Section 144 enforced in Balochistan amid security concerns

Amid security concerns, Balochistan government has enforced Section 144 across the province, ARY News reported on Monday.

As per details, the Balochistan Home Department has enforced Section 144 due to security concerns, restricting public movement at recreational sites during Eidul Fitr 2025.

In Quetta, the district administration has banned visits to popular spots, including Hanna Orak, Karkhassa, and Shaban. Authorities have urged citizens to avoid these areas during the festive days.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Home Department has banned temporary mechanical rides set up for Eidul Fitr festivities, citing public safety concerns.

Read more: Balochistan govt to take action against employees involved in anti-state narrative

According to an official notification, rides installed on a permanent basis at amusement parks and play areas will be allowed to operate, provided they have a valid fitness certificate ensuring compliance with safety standards.

The notification directed deputy commissioners to enforce the ban on temporary mechanical rides on Eidul Fitr’s occasion, warning of potential risks due to inadequate safety inspections.

The notification highlights that temporary rides, often assembled without proper safety checks, pose significant risks to public safety, especially during Eid when large crowds gather.

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Gold hits record high

Gold rate hit a record high and was set to post its biggest quarterly gain in over 38 years on Monday, as concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff plans widening the global trade war and triggering an economic slowdown boosted bullion’s appeal.

Spot gold jumped 1.1% to $3,116.82 an ounce, as of 0638 GMT, after hitting an all-time high of $3,128.06 earlier. U.S. gold futures was up 1.1% to $3,148.00.

Gold, traditionally seen as a hedge against political and economic uncertainties, has risen over 18% so far this quarter, its biggest quarterly gain since September 1986.

Interest rate cut bets, central bank buying and exchange-traded fund (ETF) demand are the other factors that have supported the rally. The rapid price rise prompted multiple banks to increase their 2025 price forecasts.

The dollar index (.DXY), opens new tab eased 0.2%, making greenback-priced gold less expensive for buyers holding other currencies.

“Markets’ anxiety levels have been ramping up ahead of the reciprocal U.S. tariff announcements, which is keeping gold in high demand as a defensive play,” KCM Trade chief market analyst Tim Waterer said.

Read more: DOGE to PKR: Conversion rate; March 29, 2025

“If the tariff announcements this week are not as severe as feared, then the gold price could start to backtrack as profit-taking from the highs may be triggered.”

Trump is expected to announce reciprocal tariffs on April 2, while automobile tariffs will take effect on April 3. On Sunday, Trump said he was “pissed off” at Russian President Vladimir Putin and would impose secondary tariffs of 25%-50% on buyers of Russian oil if he feels Moscow is blocking his efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Mary Daly said inflation data released on Friday confirms her decreased confidence in her baseline expectation that two rate cuts this year are a “reasonable” projection.

Spot silver rose 0.6% to $34.32 an ounce, platinum was up 1.1% to $994.60 and palladium gained 0.9% to $980.11. All three metals headed for monthly gains.

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Donald Trump says he is not joking about third presidential term

Republican President Donald Trump said on Sunday he was not joking about seeking a third presidential term, which is barred by the US Constitution, but that it was too early to think about doing so.

Trump, who took office on January 20 for his second, non-consecutive White House term, has made allusions to seeking a third one but addressed it directly in a telephone interview with NBC News.

“No, I’m not joking. I’m not joking,” Donald Trump said, but “it is far too early to think about it.”

“There are methods which you could do it, as you know,” he said, declining to elaborate on specific methods.

US presidents are limited to two four-year terms, consecutive or not, according to the 22nd Amendment of the US Constitution.

A proposal to overturn a constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress and ratification by the legislatures of three-fourths of the 50 US states.

Some Trump allies have floated the idea of keeping Trump in the White House beyond 2028, and the president has also brought up the idea on a number of occasions in a manner that seemed to poke at his political opponents.

Donald Trump, who at 78 was the oldest US president at the time of his inauguration, would be 82 if he took on another four-year term following the November 2028 election.

George Washington in 1796 set the precedent for a two-term presidency, a self-imposed limit that was observed by most US presidents for more than 140 years until Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940.

Roosevelt, a Democrat who was president during the Great Depression and World War 2, broke tradition and served a third term, then died months into his fourth term in 1945. This paved the way for the amendment on term limits in 1951.

Longtime Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon said in a March 19 interview with NewsNation that he believes Trump will run again in 2028. Bannon said he and others are looking into ways to make that happen, including examining the definition of a term limit.

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PMD predicts hot weather in Karachi during Eid holidays

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted that Karachi will experience a further rise in temperature from tomorrow (Monday), ARY News reported.

According to the PMD forecast, the weather is expected to remain hot and dry in Karachi today, with the maximum temperature reaching up to 37°C.

From tomorrow, the city’s temperature may rise to 38°C, with intense sunlight during the day and relatively cooler nights.

Winds from the northeast are blowing at a speed of 8 km/h, while the humidity level stands at 41%.

Meanwhile, Karachi’s air quality remains unhealthy, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recording 145 particulate matter, indicating high pollution levels in the city’s atmosphere.

Mainly dry weather is expected in most parts of the country during the next twelve hours.

Read more: PMD predicts hot weather across Pakistan during Eid holidays

However, hot in plain areas during daytime.

Temperature of major cities recorded this morning:

Islamabad nine degree centigrade, Lahore sixteen, Karachi twenty-two, Peshawar and Muzaffarabad twelve, Quetta seven, Gilgit five and Murree six degree centigrade.

According to the weather forecast for Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, cold and dry weather is expected in Srinagar, Leh, Pulwama, Anantnag, Shopian and Baramula, while, dry weather in Jammu.

Temperature recorded this morning:

Srinagar, Anantnag and Shopian eight degree centigrade, Jammu twelve, Leh minus-one, Pulwama and Baramula seven degree centigrade.

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No sign of India tariff relief as US trade mission ends

NEW DELHI: India and the United States have agreed to finalise part of a bilateral trade deal by this year but neither side gave indications of any tariff exemptions for the world’s most populous nation.

Both countries held trade talks in New Delhi this week days out from the start of US President Donald Trump’s reciprocal trade tariff regime, which includes punitive import levies against India, from April 2.

India’s protectionist policies and its trade surplus with the United States leave it open to potential retaliatory tariffs from the Trump administration.

Officials from both sides had “broadly come to an understanding on the next steps towards a mutually beneficial, multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), with the goal to finalize its first tranche by fall 2025,” India’s commerce ministry said in a statement late Saturday.

Both countries “exchanged views on deepening bilateral cooperation in priority areas including increasing market access, reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers and deepening supply chain integration”.

