Simran Siraj

MATIARI: Climate change has become a serious threat, especially in a country like Pakistan that is highly vulnerable to its effects. Experts and field reports show a clear connection between rising temperatures and adverse outcomes for mothers and newborns.&nbsp;Research from the Aga Khan University&rsquo;s Institute of Global Health Development examined how heat stress affects pregnant women and children under five in the Matiari district of Sindh. They modeled interventions that incorporate indigenous knowledge to improve climate-resilient infrastructure and raise awareness of heat&rsquo;s harmful effects within the health system.&nbsp;Dr Zulfiqar Bhutta, Founding Director of the Institute for Global Health and Development, speaking with Pakistan TV Digital, emphasized that urgent action and systemic changes are essential to protect women and children from this growing threat. &lsquo;Surprisingly, we are not even the ones responsible for climate change, and yet it affects our women and children,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Dr Jai Das, the institute&#39;s associate director, highlighted the alarming link between rising temperatures and pregnancy complications. He said that existing research shows every pregnant woman exposed to higher temperatures &mdash; such as a 1-degree increase &mdash; has a 10-15% higher chance of experiencing pre-term birth, low birth weight, or of newborns being small for their gestational age.&nbsp;This finding aligns with broader studies indicating that heat exposure triggers physiological responses that lead to similar complications.&nbsp;Beyond pregnancy, heat stress also disrupts women&#39;s reproductive health, especially for those in rural areas who often engage in strenuous physical labor.&nbsp;Gulshad, a senior research associate at AKU Matiari Research and Training Center, said that many women face severe heat-related problems.&nbsp;&ldquo;Their menstrual periods last longer and occur more frequently. Moreover, many women lack knowledge about sanitary protection,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;She noted that some women&#39;s cycles became &ldquo;very irregular,&rdquo; while others did not have periods at all.&nbsp;&ldquo;The health of pregnant women is also affected, and the likelihood of miscarriages increases significantly because they work in the fields and do household chores,&rdquo; she added.&nbsp;These testimonies show how high temperatures, combined with physical labor and limited access to hygiene products and healthcare, cause serious menstrual irregularities.&nbsp;Tackling this complex crisis requires a dual approach focusing on community awareness and healthcare system reforms.&nbsp;Dr Bhutta calls for public protection and system improvements. He suggests raising public awareness, especially in rural areas, to help safeguard women, particularly pregnant women, from the heat. He also stresses the importance of providing care to quickly identify and reduce harmful effects.&nbsp;He said there is a need to improve the healthcare environment, especially during the summer, as current conditions are overcrowded. This highlights the urgent need for heat-resilient infrastructure and better-trained staff to handle heat-related maternal emergencies.&nbsp;The situation in provinces like Sindh is especially dire, with climate threats endangering the lives of every mother and child. Localized research is vital for developing community-informed interventions, such as heat adaptation strategies, enhanced nutritional support, and strengthened rural health systems, that can be scaled nationwide.&nbsp;Addressing this climate-induced heat stress crisis requires coordinated efforts from policymakers, healthcare providers, and communities to reduce risks, improve health infrastructure, and ensure that climate change does not condemn future generations to poor health.

Health

There is a need to develop community-informed interventions, such as heat adaptation strategies, enhanced nutritional support, and strengthened rural health systems.

Climate-induced heat stress serious threat to maternal, child health in Pakistan

KARACHI: The 4th European Film Festival (EUFF) 2025 successfully concluded its Karachi chapter last weekend at the Karachi Film School, celebrating international cinema and cultural dialogue.&nbsp; Hosted by the Delegation of the European Union to Pakistan and curated by Olomopolo Media, the two-day event showcased 19 feature films and 10 short films from EU member states, emphasizing cinema&rsquo;s unique power to foster human connection and resilience. The festival now moves to Lahore after having offered audiences in Karachi and Islamabad a diverse program of comedies, dramas, and documentaries exploring universal themes, including identity, climate change, and human resilience.&nbsp; Among the films screened were &quot;Behind the Curtain of High Mountains&quot; (Czech Republic), &quot;Without Air&quot; (Hungary), &quot;That They May Face the Rising Sun&quot; (Ireland), and &quot;The Olive Tree&quot; (Spain).&nbsp; The short film lineup included &quot;HABĀ&quot;, &quot;White Ribbons&quot;, &quot;Diamond &amp; Narcissus&quot; (Austria), and &quot;A Sea of Trash&quot; (Portugal). The event drew a particularly strong youth demographic.&nbsp; University students from the media, arts, and communications departments attended the festival not just for the screenings but for an immersive, interactive classroom experience. A particular focus of the festival was bringing the big screen experience to those who rarely access it.&nbsp; Kanwal Khoosat, Executive Director of Olomopolo Media, reflected on the power of this access.&nbsp; &ldquo;It was the first time for so many. We have met people, students, young girls, adults, watching a film on a big screen for the first time in their lives,&rdquo; Khoosat shared, calling the moment of shared discovery the &ldquo;best part&rdquo; of her work. The exposure to global narratives proved invaluable for aspiring filmmakers.&nbsp; Shafia, a student from the Institute of Business Management in Karachi, said, &ldquo;As an aspiring photographer, this is a brilliant opportunity to be exposed to such storytelling and see how different cultures frame their narratives.&rdquo; Building community through filmLeading actors and filmmakers present at the festival highlighted its significance as a platform for genuine dialogue and artistic participation, setting it apart from other cultural activities. Pakistani actor and director Sania Saeed praised the communal experience, noting that cinema and theater provide a profound type of &ldquo;community building&rdquo; that sports cannot match. &nbsp;She argued that art is inherently collaborative.&nbsp; &ldquo;Arts are not competitive .&hellip; It&#39;s all about synchronizing,&rdquo; Saeed said.&nbsp; She added that the festival allowed young audiences to see quality filmmaking that looks &quot;very different from what they see on Netflix,&quot; creating a more valuable viewing experience. &quot;Joyland&quot; actor Ali Junejo agreed with Saeed and asserted the need for broader access: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s very rare for us to have film festivals here in Pakistan broadly speaking .... I think more people need to watch films. More people need to participate in films.&rdquo; Bridging global crises: from floods to wildfiresRaimundas Karoblis, the European Union Ambassador to Pakistan, emphasized that films serve as a powerful tool for global solidarity, making universal issues relatable at the local level. Ambassador Karoblis, in an exclusive conversation with Pakistan TV Digital, said that the festival proves that &ldquo;Cinema is for everyone.&rdquo;&nbsp; He highlighted how the films actively confront global crises: &ldquo;While Pakistan battles climate change with floods, southern Europe has wildfires.&rdquo; He added that the festival provides essential context, showing that &ldquo;the human story and the resilience needed to face them are the same everywhere.&rdquo; EUFF 2025 will conclude its mission of connection and conversation in Lahore on November 22 and 23.

