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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office on Thursday summoned Afghanistan&rsquo;s deputy head of mission and lodged a strong protest over a terrorist attack in Bajaur that killed 11 Pakistani soldiers. It said the attack was carried out by Fitna al-Khawarij, referring to the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a terrorist group that operates from Afghan territory with its leadership based there. According to the Foreign Office, the government condemned &ldquo;in strongest possible terms&rdquo; the vehicle-borne suicide bombing followed by a fire assault on a military and law enforcement post in the district. He said Pakistan has received repeated assurances from the Afghan Taliban regime but has not seen concrete action. Andrabi said Pakistan called on the Afghan Taliban regime to take immediate and verifiable steps against all militant groups operating from its territory, including their leadership. He stated that Pakistan informed the Afghan Taliban regime that it reserves the right to act against members of the Fitna al-Khawarij group and their affiliates wherever they are located to protect its soldiers, civilians and territorial boundaries.

The photograph shows the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Islamabad, Pakistan. (File Photo: PTV)

Foreign Affairs

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said officials told the Afghan Taliban representative that the attack was carried out by Fitna al-Khawarij, referring to the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, a terrorist group that operates from Afghan territory with its leadership based there.

Pakistan delivers strong demarche to Afghan diplomat after Bajaur terrorist attack 

MONTREAL: Canada has launched a new program to attract highly skilled immigrants, including specialized military recruits, as it moves to overhaul a system the government says had become unsustainable.&nbsp;Canada has for decades been a top destination for economic migrants from the developing world, but in 2024 then-prime minister Justin Trudeau said too many people had been let in too quickly, straining the health care system and housing stocks.&nbsp;Prime Minister Mark Carney has echoed Trudeau&#39;s message, saying in October that his government was &quot;getting immigration under control&quot; while promising to bring in migrants with the skills needed to boost a Canadian economy facing unprecedented threats from US tariffs.&nbsp;Carney on Tuesday announced a half‑trillion‑dollar plan ($365 billion) to upgrade Canada&#39;s military and defence‑related infrastructure over the coming decade, a massive spending program he says will spur broad economic growth.&nbsp;His immigration minister, Lena Metlege Diab, on Wednesday unveiled a new scheme she said would help &quot;attract the best talent to Canada.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;We are creating a new category for skilled military recruits to attract highly skilled foreign military applicants,&quot; Diab said, specifying that this group includes doctors, nurses and pilots.&nbsp;&quot;This new category will support our government&#39;s commitment to strengthen our armed forces, to defend our sovereignty and to keep Canadians safe,&quot; she added.&nbsp;Diab said Ottawa would be proactive in finding the workers it wants to safeguard Canada in an era the prime minister has defined as increasingly dangerous, with the US-led rules‑based international order crumbling.&nbsp;&quot;We&#39;re not waiting for the right people to find us. We will go out into the world to recruit the people our country needs,&quot; Diab said.

Americas

Canada launched a new immigration program targeting highly skilled workers, including foreign military recruits such as doctors, nurses and pilots. The initiative supports Prime Minister Mark Carney’s defense expansion plan and aims to strengthen the economy and armed forces.

