South Africa’s Sports Minister, Gayton McKenzie, has backed calls to boycott Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy, urging Cricket South Africa to reconsider their fixture in Karachi on February 21. Reasons for the Boycott England and South Africa share a group with Afghanistan, and both face pressure to protest the Taliban government’s restrictions on women’s rights by refusing to play. McKenzie stated that allowing the match would send a conflicting message, saying, “As someone who suffered racial inequality in sports during Apartheid, it would be hypocritical to ignore similar injustice against women.” Global Pressure Over 160 British politicians have demanded that…
Author: Web Desk
A delegation from the International Cricket Council (ICC) visited Karachi’s National Bank Stadium to assess the preparations for the much-anticipated Champions Trophy 2025. The six-member delegation, consisting of key ICC officials, broadcasters, and logistics personnel, thoroughly reviewed the arrangements. The purpose of the visit was to ensure that all necessary facilities are in place for the tournament, set to begin on February 19, 2025. Usman Wahla, Director of International Cricket at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), provided the delegation with a detailed briefing on the ongoing development work at the stadium. The deadline for completing the required development works at…
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will wait for medical reports from doctors in London before deciding on the inclusion of top-order batter Saim Ayub in Pakistan’s provisional squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. Ayub, who sustained a fractured ankle during the opening day of the Cape Town Test against South Africa, was initially ruled out of action for six weeks. The PCB subsequently sent the 22-year-old to the United Kingdom for specialized treatment and further evaluation. On Wednesday, Ayub underwent an initial assessment by Dr. Lucky Jeyaseelan, a Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Surgeon in London, accompanied…
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Wednesday that the upcoming tri-nation ODI series, initially planned for Multan, will now be hosted at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium and Karachi’s National Bank Stadium. The series, featuring Pakistan, New Zealand, and South Africa, has been relocated to these two premier venues, which are undergoing significant upgrades in preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The PCB also confirmed steady progress in preparations for the Champions Trophy, with both Gaddafi Stadium and National Bank Stadium nearing the completion of extensive renovations to meet international standards. Gaddafi Stadium, a historic venue, is undergoing a major…
Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Haseebullah Khan has been ruled out of the upcoming Test series against the West Indies after suffering an injury to his hand. The 21-year-old wicketkeeper was struck on the hand by the ball, requiring stitches. As a result, he will not be available for the two-Test series against the West Indies. Haseebullah, who has played one ODI and three T20Is for Pakistan, was the second wicketkeeper in the 15-member squad alongside Mohammad Rizwan during the South Africa tour. The left-handed batter is a promising young player. He made his T20I debut on January 21, 2024, in Christchurch, playing…
A pair of massive wildfires threatening Los Angeles from the east and west remained uncontained on Thursday, two days after igniting, though firefighters managed to gain control of the fire scorching the Hollywood Hills. The Palisades fire between Santa Monica and Malibu on the city’s western flank and the Eaton fire in the east near Pasadena have become the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history, burning nearly 28,000 acres, an area larger than Disney World, and reducing entire neighborhoods to ash. At least five people have been killed, thousands of structures incinerated, and nearly 180,000 people have been ordered…
Elon Musk will host the leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on X on Thursday, sparking concerns in Berlin and Brussels about possible interference by the US billionaire in Germany’s upcoming national election on February 23. Last year, Musk used X and his vast wealth to help get Republican Donald Trump re-elected as US President. Now, he is becoming vocal in his support for far-right and anti-establishment parties across Europe. The world’s richest man has shown particular interest in Germany, Europe’s economic powerhouse, where he opened Tesla’s first European plant in 2022. Last month, Musk endorsed AfD, an…
A Sri Lankan court jailed a politically influential, firebrand Buddhist monk on Thursday, sentencing him to prison for a second time for insulting Islam and inciting religious hatred in the island nation. Galagodaatte Gnanasara was sentenced to nine months for his anti-Muslim remarks dating back to 2016. He had been previously jailed last year on a similar charge for disparaging Sri Lanka’s minority Muslims, who make up just over 10% of the country’s 22 million population. He had been out on bail while appealing the four-year sentence. The monk is a close associate of former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who appointed…
The Henley Passport Index for 2025 has revealed the global passport rankings for every country, differing from the data of the previous year. Henley ranks all the world’s 199 passports based on the number of destinations they allow visa-free access to. This index is based on exclusive Timatic data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). In 2025, Singapore and Japan break away from the group of six countries that shared the top spot last year, securing gold and silver positions, respectively. Several European Union member states, including France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, drop two places to third position. They…
The Taliban has recognized India as a “significant regional and economic partner” following a key meeting between senior officials of both sides. The meeting, which took place on January 8, 2025, in Dubai, was between India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Taliban’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. According to a statement from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, discussions centered on expanding relations with Afghanistan and enhancing trade through the Chabahar Port in Iran, which India has developed to allow goods to bypass Pakistan’s ports in Karachi and Gwadar. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, “In line with Afghanistan’s balanced…
