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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on behalf of the people of Pakistan and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, conveyed &ldquo;deep and sincere appreciation&rdquo; for US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s message, which praised Pakistan and its leadership.&nbsp;In a post on Truth Social, Trump expressed gratitude toward Pakistan and described its &ldquo;Great Prime Minister and Field Marshal&rdquo; as &ldquo;two fantastic people,&rdquo; underscoring his admiration for the country&rsquo;s leadership.&nbsp;His remarks followed Iran&rsquo;s announcement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for the passage of all commercial vessels. Taking to X, PM Sharif acknowledged the cordial nature of the exchange, as the message quickly gained traction online. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 616px; 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=2045192079010070667&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=6d0bb276f592568f4f00fcf2a715f0a0e1221465&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Earlier, Iran&rsquo;s foreign minister announced on Friday that the Strait of Hormuz would remain fully open for all commercial vessels for the duration of the ceasefire, in line with the truce in Lebanon. Abbas Araghchi added that vessel movement would follow the coordinated routes previously outlined by Iran&rsquo;s Ports and Maritime Organisation.&nbsp;Responding to Iran&rsquo;s decision, Trump posted a brief message on social media, saying: &ldquo;Thank you.&rdquo;&nbsp;He also expressed appreciation to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, stating: &ldquo;Thank you to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar for your great bravery and help.&rdquo;&nbsp;Referring to the situation, Trump added that NATO had offered assistance, but he declined, saying they should &ldquo;stay away unless they just want to load up their ships with oil,&rdquo; and criticized the alliance as ineffective when it was needed. Iranian officials, on the other hand, indicated that the reopening is linked to the ongoing ceasefire and diplomatic engagement, including talks hosted by Pakistan in Islamabad.&nbsp;Strait of Hormuz The Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of global energy supplies passes, had been impacted during the escalation, when Iran restricted access in response to US-Israel strikes.&nbsp;Its reopening has helped stabilize markets, with oil prices falling sharply amid renewed optimism over easing tensions.&nbsp;International benchmark Brent crude dropped to around $89 a barrel, while US benchmark West Texas Intermediate fell to about $84, reflecting market confidence following the ceasefire and Pakistan-mediated talks.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir and US President Donald Trump hold a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on September 25. (File photo: PMO)

Americas

Asia

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on behalf of the people of Pakistan and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, conveys “deep and profound appreciation” for US President Donald Trump’s message, which praised Pakistan and its leadership.

PM Sharif thanks President Trump for ‘kind and gracious words’

KYIV: Russia fired waves of drones and other munitions at Ukraine on Sunday, killing at least four people and damaging a nuclear storage facility in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, Ukrainian officials said. Radiation levels at the facility remained within normal limits following the attack, although the building&#39;s reception was &quot;partially destroyed,&quot; according to Ukraine&#39;s Energoatom nuclear energy operator. Moscow and Kyiv have intensified drone strikes on each other in recent months as US-led diplomatic efforts to end the war, now in its fifth year, remain stalled and sidetracked by the conflict in the Middle East. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet his allies in London later Sunday for talks on how to pressure Russia to end the fighting, after Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected direct peace talks with the Ukrainian leader. &quot;A &#39;shahed&#39; hit one of the buildings of the Centralized Spent Fuel Storage Facility,&quot; Zelensky said in a post on X, referring to the Iranian-designed &quot;Shahed&quot; drones that Russia fires at Ukraine on a nightly basis. &quot;As of now, there are no readings exceeding normal background radiation levels. But there is certainly an increase in Russia&#39;s brazenness, which long ago went off the charts,&quot; he added. The International Atomic Energy Agency said it was dispatching a team to inspect the damage, calling the incident &quot;deeply concerning.&quot; The facility is located in a remote area of forest around a dozen kilometers (seven miles) from the site of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, and is designed to house spent nuclear fuel from Ukraine&#39;s three active nuclear plants. Strikes on Ukraine Russian strikes killed and wounded multiple civilians on Sunday, Ukrainian officials said. A Russian bombardment of a public transport stop in Ukraine&#39;s southern Zaporizhzhia region left at least two people dead, while a nearby drone strike killed a 56-year-old minibus driver, authorities said. A separate attack on the central Dnipropetrovsk region killed a 59-year-old man, governor Oleksandr Ganzha posted on Telegram. Hundreds of thousands have been killed and millions forced to flee their home since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia &mdash;which denies targeting civilians &mdash; now occupies around a fifth of its neighbor: the Crimean peninsula, which it annexed in 2014, most of the eastern regions of Donetsk and Lugansk &mdash; collectively referred to as the Donbas &mdash; and large parts of the southern Zaporizhzhia and Khe

Europe

Radiation levels at the facility remained within normal limits following the attack, although the building's reception was "partially destroyed," according to Ukraine's Energoatom nuclear energy operator.

