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Author: News Desk

  • BCCI president Roger Binny, vice president Rajeev Shukla to visit Pakistan

    BCCI president Roger Binny, vice president Rajeev Shukla to visit Pakistan

    Roger Binny President of BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) will travel to Pakistan as board representative to attend the official PCB’s dinner to memorialize the hosting of the tournament.


    Chairman PCB Zaka Ashraf sent an official invitation to all higher officials of BCCI(Board of Control for Cricket in India) on August 15, with all participating teams including BCCI confirming their attendance.


    After returning from Sri Lanka Binny and Vice President Rajeev Shukla will travel to Pakistan via Wagah Border. After that, they will attend the Pakistan-India fixture in Palle Kele.


    Binny’s confirmation to travel to Pakistan will come at a time when both sides of the border are quarreling on serval matters. The Government of Pakistan ended this uncertainty by giving the clearance to PCB to travel to India for the World Cup 2023.

    Read More: Pakistan’s World Cup 2023 cricket kit unveiled


    It is likely that both members will attend the match on 3 or 5 September in Gaddafi Stadium during their two-day visit.


    Pakistan is hosting the Asia Cup but will be the venue for only four out of 13 matches due to ‘security concerns’ of the Indian team.


    India and Pakistan are placed in the same group as Nepal. Pakistan and India could play a maximum of three games if they met in the finals of Asia Cup 2023.

  • Ban on abayas in state-run schools in France

    The French education minister has imposed a ban on students, prohibiting them from wearing abayas in state-run schools. The ban will be imposed from the next academic year starting September 4.

    France has always prohibited religious manifestations in state schools and government spaces as they “violate secular laws”.

    Ban on abayas has been implemented after months of debate over the attire worn in schools.

    Education Minister Gabriel Attal, while talking to France’s TF1 TV, said: “When you walk into a classroom, you shouldn’t be able to identify the pupils’ religion just by looking at them,

    “I have decided that the abaya could no longer be worn in schools.”

    With an increasing number of students wearing abayas, the political divide has widened as the right-wing parties are pressing for a ban while the left-wing is advocating for the rights of Muslim women and girls.

    “Secularism means the freedom to emancipate oneself through school,” added Attal. He believes that abaya is “a religious gesture, aimed at testing the resistance of the republic toward the secular sanctuary that school must constitute.”

    France implemented a strict ban on religious signs in schools back in the 19th Century which included Christian symbols like large crosses. The purpose was to eliminate any Catholic influence on public education. Now that people from other religions have a significant presence in French society, the laws have been updated and are targeted at the Muslim headscarf and Jewish kippa.

    France first imposed a ban on headscarf in state-run schools in 2004 while full face veils were banned in public in 2010.

  • Pakistan’s World Cup 2023 cricket kit unveiled

    Pakistan’s World Cup 2023 cricket kit unveiled

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled the national cricket team’s ICC World Cup 2023 kit in Lahore today (Monday). The kit is named ‘Star Nation Jersey’, which has a star and Pakistan flag on the chest side.

    Here is the design of Pakistan cricket team’s World Cup 2023 kit:

    Which one is your favourite design from all jerseys that Pakistan cricket team wore for cricket World Cups over the years? Here are the designs of all jerseys:

    You can pre-order the new World Cup 2023 jersey from PCB’s official online store.

    Read More: Arshad Nadeem becomes first Pakistani to win silver medal at World Athletics

    Pakistan’s schedule for the ICC World Cup 2023:

    October 6 – vs Netherlands in Hyderabad

    October 10 – vs Sri Lanka in Hyderabad

    October 14 – vs India in Ahmedabad

    October 20 – vs Australia in Bengaluru

    October 23 – vs Afghanistan in Chennai

    October 27 – vs South Africa in Chennai

    October 31 – vs Bangladesh in Kolkata

    November 4 – vs New Zealand Bengaluru (Day match)

    November 11 – vs England in Kolkata

    The day matches will start at 10:00am Pakistan Standard Time (PST) while all other matches will be day-night fixtures starting at 01:30pm (PST).

  • TV, 29 books, four pillows and so much more: list of things provided to Khan in jail

    TV, 29 books, four pillows and so much more: list of things provided to Khan in jail

    The details of a report submitted to the Supreme Court (SC) regarding the facilities available in Attock Jail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, who was arrested after his conviction in the Toshakhana case, have come to light.

    On the orders of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Atta Bandial, the Attorney General submitted a report to the apex court regarding the facilities provided to the PTI Chairman in jail.

    The report states that Chairman PTI has been kept in the most secure high observation block in Attock Jail and the adjoining barracks of Chairman PTI have also been kept vacant.

    Chairman PTI is kept in a barrack measuring 9 by 11, the wall of the washroom of Chairman PTI is 6 feet high and the size of the washroom is 7 by 4. The walls of Khan’s washroom have also been plastered and distempered. 

    The report states that being a prisoner of a better class, Chairman PTI has also been given the facility of mattress, air cooler, four pillows, a table and a chair. Apart from this, Imran Khan has also been provided with four English translations of the Holy Quran and 25 historical books.

