PARIS: The International Ski Federation (FIS) announced on Tuesday that Russian and Belarusian athletes in its disciplines will not be able to qualify for next year&#39;s Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.&nbsp;Competitors in skiing and snowboarding from the two countries have been banned from FIS events since Moscow&#39;s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but they had hoped to participate under a neutral banner in the Games, which run from February 6-22, 2026.&nbsp;&quot;The FIS Council convened this Tuesday and voted not to facilitate the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus as Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) in FIS qualification events for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games,&quot; FIS said.&nbsp;During the 2022 Games in Beijing, Russia won almost a third of all cross-country skiing medals, although they picked up none in alpine skiing.&nbsp;&quot;I think it&#39;s the right decision,&quot; Norway&#39;s individual sprint Olympic champion Johannes Klaebo told television channel NRK.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;ve thought for a while that Russians should not be allowed to compete as long as the war in Ukraine continues,&quot; the 28-year-old added.&nbsp;FIS followed in the footsteps of the moves from the governing bodies of biathlon and luge, although ice skating authorities have decided to allow athletes from the two nations to attempt to qualify.&nbsp;When it comes to the Paralympics, held on March 6-15, the FIS has decided not to follow the International Paralympic Committee&#39;s move to lift the partial suspension of Russia and Belarus.&nbsp;The FIS runs three out of the 10 disciplines at the Winter Paralympics.

Athletics

The International Ski Federation barred Russian and Belarusian athletes from qualifying for the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, continuing bans from FIS events since 2022, citing the ongoing Ukraine conflict.


Ski body blocks Russian, Belarusian athletes from 2026 Winter Olympics

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan early Wednesday to discuss regional developments and issues of mutual interest, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said. Earlier in the day, according to a state-run Saudi Press Agency, the Saudi Cabinet &mdash; headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman &mdash; welcomed the immediate ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan &ldquo;and the establishment of mechanisms to consolidate lasting peace and stability between the two countries.&rdquo; It affirmed support for regional and international efforts to achieve security and peace worldwide, SPA reported. The Saudi Cabinet&#39;s statement comes amid heightened tensions between Islamabad and Kabul over the presence of terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan and a recent surge in terrorist activity targeting Pakistani security forces and civilians.

Foreign Affairs

Saudi Cabinet welcomes immediate ceasefire Pakistan, Afghanistan “and the establishment of mechanisms to consolidate lasting peace and stability between the two countries.”


Saudi FM discusses regional developments with Pakistani counterpart: Riyadh

ISLAMABAD: Qatar&rsquo;s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday condemned Israel of repeatedly violating the 11-day-old ceasefire in Gaza, calling its recent strikes a &ldquo;flagrant breach&rdquo; of international law and warning that the truce risked collapse unless respected by all sides. Delivering his annual address to the Shura Council, Sheikh Tamim said the situation in Gaza had worsened despite the US-brokered ceasefire that took effect on October 10, urging the international community to &ldquo;hold Israel accountable&rdquo; for its actions. &ldquo;We reiterate our condemnation of all Israeli violations and practices in Palestine, particularly the transformation of the Gaza Strip into an area unfit for human life and the continued violation of the ceasefire,&rdquo; the emir said. Qatar, a key mediator in the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas, has been facilitating talks in Doha aimed at preventing renewed hostilities and ensuring humanitarian access to Gaza. The emir also denounced what he called Israel&rsquo;s &ldquo;genocidal war&rdquo; and &ldquo;expansion of illegal settlements&rdquo; in the occupied West Bank, as well as &ldquo;attempts to Judaize the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound&rdquo; in East Jerusalem. &ldquo;Israel has violated all international laws and norms governing relations between states by attacking a country that acts as a mediator and by its attempt to kill delegation members,&rdquo; Sheikh Tamim said, referring to a recent Israeli strike on a Hamas delegation in Doha. &ldquo;We considered this aggression an act of state terrorism, and the global response was strong enough to shock the perpetrators,&rdquo; he added. According to Gaza&rsquo;s Government Media Office, over 100 Palestinians have been killed and more than 230 injured since the ceasefire began, with Israel accused of violating the truce 80 times through &ldquo;direct gunfire, bombardments, and arrests of civilians.&rdquo; The Israeli army said recent airstrikes were a response to &ldquo;a blatant violation&rdquo; of the truce after &ldquo;two soldiers were killed,&rdquo; while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told parliament that 153 tons of bombs were dropped on Hamas positions last week. Hamas, however, denied any breach, slamming Israel of fabricating &ldquo;pretexts&rdquo; to resume fighting. The ongoing exchange of accusations has raised fears for the durability of the ceasefire, which has allowed thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza to find their homes in ruins. &ldquo;The ceasefire must be upheld,&rdquo; Sheikh Tamim said. &ldquo;Only through respect for international law and protection of civilians can peace be achieved.&rdquo;

