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Nawaz Sharif, daughter and son-in-law indicted in Avenfield graft case

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Nawaz Sharif

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Trial against the ousted Pakistan Prime Minister and his family in the Avenfield properties case will start on October 26

In a move that is likely to increase political troubles for Nawaz Sharif, an accountability court in Islamabad indicted the ousted Pakistan Prime Minister, his daughter Maryam and her husband Captain (retired) Mohammad Safdar in a corruption case related to their London-based Avenfield properties case.

The indictment has now paved the way for a trial to commence against Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law in the Avenfield flats reference – one of the three references made by Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (ACB) against the Sharif family earlier this year after a five-judge Bench of the country’s Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz Sharif from holding the office of Prime Minister. Sharif was forced to step down from the Pakistan Premier’s office after the SC verdict which had stemmed from the cases filed against Sharif on the basis of allegations made against him and his family members during the Panama Papers leaks in 2016. The Panama Papers leaks appeared to show that Sharif’s daughter and two sons owned offshore holding companies registered in the British Virgin Islands and used them to buy posh flats in London.

Sharif is currently in the United Kingdom to attend to his ailing wife Kulsoom who is undergoing treatment for throat cancer at a hospital in London. The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) chief and his sons Hassan and Hussain are likely to be indicted in the two more references made against them by the ACB later on Thursday.

During the hearing in the Avenfield properties reference in the Islamabad-based accountability court on Thursday, Maryam, Safdar and Nawaz Sharif’s pleader said that the ousted Prime Minister was pleading “not guilty” to the charges brought against him. Maryam and Safdar who were both present in the courtroom also pleaded not guilty.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI4MTklMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjI0OTElMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGd05mTUhyWnM0b3clMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvd2Z1bGxzY3JlZW4lM0UlM0MlMkZpZnJhbWUlM0U=[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]“I do not plead guilty. Charges are not only groundless, baseless and unfounded but also frivolous, and on top of that we are being denied our right to fair trial. The charges are being framed on a report that is incomplete and controversial. It will go down in history as [a] mockery of justice and travesty of justice. Moreover, the charges are being framed without awaiting the detailed order of the Supreme Court in the review petitions,” Sharif’s pleader – Zafir Khan said in a statement before the court after the trio were indicted.

Earlier, the court had rejected applications filed by Sharif, Maryam and Capt Safdar which sought suspension of the indictment on grounds that the PML-N chief was in London to attend to his wife and so could not be present in the court for the proceedings. As a result, both Nawaz Sharif and his family’s lead counsel Khawaja Haris were not present during the indictment as they are both in London.

According to a report by Pakistan’s Dawn News, Maryam has been charged with being the beneficial owner of the London flats while Capt Safdar has been charged with being her accomplice in acquiring the said Avenfield apartments. The indictment order passed by the accountability court states that the “accused were unsuccessful in showing the sources of income used to purchase the London flats”.

On October 26, when the trial in the Avenfield flats reference begins, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan’s (SECP) joint registrar Sidra Mansoor will record Maryam’s statement as the first witness in the case.

While speaking to reporters in Islamabad after the indictment, Maryam said: “one day there would be accountability of the accountability process” that her family is going through and that “Injustice and atrocities cannot continue together.”

The indictment of the Sharif family, which comes a little over two months after Nawaz Sharif was forced to step down as Prime Minister following the country’s verdict in the Panama Papers case against him, has given more ammunition to attack the ousted Premier’s political rivals in the country at a time when Pakistan’s general elections are less than a year away.

Speaking to Pakistan’s Geo News about Maryam and Capt Safdar’s indictment, Awami Muslim League (AML) leader Sheikh Rashid said: “The law has truly been implemented today.”

Fawad Chaudhary, spokesperson of cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party too expressed satisfaction over the indictment and hoped that the court would also indict Sharif and his family in the other two references made against them in corruption cases.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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World Earth Day 2024: Google Doodle showcases aerial view of planet’s natural beauty

Google celebrated Earth Day 2024 with a special doodle featuring an aerial view of our planet’s biodiversity.

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Google shared a doodle today to celebrate World Earth Day 2024, which showcased aerial photos of the planet’s biodiversity and natural beauty. Google reminded us of the importance of protecting planet earth for future generations with the help of this doodle.

The Google letters depict specific locations across the globe where people, communities, and governments work every day to help protect the planet’s natural beauty, biodiversity, and resources, according to the explanation of the annual Earth Day 2024 doodle on their website.

It said, these examples remind us that there’s much more to do to address the climate crisis and biodiversity loss, but also offer the promise of hope and optimism.

The islands of Turks and Caicos are represented by the letter “G.” The islands’ conservation efforts are concentrated on protecting important regions for biodiversity and addressing persistent environmental problems.

The largest reef in the southern Gulf of Mexico and a UNESCO biosphere reserve, Scorpion Reef National Park, is represented by the letter “O” in the Mexican flag.