Canada makes push to attract skilled migrants, including for defense

Saqib Tanveer

WASHINGTON: Members of the Khalistan movement gathered Thursday outside the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, offering $1 billion to join the Board of Peace and hold a referendum on an independent Indian Punjab. Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, a protester said the funds were meant to &ldquo;liberate our Punjab from Indian occupation.&rdquo; He said the group supports President Trump&rsquo;s initiative to stop wars worldwide and hopes to join the board to advance their cause. &ldquo;Since 1947, when Sikhs claimed their own independent state, the leaders of that time joined India&rsquo;s Punjab. But for the last 80 years, Sikhs have faced persecution and atrocities,&rdquo; he said. The protester added that the group seeks &ldquo;liberation through a peaceful and democratic referendum.&rdquo; He also addressed India directly, saying, &ldquo;Our message is clear. We want liberation from India through a peaceful and democratic process. Modi tried to assassinate Khalistan movement leaders, but he failed. We will not take a step back and will fight till the liberation of Punjab.&rdquo; The President of the Council of Khalistan, Dr Bakshish Singh Sandhu, said the proposal includes a $1 billion donation to fund an official referendum. &ldquo;Currently, Khalistan, under Indian control, is subjected to genocide, econocide, and transnational assassinations. We are here at the Board of Peace so the sovereignty conflict of Punjab can be resolved amicably through a referendum vote, which is legal and peaceful,&rdquo; he said. Sandhu added that joining the Board of Peace would establish geopolitical support with the US and reduce the risk of nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan. Protesters displayed a large check from Sikhs for Justice reading &ldquo;$1 billion for Khalistan referendum&rdquo; and &ldquo;for liberating Punjab from Indian occupation,&rdquo; with the years &ldquo;1984-2026&rdquo; printed on it. The Khalistan movement seeks an independent homeland for the Sikh community, known as Khalistan, in the Punjab region. It dates back to the 1947 partition of India and creation of Pakistan and peaked in the 1980s during the leadership of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, culminating in the 1984 Indian military operation at the Golden Temple. Recent high-profile incidents have heightened tensions between India and the West. On June 18, 2023, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Khalistan advocate in Canada, was shot dead in Surrey, British Columbia. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there was &ldquo;credible intelligence&rdquo; linking the Indian government to the killing. Several Indian nationals were later arrested in connection with the murder. In late 2023, US prosecutors revealed they had foiled a plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a leader of Sikhs for Justice, in New York City. An Indian national extradited from the Czech Republic pleaded guilty in February 2026 to murder-for-hire charges. A former Indian intelligence officer was charged in October 2024 with directing the plot. Other notable cases include Satinderpal Singh Raju, who survived a drive-by shooting in California in 2024, and Avtar Singh Khanda, who died under suspicious circumstances in the UK in June 2023. The movement remains active among the Sikh diaspora in Canada, the US, the UK, and Australia. Sikhs for Justice organizes unofficial global referendums on Khalistan, non-binding votes that continue to create diplomatic tensions. Proposed boundaries of Khalistan typically include the Indian state of Punjab and, at times, parts of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh.

Members of the Khalistan movement gathered Thursday outside the Donald Trump Institute of Peace, offering $1 billion to join the Board of Peace and hold a referendum on an independent Punjab.

India

Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, a protester said the funds were meant to “liberate our Punjab from Indian occupation.” He said the group supports President Trump’s initiative to stop wars worldwide and hopes to join the board to advance their cause.

Khalistan activists offer $1 billion to join Trump’s Board of Peace for Indian Punjab referendum

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has extended restrictions on Indian aircraft, keeping its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-extends-airspace-ban-on-indian-aircraft" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">airspace closed</a>&nbsp;to all Indian civil and military flights until March 23, the Pakistan Airports Authority said Thursday. The new notice, NOTAM A0096/26, covers both the Karachi and Lahore flight information regions, which make up the country&rsquo;s airspace. It replaces a previous directive that was set to expire on Feb. 23. Indian carriers have been forced to reroute flights along longer paths. Westbound flights from cities including Delhi, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad now take a southern route over the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman, passing through the United Arab Emirates or Oman before continuing to Europe, the UK, or North America. Some northern routes now pass through Chinese and Central Asian airspace. The rerouting has increased flight times and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/crash-pakistan-airspace-ban-push-air-india-toward-16-billion-annual-loss" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">operational costs</a>&nbsp;due to extra fuel stops.&nbsp;Indian airlines, particularly Air India, report fuel costs rising by up to 29% and estimated monthly losses of roughly $500 million. Pakistan and India have closed their airspaces to each other since tensions rose in late April 2025 following an attack in Pahalgam, in India-occupied Kashmir. New Delhi accused Islamabad of backing the attack, which Pakistan denied while offering a neutral probe. The two countries briefly fought their fiercest military engagement in decades in early May 2025, with Pakistan downing several Indian jets.

