Web Desk

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=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%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

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.

Foreign Affairs

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

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday bade farewell to Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Sahir Shamshad Mirza at a ceremony held at Joint Staff Headquarters in Rawalpindi, marking the completion of his 40 years of service, the military&rsquo;s media wing said in a statement. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the event was attended by former CJCSCs and senior officers from all three services. A &ldquo;Guard of Honor&rdquo; was presented to the outgoing chairman by a smartly turned-out tri-services contingent, ISPR said. In his farewell remarks, General Mirza expressed gratitude to the Almighty God for granting him the &ldquo;strength to perform his duties with dedication, professionalism, and selfless devotion.&rdquo; He also paid tribute to Pakistan&rsquo;s security forces, honoring &ldquo;the martyrs and their families whose sacrifices safeguard our nation,&rdquo; the statement added. A day earlier, General Mirza paid a farewell call on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at General Headquarters (GHQ). ISPR said the army chief commended the CJCSC for his &ldquo;exemplary leadership, strategic foresight, and dedicated service to the armed forces.&rdquo; The field marshal praised General Mirza&rsquo;s &ldquo;pivotal role in enhancing tri-services synergy, strengthening joint operational preparedness, and advancing Pakistan&rsquo;s national security objectives at the strategic level.&rdquo; He also highlighted the outgoing chairman&rsquo;s contributions to regional stability, military diplomacy, and Pakistan&rsquo;s defense partnerships with friendly states. ISPR said General Mirza expressed appreciation to the COAS and the armed forces for their &ldquo;unwavering support throughout his career.&rdquo; Upon his arrival at GHQ, the CJCSC laid a floral wreath at Yadgar-e-Shuhada and was presented another Guard of Honor by a Pakistan Army contingent, the statement added.

Security

General Mirza pays homage to the martyrs and their families; COAS Munir lauds CJCSC’s pivotal role in enhancing tri-services synergy, strengthening joint operational preparedness, and advancing country’s national security objectives at the strategic level


Pakistan honors outgoing top military official after four decades’ service

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday unveiled a proposal for a Regional Maritime Dialogue, a multicontinental framework aimed at bringing together countries from the Gulf Cooperation Council, Central Asia and Africa to address shared maritime challenges and strengthen cooperation, according to an official statement.&nbsp;The initiative was introduced by Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry during a breakfast reception hosted by Pakistan at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) headquarters in London.&nbsp;Delegations from more than 173 countries, including over 100 maritime ministers, attended what officials described as one of the most widely participated events of the IMO Assembly week.&nbsp;Calling the IMO &ldquo;the pinnacle of maritime diplomacy,&rdquo; Junaid told delegates that Pakistan was &ldquo;ready to play a proactive role in shaping regulations that reflect the needs of our region.&rdquo;&nbsp;Junaid and IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez also jointly inaugurated a model of the PNSC ship Karachi, one of three new vessels the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation intends to acquire.&nbsp;The minister said the rapidly evolving maritime environment required new regional mechanisms capable of addressing &ldquo;operational, environmental, regulatory and technological needs.&rdquo;&nbsp;He added, &ldquo;Our maritime policies must reflect our vulnerabilities and our priorities.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to the proposal, the Regional Maritime Dialogue would prioritize emissions reduction, maritime safety, coordinated search-and-rescue operations and navigational safety.&nbsp;Junaid highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s current role as coordinator of NAVAREA IX, one of 21 global navigational zones under the World-Wide Navigational Warning Service, responsible for ensuring ships receive timely and reliable safety alerts.&nbsp;To support long-term capacity building, the minister also proposed the establishment of a Regional Maritime University and a Regional Maritime Training Institute, arguing that new IMO regulations, autonomous shipping and digitalization demand updated skills.&nbsp;&ldquo;We want to prepare our workforce for the future of shipping, where technology, environmental compliance and digital skills will be essential,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s ambition to emerge as a regional maritime leader, Junaid said the country remained committed to working closely with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and partners across Central Asia and Africa to shape global maritime policy and advance shared development priorities.

Economy

Climate & Environment

At IMO headquarters in London, Islamabad proposes a multicontinental maritime dialogue linking Gulf, Central Asian and African states to strengthen cooperation on safety, emissions, regulation and future shipping technologies.

