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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Shaheens thrashed India A by eight wickets to advance to the semifinals of the ACC Men&rsquo;s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 at West End Park International Cricket Stadium in Doha.&nbsp;Chasing a modest target of 137, Pakistan&rsquo;s right-hand batsmen Maaz Sadaqat scored a blistering unbeaten on 79 from 47 balls, hitting seven fours and four sixes, registering back-to-back fifties in the tournament, while while Faiq finished with a six, scoring 16 from 14 deliveries.&nbsp;Earlier, India A collapsed for 136 runs in 19 overs, with only left-handed opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi providing resistance, top-scoring with 45 runs, while Naman Dhir contributed 35 off 20 balls.&nbsp;&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s bowlers were ruthless, with Shahid Aziz leading the attack, claiming 3/24 in three overs. Wickets fell at regular intervals as India&rsquo;s innings crumbled, while Maaz Sadaqat and Saad Masood took two wickets each.&nbsp;Pakistan Shaheens have not only topped Group B but also sent a strong message ahead of the semifinals, showcasing their dominance in both batting and bowling. This was Pakistan A&#39;s second straight win in the competition, which assured them of a semi-final berth.

Cricket

Pakistan Shaheens thrashed India A by eight wickets to top Group B and reach the ACC Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 semifinals. Pakistan opener Maaz Sadaqat starred with 79, while Shahid Aziz led a ruthless bowling attack.

Pakistan Shaheens crushed India A to reach Asia Cup Rising Stars semi final 

RAWALPINDI: Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Wasim starred as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the third and final ODI on Sunday, claiming the series 3-0.&nbsp;Rizwan scored an unbeaten 61 and opener Fakhar Zaman knocked 55 to guide Pakistan past their target of 212 in 44.4 overs.&nbsp;Fast bowler Wasim earlier took 3-47, while pace partner Haris Rauf and spinner Faisal Akram took two apiece to bowl out Sri Lanka on a slow-paced Rawalpindi Stadium pitch.&nbsp;This becomes Pakistan&#39;s fourth consecutive ODI series win over Sri Lanka, having beaten them in 2015, 2017 and 2019.&nbsp;Pakistan did lose opener Haseebullah Khan for a duck but Babar Azam joined Zaman to put 74 runs for the second wicket with both dominating the bowling.&nbsp;Leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay brought Sri Lanka back in the game by removing Zaman, Azam (34) and Salman Agha (six) in the space of 33 runs.&nbsp;But Rizwan and Hussain Talat, who scored 42 not out, dove Pakistan past the target and to 215-4 during their unbroken 100-run stand for the fifth wicket.&nbsp;Zaman hit eight boundaries while the usually-swashbuckling Rizwan played an anchoring knock which featured just four hits to the rope.&nbsp;Vandersay finished with 3-42 but did not get any support from the other bowlers.&nbsp;For Pakistan skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi, it was his second series win as captain after beating South Africa 2-1 earlier this month.&nbsp;Sri Lanka lost the first two ODIs in Rawalpindi and started the final match on a bad note when skipper Charith Asalanka was ruled out with a fever.&nbsp;Sadeera Samarawickrama, who top-scored with 48, added 43 for the third wicket with stand-in captain Kusal Mendis (34), but the innings then fell away badly.&nbsp;Pathum Nissanka scored 24 and Kamil Mishara made 29 but both openers were dismissed in quick succession by the combination of Rauf and Wasim.&nbsp;Akram, playing his first international in a year, dismissed Kamindu Mendis for 10 and then Samarawickrama as the tourists slumped from 143-4 to 193-8.&nbsp;Debutant Pavan Rathnayake hit a fighting 32 with a six and two boundaries before he was the last man to go, run out trying to grab a quick second.&nbsp;The two sides will next engage in a T20 tri-series alongside Zimbabwe, beginning November 18.

Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final ODI to seal a 3-0 series sweep. Rizwan and Wasim starred as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 211 amid tight bowling. 

