Author: admin

Wall Street focuses on Vietnam tariffs, not job losses

White Nike sneakers on June 26, 2025 in Paris, France.

Edward Berthelot | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images

If I had to choose between having a job and paying less for Nike shoes, you'd see me run barefoot to the office. Wednesday's market moves, however, suggested that Wall Street preferred the cheaper shoes.

The U.S. economy lost private sector jobs in June, the first time hiring had contracted since March 2023, according to payrolls processing firm ADP. It's even more startling because a Dow Jones survey of economists had pegged job numbers to expand by 100,000.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on his social media site Truth Social that the country had made a trade deal with Vietnam, in which the Southeast Asian nation will face a 20% duty on imports to America. That means companies that rely heavily on Vietnam for manufacturing, such as Nike, Crocs and Lululemon, will face less onerous costs and might not hike prices as much, compared with the original tariff rate of 46%.

After weighing both pieces of news, investors decided the good news was more important and lifted the S&P 500 to a new closing high. Granted, the ADP report has had a spotty track record in predicting the official job figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But it's still worth thinking about how that's a sign financial markets could be slightly disconnected from the real economy: Who can afford to buy shoes and pump up stocks if they don't have jobs?

What you need to know today

Vietnam strikes a deal with America. Imports from the Southeast Asian nation to the U.S. will be subject to a 20% tariff, while the U.S. gets tariff-free access to Vietnam's market, Trump announced Wednesday.

The S&P 500 rises to close at a fresh record. The index also scored an intra-day high, while the Nasdaq Composite notched a record close. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index added 0.18%. U.K. bond yields jumped on turmoil in the Labour Party.

The U.S. lost private sector jobs in June. Job losses amounted to 33,000, reported ADP on Wednesday. Economists polled by Dow Jones had expected an increase of 100,000 jobs for the month.

Tesla reports a fall in second-quarter deliveries. The Elon Musk-led company delivered 384,122 vehicles in that period, a drop of 14% from a year ago. But Tesla shares still rose as the numbers were better than some investors had feared.

[PRO] A weak jobs report could trigger a sell-off. If the numbers for June's nonfarm payrolls, out Thursday, is anything like the ADP report, the JPMorgan trading desk thinks U.S. stocks could tumble.

And finally...

Employees at a coal mine in China's Shaanxi province sit in an office to use digital systems for mining work, according to a photo taken on April 26, 2023, during a media tour organized by Chinese telecoms giant Huawei.

Wang Zhao | Afp | Getty Images

A slowing economy meets a fast future

Life in China these days is a story of stark contrasts. If in one conversation, my counterparts are wringing their hands over a sluggish economy, the next reveals how quickly artificial intelligence is revamping industries.

While China's biggest cities are yet to see a return to the pre-Covid boom days, there are signs that smaller ones are experiencing rapid growth.

Augmented reality glasses startup Xreal invested in its own factory in the southeastern "tier 2" city of Wuxi and earlier this year announced a new glasses product running Google's XR operating system.

— Evelyn Cheng

Continue Reading

July 3, 2025
Chase confident Windies can rebound in Grenada Test

With history and heart on their side, West Indies captain Roston Chase is backing his side to bounce back from a disappointing opening Test defeat and deliver a more complete performance in the second Test of their three-match series against world number one Australia in Grenada.

The contest, which gets underway on Thursday at the Grenada National Stadium, holds extra significance—not only as a potential series leveller, but as the stage for veteran opener Kraigg Brathwaite’s 100th Test appearance. The milestone adds emotional weight to a match where the West Indies will be seeking redemption and renewed confidence.

Despite a promising start in Barbados, the Caribbean side faltered badly on day three, with dropped catches and lapses in concentration proving costly. Chase did not shy away from admitting his side’s shortcomings.

“I thought we fell down on the third morning. We had our plans set, and we got an opportunity that we were looking for, but we blew it, and I thought after that the guys went into the shadows mentally. And then we strayed away from the plans that we had set, and we offered up too many runs that were obviously too much for us to get,” Chase said in a pre-game press conference.

The fielding, too, came under scrutiny, as several key chances went begging, including a crucial dropped catch off Travis Head, who went on to anchor Australia’s second-innings push.

