Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations has expressed deep concern over the Taliban&rsquo;s arrest of women in Afghanistan&rsquo;s western Herat province, warning that the detentions and the subsequent use of force against protesters raise serious human rights concerns amid an expanding crackdown on women across the country. The warning comes as reports emerge of a pregnant woman who was allegedly detained by Taliban morality police in Kabul and remains missing days later, with her family saying authorities have provided no information about her whereabouts. According to a UN statement issued Wednesday, at least 30 women were detained in Herat by officials from the Taliban&rsquo;s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. The arrests followed a large-scale operation targeting women accused of violating the Taliban&rsquo;s dress requirements. The detentions sparked protests in Herat city, where residents gathered to denounce the arrests before Taliban security forces moved to disperse the crowd. In its statement, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said it was concerned that &ldquo;dozens more women reportedly received verbal warnings&rdquo; during the operation. &ldquo;While the women were released on June 8, the impact of such arbitrary arrests and detentions on women and their families is profound,&rdquo; UNAMA said. The UN mission also raised alarm over what it described as the &ldquo;excessive use of force by Afghanistan&rsquo;s de facto security forces&rdquo; against demonstrators in Herat&rsquo;s Jibreil area on June 9. According to UNAMA, &ldquo;at least one person, a boy, was killed by gunfire, while several others suffered injuries, including from being beaten with sticks,&rdquo; adding that it was verifying reports of a second fatality. The developments underscore growing international concern over the Taliban&rsquo;s enforcement of morality regulations, which rights groups say have increasingly curtailed women&rsquo;s freedoms since the group returned to power in 2021. Pregnant woman detainedSeparately, sources told Afghanistan International that a Hazara woman was detained by Taliban morality police in Kabul three days ago after leaving her home to carry out routine shopping.&nbsp; The woman, who is reportedly pregnant, was allegedly taken away in a government vehicle to an undisclosed location. Her family says repeated attempts to obtain information from local police and the Taliban&rsquo;s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice have yielded no answers. &ldquo;We have approached all the relevant offices, but no one accepts responsibility for the arrest or tells us where she has been taken,&rdquo; one source told the outlet on condition of anonymity. &ldquo;We are deeply concerned about her well-being and that of her child,&rdquo; the source added. Taliban authorities have not publicly explained the reason for the detention, though morality police have frequently detained women accused of failing to comply with the Taliban&rsquo;s interpretation of hijab requirements. UNAMA reiterated its call on Afghanistan&rsquo;s de facto authorities to &ldquo;rescind all policies and practices that restrict the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls in Afghanistan,&rdquo; including limitations on freedom of movement, expression, education, employment and participation in public life. Since regaining power nearly five years ago, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls, barring them from higher education, limiting employment opportunities and restricting access to public spaces.&nbsp; International organizations have repeatedly warned that the cumulative effect of these measures has resulted in the systematic exclusion of women from public life and one of the world&rsquo;s most severe women&rsquo;s rights crises.

Afghan women wearing chador walk along the street near the Grand Mosque in Herat on June 8, 2026. (AFP)

Afghanistan

The United Nations agency condemned the detention of at least 30 women in Herat and the use of force against protesters, while reports of a pregnant woman missing after arrest in Kabul have intensified concerns over Taliban treatment of women.

UN alarmed as Afghan Taliban detain women, pregnant mother disappears

ISLAMABAD: Taliban security forces used force to disperse a rare public protest in Herat after demonstrators gathered to oppose the detention of women accused of violating the country&#39;s strict Islamic dress code, according to a report by the BBC.&nbsp; Two people were killed during the unrest, though they did not specify the cause of death; several others were reported injured. Taliban authorities denied that anyone had died but acknowledged responding to the demonstration. The protest took place in the western Afghan city of Herat, where local Taliban officials had recently intensified enforcement of mandatory hijab regulations. Men and women joined the protest days after reports emerged that women perceived as improperly wearing the hijab were being detained by Taliban authorities. Taliban security forces used live fire to break up the protest. Taliban police did not directly address allegations that officers fired on protestors but said they had taken measures to maintain security and public order. Taliban security personnel used &ldquo;sticks, whips and firearms&rdquo; to disperse the crowd and fired shots into the air, according to the BBC.&nbsp; Videos circulating on social media appeared to capture the sound of gunfire as women screamed and pleaded with security forces not to beat protesters. Sayed Masoud Hosseini, a spokesperson for the Herat Police Command, accused demonstrators of disturbing public order. He said some protesters sought to create tension under the pretext of opposing Islamic hijab requirements, which Taliban authorities consider a religious obligation. According to reports from the BBC Afghan service, some demonstrators chanted &ldquo;Education, Work, Freedom,&rdquo; a slogan associated with calls for greater rights for Afghan women. Richard Bennett, the United Nations special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, expressed his alarm over reports indicating excessive force used against what seemed to be peaceful protesters. In a statement shared on social media, Bennett called for accountability for those responsible for these actions. The protest underscores the rising tensions regarding Taliban restrictions on women, which have intensified since the group regained power in August 2021. Women have been prohibited from attending secondary and higher education, excluded from numerous job opportunities, and face increasingly strict regulations concerning their appearance and movement. The Taliban made the hijab mandatory for women in May 2022, but residents in Herat said enforcement efforts intensified in recent days. According to the BBC, they had seen women being detained since the weekend for allegedly failing to comply with dress requirements.

Women in Burqas in Herat, Afghanistan (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Taliban forces violently dispersed a protest in Herat over strict hijab enforcement, with reports of deaths, injuries, and accusations of excessive force.

