GAZA CITY: Gaza&#39;s civil defense agency said Israeli attacks in the Palestinian territory on Thursday killed at least 13 people, including five children, despite a ceasefire that has largely halted the fighting. Four people, including three children, were killed when a drone struck a tent sheltering displaced people in southern Gaza, agency spokesperson Mahmud Bassal told AFP. In the north of the Gaza Strip, an 11-year-old girl was killed near the Jabalia refugee camp, and a strike on a school killed one person, while a drone near Khan Yunis in the south killed a man, the agency added. Two more Gazans, including a child, were killed in other attacks, reported the agency, which operates under Hamas authority. When asked by AFP, the Israeli military said it was checking the reports. Later on, Thursday evening, four more people were killed in an Israeli air strike that targeted a house in an eastern area of Gaza City, Bassal said, adding that rescue work to search for several people who were missing had begun. &quot;The death toll has risen to 13 as a result of Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip since this morning in a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement,&quot; Bassal said. Earlier on Thursday, the Israeli military said a projectile was launched &quot;from the area of Gaza City toward the State of Israel&quot; but that it fell within the Gaza Strip. &quot;Shortly after, the (military) precisely struck the launch point,&quot; it said in a statement. Since Oct. 10, a fragile US-sponsored truce in Gaza has largely halted the fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas, but both sides have alleged frequent ceasefire violations. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem told AFP that the strikes in Gaza on Thursday &quot;confirm the Israeli occupation&#39;s renunciation of its commitment to the ceasefire.&quot; Israeli forces have killed at least 425 Palestinians in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect, according to Gaza&#39;s health ministry. At least 21 people were killed on Nov. 22 in Israeli strikes, making it one of the deadliest days in Gaza since the ceasefire came into effect. The Israeli military said Palestinian fighters have killed three of its soldiers during the same period.

Middle East

Israeli forces have killed at least 425 Palestinians in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect; Hamas spokesperson says strikes in Gaza 'confirm the Israeli occupation's renunciation of its commitment to the ceasefire.'

Gaza civil defense says Israeli attacks kill 13, including 5 children

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: A planned India&ndash;US trade deal stalled because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not call President Donald Trump, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed on Friday.&nbsp;Lutnick made the remarks in an interview on the All-In podcast, a US business and technology show hosted by four venture capitalists. He said, &ldquo;It&#39;s all set up, and you have got to have Modi call the president,&rdquo; and they were uncomfortable doing it. So Modi didn&#39;t call.&rdquo;&nbsp;Responding to Lutnick&rsquo;s comments, the Indian foreign office said the &ldquo;characterization of these discussions in the reported remarks is not accurate.&rdquo;&nbsp;Bilateral trade talks between Washington and New Delhi had previously collapsed, a situation that worsened when Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods in August last year to 50%, the highest rate in the world. This included a 25% levy in retaliation for Indian purchases of Russian oil.&nbsp;The deadlock contrasted sharply with early optimism, when leaders from both countries had pledged to &ldquo;double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030,&rdquo; according to Indian media reports.&nbsp;Additional friction arose over India&rsquo;s continued imports of Russian oil, prompting the US to impose what it described as &ldquo;punitive&rdquo; tariffs.

India

New Delhi–Washington trade talks falter as tariffs rise to 50%, risking bilateral trade growth and straining agreements aimed at doubling commerce to $500 billion by 2030

