Author: News Desk

News Desk ISLAMABAD: Foreign ministers from the R-4 Group, comprising Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, had reaffirmed their support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and called for a lasting solution to the decades-old conflict through diplomatic efforts. The foreign ministers met in Amman on Wednesday and discussed the evolving situation in the Middle East, with a focus on Palestine and regional stability. They reiterated their position that the Palestinian people had the right to establish an independent and sovereign state based on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The ministers said…

News Desk KYIV: Russian drone and missile strikes had killed at least 15 people and injured dozens more across several regions of Ukraine, according to Ukrainian authorities, as emergency teams continued rescue operations at damaged residential sites. Ukraine’s military said the attacks had targeted civilian areas, including residential buildings, causing widespread destruction and heavy casualties. Local officials reported that a hotel had caught fire after the strikes, while a six-storey apartment building had completely collapsed. Rescue workers had been searching through the rubble for survivors and assisting residents affected by the attacks. Emergency crews were also working to assess the…

News Desk WASHINGTON: Diplomatic efforts to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz appeared to be making progress, with reports suggesting that negotiations were moving towards restoring normal commercial shipping through the strategic waterway. Arab television reports said preparations were under way for the complete reopening of the strait, with an official announcement expected within hours or on Wednesday. The development came after comments by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who indicated that an agreement could be reached between the United States and Iran soon. Speaking in Washington, Bessent said discussions between Washington and Tehran were focused on ensuring the uninterrupted…

News Desk KINGSTON: Pakistan began losing their grip on the second Test against the West Indies on the third day as a sudden collapse left the visitors five wickets down after resuming their innings at 266 for two. Babar Azam, who had ended the previous day on 86, appeared under pressure while attempting to reach his century. He struggled to play his shots freely and added only two runs to his overnight score before being run out for 88. The West Indies bowlers then mounted an impressive comeback. Vireicon dismissed Awais Zafar, who had scored just one run, before Shamar…

News Desk KARACHI: Questions have been raised over the initial post-mortem report of young businessman Mir Raza Ali after apparent discrepancies were identified, with sources warning that the investigation could be compromised if the findings are not properly reviewed. Medical-legal officer (MLO) sources said photographs of the body showed a small bullet mark on the back and a larger wound on the chest. Read more: https://metro-morning.com/father-of-mir-raza-alleges-son-was-murdered-death-being-portrayed-as-suicide/ According to the sources, photographs also showed the fingers of the left hand clenched into a fist and entangled with broken grass. Some suspicious marks were also visible on the right hand. MLO sources…

News Desk LODHRAN: The Hazara Express, travelling from Karachi to Havelian, derailed near Lodhran early Wednesday after its engine and two coaches overshot the track, railway officials said. According to officials at Lodhran railway station, the incident occurred at around 1.30am near Geelawala, where the train overshot the track, causing its engine and two coaches to derail. All passengers remained safe and no casualties were reported, railway authorities said. Officials said a replacement engine was attached to the train at around 4am, after which the Hazara Express resumed its journey towards Havelian. The derailment did not disrupt the up and…

Gen Sadat’s anti-Taliban front claimed it had opened a new battlefield in Kandahar, targeting militant groups including the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Islamic State and TTP News Desk KABUL: General Sami Sadat, the leader of the United Front of Afghanistan, announced the launch of an armed campaign against the Taliban, calling for political support from the United States, NATO and other international partners. In a video message released on Monday, Gen Sadat said his organization had started military operations against Taliban forces in Kandahar. He claimed that fighters associated with the group were engaged in battles not only with the Taliban but…

News Dsk ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain has said a proposal to increase the price of wheat is under consideration, with the federal government expected to take a final decision. Speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research, Tanveer said a higher wheat price could encourage farmers to increase cultivation. However, he said the government could not raise the price to Rs5,500 per maund. The minister said raids had been conducted in provinces over reported wheat shortages, but officials were unable to recover sufficient stocks.…

News Desk ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday criticized the Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections, alleging widespread irregularities and claiming that the voting process was neither free nor fair. In a statement, Bilawal described the election as controversial and accused those responsible of undermining the public mandate. He used strong language to express his concerns, referring to the polls as a “bloody election” and alleging that violence and electoral manipulation had affected the outcome. The PPP chairman thanked party workers and supporters for helping the party win nine seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly. However,…

News Desk WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday criticized Iran for refusing to engage in direct negotiations with Washington, claiming Tehran was only willing to communicate through Oman while sending contradictory signals about diplomacy. In a statement posted on social media, Trump accused Iranian officials of changing their position on talks, saying they had initially shown interest in holding meetings before later denying that negotiations were taking place. Trump said discussions had previously begun with progress on several issues, but Iranian officials later claimed publicly that no direct dialogue was underway and that contacts were being handled only through…