GAZA CITY: The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinian prisoners on Wednesday under the US-brokered ceasefire exchange deal.&nbsp;&quot;The Ministry of Health announces the receipt of 15 bodies of martyrs released today by the Israeli occupation via the International Committee of the Red Cross, bringing the total number of bodies received to 345,&quot; the ministry said in a statement.&nbsp;A medical source at Gaza&#39;s Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Yunis confirmed it had received 15 bodies via the Red Cross.&nbsp;Under the ceasefire deal, which came into effect on October 10, Israel was required to turn over the bodies of 15 Palestinians for every deceased Israeli returned.&nbsp;The 15 bodies returned on Wednesday were in exchange for the remains of Dror Or, one of the last three deceased hostages held in the Palestinian territory, whose body was handed over to Israel on Tuesday by militants, via the ICRC.&nbsp;Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said in a statement that the handover &quot;reflects Hamas&#39;s steadfast commitment to fully complete the exchange process and its ongoing efforts to finalize it despite significant difficulties.&quot;&nbsp;The last two hostages&#39; bodies still in Gaza are those of Israeli Ran Gvili and Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak.&nbsp;At the start of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, militants were holding 20 living hostages and 28 bodies of deceased captives.&nbsp;Hamas has since released all the living hostages and returned the remains of 26 dead hostages.&nbsp;In exchange, Israel has released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in its custody and returned the bodies of hundreds of dead Palestinians

Middle East

Israel returned 15 Palestinian bodies to Gaza under a US-brokered ceasefire deal, exchanging them for the remains of Israeli hostage Dror Or, Hamas says it remains committed to completing the process, with two hostage bodies still in Gaza.

Israel returns 15 Palestinian bodies to Gaza under US-brokered ceasefire deal

LONDON:&nbsp;The co-founder of activist group Palestine Action will on Wednesday challenge a UK government ban under anti-terror laws that has led to mass arrests, sparking free speech and civil liberties concerns. United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk has said the ban &ldquo;appears disproportionate and unnecessary,&rdquo; while Europe&rsquo;s human rights watchdog, the Council of Europe, criticised &ldquo;excessive limits&rdquo; on the right to protest. The UK government proscribed the pro-Palestinian group in July, days after activists protesting the war in Gaza broke into an air force base in southern England. Prosecutors have said they caused an estimated &pound;7 million ($9.3 million) of damage to two aircraft at the base. The legal action brought by the group&rsquo;s co-founder, Huda Ammori, at London&rsquo;s High Court is expected to last from Wednesday to Thursday, with a third day to be set at a later stage. The ban &mdash; which makes being a member of the group or inviting support for it a serious criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison &mdash; has resulted in at least 2,300 arrests, according to protest organizers Defend Our Juries. Those arrested include students, teachers, pensioners, and even an 83-year-old retired vicar, with many carried away from the protests by police. According to London&rsquo;s Met Police, so far 254 people have been charged with a lesser offence that carries a sentence of up to six months. The proscription under the Terrorism Act 2000 means the group has been added to a list that also includes al-Qaida and Hezbollah. The interior ministry, or Home Office, has accused Palestine Action of conducting an &ldquo;escalating campaign&rdquo; involving &ldquo;sustained criminal damage,&rdquo; including to Britain&rsquo;s national security infrastructure. It also accuses the group of &ldquo;intimidation, alleged violence, and serious injuries.&rdquo; &#39;Not non-violent&#39;At a court hearing on Thursday, prosecutors alleged a Palestine Action activist struck a police officer with a sledgehammer at an Israel-based defence firm&rsquo;s UK site after breaking into the factory in western Bristol in August. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, defending the ban in August, said some supporters of the group &ldquo;don&rsquo;t know the full nature of this organisation because of court restrictions on reporting while serious prosecutions are underway.&rdquo; &ldquo;But it&rsquo;s really important that no one is in any doubt that this is not a non-violent organisation,&rdquo; she said, adding the government had received &ldquo;clear security assessments and advice&rdquo; before opting for a ban. Set up in 2020, the group&rsquo;s stated goal on its now-blocked website is to end &ldquo;global participation in Israel&rsquo;s genocidal and apartheid regime.&rdquo; It has mainly targeted weapons factories, especially those belonging to the Israeli defence group Elbit. Since the ban came into force on July 5, protesters have held a string of rallies at which they have held up signs saying: &ldquo;I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.&rdquo; Award-winning British film director Ken Loach has called the ban on Palestine Action &ldquo;absurd&rdquo; and accused the government of being complicit in Israel&rsquo;s &ldquo;incredible crimes&rdquo; in Gaza. &ldquo;This level of political repression is not what we expect in a democracy &mdash; it&rsquo;s the kind of tactic typically associated with authoritarian regimes around the world,&rdquo; a spokesperson for Defend Our Juries said. Areeba Hamid, co-executive director of Greenpeace UK, said the government had broken past pledges that the Terrorism Act would not be used to prosecute people taking direct action. &ldquo;Classifying a protest group as a &lsquo;terrorist organisation&rsquo; should send a chill down your spine,&rdquo; Hamid said. &ldquo;Progressive change is rarely made by any government without pressure from the public, and removing our right to protest is an erosion of democracy,&rdquo; she said.