Pakistan has extended restrictions on Indian aircraft, keeping its airspace closed to all Indian civil and military flights until March 23. (PIA)

Politics

Indian carriers have been forced to reroute flights along longer paths, increasing flight times and operational costs, due to extra fuel stops. 

Pakistan extends airspace ban for Indian flights until March 23

ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump praised Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir during a speech in Washington on Thursday. Speaking at the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pm-sharif-to-land-in-us-for-board-of-peace-inaugural-session" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">inaugural meeting</a> of the Board of Peace at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, the US President described Field Marshal Munir as &ldquo;a tough man, a good fighter, serious fighter,&rdquo; adding, &ldquo;I like good fighters actually.&rdquo; Trump said he intervened during a military confrontation between Pakistan and India, which he said could have cost &ldquo;25 million lives.&rdquo; He described the conflict as &ldquo;intense&rdquo;, stating that the &ldquo;war was raging [and] planes were being shot down.&rdquo; &ldquo;Prime Minister Sharif, I like this man, of Pakistan. There was some fighting going on when I got to know him and your Field Marshal, great general, great Field Marshal, great guy,&rdquo; Trump said. He recalled PM Sharif telling White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles that Trump had &ldquo;saved 25 million lives when he stopped the war between India and Pakistan.&rdquo; The US President said that 11 jets were shot down during the fighting. He also praised PM Sharif and the Field Marshal for their cooperation in preventing a larger conflict in the region. &ldquo;I think we will always be able to settle up with them. It&rsquo;s a lot of progress that&rsquo;s made even in the relationship. They are all great men, and I was very proud of it,&rdquo; Trump said. US, others pledge billions Trump also reflected on his first year in office, saying he had &ldquo;settled eight wars and I think a ninth to come,&rdquo; and called the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/head-of-gaza-technocrat-committee-in-washington-for-board-of-peace-meeting" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Board of Peace</a> &ldquo;one of the most important and consequential things I think that I&rsquo;ll be involved in.&rdquo; While the US pledged $10 billion, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the UAE, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Kuwait have pledged more than $7 billion to relief efforts. &ldquo;We work together to ensure the brighter future of Gaza, the Middle East and the entire world,&rdquo; Trump said. He added that &ldquo;there is nothing more important than peace&rdquo; and that going to war is &ldquo;a hundred times&rdquo; more expensive than peace. Troops pledgedIndonesia, the world&#39;s largest Muslim-majority country, will take a deputy commander role in a nascent International Stabilization Force in Gaza and Morocco will contribute troops, the unit&#39;s American chief said Thursday, reported AFP. &quot;I have offered and Indonesia has accepted the position of deputy commander for the ISF,&quot; Major General Jasper Jeffers announced at the Board of Peace meeting attended, among other world leaders, by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. Indonesia has said it is ready to send up to 8,000 troops to Gaza if the force is confirmed. The force aims to have 20,000 soldiers and a new police force. Jeffers confirmed that Morocco had also agreed to send troops, marking the first commitment by an Arab country, along with Albania, Kazakhstan, and Kosovo.

US President Donald Trump and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attend the Peace Council meeting held during the 56th World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on January 22, 2026. (AFP)

Speaking at the inaugural meeting of Board of Peace at the Donald Trump Institute of Peace, the US President described Field Marshal Munir as “a tough man, a good fighter, serious fighter,” adding, “I like good fighters actually.”

Board of Peace: Trump praises Pakistan’s PM, calls Field Marshal 'tough fighter'

