KARACHI: The investment in registered prize bonds has surged over 140 per cent by December 31, 2021; following the drive of documentation initiated by the government. According to the official data released by the Central Directorate of National Savings (CDNS), the investment in registered or premium prize bonds sharply increased to Rs54.92 billion by the … Read more
Long marches are the order of the day in Pakistani politics! Exercising their constitutional right to protest, the government as well as the Opposition have decided to play the politics of long marches and are seeking to gain an upper on each other on the dint of their popularity and support among the masses. But … Read more
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrated the anniversary of the Founding Day on February 22 to commemorate its foundation nearly 300 years ago for the first time. The festivities were expected to continue for three days. The kingdom’s new Founding Day celebrates the true birthday of the First Saudi State in 1727. According to The … Read more
New York – High-profile crimes against Asians in the United States are continuing at a frightening rate despite efforts by politicians and prosecutors to address the situation. The most recent case involved the fatal stabbing of a 35-year-old Korean American woman in New York on February 13. While Asian organisations decry the crimes and plead … Read more
KARACHI: In Karachi, people are often forced to buy water from private suppliers or depend on charities to deliver the vital ingredient of life. This has been taking a toll on residents who survive on meagre incomes. There are a number of factors causing scarcity of water; one of these is the growing population, the … Read more
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced all pandemic legal curbs in England would end later this week, urging a shift from government intervention to personal responsibility. But he faced scientific unease and claims of political calculation to shut down discontent at the restrictions and his premiership within his ruling Conservative party. Johnson, who has been … Read more
BEIJING – In regard to Australia’s hype of a Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy vessel pointing a laser at an Australian patrol aircraft, here comes the truth. It was the villain – Australia – sued its victims. An Australian defence plane made dangerous moves toward a Chinese naval vessel, but Australia turned around and … Read more
TARHUNA, Libya – For years, a family clan that kept lions to sow terror in the Libyan town of Tarhuna tortured and killed hundreds of people, then dumped their bodies in mass graves. Now, the six Kani brothers and their militiamen are gone, either dead or in hiding, but the survivors in this western town … Read more
Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu — regarded as a strategic thinker and planner among both his peers and juniors — belongs to the same proud tradition of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) where attaining excellence is mandatory and going beyond the call of duty comes as a second-nature. Air Chief Sidhu took over … Read more
KANDAHAR – A 40-year-old widow, Almasi, who used to ask for alms on the streets in Afghanistan’s Kandahar city, has bagged a job in a bakery established to create job opportunities for the needy, especially women like her. “Since I began working here and earning money, I’ve been very happy,” Almasi said. Women in Kandahar, … Read more
TOKYO – “Sado Kinzan Gold Mine, located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, is a collection of historic relics depicting the 400-year history of Sado’s gold and silver mines. A guided tour, which includes facilities such as ‘the Best Gold Processing Plant in Asia’ and ‘Japan’s First Western-Style Vertical Tunnel’, will cause visitors to marvel at the … Read more
Prime Minister Imran Khan managed to pull off a path-breaking visit to Russia despite all the odds. There had been both local and international forces at work, which did not want the Pakistani leader to visit Moscow at all. The crisis in Ukraine gave them an opportunity to mount the pressure. Till the last minute, … Read more
Social media has become a necessity in many people’s lives. They are addicted to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any one of the new portals that routinely crop up. In Pakistan, According to statistics, 40.6 million people in Pakistan use social media accounts,with 9 million users having been added to that number in just the past … Read more
The descendants of Algerian Muslims who fought for France during the eight-year war of independence are 60 years later struggling to overcome the “shame” of their families’ past. The National Liberation Front (FLN) had launched an armed struggle in the North African country in 1954, aiming to end more than a century of French colonial … Read more
