The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark KSE-100 Index continued with bullish trend on Wednesday, gaining 820 points, a positive change of 0.55 percent, closing all time high at 150,591 points.
In a note, brokerage house Topline Securities said the upward momentum was underpinned by better-than-expected corporate earnings and a strong liquidity push from local institutions, lifting the benchmark to uncharted heights. Investor confidence remained buoyant as market heavyweights attracted robust flows, reinforcing the bullish undertone.
The rally was largely fueled by index heavyweights including SYS, BAHL, NBP, MCB, and BAFL, which collectively contributed 503 points to the index’s upward trajectory, Topline said.
A total of 667,817,396 shares were traded during the day as compared to 809,082,439 shares the previous trading day, whereas the price of shares stood at Rs. 40.728 billion against Rs. 48.430 billion on the last trading day.
As many as 487 companies transacted their shares in the stock market, 240 of them recorded gains and 216 sustained losses, whereas the share price of 31 companies remained unchanged.
A Devon recycling charity is offering free school uniform items from its branches year-round.
Refurnish’s shop in Tiverton is the latest to be giving away items in an effort to reduce the cost of living for its customers.
Shop manager Figgy Chambers said people were “really appreciative”, adding: “Uniform is really expensive to buy these days, and it’s difficult to find it mid-year, so we have decided to offer it all year round so people can come and get a cardigan or something”.
The shop said all children’s toys, books, DVDs and clothes were also available free of charge to help families with the cost of the summer holidays.
A similar uniform scheme started in Refurnish South Molton five years ago, and staff at the Tiverton branch thought it was such a good idea that they would follow suit, and customers were really grateful.
Eight-year-old Isla came in with her mother to get new shoes.
On finding out she could get them for free, she said: “We came back and grabbed some more things like pencils and pens, and a hairband, and two teddies and a toy for my little sister.”
TOKYO – Japan plans to join a European Space Agency mission to observe an asteroid set for a close flyby of Earth in 2029, a source familiar with the matter said Wednesday, with the project seen as crucial to preparing for potential future space rock collisions.
Japan is likely to provide equipment and a rocket to launch the probe used in the ESA’s Ramses mission. The project aims to rendezvous with Apophis, an asteroid expected to pass within around 32,000 kilometers of Earth in April 2029 — closer than many geosynchronous satellites and the nearest approach of such a space object in observational history.
While Apophis poses no danger to Earth, a collision with the 340-meter-wide celestial body would be catastrophic. Observation is considered essential for future planetary defense, with the mission also giving Japan an opportunity to raise its presence in the field.
According to the plan, Japan will provide cameras and solar panels for a probe to be launched in April 2028, the source said. After reaching Apophis in February 2029, the probe will observe how the asteroid is warped by Earth’s gravity and any potential landslides on its surface to learn more about its composition.
The spacecraft is set to be launched with Japan’s own Destiny+ probe aboard an H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima. Destiny+, bound for a different asteroid, will also make a brief flyby of Apophis to collect data to aid the Ramses mission’s observations, the source said.
The ESA, which requested Japan’s cooperation, plans to finalize details of the mission at a ministerial meeting in November. Japan’s science ministry intends to include the project in its budget request for the next fiscal year.
While NASA had also planned to send a probe to Apophis, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump signaled its intention to cancel the mission in its fiscal 2026 budget proposal.
JERUSALEM, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) — Israeli and French researchers have discovered the earliest physical evidence that Neanderthal ancient humans and modern humans not only co-existed but also had social interactions and interbred, Tel Aviv University said in a statement on Wednesday.
Published in the journal L’Anthropologie, the study focused on a fossil of a five-year-old child found in Skhul Cave on Mount Carmel in northern Israel.
The fossil, around 140,000 years old, shows traits of both Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, which for many years were seen as two separate species.
Previous genetic studies have shown that these two groups exchanged genes, and even today, 40,000 years after the last Neanderthals disappeared, between two and six percent of the modern human genome is of Neanderthal origin.
These genetic exchanges, however, were thought to have occurred much later, between 60,000 and 40,000 years ago.
The discovery pushes back this timeline by showing a child with a skull shaped like modern humans but with a blood vessel system, lower jaw, and inner ear typical of Neanderthals.
