NEW YORK CITY: The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday debated Iran&rsquo;s nuclear program amid rising tensions in the Middle East, with Pakistan telling the 15-member body that an enduring situation lies in embracing diplomacy rather than abandoning it &ldquo;for short-sighted policies.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;It is clear that dialogue, diplomacy and constructive engagement remain the only viable way forward. And yet, diplomacy has been forfeited in favour of military means,&rdquo; Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations (UN), said during a discussions on the UN &lsquo;Committee 1737&rsquo;, which oversees international sanctions on Iran regarding its nuclear and missile programs. &ldquo;The developments since last June as well as the ongoing situation that started with the unprovoked and unwarranted attacks on Iran have deeply impacted the context of Iran nuclear file,&rdquo; he said.<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=2032313042986271046&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=c248310fe0919f799bba80033d73f620b941b880&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 841px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>Regretting the breakdown of diplomacy on the Iranian nuclear issue, the Pakistani envoy said the validity of the fundamental principles and the multilateral spirit that led to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal, remained intact as also the consensus adoption of resolution 2231 in 2015. (But President Donald Trump, during his first term announced in 2018 the withdrawal of the United States (US) from JCPOA, terming it a &ldquo;horrible,&rdquo; &ldquo;one-sided&rdquo; deal that failed to protect US national security interests.) &ldquo;More than ever, and even during the current conflict and heightened tensions, it is clear that an enduring solution lies in embracing those time-tested principles rather than abandoning them for short-sighted policies,&rdquo; Ambassador Asim Ahmad said. The JCPOA, he said, &nbsp;was a &ldquo;unique instrument &ldquo;, manifestation of an approach based on dialogue, diplomacy and pragmatism, highlighting that it was the outcome of painstaking and arduous, yet constructive negotiations that charted a roadmap to comprehensively address the concerns of the parties based on reciprocal actions and thus embodying peaceful resolution of disputes that is at the heart the UN Charter. &ldquo;Pakistan lent its support to the negotiated settlement of the issue, and it remains our core position till today&rdquo;, he added. &ldquo;We have condemned all use of force, targeting of civilian infrastructure, and strikes on nuclear sites under IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) safeguards&rdquo;, the Pakistani envoy said, pointing out that strikes against nuclear facilities carried huge environmental and safety risks for the local population and people all around the region.He warned against disrupting IAEA&rsquo;s crucial verification mandate, saying that the agency is responsible for verifying compliance with respective nuclear safeguards obligations of Member States in an objective, impartial and credible manner on technical grounds. &ldquo;The IAEA should be enabled to fulfill this statutory function and its verification activities in Iran should resume unimpeded,&rdquo; the Pakistani envoy said.Pakistan, he said, &nbsp;calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities in the Middle East, and urged all parties to show maximum restraint, avoid further escalation, institute a permanent ceasefire, and resume dialogue. &ldquo;All our efforts aim in that direction&rdquo;, he said.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan told the UNSC that diplomacy, not military action, remains the only viable solution to Iran’s nuclear issue, urging restraint, ceasefire, renewed dialogue, and unimpeded IAEA verification activities.

As UNSC debates Iran nuclear program, Pakistan stresses diplomacy only way forward

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said Thursday that Pakistan holds sufficient reserves and supply arrangements to manage potential economic fallout from regional developments, the Finance Ministry reported.&nbsp; During a meeting with British High Commissioner Jane Marriott, Aurangzeb detailed the government&rsquo;s strategy for stabilizing the economy. He stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently formed a high-level committee to monitor global commodity markets and energy supplies daily. This group includes members from federal ministries and the State Bank of Pakistan. The committee tracks price movements and potential disruptions in crude oil, coal, gas, and petroleum products. Officials are also assessing how these factors impact inflation and financial stability. Aurangzeb stated the government is performing sensitivity analysis and scenario planning to address a prolonged regional crisis. The finance minister said energy conservation measures are currently under review. The Finance Ministry is coordinating with provincial authorities to manage resources and prevent market panic. Aurangzeb provided an update on Pakistan&rsquo;s engagement with the International Monetary Fund.&nbsp; He stated the government remains committed to meeting program benchmarks. Current efforts focus on tax policy, revenue mobilization, and institutional transparency. The government aims to broaden the tax base through data-driven enforcement. Economic indicators show signs of recovery. Growth reached 3.7% in the first quarter of the current fiscal year. Large-scale manufacturing and the agriculture sector contributed to this improvement. Aurangzeb said the focus is now transitioning from stabilization to sustainable growth. The British High Commissioner acknowledged the government&rsquo;s reform efforts and detailed the United Kingdom&rsquo;s support for Pakistan&rsquo;s macroeconomic stability. The discussion also covered investor confidence in the mining and minerals sectors. Both sides agreed on the importance of good governance to attract international investment. The meeting concluded with both officials pledging to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation.