Culture

The 4th European Film Festival 2025 in Pakistan showcased 29 EU films, fostering cultural dialogue, youth engagement, and global solidarity through cinema across Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore.

European cinema sparks dialogue on resilience, identity and climate across Pakistan

KARACHI: Ahya Technologies, &ldquo;Ahya,&rdquo; a Pakistan-origin artificial intelligence startup headquartered in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, has won the 2025 AI for Climate Action Innovation Award from the UN-led AI for Good Impact Initiative.&nbsp;The award was presented earlier this week in Bel&eacute;m, Brazil, recognizing Ahya&rsquo;s leadership in deploying AI for the net-zero transition.&nbsp;Ahya was selected from more than 300 global contenders working in carbon reduction, sustainable agriculture, and biodiversity protection. Founder and CEO Salaal Hasan showcased the company&rsquo;s flagship platforms, AhyaOS and AhyaAI, during the ceremony.&nbsp;In an official statement, the company said the award highlighted Ahya&rsquo;s &ldquo;unique ability to overcome data limitations,&rdquo; a persistent obstacle for climate-vulnerable economies in the Global South.&nbsp;Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, Shehan Rayer, SVP Business, said Ahya tackles the region&rsquo;s most fundamental problem: fragmented, incomplete, and non-digital climate data.&nbsp;He explained that AhyaOS standardizes data from all sources, whether &ldquo;spreadsheets, ERPs, invoices, utility bills, or even handwritten notes.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Winning the AI for Climate Action Innovation Award from UN-ITU is both an honor and a responsibility,&rdquo; Hasan said in the press release.&nbsp;&ldquo;It reinforces our belief that artificial intelligence for data accuracy in emissions management is an economic need for transforming the Global South&rsquo;s climate ambitions into measurable growth.&rdquo; Rayer described the win as &ldquo;powerful global validation&rdquo; that net-zero pathways built on &ldquo;accuracy, transparency, and economic growth&rdquo; are both viable and necessary.&nbsp;He emphasized that the award proves sustainability is a &ldquo;competitive advantage, not just a compliance cost.&rdquo;&nbsp;He added that the recognition brings an &ldquo;immediate responsibility&hellip; to ensure the equitable and ethical rollout of AI in the Global South,&rdquo; including advocacy for new governance frameworks in Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).&nbsp;These, he said, are essential to ensuring AI mitigates, rather than deepens, inequality.&nbsp;Ahya&rsquo;s technology is designed to convert climate risk from a regulatory burden into a profit-driving opportunity, particularly for banks and development financial institutions. Rayer cited a practical example: AhyaOS enables lenders to calculate financed emissions (PCAF) with a verifiable data trail across entire portfolios.&nbsp;This transparency allows banks to identify climate risks early and support the creation of green bonds, sustainability-linked loans, and Sukuks for clients demonstrating real emissions reductions.&nbsp;As an award recipient, Ahya will participate in the AI for Good Global Summit 2026 in Geneva. Rayer said the company&rsquo;s core objective is &ldquo;policy integration and collaborative scaling.&rdquo; Ahya aims to position AhyaOS and its Tawazun platform as &ldquo;foundational digital infrastructure&rdquo; for national climate-action systems across the Global South.&nbsp;He added that these partnerships are crucial for unlocking developmental financing, including concessional funds, to scale localized climate solutions.

Climate

Ahya Technologies, a Pakistan-origin AI startup based in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, won the UN’s 2025 Climate Action Innovation Award for its data-focused platforms supporting net-zero goals and scalable climate solutions across the Global South.

Saudi Pakistani AI startup wins UN award for Climate Action Innovation

Three Pakistani films earned JIFF 2026 nominations, highlighting national cinematic talent, though diplomatic tensions and visa hurdles may prevent filmmakers from attending despite this major international milestone.

Pakistani cinema scores triple triumph at Jaipur festival amid uncertainty

KARACHI: In Pakistan&rsquo;s restless commercial capital, where thousands arrive each year to work, rebuild, and reinvent themselves, a centuries-old Sufi allegory found new breath and movement on stage.&nbsp;At the World Culture Festival this week, global theatre ensemble ANIKAYA performed &ldquo;Conference of the Birds,&rdquo; transforming the Arts Council of Pakistan into a living reflection of the city itself: searching, fragmented, striving, and endlessly becoming.&nbsp;Directed by American choreographer Wendy Jehlen, the multi-media movement performance reimagined Farid ud-Din Attar&rsquo;s 12th-century Persian epic, where a flock of birds journeys to find their divine king, the Simorgh, only to discover that the truth they seek lives within themselves.&nbsp;Karachi, home to migrants from every province, every language, every story, mirrored the allegory. Like Attar&rsquo;s birds, many here carry maps of places left behind, hopes folded into suitcases, and dreams stitched into survival.&nbsp;&ldquo;This journey began in 1991 when I was at Brown University,&rdquo; Jehlen told Pakistan TV Digital after the performance. &ldquo;It was when I first encountered Conference of the Birds and the poets and ideas that shaped my entire life.&rdquo;&nbsp;The production was performed by dancers from Benin, Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, South Africa, Japan, Palestine, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United States.&nbsp;Though drawn from different homelands, their bodies moved as one organism, separate rhythms, shared breath, evoking the poem&rsquo;s central revelation: unity is not sameness, but harmony across difference.&nbsp;Jehlen explained that the work evolves with each place it is performed.&nbsp;&ldquo;Everywhere we go, the story changes,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;The people, the air, the land, they shape how the birds fly.&rdquo;&nbsp;For Jehlen, movement itself is a philosophy.&nbsp;&ldquo;Movement is my language, but it&rsquo;s also a human and animal language, the most direct way to access empathy,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Through physical theatre, you don&rsquo;t just understand a story, you feel it.&rdquo;&nbsp;The performance drew deeply from real experiences of refugees and migrants, echoing the emotional terrain of Karachi: longing, uprooting, resilience.&nbsp;&ldquo;We are on this journey together, whether we like it or not,&rdquo; Jehlen added.&nbsp;&ldquo;Each imperfect, each necessary. Unity exists only through difference.&rdquo;&nbsp;Bringing the performance to Pakistan, she noted, felt like returning the story to one of its spiritual homelands.&nbsp;&ldquo;I liked doing it here because people in Pakistan already know Conference of the Birds,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;ve studied it, they understand it.&rdquo;&nbsp;The show concluded to a standing ovation. Fluid, fierce, wordless storytelling that needed no translation.&nbsp;As the audience rose, one truth hovered softly, like a final wingbeat:&nbsp;Karachi, too, is a flock in motion, wandering, weary, hopeful, still searching for the Simorgh it carries within itself.

Global performers reimagined Conference of the Birds in Karachi, blending movement, mysticism, and migration narratives, reflecting the city’s journey of belonging and unity through shared human experience.

