A new wildfire broke out north of Los Angeles near Castaic Lake, rapidly spreading to cover 5,000 acres (2,000 hectares) in just over two hours. The fire was fueled by strong Santa Ana winds, sending smoke and embers ahead of the flames. Evacuation orders were issued for 19,000 residents around the lake. This new fire comes after two previous devastating fires that killed over 25 people and destroyed thousands of structures. Helicopters and planes were deployed to drop water and retardant on the fire, while crews from the Los Angeles County Fire Department and Angeles National Forest worked to contain…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
The Trump administration has dismissed Admiral Linda Lee Fagan, the first woman to lead a branch of the US armed forces, citing “leadership deficiencies, operational failures, and inability to advance the strategic objectives of the US Coast Guard.” Fagan was nominated by former President Joe Biden to lead the Coast Guard in 2021, becoming the first female leader of a branch of the US military. One reason for her dismissal was her “excessive” focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies, which the Trump administration has vowed to eliminate from federal agencies. The Coast Guard has faced scrutiny for sexual…
US President Donald Trump’s threat to seize the Panama Canal over alleged undue Chinese influence may actually be aimed at limiting Beijing’s growing diplomatic and economic presence in Latin America, experts say. The Panama Canal, which handles 5% of global maritime trade and 40% of US container traffic, seems unlikely to be seized by force, they agree. China does not control the canal; rather, the Panama government is responsible for its management. The canal was handed over to Panama in 1999 after the US signed treaties in 1977, and since then, it has been managed by Panama’s government. Panama granted…
The Trump administration has directed US prosecutors to initiate criminal investigations against state and local officials who defy federal immigration laws, a significant step in immigration control that began on President Trump’s first day in office. In a memo seen by Reuters, Trump’s acting deputy attorney general Emil Bove wrote, “Federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting, obstructing, or otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands and requests.” This policy was issued as the new Republican administration prepares to intensify its efforts against illegal immigration in cities with significant migrant populations, such as New York and Chicago,…
A Chinese mine worker was killed in an attack in northern Afghanistan on Wednesday, where the Taliban government is attempting to project security to attract investment from Beijing. According to police, the Chinese national was traveling on Tuesday evening in Takhar province, near the Tajikistan border, when he was killed by “unknown armed men,” said provincial police spokesperson Mohammad Akbar Haqqani. He added that the man was traveling “for unknown reasons” without informing local security officials, who typically accompany Chinese nationals during their trips. A translator who was traveling with the man was unharmed, Haqqani mentioned. Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul…
At least 11 people were killed in a train accident in Maharashtra, western India, on January 22, 2025, after they disembarked from their train due to fears of a fire, only to be struck by another train on the adjacent track, according to local media reports. Railway officials stated that someone had pulled the alarm chain, causing the train to stop, after which several passengers got off onto the adjacent track and were hit by a passing train. According to senior railway official Praveen Gedam from the Nashik region, 11 people have been confirmed dead, and 5 others are injured.…
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued a notice to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) regarding acquittal pleas filed by former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in the Toshakhana II case. The hearing has been adjourned to January 28. Justice Raja Inam Amin Minhas presided over the hearing, where Khan’s counsel, Salman Safdar, requested a stay on the trial court proceedings. The request was denied, with the judge stating that there is no precedent for halting criminal proceedings at this stage. Safdar also sought a change of bench, suggesting Justice Gul Hassan Aurangzeb, who had previously…
PTI founder Imran Khan has called off negotiations with the government due to its failure to establish a judicial commission within the promised seven-day period. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan shared this news with the media outside Adiala Jail, revealing that during a meeting with Khan, the former prime minister expressed frustration over the delay, which led him to terminate further negotiations. Khan made it clear that no more rounds of negotiations would take place as the government had not followed through on its commitments. The talks between the PML-N-led government and PTI began in late December with the…
The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment in the contempt of court case involving Additional Registrar Nazar Abbas regarding bench powers. The case pertains to the erroneous assignment of cases related to the constitutionality of the Customs Act 1969 by Abbas. The court considered whether judicial orders can be reversed by a judges’ committee. During the hearing, a committee under the Chief Justice of Pakistan decided to withdraw the cases from the regular bench and referred them to the constitutional bench. This raised significant questions about the authority of the judges’ committee and its impact on judicial orders. Advocate Hamid…
A heated exchange between PTI’s Naeem Haider Panjutha and PML-N’s Ikhtiar Wali Khan during a live TV programme escalated into a physical altercation. In the video circulating on social media, Khan is seen grabbing Panjutha by the shoulder and pushing him, prompting Panjutha to rise from his seat and initiate a brawl. The two exchanged punches and kicks until they were separated by the programme’s team. This is not the first such incident between leaders of the rival parties, as relations between PTI and PML-N have remained bitter for years. Previous physical altercations include one between PML-N Senator Dr. Afnan…