Russian strikes kill four, damage nuclear storage facility: Kyiv

LONDON: England thrashed New Zealand by 115 runs to win the first Test at Lord&#39;s on Sunday. New Zealand, set 254 to win, were bowled out for 138 before lunch on the fourth day, with paceman Gus Atkinson taking 5-30 &mdash; the fourth time in three Tests at Lord&#39;s he has had five wickets in an innings. Victory in the 150th Test staged at Lord&#39;s &mdash; the most at any ground &mdash; gave England a 1-0 lead in a three-match series. Bowlers on both sides were on top throughout under overcast conditions and on a pitch of uncertain bounce, with Ollie Robinson marking his return to England duty for the first time in over two years with a Test-best 5-39 in New Zealand&#39;s meagre first-innings 113 all out. Emilio Gay scored 57 on England debut during a second-innings total of 226 as the hosts enjoyed a comprehensive win in their first Test since a 4-1 Ashes loss in Australia completed in January. This series continues across London at the Oval, where the second Test starts on June 17.

Cricket

Emilio Gay scored 57 on England debut during a second-innings total of 226 as the hosts enjoyed a comprehensive win in their first Test since a 4-1 Ashes loss in Australia completed in January; series continues across London at the Oval, where the second Test starts on June 17.

England beat New Zealand by 115 runs in first Test

ISLAMABAD: Fox News presenter Kayleigh McEnany posted on X on June 6 that an Indian institution reportedly sold more than &ldquo;36,000 fake degrees&rdquo; to applicants seeking US work visas. The disclosure has prompted renewed scrutiny of credential fraud in India that affects the H-1B program, a work visa that allows American companies to hire skilled foreign workers. According to McEnany&#39;s post, the US Department of Labor has reportedly processed nearly 7 million H-1B visa holders since 2015, with over 70% originating from India. A major investigative report by Bloomberg in July 2024 revealed the scope of the deception. Bloomberg obtained unreleased H-1B petition records from 2020 through 2023 through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, exposing systematic manipulation by Indian IT staffing firms. The investigation found that staffing companies submitted thousands of duplicate applications for the same individuals through shell companies to significantly increase their odds of winning the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (D Visa) lottery. Bloomberg estimated that roughly 15,500 visas (about one in six awarded in a single year) were obtained through this fraudulent scheme. In one instance, a single staffing firm operator used a dozen separate companies to enter the same applicant up to 15 times. The credential-forgery infrastructure supporting this scheme came into public view in December 2025, when police in Kerala, a southern Indian state, arrested 11 suspects and seized nearly 100,000 counterfeit university certificates, according to local news outlets, including Mathrubhumi and Malayala Manorama. The mastermind of the operation, identified as Dhaneesh (alias &quot;Dany&quot;), coordinated document forgery across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. Major national investigations found that forged certificates were sold for approximately $790 to $1,580 each. Mahvash Siddiqui, a US consular officer who reviewed about 51,000 visa applications at the American consulate in Chennai between 2005 and 2007, detailed the fraud mechanism during a Center for Immigration Studies podcast interview. Siddiqui stated that up to 90% of applications from Indian nationals contained fraudulent documents or involved unqualified applicants. In the Indian state of Hyderabad, a major technology hub, Siddiqui explained that visa consultancy shops produced counterfeit degrees, fake transcripts, and forged bank statements on an industrial scale. Applicants submitted Microsoft IT certifications instead of the required computer science degrees to circumvent the requirements. Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, and Cognizant (India&#39;s largest technology staffing companies) employed workers in the US with fabricated credentials, according to statements from a fraud task force cited by Siddiqui. Indian supervisors at these companies extracted monthly payments of $2,000 to $4,000 from employees earning $12,000 annually to retain their jobs. Job interviews were conducted by qualified proxies rather than by actual applicants, allowing fraudulently hired workers to pass screening. US Department of Justice records show that IT staffing executives at S-Team Software pleaded guilty to submitting fraudulent visa petitions and fabricating job offers and institutional ties to secure approvals. According to Bloomberg, IT staffing firms intentionally paid lower salaries than mainstream American technology companies. Reports from Business Standard, an Indian financial newspaper, detailed how this fraud displaced qualified domestic job candidates. According to Department of Labor data cited by McEnany in a video published on the June 6 post, 83% of H-1B visa holders obtained junior or entry-level positions. The H-1B program officially targets high-skilled positions. A 15-member fraud task force of US consular officers filed an official dissent cable to the State Department, documenting widespread fraud affecting 80% to 90% of H-1B applicants from India, according to Siddiqui. The unit was characterized as a &quot;rogue operation&quot; by consular leadership, citing political pressure from Indian officials demanding increased visa approvals. The Texas Attorney General launched investigations into dozens of companies suspected of maintaining &quot;ghost offices&quot;: fake business locations used to sponsor foreign visas without actual operations. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement flagged 10,000 foreign students linked to shell employer companies under the Optional Practical Training work program, which allows international graduates to work in the United States after completing university degrees. In response, US Citizenship and Immigration Services restructured its H-1B visa lottery system to adopt &quot;beneficiary-centric&quot; selection, allowing each individual exactly one entry regardless of the number of employer registrations. Official USCIS data shows that eligible registrations dropped from 470,342 in fiscal year 2025 to 343,981 in fiscal year 2026, a 26.9% reduction. The average number of registrations per individual fell to 1.01, eliminating duplicate entries. The visa fraud has sent ripples across the world. Australia tightened skilled worker visa protocols, warning that permanent residency can be revoked if applications used forged credentials, according to the country&rsquo;s immigration authorities. Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom have similarly activated credential verification audits, according to immigration tracking reports.

