Peshawar  –  The sixth meeting of Board of Directors of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) was held under the chairmanship of Special Assistant to Chief Minister (SACM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tourism, Culture, Archaeology and Museums Malik Adeel Iqbal, where important decisions were taken to promote tourism in the province and improve the performance and affairs of the authority.

Member Provincial Assembly and Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism and Culture Fateh-ul-Mulk Ali Nasir, Secretary Tourism and Culture Saadat Hassan, Director General Culture and Tourism Authority Shahid Khan and other board members attended the meeting. The meeting reviewed in detail the implementation status of decisions taken during the fifth meeting of Board of Directors. The authority’s budget for the financial year 2026-27 was presented and, after detailed deliberations, approved by the board. The meeting also decided to increase the salaries of Tourism Police personnel.

SACM Malik Adeel Iqbal directed the authority to reduce expenditures and ensure effective and optimum utilisation of available resources. He also directed the authorities to initiate paragliding activities in the province and include a clause for an annual increase in lease rentals in agreements concerning government properties leased out to private parties.

The board also approved the outsourcing of camping pods and rest houses, with the matter referred to the Technical Committee for further consideration. Malik Adeel Iqbal directed the authority to ensure better utilisation of government properties and further improve the relevant rules in this regard. The meeting also decided to establish a Tourism and Hospitality Advisory Committee comprising 16 members. The committee will present recommendations for improvement and development in the tourism and hospitality sectors.

The board also approved Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Boating Safety Regulations 2026. The new regulations lay down a clear mechanism for the registration, licensing, fitness certification and operation of tourism boats in the province. The regulations aim to regulate boating activities and ensure the safety of tourists as well as local residents.

The yen extended gains on Thursday after a sudden burst ​higher in the previous session, though traders stopped short of attributing the move to Japanese authorities and instead pointed ‌to a hawkish repricing of domestic rate expectations.

The yen rose to an intraday peak of 157.95 per dollar in Asia, extending its 0.9% jump overnight that initially put markets on alert for any official intervention from Tokyo, though the scale and fleeting nature of the move suggested otherwise.

The Japanese ​currency’s rally was broad-based, with the euro last down 0.38% to 183.27 yen, while sterling similarly fell 0.36% to 213.21 ​yen .
“I believe there’s little incentive for (the) Japanese government to intervene at this moment,” said Kazumasa Ishii, a ⁠strategist at UBS SuMi Trust Wealth Management, citing “limited” signs that dollar/yen could scale a new multi-decade high in the near term.

The ​renewed strength in the yen follows hawkish comments from Bank of Japan (BOJ) board member Hajime Takata, who said on Wednesday the central bank should ​conduct interest rate hikes nimbly to counter intensifying inflationary pressures, rather than adhere to a fixed semiannual pace anticipated by markets.

“(The) remarks are the strongest messaging we’ve heard from the board and reintroduces the idea of an expedited rate hike trajectory,” Citi said in a client note, adding that the market is ​taking Takata’s comments “more seriously”.

A BOJ rate hike this month is nearly fully priced in by markets.

Since a rare joint yen-buying intervention between ​the U.S. and Japan on July 31, the yen has struggled to find lasting support, coming under pressure from still-wide interest rate differentials, fiscal worries ‌and ⁠a renewed spike in energy prices.

WAITING ON PAYROLLS

In the broader market, the strength in the yen left the U.S. dollar on the back foot, with the euro up marginally to $1.1593. Sterling bounced from a three-week low and last bought $1.3489.

The New Zealand dollar rose 0.13% to $0.5860, having slid 0.67% on Wednesday following a dovish hike from the country’s central bank, while the Aussie held near a more than three-month high at $0.7166.

Against a basket of ​currencies, the dollar eased 0.14% ​to 99.46. The Canadian dollar extended ⁠overnight gains and stood at C$1.3833, after the Bank of Canada held rates on Wednesday, though it signalled its readiness to tighten policy to rein in inflation.

All eyes are now on Friday’s U.S. nonfarm payrolls report, where analysts ​are forecasting an increase of 56,000 in jobs, following July’s shock drop of 23,000, with unemployment ​holding at 4.1%.

It ⁠would probably need a much weaker outcome to greatly lessen the risk of a September rate hike from the Federal Reserve, with markets now pricing in a 61% chance of a move.

“After Fed Chair (Kevin) Warsh’s hawkish Jackson Hole speech, I think markets are back to the idea that ⁠the Fed ​is prepared to take action in the near term to bring inflation closer ​to target more quickly,” said Carol Kong, a currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

“Payrolls, I think, could come in solid again, given the supply shocks like the lower ​immigration and increased retirement… that would give another boost to FOMC rate-hike pricing.”

