Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed Australia’s Tony Hemming as the Chief Curator.
The Board’s statement said, “Tony Hemming has been appointed for two years. He will prepare pitches for the Test series against Bangladesh and England and for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy 2025.”
Tony will arrive in Lahore on Wednesday to take over the new responsibility. The pitch curator has more than 40 years of experience in pitch preparation.
Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has apologized for a video he made after defeating Pakistan Champions in the final.
He shared the video on Instagram along with Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh and Gurkeerat Mann, in which they were mimicking disabled people.
After the video went viral on social media, it drew criticism from disability rights advocates who accused the cricketers of mocking disabled people, after which the video was removed.
Harbhajan Singh has also apologized, writing on X, “After winning the championship in England, social media users are criticizing our recent videos of ‘Toba ‘Toba’. I want to make it clear to them that we respect every individual and community. This video was made due to fatigue after playing cricket continuously for 15 days, stopping criticism and keeping everyone happy.”
India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the final of World Champions of Legends.
“The Royal Oman Police have responded to a shooting incident that occurred in the vicinity of a mosque in the Al-Wadi Al-Kabir area,” police said in a statement.
The force gave an initial toll of four killed and “several others” wounded at the mosque in eastern Muscat.
Such an attack is rare in the Sultanate, which has regularly played the role of mediator in regional conflicts.
The United States embassy in Muscat issued a security alert following the shooting and cancelled all visa appointments Tuesday.
“US citizens should remain vigilant, monitor local news and heed directions of local authorities,” the embassy wrote on social media platform X.
Footage verified by AFP shows people fleeing near Imam Ali Mosque, its minaret visible, as gunshots ring out.
A voice can be heard saying “oh God” and repeating “oh Hussein”, referring to the imam who Shiites view as the rightful successor to the Prophet Mohammed.
Shiites this week mark Ashura, an annual day of mourning that commemorates the 7th-century battlefield martyrdom of Hussein.
Police said that “all necessary security measures and procedures have been taken to handle the situation” in their statement.
“The authorities are continuing to gather evidence and conduct investigations to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident,” the force said on X.
The government has announced an unexpected increase in petrol and diesel prices for the next fortnight.
In response to the rise in international oil rates, the price of petrol in Pakistan has been raised by Rs9.99 per litre to Rs275.60. Concurrently, the price of High Speed Diesel (HSD) has been increased by Rs6.18 per litre, bringing it to Rs283.63.
The Finance Division issued a notification for these latest fuel prices under the fresh fortnightly review. This increase is expected to further exacerbate the financial burden on the populace, who are already struggling with the high costs of essential food items and basic necessities.
Previously, there were projections that the government might increase the petrol price by Rs6-7 per litre, but such a significant hike was not anticipated.
The Finance Division clarified that the duties and levies will remain unchanged, meaning the Petroleum Development Levy (PDL) stays the same in this latest fuel price review.
This is the second time in a row that the government has not increased the levy on petroleum products.
Renowned singer Fakhr Mahmood, recent recipient of Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, revealed that he doesn’t know who nominated him for the prestigious honour during a recent appearance on ‘Hasna Mana Hai’.
When asked about his early days as a singer, Fakhr said, “At the start of my singing career, my parents were unhappy with my career choice, but as they saw me grow and find my footing, they came around and accepted it.”
“I was not a troublesome kid in school, but I do have some fond memories of playing pranks on my friends.” Mahmood added.
The host asked, “Sir, have you been awarded the Pride of Performance or Tamgha-e-Imtiaz? In what category did you receive them?
Mahmood said, “When I received the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz from former President Pervez Musharraf, he warmly told me, ‘I am proud of you.’ Later, when President Asif Ali Zardari honored me with the same award, he smiled and said, ‘You deserve it.’”
Fakhar Mahmood has sung songs like Allah Karay, Atom Bomb, Baylia, Jee Chahay, and Kho Jaon. is this well written?
