Australian police said Wednesday they were scouring beaches after mysterious packages believed to contain more than 120 kilograms (260 pounds) of cocaine washed up over the Christmas period.
A first batch of 39 barnacle-encrusted, one-kilogram bricks of suspected cocaine was discovered on Friday near Magenta Beach, north of Sydney, police said.
Since then, another 85 packages of the same size had been spotted along about 80 kilometres (50 miles) of the New South Wales coastline, state police said.
Police urged people to report any suspicious packages, Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Weinstein said in a statement.
“Detectives and specialist police are currently combing beaches and coastlines for any outstanding packages and working behind the scenes to make sure we find and hold accountable those responsible,” said Weinstein, who is director of the state’s crime command.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mian Naseer has challenged the nomination papers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan from NA-122 Lahore.
The PML-N leader raised an objection to the nomination papers of the former prime minister, saying that Imran Khan is convicted while his sentence is suspended, not over, in the Toshakhana case.
The PML-N leader further said in his objections that the nomination papers of the former prime minister should be rejected due to his conviction.
However, the Returning Officer (RO) said that the decision on Imran Khan’s nomination papers will be made after hearing objections raised.
On the other hand, the scrutiny of the nomination papers of PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif and vice president Hamza Shehbaz has been completed.
Objections have also been filed on the nomination papers of PML-N senior vice president Maryam Nawaz for the Punjab Assembly seat PP 80 from Sargodha.
As Pakistan gears up for the upcoming general elections, internal tensions have surfaced within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), notably between leaders Taimur Khan Jhagra and Sher Afzal Marwat.
The disagreement revolves around Marwat’s decision to enter the electoral race in Peshawar.
Jhagra, a prominent PTI leader hailing from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has expressed objections to Marwat’s choice to contest the elections scheduled for February 8 next year from the NA-32 constituency in Peshawar.
During a recent statement, Jhagra emphasized, “It would be more fitting if a leader from Peshawar contested from that constituency.”
He underscored that the party, rather than individual leaders, should determine the candidates’ election constituencies.
In response to these objections, Marwat, in an interview with Geo News, stated that he has no personal interest in participating in the elections.”The PTI founder has directed me to contest elections from Peshawar,” he added.
Marwat, who has already submitted his nomination papers, reiterated his commitment to contesting elections from Peshawar as per Imran Khan’s instructions.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has reported a significant influx of nomination papers, receiving a total of 28,626 submissions from aspiring candidates across the country vying to participate in the upcoming polls.
As per the ECP’s data seen by Geo News, 7,242 men and 471 women have filed nomination papers for national assembly seats (general), whereas for provincial assemblies, the number stands at 17,744 and 802, respectively.
The ECP is currently scrutinising the nomination papers filed by the candidates with the stage set to culminate on December 30 (Saturday).
Meanwhile, appeals against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers can be submitted by January 3, and decisions on these appeals will be made by January 10.
The top electoral body will issue the list of candidates on January 11, with candidates having the option to withdraw until January 12 i.e., before the ECP allots electoral symbol on January 13.
As per the data shared by the ECP, a total of 459 and 1,365 nomination papers have been received by the electoral body for the reserved seats for national and provincial legislature, respectively.
Meanwhile, on the reserved seats for non-muslims, 361 men and 32 women have submitted their nomination papers for provincial assemblies. For national assembly seats, the number stands at 140 and 10, respectively.
A total of 7,713 people have submitted their nomination papers for national assembly seats (general), with the number standing at 18,546 for provincial assemblies (general).
Rapper Macklemore, a vocal supporter of the Palestine cause, has again reiterated support for Gaza during a concert in Seattle on December 21 at the Climate Pledge Arena. Before this, Macklemore had been on a successful tour in the United States and Europe for his new album ‘Ben’.
He began with his famous song ‘Thrift Shop’ and another one from his latest album. Then, he talked about the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza and expressed his support for a free Palestine. Macklemore has been supporting this cause throughout the war. During the concert, he dedicated about four minutes to speak about the situation, using a style that resembled a poem. This isn’t the first time Macklemore has spoken out about the Gaza conflict. He had addressed the issue during a large protest in Washington D.C.
“There isn’t a drop of antisemitic thought in my head or my blood. Never again means never again for all. Have we not learned the lessons?” “I love my Jewish brothers and sisters so much and my perspective is one that’s saying ‘Free Palestine’ is also rooted in your protection.”
Macklemore didn’t hesitate to say that the attacks in Gaza are a genocide. “I want every soul in this arena to feel the reflection of love, but there’s innocent humans out in Gaza getting murdered with our dollars and those precious human lives are an extension of us.
“The word genocide is such a point of contention for some. And it’s more hurtful than seeing dead babies getting pulled out of the crumbled cement and the dust. Comparative suffering leads to believing the lie: there’s a them and there’s a us.”
He continued, “At some point, we drew lines in the mud based on the color of our skin, the Gods we worshipped, and the Divine up above. And historically, we’ve exploited black and brown bodies to climb up the rungs, but the ladder doesn’t work when it depends on the oppression of some.”
