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  • PML-N’s Talal Chaudhry blames awaam for always abandoning political leaders

    PML-N’s Talal Chaudhry blames awaam for always abandoning political leaders

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senator Talal Chaudhry recently castigated the people of Pakistan for abandoning political leaders throughout history such as Zulifqar Ali Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif and even Imran Khan.

    Chaudhry stated on Azaad Urdu’s podcast, “The people used to say that if something happened to Bhutto, the Himalayas would cry. The day Bhutto was hanged, the people went to work the next day.”

    He further said, “The people told Nawaz Sharif ‘Qadam Barhao, ham tumhare saath hain’ (Step up, we are with you) and when he [Nawaz Sharif] did – he became a hijacker [Sharif’s conviction in 2000 Musharraf’s Plane Hijacking case] but people went to work.”

    Similarly, he said “Then the same people claimed, ‘Imran Khan is our redline.’ He is now inside [prison] and the people are at work.”

    The PML-N senator then blamed the PTI government for their past behaviour of not engaging with political leaders and opposition when they [PML-N] wanted a charter of the economy.

    Social media reactions were mostly critical of senator’s views.

  • UK police arrest 16 protesting against Israeli genocide of Gaza at Oxford University

    UK police arrest 16 protesting against Israeli genocide of Gaza at Oxford University

    UK police have arrested 16 people at a protest organised by a pro-Palestinian student group at Oxford University, in the latest flare-up on a prestigious campus over the genocide in Gaza.

    Thames Valley Police said the individuals were arrested Thursday on suspicion of aggravated trespass, while one was also held on suspicion of common assault.

    It follows protests in recent weeks at more than a dozen UK universities, including at world-renowned Oxford and Cambridge, emulating similar actions on campuses in the United States and elsewhere.

    Demonstrators opposed to Israel’s genocide in Gaza have made various demands, including that universities sever academic and financial ties with the country.

    In Oxford, the arrests came after students entered a university administrative building on Thursday morning, claiming they had “exhausted all other avenues of communication” with administrators.

    “Instead of engaging in dialogue with her students, the vice-chancellor chose to evacuate the building, place it on lockdown, and call the police to make arrests,” a spokesperson for the Oxford Action for Palestine (OA4P) protest group said.

    “We demand the administration meet with us to negotiate immediately.”

    Videos posted on social media showed people sitting on the ground in front of a police van being dragged away by officers, as onlookers chanted “shame”.

    Oxford University said in a statement that demonstrators had “gone beyond” peaceful protest, and that had “culminated in forced entry and temporary occupation” of some university offices.

    It added that OA4P had “escalated their protest actions from mainly peaceful to direct action tactics”, creating a “deeply intimidating environment” to community members, including Jewish students and staff.

    The university’s union, which represents academics, lecturers and staff, condemned “bringing in police to violently arrest” students who were “engaged in peaceful protest”.

  • South Koreans contest to find out who is best at doing nothing

    South Koreans contest to find out who is best at doing nothing

    South Korea held one of the strangest competition in the world where contestants are judged for being best at doing absolutely nothing.

    In Seoul, more than 100 people gathered over the weekend to do nothing. Officially, the event is called Space-Out competition which was started by a visual artist, Woopsyang, as a protest against the country’s hyper-competitive society almost 10 years ago in 2014.

    The Space-out competition was founded by a visual artist who goes by the pseudonym Woopsyang, after she suffered severe burnout. 
    CNN

    She suffered severe burnout and this event provided her along with others a respite.

    Spectators vote for the participant who’s best at zoning out for 90 minutes without falling asleep, checking their phone or talking.

    Participants’ heart rates are monitored, while onlookers vote for their 10 favorite contestants. Whoever has the most stable heart rate among the 10 takes home the trophy.

    More than 4,000 people applied to participate in the competition while the 117 contestants ranged from a child in second grade to people in their 60s.
    This year’s competition was won by freelance announcer Kwon So-a, who took home a trophy shaped like the sculpture of “The Thinker.”

    Freelance announcer Kwon So-a won this year’s competition in Seoul and took home a trophy shaped like Auguste Rodin’s sculpture “The Thinker.” 
    Charlie Miller/CNN

    Doing nothing is “good for your mental health as well as your physical health because your body has to relax, but your body can only relax when your brain relaxes,” she said while talking to CNN.

  • Fourth straight decline: Gold price drops by Rs1,800 per tola

    Fourth straight decline: Gold price drops by Rs1,800 per tola

    In a continuing trend, gold prices in Pakistan fell by Rs1,800 per tola on Friday, marking the fourth consecutive session of decline.

    This drop aligns with a decrease in international gold rates. As of the latest update, the price of gold per tola in Pakistan is Rs240,200.

    Similarly, the price of 10-gramme gold also saw a reduction, shedding Rs1,543 to settle at Rs205,933, according to the All Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA).

    This decline follows a significant drop on Thursday, where gold prices decreased by Rs6,200 per tola in the local market.