Middle East

According to Gaza’s Government Media Office, over 100 Palestinians have been killed and more than 230 injured since the ceasefire began, with Israel accused of violating the truce 80 times through “direct gunfire, bombardments, and arrests of civilians.”



Qatar’s emir condemns Israel’s ‘continued violation’ of Gaza ceasefire

SEOUL: North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles on Wednesday, its first such launch in months and just a week before world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, descend on South Korea for a summit. Seoul&#39;s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had &quot;detected several projectiles, believed to be short-range ballistic missiles&quot;. The missiles were fired &quot;from the area of Junghwa in North Hwanghae Province around 8:10 am Wednesday (2310 GMT Tuesday),&quot; the military added. The launch was the first of its kind since South Korean President Lee Jae-myung took office in June. Trump has said he hopes to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, possibly this year, following several meetings during the Republican president&#39;s first term. The North&#39;s state media has indicated that Kim is open to future talks, with caveats that the United States give up its &quot;delusional&quot; demand that Pyongyang relinquish its nuclear arsenal. North Korea this month showed off what it called its &quot;most powerful&quot; intercontinental ballistic missile at a military parade attended by top officials from Russia and China. Pyongyang has said that the strike range of the new Hwasong-20 &quot;knows no bounds.&quot; In September, Kim oversaw a test of a solid-fuel engine used for long-range nuclear missiles. State media said it was the ninth and final test of the engine, indicating that a full test-fire of the new ICBM could be conducted in the coming months. Open to meeting&nbsp;North Korea has for years staged test flights of long-range missiles it claims are able to reach the continental United States. Pyongyang has also rolled out solid-fuel variants that are easier to mobilize, conceal and launch rapidly compared with liquid-fuel missiles. The US demand that Kim give up his banned weapons has long been a sticking point between the two countries. Pyongyang is under successive rafts of UN sanctions over its nuclear and missile programs. North Korea has repeatedly stated that it has no intention of giving up its arsenal. And it has worked to strengthen ties with old partners China and Russia. But Pyongyang has also recently indicated a fresh openness to talks with the United States. Kim met Trump three times for high-profile summits during the US leader&#39;s first term, before talks collapsed in Hanoi in 2019 over what concessions Pyongyang was prepared to make on its atomic weapons. Kim, in September, said he had &quot;fond memories&quot; of Trump and was open to another meeting. &quot;If the United States discards its delusional obsession with denuclearization and, based on recognizing reality, truly wishes for peaceful coexistence with us, then there is no reason we cannot meet it,&quot; state media quoted him as saying. Trump is expected to arrive in South Korea on October 29 for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum.

Asia

Trump is expected to arrive in South Korea on October 29 for the APEC Forum; the launch is the first of its kind since South Korean President Lee Jae-myung took office in June.