Two women killed in crackdown on protests in Herat

ISLAMABAD: Taliban forces opened fire on protesters in the western Afghan city of Herat on Tuesday, wounding multiple people and triggering a broader security crackdown that included reported arrests and visits to hospitals to detain injured protesters, according to Amu TV.&nbsp; The protests began in Herat&#39;s Jibril area after reports emerged of a wave of arrests targeting women by Taliban.&nbsp; Hundreds of people gathered to denounce the detentions before Taliban security forces moved to disperse the crowd. The mounting anger over reports that women and girls in Herat were being detained for purportedly violating the Taliban&rsquo;s interpretation of Islamic dress regulations. The shooting occurred near an intersection known as &ldquo;Bahar-e Zendagi&rdquo; as protesters marched through the area. Taliban forces fired live ammunition at protesters. Afghanistan International qouting an eyewitness stated&nbsp;that he personally saw one dead person and at least 22 wounded individuals after the confrontation.&nbsp; No official casualty figures have been released, and the exact number of people injured or detained remains unclear. Protesters arrested&nbsp; According to Afghanistan International, Taliban authorities subsequently arrested a number of protesters.&nbsp; Qouting sources, Afghanistan International reported that Taliban personnel visited hospitals in Herat in an effort to identify and detain injured protesters receiving medical treatment. Flyers circulated across Herat on Monday called on residents to assemble at 8 am in District 13 of Jibrail township to condemn the arrests.&nbsp; Qouting witnesses it reported that crowds gathered despite the risk of retaliation from Taliban authorities. Taliban forces reportedly deployed additional personnel across the Jibril and nearby Jami&#39; areas of the city.&nbsp; Residents described a heightened security presence, with increased checkpoints and patrols. &#39;Deeply alarmed&#39;This incident has drawn international concern as well.&nbsp; Richard Bennett, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, said Monday he was &quot;deeply alarmed&quot; by reports that scores of women had been detained in Herat for a third consecutive day over alleged dress code violations. The issue was also raised before the UN Security Council.&nbsp; Georgette Gagnon, acting head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, cited reports that about 30 women had been detained in Herat by Taliban morality police and law enforcement personnel.&nbsp; The Herat protest appeared to be among the largest public demonstrations in recent months opposing the Taliban&rsquo;s enforcement of these restrictions.

Women wearing Burqas in Afghanistan - (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Taliban forces reportedly opened fire on protesters in Herat, wounding multiple people and triggering a wider crackdown amid growing anger over the detention of women for alleged dress-code violations.

Taliban open fire on protesters in Herat: Afghan media 

HERAT: Afghan residents in the western city of Herat have told AFP of witnessing multiple women detained by the Taliban government&#39;s morality police, in a crackdown over clothing which has drawn criticism from the United Nations. The UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/un-agency-raises-concerns-over-taliban-arrests-of-women-in-herat" style="color:#0073e6;">said</a>&nbsp;on Sunday it was &quot;concerned over multiple arrests and detentions of women in Herat Afghanistan for alleged non-compliance with dress requirements.&quot; Taliban authorities rule according to a strict interpretation of Islamic law, and have gradually tightened restrictions on women since returning to power in August 2021. Women nationwide must be completely covered when they leave home, with many wearing a flowing abaya robe along with a Muslim headscarf and a face covering. In Herat, residents witnessed women being detained on Saturday for not wearing the body-cloaking chador or burqa. They spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity for security reasons. &quot;I saw two employees of the ministry, one of whom was carrying a whip, putting two women who were not wearing chadors into a vehicle,&quot; said a 23-year-old woman, referring to officials from the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (PVPV). She said those detained were fully covered, including wearing Muslim headscarves. &quot;Everyone is frightened,&quot; she told AFP. Another woman said she saw PVPV officials stopping vehicles and checking passengers&#39; clothing, and saw multiple women being detained and put into vans. &quot;The majority of those arrested were women who were not wearing chadors,&quot; the 27-year-old said. The PVPV ministry did not comment on women being detained when contacted by AFP. &quot;There is nothing unusual in Herat,&quot; the ministry&#39;s information department said. The dress code &quot;is a divine command and an enforced law, and we are obligated to implement it,&quot; the ministry said. Since the crackdown was launched, an AFP journalist and multiple residents in Herat said the number of women leaving home had dropped sharply. A 20-year-old taxi driver said &quot;they&#39;re not seen in the city at all.&quot; &quot;We&#39;ve been told not to transport women without a chador,&quot; he said. One woman described the situation as &quot;unbearable.&quot; &quot;I am genuinely saddened that we don&#39;t even have the right to breathe freely,&quot; the 33-year-old said. &quot;Life has become very difficult for us.&quot;

Women detained in Afghanistan's Herat in clothing crackdown

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan&#39;s permanent representative to the United Nations, Naseer Ahmad Faiq, on Sunday, condemned the arrest of women in the western Herat province of the country for the alleged non-compliance with the Taliban-imposed dress requirements. In a statement posted on X, he termed the arrest of ladies in Herat as part of a systematic policy to eliminate women from the Afghan society, deprive them of fundamental freedoms, and humiliate their human dignity. The statement added that Faiq termed the arrest of women because of their appearance or choice of clothing as not about protecting religion or values.&nbsp; &quot;Instead, it is a tool of repression, intimidation, and the spread of fear throughout society,&quot; the statement added. Afghan media reported that the Taliban authorities arrested at least 40 women in the western Herat province for not wearing what the religious group terms as &quot;proper dress.&quot; Faiq, who was appointed to the UN by the former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani&#39;s government, further said that the detention of women by the Taliban&rsquo;s morality police under the pretext of &ldquo;improper Hijab&rdquo; is neither consistent with Islamic principles and values nor with the culture and traditions of the Afghan people. The envoy, who is retained in the UN for non-recognition of the Taliban government on the international level, also cited what he described as numerous documented reports of violent treatment of women in detention, including harassment, sexual assault, and forced marriages.&nbsp; The statement further quoted Faiq saying that allegations have not been investigated transparently and that those responsible have not been held accountable. Questioning the Taliban&#39;s justification for the arrests, Faiq said, &quot;How do the Taliban&#39;s enforcers consider themselves guardians when they forcibly detain and transfer women in the streets and markets?&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-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=2063644637709869246&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F4092%2F&sessionId=048074557d55da39496af0656a0a8e2ee2d37656&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 446px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Faiq characterized the measures as &quot;inhumane&quot;, &quot;unlawful,&quot; and &quot;un-Islamic&quot; and condemned them.&nbsp;

