Friday, June 13, 2014

2014 FIFA World Cup™

Brazil

1st in Group A

Matches

Standings

Full–time • Arena Corinthians, São Paulo • Group A

3 – 1

Brazil

Croatia

Timeline

Match stats

Lineups

Scoring summary

Total shots

Shots on target

Fouls

58%

Possession (%)

42%

Corners

Saves

Offsides

Other Brazil matches


Tue, Jun 17, 11:00 PM	vs	Mexico

Tue, Jun 24, 12:00 AM	vs	Cameroon

All times are in Gulf Standard Time

Thursday, June 12, 2014

District East Football Championship: National Fighter Kala Pul reach quarter-final

DISTRICT EAST FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP – 2014

National Fighter Kala Pul defeated Gulshan Sports 3-1 and moved into quarter final of District East Football Championship – 2014

at Dr. Mohammad Ali Shah Football Stadium, Landhi being organised by DFA East.

National Fighter took 2 goal lead by Shoaib Irshad at half time. Farhad Ali reduced the margin in 54 minute but Amiri Naeem scored erd goal for National fighter which is maintained at full time. National Fighter will face Al-Shabaz Korangi in Quarter Final on 17th June 2014 at Dr. M.A. Shah Stadium Landhi.

Referees Ejaz Hussain, Mohammad Kamran and Jameel Naz while H.M. Hanif was Match Commissioner.

Refresher course begins in Lahore [The News]

Sports Correspondent – The News

KARACHI: A refresher course for coaches and evaluation workshop began at the FIFA Football House in Lahore on Wednesday.

The objective of the course is to refresh the knowledge of the country’s football coaches and evaluate their skills.

Pakistan team’s Bahraini coach Mohammed Shamlan is conducting the workshop.

Shamlan, a Pro-Licence holder, also serves as Director Technical of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF).

As many as 18 coaches of the top and second tier leagues are attending the course.

Participants: Shehzad Anwar, Mohammad Habib (both Licence A), Hassan Baloch, Sajjad Mehmood, Tanveer Ahmed,

Nouman Ibrahim, Asghar Kasi, Bilal Ahmed Butt, Haji Abdul Sattar, Aslam Khan, Zahid Taj, Qazi Wajid (all Licence B), Nadeem Abdul Rehman, Asghar Khan Anjum, Ahmed Ali Wasti, Wajid Aziz, Mohammad Tariq, Amir Mehmood Butt (all Licence C),

Coordinators: Mohammad Rauf Bari, Mohammad Arif Siddiqui, Mohammad Amin Tahir, Shahid Khokhar.

For the critics — Here's why PTI protests make sense By Shahzad Khan

File photo of Imran Khan addressing a rally in Lahore.

Several people, and especially the PML-N government, seem to be deeply
irked by PTI protests regarding the rigging of the May 2013 general elections. They are apparently having a hard time comprehending
why PTI is rallying on the streets instead of resolving their issues
in parliament.

Also read 'Another weekend, another PTI party'

Both parties and political pundits question what the party hopes to achieve with
street demonstrations. Allow me to shed some light on this because it seems
to be quite a complex issue for them.

I don’t want to repeat what has already been reiterated myriad times in news
outlets,namely that when it comes to election rigging, the PTI has
already tried all available options and given due time to the
processes as well. They have tried election tribunals,
courts and debates in parliament but to no avail.

Why we don't resolve these issues in the parliament is an odd thing to ask
because the parliament makes laws for the future, not for the past.

The parliament can of course make reforms for the next elections but that’s
hardly what we’re protesting for.

We are in fact demanding an accountability of the 2013 elections.

What could the parliament possibly do to that end, given that the elections
have allowed the PML-N a simple majority in it? Their constant invocations
of the parliament as a platform for this debate are nothing more than a ploy
to divert attention from election results.

The 2013 rigging allegations are no longer mere accusations; they are now a
proven fact.

