BEIRUT: An Israeli strike on south Lebanon killed one person on Thursday, Lebanon&#39;s health ministry reported, while the Israeli military said it killed a member of Hezbollah. Despite a November 2024 truce that sought to end more than a year of hostilities, including two months of all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel has kept up regular strikes on Lebanon and has maintained troops in five areas it deems strategic. In a statement, the Lebanese health ministry said that an &quot;Israeli enemy strike&quot; on al-Tiri, southern Lebanon, killed one person. The Israeli military said it struck a &quot;Hezbollah terrorist&quot; in the area. In January, Lebanon&#39;s army said it had completed the first phase of its plan to disarm Hezbollah, covering the area south of the Litani river, around 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border. Lebanon&#39;s government is set to meet on Monday to discuss updates on the army&#39;s disarmament plan. Al-Tiri is located south of the Litani River.

Middle East

Lebanon's government is set to meet on Monday to discuss updates on the army's disarmament plan; army says it completed first phase of its plan to disarm Hezbollah, covering the area south of the Litani river

Israeli strike on south Lebanon kills one

ISTANBUL: The UN&#39;s climate chief on Thursday urged countries to unite against an &quot;unprecedented threat&quot; to international cooperation from pro-fossil fuel forces &mdash; issuing the appeal as US President Donald Trump rattles the global order. Simon Stiell, the head of the United Nations climate body, spoke in Istanbul as Turkey prepares to host the COP31&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/ndma-issues-weather-warning-for-balochistan-northern-areas-of-pakistan" style="color:#0073e6;">climate summit</a>&nbsp;on its Mediterranean coast later this year, with Australia leading the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/parties-must-address-environment-in-election-manifestos-bangladeshi-climate-adviser" style="color:#0073e6;">negotiations</a>. &quot;COP31 in Antalya will take place in extraordinary times. We find ourselves in a new world disorder,&quot; Stiell said in an address alongside the president-designate of COP31, Turkish environment minister Murat Kurum. &quot;This is a period of instability and insecurity. Of strong arms and trade wars. The very concept of international cooperation is under attack,&quot; he said. He did not name any countries but his plea comes as climate action is competing with concerns over security and economic growth around the world. Trump has championed oil, gas and coal while moving to withdraw the United States from the UN&#39;s bedrock climate treaty after pulling out of the Paris Agreement, the landmark deal reached in 2015 on curbing global warming. Stiell said in a news conference that the &quot;door remains open&quot; to welcoming the United States back to the fold. The American leader, who has called global warming a &quot;hoax,&quot; revoked on Thursday a landmark scientific finding that underpins US regulations aimed at curbing planet-warming pollution. Trump has also rattled European allies with his desire to acquire Greenland, as shrinking Arctic Sea ice is turning the region into a strategic battleground. &#39;Antidote to the chaos&#39;&nbsp;Other nations have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-disaster-authority-flash-flood-alert-for-northern-pakistan-amid-incoming-westerly-wave" style="color:#0073e6;">resisted</a>&nbsp;moving away from oil, gas, and coal. The COP30 summit in Brazil late last year ended with a modest deal that lacked any explicit mention of fossil fuels amid opposition from oil giants such as Saudi Arabia, coal producer India and others. The United States, the world&#39;s top economy and second-biggest polluter after China, shunned COP30. The last three years have been the hottest globally on record, driven by rising greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change. Stiell warned that international climate cooperation was &quot;under unprecedented threat: from those determined to use their power to defy economic and scientific logic, and increase dependence on polluting coal, oil and gas.&quot; &quot;Those forces are undeniably strong. But they need not prevail. There is a clear alternative to this chaos and regression,&quot; he said. &quot;And that is countries standing together, building on all we have achieved to date, to make it (international global cooperation) go further and faster.&quot; He noted that investment in clean energy was more than double that of fossil fuels last year, while renewables overtook coal as the top electricity source. &quot;Security is the word on most leaders&#39; lips, yet many cling to a definition that is dangerously narrow,&quot; Stiell said, warning that rising greenhouse gases mean &quot;escalating climate extremes fuelling famine, displacement, and war.&quot; Stiell urged nations to deliver on their 2023 agreement at COP28 in Dubai to triple clean energy capacity by 2030 and transition away from fossil fuels, and for the most ambitious to form &quot;coalitions of the willing.&quot; &quot;Climate cooperation is an antidote to the chaos and coercion of this moment, and clean energy is the obvious solution to spiraling fossil fuel costs, both human and economic,&quot; he said. Turkey will host COP31 while Australia will chair the negotiations under a compromise that was agreed late last year to end a dispute over where the event would take place. Kurum said Turkey and Australia would work together to present a &quot;robust&quot; COP31 action agenda in March. &quot;Regression in global climate action is unacceptable,&quot; Kurum said.

