Author: newsdesk

  • Pakistani rupee gains Rs15 versus US dollar during intraday trade

    Pakistani rupee gains Rs15 versus US dollar during intraday trade

    In the aftermath of securing last-minute funding from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Pakistani rupee exhibited a substantial gain of Rs15 against the US dollar in the interbank market on Tuesday.

    As reported by the Forex Association of Pakistan, the local currency’s exchange rate appreciated to Rs271 around 10 am. It is worth noting that the rupee had closed at 285.99 against the dollar on June 27, with trading activities suspended due to the Eid holidays last week and a bank holiday on Monday.

    This positive development follows a previous record-high exchange rate of Rs290.93 reached on May 11. Since then, the dollar has experienced a considerable decline of more than Rs23.

    The anticipated 3 per cent appreciation of the rupee has been realised, but the sustainability of these gains will be verified in the days ahead. The government has indicated that the partial funds from the IMF deal will be disbursed by mid-July.

    Additionally, the government has expressed confidence in securing approximately $4 to $5 billion from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Islamic Development Bank. These additional funds would contribute to resolving the dollar liquidity issues.

    The strength and stability of the rupee are likely to be maintained if these payments materialise. However, any delays could potentially increase pressure on the currency.

    According to the government’s projections, Pakistan’s reserves are expected to increase to $14 billion by August. Should this estimation hold true, it is anticipated that the rupee will stabilise around the range of 270 to 280, as suggested by experts.

  • Feroze Khan thinks the cure to depression is women obeying men

    Feroze Khan thinks the cure to depression is women obeying men

    Feroze Khan is once more going viral on the internet for all the wrong reasons. The actor is now promoting the most absurd ways to help women overcome depression.

    In a viral now-deleted post, a person had asked the actor how she could cure depression about her future, to which Khan responded:

    “Obey your men. Give them your responsibility and sit back and enjoy grapes. I’d do that if I was a woman. Be a queen.”

    Sir, how is this even proper advice? Cure your depression by completely submitting yourself to the men in your life?

    Once more, Feroze jee proves how undefeatable his critical thinking skills are, when a fan questioned him about his misogynist views by reminding him that it was due to the struggles and hard work of his sister, ‘Maula Jatt’ actress Humaima Malick, that Khan was able to achieve such monumental fame, which brings into question why he holds such misogynist views.

    To this Feroze had to respond:

    1 , I’m gonna be loud.
    2, will have no fear.
    3, do you think she would’ve achieved this without my dad and us brothers backing her up ?
    *mic drop*

    Classy behavior, putting down the hard work of your sister just to boost up your ego.

    Twitter users obviously did not have the time or the fortitude to put up with Khan’s misogynist views and were ready to shut him down.

    https://twitter.com/udharmarro/status/1675391704310882304?s=20

  • Nawaz Sharif will be our next candidate for PM: Ishaq Dar

    Nawaz Sharif will be our next candidate for PM: Ishaq Dar

    Financial Minister Ishaq Dar has said on Monday that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) head, Nawaz Sharif, will be the party’s next candidate for Prime Minister in the upcoming general elections.

    While speaking on Geo News’ programme Aaj Shahzaib Khanzada Kay Sath, Dar said that Nawaz Sharif is in London for medical treatment and will return to his home country after the completion of the same.

    He also said that now there is no hurdle for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to participate in the upcoming elections after parliament recently passed an amended election law that limits the disqualification period to a maximum of five years.

    Dar gave his statement a day after Nawaz said that inflation will be wiped out in the country if the PML-N won the upcoming elections, adding that his party will resolve all the problems in the country.

    Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz arrived in the United Arab Emirates for Eid, and held meetings with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) top leaders, including Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto.

  • President allows NAB to secure 30-day physical remand of suspects, night before Imran Khan’s NAB appearance

    President allows NAB to secure 30-day physical remand of suspects, night before Imran Khan’s NAB appearance

    Acting president and Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani on Monday night signed the National Accountability Bureau (NA) Amendment Ordinance 2023, which allows the accountability watchdog to secure a 30-day physical remand of a suspect, as opposed to the existing duration of 14 days

    After the revisions, the NAB chairman has been given authority to issue arrest warrants for individuals implicated in cases where cooperation during the investigation is insufficient.

    Sanjrani has signed the ordinance upon the request of Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, “The prime minister’s advice at para 6 of the summary is approved. The National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, is signed and promulgated.”

