New York Times

NEW YORK:&nbsp;A founding principle of the United States, enshrined in its constitution&rsquo;s opening amendment, is that the republic depends on citizens&rsquo; freedom to disagree with one another. They need to be able to do so intensely, on matters of life and death, including war and divisive modern issues like abortion, gun safety and health insurance.&nbsp; There are limits to free speech, yes, but they involve edge cases, like falsely shouting fire in a theater or inciting an imminent act of violence. If the American ideal of freedom means anything, it is that Americans can engage in an extremely wide range of political speech, including the tasteless and the offensive. The US President Trump is himself a purveyor of tasteless and even threatening language, speaking in ways that no previous president did.&nbsp;Yet his own exercise of his First Amendment rights&mdash;the constitutional protections guaranteeing freedom of speech&mdash;has not stopped him from encroaching on those of others.&nbsp;He has punished universities, immigrants, law firms, federal prosecutors, military leaders, national security officials and others for voicing opinions with which he disagrees. Now he is taking his campaign against free speech to a new level by using the assassination of Charlie Kirk as a justification to promise the repression of groups that he describes as liberal. Mr. Trump&rsquo;s aides are drafting an executive order that could come as soon as this week, The Times reported, and it will most likely target left-leaning organizations. On Monday, the country&#39;s&nbsp;Vice President JD Vance mentioned both the Ford Foundation and George Soros&rsquo;s Open Society Foundations, saying that they benefited from a &ldquo;generous tax treatment,&rdquo; the same tax treatment that benefits nonprofit groups like religious charities and the National Rifle Association Foundation. The intimidation campaign is already having an effect. Federal officials have urged companies to fire workers who have criticized Mr. Kirk, and some have done so. In a direct exercise of government influence, Brendan Carr, the chairman of the F.C.C., threatened Disney for remarks that Jimmy Kimmel made on his late-night ABC show. &ldquo;We can do this the easy way or the hard way,&rdquo; Mr. Carr said. He also urged television stations to stop broadcasting the show. Two major station owners quickly did so, and ABC has suspended the show indefinitely. As we wrote last week, we are horrified by the killing of Mr. Kirk, and we mourn his death. The evidence suggests that he was murdered for his views, which is the most fundamental violation of free-speech principles. We vehemently disagree with people who suggested that Mr. Kirk bore any responsibility for his own shooting. As Spencer Cox, Utah&rsquo;s Republican governor, said afterward: &ldquo;We need more moral clarity right now. I hear all the time that words are violence. Words are not violence. Violence is violence.&rdquo; Yet it is the Trump administration, not the left, now violating Mr. Cox&rsquo;s standard. Mr. Trump&rsquo;s promised crackdown depends on the false premise that liberal and nonpartisan groups are part of a far-left conspiracy that promotes violence against conservatives. In truth, the country has experienced a surge of political violence and plots that have targeted both Democrats and Republicans, including Mr. Kirk, Mr. Trump, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Representative Nancy Pelosi, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and two state legislators in Minnesota. As this list suggests, the highest-profile targets show no clear partisan pattern. Mr. Trump and his aides tell a very different story &mdash; and a false one. They claim that political violence comes mostly from the left. &ldquo;The radicals on the left are the problem,&rdquo; the president said last week. In fact, multiple data sources show that neither side has a monopoly on political violence, but it is more likely to come from the right. Between 2015 and 2024, 54 percent of ideologically connected killings were committed by people on the far right, according to the Anti-Defamation League. By comparison, 8 percent came from the political left. Conservatives and progressives alike should reflect on whether the nasty and often personal rhetoric of today&rsquo;s politics may have contributed to an atmosphere in which unstable or angry people become more likely to commit violence. Still, even that scenario is very different from one in which political groups are organizing and helping commit the violence. There is zero evidence that left-wing groups played a role in Mr. Kirk&rsquo;s killing or in other recent violence against Republicans. &ldquo;Absent additional facts, there was one person responsible for Charlie Kirk&rsquo;s assassination,&rdquo; Mike Pence, Mr. Trump&rsquo;s former vice president, pointed out on Thursday. If anything, many elected Democrats and prominent progressives have clearly and consistently condemned Mr. Kirk&rsquo;s killing in ways that prominent Republicans failed to do after attacks on Democrats. After the attack at Ms. Pelosi&rsquo;s home, which included a brutal assault of her husband, Paul, Mr. Trump himself and other prominent Republicans mocked the victim and spread absurd conspiracies that the episode was staged. After the shooting of two Democratic legislators and their spouses in Minnesota, Senator Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, bizarrely blamed &ldquo;Marxists,&rdquo; while Laura Loomer, an influential Trump confidante, falsely blamed &ldquo;goons&rdquo; working for Gov. Tim Walz, the Minnesota Democrat. These are terrible things to say. They are not crimes, however, and they are certainly not grounds for a government crackdown against conservative groups. The Trump administration is now targeting other groups for lesser sins and maybe no sins at all. Mr. Vance&rsquo;s specific (and tenuous ) claim about the Ford Foundation and the Open Society Foundations was that they helped to fund The Nation, which published an article lambasting Mr. Kirk after his death. If that article &mdash; whatever you think of it &mdash; is grounds for government punishment, the First Amendment has no meaning. We urge Mr. Trump and his aides to remember the free-speech criticisms that they and other conservatives have often made of progressives over the past decade. Republicans have excoriated the left for its attempts to conflate personal safety with contestable ideas and to quash political expression on Covid-19, race, trans issues and other subjects. Conservatives have been correct about some of these excesses, too. In his Inaugural Address in January, Mr. Trump promised to &ldquo;bring back free speech to America.&rdquo; Mr. Vance, while speaking in Munich in February, excoriated European countries for restricting speech and promised, &ldquo;Under Donald Trump&rsquo;s leadership, we may disagree with your views, but we will fight to defend your right to offer it in the public square, agree or disagree.&rdquo; Instead of living up to these principles, the Trump administration and its allies are attempting to restrict speech in ways that are more extreme than anything that Democrats have done. Stephen Miller, a top White House aide, has claimed the existence of a &ldquo;vast domestic terror movement&rdquo; on the left and denigrated the Democratic Party as a &ldquo;domestic extremist organization.&rdquo; Attorney General Pam Bondi has suggested that a business that refused to print signs promoting vigils for Mr. Kirk deserved to be prosecuted. Representative Clay Higgins of Louisiana called for permanent social-media bans on &ldquo;every post or commenter that belittled the assassination of Charlie Kirk.&rdquo; Mr. Higgins, it is worth noting, is one of the congressmen who previously criticized social-media companies for suppressing conservative speech &mdash; and who belittled the attack on Mr. Pelosi. If Mr. Trump refuses to stand up for the basic American right to disagree without fear of oppression, others still can. An executive order that follows through on the threats that he and his aides have made would be clearly unconstitutional. And it would deserve an immediate injunction from the federal courts and a swift rejection from the Supreme Court. The ability to disagree with other people on raw, difficult issues, without fear of repression, is the essence of American freedom.

