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ISLAMABAD: Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan visited Pakistan this week for talks centered on bilateral economic ties and ongoing financial cooperation between the two countries, the Finance Ministry stated Saturday. In an official statement on X (Twitter), the ministry stated that Pakistan&rsquo;s Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb personally escorted his Saudi counterpart to Islamabad International Airport upon his departure on Friday. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2042824446013247809&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F5223%2F&sessionId=34e7eff16c3aa34b759e948f3c58ce11e5be3e0f&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div><div class="fr-embed"><div> The two ministers had exchanged remarks on the bilateral relationship and the state of economic cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.</div></div> Pakistan&rsquo;s finance minister said he plans to meet Al-Jadaan again on the sidelines of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-minister-to-discuss-reform-progress-during-imf-meetings-in-washington" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">World Bank Group&ndash;IMF Spring Meetings</a>&nbsp;in Washington. The gathering, set for April 13&ndash;18, will bring together central bankers, government ministers and other stakeholders to discuss economic growth, debt and geopolitical shifts. The visit comes as Islamabad is navigating an unusually intense diplomatic calendar. US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf both arrived in the Pakistani capital on Saturday for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/islamabad-talks" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pakistan-mediated talks</a>&nbsp;over a ceasefire set to expire on April 22, 2026. Pakistan&#39;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described those talks as a &quot;make-or-break moment,&quot; a backdrop that lends additional weight to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/five-things-to-know-about-the-planned-iranus-talks-in-islamabad" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Islamabad&#39;s engagements</a>&nbsp;on the economic front with one of its closest Gulf partners.

Pakistan Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb, left, talks with Saudi Arabia Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah al-Jadaan during a high-level meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan, Friday, April 10, 2026. (Ministry of Finance/X)

Economy

Saudi Finance Minister Al-Jadaan met his Pakistani counterpart in Islamabad, with both sides planning to follow up at the World Bank Group–IMF Spring Meetings in Washington.

Saudi finance minister holds talks in Pakistan on economic cooperation

WASHINGTON: With Artemis II successfully completing its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/artemis-2-extraordinary-views-of-home-as-astronauts-head-towards-moon" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">historic lunar mission</a>&nbsp;on Friday, NASA is banking on billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk for the next step: landing astronauts on the Moon. The Apollo program &ndash; which sent the first and only humans to the Moon&#39;s surface between 1969 and 1972 &ndash; was designed so that only two astronauts could land on the lunar surface for a maximum of a few days. More than 50 years later, American ambitions and expertise have grown, with NASA hoping to send four people on a mission lasting several weeks and eventually building a lunar base. For the second phase of its mission, the space agency is looking to commercial landers designed by Musk&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/nasa-to-bring-spacex-crew11-back-early-over-medical-concern" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">SpaceX</a>&nbsp;and Bezos&#39;s Blue Origin to get its astronauts on the Moon. After Artemis II&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/artemis-ii-astronauts-descend-into-earths-atmosphere-in-critical-heat-shield-test" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">splashed down in the Pacific Ocean</a>&nbsp;on Friday after its record-breaking journey, NASA officials urged all hands on deck for a crewed landing in 2028. &quot;We need all of industry to work and come along with us, and they need to accept that challenge and come with us and really start the production lines that are going to be required in order to achieve that goal,&quot; Lori Glaze, the acting associate NASA administrator, told a press conference. The Apollo program relied on a single rocket, the Saturn V, which carried both the lunar lander and the capsule carrying the astronauts. NASA has opted for two separate systems for Artemis: the first to launch the Orion spacecraft carrying the crew from Earth, and another to launch the lunar lander, which will be privately contracted. &#39;Camping trip&#39; The decision was driven by the technical limitations of the Apollo program, Kent Chojnacki, a senior NASA official in charge of lunar lander development, told AFP. &quot;It was very not expandable to long-term exploration and long-term stays,&quot; he explained. Although spectacular, the Apollo missions were like &quot;camping trips,&quot; said Jack Kiraly, director of government relations at the Planetary Society, which encourages space exploration. The systems NASA is looking at now are &quot;huge compared to Apollo,&quot; said Chojnacki, noting that the new lunar landers being developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX are two to seven times larger than before. The space agency is also drawing from external partners, such as the European companies that built the propulsion module for Orion. The new approach opens access to more equipment and resources, but also significantly complicates operations. To send these giant spacecrafts to the Moon, the private space exploration companies will need to master in-flight refueling, a complex maneuver that has not yet been fully tested. After the lunar lander is launched, additional rockets will be needed to deliver the fuel required for the journey to the Moon, some 250,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) from Earth. &#39;Lose the Moon&#39; Given this risky undertaking and the numerous delays &ndash; particularly those experienced by SpaceX that was supposed to have its lander ready first &ndash; pressure has mounted in recent months. &quot;We are once again about to lose the Moon,&quot; three former NASA officials warned in an article in SpaceNews last September. China, which is hoping to send humans to the Moon by 2030, has been making progress as well, raising fears in the Trump administration that the United States could get left behind. With that in mind, NASA raised the possibility last fall of reopening the contract awarded to SpaceX and using Blue Origin&#39;s lunar lander first, sending shockwaves through the rival companies. Both firms announced they were realigning their strategies to prioritize the lunar project &ndash; and keep their lucrative contracts with NASA. But concerns remain, particularly regarding the feasibility of in-orbit refueling. &quot;We do have a plan,&quot; Chojnacki said, noting that NASA has a back-up plan in case of failure. The timeline is also up in the air. NASA says it plans to test an in-orbit rendezvous between the spacecraft and one or two lunar landers in 2027, and carry out a crewed lunar landing in 2028. Before that, companies will need to test in-orbit refueling and send an unmanned lunar lander to the Moon to demonstrate its safety. That all needs to happen within the next two years. &quot;It feels like a very small amount of time,&quot; said Clayton Swope of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