A protester is escorted away by police officers for taking part in a demonstration in support of "Defend Our Juries" and their campaign against the ban on Palestine Action, outside Britain's Ministry of Justice in London on November 20, 2025. (Photo by Ch

United Kingdom

The co-founder of activist group Palestine Action will on Wednesday challenge a UK government ban under anti-terror laws that has led to mass arrests, sparking free speech and civil liberties concerns.

Palestine Action launches court bid to overturn UK government ban

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: source-sans-pro, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; float: none; display: inline !important;" id="isPasted">MOSCOW: The Kremlin confirmed Wednesday that US envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Moscow next week to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as Washington presses negotiations on a plan to end the Ukraine conflict. &quot;A preliminary agreement has been reached on (Witkoff&#39;s) visit to Moscow next week,&quot; Putin&#39;s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said on Russian TV. Several other officials from President Donald Trump&#39;s administration will accompany Witkoff, Ushakov said. Trump first announced the trip Tuesday, saying Witkoff would meet with Putin in Moscow and may be joined by Jared Kushner, the US president&#39;s son-in-law. The confirmation comes after news agency Bloomberg reported that Witkoff had coached Ushakov on how Putin should talk to Trump about a potential plan to end the conflict in Ukraine. &quot;I speak fairly often with Witkoff, but the content of those conversations is confidential,&quot; Ushakov said in his comments to Russian TV. He said such reports risked damaging US-Russian ties, which &quot;are being built, with difficulty&quot;, notably through phone calls.

Asia

The Kremlin confirmed that US envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Moscow next week to meet President Vladimir Putin, with additional Trump administration officials joining as Washington pushes negotiations on a plan to end the Ukraine conflict, adviser Yuri Ushakov said.

Kremlin confirms US envoy Witkoff will visit Moscow next week

JERUSALEM: The Israeli military on Wednesday announced a new &quot;counterterrorism&quot; operation in the north of the occupied West Bank. The military and internal security service said in a joint statement that they &quot;began operating as part of a broad counterterrorism operation in the area of northern Samaria&quot;, using the Israeli biblical term for part of the West Bank. The operation was new and not part of its counterterrorism operation launched in January 2024, which primarily targets Palestinian refugee camps, the Israeli army told AFP.

Israel’s military launched a new counterterrorism operation in the northern occupied West Bank, separate from its 2024 campaign. A joint statement with internal security services said the broadened operation targets “northern Samaria,” using Israel’s biblical term for the area.

