Hamas: `At least 350 people have been killed in Israel in the unprecedented attack launched by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which began on Saturday morning.
The retaliatory military action, Operation Iron Swords, launched by the Israel Defence Force, claimed over 230 lives in Gaza and the West Bank.
The intense fight between the Israeli military and Hamas militants is still ongoing in southern Israel. According to the latest report, rocket sirens have been sounded in regions like Sderot and Kibbutz Nir Am. An Israeli army spokesperson said the situation was not fully under control.
The Israeli bombardment of Gaza also continued into Sunday morning.
NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing rumours of divorce with Indian tennis star Sania Mirza, Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik’s pictures with model and actress Ayesha Omar have gone viral on social media.
As per multiple media reports, all is not well between Sania and Shoaib for quite some time now and they are heading toward divorce.
The reports also claim Ayesha Oman is the reason for the breakdown of Shoaib and Sania’s marriage.
However, to date, both Sania and Shoaib, who have been married for 12 years and have a son, have maintained a stoic silence about their personal lives.
As per a Bollywood Life report, the 35-year-old Sania, winner of six Grand Slam doubles titles, has been reportedly living separately and is co-parenting her son Izhaan.
Notably, model Ayesha and Shoaib worked with each other for a photo shoot almost a year back and they developed proximity during that. Later, the Pakistan cricketer also praised Ayesha during an interview, saying that she helped him a lot during their shoot. And now those pictures have gone viral on social media.
As far as Ayesha is concerned, she is a Pakistani actress and popular Youtuber. She has long been a well-known face in the entertainment industry and is also one of the most fashionable actresses in her country. Reportedly, she is one of the highest-paid actresses in Pakistan.
The 41-year-old is known for her leading roles in several television serials including ‘Kollege Jeans’, ‘Kuch Lamhe Zindagi Kay’, ‘Meri Zaat Zara e Beneshan’, ‘Dil Ko Manana Aya Nahi’, ‘Zindagi Gulzar Hai’, ‘Bulbullay’,
Ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan sustains bullet injury after gunfire attack during protest march, 1 killed Khan was leading long march to Islamabad demanding early elections when the incident occurred in Punjab’s Wazirabad town
Imran Khan on Thursday sustained bullet injury on his leg when a gunman opened fire on the container-mounted-truck carrying him during his protest march, killing one person, but the former Pakistan prime minister was out of danger in what his party claimed was an “assassination attempt.”
The incident occurred near Allahwala Chowk of Wazirabad town in Punjab when 70-year-old Khan was leading the long march to Islamabad demanding early elections.
In a statement, the Punjab police said that seven people were injured and one person was killed during the attack on Khan. It added that a suspect has been taken into custody.
In this video grab combo, former Pakistan PM Imran Khan waving to his supporters after an attack on his container. @PTIPoliticsss/Twitter
Asad Umar, the senior leader of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, told the media that a bullet hit Khan’s leg. He, however, didn’t blame anyone for the attack.
Khan underwent surgery at Shaukat Khanum Hospital in Lahore, his party leader Omar Ayub Khan said.
Senior party leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Khan is out of danger now. He added that the “attack was not just on Imran Khan but on the Pakistani nation”.
Former information minister Fawad Chaudhry said the attack on Khan was a “well-planned assassination attempt”.
“It was not 9mm [pistol], it was burst from an automatic weapon, no two opinions about that it was a narrow escape,” he tweeted.
Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan injured after an unidentified gunman opened fire during his protest march in Pakistan’s Punjab province. PTI
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the cricketer-turned politician. His close aide Senator Faisal Javed was injured when a bullet grazed his face.
According to eyewitnesses, a gunman fired on the campaign truck carrying Khan from a close range. They said one person has been arrested from the spot.
“Imran Khan was shot in the leg but was stable while being taken to hospital. He waved at supporters too,” his party said in a tweet.
Geo TV reported that the attacker was identified as Naved. The attacker, in his early 20s and wearing salwar-kameez, had been walking along the container and fired from the left side, the channel said.
