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Author: News Desk

  • Petrol, diesel prices go up for next 15 days

    Petrol, diesel prices go up for next 15 days

    The federal government has increased petrol prices by Rs2.43 per litre for the next fortnight, effective from November 1, following recommendations from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) and the concerned ministries.

    According to a notification issued by the Finance Division, the new price of petrol will be Rs265.45 per litre for the next fifteen days. High-speed diesel (HSD) has also become costlier, rising by Rs3.02 to Rs278.44 per litre. Officials said the adjustment follows OGRA’s latest review.

    Kerosene has gone up by Rs3.34 to Rs185.05 per litre, while the price of light diesel oil (LDO) has increased by Rs1.22, reaching Rs163.98.

    Earlier this week, it was reported that petroleum prices were expected to rise by up to Rs2.34 per litre in the next fortnight as the global oil market experiences fluctuations and the impact of recent US sanctions on major Russian producers takes place. 

    Initial estimates for the first 12 days of the pricing cycle had suggested that petrol might rise by Rs1.48 per litre and HSD by Rs1.38. Kerosene was expected to increase by Rs2.34 per litre, and LDO by Re0.49.

    Earlier this month, the federal government had reduced fuel prices following a drop in international rates. Petrol was cut by Rs5.66 per litre to Rs263.02, while the price of HSD dropped by Rs1.39 to Rs275.41. The price of kerosene fell by Rs3.26 to Rs181.71, and LDO was set at Rs162.76 per litre.

  • Viral Saudi ‘Sky Stadium’ video turns out to be AI-generated

    Viral Saudi ‘Sky Stadium’ video turns out to be AI-generated

    A video of Saudi Arabia’s futuristic ‘Sky Stadium’ that went viral on social media has turned out to be fake. 

    The video, which many believed showed the design for a 2034 FIFA World Cup stadium, was actually created using artificial intelligence.

    According to Arab media, the video does not depict any official project approved by the Saudi government. The creator of the video revealed that it was made entirely with AI and was only a conceptual idea, not part of any real plan in Saudi Arabia.

    Despite being fictional, the video gained massive attention worldwide, with millions of views across social media platforms.

    While the AI-generated Sky Stadium is fake, Saudi Arabia is indeed planning to build 15 state-of-the-art stadiums for the 2034 World Cup. One of these projects is the ‘Cloud Stadium’ in the futuristic NEOM mega city.

    The Cloud Stadium will be constructed around 350 meters (1,150 feet) above ground, with a seating capacity of 46,000 spectators. It will be powered entirely by solar and wind energy.

    Official sources said construction on the NEOM stadium is scheduled to begin in 2027 and is expected to be completed by 2032.

  • Saudi Arabia loses hosting rights for inaugural Esports Olympics 2027

    Saudi Arabia loses hosting rights for inaugural Esports Olympics 2027

    The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Thursday that Saudi Arabia will no longer host the inaugural Esports Olympics scheduled for 2027.

    The IOC said in a statement that it had “mutually agreed” with the Saudi National Olympic Committee to end their cooperation on the Olympic Esports Games.

    The first Esports Games were initially planned for this year in Riyadh but were postponed in February. Saudi Arabia had secured hosting rights for 12 years starting in 2025, under an agreement signed with the IOC in July last year.

    Then-IOC president Thomas Bach played a key role in creating the event before being succeeded by Kirsty Coventry.

    Olympic Esports Series competitions, smaller virtual sports events run by the IOC, took place in 2021 and 2023. However, gaming critics widely criticized them for excluding popular esports titles.

    “Recently, the two parties and the Esports World Cup Foundation sat down again and reviewed this initiative,” the IOC statement said.

    “They mutually agreed that they will end their cooperation on the Olympic Esports Games. At the same time, both parties are committed to pursuing their own esports ambitions on separate paths.”

    The IOC added that this new direction would help align the Esports Games with the long-term goals of the Olympic movement and allow broader participation. “This approach will be a chance to better fit the Olympic Esports Games to the long-term ambitions of the Olympic movement and to spread the opportunities presented by the Olympic Esports Games more widely, with the objective of having the inaugural Games as soon as possible,” it said.