There was no suggestion in the statement however that any action on those barriers would be taken ahead of Tuesday, when new US tariffs on its worldwide trade partners are slated to start.

Credit rating agency India Ratings and Research projects that the proposed tariffs could see the country’s exports to the United States decline by up to $7.3 billion in the next fiscal year.

The world’s fifth-largest economy has over the last two months sought to reduce trade tensions with Washington by cutting tariffs on a few products, including high-end motorcycles and bourbon whiskey.

Before this week’s trade mission, Indian media reports had suggested the government might offer to scrap a levy on online services such as advertising.

The reports also said New Delhi was willing to cut tariffs on cars, electronics and medical services.

The Indian Express newspaper, quoting an unnamed government official, reported Sunday that the counterparts had “substantial convergence on the contours of a trade deal”.

They had not however finalised terms of reference to clearly define the scope of a trade agreement, the report said.

The US decision to impose a 25 percent tariff on nations that purchase oil from Venezuela will also affect India, which has been a buyer of the Latin American country’s crude.

Trump, after calling out India as “one of the highest tariffing nations in the world”, later hinted that “it’s going to work out very well” with New Delhi, without giving further details.

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China, South Korea and Japan agree to strengthen free trade

SEOUL: China, South Korea and Japan agreed Sunday to strengthen free trade in the face of a raft of new tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.

The agreement came at a meeting of top trade officials — the first at that level in five years — days ahead of the start of tariffs on a huge range of US imports, including cars, trucks, and auto parts.

South Korea and Japan are major auto exporters, while China has also been hit hard by the US tariffs.

The meeting was attended by South Korea’s industry minister Ahn Duk-geun, his Japanese counterpart Yoji Muto, and China’s Wang Wentao.

The three countries called for their negotiations for a comprehensive trilateral free-trade agreement to be speeded up, and agreed to create “a predictable trade and investment environment”, a statement said.

South Korea’s Ahn said the three countries must respond “jointly” to shared global challenges.

“Today’s economic and trade environment is marked by increasing fragmentation of the global economy,” he said.

“The international environment surrounding us is constantly changing, and uncertainties are increasing,” Japanese trade official Yasuji Komiyama told a press briefing.

Chinese official Wang Liping said “unilateralism and protectionism are spreading”, and the three countries must assume responsibility to safeguard the multilateral trading system.

The three account for 20 percent of the world’s population, 24 percent of the global economy, and 19 percent of global merchandise trade, he said.

According to the South Korean trade ministry, Ahn emphasised that protectionism was “not the answer” and urged efforts to ensure the World Trade Organisation functions properly to “safeguard the stability and predictability” of global commerce.

Trump has promised tariffs tailored to each trading partner from April 2 to remedy practices he deems unfair.

But he also told reporters last week that there would be “flexibility”, and markets appeared to react with some relief at the end of last week.

Common challenges

Following the meeting between the three ministers, they also held bilateral meetings gatherings.

Japan’s Muto said regardless of domestic “political circumstances in either country”, he hopes that exchanges and cooperation will continue with South Korea.

Muto said that the two countries face many common challenges, such as energy issues, which have a significant reliance on foreign and securing critical minerals.

“There may, at times, be political or diplomatic difficulties, but I strongly hope that social and economic activities will continue without disruption, allowing our businesses to operate without obstacles,” he said.

The countries have long been locked in bitter historical disputes, including over Japan’s use of forced labour during its decades-long occupation of the Korean peninsula.

Tensions escalated in 2018 when South Korea’s Supreme Court ordered Japanese firms to compensate victims of wartime forced labour, triggering a series of tit-for-tat economic measures.

Experts say US tariffs, particularly on automobiles, will heavily impact the two countries, as both are highly dependent on exports to America.

South Korea’s Minister Ahn said Thursday that because 50 percent of South Korea’s automobile exports go to the United States, the tariffs “raise concerns over significant damage to the industry”.

Japan is home to the world’s top-selling carmaker Toyota, and the health of the auto industry impacts many sectors, from parts manufacturing to steel and microchips.

Of the country’s 21.3 trillion yen ($145 billion) of US-bound exports in 2024, cars and other vehicles accounted for roughly a third.

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KP govt announces remission for prisoners on Eidul Fitr

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister has announced a two-month reduction in sentences for prisoners on the occasion of Eidul Fitr 2025, ARY News reported.

According to a notification issued by the provincial Home Department, this reprieve does not apply to those convicted of terrorism, murder, kidnapping, or other serious crimes. The sentence reduction is only applicable to prisoners convicted of minor offenses.

This news comes as Pakistan prepares to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, on March 30 or 31, depending on the sighting of the moon.

Earlier on Friday, President Asif Ali Zardari granted a special 180-day sentence reduction for prisoners on the occasion of Pakistan Day and Eidul Fitr 2025 under Article 45 of the Constitution.

Read more: Govt announces Eidul Fitr 2025 holidays

According to the details, the special remission of 90 days is for all convicts except those convicted of murder, espionage, robbery, dacoity, abduction, anti-state acts, rape and terrorist activities.

Those convicted of financial crimes, causing damage to the national treasury, or sentenced under the Foreigners Act 1946 and the Narcotics Control Act 2022 will also be excluded from the benefit.

The sentence reduction will apply to male prisoners above 65 years of age and female prisoners above 60 years of age who have completed at least one-third of their sentence.

Women incarcerated with their children and juvenile offenders under 18 years of age who have served one-third of their sentence will also qualify for the relief.

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Govt moves NEPRA for electricity tariff cut

The Pakistan government has moved the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) for an electricity tariff cut, ARY News reported on Friday.

As per details, the Pakistan federal government submitted a request to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) for a reduction of Rs.1.71 per unit in electricity tariff cut.

According to the proposal, the reduction will be facilitated through a tariff subsidy. NEPRA is set to hold a hearing on the matter on April 4.

The government has requested that the price cut be applicable to all distribution companies, including K-Electric, with the proposed subsidy in effect from April to June 2025.

Earlier, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) shared update on electricity tariff relief for consumers in Pakistan following, staff-level agreement with Islamabad to unlock $1.3bln loan tranche.

Read more: IMF shares update on power tariff relief for Pakistan consumers

As per details, Pakistan’s IMF Mission Representative, Maher Bennisy during informal media talk, said the fund has approved for a reduction of Rs1 per unit in electricity tariffs for all consumers in Pakistan.

Bennisy stated that the relief will be financed through revenue generated from levies imposed on gas consumption by captive power plants.

He further revealed that the government is actively working on a broader electricity relief package, which will be announced after formal IMF approval.

It is to be noted that PM Shehbaz Sharif earlier announced to provide relief to the power consumers in Pakistan.

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Special Eid trains begin operation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways has launched a special Eid train service to facilitate travel during Eid-ul-Fitr to enable citizens to reach their hometowns safely and on time.