Israeli army announces new operation in northern West Bank

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump said on Tuesday he is sending his envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week as the US president seeks to close out a deal to end the war in Ukraine. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that there were &quot;only a few remaining points of disagreement,&quot; but European leaders were skeptical, and Russian missiles continued to rain down on Ukraine. He also expressed hope to meet &quot;soon&quot; with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, &quot;but ONLY when the deal to end this War is FINAL or, in its final stages.&quot; Trump later told journalists aboard Air Force One that Witkoff may be joined in Moscow by the president&#39;s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. An initial US plan, which was heavily weighted in Russia&#39;s favor, has been replaced by one taking in more of Ukraine&#39;s interests, and an official familiar with the new version told AFP it was &quot;significantly better.&quot; However, US officials acknowledged that &quot;delicate&quot; issues remain. French President Emmanuel Macron threw cold water on the idea of a rapid solution, stating there is &quot;clearly no Russian willingness&quot; for a ceasefire or to discuss the new, more Ukraine-friendly proposal. Frantic discussions have been underway since the weekend when Ukrainian and US representatives huddled in Geneva to discuss Trump&#39;s controversial, initial 28-point plan for settling the bloody conflict. The latest talks, including US and Russian delegates, were taking place in Abu Dhabi, US media reported. Leaders of a group of 30 countries supporting Ukraine also met by video on Tuesday. US negotiator Dan Driscoll emerged upbeat from meeting with Russian counterparts, with his spokesperson saying: &quot;The talks are going well and we remain optimistic.&quot; The White House cited &quot;tremendous progress,&quot; while cautioning that &quot;there are a few delicate but not insurmountable details that must be sorted out.&quot; But the war, which began with Russia&#39;s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, continued unabated. On Tuesday night, Russia launched a major attack on Zaporizhzhia that damaged at least seven high-rise buildings and caused 12 people to be hospitalized, the head of the regional military administration said. The night before, powerful explosions rocked Kyiv beginning around 1 am local time, as Russian drones and missiles rained down, setting fires in apartment buildings. City officials said seven people were killed. Thick smoke, turning red and orange in the blizzard of Ukrainian air defense fire, rose over the capital as residents fled underground into metro stations, according to AFP reporters. &#39;Tough road ahead&#39; Trump, who long boasted he could negotiate an end to the Ukraine war within 24 hours, announced last week that he wanted his proposal approved by Kyiv by this Thursday &mdash; the US Thanksgiving holiday. But the initial plan, pushing numerous Russian war aims, sparked alarm in Ukraine and Europe. Among its points were prohibitions on Ukraine ever joining NATO and the surrender of swaths of new territory to Russia. The updated plan clearly pleases Kyiv more. The official familiar with the text told AFP that one key improvement was raising a proposed cap on the country&#39;s future military forces from 600,000 to 800,000 members. Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov said on Tuesday there was &quot;common understanding on the core&quot; of the deal between Ukraine and the United States. However, remaining details should be hammered out in direct talks &quot;at the earliest suitable date,&quot; he said. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned: &quot;There&#39;s still a long way to go and a tough road ahead.&quot; Russia&#39;s military occupies around a fifth of Ukraine, much of it ravaged by fighting. Tens of thousands of civilians and military personnel have been killed and millions have fled the east of the country. Ukrainian army Sergeant Ivan Zadontsev said negotiating was &quot;healthy.&quot; &quot;We also are getting tired of war. We need a break,&quot; he told AFP. But the proposals by both Washington and the European Union &quot;do not serve Ukraine&#39;s national interests,&quot; he said.

Europe

Americas

US president says "only a few remaining points of disagreement," expresses hope to meet "soon" with Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, "but only when the deal to end this war is final or, in its final stages."

Trump sends Witkoff to Moscow in hopes of finalizing Ukraine deal

SAN FRANCISCO: Computer and printer maker HP announced on Tuesday a sweeping restructuring plan that will eliminate about 10% of its workforce globally as the company pivots toward artificial intelligence (AI) to boost efficiency. According to its latest earnings report, the tech giant expects to reduce its global headcount by between 4,000 and 6,000 employees to focus on adopting AI to increase innovation and customer satisfaction. HP&#39;s move reflects a broader trend across the tech sector, where companies are investing heavily in AI development while using the technology to reduce operational costs. Major tech firms including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon have announced workforce reductions over the past two years, with many citing the need to reallocate resources, including jobs, toward AI initiatives. Industry analysts say AI automation is particularly affecting roles in customer support, content moderation, data entry, and certain computer programming tasks. HP said its AI plan aims to generate approximately $1 billion in annual savings by the end of fiscal 2028. The company has been working to transform its business model amid changing demand patterns in the PC and printing markets. HP CEO Enrique Lores told the Wall Street Journal that the company plans to raise the prices of its computers and work with new suppliers to help offset the higher costs of AI computing. In its latest quarter, HP posted a profit of $795 million, compared with $906 million a year earlier. Revenue rose 4.2% to $14.64 billion, topping analyst estimates with sales in PCs offsetting a decline in printer sales.

