Ahmed Shameel

The Zil Hajj crescent could not be sighted in Pakistan on Tuesday, the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced. The country will celebrate Eidul Azha on August 1, announced Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee chairman, at a press conference in Karachi. On Monday, the Saudi Supreme Court announced that the first of Zil Hajj will fall on July 22. Muslims will perform the Hajj pilgrimage on July 30. #AhmedShameel #AhmedShameelNews

The wife of journalist Matiullah Jan, who was abducted in Islamabad Tuesday morning, has asked the government to make efforts for her husband’s release. It is the responsibility of the authorities to recover the journalist who always speaks the truth, Matiullah’s wife Kaneez Sughra told SAMAA TV anchorperson Nadeem Malik on his show Tuesday. “He didn’t commit a robbery, he didn’t commit any crime, and he didn’t murder anyone,” she said. “So what’s the motive behind forcibly taking him away?” Matiullah, a known critic of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government, was taken away by men in black uniforms and plain clothes from outside his wife’s school in Islamabad’s G-6 sector. A CCTV camera installed at the school captured the incident, showing people wearing black uniform whisking the journalist away. Confirming Matiullah’s kidnapping, Information Minister Shibli Faraz told reporters in Islamabad he didn’t have details of the incident, but one thing was certain th...

MANCHESTER: England beat West Indies by 113 runs after Ben Stokes produced a masterclass innings in the second Test at Old Trafford on Monday.  West Indies, set a nominal 312 to win, were bowled out for 198 on the fifth and final day as England levelled the three-match series at 1-1. All-rounder Stokes made 176 in England's first-innings 469-9 declared and a dashing 78 not out on Monday that set up another declaration by home captain Joe Root. Stokes capped a dominant individual display as he also took two key wickets Monday after Stuart Broad´s early treble helped reduce the West Indies to 37-4. Shamarh Brooks (62) and Jermaine Blackwood (55) kept England at bay during a fifth-wicket stand of exactly 100. But Stokes, yet again proved a partnership breaker when his short ball had Blackwood, who made a match-clinching 95 in West Indies' four-wicket win in the first Test at Southampton, gloving to diving wicketkeeper Jos Buttler on the stroke of tea. From then on,...

EU leaders have struck a deal on a huge post-coronavirus recovery package following a fourth night of talks. It involves €750bn (£677bn; $859bn) in grants and loans to counter the impact of the pandemic in the 27-member bloc. The talks saw a split between nations hardest hit by the virus and "frugal" members who were concerned about costs. It is the biggest joint borrowing ever agreed by the EU. Summit chairman Charles Michel said it was a "pivotal moment" for Europe. The deal centres on a €390bn programme of grants to member states hardest hit by the pandemic. Italy and Spain are expected to be the main recipients. A further €360bn in low-interest loans will be available to members of the bloc. The summit, which began in Brussels on Friday morning, saw more than 90 hours of talks and became the EU's longest since a 2000 meeting in the French city of Nice, which lasted for five days. The package will now face more technical negotiations by membe...

The UK government borrowed £35.5bn in June, about five times more than the same month last year, as coronavirus continued to weigh on public finances. The figure took total government debt to a record £1.98trn However, the borrowing figure was lower compared with May and was in line with expectations. The re-opening of non-essential retailers and other businesses in June saw a drop in furlough scheme spending and a rise in tax take.

Indian airline IndiGo has become the latest carrier to reveal how hard it has been hit by the collapse in demand for flights due to Covid-19. The country's largest airline said it will shed 10% of its staff as it grapples with a slump in revenues. Last month, IndiGo said it would cut up to 40 billion rupees ($533m; £420m) in costs. Airlines across the world have been hit hard by coronavirus-related travel restrictions. In a letter to investors IndiGo's chief executive Ronojoy Dutta said: "It is impossible for our company to fly through this economic storm without making some sacrifices, in order to sustain our business operations." Airlines warn they may not survive without bailout How will airlines get flying again? The airline, which has been grounded for several months as India imposed a strict lockdown, employs around 24,000 people which means some 2,400 jobs are on the line. According to the company's own figures it is India's biggest p...

Brent Crude futures gained 15 cents, or 0.4%, at $43.43 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) edged up 2 cents to $40.83 on the second day of the business week. According to media reports, investors hope for a recovery in oil demand against fears of new lockdown. The closing prices of both Brent and WTI have traded within a $2 channel so far this month. On Monday, the  price  of benchmark U.S oil added 6 cents to $40.87 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It gained 22 cents to $40.81 a barrel.In addition to this, Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 8 cents to $43.36 a barrel. The euro rose to $1.1461 from $1.1444. Asian Markets On the other hand, Asian shares in the international market boosted amid the vaccine hopes to tackle the novel coronavirus outbreak. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 gained 0.6% in morning trading to 22,856.71. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 1.3% to 2,227.56. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200...

