GAZA CITY: Israel launched at least three air strikes on the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, killing at least 30 and wounding dozens, Gaza&rsquo;s civil defense said, shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to carry out fresh attacks. Mahmud Bassal, spokesperson for Gaza&rsquo;s civil defense agency, told AFP that &ldquo;the occupation is now bombing Gaza with at least three air strikes despite the ceasefire agreement.&rdquo; Witnesses also reported hearing explosions. Basal, later on Wednesday, said, &ldquo;At least 30 killed and dozens of wounded as a result of the Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip, and our crews are still working to recover the dead and wounded from under the rubble.&rdquo;&nbsp; Israel&rsquo;s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, earlier said that Hamas had attacked Israeli troops despite the ongoing ceasefire, vowing that the group would &ldquo;pay a heavy price.&rdquo; &ldquo;Hamas will pay a heavy price for attacking IDF soldiers in Gaza and for violating the agreement to return the bodies of the hostages,&rdquo; Katz said in a statement. &ldquo;This is a crossing of a red line, and the IDF will respond with great force.&rdquo; Before the strikes, Prime Minister Netanyahu had instructed the military to conduct &ldquo;intense strikes&rdquo; in Gaza, accusing Hamas of breaking the US-brokered ceasefire. However, Hamas rejected the allegations, saying its forces had not carried out any attack on Israeli troops. &ldquo;Hamas affirms that it has no connection to the shooting incident in Rafah and reaffirms its commitment to the ceasefire agreement,&rdquo; the group said in a statement.

Middle East

"The occupation is now bombing Gaza with at least three air strikes despite the ceasefire agreement." 

Israel strikes kill at least 30 in Gaza as Hamas denies attacking troops

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The Afghan Taliban have committed to taking &ldquo;clear, verifiable, and effective action&rdquo; against terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Pakistani sources told Pakistan TV Digital.&nbsp;The announcement follows a five-day negotiation in Istanbul, where both sides agreed to extend the ceasefire.&nbsp;Official sources described the development as a key step toward regional peace and stability, calling it an important milestone for international security.&nbsp;While the ceasefire will continue, Pakistani officials stressed that it is conditional on Afghanistan not being used as a launchpad for attacks against Pakistan.&nbsp;&ldquo;This outcome has been achieved through reasoned diplomacy, patience, and steadfast commitment to national interest, despite hurdles and accusations from adversaries,&rdquo; sources said.&nbsp;Afghanistan and Pakistan reaffirmed their commitment to the ceasefire during talks mediated by T&uuml;rkiye and Qatar, according to a joint statement released by the Turkish Foreign Ministry.&nbsp;The talks aimed to consolidate the truce originally agreed upon in Doha on October 18&ndash;19, 2025, with a principal-level meeting scheduled for November 6 to finalize further implementation details.&nbsp;The statement also confirmed that a joint monitoring and verification mechanism will be established to ensure compliance and impose penalties on violators. T&uuml;rkiye and Qatar, as mediators, praised the active participation of both sides and reaffirmed their readiness to continue supporting efforts for lasting peace and stability in the region. This is a developing story...

Foreign Affairs

In a statement released by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to continue their ceasefire, establish a joint monitoring mechanism, and finalize implementation details in a principal-level meeting on 6 November 2025.

