Over 7,000 cases of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus have been reported in China’s Guangdong province since July, leading authorities to implement measures reminiscent of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the BBC, the outbreak is primarily centered in the city of Foshan, which is the most affected area, but at least 12 other cities in Guangdong have also reported infections. Nearly 3,000 cases were confirmed in just the last week. On Monday, Hong Kong reported its first case, a 12-year-old boy who had recently traveled to Foshan. Chikungunya is a virus that causes fever and severe joint pain. It is not…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has addressed concerns from the business community by clarifying that arrest warrants will only be sought from a judge in cases of serious sales tax fraud, specifically those involving fake or “flying invoices.” This clarification follows a meeting between leading businesspersons and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, where apprehensions were raised about the arrest powers granted under the Finance Act 2025. To alleviate these concerns, the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) decided to issue an explanatory circular. In its circular on Monday, the FBR stated that warrants under subsection (9) of section 37A…
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) continued its upward trajectory on Tuesday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index climbing to an all-time high of 143,037.16 points. This rally, representing a gain of 0.69%, was fueled by investor optimism regarding the cement sector and recent headway on power sector circular debt reforms. During the session, the index reached an intraday high of 143,059.81, showing strong bullish momentum. According to Topline Securities CEO Mohammad Sohail, the market is rising in anticipation of better-than-expected results from cement companies. AAH Soomro, an independent investment analyst, added that the market’s bullish trend is also supported by expected…
Pakistan’s e-sports star Arslan Siddique, widely known as Arslan Ash, has added another major achievement to his career by winning his sixth Evolution Championship Series (EVO) title at EVO 2025 in Las Vegas. Representing the team “Twisted Minds,” Ash defeated his fellow Pakistani player Atif Butt in the Tekken 8 Grand Final to secure the championship. Hailing from Lahore, Ash has risen to international prominence in Tekken competitions, having first learned the game as a child in local gaming arcades. In an interaction with journalists, Ash acknowledged the tough competition, stating, “We both work so hard, we have to face…
A grand and memorable celebration was held in Lauderhill, Florida, to honor the Pakistan cricket team’s impressive T20 series victory against the West Indies. The event saw enthusiastic participation from the local Pakistani community, along with key Pakistani government officials and prominent religious, social, business, and media personalities based in the United States. The ceremony was organized by renowned Pakistani-American Democratic leader Tahir Javed, who lauded the national team’s performance and offered his best wishes to the players. He characterized the event as a powerful reflection of national unity and the shared passion of Pakistanis worldwide. Among the distinguished guests…
US House Speaker Johnson, a high-ranking official third in the line of succession to the presidency, has become the most senior US official to ever visit an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. His trip comes amidst a troubling escalation of settler violence against Palestinian communities, which tragically led to the deaths of two American citizens in July. The visit also coincides with intensified Israeli military operations in the West Bank, including raids, home demolitions, and displacement campaigns, all while Israel continues its assault and blockade on Gaza. According to the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, Johnson’s visit directly contradicts both joint…
A new redrawn political map, endorsed by President Donald Trump, is designed to secure a greater number of safe seats for Republicans in upcoming federal elections. This contentious but lawful practice, known as gerrymandering, is an attempt to help Republicans maintain their narrow control of the US House of Representatives during next year’s midterm elections. Trump has publicly stated that he anticipates the effort will result in the addition of up to five new Republican members in the House. The controversy has been so intense that, according to the Texas Tribune, the Texas House approved a mostly symbolic motion to…
Former Russian President and current Deputy Head of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, has announced that Russia is withdrawing its moratorium on the deployment of medium- and short-range missiles. In a post on X, he stated that this decision is a direct result of the “anti-Russian policy” pursued by NATO countries. Medvedev described this as a “new reality” that Russia’s opponents must accept, adding that they should “expect further steps.” This announcement follows recent comments from US President Donald Trump, who last week said he had ordered two US nuclear submarines to be repositioned in response to Medvedev’s remarks about…
In a strong pushback against increasing pressure from Washington and Brussels on its trade and ties with Russia, India has broken its silence. This aggressive stance came just hours after US President Donald Trump threatened to significantly increase the tariffs he had previously announced on Indian goods. Trump had initially imposed a 25% tariff on Indian imports, set to take effect on August 7. However, in a social media post, he declared he would “substantially” raise the tariff, citing India’s continued imports of Russian crude oil. This followed a similar move by the European Union, which had also recently sanctioned…
Lawyers representing Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein, and their victims were ordered by judges to state their positions on the release of case-related documents. As the deadline passed, the court is now deciding whether to grant the Justice Department’s request to unseal them. This has brought renewed attention to who Maxwell is and the details of her case. Maxwell, the daughter of late British media mogul Robert Maxwell, is the only Epstein associate to have been convicted in connection with his crimes. A former girlfriend who later became his business partner, she was found guilty in December 2021 of helping Epstein…
