WASHINGTON: An Indian-American cricket enthusiast has announced plans to build at least eight cricket stadiums across the US, at an estimated cost of US $2.4 billion to professionalise the game in the country. The proposed stadiums, each with a capacity of 26,000 people in New York, New Jersey, Washington DC, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Illinois, and California, would create as many as 17,800 new jobs in the US, said chairman of Global Sports Ventures, Jignesh Pandya. "So, there is a great market and readymade audience for cricket in the US," he said.
Kuwait bans visa for 5 Muslim-majority nations, including Pakistan
KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait has suspended issuance of visas for nationals from Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Following US President Donald Trump's controversial ban on seven Muslim-majority countries last week, Kuwaiti government has told would-be migrants from the five banned nations to not apply for visas, as it is worried about the possible migration of radical Islamic terrorists. As a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Kuwait remains stuck in escalated tensions between the GCC and Iran. It is the only nation to prohibit entry of Syrian nationals prior to Trump's executive action- issuing a suspension of visas for all Syrians in 2011.
Afghan diplomat killed in Karachi firing
KARACHI: An official of the Afghan consulate in Karachi was fatally shot by a guard. The Third Secretary at the consulate, Zaki Adu, was killed by private security guard Hayatullah following a disagreement between the two, said Deputy Inspector General Azad Khan. He added that the guard was arrested. He added that the incident did not appear to be an act of terrorism. Pakistan Police and Rangers have cordoned off the highly sensitive area which remains home to foreign missions.
Avalanches claim 107 lives in Afghanistan
KABUL: An Afghan official reported that at least 107 people have been killed in recent days by avalanches caused by heavy snow in different parts of the country, almost doubling an earlier death toll estimate of 54. Spokesman for the Afghan State Minister for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs, Omer Mohammadi said that over 65 others have been injured and more than 150 homes destroyed by the avalanches. He said many of the newest fatalities come from Nuristan province, near Pakistan border where two villages were buried in snow, and that rescue teams have so far recovered 48 bodies from those villages.
Indian-origin woman 6th to die in Australia car rampage
MELBOURNE: A 33-year old Indian-origin woman became the sixth victim of an "intentional" road rampage, 10 days after she was critically injured in the accident at a busy street in Australia's second-largest city. Director at a global accounting firm in Melbourne, Bhavita Pael died in the hospital after her family decided to turn off her life support after the fatal accident on January 20. Doctors relentlessly tried to save her, but her condition did not improve and she lay unresponsive in hospital. Patel was walking back to work when she was mowed down by speeding car that rammed into several pedestrians on Bourke street, killing five people including two children, and injuring 31 others.
Pak man charged with smuggling of weapons from US
NEW YORK: A Pakistani man has been charged with trying to smuggle assault weapons to "his country". Agha Muhammad Khan Durrani, 27, was produced before a federal judge who ordered his detention. Assistant federal prosecutor Aaron Mango said that Durrani was stopped by the Canadian border agents in July when he was trying to bring assault rifle accessories into Canada, and he was handed over to US border officials at the Niagara Falls. He initially told customs officials that he was going with his father to return the seven types of assault rifle parts he had to shop, later changing his story and saying that he wanted to take them back to Pakistan for hunting and for defending his family's property.
China tests missile with 10 N-warheads
BEIJING: China has reportedly tested a new version of missile capable of carrying up to 10 nuclear warheads, signalling a major shift in its nuclear capability as Beijing prepares for a possible military showdown with Trump's US. Flight test for DF-5C missile was carried out last month using 10 multiple independently targettable re-entry vehicles, or MIRVs. Two officials familiar with reports of the missile test, said test of the inert warheads was monitored closely by US intelligence agencies.