‘Conference of Birds’ reimagines mystic journey in Pakistan’s migrant metropolis Karachi

KARACHI: After years spent in confinement and loneliness, 24-year-old brown bear Rano has finally been relocated from the Karachi Zoo to a sanctuary in Islamabad, where she will receive medical care, rehabilitation, and the chance to live in a more natural environment. According to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Rano was flown to Islamabad aboard a Pakistan Air Force C-130 aircraft on Wednesday morning. The flight departed PAF Faisal Base at 8:30 a.m. and landed at Nur Khan Airbase a little after 11:30 a.m. A two-member veterinary team accompanied her throughout the journey to ensure her safety and well-being. Rano was transported from the zoo to the airbase in a wooden crate placed on a cargo truck. &ldquo;At just three calls, she walked from her enclosure into the crate,&rdquo; Sana Raja of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) told Pakistan TV Digital, noting that Rano remained calm and continued eating during the move, and did not require sedation. Sindh Wildlife Conservator Javed Ahmed Mahar said Rano was closely monitored throughout the flight and slept during most of the journey despite the aircraft noise. Upon arrival, she was taken directly to the IWMB&rsquo;s bear rehabilitation facility, where she was given food and placed under quarantine for medical observation. Rano will remain under supervision before being transferred to a permanent sanctuary space where she will be paired with another bear. &ldquo;Her stay here could last up to a month for examination and other protocols before she is shifted to a larger area,&rdquo; said Anees, an IWMB official. For years, Rano lived in difficult conditions at the Karachi Zoo, first in a Victorian-era concrete pit and later in a metal cage. She was frequently observed pacing restlessly, a common sign of stress and psychological distress in captive animals. Her situation prompted animal rights activists to petition the Sindh High Court, which last month ordered her relocation and formed a committee to ensure the transfer was carried out safely. Rano was brought to the Karachi Zoo in 2017 as part of an animal exchange program. She has lived in solitary confinement since 2020, following the death of the only other bear in the enclosure. Her arrival in Islamabad marks the beginning of what wildlife authorities hope will be her first experience of comfort, companionship, and peace in years.

Wildlife

Sindh Wildlife conservator says Rano was closely monitored throughout the flight, slept during most of the journey despite the aircraft noise; the bear has been taken directly to the IWMB’s rehabilitation facility, where she was given food and placed under quarantine for medical observation.



Rano the Karachi zoo bear begins new life in Islamabad sanctuary

KARACHI: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has announced a new round of cash assistance for flood-affected families, confirming that the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) will release Rs25,000 [$89] per eligible household as part of the 2025 flood-relief strategy.&nbsp;Meanwhile, experts say the Benazir Nashonuma Programme (BNP), operating under BISP, is demonstrating a substantial impact in Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts to combat chronic malnutrition. Launched in 2020, the program provides conditional cash transfers to pregnant and lactating women and to children under two years of age.&nbsp;The payments are linked to regular antenatal and postnatal check-ups, immunization, and nutrition counselling, to improve maternal health and reduce infant stunting.&nbsp;According to Dr Mazhar Abbasi, National Project Manager at Nutrition International, Benazir Nashonuma has grown into &ldquo;one of Pakistan&rsquo;s largest nutrition interventions,&rdquo; with operations now spanning 156 districts and enrolling 3.5 million mothers and children.&nbsp;&ldquo;Supplements worth nearly Rs21 billion [$74 million] have been disbursed to over 850,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries, as verified by the Aga Khan University&rsquo;s 2023-24 midline evaluation,&rdquo; he told Pakistan TV Digital.&nbsp;The evaluation found that children in programme areas had a 10-percentage-point lower prevalence of stunting at 24 months than children in similar districts without the programme.&nbsp;The study also documented a drop in low birth weight from 31.4% to 20% in Nashonuma districts, compared to 17.6% in non-program areas. Improvements were also recorded in antenatal care coverage, dietary diversity among mothers, skilled birth attendance, postnatal care, and maternal anaemia.&nbsp;&ldquo;These numbers demonstrate how a well-designed, nutrition-sensitive social protection model can deliver measurable improvements in maternal and child health within a relatively short timeframe,&rdquo; Dr Abbasi said. He added that the programme&rsquo;s combination of supplements, counselling, and conditional cash transfers &ldquo;is yielding results at scale.&rdquo;&nbsp;Officials at BISP describe Nashonuma as a core pillar of Pakistan&rsquo;s broader social protection framework, strengthening household resilience by integrating nutrition support with income assistance.&nbsp;Dr Ali Turab, a public health and nutrition expert, said conditional cash transfers (CCTs) played a stabilizing role in flood-affected areas by helping families maintain access to nutrient-dense foods, avoid skipping meals, and continue seeking routine healthcare.&nbsp;&ldquo;By easing immediate financial pressure, CCTs reduced stress and shock-related vulnerabilities,&rdquo; he told Pakistan TV Digital. &ldquo;Families became more willing to prioritize girls&rsquo; health, which is often neglected during emergencies.&rdquo;&nbsp;He said the program is effective because it focuses on the first 1,000 days of life, a critical period for preventing stunting, while being anchored in BISP&rsquo;s national platform, ensuring coverage, targeting, and sustainability.&nbsp;He added that Nashonuma functions both as a nutrition intervention and a shock-responsive safety net, especially valuable when food prices rise or services become harder to access during crises.&nbsp;As Pakistan continues its recovery from the 2025 floods, experts note that integrating cash assistance with health and nutrition services, as Nashonuma does, could support a more resilient, nutritionally secure recovery for vulnerable households.

The Benazir Nashonuma Programme, part of Pakistan’s social protection system, is showing measurable reductions in child stunting and improved maternal health outcomes through conditional cash transfers, nutrition supplements and counselling, experts told Pakistan TV Digital.

