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  • Stand for Palestine

    The UN Security Council (UNSC) welcomed the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. UNSC members also stressed “the immediate need for humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly in Gaza.”

    According to Al Jazeera, the Palestinian death toll on Saturday stood at 248, including 66 children, with more than 1,900 people wounded from Israeli air and artillery attacks.

    Barely a few hours after the ceasefire was reached, Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and used stun grenades and rubber bullets against Palestinians after Friday prayers. Journalists covering the incident were also attacked.

    Such highhandedness by Israel is nothing new. The Israelis have not just occupied land in Palestine but the atrocities committed by them against unarmed Palestinians are horrific and countless. Imagine being expelled from your homes and then also being attacked. And to add insult to injury, they are portrayed as being the aggressors instead of Israel, whom the world community says acts in so-called ‘self-defence’. How an oppressor gets away with war crimes is disturbing at so many levels.

    We have seen how the world community rallies behind Israel. While Pakistan has been consistent in raising its voice for the cause of Palestine, most Muslim countries just pay mere lip service and move on. We have not seen them stopping trade with Israel or cutting off diplomatic ties in protest. The Palestinians are on their own, it seems. But this cannot go on forever. Before social media, Israel could hide behind its false narrative of being provoked. Now the world can see actual footage of its crimes. We have seen hundreds of videos where children are scared of continuous bombing; buildings being flattened and innocent people standing on the rubble, nursing their wounds. The stories coming out of Palestine are horrific. One man said he “did the strangest thing” when he exchanged how children with his brother’s. “I took two of his children, and gave him two of mine. So in case I get bombed, one of mine will survive and if he gets bombed, one of his will live on.”

    These are not just stories; these are lived realities. We hope the Palestinians can one day find peace in their own land and not live in constant fear. These injustices must stop!

  • No new group being formed within PTI, says Fawad Chaudhry

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, while addressing a press conference in Lahore with the members of Jahangir Khan Tareen group, said that no new group is being formed within PTI and the party “is one family”.

    “We are all in agreement on fundamental issues. Nauman Langrial and other leaders are second-generation politicians,” and the party should benefit from their experience. “There was just a need to improve communication between us,” he said.

    During the presser, the minister said that the JKT group has, “expressed confidence in Prime Minister Imran Khan’s leadership and they are proud of their relationship with the PTI and these are the basic things which we are all united on.”

    He continued by saying that everyone in the party is clear on these issues. “Imran Khan is our leader and PTI is our party.”

    “The opposition is under the false impression that there are differences within PTI, hopefully, now the opposition’s celebration will end.”

    Talking about the ongoing investigation against Jahangir Khan Tareen, Fawad said that “neither Jahangir Tareen is expecting any undue favours from Imran Khan nor the prime minister is the type of a person who will extend any.”

    Earlier on May 19, Jahangir Khan Tareen hosted a dinner at his residence and announced a ‘group of like-minded people’. The group appointed PTI’s Raja Riaz as Parliamentary Leader in the National Assembly while PML-N’s Saeed Akbar Nawani will lead in the Punjab Assembly.

  • Maryam, Shehbaz condemn alleged attack on Nawaz

    Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif have condemned the alleged attempted attack on former prime minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif by unidentified men. As per details, masked, unidentified men tried to break into the office of Nawaz Sharif in London after insisting that they had an appointment with him.

    The Metropolitan police said that a criminal case has been registered and they are looking into the complaint.

    “Strongly condemn cowardly attempt to barge into the office of Hussain Nawaz where Mian Nawaz Sharif was also present,” wrote Shehbaz on Twitter.

    “They seemed to be armed and clearly had a sinister design but thankfully, could not succeed,” he added.

    Sharif also requested the London police to “investigate the incident from all angles.”

    Referring to the incident, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz said: “People’s voices will not be silenced by low-life third rate criminals.”

    “Nawaz Sharif is the voice of the people of Pakistan and will not be silenced,” the PML-N leader added.