Three special trains have been scheduled on key routes. The first train departed from Karachi Cantonment to Lahore on March 26, comprised of 16 coaches, and passed through major cities like Hyderabad, Rohri, Multan, and Sahiwal.

On the same day, a second train left Quetta for Peshawar Cantonment with 11 coaches, traveling via Multan and Sahiwal. The third special train will depart from Lahore to Karachi on March 27, with 16 coaches, stopping at Khanewal, Multan, Sahiwal, and Rohri.

To make travel more affordable, Pakistan Railways is offering a 20% discount on train fares across all classes for the first three days of Eid. This discount applies to mail, express, passenger, and intercity trains.

Read More: Pakistan Railways announces reduction in train fares on Eid

The initiative, introduced on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, aims to reduce travel costs and help people celebrate with their families. The government remains committed to providing affordable, safe, and comfortable train services for all citizens.

Meanwhile, Eidul Fitr 2025 is expected to be observed across Pakistan on Monday, March 31, 2025, following the completion of 29 days of Ramadan.

According to the Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council, the Shawwal crescent is likely to be visible on the evening of Sunday, March 30, provided weather conditions remain clear.

Khalid Ijaz Mufti, Secretary General of the council, stated that the new moon will be born on Saturday, March 29, at 3:58 PM Pakistan time. By sunset on Sunday, the moon’s age will exceed 26 hours, making it visible to the naked eye.

Mufti explained that the moon must be at least 18 hours old at sunset to be sighted, a requirement that will be easily met. The time difference between sunset and moonset, essential for visibility, will also exceed the minimum threshold of 40 minutes across different cities.

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North Korea leader Kim Jong Un touts AI suicide drones, early-warning aircraft

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised the test of suicide drones with artificial intelligence (AI) technology and said unmanned control and AI capability must be the top priorities in modern arms development, state media reported on Thursday.

Kim inspected new upgraded reconnaissance drones that are capable of detecting various tactical targets and enemy activities on land and at sea, KCNA state news agency said.

“The field of unmanned equipment and artificial intelligence should be top-prioritized and developed in modernizing the armed forces,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying.

The nuclear-armed North also officially unveiled an airborne early-warning aircraft for the first time, a capability that could improve its aging air defence systems.

Photographs published by state media showed Kim climbing steps toward the door of a large aircraft with four engines and a radar dome mounted on the fuselage, and viewing the aircraft on a low fly-by.

Using commercial satellite imagery, analysts have previously reported that North Korea was converting the Russian-made Il-76 cargo aircraft for an early-warning role.

Such an aircraft would help augment the North’s existing land-based radar systems, which are sometimes limited by the peninsula’s mountainous terrain, London’s International Institute for Strategic Studies said in a report in September.

“The ability of an AEW aircraft to look down mitigates some of the challenges of the terrain and ground-clutter returns to track low-flying aircraft and cruise missiles,” the report said.

Read more: North Korea has sent more troops to Russia; Reports

One AEW aircraft would not be enough, however, and North Korea would risk canabilising the rest of its cargo fleet to build more, the report said.

South Korea’s military said the aircraft’s operational capability is not yet clear but its appearance indicated it is “large and heavy and probably susceptible to interception.”

While the aircraft was refurbished from the existing fleet, “Russia may have had something to do the internal system and parts,” Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Lee Sung-jun told a briefing, when asked about possible Russian assistance.

Russia has provided North Korea with anti-air missiles and unspecified air defence equipment, in return for Pyongyang’s deployment of troops to help with the Ukraine war, South Korea’s national security adviser Shin Won-sik said in November.

Kim separately inspected newly developed equipment for reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, electronic jamming and attack systems, KCNA said.

Photos showed fixed-wing UAV zeroing in on a tank-shaped target then exploding in flames. Kim was seen walking with aides with what appeared to be an unmanned surveillance aircraft that resembles the U.S. RQ-4 Global Hawk high-altitude surveillance aircraft parked on the tarmac in the background.

North Korean troops deployed in Russia’s war against Ukraine are believed to have been engaged in drone warfare, gaining valuable battleground experience.

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US religious freedom panel urges sanctions against India’s RAW

Minorities in India face deteriorating treatment, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom said on Tuesday, and it recommended targeted sanctions against India’s external spy agency over alleged involvement in assassination plots against Sikh separatists.

The panel’s annual report also said communist-ruled Vietnam stepped up efforts to regulate and control religious affairs. It recommended Vietnam – a country like India with which Washington has sought to build close ties given shared concerns about China – also be designated a “country of particular concern.”

Analysts say Washington has long seen New Delhi as a counter to China’s rising influence in Asia and elsewhere, and, hence, overlooked human rights issues in India. It is unlikely the US government will sanction India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) spy service, as the panel’s recommendations are not binding.

Since 2023, India’s alleged targeting of Sikh separatists in the US and Canada has emerged as a wrinkle in U.S.-India ties, with Washington charging an ex-Indian intelligence officer, Vikash Yadav, in a foiled US plot. India labels Sikh separatists as security threats and has denied involvement.

“In 2024, religious freedom conditions in India continued to deteriorate as attacks and discrimination against religious minorities continued to rise,” the US commission said in a report released on Tuesday.

It said Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) “propagated hateful rhetoric and disinformation against Muslims and other religious minorities” during last year’s election campaign.

Modi in April last year referred to Muslims as “infiltrators” who have “more children.”
US State Department reports on human rights and religious freedom have noted minority abuses in recent years. New Delhi calls them “deeply biased.”

Modi, who has been prime minister since 2014, denies discrimination and says his government’s policies like electrification drives and subsidy schemes help all communities.

The panel recommended the US government “designate India as a ‘country of particular concern'” for religious freedom violations and “impose targeted sanctions” against Yadav and RAW. The Indian embassy had no immediate comment.

Read more: US charges ex-Indian RAW official in foiled Sikh separatist murder plot

Rights advocates, in noting the plight of Indian minorities, point to rising hate speech, a citizenship law the UN called “fundamentally discriminatory,” anti-conversion legislation, opens new tab that critics say challenges freedom of belief, the revoking, opens new tab of Muslim majority Kashmir’s special status and the demolition of properties owned by Muslims.

The commission is a bipartisan US government advisory body that monitors religious freedom abroad and makes policy recommendations.

On Vietnam, the panel said a new decree issued this month allowed Vietnamese authorities to further demand financial records from religious organizations and suspend religious activities for what the report said were vaguely worded “serious violations.”

As of December, the US panel’s Freedom of Religion or Belief Victims List included over 80 prisoners whom the Vietnamese government punished for religious activities or religious freedom advocacy. The Vietnamese embassy had no immediate comment.

