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  • ‘Like living under Covid’, say Pakistan due to ‘stifling’ World Cup security

    ‘Like living under Covid’, say Pakistan due to ‘stifling’ World Cup security

    Players are not allowed to venture out of their hotel without heavy security, forcing them to spend most of time in rooms

    Pakistani cricketers present in India for the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 feel confined like they are back into COVID era due to the tight security that team director Mickey Arthur described as “stifling”.

    Arthur’s comments came a day ahead of the team’s crucial match against New Zealand which Pakistan must win to keep their hopes alive of reaching the semi-finals.

    Several Pakistan players have already suffered fever and flu at various stages of the tournament which fast bowler Hasan Ali attributed to “room sickness”.

    Players are not allowed to venture out of their hotel without heavy security, forcing them to spend most of their time in hotel rooms.

    “As a Pakistan team, we play a hell of a lot of cricket so being on the road is nothing new for these guys,” Arthur said.

    “What has been tough is the fact that we’ve been under a massive amount of security. So, I’ve been sort of taken aback.

    “I found it difficult. It’s almost like we’ve been back in the COVID times, where you were almost secluded to your floor and your team room.

    “So much so that their breakfast is in a separate room to everybody else. That’s been the tough aspect.”

    Pakistan are playing a tournament in India for the first time since 2016.

    Arthur said that outside of playing and training, the team have not had many outings since their arrival in the last week of September.

    “The boys are used to being on the road but when they’re on the road, they’ve still been able to get out and go and have meals, for example, at different places, and get out on their own accord.

    ‘It’s been tough’ 

    “We haven’t been able to do that this time. And that’s been tough. That has been quite stifling.”

    Arthur said no decision has been made yet on all-rounder Shadab Khan’s participation in the remaining matches after he suffered a concussion against South Africa.

    “Shadab went through a preliminary test today,” said Arthur.

    “He came through that OK, but we’re in no position yet to make a decision on him.”

    This was Shadab’s third concussion, having collided with a Sussex team-mate in a Twenty20 match in the UK in May 2023 and at the Asia Cup last year.

    Meanwhile, Arthur admitted Pakistan have not played up to their potential in India.

    “I’ll be brutally honest, I don’t think we’ve played to our full potential in this tournament yet. I thought the Bangladesh game was the first game where we actually put a complete game together.”

    Pakistan beat Bangladesh by seven wickets in Kolkata on Tuesday, their third win in seven games.

    They now not only need to beat New Zealand on Saturday and defending champions England (Kolkata on November 11) but also hope other results go their way.

    “We got ourselves into a position before the Bangladesh game where it was kind of out of our hands and it’s come back in a funny way into our hands again,” said Arthur.

    Arthur admitted South Africa’s 190-run defeat of New Zealand on Wednesday has handed them a lifeline.

    “South Africa did us a little bit of a favour as well so it’s kind of pushed it back into our hands, albeit a long shot and we need to win big in both our remaining matches,” he said.

  • 1,200 children still buried under rubble: What we know about day 28

    1,200 children still buried under rubble: What we know about day 28

    Israel disconnects with Gaza

    The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has announced that Israel has cut off all contact with Gaza, and that Palestinian workers will no longer be employed in the country.

    “Those workers from Gaza who were in Israel on the day of the outbreak of the war will be returned to Gaza,” it stated in a post on X.

    The Security Cabinet has also planned on cutting down all funds for the besieged enclave from the Palestinian Authority funds.

    US drones fly over Gaza to track captives

    According to Al Jazeera, two US officials told the Reuters news agency that surveillance US drones have been flying over Gaza to search for hostages taken by Hamas on October 7.

    The surveillance has reportedly been going on since more than a week now.

    US officials believe the 10 Americans who remain “unaccounted” may be among the 200 plus hostages in Gaza.

    Gaza workers in Israel

    Gisha, an Israeli NGO, published a statement on the Israeli cabinet’s decision on Friday to return Palestinian workers in Israel since October 7 back to Gaza.

    Gisha, HaMoked and other human rights groups had submitted “Letters, petitions and individual inquiries to Israeli authorities regarding hundreds of Gaza residents, including both workers and people who had entered Israel with permits to receive medical treatment, who were present in Israel on October 7 and had since been unlawfully, secretly detained by Israeli authorities”.

    They are reportedly detained in Israeli military bases in the occupied West Bank, disconnected from the world and without access to legal representation.

    “Israel refused to disclose the names and whereabouts of all the people it was holding, as well as the legal grounds for their detention. We have reason to believe that the holding conditions in these facilities were extremely dire, and that detainees were subjected to extensive physical violence and psychological abuse, as well as being held in inhumane conditions,” the statement said.

    1,200 children still buried under rubble

    Gaza Ministry of Health spokesperson Ashraf al-Qudra reported on the latest statistics: 1,200 children are still buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings, 136 paramedics have been killed, 25 ambulance vehicles have been completely destroyed, and 126 hospitals and another 50 medical centres have been targeted.