Heavy rains damage 200-year-old mosque in Indian capital Central dome of Mubarak Begum mosque, built in 1823, comes crashing down as heavy showers pound New Delhi. The central dome of a 200-year-old mosque in the Indian capital New Delhi has come crashing down due to the heavy monsoon rains in the city. The red sandstone Mubarak Begum mosque, built by a courtesan in 1823, is among some of the iconic heritage sites in the historic old quarters of the city. On Sunday, the flooding in the city killed two people leading to the collapse of many houses and trees. "At around 6.45 am [01:15 GMT], the dome collapsed with a huge sound," the mosque's 45-year-old imam Mohammad Zahid told  Anadolu Agency. "I was sleeping in my room inside the mosque when I heard thunder. We have since locked the mosque. But we continued offering namaz [prayers] and teachings in the open courtyard." Zahid has been the muezzin (who calls for prayers) and imam at the mosque sin...

MUMBAI (Reuters) - A new Netflix show about an Indian matchmaker catering to the high demands of potential brides and grooms, and their parents, has stoked an online debate about arranged marriages in the country. The eight-part series “Indian Matchmaking” premiered on Netflix on Thursday and is currently among its top ranked India shows. It features Sima Taparia, a real-life matchmaker from Mumbai, who offers her services to families within India and abroad. Arranged marriages in India see parents leading efforts to find a suitable match for their children. The show has become a subject of memes and jokes, and criticism, on how individuals and their parents are picky and have a long list of demands that centre around factors like caste, height or skin colour. The show “makes very clear how regressive Indian communities can be. Where sexism, casteism, and classism are a prevalent part of the process of finding a life partner,” wrote Twitter user Maunika Gowardhan. Thousands ...

ISLAMABAD (APP) - Short Pakisatni film “1978”, created by writer and director Hamza Bangash, has made it to global cinema and will have its world premiere at Locarno Film Festival 2020 in Switzerland in August. Announcing the news on his official Instagram account, director Hamza Bangash said, “I am thrilled to finally be able to announce that my secret film project, 1978, will be having its’ World Premiere in-competition at Locarno Film Festival 2020”. “This is by far my most ambitious project. We built a disco. Recorded original songs. Non-actors. Making a film takes a village, but this one felt like it took an entire city. Which makes sense, since the film is about a city-Karachi- that no longer exists. A city that was once the “Paris of the East””, Hamza wrote in his post. Previously, Hamza Bangash has also sent in the films “Dia” (2018) and “Stray Dogs Come Out at Night” (2020) to the Locarno, and Palm Springs Film Festival, respectively. The film focused on a young Goan Christi...

KARACHI (Web Desk) - After Ertugrul-inspired cakes, dresses and even snacks named after the TV show, we now have a drama serial inspired by the super-hit Turkish historical series. Kawish Television Network (KTN), a private Sindhi TV channel, has released the teaser of their upcoming drama serial titled Raj Rani, which appears to be heavily inspired by the Turkish series. The short 30-second teaser shows an intense sword fight with an ancient fort in the background. It is interesting to see the inclusion of women in the sword fights, something that is unusual on Pakistani television. Further details are not yet known about the series. Set in 13th century Anatolia and based on the struggle of Ertugrul Gazi, father of Osman and the founder of the Ottoman dynasty, Dirilis: Ertugrul has been trending in Pakistan ever since its first episode aired on PTV Home. Pakistanis are loving the drama series and it has become a sensation in the country. According to details, more than ...

Dirilis: Ertugrul, the most famous Turkish drama ever aired in Pakistan, has won the hearts of every Pakistani. From the storyline of the drama to its execution, people could not find a single flaw in any of its episodes. Apart from its Islamic history storyline, Pakistanis also fell in love with the beauty of Dirilis: Ertugrul’s cast members. Engin Altan Duzyatan who played the main lead actor and Esra Bilgic who depicted the role of Halime Hatun became everyone’s favorite. As everyone is different from each other, in the same way, everyone has their own favorite character. Some like Cengiz who played the part of Turgurt Alp or some fell in love with Nurettin Sönmez’s naive acting as Bamsi. As the season has already been ended, people wish to see the cast once again in its continued series Kurulus Osman. Here is how the cast of Dirilis: Ertugrul are spending their time. Engin Altan Duzyatan As Erugrul: Esra Bilgic As Halime Hatun: Cengiz Coşkun As Turgurt A...