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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa govt to expand E-fine system

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to expand its E-Fine system to all relevant departments to digitise government affairs and promote e-governance in the province ARY News reported.

The E-Fine system, initially launched in Peshawar, Abbottabad, Dera Ismail Khan, and Swat, has shown promising results. In Peshawar, 4,201 out of 4,219 challans have been paid under the E-Fine system, while in Dera Ismail Khan and Swat, 36 and 875 challans have been paid, respectively. In Abbottabad, 282 out of 289 challans have been paid online.

The provincial government has directed all relevant departments to take necessary steps to implement the E-Fine system and ensure digital revenue collection.

This digital system has generated over Rs30 million in revenue, demonstrating its effectiveness in enhancing transparency, accountability, and departmental performance.

Read More: New car registration policy comes into effect

One of the key benefits of the E-Fine System is the convenience it offers citizens, who no longer need to visit government offices to pay fines and fees, saving them time and resources. Building on this success, the government plans to expand the system to all departments that impose fines, ensuring a seamless and efficient experience for citizens.

To achieve this goal, the government will establish an integrated coordination mechanism among relevant departments and develop a timeline-based implementation plan. This will enable the E-Fine System to be rolled out across the province quickly and efficiently, further enhancing the government’s digital governance initiatives

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Pope Francis returns to Vatican after five weeks in hospital

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis returned to the Vatican on Sunday after surviving a five-week battle in hospital against double pneumonia that became the most serious health crisis of his 12-year papacy.

The 88-year-old pope, who also made his first public appearance since February 14 before being discharged from Rome’s Gemelli hospital, left the facility shortly after noon.

A car carrying the pontiff was accompanied by police vehicles through Rome, making a short detour to take flowers to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, a church to which Francis has a special devotion and visits frequently.

Though the pope has returned from hospital, his doctors have said it would still take “a lot of time” for his ageing body to heal fully.

They have prescribed a further two months of rest at the Vatican and told him to avoid large or stressful meetings, leaving unclear how much activity Francis will undertake in the coming months.

Just before leaving the hospital on Sunday, Pope Francis smiled and waved at a group of well-wishers gathered outside. He used a wheelchair, as he has done for several years.
His face looked swollen and there were bandages visible on both arms underneath his white cassock during the appearance, which lasted only a few moments.

Read more: Pope Francis holds Vatican work meeting in hospital

He spoke briefly, with a feeble voice, to thank 79-year-old Carmela Vittoria Mancuso in the crowd below. Mancuso, who visited the hospital each day during the pope’s treatment, had brought yellow flowers for him. She told Reuters afterwards that her heart “was bursting” when the pope noticed her.

Pope Francis had only been seen by the public once before during his hospital stay, in a photo the Vatican released last week, showing the pontiff at prayer in a hospital chapel.

The pope, who has been receiving oxygen to help him breathe throughout his hospital stay, was breathing on his own during the public appearance. But he was seen using a small hose under his nose for oxygen while travelling in his car.

In the moments before the pontiff’s appearance on Sunday, the crowd of hundreds of well-wishers called out for him, chanting “Francis, Francis, Francis”.

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West Bank Palestinians in ‘extremely precarious’ situation: MSF

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: Doctors Without Borders (MSF) denounced on Monday the “extremely precarious” situation of Palestinians displaced by the ongoing Israeli military operation in the occupied West Bank.

According to the United Nations, some 40,000 residents have been displaced since January 21, when the Israeli army launched an operation targeting Palestinian armed groups in the north of the territory.

The West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, is home to about three million Palestinians as well as nearly 500,000 Israelis living in settlements that are illegal under international law.

The Israeli operation started two days after a truce agreement came into effect in the Gaza Strip between the Israeli military and the Palestinian territory’s Hamas rulers.

The situation of the displaced Palestinians is “extremely precarious”, said MSF, which is operating in the area.

Palestinians “are without proper shelter, essential services, and access to healthcare”, the NGO said.

“The mental health situation is alarming.”

MSF said the scale of forced displacement and destruction of camps “has not been seen in decades” in the West Bank.

“People are unable to return to their homes as Israeli forces have blocked access to the camps, destroying homes and infrastructure,” said MSF Director of Operations Brice de la Vingne.

“Israel must stop this, and the humanitarian response needs to be scaled up.”

Dubbed “Iron Wall”, the Israeli operation is primarily targeting three refugee camps — Jenin, Tulkarem and Nur Shams — and defence minister Israel Katz said in February it would last several months.

“I have instructed (the soldiers) to prepare for a prolonged stay in the evacuated camps for the coming year, and not to allow the return of their residents or the resurgence of terrorism,” he said in a statement.

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Armaghan booked in money laundering case

KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Anti-Money Laundering Circle has booked Armaghan, the prime suspect in the Mustafa Amir murder case, in the hawala hundi and forgery case, ARY News reported.

According to the FIA, Armaghan was involved in a massive forgery scheme, earning between $300,000 to $400,000 per month . He allegedly used cryptocurrency to launder the money and even purchased several luxury cars with the illicit funds.

Investigations have revealed that Armaghan operated a call center that targeted American citizens, scamming them out of their money, the FIR read. The suspect had also opened bank accounts in the names of his employees to facilitate the fraud.

According to FIR, Armaghan’s team consisted of 25 individuals, each of whom would scam at least five people per day. The suspect had also established a company in the United States with his father’s help to facilitate the hawala/hundi business.

The authorities have recovered three luxury cars worth millions of rupees from Armaghan’s possession, and it is reported that he had sold five more cars.

Earlier on Saturday, Armaghan refused to confess the crime after which the court dismissed petition for confessional statement under section 164.

He was produced before the Judicial Magistrate-South’s court for confessional statement in Mustafa Amir murder case. Court said that the statement under 164 could not be recorded owing to the mental condition of the accused.

Armaghan in his statement said that he killed Mustafa Amir over personal dispute. “I didn’t pre-plan the murder,” he said. “It was a sudden act,” Armaghan stated.

“You will be sent to jail if you confess the crime or not,” the court said.

Read More: Mustafa Amir Case: Armaghan’s father facilitated weapons purchase

“I don’t want confess any crime,” accused Armaghan said. “Police has used ‘black magic’ on me, owing to which I feel pain in the body,” accused said.

“I didn’t kill Mustafa Amir, left him in the car only to set the front portion of the vehicle on fire,” he said. “I had left the matter of Mustafa Amir to God,” he said.

After a while, accused said that he didn’t directly kill the victim. “It was in his fate to die, I had a little part in it,” Armaghan added.

Mustafa Amir was kidnapped and allegedly murdered by his friends in Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA) on January 06. According to the police, the youth’s friends stuffed his body in the trunk of his car and torched it in the Hub area of Balochistan.

