Blog

  • Maldives to ban Israeli tourists

    Maldives to ban Israeli tourists

    MALE: The Indian Ocean nation of the Maldives will ban Israelis from the luxury tourist hot spot, the office of the president said on Sunday, announcing a national rally in “solidarity with Palestine”.

    The Maldives, a tiny Islamic republic of more than 1,000 strategically located coral islets, is known for its secluded sandy white beaches, shallow turquoise lagoons, and Robinson Crusoe-style getaways.

    President Mohamed Muizzu has “resolved to impose a ban on Israeli passports,” a spokesman for his office said in a statement, without giving details of when the new law would take effect.

    Muizzu also announced a national fundraising campaign called “Maldivians in Solidarity with Palestine”.

    The Maldives had lifted a previous ban on Israeli tourists in the early 1990s and moved to restore relations in 2010. However, normalisation attempts were scuttled following the toppling of President Mohamed Nasheed in February 2012.

    Opposition parties and government allies in the Maldives have been putting pressure on Muizzu to ban Israelis, as a sign of protest against the Gaza attack.

    Official data showed the number of Israelis visiting the Maldives dropped to 528 in the first four months of this year, down 88 percent compared to the corresponding period last year.

    In response to the ban, an Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman urged citizens to avoid travel to the Maldives.

  • T20 World Cup 2024: Namibia defeats Oman by 11 in super over

    T20 World Cup 2024: Namibia defeats Oman by 11 in super over

    In the third match of the T20 World Cup, the match between Oman and Namibia was tied, after which the decision took place in the Super Over. In the first super over of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup, Namibia defeated Oman by 11 runs.

    First inning:

    Oman scored 109 runs in the allotted 20 overs. On behalf of Oman, Khalid Keil scored 34 runs off 39 balls, while Zeeshan Maqsood scored 22 runs off 20 balls and Ayan Khan scored 15 runs off 21 balls. Kaleemullah scored 11 runs off 9 balls while no other batsman could enter double figures.

    Bowling in the first innings, Namibia’s Trumpelman managed to get 4 wickets, David Weise got 3, Gerhard 2 and Bernard Schulz got 1 wicket.

    Second inning:

    Chasing Oman’s target, Namibia’s Jan Frylink scored 45, Niko Davin 24, and captain Gerhard Erasmus scored 13 runs. Apart from this, no other batsman could even enter in double figures.

    Namibia also scored 109 for the loss of six wickets in the alloted 20 over and the match was tied, after which the decision took place in the Super Over.

    Super Over:

    All-rounder David Weise and skipper Gerhard Erasmus came in to bat in the Super Over for Namibia, while Bilal Khan bowled for Oman.

    Weise hit a four off the first ball and then a six off the second, followed by two off the third ball and a run off the fourth. Captain Erasmus hit two fours on the fifth and sixth balls to score 21 runs and Oman got a target of 22 runs to win in the super over.

    Chasing 22 runs Oman could only score 10 runs with the loss of one wicket and Namibia won the match by 11 runs.

  • Pakistan’s Mahnoor Ali won gold in medal U-13 Squash Championship in Singapore

    Pakistan’s Mahnoor Ali won gold in medal U-13 Squash Championship in Singapore

    Pakistan’s Mahnoor Ali won the gold medal by defeating China’s Feng Chen at the under-13 Squash Open Championship in Singapore on Sunday.

    Mahnoor defeated China’s Feng Chen with scores of 11-6, 11-7 and 11-4 to win the Junior Squash Open Championship.

    Earlier on April 14, 2024, sisters Mahnoor Ali and Mehwish Ali from Peshawar won the Australian Junior Open Championship and won the gold medal.

    15-year-old budding squash player Mehwish Ali and her sister Mahnoor Ali are Fellows of the Bilqis and Abdul Razak Dawood (BARD) Foundation.

    With the help BARD Foundation, Mahnoor Ali has established himself as an outstanding young squash player at the age of 11 winning 11 gold medals so far.

