Dayflowers are pretty but recall something sad

LEE REICH (AP) - The cheery blue color of dayflowers (Commelina communis) so named because each flower lasts but a day does nothing to dispel some pity I feel for them.
Not that the petals cry out for sympathy. You have to get fairly close to the plant, or really stop and look at it, to even see its blossoms. Its stems and leaves, though, are bold, seemingly ready to gobble up any piece of ground they can grab with their succulence and lushness.
Aggressive growth coupled with almost

CCI meeting delays approval of new energy policy: sources

ISLAMABAD (news desk) - A meeting of the Council of Common Interest (CCI) was held in Islamabad with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in chair.
The meeting was attended by the provincial chief ministers and newly appointed members of the council.
The council constituted a committee comprising on all provinces to review the policy in the light of the constitution which will submit its report within a week.
provincial chief ministers who attended the meeting welcomed the new energy policy and suggested to

Afghans 'ready' to sign US security pact: Karzai

KABUL (AFP) - The Afghan president told the top US military commander Monday that he was ready in principle to let American troops stay in Afghanistan beyond 2014, a month after suspending security talks.
General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, is the most senior American to meet Hamid Karzai since he suspended negotiations for a long-term security pact in protest at how the Taliban opened a liaison office in Qatar.
Karzai s office said both sides discussed the Afghan-US security pact.
"President Karzai once again emphasised that the Afghan people have suffered from long years of war in

Vekic, Cadantu advance at Baku Cup

 BAKU (AP) - Second-seeded Donna Vekic of Croatia advanced to the second round of the Baku Cup on Monday by winning 6-1, 6-0 against local favorite Nazrin Jafarova.
Vekic converted five of six break points, while Jafarova won only 16 points in the match.
Fourth-seeded Alexandra Cadantu of Romania rallied past Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands 2-6, 6-0, 6-3.
In other first round matches on outdoor hard courts at Baku Tennis Academy, Slovenia s Tadeja Majeric beat fifth-seeded Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic 7-5, 6-4 and Ons Jabeur of Tunisia defeated Daria Gavrilova of Russia 6-4, 6-0.

Repair work begins on Balochistan's damaged electricity pylons

QUETTA (APP) - The Technical teams of Quetta Electricity Supply Company (QESCO) on Tuesday started the repair work on four towers of high transmission line that were blown up by unknown armed men in Bibi Nani area last week.
Official sources in QESCO told APP, here on Monday that unidentified armed men planted explosives in the four towers in Bibi Nani area supplying electricity to 17 districts of Balochistan including the provincial capital from Gaddo and detonated it.
"The explosion caused suspension of power supply

Mexico artist who made clay migrants dead at 49

OAXACA (AP) - Alejandro Santiago, a Mexican artist who filled the streets of his hometown with clay figures to represent the migrants who left for the United States, died Monday. He was 49.
Santiago died of a heart attack, said Emilio de Leo, the Oaxaca state culture director. De Leo said Santiago had diabetes for years.
"Our condolences go to the family of the great teacher and cultural promoter Alejandro Santiago, a loss to Oaxaca," Oaxaca Gov. Gabino Cue wrote on his Twitter account.
Santiago, a painter and sculptor who studied in the

Rain with thunderstorm likely at different places

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - Rain, thundershower associated with gusty winds is expected at isolated places of Kashmir, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Lahore, Gujranwala, Hazara, Peshawar and Kalat during next 24 hours, Metrological Department reported on Tuesday.
However‚ hot and humid weather is likely to prevail elsewhere in the country.
Temperature recorded this morning in Islamabad‚ Lahore and Karachi was 25°C‚ Peshawar 24°C‚ Gilgit 15°C‚ Murree 18°C and Muzaffarabad 24°C.

PPP, ANP agree to field Raza Rabbani as presidential candidate

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - The Pakistan People s Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP) have agreed to field Senator Raza Rabbani as joint candidate for presidential slot.
A consultative meeting between ANP and PPP was organized in Islamabad today (Tuesday) to finalize the strategy for upcoming presidential election.
ANP leader Haji Adeel announced that his party will support PPP candidate Raza Rabbani for the

Jackson's mother says son didn't cause own death

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The promoters of Michael Jackson's ill-fated comeback concerts watched the singer waste away and should have reached out to his family for help, the superstar's mother tearfully told a jury on Monday.
Katherine Jackson said she didn't know the extent of her son's weakness until after the start of her trial against AEG Live LLC.
"They watched him waste away," she said after her attorney cited several emails from top workers preparing for the "This Is It" shows. The messages described her son's condition as deteriorating and

India, China hold talks to resolve border dispute

NEW DELHI (AP) - Officials from India and China began discussions Tuesday to find ways to resolve a longstanding border dispute against the backdrop of recent flare-ups of tension between the two Asian giants over their de facto boundary in the Himalayas.
Top military and foreign ministry officials were expected to exchange drafts of a border defense cooperation agreement being sought to better manage the two countries' contentious views over the demarcation of each other's territory.
India is expected to raise its concerns about