    On the international front, gold prices eased further on Friday. The APGJSA reported the international rate at $2,338 per ounce, which includes a $20 premium, after a $17 drop during the day.

    In contrast, silver prices remained stable, holding steady at Rs2,800 per tola.

    Last month, gold prices in Pakistan reached an all-time high of Rs252,200 per tola, highlighting the recent volatility in the precious metals market.

  • Islamic scholar Assim Al-Hakeem comes to Khan’s defense

    Islamic scholar Assim Al-Hakeem comes to Khan’s defense

    In an interesting Twitter clash, renowned Saudi cleric Assim Al-Hakeem clapped back at an X user when he posted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s picture showing him apparently prostrating at a shrine and asked the Islamic scholar whether the act was shirk in Islam.

    The scholar criticised the intent behind posting the picture and stated, “When one sees such a photo which is about 8 years old, one knows that the motive behind such a question is political and not religious.”

    Al-Hakeem further wrote, “You should fear Allah and when you hate someone, fight like a man and not use such dirty cheap tactics, trying to use Islam and religious rulings to support your party when you yourself most likely don’t even know the basics of Islam nor care about Islam or even the county!”

    The user later shared on X that the scholar had blocked him.

  • Hamad Azhar, Mian Aslam to lead PTI in Punjab: Omar Ayub

    Hamad Azhar, Mian Aslam to lead PTI in Punjab: Omar Ayub

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Omar Ayub said on Thursday that PTI founding chairman Imran Khan has given responsibility to PTI leaders, including Hamad Azhar and Mian Aslam, to lead the party in Punjab.

    While talking to journalists on Thursday outside Adiala jail, Omar Ayub revealed that Hamad Azhar and Mian Aslam met the founder PTI in Adiala jail, adding that the party trusts them and always backs them. He stated that Hamad Azhar and Mian Aslam are committed and loyal party workers.

    The opposition leader blamed Shehbaz Sharif’s government for the violence in Azad Kashmir.

  • Mohsin Naqvi stops announcement of squad for the T20 World Cup

    Mohsin Naqvi stops announcement of squad for the T20 World Cup

    The chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi has stopped the announcement of the national squad for the T20 World Cup.

    According to Geo sources, Mohsin Naqvi has expressed displeasure over the selection process of the national team.

    Sources say that Naqvi did not object to the names of the players but was unhappy over the lack of regular meetings. Naqvi has sought an answer from the selection committee through a letter.

    The minutes of any meeting for the selection of the team were not delivered to the Chairman, on which he took notice of the matter while expressing displeasure.

    The national team for the T20 World Cup will not be announced until the selection process is completed.

    All teams participating in T20 World cup have announced thier squad. According to International Cricket Council (ICC), May 24 is deadline for the squad announcement for T20 World Cup.

  • Chahat Fateh Ali Khan ki ‘Bado Badi’ ne internet par aag laga Dee

    Chahat Fateh Ali Khan ki ‘Bado Badi’ ne internet par aag laga Dee

    Chahat Fateh Ali Khan’s recently released new song ‘Bado Badi’ is a massive hit, taking the internet by storm, garnering an impressive 20 million views on YouTube in just one month.

    The singer featured his friend as a model in the song.
    Chahat’s passion for singing has made him a social media star, and his covers of popular songs are always a hit.
    Within his community, the singer is well-known for his love of singing.
    The song is popular and trending everywhere, where celebrities and content producers are making reels on ‘Bado Badi’

    Many social media users are also sharing the original song ‘Bado Badi’, sung by Madam Noor Jehan.
    Indian actor and singer Diljit Dosanjh and Guru Randhawa also made reels on Bado Badi.

  • SIFC ditches CM Gandapur and he’s not happy about it

    SIFC ditches CM Gandapur and he’s not happy about it

    The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has strongly criticised the federal government for not inviting KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to the upcoming apex committee session of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif summoned the SIFC’s session at 11:45 am on May 25. KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was not invited to the meeting.

    Chief Ministers of all other provinces have been invited to the SIFC meeting except Gandapur.

    KP government’s spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif condemned the federal government, saying that the “Form 47 government of Shehbaz Sharif” showed bias towards the province.

    Earlier this month, CM Gandapur had come down hard on the federal government, warning of a strong reaction if the Centre failed to give an exact timeframe for resolving the province’s core issues.

  • Journalist Nasrullah Gadani dies days after gunshot wounds

    Journalist Nasrullah Gadani dies days after gunshot wounds

    Nasrullah Gadani, a local journalist of Ghotki who was injured in an assassination attempt four days ago, has died in a private hospital in Karachi on Friday.

    After getting shot thrice on Tuesday, he was transferred to Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Rahim Yar Khan.

    Journalists have expressed anger while people blocked the National Highway in front of the SSP office in protest against the assignation attempt on the journalist.

    According to Geo news, demonstrators chanted slogans against the police.

    Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah and Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have expressed sorrow over the tragic demise of Gadani.