“As they say, catches win matches, and we put down quite a few. Even though we restricted them to 180 in the first innings, that Travis Head chance was very crucial. He was obviously the main batter on their side with Steve Smith out, and he made us pay for it. Then [Beau] Webster and [Alex] Carey just fed off that momentum. After that, the spirit in the team dropped, and we never recovered,” Chase admitted.

Still, the West Indies skipper remains undeterred. With Brathwaite poised to etch his name among Caribbean cricket greats, Chase believes the team can channel that inspiration into a renewed effort.

“I think it’s an amazing feat for Kraigg. Obviously coming from Barbados, I think he’s a modern-day legend, and he’s someone I look up to. One thing that he did state, probably early in his career or before starting his career, was that he wanted to play 100 Tests. So I think that that’s an amazing achievement that someone can set the goal from so early and achieve it after so many years,” Chase noted.

With Grenada’s National Stadium having hosted just four Tests since 2009, its telling trend somewhat favours the Windies, as the team batting second has won the last three matches at the venue. Brathwaite himself has previously scored a century at the venue, and with the surface expected to offer more even bounce than the pitch in Bridgetown, Chase believes conditions could be just right.

“This is my first match playing in a Test match in Grenada, so I’m looking forward to it. The pitch looks like a good one. It looks evenly grassed, and it looks better than Barbados, even though I am Barbadian. But yeah, I’m looking for it,” Chase said.

That said, Chase also acknowledged the bigger picture, that the team, though still developing, has shown flashes of brilliance that hint at their potential to challenge the world’s best.

“Cricket is played on the day. You could have a bad match and still come back the next day and shine. We’ve had some good moments in this series. Now it’s about putting all the pieces together,” he ended.

Continue Reading

July 3, 2025
CCD Tech used on latest ESA Sentinel-4 Mission

Teledyne Space Imaging in Chelmsford, UK, has designed, tested, and manufactured two charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensors which were delivered to Airbus GmbH for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Sentinel-4 air-quality monitoring mission. Sentinel-4, mounted on the Meteosat Third Generation Sounder (MTG-S) satellite, successfully launched on 1 July from Cape Canaveral in Florida, US, as part of the European Union’s Copernicus programme, led by the European Commission (EC) in partnership with ESA.

This marks the second launch in just one week featuring detector technology from Teledyne Space Imaging. The Japanese Global Observing SATellite for Greenhouse gases and Water cycle (GOSAT-GW) mission, which launched on 28 June 2025, included two CIS120 sensors from Teledyne.

Mission Purpose

Sentinel-4 incorporates two different types of CCD sensors within its Ultraviolet-Visible-Near-Infrared (UVN) imaging spectrometer instrument. The CCD374 sensor operates at ultraviolet and visible wavelengths, while the CCD376 sensor provides images in the near-infrared wavelength. From its geostationary orbit, the Sentinel-4 mission will deliver data on a range of trace gases, including ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide.

The Sentinel-4 mission will transmit data on tropospheric constituents over Europe every hour for use in air quality applications and monitoring projects on the ground. This data will provide valuable insights into climate, air pollutants, and ozone/surface ultraviolet (UV) applications, supporting ongoing research into protecting public health.

Project Involvement and Development

Teledyne Space Imaging first became involved in the Sentinel-4 project during its initial development phase in 2009, which included detector design, prototype manufacturing, and radiation testing. The second phase, which began in 2012, involved the design and validation of the flight detectors, as well as design updates based on the results of the first phase. The final phase, completed in 2019, was the flight model phase, during which Teledyne Space Imaging manufactured the flight deliverables for the customer. Reliability testing ensured the detectors will survive beyond the expected 10-year duration of the mission.

Ross Mackie, Principal Project Lead Engineer at Teledyne Space Imaging, said: “Our sensors were selected due to the heritage of our work on Sentinel-2 and -3, as well as internal developments that met the needs of this mission. Our detectors fulfilled all the mission’s requirements for operation in various wavelengths, giving us the edge in developing these exciting products for Sentinel-4. We were able to offer a bespoke approach to provide the best possible results for the mission.”

Tracy Phillips, Teledyne’s Principal Project Manager responsible for the execution and performance of the project, added: “Managing the CCDs for the Sentinel-4 mission was one of my first projects at Teledyne, and it was fascinating to learn about the technological capabilities of our detectors. It’s very exciting to work with such advanced sensors that will contribute to gathering vital information about our planet, ultimately better protecting Earth and helping save lives.”

