Author: newsdesk

  • Pakistan to remain on UK’s travel Red list

    Pakistan to remain on UK’s travel Red list

    The United Kingdom (UK) has not moved Pakistan from its Red List to Amber List. Pakistan is still on its Red List of the travel ban, the UK announced in its latest travel review on Thursday.

    As per reports, Pakistan has been kept on the Red List for “failing to meet the requirements on genomic surveillance capability, transmission risk, and variants of concern.”

    Genome sequence helps researchers understand how the virus is mutating into variants and how it’s traveling from person to person.

    Government officials of Pakistan were hopeful that Pakistan will be moved to the Amber List in the latest review.

    According to the latest update, seven countries, namely, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Switzerland, and the Azores will move into the Green List starting 4am on Monday, August 30.

    Thailand and Montenegro, on the other hand, will be added to the Red List at the same time, “reflecting the increased case rates in these countries and the higher risk that travel from these countries poses to UK public health”, said the notice.

    Earlier, the UK was criticised for removing India from Red List despite the worse Covid-19 situation than Pakistan.

    However, the British government claimed that the Pakistan authorities did not send them the Covid-19 data on vaccination and testing.

  • ‘We will hunt you down and make you pay’: Biden reacts to 85 killed in Kabul blasts

    ‘We will hunt you down and make you pay’: Biden reacts to 85 killed in Kabul blasts

    Two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans at Kabul’s airport, transforming a scene of desperation into one of horror for those fleeing the Taliban takeover.

    At least 85 people were killed and dozens of others were wounded in the blasts on Thursday.

    Among the dead were 72 civilians and 13 United States (US) service members.

    One of the bombers struck Afghans standing knee-deep in a wastewater canal, throwing bodies into the fetid water.

    The second blast was at or near Baron Hotel, where many people, including Afghans, Britons, and Americans, were told to gather in recent days before heading to the airport for evacuation.

    The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL /ISIS) group, has claimed responsibility for the attack, the group’s Amaq News Agency said on its Telegram channel.

    US President Joe Biden vowed to retaliate against Thursday’s attack in Kabul, saying that he will hunt down those responsible and make them pay.

    Biden confirmed in a speech from the White House that the bombings were carried out by the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, ISKP (ISIS-K), ISIL’s affiliate in Afghanistan.

    “To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: We will not forgive; we will not forget,” Biden said.

    “We will hunt you down and make you pay. I will defend our interests in our people with every measure at my command.”

    Biden added that the US will continue the evacuations of American citizens and US allies despite the attack. “We will not be deterred by terrorists; we will not let them stop our mission. We will continue the evacuations,” he said.

  • Video: Nadia Hussain makes blasting revelations about Mehwish, Hania and Humayun’s botox-fillers

    Model and actor Nadia Hussain is known for her blunt nature, she recently grabbed headlines for her statement on gender roles in marriage. In the same interview the Jalan star made some startling revelations on celebrities and politicians, in context to the surgical treatment they have had to look better or younger.

    The Ladies Park diva commented on Mehwish Hayat and Hania Aamir’s fillers.

    She advised superstar Humayun Saeed to cut down on his fillers consumption.

    Nadia concluded by suggesting Prime Minister Imran Khan to get a skin tightening treatment.

    She also gave tips to Ayeza Khan, Maya Ali and Aima Baig on cosmetic treatments that they should get.

  • Humaima Malick clears the air around Feroz-Alizey’s alleged separation with a heartfelt post

    Humaima Malick clears the air around Feroz-Alizey’s alleged separation with a heartfelt post

    Humaima Malick has declared Feroze Khan’s wedding her favourite day, and posted memories from the event shared with beautiful sister Dua Malik and Alizey Sultan.

    Taking to Instagram stories, the Raja Natwarlal actor shared a collage with an interesting caption, “My favourite picture, day and people @AlizeySultanKhan and @DuaMalik”.

    Since 2020 the divorce rumours of Alizey and Feroze Khan have been doing the rounds on social media. The two weren’t even spotted together over the last few months however, Alizey’s recent Instagram story has put the speculation to rest as she appreciated Feroze and Iqra Aziz’s performance in Khuda Aur Mohabbat 3.

