Iran warns of ‘immediate, powerful’ response if Israel targets its leadership
DUBAI: Iran will deliver an immediate and powerful response to any threat against its people or leadership, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warned on Wednesday, escalating tensions amid intense regional friction. The statement came after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz remarked that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was “marked for death”. In a post on […]
Qatar, Pakistan mediators hold separate talks with US, Iran negotiators in Doha: FO
ISLAMABAD: Qatari and Pakistani mediators have completed separate meetings with American and Iranian negotiators in Doha, the Foreign Office said on Thursday, as efforts to advance a US-Iran memorandum of understanding continue. Foreign Office spokesperson said “positive progress” had been made on various aspects of the memorandum, describing it as a continuation of the momentum […]
Vance says US won’t return to war with Iran unless needed
US Vice President JD Vance said discussions between the US and Iran were going well as they held indirect technical talks in Qatar about the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, adding Washington would not return to full combat unless necessary. The talks are based on a 14-point interim accord signed last month that was meant […]
Oil falls for a third straight day after US-Iran talks conclude in Doha
Oil prices dropped about 1% on Thursday, down for a third consecutive day, after Qatar said Iran and the US had made progress in indirect talks focused on the Strait of Hormuz, which handled one-fifth of global oil supply before the war. Brent futures lost 77 cents or 1.1% to $70.80 a barrel by 0256 GMT, while […]
World Bank asks Pakistan to revise NFC Award formula
ISLAMABAD: The World Bank (WB) has asked Pakistan to revise the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award formula, both vertically and horizontally, and adopt fiscal ‘equalisation’ for resource distribution among the provinces based on spending needs and projected revenue capacity. The WB also supported excluding population from the main criteria for resource distribution and suggested fiscal […]
UN Must Black List Global Terror Threat BLA
▪️Author’s Perspective: Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, writes as both a politician and local voice, condemning the BLA for exploiting her province’s suffering. ▪️Core Thesis: The BLA does not represent Balochistan or its people; it weaponises the province’s extreme underdevelopment and multidimensional poverty (>70%) to recruit and radicalise youth (aged 15–25) through propaganda, isolation from families, […]
Five more children laid to rest after Lahore tuition centre roof collapse; five suspects detained
LAHORE: Funeral prayers were offered overnight and on Wednesday morning for more children who lost their lives in the roof collapse at a tuition centre in Lahore’s Kahna area, as police registered a criminal case over the tragedy and detained five people, including the building owner. Funeral prayers for Mahnoor and Tasbeeh Shehzad were held on Wednesday […]
Mohsin Naqvi visits Saudi Arabia to enhance security collaboration
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister and Minister for Narcotics Control Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Riyadh on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, marking another step in strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries. Upon his arrival at King Khalid International Airport on Tuesday evening, Naqvi was warmly received by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Interior, Prince Abdulaziz bin […]
Trump reports over $1.4bn in income from crypto ventures
US President Donald Trump reported more than $1.4 billion in income from his family’s crypto ventures last year, showing how Trump now derives most of his income from digital assets that have benefited from his policies, according to a review of his latest financial disclosures on Tuesday. The filings, his annual disclosure for 2025 with […]
Oil ticks higher as Iran’s refusal to meet US envoys dims ceasefire hopes