oleh admin | Agu 19, 2025 | disasters, emergencies, news, rain, rainfall
Released on, Aug. 19 — August 19, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Heavy rains in northern China have claimed at least 13 lives, with five people still missing, as authorities struggle to manage extreme weather that shows no sign of stopping soon.
State media reported that three bodies were recovered from floodwaters in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, while three others went missing near the banks of the Yellow River, roughly 70 kilometers away.
Monday’s downpour, the first of three consecutive storms forecast in the region, dumped more than 204 mm of rain in less than 24 hours, exceeding August’s monthly average by over double.
Earlier, on Saturday, a flash flood swept through Bayannur’s grasslands after a river burst its banks, killing at least ten people and leaving 13 campers stranded; one was rescued while two remain missing.
Search efforts by rescue crews persist in Ordos, close to Baotou—a key center for rare earth minerals—amid severe rain and floods posing risks to facilities and potentially forcing many from their homes.
Weather experts caution that intense precipitation connected to global warming presents increasing difficulties for officials, straining outdated flood protection systems, resulting in financial damage, and endangering millions of people living in northern China.
oleh admin | Agu 19, 2025 | banking, economic policy, economics, monetary policy, politics and government
Published on, Aug. 19 — August 19, 2025 11:54 AM
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has asked Pakistan to remove the finance secretary from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) board and immediately fill two vacant deputy governor positions to strengthen institutional independence.
The lender has also recommended amending the Banking Companies Ordinance of 1962 to remove the federal government’s authority to instruct SBP to inspect commercial banks, further reducing state influence over financial regulation.
In its Governance and Corruption Diagnosis Mission report, the IMF stressed that these reforms would ensure stronger autonomy at the central bank, even though the government remains the sole shareholder of SBP.
Earlier, in 2022, Pakistan revised the SBP Act due to pressure from the IMF, granting complete independence to the central bank and removing the finance secretary’s vote on the SBP board.
Currently, the SBP board includes the governor and eight non-executive directors, one from each province. However, two of the three sanctioned deputy governor posts remain vacant, with only Saleem Ullah serving in finance, inclusion, and innovation.
In the meantime, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb stated that the government does not intervene in establishing interest rates or exchange rates, which are set by the State Bank of Pakistan. He further mentioned that an IMF evaluation team will arrive in Pakistan during September to discuss a $1 billion loan installment.
oleh admin | Agu 19, 2025 | commerce, gold, money, news, precious metals
Released on, Aug. 19 — August 19, 2025 at 7:20 AM
The cost of 24-karat gold per tola rose by Rs1,500 on Monday, reaching Rs357,700 after being priced at Rs356,200 the prior business day, according to the All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewelers Association. Additionally, the price for 10 grams of 24-karat gold climbed by Rs1,286 to Rs306,670, compared to Rs305,384 previously, while 10 grams of 22-karat gold saw an increase of Rs1,179, now selling for Rs281,124 instead of Rs279,945. Per tola and ten-gram silver prices stayed unchanged at Rs4,031 and Rs3,455 respectively. In global markets, gold prices moved upward by $1 to reach $3,350 from $3,335, while silver maintained stability at $37.98, as stated by the association.
oleh admin | Agu 19, 2025 | culture, pop culture, popular culture, religion, society
Released on, Aug. 19 — August 19, 2025 at 7:12 AM
New terms embraced by Generation Z and Generation Alpha, such as “skibidi,” “delulu,” and “tradwife,” have been added to the online version of the Cambridge Dictionary this past year, according to the publisher, which announced this on Monday.
The Cambridge University Press noted that “tradwife,” a blend of “traditional” and “wife,” represents “an emerging, contentious trend on Instagram and TikTok that promotes conventional gender roles.”
The dictionary also faced the task of explaining “skibidi,” a term that gained popularity through internet memes, describing it as a word with “various interpretations ranging from positive to negative, or sometimes used without clear significance.”
A nonsensical term gained popularity through a YouTube channel named “Skibidi Toilet,” and it is linked to the aimless, “mind-numbing” material seen on social media platforms, which resonates with the predominantly online habits of Generation Alpha.
The dictionary describes “delulu,” which comes from the term “delusional,” as “holding beliefs that are false or untrue, often due to one’s own choice.” For instance, it referenced a 2025 address in parliament where Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, “delulu without any solulu.”
“Rarely do we encounter terms such as ‘skibidi’ and ‘delulu’ being added to the Cambridge Dictionary,” remarked Colin McIntosh, who serves as the Lexical Program Manager at the Cambridge Dictionary.
we insert terms only when we believe they will endure. internet trends are influencing the english language, and this development is intriguing to witness and document in the dictionary.
Additional new expressions are “lewk,” which refers to an distinctive style of dress and gained popularity through RuPaul’s Drag Race, along with “inspo,” a contraction of inspiration.
The remote work trend has led to the creation of “mouse jiggers,” which are devices used to simulate activity when one isn’t actually working. Additionally, “forever chemicals” refer to synthetic substances that persist in the environment for extended periods, becoming more widely discussed as worries increase regarding the long-term effects of climate change on human and ecological well-being.
oleh admin | Agu 19, 2025 | asia, entertainment, news, sports, tournaments
Released on, Aug. 19 — August 19, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Pakistan’s squash sensation Ashab Irfan showcased exceptional skills in the Johns Creek Open at the United States as he downed Nathan from Malaysia in the tournament. Irfan displayed top notch performance and defeated Nathan by 3-1 (8-11, 11-2, 11-2, 11-6) and claimed the title, said a statement. The tournament, which boasted a prize purse of $12,000, saw Irfan deliver a stellar performance.
