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  • Ishaq Dar meets BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in Dhaka

    Ishaq Dar meets BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in Dhaka

    DHAKA: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, paid a visit to Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson, Begum Khaleda Zia, at her residence in Dhaka on Sunday, August 24, ARY News reported.

    The meeting lasted about 15 minutes and was part of Ishaq Dar’s official two-day visit to Bangladesh, which was the first by a Pakistani foreign minister in over a decade.

    According to the Foreign Office of Pakistan, Ishaq Dar inquired about Khaleda Zia’s health and expressed best wishes on behalf of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

    Both leaders discussed bilateral relations, regional partnership, and strategies for fostering prosperity.

    Ishaq Dar praised the contributions of Khaleda Zia during her tenure as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister and recalled her 2006 visit to Pakistan, which was a significant moment in Pakistan-Bangladesh relations.

    Senior BNP leaders, including Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee member Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, were also part of the meeting, along with Pakistan’s Ambassador to Bangladesh, Imran Haider.

    Ishaq Dar’s visit came at a time when the relationship between the two countries is getting better after recent political changes in Bangladesh.

    The recent visit also matches with the signing of six agreements that will help with trade, media, academic exchanges, and make it easier to get visas.

    Read More: Ishaq Dar holds meetings with Bangladesh’s political leadership

    Earlier, Ishaq Dar met the political leadership of Bangladesh during his visit to the South Asian country.

    “As part of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister’s interaction with different political stakeholders, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar held a meeting with a delegation of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and National Citizens Party (NCP),” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X.

    Regional cooperation featured prominently in the discussions, during which Bangladesh’s foundational role in establishing SAARC was acknowledged.

  • NADRA rolls out new Pak ID features

    NADRA rolls out new Pak ID features

    ISLAMABAD:  The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has announced a key update to its Pak-ID mobile application, introducing different user-friendly features to simplify identity registration processes.

    The new features are aimed at providing ease to the people, especially for parents of young children.

    NADRA- NIC, NICOP, FRC Information Portal

    According to NADRA, the recent update in the Pak-ID app now allows parents to upload photographs directly from their mobile gallery while applying for the Child Registration Certificate (CRC) or identity card for children under the age of three.

    This addition in the Pak-ID mobile application eliminates the requirement of visiting NADRA offices in person and waiting in long queues.

    The user-centric feature has several upgrades, including the photo uploading flexibility, by which users can print their submitted photographs on official identity documents, family record updates, which help citizens update records of unregistered family members directly through the app, free Biometric access, which supports application submission without fingerprint or facial verification, improving accessibility for users with limited biometric access, and improved Urdu interface, that enhances Urdu language support and ensures clearer instructions and better navigation for native speakers.

    NADRA is bringing enhancements as part of its plan to advance services under the Pak Identity program.

    This includes features like tracking IDs in real time, booking appointments at NADRA centres, and paying fees online using services like Easypaisa, JazzCash, and e-Sahulat.

    NADRA is encouraging everyone to download or update the Pak-ID app, which can be used on both Android and iOS devices, to enjoy these new features completely.

    Read More: NADRA introduces application status tracking feature on Pak-ID app

    Earlier, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) introduced a new feature in its upgraded Pak-ID mobile application, enabling citizens to track the status of their applications online.

    With this feature, citizens no longer need to visit NADRA centres to obtain or update identity documents.

    All services related to CNICs, B-Forms, and Family Registration Certificates (FRCs) are now available through the Pak-ID mobile app.

  • Man Utd still winless after Fulham draw, Everton win to open new stadium

    Man Utd still winless after Fulham draw, Everton win to open new stadium

    Manchester United remain without a Premier League win this season after being held 1-1 at Fulham on Sunday, while a Jack Grealish-inspired Everton opened their new stadium with a 2-0 victory over Brighton.

    Ruben Amorim’s United were left to rue Bruno Fernandes’ wayward first-half penalty as they were pegged back at Craven Cottage.

    Rodrigo Muniz’s own-goal put United in front on the hour mark, but Emile Smith Rowe came off the bench to rescue a point for Fulham.

    Amorim is seeking an upturn on a disastrous 15th-placed finish last season, but so far his new £200 million ($270 million) forward line of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, who again started on the bench, is yet to fire.

    Despite an encouraging performance, Manchester United lost 1-0 to title-chasing Arsenal in their season opener last weekend and will feel another two points slipped away in west London.

    Fulham, though, felt the visitors got the better of two controversial calls.

    United’s penalty was awarded after a VAR review for grappling by Calvin Bassey on Mason Mount.

    Fernandes is normally reliable from the spot, but blasted his effort high over the bar.