Artificial Intelligence

Tech giant expects to reduce its global headcount by between 4,000 and 6,000 employees to focus on adopting AI to increase innovation, customer satisfaction.

HP to cut thousands of jobs due to AI adoption

LISBON: Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo can play in the opening matches of the 2026 World Cup after global football governing body FIFA gave him a partially &quot;suspended&quot; ban on Tuesday following a red card.&nbsp;The 40-year-old was sent off as Portugal lost 2-0 in Dublin earlier in November when he elbowed Dara O&#39;Shea in the back, for his first dismissal in 226 international appearances.&nbsp;FIFA banned Ronaldo for three matches, two of which will be suspended and the other has already been served, when Portugal sealed their qualification for next summer&#39;s tournament against Armenia.&nbsp;&quot;In line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the serving of the two remaining matches has been suspended under a one-year probation period,&quot; said FIFA in a statement given to AFP.&nbsp;&quot;If Cristiano Ronaldo commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension set out in the disciplinary decision shall be deemed automatically revoked and the remaining two matches must be served immediately at the next official (Portugal) matches.&quot;&nbsp;Ronaldo, the men&#39;s all-time top goalscorer in international football with 143 goals, is aiming to play at a sixth World Cup next summer in the United States, Mexico and Canada.&nbsp;The former Real Madrid and Manchester United striker, currently at Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, has not yet lifted the trophy but did win Euro 2016 with Portugal.&nbsp;Ronaldo attended a dinner in the White House last week where he met US President Donald Trump, who said his son Barron &quot;is a big fan&quot; of the forward.&nbsp;The World Cup group stage draw takes place on December 5.

Football

Cristiano Ronaldo can play Portugal’s 2026 World Cup opener after FIFA suspended two of his three-match bans. Having already served one match, he remains eligible unless he commits a similar offence during a one-year probation period.

Ronaldo cleared for 2026 World Cup opener after FIFA suspends ban

CAIRO: Delegations from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, mediators along with the United States of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, met on Tuesday in Cairo to discuss the second phase of the deal, Egyptian state-linked media reported.&nbsp;Al-Qahera News, which has ties to Egyptian intelligence, said the meeting included the Egyptian and Turkish intelligence chiefs alongside the prime minister of Qatar.&nbsp;The delegates discussed working with the US &quot;to ensure the successful implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement&quot; between Israel and Hamas, the channel reported.&nbsp;Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the US act as both mediators and guarantors for the Gaza deal, which came into effect on October 10 after two years of war.&nbsp;Their meeting in Cairo came two days after a senior Hamas delegation met with Egyptian spy chief Hassan Rashad to discuss the second phase of the truce.&nbsp;That phase concerns disarming Hamas, establishing a transitional authority and deploying an international stabilisation force of foreign troops to the Gaza Strip.&nbsp;According to Al-Qahera News, Tuesday&#39;s meeting addressed &quot;overcoming obstacles and limiting violations to ensure the ceasefire holds&quot;.&nbsp;Israel and Hamas have repeatedly accused each other of violating the truce.&nbsp;According to the Gaza health ministry, Israeli fire has killed more than 300 Palestinians since the truce took hold.&nbsp;The mediators on Tuesday also &quot;agreed to continue strengthening coordination and cooperation with the Civil-Military Coordination Centre&quot; -- the truce monitoring centre set up by the US and its allies in southern Israel.

Egyptian, Qatari, Turkish and US mediators met in Cairo to advance the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, discussing disarmament plans, a transitional authority, and an international stabilisation force amid ongoing truce violations and rising casualties.

