Arriving in Beijing amid fanfare and diplomatic pomp, US President Donald Trump has begun a three-day official visit punctuated by a ceremonial welcome and visible public enthusiasm.

The centerpiece of his trip will be talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where leaders are expected to tackle the ongoing trade war and broader concerns about the stability of the global economy.

This marks Mr. Trump’s return to China since his 2017 visit.

Speaking to the press in Washington before departure, he said bluntly that anyone who argues Iran should be allowed to possess nuclear weapons is ‘a foolish person.’

He reiterated that America seeks a good, mutually beneficial deal with Iran and voiced confidence such an arrangement would serve both countries’ interests, while issuing a stark warning that ‘victory against Iran will be ours, whether peacefully or otherwise.’

Mr. Trump said he will engage in in-depth discussions with President Xi on the Iran crisis and the surrounding regional dynamics, though he insisted the United States does not require China’s assistance on the matter.

He also singled out Pakistan for praise, saying the country played an outstanding role in the negotiations, and lauding Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir as remarkable figures whose mediation efforts were excellent.

The State Bank of Pakistan on Wednesday confirmed it has received around $1.3 billion from the International Monetary Fund following the completion of the latest review of Pakistan’s economic reform programme.

In a statement posted on X, the central bank said the IMF Executive Board, at its May 8 meeting, approved the release of SDR 760 million under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), together with a second tranche of SDR 154 million under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).

According to the SBP, the total inflow amounts to SDR 914 million, equivalent to nearly $1.3 billion, which was transferred on May 12. The central bank added that the funds will be reflected in Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves for the week ending May 15.

Last week, the IMF approved the third review of Pakistan’s reform agenda, clearing the way for this latest disbursement. The release includes approximately $1.1 billion under the EFF and nearly $220 million through the RSF, bringing total disbursements under both programmes to around $4.8 billion.

While acknowledging improvements in Pakistan’s economic indicators, the IMF cautioned that the country remains vulnerable to external risks, particularly due to instability linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Pakistan received a steady stream of funds from expatriate workers, with remittances totaling $3.54 billion in April 2026, according to data released Monday by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

The monthly flow softened, dropping 7.6% compared with March, yet it showed a strong annual rebound of 11.4% versus April 2025.

Across the July–April span of fiscal 2026, cumulative remittances grew 8.5% to $33.86 billion, compared with $31.21 billion a year earlier, highlighting the continued importance of overseas workers’ contributions to the economy.

Remittances play a pivotal role in shoring up the country’s external accounts, fuelling economic activity across Pakistan and bolstering the disposable incomes of households that depend on workers’ transfers.

At the same time, the government continues to encourage remittance inflows through fiscal incentives and by steering funds into formal banking channels, aiming to sustain steady growth and reinforce macroeconomic stability.

“The external account outlook remains fickle as FY26 approaches closure,” Waqas Ghani, Head of Research at JS Global, told Business Recorder.

He warned that with crude oil prices elevated and import momentum likely to continue, the current account is under significant strain — a pressure that domestic production alone cannot offset.

“In this context, remittances have moved from being a supporting buffer to an essential stabiliser. If inflows weaken, especially from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries where concentration risk is high, the external account could slip back into deficit,” he said.

FX reserve targets have already been revised down by $1 billion, increasing reliance on external financing. “The margin for error is thin,” he added.

کراچی میں اپریل کے مہینے میں اسٹریٹ کرائم کے واقعات پر سی پی ایل سی کی رپورٹ جاری کر دی گئی جس کے مطابق شہر میں ماہ اپریل میں موبائل فون چھیننے کی وارداتوں میں اضافہ ہوا۔ 

رپورٹ کے مطابق مارچ میں 1265، اپریل میں 1624 موبائل چھیننے کی وارداتیں ہوئیں۔

اپریل میں موٹر سائیکلیں چھیننے کی وارداتیں بھی بڑھ گئیں۔ مارچ میں 440 اور اپریل میں 469 موٹر سائیکلیں چھینی گئیں، اپریل میں گاڑیاں چھیننے کے واقعات میں اضافہ ہوا۔ مارچ میں 17 اور اپریل میں 22 گاڑیاں چھینی گئیں۔

