Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces killed 13 terrorists in two intelligence-based operations in the northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said on Wednesday.&nbsp;According to a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operations were conducted on Monday, March 30, in Kyber and Bannu districts.&nbsp; In the first operation in the Bara area of Khyber, 10 terrorists were killed after an intense exchange of fire. Three more terrorists were neutralized in a&nbsp;separate operation in Bannu, the statement added.&nbsp;Security forces have launched sanitization operations to clear the areas of any remaining terrorists.&nbsp;The military said the operations are part of an ongoing counter-terrorism campaign aimed at eliminating&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/operation-ghazab-lilhaq-435-killed-as-pakistan-strikes-afghan-targets" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">foreign-sponsored terrorism</a>&nbsp;from the country. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised security for the successful operations. &ldquo;Our security forces are like a solid wall against terrorism to protect the country.&rdquo;&nbsp;He said the government is determined to eliminate terrorism from the country.

A Pakistani soldier stands guard in a bunker at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Chaman on February 27, 2026, following overnight cross-border firing between the two countries. (Photo: AFP/File)

Security

ISPR says the operations were conducted on Monday, March 30, in Kyber and Bannu districts.

13 terrorists killed in northwest Pakistan operations: Military

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump will watch the US Supreme Court hear a landmark case Wednesday weighing the constitutionality of his contentious bid to end birthright citizenship an extraordinary and possibly unprecedented move for the nation&#39;s highest office. Trump signed an executive order on his return to the White House decreeing that children born to parents in the United States illegally or on temporary visas would not automatically become US citizens. Lower courts blocked the move as unconstitutional, ruling that under the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment nearly everyone born on US soil is an American citizen. &quot;All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States,&quot; the amendment states. It does not apply to persons who are not subject to US jurisdiction foreign diplomats, for example, and sovereign Native American tribes. &quot;I&#39;m going,&quot; Trump told reporters Tuesday when asked about the Supreme Court hearing. He had attended the investiture ceremony of his first Supreme Court justice nominee, Neil Gorsuch, in 2017, months into Trump&#39;s first term. But it would be an exceptional milestone for a sitting president to be present for oral arguments in a case their administration is actively arguing. The Trump administration argues that the 14th Amendment, passed in the wake of the 1861-1865 Civil War, addresses the rights to citizenship of former slaves and not the children of undocumented migrants or temporary visitors. Trump&#39;s executive order is premised on the notion that anyone in the United States illegally, or on a visa, is not &quot;subject to the jurisdiction&quot; of the country and therefore excluded from automatic citizenship. The Supreme Court rejected such a narrow definition in an 1898 case involving a man named Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco in 1873 to parents who had come to the United States from China. After a visit to China, Wong Kim Ark was denied reentry into the United States in 1895 under the Chinese Exclusion Acts. The Supreme Court ruled, however, that he was a US citizen by virtue of being born in the United States. &#39;History and tradition&#39;&nbsp; Steven Schwinn, a law professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, said the court is likely to reject the challenge to birthright citizenship. &quot;This is a court that has looked to history and tradition as a significant guide in understanding the Constitution,&quot; Schwinn told AFP. &quot;And it would be a little surprising if, after 150 years, we suddenly discovered we were applying the Citizenship Clause all wrong.&quot; Conservatives have a 6-3 supermajority on the high court and three of the justices were appointed by Trump. Trump&#39;s solicitor general, John Sauer, said that in order to be eligible for citizenship &quot;a person must be both born &#39;in the United States&#39; and &#39;subject to the jurisdiction thereof.&#39;&quot; &quot;Children of temporarily present aliens or illegal aliens are not &#39;subject to&#39; the United States&#39; &#39;jurisdiction,&#39;&quot; Sauer said in a brief with the court. &quot;A person is subject to the United States&#39; &#39;jurisdiction&#39; only if he owes sufficient allegiance to, and may claim protection from, the United States.&quot; Automatic citizenship for children of undocumented migrants is a &quot;powerful incentive for illegal migration,&quot; Sauer said, claiming it encourages &quot;birth tourists.&quot; &#39;Dumb judges and justices&#39;&nbsp; If the Supreme Court does reject ending birthright citizenship, it would be the second major loss for Trump this term the justices struck down most of his global tariffs in February. Trump reacted furiously to that ruling and called birthright citizenship one of the &quot;great scams of our time&quot; on Tuesday, a day after he took to Truth Social to denounce &quot;dumb judges and justices.&quot; The American Civil Liberties Union, which is defending birthright citizenship before the court, said the Trump administration &quot;is asking for nothing less than a remaking of our Nation&#39;s constitutional foundations.&quot; &quot;The government&#39;s baseless arguments if accepted would cast a shadow over the citizenship of millions upon millions of Americans, going back generations.&quot; A decision in the case is expected by late June or early July.&nbsp;

