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  • Pakistani passport improves ranking; 32 countries now accessible without visa

    Pakistani passport improves ranking; 32 countries now accessible without visa

    Pakistan’s passport has seen a notable improvement in its global ranking, now allowing Pakistani citizens to travel to 32 countries without a visa or by obtaining a visa on arrival.

    According to the latest report by international ranking platform Henley & Partners, the Pakistani passport now ranks 100th, a significant jump from its 113th position in 2021. This improvement is seen as a positive sign of Pakistan’s growing diplomatic efforts and improving global relations.

    In another development, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Pakistan have signed an agreement allowing holders of diplomatic and official passports to travel without a visa.

    This agreement means that individuals with diplomatic or official status are no longer required to complete visa formalities before travel, further strengthening ties between the two countries.

  • ‘Ambani ko pata hai?’; Kashif Khan’s bold claim about daughter Rabeeca’s wedding goes viral

    ‘Ambani ko pata hai?’; Kashif Khan’s bold claim about daughter Rabeeca’s wedding goes viral

    Pakistani TikTok stars Rabeeca Khan and Hussain Tareen have officially tied the knot, turning their long-time love story into a grand celebration that’s gone viral on social media.

    The couple, who have millions of followers online, began their wedding festivities in Karachi with a colorful Dholki and a glowing Mayun, ending with a breathtaking Nikkah ceremony.

    But it was Rabeeca’s father, veteran comedian Kashif Khan, who stole the spotlight with his bold claim that his daughter’s wedding would outshine the record-breaking Ambani wedding which cost billions of dollars. His statement set the internet on fire, with fans sharing hilarious reactions.

    One user joked, “Uncle phir aapnay Pakistani actress or Elon Musk ko q invite nai kia?”

    Another wrote, “As Diva mentioned ‘Comedian Kashif’ great comedy sir ”

    Someone else laughed, “Likhha bhi wa h k wo comedian hai phir bhi log usay serious le rahay hain. ”

    Another quipped, “He is such a passionate comedian that he even gave birth to a COMEDY. ”

    And one user hilariously asked, “Ambani ko yeh baat pata hai? ”

    Rabeeca, with over six million Instagram followers and 2.86 million YouTube subscribers, first won hearts with Hussain on a game show hosted by Danish Taimoor. Their transition from best friends to a couple was loved by fans, and their dreamy engagement included diamond rings, Qawwali nights, and Dandiya celebrations.

    The wedding date was revealed through a cinematic Instagram video on June 25, 2025, featuring drone shots of the couple on a luxury car, with Hussain captioning it: “Two souls, one love.”

    The star-studded wedding, attended by influencers like Jannat Mirza, Alishba Anjum, and Maaz Safder, was full of music, dance, and viral moments. Rabeeca’s Mayun look, styled by Kashee’s Salon, even drew comparisons to Radhika Merchant’s iconic wedding style.

    While Kashif Khan’s record-breaking wedding comment raised eyebrows, fans can’t deny the couple’s strong chemistry, fairytale vibe, and how passionately and hilariously he promoted his daughter’s big day.

  • Pools and slides as North Korea set to open ‘world class’ tourist resort

    Pools and slides as North Korea set to open ‘world class’ tourist resort

    Kim was an enthusiastic visitor this week to the sprawling site on the isolated country’s east coast, which is set to open its doors on July 1 to domestic tourists and maybe one day foreign ones.

    Analysts have said Kim showed a keen interest in developing North Korea’s tourism industry in his early years in power, with the development of the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area known to be a key focal point.

    The nuclear-armed North reopened its borders in August 2023 after almost four years, having closed them because of the Covid-19 pandemic, during which time even its own nationals were prevented from entering.

    Foreign tourism was limited though even before the pandemic, with tour companies saying around 5,000 Western tourists visited each year.

    Kim on Tuesday attended a lavish inaugural ceremony for the tourist zone, which hosts accommodation for nearly 20,000 people and what Pyongyang claims is “a world-class cultural resort”, the Korean Central News Agency said.

    Photos released by state media showed him sitting in a chair watching a man flying off a water slide and wearing a suit at the beach.

    Wonsan Kalma houses “sea-bathing service facilities, various sports and recreation facilities” and is “equipped with all conditions… for providing the beauty of the scenic spot on the east coast in all seasons”, according to KCNA.

    Kim, with “great satisfaction”, said the construction of the site would go down as “one of the greatest successes this year” and that the North would build more large-scale tourist zones “in the shortest time possible”, it added.