    It is pertinent to mention here that NAB Rawalpindi has summoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, and his wife, Bushra Bibi today (Tuesday), regarding two lseparate cases.

    Imran Khan will be appearing in the Toshakhana case, while Bushra Bibi has been summoned in relation to a £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA) UK settlement case.

  • Is France considering an internet shutdown after riots, mayor’s house set on fire with family inside?

    Is France considering an internet shutdown after riots, mayor’s house set on fire with family inside?

    Multiple media outlets have reported that after six straight nights of riots in France, the country’s interior minister has posted a statement announcing a partial ban on the internet after hundreds were arrested for protesting the brutal murder of 17-year-old Nahel, a French national of African descent.

    However, the reports remain unconfirmed, being carried only by Asian news outlets like Samaa and Indian publication Scroll.

    The protests in France continue to grow stronger, with Sunday witnessing Paris mayor Vincent Jeanbrun’s house being set on fire, injuring his wife and children, who were inside sleeping.

    Writing on Twitter, Jeanbrun revealed that rockets were thrown at his house as they fled, calling the attack an “assassination attempt” and “unspeakable cowardice”.

    “A line has been crossed,” he wrote. “If my priority today is to take care of my family, my determination to protect and serve the Republic is greater than before.”

    According to Jeanbrun, a car was used to ram through the gates of his family’s home, and then the vehicle was set on fire which then spread towards the house.

    The mayor also revealed that a murder investigation has been launched against the perpetrators behind the violent attack.

    The protests in France began last Sunday after the brutal death of Nahel, reigniting long standing accusations of racism and police brutality within the French police.

    According to Al-Jazeera, the French Interior Minister reportedly deployed 45,000 police officials along with helicopters and armed vehicles. Around 700 people have been arrested since the protests began.

  • Fans and players hold up the Quran in protest against Holy Book burning incident in Sweden

    Fans and players hold up the Quran in protest against Holy Book burning incident in Sweden

    Fans, officials, and players in Iraqi League football held copies of the Quran in protest at the burning of the Holy Book incident in Sweden.

    During a match between Al-Shorta and Al-Qasim on Friday, officials and players held the Quran, with some kissing the Holy Book to show their love and emotional attachment to the text.

    There were also many spectators at the arena. One group held up a banner that read: “The Quran is our eternal law, and defending it is obligatory for every Muslim.”

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also condemned the incident of the burning of the Holy Book in front of a mosque in Sweden.

    In a tweet, he said such vile, despicable, and heinous Islamophobic acts brazenly violate international law.

    The PM said that this is an anti-Islam act, and he has no words to condemn this pathetic move.

    He also said that the Quran is a book of love, peace, and wisdom for the entire human race, and the character who is involved in this condemnable act insults the values of humanity.

  • WhatsApp introduces high-quality video sharing and enhanced profile icons in latest update

    WhatsApp introduces high-quality video sharing and enhanced profile icons in latest update

    WhatsApp is introducing two exciting features in its latest version update. The first feature allows iOS users to send high-quality videos, similar to the previous HD photos feature.

    When a user sends a photo or video using this new feature, a tag is added to the message bubble to indicate that it is of high quality. Previously, this feature was automatically applied to photos, but now it is also available for videos after users update to the latest WhatsApp beta version on iOS.

    The new high-quality video feature is not the same as sharing videos in their original quality, as there is still some light compression applied. Nonetheless, it ensures a better quality compared to the standard option. To use this feature, users must select the high-quality option every time they send a video, as the default remains as “standard quality.”

    Once the high-quality video is sent, it will be marked as such in the chat bubble, making it easy for recipients to identify that it was sent in better quality. However, this feature does not apply to videos shared via status updates on WhatsApp.

    The second feature being introduced is related to group chats. WhatsApp is enhancing profile icons within group chats, specifically for contacts whose profile pictures are hidden or unavailable.

    Now, instead of showing a blank thumbnail, the updated version will display the initials of the respective group member’s name. This way, other participants in the conversation can quickly identify the person represented by the thumbnail.

    Currently, these features are available on the TestFlight app and will soon be rolled out to more users. It’s worth noting that further updates may be needed, as there are some discrepancies in the text descriptions related to videos, but these are expected to be resolved in future updates.