Pakistan seeks multicontinental alliance to shape future of global shipping

ISLAMABAD: Bahrain has conferred its highest state award on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as both countries move to deepen political, economic, and defense cooperation, according to the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office (PMO).&nbsp;In a meeting in Manama, King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa presented Pakistani PM with the Order of Bahrain (First Class), described by the PMO as &ldquo;the highest award Bahrain confers on heads of state and government.&rdquo;&nbsp;The PMO said PM Sharif thanked the King for the warm reception and for what he called Bahrain&rsquo;s &ldquo;longstanding goodwill and friendship toward Pakistan.&rdquo; He also commended &ldquo;His Majesty&rsquo;s leadership in promoting peace, tolerance, and coexistence.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to the PMO, King Hamad told Sharif that Bahrain had &ldquo;the privilege of being represented at a legal forum by none other than Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah,&rdquo; adding that Pakistan&rsquo;s founding father &ldquo;remained Bahrain&rsquo;s lawyer for a long time.&rdquo;&nbsp;Both sides reviewed the &ldquo;encouraging momentum&rdquo; in bilateral ties and agreed to strengthen cooperation in political, economic, defense, and cultural fields.&nbsp;The PMO quoted PM Sharif as reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to deepening relations &ldquo;based on shared faith and mutual respect.&rdquo;&nbsp;The prime minister thanked the King for Bahrain&rsquo;s continued support, including the establishment of the King Hamad University for Nursing and Allied Medical Sciences in Islamabad, inaugurated in September 2025.&nbsp;He also expressed gratitude for Bahrain&rsquo;s solidarity following recent terrorist incidents in Pakistan.&nbsp;On economic ties, the PMO said the prime minister highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s desire to expand trade and investment, noting that bilateral commerce is expected to grow with the upcoming Pakistan&ndash;GCC Free Trade Agreement, now in its final stages.&nbsp;He invited Bahraini investors to explore opportunities through the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), particularly in food security, IT, construction, mining, tourism, and healthcare.&nbsp;The PMO added that PM Sharif expressed appreciation for Bahrain&rsquo;s support to the more than 150,000 Pakistanis living in the Kingdom and thanked King Hamad for pardoning Pakistani prisoners.&nbsp;Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of the defense partnership and agreed to continue cooperation in training, logistics, manpower and defense production.&nbsp;They also discussed developments in Gaza, agreeing that peace and stability are &ldquo;long overdue for the people of Gaza,&rdquo; the PMO said.&nbsp;At the end of the meeting, the PMO noted that both sides expressed confidence that the visit would &ldquo;further consolidate the enduring friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and Bahrain.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif reveives guard of honor at the Al-Qudaibiya Palace in Manama on 26 November 2025 (PMO)

In Manama, PM Shehbaz Sharif receives Bahrain’s highest honor, strengthens Pakistan-Bahrain ties, discusses trade, defence, regional issues, and affirms commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation, says PMO.