This handout picture released by NASA on April 10, 2026 and taken on April 6, 2026 shows an image of Earthset captured by the Artemis II crew as they pass behind the Moon’s far side. (AFP)

Artificial Intelligence

NASA is turning to SpaceX and Blue Origin for upcoming Artemis Moon landings after Artemis II, aiming for a 2028 crewed landing while relying on commercial lunar landers and new technology development.

After Artemis II, NASA looks to SpaceX, Blue Origin for moon landings

LONDON: Britain is shelving its plan to hand back the Chagos Islands &ndash; which hosts the strategic Diego Garcia US-UK military base &ndash; according to a government spokesperson Saturday, following strong opposition from US President Donald Trump. &quot;We have always said we would only proceed with the deal if it has US support&quot; the spokesman said in a statement, as reports said legislation to return the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius was due to run out of time in parliament. Trump in January lashed out at what he called London&#39;s &quot;great stupidity&quot; over the deal. Last May&#39;s Chagos agreement would have seen Britain hand the archipelago &ndash; some 2,000 kilometres northeast of Mauritius &ndash; to its former colony and pay to lease Diego Garcia, the largest island, which is home to the military base, for a century. &quot;Diego Garcia is a key strategic military asset for both the UK and the US. Ensuring its long-term operational security is and will continue to be our priority &ndash; it is the entire reason for the deal,&quot; the Downing Street spokesperson added. &ldquo;We are continuing to engage with the US and Mauritius.&quot; Trump had endorsed the deal after it was signed but then launched a scathing attack on it in Truth Social comments in January. &quot;The United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia... for no reason whatsover,&quot; he said. &quot;There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness,&quot; he said, adding that it showed why the US needed to conquer Greenland from ally Denmark. Diego Garcia was one of two bases which the UK allowed the US to use for what the British government insisted were &quot;defensive operations&quot; in its war against Iran. 99-year lease Starmer has previously insisted that international legal rulings have put Britain&#39;s ownership of the Chagos in doubt and only a deal with Mauritius would guarantee that the base remains functional. Government officials cited by the BBC said the agreement was not being entirely abandoned. But they said the legislation underpinning it would not pass before parliament is dissolved in coming weeks and a new Chagos bill is not expected to be put forward. Britain kept control of the Chagos Islands after Mauritius gained independence in the 1960s. It evicted thousands of Chagos islanders who have since mounted a series of legal claims for compensation in British courts. In 2019, the International Court of Justice recommended that Britain hand the archipelago to Mauritius. The deal would have given Britain a 99-year lease of the base, with the option to extend. The UK government has not said how much the lease would cost but has failed to deny that it would be &pound;90 million ($111 million) a year.

