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Sports

Tennis great Serena Williams announces imminent retirement

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Saying “the countdown has begun,” 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams announced on Tuesday that she is ready to step away from tennis so she can turn her focus to having another child and her business interests, presaging the end of a career that transcended sports.
In an essay released Tuesday by Vogue magazine, and a post on Instagram — the sorts of direct-to-fans communication favored these days by celebrities, a category she most definitely fits — Williams was not completely clear on the timeline for her last match, but she made it sound as if that could be at the U.S. Open, which begins Aug. 29 in New York.
“There comes a time in life when we have to decide to move in a different direction. That time is always hard when you love something so much. My goodness do I enjoy tennis. But now, the countdown has begun,” Williams, who turns 41 next month, wrote on Instagram. “I have to focus on being a mom, my spiritual goals and finally discovering a different, but just (as) exciting Serena. I’m gonna relish these next few weeks.”
Williams, one of the greatest and most accomplished athletes in the history of her — or any other — sport, wrote in the essay that she does not like the word “retirement” and prefers to think of this stage of her life as “evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me.”
“I feel a great deal of pain. It’s the hardest thing that I could ever imagine. I hate it. I hate that I have to be at this crossroads,” she wrote. “I keep saying to myself, I wish it could be easy for me, but it’s not. I’m torn: I don’t want it to be over, but at the same time I’m ready for what’s next.”
That she would be publicly contemplating the end of her playing days is not all that surprising, given her age — her 10 Grand Slam titles after turning 30 are unsurpassed — her history of injuries and her recent record: one victory in a singles match in the past 12 months (that win arrived Monday in Toronto; she is scheduled to play again on Wednesday). “Serena Williams is a generational, if not multigenerational, talent who had a profound impact on the game of tennis, but an even greater influence on women in sports, business and society. At a time when our nation and the world have wrestled with essential issues of identity, Serena has stood as a singular exemplar of the best of humanity after breaking through countless barriers to her participation and ultimate success,” U.S. Open tournament director Stacey Allaster said. “She leaves an indelible legacy of grace and grit that will inspire athletes, female and male, for many generations to come. We can’t thank her enough for all she has done for our sport.” Williams’ status as an athlete, and a groundbreaker, is obvious to everyone. She was the first Black woman since Althea Gibson in 1958 to win a Grand Slam title; Williams and her older sister, seven-time major singles champion Venus, helped broaden the sport’s audience and attract new players.
“I grew up watching her. I mean, that’s the reason why I play tennis,” Coco Gauff, an 18-year-old African-American who was the runner-up at this year’s French Open, said Tuesday. “Tennis being a predominantly white sport, it definitely helped a lot, because I saw somebody who looked like me dominating the game. And it made me believe that I could dominate, too.” AP

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Cricket Sports

Australian cricket captain Lanning takes indefinite break

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Australian women’s cricket captain Meg Lanning on Wednesday said that she will take an indefinite break from the game to “spend time focusing on myself”.
The record-breaking 30-year-old made the announcement just days after leading her all-conquering team to Commonwealth Games gold.
“After a busy couple of years I’ve made the decision to take a step back to enable me to spend time focusing on myself,” Lanning said in a statement.
“I’m grateful for the support of CA (Cricket Australia) and my teammates and ask that my privacy is respected during this time.”
Commonwealth Games gold in Birmingham capped a hectic two-and-a-half-year string of successes for Australia and Lanning which included a World Cup triumph earlier this year.
“We’re proud of Meg for acknowledging that she needs a break and will continue to support her during this time,” Cricket Australia women’s head of performance Shawn Flegler said.
“She’s been an incredible contributor to Australian cricket over the last decade, achieving remarkable feats both individually and as part of the team,” Flegler added.
“The welfare of our players is always our number one priority and we’ll continue to work with Meg to ensure she gets the support and space she needs.”
Debuting at 18, Lanning’s skill with the bat shattered records from early on, holding the mark for the most centuries in women’s one-day international cricket.
Becoming skipper at 21, she has led the side 171 times.
The loss of Lanning comes ahead of Australia’s T20 tour of India in December and after the departure of head coach Matthew Mott, who led the team for seven years. AFP

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Cricket Sports

Babar Azam retains top spot in latest ICC T20 rankings

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Pakistan skipper Babar Azam managed to retain his top spot in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) T20I batter rankings, as Indian stars made giant strides.
In the latest rankings released Wednesday, India’s Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant were among the biggest movers as the race for the top ranking hots up ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia later this year.
India defeated West Indies 4-1 in the recently concluded T20I series, with Iyer and Pant playing important roles in the triumph.
Iyer jumped six places to 19th overall batter rankings after hitting an impressive half-ton during the final match of the series in Florida, while Pant finished the series as the equal second leading run-scorer on 115 runs, with his quickfire 44 in the fourth match seeing the left-hander jump seven places to 59th.
Currently, Babar is placed at the top with 818 rating points, however, India’s Suryakumar Yadav is not far behind as he has 805 rating points. Last week, he stood at 816 points, just two points shy of Babar.

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Breaking News International News Latest News National Politics

Iraqi Navy Commander goes at Naval Headquarters

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ISLAMABAD: At the Naval Headquarters in Islamabad, Lieutenant General Ahmed Jasim Maarij Abdullah Al Zayid, the commander of the Iraqi Navy, had a meeting with Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi.

When the Commander of the Iraqi Navy arrived at Naval Headquarters, the Naval Chief welcomed him and gave him a Guard of Honor. The Honorable Guest was then welcomed to Naval Headquarters and introduced to Principal Staff Officers.

Iraqi Navy Commander visited Chief of Naval Staff in his office. Discussions on topics of shared interest, such as bilateral partnerships and the regional maritime security environment, took place throughout the meeting.