North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles, first launch in months

Syed Muhammad Zaid

ISLAMABAD: United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that he spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, emphasizing that both discussed the need to have &ldquo;no wars with Pakistan.&rdquo; Speaking at a Diwali celebration, President Trump said he had a &ldquo;great conversation&rdquo; with the Indian leader, focusing mainly on economic cooperation.<div class="fr-embed instagram-embed" style="width: 50%; display: block; max-width: 600px;"><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQGDLJAjca5/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=14&wp=675&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com&rp=%2Farticles%2F1613#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A111364.90000000596%2C%22ls%22%3A640.0999999940395%2C%22le%22%3A690.7999999821186%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="981" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background: white; max-width: 540px; width: calc(100% - 2px); border-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219); box-shadow: none; display: block; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px;"></iframe></div> &ldquo;We talked about a lot of things, but mostly the world of trade,&rdquo; the US president said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s very interested in that.&rdquo; Trump went on to add that peace between India and Pakistan was also part of the discussion. &ldquo;Although we did talk a little while ago about, let&rsquo;s have no wars with Pakistan,&rdquo; he said. He further remarked,&nbsp;&ldquo;And I think the fact that trade was involved, I was able to talk about that. And we have no war with Pakistan and India. That was a very, very good thing.&rdquo; The US president has recently mentioned both South Asian countries while discussing his broader diplomatic efforts to prevent conflicts around the world, including his mediation attempts in the Russia&ndash;Ukraine war. Last week, while commenting on statements made by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Trump said that he had &ldquo;saved millions of lives&rdquo; by preventing a potential conflict between India and Pakistan. During his address, Trump also referenced reports of aerial encounters between the two countries, stating that &ldquo;seven planes were shot down&rdquo; during tensions between India and Pakistan. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had earlier told the United Nations General Assembly that Pakistani forces had turned seven Indian aircraft into &ldquo;scrap and dust.&rdquo; The Indian military has also claimed that it shot down five Pakistani fighter jets, a statement dismissed by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on X, who termed the claim &ldquo;comical.&rdquo; The US president has in recent weeks also criticized India for continuing to purchase Russian oil, and his administration has imposed tariffs on Indian exports to pressure New Delhi to support efforts for peace in Ukraine. Earlier this week, Trump reiterated that India would continue to face &ldquo;massive tariffs&rdquo; if it did not halt its imports of Russian oil.

Americas

US president says he spoke “mostly about trade” with the Indian premier; terms no war between India and Pakistan a “very, very good thing.”


