Aleena Zara Malik

In this episode of Debunkistan, we unpack the tired global narrative that paints Pakistan (and South Asia, for that matter) as one big, homogenous blur. From Karachi&#39;s vibrant truck art to Wakhi poetry in Gilgit, and from Pashto rap to couture fashion weeks, Pakistan&#39;s diversity is evident in its over 70 distinct cultures, languages, and lifestyles.

Debunkistan

Unpacking the tired global narrative that paints Pakistan (and South Asia, for that matter) as one big, homogenous blur.

The Monolith Myth

Culture

Pakistan’s music scene has gone global, from Arooj Aftab’s Grammy wins to Taurees Habib’s historic achievement. Artists like Meesha Shafi, Ali Sethi, and Xulfi continue pushing boundaries, solidifying Pakistan’s influence in global music culture

Grammy beyond borders: Pakistani artists redefine global music

ISLAMABAD: &ldquo;This is the ultimate dishonour to the women of India,&rdquo; Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra lashed out against the government in her post on X after media reports stated that women journalists were excluded from the Taliban minister&rsquo;s Delhi press conference on his request.&nbsp;Moitra&rsquo;s remarks that the government enabled gender discrimination on Indian soil coincided with a wave of anger on the internet against keeping women journalists away from the press conference. On Friday, October 10, 2025, a press interaction was held in New Delhi, reportedly at the Afghan Embassy, following bilateral talks between visiting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi and External Affairs Minister of India Dr. S. Jaishankar.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;In her video posted on the social media platform X, Mahua Moitra termed the government officials as &ldquo;a shameful bunch of spineless hypocrites.&rdquo; &nbsp; &nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 560px; 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: 560px; height: 560px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1976727137265803594&lang=en&maxWidth=560px&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=abdb2d0a42b5d866a3e7af687aa8489d87491526&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Expressing disdain, another X user, Nayanima Basu, said: &ldquo;Right under the Indian government&#39;s nose, in the heart of the capital city, the Afghan Foreign Minister Muttaqi holds a press conference, intentionally excluding any female journalists. How can this be allowed? Who approved such an outrageous disregard for representation?&rdquo; &nbsp; <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-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 735px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1976609063732437424&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=abdb2d0a42b5d866a3e7af687aa8489d87491526&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Despite the Ministry of External Affairs&#39; clarification that the press interaction was managed by the Afghan side, MP Moitra blamed the Indian government. Moitra said the government not only yielded to the Taliban&rsquo;s discriminatory policy against women but also &ldquo;dishonoured every single Indian woman by allowing a Taliban minister to exclude women journalists.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp;Agreeing with another user on X, a prominent Indian journalist, Suhasini Haider, said: &ldquo;Quite right, Uma, our expectations are not from the Taliban [government], which has enacted laws to erase women from public life, but from our own government in particular that they would protest such discrimination even if they felt powerless to stop it.&rdquo;&nbsp; &nbsp; <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-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 530px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1976715779295920619&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=abdb2d0a42b5d866a3e7af687aa8489d87491526&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> &nbsp;Expressing disappointment on another post on X, Anjali Modi stated: &ldquo;Our expectations are also from our male colleagues to stand up for what is right, rather than endorsing the Taliban&#39;s ideological sexism by attending a male-only press conference!&rdquo; &nbsp; <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-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 656px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1976720991276695710&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=abdb2d0a42b5d866a3e7af687aa8489d87491526&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Mahua Moitra said on the one hand, the government ran campaigns like &#39;Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao&#39; (Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter), and on the other hosts an official who would not sit with women. She also criticized male journalists, who attended the press conference, for their &quot;silence,&quot; noting they failed to protest or walk out in solidarity with their female colleagues.&quot;&nbsp;

India

Outrage erupted after women journalists were banned from a Taliban minister’s Delhi press conference. Critics, including MP Mahua Moitra, accused the Indian government of enabling gender discrimination and failing to protest the exclusion.