The FAFEN report; the leaked tape of '35' punctures and its reward for those
involved; the forced resignation of the NADRA chairman, are all indications
of a cover up. Every constituency investigated has revealed rigging. NA-256
has shown it, NA-258 has proved it, PP-107 has confirmed it.

In this context, PTI protests are not aimed at sustaining party popularity – they are
about a real democracy that PML-N will perhaps never get their head around.

Also read 'NADRA report reveals massive rigging'

Remember how the PML-N mandate was also stolen in broad day light by
a dictator and how their leaders signed an apology letter to flee the country?

They never stood up for democracy and for the people when their rights were
snatched.

It may be the PML-N manifesto to run and seal their lips when democracy is
stolen but it is certainly not part of the PTI manifesto. Remember zero tolerance
for corruption and standing up for justice and against status quo? We actually
meant that.

To actively oppose the evil of status quo, instead of waiting for an auto-fix – that’s
the DNA we voted for and what you are seeing in action. I couldn't have been
prouder of the PTI initiative to stand up and rally crowds for free and fair elections
in peaceful democratic demonstrations. This is the 'Naya Pakistan' that you have
just stepped in, where injustice will not be tolerated.

I find the PML-N to be consistently in denial. We keep saying the elections
were rigged, they keep saying they are working hard.

Sorry but that doesn’t cut it.

We aren’t protesting your performance (which is a discussion for another day),
we are protesting against rigging. If the military takes over and does a better
job than you, would that make the coup legitimate?

Let’s also discuss, for the sake of discussion, the prospect of debating
reforms in the parliament. What kind reforms will the parliament pass?
Can they guarantee zero rigging in all future polls? Most likely no.

This means the reform must have two components (1) actual measures to
improve transparency (2) punishment for those who cheat the process. It is fair
to say that the real power of this reform would lie in its punishment for offenders.

Now wait a minute...those provisions already exist.

The election commission and courts today have the powers to disqualify
candidates and hold re-election in relevant constituencies. In fact, they already
did that. So why exactly is PTI being asked to turn to the parliament?

Also read 'Re-election ordered for PP-107'

The protests are not intended to derail anything but to empower the
democratic system. All legislation required for justice is in place, but the
system is tied up in the chains of status quo. We are protesting to ask
the election commission and courts to do the right thing. We are protesting
to counter the forces of status quo. We are protesting to give wings to

authorities who have lost it.

We are protesting because if we don't ask for justice, we will never get justice.

PTI demonstrations are a way to take matters to the court of the people after
election tribunals, courts and parliament fail to address them.
After all, it is the people who ultimately elect the new government
and if PTI can keep the momentum, PML-N may have to go with
the tarnished reputation and the upholders of a corrupt system.
The day isn’t far when this awareness will be there everywhere;
times are changing faster than ever before.

The current period is a major test for us. If PTI does not do anything, then
we become the status quo as well. But if we resist and oppose,
even if we don’t get very far, we will still go down in history as
an anti-status quo party who fought its level best to get justice.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

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Thursday, May 29, 2014

Egypt: El-Sissi wins election by landslide

CAIRO (AP) — With nearly all votes counted, Egypt's former military chief has won a crushing victory over his sole opponent with more than 92 percent of the votes, according to results announced by his campaign early Thursday. ElSissi's win was never in doubt, but the career infantry officer, also 59, had hoped for a strong turnout to bestow legitimacy on his ouster last July of Egypt's first freely elected president, the Islamist Mohammed Morsi.The campaign of retired field marshal Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said he won 23.38 million votes, with left-wing politician Hamdeen Sabahi taking 735,285. Invalid votes were 1.07 million, or nearly 350,000 more than the number of votes for the 59-year-old Sabahi.

However, el-Sissi's campaign said turnout nationwide was around 44 percent, even after voting was extended for a third day Wednesday — well below the nearly 52 percent turnout in the June 2012 election won by Morsi.

In his final campaign TV interview last week, el-Sissi set the bar even higher, saying he wanted more than 40 million voters — there are nearly 54 million registered voters — to cast ballots to "show the world" the extent of his popular backing.

