KYIV: Seven people, including three children, were killed Saturday in a Russian drone attack on a petrol station in the city of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, the regional governor said. “Unfortunately, the death toll from the occupiers’ attacks on Kharkiv has risen to seven,” Oleg Synegubov said on the Telegram social network. “Among them are three children: 7, 4 years …

Hamas on Saturday warned that there could be “tens of thousands” of dead and injured if the Israeli military attacked Rafah, in the far south of the Gaza Strip. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu this week said he had ordered troops to prepare to go into the city, crowded with displaced Palestinians, as it hunts down those responsible for the deadly …

In a statement issued today, Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson, addressed the recent elections in Pakistan, emphasizing the importance of upholding democratic principles while expressing concerns over reported irregularities. Millions of Pakistanis made their voices heard by voting in Pakistan’s elections on February 8, with record numbers of Pakistani women, members of religious and ethnic minority groups, and youth registered,” said …

ISLAMABAD: Exports to nine regional countries grew 17.71 per cent during the first half of the current fiscal year mainly driven by an increase in shipments to China. The country’s exports to Afghanistan, China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Iran, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives rose to $2.233 billion in July-December FY24 from $1.897bn in the corresponding period last year, showed …

ISLAMABAD: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), aided by its in-house Adjudication Division, aims to promote compliance and transparency in the corporate sector. This quasi-judicial arm maintains independence and minimises arbitrariness in decision-making while adhering to laws and international best practices. The commission effectively enforced its laws in the first half of 2023-24, deciding 1,849 cases of violations …

BERLIN: NATO’s secretary general called on Europe to increase its arms production to support Ukraine and prevent “potentially decades of confrontation” with Moscow, in an interview published by German media Saturday. Ahead of a key meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels and the second anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war, Jens Stoltenberg insisted that “we need to reconstitute and expand …

ISLAMABAD: On the advice of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the government has decided to conduct special competition and regulatory audits of the major economic sectors involving a large footprint of the state-owned entities (SOEs) to identify entry barriers for the private sector and ensure fair and competitive environment in the public sector. Informed sources said the Competition Commission of …

KARACHI: Foreign exchange reserves of the State Bank fell by $173 million during a week due to debt servicing payments, adding more uncertainty to an economy already passing through a difficult phase. The central bank reported on Friday that its foreign reserve holdings during the week that ended on Feb 2 dropped to $8.044 billion from $8.216bn a week ago. …

Star Australia batter David Warner on Friday revealed when he plans to retire from international cricket after helping his side beat West Indies in the first Twenty20 International at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval. David Warner has already called time on his Test and ODI career. The batter played his last 50-over game on January 1 and bid farewell to five-day cricket …