GAZA CITY: The head of the Palestinian technocratic committee formed to handle day-to-day governance of Gaza, Ali Shaath, was in Washington Thursday to attend the inaugural &quot;Board of Peace&quot; meeting, two Palestinian officials told AFP.&nbsp;&quot;Ali Shaath ... arrived in Washington at dawn today to participate in the Washington meeting of the Board of Peace,&quot; a source familiar with the committee told AFP.&nbsp;&quot;Shaath is scheduled to deliver a speech outlining the general framework of his plan for the first 100 days. He is accompanied by the committee&#39;s official in charge of the finance portfolio,&quot; the source added.&nbsp;A committee member confirmed to AFP that Shaath had arrived &quot;following an invitation he received yesterday to attend the Washington meeting&quot;.&nbsp;Around two dozen world leaders and senior officials have travelled to Washington for the meeting, which was set up after the Trump administration, along with Qatar and Egypt, negotiated a ceasefire in October to halt two years of war in Gaza.&nbsp;At Thursday&#39;s meeting, Trump is expected to detail pledges of more than $5 billion for Gaza.&nbsp;The meeting will also discuss how to launch the International Stabilization Force to ensure security in Gaza.

Middle East

Ali Shaath arrives in Washington for the inaugural Board of Peace meeting. The Trump administration, along with Qatar and Egypt, seeks $5 billion in pledges and a stabilization force for security there.

Head of Gaza technocrat committee in Washington for 'Board of Peace' meeting

LONDON: Britain&#39;s former prince Andrew was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct during his time as a trade envoy, as UK police investigations into allegations emerging from the Jeffrey Epstein files gathered pace. Unprecedented in Britain&#39;s modern era, the arrest was a new blow for the ousted royal, who was marking his 66th birthday on Thursday. Andrew was last year stripped of all his titles, having been forced out of his former home by his brother King Charles III. As part of the investigation into Andrew, &quot;we have today (19/2) arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office,&quot; Thames Valley police said in a statement, without naming the suspect, as is common practice in the UK. Several UK media outlets reported that a fleet of unmarked cars, believed to be police vehicles, was seen arriving early Thursday at the Sandringham estate in eastern England, where Andrew now resides. New revelations last week appeared to show that Andrew sent potentially confidential documents to convicted US sex offender Epstein during his time as a UK trade envoy. In a November 2010 email seen by AFP, Andrew appeared to share with Epstein reports on Vietnam, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Singapore following an official visit to Asia. The ex-royal, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, also reportedly sent the American financier details of the trip -- on which he was accompanied by Epstein&#39;s business associates -- along with investment opportunities months later. The former prince was eventually stripped of his titles after one of Epstein&#39;s victims alleged she had been trafficked to have sex with him. He has previously denied any wrongdoing in his associations with Epstein. Charles has voiced &quot;concern&quot; over his brother&#39;s actions and, last week, issued an unprecedented statement noting that Buckingham Palace was &quot;ready to support&quot; the police in their inquiries. Official guidance stipulates that trade envoys have a duty of confidentiality regarding sensitive, commercial, or political information related to their official visits, the BBC has said. Andrew, whose ties to Epstein have caused a spectacular years-long fall from grace, served as a British trade envoy for a decade from 2001. Police &#39;aware&#39; of reportAt least nine separate UK police forces have confirmed they are assessing reports which appear to link the former prince to Epstein. Police in Surrey, southeastern England, said Wednesday they had become &quot;aware&quot; of a redacted report alleging &quot;human trafficking and sexual assaults on a minor&quot; between 1994 and 1996 in the village of Virginia Water. The report emerged in the latest tranche of millions of files released by the US Justice Department from the investigation into Epstein, who died in prison in 2019. &quot;After reviewing our systems using the limited information available to us, we found no evidence of these allegations being reported to Surrey Police,&quot; its statement read. &quot;We therefore encourage anyone with information in relation to these allegations to report this to us.&quot; The statement did not name any individuals involved. But it comes as high-profile figures, including former UK prime minister Gordon Brown, have urged police to probe dozens of flights dating back decades arriving at UK airports and tied to Epstein. Writing in the New Statesman magazine last week, Brown said he had been &quot;told privately that the investigations related to the former Prince Andrew did not properly check vital evidence of flights.&quot; &quot;I have asked the police to look at this as part of the new inquiry,&quot; he stated, adding it appeared &quot;the authorities never knew what was happening.&quot; London&#39;s Metropolitan police has also launched an investigation into the relationship between the UK&#39;s former ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, and the disgraced financier.

United Kingdom

Britain's former prince Andrew has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct during his time as a trade envoy, police said Thursday.