Cash, supplements and counseling reduce stunting in Pakistan, experts say

KARACHI: Pakistan&rsquo;s financial system has become more accessible to women than ever before, with the number of active bank accounts held by women reaching 37 million by June 2025, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said on Tuesday. The central bank attributed the increase to policy reforms aimed at closing gender gaps in financial access. According to the SBP, women&rsquo;s active bank accounts grew from 20 million in 2021 to 37 million in 2025, narrowing the gender gap in financial inclusion from 39% to 30%. Over the same period, more than 14,600 women joined the banking sector workforce. SBP Governor Jameel Ahmad, speaking at the World Bank&rsquo;s annual meetings in Washington, credited the progress to the Banking on Equality policy launched in 2021, Pakistan&rsquo;s first gender-mainstreaming framework for the financial sector. &ldquo;The initiative has helped triple female microfinance borrowers and double women&rsquo;s access to SME and agricultural financing,&rdquo; he said. Mobility and independenceFor many young women, financial inclusion translates directly to autonomy. Karachi-based filmmaker Zainab Farid, 24, recently became the first woman in her family to obtain a car loan. &ldquo;My motivation behind getting a car was mobility and independence,&rdquo; she told Pakistan TV Digital. &ldquo;In cities where public transport is limited, having your own car changes everything.&rdquo; She described the loan process as &ldquo;surprisingly simple,&rdquo; saying banks now provide clearer guidance for women borrowers. &ldquo;When I opened my first account in 2019, I wasn&rsquo;t earning yet, but I could open a women-specific account with minimal requirements. Banks have made it easier for women to begin.&rdquo; Zainab said her experience encouraged her family to explore financing options as well. &ldquo;Once one woman takes the step, others around her start believing it&rsquo;s possible too.&rdquo; Digital platforms expand accessMobile wallets and fintech platforms are also reshaping access, particularly for women outside major cities. Apps like Easypaisa, JazzCash, and Oraan allow users to save, transfer money, and access services without visiting a bank branch. According to fintech practitioners, simplified onboarding and digital literacy tools are enabling more women to join the formal economy &ldquo;from their homes and even from remote regions.&rdquo; Microfinance: credit plus confidenceThe Pakistan Microfinance Investment Company (PMIC) continues to push financial access deeper into rural and low-income communities. PMIC representative Rimsha Taj told Pakistan TV Digital that partner institutions are required to prioritize women borrowers. &ldquo;In practice, 88% of our portfolio is currently deployed among women,&rdquo; she said. She emphasized that credit is paired with training. &ldquo;We bundle financial products with learning opportunities so that financing is used productively, helping women generate income, stability, and confidence.&rdquo; PMIC is also piloting alternative credit-scoring models to support women without collateral or formal histories. From microcredit to micro-enterpriseAt Lahore&rsquo;s Delhi Gate, 46-year-old salon owner Saira Bibi said an interest-free loan from the Akhuwat Foundation helped launch her business. &ldquo;It gave me a start, but more than that, it made me believe I could manage my own business,&rdquo; she said.Saira now supports a family of six, but says the next challenge is growth: &ldquo;You need someone to guide you on how to expand, not just the money.&rdquo; The road aheadExperts observe that Pakistan has largely addressed the initial challenge of access to financial services, and the next phase centers on strengthening women&rsquo;s ability to independently use and manage those services. Recent assessments indicate that women entrepreneurs increasingly require support in areas such as financial literacy, business management, marketing skills, and opportunities for networking and mentorship. The State Bank&rsquo;s upcoming phase of the Banking on Equality policy will place greater emphasis on women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises, while expanding digital facilitation tools and improving gender-disaggregated financial data. Additionally, the SBP, together with 22 commercial banks, has adopted the WE-Finance Code to reinforce institutional commitment toward reducing gender gaps in the financial sector

Economy

Pakistan’s banking access for women surged to 37 million accounts by June 2025, driven by policy reforms like the Banking on Equality initiative, digital platforms, and microfinance, boosting women’s financial inclusion, autonomy, and entrepreneurship opportunities

Pakistan central bank highlights expansion of banking access for women

KARACHI: An original movement-based play from Pakistan, Tayraak, won the Best Script Award at the 6th Kish International Short Theater Festival in Iran, as the contemporary theater in the country continued to make waves internationally.&nbsp; The 6th Kish International Short Theater Festival, directed by Abbas Najari, was held from October 18 to 21. Hosted on Iran&rsquo;s scenic Kish Island, the festival focused on new forms of theater, such as caf&eacute;-theater, beach-theatre and experimental staging, with this year&rsquo;s themes including family and social vitality, the environment, peace and unity. Tayraak received an overwhelming response from audiences and jury members at the festival, which brings together young theater practitioners from across the world. One of the festivalgoers shared pictures from the movement piece in an Instagram post that read, &ldquo;Their performance was silent, [but] their hands spoke harshly to us.&rdquo;&nbsp; Directed by Karachi-based theater practitioner and movement coach Ashmal Lalwany, the play was written and performed by Suleman Roomi, Hashir Faraz, and Farhan Ahsan.&nbsp; In a post on his Instagram account, Lalwany announced the news of winning the Best Script Award and said that he was &ldquo;proud&rdquo; of his team.&nbsp; While speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, Lalwany said that the absence of dialogue helped the piece transcend barriers.&nbsp; &ldquo;Because our play was purely based on movement and not language, we had the audience&rsquo;s full attention,&rdquo; he shared. &ldquo;Most of the other plays were in Persian, and the audience was very discerning. You could tell when they didn&rsquo;t like something. But with Tayraak, because there were no dialogues, they were entirely focused on the actors&rsquo; movement.&rdquo;&nbsp; He said that &ldquo;whenever they caught something meaningful, I could see people reacting, turning to each other and saying, &lsquo;Oh, this happened.&rsquo;&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;That was a beautiful feeling. You don&rsquo;t need language to put your art across; you just need emotion, feeling, and honesty,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;The director credited his team for their dedication to the script and their ability to convey emotion through movement alone. &ldquo;We were always praised for our expression. Whatever praise we received after the performance was for the fact that there were no words, yet we delivered such an impactful story,&rdquo; he added. A play which unfolds entirely through movement, Tayraak delves into the themes of survival, growth, and the courage to break free from inherited fears.&nbsp; The piece follows three individuals navigating rigid family values, personal trauma, and suffocating expectations, portraying how pain can both hinder and inspire healing and self-discovery. The play was first developed as part of a movement class by the Arts Council Theatre Academy (ACTA) and draws on the performers&rsquo; real experiences with silence, resilience, and emotional inheritance. The award marks a significant moment for Pakistan&rsquo;s performing arts scene, highlighting the growing presence of young practitioners on international platforms.&nbsp;

Play receives overwhelming response audiences, jury members; director says absence of dialogue helped piece transcend barriers. 




Pakistani play ‘Tayraak’ wins best script at 6th Kish International Short Theatre Festival in Iran

LONDON: Britain&rsquo;s economy unexpectedly contracted again in October, official data showed Friday, dealing a blow to the Labour government&rsquo;s hopes of reviving economic growth. Gross domestic product fell 0.1% in October following a contraction of 0.1% in September, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement. Analysts had forecast growth of 0.1%. Manufacturing rebounded in the month as carmaker Jaguar Land Rover resumed operations after a cyberattack that had weighed on the UK economy in September. But analysts noted that businesses and consumers reined in spending ahead of Britain&rsquo;s highly-expected annual budget. &ldquo;Business and consumers were braced for tax hikes and the endless speculation and leaks have once again put a brake on the UK economy,&rdquo; said Lindsay James, investment manager at Quilter. Prime Minister Keir Starmer&rsquo;s Labour party raised taxes in last month&rsquo;s budget to slash state debt and fund public services. At the same time, Britain&rsquo;s economic growth was downgraded from next year until the end of 2029, according to data released alongside the budget. Finance Minister Rachel Reeves raised taxes on businesses in her inaugural budget last year -- a decision widely blamed for causing weak UK economic growth and rising unemployment.She returned in November with fresh hikes, this time hitting workers. Analysts said that Friday&rsquo;s data strengthened expectations that the Bank of England would cut interest rates next week.

