Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday held virtual consultations with his counterparts from T&uuml;rkiye, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), focusing on regional developments and underscoring the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in easing tensions, the Foreign Office said.&nbsp;The consultations took place while Dar is on an official visit to Beijing, where he is co-chairing the 7th Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers&rsquo; Strategic Dialogue with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to an earlier Foreign Office statement.&nbsp;During his separate conversations with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Dar discussed the evolving regional situation, the statement said.&nbsp;The foreign minister welcomed the Saudi position on Yemen and &ldquo;appreciated the efforts of all sides to resolve&rdquo; regional issues through peaceful means, the Foreign Office added.&nbsp;In a separate interaction with UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Dar exchanged views on the broader regional environment and expressed satisfaction over what the statement described as a &ldquo;positive trajectory&rdquo; and recent improvements in the situation.&nbsp;&ldquo;DPM/FM Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar appreciated that dialogue and diplomacy have resulted in tangible outcomes on the ground,&rdquo; the Foreign Office said, adding that Pakistan continues to support peaceful engagement and cooperative approaches to regional challenges.

Foreign Affairs

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar holds virtual talks with counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and UAE, discussing regional developments and praising dialogue and diplomacy for easing tensions

Pakistani FM consults Muslim-majority counterparts on regional stability, diplomacy

BANJUL: At least 31 people drowned when an overloaded boat carrying undocumented migrants capsized on New Year&#39;s Eve off the coast of Gambia, the government said on Monday, hiking the previous toll. &quot;Many others (are) missing and feared dead,&quot; the government said in an update. Thousands of people, most of them young, have tried to reach Europe from West Africa, mainly via the Spanish Canary Islands, on overcrowded and often dilapidated boats due to restrictions on visas and tighter border security. Migrant boats have been forced to leave from further south, notably from The Gambia and Guinea, adding to the journey &mdash; and dangers &mdash; at sea, after Senegal, Mauritania, and Morocco increased maritime patrols. In the latest such tragedy, a boat loaded with more than 200 people made a distress call overnight, December 31 to January 1, near the North Bank region. The Gambian Navy launched a hunt for survivors after midnight, involving several vessels and a fishing boat. The stricken vessel was later found on a sandbank. &quot;Fifteen bodies are confirmed to be recovered from the Gambia and 16 in Senegal,&quot; said the government in its update, hiking the previous toll of at least 7 dead. 102 people were rescued, 23 of whom were hospitalized. President Adama Barrow said on Friday that the country was in mourning over the disaster.

Africa

The Gambian Navy launches hunt for survivors, involving several vessels and a fishing boat; stricken vessel found on a sandbank.

At least 31 dead in New Year's migrant boat sinking off Gambia

BEIRUT: The Israeli military launched strikes on southern and eastern Lebanon on Monday, Lebanese state media reported, after warning it would hit what it called Hezbollah and Hamas targets in four villages. It was the first such warning issued by the Israeli military this year, as Israel continues to strike targets in Lebanon despite a ceasefire with Hezbollah. An AFP photographer in Kfar Hatta, one of the targeted villages in south Lebanon, saw dozens of families flee the village after the warning was issued, amid drone activity in the area, adding that ambulances and fire trucks were on standby. Lebanon&#39;s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported strikes on the four villages. It later reported a new series of strikes near the southern towns of Saksakiyeh and Sarafand, without prior warning. According to the NNA, the strike on Al-Manara in eastern Lebanon caused &quot;the complete destruction of a house and serious damage to surrounding houses, cars, and commercial establishments.&quot; The Israeli military said in a statement that it &quot;began striking Hezbollah and Hamas terror targets in Lebanon.&quot; In two separate posts on X, the military&#39;s Arabic-language spokesperson, Colonel Avichay Adraee, said the villages were Kfar Hatta and Annan in south Lebanon, and Al-Manara and Ain al-Tineh in eastern Lebanon. Adraee said the military would hit Hezbollah sites in Kfar Hatta and Ain al-Tinah, and Hamas sites in Annan and Al-Manara. The NNA said the home targeted in Al-Manara belonged to Sharhabil Sayed, a Hamas leader in Lebanon who was killed by Israel in 2024. Repeated attacks Despite a year-old ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel carries out regular strikes on Lebanon, usually saying it is bombing Hezbollah sites and operatives, and occasionally Hamas targets. Two people were killed in an Israeli strike that targeted a vehicle on Sunday, around 10 kilometers (six miles) from the border, the Lebanese health ministry said. In November, an Israeli strike on south Lebanon&#39;s Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp killed 13 people. Israel said it targeted a Hamas compound, with the group rejecting the claim. It has also hit Hamas&#39;s ally in Lebanon, the group Jamaa Islamiya, which claimed responsibility for multiple attacks against Israel before the ceasefire. Under heavy US pressure and fears of expanded Israeli strikes, Beirut has committed to disarming Hezbollah, which was badly weakened after more than a year of hostilities with Israel, including two months of open war that ended with the November 2024 ceasefire. Lebanon&#39;s army was expected to complete the disarmament south of the Litani River &mdash; about 30 kilometers from the border with Israel &mdash; by the end of 2025, before tackling the rest of the country. All four of Monday&#39;s targeted villages are located north of the river. Israel&#39;s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Sunday called the disarmament efforts far from sufficient. Lebanon&#39;s cabinet is to meet on Thursday to discuss the army&#39;s progress, while the ceasefire monitoring committee &mdash; comprising Lebanon, Israel, the United States, France, and UN peacekeepers &mdash; is also set to meet this week. At least 350 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon since the ceasefire, according to an AFP tally of Lebanese health ministry reports.

