- Biden says Taliban now in ‘existential crisis’
President Joe Biden said on Thursday that the Taliban have not changed but are going through an “existential crisis” about whether they want legitimacy on the global stage as they have taken over Afghanistan.
- 18 judges served on ad hoc basis in SC
As the controversy surrounding the appointment of Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Sheikh as an ad hoc judge of the Supreme Court persists, a peep into the past revealed that 18 judges of different high courts or the apex court have served the top court in their capacity as ad hoc judges during different periods.
- Seminary principal, teacher booked for torturing, sexually assaulting student in Rawalpindi
The principal and a female instructor of a seminary were booked by Pirwadhai police after a student accused them of sexually assaulting and torturing her.
According to the first information report (FIR), the victim’s father said his daughter had been studying at the seminary since the last seven years. He said he received a phone call from the management, requesting him to pick up his daughter as she had fainted.
The victim, upon regaining consciousness, informed him that the seminary principal had been trying to harass her for the last five to six months but she always managed to avoid him. The suspect had also been telling the victim that if she told anyone about what he had been trying to do, he would kill her.
- Airlift secures $85m financing
Airlift, a Lahore-based online shopping delivery service, has raised $85 million in Series B financing, the largest single private funding round in Pakistan’s history.
- China can contribute to Afghan development: Taliban spokesman
China has played a constructive role in promoting peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan and is welcome to contribute to the rebuilding of the country, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said.
- Drone-like device over Banigala, Bhara Kahu keeps Islamabad police on their toes
Law enforcement agencies were alerted and a search operation was launched after a drone-like device was sighted in Banigala and Bhara Kahu areas on Wednesday.
- Man surrenders after claiming to have bomb near US Capitol
The man who claimed to have a bomb in a pickup truck near the United States Capitol has surrendered to law enforcement, ending an hours-long standoff on Thursday.
- Pakistani ambassador meets Karzai, Abdullah to discuss ‘efforts for stability’ in Afghanistan
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan on Thursday met former Afghan president Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, a senior official in the ousted government, to discuss the situation in the neighbouring country where the Taliban have announced the creation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
- Taliban urge people to leave Kabul airport after 12 killed since Sunday
At least 12 people have been killed in and around the airport in Kabul, Taliban and Nato officials said, since the Taliban seized the city on Sunday, triggering a rush of fearful people trying to leave.
- Taliban announce creation of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, will rule country through council
Afghanistan may be governed by a ruling council now that the Taliban have taken over, while the movement’s supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, would likely remain in overall charge, a senior member of the group said.
- Malaysian king says new PM must swiftly seek confidence vote
Malaysia’s king said on Wednesday that the new prime minister he picks must swiftly seek a confidence vote in parliament after a deadline for all lawmakers to submit the names of their preferred candidates to the palace passed.
- Sindh defers its plan to import vaccines as center boosts supply
The Sindh government has put on hold its plan to import vaccines amid improved supplies from the centre and multiple unsolved issues between the provincial and federal governments which were crucial to complete the process.
- Polish athlete auctions off Olympic silver medal to help pay for infant’s heart surgery
A Polish javelin thrower has auctioned off her 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medal to help pay for heart surgery for an infant.
On Instagram, Maria Andrejczyk said that she had collected over half a million zlotys ($128,380) for the ailing baby in cooperation with a local convenience store brand.
The 25-year-old athlete won a silver medal for her 64.61-metre women’s javelin throw in the Games on August 6, with China’s Liu Shiying taking the gold with a 66.34.
- Taliban to allow men’s cricket; status of smaller women’s programmes unclear
The Taliban have said they will not interfere with the Afghan men’s national cricket team, the country’s biggest sporting success of recent years, or stop the expansion of the flagship Twenty20 league, an Afghan cricket
COVID-19 Updates
- With 3,239 new COVID-19 cases, 70 deaths recorded in the last 24 hours
- 89,673 COVID-19 cases are active in the country
- The total death tally of Covid-19 stands at 24,783
- 3,027 people recovered from Coronavirus in the last 24 hours
- The positivity rate of Covid-19 is recorded at 6.2%
- Over 207.1 million are infected globally
- More than 4.3 million have died due to the virus
- Over 170 million recovered from COVID-19
- US probing Moderna vaccine for higher heart inflammation risk: report
- Scientists question evidence behind US Covid-19 booster shot drive
- South Korea extends social distancing, allows fully vaccinated some leeway
- New Zealand PM extends lockdown as virus outbreak widens
- 547 Covid infections detected in KP, 29 in Balochistan
- Punjab logs 956 new Covid cases, 24 deaths
- Islamabad and AJK collectively report 498 Covid cases, 3 deaths
- Pakistan’s Covid-19 recoveries cross 1 million mark
- Japan imposes ’emergency’ measures against virus
- Mexico battles surge in Covid-19 cases as deaths top 250,000