Research shows that early Neanderthals lived in ancient Israel as early as 400,000 years ago. They encountered Homo sapiens, who began migrating out of Africa around 200,000 years ago, and these groups interbred.
The child from Skhul Cave is the oldest known fossil showing biological and social connections between these populations. The local Neanderthals eventually disappeared after being absorbed into the modern human population.
Advanced scanning and 3D modeling of the fossil’s skull and jaw helped researchers analyze the complex structures, including the brain’s blood vessels and inner ear, confirming the fossil’s hybrid traits. ■
Available on select Workspace plans, Google’s Gemini AI audio strengthens Docs’ role as a productivity tool and challenges rivals like Microsoft’s Office Copilot.
Google has introduced a new feature in Docs that allows Workspace subscribers to turn written documents into audio using its Gemini AI assistant.
The tool produces natural-sounding voices, offers playback controls such as pausing and rewinding, and even highlights text as it is read. The rollout marks a step toward transforming Docs from a simple text editor into a multimedia platform that serves both accessibility and productivity needs.
Available under the Tools menu, the feature caters to auditory learners, professionals on the move, and users with visual impairments.
Gemini provides several AI voice options and synchronises narration with text, offering an audiobook-like experience that could change how people review drafts, collaborate remotely, or proofread reports.
The audio tool is limited to select Workspace plans, including Business, Enterprise, and Education, reflecting Google’s strategy of tying advanced AI functions to premium tiers.
Analysts believe the integration could encourage organisations to upgrade, especially as Google seeks to keep pace with rivals such as Microsoft, which has similar Copilot features in Office.
Looking ahead, experts suggest Gemini’s audio capabilities could expand to real-time translation and interactive playback.
By weaving audio into Docs, Google strengthens its position in the growing competition over AI-powered productivity while pushing for more inclusive and efficient workflows.
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So far, this monsoon season has seen four major cloudbursts, including in India’s Uttarakhand and Pakistan’s Buner.
Massive, sudden downpours of rain known as cloudbursts have struck Pakistan and India during this monsoon season, killing hundreds of people in the flash floods and landslides they have triggered.
Rescue workers and residents gather after cloudburst following the heavy rains and floodings, in Jibrari village in Salarzai Tehsil, Pakistan on August 15, 2025. — Reuters
Why are cloudbursts and why do they occur?
By a widely accepted definition, a cloudburst means more than 100 mm (4 inches) of rainfall in one hour, over a small area.
This year, the monsoon, which originates in the Bay of Bengal and then sweeps westwards across northern India to Pakistan every summer, has brought deadly cloudbursts.
Weather studies say cloudbursts typically occur in South Asia when warm, monsoon winds, laden with moisture, meet the cold mountain air in the north of India and Pakistan, causing condensation. With a warming planet, the monsoon has hotter air, which can carry more moisture.
India’s weather department data shows cloudbursts are most common in the Himalayan regions of Indian Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Fahad Saeed, a senior climate scientist at Berlin-based Climate Analytics, said that in the mountains of northern Pakistan, the warm monsoon system coming from the east was meeting colder air coming from the west, from the subtropical jet stream — a high-altitude weather system that originates in the Mediterranean.
Global warming is pushing this jet stream further south in summer, he said, where it can now combine with the lower-level clouds of the monsoon in Pakistan, forming a tower of clouds which then generates intense rain.
Similar intense rainfall, though triggered by different local factors, takes place around the world, such as the floods in Texas in July, when more than 300 mm of rain fell in less than an hour, sending a wall of water down the Guadalupe River.
A woman vendor sits in her shop cart, as streets are flooded after torrential rains, in Ahmedabad, India on June 19, 2025. — Reuters
Why is the region being hit so badly by cloudbursts?
This monsoon season has so far seen at least four major deadly cloudbursts, including in Uttarakhand, India, where video captured the moment when village buildings were swept down a mountain, and in Buner, in the Hindu Kush mountain range in Pakistan, where more than 200 people died after at least 150 mm of rain fell within an hour.
S.D. Sanap, a scientist with the India Meteorological Department’s Pune office, said such cloudburst events were becoming more frequent in the western Himalayas, which run across India and into Pakistan, but pinning the rise on a single cause was not easy.