India

US investigations expose systematic credential forgery and employment fraud by major Indian tech consultancies.

How Indian tech companies orchestrate massive H-1B visa fraud in US

ISLAMABAD: Cockroach Janta Party Founding President Abhijeet Dipke on Sunday said that if India&rsquo;s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is not removed or does not step down within the next seven days, the party will be forced to continue its protest on the ground. Hundreds of young students gathered in New Delhi on Saturday for the first street protest organized by the &quot;Cockroach People&#39;s Party&quot; over alleged irregularities in recent major examinations. Protesters, some in paper cockroach masks &mdash; a reference to reported remarks by India&#39;s top judge &mdash; called for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the irregularities, including question paper leaks and technical glitches. In a post on X on Sunday, Dipke said that thousands of people had participated in a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar, which he described as a demonstration of unity and anger over the education system. <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; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-4" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-4&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2063503296745140510&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=bbc4afe59cbec63f3957b28db6d1bde5f70ccf95&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>He stated that many of those who joined the protest had never participated in one before but felt encouraged by the collective presence to express their frustration. He also thanked participants, including young children and students, for attending the demonstration despite the hot weather. Dipke said that peaceful protest was the movement&rsquo;s greatest strength and asserted that a unified, peaceful movement could not be suppressed. Issuing a warning to the government, he said, &ldquo;Dharmendra Pradhan has wronged an entire generation. If he is not removed or does not step down within the next 7 days, we will be forced to continue our protest on the ground.&rdquo; He also announced that he would address supporters during an Instagram Live session later on Sunday. &#39;No credibility&#39;&nbsp;Last month, authorities scrapped the nationwide medical college entrance test, one of the country&#39;s most competitive exams, after investigators uncovered a question paper leak. That came on top of another scandal related to the online marking system of tests taken by nearly two million high school students. &quot;India deserves better administration of such crucial exams,&quot; said 20-year-old protester Sarthak, who gave only one name. Sapan Gyan, 52, who accompanied his sons to the protest, said that &quot;young people... can&#39;t have a situation where these exam systems have no credibility left.&quot; Environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk, 59, who has been at loggerheads with the government over demands for greater autonomy for the Himalayan region of Ladakh, said the students affected by the exam failures &quot;have no voice, no say.&quot; The CJP &mdash; whose pages have been blocked on some social media platforms &mdash; has over 22 million followers on Instagram, well above Modi&#39;s ruling party or India&#39;s main opposition party.