Taliban minister’s Delhi presser sparks outrage as women journalists barred

ISLAMABAD: The Spring/Summer 2026 season wasn&#39;t just another fashion month; it was an industry-wide power shuffle. Economic slowdown, corporate ambition, and the hunger for reinvention collided, forcing a creative reset across Paris, Milan, and beyond.&nbsp;Nearly a dozen major houses unveiled new creative directors, each tasked with the impossible: not merely designing clothes, but re-engineering what luxury means and how it sells.&nbsp;The Big Three: Where Luxury&rsquo;s Future Took Shape<h4 style="margin: 12pt 0in 2pt; line-height: 2; font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;">Chanel: Matthieu Blazy&rsquo;s Ethereal Reinvention</h4>Matthieu Blazy&rsquo;s move from Bottega Veneta to Chanel was the most-watched debut of SS26, and he delivered.&nbsp;His collection drifted between earth and air: lighter tweeds, feathered appliqu&eacute;s, and sheers that made the grand feel human again.&nbsp;Blazy didn&rsquo;t mimic Lagerfeld; he modernized his storytelling. The result was a Chanel reimagined: classic yet fluid, archival yet utterly alive.<h4 style="margin: 12pt 0in 2pt; line-height: 2; font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;">Dior: Jonathan Anderson&rsquo;s Intellectual Reclamation</h4>At Dior, Jonathan Anderson became the first since Christian Dior himself to lead both men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s lines and it showed.&nbsp;His debut was less about shock, more about sharpness: cropped Bar jackets, modernized New Look silhouettes, and a rigorous dialogue between eras.&nbsp;It was a collection that asked not &ldquo;What would Dior do?&rdquo; but &ldquo;What would Dior mean now?&rdquo;; a precise fusion of intellect and instinct.<h4 style="margin: 12pt 0in 2pt; line-height: 2; font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;">Balenciaga, Gucci &amp; Valentino: The Great Creative Exchange</h4>The season&rsquo;s true drama was the designer swap heard across continents, instantly rebalancing fashion&#39;s equation.&nbsp;Alessandro Michele brought a controlled excess to Valentino; lush embroidery and maximalist color clashes, yet rendered with surprising restraint. Pierpaolo Piccioli traded his Valentino romanticism fo<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; float: none; display: inline !important;" id="isPasted">r&nbsp;Balenciaga&rsquo;s&nbsp;emotional rebirth, replacing dystopia with pure volume.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Demna, the former provocateur, arrived at Gucci to re-ignite its cultural pulse with irony and intensity. Their moves signaled a clear shift: emotion over gimmick, story over shock.<h3 style="margin: 14pt 0in 4pt; line-height: 2; font-size: 19px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(67, 67, 67); font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;">New Codes, Sharpened Voices</h3><h3 style="margin: 14pt 0in 4pt; line-height: 2; font-size: 19px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(67, 67, 67); font-weight: normal; text-align: justify;">Beyond the marquee houses, others reshaped quiet luxury and modern sensuality through subtle reinvention:</h3><ul style="list-style-type: circle;"><li style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: justify; line-height: 2;">Jil Sander (Simone Bellotti): Minimalism with a bite; architectural tailoring, clean yet intellectual.</li><li style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: justify; line-height: 2;">Maison Margiela&nbsp;(Glenn Martens): Deconstruction meets decadence; a collision of lace, metal, and Flemish surrealism.</li><li style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: justify; line-height: 2;">Versace&nbsp;(Dario Vitale): A glorious rejection of restraint; &rsquo;80s glamour meets Miami heat reborn.</li><li style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: justify; line-height: 2;">Celine&nbsp;(Michael Rider): Bridging Philo&rsquo;s calm and Slimane&rsquo;s chaos; preppy tailoring and statement shine.</li><li style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: justify; line-height: 2;">Bottega Veneta (Louise Trotter): Quiet luxury rendered tactile; craft turned into movement.</li></ul>Each collection whispered a version of modern luxury that was less about excess and more about essence.The Bottom Line: Reinvention, RewiredThis season wasn&rsquo;t about shock or nostalgia; it was about recalibration. Designers wrestled with the question haunting every house: What does relevance look like when everything&rsquo;s already been done?The answer, it seems, is craftsmanship: elevated, edited, and above all, emotional. It&#39;s luxury that feels like&nbsp;skin, not status.In the end, SS26 wasn&rsquo;t defined by who screamed the loudest; it was defined by who listened.

Entertainment

The Spring/Summer 2026 season saw major designer changes at top fashion houses like Chanel, Dior, and Gucci. It marked a shift toward emotional storytelling, refined craftsmanship, and redefining luxury with meaning rather than excess.

The Great SS26 Reshuffle: Luxury's Creative Reset

Every morning, 240 million Pakistanis allegedly wake up plotting global mayhem, at least, that&rsquo;s the story international headlines and Hollywood love to tell.&nbsp;But the truth is far different. Over 200,000 Pakistanis have been victims of terrorism, according to global monitors, not &ldquo;exporters&rdquo; of it.&nbsp;Meanwhile, FBI data reveals that 80% of US terrorist attacks since the 1970s have been carried out by non-Muslims. Yet, somehow, Pakistan still gets cast as the villain.&nbsp;In this episode of Debunkistan, Aleena Zara Malik of Pakistan TV Digital takes aim at the &ldquo;terrorist nation&rdquo; stereotype with a sharp mix of sarcasm, stats, and some well-placed truth bombs. Because the only thing Pakistan is really exporting here&hellip; is facts.

Aleena Zara Malik debunks Pakistan's "terrorist nation" stereotype with sarcasm, stats, and truth bombs.