Clinical Pakistan whitewash Sri Lanka 3-0 in ODI series

PORTO: Portugal crushed Armenia 9-1 without suspended talisman Cristiano Ronaldo to clinch qualification for the 2026 World Cup finals on Sunday.&nbsp;Manchester United&#39;s Bruno Fernandes and Paris Saint-Germain&#39;s Joao Neves both scored hat-tricks as Roberto Martinez&#39;s side racked up a huge win in Porto to top Group F.&nbsp;Renato Veiga got the ball rolling for Portugal, with Goncalo Ramos and Francisco Conceicao also on the scoresheet.&nbsp;After a draw in Hungary in October and a surprise defeat at Ireland on Thursday in which Ronaldo was sent off, Portugal wrapped up qualification at the third attempt in their final group match.&nbsp;They will compete in a seventh consecutive edition of the World Cup, a tournament which the Euro 2016 champions are yet to win.&nbsp;With Manchester United midfielder Fernandes playing a key role throughout, Portugal made a quick start by scoring in the seventh minute.&nbsp;Fernandes&#39;s vicious inswinging free-kick from just outside the left side of the box was pushed onto the post by goalkeeper Henri Avagyan but Veiga was on hand to head home the rebound.&nbsp;The visitors shocked the hosts by scoring on their first attack to equalise, with Grant-Leon Ranos crossing for Armenia captain Eduard Spertsyan to strike.&nbsp;However Portugal quickly stepped up a gear and racked up an unassailable lead. Paris Saint-Germain striker Ramos intercepted a back pass and squeezed home his country&#39;s second after rounding Avagyan.&nbsp;Portugal put together a tidy move for their third, with Neves blasting home from the edge of the box after being teed up by Fernandes.&nbsp;Neves netted a spectacular second with a free-kick which flew into the top right corner, leaving Avagyan with no chance.&nbsp;Fernandes netted the fifth in first half stoppage time with a low penalty after Ruben Dias was fouled.&nbsp;The Manchester United midfielder continued where he left off after the break, slotting home his second after being fed by Ramos.&nbsp;Fernandes completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after debutant substitute Carlos Forbs was felled.&nbsp;Neves followed suit for Portugal&#39;s eighth goal, smashing home after Veiga headed Fernandes&#39;s cross into his path.&nbsp;Juventus forward Conceicao added the ninth in stoppage time to seal one of his country&#39;s biggest ever victories.&nbsp;Ireland stunned Hungary with a late winner to triumph 3-2 in the other Group F match and reach the play-offs, with Troy Parrott following up his midweek brace against Portugal with a hat-trick.

Football

Portugal qualified for the 2026 World Cup by thrashing Armenia 9-1 without Cristiano Ronaldo, with Bruno Fernandes and Joao Neves scoring hat-tricks. The win secured Group F top spot and continued Portugal’s World Cup streak.

Portugal qualify for 2026 World Cup by thrashing Armenia

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and King Abdullah II, ibn Al Hussein reaffirmed Pakistan&ndash;Jordan ties and exchanged top state honors during a high-level meeting and investiture ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Sunday, according to the Presidency.&nbsp;President Zardari received the Jordanian monarch, who is on a state visit to Pakistan, along with Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Major General Yousef Huneiti.&nbsp;Senior Pakistani figures including First Lady Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Senator Sherry Rehman were also present.&nbsp;During the meeting, both leaders reaffirmed the &ldquo;longstanding and fraternal ties&rdquo; between the two nations and discussed the full spectrum of bilateral relations. They agreed on strengthening people-to-people exchanges and intensifying cooperation across political, economic and cultural sectors.&nbsp;Reviewing regional and international developments, the two sides placed particular emphasis on peace and stability in the Middle East. On the issue of Palestine, President Zardari and King Abdullah II noted their &ldquo;convergence of views&rdquo; and reiterated their shared stance on post-war Gaza.&nbsp;They &ldquo;rejected any displacement of Palestinians&rdquo; and underscored the need for a Two-State solution based on pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of an independent Palestinian state.&nbsp;King Abdullah II expressed pride in the &ldquo;deep-rooted ties&rdquo; between Jordan and Pakistan, reaffirming Amman&rsquo;s commitment to expanding cooperation &ldquo;across various sectors.&rdquo; Both leaders also agreed to maintain close coordination on bilateral, regional and global issues.&nbsp;Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister Climate Change Musadik Malik, senior foreign ministry officials and the ambassadors of both countries attended the meeting.&nbsp;A special investiture ceremony followed, during which President Zardari conferred Nishan-e-Pakistan, the country&rsquo;s highest civil award, on King Abdullah II. In a reciprocal gesture, the King awarded President Zardari the &ldquo;Wasam al-Nahda al-Mursaa,&rdquo; Order of the Renaissance, a distinction reserved for heads of state and eminent dignitaries.&nbsp;The ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, federal ministers and members of the diplomatic corps. A state banquet was later hosted in honor of the Jordanian monarch.

