• Erling Haaland grabbed a thrilling late victory as Norway knocked Ivory Coast out of the 2026 World Cup qualifying.

Haaland had been invisible for much of the game but turned up when it mattered most to score his fifth goal of the tournament and send Norway through.

Norway had taken the lead in the first half after a stunning curling drive from Antonio Nusa, only for Manchester United’s Amad Diallo to equalise with a spectacular solo effort.

Norway will now take against Brazil in New York on July 5 for a place in the quarter-finals.

Erling Haaland has taken his goalscoring inevitability to the World Cup stage.

The 25-year-old has scored in 14 successive competitive matches for Norway, registering 22 goals in that sequence of contests.

His job tonight was simple, slotting into an empty net from 6 yards to extend the run, but as any good striker he deserves credit for getting into that position. Norway have scored in the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time since 1938.

The scorer of that goal in 1938 was Arne Brustad, who was born on the same day that the Titanic hit an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean.

The deputy foreign minister of Rwanda will visit Doha on Wednesday to discuss regional trends and the implementation of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Qatari authorities, according to the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ministry said in a statement that work on putting the MoU’s many provisions into practice is still ongoing.

It further stated that Tehran has seen favorably recent developments in lifting the blockade and loosening limitations on the selling of Iranian oil.

The ministry stated that the fulfillment of Article 13 of the memorandum is deemed crucial for the success of the negotiations and that a final deal is still dependent on the end of the war in Lebanon.

Establishing an efficient ceasefire system in Lebanon is crucial to laying the groundwork for enduring peace, according to Iranian authorities.

The foreign ministry added that diplomatic efforts are still being made to address the ongoing conflict in Lebanon and that attempts are being made to monitor and handle the situation with the utmost seriousness.

KARACHI- 30th June, 2026- In Pakistan, a 50kg bag of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC – generally grade 53) would cost you somewhere in the vicinity of Rs. 1,505 to Rs. 1,610 depending on the brand you choose, your location in the country, the quality and any extra charges that your local dealer might be charging. The general price nationally ranges from Rs. 1,540 to Rs. 1,580, with a lot of popular brands maintaining their own in the Rs. 1,550-1,610 price point range in local marketplaces.

In the larger urban centres:

• The south (Karachi and rest of Sindh) is frequently a little cheaper, typically ranging from Rs. 1,520 to Rs. 1,570, thanks to its close proximity to cement manufacturing hubs and good transport links.
• Lahore, Islamabad and the rest of the northern markets tend to fluctuate between Rs.1,550 and Rs.1,610 due to transportation expenses and significant demand from ongoing housing, commercial and infrastructure construction projects.

The recent tensions in the Iran region have had some impact on worldwide fuel prices (and local ones too) since late February 2026 after some disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz, however recent moves towards a peace have helped reduce some of that pressure. This has led to a fall in international oil prices and some much-needed respite in fuel prices in Pakistan to be effective from end June 2026. Petrol is now at Rs. 299-300 per litre and high-speed diesel is around Rs. 311 per litre after major government subsidies. However, the prices at the pump are still higher than before the onset of conflict, affecting transport expenses for cement (primarily through diesel for transport) and energy inputs for the production of cement. The influence on bag prices has been restrained by a substantial volume of domestic output and a stable domestic supply.

Pakistan still depends on cement, for almost all construction needs, from the most modest individual houses and apartments to the largest government-led infrastructure projects, such as highways and bridges. By late June 2026, local supply remains strong, a welcome development that guarantees availability of this vital commodity. Prices reflect these underlying cost structures, with little day-to-day fluctuation.

Current Cement Prices in Pakistan (Per 50kg Bag)
Prices of a 50kg bag of regular OPC grey cement across the country range from Rs. 1,505 to Rs. 1,610. The southern markets (especially Karachi and other parts of Sindh) are more aggressive with rates of Rs. 1,520-1,570, while those in the northern towns such as Lahore and Islamabad are often in the Rs. 1,550-1,610 range. The pricing differences are due to logistics and transportation costs that are a function of the locations of the factories and local market demand.

The cost of petrol and high-speed diesel, due to the situation in Iran and post-truce adjustments, had an impact on transportation and manufacturing costs for cement in recent months, although prices are relatively stable at this late June 2026 date thanks to substantial government relief measures and balanced domestic output, allowing individuals and companies to plan their construction projects with more certainty.