Afghan women wearing burqas - (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Afghanistan’s UN envoy, Naseer Ahmad Faiq, condemned the Taliban’s detention of women over alleged hijab/niqab violations, calling it a systematic campaign of repression, intimidation, and abuse against women.

Herat arrests of women aim to erase women from public life: Afghanistan envoy to UN

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has expressed &ldquo;serious human rights concerns&rdquo; following the arrest and detention of multiple women in Afghanistan&rsquo;s western Herat province for alleged non-compliance with Taliban-imposed dress requirements. According to Afghanistan International, Taliban authorities launched a large-scale operation in Herat on Saturday targeting women accused of violating the prescribed dress code, resulting in the detention of multiple individuals. In a statement posted on X on Sunday, UNAMA said it was concerned &ldquo;over multiple arrests and detentions of women in Herat&rdquo; linked to alleged breaches of dress requirements. The UN mission said the detentions raise &ldquo;serious human rights concerns&rdquo; and urged Afghanistan&rsquo;s de facto authorities to respect fundamental freedoms. &ldquo;We remind the de facto authorities that all people have the right to freedom of movement and that all persons, both women and men, are entitled to equality before the law,&rdquo; UNAMA said. The arrests are the latest in a series of measures imposed by Taliban authorities since their return to power in August 2021.&nbsp; The group has enforced a strict interpretation of Islamic law, requiring women to adhere to extensive dress regulations and limiting their participation in public life. Over the past four years, Taliban authorities have progressively tightened restrictions on women and girls, barring them from universities, public parks, gyms and beauty salons, while curtailing employment and social opportunities. The United Nations and human rights advocates have repeatedly warned that the cumulative impact of these policies has led to the systematic exclusion of women from public life.&nbsp; UN officials have previously described the situation as one of the most severe women&rsquo;s rights crises in the world.

UNAMA voiced concern after Taliban authorities detained multiple women in Herat over alleged dress code violations, underscoring growing international alarm over restrictions on women’s rights and freedoms in Afghanistan.


UN agency raises concerns over Taliban arrests of women in Herat

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;As Afghanistan marked World Environment Day on Friday, growing climate and environmental challenges continued to weigh heavily on communities across the country, causing serious risks to livelihoods, food security, and long-term social stability, according to a report by United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).&nbsp; Years of drought, worsening water scarcity and extreme weather events have left millions vulnerable, particularly in rural areas where agriculture remains the primary source of income.&nbsp; More than half of Afghanistan&rsquo;s population is affected by prolonged dry periods, according to local assessments, with farmers reporting repeated crop failures and shrinking access to water. In the eastern province of Nangarhar, residents say increasingly unpredictable weather patterns are disrupting traditional farming practices and deepening economic hardship. &ldquo;Our river has become unpredictable. Last year, it dried when we needed it most; this year it flooded and destroyed half of our crops,&rdquo; said a farmer in Goshta district, describing the uncertainty facing rural communities. The situation is especially severe in Afghanistan&rsquo;s southern provinces, including Kandahar, Helmand, Nimroz, Zabul and Uruzgan, where recurrent drought, declining rainfall and unregulated groundwater extraction have pushed water systems toward collapse. Rivers are drying up, traditional irrigation systems have deteriorated, and many communities are drilling deeper wells in search of water, often with limited success.&nbsp; The consequences have been far-reaching, reducing agricultural production, limiting access to safe drinking water and forcing some families to leave their homes in search of reliable water sources. Increasingly scarce resources Competition over increasingly scarce resources has become a tension in some areas. Experts warn that without urgent intervention, parts of the region could become difficult to inhabit. Proposed solutions include expanding water-efficient irrigation systems, improving water management practices and investing in groundwater recharge projects. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, communities are confronting a different set of climate-related challenges. In western provinces such as Ghor and Farah, prolonged drought has coincided with destructive flash floods caused by intense rainfall.&nbsp; Residents have struggled to cope with water shortages while rebuilding homes, farmland and infrastructure damaged by flooding. Floods are also becoming more frequent and unpredictable in central and eastern provinces, including Logar, Parwan and Kapisa.&nbsp; In the south, strong winds and dust storms have damaged crops and contributed to respiratory illnesses, adding to humanitarian needs. Environmental degradation Environmental degradation is further intensifying the crisis. Deforestation in Kunar, Nuristan and Logar has lessened natural protection against floods and landslides, while overgrazing in mountainous regions such as Badakhshan has accelerated ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss. Unregulated mining activities have also damaged landscapes and polluted water sources. Urban areas face their own environmental challenges. In Kabul, air pollution remains a serious public health concern, particularly during winter months when many households rely on low-quality fuels for heating. Poor waste management continues to exacerbate the problem. In provinces known for their natural beauty, including Panjshir, Kapisa and Maidan Wardak, growing tourism has increased pressure on local ecosystems, with waste accumulating in rivers and valleys. World Environment Day, observed annually on June 5, seeks to raise awareness about environmental issues and encourage action to protect ecosystems and promote sustainable development worldwide.

