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Imran Khan May Face Tough PMLN-PPP Combined Opposition

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Imran Khan May Face Tough PMLN-PPP Combined Opposition

Amidst Imran Khan led Pakistan Tehreek-s-Insaf (PTI)’s ongoing efforts to muster support of smaller parties to form the new government, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples’ Party, having secured second and third position in the national assembly polls, have agreed to play opposition role by formulating a “coordinated joint strategy”, if PTI manages to form its government at the Centre.

According to Dawn, the broad-based understanding between the two major parties, was reached during the first direct meeting between their leaders after the July 25 general elections in Islamabad on Sunday.

Mushahid Hussain Sayed, the former minister and a prominent PML-N leader said, “It was an ice-breaker,” The meeting was held at the residence of former National Assembly speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.

He said, “It was a very good meeting and you can call it a meeting of the minds,” saying that there was complete unanimity of views between the two parties that the “July 25 elections have been stolen”.

Read More: Imran Khan poised to become Pak PM, though party 22 short of majority

Both sides were of the view that they should “completely reject” the election results and should adopt “a coordinated joint opposition strategy” to give a tough time to the Imran Khan-led PTI government while staying inside parliament.

Imran Khan May Face Tough PMLN-PPP Combined OppositionSayed said the leaders of the two parties would meet again on Monday as the PML-N had told the PPP representatives that it would inform them about its decision on a proposal of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) to boycott parliament. He said the PPP delegation had informed the PML-N that they were not in favour of boycotting parliament.

The PPP delegation comprised former PM Yousuf Raza Gilani, Sherry Rehman, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Farhatullah Babar while the PML-N was represented by Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Ayaz Sadiq, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Sardar Mahtab Ahmed Khan.

Read More: Afghanistan, Not India, Will Be Imran Khan’s Priority Until 2019

After the landmark meeting with PML-N, the PPP delegation held talks with Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and tried to persuade him to reconsider his decision of boycotting parliament.

Sherry Rehman said they had urged the JUI-F chief not to boycott parliament because by “vacating the space we will be providing a walkover” to the PTI.

In the post 2002 election scenario, PPP and PML-N had forged Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) — under Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan. The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) was another opposition alliance in parliament at that time.

Read More: US Questions Fairness of Pakistan Elections, UN Praises Commitment To Democracy

The members of the ARD and MMA had given a tough time to the military government of Gen Pervez Musharraf who had picked Zafarullah Jamali as the prime minister. Over 100 members of the two alliances kept parliament non-functional for a record almost one year through noisy protest against the Legal Framework Order of the military regime, forcing the government to hold talks with the opposition.

The issue was resolved when the MMA entered into an agreement with the military-led civilian regime and parliament approved the controversial 17th Constitution Amendment giving indemnity to the acts of Gen Musharraf, including the amendments he had made to the Constitution.

Read More: Army and IS involvement in Pakistan election a matter of concern

Dawn reports that political analysts and experts believe that the new parliament will be a reflection of the 2002 assembly when the government had to face a tough opposition in the form of the ARD and MMA.

According to the country’s election commission PTI has won 115 seats in 270-seat national assembly while PML-N won 64, PPP-43 while smaller parties and independents have won 36 seats. Election for two seats has been postponed for some technical reason.

PTI has secured clear majority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly with 66 out of 77 seats, PPP has secured victory in Sindh provincial assembly with 76 out of 130 seats. In Punjab no party has won clear majority with PML-N winning 129 seats out of 295 seats while PTI legged behind by winning 123 seats. In Balochistan provincial assembly- Balochistan Awami Party secured 15 seats out of 65 while remaining seats are scattered among nine political parties.

Meanwhile, there are reports that India has intensified contacts with Imran Khan’s PTI in the run-up to government formation. Indian High Commission In Islamabad remains in touch with senior party leaders, who are likely to play an important role in the new government.

Officials in New Delhi have not ruled out the possibility of PM Modi making a congratulatory phone call to Imran Khan, who is likely to take oath of office on 14 August, the independence day of the country.

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Lake Ontario name to stay, Mark Carney rejects Trump’s Lake America move

Canadian PM Mark Carney has rejected Trump’s move to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America, saying Canadians will continue using its historic name.

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Donald Trump

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has rejected US President Donald Trump’s decision to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America”, saying Canadians will continue to use the lake’s historic name.

Trump signed an executive order on Thursday changing the name for US federal usage. However, the order does not determine what Canada, international organisations or other authorities call the lake.

Carney said the name Lake Ontario predates both Canada and the United States as modern nations. He stressed that Canadians would continue to recognise the lake by its existing name.