Besides his professional success, Mohib Mirza is also grateful for the exceptional women in his life. During a recent appearance on Amna Isani’s show ‘Haute Talk’, he discussed the roles of women in his life.
“If I talk about Aamina and Sanam, both of them are extremely nice human beings, and they belong to very good families. They have had a very good upbringing, especially since their mothers played a crucial role in their development. Similarly, I believe I have inherited some valuable traits from my mother, and I aspire to be a better person for both Aamina and Sanam. While Aamina and I have had our personal issues in our relationship, that is our personal matter; nevertheless, I feel extremely fortunate to have had the privilege of having two exceptional women in my life,” he said.
While talking about his relationship with Sanam Saeed, his wife, Mirza said, “We are very cordial with each other. I teach her Urdu, and she teaches me English. Sanam loves to laugh out loud at my jokes, and when we work together, we really enjoy the process. I choose not to share my personal life on social media, and that’s my preference.”
Mohib Mirza has starred in dramas like Zaib-un-Nisa, Firaaq, Shehr E Zaat, and Shab E Aarzoo Ka Alam. Currently, he is starring in Jafaa and Tark E. Wafa. Aamina Sheikh and Mirza were married in 2005, they divorced in 2019. Sanam Saeed tied the knot with Mirza in a secret wedding in 2021. They announced their wedding in 2023.
Israel had declared Al-Mawasi a “safe zone” as it pushed into Rafah near the Egyptian border. Still, on the weekend, Palestinians raced to collect dozens of casualties from the military’s latest strike.
Sirens wailed, and women screamed as children were pulled bloody and unmoving from the wreckage.
“What have they done? they’re children, children,” one woman cried. “Seven-year-old and 12-year-old children.”
Al-Mawasi, where hundreds of thousands of displaced people sought refuge, was left a chaos-strewn wasteland by one of the deadliest Israeli strikes since the start of the war.
The Gaza health ministry said at least 90 people were killed, half of them women and children. It said another 300 people were wounded in the “massacre”.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said an attack in the Khan Yunis area targeted Hamas military strategist Mohammed Deif and Rafa Salama, a brigade commander, but there was “no certainty that the two were eliminated”.
Located near the city of Khan Yunis, Al-Mawasi was designated a humanitarian area after Israel in May ordered civilians to evacuate other parts of the Gaza Strip.
“We have been warning for months that there is no safe place for anyone in Gaza amid Israel’s military bombardment,” said UK-based Medical Aid for Palestinians, which operates health sites in the area.
It said hundreds of thousands of displaced people were sheltering in the “safe zone”, which had been targeted before.
Black smoke billowed behind a wide, ash-strewn street in Al-Mawasi, where bodies lay in pools of blood, some covered by sheets.
Men struggling to carry the wounded wove through those beyond help to reach ambulances waiting with open doors. Others were piled onto donkey-pulled carts.
“There are people who have lost limbs everywhere. It’s a scene the mind cannot even imagine,” Mahmoud Chahine said near a market struck in the attack.
Despite the Nasser Hospital reportedly saying it was at full capacity, ambulances kept arriving, carting in the wounded on orange stretchers, including a man with a towel tied around his leg as a makeshift tourniquet.
A woman outside the hospital could be heard pleading, ” Please, enough, for God’s sake.”
The Israeli military said the attack against Deif “struck an open area” that “was not a tent complex but an operational compound”.
“According to our information, only Hamas terrorists were present, and there were no civilians,” it said.
According to Netanyahu’s office, he had discussed the strike with security and military officials as part of his goal “to eliminate senior Hamas officials”.
Hamas called the claim that Deif had been targeted “false allegations” intended “to cover up the magnitude of the horrific massacre” in Al-Mawasi.
Gaza’s civil defence agency said heavy fire was preventing its teams from reaching the “many bodies” scattered in the streets.
Mahmoud Abu Akar, an eyewitness, described repeated missiles raining down on them.
“Every time people tried to get close to rescue others, they would strike,” he said.
“There was no warning at all, it happened all of a sudden.”
