Category: Featured

Firm dollar keeps peers on back foot ahead of BOE, Fed decisions

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TOKYO: The dollar hovered off a four-month high on Thursday as the market continued to digest Republican Donald Trump’s win in the US presidential election, while investors eyed several central bank decisions that will be topped off by the Federal Reserve. The Fed is expected to cut interest rates by 25 basis points later in the day, and the market focus will be on any clues that the US central bank could skip a cut in December. Last week’s October jobs report came in weaker than expected, raising questions over…

COAS Munir, Crown Prince MBS discuss regional peace, security cooperation

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RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman discussed strategies for enhancing bilateral relations, the military’s media wing said on Wednesday. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Saudi crown prince extended a warm welcome to the army chief — who is currently on an official visit to Saudi Arabia — upon his arrival at the Royal Palace. Both dignitaries engaged in a “comprehensive discussion on a range of issues of mutual interest, including regional peace, defence…

US states take precautions over concerns of political violence

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Governors from at least three states have requested the deployment of National Guard troops to assist in maintaining public order. An Arizona sheriff has placed his department on heightened alert to mitigate the risk of potential violence, with drones and sharpshooters prepared for any incidents. As the nation gets ready to cast votes for either Republican Donald Trump or Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election, heightened concerns regarding potential political violence have prompted officials to implement a range of security measures both during and after Election Day.…

Services chiefs’ term extended to 5 years: Bills passed into law

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All six bills that were approved by the lower and the upper houses of parliament earlier today have become law after acting President Yusuf Raza Gilani signed them on Tuesday. According to sources, the acting president signed all six bills including the Supreme Court Number of Judges (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Islamabad High Court (Amendment) bill, 2024. Earlier in the day, both houses passed the bills tabled by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar. The first of them sought to increase…

Pakistan’s Amjad Ali shines as thousands partake in Istanbul Marathon

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In a remarkable display of skill and determination, Pakistani runner Amjad Ali delivered a standout performance at the Istanbul Marathon on Sunday as he became the country’s fastest finisher in the race. Competing among thousands at the 46th Marathon — the world’s only long-distance race that traverses two continents — Ali secured an impressive 47th place overall with a timing of of 2 hours, 49 minutes and 29 seconds. The 42-kilometre marathon started from Istanbul’s Asian side and ended on the European side. Ethiopian athlete Dejene Debela won the men’s…

Spain flood death toll crosses 200 as Valencia opens temporary morgue

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ALFAFAR: Spanish rescuers opened a temporary morgue in a convention centre and battled to reach areas still cut off on Friday as the death toll from catastrophic floods rose to 205 people in Europe’s worst weather disaster in five decades. In Valencia, the eastern region that bore the brunt of the devastation, at least 202 people have died, regional authorities said. Three have died in Castilla La Mancha and Andalusia. The number of dead is now almost level with the 209 who died during heavy floods in Romania in 1970. …

Dense smog shrouds Lahore with AQI over 1,000

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Punjab’s capital Lahore led the global pollution charts with a dangerously high air quality index (AQI) of over 1,000 as thick smog shrouded the densely-populated city.  Lahore had the worst air quality of 1,067 around 9:30am on Swiss air quality watchdog’s real-time list of most polluted cities in the world, despite provincial government’s desperate attempts to fight off smog. The city battles pollution each year in winter as temperatures fall and cold air traps construction dust, vehicle emissions, and smoke. Seasonal crop burn-off by farmers on the outskirts of Lahore also…

Fazl says ‘dirty’ draft would have passed without JUI-F votes

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Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has accused the government of “purchasing” 11 votes to ensure the passage of the recent 26th constitutional amendment impacting Pakistan’s judiciary, stressing that without the party’s votes, “a very dirty” draft would have passed. Talking to the media in Dera Ismail Khan on Wednesday, he said, “We had only eight votes. Without our support, a very dirty (unacceptable to the opposition parties) draft would have been passed.” He stressed that the government had secured 11 votes to pass the constitutional amendment, alleging that…