Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu produced a decisive final-over spell to guide her side to a seven-run victory over Bangladesh in the ICC Women&rsquo;s Cricket World Cup 2025 on Monday.&nbsp;Chasing a target of 203 runs, Bangladesh appeared well placed for victory, needing just nine runs from the final over with five wickets in hand. However, Athapaththu conceded only one run and took four wickets in the final over to secure a dramatic win.&nbsp;Batting first after winning the toss, Sri Lanka were all out for 202 in 48.4 overs.&nbsp; Sri Lanka&#39;s Right-hand batter Hasini Perera anchored the innings with 85 off 99 balls, hitting 13 fours and a six. She shared a 72-run stand with captain Athapaththu, who scored 46 off 43 deliveries. For Bangladesh, leg-spinner Shorna Akter claimed three wickets, while Leg-spinner Rabeya Khatun took two.&nbsp;Bangladesh captain and wicketkeeper-batter Nigar Sultana top-scored with 77 off 98 balls, while opener Sharmin Akhter remained unbeaten on 64 off 103 deliveries. Despite their strong partnership, Bangladesh collapsed in the final over and were restricted to 195.&nbsp;The result lifted Sri Lanka to sixth place on the points table with four points, while Bangladesh was eliminated from semi-final contention, as they remain on two points from six matches, with a group match left against India on Sunday.

Cricket

Athapaththu’s spell, taking four wickets for one run, hands Sri Lanka dramatic seven-run victory over Bangladesh in ICC Women’s World Cup, eliminating the Tigers from semifinal contention.

Athapaththu’s final-over heroics seal Sri Lanka’s thrilling win

ISLAMABAD: Spinner Keshav Maharaj claimed 7-102 as South Africa bowled out Pakistan for 333 on day two of the second and final Test in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.&nbsp;Pakistan resumed on 259-5, but Maharaj tore through the lower order to secure his 12th five-wicket haul in Tests. Captain Shan Masood led the scoring with a solid 87, while Saud Shakeel contributed 66 and shared a 70-run stand with Agha Salman, who made 45.&nbsp;The hosts looked comfortable at 316-5 before Maharaj trapped Salman lbw, sparking a collapse. Shakeel edged to the slips soon after, and Maharaj cleaned up the tail, including Shaheen Afridi for a duck, wrapping up the innings by taking the final two wickets of Sajid Khan (5) and Asif Afridi (4). Pakistan lost their last five wickets for just 17 runs.&nbsp;South Africa reached 9-0 at lunch in response. Pakistan, who won the first Test in Lahore by 93 runs, are aiming for a series sweep in the two-match contest.

Captain Shan Masood leads the scoring with a solid 87, while Saud Shakeel contributes 66 for Pakistan.

