Fire and the Spectacle of Politics: Valentina Gomez’s Quran-Burning Video and the Reality of American Democracy By Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada (Texas) In American politics, certain figures emerge not by the strength of ideas, but by the noise they generate. In Texas, one such figure, Valentina Gomez, has thrust herself into the spotlight with an act that ignited controversy not only across the state but around the world. In a shocking video, she is seen burning the Holy Qur’an with a flamethrower as part of her campaign launch for Congress. The video spread like wildfire—viral in seconds—sparking flames of outrage…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
Dear “bored soul,” I hear your struggle. You’re busy on the outside, but you feel hollow and empty on the inside. Nothing sparks joy or interest, and in fact, you end up feeling overwhelmed and drained. This feeling in itself speaks volumes and can be a signal for a variety of things. Let’s explore some of them. 1. Stress or Burnout: When our nervous system has been in overdrive for too long, it can lead to burnout. Activities that once felt engaging may now seem monotonous because your body might be showing signs of exhaustion. 2. Depression: Depression doesn’t always…
Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has revealed that he has undergone another surgery for skin cancer, renewing concerns about the disease’s prevalence in Australia. The 44-year-old shared the update via social media, posting a photo from a hospital bed with a visible bandage on his nose. “Skin cancer is real! Especially in Australia,” Clarke wrote. “Another one cut out of my nose today. A friendly reminder to get your skin checked.” He emphasized the importance of early detection, adding, “Prevention is better than cure, but in my case, regular check-ups and early detection is key.” The former cricketer also expressed…
FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have demanded that India implement a new constitution by October 30 or risk being suspended from world football for the second time in three years. FIFA and AFC’s Joint Warning In a joint letter to All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey, football’s global governing body FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) expressed “profound concern” over the continued failure to finalize and adopt the constitution. The letter, seen by AFP, stated that “failure to meet this schedule will leave us with no alternative but to refer the matter to the relevant…
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has approved a major relief package for national grid electricity consumers, authorizing the return of Rs50 billion collected through levies on captive power plants to the public. Approval of Proposals from Various Ministries The ECC meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb at the Finance Division, reviewed and approved proposals from several ministries. Flood Relief for Gilgit-Baltistan: The committee considered a summary from the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan and approved the release of Rs3 billion for flood relief efforts, following the Prime Minister’s directives. The funds are for the…
On Tuesday, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance that the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate for the current fiscal year may fall below the government’s target of 4.2%. Forecasts on GDP and Foreign Exchange Reserves The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue held its meeting under the chairmanship of Syed Naveed Qamar at Parliament House. SBP officials informed the committee that GDP growth for FY26 might reach only 3.2% against the official target of 4.2%. Deputy Governor of the State Bank, Dr. Inayat Hussain, told the committee that…
This action follows the US’s deployment of an amphibious squadron of three warships to Venezuela’s coast last week, which it said was an operation against Latin American drug cartels. On Monday, news agencies reported that two more US ships—a guided missile cruiser and a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine—had also been sent to the Caribbean, and that the deployment included approximately 4,500 US service members, with 2,200 of them being Marines. This US naval buildup comes after the administration of President Donald Trump last week accused Venezuela’s left-wing president, Nicolas Maduro, of being involved in cocaine trafficking and collaborating with drug cartels.…
When Nvidia announces its earnings on Wednesday, investors will see how the tech giant has been performing amid the turbulence of President Donald Trump’s trade policies and concerns about whether artificial intelligence has been overhyped. Why is Nvidia so Important? Nvidia specializes in creating graphics processing units (GPUs) that power AI, including the Blackwell B200, which is marketed as the world’s most powerful chip. The California-based company’s chips have become essential to the world’s largest tech firms, including Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and Alphabet, since AI entered the mainstream with the launch of OpenAI’s generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT, in November 2022.…
In a statement on Tuesday, the nonprofit group Stand Up for Science announced, “We can confirm multiple FEMA employees who publicly signed the Katrina Declaration have been placed on administrative leave.” This development is likely to intensify concerns that US President Donald Trump’s administration does not tolerate dissent. In July, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed 139 employees on administrative leave after they signed a letter criticizing Trump’s policies. As of Tuesday evening, the Stand Up for Science website stated that the letter had more than 190 signatories, with the majority signing anonymously due to fears of retaliation. The…
In a statement, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said, “We are aware that foreign actors continue to show an interest in Greenland and its position in the Kingdom of Denmark. It is therefore not surprising if we experience outside attempts to influence the future of the Kingdom in the time ahead.” He added that “any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom will, of course, be unacceptable,” and noted that he had “asked the Foreign Ministry to summon the US charge d’affaires for a meeting at the ministry.” Since his return to the White House in…