Middle East

Despite a year-old ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel carries out regular strikes on Lebanon, usually saying it is bombing Hezbollah sites and operatives, and occasionally Hamas targets; at least 350 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon ever since.

Israel says targets Hezbollah, Hamas in Lebanon strikes

COPENHAGEN: Denmark&#39;s prime minister warned Monday that any US move to take Greenland by force would destroy 80 years of transatlantic security links, after President Donald Trump repeated his desire to annex the mineral-rich Arctic territory. Washington&#39;s military intervention in Venezuela has reignited fears about Trump&#39;s designs on the autonomous Danish territory, which has untapped rare earth deposits and could be a vital player as polar ice melts, opening up new shipping routes. &quot;We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it,&quot; the US leader said Sunday. In response, Greenland&#39;s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen told Trump to back off, while several European countries and the European Union rushed to back Denmark, which has urged Washington to stop threatening a NATO ally. In Copenhagen, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told the TV2 network: &quot;If the United States decides to military attack another NATO country, then everything would stop &mdash; that includes NATO and therefore post-World War II security.&quot; Greenland is on the shortest route for missiles between Russia and the United States, and Washington has a military base there. &quot;We&#39;ll worry about Greenland in about two months,&quot; Trump said. &quot;Let&#39;s talk about Greenland in 20 days.&quot; Nielsen told Trump on social media: &quot;That&#39;s enough now. No more pressure. No more insinuations. No more fantasies of annexation.&quot; &quot;We are open to dialogue,&quot; he said. &quot;But this must happen through the proper channels and with respect for international law.&quot; On Monday, he called for renewed contact with the US and urged against panic. &quot;The situation is not such that the United States can conquer Greenland. That is not the case. Therefore, we must not panic. We must restore the good cooperation we once had,&quot; Nielsen said in Nuuk, adding, &quot;we must try to re-establish contact.&quot; &#39;China threat&#39; Trump rattled European leaders by seizing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who is now detained in New York. Trump has said the United States will &quot;run&quot; Venezuela indefinitely and tap its huge oil reserves. The US leader has similarly ramped up pressure on Greenland over recent months, saying in December that Russian and Chinese ships were &quot;all over&quot; the territory&#39;s coast. The foreign ministry in Beijing hit back on Monday, urging Washington to &quot;stop using the so-called China threat as an excuse to seek personal gain.&quot; Aaja Chemnitz, who represents Greenland in the Danish parliament, accused Trump of &quot;spreading lies about Chinese and Russian warships.&quot; &quot;The people of Greenland should go into preparation mode,&quot; she told AFP, adding that Greenlanders needed to start taking Trump much more seriously. On the streets of Copenhagen, people expressed bewilderment at Trump&#39;s threats. &quot;I think it&#39;s a little crazy that he can say those things,&quot; said Frederik Olsen, 56. &quot;He has all the access he wants for the troops,&quot; said Christian Harpsoe, 46. &quot;I see no need. You cannot compare this to Venezuela.&quot; &lsquo;Disrespectful&#39;The controversy drew statements of support from around Europe. EU foreign policy spokesperson Anitta Hipper told reporters the bloc was committed to defending the territorial integrity of its members. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said &quot;only Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark&quot; could decide the territory&#39;s future &mdash; sentiments reflected in statements from the leaders of Finland, Sweden, and Norway. France&#39;s foreign ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux told local TV that &quot;borders cannot be changed by force&quot; and added that his country felt &quot;solidarity&quot; with Denmark. The flare-up came after former Trump aide Katie Miller posted an online image Saturday of Greenland in the colors of the US flag with the caption &quot;SOON.&quot; Nielsen labelled the post &quot;disrespectful.&quot; Frederiksen on Sunday called on Washington to stop &quot;threatening its historical ally&quot; and said US claims on Greenland were &quot;absurd.&quot; Miller is the wife of Trump adviser Stephen Miller, who is widely seen as the architect of many Trump policies, guiding the president&#39;s hard-line immigration decisions and domestic agenda. In response to Miller&#39;s post, Denmark&#39;s ambassador to Washington, Jesper Moeller Soerensen, said his country was already working with Washington to boost security in the Arctic. &quot;We are close allies and should continue to work together as such,&quot; Soerensen wrote.