Demonstrators holds up an anti-Trump sign outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on June 27, 2025.

Americas

Trump signed an executive order on his return to the White House decreeing that children born to parents in the United States illegally or on temporary visas would not automatically become US citizens.

Trump to watch Supreme Court weigh challenge to birthright citizenship 

KINSHASSA: Delirious football fans took to the soaked streets of the capital, Kinshasa and danced into the night in the rain after the Democratic Republic of Congo reached the World Cup for the first time in 52 years. Defender Axel Tuanzebe, who plays in the Premier League for Burnley, was the hero with the only goal in a 1-0 win over Jamaica after extra time in an intercontinental playoff in Mexico on Tuesday. The central African nation will face Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan in Group K at the finals in North America this summer. At the 1974 finals in West Germany, the team competed as Zaire and were beaten by Scotland, Yugoslavia and Brazil. &quot;We gave it our all, right here in the rain!&quot; shouted Beni Ile, a fan in Kinshasa whose shoulders were draped in a soaked DRC flag. &quot;We won&#39;t be working on Wednesday! It&#39;s going to be a national holiday. We&#39;re going to celebrate and party all night long. &quot;We&#39;ve been waiting 50 years for this. We&#39;re staying out until dawn.&quot; It was a scene replicated across the city of 17 million people, where the final whistle in Guadalajara was greeted by a cacophony of banging pots, car horns and whistles. The win completed a dramatic qualification campaign for the team nicknamed the Leopards, who eliminated African football giants Nigeria and Cameroon on their way to Tuesday&#39;s playoff. As early as the morning of the big match, many residents of the DRC capital were already sporting the sky-blue jersey of their beloved national side. By evening, several hundred fans had gathered in a square in the city centre in anticipation of watching the game. Even as the rain bucketed down, the conclusion of the match after 120 nervy minutes was met with an outpouring of national pride and relief. It was also a rare moment of national unity in a country scarred by 30 years of conflict and the resurgence of the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group. &quot;It&#39;s truly exceptional, we are very proud of the Leopards today for this feat,&quot; said Merou, who comes from Goma, a major city in eastern DRC that fell into M23 hands in January 2025. &quot;This victory will unify the Congo. &quot;We hope the whole country will benefit from it,&quot; he added, standing in the pouring rain. Another overjoyed supporter, Maclain, said: &quot;We deserve a moment of happiness, away from the gunfire. &quot;We need to come together too.&quot;

Richard King of Jamaica is challenged by Axel Tuanzebe of Congo DR during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off tournament final match between Congo DR v Jamaica at Estadio Guadalajara on March 31, 2026, in Zapopan, Mexico. (Photo: AFP)

Football

The central African nation will face Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan in Group K at the finals in North America this summer.

