BEIJING: China’s top diplomat told his Pakistani counterpart on Tuesday that the next phase of negotiations between the United States and Iran—which Pakistan has helped mediate—will be “more difficult”. In a phone conversation ahead of the planned signing on Friday of a US-Iran memorandum of understanding to end their war, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi…

TEHRAN: Tehran announced on Tuesday that a two-month US naval blockade of Iranian ports had been lifted ahead of the formal signing of an agreement in Switzerland this Friday aimed at ending the recent Middle East conflict, as the two countries are set to begin two months of negotiations on a final settlement. Iranian Deputy…

• Rs5.9tr surplus budget unveiled • Current spending reduced by 3.1% under fiscal consolidation push • Salaries up LAHORE: The Punjab government unveiled on Tuesday Rs5.903 trillion surplus budget for coming fiscal year, showing reduced current expenditures, despite a 7% increase in salaries and 3.5% hike in pension, while a substantial amount of Rs803.88 billion…

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s quiet but intensive diplomatic efforts played a pivotal role in preventing a potentially devastating regional conflict among the Muslim countries, revealed security sources on Tuesday, as preparations enter the final phase for the signing of a landmark peace agreement between Iran and the United States in Switzerland later this week. At a background…

NEW DELHI: India has temporarily blocked the Telegram messaging app, saying it was used to try to defraud candidates for a national medical entrance test, which was also hit last month by allegations of leaked papers that led millions of results to be cancelled. The ban, which is unprecedented in India, was “in response to…

DUBAI: A $300 billion private fund designed to trigger investment into Iran is outlined in the U.S.-Iran framework agreement and more than half that sum has already been committed, a source with direct knowledge of the deal told Reuters. The fund is designed to give both sides an economic incentive to conclude a final deal,…

. Celestial bodies: A section of the Cat’s Paw Nebula, a star-forming region composed of gas, dust, and young stars, in this image obtained by the James Webb Space Telescope. The Cat’s Paw Nebula is located approximately 4,000 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius. Photo: REUTERS WASHINGTON: Taking a fresh look at data involving a…

. KARACHI: A fresh surge in measles cases has taken a dangerous turn in Sindh, with more than 2,000 children infected so far this year and 53 losing their lives due to complications. Speaking to The Express Tribune, paediatrician Dr Khalid Shafi said that the nationwide death toll from measles has reached 96. Across Pakistan,…

They had initially refused to descend the 10-foot manhole, but the chief inspector had threatened to fire them. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE A five-year-old boy died after falling into an uncovered manhole in Lahore’s Sundar area on Tuesday, officials said. The victim, identified as Hassan Amir, was playing in a street near Rana Town, behind a mosque,…