Foreign Affairs

President Asif Ali Zardari confers Nishan-e-Pakistan on Jordan’s King Abdullah II as both leaders reaffirm strategic ties, shared positions on Gaza, and regional cooperation in Islamabad.

Pakistan, Jordan leaders deepen ties as President Zardari awards King top honor

TRIPOLI: Libya&#39;s Red Crescent said it took part in a major rescue operation after two boats carrying close to 100 irregular migrants capsized off the country&#39;s coast, leaving four dead.&nbsp;The four dead were among 26 Bangladeshis travelling aboard one vessel, the organisation said.&nbsp;The second boat was carrying 69 migrants, two of them Egyptian and the rest Sudanese, eight of whom were children, the Red Crescent said, reporting no deaths among them.&nbsp;The organisation said it had received an alert overnight Friday about two boats that had capsized in the Mediterranean. They had departed from the Libyan city of Khoms, 120 kilometres (75 miles) east of Tripoli.&nbsp;Photos published by the Red Crescent late on Saturday showed migrants receiving medical care, clothes and blankets in Khoms, as well as body bags containing the four dead.&nbsp;The Red Crescent said it had worked alongside the coast guard and port authorities&nbsp;Libya is a key transit country for thousands of migrants seeking to reach Europe by sea each year.&nbsp;Earlier this week, the International Organization for Migration said the sinking of another ship that sailed from Libya had left 42 missing, presumed dead.&nbsp;The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has recorded more than 1,700 people dead or missing this year on Mediterranean migration routes and off the coast of West Africa.&nbsp;According to Missing Migrants, an IOM project, around 33,000 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean since 2014.

Africa

Two migrant boats capsized off Libya, leaving four Bangladeshi passengers dead while 69 others survived. The incident highlights Libya’s role as a major migration route amid rising deaths, with over 1,700 missing this year and 33,000 since 2014.

Four dead in migrant shipwreck off Libya: Red Crescent

SEOUL: South Korean conglomerate Samsung unveiled on Sunday a plan to invest $310 billion over the next five years mostly in technology powering artificial intelligence, aiming to meet growing demand driven by a global boom.&nbsp;The business group&#39;s flagship Samsung Electronics is already one of the world&#39;s top memory-chip makers, providing crucial components for the AI industry and the infrastructure it relies on.&nbsp;South Korea is also home to SK hynix, another key player in the global semiconductor market.&nbsp;The five-year investment package includes plans to build a new semiconductor facility, Pyeongtaek Plant 5, designed &quot;to meet the needs of memory-chip demands&quot;, Samsung said in a statement.&nbsp;Once in full operation, &quot;the Pyeongtaek plant is expected to play an even greater strategic role in both the global semiconductor supply chain and South Korea&#39;s domestic chip ecosystem,&quot; it said.&nbsp;The new line is scheduled to begin operations in 2028.&nbsp;Samsung SDS, the group&#39;s IT and logistics arm, will establish two AI data centres in South Jeolla and Gumi, the company said, without providing further details.&nbsp;Samsung Group is a network of affiliated companies with complex cross-shareholdings under the Samsung brand, rather than a single legal holding company.&nbsp;It is South Korea&#39;s largest chaebol, the family-run conglomerates that dominate the country&#39;s economy.&nbsp;The $310-billion plan also includes some projects unrelated to AI.&nbsp;Under the investment package, the company said that Samsung SDI, its electric-vehicle battery affiliate, was exploring the creation of a domestic production line &quot;for next-generation batteries, including all-solid-state batteries&quot;.&nbsp;The AI boom has delivered a major tailwind for Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, whose high-performance memory chips have become indispensable for AI computing.&nbsp;Samsung Electronics has reported that its profit increased more than 30 percent year-on-year in the third quarter, driven by AI-fuelled demand.&nbsp;AI-related spending is soaring worldwide and sky-high tech share valuations have fed concerns of an AI market bubble that could eventually burst, like the dot-com boom that imploded at the turn of the millennium.&nbsp;The investment package announced on Sunday comes after the South Korean government had pledged to triple spending on artificial intelligence next year.&nbsp;President Lee Jae Myung has vowed to &quot;usher in the AI era&quot; and make the country one of the world&#39;s top three AI powers, behind the United States and China.