Economy

Highlighting the government’s proactive measures to manage potential economic impacts amid evolving regional developments, Pakistan's Finance Minister said that the country has adequate reserves and supply arrangements.

Pakistan maintains strong reserves to counter regional market disruptions: Finance minister

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Prof Ahsan Iqbal said that he held a &ldquo;very cordial and meaningful&rdquo; meeting with the Leader of the Opposition in Bangladesh, Dr Shafiqur Rahman, during which a detailed exchange of views took place on promoting mutual respect, regional harmony and socio-economic cooperation, state-run APP reported on Wednesday. In a post on X, the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-minister-signals-pm-visit-intent-as-bangladeshs-new-government-takes-office" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">federal minister</a> reaffirmed the resolve to further strengthen people-to-people contacts and economic cooperation between the two countries.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2023962623985803427&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=2f160a6af769a79deccd60df3035ac59ff0301d9&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 898px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2023962623985803427"></iframe></div></div>On the occasion, he conveyed the good wishes of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and extended an invitation to the Leader of the Opposition to visit Pakistan. Iqbal said that the meeting revived memories of his student days when he was associated with Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba at UET Lahore and played an active role in student politics. He said that period was an important phase in shaping the spirit of learning, dialogue, and public service. Appreciating the affection and warmth of the people of Bangladesh, he expressed hope that people-to-people contacts and mutual cooperation between the two countries would further strengthen in the future, contributing to stability and prosperity in the region.

Pakistan minister conveys the good wishes of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and extends an invitation to the Leader of the Opposition of Bangladesh to visit Pakistan.

Pakistan minister terms meeting with Bangladesh opposition leader ‘very cordial, meaningful’ 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s space agency on Friday said the first day of Ramazan is likely to fall on Feb. 19, based on astronomical calculations. In a statement, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) said the new moon of Ramazan 1447 AH is expected to be born on Feb. 17 at 5:01 pm Pakistan Standard Time. According to SUPARCO&#39;s detailed calculations, at the time of sunset on Feb. 18, the age of the new moon will be approximately 25 hours and 48 minutes.&nbsp; The time duration between sunset and moonset is expected to be 59 minutes along the coastal areas of the country. &quot;Based on astronomical parameters, the chances of sighting the new moon with the naked eye are very bright in the evening of Feb. 18, 2026,&quot; the SUPARCO statement read. &quot;Consequently, the 1st of Ramazan may likely fall on Feb 19.&quot; Earlier this week, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had issued a similar forecast, announcing that there is a &quot;fair chance&quot; of sighting the new moon of Ramazan on the evening of Feb. 18. The agency emphasized that while astronomical calculations indicate favorable conditions for moon sighting, the final announcement will be made by the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, the country&rsquo;s sole authorized body for moon sighting, after receiving and verifying moon-sighting testimonies from across the country.

Climate & Environment

 Calculations indicate favorable conditions for moon visibility on Feb. 18, with the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission and the Pakistan Meteorological Department aligning in their forecasts, though the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee will make the official announcement.

