Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • Filipino Catholic nun chooses to stay behind in Gaza, defying mandatory evacuation

    A 63-year-old Filipino nun is making international headlines by defying the Philippine government’s evacuation attempts and choosing to stay in Gaza. Since the genocide began on October 7, the Philippine government has successfully evacuated 111 civilians from the region. However, the unnamed nun who is from the Missionaries of Charity, has chosen to remain as the last Filipino in Gaza.

    Most of the evacuees were forced to leave family residents behind.

    The Philippines Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega spoke to Arab News about the nun and how her defiance of the Filipino government makes her a symbol of “Filipino spirituality”:

    “She’s with the Missionaries of Charity… they will not leave. After all, they believe…that (what they are doing) is spiritual,” he said.

    “She will be the last Filipino left in Gaza, (and) is a symbol of Filipino spirituality and how we pray for solidarity with those suffering, and for world peace.”

    Dr Vega reported the nun is safe right now. The Philipine DEmbassy of Jordan has remained in touch with her, to whom she had simply asked to ‘pray for her’.

    Several other Filipino’s in Gaza have expressed uncertainty in leaving because of their attachment to the place, while others have refused because their Palestinian spouses would not be able to join them.

    “We are still trying to convince them to leave,” De Vega responded. “We hope we can evacuate them all.”

  • Al Shifa hospital forcefully evacuated within hours on Israeli orders

    After days of attacking Al Shifa hospital in Gaza and raiding it room by room, the Israeli military has now forcefully evacuated premises on Saturday.

    The hospital’s Director, Mohammed Abu Salmiya, told Al Jazeera that the hospital is now “completely deserted” while the few patients and victims left are lying in corridors.

    He added that those in dire conditions, including newborns and kidney patients, “will die imminently if they are not evacuated,” further stating that Israeli soldiers “are in total control” and that the remaining medical staff “cannot move freely”.

    Earlier today,the Israeli military had ordered everyone — including doctors, patients and displaced people — to evacuate in an hour.

    This, as reported by Al Jazeera, created a sense of panic as it is impossible to flee Al Shifa in such a brief period. A Palestinian health official said that evacuees were “ordered at 9am [7:00 GMT] to leave while waving a white handkerchiefs and walk in a single-file line.”

    Medical staff and others present at Al Shifa revealed that there are patients who cannot be abandoned, including those who cannot walk.

    Munir al-Barsh, director-general of Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that about “450 patients were evacuated, while about 120 patients were left behind with five doctors, including the director and a few nurses, because they were immobile.”

    Additionally, a list of critical patients has been given to the Red Cross so they can be taken to Egypt for treatment.

    Adnan al-Barsh, head of orthopaedics at al-Shifa Hospital, stated that Israeli snipers are in and around the hospital compound, saying that “We were adamant on not leaving without our patients … we were forced to leave at gunpoint.”

    The Israeli army denied issuing the evacuation order, however, all officials and other people at Al Shifa have described the total opposite of Israeli claims.

  • Norway’s Parliament asks govt to be prepared for recognizing ‘independent’ Palestine

    Norway’s Parliament asks govt to be prepared for recognizing ‘independent’ Palestine

    Eight out of the ten parties represented in Norway’s parliament voted for the recognition of an independent Palestinian state in future.
    The proposition was propounded by the ruling coalition-to counter the resolution by smaller parties-calling for an immediate recognition of a Palestinian state.

    The resolution stated that the parliament “asks the government to be ready to recognize Palestine as an independent state when recognition could have a positive impact on the peace process, without making a final peace accord a condition.”

    The resolution has gained the ire of Israel as the process of evacuation of 60 Norwegian nationals from Gaza has been stopped as per reports.

    In Europe, Iceland, Sweden, Poland, Czech Republic, and Romania recognize the statehood of Palestine.

    Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has also ensured his parliament that the process of recognizing Palestinian’s right to statehood will be sped up.

    Belgium has also begun the process of recognizing the right.

    Irish opposition leader Mary Lou McDonald has reiterated the call for a ceasefire, asserting that “Palestinian people have a right to their homeland.”

  • Former foreign minister Gohar Ayub Khan passes away

    Former foreign minister Gohar Ayub Khan passes away

    Gohar Ayub Khan, former foreign minister and ex-Speaker of the National Assembly, breathed his last on Friday.
    The Secretary General of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI),verified that his father has passed peacefully after a brief illness.
    “Qul will be offered at 11am at Omar Ayub Khan’s residence Main G.T Road Haripur on 19th November,” he added.


