The National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage popularly known as Lok Virsa and the Pakistan Museum of Natural History (PMNH) have agreed to collaborate for promotion of culture and heritage of Pakistan.

The Lok Virsa and the PMNH signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for joint collaboration in related fields here at Shakarparian, said a press release on Tuesday.

The signing ceremony was held at the Lok Virsa Heritage Museum.

Lok Virsa Executive Director Dr Fouzia Saeed and the PMNH Director-General, Dr M Khan Leghari, signed the MoU on behalf of their respective institutions. Pakistan Science Foundation Chairperson Prof Dr Muhammad Ashraf was also present on the occasion.

The MoU requires collaborative efforts to establish and develop expertise in different projects.

The unsubstantiated dossier about Trump, Russia and possible compromising material -- compiled by a former British MI6 intelligence agent doing opposition research for Trump’s campaign opponents -- also said Moscow had incriminating video of the president-elect

The fact that intelligence agencies had offered Trump a synopsis of the dossier -- which was later published in full online by BuzzFeed -- lent the allegations credence.

But Brennan said the intelligence community was only "making sure that the president-elect was aware that it was circulating."

"I think there are some very salacious allegations in there -- again, unsubstantiated," he said, adding it was "a responsibility in the minds of the intelligence directors" to inform Trump as well as the Obama WhiteHouse of the report.

Brennan bristled at Trump’s likening of the US intelligence community to Nazi Germany, calling it "outrageous."

"I do take great umbrage at that," the outgoing spy chief said.

Pence blamed the scandal on "media bias," in an interview with CBS.

ARACHI (Dunya News) – Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah will chair meeting of the Sindh Cabinet today (Monday) to review extension in Rangers’ special powers, law and order situation and various development projects in the province.

The meeting at Sindh Secretariat will be attended by the cabinet members, Sindh Chief Secretary, Sindh IG and other top officials.

Rangers’ special powers in Sindh have expired on Sunday night but the provincial government, using delaying tactics, has not yet sent summary of extension in Rangers powers to the federal government.

According to CM House spokesperson, the summary is expected to be signed today.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had previously extended Rangers’ special powers in the province on October 18, 2016 soon after assuming the office.

Rangers were given powers under Section-5 of the Anti Terrorism Act 1997 according to which Rangers personnel would be authorised to conduct a raid and arrest accused in any area of the metro

WASHINGTON: President-elect Donald Trump wants health "insurance for everybody," he told The Washington Post, no small feat in a country where millions are uninsured.

The Republican has long lashed out at President Barack Obama´s signature health care law, the Affordable Care Act, campaigning on a pledge to repeal and replace it.

But the billionaire developer had never said precisely with what.

Now, however, he told the Post by phone late Saturday that he wants "insurance for everybody" while requiring drug companies to negotiate directly with the government on prices in Medicare and Medicaid, the government plans mostly for the elderly and low-income Americans, respectively.

"They´re politically protected. But not anymore," Trump was quoted as saying of big pharmaceutical companies.

The White House touts the ACA -- nicknamed Obamacare -- as a success, saying more than 20 million Americans have gained health insurance through the law.

The Affordable Care Act forbids insurance companies from denying health care due to pre-existing conditions, abolishes lifetime caps on care, and allows children to stay on their parents´ plans until age 26, three provisions that have proved popular nationwide.

Democrats warn that scrapping the law could force millions of Americans to lose their coverage.

Undoing Obamacare will be a monumental task. Although the new Republican leadership in Congress has begun moving quickly to deprive the ACA of funding, it has also stressed it does not want to "pull the rug out from anyone" who might lose coverage if there is no replacement plan on offer.

And there is debate among Republicans about how -- and how fast -- to proceed without a credible replacement ready to roll out.

Without revealing much more than a pledge of "lower numbers, much lower deductibles," Trump said a proposed deal was now agreed.

"It´s very much formulated down to the final strokes. We haven´t put it in quite yet, but we´re going to be doing it soon," he said.

"We´re going to have insurance for everybody," Trump added. "There was a philosophy in some circles that if you can´t pay for it, you don´t get it. That´s not going to happen with us."

People covered under the law "can expect to have great health care," he said. "It will be in a much simplified form. Much less expensive and much better."

SEOUL: South Korea's special prosecutor's office said on Monday it was seeking a warrant to arrest the head of Samsung Group, the country's largest conglomerate, accusing him of paying multi-million dollar bribes to a friend of President Park Geun-hye.

Samsung Group chief Jay Y. Lee was questioned for 22 straight hours last week as investigators probed a corruption scandal that resulted in parliament impeaching Park last month.

The special prosecutor's office accused Lee of paying bribes totalling 43 billion won ($36.42 million) Choi Soon-sil, a friend of the president who is the woman at the centre of scandal.

Lee was also accused of embezzlement and perjury in the prosecution's application for an arrest warrant.

Seoul's central district court said a hearing will be held at 10:30 a.m. (0130 GMT) on Wednesday to decide whether to approve the warrant. Samsung did not have an immediate comment.

"The special prosecutor's office, in making this decision to seek an arrest warrant, determined that while the country's economic conditions are important, upholding justice takes precedence," Lee Kyu-chul, a spokesman for the office, told a media briefing.

Prosecutors have been looking into whether Samsung's support for a business and foundations backed by Park's friend Choi may have been connected to the National Pension Service's 2015 decision to support a controversial $8 billion merger of two Samsung Group affiliates.