The cloudburst events on both sides of the border were triggered the same way: very moist monsoon air, upslope winds, and storms that stalled over valleys, said Moetasim Ashfaq, a weather expert based in the US.
If a cloudburst happens over flat land, the rainfall spreads over a wide area, so the impact is less severe, said Pradeep Dangol, a senior hydrology research associate at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, based in Nepal.
But in steep mountain valleys, the rain is concentrated into narrow streams and slopes, with the potential to trigger flash floods and landslides, he said.
Residents gather as rescue workers look for victims, following a storm that caused heavy rains and flooding in Dalori Bala village in Gadoon district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan on August 19, 2025. — Reuters
Can cloudbursts be predicted?
Forecasting such events days in advance is nearly impossible, though radars can track the build-up of dense cloud formations and give short-term warnings of intense downpours, Sanap said.
To strengthen monitoring, the India Meteorological Department has installed new radars across the Himalayas and set up observatories aimed at improving early warnings and understanding of these extreme weather events.
Syed Muhammad Tayyab Shah, who leads risk assessment at Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, said that it was possible to warn about the general area, but not possible to pinpoint the exact location in advance where a cloudburst will happen.
Header image: Residents attend the funeral of the victims of a cloudburst that triggered heavy rains and flooding in Naryan Behak village on the outskirts of Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir on August 15, 2025. — Reuters
Kai Havertz is currently being assessed over a knee injury
The German was absent from Arsenal’s open training session put on for the fans at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.
Havertz has only just returned from a long-term hamstring injury which kept him out between February and May.
The club are assessing the situation and are waiting for the injury to settle before further analysis.
Analysis: Injury issues strike again for Arsenal
Just days ago, the topic of debate was which striker out of Havertz or Viktor Gyokeres should start in Arsenal’s big game against Liverpool next week. “I think Mikel Arteta will go back to Havertz in the big games,” said Jamie Carragher. “I would be very surprised if Havertz doesn’t play.”
Now it seems that the decision has been taken out of Arteta’s hands.
Image: Arsenal’s injury issues have struck again
No matter the severity of this Havertz knee injury, the German will be a major doubt for the trip to Anfield – placing a huge focus on Gyokeres in the first big game of his Arsenal career.
But once again, Arsenal are talking about injuries after it derailed them last season. Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka all missed over a dozen league matches due to injury last term – only the latter is fully fit at the start of this one.
Arsenal do know that Mikel Merino can fill in as an emergency option but that was an awkward scenario last season which Arteta and the Arsenal team made the most of. Playing the Spaniard as a No 9 again is a situation they want to avoid, if possible.
What this situation does tell us, though, is that Arsenal will have to get Gyokeres on song soon, after a slightly underwhelming Premier League debut at Manchester United last weekend.
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Roy Keane, Daniel Sturridge and Micah Richards analyse Viktor Gyokeres and Arsenal’s performance against Man Utd.
Saturday’s game against Leeds – which Gyokeres will almost certainly start now – is important in the early context of Arsenal’s season. Goals are needed.
A huge run for Arsenal: their next six fixtures
August 23: Leeds (H), Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports
August 31: Liverpool (A), Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Spotrs
September 13: Nottingham Forest (H), Premier League, kick-off 12.30pm
September 16-18: First Champions League fixture
September 21: Manchester City (H), Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
September 28: Newcastle (A), Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
Sky Sports to show 215 live Premier League games this season
This season, Sky Sports’ Premier League coverage will increase from 128 matches to at least 215 games exclusively live.
And 80 per cent of all televised Premier League games this season will be on Sky Sports.
Thirty years ago, a young man from Tzaneen stood proudly on the podium at the World University Games, a gold medal glinting against his chest, the South African flag draped behind him. This year, his daughter stood in his footsteps—not just as a competitor, but as a new chapter in a remarkable family legacy.
Meet Karmen Fouché, a 22-year-old heptathlete and pharmacy student from North-West University, who just returned from her first FISU World University Games, not only with memories that will last a lifetime, but with dreams as big as the Olympic rings themselves.
A legacy forged in athletics
Karmen didn’t just stumble into the world of track and field—she was born into it. Her father, Louis Fouché, is a former international javelin thrower who struck gold at the Buffalo 1993 FISU World University Games. Her mother, a former heptathlete, also competed at the international level. Together, they form an athletic powerhouse that’s inspired their daughter from her earliest days.
