Author: newsdesk

  • Arslan Ash once again takes Tekken trophy at EVO Japan 2023

    Arslan Ash once again takes Tekken trophy at EVO Japan 2023

    Pakistan gamer Arslan “Ash” Siddique has won the Tekken 7 competition at EVO Japan 2023 on Sunday after beating South Korea’s Meo-IL.

    The Lahore-based player has now won three EVO titles. In 2019, he won the Tekken 7 tournament in Japan as well as the Evolution Championship Series in the United States.

    In August last year, he finished third in the EVO 2022 Tekken 7 competition.

    On Sunday, Siddique played as Zafina to dominate Meo-IL, who was using Geese Howard, 3-0 in the tournament’s final leg.

    Arslan Ash is a well known taken 7 player. He represents Pakistan at different platforms of E- gaming.

    His third trophy win at EVO Japan 2023 for Tekken 7, is now in direct competition for Knee’s record. Jae-Min “Knee” Bae holds the record for three EVO wins. He won his first back in 2013 at the Tekken Tag Tournament 2 event and subsequently, 2 more at EVO 2018 and 2022.

    Previously, Pakistan’s Arslan Ash won EVO Japan 2019 and the EVO Championship series. He went toe-to-toe against Rangchu for the upper bracket finals and Meo-IL in the Grand Finals. He mained Zafina, showcasing some flashy moves.

    This was the last time we’ll see Tekken 7 at an EVO event. Bandai Namco is planning full steam ahead for a Tekken 8 release. We don’t know when we’ll get our hands on those juicy Heat Smashes, Heat Bursts, and new juggle combos. But we’re eagerly waiting.

    Ash thanked his sponsors, fans, and the growing Pakistani Tekken Community for achieving this milestone in his eSports career. We might get to see him at EVO Las Vegas, adding another trophy to his name.

  • ‘Cringe’: Twitter slams Varun Dhawan’s defence for kissing Gigi Hadid at Ambani event

    ‘Cringe’: Twitter slams Varun Dhawan’s defence for kissing Gigi Hadid at Ambani event

    Events hosted by the Ambanis are among the most anticipated nights in Bollywood. Indian film royalty as well as international stars arrive dressed to the nines to provide a spectacular night filled with entertainment.

    However, as much as we plebeians can gape at this show of money, there was a moment that did not sit well with twitter users. A viral clip showed a performance by Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan pulling Hollywood model Gigi Hadid on stage and spinning her around before kissing her cheek.

    The performance was planned, as Hadid posted a clip on her Instagram stories, with the caption saying: “Thank you Varun Dhawan for making my Bollywood dream come true.”

    But Dhawan drew backlash on social media because of his response to a twitter user and defending his behavior by trolling critics for being ‘woke’.

    The reply irked users, leading to many pointing out that even though the dance was planned, kissing Hadid was crossing boundaries.

    https://twitter.com/nfrckwl/status/1642464267009130497?s=20

    Twitter users pointed out that this was not the first time Dhawan had crossed boundaries, as they shared old clips of him crossing boundaries with other Bollywood actresses.

  • Nawaz to visit Saudi as royal guest

    Nawaz to visit Saudi as royal guest

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif will perform Umrah in the last days of Ramzan on the invitation of the royal family.

    Nawaz is set to visit the Kingdom on the invitation of the Saudi ruler, with the former Prime Minister being a royal guest in the country.

    The news of Sharif’s planned visit to Saudi Arabia has led to speculation that he may use the opportunity to return to Pakistan. However, there has been no official confirmation from Sharif or his party about his plans to return.

    The PML-N supremo was granted an eight-week bail on medical grounds in October 2019, and, he was allowed to travel to London for treatment for four weeks. However, Nawaz has not returned since then.

  • Najam Sethi denies talks with ICC about Pakistan’s World Cup matches

    Najam Sethi denies talks with ICC about Pakistan’s World Cup matches

    Najam Sethi has denied speaking to International Cricket Council (ICC) about playing World Cup 2023 matches in Bangladesh. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has clarified that the ‘hybrid model’ was strictly pertaining to the Asia Cup since India will not travel to Pakistan.

    “Referring to the media talk in Rawalpindi/Islamabad on Thursday, Mr. Najam Sethi said he had briefed the media on the hybrid model he had presented to the Asian Cricket Council officials for the ACC Asia Cup to end the impasse that had been created following the BCCI’s decision to not send its team to Pakistan.

    “This proposal – to play India’s matches at a neutral venue and the rest in Pakistan – is under discussions within the ACC,” a PCB media release stated.

    Sethi said that he was misquoted by a section of the media.

