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  • BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh bans halal products

    BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh bans halal products

    Authorities in India’s most populous Indian state Uttar Pradesh have banned the distribution and sale of Halal-certified products. These include dairy products, garments and medicines. A notificaton from the state government proclaims that the halal certification of the products is illegal.

    Uttar Pradesh, or UP as it is commonly called, is ruled by firebrand right-wing Hindu monk Yogi Adityanath, a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

    “Halal certification of food products is a parallel system which creates confusion regarding the quality of food items,” the notification said.

    The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is the country’s apex body in charge of determining standards for most food products sold in the country and determines the standards food products should meet, the notification said.

    Officials have conducted inspections all around the state.


    Campaigns have launched with the title #BycottHalalProducts.

    Extremists from the right wing are appreciating the step as a way to curb “jihad”, alleging that it is funded by the sale of halal products.

    “Religion should not be brought into food. There were many items such as garments, sugar, etc which were being branded as Halal, which is against the law,” state BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said on Monday.

  • ‘We are close to reaching a deal on a truce’, claims Hamas

    ‘We are close to reaching a deal on a truce’, claims Hamas

    In a significant development in Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza that has killed over 13,000 people, Hamas has reportedly claimed a possible ceasefire might be achieved today.

    Israel has not yet confirmed the deal which is said to be mediated by Qatar.

    According to Al Jazeera, Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq said the agreement will include a ceasefire, supply of aid into Gaza and shifting the injured to other countries for treatment.

    The deal is also said to include exchange of captives in efforts to release Palestinian women and children in Israeli prisons.

    Al-Rishq adds that the talks have been going on for weeks but PM Netanyahu “was stalling”, further stating that all the brigades in the Palestinian resistance approved of the deal.

    Previously, on Sunday, the Qatari PM said a deal to free some of the captives in return for a temporary ceasefire hinged on “minor” practical issues

    On the contrary, Israel’s Channel 12 reported the country’s war cabinet had discussed on Sunday that it is eager to negotiate on the hostages and wants to send a message to Qatar that it is ready to reach a deal.

    Israeli captives under Hamas

    Israel claims at least 237 people were taken hostage by Hamas during the October 7 attacks.

    Among the hostages are nationals from more than 40 countries including at least 20 Thai farm workers and allegedly 33 children.

    Hamas has released four hostages – two Israeli citizens and two US citizens, while one was recovered during an operation in Gaza.

    Israel also claims that the bodies of two female hostages were recovered near the Al-Shifa Hospital complex.

    Palestinians captives under Israel

    About 5,200 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons before October 7 attacks.

    Since the attacks, Israel has arrested at least 2,960 more Palestinians during raids across the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem.

    These include at least 95 women and 37 journalists.

    Most of the people being held under laws and military orders that allow detention without trial or charge.

    Rights and monitoring groups report that at least 145 of them are reportedly children.

    While other reports claim that currently more than 200 children are held in Israeli prisons, including 26 on administrative detention.

  • Indian organisation goes viral for giving employees a day off after India loses World Cup

    Indian organisation goes viral for giving employees a day off after India loses World Cup

    After India’s historic loss against Australia in the ICC Cricket World Cup final, fans were devastated. Some chose to lash out at Australian players, posting misogynistic and degrading slurs on the Instagram profiles of Australian cricket players Travis Head and Glenn Maxwell as well as their wives.

    READ MORE: ‘You can be Indian and also support the country of your birth’; Glenn Maxwell’s wife responds to haters

    Indian media reported that one cricket fan suffered a heart attack and died at the hospital.

    READ MORE: Suicide and heart attacks reported in India after losing World Cup final

    An Indian firm named Marketing Moves is going viral after they offered a day off to their employees to recover from India’s loss.

    “Hi team,” the message read. “In light of India’s loss in the recent WC, we recognise the impact on our team members. To offer some support during this time, the company has decided to grant a one-day leave relaxation. We believe this will provide an opportunity for everyone to regroup and recover. Let’s come back stronger.”