Afghanistan climate crisis deepens as communities scale up environmental action- (Photo: UNAMA)

Afghanistan is facing escalating climate and environmental crises prompting urgent calls for sustainable adaptation and resilience measures.

Afghanistan faces escalating climate crisis as communities mark World Environment Day: UNAMA

ISLAMABAD: Spain&rsquo;s foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albaras, expressed support for Afghan women and girls in a conference, saying their voices would always be heard in Spain despite efforts by the Taliban to silence them, reported Afghanistan International, a London-based media organization focusing on Afghan affairs. The Feminist Foreign Policy Conference was held on Tuesday, at Spain&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters, held under the slogan &ldquo;Building Peace and Democracy,&rdquo; bringing together government officials, representatives of international organizations, civil society members, and women&rsquo;s rights activists for a two-day event.&nbsp; The foreign minister highlighted Spain&rsquo;s commitment to Afghan women&rsquo;s rights at the 5th Ministerial Conference on Feminist Foreign Policy in Madrid&nbsp;with delegates from around 60 countries in attendance. Albaras&nbsp;pointed to a dedicated space within the ministry that hosts the annual &ldquo;HearUs&rdquo; conference, where Afghan women and associations in exile meet to discuss challenges facing women under Taliban rule.&nbsp; Gender apartheid He said that one of the ministry&rsquo;s halls has been named in honor of Afghan women, saying the designation should remain permanent as a symbol that their voices will not be erased. The voice and action of Afghan women are present here today, Albares said. &nbsp; The conference includes two special sessions focused on Afghanistan, one on gender apartheid and the other on the role of women in advancing peace and democratic governance.&nbsp; Approximately 140 civil society organizations and feminist groups are taking part. Participants stressed that lasting peace and genuine democracy cannot be achieved without the full participation of women and reaffirmed that support for Afghan women remains a critical component of international commitments to human rights and gender justice. Repression of Afghan women France&rsquo;s Minister Delegate for International Partnerships, Eleonore Caroit, also described the situation of Afghan women and girls as one of the clearest examples of women&rsquo;s rights violations in the world and stressed the need for global support. Among the speakers was Fawzia Koofi, an Afghan politician and women&rsquo;s rights advocate, who participated in a panel discussion on women&rsquo;s role in peacebuilding and the future of democracy. Koofi criticized what she described as a policy of appeasement by some countries toward the Taliban, arguing that it had strengthened the Taliban&#39;s repression of women&rsquo;s rights. Furthermore, she said that the European countries should not legitimize a culture of gender apartheid under the pretext of deporting migrants.

Feminist Foreign Policy Conference was held on Tuesday, June 2, at Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, bringing together government officials, representatives of international organizations, civil society members, and women’s rights activists for a two-d

At an international conference on feminist foreign policy in Madrid, the foreign minister highlights Spain’s commitment to Afghan women’s rights as delegates from around 60 countries joined the conference.

Spain will support Afghan Women: Spanish FM

ISLAMABAD: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers during a congressional hearing that the United States is continuing discussions with several countries to resettle more than 1,000 Afghans who assisted US forces and remain stranded abroad, according to a report by Kabul Tribune.&nbsp; Rubio said the administration is engaging with multiple governments to identify solutions for Afghan allies, many of whom have been waiting in Qatar for more than a year as immigration restrictions limit their entry into the United States. While defending the administration&#39;s refugee policies, Rubio said no final decisions have been made regarding relocation destinations. He added that responsibility for resettling the affected Afghans would likely be shared among several countries rather than handled by a single nation. US officials have discussed potential resettlement arrangements with countries including Botswana and Malaysia as they seek options for those awaiting permanent relocation. The issue drew scrutiny from lawmakers during the hearing. Rep. Grace Meng, a Democrat from New York, questioned why Afghan allies who had previously undergone US vetting procedures have not been admitted despite commitments made.&nbsp; Advocacy groups warned that returning the refugees to Afghanistan could expose them to retaliation by the Taliban because of their past support for the American military. Proposals to relocate some Afghans to other conflict-affected regions have also faced criticism from humanitarian organizations. Rubio said the administration remains committed to finding solutions but emphasized that current directives restrict the admission of many Afghans into the United States. Rubio also defended broader refugee policies, including the admission of white South Africans, saying immigration decisions are guided by US national interests and the ability of newcomers to integrate into American society. The debate over the future of Afghan allies remains ongoing as policymakers weigh humanitarian obligations against immigration and national security considerations.

The hearing was held to examine the State Department's budget request for fiscal year 2027. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Kevin Dietsch / NORTH AMERICA / AFP)

The US is negotiating with multiple countries to resettle over 1,000 stranded Afghan allies as immigration restrictions continue to delay their entry into America.