Afghanistan to take ‘clear, verifiable action’ against terrorists: sources

Gaitty Ara Anis

WASHINGTON: Nearly 950,000 workers have been laid off across the United States (US) this year, the highest total since the pandemic era, according to a recent report by the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray &amp; Christmas. The firm warned that the total is on track to reach one million job cuts before the end of 2025, intensifying uncertainty for new graduates, especially foreign students whose stay in the US depends on employment authorization. The steepest losses are in the technology sector. Major firms, including Amazon, Microsoft, and Intel, have collectively eliminated more than 170,000 jobs this year, the report said. &ldquo;The often-used term &lsquo;learn to code&rsquo; is a crueler reminder of a career choice than a phrase of encouragement,&rdquo; Syed Murtaza Hussain, a recent computer science graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, told Pakistan TV Digital. Hussain, who is originally from Lahore and holds an F-1 student visa, said the collapse in hiring has altered expectations dramatically. &ldquo;Everything has changed, especially how the foreign students envisioned their future,&rdquo; he said. His visa expires in three months. Despite offering some of the highest starting salaries in the US labor market, about $80,000 a year for new graduates, tech has become increasingly inaccessible to entry-level workers. Companies are relying more heavily on generative AI systems to perform work once assigned to junior programmers. &ldquo;I had to restructure my company,&rdquo; said Dale Steen, CEO of a tech firm based in the Bay Area. &ldquo;Why should I pay anyone for the services I am getting at a much cheaper rate?&rdquo; Steen said that sponsoring work visas for new graduates is &ldquo;almost out of the question.&rdquo; Recent labor data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that computer science graduates now face a 6.1% unemployment rate, more than double the rate for students who majored in philosophy. Enrollment, however, continues to surge. More than 680,000 students were enrolled in computer science programs across the US. last year, including approximately 278,000 international students. Pakistan sent nearly 11,000 students to US universities during the same period, and more than half pursued science and technology degrees, according to the US State Department. Hussain said he spent more than $130,000 completing his degree. &ldquo;I thought it was worth it, that I would earn it back in a year&rsquo;s time. But I have failed to land a decent entry-level job so far,&rdquo; he said. He now works at a fast-food restaurant while applying for positions and trying to expand his professional network. Industry hiring has also shifted. &ldquo;Fresh graduates lack the expertise that is now required by the industry,&rdquo; said Mansoor Qureshi, head of a staffing firm in Virginia. &ldquo;Companies are replacing basic roles with automated systems, and that gap is expanding.&rdquo; Steen said that while companies no longer need entry-level workers, they desperately need senior engineers and decision-makers. &ldquo;Who will replace them when the current professionals retire?&rdquo; he asked. &ldquo;We have cut off the ladder that leads to expertise.&rdquo; To address that gap, Qureshi has launched an internship and certification program backed by the state of Virginia, designed to help new graduates gain hands-on experience. But he acknowledged that foreign students may not have enough time under their visas to benefit. &ldquo;I find it disheartening, but I am still trying,&rdquo; Hussain said.

Business

Massive US tech layoffs exceeding 950,000 jobs have devastated opportunities for foreign graduates. Automation and visa hurdles worsen unemployment, leaving international computer science students struggling to find entry-level roles and secure their futures

