Author: newsdesk

  • Russian woman uses martial art skills to resist arrest

    Russian woman uses martial art skills to resist arrest

    Russian national woman, Merkulova Kristina used her martial art skills with policewomen in an attempt to resist arrest in Islamabad, reports Samaa. However, the Russian woman was detained later by the Islamabad police for overstaying in Pakistan.

    The Islamabad police raided a hotel in Sitara Market on a tip-off on Monday evening from where she was taken to the Islamabad police station for interrogation. The report revealed that her visa was found expired during an examination of her documents. According to details, Merkulova Kristina entered Pakistan on December 30 last year, and later she extended her visa till March 25, 2022.

    According to First Information Report (FIR), the police shifted the Russian tourist to the women’s police station for further interrogation. Later, they decided to detain her under the Foreigners Act after her visa was found expired. She, however, used her martial art skills to resist arrest and also assaulted Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Parveen and her subordinates.

    The FIR stated, “In the resistance, the Russian woman who knows Martial Arts ripped off the uniform of the lady officer.” The Russian woman was responsible for damaging property in the lock-up as per CCTV recording.

    She is now booked under additional charges of Sections 186 (obstructing public servant), 353 (assault to deter public servant), 427 (mischief causing damage), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

  • Crisis-hit Sri Lanka announces default on foreign debt

    Crisis-hit Sri Lanka announces default on foreign debt

    Sri Lanka announced a default on its $51 billion foreign debt on Tuesday as the island nation grapples with its worst economic crisis in memory and escalating protests demanding the government’s resignation.

    Acute food and fuel shortages, as well as long daily electricity blackouts, have brought widespread suffering to the country’s 22 million people in its most painful downturn since independence in 1948.

    The government has struggled to service foreign loans and Tuesday’s decision comes ahead of negotiations for an International Monetary Fund bailout aimed at preventing a more catastrophic hard default that would see Sri Lanka completely repudiate its debts.

    “We have lost the ability to repay foreign debt,” Sri Lanka’s Central Bank governor Nandalal Weerasinghe told reporters in Colombo.

    “This is a pre-emptive negotiated default. We have announced (it) to the creditors.” Officials say the move will free up foreign currency to finance desperately needed food, fuel and medicine imports after months of scarce supplies.

    Just under half of Sri Lanka’s debt is market borrowings through international sovereign bonds, including one worth $1 billion that was maturing on July 25.

    China is Sri Lanka’s largest bilateral lender and owns about 10 per cent of the island’s foreign debt, followed by Japan and India.

    The government has borrowed heavily from Beijing since 2005 for infrastructure projects, many of which became white elephants.

    Sri Lanka also leased its strategic Hambantota port to a Chinese company in 2017 after it became unable to service the $1.4 billion debt from Beijing used to build it.

    This sparked concerns from Western countries and neighbour India that the strategically located South Asian nation was falling victim to a debt trap.

    Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the Tuesday’s default would not stop Beijing from lending support to Sri Lanka’s beleaguered economy.

    “China has always done its best in providing assistance to Sri Lanka’s economic and social development. We will continue to do so in the future,” he said.

    Sri Lanka’s snowballing economic crisis began to be felt after the coronavirus pandemic torpedoed vital revenue from tourism and remittances.

    The government imposed a wide import ban to conserve dwindling foreign currency reserves and use them to service the debts it has now defaulted on.

    But the resulting shortages have stoked public anger. At least eight people have died while waiting in fuel queues since March 20, with two of the deaths reported on Monday.

  • Car sales up by 53.7 per cent in 2022, despite repeated price hikes

    Car sales up by 53.7 per cent in 2022, despite repeated price hikes

    The latest data provided by the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturing Association (PAMA) shows that overall car sales climbed by 53.78 per cent during the first nine months of the current fiscal year 2021-22 (July-March) compared to the same period in the past financial year.

    Keeping in view the recent figures, 172,612 vehicles were delivered in the time period under consideration, compared to 112,244 cars in the previous year. In March 2022, the country’s car sales climbed by 33.28 per cent on a year-over-year (YoY) basis when compared to the same month in 2021.

    In March 2022, car sales soared to 22,799 units, up from 17,105 units in the same month the previous year. considering the breakdown of the numbers, around 26,830 combined units of Honda Civic and City were sold in the fiscal year 2021-22, compared to 18,816 units in 2021, indicating a 42.59 per cent increase.

    The sale of Toyota Corolla and Yaris sedans increased by 24.93 per cent in the same time, rising to 43,695 units from 34,975 units the previous year. Suzuki Swift sales, on the other hand, fell by 73.78 per cent, from 1,896 units in July-March 2020-21 to 497 units. The drop witnessed in sales of Suzuki Swift was due to the production cut of the older Swift, which was scheduled to be replaced by the fourth generation in February of this year.

    Read more: Toyota Pakistan records highest monthly sales, selling 7,132 vehicles in March 2022

    With 53,241 units sold so far in the fiscal year 2022, Pakistan’s smallest engine size vehicle, the 660cc Alto, is now the most popular. It is worth noting that the mini hatchback is also the country’s ‘cheapest’ four wheeler from the big three.

