Ali Bin Mubarak Al-Khateer

In a world where conflict too often overshadows cooperation, the State of Qatar has pursued a path firmly anchored in the principles of peace, dialogue, and mutual respect. Qatar has earned a global reputation as a neutral and reliable mediator trusted to facilitate dialogue and bring parties together. This is not merely a policy choice of convenience; it is a constitutional commitment. Article 7 of Qatar&rsquo;s Constitution clearly stipulates mediation as a cornerstone of our foreign policy: &ldquo;based on the principle of encouraging peaceful resolution of international disputes.&rdquo; Guided by this principle, Qatar has consistently worked to manage conflicts and foster peaceful settlements, whether at the inter-state level or between states and non-state actors. Since the early 2000s, Qatar has successfully mediated ceasefires, facilitated hostage releases and prisoner exchanges, launched national dialogue processes among other initiatives, contributing to peace facilitation and agreements in many conflicts at both regional and international levels. Nowhere is Qatar&rsquo;s commitment to peace more visible than in its sustained mediation efforts regarding Palestine. Qatar has consistently supported international initiatives to alleviate humanitarian suffering and facilitate dialogue aimed at ceasefires and long-term stability. Qatar&rsquo;s efforts have included humanitarian assistance, reconstruction support, and diplomatic engagement with all relevant actors, always with the goal of protecting civilian lives and advancing the cause of a just and lasting peace.&nbsp; Our efforts are not conducted in isolation. Qatar has built partnerships with leading countries in the field of mediation, including memoranda of understanding with Sweden, Norway, and Finland. These agreements, and others with bilateral partners, enhance knowledge sharing and cooperation, ensuring that best practices inform every negotiation process. For Pakistan, a brotherly nation with whom we share deep historical and cultural ties and a common vision of regional stability, Qatar&rsquo;s mediation efforts hold special significance. Pakistan&rsquo;s own contributions to regional peace reflect its understanding of the challenges of conflict resolution. Together, our two countries can promote dialogue, cooperation, and diplomacy across South Asia, the Middle East, and beyond. Qatar promotes both Track I diplomacy (state-to-state negotiations) and Track II approaches that include civil society, women, refugees, internally displaced persons, and other marginalized groups. This inclusive approach reflects our belief that sustainable peace requires the voices of all stakeholders. Qatar&rsquo;s mediation affirms that peace is not the monopoly of the powerful, but the responsibility of all. Guided by respect for sovereignty and non-interference, Qatar will continue to act as a bridge-builder and engage in mediation only with the consent of all parties. This principle of consent and neutrality is precisely why Qatar has been consistently invited to facilitate some of the world&rsquo;s most complex and sensitive dialogues. At a time when the world is marked by uncertainty, Qatar remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering dialogue and reconciliation. We stand ready, with partners like Pakistan, to demonstrate that peaceful resolution is not only possible but essential for a stable and just global order. The author is the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani

Articles

Qatar, guided by its Constitution, has built a reputation as a neutral mediator, advancing peace through dialogue, humanitarian action in Palestine, and partnerships with countries like Pakistan to promote regional stability and conflict resolution.

