Daily News Pakistan

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore extended the interim bail plea of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders Asad Umar, Aleema and Uzma Khan, in May 9 attack cases. Sisters of the PTI chairman, Aleema, Uzma Khan and former minister Asad Umar are accused of attacking state properties on May 9, following the arrest of the former prime minister Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case. The ATC Judge subsequently scheduled further arguments on the pre-arrest bails for November 22. Protests had broken out across Pakistan after the PTI chairman was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court on May 9. The protests were held in remote and major cities as the party workers were agitated due to their chairman’s arrest, with Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad summoning the armed forces to ensure law and order. Army installations and the Corps Commander’s house in Lahore came under attack during a protest by PTI workers.

Repatriation of illegal foreign nationals including Afghans to their country is continuing and today is the last day for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country. The government has asked all undocumented foreign nationals including Afghans to leave Pakistan by Wednesday. Yesterday, about 3000 Afghans arrived at the Pakistan-Afghan border at Bab-e-Dosti to return to Afghanistan, out of which 800 Afghans who arrived late could not enter Afghanistan due to the closing of the gate at the scheduled time. The district administration have been making announcements in local mosques of remote areas, neighborhoods and villages of the district to vacate the houses. They have been warned that action will be taken against Afghans and landlords who do not vacate their homes before November 01. Food was also provided to these Afghan families by setting up a residential camp at Bab-e-Dosti Gate. According to Deputy Commissioner Chaman Raja Athar Abbas, there has been an extraordinar...

A special court began hearing the cipher case in Adiala Jail on Tuesday where witness statements are likely to be recorded. Special Court Judge Abu Alhasnaat Zulqurnain arrived at the Adiala Jail early on Tuesday morning. Federal Investigation Agency’s prosecutor Khawar Shah also came to the jail for the hearing. The FIA team also brought along five witnesses for the prosecution to record their statements. The witnesses have been identified as Nadir Khan, Imran Sajid, Muhammad Nauman Shamoon Qaiser and Farrukh Abbas. A total of 28 witnesses had been identified by the FIA in the case who will all appear in turn to record their statements.

Five people, including a policeman, were killed in an attack by armed men on a police station in Turbat district of Balochistan. According to the police, four laborers are among those killed in the attack. Police say that the four were deceased laborers. Law enforcement agencies have started an investigation into the incident. It should be noted that this month six laborers were killed in the Turbat district of Balochistan. Among the dead were four members of the same family including two siblings. Caretaker Chief Minister of Balochistan Mir Ali Mardan Domki expressed regret over the killing of four laborers and a policeman in Turbat. He said, ’’The incident of terrorism is condemnable and intolerable. The killing of unemployed laborers is a sad incident, the involved elements will be brought to justice.“

England coach Matthew Mott on Sunday said the team remains an “incredibly tight-knit unit” despite a 100-run thrashing by India which condemned the defending champions to a fifth defeat at the ICC World Cup 2023. Mott’s claims came after former England captain Eoin Morgan insisted that there were splits in the camp which were causing the champions to underperform during the ICC World Cup 2023. “I’ve never come across a sports team that has underperformed like this, given the level of expectation,” 2019 World Cup winning skipper Morgan said. “There’s something within the team that is definitely unsettled. I think there’s something else going on – there has to be.” However, Mott was quick to refute the claims. “I don’t think that at all. I think anyone that’s inside our tent at the moment would say that despite our results, we’re an incredibly tight-knit unit,” he said. “I can only say from my opinion the group’s been incredibly strong in that part. If you see our training sessio...

The Pakistani rupee saw marginal improvement against the US dollar as it appreciated 0.02% during the opening hours of trading in the inter-bank market on Monday. At 9:50am, the rupee was hovering at 280.50, an increase of Re0.07 in the inter-bank market. During the previous week, the rupee declined against the US dollar as it closed 0.63% or Rs1.77 lower in the inter-bank market. The local currency started the week at 278.80 level, but closed on Friday at 280.57. In a related development, remittances inflows are likely to be back on track with a decent growth from Gulf countries as the local currency marked a significant comeback against the US dollar in the inter-bank and open markets in the last few weeks, experts told Business Recorder. Additionally, the caretaker government has announced an incentive scheme of Rs80 billion for encouraging overseas Pakistanis to send remittances to their relatives in their homeland without any charges. Internationally, the US dollar inched ...