The Naval Chief emphasised a regional maritime security patrol initiative by the Pakistan Navy to maintain maritime safety and peace in the area. The visiting dignitary praised the Pakistan Navy’s initiatives and efforts in

The Naval Chief emphasised a regional maritime security patrol initiative by the Pakistan Navy to maintain maritime safety and peace in the area. The dignitary who was in town complimented the Pakistan Navy’s ideas and efforts in support of regional maritime security cooperation.

A thorough briefing on the functions and operational capabilities of the Pakistan Navy was later given to the commander of the Iraqi Navy. The recent visit of the Iraqi Navy Commander is anticipated to further strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two nations.

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International News Latest News Politics

Call from H.E. Andreas Ferrarese, the Italian Ambassador, to the Prime Minister

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The Italian Ambassador to Pakistan, Mr. Andreas Ferrarese, was received by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif today.
The Prime Minister described Italy as Pakistan’s close friend and a trustworthy partner, both bilaterally and inside the EU. He noted that expanding bilateral collaboration and agreement on a wide range of local and international issues were characteristics of Pakistan-Italy ties. The Prime Minister noted the importance of fully utilising the potential already present to strengthen trade and investment ties between the two nations while acknowledging Italy’s support in the context of the EU’s preferential trading GSP Plus scheme.
According to the prime minister, Pakistan would be especially interested in partnerships in the field of renewable energy, where Italy has achieved notable strides.

The Prime Minister also emphasised Pakistan’s outstanding collaboration with the international community in the aftermath of the Afghan situation, particularly since August of last year. The Italian ambassador emphasised his determination to further strengthen and broaden the already-existing connections between Pakistan and Italy and thanked the prime minister for having him.

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International News

‘Woman, mother, Christian’ guides Italian far-right to brink of power

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Giorgia Meloni, leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy, has sought to detoxify the country’s post-fascist movement and in doing so has brought it to within touching distance of power.
With her party topping opinion polls and Meloni herself enjoying the highest ratings of any party chief, she has put herself forward as prime minister if Brothers of Italy finishes first in September 25 elections.
Small in stature with poker-straight blonde hair, a deep voice and forceful delivery, the 45-year-old has wooed Italians with her motto of “God, country and family”.
In 2018 elections, her party won just over four percent of the vote, but is now polling around 23 percent and leading her right-wing alliance comprising Matteo Salvini’s League and Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia.
She has brought together many voters dissatisfied with the status quo, the “diktats” from the European Union, the high cost of living and the limited opportunities available for Italy’s young people.
Meloni has pledged to cut taxes and bureaucracy, raise defence spending, close Italy’s borders to protect the country from “Islamisation”, renegotiate European treaties to return more power to Rome and fight “LGBT lobbies”.
She also wants to reverse the decline in Italy’s population by encouraging birthrates — but not by allowing immigrants to naturalise, having warned in 2016 of an “ethnic replacement” underway in Italy. “In general terms, Meloni represents a point of reference for protest, disaffection,” said Sofia Ventura, professor of political science at the University of Bologna.
And with Italy’s other main anti-establishment parties, the Five Star Movement and the League, having joined Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s government last year, she is the only one entering elections with a clean slate.
Fascism in history
Meloni’s party, which takes its name from the first line of the national anthem, is a political descendant of the Italian Social Movement (MSI), formed by supporters of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini after World War II.
They share the same symbol of a flame in the national colours of green, white and red — an image also used by the former National Front in France.
But Meloni has sought to reassure the moderate voices in her movement, knowing she needs to widen her base to win power.
“The Italian right has handed fascism over to history for decades now,” she said in a video message this week aimed at her international critics.
Mussolini made “several mistakes”, notably the racial laws and his entry into World War II, she said in 2016, adding: “Historically he also produced a lot, but that does not save him.”
Within Brothers of Italy, she clarified last year, “there is no room for nostalgic attitudes of fascism, for hypotheses of racism and anti-Semitism”.
Christian, Italian mother
Born in Rome on January 15, 1977, Meloni grew up in the working-class neighbourhood of Garbatella and was steeped in politics from early on. As a teenager, she joined the youth wing of the MSI, Fronte della Gioventu, and went on to be national head of Student Action, part of the far-right Alleanza Nazionale (National Alliance), which replaced the MSI.
In 2006, she was elected to the lower parliamentary house, the Chamber of Deputies, and became vice-president.
Two years later Meloni was named minister for youth in Berlusconi’s government, at 31 the youngest minister in post-war Italy. She founded Brothers of Italy in 2012 and her youth and confidence — and the fact that she was a woman — made her stand out.
As she grew older, and had a daughter in 2006 with her TV journalist partner, Meloni tapped her personal life to sell her national brand.
“I am Giorgia, I am a woman, I am a mother, I am Italian, I am Christian,” she declared at a 2019 rally in Rome, which went viral after it was remixed into a dance music track.
Hers was the only main party to refuse to join Draghi’s national unity government in February 2021, an opposition stance that has helped shoot her poll ratings skyward.
Meloni opposed Draghi’s tough coronavirus measures, notably the so-called Green Pass requiring workers to be vaccinated.
Unlike Salvini and Berlusconi, who have long had ties with Moscow, she backed Draghi’s strong support for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion. But she is sharply critical of the European Union, and is president of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Party, which includes Spain’s Vox and Poland’s Law and Justice parties. AFP

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Bollywood Entertainment Hollywood International News Latest News Lollywood

Why won’t Pete Davidson get rid of Kim Kardashian’s tattoos?

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Even though Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson’s short-lived relationship is gone, it will always be remembered.

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Pete Davidson, who has reportedly parted ways with Kim Kardashian after nine-month together, is in questions about Kardashian’s tattoos on her body.

Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson’s relationship may well be over… but it’s never to be forgotten, thanks to the multiple tattoos the SNL comedian has penned on his body.

