The global ratings agency Fitch on Wednesday said that the federal budget for fiscal year (FY) 2025 “strengthens prospects for an IMF deal”. The government presented the budget for the next year on June 12, which contained an ambitious tax revenue target of Rs13 trillion rupees ($47 billion) for the year starting July 1, a near-40 per cent jump from …

New Zealand’s Kane Williamson has stepped down as captain of the white-ball teams and opted out of a national contract for the 2024/25 season following the Kiwis’ shock exit from the T20 World Cup. Despite stepping down as captain, Williamson will continue to play for New Zealand in all three formats. However, he has accepted a contract outside New Zealand …

Nvidia has become the most valuable company on earth after it surpassed Apple ($3.32 trillion) and Microsoft ($3.28 trillion) after an explosive share price growth on Tuesday, with its market cap reaching $3.34 trillion. This surge, driven by Nvidia’s strong performance in the AI sector, saw its stock rise over 3 percent, international media reported late on Tuesday. The Technology …

A District and Sessions Judge of the Anti-Corruption Rawalpindi Court has awarded 96 years of rigorous imprisonment and a total fine of Rs5.8 million to four people, including two revenue officials, for their involvement in multiple cases of cheating, manipulation, and fraudulent ownership papers forgery to a prominent British Pakistani family. Anti-Corruption Court Special Judge Ali Nawaz has sentenced the …

Two children died and seven were injured after a laptop exploded and caught fire in a house in Sharifpura in Faisalabad. Nine people including four children were burnt in the fire. Nine people including four children were burnt due to the fire. A fire broke out in the house due to sparking following a laptop bursting. As per hospital administration, …

Punjab cattle markets witnessed an influx of more than 1.8 million animals, including over 0.6 million large animals while in Lahore cattle markets a maximum number of 0.77 million animals were sold. Punjab’s local government department issued data from nine divisions. As per the dashboard of the municipality department, the total count of animals brought to the livestock markets in …

Cheering crowds and lavish ceremonies greeted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang on Wednesday, where North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expressed “full support” for Russia’s war in Ukraine and pledged stronger strategic ties with Moscow. An honour guard including mounted soldiers, and a large crowd of civilians gathered at the Kim Il Sung square by the Taedong River running …

In the latest update to the ICC Men’s T20I batting rankings, Suryakumar Yadav from India has retained his position at the top with an impressive rating of 837. Yadav, who reached his career-best rating of 910 against New Zealand in Ranchi in 2023, continues to be a dominant force in the T20I format. England’s Phil Salt is holding strong in …

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has accused the federal government of stealing the mandate and neglecting its responsibilities, particularly in addressing the province’s electricity and financial issues. Gandapur said that PTI is governing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and despite repeated attempts, including a phone call after the deadline, the federal minister did not respond to the province’s urgent requests on …

BRUSSELS: President of Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Patrick Lacroix, CEO of Belgium’s Belga News Agency, in Brussels on Tuesday, in a move to deepen cooperation between the two agencies. “Belga is Xinhua’s important partner,” Fu said. Starting from this MoU, Xinhua and Belga will further deepen practical cooperation and bring bilateral ties …

China and Russia’s strategic partnership represents an axis of peace, progress, prosperity and productivity in the world against the western onslaught consisting of bloc mentality and imperialism. Their friendship indeed always acts as a global balancing act deterring the west’s containment, encroachment, contradictory and conflicting policies in the region and around the globe. During a joint press conference with Russian …

The government on Sunday urged masses to ensure safe disposal of offal and remains of sacrificial animals at designated places that would help in mitigating bird-aircraft collision risk and avoid any untoward situation in the residential areas in the vicinity of airports. According to the awareness message issued on cellular phones, “The public is requested to avoid throwing offal in …

In a historic achievement, Pakistani climber Samar Khan successfully scaled Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe, and descended the peak by snowboarding. Hailing from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dir district, Samar becomes the first Pakistani to reach the summit of Mount Elbrus, standing tall at 5,642 meters in Russia. With the support of the Frontier Corps North, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Khan accomplished …

