in world capitals. The move comes in the wake of the Nato airstrikes on Pakistan forward posts along the Afghan border on November 26.

PM Gilani interview: Business as usual?
APP
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Monday that Pakistan seeks good relations with the US, based on mutual respect and clearly defined parameters, which, he added, "won't take long".

'Ijaz offered to mediate between Delhi, jihadis'
Our Correspondents
A leading Indian newspaper claimed on Monday that US businessman Mansoor Ijaz had offered to broker a peace deal between New Delhi and jihadists linked to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan..

Vacant seat in NA: PPP yet to find Sherry's replacement
Irfan Ghauri
The Pakistan Peoples Party is reportedly in a fix over who to nominate as a replacement of Sherry Rehman in the lower house of parliament.
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Business

Explaining the spin-off: AkzoNobel gearing up to supply Middle East paint market from Pakistan
Farooq Baloch
Far from winding up its business in Pakistan, AkzoNobel – the world's largest paint company – is planning to invest heavily in expanding its production facilities in Pakistan,The Express Tribune has learnt.

Local per acre citrus yield half of India's output
Shamsul Islam
The country's citrus production per acre stands at approximately 4.6 tons, almost half of India's 9 tons per acre, according to the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF).
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Sports

Women's cricket: Breaking new grounds
Shahzada Usman
Pakistan's recent success in Bangladesh, where it qualified for next year's World Twenty20 as well as the 2013 World Cup, not only brought them an added bout of laurels but also recognition, admiration, support and a maiden One-Day International (ODI) century.

Aiming for glory, a letter at a time
Our Correspondents
Pakistan's eight-person squad begin their World Youth Scrabble Championship 2011 campaign in Malaysia today with national junior champion Shahzaib Khatri termed the country's main hope in the three-day event.
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Life & Style

Tribune Take: Veena Malik scandal, a publicity stunt?
Mahawish Rezvi
In today's episode of the Tribune Take we look at the ongoing fallout of the Veena Malik nude photo shoot scandal.

Nohas: Sales to dust
Rafay Mehmood
If Eid is the season for cinema owners to recover all losses, Muharram is the golden month for music shop owners to sell nohas. This year, however, the response to nohas was disappointing as the demand and eventually sale of these religious tunes declined significantly due to a number of reasons. On the seventh of Muharram, the dearth of customers at Rainbow Centre was a rare scene; no nohas were being played loudly and only a trickle of customers could be spotted in the shops.
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Opinion

Bonn minus Pakistan
Britta Petersen

Deconstructing the SC order on the memo
Asad Jamal

Endgame dangers
Dr Akmal Hussain

Telling Pakistanis the truth
Ayesha Ijaz Khan

In memory of Pakistan Railways
Yaqoob Khan Bangash

Blogs

I love ET blogs. Here's why…
Faraz Talat

Why Ashura is a 'Holy-Day' for all of us and not just you
Mahjabeen khan

Bella and Edward are not role models
Saira Khan

A field trip to a festival of hate
Vaqas Asghar

Poll

Do you agree with Pakistan's decision to not join the US-led investigation into the NATO airstrike?

No (29%, 257 Votes)
Yes (71%, 640 Votes)
Total Voters: 897

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Sunday, December 4, 2011

The Express Tribune Newsletter: December 5, 2011

 

Today's Headlines

December 05, 2011

Anti-terror cooperation: Pakistan to rewrite rules of engagement
Kamran Yousaf

Pakistan has decided to scrap all existing anti-terror cooperation agreements with the United States in a development that may not only take the uneasy alliance between the two countries to the point of no return but also impede world efforts at bringing sustainable peace in Afghanistan.
_______________________________________________

National/City 

Nato air raid: No Bonn-homie, just sympathy from Obama
Our Correspondents
A day before an international conference on the Afghan endgame kicked off in the German city of Bonn, US President Barack Obama called up his Pakistani counterpart to offer condolences over the death of two dozen troops in Nato airstrikes that prompted Islamabad's boycott of the crucial meeting. 

Evicted: US starts vacating Shamsi airbase
Our Correspondents
American aircraft reached Pakistan on Sunday to airlift US nationals who are vacating the Shamsi airbase in the Washuk district of Balochistan, military authorities confirmed to The Express Tribune. 

Pakistan Railways Special Report: A journey of neglect, incompetence and corruption
Taha Siddique
The annual report by the Auditor General of Pakistan showed that Pakistan Railways lost Rs5.6 billion last year, citing widespread misuse of public funds. 