  • Resolution supporting military trials against civilians is unconstitutional, says Raza Rabbani

    Resolution supporting military trials against civilians is unconstitutional, says Raza Rabbani

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader Raza Rabbani said on Monday that a resolution in favour of military trials against civilians is unconstitutional, promising that he will continue opposing it.

    Last week, the Senate passed a resolution against the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision on civilian trials in military courts, calling for halting implementation of the judgment “unless it is considered by a larger bench”. 

    Jamaat-e-Islami’s Mushtaq Ahmed and PPP’s Rabbani opposed the resolution against the apex court’s decision.

    Speaking in the Senate on Monday, Raza Rabbani said that he voted for setting up military courts in the country in 2015 as he was bound by his party’s discipline.

    He also said that he voted in support of the resolution at the time on behalf of PPP. “I was ashamed for voting for the bill,” he said, adding that he, even today, was ashamed.

    After voting in favour of setting up military courts in January 2015, the senator was in tears.

    Rabbani said that he “never felt as ashamed” as he was on that day.

  • Hungarian Scholarship 2024-25 announced for Pakistani Students

    Hungarian Scholarship 2024-25 announced for Pakistani Students

    Higher Education Commission Pakistan (HEC) has announced the ‘Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Program’ for academic year 2024-25 that aims at supporting outstanding students in collaboration with Hungary.

    The program involves Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD programs. Students who want to apply will have to sit for an exam that will be conducted in January and Feburary of the next year.

    The commission has confirmed that the program is supported by the Tempus Public Foundation Hungary to facilitate eligible individuals.

    How to Apply


    1. Applicants are MANDATORILY required to submit online applications at the Hungarian website and HEC website. Failure to submit online application forms on BOTH websites mentioned at Step (1) and Step (2) will not be considered for further processing.


    2. Hard copies of applications and other documents are not required at the initial stage. However, applicants are required to keep a record of all the submitted documents along with printed copies of BOTH application forms (submitted online at the HEC website & Hungarian website).


    3. At a later stage of the selection process, applicants will be required to submit hard copies (including online application forms submitted at the HEC website & Hungarian website) along with attested photocopies of all the original documents. Original medical certificate and police clearance certificate also need to be submitted at later stages of the application process.

    Step (1) Tempus Public Foundation (Hungarian side) Online Application:

    1. All applications shall be submitted through the online application system of Tempus Public Foundation Hungary. The application guideline can be found at https://stipendiumhungaricum.hu/
      After registration, applicants are able to access the application surface and upload the required documents. Please note that no applications will be accepted without the online submission and after the deadline. After applying online, get its printed copies for record.
    2. Apply online please visit: https://stipendiumhungaricum.hu/apply/
    3. Application Guide for the applicants can be found on our website: https://stipendiumhungaricum.hu/uploads/2020/03/Application_Guide_for_the_Stipendium_Hungaricum_Programme_2024_25.pdf
      Step (2) HEC Online Application:
    4. Apply online at: https://scholarship.hec.gov.pk/. After registering and filling out your profile, please select “Hungarian Scholarship Program”. After submission of the application, get its printed copy to be signed by the applicant. The HEC online application portal shall close on January 15, 2024 (1600 Hours Pakistan Time).
    5. Before applying, kindly update your HEC profile with the latest email/cell number & updated information. You are advised to complete and submit your application as soon as possible, as the online application system will be very busy in the days leading up to the application deadline. After successful submission of the application at the HEC portal, retain a printed copy application form signed by yourself.
    6. Submission of online applications at https://stipendiumhungaricum.hu/apply/ & https://Scholarship.hec.gov.pk portal is mandatory. In case of non-submission of forms on any of the above two portals, candidature will not be considered.
    7. All applicants are required to provide HAT or USAT test scores. Test categories are attached for information on applicants. Applicant must have obtained a minimum score of 50 out of 100 in HAT or USAT test. Those applicants who have taken the HAT or USAT test on or after January 15, 2022, may upload the test result on the HEC portal for consideration.
    8. Interested applicants who are yet to take the HAT or USAT test, may register for the same by visiting https://etc.hec.gov.pk/. Without providing a minimum HAT or USAT test score (50 out of 100), applications will not be considered for further processing.
  • Cardi B announces she’s dropping support for Biden for funding wars in Ukraine, Israel

