EU expresses concern over military court sentences against May 9 rioters on December 23, 2024The European Union (EU) has expressed concern over the sentencing of 25 individuals involved in the May 9 events by a military court, stating that the verdicts appear to contradict Pakistan’s commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). A statement from the EU’s European External Action Service emphasized that, under Article […]
US lifts $10 million bounty on new Syrian leader after talks in Damascus on December 23, 2024The United States has removed a $10 million bounty on Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), after the first face-to-face meeting between American diplomats and the new Syrian leader in Damascus since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, according to media reports. Barbara Leaf, the state department’s senior diplomat for the Middle […]
Israel’s new killing spree pushes official Gaza death toll past 45,000: UN on December 18, 2024More than 45,000 people have been killed in the besieged Gaza in the last 14 months, as humanitarians officials condemned Israel’s new deadly airstrikes across the besieged enclave, including on a UN school-turned-shelter, the UN reported Monday, quoting local authorities. Images taken at the school in Khan Younis showed the impact point of one shell in a […]
Cut in interest rate to help boost investment in Pakistan: PM on December 18, 2024Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said the central bank’s announcement of cut in the interest rate by 2% to 13% will help boost investment in the country and stimulate the economic growth. “Taking advantage of the good news on economic front, we should first promote domestic investment, as a result the foreign investment […]
Trump’s team signs formal transition agreement with Biden administration on November 27, 2024US President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has officially signed a memorandum of understanding with the White House, enabling him to begin his formal transition to power. The agreement was finalised on Tuesday, following several weeks of delays, according to his incoming chief of staff. The move will allow Trump’s team to coordinate directly with federal […]
Ministry of Religious Affairs, PIA ink agreement to reduce Hajj airfare for pilgrims on November 18, 2024The Ministry of Religious Affairs has successfully reduced the Hajj expenses for Pakistani pilgrims, announcing a fixed airfare of $800 per person with Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for the upcoming pilgrimage. This represents a notable reduction from last year’s rate, where the Ministry paid $850 per pilgrim. A quota of 35,000 pilgrims has been allocated […]
Lahore Struggles with Severe Air Pollution as AQI Reaches Hazardous Levels on November 14, 2024Lahore is facing an escalating air pollution crisis, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) surging to dangerous levels. On Thursday morning at 9 AM, the city’s overall AQI reached a critical level of 790. Some areas were hit particularly hard, with the Ghazi Road Interchange recording an alarming AQI of 1280, followed by Maratib Ali […]
PM: Global support essential to combat environmental pollution on November 13, 2024Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the COP29 Climate Action Summit in Baku, urging swift global action and support for countries most affected by climate change. In his opening remarks, Shehbaz congratulated Azerbaijan’s president for hosting the event and highlighted the severe consequences faced by Pakistan and other vulnerable nations due to climate change. “Without timely […]
ICC likely to face financial loss as Pakistan mull boycotting matches with India on November 12, 2024After India declined to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy, Islamabad has decided to take a firm stance, potentially boycotting International Cricket Council (ICC) events held in India if political issues continue to interfere with sports and the Indian team remains unwilling to visit Pakistan for the tournament. This decision could have significant […]
Govt weighs ‘mini-budget’ or spending cuts ahead of IMF talks on November 8, 2024The government, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is gearing up for high-stakes discussions with the upcoming International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff mission, aiming to finalize a strategy by this weekend. One option under consideration is the introduction of a mini-budget, which could include seven proposed tax hikes across various sectors. However, the Federal Board […]