Aerial view of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos Islands, which hosts a US-UK military base. (NASA)

Africa

Britain has shelved its plan to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after opposition from US President Donald Trump and delays in parliament. 

UK to shelve Chagos handover after Trump criticism

Gaza City, Palestine: Gaza&#39;s civil defense rescue service said on Saturday that Israeli airstrikes in the Palestinian territory had killed seven Palestinians overnight, despite the fragile ceasefire in place since October last year. Mahmoud Bassal, spokesman for the group said an Israeli drone had fired two missiles close to a police post in the Al-Bureij refugee camp. In addition to the seven dead, he said, several more people were wounded, four of them critically. The al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza said it had received six bodies and seven wounded, &quot;including four in a critical condition because of direct impacts to the face, torso and other parts of the body&quot;. The nearby al-Awda hospital said it had received one fatality and two wounded. Reached for comment by AFP, the Israeli military said it was working to verify the information. Israel and Hamas regularly accuse each other of violating the ceasefire that came into effect on Oct. 10, after two years of war. At least 738 Palestinians have been killed since the truce began, according to Gaza&#39;s Health Ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations. The Israeli army has reported five soldiers killed since the start of the truce. Under the restrictions imposed on the media in Gaza and the difficulties of accessing the field -- the international press is still barred by the Israeli authorities from entering -- AFP is not in a position to independently verify the information provided by the different parties.

Middle East

The al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza said it had received six bodies and seven wounded, 'including four in a critical condition because of direct impacts to the face, torso and other parts of the body'.

