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Author: News Desk

  • BCCI takes strict action against Kohli, Haq, Gambhir for ugly fight in IPL

    BCCI takes strict action against Kohli, Haq, Gambhir for ugly fight in IPL

    A heated argument took place between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir after Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) beat Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 18 runs in a low-scoring thriller at the Ekana Stadium during Indian Premier League (IPL).


    Now Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir and Naveen-ul-Haq have been fined for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct. LSG’s Naveen-ul-Haq was also spotted arguing with Kohli and that did not go down well with the IPL management.


    “Mr Gambhir admitted to the Level 2 offence under Article 2.21 of the IPL Code of Conduct and has been fined 100 per cent of his match fee. Similarly, Mr Kohli admitted to the Level 2 offence under Article 2.21 of the IPL Code of Conduct and has been fined 100 per cent of his match fee. Mr Naveen-ul-Haq, on the other hand, has been fined 50 per cent of his match fees for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore,” read a statement from the IPL.


    This is not the first time that Virat and Gautam have locked horns with each other. Whenever these two face each other, fans have seen aggression from both sides.

    Afghan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq has crafted a bad image in the cricket world by showing abusive aggression. A gesture he made while he aggressively shook hands with Kohli left cricketing fans aghast.

    Match Highlights: Royal Challengers Bangalore 126/9 in 20 overs (Faf du Plessis 44, Virat Kohli 31; Naveen-ul-Haq 3-30, Ravi Bishnoi 2-21) beat Lucknow Super Giants 108 all out in 19.5 overs (K. Gowtham 23, Amit Mishra 19; Josh Hazlewood 2-15, Karn Sharma 2-20) by 18 runs

  • US could default by next month unless debt ceiling is raised

    US could default by next month unless debt ceiling is raised

    Janet Yellen, the United States Treasury Secretary, has written to Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, warning that the federal government may exceed its spending limit by June 1 if Congress does not raise the debt ceiling. Yellen’s letter, which was published on Monday, noted that available data suggests that the government will no longer be able to cover its expenses in early June if Congress does not raise the limit before then.

    Yellen emphasised the importance of Congress taking action to increase or suspend the debt limit as soon as possible, to ensure that the government can continue to make its payments. While Yellen’s letter indicates the US could enter default as early as June 1, she also noted that it is impossible to predict the exact date when Treasury will be unable to pay the government’s bills.

    The potential for a default has raised concerns among experts about its possible impact on the US economy. It could lead to a fall in the US credit rating, resulting in higher interest rates and a possible recession. The process of raising the US spending limits is typically routine, but it has become increasingly contentious in recent years. Republicans in Congress are pushing for steep cuts to social programs in exchange for their support to raise the debt ceiling this year. In contrast, the Biden administration has called for an increase to the debt ceiling without conditions, stating that debates over various programs can be hashed out during negotiations on the yearly budget.

    Last week, the Republican-led House of Representatives passed a bill that agreed to raise the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion in exchange for $4.5 trillion in spending cuts for programs like healthcare for low-income communities, renewable energy and transportation. The bill is considered dead on arrival in the Democrat-controlled US Senate, and Biden has stated that he would veto it. However, its passage in the House is considered a victory for McCarthy, who has since called for Democrats to approve the bill and avoid a default.

    Democrats have called for a “clean” debt limit increase without haggling or addendums. Virginia Senator Mark Warner tweeted on Monday that the US has about a month until it defaults on paying its debt and emphasised that this is not new spending, but about paying bills already incurred. On May 9, US President Joe Biden reportedly called for a meeting with Democratic and Republican leaders to discuss spending and the debt limit. The Congressional Budget Office has also stated that it sees an increased risk of the government running out of funds by early June due to tax receipts that were lower than expected.

  • Pakistan’s IMF bailout programme revival delayed: blame game between Pakistani authorities and IMF

    Pakistan’s IMF bailout programme revival delayed: blame game between Pakistani authorities and IMF

    Pakistani authorities and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are blaming each other for the delay in reviving the IMF bailout programme. The IMF approved a $6.5 billion bailout package for Pakistan in 2019, of which $1.1 billion is still outstanding.

