Jan 31, 2024
A Pakistani court has sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife to 14 years in prison for corruption, a day after another special court convicted Khan for leaking state secrets and gave him a 10-year prison sentence
ISLAMABAD (AP) — A Pakistani court on Wednesday sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife to 14 years in prison for corruption, prison officials said, a day after another special court convicted Khan for leaking state secrets and gave him a 10-year prison sentence.
Khan and his wife are accused of retaining and selling state gifts when the former premier was in power.
The court also disqualified Khan for years from holding any public office ahead of Feb. 8 parliamentary elections.
The latest development came three weeks after Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were indicted on graft charges for retaining state gifts including jewelry and watches from Saudi Arabia’s government, authorities said.
The court order was another blow to Khan. He and Bibi had pleaded not guilty when the charges were read out at a court at the prison in the garrison city of Rawalpindi earlier this month.
Khan briefly attended the court hearing when the judge announced the verdict.
Stan Wawrinka ended his 24-year professional tennis career following a first-round defeat at the Basel Open.
Thomas van Tonder completed a world-first crossing beneath Bloukrans Bridge, traversing 600 suspended monkey bars over 280 metres in 47 minutes and 37 sec.
Para-athlete Neeraj Yadav has reportedly died by suicide after consuming poison.
Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan highlighted issues with bureaucratic efficiency at a recent performance review meeting. He presented a list of problematic behaviors affecting government productivity using cartoons. Somanathan emphasized the necessity of timely decision-making and better communication between ministries. Another topic addressed was the improper usage of ration cards by railway employees.
Delhi's latest initiative introduces an online liquor booking app, letting users select their favorite brands and make payments seamlessly. To streamline the process, residents have 48 hours to pick up their orders from one of the 208 designated shops. While home delivery isn’t an option, the app aims to eliminate long queues and enhance transparency.
By 2026, approximately 18,300 Agniveers will finish their service in the armed forces, marking a pivotal transition. To ease their shift into civilian life, numerous states have initiated job quotas specifically for ex-Agniveers across different uniformed services and police departments. These initiatives stem from the Agnipath scheme launched in June 2022, which focuses on enlisting younger individuals in military roles.
The Indian government has clarified that brokerage paid by overseas clients may qualify as an export service. This could help foreign investors avoid the 18% goods and services tax on brokerage fees. Analysts suggest this clarification is sentimentally positive amid significant foreign outflows from Indian stocks. There is ongoing speculation regarding potential cuts in capital gains tax ahead of the federal budget.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has hit back at criticism of India's mobile phone manufacturing strategy with a blunt “Cope harder” remark. Citing figures from the government's Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, he said the government paid Rs 19,000 crore in incentives and collected Rs 25,000 crore in direct taxes, alongside Rs 3 lakh crore in GST. His response followed a Bloomberg Opinion video questioning India's iPhone manufacturing model, its dependence on imported components and the cost of government subsidies.