Qatar and international conflict mediation

Muhammad Usman Amin

PESHAWAR: In Peshawar, a city in northwestern Pakistan renowned for its food, one restaurant stands out not only for its taste but for its unapologetic celebration of meat. Situated on the main University Road, directly under the flight path of the airplanes landing and taking off from the airport runway right across the road, Shinwari Pulao has become a legendary destination for meat-lovers since its inception in 1994. The restaurant&#39;s fame rests on its namesake dish, Shinwari Pulao. It is not just a plate of rice with meat but rather a mountain of meat with a bit of rice. Carnivorous cravings &nbsp;This is the main reason for its appeal in a region that takes its carnivorous cravings very seriously. The meat, tender mutton, is cooked to perfection. It is succulent, juicy, and richly marbled, with soft bone marrow served alongside. The creator of this phenomenon is Yar Muhammad, who started with a small shop and a unique vision. Kabuli Pulao is the main rice dish famous in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and he deliberately wanted to depart from the standard. Instead of cooking components separately like Kabuli Pulao, his method involves simmering the meat and rice together in the meat&#39;s own flavorful broth, removing the meat and cooking it a second time separately to render the fat, and adding it to the rice again, but without using any heavy spices in the dish. Good rice and rich meat&nbsp;&quot;The reason for the rice&#39;s flavor is that for every one kilo of rice we cook, we add at least 17 to 18 kilos of meat,&quot; he reveals. This huge ratio is the secret to the dish&#39;s rich umami flavor that satisfies even the most intense cravings. The result is a very simple dish &mdash; just good rice and rich meat. The natural flavor of the high-quality mutton flows through, creating a rich, gelatinous broth that the rice cooks in for hours. The dish is finished with a generous sprinkle of julienned carrots and raisins, lightly fried in sugar, adding a touch of sweetness that cuts through the richness. &lsquo;Unique taste&rsquo;&nbsp;This focus on quality and quantity has turned Shinwari Pulao from a small shop into a large establishment occupying an entire plaza.&nbsp; During lunch and dinner, hundreds of customers throng the place, from locals to travelers who have heard of its legendary status. &quot;I have eaten at other restaurants, but the taste of this place&#39;s rice is unique,&quot; says Muhammad Salim, a regular customer from Kurram District currently working in Peshawar, who came along with his friends. &quot;The meat is tender, soft, and delicious. That&#39;s the main reason we come here.&quot; For anyone visiting Peshawar, a meal at Shinwari Pulao is more than just dinner: it is an experience that speaks to the heart of Pashtun hospitality and its profound love for meat.

Culture

For anyone visiting Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar,  a meal at Shinwari Pulao is more than just dinner: it is an experience that speaks to the heart of Pashtun hospitality and its profound love for meat.

More meat than rice: How one Peshawar restaurant became a carnivore's paradise

SAN FRANCISCO: Amazon is demanding that artificial intelligence startup Perplexity put a stop to its bot shopping for people at the e-commerce giant&#39;s retail platform, the companies said on Tuesday. Amazon sent Perplexity a cease-and-desist letter that sets the stage for a lawsuit if AI agent Comet continues to serve as a personal shopper for customers. &quot;We&#39;ve repeatedly requested that Perplexity remove Amazon from the Comet experience,&quot; an Amazon spokesperson said in response to an AFP inquiry. &quot;Particularly in light of the significantly degraded shopping and customer service experience it provides.&quot; &lsquo;Bully tactic&rsquo;Amazon also contends that Comet&#39;s automated shopping is violating the terms of service by not disclosing that it is independently doing the shopping for users. In a blog post, San Francisco-based Perplexity accused Amazon of using a &quot;bully tactic&quot; to scare &quot;disruptive companies&quot; from making shopping easier for people. Like other generative AI tools, Comet has evolved beyond finding information or crafting text to independently performing computer tasks such as booking reservations or tending to online shopping. Amazon says Perplexity has failed to take personalized recommendations into account, and its AI agent is making mistakes regarding delivery times. &lsquo;Unauthorized access&rsquo;The retail colossus also argued that Perplexity uses tactics to gain &quot;unauthorized access&quot; for shopping at the platform, failing to operate &quot;transparently.&quot; Amazon is testing its own AI agents capable of handling all stages of shopping for customers and uses data it collects to target products and ads. Perplexity, valued recently at some $20 billion, is among tech firms developing AI agents that work in web browsers, tending to internet tasks for users. Generative AI star OpenAI last month launched a ChatGPT Atlas web browser on Apple computers that is capable of shopping at some websites. Similar AI agent shopping capabilities are expected to be added to Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers in the coming months.

Artificial Intelligence

Amazon sent Perplexity a cease-and-desist letter that sets the stage for a lawsuit if AI agent Comet continues to serve as a personal shopper for customers; it also contends Comet's automated shopping is violating terms of service.