‘No wars with Pakistan,’ Trump tells India’s Modi in Diwali message

Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: Pakistan&rsquo;s external account recorded its first current account surplus of the fiscal year 2025&ndash;26, reaching $110 million in September, according to official data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) this week. The surplus marks a significant turnaround after consecutive deficits in July and August and contrasts with a $52 million deficit recorded in the same month last year. According to SBP, the improvement reflects a combination of a narrower trade gap, a resilient services sector, and robust remittance inflows that helped offset rising import pressures. In the first quarter of FY26, the cumulative current account deficit narrowed to $594 million, compared to $502 million in the same quarter last year. Imports during the quarter stood at $15.4 billion, up from $14.2 billion a year earlier, while service exports increased slightly to $2.2 billion, against service imports of $3.2 billion. A key stabilizing factor was remittances, which remained strong at $3.18 billion in September, marking an 11% year-on-year increase and holding steady compared to August. These inflows provided critical support to the external balance, cushioning the impact of higher imports. &ldquo;The improvement reflects better external account management, not just temporary controls,&rdquo; said Waqas Ghani, head of research at JS Global, during an interview with Pakistan TV Digital. &ldquo;While exports rose moderately, the real shift came from stable imports and a favorable services balance,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;Services exports increased 18 percent month-on-month, while services imports fell 13%,&rdquo; the researcher said. &ldquo;This allowed the external balance to swing into surplus.&rdquo; SBP projects that while imports may rise in the coming months due to higher economic activity and potential agricultural shortages, sustained remittance inflows and lower US tariffs on Pakistani goods could help maintain external stability. The central bank expects the FY26 current account deficit to remain between 0 and 1 percent of GDP, compared to a $2.1 billion surplus in FY25. Foreign exchange reserves also improved slightly, rising by $38.7 million to $19.65 billion by the end of August, with central bank reserves reaching $14.3 billion, according to SBP data. Exports, IT sector drive positive momentumPakistan&rsquo;s exports showed a modest but steady rise, supporting the improved current account position. Goods exports totaled $7.9 billion in the first quarter of FY26, up from $7.4 billion in the same period last year. The information technology sector recorded a major milestone, surpassing $1 billion in quarterly exports for the first time in Pakistan&rsquo;s history. According to SBP, IT exports reached $1.057 billion in the first quarter, reflecting a 20 percent year-on-year increase, with $366 million recorded in September alone. Officials attributed the performance to the government&rsquo;s policy initiatives under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and growing contributions from freelancers and tech firms bringing in foreign exchange via international platforms. &ldquo;Pakistan can reach a $30 billion IT export milestone in the near future if the right policy framework is implemented,&rdquo; said Salim Ghauri, CEO of Netsol Technologies, speaking to Pakistan TV Digital. &ldquo;Training young professionals in artificial intelligence is crucial to expand our export base. We&rsquo;ve already launched AI training programs to help build that talent pipeline,&rdquo; he added. Analysts say the September surplus provides a &ldquo;breathing space&rdquo; for policymakers, even as structural challenges persist. The combination of resilient remittances, a moderate export uptick, and a stronger services account suggests that Pakistan&rsquo;s external sector retains capacity for stabilization when supported by disciplined inflows and targeted reforms. While vulnerabilities remain, particularly from rising imports and external debt obligations, officials view the latest data as a positive signal for macroeconomic consolidation in FY26. &ldquo;This is not yet a trend, but it&rsquo;s a good sign,&rdquo; said one senior economic analyst in Lahore. &ldquo;It shows that Pakistan&rsquo;s external sector can rebalance when policy and performance align.&rdquo;

Economy

Central bank data shows a $110 million current account surplus in September 2025, driven by strong remittances, stable imports, and higher services exports, marking a sharp improvement from consecutive monthly deficits.