US seeks third-country resettlement options for Afghan allies: Rubio

ISLAMABAD: More than 82 Afghan and international human rights organizations have urged the European Union and its member states to refrain from engaging with Taliban representatives amid reports that a Taliban delegation could visit Brussels in June 2026, as reported by the International Federation for Human Rights. &nbsp; In an open letter published by the rights group, the signatories, including the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), expressed &quot;grave concerns&quot; over the possibility of an official Taliban visit to the Belgian capital, warning that such engagement could be viewed as a form of normalization or implicit recognition of the Taliban authorities.&nbsp; The European Commission has invited a delegation of Taliban officials, expected to be led by Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi, to Brussels in June 2026 for high-level technical talks concerning the repatriation and deportation of Afghan migrants.&nbsp; Democratic legitimacy The groups stressed that the Taliban &quot;do not represent the people of Afghanistan&quot; because they lack democratic legitimacy and have not gained authority through any participatory, inclusive, representative, or constitutional process. The letter noted that two senior Taliban leaders are currently subject to arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the alleged crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds. It also pointed out that multiple individuals associated with the Taliban remain subject to international sanctions, including those imposed by the European Union. &quot;Any official engagement with Taliban representatives, particularly on European soil, carries significant legal, political, and symbolic implications,&quot; the organizations wrote. &quot;It risks being perceived as a form of normalisation or implicit recognition.&quot; The groups said that since the Taliban&#39;s return to power in August 2021, authorities have implemented policies and decrees that have systematically dismantled fundamental rights and freedoms. Women and girls, they said, have been largely excluded from public life through bans on secondary and higher education and severe restrictions on employment, freedom of movement, and participation in civic and political life. &quot;There has been no accountability for the victims and survivors&quot; of serious human rights violations and potential international crimes, the letter stated. The signatories further expressed concern over current and proposed policies involving the forced return of Afghan asylum seekers from EU member states.&nbsp; Principle of non-refoulementThey argued that such returns would raise serious concerns under international law, particularly the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to places where they face persecution or serious harm. The concern is especially acute for women and girls, the groups said, describing Afghanistan as &quot;one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a woman.&quot; Forced returns, they warned, could expose many to persecution, violence, and severe deprivation of rights. The organizations called on the EU and its member states to avoid political or diplomatic engagement with Taliban representatives under current conditions, arguing that the minimum standards often cited by the bloc for engagement, including respect for fundamental rights and women&#39;s rights, are not being met. They also urged European governments to support international justice efforts, including cooperation with the ICC&#39;s Afghanistan investigation, and to back strategic litigation initiatives aimed at holding alleged perpetrators accountable for serious international crimes. Among their demands, the groups called for an immediate halt to forced return of Afghan asylum seekers, public affirmation that the rights of Afghan women and girls are non-negotiable, and meaningful consultation with Afghan civil society, victims, and women human rights defenders in shaping EU policy. The signatories warned that failing to uphold these principles would risk entrenching impunity, undermining the EU&#39;s credibility on human rights and gender justice, and abandoning Afghan victims and survivors &quot;at a critical moment.&quot; The organizations said they remain ready to engage with European and international partners to ensure that responses to Afghanistan&#39;s ongoing crisis are grounded in accountability, justice, and the protection of fundamental rights.

Taliban fighters in Afghanistan - (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Over 80 Afghan and international rights groups have urged the EU to avoid engaging with Taliban representatives, warning it could legitimize their rule and undermine human rights, especially for women and girls in Afghanistan.

Rights groups urge EU to reject Taliban engagement amid Brussels visit: Report

BUENOS AIRES: Temperatures in the Antarctic Peninsula have reached a record-breaking high of 15.4C for June, and ice is melting at abnormal rates during the current winter, climate scientists told AFP on Thursday. Esperanza Base, an Argentine research station located in the north of the peninsula, recorded the unprecedented figure on June 6. The previous highest temperature on record for that month -- 13.3C -- dates back to 1998. The current heat also significantly exceeds Esperanza&#39;s June average of -6.2C. Such a figure is &quot;very unusual for this time of year,&quot; Jose Luis Stella, a climatologist at Argentina&#39;s National Meteorological Service, told AFP. Argentine bases Marambio and San Martin also recorded unequalled temperatures between June 5 and 6. Marambio recorded 11.8C, surpassing a previous high of 9.2C and its June average of -10.7C. San Martin meanwhile saw 9.4C compared to its previous 7.8C record and June average of -5.6C. &#39;Confirms a trend&#39;The northern Antarctic heatwave is not an isolated event, University of Groningen professor Raul Cordero told AFP. &quot;It confirms a trend,&quot; he said, warning that &quot;these kinds of events will continue to occur with increasing frequency&quot; if global warming is not derailed. Thomas Caton Harrison, a polar climate scientist at the British Antarctic Survey, believes a combination of factors including climate change resulted in the current heat. &quot;There is credible evidence that climate change is playing a role, but the effect is complex in this region,&quot; he said. &quot;Because Antarctica sees such big swings in temperature, we have to collect lots of data over many years to build a picture of the underlying climate.&quot; Both specialists agree that regional temperatures have been rising for years and are already showing visible effects. &quot;A surprising amount of precipitation has been falling as rain rather than snow,&quot; Caton Harrison said. &quot;This has implications for polar ecosystems such as penguin colonies,&quot; he said, adding that &quot;it poses a challenge to my colleagues working on Antarctic bases because a lot of liquid rain has been falling and creating runoff and ice.&quot; Esperanza Base has been recording above-zero temperatures daily for three consecutive weeks. This trend has caused &quot;large areas in the far north of the white continent to remain free of snow,&quot; according to Cordero, who called it &quot;an unusual scene in the Antarctic landscape during winter.&quot;

Climate

Temperatures in the Antarctic Peninsula reach a record-breaking high of 15.4C for June, as ice melts at abnormal rates during the current winter.