Gaza civil defense says Israeli strikes kill seven Palestinians

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, will meet senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) leadership and discuss the country&rsquo;s macroeconomic outlook, reform progress, and future cooperation on his Washington trip. The finance minister departed for the United States to participate in the World Bank Group&ndash;IMF <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/fitch-reaffirms-pakistans-b-credit-rating-removes-review-status" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Spring Meetings</a> 2026, scheduled to be held in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistans-policy-efforts-have-helped-stabilize-economy-imf" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Washington</a>, DC from April 13 to 18, 2026, said a statement shared on X on Saturday by Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Finance.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2042842259163664557&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=0cfb081cd9b90284bcce6412a3d4400ce998918c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 897px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2042842259163664557">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>During his visit, the finance minister will represent Pakistan at important events organized by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group, and will participate in a wide range of multilateral and bilateral engagements with global financial leaders, development partners, and <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/foreign-investors-return-to-pakistan-as-sovereign-bond-inflows-surge" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">policymakers</a>, the statement said.&nbsp;Bilateral meetings&nbsp;On the sidelines of the Spring Meetings, the finance minister is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with senior leadership of international financial institutions, including Anna Bjerde, Managing Director (Operations), World Bank Group; Makhtar Diop, Managing Director, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Tsutomu Yamamoto, Managing Director, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), the press release added. He will also meet senior IMF leadership, including Dan Katz, First Deputy Managing Director, Nigel Clarke, Deputy Managing Director of the IMF and Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the IMF to discuss Pakistan&rsquo;s macroeconomic outlook, reform progress, and future cooperation.&nbsp;Conference at Harvard&nbsp;Prior to the formal Spring Meetings, the finance minister will visit Boston to attend the Pakistan Conference at Harvard University, where he will engage with leading academics, policymakers, and members of the Pakistani diaspora, and share Pakistan&rsquo;s economic outlook, reform trajectory, and growth prospects, the press release said.&nbsp;As part of his engagements with the United States Administration, the finance minister will meet senior officials of the US State Department and the US Department of the Treasury, as well as Jamieson Greer, the United States Trade Representative (USTR), to further strengthen bilateral economic cooperation and discuss support for Pakistan&rsquo;s reform agenda. The finance minister will also engage with senior representatives of global financial institutions and corporations, including leadership from major international investment institutions and banks such as Franklin Templeton, Rothschild &amp; Co, Citibank, and JP Morgan Chase, as well as representatives of leading technology and policy platforms.&nbsp;Meetings with leaders from partner countries&nbsp;In addition, Senator Aurangzeb will meet key counterparts and financial leaders from partner countries, including China, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, T&uuml;rkiye, and the United Kingdom, to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation. He is also scheduled to engage with multilateral and development finance stakeholders, including the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Gates Foundation, and senior representatives of institutions such as Asian Development Bank (ADB), JICA and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).&nbsp;Multilateral forums&nbsp;The finance minister will participate in key multilateral forums, including the G-24 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors&rsquo; Meetings, the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action.&nbsp; He will also contribute to a series of high-level roundtables and policy discussions, including the Borrowers&rsquo; Platform and sessions focused on global economic stability, financial reforms, climate finance, and development priorities.&nbsp;World Bank-hosted roundtable&nbsp;A key highlight of the visit will be Pakistan&rsquo;s participation in a World Bank&ndash;hosted roundtable on &ldquo;Delivering Social Protection Digitally: Lessons and Innovations from Pakistan, Middle East and North Africa,&rdquo; where Pakistan will showcase its experience in developing and scaling Government-to-Person (G2P) payment systems, particularly through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), alongside other participating countries. In addition to official engagements, the finance minister will participate in investment forums and roundtable discussions with institutional investors, including sessions organized by Jefferies, JP Morgan and Citibank, where he will highlight Pakistan&rsquo;s improving macroeconomic indicators, reform agenda, and investment potential. The finance minister will also participate in a dedicated event on Roshan Digital Accounts (RDA) and remittances, being organized in collaboration with the State Bank of Pakistan at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, DC, aimed at engaging the Pakistani diaspora and promoting remittance inflows through formal channels.&nbsp;Rating agencies&nbsp;He will engage with global credit rating agencies, including Fitch Ratings, Moody&rsquo;s, and S&amp;P Global, and interact with leading international media organizations. As part of his outreach to policy and thought leaders, Senator Aurangzeb will speak at the Atlantic Council and engage with leading think tanks to share Pakistan&rsquo;s economic outlook and reform trajectory. The finance minister will also meet members of the US-Pakistan Business Council and interact with the Pakistani diaspora and business community to promote investment opportunities and strengthen economic ties.&nbsp;Over the course of his visit, the finance minister is expected to participate in over 50 high-level engagements, including bilateral meetings, multilateral forums, policy dialogues, investment roundtables, and media interactions, reflecting Pakistan&rsquo;s proactive and constructive engagement with the global economic community, the statement said. The visit underscores Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to macroeconomic stability, structural reforms, and strengthening partnerships with international financial institutions and global stakeholders to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth, it added.

Departs for US to participate in World Bank Group–IMF Spring Meetings 2026, scheduled to be held in Washington, DC from April 13 to 18, 2026, said an official statement shared on X on Saturday.

Pakistan minister to discuss reform progress during IMF meetings in Washington 

ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh has condemned Israeli strikes on Lebanon that caused civilian casualties, warning they risk undermining fragile diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring peace in the region. In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government said the attacks &ldquo;undermine ongoing efforts toward peace and stability,&rdquo; as high-stakes negotiations between the United States and Iran gather momentum in Islamabad. The condemnation comes as a delicate two-week ceasefire, brokered through Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic engagement, attempts to hold amid continued violence in Lebanon that has raised concerns among international stakeholders.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2042798450786578585&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=16d58d280534897568e1fda3335eced4ac67cea1&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 729px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Dhaka also confirmed the death of a Bangladeshi national, identified as Ms Dipali, in an Israeli strike in Beirut. &ldquo;The Government of Bangladesh expresses heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and stands in solidarity with them during this difficult time,&rdquo; the statement said. Authorities added that the Bangladesh Embassy in Lebanon is in contact with the victim&rsquo;s family and will repatriate her remains when conditions permit. The latest remarks add to growing international concern that continued strikes in Lebanon could complicate broader efforts to translate the ceasefire into a lasting peace framework, as diplomatic engagements intensify in Islamabad.