Pakistan records FY26’s first current account surplus, marks economic turnaround

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s plan for a swift meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin is on hold, a US official said on Tuesday, the latest twist in his stop-and-go effort to resolve the war in Ukraine.&nbsp;The meeting was announced last week and was supposed to take place in Budapest, Hungary, in the near future. However, the idea was paused after a call between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, according to the official, who wasn&rsquo;t authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.&nbsp;The decision to hold off on a meeting between Trump and Putin will likely relieve European leaders, who have accused Putin of stalling for time with diplomacy while trying to gain ground on the battlefield.&nbsp;The leaders &mdash; including the British prime minister, French president and German chancellor &mdash; said they opposed any push to make Ukraine surrender land captured by Russian forces in return for peace, as Trump has occasionally suggested.&nbsp;They also plan to push forward with plans to use billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets to help fund Ukraine&rsquo;s war efforts, despite some misgivings about the legality and consequences of such a step.&nbsp;Trump has not yet commented publicly about the change in plans for his meeting with Putin. They previously met in Alaska in August, but the encounter did not advance Trump&rsquo;s stalled attempts to end a war that began almost four years ago.&nbsp;The Kremlin didn&rsquo;t seem to be in a rush to get Trump and Putin together again either. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that &ldquo;preparation is needed, serious preparation&rdquo; before a meeting.&nbsp;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been trying to strengthen Ukraine&#39;s position by seeking long-range Tomahawk missiles from the US, although Trump has waffled on whether he would provide them.&nbsp;&ldquo;We need to end this war, and only pressure will lead to peace,&rdquo; Zelenskyy said on Tuesday in a Telegram post.&nbsp;He noted that Putin returned to diplomacy and called Trump last week when it looked like Tomahawk missiles were a possibility. But &quot;as soon as the pressure eased a little, the Russians began to try to drop diplomacy, postpone the dialogue,&rdquo; Zelenskyy said.&nbsp;On Wednesday, Trump will hold talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, according to a White House official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The official did not provide any detail about Trump&rsquo;s agenda for the talks.&nbsp;The military alliance has been coordinating deliveries of weapons to Ukraine, many of them purchased from the US by Canada and European countries. A meeting of the Coalition of the Willing &mdash; a group of 35 countries who support Ukraine &mdash; is due to take place in London on Friday.&nbsp;Trump&#39;s stance on the war has shifted throughout the year. He initially focused on pressuring Ukraine to make concessions, but then grew frustrated with Putin&#39;s intransigence. Trump often complains that he thought his good relationship with his Russian counterpart would have made it easier to end the war.&nbsp;Last month, Trump reversed his long-held position that Ukraine would have to give up land and suggested it could win back all the territory it has lost to Russia. But after a phone call with Putin last week and a subsequent meeting with Zelenskyy on Friday, Trump shifted his position again and called on Kyiv and Moscow to &ldquo;stop where they are&rdquo; in the more than three-year war.&nbsp;On Sunday, Trump said the industrial Donbas region of eastern Ukraine should be &ldquo;cut up,&rdquo; leaving most of it in Russian hands.&nbsp;Trump said on Monday that while he thinks it is possible that Ukraine can ultimately defeat Russia, he&rsquo;s now doubtful it will happen.&nbsp;Ukrainian and European leaders are trying hard to keep Trump on their side.&nbsp;&ldquo;We strongly support President Trump&rsquo;s position that the fighting should stop immediately, and that the current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations,&rdquo; the leaders&#39; statement said. &ldquo;We can all see that Putin continues to choose violence and destruction.&quot;&nbsp;Russia occupies about one fifth of Ukraine, but carving up their country in return for peace is unacceptable to Kyiv officials.&nbsp;Also, a conflict frozen on the current front line could fester, with occupied areas of Ukraine offering Moscow a springboard for new attacks in the future, Ukrainian and European officials fear.&nbsp;The statement by the leaders of Ukraine, the UK, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Denmark and EU officials came early in what Zelenskyy said Monday would be a week that is &ldquo;very active in diplomacy.&rdquo;&nbsp;More international economic sanctions on Russia are likely to be discussed at an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday.&nbsp;&ldquo;We must ramp up the pressure on Russia&rsquo;s economy and its defense industry, until Putin is ready to make peace,&rdquo; Tuesday&rsquo;s statement said.&nbsp;

Europe

Idea paused after call between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, official says.

Trump-Putin summit planned for Budapest on hold 

Syed Maisam Ali

ISLAMABAD: The West Indies carved their name into cricketing history on Tuesday, becoming the first team ever in men&rsquo;s One-Day International (ODI) history to bowl an entire 50-over innings exclusively with spin during the second ODI against Bangladesh in Dhaka.&nbsp;On a slow, turning Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium pitch, captain Roston Chase made the daring call to use five spinners, himself, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Khary Pierre, and Alick Athanaze, each bowling their full quota of ten overs.&nbsp;Remarkably, the team&rsquo;s only specialist pacer, Justin Greaves, was not used at all.&nbsp;Bangladesh were restricted to 213 for 8 in their 50 overs, unable to break free from the relentless spin assault that mixed flight, variation, and accuracy to perfection.&nbsp;&ldquo;It was all about reading the conditions,&rdquo; Chase said during the post-match talk.&nbsp;&ldquo;We knew the surface would take turn, and with the options we had, going all-spin made sense. The boys executed beautifully.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to ESPNcricinfo, no team had ever bowled all 50 overs with spin in an ODI before. The previous record stood at 44 overs, set by Sri Lanka in the 1990s and early 2000s.&nbsp;Cricket fans quickly flooded social media to hail the historic moment. One user posted on X:&nbsp;&ldquo;HISTORY MADE IN DHAKA! West Indies become the first team to bowl 50 overs of spin in ODI cricket. Sri Lanka&rsquo;s old record of 44 overs is gone!&rdquo;<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" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 721px; 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=1980586914878271934&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=e833a9d4678678802b8600a1cdd6ba153b193764&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1980586914878271934"></iframe></div></div>Another fan shared:&nbsp;&ldquo;Fifty overs by spinners &mdash; first time ever in ODI history! Ten overs each by Akeal, Chase, Pierre, Motie, and Athanaze. Incredible balance and control.&rdquo;&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 777px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1980586420613050582&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=e833a9d4678678802b8600a1cdd6ba153b193764&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1980586420613050582"></iframe></div></div>While some praised the innovation, others questioned what the milestone said about modern pitch conditions.&nbsp;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s amazing, but you do wonder about pitches that give no balance to bat and ball,&rdquo; wrote one Test cricket follower.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 849px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1980602208501497894&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=e833a9d4678678802b8600a1cdd6ba153b193764&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1980602208501497894"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;Still, the move underscored West Indies&rsquo; growing confidence in their spin depth. A quality long associated with subcontinental teams rather than Caribbean cricket.&nbsp;Chase&rsquo;s calculated gamble not only earned his side a tactical edge but also etched a new chapter in ODI history, signaling how the format continues to evolve.