The suspect caught by police has said that he wanted to kill Khan because “he was misleading the public.”
“He (Khan) was misleading the people and I could not bear watching it so I… attempted to kill him,” he said in a video confession.
PTI leader Imran Ismail said that he was standing with Khan when he was attacked. “It was a straight fire… the bullet was meant to kill, not to scare,” he claimed.
Senior PTI leader Shahbaz Gill said that “Imran Khan is our red line and an attempt has been made to cross that red line.” He said that Khan will fight till his last breath.
Pakistan’s top leadership, political leaders and the military strongly condemned the attack on Khan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and directed the Interior Minister for an immediate report on the incident.
“I pray for the recovery and health of PTI chairman & other injured people. Federal government will extend all support necessary to Punjab govt for security & investigation. Violence should have no place in our country’s politics,” Sharif tweeted.
He has instructed Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to seek an immediate report on the incident from the police.
Prime Minister Sharif also postponed a press conference on his recent trip to China after the firing incident, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb tweeted.
President Arif Alvi termed the attack on Khan as “heinous assassination attempt”.
“I thank Allah that he is safe but injured with few bullets in his leg & hopefully non-critical. This attack is shocking, alarming, disgraceful, deceitful & cowardly. May Allah give him health & to all those injured,” tweeted Alvi, who belonged to Khan’s party before assuming presidency.
The Pakistan Army has issued a statement condemning the attack on Khan. “Firing incident during Long March near Gujranwala is highly condemnable. Sincere prayers for precious life lost and speedy recovery and well being of Chairman PTI Mr Imran Khan and all those injured in this unfortunate incident,” it said.
In this photo released by former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Faisal Javed, a senator and close aid of Khan, who was injured in a shooting incident waits to receive first aid, in in Wazirabad, Pakistan, on Thursday, November 3, 2022. AP/PTI
Former premier Nawaz Sharif also condemned the firing incident.
“I condemn the firing incident on Imran Khan and his companions and pray for their recovery of all those injured,” he tweeted.
Foreign Minister and Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari “strongly condemned” the attack on Khan and prayed for his swift recovery.
Bilawal’s mother, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, was killed during an election rally in Rawalpindi in 2007.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that the firing incident is a manifestation of increasing violence in the politics of the country, in an apparent reference to Khan’s aggressive approach in politics.
“I believe today’s incident shows the deterioration in our politics,” he said while speaking on the floor of the National Assembly. “The entire nation is condemning this incident”.
He also said use of words like killing and burning in politics by politicians give a licence to their followers to use such methods. He urged the politicians to realise that when they say such things, they sow seeds which will result in a bitter harvest.
Meanwhile, there are reports that supporters of Khan are holding protests in different cities to condemn the attack and show solidarity for their leader.
In Quetta, protesters blocked traffic at the airport road leading to a massive traffic jam in the area. The protesters in Mardan also took to the streets.
In Karachi, protests were reported in several parts of the city such as Sharae Faisal, North Nazimabad, Landhi, Quaidabad, North Karachi, Hub River road and Mauripur.
PTI leader Hammad Azhar has said that party member Ahmad Chattha, who was injured by two gunshots during an attack, is out of danger.
A video footage showed a PTI worker tackling the attacker from behind and trying to grab the gun of the attacker.
Ehtisam, who tackled the attacker, told the media that he forced the gun of the attacker downward and stopped further mayhem.
Initially, it was reported that Khan was safe while some people were injured.
Former human rights minister Shireen Mazari accused the interior minister for the attack and demanded his arrest.
She also said: “The string pullers, the Establishment will also be held responsible by the nation for this murderous attack on Imran Khan.”
Khan, who was ousted from power in April after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership, has talked about a ‘threat letter’ from the US and claimed that it was part of a foreign conspiracy to remove him as he was not acceptable for following an independent foreign policy. The US has bluntly rejected the allegations.