    Kim was joined by his daughter, Ju Ae — considered by many experts to be his likely successor — and his wife, Ri Sol Ju.

    South Korean media reported, based on images released by Pyongyang, that Ju Ae appears to be wearing a Cartier watch — despite such a high-end item being banned from import into North Korea under UN sanctions, imposed in response to the country’s nuclear and missile activities.

    The North last year permitted Russian tourists — Pyongyang has close ties with Moscow — to return for the first time since Covid and Western tour operators returned in February this year.

    Russia’s Tass news agency on Wednesday reported that a passenger train from Pyongyang had arrived in Moscow, marking the reopening of the direct rail route between the allies’ capitals after a five-year suspension.

    A tourist train between Rason — home to North Korea’s first legal marketplace — and Russia’s Vladivostok resumed in May this year, according to an official from Seoul’s unification ministry.

  • Faheem Ashraf reveals why Babar Azam is struggling with his game

    Faheem Ashraf reveals why Babar Azam is struggling with his game

    Pakistani all-rounder Faheem Ashraf has opened up about why star batter Babar Azam has not looked at his best in recent times.

    Speaking during a recent podcast, Faheem said that Babar was trying to change his natural game because of constant criticism on social media, which was affecting the former skipper’s performance and was stopping him from playing freely.

    “Now there is so much chatter that Babar feels he needs to adjust his game,” Faheem said. “This has led to things not going in his favour.”

    Talking about the strike rate debate, Faheem said big names did not “play with a strike rate of 200”. “Yes, we did not win any major event under his captaincy but you should not force a player to change his natural game,” he added.

    Faheem made it clear that Babar played his shots in his own style. “If you ask me to play like Babar does, that is wrong,” he said. “In the same way, if you tell Babar to hit six sixes in an over, that is wrong too. If you ask him to stay out there and win the match, he will do it in his own way.”

    He urged fans to trust Babar’s way instead of pushing him to play an unnatural game just to silence critics online.

    Babar, who last played for Pakistan in December 2024 during the T20 series against South Africa, has been out of the side since after. He has also struggled for form in recent matches, with his last half-century coming against Ireland in 2023.

    Babar, known for playing calmly and anchoring the innings, has faced a lot of criticism for his strike rate. Many fans on social media have targeted him for not being aggressive enough in T20s, which has pushed him to change the way he bats.

    He has now been signed by Sydney Sixers as their pre-draft overseas player for Big Bash League season 15. The Sixers secured him from the Platinum category, offering a deal reportedly worth nearly PKR 10 crore, making him one of the highest‑paid overseas signings in league history.

  • Squid Game Season 3 leaves fans divided: ‘Heartbreaking but Predictable’

    Squid Game Season 3 leaves fans divided: ‘Heartbreaking but Predictable’

    Netflix’s much-anticipated Squid Game Season 3 dropped on June 27, sparking a wave of mixed reactions from fans across the world.

    The new season picks up from where Season 2 ended, bringing back fan-favourite characters but not all of them make it to the end. While some viewers are happy to see familiar faces, others were upset over the sudden deaths of important characters. Many feel that the final chapter has lost the spark of the original series.

    Lee Jung-jae returns as Seong Gi-hun, also known as Player 456. His character is still shaken and distressed after the events of the previous season. Although he re-enters the deadly games, he is often seen brooding. Towards the end, he once again tries to help other players escape. In one emotional moment, he says, “We are not horses. We are humans,” a clear jab at those exploiting them for entertainment.

    Meanwhile, Wi Ha-joon’s character, Detective Hwang Jun-ho, continues his search for the masterminds behind the brutal games, including his brother the mysterious Front Man, played by Lee Byung-hun.

    As the season wraps up, many fans found the ending “weak” and “predictable,” saying that several characters were underused. However, others appreciated the emotional depth and darker tone.

    Here’s what viewers are saying on X:


    One user posted: “Squid Game season 3  SPOILERS PROBABLY 3/10. It started off so good, but they killed off the best characters early and left the annoying ones. The ending was predictable.”

    Another wrote: “I think Squid Game 3 was good not great, but not bad either. Some characters were underutilized, others overused. VIPs this time were worse. But some emotional scenes saved it. Ending was okay. 8/10.”


    A third added: “No spoilers! Just finished Season 3. It was good. Could’ve been better. Some episodes were very emotional. The ending needed more punch. I’d give it a 7/10.”

    A viewer named Yash Tiwari tweeted: “#SquidGameSeason3 is here. Gi-hun is broken, betrayed, and back in the nightmare. The games are darker. The choices deadlier. And this time, survival might not be enough. This season doesn’t want you entertained. It wants you disturbed. Watch at your own risk.”