    On the work front, Humaima will be seen next in The Legend of Maula Jatt opposite Fawad Khan and Hamza Ali Abbasi.

  • No petrol for unvaccinated people from September 1

    District government Lahore placed banners in petrol stations across the city saying that only fully vaccinated people will be able to get the petrol from September 1. The decision came amid the sharp increase of Covid-19 cases in the country.

    “From September 1, only customers with coronavirus vaccine certificates will be able to buy petrol,” a banner placed on a petrol pump read.

    Earlier this week, Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar has said those who have not been fully vaccinated will not be allowed to use public transport from October 15.

    As per the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), Pakistan has recorded 4,016 new cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours.

  • Making a difference – Nestlè Water Pledge

    Making a difference – Nestlè Water Pledge

    Water is one of the most critical resources on earth. There have been growing concerns about climate change and the impact it has on water resources around the world. Water is life – it is the backbone of our ecosystem, and the current trend of water wastage will have serious effects on our way of life. Nestlé recognises the importance of using water as efficiently as possible. We have been working with our partners to steward water resources for a sustainable future.

    Nestlé has pioneered water stewardship for years, and its Water Business has been at the forefront of water preservation at every stage of its value chain. This year, they want to take a step forward in their efforts towards preserving water through business-specific commitments called the Water Pledge.

    Nestlé’s Water Business pledges to lead the regeneration of the water cycle to create a positive water impact everywhere it operates by 2025.

    Over the years, we have seen that to tackle the environmental challenges, we have to do more than just solving the issue on our own. Water is a shared resource. Through collaboration and shared efforts, Nestlé stands a better chance to navigate through the challenges through collective action.

    That is why Nestlé formally shaped up and launched their water stewardship efforts under the umbrella of the Caring for Water-Pakistan (C4W-Pakistan) initiative in 2017.

    The Caring for Water – Pakistan initiative targets three focus areas – Factories, Communities, and Agriculture.

    Here are some of Nestlé’s most celebrated projects under each one of the categories:

    • Nestlé Pakistan has collaborated with the Agriculture Department, Government of Punjab, and Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) to reduce water consumption in the agriculture sector which currently stands at 90% with accompanied wastage of 50%. Through establishing lighthouses across parts of Punjab and Islamabad, Nestlé aims to encourage local farmers to take up drip irrigation. This irrigation method aims to save 40% – 60% water in comparison to conventional flood irrigation. This is a major step towards water preservation in the agricultural sector. 
    • Nestlé’s Smart Soil Sensors Project is another step towards using technology to reduce the wastage of water in the agriculture sector. Nestlé has developed smart soil moisture sensors that read the moisture level of the soil. These readings are stored in the cloud which is then used by farmers to efficiently water to irrigate the soil. This saves about 12%-17% water using precision technology. Through their collaboration with Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and an Italian organization called Waziup, software has been developed that enables the farmers and researchers to see the soil moisture level remotely on their computer screens.
    • The Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) is an international standard, which guides companies and organizations to manage freshwater resources by taking site and catchment initiatives through a stakeholder-inclusive process. Nestlé Pakistan’s Sheikhupura Factory became the first Pakistani site and the first Nestlé site worldwide to be awarded the AWS Certification. And in 2020, all Nestle’s sites were awarded the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) certificate.
    • Nestlé has also installed 6 Safe and Clean Drinking Water Facilities around its operational areas. Nestlé is maintaining these facilities with strict quality control and checks. These water facilities collectively save around 177 tons of water every day.

    The ‘Nestlé Water Pledge’ is an opportunity for the company to reconfirm its position on water stewardship or C4W-Pakistan, to lay out its vision and set an ambition. The launch focuses on the Waters Business itself, but there will be more to come in the future.

    All Nestlé’s initiatives are aligned with the United Nations Development Goals, SDG 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 17 on Partnerships for the Goals.

    This article has been sponsored by Nestle Pakistan

  • Vacation Shenanigans: Aymen Saleem enjoys life to the fullest in Azad Kashmir

    Chupke Chupke star Aymen Saleem recently took a trip to the north and her pictures are giving us some major vacation goals. The diva travelled to Kashmir.

    Have a look at the pictures:

    She recently hinted back at her comeback to the world of television on Ahsan Khan’s chat show.