Nintendo has officially rolled out Update 13.0.5 for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, bringing an important stability hotfix to the iconic crossover fighting game.

The unexpected software update directly resolves a persistent online multiplayer bug that disrupted gameplay during specific battle conditions.

According to official patch notes released by Nintendo, the update addresses an error where online matches would prematurely disconnect or crash when certain character interactions and stage hazards occurred simultaneously, ensuring a smoother experience for competitive and casual players alike.

While the 13.0.5 patch does not introduce any character balance adjustments, new fighters, or extra stages, its deployment highlights Nintendo’s continued commitment to maintaining the game’s network integrity. Super Smash Bros.

Ultimate remains a flagship title for the Nintendo Switch platform, drawing active global participation across casual lobbies and professional esports tournaments.

Players must download and install the latest version to access online modes, join local wireless games with updated consoles, and ensure replay compatibility with current software standards.

The surprise release underscores how crucial online stability remains for long-standing franchise titles as Nintendo manages its live-service catalog.

Community feedback following the patch deployment has been overwhelmingly positive, with players reporting immediate improvements in matchmaking reliability and fewer unexpected disconnections.

As fans look toward the future of the franchise, this maintenance patch ensures that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate continues to deliver a seamless online competitive environment.

PARIS- The ​European Space Agency is considering increasing the launch rate of its Ariane 6 and Vega-C rockets in the ‌coming years to overcome a potential bottleneck in satellite deployments, the agency’s chief said on Wednesday.

Director General Josef Aschbacher told reporters that a decision would be needed soon if forecasts of a sharp rise in demand, expected to peak around 2030, prove accurate.

Based on Europe’s own missions, as well ​as possible further interest from Amazon and other commercial activity, there is more demand than planned ⁠capacity, Aschbacher said at an event organised by the AJPAE aerospace media association.

Amazon has already commissioned 18 launches.

“Of course the ​question is, can we satisfy all these launches? That’s exactly the assessment we are doing right now,” Aschbacher said, adding that no ​decisions had been made so far.

“We are already advanced in some of these estimates, but it’s also clear that if we want to satisfy launch requirements in 2030 … we need to make a decision pretty soon to build up the capacities needed.”

Arianespace, a subsidiary of Airbus-Safran rocket venture ​ArianeGroup, declined to comment ahead of a regular news briefing planned for September 7.

The 23-nation ESA is exploring the feasibility of ​launching humans into space on European rockets rather than hitching rides on U.S. vehicles, though the decision would be a political one.

Officials say ‌the initiative ⁠could increase ESA’s budget by about 10%, depending on how it is funded. The issue is expected to feature at a space summit hosted by France next week.

MERGER UNDER SCRUTINY

Aschbacher also gave the clearest signal yet that ESA is prepared to use its weight as Europe’s largest buyer to ensure satellite competition remains amid plans for a major merger.

Airbus Thales and Leonardo last ​year to combine satellite manufacturing ​activities into a new company ⁠code-named “Project Bromo,” in a deal awaiting antitrust approval.

While ESA is not directly involved in the negotiations, it accounts for roughly 60% of public-sector spending on satellites in Europe.

Aschbacher declined to say ​whether he supported the merger, which he said was a matter for the companies and ​European Commission.

“What I’m ⁠saying is that ESA can certainly … use the tool sets that we have, meaning industrial policy, to ensure that the European space ecosystem will continue to flourish,” he added.

That could include measures to protect the sector’s supply chain, a key concern for companies outside the proposed ⁠venture.

Germany’s OHB, ​which would be the main domestic European competitor to the new combined ​group, has warned the deal could weaken its own supply chain.

Airbus and its partners argue that competition should be assessed on a global basis rather than ​a European one, citing the need to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink.

Britain’s monarch, King Charles, met with the Pakistani cricket team at Clarence House, the royal family’s historic residence.

Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), was present at the ceremony, and King Charles had conversations with the Pakistani players and team officials.

King Charles spoke with Mohsin Naqvi about efforts to uphold law and order in Pakistan, as well as cricket and counter-terrorism.

🏏 This afternoon, The King welcomed the Pakistan National Cricket Team to Clarence House. pic.twitter.com/ihy70scAhX

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 2, 2026

The British High Commissioner told King Charles that Mohsin Naqvi and Pakistan have contributed much to regional peace.

Mohsin Naqvi said the meeting with King Charles was very fruitful in an interview with a private news channel. He praised initiatives to advance peace and encouraged the players.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi departed from the UK to return home following the King Charles meeting.