US President Donald Trump on Monday confirmed that he has no intention of discontinuing the use of Starlink internet services at the White House, despite a public fallout with billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, the CEO of both SpaceX and Tesla. “I may move the Tesla around a little bit, but I don’t think we’ll be doing that with Starlink. It’s …

Pakistan’s fast-bowling spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi leads a high-profile contingent of players from the country who have confirmed their availability for the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) Draft, scheduled to take place on June 19. Afridi, alongside fellow national teammates Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan, is among more than 600 overseas cricketers who have registered for selection in …

In a diplomatic push to highlight India’s recent military provocations and violations of international law, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari led a high-level delegation to the United Kingdom. The visit included crucial meetings with British lawmakers and government officials aimed at promoting peace and stability in South Asia. The delegation was warmly received at …

The federal government is set to unveil a Rs17,600 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year today, with a focus on increasing revenues through new taxation measures while offering relief to lower-grade government employees. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is targeting a record-breaking tax collection goal of Rs14,130 billion. According to official sources, the total income for the next …

BEIJING: China’s recent announcement of new regulations to strengthen export control measures on certain rare earth-related items is a measure driven by its domestic industrial sustainable development needs. The move aligns with international management standards and reflects China’s responsibilities as a major country — and is not, as some claim, a so-called “tactical countermeasure.” This step also underscores China’s sense …

Brazil forward Neymar has been sidelined after testing positive for COVID-19, his club Santos said in a statement as quoted by Brazilian media. The 33-year-old began showing symptoms on Thursday and was immediately removed from team activities. Medical tests later confirmed the viral infection, the Brazil Serie A side said on Saturday. The club did not disclose how long Neymar …

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Monday that the upcoming budget will include measures aimed at providing relief to the poor and promoting economic growth. Expressing his thoughts, Aurangzeb said, “It is not possible to change everything overnight; time is required.” He emphasised that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, there has been notable economic improvement. “We intend …

WhatsApp, the messaging giant owned by Meta, is offering its users more control over data usage and storage through a new feature. This feature allows users to choose the quality of automatically downloaded media, offering the option to select either “standard” or “HD” quality. Currently available to select beta testers on WhatsApp Beta for Android version 2.25.18.11, the feature allows …

As Pakistan braces for the federal budget announcement for the fiscal year 2025-26 on Tuesday, key figures and policy directions have already emerged. The National Economic Survey will be presented today (Monday), setting the stage for a crucial budget presentation that comes amid high inflation, mounting debt, and ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). According to official sources, …

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed on Monday concern about the growing threat posed by India’s hardline Hindutva ideology to the entire region. According to details, in a meeting at the President’s House with leaders and workers of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), President Zardari extended his Eid ul-Azha greetings to party members. On this occasion, he said: “Minorities, particularly Muslims …

Despite the dire conditions, the religious fervour and determination of the Palestinian people remained remarkable. In war-ravaged Gaza, efforts were made to restore the spirit of Eid. Small and large gatherings for Eid prayers were held in refugee camps and among the ruins of mosques. Despite continued Israeli bombardment, children women, and the elderly participated in Eid prayers, fulfilling their …

Pakistan is on the brink of a worsening water crisis as the country’s usable water reserves continue to plummet at an alarming rate, according to the latest data released by the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA). As of today, the nation’s usable water reserves stand at 3.856 million acre-feet, reflecting a significant decrease of 188,000 acre-feet compared to the …

Federal government will release the Economic Survey for the fiscal year 2024-25 on June 9. According to official sources, while several economic targets were missed, the overall performance shows ‘moderate improvement’ compared to the previous year. The targeted GDP growth of 3.6% could not be achieved, with actual growth recorded at 2.7%. However, inflation remained significantly below expectations, recorded at …

High levels of bacteria have led to the suspension of daily water shows and the closure of a shallow play pool at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, organisers announced on Thursday. The decision was made after the complaints from visitors about swarms of tiny flying insects across the expansive waterfront site, where Expo 2025 will run until mid-October. Since …

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that dialogue and cooperation are the only correct choice for China and the United States. In the phone talks initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, Xi said that recalibrating the direction of the giant ship of China-U.S. relations requires the two sides to take the helm and set the right course, adding …

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lauded on Wednesday United States President Donald Trump’s efforts in promoting peace and praised his role in facilitating a ceasefire, saying the latter has proven to be a proponent of peace and economic cooperation. Speaking at an event held at the US Embassy in Islamabad to mark the 249th Independence Day of the United States, the …

Pakistan has been appointed as the co-chair of the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) Counter-Terrorism Committee for the year 2025, with Algeria serving as Chair. According to details surfaced on Wednesday, in addition, Pakistan will also chair the Security Council’s Sanctions Committee on the Taliban, which oversees the implementation of measures such as asset freezes, travel bans and arms embargoes …

BEIJING: China welcomes the recent upgrade of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan from the level of chargé d’affaires to ambassadorial, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday. Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a regular press briefing in response to a related question, adding that China stands ready to continue playing a constructive role in promoting the …

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet, chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, has approved a series of technical supplementary grants for various ministries and divisions. However, the summary related to the Mashke, Thalian, and Tarujba white oil pipelines, submitted by the Petroleum Division, has been postponed for further deliberation. According to an official statement released after the …

A leaked medical report has reignited controversy surrounding Algerian Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif, alleging that the athlete is biologically male—a claim that has drawn global attention and stirred debate over gender eligibility in women’s sports. Khelif, who clinched gold in the women’s boxing category at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has faced scrutiny before. However, a document reportedly originating from …

A powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.2 struck the southwestern region of Turkiye early Tuesday morning, injuring at least seven people and triggering panic in several cities, according to Turkish and foreign media reports. The tremor was recorded at a depth of 75.1 kilometres, with the epicentre located in southwestern Turkey, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) reported. The quake was …

A total of 216 prisoners escaped from Karachi’s District Jail Malir — commonly known as “Bacha Jail” — in a dramatic incident on Monday night. According to police and jail officials, the escape occurred amid chaos reportedly triggered by a series of tremors in the city. The prisoners, many of whom were already outside their barracks, took advantage of the …

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the immediate removal of all hurdles in the way of Diamer-Bhasha Dam and ordered that the project be completed on a priority basis, terming it essential for the country’s economic self-reliance. Chairing a high-level meeting on the Diamer-Bhasha Dam and other national water resources, the premier said that Pakistan’s path to economic stability …

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday expressed satisfaction over the record-breaking performance of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), terming it a promising start to the new fiscal year and a reflection of growing confidence in the government’s economic policies. The PSX made history on the first trading day of the 2025–26 fiscal year, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index surging by …

Celebrations marking Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) first-ever UEFA Champions League victory turned unruly in the French capital on Saturday night, leading to the arrest of nearly 300 individuals, police officials said. Tens of thousands of jubilant fans took to the streets following PSG’s resounding 5–0 victory over Inter Milan in Munich. The win, described by French leaders as “historic”, marked the …

President Asif Ali Zardari hosted a dinner in honour of the national cricket teams of Pakistan and Bangladesh, following their recent cricket series. The event, organized by Federal Minister Mohsin Naqvi, brought together players and officials from both teams in a spirit of sportsmanship and regional friendship. President Zardari warmly greeted the players and team officials, acknowledging the Pakistani team’s …

At least 30 Palestinians have been killed and over 175 wounded in an Israeli attack on civilians gathered at a US-backed aid distribution site in Rafah, according to reports from Al Jazeera Arabic and the Red Cross Hospital in Gaza. The incident occurred near a humanitarian relief point operated by the US-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Witnesses say people had gathered …

HONG KONG: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Friday that China is willing to work with Pakistan and like-minded countries to enhance the unique advantages of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed). When meeting with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, who attended here the signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of …

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) clarified that it has never declared virtual assets (VAs), including cryptocurrencies as illegal. In a press release issued by the central bank, the SBP stated that the advisory directed banks, microfinance institutions, development finance institutions (DFIs), electronic money institutions (EMIs), and other financial service providers to refrain from dealing in VAs purely as a …

Algeria’s Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif has been asked to undergo a mandatory genetic sex screening if she is to continue competing in international boxing events, including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The organisation, which has been provisionally recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to oversee the sport at the next Olympics, introduced a new policy on Friday requiring …

An Australian fitness enthusiast, Olivia Vinson, 34, has smashed the Guinness World Record for the most pull-ups completed in 24 hours by a female, nearly doubling the previous record. Vinson completed an astounding 7,079 pull-ups in a continuous 24-hour effort, surpassing the earlier record of 4,081 set by Polish athlete Paula Gorlo in 2021. Speaking to Guinness World Records, Vinson …

Pakistan has strongly condemned the rising incidents of Islamophobia in India, urging New Delhi to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and rights of its Muslim citizens. In a statement issued on Saturday, the Foreign Office expressed deep concern over what it termed as the “state-sponsored targeting” of Muslims in India, citing increased incidents of hate speech, discrimination, and …

US President Donald Trump confirmed that a high-level delegation from Pakistan is scheduled to arrive in the United States next week for critical trade negotiations. The talks come as Islamabad seeks to resolve a tariff dispute with Washington, which has placed Pakistan at risk of facing up to 29% tariffs on its exports. Pakistan’s trade surplus of $3 billion with …

BEIJING: Xi Jinping, chairman of the Central Military Commission, has signed an order to release the regulations on awarding military scientific research. The new document, which will take effect on July 1, aims to implement the strategy of strengthening the armed forces through science and technology and regulate the process of awarding military scientific research. The regulations establish a structured …

HONG KONG: The International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) serves as an important public good in the field of the rule of law for better global governance, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Friday. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, delivered a speech at the signing ceremony of the …

BEIJING: Beijing Daxing International Airport had handled a cumulative import and export value of 102 billion yuan (about 14.19 billion U.S. dollars) as of April this year since its opening in 2019, according to the Beijing Customs on Wednesday. Data shows that the airport has seen solid growth in import and export values in recent years, with annual figures surpassing …

BOGOTA: Colombia’s formal accession to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) marks a historic step for the country, a Colombian scholar has said. Colombia’s BRI entry could be transformative for Colombia, unlocking a broad range of development opportunities in areas such as infrastructure, research and technology, and strengthening its role as a key regional actor, said Lina Luna, a sinologist …

XIAMEN: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi co-chaired the Third China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with Kiribati’s President and Foreign Minister Taneti Maamau on Wednesday in Xiamen, east China’s Fujian Province. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the beginning of diplomatic …

BEIJING: With four new satellites launched this month to expand the Tianqi constellation, China is accelerating a presence in low-Earth orbit to support its surging demand for smart device connectivity. Following SpaceX’s lead, an increasing number of Chinese aerospace firms have begun constructing Starlink-style satellite networks over the past years. Some of these commercial space firms are specifically targeting the …

A joint operation by police and law enforcement agencies in the Rawalakot area resulted in the killing of four terrorists, while two police officials lost their lives and 8 others sustained injuries during the encounter. According to SSP Poonch Riaz Mughal, the operation was launched after receiving credible intelligence about the presence of the terrorists in the forested region of …