Operators Association wrote a letter to the Senate to highlight the substantial contributions of the telecommunications industry, which has emerged as a highly effective agent for national tax collection, and showing concern about unwarranted tax in budget 2024-25 on the telecom industry. As per the letter, “Over the past year alone, it has played a pivotal role in collecting taxes …

Medical experts emphasize that meat consumption should be moderate during Eid-ul-Azha to prevent health problems. Excessive meat intake can lead to conditions such as diarrhea, indigestion, cholera, and other stomach diseases. Nutrition experts recommend that a healthy individual should consume 60 to 100 grams of meat per day. This amount provides approximately 143 calories, 3 to 5 grams of fat, …

Veteran actor Behroze Sabzwari a stalwart of Pakistan’s entertainment industry with a career spanning over four decades found himself at the centre of a heated controversy following statements allegedly made about former prime minister Imran Khan. Currently incarcerated at Adiyala Jail in Rawalpindi, Imran Khan Khan has not issued any comments or clarifications, the public response to Sabzwari’s purported remarks …

Eid-ul-Azha is being celebrated with religious fervor across Pakistan. Communities in both small towns and major cities are gathering for Eid prayers, marking the occasion with traditional rituals and heartfelt prayers. In Karachi, the faithful gathered at Sabeel Wali Mosque, while in Lahore, prayers were held at Jamia Naeemia Minar Pakistan. The Eid Gah Ground in Peshawar and the Shah …

The Pakistan Tanners Association has reported that approximately 6.8 million animals will be sacrificed in Pakistan during this year’s Eid-ul-Azha. This includes 2.8 million cows, 3.3 million goats, 165,000 buffaloes, and 99,000 camels. The value of the skins from these sacrificial animals is estimated to be around Rs6 billion. Specifically, cow skins are expected to contribute Rs4.29 billion, with each …

General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), Chief of Army Staff (COAS), visited the Line of Control (LOC) in the Haji Pir sector on Monday to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with the troops. COAS offered Eid prayers with officers and soldiers at the front line, praying for Pakistan’s peace and prosperity. On this festive occasion, COAS payed respects to the the sacrifices of …

BUDAPEST: Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto on Monday called for the international community to prevent the Gaza crisis from escalating into an interstate war during a joint press conference with his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz. “The Middle East fundamentally determines the global security situation, and if there is a conflict or a security crisis in the …

BEIJING: The G7 statement once again hyped up issues related to China, slandering the country with unfounded allegations that lack factual basis, legal grounds, and any sense of morality, which is a cliche filled with arrogance, prejudice and lies, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday. Lin made the remarks at a regular news briefing in response to …

People offer prayers during Eid al-Adha in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on June 17, 2024. (Photo by Ajith Perera/Xinhua) People gather for an Eid al-Adha prayer in Karachi, Pakistan, on June 17, 2024. (Str/Xinhua) People offer prayers on the occasion of Eid al-Adha in Agartala, India, June 17, 2024. (Str/Xinhua)

The recent surge in streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) in Japan is concerning, particularly given the context of the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions. According to the Japan Times, as of June 2, 2023, there have been 977 reported cases of STSS, surpassing last year’s total of 941 cases. The National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan has been monitoring this …

The Pakistani cricket team’s poor performance in the current T20 World Cup 2024 has drawn harsh criticism from cricket enthusiasts and former players. Thus, Pakistan was knocked out of the competition before the Super 8 round. In a recent video, the former cricket player Ramiz Raja talked about Pakistan’s performance in the games the squad played. Ramiz said “For Pakistan, …

Pakistan has witnessed an alarming 119% increase in the emigration of highly skilled professionals during the year 2023, according to the latest Economic Survey 2023-24. The report underscores a profound exodus of talent, raising serious concerns about the nation’s ability to retain its intellectual capital amidst economic turbulence. The statistics paint a grim picture: a staggering 45,687 skilled individuals departed …

Around two million Muslims converged at Masjid al-Haram in Makkah and Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah for the Eidul Azha prayers early Friday morning. The atmosphere at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah resonated with the resounding chants of Eid takbirat, glorifying Allah the Almighty. Pilgrims, including both locals and visitors from around the globe, gathered …