In addition to his tattoos that include Kardashian’s kids’ initials, “My girl is a lawyer” and “Jasmine and Aladdin”, in an interview on The Ellen Show in March, Kardashian revealed Davidson has her name permanently “branded” on his chest, meaning it can never be removed.

Fans seem divided on Pete’s future move about the tattoos, as some are saying he would continue with them until he finds a new partner. While, few of his fans think he would remove them to fully move on.

Her name is “branded” on Davidson’s chest, which means it cannot ever be erased.

The future of Pete’s tattoos has split fans, with some claiming he will keep them until he finds a new partner. Few of his supporters, though, believe he would do so in order to totally move on.

Some people think that’s a brave move for a man who is known for tattooing tributes to his relationships on his body and having them covered up or removed when they break up.

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International News

Raymond Briggs: curmudgeonly creator of ‘The Snowman’

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British cartoonist and illustrator Raymond Briggs called himself “a miserable old git”. Even his publisher said he was “the grumpiest of grumpy old men”.
But he will be forever associated with a joyous creation — “The Snowman”, which has enchanted generations of children since it was published in 1978.
The delicately drawn picture book, about a young, ginger-haired boy who builds a snowman that magically comes to life, was transformed into an animated film in 1982.
First shown on British TV, with an introduction by David Bowie in some later versions, the film and its memorable musical score has become synonymous with Christmas ever since.
Briggs, whose death aged 88 was announced Wednesday, himself famously disliked the festive season but the story, which sparked a whole industry of memorabilia and spin-offs, was not what it seemed.
Its melancholy ending, which sees the boy mournfully discover the hat and scarf of his melted friend, was a tale about impermanence.
“I don’t believe in happy endings,” Briggs told the Daily Telegraph in 2007.
“Children have got to face death sooner or later… So there’s no point avoiding it.” Life laid bare Briggs’ world was never sugar-coated: life and death, joy and despair, hope and disappointment, loss and regret were recurrent themes.
“Father Christmas”, Briggs’ first major success in 1973, was no jolly, laughing Santa Claus but an irascible old man who hates the cold and snow, and finds delivering presents a chore. He even failed to cheer up much in “Father Christmas Goes on Holiday”, published in 1975.
Two years later, “Fungus the Bogeyman”, the eponymous hero of the slimy underworld who scares vicars, wakes human babies and makes things go bump in the night, had existential angst. Briggs later admitted that it was based on himself — a “miserable, disillusioned, depressed middle-aged man”. In “Gentleman Jim” in 1980, an imaginative public toilet cleaner, Jim Bloggs, longs for excitement beyond his humdrum working-class existence.
Jim and his wife Hilda returned two years later — at the height of the real-life Cold War — in “When the Wind Blows”, preparing for a nuclear attack and struggling to survive its brutal aftermath.
Briggs was visibly angry in the 1984 satire “The Tin-Pot Foreign General and the Old Iron Woman”, satirising the Falklands War. In 1998, “Ethel and Ernest” poignantly depicted his parents’ lives and deaths.
In later years, Briggs focused on the indignities of getting older — “Time for Lights Out” in 2019 — and penned a regular column about modern life in The Oldie magazine. Bygone era Briggs’ most famous works were autobiographical and wistfully nostalgic for the bygone England of his childhood, growing up as Ethel and Ernest’s only son in 1930s and 40s southwest London. He drew a familiar world of striped pyjamas, dressing gowns and slippers, toast and marmalade by the fire, endless cups of tea in red-brick terraced houses, and early morning milk deliveries. AFP

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Bollywood Entertainment Hollywood International News Lollywood

Obsessive’ Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were criticised for their “manipulative campaign.”

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have come under fire for the US’s “obsessive” take-back campaign.

The criticism directed at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stems from their efforts to conduct a “obsessive campaign” on the American people in an effort to regain their favour.

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Eric Schiffer, a royal expert, made this statement in an interview with the Daily Star.

Mr. Schiffer opened the discussion by mentioning Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s strategy to “win back” the American people.

“I think Harry and Meghan have made an intense campaign to win the hearts and minds of young Americans,” he was quoted as saying.

They have done a fantastic job of primarily focussing on the most important issues and presenting themselves as champions in a way that has convinced gen-z and millennials that they are advocates.

“That they know they can rely on you and turn to you for help. It was strategic.

By focusing on that group and spending more time and attention there, William and his father are able to exert their soft power in America.

One is aware of it, he continued before drawing to a close. They intend to visit this place. They are dialling their messaging again now that they are aware of it.

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International News

Heat, drought rekindle huge wildfire in southwest France

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A fire that destroyed thousands of hectares of tinder-dry forest in southwest France has flared again amid a fierce drought and the summer’s latest heat wave, officials said Wednesday.
An additional 6,000 hectares (15,000 acres) of pine forest have burned in the so-called Landiras blaze since Tuesday afternoon, forcing the evacuation of some 3,800 people,” Gironde regional officials said in a statement.
“The fire is extremely violent and has spread to the Landes department” further south, home of the Landes de Gascogne regional park, the prefecture said.
No one has been injured in the coastal area that draws huge summer tourism crowds but 16 houses were destroyed near the village of Belin-Beliet.
The prefecture warned the fire was spreading toward the A63 motorway, a major artery linking Bordeaux to Spain.
Speed limits on the highway have been lowered to 90 kmph (55 mph) in case smoke starts to limit visibility, and a full closure could be ordered if the fire worsens.
The Landiras fire that ignited in July was the largest of several that have raged this year in southwest France, which has been buffeted by record drought and a series of heat waves.
Arsonists set some of the fires and officials initially suspected a criminal origin for the Landiras blaze. Police later released a suspect for lack of evidence.
Around 500 firefighters are on the scene, supported by water-dropping planes.
The Landiras fire and a second large blaze near Arcachon burned a combined 21,000 hectares and forced more than 36,000 people to evacuate before they were brought under control — but not fully extinguished.
And in western France, a forest fire near Angers and Le Mans has burned 1,200 hectares since Monday as nearly 400 firefighters struggle to contain it. AFP

