NATIONALRawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema has termed as fake a notification claiming a local holiday was declared in the city for April 22. The clarification comes amid heightened administrative measures ahead of expected US-Iran talks in Islamabad.
WorldShipping through the Strait of Hormuz remained largely halted on Tuesday, with only three ships crossing in 24 hours. Hundreds of vessels and 20,000 seafarers remain stranded as tensions between the US and Iran continue.
PoliticsMaulana Fazlur Rehman has urged Gulf states to reassess security arrangements, saying US airbases have increased strategic risks. He also spoke about Pakistan’s mediation efforts, domestic politics, Afghanistan, CPEC and election-related concerns.
HEALTHHealth Minister Mustafa Kamal says Pakistan has enough medicine stocks for the next five to six months. The PPMA says the industry is absorbing higher energy and logistics costs without passing them on to consumers.
SportsFormula One has agreed a set of engine rule refinements to be introduced from the Miami race on May 3. The FIA said the changes are intended to improve racing, energy management and driver safety under the new power-unit regulations.
PoliticsNawaz Sharif praised the federal government, Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Asim Munir for Pakistan’s role in US-Iran mediation efforts. He also lauded Punjab’s performance and criticised the PTI-led KP government over law and order.
WorldAzerbaijan’s SOCAR says it is ready to supply LNG to Pakistan once Pakistan LNG Limited submits a request. The statement comes as Islamabad seeks additional cargoes to ease an energy shortfall ahead of summer.
An 11-year-old boy in Uttar Pradesh suffered severe burns after a dispute with a catering contractor over sweets at a wedding in Basti. He was shifted to Lucknow Medical College; police have registered an attempted murder case and launched a search.
NATIONALThe ILO says around 3.3 million jobs may have been affected by the 2025 floods in Pakistan, with rural areas and agriculture bearing the brunt. The assessment covered 14 badly affected districts in Punjab and KP.
WorldFormer Foreign Office chief Olly Robbins told MPs that Downing Street repeatedly pressed officials to approve Peter Mandelson’s appointment as UK envoy to Washington. He said Number 10 showed a dismissive attitude toward the vetting process.
BusinessFinance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told the EU envoy that the government is pursuing a diversified capital markets strategy to strengthen external buffers and secure sustainable financing. He also accepted an invitation to address the EU-Pakistan Business Forum in Islamabad on April 28.
WorldRising temperatures in Gaza have intensified infestations of rats, fleas and other pests in displacement camps, adding to already severe living conditions. The UN and medical staff say poor sanitation and lack of safe water are worsening health risks.