Taliban and ISAF battle it out, in 140 characters or less
War is horrific and impersonal; unless it's being waged on a website that features blue birds.

For minorities in Pakistan, persecution never ends
Even in death, the Ahmadiyya community faces persecution.
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Business

Women entrepreneurs: Self-employment is the best way to go
Kazim Alam
For Rizwana Shahid, starting a business to support her family was the only choice after her husband had a heart attack in 1998. 

SBP keeps rates on hold: Pakistan inflation risks are back on the radar
Sayem Ali
After cumulative rate cuts of 200bps at its previous two meetings, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has struck a note of caution about the government's medium-term outlook, warning that inflationary pressures are building again. At its 30 November meeting, the SBP kept policy rates on hold, with the overnight deposit and lending rates unchanged at 9% and 12%, respectively. The SBP says that macroeconomic risks have increased since the October meeting, with inflation remaining high and the rupee coming under renewed pressure.
_______________________________________________ 

Sports

Cricket: Buoyed Pakistan hungry for more success
Fawad Hussain
Pakistan's record sixth consecutive One-Day International (ODI) series triumph has left the players hungry for even more success and they intend to achieve it by bringing improvement in their performances, says team manager Naveed Akram Cheema. 

Hockey: Extraordinary show required say Olympians
Our Correspondents
Pakistan's loss against Great Britain in the Champions Trophy opener has prompted criticism from former hockey greats, who now want the team to show immediate improvement in the matches ahead.___________________________________________

Life & Style

Bollywood charmer: Dev Anand's romance with life cut short.
Rafay Mehmood
Another star, another legend leaves us. Fans of Dev Anand, Bollywood's guru of romance, woke up on Sunday to learn of his death from a cardiac arrest in London. He was 88.

Veena Malik files for Rs100m in damages from FHM
Our Correspondents
Refusing to balk in the face of controversy, Veena Malik has filed for monetary damages against For Him Magazine (FHM) to the sum of Indian Rs100,000,000 following their release of two magazine covers featuring the diva naked.

 

 

Opinion

Other side of Salala
Shahzad Chaudhry 

Fighting the battles within
Rasul Bakhsh Rais 

Parliament's role in economic governance
Ishrat Husain 

Narratives for the next elections
Shahid Javed Burki 

Classrooms — dynamic learning spaces
Ainee Shehzad 

Blogs

The CIA recruits came to campus
Shahzeb Shaikha 

A wheelchair shouldn't be a curse
Kashif Qureshi 

What the Nato strikes mean for TTP's jihad
Khuram Iqbal 

How many PMs does it take to fix an X-ray machine?
Nishaa Ishtiak 

Poll

Afghanistan says Pakistan's boycott of the Bonn Conference won't make any difference. Do you agree?

Disagree (76%, 305 Votes)
Agree (24%, 98 Votes)
Total Voters: 403
 

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Top 10 on Tribune (Nov 27-Dec 04, 2011)

  

Top 10 stories of the week

Nov 27-Dec 04, 2011
 

 

1. Veena Malik denies nude photo shoot for FHM – Web Desk 

2. Veena Malik defends ISI tattoo for FHM photo shoot – AFP 

3. Shah Mahmood Qureshi joins PTI – Web Desk 

4. NATO apology not good enough: Pakistan army – Web Desk 

5. Kayani's bold move: 'Pakistani troops will return fire if Nato attacks again' – Kamran Yousaf 

6. Veena bares all and then tries to cover up – Saadia Qamar 

7. Express 24/7 bows out amidst revenue drop – News Desk 

8. Pakistan gave 'go-ahead' before NATO attack, says US – Web Desk 

9. Occupy Numaish Chowrangi: Death of two scouts sparks 4-hour riot – News Desk 

10. Teenage bravado gone awry: 'Phadda' boys create panic at elite school – Azam Khan/Umer Nangiana 

 

 
Top Opinion

I'm a ghairatmand Pakistani
Atika Rehman

Top Business

By word of mouth: Student Biryani goes global
Farooq Baloch

Top Sports

Aisam no more: Bopanna to team up with Bhupathi in 2012
AFP

Top 3 blogs

1. Nudity, Niqab and the illusion of 'free choice'
Bina Shah

2. Shahid Afridi is my neighbour
Rafay Mahmood

3. How I learnt where Islam ends, and culture begins
AbuBakr Agha

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Saturday, December 3, 2011

The Express Tribune Newsletter: December 04, 2011

 