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International News

Up to 50 migrants missing after boat sinks off Greek coast

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An air and sea rescue operation was underway Wednesday after around 50 people went missing when a migrant boat sank in the Aegean Sea, the Greek coastguard said.
The vessel foundered at dawn off the islands of Karpathos and Rhodes after setting sail on Tuesday from Antalya, southern Turkey, heading for Italy.
“According to the statements of 29 rescued people, there were 80 people on the boat, so up to 50 people are missing,” a coastguard press office official told AFP.
The rescue effort, ordered by merchant shipping minister Yannis Plakiotakis, according to a coastguard statement, included four vessels already sailing in the southern Aegean, two coastguard patrol boats and a Greek air force helicopter.
However, strong winds of up to 50 kilometres per hour (30 mph) were hampering the operation, coastguard spokesperson Nikos Kokalas told Skai radio.
“Many of those shipwrecked were not wearing life-jackets,” Kokolas said.
Although boat appears to have been trying to get to Italy, Greece is often the country of choice for migrants fleeing Africa and the Middle East to try to reach a better life in the European Union.
Thousands come to Greece via Turkey over the narrow and perilous sea crossing separating the traditional enemies.
Sixty-four people have perished in the eastern Mediterranean since January, the International Organization for Migration says.
Eight people died off the Greek island of Mykonos on June 19 when 108 more were rescued, according to the UN migration body.
The Greek coastguard on Sunday said 122 migrants were rescued near Rhodes after their vessel ran into trouble after sailing from Turkey.
Athens says migrant arrival numbers have climbed this year and accuses Ankara of not doing enough to stop smugglers from sending them across the border—often in flimsy boats that make for dangerous journeys.
Turkey pledged under a 2016 deal to cut migrant numbers leaving its shores in return for financial aid from the European Union. At the end of June, the EU urged Ankara to halt “violent and illegal expulsions” from its territory.
Charity groups and media accuse Athens of illegally turning back migrants, a charge Greece’s conservative Greek government has denied. AFP

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Bollywood Entertainment Hollywood Lollywood

Using the “victim card” to undermine reconciliations: “Too late now”

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by web desk

Meghan Markle is charged with using her “victim card” to widen the gap between Prince Harry and Prince William.

This accusation was made against the Duchess of Sussex by royal biographer and author Tom Bower.

The Daily Star reports that Mr. Bower accuses Meghan of destroying the chances of Prince Harry and Prince William’s reconciliation by playing the victim.

Even further, he claimed that Prince Harry was led to feel that all staff complaints were “outrageous” and “sent just to discredit her.”

Mr. Bower added to the article, “Meghan’s resistance to working as a team was at the root of their divergence. There was no closeness.

This accusation came shortly after he said, “The problem was we had an established team of three (Harry, Kate, and William) taking on a fourth member in Meghan.” to Express UK in a similar vein.

“The Royal Foundation was obviously a much-loved long-term project of Kate and William, with both sending strong signs of support and affection to one another as they spoke,” said the reporter.

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International News Latest News National

Farooq Rehmani pays rich tributes to the sacrifices of shaheed Sheikh

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Abdul Aziz

By Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD: According to Muhammad Farooq Rehmani, chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir People & Freedom League and a former convener of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, in his message on the eve of the anniversary of the famous Kashmiri leader & martyrdom, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Shaheed will continue to inspire the people of Jammu and Kashmir during their struggle for the freedom of their motherland.

In his statement, while paying glowing tributes to the distinguished Leader & patriotic struggle, Muhammad Farooq Rehmani stated that a nation is fortunate, when such leader & are born, when they struggle for a noble cause and when such a leader gives his life for his belief in patriotism quot;. He said that the martyred leader faced bullets of the enemy because he was leading a huge mammoth procession of history by the Jhelum Valley Road towards Muzaffarabad in the name Freedom, indivisibility and united Jammu and Kashmir state and had the peaceful procession of history not been disturbed by Indian bullets and killings, the history would turned a leaf and the divided people would have united and resolved the longstanding problem of Jammu and Kashmir.

Muhammad Farooq Rehmani emphasised that the people of the State would continue their nonviolent resistance movement and complete the task for which thousands of people gave their lives. This was in spite of the dangerous network that India had established and propagated in the IIOJ&K and along the LOC. He encouraged the UN to carry out its mandate and convene a nationwide plebiscite to accurately and impartially establish the intentions of the people of the State.

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Breaking News National Politics

Asad Qaiser moves PHC against FIA’s notice on prohibited funding case

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By Our Correspondent

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser on Wednesday challenged the notice of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Peshawar High Court after the bureau on Saturday commenced its country-wide inquiry into PTI’s prohibited foreign funding case.

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Asad Qaiser explained to the journalists that he had been at the court to file a complaint against the FIA rather than to request an interim bail. He insisted that the party had opened the account for convenience’s sake and that it wasn’t against the law. He explained, “This account was formed for the pay of employees and office costs.

He added that in the account’s six-year history, only 21 lac worth of transactions had been performed. He claimed that checks had been used for all transactions. According to Former Speaker Qaiser, the FIA is not authorised to investigate this case.

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Technology

WhatsApp: Mark Zuckerberg announces new privacy features

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WhatsApp: Mark Zuckerberg announces new privacy features
Meta has announced new privacy features for WhatsApp users. Now users will be able to leave group chats silently, control who can see their online status and block screenshots on View Once messages.

Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said this would help keep WhatsApp messaging “as private and secure as face-to-face conversations”.

It will begin rolling out the features this month, highlighting them in a global campaign, starting in the UK.

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Leave silently
The popular messaging app currently alerts all members of a group chat to someone leaving or being removed by default.

And while there are ways to disable this for individual group chats, the option to leave silently is not presented to users when they choose to “exit group” – sometimes causing awkwardness, embarrassment, or drama for those trying to leave unnoticed.

With the recent changes, users will be able to leave without notifying the other group chat users, only alerting group administrators.

Product head Ami Vora said it was part of the platform’s focus on “building product features that empower people to have more control and privacy over their messages”.

“We believe WhatsApp is the most secure place to have a private conversation,” she said.

“No other global messaging service at this scale provides this level of security for their users’ messages, media, voice messages, video calls, and chat back-ups.”

The update will also see users given the option to allow only certain contacts – or no one – to see when they are active on the platform, bringing online status options into alignment with “last seen” settings.

Janis Wong, the research associate at The Alan Turing Institute, told BBC News: “It’s always nice to give users more control – users like, and need to have, more control.”

But unless users were prompted to use the features, or made fully aware of them in the app, their impact could be limited, she noted.

“If it does not default, or if users aren’t prompted to reconsider their options, then it’s not necessarily very useful – if users aren’t aware this is something that they can do,” she said.

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Latest News National Politics

Minus Imran Khan will result in minus all, warns Sheikh Rashid

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By Staff Reporter

RAWALPINDI: Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief Sheikh Rashid on Wednesday while warning the incumbent government of the consequences if they try to exclude the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan from the country’s politics said that it will not be minus one but minus all.

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Sheikh Rashid claimed that the nation is heading straight for political conflict in a tweet. He criticised the coalition administration for the country’s deteriorating political and economic situation, claiming that they lacked political acumen and were unable to fulfil any tasks. When they are in charge, they “support the institutions,” he continued.

The AML Chief made it very plain that if the coalition government planned to remove Imran Khan from politics, they would make sure to do the same and it would have a “minus all” effect on their own political careers. Additionally, he announced that a rally would be held on August 13 at 11 p.m. and a news conference would be held at Lal Haveli on August 12 at 3 p.m.

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International News

Up to 50 migrants missing after boat sinks off Greek coast

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Up to 50 migrants missing after boat sinks off Greek coast

An air and sea rescue operation was underway Wednesday after around 50 people went missing when a migrant boat sank in the Aegean Sea, the Greek coastguard said.

The vessel foundered at dawn off the islands of Karpathos and Rhodes after setting sail on Tuesday from Antalya, southern Turkey, heading for Italy.

“According to the statements of 29 rescued people, there were 80 people on the boat, so up to 50 people are missing,” a coastguard press office official told .

The rescue effort, ordered by merchant shipping minister Yannis Plakiotakis, according to a coastguard statement, included four vessels already sailing in the southern Aegean, two coastguard patrol boats and a Greek air force helicopter.

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However, strong winds of up to 50 kilometres per hour (30 mph) were hampering the operation, coastguard spokesperson Nikos Kokalas told Skai radio.

“Many of those shipwrecked were not wearing life-jackets,” Kokolas said.

Although boat appears to have been trying to get to Italy, Greece is often the country of choice for migrants fleeing Africa and the Middle East to try to reach a better life in the European Union.

Thousands come to Greece via Turkey over the narrow and perilous sea crossing separating the traditional enemies.

Sixty-four people have perished in the eastern Mediterranean since January, the International Organization for Migration says.

Eight people died off the Greek island of Mykonos on June 19 when 108 more were rescued, according to the UN migration body.

The Greek coastguard on Sunday said 122 migrants were rescued near Rhodes after their vessel ran into trouble after sailing from Turkey.

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Breaking News Latest News National Politics

Imran says ‘regime change conspiracy’ still continues against PTI

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By Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Wednesday that he and his party are still the targets of a “regime change international conspiracy” despite the legal proceedings and arrests of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders. In a live address to the country broadcast on mainstream media, PTI Chairman Imran Khan reportedly claimed that the foreign conspiracy had reached a new phase after toppling his administration in the recent past.

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He claimed in the last round of the plot that the PTI was opposed to the Pakistani army, which was completely false because his party could never be the force to oppose the institution. Imran added that during the latest phase of the plot, the conspirators have begun attempting to dismantle the PTI, the largest party in Pakistan, by alleging foreign funding and attempting to block social media and TV networks that support the foreign administration.

PTI Chairman Imran said India and Israel had celebrated the regime change in Pakistan against him. Commenting on the issue of Shehbaz Gill, Imran Khan said his arrest was against the laws. He said Shehbaz Gill should be provided justice. During the speech, Imran Khan also released a clip of different anti-army and generals speeches delivered by the ruling parties’ leaders including Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and others. He reiterated the demand for free and fair general elections immediately.

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Breaking News Latest News National Politics

ECP’s show-cause notice to PTI chief comes to light

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By Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD: The show-cause notice of the Election Commission of Pakistan for the confiscation of the PTI prohibited funds has come to light. The ECP issued notice to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf through its chairman Imran Khan on August 5. The notice mentioned funds worth more than $2.1 million given to the party by Arif Naqvi.

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The announcement also mentioned other contributions received from the United States, Canada, and other nations, including funds totaling $13,750 that were donated by Indian national Romita Shetti. The ECP is perplexed as to why the PTI’s illegal funds could not be seized! On August 22 at 10am, the PTI leader was tasked with explaining illegal money before the ECP.

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International News Latest News National Politics

Hina Rabbani Khar reiterates Pakistan’s commitment to further deepening bilateral ties with Netherlands

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By Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar received the outgoing Dutch Ambassador to Pakistan Wouter Plomp for a farewell call on Wednesday. According to a statement issued by Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, during the meeting Hina Rabbani Khar MOS noted the positive trajectory in Pakistan Netherlands relations.