Artificial Intelligence

Samsung announced a $310 billion five-year investment focused on AI technologies, including a new chip plant and AI data centers. The plan strengthens South Korea’s semiconductor ecosystem amid booming global AI demand and government efforts to expand AI leadership.

Samsung plans $310 bn investment to power AI expansion

ISLAMABAD: Russia has urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to resolve their differences through political and diplomatic means, offering to assist both sides as negotiations between Islamabad and the Afghan Taliban leadership remain stalled.&nbsp;In a November 14 briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Moscow stands ready to help ease tensions if approached by the parties. &ldquo;We call on Kabul and Islamabad to resolve any disagreements exclusively through political and diplomatic means and by peaceful methods,&rdquo; she said, as quoted by Russian News Agency TASS.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Russian Federation is always ready to contribute to promoting peace if it is requested by the conflicting parties. We have such experience, and we are ready for it.&rdquo;&nbsp;Zakharova noted that continued friction between Pakistan and Afghanistan &ldquo;remains a matter of concern not only for Russia but&hellip; for the entire international community,&rdquo; adding that &ldquo;Russia stands in solidarity with its partners.&rdquo;&nbsp;Her remarks follow the conclusion of Pakistan&rsquo;s recent round of talks with the Afghan Taliban in Istanbul, where discussions ended without a breakthrough. Pakistan&rsquo;s delegation departed the city after the Afghan side declined to commit to measures Islamabad considers essential for curbing cross-border militant activity.&nbsp;Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan appreciates the mediation roles of T&uuml;rkiye and Qatar but stressed that Kabul must fulfill its counterterrorism obligations.&nbsp;&ldquo;Onus lies on Afghanistan to fulfill its long-standing international, regional and bilateral pledges regarding control of terrorism, in which so far they have failed,&rdquo; he said in a statement.&nbsp;He reiterated that Pakistan&rsquo;s concerns relate specifically to armed groups operating from Afghan soil and conducting attacks on Pakistani forces and civilians.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan does not harbor any ill-will against the Afghan people&hellip; However, [Pakistan] shall never support the Afghan Taliban regime&rsquo;s measures that are detrimental to the interest of the Afghan people as well as neighboring countries.&rdquo;&nbsp;Tarar said Islamabad has engaged in multiple negotiation rounds, including earlier talks in Doha, in an effort to establish a verifiable and enforceable security mechanism along the border.&nbsp;However, he said the Afghan delegation did not agree to steps that would ensure actionable restraint on militant networks.&nbsp;With the talks stalled, the minister emphasized that Pakistan will maintain its diplomatic efforts while prioritizing national security. &ldquo;Pakistan shall continue to exercise all options necessary to safeguard the security of its people and its sovereignty,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Russia also referenced the broader dialogue process earlier this week.&nbsp;In a November 12 phone call initiated by Tehran, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi &ldquo;praised Kabul and Islamabad for reaching an agreement&hellip; to enact a ceasefire and put an end to firing incidents along the border,&rdquo; while calling for continued dialogue to uphold regional stability and security.

Europe

Asia

Moscow says it stands ready to help ease tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, urging the resolution of disputes through diplomacy after recent Istanbul talks ended without progress on counterterrorism assurances.

Russia urges calm, offers support as Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions persist

File:Jaguar Indian Air Force - Wikimedia Commons

India

A PC-7 trainer crash in Chennai follows a string of recent IAF accidents, including several Jaguars and a Mirage 2000 incident. The pattern emphasises recurring challenges related to aging aircraft, technical flaws, human error, and maintenance issues.

Why are India’s fighter jets falling from the sky?