Perplexity shopping bot not welcome at Amazon shop

BRUSSELS: The European Union&#39;s 27-member states struck a deal Wednesday on the bloc&#39;s next big emissions-cutting targets, after making overnight concessions to win over reluctant capitals in time for the UN&#39;s COP30 summit. EU countries have been haggling for months over two separate targets for slashing greenhouse-gas emissions: a 2040 goal intended as a milestone towards carbon-neutrality, and a related target that they must bring to the climate talks next week in Brazil. In marathon negotiations that ran most of the night, the bloc finally agreed to target a 90% cut in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2040, compared to 1990 levels, but countries will be allowed to count international carbon credits towards up to 10% of that goal. Major polluter&nbsp;Behind only China, the United States, and India in terms of emissions, the EU has been the most committed of the major polluters to climate action and has already cut emissions by 37% compared to 1990 levels. But after blazing a trail, the EU&#39;s political landscape has shifted right, and climate concerns have taken a backseat to defense and competitiveness -- with concerns in some capitals that greening Europe&#39;s economy is harming growth. Denmark, which holds the bloc&#39;s rotating presidency, worked through the night to win over the countries most skeptical of the proposed targets -- notably Italy. Unanimous deal&nbsp;The EU needed to win the support of a weighted majority of capitals for the 2040 climate target set out by the European Commission -- which implies sweeping changes to industry and daily life at a time of growing concern over adverse impacts on Europe&#39;s economy. Ministers also needed a unanimous deal on the EU emissions target for 2035, known as a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which Paris Agreement signatories are supposed to bring to the COP30. That objective, set at between 66.25% and 72.5%, was also agreed overnight. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">&lsquo;Not pretty&rsquo;&nbsp;</h2>To win over the staunchest skeptics, Tuesday&#39;s talks covered a range of &quot;flexibilities&quot; for member states, including letting countries count carbon credits purchased to finance projects outside Europe. A commission offer for credits to account for up to three percent of a nation&#39;s 2040 emission cuts failed to win over hardliners, with countries eventually securing a higher threshold of 10%. Countries including Poland and Hungary also secured backing for a one-year delay, from 2027 to 2028, to the launch of a new EU carbon market for the road transport and industrial heating sectors -- which critics fear will drive up fuel prices. And in a further big concession, EU countries agreed for the overall 2040 objective to be reassessed every two years. &lsquo;Muddy, messy, nasty real world&rsquo;Environmental groups have accused countries of undermining the bloc&#39;s climate ambitions by pushing for a series of loopholes. But an EU diplomat, granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive deliberations, had defended the compromise taking form in Brussels, although it was &quot;not necessarily pretty&quot;. &quot;In the muddy, messy, nasty real world out there, we are trying to achieve something good,&quot; said the diplomat.

Europe

In marathon negotiations, the bloc finally agreed to target a 90% cut in emissions by 2040, compared to 1990 levels, but countries will be allowed to count international carbon credits towards up to 10% of that goal.