Tech layoffs worsen US job market for foreign students, jeopardize futures

Mariam Ellahi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will carry out military strikes inside Afghanistan to target militant hideouts if ongoing talks in Istanbul fail to produce written guarantees preventing cross‑border attacks, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told Pakistan TV Digital in a wide‑ranging interview on Thursday.&nbsp;&ldquo;If we do not receive any arrangement or any agreement or any assurance from the other side that there&rsquo;ll be no incursions into our territory sponsored by Kabul, then obviously the only option we are left with is that we&rsquo;ll cross into their territory and bomb the hideouts of [the Tehreek‑e‑Taliban Pakistan],&rdquo; the minister said.&nbsp;Asif said four days of negotiations in Istanbul ended without a conclusion because the Afghan delegation offered only &ldquo;verbal guarantees but refused to commit in writing.&rdquo; He described the Afghan stance as &ldquo;stubbornness&rdquo; and said Pakistan could not accept assurances that were not formalized.&nbsp;&ldquo;We did not reach anywhere on this particular demand,&rdquo; he said, adding that the earlier preliminary accord reached in Doha, which took 11 hours to draft, left implementation mechanisms to be decided in later talks. T&uuml;rkiye and Qatar acted as mediators in the process, and Pakistan has sought their backing and monitoring for any new arrangement.&nbsp;After the Istanbul talks nearly collapsed this week, Turkish mediators persuaded the Pakistani delegation to give the process another chance.&nbsp;&ldquo;My optimism will be very, very guarded,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I won&rsquo;t pin unnecessary hopes on what is going on in Istanbul.&rdquo;&nbsp;Kabul sheltering TTPReiterating Islamabad&rsquo;s long-standing concern, Asif says the TTP is &ldquo;based mainly in Afghanistan&rdquo; and receives support from elements within the Kabul regime. &ldquo;They deny it publicly, but admit it privately,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Pakistan, he added, has repeatedly reported attacks on soldiers and checkposts that it says originate from Afghan soil.&nbsp;&ldquo;They were ready to give assurance but nothing in writing,&rdquo; Asif said, explaining why negotiators were unable to close the deal after four days of talks.&nbsp;&lsquo;We will not be threatened&rsquo;&nbsp;Responding to reports in Taliban‑linked and Afghan media of possible attacks on Islamabad, the defense minister said he would &ldquo;not speculate&rdquo; but made clear Pakistan would not be intimidated. &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t budge or get pressurized by their threats. We are ready to face anything,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&ldquo;They&rsquo;ll pay a very heavy price for anything they are doing now or they intend to do in the future.&rdquo;&nbsp;Trade and smuggling concernsAsif highlighted the long‑term humanitarian burden Pakistan has borne, saying the country has hosted &ldquo;close to four million Afghan refugees&rdquo; for the past four to five decades. He said Afghanistan has shown &ldquo;absolutely no regard or respect for what Pakistan has done for Afghanistan over the decades.&rdquo;&nbsp;The minister also raised concerns about the misuse of transit‑trade facilities.&nbsp;&ldquo;This sort of facility is being misused for decades by Afghans and perhaps in collusion with some Pakistani businessmen,&rdquo; he said, adding trucks and containers bound for Kabul are often offloaded on Pakistani soil and diverted into local markets.&nbsp;On the economic impact of a breakdown in ties, Asif said Pakistan could &ldquo;survive&rdquo; without transit trade, but warned the loss would be more painful for land‑locked Afghanistan.&nbsp;He reiterated his support for enhanced regional connectivity, linking Central Asia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran, saying such ties could &ldquo;change the economic map of this particular region&rdquo; if Afghanistan embraces intra‑regional trade.&nbsp;Tri-service drills in IndiaTurning to wider regional tensions, Asif said Pakistan was monitoring Indian tri‑service exercises in the Sir Creek area near the Arabian Sea. While he called military drills &ldquo;routine,&rdquo; he warned that the current peace with India remains &ldquo;very tense&rdquo; and fragile.&nbsp;&ldquo;If there is some incursion or some provocation from the Indian side, it will be responded in kind and responded well,&rdquo; he said.

Security

In a wide-ranging interview with Pakistan TV Digital, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif discusses Istanbul talks, trade with Afghanistan, and tri-service drills in India.

Pakistan warns of strikes unless Kabul provides written anti-TTP assurances

Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Monday announced a monthly stipend for imams of 65,000 mosques across the province, marking the first initiative of its kind financial security to mosque leaders through a formal, state-backed welfare mechanism.&nbsp;Chairing a law and order meeting in Lahore, the chief minister emphasized the respected role of mosque imams in society, saying they should not have to rely solely on community donations. &ldquo;The Punjab government will take responsibility for providing financial support to mosque imams to ensure their dignity and welfare,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;Under the initiative, the Punjab Auqaf Department will oversee payments through digital bank transfers to verified accounts, ensuring transparency and timely disbursement. Top administration officials will supervise implementation at the district level.&nbsp;The stipend scheme comes at a time when the Punjab government is making record public investments. Earlier this year, it approved a $4.4 billion developmental budget, the highest in the province&rsquo;s history, including mosque construction and renovation projects in the Annual Development Programme (ADP).&nbsp;CM Sharif has directed that these projects be completed on priority, focusing on cleanliness, lighting, and accessibility.&nbsp;The rollout also coincides with preparations for the annual religious event in Raiwind next month, one of the largest gatherings near Lahore. To facilitate the event, the government has resurfaced connecting roads, launched shuttle bus operations, and deployed 24/7 security and emergency medical services.&nbsp;Alongside welfare and infrastructure measures, the provincial administration is strengthening oversight. A cybercrime cell will be established to counter online hate speech and sectarian propaganda, while strict enforcement of the Punjab Sound System Act aims to curb extremist misuse of loudspeakers.&nbsp;The announcement has been welcomed by religious leaders and mosque committees across the province. Many said the program will allow imams to serve with greater dignity and independence, describing it as long-overdue recognition of their societal role, as they previously depended solely on donations collected by mosque committees.&nbsp;Aligned with global modelsPunjab&rsquo;s initiative is unprecedented in Pakistan. While some provinces have proposed partial allowances or local support for mosques, none have implemented a systematic, province-wide stipend program of this scale.&nbsp;Globally, similar systems exist. In Saudi Arabia, imams are formally paid by the state as part of a long-standing institutional arrangement linking religious leadership with public administration. In Turkey, imams are salaried under the Diyanet, the Directorate of Religious Affairs, which administers thousands of mosques nationwide.&nbsp;Punjab&rsquo;s model mirrors aspects of both systems, combining state funding with structured oversight and digital transparency to minimize leakages and informal handling of funds.&nbsp;Groundwork laid earlier in OctoberOn October 19, senior Punjab government and police officials met with leadership from Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat at the Punjab Home Department to ensure clerical buy-in ahead of the policy launch.&nbsp;Officials reassured religious leaders that no mosques would be shut down and peaceful religious activities would not be interfered with, clarifying that action would only target seminaries involved in unlawful or subversive activities. Religious scholars welcomed the inclusive approach, calling it &ldquo;encouraging and constructive.&rdquo;&nbsp;Both sides agreed to maintain open channels of communication to strengthen inter-sect harmony.&nbsp;This early engagement laid the political and social groundwork for the October 28 announcement, allowing the government to present the stipend initiative as a collaborative welfare measure rather than a top-down directive.