Gaza truce mediators in Cairo to discuss second phase: Egyptian Media   

MUMBAI: Bitter rivals India and Pakistan have been clubbed together in the same group and will play each other on February 15 in Colombo in the T20 World Cup 2026, cricket&#39;s world body announced Tuesday.&nbsp;Defending champions India and Pakistan have been placed in Group A in the 20-team competition being co-hosted by Sri Lanka, according to the schedule released by the International Cricket Council in Mumbai.&nbsp;It will be the first time the two teams play each other since their three heated contests at the 2025 Asia Cup in the UAE, where they skipped the customary handshake at the toss and post-match greetings.&nbsp;The Asia Cup was the first time they had met since deadly border conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors in May.&nbsp;The T20 World Cup will see Pakistan playing all their matches in Sri Lanka, part of a compromise deal that allows both India and Pakistan to play at neutral venues in multi-nation tournaments.&nbsp;Matches in the tournament will be held from February 7 across five venues in India and three in Sri Lanka.&nbsp;The tournament will use the same format as 2024, 20 teams in four groups, ahead of a Super Eights phase, with the top two finishers from each group making it to the playoffs.&nbsp;The final will be played on March 8 either in Ahmedabad or Colombo, depending on whether Pakistan go all the way.

Cricket

India and Pakistan will meet on February 15 in Colombo after being grouped together for the 2026 T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Their fixtures will be held at neutral venues under an agreed arrangement.

India and Pakistan set for group-stage clash in T20 World Cup

Every 10 minutes last year, a woman somewhere in the world was killed by a person close to her, the United Nations said on Monday as it decried a lack of progress in the battle against femicide. Some 50,000 women and girls were killed by intimate partners or family members in 2024, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and UN Women said in a report released to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on Nov. 25. The report said 60% of women killed around the world were murdered by partners or relatives, such as fathers, uncles, mothers, and brothers. For comparison, 11% of male murder victims were killed by someone close to them. The 50,000 figure &mdash; based on data from 117 countries &mdash; breaks down to 137 women per day, or around one woman every 10 minutes, the report said. The total is slightly lower than the figure reported in 2023, though it does not indicate an actual decrease, according to the report, as it stems largely from differences in data availability across countries. Femicide continues to claim tens of thousands of lives of women and girls each year, with no sign of improvement, and the &quot;home continues to be the most dangerous place for women and girls in terms of the risk of homicide,&quot; the study said. No region of the world went without femicide cases, but Africa again had the largest number last year with around 22,000, the report said. &quot;Femicides don&#39;t happen in isolation. They often sit on a continuum of violence that can start with controlling behavior, threats, and harassment &mdash; including online,&quot; Sarah Hendricks, Director of UN Women&#39;s Policy Division, said in a statement. The report said technological development has exacerbated some kinds of violence against women and girls and created others, such as non-consensual image-sharing, doxxing, and deep fake videos. &quot;We need the implementation of laws that recognize how violence manifests across the lives of women and girls, both online and offline, and hold perpetrators to account well before it turns deadly,&quot; said Hendricks.

Report says 60% of women killed around the world are murdered by partners or relatives such as fathers, uncles, mothers and brothers; no region of the world without femicide cases.

One woman killed by someone close every 10 minutes: UN

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Bahrain has conferred its highest state award on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as both countries move to deepen political, economic and defense cooperation, according to the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office (PMO).&nbsp;In a meeting in Manama, King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa presented Pakistani PM with the Order of Bahrain (First Class), described by the PMO as &ldquo;the highest award Bahrain confers on heads of state and government.&rdquo;&nbsp;The PMO said PM Sharif thanked the King for the warm reception and for what he called Bahrain&rsquo;s &ldquo;longstanding goodwill and friendship toward Pakistan.&rdquo; He also commended &ldquo;His Majesty&rsquo;s leadership in promoting peace, tolerance and coexistence.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to the PMO, King Hamad told Sharif that Bahrain had &ldquo;the privilege of being represented at a legal forum by none other than Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah,&rdquo; adding that Pakistan&rsquo;s founding father &ldquo;remained Bahrain&rsquo;s lawyer for a long time.&rdquo;&nbsp;Both sides reviewed the &ldquo;encouraging momentum&rdquo; in bilateral ties and agreed to strengthen cooperation in political, economic, defense and cultural fields.&nbsp;The PMO quoted PM Sharif as reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to deepening relations &ldquo;based on shared faith and mutual respect.&rdquo;&nbsp;The prime minister thanked the King for Bahrain&rsquo;s continued support, including the establishment of the King Hamad University for Nursing and Allied Medical Sciences in Islamabad, inaugurated in September 2025.&nbsp;He also expressed gratitude for Bahrain&rsquo;s solidarity following recent terrorist incidents in Pakistan.&nbsp;On economic ties, the PMO said the prime minister highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s desire to expand trade and investment, noting that bilateral commerce is expected to grow with the upcoming Pakistan&ndash;GCC Free Trade Agreement, now in its final stages.&nbsp;He invited Bahraini investors to explore opportunities through the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), particularly in food security, IT, construction, mining, tourism and healthcare.&nbsp;The PMO added that PM Sharif expressed appreciation for Bahrain&rsquo;s support to the more than 150,000 Pakistanis living in the Kingdom and thanked King Hamad for pardoning Pakistani prisoners.&nbsp;Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of the defense partnership and agreed to continue cooperation in training, logistics, manpower and defense production.&nbsp;They also discussed developments in Gaza, agreeing that peace and stability are &ldquo;long overdue for the people of Gaza,&rdquo; the PMO said.&nbsp;At the end of the meeting, the PMO noted that both sides expressed confidence that the visit would &ldquo;further consolidate the enduring friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and Bahrain.