She expressed gratitude for the Ambassador’s significant contributions and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further developing bilateral ties in a variety of areas for the benefit of both countries.

Wouter Plomp, meanwhile, said in a statement shared on Twitter that he had a great conversation with Minister Hina Rabbani Khar about further enhancing relations between Pakistan and the Netherlands. We have a long history of close economic cooperation, horticulture, and an even brighter future, he added. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs will commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations next year.

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Ulema resolve to counter disinformation campaign against Pak Army: Ashrafi

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By Staff reporter

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Interfaith Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi on Wednesday said Ulema had resolved to counter disinformation campaign against Pakistan Army through thick and thin. Speaking at a press conference in this city, Ashrafi, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), announced that on Friday, Ulema and Mashaykh from all schools of thought observed “Youm-e-Dua” for the departed souls of Pakistan Army officers who lost their precious lives in the helicopter crash in Balochistan while going above and beyond their call of duty in the flood.

He said they will express solidarity with Pakistan Army and counter the negative propaganda drive being run by some miscreants with malafide intentions against them from Mehrab-o-Mimber. He made it clear that Pakistan Army was redline for all of us and certain elements who were talking to disintegrate Pakistan Army would be no more successful in their nefarious designs come what may.

He said the efforts for creating disintegration in Pakistan Army were not new ones as the anti-state elements were trying their social, political, economical and even religious jargons to meet their purposes since the day one but they had badly failed due to blind trust of the nation on their defense and security forces.

Giving the fall of Libya as a concrete example, Ashrafi claimed that the Libyan dinar had once been more valuable than the US dollar, but that due to divisions between the army and the people, it was now in an unwinnable crisis. He gave the assurance that his Ulema and Mashaykh were supporting their defence and security forces and would respond appropriately to anyone attempting to use whatever means necessary to drive a wedge between the country and the Pakistan Army.

He proposed that there were some non-controversial elements, they should come forward and play their role to ease undue hype, raised in the country. Responding to a question, he said Dr Shabaz Gill had crossed his limits which was totally unjustified, even his party was not standing by his anti-state remarks as Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi had condemned it in the strongest terms.

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International News

Biden calls on Syria to help secure release of journalist Austin Tice

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Biden calls on Syria to help secure release of journalist Austin Tice

Washington – US President Joe Biden on Wednesday called on Syria to help secure the release of American journalist Austin Tice, who was abducted a decade ago in Damascus.

“We know with certainty that he has been held by the Syrian regime,” Biden said in a statement. “We have repeatedly asked the government of Syria to work with us so that we can bring Austin home.

“On the tenth anniversary of his abduction, I am calling on Syria to end this and help us bring him home,” he said.

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Biden said Tice, a former US Marine turned journalist, “put the truth above himself and traveled to Syria to show the world the real cost of war.”

“There is no higher priority in my administration than the recovery and return of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad,” Biden said.

“That is a pledge I have made to the American people and to Austin’s parents, and it is one that I am determined to uphold,” he added.

Tice was a freelance photojournalist working for Agence France-Presse, McClatchy News, The Washington Post, CBS and other news organizations when he disappeared after being detained at a checkpoint near Damascus on August 14, 2012.

Thirty-one years old at the time he was captured, Tice appeared blindfolded in the custody of an unidentified group of armed men in a video a month later but there has been little news since.

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Incumbent Parliament cognizant of its responsibilities & exercising its parliamentary oversight of the executive: Raja Pervaiz Ashraf

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ISLAMABAD: Five-day Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the First Constituent Assembly of Pakistan were launched at Parliament House in Islamabad on Wednesday.

The 1st Constituent Assembly of Pakistan held its first session on 10 August 1947. In his message on the occasion, Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said Parliament being representative of masses can ensure prosperity and inclusive development in the country.

 He claimed that the current Parliament is aware of its obligations and acting in accordance with its parliamentary oversight of the executive. Both the Treasury and Opposition Benches, according to Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, are essential to strengthening Parliament since it is where choices are made based on the desires of the people.

In his message, Deputy Speaker Zahid Akram Durrani said the incumbent Parliament is a true representative of people that would strengthen democracy and democratic norms in the country. He said the coalition government is especially focusing on bringing positive changes in the lives of common man.

 Speaking to the media on the occasion, Pervaiz Ashraf stated that this picture exhibition is a wonderful representation of our parliamentary history and that Parliament is the guardian of the hopes and aspirations of the people of Pakistan. The first President of the Pakistani Constituent Assembly, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and other parliamentary leaders are featured in the five-day public exhibition, according to the Speaker of the National Assembly. 

After the show, these pictures, according to him, would be kept in the National Assembly library. The sanctity of Parliament, according to Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, is of utmost importance, and both the Treasury and Opposition Benches are charged with upholding it. Let’s put aside any political differences, he said, and work together to make this Parliament really reflective of the people, promoting their well and prosperity.

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President for enhancing the quality & outreach of distance learning programmes

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By Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD: President Dr. Arif Alvi has called for further enhancing the quality and outreach of Open Distance Learning (ODL) Programmes of the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Islamabad, and using blended learning tools to increase the enrolment of students in different academic disciplines. He said that educating and imparting skills to students according to the market dynamics would help ensure their early employment besides helping in their career progression.

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The President voiced these opinions today at an Aiwan-e-Sadr follow-up briefing on AIOU, Islamabad. The conference was attended by the VC AIOU, Dean AIOU, Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood, Prof. Dr. Zia ul Qayyum, senior AIOU officials, HEC representatives, and the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training. The President addressed the group and underlined the importance of funding formal and informal learning environments (ODLs), which were the most crucial platforms for educating the general public.