The UN humanitarian office said at least 33 trucks were allowed into Gaza on Sunday, the largest convoy to have entered so far. The Central Council of Jews in Germany has warned of hatred against Jews. At least 33 trucks carrying water, food and medical supplies entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing with Egypt on Sunday, the United Nation's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said. The UN humanitarian office said early on Monday morning that the aid convoy was the largest since October 21, when the first trucks carrying vital aid entered the besieged enclave. Israel ordered a complete siege of the region to root out Hamas militants, considered a terror group by the EU, the US and others, following the militants' terror attack on Israeli soil on October 7. “Our teams in Gaza received 24 trucks from the Egyptian Red Crescent through the Rafah crossing this evening, containing food supplies and medical necessities," the Palestinian Red Crescent ...

The death toll from a train crash in India has risen to 13, with 39 injured, an official said on Monday, with investigators suspecting human error was the cause of the crash in the south-eastern state of Andhra Pradesh. The accident occurred when the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train stopped on Sunday because of a break in an overhead cable and the Visakhapatnam-Palasa Express service rammed into it from the rear, derailing two carriages of the stationary train. Nagalakshmi S., a senior government official in the district where the accident happened, told Reuters that more than 90 people were in the two coaches that got rammed by the second train and the toll of dead had risen to 13 with 39 people hurt. The railway ministry said a preliminary investigation found that “human error” that led to “overshooting of signal” by the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada train. An Andhra Pradesh fire services officer said early on Monday that no passengers were left at the site. The accident came m...

“A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in front of our eyes,” UN Secretary General António Guterres warned on Saturday as another night of heavy bombing flattened Gaza and virtually cut it off from the outside world. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution by 120 to 14 votes calling for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce” in Gaza. But even this overwhelming support for a pause in fighting had little impact on the situation in Gaza, where the Israeli military action seems to have entered a decisive phase. “Gaza is in complete blackout and isolation while heavy shelling continues,” warned Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for foreign affairs. In a tweet posted on Saturday, he described the situation in Gaza as ‘desperate’, where people live “without electricity, food, water”. Noting that “far too many civilians, including children, have been killed,” Mr Borrell said: “This is against International Humanitarian Law.” The UNGA resolution, on Frida...

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has demanded a halt to the "intolerable" human suffering in the besieged Gaza Strip, as the Israeli regime escalates its now 22-day-old bloody war of aggression against the coastal territory. "This is a catastrophic failing that the world must not tolerate," president of the ICRC, Mirjana Spoljaric, said on Saturday. "I am shocked by the intolerable level of human suffering and urge the parties to the conflict to de-escalate now," she said, adding, "The tragic loss of so many civilian lives is deplorable." The Israeli regime has been bombarding Gaza since October 7, when fighters from the Gaza Strip-based resistance groups launched a large-scale operation against the occupying entity in response to its intensified crimes against the Palestinian people. The death toll in Gaza has since exceeded 8,000, including more than 3,000 children, with more than 20,500 wounded. Despite the unconscion...

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Ahsan Iqbal said on Saturday that his party will win the majority in the elections. Speaking to the media in Lahore, the former planning minister recalled the ouster of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, saying, ‘’Nawaz Sharif was ousted as the premier through a conspiracy in 2017.’’ He asserted: ‘’Nawaz Sharif was not given the level playing field in 2018’’. Expressing his views about the elections, he said, ‘’The elections in the country should be held on time to bring economic stability to the country.’’ He lavished praise on Nawaz Sharif, saying, ‘’It was Nawaz Sharif who addressed the problems in line with the power outages''. – Iqbal all praise for Nawaz Sharif – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday praised former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Speaking to media outside the judicial complex, the former planning minister said, ‘’Nawaz Sharif has said that the institutions should play th...

Australia set a target of 389 runs for New Zealand. Travis Head scored 109 runs off 67 balls, while Josh Inglis contributed 38, Pat Cummins 37, and Mitchell Marsh 36 runs. David Warner added 81 runs, and Glenn Maxwell scored 41 runs in a thrilling match. Meanwhile, the Netherlands are currently batting against Bangladesh. They won the toss and chose to bat first. The match is taking place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. In this World Cup, both Bangladesh and Netherlands have won one match each out of the five they have played so far. Bangladesh is currently eighth on the points table, while the Netherlands is at the bottom, in tenth place.  

