Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan became became the first bowler to take 150 T20I wickets in less than 100 matches. He acheived this milestone in 92 matches.
Earlier, Tim Southee of New Zealand had completed 150 wickets in 118 matches.
Only two players have taken 150 wickets in the history of T20 Internationals so far. Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh needs one wicket to cross this milestone.
In a high-level meeting of the leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Shibli Faraz and Barrister Saif have advised party members to wait for complete details about the newly announced Operation Azm-e-Istehkam before taking any decision.
Gandapur had previously attended the Apex committee and later informed his party leaders that he supported his stance of waiting for details of the operation Azm-e-Istehkam, but Geo News reported that most party members did not agree with him.
“The approval of the operation symbolises the national resolve to eradicate all forms of extremism and terrorism from the country,” the Prime Minister’s Office said about the newly approved military operation.
Opposition parties, including the PTI, Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam Fazl (JUI-F), Awami National Party (ANP), and others, have expressed reservations about the military operation, insisting that parliament must be fully briefed.
The administration of Civil Hospital in Karachi has reported the death of eight patients due to severe dehydration among 40 to 45 heat-affected individuals brought to the emergency room. The deceased suffered from co-morbidities such as epilepsy, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Meanwhile, the meteorological department has forecasted intense heat for the next two days in Karachi. Health experts have advised citizens to avoid direct sunlight, stay hydrated, and wear light-coloured, loose clothing.
For the second consecutive day, Karachi experienced scorching temperatures in to the absence of sea breezes during the day, leading to severe heat discomfort among residents.
Additionally, rescue sources reported the discovery of seven bodies of drug addicts from various parts of the city today, bringing the total to 17 deaths in the last two days.
Temperatures soared to 42 degrees Celsius, with the ‘Feels Like’ at 50 degrees in some areas such as Gulistan Johar where apartments recorded 43.7 degrees Celsius.
Furthermore, water supply disruptions were reported across Karachi during the heatwave. Areas like Federal B Area Blocks 19 and 20, as well as Kharadar, faced water shortages. Protests erupted in Baldia Naval Colony and Musa Colony due to the lack of water and electricity.
Forecast of rain in Guyana during the T20 World Cup semi-final match between India and England has put the crucial game in jeopardy.
Rain has been predicted in Guyana from morning to 4 pm on June 27. There is no reserve day for the scheduled semi-finals, but the International Cricket Council
(ICC) has allowed 250 minutes of extra time for the semi-final match. India will qualify for the final in case of a washout based on its first-place finish in Super 8 Group.
The ICC held India’s semi-final in Guyana keeping in mind the Indian market. The match will start at 7:30 am local time, which is 7:30 pm in India.
The official time of the match is 10:30 am to 1:40 pm, but due to rain, the game will continue till 5:50 pm in extra time.
However, there is a reserve day for the first semi-final in Trinidad, which will have 60 minutes of extra time on the scheduled day for the semi-final. Only 190 minutes will be allowed on the reserve day, and there will be no additional time.
Julian Assange’s wife Stella on Tuesday thanked campaigners for their support as the WikiLeaks founder was released after five years in British custody.
“Julian is free!!!!” she wrote on the social media platform X following confirmation that he had left Belmarsh high-security prison in southeast London.
“Words cannot express our immense gratitude” to everyone who had backed the global push for his release, she added.
Stella Assange met the Australian publisher while he was holed up in Ecuador’s London embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden on sexual assault charges that were later dropped.
Assange, accused of divulging US military secrets related to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, had been due back in court in London next month after winning an appeal against extradition.
But WikiLeaks said in a statement: “Julian Assange is free. He left Belmarsh maximum security prison on the morning of June 24, after having spent 1,901 days there.
“He was granted bail by the High Court in London and was released at Stansted airport during the afternoon, where he boarded a plane and departed the UK.”
The media freedom group said sustained campaigning, from grassroots supporters to political leaders and the United Nations, “created the space for a long period of negotiations with the US Department of Justice”, leading to a deal.
The organisation said the deal “has not yet been formally finalised”.
Assange was initially detained for skipping bail in relation to the Swedish case and held in custody while the US extradition request wound its way through court.
He will now be reunited with his wife, whom he married at a ceremony in the prison, and their two young children, it added.
“WikiLeaks published ground-breaking stories of government corruption and human rights abuses, holding the powerful accountable for their actions,” the statement read.
“As editor-in-chief, Julian paid severely for these principles, and for the people’s right to know.
“As he returns to Australia, we thank all who stood by us, fought for us, and remained utterly committed in the fight for his freedom. Julian’s freedom is our freedom.”
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© Agence France-Presse
Afghanistan has defeated Bangladesh by 8 runs under Duckworth Lewis Stern (DLS) method to qualify for for the semi-finals of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
Afghanistan won the toss and decided to bat first against Bangladesh.
Afghanistan, batting first, scored 115 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in the allotted 20 overs.
First inning:
Captain Rashid Khan scored 19 runs, Ibrahim Zardan scored 18 runs and Azmatullah Umarzai scored 10 runs.
For Bangladesh, Rashad Hussain took 3 wickets, Mustafizur Rahman and Tasin Ahmed took one wicket each.
Second inning:
Bangladesh could socre 105 runs in 17.5 overs.
