World News

Dhaka,— In the initial unofficial tally from Bangladesh’s 13th Jatiya Sangsad elections (as of Friday morning), the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) holds a commanding lead, ahead in or having won 63 seats. This positions the BNP-led coalition strongly for forming the next government.Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, heading the 11-party alliance, has secured or is leading in 21…

Dhaka, February 12, 2026 — Polling has concluded in Bangladesh’s landmark 13th Jatiya Sangsad (parliamentary) elections, marking the country’s first major vote since the 2024 student-led uprising that ousted longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Voting ran from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. local time across 42,651 polling stations in 299 constituencies, with vote counting commencing…

Lahore, February 12, 2026 — Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan has promulgated the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 2026, immediately banning child marriages across the province and setting the minimum legal age of marriage at 18 years for both males and females. The ordinance repeals the outdated Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929 and…

Islamabad, February 12, 2026 — Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi stated during the weekly press briefing that French aerospace company Dassault Aviation (manufacturer of the Rafale fighter jets) has confirmed Pakistan’s claim of shooting down Indian Rafale aircraft during the brief May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict.Andrabi described the matter as “part of history,” asserting that…

Colombo, February 12, 2026 — The marquee Group A encounter between Pakistan and India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled for Sunday, February 15, at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. However, fresh weather forecasts have cast a shadow over the match, with a significant chance of rain threatening…

Dhaka, February 12, 2026 — In Bangladesh’s 13th Jatiya Sangsad (parliamentary) elections, unofficial and partial results show Hasnat Abdullah, Chief Organiser (Southern Region) of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and candidate of the 11-party alliance, commanding a significant lead in the Comilla-4 (Debidwar) constituency.Early counts from four polling centres placed him ahead. At his hometown…

Peshawar,— The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi, has approved the establishment of a new tehsil (Tank-II) in Tank district. The decision aims to enhance administrative efficiency and provide better public services to the local population.The cabinet also sanctioned an additional grant of Rs 385 million for the heirs of…

New Delhi, February 12, 2026 — India’s Supreme Court has directed the makers of the upcoming Netflix film Ghooskhor Pandat to rename the project, deeming its original title offensive and denigrating to a specific community, particularly the Brahmin community. The court ruled that the film cannot be released without a revised title, effectively staying its…

Karachi, February 12, 2026 — Prominent Pakistani naat reciter Tabinda Lari has passed away. Hospital authorities at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in Karachi confirmed her death, stating that she had been under treatment there for a heart condition in recent days.According to family sources, Tabinda Lari had been battling cardiac illness for…