Daily News Pakistan

For many of us, Facebook is part of everyday life. It’s where we interact with friends and colleagues, follow our favorite celebrities, and stay on top of the latest news. Many of us see Facebook as an extension of ourselves, which is why having your Facebook account hacked can be more than just humiliating. A hacked Facebook account can damage your reputation, expose private information, or even cost you money. Things You Should Know There are plenty of things you can do to protect your Facebook account and prevent it from being hacked, like making a secure password. Use Facebook's security features to check your activity on the social media site and make sure there aren't unknown logins. Don't click links in emails that claim to be from Facebook and don't give away your login information if you're asked for it. Create a secure password. Choose a password that will be hard for hackers to guess. Your Facebook password should be difficult to guess, yet easy ...

Authorities in the United States have said that an Indian government official directed a failed plot to assassinate a Sikh activist on US soil, as they announced charges against a man accused of orchestrating the attempted murder. On Wednesday, federal prosecutors said that Nikhil Gupta, a 52-year-old Indian man, had worked with an Indian government intelligence and security worker in a clandestine effort to kill a Sikh activist in New York. Prosecutors did not name the Indian official or the target, but described the target as a critic of the Indian government and an advocate for an independent Sikh state in the Punjab region, home to a large number of Sikhs and once the site of a movement to create Khalistan – a Sikh homeland independent from India. Gupta was arrested by Czech authorities in June and is awaiting extradition. “The defendant conspired from India to assassinate, right here in New York City, a US citizen of Indian origin who has publicly advocated for the establish...

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday informed the Lahore accountability court that it has recorded PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s statement in the Toshakhana reference. According to the case filed by NAB, then-prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, in order to extend illegal benefits to former Nawaz and president Asif Zardari, allegedly allowed the retention of vehicles gifted to them by different foreign states and dignitaries by relaxing procedures related to the submission of gifts in the Toshakhana — a government department that stores gifts given to rulers, parliamentarians, bureaucrats and officials by heads of other governments, states, and foreign dignitaries. The accused, “through dishonest and illegal means for their personal benefit and interest”, retained the vehicles in question “against a nominal payment of 15 per cent of the total value”, the reference stated. In June 2020, an accountability court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the PML-N supre...

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Thursday withdrew its orders to freeze the Pakistan International Airlines’ bank accounts but at the same time clarified that these directives did not bar it from pursuing recovery proceedings. The national carrier has been lately embroiled in a financial crisis. On Wednesday, the FBR had frozen 28 PIA accounts. Additionally, Pakistan State Oil had threatened to stop the airline’s oil supply if outstanding dues were not settled. These actions came at a time when a team from the European Union’s Avi­ation Safety Agency (EAS­A) was in Pakistan to assess issues related to flight safety. The EASA had barred PIA from operating flights to Europe after a plane crashed in Karachi on May 22, 2020. The restrictions were imposed in light of an explosive claim by former aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan in parliament that 40 per cent of Pakistani pilots had questionable qualifications. In a notification today, the FBR’s deputy commissioner for Inland ...

Acting Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations Ambassador Usman Iqbal Jadoon has asked the General Assembly and UN Security Council to consider the establishment of a special tribunal and accountability mechanism to investigate Israel’s atrocity crimes in Palestine. Taking part in the UN General Assembly Debate on the "Question of Palestine", Ambassador Usman Iqbal Jadoon asked that deployment of an international protection force or mechanism to protect Palestinian civilians, especially women and children in Gaza and West Bank and play its role in the restoration of the peace process. The Ambassador regretted that the General Assembly’s call was not heeded by Israel, which continued its indiscriminate and criminal attacks against the Palestinian people. Israel also ignored the call from the Security Council to comply with its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, notably with regard to the protection of civilians...

