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  • Petrol price may go down by Rs7.24 to Rs230.19 per liter

    According to industry projections, the ex-depot cost of petrol has declined by Rs7.24 per litre to Rs230.19 per litre for the upcoming fortnight from the current price of Rs237.43 per litre, as reported by The News.

    Considering recent reports, this might lead to a fall in the price of petrol by Rs7.24 per litre and diesel by Rs16.61 per litre in Pakistan at the upcoming fortnightly review if the government does not raise taxes to offset the effects of the declining worldwide market.

    Expected new prices

    In comparison to the present price of Rs247.43 per litre, the ex-depot price of diesel has fallen by Rs16.61 to Rs230.82 per litre for the upcoming two weeks.

    In comparison to the current fortnight, the ex-depot price of light diesel decreased by Rs10.87 to Rs186.41 per litre.

    Kerosene’s ex-depot price fell from Rs197.28 per litre to Rs187.82 per litre, a decrease of Rs14.20.

    The oil sector bases its prices on the current taxes levied by the government. Petroleum goods are exempt from general sales tax (GST), which is charged at a rate of Rs37.42 for petrol and Rs7.58 for diesel per litre.

    There has been a considerable decline in international oil prices, but it is unclear if the government would pass the impact through to the public or offset it by increasing taxes.

  • Mahira Khan set to be Will Smith’s leading lady in Hollywood debut

    Mahira Khan set to be Will Smith’s leading lady in Hollywood debut

    Two-time Oscar-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is all set to make her narrative feature directorial debut with Brilliance. The upcoming film will be a Paramount Pictures adaptation of the Marcus Sakey novel.

    On the other hand, Hollywood star Will Smith will be producing the film under the banner of his company Westbrook Studios. Though the official announcement regarding the star cast is not made, it is being reported that that superstar Mahira Khan is in final talks to join the film.

    https://twitter.com/FilmUpdates/status/1575460011706286080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1575460011706286080%7Ctwgr%5E476817c227a1e942955c4a34f6f6879a228f1f29%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-36297767593164264713.ampproject.net%2F2209072154000%2Fframe.html

     In a report, describing the premise of the film, the publication stated, “if 1% of the world’s children were born with powerful gifts, how would society adapt to them? The Brilliance novel trilogy is set in a future where non-neurotypical people — demonized by society as “twists” or “abnorms” — are threatening the status quo of the “normal” population with their unique gifts.” Talking about Obaid-Chinoy, she is best known for directing Saving Face and A Girl in the River, The Price of Forgiveness and most recently Ms Marvel. Meanwhile, Smith will next star in Emancipation. In the upcoming Apple film, the star will be seen playing a hunted runaway enslaved man who struggles for freedom in the dangerous swamps of Louisiana. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the fact-based thriller’s release date is not announced yet.

  • ‘Absolutely no truth in regime change’: US Ambassador says would work with whatever government Pakistanis elect

    ‘Absolutely no truth in regime change’: US Ambassador says would work with whatever government Pakistanis elect

    United States (US) Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome, in an interview with The News, said there is “absolutely no truth” in the allegations of regime change in Pakistan and said that he is “very much hopeful that the countries can get past this and get back to important work”.

    He said, “We want to see an independent, prosperous and strong Pakistan. That’s what we believe is in our interest and in the interest of the region. As for the allegations, there is absolutely no truth in that. We have spoken to them, myself, and in Washington.”

    To a question by the newspaper about the possibility of Imran Khan coming into power again, and the US reaction to it, the US ambassador said that his country “Would work with whatever government the Pakistani people select”.

    On the matter of Imran Khan’s demand to hold an inquiry into the cipher issue, the ambassador was of the view that it is not his position to talk about whether the inquiry should be made or not. During the interview, Bloom revealed that he had not met Imran Khan.

    The ambassador said it’s important to clarify that the US, in no way, asks Pakistan or any other country to “Choose a single economic partner, bloc or anything else like that”.

    Furthermore, Blome credited the government for securing the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) deal and termed it a “significant accomplishment”.

    Talking about Pakistan’s debt, the ambassador said that Pakistan does not have an enormous amount of debt with the US in particular. “So, the Paris Club debt is a relatively small amount. It is how the US would be working with Pakistan to defer payments,” he stated.

    However, he reiterated that US wants to help Pakistan to navigate through this very difficult period

    Blome also dismissed any talk about his country using Pakistan air bases.

