Trump lashes out at ?crooked media?

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump, clearly angered by news reports that he has grown depressed and sullen over his fading presidential prospects, has issued some of his sharpest attacks on the media.

"I am not running against Crooked Hillary Clinton," the Republican presidential candidate said in a speech late Saturday in Fairfield, Connecticut. "I?m running against the crooked media."

Trump seemed particularly upset with a New York Times article that quotes unnamed associates of his as saying that in private "his mood is often sullen and erratic." Republicans close to his campaign were quoted as saying he was "exhausted, frustrated and still bewildered" by the political process.

The real estate tycoon returned to his message on Sunday, tweeting: "My rallies are not covered properly by the media. They never discuss the real message and never show crowd size or enthusiasm."

Trump has complained for months about media coverage. He has stripped a long list of news organisations -- including the New York Times, Buzzfeed, Politico and the Washington Post -- of their credentials, and vowed that as president he would make it easier to sue news outlets.

But media monitors say he has received more extensive coverage than any candidate in years.

Paul Manafort, the Trump campaign chairman, also pushed back against the media during an appearance Sunday on CNN.

"Contrary to the New York Times?s nameless sources story, the campaign is moving forward and very strong," he said. "We raised over $132 million in the last two months."

He noted that Trump had visited key battleground states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida repeatedly and was "starting to get traction in those states."

However, recent polls have shown Trump?s numbers sagging badly in those battleground states, notably hurt by his critical comments about the Muslim parents of a fallen US soldier, and what some saw as his suggestion that "Second Amendment groups" -- gun lovers -- take their dislike for Clinton into their own hands.

Manafort repeated the Trump claim that his Second Amendment remark was meant purely as an exhortation to vote.

But even one of Trump?s top advisers, Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, conceded Sunday that the candidate needed to communicate "more effectively."

"He?s got to wrestle in his own heart, how does he communicate who he is, what he believes, the change he thinks he can bring to America," he said on ABC.

"He does need to communicate -- and I think he can -- more effectively."

The CNN interviewer also asked Manafort about mounting pressure on Trump to release his tax returns after Clinton released hers on Friday.

The channel broadcast video of Trump urging Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate in 2012, to release his returns at the time, saying, "If you didn?t see the tax returns, you would think there is almost, like, something wrong."

Manafort repeated Trump?s explanation that he is under audit by the Internal Revenue Service.

"When that?s completed, he?ll release the returns," Manafort said, adding that Clinton?s returns showed income coming from "people who benefited from her State Department term as well," referring to her time as secretary of State.

"I haven?t seen stories on that yet."

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?Homeless? Pakistan deserve to be No 1, says Misbah

LONDON: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said his side will deserve to be the world’s top-ranked Test team after they came from behind to draw a four-match series 2-2 in England.

Their 10-wicket thrashing of the hosts in the fourth and final Test at The Oval on Sunday gave Pakistan, currently third in the standings, a chance of climbing to the top of the table.

But for that to happen later this month they need Sri Lanka to win 2-0 or 3-0 at home to Australia, coupled with a 2-0 or 2-1 series win for India away to the West Indies.

Pakistan’s achievement is all the more impressive as they have not played a Test series on home soil since an armed attack on Sri Lanka’s team bus in Lahore in 2009 turned the country into a no-go area for the world’s leading Test nations.

The United Arab Emirates has since become their adopted base.

But for all their success in conditions similar to those on home soil, Pakistan often find themselves facing in the dispiriting position of playing before meagre crowds rather than in front of their own passionate supporters.

"This team deserves that (going to number one) for six years of no cricket at home, sometimes people think it’s easy â€" the UAE suits us, we win â€" but just getting every day away from the country, without family and friends and all games out of Pakistan, it’s really difficult," Misbah told reporters at The Oval on Sunday after Pakistan won with more than a day to spare.

"It’s mentally tough -- I’ve only seen my mother and sister once in a year, some friends I haven’t seen for three or four years.

"It’s not easy, given those circumstances but the team is playing competitive cricket.

"I am really proud of them and this team really deserves to be number one."

Pakistan’s success at The Oval â€" which was achieved on the 69th anniversary of the country’s foundation as an independent state â€" was built on a brilliant 218 by Younis Khan, a hundred from Asad Shafiq and five second-innings wickets for leg-spinner Yasir Shah.

It was an especially impressive result given that after their 75-run win in the first Test at Lord’s -- where 42-year-old skipper Misbah made a hundred -- Pakistan had suffered heavy defeats, by 330 and 141 runs, at Old Trafford and Edgbaston respectively.

But Misbah was even happier with his side’ conduct on their first tour of England since a controversial trip in 2010 saw often strained Anglo-Pakistani cricket relations sink to an all-time low.

