Tue, 21-Oct-2025

Europe could see ‘another half million Covid-19 deaths’ by February, WHO warns

COPENHAGEN: The rising number of cases of Covid-19 in Europe is of “grave concern” and the region could see another half a million deaths by early next year, the World Health Organisation warned on Thursday. With 78 million cases in the WHO’s European region — which spans 53 countries and territories and includes several nations in Central Asia — … Read more

Pakistan facilitating foreign investors: PM Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that the government was extending all possible support to foreign investors through the policy of “ease of doing business”. The prime minister expressed these views in a meeting with Finance Adviser Shaukat Tarin and Commerce Adviser Razak Dawood. The prime minister emphasised on improving trade with regional … Read more

From Nigeria to India, Gen Z taps apps to invest

MUMBAI: There’s a new generation of investors in town. They’re young, they get their tips on YouTube, and they’re armed with apps that make the stock markets more accessible than ever before. US investment app Robinhood has made a splash in the West with its mission to open the markets to “everyday people”, but from Nigeria … Read more

Finance takes centre stage at UN climate talks

GLASGOW: Attention turned Wednesday to how the world will pay for its plan to decarbonise and help vulnerable nations survive climate change, after a world leaders’ summit at COP26 that yielded a landmark methane slashing deal. But a simmering diplomatic spat between the United States, China and Russia over the other’s climate ambition showed the fragile … Read more

4.8-magnitude earthquake hits parts of Badin, Thatta and Karachi

BADIN: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 jolted parts of Badin, Thatta and Karachi on Thursday afternoon. According to the Pakistan Met Department (PMD), the epicentre of the earthquake was near the southwest of Badin in the northeast of Sindh at a depth of 17 kilometres. The tremors were also felt in New Chali, Pakistan Chowk … Read more

Taliban leader warns against infiltrators in the ranks

KABUL: The supreme leader of the Taliban warned Thursday against the danger of turncoats and infiltrators in the movement that has taken charge of Afghanistan. Reflecting the seriousness of the threat, the reclusive Haibatullah Akhundzada issued a rare written public statement to urge Taliban commanders to purge their ranks. In it he says “all those elders of their groups must … Read more

19 countries vow to end overseas fossil fuel finance

GLASGOW: Nineteen countries, including the United States, vowed Thursday to end direct funding for all unabated overseas fossil fuel projects by 2022, though major coal, oil and gas funders China, Japan and South Korea were absent from the pledge. G20 nations last month agreed to end financial support for new unabated coal plants abroad, but … Read more

Zayn Malik has become aggressive as a result of his marijuana use

Zayn Malik

The sources have stated that Zayn Malik’s marijuana intake has a lot to do with his behavioral change as he faces public attention over his newest issue. An informant told a newspaper that the former One Direction bandmate’s pot addiction has made him “aggressive” and “paranoid.” “Zayn has the impression that life is conspiring against … Read more

Toyota lifts annual profit forecast despite production cuts

TOKYO: Toyota upgraded its full-year profit forecast on Thursday after a strong quarter that saw it weather production cuts caused by a chip crunch and supply chain issues in pandemic-hit Southeast Asia. The world’s top-selling automaker has recovered quicker than its competitors from some of the impact from Covid, but has been unable to avoid the … Read more

US says China expanding nuclear arsenal faster than anticipated

WASHINGTON: China is expanding its nuclear arsenal much more quickly than anticipated, the United States has said, but Beijing on Thursday slammed the Pentagon report as overhyping the threat. The United States has declared China its principal security concern for the future, as Beijing works to build the People’s Liberation Army into “world-class forces” by … Read more

Roche repurchases own shares held by rival Novartis

ZURICH: Swiss pharmaceuticals giant Roche said Thursday that it will buy back around one third of its voting capital currently held by rival Novartis as the two groups disentangle their ties for greater strategic flexibility. The two drug-makers said in separate statements that Roche would repurchase 53.3 million of its own shares currently held by Novartis … Read more

The Amazon: a paradise lost?

