Author: newsdesk

  • ‘What has my Mum got to do with Pakistani politics?’ Jemima lashes out at PML-N for staging protest again

    ‘What has my Mum got to do with Pakistani politics?’ Jemima lashes out at PML-N for staging protest again

    The ex-wife of former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, Jemima Goldsmith, lashed out at Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for organising a protest outside her 88-year-old mother’s house this weekend.

    In a tweet on Thursday, she said, “What the hell is wrong with these people (PML-N)? Another mass demonstration was announced outside my 88-year-old mother’s house this weekend.”

    She pointed out that this is the third time that such a protest is being organised outside her mother’s home. She called out the ruling party members for dragging her mother into Pakistani politics: “What has my Mum got to do with Pakistani politics? It’s disruptive for her and a total waste of police time.”

    Jemima tweeted after the PML-N announced a protest in response to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) call to gather in Hyde Park on July 2 and then march to Nawaz Sharif’s London residence.

    Since the removal of Imran Khan through a vote of no-confidence, several times PTI protested in London outside PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s residence. Similarly, PML-N workers have protested in front of Goldsmith’s residence and her mother’s in response.

    Back in April, a video shared by Jemima on Twitter showed a man threatening to break into a bedroom in her house. She had stated that her children were being targeted by protesters and that she was facing anti-semitic abuse on social media.

    After the incident, the act was widely condemned on social media as people were of the view that Jemima is not related to Pakistani politics anymore and she shouldn’t be dragged into this matter.

    It is pertinent to mention that after her divorce from Khan, Jemima moved to London and since then she has been living there with her sons.

  • Instagram may convert post videos into Reels to compete with TikTok

    Instagram may convert post videos into Reels to compete with TikTok

    Instagram is testing a feature that converts video posts into Reels. According to the company, the modification is a part of Instagram’s plan to streamline video on the app and is currently being tested with a small number of users worldwide.

    With the most recent move made by the blogging platform, Instagram’s efforts to surpass TikTok are clearly growing.

    A representative from Meta stated, “We’re testing this feature as part of our efforts to simplify and improve the video experience on Instagram.”

    The social media consultant Matt Navarra shared a screenshot of an in-app message that reads, “Video posts are now shared as Reels,” on Twitter. Participants in the test will see this message.

    The message warns that anyone can find your Reel and use your original audio to make their own Reel if your account is public and you post a video that ends up being turned into one. Only your followers will be able to see your Reel if your account privacy setting is set to private.

    The message also mentions that if your account is public and you post a reel, anyone can remix it. In your account settings, you can, however, stop people from remixing your Reels.

    As Meta has placed significant wagers on Reels, the test is now. Reels now account for more than 20% of people’s Instagram usage, according to the company’s Q1 2022 earnings report.

    It is not surprising that Instagram wants to completely replace video posts in order to expand Reels. People may spend even more time watching Reels if the company ultimately decides to make this change permanent, which would be something to brag about.

    Instagram’s video components would be even more consolidated if it decides to convert all video uploads into Reels.

    When Mosseri outlined Instagram’s goals for 2022 last year, he said the company would increase its investment in video and concentrate on Reels.

    This change may have been intended all along, as he even made a hint that Instagram would center all of its video products around Reels and continue to expand the short-form product.

  • Pakistan’s inflation hits 21.32 per cent in June 2022

    Pakistan’s inflation hits 21.32 per cent in June 2022

    In June 2022, Pakistan’s yearly inflation rate reached a 13-year high of 21.3 per cent, up from 9.7 per cent in June 2021 and 13.8 per cent in May 2022, according to the most recent data made public recently by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

    According to PBS, monthly CPI-based inflation rose by 6.3 per cent in June 2022 as opposed to a 0.4 per cent increase the month before and a 0.3 per cent decrease in June 2021.

