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☆ Analysis: Pakistan in uncharted territory as army seeks to vanquish Imran Khan
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/2] Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan, gestures as he speaks to the members of the media at his residence in Lahore, Pakistan May 18, 2023. There has never been that kind of challenge to Pakistan's military, which has held sway over the country since independence in 1947 with a mixture of fear and respect. The 1971 fall of Dhaka in what was then East Pakistan and the birth of Bangladesh after defeat by arch-enemy India has been the lowest point for Pakistan's military since 1947. Khan was released by court order two days after his arrest, but his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party now faces the ire of the military. "The military's power comes from its ability to deploy force, not popularity - Pakistan's generals like being liked but they like being in control even more," he said.

loadingWhile Arteta and his players dismissed talk of "bottling" the title race, for their fans there is a crushing sense of what could have been. Arsenal were eight points clear two months ago and appeared to be heading towards bagging their first league title since Arsene Wenger's 2003-04 'Invincibles'. GUARDIOLA MIND GAMESBut the eight-point gap was an illusion as City always had games in hand while Guardiola played mind games, effusive in his praise of Arsenal and Arteta, his former assistant at City. Guardiola has seen his fair share of tense title races and even when Arsenal had three games to go, he gently applied more pressure. The master had outshone the apprentice as Guardiola's side marched to their fifth league title in six seasons.

☆ Pakistan police to search Imran Khan's home - official
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Mubasher Bukhari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LAHORE, Pakistan, May 19 (Reuters) - Pakistani police plan to search the Lahore home of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday, a provincial government official said, an operation that could trigger more violence as the country grapples with political and economic instability. Amir Mir, the information minister of Punjab province, said hundreds of policemen, led by the city police commissioner, would conduct the search operation later on Friday. Khan's home is located in the Zaman Park neighbourhood of Lahore, the capital of Punjab. His arrest triggered a wave of violence that saw supporters attacking military installations and other government buildings. On Thursday, Khan's aide Iftikhr Durrani allowed journalists into some areas of Khan's Lahore home to "look for terrorists".

[1/2] Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi are covered with a white sheet as they arrive to appear at the High Court in Lahore, Pakistan, May 15, 2023. REUTERS/Mohsin RazaISLAMABAD, May 16 (Reuters) - Bushra Khan, the wife of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan, is facing corruption charges in the same case that led to his arrest on May 9. It was not clear when or how Khan met Bushra, but former aide Aun Chaudhry said Khan was very impressed with her spirituality. Khan and Bushra married in 2018, seven months before he was elected prime minister, in a secret ceremony. While prime minister, Khan promoted the trust at official events, and the couple are the sole trustees, according to Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar.

NEW DELHI, May 13 (Reuters) - Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s streaming platform JioCinema announced premium pricing of 999 Indian rupees ($12) a year, its first step to move away from a free content model to fight global rivals such as Netflix and Disney in the country. The JioCinema website on Saturday showed the new premium pricing for Hollywood content, with the much-awaited Succession series available for streaming. JioCinema has become popular for showing the IPL cricket tournament on the platform for free in the ongoing season. The new pricing, according to the website, is only for premium content, while the matches continue to stream for free. Viacom18 won the IPL digital streaming rights from 2023 to 2027 for around $2.9 billion, rights which Disney previously held.

KARACHI, Pakistan, May 13 (Reuters) - Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday gave authorities 72 hours to identify and arrest all those involved in violent acts after former Prime Minister Imran Khan's arrest this week sparked deadly unrest. Khan departed court premises late Friday night and headed towards his hometown Lahore amid high security, after a court granted him bail. Following Sharif's announcement, Punjab's government released pictures of unidentified protesters involved in an attack on a military official's residence on Wednesday. Khan, 70, is a cricket star-turned-politician who was ousted as prime minister in April 2022 in a parliamentary no-confidence vote and Pakistan's most popular leader according to opinion polls. Facebook, YouTube and Twitter were inaccessible in Pakistan on Saturday, Reuters journalists said, after access was briefly restored late on Friday.