As the extended Gaza truce enters its final day, regional powers and the US are holding consultations to extend the pause in the Israel-Hamas war. According to international media reports, “During discussions in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, officials representing Israel, the US, Qatar and Egypt were in consensus about working toward extending the current pause in the Israel-Hamas war to get more hostages out of Gaza.” The expectation is that if everything goes well on the sixth day of the truce Wednesday —and Hamas releases at least 10 Israeli hostages as planned — Hamas could produce an additional list of hostages for the following day, extending the pause for another 24 hours, report said. According to reports, “Negotiators believe there are enough women and children in Hamas captivity to extend the truce by two additional days before the discussion turns to men and soldier hostages.” On Tuesday, thirty Palestinian women and children have been released from Israeli prisons after 10 Is...

North Korea's rocket launches are a serious risk to civil aviation and maritime traffic, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council as it met to discuss Pyongyang's first spy satellite launch. North Korea's Foreign Ministry said the November 21 launch aimed to monitor the United States and its allies. On Monday, Pyongyang said it would continue exercising its sovereign rights, including through more satellite launches. Senior UN official Khaled Khiari told the 15-member Security Council that while Pyongyang issued a pre-launch notification to the Japanese Coast Guard, it did not notify the International Maritime Organisation, the International Civil Aviation Organisation, or the International Telecommunications Union. "The DPRK's launches represent a serious risk to international civil aviation and maritime traffic," Khiari said. Formally known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), North Korea has been under UN sanction...

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Tuesday reviewed its decision and abolished 50% match fee fine imposed on batter Azam Khan for displaying the Palestinian flag on his bat during National T20 Cup match. Azam was fined for breaching clothing and equipment regulations (displaying unapproved logo/political messaging), as he didn’t remove the sticker despite the match umpire’s warnings. However, two days after the incident, the PCB reviewed the penalty and officially waived it. “Azam Khan‘s 50 per cent fine imposed by match officials has been reviewed and waived off by the Pakistan Cricket Board,” the PCB said in a brief press release. “Azam Khan was found to have violated Article 2.4 of the PCB Code of Conduct For Players and Players Support Personnel for repeated failure to comply with the instruction or directive of an Umpire during a Match. “Players and team officials are not permitted to wear, display or otherwise convey personal messages on their equipment unless approved in ad...

Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA’s) Anti Human Trafficking Circle Lahore in an operation arrested four fugitives allegedly involved in human smuggling. According to the FIA spokesperson, four arrested suspects were identified as Mohammad Rehan, Shehbaz Ali, Tayyab Ali, and Shehbaz, meanwhile, a number of cases were registered against the arrested accused Tayyab Ali. The accused were arrested from different operations in Sheikhupura, Lahore and Chiniot, where the accused took millions of rupees from citizens on the pretense of employment abroad. Earlier to this, FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Lahore apprehended two suspects involved in human trafficking, including a judicial fugitive. According to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the judicial fugitive, Muhammad Shahid, has been on the run since 2016 and was arrested from Shahdara Lahore. The apprehended accused, Muhammad Shahid, was allegedly involved in human trafficking. The Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Lah...

Ahad Cheema, the advisor to the caretaker prime minister, has been given a clean chit by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in assets beyond known sources of income case. According to the NAB report submitted to the accountability court, the assets in excess of income against the former LDA chief do not constitute a reference. The investigation indicates that the alleged benamidars of Ahad Cheema built properties from their personal income and cannot be directly linked to Cheema. The report emphasized that the assets accumulated by the bureaucrat were found to align with his income. Additionally, he provided NAB with his income and profit records during the re-investigation, and the submitted records have been verified and found to be correct. In light of these findings, NAB has requested the accountability court to decide on Ahad Cheema’s acquittal plea according to the law. Ahad Cheema was released from jail on bail in April, last year. He remained incarcerated for over ...

A countrywide anti-polio campaign of varied durations to administer drops to children under five years of age started on Monday (today). According to details, thousands of teams have been formed in the drive against the crippling disease with hopes to eliminate the virus this year. Polio teams will go door-to-door and administer oral polio vaccine drops to children under the age of five. Health ministry officials urged people to cooperate with polio teams to administer drops to their children against this crippling disease. In Punjab, anti-polio teams have been constituted to administer the Polio vaccine to 22 million children. In Sindh, more than eighty thousand polio workers will go door to door to administer vaccines to over ten million children. Likewise, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, more than seven point four million children up to five years of age will be administered Polio vaccine drops. In Balochistan, more than 2.5 million children up to five years of age would be administ...

Reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease is a goal that can be approached through dietary choices, according to recent research published in a health Journal. The study identifies specific foods to include and avoid, emphasising recognised eating patterns such as the Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND diets for cognitive health. Best and worst eating patterns for Alzheimer’s risk The Mediterranean diet, characterised by high consumption of olive oil, fish, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, with moderate amounts of dairy, poultry, and alcohol, has gained recognition for supporting cognitive health. Similarly, the DASH diet focuses on grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy, with limited red meat and sweets. The MIND diet combines elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, emphasising olive oil, fish, whole grains, berries, and green leafy vegetables. Conversely, the Western diet, marked by high fat, processed foods, and meat consumption, is associated with poor cognitive o...

Shah Khawar, former attorney general, has been named the Chief Election Commissioner of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), according to a notification issued by the Inter-Provincial Liaison Ministry. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar Haq Kakar approved the appointment, entrusting Khawar with the responsibility of overseeing the organization of PCB elections within the next three months. Khawar's tenure will culminate on February 4, 2024, which serves as the deadline for the election of the PCB chairman. "Shah Khawar Board of Governors will hold elections on completion. The deadline for the election of the chairman is February 4, 2024," the notification said. It must be noted that the federal government recently approved a three-month extension for Zaka Ashraf as the chairman of the PCB's Management Committee.

An ethnic minority armed group in Myanmar has seized control from the country's ruling junta of a lucrative border crossing to China, local media said. According to international media reports, clashes have raged across Myanmar's northern Shan state, close to the Chinese border, after an armed alliance of three ethnic minority groups launched an offensive against the military in October. The groups seized dozens of military positions and a town important for trade with China, choking commerce routes for the cash-strapped junta. An offensive by the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) — one of the three allied groups — captured the Kyin San Kyawt border gate, a local media outlet affiliated with the group said. It added that the alliance — including the Arakan Army (AA) and Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) — had taken other positions in the border trade zone after the assault began on Friday.   After the pandemic, the gate was re-opened in 2022 and...

England batter Joe Root has pulled out of next year’s Indian Premier League (IPL), joining his red-ball skipper Ben Stokes in sitting out the glitzy Twenty20 tournament. Root, who had made his IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals earlier this year, opted out a day before the deadline for franchises to announce their releases and retentions ahead of the auction on December 19. “Joe Root has opted out of IPL 2024. The dressing room will miss you, Rooty,” Royals said late Saturday in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Root became the second player from England to opt out of the IPL after Stokes announced his withdrawal last week in order to manage his workload and fitness. Royals said in a statement on their website that they “respect” Root’s decision. “Even in a short span of time, Joe was able to create such a positive impact on the franchise and the players around him,” said Kumar Sangakkara, Royals’ director of cricket. “His energy around the group and the experience he brought to the R...

Peanuts, the small but mighty legumes, have earned their place as a popular snack and a versatile ingredient in various cuisines worldwide. Many people believe the peanut is not as nutritionally valuable as true nuts like almonds, walnuts, or cashews. But actually, peanuts have many of the same health benefits as the more expensive nuts and should not be overlooked as a nutritious food. Heart Health Much attention has been paid to walnuts and almonds as “heart-healthy” foods, given their high content of unsaturated fats. But research suggests that peanuts are every bit as good for heart health as more expensive nuts. Peanuts help prevent heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels. They can also stop small blood clots from forming and reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Weight Loss Foods with a lot of protein can help you feel full with fewer calories. And among nuts, peanuts are second only to almonds when it comes to protein count. Studies have shown that pe...

Anti-terrorism court (ATC) has issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Marriyum Aurangzeb, senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). The case, which involves Marriyum Aurangzeb and others, was brought before Judge Abhar Gul Khan of the anti-terrorism court. The decision to issue a non-bailable arrest warrant was based on Maryam Aurangzeb's failure to appear in court. However, the other co-accused individuals appeared in court and fulfilled their required appearances. The court granted time to the lawyers representing the accused to confer and prepare their arguments. This legal action stems from a case registered in 2022 at the Green Town police station against Marriyum Aurangzeb and the other accused individuals.