Americas

Europe

Washington's military intervention in Venezuela has reignited fears about Trump's designs on the autonomous Danish territory, which has untapped rare earth deposits and could be a vital player as polar ice melts, opening up new shipping routes.

NATO ally Denmark warns US against taking Greenland by force

UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called on Iran to respect demonstrators&#39; right to &quot;protest peacefully,&quot; with the country in the grip of unrest over high prices and economic stagnation. The Secretary-General &quot;underscores the need to prevent any further casualties,&quot; his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. &quot;He also calls on the authorities to uphold the right of freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly&quot; and that &quot;all individuals must be allowed to protest peacefully and express their grievances.&quot;

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Iran to respect demonstrators' right to "protest peacefully," with the country in the grip of unrest over high prices and economic stagnation

UN chief calls on Iran to respect demonstrators' right to 'protest peacefully' 

NEW YORK: Deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to charges of narco-terrorism in a New York court on Monday, two days after being snatched by US forces in a stunning raid on his home in Caracas. Maduro, 63, told a federal judge in Manhattan that he had been &quot;kidnapped&quot; from Venezuela and said &quot;I&#39;m innocent, I&#39;m not guilty,&quot; US media reported. &quot;I&#39;m still the president of my country,&quot; he was quoted as saying. Maduro&#39;s wife Cilia Flores likewise pleaded not guilty. The pair were snatched by US commandos in the early hours of Saturday in an assault backed by warplanes and a heavy naval deployment. In a series of shock announcements over the weekend, President Donald Trump declared that the United States is now running Venezuela with an eye to rebuilding and controling its huge but decrepit oil industry. Amid international alarm, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told&nbsp;an emergency UN Security Council meeting that there should be &quot;respect for the principles of sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity.&quot; There was sharp criticism Monday from Mexico, where President Claudia Sheinbaum said the Americas &quot;do not belong&quot; to anyone. Colombian President Gustavo Petro issued a fiery statement saying that as a former guerrilla fighter he was ready to &quot;take up arms&quot; against Trump. Maduro became president in 2013, taking over from his equally hardline socialist predecessor Hugo Chavez. The United States and European Union say he stayed in power by rigging elections and imprisoning opponents, while overseeing rampant corruption. The end to a quarter century of leftist rule leaves Venezuela&#39;s approximately 30 million people facing uncertainty. Some 2,000 Maduro supporters, including rifle-wielding men on motorcycles, rallied Sunday in Caracas, waving Venezuelan flags. On Monday, deputies in the Venezuelan parliament shouted &quot;let&#39;s go Nico!&quot; in support for the ousted leader. For now, though, the Trump administration is indicating it wants continuity with the remainder of Maduro&#39;s entourage&mdash;provided they submit to US demands. Interim president Delcy Rodriguez, who was Maduro&#39;s vice president, dropped an initially defiant posture on Sunday, saying she was ready for &quot;cooperation.&quot; Trump has made clear there is no appetite for helping opposition candidates previously seen as the rightful winners of rigged elections to take power. &#39;Need access to oil&#39;When asked what he needs from interim leader Rodriguez, Trump said: &quot;We need total access. We need access to the oil and other things in their country that allow us to rebuild their country.&quot; Venezuela has the world&#39;s largest proven oil reserves. However the oil is difficult and expensive to produce and after years of international sanctions and mismanagement, the infrastructure is in poor shape. Shares in US oil majors Chevron, ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips shares surged on Wall Street early Monday. Trump, who has shocked many Americans with his unprecedented moves to accumulate domestic power, also now appears increasingly emboldened in foreign policy. On Sunday, he said communist Cuba was &quot;ready to fall&quot; and he repeated that Greenland, which is part of US ally Denmark, should be controlled by the United States. He has lashed out at Colombia&#39;s Petro, saying he should &quot;watch his ass.&quot; Although there are no known US troops in Venezuela now, the Trump administration says it retains powerful economic leverage through an oil blockade. Trump has also threatened additional military attacks. A huge US naval presence, including an aircraft carrier, is deployed in the Caribbean. Details of the US operation in Caracas were still emerging Monday, with Havana saying 32 Cubans were killed in the attack. No US service members were killed but some were wounded, according to US officials. Protesting outside the New York court, leftist activist Sydney Loving, 31, said she stood &quot;with the people of Venezuela.&quot; &quot;We say no to US wars. We say no to US intervention. It&#39;s not in our benefit. It does not make the US safer, it makes it makes the people on Wall Street richer,&quot; she told AFP. However, Angel Montero, who moved to the United States from Venezuela, described the downfall of Maduro as &quot;the best gift I ever received.&quot; &quot;I&#39;m going to thank Donald Trump,&quot; Montero, 36, said.&nbsp;

Deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to charges of narco-terrorism in a New York court, two days after being snatched by US forces in a stunning raid on his home in Caracas

Deposed Venezuelan leader pleads not guilty in US court

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday inaugurated its first Fishing Technology Museum and launched the Mahi-Dost digital app, aiming to modernize fisheries, promote sustainable practices, trace catches, and enhance seafood exports in line with global standards, said a statement by the Press Information Department (PID). Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said the museum is more than an exhibition, describing it as a strategic asset for Pakistan&rsquo;s blue economy, as per the statement. &ldquo;By integrating indigenous knowledge with innovations such as AI-enabled sonar and environmentally friendly nets, we can strengthen policy decisions to combat overfishing and climate risks,&rdquo; he said. The museum, located in Karachi, showcases the evolution of fishing techniques from traditional artisanal practices to modern technologies, the statement said. It is intended as a national hub for research, learning, and policymaking while preserving the cultural heritage of coastal communities, the statement added. The Mahi-Dost app, launched alongside the museum, provides a digital catch-to-consumer tracking system using blockchain and GPS. Fishermen can record catch data via QR codes, ensuring transparency and compliance with international regulations, including EU catch certification, the US Marine Mammal Protection Act, and Indian Ocean Tuna Commission standards, as per the statement. Chaudhry said the app safeguards dolphin-safe fishing, supports transparent supply chains, and helps Pakistan&rsquo;s $500 million seafood export sector access higher-value international markets. &quot;By bringing together indigenous knowledge and modern innovations such as AI-enabled sonar and environmentally friendly nets&hellip; the initiative would support informed policymaking to counter overfishing and climate-related risks&rdquo;, said the statement. Early pilot projects have already reduced EU approval times and enabled small-scale fishermen to benefit from global trade, it added. The museum and app aim to improve monitoring, control, and surveillance, and curb illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing losses estimated at $1 billion. This will advance Pakistan&rsquo;s Blue Economy Policy and Sustainable Development Goal 14, promoting life below water. The government continues to emphasize its commitment to combining heritage and innovation to secure a sustainable maritime future.

Economy

Pakistan launched its first Fishing Technology Museum and the Mahi-Dost app, aiming to modernize fisheries, safeguard coastal heritage, enhance export transparency, curb illegal fishing, and promote sustainable practices supporting the country’s blue economy and SDG 14 goals.