    Compared to increases of 14.1 per cent a month prior and 17.6 per cent a year prior, the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) inflation on a YoY basis increased by 21.7 per cent in June 2022. On a month-over-month basis, it increased by 6.2 per cent in June 2022 compared to a 0.6 per cent increase the previous month and a (-)0.4 per cent decrease in June 2021.

    The Consumer Price Index (CPI) reached 21.3 per cent on a year-over-year (YoY) basis as Pakistan’s economy battles a widening current account deficit brought on by a high import bill, rising inflation has become a major concern.

    In an effort to combat economic headwinds, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) increased the key interest rate by 150 basis points to 13.75 per cent earlier in May. At the time, the central bank predicted that as electricity and fuel subsidies are eliminated, inflation is likely to spike briefly, remain high through FY23, and then drop precipitously in FY24, according to Brecorder.

    The SBP is currently scheduled to decide the key interest rate at its upcoming Monetary Policy Committee meeting on July 7.

    On the other hand, the current administration increased the price of petroleum products in an effort to resurrect the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, which is anticipated to drive up inflation even further.

    The government announced a late-night price increase for petroleum products on Thursday, raising the ex-depot price of gasoline to Rs248.74 per liter (after an increase of Rs14.85) and diesel to Rs276.54 (after a hike of Rs13.23).

    CPI inflation in urban areas

    In contrast, year-over-year CPI inflation in urban areas increased by 19.8 per cent in June 2022 as opposed to increases of 12.4 per cent in May 2022 and 9.6 per cent in June 2021.

    In June 2022, it increased by 6.2 per cent month over month, compared to a 0.3 per cent increase the month before and a 0.4 per cent decline in June 2021.

    CPI inflation in rural areas

    In contrast to the previous month’s increase of 15.9 per cent and the increase of 9.7 per cent in June 2021, the CPI inflation rate in rural areas increased by 23.6 per cent on an annual basis in June 2022.

    Comparing June 2022 to June 2021, it increased by 6.6 per cent month over month, compared to increases of 0.6 per cent and 0.1 per cent, respectively.

  • ‘Shameful, apologise to the whole country’: Indian Supreme Court to Nupur Sharma

    ‘Shameful, apologise to the whole country’: Indian Supreme Court to Nupur Sharma

    The Indian Supreme Court on Friday reprimanded the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma, and asked her to “apologise to the whole country”. Sharma was suspended by the BJP after she made derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) last month.

    “We saw the debate … the way she said all this and later says she was a lawyer, is shameful. She should apologise to the whole country,” reports NDTV.

    “She is single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country,” reports The Hindustan Times.

    According to India Today, the court noted that Sharma’s comments were made either for “cheap publicity, a political agenda or for some nefarious activities”. The court also said that she had “threatened the security of the nation”.

    “A spokesperson can’t make such statements. Sometimes power goes into the heads of people and they think they are everything,” the Indian SC bench said.

    Last month, after hashtags calling for the boycott of Indian products began trending on Twitter in Arab countries over derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal, India’s ruling party suspended Sharma and expelled Jindal.

    Muslims took to the streets across Asia, including India, where protesters faced a crackdown by the Indian authorities.

    Meanwhile, multiple cases were registered against Sharma in different cities, following which she moved the Indian SC to transfer all cases against her to Delhi.

  • Accountants are the best, Civil servants are the worst kissers: Survey

    Accountants are the best, Civil servants are the worst kissers: Survey

    A survey conducted by a dating site in Britain has revealed that accountants are the best kissers, reports Daily Mail.

    A 37-year-old woman who is married to an accountant said, “I remember dancing with Chris and then going off for a snog. It was definitely the best kiss of my life, and I’ve not stopped kissing him since.”

    Accountants are the best with 23 per cent of the votes and Civil servants worst with 2 per cent of the votes. The poll was conducted by the dating site Plenty of Fish, and 2,000 people participated in the survey.

    According to 55 per cent of the voters, their current partner is not the finest kisser they have ever experienced. 11per cent of people indicated that their most recent ex-partner was the best.

