FGN53 PAK-BLAST-LD SUSPECT
* Peshawar mosque suicide bomber entered high-security zone dressed in police uniform, says officer
Peshawar: A Taliban suicide bomber who killed 101 people, including 97 policemen, at a mosque inside a major police facility in Pakistan's Peshawar city had disguised himself in a police uniform to sneak into the high-security zone and was riding a motorcycle with a helmet and mask on, a top police official said on Thursday. *
FGN45 LANKA-TAMILS
* Sri Lanka's powerful Buddhist clergy opposes full implementation of 13A to grant political autonomy to Tamils
Colombo: Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe's plan to fully implement India-backed 13th Amendment to grant political autonomy to the minority Tamils received a blow on Thursday as the powerful Buddhist clergy expressed strong opposition to the move, claiming it challenges the unitary nature of the country. *
FGN42 UK-SUNAK
*Rishi Sunak marks 100 days as UK PM with pledge to deliver change
London: Rishi Sunak marked his 100th day in office as the first non-white British Prime Minister on Thursday with a slick new video for social media pledging to deliver change, amidst multiple challenges, including spiralling inflation. *
FGN41 PAK-AHMED-LD ARREST
* Imran Khan's ally arrested for accusing Zardari of plotting to kill former premier
Islamabad: Pakistani police on Thursday arrested former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed from his home for accusing ex-president Asif Ali Zardari of plotting to kill former prime minister Imran Khan. *
FGN51 UK-2NDLD ECONOMY
* Bank of England raises interest rates, forecasts shallower recession
London: The Bank of England on Thursday raised interest rates by another half percentage to hit 4 per cent, the tenth consecutive rate hike in the central bank's battle to curb soaring inflation even as it forecast a shallower recession this year than previously feared. *
FGN47 PAK-PM-NUCLEAR PLANT
* Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif inaugurates 3rd unit of nuclear power plant in Karachi
Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday inaugurated the third unit of the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP) built with Beijing's assistance under the ambitious China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. *
FGN48 PAK-IMRAN-PETITION-ECP
* Pak court dismisses Imran Khan's petition against election commission in prohibited funding case
Islamabad: In a setback to former Pakistan premier Imran Khan, a high court on Thursday dismissed his petition against the country’s top election body's verdict in the prohibited funding case. *
FGN44 PAK-JOURNALIST-ARREST
* Senior Pakistani journalist arrested for defaming state institutions
Lahore: Senior Pakistani journalist Imran Riaz Khan was arrested on Thursday by authorities for a second time for his statements defaming the country's state institutions, especially the powerful Army. *
FGN9 US-DOVAL-BLINKEN
* Doval meets Blinken, exchanges views on wide range of global and regional issues
Washington: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during which they exchanged views on a wide range of global and regional issues and discussed deepening the bilateral strategic partnership. *
FGN6 US-BIDEN-ICET
* Biden believes iCET key for US, India to create democratic technology ecosystem: White House
Washington: US President Joe Biden believes that the India-US initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies, or iCET, is key for the two countries to create a democratic technology ecosystem, the White House has said. *
FGN15 BUD-PANAGARIYA
* India on cusp of returning to high growth trajectory, will become world’s third largest economy by 2027-28: Panagariya
New York: Eminent economist Arvind Panagariya has said India is on the cusp of returning to a high growth trajectory and voiced confidence that the country will become the world’s third-largest economy by 2027-28. *