El-Sissi supporters held all-night celebrations in Cairo, with several thousands gathered at the central Tahrir square, birthplace of the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak. They waved Egyptian flags, el-Sissi posters and danced. There were similar celebrations in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria and a string of other cities north of the capital and in the Oasis province of Fayoum southwest of Cairo.

Critics said the lack of enthusiasm at the polls was in part due to apathy among even el-Sissi supporters, knowing that his victory was a foregone conclusion. Others said it showed discontent with el-Sissi, not just among his Islamist foes but also among a broader section of the public that believes he has no concrete plans for Egypt's woes and fears he will return Egypt to the autocratic ways of Hosni Mubarak.

The tepid turnout was particularly embarrassing because the government and media had been whipping up adulation for el-Sissi over the past 10 months, depicting him as a warrior against terrorism and the only person able to tackle Egypt's economic problems, high unemployment, inflation and instability.

El-Sissi's supporters in the Egyptian media have been in a panic the past two days. Political talk show hosts and newscasters urged people to vote, warning that otherwise the Brotherhood will be encouraged to step up its challenge to the new government.

Prominent TV talk show host Amr Adeeb angrily said that by not voting, Egyptians might as well "go directly to the prison and return Mohammed Morsi to power."

"Tell him, 'Your excellency, President Mohammed Morsi, please come out and rule us,'" he said.

The abrupt decision by the election commission to add another day of voting Wednesday raised complaints that authorities were tipping the playing field in el-Sissi's favor.

U.S.-based Democracy International, which had been observing the vote, said the extension "raises more questions about the independence of the election commission, the impartiality of the government, and the integrity of Egypt's electoral process."

It said its observer teams outside of Cairo had ended their mission as scheduled on Tuesday. Some other international monitoring teams also left the country, since they had only planned for two days of voting, though EU monitors stayed on.

Sabahi, el-Sissi's only opponent in the race, protested the extension, saying it aimed to "distort" the will of the people. His campaign pulled its representatives from polling stations Wednesday in protest against what it called a campaign of intimidation and arrests of its campaign workers. He, however, refused to bow to pressure from his camp to withdraw in protest, arguing that staying in the race qualifies him to "fight future battles."

Sabahi's spokesman, Hossam Moenis, told ONTV network that a member of the campaign has been referred to a military tribunal.

"We are digging a channel for democracy ... in the face of an undemocratic project," he said. "The same mentality that we thought we managed to topple on Jan. 25, is back and ruling," — a reference to the start of the 18-day, anti-Mubarak uprising in 2011.

Only a handful of voters, or none at all, were at polling centers in multiple districts toured by Associated Press reporters Wednesday. At some, music played and kids painted Egyptian flags or el-Sissi's name on their faces as the occasional voter drifted in. TV images beamed from more than a dozen locations across Egypt showed similar scenes.

"People are lazy, depressed or frustrated. They knew what the result will be even before the vote," said Amani Fikry, a manager in a privately-owned company. "They are exhausted from three years of constant troubles."

In Cairo's Sayeda Zeinab district, loudspeakers played patriotic songs at an empty polling center. Two el-Sissi backers scribbled words of support on posters of the candidate that had been defaced with insulting graffiti.

"Sissi doesn't need a program," said one, Mohammed Hussein. "We just want security."

Morsi's Brotherhood supporters and other Islamists boycotted the vote and scattered protests by Morsi supporters were quickly dispersed by security forces.

In Fayoum, the province southwest of Cairo, riot police fired tear gas after protesters hurled stones and fire cracks while marching and chanting slogans against elections.

Along with Islamists, some of the youths who took part in the 2011 uprising that toppled Mubarak either stayed away from the polls or supported Sabahi.

"Where are the youth? What do they want? Do they want to destroy Egypt?" Said Sayyed, a laundry worker in his 70s, said of the boycott.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Diet Beverages Help in Losing Weight: Study

A new study conducted by the University of Colorado researchers has claimed that diet beverages are very beneficial for people to lose weight and these are even better than water.