EU strikes last-ditch deal on climate targets as COP30 looms

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, said, while Pakistan must &ldquo;stay the course&rdquo; on structural reforms, urgent &ldquo;course correction&rdquo; is needed in two existential areas: population growth and climate change. Addressing &ldquo;The Future Summit&ndash;9th Edition&rdquo; in Karachi, he called for a national sense of urgency to tackle population growth, child stunting, and learning poverty, and to fully utilize the $2 billion climate-related financing available under the World Bank&rsquo;s Country Partnership Framework, said a press release issued by Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Finance on Wednesday. <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" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 696px; 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=1985956240984527013&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=61d154fee454dda7341ee4a3ef7ad9edb79436f9&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div> Aurangzeb called for a fundamental shift from reactive policymaking to a forward-looking, reform-driven approach aimed at stabilizing Pakistan&rsquo;s economy, restoring investor confidence, and setting a sustainable course for growth. He outlined the government&rsquo;s commitment to structural reforms, fiscal discipline, and strategic partnerships to redefine the country&rsquo;s economic direction. In his remarks, the minister shared global and national perspectives drawn from his recent engagements in Washington and Riyadh, noting that the world economy has demonstrated greater resilience than anticipated, aided by structural reforms and enhanced private sector participation in many countries. &lsquo;Macroeconomic stability&rsquo;He underscored the growing global consensus on scaling back government roles and promoting productivity-led, private sector-driven growth, alongside opportunities in artificial intelligence and technology-led innovation. Turning to Pakistan, the finance minister reaffirmed that macroeconomic stability has been achieved and externally validated, with major rating agencies upgrading Pakistan&rsquo;s outlook, and the IMF&rsquo;s second review under the ongoing program concluded successfully. However, he emphasized that macro stability &ldquo;is not an end in itself but a means to an end,&rdquo; forming the foundation for sustained investment and long-term growth. &lsquo;Growing investor confidence&rsquo;&nbsp;Highlighting encouraging trends, he noted that corporate profitability in Pakistan has risen by 14% during the first nine months of 2025, and that 73% of CEOs in the latest OICCI (Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce &amp; Industry) survey now consider Pakistan a viable investment destination, up from 61% earlier.&nbsp; These indicators, he said, reflect growing investor confidence and the country&rsquo;s improving direction. Senator Aurangzeb pointed to a &ldquo;confluence of favorable factors&rdquo;, including macro stability and geopolitical tailwinds, that now position Pakistan to convert bilateral support into trade and investment flows led by the private sector. He reaffirmed the government&rsquo;s commitment to providing an enabling ecosystem in priority sectors, including minerals and mining, IT, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and the blue economy. Google&rsquo;s office in Pakistan&nbsp;Discussing technological advancement and the knowledge-based economy, the minister welcomed Google&rsquo;s decision to open an office in Pakistan and to make the country a regional technical and export hub. He emphasized the need to equip youth with digital and technical skills to help them capture higher-value opportunities in coding, blockchain, and AI-driven sectors. On structural reforms, Aurangzeb stressed that Pakistan is &ldquo;no longer in a design phase but in the implementation mode.&rdquo; 900,000 new tax filers&nbsp;He outlined progress in areas such as taxation, energy, state-owned enterprises, privatization, public finance management, rightsizing of government, pension reforms, and debt servicing. He highlighted the use of AI-led monitoring and invoicing systems to curb tax leakages, the addition of 900,000 new tax filers, and the World Bank&#39;s international recognition of Pakistan&rsquo;s reform efforts. He reaffirmed the government&rsquo;s commitment to privatization, noting the recent acquisition of a local bank by a major UAE conglomerate and ongoing work on transactions involving the PIA and power distribution companies. Defined-contribution pension schemeHe also shared updates on the right-sizing of federal ministries and departments, the closure of loss-making entities such as the Utility Stores Corporation and the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation, and the transition to a defined-contribution pension scheme for new government entrants. He concluded by reaffirming the government&rsquo;s resolve to sustain economic reforms, strengthen resilience, and advance a reform agenda focused on long-term sustainability and human development.

Taxation

Business

Notes corporate profitability in Pakistan has risen by 14% during the first nine months of 2025; 73% of CEOs in the latest overseas investors survey consider Pakistan a viable investment destination.

Pakistan’s finance minister urges ‘course correction’ on population, climate challenges 