In a post on X, movement’s founder Dipke says thousands of people have participated in a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar, which demonstrates unity and anger over India’s education system.

India's ‘Cockroach Party’ threatens more protests unless education minister resigns

LONDON:&nbsp;British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will stand if a leadership contest is triggered, a senior minister said Sunday, after media reported Starmer had contacted key backers insisting he would run in any race. This came after popular northern mayor Any Burnham, who is standing in a key by-election this month, said last week he would participate in any leadership race, although none has yet been triggered. Starmer &quot;has been absolutely clear -- were there to be a contest &nbsp;-- you need <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/uk-govt-to-release-second-batch-of-files-on-exus-envoy-mandelson" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">81 signatures</a> (of MPs) to launch a contest -- he will be part of that contest,&quot; Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy told Sky News on Sunday. The <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/british-pm-battles-to-stay-in-power-amid-rebellion" style="color:#0073e6;">prime minister</a> would automatically be included in any leadership ballot if he wanted to participate.&nbsp;&lsquo;Fight it&rsquo;The BBC and The Sun newspaper reported Sunday, citing unnamed MPs, that Starmer has been calling key supporters this weekend to say that if there is a contest he would &quot;fight it&quot;. The Sun reported: &quot;Sir Keir has hardened his position and is hellbent on running against Mr Burnham.&quot; Labour veteran Burnham is standing to become an MP again in a June 18 vote in Makerfield in northwestern England.&nbsp; If elected, he would be able to take part in a leadership contest. Burnham said on a BBC talkshow Thursday that he would seek to challenge Starmer if he won the by-election and if a race is triggered.&nbsp;&lsquo;Not going to walk away&rsquo;He said former health minister Wes Streeting, who resigned last month with an open letter expressing no confidence in Starmer, &quot;seems to have launched a leadership contest. So if that is running, I would seek to join it.&quot; The prime minister has repeatedly rejected calls to resign and insisted he wants to stay on as leader of the Labour party after winning a general election in 2024. Starmer told LBC radio station on Friday &quot;I&#39;m not going to walk away&quot;, adding he did not want to &quot;plunge our country into the chaos of a leadership fight&quot;.

United Kingdom

This comes after popular northern mayor Andy Burnham, who is standing in a key by-election this month, says he will participate in any leadership race, although none has yet been triggered.

Starmer will be 'part of' any leadership race: British deputy PM

WASHINGTON:&nbsp;The Pentagon has raised its counterintelligence threat level for Israel to its highest level, US media reported on Saturday. The Pentagon&#39;s Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) said Israel&#39;s &quot;ability to conduct human espionage and technical collection is at a &#39;critical level&#39;,&quot; NBC News said, citing US officials. The move came after concerns that Israel had been attempting to spy on top US officials to get information on &quot;the Trump administration&#39;s internal deliberations and decision-making on the conflicts in the Middle East,&quot; the American network said. The New York Times cited reports of Israeli efforts to eavesdrop on senior officials, including President Donald Trump&#39;s top negotiator, Steve Witkoff, and the Pentagon&#39;s top policy official, Elbridge Colby. The United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, triggering the war. Since then, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s relationship appears to be under strain. Trump unleashed a tirade over the phone at Netanyahu over Israel&#39;s threats to bomb the Lebanese capital Beirut, fearing it would undermine talks with Tehran, the Axios news outlet and ABC News reported earlier in the week.

Middle East

The move comes after concerns that Israel is attempting to spy on top US officials to obtain information on 'the Trump administration’s internal deliberations and decision-making on the conflicts in the Middle East,' an American network says.

Pentagon raises threat of Israeli spying to 'critical': US media

ISLAMABAD: Extreme heat is increasingly disrupting the lives and livelihoods of women workers in India&rsquo;s capital, with studies showing that rising temperatures are directly linked to income losses and worsening health conditions. According to a Greenpeace India report, around 76% of women workers in Delhi are employed in the informal sector, including street vending, domestic work, waste collection and gig services, where exposure to outdoor heat is highest. The report found that for every 1 degree Celsius increase in temperature, earnings in the informal sector can drop by up to 19%, while heatwave conditions can push income losses to nearly 40%. In Old Delhi&rsquo;s busy markets, women vendors say rising temperatures are forcing them to shorten working hours as the heat approaches 40 C by midday. Many report dehydration, dizziness and fainting spells due to prolonged exposure. Domestic workers across the city face similar challenges, traveling long distances in peak heat and working in poorly ventilated homes with tin roofs that retain heat throughout the day and night. Gig workers, including home-based service providers, also report income losses due to cancellations, delayed travel and reduced bookings during peak heat hours, alongside growing physical strain. A study published in Scientific Reports shows heatwaves in India have become 1.5 times more frequent and intense over recent decades, increasing the number of heatwave days across the country. The World Health Organization has warned that extreme heat is a growing public health risk, linked to heat exhaustion, dehydration, kidney-related illnesses and mental stress, particularly among outdoor workers.