Maharaj bags 7 as South Africa bowl out Pakistan for 333 in second Test

&nbsp;ISLAMABAD: The air quality of the National Capital Region (NCR) of India, Delhi, plummeted on the occasion of Diwali on Tuesday. The use of firecrackers with little check usually results in a spike in air pollution every year during Diwali celebrations.&nbsp;This year has been no different. According to the Swiss global air quality monitoring company, IQAir, Delhi&rsquo;s air quality index (AQI) touched 772 after the Diwali celebrations, the highest of any city in the world.&nbsp; AQI values above 300 are considered a public health emergency, when everyone is at risk of experiencing serious health effects, and should avoid all physical activity outdoors. The spike in air pollution also has an impact on other cities in the region, including Lahore in Pakistan, which IQAir listed as the world&#39;s second most polluted city.&nbsp; Sajid Bashir, spokesperson for the Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA) in Pakistan, while speaking to Pakistan TV Digital on Tuesday, said, &ldquo;Winds blowing from New Delhi and other parts of India at a speed of up to 7 kilometers per hour are moving toward Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Rahim Yar Khan.&quot;&nbsp; &quot;Similarly, the southern districts of Multan, Bahawalpur, and Bahawalnagar will also be affected due to pollutants crossing the border in the wake of Diwali festivities that feature fireworks,&rdquo; he added. <figure><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/d315d3ef-453d-42e0-a459-f1d613845701-AQI--.jpg" alt="AQI--.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><figcaption>Photo: IQAir&#39;s website</figcaption></figure>Diwali, which literally means &ldquo;row of lights,&rdquo; is a Hindu celebration of the triumph of light over darkness.&nbsp; Traditionally, it has been marked by the lighting of earthen lamps and candles.&nbsp; The use of firecrackers has, over the years, become a predominant part of celebrations, raising concerns about contributing to pollution and worsening air quality, according to an Indian media report. The territory that covers the Indian capital, New Delhi, consistently remains among the most polluted cities in the world, especially during the winter season. The smog and air pollution also usually have an impact on cities and towns in neighboring Pakistan. &nbsp; &lsquo;Very poor&rsquo; air qualityThe Diwali celebrations have apparently adversely impacted the air quality in multiple cities, among other likely factors.&nbsp; According to the Indian Central Pollution Control Board&rsquo;s post shared on the social media platform X on Monday, at least 36 cities of India were categorized under &ldquo;poor&rdquo; to &ldquo;very poor&rdquo; air quality. &nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-4" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 921px; 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=1980238542065566131&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=76442ff8a65ece78e2641ab07323ba54ea4f092d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;Noise and air pollution&nbsp;Another recent Indian media report highlighted the toll it takes on pets and the trauma they face because of the constant loud noise of the crackers.<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: 920px; 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=1980209285629157625&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=76442ff8a65ece78e2641ab07323ba54ea4f092d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>The use of firecrackers, which are a cause of noise and air pollution, became part of urban celebrations only after the independence of India and became an integral part of Diwali by the 1980s, according to Indian media. A ban on firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR area was first imposed in 2014-15 by the Indian Supreme Court. However, &ldquo;enforcement challenges and lack of public compliance have always prevailed,&rdquo; the Indian media admits.

India

Diwali has been traditionally celebrated by lighting lamps and candles; the use of firecrackers contributes to air pollution every year; Indian media reports cites enforcement challenges and lack of public compliance with regulations as a contributing factor. 

Indian capital Delhi’s air quality nosedives post Diwali celebrations

TOKYO: Japan&rsquo;s parliament elected ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country&rsquo;s first female prime minister Tuesday, a day after her struggling party struck a coalition deal with a new partner expected to pull her governing bloc further to the right. Takaichi replaces Shigeru Ishiba, ending a three-month political vacuum and infighting since the Liberal Democratic Party&rsquo;s election loss in July. Ishiba, who lasted only one year as prime minister, resigned with his Cabinet earlier in the day, paving the way for his successor. Takaichi won 237 votes &mdash; four more than a majority &mdash; compared to 149 for Yoshiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, in the lower house, which elects the prime minister. As the results were announced, Takaichi stood and bowed deeply. The Liberal Democratic Party&rsquo;s alliance with the Osaka-based Japan Innovation Party, known as Ishin no Kai, ensured her premiership because the opposition remains divided. The coalition still lacks a majority in both houses of parliament and will need to court other groups to pass legislation &mdash; a challenge that could make her government unstable. &ldquo;Political stability is essential right now,&rdquo; Takaichi said Monday at the coalition signing ceremony with Japan Innovation Party leader and Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura. &ldquo;Without stability, we cannot push measures for a strong economy or diplomacy.&rdquo; The agreement reflects Takaichi&rsquo;s nationalist positions. The deal followed the Liberal Democrats&rsquo; split with the Buddhist-backed Komeito party, which has a more centrist stance. The breakup threatened a change of power for the Liberal Democrats, which have governed Japan almost continuously for decades. Later Tuesday, Takaichi, 64, is expected to present a Cabinet filled with allies of Liberal Democratic Party heavyweight Taro Aso and others who supported her in the party leadership race. Yoshimura said the Japan Innovation Party will not take Cabinet posts until it gains confidence in its partnership with the ruling party. Takaichi faces immediate challenges, including rising prices and slowing growth. She is expected to deliver a major policy speech later this week and hold talks with US President Donald Trump, as well as regional leaders. She has pledged to announce economic stimulus measures by December to ease public frustration. While breaking barriers as Japan&rsquo;s first female leader, Takaichi has shown little enthusiasm for advancing gender equality. She opposes same-sex marriage, allowing separate surnames for married couples, and permitting women in the imperial line of succession. A prot&eacute;g&eacute; of slain former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi is expected to continue his policies of strengthening Japan&rsquo;s military and revising its pacifist constitution. However, with limited parliamentary control, analysts say it remains uncertain how much she can achieve. An admirer of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi entered parliament in 1993 and has held senior roles, including minister of economic security and minister of internal affairs, though she has limited diplomatic experience. Komeito&rsquo;s departure from the ruling coalition followed frustration over corruption scandals and concerns about Takaichi&rsquo;s revisionist views on Japan&rsquo;s wartime history, including her visits to Tokyo&rsquo;s Yasukuni Shrine &mdash; regarded by China and South Korea as a symbol of militarism. In a recent gesture to ease regional tensions, Takaichi sent a religious offering instead of visiting the shrine in person on Friday.