Climate

Stiell warns international climate cooperation "under unprecedented threat: from those determined to use their power to defy economic and scientific logic, and increase dependence on polluting coal, oil and gas."

UN climate chief says 'new world disorder' threatens cooperation

DHAKA:&nbsp;The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Tarique Rahman is heading for a thumping win in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/bangladesh-elections-2034-candidates-in-race-as-electioneering-ends-tuesday" style="color:#0073e6;">first elections</a>&nbsp;held since a deadly 2024 uprising, Bangladeshi TV stations projected Friday. Senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, in a party statement, claimed a &quot;sweeping victory,&quot; without giving figures, calling for followers to give thanks in prayer on Friday rather than celebrate on the streets. &quot;There will be no victory rally despite the BNP&#39;s sweeping victory,&quot; the statement said. &quot;We will hold special prayers at mosques after Jumma (Friday) prayers across the country.&quot; At 5:30 am (2330 GMT Thursday), broadcasters projected that the BNP had pushed well past the 150-seat threshold to secure a clear majority in parliament. Jamuna and Somoy television channels reported that the BNP had secured 197 seats. The coalition headed by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/bangladesh-religious-party-leader-eyes-power-after-decades-in-politics" style="color:#0073e6;">Jamaat-e-Islami</a>&nbsp;had won 63 seats, the stations projected, a huge leap from its past results but far short of the outright win it had campaigned for. The results are not official, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/bangladesh-votes-amid-tight-security-as-polling-begins-in-landmark-election" style="color:#0073e6;">counting continues</a>&nbsp;for a total of the 299 constituencies of 300 in which voting took place. A further 50 seats in parliament reserved for women will be named from party lists. The BNP&#39;s Rahman, 60, now poised to become the next prime minister, was bullish in the run-up to the vote. He told AFP two days before polling he was &quot;confident&quot; that his party &mdash; crushed during the 15 years of ousted premier Sheikh Hasina&#39;s rule &mdash; would regain power in the South Asian nation of 170 million people. Peaceful pollsBNP election committee spokesperson Mahdi Amin told reporters the party was on track to win at least two-thirds of seats. &quot;Buoyed by strong public support, the BNP will secure a two-thirds majority and form the government,&quot; Amin told reporters, adding that Rahman had won &quot;both seats&quot; he had run in. Party workers spent the whole night in front of the BNP offices. &quot;We will join the nation-building effort led by Tarique Rahman,&quot; Md Fazlur Rahman, 45, told AFP. &quot;Over the last 17 years, we have suffered a lot, faced multiple politically motivated cases, and lost a factory I owned.&quot; The Election Commission has not released final results, suggesting it will have those ready by late Friday morning. Heavy deployments of security forces are posted countrywide, and UN experts warned ahead of the voting of &quot;growing intolerance, threats and attacks&quot; and a &quot;tsunami of disinformation.&quot; Political clashes killed five people and injured more than 600 during campaigning, police records show. But polling day was largely peaceful, according to the Election Commission, which reported only &quot;a few minor disruptions.&quot; &#39;Ended the nightmare&#39;&nbsp;Interim leader Muhammad Yunus, who will step down once the new government takes power, has urged all sides to stay calm. &quot;We may have differences of opinion, but we must remain united in the greater national interest,&quot; he said. The 85-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner has led Bangladesh since Hasina&#39;s rule ended with her ouster in August 2024. His administration barred her Awami League party from contesting the polls. Yunus, after casting his vote, said that the country had &quot;ended the nightmare and <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/mired-in-economic-trouble-bangladesh-pins-hopes-on-election-boost" style="color:#0073e6;">begun a new dream</a>.&quot; Hasina, 78, sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity, issued a statement from hiding in India, where she called the vote an &quot;illegal and unconstitutional election.&quot; Yunus has championed a sweeping democratic reform charter to overhaul what he called a &quot;completely broken&quot; system of government and to prevent a return to one-party rule. Voters also took part in a referendum on the charter and whether to endorse its proposals for prime ministerial term limits, a new upper house of parliament, stronger presidential powers, and greater judicial independence. Television projections suggested the electorate had backed the charter.