Continue Reading

July 3, 2025
IND vs ENG 2nd Test: ‘Shubman Gill looked fantastic, very solid’ – Ravi Shastri hails gritty hundred at Edgbaston | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri showered high praise on Shubman Gill after the young Indian batter notched up his seventh Test century on a gripping first day of the second Test against England, describing it as a “disciplined performance” where Gill “looked fantastic and very solid.“Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Gill, coming in at No. 4, displayed remarkable poise and application to remain unbeaten on 114 off 216 balls, an innings studded with 12 boundaries. His knock, which helped India reach 310/5 at stumps, was his second century in as many matches after a match-defining 147 at Headingley last week.

EXCLUSIVE | David Gower on Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah and India’s England tour

“Shubman Gill has worked hard on his defence,” said Shastri on Sky Sports. “When he last came to England, he played with hard hands, pushed at the ball — a bit like Virat Kohli. But now, the top hand is much more in control. He allows the ball to come to him, trusts in his defence, and has all the shots in the book when he goes on the attack.”

Poll

Do you think India can reach a total of 450 runs in this innings?

Highlighting the vital 99-run unbeaten partnership with Ravindra Jadeja (41*), Shastri added, “India will be pretty happy. This stand has got them out of what could’ve been a spot of bother. But tomorrow morning is crucial — they’ll need another 150 at least. They can afford to lose just one wicket in the first hour.”Former England captain Nasser Hussain echoed Shastri’s sentiments, noting the importance of capitalising on the strong foundation. “As Ravi said, they should be getting this total up to 450 and beyond tomorrow. My eyes are on India – can they make up for their mistakes last time?”Hussain also acknowledged England’s tireless bowlers, saying, “It was a flat pitch. You can’t fault the effort. But this 99-run partnership turned the game. Before it, England were ahead – unlike Headingley.”As Day 2 beckons, all eyes remain on India to consolidate and avoid another Headingley-style collapse.

Continue Reading

July 3, 2025
New Methods to Shield Inner Ear from Hearing Loss

In 2015, Andre Hoelz, the Mary and Charles Ferkel Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, learned he had a rare brain tumor that was pressing on his acoustic nerve. The chemist, who normally focuses on solving the structure of protein assemblies in the lab, set out to learn everything he could about the workings of the auditory system.

Eventually he teamed up with his surgeon, Rick Friedman , who is also a research scientist and vice chair at UC San Diego specializing in disorders of the ear. The two have taken on the search for methods of protecting the inner ear against hearing loss. Now Hoelz and Friedman have received a grant to extend their experimental agenda.

The inner ear is a remarkable but somewhat fragile vehicle for carrying sound from the outer ear to the brain. It does this by means of tiny bundles of hair-like cells that respond to incoming sound waves by releasing neurotransmitters that send sonic information to the brain along the acoustic nerve. These inner ear hair cells are crucial to our hearing. Sadly, however, they cannot be regenerated. Once lost, they are gone forever, and the hearing they enabled is gone with them.

“There are some cells in our body that are so specialized that they cannot be replaced,” Hoelz explains. “The cells that make us hear, along with other sensory cells, fall into this category. We have 37 trillion cells in our body, and only 16,000 of those are involved in hearing. When these cells die, our hearing is gone. And when it comes to inner ear hair cells, it’s not a question of whether they will die, it’s a question of when.”

Inner ear hair cells (IHCs) perish for a variety of reasons, including viral infections, exposure to excessive noise, and normal aging processes. One cause of particularly devastating hearing loss is associated with cisplatin chemotherapy, a robust and taxing regimen of cancer treatment used to treat adult-onset cancers (testicular, head and neck, ovarian, cervical, endometrial, and lung, for example) and pediatric cancers (such as neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma, medulloblastoma, retinoblastoma, and Wilms tumor).

“Especially for pediatric patients, you want to kill as many cancer cells as possible. Children have another 80 years ahead of them, we hope. So, treatments for childhood cancers are aggressive,” Hoelz explains. “Unfortunately, cisplatin chemotherapy may cause severe damage to the ear hairs we need in order to hear. A full 70% of patients that are treated with cisplatin will end up with some degree of hearing loss.”