Lawmakers applaud as Sanae Takaichi, standing, was elected as Japan's new prime minister during the extraordinary session of the lower house, in Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Asia

Japan’s parliament elected ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country’s first female prime minister Tuesday, a day after her struggling party struck a coalition deal with a new partner expected to pull her governing bloc further to the right.

Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan's first female prime minister

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s fast-bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi was named as the captain of one-day international (ODI) team, the cricket board said on Monday.&nbsp; In a post on X, the Pakistan Cricket Board said Afridi was going to be Pakistan&rsquo;s 32nd captain in the format. &nbsp; &ldquo;He is set to lead the team in the upcoming ODI series vs South Africa in Faisalabad,&rdquo; the cricket board said.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1980331580351725628&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=e81047ebe1425aa34b39905fd30ae8d5e4228e0b&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 901px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1980331580351725628">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Afridi was previously appointed as the captain for the T20 side; however, the pacer was removed after five games against New Zealand, a series Pakistan lost 4-1.&nbsp; He replaces wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, who was appointed as captain last October following Babar Azam&#39;s resignation. According to the Associated Press of Pakistan, Afridi&rsquo;s appointment was finalized following a meeting held in Islamabad today.&nbsp; The meeting was attended by white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, Director of High-Performance Aqib Javed, and members of the selection committee, APP said. All three matches for the ODI series against South Africa would be played in Faisalabad on November 4, 6, and 8.

Afridi has previously led the side for T20s against New Zealand; he will be Pakistan’s 32nd ODI captain.

Shaheen Afridi named ODI captain; will lead Pakistan against South Africa 

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump warned Hamas on Monday it would be &quot;eradicated&quot; if it breaches the Gaza deal with Israel, but said he would give the Palestinian group a chance to honor the truce. Vice President JD Vance headed to Israel shortly after Trump&#39;s comments, joining two top US envoys after weekend violence threatened to wreck the fragile ceasefire. &quot;We made a deal with Hamas that they&#39;re going to be very good, they&#39;re going to behave, they&#39;re going to be nice,&quot; Trump told reporters at the White House as he hosted Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. &quot;And if they&#39;re not, we&#39;re going to go and we&#39;re going to eradicate them, if we have to. They&#39;ll be eradicated, and they know that.&quot; Trump helped broker the Gaza deal nearly two weeks ago, but it has repeatedly come under threat as Israel accuses Hamas of stalling on handing over dead hostages, and of launching attacks. The US president has also warned the fighter group to stop public executions of rivals and alleged collaborators as it seeks to reestablish its grip on the devastated territory. Trump, however, insisted that American forces would not be involved against Hamas, saying dozens of countries that have agreed to join an international stabilization force for Gaza would &quot;love to go in.&quot; &quot;In addition, you have Israel would go in in two minutes, if I asked them to go in,&quot; Trump said. &quot;But right now, we haven&#39;t said that. We&#39;re going to give it a little chance, and hopefully there will be a little less violence. But right now, you know, they&#39;re violent people,&quot; he added. &quot;They got very rambunctious, and they did things that they shouldn&#39;t be doing, and if they keep doing it, then we&#39;re going to go in and straighten it out, and it&#39;ll happen very quickly and pretty violently.&quot; Trump said that Hamas was now far weaker, especially as regional backer Iran was now unlikely to step in on its behalf following US and Israeli strikes this year. &quot;They don&#39;t have the backing of really anybody anymore. They have to be good, and if they&#39;re not good, they&#39;ll be eradicated,&quot; Trump stressed. Trump&#39;s special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser son-in-law Jared Kushner met Netanyahu on Monday to discuss &quot;developments and updates in the region,&quot; a spokesperson for the prime minister&#39;s office said. Vance and his wife, Usha, later left Washington for Israel without commenting to reporters. They were also due to meet with Netanyahu, the prime minister&#39;s office said.