    Born in 1937, the former foreign minister was under treatment in a private hospital in Islamabad for quite some time, PTI spokesperson Rauf Hussain confirmed.


    Gohar Ayub Khan was the son of former field marshal president Ayub Khan.
    President Dr. Arif Alvi conveyed profound sadness and Omar Ayub Khan sorrow on the passing of the former foreign minister. He extended heartfelt condolences to the grieving family.


    Interim Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar also conveyed profound sadness and condolences on Gohar’s passing. In a message, the premier offered prayers for the high ranks of the departed soul and for the grieving family to find strength in coping with their loss.

  • Smart lockdown imposed in ten districts of Punjab including Lahore

    Smart lockdown imposed in ten districts of Punjab including Lahore

    Seeing the deteriorating air quality in Punjab, the government has imposed a smart lockdown in different regions of the province, including Lahore, Nankana Sahib, Sheikupura, Kusur, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Hafizabad and Mandi Bahauddin. Under the smart lockdown, travel is restricted.

    Punjab Relief Commissioner Nabil Javed has ordered restricting normal life in Lahore and Gujranwala divisions, as per a handout.

    According to the decision, all public and private educational institutions will remain closed on Saturday in these districts. However, educational institutions can organise online classes, if they want. Nabil Javed further said the markets, shops, cinemas, and offices will be closed till 3 pm.

    In a crackdown against smoke-emitting vehicles, district authorities in Hafizabad have suspended route permits of more than fifty cars and halted 1300 vehicles altogether.

  • Shehbaz Sharif is ‘innocent’

    Shehbaz Sharif is ‘innocent’

    Former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, along with 10 co-accused, have been acquitted in the Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme reference by a Lahore accountability court, as per Geo News.

    The list of the acquitted individuals includes the incumbent federal minister Ahad Cheema and Fawad Hassan Fawad.

    The court, headed by Judge Malik Ali Zulqarnain Awan, reserved the verdict on November 2 after the conclusion of final arguments presented by counsels and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutors on acquittal pleas.

    Acquittal applications contended that all prosecution witnesses and approvers had retracted their statements, signaling a lack of grounds for conviction in the reference. The applicants urged the court to approve the applications and absolve them of the charges.

    A report filed by NAB in May stated that there was no evidence of financial corruption or misuse of authority by Shehbaz Sharif. The allegations of misuse of authority and corruption against the former prime minister, according to the report, were not substantiated under the National Accountability Ordinance of 1999.

    NAB had filed the reference in 2018, alleging that Shehbaz Sharif and other accused had caused a significant financial loss to the national treasury by awarding the contract for the housing scheme to a construction firm without a competitive bidding process.

    Sharif was arrested on Oct 5, 2018, in connection with the case when he appeared before the accountability bureau in another matter while Cheema was taken into custody on February 21 of the same year. Both of them were later released on bail.

    Earlier, Kamran Kiyani, the brother of former army chief Ashfaque Parvez Kiyani, and Nadeem Zia of Paragon City were acquitted by the court due to a “lack of evidence”.

    The NAB alleged that Cheema received illegal benefits from the owners of Paragon City Developers as a reward for awarding the housing scheme contract to their proxy firm, Bismillah Engineering.

  • Sohail Tanveer appointed head of junior selection committee

    Sohail Tanveer appointed head of junior selection committee

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed former Test cricketer Sohail Tanveer as the head of the national junior selection committee.

    Tanveer’s first assignment will be the selection of the Pakistan U-19 team for the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) U-19 Asia Cup, to be held in the United Arab Emirates from December 8 to 17, after which the Pakistan U-19 team will participate in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka from January 13 to February 4.

    Sohail Tanveer has said that the appointment is an honor for him, thanking PCB Management Committee Chairman Zaka Ashraf.

    “Our first responsibility is to form a strong team for the U-19 Asia Cup and the U-19 World Cup,” he remarked.

    Earlier, PCB appointed former former fast bowler Wahab Riaz as the chief selector of the selection committee of the national men’s cricket team.

  • ‘Non-cricketers are running the cricket board’: Javed Miandad

    ‘Non-cricketers are running the cricket board’: Javed Miandad

    Cricket legend, former captain Javed Miandad has said that those who run sugar mills are running cricket, wrong decisions have pushed Pakistan cricket towards destruction.