“There exist no ideal solutions to this toxicity,” Friedman adds.

Hearing loss is particularly damaging for children who are still in the early phase of developing speech and communication. About 2,000 children are exposed to cisplatin each year in the United States. The only currently available treatment approved by the Food and Drug Administration to avoid hearing loss in patients being treated with cisplatin has a serious drawback: It inactivates cisplatin, thereby weakening the effectiveness of the chemotherapy. “This drug is basically an antidote for cisplatin,” Hoelz says.

Cisplatin therapy saves lives that would otherwise be lost to cancer. If the choice comes down to losing one’s hearing or dying, there is usually little debate.

Hoelz himself confronted a similar dilemma in 2015 when he experienced severe vertigo and temporary hearing loss. Doctors discovered that a very rare brain tumor was exerting pressure on his acoustic nerve, affecting his balance and hearing. Since Hoelz’s symptoms came and went, he and his doctors chose to regularly monitor the tumor via MRI and periodically test his hearing. During this time, Hoelz began to see Dr. Friedman. “I had a very distinct feeling that eventually I would need to have surgery, and that Rick was the person to do it,” Hoelz remembers. “But Rick told me I was not the best candidate for ear preservation, so I hesitated. I thought, ‘I may not be lucky, but if not, at least I can keep my hearing for a while.'”

As Friedman monitored Hoelz’s tumor, the two men began to talk science. “It was strange,” Hoelz says. “I was debating whether or not to have the surgery, but alongside that, I was fascinated by Rick’s data on protein complexes involved in hearing and I began to think about how the work I did in my lab could shed light on these processes.”

When Hoelz’s symptoms became markedly worse, he opted to have the surgery and lost hearing in his left ear. But at the same time, he began a collaboration with Friedman that has already shown promising results.

For his part, Friedman says, “Meeting and collaborating with Andre is the best thing that has happened in my scientific career.”

Over the last five years, Hoelz, Friedman, and other scientists in the field have identified a gene that makes people more susceptible to hearing loss-whether from noise, cisplatin, or age-and started exploring ways to strengthen the inner ear hair cells to protect hearing.

Hoelz and Friedman first identified a gene, Prkag2, that encodes part of the AMPK (5′ adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase) complex. AMPK is an enzyme that works throughout the body, from the liver to the brain to skeletal muscle, to regulate metabolism. IHCs are highly metabolically active. The synapses that connect IHCs to the auditory nerve rely on AMPK to deliver neurotransmitters-in this case, glutamate-when they are stimulated by sound. Without these deliveries from the AMPK complex, the IHCs cannot communicate auditory information to the brain.

Hoelz and Friedman have shown that they can in fact protect IHCs, and the hearing that relies on them, if an AMPK-activating drug is properly delivered prior to cisplatin treatment. With a grant from Curebound , a philanthropic organization based in San Diego that funds cancer research, they are now learning the correct dosage and timing required to protect the hearing of cisplatin-treated cancer patients. Efficacy is being assessed in murine models. Once an optimal therapy is designed, it will be tested in guinea pigs, whose auditory system is more similar to our own, and finally in humans.

“The hope is that it will be comparatively easy to recruit people for a study of these treatments,” Hoelz says. “If you are being treated with cisplatin, you may lose your hearing anyway, so any chance to preserve at least some hearing should be attractive.”

The possibilities for this therapy do not end there. “We hope that in the long run this will be a sort of ear vitamin that could work for everyone. The treatment would make IHCs sturdier and less susceptible to all sorts of damage, not only that from cisplatin. Just as you can put a veneer on teeth to protect them from cavities, you could use this therapy to boost the longevity of IHCs, potentially allowing them to survive for people’s entire lifespans,” Hoelz says.

“While mammals cannot regenerate IHCs, some fish and birds can,” Hoelz explains. “Somehow as we evolved we lost this ability. Scientists are studying what developmental program might make it possible for humans to regenerate IHCs,” he adds. “But in the meantime, it would be wonderful if we could develop a therapy to protect them. Working with Rick has been a thrilling dive into the world of hair cell biology, opening new scientific doors and sparking a deeply personal hope that this research might one day help preserve hearing-including my own.”

