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  • More than 4500 flights cancelled as Omicron impacts flight crews

    Over 4500 flights have been cancelled around the world and thousands more delayed due to the outbreak of the highly infectious Omicron variant of coronavirus, reports Al Jazeera.

    At least 2,000 flights were cancelled worldwide on Christmas Day.

    According to the tracking website flightaware.com, 616 flights originating from or headed to the United States (US) airports were cancelled and more than 8,000 were delayed.

    Pilots, flights attendants and other staff have been calling in sick or having to quarantine after exposure to Covid, forcing international airlines (Lufthansa, Delta, United Airlines) to cancel flights during one of the years peak travel periods.

    United Airlines who cancelled 185 flights on Christmas eve, in a statement, said, “The nationwide spike in Omicron cases this week has had a direct impact on our flight crews and the people who run our operation.”

    Earlier this week, it was reported that the rapidly spreading Omicron variant is the dominant Covid strain in the US, representing 73 per cent of sequenced cases.

  • Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik to play Legends League

    Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik to play Legends League

    Former Pakistan cricketers Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Shoaib Akhtar and many more will be part of Legends League, which will be played in January 2022 at the Al-Amerat Cricket Stadium in Oman.

    They will be representing the Asia Lions team, which also includes the likes of Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan.

    “Asia Lions our team from Asia. We find it most suited name with the lion-hearted players that feature in the team. Shoaib Akhtar running in to bowl and Jayasuriya cutting it over the square is what fans will now be most eagerly waiting for,” said Raman Raheja, CEO of Legends League Cricket in a press release.

    Ravi Shastri, commissioner of Legends League, is also excited for the event due to the presence of great players.

    “This is top quality exciting cricket in offer. The Lions of Asia from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan coming together in one team will definitely give the other two teams a run for their money. I tell you they are absolute champions and Afridi, Murali, Chaminda, Shoaib Malik all playing in one team, this will be a blast,” said Shastri.

    The other two teams in the event are India and Rest of the World but their squads have not been announced, yet.

    Asia Lions squad:

    Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi, Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Azhar Mahmood, Upul Tharanga, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammed Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Mohammed Yousuf, Umar Gul, Younis Khan and Asghar Afghan.

  • Babar Azam, Pakistani cricketers celebrate Quaid’s 146th birthday

    Babar Azam, Pakistani cricketers celebrate Quaid’s 146th birthday

    The nation is celebrating 146th birthday of Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah today (Saturday). Skipper of the national cricket team Babar Azam and other Pakistani cricketers also took to their social media accounts to pen heartfelt notes.

    “Visionary leader, ambassador of humanity, equality and tolerance. May all of us try to fulfill our obligations for our courageous country. Happy Birthday to our Quaid,” wrote Babar on Twitter.

    Taking to Twitter, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi thanked Quaid for this nation saying: “Let’s celebrate our founding Father by taking an oath to make Pakistan great, happy & prosperous by ensuring the well being of the masses & the poor. Join me by doing your part in actualizing Quaid’s vision of unity & equality.”

    https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/1474601970287665152?t=zDsR3IyEVUPe8MYEyfxP1Q&s=19

    Similarly, Shoaib Akhtar, Shoaib Malik, Imam-ul-Haq, Ahmad Shahzad and Wahab Riaz took to their respective social media accounts to write a few words to thank the Father of the Nation.

    Pakistani woman cricketer Sidra Amin also shared Quaid’s quote.

    Former cricketer and current Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja also thanked Quaid for this beautiful country.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan in his message on the occasion of birth anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, has emphasised upon the youth to adopt Quaid’s attributes of honesty, hard work, perseverance and dedication.

    He said we as a nation need to adopt these attributes to realize Quaid’s vision of a developed, progressive and tolerant Pakistan.

    The Prime Minister said Muhammad Ali Jinnah realised the importance of a separate homeland for Muslims of the subcontinent where all citizens could enjoy freedom of faith, occupation and equal opportunities.

