Author: newsdesk

  • Virat, Anushka likely to leave India permanently

    Virat, Anushka likely to leave India permanently

    Indian cricketing superstar Virat Kohli and his wife, Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, are planning to move permanently from Mumbai to London with their two children, Geo has reported.

    Both stars want to lead private lives away from the limelight and millions of fans in India.

    The World Cup hero left with his wife and two children, Wamika (daughter) and Akay (son) after attending the Victory Parade in Mumbai on Thursday.

    After the World Cup final on Saturday night, Virat Kohli announced his retirement from the T20 format. However, he will continue to play Tests and ODIs. He scored 76 runs off 59 balls against South Africa in the last match and was declared the player of the final.

    Indian media has said that since Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli became parents to their second child, Akay Kohli, the couple is considering moving to London before the birth of their second child. The couple spent a lot of time in London and decided to give birth there.

    They spent almost two months in London and stayed away from cricket even after the birth of Akay. Sources close to him say that Virat will now stay permanently in the UK.

    Earlier, he revealed in an interview that he likes living in Europe because most people don’t recognize him, which gives him an everyday life.

  • Chief Commissioner suspends NOC for PTI’s public rally

    Chief Commissioner suspends NOC for PTI’s public rally

    The Chief Commissioner of Islamabad has suspended a no-objection certificate (NOC) issued to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for a public rally just a day before the event, ARY News reported.  

    Intelligence agencies expressed concerns about the security situation in the capital city, leading to the suspension of the permission.

    During a meeting headed by the Chief Commissioner, all participants reviewed the applications related to a public gathering.

    After reviewing applications related to the rally and the security situation in the city, the Chief Commissioner suspended the NOC issued to PTI.

    District authorities confirmed that the NOC has been suspended to maintain law and order in the capital city, adding that the citizens’ protection is the government’s priority.

    However, PTI leader Omar Ayub said that the public gathering will take place as planned despite the authorities’ suspension of NOC.

  • Saudi Arabia to give citizenship to foreign professionals

    Saudi Arabia to give citizenship to foreign professionals

    The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has issued a royal decree to grant citizenships to scientists, medical doctors, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and distinguished talents with unique expertise and specialisation in their respective fields.

    The announcement was made on Thursday, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

    The desert Kingdom, in the midst of modernising the vast country, wants to attract people with unique talents and expertise in their fields that can contribute to the development of various sectors throughout the Kingdom to achieve its Vision 2030 goal.

    Vision 2030, which highlights Saudi Arabia’s keen interest in attracting, investing in and retaining exceptional creative minds, was launched in 2016 under the directive of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to a report by Al Arabiya News earlier this year.

    It aims at creating a “diversified, innovative and world-leading nation,” through the Kingdom’s deeply rooted cultural heritage and strategic advantages, according to the official webpage of the initiative.

    The present announcement follows a similar royal decree which was previously issued in 2021 to grant Saudi citizenships to the first group of select distinguished talent in these fields.

  • Renowned Pakistani chef Naheed Ansari passes away

    Renowned Pakistani chef Naheed Ansari passes away

    Naheed Ansari, a well-known Pakistani chef, has passed away on Friday. She had 35 years of experience in cooking and was famous for popular TV appearances. Naheed appeared on many cooking shows and was the director at Creative Hands by Naheed Ansari. She also taught cooking and baking courses, known for being an expert teacher and a kind, soft-spoken person.

    The sad news of Naheed Ansari’s death was shared by Pakistani anchor and host Sidra Iqbal on Instagram. She posted memorable pictures with the chef and expressed grief on her death.

    Social media users and fans are mourning the loss of Naheed Ansari. A fan mentioned that she had been suffering from breast cancer. May Allah grant her peace and a higher place in heaven.

  • South Korean robot commits suicide after tremendous workload

    South Korean robot commits suicide after tremendous workload

    A civil servant robot in South Korea working for the Gumi City Council apparently killed itself leaving many confused on what is being termed the country’s first “robot suicide”.

    The incident occurred last Thursday, leaving the tech community puzzled and in mourning.

    The ‘Robot Supervisor’, according to the eyewitness accounts, was behaving oddly and out-of-character before its fall. It was discovered shattered at the bottom of a stairwell between the first and second floors of the city council building.

    It was employed since August 2023 and performed various tasks including delivering documents, promoting the city, and providing information to residents.

    It worked tirelessly from 9 am to 6 pm, even using elevators—a rare feature of its kind.