    In a separate tweet Maryam hinted that the people who played with the life of her father during his arrest are behind the attack.

    Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communications Dr Shahbaz Gill asked Maryam to apologise for her false allegations, adding that the incident was related to a car fraud and took place on Thursday. Gill further alleged that the incident was planted to stop Nawaz’s deportation from UK.

  • Shehbaz Sharif invites opposition leaders over a dinner to discuss PDM

    Shehbaz Sharif has invited the opposition leaders for a dinner on Monday (May 24) at 07:30 PM in Islamabad, according to media reports.

    Reports say that among others, former President Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and JUI-F chief and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) head Maulana Fazlur Rehman have been invited to the dinner.

    PDM and the current political situation will be discussed in the dinner.

    Read more- Friendship ended with PPP? PDM removes party leaders from WhatsApp group

    Yesterday, PPP Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said that PPP has not left PDM yet, adding that a decision will be made in this regard when the PPP will be invited to PDM’s meeting with the heads of all parties involved.

  • Zoya Nasir breaks up with fiancé Christian Betzmann

    Zoya Nasir breaks up with fiancé Christian Betzmann

    Zoya Nasir has called off her engagement with Christian Betzmann following his degrading comments about Pakistan and insensitive take on the Palestine issue.

    In a detailed note posted to social media, Nasir said that Christian’s change in stance towards her “culture, country, people and insensitivity towards [her] religion” lead her to “take this difficult and irrevocable decision”.

    “It’s with a heavy heart I’m announcing that Christian Betzmann and I are no longer engaged to be married,” wrote Zoya on Instagram. “There are certain religious and social boundaries that can’t be crossed no matter what, hence, the decision to part ways.”

    The actor further said: “Humility, tolerance and respect towards each other are the virtues that we must always adhere to. I look upon my Allah to provide me with the strength to deal with this worldly emotional wreck.”

    Wishing “Chris a bright and happy future,” Zoya requested their fans and followers “space and privacy for myself and my family as we begin to navigate this emotional turmoil.”

    Zoya and Christian announced their engagement on February 19 and were reportedly set to tie the knot this year.

    Meanwhile, Betzmann on Friday while responding to some followers who requested him to raise his voice on the Palestine issue had said that he believes that social media has never helped in any political event and that the strikes of third world countries are useless and waste of time.

    The German Vlogger had further said: “It’s better to go pray as praying is the only thing third world countries can do,” adding that “first world countries are based on doers.”

    Christian, who recently embraced Islam, even went on to say that “prayers do nothing” and “you can’t do anything.”

    He also advised the people of Pakistan to enjoy as long they can because “you never know your country might be next.”

  • Two rare Persian leopards spotted in Balochistan

    Two rare Persian leopards spotted in Balochistan

    A pair of rare Persian leopards sighted in Pakistan for the first time last year have been filmed and photographed in the wild, officials said Friday.

    Sharifuddin Baloch, a senior conservation official in Balochistan province, said the pair were first spotted by rangers on Mount Chaltan in the Hazarganji Wildlife Park six months ago.

    Adult leopards are solitary in the wild and pair only to mate.

    “We equipped our staff with cameras and binoculars to film the pair and take photos,” Baloch said. “This month our staff succeeded.”

    Persian leopards are a panther sub-species native to Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and the Caucasus. They are extremely rare, however, and listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as endangered.

    Fewer than 1,000 are believed to exist in the wild, with another 200 in captivity.

    “We are taking steps to protect the rare species,” Baloch told AFP, adding officials were sharing data with the IUCN.

    Video shot by park officials shows one of the leopards beautifully camouflaged on a rugged, rocky hillside until it stands up and pads away.

    Baloch said there was no previous record of the creature ever being sighted in Pakistan.

    Panthera tilliana is bigger and has a different spot pattern to the more common Indian leopard (panthera fusca) found across Pakistan.