DR Congo fans dance in the rain after sealing World Cup spot

ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that US military operations in Iran could conclude &ldquo;very soon,&rdquo; suggesting a possible timeline of two to three weeks.&nbsp;Speaking to reporters at the White House after signing an executive order, Trump said American forces were &ldquo;finishing the job&rdquo; in Iran.&nbsp;&ldquo;I think in two weeks, or maybe a few days longer, we&rsquo;ll do the job. We want to knock out everything they&rsquo;ve got,&rdquo; he said, referring to Iran&rsquo;s military capabilities.&nbsp;The US president reiterated earlier claims about significantly weakening Iran&rsquo;s capabilities, though he has previously offered mixed signals regarding Washington&rsquo;s objectives and timeline in the conflict.&nbsp;On economic concerns, Trump linked a potential&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-ready-to-end-middle-east-war-with-hormuz-strait-still-closed" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">US withdrawal from Iran</a>&nbsp;to falling oil prices. &ldquo;All I have to do is leave Iran &ndash; and we&rsquo;ll be doing that very soon. Then prices will come tumbling down,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Addressing the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route, Trump said the United States would not be responsible for ensuring its security.&nbsp;&ldquo;That&rsquo;s not for us. That&rsquo;ll be for whoever&rsquo;s using the strait,&rdquo; he told reporters, adding that countries dependent on the waterway should take responsibility.&nbsp;He also criticized US allies for not doing enough to support Washington&rsquo;s efforts in the ongoing conflict with Iran.&nbsp;The remarks come amid heightened tensions in the region and continued uncertainty over the scope and duration of US military engagement.

US President Donald Trump speaks after signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on March 31, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Middle East

Reiterates earlier claims about significantly weakening Iran’s capabilities, though he has previously offered mixed signals regarding Washington’s objectives and timeline in the conflict.

Trump says US may end Iran operations within ‘two to three weeks’

BUENOS AIRES: Lionel Messi scored one goal and set up another as Argentina thrashed Zambia 5-0 on Tuesday in the South Americans&#39; final game on home soil before launching the defense of their World Cup crown.&nbsp;Messi, restored to the starting line-up by coach Lionel Scaloni after Argentina&#39;s lackluster win over Mauritania last Friday, made an instant impact in Tuesday&#39;s friendly at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires.&nbsp;The 38-year-old superstar set up the opening goal for Julian Alvarez before bagging his 116th goal for Argentina with an individual strike just before half-time.&nbsp;Tuesday&#39;s game marked a World Cup send-off for the reigning world champions, who will face Algeria, Austria and Jordan in Group J of the finals in June.&nbsp;Argentina will also play a friendly against Serbia in June, and are seeking to arrange another warm-up fixture before the tournament.&nbsp;Messi is firmly expected to captain Argentina into what will be a record sixth World Cup finals as the South American giants target back-to-back titles.&nbsp;The Inter Miami playmaker once again demonstrated his enduring influence on the Albiceleste with a typically decisive contribution in a comfortable win.&nbsp;Alvarez fired Argentina into the lead after just four minutes when Messi effortlessly controlled a lofted pass on the edge of the area and then threaded a pass into the feet of the Atletico Madrid striker to score.&nbsp;Messi doubled Argentina&#39;s lead with the 902nd goal of his career two minutes before half-time, working a clever one-two with Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister before tucking a low finish past Zambia goalkeeper Willard Mwanza.&nbsp;Messi could have added to his goals tally just after half-time when Argentina were awarded a penalty following Albert Kangwanda&#39;s foul on Thiago Almada.&nbsp;But rather than take the spot kick himself, Messi handed the ball to veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi, and the 38-year-old made no mistake from the spot for a 3-0 lead.&nbsp;An own goal from Dominic Chanda in the 68th minute put Argentina 4-0 up, before rising star Valentin Barco completed the scoring in stoppage time to make it 5-0.&nbsp;

Lionel Messi scored and assisted as Argentina beat Zambia 5-0 in a World Cup warm-up, with goals from Alvarez, Otamendi, Barco and an own goal completing victory.

