US special envoy Steve Witkoff has arrived in Moscow, where he was greeted at the airport by Russia’s investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev. The visit comes just days before US President Donald Trump’s deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine or face new sanctions. Trump had previously hinted that Witkoff might be traveling to Moscow this week. A source familiar with the plan stated that Witkoff was scheduled to meet with Russian leadership on Wednesday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s state news agency TASS in remarks published on Wednesday that improving relations between Russia and the United…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
A legal battle is unfolding between Elon Musk’s social media platform X and the Indian government over what X describes as an unconstitutional crackdown on online content. The dispute centers on new regulations implemented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration since 2023, which have significantly expanded the government’s ability to police the internet. The core of the issue is a new system that allows a wide range of government agencies and police officials to issue takedown orders directly to tech firms. Previously, only India’s IT and Information & Broadcasting ministries could order content removal on a limited set of grounds,…
In a sharp attack on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has claimed that Modi’s inability to stand up to US President Donald Trump is due to a a US investigation into his close ally, business tycoon Gautam Adani. In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi alleged, “The reason PM Modi cannot stand up to President Trump despite his repeated threats is the ongoing US investigation into Adani. One threat is to expose the financial links between Modi, AA, and Russian oil deals,” adding, “Modi’s hands are tied.” The Indian National Congress (INC) leader’s remarks refer to…
Japan commemorated the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on Wednesday with a ceremony that served as a stark reminder of the devastating power of nuclear weapons, even as global tensions push the nuclear “Doomsday Clock” closer to midnight. A silent prayer was observed at 8:15 am, the precise moment the US aircraft Enola Gay dropped the “Little Boy” atomic bomb on the city on August 6, 1945. In a somber atmosphere, hundreds of officials, students, and survivors, dressed in black, placed flowers at the memorial cenotaph. The backdrop featured the skeletal remains of a domed building, a…
Heavy rain and road blockages are hindering rescue operations in India’s Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, a day after flash floods and landslides killed four people and left dozens missing. Rescue teams from the army and disaster forces are struggling to reach Dharali village in the Uttarkashi district. Dharali, a popular tourist stop on the way to the Hindu pilgrimage town of Gangotri, has been severely affected, with landslides blocking a main highway and heavy rainfall continuing to pound the region, according to local media and authorities. An army colonel leading the rescue efforts, Harshavardhan, shared in an X post by…
Mahmood Khan Achakzai, the head of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP), has called for a national dialogue among all political parties to resolve the country’s ongoing crisis. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Achakzai urged all political forces to come to the negotiating table for the “sake of the country,” stating, “The solution to all problems still lies in dialogue.” The seasoned politician emphasized that everyone should apologize for past mistakes. When asked about PTI founder Imran Khan’s sisters, Achakzai said, “What’s the harm if the PTI founder Imran Khan’s sisters meet…
Pakistani students have achieved top honors at the 2nd International Nuclear Science Olympiad (INSO-2025) in Kuala Lumpur, securing a gold, a silver, and two bronze medals. This impressive accomplishment highlights Pakistan’s growing prowess in nuclear science education. Organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the competition brought together participants from 19 countries, including China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Türkiye, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Muhammad Tayyab Bukhari from Beaconhouse School Abbottabad won the gold medal, while Ammar Asad Warraich from Siddique Public School Islamabad took home the silver. Bronze medals were awarded to Rawah Javed, also from…
Asad Qaiser, a senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former National Assembly speaker, has announced that the party’s protest movement will enter its second phase on August 14, Pakistan’s Independence Day. Speaking in Swabi late on Tuesday night during a protest to mark the second anniversary of party founder Imran Khan’s imprisonment, Qaiser stated, “The second phase of our protest will be on August 14, and then we will head to Sindh.” The announcement follows a series of arrests a day earlier, where police detained more than 240 opposition party activists. According to Deputy Inspector General of Police Faisal…
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has strongly criticized Pakistan’s senior bureaucracy, alleging that a large number of officials are buying properties in Portugal with the intention of eventually settling there. In a statement on X, the minister claimed that more than half of the bureaucracy is discreetly investing in Portugal and preparing to obtain citizenship. He accused them of planning a comfortable retirement with money acquired through corrupt practices. He also alleged that one bureaucrat, known for his close ties to former chief minister Usman Buzdar, received a staggering 4 billion rupees in wedding gifts, or ‘salami,’ at his daughter’s wedding…
The Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, has categorically dismissed reports suggesting that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir intends to become the country’s president. In an interview with the British journal The Economist, the military spokesperson labeled these reports as “nonsense.” This clarification follows similar statements from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who in July had strongly refuted rumors that President Asif Ali Zardari might be asked to resign or that the COAS had any presidential ambitions. The Prime Minister had described such claims as “mere speculation” and assured the…