    The Esports World Cup, which includes many of the world’s most popular games, held its first two editions in Riyadh in 2024 and 2025. The event is organized by Saudi Arabia.

    Saudi Arabia’s growing investment in sports has drawn global attention and criticism. Human rights groups accuse the kingdom of using high-profile sporting events to distract from alleged rights violations, a practice known as “sportswashing.”

    The Saudi government rejects these accusations and maintains that its actions are in line with national security laws.

  • Friendship, faith and fear: Case No. 9’s blasphemy arc is Pakistan’s darkest truth on screen

    Friendship, faith and fear: Case No. 9’s blasphemy arc is Pakistan’s darkest truth on screen

    It’s not just the raw reality that the drama Case No. 9 is drenched in but the way that it’s expressed that has viewers hooked. You would think that rape was enough, but no, the drama also touches about the sensitive issue of blasphemy and the terror of fake social media propaganda.


    If you’ve seen the drama, you have wondered why the rapist Kamran’s (Faysal Quraishi) best friend and business partner’s name is Rohit (Junaid Khan). At first, it was thought that maybe it was a way to include a minority in the story but in Episode 11, we find out that’s not the case.


    Rohit reveals to his wife Manisha (Naveen Waqar) that he feels he has a moral obligation to support Kamran, despite knowing that he raped Seher (Saba Qamar) because when they were in college together Kamran had supported him when an angry mob came to the university to attack Rohit for alleged blasphemy. Kamran then stands up against the mob for his friend, convincing them that Rohit had done no such thing (which he had not) and that the people spreading the rumour were doing it for personal reasons. The crowd listens and Rohit owes Kamran his life. At least that’s how Rohit feels.


    At first, it was a bit strange, an expectation that the drama was heading in a different, heavy direction but no. Writer Shahzeb Khanzada very smartly touched the issue, let it resonate with the audience and then moved on. 


    Social media was also all praise for the way the sensitive issue was portrayed. 


    SOCIAL MEDIA TRAUMA


    Episode 12 was also very significant when it comes to what victims feel when propaganda is spread about them on social media. Kamran convinces his employee to hire a social media propaganda team to spread Sehar’s photo on social media and that she was after him and his money. The irony is not lost when it is hashtag ‘#JusticeforKamran’ that starts to trend on social media, which is a popular one when someone is standing up for a cause – not realizing it might be misused as well. The rape victim must be protected, says Sehar to her lawyer Beenish (Amina Shaikh) who agrees and says they would take it up with relevant authorities. But the damage is also done when people all around Sehar and her family realize what is happening with the family. The way the drama shows a team being hired to spread misinformation, from seemingly real accounts, makes you think twice about what you might believe on social media and it’s clear that it was done so you would feel that way. 


    THE WOMEN


    It is the women in the drama that are the real stars. They support each other and stand for each other, strong and able to handle the trauma that keeps hitting them. 


    Beenish and Manisha stand by Sehar like mountains, and the way Manisha does so without even flinching, despite being married to Rohit, is heartwarming. Even Kamran’s wife, Kiran (Rushna Khan) is such a complex character with Rushna truly doing her justice. Kiran is stuck in a web of having to live and trust her child’s father but knowing that he has done ‘something’ wrong and watching Rushna act out the different feelings that Kiran is constantly experiencing really makes you feel for women who are married to manipulative men. 


    The drama is on a constant high with no low in sight and despite expecting that Sehar will win in the end as good always does, it still keeps you on the edge of your seat because in reality, you never really know if truth in Pakistan will prevail.

  • CM Afridi’s 13-member KP cabinet takes oath

    CM Afridi’s 13-member KP cabinet takes oath

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) newly formed 13-member cabinet of Chief Minister (CM) Sohail Afridi has taken oath in a ceremony held at Governor House Peshawar. 

    The cabinet, which includes ten ministers, two advisers and one special assistant, will work under CM Afridi, who replaced Ali Amin Gandapur as the provincial chief executive earlier this month.

    The oath-taking ceremony comes hours after the cabinet was named following CM Afridi’s consultation with jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, who gave him the nod to proceed with the appointments.

    Earlier, Afridi had repeatedly sought to meet the incarcerated former premier for guidance but was denied permission despite court orders.