SAO FELIX DO XINGU, Brazil: Seen from the sky, the Amazon is an endless expanse of deep green, a place where life explodes from every surface, broken only by the blue rivers snaking across it. Endless, that is, until it isn’t. Fly toward the edges of the world’s biggest rainforest, and you will come to the … Read more

Global CO2 emissions set to rebound this year to pre-Covid levels

Global CO2 emissions mainly caused by burning fossil fuels are set to rebound in 2021 to levels seen before the Covid pandemic, according to an assessment published Thursday that served as a “reality check” to vague decarbonisation pledges at a UN climate summit. Overall, CO2 pollution this year will be just shy of the record … Read more

Meet the finfluencers: TikTok’s investment gurus

SYDNEY: Trying to figure out how the stock markets work? These days you’re as likely to turn to a social media influencer for advice as a financial adviser dressed in a suit. Across the globe, baby-faced investment gurus in their twenties are building huge followings on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok by offering tips on how … Read more

Australia police say suspect in Cleo Smith abduction ‘acted alone’

PERTH, Australia: The man suspected of abducting a four-year-old Australian girl “acted alone”, police said on Thursday, as they released an audio recording of the touching moment she was rescued. Cleo Smith disappeared from her family’s tent in remote Western Australia last month, sparking a frantic air, land and sea search. She was missing for 18 days until being rescued … Read more

PM Imran Khan, other politicians wish Hindu community on Diwali

Diwali

Prime Minister Imran Khan along with other Pakistani politicians, took to Twitter on Thursday and wished the country’s Hindu community “happy Diwali” as they celebrate the festival of lights today. “Wishing all our Hindu community a happy Diwali,” tweeted PM Imran. Wishing all our Hindu community a happy Diwali. — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 4, … Read more

PM Imran calls for teaching ethics in schools to help build character of Muslim youth

Interacting with the envoys of Muslim countries on the establishment of Rehmatul-lil-Alameen,

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has hoped for active collaboration amongst the Muslim countries to promote the true teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Interacting with the envoys of Muslim countries on the establishment of the Rehmatul-Lil-Alameen Authority, PM wished to see coordination between the governments and scholars and academia of the Muslim world. The premier … Read more

Coal workers feel pain of France’s climate goals

GARDANNE, France: The Gardanne smokestack is the highest in France at 295 metres (975 feet) but the mood at the power station beneath the once-proud chimney has reached an all-time low. Gardanne is one of the last remaining French coal-fired stations. Ever since the government announced the closure of its coal plants three years ago to help meet climate … Read more

Shehbaz Sharif rejects PM’s welfare package, terms it ‘bundle of lies’

Shehbaz Sharif PML-N president

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) on Thursday rejected Prime Minister Imran Khan’s ‘biggest relief package’, terming it a ‘bundle of lies.’ The premier announced the country’s biggest-ever subsidy package worth Rs120 billion on Wednesday, providing a 30 per cent discount on ghee, flour and pulses to support 130 million people. The beneficiaries of the package … Read more

British minister in France for talks on fishing row

PARIS: Britain’s Brexit minister is due in Paris on Thursday for talks on the fishing rights crisis that has further strained already tense relations between the two countries. The meeting comes a day after a French court released a British trawler impounded for a week as part of the deepening dispute. David Frost will sit down with French … Read more

Feroze Khan Talks About Khuda Aur Muhabbat’s Relationship With Audiences

Khuda Aur Muhabbat

Khuda Aur Muhabbat, a Pakistani spiritual-romance series, is well-known. A man’s journey from “Virtual Love” to “Real Love” is shown in the drama. Feroze Khan, a multi-talented Pakistani actor, was recently sighted in an interview with “Something Haute.” Feroze Khan stated in his introduction to his latest project, ‘Khuda Aur Muhabbat,’ that “In my opinion, … Read more

Mexican president slams COP26 ‘hypocrisy’

MEXICO CITY: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Wednesday slammed participants in a major UN climate summit for their “hypocrisy,” accusing them of failing to address the root causes of the crisis and pointing to their use of private jets. The world’s top business and political figures are gathered in Glasgow this week for COP26, … Read more

Faysal Quraishi Avoids a Car Crash in Dubai

Faysal

Pakistani actor Faysal Qureshi has long been a household name in Pakistan’s entertainment industry. He has been in the profession since he was a youngster and has garnered appreciation for his dedication and excellent acting talent. He’s been in the industry for a long time and has a string of blockbuster dramas under his belt. … Read more