☆ Eton v Harrow: Why this centuries-old schoolboy match has been the cause of division and debate in England
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which owns Lord’s, sought to axe the match from the ground’s schedule before granting it a reprieve after some of its members protested. As a compromise, the MCC announced in March that it would host both the Eton vs. Harrow and Oxford vs. Cambridge fixtures for another five years, before another consultation with members. Schoolboys look on from the grandstand during the Eton vs. Harrow cricket match at Lord's on Friday. Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty ImagesThe club will also host the finals of the UK’s school and university cricket competitions, rather than only the historic fixtures. They took to the field on Friday and Harrow emerged victorious by just four runs.

He had remained inside for hours after being granted bail, saying he was not being allowed to leave by security officials. It's not the security agencies, it's one man – the army chief," he said, without naming him. He has since been a vocal critic of current army chief General Asim Munir. [1/7] Security officers escort Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan, as he appeared in Islamabad High Court, Islamabad, Pakistan May 12, 2023. "The Islamabad High Court has given a two-week bail and also ordered the (anti-graft body) not to arrest Imran Khan during this period," another of Khan's lawyers, Faisal Chaudhry, told Reuters.

☆ A Family Drama Unfolds as Ecological Disasters Mount
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Matt Bell | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

BLUE SKIES, by T.C. Boyle“Blue Skies,” T.C. Boyle’s 19th novel, opens with Cat, a would-be social media influencer living on the imperiled Florida coast, buying a pet Burmese python as a piece of “living jewelry” she hopes will boost her Instagram account. Willie, Cat’s Burmese python, is quickly lost and replaced by the even bigger Willie II, who, after the first Willie is found again, is forced to cohabitate with his smaller namesake. Cat, separated by a continent from her family for most of the novel, navigates a Florida downpour while being stalked by the “dull corrugated” shape of an eight-foot alligator.

[1/3] A man looks at his phone as he passes by a screen advertising Walt Disney's streaming service Disney+ in New York City, U.S., November 12, 2019. The division ended the quarter with an operating loss of $659 million, compared with $1.1 billion in the prior quarter. At the same time, total subscribers to the flagship Disney+ service dropped by 4 million to 157.8 million. Inge Heydorn, a fund manager at GP Bullhound, said a question for investors is: "are the trade offs from lower marketing costs leading to lower subscribers?" "We've only just begun to scratch the surface of what we can do with advertising on Disney+," Iger said on a conference call with analysts.

The company plans to expand its streaming offerings by the end of the year with a new app that combines Disney+ and Hulu, Chief Executive Bob Iger said. Total subscribers to the flagship Disney+ service dropped by 4 million from the previous quarter to 157.8 million. Most of the defections came from the Disney+ Hotstar offering in India after it lost streaming rights to Indian Premier League cricket matches. "Striking a fine balance between customer acquisition versus financial performance is no easy feat." As Disney tries to build streaming, its traditional television business faces hurdles.

☆ The streaming wars are over, and it's time for media to figure out what's next
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The race between the biggest media and entertainment companies to add streaming subscribers, knowing consumers will only pay for a limited number of them, is finished. Disney announced its flagship streaming service, Disney+, lost 4 million subscribers during the first three months of the year, dropping the company's total streaming subscribers to 157.8 million from 161.8 million. Disney on Wednesday announced streaming losses narrowed to $659 million from $887 million. NBCUniversal's Peacock gained 2 million subscribers last quarter, giving it 22 million subscribers. Paramount Global added 4.1 million subscribers in the quarter, putting it at 60 million subscribers.