    Cardi B announces she’s dropping support for Biden for funding wars in Ukraine, Israel

    Grammy winning rapper Cardi B has announced that she is no longer endorsing Democrat President Joe Biden for the 2024 elections, citing him funding wars in Ukraine and Palestine, leading to cuts in local budgets. Speaking on a live stream with her 169 million followers, the ‘Bodak Yellow’ rapper criticised the President for initiating budget cuts in library spending and sanitation, while sending massive aid packages to Ukraine and Israel.

    “I don’t give a f*** the résumé they send,” Cardi responded. “I’m not endorsing no presidents no more.”

    “Joe Biden is talking about, ‘Yeah, we can fund two wars.’ Motherfucker’s talking about, ‘We don’t got it, but we got it, we’re the greatest nation.’ No the fuck we’re not. We’re going through some shit right now. We are really, really, really f****d right now.”

    Cardi criticised the budget cut she said will worsen the sanitation in New York City “In New York, there is a $120m budget cut that’s going to affect schools, public libraries and the police department. And a $5m budget cut in sanitation … We are gonna be drowning in … rats.”

    Cardi had previously endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 elections as a strong candidate against Republican president Donald Trump.

    Previously, the ‘WAP’ rapper went viral for shutting down an Israeli supporter who claimed Cardi was pro-Israel because she followed her TikTok account. To which the rapper responded ‘I DON’T LIKE YOU’ and unfollowed her.

    Cardi B’s criticism follows a fall in Biden’s support among American voters, with the latest poll by NBC showing the Democrat’s public approval has sank to 40 per cent now. Among the voters aged between 18-34, 70 per cent said they did not approve of Biden’s handling of the genocide of Gaza.

  • India wants to change format of Cricket World Cup 2027

    India wants to change format of Cricket World Cup 2027

    The Indian cricket Board wants to change the format of the Cricket World Cup 2027.

    According to the Daily Mail, India wants the World Cup the have 10 teams in 2027, for which the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is putting pressure on the International Cricket Council (ICC). However, ICC has not yet agreed to the Indian demand.

    According to the report, ICC confirmed the 14-team World Cup in 2027 two years ago, while ICC has also sold broadcasting rights based on the tournament format.

    The 2027 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup will be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, with 54 matches between 14 teams.

    BCCI is adamant that 10 teams will participate in the World Cup, and intends to take up the issue during the upcoming ICC meetings.

    According to media reports, 14 teams means that there will be two groups of seven teams each, while the top 3 teams from each group will qualify for the Super Six stage, followed by the semi-finals and final.

    With the inclusion of 14 teams, there will be more matches, but Indian broadcasters are afraid that in such a format, if India departs the World Cup soon, their viewership may decrease, leading to financial loss.

  • Suicide and heart attacks reported in India after losing World Cup final

    Suicide and heart attacks reported in India after losing World Cup final

    An Indian cricket fan has reportedly died of a heart attack after the team lost the ICC Men’s World Cup final to Australia on Sunday.

    The Indian team won 10 consecutive matches in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, walking into the final as hot favourites. However, they lost to Australia by six wickets in the final, dashing the hopes of the country. While some Indian fans lashed out at the team for their poor performance in the final, one fan of the Indian team took the defeat to heart.

    Heart Attack case:

    According to Indian media reports, Jyoti Kumar Yadav, a 32-year-old software engineer from Tirupati in the state of Andhra Pradesh, was saddened to see tears in the eyes of captain Rohit Sharma after India’s defeat, leading to a seizure and a fall to the ground.

    According to the report, Kumar Yadav’s friends rushed him to the hospital but doctors declared him dead of a heart attack.

    Suicide cases:

    According to India.com, 23-year-old Rahul Lohar committed suicide after Australia’s win. He worked at a saree shop and quit his job to watch India-Australia final match.