  • Mahira Khan sends love to beau Salim Karim, Areeba and Zoya adore

    Mahira Khan took to her Instagram account to express her feelings and appreciation for her boyfriend, Salim Karim. The Raees diva shared a love note that read: “My Love. You make me better. The right love. The right person. You are”

    The Humsafar star tagged Salim in the post.

    Fellow actresses Areeba Habib and Zoya Nasir were quick to leave comments under Mahira’s post.

    In June, the Sadqay Tumharay star was spotted in Nathia Gali with Salim. The two were joined by a group of friends including Bulbulay fame Ayesha Omar.

  • PM Khan briefs nation on three years of Naya Pakistan

    PM Khan briefs nation on three years of Naya Pakistan

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday presented a charter of his party’s performance so far at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad.

    Talking about his career as a cricketer, PM Khan explained how his life as a sportsman, “where there are standing ovations one moment and curses the next”, prepared him for a life of struggles.

    “Until you go through struggles, you cannot do anything big,” the prime minister said. “No leader became big with a shortcut. Quaid-e-Azam was a big leader. He struggled in his life and people will always remember him [for that].”

    Mentioning Pakistan’s clash with India in the aftermath of the Pulwama incident, PM Khan thanked the army for effortlessly protecting the people of Pakistan.

    “I appreciate our army and air force. As they (Indian fighter jets) came into our territory and launched an offensive, we realised the [power] of our army,” said the premier.

    The premier blamed a “mafia” for defaming state institutions. “I also criticised the army in the past,” he said. “Judiciary and army also make mistakes but it doesn’t mean we should [expect] them to topple the democratic government.”

    “We know the Indian lobby is trying hard to defame Pakistan Army. They are implying that the Taliban won because of Pakistan Army.”

    “The NCOC (National Command and Operation Center) team comprising Asad Umar and Dr Faisal [Sultan] took great decisions and we survived the worst of Covid.”

    “In our tenure, Punjab’s anti-corruption has recovered Rs450bn so far,” he claimed. “NAB (National Accountability Bureau), in its 18 years before we came to power, had recovered Rs290bn and in the last three years, they recovered Rs519bn. All hue and cry are because of this reason.”

    The premier reminded his audience of the efforts made to “empower women” in rural areas and stressed the need to educate women, adding that “this is what we are trying to do”.

    “We are also working on inheritance laws to ensure women get their due share in the property,” he added.

  • Olympian Neeraj Chopra disappointed with ‘vested interest’ of Indian Media

    Olympian Neeraj Chopra disappointed with ‘vested interest’ of Indian Media

    Indian Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has come out in defence of his fellow javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem saying that there was nothing wrong in what Nadeem did on the field.

    He slammed netizens and Indian media for spreading propaganda.

    Chopra tweeted a video with the caption:”I would request everyone to please not use me and my comments as a medium to further your vested interests and propaganda. Sports teaches us to be together and united. I’m extremely disappointed to see some of the reactions from the public on my recent comments.”

    In the video, Neeraj says, “I want to say that one issue has come up about something I said in an interview; that I took the javelin from Arshad Nadeem, the Pakistani javelin thrower. So, a huge controversy is being created around this statement.

    “It’s a very simple thing. We (javelin throwers) keep our personal javelins at the field and everyone and anyone can use that javelin. It is a rule. So, there’s nothing wrong in it. He was just preparing for his throw with that javelin and then I asked for the javelin back.

    “So it is not such a big thing, and I am very sad that some people are using my name to create a big issue about it. I request you to not do it. Sports teaches all of us to walk together.”

    Neeraj also requested people not to use his name as a medium to further their vested interests and propagandas. “I would request everyone to please not use me and my comments as a medium to further your vested interests and propaganda. Sports teaches us to be together and united. I’m extremely disappointed to see some of the reactions from the public on my recent comments.”

    “All of us javelin throwers share a lot of love. We all have good conversations. So please refrain from saying things that will hurt us,” Neeraj concluded.

    The 23-year-old athlete is the first Gold medal winner after the 2008 Beijing Olympics for India. Abhinav Bindra was the last person to win a Gold medal for India, while Arshad stood fifth in the contest.