 Bahrain confers top honor on PM Sharif as leaders deepen strategic Pakistan ties

ISLAMABAD: India&rsquo;s crushing loss to South Africa has triggered a fierce backlash against head coach Gautam Gambhir, with journalists, former cricketers and social media users calling for his resignation after the team suffered second Test whitewash at home in 12 months.&nbsp;The innings defeat, India&rsquo;s biggest-ever at home, also ended their long-held aura of dominance in red-ball cricket. Critics said Gambhir has failed to protect a legacy built by past captains and coaches.&nbsp;Indian journalist Sushant Sharma accused Gambhir of &ldquo;letting down&rdquo; former Test greats such as Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. He said Gambhir had ruined the foundation these players had created.&nbsp;Sharma also slammed Gambhir for contradicting his long-held view that &ldquo;no individual should take credit,&rdquo; after the coach told reporters: &ldquo;I am the same guy who won India the Champions Trophy and Asia Cup.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1993616292994249116&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=e7bf3440a2b6917a1f0d9c966ba25b33b8956687&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 528px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Another senior journalist, Vikrant Gupta, said Indian cricket had been &ldquo;rewarding mediocrity&rdquo; for some time, and that mediocrity had now become &ldquo;poor.&rdquo; In an earlier post, Gupta quoted Gambhir&rsquo;s defense that it was for the BCCI to decide his future. &ldquo;Truth is all that has been squandered in the last two weeks,&rdquo; Gupta wrote.&nbsp;Former cricketer Aakash Chopra highlighted India&rsquo;s slide at home, noting that the team has now lost five of its last seven home Tests, including two whitewashes. &ldquo;Home dominance no more,&rdquo; he posted.&nbsp;Social media criticism also intensified. One user pointed out that Gambhir is now the first Indian coach to oversee more than one home series whitewash. Others shared statistics showing India&rsquo;s winning percentage dropping from 79 percent in 2019 to just 29 percent in 2025.&nbsp;Several viral posts demanded that the BCCI remove Gambhir. One user said repeated clean-sweep losses were &ldquo;hurting the team&rsquo;s confidence and future.&rdquo;&nbsp;A thread circulating widely accused India of preparing overly aggressive spinning pitches, particularly in Kolkata, a tactic analysts said backfired and exposed India&rsquo;s own batting.&nbsp;Accounts also listed what they called failures in the &ldquo;Gambhir era,&rdquo; including ODI series losses to Sri Lanka and Australia, the team being bowled out for 46 at home, ending a 12-year unbeaten home Test record, and defeats in Australia, England and New Zealand.&nbsp;Cricket platform CricXtasy asked whether it was time for Gambhir to resign from the Test role, noting that India had been whitewashed at home by both New Zealand and South Africa, lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, and failed to beat a struggling England side.&nbsp;Gambhir also faced scrutiny for his changing stance on &ldquo;transition.&rdquo; During the England tour he had insisted India was &ldquo;not in transition.&rdquo; But after the South Africa defeat, he said losing was part of the process for a &ldquo;young team.&rdquo;&nbsp;Allegations of paid PR campaignThe coach is also battling a separate controversy: claims that he allegedly spent nearly five million rupees on a paid public relations campaign to counter online criticism after India&rsquo;s 0-2 loss in Australia.&nbsp;Social media accounts alleged that 3.6 million rupees from that amount were used for paid activity on X. One user claimed a PR agency offered him money based on tweet views to post in Gambhir&rsquo;s favor. Others pointed to identical, coordinated messages from fan accounts defending the coach.&nbsp;&ldquo;The same guy who used to criticize others for doing PR is now doing the exact same thing,&rdquo; one cricket handle wrote, citing a so-called &ldquo;JIT report.&rdquo;&nbsp;While the claims remain unverified, the chatter has added fuel to public anger.&nbsp;Some fans, however, rejected the allegations. They said their support for Gambhir was genuine and not paid. &ldquo;The man who runs a community kitchen feeding over 5,000 people daily doesn&rsquo;t need my post to clean his image,&rdquo; one user wrote.&nbsp;Pressure mounts on GambhirGambhir&rsquo;s 15-month tenure as head coach has been marked by frequent setbacks. India suffered a 0-3 home whitewash to New Zealand, a 1-4 loss in Australia, and failed to reach the World Test Championship final for the first time. In limited-overs cricket, India lost ODI series to Sri Lanka and an understrength Australia.&nbsp;His earlier political career has also resurfaced in the debate. After joining the BJP, he served as an MP from 2019 to 2024. Months after resigning, he was appointed India&rsquo;s head coach, a move critics say was influenced by political connections &mdash; a view also echoed by journalist Vikrant Gupta in a circulating video.&nbsp;&ldquo;Gautam Gambhir is running this team like a political party, playing players on quota,&rdquo; Gupta said, also criticising team selection after spinner Kuldeep Yadav was benched while Adam Zampa dominated against India.&nbsp;With India&rsquo;s form collapsing, and the PR allegations still swirling, pressure is growing on the BCCI to take a call on Gambhir&rsquo;s future. For now, the criticism shows no sign of slowing.

Cricket

India’s defeat to South Africa sparked intense criticism of coach Gautam Gambhir, with journalists, ex-cricketers and fans demanding his resignation after a second Test whitewash.