    ‘We want to build and reset these relations back to normal: PM Shehbaz Sharif

    At the US embassy, where Bloom was also present, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif expressed hope to reset US-Pakistan relations.

    “I want to say this very sincerely today that we want to build and reset these relations back to normal on the basis of trust, respect, and mutual understanding,” he declared.

    On Thursday (September 29) a diplomatic reception was held at the US embassy in Islamabad to commemorate the 75 years of relations between Pakistan and the US.

    “As I said, there will be a lot of what your [US] side will want to say but as long as we renew this friendship with sincere and serious dialogue, I can assure you that nothing will go wrong,” Shehbaz Sharif said.

    The Pakistani premier stressed that it is time for the two countries to move forward and find ways to warm up the relationship to the same degree as it was in the past.

    The prime minister also recalled that during his visit to New York, he met US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken who assured him of support for the flood-affected people.

  • ‘Kis mulk se yeh letter aya hai, mai kisi ke moo se sun’na nahi chahta’: Khan

    ‘Kis mulk se yeh letter aya hai, mai kisi ke moo se sun’na nahi chahta’: Khan

    The season of leaks rages on in the country as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman’s part two of the first audio leak on the ‘cipher’ got released on Friday, September 30.

    The latest audio, reportedly featuring PTI’s Imran Khan, Asad Umar and Azam Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, can be heard below.

    The script of the second audio goes as follows:

    Imran Khan: “Okay Shah Jee [Shah Mahmood Qureshi] tomorrow we will be doing a meeting. Three of us [Imran Khan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Asad Umar] and the foreign secretary. In the meeting we will quietly write the minutes of the meeting. Azam is saying we will make the minutes…. and keep a photo copy of it.”

    Azam Khan: “This cipher came on the 8th or 9th March. It came on 8th March.”

    Imran Khan: “But the meeting took place on 7th. By no means will we be taking the name of Americans. So please, no one should take the country’s name on this issue. This is very important for all of you. I don’t want to hear the name of the country from where the letter came from any ones mouth.”

    Asad Umar: “Are you intentionally calling it a letter. This isn’t a letter, it is a transcript of the meeting.”

    Imran Khan: “It is the same thing, whether it be a meeting’s transcript of a letter. People wouldn’t have understood the transcript. You say [things] like this in your jalsa.”

    ‘Is par hi khelna hai’: Imran warns not to reveal United States involvement

    Khan in his first leaked audio, could be heard talking about the alleged foreign conspiracy against him with his then principal secretary Azam Khan.

    Khan discusses how to frame the narrative around the alleged conspiracy that resulted in the ouster of his government. He tells Azam Khan: ‘Iss par hi khelna hai’, without mentioning the name of the United States and they discuss how to form a team on the issue.

    The “cipher” lies at the heart of PTI’s claim that the US plotted with individuals within Pakistan to remove Khan from office. It is based on then-envoy Asad Majeed’s meeting with State Department employee Donald Lu..

    ‘Abhi toh khela hi nahi mai’: Imran Khan responds to new leaked audio

    Khan broke his silence on the leaked audio, and said that he has not played on the cipher yet.

    Khan in the new leaked audio, can be heard talking about the alleged foreign conspiracy against him with his then principal secretary Azam Khan.

    When asked who leaked the audio, Imran blamed Shehbaz Sharif.

    “It is good that the audio got leaked, I would say the cypher should also be leaked. So that everyone should come to know how big was that foreign conspiracy.”

    “Abhi toh khela hi nahi mai,” said Khan. Translation: I have not played with it yet and will play when they expose it.

  • Pakistan launches first transgender anti-harrasment hotline

    Pakistan launches first transgender anti-harrasment hotline

    An anti-harassment/discrimination hotline for transgenders has been launched today (September 30 ) through a virtual conference.

    “Transgender citizens’ complaint management system is a breakthrough in streamlining and centralizing grievance redressal process. The system will enable Ministry of Human Rights and respective AIG office to respond to the queries and complaints of transgender citizens across the country promptly and efficiently. The Transgender Compliant Management portal is live on web.citizenportal.gov.pk where the transgender citizens can directly file their complaints regarding any issues they face and may also call 1099 for complaint registration. The complaint will be processed and addressed within 24 hours by the respective AIG office,” reads the press release.

    Head of Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms Unit, Salman Sufi, while talking to The Current said, “It is a long awaited step which marks Pakistan government’s commitment to ensure transgender community is not abused, harrased or intimidated. This hotline will give them confidence to report abuse and get help so they can live as proud Pakistani citizens.”