Culture

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced a state-backed monthly stipend for 65,000 mosque imams, ensuring financial security and dignity. The initiative, Pakistan’s first of its kind, promotes digital transparency, religious harmony, and aligns with global welfare models

Pakistan provides state-backed salaries to mosque leaders across Punjab

ISLAMABAD: Women parliamentarians are emerging as the driving force inside Pakistan&rsquo;s National Assembly, recording higher attendance and stronger participation than their male counterparts, according to a report by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).&nbsp;FAFEN reported that during the National Assembly&rsquo;s 19th session held from September 1 to 5, 2025, nearly 49% of the 71 women MNAs attended every sitting, compared to 29% of male members. The monitoring body also noted that women lawmakers demonstrated greater procedural discipline by consistently seeking formal leave when absent and maintaining presence during key proceedings.&nbsp;This trend aligns with FAFEN&rsquo;s Women Parliamentarians Performance Report 2024-25, released earlier this year, which found women, who make up only 17% of parliament&rsquo;s total strength, contributed nearly half of the total parliamentary agenda, including legislation, resolutions, questions, and committee work. In the National Assembly alone, women introduced 55% of all agenda items, marking a historic high since 2015-16.&nbsp;Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, MNA Alia Kamran of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) said women legislators have been consistently outperforming in attendance.&nbsp;&ldquo;Women&rsquo;s attendance has long surpassed that of men,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;Kamran explained that while male lawmakers often split time between Islamabad and their constituencies, many women, particularly those on reserved seats, are expected to remain present and actively engaged in parliamentary work.&nbsp;&ldquo;Women are contributing their full share to lawmaking. Real parliamentary work is legislation, not fund distribution,&rdquo; she added.&nbsp;Former provincial minister Sharmila Farooqui said the growing presence and performance of women is &ldquo;reshaping what leadership means in Pakistani politics.&rdquo;&nbsp;She noted that women are bringing dedication, preparation, and empathy to the legislative process. &ldquo;Women are showing that thoughtful, well-prepared participation can drive real progress,&rdquo; she said, adding that their consistency is inspiring younger women and signaling to political parties that women are essential decision-makers.&nbsp;Senator Seher Kamran highlighted that women&rsquo;s strong participation challenges traditional leadership structures.&nbsp;&ldquo;Women are demonstrating that effective leadership is not tied to gender, but to commitment and insight,&rdquo; she said, noting that inclusive decision-making is improving the quality of parliamentary debate.&nbsp;&nbsp;<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 1.714; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>

Pakistan Parliamentary Secretary for Federal Education and Professional Training Farah Naz Akbar speaks during a National Assembly session in Islamabad on February 14, 2025. (Photo courtesy: Facebook/NationalAssemblyOfPakistan/File)