Macklemore’s speech had even more significance because he spoke at the end of a big world tour and in his hometown of Seattle, in front of a huge crowd. “When I say ‘Free Palestine’, it’s not because I’m against anyone, it actually means we should protect everyone. It means equality for all, respect, peace, and love. It means a right to exist regardless of what sector you’re from,” Macklemore said. At the end of his speech, the artist shared a simple message, and the thousands of fans in the 18,000-capacity arena cheered loudly. “And imma say it till I die, with my chest to the sky. Free Palestine, the message is love.”
Former Secretary of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad, said on Wednesday that election candidates don’t need to appear before returning officers (ROs) to submit their nomination papers or for scrutiny of papers.
Candidates who are hiding or proclaimed offenders need to appear before ROs to submit their nomination papers; otherwise, their nomination papers will be rejected.
As per Section 62 of the Election Act of 2017, the election candidate is not required to be present at the time of submitting nomination papers.
Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad also said that former President General Pervez Musharraf said in 2002 that a candidate needs to appear before RO to submit their nomination paper.
The election order was illegal as Musharraf was targeting former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif at that time, and he wanted to keep Banazir and Nawaz Sharif out of the elections.
He said that in 2007, the ECP amended the Election Order 2002, after which Bhutto and Sharif did not need to submit their nomination papers and appear in person at the time of scrutiny.
“At the time of scrutiny of nomination papers, the candidate’s election agent, proposer and a voter who has registered an objection under sub-section (1) shall be present. The returning officer shall give him reasonable opportunity of scrutinising all nomination papers. Nowhere in this section is mentioned that the candidate must be present before the returning officer at the time of submission of nomination papers or scrutiny,” he added.
Priyanka Chopra is the latest celebrity to join the calls for peace in Gaza. On Monday she reshared a post by UNICEF on Instagram in support of the ceasefire in Palestine as thousands of children and minors got killed, while several others are missing amid the Israeli bombardment.
Priyanka has served as the Goodwill Ambassador of UNICEF since 2016. The agency offers humanitarian and developmental aid to children in over 190 countries and territories around the world.
The post shared by Priyanka is attributed to Catherine Russel, the executive director of UNICEF, and reads, “Children need a lasting humanitarian ceasefire.”
The reshared post was originally posted on December 2.
The caption urged all parties to ensure that children are protected and assisted, following their obligations under international humanitarian law. In the caption, the organisation wrote, “Today, the Gaza Strip is once again the most dangerous place in the world to be a child. After seven days of respite from horrific violence, fighting has resumed. More children will surely die as a result.”
It added, “Before the pause, more than 5,300 Palestinian children were reportedly killed in 48 days of relentless bombing – a figure that does not include many children still missing and presumed to be buried under rubble.”
In November, Priyanka, along with other prominent personalities, extended support through an open letter while calling on the US Congress and US President Joe Biden to undertake immediate action for a ceasefire in the Gaza region in the Middle East.
In 2023, Pakistan’s TV drama music has been fantastic! The dramas themselves may have been hit or miss, but the music was always spot on. Let’s check out the best music from Pakistani dramas in 2023.
Top Pakistani Dramas OST List
1. Tere Bin
OST Name: Tere bin Channel: Geo Entertainment Singer: Shani Arshad Lyrics: Sabir Zafar Youtube :Views: 78 Million
The beautiful music from the TV show ‘Tere Bin’ expresses the emotions and passion of the story. Shani Arshad’s singing is amazing and heartfelt, and it perfectly matches the on-screen connection between Murtasim (played by Wahaj Ali) and Meerub (played by Yumna Zaidi).
2. Ishq MurshidOST Name: Channel: HUM TV Singer: Ahmed Jahanzeb Lyrics: Sabir Zafar Youtube :Views: 6.1 Million
‘Ishq Murshid’ unfolds a compelling romantic story revolving around the two main characters, Shahmeer Sikandar and Shibra Salman. It’s lovely OST was performed by Ahmed Jahanzeb while the lyrics were by Sabir Zafar.
Enjoy Asim Azhar’s soothing voice in the melodious OST of ‘Mein’, featuring the perfect on-screen duo, Wahaj Ali and Ayeza Khan. Viewers applauded the captivating soundtrack that adds emotion to the show, enhancing the overall viewing experience.
The OST of Mujhe Pyar Hua Tha is the monster hit ‘Kahani Suno’, originally sung by Kaifi Khalil.This OST is one of the most viral songs of 2023.
5. Kabli Pulao
OST Name: Aankehn Channel: Green Entertainment Singer: Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Lyrics: Imran Raza Youtube :Views: 14 Million
Green Entertainment presents the melodious OST of drama ‘Kabli Pulao’, composed by Sahir Bagga. The romantic song adds charm to the show. Don’t miss out on another beautiful track, ‘Tooti Phooti Si,’ in this engaging drama. Enjoy the musical journey with Kabli Pulao, filled with emotions and captivating tunes.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) accepted the nomination papers of former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif from NA-130 Lahore constituency.
