Day: February 20, 2025

PM initiates subcommittee to restructure Pakistan missions

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Following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directive, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has established a special subcommittee to enhance the performance of Pakistan’s embassies abroad. Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Bilal Azhar Kayani has been appointed as the convener of the eight-member subcommittee, with an official notification confirming the appointment. The subcommittee’s first meeting will be held tomorrow under the chairmanship of Kayani. Additional secretaries from the ministries of Interior, Commerce, Finance, and Information and Broadcasting will serve as members of the subcommittee. Additional secretaries from the Ministry of Overseas…

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Rain brings relief to twin cities amid water crisis

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Islamabad and Rawalpindi received their first rain in months, temporarily easing drought concerns after an emergency was declared in the twin cities amid a deepening water crisis. The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) had declared an emergency earlier this week in response to declining groundwater levels caused by a prolonged dry spell. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), rainfall was recorded at 19mm in Bokra, 22mm in H-8, 20mm in Shamsabad, and 18mm in Chaklala. The rain, which began intermittently in Islamabad continued throughout the night till the morning,…

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Prince William’s humble response to student’s ‘King’ question wins hearts

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Prince William recently won hearts with his gracious response to a curious young student during a visit to St Nicholas Catholic Academy in Liverpool on January 23. As the Prince of Wales interacted with students, a Year 5 pupil named Mohammed innocently asked, ‘Hello, are you the King?’ William, in a display of humility, smiled and replied, ‘No, I’m not. I’m his son,’ referring to King Charles. He then engaged the student in a friendly chat about his school day. Their heartwarming exchange ended with a selfie, which the school…

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First pharaoh’s tomb discovered in over 100 years near Luxor

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CAIRO: Egypt’s antiquities authority has announced the discovery of the ancient tomb of King Thutmose II—the first royal burial site uncovered since the famous unearthing of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922. The tomb, discovered near the Valley of the Kings in Luxor in southern Egypt, belonged to King Thutmose II of the 18th dynasty, who lived nearly 3,500 years ago. Thutmose II was an ancestor of Tutankhamun himself, and his half-sister and queen consort was Pharaoh Hatshepsut. Her giant mortuary temple stands on the west bank of the Nile at Luxor,…

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Budget-friendly iPhone 16e with AI features launched

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Apple launched its latest low-cost model, dubbed the iPhone 16e, on Wednesday as it looks to grab a bigger share of the mid-range smartphone market and fend off competition from rivals such as Samsung and China’s Huawei. The new phone, which leaves behind the SE naming convention for Apple’s budget series, will take on popular Android smartphones at a time when consumer electronics makers are looking to add artificial intelligence tools to their devices. Priced at $599, the iPhone 16e will have enough computing power to run Apple Intelligence, the…

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Europe prepares for US tariff showdown, denies unfair trade practices

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WASHINGTON: The European Union’s trade chief stated on Wednesday that the bloc will act “firmly and swiftly” to protect its interests if the US imposes tariffs on EU goods, firmly rejecting President Donald Trump’s claim that the US trade relations with the EU are unfair. “It is the very definition of a win-win partnership, and there is nothing unfair,” Maros Sefcovic added, as Europe prepares for heightened tariff tensions with the United States. Speaking at the American Enterprise Institute on Wednesday, Sefcovic said the EU sees “no justification for sudden,…

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Trump’s approval rating dips as Americans express economic concerns

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US President Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped slightly, reflecting growing concerns among Americans about the state of the economy, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. The six-day survey, which concluded on Tuesday, found that 44% of respondents approved of Trump’s presidency, down from 45% in a poll conducted in late January. Meanwhile, disapproval of his presidency has increased to 51%, up from 41% shortly after he assumed office. Trump maintains strong approval for his immigration policies, with 47% of Americans supporting his stance, particularly his promises to ramp up deportations. However, concerns…

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Trump urges Zelenskiy to act quickly for peace, calls him a “Dictator”

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US President Donald Trump criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday, labeling him a “dictator without elections” and urging him to act swiftly to secure peace, or risk losing Ukraine altogether, Reuters reported. Trump’s comments came shortly after Zelenskiy rejected his claim that Ukraine was to blame for Russia’s 2022 invasion, accusing Trump of falling victim to Russian disinformation. Trump took to his Truth Social platform, writing, “Zelenskiy better move fast or he won’t have a country left.” In response, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha asserted that Ukraine would not give in,…

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