UK police arrest ex-prince Andrew on suspicion of misconduct

ISLAMABAD: In a video shared on social media, prominent Indian journalist Pravin Sawhney said that &ldquo;Pakistan cannot lose&rdquo; and added that India &ldquo;cannot defeat Pakistan.&rdquo; In the video available on social media, <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/how-major-attacks-have-shaped-indias-nationalsecurity-narrative-under-modi" target="_blank">Sawhney&nbsp;</a>refers&nbsp;to the events surrounding Balakot.<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" 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=2024132023405715801&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=2843bca68dc21193f548380296fd147f28a9d9ab&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 849px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&ldquo;What happened in Balakot? In Balakot, our Indian Air Force at night time, in an area where there was no radar, where they were not ready because&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/congress-hates-indian-armed-forces-bjp-incensed-by-oppositions-criticism-of-operation-sindoor" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Air Force</a>&nbsp;was never used before between India and Pakistan, there we threw our missiles in Balakot,&rdquo; he said. &lsquo;Cannot defeat Pakistan&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;The next day, they came in broad daylight, they came in broad daylight and we were not ready. Why am I saying we were not ready? Because we took down our own helicopter with our own missiles in confusion.&rdquo; Sawhney added: &ldquo;Pakistan cannot lose. You cannot defeat Pakistan in this war. I can explain to any professional of India why I am saying this. And I am saying this in the interest of the country. It is not that I am against the country that is why I am saying this.&rdquo; &lsquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s international profile&rsquo;&nbsp;He further stated: &ldquo;We have taken a huge loss. That is the reality in Sindoor. Today, Pakistan&#39;s international profile has increased because of Sindoor.&rdquo; Referring to published accounts, he said: &ldquo;On Sindoor, many generals have written a book. In any book, the first night where we took a huge loss of the Air Force which CDS has said that yes, there was a loss. We do not mention it and it is not mentioned in this book.&rdquo; &ldquo;They had the visibility of the whole battlefield. So, they knew where our aircrafts were. They were just waiting that you throw the missile and we will answer it. And we took a loss that night. It was a lot. We do not want to talk about it.&rdquo; He added: &ldquo;Sir, our history of India and Pakistan tells us that if you throw a missile there, it will not sit quietly. But what we did within half an hour we told them that we are ready for ceasefire. [Indian Defense Minister] Rajnath Singh&#39;s statement is in the parliament.&rdquo;

Prominent Indian journalist Pravin Sawhney, in a video shared on social media, says that 'Pakistan cannot lose,' adding India 'cannot defeat Pakistan.' 

