Pochettino says Balogun foul ‘never’ a red card as suspension looms

US forward Folarin Balogun’s red card against Bosnia-Herzegovina means he will miss the next World Cup game against Belgium. Photo: AFP SANTA CLARA: USA coach Mauricio Pochettino said Wednesday striker Folarin Balogun should “never” have received a red card after he was sent off against Bosnia following a VAR review, meaning he will miss his side’s last-16 World Cup…

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Emergency response committee set up

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Wednesday, directed federal and provincial authorities to intensify preparations for the upcoming monsoon season, ordering the establishment of a national emergency response mechanism and stressing that coordinated action is essential to mitigate the growing risks posed by climate change. Chairing a high-level meeting to review monsoon preparedness and climate…

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Business leaders denounce live animal export policy

LAHORE: The export of live animals may provide short-term foreign exchange earnings, but it risks weakening Pakistan’s meat processing industry, reducing value addition and depriving the economy of thousands of jobs, according to business leaders and meat exporters, who have urged the government to revisit the policy. The concern has surfaced after the Punjab government…

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Eight-year-old killed, four wounded in wall collapse incident in Lahore’s Baghbanpura

Rescue 1122 spokesperson says 25 officials, seven vehicles took part in the rescue operation LAHORE: An eight-year-old child was killed, and at least four others were injured after the wall of an under-construction building collapsed in Lahore’s Baghbanpura area on Thursday, according to Lahore Rescue 1122. An official statement issued by the department noted that…

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Gold falls despite 2% global surge

Local rate dips Rs5,200/tola but international bullion rebounds on soft jobs data KARACHI: Gold prices in Pakistan declined on Wednesday, bucking a sharp global rally, as the local market showed muted response amid limited trading activity and rupee dynamics. According to the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association, the price of gold per tola dropped…

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A new, inexpensive Chinese AI model is catching up with Anthropic, OpenAI on their home turf

GLM-5.2 from Beijing startup Z.ai is drawing growing Western interest, narrowing the AI gap Since DeepSeek shocked markets early last year with its cheap but powerful AI model, global consumers have been faced with a choice: Chinese offerings with lower prices and less capability or OpenAI or Anthropic, which have poured ​billions into development. A…

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Glacier melt boosts water levels in rivers, reservoirs

Officials said the gradual increase in river flows had improved the availability of water in major reservoirs ISLAMABAD: Water levels in major rivers and reservoirs continued to improve on Wednesday as rising temperatures in the northern mountainous regions accelerated glacier melt, while authorities expressed optimism that the expected monsoon rains would further boost inflows and…

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SECP unveils first ESG Mutual Funds Framework

It will encourage companies to improve environmental, social and governance practices ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has taken a major step towards sustainable finance as the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has issued the country’s first ESG Mutual Funds Framework. The framework enables asset management companies to launch environmental, social and governance (ESG)-focused mutual funds, bringing…

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