LONDON: British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has described the situation in Gaza as “horrific”. He also said the UK must take stronger and faster action over the crisis. Miliband made the comments after meeting people who have worked in Gaza and remain in contact with those on the ground. He said their accounts showed the scale of the humanitarian crisis. Miliband said people in Gaza face severe shortages of essential medicines. He also said children were dying while waiting for vital medical treatment. The foreign secretary said these reports had strengthened his view that Britain must do more. “The situation…
Author: Web Desk
TEHRAN: An Iranian oil tanker was reportedly hit by four US missiles near Kharg Island, Iran’s key crude export hub in the Gulf, on Saturday, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. A Tasnim correspondent reporting from Kharg said the tanker came under attack at the island’s anchorage. Iranian authorities had not issued an immediate official statement, while the US Central Command had yet to comment on the report. The reported strike comes days after US President Donald Trump warned that Kharg Island could face further attacks. On August 31, Trump posted a short message on social media alongside an…
ISLAMABAD: Differences between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and its coalition partner, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), have surfaced over proposals to create new provinces and administrative units, with the debate drawing particular attention to the future of Sindh, while former Punjab CM Hamza Shahbaz has called for stronger local governments. The issue gained momentum after Defense Minister Khawaja Asif criticized what he described as the PPP’s inconsistent position on the creation of new provinces. Asif said the PPP had supported the demand for a separate Saraiki province in Punjab but opposed proposals involving the creation of multiple provinces or…
SHARJAH: The Sharjah government has raised minimum income and social support levels for citizens, with university graduates working in the government sector now receiving a minimum net salary of Dhs27,125, or about PKR 2.05 million per month. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, approved the measures, which took effect on September 1, 2026. The new package sets the minimum standard of living for families receiving social assistance at Dhs20,000 per month. The initiative will benefit around 6,652 families. The Sharjah government has allocated an estimated Dhs195.13 million annually for the programme. At an exchange rate of about…
Business Intelligence Analyst Kareem Shehadeh-Rifai argues that the ongoing Iran war is increasingly becoming intertwined with a much larger economic crisis facing the United States and other major powers. In his assessment, Washington is already under severe financial pressure, with US debt approaching $40 trillion and interest rates making the cost of refinancing that debt increasingly difficult. In his talk with JP Global host Ayaz Khan Lohani, Shehadeh argues that the United States may ultimately need an economic recession to create room for the Federal Reserve to reduce interest rates. Lower rates would allow Washington to refinance its long-term debt…
LAHORE: Videos purportedly showing sting operations against suspected corrupt officials have begun circulating across Punjab, drawing public attention as the provincial government steps up its campaign against bribery, misuse of authority and the misappropriation of public funds. The emergence of the videos comes shortly after Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif ordered a province-wide zero-tolerance policy on corruption, directing authorities to identify those involved in malpractice and take action without regard to their position or connections. The chief minister has also approved a confidential mechanism through which information about corrupt practices can be collected and passed directly to her office.…
Karachi court acquits Natasha Danish in drug case linked to 2024 Karsaz accident KARACHI — A Karachi court on Friday acquitted Natasha Danish in a drug case linked to the August 2024 Karsaz Road accident that killed two people. Judicial Magistrate (East) ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the charges against her. Natasha had faced a case under Section 11 of the Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order 1979 for allegedly driving under the influence of methamphetamine, commonly known as ice or crystal meth. On August 19, 2024, a speeding Toyota Land Cruiser driven by Natasha struck three motorcycles and…
Tel Aviv: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that toppling the Iranian regime is Israel’s “central mission” and that the goal is now “within reach.” Speaking during a Rosh Hashanah toast with the IDF General Staff Forum, Netanyahu declared that Iran’s leadership is weaker than ever and fighting for survival. He credited Israeli military operations since the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, with reducing the Iranian threat. “The regime is now faltering. It is weaker than ever. It is fighting for its survival,” Netanyahu said. “I am confident in our ability to remove this threat once and…
LAHORE: Severe traffic congestion brought several major roads in Lahore to a near standstill, leaving commuters stuck for long periods as bumper-to-bumper traffic continued at key points across the city. Canal Road was among the worst-affected routes, with traffic crawling over long stretches. Heavy congestion was also reported between Thokar Niaz Baig and Muslim Town Mor, where lengthy queues continued to build up during busy hours. The situation was particularly difficult around Muslim Town Mor and Campus Bridge, while motorists approaching from Thokar Niaz Baig faced substantial delays. At several points, traffic movement was almost paralysed, turning short journeys into…
Pokhara, Nepal: Rescuers pulled two men alive from a debris-choked tunnel on Friday. The dramatic rescue happened at the Trishuli-3A hydropower project. It came more than a week after catastrophic floods and landslides hit the Himalayan region. The survivors are Sanjay Sah, 30, a mechanical foreman, and Kabir Maharjan, 45, a mechanical supervisor. Rescuers extracted them after nearly nine days underground. Nepali Army teams and disaster officials found the men during efforts to reach trapped workers. The site sits along the Trishuli River in Rasuwa district, near China’s Tibet border. Officials flew both men to a hospital in Kathmandu. Army…