The only bombs we’re dropping are truth bombs

PARIS: Four European nations Thursday urged Israel to stop what they called increasing &quot;settler violence against Palestinian civilians&quot; in the occupied West Bank.&nbsp;&quot;We -- France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom -- strongly condemn the massive increase of settler violence against Palestinian civilians and call for stability in the West Bank,&quot; they said.&nbsp;&quot;These attacks must stop,&quot; they added, saying they risked undermining plans to end the Gaza war and prospects for long-term peace.&nbsp;Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.&nbsp;Violence in the West Bank has soared since Palestinian militant group Hamas&#39;s October 2023 attack on Israel triggered the Gaza war.&nbsp;It has not ceased despite the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas coming into effect last month.&nbsp;Israeli troops or settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank -- many of them militants, but also scores of civilians -- since the start of the Gaza war, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures.&nbsp;At least 44 Israelis, including both soldiers and civilians, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or Israeli military operations, according to official Israeli figures.&nbsp;Israel&#39;s military on Wednesday launched a new operation against Palestinian armed groups in the occupied West Bank. A local governor told AFP that Israeli forces had raided several towns.

Europe

Middle East

France, Germany, Italy and the UK urged Israel to halt rising settler violence in the West Bank, warning it endangers Gaza ceasefire efforts. West Bank casualties have surged as Israeli forces launch new operations across several towns.

Four European nations urge Israel to end West Bank 'settler violence'

Pakistan TV

Islamabad: Russia stands ready to &ldquo;lend a helping hand whenever needed,&rdquo; said the Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev as he reaffirmed Moscow&rsquo;s commitment to expanding long-term cooperation with Pakistan across energy, pharmaceuticals, education, tourism, and space technology. He called the 10th meeting of the Pakistan-Russia Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) a &ldquo;turning point&rdquo; in bilateral ties.&nbsp;In an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV, during his visit to Islamabad, Tsivilev highlighted a series of initiatives aimed at deepening collaboration, stressing that both nations are prepared to support each other in times of need.&nbsp;Russian Delegation Arrives with Cultural, Rescue and Space Missions&nbsp;Tsivilev noted that the Russian delegation&mdash;comprising economic experts, rescue workers, medics, and cultural representatives&mdash;began work immediately upon arrival. He referenced a joint concert in Islamabad featuring Russian and Pakistani artists, as well as a special appearance by Russian cosmonaut Yelena Serova to inspire youth as both countries advance cooperation in outer-space research.&nbsp;Rescue workers who assisted Pakistan during the 2005 earthquake were also honoured during the visit, marking 20 years since their deployment. Tsi said their stories symbolize the &ldquo;human connection&rdquo; between the two nations.&nbsp;Insulin Production in Pakistan a Priority for &lsquo;Pharmaceutical Security&rsquo;&nbsp;One of the most concrete proposals discussed was localized insulin production in Pakistan. Tsivilyov said Moscow wants Pakistan to achieve &ldquo;pharmaceutical security&rdquo; by manufacturing essential medicines domestically rather than relying on imports.&nbsp;He confirmed that the final pricing model&mdash;aligned with the cost of American-made insulin currently imported by Pakistan&mdash;will be discussed during the IGC meeting. He added that Russia is open to jointly producing additional medicines and vaccines, including veterinary vaccines crucial for livestock protection.&nbsp;Energy Justice: A Shared Vision for Development&nbsp;The minister reiterated Russia&rsquo;s global call for &ldquo;energy justice,&rdquo; pointing to the urgent need for equal access to reliable electricity in developing regions.&nbsp;&ldquo;Energy today defines competitiveness, transport systems, AI infrastructure, even finance through cryptocurrencies,&rdquo; he said, adding that Russia has raised the issue at BRICS and SCO forums.&nbsp;Tsivilev said Pakistan-Russia cooperation in the energy sector will expand as new technologies and investments are explored.&nbsp;Engineering Education: Russia Proposes Joint Schools and Training&nbsp;A major long-term initiative Tsivilev announced is the potential rollout of Russia&rsquo;s Engineering Schools Program in Pakistan.The model begins at the secondary-school level with specialized physics, chemistry, and mathematics tracks, followed by university training and industrial internships.&nbsp;He said Russia aims to train 300,000 engineers by 2030 and is ready to include Pakistani students in a similar pipeline.&nbsp;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s time to invest in children. In five to seven years, the payback will be far greater than any money spent today,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Tourism and Direct Flights on the Agenda&nbsp;Tourism emerged as another expanding avenue, with both sides seeing strong interest from travelers. Tsivilyov said Pakistan and Russia must &ldquo;remove existing restrictions&rdquo; and simplify travel, adding that increased tourism flows could justify regular direct flights between the two countries. This issue remained a key focus of working-group meetings ahead of the IGC sessions, he confirmed.&nbsp;Putin&rsquo;s Message to Pakistan&nbsp;Tsivilev said he arrived in Islamabad on the direct instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who conveyed &ldquo;respect to the Pakistani nation&rdquo; and expressed hope that bilateral ties will continue to grow stronger each year. Putin, he said, wishes &ldquo;every success&rdquo; to the IGC and hopes for the launch of maximum joint projects for the development of both nations.&nbsp;&ldquo;Russia Will Always Stand by Pakistan&rdquo;&nbsp;The minister said Russia values its friendship with Pakistan and remains ready to assist whenever needed.&nbsp;&ldquo;We are always prepared to lend a helping hand to the friendly nation of Pakistan,&rdquo; he said