Calls for Gambhir’s resignation grow after India’s historic home defeats

ISLAMABAD: In a significant endorsement of its role in global arms control, Pakistan has been re-elected to the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for the term 2026-28. The vote was held during the 30th Session of the Conference of States Parties in The Hague, Netherlands, from Nov. 24 to 28. The 41-member Executive Council serves as the organization&#39;s principal policy-making body, overseeing implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and ensuring member-state compliance. It also advances scientific and economic cooperation for peaceful chemical use. With 193 states as parties, the convention is widely regarded as one of the most successful international disarmament treaties, having verified the destruction of an entire category of weapons of mass destruction. Pakistan, which ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention&nbsp;in 1997, has remained an active contributor to the OPCW mandate and has been part of the executive council multiple times.&nbsp; The Pakistan Foreign Office said the country continues to host routine OPCW inspections at relevant national facilities and participates in capacity-building and technical cooperation initiatives.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1993554767017353469&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=3ba96c4b85199724f9f942c96144bb1d2a408154&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 922px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The foreign office described the re-election as an endorsement of Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;constructive contributions&rdquo; and a reflection of member states&rsquo; confidence in Islamabad&rsquo;s commitment to strengthening global chemical security. &ldquo;Pakistan will continue to provide effective leadership and support to the work of the OPCW,&rdquo; the statement added. According to its website, the OPCW oversees the global endeavor to permanently and verifiably eliminate the use of chemical weapons.

File: Entrance of the OPCW headquarters in The Hague - Wikimedia Commons 

Pakistan was re-elected to the 41-member Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for 2026-28. Islamabad’s active participation and hosting of routine inspections highlight its ongoing role in promoting chemical weapons disarmament and compliance.

Pakistan retains seat at chemical weapons elimination body

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir praised the &ldquo;professionalism, resolve and commitment&rdquo; demonstrated by Pakistan&rsquo;s Armed Forces during Marka-e-Haq, stating that it had &ldquo;enhanced the global stature of Pakistan.&quot;&nbsp; He was addressing participants of the National Security Workshop&ndash;27 at GHQ, Rawalpindi, according to a press release by Inter-Services Public Relations, the military&#39;s media wing. The Pakistan Army defines the period of conflict with India, starting from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the May 10 conclusion of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, as Marka-i-Haq in May. The army chief said Pakistan was a &ldquo;country of consequence and is destined to reach its rightful place in the comity of nations,&rdquo; ISPR said.&nbsp; The army chief highlighted the &ldquo;fluid regional environment shaped by heightened geopolitical competition, cross-border terrorism, and hybrid threats.&rdquo; Despite complex challenges including &ldquo;externally supported militancy and information-centric warfare,&rdquo; Pakistan&rsquo;s armed forces, intelligence agencies, and law-enforcement institutions continue to demonstrate unwavering professionalism and resolve to safeguard national security,&rdquo; the ISPR quoted him as saying. Participants were also briefed on ongoing &ldquo;national efforts against illegal activities, including the crackdown on smuggling, narcotics trafficking, and organized criminal networks that adversely impact security.&rdquo; Updates were shared on enhanced border controls and the repatriation of illegal foreigners to maintain internal order and protect national interests. Field Marshal Munir reiterated that the &ldquo;territorial integrity, security and protection of every Pakistani citizen is paramount for the Pakistan Army and will not be compromised under any circumstances.&rdquo; He reaffirmed the army&rsquo;s commitment to supporting federal and provincial governments. &ldquo;Coordinated national efforts and institutional synergy are vital for lasting peace, stability and prosperity,&rdquo; ISPR quoted him as saying. The National Security Workshop, run by the National Defence University, brings together parliamentarians, senior civil and military officials, academics, and representatives from civil society.

Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir addresses participants of National Security Workshop–27 (NSW–27) at the General Headquarters (GHQ) on November 26. — (ISPR)

Says success earned during Marka-e-Haq 'enhanced the global stature of Pakistan; crackdown on smuggling, narcotics trafficking, and organized criminal networks that adversely impact security continuing.