He has been demanding early elections and he is leading the long march towards Islamabad to force his demands. The term of the National Assembly will end in August 2023 and fresh elections should be held within 60 days.
Saudi Arabia has hosted an event to celebrate the once-banned festival of Halloween, in a historic move for the Land of the Two Holy Mosques as the kingdom looks to implement social reforms intended to modernise the country under de-facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
Dubbed the “Scary Weekend” which took place on Thursday and Friday in Riyadh’s Boulevard, revellers dressed up in scary costumes and fancy dress and posed for pictures which have been widely shared on social media. The event was held as part of the ongoing Riyadh Season in the Saudi capital.
Celebration of Halloween in Riyad, Saudi Arabia. The GEA of Saudi organized an event called "Horror Weekend", meanwhile celebration of Mawlid is still banned.
Imagine a country that forbids the commemoration of the Prophet ﷺ because it is more evil than celebrating Halloween… pic.twitter.com/gulK99yO8q
However, celebrations in the kingdom which had long been described as “ultra conservative,” have drawn criticism from some Muslim social media users over permitting once-banned non-Muslim festivals, while others have accused Saudi Arabia’s religious establishment of having double standards by not permitting the celebrations of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) birthday, known as Al Mawlid.
According to Arab News, “While Halloween has long been shunned across the Gulf, attendees at the event described the occasion as a form of harmless entertainment.”
“It’s a great celebration, honestly, and there’s a spirit of joy… In terms of haram or halal, I don’t know about it. We celebrate it just for the fun of it and nothing else. We don’t believe in anything,” one attendee who was taking part in the festivities for the first time was quoted as saying.
While another explained: “Actions are based on intentions. I’m just here to have fun.”
The “Scary Weekend” was the second costume-themed event to take place in the capital. A similar event, masquerade party took place earlier this year at Riyadh Boulevard Riyadh City on 17 and 18 March and was described as the largest costume party in Saudi Arabia.
A report by the New York Times suggested that the government-sponsored event was strategically held just before Halloween, which traditionally falls on 31 October so as not to be seen as officially commemorating the festival which has pagan roots.
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has introduced yoga in the universities as a part of its sports activities.
An introductory lecture on yoga was held at the headquarters of the Sports Federation of Saudi Universities in Riyadh.
Saudi Yoga Committee, in cooperation with the Sports Federation of Saudi Universities, organized a virtual introductory lecture under the title “Yoga for male and female university students” on Monday.
The lecture covered both mental and physical health and plans to join professional yogasana sports training to be part of competitions locally and internationally.
Saudi Gazette reported that the event came within the framework of an integrated system of programs and initiatives of the Saudi Committee for Yoga, under the title “Yoga for University Students of Both Genders”.
The event coincided with the arrival of the first yoga delegation to the Kingdom from the Asian Yogasana Sports Federation in India for the qualification course for the first Saudi batch of Yoga Referees, the report added.
The event included issues concerning the benefits of yoga for health and physical well-being in youth, yogasana sports for tournaments and competitions, and requirements for professional yoga training. It also included technical regulation of The Saudi Yoga Committee for Championships and Competitions in Saudi Universities.
The lecture, which motivated the youth to join professional yoga training, also shed light on the system of professional yogasana competitions within the university sports and the university league.
Nouf Almarwaai, President of the Saudi Yoga Committee, said that the committee seeks to achieve its vision of spreading yoga on a large scale within Saudi society. “Therefore it took the initiative to cooperate with the Saudi Universities Sports Federation in order to build a generation of yoga lovers, especially young people, to enjoy physical and mental health.”