    Tear gas aimed at worshippers in Al-Aqsa

    Al Jazeera correspondents have reported that Israeli forces have used tear gas against Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem’s Wadi al-Joz neighbourhood after stopping them from Friday prayers in Al-Aqsa Mosque.

    Cross-border fire between Israel-Lebanon border continue

    The Israeli army claims to have killed a group of Hezbollah fighters on Thursday in Lebanon and targeted one of their sites.

    The army reportedly struck in response to an attack from Lebanese territory towards a military position in northern Israel near the border.

    Credits: Al Jazeera

  • Abrar Ahmed likely to replace Shadab against New Zealand

    Abrar Ahmed likely to replace Shadab against New Zealand

    Pakistan’s Shadab Khan has suffered a concussion for the third time in a year, putting his participation in the World Cup match against New Zealand in doubt.

    The concussion injury will be evaluated today. If Shadab is not fit then Abrar Ahmed can be included in the team in his place.

    On the other hand, many players of the Kiwi team are also suffering from injuries with fast bowler Matt Henry being the latest addition to the list after suffering a hamstring injury in the match against South Africa.

    Meanwhile, Jimmy Neesham also suffered an injury due to a ball hitting his wrist, while Lockie Ferguson, Mark Chapman and Kane Williamson are already suffering from injuries.

    Pakistan will play its next match against New Zealand tomorrow in Banglore.

  • ‘Kisi media walay ko elections mein doubt hai to apni biwi ko bataye, awam ko nahi’: Chief Justice

    ‘Kisi media walay ko elections mein doubt hai to apni biwi ko bataye, awam ko nahi’: Chief Justice

    Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Qazi Faez Isa, issued a firm warning to the country’s media during a hearing of multiple pleas seeking timely elections within 90 days of the dissolution of the assemblies.

    “If media raises suspicions about the elections, they will be committing a violation of the constitution,” he remarked, adding that journalists cannot simply grab a microphone and say there are doubts about the elections.

    “An anchor or reporter cannot raise doubts about whether the elections will happen or not,” he stated.

    Faez Isa warned that if rumors or speculations are spread about the elections, action will be taken by PEMRA.

    The head of the apex court stressed that, “Media outlets should know that they do not have the right to lie. Media freedom has been granted in the constitution.”

    He further said that if a media person has suspicions about the elections, he will not tell the public, but he can tell his wife.

    The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the government to ensure the conduct of general elections on February 8, a day after President Arif Alvi and Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja unanimously agreed on the aforementioned date during a meeting held at the President’s House.

    A three-member bench headed by CJP Isa and comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan heard the case.

    The court, in its order, mentioned that the notification of the general election date has also been issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), stating that no party has any objection to holding elections on February 8.

    Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa asked everyone in the courtroom as well as the Attorney-General for Pakistan, Mansoor Usman Awan, if they had any objection to the election date, but all replied in the negative.

    “After all the requirements are fulfilled, the Election Commission should announce the election schedule,” CJP Isa said.
    The chief justice said: “Elections will definitely be held on February 8, God willing.”

  • KP government launches first Mental Health institute

    KP government launches first Mental Health institute

    The caretaker setup in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa led by Chief Minister Azam Khan inaugurated the first-ever Institute of Mental Health Sciences in the provincial capital Peshawar on Thursday.

    The landmark project has incurred a total cost of Rs2.52 billion. The larger plan includes an emergency unit, OPD, ICU, a psychiatric unit, family counseling, and a rehabilitation centre among other facilities. It will start with providing OPD services and will move on to add other services in later stages.

    In the inaugural ceremony, the Chief Minister spoke about the facilities offered by the institute and the courses on various areas concerning mental health offered there. He emphasised the growing need for understanding and treating mental illnesses that are rampant globally and the opening of one of its kind institute is a step in the right direction. He promised that the state-of-the-art institute will provide facilities for the treatment of mental illnesses and all services related to mental health.

  • Canadian PM Trudeau under fire for his son’s ‘headless’ halloween costume

    Canadian PM Trudeau under fire for his son’s ‘headless’ halloween costume

    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is under fire by netizens for his son’s pictures in a “headless” halloween costume, as people are reminded of the ongoing bombing in Gaza.

    The headless costume showing a decapitated head in hand is a classic halloween costume which his youngest son Hadrien wore for the halloween. This provoked internet users to point out that more than 3,500 children have been killed in Israel’s bombing of the Gaza strip.
    People deemed it to be inappropriate in times like these and from a leader like Trudeau who is so keen to be politically correct.

    A user wrote under Trudeau’s post, “tone-deaf”.

    Another user suggested that the PM should dress up as an Israeli Soldier because the halloween they’re living is a reality, thanks to Canada’s terrifying support for one of the bloodiest, settler-colonial occupations that practices all war crimes in Palestine, including ethnic cleansing, extermination, and displacement.