Messi on target as Argentina down Zambia in World Cup send-off

Web Desk/AFP

Asia

Marco Rubio says the United States will reexamine its relationship with NATO after the Iran war, adding the final decision rests with Donald Trump.

LIVE: US will 'have to reexamine' NATO relationship: Rubio

SAN FRANCISCO: OpenAI on Tuesday said that the startup was valued at $852 billion in a freshly closed funding round that raised $122 billion.&nbsp;The eye-watering level of funding came in higher than originally projected, reflecting the surging costs of computing power and arriving amid lingering questions about whether OpenAI and other AI companies can generate sufficient revenue to cover expenses.&nbsp;&quot;The capital being deployed today is helping build the infrastructure layer for intelligence itself,&quot; OpenAI said in a blog post.&nbsp;&quot;Over time, that value will flow back into the economy, to companies, to communities, and increasingly to individuals.&quot;&nbsp;The ChatGPT-maker said that its revenue rate of $2 billion monthly is quickly growing.&nbsp;The funding round included a diverse set of partners including Amazon, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Softbank, according to OpenAI.&nbsp;In an unusual move, some $3 billion was reportedly raised from individual investors.&nbsp;ChatGPT claims the top position in consumer AI, with more than 900 million weekly active users and some 50 million subscribers.&nbsp;Use of ChatGPT&#39;s online search engine has tripled over the course of a year, according to OpenAI.&nbsp;&quot;These are not just growth milestones -- they show that frontier AI is becoming part of everyday life for people around the world,&quot; the San Francisco-based startup said in the post.&nbsp;The company in February began rolling out advertising for its non-premium users in a bid to bring in more revenue.&nbsp;OpenAI also announced that it is building a &quot;superapp&quot; that will combine ChatGPT, internet browsing, a Codex coding tool, and agentic capabilities that allow digital assistants to independently tend to tasks.&nbsp;The massive funding round comes with anticipation that OpenAI is planning to become a publicly traded company this year as competition intesifies in the AI sector.&nbsp;Arch-rival Anthropic, founded by former OpenAI employees, continues to gain ground and grab headlines for its well-regarded Claude AI models.&nbsp;Anthropic earlier this year secured a $30 billion funding round.&nbsp;Google&#39;s AI model Gemini has emerged as another potent competitor, with Elon Musk&#39;s xAI also attracting investment and users.

Artificial Intelligence

OpenAI raised $122 billion in a funding round valuing it at $852 billion, backed by major partners and individuals, while expanding ChatGPT, building a superapp, growing revenue, and preparing for public listing amid AI competition.

OpenAI raises $122 billion in boosted funding round

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Prominent Chinese scholar Professor Vitor Gao has underscored the pivotal role that Pakistan is playing in de-escalating ongoing tensions involving Iran, the United States, and Israel. In an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV, Professor Victor Gao of Soochow University praised Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic efforts, describing them as &ldquo;constructive and positive&rdquo; in working towards ending what he termed a war of aggression against Iran. He noted that Pakistan remains among a limited number of countries capable of engaging all sides and facilitating dialogue during a highly volatile period. Professor Gao emphasised that from China&rsquo;s perspective, the continuation or escalation of the conflict could trigger far-reaching consequences, including an energy crisis, economic instability, and a potential global financial downturn. He warned that failure to halt hostilities could have repercussions not only for the region but for the entire world. Referring to recent engagements between Pakistan and China, including discussions between their foreign ministers, he said both countries share a common position advocating cessation of hostilities, adherence to the United Nations Charter, and a return to peaceful negotiations. Highlighting Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic standing, the Chinese scholar remarked that successful mediation by Islamabad could elevate its status as a key global peace actor. &ldquo;If Pakistan succeeds in bringing the parties to the negotiating table, it will be recognised [for] playing a critical role in defending international peace,&rdquo; he stated. The scholar also pointed to the importance of careful diplomacy in managing differing interests, adding that global stability depends on rational decision-making by all parties.