Almarwaai said that the committee seeks to increase the number of practitioners and build yoga teams that participate in local and regional yoga championships.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and His Royal Highness The Prime Minister and Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman pictured today
LAHORE: Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Imran Khan on Monday accused senior politician Maryam Nawaz of propagating “sectarianism and religious hatred” against him and hatching a plot to kill him through a “religious fanatic”. Khan also said Maryam, the daughter of former premier Nawaz Sharif, is so desperate that she is also making sure that he is disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the Toshakhana case for not disclosing the information regarding the gifts received from the state depository in his assets declaration. “Maryam Nawaz along with her accomplices propagated sectarianism and religious hatred against me to make a ground that any religious fanatic gets motivated and kill me,” Khan, 69, said during his address with businessmen here. “I am not afraid of death as it will be decided by Allah (God) and none else,” the 69-year-old cricketer-turned-politician said. In a rally in Rahim Yar Khan, some 400 kms from Lahore, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman last Saturday had also talked about the conspiracy to kill him. “Four people had decided behind ‘closed doors’ to get me killed,” he claimed. Earlier, Maryam, a senior Pakistan Muslim League leader, had uploaded two purported statements of Imran Khan and as many verses of the Quran on her Twitter account to draw a comparison between them. “This man (Imran) is using religion for his politics and promoting his false narrative. Save your faith and the country from this Satan,” she said. Last week, the Punjab Police booked two federal ministers, as well as two senior officials of state-run PTV on terrorism charges for allegedly fanning religious hatred against Khan and endangering his life. The FIR was filed against Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Federal Minister Mian Javed Latif, PTV Managing Director Sohail Khan, as well as the broadcaster’s Controller Programmes, Rashid Baig, on the complaint of a local leader. They were booked under Section 9 (punishment for acts intended or likely to stir up sectarian hatred) and Section 11X(3) (responsibility for creating civil commotion) of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997. Latif had declared Khan a “non-Muslim and “supporter of minority Ahmadi community.” Pakistan’s Parliament in 1974 declared the Ahmadi community as non-Muslims. A decade later, they were banned from calling themselves Muslims. They are banned from preaching and from travelling to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage. —PTI
The General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and MBC Group announced the ‘Saudi Idol’ talent show.
GEA’s Chairman Turki Al-Sheikh said on Twitter that the authority and MBC have engaged in a partnership to launch the first season of “Saudi Idol,” which will kick off in December 2022.
MBC said the filming is scheduled to start in October, with a four-member jury that constitutes of Saudi singer Aseel Abu Bakr, Emirati singer Ahlam, Syrian singer Asala, and Iraqi-Saudi singer and composer Majed Al Mohandis.
The Saudi Geological Department tweeted that the recent discoveries could attract foreign investment in the mining industry. The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources announced in June that the kingdom would invest $32 billion in mining.
Officials in Saudi Arabia have confirmed the discovery of huge deposits of copper and gold in Medina, the holy city of the Islamic Prophet. The Saudi Geological Survey announced on Twitter that gold deposits were discovered in the Aba al-Raha locality of Medina, whereas copper deposits were discovered in the Wadi Al-Faraa region of the holy city.
In the official tweet, the department said that the new discoveries open up prospects for foreign investment. Al Arabiya reported that the new discoveries were expected to attract domestic and foreign investors to the region, which could enhance the kingdom’s economy.
According to local administration, the new discoveries are expected to create over 4,000 jobs, generating an expected investment of upwards of $533 million. The newly found deposits are likely to encourage qualitative progress in the mining industry, which could attract foreign investors. Currently, the kingdom has at least 5,300 mineral locations, including diverse metal rocks and other elements like construction materials, gemstones, decorative rocks, etc.
Mining is being promoted as an integral part of Saudi Arabia’s highly anticipated Vision 2030. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced in June that the kingdom would be prioritizing research and development in the mining sector. Following the announcement, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources confirmed that the kingdom would be pouring $32 billion into an investment in the mining industry.
Medina is one of the two holiest cities for Muslims worldwide. The city holds the tomb of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Masjid al Nabawi, and the famous Jannat ul Baqi Cemetery. Millions of Muslim pilgrims from across the globe visit the city every week, which makes the city one of the biggest tourist centers in the world. The discovery of the new sites will further the existing tourism, especially for those looking to invest in the holy city.