India can never defeat Pakistan, says Indian journalist 

GENEVA:&nbsp;Israel&#39;s increased attacks and forcible transfers of Palestinians &quot;raise concerns over ethnic cleansing&quot; in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the United Nations said Thursday. The UN human rights office said the cumulative impact of Israel&#39;s military conduct during the war in Gaza, plus its blockade of the territory, had inflicted living conditions &quot;increasingly incompatible with Palestinians&#39; continued existence as a group in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/israel-conducting-gradual-de-facto-annexation-of-west-bank-un-official" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gaza</a>.&quot; &quot;Intensified attacks, the methodical destruction of entire neighborhoods and the denial of humanitarian assistance appeared to aim at a permanent demographic shift in Gaza,&quot; the office said in a report. &lsquo;Ethnic cleansing&rsquo;&nbsp;&quot;This, together with forcible transfers, which appear to aim at a permanent displacement, raise concerns over ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/israel-accused-of-move-expanding-jerusalem-borders-for-first-time-since-1967" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">West Bank</a>.&quot; The report covered the period from Nov. 1, 2024, to Oct. 31, 2025. In the occupied West Bank and annexed East Jerusalem, the report said the &quot;systematic use of unlawful force&quot; by Israeli security forces, &quot;widespread&quot; arbitrary detention, and the &quot;extensive unlawful demolition&quot; of Palestinian homes were being carried out to &quot;systematically discriminate, oppress, control and dominate the Palestinian people&quot;. These violations were &quot;altering the character, status and demographic composition of the occupied West Bank, raising serious concerns of ethnic cleansing,&quot; it said. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">&#39;Inhumane choice&#39;&nbsp;</h2>In Gaza, the report condemned the continued killing and maiming of &quot;unprecedented numbers of civilians&quot;, the spread of famine, and destruction of the &quot;remaining civilian infrastructure.&quot; During the 12 months covered in the report, at least 463 Palestinians, including 157 children, starved to death in Gaza, it said. &quot;Palestinians faced the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risking being killed while trying to get food,&quot; said the report. &quot;The situation of famine and malnutrition was the direct result of actions taken by the Israeli government,&quot; with the deaths and suffering from hunger &quot;foreseeable and repeatedly foretold.&quot; <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Impunity &#39;kills&#39;&nbsp;</h2>Last week, UN rights chief Volker Turk warned that the world was witnessing &quot;rapid steps to change permanently the demography of the occupied Palestinian territory.&quot; On Tuesday, Israel&#39;s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich vowed to encourage &quot;emigration&quot; from the Palestinian territories. And on Wednesday, UN Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo warned the Security Council that steps by Israel to tighten control of areas of the West Bank administered by the Palestinian Authority amount to &quot;gradual de facto annexation.&quot; Thursday&#39;s rights office report concluded that, considered together, Israeli practices &quot;indicated a concerted and accelerating effort to consolidate annexation of large parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and to deny Palestinians&#39; right to self-determination.&quot; The report said there was a pervasive climate of impunity for serious violations of international law by the Israeli authorities in the Palestinian territories. &quot;Impunity is not abstract -- it kills. Accountability is indispensable. It is the prerequisite for a just and durable peace in Palestine and Israel,&quot; Turk said in a statement.

‘Intensified attacks, the methodical destruction of entire neighborhoods and the denial of humanitarian assistance appeared to aim at a permanent demographic shift in Gaza,’ UN human rights office says in a report.

UN says Israeli actions raising 'ethnic cleansing' fears in West Bank, Gaza

NEW DELHI: Sam Altman, head of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, told a global artificial intelligence conference on Thursday that the world &quot;urgently&quot; needs to regulate the fast-evolving technology. An organization could be set up to coordinate these efforts, similar to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he said. Altman is one of a host of top tech CEOs in New Delhi for the AI Impact Summit, the fourth annual global meeting on how to handle advanced computing power. &quot;For an obvious example, there&#39;ll be extremely capable biomodels available open-source that could help people create new pathogens, he said on stage. &quot;We need a society-wide approach about how we&#39;re going to defend against this.&quot; Frenzied demand for generative AI has turbocharged profits for many companies while fuelling anxiety about the risks to individuals and the planet. &quot;Democratisation of AI is the best way to ensure humanity flourishes,&quot; Altman said, adding that &quot;centralisation of this technology in one company or country could lead to ruin&quot;. &quot;This is not to suggest that we won&#39;t need any regulation or safeguards,&quot; he said. &quot;We obviously do, urgently, like we have for other powerful technologies.&quot; Many researchers and campaigners say stronger action is needed to combat emerging issues, ranging from job disruption to sexualised deepfakes and AI-enabled online scams. &quot;We expect the world may need something like the IAEA for international coordination of AI,&quot; with the ability to &quot;rapidly respond to changing circumstances&quot;, Altman said. &quot;The next few years will test global society as this technology continues to improve at a rapid pace. We can choose to either empower people or concentrate power,&quot; he added. &quot;Technology always disrupts jobs; we always find new and better things to do.&quot;

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman attends the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on February 19, 2026. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)

Artificial Intelligence

Sam Altman urges global coordination and safeguards for advanced AI, warning of biosecurity risks, power concentration, and rapid societal disruption.

Pakistan delivers strong demarche to Afghan diplomat after Bajaur terrorist attack

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Board of Peace: Trump praises Pakistan’s PM, calls Field Marshal 'tough fighter'