Cricket

The Caribbean side made ODI history in Dhaka, bowling all 50 overs with spin for the first time in men’s cricket. Captain Roston Chase said the tactic suited conditions, restricting Bangladesh to 213 in 50 overs.


West Indies rewrite ODI history with bold all-spin bowling strategy

OpenAI said Tuesday it is introducing its own web browser, Atlas, putting the ChatGPT maker in direct competition with Google as more internet users rely on artificial intelligence to answer their questions.&nbsp;Making itself a gateway to online searches could allow OpenAI, the world&#39;s most valuable startup, to pull in more internet traffic and the revenue made from digital advertising.&nbsp;OpenAI has said ChatGPT already has more than 800 million users, but many of them get it for free. The San Francisco-based company is losing more money than it makes and has been looking for ways to turn a profit.&nbsp;OpenAI said Atlas launches Tuesday on Apple laptops and will later come to Microsoft&rsquo;s Windows, Apple&rsquo;s iOS phone operating system and Google&rsquo;s Android phone system.&nbsp;OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called it a &ldquo;rare, once-a-decade opportunity to rethink what a browser can be about and how to use one.&rdquo;&nbsp;OpenAI&rsquo;s browser is coming out just a few months after one of its executives testified that the company would be interested in buying Google&rsquo;s industry-leading Chrome browser if a federal judge had required it to be sold to prevent the abuses that resulted in Google&rsquo;s ubiquitous search engine being declared an illegal monopoly.&nbsp;But U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta last month issued a decision that rejected the Chrome sale sought by the U.S. Justice Department in the monopoly case, partly because he believed advances in the AI industry already are reshaping the competitive landscape.&nbsp;OpenAI&rsquo;s browser will face a daunting challenge against Chrome, which has amassed about 3 billion worldwide users and has been adding some AI features from Google&rsquo;s Gemini technology.&nbsp;Chrome&rsquo;s immense success could provide a blueprint for OpenAI as it enters the browser market. When Google released Chrome in 2008, Microsoft&rsquo;s Internet Explorer was so dominant that few observers believed a new browser could mount a formidable threat.&nbsp;But Chrome quickly won over legions of admirers by loading webpages more quickly than Internet Explorer while offering other advantages that enabled it to upend the market. Microsoft ended up abandoning Explorer and introducing its Edge browser, which operates similarly to Chrome.&nbsp;Perplexity, another smaller AI startup, rolled out its own Comet browser earlier this year. It also expressed interest in buying Chrome and eventually submitted an unsolicited $34.5 billion offer for the browser that hit a dead end when Mehta decided against a Google breakup.&nbsp;A premium feature of the ChatGPT Atlas browser is an &ldquo;agent mode&rdquo; that accesses the laptop and effectively clicks around the internet on the person&rsquo;s behalf, armed with what it has learned from users&rsquo; browser history and what they are seeking to learn, and explaining its process as it searches.&nbsp;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s using the internet for you,&rdquo; Altman said.