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh&rsquo;s Adviser for Environment Syeda Rizwana Hassan has said that Pakistan and Bangladesh are working to start direct flights via a third country and expressed hope that the people of both countries will be able to travel visa-free in the near future. Bangladeshi advisor expressed these views in an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV. She is visiting Pakistan to attend 28th Sustainable Development Conference organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in Islamabad from November 4 to 7. Hassan said there will be a decision at the government level on starting direct flight between both countries. &ldquo;I am happy to share that both countries are considering positively the engagement of the third country for flights from Bangladesh to Pakistan and Pakistan to Bangladesh, something they called the fifth freedom,&rdquo; she said, adding that there are logistical shortcomings and airspace-related complications, which is why a third country is required. &ldquo;I am very hopeful that the issue of visa and direct connectivity should be resolved as soon as possible,&rdquo; she added. Expressing hope for visa-free travel under the SAARC framework, the Bangladeshi adviser expressed optimism that the common people of both countries would be able to travel visa-free in the near future.<video controls="" src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/52d25772-833e-4df7-b197-272abda91131-WhatsApp Video 2025-11-05 at 1.50.53 PM.mp4" class="fr-draggable fr-fvc fr-dvi"> </video>&ldquo;On the visa issue, both countries have agreed that diplomatic passports will no longer require a visa,&rdquo; she continued.&nbsp; &ldquo;We have to build trust between the communities; it is important that this facility may be extended to communities, people, and businesspeople.&rdquo; She informed that there is a dialogue ongoing between the two countries in this regard and hoped for a positive outcome.&nbsp;&ldquo;I look forward to a day when people of both countries will be able to go to other countries without having to obtain a primary visa and will be able to travel on a visa-on-arrival basis,&rdquo; she added. In recent months, Pakistan and Bangladesh have taken concrete steps to restore closer links, including the launch of a direct shipping route between Karachi and Chittagong as part of a broader push to boost connectivity and trade. Both countries have also eased travel-and-visa procedures, notably by agreeing that diplomatic passports will no longer require a visa.

Beyond Borders

Bangladeshi advisor expresses these views in an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV. She is in Pakistan to attend 28th Sustainable Development Conference organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in Islamabad.

Bangladesh adviser says Islamabad, Dhaka working to restore direct flights, hopes for visa-free travel

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy is fully prepared to respond to any challenge in regional waters, Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Raja Rab Nawaz said Tuesday, emphasizing the force&rsquo;s constant vigilance amid reports of a tri-services exercise by India in the Arabian Sea. Speaking to local media during the Pakistan International Maritime Expo and Conference 2025 at the Expo Centre, Nawaz said the Navy continuously monitors developments in the region to ensure readiness against any potential threat. &ldquo;We are always keeping an eye on whatever is happening around us. We are always monitoring what is happening. This is an ongoing thing &mdash; our monitoring and our readiness,&rdquo; Nawaz said. He said that Pakistan would soon induct new submarines into its fleet, a move aimed at bolstering national and maritime security. &ldquo;Pakistan Navy&rsquo;s role in the region is to ensure maritime security and the free flow of trade. The new submarines will significantly contribute to that in the coming days,&rdquo; the naval chief said. Nawaz&rsquo;s remarks come amid heightened naval activity in the Arabian Sea, where Indian tri-services forces are conducting large-scale maritime exercises. Last week, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, while chairing the Command and Staff Conference of the Pakistan Navy at Naval Headquarters in Islamabad, underscored the importance of maintaining constant combat readiness to counter evolving maritime challenges. The staff conference reviewed the Pakistan Navy&#39;s operational preparedness. It examined progress on ongoing initiatives, including the Pakistan International Maritime Expo and Conference, which was described as a leading platform for showcasing the nation&rsquo;s maritime potential and promoting regional cooperation.

Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Raja Rab Nawaz in a group photo with speakers of the 11th International Maritime Conference during PIMEC 2025 at Karachi Expo Centre. (Radio Pakistan)

Security

Pakistan Navy is fully prepared to respond to any challenge in regional waters, says Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Raja Rab Nawaz; emphasizes the constant vigilance of the force amid reports of a tri-services exercise by India in the Arabian Sea.