    Top Five best kissers:

    1 – Accountants – 23 per cent

    2 – Doctors/nurses – 19 per cent

    3 – Engineers – 14 per cent

    4 – Teachers – 11 per cent

    5 – Waiters/chefs – 10 per cent

    Worst kissers:

    1 – Civil servants – 2 per cent

    2 – Bankers – 3 per cent

    3 – Lawyers – 5 per cent

    4 – Estate agents – 6 per cent

    5 – IT workers – 7 per cent

  • Punjab Food Authority seizes thousands of liters of unhygienic cooking oil

    Punjab Food Authority seizes thousands of liters of unhygienic cooking oil

    The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) filed an FIR against the factory owner after seizing 1,900 liters of inferior and unhygienic cooking oil.

    An estimated 1,900 liters of subpar cooking oil made from animal fats and intestines were seized during a PFA team raid on the Rawat oil facility in the Potohar Town neighbourhood, according to the PFA spokesman.

    He claimed some well-known cooking oil brands were packaging this subpar, unhygienic oil. The oil was sold to neighbourhood fast food restaurants and hotels, the spokesman said.

    He further stated that strict action was being taken against offenders to ensure that residents were receiving hygienic food and that those who were endangering the health of the populace would not receive compensation.

    In another raid at Potohar Town in Lahore, PFA discovered a facility producing fake edible oil. While the authorities also stopped a car carrying 400 liters of dangerous oil. The food authority filed cases against both defendants due to adulteration and violations of the provincial food law, according to PFA Director General Shoaib Khan Jadoon.

    He claimed that after receiving a tip, the authority raided Rawat Oil Mill and issued an emergency prohibition order to halt production until further orders (EPO).

  • First Black woman becomes US Supreme Court justice

    First Black woman becomes US Supreme Court justice

    Ketanji Brown Jackson is the first Black woman in the history of the United States (US) to become a justice of the country’s top court. She was sworn in to the US Supreme Court on Thursday by Chief Justice John Roberts and her mentor, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer.

    Ms Jackson, 51, will replace Justice Stephen Breyer, joining the court’s three-member liberal minority.

    “I am truly grateful to be part of the promise of our great nation,” said Jackson.

    Jackson served eight years as a federal trial court judge. She earned two degrees from Harvard University and had worked as the Harvard Law Review’s editor. Prior to her judicial assignments, she served as a public defender in Washington before starting a private practice.

  • Will Punjab select its new CM today?

    Will Punjab select its new CM today?

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) moved the Supreme Court (SC) to challenge Lahore High Court’s verdict to recount the votes cast in the Punjab Chief Minister (CM) elections excluding the votes that were cast by 25 dissident PTI lawmakers.

    The SC accepted PTI’s plea for an immediate hearing earlier in the day and formed a three-member bench. The hearing is currently underway by the bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial.

    During the hearing, PTI’s lawyer Babar Awan requested to wait for seven days for the election process. To this, the court questioned, “Do you want Punjab to remain without a Chief Minister for seven days?”

    Moreover, the apex court has directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to send notice to five reserved seats. As in the petition, PTI pointed out that lawmakers on five reserved seats in the Punjab Assembly had still not been notified in accordance with the LHC’s earlier directives.

    PTI leader and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry announced the development on his Twitter handle. He said, “An appeal has been filed in the SC against the decision of the LHC. It is hoped that the SC will hold a hearing today in view of this crisis and the session of the Punjab Assembly will be adjourned.”

    The petitioners urged the court to remove Hamza as CM and requested to issue directives for holding a “free and fair” election for the post of the province’s chief executive. Moreover, they requested the court to suspend the election process till the pendency of their petition.

    In the petition, the party also said that some of their Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs) are currently not in Pakistan as they have gone to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. The party also argued that many PTI and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) members are busy with political campaign in their constituencies for the upcoming by-elections in Punjab.