    On Friday, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi administered oath to Mina Khan, Fazal Shakoor, Faisal Turkai, Aaqibullah, Arshad Ayub Khan, Aftab Alam, Dr Amjad, Khaliq Ur Rehman, Riaz Khan and Syed Fakhar Jehan as provincial ministers.

    The governor also administered oath to Muzammil Aslam and Taj Muhammad Tarand as advisers while Shafeeullah Jan took oath as a special assistant.

    While their respective portfolios will be announced later, CM Afridi’s cabinet is significantly smaller than Gandapur’s initial 33-member setup that was later reduced after a reshuffle.

    On Oct 13, Afridi had assumed office after securing 90 votes in provincial assembly session boycotted by the JUI-F, PML-N and PPP.

  • Can Pakistanis now travel to Israel? Info ministry addresses Indian media’s claims

    Can Pakistanis now travel to Israel? Info ministry addresses Indian media’s claims

    The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has dismissed Indian media reports claiming changes to the Pakistani passport for the removal of the clause banning travel to Israel.

    As per the details, the info ministry has rejected the reports as “completely baseless and laughable”, saying no such move has been discussed or is even being considered by the government.

    The propaganda started when Indian news channel Republic TV alleged that Islamabad had removed the clause from passports that declared them invalid for travel to Israel.

    Exposing the false reporting by Indian media, the ministry said that Pakistan’s position on Israel has always been crystal clear.

    “Pakistan has never recognised Israel, and there is absolutely no question of military cooperation […] Our support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination is firm and principled, it has never wavered,” the ministry said, adding that Republic TV’s story was not picked up by any credible regional or international media outlet.

    Calling out what it described as a “habit of spreading lies”, the ministry said that this kind of propaganda was “Indian godi media’s” new normal. “We will continue to speak the truth and stand by justice, peace and the rights of the Palestinian people,” it added.

    While the foreign ministry and the directorate general of immigration and passports also clarified that the passport had not been changed in any way as the long-standing clause remained printed, this is not the first time Republic TV has ended up with an egg on its face due to fabricated reports.

    Earlier this month, the channel claimed that Pakistan was preparing to send 20,000 troops to Gaza under the supervision of Western countries and Israel. The claim, however, was also denied by Pakistani officials.

  • Dates confirmed for Pakistan-India clash in Asia Cup Rising Stars Championship

    Dates confirmed for Pakistan-India clash in Asia Cup Rising Stars Championship

    Cricket fans are in for a treat as Pakistan and India are set to renew their fierce rivalry at the upcoming Asia Cup Rising Stars Championship 2025 in Doha.

    The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has announced the details for the rebranded tournament, which will be played in the T20 format from November 14 to 23.

    The event, formerly known as the Emerging Teams Asia Cup, will bring together eight teams aiming to showcase the next generation of Asian cricket stars. Five Test-playing nations — Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan — will compete with their A teams while UAE, Oman and Hong Kong will send their full national squads.

    Group A features Pakistan A, India A, UAE and Oman while Group B includes Sri Lanka A, Bangladesh A, Afghanistan A and Hong Kong.

    In a key format change from the senior Asia Cup, there will be no Super Four stage. The top two teams from each group will move straight to the semi-finals, making every group match a high-stakes contest.

    All eyes will be on the much-anticipated Pakistan vs India encounter in the group stage. The arch-rivals will meet at least once with a potential rematch in the final if both teams go the distance.

    Pakistan’s fixtures in the Asia Cup Rising Stars Championship are as follows:

    Nov 14: Pakistan A vs Oman

    Nov 16: Pakistan A vs India A

    Nov 18: Pakistan A vs UAE

    Afghanistan A will enter the 15-match competition as defending champions, having lifted the trophy in the previous edition of the Emerging Asia Cup.

  • US, India sign decade-long defence agreement

    US, India sign decade-long defence agreement

    The United States has entered into a 10-year defence framework agreement with India, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Friday. 

    The framework seeks to enhance coordination, information sharing, and technological collaboration between the two armed forces. Hegseth characterized it as a fundamental element for maintaining regional stability and deterrence.

    “Our defence relations have reached unprecedented levels,” Hegseth remarked in a post on X (formerly Twitter) after his discussion with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The meeting occurred on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus set to begin on Saturday in Kuala Lumpur.