Foreign Affairs

Russia’s energy minister called the Pakistan–Russia IGC a turning point, outlining deeper cooperation in energy, pharma, education, tourism, and space while reaffirming Putin’s message that Moscow stands ready to support Pakistan whenever needed.

Russia ready to lend helping hand as Energy Minister outlines major cooperation plans for Pakistan

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Tajikistan&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry has condemned an armed drone attack launched from Afghanistan that killed three Chinese workers in the country&rsquo;s southern Khatlon region, calling on Afghan authorities to take &ldquo;effective measures&rdquo; to secure the shared border.&nbsp;In a statement issued on Thursday, the ministry said the assault occurred late Wednesday, when an unmanned aerial vehicle &ldquo;equipped with grenades and firearms&rdquo; struck the employees&rsquo; camp of LLC Shohin SM near the 1st Border Guard Post Istiqlol of the Yol Border Detachment.&nbsp;&ldquo;As a result of the attack, three employees of the LLC Shohin SM of Chinese citizenship were killed,&rdquo; the statement said. Tajikistan described the incident as an operation conducted &ldquo;from the territory of Afghanistan.&rdquo;&nbsp;The ministry noted that, despite Tajikistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;constant efforts&hellip; to maintain security and create an atmosphere of peace and stability&rdquo; along the frontier, &ldquo;disruptive actions by criminal groups located in the territory of Afghanistan still continue.&rdquo;&nbsp;Expressing &ldquo;deep concerns,&rdquo; the Tajik government said it &ldquo;strongly condemns these acts of terrorist groups&rdquo; and urged Afghanistan&rsquo;s de facto authorities &ldquo;to take effective measures to ensure stability and security on the state border between two neighboring countries.&rdquo;

Central Asia

Tajikistan condemned a deadly drone attack launched from Afghanistan that killed three Chinese workers in Khatlon, urging Kabul’s authorities to curb cross-border militant activity and ensure stronger security along the two countries’ shared frontier.

Tajikistan condemns Afghanistan drone strike killing three Chinese workers

ISLAMABAD: As the United Nations observes 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, we take a look at Pakistan&#39;s efforts to combat digital violence against women. The global campaign, running from November 25 through December 10, has increasingly focused on digital violence. It is a growing threat that disproportionately affects women and girls worldwide. Pakistan has responded with specific legislation, though implementation gaps remains. Legal framework Pakistan&#39;s primary tool for addressing online harassment is the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) of 2016, which criminalizes various forms of digital abuse. The law includes provisions against cyberstalking, unauthorized sharing of intimate images and cyber blackmail. Section 24A of PECA specifically addresses non-consensual distribution of private images, carrying penalties of up to five years imprisonment and fines reaching Rs1 million ($3,600). The Federal Investigation Agency&#39;s Cyber Crime Wing, established in 2007, handles complaints and investigations under PECA. The agency reported receiving 8,500 complaints from women facing online harassment in 2018 and 2019, though only 19.5% were investigated, according to testimony before a parliamentary committee. Pakistan&#39;s Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act of 2016 specifically defines violence to include cybercrime, acknowledging it as a form of abuse. The FIA is required by law to submit biannual reports to parliament but has submitted only one report in four years, according to Human Rights Watch. Recent case In a recent application of the law, a Karachi court sentenced a man to six years in prison for sending explicit photos of a woman to her fianc&eacute;. The defendant, identified only as Anas, was arrested in September 2021 after the victim filed a complaint with the FIA. The court also imposed a fine of Rs90,000 ($318). According to court documents, the victim had been in a relationship with Anas for four years and had shared intimate photos with him. When her family arranged her marriage to another man, Anas sent the photos to her fianc&eacute;. Enforcement challenges Despite the legal framework, women&#39;s rights advocates and journalists have raised concerns about inconsistent enforcement. In 2020, a group of prominent female journalists issued a statement condemning what they described as a coordinated campaign of online harassment, including threats of violence. The FIA operates with approximately 500 staff members for a country of 34 million internet users. Until 2018, only two women staffed the cybercrime help desk, according to news reports. Human rights organizations have also criticized PECA&#39;s defamation provisions, warning they can be misused to silence women. The 16 Days campaign, coordinated by the Center for Women&#39;s Global Leadership and supported by UN Women, addresses violence affecting nearly one in three women globally. This year&#39;s focus on digital violence reflects the growing recognition of online harassment as a serious threat. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights stated that there was an urgent need for survivor-centered responses and stronger legal protections. The campaign uses orange as its symbolic color, representing a future free from violence.