Bangladesh

Dhaka condemns the recent Israeli attacks on Lebanon resulting in the loss of civilian lives and injuries; also condemns the tragic killing of Ms Dipali, a Bangladeshi national, reportedly in an Israeli attack in Beirut.

Bangladesh condemns Lebanon strikes as peace efforts face mounting pressure

KYIV:&nbsp;A temporary ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine for Orthodox Easter is set to begin on Saturday afternoon, as US-led diplomatic efforts to end the war falter. The Kremlin said it had ordered a temporary truce from Saturday at 4:00 pm (1300 GMT) until the end of Sunday, a 32-hour period. Russia&#39;s Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and army chief Valery Gerasimov have been instructed to &ldquo;cease hostilities in all directions during this period,&rdquo; the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/russian-envoy-in-us-for-economy-talks-kremlin" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kremlin</a> said. <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/qatar-ukraine-sign-deal-on-countering-missiles-drones-qatari-defense-ministry" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ukrainian</a> President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv had &ldquo;repeatedly stated&rdquo; it was ready for a ceasefire over Easter, and was willing to reciprocate. The temporary ceasefire came as US-led talks on ending the four-year-old conflict have been derailed by the US-Israel war on Iran. The two sides also held a ceasefire for the Orthodox Easter last year. Authorities in Ukraine&#39;s central region of Poltava, and Sumy, a region in the north east, reported overnight Friday that one person had been killed and around 15 others wounded in two separate attacks, just hours before the ceasefire was set to begin. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched 128 drones against the country overnight Thursday. Slowdown in Russian military operations&nbsp;Several rounds of US-led talks have failed to bring the warring sides closer to an agreement and Washington&#39;s attention is now focused on Iran. The negotiations have become deadlocked, with Moscow demanding territorial and political concessions that Zelensky has ruled out as tantamount to capitulation. The Kremlin&#39;s spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied Russia had discussed the ceasefire with Ukraine or the United States in advance and said it was not linked to negotiations to end the war.&nbsp;Deadliest since WW IIThe war has cost hundreds of thousands of lives and forced millions to flee their homes, making it Europe&#39;s deadliest conflict since World War II. Over the past few years, fighting on the front has come to a near standstill.&nbsp; Russia has made small territorial gains at a high cost. But Kyiv recently managed to push back in the southeast and Russian advances have been slowing since late 2025, according to the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Apart from Ukrainian counter-attacks, analysts attributed the slowdown to Russia being banned from using SpaceX&#39;s Starlink satellites and Moscow&#39;s own efforts to block the Telegram messaging app. The situation is, however, unfavorable for Ukraine in the Donetsk region, towards the cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, according to the ISW. Moscow occupies just more than 19% of Ukraine, most of which was seized during the first weeks of the conflict.

Europe

The Kremlin says it has ordered a temporary truce from Saturday at 4:00 pm (1300 GMT) until the end of Sunday, a 32-hour period.