US commerce secretary blames Modi call for India trade deal stalemate

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan remained the world&rsquo;s largest supplier of heroin and other opiates, with the Balkan route experiencing the highest intensity of trafficking, according to the Turkish Drug Report 2025 released this week.&nbsp;The report stated, &ldquo;Afghanistan continues to be the largest supplier country globally for the trafficking and production of heroin and other opiates.&rdquo;&nbsp;It noted that trafficking routes through the Balkans and southern and northern corridors remained the most frequently used. Among these, the Balkan route, which passed through T&uuml;rkiye, had &ldquo;the highest intensity of use.&rdquo;&nbsp;Historically, the Balkan route had been the principal channel for moving Afghan opiates to Western and Central Europe. From Afghanistan, drugs passed through Iran and T&uuml;rkiye before splitting into three main branches.&nbsp;Political changes in Afghanistan, which in April 2021 supplied about 80% of the global illegal opioid market, had led to &ldquo;significant decreases in the supply of opioids in drug markets, especially heroin,&rdquo; the report said.&nbsp;In response, there had been an increase in synthetic opioid derivatives in Europe and pharmacies, including &ldquo;fentanyl analogs and nitazenes,&rdquo; which had increasingly been linked to serious health risks and fatalities.&nbsp;T&uuml;rkiye, located on the Balkan route, continued to play a key role in heroin seizures. While total seizures in 2024 were lower than in previous years, the report highlighted a &ldquo;31% increase compared to the previous year, reaching 4.3 tons.&rdquo; <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/37627031-cb6d-4aff-84c0-1232f90b641b.png" style="width: 558px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><div style="text-align: left; line-height: 2;">Source: Turkish Drug Report 2025</div>&nbsp;The report attributed this rise primarily to a &ldquo;19% increase in opium cultivation areas in Afghanistan&rdquo; in 2024.&nbsp;&ldquo;Despite the political developments in recent years, Afghanistan continued to be the country that supplied the most illegal opiates to illegal drug markets worldwide,&rdquo; the report emphasized. Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan expanded from 10,800 hectares in 2023 to 12,800 hectares in 2024.&nbsp;Following the Taliban&rsquo;s bans on opium, the report anticipated that &ldquo;continent-based drug trafficking groups may turn to the trafficking of different drug types&rdquo; to offset profit losses from declining heroin supplies.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan remained the world’s largest supplier of heroin and other opiates, with the Balkan route experiencing the highest intensity of trafficking, according to the Turkish Drug Report 2025 released this week.

Afghanistan remains top global heroin supplier: Turkish police report

SAN FRANCISCO: Tech giant Meta announced Thursday major agreements with three US nuclear energy companies that it says will add up to 6.6 gigawatts of clean power by 2035.&nbsp;The deals make Meta one of America&#39;s largest corporate buyers of nuclear energy as it seeks to fuel its artificial intelligence operations.&nbsp;The Facebook parent company signed agreements with Vistra, TerraPower and Oklo to extend existing nuclear plant operations and develop advanced reactor technology, following a similar agreement with Constellation Energy last year.&nbsp;&quot;State-of-the-art data centers and AI infrastructure are essential to securing America&#39;s position as a global leader in AI,&quot; said Joel Kaplan, Meta&#39;s Chief Global Affairs Officer. &quot;Nuclear energy will help power our AI future.&quot;&nbsp;The agreements will provide financial support to extend operations at three existing nuclear plants while backing development of more experimental nuclear technologies.&nbsp;The deals with Oklo, backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and TerraPower, backed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, involve experimental Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) that aim to provide clean and easier-to-develop nuclear energy.&nbsp;SMR designs promise enhanced safety features and more efficient operations than traditional plants, but have yet to be deployed at scale.&nbsp;Meta said the projects would support its Prometheus supercluster data center in New Albany, Ohio.&nbsp;Crucially, Meta said it pays the &quot;full costs&quot; for energy used by its data centers so consumers don&#39;t bear the expenses, addressing concerns about tech companies&#39; growing electricity demands and whether investment costs get passed on to residential users.&nbsp;The nuclear push reflects the massive energy requirements of AI development, with tech giants racing to secure reliable sources for their expanding data center operations -- a trend that has seen big tech companies scale back their climate commitments.&nbsp;Nuclear energy provides consistent baseload power unlike intermittent renewable sources such as wind and solar, making it attractive for facilities that require 24/7 electricity.&nbsp;The announcements come as the nuclear industry seeks revival after decades of stagnation caused by nuclear accidents and high costs.&nbsp;Amazon is also championing a nuclear revival through SMRs, and Google plans to restart a reactor in Iowa in 2029.&nbsp;Microsoft has signed a 20-year deal with Constellation Energy to take essentially all the output of the restarted Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania.&nbsp;The Trump administration announced in &nbsp;October an $80 billion investment to begin construction on ten conventional reactors by 2030 in partnership with Westinghouse Electric Company.&nbsp;The US government is trying to spark a nuclear investment boom to catch up with China that had more than 30 conventional reactors under construction in 2025, according the World Nuclear Association.&nbsp;The United States had none.&nbsp;