PARIS – The withdrawal of French troops from Mali marks a loss of influence for Paris and Europe as a whole in Africa, leaving the way open for other powers to step in, experts say. China, Russia and Turkey may find new opportunities as the balance of power seen in recent decades erodes after French … Read more
In December 2010, the Japanese government gave Rs800 million to the government of Balochistan for the rehabilitation of the Pasni Fish Harbor, the economic hub of Pasni tehsil of Balochistan’s Gwadar district. However, 12 years on, the fish harbor that provides for the livelihood of 90% of the population of the fishing town is still … Read more
As Prime Minister Boris Johnson moves to confront Moscow over its Ukraine invasion, he stands accused of leaving the financial back door wide open by ignoring a “sewer” of Russian money coursing through Britain. Johnson on Wednesday confirmed another delay to an “economic crime” bill, which he says will eventually dismantle the “Matryoshka doll” hiding … Read more
SEOUL – In a crowded campaign office in Seoul, young, trendy staffers are using deepfake technology to try to achieve the near-impossible: make a middle-aged, establishment South Korean presidential candidate cool. Armed with hours of specially-recorded footage of opposition People Power Party candidate Yoon Suk-yeol, the team has created a digital avatar of the frontrunner … Read more
New Delhi – India’s statement at the UN lacked condemnation of the Russian attack on Ukraine, which President Vladimir Putin called a “special military operation”. While it came around the same time as the announcement of the attack, India’s top diplomat at the UN — reading from a prepared script — expressed “regret” and said … Read more
UNITED NATIONS – Fresh off a visit to conflict-torn regions of Ethiopia, UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed described the “unimaginable” horrors women have faced, and called for justice and accountability. In a press conference recapping her trip to Ethiopia’s Tigray, Amhara, Afar and Somali regions, the UN number two described an instance when a … Read more
GENEVA – Severe drought risks pushing nearly half of Somali children under five into acute malnutrition this year, with hundreds of thousands needing life-saving treatment, the UN warned last week, calling for urgent action. “Malnutrition has reached crisis levels,” said Victor Chinyama, head of communications for the UN children’s agency Unicef’s Somalia operations. “The time … Read more
WASHINGTON – Americans are paying to get a star of the psychedelic medicine movement — ketamine — shipped to them for at-home mental health treatments that are being called both a breakthrough and a gamble. A pandemic-spurred easing of prescription rules helped fuel a jump in telemedicine offerings of ketamine, an anesthetic that was once … Read more
“We will use all constitutional means to block this unconstitutional move” Marriyum Aurangzeb, PML-N leader T he PECA Ordinance 2022 is a draconian law aimed at gaging the freedom of expression of the people on the internet. That being said, we will not let it go and along with democratic forces, media organisations and the … Read more
KYIV – Weeks of intense diplomacy to avert war failed to deter Vladimir Putin as Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, forcing residents to flee for their lives as situation deteriorates. Russian air strikes hit military facilities across the country and ground forces moved in from the north, south and east, triggering condemnation … Read more
New Delhi – Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar recently has twice mentioned the China-India border dispute on a multilateral occasion. New Delhi may try to exploit the force of the international community to embolden itself and further play with fire on the border issue. Such a dangerous tendency is what China needs to be … Read more
RAMALLAH – Khawla Al-Tawil, a Palestinian designer from the West Bank, has been busy serving those who came to her clothes shop for the exquisite traditional embroidery. After working 20 years for consumer brands in the West Bank, the 44-year-old mother of three has managed to make her own mark by giving a touch of … Read more
In this day and age, hard and soft powers of a country go hand-in-hand. The government and State institutions often work in tandem to advance national goals and objectives that also include diplomacy at the military-level. As such, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, in the first 11 months of his tenure, met with … Read more
KABUL – The Taliban are creating a “grand army” for Afghanistan that will include officers and troops who served the old regime, the official tasked with overseeing the military’s transformation. Latifullah Hakimi, head of the Taliban’s Ranks Clearance Commission, also told a news conference they had repaired half the 81 helicopters and planes supposedly rendered … Read more