    However, issues related to fiscal policy adjustments have delayed the release of the funds since November. The delay has raised concerns as Pakistan has less than a month’s worth of foreign exchange reserves and needs the IMF package to avert defaulting on external payment obligations.

    With the expiry of the existing IMF programme on June 30, 2023, Pakistan’s options for reviving the IMF programme are shrinking with every passing day.

    While Pakistani authorities argue that the IMF is playing politics, IMF sources say they are still waiting for confirmation on the remaining $2 billion from the World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, as well as seeking commercial loans from banks.

    According to Geo, Dr Khaqan Najeeb, former adviser Ministry of Finance, has called for short-term measures, such as funding from friendly countries, the revival of the IMF programme, clarity on programme completion dates, and work on the budget for 2023-24 to be undertaken to avoid Pakistan being near the brink of default.

  • Karachi may face flour shortage this week

    Karachi may face flour shortage this week

    Karachi is experiencing a crisis in flour supply as a disagreement between the flour mills association and the Sindh Food Department shows no sign of abating, ARY has reported.

    The chairman of the association stated that 70 per cent of the city’s flour mills have run out of wheat, accusing Sindh government of not reaching out to them. He added that the remaining 30 per cent of mills have only 3,000 to 4,000 bags of wheat, which is insufficient to meet even 5 per cent of the metropolis’s demand for flour.

    The Chairman of the flour mills association also stated that if wheat is not made available by Tuesday, all flour mills in Karachi will be closed until a new shipment arrives, as almost all mills would have run out of wheat by then.

    The shortage of wheat has led to a flour crisis, according to the head of the Sindh Food Department. The Sindh government had aimed to buy 1.4 million tons of wheat, but despite purchases made since March, the target has not been met. Meanwhile, the Punjab government has already purchased 40 per cent of its required wheat.

    The Sindh Food Department disclosed that the cost of flour in Karachi could rise to Rs200 per kg, as only 10 per cent of the city’s flour supply can be sustained while all flour mills are closed due to the unavailability of wheat to the millers.

  • Throwback: Asif Zardari threatened to replace Naseem Asharaf as chairman PCB, if ban on Shoaib Akhtar not lifted

    Throwback: Asif Zardari threatened to replace Naseem Asharaf as chairman PCB, if ban on Shoaib Akhtar not lifted

    An old interview of former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has surfacted on the internet in which he has claimed that former President Asif Zardari helped him to temporarily lift a five-year ban imposed on him by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

    Shoaib Akhtar praised Asif Zardari in the old interiew and recounted how, when he was banned for five years, his friend Faisal Butt took him to meet the former President. According to Akhtar, Zardari then called the Chairman of the Cricket Board, Naseem Ashraf, and said, “Shoaib is our child, he has to play in the IPL. You must lift the ban on him, or else we will install a new chairman.”

    Aakhtar was banned for five years in April 2008 by a disciplinary committee of the PCB for violating the players’ code of conduct. However, the ban was lifted temporarily in May 2008 so that Akhar could play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

    During the same interview Akhtar stated that after being banned for two years, he called an influential person in Rawalpindi (a Federal Minister) who invited him to his house. However, instead of helping him, the minister did not let Akhtar enter the house and closed the gate.

  • Father kills daughter in the name of honour

    Father kills daughter in the name of honour

    A father has killed his own daughter and her alleged friend in Sindh in the name of honour.

    The police in Jamshoro has arrested two suspects in connection with the incident and a heavy contingent of forces have been deployed in the area to avoid any untoward incident.

    In 2022, a report stated that at least 217 people, including 152 women, have been killed in so-called honour-related crimes across Sindh.

    Hundreds of women are killed each year in Pakistan by family members over perceived loss of “honour”.

    Many human rights activists have raised alarms over the issue and while numerous laws have been passed to prevent honour killing, the numbers continue to get higher which each passing year.

  • PM Shehbaz’s wife attended Fatima Bhutto’s wedding

    PM Shehbaz’s wife attended Fatima Bhutto’s wedding

    First Lady of Pakistan and bestselling author Tehmina Durrani attended former Prime Minister (PM) Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s granddaughter Fatima Bhutto’s wedding which took place in Karachi a few days ago.

