Author: i2wtc

US President Donald Trump has cancelled his planned visit to an upcoming Quad summit in India due to deteriorating relations between Washington and New Delhi, The New York Times (NYT) reported on Saturday. Relations between the two countries have plummeted, with 50 per cent tariffs on many Indian exports to the US taking effect this week as retaliation for New Delhi’s large-scale purchases of Russian oil – part of Washington’s efforts to pressure Moscow to end its war in Ukraine. As ties between both nations deteriorate, NYT reported on Saturday that the breakdown in relations was caused after a phone…

LAHORE/MULTAN/KARACHI: The country is staring down the barrel of one of its most precarious flooding phases in recent years, with officials warning of catastrophic inundation in Sindh and Balochistan after weeks of devastation across Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Officials said nearly 1.5 million people have already been affected in Punjab, where at least 28 people have died, and further dangerous surges are expected in the coming days. The flooding, fuelled by heavy rains and overflowing rivers, has already left a trail of destruction, forcing mass evacuations, submerging entire villages and wiping out thousands of acres of crops. Rescue teams, backed by…

KARACHI: Chanesar Town Chairman Farhan Ghani and his associates were allowed relief in an assault case after the complainant told the police “he no longer wanted to pursue the case”. The police on Saturday submitted a report to the Anti-Terrorism Court, describing the incident as a ‘minor altercation’ with no use of any type of arms. The report said that the complainant has withdrawn the case and police were unable to obtain any CCTV footage of the incident which could prove Ghani guilty. The report further mentioned that the complainant had failed to produce No Objection Certificate (NOC) related to the…

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday reached Tianjin, China, to participate in a series of high-level events including the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State Summit and Commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance. At the Tianjin Airport, he was warmly welcomed by top officials including Minister and Secretary of the CPC Committee of the General Administration of Customs, Sun Meijun; Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Tianjin Municipal People’s Congress and Party Secretary, Yu Yunlin; China’s Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong; and Pakistan’s Ambassador to…

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Saturday praised the relentless efforts of district commissioners, police, rescue teams, and the Pakistan Army in mitigating the flood devastation, directing authorities to take proactive measures to help victims. Speaking at a meeting with district commissioners at the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) headquarters, she directed members of the provincial assembly to visit their respective constituencies and personally contact people to find out if they are getting the required assistance and aid. “We have witnessed remarkable team work in Punjab,” she stated, acknowledging the combined efforts of the Army and various agencies that helped…

KARACHI: A calm captain’s hand from Salman Ali Agha and a fiery spell by Haris Rauf ensured Pakistan made a winning start to the T20I tri-series, overcoming Afghanistan by 39 runs at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday night. But beyond the numbers, this was a contest that reflected Pakistan’s growing maturity in crunch moments, as well as their ability to adapt in tricky conditions at the storied Sharjah Cricket Stadium that have so often tested them in the past. Salman’s Composed Anchor After Pakistan opted to bat, early wickets meant the innings could easily have unravelled. At 83 for…

President Asif Ali Zardari has approved a change in the formation of the 11th National Finance Commission (NFC) after Balochistan sought a revision in its nomination, Radio Pakistan reported on Saturday. The Balochistan government recommended Mahfooz Ali Khan as its non-ex officio member in the commission. The president approved this nomination, superseding his earlier approval. Last week, President Zardari constituted the 11th NFC to finalise a new resource distribution award, paving the way for a fresh showdown as the Centre seeks to reclaim lost fiscal space while the provinces prepare to defend their share. The five-year term of the 10th…

U.S. President Donald Trump looks on during the signing of executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 25, 2025.Jonathan Ernst | ReutersPresident Donald Trump’s aggressive trade agenda hit a significant snag this week when a federal appeals court ruled that most of his “reciprocal tariffs” are illegal.The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit held Friday that Trump overstepped his presidential authority when he imposed levies on virtually every country in the world as part of his April 2 “liberation day” announcement.Before court action, Trump’s tariffs were set to affect roughly 69% of…

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has reported 16 deaths during the last two days, raising the toll to 831 over the past two months. The floods, triggered by torrential rains and excessive discharge of water from India, have wreaked havoc, leaving thousands of people marooned and displaced while causing severe damage to property, infrastructure and ready crops. Three transboundary rivers that cut through Punjab, which borders India, have swollen to exceptionally high levels, affecting more than 2,300 villages. Read More: Worst monsoon floods in decades leave millions displaced in Pakistan According to NDMA, the hardest-hit provinces are Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P)…

Pakistan won their Twenty20 International tri-series match against the United Arab Emirates at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium by 31 runs on Saturday. The tri-series of Twenty20 international matches is to tune up for the Asia Cup and features Pakistan, the UAE and Afghanistan. Each team will play the others twice, giving all sides at least four matches before the top two teams qualify for the final, scheduled on September 7. Pakistan batted first after skipper Salman Agha won the toss and set a target of 208 for the UAE. The UAE only managed to make 176 runs. Salman had hit…