Street vendors are among the self-employed and daily wage labourers severely affected by the rise in temperatures. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Avatrava)

Another study in Scientific Reports shows heatwaves in India have become 1.5 times more frequent and intense over recent decades, increasing the number of heatwave days across the country.

76% of Delhi women workers hit by rising heat stress as incomes fall, study shows

ISLAMABAD: Indian National Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s government for the hike in prices of LPG cylinders. In a post on X on Sunday, Kharge said, &quot;The flames of rising domestic <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/india-records-400000barrel-lpg-supply-gap-per-day-kpler-data" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">LPG prices</a>&nbsp;are hell-bent on incinerating the kitchens of the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/panic-and-chaos-in-india-as-lpg-supply-dwindles-and-prices-surge" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">common people</a>!!&quot;<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" 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=2063497414917648527&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=86563c6a7a87970c7ded4817a40e7fbc6ee9a204&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 971px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2063497414917648527">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Criticizing the Modi government, he stated, &quot;In the last 4 months, the Modi government has hiked the prices of domestic LPG cylinders by ₹89.&quot;&nbsp;Questions for PM ModiThe president of India&#39;s biggest opposition party posed three questions to the Modi government in his social media post.&nbsp;He asked, &quot;In Parliament, Mr. Modi had made tall claims about Fuel Diversification from 41 countries due to the West Asia War. What happened to that? Why is there still a shortage of LPG in rural areas today?&quot;&nbsp;Kharge further questioned, &quot;In 2025-26, 5.56 crore families under the Ujjwala scheme didn&#39;t get even one or a single Refill. Out of these, 3.30 crore didn&#39;t take even a single cylinder Refill. And this is even before the West Asia Crisis. Isn&#39;t this the result of the Modi government&#39;s loot?&quot;&nbsp;The opposition leader asked, &quot;Mr. Modi and BJP leaders used to raise a ruckus about inflation during the UPA era. Isn&#39;t it true that the Modi government has increased domestic LPG prices by ₹530 in 12 years? So why aren&#39;t BJP leaders sitting on the streets with cylinders now?&quot;

Highlighting that in the last four months, the Modi government has hiked the prices of domestic LPG cylinders by ₹89, Kharge says, 'flames of rising domestic LPG prices are hell-bent on incinerating the kitchens of the common people.'