The Counter-Terrorism of Punjab has arrested 10 alleged terrorists in operations conducted in various cities of the province. According to officials, a commander of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was arrested along with four associates. They further said that the arrested commander, identified as Qasim Afghani, had hatched a plan to carry out a terrorist activity. Moreover, five other terrorists were arrested in Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, and Sargodha. The officials further said that explosive material, hand grenades, weapons, mobile phones and cash were seized from the possession of the arrested men. These terrorists were planning to target sensitive installations, the officials added. This past week, the CTD said, 225 suspects were arrested in 359 combing operations.

On Saturday, the current rate for US Dollar stands at Rs280.57, as the interbank exchange rate saw a notable Rs1.77 rise during the past week. After a continuous decline in the value of the US dollar against the Pakistani currency for five weeks, there has been a trend of increasing over the past two weeks. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, on Friday, the dollar closed at 280.57 rupees in the interbank market. During the past week, the dollar saw an overall increase of Rs1.77. The value of the US dollar had been on a downward trend against the Pakistani rupee for 28 consecutive business days, dipping below 277 rupees at one point. However, the decline in the value of the dollar stopped during the last week. Currency market analysts suggest that the dollar's value had significantly dropped, and a recovery was expected. However, pressure on income payments in the interbank market emerged last Wednesday. The increase in the value of the dollar in the world market due to...

Venus may have once been more dynamic and Earth-like than previously thought. A study led by researchers at Brown University reveals evidence suggesting that Venus exhibited Earth-like plate tectonics billions of years ago. Tectonic movements The findings are based on simulations using atmospheric data from Venus. These simulations indicate that the existing composition of Venus’ atmosphere and its surface pressure could have evolved due to early plate tectonic activities. This geologic process, vital for life, consists of continental plates that move, collide, and slide beneath one another. Such tectonic movements on Earth, intensified over billions of years, sculpted continents, mountain ranges, and triggered chemical reactions. A sharp detour These reactions played a pivotal role in stabilizing Earth’s temperature, paving the way for life’s development. However, Venus’ fate took a sharp detour, leading to its present-day hostile conditions, with temperatures soaring high enou...

Pakistan win toss and choose to bat first against South Africa. Pakistan made two changes for the crucial ICC World Cup 2023 against South Africa today in Chennai. All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz and pacer Mohammad Wasim Jr have replaced the injured Hasan Ali and leg-spinner Usama Mir. Pakistan's lineup 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Babar Azam (capt), 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Iftikhar Ahmed, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Mohammad Wasim Jnr, 10 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 11 Haris Rauf Due to rain early morning in Chennai, there were questions marks over the possibility of the match today. However, the good news is that chances of rain are low during the rest of the day which is why the match is unlikely to be affected. According to The Weather Channel, cloudy weather is likely to persist throughout the day. There is only two percent chance of rain during the afternoon and four percent in the evening. Pakistan, the 1992 champions, have hit a roadblock at th...

Every year on October 27, Kashmiris solemnly observed Black Day to protest the Indian occupation that began on this date in 1947—an occupation that lacked constitutional and moral justification. At the time of India's partition, local leaders in Kashmir had opted to join Pakistan, but Maharaja Hari Singh, the then-ruler of the region, sought military assistance from India in exchange for accession. Subsequently, India deployed nearly one million troops to only Muslim-majority regions. For 76 years, the people of Occupied Kashmir have endured persecution, with their situation worsening on August 5, 2019, when India unilaterally revoked the region's special status. The Kashmir conflict has resulted in the tragic loss of over 250,000 Kashmiri lives, with more than 7,000 extrajudicial killings. Moreover, the conflict has left over 100,000 children orphaned, and more than 11,000 women have been subjected to sexual violence. Occupied Kashmir has seen a staggering 1.6 million ar...

The value of the dollar recorded a marginal decrease as trading began on Friday. The dollar lost Rs.0.09 to fall to Rs280 in the interbank. On Thursday the dollar had gained Rs0.27 to go from Rs279.88 to Rs280.09. Meanwhile the Pakistan Stock Exchange lost 45 points to fall to 51,100 points.

Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti said that the plan to expel illegal afghan has been completed and they will be shifted to centers in respective provinces, upon completion of the Nov 1 deadline. Bugti addressing a press conference said that illegal foreigners' families—children and women—will be treated with utmost respect. “There will be no compromise on the issue of return of foreigners,” he clarified. Bugti said after Nov 1, the arrested persons will be kept in the centers. He also announced that returnees could carry a maximum of Rs50,000 with them. “Punishment will also be given to those who make fake CNCs,” he said. Illegal properties will also be confiscated Sarfraz Bugti said illegal properties will also be confiscated of illegal foreigners including illegal Afghan refugees and announced action will also be taken against Pakistanis who provide facilities to illegal.    

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa will convene a meeting of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) tomorrow to discuss various complaints filed against superior court judges. Justice Isa will chair the SJC while other members are Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti and Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Naeem Afghan. The SJC is the only constitutional forum that can examine the conduct of superior courts judges and recommend their removal under Article 209 of the Constitution. Sources revealed that the meeting scheduled to be held at 11:30am will consider all pending complaints of misconduct moved against superior courts’ judges. It is pertinent to mention here that the complaint was filed against Supreme Court Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi in the Supreme Judicial Council. The complaint was filed against the apex court judge in the judicial council, by Mian Dawood Advocate. The complaint included c...

A "super rare" creature that roams in the depths of ocean has been spotted off the coast of Australia. The small white fish with leopard-like spots came into the view of a deep-sea diver who was swimming in the Coral Sea Marine Park. The beautiful photo of the Leopard Toby Puffer has been shared by Master Reef Guides, an organisation affiliated with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. In an Instagram post, the organisation said the diver so far made 1,100 dives, but never saw a fish like this. "Once back on the boat Catherine and Michelle headed to the books, consulted with other experts and discovered this Leopard Toby might be the first recorded sighting in the Coral Sea," Master Reef Guides further said on Instagram. It explained that the Leopard Toby is usually found in the waters of the Philippines, Indonesia, Guam and Micronesia, no but this is the first time it has been spotted in Australia. "It's not every day you see an animal so ou...

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi was in awe of Australia's Glenn Maxwell, who smashed the fastest-ever World Cup century against the Netherlands at New Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium. Boom Boom is expecting middle-order batter Iftikhar Ahmed to play the same way Maxwell did as he has those skills similar to Australian all-rounder. "What an innings by Glenn Maxwell today, its a showcase of top class power hitting, well deserved win for Australia," Afridi posted on X. "I expect Iftikhar Ahmad to play a similar role for our team, he definitely has the capability to do so and the pitches are curated for power hitting, we all need you to fire up now," he added. Remember, Glenn Maxwell showed no mercy to the Netherlands bowlers and hit them to all parts of the ground. He completed his ton in just 40 balls. The 35-year-old came to bat when the Aussies were 266-4 in 38 overs after they had just lost the wicket of Josh Inglis. Maxwell came in and started h...

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has renewed his demand for a ceasefire in Gaza and said that international law was being violated in the war between Israel and Hamas. Israel has bombarded the besieged Gaza Strip relentlessly since October 7, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, killling at least 1,400 people according to Israeli authorities. After the attack, Israel cut off supplies of water, food, fuel and electricity to the enclave’s 2.3 million residents, an act the UN has called a form of collective punishment. It also launched an assault on the territory, killing at least 5,791 people, according to authorities in Gaza, which is governed by Hamas. More than one million people have been displaced, as Israel ordered residents of northern Gaza to evacuate to the south, but Israeli air raids have continued throughout the territory. Speaking before the 15-member UN Security Council on Tuesday, Guterres pleaded for civilians to be protected and warned...

At the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Middle East, Pakistan has reiterated its strong condemnation of Israeli airstrikes and military action in Gaza. In his remarks, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN Munir Akram said the Israeli attacks on civilians, civilian objects and infrastructure, blockade of water, food and fuel as well as the forced transfer of people from the occupied territory, are flagrant violations of international humanitarian law and amount to war crimes. He said those responsible for these atrocity crimes must be held accountable. Munir Akram said any attempt to create a false equivalence between Israel, the occupying power, and the Palestinians, the victims of this occupation is untenable legally, morally and politically. He called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. He said the perpetuation of Israeli occupation will not bring peace to the Holy Land, stressing durable peace will emerge from the internationally agreed two...