Politics

In a report published by FAFEN, women parliamentarians show higher attendance and stronger legislative contributions than men, driving over half of the National Assembly’s agenda and reshaping leadership norms toward a more inclusive and effective parliament

Pakistani women lawmakers lead attendance, drive stronger parliamentary performance

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s security forces killed four terrorists, including commander Amjad alias Mazahim, a high-value target, during an infiltration attempt from Afghanistan into Bajaur district, according to a press release issued by the military&#39;s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday. On the night of Oct. 29-30, the movement of a group of &quot;khwarij&quot; (terrorists), who were trying to infiltrate through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, was picked up by the security forces in Bajaur district. According to the press statement, Pakistani troops &quot;effectively engaged and thwarted terrorists&rsquo; attempt to infiltrate.&rdquo; As a result, four terrorists, including the terrorist leader, a high-value target, and terrorist Amjad alias Mazahim, were killed, the statement said. &lsquo;Highly wanted&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Killed terrorist Commander Amjad, deputy/second to terrorist Noor Wali and head of Rehbari Shura of Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij, was highly wanted by the law enforcement agencies and government had fixed head money of rupees five million on him, as he remained actively involved in perpetuating numerous terrorist activities inside Pakistan while residing in Afghanistan,&rdquo; the press release said. It added: &ldquo;...the leadership of Fitna al Khawarij while residing in Afghanistan is orchestrating infiltration attempts into Pakistan - primarily to project an impression of domestic presence and to raise the diminishing morale of their terrorists in Bajaur and Mohmand because of effective operations of security forces.&rdquo; The ISPR press release said, &ldquo;It is once again reiterated that the Interim Afghan Government must take concrete measures to ensure that Afghan soil is not used by terrorist proxies to perpetrate terrorism against Pakistan.&rdquo; &lsquo;Safe haven&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;It also validates our stance that Afghan soil is continuously being used as a safe haven by terrorists belonging to Fitna al Khwarij against Pakistan.&rdquo;&nbsp;The security forces of Pakistan remain resolute and unwavering in their commitment to defend the nation&rsquo;s frontiers, the statement said. Sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored terrorists in the area as a relentless counter terrorism campaign under the vision &ldquo;Azm e Istehkam&rdquo;, as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan, by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism from the country, the ISPR said.

As a result of skillful engagement, four terrorists including terrorist leader, Amjad alias Mazahim were killed; sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored terrorists found in the area.