    “At no stage during Thursday’s media interaction, did I give any reference to the ICC or made any remarks on the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, which is scheduled in October. This matter has not been mooted or discussed at any ICC forum so far,” Sethi said in the press release.
    The PCB through media release gave a rejoinder to one of its local English news agency.

    “In this background, the PCB is disappointed that a leading English language newspaper has misquoted, misinterpreted, and misrepresented Mr. Sethi’s comments and gave the impression that PCB’s hybrid model was presented and discussed at the ICC, which is factually incorrect.
    “At this stage, the PCB is only in discussions with the ACC over the hosting of the ACC Asia Cup and no discussions regarding the World Cup have taken place with the ICC.” However, to pacify the country’s media, PCB in its press release did mention that the concept of a ‘hybrid model’ could be discussed later but even the bigwigs know that any such recommendation will be rejected at the onset. “This is not to say that the hybrid model will not be advocated at the proper ICC forum at the right time,” it stated in the end.

    It must be mentioned that there is very little chance that Asian Cricket Council will pass the budget to allow Pakistan to play its Asia Cup matches at home instead of UAE or Qatar.
    The only possibility will be that PCB will have to bear the entire cost, including the logistics of the broadcasters in order to host matches in their country.

  • Pakistan’s inflation rate surges to an all-time high, reaching 38.9% in rural areas

    Pakistan’s inflation rate surges to an all-time high, reaching 38.9% in rural areas

    According to recent reports, the finance ministry’s expectations of high inflation were met due to market frictions caused by the relative demand and supply gap of essential items, exchange rate depreciation, and recent upward adjustment of administered prices of petrol and diesel. However, there was a monthly decline in the inflation rate, which dropped to 3.7 per cent in March compared to February.

    Despite this, the inflation situation has worsened significantly over the months, causing mass distress due to the high prices of almost every edible item. The core inflation rate, which excludes volatile energy and food prices, increased in March to 18.6 per cent in urban areas and 23.1 per cent in rural areas. Experts believe that Pakistan is now heading towards hyperinflation, where prices are out of control and expected to surge by 50 per cent.

    The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported that the inflation rate in rural areas reached 38.9 per cent, while it surged to 33 per cent in the cities. Food inflation rose sharply to 50.2 per cent in rural areas and increased to 47.1 per cent in urban areas last month. Supply chain disruptions and weak checks have led to a substantial rise in the food inflation rate.

    Unfortunately, both the federal and provincial governments are unable to provide steady essential food supplies, and the prices of most consumer goods remain out of reach for the people. This surge in prices coincides with a significant economic slowdown, and poverty and unemployment levels are rising.

    A majority of the surge in prices was seen in rural areas where income levels were already low. The food group prices rose by 47.15 per cent in March compared to the same month last year. Both perishable and non-perishable food items witnessed unprecedented increases in prices.

    The Wholesale Price Index (WPI), which monitors prices in the wholesale market, also rose sharply to 37.5 per cent in March compared to 23.8 per cent in the same month last year. The inflation rate has remained above 20 per cent since June after the coalition government curtailed imports.

    The overall inflation rate recorded an increase in both urban and rural areas, with urban areas surging to 33 per cent in March, while rural areas soared to 38.9 per cent over the same month last year. In March last year, the inflation rate in urban areas was 11.9 per cent, while in rural areas, it stood at 13.9 per cent.

    The non-food inflation rate increased to 24.1 per cent in urban areas and 28.5 per cent in rural areas compared to 10.4 per cent and 12.5 per cent in the same month last year. Prices of non-perishable food items surged by 46.44 per cent on an annualized basis, and the prices of perishable goods surged by 51.81 per cent year-on-year.

  • Proposed French bill will require influencers to disclose filters used on their pictures

    A new law proposed by the French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire will soon ban social media influencers from uploading photos without mentioning re-touches or filters they have added to them.

    The new law seeks to curtail cosmetic surgery, keeping in mind its ill effect on the mental health of teenagers. The law states that any new picture or video uploaded will also include the filters added to it in the caption or description, while all promotions of cosmetic surgery will be banned.

    Penalty for revoking this law could include up to two years in prison and $32,525 in fines, while the influencer responsible for breaking the law would also be banned from using social media or profiting from being an influencer.

    Speaking to a French website, Le Maire said that the law was not an attempt to restrict influencers. It was to create a system that protects them as well as consumers.

    This is not the first time France has taken strict measures to tackle the rise of inaccessible beauty standards. In 2017, the country passed a law requiring any commercial photo that has been re-touched to change the model’s body to be labeled as ‘photographie retouchée’ (retouched photograph).