First day of Ramazan likely on Feb. 19: Pakistan space agency

UNITED NATIONS: The head of the United Nations Security Council&rsquo;s 1267 al-Qaida sanctions committee on Wednesday warned of the &ldquo;serious threat&rdquo; posed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), saying the terrorist group has conducted numerous high-profile attacks in Pakistan from Afghan soil, &ldquo;some of which incurred mass casualties.&rdquo; According to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), Ambassador Sandra Jensen Landi of Denmark, briefing the 15-member Security Council in her capacity as chair of the committee, said that &quot;TTP, with its approximately 6,000 fighters, is another serious threat emanating from the region, receiving both logistical and substantial support from the de facto [Taliban] authorities.&rdquo; Her remarks came as the Council reviewed updates from the heads of three subsidiary bodies overseeing sanctions against Daesh and al-Qaida, United Nations counterterrorism efforts, and measures aimed at curbing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to non-state actors. &#39;Al-Qaida decimated largely due to Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts&#39;Responding to the briefing, Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Usman Jadoon, said Pakistan &ldquo;has rendered invaluable sacrifices in its efforts to eradicate this menace,&rdquo; citing more than 80,000 casualties and billions of dollars in economic losses. &ldquo;Al-Qaida was decimated largely due to Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts,&rdquo; he said. Jadoon said Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;valiant security forces and law enforcement agencies continue to counter the terrorism threat emanating from Afghanistan, where entities like ISIL-K, TTP and its affiliates, BLA and its Majeed Brigade are thriving under the patronage of their hosts and backed by our principal adversary and net destabilizer in the region,&rdquo; APP said. He stressed that the 1267 Committee&rsquo;s sanctions framework must &ldquo;reflect ground realities,&rdquo; adding that listing and delisting decisions should be taken &ldquo;in a fair, transparent and judicious manner and without political considerations.&rdquo; Calling for a comprehensive approach, the Pakistani diplomat said the United Nations counterterrorism system &ldquo;must also possess the necessary tools to designate violent, far-right, extreme right-wing, ultranationalist, xenophobic and Islamophobic groups around the world,&rdquo; APP reported.&nbsp; China&rsquo;s representative echoed Pakistan&rsquo;s concerns, urging committee members to support the listing of the Balochistan Liberation Army and its Majeed Brigade. Doing so, he said, would &ldquo;send a strong signal of zero tolerance for terrorism.&rdquo; Council members noted that the threat of terrorism continues to evolve across regions, with armed groups increasingly exploiting modern technologies to expand operational reach and evade monitoring.

A wide view of the Security Council meeting that heard briefings by Chairs of subsidiary bodies of the Security Council (UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe)

Security

The head of the United Nations Security Council’s 1267 al-Qaida sanctions committee warned of the 'serious threat' posed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, saying the terrorist group has conducted numerous high-profile attacks in Pakistan from Afghan soil, 'which incurred mass casualties.'

UNSC panel flags 'high-profile’ Afghan Taliban-backed TTP attacks on Pakistan

<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ISLAMABAD: Pakistan urged the United Nations to regulate artificial intelligence, particularly its military use, warning it could destabilize global security. Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said its use must follow international law.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to a statement by the Associated Press of Pakistan, Asif described artificial intelligence as a consequential, dual-use technology that can accelerate socio-economic progress but also deepen inequalities.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He urged states to prohibit applications &ldquo;without meaningful human control&rdquo; and warned that unregulated use enables disinformation campaigns, offensive cyber operations and new types of armaments.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Minister Asif said these developments raise &ldquo;serious questions for the future of warfare,&rdquo; as artificial intelligence &ldquo;lowers the threshold for use of force,&rdquo; making wars more feasible and compressing decision time for diplomacy.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">UN debate on AI risks<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The meeting was chaired by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, as his country holds the Council&rsquo;s rotating presidency for September, APP reported.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Opening the debate, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said artificial intelligence is &ldquo;no longer a distant horizon&rdquo; and, while it can aid de-mining, food security and violence prevention, &ldquo;without guardrails, it can also be weaponized.&rdquo;&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">President Myung urged a legally binding ban by 2026 on lethal autonomous weapons operating without human control and stressed that any decision on nuclear weapon use must rest with humans, not machines, APP reported.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yejin Choi, a senior fellow at Stanford University&rsquo;s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, said current progress is concentrated among a handful of companies and countries.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yejin Choi urged investment in smaller, adaptive systems to lower barriers to entry and pressed for stronger linguistic and cultural representation, noting leading models underperform for many non-English languages.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pakistan&rsquo;s domestic AI push<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pakistan&rsquo;s intervention comes amid domestic steps to expand access to artificial intelligence tools and skills.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Google announced on Wednesday the rollout of its Google AI Plus plan in 40 additional countries, including Pakistan. In a statement, Google Pakistan Country Director Farhan Qureshi described the local digital landscape as &ldquo;vibrant and growing,&rdquo; Dawn reported.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In July, the federal cabinet approved the National Artificial Intelligence Policy 2025, which outlines training one million professionals by 2030, creating public and private funds to spur innovation, and launching thousands of civic projects and local products to build capacity and jobs.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Secretary-General Guterres closed the session warning that the window to shape artificial intelligence &ldquo;for peace, for justice, for humanity&rdquo; is narrowing and urged swift action by member states to set rules, build institutions and insist on human dignity, echoing past global governance efforts in nuclear arms control and aviation safety.