Four terrorists including high-value commander killed on Pak-Afghan border: ISPR  

ISLAMABAD: A United Nations report has revealed that 63 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, India, and several European nations, were complicit in what it describes as Israel&rsquo;s two-year genocide in the Gaza Strip.&nbsp;The report, titled &ldquo;Gaza Genocide: A Collective Crime&rdquo; and authored by UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, said the genocide in Gaza was &ldquo;not committed in isolation but as part of a system of global complicity.&rdquo; &ldquo;Powerful third states, perpetuating colonial and racial-capitalist practices that should have long been consigned to history, have allowed violent practices to become an everyday reality,&rdquo; the report stated. Global complicity and arms suppliesAccording to the UN document, many Western states provided Israel with political cover, military support, and weapons even as evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity mounted. <figure id="isPasted"><figure id="isPasted"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/35c3705e-9823-4f72-abf0-81377199b974-Gaza genocide.webp" alt="Gaza genocide" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><figcaption>A woman and a child sit amid the rubble of a house destroyed in an overnight Israeli strike, next to another woman observing the rescue operation, in Gaza City on October 29, 2025.</figcaption></figure></figure> Since October 2023, the United States has reportedly transferred 742 consignments of arms and ammunition to Israel and approved tens of billions of dollars in new weapon sales. The report noted that a memorandum of understanding guarantees Israel $3.3 billion annually in foreign military financing, plus $500 million a year for missile defense. Other major suppliers include Germany, Italy, Austria, Spain, Czechia, Romania, France, India, and even China, including Taiwan. The United Kingdom, though not directly selling weapons, allowed a US supply line to pass through its bases in Cyprus and conducted 600 surveillance flights over Gaza in the past two years. The report said Israel remains &ldquo;disproportionately dependent on weapons imports,&rdquo; with the share of military trade more than double the OECD average. Diplomatic aid political protectionThe UN expert said that &ldquo;influential third countries&rdquo; enabled Israel to continue its campaign in Gaza by vetoing resolutions at the UN Security Council and adopting Israeli narratives portraying Palestinians as &ldquo;human shields&rdquo; or &ldquo;barbarians.&rdquo; While Arab and Muslim countries showed solidarity and provided aid, the report said their actions &ldquo;have not been decisive&rdquo; in stopping the ongoing assault or holding Israel accountable. It also criticized Western countries for what it called &ldquo;selective humanitarianism,&rdquo; noting that some nations condemned Israel&rsquo;s operations in Rafah in early 2024 while simultaneously withdrawing funding from the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Economic and trade tiesDespite mounting civilian casualties, the report said most Western states continued or even expanded trade with Israel. Germany&rsquo;s trade with Israel grew by $836 million, Poland&rsquo;s by $237 million, Greece&rsquo;s by $186 million, and Italy&rsquo;s by $117 million during the two-year period. It urged countries to suspend all trade in dual-use goods, as the European Union did with Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, and noted that only Colombia had taken decisive action by banning coal exports to Israel in 2024. Weaponizing aidThe report accused Israel of turning Gaza&rsquo;s blockade into a &ldquo;complete siege&rdquo; since October 2023, restricting humanitarian deliveries to just 107 trucks per day, one-third of pre-war levels. <figure id="isPasted"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/10d9ac35-2e66-4b16-93f4-237537de13b5-Gaza aid.webp" alt="Gaza aid" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><figcaption>Palestinian children gather to receive food portions from a charity kitchen in the Nuseirat refugee camp, located in the central Gaza Strip, on October 21, 2025, a week after a ceasefire came into effect.</figcaption></figure> It said famine was declared in parts of Gaza by mid-2025, while over 370 UNRWA personnel were killed in targeted bombings of warehouses, schools, and aid sites. It described international airdrops by countries such as Canada, the UK, Belgium, Denmark, and Jordan as &ldquo;expensive, inadequate, and dangerous responses,&rdquo; and said such efforts failed to address the root causes of the crisis. RecommendationsIn its recommendations, the report urged the international community to:<ul><li style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Exert pressure for a complete and permanent ceasefire;</li><li style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">End the blockade and ensure free humanitarian access to Gaza;</li><li style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Support the reopening of Gaza&rsquo;s airport and port;</li><li style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Suspend all military, trade, and diplomatic relations with Israel;</li><li style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Prosecute officials and corporations involved in facilitating war crimes;</li><li style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Strengthen UNRWA and UN systems providing relief to Palestinians; and</li><li style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Consider suspending Israel&rsquo;s UN membership under Article 6 of the UN Charter for persistent violations.</li></ul>&ldquo;The horrors of the past two years are not an aberration, but the culmination of a long history of complicity,&rdquo; the report concluded. Pakistan has consistently called for an independent Palestinian state and urged the global community to act on the UN findings to ensure accountability and lasting peace in the Middle East.

Australasia

Europe

United Kingdom

Americas

Says the genocide in Gaza was 'not committed in isolation but as part of a system of global complicity.'

