RAWALPINDI: Pakistan on Tuesday conducted successful test flight of surface-to-surface ballistic missile (SSBM) 'Ababeel' having a range of 2200 kilometers, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

The missile is capable of carrying nuclear warheads, while it can engage multiple targets with high precision, defeating enemy radars, the ISPR said in a statement.

Ababeel is capable of delivering multiple warheads, with the help of Multiple Independent Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology, it read.

The test flight was aimed at validating various designs and technical parameters of the weapon system.

he weapon system aims to ensure survivability of Pakistan's ballistic missiles in growing regional Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) environment. Besides, it will further reinforce deterrence.

The Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and the Air Chief all congratulated the scientists and engineers on successful test.

President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also conveyed their appreciation to the team behind successful missile and the armed forces of Pakistan on this landmark achievement.

China has asserted its "indisputable sovereignty" over parts of the South China Sea after the Trump administration vowed to prevent China from taking territory in the region.

The Chinese foreign ministry said Beijing would "remain firm to defend its rights in the region".

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said on Monday the US would "make sure we protect our interests there".

Barack Obama's administration refused to take sides in the dispute.

It did, however, send B-52 bombers and a naval destroyer last year, and the then US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke out over what he called "an increase of militarisation from one kind or another" in the region.

Several nations claim territory in the resource-rich South China Sea, which is also an important shipping route.

The new US president has taken a tough stance against China, and Mr Spicer told reporters "the US is going to make sure we protect our interests" in the South China Sea.

"If those islands are, in fact, in international waters and not part of China proper, yeah, we'll make sure we defend international interests from being taken over by another country," he said, without giving further details.

The Chinese government responded by saying that the US was "not a party to the South China Sea issue".

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said China was "committed to peaceful negotiations with all countries concerned" in the dispute, and said it "respects the principles of freedom of navigation and over-flight in international waters".

But, she went on: "Our position is clear. Our actions have been lawful."

'Devastating confrontation'

Mr Spicer's comments echo those of Donald Trump's new Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

During his nomination hearing, Mr Tillerson said the US should block access to islands being built by China in the South China Sea, likening it to Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

"We're going to have to send China a clear signal that first, the island-building stops and second, your access to those islands also is not going to be allowed," he told the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The Chinese state media responded by warning that such actions would lead to a "devastating confrontation".

This year's Oscar nominations are due out later, with La La Land likely to land as the clear frontrunner.

The modern musical romance has swept film fans off their feet, and its stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are expected to be among the nominees.

The question is - how many nominations will the film get in total, and can it equal the Oscars record of 14?

Titanic and All About Eve currently share that record, while Mary Poppins is the most nominated musical with 13.

LONDON: The UK Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Prime Minister Theresa May must get parliament's approval before she begins Britain's formal exit from the European Union.

The UK's highest judicial body dismissed the government's argument that May could simply use executive powers known as "royal prerogative" to invoke Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty and begin two years of divorce talks.

However, the court rejected arguments that the UK's devolved assemblies in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales should give their assent before Article 50 is invoked.

"The referendum is of great political significance, but the Act of Parliament which established it did not say what should happen as a result," said David Neuberger, President of the Supreme Court which ruled by 8-3 against the government.

"So any change in the law to give effect to the referendum must be made in the only way permitted by the UK constitution, namely by an Act of Parliament."

May has repeatedly said she would trigger Article 50 before the end of March but she will now have to seek the consent of lawmakers first, potentially meaning her plans could be amended or delayed, although the main opposition Labour Party has said it would not slow her timetable.

Last week May set out her stall for negotiations, promising a clean break with the world's largest trading block as part of a 12-point plan to focus on global free trade deals, setting out a course for a so-called "hard Brexit".

Sterling initially rose on the news that the government had lost its appeal, but it then fell over half a cent to hit day's lows against the dollar and euro after the court ruled that Britain's devolved assemblies did not need to give their assent to triggering Article 50. Sterling last traded down 0.6 percent on the day at $1.2463.

