KYIV: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson offered to launch a military training programme for Ukrainian forces on Friday as he met President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on his second trip to the Ukrainian capital since Russia’s invasion. Johnson, who survived a no confidence vote earlier this month, was greeted by Zelenskiy as a “great friend” and posted a picture of …

KABUL: A bomb blast at a mosque in northern Afgha­nistan killed at least one worshipper and woun­ded seven others during Friday prayers, police said. The explosion occurred in the northern province of Kunduz in a district where dozens of worshippers had been killed in April in a similar bomb attack. Provincial police spokes­man Qari Obaidullah Abedi said one worshipper had …

The company tasked with collecting and facilitating applications from prospective Haj pilgrims living in western countries has at least one investor with close ties to India’s government, Middle East Eye reports. Saudi Arabia’s authorities had last week announced that Haj pilgrims from Australia, Europe and the United States would need to apply for visas via the government portal Motawif, a move intended …

WASHINGTON: US Under Secretary of State Uzra Zeya has said that Washington is looking forward to a close partnership with Pakistan on human rights and support for Afghan relocation efforts and refugees. At a State Department news briefing on Thursday afternoon, spokesperson Ned Price expanded the horizon of this partnership, adding that Washington was looking to “advance that partnership in a manner …

An attack on a Sikh temple in the Afghan capital of Kabul killed at least two people and injured seven on Saturday, following a blast in a car loaded with explosives, officials said, but there was no immediate claim of responsibility. Grey smoke billowed over the area in images aired by domestic broadcaster Tolo. A Taliban interior spokesman said attackers had …

KARACHI: A woman police constable and her brother suffered burn injuries when unknown persons threw acid on them in the Gulzar-i-Hijri area on Friday, police said. Sohrab Goth DSP Nasir Bukhari said at around 10:00pm, policewoman Gulzara Mushtaq, 25, was on her way with her brother Rizwan, 22, on a motorbike to perform duty at the Sohrab Goth police station …

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Water Resources Syed Khursheed Shah on Friday stated on the floor of the National Assembly that some 6,000 cusecs of water was being wasted while flowing a distance of 350 kilometres from Sukkur Barrage to Kotri Barrage because of “evaporation”, and at the same time expressed his surprise over missing 20,000 cusecs between Taunsa, the last barrage …

ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Friday issued alert to the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA) and district disaster management authorities to stay vigilant as the glacial lake outburst flood (Glof) risk is looming amid the prevailing weather conditions. “There is an increased possibility of Glof/flash floods, landslides and gusty winds in vulnerable areas of GB,” the NDMA …

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has abolished the pro forma policy for promotion of bureaucrats that was not only burdening the exchequer but had also inundated the Establishment Division with frequent litigation. The government led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) through a statutory regulatory order (SRO) omitted the proviso that enabled the civil servants to claim pro forma promotion, according …

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed for taking steps to make the act of setting fire to a forest as a non-bailable offence. A statement issued here said that Mr Khan was chairing a meeting regarding the recent incidents of forest fires in the province. It was attended by Provincial Minister for Forests Ishtiaq Urmer, Chief Secretary Dr Shehzad …