Foreign Affairs

In Manama, PM Shehbaz Sharif receives Bahrain’s highest honor, strengthens Pakistan-Bahrain ties, discusses trade, defence, regional issues, and affirms commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation, says PMO.

 Bahrain awards top honor as leaders deepen strategic Pakistan ties

ISLAMABAD: In a significant endorsement of its role in global arms control, Pakistan has been re-elected to the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for the term 2026-28. The vote was held during the 30th Session of the Conference of States Parties in The Hague, Netherlands, from Nov. 24 to 28. The 41-member Executive Council serves as the organization&#39;s principal policy-making body, overseeing implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and ensuring member-state compliance. It also advances scientific and economic cooperation for peaceful chemical use. With 193 states as parties, the convention is widely regarded as one of the most successful international disarmament treaties, having verified the destruction of an entire category of weapons of mass destruction. Pakistan, which ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention&nbsp;in 1997, has remained an active contributor to the OPCW mandate and has been part of the executive council multiple times.&nbsp; The Pakistan Foreign Office said the country continues to host routine OPCW inspections at relevant national facilities and participates in capacity-building and technical cooperation initiatives.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1993554767017353469&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=3ba96c4b85199724f9f942c96144bb1d2a408154&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 922px; 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;</iframe></div></div>The foreign office described the re-election as an endorsement of Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;constructive contributions&rdquo; and a reflection of member states&rsquo; confidence in Islamabad&rsquo;s commitment to strengthening global chemical security. &ldquo;Pakistan will continue to provide effective leadership and support to the work of the OPCW,&rdquo; the statement added. According to its website, the OPCW oversees the global endeavor to permanently and verifiably eliminate the use of chemical weapons.

File: Entrance of the OPCW headquarters in The Hague - Wikimedia Commons 

Security

Pakistan was re-elected to the 41-member Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for 2026-28. Islamabad’s active participation and hosting of routine inspections highlight its ongoing role in promoting chemical weapons disarmament and compliance.

Pakistan retains seat at chemical weapons elimination body

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has said a truly futuristic approach is essential to move forward. Speaking at PTV Home&rsquo;s programme &lsquo;Rising Pakistan&rsquo; on the occasion of the channel&rsquo;s 61st anniversary, Attaullah Tarar said new platforms are being created to connect Gen Z with PTV. The minister said during Pakistan-India war, it was realized that there was a need to start channels as a stratcom tool. &ldquo;We are encouraging private sector channels as well,&rdquo; he said. Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan TV Satellite has a fresh and new look and &ldquo;our stories are being quoted by international media outlets like BBC and Reuters&rdquo;. He said our strategic and geopolitical situation is such that exclusive stories from here have international significance.&ldquo;We brought new vigour in English media, whether it be digital or satellite,&rdquo; he said. Attaullah Tarar said very capable women were heading most departments in PTV, adding that it is a women-led initiative in the information domain.He said in sports, we got exclusive rights of many series through which we generated revenue. The minister said a sustainable model is needed.&nbsp; He went on to say that we are trying to do collaboration with the private sector for PTV Home. &ldquo;We can make good dramas and do collaborations with the private sector under profit-cost sharing basis,&rdquo; he said, adding that public-private partnership is a way forward. He said those who are leaders in entertainment in private sector should be invited to collaborate with PTV. The minister said today all those who are leading the entertainment industry say they started from PTV. He added that PTV has given birth to the entertainment, sports and news industries. Attaullah Tarar said he does not believe in criticism for the sake of criticism, adding that there should be constructive criticism to bring reforms. He said the private sector will be strongly encouraged in media projects, adding that Pakistan Idol was launched as private sector collaboration at a minimum cost. The information minister said the government aims to expand youth involvement through private sector programmes.

