Palisades and Eaton Fires Rank as the Most Destructive in the City’s History, with 10 Dead and $150B in Damages The wildfires ravaging Los Angeles have killed at least 10 people and destroyed nearly 10,000 structures. Five fires continued to burn into a third night as dry desert winds strengthened, fanning the flames. The Palisades Fire, located between Santa Monica and Malibu, and the Eaton Fire near Pasadena in the east, are already ranked as the most destructive in Los Angeles history, consuming over 34,000 acres (13,750 hectares) or about 53 square miles, turning entire neighborhoods to ash. The death…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
Actor Jamie Lee Curtis Donates $1 Million to Support the Impacted L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna expressed concerns that the death toll from the ongoing wildfires is likely to rise. So far, five deaths have been confirmed. Approximately 95,000 customers are still without power, according to Janisse Quinones, CEO of the L.A. Department of Water and Power. She noted that fire-damaged equipment and debris are delaying restoration efforts. Residents in affected areas have been advised to boil drinking water due to contamination from ash and debris in reservoirs. Mark Pestrella, L.A. County Public Works Director, warned that debris in affected…
President Biden Eulogized His Predecessor Former President Jimmy Carter was honored at a state funeral today at Washington National Cathedral, where President Joe Biden delivered a eulogy. Tributes praised Carter as an honest and ahead-of-his-time leader. Carter, who passed away last month in Georgia, was the 39th U.S. president and the oldest living former president, reaching the age of 100. During his presidency, he led several significant foreign policy initiatives, including the peace deal between Israel and Egypt, the normalization of relations with China, and the Panama Canal treaties that ended U.S. control over the canal. Camp David Accords The…
Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) has announced that expatriates’ dependents and domestic workers can now renew their residency permits (Iqama) while residing outside the Kingdom. These services can be accessed through the Absher and Muqeem online platforms, with the renewal of single or multiple exit and re-entry visas also available. Jawazat stated that beneficiaries can use these services by visiting the Ministry of Interior’s electronic platforms, Absher and Muqeem, and paying the required service fees as per the regulations.
Lebanon’s parliament elected Army Chief Joseph Aoun as head of state on January 9, 2025, signaling a decline in the influence of Iran-backed Hezbollah, which suffered heavily in last year’s war with Israel. In his speech to parliament, Aoun vowed to ensure that only the state holds the right to bear arms, a statement that drew applause while Hezbollah lawmakers remained silent. Aoun promised to rebuild southern Lebanon and other areas devastated by Israel, and to protect the country from Israeli attacks. His election reflects a shift in Lebanon’s power balance, with Saudi Arabia’s influence growing as Hezbollah’s power wanes.…
Qatar Airways has confirmed that its flights to and from Pakistan are operating as usual, and its offices in the country remain open despite recent reports suggesting otherwise. The airline has strongly refuted claims that it has closed its offices in Pakistan, calling the reports “incorrect.” In an official statement, Qatar Airways reassured its passengers that there were no disruptions to its services in Pakistan and that their offices continue to provide customer support. The airline urged travelers to reach out for assistance by contacting its dedicated customer care line at +92 21 38790002. This clarification comes in response to…
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is resuming its flights to France after a four-year hiatus. Flight PK-749 will depart from Islamabad International Airport on January 10, 2025, carrying 317 passengers. According to Rizwan, PIA’s Manager in France, the flight is scheduled to land at Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport on the same evening. The resumption of flights to France has been warmly welcomed by Pakistanis residing in France and across Europe, who are eagerly anticipating the return of the national carrier.
Al-Azhar University, one of the most prestigious centers of Islamic learning, has announced plans to open a campus in Pakistan to strengthen educational ties and focus on promoting women’s education and understanding of Islamic teachings and Arabic culture. The announcement was made during a meeting between Federal Education Minister Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Egypt’s Grand Mufti Dr. Nazir Mohamed Ayad. Dr. Ayad emphasized the importance of this collaboration in enhancing the educational landscape of both countries, highlighting the need for Arabic language learning to truly understand Islam’s teachings. He also praised Al-Azhar’s commitment to women’s education, with over 40%…
Questions on Military Officers’ Expertise in Awarding Death Penalties Islamabad: Justice Jamal Mandokhail of the Supreme Court questioned the competence of army officers to issue death sentences in civilian trials during the hearing of an intra-court appeal against military court trials for civilians. In a unanimous decision in October 2023, a five-member bench had declared the military trials of civilians as unlawful and ordered 103 suspects to be tried in civilian courts. However, on December 13, 2023, the six-member bench of the Supreme Court had suspended its October order, which was later challenged. In December, the bench conditionally allowed military…
Overseas Pakistanis reject PTI’s remittance boycott call. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) criticized Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after the failure of its civil disobedience movement, led by Imran Khan. Punjab’s senior minister, Marriyum Aurangzeb, announced that overseas Pakistanis rejected the call, sending a record $3.1 billion in remittances in December. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, remittances saw a 29.3% year-on-year increase and a 5.6% rise compared to the previous month. Meanwhile, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) resumed flights to Europe after four years, marking a significant milestone for the airline. PML-N leader Bilal Azhar Kayani called the remittance growth a…
