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    UK assures swift action on Pakistani student visas

    ByJustpaste.in

    British High Commissioner Jane Marriott has assured Pakistan that the issue of delays in student visas will be addressed. Marriott gave the assurance during a meeting with Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar. The meeting was held as concerns grow over delays faced by Pakistani students seeking to travel to the United Kingdom for higher education. During the meeting, Tarar raised the issue of delayed visa processing with the British envoy. He conveyed the government’s concerns over the difficulties being faced by Pakistani students. The minister said hundreds of Pakistani students could lose their academic year because of the delays. Many students require timely visa decisions to join their universities and begin their studies according to the scheduled academic calendar. Tarar stressed the importance of resolving the issue at the earliest. He said unnecessary delays could create serious academic and financial difficulties for students and their families. The British High Commissioner assured the minister that efforts would be made to address the matter. The two sides also discussed broader issues of mutual interest. They exchanged views on strengthening institutional communication and cooperation between Pakistan and the United Kingdom. The meeting highlighted the importance of maintaining effective coordination between the relevant institutions of both countries. Better institutional engagement could help resolve issues affecting students and other Pakistani citizens seeking services in the UK. The assurance comes amid concerns among Pakistani students about securing timely visas for their higher education programmes.

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    Grand Yadgar-i-Fatah unveiled ahead of Independenc…

    ByJustpaste.in

    The Yadgar-i-Fatah monument, built to honour Pakistan’s martyrs and commemorate the state-designated “Marka-i-Haq,” was inaugurated in Islamabad on Thursday night. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif jointly inaugurated the monument on the eve of Pakistan’s 80th Independence Day. Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf attended the ceremony. The president and prime minister, along with the military leadership, stood respectfully as the national anthem was played by a military band. The ceremony began with the recitation of the Holy Quran. A video highlighting the concept, construction and development of the monument was also screened for the guests. A large contingent of personnel from the armed forces, paramilitary forces and police presented a guard of honour. The display was accompanied by a military band and reflected the participation of Pakistan’s security institutions in the national ceremony. The event was attended by senior military officers, federal ministers, political leaders, diplomats and other high-ranking officials. The Speaker of the National Assembly, Chairman Senate, Defence Minister, Foreign Minister and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz were among those present. Governors of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also attended. Police contingents from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan participated in the ceremony. Units representing Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were also part of the event. The monument commemorates Pakistan’s military confrontation with India in May. According to the Pakistani state narrative, the conflict began after the April 22 Pahalgam attack and culminated in Operation Bunyanum Marsoos before a ceasefire was reached between the two countries on May 10. Pakistan has referred to the episode as “Marka-i-Haq,” or the “Battle of Truth.” The inauguration brought together the country’s political and military leadership and carried a strong message of national unity and patriotism.

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    Abu Dhabi offers free three-month visas to Indian tourists

    ByJustpaste.in

    Abu Dhabi has introduced a special visa-fee waiver for eligible Indian tourists as part of efforts to boost tourism in the United Arab Emirates. Under the initiative, selected Indian travellers will receive a waiver of the full UAE entry visa fee. The offer is available from August 1 to October 31, 2026, during a pilot programme that will cover up to 20,000 eligible travellers. To qualify, Indian passport holders must book a travel package from India to Abu Dhabi. The package must include a stay of at least three consecutive nights at a hotel in Abu Dhabi and a return flight. The booking must also be made through a participating travel partner or an online travel agency. Travellers cannot apply for the free visa independently or directly. The visa-fee waiver will only be available to passengers who meet the specified conditions and book their trip through the designated travel channels. The three-month initiative is designed to attract more Indian visitors to Abu Dhabi and increase tourism activity during the late summer and early autumn period. Although the visa fee will be waived, travellers will generally remain responsible for the cost of flights, accommodation and other travel expenses, unless additional discounts are included in their selected package. The initiative is part of Abu Dhabi’s broader efforts to introduce attractive tourism offers and strengthen visitor numbers. The UAE has been seeking to support its tourism sector amid regional tensions and their impact on travel patterns. Authorities are introducing promotional packages and other incentives to maintain tourism activity and attract visitors from key international markets.

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    Pakistani student makes global mark with 10 LLB di…

    ByJustpaste.in

    Pakistani student Diya Aneel Bhatia has reportedly achieved a major academic distinction by securing 10 distinctions in the three-year LLB (Honours) programme of the University of London. Bhatia belongs to Jamshoro, Sindh, and is studying at a private law college in Islamabad. She secured the highest marks worldwide in the programme, according to the information shared at a ceremony held in her honour. Her achievement was celebrated at a special ceremony at the Islamabad School of Law. Faculty members from the University of London also attended the event. They congratulated Bhatia and praised her academic performance. The ceremony also recognised other high-performing students. Shields were presented to the students for their outstanding results. Bhatia was among the students honoured for her exceptional performance. Her achievement has brought attention to the academic potential of Pakistani students studying international degree programmes. It has also highlighted the growing participation of Pakistani students in global legal education. Bhatia’s success has been particularly noted because of the number of distinctions she achieved during the LLB programme. Her performance placed her among the top-performing students internationally. Education experts and academics praised her achievement. They described it as a source of pride for Pakistan and an encouragement for other young students. Bhatia has also expressed her desire to use her education for a wider social purpose. She said she wants to work for Pakistani women, particularly women from minority communities. She aims to support women through education, legal awareness and greater access to opportunities. Her goal, she said, is to contribute to the empowerment of women and help them build stronger futures.