Speaking at PTV Home’s programme ‘Rising Pakistan’ on the occasion of the channel’s 61st anniversary, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said new platforms are being created to connect Gen Z with PTV. (Photo: Pakistan TV Satellite)

SAT News Desk

Speaking at an event marking PTV's 61st anniversary, the information minister said new platforms are being created to connect Gen Z with PTV.

Moving forward with futuristic approach is essential: Tarar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir praised the &ldquo;professionalism, resolve and commitment&rdquo; demonstrated by Pakistan&rsquo;s Armed Forces during Marka-e-Haq, stating that it had &ldquo;enhanced the global stature of Pakistan.&quot;&nbsp; He was addressing participants of the National Security Workshop&ndash;27 at GHQ, Rawalpindi, according to a press release by Inter-Services Public Relations, the military&#39;s media wing. The Pakistan Army defines the period of conflict with India, starting from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the May 10 conclusion of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, as Marka-i-Haq in May. The army chief said Pakistan was a &ldquo;country of consequence and is destined to reach its rightful place in the comity of nations,&rdquo; ISPR said.&nbsp; The army chief highlighted the &ldquo;fluid regional environment shaped by heightened geopolitical competition, cross-border terrorism, and hybrid threats.&rdquo; Despite complex challenges including &ldquo;externally supported militancy and information-centric warfare,&rdquo; Pakistan&rsquo;s armed forces, intelligence agencies, and law-enforcement institutions continue to demonstrate unwavering professionalism and resolve to safeguard national security,&rdquo; the ISPR quoted him as saying. Participants were also briefed on ongoing &ldquo;national efforts against illegal activities, including the crackdown on smuggling, narcotics trafficking, and organized criminal networks that adversely impact security.&rdquo; Updates were shared on enhanced border controls and the repatriation of illegal foreigners to maintain internal order and protect national interests. Field Marshal Munir reiterated that the &ldquo;territorial integrity, security and protection of every Pakistani citizen is paramount for the Pakistan Army and will not be compromised under any circumstances.&rdquo; He reaffirmed the army&rsquo;s commitment to supporting federal and provincial governments. &ldquo;Coordinated national efforts and institutional synergy are vital for lasting peace, stability and prosperity,&rdquo; ISPR quoted him as saying. The National Security Workshop, run by the National Defence University, brings together parliamentarians, senior civil and military officials, academics, and representatives from civil society.

Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir addresses participants of National Security Workshop–27 (NSW–27) at the General Headquarters (GHQ) on November 26. — (ISPR)

Says success earned during Marka-e-Haq 'enhanced the global stature of Pakistan; crackdown on smuggling, narcotics trafficking, and organized criminal networks that adversely impact security continuing.