Bangladesh

The Election Commission has not released final results, suggesting it will have those ready by late Friday morning; counting continues for a total of the 299 constituencies of 300 in which voting took place.

Bangladesh's BNP heading for sweeping election win: report

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump threatened Iran Thursday with &quot;very traumatic&quot; consequences if it fails to make a nuclear deal &mdash; but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was skeptical about the quality of any such agreement. Speaking a day after he hosted Netanyahu at the White House, Trump said he hoped for a result &quot;over the next month&quot; from Washington&#39;s negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program. &quot;We have to make a deal, otherwise it&#39;s going to be very traumatic, very traumatic. I don&#39;t want that to happen, but we have to make a deal,&quot; Trump told reporters. &quot;This will be very traumatic for Iran if they don&#39;t make a deal.&quot; Trump &mdash; who is considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East to pressure Iran &mdash; &nbsp;recalled the US military strikes he ordered on Tehran&#39;s nuclear facilities during Israel&#39;s 12-day war with Iran in July last year. &quot;We&#39;ll see if we can get a deal with them, and if we can&#39;t, we&#39;ll have to go to phase two. Phase two will be very tough for them,&quot; Trump said. Netanyahu had traveled to Washington to push Trump to take a harder line in the Iran nuclear talks, particularly on including the Islamic Republic&#39;s arsenal of ballistic missiles. But the Israeli and US leaders apparently remained at odds, with Trump saying after their meeting at the White House on Wednesday that he had insisted the negotiations should continue. &#39;General skepticism&#39; Netanyahu said in Washington on Thursday, before departing for Israel, that Trump believed he was laying the ground for a deal. &quot;He believes that the conditions he is creating, combined with the fact that they surely understand they made a mistake last time when they didn&#39;t reach an agreement, may create the conditions for achieving a good deal,&quot; Netanyahu said, according to a video statement from his office. But the Israeli premier added: &quot;I will not hide from you that I expressed general skepticism regarding the quality of any agreement with Iran.&quot; Any deal &quot;must include the elements that are very important from our perspective,&quot; Netanyahu continued, listing Iran&#39;s ballistic missile program and its support for armed groups such as the Palestinian movement Hamas, Yemen&#39;s Houthi rebels and Hezbollah in Lebanon. &quot;It&#39;s not just the nuclear issue,&quot; he said. Despite their differences on Iran, Trump signaled his strong personal support for Netanyahu as he criticized Israeli President Isaac Herzog for rejecting his request to pardon the prime minister on corruption charges. &quot;You have a president that refuses to give him a pardon. I think that man should be ashamed of himself,&quot; Trump said on Thursday. Trump has repeatedly hinted at potential US military action against Iran following its deadly crackdown on protests last month, even as Washington and Tehran restarted talks last week with a meeting in Oman. The last round of talks between the two foes was cut short by Israel&#39;s war with Iran and the US strikes. So far, Iran has rejected expanding the new talks beyond the issue of its nuclear program. Tehran denies seeking a nuclear weapon, and has said it will not give in to &quot;excessive demands&quot; on the subject.

