Suicide Squad continues to rule box office, Ben-Hur bombs

LOS ANGELES: "Suicide Squad" held on for a third straight week as the top money-maker at North American box offices, easily brushing off the competition, industry estimates showed Sunday. "Ben-Hur," meanwhile, bombed on its debut.

"Suicide Squad" hasn´t been a favorite with critics, but moviegoers plunked down $20.7 million over the weekend to see Will Smith, Jared Leto and Margot Robbie play a band of criminals hired to carry out secret missions.

Since it opened three weeks ago, the movie has earned $262.3 million.

Trailing at number two for a second week was "Sausage Party," the raunchy animated comedy with Seth Rogan as the leading voice. It made $15.3 million, down from last week´s $34.3 million take.

"War Dogs," a new release with Jonah Hill and Miles Teller, opened in third place with $14.3 million in ticket sales its first weekend out.

A comedy-drama about two arms dealers in over their heads supplying weapons to US forces in Iraq, its blend of light entertainment and serious subject matter got mixed reviews.

"Kubo and the Two Strings" landed in fourth place on its first weekend out, pulling in $12.6 million.

Praised as visually stunning, the 3-D stop motion adventure fantasy set in ancient Japan is about a one-eyed boy on a quest who must battle the gods with a magical instrument.

The remake of "Ben-Hur," meanwhile, went down in flames its debut weekend in North American theaters, earning only $11.4 million and coming in fifth place.

The $100 million epic with Jack Huston as the chariot racing Jewish nobleman Judah Ben-Hur "derailed spectacularly" because it was apparently unable to get beyond its core Christian audience, Variety said.

Rounding out the top ten films of the weekend are:

-- "Pete´s Dragon" ($11.3 million)

-- "Bad Moms" ($8.1 million)

-- "Jason Bourne" ($8 million)

-- "The Secret Life of Pets" ($5.8 million)

-- "Florence Foster Jenkins" ($4.3 million)

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Suicide Squad continues to rule box office, Ben-Hur bombs

LOS ANGELES: "Suicide Squad" held on for a third straight week as the top money-maker at North American box offices, easily brushing off the competition, industry estimates showed Sunday. "Ben-Hur," meanwhile, bombed on its debut.

"Suicide Squad" hasn´t been a favorite with critics, but moviegoers plunked down $20.7 million over the weekend to see Will Smith, Jared Leto and Margot Robbie play a band of criminals hired to carry out secret missions.

Since it opened three weeks ago, the movie has earned $262.3 million.

Trailing at number two for a second week was "Sausage Party," the raunchy animated comedy with Seth Rogan as the leading voice. It made $15.3 million, down from last week´s $34.3 million take.

"War Dogs," a new release with Jonah Hill and Miles Teller, opened in third place with $14.3 million in ticket sales its first weekend out.

A comedy-drama about two arms dealers in over their heads supplying weapons to US forces in Iraq, its blend of light entertainment and serious subject matter got mixed reviews.

"Kubo and the Two Strings" landed in fourth place on its first weekend out, pulling in $12.6 million.

Praised as visually stunning, the 3-D stop motion adventure fantasy set in ancient Japan is about a one-eyed boy on a quest who must battle the gods with a magical instrument.

The remake of "Ben-Hur," meanwhile, went down in flames its debut weekend in North American theaters, earning only $11.4 million and coming in fifth place.

The $100 million epic with Jack Huston as the chariot racing Jewish nobleman Judah Ben-Hur "derailed spectacularly" because it was apparently unable to get beyond its core Christian audience, Variety said.

Rounding out the top ten films of the weekend are:

-- "Pete´s Dragon" ($11.3 million)

-- "Bad Moms" ($8.1 million)

-- "Jason Bourne" ($8 million)

-- "The Secret Life of Pets" ($5.8 million)

-- "Florence Foster Jenkins" ($4.3 million)

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Another patient diagnosed with Congo virus

KARACHI: A 32-year-old resident of Quetta who was recently shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre has been diagnosed with the Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever or Congo virus.

Deputy Director JPMC, Dr. Javaid Jamali confirmed that a patient who had recently been shifted from a private hospital has tested positive for the Congo virus.

Dr. Jamali added the patient is in critical condition and doctors are trying their level best to save him but added that the patient has been throwing up and excreting blood.

Congo virus is a widespread viral disease that is commonly spread by ticks found on hairy animals.

With Eid-ul-Azha almost upon us, health experts are advising citizens to take special preventive measures to avoid contracting the virus.

Additionally experts advised that people visiting the cattle markets should use approved chemicals intended to kill ticks on clothing, use approved repellent on the skin and clothing, regularly examine clothing and skin for ticks if found remove them and avoid areas where ticks are abundant and seasons when they are most active.

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Umar Gul raring to have a go at England

SOUTHAMTON, England: They say a fast bowler becomes useless once his knees go bad. But Umar Gul doesn’t buy it.