After consultation with the pertinent parties from the public and commercial sectors, he stated, ODL and hybrid forms of education could be expanded to the Primary and Middle school levels. This, he claimed, would aid in educating the Out-of-School-Children (OOSC), who for various reasons including financial could not attend regular schools. Although Pakistan had assisted Malaysia in establishing its higher education institutions, he claimed that Malaysia was far ahead of Pakistan in all areas of education due to considerable investment in the field.

The President suggested during the meeting that “Pesh Imams” be trained as instructors to provide free education to OOSC of the underserved areas and that the mosques, which are typically empty from Fajr to Zohr, be used as classrooms. He also urged the Ministry of Education and Professional Training to take the lead in bringing together all relevant parties from the public and private sectors to develop a vision and a plan for extending educational services to the nation’s previously underserved regions by combining their resources.

The President commended AIOU’s efforts in delivering high-quality instruction to students who could not afford full-time or pricey private schooling. In order to advertise its products not only in Pakistan but also to the rest of the world, he further encouraged the University to create its own marketing and public relations department under the direction of a trained professional. In order to make the most of this crucial educational resource, which offered over 1000 ready-made courses in a variety of disciplines, he also emphasised the need to increase marketing efforts and highlight the 24,000 licences made available under the Digital Learning and Skills Enrich Initiatives of HEC and COURSERA.

The President said that Pakistan was willing to extend ODL and virtual education facilities to the people of Afghanistan through AIOU and the Virtual University of Pakistan (VUP) whose education materials could be utilized by Afghan students, both male and female, through its television network and online means, wherever available. VC AIOU, Professor Dr. Zia-ul-Qayyum, briefed the President that as per President’s directions during the previous meetings, AIOU was planning to launch a Life Long Learning Centre besides working on designing Pakistan EdTech, establishing collaboration with the Universities of Turkiye and Leicester University, and establishing a Centre of Excellence in Open Distance Learning.

He also mentioned that, according to an AIOU poll, nearly 70% of students enrolled in post-graduate programmes were already employed and were only attending school to further their education. He said that according to the poll, 40.4% of undergraduate students were able to find part-time work because of improved qualifications.

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International News

Mexico says rescuers close to entering mine where workers trapped.

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Mexico says rescuers close to entering mine where workers trapped

Agujita (Mexico) – Rescuers hope to enter a flooded coal mine in northern Mexico soon to search for 10 workers who have been trapped for a week, authorities said Wednesday.

“We are very close to being able to enter,” civil defense national coordinator Laura Velazquez said.

“All rescuers have the necessary equipment to be able to enter at any time, hopefully today,” she told reporters in Mexico City by video link.

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Hundreds of soldiers and other rescuers using 25 pumps and two underwater drones are taking part in the operation in Agujita in the northern state of Coahuila.

The focus so far has been on pumping out water from the 60-meter (200-feet) deep mine, where desperate relatives have gathered waiting for news.

The water in the shafts has fallen significantly, from more than 30 meters initially, but needs to be reduced by several more meters before it is safe to enter, Velazquez said.

According to authorities, the miners were carrying out excavation work when they hit an adjoining area full of water.

Five workers managed to escape from the crudely constructed mine in the initial aftermath of the accident on August 3, but there has been no contact with the others.

Coahuila, Mexico’s main coal-producing region, has seen a series of fatal mining incidents over the years.

The worst accident was an explosion that claimed 65 lives at the Pasta de Conchos mine in 2006.

Last year, seven miners died when they were trapped in the region.

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International News

Russia TV journalist faces jail for anti-Putin protest

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Russia TV journalist faces jail for anti-Putin protest
Moscow – Russian investigators on Wednesday launched a criminal probe against Marina Ovsyannikova, who denounced President Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine on live TV, and detained the journalist, her lawyer said.

In mid-July, Ovsyannikova staged a one-woman protest near the Kremlin, holding a poster that read “Putin is a murderer, his soldiers are fascists.”

Three “blood-soaked” toy dolls were laid on the ground in front of her.

She now faces up to 10 years in prison, if convicted.

“A criminal case has been launched,” lawyer Dmitry Zakhvatov told AFP, adding they were waiting for investigators to decide on a pre-trial measure for the 44-year-old.

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Ovsyannikova has been charged with spreading information about the Russian armed forces deemed false by the government and will spend the night in pre-trial detention, said Zakhvatov.

In an interview with AFP last week, Ovsyannikova had expressed hope that the authorities would not place her in pre-trial detention because she has two children.

Writing on messaging app Telegram earlier in the day, Ovsyannikova said that 10 members of law enforcement had raided her home at 6:00 am (0300 GMT).

“They scared my young daughter,” she added.

In March, Ovsyannikova, then an editor at Channel One television, shot to prominence when she barged onto the set of its flagship Vremya (Time) evening news, holding a poster reading “No War” in English.

Criticism of Putin’s decision to send troops to Ukraine has been virtually outlawed in Russia, and her protest made headlines around the world.

French President Emmanuel Macron has offered Ovsyannikova, who worked for Russian state TV for 19 years, asylum or other forms of consular protection.

Putin launched the attack on Ukraine after a historic crackdown on the opposition, with top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny in prison and his political organisations outlawed.

Authorities are now seeking to snuff out the last vestiges of dissent, and nearly all well-known activists are now in jail or out of the country.

Earlier this year prominent Putin critics Ilya Yashin and Vladimir Kara-Murza were put in pre-trial jail for denouncing Moscow’s Ukraine offensive.

The criminal probe against Ovsyannikova was launched after two Moscow courts ordered the journalist to pay fines for discrediting the Russian army on various occasions.

Writing on Telegram on Wednesday, she said that more than 350 children had already died in Ukraine.

“How many children have to die before you stop?” she added.

