Afghan national arrested

Police arrested an Afghan national for allegedly residing illegally, officials said. According to police, the suspect, identified as Rehmatullah, was taken into custody during an investigation into the preparation and use of fake identity cards. Authorities said six other Afghan nationals living in different parts of the city and believed to be in close contact […]

‘Invest in research to secure future’

Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan on Friday urged agricultural scientists to undertake meaningful research initiatives and develop high-yield crop varieties to ensure food security and address pressing challenges such as climate change and water scarcity. He expressed these views during a visit to the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), where he inaugurated a Teaching […]

EPA tightens rules to combat pollution

The Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has introduced a strengthened regulatory framework mandating green buffer zones, large-scale plantation, and strict controls on tree cutting as part of efforts to reduce industrial pollution and improve urban environmental conditions. Under the new directives, all industrial clusters across the province will be required to establish and maintain designated […]

Hamas-US Cairo talks end ‘without tangible progress’ on Gaza ceasefire’s second phase

Talks between Hamas and the United States held in Cairo ended “without tangible progress” on advancing the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, two Palestinian sources said on Friday. The discussions, the first of their kind since the ceasefire took effect in October 2025, brought together Hamas Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya, Egyptian officials, UN […]

US mulls releasing $20b in frozen Iranian assets in lieu of its enriched uranium stockpile: report

The United States is considering releasing $20 billion in frozen Iranian assets in exchange for Iran relinquishing its stockpile of enriched uranium, the Axios news outlet reported on Friday, citing US officials. The report said Washington and Tehran are in talks over a three-page framework aimed at ending the conflict that began on February 28. […]

‘Two fantastic people’: Trump all praise again for PM Shehbaz, CDF Munir after Hormuz breakthrough

United States President Donald Trump was all praise for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, on Friday, following a breakthrough in Iran’s announcement to open the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels. In a post on Truth Social, he said: “Thank […]

President Erdogan says global order on ‘dangerous threshold’, calls for diplomacy and stability

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday the world is facing a deepening crisis in both power and direction, warning that the international system has reached a “serious and dangerous threshold”. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026, Erdogan said global mechanisms tasked with protecting human rights and security have […]