Field Marshal Munir hails armed forces for defeating India

GUWAHATI: Spinner Simon Harmer took six wickets as South Africa romped to victory by 408 runs in the second Test for their first series win in India in 25 years on Wednesday.&nbsp;World Test champions South Africa bowled out a dismal India for 140 in a mammoth chase of 549 on day five in Guwahati for a 2-0 Test sweep.&nbsp;It is India&#39;s biggest defeat at home by runs and a fifth loss in seven home Tests, having been whitewashed 3-0 by New Zealand last year.&nbsp;Off-spinner Harmer, 36, returned figures of 6-37 as South Africa clinched a Test series in India for only the second time, the first in 2000 under Hansie Cronje.&nbsp;Ravindra Jadeja resisted with 54 before Keshav Maharaj had him stumped and the spinner soon got the final wicket of Mohammed Siraj, with Marco Jansen pulling off a stunning catch in the deep.&nbsp;India lost the opening Test in Kolkata inside three on a pitch with uneven bounce before South Africa once again beat the hosts in their own game of spin on a batting-friendly track.&nbsp;The visitors declared their second innings on 260-5 on day four to hand India a record chase but the hosts batting once again failed and they never threatened to get close.&nbsp;India rode their luck early in the day when Jansen had Sai Sudharsan caught behind but the delivery was declared a no-ball after the bowler overstepped. The batter was on four.&nbsp;In the next over another overnight batter Kuldeep Yadav survived a reprieve on four when Aiden Markram dropped him at first slip off Harmer.&nbsp;But the relief was short-lived for India as a relentless Harmer soon bowled Kuldeep for five for the first wicket of the day.&nbsp;The off-spinner then dismissed Dhruv Jurel, for two, three balls later and soon sent back skipper Rishabh Pant for 13 as India slumped to 58-5.&nbsp;The batters fell like nine pins on a pitch where South Africa posted 489 after they elected to bat.&nbsp;India were bundled out for 201 to concede a first-innings lead of 288 but South Africa did not enforce the follow-on and decided to bat again.&nbsp;Left-arm quick Jansen returned figures of 6-48 in India&#39;s first innings after the bowler hit a quickfire 93 with the bat.&nbsp;South African all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy led the batting charge with his 109, his maiden Test century.

World Test champions South Africa bowl out a dismal India for 140 in a mammoth chase of 549 on day five in Guwahati for a 2-0 Test sweep.

South Africa condemn India to biggest home Test loss for series sweep

ISLAMABAD: A British member of parliament has urged political leaders and the media to take greater responsibility in challenging rising Islamophobia across the UK. In a message shared to mark Islamophobia Awareness Month, Labour MP&nbsp;for Nottingham East, Nadia Whittome, warned that Muslim communities continue to face threats, discrimination, and attacks on places of worship, violence she says is being fueled by &ldquo;Islamophobic and anti-migrant rhetoric from far-right politicians and large sections of the media.&rdquo; &ldquo;We stand in solidarity with our Muslim friends and neighbors,&rdquo; Whittome wrote. &ldquo;All of us, but especially those in power, have a responsibility to challenge the normalization of such hatred.&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; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1993365377561063628&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=c898a2a62ba7bb9baa026934ecf67f8368aff73a&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 897px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Her comments come amid ongoing concerns raised by community groups and rights organizations about the escalation of anti-Muslim incidents nationwide. Several mosques have reported targeted harassment this year, while advocacy groups have called for stronger government action and clearer commitments to countering hate speech. Whittome, who also serves on the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee and is a member of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, has been an outspoken critic of discriminatory rhetoric in public life. She emphasized that Islamophobia Awareness Month should serve as a reminder for institutions to strengthen protections for minority communities and promote social cohesion. Islamophobia Awareness Month, held each November, includes educational campaigns, community events, and initiatives aimed at challenging stereotypes and addressing the impact of anti-Muslim prejudice across the UK.

Nadia Whittome warns that Muslim communities continue to face threats, discrimination, and attacks on places of worship.

Articles by AFP

Israel returns 15 Palestinian bodies to Gaza under US-brokered ceasefire deal

Palestine Action launches court bid to overturn UK government ban

Kremlin confirms US envoy Witkoff will visit Moscow next week

Israeli army announces new operation in northern West Bank

Trump sends Witkoff to Moscow in hopes of finalizing Ukraine deal

HP to cut thousands of jobs due to AI adoption

Ronaldo cleared for 2026 World Cup opener after FIFA suspends ban

Gaza truce mediators in Cairo to discuss second phase: Egyptian Media

India and Pakistan set for group-stage clash in T20 World Cup

One woman killed by someone close every 10 minutes: UN

Latest News

Bahrain awards top honor as leaders deepen strategic Pakistan ties

Israel returns 15 Palestinian bodies to Gaza under US-brokered ceasefire deal

Pakistan retains seat at chemical weapons elimination body

Moving forward with futuristic approach is essential: Tarar

Field Marshal Munir hails armed forces for defeating India