NPS chairman Moon Hyung-pyo was indicted on Monday on charges of abuse of power and giving false testimony.

Park remains in office but has been stripped of her powers while the Constitutional Court decides whether to make her the country's first democratically elected leader to be forced from office.

Moon was arrested in December after acknowledging ordering the world's third-largest pension fund to support the $8 billion merger in 2015 while he was head of the health ministry, which oversees the NPS.

Samsung has acknowledged providing funds to the three institutions but has repeatedly denied accusations of lobbying to push through the merger.

Choi is accused of colluding with Park to pressure big businesses, including Samsung, to contribute to non-profit foundations backing the president's initiatives.

Choi, in detention and on trial on charges of abuse of power and attempted fraud, again denied wrongdoing on Monday in an appearance at the Constitutional Court.

She also denied having any prior knowledge of the Samsung Group's controversial 2015 merger of two affiliates.

"Even if I knew, I could not have passed on any information because I have no knowledge about mergers or hedge funds, anything like that, in the first place," Choi told the court.

South Korea has been gripped by political crisis for months, with Park impeached in December. Park has also denied wrongdoing, though admitted carelessness in her relationship with Choi.

If the impeachment is upheld by the Constitutional Court, an election would be held in two months, with former U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expected to be a candidate.

Shares in group flagship Samsung Electronics, the world's top maker of smartphones, flatscreen TVs and memory chips, extended losses on Monday afternoon and were down 2.3 percent.

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) began hearing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf case related to foreign funding.

The PTI lawyer asked for a new date for next month in the case.

During the hearing, Chief Election Commissioner Justice (Retd) Sardar Raza told the PTI lawyer to submit a written apology in the court. Expressing his displeasure at the delaying tactics of PTI, the he said, “This has been happening for the last two and a half years. Should we stop doing our jobs.”

The ECP demanded details of all foreign funding from the PTI.

The hearing has been adjourned till January 24.

ISLAMABAD: A five-member bench led by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa resumed hearing the Panama Leaks case hearing on Monday.

PM’s counsel Makhdoom Ali Khan during his arguments referred to past rulings of the Supreme Court. He discussed at length the disqualification of former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Counsel for Jamat-e-Islami (JI) asked copies of all the court rulings. The JI also submitted a petition against the Prime Minister where the National Assembly speaker, cabinet and federation have been made party.

During the proceedings, the PTI leadership was seen dozing off in the courtroom, which was warmer when compared to the biting cold outside. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s counsel Naeem Bukhari slept through out the hearing , Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Shireen Mazari were dozing on and off, while PTI chief Imran Khan looked visibly tired, according to a Geo News correspondent.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Daniyal Aziz explained that the PM's counsel referred to cases for article 62 and 63 during the proceedings. "Even PTI accepts that the prime minister has not been named in the Panama Leaks."

He added that after Makhdoom Ali Khan presents his argument, a lawyer for the prime minister's daughter Maryam Nawaz will present evidence.

PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that the evidence the Prime Minister's counsel is presenting has no link to the case. "He is simply trying to say that the SC should stop hearing the Panama Leaks case."  

In the last proceedings on Friday, Makhdoom Ali Khan argued that in order to disqualify the Prime Minister a judicial declaration is needed. He said that the section in Article 62 about “Sadiq and Ameen (truthful and trustworthy)” gave a clean slate to frame anyone.

“The Supreme Court in the Ishaq Khakwani case had declared Article 62 of the constitution a nightmare,” he argued.

GILGIT: Although snowfall in Gilgit-Baltistan brings respite and a sigh of relief to residents, enhancing the beauty of the majestic and pristine mountainous landscape, unfortunately, it also puts a freeze on daily life in the region.

The picture perfect snow-draped areas might be an attraction for tourists, but for local people, winter is a test of survival skills.

Residents of Gilgit-Baltistan brave sub-zero temperatures with no gas or electricity for heating, and only wood and coal available as fuel, which also must be managed frugally because all the roads are shut and supplies are limited.

“It is like I am living inside a deep freezer,” said Ashiq Khan who has come from Islamabad to visit his family in Gilgit. “There is no gas, electricity or even water in the homes. Everything is frozen,” said Ashiq who finds it difficult to live in his birthplace after spending few years in Islamabad. On Sunday, the mercury dipped to minus 14 degree centigrade in Skardu and Ghanche valleys, and minus eight degrees in Gilgit.

Extreme weather has compelled residents to stay indoors. According to locals, the drop in temperature makes life harder for them. Even washing, bathing and cooking become a challenge with water frozen in pipes and limited fuel for heating. Communications remain suspended, with no letup in snowfall. The heaviest snowfall of the season so far was recorded in Astore Valley.

Snowy silver linings

The chill brings its own thrill. With lakes frozen across G-B, people in Ghizer enjoy football tournament on Khalti Lake every year. Participation is usually limited to local teams from Ghizer in the tournament dotted with slips and bruises and tons of joys and laughter. The lake in Gupis Valley is between 30 and 70 feet deep at most points.

Frozen lakes also attract a small trekking community that travels from plains across the mountains to savour the hikes over the ice.

Phundar and Karambar lakes, located in the same valley, have also frozen over. In Hunza, Attabad Lake was frozen as well. People enjoyed going for walks on the ice.

A couple of traffic accidents were reported in the region due to slippery roads, but no loss of life was reported.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 16th, 2017.