  • ‘Madam Zeba ko batana ke Imran Khan aya tha maazrat karnay’: Khan ne maangi mafi

    ‘Madam Zeba ko batana ke Imran Khan aya tha maazrat karnay’: Khan ne maangi mafi

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan appeared before the court of Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry on Friday to apologise for his remarks against her at a public rally.

    However, when Khan arrived at the court of Zeba Chaudhry, she was reportedly on leave and not present at the court.

    He asked the court Reader to stand witness to his appearance in Chaudhry’s court to offer an apology.

    Addressing the Reader, the former Prime Minister said, “Madam Zeba ko batana hai ke Imran khan aya tha, mazrat karna chahta tha agar un ke ilfaz se koi dil azari hui ho,” he told the reader. (Tell Madam Zeba Chaudhry that Imran Khan had visited and wanted to apologise if any of his words hurt her sentiments).

    Earlier this month, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) decided to frame charges against Khan in a contempt of court case registered against him for his controversial remarks about Zeba during a rally in Islamabad on August 20.

    However, after many delays, Khan apologised to the high court, saying, “Mai khaatoon judge se zaati taur pe maafi maangta hoon”, (I personally apologise to the female judge).

    Following this, the high court remarked that it would not be appropriate to conduct contempt proceedings against Khan. The PTI chairman also requested the high court to allow him to apologise to Judge Zeba Chaudhry in person.

    In August, Khan addressed a party rally to express solidarity with then-arrested PTI’s Shahbaz Gill and threatened Chaudhry. He said, “Zeba! Be ready, we will take action against you.”

    Chaudhry had approved Gill’s two-day physical remand at the request of the capital police.

  • Rs75 commemorative banknote is now officially available

    Rs75 commemorative banknote is now officially available

    The commemorative banknote of Rs75 is available for the general public from September 30 (today), which was released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on August 14th to mark Pakistan’s 75th Independence Day.

    At a ceremony held at the SBP offices in Karachi on August 14, 2022, the design of this commemorative banknote was presented.

    The SBP announced in a statement that starting on September 30, the general public can get the commemorative Rs75 banknote from SBP BSC offices and commercial banks’ branches.

    As a result, the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Allama Sir Muhammad Iqbal, Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, and Sir Syed Ahmed Khan are shown on the banknote’s obverse, according to the statement.

    According to SBP, the reverse of the banknote emphasises the nation’s commitment to combating climate change and its effects on Pakistan. This issue has become even more urgent in light of the unprecedented loss brought on by the recent torrential rains and flooding that affected large portions of Pakistan, according to SBP.

    The portraits of the national animals Markhor and Deodar on the reverse also draw attention to the threat of extinction and the necessity of protecting these species.

  • International acclaim: Ali Sethi makes it to ‘TIME100 Next list’

    International acclaim: Ali Sethi makes it to ‘TIME100 Next list’

    Pakistani musician Ali Sethi, has been featured in the TIME100 Next list after churning a global chartbuster in the form of Coke Studio 14’s Pasoori.

    “Proud to be included in the 2022 TIME100 Next list — that too with a write-up from guru Amitav Ghosh. [In] this old-world portrait of me by Umar Nadeeem, I am wearing ZN ALI and looking pyaar-se [lovingly] at the pre-colonial past,” he wrote on his Insta while sharing the news.

    The American magazine stated that Sethi’s song Pasoori has become a global sensation with close to 400 million views on YouTube. Even more remarkable, the song has found a huge following in neighboring India despite the escalating tensions between the two neighbouring countries.

    “Sethi’s great gift is that he is able to use an ancient form of music from the region, the classical raga, to challenge and expand notions of gender, sexuality, and belonging. “Pasoori” is a virtuoso demonstration of how artists can, in subtle ways, subvert the restrictions that are being imposed upon them by new forms of authoritarianism and intolerance,” Time wrote about Ali Sethi.

    ‘Pasoori‘ has been written by Sethi and Fazal Abbas, while the composition has been done by Sethi and Zulfiqar J Khan, popularly known as Xulfi. The music has been produced by Abdullah Siddiqui and Xulfi.

  • How to identify and protect your mobile from cyber attacks

    How to identify and protect your mobile from cyber attacks

    Smartphones are ideal targets for hackers as they contain so much personal information all in one place, from email and phone contacts to banking and social media details. This information can be used by hackers to steal identities, sell them on the dark web, and perform a variety of other cybercrimes.