    The Attorney General’s report states that Khan has been provided with a 21-inch TV and a daily newspaper; he is also provided with staff for the check-in barracks, washrooms and cleaning of clothes, and additional 54 officers have been assigned duty in jail for his security.

    The report states that according to the law, the prisoner’s family can meet for two to three hours on Tuesday, while the prisoner’s lawyers can meet for two to three hours on Wednesday. Khan’s wife and lawyers have met him three times. Chairman PTI is examined by a team of five doctors.

    It also states that Imran Khan is served desi chicken cooked in desi ghee on his request and is also provided mutton prepared in desi ghee.

    The PTI chief has been provided better class facilities in jail, the report stated, adding that the suspect has been given all the facilities according to the jail manual, rules and law.

    Imran Khan is allowed to walk in the corridor in front of the jail, as per the report.

  • ‘Bijli k mehngay bills ki handi PDM hakoomat ny pakai’, says Saira Bano

    ‘Bijli k mehngay bills ki handi PDM hakoomat ny pakai’, says Saira Bano

    Senior leader of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Saira Bano, has asked in her video why parties who have been in government for the past 16 months, are calling for protests against high electricity bills, terming the action “incomprehensible”.

    The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government is responsible for inflation as well as the “handi” of high electricity bills, Bano stated.

    She further said in her video that every citizen is facing difficulty paying their electricity bill, stressing that the situation is the same for rich and poor in Pakistan due to inflation.

    On the other hand, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has directed party workers to take part in the protests against exorbitant electricity bills and become the “people’s voice,” Geo News has reported.

    Secretary General (SG) of PPP, Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari, instructed workers on Sunday to protest at the union council and tehsil levels.

    According to Nayyer Bokhari, every citizen of the country is worried about the electricity bill. He further added, ” PPP workers should become the voice of the people and start protesting against inflated electricity tariffs”.

    The protests started across the country because of exorbitant electricity bills, with protesters demanding a reduction in their electricity bills as well as the removal of extra taxes on utility bills. The protesters also mentioned that they would not pay their bills if their demands were not met.

    Earlier, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) announced on Saturday that it would stage a protest against the exorbitant electricity bills.

    Read More: PM Kakar sets 48-hour deadline for relief plan amid electricity bill protests

    Addressing a seminar in Lahore, JI Ameer Sirajul Haq lashed out at political opponents and the caretaker government, saying, “The caretaker government is following the footsteps of the previous governments in terms of taking wrong decisions for the sake of the country.”

  • Shah Rukh Khan endorses a gaming app and protests erupt outside his home, security increased

    Shah Rukh Khan endorses a gaming app and protests erupt outside his home, security increased

    Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan’s recent endorsements were met with severe backlash from the public, including an NGO which felt the actor was encouraging younger minds to play online games. The actor recently endorsed a gaming app A23, an online platform, for which a commercial was released in which the ‘Pathaan’ actor said “Chalo saath khelein’.

    Protests followed and were led by the NGO Untouch Youth Foundation, which called for celebrities to be held accountable for promoting online gaming apps which could ‘corrupt their minds of the youth of India’. Demonstrations were held outside Mannat house, SRK’s residence, and police officials were deployed in case of security threats.

    In an official statement, the organisation said they were calling for a protest against gaming apps like Zuppee, Jungly Rummy, and called out actors who endorsed these products.

    “Famous actors and actresses work in these advertisements and they are working towards misguiding society. The protest will be held outside Shah Rukh Khan’s Mannat bungalow on behalf of Untouch India Foundation.”

    The president of Untouch India Foundation, Krishchandra Adal, said:

    “The new generation is involved in playing Junglee rummy. If someone is playing Junglee rummy or gambling outside, the police arrest them, but big Bollywood stars promoting online games are misleading the young generation. The Bollywood stars also know it is wrong, but they are getting money so they are promoting them. We make these stars famous by watching their movies and spending our money on them. We demand these advertisements to stop. These apps are illegal, we can not find them on Google, but these apps are uploaded on private websites.”

  • ‘No one was available’: Ali Rehman on why transgender actors weren’t hired for Guru

    ‘No one was available’: Ali Rehman on why transgender actors weren’t hired for Guru

    Actor Ali Rehman Khan is currently playing the role of a transgender woman in the Express Entertainment drama ‘Guru’. The drama is facing intense backlash from social media users, especially transgender activists like Shahzadi Rai, who condemned the limited spaces allowed to members of the transgender community within the entertainment industry to be able to tell their own stories.

    Speaking to The Current, the activist expressed her dismay at how cis men were constantly taking up roles about people belonging to the third gender, and used the incorrect term used to describe the community like ‘intersex’.

    “People who do not want to declare themselves as intersex, why are you pushing the label on them? And roles that are about the third gender, you should give them to people who identify under it. A man’s role would be played by a man, while a woman’s role would be played by a woman.”

