On Tuesday, Paris was placed on red alert for high temperatures, leading to the closure of the Eiffel Tower’s summit, a ban on polluting traffic, and the implementation of speed restrictions as a scorching heatwave gripped Europe. Mediterranean countries, stretching from the Iberian Peninsula through France and Italy to the Balkans and Greece, have been enduring a severe heatwave for several days. This has prompted widespread health warnings and alerts about an increased risk of wildfires. Scientists affirm that human-induced climate change is intensifying such heatwave events, making them more frequent and geographically widespread. According to the Meteo France weather…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
Today, July 1, 2025, marks the one-year anniversary of the student-led protests in Bangladesh that ultimately culminated in the forceful overthrow of Sheikh Hasina’s government. After 15 years of an iron-fisted rule, Sheikh Hasina became the latest leader to be toppled by force since Bangladesh’s independence in 1971. The Muslim-majority nation, home to approximately 170 million people, now finds itself in a state of political limbo, guided by a caretaker government as it looks towards elections slated for 2026. Here are five pivotal events that have shaped the South Asian country’s trajectory since the protests began a year ago: July…
On Tuesday, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended by the country’s Constitutional Court, as it initiated an investigation into her conduct during a diplomatic dispute with Cambodia. For years, the kingdom’s politics have been characterized by a struggle between the conservative, pro-military, pro-royalist elite and the Shinawatra clan, whom they view as a threat to Thailand’s traditional social order. This setback for 38-year-old Paetongtarn occurred on the same day her father, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, faced a criminal court over allegations of royal defamation. Paetongtarn, who assumed power less than a year ago, will remain suspended while the Constitutional…
The International Cricket Council (ICC), cricket’s global governing body, announced on Tuesday that Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal has held onto her top position in the latest ICC women’s T20I bowler rankings. Sadia secured the leading spot among T20I bowlers with 746 rating points. The top of the rankings is tightly contested, with only 44 rating points separating the top 10 players; Afy Fletcher, positioned at 10th, has 702 points. England pacer Lauren Bell climbed two spots to reach a career-best fourth place on the latest T20I bowler rankings after claiming three wickets in the recent Nottingham clash, as reported…
A day after former all-rounder Azhar Mahmood was named men’s acting red-ball head coach by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has made some startling claims regarding Mahmood’s new role with the team. The PCB officially confirmed Mahmood’s appointment on Monday, stating that the 50-year-old will serve as acting red-ball head coach until his current contract concludes in April 2026. Mahmood, who signed a two-year deal with the PCB in April 2024, has previously served as the national side’s assistant coach. Under his leadership, Pakistan is set to commence their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27…
On Tuesday, a motorcyclist tragically lost their life after a collision with a water tanker near Karachi’s Site Area and Liaquat Chowrangi. Law enforcement authorities took immediate action, seizing the tanker and detaining its driver as part of their investigation. Both the water tanker and its driver were promptly transferred to the Site-A police station for further inquiries. Rescue teams arrived swiftly at the scene to provide assistance. This incident follows a troubling trend. Earlier last week, another deadly collision involving a water tanker pushed the total number of fatalities from heavy traffic accidents in Karachi to 138 this year,…
On Tuesday, parts of Punjab, including the provincial capital Lahore, experienced an earthquake. Tremors were also felt in Kasur, Okara, Sheikhupura, Muridke, and Kamoke. The National Seismic Monitoring Centre reported that the earthquake measured 4.4 on the Richter scale with a depth of 14 kilometers. So far, no damage or loss of life has been reported. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the epicenter of the quake was located 25 kilometers from Lahore. The Director General of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) stated that machinery and staff are on alert to manage any aftershocks. The PDMA’s provincial control room…
Cambridge International Education (CIE) has announced that students who attempted any of the three leaked papers in the June 2025 exam series will be granted the opportunity to retake them free of charge in November. The specific papers affected are AS & A Level Mathematics Paper 12, AS & A Level Mathematics Paper 42, and AS & A Level Computer Science Paper 22. CIE has stated that it is providing further details directly to students who took one or more of these papers. The examination board confirmed that the results for these syllabuses will be issued as scheduled. However, to…
On Tuesday, a teenager was killed in Balochistan’s Mastung district, where security forces also shot dead at least two terrorists, as confirmed by the district administration. The administration reported that seven other individuals sustained injuries during an attack on Levies Line in the district. The assailants also set multiple vehicles ablaze before fleeing the scene after carrying out the deadly attack. The injured were subsequently transported to Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Raisani Hospital Mastung for medical attention. Responding to the incident, Balochistan Government Spokesperson Shahid Rind stated that “Indian-sponsored terrorists” attacked a local bank and tehsil offices. Confirming the death of…
On Monday, Pakistan and India exchanged lists of prisoners held in each other’s custody, adhering to the stipulations of the 2008 Agreement on Consular Access. This agreement mandates the exchange of such information biannually, specifically on January 1 and July 1. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan provided a list of 246 Indian or believed-to-be-Indian prisoners to a representative of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. This list included 53 civilians and 193 fishermen. Concurrently, India furnished a list of 463 Pakistani or believed-to-be-Pakistani prisoners to a diplomat from Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi, comprising 382 civilians…