‘Win people’

That tour featured the infamous ‘spot-fixing’ Test at Lord’s where then captain Salman Butt, pace bowler Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif were all given five-year bans and jail terms for deliberately bowling no-balls.

This year’s series saw Amir make his Test return at Lord’s and he had to deal with the odd crowd shout of "no-ball".

But there were no on-field flare-ups between Misbah’s men and an England side led by Alastair Cook.

"Cricket matches are won and lost but to win audience, people, supporters -- that’s important," said Misbah, who took over as captain six years ago soon after the spot-fixing scandal.

"This series has been (played) in good spirits, both teams fought well.

"There were no off field issues -- we are happy to conclude on a pleasing note, 2-2, everyone enjoyed it, we made friends on and off the field."

Cook added: "It’s been a great series to be part of, two good teams playing good cricket and for once with Pakistan and England we’ve just talked about the cricket."

Amir took 12 wickets in the series at an expensive average of 42 but his figures would have been far better had Pakistan held all the chances the left-arm quick created.

"He did OK -- he was unlucky also, a lot of catches (five) were dropped off his bowling," said Misbah.

"But overall his behaviour and attitude and committment... that helped the Pakistan team."

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?Homeless? Pakistan deserve to be No 1, says Misbah

LONDON: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said his side will deserve to be the world?s top-ranked Test team after they came from behind to draw a four-match series 2-2 in England.

Their 10-wicket thrashing of the hosts in the fourth and final Test at The Oval on Sunday gave Pakistan, currently third in the standings, a chance of climbing to the top of the table.

But for that to happen later this month they need Sri Lanka to win 2-0 or 3-0 at home to Australia, coupled with a 2-0 or 2-1 series win for India away to the West Indies.

Pakistan?s achievement is all the more impressive as they have not played a Test series on home soil since an armed attack on Sri Lanka?s team bus in Lahore in 2009 turned the country into a no-go area for the world?s leading Test nations.

The United Arab Emirates has since become their adopted base.

But for all their success in conditions similar to those on home soil, Pakistan often find themselves facing in the dispiriting position of playing before meagre crowds rather than in front of their own passionate supporters.

"This team deserves that (going to number one) for six years of no cricket at home, sometimes people think it?s easy ? the UAE suits us, we win ? but just getting every day away from the country, without family and friends and all games out of Pakistan, it?s really difficult," Misbah told reporters at The Oval on Sunday after Pakistan won with more than a day to spare.

"It?s mentally tough -- I?ve only seen my mother and sister once in a year, some friends I haven?t seen for three or four years.

"It?s not easy, given those circumstances but the team is playing competitive cricket.

"I am really proud of them and this team really deserves to be number one."

Pakistan?s success at The Oval ? which was achieved on the 69th anniversary of the country?s foundation as an independent state ? was built on a brilliant 218 by Younis Khan, a hundred from Asad Shafiq and five second-innings wickets for leg-spinner Yasir Shah.

It was an especially impressive result given that after their 75-run win in the first Test at Lord?s -- where 42-year-old skipper Misbah made a hundred -- Pakistan had suffered heavy defeats, by 330 and 141 runs, at Old Trafford and Edgbaston respectively.

But Misbah was even happier with his side? conduct on their first tour of England since a controversial trip in 2010 saw often strained Anglo-Pakistani cricket relations sink to an all-time low.

?Win people?

That tour featured the infamous ?spot-fixing? Test at Lord?s where then captain Salman Butt, pace bowler Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif were all given five-year bans and jail terms for deliberately bowling no-balls.

This year?s series saw Amir make his Test return at Lord?s and he had to deal with the odd crowd shout of "no-ball".

But there were no on-field flare-ups between Misbah?s men and an England side led by Alastair Cook.

"Cricket matches are won and lost but to win audience, people, supporters -- that?s important," said Misbah, who took over as captain six years ago soon after the spot-fixing scandal.

"This series has been (played) in good spirits, both teams fought well.

"There were no off field issues -- we are happy to conclude on a pleasing note, 2-2, everyone enjoyed it, we made friends on and off the field."

Cook added: "It?s been a great series to be part of, two good teams playing good cricket and for once with Pakistan and England we?ve just talked about the cricket."

Amir took 12 wickets in the series at an expensive average of 42 but his figures would have been far better had Pakistan held all the chances the left-arm quick created.

"He did OK -- he was unlucky also, a lot of catches (five) were dropped off his bowling," said Misbah.

"But overall his behaviour and attitude and committment... that helped the Pakistan team."

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Passenger van falls in ravine in AJK, 22 killed

MUZAFFARABAD: A passenger van fell into ravine on Sunday in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s tehsil Pulandari, killing 22 wedding guests.