    READ MORE: Transgender activist Shehzadi Rai, Twitter users criticise ‘Guru’ for hiring cis man to play intersex character

    Several social media users also pointed out that films like ‘Joyland’ which starred transgender actress Alina Khan were met with intense backlash and banned in the country, but it was dramas like ‘Guru’ which were not met with the same scrutiny since members of the transgender community aren’t involved in production.

    Speaking to BBC Urdu, the actor has come forward to address these allegations, saying that despite the studio’s best efforts, they couldn’t find transgender actors to take on the role, and encouraged more members of the community to come into the field.

    “We were planning that one or two of the chelas in the show should be members of the transgender community. But we did a lot of auditions and couldn’t find any actors. And with a huge production there is a lot at stake, since you have to shoot for 40-50 days. You can’t just rely on one actor: you have to have a cohesive list.”

    The actor went on to express his desire to see more transgender people coming into acting, who can play these kinds of roles even more efficiently than he has.

    The actor also elaborated on how he had prepared for the leading role, revealing the process involved. He spoke with members of the transgender community, along with watching documentaries and movies related to the topic.

  • WhatsApp now lets users share videos in HD resolution

    WhatsApp now lets users share videos in HD resolution

    Shortly after introducing support for high-definition photos, Meta’s messaging app, WhatsApp, has now incorporated the capability for users to send videos in high-definition resolution as well. This enhancement has been made available to both iOS and Android users.

    Much like the previously launched high-definition photos feature, the inclusion of high-definition videos empowers users with the option to share videos in superior quality through WhatsApp. 

    Prior to this update, videos of high-definition quality would undergo compression, limiting them to 480p resolution. With the recent update, users are now afforded the choice to transmit videos in high-definition, although this is restricted to a maximum resolution of 720p.

    The process for sharing high-definition videos mirrors that of sharing high-definition photos. Upon selecting the desired video or videos for sharing, users will encounter a newly integrated HD button positioned atop the screen. Subsequently, a dialogue box will emerge, affording the user the decision to opt for Standard Quality or HD Quality. This dialogue box also provides insight into the associated file sizes. The sharing procedure is then finalized by selecting the “send” option, consistent with standard sharing practices.

    It is noteworthy that all images and videos exchanged on WhatsApp remain safeguarded through the company’s robust end-to-end encryption protocols. 

    According to Meta, this feature is currently being rolled out, indicating that users who have yet to access it will likely do so in the coming days.

  • New dengue cases reported across Punjab

    New dengue cases reported across Punjab

    New cases of dengue are being reported across Punjab. In Lahore alone, 18 confirmed cases have been reported in the past 24 hours while 83 confirmed cases were reported in less than a week.

    According to Dunya News, more than 30,000 dengue hotspots were found in the city by the government officials. Doctors are advising people to strictly follow standard operating procedures (SOPs).

    Similarly, dengue cases in Rawalpindi crossed 100 last week with at least 13 more patients diagnosed in the last 24 hours while 63 FIRs registered, 18 tickets issued, and 28 premises were sealed.

    District Coordinator Epidemics Prevention and Control Dr Sajjad Mehmood said the Rawalpindi administration registered as many as 1,802 FIRs on violations of anti-dengue SOPs from January 1 to date in various areas of the district.

    The Express Tribune has reported that the district administration, in collaboration with allied departments, had sealed 438 premises, issued tickets to 646 and a fine of Rs31,33,000 was imposed on violations of dengue SOPs in 2023.

    On August 23, Business Recorder reported that up till now, since January 1, 2023, a total of 678 confirmed dengue cases had been recorded in all the 36 districts of Punjab but fortunately there have been no deaths.

    Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir has stated that on directions of caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi, special dengue centres have been established in district and tehsil headquarters hospitals, which will provide free treatment to dengue patients.

    Dr Nasir has also claimed that larva monitoring has been increased throughout Punjab and strict legal action will be taken against the violators.

  • PM Kakar congratulates Arshad Nadeem on his win

    PM Kakar congratulates Arshad Nadeem on his win

    Star javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem made history on Sunday when he became the first Pakistani to win the first-ever silver medal for his country at the World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Hungary with his best 87.82-meter throw.

    India’s Neeraj Chopra was able to secure the gold medal with his best throw of 88.17 meters.

    Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar took to X (former Twitter) and congratulated Arshad Nadeem as he became the first Pakistani to win a medal at the World Athletics Championship.

    It was the Nadeem’s third throw that was the biggest breakthrough as it reached as far as 87.82 meters — his season’s best.

    Arshad Nadeem celebrated his win by stating, “What a day! Tiring yet rewarding. Like to thank Allah for this giving me the ability to go this far. This was the first time in the history of Pakistan that any Pakistani athlete won a medal at the World athletics championships.”

    Pakistani cricketer and former team captain Mohammad Hafeez said, “Proud of u.”

    Hassan Cheema, selection committee secretary and manager analytics and team strategy for the national cricket team men’s side, said: “Grew up watching Diamond Leagues & World Championships on Super Sports without ever expecting to see a Pakistani face in it ever. Today we’ve got a medal!! ”

    Pakistanis all around the world are celebrating this win and are looking forward to many more.