Security

The global campaign from November 25 to December 10 highlights rising digital violence, with Pakistan addressing it through legislation, though gaps remain.

16 Days of Activism: How Pakistan tackles digital violence against women

ANKARA: Pope Leo XIV arrived in Turkiye on Thursday for a four-day visit where he will hold talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and meet Christian leaders on the first overseas trip of his papacy.&nbsp;The trip, which includes a second leg to Lebanon, begins in the Turkish capital Ankara, where the first American pope landed shortly after midday.&nbsp;&quot;I have very much been looking forward to this trip because of what it means for Christians, but it is also a great message to the whole world,&quot; he told reporters travelling with him on his plane, describing it as a &quot;historic moment&quot;.&nbsp;After paying his respects at the mausoleum dedicated to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkiye, Leo will head into talks with Erdogan, who is seen as a key player for peace efforts in a region fraught with conflict.&nbsp;Then he will address authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps before heading to Istanbul in the early evening.&nbsp;Leo&#39;s first steps abroad will be scrutinised by the world&#39;s media, with more than 80 journalists accompanying him on his papal plane.&nbsp;Since his election in May as the leader of the world&#39;s 1.4 billion Catholics, the pope has shown himself to be adept at handling the media, talking to reporters weekly.&nbsp;In a sign of his desire to reach a wide audience, Leo will deliver all his speeches during the trip in English, his native language, rather than the Italian he usually uses.&nbsp;His first address in Turkiye is expected to focus on dialogue with Islam in a country where Christians account for only 0.1 percent of the 86 million inhabitants -- most of them Sunni Muslims.&nbsp;On the doorstep of a conflict-ridden Middle East, the pope who upon his election called for &quot;unarmed and disarming&quot; peace, is expected to address the crises troubling the region.&nbsp;But between the colonnades of Ankara&#39;s monumental presidential palace, Leo will have to tread delicately if he plans to address the sensitive issue of human rights, the arrest of Erdogan&#39;s opponents, or the status of Turkey&#39;s Christians, who are struggling against inequality and exclusion.&nbsp;Promoting unityThe Holy See also acknowledges Turkiye&#39;s efforts in taking in more than 2.5 million mostly Syrian refugees, according to authorities.&nbsp;On the subject of refugees and migrants, Leo has followed in the footsteps of his predecessor Francis, most recently criticising the &quot;extremely disrespectful&quot; treatment of migrants by the government of US President Donald Trump.&nbsp;Friday&#39;s calendar will take on a more religious aspect with the celebration in Iznik of the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, a gathering of bishops in the year 325 that resulted in a creed, or statement of faith, still central to Christianity.&nbsp;Invited by the Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, leader of the world&#39;s Orthodox Christians, Leo will take part in a prayer on the shores of Lake Iznik that was initially to include former Pope Francis, who died in April.&nbsp;&quot;Bartholomew and I have already met several times, and I think this will be an exceptional opportunity to promote unity among all Christians,&quot; Leo told journalists late Tuesday.&nbsp;Catholics and Orthodox Christians have been divided since a schism in 1054.&nbsp;Catholics recognise the universal authority of the pope as the head of the Church, while Orthodox Christians are organised into local Churches with their own leaders.&nbsp;Leo&#39;s trip comes as the Orthodox world appears even more fragmented than ever, with the war in Ukraine accelerating the split between the Moscow and Constantinople patriarchates. The pope is the fifth pontiff to visit Turkiye, after Paul VI in 1967, John Paul II in 1979, Benedict XVI in 2006 and Francis in 2014.&nbsp;On Sunday, Leo will head to religiously diverse Lebanon, a nation that has been crushed by a devastating economic and political crisis since 2019 and which has been the target of repeated bombings by Israel in recent days, despite a ceasefire.&nbsp;

Pope Leo XIV begins his first papal trip in Turkiye, holding talks with President Erdogan and Christian leaders, addressing regional conflicts, interfaith dialogue, refugees, and church unity before continuing to Lebanon amid ongoing political and humanitarian crises.