    Social researcher, Jelena Mitrovic slammed him for showing no respect to the killed kids of Gaza.

    This is not for the first time that Justin Trudeau has earned flak from the internet. School pictures of the Premier in halloween costume dressed as a black Aladdin got him into trouble, for which he had to apologise later. One user Jay Nelson reminded the world about that.

  • Six people killed in DI Khan blast

    At least six people have been killed and 20 injured after a blast in Dera Ismail Khan targeting a police van on Friday.

    Law enforcement authorities have confirmed that gunshots were also heard after the blast.

    Caretaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Information Minister, Firdous Jamal Shah, stated that the blast took place in Tank Adda near a police van, confirming that 22 injured people were being shifted to hospital.

    There are two police officials and two women among the injured, the minister confirmed.

    “Those elements involved in the explosion and terrorism will be brought to justice,” assured the minister.

    Two blasts occurred last month in KP and Balochistan on the day of Eid Milad un Nabi — the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

  • Did Indian bowler Muhammad Shami avoid sajda?

    Did Indian bowler Muhammad Shami avoid sajda?

    Indian team’s fast bowler Mohammad Shami took five wickets while bowling brilliantly in the match against Sri Lanka. After taking the fifth wicket, the bowler looked like he was about to prostrate (do sajda) but then stopped. A video of the moment has gone viral on social media.

    In the 33rd match of the World Cup played yesterday at the Wakhande Stadium in Mumbai, India qualified for the semi-finals by defeating Sri Lanka by a huge margin of 302 runs in a one-sided match.

    Shami, expressing happiness after taking the fifth wicket, first looked to the sky and then sat down on the ground in a position that resembled prostration. Social media users expressed their views on the bowler’s intentions.

    Here are some reactions on social media;

  • ‘Sickening’: social media criticises McDonald’s Mauritius after insensitive Halloween post

    ‘Sickening’: social media criticises McDonald’s Mauritius after insensitive Halloween post

    McDonalds is facing a worldwide boycott after the fast food giant’s Israeli franchise provided free food to IDF soldiers while the Israeli army bombarded Gaza. Now the company’s Mauritius franchise has come under fire after it posted what users thought was an insensitive Halloween picture.

    In the now deleted image, fries dripping with ketchup are positioned to resemble a bloody hand. The caption reads: “Forget the freights. Savour the flavours!”

    Social media users expressed their outrage.

    Previously, the McDonald’s franchise in the UK was criticised for hiding the replies in their comments demanding the organisation to withdraw their support for Israel.

  • Schools shut as toxic Smog engulfs India’s capital

    Schools shut as toxic Smog engulfs India’s capital

    Schools were shut across India’s capital on Friday as a noxious grey smog engulfed the megacity and made life a misery for its 30 million inhabitants.

    Smoke from farmers burning crop stubble, vehicle exhaust and factory emissions combine every winter to blanket Delhi in a choking haze.

    The public health crisis has persisted for decades and researchers have blamed the smog for hundreds of thousands of premature deaths across India.

    Levels of the most dangerous PM2.5 particles — so tiny they can enter the bloodstream — were on Friday almost 35 times the daily maximum recommended by the World Health Organization, according to monitoring firm IQAir.

    “In light of the rising pollution levels, all govt and private primary schools in Delhi will remain closed for the next 2 days,” chief minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

    Delhi, one of the largest urban areas on the planet, is also regularly ranked as one of the world’s most polluted cities.

    Visible smog is a burden for residents through much of the year but the problem peaks at the start of winter around the Hindu festival of Diwali.

    The holy day coincides with the weeks when tens of thousands of farmers across north India set fire to their fields to clear crop stubble from recently harvested rice paddies.

    That practice is one of the key drivers of Delhi’s annual smog problem, worsening the impact of vehicle and industrial emissions.

    It persists despite efforts to persuade farmers to use different clearing methods and threats of punitive action for those who defy burning bans.

    Eye-stinging and lung-burning smog peaks from October to February when colder air traps pollution, with residents advised to wear face masks outside at all times.

    Authorities regularly announce different plans to reduce pollution, for example by halting construction work, but to little effect.

    India is hosting the Cricket World Cup and organisers have banned fireworks at matches in Mumbai and Delhi to avoid compounding hazardous air pollution levels.

    Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are due to play in Delhi on Monday, with little likelihood of the air clearing for their match.

    India captain Rohit Sharma told reporters Wednesday that the situation was “not ideal” for the tournament.

    Everyone knows that,” he said. “Looking at our future generation… it’s quite important that they get to live without any fear.”

    A Lancet study in 2020 attributed 1.67 million deaths to air pollution in India during the previous year, including almost 17,500 in the capital.

    And the average city resident could die nearly 12 years earlier than expected due to air pollution, according to an August report by the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute.

    India is heavily reliant on polluting coal for energy generation. Its per capita coal emissions have risen 29 percent in the past seven years and it has shied away from policies to phase down the dirty fossil fuel.