    The former captain said, “Those people who have nothing to do with cricket are running the game, so wrong decisions are being taken. Political influence is causing irreparable damage to the game in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)”.

    He was of the opinion that administrators like Abdul Hafeez Kardar are needed in the Board. “The appointment of a junior and less experienced cricketer in the selection committee is surprising,” he said.

    The master batsman then said that the greatest player of the country was ridiculed, non-cricketers are making cricket decisions. “The decision to remove Babar Azam from captaincy is not correct, and cricketers should be respected. Babar should have been given a competitive manager to make him a strong captain. Air Marshal Noor Khan made me captain and made Mushtaq Muhammad the manager. PCB’s recent treatment of a great player like Babar is pathetic.”

    Babar is not being told that he is repeating mistakes again and again, Miranda’s pointed out. “Removing mistakes at the net will give him confidence and he will become a good batsman. When I was the head coach of the Pakistan team, I worked on the mistakes of many batsmen including Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan”.

    He said, “In the presence of Iqbal Qasim, Mushtaq Mohammad, Sadiq Mohammad, Haroon Rashid, Shoaib Mohammad and such cricketers, such a cricketer who has recently retired from cricket was made the chief selector. How much cricket has Wahab Riaz played? I don’t need a position but good people should be brought forward which will benefit Pakistan cricket.”

    Without naming Zaka Ashraf, Javed Miandad said “How much cricket has he played?He is deciding the fate of cricket”.

  • Another exam, more cases of cheating

    Another exam, more cases of cheating

    After cases of cheating during MDCAT examination in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in September, the Public Service Commission examination has also been infiltrated with cheating.

    According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission, a test was held on June 24 for the recruitment of SDO in the Irrigation Department and CNW, during which 18 candidates were caught cheating.

    KP Public Service Commission officials also revealed that electronic devices, guides and other copy materials were recovered from the candidates during the examination.

    Examinations were cancelled and they have been banned from appearing for a period of one year to three years.

    The commission has issued a public notice for re-examination and the relevant test will be held again on December 23.

  • Blessed Friday Sale Alert

    Blessed Friday Sale Alert

    Understanding the cultural and religious sensitivities of majorly Muslim societies, brands have initiated end-of-the-year sales under the title of Blessed Friday Sales.

    The phenomenon started in America as traders started the practice of reducing prices so that consumers spend right before the Christmas season. It was called Black Friday but over time it has evolved and now in Muslim-majority countries, it is referred to as Blessed Friday or White Friday sale.

    Here are the best deals out there:

    Borjan’s Bright Friday Sale

    Borjan is offering flat 30-50 percent off on all its products, including shoes and accessories for men, women, and kids.

    The sale is live from November 16 and will go on over the weekend. The shipping fee is a mere 100 rupees, which too is exempted from shopping over Rs. 3000.

    Beechtree Blessed Friday, November Sale

    Beechtree is offering 50 percent off on its unstitched, pret, luxury pret, and outerwear products.
    The sale is live from November 16 and will go on till November 19.

    Chen One Blessed Friday Sale

    Chen One is offering a flat 25 percent discount on its home, textile, and apparel. This is the offer one looks for around the wedding season because the high-end brand is offering discounts on furniture as the wedding season is in full swing. Along with that, there are home accessories, jewellery, and pret variety available for women, men, and children.

    Minnie Minors Funtastic Friday Sale

    Exclusively for kids, Minnie Minors is offering up to 40 percent off on a range of items.
    Their stylish winter products are something to look out for if you want to upgrade your kid’s wardrobe. Free shipping is available on shopping of more than Rs. 1500.

    Chinyere Fancy Friday Sale

    Chinyere is offering limited-time offers for everyone from casuals to formals and even couture.
    The sale is offering up to 50 percent off with free shipping and the sale will end over the weekend.

    NDURE T.G.I.F Sale

    NDURE’s TGIF Blessed Friday sale is one to look out for.

    The brand is offering up to 50 percent off with shipping charges being Rs. 99 only.

    Insignia Blessed Friday Sale

    Insignia’s Blessed Friday Sale is available on a variety of products from shoes to handbags and fragrances.

    There are flat discounts of 21 percent, 31 percent, and 51 percent on the entire stock with free shipping for shopping above Rs. 3000.

    Engine Blessed Friday Sale

    Engine Clothing Blessed Friday sale is for western wear lovers.
    They are offering 40 percent off on all their stock including chic clothes for men, women, and kids.

    Delivery charges are not to be paid on orders above Rs. 2500.