Continue Reading

July 3, 2025
Commissioners, RPOs summoned over drowning of tourists in Swat – Newspaper

PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court on Wednesday expressed displeasure over recent deaths of 17 persons due to flooding and summoned divisional commissioners, regional police officers, director general of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and other relevant officers along with seeking a detailed report from provincial government.

A bench consisting of PHC Chief Justice Syed Mohammad Attique Shah and Justice Mohammad Faheem Wali adjourned the proceedings till today (Thursday) with the direction that all the relevant officers should appear in person.

The PHC chief justice expressed annoyance over the Swat incident, while hearing a petition filed against encroachments near riverbeds and alleged failure of authorities concerned to promptly come to the rescue of the drowned tourists.

The petition is filed by Advocate Naeem Ahmad Khattak, seeking directives of court for government to remove all the obstacles and encroachments near rivers. During course of hearing the PHC chief justice remarked that negligence of administration led to loss of precious lives.

PHC also seeks report from KP govt on the incident

The petitioner’s counsel Mohammad Nasir Khan informed the court that the tragic incident occurred in Swat recently, where 13 tourists lost their lives due to flooding in the Swat River.

He claimed that encroachments were rampant in Swat while government acted like a silent spectator. He added that hotel owners had constructed illegal structures, setting up spaces for tourists along the riverbank, which often led to accidents.

Moreover, he said that hotels and other shops had been built along the Swat River, causing frequent accidents.

He alleged that people holding key government positions had also built large hotels along the river.

The bench questioned why measures were not taken to protect tourists and who was responsible for monitoring the rivers. The bench also wondered why drones were not used to provide life jackets to tourists.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa advocate general, Shah Faisal Uthmankhel, informed the court that an operation against encroachments in Swat was initiated and an air ambulance was also available.

However, he said, due to time constraints the air ambulance couldn’t be used.

When the PHC chief justice asked who was responsible for monitoring the rivers, the AG stated that government had issued warnings for safety measures. He stated that several officials had been suspended.

The bench then decided to summon divisional commissioners, RPOs, PDMA director general and other officers and also sought report from provincial government regarding the Swat incident.

Meanwhile, the bench summoned relevant officers of National Highway Authority in a petition filed against the deteriorating condition of Indus Highway. The bench observed that the deteriorating condition of the road resulted in loss of precious lives.

It observed that Indus Highway resembled a jungle where motorists had not been following any rules and entering the road from wherever they chose. An official of NHA informed the court that work was ongoing and would be completed soon.

The bench directed him to show through videos what work was actually being done there. The AG requested the court for time, assuring that relevant officials would prepare and submit a detailed report.

The bench adjourned hearing till today (Thursday) and summoned high-ups of NHA and Pakhtunkhwa Highway Authority.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2025

Continue Reading

July 3, 2025
PDMA warns of flash floods as more rains expected – Newspaper

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Wednesday warned district administrations across the province about the possibility of flash floods, urban flooding and landslides due to a new spell of monsoon rains from July 5 to 11.

In an advisory issued to the deputy commissioners across the province, the PDMA quoted the Pakistan Meteorological Department as revealing that moist currents are penetrating into most parts of the region and likely to intensify in the next couple of days.

“A westerly wave is also expected to approach on July 5 evening and night. Under the influence of the new weather system, showers along with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds, with isolated and scattered heavy rainfalls, are expected in Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Buner, Malakand, Battagram, Shangla, Kohistan, Kolai-Pallas, Torghar, Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Charsadda, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, Kohat, Hangu, Bannu, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and North and South Waziristan from July 5 to 11 with occasional gaps,” it said.

The PDMA warned that heavy to very heavy rains could generate flash floods in nullahs and streams of Galiyat, Mansehra, Kohistan, Kolai-Palas, Abbottabad, Buner, Bajaur, Battagram, Buner, Hangu, Torghar, Haripur, Karak, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Khyber, Kohat, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Peshawar, Shangla, Kurram, Lakki Marwat, Malakand, Mansehra, Mohmand, Orakzai, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu and Tank during the forecast period.

Urges authorities to take measures to minimise damage

It also said that urban flooding was very likely to happen in low-lying areas of Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan, while there’s a likelihood of riverine flooding in Chitral, Swat, Panjkora and Kabul rivers.

