Pakistan’s largest volunteer network, ‘MilKar,’ has won the Youth Excellence Award at the Commonwealth Asia Youth Alliance (CAYA) Summit 2025, held in Islamabad. This achievement is not new for MilKar, a public welfare organization recognized for its contributions, particularly in connecting volunteers and organizations to create a better society. Previously, MilKar has won several national and international awards, including the Commonwealth Innovation Award and P@SHA’s “Best Community Service” Gold Award. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presented the award to Ali Saif, the youngest member of the National Youth Council (NYC) and the Impact Head of MilKar, as well as the founder…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
Trump’s New Announcement: Decision to Convert Guantanamo Bay into a Detention Center for Undocumented Immigrants By: Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada Dallas: President Donald Trump made an important announcement on Wednesday, signing an executive order to expand Guantanamo Bay into a detention center for undocumented immigrants. According to the President, the aim of this move is to keep individuals he considers a threat to the country in a secure location outside the United States. This announcement came just before President Trump signed the “Laken Riley Act,” which extends the mandatory detention of foreign nationals accused of crimes such as theft, robbery,…
Tears, long recognized as a natural response to emotions, play a far more critical role in physical and mental health than previously understood, according to ophthalmologists and biomedical researchers. Recent studies highlight their multifaceted functions, from safeguarding vision to regulating stress and enhancing immune defenses. Eye Protection and Immune Defense Tears maintain ocular health by keeping eyes lubricated, preventing dryness, and flushing out irritants like dust or debris. They contain lysozyme, an antimicrobial enzyme that combats harmful bacteria and reduces infection risks. Additionally, tears deliver oxygen and nutrients to the cornea, ensuring optimal eye function and clarity for sharp vision.…
Reducing the intake of sugar-sweetened soft drinks in an individual’s daily diet is a health goal that deserves attention. While the negative consequences of regularly consuming soft drinks are widely acknowledged, many teenagers and young adults continue to overconsume them daily. Soft drinks (often mistakenly called “soda”) are widely loved across the globe—a fact that cannot be ignored. In 2021, the global market value of soft drinks was estimated at over $413 billion. A soft drink is essentially a beverage based on water that becomes carbonated when the liquid is infused with carbon dioxide gas. Various flavors are added to…
Pakistan’s power tariff is likely to see a reduction of Rs1.30 per unit for one month, bringing relief to electricity consumers. The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) has submitted a request for a decrease in the monthly fuel price adjustment for December, which is set for review tomorrow. The CPPA indicated that the estimated fuel cost per unit of electricity in December was Rs10.63, while the actual cost was lower at Rs9.60 per unit. During December, a total of 7.516 billion units of electricity were supplied to Distribution Companies (Discos). The breakdown of power generation for December showed that 22.80%…
Asia-Pacific markets rose on Wednesday (today), driven by technology stocks and improved investor sentiment following positive trends on Wall Street. Concerns over a low-cost AI model from Chinese startup DeepSeek are easing, despite its potential to challenge U.S. dominance. The US dollar remained strong as traders shifted from safe-haven currencies like the Japanese yen, boosted by fresh tariff warnings from the Trump administration. Trading activity in Asia was muted due to the Lunar New Year holidays, which closed exchanges in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea. Japan’s Nikkei share average rose by 0.5% as of 0055 GMT,…
The Pakistani rupee showed a slight improvement against the US dollar, appreciating by 0.07% in the inter-bank market during Wednesday’s opening trading hours. By 10am, the rupee was trading at 278.73, marking a gain of Re0.2 against the greenback. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported that the rupee closed at 278.93 on Tuesday. The rupee appreciated by 0.08% against the US dollar in the interbank market during the opening hours of trading on January 8. Asia-Pacific markets rose on Wednesday (today), driven by technology stocks and improved investor sentiment following positive trends on Wall Street. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb…
Karachi: Easypaisa has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by becoming Pakistan’s first Digital Retail Bank to receive commercial approval for the commencement of regular digital banking operations from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) under its Licensing and Regulatory Framework for Digital Banks. The approval to launch commercial operations was granted to Easypaisa Digital Bank on January 28, 2025, in an official licensing ceremony held at the State Bank of Pakistan. With this approval, Telenor Microfinance Bank has been converted from a “Microfinance Bank” to a “Digital Retail Bank,” and will now operate under the name “Easypaisa Digital Bank” (Registered name:…
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has signaled potential tax reforms aimed at easing the burden on the country’s salaried class. Speaking at the Pakistan Business Council’s (PBC) “Dialogue on the Economy,” Aurangzeb acknowledged the disproportionate tax burden on salaried workers and emphasized the need for a review of the current tax brackets. He clarified that this was a personal viewpoint and refrained from making definitive commitments. However, the minister did pledge to simplify the tax filing process for salaried individuals to make it more convenient. He stressed that the government’s budget process for the fiscal year 2025-26, which begins in early…
Musk turned to his X on Wednesday, revealing plans to bring back the two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS), saying he will bring them back “as soon as possible.” NASA’s space crew, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, went to the ISS on Boeing’s Starliner capsule in June 2024. President Trump posted on Truth Social, stating, “I have just asked Elon Musk and SpaceX to ‘go get’ the two brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration.” He concluded his post by wishing the Tesla founder the best of luck for his mission.…