Trump has repeatedly hinted at potential US military action against Iran following its deadly crackdown on protests last month, even as Washington and Tehran restarted talks last week with a meeting in Oman.

Trump warns Iran of 'very traumatic' outcome if no nuclear deal

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Pakistan on Thursday expressed serious concern at the UN over the presence of militant groups operating from Afghan territory, saying they were responsible for deadly attacks inside Pakistan. Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, told the council that Afghan soil was being used by groups including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), the Majeed Brigade, Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K), and Al-Qaeda to plan and orchestrate attacks. &ldquo;These groups have been responsible for some of the most heinous terrorist attacks against Pakistan and incidents of hostage-taking,&rdquo; Ahmad said. He said recent attacks claimed by the BLA and Islamic State had resulted in the deaths of 80 Pakistanis, describing them as &ldquo;dastardly and cowardly.&rdquo; Pakistan voted in favor of a UN resolution extending the mandate of the monitoring team overseeing sanctions against the Taliban for another 12 months, Ahmad said, welcoming the unanimous adoption of the measure and praising US efforts to build consensus. Ahmad reiterated Islamabad&rsquo;s call for Afghan territory not to be used for attacks against neighboring countries and urged efforts to prevent external actors from exploiting the situation. He said the resolution sent a clear message to Afghanistan&rsquo;s Taliban authorities that their territory should not be used to threaten other countries and that Afghan groups or individuals should not support militants operating abroad. The resolution also urged member states to prevent kidnappers and militant groups from benefiting from ransom payments or political concessions and to ensure the safe release of hostages, he added. Ahmad called on the Taliban to honor their counter-terrorism commitments and take sustained and verifiable action against militant groups. He also pointed to broader challenges facing Afghanistan, including a humanitarian crisis, deteriorating human rights conditions, particularly for women and girls, economic difficulties, natural disasters, political exclusion, and drug trafficking. Ahmad said the UN monitoring team played an important role in providing the council with insights on Afghanistan&rsquo;s security landscape and expressed hope it would continue to support the sanctions committee&rsquo;s work. &ldquo;It is for the Taliban to decide what path they wish to choose for Afghanistan, whether isolation or peace and prosperity as a responsible member of the international community,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;

Security

Pakistan told the UN Security Council that militant groups operating from Afghan territory are responsible for deadly attacks in Pakistan, urging the Taliban to curb terrorism and uphold counter-terrorism commitments

Pakistan raises concern over militant groups in Afghanistan at UN

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir on Thursday met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reaffirming the strategic defense partnership between the two countries and commitment to promoting global peace and security, the Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman said in a statement on his official X account. According to the statement, both sides reaffirmed their strong relations and strategic partnership. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 678px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=2021970225579847828&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=b2d3bb253e2877972197c2a97e787a0a9da6ac4c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> They also discussed joint efforts to promote global peace and security in ways that serve their shared interests. Earlier today, while responding to a question about the crown prince&rsquo;s visit to Pakistan, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the visit would take place this year, though its timing had not yet been decided, according to a Foreign Office statement. &ldquo;There was a reference to the visit in one of the joint statements that this visit will take place this year, but I am not aware of its timing yet,&rdquo; he added. Over the past several years, bilateral relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, particularly in the defense sector, have reached an all-time high. Last year, on Sept. 17, Islamabad and Riyadh signed a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement, establishing a robust security partnership. The pact declared that any aggression against either country would be considered an attack on both, aiming to strengthen regional stability, joint deterrence, and military cooperation.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia reaffirmed their strategic defence partnership during a meeting between Field Marshal Asim Munir and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, highlighting military cooperation, regional stability, and plans for a future Saudi visit

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia reaffirm strategic defense partnership

Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: Pakistan&rsquo;s central bank chief has projected economic growth of up to 4.75% in the next fiscal year, citing strengthening activity as inflation eases and financial conditions loosen.&nbsp;According to the State Bank of Pakistan, Governor Jameel Ahmad said on Thursday that gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to expand by 3.75%-4.75% in fiscal year 2026, following a 3.7% growth rate in the first quarter.&nbsp;The remarks were made during a meeting of the Agricultural Credit Advisory Committee (ACAC), where officials reviewed the performance of agri-lending. The projection marks a gradual recovery for an economy that only recently stabilized after a balance-of-payments crisis that forced Islamabad into a $7 billion IMF bailout programme.&nbsp;Inflation eases, stability returnsJameel Ahmad said macroeconomic conditions had &ldquo;significantly improved,&rdquo; with overall inflation falling to 5.8% in January, a sharp decline from the double-digit levels seen in recent years, and reiterated that Pakistan had regained macroeconomic stability and was now moving toward sustainable growth.&nbsp;The governor attributed part of the recovery to aggressive monetary easing. The statement comes after Ahmad noted that financial conditions had eased considerably following cumulative policy rate cuts of 1,150 basis points since June 2024.&nbsp;He added that the full impact of those reductions was still feeding through the economy, supporting growth while maintaining price stability.&nbsp;Despite market expectations for more easing, the State Bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 10.5% last month, signaling caution as it balances domestic recovery with IMF commitments.&nbsp;Agriculture lending hits record high&nbsp;Agriculture, a sector that accounts for nearly a fifth of GDP and employs a large share of the workforce, remains central to the State Bank&rsquo;s recovery strategy. The SBP governor said banks disbursed a record Rs2.58 trillion ($9.2 billion) in agricultural loans during FY25, up 16% year-on-year. In the first half of FY26 alone, lending reached Rs1.41 trillion, while the number of borrowers rose to 2.97 million.&nbsp;The governor stressed the importance of expanding financial inclusion among small and underserved farmers, urging banks to make full use of the central bank&rsquo;s Risk Coverage Scheme for Small Farmers and Underserved Areas, as well as Zarkhez-e, the SBP&rsquo;s flagship digital agricultural lending platform.&nbsp;The ACAC also reviewed progress under Zarkhez-e, which officials describe as a key component in digitalizing agricultural credit delivery.&nbsp;Boosting post-harvest liquidityThe committee discussed expanding electronic warehouse receipt financing, a system that allows farmers to store crops and access credit against warehouse receipts, rather than resorting to distress sales immediately after harvest.&nbsp;Officials say the move could strengthen agricultural market linkages and improve post-harvest liquidity. Ahmad underlined that agriculture remains critical not only for farm productivity but also for rural livelihoods and food security.&nbsp;Strengthening agricultural financial intermediation, he said, is essential to promote value addition and ensure long-term sectoral sustainability.&nbsp;Balancing growth and IMF oversightThe SBP&rsquo;s cautious stance reflects the delicate stage of Pakistan&rsquo;s recovery. The country is still operating under IMF oversight after narrowly avoiding default in 2023.&nbsp;While inflation has eased and foreign exchange pressures have stabilized, policymakers remain wary of reigniting external imbalances. By holding rates at 10.5% despite expectations of a cut, the central bank signaled that monetary easing will proceed gradually.&nbsp;For now, the SBP&rsquo;s message is clear: macroeconomic stability has been restored, inflation is moderating, credit is expanding, particularly in agriculture, and growth is set to strengthen. The challenge will be sustaining that momentum without undermining hard-won stability.

Economy

Pakistan’s central bank governor, Jameel Ahmad, projects 3.75%-4.75% GDP growth in 2026, citing eased inflation, record agricultural loans, and financial inclusion efforts, while cautiously balancing recovery with IMF commitments and macroeconomic stability.

