Pakistan minister Ahsan Iqbal shot at, attacker nabbed; sad, says Malala

Agencies
May 7, 2018

Lahore, May 7: Pakistan's Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal was injured on Sunday in an assassination attempt when an unidentified man opened fire at him in Punjab province after he addressed a political rally, police said.

Following the incident, prominent Pakistani educational activist and the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai condemned the attack.

Iqbal, 59, was hit by a bullet on his right shoulder in the attack in his native Narowal's Kanjrur Tehsil after he addressed a rally, the police said.

Terming the incident as "sad", Malala, who is pursuing a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the Oxford University was quoted by Geo TV as saying, "I wish that every Pakistani [person] remains safe and that no one's life is in danger. I hope for a Pakistan where everyone lives peacefully."

The Nobel laureate further said that she was thankful to God that the murder attempt on Iqbal did not end up being fatal and prayed for his quick recovery.

The incident took place when the US-educated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader was leaving the rally.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi condemned the attack and called for an immediate report on the incident from top police officials of Punjab province.

State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudry meanwhile, said the suspected shooter was identified as Abid Hussain and has been arrested.

The suspect, who is a resident of Narowal, is about 20 years old and being interrogated, according to media reports.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif described the incident as an "assassination attempt".

Iqbal's son said that his father was out of danger.

The attacker fired with a 30-bore pistol from a distance of around 18 metres.

The attacker was about to fire a second shot when he was apprehended, police said.

However, the reason behind the attack was not immediately known.

Sharif said: "Just spoke to him and he is in high spirits.

"Those who indulged in this heinous act will be brought to justice. PML-N will not be browbeaten into submission. I am personally overseeing the investigation".

Punjab government spokesman Malik Ahmad Khan confirmed the attack and arrest of the attackers. He said the minister is stable but being shifted to Lahore.

"Police are investigating the attack and we will know how he (attacker) was able to reach so close to the minister," he said.

He said that the attacker was initially identified as Abid Hussian and his age was said to be between 20-22 years. He is said to be a resident of Narowal.

The Punjab government said that the suspect "is being interrogated by the police".

Rana Manan, a lawmaker of Punjab assembly, said that Iqbal was about to sit in his vehicle when the attacker fired at him.

The attack on the interior minister highlights the issue of security of high-profile politicians ahead of the elections scheduled to be held after June.

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa also condemned the incident and sent his best wishes for Iqbal's early recovery.

Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto and other Pakistan Peoples Party leaders also condemned the attack.

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June 1,2020

Washington, Jun 1: As protesters gathered outside the White House on Friday night in Washington DC, US President Donald Trump was briefly taken to the White House underground bunker, The New York Times reported citing a person having firsthand knowledge about the incident.

Trump was there for less than an hour before being brought upstairs. After hundreds of people surged towards the White House on Friday, Secret Service and the United States Park Police officers sought to block them.

Trump's team was surprised by the protests that were witnessed outside the White House on Friday night, according to the US daily. It is, however, unclear if Melania Trump and Barron Trump were also taken down with him.

in response to the continuing protests against the death of African-American man George Floyd in police custody.

National Guard members have been activated in 15 states and Washington, DC with another 2,000 prepared to activate if needed.

Demonstrators across the United States have been protesting since May 25, when George Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man, died under the police custody in the city of Minneapolis.

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News Network
March 26,2020

London, Mar 26: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that the country's NHS risks becoming "overwhelmed" by the coronavirus outbreak and that the situation in Britain is just two or three weeks behind Italy.
"The numbers are very stark, and they are accelerating. We are only a matter of weeks -- two or three -- behind Italy," Johnson said, as reported by CNN.
"The Italians have a superb health care system. And yet their doctors and nurses have been completely overwhelmed by the demand. The Italian death toll is already in the thousands and climbing.
He added, "Unless we act together unless we make the heroic and collective national effort to slow the spread -- then it is all too likely that our own NHS will be similarly overwhelmed,"
"That is why this country has taken the steps that it has, in imposing restrictions never seen before either in peace or war." He said.
The problem reached a crunch point in the UK, which has dramatically increased its response to the virus outbreak this week.
Food banks that provide a lifeline for some of the estimated 14 million in poverty are running low on volunteers, many of whom have been forced to self-isolate, as well as the food itself, which is in short supply following panic-buying.
The UK has confirmed more 9,600 cases of the deadly virus with 460 deaths.
The global tally of cases has crossed 487,000 as on Thursday with 22,030 deaths globally as per the data presented by the Johns Hopkins University.

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News Network
June 13,2020

Mexico City, Jun 13: The number of people, who have died of COVID-19 in Mexico, has risen by 544 to 16,448 within the past 24 hours, Jose Luis Alomia, the director of epidemiology at the Health Ministry, said.

He also said on late Friday that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases had increased by 5,222 to 139,196 within the same period of time.

A day earlier, the Latin American nation has recorded 4,790 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus, with 587 fatalities.

The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11. To date, more than 7.6 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, with over 425,000 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.

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