UN report says 63 countries complicit in Gaza genocide

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will &ldquo;push deep into their territory in retaliation&rdquo; if evidence shows attacks are being staged from Afghan soil, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told Pakistan TV Digital late Wednesday, a day after talks in Istanbul with Afghan delegates ended without an agreement. &ldquo;We will hunt them down. Very simple. If we have to cross the border, we will do that,&rdquo; Asif said, warning that Islamabad was prepared to follow up incursions with both air strikes and ground operations. &ldquo;Whether we have to carry out air strikes or use ground forces, as before, we&rsquo;ve done air strikes, and we&rsquo;ll do them again.&rdquo; &lsquo;Always be a response&rsquo;&nbsp;Asif stressed that any Pakistani action would be conditional. &ldquo;If in the coming days they don&rsquo;t send new formations and cross-border terrorism doesn&rsquo;t occur, then we will not do anything,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It will always be a response, not an initiative; it will be a reaction to something committed by the Afghans.&rdquo; His remarks come amid a surge in militant attacks inside Pakistan that prompted the two warring sides to meet in Doha on October 19, leading to a 48-hour ceasefire after days of heavy cross-border clashes. Talks ongoingDelegations from Islamabad and Kabul later also met in Istanbul from October 25 to 29, where Pakistan sought a &ldquo;concrete and verifiable monitoring mechanism&rdquo; to prevent Afghan soil from being used to stage attacks on Pakistani forces and civilians. Officials said the Istanbul round, mediated by Qatar and T&uuml;rkiye, failed to produce a binding enforcement arrangement after Afghan representatives declined to accept that it would take verifiable measures against groups Islamabad blames for the violence. Negotiators exchanged near-final drafts, but according to Pakistani sources, the Afghan side repeatedly deferred to Kabul and would not sign off on mechanisms Pakistan described as necessary to guarantee the ceasefire. According to well-placed sources, Pakistan on Thursday agreed to extend the Istanbul dialogue process at T&uuml;rkiye&#39;s request. Sources said that the decision to resume the dialogue process was based on giving peace another chance. Talks are to begin at 2pm Pakistan standard time.&nbsp;Banned groups responsible for attacksIslamabad points to factions linked to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and other local networks as responsible for recent assaults on security posts and convoys.&nbsp; Pakistan security officials say precision strikes and targeted operations have degraded some militant leadership, but they argue that cross-border sanctuaries remain the core problem. Asif framed Pakistan&rsquo;s posture as one of last resort: Willing to keep pressing for diplomacy and to exercise restraint, but ready to use force again if attacks from across the frontier resume.

Pakistan on Thursday agreed to extend the Istanbul dialogue process at Türkiye's request; decision to resume dialogue process was based on giving peace another chance; talks are to begin at 2pm Pakistan standard time.

Pakistan will retaliate if Afghan-based militants continue attacks: defense minister

ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has revised downward South Asia&rsquo;s economic growth outlook for 2025, projecting the region&rsquo;s GDP to expand by 5.9 percent, down from earlier estimates, mainly due to the expected impact of US tariff hikes. Growth is forecast to pick up slightly to 6.0 percent in 2026. According to the Asian Development Outlook September 2025, India faces the steepest tariff increases among developing Asian economies, prompting a downgrade in its growth forecast to 6.5 percent for FY2025, from 6.7 percent in April.<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=1974048904183529641&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=a3dc7417e63b247519ad498fedce9e960a070e32&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1974048904183529641"></iframe></div></div>The United States imposed a 25 percent reciprocal tariff on Indian exports from August 7, with a further increase to 50 percent later that month, which is expected to hit key export sectors such as textiles, jewelry, and chemicals. Afghanistan&rsquo;s growth projections have been reduced to 1.8 percent in FY2025 and 1.7 percent in FY2026 amid declining aid and fiscal constraints, while Bhutan&rsquo;s outlook has also been lowered to 8.1 percent due to delays in a major hydroelectric power project. For Pakistan, the FY2026 growth outlook remains unchanged, with the country slightly exceeding expectations in FY2025. Bangladesh and Nepal are expected to face slower growth next year, affected by US tariffs and domestic political instability respectively. The ADB report also noted easing inflation across South Asia, thanks to improved agricultural output and favorable weather conditions. The inflation forecast for 2025 has been lowered to 3.7 percent, down by 1.2 percentage points from April, though it is expected to rise to 4.7 percent in 2026 due to normalizing food prices and currency depreciation in some countries.

Growth is likely to pick up slightly to 6.0 percent in 2026, the bank says.