  • Saudi Arabia’s big announcement if Pakistan wins T20 World Cup

    Saudi Arabia’s big announcement if Pakistan wins T20 World Cup

    Saudi Arabia has announced it to make the Pakistani team their royal guest for Hajj next year if the team wins the ongoing T20 World Cup.

    Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmed Al-Maliki expressed his best wishes for the Pakistan Cricket Team in a special video message.

    The Saudi ambassador said that the “Pakistani team will win this tournament InshaAllah and after winning the World Cup, the Pakistani team will be the royal guests for Hajj next year.”

    He further said, “God willing, the Pakistani people will celebrate the team’s success in the World Cup. I pray for the prosperity and development of Pakistan.”

    The T20 World Cup is ongoing and apart from Pakistan, the teams of 20 countries are participating in this mega event.

  • T20 World Cup 2024: West Indies defeats Papua New Guinea by five wickets

    T20 World Cup 2024: West Indies defeats Papua New Guinea by five wickets

    West Indies defeats Papua New Guinea by five wickets in the second match of T20 World Cup in Providence Cricket Stadium, Guyana.

    West Indies won the toss and elected to field against Papua New Guinea.

    Papua New Guinea inning:

    Batting first, Papua New Guinea scored 136 runs for 8 wickets in the allotted 20 overs. From Papua New Guinea Sese Bau was top scorer with 50 runs.

    Apart from this, captain Asad Vala scored 21, Kiplin Gorgia scored 27, Charles Amini 12 and Chad Spoer scored 10 runs.

    Andre Russel and Alzarri Joseph took two wicket each while Akeal Hosein, Romairo Shphered and Gudakesh Motie took 1 wickets respectively for West Indies.

    West Indies inning:

    Chasing the PNG’s target of 137, Rostan Chase scored 42 runs on 27 balls. Apart from this Brandon King 34, Nicholas Poorn 27 and Rovman Powell scored 15 runs for West Indies.

    Captain Asad Vala took two while Alie Nao, Chad Soper and John Kariko took one wicket each for West Indies.

    The upcoming match of T20 World Cup will be played between Namibia and Oman tomorrow on 5:30 am.

  • Islamabad Police intensifies crackdown against wrong parking

    Islamabad Police intensifies crackdown against wrong parking

    The Islamabad Police has initiated a crackdown on individuals who improperly park their vehicles, causing inconvenience to pedestrians and disrupting the smooth flow of traffic by occupying footpaths.

    Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi has instructed the police force to launch a campaign specifically targeting vehicles parked incorrectly, particularly in busy markets. He has given special directives to SSP Traffic Muhammad Sarfraz Virk to oversee the operation, as confirmed by a public relations officer on Sunday.

    All Zonal DSPs have been tasked with ensuring the enforcement of traffic regulations and taking action against those who disrupt traffic discipline within the city.

    Enforcement actions have been carried out against administrators of showrooms and shopping malls in various areas including G-11 Markaz, F-10, F-11, G-8, G-9, I-8 Markaz, Blue Area, Jinnah Super Market, F-6 Super Market, Aabpara, and Bhara Kahu markets. Vehicles parked on footpaths have been removed, with warnings issued for compliance with regulations under the threat of strict enforcement measures.

    Throughout the year, the Islamabad Police have issued over 42,000 fines for improper parking, with several vehicles impounded for failing to clear footpath areas.

    SSP Traffic said that ensuring convenience for road users remains a top priority for the Islamabad Police, achieved through maintaining traffic discipline.

    Specialised teams have been formed to address illegal parking and clear footpaths, with stringent actions planned against violators.

  • Poor arrangements, travel fatigue: three big teams angry with ICC

    Poor arrangements, travel fatigue: three big teams angry with ICC

    The teams of Sri Lanka, South Africa and Ireland have filed a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the travel issues and poor infrastructure system in the US. Other teams have allegedly objected to the ICC providing more facilities to India in the T20 World Cup.