Business

Gross domestic product fell 0.1% in October following a contraction of 0.1% in September, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement; analysts had forecast growth of 0.1%.

UK economy unexpectedly shrinks in October

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged the international community to press the Afghan Taliban to honor their commitments and curb terrorist activities emanating from Afghanistan, state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Friday. He was addressing the international forum marking the &quot;International Year of Peace and Trust 2025,&quot; the &quot;International Day of Neutrality,&quot; and the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan&#39;s permanent neutrality in Ashgabat. Alluding to the menace of terrorism, the prime minister called upon the international community to urge the Afghan Taliban regime to fulfill its international obligations and commitments and rein in terror elements operating from its territory.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" 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=1999405853846438224&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=0849f7bd8b743bf9055b155f10b0c8125cdc2027&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Sustainable development&nbsp;Sharif said the pursuit of lasting peace is intrinsically linked to the path of sustainable development.&nbsp; In this regard, the 2030 agenda for sustainable development presents a universal blueprint for a better and peaceful world. &nbsp;&nbsp; The prime minister said socio-economic development and welfare of the people is his government&rsquo;s foremost priority.<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-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1999408078228459985&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=0849f7bd8b743bf9055b155f10b0c8125cdc2027&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&ldquo;We have made significant strides in several key areas including by advancing financial inclusion and bringing the women and the marginalized into the economic mainstream.&rdquo; Peace in the Middle East&nbsp;Sharif emphasized the need to resolve disputes peacefully through dialogue and diplomacy. The prime minister said peaceful resolution of disputes is a cornerstone of Pakistan&#39;s foreign policy.&nbsp; He said Pakistan supported Gaza peace plan and its subsequent endorsement by the UN Security Council.&nbsp; He hoped the ongoing peace efforts in the Middle East will ultimately protect and save the lives of innocent Palestinians by ensuring a permanent and lasting ceasefire, allow the flow of critical humanitarian aid and help in reconstruction of Gaza. Sharif said Pakistan has been and shall continue to support all efforts aimed at upholding the inalienable right to self-determination of Palestinian people as well as the brave and resilient Kashmiri people. Transnational threats&nbsp;Sharif said Pakistan has demonstrated its strong commitment to undertake cleaner and greener solutions in the face of global warming.&nbsp; He said we have set a global example in eco-system restoration.&nbsp; However, he said like developing countries, our quest for sustainable development is facing the headwinds of climate-induced disasters and inequities in international economic relations. Describing climate change, poverty and inequality as transnational threats, the prime minister said these challenges demand international solutions built on the foundation of shared responsibility and unity of purpose.&nbsp; He emphasized that access to advanced technologies especially digital technologies must also be equitable and without any kind of discrimination. &nbsp;The prime minister called for investments in connectivity projects, not just as conduits for the transportation of goods, but as bridges for peoples, ideas and prosperity.&nbsp; He emphasized that the international community must chart a common course toward a future defined by peace, mutual trust and shared prosperity. Sharif, Erdogan meeting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met the President of T&uuml;rkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on the sidelines of the International Forum on Peace and Trust in Ashgabat on Friday, according to an official post on X.<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=1999417692605022245&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=0849f7bd8b743bf9055b155f10b0c8125cdc2027&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Monument of Neutrality&nbsp; Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sharif, during his Ashgabat visit, also laid a floral wreath at the Monument of Neutrality. According to a press release issued by the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office on Friday, the prime minister, along with the president of Turkmenistan and leaders participating in the global forum being held in Ashgabat, visited the Monument of Neutrality. The prime minister laid a floral wreath at the monument.<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" 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=1999383202071515202&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=0849f7bd8b743bf9055b155f10b0c8125cdc2027&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 897px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>

Foreign Affairs

Sharif says Pakistan has been and shall continue to support all efforts aimed at upholding the inalienable right to self-determination of Palestinian people as well as the brave and resilient Kashmiri people.

Pakistan PM calls on world to press Kabul to curb terrorism from Afghan soil 

BANGKOK:&nbsp;Thailand&#39;s prime minister dissolved parliament on Friday, paving the way for general elections early next year as deadly border clashes continue with neighbor Cambodia. The move comes earlier than expected and just three months after Anutin Charnvirakul -- of the conservative Bhumjaithai party -- became prime minister when his predecessor was removed from office over an ethics violation. &ldquo;The House of Representatives is dissolved to hold a new general election for members of the House,&rdquo; a decree published in the Royal Gazette on Friday said. Anutin was widely expected to wait until after Christmas to dissolve parliament. &ldquo;Since the administration is a minority government and domestic political conditions are fraught with multiple challenges, the government cannot continue administering state affairs continuously, efficiently, and with stability,&rdquo; the Royal Gazette said, citing a report received from Anutin. &lsquo;Appropriate solution&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Therefore, the appropriate solution is to dissolve the House of Representatives and hold a new general election.&rdquo; The dissolution comes as fighting stemming from a decades-long territorial dispute over ancient temples has flared again on the border with Cambodia, where clashes have killed at least 20 people and displaced around 600,000, mostly in Thailand. In a statement, Cambodia&rsquo;s defense ministry said the Thai military continued to shell and fire machine guns into Cambodian territory on Friday morning. AFP journalists heard continuous artillery fire at the border on Friday, ahead of an expected call between Anutin and US President Donald Trump, who has made vocal attempts to broker peace between the southeast Asian neighbors. &lsquo;Couple of phone calls&rsquo;At the congressional ball at the White House on Thursday night, Trump claimed again to have solved eight wars. &ldquo;Although Thailand and Cambodia, I think I&rsquo;m going to have to make a couple of phone calls on Thailand, but we&rsquo;ll get that one back on track,&rdquo; he said. The two countries have blamed each other for the fresh fighting, which saw Thailand launch air strikes and use tanks against its neighbor on Monday. Evacuees at a shelter in Thailand&rsquo;s Surin province told AFP they were less concerned about who leads the new government than about who would improve their lives along the border. &ldquo;I just care that the leader, whoever that is, is someone who helps ordinary farmers like us,&rdquo; said 68-year-old Somrak Suebsoontorn. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">&lsquo;Power to the people&rsquo; </h2>Under Thai law, elections must be held between 45 and 60 days after parliament is dissolved, meaning polls are expected around the end of January or early February. Anutin said in a Facebook post late Thursday he &ldquo;would like to return power to the people&rdquo;, a signal in the kingdom that a prime minister intends to dissolve parliament. His coalition backer, the People&rsquo;s Party, said Thursday it would submit a motion of no-confidence in Anutin, claiming Bhumjaithai broke its agreement during a crucial vote on constitutional amendments. &ldquo;They said they wouldn&rsquo;t support me anymore. They asked me to dissolve the house. I just followed their request,&rdquo; Anutin told reporters Friday outside the Government House. The cannabis-championing conservative took power in September with coalition backing conditional on dissolving parliament, becoming the kingdom&rsquo;s third leader in two years. He was once an ally of the influential political clan of Thaksin Shinawatra -- who have been a dominant force in Thai politics since the turn of the century, but are increasingly faltering after a succession of legal and political setbacks. Anutin abandoned his coalition with their Pheu Thai Party this summer in apparent outrage over former Thai prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra&rsquo;s conduct during the border row with Cambodia. During his three months in office, Anutin has had to deal with the escalating military conflict, as well as attacks on scam hubs in Myanmar driving hundreds across the border into Thailand, and the death of the former queen Sirikit in October.

