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  • India and England announces their squads for T20 World Cup 2024

    India and England announces their squads for T20 World Cup 2024

    The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and England Cricket Board (ECB) has announced their squads for International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup.

    India’s squad:

    Rohit Sharma will be the captain of Indian team for the T20 World Cup.

    Other players include Yeshaswi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Sanju Simon (wicketkeeper), Shome Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Akshar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yazvendra Chahal, Arsdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj.

    England’s squad:

    Jos Buttler will lead the England team in the T20 World Cup 2024 while the squad also includes veteran Moeen Ali.

    Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingston, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley and Mark Wood have been included in the England squad.

    Apart from this Jofra Archer made his comeback, he last represented England in March 2023.

    ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 is being jointly hosted by USA and West Indies and ICC has announced 3 venues in USA including New York, Florida and Texas for the matches.

  • Former minister Fawad Chaudhry denies leaving PTI

    Former minister Fawad Chaudhry denies leaving PTI

    Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry has denied leaving Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and clarified that those who have left the party will rejoin in the future. 

    Fawad was speaking to journalists within the premises of the anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi. Former PTI leader Shireen Mazari was also present in the premises as multiple party leaders were charged after May 9 instances. 

    Fawad also said while talking to the media that he appeared before the court in relation to the May 9 violent protests case. “When our turn comes, we will tell our story,” he said.

    The former federal minister also suggested that PTI hold talks with all stakeholders, including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazl ur Rehman.

  • Uber has shut down its service in Lahore

    Uber has shut down its service in Lahore

    Online ride-sharing service Uber has shut down its operations in Lahore almost a year and a half after shutting down its services in five major cities in Pakistan.

    The company has sent an email to its customers to inform them of its sudden decision, which was announced without any prior warning.

    The ride-sharing company did not reveal the reasons for its sudden decision to pull out of Lahore. However, Uber is offering a Careem discount as part of the compensation. Customers can enter the code LHR50 to get 50 percent off their next five rides on Cream.

    Uber has sent an email to its customers in Lahore, saying, “We’ve made the decision to cease operating the Uber app in Pakistan. Our subsidiary brand Careem will continue to operate, with the Careem app offering ride-hailing services across Pakistan.”

    In 2022, Uber had stopped its services in five major cities in Pakistan including Islamabad and Karachi.

  • ‘General Faiz was running Pakistan back then’; says CJP Isa

    ‘General Faiz was running Pakistan back then’; says CJP Isa

    Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa on Tuesday said “Did the world not know who was running Pakistan then[in 2018]? I gave it in writing that General Faiz Hameed was behind it[the Faizabad Dharna].”

    A six-member bench, headed by Qazi Faez Isa, resumed the hearing of the suo motu case on the Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges’ letter accusing agencies of meddling in judicial matters.

    The bench comprises Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan.

    CJP said, “We were taken off the case through a judicial order and something like this hadn’t happened in the entire history of the world which our Supreme Court did.”

    Furthermore, Isa also said that “others” will become powerful till Parliament becomes strong.

  • Aroob Jatoi breaks silence on controversial deepfake video

    Aroob Jatoi breaks silence on controversial deepfake video

    Aroob Jatoi, wife of famous YouTuber Ducky Bhai, has spoken up about a leaked video that appears to show her in the nude, which has been widely shared on the internet.

    Taking to the social media platform X (previously known as Twitter), she shared her disappointment about how people are using deepfake technology to invade women’s privacy.
    She emphasized how serious the situation is, saying, “It is truly disheartening to see how deepfake technology is being misused to invade the privacy of individuals.”

    Aroob Jatoi bravely admitted that there’s a fake video of her, highlighting the importance of stopping the misuse of artificial intelligence. She called for quick action to make sure everyone stays safe and secure.
    Ducky Bhai too had posted a video message on his social media. He promised to find the people making these deepfake videos.

    He said he would give one million rupees to anyone who could give real information and the original link to the video.

  • NAB clears Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, others in LNG reference

    NAB clears Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, others in LNG reference

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has cleared former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) reference on Tuesday. The court declared all other suspects innocent in the same reference.

    Abbasi was arrested by NAB in 2019 for allegedly causing a loss of 21 billion rupees to the national exchequer me

    The NAB inquiry revealed that M/S Engro was awarded the LNG terminal at Karachi Port and contracts for LNG regasification by Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) through non-transparent practices. Both Abbasi and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif faced accusations of misusing their powers in awarding these LNG contracts.

    Despite inquiries and accusations, Abbasi has maintained his innocence, stating that there were no irregularities in the LNG contract and stating the necessity of LNG exports in 2013.