    Pakistan is also home to vulnerable snow leopards (panthera uncia) in the northern Himalayas.

  • China’s current COVID-19 vaccines can tackle Indian variants, says expert

    China’s current COVID-19 vaccines can tackle Indian variants, says expert

    China’s current COVID-19 vaccines can fight new coronavirus variants spreading in India and can provide protection “to a certain extent”, based on preliminary research results, a disease control expert claimed on Thursday.

    Speaking at a news briefing, Shao Yiming, a researcher at the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, did not elaborate on the specific vaccines or variants he referred to.

    Read more – Arjun Kapoor praises Pakistanis for offering help to India

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) said the predominant lineage of B.1.617 was first identified in India last December, although an earlier version was spotted in October 2020.

    The B.1.617 variant found contains two key mutations to the outer “spike” portion of the virus that attaches to human cells, said senior Indian virologist Shahid Jameel.

    The WHO has described it as a “variant of interest”, suggesting it may have mutations that would make the virus more transmissible, cause more severe disease or evade vaccine immunity. Other strains with known risks, such as those first detected in the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa, have been categorized as “variants of concern,” a higher threat level.

  • Celebs support SMQ after CNN reporter calls him ‘anti-Semitic’

    Osman Khalid Butt and Yashma Gill have extended support and defended Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi after CNN’s Senior Global Affairs Analyst and anchorperson Bianna Golodryga labelled him “anti-Semitic” while interviewing him on the ongoing violence in Gaza.

    “Please stop using antisemitism as an excuse to silence voices of dissent and to absolve Israel of blame,” said Butt. “Yet another attempt to paint Israel and its zionist ideology as victims.”

    Yashma Gill also lashed out at the CNN anchorperson saying: “Accusing Israel of ‘controlling the media’ is no way an attack on the Jews or their religion.”

    “It is a political statement from one person of influence to another,” said Yashma. “And Bianna Golodryga wasting an entire interview where she could have allowed CNN viewership to hear another side of political issues is an example of controlling the media by spinning a story.”

    “If it is so simple for her to do it [spinning the story, then] why not Israel?” questioned Gill.

    Omair Rana also tweeted in support of Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

    Earlier, Sheheryar Munawar had also called out international media outlets for their “biased” coverage of Israeli atrocities against the people of Palestine

  • Gaza Ceasefire

    Gaza Ceasefire









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    Good morning, *|MERGE1|*, It’s May 21st already ?The official trailer for ‘Friends: The Reunion has been released and people around me are going crazy. But I have to admit, I’ve never seen ‘Friends’ . Yes, yes I know I’m probably the only one. But I will watch the reunion to see Malala’s guest appearance  

    I’m hoping to see ‘The Office’ to make a comeback, even for an episode, so that I can enjoy Michael’s ‘that what she said’ jokes one last time. Oh and also the chemistry between Jim and Pam ?

    It will be sunny again today.
     

    (SCROLL DOWN A BIT MORE TO FIND YOUR DAILY HOROSCOPE) 
     
     

     
         Laila-Th    e Current 

    Morning Meme

    TOP PICKS FOR YOU

    Arjun Kapoor praises Pakistanis for offering help to India

    Actor Arjun Kapoor who’s movie Sardar ka Grandson has been recently released talked about Pakistan and India’s relationship in a recent interview with Bollywood Hungama.

    Sania Mirza seeks help from Indian sports ministry for son’s UK visa ?

    Indian tennis star Sania Mirza has sought help from the Indian Sports Ministry after her son, Izhaan Mirza-Malik, was denied a visa by United Kingdom (UK) authorities. 

    IN PICTURES: Celebs in Karachi come out in support of Palestine

    Protests in solidarity with the people of Palestine were held in several cities yesterday, including Karachi. Mahira Khan, Sheheryar Munawar, Anoushay Ashraf, Faysal Quraishi, Mansha Pasha, Ayesha Omar, Sanam Jung and Hania Amir were spotted amongst other celebrities there.