“My parents are definitely my biggest support system,” says Karmen. “My mom is my role model—she also did the heptathlon—and my dad helps me a lot with javelin and shot put. It’s all just working so well as a system.”
A new generation takes the stage
While Louis dominated the field in javelin, Karmen has embraced the all-around demands of the heptathlon—a gruelling seven-event competition that tests speed, strength, skill, and stamina.
The Fouchés: Maralize, Louis-Pierre, Karmen and Louis.
Even more impressive? Karmen only began training for the heptathlon in September of last year. For Karmen, the World University Games were about more than medals. They were about community, challenge, and connection.
Karmen Fouché performing in Bochum
“I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the crowd,” she says. “There’s just an incredible bond between the heptathlon girls. It was a core memory for me—I can’t wait to start training again.”
Despite the event being her international debut, Karmen handled the pressure with poise, viewing the Games not as a test, but as an opportunity to learn.
“I didn’t put a lot of pressure on myself. I took it as experience mostly,” she says, with a calm confidence that hints at her big ambitions. “My Dad told me this year that he had previously won a medal at the FISU Games so it was a big motivation for me. Hopefully I can medal at the next FISU World University Games in two years’ time. I’ve also got my eyes on the 2028 Olympic Games—that’s the biggest dream.”
A father’s reflections
For Louis Fouché, watching his daughter step onto the same world stage he once dominated is a full-circle moment.
Louis Fouché only told his daughter this year that he has struck gold at the FISU Games in Buffalo in 1993.
“To win gold in 1993 was a dream,” he recalls. “I was a country boy from Tzaneen, and to stand on that podium… it’s a feeling you can’t describe. The team was celebrating with me—I don’t think I took the medal off my neck until the next morning.”
Now, he passes on not just technical skills, but life lessons from a career at the top.
“Sport was always part of my life. There are ups and downs. But the experiences you gain—the people you meet—they last a lifetime. You use those lessons in life after sport.”
The next chapter
With her final year of Pharmacy underway and plans to continue studying towards her Masters degree on the horizon, Karmen’s plate is full. But she balances the academic with the athletic like a seasoned pro and with her family beside her, the foundation is strong.
“Sport and studies—it’s been a hectic four years,” she admits. “But I’m almost done, and I can’t wait to train for the next Games.”
More than 30 years separate these two pictures
but one thing is sure: the love for athletics is part of the Fouché’s DNA.
From a gold medal in 1993 to a heptathlon debut in 2025 over thirty years later, the Fouché family proves that excellence doesn’t just run in the blood—it’s built on discipline, passion, and unwavering support.
As Karmen continues her journey, one thing is clear: this story isn’t finished. In fact, it’s just getting started.
Written by Kimara Singh Ruiters, pictures courtesy of the Fouché Family and Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games
In a startling turn of events that left cricket fans scratching their heads, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed a technical glitch after Indian cricket stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli briefly disappeared from the latest ODI batting rankings. The incident, which unfolded on August 20, 2025, sparked intense speculation across social media, with fans questioning whether it was a deliberate update, a system error, or a sign of impending retirement for India’s premier ODI duo.
Also Read: Team India’s Probable Playing XI In Asia Cup 2025: Shubman Gill-Abhishek Sharma To Open, Jasprit Bumrah Returns To Lead Bowling Attack, Sanju Samson Benched
The Mysterious Disappearance of India’s Icons
Just a week prior, Rohit Sharma was ranked No.2, while Virat Kohli occupied the No.4 spot in the ICC ODI rankings. Shockingly, the August 20 release did not feature either player within the top 100. Social media erupted with #RohitSharma and #ViratKohli trending worldwide, as fans and cricket analysts debated the cause of their sudden absence. The ICC quickly addressed the issue, admitting, “There was an error in our rankings tables today, but it has been rectified.”
Despite the glitch, neither player has retired or become inactive in ODIs. Both remain crucial members of India’s ODI squad, having played pivotal roles in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in the UAE. Rohit Sharma’s match-winning innings in the final helped India secure their first ICC ODI trophy in a decade, while Virat Kohli excelled during the group stages, expertly navigating spin-friendly pitches at the Dubai International Stadium.