Khan's colleagues in his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his indictment. Mobile data services were shut for a second day on Wednesday as street protests continued, with federal ministers accusing Khan's supporters of torching several buildings and vehicles. MORE THAN 1,000 ARRESTS[1/8] Supporters of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan throw stones towards police during a protest against Khan's arrest, in Peshawar, Pakistan, May 10, 2023. Khan, a cricket hero-turned-politician, was ousted as prime minister in April 2022 in a parliamentary no-confidence vote. In most of the cases, Khan faces being barred from holding public office if convicted.

☆ A top healthcare banker names the 4 industry sectors ripe for M&A
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Yeji Jesse Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Pearson said that she expects to see more deals in women's health, orthopedics, cardiology, and kidney care, areas that remain largely unconsolidated today. She worked with Unified Women's Healthcare in its 2020 deal with Altas Partners and Ares Management. Last year, Unified Women's Healthcare acquired digital menopause provider platform Gennev. While some companies in these sectors are making deals to obtain more digital capabilities, others are investing internally in virtual capabilities. Kidney-care-focused companies U.S. Renal Care and DaVita are also investing in their virtual capabilities, she added.

☆ Imran Khan, the cricket star who ditched playboy image to rule Pakistan
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Pakistan security forces guard a vehicle carrying former Prime Minister Imran Khan after his arrest at a court in Islamabad, Pakistan, May 9, 2023. REUTERS/StringerMay 9 (Reuters) - Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, a cricketing hero-turned-politician who was arrested on Tuesday, whipped up popular support amid decades-high inflation and a crippling economic slowdown before his ouster last year. Khan had for months averted arrest in a number of cases registered against him that include charges of instigating crowds to violence. His rise to power in 2018 came over two decades after he first launched his political party, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), or Pakistan Movement for Justice party, in 1996. Once in power, Khan embarked on his plan of building a "welfare" state modelled on what he said was an ideal system dating back to the Islamic world some 14 centuries earlier.

☆ Imran Khan, Pakistan’s Ex-Leader, Is Arrested
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Christina Goldbaum | Salman Masood | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Pakistan’s ousted prime minister, Imran Khan, was arrested on Tuesday in a major escalation of a political crisis that raises the prospect of mass unrest by his steadfast supporters. The crisis has been building for months as Mr. Khan has openly challenged the Pakistan military and the current government of conspiring against him. Mr. Khan, who was removed from office in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April last year, is facing dozens of court cases on charges that include terrorism and corruption. The arrest instantly intensified a showdown between the current government and Mr. Khan, a populist former cricket star, who has staged a political comeback in the months since his removal from office. His party has drawn tens of thousands to political rallies across the country, at which Mr. Khan and others have called for fresh elections and accused Pakistan’s powerful military establishment of orchestrating his ouster.

☆ Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan arrested amid tensions with military
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested at a court in the capital Islamabad by paramilitary officers Tuesday. The arrest follows recent tense exchanges between Khan, the former national cricket captain who became Pakistan's prime minister in 2018, and the country's powerful army. After surviving an assassination attempt last November, Khan accused a senior military officer and Pakistan's current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of being behind the attempt. The military spokesperson warned of legal action if Khan keeps up his accusations. Concerning the possibility of arrest, Khan said, "If someone has a warrant, they should directly bring it to me.

☆ England's Billings warns of skin cancer danger after scare
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, May 9 (Reuters) - Skin cancer prevention should be a priority for cricketers and fans spending hours under the sun, England wicketkeeper Sam Billings has warned after suffering a scare last year. Billings underwent two operations last year to remove a malignant melanoma on his chest following a routine screening organised by his county Kent. The 31-year-old said his melanoma was caught just in time and that he almost missed the screening to attend a meeting. The threshold of when it gets really serious is 0.7mm, so really close," Billings told the Daily Telegraph. "If I had left that screening to go to the meeting, and waited until my next one six months down the line it could have been far, far more serious."

