Month: February 2024

Bali imposes $10 e-tax for tourists

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Planning a visit to Bali? Brace yourself for a new addition to your travel checklist.  As of Wednesday, tourists arriving in the Indonesian paradise are now facing a 150,000 rupiah ($10) tax. The move aims to safeguard the rich cultural tapestry of the “Island of Gods.” “Why the levy?” you might wonder.  Bali’s acting governor, Sang Made Mahendra Jaya, highlighted its purpose at the launch ceremony on Monday, stating, “This levy is aimed at the protection of the culture and the environment in Bali.” To comply with this cultural conservation…

PDM parties out to deceive people after defeat: PTI

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ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Tuesday alleged that after having been rejected by the people in the Feb 8 elections, the PDM’s components had started a new drama to deceive the people. Reacting to the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s news conference, the PTI spokesperson contended that had his thinking been democratic, he would have accepted the people’s mandate to the PTI instead of running a new campaign with the ‘pirates of Jati Umra’ and condemned the blatant desecration of the vote. “Zardari’s son’s party has a dark history in…

Celebrations erupt in Ivory Coast as nation accords warm welcome to AFCON champions

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Tens of thousands of exuberant fans converged on the streets of Abidjan to celebrate Ivory Coast’s remarkable triumph in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in a spectacular display of national pride and jubilation.  The electrifying victory parade unfolded on Monday, following the nail-biting final against Nigeria that culminated in a 2-1 win. Sebastien Haller, the hero of the night with the decisive goal, led the team through the lively streets atop a specially adorned truck, proudly displaying the three-star sign symbolising Ivory Coast’s third AFCON title. As fans lined…

Second hospitalisation: Key highlights of Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin’s health crisis

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US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin finds himself back in the hospital, marking his second hospitalisation this year.  He is suffering from an emergent bladder issue, according to a statement from Walter Reed National Medical Center. Austin, 70, was admitted on Sunday after experiencing symptoms indicative of a critical bladder problem. Following a series of tests, the decision was made to undergo non-surgical procedures on Monday, performed under general anesthesia. The nature of the specific bladder issue has not been fully disclosed, leaving many questions unanswered. The hospital remains optimistic about…

PTI team calls on Alvi

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ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) delegation held meeting with President Dr Arif Alvi and informed him about the alleged rigging in the general elections. A delegation of PTI, comprising of Raoof Hassan and Umair Niazi, called on President Alvi at President House on Monday. The delegation of the PTI also apprised the president of the party’s position regarding the alleged irregularities in the election process. According the announcement of the President House, the PTI delegation opined that Form-45s issued in different constituencies reflected the actual facts of the election results.…

Justin Bieber and Hailey’s entrance at Super Bowl amid Usher’s bid for collaboration

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Justin Bieber and his wife, Hailey, made an entrance at the Super Bowl on Sunday, amidst swirling speculation about a potential collaboration with Usher at the halftime show. Rumors had been circulating last week regarding Usher’s efforts to bring Bieber on stage, marking a reunion 16 years after Usher famously discovered and signed the talented teen prodigy to a record deal. 

Elon Musk breaks silence over supplying Starlink to Russia

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Tech mogul and CEO of SpaceX Elon Musk revealed his plans to provide the Starlink satellite to Russia which is being used in the battlefield by Ukrainian forces. Elon Musk wrote Sunday on social media platform X — formerly called Twitter: “A number of false news reports claim that SpaceX is selling Starlink terminals to Russia. To the best of our knowledge, no Starlinks have been sold directly or indirectly to Russia.” Musk — who is also the CEO of Tesla and X — was asked about if his satellite…

PTI workers block motorway in protest against alleged rigging

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PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers on Sunday staged a protest and closed the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway for traffic against what they called “rigging in the elections in Peshawar and stealing people’s mandate.” The call for protest was given by two PTI senior leaders and former provincial ministers, Taimur Saleem Jhagra and Kamran Khan Bangash. They had also staged a demonstration a day earlier against the alleged rigging in elections in their constituencies, saying that “corrupt district returning officers and returning officers had changed their results on the official forms under compulsions.”…