The case has garnered widespread attention, with recent updates shedding light on the prime suspect, Armaghan. Investigators have uncovered details regarding his business dealings, digital currency accounts, and other activities.

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Pope Francis to be discharged from hospital, with prescription for two months of rest

Pope Francis, who has been battling pneumonia for more than five weeks, will be discharged from hospital on Sunday but will need a further two months of rest at the Vatican, the head of his medical team said on Saturday.

Francis, 88, was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on February 14 with a severe respiratory infection that became the most serious health crisis of his 12-year papacy.

While Francis will return to the Vatican on Sunday, his doctors said it would take “a lot of time” for his aging body to fully heal.

They said they had prescribed the pope two months of repose, and had advised him against taking any meetings with large groups, or that require special effort.

“The recommendation for a period of convalescence of at least two months is very important,” Sergio Alfieri, head of the pope’s medical team, told the press conference.

Francis, who was fighting double pneumonia, suffered four acute attacks of what the Vatican called “respiratory crises” during his time in hospital.

Alfieri said that two of the crises had been critical, with the pope “in danger of his life”.

The pontiff no longer has pneumonia, but is also not completely healed from a “complex” infection involving several microorganisms, said the doctor.

Read more: Pope Francis remains stable, chest scan confirms improvements

Alfieri emphasized that while Francis had used non-invasive ventilation through a mask over his mouth and nose to help breathe, the pope had never been intubated during his stay in hospital.

One senior cardinal had said on Friday that the pope would need to “relearn to speak” after battling a respiratory infection for so long.

“It will take time before his voice returns to what it was before,” said Alfieri.

The doctor said the pope, who had gained some weight in recent years after using a wheelchair for knee and back pain, has now lost some weight.

“We haven’t weighed him, but he has lost weight, surely,” said Alfieri. “But, let’s say, he had some ‘in reserve,’ so it doesn’t worry us,” he added.

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Israel defence minister threatens to annex parts of Gaza

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened to annex parts of the Gaza Strip unless Hamas militants release the remaining Israeli hostages held in the war-battered Palestinian territory.

The warning came as Israel pressed the renewed assault it launched on Tuesday, shattering the relative calm since a January 19 ceasefire.

A Palestinian source close to the ceasefire talks told AFP late Friday that Hamas had received a proposal from mediators Egypt and Qatar for re-establishing a truce and exchanging hostages for Palestinian prisoners “according to a timeline to be agreed upon”.

The source said the proposal “includes the entry of humanitarian aid” into Gaza, which has been blocked by Israel since March 2.

Israel resumed intensive bombing of Gaza on Tuesday, citing deadlock in indirect negotiations on next steps in the truce after its first stage expired this month.

The territory’s civil defence agency said Israeli strikes killed 11 people on Friday — three in pre-dawn strikes and eight more during the daytime.

On Thursday, it had reported a death toll of 504 since the bombardment resumed, one of the highest since the war began more than 17 months ago with Hamas’s attack on Israel.

In a statement Friday, Katz said: “I ordered (the army) to seize more territory in Gaza… The more Hamas refuses to free the hostages, the more territory it will lose, which will be annexed by Israel”.

Should Hamas not comply, Katz also threatened “to expand buffer zones around Gaza to protect Israeli civilian population areas and soldiers by implementing a permanent Israeli occupation of the area”.

The military urged residents of the Al-Salatin, Al-Karama and Al-Awda areas of southern Gaza to evacuate their homes Friday ahead of a threatened strike.

AFP images from northern Gaza showed donkey carts piled high with belongings as residents fled their homes along rubble-strewn roads.

‘Pressure points’

Israeli forces said Friday that they had killed the head of Hamas’s military intelligence in southern Gaza in a strike a day earlier, the latest official targeted in recent days.

Israel’s resumption of large-scale military operations, coordinated with US President Donald Trump’s administration, drew widespread condemnation.

The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Britain called for an immediate return to a Gaza ceasefire in a joint statement late Friday, calling the new strikes “a dramatic step backward”.

Turkey’s foreign ministry condemned what it called a “deliberate” attack by Israel on a Turkish-built hospital in Gaza.

“The IDF (military) struck terrorists in a Hamas terrorist infrastructure site that previously had served as a hospital in the central Gaza Strip,” a military spokesperson told AFP in response to a question about the Turkish accusations.

In a statement, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza condemned “the heinous crime committed by the occupation (Israel) in bombing the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital”, calling it “the only hospital designated for the treatment of cancer patients in the Gaza Strip”.

The ministry said Israeli forces had used the hospital as “a base for its forces throughout the period of its occupation of the so-called Netzarim axis”.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed worry about the government’s actions in a video statement Thursday, saying it was “unthinkable to resume fighting while still pursuing the sacred mission of bringing our hostages home”.

Thousands of protesters have rallied in Jerusalem in recent days, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of resuming military operations without regard for the safety of the hostages.

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Pillion riding banned for two days

KARACHI: The Karachi administration has imposed a ban on pillion riding in the city for two days under Section 144 in view of Youm-e-Ali, ARY News reported.

According to a notification issued by Commissioner Karachi, the ban has been imposed to maintain law and order in Sindh on the occasion of Youm-e-Ali.

The notification states that the ban will be effective from 21st to 22nd Ramadan, and strict action will be taken against those who violate the law.

Women, children, elderly, and journalists have been exempted from this ban.

It is worth noting that Karachi Police has made foolproof security arrangements to protect the central procession on Youm-e-Ali.

Additional IG Karachi Javed Alam Odho reviewed the security arrangements for the central procession.

A total of 5367 police officers and personnel have been deployed for security duty. Walk-through gates have been installed at the entry and exit points of the procession route.

Moreover, bomb disposal squad and Special Branch personnel have also been deployed to conduct searches of participants and spectators.

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Huge fire closes UK’s Heathrow Airport, global flight schedules disrupted

Britain’s Heathrow Airport said it would be closed all of Friday after a huge fire at a nearby electrical substation wiped out power, disrupting flight schedules around the world.

The London Fire Brigade said around 70 firefighters were tackling the blaze in the west of London, which caused a mass power outage at Heathrow, Europe’s busiest and the world’s fifth-busiest airport.

Huge orange flames and plumes of smoke could be seen shooting into the sky. Around 150 people were evacuated from nearby buildings and thousands of properties were without power.

The fire brigade said the cause of the fire was not known.

“To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March,” Heathrow Airport said in a post on X, adding that passengers were advised not to travel to the airport.

According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, at least 120 inbound flights to Heathrow were having to divert to other airports, while 1,351 flights had been due to land and take off at Heathrow of Friday.

