Author: newsdesk

  • France bans women’s hijab at Paris Olympics

    France bans women’s hijab at Paris Olympics

    France has banned women’s hijabs at the Paris Olympics for its athletes, leading to a strong condemnation by the human rights organization Amnesty International.

    “The ban on French female athletes wearing the hijab at the Olympic Games violated international human rights law and also exposed the weakness of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).”

    France was the first country to enact laws against the fundamental rights of female athletes internationally. The denial of the religious rights of female athletes at the Olympics shows the hypocrisy of the French authorities.

    Anna Bliss, an international researcher on women’s rights in Europe, said, “Banning the hijab would have a devastating effect on Muslim women and girls at all levels of French sports. Banning French athletes from competing in the Olympic and Paralympic Games with the hijab also makes a mockery of claims that Paris 2024 is the first gender-equal Olympics.”

    The French Senate passed a law banning the hijab in sporting events, under which religious signs or symbols are prohibited in competitions organized by sports federations.

  • England creates unique record in 147-year history of Test cricket

    England creates unique record in 147-year history of Test cricket

    The England cricket team has set a unique world record in the second Test match of the series against the West Indies.

    On Thursday, West Indies won the toss and invited England to bat first.

    Zach Crawley was then dismissed for zero as the inning started, but Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope batted aggressively and took the team’s score to 50 runs in just 4.2 overs (26 balls).

    This is the fastest fifty scored by any team in the 147-years-old history of Test cricket. England completed 50 runs in 4.3 overs against South Africa in 1994.

    The England team scored 416 runs at the end of the first day in the second Test against the West Indies.

  • Hardik Pandya and Nataša Stanković part ways

    Hardik Pandya and Nataša Stanković part ways

    Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya and his wife, Serbian model and actress Nataša Stanković, announced their separation with mutual consent.

    Pandya and Stankovic released an official joint statement on social media: “After four years of being together, Natasa and I have decided to mutually part ways. We tried our best together and gave it our all, and we believe this is in the best interest of both of us. This was a tough decision for us, given the joy, mutual respect, and companionship we enjoyed together as we grew a family. We are blessed with Agastya, who will continue to be at the center of our lives, and we will co-parent with him to ensure that we give him everything we can for his happiness.”

    Requesting his fans, he wrote, “We sincerely request your support and understanding to give us privacy during this difficult and sensitive time.”

    News of the separation came out a few months ago, and Hardik Pandya formally announced it today through a social media message.

    Hardik Pandya married his long-time love on 31 May 2020 in a court in Mumbai.

  • SBP-held forex reserves surge by $18.6 million to $9.42 billion

    SBP-held forex reserves surge by $18.6 million to $9.42 billion

    The latest figures from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reveal a slight increase in the country’s foreign exchange reserves. During the week ending July 12, 2024, SBP’s reserves grew by $18.6 million, marking a 0.20 per cent rise to reach $9.42 billion.

    In parallel, Pakistan’s overall foreign reserves, including both SBP and commercial banks, increased by $58.8 million, or 0.40 per cent, totaling $14.7 billion.

    Commercial banks in Pakistan also saw a rise in their reserves, which grew by $40.2 million, or 0.77 per cent, reaching $5.28 billion.

    Since the start of the fiscal year, SBP’s reserves have grown by $34.2 million, reflecting a 0.36 per cent increase. Notably, in the current calendar year alone, reserves have surged by $1.2 billion, representing a notable 14.63 per cent rise.

    These developments signify positive momentum in Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves, contributing to a more stable economic outlook for the nation.

  • Fawad Khan talks about why Pakistani dramas are winning hearts in India

    Fawad Khan talks about why Pakistani dramas are winning hearts in India

    Pakistan’s TV dramas are well-known for telling powerful and realistic stories. They’re loved not just domestically but across the border in India too.

    Fawad Khan, one of the biggest stars in the industry, has a fair idea of why Pakistani dramas are as popular as they are. During an interview with Pinkvilla India, the superstar was asked by the host, “What do you think is the USP of Pakistan dramas that are hitting the right cord over here for the Indian audience?”

    Fawad replied, “We Pakistanis have always used drama as a medium to tell our stories, and that’s taught us the art of storytelling. We’ve learned how to weave a narrative, how to develop characters, and how to engage our audience. It’s a craft we’ve honed over the years, and we’re proud of our expertise in this field.”