  • US eases in-person visa interviews to cut wait time

    United States (US) has decided to take a lenient view for certain non-immigrant visas and curtail visa waiting time.

    “The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in profound reductions in the department’s visa processing capacity,” the US embassy said in a statement. “As global travel rebounds, we are taking these temporary steps to further our commitment to safely and efficiently reduce visa wait times while maintaining national security as our priority.”

    The consular officers have been empowered to relax and exempt in-person interviews for H-1B, students, temporary agricultural and non-agricultural workers, student exchange visitors, as well as athletes, artists, and entertainers.

    After the impact of the coronavirus, there was a long delay in visa interviews which have been now compensated in relaxing the rules, making quick and prompt disposal of the above visas.

  • PM Khan lashes out at plan to make a ‘convicted person’ prime minister

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan during a meeting of the party spokespersons held in Islamabad, questioned how a plan could be hatched to bring Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif back to the country.

    Talking about the Opposition parties, the premier said there have been rumours of ending former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s sentence. “How can the sentence of a convicted person be overturned?”

    The premier recalled that the court had disqualified Nawaz in the Panama Leaks case, and to date, he was unable to provide a money trail for his assets.

    “How can a convicted person become the prime minister after having his sentence revoked?” he questioned, according to sources privy to the matter.

    The PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, while addressing a conference with party workers and leaders, yet again hinted at coming back to Pakistan and said, “Thank you all very much, see you soon in Pakistan.”

    Senior PML-N party leaders have also hinted at the same stance as that of their leader Nawaz Sharif.

    The PML-N supremo, who was diagnosed with an immune system disorder, left Pakistan for London in November 2019.

  • No difference between us and them’: PM Khan dissolves all PTI organisations

    No difference between us and them’: PM Khan dissolves all PTI organisations

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Friday announced that after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) suffered a huge setback in the first phase of the recently held local government (LG) elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the party has decided to dissolve its organisational structure.

    During the meeting of the party spokespersons, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan was dissatisfied with the party’s performance in KP local body polls.

    “But the way tickets were awarded […] PTI does not believe in dynastic politics. PM Imran has never let his personal relations affect his mission,” informed Fawad, while addressing the media.

    Criticising how tickets were distributed, PM Khan said that candidates should be awarded party tickets on merit, which is the opposite of what happened in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

    “If that culture seeps into the PTI, there will be no difference between us and them,” said the premier.

    The prime minister — after consulting with the party leadership — has decided to dissolve all organisations from the centre to the tehsils, Fawad said. “Chief organisers and all office bearers have been removed from their positions,” he said.

    “It has also been decided that the local leadership will not award party tickets when it comes to their relatives. A special committee will be formed where the case will be forwarded and it will decide whether or not to award the ticket.”

    Earlier, PM Imran Khan directed the Punjab government and PTI leadership to begin homework for the upcoming local government elections in the province, adding that he would personally oversee the preparations.

    “The government and party leadership should strictly select candidates on merit and avoid dynastic politics, which was exposed after causing damage to the party in KP,” said PM Khan.

    “The mistakes made in KP must not be repeated in Punjab,” he stressed. With candidates selected on merit, PM Khan said, the PTI would give a tough time to its opponents in the local government elections in Punjab.

  • President, PM extend their wishes to the Christian community on Christmas

    President, PM extend their wishes to the Christian community on Christmas

    President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan have greeted the christian community on the occasion of Christmas.

    President and Prime Minister in separate messages, have assured that the government will continue to safeguard rights and privileges of all minorities living in the country, Radio Pakistan has reported.

    They also commended sincere and invaluable services rendered by the Christian community in the fields of defence, education, health as well as economic development of the country.

    They said that the government will empower the minorities to use their abilities for national development

  • ‘Women are still the victims of war’: Angelina Jolie opens up about violence against women

    ‘Women are still the victims of war’: Angelina Jolie opens up about violence against women

    Hollywood star Angelina Jolie talked about the violence against women act (VAWA).