    According to his brother-in-law, “He was a die hard fan of the Indian cricket team. He quit duty and also managed to get a projector along with his friends to watch the match. After losing, he could not bear this heartbreak. He committed suicide when there was no one at home. I was informed about this at 11 pm of the final match’s night.”

    A case of unnatural death has been reported at the nearby police station. According to the police, there is no criminal angle in the case but investigations are being carried out.

    Another suicide case was filed in Odish’s Jaipur, Binjharpur area where 23-year-old Dev Ranjan Das was found hanging on the terrace of his house shortly after the India-Australia final.

    According to his family members, he left his room in despair after India lost.

  • Pakistan’s climate problems partially due to world’s richest one per cent: Report

    Pakistan’s climate problems partially due to world’s richest one per cent: Report

    Oxfam has released a new report, “Climate Equality: A Planet for the 99%”, revealing that “The richest one per cent of the world’s population produced as much carbon pollution in 2019 as the five billion people who made up the poorest two-thirds of humanity.”

    While fighting the climate crisis is a shared challenge, not everyone is equally responsible and government policies must be tailored accordingly, Max Lawson, who co-authored the report, told AFP.

    “The richer you are, the easier it is to cut both your personal and your investment emissions,” he said. “You don’t need that third car, or that fourth holiday, or you don’t need to be invested in the cement industry.”

    Among the key findings of this study are that the richest one percent globally—77 million people—were responsible for 16 percent of global emissions related to their consumption.

    That is the same share as the bottom 66 percent of the global population by income, or 5.11 billion people.

    Pakistan

    The difference in recent floodings in Germany and Pakistan unveils how a country’s wealth can “enable or hinder its ability to respond to a climate emergency”.

    German floods affected a population of 40,000 people, resulting in damage and economic costs of 40 billion dollars. They were able to mobilise funding through federal and state government flood relief funds for reconstruction of 35 billion dollars within weeks.

    On the contrary, Pakistan floods affected a population of 33 million people, leading to damage and economic costs of 30 billion dollars. International donors pledged a funding of 8.57 billion dollars as of January 2023 for the next three years.

    While Germany could easily manage the financial and technical resources required, debt-troddened Pakistan was unable to allocate the necessary resources resulting in suffering from “the lasting impacts of the floods”.

    The report explains that this comparison between the two countries shows “a common double standard practised by many Global North countries: they rapidly find the funds needed when disasters hit within their borders, but fail to do so when they occur in the Global South”.

  • Senators propose discontinuation of Rs5,000 currency note to fight corruption

    Senators propose discontinuation of Rs5,000 currency note to fight corruption

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senators are advocating for the discontinuation of the Rs5,000 currency note as a strategic move to combat corruption and inflation.

    On Monday, Senator Mohsin Aziz presented a resolution in the Upper House of Parliament urging the prohibition of the highest-denomination currency.

    According to Senator Aziz, the Rs5,000 note is frequently associated with corruption, terrorism, and smuggling.

    Providing details, Senator Aziz revealed that Rs5,000 currency notes totaling Rs3.5 trillion have been issued to date.

    Notably, he emphasised that Rs2 trillion worth of Rs5,000 notes are not currently in circulation but are securely stored in “safe deposit,” which he alleges is linked to money laundering, tax evasion, and smuggling.

    Senator Aziz called for a specific timeframe during which individuals should surrender the highest denomination notes.

    Supporting this initiative, another PTI Senator, Waleed Iqbal, echoed Senator Aziz’s call to discontinue the Rs5,000 currency note.
    He suggested that promoting digital payments would be instrumental in reducing reliance on physical currency.

    Responding to these claims, Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi stated that Rs5,000 currency notes totaling 905 million have been issued thus far, with Rs4.5 trillion currently in circulation.

    Solangi attributed the autonomy granted to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) by the previous government as a contributing factor to the situation. He asserted that the SBP operates within the confines of its laws.

    This isn’t the first time that officials have targeted the highest denomination note for its alleged role in fostering corruption.

    In September of this year, former Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chief Shabbar Zaidi emphasised the importance of discontinuing Rs5,000 notes and imposing restrictions on the physical movement of dollars as crucial steps in curbing the cash economy in the country.