  • PM Shehbaz announces Peshawar Morr-Airport metro bus service in 5 days

    PM Shehbaz announces Peshawar Morr-Airport metro bus service in 5 days

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif announced the start of Metro Bus service from Islamabad-Peshawar Morr to the airport in five days.

    According to ARY News, PM Shehbaz Sharif has directed completion of the requisite arrangements for running the metro bus, which will be a big relief to the people coming to Islamabad airport.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that arrangements should be made to run the Metro Bus service in 5 days. The premier issued instructions to the Capital Development Authority, Ministry of Interior Affairs and National Highway Authority in this context.

    The project was inaugurated way back in 2017 by the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif and was to be completed by August 2018, but the work on the project lingered on.

    Even today by the end of 2021 certain essential requirements like the Security Surveillance System, Command and control center, and ticketing system have not been finalized as yet.

    Once started the Peshawar Morr to New Airport route would benefit millions of people on daily basis.

  • Punjab sports minister meets criminal wanted by the US, invites him to Lahore

    Punjab sports minister meets criminal wanted by the US, invites him to Lahore

    Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Rai Taimoor Bhatti met Daniel Joseph in March. Joseph is a criminal wanted by the United States (US) Department of State with a reward being offered up to $500,000 for information about him.

    Daniel is said to be the member of a criminal gang allegedly involved in heinous crimes around the world, including murder, trafficking in firearms and narcotics.

    Taimoor Khan Bhatti shared a picture on his Twitter account last month in which Daniel Joseph can be seen sitting with him. He also said that he is looking forward to hosting Daniel Joseph in Lahore. In one of the pictures, he can be seen giving him some kind of shield.

    “Met @probellum on aligning vision on boxing for Punjab & how to make this sport bigger for our youth. Looking forward to hosting Daniel in Lahore to discuss Pakistan’s first International fight with foreign world-class boxers InshAllah. Will share more info in the upcoming weeks,” tweeted Bhatti.

  • MUST WATCH: A shrimp cleans scuba diver’s teeth using its legs

    MUST WATCH: A shrimp cleans scuba diver’s teeth using its legs

    A video of a shrimp cleaning a scuba diver’s teeth with its antennae and legs underwater is making rounds on social media.

    Amazing Nature shared the viral video on Twitter with a caption, “Need teeth clean contact me.”

    The scuba diver filmed the shrimp entering his open mouth at a coral reef. It removed the food particles and used its legs to clean the gums. He remained still and calm as it was completing its work.

    The video took netizens by surprise and they came up with all sorts of comments.

    A dentist replied, “My competitor”.

  • Case of the 18 crore necklace: Could Khan and Zulfi be in trouble?

    Case of the 18 crore necklace: Could Khan and Zulfi be in trouble?

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has started investigation into the sale of an expensive state gift “necklace” the former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan received during his tenure.

    According to a report by 24 News, the necklace was gifted to Imran Khan during a visit to Saudi Arabia, but it was never sent to Tosha-khana (state gift repository). Rather, it was given to former special assistant Zulfi Bukhari, who sold it to a jeweller in Lahore for Rs180 million (Rs18 crore) ,” the report claimed.

    Reacting to the news, Bukhari denied the allegation and termed them lies. In a tweet, he said, “No necklace given or ever sold by me. Low blow attempt to discredit PM by a B grade media house. Surely you can do better than that 24 News.”

    The report, however, claimed that a small amount of money “few lac rupees” were submitted in the Tosha-khana record by the then government merely as an eye-wash.

    It is pertinent to mention that as per the law, state officials are required to submit the gifts they receive from dignitaries during official visit and submit these gifts in the state gift repository. The law makes the submission of officials gift or at least half of the amount of the gift worth mandatory.

    Last year, the Khan-led government denied giving out information about the exchange of gifts between Khan and other heads of state. The government said that some countries do not like disclosing their gifts so they are marked ‘classified’.

  • Dissolve NAB, holds its employees accountable: Abbasi tells new govt

    Dissolve NAB, holds its employees accountable: Abbasi tells new govt

    PML-N senior leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday urged the new government to dissolve the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) whose chairman Javed Iqbal was “fully under the control” of former premier Imran Khan.

    “NAB’s employees looted and tortured people for years. It’s time they should be held accountable,” he said at a media talk in Islamabad Tuesday morning and talking with Geo News Anchor person Shahzeb Khanzada on Tuesday.

    The remarks by the PML-N leader came a day after the party president Shehbaz Sharif, took oath as the 23rd premier of Pakistan following the ouster of Imran through a joint opposition effort.

    Abbasi advised the government to end NAB and hold its officials accountable who allegedly tortured and looted people for years during the PTI regime. “The NAB chairman used to take instructions from the previous government,” he said, alleging a member of Imran’s cabinet used to direct the bureau chief to lodge fake cases against the opposition.

    “The weak NAB chairman will now go after Imran’s friends,” he claimed, adding that the accountability watchdog had failed to file a single reference over the alleged corruption in Imran’s government. The facts about NAB will be brought to light soon, he added.