Artificial Intelligence

Meta will use nuclear power to run its AI data centers, signing deals with three US companies to supply clean, reliable energy by 2035 and support both existing plants and new small reactors.

Meta partners with US nuclear companies to power AI data centers

BEIRUT: Iran&#39;s foreign minister accused the United States and Israel on Friday of fueling a growing protest movement in the country, while dismissing the possibility of direct foreign military intervention after US warnings over crackdowns on demonstrators.&nbsp;&quot;This is what the Americans and Israelis have stated, that they are directly intervening in the protests in Iran,&quot; said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during a visit to Lebanon.&nbsp;&quot;They are trying to transform the peaceful protests into divisive and violent ones,&quot; he said, adding that &quot;regarding the possibility of seeing military intervention against Iran, we believe there is a low possibility of this because their previous attempts were total failures&quot;.

Asia

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States and Israel of directly intervening in Iran’s protests, claiming they are turning peaceful demonstrations violent, while dismissing the likelihood of any foreign military intervention.

Iran FM says US, Israel 'directly intervening' in protests

BREST: The world&#39;s oceans absorbed a record amount of heat in 2025, an international team of scientists said Friday, further priming conditions for sea level rise, violent storms, and coral death. The heat that has accumulated in the oceans last year increased by approximately 23 zettajoules &mdash;&nbsp;an amount equivalent to nearly four decades of global primary energy consumption. This finding &mdash; published in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences &mdash; was the highest reading of any year since modern record keeping began in the early 1950s, researchers said. To derive these calculations, more than 50 scientists from 31 research institutions used multiple sources including a thousands-strong fleet of floating robots that track ocean changes to depths of 2,000 metres. Peering into the depths, rather than fluctuations at the surface, provides a better indicator of how oceans are responding to &quot;sustained pressure&quot; from humanity&#39;s emissions, said study co-author Karina von Schuckmann. &quot;The picture is clear: results for 2025 confirm that the ocean continues to warm,&quot; von Schuckmann, an oceanographer from French research institute Mercator Ocean International, told AFP. Oceans are a key regulator of Earth&#39;s climate because they soak up 90 percent of the excess heat in the atmosphere caused by humanity&#39;s release of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. All that additional energy has a powerful knock-on effect. Warmer oceans increase moisture in the atmosphere, providing fuel for tropical cyclones and destructive rainfall. Hotter seas also directly contribute to sea level rise &mdash; water expands when it warms up &mdash; and make conditions unbearable for tropical reefs, whose corals perish during prolonged marine heatwaves. &quot;As long as the Earth continues to accumulate heat, ocean heat content will keep rising, sea level will rise and new records will be set,&quot; said von Schuckmann. Humanity&#39;s choice Ocean warming is not uniform, with some areas warming faster than others. The tropical oceans, the South Atlantic, the Mediterranean, the northern Indian Ocean, and the Southern Ocean were among waters that absorbed record amounts of heat in 2025. This occurred even as average sea surface temperatures decreased slightly in 2025 &mdash; yet still remained the third-highest value ever measured. This decrease is explained by the shift from a powerful, warming El Nino event in 2023&ndash;2024 to La Nina-type conditions generally associated with a temporary cooling of the ocean surface. In the long term, the rate of ocean warming is accelerating due to a sustained increase in greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere caused mainly by burning fossil fuels. As long as global warming is not addressed and the amount of heat trapped in the atmosphere keeps rising, oceans will keep breaking records, the researchers said. &quot;The greatest uncertainty in the climate system is no longer the physics, but the choices humanity makes,&quot; said von Schuckmann. &quot;Rapid emission reductions can still limit future impacts and help safeguard a climate in which societies and ecosystems can thrive.