    When Manchester United did finally get their first goal of the season it came via a Fulham body as Muniz deflected Leny Yoro’s header into his own net.

    Read more: Fans’ anger justified after Atletico’s poor start to season, says Simeone

    However, the home side were furious that this time VAR did not intervene for a push by Yoro on Bassey.

    Fulham still managed to rescue a point when former Arsenal midfielder Smith Rowe’s run into the box was not tracked and he turned in Alex Iwobi’s cross 17 minutes from time.

    – Everton’s new era –

    After an emotional goodbye to Goodison Park, the club’s home since 1892, Everton are hoping the move to a new 53,000 capacity stadium will rekindle their bygone glory days.

    Only four clubs have won more English top-flight titles than Everton’s nine.

    However, they have not won a major trophy for 30 years and spent their final seasons at Goodison battling relegation.

    “We’re trying to find a way of moving the club on. I think this is a big step forward for Everton,” said manager David Moyes.

    Grealish has so far been the marquee new addition to Moyes’ squad and showed glimpses of the talent that saw Manchester City pay Aston Villa £100 million for him four years ago, providing the assist for both goals.

    Iliman Ndiaye scored the final goal at Goodison against Southampton in May and made more history with the first goal at Everton’s new home.

    Grealish was the creator with a drilled left foot cross that Ndiaye timed his run perfectly to meet at the back post on 23 minutes.

    Brighton should not have come away from Merseyside empty-handed but wasted a series of chances.

    Kaoru Mitoma struck the bar and Jan Paul van Hecke’s effort came back off the post, while Danny Welbeck spooned over with the goal gaping.

    James Garner doubled Everton’s lead early in the second period with a blistering strike from Grealish’s lay-off.

    Brighton still had the chance to set up a nervy finale, but Jordan Pickford saved Welbeck’s poor penalty to round off a memorable afternoon for the Toffees.

    – Nuno no go –

    Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo insisted he wants to remain in charge after his side’s 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace.

    Callum Hudson-Odoi rescued a point for Forest after Ismaila Sarr’s first-half opener for Palace.

    Nuno said on Friday his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis had deteriorated as odds on him being the first Premier League manager of the season to be sacked were slashed.

    “That is nonsense. That does not make any kind of sense,” said the Portuguese coach on whether he is trying to engineer an exit from the club.

  • ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ debuts with near-perfect RT score

    ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ debuts with near-perfect RT score

    Netflix’s ‘The Thursday Murder Club,’ starring Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan, debuted with an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score.

    Click here to read more Lifestyle stories

    Directed by Chris Columbus, the film is based on Richard Osman‘s best-selling novel of the same name.

    As per its synopsis, “The Thursday Murder Club follows four irrepressible retirees – Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley) and Joyce (Celia Imrie) – who spend their time solving cold case murders for fun.

    “When an unexplained death occurs on their own doorstep, their casual sleuthing takes a thrilling turn as they find themselves with a real whodunit on their hands. Directed by Chris Columbus, the film is the latest to be produced through the Netflix and Amblin Entertainment partnership.”

    The film, which arrived in theatres in the United Kingdom on August 22, will debut on Netflix on August 28.

    Read more: Helen Mirren, 80, gets honest about her retirement plans

    Ahead of its streaming release, critics have given a near-perfect score to the film on Rotten Tomatoes.

    Based on 14 different critics’ reviews, the film has earned a near-perfect 93 precent score.

    Majority of the critics gave the film scores between 7 out of 10 and 9 out of 10, indicating that the Netflix film has left quite a positive impression.

    Apart from Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan, the film also stars Ben Kingsley, Jonathan Pryce, Richard E. Grant, Celia Imrie, David Tennant, Naomi Ackie, and Tom Ellis.

    At the film’s premiere in London last week, Mirren said that it was great to see older people’s life experiences celebrated on screen.

    “We underestimate older people. I did it when I was 25,” Helen Mirren said at the time.

  • ‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ tops box office after dominating streaming charts

    ‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ tops box office after dominating streaming charts

    Netflix’s ‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ conquered the box office on its theatrical debut after dominating streaming charts.

    Click here to read more Lifestyle stories

    According to US media outlets, the animated film has raked in an estimated $18 million to $20 million on Saturday and Sunday at the US box office.

    The opening weekend figures have made ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ the first No. 1 film for Netflix at the box office.

    While the film made its debut in June, Netflix announced a special two-day theatrical run of the animated film in collaboration with Sony.

    With the estimated earnings of around $20 million, ‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ dethroned ‘Weapons,’ which earned $15.6 million during the period.

    On Netflix, the film is the second-biggest title of all time, with more than 200 million views.

    The animated film took just two days to surpass ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,’ which attracted $15 million views over a week in 2022.