    Abbasi said the government will move courts to seek the installation of cameras inside the accountability courts to expose the reality of NAB’s accountability drive.

    To a question about the protest move by Imran, Abbasi said the new government will complete its tenure whereas Imran will keep roaming the streets. He also criticised the former government for ruining the country.

    He claimed that there was a minister in Imran Khan’s office who used to issue orders to the NAB chief regarding lodging fake cases, arresting people and defaming them. “This is your NAB chairman … who stayed quiet on Imran Khan’s corruption,” the PML-N leader added.

    He also lamented that NAB couldn’t prove a single reference or inquiry against PML-N leaders in the last four years. “Why didn’t they investigate people who were involved in corruption worth billions [of rupees] and were sitting in the federal cabinet,” Abbasi demanded.

  • A budget version of Galaxy A72 to unveil with 5G, 120Hz display

    A budget version of Galaxy A72 to unveil with 5G, 120Hz display

    The Korean tech giant, Samsung has quietly announced the Galaxy M53 5G, featuring a 108-megapixel main camera and a 6.7-inch, 120-Hz Super AMOLED Plus display.

    If those specifications sound familiar, it is because the M53 is a less expensive variant of the Samsung Galaxy A73 5G.

    The chipset is the only significant difference between the Galaxy M53 and the Galaxy A73; the M53 is likely to be powered by a Dimensity 900 rather than the Snapdragon 778G found in the A-series phones as the Korean company rarely lists chipset details. Both are TSMC 6 nm processors, but the Snapdragon has a more powerful GPU and a superior CPU composition (4x Cortex-A78 vs. 2x A78).

    For now, there is also only one storage option, 6 GB of Ram and 128 GB of Rom, with no Ram or storage expansion options. However, the inclusion of a microSD card alleviates the storage issue.

    The mentioned 108 MP main camera is housed behind an f/1.8 lens, although it lacks Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS). A lower-resolution 8 MP sensor was used in the ultra-wide camera (down from 12 MP). A 2 MP macro and a 2 MP depth sensor make up the final two modules on the rear. Interestingly, the 32-megapixel front camera was unaffected by the budget decrease.

    Like always, there is a punch hole in the Galaxy M53’s 6.7” Super AMOLED Plus display, which has Full HD+ resolution with a blazing 120 Hz refresh rate for a fine gaming experience.

    There’s no mention of toughened glass, yet the A73 lacks Gorilla, although the in-display fingerprint reader has been moved to the side and looks much better now.

    The phone has a 5,000 mAh battery with 25W fast charging, which is the same as the A73 and A53. Switching to the Dimensity chip has one disadvantage: Wi-Fi connectivity is limited to Wi-Fi 5 rather than 6. Bluetooth 5.2, on the other hand, is supported by 5.0.

    Read more: Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk to join Twitter board after investing $2.9 billion in the platform

    Tech enthusiasts are still waiting for the price and a list of launch territories for the Samsung Galaxy M53 5G, as it was a subdued debut. If the A-series launch follows the same trend, we may have to wait a few weeks to find out these details.

  • BTS’s Jin and HYBE shed light on ‘plan’ for mandatory military service

    Korean pop group, BTS has recently performed their concert, Permission To Dance in Las Vegas, The United States (US). The group had attended a press conference at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

    While responding to a question during the press conference, BTS member Jin said: “I talked a lot with the company and entrusted all military service-related tasks with the company.”

    Their agency HYBE CCO, Lee Jin Hyung also addressed the concerns related to BTS mandatory military service, “The BTS members have currently left the matter of their military service in the hands of the company. BTS has already conveyed the message multiple times that they will accept the call of duty whenever the nation calls them, and they have not changed this opinion. However, the policy on military service has changed a little, and as the members are experiencing changes to the Military Service Act that they did not expect, they are currently monitoring the situation while discussing the matter with the company.”

    It is to be noted that South Korea has set the threshold of maximum age limit for a man to get enrolled for mandatory service at 28 years. However, according to a new amendment to a law that was passed in December 2020 was dubbed as “BTS military service amendment”. This law allows artists who receive recognition from the government could delay their military enlistment till they are 30 years old. The changes were done because of the group’s contribution to the economy during the pandemic.

    Jin will turn 30 years this year in December so he has to enlist before the end of the year 2022. However, some members proposed a bill in the Korean National Assembly to exempt BTS from mandatory military enlistment on the account of their contribution to the South Korean economy. Currently, this bill is under debate in the National Assembly and has not reached a final agreement on the bill.

    CCO further added, “To put it precisely, the policy on military service is changing, and it’s true that the BTS members are having a hard time because it’s difficult for them to predict the timing [of their military service]. Since it’s difficult for them to make plans, both the BTS members and the company are currently keeping a close eye on the proposed amendment.”

    In South Korea, every mature man between 18 and 28 age is required to fulfill their military enlistment for about 2 years. Those people who cannot enlist in mandatory military service on the basis of health issues, personal, and religious beliefs can enroll in alternatives such as public service workers.