  • PDM moot meets today to discuss future strategy for the government

    PDM moot meets today to discuss future strategy for the government

    Leaders of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) will meet today to discuss future strategy for the government.

    Chairing the meeting from via a video link, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif will discuss the “overall political situation of the country” while Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar will brief the members on legal issues, Radio Pakistan said.

    The current political situation, the upcoming elections in line with the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision, and the SC proceedings, as well as the role of the CJP and the top court, will all be under discussion.

    Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo, Nawaz Sharif, had spoken out against the decision to disqualify him as prime minister, stating that it hurt the future of the country.

    Speaking at a press conference in London on Friday evening, Nawaz said, “I appeal to my people, open your eyes. This is a cruel joke. In 2017, weren’t you happy? You had full stomachs, your families were content. After 2017, what was the situation?”

    Hitting out at the judiciary, Nawaz criticised incumbent Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and former CJP Saqib Nisar and said there was consensus “among all” that a full court should hear the elections case.

  • Jalsa attend karein Khan ka magar reply sirf Bilawal ko, Humza Yousaf ignores Imran after becoming Scotland’s leader

    Humza Yousaf has made history by becoming Scotland’s first Muslim First Minister.

    Yousaf has ignited considerable curiosity in Pakistan as to his roots and political inclinations.

    Digging deep, we found a very old tweet of Humza and it seems like he had been an admirer of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan. In 2012, the newly-elected Scotland leader attended Khan’s jalsa and met him.

    He wrote: “Great rally amazing energy at Imran Khan rally and very good meeting with him afterward.”

    Recently, when Imran congratulated Humza on being elected, Scotland’s First Minister ignored the tweet, however, he replied to current Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari instead.

    The minister wished him well saying, “Wishing you all the best for your term in Bute House and looking forward for strong partnership in the domains of trade, investment, culture and education.”

    In response, Humza mentioned that “Pakistan will always have a special place in his heart”.

    “Scotland’s relationship with Pakistan is a friendship that has blossomed through many generations, I look forward to it growing stronger, ” he added.

  • PM Shehbaz orders two free flour bags instead of one for citizens

    PM Shehbaz orders two free flour bags instead of one for citizens

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif paid a visit to a flour distribution centre in Islamabad on Friday to oversee the work.

    During the visit, the premier directed authorities to give priority to the distribution of flour bags to aged persons and women.

    He also decided to provide two flour bags instead of one so that the people do not need to visit the distribution centres frequently.

    He asked relevant authorities to chalk out a facilitatory mechanism for the person who can only present the photocopy of CNIC in case the original card is missing.

    Under the Ramzan package jointly initiated by the prime minister and the Punjab government, 20 million bags of free flour have been distributed among deserving citizens by the 10th day of the programme.

  • ‘Are all decisions and benches only for Imran Khan?’: Nawaz raises questions on judiciary

    ‘Are all decisions and benches only for Imran Khan?’: Nawaz raises questions on judiciary

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo, Nawaz Sharif, has spoken out against the decision to disqualify him as prime minister, stating that it hurt the future of the country.

    Speaking at a press conference in London on Friday evening, Nawaz said, “I appeal to my people, open your eyes. This is a cruel joke. In 2017, weren’t you happy? You had full stomachs, your families were content. After 2017, what was the situation?”

    Hitting out at the judiciary, Nawaz criticised incumbent Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and former-CJP Saqib Nisar and said there was consensus “among all” that a full court should hear the elections case.

    “Then why this zid [stubbornness]? Why the insistence that only three judges will be on the bench? This is a national issue, not the issue of one truck, cart or of vacating a plot. Why just these three judges?” he questioned.

    “All political parties have said this, the government wants this, bar associations want this, parliament has expressed its will and even passed its bill. It is now with the president… parliament is the country’s major institution, its sanctity should be respected,” he elaborated.

    Justice Bandial has been criticised for forming what critics have called a “like-minded bench” to hear major cases, ignoring senior judges, most notably Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

    “For one man, you [the judges] are giving decisions? Have you ever taken a suo motu on things said by Justice Shaukat Siddiqi? Or what ex-COAS Gen Bajwa said? Doesn’t this warrant a suo motu that Nawaz Sharif was treated unjustly,” Nawaz Sharif asked, who was disqualified for life by a Supreme Court bench.

    “Are all decisions and benches for Imran Khan?” questioned the former Prime Minister, adding “I also heard that the chief justice had tears in his eyes, if these are from fear of God then that is welcome news. I cannot say more.”

    Furthermore, Nawaz called for a full court to be formed to hear a petition by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the delay in Punjab elections.