During a protest in the French capital Paris, two demonstrators threw soup at the famous painting of the Mona Lisa, preserved in glass, and demanded that French citizens be given the “right to healthy food”.
According to the Louvre Museum, the painting was not damaged, the protective glass in front of it taking the brunt of the impact. A viral video shows two female protesters, wearing T-shirts, throwing soup on the painting.
The protestors then stood in front of the painting and said, “What is more important? Art or the right to healthy and sustainable food?, Your agricultural system is sick, our farmers are dying”.
A group called Food Counter-Attack later claimed responsibility for the stunt, saying in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) that the protest was part of efforts to provide general social protection for food.
The group also called for a food card worth 150 euros to be provided to citizens every month to be used for food.
Meanwhile, French Culture Minister Richida Dati said that “no reason” can justify targeting the Mona Lisa, calling France’s historical heritage.
Former South Africa batsman Dean Elgar has alleged that India’s star batsman, Virat Kohli, spat on him during his first tour of the South Asian country.
Elgar, who recently retired from Test cricket, when Kohli spat at him, he too responded in kind. The former opening batsman immediately reacted and threatened to hit the then Indian captain with his bat.
Speaking in a podcast, Dean Elgar said that, “The first time I faced Kohli in India, the wickets there were a joke and was difficult to play at that level.”
When he came to the crease to bat, Elgar narrated, he had trouble playing Ashwin and Jadeja while Kohli spat at him.
“I told Virat Kohli if you keep doing this, I will hit you with this bat,” the former batsman told the host of The Boys podcast.
“However, when you play in India, you have to be a bit careful,” said the former South African batsman.
Notably, Dean Elgar came to play Test matches for the first time in 2015 on a tour of an Asian country. In the same year, Virat became the full-time captain of the Indian Test team.
All the franchises of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) have announced the names of their supplementary and replacement players for season 9.
In the supplementary round, Multan Sultans have selected West Indies’ Johnson Charles, while nineteen-year-old Mohammad Shahzad will join Multan Sultans. Lahore Qalandars have made Tayyab Abbas and Karachi Kings 21-year-old Muhammad Roheed a part of their team. Peshawar Zalmi drafted left-arm spinner Sufyan Moqim.
Peshawar Zalmi has selected Waqar Salam Khel in the silver category for Lungi Ngidi, and fast bowler Khurram Shehzad has been selected in the silver category due to the partial availability of fast bowler Arshad Iqbal. In contrast, Peshawar Zalmi has selected England’s Gus Atkinson in place of Noor Ahmed. Selected. Naveen-ul-Haq of Afghanistan will be partially available, the team has reserved the right to select.
Rashid Khan will not be available for Lahore Qalandars, the team has reserved the right to select him, while Dean Lawrence will be partially available to the franchise, Islamabad United’s Tom Curran will also be partially available, on which the team will choose him. The right has been reserved. Fast bowler Luke Wood was selected by Peshawar Zalmi Obaid McCoy by Islamabad United
Karachi Kings have hired Zahid Mahmood as a partial replacement for Kieron Pollard, New Zealand’s Tim Seifert will be available to Karachi Kings after the New Zealand series. Karachi Kings picked up English middle-order batsman Leus du Plooy and Sri Lankan batsman Bhanuka Rajapakse. Vanundu Hasringa will be partially available for the Sri Lanka series where Quetta Gladiators have replaced Vanundu Hasringa with Bismillah Khan. took Quetta Gladiators have made English batsman Laurie Evans a part of the squad.
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Monday announced plans to issue new currency notes featuring international security features.
The central bank assured a seamless transition, avoiding disruptions akin to India’s 2016 demonetisation.
Governor Jameel Ahmad stated that the new notes would have updated serial numbers, designs, and heightened security features. The design framework is expected to be finalised by March.
The decision, prompted by concerns over counterfeit currency, was cautiously welcomed by financial experts.
CEO Khurram Schehzad acknowledged the move as a “positive development” but cautioned against premature assessment.
He emphasised the need to address higher-denomination notes and questioned their effectiveness, citing challenges faced by countries like India after demonetisation.