Asia

The move comes earlier than expected and just three months after Anutin Charnvirakul -- of the conservative Bhumjaithai party -- became prime minister when his predecessor was removed from office over an ethics violation.

Thai PM dissolves parliament, paving way for national elections

ISLAMABAD: The Indian environment minister&rsquo;s clarification in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) -- that widely cited global air-quality rankings are &quot;not conducted by any official [Indian] authority&quot; -- drew a sarcastic reaction from the Indian National Congress, which mocked the remarks in a post on X. India&rsquo;s major cities, including the capital Delhi, are frequently rated among the most polluted in global air quality indices.&nbsp; The Union government&rsquo;s clarification in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) on Thursday regarding global air-quality assessments sparked renewed discussion over how India evaluates its pollution levels.&nbsp; Responding to questions from Communist Party of India MP V Sivadasan, Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh of the Bharatiya Janata Party stated that no official global country-wise air-pollution ranking exists, and that widely quoted international indices, including the IQAir World Air Quality Report, WHO Global Air Quality Database, Environmental Performance Index and Global Burden of Disease metrics, are &ldquo;not conducted by any official authority.&rdquo; &#39;Only as guidance&#39;Singh noted that the World Health Organization&rsquo;s air-quality guidelines serve only as guidance, intended to help countries achieve better standards over time. He added that nations formulate their own air-quality benchmarks depending on geography, environmental factors, background levels, socio-economic conditions, and national circumstances.&nbsp; India follows its National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), notified in 2009, which specify limits for 12 pollutants; the ministry said that these are tailored to the country&rsquo;s specific conditions.&nbsp; The standards set the 24-hour permissible PM2.5 limit at 60 &micro;g/m&sup3;, which is four times the WHO&rsquo;s updated 2021 guideline. Delhi&rsquo;s air qualitySeparately, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav presented data on Delhi&rsquo;s air quality in response to another question.&nbsp; According to the government, &ldquo;Good to Moderate&rdquo; air-quality days (AQI &le;200) in the capital have actually risen from 110 days in 2016 to 200 days in 2025 (to date).&nbsp; The average AQI between January and November has improved from 213 in 2018 to 187 in 2025, and no day in 2025 has entered the &ldquo;Severe Plus&rdquo; category (AQI &gt;450), the ministry said.&nbsp; The ministry also reported that farm-fire incidents in Punjab and Haryana have fallen by around 90% in the 2025 paddy-harvesting season compared to 2022. The government said that it conducts the annual Swachh Vayu Survekshan, ranking 130 cities under the National Clean Air Programme based on the implementation of air-quality improvement measures. Congress&#39;s reaction&nbsp;The opposition quickly seized upon the government&rsquo;s responses.&nbsp; The Indian National Congress posted a sharp, sarcastic comment on X, mocking the minister&rsquo;s dismissal of global rankings: &ldquo;Our air is special kind of air. While other countries have only 20% Oxygen, we have 80% Oxygen and a little bit of Nitrogen and Carbon Dioxide. Same with our GDP, Exchange rate, and so on. Perks of electing an 8th fail as PM.&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-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" 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=1999105178184872004&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=9c2e435bda59bbbac982e7528e199d336563d88f&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 873px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>

India

The Indian government minister tells the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) that global air-quality rankings are unofficial and that India uses its own standards; opposition party Congress posted a sarcastic comment on social media mocking the minister’s stance.

Opposition mocks Indian minister’s remarks on global pollution rankings

LOS ANGELES: French indie title &quot;Clair Obscur: Expedition 33&quot; dominated the annual Game Awards in Los Angeles, winning a record of nine categories, including best video game of the year. &quot;What a weird timeline for us,&quot; Guillaume Broche of video game studio Sandfall Interactive quipped, thanking his team as he accepted the top award. &quot;And also I want to extend thanks to the unsung heroes of this industry -- the people who make tutorials on YouTube on how to make a game -- &nbsp;because we had no idea how to make a game before.&quot; &quot;Clair Obscur,&quot; the first game from Sandfall Interactive, tells the story of a group of characters battling seemingly impossible odds in a post-apocalyptic universe with a distinctively French visual style. It was nominated in a record number of categories, winning many despite facing heavyweights like &quot;Death Stranding 2,&quot; from industry legend Hideo Kojima of &quot;Metal Gear Solid&quot; fame, and Nintendo&#39;s &quot;Donkey Kong Bananza,&quot; starring the eponymous gorilla. &quot;Clair Obscur&quot; began in 2020 as a project of Broche, a developer at French games giant Ubisoft. He brought ex-colleague Tom Guillermin on board to create the small studio in the French city of Montpellier the same year. &#39;Thank you to the players&#39;They struck a publishing deal in 2022 with UK-based Kepler, which provided funding for the project. Some 5 million copies of &quot;Clair Obscur&quot; have been snapped up since its release in April of this year. &quot;This was supposed to be a joke; I have no idea what&#39;s happening,&quot; Broche joked. &quot;Just a massive &#39;thank you&#39; to the players.&quot; The grassroots popularity of &quot;Clair Obscur&quot; has manifested in fans attending conventions and video game fairs wearing a striped mariner&#39;s shirt and red beret -- one of the most stereotypically French outfits players can equip for their characters. The action game follows a small group of characters as they seek to defeat a powerful entity threatening their home city, Lumiere, which bears a striking resemblance to Belle Epoque Paris. Inspired by Japanese games such as the long-running Final Fantasy series, the French title is a role-playing game featuring turn-based combat against monsters inhabiting the world. Its popularity was founded on the story&#39;s emotional depth and endearing characters, combined with original gameplay that introduced reactive, rhythm-based elements for parrying enemies&#39; attacks. Sandhill &quot;managed to present something really polished and go toe-to-toe with major titles,&quot; industry specialist Benoit Reinier told AFP at the time of the game&#39;s release. At just 30 people for most of its development, the team behind &quot;Clair Obscur&quot; was far smaller than typical blockbuster studios. Broche said they brought everyone from Sandhill to Los Angeles to celebrate the awards. The music of &quot;Clair Obscur&quot; stuck in many players&#39; heads and played an outsized part in their immersion into its universe. Winning categories for the game included narrative, role-playing, and music score. French President Emmanuel Macron hailed the team in May, thanking them for &quot;putting the spotlight on French-style boldness and creativity.&quot; There are also plans to bring the &quot;Expedition 33&quot; story to the big screen.