    The robot was developed by a California-based startup for a broader range of duties.

    It was seen as a great opportunity by South Koreans but for now the Gumi City Council has decided not to replace the robot, pausing their robot adoption plans and reflecting on the future of automation in the nation.

  • Military dismisses ‘unwarranted criticism’ of Azm-e-Istehkam

    Military dismisses ‘unwarranted criticism’ of Azm-e-Istehkam

    On Friday, the military leadership condemned the “unwarranted criticism” of the newly launched anti-terrorism operation Azm-e-Istehkam, stating that the initiative was being “deliberately misrepresented.”

    According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the statement came after the 265th Corps Commanders’ Conference (CCC), which was held at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir in the chair.

    The military wing stated that the new operation is aimed at re-invigorating national counter-terrorism efforts in a synchronized manner to eradicate terrorism in Pakistan.

    The statement by ISPR read, “Forum noted with concern the unwarranted criticism by some quarters and deliberate misrepresentation of the vision, only for furthering their vested interests.”

  • Pakistani cinemas struggle as ‘Jatt & Juliet 3’ takes over

    Pakistani cinemas struggle as ‘Jatt & Juliet 3’ takes over

    Pakistan’s film industry is struggling as many movies with weak stories are not doing well at the box office. Even star-studded releases like Umro Ayar and Abhi this Eid Ul Azha haven’t stopped the decline in cinema attendance. Recently, the Indian Punjabi film Jatt & Juliet 3, starring Diljit Dosanjh and Neeru Bajwa, has become hugely popular among fans. Pakistani actors also part of the film that include Nasir Chinnioti and Akram Udas.

    The film released on June 27, has already earned a remarkable Rs. 5.1 crore at the box office within just four days. The movie’s success can be attributed to its previous two seasons’ popularity, as well as the massive fan following of lead actors Diljit Dosanjh and Neeru Bajwa in Pakistan.

    In contrast, Pakistani films are being taken down by cinema owners due to low ticket sales. According to infotainment journalist Moeen Zubair, the buying ratio of Pakistani tickets has decreased significantly, with audiences preferring the Indian Punjabi film instead. ‘Jatt & Juliet 3’ has gone from having just three shows daily to nine shows, leaving local films in the behind.
    The success of ‘Jatt & Juliet 3’ has proven that Punjabi films still have a massive fan following in Pakistan.

  • Rain emergency declared in Rawalpindi as heavy downpours lash Punjab

    Rain emergency declared in Rawalpindi as heavy downpours lash Punjab

    Following heavy downpours of rain in various cities of Punjab, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, and Jhelum, many areas experienced power outages.

    Rawalpindi imposed a rain emergency on the garrison city.

    Torrential rains in several Punjab cities caused water accumulation on highways and roads in Lahore and Gujranwala. Rainwater also entered the ward of Gujranwala’s Medical College Teaching Hospital.

    Power supply was disrupted due to 100 feeder trips during heavy late-night rains, resulting in power outages in many areas.

    In Rawalpindi, water levels reached five feet at Katarian in Nala Lai and four feet at Golmandi bridge, prompting the declaration of rain emergency.

    The Meteorological Department recorded over 30 mm of rain in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

    Intermittent rain continued in various cities of Azad Kashmir, including Samahni, Mirpur, Dadyal, Jatlan, and Mangla.

    The Meteorological Department forecasts intermittent rain, strong winds, and thunderstorms today in different areas of Azad Kashmir, Islamabad, Upper and Central Punjab, Northeastern Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    It warned of possible flooding in mountain streams until July 7.

    The department also warned of urban flooding in Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Narowal, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, and Peshawar, and landslides in the hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to heavy rains.

  • PCB summons former Test cricketers for consultation

    PCB summons former Test cricketers for consultation

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has summoned former Test cricketers to Lahore for consultations.

    According to Geo sources, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi will meet 30 to 35 international cricketers on Monday, to hear their feedback and suggestions on domestic cricket. The cricketers will be confident in the three new tournaments launched by the name of Champions.

    Earlier, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi said that he is in touch with former cricketers and is seeking advice on improving cricket.

  • Test cricketer Fawad Alam’s mother passes away

    Test cricketer Fawad Alam’s mother passes away

    Pakistani Test cricketer Fawad Alam’s mother passed away in Karachi at the age of 63. She was seriously ill for a few months.

    Fawad Alam said, “I felt very lonely after his mother left. We pray to Allah Almighty to raise the status of our mother, Ameen.”