Schehzad underscored the importance of evaluating the impact on black money, highlighting the public’s inclination to convert cash into alternative assets amidst inflation.
He urged the SBP to consider reducing the number of higher-denomination notes in circulation to address economic concerns, emphasising the role of controlled currency printing in curbing inflation.
In Monday’s trading session, the Pakistani rupee experienced a slight decline of 0.02 per cent against the US dollar in the inter-bank market, closing at Ra279.64, reflecting a decrease of Re0.05, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
The previous week saw the rupee’s 11th consecutive week of appreciation, gaining Re0.31, or 0.11 per cent, to settle at Rs279.59 against the US dollar.
This consistent uptrend was attributed to the approval of the second tranche of $705.6 million in the $3 billion Stand-by Arrangement (SBA) from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The positive impact of the IMF inflow was evident in the foreign exchange reserves held by the SBP.
Meanwhile, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar instructed the Ministry of Energy to develop a comprehensive plan, in consultation with the Finance Ministry, to address and reduce the circular debt in the power and gas sectors.
In a significant move, the SBP announced plans to revamp the foreign exchange trading system by introducing a centralised foreign exchange (FX) trading platform named “FX Matching” for the interbank FX market.
On the global front, the US dollar maintained a stable position as investors assessed US economic data ahead of the Federal Reserve policy meeting scheduled for the week.
Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East contributed to a cautious risk sentiment among investors.
The Supreme Court (SC) has instructed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to promptly withdraw notices sent to journalists involved in a “malicious campaign” against the judiciary and institutions on social media as per Geo News.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, heard the case pertaining to harassment of journalists by FIA.
CJP ISA told Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan that verbal abuse was a different matter and that the FIA should not take action against journalists, especially on criticism.
The AGP assured the Chief Justice of Pakistan that journalists would not face any action.
The chief justice remarked that he is strongly against curtailing criticism, as freedom of the press is enshrined in the Constitution. “I don’t care if you make fun of me, but if you make fun of the judiciary, the country will suffer. You can criticise the Supreme Court, but the Constitution also has some limitations,” he said.
“If you think that you are benefiting me or the Supreme Court by stopping criticism, then you are harming [the institution],” CJP Isa remarked.
Qazi Faez Isa also said that media persons are allowed to criticise, but the matter of incitement is different. “We can never restrain a common man or a journalist from criticising.”
Justice Musarrat Hilali stated that there is no issue with fair criticism, but the language used is wrong.
Ali Afzal Khan was a regular feature on our television screens, playing all sorts of roles. Then suddenly, the actor disappeared, and fans were left wondering what had happened. Khan has finally opened up about what transpired behind his departure from the industry.
Ali has said that he was inspired by singer-turned-preacher, the late Junaid Jamshed, and bid farewell to the showbiz industry.
Talking on a podcast, he said, “I worked in the industry for 20 to 22 years, and during my extensive career, I undertook numerous projects as both an actor and a host. During this time, Junaid Jamshed, who was a renowned Naat reciter and singer, and I, being an actor, often had frequent meetings.”
He began to explore and understand the Holy Quran. However, due to some personal differences, he left hosting duties. “It was during this time that Junaid Jamshed inclined me towards religious preaching. In this period, I spent three days and then 40 days in seclusion, initiating the practice of regular prayer.”
Stressing that it is not easy for an actor who is at the peak of his career to leave it, Khan said, “The decision was difficult for me too but I had made a commitment to myself eight to nine months before leaving showbiz, that I would quit and after that I stopped signing contracts.”
He shared that he is still being offered different roles but he refuses them now.
“But I am still willing to play a historical role, so if someone offers me such a role, I am ready.”
Pakistan’s Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian met today (Monday), agreeing to strengthen ties between the two countries. The Iranian Foreign Minister landed in Islamabad early morning for “in-depth talks” with Pakistani counterpart, Jalil Abbas Jilani, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Foreign Minister @JalilJilani and Iranian Foreign Minister @Amirabdolahian meet at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and discussed bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Iran. They underscored the importance of robust dialogue and cooperation as the pathway for a positive,… pic.twitter.com/LuJeS8NBU9
“There is no doubt that the terrorists located in the common border regions and areas of Iran and Pakistan are led and supported by third countries and they never favour any good action in line with the benefits of the Iranian and Pakistani governments and nations,” the Iranian foreign minister said.