Field Marshal Munir hails armed forces for defeating India

GUWAHATI: Spinner Simon Harmer took six wickets as South Africa romped to victory by 408 runs in the second Test for their first series win in India in 25 years on Wednesday.&nbsp;World Test champions South Africa bowled out a dismal India for 140 in a mammoth chase of 549 on day five in Guwahati for a 2-0 Test sweep.&nbsp;It is India&#39;s biggest defeat at home by runs and a fifth loss in seven home Tests, having been whitewashed 3-0 by New Zealand last year.&nbsp;Off-spinner Harmer, 36, returned figures of 6-37 as South Africa clinched a Test series in India for only the second time, the first in 2000 under Hansie Cronje.&nbsp;Ravindra Jadeja resisted with 54 before Keshav Maharaj had him stumped and the spinner soon got the final wicket of Mohammed Siraj, with Marco Jansen pulling off a stunning catch in the deep.&nbsp;India lost the opening Test in Kolkata inside three on a pitch with uneven bounce before South Africa once again beat the hosts in their own game of spin on a batting-friendly track.&nbsp;The visitors declared their second innings on 260-5 on day four to hand India a record chase but the hosts batting once again failed and they never threatened to get close.&nbsp;India rode their luck early in the day when Jansen had Sai Sudharsan caught behind but the delivery was declared a no-ball after the bowler overstepped. The batter was on four.&nbsp;In the next over another overnight batter Kuldeep Yadav survived a reprieve on four when Aiden Markram dropped him at first slip off Harmer.&nbsp;But the relief was short-lived for India as a relentless Harmer soon bowled Kuldeep for five for the first wicket of the day.&nbsp;The off-spinner then dismissed Dhruv Jurel, for two, three balls later and soon sent back skipper Rishabh Pant for 13 as India slumped to 58-5.&nbsp;The batters fell like nine pins on a pitch where South Africa posted 489 after they elected to bat.&nbsp;India were bundled out for 201 to concede a first-innings lead of 288 but South Africa did not enforce the follow-on and decided to bat again.&nbsp;Left-arm quick Jansen returned figures of 6-48 in India&#39;s first innings after the bowler hit a quickfire 93 with the bat.&nbsp;South African all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy led the batting charge with his 109, his maiden Test century.

World Test champions South Africa bowl out a dismal India for 140 in a mammoth chase of 549 on day five in Guwahati for a 2-0 Test sweep.

South Africa condemn India to biggest home Test loss for series sweep

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;

Europe

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.

Macron to announce France restoring voluntary military service

IRBIL: A drone strike on Wednesday targeted an Emirati-owned gas complex in Iraq&rsquo;s autonomous Kurdistan region, disrupting the gas supply to the region&rsquo;s power plants, local authorities said. &ldquo;At 11:30 p.m. (2030 GMT), a drone attacked the Khor Mor gas field facility, cutting off all gas supplies to power plants,&rdquo; the regional natural resources and electricity authorities said in a statement. AFP correspondents in Kurdistan reported power cuts across the region, including in the city of Sulaimaniyah. The Khor Mor gas field lies between the cities of Kirkuk and Sulaimaniyah, and supplies most of the Kurdistan region&rsquo;s power. Omed Ahmed, the regional electricity authority spokesperson, said the attack resulted in the loss of 2,600 megawatts of electricity, disrupting 80% of the region&rsquo;s power grid. Authorities said they were coordinating with the United Arab Emirates company Dana Gas to investigate the attack and restore operations. A local security source told AFP that the attack &ldquo;targeted gas storage tanks, causing a major explosion and large fire.&rdquo; It was unclear whether the attack resulted in any casualties, he added. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Long plagued by conflict, Iraq frequently suffers such attacks. Unclaimed Katyusha rocket and drone attacks have targeted the Khor Mor complex several times in recent years. In April 2024, four Yemeni workers were killed in a drone attack on the facility. Earlier this year, the Kurdistan region saw a spate of unclaimed drone attacks, mostly against oilfields.

Middle East

A drone strike hit the Emirati-owned Khor Mor gas field in Iraqi Kurdistan, cutting power to the region and disrupting 80% of its electricity supply.