“Canadians also know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario — then, now and always,” Carney said in a social media post.

Why Trump renamed Lake Ontario

Trump announced that the lake would be renamed “Lake America” during remarks at the White House. The US president said the change would take effect immediately.

The move comes amid strained relations between Washington and Ottawa, including an ongoing dispute over trade and tariffs.

Lake Ontario is one of North America’s five Great Lakes and is shared by Canada and the United States. About 52 per cent of its surface area lies in Canada, while the remainder is in New York state.

Carney highlights Lake Ontario’s history

Carney also pointed to the Indigenous origins of the name Lake Ontario. The name is derived from the Wendat language and has been used for more than 400 years, predating the establishment of both countries in their present forms.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul also indicated that the state would continue referring to the body of water as Lake Ontario, highlighting that Trump’s order is limited to US federal usage.

The dispute over the name adds another symbolic point of friction to already tense US-Canada relations.

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105 Indians among 400 travellers missing in Nepal flash floods, 46 dead

At least 46 people have died and 384 travellers, including 105 Indians, are missing after flash floods hit northern Nepal.

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At least 46 people have died after a massive flash flood in Nepal’s Bhote Koshi River swept through parts of the country’s northern districts.

The flooding affected Nuwakot and Dhading districts, with floodwaters coming from the Tibetan side of the border. Several villages were reportedly washed away, while roads and other infrastructure suffered extensive damage.

At least 105 Indians are among 384 travellers reported missing from the affected area. The missing travellers include people who were travelling towards Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet with different travel agencies.

384 travellers reported missing

According to the Nepal Tourism Board, 384 travellers are missing, including 291 foreigners and 93 Nepali nationals.

Of the foreign nationals reported missing, 105 are Indians. The travellers were on their way to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra when the flash flood struck.

The disaster has also affected security personnel. At least 26 Nepal Police personnel remain missing in Rasuwa district, while the Armed Police Force has reported seven missing personnel.

The Nepal Army has deployed helicopters and disaster response personnel to the affected areas. Authorities are also collecting information about the damage caused by the floods.

Six hydropower facilities damaged

The floods have also damaged major power infrastructure in Nepal.

The Nepal Electricity Authority said six of its major hydropower and transmission facilities were damaged. These include Rasuwagadhi, Chilime, Trishuli 3A, Trishuli 3B Hub 220 kV Substation, Trishuli Hydropower Station and Devighat Hydropower Station.

The authority said the damage to production, transmission and distribution facilities has disrupted electricity supplies.

Several highways in Nepal have also been closed following the flooding.

Nepal PM convenes emergency meeting

Prime Minister Balendra Shah has convened an emergency meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority to review the situation.

Mr Shah said work had begun to take necessary measures in coordination with medical teams, scouts and the Red Cross.

Videos shared by Nepal Police and others showed torrents of muddy water moving through mountain valleys in areas bordering Tibet.

Authorities have warned people living close to rivers to move to safer locations as rescue and assessment operations continue.

Monsoon rains between June and September regularly cause floods and landslides across South Asia. Scientists have also linked climate change to an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in the region.

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US pauses visa interviews worldwide amid new screening training

The US has paused or rescheduled visa appointments worldwide as consular officers undergo training focused on comprehensive immigration screening.

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Donald Trump

The Trump administration has paused or rescheduled visa appointments at US embassies and consulates worldwide as the State Department conducts a global training initiative for consular officers.

The State Department said visa service appointments are being adjusted to accommodate the training across its overseas diplomatic posts. The initiative is aimed at helping officers screen applicants who may be considered likely to become dependent on US public benefits and at ensuring visa applications are evaluated comprehensively and consistently.

There is currently no specific timeline for how long the changes to visa appointments will continue.

Visa applicants receive rescheduling notices

Some immigrant visa applicants who already had interviews scheduled at US embassies and consulates have reportedly received emails informing them that their appointments would be rescheduled.

The applicants were told that they would receive further communication regarding a new interview date.

The development comes as the Trump administration continues its broader immigration crackdown, which has included visa and green card revocations and rejection of applications on various grounds.

Trump administration steps up immigration scrutiny

The administration has also begun a White House review of a proposal to overhaul the H-1B visa programme. The proposal has been classified as economically significant and could affect the employment-based immigration route used by thousands of Indian professionals.

Separately, the administration plans to revoke the visas of around 200,000 foreigners who entered the US for tourism or business but later sought to remain in the country by applying for asylum, according to the report.

The immigration crackdown has also faced legal challenges. A US judge recently struck down a policy that suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, ruling that the policy exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statutory authority.

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