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  • Female Afghan presenter who interviewed Taliban leader flees the country

    Beheshta Arghand, a female news presenter at TOLO News, has left Afghanistan according to CNN.

    “If the Taliban do what they said – what they promise – and the situation becomes better, and I know I am safe and there is no threat for me, I will go back to my country and I will work for my country. For my people,” she said while speaking to CNN.

    Talking about her experience of interviewing Taliban spokesperson, Arghand added that the interview was difficult, “but I did it for Afghan women.”

    “I told myself, ‘One of us must start…If we stay in our houses or don’t go to our offices, they will say the ladies don’t want to work,’ but I said to myself, ‘Start working,’” Arghand said.

    “And I said to the Taliban member, ‘We want our rights. We want to work. We want — we must —be in society. This is our right.’”

    On August 17, Arghand sat down with senior Taliban representative Mawlawi Abdulhaq Hemad. During the interview she talked about the Taliban’s home searches in Kabul and the general situation on the ground.

  • Nawaz Sharif modifies milli naghma to make a point against establishment

    Nawaz Sharif modifies milli naghma to make a point against establishment

    At the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) jalsa in Karachi on Sunday, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif blamed “a few hundred thousand” of hijacking the country’s democratic system. Sharif was addressing the PDM jalsa from London via video link.

    Nawaz vowed he would not stay silent anymore.

    Reciting a few lines from the milli naghma (national song) ‘Yeh watan tumhara hai’, Nawaz Sharif changed a few lines to: “Yeh watan tumhara hai, hum hain khawamkhah iss mein [This country is yours and we are living in it for no reason].”

    “Ai chand lakh logo, yeh watan tumhara hai, baaqi 21 crore hain khawamkhah iss mein [Dear few lakh people, this country is yours, the rest of the 21 crore people are living here for no reason],” further added Nawaz.

    “It’s a crime to stay silent under the current circumstances,” said Nawaz.

    “A few generals and elite of the society have made this democratic system a hostage. We remained silent when the elected prime minister was thrown out. We stayed silent when votes were snatched and blue-eyed people were imposed over the country to rule. We stayed silent when honest and God-fearing judges were implicated in false cases,” said Nawaz.

    The PML-N leader said, “We stayed silent when the RTS [results transmission system] collapsed [in 2018 elections] and we stayed silent when the country’s poor segment of society was deprived of food. Now you have to decide that whether you want to stand with those who are suffering and scared or with those who raise their voice against injustice.”

  • Saudi woman develops game to help diagnose anxiety

    Rasha al Qahtani, an 18-year-old Saudi Arabian girl, has created a technique that can be used to detect generalised anxiety disorder in adolescents using video games.

    “I tried to heal myself, by myself, almost all of the time,” she says. “In Saudi Arabia, we are starting now to connect the dots and to raise awareness about mental health. Going to a psychologist does still have a negative effect on a person in society,” she said while talking to Smithsonian Magazine.

    Qahtani came in third place in the behavioural and social sciences category of the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair for her prototype, which was inspired by her personal experience and as a means of helping her peers who are struggling with anxiety.

    Her prototype tries to address the issues of stigma and inaccessibility that, according to psychologists, are significant barriers to youth seeking mental health treatment.

  • Eight Googling tips you probably don’t know

    Eight Googling tips you probably don’t know

    We frequently use Google at work and home for research but most of us don’t know how to optimise our Google search.

    A Twitter user shared a few tips that can make our search easy, more precise, and can save time.

    Chris Hladczuk shared a few short keys for Google search. Here are some key tips:

    Quotation marks

    – Dashes

    ~ Tilde

    Read More: Five science-oriented tips to deal with work stress

    Site:

    | Vertical bar

    .. Two Periods

    Location:

    Filetype:

  • Poster revealed of Yasir, Ayesha starrer ‘Javed Iqbal’, Mansha and Mathira cheer

    Poster revealed of Yasir, Ayesha starrer ‘Javed Iqbal’, Mansha and Mathira cheer

    Actor Yasir Hussain took to his Instagram account to share the poster of his upcoming movie, Javed Iqbal.

    The Baandhi star recieved an overwhelming response from fellow celebrities:

    Bulbulay diva Ayesha Omar, will also be seen alongside with Yasir in the biopic after their successful film, Karachi Se Lahore. The Untold Story of a Serial Killer: Javed Iqbal has been written and directed by Abu Aleeha.

    The Jhooti actor will be essaying the role of the Serial Killer while the Zindagi Gulzar Hai diva will be playing the role of a cop.

  • ‘Pakistan moving forward in criminalising enforced disappearances’: Shireen Mazari

    Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari on Monday said that Pakistan was “moving forward” in its commitment to criminalise enforced disappearances, and emphasised that such acts did not have a place in a democracy.

    As the world celebrates International Day of the Disappeared on August 30, Dr Mazari tweeted that the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Interior approved a bill on enforced disappearances last week.

    “Sadly, time [was] lost because no previous government moved on enforced disappearances,” said Mazari.

    “In our first meeting at the Ministry of Human Rights, we had the then PPP chair of the Senate human rights committee participate. Once introduced in NA it was available on NA website so to say no one knew the content is absurd. No one objected on the floor of the NA or in the committee,” she said.

    She also said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had met Baloch families of “disappeared” persons who provided details about their missing family members. “Some have returned home while others are being traced,” the minister said.

    The minister also hit out at former governments for their lack of response on the issue. “[I] can’t recall any PML-N or PPP prime minister in the last two governments even recognising enforced disappearances, let alone meeting with these families.”

  • Hamza Ali Abbasi schools social media followers regarding peers and murshads

    Hamza Ali Abbasi schools social media followers regarding peers and murshads

    Actor Hamza Ali Abbasi has shared an important message regarding peers and murshads on his official Facebook handle.

