Author: Kainat R

US, China Extend Trade Truce to January 10 as Xi Begins Washington Visit

Kainat R
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping shake hands at Joint Base Andrews during 2026 US-China trade truce summit

The United States and China have agreed to extend their fragile trade truce by two months, pushing the new deadline to January 10, 2027. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the extension on September 23, just as Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in Washington for a rare state visit. The announcement came only hours before the original truce was due to expire on November 10. It buys both economies more time to negotiate a broader agreement, though officials on both sides admit a full deal remains far from certain. Background The…

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President Zardari Approves Ordinance to Protect Islamabad Safe City Infrastructure

Kainat R
Islamabad Safe City surveillance camera installed along a city road under new protection ordinance

Safe City Cameras in Islamabad Now Covered Under New Legal Protection President Asif Ali Zardari has given his approval to a new law aimed at safeguarding the Islamabad Safe City infrastructure from vandalism and physical damage. The move came on the formal advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and was confirmed through an official statement from the President’s House on Saturday. The newly signed law has been named the Islamabad Capital Territory Safe City Camera and Surveillance Infrastructure Protection and Damage Compensation Ordinance. Its core purpose is to shield the…

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Pakistan Squash Delivers Another Asian Games Medal as Noor and Ashab Storm Into Semis

Kainat R
Noor Zaman and Ashab Irfan celebrate reaching Pakistan squash Asian Games semifinals in Nagoya

Summary Pakistan secured its second Asian Games medal in squash on Friday. Noor Zaman and Muhammad Ashab Irfan both won their quarter-final matches at the Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena. The wins guarantee Pakistan at least two bronze medals in the men’s singles event, since losing semi-finalists are awarded bronze under Asian Games rules. Background Squash has long been one of Pakistan’s strongest disciplines on the international stage. Pakistan squash produced legends like Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan, and the sport remains a source of national pride at every Asian Games…

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PM Shehbaz Sharif Invites Pakistan Business Delegation to Explore New Investment Opportunities

Kainat R
PM Shehbaz Sharif meets Pakistan business delegation from the United States in New York

Summary A Pakistan business delegation made up of US-based Pakistani business lead0ers met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday. The prime minister used the meeting to invite the group to explore new investment opportunities, pointing to reforms he said had put the country’s economy on a firmer footing. Background Engagement between Islamabad and the Pakistani diaspora in the United States has picked up over the past year as the government has looked for new sources of foreign investment…

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Trump Xi Summit Wraps Up With Joint Visit to US National Archives

Kainat R
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping standing together during their Washington summit visit to the US National Archives

Summary President Donald Trump closed out his high-profile summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping by taking him on Friday to the US National Archives in Washington, DC. The visit was expected to see both leaders stress their views about the history and direction of ties between their countries. The stop capped a three-day state visit that mixed heavy ceremony with limited concrete outcomes. Background Xi’s trip marked his first visit to Washington since September 2015, arriving in the US capital shortly after the pope. Trump, Xi and their spouses gathered…

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The Round-the-World Walking Journey That Took 28 Years to Finish

Kainat R
Map-style illustration tracing a British walker's round-the-world walking journey from Chile to England

Most journeys measured in decades belong to history books, not living adventurers. Karl Bushby’s round-the-world walking journey is the exception. Since 1998, the former British paratrooper has been on a single, unbroken walk from the southern tip of Chile to his childhood home in Hull, England — a route now estimated at close to 50,000 kilometres. How the Journey Began Bushby left Punta Arenas, Chile, on November 1, 1998, setting two personal rules that have defined the expedition ever since: he would not use any motorised transport, and he would…

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India’s Women’s Safety Crisis: Why New Laws Haven’t Stopped Rape Cases

Kainat R
Protesters holding placards at a women's safety march in New Delhi, India

Summary A string of high-profile rape cases in India has reignited public anger over women’s safety, including an incident in which three men posing as police officers allegedly gang-raped a 17-year-old girl in a public park in New Delhi. The case has renewed a familiar question: why have over a decade of legal reforms and tougher sentencing failed to bring down sexual violence? Background Hundreds of students marched through New Delhi this week, demanding stronger safety measures after the latest high-profile case. The public anger echoes the aftermath of the…

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Japan Kabaddi Team Chases Asian Games Medal in Nagoya

Kainat R
Japan kabaddi team players in action during an Asian Games 2026 match in Nagoya

The Japan kabaddi team is having a mixed but memorable run at the 2026 Asian Games, trading heavy losses against Asia’s traditional powers for gritty wins that have kept the host nation’s medal hopes alive. Playing in front of home crowds in Nagoya, Japan has shown that kabaddi, still a niche sport in the country, is finding a genuine following. Background Kabaddi is being played at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium in Aichi Prefecture from September 21 to 26, 2026, as part of the Asian Games hosted in Japan. The sport,…

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India Junk Food Ban: Government Set to Restrict Sales Near Schools

Kainat R
Roadside food stall selling packaged snacks near an Indian school gate

India is moving closer to a nationwide junk food ban that would restrict the sale of high-fat and high-sugar food within 50 metres of schools. The proposal marks one of the country’s biggest steps yet against childhood obesity and poor eating habits among students. Background Concerns over unhealthy eating near schools in India are not new. Courts and state health departments have raised the issue for years, but the current push comes from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the national food regulator. The idea was first…

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One Month After Nepal’s Deadly Floods, Over 5,700 Remain Missing

Kainat R
Rescue workers search through mud and debris after Nepal's deadly floods near the Rasuwagadhi border area

Summary Nepal is marking one grim month since a wall of ice, rock and mud tore through the Langtang valley on August 26. The country’s disaster authority now says 1,451 bodies have been pulled from the wreckage, while more than 5,700 people are still unaccounted for. The scale of loss keeps growing even as rescue teams shift from search-and-rescue to slower, grimmer recovery work. Background The disaster began just before 9 am local time on August 26, when a massive section of Nepal’s Langtang Lirung mountain broke away from an…

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