Pakistan Navy fully prepared to counter regional threats: naval chief

ISLAMABAD: Nearly 88% of Pakistan&rsquo;s population now lives in urban areas, far above the 39% reported in official statistics, according to a new World Bank report. The findings, presented in the working paper &ldquo;When Does a Village Become a Town?: Revisiting Pakistan&rsquo;s Urbanization Using Satellite Data,&rdquo; are based on satellite imagery and the Degree of Urbanization (DoU) methodology, which assesses settlement patterns across the country. Rural population shrinks as villages vanishAccording to the report, dispersed rural areas and villages now account for just 12% of the population, down from 39% in 1980. Many areas officially classified as rural, including dense towns (11%), semi-dense towns (2%), and suburban or peri-urban zones (29%), exhibit clear urban characteristics. Over the past two decades, rural and agricultural lands have been increasingly converted into residential and commercial zones, with villages now hosting dense peri-urban communities and semi-dense towns evolving into secondary cities. Urban centers expand beyond administrative bordersThe report highlights how urban growth extends far beyond formal city limits. In Sialkot, 97% of the population lives in urban-like areas, with 56% classified as city residents, the report says. In Lahore, 87% of the population resides in urban areas, including 44% within officially designated city zones. Between 2000 and 2020, 50% of villages transformed into suburban or peri-urban areas, 17% of dense towns became secondary cities, and 27% of dispersed rural areas shifted into peri-urban zones. Secondary cities drive urban growthContrary to the perception that megacities are the primary drivers of urbanization, the study finds that most expansion occurs in secondary cities and peri-urban areas. These intermediate centers now absorb a growing share of the population, underscoring their critical role in planning and fiscal policy. Urban wealth concentrated in citiesUsing the Relative Wealth Index, the World Bank shows that cities report the highest living standards. At the same time, semi-dense towns and peri-urban areas vary according to their proximity to urban cores. Rural areas, by contrast, remain less affluent, though their population numbers have remained relatively stable over the past 40 years due to high birth rates. Misclassification strains resources and planningAdministrative misclassification of urban areas limits property tax collection and constrains investments in infrastructure and public services. In Punjab, property taxes accounted for just 0.01% of GDP in FY2019, far below the average for lower-middle-income countries. The misalignment also hampers planning for water supply, sanitation, roads, and schools, potentially creating &ldquo;sterile agglomeration,&rdquo; where population density increases without gains in productivity or living standards. Economic and policy implicationsUpdating urban classifications could increase property tax revenues up to sevenfold, unlocking funds for infrastructure development. The report emphasizes the need for Pakistan to revise outdated urban-rural definitions, strengthen planning across expanding metropolitan areas, and implement data-driven taxation and service delivery systems. Without these reforms, rapid urbanization could strain public resources, disrupt economic potential, and deepen inequalities in rapidly growing towns and cities.

Climate & Environment

Economy

Health

Education

The findings are based on satellite imagery and the Degree of Urbanization methodology, which assesses settlement patterns across the country.

Pakistan’s urban population hits 88% as villages transform into towns: World Bank

