US President Donald Trump has nominated Natalie Baker, the current Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Islamabad, as the next US ambassador to Pakistan, with her appointment subject to Senate approval. According to a White House statement, Baker’s nomination has been sent to the US Senate, where it will be reviewed by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. If approved by the committee, the nomination will be presented to the full Senate for a vote. Baker will formally assume the position if confirmed by the Senate. According to the…

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The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday directed authorities to arrange meetings between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and their lawyers after concerns were raised over their health in jail. During a hearing on Tuesday, Imran Khan’s lawyer, Barrister Salman Safdar, informed the court that his client was experiencing high blood pressure in prison and warned of the risk of a brain haemorrhage. A two-member bench, comprising IHC Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif, was hearing appeals filed by Imran Khan and…

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President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday spoke ‌to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of trilateral talks with Russia and the US ​in Abu Dhabi. The negotiators are expected ​to hold the first meetings in months ⁠on Tuesday and Wednesday, just as ​Russia is targeting Ukraine’s energy and logistics ​hard ahead of winter. Kyiv said it would separately hold consultations with European and NATO representatives also present ​on site. “The Prime Minister has said ​more than once, including directly to the Russian ‌leader, ⁠that now is the time to end the…

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Gold prices in Pakistan decreased on Tuesday in line with their loss in the international market. In the local market, the gold price per tola reached Rs430,836 after a decline of Rs1,500 during the day. Similarly, 10-gram gold was sold at Rs369,372 after it fell by Rs1,286, according to rates shared by the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA). On Monday, gold price per tola reached Rs432,336 after a gain of Rs3,200 during the day. The international rate of gold declined by $15 to reach $4,083 per ounce. Meanwhile,…

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Massive buying was observed at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) after US President Donald Trump said US military action against Iran ​is not necessary “at this point”, with the benchmark KSE-100 gaining nearly 3% during the trading session on Tuesday. At 3:15 pm, the benchmark index was hovering at 179,057.25, up 5,170.57 points or 2.97%. “Today’s rally reflects a clear repricing of risk on the PSX,” Saad Hanif of Ismail Iqbal Securities told Business Recorder. “Easing geopolitical tensions have lowered the risk premium on Pakistani equities, while softer oil prices…

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Details of Anthropic’s blockbuster IPO, including plans by the AI ‌company to raise nearly $70 billion, were briefly circulated to banks before being retracted late on Monday, according to emails seen by Reuters. A representative of Anthropic sent a copy of a securities filing that showed it aimed to sell about 867 million shares at a price range of $70 to $80 per share, ​then followed up with an email saying details about the pricing were inaccurate. Anthropic said in the second email that ​it would update the filing later.…

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Radical Israeli regime leader Benjamin Netanyahu has been urging US President Donald Trump every day to resume military strikes against Iran, despite diplomatic efforts to end the nearly nine-month conflict, the Financial Times said in a report. “Netanyahu calls him every day [to urge him to resume the war],” a person briefed on the discussions told the British newspaper, adding that officials opposed to renewed fighting were trying to counter the pressure. Regional leaders, meanwhile, have urged Trump to avoid escalation and give negotiations more time, the source said. Another…

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Russian and Ukrainian officials planned to meet on Tuesday for two days of US-brokered talks — their first ​since February — after President Donald Trump suggested last week that a broad peace deal was possible in their 4-1/2-year-old war and could incorporate Europe’s security. European powers, including France, ‌Germany and the European Commission, will send officials to the talks in Abu Dhabi, but Russia has made it clear it doesn’t want the Europeans to take part in negotiations. Instead, Ukrainian delegates will meet separately to brief their European allies on…

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US President Donald Trump has said that he plans to hold off fresh military strikes against Iran for the time being after appeals from ​countries in the region, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait. Trump, in a Reuters interview and a later appearance in the White House press briefing room, ‌said he plans to keep up a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz for now. Talking to the media on Monday after his meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman at the…

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The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday reserved its verdict on holding local government elections in cantonment areas after the Ministry of Defence sought an extension until January 2027 to complete delimitation in two remaining cantonments. A five-member ECP bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, heard the case and expressed concern over delays in holding local polls, saying there appeared to be no logical reason to postpone the local government elections. Ministry of Defence officials told the commission that a request to announce the election schedule…

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