  • The journey of economic progress will pick up pace: PM Shehbaz

    The journey of economic progress will pick up pace: PM Shehbaz

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the nation and the business community on the start of business activities with a remarkable flow of 2231 points in the stock exchange on the first day of the week.

    In a statement, the PM said that the country’s economic recovery has started, crediting it to the continuous hard work and effective policies of the government.

    The PM said that the journey of economic development, reduction in inflation, and progress in Pakistan is going to restart again. Shehbaz Sharif further said that the country is again on the track of development.

    He congratulated the nation, saying a new light of hope had emerged after severe disappointments, after the staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    He further said that the country will continue the journey of economic development and stability with the same hard work and passion.

    The PM also said that the journey of progress will pick up pace in multiple sectors like agriculture, Information Technology (IT), and industry.

  • Video of primary teacher wearing dress colored by her class adored by netizens

    Video of primary teacher wearing dress colored by her class adored by netizens

    The internet’s cold heart was won over by a primary teacher who surprised her pupils on their last day by wearing a dress painted by them.

    Heather Stansberry shared the video on her Instagram in which her students were looking delighted at discovering the dress the teacher was wearing under the coat. She explains in the video that she asked the kids to color her white dress.

    She captured their reaction on the day she wore it. It was also their last day with her.

    Little children could be seen coming up to the teacher, hugging her and identifying the art each of them made.
    “The dress reveal!! Such a happy/sad day my heart is so full,” she wrote.

    Since being shared, the video has amassed 1.2 million views. The comment section was filled with much love and admiration. One person wrote this was a beautiful idea.

    “You should wear the dress to these kids’ graduation once they all have forgotten about the drawings,” added another.

    People couldn’t help but adore the gesture. What an incredibly wonderful way to make your students fall in love with art.

  • ‘I was blackmailed’: boxer Amir Khan says model Sumaira extorted money from him

    ‘I was blackmailed’: boxer Amir Khan says model Sumaira extorted money from him

    Bridal model Sumaira has shared screenshots of former Pakistani-British boxer Amir Khan begging her for nudes, and encouraging her to meet him behind the back of his wife Faryal, The Sun has reported. The article, dated July 1, gave details of Khan’s alleged messages, including ones where he is terming his marriage a “business arrangement” and saying that he and Faryal were not on speaking terms anymore.

    Sumaira revealed to The Sun:

     “We had a phone call and he said he and Faryal were not properly together and that it was a bit of a business arrangement.

    “He said he was 36 and retired and that Faryal spent a lot of time in London. He spun me a bit of a sob story, and to begin with I felt sorry for him and thought he was lonely.”

    Khan has finally responded, recounting his side of the story by revealing that Sumaira deleted a lot of messages, only sharing a select few with the British tabloid which pushed the narrative of cheating on his wife, Geo reports.

    The former boxer alleged that Sumaira had reached out to him on social media where she stated that she was looking to escape from her family. The model sent revealing pictures of Amir when he asked her about her faith, which Khan said he had rejected because he wasn’t impressed by the model’s actions.

     “All I replied was that you look good but really that wasn’t something I was impressed by. To be honest, it put me off.”

    Amir then went on to address whether he had written ‘I can’t stop looking’ to Sumaira, and he responded that it was on her request to give her a compliment.

    “I wish you would say I can’t stop looking so I did. Then she sent a lot more and all I said was it’s nothing I haven’t seen before,” he confessed.

    Then Khan revealed that Sumaira asked him to give her £20,000, saying that she needed to get hand surgery.

    “I said I can’t give you any money. Go get a job and it’s wrong if you want money.”

    Khan said the model was writing lies about him in order to make money to leave her family:

    “The reason she went to the paper was I didn’t want to give her money. Her story about her family disowning her did upset me but I knew she’s on the money thing and is a liar. I stopped messaging her.”

    He also went on to reject the allegation by Sumaria that the boxer wanted to cheat on his wife, and that their marriage was a ‘business relation’:

    “I told her I am happily married. Not once did we speak about me and Faryal being together for the TV show. I think all my followers on socials know we are together and very happy. I reacted to the pictures out of the blue she sent me because I wanted to not upset her. But it wasn’t something you would take a look at twice. I also said to her sort your life out and that you are a Muslim girl. I’m sure your family will help you. She spoke ill about her family and why she didn’t live with them,” he confessed.