موٹر سائیکل چوری کے واقعات میں کمی ہوئی ہے، مارچ میں 3027 اور اپریل میں 2723 موٹر سائیکلیں چوری ہوئیں، تاہم گاڑی چوری کے کیسز کم ہوئے۔ مارچ میں 140 اور اپریل میں 111 گاڑیاں چوری ہوئیں۔

قتل کے واقعات میں بھی معمولی کمی ہوئی۔ شہر میں مارچ میں 44 اور اپریل میں 42 افراد قتل ہوئے۔ 

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) announced on Sunday that customers may experience degraded internet service during the evenings between May 11 and May 18.

In a post on X, the company said maintenance is scheduled on one of its undersea submarine cables to repair a fault identified by the International Cable Consortium.

The maintenance will begin tomorrow (Monday) and could last up to seven days, so evening users should prepare for slower speeds or intermittent connectivity.

PTCL noted that it had first signaled this planned repair last month and said it is working with the consortium to restore full service as quickly as possible.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump on Sunday rejected Iran’s response to a US proposal for peace talks, dashing hopes for an imminent end to the 10-week-old conflict that has caused widespread damage in Iran and Lebanon, paralysed maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and driven up global energy prices.

Days after the US floated an offer in the hopes of re-opening negotiations, Iran on Sunday released a response focused on ending the war on all fronts, especially Lebanon, and on the safety of shipping through the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state TV said.

Within hours of the Iranian proposal’s release, Trump dismissed it with a post on social media.

“I have just read the response from Iran’s so-called ‘Representatives’. I don’t like it – totally unacceptable,” Trump posted on Truth Social, without giving further details.

Oil prices rose US$3 a barrel after the United States and Iran failed to reach an agreement.

Iran’s proposal includes a demand for compensation for war damages and an emphasis on Iranian sovereignty over the strait, state media said.

It also calls on the US to end its naval blockade, guarantee no further attacks, lift sanctions and end a US ban on Iranian oil sales, the semi-official Tasnim news agency said.

The US had proposed an end to fighting before starting talks on more contentious issues, including Iran’s nuclear program.

The Wall Street Journal quoted unnamed sources saying Iran proposed diluting some of its highly enriched uranium and transferring the remainder to a third country.

Pakistan, which has been mediating talks over the war, forwarded the Iranian response to the US, a Pakistani official said.

Despite a month-old ceasefire in the conflict and after some 48 hours of relative calm, hostile drones were detected over several Gulf countries on Sunday, underlining the threat still facing the region.

But the QatarEnergy-operated carrier Al Kharaitiyat passed safely through the strait and was heading for Pakistan’s Port Qasim, according to data from shipping analytics firm Kpler. It was the first Qatari vessel carrying liquefied natural gas to cross the strait since the US and Israel started the war on Feb 28.

Sources said earlier the transfer, which offered a modicum of relief to Pakistan after a wave of power blackouts caused by a halt to gas imports, had been approved by Iran to build confidence with Pakistan and with Qatar, another mediator.

In addition, a Panama-flagged bulk carrier bound for Brazil that had previously attempted to transit the strait on May 4 passed through, using a route designated by Iran’s armed forces, Tasnim reported on Sunday.

Russian President Putin said that he believes the Ukraine conflict is coming to an end, and hopes the Iran conflict will end as soon as possible.

In a statement, he said that Russia is close to a major gas and oil deal with China.

Putin said that the Slovak Prime Minister said that Ukrainian President Zelensky was ready to meet with him personally.

He said that we can meet in a third country once a peace agreement is reached.

The Russian president added that he is grateful to the United States for facilitating the talks, but this is a matter for Russia and Ukraine

Karachi real estate shows renewed activity, with DHA Phase 8 prices rising 30–40% over the past two months.

Investors are redirecting capital previously allocated to regional property markets.

Search interest reached 46.49% in April, reflecting steady engagement over three months. In some cases, 100 sq yard plots moved from Rs80 million to Rs160 million, highlighting strong valuation growth.

The policy rate adjusted by 100 basis points to 11.5% has supported market activity.