Gadgets

The heat that has accumulated in the oceans last year increased by approximately 23 zettajoules — an amount equivalent to nearly four decades of global primary energy consumption.

Experts say oceans soaked up record heat levels in 2025

LONDON: A decision by Elon Musk&#39;s AI chatbot Grok to limit its image creation tool to paid subscribers, amid an outcry over its use for sexualised deepfakes, was &quot;insulting&quot; to victims, the British prime minister&#39;s office said Friday.&nbsp;&quot;That simply turns an AI feature that allows the creation of unlawful images into a premium service ... It&#39;s not a solution. In fact, it&#39;s insulting the victims of misogyny and sexual violence,&quot; Prime Minister Keir Starmer&#39;s spokesperson said.

The UK Prime Minister’s office condemned Grok’s move to restrict image generation to paid users, saying it fails to stop unlawful sexualised deepfakes and insults victims of misogyny and sexual violence.

Limited changes to Grok AI image creation 'insulting' to victims

ISLAMABAD: A severe cold wave continues across Pakistan, with meteorological authorities indicating that the ongoing and coming week is expected to be the coldest phase of the winter season, accompanied by persistent dense fog in several regions.&nbsp;According to a weather advisory issued by the National Emergency Operation Centre of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), cold and dry conditions are likely to prevail from January 8 to January 13, with a noticeable drop in temperatures forecast in various parts of the country.&nbsp;Punjab and the federal capital remain under the influence of the cold spell, as dense fog continues to blanket large areas during nighttime and early morning hours. Islamabad and Rawalpindi are expected to experience frost, while reduced visibility has affected road traffic and caused delays in air and rail operations.&nbsp;Weather pattern behind the cold spell&nbsp;The NDMA stated that the prevailing weather conditions are due to a stable high-pressure system over the region, which is keeping cold air trapped near the surface and limiting moisture dispersion. This has resulted in prolonged fog and lower daytime temperatures.&nbsp;Fog has remained particularly persistent across central and upper Punjab, Islamabad, and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.&nbsp;&ldquo;Yes, the current and the coming week will be the coldest due to persistent fog in the region, especially in plain areas of Punjab, KP, and Sindh,&rdquo; a spokesperson for WeatherWalay, an independent weather monitoring platform, said, in line with official assessments.&nbsp;The advisory further noted that colder conditions are expected to intensify between January 11 and 13, with a significant temperature decline anticipated in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Cloudy conditions in upper KP and parts of Balochistan may further enhance the cold weather.&nbsp;In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, cold and dry weather is expected to persist, with fog in plain areas and cloudy skies in upper districts. Sindh is also experiencing cold conditions, with generally clear skies, while fog continues to affect upper parts of the province.&nbsp;Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir are forecast to remain cold, with partly cloudy conditions and isolated light rain or snowfall in hilly areas on January 11 and 12.&nbsp;Authorities have advised the public to take precautionary measures, particularly during early morning and late evening hours when fog is most dense. Commuters are encouraged to use fog lights, maintain safe driving distances, and avoid unnecessary travel during periods of low visibility.

Climate & Environment

Pakistan faces season’s coldest week as dense fog and frost affect multiple regions, with authorities advising precautions amid reduced visibility and falling temperatures nationwide.