The Pakistan Army has sentenced two of its retired officials through court martial after allegations of rebellion were proved against them. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Maj (retd) Adil Farooq Raja and Capt (retd) Haider Raza Mehdi, both retired officers of Pakistan Army, were convicted and sentenced through the Field General Court Martial (FGCM) under Pakistan Army Act, 1952. The armed forces’ media wing said the former soldiers were charged with inciting sedition among army personnel from discharge of duties and violation of the provisions of Official Secrets Act 1923 related to espionage and acts prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state. The court of competent jurisdiction convicted and adjudged both the individuals on October 7 and 9 through due judicial process. The statement said that Adil Raja was awarded 14 years of rigorous imprisonment and Haider Raza Mehdi 12 years. “Pursuant to the awarded sentence, the rank...

At least ten people have died after a huge fire ripped through a multi-storey shopping mall on Karachi’s Rashid Minhas Road, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab confirmed. Taking to X, the Mayor wrote: “KMC Fire Department has so far confirmed that there have been 9 casualties in the fire incident.” “Search process for trapped people still continues,” he added in the post. According to rescue officials, the fire that broke out at around 6:30 am engulfed the fourth, fifth and sixth floors of the shopping mall. A faulty generator placed on the roof of the shopping mall was the cause of the fire, said fire brigade authorities. More than 50 people trapped inside the mall have been rescued in the rescue operation involving two snorkels and eight fire tenders, said Sindh Rescue Director Dr Abid Sheikh. “Efforts are being made to rescue more people trapped inside the mall,” Abid added. The injured people were shifted to a nearby hospital where the condition of eight of them was said to be se...

Instagram Reels are the short videos you probably doom-scroll through every day. Among them, you'll find plenty of useful ones that fit your interests and needs. You can always save them so you can visit them later to take advantage of the information you want to remember. They'll remain available in the Saved section of your account as long as the creator doesn't delete them. From now on, you'll be able to download all the public Instagram Reels you want, which might be even better than saving them. That way, you can actually keep the tips and tricks you want to remember on your phone or computer. But that's not necessarily a great idea for creators. They might not want their followers to download videos and Reels. The good news is that Instagram users are in charge of whether they can be downloaded. Enabling and disabling the feature can be controlled with a simple toggle switch. Adam Mosseri, chief of Instagram, confirmed that the Instagram Reels downlo...

Continuing its bull run from the preceding sessions, the benchmark index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) hit yet another all-time high on Friday and crossed the 59,000 milestone. According to the PSX website, the KSE-100 index stuck 59,402.82 points at 10am, up 502.98 or 0.85 per cent from the previous close of 58,899.84. The benchmark of representative shares has recorded steady gains throughout the week, thanks to the improving macroeconomic outlook following the successful review of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. The IMF funds, expected to be issued next month after the lender’s executive board board meeting, are a second tranche of the nine-month bailout package. This will bring total disbursements under the $3bn package, approved in July, to almost $1.9bn. Speaking to Dawn.com today, Raja Jafri, head of equities at Intermarket Securities Ltd, attributed the rally to the return of foreign institutional buying. “Despite the recent sharp rally, valuation...

A four-day truce between Israel and Hamas came into effect, with captives held in Gaza to be released in exchange for Palestinian women and children detained in Israeli prisons. The truce, broke by mediation of United States, Qatar and Egypt, begun after prolonged delay of 24 hours and killing of over 1,400 Palestinains mostly children after October 7 surprice attack in which 1,400 people killed. The pause in fighting is due to begin at 7:00 am (05:00 GMT) in the Palestinian territories and Israel. More than 14,800 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7. In Israel, the official death toll from Hamas’s attacks stands at about 1,200. Israel intensified it attacks ahead of the pause in fighting, including an airstrike that killed at least 27 people at a UN school. The Red Cross will escort them to the Rafah border crossing and hand them over to the Israeli military who will begin the identification process. The captives will be taken to hospitals in Tel Aviv for physical ...

Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti has said that a “common citizen cannot even imagine” the facilities being provided to former prime minister Imran Khan in jail. In an interview with Independent Urdu published today, Bugti said: “The facilities provided to him (Imran) are more than those provided to an ordinary prisoner or a prime minister behind bars as he is, after all, a laadla of the courts. “The kind of facilities being provided to him in jail, they weren’t given to any prime minister and a common citizen cannot even imagine them,” he added. Recalling Imran’s arrest on May 9, Bugti claimed directives were issued “within two minutes” to take the PTI chief to Islamabad Police Lines in a Mercedes. The caretaker minister also mentioned former chief justice Umar Ata Bandial’s “good to see you” remarks during the May 11 hearing, saying that such instances strengthen his argument. “We direly need judicial reforms here,” he stated. Asked about the special court’s dir...

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday ruled that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) intra-party polls were not transparent, ordering the party to hold new elections if it wishes to retain its “bat” symbol. The PTI has been asked by the commission to hold fresh elections within 20 days in a reserved verdict announced today. In the verdict, the ECP stated that the PTI failed to hold free and fair intra-party elections, adding that the polls were objectionable and controversial. “PTI’s intra-party elections cannot be accepted,” stated the verdict, directing it to hold polls and submit the record within seven days. The ECP had issued notices to the PTI for not holding intra-party polls on August 2 and reserved its verdict on the matter on September 13. Today’s verdict will be a worry for the PTI as most of its leadership, including Chairman Imran Khan, his deputy Shah Mahmood Qureshi and party president Pervaiz Elahi, are in jail or have deserted the party followin...

Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, published footage of its resistance fighters directly confronting and targeting Israeli occupation force vehicles and soldiers during their aggression on Gaza. The video shows one of the fighters planting an IED on the back door of a Merkava tank and a group engaging a vehicle's crews at point blank with AKMs. Earlier, Al-Qassam published scenes of launching missiles toward the occupied Palestinian territories and hammering enemy positions on the contact lines with mortar shells. #WATCH | The Military Media of Al-Qassam Brigades published a video depicting its fighters engaging and destroying multiple Israeli vehicles. The video shows one of the fighters planting an IED on the back door of a Merkava tank and a group engaging a vehicle's crews at point… pic.twitter.com/0JCmxap2nY — Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) November 22, 2023 On the other hand, the head of the United Nations children's agency on Wednesday...

Following the court order, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) froze the properties and bank accounts of former federal minister Moonis Elahi – son of PTI President Parvez Elahi – in a money laundering case. Following court orders to investigate alleged money laundering activities, the FIA has frozen multiple bank accounts and properties linked to Moonis Elahi. The investigation revealed that Moonis Elahi had a total of eight bank accounts in Lahore, all of which have now been frozen by the FIA. According to official documents, more than Rs 487.6 million had been transacted through these accounts. Moonis Elahi also reportedly withdrew all the funds from the frozen bank accounts prior to FIA’s action. FIA has secured documents detailing the transactions, shedding light on the extent of the alleged financial misconduct. All bank accounts belonging to Moonis, that are believed to have been used by Moonis Elahi for both depositing and withdrawing money have been frozen. Officials ...

The prices of per tola 24 karat gold increased by Rs 900 and was sold at Rs 216,500 on Wednesday against its sale at Rs 215,600 the previous day. The price of 10 grams of 24 karat gold also increased by Rs 766 to Rs 185,614 from Rs 184,842 whereas the prices of and 10 gram 22 karat gold increased to Rs 170,146 from Rs 169,439, the All Sindh Sarafa Jewellers Association reported. The price of per tola and ten gram Silver witnessed no change and was sold at Rs 2,550 and 2,186.21 respectively. The price of gold in the international market increased by $11 to $2,022 from $2,011, the Association reported.