Pope lands in Turkiye to meet Erdogan on first overseas trip

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Maritime Affairs has unveiled a long-term program to expand the country&rsquo;s Blue Economy and position Pakistan as a regional maritime hub by 2047, according to Radio Pakistan.&nbsp;The ministry said the new Maritime @100 initiative lays out a roadmap for &ldquo;development projects worth a hundred billion dollars&rdquo; aimed at strengthening the shipping and fisheries sectors. According to Radio Pakistan, officials said the plan is designed to expand maritime capacity, increase exports and create &ldquo;new economic opportunities.&rdquo;&nbsp;Under the shipping-sector component, the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation will add 15 ships to its fleet over the next three years. The ministry said the expanded fleet &ldquo;will result in [a] surge of exports and foreign reserves,&rdquo; Radio Pakistan reported.&nbsp;Officials also announced a series of industrial upgrades, including the establishment of Sea to Steel, Pakistan&rsquo;s first green ship-repair and recycling yard, at Port Qasim. A separate $43 million modernization program is planned for the Gadani Ship Breaking Yard to improve safety and operational standards.&nbsp;In the fisheries sector, the National Fisheries Policy 2025&ndash;35 calls for expanded deep-sea fishing, upgraded facilities and increased seafood exports. The ministry said the broader development program &ldquo;will create substantial investment and employment opportunities in the maritime industry,&rdquo; according to Radio Pakistan.&nbsp;The Ministry of Maritime Affairs said the combined measures underscore Pakistan&rsquo;s long-term strategy to strengthen its maritime footprint and grow sustainable economic activity across the country&rsquo;s coastal and marine sectors.

File Photo - Screengrab of Port Qasim on Nov 5, 2025 (X / Ministry of Maritime Affairs)

Economy

The Pakistani Ministry of Maritime Affairs has developed a comprehensive program to strengthen the country’s Blue Economy with support from the Special Investment Facilitation Council, outlining a long-term plan to make Pakistan a regional maritime hub by 2047.

Pakistan outlines $100 billion maritime plan to build regional hub by 2047

ISLAMABAD: Artificial intelligence (AI) has become the latest weapon in a years-long disinformation campaign targeting Muslims in India and Pakistan internationally, with AI-generated images now spreading hatred globally at unprecedented speed and scale across social media platforms. A September 2025 report by the Washington-based&nbsp;nonprofit Center for the Study of Organized Hate documented how 297 accounts created 1,326 AI-generated images and videos between May 2023 and May 2025 that dehumanized India&#39;s approximately 200 million Muslims. The posts accumulated 27.3 million total engagements across X, Facebook, and Instagram, with activity surging after January 2024 as AI tools became more accessible. The AI-generated content follows four patterns: sexualizing Muslim women, portraying Muslims as subhuman, promoting conspiracy theories, and glorifying violence. Images depict Muslims as snakes wearing skullcaps, show fabricated scenes of Muslims celebrating terror attacks, and create pornographic content featuring Muslim women without consent. &quot;This represents the acceleration of hate speech practices through content with greater credibility and precision at scale,&quot; the report said. <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-6" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 802px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-6&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1928845624885076458&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F2451%2F&sessionId=b7f57312e8b4bb5dae91c4d445484d177aedce35&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The synthetic images reinforce long-standing conspiracy theories. &quot;Love Jihad&quot; falsely claims that Muslim men systematically seduce Hindu women for forced conversion. &quot;Rail Jihad&quot; baselessly attributes train accidents to Muslim sabotage. Following a January 2025 train accident in Jalgaon that killed 11 people, caused by passengers fleeing what they thought was a fire, Hindu nationalist outlet Sudarshan News circulated AI-generated images showing a Muslim man holding an axe near a train as supposed proof of a deliberate attack. The report stated how&nbsp;Hindu nationalist media outlets OpIndia, Sudarshan News, and Panchjanya have emerged as primary producers and amplifiers of AI-generated hate. OpIndia&#39;s network alone produced 262 posts generating 1.1 million engagements. When researchers reported 187 posts for violating platform guidelines, only one was removed. <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-5" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 1042px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-5&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1916168793027444787&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F2451%2F&sessionId=b7f57312e8b4bb5dae91c4d445484d177aedce35&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The AI-driven hate campaign is built&nbsp;on infrastructure exposed years earlier. In December 2020, Brussels-based EU DisinfoLab revealed a network of over 750 fake local media outlets operating in 116 countries, as well as more than 10 sham NGOs accredited to the UN Human Rights Council. The operation, primarily targeting Pakistan, resurrected defunct NGOs, impersonated European Union institutions, and used a deceased international law professor&#39;s identity to manufacture credibility. Asian News International, an Indian news agency, amplified content from these fake outlets globally, according to the report. <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-4" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 849px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-4&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1992066818165617029&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F2451%2F&sessionId=b7f57312e8b4bb5dae91c4d445484d177aedce35&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div> More recently, a temporary location feature on X revealed several accounts claiming to be Israeli or Zionist were actually operating from India, showing a coordinated identity deception across the network. The tactics parallel those of Western far-right movements. After the 2024 Southport stabbings in Britain, AI-generated images spread Islamophobic claims about the attacker&#39;s identity.</div> In Italy, opposition parties filed complaints against Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini&#39;s League party for distributing AI-generated images depicting men of color assaulting women. The Center for the Study of Organized Hate describes this as &quot;slopaganda&quot;: deliberate use of cheap, abundant synthetic content to seed hate across digital spaces. In India, the consequences extend beyond digital harassment. Following the April 2025 Pahalgam attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir, civil rights groups documented 184 anti-Muslim and anti-Kashmiri hate crimes between April 22 and May 8. <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-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 849px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1970417210247291132&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F2451%2F&sessionId=b7f57312e8b4bb5dae91c4d445484d177aedce35&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> A February 2025 Center for the Study of Organized Hate report found that of 1,165 hate speech events recorded in 2024, 995 were first shared or livestreamed on social media platforms. The spike in AI-generated content coincides with rising religious tensions. A 2019 Indian Supreme Court verdict awarded the disputed Ayodhya site (formerly the 16th-century Babri Mosque, later demolished) to Hindus for temple construction. The 1992 Babri Mosque destruction sparked riots that killed thousands, mainly Muslims. AI-generated images now depict that demolition in romanticized animation styles. Hindu nationalist groups claim numerous historical mosques were originally Hindu temples, including promoting a debunked theory that the Taj Mahal was a Hindu temple named &quot;Tejo Mahalaya.&quot; In 2021, Meta whistleblower Frances Haugen revealed that the company knew users in India were being flooded with hateful propaganda against Muslims, fueling violence. Platform failures to moderate AI-generated hate content persist as synthetic media proliferates faster than enforcement mechanisms adapt. With low-cost ChatGPT subscriptions now available in India for less than $5 a month, the report warns that conditions exist for exponential growth in AI-generated hateful material threatening religious minorities with psychological harm and physical violence.