Middle East

US president warns fighter group to stop public executions of rivals; insists US forces will not be involved against Hamas.

Trump says Hamas will be 'eradicated' if group breaches Gaza deal

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday met the newly appointed European Union Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis and reaffirmed Islamabad&rsquo;s commitment to strengthening cooperation with the EU under the GSP+ framework. According to the EU&rsquo;s website GSPHub, the framework is a &ldquo;special incentive arrangement for Sustainable Development and Good Governance that supports vulnerable developing countries.&rdquo; Pakistan has had the status of GSP+ since 2014. Pakistan has exported &euro;8.0 billion in 2023, of which &euro;6.2 billion were exported using the GSP+ preferences.&nbsp; The foreign office, in a statement on X today, said that the deputy prime minister &ldquo;reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to further deepening Pakistan&ndash;EU cooperation, including under the GSP+ framework.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;Recent regional and international developments were also discussed,&rdquo; the statement said. GSPhub said the EU is Pakistan&#39;s second most important trading partner, behind China, with a share of approximately 15%. &ldquo;32% of Pakistan&#39;s exports go to the EU market, making the EU the most important export destination for products from Pakistan,&rdquo; it added.

Foreign Affairs

Foreign office says recent regional and international developments were also discussed in a meeting with recent regional and international developments were also discussed.


Pakistan, EU pledge to broaden cooperation under GSP+ framework

SAN FRANCISCO: Popular internet services ranging from streaming platforms to messaging services to banking were offline for hours Monday due to an outage in Amazon&#39;s crucial cloud network, illustrating the extent to which internet life depends on the tech titan. The disruption affected streaming platforms, including Amazon&#39;s Prime Video service and Disney+, as well as Perplexity AI, the Fortnite game, Airbnb, Snapchat and Duolingo. Mobile telephone services and messaging apps Signal and WhatsApp were affected in Europe, according to Downdetector. People also reported problems reaching websites including Amazon&#39;s own e-commerce shop. Some banks such as Lloyd&#39;s were also impacted, and pointed to AWS as the problem. Amazon said on an status page that the system at issue was back to &quot;pre-event levels&quot; and expected it would to take two hours to work through the data backlog caused by the problem. Reports of problems with AWS plummeted at DownDetector but lingered. A huge spike in disruption logged at Downdetector early Monday was followed by an even bigger jump some nine hours later, with the internet trouble tracker posting that it had received more than 11 million reports in total. In an update, Amazon said &quot;mitigations were applied to resolve launch failures&quot;, linking a &quot;load balancer health&quot; issue to the problem at Amazon Web Services (AWS). AWS handles nearly a third of the planet&#39;s cloud infrastructure market, powering millions of apps and websites around the world. Its maintenance site said engineers scrambled to fix a DNS issue once they became aware at 0711 GMT of &quot;increased error rates&quot; hitting multiple services. It was resolved, but caused a huge backlog of stymied requests that had to be worked through. More than 10 hours later, AWS was still working to get the cloud computing system running smoothly. &quot;The root cause is an underlying internal subsystem responsible for monitoring the health of our network load balancers,&quot; Amazon said in a status update. The outage showed &quot;how reliant we all are on the likes of Amazon, as well as Microsoft and Alphabet, for many of the online services we more or less take for granted,&quot; said financial analyst Michael Hewson. &quot;On an economic level it&#39;s almost akin to putting all of your economic eggs in one basket.&quot; Cloud leaderAWS leads the cloud computing market, followed closely by Microsoft Azure, with Google Cloud in third place. Businesses, governments and consumers around the world rely on their infrastructure for online activities. The British government&#39;s websites were among those affected by Monday&#39;s outage, according to Downdetector, which relies on users to signal online problems they encounter. &quot;Major providers like AWS going down represent vulnerabilities in what have become critical infrastructure for organizations and, in some cases, governments globally,&quot; said Emarketer senior analyst Jacob Bourne. &quot;As cloud reliance and workloads expand, these outages could hit industries harder.&quot; In July 2024, another global online outage occurred when a US cybersecurity company, CrowdStrike, issued a faulty update to its software used by airports, hospitals and many organizations. According to Microsoft, some 8.5 million devices were affected, resulting in a systems crash and users being confronted with a &quot;blue screen of death.&quot;