According to details, the accident occurred near Janjal Mor in which more than 20 passengers also got injured.

Police said that more than 50 people were onboard at the time of the accident.

The injured and bodies were shifted to nearby local hospital.

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Timely intervention saves Pak players from sting operation

LONDON: Pakistani cricket was saved from a potentially embarrassing situation by the timely intervention of some senior PCB officials after gathering reports that a sting operation on players may be set up by some rogue elements posing themselves as “community workers raising charitable funds”.

Senior officials within the PCB have confirmed that the PCB management on tour broke rules of the game by allowing Pakistani players to mix with anyone they wished during their current tour of England.

The situation became so bad that reports of indiscipline and mismanagement reached Pakistan and sources told the PCB management in Pakistan that there were genuine fears that Pakistani players could be trapped in another big scandal.

The insider said that Najam Sethi, chairman PCB Executive Committee, immediately flew to London a few days ago after chairman Sheharyar Khan returned to Lahore, and Sethi talked firmly with Intikhab Alam and other PCB officials and told them about the severity of the matter.

Sethi made it clear to the PCB officials that they will be held responsible if anything went wrong.

Sources have confirmed that during the Manchester Test the PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan learnt how some players were missing from their rooms after curfew hours and some didn’t answer their calls but no action was taken and a very easy approach was adopted.

Chairman also allowed players’ families to extend their stay with the players, an unprecedented step.

Manager Intikhab Alam allowed the players to attend at least three dinners where “some” players were paid “fees” for their attendance. Footage of the players attending these parties was aired on many televisions and according to the PCB’s own rules the players should have been in their rooms at that time.

Geo News understands that one of the dinners in Manchester was attended by an individual who has been linked with bookies in the past and who remains under the scanner of the officials in Britain.

One of the dinner events held in London â€" to purportedly raise charity funds - had links with a British Pakistani who has been linked with Bob Woolmer’s death as he was present in the hotel when the former player and coach was found dead.

The said individual, who owns two night clubs in London, fled the country and refused to answer questions of the Bob Woolmer’s death inquest. He is known to have good ties with at least two senior officials linked with the PCB.

Pakistani players at these events were seen mixing with dozens of people and there was no security of the PCB around and no vetting was carried out as to who was organising the event and what were the ultimate aims.

Manager Intikhab Alam, when contacted, said that players are allowed to attend events when they are not playing but Geo News understands that many of these players attended these events in the middle of the matches which was a violation of the discipline.

An insider told Geo News that coach Mushtaq Ahmed brought his family to the hotel where the players were staying and asked one of the players to vacate his room and share occupancy with another player so that his family could use his room.

The PCB management on the tour saw this and took no action even though this was against the rules.

Some players were seen coming late to their rooms after meeting individuals about whom the PCB management had no idea.

A PCB internal inquiry found that Shahid Afridi Foundation sold tickets and raised thousands of Pounds â€" promising meet and greet with the test squad led by Misbah - with full knowledge of the PCB management who didn’t bother to ask questions about the people who were involved in organising the fundraiser and the very basic fact that the fundraiser was happening in the middle of the highly important Oval Test â€" which Pakistan has now won.

A spokesman for Shahid Afridi Foundation said that it printed pictures â€" and raised thousands of Pounds â€" in the name of current team players after the PCB agreed to it and didn’t raise any objection despite knowing that the fundraiser was going to happen in the middle of the Oval test (Saturday night, August 13).

When the PCB finally took action and banned players from attending Afridi’s dinner it became a mini-scandal but sources said that there were reports that some people linked with the dinner had their “ulterior motives in hijacking the presence of Pakistani players to their ends”.

A PCB spokesman said that lessons have been learnt and it will be ensured that the players are allowed to attend events which are vetted. The spokesman said that players during the matches will not be allowed to entertain anyone in any manner.

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Star Wars actor behind R2-D2 robot dies aged 81

LONDON: British Star Wars actor Kenny Baker, who played the robot R2-D2 in six of the films, has died aged 81, Baker´s niece told the BBC on Saturday.

Baker, who was three feet, eight inches tall, had suffered from a long illness, his relative said.

In addition to the first Star Wars film in 1977, he also appeared in Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi and three prequel editions.

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Star Wars actor behind R2-D2 robot dies aged 81

LONDON: British Star Wars actor Kenny Baker, who played the robot R2-D2 in six of the films, has died aged 81, Baker´s niece told the BBC on Saturday.

Baker, who was three feet, eight inches tall, had suffered from a long illness, his relative said.

In addition to the first Star Wars film in 1977, he also appeared in Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi and three prequel editions.

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