    While sharing a picture of herself with the newlyweds, Durrani wrote: “Fatima Bhutto and Gibran’s marriage is an important message of simplicity for the entire nation.”

    It is pertinent to mention that the history of ties between the Bhutto family and Tehmina goes way back to the 1970s when she was married to former Punjab Governor Ghulam Mustafa Khar, who was one of Bhutto’s closest confidants. However, after Tehmina got divorced from Khar, she remained in touch with Bhutto’s son Murtaza’s family.

    Fatima Bhutto, who is also a famous writer, got married in an intimate ceremony at her family home in Karachi’s 70 Clifton on April 28, with the simple nuptials held in her grandfather’s library.

  • ‘Look who’s talking’: Twitter has no patience for Salman Khan’s hypocrisy on women’s clothes

    Bollywood star Salman Khan is no stranger to controversy and scandals, but it now seems like the aging lothario has forgotten his past.

    The ‘Kisi Ka Bhai, Kisi Ki Jaan’ actor was speaking at Rajat Sharma’s show ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ where he defended his rule that women on the sets of his films couldn’t wearing plunging necklines. The superstar said that women’s bodies are precious and it was boys who have bad intentions:

    “It’s not a matter of girls, it’s about the boys. The way they look at girls, at your sister, wife or mother, I do not like it. So, I do not want them to go through this.”

    When asked about whether this statement imposes double standards by blaming women for their harassment, the actor responded:

    “There is no double standard in it. I feel that a woman’s body is a lot more precious, the more that is covered, the better, I feel.”

    Twitter users have slammed Khan’s comments as degrading and sexist for blaming women once more for the actions of men.

    Many had to point out that Khan had a lot of skeletons in his closet to go and preach modesty to women, by printing out receipts of the actor’s history of abusing ex-girlfriends.

  • ‘Kabhi petrol bomb phainknay waalon se mazaakraat nahin hotay: Javed Latif calls PTI ‘terrorist’

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Javed Latif, has expressed disapproval of the ongoing talks between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying that dialogue should never be held with a “terrorist wing” and the “ones who throw petrol bombs”.

    Addressing a press conference, Latif, who is considered close to PML-N head Nawaz Sharif, went on to say that dialogue could never be held with a person who “is spreading anarchy in the country, especially at a time when Pakistan’s economy is stabilising and the country is progressing without IMF’s aid”.

    He urged “individuals in institutions” to take responsibility for “producing” a person like Imran Khan, Chairman of PTI, and for the consequences of their actions. He also claimed that some people are trying to reinstate the PTI chairman as Prime Minister.

    The PML-N leader said that the elections won’t be held without the participation of his party supremo Nawaz Sharif.

    The third and final round of talks will be held tomorrow. As of yet, no census is in sight.

  • Meta’s AI strategy pays off with Q1 profit of $5.7 billion

    Meta’s AI strategy pays off with Q1 profit of $5.7 billion

    Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has exceeded expectations by reporting a first quarter profit of $5.7 billion (£4.6 billion), despite a period of job cuts. The success has been attributed to the use of artificial intelligence (AI), which has helped to drive positive results across the business.

    Meta’s total revenue reached $28.6 billion, while the number of monthly Facebook users rose to just under three billion. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company was becoming more efficient, allowing it to build better products faster and to put itself in a stronger position to deliver its long-term vision.

    He also announced Meta’s intention to commercialize its privately-run generative AI, which can instantly create sentences and graphics, for practical applications such as chat experiences in WhatsApp and Messenger, visual creation tools for Facebook and Instagram posts, and ads. Zuckerberg assured investors that the move would not detract from Meta’s metaverse project, and confirmed that the company planned to release its next Quest VR headset later this year.

    Despite a net loss of $4 billion last quarter in its Reality Labs division, Meta still expects operating losses to increase year over year in 2023. However, the company’s cost-cutting measures have proved successful, with Meta having shed almost a quarter of its global workforce in the past few months.