Two soldiers martyred, seven terrorists killed in North Waziristan: ISPRTwo soldiers were martyred while seven terrorists were gunned down in a fire exchange that took place between security forces and the terrorists , the military’s media affairs wing said on Sunday. In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the IBO was conducted on the information of the presence of terrorists in the general area of Ghulam Khan Kalle, North Waziristan District. During the operation, the terrorists exchanged fire with the security and the troops effectively engaged the terrorists resultantly, 7 of them were killed. The killed terrorists remained actively involved in several terrorist activities against security forces, the ISPR said. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the possession of killed terrorists.

Entire nation united on counter-terrorism narrative: PMPrime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says entire nation is on same page on the narrative against terrorism and stands by its armed forces and law enforcement agencies. He stated this while chairing a meeting on law and order situation of the country in Lahore on Sunday. He said efforts will continue till eradication of terrorism, and no compromise will be made for the defence of the motherland. The Prime Minister said that a good law and order in country is prerequisite for restoration of economy of the country and its growth. Shehbaz Sharif was apprised about the measures for the eradication of terrorism and the threats posed in this regard.

Pakistan men's cricket team will participate in the tri-nation series hosted by New Zealand Cricket (NZC). According to the details, a tri-nation series consisting of hosts New Zealand, Pakistan and Bangladesh was planned before the T20 World Cup scheduled in Australia in October this year. "I was behind PCB's international department to somehow find a way that our team can play six to seven games before the World Cup. The pitches in New Zealand also have bounce and pace, the side will benefit from playing matches there," he added. It must be noted that Pakistan will also host England in September for seven T20Is.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has confirmed the national cricket team’s participation in the tri-nation T20I series in New Zealand ahead of the October World Cup starting in Australia. England has already confirmed arriving in Pakistan to play a seven-match T-20 series in Pakistan. That never happened in Pakistan cricket before.”He asserted that the impact of international cricket would be visible on domestic cricket. My intentions are to see Pakistan cricket at the top. But on my family’s insistence, I had to accept the responsibility for the better of Pakistan cricket,” he maintained.

The former premier announced to hold anti-government public gatherings in all the major cities with him addressing the main event at Islamabad’s Parade Ground on July 2. He said he had issued directives to all party workers to hold the rallies on Saturday night. Imran said the PTI had challenged the amendments in the Supreme Court and expressed optimism that the judiciary would not let the “cruelty” happen to Pakistan. However, he added that the factories of Faisalabad were now closing and unemployment was increasing due to flawed policies of corrupt government. Meanwhile, ahead of the by-elections in Lahore, the PTI chairman will address public gatherings in different areas of the metropolis on Sunday (today).

The Ministry of Planning Development & Special Initiatives is all set to host Turn Around Conference (TAC) with an objective of gathering the nation together to find solutions to the country’s current socio- economic issues. These solutions would be aimed at short term results; if substantial these due deliverance compact ideas can be extended on to mid and long term objectives. The conference will be held on June 28 at Convention Center which will be graced by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif as chief Guest, according to a press release issued on Saturday by the Planning Ministry. The prime objective of the conference is to engage all the relevant stakeholders which hold the development sector together from across the nation. However, the government’s focus is to ferret out the medium to long-term solutions to optimise country’s economy to tap its full potential in line with Vision 2025.

Born on June 30, 1930, Sadequain (1930–1987) would have been ninety-two this year. Sadequain was a polymath and recognised on all five continents even before the advent of social media or television. This sounds like a a harsh statement about Sadequain, but is in fact a comment on the state of affairs in the country. Sadequain painted more than 45 murals from 1950s to 1980s. But the exhibits are not for sale, he told them.”The writer is the founder of the Sadequain Foundation, USA

Sebastián Blanco scored on a first-half penalty kick, Jaroslaw Niezgoda added a brace in the second half and the Portland Timbers rolled to a 3-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night. Portland (4-6-7) didn't grab the lead until Blanco's PK score in the eighth minute of first-half stoppage time. Eryk Williamson notched an assist on Niezgoda's second goal of the game and fifth of the season. Colorado (5-7-4) and Portland both took 19 shots, but the Timbers had a 7-5 edge in shots on goal. ___More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

LONDON – Britain’s railway system once again came to a virtual standstill on Saturday and flights in Europe were disrupted as strikes in the travel sector hit the continent. Tens of thousands of rail workers in the UK staged the latest day-long walkout over pay and job security, hampering weekend plans for those already hit by similar strikes on Tuesday and Thursday. The RMT rail union insists this week’s actions are necessary as wages have failed to keep pace with UK inflation, which has hit a 40-year high and is on course to keep rising. RMT secretary general Mick Lynch said its members are “standing up for all working people trying to get a pay rise and some job security”. “A fraction of trains will run compared to a usual Saturday service, with trains starting later in the morning and finishing much earlier in the evening.”