Pakistan urged the United Nations to regulate artificial intelligence, particularly its military use, warning it could destabilize global security. Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said its use must follow international law.

Pakistan urges UN to regulate AI for military applications

Web Desk

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. In a post on X on Sunday, Dipke said that thousands of people had participated in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/india-tightens-security-ahead-of-cockroach-party-protest" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">peaceful protest</a>&nbsp;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;"><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;"></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.

India

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.

Pakistan president, PM call for stronger food safety measures

JERUSALEM: The enormous costs of Israel&#39;s multi-front war and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s determination to turn his country into a &quot;super-Sparta&quot; of the Middle East are driving up the defense budget and raising fears of cutbacks in education and healthcare. The total cost of the series of interconnected regional conflicts that began in October 2023 stood at 405 billion shekels ($138 billion) as of late April, according to Bank of Israel governor Amir Yaron. &quot;That&#39;s a huge figure, more than 17% of GDP,&quot; he said during a recent economic conference in Herzliya, north of Tel Aviv. Just the military campaign against Iran, which began with a wave of US-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, incurred an additional cost of 35 billion shekels ($12 billion) for the state up until a ceasefire took effect on April 8, according to an initial estimate by the finance ministry. Following the adoption of the 2026 budget in late March, the government noted the defense ministry&#39;s budget had more than doubled since October 2023. To support the war effort, the government borrowed heavily from international markets in 2024 and 2025. It has reached the point where public debt now accounts for more than 69% of GDP, compared to 60% before the war, according to the Treasury. Taxes and social security contributions have also increased. &#39;Trauma economy&#39;Israelis are &quot;paying twice&quot; for the war, said Esteban Klor, an economics professor at Jerusalem&#39;s Hebrew University. The first cost, he told AFP, is via the decline in government social spending and reduced investment in public services resulting from several successive &quot;across-the-board&quot; budget cuts, even as &quot;we are ... increasing the debt.&quot; &quot;Education will suffer, the quality of infrastructure will decline, as will the performance of the healthcare system,&quot; he said. The second cost is to economic growth, though this has been less visible as the Israeli economy has quickly recovered from the war&#39;s initial shock. GDP had returned to its 2022 level by 2024 and is continuing to grow at an enviable rate. But the ongoing mobilization of tens of thousands of reservists since October 2023 is also taking a toll. &quot;Since ... many of our workers are in the army rather than at their jobs, this affects production,&quot; Klor explained. According to a survey published on June 1 by the Israel Democracy Institute think tank, 31% of respondents reported a decline in their wages or income since October 7, 2023. The phenomenon is hitting the self-employed and lowest-income workers the hardest. At the Herzliya conference, the deputy head of budgets at the finance ministry, Tamar Levy-Boneh, warned against a &quot;trauma economy.&quot; &quot;The security establishment must learn to meet its needs in a way that does not undermine the standard of living and must assume its share of responsibility,&quot; Levy-Boneh said. &#39;Super-Sparta&#39;But Netanyahu advocates the opposite view. In September 2025, he said Israel had no choice but to become a &quot;super-Sparta,&quot; a reference to the ancient Greek city-state devoted entirely to war. As divergences emerge between Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump regarding Israel&#39;s offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon and how to end the war with Iran, the Israeli premier is pushing for greater self-sufficiency. Under his vision, Israel would gradually wean itself off its reliance on the massive military aid it receives from the United States. He confirmed as such on May 3, vowing to invest 350 billion shekels ($119 billion) over the next decade in the national defense industry to ensure &quot;overwhelming aerial superiority&quot;. Economics professor Klor warned that the defense budget could exceed 10% of GDP and called for a swift return to a &quot;more reasonable&quot; level. Israel is one of the developed countries where inequality is most glaring, and the dragging war is not helping. According to the latest available study by the Israeli National Insurance Institute, the proportion of children living below the poverty line rose from 27.6% to 28% between 2023 and 2024.

Israel's Iron Dome air defence system (R) intercepts rockets (L) launched from Gaza City on May 13, 2023. (File photo: AFP)

The total cost of the series of interconnected regional conflicts that began in October 2023 stands at 405 billion shekels ($138 billion) as of late April, according to the governor of the Bank of Israel, Amir Yaron.