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

Counsel for Jamat-e-Islami Taufeeq Asif and his assistant Sheikh Ahsan-ud-Din completed their arguments.

During the proceedings the judges expressed their displeasure when the JI counsel made an incorrect reference to Syed Zafar Ali Shah case. Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed said, "You have neither read the file, nor read the verdict."

Responding to a request Justice Asif Khosa said that should the need arise he will summon the Prime Minister.

Assistant JI Counsel told the judges that all evidence has been completed and now tough responsibility lay on their shoulders. To this the court remarked that what he was calling evidence was only ‘material’ presented in the case.

The hearing has been adjourned till January 25 (Wednesday).

SC rejects reply submitted by Maryam Nawaz

The Supreme Court rejected a reply submitted by Maryam Nawaz in the Panama Case.

“How can you submit documents without a signature?” Justice Asif Khosa asked.

During the proceedings, Maryam Nawaz’s reply was read out. “I was married in 1992 to a serving Captain who later joined the Civil Service. My husband has been paying taxes since 1986. My husband and father were targeted in an act of revenge and my husband was terminated from service illegally.”

She denied she is the beneficial owner for the London flats. "PTI will have to submit evidence," it adds.

The documents with signatures will be submitted again.

Panama Papers revealed London Flats: Imran Khan

PTI chief Imran Khan speaks outside the Supreme Court

Speaking to the media, outside the Supreme Court, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman said that had the revelation not been made in the Panama Leaks they [Sharifs] would never have accepted that they owned the London Flats.

“We have never stated that there were cases on Maryam Nawaz.  We have always maintained that Nawaz Sharif’s money is involved in the London Flats,” he said.

He added that since 1993 the ownership of the London flats had not been changed.

PTI spokesperson Naeem-ul-Haque said that no gains will be made by filing a case in the Election Commission of Pakistan.

PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that the Panama Leaks case had reached its final phase. "Now the Prime Minister's children will have to explain how they got rich."

False allegations hurled against Maryam Nawaz: Maryam Aurangzeb

Maryam Aurangzeb speaks outside the Supreme Court

State Minister for Information Maryam Aurangzeb said that false allegations were being hurled at the Prime Minister's daughter Maryam Nawaz. Without naming Imran Khan she said, "Some people like to lie outside the Supreme Court. Imran Khan is basing his politics on Panama Papers."

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz leader Daniyal Aziz said that Imran Khan was being disrespectful towards institutions. “The Prime Minister was elected by the people of Pakistan thrice.”

During the proceedings on Monday, the court questioned links of the prime minister with the Sharif family's business.

After setting the record of cycling from Islamabad to highest international border (Khunjerab) in September 2015, this year Samar Khan has attempted another huge challenge of cycling on glaciers (Biafo Gyang) in the Karakoram ranges of Pakistan.

She is the first Pakistani and the World’s first woman to reach Biafo glaciers and cycled over there. Samar Khan is Masters in Physics and belongs to Lower Dir, KPK. She started adventure sports like Paragliding, Trekking, Mountain biking and Martial Arts few years back because of her passion towards sports & tourism.

She set out from Islamabad on 24th July, 2016 and took the route of Abbotabad, Naran, Kaghan and Babusar Top towards her destination. By covering the distance of almost 800km till the last remote village of GB; called Askoli, which is the entrance point to glaciers, she had trek for 3-4 days and found herself on icy-rock surface where she had attempted her record.

واشنگٹن (ویب ڈیسک) امریکہ نے این ایس جی میں بھارتی شمولیت کا راستہ روکنے پر چین پر تنقید کی ہے۔ امریکہ نے کہا ہے کہ این ایس جی میں بھارتی شمولیت کی راہ میں چین رکاوٹ ہے، بھارت کی شمولیت پر گروپ کا کچھ ارکان کو تحفظات ہیں۔ امریکی معاون وزیر خارجہ کا کہنا ہے کہ تحفظات دور کئے جانے کی ضرورت ہے۔

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.