Author: i2wtc

Listen to article ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub has strongly criticized authorities for placing curbs on media outlets which, he said, are not free to broadcast the opposition groups’ narrative. Speaking at the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Conference in Islamabad on Sunday, he asserted that he could confidently state that his statements critical of the powers that be will not be telecast by the news channels covering the event. He asked as to what was the definition of a state and then himself answered that the state was synonymous with parliament while the state institutions were its tools. “However,…

SYLHET: Zimbabwe finished the first day of the first Test in a commanding position at 67-0 after an inspired bowling performance dismissed Bangladesh for 191 runs on Sunday. The visitors’ opening pair of Brian Bennett, unbeaten on 40 off 37 balls, and Ben Curran (17) took the attack to Bangladesh’s bowlers in the 14.1 overs they faced before bad light stopped play. Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, who scored 40, earlier won the toss and opted to bat first on a pace-friendly wicket. But his batters failed to capitalise on the decision and none of them, including top-scorer Mominul Haque…

Listen to article ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Sunday announced a nationwide strike on April 26 in solidarity with ongoing Israeli aggression against Gaza. Addressing the Gaza Solidarity March in Islamabad, the JI chief lambasted Muslim rulers for their silence over the genocide in Gaza. He warned that if the rulers did not “wake up” after the JI’s million march, “then we will have to do more”. The Ji chief also demanded that a Hamas office be opened in Pakistan. “Palestinian children are being slaughtered, our rulers are asleep, but the Ummah is wide awake,” the Ji chief asserted.…

Cocoa prices surged almost 300 percent last year, making chocolate bars, Easter eggs and cocoa powder much more expensive this year than last. In the United States, retail chocolate prices were one-fifth higher this Valentine’s Day compared with last year, according to Wells Fargo Bank. The price of a king-size US-sold Reese’s Hearts chocolate bar was 13 percent higher in February 2024 than in the same month the year before. In the United Kingdom, meanwhile, a Twix white chocolate Easter egg rose in price from 5 to 6 pounds ($6.63 to $7.96) at Tesco supermarkets in the run-up to Easter…

KARACHI: Even with arguably a bigger crowd to back them here at the National Bank Stadium, Karachi Kings were a picture of disappointment on Sunday night. Islamabad United, in contrast, embodied consistency. The title holders were clinical as they thrashed the hosts by six wickets with 17 balls to spare — their fourth win in as many games of this HBL Pakistan Super League season. The Kings, meanwhile, are proving to be mercurial this year, continuing their pattern of winning a game before losing one. On what seemed to be a difficult batting wicket, Kings posted a paltry 128-7 before…

U.S. Vice President JD Vance arrives on April 21, 2025 in New Delhi, India. Vance will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as India attempts to boosts ties with the Trump administration and avoid steep U.S. tariffs. Kenny Holston-Pool | Getty ImagesU.S. Vice President JD Vance began a four-day visit to India on Monday and will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as New Delhi rushes to avoid steep U.S. tariffs with an early trade deal and boost ties with the Trump administration.Their discussions will cover the first day of Vance’s largely personal visit to the country with…

Listen to article PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s weekend visit to Kabul marked a major breakthrough on bilateral trade and other political issues. However, Afghan sources said on Sunday that matters related to security still require a long-term commitment to navigate this bumpy road. The sources told The Express Tribune that Dar’s trip to Afghanistan on Saturday had multifaceted approaches to a variety of issues, including easing diplomatic tensions, trade enhancements, refugee resettlement, and the cross-border movements of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). “Foreign Minister Dar himself accepted that the two sides are having a sour relationship between the…

Golden State Warriors upset third seeded Houston to steal home court advantage from Rockets in opening game of their Western Conference playoff series.Stephen Curry scored a game-high 31 points and Jimmy Butler III added 25 as the Golden State Warriors held off the Houston Rockets 95-85 in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series. Curry, who shot 1-for-10 and scored three points in a home loss to the Rockets on April 6, was brilliant on Sunday. He finished 12-for-19 overall, drilled five three-pointers and grabbed six rebounds. Butler added seven rebounds and six assists to his ledger as the…

These are the key events on day 1,152 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.Here is where things stand on Monday, 21 April: Fighting At least three blasts were heard in the Russian-controlled Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine amid an Easter ceasefire declared by Moscow, Russian state news agency TASS reported, citing local “operative services.” Ukraine’s forces reported nearly 3,000 violations of Russia’s own ceasefire pledge, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, adding that Kyiv’s forces were instructed to mirror the Russian Army’s actions. Russia’s Ministry of Defence said Ukraine had broken the Easter ceasefire declared by the Kremlin more than a thousand…

Customers apply for subsidies under the trade-in program for consumer goods in Hangzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Oct. 31, 2024. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)BEIJING, April 21 (Xinhua) — China’s wholesale and retail sectors have logged strong momentum in the first three months of 2025, providing solid support for expanding domestic demand in the country, the commerce ministry said on Monday.From January to March, the added value of China’s wholesale and retail trade grew by 5.8 percent from a year earlier to reach 3.3 trillion yuan (about 457.98 billion U.S. dollars), or 10.4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, according to…