Industry experts said tourism, travel and trade would be further disrupted around the world, as flights will be cancelled or delayed due to aircraft being out of position.
British Airways itself had 341 flights scheduled to land at Heathrow on Friday.

“This will clearly have a significant impact on our operation and our customers, and we are working as quickly as possible to update them on their travel options for the next 24 hours and beyond,” it said.

The fire forced planes to divert around the world.

Qantas Airways sent its flight from Perth to Paris, a United Airlines New York flight headed to Shannon, Ireland and a United Airlines flight from San Francisco was due to land in Washington, D.C. rather than London.

Some flights from the U.S. were turning around mid-air and returning to their point of departure.

Read more: UK’s Heathrow airport strikes cancelled

“Heathrow is one of the major hubs of the world,” said Ian Petchenik, spokesman for FlightRadar24. “This is going to disrupt airlines’ operations around the world.”
77 airlines have a total of 669 flights scheduled to land at Heathrow Airport on Friday. British Airways has 341 flights alone.

77 airlines have a total of 669 flights scheduled to land at Heathrow Airport on Friday. British Airways has 341 flights alone.

CHAOTIC DAYS AHEAD

Travel experts said the disruption would extend far beyond Heathrow Airlines’ carefully choreographed networks depend on airplanes and crews being in specific locations at specific times. Dozens of air carriers will have to hurriedly reconfigure their networks to move planes and crews around.

“The other question is, ‘What will airlines do to deal with the backlog of passengers?'”, said travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt with Atmosphere Research Group. “It’s going to be a chaotic couple of days.”

Some passengers turned to social media. Adrian Spender, who works at British retailer Tesco, said in a post on X that he was on an Airbus A380 that had been headed for Heathrow.

“#Heathrow no idea where we are going yet. Currently over Austria.”

Heathrow, and London’s other major airports, have been hit by outages in the past in recent years, most recently by an automated gate failure and an air traffic system meltdown, both in 2023.

A Heathrow spokesperson told Reuters in an email that there was no clarity on when power would be restored, and they expected significant disruption over the coming days.

On the ground in London, a number of homes and businesses were without power. “Firefighters have led 29 people to safety from neighbouring properties, and as a precaution, a 200-metre cordon has been established, with around 150 people evacuated,” the fire brigade said.

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Iran frees French citizen after prison ordeal: Macron

PARIS: Iranian authorities have released French citizen Olivier Grondeau, detained by the country since October 2022 on security charges, and he has returned to France, President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday.

Grondeau, 34, “is free and with his loved ones”, Macron wrote on X, adding that “our mobilisation will not weaken” to ensure the release of two other French citizens still detained by Iran in what Paris views as state hostage-taking.

Macron did not give further details on the circumstances of Grondeau’s release after an almost 900-day ordeal.

The other two French nationals are Cecile Kohler, a teacher, and her partner, Jacques Paris, who were detained in May 2022. They are accused of seeking to stir up labour protests, accusations their families have denied.

Also writing on X, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot posted a picture of Grondeau on a plane returning home, saying: “Held hostage in Iran for 887 days, he has been reunited with his family, loved ones, and his country. It’s a huge relief.”

Grondeau was arrested in Shiraz, southern Iran, in October 2022 and sentenced to five years in prison for “conspiracy against the Islamic republic”.

His family rejected the charges, describing Grondeau as a passionate fan of Persian poetry who went to Iran on a tourist visa as part of a world tour.

Western countries have for years accused Iran of detaining their nationals on trumped-up charges in a policy of state hostage-taking to use them as bargaining chips to extract concessions.

France describes its nationals held by Iran as “state hostages” who have been arbitrarily detained and are innocent of all the charges against them.

Strength ‘running out’

Until earlier this year, Grondeau had been identified only by his first name but his full identity was revealed by his family in January.

In an audio message aired by French media at the time, Grondeau said he and the other two French detainees in Iran were “exhausted” and their strength was “running out”.

Grondeau, who turns 35 next week, remains in hospital in France undergoing a battery of tests, having been severely weakened in recent months, particularly psychologically, a government source told AFP, asking not to be named.

It was not immediately clear when he returned to France.

There has been growing concern over the health of two other French citizens held by Iran, with Kohler’s family warning that they risked dying if they were not freed.

“Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris must be freed from Iranian prisons,” Macron said in his message Thursday.

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Trump floats US takeover of Ukraine nuclear plants

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump has told Volodymyr Zelensky that the United States could own and run Ukraine’s nuclear power plants as part of his latest bid to secure a ceasefire in Russia’s invasion of its neighbor.

The offer comes as some 30 military chiefs from countries keen to help protect an eventual ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine prepared for talks in Britain on Thursday to discuss planning for a peacekeeping force.

EU leaders were also set to discuss the three-year war at a summit in Brussels on Thursday, as well as the bloc’s defence capabilities against Russia.

Following the Wednesday call with Trump, Ukrainian President Zelensky said that Kyiv was “ready” to pause attacks on Russia’s energy network and infrastructure, a day after Russian leader Vladimir Putin agreed to halt similar strikes on Ukraine.

Zelensky also said he had discussed Trump’s power plant takeover plan.

“We talked only about one power plant, which is under Russian occupation,” Zelensky, who was on an official visit to Finland, said during an online briefing, referring to the plant in Zaporizhzhia.

He added that he had “not felt any pressure” from Trump to make concessions to Russia.

But a wider ceasefire remains elusive with the Kremlin leader insisting in his own call with Trump on Tuesday that the West first stop all military aid for Ukraine.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and France’s President Emmanuel Macron have said they are willing to put British and French troops on the ground in Ukraine.

Trump “discussed Ukraine’s electrical supply and nuclear power plants” and said Washington could be “very helpful” in running them,” National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a joint statement.

“American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure,” it said.

‘Ending the war’

Trump also pledged to help Kyiv get more air defense equipment from Europe, and to find Ukrainian children “abducted” by Russia, the statement said.

The US president earlier said on his Truth Social network that efforts to reach a full truce were “very much on track.”

Zelensky said Ukrainian and US officials could meet in coming days for fresh talks in Saudi Arabia, where Russian and American teams are also due to meet early next week.

Russia and Ukraine exchanged 372 prisoners, Moscow said Wednesday, which was planned as a goodwill gesture following the Trump-Putin call.

Kyiv and Moscow however have accused each other of continuing attacks.

Russia said it destroyed 132 Ukrainian drones in overnight attacks in several regions throughout the country.

Ukrainian emergency services said on Thursday that an overnight Russian drone attack struck residential buildings in Kropyvnytsky in central Ukraine wounding eight people, including a child.

‘Don’t believe Putin’

The major sticking point remains Putin’s resistance to a full ceasefire — something that Kyiv and some Western allies say underscores how the Russian leader cannot be trusted.