Russia and Ukraine set to begin Easter truce

Faraz Saeed

WAGAH, Lahore: Under the clear spring sky at the Wagah border, where flags and fences mark one of South Asia&rsquo;s most sensitive frontiers, Sikh pilgrims crossed into Pakistan on Friday, greeted with flower garlands, official receptions and visible warmth as Baisakhi celebrations began. The first batch of pilgrims from India entered through Wagah, a key crossing between Pakistan and India, to take part in one of Punjab&rsquo;s most significant seasonal gatherings. Pakistan issued around 2,800 visas for the festival, with officials confirming that 2,238 pilgrims arrived, while more than 600 did not travel. They were received by senior officials including Minister for Minority Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, Additional Secretary for Shrines Nasir Mushtaq and Lahore Commissioner Maryam Khan, alongside representatives of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. For many arriving pilgrims, the reception set the tone for their journey.&nbsp;&lsquo;Happy with your welcome&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Our revered late Guru Ji has blessed us with such grace that we received such a warm welcome here. We are very happy with your welcome,&rdquo; one pilgrim told Pakistan TV Digital. The journey from Wagah leads into the fertile plains of Punjab, where wheat fields are nearing harvest and towns carry the rhythm of an agrarian season turning. Baisakhi, rooted in this landscape, marks the harvest cycle and the beginning of a new year in Punjab&rsquo;s traditional calendar. &ldquo;We have come with devotion, and we are satisfied with the arrangements here,&rdquo; another pilgrim said. The main ceremony will take place on April 14 at Gurdwara Panja Sahib, a revered site nestled at the foothills near Hasan Abdal.&nbsp;Birthplace of Guru NanakDuring their 10-day stay, pilgrims will also travel to Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, moving across a geography that holds deep historical and cultural resonance. &ldquo;The facilities provided to us, including accommodation and food, are good,&rdquo; a third pilgrim noted. Officials say extensive arrangements have been made, including accommodation, langar, transport, and medical services to support the visitors throughout their stay. &ldquo;Everything is well managed, and we feel comfortable here,&rdquo; another pilgrim said. Additional Secretary Shrines Mushtaq confirmed that all preparations were in place and reiterated that the main ceremony would be held at Panja Sahib.&nbsp;The minority affairs minister framed the visit in broader terms, particularly in the context of strained relations following the May 2025 conflict between Pakistan and India.&nbsp;&lsquo;First home for Sikhs&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan is not a second but the first home for Sikhs,&rdquo; Arora said. &ldquo;Pakistan is the first home for Sikhs, and we will continue to welcome them.&rdquo; He added that issuing thousands of visas despite tensions reflects Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to peace and people-to-people engagement. &ldquo;Our doors will remain open,&rdquo; he said. The minister also announced that 17 gurdwaras would become functional this year, with restoration work on 34 more sites expected to be completed within two years.&nbsp;Kartarpur Corridor&nbsp;He urged India to fully open the Kartarpur Corridor to facilitate easier access for pilgrims. Beyond India, pilgrims from Europe, Canada, Australia, and Malaysia are also expected, with special facilitation counters set up at airports across Pakistan. Leaders of Sikh groups welcomed the arrangements. Representatives from Indian gurdwara committees expressed appreciation for the hospitality and visa facilitation, describing the visit as both spiritual and cultural. &ldquo;We are thankful for the opportunity to visit and for the arrangements made,&rdquo; another pilgrim said. As the celebrations continue until April 19, the movement of pilgrims across borders and into Punjab&rsquo;s heartland reflects a seasonal rhythm that predates modern boundaries, one tied to harvests, journeys and shared spaces shaped by history and land.

Culture

Foreign Affairs

The first batch of pilgrims from India entered through Wagah, a key crossing between Pakistan and India, to take part in one of Punjab’s most significant seasonal gatherings.