Israel's permanent state of war comes with economic, social costs

WASHINGTON: A shootout Saturday near a community festival in Toledo, Ohio, left at least 12 people wounded by gunfire, with no suspects in custody, police said. Authorities were combing the area searching for suspects, interviewing witnesses and examining cellphone video after at least two people were believed to have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/large-police-presence-around-white-house-after-reports-of-shots-fired" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">exchanged shots</a>&nbsp;near the Old West End Festival. &quot;Twelve people were struck with bullets ... two of them critical,&quot; Toledo Deputy Police Chief Joseph Heffernan told reporters, adding that no suspects were in custody yet. He said it appeared there were at least two shooters involved, and that they were &quot;probably&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/police-respond-to-active-shooter-at-islamic-center-in-san-diego" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">shooting</a>&nbsp;at each other.&quot; An active search was underway, and authorities were pleading with members of the community to come forward with any information that could help lead them to the shooters. Police Lieutenant Dan Gerken said the average age of the victims was roughly in their early twenties. He expressed alarm at the scale of the violence. &quot;So, 12 people being shot, that&#39;s the most ... I&#39;ve been to a lot of scenes, but this was way over the top,&quot; Gerken said. The Old West End Festival is a popular annual gathering of live music, block parties and home tours in a historic Toledo district.&nbsp; The gathering had a substantial police presence at the time of the shooting, officers said. Firearms are abundant in the United States, and thousands of people across the country die of gunshot wounds each year.

Americas

Firearms are abundant in the United States and thousands of people across the country die of gunshot wounds each year.

12 wounded in shooting near US festival, no arrests: Police

LONDON: OPEC+ ministers meet Sunday to weigh higher production quotas in a bid to cap oil prices that have surged since the Iran war effectively choked off Gulf crude shipments. But even if the cartel members vow to ramp up output by thousands of barrels per day, analysts say geopolitical realities mean they probably won&#39;t move the needle on prices. With the crucial Strait of Hormuz shut since US and Israeli attacks on Iran in late February, oil prices have nearly doubled, igniting inflation pressures worldwide. Ministers from the 21 member states of OPEC+, the main oil-producing nations and their allies, are holding their quarterly meeting online. The group is likely to beef up its production quotas by &quot;188,000 barrels a day&quot;, said Jorge Leon, analyst at Rystad Energy, similar to recent increases. But in reality, only seven members &mdash; Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman &mdash; have the capacity to do so. Dwindling supply Tehran&#39;s threats of retaliatory attacks to US and Israeli strikes have virtually blocked the vital Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of global oil and gas supplies normally pass. That is equivalent to about 20 million barrels a day. But with key Gulf producers shut out of the global market, pledges to raise output in a bid to ease spiralling prices are unlikely to sway traders. &quot;Any announced production increases or changes to output targets will have limited practical value,&quot; said Ole Hansen, a commodities analyst at Saxo Bank. &quot;There is very little OPEC can do,&quot; he told AFP. OPEC+ itself says daily production has plummeted to just 33 million barrels a day as tankers remain stuck, compared to nearly 43 million before the conflict. A US blockade on Iranian ports means &quot;it will be even less than that&quot; in reality, said Homayoun Falakshahi, head of crude oil analysis at data firm Kpler. UAE slams the door The United Arab Emirates&#39; recent decision to quit OPEC further saps away at the cartel&#39;s influence, given its huge excess production capacity. And Abu Dhabi has made clear it wants to boost output. &quot;They don&#39;t want to be dictated to, they want to maximise their revenues,&quot; said Lawrence Haar, a lecturer in finance at the University of Brighton in England. And the cartel risks seeing other countries follow the UAE&#39;s example. &quot;If Iraq were to leave, it could mark the end of OPEC+,&quot; Falakshahi said. Saudi Arabia, by far the cartel&#39;s most influential member, &quot;is going to do what it takes to stop anyone else from leaving,&quot; Falakshahi predicted. That could translate into more flexible output quotas or decreased penalties for any excess production. But &quot;for now, the compensation framework has effectively become irrelevant due to widespread production shut-ins,&quot; Hansen said. As a result, the Iran war has largely neutralised the cartel&#39;s stated mission &quot;to secure an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consumers, and a steady income to producers&quot;. For Falakshahi, the only factor limiting further oil price spikes at the moment is China, &quot;which is buying less oil than normal&quot; by tapping into its vast strategic reserves.

ADNOC refinery site in Ruwais, UAE. (File photo: Wikimedia Commons)

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OPEC+ ministers meet Sunday to weigh higher production quotas in a bid to cap oil prices that have surged since the Iran war effectively choked off Gulf crude shipments.

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