Artem, a 22-year-old IT student from Moscow, has no regrets about spending over $3,000 to see his favorite singer, Taylor Swift, perform live. Around the world, Swift fans, known as “Swifties,” often pay hefty prices for her concerts, but Russian fans face additional challenges. Since many Western performers have avoided Russia following its 2022 military actions in Ukraine, and with international travel restrictions in place, Russian Swifties have had to embark on complicated journeys to attend Swift’s sold-out Eras tour. Elizaveta, a 20-year-old medical student, traveled with Artem to see Swift in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, in July. Elizaveta described the experience…
Author: Hasnain Abid Khanzada
In the most intense airstrikes on southern Lebanon since the conflict began in October, Israeli warplanes launched a series of attacks on Thursday night, targeting Hezbollah positions. The strikes come amid growing international calls for restraint, with the White House and the UK urging an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre expressed concerns about the potential for escalating violence. The airstrikes followed earlier attacks, attributed to Israel, which targeted Hezbollah’s communications equipment, resulting in 37 deaths and over 3,000 injuries in Lebanon. Israeli forces reported striking hundreds of rocket launchers in southern Lebanon in over…
The European Union’s drug regulator has granted approval for Bavarian Nordic’s mpox vaccine to be used in adolescents aged 12 to 17, enhancing vaccination efforts during the ongoing outbreak in parts of Africa. This decision underscores the importance of immunizing younger populations, who are particularly vulnerable to the disease. Mpox, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global public health emergency, has disproportionately affected children and adolescents. Bavarian Nordic’s vaccine, known as IMVANEX® in the EU, was initially authorized for adults but has now been expanded to include younger individuals following a swift review by the European Medicines…
Pocketpair, the studio behind the popular game Palworld, has issued a statement in response to a lawsuit filed by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company (TPC), asserting that it has not been informed about which specific patents it allegedly infringed. In its statement, Pocketpair said, “At this moment, we are unaware of the specific patents we are accused of infringing upon, and we have not been notified of such details.” The lawsuit claims that Pocketpair has infringed upon multiple undisclosed patents, likely related to the similarities between Palworld’s companion creatures, known as “pals,” and Pokémon characters. Palworld, an open-world survival crafting…
PARIS: Approximately one-third of Olympic athletes were subjected to drug tests during the Paris Games this year, resulting in only five positive results, according to the International Testing Agency (ITA) on Thursday. This marks one fewer positive case than at the Tokyo Games in 2021, despite a 4% increase in the number of athletes tested compared to the previous Games, and a 10% increase over Rio in 2016. The ITA, responsible for testing during the Games, reported that 4,770 athletes—39 percent of the total—had their urine, blood, and dried blood samples analyzed between July 26 and August 11. This represents…
BERGAMO, Italy: Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya played a crucial role in securing a valuable point for his team with a stunning penalty save during their 0-0 draw against Atalanta in their Champions League opener on Thursday. The Spaniard dove to his right to deny Mateo Retegui’s penalty in the 51st minute and quickly reacted to block Retegui’s follow-up header. Mikel Arteta’s squad displayed resilience, weathering the pressure from Atalanta in a vibrant Stadio di Bergamo, while also posing threats on the counterattack. Arsenal’s best chance came from Bukayo Saka, whose well-placed free kick was saved by Atalanta’s goalkeeper, Marco Carnesecchi,…
MONACO: Barcelona suffered a disappointing start to their Champions League campaign, falling 2-1 to AS Monaco on Thursday, following the early dismissal of defender Eric Garcia. The match at the Stade Louis II saw Garcia sent off just 11 minutes in for a foul on Monaco’s Takumi Minamino, who was in a clear position to score after a misplaced pass from goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Reflecting on the incident, Ter Stegen stated, “We had a misunderstanding at that moment. I feel bad for Eric. We played 80 minutes with one less player. It’s part of football. The loss is painful…
Mohsin Naqvi, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has assured the International Cricket Council (ICC) delegation that upgrades to stadiums will be completed on schedule for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. During a meeting in Islamabad, Naqvi confirmed that renovations at all venues would be finalized before the tournament. He also emphasized that top-tier security would be provided to all participating teams, along with international-standard facilities for players and spectators alike. The ICC delegation, which included senior officials such as Sarah Edgar, Aun Muhammad Zaidi, Wasim Khan, and security manager David Musker, expressed satisfaction with the preparations in…
Norwegian footballer Ole Saeter, who is eligible to represent Pakistan through his maternal ancestry, has turned down a lucrative offer from Israeli football club Maccabi Haifa, citing moral objections. Reports indicate that Saeter was offered $910,000 (approximately PKR 264.3 million) to join the club. However, he declined the offer, expressing that he cannot play for a country he holds responsible for violence against children and the elderly. In an interview with a Norwegian newspaper, Saeter stated, “Even if I were offered $500 million, I would not join an Israeli club.” He emphasized that his values outweigh financial gain, refusing to…
Babar Azam has made history in Pakistan cricket by becoming the first batter to achieve 30 or more List-A centuries. His remarkable innings of 104 runs led the Allied Bank Stallions to victory over the Engro Dolphins in the Champions One-Day Cup. The 29-year-old’s unbeaten century came off 100 balls and included seven fours and three sixes, marking a significant turnaround after a recent dip in form. Babar’s last half-century in Test matches dates back several months, and his performances in the previous two ICC Cricket World Cups had also fallen short. In a statement, the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed,…