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    North Korea’s fake remote workers rake in $800m a year

    ByJustpaste.in

    North Korean operatives have quietly built a hidden workforce inside American companies. They are using stolen identities, AI tools and fake profiles to secure remote jobs. The money earned through this scheme is funneled straight back to North Korea. Investigators say it could be channeling millions of dollars annually to Kim Jong Un’s regime. A new investigation pieced together leaked data, interviews and previously unseen videos to expose how the operation actually works. The findings offer a rare, detailed look at how Pyongyang’s undercover workers get recruited and placed. According to the investigation, a single tracked operative applied to more than 1,000 companies in just three months. That volume points to a highly organized, large-scale effort rather than isolated cases. Investigators also found that AI tools played a direct role in helping operatives write convincing cover letters and resumes. Screen recordings reportedly captured workers reading answers straight from ChatGPT during live hiring interviews. North Korea’s IT operatives typically rely on stolen American identities to pass candidate screening and background checks. Many are said to juggle multiple jobs simultaneously, all operating under the same stolen name. Some of these workers reportedly earn as much as $300,000 a year through these remote positions. The US Treasury Department has found that up to 90% of those earnings get funneled directly back to the regime. Officials estimate the overall operation generates as much as $800 million annually for North Korea. That scale has made it one of the more lucrative sanctions-evasion schemes uncovered in recent years. Investigators traced the flow of funds through a wider network involving North Korean IT workers and affiliated cybercriminals. That trail eventually led to a company being sanctioned by the US, reportedly tied to Pyongyang’s broader defence development program. The findings highlight how North Korea has adapted its sanctions-evasion tactics for the remote work era. By blending stolen identities with AI-assisted job applications, the regime has found a modern, low-visibility way to bypass international restrictions on its economy. As remote hiring becomes more common globally, cases like this are raising fresh questions about how companies verify who they’re actually hiring.

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    Meta removes 756,000 Australian teen accounts amid new age law

    ByJustpaste.in

    Meta has deactivated 756,000 Australian accounts believed to belong to users under the age of 16. The company confirmed the move on Thursday amid tightening regulations on youth social media use. The total includes 462,000 suspected underage Instagram accounts and 294,000 flagged Facebook accounts. All were removed between December, when the ban first came into effect, and June of this year. To identify these accounts, Meta relied on AI tools designed to scan user activity for contextual clues suggesting an underage user. These included things like birthday celebration posts or references to specific school grades, alongside reports submitted by other users. In an official statement, Meta said enforcement remains ongoing and that these numbers will likely continue rising. The company added that it shares the Australian government’s goal of ensuring safer, age-appropriate online experiences for young people. Meta also stated that it is actively meeting its legal obligations under Australia’s new social media rules. The announcement comes as the company faces mounting scrutiny and potential regulatory action tied to the country’s landmark youth protection laws. There is growing consensus globally that major tech platforms have failed to prioritise child safety in their product design. Features like infinite scrolling, engagement-driven algorithms and constant notifications are increasingly viewed by regulators as manipulative, disrupting both sleep and academic performance among young users. In response, Australian authorities recently doubled maximum penalties for non-compliance to roughly A$99 million, equivalent to about $69.75 million USD. Regulators have also been granted expanded powers to access internal company documents amid claims that platforms have not done enough to enforce existing restrictions. This crackdown reflects a broader global shift toward limiting youth access to social media, driven by mounting public health concerns. Reports from the World Health Organization and various long-term studies have linked heavy platform use to rising rates of adolescent anxiety, depression and body-image issues. Legal pressure on tech companies has intensified too, with several US lawsuits and court rulings exposing internal documents suggesting platforms knowingly prioritised engagement over user safety. That mounting evidence has fuelled growing legislative appetite worldwide for mandatory, government-enforced age verification systems.

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    Natalie Harp tipped as Karoline Leavitt’s likely successor