Antarctic Peninsula sees record high June temperatures

MEXICO CITY: Mexico ignited their World Cup party with a dominant 2-0 victory over nine-man South Africa on Thursday as the biggest ever edition of the global footballing showpiece kicked off at the iconic Estadio Azteca. Julian Quinones scored the opening goal of the tournament and veteran striker Raul Jimenez added a second as the co-hosts&#39; bid for qualification from Group A got off to smooth start. South Africa meanwhile never looked like spoiling the opening day fiesta, and finished with only nine men after Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off. The Mexican-colored red, green and white smoke from pre-game fireworks had barely dissipated before Quinones fired the hosts into the lead on nine minutes, drilling a low shot through the legs of South Africa&rsquo;s goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams. A deafening roar cascaded down from the stands of the Azteca, the footballing cathedral that became the only stadium to host games at three different World Cups. South Africa coach Hugo Broos had warned his players to be ready for the intimidating atmosphere created by a capacity 80,824 crowd at the imposing concrete arena. But South Africa&rsquo;s players looked to have a bad case of stage fright as Mexico&#39;s fans &nbsp;greeted each completed pass with a raucous chorus of &quot;Ole!&quot; in the opening minutes Sithole seemed particularly affected, being caught in possession trying to play out of the back for Quinones&#39; opening goal. Sithole&#39;s miserable afternoon ended with a 49th minute dismissal after bundling over Mexico&rsquo;s Brian Gutierrez when clean through on goal. Mexico rammed home their advantage in the 67th minute, with a fine counter attack culminating in Roberto Alvarado crossing for Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Jimenez to nod home at the far post. It got worse for South Africa in the 84th minute when Zwane was dismissed after a VAR review for flinging an arm into the face of Alvarado. There was still time for late drama when Mexican defender Cesar Montes was shown a red card for a clumsy challenge on Khulisa Mudau on the edge of the penalty area.

Football

Mexico launches World Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over South Africa at a packed Estadio Azteca, while the visitors finish with nine men after two red cards.

Mexico beat South Africa to kick off World Cup

NEW YORK: Taylor Swift on Thursday became the youngest woman ever inducted into the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame, another milestone in the 36-year-old US pop star&#39;s record-breaking career. The female record was previously held by Carole Bayer Sager, who was 43 when she joined in 1987. Stevie Wonder remains the youngest person ever admitted, at age 32 in 1983. Artists become eligible for the Hall of Fame 20 years after the release of their first commercial track. For Swift, that was &quot;Tim McGraw,&quot; released in June 2006. Her success since is undeniable: the American artist has recorded 12 albums spanning country, pop, and folk, earning her 14 Grammy Awards in the United States, including four Album of the Year trophies -- a record. &quot;Swift&#39;s ability to shapeshift as a songwriter, to inhabit different sonic landscapes and write as credibly in the world of one genre as she does another is part of her superpower as a songwriter,&quot; reads her bio on the Hall of Fame website. &quot;It also represents the boldness and bravery of her artistry: to explore new frontiers when the most practical next step would be to keep mining the material that has gotten you the success in the first place.&quot; Swift appeared on the red carpet in New York on Thursday wearing a strapless black dress with floral motifs ahead of the naming ceremony. &#39;Great honor&#39;Also inducted on Thursday were Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS, the band behind hits such as &quot;Rock and Roll All Nite&quot; and &quot;Detroit Rock City.&quot; &quot;It doesn&#39;t suck,&quot; Stanley told AFP when asked how it felt to join the prestigious songwriting ranks. &quot;It&#39;s really hard to digest the idea. I certainly don&#39;t consider myself in that rarified air of some of the writers, but if you wanna be in that club, I&#39;m there.&quot; Kenny Loggins, the hitmaker behind movie soundtrack classics like &quot;Footloose&quot; and &quot;Danger Zone&quot; from &quot;Top Gun,&quot; was inducted into the Hall of Fame as well. &quot;It&#39;s a great honor and I appreciate it,&quot; Loggins told AFP. &quot;It&#39;s the culmination of a lifetime writing, and that&#39;s exciting for me.&quot; Canadian singer Alanis Morissette, inescapable in the 1990s, and American record producer Walter Afanasieff were also among the total of nine songwriters joining the Hall of Fame this year. Estimates put Taylor Swift&#39;s worldwide sales at over 250 million album-equivalents. Her most recent tour in 2023 and 2024, titled &quot;The Eras Tour,&quot; brought in a record sum of around two billion dollars. She is also the female artist with the most songs ever to reach the top 10 list compiled by Billboard, the leading US music magazine. Swift is omnipresent in the media. After unveiling a country track for the soundtrack of the film &quot;Toy Story 5,&quot; she was at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday for a game of the NBA Finals.

Entertainment

Taylor Swift becomes the youngest woman ever to be inducted into the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame, another milestone in the 36-year-old US pop star's record-breaking career.