Putin insisted during his call with Trump on Tuesday that a full ceasefire was only possible if the West agree to Moscow’s long-standing demand to halt its billions of dollars in military aid for Ukraine.

The Kremlin chief also demanded Ukraine must not be allowed to re-arm and must halt mandatory mobilization.

Moscow and Washington were even at odds on the results of the call.

The Kremlin said they only discussed halting power plant attacks, but the White House insisted the talks covered both energy and other civilian infrastructure.

Trump’s overtures to Putin, and indications Washington will no longer guarantee European security, have also spooked Kyiv and the United States’s NATO allies.

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Kuwait repeals law allowing reduced sentences for ‘honour killings’

Kuwait has abolished a longstanding law that permitted reduced sentences for men who committed “honour killings”. The repealed Article 153 of Kuwait’s 1960 Penal Code had allowed men to receive lighter punishments for murdering female relatives accused of adultery.

Justice Minister Nasser Al-Sumait said that this provision was not grounded in Islamic law and infringed upon fundamental human rights. The abolished article had previously permitted a maximum prison term of three years or a fine for men who killed their female relatives in “honour” crimes.

Al-Sumait stated, “This law granted legal leniency to certain perpetrators of murder, contradicting Kuwait’s constitutional principles and international human rights commitments.” The repeal aligns with Kuwait’s Constitution, which guarantees equality and prohibits gender-based discrimination.

Read More: Kuwait announces new policy on life imprisonment

Activists, including the ‘Abolish 153’ campaign group, have welcomed the decision. Kuwait has also amended its Family Law, raising the minimum marriage age to 18 for both men and women, bringing the country in line with international conventions.

Human rights organizations have praised the reform, which strengthens protections for women and children, aligning Kuwaiti law with international human rights conventions.

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K-Electric consumers likely to get big relief in power tariff

K-Electric consumers likely to get a big relief in their electricity bills as the city’s power utility has proposed a reduction of Rs4.84 per unit in rates under its monthly fuel adjustment for January.

As per details, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) will conduct a hearing on the K-Electric’s request tomorrow.

If approved as requested, K-Electric consumers could benefit from a collective relief of Rs 4.695 billion.

In February, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif said that electricity tariffs would further be reduced for domestic consumers and industries through reforms in the electricity sector.

Read more: Electricity tariffs will further be reduced: PM Shehbaz

He expressed satisfaction with the current changes in the electricity sector, stating that they are producing great results, while chairing a review meeting of the sector in Islamabad on Friday.

PM Shehbaz said that he has pledged to guarantee the supply of affordable and sustainable power. He said revising agreements with IPPs is saving the national treasury and reducing electricity prices for consumers.

The Prime Minister made reference to the campaign against power theft and pledged to speed it up even further in order to completely eradicate the losses incurred by all distribution firms in this area.

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Oil slips after US-Russia agreement on 30-day energy ceasefire

Oil prices fell on Wednesday after Russia agreed to US President Donald Trump’s proposal that Moscow and Kyiv stop attacking each other’s energy infrastructure temporarily, which could lead to more Russian oil entering global markets.

Brent crude futures fell 19 cents, or 0.3%, to $70.37 a barrel by 0420 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) was down 20 cents, or 0.3%, to $66.70.

Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Tuesday to stop attacking Ukrainian energy facilities but stopped short of endorsing a full 30-day ceasefire that Trump hoped for.

“The agreement marks a positive step towards an eventual resolution, with the halt of attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities reducing further oil supply disruption risks and keeping oil prices under some pressure,” said Yeap Jun Rong, market strategist at IG.

Russia is one of the world’s top oil suppliers, but its output has waned since the beginning of the war, which resulted in sanctions on Russian energy.

A potential ceasefire could lead to an easing of sanctions, which might raise oil supply and ease prices, analysts said.

US tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China have raised recession fears, which also weighed on oil prices as that would have a dampening effect on demand for crude.

Oil markets remain focused on price downside despite rising Middle East tensions, Goldman Sachs analysts said in a note on Wednesday.

Read more: Putin agrees to 30-day halt on energy facility strikes but no full Ukraine ceasefire

“Tariff escalation and high spare capacity skew the medium-term risks to our forecast to the downside,” the analysts said.

Trump vowed to continue his country’s assault on Yemen’s Houthis and said he would hold Iran responsible for any attacks carried out by the group that has disrupted shipping in the Red Sea.

Israeli air strikes in Gaza, meanwhile, killed at least 200 people, Palestinian health authorities said, which ended a week-long ceasefire and elevated risks of oil supply being threatened from the broader region.

US crude oil stocks data, meanwhile, painted a mixed picture, with crude stocks rising while fuel inventories fell.

Crude stocks were up 4.59 million barrels in the week ended March 14, market sources said, citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday. Gasoline inventories fell by 1.71 million barrels and distillate stocks were down 2.15 million barrels, they said.
Official government data is due on Wednesday.

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Astronauts finally head home after unexpected nine-month ISS stay

WASHINGTON: A pair of astronauts stranded in space for more than nine months were finally headed home Tuesday after their capsule undocked from the International Space Station.

The SpaceX craft carrying Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams detached from the orbital outpost at 0505 GMT, ending their prolonged mission that has captivated global attention.

The NASA duo are joined onboard by American Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.

The crew are now settling in for the 17-hour journey back to Earth, and were given permission to change from their space suits into more comfortable clothes.

If all goes smoothly, the capsule will deploy its parachutes off the coast of Florida for an ocean splashdown around 2157 GMT Tuesday, when a recovery vessel will retrieve the crew.

Wilmore and Williams flew to the orbital lab in June last year, on what was supposed to be a days-long roundtrip to test out Boeing’s Starliner on its first crewed flight.

But the spaceship developed propulsion problems and was deemed unfit to fly them back, instead returning empty.

Ex-Navy pilots Wilmore and Williams, 62 and 59 respectively, were reassigned to the NASA-SpaceX Crew-9 mission, which saw a Dragon spacecraft fly to the ISS last September with a team of two, rather than the usual four, to make room for the “stranded” pair.

Then, early Sunday, a relief team called Crew-10 docked with the station, their arrival met with broad smiles and hugs as they floated through the hatch.

Crew-10’s arrival cleared the way for Wilmore and Williams to depart, along with Hague and Gorbunov.

After big hugs with the crew remaining on the ISS, the quartet entered the capsule and closed its hatch on Tuesday.

“Colleagues and dear friends who remain on the station… we’ll be waiting for you. Crew-9 is going home”, Hague said.

‘Unbelievable resilience’

Wilmore and Williams’ stay surpasses the standard six-month ISS rotation but ranks only sixth among US records for single-mission duration.

