NEWS ALERTS

  Govt cuts fuel prices: Petrol down by Rs1.86, HSD by Rs3.32 per litre.. New rates to be effective from midnight tonight for next fortnight..   On Saturday, the federal government announced a reduction in fuel prices, with the cost of petrol falling by Rs1.86 to Rs259.10 per litre, effective from midnight tonight. High-speed diesel (HSD) has also seen a price cut, dropping by Rs3.32 per litre to Rs262.75 . Similarly, the price of kerosene oil has been reduced from Rs171.77 to Rs169.62 , reflecting a decrease of Rs2.15 per litre while light diesel oil has been lowered by Rs2.97 per litre, from Rs157.02 to Rs154.05. This adjustment in fuel prices follows recent global trends, where crude oil prices have experienced a decline of $2 to $2.30 per barrel over the past two weeks.   Specifically, the average price of petrol has decreased from $82.50 to $80.40 per barrel, while HSD has dropped from $90.30 to $88 per barrel. Premium rates for petrol and HSD are current...

  Karachi on alert as Cyclone Asna to intensify into hurricane within next six hours... Fishermen anchor boats at Korangi Ibrahim Hydari as typhoon threat looms..   After the tropical cyclone alert, the local authorities placed a ban on fishermen of Karachi and Thatta coastal belt from hunting in the Arabian Sea.  The Director General of the Meteorological Department has issued an alert as a cyclone named " Asni " is forming near Karachi.  The cyclone forming is the first time since 1964 that such a weather event is occurring in August, as cyclones in the region typically form in May and June . The cyclone , which has moved from land to sea, is expected to intensify into a hurricane within the next six hours , bringing stormy rains to Karachi, Tharparkar, and other areas. Balochistan is also expected to experience heavy rainfall until September 1, with the effects extending to South Punjab and Islamabad. High sea waves are anticipated as the cyclone's intensity ...

  Israel’s war on Gaza live: Israel leaves bodies in wake of Khan Younis exit..   Israeli forces have withdrawn from areas of eastern Khan Younis after a 22-day military operation, leaving destruction in their wake. At least nine bodies have been recovered by the Palestinian Civil Defence there so far. As Israel’s massive raid on the occupied West Bank continues for a third day, its army claims that it killed Hamas commander Wissam Hazem in Jenin. The World Health Organization has announced that Israel has agreed to limited “humanitarian pauses” to allow for vital polio vaccinations in Gaza, adding that more than 1.2 million vaccines are already in the Strip with an additional 400,000 on the way. China condemns Israel at the UN Security Council meeting, saying: “We must never allow the same humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza to happen in the West Bank, which will turn the West Bank into another hell on earth.” At least 40,602 people have been killed and...

  EU’s Borrell urges Ukraine backers to lift curbs on arms use inside Russia.. Ukraine is pushing its Western allies for additional air defences and to use weapons to attack targets in Russia...   The European Union’s top diplomat has ramped up pressure on Ukraine’s supporters to lift the restrictions on the use of Western weapons inside Russia. In advance of a meeting in Brussels of the bloc’s foreign and defence ministers, foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Thursday that curbs on the use of weapons against Russian targets needed to be lifted in accordance with international law... The weaponry that we are providing to Ukraine has to have full use, and the restrictions have to be lifted in order for the Ukrainians to be able to target the places where Russia is bombing them,” Borrell told reporters. “Otherwise, the weaponry is useless.”   The Ukrainian Air Force announced on Thursday that it had destroyed 60 of 74 Russian attack drones and two out of f...

  Israel’s war on Gaza live: Israeli attack targets Gaza displacement camp... Israel has targeted a tent camp housing displaced Palestinians in Khan Younis, killing at least five and wounding over dozen others, mainly women and children.   Israeli attacks have killed 68 Palestinians and wounded 77 in the last 24 hours, the Gaza Health Ministry says, while our team on the ground reports 28 people killed since this morning.   EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell says Israel’s major military incursion into the occupied West Bank must not be “the premises of a war extension from Gaza” and a repeat of the “full-scale destruction” seen in the Palestinian enclave.   The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) suspends staff movement across Gaza after one of its “clearly marked UN humanitarian vehicle” was hit at least 10 times by Israeli gunfire at a military checkpoint. The largest Israeli military raid on the occupied West Bank in decades continues with a...

  Heavy rain in lower Sindh stokes fears of urban flooding.. Mirpurkhas worst-affected; govt closes educational institutions for up to three days..   KARACHI : Continuous downpour across the southern districts of Sindh created an urban flooding-like situation on Wednesday, while the government decided to close schools and colleges for two to three days in the Hyderabad, Sanghar, Jamshoro, and Badin districts. The Pakistan Meteorological Department ( PMD ) warned of more rain in the next three days, predicting up to 300 millimetres of downpour in the Sujawal and Thatta districts. According to the PMD , rain also pummelled other parts of the country, badly disrupting daily life. In lower and central Sindh, cities including Sujawal , Badin, Kunri, Umerkot, Mithi, Hyderabad, Tando Jam, Hala, New Saeedabad, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas , have reportedly been submerged under rainwater. In Mirpurkhas, religious elders called for offering special prayers as the uninterrupted rain continued....

  Karachi braces for more rain as fifth monsoon spell continues Ongoing rain spell anticipated to persist until August 31...   The fifth spell of monsoon continues to affect Karachi, with intermittent rain causing disruptions across the city. According to Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfraz, the current weather system responsible for the rainfall is located approximately 320 kilometers from Karachi. Sarfraz indicated that more rain is expected in the city today, along with strong winds, raising concerns about potential urban flooding. He urged citizens to exercise caution during this period. The ongoing rain spell is anticipated to persist until August 31. nbsp; The weather system, driven by a deep depression, initially impacted the Sindh borders before making its way to Karachi. Throughout the night, light rain was reported across the city, leading to water accumulation on various roads.  Despite the challenges, the heavy rainfall has also brought some relief from the us...

Karachi rains: Sindh govt shares update on schools closure..   Speaking at ARY News programme ‘ Bakhabar Sawera , Sharjeel Memon said that the ‘ unexpected’ rain in Karachi on Monday was not forecasted by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). “ The PMD had forecasted rains from August 29, ” he added. The information minister said that schools, colleges, and other institutions will remain open if there is only light rain. He said that the decision to close them would be made based on the situation. Sharjeel Memon Memon said that heavy rainfall is forecasted in other parts of Sindh from August 27 to 31 and the government has made necessary preparations to tackle any untoward situation.   The information minister added that an emergency cell has also been set up at the Chief Minister’s House, saying that ministers, advisors, and special assistants have been directed to remain alert. Sharjeel Memon said that the provincial government has also provided necessary machinery...

  Pending IMF loan delays external funding for Pakistan..   Economic Affairs Division says Pakistan received only $436.3 million in external financial assistance in July... Pakistan is experiencing significant delays in securing external financial assistance due to the pending approval of a $7 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This delay has slowed down the flow of funds from other international financial institutions and countries, resulting in a shortfall in external financial support during the first month of the current fiscal year.   According to official documents from the Economic Affairs Division, Pakistan received only $436.3 million in external financial assistance in July, which represents just 2.2% of the $19.21 billion target for this fiscal year. This is a stark contrast to the same period last year, when Pakistan secured $2.89 billion in external loans. The breakdown of the received funds shows that $127.7 million w...