ISLAMABAD: South Africa defeated India by 30 runs in the first Test in Kolkata on Sunday, securing their first Test victory on Indian soil in 15 years.&nbsp;The win also marked South Africa&rsquo;s 10th triumph in 11 Tests under captain Temba Bavuma, who played a decisive role with an unbeaten 55 in the second innings on a sharply deteriorating Eden Gardens pitch. His effort helped set India a target of 124, which proved far more challenging than it appeared.&nbsp;India were bundled out for 93, undone by the sustained pressure of Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj. Harmer delivered a superb spell of 4-21, dismantling the middle and lower order, while Maharaj&rsquo;s two wickets included a crucial breakthrough that swung the momentum firmly toward the visitors.&nbsp;Marco Jansen sparked India&rsquo;s collapse early, removing Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul within the first three overs. Despite Washington Sundar&rsquo;s 31 and Axar Patel&rsquo;s quick 26, India never recovered from the early blows. With Shubman Gill absent hurt, the hosts effectively batted a man short.&nbsp;Earlier, Jasprit Bumrah had given India hope with a brilliant 5-27 in South Africa&rsquo;s first innings, restricting the visitors to 159. India responded with 189, led by KL Rahul&rsquo;s 39, on a surface that offered turn, uneven bounce and constant challenges for batters.&nbsp;Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav shared six wickets in South Africa&rsquo;s second innings, but Bavuma&rsquo;s steady hand ensured his side posted a tricky lead that India ultimately failed to chase.&nbsp;The dramatic finish added another chapter to Eden Gardens&rsquo; history of stunning turnarounds, with both teams battling under high pressure before South Africa sealed the long-awaited victory.&nbsp;India will look to regroup ahead of the next Test, while South Africa carry strong momentum and renewed confidence after breaking a 15-year drought in the country.

The win also marks South Africa’s 10th triumph in 11 Tests under captain Temba Bavuma.

India beaten by South Africa at home after 15 years

TEHRAN: Iranian authorities have launched cloud seeding operations to induce rainfall as the country faces its worst drought in decades, state media reported.&nbsp;&quot;Today, a cloud seeding flight was conducted in the Urmia Lake basin for the first time in the current water year,&quot; which begins in September, the official IRNA news agency said late Saturday.&nbsp;Urmia, in the northwest, is Iran&#39;s largest lake, but has largely dried out and turned into a vast salt bed due to drought.&nbsp;IRNA added that further operations would be carried out in the provinces of East and West Azerbaijan.&nbsp;Cloud seeding involves spraying particles such as silver iodide and salt into clouds from aircraft to trigger rain.&nbsp;Last year, Iran announced it had developed its own technology for the practice.&nbsp;On Saturday, IRNA reported that rain had fallen in Ilam, Kermanshah, Kurdistan and Lorestan in the west, as well as in the northwestern West Azerbaijan province.&nbsp;It quoted the country&#39;s meteorological organisation as saying rainfall had decreased by about 89 percent this year compared with the long-term average.&nbsp;&quot;We are currently experiencing the driest autumn the country has experienced in 50 years,&quot; it added.&nbsp;State media has shown footage of snow falling on the Tochal mountain and ski resort, located in the Tehran area on the Alborz range, for the first time this year.&nbsp;Iran, a largely arid country, has for years suffered chronic dry spells and heat waves expected to worsen with climate change.&nbsp;Rainfall in the capital Tehran has been at its lowest level in a century, according to local officials, and half of Iran&#39;s provinces have not seen a drop of rain in months.&nbsp;Water levels at reservoirs supplying many provinces have fallen to record lows.&nbsp;Earlier this month, President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that without rain before winter, Tehran could face evacuation, though he did not elaborate.&nbsp;Other countries in the region, including the United Arab Emirates, have also used cloud seeding to artificially produce rain.

Middle East

Urmia, Iran’s largest lake in the northwest, is drying up and turning into a vast salt plain due to ongoing drought.

Pakistan Shaheens crushed India A to reach Asia Cup Rising Stars semi final

Latest News

Pakistan Shaheens crushed India A to reach Asia Cup Rising Stars semi final

Clinical Pakistan whitewash Sri Lanka 3-0 in ODI series

Portugal qualify for 2026 World Cup by thrashing Armenia

Pakistan, Jordan leaders deepen ties as President Zardari awards King top honor

Four dead in migrant shipwreck off Libya: Red Crescent