Pakistan launches fishing museum and app to boost sustainable fisheries

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;The Sindh Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Tuesday foiled a major terrorist plot&nbsp;during an intelligence-based operation, with 2,000 kilograms of explosives recovered, according to a press statement. Addressing a press conference in Karachi, CTD Additional Inspector General (IG) Zulfiqar Ali Larik and CTD Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ghulam Azfar Mahesar said that a &ldquo;premier intelligence agency,&rdquo; along with law enforcement agencies, received information that terrorists were planning an attack targeting the city. &ldquo;During the operation, a large quantity of weapons, ammunition, and explosive material was recovered from their possession,&rdquo; the CTD statement added. The recovered items included one hand grenade, 30 live cartridges, five detonators, 2,000 kg of explosives, primer cord, and other prohibited items. Mahesar said the terrorists were planning to attack specific targets in Karachi to destabilize national security. He added that intelligence agencies, the Special Branch, the Intelligence Bureau, and the CTDs of Sindh and Balochistan devised a strategy to thwart the plot. He said intelligence officials were deployed at multiple locations, with a particular focus on Karachi&rsquo;s western region. Mahesar said that after several days of sustained efforts, officials obtained information about a terrorist hideout in Raees Goth, Karachi, where a large quantity of explosive material had been prepared. Following the intelligence tip-off, Sindh CTD and a premier intelligence agency conducted a joint raid. He said raids were carried out at six locations based on information provided by an arrested terrorist, leading to the arrest of two more suspects who were also in possession of explosive material. During initial interrogation, he said, the arrested suspects revealed they were associated with the Bashir Zeb network of the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its Majeed Brigade. &ldquo;We captured one terrorist, while three or four others managed to escape the scene,&rdquo; he said. He added that officials recovered a truck loaded with explosive material, which had been transported to the metropolis and was &ldquo;ready to go.&rdquo; Praising the coordinated efforts, Mahesar said it was a major achievement by all agencies involved, as it prevented a large-scale attack in Karachi. He said the seized explosive material was a mix of commercial explosives and material smuggled through Balochistan&rsquo;s mountainous regions. The CTD official said further details would be shared at a later stage.&nbsp; &ldquo;After the completion of further investigation,&rdquo; the CTD statement added, &ldquo;the suspects will be produced before a court.&rdquo;

Security

The Sindh counterterrorism department foiled a major Karachi terrorist plot, seizing 2,000 kg of explosives, weapons, and ammunition. Three suspects linked to Balochistan Liberation Army networks were arrested, preventing a large-scale attack; further investigation is ongoing.

2,000 kg explosives seized, major terrorist plot in Karachi foiled: Counterterrorism officials

LONDON: The embassy of Palestine was officially inaugurated in London in a short ceremony on Monday, hailed by its ambassador as a &quot;profound milestone&quot; in British-Palestinian relations.&nbsp;&quot;We gather today to mark a historic moment - the inauguration of the embassy of the State of Palestine to the United Kingdom, with full diplomatic status and privileges,&quot; said ambassador Husam Zomlot in a speech outside what was previously known as the Palestinian Mission to the UK in west London.&nbsp;The official upgrading of the mission to embassy status came after the UK announced it would recognise the State of Palestine in September 2025, along with several other countries, including Australia and Canada, at a time of major international concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.&nbsp;Sporting a traditional black and white keffiyeh scarf, Zomlot told the ceremony this is &quot;not merely a change of name&quot;, but a &quot;change of direction&quot; towards Palestinian statehood.&nbsp;&quot;What a way to begin a new year together, marking a profound milestone in the British-Palestinian relations, and in the Palestinian people&#39;s long journey to freedom and self-determination,&quot; Zomlot said, before unveiling the embassy&#39;s new plaque.&nbsp;&quot;This is a day of hope, a day of steadfastness, and a day that reminds the world that peace is not only possible, it is inevitable... when rooted in justice, dignity, equality and mutual recognition.&quot;&nbsp;The UK&#39;s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to an AFP query on whether the UK planned to follow suit by opening a British embassy in the Palestinian territories.&nbsp;Speaking just after Zomlot at a lectern flanked by Palestinian and British national flags, UK diplomatic representative Alistair Harrison said the occasion represented a &quot;moment of hope&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;This is the beginning of a step change in our bilateral relationship,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&quot;I wish you ambassador, and your team, a very happy stay in what is now your embassy, and congratulations.&quot;&nbsp;A fragile ceasefire has been in place since October in Gaza, following a devastating war waged by Israel in response to Hamas&#39;s unprecedented deadly October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

United Kingdom

Palestine opens its embassy in London, a landmark in British-Palestinian relations, signaling progress toward statehood and highlighting hope and justice amid humanitarian challenges in Gaza.

