Category: INTERNATIONAL

Saudi Arabia Labor Laws Introduce Major New Benefits for Agricultural Workers

Nadeem Ali

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia labor laws have introduced major new protections and employment benefits for agricultural and herding workers, including 30 days of paid annual leave, eight-hour working days, overtime pay and mandatory weekly rest. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has approved an updated regulatory framework covering workers employed in private homes, farms and livestock operations. The latest Saudi Arabia labor laws also require employers to provide suitable accommodation, food allowances, transportation and certain medical or repatriation expenses. The new rules are aimed at strengthening worker protections and…

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Dar Meets Araghchi on Sidelines of SCO Summit 2026, Pushes for Islamabad MoU Implementation

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Ishaq Dar and Abbas Araghchi shake hands at the SCO Summit 2026 in Bishkek

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar sat down with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the SCO Summit 2026 in Bishkek. The two men agreed on one thing above all: the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding has to be followed through, not just signed and shelved. The meeting took place as the wider Middle East remains tense, and it added another data point to Pakistan’s ongoing effort to keep itself in the middle of that conversation rather than on the sidelines of it.…

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Pakistan Prime Minister 2026 Kyrgyzstan Visit: Shehbaz Sharif Heads to Bishkek for SCO Summit

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Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Zhaparov at the SCO summit in Bishkek, 2026

Shehbaz Sharif Begins Three-Day Kyrgyzstan Trip as Pakistan Takes Over SCO Chair.Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif left for Bishkek on Monday, opening a three-day visit that runs from August 31 to September 2, 2026. Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Nurgozhoevich Zhaparov extended the invitation, and the trip centres on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Council of Heads of State meeting. The Foreign Office confirmed the schedule in a statement issued before departure. It described the visit as combining the SCO summit with a separate round of bilateral talks in the Kyrgyz Republic, and…

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Nepal Flood Missing: Thousands Still Unaccounted for After Glacier Collapse Buries Himalayan Valleys

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Rescue teams searching mudslide debris after Nepal flood missing thousands near China borde

Summary Rescue teams in Nepal and China spent Sunday combing through mud, rubble and swollen rivers as the Nepal flood missing count climbed past 3,000. A section of Himalayan glacier gave way earlier in the week, sending a wall of ice, rock and debris crashing through mountain valleys. The confirmed death toll has now reached 750, and officials warn that number is likely to rise further as access to remote areas slowly improves. Background The disaster began on Wednesday morning when part of a glacier near Langtang Lirung broke apart…

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PACCC Gala 2026 Highlights New Pakistan-U.S. Trade and Investment Opportunities

Asim Siddiqui

Pakistani American Chicagoland Chamber Gala Highlights New Opportunities for U.S.–Pakistan Trade and Investment By Asim Siddiqui CHICAGO: The Pakistani American Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce (PACCC) brought together business leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals and community representatives at its Annual Gala 2026, highlighting new opportunities to strengthen economic, educational and technological cooperation between Pakistan and the United States. The event provided a platform for discussions on expanding corridors of trade, knowledge, technology and investment, with particular attention to sectors including information technology, agriculture, energy, healthcare and education. Chamber Chairman Dr. Tariq Butt emphasized…

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Trump Announces US Deal to Control More Than 65 Billion Barrels of Venezuela’s Oil Reserves

Nadeem Ali
Donald Trump announces US Venezuela oil deal covering billions of barrels of reserves

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has announced a major agreement giving the United States control over more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuela’s proven oil reserves, describing the deal as a major step toward increasing American energy supplies and reducing fuel prices. Trump said the agreement would more than double the United States’ oil reserves and could “substantially lower gas prices” for American consumers. The announcement comes as the US faces continued pressure over elevated petrol prices following disruptions linked to the conflict with Iran. Venezuela has the world’s largest…

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Nepal China Flood: Missing Toll Nears 3,000 as Rescuers Dig Through Mud

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Rescue workers searching through thick mud and debris after the Nepal-China border flash flood in Rasuwa district

The Nepal China flood disaster has left nearly 3,000 people missing days after a catastrophic wall of water and debris tore through the Himalayan border region. Rescuers on both sides of the frontier are still clawing through thick mud in a desperate search for survivors, even as fears grow over a second wave of flooding from a newly formed lake. Background The disaster struck on the morning of August 26, when a sudden torrent of ice, rock and mud swept down from the mountains along the Nepal-China border. The flood…

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Trump Says US Has Secured Majority Control Over Venezuela Oil Reserves

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Oil tanker loading crude near Venezuela oil reserves under new US partnership deal

Summary President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the United States has secured majority control of more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuela oil reserves. The agreement, reached through a partnership with private business, marks one of the biggest energy deals in recent history. Officials say the deal could reshape US fuel supply while boosting Venezuela’s battered economy. Background Venezuela oil reserves have long been recognised as the largest proven reserves on the planet, sitting at roughly 303 billion barrels. Despite this, the country’s output has collapsed over the past…

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Rakhi Bandhan Celebrations Underway at Gurdwara Panja Sahib

Ijaz Ul Hasan

Rakhi Bandhan Celebrations Underway at Gurdwara Panja Sahib Attock Bureau Chief Ijaz-ul-Hassan Religious celebrations of the Hindu festival of Rakhi Bandhan are underway at the historic Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, where members of the Hindu community from different parts of the country are arriving to participate in the festivities. As part of the traditional rituals, sisters are tying rakhis around their brothers’ wrists and offering prayers for their safety, good health, prosperity and long lives. In return, brothers are expressing their commitment to protecting their sisters and…

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Nepal Flash Flood: Fresh Flooding Fears Grow as Rescuers Scour Debris

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Damaged homes and flooded streets in Nuwakot district following Nepal flash flood

Two days after a catastrophic flash flood tore through Nepal northern border with Tibet, rescue teams are still combing through debris while a new danger looms overhead. A barrier lake formed by the disaster is at risk of bursting, and authorities fear it could unleash a second devastating flood on communities that haven’t yet recovered from the first. The confirmed death toll has now passed 470 across Nepal and China, with close to 1,000 people still listed as missing. Officials say the numbers could keep rising as search teams push…

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