Drone strike hits Iraq gas complex, cuts supply: official

Web Desk/AFP

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that an Afghan man who fled the Taliban was the suspect in the shooting of two National Guardsmen near the White House, calling it an &quot;act of terror.&quot; American media reported that the&nbsp;shooting suspect worked with the US military in Afghanistan.&nbsp; US Citizenship and Immigration Services said in a post on X that the processing of all immigration cases related to Afghan immigrants &ldquo;is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols.&rdquo; &ldquo;The protection and safety of our homeland and of the American people remains our singular focus and mission,&rdquo; the agency said. &#39;Flown in on those infamous flights&#39;Briefing the media, Trump stated that the suspect in custody is a &quot;foreigner who entered our country from Afghanistan, a hellhole on Earth. He was flown in by the Biden administration in September 2021, on those infamous flights that everybody was talking about.&quot; The announcement in a brief video message signaled the intertwining of three politically explosive issues &mdash; Trump&#39;s controversial use of the military at home, immigration, and the legacy of the US war in Afghanistan. According to US media reports, Rahmanullah Lakanwal is an Afghan national who entered the United States under a Biden-era policy allowing Afghans to enter after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.&nbsp; Who is the suspect?Lakanwal was paroled into the United States through the Operation Allies Welcome program, which the Biden administration initiated to resettle afghan refugees.&nbsp; Lakanwal applied for immigration in 2024 and was granted asylum earlier this year, US media reported.&nbsp; The incident, which left two Guardsmen critically wounded, was &quot;an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror,&quot; Trump said. &quot;It was a crime against our entire nation.&quot; Before the press briefing, Trump posted an update on the injured officers on Truth Social, saying: &ldquo;The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price.&quot; <div class="fr-embed" style="line-height: 2;"><iframe src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115617866419112089/embed" class="truthsocial-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" width="600" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div> He confirmed that the man taken into custody after the daylight shooting two blocks from the White House was &quot;a foreigner who entered our country from Afghanistan.&quot; The suspect had arrived in the United States in 2021 &quot;on those infamous flights,&quot; Trump said, referring to the evacuations of Afghans fleeing as the Taliban took over the country in the wake of the US retreat after 20 years of war. The shocking attack, carried out next to a metro station at a time when the streets and offices of downtown Washington were bustling, also puts a new focus on Trump&#39;s controversial militarization of an anti-crime push around the country. Trump has deployed troops to several cities, all run by Democrats, including Washington, Los Angeles, and Memphis. The deployments have prompted multiple lawsuits and protests from local officials who accuse the Republicans of seeking authoritarian powers. Trump&#39;s statement also indicated that his equally controversial drive to root out migrants in the country illegally &mdash; the core of his domestic agenda &mdash; will get new impetus. &quot;We must now reexamine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan&quot; under former president Joe Biden, said Trump. &quot;We must take all necessary measures to ensure the removal of any alien from any country who does not belong here, or add benefit to our country if they can&#39;t love our country, we don&#39;t want them.&quot; &#39;Ambushed&#39;&nbsp;Jeffery Carroll, assistant chief of the Washington police, said the gunman &quot;ambushed&quot; his victims. He &quot;came around the corner, raised his arm with a firearm and discharged at the National Guard members.&quot; FBI Director Kash Patel said the two Guard members were in &quot;critical condition.&quot; Trump earlier said on social media that the suspect was &quot;also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price.&quot; An AFP reporter near the scene heard several loud pops and saw people running. Dozens of bystanders were caught up in the chaos. &quot;We heard gunshots. We were waiting at the traffic light, and there were several shots,&quot; said Angela Perry, 42, who was driving home with her two children. &quot;You could see National Guard running toward the metro with their weapons drawn.&quot; Soon after the shootings, security agents flooded the area. Officers carrying rifles stood guard behind yellow tape at the perimeter, and a helicopter circled overhead. An AFP reporter saw emergency crews running toward the metro with a wheeled stretcher and shortly after emerging with a casualty wearing camouflage, whom they loaded into an ambulance. Troops controversy&nbsp;Washington&#39;s government buildings are heavily guarded, but much of the city has suffered from years of sometimes serious street crime. Trump made Washington a showcase for his decision to order National Guard soldiers &mdash; in camouflage and occasionally carrying rifles &mdash;&nbsp;to do law enforcement in Democratic-run cities. In the wake of Wednesday&#39;s shooting, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that 500 more troops would deploy to Washington, bringing the total to 2,500. Last Thursday, a federal judge ruled that Trump&#39;s deployment of thousands of National Guard troops in the US capital was unlawful.

Americas

US authorities suspend all immigration case processing for Afghan nationals after the arrest of an Afghan suspect in the Washington shooting. President Donald Trump calls for a nationwide re-screening of all undocumented immigrants from Afghanistan and other countries as part of a broader security review.