    Read more: ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ debuts on Netflix with stellar RT score

    As Netflix does not report the box office business of its films, ‘Weapons’ remains the official No. 1 film in its third weekend of release.

    ‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ follows a “K-pop girl group, Huntrix, consisting of Mira, Rumi and Zoey, who lead double lives as demon hunters to face off against a rival boy band.”

    Based on a story by Maggie Kang around her Korean heritage, she co-wrote the screenplay with Hannah McMechan, Danya Jimenez and Chris Appelhans, and also co-directed the animated feature with the latter.

    Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo-seop, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong and Byung-hun Lee voice the characters in the film.

  • Gearbox CEO drops hints about Borderlands 4 difficulty level

    Gearbox CEO drops hints about Borderlands 4 difficulty level

    Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford has shared some insights into the difficulty level for players in the upcoming Borderlands 4.

    The upcoming title is scheduled to launch on September 12 for PlayStation 5, Xbox consoles and PC, while the game will arrive on Nintendo Switch 2 on October 3.

    Ahead of the launch, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford admitted that he was ‘nervous’ about players’ potential reaction to the challenging difficulty in Borderlands 4.

    Speaking at Gamescom 2025, Pitchford shared what level of challenges players should expect from the game once its releases.

    “We have lots of players that actually aren’t interested in deep, hard challenges; lots of people that love just exploring the Borderlands or spending time with the characters,” he said.

    Read more: Gearbox CEO confirms exciting feature in Borderlands 4

    Pitchford continued, “I’m a little nervous because there are points of Borderlands 4 that are more challenging.”

    However, players will have an alternate way around it as they could level up somewhere else in the game.

    “One of the coolest things about Borderlands 4, because of the nature of the RPG, is if anything is a little challenging for you, you can just grind somewhere and level up and become more powerful,” the Gearbox CEO said.

    He added, “You will find that things that were hard when you were a little chump will become trivial when you become a badass. But we definitely have pushed the challenges quite a lot, especially with bosses and boss fight mechanics.”

    Available for pre-order, the upcoming title in the looter shooter will launch in three editions—Standard, Deluxe, and Super Deluxe—on all platforms, with prices set at $69.99, $99.99, and $129.99, respectively.

  • Rabi-ul-Awwal Moon not sighted, Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) on Sep 6

    Rabi-ul-Awwal Moon not sighted, Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) on Sep 6

    KARACHI: The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee has announced that the Rabi-ul-Awwal moon was not sighted, ARY News reported on Sunday.

    As per the committee, tomorrow (Monday) will be observed as the 30th of Safar, and Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) will be celebrated on Saturday, September 6.

    The Rabi-ul-Awwal is the Islamic month celebrated for the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

    Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad chaired the meeting, which was held at the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s Met Office after Asr prayers.

    Zonal committee meetings were held in Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, and other cities for the sighting of the Rabi-ul-Awwal moon.

    The final announcement regarding the sighting of the moon was made after no evidences were received from different parts of the country, by the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.

    The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) had earlier predicted that the moon of Rabi-ul-Awwal 1447 Hijri is expected to be born on August 23 at 11:06 AM.

    By the evening of August 24, the Rabi-ul-Awwal moon would be 32 hours and 13 minutes old, increasing the likelihood of it being visible, a SUPARCO spokesperson said.

    A spokesperson added that in coastal regions, there would be a 45-minute interval between sunset and moonset, a favourable condition for moon sighting.

    Read More: Hajj 2026: Over 188,000 registered as application process closes

    Earlier, The Ministry of Religious Affairs (MORA) had officially finalised the application process for Pakistan’s Government Hajj Scheme 2026.

    According to the ministry’s resources, a total of 118,060 applications were received from different parts of the country, marking the end of this year’s submission phase. The application process was concluded in just 17 days, earlier than in previous years, due to the high number of applicants, despite applications being accepted online and through banks on a first-come, first-served basis.

    People submitted their applications for both short and long Hajj trips, indicating their different preferences.

  • China lauds Pakistan Army’s role in bilateral ties

    China lauds Pakistan Army’s role in bilateral ties

    ISLAMABAD: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi lauded the Pakistan Army, calling it a “loyal and strong protector” of the Pakistan-China relationship, ARY News reported.

    Wang Yi’s statement came in a meeting with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, during his official visit to Islamabad for the sixth Pakistan-China Strategic Dialogue.

    The two highlighted the determination of the Pakistan-China strategic partnership and reiterated mutual commitments to regional stability, counter-terrorism, and economic cooperation.

    Wang Yi emphasised that in a volatile global situation, fostering a strong China-Pakistan relationship plays a vital role in regional stability and peace.