Headaches can occur in a variety of disease patterns in traditional Chinese medicine. Some headaches are associated with external pernicious influences, such as wind cold, wind heat, or wind damp. Others occur as a symptom of internal imbalances, such as liver fire, phlegm, blood stagnation, qi deficiency, or blood deficiency. It is especially important to have an accurate diagnosis when treating a headache, since the wrong treatment can actually make the condition worse. Treating Headaches Caused by External Influences with Traditional Chinese Medicine When a headache is caused by an external pernicious influence, it can occur suddenly, often along with other symptoms of wind. When it is due to wind cold, the pain is typically in the back or the top of the head. Other symptoms could be an aversion to cold, tight and sore shoulders and neck, and nasal congestion. The classic formula for this pattern is Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao Wan taken along with green tea. When wind heat is the cul...

Hardik Pandya is likely to miss India’s next World Cup match vs England in Lucknow on October 29. The all-rounder, recovering from an ankle injury he picked up during the match vs Bangladesh in Pune, wasn’t available for the team’s next match vs New Zealand in Dharamsala too. It is learnt that the injury is not serious but the management is not keen to rush Pandya. “Yes, Hardik is likely to miss the next match vs England in Lucknow. It is more of a precaution at this stage and nothing serious,” a BCCI official told reporters. The 30-year-old didn’t travel with the side to Dharamsala and was advised to rest by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) medical team. It is now likely that he will link-up with the team before the match vs Sri Lanka in Mumbai. India won their last fixture vs New Zealand to maintain their winning streak and then enjoyed a two-day break in the picturesque hilly city. As CricketNext had reported on October 23, the Indian cricket team will spend t...

South Africa have won the toss and elected to bat first against Bangladesh in the 23rd match of the ICC World Cup 2023 at Wankhede Stadium. South Africa Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram (c), Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Gerald Coetzee, Lungi Ngidi Bangladesh Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan (c), Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam HEAD TO HEAD RECORD: Overall ODIs: Matches 24, South Africa 18, Bangladesh 6 ODI World Cup: Matches 4, South Africa 2, Bangladesh 2

Meta’s instant messaging platform WhatsApp is reportedly planning to expand the “View Once” feature for voice messages. It essentially means the voice message would delete automatically after the recipient hears them. According to a report by an international news website, this feature is under beta testing and is currently only available to a limited number of Android and iOS users. According to the report, the feature is accessible by tapping a small ‘1’ icon that appears while recording a voice note. After sending the voice note with the view once option enabled, the sender would not be able to listen to it and the recipient will not have the option to return to the message after dismissing it once. WhatsApp already has the “View Once” feature available for sharing Photos and Video since 2021, and it is expected to roll out for voice notes soon. Earlier this month, WhatsApp announced that it would allow Android users to access their accounts using Passkeys. In a post published...

It is a misconception that mosquitoes thrive only in tropical, warm environments. They can also survive in temperate and colder regions during summer and spring. It is challenging to avoid mosquito bites. Here are some 15 tips to prevent mosquito bites while sleeping. Mosquito bites are frequent during the warm monsoon season, they also make their presence felt during winter. Mosquito bites cause red, itchy bumps on the skin and can even cause life-threatening diseases like dengue, malaria, chikungunya and zika. Therefore, knowing how to prevent mosquito bites effectively is vital. 1. Steer Clear of Mosquito Habitats Mosquitoes require still, stagnant water to lay their eggs. Young mosquitoes can hatch and grow in anything that holds even a small amount of water. Therefore, clearing stagnant water and trash is necessary, especially during monsoon season. Remove old tyres as they are considered prime mosquito nurseries. Drill holes in them to let water drain out. Do not pile up on...

The government on Monday finally okayed a massive hike in gas tariff, giving a massive blow to the inflation-weary masses that is likely to add to their miseries. The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, which met in the federal capital with Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar in the chair, gave approval for the hike in the gas tariff up to 193% starting from November 1, 2023. The development comes ahead of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) review scheduled later this month that had asked Pakistan to cut the ballooning circular debt in the energy sector. As per the approved summary, the fixed monthly charges for protected consumers were revised upward from Rs10 to Rs400 and for non-protected from Rs460 to Rs1000 and for higher slabs up to Rs2000. The government has hiked the local gas tariff up to 173% for non-protected domestic consumers, 136.4% for commercial, 86.4% for export, and 117% for the non-export industry. The exporters have managed to get maximum...