Trump calls Afghanistan ‘hell hole’ after Afghan man shoots two soldiers near White House

HONG KONG: The death toll from a huge blaze that ripped through a Hong Kong housing estate rose to 55, the city&#39;s fire department said on Thursday afternoon. Fire service officials told a news conference that 51 died at the scene, while four died in hospital. They added that blazes in four of the eight apartment blocks in the estate had been extinguished and that three fires were under control. One building was not affected. The inferno &mdash; the financial hub&#39;s worst in decades &mdash; took hold on Wednesday afternoon in an eight-building housing estate with 2,000 apartments, sending shockwaves through the city, which has some of the world&#39;s most densely populated and tallest residential blocks. Police said early on Thursday they arrested three men in connection with the fire, after flammable materials left during maintenance work caused the blaze &quot;to spread rapidly beyond control.&quot; Officers searched premises in a separate neighborhood on Thursday morning, taking away documents in binders in relation to the three people arrested, who police suspect &quot;acted with gross negligence&quot; by leaving foam packaging at the site of the fire. AFP journalists at the scene just after daybreak on Thursday saw some flats still burning, although the blaze had noticeably dimmed during the early hours of the morning. Intense flames first took hold on bamboo scaffolding on several 31-storey apartment blocks of Wang Fuk Court on Wednesday in the northern district of Tai Po, which was undergoing estate-wide repairs. An AFP reporter heard loud cracking sounds, possibly from the burning bamboo, and saw thick plumes of smoke billowing from the buildings as flames and ash reached high into the sky. A 65-year-old resident surnamed Yuen said he had lived in the complex for more than four decades and that many of his neighbours were elderly and might not be mobile. &quot;The windows were closed because of the maintenance, (some people) didn&#39;t know there was a fire and had to be told to evacuate via phone calls by neighbours,&quot; Yuen told AFP. &quot;I&#39;m devastated.&quot; Hong Kong&#39;s fire department raised the death toll to 44 on Thursday morning. Among the dead was a 37-year-old firefighter, who was found with burns on his face half an hour after losing contact with colleagues, according to the fire service director Andy Yeung. A government spokesman told AFP that 56 people were being treated in hospital. Sixteen were in a critical condition, 24 were in a serious condition, and 16 were stable. City leader John Lee said in the early hours of Thursday that 279 were unaccounted for, though firefighters said later that they had established contact with some of those people. Lee said more than 900 people sought refuge at temporary shelters. &#39;Unable to reach people who requested help&#39;&nbsp;Authorities said they will launch a probe into the fire and into the materials on the buildings&#39; exteriors that may have caused the blaze to spread faster than usual. A police officer at a temporary shelter told AFP it was unclear how many people were unaccounted for because residents were still trickling in late into the night to report missing family members. Sections of charred scaffolding fell from the burning blocks, and flames could be seen inside apartments, sometimes belching out through windows into the night sky, casting an eerie orange glow on surrounding buildings. &quot;The temperature at the scene is very high, and there are some floors where we have been unable to reach people who requested help, but we will keep trying,&quot; said Derek Armstrong Chan, the deputy director of fire service operations. He said the fire likely spread from one building to another due to the wind and drifting debris, although he added that authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze. Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed condolences to the victims, including &quot;the firefighter who died in the line of duty,&quot; according to state media. &quot;He offered sympathies to the families of the victims and those affected by the disaster, and called for making every effort to extinguish the fire and minimise casualties and losses,&quot; state broadcaster CCTV said. Lee, the city leader, said he was &quot;deeply saddened&quot; and that all government departments were assisting residents affected by the fire. &#39;Dare not leave&#39;&nbsp;A Tai Po resident surnamed So, 57, said the fire was &quot;heartbreaking.&quot; &quot;There&#39;s nothing that can be done about the property. We can only hope that everyone, no matter old or young, can return safely,&quot; So told AFP. An apartment owner in his 40s who did not want to give his name told AFP that the government needed to help those made homeless by the blaze. &quot;The fire is not yet under control, and I dare not leave, and I don&#39;t know what I can do,&quot; he said. Residents were seen being evacuated via large coaches, with local media reporting that adjacent blocks were also being cleared. Sections of a nearby highway were also closed by the firefighting operation. Deadly fires were once a regular scourge in densely populated Hong Kong, especially in poorer neighborhoods. However, safety measures have been ramped up in recent decades, and such fires are now much less common.

Asia

Police say three men arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the fire; they give no details about what specifically they are accused of doing.



