Live Script

In a significant move for Pakistan cricket, Babar Azam will now be under the leadership of Mohammad Rizwan in the upcoming GT20 Canada League. The Vancouver Knights franchise announced Rizwan as their captain for the season, highlighting his batting prowess and wicketkeeping skills. The franchise's social media buzzed with the news, proclaiming, "Hear ye, hear ye! The Vancouver Knights have chosen their captain for GT20 Season 4: Sir Muhammad Rizwan! With his mighty batting skills and sharp wicketkeeping, he's ready to lead our charge to victory. Prepare for battle, Knights!" Joining them in the Knights' lineup are notable international players including Mohammad Amir, Asif Ali, Michael Rippon from New Zealand, South Africa's Dwaine Pretorius, and others. The league, set to commence on July 25 with the final scheduled for August 11 in Canada, promises thrilling cricket action. Seven Pakistani cricketers, including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, an...

Photo courtesy of NDTV. The victorious Indian cricket team's return from the 2024 T20 World Cup has been delayed due to severe weather conditions in Barbados. Officials have suspended air travel due to a hurricane-like situation, forcing players to stay in their hotels. According to NDTV, the Indian team defeated South Africa in the T20 World Cup final on Saturday. They were scheduled to return home on Sunday, but there is no clear update on their return due to the adverse weather, which has confined captain Rohit Sharma and his team to their hotel rooms. India Today reports that Hurricane Beryl has led to the closure of Barbados Airport, with all flights canceled. As a Category 4 storm, the second-most severe category, the authorities are not taking any risks with air travel. Media sources indicate that Beryl is expected to impact the Windward Islands with winds reaching 130 miles per hour. On June 29, in the ICC T20 World Cup final jointly hosted by the USA and the West Indies, I...

DOHA: Representatives from Afghanistan's Taliban government initiated discussions with UN officials on Sunday in Doha, Qatar. This meeting marks the first time Taliban authorities have participated in such talks, which are part of a series of UN-hosted meetings aimed at addressing issues in Afghanistan. A UN spokesperson indicated that preliminary discussions have started, with separate meetings between the UN, various special envoys, and the Taliban representatives. The meeting involves UN officials and more than 20 special envoys, including the US special representative to Afghanistan. The discussions are led by the Taliban delegation under spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, with a focus on enhancing international engagement with Afghanistan. Since the Taliban's takeover in 2021, the global community has faced challenges in determining its stance towards Afghanistan's new leadership. The Taliban have yet to be officially recognized by other countries due to their controversial...

**ISLAMABAD:** On Saturday, Pakistan deferred approval for the $6.7 billion Mainline-I (ML-I) project of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Instead, the government sanctioned two other Chinese-funded schemes: building a new airport in Gwadar and completing a missing road link, both involving multibillion-dollar investments. The decisions were made during a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. ECNEC, which approves projects costing over Rs7.5 billion, approved 19 projects, including some brought forward due to cost revisions. Deferred Approval of ML-I Project ECNEC did not clear the re-modified PC-I for the ML-I upgrade and advised Pakistan Railways to consider preparing smaller projects and packages for financing and implementation. The coalition government had previously cleared the “unviable” $6.7 billion ML-I project before Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China...

**ISLAMABAD:** Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced the government’s decision to abolish the concept of 'non-filers'. Addressing the media in Islamabad, the finance minister acknowledged that the salaried class is particularly experiencing financial strain from new taxes. He pledged to offer relief to salaried individuals once any financial respite becomes feasible. The minister emphasized the government’s efforts to eliminate the 'non-filers' category, expressing confidence that ongoing initiatives will make the categorization obsolete. Highlighting key economic improvements, he stated that the country’s foreign exchange reserves have risen to $9 billion, and inflation has reduced from 38% to 12%. Aurangzeb revealed that the repatriation of dividends to international companies, which is crucial for attracting foreign direct investment, is complete. Additionally, the World Bank has approved $1 billion for the Dasu project, and the International Finance Corporat...

The Punjab Government has declared that all schools across the province will now observe two weekly holidays. Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat announced that Saturday will join Sunday as a day off for schools, providing much-needed relief to teachers. The decision aims to support the teachers' community, recognizing their essential role in nation-building. Minister Hayat emphasized, "Teachers are serving the nation, and it is our duty to take care of them." In light of this new policy, the school hours from Monday to Friday will be extended. This adjustment ensures that students' education remains unaffected by the additional holiday. The government has taken measures to balance the welfare of teachers with the educational needs of students. Previously, all government schools and the majority of private schools in Punjab observed only one weekly holiday, remaining closed on Sundays. The new schedule, which will come into effect after the summer vacation, ...

The future of energy lies in the sun. With the growing awareness of climate change and the urgent need to reduce carbon footprints, solar energy has emerged as a viable and sustainable solution. However, making solar energy accessible to everyone is a challenge that requires collective effort. In this blog post, we explore the importance of solar energy, the barriers to its accessibility, and the steps we can take to ensure that everyone can harness the power of the sun.  The Importance of Solar Energy Solar energy is one of the cleanest and most abundant renewable energy sources available. Unlike fossil fuels, solar power generates electricity without emitting greenhouse gases, making it a crucial player in combating climate change. The sun provides more energy in one hour than the entire world consumes in a year. By tapping into this immense resource, we can significantly reduce our reliance on non-renewable energy sources and move towards a more sustainable future.  Barrier...