Cold wave grips Pakistan as dense fog affects daily life

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Friday said the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is the state&rsquo;s enemy and vowed to eliminate the terrorist outfit. During a press conference in Islamabad, the information minister said that the state would act against the banned group, citing confidence in the armed forces, security agencies, and youth. &quot;As the minister for information, I state clearly: The TTP is Pakistan&rsquo;s enemy. Until our last breath, and until the last drop of blood has been shed, we will eliminate it. I am saying this with absolute resolve: We will eliminate it.&quot; He said the strength of the state came from faith and trust in the armed forces and security agencies, saying personnel leave their homes daily without certainty of return. He referred to families who send their children to fight, accepting the possibility of&nbsp;martyrdom. &ldquo;We stand by them, and we will prevail,&rdquo; he said. Economic revival Tarar also spoke about the economy. He said Pakistan had moved from the threat of default back into the ranks of emerging economies. &ldquo;We have successfully transitioned from the threat of default back into the ranks of emerging economies,&rdquo; he said. He said the stock exchange was breaking records every day. He attributed the performance to confidence among the business community, traders, and industrialists. &ldquo;Our stock exchange is breaking records every single day,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The business community, merchants, and industries trust the government&rsquo;s reforms and policies.&rdquo; The information minister said investors recognized that deep structural reforms were underway. He said that prime minister Shehbaz Sharif had taken difficult decisions for the country. &ldquo;They know the prime minister took difficult steps for the betterment of the country,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Those actions are bearing fruit now.&rdquo; Tarar said that the economic turnaround involved all government departments, for which he credited Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar. &ldquo;They are the architects behind this ongoing economic revival,&rdquo; he said. Citing recent figures, the information minister&nbsp;said foreign remittances reached $3.6 billion in December. He said that marked a &quot;17% increase year-on-year&quot; and a &quot;13% rise month-on-month.&quot; &ldquo;I want to thank our overseas Pakistanis,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;They are not only sending money home, but they are also breaking records.&rdquo; He said the government was working on foreign direct investment and that&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s trade with other countries was increasing. &ldquo;Wherever the prime minister goes, he promotes Pakistan&rsquo;s exports,&rdquo; Tarar said, citing Malaysia&rsquo;s increased quota for Pakistani rice and halal meat. He said trade discussions were prioritized during official visits to Pakistan. The minister mentioned the government&#39;s achievements, citing defense and economic frameworks with Saudi Arabia. He referred to agreements with Malaysia and partnerships with the United Arab Emirates. He also mentioned Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar being warmly received by China&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. &ldquo;With the launch of CPEC 2.0, all these economic frameworks are coming to Pakistan,&rdquo; he said. Tarar stated that the international community was viewing Pakistan with seriousness. He attributed that to the political leadership of PM Sharif and the military leadership of Field Marshal Munir. &ldquo;Because we have strong leadership, the world is taking Pakistan seriously,&quot;&nbsp;he said. He said investment was coming into the country and that an economic revival was underway.

Security

Attaullah Tarar, while citing support for the armed forces and security agencies, said that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan is Pakistan’s enemy and the state will take action against it.