(L/R) CTO and co-founder of Sandfall Interactive Tom Guillermin, Sandfall Interactive Art Director Nicholas Maxson-Francombe, CEO, Creative Director, and Co-Founder of Sandfall Interactive Guillaume Broche and Co-Founder and Producer of Sandfall Interacti

Video Game

The game won in a record nine categories, including best video game of the year, best narrative, role-playing, and music score.

French indie 'Clair Obscur' dominates Game Awards

AHMEDABAD: &nbsp;An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed in June, killing 260 people. Six months on, investigators have yet to provide clear answers, fueling disputes between pilots, the airline, and the manufacturer. As required by international law, India&#39;s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) published a preliminary report one month after the June 12 disaster, when the plane exploded into flames shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad in western India. That report provided some technical information, but the investigation is still ongoing. The crash&nbsp;Air India flight 171 took off at 1:38 p.m. from Ahmedabad airport with 230 passengers and 12 crew members on board, bound for London Gatwick Airport. Less than a minute later, it crashed into the buildings of a medical university campus, located a few hundred meters (yards) from the runway. Video footage shows it taking off but failing to gain altitude before crashing in a fireball. The crash killed 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 on the ground. Only one passenger survived but was seriously injured. Among the dead were 200 Indians, 52 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. Initial findingsThe AAIB report, published on July 12, said that the fuel supply switches for both engines were switched to the &quot;off&quot; position almost simultaneously just after takeoff. &quot;In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why he cut off the fuel supply. The other pilot responded that he did not do so,&quot; the report states. The aircraft then began to lose altitude. The report also notes that an auxiliary power unit, intended to provide power to the aircraft in the event of engine failure, deployed automatically. Less than 10 seconds later, both switches were returned to the &quot;on&quot; position. Immediately afterward, &quot;one of the two pilots&quot; managed to transmit &quot;Mayday, Mayday, Mayday&quot; before the plane crashed. The 15-page document does not mention whether the fuel switches were turned off by a pilot maneuver or due to a malfunction. Controversy&nbsp;As soon as it was published, the report met strong criticism. Pilot associations argue that the dialogue between the captain and his co-pilot, which the report merely paraphrases, suggests the possibility of human error without providing evidence. They also pointed out that the AAIB did not recommend at that stage any control measures on the aircraft or its engines &mdash; effectively ruling out the possibility of a technical failure or a maintenance or servicing defect. A war of words erupted between the families of the victims, lawyers and pilots on one side, and the airline and the manufacturer on the other. The father of one of the pilots took the case to the Supreme Court. Pushkaraj Sabharwal, 91, father of pilot Sumeet Sabharwal, said the preliminary investigation was &quot;profoundly flawed.&quot; In his petition, seen by AFP, he argued that it appeared to &quot;predominantly focus on the deceased pilots, who are no longer able to defend themselves, while failing to examine or eliminate other more plausible technical and procedural causes of the crash.&quot; Hypotheses&nbsp;British lawyer Sarah Stewart, who represents around 50 families of victims, also favors a scenario not involving the pilots. &quot;The factual information raises a troubling specter that this accident may have been caused by uncommanded fuel cutoff, suggesting a possible failure in the Boeing systems,&quot; she said in a statement. Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, in a speech on Sept. 10, said that the &quot;preliminary report indicates nothing wrong with the aircraft, nothing wrong with the engines, nothing wrong with the airline&#39;s operation.&quot; Some experts, however, seem to doubt this. &quot;There were electrical faults reported before the crash on this plane,&quot; former commercial pilot Amit Singh, founder of Safety Matters Foundation, told AFP. &quot;The narrative of the report is built in such a way that the reader tends to believe that the pilots are responsible,&quot; even though &quot;a lot of the data presented is not sourced,&quot; he said. The final report &quot;could be manipulated,&quot; he warned. Aviation expert Mark Martin goes even further, calling it a &quot;cleverly designed cover-up.&quot; &quot;Boeing did exactly the same after the 737 MAX crashes &mdash; they blamed the pilots,&quot; he said of the accidents in 2018 and 2019, noting that an investigation later found a design flaw. &quot;Boeing cannot afford to take the blame for the crash,&quot; said Martin. Contacted by AFP, the US aircraft manufacturer declined to comment.

The back of Air India flight 171 is pictured at the site after it crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025. (AFP)

An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed in June, killing 260 people. Six months on, investigators have yet to provide clear answers, fueling disputes between pilots, the airline, and the manufacturer.

Air India crash still shrouded in mystery six months on

WASHINGTON:&nbsp;Democratic lawmakers called for US Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem&rsquo;s resignation Thursday as she defended the Trump administration&rsquo;s mass deportation program at a fiery congressional hearing. &ldquo;You promised America that you would go after the worst of the worst,&rdquo; Democratic Representative Seth Magaziner said. But the vast immigration crackdown launched under Republican President Donald Trump has swept up veterans of the US military, their relatives, pregnant women, children and even some American citizens, Magaziner said. &lsquo;Problems&rsquo; with Noem&rsquo;s leadership&nbsp;&ldquo;There are many problems with your leadership but the biggest problem is this: You don&#39;t seem to know how to tell the difference between the good guys and the bad guys,&rdquo; he told the House Homeland Security Committee hearing, which was interrupted by demonstrators on several occasions.<figure id="isPasted"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/52d941e5-29a9-4c99-9b91-6f44631f6938-ICE-raids.jpg" alt="ICE-raids.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><figcaption>NEW ORLEANS: A US Customs and Border Patrol agent takes a photograph of a vehicle during operations in Kenner, Louisiana, on December 8, 2025. -- Photo by AFP/Adam Gray</figcaption></figure>The panel&rsquo;s ranking Democrat Bennie Thompson said Noem has &ldquo;diverted resources from critical Homeland Security agencies and programs to carry out an extreme immigration agenda.&rdquo; &lsquo;Racial profiling&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Black and brown Americans in particular, have been racially profiled, detained and locked up,&rdquo; Thompson said. &ldquo;So rather than sitting here and wasting your time and ours with more corruption, lies and lawlessness, I call on you to resign,&rdquo; he said, echoing a call Democrats have made for months as ICE has raided major cities.<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=1999140391094833242&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=9c2e435bda59bbbac982e7528e199d336563d88f&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>In June, after Senator Alex Padilla was tackled and cuffed at a press conference Noem held in Los Angeles, Senator Elizabeth Warren and others demanded she step down. &lsquo;Potentially impeachable actions&rsquo;In Thursday&#39;s hearing, Representative Delia C Ramirez told Noem &ldquo;your options are limited. Either you&rsquo;re going to resign, Trump&rsquo;s going to fire you, or you will be impeached.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" 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=1999186500353700081&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=9c2e435bda59bbbac982e7528e199d336563d88f&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 873px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Ramirez, who represents the midwestern city of Chicago which has seen numerous ICE raids, also made a formal request for the House Judiciary Committee to open an investigation into Noem&#39;s &ldquo;unlawful and potentially impeachable actions.&rdquo; While Democrats lambasted Noem and the Trump administration, Republicans praised her department for securing the US-Mexico border and rounding up undocumented migrants for deportation. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Noem defends tactics&nbsp;</h2>Noem defended the tactics of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and accused the administration of Democrat Joe Biden of allowing &ldquo;millions of people to come into our country illegally.&rdquo; She denied US citizens have been detained although she said there have been occasions when they were held until their identity could be confirmed. &ldquo;We have never once detained or deported an American citizen,&rdquo; Noem said. &ldquo;(When) we are doing our targeted enforcement operations against criminal illegal aliens, individuals that are in that area may be detained until we verify who they are, and then they are released.&rdquo; Trump ran for the White House promising to deport millions of undocumented migrants and Noem, as head of the Department of Homeland Security, oversees the operation.