Palestinian embassy in UK officially inaugurated

JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel would not allow arch-foe Iran to restore its ballistic missile programme, just days after US President Donald Trump issued a similar threat.&nbsp;&quot;We will not allow Iran to restore its ballistic missile industry, and certainly we will not allow it renew the nuclear programme that we significantly damaged,&quot; Netanyahu told lawmakers.&nbsp;&quot;If we are attacked, the consequences for Iran will be very severe,&quot; he said.&nbsp;Netanyahu&#39;s threat comes days after Trump threatened to &quot;eradicate&quot; Iran&#39;s nuclear and ballistic missile programme, after the two leaders met in Washington last week.&nbsp;Israeli officials and media have expressed concern in recent months that Iran is rebuilding its ballistic missile arsenal after it was adamaged during the 12-day war with Israel in June.&nbsp;Trump said Iran &quot;may be behaving badly&quot; and was looking at new nuclear sites to replace those targeted by US strikes during the same conflict, as well as restoring its missile stockpiles.&nbsp;&quot;I hope they&#39;re not trying to build up again because if they are, we&#39;re going have no choice but very quickly to eradicate that buildup,&quot; Trump said, adding that the US response &quot;may be more powerful than the last time.&quot;&nbsp;But Trump said he believed Iran was still interested in a deal with Washington on its nuclear and missile programmes. Tehran denies that it is seeking nuclear weapons.&nbsp;Netanyahu, meanwhile, said the protests in Iran had &quot;expanded greatly&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;It is very possible that we are at a decisive moment -- a moment when the Iranian people will take their destiny into their own hands,&quot; he said in parliament.&nbsp;Protests erupted in Iran on December 28 when shopkeepers in the capital Tehran staged a strike over high prices and economic stagnation.&nbsp;They have since spread to other cities and expanded to include political demands.&nbsp;On Sunday, Netanyahu said that Israel stood in solidarity with the Iranian people during the ongoing demonstrations.&nbsp;&quot;We stand in solidarity with the struggle of the Iranian people and with their aspirations for freedom, liberty and justice,&quot; Netanyahu said at the weekly cabinet meeting.

Netanyahu warns Iran against rebuilding ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities, citing severe consequences, and voices support for ongoing Iranian protests demanding economic and political reforms.

Netanyahu says Israel won't let Iran restore ballistic missile programme

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Computer Emergency Response Team (PK-CERT) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with global cybersecurity company Kaspersky on Monday to strengthen Pakistan&rsquo;s national cybersecurity framework, according to an official statement from the ministry of IT and telecommunications. &ldquo;The collaboration marks an important step toward safeguarding Pakistan&rsquo;s digital ecosystem and reinforcing trust in the country&rsquo;s ongoing digital transformation,&rdquo; the statement said. PK-CERT is a federal government entity responsible for protecting Pakistan&rsquo;s digital assets, sensitive information, and critical infrastructure from cyberattacks, cyberterrorism, and cyber espionage. According to the MoU, both organizations will collaborate on multiple areas of cybersecurity, including incident detection and response, prevention strategies, education, and research and development. The MoU also includes collaboration on the launch of &ldquo;cybersecurity training and awareness programmes&rdquo; and allows PK-CERT and Kaspersky to exchange information on cyber threats. Kaspersky also agreed to share its expertise with PK-CERT to &ldquo;counter cyber espionage, data leaks, attacks on critical infrastructure, and disinformation campaigns,&rdquo; the statement said. By combining expertise and resources, PK-CERT and Kaspersky aim to enhance Pakistan&rsquo;s cyber resilience, supporting a safer digital adoption for citizens, businesses, and government.

Pakistan’s PK-CERT signs MoU with global cybersecurity company Kaspersky to boost national cybersecurity, enhance cyber resilience, and counter threats through joint training, information sharing, and advanced incident response.