WASHINGTON: The US government shutdown became the longest ever Wednesday, topping the 35-day record set during Donald Trump&rsquo;s first term, as his administration warned of holiday air travel chaos and threatened Americans&rsquo; benefits in a bid to force a resolution. Federal agencies have been grinding to a halt since Congress failed to approve funding past September 30, and the pain has been mounting as welfare programs &mdash; including aid that helps millions of Americans afford groceries &mdash; hang in limbo. There were, in recent days, the first fragile signs of progress in Congress in the search for an off-ramp, although 1.4 million federal workers, from air traffic controllers to park wardens, remain on enforced leave or working without pay. Hours before the shutdown record toppled at midnight, the Trump administration sounded the alarm over turmoil at airports nationwide if the crisis drags beyond a sixth week, with worsening staff shortages snarling airports and closing down sections of airspace. &ldquo;So if you bring us to a week from today, Democrats, you will see mass chaos... you will see mass flight delays,&rdquo; Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told a news conference in Philadelphia. &ldquo;You&rsquo;ll see mass cancellations, and you may see us close certain parts of the airspace, because we just cannot manage it &mdash; we don&rsquo;t have the air traffic controllers.&rdquo; Thanksgiving air travel is expected to set a new record this year, the American Automobile Association projected &mdash; with 5.8 million people set to fly domestically over the November 27 holiday. More than 60,000 air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers are working without pay, and the White House has warned that increased absenteeism could mean chaos at check-in lines. Airport workers calling in sick rather than working without pay &mdash; leading to significant delays &mdash; was a major factor in Trump bringing an end to the 2019 shutdown. Both Democrats and Republicans remain unwavering, however, over the main sticking point in the current stoppage &mdash; health care spending. &lsquo;Defiance&rsquo;Democrats say they will only provide votes to end the funding lapse after a deal has been struck to extend expiring insurance subsidies that make health care affordable for millions of Americans. But Republicans insist they will only address health care once Democrats have voted to switch the lights back on in Washington. While both sides&rsquo; leadership have shown little appetite for compromise, there have been signs of life on the back benches, with a handful of moderate Democrats working to find an escape hatch. A separate bipartisan group of four centrist House members unveiled a compromise framework Monday for lowering health insurance costs. Democrats believe that millions of Americans seeing skyrocketing premiums as they enroll in health insurance programs for next year will pressure Republicans into seeking compromise. But Trump has held firm on refusing to negotiate, telling CBS News in an interview broadcast Sunday that he would &ldquo;not be extorted.&rdquo; The president has sought to apply his own pressure to force Democrats to cave by threatening mass layoffs of federal workers and using the shutdown to target progressive priorities. Trump on Tuesday repeated his administration&rsquo;s threat to cut off a vital aid program that helps 42 million Americans pay for groceries for the first time in its more than 60-year history, even though the move was blocked by two courts. The White House later clarified, however, that it was &ldquo;fully complying&rdquo; with its legal obligations and was working to get partial SNAP payments &ldquo;out the door as much as we can and as quickly as we can.&rdquo; <figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic"> </figcaption>

The US Capitol is seen in Washington, DC on November 4, 2025. (AFP)

Americas

The US government shutdown became the longest ever Wednesday, topping the 35-day record set during Donald Trump’s first term, as his administration warned of holiday air travel chaos and threatened Americans’ benefits in a bid to force a resolution.

US government shutdown becomes longest in history

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Tuesday that Islamabad had presented &lsquo;concrete evidence&rsquo; of attacks from Afghan soil to Kabul in recent talks. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; He was responding to concerns expressed by opposition lawmakers in the Senate of Pakistan. FM Dar said that recent dialogues with the interim Afghan government, held in T&uuml;rkiye and Qatar, focused on engaging Afghan authorities to curb cross-border terrorism. He said that groups such as Fitna al-Khawarij (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) and the Balochistan Liberation Army were operating from Afghan soil and conducting terrorist activities against Pakistan. Combating terrorism&nbsp;The foreign minister reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to combating terrorism, urging the interim Afghan government to ensure its territory is not used for hostile activities against Pakistan. Speaking in the Senate, he said that incidents of terrorism have increased even more than in 2012. Agreements made with Afghan Taliban previously, too&ldquo;[Yesterday] Mr Muttaqi called us six times. I told him we want only one thing from you: that your soil should not be used against Pakistan,&rdquo; said the foreign minister. &ldquo;[I told him that] the government has taken a decision, and we will fight [terrorism] to the last breath.&rdquo; Dar said that till 2018, because of Pakistan&#39;s security forces&#39; operations, terrorist attacks in the country had gone down considerably. He said that after the Afghan Taliban came to power, for four years, there were no formal engagements between the two countries. &ldquo;I went to Afghanistan, talked with them, and made agreements.&rdquo; The foreign minister said he asked only one thing of them: that Afghanistan&rsquo;s territory not be used against Pakistan. Dar said that an effort was made to start a train service from Afghanistan to other countries. Unfortunately, with the current government in Afghanistan, violent incidents have increased daily, affecting plans for such a project. Releasing terrorists from prison a mistakeThe foreign minister said that 40,000 TTP members came to Pakistan from Afghanistan, and that the government at that time released more than 100 hardcore terrorists from prisons. Such mistakes, he said, should never have been made. He said that a few years ago, there were 38,000 religious seminaries, and now there are 150,000. He expressed hope that talks between the two sides in Istanbul on Nov. 6 will advance. Trump&rsquo;s active role during Pak-India conflictDar said that US President Donald Trump played an active role during the Pak-India conflict from May 6 to 10, and that the UAE, the UK, and Qatar maintained extensive contact during that period. India had launched 80 drones against Pakistan; the army neutralized 79 of them, while one caused minor damage to military installations, he said. The foreign minister said that India&rsquo;s attempt to construct a false narrative was exposed. The operation against India began at 4 a.m. and ended at 8 a.m. At 8:17 a.m., he said, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called to say that India was ready for a ceasefire. Dar said that the letter recommending President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize was written on June 11. &quot;The role played by the United States was acknowledged through that letter, which was sent under my signature,&quot; he said.&nbsp;The letter will be considered next year, as nominations for the Nobel Prize are accepted till January, he added.