Americas

Democrat Congressman Bennie Thompson said Noem has 'diverted resources from critical Homeland Security agencies and programs to carry out an extreme immigration agenda. Black and brown Americans in particular, have been racially profiled, detained and locked up.'

Democrats grill US homeland security chief over immigration crackdown

TOKYO: A 6.7-magnitude quake took place off northern Japan on Friday, the weather office said, days after a 7.5-level tremor in the same region injured at least 50 people. Japan lifted a tsunami advisory, the weather office showed on its website. The Japan Meteorological Agency had warned that tsunami waves of up to one metre (three feet) could hit the northern Pacific coastline.

The Japan Meteorological Agency had earlier warned that tsunami waves of up to one meter (three feet) could hit the northern Pacific coastline.

6.7-magnitude quake detected off northern Japan

WASHINGTON: The United States on Thursday announced a pact with allies to secure supply chains for minerals needed for artificial intelligence, hoping to secure a key resource as China quickly takes a lead. The United States signed an agreement on the supply chains with key Asia-Pacific allies concerned about China&#39;s growing clout &mdash; Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Australia &mdash; as well as Israel. Dubbed the &quot;Pax Silica,&quot; adapting the Latin terms for peace and silicon, a key material in AI, the partnership aims to secure supply chains and ensure that the countries are not dependent on China. &quot;Pax Silica is a new kind of international grouping and partnership &mdash; one that aims to unite the countries that host the world&#39;s most advanced technology companies to unleash the economic potential of the new AI age,&quot; a State Department statement said. The United States, which said other countries would join, was vague on the practicalities but said countries would work together to ensure timely supply chains. &quot;We believe that this gathering and grouping matters because the global system is shifting from &#39;just in time&#39; to strategically aligned,&quot; said Jacob Helberg, the State Department&#39;s undersecretary for economic affairs. &quot;Pax Silica ultimately ensures that these countries have reliable access to the inputs and infrastructure that determine AI competitiveness,&quot; he told reporters ahead of the signing. China has quickly taken a dominant position in the race for resources in the fast-growing area of artificial intelligence, mining around 70% of key rare earths. The signing in Washington comes despite President Donald Trump this week announcing he will allow the export of Nvidia&#39;s advanced artificial intelligence chips to China, reversing a decision by his predecessor, Joe Biden, who voiced national security concerns in sharing the key technology. Other countries participating in the meetings in Washington on supply chains, without formally joining the Pax Silica, were the United Arab Emirates, Canada, and the Netherlands, as well as the European Union as an institution.

Artificial Intelligence

The signing in Washington comes despite President Donald Trump this week announcing he will allow the export of Nvidia's advanced artificial intelligence chips to China, reversing a decision by his predecessor Joe Biden who voiced national security concerns in sharing the key technology.

US launches pact for AI supply chains to face China

TOKYO: Beijing&#39;s actions are &quot;not conducive to regional peace,&quot; Japan&#39;s defense minister and US counterpart Pete Hegseth agreed during a call after Chinese aircraft locked radar on Japanese jets near Taiwan, Tokyo said on Friday. The radar incident was followed this week by Chinese-Russian air patrols around Japan, and came after comments by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Taiwan that infuriated China. Hegseth and Japan&#39;s Shinjiro Koizumi &quot;exchanged candid views on the increasingly severe security situation in the Indo-Pacific region, including the radar incident,&quot; the Japanese defense ministry said after the call. They &quot;expressed serious concern over any actions to increase regional tensions, as China&#39;s actions are not conducive to regional peace and stability,&quot; the statement added. Koizumi said on X that the two men &quot;expressed grave concern over the behaviors that heighten tensions in the region.&quot; He said he had also told Hegseth that China was &quot;disseminating information that is completely contrary to the facts&quot; about the radar incident. &quot;However, Japan has made clear that it does not seek escalation and that we are responding calmly while making necessary rebuttals, and we are keeping the door open for dialogue,&quot; Koizumi added. There was no immediate statement from the United States about the call. Takaichi had suggested on Nov. 7 that Japan would intervene with military force in any Chinese attack on Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own and has not ruled out seizing by force. Last week, J-15 jets from China&#39;s Liaoning aircraft carrier twice locked radar on Japanese aircraft that had scrambled in international waters near Okinawa, according to Japan. Fighter jets use their radar for fire control to identify targets and for search and rescue operations. China&#39;s foreign ministry on Wednesday accused Japan of sending the jets &quot;to intrude into the Chinese training area without authorization, conduct close-range reconnaissance and harassment, create tense situations, and... &nbsp;maliciously hype up the situation.&quot; On Tuesday, two Russian Tu-95 nuclear-capable bombers flew from the Sea of Japan to rendezvous with two Chinese H-6 bombers in the East China Sea, then conducted a joint flight around the country, Japan said. Japan said that it scrambled fighter jets in response. Japan and the United States air forces on Wednesday conducted their own joint air drills in a show of force, Tokyo said. The &quot;tactical exercises&quot; over the Sea of Japan involved two US B-52 bombers, three Japanese F-35 fighter jets, and three Japanese F-15s, Tokyo said. South Korea said on Tuesday that Russian and Chinese warplanes also entered its air defense zone, with Seoul also deploying fighter jets that same day. Beijing confirmed on Tuesday that it had organized drills with Russia&#39;s military in accordance with &quot;annual cooperation plans.&quot; Moscow also described it as a routine exercise, saying it lasted eight hours and that some foreign fighter jets followed the Russian and Chinese aircraft.

US Secretary of War Hegseth, Japan's Koizumi exchange “candid views on the increasingly severe security situation in the Indo-Pacific region, including the radar incident." 

Articles by Simran Siraj