The seasoned Pakistan pacer, who has recovered from a serious knee injury, returned to the national line-up after almost 17 months last Thursday with an impressive haul of 3-23 in a 255-run One-day International triumph against Ireland at Malahide cricket ground.

Now the 32-year-old is raring to have a go against England in a five-mach ODI series which rolls into action in Southampton on Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s a tough series because England are a very strong team but I’m confident and am looking forward to leading the attack from the front as the team’s senior bowler,” Gul told ‘The News’ on Sunday.

Gul is almost certain to be a part of Pakistan’s pace battery with Mohammad Amir in the one-day series against England as skipper Azhar Ali sees him as one of his trump cards in English conditions.

It’s a huge turnaround for Gul, whom many rejected as spent force after a career-threatening injury ruled him out of action back in 2013.

Once Pakistan’s chief wicket-taker in all three formats, Gul struggled to find selectors’ attention. He did make a couple of comebacks after successfully undergoing knee surgery in Australia back in 2013 but was discarded because of indifferent form.

However, the script has changed for Gul who used his hiatus from international cricket to regain his fitness, form and rhythm.

“Failing to find a place in the national team, I was free in Pakistan. I knew that Pakistan were going on what is a long tour of England and felt that I might finally get a chance.

“I worked hard to keep myself prepared so that I was fit and in rhythm whenever the call-up came. I played in the Ramzan Cup in Karachi because no matter how much training you do, you have to play matches. I bowled with good rhythm and that gave me confidence that I will do well whenever I get a chance to play for Pakistan again.”

Gul’s chance came when the national selectors picked him ahead of another injury-prone pacer â€" Mohammad Irfan â€" for the one-day matches against Ireland and England.

Despite the fact that he has played 127 ODI and has taken 167 wickets, Gul admitted that he was under pressure in his comeback game against Ireland.

“Yes, there was pressure. I was coming back after more than 15 months and as a senior bowler there were lot of expectations,” said Gul, whose last international game before his outing at Malahide was an ODI against Bangladesh in April last year in Dhaka. He was axed again after failing to impress, finishing with figures of 0-53.

“But I was also confident and it helped as I bowled with good rhythm and played my part in the team’s win.”

Gul is now hoping to give his best against England.

“The way I bowled in the last match has added to my confidence and I am looking forward to giving my best against England,” he said.

“The team’s morale is high as we got a big boost after beating Ireland with such a big margin. If we play with the same zeal, I’m sure that we can achieve good results against England.”

Gul is buoyed by the fact that in the past he almost always managed to extract good assistance from English pitches and conditions.

“I have bowled well in England in the past. Now as the senior I hope to take along the junior pacers and together we will hopefully play a big role in England.”

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Samia Shahid murder case: Father, first husband sent to jail on 14-day remand

JHELUM: Court on Monday sent prime suspect Chaudhry Shakeel, Samia Shahid?s first husband, and father Mohammad Shahid to jail for 14 days on judicial remand.

Police told the court earlier today that their work of evidence collection had been completed and sought to have Chaudhry Shakeel and Mohammad Shahid sent on judicial remand.

The court instructed police to present an interim challan for both the suspects in the next hearing.

The case hearing was adjourned to September 5.

Earlier this month, Samia Shahid?s first husband had confessed to strangulating her to death, police sources had confirmed.

?I strangled Samia to death using a dupatta,? Chaudhry Shakeel had said in a statement recorded with the police, according to sources.

Samia, originally from Bradford, had gone to visit her father in a village called ?Poteh? near Dina on July 14. Her family, who are also British nationals, were in Pakistan following a bereavement within the family.

She was found dead on July 20 in mysterious circumstances.

Samia Shahid?s family insisted she died of a heart attack. Later they changed their statement to claim that she had committed suicide.

Samia Shahid?s husband Syed Mukhtar Kazam however maintained that she was the victim of so-called ?honour killing? because she had rebelled against wishes of the family, divorced her first husband Shakeel and married him in Bradford in 2014.

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England?s Wood will trouble Pakistan, warns Collingwood

BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan´s batsmen can expect Mark Wood to cause a "lot of problems with the white ball" when they face the England fast bowler during the upcoming one-day international series.

The warning has come from Paul Collingwood, Wood´s captain at north-east county Durham.

Wood, 26, has been troubled by persistent ankle injuries and hasn´t played for England since a Test match against Pakistan in Dubai last October.

However, he has been included in England´s squad for a five-match ODI series against Pakistan starting in Southampton on Wednesday.

Wood showed just how good a bowler he can be with a brilliant spell of four for 25 in his maximum four overs during Durham´s seven-run Twenty20 Blast semi-final win over Yorkshire at Edgbaston on Saturday.

Wood took two wickets for no runs in three balls to dismiss current England batsmen Jonny Bairstow and Gary Ballance before accounting for Liam Plunkett and Tim Bresnan.

He bowled Bairstow (three) with a near yorker-length delivery and dismissed Ballance for a duck when the left-hander´s glance was brilliantly caught at leg gully by diving former England all-rounder Collingwood.

