Category: English

Iranian negotiators have left talks with Qatari mediators aimed at ending the war with the United States, ​and a draft proposal is being circulated, with a follow-up meeting ‌possible, an official briefed on the talks said on Monday. The negotiators departed on Sunday, though not because of difficulties in the negotiations, the official said, without providing further details on the ​draft proposal. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson said the basis of the talks is ​a seven-step plan Iran drew up in September to reopen the ⁠Strait of Hormuz and end the…

Read More

With pipeline gas dwindling and LNG scarce, households and small eateries increasingly depend on LPG. Closing the Iran supply route before winter risks turning an energy shortage into a cooking-fuel crisis, according to Business Recorder. Pakistan is heading into winter with less gas and too little preparation. Imported LNG is short, domestic pipeline supply is falling, and households and small businesses increasingly depend on liquefied petroleum gas for cooking. LPG supplies less than 5 percent of primary energy, but that understates its importance. A shortage may barely register in the…

Read More

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has fined Pakistan’s cricket team 5% of its match fee for maintaining a slow over rate in the recently held final of the three-nation ODI series against Sri Lanka in Lahore. According to the ICC, Pakistan were one over short of the required rate within the stipulated time. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi admitted the offence and accepted the proposed sanction. Pakistan won the final by three wickets after chasing down Sri Lanka’s target of 326 runs.

Read More

Ukraine’s Air Force said on Sunday that the public ​air raid alert app had been ‌hacked. The app for a short time showed Kyiv and other areas subject to nuclear and chemical ​alerts and the threat of street ​combat. An erroneous message said Russia’s hypersonic ⁠Oreshnik missile had been deployed. “The air ​alert app appears to have been subjected to ​enemy influence,” the air force said on Telegram. “There is no radiation threat! Stay calm and follow our ​updates on our channel!” The abnormality later ​disappeared. Ukraine’s Ministry for Digital…

Read More

Bangladesh’s garment factories reopened on Monday after widespread closures and production disruptions a day earlier, but manufacturers remain concerned about further unrest over workers’ demands for higher wages. The ready-made garment sector accounts for more than 80% of Bangladesh’s export earnings, employs about 4 million workers and contributes around 10% to ​gross domestic product. The latest unrest disrupted operations in key manufacturing hubs and raised concerns over export ​shipments and buyer confidence in Bangladesh, the world’s second-largest apparel exporter after China, as ⁠workers demanded a minimum monthly wage of 30,000…

Read More

Pakistan is hosting a senior Chinese Communist Party official on Monday for talks aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation, as the two countries seek to expand their longstanding strategic partnership. Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, is visiting Pakistan for the first time on an official invitation from Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. According to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, Liu will meet the country’s leadership and co-chair a high-level event with Dar in Islamabad. “The visit forms part of…

Read More

The world has eroded its supply buffers by draining nearly 1 billion oil barrels from global ​inventories since the US-Israeli war on Iran disrupted shipping ‌through the Strait of Hormuz, the CEO of Abu Dhabi’s state-owned oil company ADNOC said. Diesel stockpiles in some areas are at 35-year lows ​for this time of the season, while others face an LNG supply gap of ​600 billion cubic feet, Sultan Al Jaber added on Monday at the ⁠UAE’s ADIPEC conference. Prices of diesel in many markets have surged ​to record highs, boosted…

Read More

Israeli strikes killed at least three Palestinians and wounded several others in the Gaza Strip on Monday, the ​territory’s health officials said. Medics said two people were killed ‌and six others wounded in two separate airstrikes in Khan Younis, south of the enclave, while a third person was killed in an Israeli ​airstrike in the town of Al-Mussadar. The Israeli military didn’t ​immediately comment on any of the attacks. Israel, which says ⁠the Hamas militant group has been rearming and launching attacks ​in violation of a year-old ceasefire, has stepped…

Read More

The death toll from a stampede at the mehndi ceremony of TikToker Ansar Jutt, popularly known as Mr Patlo, in Sialkot has risen to two, while 12 others were injured, police said on Monday. The incident occurred at a cricket stadium on Daska Road on Sunday, where a large number of people had gathered after the TikToker invited the public to attend the ceremony, with prizes also scheduled to be distributed through a lucky draw. People from Sialkot and other cities across Punjab had arrived at the venue, but a…

Read More

Democrats hold a seven-point lead over Republicans in the race for control of Congress ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, as growing dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump and the US economy weighs on his party, according to a new NBC News poll. The survey, conducted among registered voters from October 28 to 30, found that 52% favoured a Democratic-controlled Congress, compared with 45% who preferred Republican control. According to the survey, Democrats managed a 21-point lead among independents. About 3% of respondents remained undecided. The survey showed that 60%…

Read More