According to the PDMA, landslides may cause roads closure in the vulnerable hilly areas of Abbottabad, Battagram, Buner, Chitral, Dir, Khyber, Kohistan, Kolai-Pallas Kohistan, Kurram, Malakand, Mansehra, Mohmand, Orakzai, Shangla, Swat, Torghar and North Waziristan districts.

Also, heavy rainfall and windstorms and lightning could damage weak structures like mud houses, electric poles, billboards, vehicles and solar panels during the period.

The PDMA urged deputy commissioners of all districts to take all precautionary measures against downpours and floods to minimise damage to public life and property and livestock.

It also asked authorities to assess and plan deployment of additional resources and exercise control over traffic leading to and in the vicinity of vulnerable and tourist areas and securing by physical means and keeping people away from loose structures such as buildings under construction, advertisement hoardings, electric poles and solar panels to prevent damages and save lives.

In the advisory, the PDMA said authorities should keep monitoring rivers, streams, local and rainfed nullahs, ensure drainage systems are clear from obstacles to facilitate the efficient flow of water and minimise the risk of urban flooding, coordinate with relevant municipal administrations to ensure mitigation and preparedness measures for landslides and urban flooding, and secure or remove billboards and hoardings in view of wind, dust, thunder and hailstorms.

It urged farmers to take all necessary measures to prevent damage to their crops.

The PDMA said cattle and sheep herders should undertake necessary mitigating and precautionary measures to protect their livestock from wind, dust, thunder and hailstorms.

It said that people travelling on provincial and national highways in at-risk and affected areas should be forewarned of adverse conditions and detoured to safe waiting areas under guidance of authorities, national highway and motorway police, law-enforcement agencies.

The PDMA asked people to seek shelter in safe areas such as sturdy buildings or underground structures during wind, dust, thunder and hailstorms and avoid objects that posed a risk of failing or being struck by lightning.

It stressed the need for the availability of emergency services personnel and equipment in areas at high risk of urban and flash flooding and landslides, immediate stocking of basic commodities like medicines in regions that are likely to be cut off from other regions during landslides.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2025

Continue Reading

July 3, 2025
Amid more rains, PDMA warns of rising Punjab rivers – Pakistan

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Punjab on Wednesday issued a report highlighting a rise in water levels in all rivers and hill torrents in Punjab, as heavy monsoon rains are expected to trigger flooding across the province from July 5.

Meanwhile, the National Emergencies Operation Center (NEOC) of the National Disaster Management Authority has also issued multiple impact-based weather alerts for various regions of Pakistan in light of forecasted severe weather conditions expected from July 2 till July 8.

According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, with water levels in major rivers and hill torrents expected to rise sharply, flash floods are likely in Dera Ghazi Khan and urban flooding is anticipated in major cities of the province, including Lahore.

PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia issued the alert and directed all deputy commissioners (DCs) and disaster response teams to remain alert.

NEOC issues alert for severe weather conditions till July 8 as monsoon system pairs with westerly wave

The Provincial Control Room is operating round-the-clock, and emergency services like Rescue 1122 have been put on high alert, he added.

Farmers have been advised to manage their activities accordingly, while tourists and travelers have been urged to avoid risky routes, especially in landslide-prone areas such as Murree and Galliyat.

The disaster authority has warned people against staying in weak structures, venturing near floodwaters, or ignoring weather advisories.

Lightning strikes and roof collapse pose additional risks, it warns, saying children are particularly vulnerable near accumulated rainwater or floodwater.

It also issued a weather alert warning of intensified monsoon rains across the province from July 5, forecasting heavy-to-very heavy rainfall in most districts until July 10.

The advisory highlights risks of flash floods, urban flooding and landslides, particularly in vulnerable areas like Murree, Galliyat, and DG Khan mountains.

According to the Met Office, strong monsoon currents, coupled with a westerly wave, will trigger widespread rains, windstorms and thunderstorms, with the heaviest downpours expected in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, and Sargodha.

It warns that the low-lying areas in major cities, including Lahore and Rawalpindi, may face urban flooding, while hill torrents in DG Khan and northeastern Punjab could overflow.

Severe weather conditions

Meanwhile, the NEOC said in a statement that these alerts highlight the growing risk of flash floods, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and urban flooding in different parts of the country.