In a positive development, WhatsApp is introducing a new feature that will allow its users to link their email addresses with their accounts. The new feature will allow the users of the meta-owned platform to log into their WhatsApp accounts without needing the six-digit verification code that is received through SMS. Though not officially announced by the platform, WaBetaInfo has termed the 23.24.70 WhatsApp update on iOS as "compatible" with some users even able to experience this new feature by installing the previous update. The feature will especially be useful for users who face temporary issues in receiving the verification code — due to network, SIM or other issues — required to log into WhatsApp accounts on mobile phones. Users can simply go to "WhatsApp Settings > Account" to experiment with this new feature. It is pertinent to know that the meta-owned platform is not abolishing the "traditional" login method — via SMS verification code...

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has accused France of destabilising the South Caucasus region by supporting separatists. "France destabilises not only its past and present colonies but also our region, the South Caucasus, by supporting separatist tendencies and separatists,” Aliyev said in an address to participants of an international conference in Baku. Aliyev said that France implements a "militaristic policy" by providing military aid to Armenia, while also accusing Paris of encouraging "revanchist forces" in Armenia, and preparing "the ground for the start of new wars in our region." Aliyev also accused France of continuing a policy of neocolonialism and committing “most of the bloody crimes in the colonial history of humanity.” He added that France should be “ashamed of its history of colonialism rich in bloody crimes," but it talks about "fictitious ethnic cleansing in other countries" instead of "apologising for th...

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar says Pakistan is a peace loving country and desires to maintain friendly relations with all especially neighbouring countries. Addressing the passing out parade at PAF Asghar Khan Academy in Risalpur today, he said our desire for peace must not be understood as weakness. The Prime Minister said there can be no peace without the just settlement of the Kashmir issue. While congratulating the graduating cadets, the Prime Minister said that you carry the hopes of the nation. He said Pakistan would not indulge in any arms race, but we would continue to enhance our capabilities in line with the evolving character of the warfare due to fast changes in technology to deter any aggression. The Prime Minister said Armed Forces of Pakistan are professionally competent and well trained to cope with all internal and external challenges.

Yemen's Armed Forces have released a video showing their earlier capture of an Israeli ship during a recent operation in the Red Sea in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip who are under Israel's genocidal war. Yemeni forces released the footage on Monday, a day after seizing the vessel, which was traveling under the name of Galaxy Leader. The video shows the country's forces dropping from a military helicopter onto the deck of the Israeli ship "following a monitoring and control operation." It also shows the forces raising Yemeni and Palestinian flags on the deck of the vessel after bringing it under their full control and redirecting it towards the Yemeni coast. The Houthis in Yemen release footage of their seizure of the Israeli-linked “Galaxy Leader” ship in the Red Sea yesterday. pic.twitter.com/jeGzvZMqPc — Ariel Oseran (@ariel_oseran) November 20, 2023 According to media reports, it followed earlier warnings by Yemen's Ansarullah resistanc...

The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday reserved its verdict on an intra-court appeal filed by PTI Chairman Imran Khan against a single-member bench’s decision that had approved the ex-premier’s jail trial in the cipher case. An IHC division bench, comprising Justice Mian­gul Hassan Aur­angzeb and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, is expected to announce the decision at 5:30pm. As the proceedings resumed today, Imran’s lawyer Advocate Salman Akram Raja started presenting his arguments. Citing the high court rules, he said a judge’s permission was mandatory for a jail trial. “The judge then informs relevant ministry via the high court or district magistrate or commissioner’s office,” he argued. Here, Justice Aurangzeb inquired what the judge should do foremost for a jail trial. In his response, Raja said the judge had to list reasons for the same with a “clear mind”. However, the lawyer continued, the reasons for Imran’s jail trial were not conveyed in the Aug 29 documents. It must be note...

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced on Monday that ousted OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, along with co-founder Greg Brockman, will be joining Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team. According to international media reports, former OpenAI President and co-founder Brockman had quit over Altman's firing on Friday. Meanwhile, tech publications on Monday published what it said was a letter from some of OpenAI's most senior staff members threatening to quit en masse and follow Altman to Microsoft unless the company's board was replaced. "Your actions have made it obvious that you are incapable of overseeing OpenAI," said the letter. Signatories included the company's chief scientist, Ilya Sutskever, and even one member of the four-person board that had ousted Altman. Microsoft is OpenAI's key business partner and has invested billions of dollars into the startup and helped provide the computing power to run its AI systems. "We remain committed ...