    ByJustpaste.in

    White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Wednesday that she is stepping down from the Trump administration by the end of the month. She cited wanting more time with her family as the reason behind the decision. In a social media post, the 28-year-old explained that returning to the White House after having her daughter left her struggling to balance the demands of the role with being present for her two young children. She called it a bittersweet decision to move into a new chapter of her life. President Trump responded publicly, saying he understood and respected her choice. He added that Leavitt would remain part of his inner circle, describing her as one of his top outside advisors and an influential voice within the Republican Party going forward. The sudden announcement caught many off guard, sparking a wave of speculation online about what actually prompted her exit. No official replacement has been named yet, but multiple reports have pointed to Natalie Harp as a likely contender for the role. The 34-year-old serves as Trump’s executive assistant and is frequently seen by his side at public events. She reportedly manages much of his digital presence, including posting pre-approved content to his social media accounts after hours, according to a Wall Street Journal report from May 2026. Given her closeness to the president, Harp has emerged as one of the more plausible names being floated to take over the press secretary role. Alongside the succession talk, unverified theories have also surfaced online suggesting Harp may have played a role in Leavitt’s exit. Some reports, including one from the Irish Star, claim Harp accompanied Trump during a security-related jet switch amid threat concerns, while Leavitt was left behind, though this remains unconfirmed. A source told the Daily Mail that Harp holds an unusually close position within Trump’s team, describing her as closer to the president than anyone else on his staff. Separately, a widely circulated video appeared to show Leavitt seemingly sidelined during a tense exchange involving Trump and another woster believed to be Harp, shortly before her resignation announcement. None of these claims have been independently verified so far.

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    PayPal’s coupon extension loses millions of users amid scandal

    ByJustpaste.in

    PayPal-owned coupon extension Honey is facing a sharp decline in its user base. The drop comes amid mounting criticism and legal action from online creators. According to reports, the browser extension has lost millions of users as accusations of affiliate misconduct continue to draw scrutiny. PayPal acquired Honey back in 2020 for $4 billion, and the tool has faced repeated controversy in the years since. Data from MegaLag shows Honey’s user base has dropped by more than seven million. The extension has fallen from roughly 20 million users on the Chrome Web Store down to about 13 million. In a significant legal development, US District Judge Beth Labson Freeman allowed a second amended complaint from content creators to move forward. The ruling marks another setback for PayPal as it continues defending the extension in court. Alongside the drop in users, Honey’s coupon database has also shrunk considerably. Its collection of active codes has fallen from 90,000 to around 50,000, with roughly 10,000 of the remaining codes reportedly already expired. In response to the broader controversy, Google has updated its Chrome Web Store policies to curb similar link-manipulation practices. The updated rules now require clearer transparency around how extensions monetise user activity. Separately, Rakuten Advertising has rolled out a new system aimed at preventing extensions from claiming last-click credit on purchases. The move is seen as a direct response to the kind of practices Honey has been accused of. Honey had built its reputation by promising users automatic savings, claiming it could scan the internet to find the best available coupon codes for any purchase. That promise, heavily promoted through YouTube sponsorships, helped the extension attract millions of downloads over the years. However, growing legal pressure and declining trust appear to be reshaping how both users and industry regulators view coupon-finding tools going forward. With lawsuits ongoing and user numbers continuing to slide, Honey’s reputation looks set to remain under scrutiny in the months ahead.

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    Stephen Mangan compares acting craft to playing chess

    ByJustpaste.in

    Stephen Mangan has opened up about how he continues sharpening his acting skills after years in the industry. The British actor shared his approach in a recent chat with Candis magazine. Known for stepping across acting, comedy and presenting, Mangan expressed genuine happiness with the variety his career has offered. He’s currently linked to “The Truth” on the West End stage. He said he feels genuinely delighted to stay busy with work that actually interests him. According to Mangan, variety has always been the spice of life for him professionally. Reflecting on his career path, Mangan joked that his younger self, a law student at the time, would have been amazed by how things eventually turned out. He seemed genuinely surprised by his own journey into entertainment. When asked about his secret to improving as an actor, Mangan offered an unexpected comparison. He explained that becoming a better chess player requires playing against someone stronger than you. He said the same principle applies directly to acting. According to Mangan, working alongside talented collaborators has consistently pushed him to grow, something he considers himself fortunate to have experienced throughout his career. Looking ahead, Mangan revealed he is eager to explore more stage work and potentially even musical theatre. He admitted there are several plays he’d love to take on in the future. However, he remained cautious about tackling a musical, joking that despite being able to sing in tune, pulling one off convincingly still feels like a tall order. Still, he added that he’d never rule it out completely. Mangan also revealed a longtime creative ambition of his own. He said he would like to eventually write his own play and already has an idea in mind for it. Beyond acting, Mangan has built a diverse presenting career, hosting shows like “Portrait Artist of the Year” and “Landscape Artist of the Year.” His acting credits include beloved comedy-dramas such as “Green Wing,” “Episodes” and “The Split,” cementing his reputation as one of British television’s most versatile performers.

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    Happy 79th Independence Day to all patriots of Pak…

    ByJustpaste.in

    Pakistan is celebrating its 79th Independence Day today with patriotic enthusiasm and nationwide festivities. Celebrations began at midnight as homes, markets, government offices and private buildings across the country were illuminated and decorated with national flags and green-and-white decorations. Major cities including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta and Multan have witnessed vibrant celebrations, with fireworks and lighting displays adding to the festive atmosphere. Citizens have taken to the streets to mark the historic occasion, while rallies and patriotic events are being organised in different parts of the country. The celebrations reflect the nation’s enduring spirit of patriotism and commemorate Pakistan’s independence achieved on August 14, 1947. Across cities and communities, people are joining together to celebrate the country’s 79th Independence Day with pride and renewed commitment to national unity and progress.