Americas

A major outage in Amazon Web Services disrupted global internet services Monday, affecting streaming, banking, and messaging platforms. The 10-hour disruption highlighted worldwide dependence on Amazon’s cloud network, which powers vast portions of online infrastructure.

Internet services cut for hours by Amazon cloud outage

Muhammad Usman Amin

PESHAWAR:&nbsp;The recently announced ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan brought relief and optimism across the western frontier, yet the key Torkham border remains closed for a ninth day, disrupting trade and livelihoods, traders and economists told Pakistan TV Digital.&nbsp;According to estimates from the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), the prolonged closure has resulted in economic losses of nearly Rs9 billion [$32 million]. The border remains sealed to all trade and pedestrian traffic despite the ceasefire agreement reached over the weekend.&nbsp;SCCI President Junaid Altaf, speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, welcomed the truce but noted that normalcy had yet to return.&nbsp;&ldquo;A ceasefire is finally in place,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;However, the Torkham border is still closed for all kinds of traffic.&rdquo;&nbsp;Local traders have been hit hard, particularly those dealing in perishable commodities. Naimat Ullah Khan, head of a major fruit trading association in Peshawar, said hundreds of trucks loaded with fresh produce are stranded on both sides.&nbsp;&ldquo;Fruit is a major export and import item between the two countries,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Hundreds of trucks full of fruit are rotting on both sides of the border,&rdquo; urging the authorities to keep economic activities separate from political and security issues to safeguard livelihoods.&nbsp;Preparations on the ground, however, suggest that reopening may be near.&nbsp;&ldquo;NLC officials have reinstalled import and export scanners, and cleaning work has started,&rdquo; Altaf said. &ldquo;This suggests trade could resume soon, though no official order has been issued yet.&rdquo;&nbsp;The National Logistics Cell (NLC) oversees cargo terminals at Torkham, while the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) manages customs, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) handles immigration, and the Frontier Corps (FC) maintains border security. Coordination among these agencies will be key once operations resume.&nbsp;For communities along the rugged frontier, the crossing is a lifeline. Most residents rely on cross-border trade due to the region&rsquo;s arid landscape and limited agricultural potential. Viral videos on social media have shown long lines of trucks waiting for clearance, highlighting the deep economic interdependence between the two nations.&nbsp;Development economist Sher Shah Khan Bangash said economic cooperation was essential to sustainable peace.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan and Afghanistan are economically interdependent, one provides access to global ports, the other a vital corridor to Central Asia,&rdquo; he told Pakistan TV Digital. &ldquo;Sustainable prosperity in the region depends on connectivity, not closures.&rdquo;&nbsp;Meanwhile, the border situation coincides with Pakistan&rsquo;s ongoing repatriation policy concerning undocumented foreign nationals, including Afghans. Officials emphasize that the process is being conducted lawfully and with due humanitarian consideration.&nbsp;&lsquo;Foundation for maintaining peace&rsquo;&nbsp;The ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan has drawn broad international praise, particularly for the mediating role of Qatar and T&uuml;rkiye.<figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/fe8a79f1-57e2-461c-aa2c-f19ab840778b-mediation.jpg" alt="Pakistan-Afghanistan-Ceasefire" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic" style="line-height: 2;">Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, center right, and Afghan Defence Minister Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob shake hands after signing a ceasefire agreement in Doha, Qatar on October 19, 2025. (Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Handout)</figcaption></figure>In Riyadh, the Saudi foreign ministry welcomed the signing of the agreement, describing it as a step toward &ldquo;lasting peace and stability between the two countries.&rdquo; The statement reaffirmed the Kingdom&rsquo;s support for &ldquo;all efforts promoting regional security&rdquo; and expressed hope that the development &ldquo;will end tensions on the border.&rdquo;&nbsp;Oman also welcomed the Doha agreement, commending the &ldquo;constructive diplomatic efforts of Qatar and T&uuml;rkiye&rdquo; and expressing hope for &ldquo;sustainable peace and prosperity&rdquo; between Pakistan and Afghanistan.&nbsp;From Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Russia &ldquo;welcomes the agreement reached between Kabul and Islamabad&rdquo; and noted that the commitment to dialogue &ldquo;serves as the foundation for maintaining peace and regional stability.&rdquo; She encouraged both sides to &ldquo;expand cooperation, including in counterterrorism.&rdquo;&nbsp;Meanwhile, officials in Islamabad have reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to peace, security, and prosperity across the region. As NLC teams continue maintenance work and traders await official word, the Torkham crossing stands at a moment of cautious optimism. A symbol of both regional interdependence and the hope for lasting stability along Pakistan&rsquo;s western frontier.