Frank Rubio holds the top spot at 371 days in 2023, while the world record remains with Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 consecutive days aboard the Mir station.

That makes it “par for the course” in terms of health risks, according to Rihana Bokhari of the Center for Space Medicine at Baylor College.

Challenges such as muscle and bone loss, fluid shifts, and readjusting to gravity are well understood and well managed.

“Folks like Suni Williams are actually known for their interest in exercise, and so I believe she exercises beyond what is even her normal prescription,” Bokhari told AFP.

Still, the unexpected nature of their extended stay — away from their families and initially without enough packed supplies — has drawn public interest and sympathy.

“If you found out you went to work today and were going to be stuck in your office for the next nine months, you might have a panic attack,” Joseph Keebler, a psychologist at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, told AFP.

“These individuals have shown unbelievable resilience.”

Trump weighs in

Their unexpected stint also became a political lightning rod, with President Donald Trump and his close advisor, Elon Musk — who leads SpaceX — repeatedly suggesting former president Joe Biden abandoned the astronauts and refused an earlier rescue plan.

“They shamefully forgot about the Astronauts, because they considered it to be a very embarrassing event for them,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday.

Such accusations have prompted an outcry in the space community, especially as Musk offered no specifics and NASA’s plan for the astronauts’ return has remained unchanged since their Crew-9 reassignment.

Trump has also drawn attention for his bizarre remarks, referring to Williams, a decorated former naval captain, as “the woman with the wild hair” and speculating about the personal dynamic between the two.

“They’ve been left up there — I hope they like each other, maybe they love each other, I don’t know,” he said during a recent White House press conference.

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Malaika Arora loses calm on teenage boy; asks for mother’s number

Bollywood diva and reality TV judge Malaika Arora lost her cool on a 16-year-old contestant, for his inappropriate gestures during a dance performance.

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In a widely-circulated clip from the new dance reality show ‘Hip Hop India’ season 2, co-judge Malaika Arora is seen losing her temper at a 16-year-old contestant, who allegedly made inappropriate gestures and moves directed towards her, during his performance at the launch episode.

“Please give me your mother’s phone number,” Arora, 51, told Naveen Shah, 16, from Uttar Pradesh, after his audition round performance, which featured several suggestive gestures directed at the co-judge.

“You are a 16-year-old kid. While dancing, he is looking at me and winking, (blowing) flying kisses,” added the visibly displeased and upset Arora, before her fellow judge and ace choreographer Ramo D’Souza intervened, to diffuse the situation.

 

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Shah’s fellow contestants also questioned his behaviour, however, the situation was later under control after the contestant’s father was called on the stage.

Also Read: Arjun Kapoor, Malaika Arora leave each other ‘speechless’ in first post-breakup outing

It is worth noting here that Malaika Arora is a mother to a 22-year-old son, Arhaan, from her 18-year-long marriage with fellow actor Arbaaz Khan. They announced separation in 2016, citing compatibility issues, and their divorce was finalized the following year.

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Pakistan govt to ‘ban’ registration of new medical & dental colleges

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan government reportedly decided to ban registration of new medical and dental colleges by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), ARY News reported on Monday, citing sources. 

Sources told ARY News that the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has decided to halt the registration of new medical and dental colleges following the government’s guidelines.

The PMDC has officially approved this decision, and no applications for registration submitted after January 5 will be considered. However, 13 applications submitted before January 5 are currently under review, the sources said.

The decision to impose the ban was made due to the shortage of faculty in medical colleges. Currently, there are 121 private and 66 public medical and dental colleges in the country.

Read more: PMDC to ‘inspect’ medical and dental colleges across Pakistan

Last month, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) reportedly banned the collection of fees by private medical and dental colleges.

The PMDC sent a notice to the institutions to avoid collecting fees following a recommendation by the Senate Committee. The Senate’s Health Sub-Committee had advised the suspension of fee collection.

A ban was imposed on fee collection until the Medical Education Committee submits its recommendations. This committee, headed by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, was formed by the Prime Minister to review the situation.

The committee evaluating the standards and issues faced by private medical universities and colleges. Over the past five years, private medical colleges have been collecting over Rs15 million in fees, the sources said.

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PIA to resume flights to UK after Eidul Fitr

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will resume flights to the United Kingdom (UK) following the lifting of the European Union ban after Eidul Fitr, said Pakistan HC Mohammad Faisal.

Dr. Mohammad Faisal, revealed that PIA flights to the UK will officially resume after Eidul Fitr.

Speaking to the media during an Iftar dinner with journalists and TikTok influencers in London, Dr. Faisal stated that the first phase will include flights from London and Manchester to Pakistan, while efforts are underway to restore flights from Birmingham as well.

He further mentioned that a special ceremony will be held to officially inaugurate the flight resumption, with media representatives in attendance.

It is worth noting that after the European Union lifted the ban, PIA’s first flight to Paris took off on January 10, 2024, marking the end of a four-and-a-half-year suspension.

The ban was imposed in June 2020 after a PIA plane crash in Karachi, followed by the then Aviation Minister’s controversial statement in Parliament, revealing that pilots were hired with fake licenses.

Read more: PIA privatization gains momentum as major investors show interest

Meanwhile, the process for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) privatization has accelerated once again, with significant interest shown by prominent groups for the acquisition of PIA.

According to sources interested groups’ names include the Arif Habib Group, Taba Group, and YB Holdings. Key meetings have reportedly taken place in Islamabad among representatives of these groups to discuss the potential acquisition of PIA.

Sources indicate that, since the process for PIA privatization has gained momentum, the interested groups have expressed their willingness to proceed with the acquisition of Pakistan’s national airlines, provided their conditions are met.

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South Africa says US expulsion of its ambassador regrettable

JOHANNESBURG: The United States’ decision to expel South Africa’s ambassador was “regrettable”, the office of the president said Saturday, urging “diplomatic decorum” between the two nations.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that ambassador Ebrahim Rasool was no longer welcome in the United States because he was “a race-baiting politician” who hates US President Donald Trump.

“The Presidency has noted the regrettable expulsion of South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Mr. Ebrahim Rasool,” it said in a statement

“The Presidency urges all relevant and impacted stakeholders to maintain the established diplomatic decorum in their engagement with the matter.”

“South Africa remains committed to building a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States of America,” the presidency said.

The expulsion of Rasool, a former anti-apartheid campaigner, has added to rising tensions between Washington and Pretoria.

Trump in February froze US aid to South Africa, citing a law in the country that he alleges allows land to be seized from white farmers.

Last week, Trump further heightened tensions, saying South Africa’s farmers were welcome to settle in the United States after repeating his accusations that the government was “confiscating” land from white people.

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