HAVANA (AFP) - Guerrilla revolutionary and communist idol, Fidel Castro was a holdout against history who turned tiny Cuba into a thorn in the paw of the mighty capitalist United States.

The former Cuban president, who died aged 90 on Friday, said he would never retire from politics.

But emergency intestinal surgery in July 2006 drove him to hand power to Raul Castro, who ended his brother’s antagonistic approach to Washington, shocking the world in December 2014 in announcing a rapprochement with US President Barack Obama.

Famed for his rumpled olive fatigues, straggly beard and the cigars he reluctantly gave up for health reasons, Fidel Castro kept a tight clamp on dissent at home while defining himself abroad with his defiance of Washington. In the end, he essentially won the political staring game, even if the Cuban people do continue to live in poverty and the once-touted revolution he led has lost its shine.

As he renewed diplomatic ties, Obama acknowledged that decades of US sanctions had failed to bring down the regime -- a drive designed to introduce democracy and foster western-style economic reforms -- and it was time to try another way to help the Cuban people.

A great survivor and a firebrand, if windy orator, Castro dodged all his enemies could throw at him in nearly half a century in power, including assassination plots, a US-backed invasion bid, and tough US economic sanctions.

Born August 13, 1926 to a prosperous Spanish immigrant landowner and a Cuban mother who was the family housekeeper, young Castro was a quick study and a baseball fanatic who dreamed of a golden future playing in the US big leagues.

But his young man’s dreams evolved not in sports but politics. He went on to form the guerrilla opposition to the US-backed government of Fulgencio Batista, who seized power in a 1952 coup.

That involvement netted the young Fidel Castro two years in jail, and he subsequently went into exile to sow the seeds of a revolt, launched in earnest on December 2, 1956 when he and his band of followers landed in southeastern Cuba on the ship Granma.

Twenty-five months later, against great odds, they ousted Batista and Castro was named prime minister.

KUWAIT CITY (AFP) - Kuwaitis vote Saturday to elect the seventh parliament in a decade in the oil-rich Gulf emirate, at a time of sharp disputes over subsidy cuts due to falling oil revenues. The snap polls see the return of opposition groups after a four-year boycott in protest at the government’s amendment of the electoral law.

Opposition candidates called at their election rallies for wide democratic reforms, promising to fight for economic and social justice and to end rife corruption. The government’s austerity measures, mainly hiking petrol prices, were the top issue at election rallies.

"The government will most likely accede to some of the demands of the opposition," but stand firm on others, Stratfor, a leading intelligence platform, said in a report. 

"The country has the financial luxury of taking a long-term view on reform. Even if it continues to draw down its sovereign wealth fund by $30 billion a year for 10 years, it would still have roughly half the fund left," Stratfor said.

Analysts see little hope the election will bring political stability to the Gulf state, which has been rocked by lingering disputes since mid-2006, apart from a period of relative calm after 2013.

The emir dissolved the last parliament after MPs called for ministers to be grilled over subsidy cuts, in a state with a traditionally generous cradle-to-grave welfare system. Around 30 opposition figures, out of 300 candidates, including 14 women, are running for the 50-seat parliament. Half of the opposition candidates are Islamists.

Four suicide bombers killed in attack on Ghalnai Camp in Mohmand Agency

ISLAMABAD (AWE) - A group of militants attacked a mosque at an army facility in Mohmand Agency on Saturday morning, triggering a shootout in which four terrorists were killed.

According to Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), four suicide bombers tried to enter Ghalnai Camp at around 6:00am and started firing after they reached the mosque, where residents and a large number of recruits were present.

The attackers were "contained in the outer courtyard" of the mosque, and subsequently all four were killed. During the exchange of fire, two soldiers embraced martyrdom and 14 others were injured.

Sartaj Aziz briefs heads of P5 Missions on India's unprovoked firing on LoC, Working Boundary

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk)  - The Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sartaj Aziz briefed the heads of Missions of the permanent members (China., France, Russian Federation, UK and USA) of the UN Security Council on Friday afternoon regarding the continued unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces at the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary (WB).

The Adviser strongly condemned the reprehensible attack on the civilian bus in the Neelum Valley on 23 November 2016, in complete violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding and international law, especially the international humanitarian law. The Indian occupation forces also fired upon the ambulances that had come to rescue the injured people from the site of the attack. The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is condemnable and deplorable and must be investigated.

He referred to persistent ceasefire violations by India, especially during the last two months, resulting in the loss of more than 45 innocent civilian lives and injuries to more than 139 others at the LoC and WB in an effort to divert international attention from the continuing human rights violations in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoK). He stated that the Indian belligerence is a threat to the regional peace and security and can lead to a strategic miscalculation, which would be disastrous for the region.

Sartaj Aziz has also addressed letters to the Foreign Ministers of the permanent members of the UN Security Council, on the escalation at the LoC and Indian ceasefire violations. Copies of these letters were also handed over to the heads of Missions.