The Newsroom

Professor Victor Gao highlights Islamabad’s growing diplomatic significance and urges trust-building to avert global crisis and potentially becoming a key international peace actor through successful mediation.

Pakistan’s role in de-escalating Iran conflict crucial: Chinese Scholar

MOSCOW:&nbsp;A Russian Antonov-26 military plane crashed while flying over the Crimean peninsula, killing 29 people, the TASS news agency reported Wednesday, quoting Russia&#39;s defence ministry.&nbsp;&quot;On 31 March at around 18:00 Moscow time, contact was lost with the An-26 military transport aircraft whilst it was on a scheduled flight over the Crimean Peninsula,&quot; the defence ministry said.&nbsp;&quot;The search and rescue team has located the crash site of the An-26 aircraft. According to reports from the scene, the six crew members and 23 passengers on board were killed,&quot; the ministry said.&nbsp;No signs of external impact were found on the aircraft&rsquo;s wreckage, according to the same source, which indicated at this stage that technical failure likely caused the crash.

Europe

A Russian An-26 military plane crashed over Crimea, killing all 29 people onboard, including six crew and 23 passengers, after losing contact during a scheduled flight, authorities reported.

Russian military plane crashes in Crimea, 29 dead: TASS

MATANZAS: A Russian oil tanker docked in a Cuban port on Tuesday to deliver the first crude shipment to the crisis-hit island since January after Washington gave a reprieve from its fuel blockade.&nbsp;The Anatoly Kolodkin, a tanker under US sanctions, entered the port of Matanzas, east of Havana, after sunrise to bring 730,000 barrels of crude following a three-week journey from Russia.&nbsp;US President Donald Trump&#39;s decision to let Russia deliver the oil avoids a confrontation with Moscow and provides temporary relief to a country that has endured blackouts, fuel rationing and dwindling public transportation.&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s great that the country is receiving oil because we need it for the crisis we are facing,&quot; Yoanna Rivero, a 49-year-old pharmacy worker who was exercising near the port, told AFP.&nbsp;Felipe Serrano, a 76-year-old security guard, was waiting for the Russian ship to arrive.&nbsp;&quot;This is crucial for us to be able to survive because the country is paralyzed,&quot; he said.&nbsp;Analysts, however, said the shipment would give Cuba only a brief respite.&nbsp;&quot;It can offer temporary breathing room, but it does not come close to resolving the scale of the deficit the country is facing,&quot; Ricardo Torres, a Cuban economist at American University in Washington, told AFP.&nbsp;&quot;It is clearly not enough,&quot; he said, noting Cuba&#39;s power problems are &quot;structural rather than episodic.&quot;&nbsp;The Russian crude will be refined to produce gasoline for transportation as well as diesel and fuel oil for backup power generators, Irenaldo Perez, deputy director of the state-run oil firm CUPET, told official media.&nbsp;Analysts say it could take around three weeks to refine and distribute.&nbsp;The Cuban foreign ministry thanked Russia for its solidarity, saying on X &quot;this valuable assistance arrives amid the energy blockade imposed by the United States, which is trying to strangle the Cuban people.&quot;&nbsp;The Russian embassy in Cuba said on X it was its &quot;duty to help our Cuban brothers under these difficult conditions!&quot;

A Russian tanker delivered 730,000 barrels of crude to Cuba after US eased blockade. The shipment offers temporary relief from fuel shortages and blackouts, but analysts say it is insufficient to solve Cuba’s ongoing energy crisis.

13 terrorists killed in northwest Pakistan operations: Military

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Latest News

13 terrorists killed in northwest Pakistan operations: Military

Trump to watch Supreme Court weigh challenge to birthright citizenship

DR Congo fans dance in the rain after sealing World Cup spot

Trump says US may end Iran operations within ‘two to three weeks’

Messi on target as Argentina down Zambia in World Cup send-off