☆ Imran Khan, Former Pakistan Prime Minister, arrested
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Sophia Saifi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Islamabad, Pakistan CNN —Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been arrested by paramilitary troops in Islamabad on charges brought by the country’s anti-corruption agency, according to court documents seen CNN. In the video, paramilitary forces attacked Islamabad High Court premises before arresting Khan. A video sent to CNN by PTI showed paramilitary troops piling out of cars and holding batons before the arrest. “[The government], they’re petrified that if I come into power, I will hold them accountable,” Khan told CNN during the unrest outside his residence in March . “They also know that even if I go to jail, we will swing the elections no matter what they do.”

☆ Henry hopes NZ can avoid whitewash v World No. 1 Pakistan
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KARACHI, Pakistan, May 6 (Reuters) - Bowler Matt Henry is hopeful New Zealand can avoid a series whitewash in Pakistan by producing an improved display in Sunday's fifth and final one-day international against the world number one side. The team under Tom Latham managed to draw the preceding T20 series 2-2 but Pakistan have taken an unassailable 4-0 lead in the one-day series. "It's a shame we really haven't had the success that we wanted to ... " Henry told reporters after the loss. Henry had no hesitations admitting Pakistan had outplayed his team in home conditions. "Obviously it's frustrating to be four-nil but sometimes you've got to give kudos to the way that Pakistan have been playing their cricket.

☆ England fast bowler Sciver-Brunt retires from international cricket
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Cricket - ICC Women’s Cricket T20 World Cup - England v Pakistan - Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town, South Africa - February 21, 2023 England's Katherine Sciver-Brunt takes a catch to dismiss Pakistan's Sidra Ameen off the bowling of Charlie Dean REUTERS/Nic BothmaMay 5 (Reuters) - England right-arm seamer Katherine Sciver-Brunt announced her retirement from international cricket on Friday, bringing the curtain down on her 19-year career during which she took 335 wickets across all formats. The 37-year-old, who made her England debut in 2004, has also won four Ashes series and has been capped 267 times. I thought I'd never be able to reach this decision but I have and it's been the hardest one of my life," Sciver-Brunt said. Sciver-Brunt is the sixth-highest wicket-taker in women's Twenty20 cricket, with 114 wickets across 112 matches. Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; editing by Pritha SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Jailed, deported and blacklisted: Qatar's outspoken World Cup guards
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Andrew Mills | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Qatar's international media office confirmed that approximately 200 employees of Stark Security, which hired Maganga, were involved in a protest in January. Labour rights charity Equidem has documented the deportation of 38 former Stark Security guards to Kenya, India, Pakistan and Nepal. Qatar's media office said Stark would be penalized for violating the labour law. Rights groups had warned that security workers were especially vulnerable during the World Cup. Qatar's media office said the state has established "new channels for reporting grievances," which labour activists criticise as favouring employers.

☆ Best rice dishes: 20 delicious specialties from around the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Terry Ward | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

And while famous rice dishes such as sushi, fried rice and paella are among the most prominent in the global spotlight, there are so many more rice recipes out there to put on your radar – and seek out on your travels. Wali wa kukaanga, KenyaWali wa kukaanga is Kenya’s answer to fried rice, and translates to just that in Swahili. So it’s no surprise that the Polynesian island country’s most popular rice dish, alaisa fa’apopo, has ties to the coconut, too. Thai fried rice (Khao Pad), ThailandThai fried rice uses the layering of flavors that's characteristic of the country's cuisine. ArenaCreative/Adobe StockWhen it comes to fried rice, the Chinese version tends to steal the spotlight.

☆ Smith amused by fuss over his England county stint ahead of Ashes
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 3 (Reuters) - Australia batsman Steve Smith has laughed off criticism in England about his county cricket warmup for the Ashes after some fans and media took exception to his Sussex signing. Asked if he was amused by the reaction, Smith told Cricket Australia's website: "A little bit. I've played a lot of cricket in England, it's not like it's foreign territory for me." Smith told reporters at a Sussex press conference. They have dominated at home but not won an Ashes series in England since claiming the 2001 edition 4-1.

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