Rankings Update and Its Implications
Before Wednesday’s glitch, Rohit Sharma’s 756 rating points placed him just behind Shubman Gill, who leads the ICC ODI batting charts with 784 points. Virat Kohli held 736 points in the fourth spot. Following the mistaken update, Babar Azam moved up to No.2, leaving only Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer as the Indians in the top 10 ODI batter rankings.
Cricket experts highlight that such technical errors, though rare, can create unnecessary panic among fans. “Both Rohit and Kohli have been consistently performing at the highest level,” said a former selector. “This is clearly a system glitch, and rankings will soon reflect their rightful positions.” Accordng to Hindustan Times, an ICC spokesperson admitted the mistake, “There was an error in our rankings tables today, but it has been rectified.”
Social Media Buzz and Fan Reactions
The disappearance of two of India’s most prolific ODI players triggered a wave of online chatter. Fans speculated wildly on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), raising concerns about a potential oversight or miscommunication from the ICC. Memes, polls, and threads dissected every angle—from hypothetical retirements to technical flaws—demonstrating the fervent following both players command.
The ICC has yet to update its official website with the corrected rankings, leaving enthusiasts eagerly awaiting confirmation. Given the duo’s recent performances and active status, it is expected that the rankings will soon reflect their actual standings, restoring normalcy in the ODI charts.
In a large-scale multinational study involving over 400,000 women and men aged 37 to 70 years from six European countries, researchers from the University of Vienna, in collaboration with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) (France) and the Kyung Hee University (Republic of Korea), investigated dietary habits and disease trajectories. The comprehensive data analysis shows that a plant-based diet is associated with reduced risk of multimorbidity of cancer and cardiometabolic diseases. The study has been published in the journal The Lancet Healthy Longevity.
The study used data from two large European cohort studies, the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study and UK Biobank. Based on data from six European countries (Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark), the researchers provide further evidence that plant-based dietary habits can influence the development of multimorbidity. Results from the UK Biobank, for example, showed that adults with a higher adherence to a plant-based diet had a 32% lower risk of multimorbidity compared to those with a lower adherence.
You don’t have to cut out animal products entirely. Shifting towards a more plant-based diet can already have a positive impact.”
Reynalda Córdova, study lead and nutritional epidemiologist
The study also examined differences in the risk of multimorbidity between middle-aged and older adults. Higher adherence to a plant-based diet was associated with a lower risk of cancer and cardiometabolic multimorbidity in both adults younger than 60 years and in those aged 60 years or older. Multimorbidity describes the occurrence of two or more chronic diseases in one person and is a growing health problem worldwide, particularly among adults 60 years and older.
Lower risk of cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease
The results: A stronger adherence to a healthy plant-based diet was associated with a lower risk of cancer, cardiometabolic disease (diabetes and cardiovascular diseases), and multimorbidity, both in adults under 60 and those over 60. “Our study highlights that a healthy, plant-based diet not only influences individual chronic diseases but can also reduce the risk of developing multiple chronic diseases at the same time, in both middle-aged and older people,” Córdova summarized.
“The results show how important a predominantly plant-based diet is for our health and thus reinforce the new Austrian dietary recommendations, which emphasize plant-based food with a low proportion of animal-based foods. A co-benefit of a plant-based diet are lower greenhouse gas emissions and land use,” adds Karl-Heinz Wagner form the University of Vienna, co-author of the study and president of the Austrian Society for Nutrition.
Fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes have a positive effect
A healthy plant-based dietary pattern included for example, a higher intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and vegan sausages or burgers and a lower intake of meat and meat products. The findings suggest that a diet consisting mainly of healthy plant foods and small amounts of animal-based foods can contribute to maintaining health into older age.
The authors conclude that dietary guidelines, public health measures, and interventions should consider that a diet primarily composed of plant-based foods with small amounts of animal-based products may help prevent multimorbidity related to cancer and cardiometabolic diseases.
The study was led by Reynalda Córdova (University of Vienna) and Jihye Kim (Kyung Hee University, South Korea).
Source:
Journal reference:
Córdova, R., et al. (2025). Plant-based dietary patterns and age-specific risk of multimorbidity of cancer and cardiometabolic diseases: a prospective analysis. The Lancet Healthy longevity.