PML-N leader Bilal Yaseen submitted the nomination papers of the former prime minister.
He also confirmed that ECP accepted the papers.
Sharif has submitted nomination papers from Lahore and Mansehra constituencies.
“By the grace of Allah, Nawaz Sharif’s nomination papers were accepted from NA-130,” said Bilal Yaseen, adding that ECP has raised no objections as yet.
“Nawaz Sharif will succeed from this constituency in the February 8 elections. He will be elected prime minister of Pakistan for the fourth time,” he added.
Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer, Amjad Parvez, also told the media that “the returning officer has said that everything is complete from your side.”
A US import ban on certain Apple smartwatch models came into effect Tuesday, after the Biden administration opted not to veto a ruling on patent infringements.
The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) decided in October to ban Apple Watch models over a patented technology for detecting blood-oxygen levels.
Apple contends that the ITC finding was in error and should be reversed, but last week paused its US sales of Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.
The order stemmed from a complaint made to the commission in mid-2021 accusing Apple of infringing on medical device maker company Masimo Corp’s “light-based oximetry functionality.”
“After careful consultations, Ambassador (Katherine) Tai decided not to reverse the… determination and the ITC’s decision became final on December 26, 2023,” the president’s executive office said in a statement on Tuesday.
Apple has been steadily ramping up fitness and health features with each generation of its Apple Watch, which dominates the smartwatch category.
In September, Apple released its Apple Watch Series 9, touting increased performance along with features such as the ability to access and log health data.
“Our teams work tirelessly to create products and services that empower users with industry-leading health, wellness and safety features,” Apple said when the ITC ban was issued.
“Masimo has wrongly attempted to use the ITC to keep a potentially lifesaving product from millions of US consumers while making way for their own watch that copies Apple.”
In May, a trial of Masimo’s allegations ended in a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict.
Late last year, Apple filed two patent infringement lawsuits accusing Masimo of copying Apple Watch technology.
The Airbus A340 initially had been bound for Nicaragua when it was detained last Thursday at Vatry airport, east of Paris, where it had stopped for refuelling. A donkey flight is an illegal immigration used for unauthorized entry into foreign countries like the USA, UK, Canada etc.
It had arrived from the United Arab Emirates and was halted after an anonymous tip-off that it was carrying potential victims of human trafficking.
Of the original 303 people on the passenger list, 276 were on the plane that arrived in Mumbai before dawn on Tuesday.
Passengers began walking out onto the concourse four hours later but refused to speak to a large crowd of waiting journalists and covered their faces to shield their identities.
It was unclear whether the arrivals were questioned by authorities and India’s government has yet to issue a statement on their return.
Among those staying behind in France were two people questioned by police there over suspected people trafficking.
A judicial source said they were released after it was established the passengers had boarded the plane of their own free will.
French authorities are continuing to investigate the case for a potential violation of immigration laws, but no longer for people trafficking, judicial sources said.
Another 25 passengers sought asylum in France including five minors, local officials said.
A source close to the inquiry told AFP that those aboard were likely workers in the UAE bound for Nicaragua, which they intended to use as a staging post for journeys to the United States or Canada.
Authorisation for the plane to leave France came after a court ruled that any further detention of three of its passengers would be illegal.
The passengers of the flight, operated by Romanian company Legend Airlines, were put up at Vatry airport during the investigation.
Beds, toilets and showers were installed, the local prefecture said, while police prevented press and outsiders from entering the airport.
The passengers included 11 unaccompanied minors, according to Paris prosecutors.
The Indian embassy in Paris posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday that it was grateful for the “quick resolution” of the incident.
The 30 crew members were not detained. Some had handled the Dubai-Vatry leg while others were to take over for the flight to Nicaragua.
‘Mutual benefit’
The use of charter flights to aid migrants “is a relatively new phenomenon”, Manuel Orozco, director of migration issues at the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue, told AFP last month.
Orozco said he believed that airline operators and Nicaraguan airport authorities made “an economic calculation” for their “mutual benefit”.
Indian deputy foreign minister V. Muraleedharan this month told parliament that close to 100,000 illegal Indian migrants had attempted to enter the United States this year, citing US Customs and Border Protection data.
Last year the issue caught public attention when four Indians froze to death while trying to cross into the United States on foot from the Canadian border.
They were among a group of 11 people attempting the journey, with the remaining seven detained by US authorities.
Many Indian migrants seek passage to the United States for economic reasons.
But human rights experts say there are several other factors at play, including the oppression of minority communities in India and extreme visa backlogs.
Unlawful Indian migration abroad is such an established phenomenon that it forms the backdrop of the Bollywood comedy-drama “Dunki”, released in cinemas last week.
Starring Shah Rukh Khan, one of India’s most bankable film stars, “Dunki” delves into the various means by which Indians attempt the perilous journey to the West with the help of unscrupulous agents and corrupt border officials.
