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Author: News Desk

  • PUBG developer collaborates with blockchain for NFT-based games

    The South Korean gaming studio ‘Krafton’, who is also the developer of PUBG, has recently announced a partnership with a blockchain company ‘Solana Labs’ for the development, design, and marketing of NFT-based games and services.

    Solana Labs is also the developer of Solana blockchain, an Ethereum-competitor designed to offer fast transaction speeds at a lower cost.

    The partnership comes a month after Krafton announced its plans to step into the world of blockchain gaming and said that it would be working with Naver Z to launch a new Web 3.0 and non-fungible token (NFT) project aimed at building a proper NFT metaverse platform.

    The important context for these deals can be Krafton’s share price, which have considerably dropped in 2022 due to tough competition from Chinese rivals, who are pouring into South Korea following a crackdown from regulators in Beijing.

    As a result, Korean developers are reportedly racing to develop ‘play-to-earn’ games, comprising blockchain technology to shore up revenue.

    The South Korean studio has not announced which of its games might see the addition of blockchain functionality or whether it will be offered in the PUBG series. Undoubtedly, the addition of NFTs in PUBG can double its popularity and earnings with attracting more players.

  • Man confesses hiring a ‘hitman’ to murder brother’s family

    A man has confessed that he hired a hitman to murder his lawyer brother and his family in Lahore, reports Samaa. Amanat Ali was a lawyer who was murdered along with his wife and two-month-old daughter after repeatedly being assaulted with a knife. The incident occurred on February 27. His brother Amin has now confessed that he hired a hitman to kill his brother along with his family.

    Amin was imprisoned for murdering his father in 2014 where he met Ashiq the hitman. Amin then assisted to release Ashiq from jail and offered a contract of one million Pakistani rupees for a hit job for brother, sister-in-law, and infant.

    Amin got his brother murdered along with his family due to a property dispute. He did not want his father to give his share of the property to his brothers, Amanat Ali and Saleem. Ali was himself pursuing the case of his father’s murder.

    Amin also was planning to kill his second brother, Saleem, but the police arrested him before he committed another murder.

  • PML-N to file case against Buzdar for stealing records from his own office

    PML-N to file case against Buzdar for stealing records from his own office

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s Punjab Information Secretary Azma Bokhari revealed that the party will register a case against Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Usman Buzdar for allegedly stealing ‘official records’ of the CM House, reports Dawn.

    In a statement, she said, “Buzdar has removed the official records from the CM House and shifted it to an unidentified place,” while adding that if he [Buzdar] had not removed official records why did he delete video footage of the CM House when moving things around.

    Bokhari also alleged that CM Punjab has become a billionaire through corruption and he has made properties. She claimed that Buzdar would soon leave PTI and join another political party.

    However, the Punjab government said that these allegations are rubbish.

    Earlier, on another matter, the provincial government also dismissed reports regarding CM Buzdar that he had directed the concerned department to prepare a summary for enhancing the perks and privileges for ‘former’ CMs.

  • PakvsAus: Twitter thinks Azhar Ali’s crucial wicket was ‘saazish’ against him

    PakvsAus: Twitter thinks Azhar Ali’s crucial wicket was ‘saazish’ against him

    Pakistan and Australia are playing the third and last Test of the three-match Test series. The match is being played in Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore.

    Pakistan was 136-2 at lunch as Australia took advantage of Azhar’s wicket, which was crucial as Pakistan is chasing a big target in series-deciding match. Social media users are calling the decision controversial.

    Azhar looked to sweep a ball from Nathan Lyon, which popped up in the air after hitting the pad. Steve Smith, positioned at slip, caught the ball and the entire Australian team went up in appeal in unison. The on-field umpire turned the appeal down and the Australian captain Pat Cummins asked for a review.

    The third umpire saw a small spike on the “Ultra-edge” and overturned the onfield umpire’s decision. Azhar Ali had to walk back.

    Have a look at the reactions:

  • Crypto companies at risk of closure in the United Kingdom

    A number of cryptocurrency businesses in the United Kingdom (UK) may be forced to shut down if they fail to register with the financial watchdog before a major deadline next week.

    Firms providing crypto services in the UK must register with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) by 31 March, 2022. The FCA is in charge of supervising how digital asset firms tackle money laundering.

    In 2021, the authority stretched the deadline for businesses on a temporary register to continue trading while seeking full license. Once the deadline passes, the temporary register will be closed.

    Many crypto businesses have withdrew their applications, according to the FCA, since they did not match the required anti-money laundering criteria.

    With only days until the deadline, the status of companies on the temporary register including Revolut, a $33 billion fintech business, and Copper, a crypto start-up is in trouble which counts on UK Finance Minister, Philip Hammond as its advisor.  

    Read More: Pakistan decides to make cryptocurrency illegal

    Some businesses are now withdrawing their applications, including B2C2, a London-based crypto trading firm, just removed itself from the FCA’s provisional registry.

    B2C2’s spot trading activity has been relocated to the company’s U.S. Entity from this week. The firm’s business is now unaffected as it is handled by an FCA-authorized subsidiary.

  • Speaker Asad Qaiser is ‘Imran Khan’s stooge’, says Opposition after Qaiser adjourns NA session till Monday

    Speaker Asad Qaiser is ‘Imran Khan’s stooge’, says Opposition after Qaiser adjourns NA session till Monday

    The much-awaited and critical National Assembly (NA) session on the vote of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan was adjourned till Monday (March 28) by National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser.