Secret govt document reveals scores of civilians killed in US drone strikes

LONDON, : A classified Pakistani government document has revealed that scores of civilians died in dozens of CIA-led drone strikes between 2006 and late 2009 in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and that Pakistani officials were “aware of those deaths for many years”.
The secret government document was quoted by the London Bureau of Investigative Journalism (LBIJ) in a report and reveals for the first time the Pakistani government’s evaluation of numerous drone strikes. It was prepared through field research by government officials and field agents stationed in

‘Arrest me, if you can’: Gilani

ISLAMABAD, : Former Prime Minister (PM) Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that he has come to Islamabad by himself because it was being said that Punjab government is not cooperating in his arrest.
Talking to media on Tuesday on the occasion of meeting between Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and other opposition parties about presidential election he said that, “I have come to Islamabad by my self, and if someone wants to arrest me he can do it. It will also save the expenses”, he added.
Former PM said that he would not produce himself in front of any institution; he defended the immunity of President Asif Ali Zardari and will also fully

Security from AC judge hearing reference against Touqir Sadiq Withdrawn

ISLAMABAD, : Security has been withdrawn from Accountability (AC) Court judge justice Mohammad Bashir who is hearing the reference against Touqir Sadiq in OGRA corruption case.
As per media reports, security has been withdrawn from July 17th.  One person was deployed in his courtroom while other was for his private security.
Sources said that request was made several times to IG, DIG and SP to return the security but concern officers refused to do so. High police officials said that orders of withdrawing the security have been received from higher authorities.

7 killed in two different traffic accidents in Muzaffarabad

MUZAFFARABAD: At least seven persons were killed and 12 others sustained severe injuries in two different roadside accidents here on Tuesday.
In the suburb area of Pathika, 16 persons boarded on Jamaat- ud -Dawah van were heading to Muzaffarabad from Ghati Gali. Suddenly, it fell into 500 feet deep ravine owing to over speeding resultantly four persons died on the spot including two children and other 12 sustained severe injuries.
It is also claimed that 6 other wounded persons are stated to be in critical condition.
In other incident, a tractor trolley was heading to Mukboza Semari from Neelum valley. When it reached at Teetoal it fell in to Neelum River resultantly three persons died on the spot.
The incident came to light due to the non-carpeting of roads while the roads are completely damaged.

Nomination papers for the presidential elections will be received today

ISLAMABAD, (news desk): Nomination papers for the presidential elections will be received by the election commission today (Wednesday).
Political parties both government and the opposition are set to field their candidates for the top slot of the country.
Pakistan Muslim League (N) has short listed three candidates for the election which include Sartaj Aziz‚ Mamnoon Hussain and Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui. However‚ the party leaders are engaged in

Ogra proposes Rs 1-3 increase in petrol price

ISLAMABAD (monitoring desk): The prices of petroleum products are likely to increase by Rs 1-3 per litre.
According to Media Reports, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has forwarded a summary to the Petroleum Ministry proposing increase in Petrol price by Rs1-3 per litre.
It has been told that petrol will be increased by rupees 1 per liter while prices of diesel by Rs 2 next month.

MQM files defamation suit against PTI, its chief

Karachi, : Muttahida Quami Movement Tuesday filed a defamation suit worth Rs5 billion against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.
MQM leaders Farooq Sattar and Senator Farogh Naseem personally filed the suit in the Sindh High Court against accusation of PTI Chief Imran Khan implicating MQM Chief Altaf Hussain in the murder of Zahra Shahid Hussain’s murder.
Imran had held Altaf Hussain responsible for Zahra’s murder and accused him of inciting violence through

Pakistan holds no Power sharing formula in Afghanistan: Aziz

WASHINGTON, (news agencies): Prime Minister (PM) Advisor for foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz has said that Pakistan has no formula of power sharing in Afghanistan it is there internal matter and we are just trying to help in negotiations.
In an exclusive interview given to Voice of America (VOA) he said that, it is must that all stake holders should collectively find the way of reconciliation to prevent civil war, and to sustain peace in Afghanistan after the exclusion of NATO forces from there.
Sartaj Aziz said that purpose behind his visit to Afghanistan was to invite Afghan president Hamid Karzai to Pakistan and to explain the Policy of Pakistan.He said  “As PM Nawaz Sharif said that Pakistan’s policy regarding Afghanistan is non-

Ombudsman appointment: Additional charge to Suleman Farooqi slap on parliament face, says SC

ISLAMABAD, (monitoring desk): Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has remarked President promulgated ordinance to allow benefit to an individual.
He gave these remarks while presiding over a 3- member of Supreme Court (SC) during the course of hearing of Wafaqi Mohtasib appointment case here Tuesday.
The CJP remarked “ Suleman Farooqi matter will be referred to FIA. President made amendment to benefit one person. Government could seek approval from the parliament. Presently we will review the record.

Ombudsman appointment: Additional charge to Suleman Farooqi slap on parliament face, says SC

ISLAMABAD, (monitoring desk): Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has remarked President promulgated ordinance to allow benefit to an individual.
He gave these remarks while presiding over a 3- member of Supreme Court (SC) during the course of hearing of Wafaqi Mohtasib appointment case here Tuesday.
The CJP remarked “ Suleman Farooqi matter will be referred to FIA. President made amendment to