ISLAMABAD: The World Bank on Wednesday announced that its board of directors had approved the long-awaited $350 million loan ‘2nd Resilient Institutions for Sustainable Economy (RISE-II) Operation’ to Pakistan to support key macroeconomic reforms in energy, taxation and business environment. The financing “aims to strengthen fiscal management and promote competitiveness for sustained and inclusive economic growth”, the Washington-based multilateral lender …

COLORADO: Donald Trump is ineligible for the US presidency because of his involvement in the January 2021 assault on the Capitol, Colorado’s supreme court ruled on Tuesday, setting off a political earthquake that could upend next year’s election. The stunning legal decision — which Trump’s campaign said it would appeal — drew immediate condemnation from Republicans across the spectrum, and …

FLORIDA: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Asim Munir called on Gen Michael Erik Kurilla, the commander of the US Central Command (Centcom), and discussed cooperation in regional security matters, the military’s media affairs wing said on Tuesday. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army chief met the Centcom chief during a visit to Headquarters Central Command at Tampa …

WASHINGTON: Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington on Thursday to discuss regional security, defence cooperation and other key issues. Gen Munir also met acting Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland and Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer during his visit to the US Department of State. “Pakistan …

WASHINGTON: The US House of Represen­tatives voted on Wednes­day to formalise an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, escalating Republicans’ battle with Democrats ahead of the 2024 election in a move Biden himself slammed as a “baseless” stunt. Republicans, seizing on Biden’s son Hunter’s controversial international dealings, have yet to provide evidence of corruption by the president, and the Democratic-led Senate …

WASHINGTON: Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir commenced his first working day in Washington on Wednesday with a meeting with the US defence secretary at the Pentagon. The Pentagon issued a brief statement after the meeting, saying: “Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin III hosted Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir at the Pentagon today, where the …

QUETTA: Balochistan caretaker Information Minister Jan Achakzai on Wednesday deleted a post on X (formerly Twitter) in which he had proposed a set of counterterrorism measures, including offering the United States “drone bases to target militant sanctuaries in Afghanistan”. The minister’s suggestion had come a day after at least 23 Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred and more than 30 troops wounded after …

QUETTA: A day after a deadly attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan claimed the lives of 23 Pakistan Army soldiers, Balochistan caretaker Information Minister Jan Achakzai has proposed a set of counterterrorism measures, including offering the United States “drone bases to target militant sanctuaries in Afghanistan”. The minister shared a series of counterterrorism measures in a post on his X (formerly …

VIRGINIA: An American warship and multiple commercial ships came under attack Sunday in the Red Sea, the Pentagon said, potentially marking a major escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Mideast linked to the Israel-Hamas war. “We’re aware of reports regarding attacks on the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as …

BEIJING: China has warned the US and the Philippines that their recent joint naval patrols near Chinese territorial waters should not harm China’s sovereignty and maritime interests, with analysts saying the military activities by Washington and Manila showed the two countries have no sincerity to ease tension. Chinese military experts said the vessels and aircrafts that are participating in the patrol …