'TTP is our enemy, we will eliminate it': Pakistan's information minister

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, said on Friday that he held a &ldquo;productive meeting&rdquo; with US Representative Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, to discuss the evolving partnership between the two countries. According to a post on X, Ambassador Sheikh said the discussions focused on regional security challenges, including &ldquo;the escalating and sponsored terrorism from Afghanistan,&rdquo; and the &ldquo;urgent need to address the leftover military equipment.&rdquo; He emphasized that a &ldquo;stable, standalone Pak-US relationship remained vital to regional as well as global peace, security, and stability.&rdquo; The ambassador&rsquo;s remarks were posted publicly on X.<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-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 873px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2009413667822162146&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=065294287c286e3cffbb3a1dd7b8037f1b0b3cfd&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Economic and security cooperation&nbsp;Meanwhile, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Thursday that Pakistan and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen their bilateral cooperation across various fields, with special focus on economic and security. The pledge came during a meeting between Ambassador Sheikh and the chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Brian Mast, in Washington.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 885px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2009041489691660353&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=065294287c286e3cffbb3a1dd7b8037f1b0b3cfd&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Both sides expressed a shared resolve to enhance the multifaceted partnership, underscoring its importance for mutual and regional stability. They reaffirmed their commitment to working together to further strengthen bilateral relations. &lsquo;Year of action&rsquo;&nbsp;The ambassador thanked the congressman for his leadership, efforts, and consistent support in promoting Pak-US relations. Referring to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio&rsquo;s commitment to transform bilateral ties into a long-term, sustainable partnership based on economic cooperation, Sheikh said 2026 should be declared a &ldquo;year of action.&rdquo; He emphasized the need for a high-level economic dialogue between the two countries to commence at the earliest. Stressing the importance of initiating a comprehensive and immediate dialogue across the fields of energy, defense, minerals, information technology, and artificial intelligence, the ambassador said that Pakistan, with its low-cost, high-quality capabilities, has the potential to meet the growing needs of the American market. Favorable trade environment&nbsp;Surgical instruments and products manufactured in Pakistan are renowned worldwide for their quality, he said, adding that a favorable trade environment and due attention will lead to a guaranteed increase in textile and other exports from Pakistan. He said that the continuous use of footballs manufactured in Sialkot in the last five FIFA World Cup matches is a testament to Pakistan&rsquo;s capabilities in the sports goods sector. Terrorism emanating from Kabul&nbsp;Meanwhile, exchanging views on the regional situation, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed pointed out that terrorism emanating from Afghanistan poses serious threats to Pakistan&rsquo;s security situation and regional and international peace. Due to the activities of terrorists taking refuge in Afghanistan, terrorist incidents in Pakistan increased by 40% in 2024 and by a further 25% in 2025, he said, and expressed serious concern over the continued illicit and aggressive use of weapons left behind by the US at the time of withdrawal from Afghanistan. The ambassador of Pakistan also invited Congressman Mast to visit Pakistan, saying that his visit would further strengthen parliamentary and public ties between the two countries.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan’s ambassador engages US lawmakers to advance security and economic cooperation, highlighting Afghanistan-linked terrorism, regional instability, and the need for sustained bilateral engagement.

Pakistan, US push strategic partnership amid security, economic challenges

<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: Bangladesh&rsquo;s National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman held talks with United States Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer, focusing on trade imbalances, tariffs, and market access, Bangladeshi state media reported.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The meeting took place on Thursday afternoon in Washington, where Dr Rahman briefed Ambassador Greer on Bangladesh&rsquo;s recent steps to narrow the trade gap with the United States, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha&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">reported<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.<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;Even before the formal execution of the reciprocal trade agreement, Bangladesh has made major strides in reducing the trade gap by substantially increasing imports from the United States and has implemented some key aspects of the agreement,&rdquo; Dr Rahman said.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In light of those measures, Dr Rahman proposed that the US reduce the reciprocal tariff from the current 20%. Ambassador Greer agreed to positively consider the proposal, the report said.<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;">Ambassador Greer also agreed to give serious consideration to lowering or eliminating the US reciprocal tariff on apparel using US content, according to the statement.<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;">Both sides agreed to quickly resolve a limited number of outstanding issues so that the reciprocal tariff agreement could be finalized and executed without delay.<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;">Dr Rahman said business-to-business contacts between Bangladesh and the US were expected to increase significantly in the coming days as trade between the two countries expands.<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;">During the discussions, he requested Ambassador Greer to use his offices to ease business travel for Bangladeshis in light of the recent inclusion of Bangladesh in the US visa bond requirement. He also sought access for Bangladesh&rsquo;s private sector to financing from the United States International Development Finance Corporation.<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;">Ambassador Greer assured Dr Rahman of his efforts on both issues, according to the report.<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;">Bangladesh&rsquo;s Ambassador to the United States, Tareq Md Ariful Islam, accompanied the national security adviser at the meeting. Assistant United States Trade Representative Brendan Lynch and other officials were also present.<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;">Dr Rahman held a separate meeting with Assistant United States Trade Representative Brendan Lynch earlier the same day, the Chief Adviser&rsquo;s Press Wing said. He is expected to meet senior United States State Department officials on Friday, the report added.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman held talks in Washington with United States Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer, focusing on trade imbalances, tariffs and market access, according to Bangladeshi state media.

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