Pakistan’s central bank sees growth picking up as inflation slows  

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Pakistan said Thursday that a recent United Nations sanctions committee report supports its longstanding position that militant groups operating from Afghanistan continue to pose a serious security threat to Pakistan and the wider region. Speaking at the weekly media briefing, the Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the UN Security Council&rsquo;s 1267 Sanctions Committee report highlighted the continued presence and activities of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Al-Qaeda, and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) in Afghanistan. &ldquo;The report extensively supports Pakistan&rsquo;s narrative regarding terrorist threats,&rdquo; the spokesperson told a weekly media briefing. The spokesperson said the report indicated that Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim authorities had provided a &ldquo;permissive environment&rdquo; for militant groups, particularly TTP. According to the report, TTP has gained greater operational freedom and support, enabling it to launch attacks inside Pakistan, he said. The spokesperson added that Al-Qaeda continues to function as a &ldquo;multiplier and service provider&rdquo; to militant organizations by offering training and operational guidance, especially to TTP. He said the report pointed to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) remaining active in southeastern Afghanistan, while ISKP has maintained a presence in the northern parts of the country. The spokesperson said concerns were raised by several UN member states regarding increased cooperation among militant groups, including alleged collaboration between TTP, ISKP, and Baloch militant factions through shared training facilities and coordinated attacks. &ldquo;Pakistan is the main target of TTP attacks, and the report validates Pakistan as a victim of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/un-warns-ttp-emerging-as-significant-regional-threat-from-afghan-soil" style="color:#0073e6;">terrorism</a>&nbsp;originating from Afghanistan,&rdquo; he said, adding Islamabad would continue engaging with the UN, Security Council members, and international partners on the issue. Responding to a question about a recent Islamabad&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pm-sharif-condemns-mosque-blast-orders-probe" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">bombing</a>&nbsp;allegedly linked to ISKP, the spokesperson said Pakistan was coordinating with international partners and utilizing diplomatic channels to address the threat. He added that Pakistan maintained diplomatic contact with Afghan authorities through embassies but emphasized that counter-terrorism concerns were being raised at multiple international forums. The spokesperson reiterated that Pakistan reserved the right to defend itself under Article 51 of the UN Charter and said security forces remained vigilant against cross-border militant threats. He added that the instability in Afghanistan had affected Pakistan&rsquo;s broader regional connectivity ambitions with Central Asia. However, he added that improved governance and stronger action against militant groups in Afghanistan would benefit regional stability and economic cooperation.

According to the report, TTP, Al-Qaeda, and ISKP operating from Afghanistan are posing threats and launching cross-border attacks against Pakistan's interests.

Pakistan says UN report confirms militant threats emanating from Afghanistan

MUMBAI:&nbsp;Spinners Crishan Kalugamage and Ben Manenti helped debutants Italy to a historic first win at the cricket T20 World Cup with a 10-wicket hammering of Nepal on Thursday.&nbsp;Kalugamage (3-18) and Manenti (2-9) combined to bowl out Nepal for 123, a total Italy&#39;s openers overhauled with 44 balls to spare in their second match at Mumbai&#39;s Wankhede Stadium.&nbsp;Brothers Justin Mosca, who made 60, and Anthony Mosca, who hit 62, tore into the opposition attack with fours and sixes to fire their team to a win.&nbsp;A nation better known for its football, Italy are cricket minnows and the lowest-ranked side in the 20-team tournament.&nbsp;They lost their opener to Scotland in Group C but bounced back.&nbsp;Nepal were a far cry from the team that ran England close on Sunday at the same venue as they collapsed from 93-3 to be bundled out in 19.3 overs.&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s pretty extraordinary really. It&#39;s something a lot of people in Italy, a lot of people in this group, have dreamed of,&quot; Italy&#39;s stand-in skipper Harry Manenti said.&nbsp;&quot;We didn&#39;t quite nail it the other day but we backed up today and showed the world what we&#39;ve got.&quot;&nbsp;Italy were without skipper Wayne Madsen, who dislocated his shoulder in the first loss, but came out roaring after they won the toss and elected to field first.&nbsp;Leg-spinner Kalugamage sent back skipper Rohit Paudel for 23 and Manenti, who opened the bowling attack, took down Aasif Sheikh, for 20, with his off-spin.&nbsp;&quot;I always wanted to help the team to win a match and do my best for my nation, Italy -- I&#39;m happy,&quot; player of the match Kalugamage said. &quot;These are my brothers. I&#39;m really happy.&quot;&nbsp;Aarif Sheikh attempted to rebuild in 27 but Italy bowlers were unrelenting in their pursuit of wickets and the Nepal batting came crashing down.&nbsp;&quot;We need to be more consistent and today was the day to prove that, but not taking away the credit from Italy,&quot; said Paudel. &quot;They played really well today and credit must go to them.&quot;&nbsp;The Mosca brothers then struck eight fours and nine sixes between them to leave the Nepal bowlers in agony.&nbsp;The win made Italy jump to third and England slip to fourth in the group led by the West Indies.