    During the journey from Florida to New York, the charter flight of the Sri Lankan and Irish team players arrived seven hours late and no update was provided to them.

    Both the teams were supposed to reach New York by 8pm on Friday night but the teams arrived at 5am the next day, forcing Sri Lanka to cancel the practice session. The hotel was one and half hour away from the ground, leaving the players suffering from fatigue, while the Indian team was accommodated in hotels near the field.

    The teams of Sri Lanka and South Africa will leave for Dallas immediately after one match and there is no break in their schedule.

  • Govt sets ‘targets’ to reduce cost of living and boost employment

    Govt sets ‘targets’ to reduce cost of living and boost employment

    Dr Musadik Masood Malik, the Minister for Petroleum Division, affirmed on Saturday that the government is focusing on controlling inflation and creating employment opportunities as its primary objectives.

    During a press conference, Dr Malik stated that, under the directives of the Prime Minister, efforts are being made to provide maximum relief to the populace, resulting in a gradual decrease in inflation across the country.

    He mentioned that the Prime Minister has set specific targets for all ministers to alleviate the public’s burden by controlling inflation and enhancing job creation.

    Dr Malik highlighted several external factors, such as floods, natural disasters, and conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, which have disrupted the commodity cycle.

    Despite these challenges, the government’s measures have led to a significant reduction in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from 37 per cent to 17 per cent. Similarly, food inflation has dropped from 40 per cent to 11.5 per cent, indicating a move towards economic stability.

    He also noted that the prices of petroleum products have been reduced, providing around Rs25-26 per litre relief on petrol within a month. Dr Malik expressed optimism that inflation will continue to decline in the coming days.

    The minister reported a 50 per cent increase in tractor purchases and a 17 per cent rise in urea production over the past year, reflecting positive economic trends.

    He assured that the forthcoming budget would be balanced and geared towards providing relief, with a projected 30 per cent increase in tax collection. Additionally, the country has seen a rise in exports and a decline in imports.

    Dr Malik concluded by stating that the budget would include more incentives for small businesses and the IT sector, aiming to foster growth and stability in these critical areas.

  • T20 World Cup: USA easily defeated Canada by 7 wickets

    T20 World Cup: USA easily defeated Canada by 7 wickets

    USA easily defeated Canada by 7 wickets in the opening match of International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

    In the Group A match played in Dallas, USA captain Monank Patel won the toss and invited Canada to bat first.

    Canada’s inning:

    Canada scored 194 runs for 5 wickets in the alloted 20 overs while batting brilliantly against USA, Navneet Dhaliwal 61 runs.

    Apart from this, Nicholas Curtin scored 51 runs, Irwin Johnson scored 23 runs, Dilpreet Bajwa scored 11 runs while Shreyas Mowa remained unbeaten with 32 runs.

    Ali Khan, Harmeet Singh and Corey Anderson took one wicket each for USA.

    USA’s inning:

    In pursuit of the target given by Canada, USA’s first wicket fell for nil and the host team had to bear the second loss for 42 runs, but for the third wicket, Andres Goss and Aaron Johnson established a wonderful partnership of 131 run.

    Goss was dismissed for 65 runs off 46 balls, but Johnson continued his best batting streak and scored an unbeaten innings of 94 runs off 40 balls with 10 sixes and 4 fours to guide his team to victory.

  • FBR surpasses May revenue target with Rs760 billion collection

    FBR surpasses May revenue target with Rs760 billion collection

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has exceeded its revenue target for May in the fiscal year 2023-24 by collecting Rs760 billion in tax revenues, surpassing the target of Rs745 billion.

    This achievement, announced in a statement by the FBR today, signifies a remarkable 33 per cent growth compared to May 2023.

    In addition to the overall revenue increase, domestic taxes also experienced a significant 33 per cent growth during May.

    “The FBR is poised to achieve the assigned target for the final month of the current financial year, June 2024,” the statement added.

    This positive trend has contributed to an overall revenue growth of 31 per cent for the first eleven months of the current fiscal year, compared to the same period last year.