Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States invites American entrepreneurs and corporate leaders to invest in Pakistan’s flourishing IT, energy, agriculture, and minerals sectors. With the establishment of a Special Investment Facilitation Council and abundant resources, Pakistan aims to boost economic growth through mutually beneficial partnerships.

India’s basmati rice exports in the 2025 fiscal year are projected to remain at 5.2 million tonnes or experience slight growth, according to Ashish Jain, CFO of KRBL Ltd. Jain emphasizes the need to reassess the floor price to compete with Pakistan and notes a growing demand for branded basmati rice in India.

The revocation of Articles 370 and 35A in Kashmir by India has sparked international concern over human rights violations. Despite limited criticism, the Pakistani diaspora and think tanks can play a crucial role in advocating for conflict resolution and accountability for human rights abuses.

England manager Gareth Southgate is focused on winning Euro 2024 but acknowledges the need for improvement against Slovenia. Despite criticism, Southgate believes his team can win and aims for a higher level of play. Media coverage is being avoided, allowing Southgate to focus on improving the team and making composed decisions. A lineup change is expected with Conor Gallagher replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield. Luke Shaw, however, is not fit enough to feature at left-back.

Punjab Agriculture and Livestock Minister expresses confidence in Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s agricultural package and calls for promotion of initiatives on various platforms. Over 150 thousand farmers have applied for interest-free loans through the Kisan Card program. Plans being made to introduce brand harvesters for minimizing crop losses during harvesting.

Pakistan’s rice exports are projected to reach $3.5 billion this year, falling short of the $4 billion target. However, the $1 billion increase from the previous year is the largest ever in history, with an 81% year-on-year jump. Pakistan aims to surpass Thailand and Vietnam to become the second largest rice exporter.

Pakistan’s exports to seven regional countries, including China, have risen by 20.61% in the 2023-24 financial year. Pakistan’s overall exports to these nations reached $4,043.371 million, with China emerging as the top destination. Imports from these countries also increased by 33.27% during the same period, demonstrating growing trade activity.

De-dollarization in Gwadar Free Zones is boosting trade in Pakistani currency, with companies now able to conduct transactions in local currency instead of US dollars, safeguarding against fluctuations. This move is expected to encourage trade expansion and significant business growth.

The Grocery Merchants Association in Rawalpindi Division protests against fixed rates for pulses, rice, and white gram due to discrepancies between market prices and official rates, which have been exacerbated by recent tax increases. They have issued an ultimatum, threatening to close all grocery shops unless reforms are implemented and heavy fines are abolished.

Italy’s first experimental rice field, aimed at improving agricultural sustainability, was vandalized, causing significant damage to the research project. The field utilized new genomic techniques to enhance rice crops without GMOs, but unidentified individuals broke in, uprooted plants, and disabled surveillance cameras. This setback highlights the importance of increased security in protecting valuable scientific experiments.