    “Since this is the tradition of this house, that whenever a respectable member [of the assembly] passes away, the [NA] session is adjourned till the next [working] day in their honour,” said Qaiser. “This has happened for years and this had happened a total of 24 times in the past.”

    Addressing a press conference outside Parliament House right after the session was adjourned, Leader of the Opposition in NA Shehbaz Sharif said that the Speaker has become a “stooge” of PM Khan.

     “This was a constitutional obligation and he violated the Constitution by not doing this,” said Shehbaz adding, “The Constitution and the law is above tradition and voting should have been allowed … tradition aside, the Speaker should have taken up the motion [but] he did not listen and left.”

    Shehbaz tweeted, “This partisan behaviour does not suit the custodian of the House. U cannot stop the inevitable through such underhand tactics!”

    Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that PM Khan was “fleeing the pitch”.

    Taking to Twitter, Bilawal wrote, “Speaker provided another weak excuse to avoid tabling the no-trust move.”

    “Imran can’t run forever. PM has no sportsman spirit and cannot face defeat with grace. The once great Kaptaan will go down like a rat on a sinking ship,” he said.

    Prior to the session, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted, “Nothing will happen in the assembly session today.”

  • PM Khan to address Mansehra today despite ECP warning, fines

    PM Khan to address Mansehra today despite ECP warning, fines

    As part of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) campaign for the March 31 local body elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan is set to address the public in Thakral Stadium, Mansehra on Friday.

    Previously, it was reported that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had taken notice of PM Khan’s visit to Mansehra. The commission called it the breach of code of conduct as it had earlier restricted the premier and other government officials from attending any public gathering ahead of local elections.

    Despite this, the PM ignored the warning and attended a public gathering in Swat on March 16 for which the commission slapped a Rs50,000 fine on the PM and government officials. The premier also attended a gathering in Lower Dir on March 19 where the region’s District Monitoring Officer (DMO) Hameedul Lah had imposed a fine of Rs50,000 on him.

    According to Dawn, DMO of the Provincial Election Commission Hayatullah Jan has written a letter to the chief secretary asking him to convey to PM Khan that his visit to Mansehra is a violation of the election law and he should cancel it.

  • ‘Tons of chicken meat is burnt for witchcraft in Bani Gala’: Shehbaz Sharif

    ‘Tons of chicken meat is burnt for witchcraft in Bani Gala’: Shehbaz Sharif

    Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Shehbaz Sharif alleged that tons of chicken meat is burnt for ‘witchcraft’ in Bani Gala.

    Speaking on Aaj News programme, “Faisla Aap ka”, Shehbaz said, “I am saying this with complete responsibility. This is the situation, but the PM is speaking about ‘Riyaasat-e-Madina’ and ‘Amar Bil Maroof [enjoining good]’,” he added.

    The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader further said that people are deprived of food and children are yearning for milk, but tons of chicken is being burnt in Bani Gala for witchcraft.

    Shehbaz ruled out the possibility of a dialogue with Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan. Shehbaz said Imran Khan talks about ‘Riyaasat-e-Madina’ and on the other hand, promotes cartels.

    “There is no question that I will talk to someone who is so egoist, he lies, what did he do with the cartels?”

    Responding to PM Khan’s statement in which he said he has a surprise for the Opposition, Shehbaz said, “Before he surprises us, we will surprise Imran Khan.”

    Anchorperson Asma Shirazi asked Shehbaz if he has more surprises up his sleeve, to which he said, “Absolutely, we will bring surprise after surprise. Don’t you worry, in the next few days we will bring surprises and you will be shell-shocked.”

  • Australia’s Steve Smith becomes fastest cricketer to score 8,000 Test runs

    Australia’s Steve Smith becomes fastest cricketer to score 8,000 Test runs

    Australian batter Steve Smith has become the fastest cricketer to reach 8,000 runs in Test cricket. Smith made the record in 151 innings. He made the record in the ongoing third Test between Pakistan and Australia

    Smith eclipsed Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara, who reached the mark in his 152nd innings.

    Among other Australians to pass 8,000 Test runs, Smith soared past Matthew Hayden (164 innings), Ricky Ponting (165), Michael Clarke (172), Allan Border (184) and Steve Waugh (194).

    Smith is the 33rd batsman in the world and seventh from Australia to score 8,000-plus runs.

    Smith made his Test debut against Pakistan at Lords in 2010.

  • Usman Mirza, four others sentenced to life in prison in couple harassment case

    Usman Mirza, four others sentenced to life in prison in couple harassment case

    An Islamabad district and sessions court has sentenced Usman Mirza and four others to life imprisonment in the case of harassment and assaulting of a couple in Islamabad. The four accomplices include Mohib Bangash, Adaras Qayyum Butt, Hafiz Ataur Rehman and Farhan Shaheen. Meanwhile, Umar Bilal and Rehan Hassan Mughal were acquitted.

    Judge Atta Rabbani announced the verdict.

    Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that despite the fact that the couple retracted their statements, the use of technology as evidence in the case is welcoming.

    Read more- Usman Mirza Case: Couple refuses to recognise accused persons, reportedly took one crore in deal

    The minister also added that justice will prevail in Sialkot and other cases too.

    The case was highlighted last year in July when a video of Usman Mirza harassing a couple went viral on social media. Mirza was arrested on July 7 after the disturbing video went viral on social media where he could be seen torturing and assaulting a couple. He was also seen stripping the woman in the video. On January 11, the female victim refused to identify any of the accused and said she does not want to pursue the case, after which the state decided to pursue prosecution.