Foreign Affairs

Speaking in the Senate, he said that terrorist groups were operating from Afghan soil and conducting terrorist activities against Pakistan. 

Kabul was presented 'concrete evidence' of Afghan-based attacks: Pakistan foreign minister

KABUL:&nbsp;The United Nations on Tuesday suspended operations at a key border crossing between Afghanistan and Iran because of new interim Afghan government restrictions on Afghan women workers, a UN official said. Indrika Ratwatte, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Afghanistan, did not detail the restrictions but warned they were creating &quot;immediate operational challenges&quot; and posed &quot;additional risks for returning people, particularly women and girls.&quot; Main crossing point&nbsp;Islam Qala is the main crossing point for Afghans expelled from Iran, more than 60% of whom are women and children, according to the UN official. &quot;The UN and humanitarian partners have today suspended operations at the Islam Qala border between Afghanistan and Iran, following the introduction of additional restrictions preventing female national UN and partner staff from operating at the border,&quot; said Ratwatte. &quot;Without female staff, we cannot collectively serve returning women and children under conditions of dignity and respect,&quot; Ratwatte added. Several UN sources contacted by AFP said the decision followed a Monday meeting with interim Afghan government officials. The Taliban authorities did not immediately respond to AFP&#39;s request for comment. An Afghan worker for a UN agency in Herat, near the border, said on Tuesday that &quot;no services are being provided for migrants in either Islam Qala or in Ansar camp&quot; in the city. An NGO worker told AFP that their humanitarian organization suspended its operations in Islam Qala. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, had already suspended assistance to returning Afghans, citing &quot;instructions from the de facto authorities preventing Afghan female staff from working.&quot; Ban on employing Afghan women&nbsp;In 2022, the Taliban banned NGOs from employing Afghan women, extending the measure to UN agencies in 2023. While women are still allowed to work in certain sectors or remotely, all Afghan UN employees have been required to work from home for the past two months.&nbsp; NGOs, however, can still deploy Afghan women as field staff. According to the UN, more than 1.2 million Afghans have crossed through Islam Qala from Iran so far this year. They are among the 2.2 million Afghans who have returned this year, including 1.7 million from Iran. &lsquo;Test of our collective humanity&rsquo;&nbsp;Roza Otunbayeva, head of the UN mission in Afghanistan, in July described the situation at Islam Qala as a &quot;test of our collective humanity.&quot; The UNAMA chief warned that many returnees, especially women, face trauma, poverty, and restricted access to basic services under Taliban rule. She urged the international community to act swiftly, saying Afghanistan &quot;cannot absorb this shock alone&quot; and that the cost of inaction would be measured in lives lost and renewed instability.

Afghanistan

In 2022, the Taliban banned NGOs from employing Afghan women, extending the measure to UN agencies in 2023; according to the UN, more than 1.2 million Afghans have crossed through Islam Qala from Iran so far this year.

Articles by Ali Bin Mubarak Al-Khateer