Indian Sikh pilgrims arrive for Baisakhi, laud Pakistan’s warm hospitality

KHAN YUNIS: In southern Gaza, aid workers are meticulously assembling fiberglass homes meant to shelter thousands of Palestinians still displaced six months after a ceasefire started between Israel and Hamas. Nearly two million people in Gaza are living in makeshift shelters, and the humanitarian situation remains dire, according to aid agencies.The fiberglass units are designed to offer a modicum of relief &mdash; homes with slightly more comfort than a tent vulnerable to the coastal winds that hit Gaza. Alessandro Markic, head of the United Nations Development Programme office in Gaza, initiated the plan. He said families &ldquo;are facing extremely difficult conditions.&rdquo; Roughly 4,000 units are planned in the Al-Mohararat area, west of Khan Younis. Workers assemble walls, install small windows, and lay roofs for families who try to settle in with rugs and cushions inside. &ldquo;These are very basic and temporary solutions, while we continue to plan for recovery and reconstruction,&rdquo; Markic said. The homes, he added, &ldquo;provide more dignity, privacy, and protection during the winter.&rdquo; Some Gazans were visibly relieved to have an alternative to the tents where most displaced people continue to live. Nasma Sharab has moved into one unit with her sons, and affirmed it was &ldquo;better&rdquo; than a tent. The fiberglass homes &ldquo;don&rsquo;t constantly blow away in the wind,&rdquo; she said. But, she added, &ldquo;it&rsquo;s a temporary solution while we wait for reconstruction to begin and for people to be able to go back to their homes.&rdquo; Among those who remain in a tent is Ali Abu Nahl, in Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, after being displaced to the center and south of the territory with his children and grandchildren. His house was destroyed during the devastating conflict that erupted with the Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s been half a year since the bombing stopped, but in Gaza, the war doesn&rsquo;t end when the strikes stop,&rdquo; he said.

Six months after a ceasefire, displaced Palestinians in Khan Younis are moving into fiberglass shelters built by aid workers, offering modest protection from harsh conditions while thousands still await reconstruction, stability, and a return to permanent homes.

In Gaza, fiberglass homes aim to offer more ‘dignity’ for displaced

SAN FRANCISCO: The luxury San Francisco home of OpenAI boss Sam Altman was hit by a Molotov cocktail on Friday, the company said, as police announced the arrest of a suspect. No one was injured in the incident, and the firm behind the popular ChatGPT artificial intelligence chatbot would not confirm if the CEO was home at the time. The motive for the attack and subsequent threats to set fire to OpenAI&rsquo;s San Francisco headquarters &mdash; apparently by the same 20-year-old man &mdash; were not immediately known. But they come as Altman&rsquo;s profile has risen with the increasing use of AI, amid fears it could massively disrupt employment patterns and cause irreversible societal changes. Police in San Francisco responded after reports that someone had tried to set fire to a gate at the sprawling home. A statement from the San Francisco Police Department said officers were dispatched to the home just after 4:00 am (1100 GMT). &ldquo;At the scene, officers learned that an unknown male subject threw an incendiary destructive device at a home, causing a fire to an exterior gate. The suspect then fled on foot,&rdquo; SFPD said. A short time later they were called to the firm&rsquo;s offices where a man was making threats. &ldquo;When officers arrived on scene, they recognized the male to be the same suspect from the earlier incident and immediately detained him,&rdquo; the statement said of the unnamed 20-year-old suspect. A spokesman for OpenAI confirmed the attack on the chief executive&rsquo;s residence and the threats to the San Francisco headquarters.&ldquo;The individual is in custody, and we&rsquo;re assisting law enforcement with their investigation,&rdquo; the spokesman told AFP. AI for warAltman and OpenAI have become targets for people protesting AI as a threat to society. Detractors have been particularly troubled by OpenAI&rsquo;s decision to provide its technology to the US Department of Defense. In a rare post on his personal blog, Altman shared a photo of his husband and their baby &ldquo;in the hopes that it might dissuade the next person from throwing a Molotov cocktail at our house.&rdquo; The OpenAI chief defended his convictions and called for a de-escalation of rhetoric surrounding. &ldquo;I empathize with anti-technology sentiments and clearly technology isn&rsquo;t always good for everyone,&rdquo; Altman wrote. &ldquo;But overall, I believe technological progress can make the future unbelievably good, for your family and mine.&rdquo; OpenAI last month said it was valued at $852 billion after a funding round that raised $122 billion. The figure reflects the surging costs of computing power and came amid lingering questions about whether OpenAI and rival companies can generate sufficient revenue to cover expenses. ChatGPT claims the top position in consumer AI, with more than 900 million weekly active users and some 50 million subscribers. Use of ChatGPT&rsquo;s online search engine has tripled over the course of a year, according to OpenAI.

Attack targets Sam Altman’s San Francisco home as police arrest suspect after Molotov incident, raising concerns over growing backlash against OpenAI and the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence technologies worldwide.

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