Overall, investors are actively tracking opportunities, contributing to consistent momentum across key residential segments and sustained interest in premium developments across Karachi driving steady investment across segments growth.

گلشن اقبال بلاک 13-D میں ایک دلیرانہ ڈکیتی کی اطلاع ملی، جہاں ایک پاور یوٹیلیٹی کمپنی کے ملازمین کے بھیس میں مشتبہ افراد نے ایک رہائشی عمارت کے اندر منصوبہ بند ڈکیتی کی، سی سی ٹی وی فوٹیج سے پتہ چلتا ہے۔

واقعے کی سی سی ٹی وی فوٹیج منظر عام پر آگئی ہے جس میں واضح طور پر متعدد مسلح افراد کو اس جرم میں ملوث دکھایا گیا ہے۔ ابتدائی تحقیقات سے پتا چلتا ہے کہ چار مشتبہ افراد ٹرک میں آئے اور عمارت میں داخل ہوئے جبکہ ان کے تین ساتھی قریبی گاڑی میں کھڑے رہے۔

گلشن اقبال 13-D کے رہائشیوں نے خطرے کی گھنٹی بجا دی اور واقعے کے دوران ملزمان سے مزاحمت کی کوشش کی۔ جواب میں، ایک مسلح فرد اسٹینڈ بائی گاڑی سے باہر نکلا اور شہریوں کو پیچھے رہنے کی تنبیہ کی، اور مجرموں کو ڈکیتی مکمل کرنے اور جائے وقوعہ سے فرار ہونے کی اجازت دی۔

حکام نے تصدیق کی کہ واقعے میں ملوث مشتبہ افراد کی کل تعداد سات ہے۔ سی سی ٹی وی ویژول مشتبہ افراد کے واضح ثبوت فراہم کرتے ہیں، بشمول گاڑی میں تعینات افراد، جس سے ان کی شناخت میں مدد کی امید ہے۔

کراچی میں پولیس نے عمارت کے مکینوں کے بیانات ریکارڈ کیے ہیں اور جائے وقوعہ سے دیگر اہم شواہد اکٹھے کیے ہیں۔ حکام نے یقین دہانی کرائی ہے کہ ملوث تمام افراد کا سراغ لگانے اور انہیں گرفتار کرنے کی کوششیں جاری ہیں۔

 اس واقعے نے ایک بار پھر کراچی میں سیکیورٹی اور سرکاری یونیفارم کے غلط استعمال کے بارے میں خدشات کو جنم دیا ہے، جس سے شہریوں میں تصدیق کے سخت اقدامات اور چوکسی کا مطالبہ کیا گیا ہے۔ 

A solemn ceremony is underway at GHQ Rawalpindi to mark the completion of one year since the victory in the Battle for Truth.

Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir is the special guest of honour. Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu and Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf are also in attendance.

On this occasion, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf and Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir laid flowers at the Martyrs’ Memorial and offered Fateha.

Addressing the gathering, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir said, ‘Today is a day of pride for all of us. One year ago, on this day, Pakistan achieved an unprecedented success.’ He described the Battle of Haq not as a conventional war between two countries but as a decisive clash between two ideologies in which Haq emerged victorious. From the midnight of May 7 to May 10, the enemy attempted to test our national dignity and failed.

Syed Asim Munir added that the May 2025 engagements were not sudden; they constituted a measured, resolute response to Indian aggression, and Pakistan’s adversary was defeated at every turn.

Across the country, people are observing a day of thanksgiving to commemorate the Pakistan Army’s historic victory in Operation Banyan Marsus against Indian aggression.

On the completion of one year of the Battle for Truth, President Asif Ali Zardari, in his message, described Field Marshal Asim Munir’s leadership and bold decisions as key to the success of the Battle for Truth, while the Prime Minister said that the Pakistani nation cannot be intimidated or cowed.

According to a statement issued by the Presidency, President Asif Ali Zardari appreciated the exceptional skills and professional capabilities of the Pakistan Air Force Chief and the Shaheens.

In a message issued on the occasion of the Battle of Truth, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the nation pays tribute to the martyrs and ghazis, who stood firm in the defense of the homeland by becoming a steel wall.