ADB forecasts South Asia’s GDP to slow down in 2025

<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;">ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organization (WHO) and global partners released the 2025 Lancet Countdown report, urging that protecting human health must drive climate action amid rising heat deaths and fossil fuel dependence worldwide.<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;">The report warns that continued reliance on fossil fuels and inadequate adaptation to rising temperatures are taking a devastating toll on lives, economies, and health systems worldwide.<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;">&ldquo;This report, produced with WHO as a strategic partner, makes clear that climate inaction is killing people now in all countries. However, climate action is also the greatest health opportunity of our time. Cleaner air, healthier diets, and resilient health systems can save millions of lives now and protect current and future generations.&rdquo;<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;">The findings show 12 of 20 key indicators tracking health threats have reached record levels. Climate inaction is costing lives, straining health systems, and undermining economies.&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;">&ldquo;The climate crisis is a health crisis. Every fraction of a degree of warming costs lives and livelihoods,&rdquo; said Dr Jeremy Farrar, Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and Care at the World Health Organization.<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;">The report identifies Asia among the regions with the most significant rise in heatwave exposure due to climate change, alongside Africa and Small Island Developing States.&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;">It adds that the climate suitability for dengue transmission &mdash; spread by Aedes mosquitoes &mdash; has risen by 48.5% since the 1950s, contributing to millions of new cases globally.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heat exposure threat&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;">The report highlights a 23% rise in heat-related deaths since the 1990s, with an average of 546,000 people dying annually due to heat exposure. Infants and older adults each experienced over 20 heatwave days per person in 2024, four times as many as two decades ago. Droughts and heatwaves have pushed an additional 124 million people into food insecurity.<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;">Economic losses are also mounting. Heat exposure resulted in 640 billion potential labor hours lost in 2024, with productivity losses estimated at $1.09 trillion.<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;">Governments spent $956 billion on fossil fuel subsidies in 2023 &mdash; more than triple the annual amount pledged to support climate-vulnerable countries. In 15 nations, fossil fuel subsidies exceeded entire national health budgets.<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;">Despite these challenges, the report highlights progress. Between 2010 and 2022, reduced coal-derived air pollution prevented 160,000 premature deaths annually.&nbsp;Global surge in droughtThe Lancet Countdown warns that the &ldquo;percentage of the global land area affected by at least 1 month of extreme drought reached a record-breaking 60&middot;7% in 2024, 299% above the average&rdquo; since the 1950s.&nbsp; Researchers said the rise in global droughts reflects how higher temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns are disrupting water and food systems. &ldquo;Droughts threaten food productivity and water security, and heighten the risk of infectious diseases,&rdquo; the report noted. It added that prolonged dry periods are also worsening air quality by increasing dust exposure and wildfire risks, while disrupting power generation and river transport in several regions.<figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/c35cf4c5-b5b4-4451-90b2-843ef423bdfe-Drought in Pakistan .png" alt="Annual number of months of extreme drought on average in 1951–1960 (A) and 2024 (B) (Lancet Countdown report 2025)" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 680px;"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic" style="line-height: 2;">Annual number of months of extreme drought on average in 1951&ndash;1960 (A) and 2024 (B) (Lancet Countdown report 2025)</figcaption></figure> <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Global energy&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;">Renewable energy generation reached a record 12% of global electricity, creating 16 million jobs. Two-thirds of medical students received climate and health education in 2024.<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;">&ldquo;We already have the solutions at hand to avoid a climate catastrophe,&rdquo; said Dr Marina Romanello, Executive Director of the Lancet Countdown at University College London. &ldquo;Rapidly phasing out fossil fuels in favor of clean renewable energy and efficient energy use remains the most powerful lever to slow climate change and protect lives.&rdquo;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">&lsquo;Leading the way&rsquo; <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;">&ldquo;While some governments have slowed their climate commitments, the report shows that cities, communities, and the health sector are leading the way,&rdquo; WHO official,&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" id="isPasted">Dr Jeremy Farrar&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;">said.&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;">Nearly all reporting cities have completed or plan to complete climate risk assessments, while health-related greenhouse gas emissions fell 16% globally between 2021 and 2022.<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;">The 2025 Lancet Countdown report said weather-related extreme events caused $304 billion in global economic losses in 2024, which is 0.27% of global GDP.<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;">As preparations for COP30 in Bel&eacute;m, Brazil, advance, the WHO said the report provides key evidence for placing health at the center of climate action. The organization will expand on these findings through its forthcoming COP30 Special Report on Climate Change and Health, focusing on the policies and investments needed to protect global health and equity.

Climate

The report on 'Health and climate change' urges global measures to safeguard health as rising temperatures, pollution, and fossil fuel use drive record heat deaths, disease spread, and economic losses, while highlighting progress in renewable energy and health system resilience.

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