    She had a meeting with politician Cori Bush speaking about domestic violence and giving some steps to cure it.

    Reflecting on their meeting Bush tweeted, “I’m forever grateful to get to work in partnership with such strong women across the country in our movement to end domestic violence.”

    “As a survivor myself, this fight is personal,” the Tweet read.

    She also expressed gratitude towards Jolie while adding, “Thank you to Angelina Jolie for your leadership to put an end to violence against women.”

    The 46 year old actor on her meeting at Capitol hill in September, she upheld the cause of the act and consistently expressed her feeling for children’s better health.

    Earlier during her speech at the Eternals press meet, she stated: “I am thinking tonight of all the women who are bringing us through the pandemic: the scientists, the doctors, nurses… so many others who are showing us what strength and sacrifice are and whose contribution transcends borders.”

    She stated in 2019 that the world “will remain stuck in a cycle of violence and conflicts” as long as nations continue to put almost every other issue ahead of women’s equality, rights and participation.

    Jolie, who is a special envoy for the U.N. refugee agency, added in a keynote address to a ministerial meeting on U.N. peacekeeping that “denying half a population representation in peace negotiations or in government is not the route to long-term stability.”

    There are many examples around the world of successful and inspiring women, she said, “but women and girls are still the majority of the victims of war,” over half the world’s refugees, and “the vast majority” of victims of rape and sexual violence.

  • After delivering blockbuster ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’, Adnan Siddiqui wants to quit acting? Fahad Mustafa reacts

    After delivering blockbuster ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’, Adnan Siddiqui wants to quit acting? Fahad Mustafa reacts

    Actor Adnan Siddiqui took to his social media handle to express that he is considering to leave the field of acting for an entrepreneurial career after being inspired by Elon Musk.

    The Ahista Ahista star asked his fans to suggest him an alternate career path.

    Fellow celebrity Fahad Mustafa reacted to his statement and told him that he is with Adnan in this.

    In November, Adnan took to his twitter handle to share his stance on the Faisalabad incident.

    Four women in Faisalabad were beaten by locals on the accusation of theft in Bawa Chak Market where dozens of people locked the women inside an electric shop.

  • Kashmiri students await justice, arrested for alleged celebrations of India’s loss to Pak in cricket

    Three Kashmiri students are still awaiting justice after they were arrested by the police for allegedly celebrating Pakistan’s win against India in the T20 Worldcup in October this year. The police charged them with sedition, reports by The Wire.

    The students whose names are Arsheed Yusuf, Inayat Altaf Sheikh, and Showkat Ahmed Ganai were admitted to Raja Balwant Singh Engineering College in Agra. They also got expelled from the university as well. Police arrested them on October 27 after they uploaded some statuses on WhatsApp. Currently, they are in Agra jail for over 50 days.

    After the rejection of their bail petitions in lower courts, their applications are now proceeding to Allahabad High Court.

    Their families appealed bail orders for their sons but the Allahabad High Court in the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) could not hear their applications for bail because of some procedural delays.

    Prior to this, lawyers refused to aid the jailed students in Agra as they were labelled “anti-nationalists.” Some volunteers and student unions arranged legal aid in the city of UP, Mathura. Another application was also filed to move the case from Agra to Mathura alongside the bail plea but it is still pending in court.

    The lawyer who represented the students, Madhuvan Dutt said, ”Justice Suneet Kumar was hearing the petitions today [Thursday] after lunch. Applications were heard until article number 43 however, our article number was 76. So our application was not disposed of. It is likely to come up only around the 6th or the 7th of January.”

    Dutt added, “All litigants in UP are suffering with these delays. Three of our appeals for the transfer application could not be heard because there was no sitting judge. This delay is causing injustice for all litigants.”

    According to a friend and mentor to the students, Manzoor Wani, other Kashmiri students faced harassment and threats after the arrest.

    The hopes of the student’s families are fading due to delays in the hearing.