JERUSALEM — According to a report in Israeli media, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to accept a ceasefire or military withdrawal in Gaza under US President Donald Trump’s plan. The report, published Monday, said Netanyahu informed the Board of Peace’s special envoy for Gaza, Nikolai Mladenov, of his opposition during a meeting on Monday.Israeli…
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN — US President Donald Trump said on Monday that talks with Iran are ongoing “right now,” describing them as Tehran’s last chance to reach an agreement. Speaking to reporters at the White House, he said, “This is their last chance to sign a good document.” Iran, however, denied any direct talks with Washington, saying…
DUBAI — Sri Lanka’s experienced captain Chamari Athapaththu played a key role in her side’s series win over Pakistan in the three-match T20I series in Dambulla, hitting aggressive innings of 39 off 22 balls and 40 off 15 balls in the first two matches respectively. Her outstanding performances earned her a one-place rise in the…
Qatar, Oman, and Pakistan Facilitating Contacts and Negotiations Between Washington and Tehran: Qatari Foreign MinistryDOHA — Diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions between the United States and Iran have shown progress, with Qatar expressing hope that the two countries could reach an agreement within the next few hours.According to Qatar’s Al Jazeera, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson…
WASHINGTON — The United States has made its 2025 “Visa Bond Pilot Program” permanent, under which citizens of certain countries are now required to submit a refundable financial guarantee — known as a visa bond — ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 in order to obtain a visitor visa.According to an international online publication, the list…
RAWALPINDI — Report By Muhammad Saleem Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir visited the headquarters of the National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC), where he was given a detailed briefing on preparations made to deal with potential disasters during the monsoon season.During the briefing, the Field Marshal commended the efforts of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)…
Pakistan has formally requested China for early refinancing of $1.3 billion. According to sources, Pakistan made payments totaling $2.2 billion to China last month, which included the repayment of a $1.3 billion Chinese commercial loan.Islamabad now wants the repaid amount refinanced as soon as possible in order to ease pressure on the country’s foreign exchange…
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN — US President Donald Trump once again announced late Sunday into Monday that talks with Iran were resuming, but Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei denied the claim on Monday, saying his country is not currently holding any negotiations with the United States.Trump said the US wants to reach two separate agreements with Iran…
TOKYO — Japanese social activist Yusuke Furisawa says he has been staging a solitary daily protest in support of Gaza since October 2023, and will continue his campaign despite widespread public indifference. Every day, for about an hour, he stands in Tokyo and other Japanese cities holding banners for Palestine, chanting “Free Palestine,” “Stop the…
Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca has secured fifth place worldwide in the International Visitor Reception Index. According to the report, Mecca welcomed more than 19.3 million international visitors during 2024, further cementing its status as one of the world’s most important religious and international tourist destinations.Islam’s holiest city has crossed another major milestone in…