He made the remarks while addressing a joint press conference alongside interim Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani in Islamabad. Abdollahian had arrived in Pakistan earlier today, following which he and FM Jilani discussed bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Stress on dialogue and cooperation
According to the Foreign Office (FO), the two had “underscored the importance of robust dialogue and cooperation as the pathway for a positive, forward-oriented and upward trajectory in bilateral relations”.
“The two sides agreed to work towards promoting the mutually desired goals of peace and prosperity, based on mutual respect and a collective approach to address common challenges,” it added.
Joint action against terrorism
During a joint press conference, Minister Jilani affirmed that both countries are committed to expanding their relationship and cooperating across multiple sectors.
He stressed the necessity of united efforts against the menace of terrorism, citing it as a shared threat to the stability and security of both Iran and Pakistan. Minister Jilani underscored the importance of respecting national security and sovereignty, expressing a desire to create economic opportunities along the borders.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abdullahian echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the people of Iran and Pakistan as one nation with deep fraternal ties. He asserted that Pakistan’s security is a top priority for Iran, and both nations are resolute in not allowing any space for terrorists.
The ministers discussed measures to counter terrorism during their talks and deliberated on enhancing security at the border, recognizing the shared challenges posed by terrorist activities. “We are here, so in a loud voice we will tell all terrorists that Iran and Pakistan will not provide them with any opportunity to endanger our common security,” Abdollahian asserted.
Economic opportunities
Minister Jilani further underscored the commitment to solving political and security issues, highlighting economic collaboration as a key aspect. Both ministers discussed the establishment of trade centers along the border, aiming to create economic opportunities and strengthen bilateral trade ties. The diplomats reiterated the depth and strength of the diplomatic relationship between Pakistan and Iran.
Constructive relations
In closing, Foreign Minister Abdullahian affirmed that both nations have constructive and robust relations. The ministers pledged to work together to ensure the common security of their borders, vowing not to allow terrorists to jeopardize the stability and well-being of their respective countries.
The joint press conference concluded with an optimistic outlook for the future, as Pakistan and Iran expressed their commitment to furthering cooperation and maintaining strong ties for the development and security of the region.
The meeting has happened after Pakistan and Iran mutually launched strikes against each other with Iran killing two kids and injuring three girls and Pakistan conducting an operation named Operation Marg Bar Sarmachar resulting in the death of nine militants. Moreover, on Saturday nine Pakistani workers were gunned down by unidentified attackers in Sistan-Baluchestan. Pakistan has demanded a comprehensive investigation and swift prosecution of those responsible for the brutal attack.
At the outset of his speech, the Iranian minister highlighted that both countries “never had territorial differences”.
“Our historical bilateral relations and connections testify that we are a single nation located in two different geographical positions,” he said.
Usama Khan , the hero of the recently released Pakistani film Nayab, has admitted that he likes actress Maya Ali.
Usama Khan participated in a show to talk about his debut film ‘Nayab’.
Answering a question during the conversation he said he has a crush on actresses Mahira Khan and Maya Ali in the Pakistani showbiz industry and wants to work with both of them.
The actor said, “I have mentioned about my liking many times, so Maya will also know that I like her.”
On Usama’s answer, the host asked, “If you want to express your love, who will you express your love to?” On this the actor laughingly said, “If I have to express myself, I will do it with Maya Ali because she is unmarried.” When the host asked Maya Ali about her thoughts on marriage, the actor said, “It is too early to say anything about it.”
In a decision announced on Monday, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has opted to maintain the status quo, retaining the key policy rate of 22 per cent.
SBP Governor Jameel Ahmad highlighted the persistent elevation of inflation, disclosing a revised forecast for the fiscal year 2023–24 ranging from 23 per cent to 25 per cent.
Market analysts, anticipating the decision, noted that the sustained high inflation rate was a contributing factor to the MPC’s decision to keep the key policy rate unchanged.