    Cybercriminals are always refining their methods, making their attacks increasingly difficult to spot. We have heard of the phone and call tapping but recently there has been a debate that if WhatsApp calls can be tapped.

    Can WhatsApp audio or video call be hacked?

    Bugging can occur at all kinds of levels from political worthies to average people with no technological wisdom. A cyber security expert claims that since nothing is impossible and no code is perfect, WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption makes it safer.

    However, WhatsApp employs some of the best coders around, and the business has invested heavily in the security of its messenger. Therefore, for not-so-pro hackers, it is ‘almost impossible’ to hack WhatsApp.

    All WhatsApp conversations—video or audio—are encrypted from beginning to end. Although the implementation of that encryption can’t be examined for security because the app is closed-source.

    However, let’s presume it’s solid. Any video or audio data sent during your video chats that are end-to-end encrypted can only be decoded on the device you’re using to make the call. So even if anyone were to intercept the data, they couldn’t decrypt it, it’d be useless. Not ‘leakable’ in that manner.

    Unless you exploit your smartphone by doing these and have it compromised by:

    • Installing third-party apps or particularly APKs (not from the play store) which are modified by developers
    • Allowing hackers to install malware on your phone so they can access anything by clicking on a link
    • Installing fake WhatsApp, such as WhatsApp PLUS or GB WHATSAPP

    Man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks or even data sniffing can be used to collect video processing from your device. However, a hacker must first get access, which it does by utilising social engineering to trick you into clicking links or downloading files.

    By simply copying the WhatsApp database file and encryption key from your phone by using some software, anyone may read your message.

    Each WiFi network adapter smartphone has a 12-character MAC address, a unique identification number that can be falsified. Hackers can use the MAC address of your phone to replicate your WhatsApp on their system.

    How to protect your WhatsApp account

    • Never give your phone to someone you don’t trust.
    • Keep your messages locked down with a different key so that no one else can see your messages.
    • Go to your WhatsApp settings and select “log-out from all browsers” or a comparable option if you are signed into numerous devices using your number to access WhatsApp Web.

    How to enable two-step verification

    To enable two-step verification, open WhatsApp > Settings > Account > Two-step verification > Enable.

    You will be prompted to create a password at this step, which will stop someone else from using your phone number for WhatsApp verification.

    Additionally, according to the experts, hackers won’t be able to track the user’s whereabouts if they don’t get access to any vital information.

    Phantom Calls

    A call is deemed Phantom if there is no one chatting from the other side. They all come from various numbers, and you won’t be able to hear any of them. You should report PTA if you frequently receive phantom calls. Most likely, a hacker is attempting to access your mobile device if you receive excessive random calls.

    Random messages

    We must have gotten several texts from unknown sources. Just checking a text message will not cause your phone to be hacked. You should use caution when clicking on links or using coupon coupons in communications, though. Consider whether the link looks authentic before clicking it to ensure that your personal information won’t be disclosed.

    Malicious links

    You can accidentally tap a malicious link and wind up installing spyware on your phone, that may transmit private information to hackers, if you are unable to identify this fake message. Or else, you can be taken to phishing websites that request information from your private accounts.

    Therefore, if you receive a text message advertising a great offer that requires you to click on a link in order to activate it, wait before doing so. As these links will direct you to a trap. This can considerably decrease the risk of someone hacking into your phone using messages.

    By avoiding suspicious links and only downloading apps from Apple and Google stores, we can reduce the risk of being hacked.

  • Prince George warns his classmates to ‘watch out’ because his dad Prince William will be king one day

    Prince George warns his classmates to ‘watch out’ because his dad Prince William will be king one day

    Prince George warned his classmates who were on his bad side that they better “watch out” because his father, Prince William, will one day be king, according to royal author Katie Nicholl.

    The Daily Mail reported this incident citing a new book —‘The New Royals — Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown’ by Nicholl.

    “William’s aim as a father is to give his son a normal family upbringing, enabling the monarchy to stay relevant and keep up with modern times,” wrote the author of ‘Battle of Brothers’.

    Prince George, the eldest grandchild of King Charles III, is second in the line of succession to the British throne behind his father William.

    Aside from George, William and Catherine, Princess of Wales also shares two children—Princess Charlotte of Wales and Prince Louis of Wales.