    Another fan, Lina, simply said: “I expected a sad ending but not a HEARTBREAKING, TRAGIC ENDING.”

    Directed once again by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator of the series, the third installment stars Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-jun, Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Sung-hoon, Yang Dong-geun (as Yong-sik), Kang Ae-sim, Jo Yuri, Lee David, Roh Jae-won, and Park Gyu-young.

    The final episode ends with a twist, leading fans to speculate that a spin-off or a fourth season might be in the works.

  • Trump thinks Gaza ceasefire possible within next week

    Trump thinks Gaza ceasefire possible within next week

    United States (US) President Donald Trump said on Friday he believes a ceasefire in the Gaza may be reached “within the next week”.

    Speaking to reporters during an event celebrating a Congo-Rwanda accord in the Oval Office, the US president stated that he believes a ceasefire is close, pointing out that he had just been talking to some of the people involved in attempting to reach a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

    President Trump said that there is a “terrible” situation going on in Gaza, adding, “We are supplying a lot of money, food, and aid to those areas.”

    “We are not involved in it; however, we are involved because so many people are dying,” he said, noting, “I look at those crowds of people that have no food, no anything.”

    By the end of May, the US president’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, proposed a 60-day ceasefire, noting that Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 dead hostages who were taken to Gaza. 

    Under the proposal, it was advised that Israel would release 125 “life sentence” prisoners, 1,111 Palestinian detainees and 180 killed Palestinians as part of the deal.

    Israel has carried out genocide in Gaza with at least 56,000 people dead, most of them women and children.

  • Bangladesh Test captain steps down after series loss to Sri Lanka

    Bangladesh Test captain steps down after series loss to Sri Lanka

    Bangladesh’s Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has announced stepping down from the role following his team’s massive loss against Sri Lanka in the recent Test series.

    Shanto made the announcement during a press conference after Bangladesh lost by an innings and 78 runs. He said he did not want to continue leading the team in Tests and that his decision was in the best interest of the team.

    “This is not a personal decision. I believe it is better for the team,” Shanto said and added that three different captains for three formats was not helpful for them. “I have been part of the dressing room for some time and I think this is not the right approach. I informed the board about my decision a few days ago.”

    He also made it clear that his decision was not an emotional reaction to the loss or any personal disappointment. “I don’t want people to think this is an emotional decision. It is fully for the benefit of the team,” Shanto added.

    Najmul Hossain Shanto took over Bangladesh’s Test captaincy in November 2023 during the home series against New Zealand. Under his leadership, Bangladesh played 14 Test matches, winning four, losing nine and drawing one. One of his most memorable moments as captain was leading Bangladesh to back-to-back Test wins against Pakistan in August 2024.

    Shanto also performed well with the bat while leading the side. His batting average as captain was 36.24, compared to an earlier average of 29.83. In Tests that Bangladesh won, he averaged 37.16 runs with the bat.

    Earlier this month, Shanto was also removed as captain of the ODI team. Mehidy Hasan Miraz has now taken over the ODI leadership role.

  • Arshad Nadeem moves up in world javelin rankings

    Arshad Nadeem moves up in world javelin rankings

    Pakistan’s star javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem has climbed the latest world rankings for men’s javelin throw.

    He is currently ranked number 4 in the world.

    The new rankings were released by World Athletics. Arshad has earned 1,370 points. He is behind India’s Neeraj Chopra (1,445 points), Grenada’s Anderson Peters (1,431 points), and Germany’s Julian Weber (1,398 points).

    This strong ranking is a result of Arshad’s consistent performances on the international stage. Czech athlete Jakub Vadlejch, who won silver at the Tokyo Olympics, is in fifth place.

    Here are the top 10 javelin throwers in the world right now:

    
  
    
    
      Rank
      Athlete
      Country
      Score
    
    
      
  
    
    
      1
      Neeraj Chopra
      India
      1445
    
    
    
    
      2
      Anderson Peters
      Grenada
      1431
    
    
    
    
      3
      Julian Weber
      Germany
      1398
    
    
    
    
      4
      Arshad Nadeem
      Pakistan
      1370
    
    
    
    
      5
      Jakub Vadlejch
      Czechia
      1346
    
    
    
    
      6
      Julius Yego
      Kenya
      1314
    
    
    
    
      7
      Keshorn Walcott
      Trinidad & Tobago
      1310
    
    
    
    
      8
      Luiz Mauricio da Silva
      Brazil
      1295
    
    
    
    
      9
      Lassi Etelätalo
      Finland
      1263
    
    
    
    
      10
      Andrian Mardare
      Moldova
      1259

    Arshad Nadeem, who made history as Pakistan’s first individual athlete to win Olympic gold, has stayed at the top despite injuries and fewer competitions than many European throwers.