For Bangladesh, Towhid Hirdoy scored 14, Somya Sarkar 10 while Liton Das scored 54 runs.
Rashid Khan and Naveen ul Haq took four wickets for Afghanistan.
This is first time that Afghanistan has qualified for the semi-finals of T20 World Cup.
India has defeated Australia by 24 runs in the second last match of group stage of ICC T20 World Cup. They also qualified for the Semi-finals of the ongoing event.
Australian captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and invited India to bat first.
India’s innings
India didn’t get off to a good start against Australia, veteran batsman Virat Kohli was dismissed for a wicket.
After the fall of one wicket, the captain Rohit Sharma took the brunt of the Australian bowlers and used charming strokes from all sides of the field. He played a smoky innings of 92 runs off 41 balls which included 8 sixes and 7 fours.
Apart from this, Rishabh Pant 15, Surya Kumar Yadav 31 and Shiv Dubey got out by scoring 28 runs while Hardik Pandya scored 27 runs and Jadeja remained not out by scoring 9 runs.
India scored 205 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in the allotted 20 overs.
For Australia, Marcus Stoins and Mitchell Starc took 2 wickets each.
Australia’s inning:
Chasing India’s 205, Australia could only score 181 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in alloted overs.
Travis Head sored 76, Mitchel Marsh 37, Glen Maxwell 20, and Tim David scored 15 runs for Australia.
Arshdeep Sigh took three while Kuldeep Yadav took two wickets for India.
The price of gold surged in the local market on Monday, with the rate for per tola (11.66 grammes) of 24 karat gold increasing by Rs500 to reach Rs242,000, as reported by the All Sindh Sarafa Jewellers Association. This marks a rise from its previous closing price of Rs241,500.
Similarly, the price of 10 grammes of 24 karat gold rose by Rs429 to Rs207,476 from Rs207,047. Meanwhile, 10 grammes of 22 karat gold also saw an uptick, climbing to Rs190,186 from Rs189,793.
According to the association, the prices of per tola and 10 grammes of silver remained unchanged at Rs2,850 and Rs2,443.41 respectively.
Internationally, the price of gold saw a modest increase of $8 to $2,328 per ounce from $2,320, reflecting a positive trend in global markets.
Over the weekend, gold prices in Pakistan had dipped, aligning with a downturn in the international market. The All Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association reported that on Saturday, the price per tola had decreased to Rs241,500, following a single-day decline of Rs1,400.
Earlier this year in April, gold prices had reached an all-time high of Rs252,200 per tola in the local market, underscoring the volatility influenced by global market dynamics.
The fluctuations in gold prices are predominantly driven by shifts in the international market, which are influenced by changes in global demand and supply for the precious metal.
Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunications, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, expressed optimism on Monday that Pakistan’s IT exports will exceed the $3 billion mark this year.
Addressing the National Assembly, she outlined ambitious targets, projecting IT exports to reach $25 billion within the next five years, aligning with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision.
Highlighting the strategic importance of the IT sector during Prime Minister Shehbaz’s international engagements, Khawaja noted significant developments. She announced a pivotal agreement with Huawei of China to transform Islamabad into a smart city, with plans to expand the Safe City project nationwide.
Under this initiative, 300,000 youths are set to undergo specialised training starting next month, in collaboration with global tech giants such as Google and Microsoft, aiming to certify 1.5 million IT professionals over the next five years.
Khawaja also underscored the expansion of the DigiSkills program and plans to establish a Centre for Excellence for Gaming, aimed at fostering the local gaming industry and creating a conducive startup environment.
On the legislative front, she highlighted key initiatives including Pakistan’s first Cyber Emergency Policy, draft National Artificial Intelligence policy, and the Personal Data Protection Bill. Additionally, efforts are underway towards a National Semiconductor policy, underscoring Pakistan’s commitment to digital transformation.
The Minister further elaborated on Pakistan’s National Digitisation plan, encompassing Digital Economy, Governance, and Society. Recently, a high-level delegation from Google met with Khawaja to discuss enhancing technology’s role in education, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the digital economy.
The delegation included Andrew Ure, Kyle Gardener, and Farhan Qureshi, reaffirming Google’s commitment to advancing Pakistan’s digital landscape.
Zard Patton Ka Bunn is a new drama that’s getting a lot of attention. It’s about significant issues like girls not getting educated, and needing more medical help in rural areas of Pakistan. These are issues that many people deal with and the drama is portraying reality in a beautiful way.
The drama has a talented cast, including Sajal Aly, Hamza Sohail, Ali Tahir, Samiya Mumtaz, and Rehan Sheikh. They’re doing a fantastic job of bringing the story to life. Sajal Aly and Sheikh Mubashir Mehmood are outstanding as Meenu and Roshan.
Episode 07 was particularly amazing. The performances were excellent, and the story was engaging. Hamza Sohail and Rehan Sheikh also stand out as great performers.
The drama takes a political turn with the entry of Doctor Nofil, played by Kaesar Kallan, making the story even more captivating. The upcoming episodes promise to be exciting.
The drama, written by Mustafa Afridi and directed by Saif Hassan, airs every Sunday at 8:00 PM on HUM TV and is produced by Kashf Foundation and Momina Duraid Productions.