Cricket

Debutants Italy secured their first T20 World Cup win in Mumbai, crushing Nepal by 10 wickets. Spinners Kalugamage and Manenti restricted Nepal to 123, which Italy comfortably chased down with 44 balls remaining in their second group match.

Italy thrash Nepal for first cricket T20 World Cup win

&nbsp;ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday confirmed its participation in the Board of Peace meeting in Washington on Feb. 19, during the weekly Foreign Office media briefing. Speaking at the briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi confirmed Islamabad&rsquo;s decision to take part in the upcoming Gaza Board of Peace meeting, which will be attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. &ldquo;We confirm Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif&rsquo;s participation in the Board of Peace meeting in Washington, United States,&rdquo; he added. He said that Pakistan&rsquo;s decision to join the meeting reflects its &ldquo;sincere intent&rdquo; to support diplomatic efforts and contribute toward regional peace initiatives. The spokesperson added that the &ldquo;collective voice&rdquo; of eight Muslim countries is &ldquo;resonating&rdquo; in the Board of Peace. He said Pakistan will continue to strive for the &ldquo;rights, peace and prosperity&rdquo; of the Palestinian people, aimed at achieving a long-term solution to the Palestine issue through the creation of an independent Palestinian state. &ldquo;Our engagement is aimed at short-term, medium-term, and long-term solutions to the plight of the Palestinian people,&rdquo; he added. National Control Lists updated for items requiring an export licenseTalking about the Export Control on Goods, Technologies, Materials, and Equipment Related to the Nuclear and Biological Weapons and Their Delivery Systems Act, 2004 (SECA-2004), the spokesperson said Pakistan has notified its updated National Control Lists of items requiring an export license from the Strategic Export Control Division (SECDIV). He said the Control Lists were first issued in 2005 and were subsequently revised in 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2022. &ldquo;The latest update ensures continued harmonization with the control lists maintained by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), and the Australia Group,&rdquo; he said. He added that the notification underscores the country&rsquo;s &ldquo;resolve&rdquo; to strengthen its export control regime while reaffirming its role as a &ldquo;responsible technology holder state.&rdquo; He underscored that Pakistan remains &ldquo;firmly committed&rdquo; to the objectives of non-proliferation and to fulfilling its international obligations. Iran-US talksSpeaking about talks between Tehran and Washington, the spokesperson said Pakistan &ldquo;welcomes&rdquo; the talks taking place in Oman and appreciated the &ldquo;positive statement&rdquo; by the Iranian Foreign Minister. &ldquo;We support all initiatives of dialogue and diplomacy to settle outstanding issues, including the nuclear talks you referred to,&rdquo; he said, responding to a question. Andrabi stated that the negotiations were initially supposed to be held on a &ldquo;large scale in Istanbul.&rdquo; However, the scope of the negotiations was later scaled down, he added. &ldquo;As regards Pakistan&rsquo;s participation, initially these talks were to be held in Istanbul, where the format was broader. In that broader format, Pakistan was invited. Later, the format narrowed down to three sides &mdash; Iran and the United States, facilitated by Oman,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;However, we still welcome these talks,&rdquo; he said. The spokesperson expressed hope that the parties would carry forward optimism and positivity during the talks. He also encouraged the relevant parties to adopt the most direct negotiation framework possible.

During the weekly Foreign Office media briefing, spokesperson Tahir Andrabi spoke on a range of issues, saying that Pakistan reaffirms its support for Palestinian statehood, the updated export control lists, and welcomes Iran-US talks in Oman.

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