Renowned Pakistani actor Imran Abbas has issued a stern warning to his fans and followers amidst growing concerns over social media security. The actor, well-known for his roles in Pakistani films and television dramas, took to his official Instagram account to alert his audience about the increasing incidents of celebrity accounts being hacked. In a recent post, Imran Abbas posted …

Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) neutralised a key commander of the banned outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Tipu Gul group in Lakki Marwat operation. The operation, executed on a credible tip-off, targeted the notorious militant figure, Wali Allah alias Wali, near Tajuri Road close to Malang Adda. According to sources within the CTD, upon approaching the hideout, armed terrorists initiated heavy gunfire, prompting a …

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held a telephonic conversation Sunday with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha. The two dignitaries exchanged Eid greetings and expressed their best wishes for the people of both countries on this auspicious occasion. They also prayed for unity, peace and prosperity of the Muslim Ummah. During the …

Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has declared that the registration of drone cameras is now mandatory as part of a comprehensive policy regulating drone usage across the country. The new regulations require all drone owners to register their devices with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) within the next four months. The CAA will issue remote pilot licenses to drone camera owners, …

In response to widespread public outcry and opposition from various sectors, the government of Pakistan is contemplating a partial rollback of its ambitious tax proposals, particularly concerning income tax hikes on salaried individuals. The move comes amidst escalating discontent over the proposed fiscal measures aimed at generating additional revenue amounting to Rs 1.5 trillion in the upcoming fiscal year. The …

ISLAMABAD: The first unit (Unit 4) of Pakistan Suki Kinari Hydropower Station, the largest hydropower power station invested and constructed by China Energy Construction Overseas Investment Co., Ltd, was successfully start-up and formally entering the wet testing phase on Sunday. According to the details, personnel from China Energy Construction Overseas Investment Co., Ltd, SK Hydro Co., Ltd, and participating construction …

BEIJING: The Beijing-Guangzhou High-speed Railway began full-line operations at a speed of 350 kph on Saturday, following an increase of the maximum permissible speed on its Wuhan-Guangzhou section, according to the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (China Railway). Totaling 2,298 km in length, the railway runs through six provincial-level regions — Beijing, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan and Guangdong — …

WELLINGTON: Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Saturday that China, with its vast market potential, is committed to unswervingly expanding high-level opening-up, and will continue to create a first-class business environment and support foreign enterprises in achieving better and greater development in China. Li made the remarks when visiting the headquarters of New Zealand’s dairy company Fonterra in Auckland with …

ISLAMABAD: Five people were killed and eight others injured in a road accident in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province on Saturday, police said. The accident occurred on Indus Highway in Dadu district of the province, where a speeding truck hit a rickshaw, resulting in the loss of five lives, including children, according to local police. The victims were pilgrims who were …

BEIJING: An article on high-quality development, by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, will be published on Sunday. The article by Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will appear in this year’s 12th issue of the Qiushi Journal, a flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee. The article …

Former Pakistan captain and all-rounder Shahid Afridi has expressed his views regarding the change in captaincy before the T20 World Cup, from Shaheen Afridi to Babar Azam by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. Babar, who stepped down as the white-ball captain in November following Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the ICC ODI Cricket World Cup in India, was reinstated …

Pakistan has made history by becoming a permanent member of the Washington Accord for six years. The International Engineering Alliance (IEA) approved the extension of Pakistan’s membership during its two-day session in New Delhi. The IEA unanimously granted Pakistan this membership extension. However, the Pakistani delegation from the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) could not attend the IEA session in person, …

The meta-owned instant messeging app WhatsApp has rolled out two new feature including 32-person video call and chat transfer feature WhatsApp has announced significant upgrades to its video calling features, enabling users to watch videos together during calls and increasing the maximum number of participants to 32 across all devices. Additionally, a new speaker spotlight feature highlights the person speaking …

While announcing restoration of health insurance scheme for journalists, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said on Friday that the Pakistan government was taking all possible steps for welfare of the media community. Addressing a ceremony regarding launch of the health insurance scheme for the journalists, the minister said the government had been playing its due role for …