  • Pakistan’s inflation eases with further decline expected in coming months

    Pakistan’s inflation eases with further decline expected in coming months

    Pakistan’s headline inflation is expected to range between 18.5 per cent and 19.5 per cent in April 2024, with further deceleration projected in the coming months.

    The Finance Division’s ‘Monthly Economic Update and Outlook’ attributes the downward trend to a favourable base effect, improved domestic supply chains, and administrative measures.

    In March, headline inflation stood at 20.7 per cent, down from 23.1 per cent in February. Despite this easing, the government faces challenges, such as rising crude oil prices on the international market, leading to increased domestic gasoline prices. To offset this, the government has lowered wheat flour prices and imposed stricter controls.

    The Finance Division notes moderate recovery during the first nine months of the fiscal year, with growth in agriculture, a decrease in inflationary pressures, and stability in external accounts. The large-scale manufacturing (LSM) sector also shows positive signs, thanks to improved agricultural output and export demand.

    However, the report acknowledges challenges in fiscal management due to rising expenditure pressures from higher markup payments. To maintain stability, fiscal consolidation is required.

    The State Bank of Pakistan’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) recently kept the key policy rate at 22 per cent, citing ongoing risks to inflation from global oil prices and anticipated budget measures. The MPC’s goal is to bring inflation down to 5-7 per cent by September 2025.

    Pakistan’s broader economic struggles include pressure on external accounts and low foreign exchange reserves.

    The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) $3-billion Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) has provided some relief, but Pakistan is seeking a longer-term programme with the IMF for economic stability and growth.

  • Here’s why Mathira couldn’t get a selfie with Salman Khan

    Here’s why Mathira couldn’t get a selfie with Salman Khan

    Model and host Mathira Mohammad recently said she really likes Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. But she couldn’t take a photo with him, even though they were in the same place at one point.

    On a show called ‘The Night Show with Ayaz Samoo’ on ARY Zindagi, Mathira said she really likes Salman Khan a lot. She told everyone that she saw him when she was in Mumbai. But she didn’t ask for a photo with him.

    Mathira mentioned that people, including fellow artists, often find her “very rude” as a person because she usually never approaches them when they cross paths in airports. “Firstly I want to say sorry to all those but I feel that it is your private time and I’m not the type of person who would want to invade your privacy, to greet you or ask for a picture or anything,” she said.

    “I really, really like Salman Khan. When I was in Mumbai, I told all my friends to call me if they saw him, no matter when it was,” she told the host. “Once my friend called me when he saw him, and I hurried to that club. He was right there, but my friend told me to go take a picture, and I just couldn’t.”

  • Caretaker setup allegedly profited 85 billion in Wheat Crisis Scheme

    Caretaker setup allegedly profited 85 billion in Wheat Crisis Scheme

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Senator Aon Abbas has claimed on a talk show on Geo News that the previous caretaker government was singlehandedly responsible for creating the current wheat crisis in Punjab.

    Abbas revealed, “The caretaker government on 22 October 2023 imported 34 lakh ton wheat from Ukraine at the rate of Rs 3,100 per ton and sold it in Punjab at Rs 4,500 per ton.”

    The senator alleged that after this massive profit, the past caretaker government imposed strict rules on buying wheat from local farmers.

    “There was somebody in the caretaker setup who planned this entire scheme by getting import LCs (letter of credit) opened for Ukrainian wheat and made a profit of 85 billion.”

    Senator Talal Chaudhry from Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) agreed with the PTI senator and said “The Prime Minister has ordered an inquiry into this matter and the Punjab government is also a victim like the farmers because this crisis was created by others.”

  • ‘People were standing outside just to welcome me’; Aamir Khan on Punjab’s hospitality during Dangal shoot

    ‘People were standing outside just to welcome me’; Aamir Khan on Punjab’s hospitality during Dangal shoot

    Bollywood’s perfectionist Aamir Khan is grateful for the hospitality of the people of Indian Punjab while he was shooting ‘Dangal’ in 2016. Aamir Khan attended the Great Indian Couple Show where he said that during his stay in a Punjab village, he was touched by the locals’ simple yet profound gestures of respect.

    Aamir Khan said, “When I went to Punjab for the shooting of ‘Rang De Basanti,’ I was overwhelmed by the immense love and warmth received from the locals.”

    The Bollywood actor said that during the shooting of ‘Dangal,’ they were in a small village in Punjab. “I observed that in the mornings, people would stand outside their homes and greet the team with folded hands, while in the evenings, they would bid farewell with kind words.”

    He said, “The people there never bothered me nor did they stand in front of my car, they just greeted from a distance, and this had a great impact on me.”

    Aamir khan said, “I belong to a Muslim family, so I was not folding hands and saying Namaste. I am used to raising my hand and bowing my head, the way Muslims greet each other.”