The AI-generated content follows four patterns: sexualizing Muslim women, portraying Muslims as subhuman, promoting conspiracy theories, and glorifying violence. 

India's AI-driven anti-Muslim disinformation network spans the globe

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to advancing ties with Bahrain during meetings in Manama with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Crown Prince and Prime Minister <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" id="isPasted">H.E. Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif&rsquo;s official visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At Al-Qudaibiya Palace, the prime minister invited Bahraini investors to explore opportunities in food security, information technology, construction, mines and minerals, healthcare, renewable energy, and tourism, Radio Pakistan reported.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He also proposed enhanced port-to-port connectivity between Karachi, Gwada,r and Khalifa Bin Salman Port, describing the expanded link as a key driver for trade and logistical cooperation.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a post on X, Sharif said the meeting with the crown prince was &ldquo;warm and most cordial&rdquo; and that both sides reviewed the full range of bilateral relations and agreed to deepen cooperation across political, economic, and defence areas.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prime Minister Sharif said both countries aim to translate &ldquo;excellent political goodwill into meaningful and tangible outcomes,&rdquo; with the discussions expected to elevate Pakistan&ndash;Bahrain cooperation further.<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; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 726px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1993882486024061337&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard&sessionId=07432a2de99e7fec841b199edda31e7e338b7b5d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar also met Bahrain&rsquo;s Minister of Finance and National Economy, H.E. Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, during this visit. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening Pakistan-Bahrain relations, with a particular focus on expanding economic cooperation.<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; line-height: 2;"><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=1993938644466585884&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F2448%2F&sessionId=8741f748336569ac057f0bfb67f6fd1cc77dc1ce&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 750px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Both ministers highlighted significant potential in fintech, banking, and financial services and agreed to intensify collaboration in these sectors. They also discussed possibilities for central bank-level cooperation, including the creation of joint working teams to develop a comprehensive roadmap for enhanced economic engagement. Pakistan and Bahrain underscored that deeper economic ties would help unlock new opportunities for investment, innovation, and sustainable growth, reinforcing the long-standing partnership between the two countries.

The two sides reaffirm their commitment to further strengthening Pakistan-Bahrain relations, with a particular focus on expanding economic cooperation.

