Author: i2wtc

The NATO summit in the Netherlands.Haiyun Jiang | Via ReutersIt’ll be a moment of truth for NATO on Wednesday when the Western military alliance releases a joint statement on a heavily pushed and previewed collective defense spending hike.Allies have been corralled, cajoled and pressured to hike their defense expenditure from 2% to 5% of each member nation’s gross domestic product by 2035, even as some have struggled to meet the lower target.It’s widely expected that the bloc’s 32 member states will green light the hike on Wednesday — NATO ambassadors have already agreed in principle — but action, and the…

COLOMBO: Pakistan’s challenge at the Asian 6-Red and Team Snooker Championship narrowed dramatically on Tuesday as defending champion Awaisullah Munir and seasoned campaigner Mohammad Sajjad suffered defeats in the knockout stages. However, the nation’s hopes remain alive as the experienced Mohammad Asif battled through to the semi-finals in Colombo. The day brought mixed fortunes for the Pakistani contingent. Asif, the nation’s most decorated cueist, successfully navigated two rounds to secure his place in the final four. He first overcame Cambodia’s Neang Tola in the pre-quarterfinals with a convincing 5-1 victory. After dropping the opening frame (16-27), Asif found his rhythm,…

Listen to article As Iran and Israel agreed to a ceasefire following nearly two weeks of hostilities, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman acknowledged Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting a peaceful resolution to the conflict. According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a telephone conversation with the Saudi crown prince during which the two leaders exchanged views on the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East. Premier Sharif expressed Pakistan’s full support for immediate de‑escalation and a peaceful resolution of the Iran‑Israel crisis through dialogue and diplomacy. Referring to recent attacks, he emphasised…

ENGLAND opener Ben Duckett plays a shot during the first Test against India at Headingley on Tuesday.—Reuters LEEDS: A superb century from Ben Duckett helped steer England to a sensational five-wicket win in the first Test against India after a thrilling day five on Tuesday, the hosts reaching a target of 371 — the 10th highest successful run chase in Test history. Having turned the match on its head at Headingley after India had been 430-3 in their first innings, England appeared to be cruising to a dramatic win as openers Duckett and Zak Crawley eased their side to lunch…

Listen to article Karachi is set to experience monsoon rains over the weekend, with the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecasting hot weather during the week. MeteoGroup, a private weather forecaster, and AccuWeather also predict a chance of rain in Karachi over the weekend. The city is expected to face strong winds, heavy downpours, and a risk of urban flooding, especially in low-lying areas like Korangi, Lyari, and Saddar. Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad and Hyderabad, will also experience rainfall during the same period. The PMD forecasts a chance of thunderstorms and thunderstorms in the southern areas of the province. Read: PMD forecasts first monsoon showers…

Military vehicles are seen during a military parade commemorating the Greek Independence Day in Athens, Greece, on March 25, 2025.Marios Lolos | Xinhua News Agency | Getty ImagesSun-soaked Greece may not immediately come to mind as a top defense spender — but only four NATO allies spent a bigger slice of their GDP on security than the Mediterranean country last year.In addition to the U.S., NATO estimates show that tally includes Poland, Latvia and Estonia, which ramped up their defense expenditures in response to Russian aggression in recent years.Greece has meanwhile consistently been a big defense spender, spending around 3.1%…

A rescuer helps evacuate a senior resident from a flood-affected area in Congjiang County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, June 24, 2025. (Photo by Wu Xingke/Xinhua)GUIYANG, June 25 (Xinhua) — Continuous heavy rainfall and upstream inflows have triggered severe flooding in two counties of Guizhou Province in southwest China, prompting mass evacuations.As of 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, 48,900 residents were temporarily evacuated in Rongjiang County and 32,000 in Congjiang County. The flood control emergency response has been escalated to Level I, the highest, in both counties.Rongjiang, a county known for Cun Chao — a rural football league covering over 100 village teams…

Listen to article KARACHI: Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) skyrocketed over 6,000 points on Tuesday as US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, bringing an end to hostilities in the Middle East region. The benchmark KSE-100 index surged at the open, where bullish momentum drove it to the intra-day high of 122,725, up 6,557 points. As the session progressed, investor confidence strengthened, culminating in the KSE-30 index hitting its upper circuit breaker — a rare and historic moment that sent a wave of excitement. At the close of trading, the KSE-100 index recorded an increase of 6,079.17 points, or…

NOBEL laureate and activist Malala Yousafzai has launched a new initiative to invest in women’s sports around the world. Recess — launched by Ms Yousafzai and her husband, Asser Malik, on Tuesday — will invest in professional and amateur teams to ensure more women participation in sports. In an interview with CNN, Ms Yousafzai, who was born in Swat, recalled her school days in Pakistan when women had limited opportunities to participate in sports. “I remember in school recess time when boys would go off to the local cricket playground and girls had to stay behind,” she said. “From that…

Listen to article Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has given conditional approval to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s budget for the next fiscal year, following a detailed briefing by provincial adviser Barrister Saif.  Speaking to reporters after meeting Imran at Adiala Jail, he said the former prime minister had been fully briefed on the province’s financial situation, constitutional challenges, and what was described as a strategy by the opposition to block the budget’s passage. He said the party founder, after hearing all details, expressed his agreement with the budget’s approval. “I conveyed everything that Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Muzzammil Aslam wished to communicate,” Saif…