    He also won a gold medal at the Asian Athletics Championships.

    He is now training for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September. His number 4 spot gives him confidence and an extra push to aim for more medals and leave another mark on the world stage.

    Pakistan’s athletics fans continue to look up to Arshad as the country’s top field event star. With the main season coming up, he remains one of the best javelin throwers in the world.

  • British YouTuber joins Punjab Police to recover AirPods stolen from Dubai

    British YouTuber joins Punjab Police to recover AirPods stolen from Dubai

    British YouTuber Lord Miles has travelled 2,700 miles to get back his year-old stolen AirPods Pro, which were recovered by police in Pakistan’s Jhelum district, saying he was also treated to lunch.

    By the end of May, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Miles claimed that his AirPods were stolen from a Dubai hotel and “made their way to Pakistan”.

    On Friday, he took to X, sharing a photo of himself receiving the AirPods from Jhelum District Police Officer (DPO) Tariq Aziz Sandhu, saying, “I have MY AirPods back after 1 year!”

    He thanked DPO Sandhu for recovering the AirPods, calling the officer “a very cool man.” He added, “They also treated me to lunch at 2nd wife restaurant.”

    The YouTuber said that most Pakistanis knew about his stolen AirPods, as he had posted earlier that he was going to receive his recovered property in Pakistan.

    “I ask a random Pakistani on the street and they know about my stolen AirPods! I’ve been recognized several times by strangers,” he wrote.

    In another tweet, he opined that stealing is a “gamble that never pays off in life, however, you know what does pay off? Actual gambling. With 1 spin I could buy 10 more AirPods, but I’m not as smart as the future millionaire reading this.”

    When a user asked Miles in the comment section sarcastically, “Why does Pakistan have a better law enforcement system than America?” Miles responded, “Fr America or England would NEVER follow through. Pakistani police have proven they’re elite and actually care.”

    When another asked him to clarify whether the Indian or Pakistani was arrested for stealing his AirPods, he explained, “The Pakistani was merely buying an item not knowing it was stolen. When the police raided his house, he provided proof showing he just thought he was buying refurbished AirPods… The Indian stole the item from my hotel room and sold the stolen item in Pakistan.”

    He concluded that it took one and a half months of planning, 2,700 miles of travel, and a special operation by Pakistani police to get back his AirPods.

  • Pakistan to face India in World Championship of Legends

    Pakistan to face India in World Championship of Legends

    Weeks after a tense military stand-off between nuclear armed arch-rivals Pakistan and India, Pakistan Champions will take on India again in the second edition of the World Championship of Legends (WCL). 

    The tournament will be held in England from July 18 to August 2 and will feature some of the biggest retired and non-contracted cricket stars.

    Six teams will play for the T20 title: Pakistan, India, England, Australia, South Africa, and the West Indies. Last year, Pakistan came close to winning but lost to India in the final. This time, they hope to go one step further and lift the trophy.

    Pakistan’s group stage matches start with two back-to-back games at Edgbaston. They play their first match against hosts England on July 18. Then, on July 20, they will face India in what many fans see as the biggest match of the tournament.

    Here is Pakistan’s full World Championship of Legends schedule:

    
  
    
    
      Match
      Venue
      Date
      Day
      Time
    
    
      
  
    
    
      England Champions vs Pakistan Champions
      Edgbaston, Birmingham
      July 18, 2025
      Friday
      16:30
    
    
    
    
      India Champions vs Pakistan Champions
      Edgbaston, Birmingham
      July 20, 2025
      Sunday
      16:30
    
    
    
    
      Pakistan Champions vs South Africa Champions
      Grace Road, Leicestershire
      July 25, 2025
      Friday
      16:30
    
    
    
    
      Pakistan Champions vs West Indies Champions
      Headingley, Leeds
      July 26, 2025
      Saturday
      16:30
    
    
    
    
      Australia Champions vs Pakistan Champions
      Grace Road, Leicestershire
      July 29, 2025
      Tuesday
      16:30

    The top four teams will move to the semi-finals in Birmingham on July 31. The final will be played at Edgbaston on August 2.

    With many well-known former cricketers returning to the field, Pakistan will aim to finish what they started last year. But all eyes will be on the big clash against India on July 20, which promises to be the highlight of the tournament.