 President Donald Trump speaking to members of the media on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One en route to Joint Base Andrews, Md., Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP)

Articles

Although Trump frequently uses offensive language himself, he has aggressively punished others—from universities to officials—who express views he opposes.

The Trump administration’s controversial approach to free speech enforcement

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office on Friday expressed &ldquo;deepest condolences and strong solidarity&rdquo; after an Afghanistan-based attack killed three Chinese workers in Tajikistan, pledging to work with &ldquo;China, Tajikistan, and other regional partners&rdquo; to uphold regional stability. Earlier this week, Tajikistan&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry condemned the armed drone attack that killed the Chinese workers in the country&rsquo;s southern Khatlon region, calling on Afghan authorities to take &ldquo;disruptive actions by criminal groups located in the territory of Afghanistan.&rdquo; In a statement issued on X, the foreign office &quot;unequivocally&quot; condemned the &quot;cowardly attack,&quot; &nbsp;stating that the use of &quot;armed drones in the incident&quot; underlined the &quot;gravity of threat emanating from Afghanistan and the brazenness of those behind it.&quot;&nbsp; &quot;As a neighbor that has repeatedly suffered terrorist attacks orchestrated from Afghan soil, the people of Pakistan fully understand and share the grief and anguish of our Chinese friends and Tajik partners,&quot; FO said, adding that the country has consistently stressed that Afghan territory must not be used for terrorism against its neighbors or any other country. On the repeated use of Afghan soil by &quot;terrorist elements and their continued presence under the patronage of Afghan Taliban regime,&quot; the foreign office said that it was a matter of &quot;serious concern for the entire region and the wider international community.&quot; &quot;Concrete and verifiable action against the perpetrators, abettors, facilitators, and financiers of terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil is the only way to address this growing menace,&quot; the statement said.

Foreign Affairs

Foreign office "unequivocally" condemns "cowardly attack," says use of "armed drones in the incident" underlined the "gravity of threat emanating from Afghanistan and the brazenness of those behind it." 


Pakistan stands with Tajikistan, China after Afghan attack kills Chinese workers

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday condemned the terrorist shooting near the White House that critically wounded two US National Guard members, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi expressing &ldquo;deep shock&rdquo; and reaffirming Islamabad&rsquo;s solidarity with Washington. In a statement on social media platform X, Naqvi said he was &ldquo;deeply shocked by the terrorist shooting near the White House that wounded two US National Guard members.&rdquo; He added, &ldquo;I am praying for them and all those affected,&rdquo; while noting that Pakistan stands &ldquo;in solidarity with the United States against terrorism.&rdquo; The message was also conveyed to US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and US Charg&eacute; d&rsquo;Affaires Natalie A. Baker, according to the minister. Earlier in Washington, President Donald Trump said the suspect in custody was &ldquo;an Afghan man who fled the Taliban,&rdquo; calling the attack &ldquo;an act of terror.&rdquo; Briefing reporters, Trump said the individual was &ldquo;a foreigner who entered our country from Afghanistan, a hellhole on Earth,&rdquo; adding that he was flown in &ldquo;by the Biden administration in September 2021, on those infamous flights that everybody was talking about.&rdquo; Calling the shooting &ldquo;an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror,&rdquo; Trump said the attack was &ldquo;a crime against our entire nation.&rdquo; Before the media briefing, the president posted an update on Truth Social, writing: &ldquo;The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen&hellip; will pay a very steep price.&rdquo; Following the incident, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the deployment of 500 additional troops to Washington, bringing the total number of personnel in the capital to 2,500. The two National Guard members remain critically wounded in separate hospitals as investigations continue.