    He continued to explain: “When we give something time, and the audience appreciates it, it means we are doing something right, just like Bollywood does in India.”

    The Barzakh actor said, “Indian writers are skilled at presenting their stories in an engaging way through films, owing to their experience in longer narrative formats. This preference for soaps over dramas on television has led to a decline in audience interest compared to previous times.”

  • Azra Mansoor lauds Mawra Hocane for a very special reason

    Azra Mansoor lauds Mawra Hocane for a very special reason

    Senior Pakistani actress Azra Mansoor has praised actress Mawra Hocane for making prayers a priority during filming.

    In a recent interview, Azra addressed misconceptions about actors in showbiz, noting that many people assume that actors aren’t religious. “That’s not true,” she clarified.

    “Not all artists are religious, but many in our industry are very close to their faith.”

    Reflecting on her experience working with Mawra Hocane and Mohib Mirza on the drama ‘Jafa,’ Mansoor shared, “Both actors would take time to pray during shoots.”

    Mansoor expressed her admiration for Hocane in particular, saying, “I was pleased to see Mawra Hocane. When it was prayer time during shoots, she would pray first and then return to filming her scenes.”

    She also spoke about her religious practices, saying, “I work during Ramadan and observe fasts, despite some inappropriate comments directed towards actors. We artists are human too, and humans make mistakes. We’re not perfect.”

  • There are very few single people in Pakistan

    There are very few single people in Pakistan

    The detailed results of Pakistan’s seventh and first digital census have been released, providing insights into the marital status and demographics of the population.

    According to the Institute of Statistics report, 29.75 percent of people in Pakistan are single, while 65.97 percent are married. The report also notes that 3.78 percent of the population are widows.

    In addition, the statistics agency reports that 0.35 percent of the population is divorced and 0.15 percent are separated.

    Furthermore, the census reveals that 79 percent of Pakistan’s population is under 40 years of age. Specifically, 40.56 percent are under 15 years old, and the age group of 15 to 29 years constitutes 26 percent of the population.

    These findings underscore the youthful demographic profile of Pakistan, with a significant proportion of the population being unmarried and under the age of 40.

  • Umair Jaswal’s mysterious post sparks speculation among fans

    Umair Jaswal’s mysterious post sparks speculation among fans

    Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik and actress Sana Javed recently celebrated six months of marriage. Around the same time, singer Umair Jaswal, formerly married to Sana, posted a cryptic quote that caught the attention of many.

    He wrote, “In these six months, either you will have a period where you will offer apologies, or it will be a phase where you will make progress; the decision will be yours.” The mysterious message has led to much speculation about personal growth and relationships on social media.

    Sana and Umair got married in 2020 and separated towards the end of 2023.

    Before marrying Sana, Shoaib was married to Indian tennis star Sania Mirza. The couple has a son named Izhaan Mirza Malik, born in 2018.

  • ICC suffers millions of Dollars loss during T20 World Cup

    ICC suffers millions of Dollars loss during T20 World Cup

    The T20 World Cup 2024, held in America and West Indies, has cost the International Cricket Council (ICC) millions of dollars.

    According to Express, the ICC has suffered a loss of $167 million (more than PKR 46 billion 50 crore) due to poor management and efforts to promote cricket in America.

    Members of the ICC will ask questions in the board meeting on financial and operational matters scheduled in Sri Lanka this month. Important decisions are expected.

    The council has constituted an independent committee which will submit its report.

    Reports say that the managing company requested $20 million from the ICC in addition to the approved budget.

  • Pakistan Railways increases fares for passenger and freight trains

    Pakistan Railways increases fares for passenger and freight trains

    Pakistan Railways has announced an increase in fares for all train services starting Friday, July 19, 2024. This decision, reported by the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), is part of a broader strategy to rationalise fares.

    According to an official notification issued on Thursday, fares for mail, express, intercity, and passenger trains, including outsourced services, will see a 1 per cent hike. Additionally, freight and goods train fares will be increased by 2 per cent.

    The fare adjustment comes amidst Pakistan Railways’ ongoing efforts to improve its financial health. Over the past six months, the railway department, in collaboration with railway police and train staff, has collected over Rs76 million from passengers traveling without tickets.

    Approximately 59,143 ticket-less passengers were identified during this crackdown, with the recovered amounts duly deposited into the department’s official bank account.

    This move aims to enhance revenue generation and ensure the sustainability of Pakistan Railways’ operations while providing better services to its passengers.