Kharge says Modi govt ‘hell-bent on incinerating kitchens’ with LPG price hike

AS SAWIYAH, PALESTINE: With pitchforks and a makeshift combine the size of a golf cart, Hamad Jazi and his nephews race under the blazing sun to collect wheat from their West Bank field.&nbsp;Israeli settlers have recently set fire to crops in the area, and Jazi fears his wheat could suffer a similar fate.&nbsp;Their village of As-Sawiyah, in the center of the occupied West Bank, sits in a valley dominated by hills on top of which three settlements stand.&nbsp;&ldquo;The settlers have set fires twice already &mdash; yesterday and the day before,&rdquo; Jazi told AFP.&nbsp;&ldquo;If you think back 10, 15 or 20 years ago, this season used to be a season of abundance. Today, you are racing against time just to harvest quickly and leave,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;Excluding east Jerusalem, more than 500,000 Israelis live in the occupied West Bank in settlements that are illegal under international law, among some three million Palestinians.&nbsp;Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.&nbsp;Shielded by what rights groups describe as impunity from the law, some settlers have harassed rural Palestinian communities, vandalizing property and crops, committing arson and sometimes killing.&nbsp;By all metrics, 2026 has been one of the most violent years to date, with an average of six attacks per day, according to data from UN humanitarian agency OCHA.&nbsp;The surge in violence goes hand in hand with the proliferation of settlements in the West Bank, which part of the Israeli political class is threatening to annex.&nbsp;Settlers in rural areas vandalize property and start fires, at times sowing terror in villages, as shown in videos posted on social media, sometimes by the perpetrators themselves.&nbsp;The attacks have sparked criticism inside Israel, where the opposition accuses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s government and his far-right allies of turning a blind eye to acts of settler violence.&nbsp;According to Mahmud Fatafta of the Palestinian Authority&#39;s agriculture ministry, settlers killed or stole 8,000 goats or sheep in the West Bank in 2026.&nbsp;According to his ministry&#39;s data, 41,000 olive trees, a crop as emblematic to Palestinians as it is ubiquitous in the West Bank&#39;s rocky hills, were damaged by settlers or Israel&#39;s military in 2026.&nbsp;&#39;Steal our own crops&#39;&ldquo;In the past, when we went out into the fields, the olive harvest was a celebration, the grain harvest was a celebration,&rdquo; Jazi, his face worn by the sun, told AFP.&nbsp;Now, &quot;we live those moments like thieves. We go and &#39;steal&#39; our own olives or our own crops&quot;, he said, complaining that the Israeli military requires him to coordinate with it before entering his fields.&nbsp;Hikmat Abu Ras, head of As-Sawiya&rsquo;s village council, told AFP that his and neighboring communities have faced near daily attacks from settlers since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023.&nbsp;&ldquo;They constantly carry out these practices to drive us off our land and prevent us from entering it,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Abu Ras lamented increasing movement restrictions that further isolate communities like his.&nbsp;&ldquo;Gates block the entrances to villages, camps, and cities. Movement is restricted. You race against time just to make sure the settler does not come and seize what is on your land.&rdquo;

Men attempt to extinguish a fire in a field in the Palestinian town of Huwara in the occupied West Bank on June 6, 2026, after a reported arson attack by Israeli settlers, according to local officials. (Photo: AFP)

Shielded by what rights groups describe as impunity from the law, some settlers have harassed rural Palestinian communities, vandalizing property and crops, committing arson and sometimes killing.

Facing settler violence, Palestinian farmers race to harvest

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday called for collective efforts to strengthen food safety standards and ensure access to safe and nutritious food, marking World Food Safety Day 2026. In separate messages, the two leaders stressed the importance of food safety for public health, food security and sustainable development. President Zardari urged all stakeholders to promote safe food practices and ensure compliance with food safety standards across the food chain. He said safe food protects public health, strengthens consumer confidence, supports livelihoods and contributes to economic growth. The president emphasized the need for science-based food safety measures, stronger inspection systems, improved laboratory capacity and greater investment in food safety infrastructure and awareness programs. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan remains committed to ensuring access to safe and nutritious food free from disease and contamination risks. Referring to this year&#39;s theme, &ldquo;From Burden to Solutions: Safe Food Everywhere,&rdquo; the prime minister highlighted the importance of preventing and managing foodborne diseases. He cited a World Health Organization report showing that around 866 million people fall ill annually due to contaminated food, while nearly 1.5 million lose their lives from foodborne diseases worldwide. The prime minister said Pakistan was pursuing a comprehensive strategy to strengthen food security and agricultural productivity through research, technology, improved seeds, modern farm machinery, better storage facilities and stronger market systems. According to the prime minister, unsafe food also contributes to reduced productivity, rising healthcare costs, economic losses and disruptions to tourism and trade. Sharif said Pakistan&#39;s agriculture sector, despite being supported by fertile land and significant agricultural potential, faces challenges including climate change, water scarcity, population growth, changing consumption patterns and inadequate research. He said the Ministry of National Food Security and Research was implementing a range of measures based on agricultural research and technology to strengthen food security, increase productivity and mitigate the effects of climate change.&nbsp; These measures include the provision of quality seeds, improved access to agricultural inputs, greater use of farm machinery, stronger value chains, enhanced storage facilities and improved market systems. Both the president and the prime minister called for cooperation among governments, research institutions, the private sector, civil society and citizens to build a safer, healthier and more resilient food system in Pakistan.

A farmer harvesting wheat in Pasni, Balochistan, under the sun.

Health

President Zardari urges all stakeholders to promote safe food practices and ensure compliance with food safety standards across the food chain; PM says the government is implementing a range of measures based on agricultural research and technology to strengthen food security, increase productivity and mitigate the effects of climate change.