    Hegseth expressed gratitude to Singh for the ongoing partnership between Washington and New Delhi. He referred to the US-India relationship as “consequential,” highlighting that the strategic alignment is grounded in shared interests, mutual trust, and a dedication to a secure Indo-Pacific region.

    Hegseth referred to the defense framework as “ambitious.” He stated it provides a guide for deeper military collaboration and highlights the United States’ long-term commitment to collective security and partnership.

    The agreement follows a recent meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Malaysia. This encounter represented the highest-level engagement since the United States enacted sanctions on Russian oil firms last week, which target significant sources of crude supplies for India.

    Jaishankar posted a photo on social media of himself and Rubio shaking hands. He conveyed his appreciation for discussions concerning bilateral relations along with regional and global matters.

    Relations between Washington and New Delhi have been strained since May of this year when India refused to credit President Donald Trump for bringing a ceasefire to military clashes with Pakistan. The US raised tariffs on India to 50 percent in August. US officials claimed that India was aiding Russia’s war in Ukraine by acquiring discounted oil from Moscow.

    Trump had a conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, indicating that Modi had agreed to cut back on Russian oil imports; however, India has not verified this assertion.

    Additionally, the United States recently imposed a one-time fee of $100,000 for H-1B skilled worker visas, with India comprising about three-quarters of the annual recipients. Indian officials stated that this decision could have humanitarian repercussions and cautioned that it might disrupt families affected by the new policy.

  • Hindutva extremists caught writing ‘I love Muhammad’ on temple walls to spread anti-Muslim sentiment in India

    Hindutva extremists caught writing ‘I love Muhammad’ on temple walls to spread anti-Muslim sentiment in India

    Police in Uttar Pradesh have arrested four Hindutva extremists, Zeeshanth Singh, Akash Saraswat, Dilip Sharma, and Abhishek Saraswat for spraying “I love Muhammad” on temple walls in Aligarh to create anti-Muslim propaganda in the city.

    The suspects painted the sentence on several temples earlier this week, triggering outrage and unrest in the area. Police revealed that the group carried out the act to frame Muslim community members amid an ongoing land dispute.

    Police have charged the men under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code for promoting enmity and disturbing public peace.

    “The investigation found that the graffiti was not a communal act but a deliberate attempt to implicate others due to a land-related rivalry,” Indian media quoted Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Neeraj Kumar Jadaun as saying.

    He added that an earlier case filed against Muslim men in connection with the graffiti would now be withdrawn following the new findings.

    The arrests came just days after Samajwadi Party MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq claimed the incident was part of a “well-thought-out conspiracy” to ignite communal discord.

    “If an impartial investigation is conducted, it will be clear that no Muslim person was involved in this act,” Barq had said.

  • Pakistani astronaut to join China’s Tiangong space mission as payload specialist

    Pakistani astronaut to join China’s Tiangong space mission as payload specialist

    China has announced plans to include a Pakistani astronaut in its upcoming space station missions, according to state news agency Xinhua on Thursday. 

    The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) stated during a press conference that two Pakistani astronauts will train alongside their Chinese counterparts under this project, with one of them scheduled to participate in a short-term spaceflight mission as a payload specialist.

    According to CMSA spokesperson Zhang Jingbo, China and Pakistan signed a cooperation agreement in February of this year, which marked the official start of the astronaut selection process. Similar to China’s own astronaut recruitment process, the selection process will be divided into three stages: preliminary, second-round, and final.

    Pakistan is now conducting the preliminary stage, and China will host the next two stages. According to Zhang, preparations for the second round are already underway, including creating training materials, assembling equipment, and setting up logistical support.

    “Two Pakistani astronauts will undergo training alongside Chinese astronauts, and one of them will be selected to participate in a short-duration spaceflight mission as a payload specialist,” Zhang said. 

    “During the mission, the astronaut will not only participate in the crew’s routine work but also conduct scientific experiments on behalf of Pakistan.”

    Chinese publication Global Times also confirmed that “China is currently selecting astronauts from Pakistan, with one expected to take part in a short-duration space mission at an appropriate time.”

    Zhang emphasized that since its inception, China’s manned space program has upheld the principles of peaceful use, equality, mutual benefit, and shared development.