Meanwhile Wood, who topped speeds of 90mph and moved the ball in the air and off the seam, made life so difficult for Joe Root, one of the world´s best batsmen, that the England star said: "He made me look as if I was batting with my hands and feet on backwards."

Wood was unable to repeat his heroics in the final, taking one for 25 as Durham -- who managed a modest total of 153 for eight -- suffered a four-wicket defeat by Northamptonshire.

But former England all-rounder Collingwood was in no doubt of Wood´s Twenty20 quality.

 

'Pure pace'

"He´s ideal for this form of the game because he knows he´s only got four overs to bowl and he´s going to try to bowl every single one at full tilt," Collingwood told reporters after the final.

"He´s not worried about second or third spells. He´s a genuine wicket-taker and in the current game of T20 cricket, where guys give themselves a base and want to hit out, it certainly gives you another thing to think about when you can get hit on the head at real pace.

"That´s why he takes his wickets. He got good quality international batsmen out today (Saturday) with pure pace. He´s a great man to have in a T20 side."

And Collingwood was confident Ashes-winner Wood´s fitness would hold up in the longer 50 overs per side ODI format, where bowlers are permitted a maximum of 10 overs each.

"Certainly in white ball (limited overs), he´s ready because, as I said he doesn´t have to come back for second and third spells," Collingwood added.

"He bowled 20-odd overs against Middlesex last week in a four-day (first-class, County Championship) game and obviously his body is still getting used to those sort of spells, but he is going to cause a lot of problems with the white ball, that´s for sure."

Saturday´s final saw Wood strike with his first ball to dismiss Adam Rossington, but he could no nothing as man-of-the-match Josh Cobb (80) and Northamptonshire captain Alex Wakely (43) took care to see him off in a key partnership of 120.

"He´s quick," said Wakely. "He bowled some quick balls out there -- he´s going to get back in that England team before long.

"We said ´it doesn´t matter if (his overs) goes for two or three (runs), just get through it and we can capitalise on the other bowlers."

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England?s Wood will trouble Pakistan, warns Collingwood

BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan´s batsmen can expect Mark Wood to cause a "lot of problems with the white ball" when they face the England fast bowler during the upcoming one-day international series.

The warning has come from Paul Collingwood, Wood´s captain at north-east county Durham.

Wood, 26, has been troubled by persistent ankle injuries and hasn´t played for England since a Test match against Pakistan in Dubai last October.

However, he has been included in England´s squad for a five-match ODI series against Pakistan starting in Southampton on Wednesday.

Wood showed just how good a bowler he can be with a brilliant spell of four for 25 in his maximum four overs during Durham´s seven-run Twenty20 Blast semi-final win over Yorkshire at Edgbaston on Saturday.

Wood took two wickets for no runs in three balls to dismiss current England batsmen Jonny Bairstow and Gary Ballance before accounting for Liam Plunkett and Tim Bresnan.

He bowled Bairstow (three) with a near yorker-length delivery and dismissed Ballance for a duck when the left-hander´s glance was brilliantly caught at leg gully by diving former England all-rounder Collingwood.

Meanwhile Wood, who topped speeds of 90mph and moved the ball in the air and off the seam, made life so difficult for Joe Root, one of the world´s best batsmen, that the England star said: "He made me look as if I was batting with my hands and feet on backwards."

Wood was unable to repeat his heroics in the final, taking one for 25 as Durham -- who managed a modest total of 153 for eight -- suffered a four-wicket defeat by Northamptonshire.

But former England all-rounder Collingwood was in no doubt of Wood´s Twenty20 quality.

 

'Pure pace'

"He´s ideal for this form of the game because he knows he´s only got four overs to bowl and he´s going to try to bowl every single one at full tilt," Collingwood told reporters after the final.

"He´s not worried about second or third spells. He´s a genuine wicket-taker and in the current game of T20 cricket, where guys give themselves a base and want to hit out, it certainly gives you another thing to think about when you can get hit on the head at real pace.

"That´s why he takes his wickets. He got good quality international batsmen out today (Saturday) with pure pace. He´s a great man to have in a T20 side."

And Collingwood was confident Ashes-winner Wood´s fitness would hold up in the longer 50 overs per side ODI format, where bowlers are permitted a maximum of 10 overs each.

"Certainly in white ball (limited overs), he´s ready because, as I said he doesn´t have to come back for second and third spells," Collingwood added.

"He bowled 20-odd overs against Middlesex last week in a four-day (first-class, County Championship) game and obviously his body is still getting used to those sort of spells, but he is going to cause a lot of problems with the white ball, that´s for sure."

Saturday´s final saw Wood strike with his first ball to dismiss Adam Rossington, but he could no nothing as man-of-the-match Josh Cobb (80) and Northamptonshire captain Alex Wakely (43) took care to see him off in a key partnership of 120.

"He´s quick," said Wakely. "He bowled some quick balls out there -- he´s going to get back in that England team before long.

"We said ´it doesn´t matter if (his overs) goes for two or three (runs), just get through it and we can capitalise on the other bowlers."

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