Taylor Swift becomes youngest woman in Songwriters Hall of Fame

This live blog follows the latest developments across the Middle East crisis, including regional diplomacy, maritime security, ceasefire negotiations, and economic fallout.<hr>Catch up: Yesterday&rsquo;s top developments<ul style="list-style-type: square;"><li style="font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Iran has not made a final decision on the deal: FM spokesperson</li><li style="font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">&lsquo;We&#39;ll probably have a signing in Europe,&rsquo; says Trump on Iran war</li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Islamabad backs diplomacy, dialogue</li><li style="font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Three Indian sailors killed aboard ship hit by US off Oman</li><li style="font-size: 14px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Kremlin calls on US, Iran to &#39;return to negotiating table&#39;</li></ul><hr> Egypt urges US, Iran to seize &#39;available opportunity&#39; for deal after Trump cancels strikesPublished: June 12, 2026 | 03:49 GMT | by AFP Egypt urged the United States and Iran to seize what it called an &quot;available opportunity&quot; for a deal to end the war, after President Donald Trump withdrew his threat to carry out further strikes on Tehran. Cairo&#39;s foreign ministry said in a statement late Thursday it hoped &quot;the available opportunity will be seized to reach a deal on the various outstanding issues and to prepare the atmosphere for reaching an end to the war and beginning a new phase of regional stability&quot;. <hr> Trump says &lsquo;we ended the war with Iran today&rsquo;Published: June 12, 2026 | 02:45 GMT | by Web Desk US President Donald Trump, during a tele-rally in support of Senate candidate Barry Moore, claimed that the war is now over, according to local media outlets. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know if you heard, but we ended the war with Iran today, and they have agreed never to have a nuclear weapon, something that we, we insisted on,&rdquo; Trump said in the audio clip. <hr style="box-sizing: border-box; height: 0px; overflow: visible; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Japan, S. Korea markets jump after Trump cancels Iran strikesPublished: June 12, 2026 | 01:59 GMT | by AFP Japan&#39;s Nikkei share index soared more than three percent Friday after US President Donald Trump withdrew his threat of further strikes against Iran and said a deal to end the war could be signed in coming days. At around 0015 GMT the Nikkei 225 was up 3.5 percent, while South Korea&#39;s benchmark Kospi index jumped 7.59 percent. <hr style="box-sizing: border-box; height: 0px; overflow: visible; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Iran&rsquo;s FM spokesman condemns US attacks on Indian vesselsPublished: June 11, 2026 | 23:40 GMT | by Web Desk Iran&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry Spokesman&nbsp;Esmaeil Baqaei&nbsp;condemned the US attacks on Indian commercial vessels, which killed at least three Indian nationals. In a post on X, he said that these attacks &quot;stand as clear evidence of America&rsquo;s ongoing policy of armed robbery and State piracy.&quot; <hr style="box-sizing: border-box; height: 0px; overflow: visible; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Iran has not made a final decision on the deal: FM spokespersonPublished: June 11, 2026 | 21:55 GMT | by Web Desk Iran&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran has not made a final decision about a deal, according to Iran&rsquo;s official news agency&nbsp;IRNA. &quot;Once the relevant authorities reach a conclusion on the details of the draft text of an agreement, Iran&rsquo;s government will make a formal announcement,&quot; he said. <hr style="box-sizing: border-box; height: 0px; overflow: visible; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page;"> &lsquo;We&#39;ll probably have a signing in Europe,&rsquo; says Trump on Iran warPublished: June 11, 2026 | 20:05 GMT | by Web Desk US President Donald Trump on Thursday said a deal to end the Middle East war was nearing completion, describing it as a &ldquo;great settlement&rdquo; and indicating that a formal signing could take place in Europe within days once the remaining documents are finalized. &ldquo;We just made a great settlement of the war with Iran,&rdquo; Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.&nbsp; &ldquo;Subject to finalization of documents, which should get done over the next few days, we&#39;ll probably have a signing, maybe in Europe.&rdquo;&nbsp; He added that the agreement would ensure &ldquo;Iran will never have a nuclear weapon,&rdquo; calling it the central objective of months of negotiations and conflict. Trump also said he believed Iran&#39;s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had approved the proposed arrangement.&nbsp; Asked whether Khamenei had personally given the green light, Trump replied: &ldquo;I understand the answer is yes.&rdquo; He described the agreement as &ldquo;a very strong memorandum of understanding.&rdquo; The US president said he had spoken with leaders from across the region, including Israel, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait, as diplomatic efforts intensified ahead of a possible signing ceremony.&nbsp; Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would reopen once the agreement is finalized and argued that the deal had already boosted market confidence, pointing to rising stock markets and falling oil prices. Trump also singled out Pakistan for its role in the diplomatic process, praising both Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir.&nbsp; &ldquo;Pakistan was fantastic,&rdquo; he said. Referring to Munir, Trump added: &ldquo;He&#39;s a great, great general. He&#39;s so great that he&#39;s actually a field marshal.&rdquo;&nbsp; Pakistan has played a central mediation role in recent months, hosting talks and maintaining engagement with Washington, Tehran and regional partners in support of a negotiated settlement. <hr style="box-sizing: border-box; height: 0px; overflow: visible; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Read our June 11 live blog for earlier developments&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/middle-east-june-11-2026" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>

Middle East

Americas

Says a 'great settlement' with Iran has been reached and approved by Iran's Supreme Leader; Trump praises Pakistan for a 'fantastic role' in mediation, calling Field Marshal Asim Munir a 'great general'; Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson denies that any final decision on a deal with the US has been made.