Americas

Interior Ministry Mohsin Naqvi says “deeply shocked by the terrorist shooting near the White House that wounded two US National Guard members.”

Pakistan condemns White House shooting, expresses solidarity with United States

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan High Commission in London said Thursday that an Indian delegation abruptly withdrew from a scheduled Oxford Union debate, leaving Pakistan to claim an uncontested walkover in what was billed as a rare public exchange on South Asian security policy.&nbsp;The debate, set for November 27 in the Union&rsquo;s historic chamber, was to follow a parliamentary format on the motion: &ldquo;This House Believes That India&rsquo;s Policy Towards Pakistan Is a Populist Strategy Sold as Security Policy.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to the High Commission&rsquo;s statement, &ldquo;both sides had confirmed participation months earlier,&rdquo; with formal invitations issued in June.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s three-member delegation, Gen. (Ret.) Zubair Mahmood Hayat, former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, and High Commissioner to the UK Dr. Mohammad Faisal, had already arrived in London and was preparing to travel to Oxford for the event.&nbsp;The High Commission said India had likewise confirmed a high-profile trio: former army chief Gen. M. M. Naravane, former law minister and academic Dr. Subramanian Swamy, and former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot.&nbsp;But on Thursday morning, organizers were informed that &ldquo;all three Indian speakers had withdrawn without offering any substantive explanation.&rdquo;&nbsp;The statement said Oxford Union officials were &ldquo;embarrassed&rdquo; by the sudden exit, noting it deprived students of a &ldquo;rare, structured exchange on a major South Asian security issue.&rdquo;&nbsp;Calling the decision &ldquo;particularly noteworthy,&rdquo; the High Commission emphasized that Indian students account for a far larger share of Union membership than Pakistani students. Even in what it described as a &ldquo;friendly environment,&rdquo; the statement said, India &ldquo;declined to defend its position before a vote.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to the High Commission, the withdrawals reflected &ldquo;a lack of confidence&rdquo; in publicly defending India&rsquo;s policy toward Pakistan. It argued that while Indian officials often make forceful claims through partisan media, their representatives &ldquo;avoided testing those claims in an open, rules-based setting.&rdquo;&nbsp;Pakistan, the statement added, &ldquo;remained prepared to argue with facts, international law, and regional stability considerations.&rdquo; It thanked the Oxford Union for its efforts and said it remained ready for &ldquo;any future forum promoting serious and respectful dialogue on South Asian peace and security.&rdquo;&nbsp;It said Pakistan had expected &ldquo;a civilized, reasoned discussion,&rdquo; but India&rsquo;s last-minute pullout &ldquo;made that impossible.&rdquo;

Politics

Pakistan said India abruptly withdrew its entire delegation from a scheduled Oxford Union debate on South Asian security, leaving Pakistan with an uncontested walkover and prompting questions over India’s willingness to publicly defend its Pakistan policy.

India abandons Oxford debate, handing Pakistan clear walkover before vote

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.

Middle East

Europe

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, adding that he arrived in Islamabad on the direct instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who believes that bilateral ties continued to grow stronger each year. In an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV on Thursday, during his visit to Islamabad, Tsivilev called the 10th meeting of the Pakistan-Russia Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) a &ldquo;turning point&rdquo; in bilateral ties.&nbsp; He reaffirmed Moscow&rsquo;s commitment to expanding long-term cooperation with Pakistan across energy, pharmaceuticals, education, tourism, and space technology. &ldquo;I have arrived in Islamabad on the direct instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who conveyed respect to the Pakistani nation and believes that bilateral ties continue to grow stronger with each passing year,&rdquo; the Russian minister said, adding that President Putin wishes every success to the IGC and hopes for the launch of maximum joint projects for the development of both nations. Russia, Pakistan to develop joint space programTsivilev highlighted a series of initiatives aimed at deepening collaboration, one of which is the joint space program. He said, &ldquo;Russia and Pakistan are developing a joint program in the outer space, and it&#39;s very important that young people see these cosmonauts.&rdquo;He said perhaps, it will inspire the youth to pursue their dream of joining this research and with enough determination, it is attainable for anyone, &ldquo;including women.&rdquo; &ldquo;Russia will always stand by Pakistan&rdquo;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&nbsp;Insulin production in Pakistan priority for &lsquo;pharmaceutical security&rsquo;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, aligned with the cost of American-made insulin currently imported by Pakistan, 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 developmentThe 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 trainingA 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 agendaTourism 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.

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.

President Putin believes Russia’s relationship with Pakistan strengthening every year: Russian minister

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. 16 Days of Activism 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.

India

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

Articles by New York Times