Artificial Intelligence

OpenAI is introducing its own web browser, Atlas, putting the ChatGPT maker in direct competition with Google 

OpenAI launches web browser to compete with Google Chrome

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan set to revive its dormant steel industry through a new initiative aimed at reducing steel imports, creating jobs, and promoting sustainable industrial growth, according to a statement released Tuesday by the Press Information Department (PID), a move projected to save up to $13 billion over the next decade. Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry unveiled the plan to establish a &ldquo;Sea to Steel Green Maritime Industrial Corridor&rdquo; at Port Qasim, which will link ship recycling, steel manufacturing, and green industrial practices into a single, sustainable ecosystem. &ldquo;This is not just about steel production,&rdquo; Chaudhry said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s about creating a robust, self-sustaining maritime-industrial ecosystem that supports Pakistan&rsquo;s long-term growth and prosperity.&rdquo; Speaking at a high-level meeting with the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Chaudhry outlined how the corridor will be developed in partnership with the Ministry of Industries and Production. The project, he said, is designed to modernize Pakistan&rsquo;s steel production while leveraging maritime resources for a greener and more self-reliant industrial future. Cutting steel imports by 20% Pakistan currently imports about $6 billion worth of steel each year, and demand is expected to rise by roughly 6% annually through 2035, according to the World Bank. The proposed Sea to Steel Green Corridor could reduce steel imports by as much as 20%, saving the country more than $13 billion over ten years. &ldquo;By harnessing our maritime potential and reviving dormant assets, we can reduce our dependence on costly imports,&rdquo; Chaudhry said. &ldquo;This project will conserve foreign exchange and strengthen domestic industry.&rdquo; The initiative is also expected to improve Pakistan&rsquo;s capacity to produce high-quality steel locally, helping to shrink the trade deficit and support industrial recovery. Reviving Port Qasim&rsquo;s idle berth A central part of the plan is the revival of the Iron Ore and Coal Berth (IOCB) at Port Qasim, which has been inactive since 2015. The government aims to convert the underused facility into a modern ship recycling and repair complex, complete with a floating dock capable of handling Aframax-class vessels. Chaudhry said that steel recovered from dismantled ships would be supplied either to Pakistan Steel Mills or reprocessed at a new facility near Port Qasim to produce high-grade industrial steel. &ldquo;Reviving the IOCB will breathe new life into our maritime infrastructure while supporting sustainable steel production,&rdquo; he said. Boosting maritime infrastructure The project is also designed to reduce the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation&rsquo;s (PNSC) dependence on foreign shipyards for vessel maintenance. Chaudhry said developing local repair capacity will lower costs and strengthen Pakistan&rsquo;s maritime infrastructure. The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production welcomed the initiative, calling it a transformative step for Pakistan&rsquo;s economy. &ldquo;The project has the potential to transform Pakistan&rsquo;s industrial and maritime landscape,&rdquo; the special assistant said. &ldquo;Our combined efforts will drive sustainable development and create jobs for thousands of Pakistanis.&rdquo; The technical advisor at the maritime affairs ministry described the plan as a key component of Pakistan&rsquo;s Blue Economy vision. &ldquo;The Sea to Steel Green Corridor represents an integrated model of sustainable ship recycling, green steel production, and maritime industrialization,&rdquo; the advisor said. &ldquo;It will attract investment, generate employment, and encourage technology transfer.&rdquo; Once fully operational, the corridor is expected to revitalize idle assets and create thousands of skilled and semi-skilled jobs, particularly in the Port Qasim region. The meeting concluded with an agreement to begin developing the project&rsquo;s technical and financial frameworks, in coordination with national agencies and international partners. A formal presentation to key stakeholders is expected in the coming weeks, according to the PID statement.

The proposed Sea to Steel Green Corridor could reduce steel imports by as much as 20%, saving the country more than $13 billion over ten years.