At least 12 people were martyred and scores injured in Israeli shelling of the Indonesian Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday, the Health Ministry in the blockaded enclave said. In a statement, the ministry warned that the lives of thousands of patients, medical personnel and displaced people “are at the risk of death as a result of the direct and repeated bombardment of the Indonesian Hospital.” According to media reports, there are 150 patients, 100 medical staff and thousands of displaced people inside the facility. Witnesses said the Israeli shelling caused the hospital to lose electricity after its generators stopped working. Since Israel started bombarding Gaza on Oct. 7 following a Hamas attack, at least 13,000 Palestinians have been martyred, including over 9,000 women and children, and more than 30,000 others have been injured, according to the latest figures. Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques and churches, have also been damaged or destroye...

Libertarian outsider Javier Milei pulled off a massive upset Sunday with a resounding win in Argentina’s presidential election, plunging the country into uncertainty in the midst of a crippling economic crisis. According to international media reports, the self-described “anarcho-capitalist” fired up Argentines fed-up with decades of economic stagnation under the long-dominant populist Peronist coalition. While polls had predicted a tight race, provisional results showed Milei had won with 55.7 per cent of the vote to 44pc scored by his rival, the Economy Minister Sergio Massa, who rapidly conceded defeat. Thousands of Milei supporters waved flags and chanted “freedom” as they celebrated outside his campaign headquarters. Milei, a 53-year-old economist with wild hair and thick sideburns, has drawn comparisons with former US president Donald Trump and Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro for his abrasive style and controversial remarks. His main platform has been a plan to ditch the ailing pe...

On Sunday, Australia secured victory in the final of the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023 at the Ahmedabad Cricket Stadium, defeating the host team India. Following the final of the mega event, the ICC revealed the Team of the Tournament, in which a notable absence stands out, as no Pakistani cricketers secured a spot in the esteemed lineup. The selection panel, consisting of Ian Bishop, Kass Naidoo, Shane Watson, Wasim Khan, and Sunil Vaidya, finalized the team based on standout performances during the tournament. The team announced by the International Cricket Council includes six Indian players: Captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami. The Team of the Tournament also features two Australian players: Glenn Maxwell, and Adam Zampa, along with a Sri Lankan player, Dilshan Madushanka, New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell and South African player Quinton de Kock. Gerald Coetzee has been included as the twelfth player for the Team of the...

Supreme Court's Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi Monday accused the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) of instigating a media trial against him in a plea challenging the show-cause notice (SCN) issued to him by the judicial panel on October 27. Justice Mazahar Ali Naqvi has challenged the proceedings of the complaint against the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC). Justice Mazahar Naqvi has requested the Supreme Court to stop the SJC from taking any action against him by terminating its proceedings. He further pleaded that Council's notice issued to him should be declared illegal. The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) will begin hearing of references against Justice Mazahir Naqvi today (Monday). The Supreme Judicial Council has sought complete records of two properties in Lahore in the name of Justice Mazahir Naqvi. Complete records of Plot No. 144 Block F-One in Gulberg 3 Lahore and Plot No. 100 St. John's Park in Lahore Cantt have been sought. The concerned government departme...

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been able to agree on the basic principles for a peace treaty but are still “speaking different diplomatic languages”, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Saturday, according to Russia’s TASS news agency. The two countries have been at odds for decades, most notably over the breakaway Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which Baku’s forces recaptured in September, prompting a mass exodus of ethnic Armenians from it. But Pashinyan said there had been some progress in talks over a peace treaty even though he was cited as saying that the two countries still often struggled to agree on some things. “We have good and bad news about the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process,” TASS quoted Pashinyan as saying in Yerevan. “It is good that the basic principles of peace with Azerbaijan have been agreed. “This happened throu­gh the mediation of the head of the European Council Charles Michel as a result of my meetings with Azerbaijan’s president in Bru...