    The magic number required to show the majority is 186. According to the verdict of the LHC, after recounting the votes today (Friday), the tally of the incumbent CM Hamza Shehbaz will come down to 172 votes after the exclusion of 25 votes of PTI dissident MPAs. The session will take place today at 4pm as per the LHC order.

    ‘Going to Supreme Court over LHC decision on Punjab CM polls’: Imran Khan

    On Thursday, LHC accepted the appeals of PTI filed against the election of CM Hamza and ordered a recount of votes with the exclusion of the 25 defecting party members who voted for him.

    A five-member larger bench of the LHC headed by Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan announced the verdict.

    After the verdict, Former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan said that the party would be going to the apex court tomorrow (Friday) and challenge the verdict.

    Verdict:

    As per the verdict, the votes will be recounted and the candidate securing a majority of votes will be declared the chief minister of Punjab.

    Article 130(4) of the Constitution of Pakistan governs the election of chief ministers, under which there is an obligation of a majority of 186 votes.

    Hamza will no longer be the chief minister if he doesn’t retain the required majority after the exclusion of 25 votes, while the second round of polls will be held as per Article 130(4) in case no one gets the majority after a recount.

    Reactions:

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Attaullah Tarar said that the PML-N is happy and content because it has the required numbers. He said that the PML-N has 177 votes, which means a majority of nine votes even if the dissidents’ votes are not counted.

    “The court neither nullified the previous elections nor ordered fresh elections,” Tarar said.

    The politician said that PTI is unable to understand what the verdict states “in English”.

    Meanwhile, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry tweeted, “The decision of the High Court has further aggravated the political crisis in Punjab. There are many flaws in this decision.”

    Hamza Shehbaz was elected CM Punjab on April 16 with 197 votes, while PTI and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) candidate Pervaiz Elahi received no votes.

  • FIFA lifts ban on Pakistan Football Federation

    FIFA lifts ban on Pakistan Football Federation

    The ban on the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has finally been lifted by FIFA, according to a statement from the Normalisation Committee.

    Pakistan now returns to the international football circuit and will also be able to host its leagues and other events thanks to financial support from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation after FIFA made the decision following the fulfilment of all necessary requirements by Pakistan (AFC).

    According to a press release from the FIFA Council’s Bureau, the suspension against the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) that was imposed in April 2021 as a result of excessive third-party interference will be lifted on June 29, 2022.

    The choice was made after FIFA was informed that the PFF’s normalisation committee had reclaimed full control of its facilities and was capable of handling its finances.

    The normalisation committee’s mandate would now be unachievable to complete by the original deadline of today, the statement continued, so the bureau decided to extend the committee’s authority until June 30, 2023.

    According to FIFA, “this will allow the latter to finally carry out the tasks assigned to it in full.”

    Haroon Malik, the chairman of the Normalization Committee, congratulated the entire country on the development and said his team had worked incredibly hard to lift the ban that had plagued both football players and fans in the nation.

    With the ban lifted, the Pakistani football team will once again be able to play in international competitions and friendly matches, and after more than a year of absence, regular football activities will once again be conducted in the nation.

    After the Ashfaq group unlawfully occupied the PFF headquarters in April of last year, Pakistan was placed under a travel ban. The Normalization Committee’s authority has now been extended by a year, and it has been given the responsibility of holding elections, starting up football activities, and taking control of PFF’s property.

  • PM Shehbaz meets COAS Gen Bajwa

    PM Shehbaz meets COAS Gen Bajwa

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif met Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa today (July 1), reports Geo News.

    In the meeting, the prime minister and army chief discussed the internal and external security situation of the country.

    Earlier, federal Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir Khan revealed that the appointment of the next COAS will be made by PM Shehbaz after consulting with leaders of the coalition parties. The consultation process will begin in September.

    “The new army chief will be appointed in November. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, after consulting with other coalition leaders, will decide on the army chief. This consultation will start in September,” said Dastgir.