Hong Kong high-rise fire kills at least 55, 250-plus missing: fire dept

BERLIN: NASA has confirmed that it will contribute to Europe&#39;s Martian rover Rosalind Franklin, which is scheduled to launch in 2028 after repeated delays, the European Space Agency said on Wednesday.&nbsp;The rover aims to be the first on the red planet capable of drilling up to two metres (6.5 feet) below the surface to search for extraterrestrial life.&nbsp;However, the mission relies on several elements from NASA, which US President Donald Trump has targeted with steep budget cuts since returning to the White House in January.&nbsp;ESA director general Josef Aschbacher said he had received &quot;a letter from the NASA administration to confirm the contributions&quot; of the US space agency to the mission.&nbsp;&quot;That is good news,&quot; Aschbacher said on the sidelines of the ESA&#39;s ministerial council meeting being held this week in the German city of Bremen.&nbsp;The mission was originally intended to launch in 2020, but suffered several setbacks.&nbsp;In 2022, it was suspended after the ESA ended cooperation with Russia -- the agency&#39;s main partner for the mission -- following Moscow&#39;s invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp;The ESA then turned to the United States for help.&nbsp;Aschbacher said NASA was contributing to three of the mission&#39;s elements: the launcher, radioisotope heater unit and braking engine.&nbsp;The braking engine had been confirmed some time ago, but the other two elements will be a relief for the ESA.&nbsp;NASA is also providing &quot;one instrument to analyse traces of possible life on Mars,&quot; Aschbacher added.&nbsp;The rover, which is named after British scientist Rosalind Franklin, is planned to touch down on the Martian surface in 2030.

Artificial Intelligence

NASA will contribute key elements to Europe's Martian rover, Rosalind Franklin, launching in 2028. The rover aims to search for life by drilling 2 meters below Mars' surface. It suffered delays, including suspension in 2022 due to the war in Ukraine.

NASA confirms support for delayed European Mars rover: ESA

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Iran has expressed its readiness to play a supportive role in addressing ongoing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, offering a &ldquo;blank cheque&rdquo; to help resolve these issues, while also emphasizing the strengthening of trade and economic relations between Tehran and Islamabad. In an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV, Ali Ardeshir Larijani, Secretary of Iran&rsquo;s Supreme National Security Council, highlighted Tehran&rsquo;s willingness to assist if Pakistan seeks Iran&rsquo;s involvement in resolving regional issues. &ldquo;Pakistan is very dear and honourable to the Iranian people,&quot; Larijani said, adding we can help ease regional tensions. Earlier, addressing a press conference, the senior Iranian official said: &ldquo;We are prepared to give the Pakistanis a &lsquo;blank cheque&rsquo; to help resolve the regional issues, to be used whenever they deem necessary.&rdquo; <div class="fr-embed youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4FfT1CCdgvQ?si=_GiRA_uvmnUEmz-l" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" style="width: 100%; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; max-width: 100%; display: block;"></iframe>&nbsp;</div> He said this is the blank cheque for peace, and Pakistan can encash it whenever it wants. In the interview with Pakistan TV, Ali Larijani said: &ldquo;We have left this matter to our Pakistani brothers and are ready to move forward if they see a role for us. Our goal is to support the solution for the people of Pakistan.&rdquo; Larijani also noted that Iran has shown &ldquo;expressive readiness&rdquo; to help facilitate dialogue and cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan, following discussions with Pakistani leadership. Pakistan and Iran share historically friendly ties, with cooperation spanning trade, energy and regional security. Over the past decade, both countries have worked on multiple initiatives, including energy pipelines, cross-border trade agreements and joint efforts to maintain stability in Afghanistan. Iran has previously too shown its interest in fostering peace and stability in the region. Pakistan also emphasised the importance of regional collaboration in trade, transport and energy infrastructure, seeking to strengthen bilateral ties through tangible projects. Larijani also touched upon bilateral trade and investment initiatives. He noted that following the recent visit of Iran&rsquo;s president, both countries have intensified efforts to enhance economic cooperation, particularly in agriculture, railway networks and pipeline projects. &ldquo;Work has begun on promoting trade and economic ties between our countries, especially in agriculture, as per the directives of our leaders. We are exploring various avenues to elevate trade volume,&rdquo; Larijani stated. He added that both sides have discussed multiple strategies to expand and strengthen these relations, with optimism for tangible outcomes in the near future.

The Newsroom

Iran offers a “blank cheque” to help Pakistan ease tensions with Afghanistan, while urging stronger trade, energy and investment cooperation following recent high-level engagements and economic discussions.

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Latest News

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