    Aiman Khan hits out at those criticising Minal, Ahsan on engagement

    Aiman Khan has hit back at those criticizing her sister Minal Khan and her fiancé Ahsan Mohsin Ikram over their engagement.

    STORIES YOU CAN’T MISS… 

    Israel announces ceasefire in Gaza after 11 days of extreme violence

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has announced a ceasefire on Friday in Gaza after 11 days of violence, Al Jazeera has reported.

    As per media reports, Israel’s PM office issued a statement from the security cabinet called the truce “mutual and unconditional”.

    The ceasefire will be monitored by Egypt, which has been agreed upon by Israel and Hamas.

    Read On

    Maryam Nawaz: the next Prime Minister?

    Analyst Sabir Shakir ne apne show mai kaha hai kay unki raaye mein Maryam Nawaz will become prime minister after Imran Khan. Analyst Chaudhry Ghulam Hussain agreed with him. 

    He also said that Imran Khan will not win the next elections. Arif Hameed Bhatti has also predicted the same. 

     These ‘pro-PTI’ journalists are predicting the rise of Maryam Nawaz in the next election, which says a lot about the declining popularity of PTI. Don’t you think?

    Read On

     ‘Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme’ was made in ‘Purana Pakistan’, alleges journalist ?

    Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated a low-cost housing colony for labourers and industrial workers on Wednesday. 

    The PM said the housing scheme for workers in Peshawar was launched in 2011 but it remained incomplete since it was not a priority because it was meant for the poor labourers. He said he wanted to see how much the condition of the poor had improved after the five-year tenure of the PTI government.  

     This new project has now been put under the ‘Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme’. 

    However, a report by Journalist Izharullah sets the record straight about the origins of the scheme. 

    Check out the story for more details.

    Read On

    PSL is happening!

    PSL 6 ke renaming matches will now take place in the United Arab Emirates. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has gotten the green light from the UAE government. 
     
    PCB will now hold an online meeting with the six franchise owners to update them on the progress made and also to finalise details, which will be shared in due course. 

    PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said, “We are delighted with this development as the remaining hurdles in the staging of the remaining HBL PSL 6 matches in Abu Dhabi have been overcome and all systems are now good to go.” 

    Read On

    Your Daily Horoscope 

    What was hidden can be revealed to you today, Aries! Check your today’s horoscope 

    ON THIS DAY

     
    WORLD DAY OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY FOR DIALOGUE AND DEVELOPMENT 

    On this day, the United Nations General Assembly declared the first ‘World Day’ in 2002. This celebrates not only the richness of the world’s cultures but also the essential role of intercultural dialogue for achieving peace and sustainability.

    CURRENT BABA’S WISDOM FOR TODAY 

     

     Don’t take everything too seriously.
     

     
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  • Govt to start vaccinating people above 30 from tomorrow

    Head of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) and Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar has announced that the government will start vaccinating people above the age of 30 from tomorrow (May 22).

    “In today’s NCOC meeting, it has been decided to open up vaccination for 30 years and older starting tomorrow,” said Umar in a tweet.

    “The messages for those who are being scheduled will go out today,” he added.

    The NCOC on May 21 announced that on May 20,194,421 vaccines were administered across Pakistan and the total number of vaccine administration is 5,151,043, till now.

    Pakistan’s vaccination drive began on March 10 with priority given to healthcare workers and senior citizens above 60. Later, vaccinations for those aged 50-59 started on April 21 and the registration for ages 40-49 started on April 27, and on May 16, the the registration for 30 plus commenced.

    Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Health Services also released a vaccine safety profile to encourage people to get themselves vaccinated. As per the details, out of 3.8 million doses, only 4, 329 reports of side effects were received as of 15 May.

    Furthermore, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services Faisal Sultan in a tweet stated that only six serious events of the vaccine has been reported.