The Adviser once again called upon the permanent members of the UN Security Council to play their crucial role in maintaining global peace and security and urge India to immediately put an end to the escalation and bloodshed at the LoC. 

Karachi: Rangers arrest MQM-London activist, recover arms

KARACHI (Dunya News) - Rangers conducted an operation in Garden Shoe Market area of Karachi on Friday and arrested a terrorist Ateeq alias Chinga belonging to Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London (MQM-London) on charges of having links with Indian spy agency RAW, Dunya News reported.

According to Rangers spokesman, the arrested terrorist was involved in extortion and target killing cases in the city. Rangers also recovered huge cache of arms from an under-construction shop in the Garden Shoe Market on the information provided by the arrested terrorist. 

The spokesman further informed that arms stored in the building, included two LMGs, four SMGs, one 22-bore riffle, three 12-bore pistols and 5809 bullets, were to be used in target killing incidents in Karachi on the instruction from top leadership of MQM-London.

Gujranwala: Protest held against Indian aggression on LOC

GUJRANWALA: (Dunya News) – A protest demonstration was on Friday held against Indian aggression on Line of Control (LOC). The demonstrators raised slogans against India and in the favour of Pakistan army on the occasion, reported Dunya News.

The demonstrators were carrying banners and placards on this occasi

The protestors were demonstrating against the Indian aggression in Azad Kashmir. The demonstration was attended by women and children and large numbers. The rally started from Sheranwala Baagh and ended at Lahori Gate.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Outgoing Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Raheel Sharif convened a one-on-one meeting with President Mamnoon Hussain on Friday as he arrived at the President House to attend a farewell dinner.

The president hosted a farewell ceremony for the outgoing army chief tonight which was attended by Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Admiral Zakaullah, Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Vice Marshal Sohail Aman and federal ministers among others. While addressing the gathering, President Mamnoon Hussain said that General Sharif s services for the country would be remembered always and that his role in maintaining security across the country was unmatched.

He further said that the outgoing chief has asserted that targeted operation in Karachi would continue until extremism is eliminated. Earlier in the day, the army chief paid farewell visits to garrisons in Bahawalpur, Multan and Okara.

General Sharif inaugurated an advanced arts school while also visited 10 Corps Headquarters today. Furthermore, the outgoing leader of the military convened a meeting with Ambassador of the United States (US), David Hale who acknowledged General Sharif’s achievements against banned outfits.

Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif is to choose an army chief out of five names that are under consideration after he concludes his two-day visit to Trukmenistan.

The premier held a meeting with the President of Turkmenistan today and is scheduled to return on Saturday.

On Thursday, General Sharif was hosted a farewell dinner by the Prime Minister at the Prime Minister House.

History won't deny Pakistani efforts over Kashmir dispute: Gilani

SRINAGAR (Dunya News) – Syed Ali Gilani, one of the leaders of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has said on Friday that positive efforts by Pakistan over dispute of Kashmir with India would not be denied in history.

In an exclusive talk with Dunya News, Gilani said that Kashmiris would side with Pakistan if Indian government lodged a war against the neighbour. He reported that Indian state-terrorism claimed 98 innocent lives in the valley in past five months.

Over 825 youth have lost eyes to the use of pellet guns, he added. 

Gilani branded Pakistan Army as the ‘Islamic army’.

India has been occupying Kashmir valley for at least seven decades and have fought three wars with Pakistan over the dispute.

Indian government, after separation of the subcontinent, had vowed to have referendum done and act accordingly but nothing has been done until 2016.

NANKANA SAHIB (Dunya News) – At least four people were killed as roof of a house caved in due to cylinder blast in Nankana Sahib today (Saturday). According to details, Malikabad’s locals turned on stove to fight cold and slept after which it exploded late night, causing roof collapse. Mother Allah Rakhi and her three children eight-year-old Azam, seven-year-old Nazim and five-year-old Maria trapped under the rubble.

Getting information about the incident, rescue team arrived at the scene and shifted the victims to hospital where they succumbed to injuries.

Communication between two proteins is what triggers the cell tent to lose its shape and become unanchored, their research found.

This allows the cells to travel to other areas of the body.

The researchers said their findings could help prevent the spread of lung cancer.

Writing in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers from York and the University of Texas describe how the communications centre of a cell - known as the Golgi apparatus - receives a signal from proteins which prompts the movement of membrane sacks inside it.

This movement alters the shape and surface of the cancer cell, allowing it to break free from its moorings and move around freely.

Dr Daniel Ungar, from the University of York's biology department, said it was apt to think of the cancer cell resembling a tent structure.

"It has fixed sides to hold its shape and is firmly anchored to the ground in order to secure its contents.

"In order to move the tent, we have to rearrange its contents and collapse its sides in order to lift it out of its anchored position and carry it away," he said.

He added that a similar process happens with cancer when it spreads - its outer edges are altered leaving it unanchored.

The study found that a protein called Zeb1 was critical to this process and the research team now want to look at how to target the protein without damaging healthy cells, in which the protein also exists.

The researchers only looked at lung cancer cells and do not know if the same process occurs in other cancers.