Low to moderate rainfall was likely to continue until July 5, after which an active southwest monsoon system, coupled with a westerly wave, was expected to enter the country triggering moderate to heavy rainfall and localised thunderstorms.

The most affected regions include upper catchments of major rivers including central and lower Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Due to this forecast, increased river flows were expected across the country.

In particular, Kabul River Nowshera is likely to swell due to rising tributaries such as Swat, Panjkora, Bara, and Kalpani Nullah.

Inflows into Tarbela Dam may reach the low flood limit. Flash floods in riverine areas, especially where nullahs and local streams converge, may pose threats to nearby settlements.

Simultaneously, the risk of glacial lake outburst floods and landslides had increased in Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where ongoing high temperatures had accelerated glacier and snow melt.

The situation was further worsened by incoming moist currents and rainfall. Vulnerable glacial valleys and narrow mountain passes may face sudden glacial lake outburst floods, flash floods, road blockages, and disruptions to infrastructure and tourism.

The National Disaster Management Authority has has urged the public to take precautionary measures.

It asked residents in at-risk areas to avoid unnecessary travel, secure important belongings, and prepare for potential evacuation.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2025

Continue Reading

July 3, 2025
Hamas studying US-backed ‘final ceasefire’ offer – World

• Trump says Israel has agreed to necessary conditions for 60-day truce
• Firing, strikes by Israeli forces claim lives of 139 Palestinians in 24 hours

CAIRO: After US President Donald Trump announced that Israel had agreed to the “necessary conditions” to finalise a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, Hamas said on Wednesday it was studying the so-called “final ceasefire proposal”.

But while the group wants Israel to completely pull out of the enclave, Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu has set his sights on the elimination of Hamas.

A day earlier, Trump had said that after a “long and productive” meeting between his representatives and Israeli officials, Tel Aviv had agreed to the conditions needed to finalise a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza.

In its statement, Hamas said it was studying new ceasefire offers it received from the mediators Egypt and Qatar, but stressed it aimed to reach an agreement that would ensure an end to the war and an Israeli pullout from Gaza.

In a statement, Hamas said it was “conducting national consultations to discuss what we received from the proposals of the… mediators.”

It added that it sought “to reach an agreement that guarantees ending the aggression, achieving the withdrawal (of Israel from Gaza) and urgently aiding our people in the Gaza Strip”.

Qatar and Egypt have been mediating efforts to end the conflict.

A Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations said, “There are no fundamental changes in the new proposal” under discussion compared to previous terms presented by the United States.

The source said the new proposal “includes a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release half of the (22) living” Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip, in exchange for Israel releasing a number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

“There will not be a Hamas. There will not be a Hamastan. We’re not going back to that. It’s over,” Netanyahu claimed at a meeting hosted by the Trans-Israel pipeline.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said a majority within the coalition government would back an agreement that would see the release of the remaining Israeli prisoners held by Hamas in Gaza.

Of the 50 Israeli prisoners yet to be released, at least 20 are believed to be still alive.

Deaths in Gaza

Meanwhile, Gaza health authorities said Israeli gunfire and military strikes killed at least 139 Palestinians in separate attacks in north and southern areas over the past 24 hours.

Among those killed on Wednesday was Marwan Al-Sultan, director of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, who perished in an airstrike that also claimed the lives of his wife and five children, medics say.

For Palestinians, who have fled multiple times and face daily struggles to find food 21 months into Israel’s military campaign, there was a glimmer of hope but many worried that any ceasefire would only be temporary.

“We want a complete end to the war on Gaza, not like every time — a partial agreement and ceasefire that lasts a month or two, then the war returns,” said Samir Al-Masri in Khan Yunis.

At the end of May, Hamas had said it was seeking amendments to a US-backed ceasefire proposal, which Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff said was “totally unacceptable”.

That proposal had involved a 60-day ceasefire and the release of half the Israeli prisoners held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and the remains of other Palestinians; Hamas would release the remaining Israeli prisoners as part of a deal that guarantees the end of the war.

A source close to Hamas said that Hamas leaders were expected to debate the proposal and seek clarifications from mediators before giving an official response.