‘Unenviable’
In the months following her TV protest, Ovsyannikova spent time abroad, working for Germany’s Die Welt for three months.

In early July, she announced that she was returning to Russia to settle a dispute over the custody of her two children.

Since her return, Ovsyannikova came out to support opposition politician Yashin in court and published anti-government posts online. She was briefly detained by police near her home in mid-July.

While many hailed Ovsyannikova, her TV protest in March has also drawn hostile reactions from many quarters.

Some members of the Russian opposition have blamed her for jumping ship in an opportunistic move and seeking fame.

Anti-Kremlin satirist and commentator Viktor Shenderovich said on Wednesday he was wrong about Ovsyannikova.

“I was sceptical about what Channel One editor Marina Ovsyannikova had done — and it turns out I was wrong,” he wrote on Facebook.

“Today Marina pays a serious price for this, and deserves both respect and support.”

Ovsyannikova had told AFP last week her fate was “unenviable” but that she would continue speaking up.

“I do not plan to stop, I am not afraid despite the constant intimidation from the authorities.”

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Bollywood Entertainment Hollywood International News Lollywood

Following a terrible vehicle crash, Hollywood actress Anne Heche is in a coma.

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Hollywood actress Anne Heche remained hospitalized in critical condition, comatose and connected to a breathing machine on Monday, four days after suffering severe injuries in a fiery Los Angeles car crash, a spokesperson for the performer said.

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Heche, 53, has been hospitalized since shortly after the compact car she was driving sped out of control in a Westside neighborhood of Los Angeles late Friday morning, plowed into a house and burst into flames, according to police.

No one inside the home was hurt, but the impact set the dwelling ablaze, requiring a response by dozens of firefighters.

A Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson said on Monday the cause and circumstances of the crash remain under investigation.

Heche is in a coma and has not regained consciousness since shortly after the accident, said Michael McConnell, a member of the Los Angeles talent management company representing her, Zero Gravity Management.

“At this time, she is in extreme critical condition,” he told Reuters in a text message, adding that Heche “has significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention.”

The Los Angeles Times quoted a Venice Beach salon owner, Richard Glass, recounting a visit by Heche to his shop shortly before the accident, describing her as “a sweet little girl” as she purchased a red wig on Friday morning.

Heche came to prominence for her Emmy-winning work on the daytime television drama “Another World” and went on to star in other screen roles including the HBO series “Hung” and such films as “Wag the Dog” and “Cedar Rapids.”

She made tabloid headlines in the late 1990s for an affair with comedian Ellen DeGeneres around the time that DeGeneres came out publicly as a lesbian. Following their split, Heche wed cameraman Coleman Laffoon, but they later divorced, and she spent some years after that in a relationship with actor James Tupper, her co-star in the short-lived TV show “Men in Trees.”..Reuters

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Bollywood Entertainment Hollywood International News Lollywood

How much Prince Andrew paid his accuser Virginia Giuffre?

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Prince Andrew has reportedly paid his accuser Virginia Giuffre as little as £3million, despite reports of him agreeing a £12million settlement.

Andrew’s lawyers have negotiated a cut-price deal of £3million-to-£5million, The Sun, citing sources, reported on Monday.

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“It was thought, and widely reported, that Virginia got a settlement of £12million from Andrew, but that’s not right. It was far less than that, as low as £3million. No doubt this will have influenced the conditions of the agreement that she was prepared to sign,” according to the source.

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This could go some way to explaining why Giuffre was not forced to sign a gagging order, leaving her free to write a bombshell memoir in the years to come.

This comes just days after It comes after it revealed that Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson have bought a swanky £5million house in London — despite moaning about being hard-up.

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Meghan Markle faces fresh backlash in US for her allegation against a member of royal family

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Prince Harry’s wife Meghan Markle has been slammed as a “D-list actress” by a US commentator.

Candace Owens, American media personality and conservative commentator, has discussed Meghan’s royal racism claims after the Duchess of Sussex accused an unnamed member of the Royal Family of making a racist comment about her and Prince Harry’s son Archie before his birth.

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Ms Owens, in conversation with commentator Matt Walsh, said: “This is a Hollywood star going into a country that loves its traditions and then accusing them of being fundamentally racist.”

The commentator went on to say: “It’s the height of ignorance to me to have this D-list actress that nobody knew go over there.”

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She added: “I think we’re just tired of the race narrative here in America and it’s just obnoxious that we’ve sent this girl to start the same thing overseas.”

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are seemingly failing to win Americans who accused the couple of overusing the royal card and old narrative to remain in the spotlight.

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Bollywood Entertainment Hollywood International News Lollywood

Have Meghan Markle and Prince Harry lost the interest of the British public?

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, who stepped down from their roles as senior working royals in 2020 to live a life of their choice, will have to do something very special to win the support of the British public.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who resides in Montecito with their two children Archie and Lilibet, are apparently losing their popularity in the UK and United States as the people of the both countries respect the royal family, and they are fed up with them.

In a latest poll, Express.co.uk asked readers: “Has Meghan Markle had a positive impact on the Royal Family?”

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Overall, 13,022 people cast their votes with the overwhelming majority, 98 percent (12,732 people) answering “no”, Meghan hasn’t had a positive impact on the Royal Family.

A further two percent (224 people) said “yes” she has, while just 66 people said they did not know either way.

Hundreds of comments were left below the accompanying article as readers discussed Meghan’s impact. Many wrote that the Duchess had a negative impact with one reader, username aquamarine, writing: “She’s had a positively negative impact on the Royal Family and the UK.”

Username Aussiana said: “Meghan has not made a positive impact on anyone or anything globally.”

While username foxglove said: “I doubt the British people will ever forgive and forget the untold damage she has done.”

However, some readers argued that Meghan had positively changed the perception of other members of the Royal Family among the public.