WASHINGTON: The United States said on Monday it was ready to take in thousands more Afghans whose US links put them at risk from the Taliban as Western troops leave, but the asylum-seekers will face an arduous journey to safety. Less than a month before the United States is set to end its longest-ever war, the State Department expanded the …

The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has signed a partnership with Global Soccer Ventures (GSV) to kick off the country’s first-ever football league, the Pakistan Football League (PFL), and upgrade the infrastructure for the sport in the country, according to a press release issued on Tuesday. The statement noted that apart from delivering Pakistan’s first domestic inter-city franchise league, the new …

Reese Witherspoon’s women-focused production company behind television hits such as Big Little Lies is being purchased by a new private equity-backed venture aiming to break into Hollywood’s fast-expanding streaming market. The majority investment from a not-yet-named media venture backed by US private equity giant Blackstone and announced Monday reportedly values Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine at $900 million, according to the Wall Street Journal …

KABUL: The Afghan pre­sident on Monday blamed the American troops’ speedy pullout for the worsening violence in his country and said his administration would now focus on protecting provincial capitals and major urban areas in the face of the rapidly advancing Taliban. Ashraf Ghani also urged lawmakers to back a national mobilisation drive against the Taliban amid an intensifying war …

LOS ANGELES: With a new wave of Covid-19 infections fueled by the Delta variant striking countries worldwide, disease experts are scrambling to learn whether the latest version of coronavirus is making people — mainly the unvaccinated — sicker than before. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention warned that Delta, first identified in India and now dominant worldwide, is …

ZURICH: Climate activists briefly blocked the entrances to the UBS and Credit Suisse headquarters in Zurich on Monday in protest against fossil fuel funding by Switzerland’s two biggest banks. Environmentalist organisations including Extinction Rebellion and Climate Strike staged the demonstration in which groups of around 30 to 40 people sat in front of the entrances. Environmental activists have set up …

Rebel Wilson is recreating one of Britney Spear’s iconic music videos for her upcoming movie. Taking to her Instagram on Sunday, the actor donned Britney’s iconic emerald green top as she posted a photo BTS from the sets of Senior Year. Wilson is recreating Spears’ iconic 1999 music video for (You Drive Me) Crazy and shared her look writing, “My …

Tan France is officially a father now. The Queer Eye star announced the arrival of his son, Ismail, through surrogacy on Monday. Taking to Instagram, the famous stylist said his son was born last month. “Give our son a warm welcome,” he began in the post. “Ismail France, born July 10th.” “He came 7 weeks early, so he’s been in the NICU …

ISLAMABAD: Frustrated with the attitude of the Afghan government, Pakistan has given up its plan to host Afghan Peace Conference involving Afghanistan’s political leadership. The plan has been quietly shelved, a senior official confirmed on Monday. The conference, which was to be attended by the political leadership of Afghanistan, was originally planned to be held from July 17 to 19 …

Ellen Pompeo said she has no plans of continue acting after her famous show Grey’s Anatomy wraps up. The star, while talking on the Ladies First with Laura Brown podcast said  she’s simply planning ahead and hoping to expand her resume once the show is over. “I’m not saying I’ll never act again. I very well may, but I’m not super excited …