Since telling people to relocate to Al-Mawasi in May, the Israeli military has been accused of repeatedly striking the area in deadly attacks.
In June when the International Committee of the Red Cross said 22 people were killed by shelling that damaged its office.
Returning from Nasser Hospital Saturday, Louise Wateridge, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), said children had suffered life-changing injuries and people were angry there was no reprieve from the fighting.
“There is no safety here, no matter where people go,” she said.
Israel’s military strikes has killed at least 38,443 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to data from Gaza’s health ministry.
On Monday, Pakistan’s stock market experienced a significant boost after the country secured a $7 billion loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over the weekend.
The benchmark KSE-100 Index soared by 1,211.51 points, or 1.52 per cent, closing at an all-time high of 81,155.60. This surge reflects investor confidence in the economic stability promised by the new IMF programme.
According to the IMF, the programme aims to build on the macroeconomic stability achieved over the past year. The successful staff-level agreement is expected to create a conducive environment for financial inflows from other multilateral institutions, bilateral partners, and friendly countries. These inflows are anticipated to bolster Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves and alleviate external pressures.
Additionally, the programme will provide much-needed clarity and certainty regarding the economic roadmap, alongside structural reforms over the next three years.
During the trading session, the index fluctuated within a range of 684.97 points, hitting an intraday high of 81,428.43 points and a low of 80,743.46 points. The total trading volume for the KSE-100 Index was 219.58 million shares.
Of the 100 companies listed on the index, 65 closed higher, 30 fell, and 5 remained unchanged. The sectors driving the index upwards included Commercial Banks (+295.96 points), Fertilizer (+203.92 points), Oil & Gas Exploration Companies (+193.68 points), Technology & Communication (+165.01 points), and Cement (+124.38 points).
Conversely, sectors that negatively impacted the index included Tobacco (-20.20 points), Refinery (-4.40 points), Paper, Board & Packaging (-2.88 points), Transport (-2.30 points), and Textile Spinning (-1.42 points).
Stray Kids, a popular K-pop group, called it a “career highlight” as they headlined the British Summer Time (BST) Hyde Park Festival on Sunday.
The eight-member group from South Korea started in 2018 through a reality show by JYP Entertainment. They have fans all over the world with their unique sound and hit songs like ‘God’s Menu,’ ‘S-Class,’ and ‘Maniac.’
The members, Changbin, Felix, Hyunjin, Lee Know, Han, Seungmin, Bang Chan, and I.N, returned to London after almost five years for their first UK festival performance.
“It’s a huge festival with a big space. We’re excited to see how our energy will change it,” said Han before their one-hour-and-40-minute set in front of thousands of fans.
Time magazine named Stray Kids as one of the Next Generation Leaders. Last year, they were third on the global recording artists list by IFPI, and their album “5-Star” was the second biggest-selling album globally.
In May, all eight members walked the famous MET Gala red carpet in custom Tommy Hilfiger suits. Bang Chan said they are thankful for their streaming success but want to keep making meaningful music for their fans, known as STAYs.
“A lot of STAYs and people are supporting us, so we keep working hard,” said Seungmin.
The group is also preparing for their “comeback” with a new EP called ‘ATE,’ released on July 19. Felix said ‘ATE’ stands for the eight members who have “eaten up” their comeback, and fans can expect new styles and concepts.
“It’s been a while since our last album. With this one, we want to show how genuine we are with music and offer various styles for everyone to enjoy,” said Bang Chan.
“We’re giving our all, and that makes us confident,” added Changbin.
Lollywood queen Resham is not just a great actress but also the owner of a heart of gold. But the internet didn’t even spare her charity work. The star opened up about being trolled for her work, feeding underprivileged communities.
Undeterred by negative comments, Resham said, “People on social media say all kinds of things like she’s making food for charity out of ill-gotten money, but I say let Allah decide.”
Resham, who has been personally preparing and distributing food to the needy for the past 20 years, emphasized her dedication. “This has been going on continuously for the past six years, all 12 months,” she stated, highlighting her unwavering commitment to helping others.