    Highlighting Pakistan’s importance in China’s diplomacy, Wang Yi indicated that the relationship has endured the test of time and has been strengthened through common beliefs and mutual respect.

    He reiterated China’s firm backing for Pakistan’s regional integrity and national security, and greeted the active role of Pakistan in global affairs.

    In his response, Field Marshal Asim Munir described China as the “iron brother” of Pakistan, confirming that both nations have consistently supported each other in times of hardship, which has fostered the Pakistan-China relationship more than past.

    Asim Munir thanked China for its valuable contributions to the economic and social development of Pakistan, and repeated the Pakistan Army’s pledge to enhance counter-terrorism and security cooperation.

    Field Marshal Asim Munir assured the Pakistan Army’s non-stop efforts to safeguard Chinese personnel, projects, and institutions in Pakistan.

    This high-level meeting comes after new progress in CPEC 2.0 and shows that there’s a strong effort to improve cooperation between the two sides in areas like defence, diplomacy, and development.

    Read More: “We will not sacrifice one friend for another,” Field Marshal on US-China relations

    Earlier, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, strongly dismissed speculation about any leadership change, terming such rumours as “baseless and malicious.”

    Speaking at an event in Brussels, COAS said those spreading such claims were opponents of both the government and state institutions.

  • WATCH: Travis Head hits 17 fours, five sixes to smash 142 against South Africa

    WATCH: Travis Head hits 17 fours, five sixes to smash 142 against South Africa

    Australia opening batter Travis Head was in supreme touch as he smashed 142 against South Africa in the third ODI at Mackay on Sunday.

    Head opened the inning with captain Mitchell Marsh after they won the toss and opted to bat first.

    Both batters looked set on the crease as they took on the South Africa bowling lineup early in the innings.

    The pair provided the home side with a 250-run opening stand, the fifth-highest for Australia in ODIs.

    The partnership between Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh is also the highest opening partnership against South Africa, surpassing 200 by former England opening pair of Vikram Solanki and Marcus Trescothick in 2003.

    This is also the third time Head was part of a stand of 250 runs or more, behind only David Warner, who has featured in such opening partnerships five times.

    While Marsh scored a 106-ball century, it was Travis Head who was the core aggressor for Australia in the third ODI.

    Read more: Australia’s Connolly scripts history with five-for against South Africa

    The left-handed batter took just 103 balls to score 142 runs before his dismissal to Keshav Maharaj on the first ball of the 35th over.

    In his inning, the star Australia batter hit 17 fours and five towering sixes, translating into 98 runs out of his 142 runs.

    Following centuries by Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh, Camerson Green hit a fiery 47-ball ton to put Australia in a commanding position in the game against South Africa.

    Green remained unbeaten on 118 off just 55 balls, with the help of six fours and eight sixes, to help Australia to 431/2 in their 50 overs.

    In response, the tourists were bundled out for 155 inside 25 overs, with spinner Cooper Connolly picking up a five-wicket haul.

  • PCB reschedules women’s talent hunt trials in Lahore amid rain forecast

    PCB reschedules women’s talent hunt trials in Lahore amid rain forecast

    LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has rescheduled the trials for U19 and Emerging Women cricketers amid rain forecasts for the city.

    In a statement on Sunday, the PCB announced that the August 25 trials at the LCCA Ground in Lahore will now be held on September 4 at the same venue.

    This is the second rescheduling of the trials, following the board’s announcement of a delay in the trials, scheduled for Karachi.

    Last week, the PCB announced that the August 21 trials would be held on September 2 at the Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre in Karachi.

    Updated countrywide schedule of the trials:

    Rawalpindi/Islamabad – August 26 – Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium

    Peshawar – August – 27 – Qayyum Stadium, Peshawar

    Mardan – August 28 – Mardan Board Cricket Ground, Mardan

    Quetta – August 28 – Bugti Stadium, Quetta

    Multan – September 2 – Inzamam-ul-Haq High-Performance Centre, Multan

    Karachi – September 2 – Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre

    Bahawalpur – September 3 – Women Sports Stadium, Bahawalpur

    Lahore – September 4 – LCCA Ground

    The PCB’s announcement about the trials came as heavy monsoon rains devastated parts of the country last week.

    Over a dozen lost their lives in different rain-related incidents in Karachi after a three-day spell battered the city.

    The heavy rains triggered flash floods in parts of Karachi, as citizens were stranded inside their vehicles on inundated roads.

    Several areas in the city were left without power for hours after dozens of K-Electric’s feeders tripped during the intense downpour.

    As per the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), at least 657 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents across Pakistan since June 26, while 929 others have been injured.

    Meanwhile, the NDMA has issued foracasts for torrential rains with strong winds in Islamabad, Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan between August 23 and 27.