    The Pyarey Afzal star wrote: “There are many peers and murshads who demand devotion to themselves or personalities of the past with a claim that they can bring their devotees closer to God. God is closer to everyone than their jugular vein (Quran 50:16). We need learned teachers who teach God’s message/religion given to us for the last time through Muhammad PBUH, but as teachers only, as mere humans who can be right and wrong, not infallible sacred personalities demanding devotion to themselves.”

    The Jawani Phir Nahi Aani actor shared another Quranic verse which read: “Devotion is for God only. As for those who take as Lords others beside God and say ‘We are only devoted to them for they will bring us closer to God’ – God will judge them regarding what they differ in. God does not guide liars and disbelievers.”

    He also schooled a netizen, replying in his comments section.

    The Mann Mayal hero often preaches the teachings of Islam via his social media.

    He also revealed in a recent interview that his switch to a more spiritual life was not the product of any particular experience in life. “It was more of an intellectual problem for me. Ever since I was a child, I figured there were only two ways to go about this.”

    Read More – Hamza Ali Abbasi gets candid on marrying more than once in Islam

    The Parwaaz Hai Junoon actor, is set to make his silver screen comeback through the highly-anticipated feature film, The Legend Of Maula Jatt co-starring Humaima Malick and Fawad Khan.

  • Kubra, Hadiqa and Srha respond to Lux Style Awards snubbing their superlative performances

    Kubra, Hadiqa and Srha respond to Lux Style Awards snubbing their superlative performances

    The most-prestigious awards of the country, Lux Style Awards recently announced their nominations for 2021 in the categories of music, fashion, and television. A number of prominent celebrities stood up and called out the awards for nominating television dramas solely on the basis of their popularity and high viewer ratings, without considering the quality of the content itself.

    Read More – Lux Style Awards 2021: Nominations announced

    Kubra Khan has also joined fellow celebrities to express her stance on the matter.

    Kubra Khan shared her feelings over not getting a single nomination for her superlative performance as Husn-e-Jahan in Alif.

    Raqeeb Se star Hadiqa Kiani issued a clarification for her fans on being asked that why isn’t she nominated for her debut performance in the Naumaan Ijaz starrer.

    The Pyar Ke Sadqey actor, Srha Asgr requested her fans to stay positive even if she isn’t nominated at the best emerging talent in LSA.

    “It’s okay if I didn’t make it this year but I surely did make it [to] your heart,” she wrote.

    She went on to say: “Mazeed mehnat keraingay aur aik din award bhi lay jaygay. #loveyouall”

    Earlier, the celebrities who called out the nominations include Sonya Hussyn, Nausheen Shah and Yasra Rizvi.

    Meanwhile, Kubra can currently be seen in Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay, while Srha is garnering praise for her role in Aakhir Kab Tak opposite Haroon Shahid.

  • ‘Gireban se pakar liya’: Yasir Hussain appreciates Nadia for blasting Abrar-ul-Haq

    ‘Gireban se pakar liya’: Yasir Hussain appreciates Nadia for blasting Abrar-ul-Haq

    Earlier this week, the singer-turned politician Abrar-ul-Haq criticized young mothers for giving gadgets in children’s hands and ignoring their nurturing while singing Baby Shark at a convention to mark Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) three years performance.

    He said that when we were kids, ours mothers used to recite Kalima to us and nowadays, young mothers give mobile phones to their children, which play Baby Shark.

    Jalan star Nadia Hussain has slammed the Nach Punjaban singer for his comments on modern day mothers.

    The Karachi Se Lahore star has supported Nadia for directly slamming Abrar-ul-Haq on his statement.

    She appreciated Yasir’s first look from his forthcoming feature film, Javed Iqbal, a biopic of the late serial killer.

    On the work front, Nadia can be seen currently on Hum TV’s Yun Toh Pyar Hai Bohat co-starring Javed Sheikh and Affan Waheed.

  • Kohli gets angry at a presser after a pricking question from a journalist

    Kohli gets angry at a presser after a pricking question from a journalist

    After a humiliating defeat by an innings and 76 runs in the third Test against England, Indian captain Virat Kohli was being asked sharp questions in the press conference and he got angry and ignored a pricking question by a reporter.

    In a viral video, a reporter questioned Kohli about playing on the backfoot. To this, Kohli replied: “I don’t know how to answer this question? How can you play every ball on the backfoot? Unless it is according to his length.”

    Even before Kohli could complete his point, the journalist started saying: “Due to playing less on the back foot, Team India missed the opportunity to score more runs.” There was a bit of anger on Kohli’s face here, but he answered while calmly handling himself: “Yes, thank you!” The video of this moment is going viral on Twitter.

    In the post-match presentation ceremony, Kohli said: “When you get out within 80 runs (in the first innings) then it is the pressure of the scoreboard and after that the opponent team makes such a big score.” The Indian team had scored 215 runs for two wickets on the third day, due to which it was in good condition. Kohli said, “But we played well yesterday to stay in the match, we tried as much as we could and also gave ourselves a chance.”

    Regarding the England bowlers, he said: “But today the England bowlers put a lot of pressure and in the end got the result they wanted.” Kohli said: “The first innings score was very bad, it can happen in this country, the whole innings collapses like a pack of cards.”

    On the fourth day’s play, he said: “We thought the pitch was good for batting. But the disciplined bowling forced them to commit mistakes and the pressure was too much. When you are not scoring runs, it is very difficult to get over the pressure. Due to this the batting collapsed.”

    After third Test, the series delicately poised at 1-1, the action now moves to The Oval in London for the fourth Test.