Meanwhile, the Hamas-run interior ministry has accused Yasser Abu Shabab, a Bedouin clan leader, of treason and ordered him to surrender and face trial.

Shabab, who does not recognise the authority of Hamas and accuses the group of hurting the interests of Gaza, had 10 days to surrender, the ministry said.

The Abu Shabab group described the Hamas order as a “sitcom that doesn’t frighten us, nor does it frighten any free man who loves his homeland and its dignity”, in a post on the Facebook page that usually carried the group’s announcements.

Israel also claimed to back some of Gaza’s clans against Hamas, but has not said which.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2025

Continue Reading

July 3, 2025
Iran ends cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog after Israel, US strikes – Newspaper

TEHRAN: Iran on Wednesday officially suspended its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, a move triggered by the unprecedented Israeli and US strikes on its nuclear facilities.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian formally enacted the suspension on Wednesday.

Last month’s 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel has sharply escalated tensions between Tehran and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

On June 25, a day after a ceasefire took hold, Iranian lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to suspend cooperation with the Vienna-based IAEA.

The law aims to “ensure full support for the inherent rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran” under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, with a particular focus on uranium enrichment, according to Iranian media.

Pezeshkian gives the final nod a week after Iranian lawmakers voted to suspend cooperation with IAEA; US calls move ‘unacceptable’

While IAEA inspectors have had access to Iran’s declared nuclear sites, their current status is uncertain amid the suspension. On Wednesday, US intelligence assessments indicated that strikes on Iranian nuclear sites set the country’s atomic programme back by up to two years, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said on Wednesday.

On Sunday, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, said the inspectors’ work had been suspended but denied any threats against them or IAEA chief Rafael Grossi.

He said the “inspectors are in Iran and are safe”, but “their activities have been suspended, and they are not allowed to access our sites”.

The ISNA news agency cited lawmaker Alireza Salimi as saying the inspectors now needed approval from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council to access nuclear sites. Separately, the Mehr news agency cited lawmaker Hamid Reza Haji Babaei as saying Iran would stop allowing IAEA cameras in nuclear facilities.

After parliament passed the bill, it was approved by the Guardian Council and President Masoud Pezeshkian formally enacted the suspension on Wednesday.

US calls move ‘unacceptable’

US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said Iran’s suspension of cooperation with the IAEA is unacceptable.

“We’ll use the word unacceptable, that Iran chose to suspend cooperation with the IAEA at a time when it has a window of opportunity to reverse course and choose a path of peace and prosperity,” Bruce told a briefing in Washington.

Bruce said Iran must cooperate without delay with the IAEA, including by providing “information required to clarify and resolve long-standing questions regarding undeclared nuclear material in Iran, as well as provide unrestricted access to its newly announced enrichment facility”.

“Iran cannot and will not have a nuclear weapon,” she repeated.

Israeli reaction

In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar urged European signatories of the 2015 nuclear deal to trigger the “snapback” mechanism and reinstate all UN sanctions on Iran.

The snapback, set to expire in October, was part of the nuclear accord that collapsed after the United States withdrew in 2018. Iran began scaling back its commitments a year later.

Iranian officials have warned the mechanism could prompt their withdrawal from the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Israel, widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, is not an NPT signatory.

Germany’s foreign ministry spokesman Martin Giese said Iran’s move to suspend cooperation with the IAEA was a “disastrous signal”.

Since the Israeli and US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Tehran has sharply criticised the IAEA for its silence and condemned a June 12 UN resolution accusing Iran of non-compliance, which Iranian officials say provided a pretext for the attacks.

On Wednesday, senior judiciary official Ali Mozaffari accused Grossi of “preparing the groundwork” for Israel’s raids and called for him to be held accountable. Iran has rejected Grossi’s requests to visit bombed sites, accusing him of “malign intent”. Iran’s Kayhan newspaper on Saturday accused Grossi of being an Israeli spy who should be executed.

On Monday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the parliament vote to halt cooperation reflected the “concern and anger of the Iranian public opinion”.

The 12-day war began when Israel launched a major bombing campaign on Iran and killed Tehran’s top military commanders and nuclear scientists, with Iran responding with waves of missiles and drones launched at Israel. On June 22, the United States launched unprecedented strikes of its own on key Iranian nuclear facilities.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2025

Continue Reading

July 3, 2025