Security

The Torkham border between Pakistan and Afghanistan remains closed despite a ceasefire, halting trade and travel. The shutdown, now in its ninth day, has caused heavy economic losses and disrupted livelihoods on both sides.

Pakistan, Afghanistan ceasefire brings hope as Torkham border awaits reopening

ISLAMABAD: Nearly 100 Palestinians have been killed and more than 230 others injured since a US-brokered ceasefire took effect on October 10, according to Gaza&rsquo;s Government Media Office, as both sides trade accusations of violating the fragile truce. In a statement, the office said Israel has violated the ceasefire 80 times, citing &ldquo;direct gunfire at civilians, deliberate bombardment, the execution of fire belts, and arrests of civilian citizens.&rdquo; The statement called the actions &ldquo;grave and repeated breaches&rdquo; of international humanitarian law. On Monday, Gaza&rsquo;s civil defense agency reported that four people were killed by Israeli forces in Gaza City. &ldquo;They were returning to check on their homes in the Al-Shaaf area, east of the Al-Tuffah neighborhood,&rdquo; said Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the rescue service, which operates under Hamas authority. He said the victims were killed in two separate incidents &ldquo;by Israeli gunfire.&rdquo; The Israeli military said it fired at armed militants who crossed the so-called &ldquo;Yellow Line,&rdquo; the boundary where Israeli troops remain positioned under the ceasefire. The army said the individuals &ldquo;approached troops in the Shujaiya neighborhood,&rdquo; adjacent to Al-Tuffah. Several similar confrontations have occurred since the truce began, resulting in repeated casualties and heightening concerns over its durability. On Sunday, Israel carried out a series of airstrikes across Gaza after &ldquo;two of its soldiers were killed in combat.&rdquo; The military called the operation a response to &ldquo;a blatant violation&rdquo; of the truce. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told parliament that Israel dropped 153 tons of bombs on Hamas positions. &ldquo;One of our hands holds a weapon, the other hand is stretched out for peace,&rdquo; Netanyahu said. Hamas denied responsibility for any attacks, accusing Israel of fabricating &ldquo;pretexts&rdquo; to resume fighting. The fragile ceasefire has allowed hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, where many have found their homes reduced to rubble. With additional inputs from AFP

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel dropped 153 tons of bombs on Hamas targets, as Gaza authorities report more than 100 Palestinians have been killed and more than 230 injured since the US-brokered truce began

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