Pakistan

President Donald Trump ends the third week of the Iran war, confronting a crisis that seems to be slipping out of his hands. Global energy prices are surging, the United States stands isolated from allies and more troops are preparing to deploy despite his promise that the war would be only a “short excursion.” A defensive Trump called other NATO countries “cowards” for refusing to help secure the Strait of Hormuz and insisted the campaign was unfolding according to plan. But his declaration on Friday that the battle “was Militarily WON” clashed with the reality of a defiant Iran that is choking off Gulf oil and gas supplies while launching missile strikes across the region. Trump, who took office promising to keep the US out of “stupid” military interventions, now appears to control neither the outcome nor the messaging of a conflict he helped to initiate. The lack of a clear exit strategy carries risks both for his presidential legacy and his party’s political prospects as Republicans scramble to defend nar...

Reiterates strong condemnation of attacks carried out against Bahrain

A new study in the field of space medicine marks a number of significant contributions from physicians working to advance space exploration, highlighting the unique strengths they bring to the field. Dr Farhan M Asrar, a Canadian physician and internationally known space medicine researcher, has worked with experts and astronauts from space agencies around the world. He looks at human health in space, including deep space missions, as well as how space technology can be used to innovate health, public health and the environment on Earth. One of his most recent pieces of research, ‘From bedside to orbit: the enduring impact of physician-astronauts over six decades of space exploration’, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, looks at the role of medical doctor in advancing space exploration. According to Dr Asrar, the work addresses two historical milestones: it has been 61 years since the first physician-astronaut — a medical doctor who became an astronaut — went to space for Russia, as we...

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have extended Eidul Fitr greetings to the nation, calling for unity, compassion and collective responsibility.

Actors Sonya Hussain, Junaid Khan, Sameer sent Eid greetings, sharing festive cheer and warm wishes

Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf and Air Chief Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, on behalf of the Armed Forces of Pakistan, have extended heartiest Eid-ul-Fitr greetings to all Pakistanis, reported Radio Pakistan.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that the sacrifices of martyrs must be remembered on the occasion of Eid ul-Fitr, stressing that they form the foundation of the country’s national defence.

Authorities say ⁠one victim found on the first floor, four on the second and nine on the third.

Rare ‘one-in-500-years’ event raises climate alarm

Donald Trump’s war with Iran is weighing on independent US voters, a crucial bloc likely to determine if the president’s Republican Party maintains control of Congress in the November midterm elections. At a breakfast diner in Pennsylvania, a swing state where voters often shift between parties, there was a mix of anger and confusion over the new conflict. “Trump’s just miring us in another Iraq, Vietnam situation,” said retired postal worker Jolene Lloyd, 65, referencing the two prolonged wars often seen as failures for the United States. Lloyd has never voted for Trump, but has previously split her ticket between parties. Not this year — in November, she will only support Democrats. Republicans only narrowly control Congress — where every seat is up in the House and about one-third of the Senate — so even a small loss of voters could spell trouble. The midterm contests will determine whether Trump governs with a cooperative Congress or faces a Democratic majority empowered to block legislation and launch in...

Court rules Musk statements on bots misled Twitter investors

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on the occasion of Eid ul-Fitr extended heartfelt greetings to the nation, highlighting the spiritual lessons of Ramadan and the importance of unity and compassion.

Gold prices fell by 1.8 per cent on Friday as the dollar strengthened on a report that the United States will deploy extra troops in the Middle East, fanning concerns of higher oil prices, inflation, and with it, elevated interest rates. Spot gold fell 1.8pc to $4,563.64 per ounce after earlier rising 1pc. US gold futures for April delivery were 0.7pc lower at $4,574.90. The dollar and US Treasury yields extended gains after a Reuters report, citing three US officials, that the US military is deploying thousands of additional marines and sailors to the Middle East. A stronger dollar makes dollar-priced bullion less attractive to holders of other currencies. The US-Israeli war on Iran has killed thousands, spilled across the Middle East and hit the global economy since the two countries launched a joint attack on February 28. Iran’s prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could keep energy prices elevated and fuel inflation. “Gold and silver are being dragged lower as markets climb the usual wall of worry a...

Ministers caution that future price increases might be likely and current fuel supply should be responsibly used

Wall Street ended sharply lower on Friday, with the S&P 500 closing at its lowest in six months, as the US-Israeli war against Iran entered its fourth week, deepening worries about inflation and the potential for higher interest rates. The conflict in the Middle East showed no signs of easing. The US military was deploying an amphibious assault ship with thousands of additional Marines and sailors to the Middle East, while Iran’s new supreme leader hailed Iran’s “unity” and “resistance”. “The market is finally settling into the idea that this may go on longer than initially expected, and I think that’s why markets are selling off. This conflict may go on not for just a few weeks, but maybe beyond several months,” said Jake Dollarhide, CEO of Longbow Asset Management in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Magnificent 7 companies fall Wall Street’s most valuable companies dropped, with Nvidia and Tesla losing over 3pc each. Alphabet, Meta Platforms and Microsoft were all down about 2pc. US Treasuries fell for a third session, in ...

'Trump has built himself ​a box called the Iran war, and he can’t figure out how to get out of it,' says ex-official

Eid ul-Fitr prayers arrangements were disrupted in Karachi as several parts of the port city received rain accompanied by thunder and lightning on the first day of Eid.

Eid ul-Fitr is being celebrated across Pakistan with traditional enthusiasm, as citizens and political leaders offered special prayers in their respective hometowns and cities.

President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States was considering “winding down” military operations against Iran but was not seeking a ceasefire with the Islamic Republic. Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei meanwhile, claimed in a message to mark the first day of the Persian New Year to have delivered a “dizzying blow” to enemies in the three-week-old Middle East war. On Wall Street, stocks ended sharply lower after oil prices shot up on fears that lengthy supply disruptions could lead to a global economic downturn. All three major indices were firmly in the red, with the broad-based S&P 500 down 1.5 percent and the price of Brent crude, the international benchmark, rising 3.3 percent to $112.19 per barrel. Turkiye lashed out at Israel meanwhile, for striking Syrian army camps in southern Syria, calling it a “dangerous escalation” and urging the international community to intervene. Syria has so far avoided being dragged into the regional war that began on February 28 when Israel and the Unit...

CHITRAL: A tragic incident occurred during trophy hunting of Himalayan Ibex in Barp area of Upper Chitral, where a non-local hunter’s long struggle and investment of hundreds of thousands of rupees went to waste when his shot hit a juvenile ibex instead of the intended target. According to details, a hunter from another district, assisted by local community members, had selected a large ibex with heavy horns for the hunt after exhausting tracking and searching. However, reportedly due to his weapon failure, the bullet’s trajectory changed, and instead of hitting the selected adult ibex, it struck a nearby three-year-old ibex and killed it. Locals said that aggrieved and heartbroken over the failure to secure his dream trophy and the unintentional mistake, the hunter departed. Meanwhile, an emergency meeting of valley conservation committee (VCC) Thorjal Barp was held with its president Sultan Zarin in the chair to discuss the incident in which a unanimous resolution was passed. The resolution stated that hunt...