Quadcopter attack in KP’s Bannu injures 8, including women – Pakistan
BANNU: A powerful explosion, following the reported crash of a quadcopter drone, injured eight people, including women, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district on Friday night. Security agencies immediately launched an investigation into the matter as panic spread in the area. According to police, the drone flew into the area from an unknown location and exploded […]
US religious freedom commission calls for India to be listed as ‘country of particular concern’ – World
WASHINGTON: The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has once again urged the US State Department to declare India a “country of particular concern,” citing its 2026 assessment and hearing over “ongoing, systematic, and egregious religious freedom conditions” in the country. The issue was examined during an in-person hearing in Washington on Thursday, […]
Australia sanctions BLA, affiliates
ISLAMABAD: The Australian government on Friday imposed counterterrorism financing sanctions on the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its senior leaders “for their engagement in and support of terrorist attacks”. Announcing the sanctions, Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said that the BLA has conducted “violent terror attacks” across Pakistan, targeting civilians, critical infrastructure, and […]
US-Iran deal hangs in balance
Efforts to end the war between the US and Iran appeared to stall as the two sides traded fire in the Gulf on Friday, while a US intelligence analysis concluded Tehran could withstand a naval blockade for another four months. The CIA assessment also concluded that the US bombing campaign of Iran, hailed as a […]
IMF’s Executive Board approves $1.2 billion financing for Pakistan’s reform programme – Business
WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Executive Board on Friday approved the latest review of Pakistan’s reform programme, paving the way for the release of $1.2 billion in financing under the ongoing arrangements. In Islamabad, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb also confirmed the approval following the Board meeting in Washington, saying the decision reflects Pakistan’s continued […]
Court fight with Pentagon raises Senator Mark Kelly’s White House profile – World
WASHINGTON: A courtroom clash with US War Secretary Pete Hegseth is rapidly transforming Democratic Senator Mark Kelly into one of the most closely watched potential challengers to President Donald Trump ahead of the 2028 US presidential election. A federal appeals court on Thursday appeared sceptical of Pentagon efforts to punish the retired astronaut and Navy […]
Senators alarmed by ‘surge’ in violence against women; 5pc conviction rate termed ‘systemic failure’ – Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Senators on Friday voiced alarm over rising violent crimes against women and demanded stronger measures to improve the conviction rate, which the presiding officer, PPP Vice President Sherry Rehman, said stood at “only five per cent”. The debate began after Balochistan Senator Naseema Ehsan raised the killing of Rubina Chandio for alleged ‘honour’ in […]
LCCI, Australian chamber sign trade MoU
LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and the Australia Pakistan Chamber of Trade, Commerce & Industry (APC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen trade, economic, technical and business relations between Pakistan and Australia, according to a statement issued on Friday. The MoU was signed by LCCI President Faheemur Rehman […]
Syed Noor says online fame has limits on big screen
Syed Noor. Photo: PTV Veteran filmmaker Syed Noor has ignited debate over the growing influence of social media personalities in Pakistan’s entertainment industry, arguing that viral fame and millions of followers are no guarantee of success at the box office. In a recent interview clip circulating widely online, Noor reflected on how audience behaviour has […]
Pentagon releases previously secret files on UFOs – World
The Pentagon on Friday released a first batch of previously secret files documenting reported sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) — some as far back as the 1940s — a move sought for decades by some Americans. “These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation — and it’s time the American people see […]