Pakistan, Bahrain reaffirm commitment to deepen economic partnership

ISLAMABAD: Apple has mounted a major legal pushback against India&rsquo;s updated competition penalty framework, filing a petition in the Delhi High Court to contest the 2024 amendment that lets regulators levy fines based on a company&rsquo;s global turnover, Indian media reported.&nbsp;According to Indian news outlets, including India Today, the case could set a benchmark for how India regulates multinational tech giants.&nbsp;Apple calls India&rsquo;s new penalty rule unconstitutionalIndian media reports say Apple&rsquo;s 545-page petition asks the Delhi High Court to declare the 2024 amendment &ldquo;illegal&rdquo; and &ldquo;unconstitutional.&rdquo; &nbsp;The rule empowers the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to calculate fines using a firm&rsquo;s worldwide turnover, not just its Indian revenue.&nbsp;Apple argues the method is &ldquo;manifestly arbitrary&rdquo;, &ldquo;grossly disproportionate&rdquo; and could result in fines of up to $38 billion.&nbsp;The challenge comes amid a CCI investigation triggered by complaints from Match Group and Indian startups, alleging Apple restricts third-party payments and charges up to 30% commission on in-app purchases. &nbsp;Apple denies the allegations, saying iOS is a secure platform and that Android dominates India&rsquo;s market.&nbsp;Apple fears the law may be applied retroactivelyAs per media reports, Apple cited a recent case where the CCI applied the global-turnover principle to conduct from almost a decade ago. &nbsp;Apple says this forced it to file the constitutional challenge to avoid similar treatment in its ongoing case.&nbsp;To illustrate, Apple compared it to penalizing the entire turnover of a stationery shop for a violation committed only by its toy business.&nbsp;Regulators and legal experts defend the amendmentAccording to experts quoted in Indian media, Apple faces a difficult legal fight. &nbsp;Competition lawyers say the amendment clearly authorizes the CCI to consider global turnover, aligning India with EU-style antitrust practices. &nbsp;Government officials argue the law is designed to prevent global corporations from escaping proportionate penalties.&nbsp;Apple&rsquo;s rising footprint in India increases scrutinyIndian media reports cite research showing Apple&rsquo;s smartphone base in India has quadrupled in five years, boosted by local manufacturing and premium demand. &nbsp;With Apple increasingly important in India&rsquo;s digital economy, regulators are watching it more closely.The Delhi High Court will hear Apple&rsquo;s plea on December 3. &nbsp;If the company loses, it could face one of India&rsquo;s largest-ever corporate fines and set a precedent allowing global turnover to become the new penalty benchmark for tech multinationals operating in India.

Gadgets

According to Indian news outlets, the case could set a benchmark for how India regulates multinational tech giants.

Apple challenges India’s antitrust law that could cost it $38B fine: reports

PARIS: President Emmanuel Macron is to announce on Thursday that France is restoring military service on a voluntary basis in the face of the growing threat posed by Russia and the risk of a new conflict breaking out in Europe. Almost three decades after France scrapped conscription, the head of state is due to lay out the change in a speech from 1000 GMT on a visit to an infantry brigade stationed in the Alps in southeastern France, said a presidential official, asking not to be named. The announcement will come more than three and a half years into Russia&#39;s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with Macron and other French officials warning that Moscow risks not stopping at Ukraine&#39;s borders. France&#39;s top general, armed forces chief of staff Fabien Mandon, sparked uproar at home last week by warning that France must be ready &quot;to lose its children,&quot; adding that Russia is &quot;preparing for a confrontation by 2030 with our countries.&quot; Macron told RTL broadcaster he would announce a &quot;transformation of national service into a new form&quot; on Thursday, but did not provide further details. A source with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be named, told AFP that the plan is to train 2,000 to 3,000 people in the first year, aiming to increase the number of sign-ups over time to 50,000 per year. &quot;It will start slowly,&quot; said the source. This &quot;new form of national service&quot; will be &quot;on a voluntary basis,&quot; said a presidential official. An adviser to Macron, also requesting anonymity, emphasized it would be launched at a time of tight budget constraints. Its implementation will therefore be &quot;phased in over time,&quot; said the adviser, promising a &quot;realistic&quot; project that &quot;takes into account our current resources.&quot; Not going to &#39;send our young&#39;&nbsp;While around a dozen states have some form of conscription, the use of military service is uneven across Europe. But France would join European countries like Baltic states Latvia and Lithuania, which have brought it back in recent years, while others, such as Denmark, have toughened its terms. So far, there is no suggestion that military service in France would be compulsory, as it was before then-president Jacques Chirac abolished conscription in 1997 as part of the army reform. Military service is seen as a way to bolster armies with recruits and to provide a large pool of potential reservists who could be called up in the event of a future war. The French armed forces have approximately 200,000 active military personnel and 47,000 reservists, numbers expected to increase to 210,000 and 80,000, respectively, by 2030. Accused of warmongering by the left, General Mandon has expressed no regret over his comments last week, saying the aim was to &quot;alert and prepare&quot; amid a &quot;rapidly deteriorating&quot; context. Mandon argued on Saturday that the reactions to his comments &quot;show that this is something that was perhaps not sufficiently perceived in our population.&quot; But ahead of Thursday&#39;s announcement, Macron and other officials have been at pains to douse the outcry caused by the general&#39;s forthright comments and fears that French youth were heading for the front lines. The president on Tuesday said he needed to dispel any notion &quot;we are going to send our young people to Ukraine.&quot;

Announcement will come more than three and a half years into Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with Macron and other French officials warning that Moscow risks not stopping at Ukraine's borders.

Articles by Aleena Zara Malik