President Joe Biden made calls to Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Friday, urging progress towards a ceasefire and hostage release agreement for Gaza. The White House reported that these discussions aimed to resolve outstanding issues and bring the ceasefire talks to a conclusion. Biden, currently on vacation in California’s Santa Ynez Valley, is closely monitoring the negotiations. The White House described the talks in Cairo as “constructive” and emphasized the need for all parties to collaborate on implementing the proposed deal. A key point of contention remains Israel’s demand to maintain…
Author: Hasnain Abid Khanzada
Early on Saturday morning, Israeli attacks in Gaza resulted in the deaths of at least 12 Palestinians, including two children and a woman, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa. The strikes targeted areas east of Khan Younis and in the Al-Nuseirat camp, with earlier reports indicating at least nine fatalities and 15 injuries from similar shelling. In response to ongoing violence, Israel has issued new evacuation orders for residents in northern Gaza amidst intensified strikes across the region. The recent shelling affected two homes in southern Khan Younis. In a separate incident, the Israeli military conducted a raid…
The FBI is investigating a drive-by shooting that occurred on August 11 and targeted Satinder Pal Singh Raju, a California activist associated with Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar was fatally shot last year, an incident Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested might be linked to Indian involvement, sparking a diplomatic dispute between Canada and India. In an interview with Reuters, Raju described the attack, which happened on Interstate 505 South in Yolo County. He and two friends were returning from a late dinner in Vacaville when a white car repeatedly approached their truck. The first bullet was fired…
LAUSANNE: Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya came tantalizingly close to breaking the men’s 800 meters world record on Thursday at the Lausanne Diamond League, clocking 1:41.11—just 0.20 seconds shy of the global mark. Wanyonyi, who celebrated his 20th birthday during the Paris Olympics, was narrowly defeated by Kenya’s David Rudisha’s record of 1:40.91 set at the 2012 London Olympics. Despite this, Wanyonyi’s time was the second fastest ever recorded, equaling Wilson Kipketer’s 1997 performance. “I’m thrilled to have posted the world lead time this season,” Wanyonyi said. “I really enjoyed the crowd, and I’m hopeful for another shot at…
MANCHESTER: Manchester City have re-signed Ilkay Gundogan on a one-year contract, with an option for an additional 12 months, bringing the former captain back to the Etihad Stadium. The 33-year-old German midfielder, who left City for Barcelona in 2023 after leading them to a historic treble, has returned after just one season with the Catalan club. During his time in Spain, Gundogan scored five goals and provided 14 assists, though Barcelona did not secure any trophies. City manager Pep Guardiola welcomed the decision to bring Gundogan back, stating that the move was an easy one. “Gundogan called me to discuss…
ZANDVOORT: In the Dutch Grand Prix practice sessions on Friday, Mercedes and McLaren emerged as the leading teams, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, competing in front of his home crowd, only managing fifth fastest. In the second session, Mercedes’ George Russell set the fastest time with a lap of 1:10.702 seconds, following earlier weather disruptions at the seaside Zandvoort circuit. McLaren’s Lando Norris led the opening session with a time of 1:12.322. Australian driver Oscar Piastri from McLaren was second in the afternoon session, just 0.061 seconds behind Russell. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton finished third, with Norris fourth. “It’s been a…
LONDON: Arsenal will be keenly aware of the challenge posed by Aston Villa as they travel to the Midlands on Saturday for a significant early test of their Premier League title aspirations. Villa’s 2-0 victory over Arsenal in April was a critical blow to the Gunners’ title hopes, with Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins sealing the win and handing the title race advantage to Manchester City. Despite winning their remaining six matches, Arsenal fell two points short of City, who went on to secure a record-breaking fourth consecutive Premier League crown. While Manchester City could face potential sanctions for financial…
RAWALPINDI: Bangladesh opener Shadman Islam fell just seven runs short of a well-deserved century, but his innings, combined with three other half-centuries, led a determined fightback against Pakistan’s formidable first-innings total of 448 on Friday. By the end of the third day at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Bangladesh had reached 316-5, trailing by 132 runs with five wickets still in hand, setting the stage for a promising final day. Shadman, who faced 183 deliveries and hit 12 boundaries, was dismissed for 93 shortly before tea by Mohammad Ali. His resilient innings, which spanned over five hours, was a highlight of…
Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan has announced his retirement from international and domestic cricket, concluding a distinguished career as a prolific top-order batter. The 38-year-old made his debut for India against Australia in 2010, and his final international appearance was against Bangladesh in December 2022, both in One Day Internationals. In a video shared on social media, Dhawan reflected on his career, stating, “It’s important to turn the page to move forward in life and that’s why I am announcing my retirement. I’ve told myself ‘don’t feel sad that you won’t play for India anymore, but feel happy that you…
Days after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif promised a “significant cut” in electricity prices “soon,” Power Minister Awais Laghari stated on Friday that providing a specific timeline for the reduction would be “premature.” In his Independence Day speech, PM Sharif had emphasized that high electricity bills were a major concern for citizens and assured a significant tariff reduction in the “next few days.” However, when asked about the implementation timeline during an interview with Voice of America’s Urdu service, Minister Laghari refrained from giving details. Instead, he suggested that provincial governments should take the initiative and offer power subsidies similar to…