CBS4 Health Specialist Kathy Walsh said their study has come up with findings that will certainly sound good to soda lovers who also want to drop some pounds. The study also refuted the belief that hunger is stimulated after having diet beverages. Instead, CU researchers concluded that drinking soda plays an important role in losing weight. The study was funded by beverage companies.

Dr. Jon Peters of the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center said what they found was really surprising as the long-speculated belief was proved wrong and diet beverages even performed better than water.

First report of the CU study came out in December 2012 when Kristi Norton was enrolled. A diet and exercise program was followed by Norton and 300 other study participants. The study saw two groups with one drinking zero-calorie beverages and the other strictly water. Norton was in the water only group.

Despite the fact that all of the drinks were calorie free, same amount of weight was not lost by the participants. The group that drank diet beverages actually performed better than the group drinking water only. Diet beverage group lost an average of 13 pounds in 12 weeks compared to an average of nine pounds in water only group.

"Perhaps it helps people not have to give up that little bit of pleasure in their life when they're otherwise trying to restrict their calories. I'd say diet sodas can be an effective tool in a weight loss program", said Peters.

The American Beverage Association funded the study but researchers made it clear that none of the association's member was involved in the study. So now, people might take up soda as part of their weight-loss regime.

Top 50 highest-paid CEOs

1. Anthony Petrello, Nabors Industries, $68.2 million, up 246 percent

3. Richard Adkerson, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, $55.3 million, up 294 percent

4. Stephen Kaufer, TripAdvisor, $39 million, up 510 percent

5. Philippe Dauman, Viacom, $37.2 million, up 11 percent

6. Leonard Schleifer, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, $36.3 million, up 21 percent

7. Robert Iger, Walt Disney, $34.3 million, down 7 percent

8. David Zaslav, Discovery Communications, $33.3 million, down 33 percent

9. Jeffrey Bewkes, Time Warner, $32.5 million, up 27 percent

10. Brian Roberts, Comcast, $31.4 million, up 8 percent

11. Mark Bertolini, Aetna, $30.7 million, up 132 percent

12. Rex Tillerson, ExxonMobil, $28.1 million, up 3 percent

13. Brian Goldner, Hasbro, $27.4 million, up 188 percent

14. David Cote, Honeywell International, $26 million, up 55 percent

15. Steve Ells, Chipotle Mexican Grill co-CEO, $25.1 million, up 27 percent

16. Montgomery Moran, Chipotle Mexican Grill co-CEO, $24.4 million, up 27 percent

17. James McNerney, Boeing, $23.3 million, up 10 percent

18. Alan Mulally, Ford Motor Co., $23.2 million, up 11 percent

19. Alexander Cutler, Eaton, $23.1 million, up 24 percent

20. Laurence Fink, BlackRock, $22.9 million, up 13 percent

21. Larry Merlo, CVS Caremark, $22.9 million, up 26 percent

22. Trevor Fetter, Tenet Healthcare, $22.7 million, up 180 percent

23. Sandeep Mathrani, General Growth Properties, $22.1 million, up 424 percent

24. Paal Kibsgaard, Schlumberger, $22 million, up 47 percent

25. Kenneth Chenault, American Express, $21.7 million, down 22 percent

26. Brian Jellison, Roper Industries, $21.4 million, up 18 percent

27. David Nelms, Discover Financial Services, $21.2 million, up 113 percent

28. Robert Hugin, Celgene, $21 million, up 99 percent

29. Miles White, Abbott Laboratories, $20.9 million, up 7 percent

30. David Lesar, Halliburton, $20.9 million, up 20 percent

31. Lamberto Andreotti, Bristol-Myers Squibb, $20.8 million, up 30 percent

32. Randall Stephenson, AT&T, $20.7 million, down 1 percent

33. Carol Meyrowitz, TJX Companies, $20.7 million, up 9 percent

34. Andrew Liveris, Dow Chemical, $20.5 million, up 21 percent

35. Paul Jacobs, Qualcomm, $20.4 million, down 1 percent(asterisk)

36. John Watson, Chevron, $20.2 million, down 9 percent

37. Lloyd Blankfein, Goldman Sachs, $19.9 million, up 50 percent

