CAIRO: The United Arab Emirates hit out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday after the Israeli leader said the Gulf state could be involved in aiding a future government in Gaza after the war. The prominent and influential Gulf state is one of few Arab states with official diplomatic ties to Israel, which it has maintained through Israel’s more than six-month war in Gaza, although relations appear to have become frayed. Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan rebuked Netanyahu in an early morning post on X, saying Abu Dhabi denounced the Israeli leader’s comments. “The UAE stresses…
Author: Hasnain Abid Khanzada
CAIRO: Israel called on Saturday for Palestinians in more areas of Gaza’s southern city of Rafah to evacuate and head to what it calls an expanded humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi, in a further indication that the military is pressing ahead with its plans for a ground attack on Rafah. In a post on social media site X, a military spokesperson also called on residents and displaced people in the Jabalia area of northern Gaza, and 11 other neighbourhoods in the enclave to go immediately to places west of Gaza City. The Palestinian health ministry said at least 37 Palestinians, 24…
A fourth Indian national was charged by Canadian authorities on Saturday in the 2023 killing of a separatist Sikh leader in Vancouver. Amandeep Singh, 22, was already being held for unrelated gun charges before being charged with “first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder” in the slaying of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Three other Indian nationals were arrested this month. The killing sparked a diplomatic row between Ottawa and New Delhi when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau linked Indian intelligence to the killing. Nijjar — who immigrated to Canada in 1997 and became a citizen in 2015 — had advocated for a separate Sikh state, known as Khalistan,…
Auroras lit up skies across swaths of the planet for the second night in a row on Saturday, after already dazzling Earthlings from the United States to Tasmania to the Bahamas the day before. A powerful solar storm — which could continue into Sunday — has triggered spectacular celestial shows usually confined to the far northern reaches of the planet, hence their nickname of the “northern lights”. “I have the sensation of living through a historic night in France […] It was really charged, with solar particles and emotions,” Eric Lagadec, an astrophysicist at the Observatoire de Cote d’Azur, wrote on social…
ISLAMABAD: At least 250 teachers, mostly females, are suffering due to the tussle between former president Dr Arif Alvi and the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government as they could not be absorbed in the educational institutions of the federal capital despite the passage of a law from parliament. The teachers were once employees of the provincial governments and divisions, but were brought to Islamabad under the wedlock policy. After many years, they were directed to submit no-objection certificates (NOCs) from their parent departments for absorption in Islamabad following which their seats in the provinces were abolished. The PDM government passed…
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Romina Khurshid Alam on Saturday said the Republic of Azerbaijan and Pakistan would work together to boost climate action and launch joint climate change adaptation initiatives for building resilience of the lives and livelihoods of the people and vulnerable ecosystems. The two sides also announced to launch joint climate transparency report at the upcoming 29th Session of global climate summit, also called COP-29, to be held in Baku this year for synergised and concerted response to the global warming challenge. Speaking at a joint presser flanked by Minister for Ecology…
ISLAMABAD: US Ambassador Donald Blome has said his country had the largest scholarship and fellowship programmes for students and professionals, with special focus on school education. Addressing a press conference after attending the fifth Annual Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Alumni Conference on Friday, Ambassador Blome said besides providing a large number of scholarships, the US was also contributing to school education. He said the US had constructed over 106 schools in Pakistan, and vowed to continue extending support to education and other sectors. He also appreciated Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for declaring education emergency in the country with special focus…
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has taken notice of non-implementation of its guidelines to curb child marriage by the nikah/marriage registrars. Justice Anwarul Haq Pannun observed that apparently, the marriage registrars, without relying upon any document, mention the age of the bride as 18 years or above in clear violation of the law. In a verdict issued on a habeas corpus petition by a woman seeking recovery of her underage daughter from the custody of her husband, the judge noted that directions issued by the LHC in a 2023 judgement and the SOPs formed by the local government of Punjab…
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has criticised the report of the special commission on the 20-day Faizabad dharna (sit-in) in 2017, describing it as “replete with clichés, platitudes, and homilies, often as a substitute for substance”. A three-page order issued by the Supreme Court on Saturday noted that the commission’s report did not address the Terms of Reference (ToR) and incorrectly assumed that the right to travel to Islamabad and protest was prohibited. The court observed that the report was biased and did not consider other aspects of the judgment and orders subsequently passed by the court. The commission’s report was also criticised for exonerating the perpetrators…
QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly adopted a resolution demanding the provincial government to take strict measures to stop illegal fishing and trawling in province’s waters. The resolution also called for initiating action against officials of the fisheries department and other individuals involved in this illegal business. The resolution was moved by Maulana Hidayatur Rehman of Haq Do Tehreek (HDT) during the session on Saturday, which was presided over by Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai. Speaking on the resolution, Mr Rehman said as a fisherman, he was aware of the impact of illegal trawling and fishing in Balochistan waters. Balochistan PA passes resolution for action…
