WorldDonald Trump said the US and Iran could sign a peace deal in Europe this weekend, though Tehran has not formally confirmed it. The announcement came after fresh strikes, Iranian retaliation and renewed calls for diplomacy.
WorldBritish Defence Secretary John Healey has resigned, saying Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Treasury were not committing enough funding to national defence. The move comes days before a by-election that could intensify pressure on the Labour leader.
WorldILO members are due to vote on a draft convention that could become the first global treaty protecting gig workers. The proposed pact would extend core labour rights to platform workers regardless of employment classification.
WorldPolice arrested 16 people and 12 officers were injured during a second night of unrest in Northern Ireland after a Belfast stabbing. Authorities said far-right activists helped inflame tensions online.
WorldUN experts have condemned the detention of women in Herat over dress code enforcement, saying at least two people were killed and more than 20 wounded in a protest. MSF also said one of its medical workers was detained for two days.
NATIONALA strike by traders, transporters and mine owners in Balochistan was called off after talks with government officials. The protest had shut businesses, blocked highways and disrupted transport across several cities.
NATIONALPolice have set up special checkpoints on routes linking Rawalpindi district with Azad Jammu and Kashmir after recent unrest in the region. The deployment follows deadly clashes in Rawalakot city.
NATIONALPims has denied reports that jailed former prime minister Imran Khan was being shifted from Adiala Jail for an eye examination. The rumours surfaced after security was tightened around the Islamabad hospital.
NATIONALAt a Karachi seminar, PPP leaders and other speakers said any move to place Karachi under federal control or weaken the 18th Amendment would violate the Constitution. Some participants also questioned the PPP’s continued support for the federal government.
CITYA Karachi court has sent a woman to police custody for six days in a case involving the alleged murder of her husband, which was allegedly portrayed as suicide. Police told the court the exact cause of death is yet to be determined and a co-accused remains at large.
NATIONALMuch of Sindh remained in the grip of intense heat on Thursday, with six cities recording 50C or above. Karachi hit 40C, while the Met department forecast continued hot and humid weather with a slight easing ahead.
EducationPakistan’s literacy rate has risen to 63pc, according to the Economic Survey 2025-26, but education spending has dropped to Rs962 billion. The survey also reported fewer out-of-school children, alongside persistent regional and gender disparities.