38. Lawrence Culp, Danaher, $19.7 million, down 10 percent

39. Stephen Wynn, Wynn Resorts, $19.6 million, up 10 percent

40. David Calhoun, Nielsen Holdings, $19.5 million, up 40 percent(asterisk)(asterisk)

41. James Cracchiolo, Ameriprise Financial, $19.4 million, up 20 percent

42. John Stumpf, Wells Fargo, $19.3 million, unchanged

43. Jeffrey Immelt, General Electric, $19.2 million, down 7 percent

44. George Chapman, Health Care REIT, $18.9 million, up 73 percent(asterisk)(asterisk)(asterisk)

45. Glenn Murphy, GAP, $18.7 million, down 24 percent

46. Robert Niblock, Lowe's Companies, $18.7 million, up 54 percent

47. Richard Kramer, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, $18.7 million, up 39 percent

48. Richard Fairbank, Capital One Financial, $18.3 million, down 19 percent

49. Louis Chenevert, United Technologies, $18.2 million, down 16 percent

50. Muhtar Kent, Coca-Cola Co., $18.2 million, down 16 percent

Nawaz Sharif, Narendra Modi Meeting Hints at Peace, Trouble: Pakistani Daily

AFP

Newly sworn-in Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) gestures to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as they shake hands during a meeting in New Delhi on May 27, 2014.

Islamabad: The meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and India's Premier Narendra Modi hints "at the prospects for peace and the likelihood of trouble in the months ahead", said a Pakistani daily on Wednesday.

The editorial "A new page?" appeared in the News International a day after Mr Sharif and Mr Modi met at New Delhi. Mr Sharif along with other SAARC leaders attended the swearing-in ceremony of Mr Modi on Monday.

The daily said that Mr Sharif's India trip for the inauguration of Mr Modi was "in itself such a seismic event - the first time ever for a Pakistani leader - that it would have been unrealistic to expect any substantive breakthroughs".

"Instead, this was a battle for public relations and setting the ground for an improvement in relations further down the line. In this Nawaz excelled, particularly with the poignant touch of calling on former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his residence," it said.

Mr Vajpayee's visit to Lahore to meet Mr Sharif is "still fondly remembered as a rare high point in Pakistan-India relations and served as a reminder to Modi that there is a history of the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) engaging Pakistan positively".

The daily noted: "The meeting between Nawaz and Modi hinted both at the prospects for peace and the likelihood of trouble in the months ahead. Nawaz focused, as he always has, on engagement but Modi spoke mostly of terrorism, particularly the Mumbai attacks of 2008."

The editorial went on to say that the way to work "through these troubles, as Nawaz well understands, is by engaging in other issues first and broaching matters of disagreement once ties have improved".

Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh expressed confidence that Pakistan would soon grant India Most Favoured Nation trading access. She also said that Mr Modi has accepted Mr Sharif's offer of a return visit to Pakistan.

"In his own brief remarks to the press, Nawaz once again sung the song of peace. That the word 'peace' can even be uttered with the hardline Modi in power is in itself a testament to the surprising developments of the past few days," said the daily.

"A point to note was that the Indian side did bring up specific issues of concern but the Pakistani PM talked of our issues only in general diplomatic terms? While a measure of optimism is in order for this unexpected progress, we still need to be wary of likely challenges," the editorial said.

The News International pointed out that Mr Modi's ideology "remains what it is and any attack in India is still sure to be blamed on Pakistan, with the inevitable recriminations to follow".

"If Modi does indeed visit Pakistan, which could be a very distant prospect, we can also expect a lot of hostility stemming from his actions during the massacre of Muslims in Gujarat."