Today's Headlines

December 04, 2011

 

Memogate: Court's commission falters but PM braces for fire
Abdul Manan / Qaiser Zulfiqar

http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/301667-gilanireuters-1322972356-704-640x480.jpg

As the embattled government's chief executive placed himself squarely in the line of potential fire, the memogate offensive appeared to falter on its own, with the chief justice's nominee refusing to head the commission to probe the scandal.
_______________________________________________

National/City reports

Haqqani changed BlackBerry handsets thrice to cover tracks: Mansoor Ijaz
News Desk
Writing for the popular American magazine, Newsweek (over his much preferred Financial Times) Mansoor Ijaz has claimed that Husain Haqqani had changed his BlackBerry handset and pin code three times since May to cover up his  involvement in the Memogate scandal.

Neither Pakistan, nor any other govt informed of OBL raid in advance: White House
Huma Imtiaz
US has refuted claims by Pakistani-American businessman, Mansoor Ijaz that Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari, and former Ambassador Husain Haqqani had advance knowledge of a covert raid deep into Pakistan to capture or kill Osama bin Laden.

JI eyeing alliance with Imran's party: Baloch
Umer Farooq
Amidst growing popularity of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, a right-wing party has said that it may form an alliance with the party of cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan.

SC notices: Will the president, military respond?
Faisal Shakeel
President Asif Ali Zardari has not yet made up his mind on filing a reply to the Supreme Court in the memogate case, Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq told The Express Tribune.
_______________________________________________

Business

Weekly Review: Bourse drops amid tension after Nato bombings
Our Correspondent
Local investors remained cautious while foreigners offloaded stocks as tensions between Pakistan and the US reached a new peak following the Nato attack on a Pakistani checkpost.

Election year: Provinces see budget surplus slashed by 600%
Shahbaz Rana
Balancing the budget deficit could becoming a tough task for the centre this year as provinces have failed to keep expenses in check and are far behind in the projected level of savings. The fact that this is election year could have been a factor behind the 600% drop in the combined budget surplus of all four provinces at the end of the first quarter of the current fiscal year.
_______________________________________________

Sports

2nd ODI: In 6th heaven
AFP
Ruthless Pakistan handed Bangladesh a 76-run drubbing in the second One-Day International (ODI) to take a decisive 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Falling flat at the first hurdle
Our Correspondent
Pakistan failed to hold on to their early lead and suffered a 2-1 loss at the hands of Great Britain in their Champions Trophy opener yesterday.
_______________________________________________ 

Life & Style

Veena bares all and then tries to cover up
Saadia Qamar
Controversy queen Veena Malik is making the headlines once again with her nude photograph on the cover page of Indian magazine FHM's December edition, that was revealed on December 2. To top it all off Malik, who is posing nude, has an Inter-services Intelligence (ISI) tattoo on her bare arm.

'Evergreen' actor Dev Anand dies in London
IANS
Evergreen star Dev Anand, one of the icons of Indian cinema, died Sunday after suffering a massive cardiac arrest in London. He was 88.
_______________________________________________

Magazine

No you can't
Sher Khan
Inside a small courtroom in the Californian city of Santa Ana, Palestinian-American Shaheen Nassar and his 10 friends stood tall as a six-man jury found them guilty of conspiracy.

10 things I hate about ET blogs
Hammad Ali
They think they're actually making a significant difference in the world. No, they are not.  Hugh Hefner thinks he's advocating for women's rights. If he is, then I'm signing up for women's rights as well. So no, your 300-word post on African kids makes no difference to them.
_______________________________________________

 

 

 

Opinion

The blood trade
Saroop Ijaz

Using the PAF?
Ejaz Haider

Our cargo cults
Fasi Zaka

The Salala tragedy and the Bonn conference
Najmuddin A Shaikh

Religion without ethic
Khaled Ahmed

Blogs

A wheelchair shouldn't be a curse
Kashif Qureshi

What the Nato strikes mean for TTP's jihad
Khuram Iqbal

How many PMs does it take to fix an X-ray machine?
Nishaa Ishtiak

Veena to the bone
Taha Kehar

Poll

Afghanistan says Pakistan's boycott of the Bonn Conference won't make any difference. Do you agree?

Disagree (74%, 133 Votes)
Agree (26%, 47 Votes)

Total Voters: 180

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