This after Kraigg Brathwaite (51) and John Campbell put on the team’s first century opening stand in nearly four years was testament to Bangladesh’s fight. Three off the four West Indies wickets to fall in the opening session came in a 15-ball period after Bangladesh finally succeeded in their quest to have the ball changed. From 100/0, West Indies had slipped to 132/4 with the visitors finding their voice to welcome the new batters ahead of a nervy 10-minute period before Lunch. Until then it was rather smooth sailing for West Indies, with Brathwaite and Campbell continuing rather serenely from the team’s overnight total of 67/0. His fuller lines weren’t exactly bringing the uneven bounce into play and were allowing the batters to lean into drives.

Pakistan rejects any attempt by India to contemplate some G20-related event in IIOJK: AsimPakistan says it completely rejects any attempt by India to contemplate some G20-related event or meeting in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. In a statement on Saturday, Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed said Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized “disputed” territory between Pakistan and India and the dispute remains on the agenda of the UN Security Council for over seven decades. The Spokesperson said since India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5th August 2019, Indian occupation forces have killed 639 innocent Kashmiris in extra-judicial murders. He said several reports of the United Nations have re-confirmed the ongoing Indian atrocities against the Kashmiri people. The Spokesperson said India has been seeking to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory in flagrant violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions and international law.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday warned of an “unprecedented global hunger crisis,” saying next year could be worse. In the past two years, the number of severely food insecure people around the world has more than doubled to 276 million, according to the World Food Programme. Guterres said fertilizers and energy prices rose in the past year, which he said would impact all harvests including rice and corn. “This year’s food access issues could become next year’s global food shortage,” he said. “No country will be immune to the social and economic repercussions of such a catastrophe.”

Lizzo and Live Nation have pledged $1 million to abortion nonprofits following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn 1973's Roe v. Wade and the constitutional right to abortion. "God put me here to do good," Lizzo said at Friday's Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards, announcing her and Live Nation's $1 million donation to Planned Parenthood and Abortion FundsThe Grammy Award winner, 34, has pledged $1 million from her upcoming Special Tour to Planned Parenthood and Abortion Funds. "I'm pledging $500k from my upcoming tour to Planned Parenthood and Abortion Rights. Live Nation agreed to match— to make it 1 MILLION dollars," Lizzo wrote Friday on Twitter. She later opened up about her philanthropic contribution Friday night as she accepted the Fearlessness Award at the 2nd Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards in Beverly Hills.

Royals to republics: Commonwealth talks unity as relevance under scrutinyKigali: Prince Charles says Commonwealth nations are free to farewell the monarchy and become republics, acknowledging changes well under way in a colonial-era organisation trying to define its modern profile and purpose. Murphy said Commonwealth membership had become "almost a mark of international respectability" for countries with reputation problems or a desire to pivot away from France. Despite its shared history of colonialism, Commonwealth nations were not rushing to pore over the painful past or broach uncomfortable topics such as reparations from Britain. Some say the Commonwealth could find new relevance by asking these difficult questions. "It is a logical framework for discussing colonial legacy issues, because that´s the thing that pretty much all Commonwealth members have in common," said Murphy.

According to the sources, the COAS spent some time with Gen Musharraf and his family at their apartment. PHOTO: FILEChief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and his wife have recently visited the ailing former president and army chief Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf in Dubai, according to sources close to the former military ruler’s family. “Gen Qamar and his wife were accompanied by top physicians of Pakistan Army,” one source told The Express Tribune. “Gen Musharraf and his family greeted the COAS and his wife with great delight,” added the source, who was also present in the meeting. Gen Musharraf was the first army chief to be charged with high treason and the security establishment had watched the case carefully.