"The commitment of the military to peace with India is also in question. The two leaders have done what no one expected but the chances of reverting back to script still remain high," it said

Saturday, July 27, 2013

SAFF U-16 Championships: Team’s dismal show casts shadow over Pakistan’s footballing future [DAWN]

Umaid Wasim – DAWN

KARACHI, July 24: They went with so many aspirations. They will be coming back with so less.

There will be a new name inscribed on the SAFF U-16 trophy next Tuesday after defending champions Pakistan were knocked out of the group stage following a 3-0 reverse at the hands of hosts Nepal on Wednesday.Pakistan went to Nepal for the second edition of the event high on confidence but after two successive draws in their first two games against Afghanistan and Bhutan left them needing victory in the final Group ‘A’ match against the hosts.Instead, they succumbed to the pressure — and the rains — in Kathmandu.“There was a lot of pressure on the boys,” Pakistan coach Sajjad Mehmood, who led the side to glory in the inaugural edition in 2011, told Dawn after the match at Kathmandu’s Dasarath Rangasala Stadium.“Heavy downpour didn’t help either as they disrupted our passing moves while for Nepal, it became an advantage as they are well-equipped to play in such conditions.”Pakistan fell behind in the 13th minute, according to the information received here, when Sajan Limbu headed in a rebound after Pakistan goalkeeper Mohammad Junaid could only parry Hemant Thapa Magar’s effort into his path.Pakistan failed to make much of an impact, with their best chance falling to Adnan Ashraf who saw a free-kick saved.Nepal’s Bimal Gharti Magar doubled his side’s lead in the second-half before he rounded off the scoring in the 73rd to put Pakistan out of the competition.Nepal finished as group winners and will be joined by Afghanistan in the semi-finals after the latter romped to a 3-1 victory over Bhutan courtesy Nasar Ahmed’s double.Nepal topped the group with seven points, followed by Afghanistan (5), Pakistan (2) and Bhutan (1).For Pakistan it was a dismal end to their campaign which promised so much but delivered so less.And it raises serious question marks over this side which was billed as the ‘best U-16 team’ the country had produced and its players were dubbed to be ‘the future of Pakistan’.Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) secretary Col Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi was at a loss to explain the team’s poor showing.“I think the team didn’t click at all despite our best efforts,” Lodhi told Dawn on Wednesday. “Maybe we were unable to give them proper exposure fir the event.”Other signs point to improper planning by the PFF.During the National U-16 Championships in Abbottabad in June, National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) coach Nasir Ismail was in the selection committee.Nasir, who led NBP to National Challenge Cup title in May and served as assistant coach to Serbian Zavisa Milosavljevic in Pakistan’s senior team, however was left out of the Nepal-bound squad.According to former Pakistan coach and current KRL boss Tariq Lutfi, though, the PFF did its best efforts but it was down to the coaches to make the team play.“It is up to the coaches to make the team play,” Lutfi told Dawn in the aftermath of Pakistan’s inglorious exit. “If they can’t do that then they should be answerable.”PFF, and many of Pakistan’s former internationals, insist the country’s junior teams are up to the mark with the top teams in Asia.But the team’s performance in the regional event — which hardly features the continent’s powerhouses — raises several doubts over that claim.“The talent is there,” Lutfi said, before adding “it needs grooming”. “This is a really bad result for the junior lot of the country.”So if this team is destined to be the future of the country, where did it go wrong?“We missed a lot of chances in our opening two games,” Sajjad lamented. “If we had taken those, things would have been different.”The next chance for redemption for Sajjad’s charges would come in the AFC U-16 Championship qualifiers where Pakistan will play Iran, UAE and Sri Lanka in Group ‘E’ here at the People’s Sports Complex in September.“We need to try and overcome our weaknesses for that event,” Sajjad added. “It is an important event for the team.”Pakistan’s colts went into the competition hoping for a good performance that would’ve lead some of them to Fulham’s academy, with PFF’s marketing consultant Sardar Naveed Haider Khan in talks with the English Premier League club’s Pakistan-born owner Shahid Khan.

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