It was not known if Pat Cummins was searching ‘How to silence a big, partisan crowd’ as the Australia captain entered the press conference room fiddling with his phone but he conceded that was pretty much the plan for the World Cup final against India. As if India’s formidable batting lineup and fiery bowling attack were not handful enough, Australia will also have to deal with boisterous Indian fans, who will be egging on Rohit Sharma and his team on Sunday. Not a single seat in the 130,000-capacity Narendra Modi Stadium is likely to stay unoccupied when five-time champions Australia clash with an India side who are unbeaten in the tournament. But Australia are a team full of big-match performers who also know what it’s like to play in cricket-crazy India from their time in the Indian Premier League. Cummins said the best way to overcome a challenge like that was to embrace it. “The crowd’s obviously going to be very one-sided but in sport, there’s nothing more satisfying than ...

United States’ Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Bloom called on former prime minister Nawaz Sharif at his Jati Umra residence. “Nawaz Sharif received US envoy Donald Bloom at Jati Umra,” the PML-N said in a party statement. “The US ambassador and Nawaz Sharif exchanged views over the political and economic situation of Pakistan,” according to statement. Sharif emphasized the importance of bilateral relations the US and Pakistan. He expressed hope that the people of Pakistan will vote to the PML-N in the upcoming general elections, the party stated. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s supreme leader, who returned from self-exile in London on October 21, recently addressing the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that Pakistan’s currency and economic system has devastated, and prices have increased by five-fold. “It is our responsibility and duty to emancipate the people from price hike and poverty.” “People want education, health facilities and development,” he said. “It is the...

At least 26 people have been martyred in an Israeli strike on a residential building in the southern Gaza Strip’s Khan Younis region, the director of a local hospital has said. The director of the Nasser hospital told reporters, the facility had received 26 dead bodies and 23 people with serious injuries after a strike on the residential building in the city. A two-day blackout caused by fuel shortages ended after a first delivery arrived from Egypt late Friday, but UN officials continued to plead for a ceasefire, warning no part of Gaza is safe. On Saturday, the director of the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis said it had received the bodies of 26 people, as well as 23 people with serious injuries, after an air strike on a residential building in the southern region. Lack of fuel is jeopardizing ‘the entire architecture of the humanitarian response’ in the Israel-blockaded Gaza, where raw sewage is now flowing in the streets, the head of UNRWA, the UN agency that assists Palest...

The Ministry of Defence has filed intra-court appeal challenging the Supreme Court’s October 23 judgement, declaring as unconstitutional the trial of May 9 rioters in military courts. The petitioner appealed to the apex court to declare the five-judge bench’s order null and void, as well as grant a stay on the implementation of the order till this appeal is decided. The latest petition comes a day after the caretaker Sindh government challenged the Supreme Court’s decision against trials of civilians in the military courts. The plea moved by the Sindh government has stated that ‘SC did not review the law and circumstances.’ Earlier, the federal government informed the Supreme Court that military courts have initiated trials of civilians. The government in a miscellaneous petition to the apex court informed it about the beginning of trials of civilians in response to the court’s August 03 order. A total 102 individuals were arrested after May 09 and 10 incidents, the government ...

Former all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez will take charge as the head coach of the Pakistan team for the tour of upcoming tours of Australia and New Zealand. Hafeez was also recently named as the director of the national men's team, replacing Mickey Arthur. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is also likely to merge the roles of team director and head coach for three Test matches in Australia and five T20Is in New Zealand in December and January. The decision to appoint Hafeez is slightly surprising since the former captain doesn't have any coaching experience. Pakistan team is set to leave for Australia on November 30, and play a warm-up game against the Prime Minister's XI at the Manuka Oval from December 6 to 9. The first Test will start in Perth on December 14. Pakistan tour of Australia First Test: December 14-18, Perth Stadium Second Test: December 26-30, MCG Third Test: January 3-7, SCG Pakistan tour of New Zealand 12 Jan – 1st T20I, Auckland 14 Jan – 2nd T20I, H...