The letter “O” features Iceland’s Vatnajokull National Park, which was designated as a national park in 2008 following decades of advocacy. The ecology within and surrounding the biggest glacier in Europe is safeguarded by this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The letter “G” has the Jau National Park in Brazil on it. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the biggest forest reserves in South America.

The Great Green Wall of Nigeria is represented by the letter “L,”  and the Pilbara Islands Nature Reserves of Australia are represented by the letter “E.”

Meanwhile, Earth Day is a worldwide event that promotes protection of the environment every year. April 22 serves as a reminder of the importance of conservation efforts and sustainable practices to guarantee a healthier world and a brighter future.

The occasion inspires people across the world to come together and take action to protect the environment, strengthening our bonds with nature and promoting good change.

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Bigg Boss 14 contestant Rahul Vaidya struggles walking in knee deep water, compares Dubai rains with Mumbai floods

Singer and TV personality Rahul Vaidya was recently stranded in the Dubai rains.

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Rahul Vaidya, who was in Dubai ahead of his show which was scheduled to take place today, left the country due to heavy rains and reached Kolkata. The artist shared on social media his encounters in the UAE city, including challenges like walking through knee-deep water. Rahul provided an update regarding the heavy rainfall in Dubai on his Instagram profile.

The Bigg Boss 14 contestant revealed that he was in Kolkata and prepared to do an evening performance. Recalling the terrifying period he went through, Vaidya said there was a lot of confusion and panic in Dubai. The situation was similar to that when heavy floods hit Mumbai in 2005.

Vaiday also posted seval other images and videos of cars that were underwater and flooded roadways. The Bigg Boss 14 contestant, who shared his ordeal, claimed that even though it had just rained for two hours, the situation was dire.

In one of the video, which went viral he can be seen struggling in walking in knee-deep water. He can be also seen holding his sneakers in one hand and with other hand he was seen managing other things.

This is the result of the two hours of rain that it had, he can be heard saying in the video. Vidya also said he dosen’t believe Dubai is accustomed to a lot of rain. Everything had stopped working, he remarked.

After taking part in the first season of the singing reality show Indian Idol, Rahul Vaidya gained widespread recognition. In addition to Bigg Boss, he took part in Khatron Ke Khiladi 11.

Meanwhile, heavy rains that triggered flooding in the UAE and Bahrain, which left 18 people dead in Oman on Sunday and Monday, have paralyzed the financial hub of the Middle East, Dubai.

A lot of incoming flights were diverted from Dubai’s international airport because of the rain. At 7:26 p.m., the busiest airport in the world for foreign visitors stopped accepting new arrivals; a gradual resumption was announced for more than two hours later.

Images of planes navigating flooded tarmacs are making the rounds on social media.

According to pictures shared on social media, the flagship malls Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates both experienced heavy floods, while at least one Dubai Metro station had water up to the ankles.

There were several road collapses, severe flooding in residential areas, and numerous reports of leaks from windows, doors, and roofs.

Due to the unfavourable weather, schools around the United Arab Emirates were forced to close, and as more storms are predicted, the closures are anticipated to last until Wednesday. The government of Dubai allowed its staff to work remotely till this Wednesday.

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Dubai sky turns green during storm in UAE, video goes viral

The UAE witnessed record-breaking rainfall on Tuesday and the National Centre of Meteorology recorded 254 mm of rainfall in less than 24 hrs in the Khatm Al Shakla area in Al Ain.

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1 person was killed in UAE as it witnessed heavy rainfall on Tuesday, stranding commuters, flooding roads, disrupting trains and flights and resulting in water leakage from mall ceilings. The UAE witnessed record-breaking rainfall on Tuesday and the National Centre of Meteorology recorded 254 mm of rainfall in less than 24 hrs in the Khatm Al Shakla area in Al Ain. It is being said that the rainfall was the highest documented since the start of data collection in 1949.

The heavy rainfall in UAE came days after a similar situation in neighbouring Oman, where 13 people were killed in flash floods. Many parts of Oman saw torrential rains, which caused students to be trapped in buses and swept away motorists and trapped people in their homes.

Videos from Dubai circulating on social media showed widespread waterlogging on roads in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and other important cities. This left daily commuters in cars and other vehicles struggling to get back home. Dubai metro station too was seen flooded and closed.

One such video circulating on social media shows the aerial view of the city of Dubai from the top of a building. In the video the stormy winds are seen blowing over the city of Dubai. As the storm intensifies the Dubai sky turns green and ultimately gets covered by heavy rainfall. The video has gone viral on social media with more than 1.1 million views.

Another video showed water leakage from the ceilings of shopping malls, flooding the floors and destroying goods. A video which was shot in the famous Mall of the Emirates, showed pieces of ceiling falling as the rainwater gushed inside. Videos from many outlets of the Deira City Centre mall chain showed escalators being rendered unusable. Majid Al Futtaim, the company which owns the Mall of Emirates, said that the shopping complexes have been kept open and the customers are being sent away from the flooded areas. 

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