The live scorecard and ball-by-ball updates of the 22nd match of the ICC World Cup 2023 between Pakistan and Afghanistan will be available below from 1:30pm (PST). The PAK vs AFG is being played at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

The journalists’ organisations believe that the government has failed to arrest the killers of Sharif. A year has passed since the death of senior journalist Arshad Sharif who was killed in Kenyan capital Nairobi on October 23 where he was living in self-exile. Kenyan police first said that Arshad Sharif was killed in a case of “mistaken identity” but since the seasoned journalist’s post-mortem and his body’s transfer to his home country, several Kenyan news outlets have not only questioned the police’s conduct but have raised questions over the manner in which he was killed. At the time of his murder, he was working for the private news channel. Salman Iqbal, CEO of the platform posted on X (formally Twitter), said: “Having been in the news business for over 23 years this was a story which was the most difficult one to break, should I tell the world first or his family.” He applauded the journalistic qualities of Sharif and prayed for him. However, the case proceeding is under...

At least 400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours, Palestinian health officials have said, with journalists on the ground describing Israel’s latest bombardment as “the deadliest night” yet. As Israeli violence on the Gaza Strip entered its third week, Israel launched dozens of air strikes across the besieged city in the early hours of Monday. Israel bombarded residential areas in Gaza, including the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp and Beit Lahia in the north, the al-Rimal neighborhood, the Al Shati camp in the west, as well as Khan Yunis and Rafah in the south, the Palestinian News Agency reported. The overnight Israeli bombings have further exacerbated the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, where its residents have been left with dwindling food and medical supplies. On Sunday, the United Nations warned that the lives of at least 120 newborn babies on incubators were at risk as hospitals are on the verge of r...

After the overnight killing of dozens of Palestinians by Israeli bombardment, 20 trucks carrying aid — the first convoy of humanitarian supplies since Israel began a devastating siege 12 days ago — entered Gaza via the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Saturday. Meanwhile, UN agencies have called for a ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access for aid throughout Gaza. “We call for a humanitarian ceasefire, along with immediate, unrestricted humanitarian acc­ess throughout Gaza to allow hum­anitarian actors to reach civilians in need, save lives and prevent further human suffering,” the joint statement from the UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP and WHO said. “Flows of humanitarian aid must be at scale and sustained, and allow all Gazans to preserve their dignity.” The flatbed trucks, flying white flags and honking their horns, exited the crossing after checks and headed into Gaza’s southern area, which includes the major towns of Rafah and Khan Yunis, where hundreds of thousands of p...

At the United Nations, Pakistan has stressed the need to resuscitate the two-State solution of Palestinian crisis for durable peace in the region. Speaking in a debate on the contributions of regional mechanisms for peace and security in the Security Council, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the world body, Munir Akram said the two-state solution is the only option for a durable peace in the Holy Land. He expressed the hope that after the Security Council’s failure, the General Assembly will take action and demand an immediate ceasefire; full, unhindered, and sustainable humanitarian access to the suffering people in Gaza, and ensure that they are not displaced within or outside Gaza. Speaking about the Security Council’s shortcomings, Munir Akram said these arise mainly due to the veto power of the five permanent members. He said the Security Council, which has the primary responsibility to promote world peace, has failed to “stop the slaughter in Gaza”, as it also failed in Jammu and K...

Netherlands captain Scott Edwards won the toss and chose to bat first in the World Cup game with Sri Lanka at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Saturday. The Dutch, who stunned South Africa last time out for their first win over a Test-playing nation at the 50-over showpiece, are unchanged. Sri Lanka, the only team in the 10-nation tournament yet to win a game after three successive defeats, made two changes with Dusan Hemantha and Kasun Rajitha replacing Dunith Wellalage and Lahiru Kumara. Netherlands: Vikramjit Singh, Max O’Dowd, Colin Ackermann, Bas de Leede, Teja Nidamanuru, Scott Edwards (capt/wkt), Sybrand Engelbrecht, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (capt/wkt), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dushan Hemantha, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka

On Saturday, the current rate for US Dollar stands at Rs278.80, as the interbank exchange rate saw a notable Rs1.19 rise during the past week. Conversely, over the past five weeks, the dollar had been consistently losing value in comparison to the Pakistani rupee. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, on Friday, the dollar closed at 278.80 rupees in the interbank market, up from 276.83 rupees on Monday. During the past week, the dollar saw an overall increase of Rs1.19. For 28 consecutive business days, the dollar's value had been decreasing against the rupee in Pakistan, dropping below 277 rupees at one point. However, on Tuesday, the dollar's value went up again, increasing by 20 paisas, by Wednesday the rate increased by Rs3.26. Currency market analysts had expected the dollar to rebound after its significant drop. However, Wednesday's interbank income payments caused pressure on the dollar. Additionally, the dollar's value was affected by the Israel-Ham...

The potential normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia and other Arab states was a top priority for Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his June trip to Riyadh, although he acknowledged no progress should be expected imminently. Palestinian group Hamas' 7 Oct attack on Israel that killed about 1,400 people aimed to disrupt a potential normalization of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia, US President Joe Biden said on Friday. Saudi Arabia, a Middle East powerhouse and home to Islam's two holiest shrines, gave its blessing to Gulf neighbors United Arab Emirates and Bahrain establishing relations with Israel in 2020 under the previous US administration of Donald Trump. Riyadh has not followed suit, saying Palestinian statehood goals should be addressed first.  "One of the reasons Hamas moved on Israel ... they knew that I was about to sit down with the Saudis," Biden said at a campaign fundraiser. The potential normalization of relations with Saudi Arab...

Indian cricket team’s all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been ruled out of the World Cup match against New Zealand due to injury. As per reports in Indian media, Hardik Pandya needs a week to get rid of ankle pain and Surya Kumar Yadav or Ishan Kishan will be included in the playing XI, while Mohammad Shami can be replaced by Shirdal Thakur in the upcoming match. According to the Indian media, Hardik Pandya suffered an injury in the match against Bangladesh yesterday, he has also been scanned and a formal decision will be made after the review report. It should be noted that the match between India and New Zealand is scheduled in Dharamsala on Sunday.

A five-member bench of the Supreme Court will take up petitions against the trials of civilians in military courts on October 23. Meanwhile a three-member bench will also take up petitions asking for elections within 90 days on the same date. According to cause lists issued on Friday, the bench hearing the military courts case will be led by Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan and will include Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Ayesha Malik, Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Mazahar Naqvi. On the other hand, Justice Qazi Faez Isa will lead a bench including Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Athar Minallah that will hear petitions asking for elections to be held within 90 days. The case was fixed a day after Justice Qazi Faez Isa hinted that the military court case and the general election could be fixed ‘soon’. The military courts case was last heard on August 3 by a bench led by then Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial. The attorney general had assured the court that no civilians would be tried without...

Israel's Zionist regime is continuously targeting innocent civilians and infrastracture across Gaza strip and West Bank. According to Palestinian news agency WAFA, the martyrdom toll in Gaza stands at 3,785 while 13,500 others have been wounded. In the occupied West Bank, 74 people have been martyred and 1,300 wounded. The Committee to Protect Journalists has said 21 media workers have been killed since the beginning Israeli air strikes on Gaza on October 7. Meanwhile, at least 8 people have been killed and many other civilians wounded in a recent Israeli attack on an Orthodox Church in besieged Gaza where some 200 Palestinian had taken refugee.

President Joe Biden declared it is “vital for America’s national security” for Israel and Ukraine to succeed in their wars, making the case Thursday night for deepening US involvement in a rare Oval Office address as he prepared to ask for billions of dollars in military assistance for both countries. If international aggression is allowed to continue, Biden said, “conflict and chaos could spread in other parts of the world.” “Hamas and Putin represent different threats,” Biden said. “But they share this in common. They both want to completely annihilate a neighboring democracy.” He said he would send an urgent funding request to Congress, which is expected to be roughly $100 billion over the next year. The proposal, which will be unveiled on Friday, includes money for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, humanitarian aid and border management. “It’s a smart investment that’s going to pay dividends for American security for generations,” Biden said. Biden hopes that combining all of these i...