Hip Pakistan snubs Taliban at fashion week

Fashion week will showcase 32 local designers

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KARACHI :  Bare shoulders, backless gowns and pouting models are wowing Pakistan's glitterati as Karachi fashion week shows the world a different side of the Taliban-troubled nation.

While women in much of Muslim, conservative Pakistan opt for headscarves over baggy shalwar khamis or even burkas, on the catwalks of financial capital Karachi, designers are exposing midriffs and flashing cleavage.

Fashion week runs until Saturday, taking place three weeks late because of security jitters and as a mark of respect for more than 300 people who perished in a string of attacks blamed on Islamist militants last month.

Fashionistas in Karachi, however, shrug off security fears in the southern city of 14 million people, known for its glitzy malls and thriving cafe culture a two-hour flight away from militant hubs in the northwest.

"We, the members of Fashion Pakistan, feel great to be hosting this colorful event at difficult times in our history, when the entire nation is waging a battle against militancy," said upcoming young designer Fahad Hussain.

The eight local designers who opened the event experimented with twists on traditional Pakistani dress and western styles.

Intricate and colorful fabrics lit up the catwalk, while a towering black feather hat, off-the-shoulder dresses and halterneck gowns graced the frames of sultry models strutting in high heels past an awed audience.

"My design philosophy is as diverse as my collection, (which) shows a mix of eastern and western inspirations," said Hussain, known for edgy accessorizing and striking silhouettes.

UN evacuates hundreds of staff from Afghanistan

KABUL:  The United Nations said on Thursday it would temporarily evacuate hundreds of its international staff from Afghanistan due to deteriorating security, a sharp blow for Western efforts to stabilise the country.

“Around 600 non-Afghan staff will be temporarily relocated," U.N. spokesman Dan McNorton told AFP, adding that “the only people who will remain are regarded as essential staff."

Some would be relocated to safer sites within Afghanistan and some withdrawn from the country, said Aleem Siddique, another U.N. spokesman, adding that the final breakdown had not been determined.

Taliban militants killed five foreign U.N. staff in an attack at their international guest house in the capital on Oct. 28.

"The United Nations is reducing the number of its international staff from 1,300 to 400, effective immediately," Siddique told Reuters, adding that the world body would determine how much staff were necessary to run on-going programs.

"We will be looking at bringing people back as soon as the security situation allows and secure accommodation is found," Siddique said. "Instead of having people dotted around the city, they will be consolidated."

A U.N. statement emailed to Reuters said it would not make details of the new measures public, adding: "It is expected that they will involve short-term relocations for some staff while additional security is being put in place."

Pakistan routs Kiwis by 138 runs

ABU DHABI: Pakistan defeated New Zealand by 138 runs in the first of three one-day internationals at Abu Dhabi Stadium here on Tuesday.

Earlier, Pakistan gave 288-run target to New Zealand to win in a match in which Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first and scored not so impressive 287-9 runs in 50 overs.
Afridi hit 70 runs—the biggest score from any Pakistani players, followed by Kamaran Akmal 76 and Khalid Latif 64.
Malik, who scored a hundred against India in the Champions Trophy last month, was dropped to adjust a regular opener in Khalid Latif, while allrounder Abdul Razzaq also returned to the side after a two years gap.
New Zealand decided to leave out paceman Kyle Mills, who is nursing a shoulder injury.
The second and third matches will be played here on Friday and Monday.
Pakistan: Younus Khan (capt), Salman Butt, Khalid Latif, Mohammad Yousuf, Umer Akmal, Kamran Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamir
New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (capt), Brendon McCullum, Aaron Redmond, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Jacob Oram, Nathan McCullum, Tim Southee, Shane Bond, Ian Butler

Karzai declared winner of Afghan election

KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai was declared winner of the country's second election Monday by the country's electoral commission after it decided to scrap a planned run-off ballot.

"We declare that Mr Hamid Karzai, who won the majority of votes in the first round, and is the only candidate in the second round, is the elected president of Afghanistan," Independent Election Commission chairman Azizullah Ludin said.

The move comes one day after Karzai's only challenger, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, announced that he would not participate in the November 7 poll for fear of a repeat of widespread fraud which marred the first round in August.

Ludin said the move had been made in line with the provisions of the Afghan electoral law and constitution and "consistent with the high interest of the Afghan people".

The IEC chief said that the commission was also taking its decision in order to save money, citing "the huge expense that the election requires" and for security reasons.

The decision will "prevent uncertainty which creates a lot of challenges to stability and security in the country," he said.

Although it had initially said that the ballot would take place next Saturday, arguing that Abdullah had missed the deadline for withdrawal, the IEC had been under heavy international pressure to scrap the contest.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon flew into Kabul on Monday to hold talks with both Karzai and Abdullah.

Shortly before the IEC's announcement, Ban told a press conference that the UN would support and respect any decision from the commission.

Cold front holds China as Beijing welcomes first snow this year

BEIJING: Biting cold and strong wind gripped Chinese provinces on Sunday as Beijing embraced its first snowfall this winter.

National Meteorological Centre issued an orange alert against cold front Sunday morning, forecasting strong winds and temperature plummet in north, central and east China.

A temperature drop of as many as 14 degrees Celsius is expected in some parts in the north and east.

In the eastern Shandong Province, passenger-shipping service between Yantai to Dalian cities were suspended on Sunday due to cold front and strong winds.

The northern Tianjin Municipality embraced its first snow this year. As of 12:00 a.m., the maximum snow depth measured 9.3 millimetres.

Jilin Province in the northeast, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the north, Shanghai and Jiangsu Province in the east also reported drastic drop of temperature.

In Beijing, a snow, which started in the wee hours and got heavier in the morning, covered most of the city proper, capping roofs and lawn in every neighbourhood.

Beijing Weather Modification Office said they had used artificial means to increase the snow to ease the lingering drought.