Trump says Iran deal nearing signing, praises Pakistan's role

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday rejected any attempt to draw a &ldquo;false equivalence&rdquo; between the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and matters relating to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), while also raising concerns over India&rsquo;s expanding strategic capabilities. Speaking at the weekly media briefing in Islamabad, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan was addressing issues in Azad Jammu and Kashmir within a &ldquo;democratic and constitutional framework&rdquo; and rejected recent remarks by the Indian leadership and its foreign affairs office. &ldquo;Any attempt to conflate the two is misleading and does not withstand objective scrutiny,&rdquo; Andrabi said. Responding to questions regarding Indian statements on AJK, the spokesperson said Pakistan rejected India&#39;s remarks &ldquo;in their entirety.&rdquo; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s untenable for a state like India, which has consistently denied the people of Jammu and Kashmir their right to self-determination, to claim concerns over the rights of Kashmiris,&rdquo; he said. The remarks come amid continued tensions between Pakistan and India over the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region, a longstanding issue between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.&nbsp; Pakistan maintains that the final status of Jammu and Kashmir should be determined in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. The spokesperson said India&rsquo;s statements appeared aimed at diverting attention from the &ldquo;unresolved status of Jammu and Kashmir&rdquo; and what he described as its &ldquo;abysmal record&rdquo; in IIOJK. &ldquo;We also reject any insinuation of a false equivalence between the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and matters relating to Azad Jammu and Kashmir,&rdquo; Andrabi said. &ldquo;Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir is an illegally annexed, internationally recognized disputed territory whose people have suffered systemic abuses under draconian laws and have been denied their rights, including the right to self-determination, as affirmed by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and as promised by the Indian founding fathers to the Kashmiri people,&rdquo; he added. Concerns over India&#39;s strategic capabilitiesThe Foreign Office also commented on a recent Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report suggesting India may have altered aspects of its traditional nuclear posture by reportedly deploying nuclear warheads during peacetime alongside developments in missile systems. Andrabi said Pakistan did not wish to endorse SIPRI&rsquo;s methodology but noted that the findings were &ldquo;not surprising.&rdquo; &ldquo;We do not wish to endorse or lend credence to SIPRI&rsquo;s methodology. Its findings, nevertheless, are &lsquo;not surprising,&rsquo;&rdquo; he said, adding that Pakistan had consistently raised concerns regarding India&rsquo;s continued &ldquo;vertical proliferation.&rdquo; The spokesperson said open-source assessments might not fully reflect the actual scale of India&rsquo;s nuclear arsenal. &ldquo;We also believe that open-source estimates, such as SIPRI&rsquo;s, may not fully reflect the actual scale of India&rsquo;s nuclear arsenal, which may actually be higher than the existing estimates,&rdquo; he said. According to Andrabi, Pakistan remained &ldquo;cognizant of developments in India&rsquo;s strategic capabilities,&rdquo; including the canisterization of missile systems, the expansion of sea-based nuclear-capable submarines and the pursuit of longer-range missile systems extending beyond India&rsquo;s immediate region. &ldquo;These developments enhance operational readiness, complicate crisis stability, and carry implications that extend beyond South Asia, with grave consequences for international peace and security,&rdquo; he said. Reiterating Pakistan&rsquo;s position, Andrabi said the country did not seek an arms race. &ldquo;Pakistan does not seek an arms race and matching warheads or arms and ammunition by number. However, we remain mindful of the evolving security environment. We will continue to take measures essential for preserving strategic stability and deterring India&rsquo;s aggression,&rdquo; he said. The spokesperson urged the international community to closely monitor developments related to India&rsquo;s strategic capabilities and their potential impact on regional and global security. He also called on countries supplying advanced technologies to India to consider the wider implications of emerging capabilities being incorporated into India&rsquo;s strategic posture. &ldquo;These developments threaten consequences far beyond South Asia into the wider world,&rdquo; Andrabi said.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan also voices concern over India's evolving strategic capabilities, saying recent assessments reinforce longstanding fears about regional stability and urging the international community to closely monitor developments with wider security implications.

‘False equivalence’: Pakistan rejects Indian remarks on Kashmir

PARIS: A leather bag made from Tyrannosaurus rex cells failed to sell on Thursday, the Paris auction house Drouot said, commenting that bids were well below expected. Auctioneers Giquello had touted the &quot;one-of-a-kind&quot; piece to sell for more than $500,000 but bids barely broke the $150,000 mark, said the Drouot house where the sale took place. Unveiled in the spring in Amsterdam, the bag was created from traces of collagen from the femur of a T‑Rex found in the US state of Montana 25 years ago. &quot;In recent years, we&#39;ve developed techniques -- biotechnologies that allow us to instruct a cell culture to produce, so to speak, genuine T‑Rex skin in the laboratory,&quot; Iacopo Briano, a palaeontology expert associated with the sale, recently told AFP. He noted the material differs from vegan leather, which is mostly made from plastic. &quot;In this case, it&#39;s derived from a cell culture, so it&#39;s 100 percent skin. And at the same time, it comes from an animal that went extinct 67 million years ago!&quot; he said. With no precedent to go on, Alexandre Giquello, whose auction house is organising the sale, explained they had to &quot;come up with a price&quot; that would reflect both the amount of investment required to create the bag and its rarity. Giquello estimated the value at between 300,000 and 500,000 euros ($346,000 to $576,000).

Wildlife

A handbag created from lab-grown material derived from Tyrannosaurus rex collagen fails to sell at auction, attracting bids far below expectations despite its rarity and estimated value of up to $576,000.

First leather bag made from T-Rex cells fails to sell at Paris auction

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday held funeral prayers for military personnel martyred in an army helicopter crash near Muzaffarabad, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and senior civilian and military leaders attending the ceremony, according to the military&#39;s media wing. The funeral prayer was offered at Chaklala Garrison in Rawalpindi for the martyrs of the Mi-17 helicopter crash, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. PM Sharif, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, senior civil and military officials, relatives of the martyrs, and members of the public attended the service. The crash occurred Wednesday near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, during takeoff.&nbsp; The military said the helicopter went down because of a technical fault, and all personnel on board were martyred. A board of inquiry has been ordered to determine the exact cause of the accident. Earlier in the day, a separate funeral service for two Christian soldiers martyred in the crash was held at Christ Church in Rawalpindi and attended by political and military leaders. The ceremonies highlighted the participation of Pakistan&#39;s diverse communities in national service and remembrance. Addressing the gathering, PM Sharif said the martyrs&#39; &quot;devotion to duty, professionalism, and commitment to safeguarding the motherland will remain a source of inspiration for future generations.&quot; He said the sacrifices made by Pakistan&#39;s armed forces for &quot;peace, security, and national sovereignty can never be forgotten,&quot; and reaffirmed the nation&#39;s support for the families of the martyrs. The ISPR said the martyrs would be laid to rest in their respective hometowns with full military honors. Separately, President Asif Ali Zardari and PM Sharif expressed grief over the crash and offered condolences to the families of the martyrs. &quot;The entire nation pays tribute to the great sacrifice of the martyrs and shares the grief of the families,&quot; Zardari said in a statement. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also expressed condolences, extending sympathies to the families of the personnel martyred in the accident. The military leadership, including Field Marshal Munir and all ranks of the Pakistan Army, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life and conveyed condolences to the bereaved families.

Security

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, senior military commanders and government officials attended funeral prayers in Rawalpindi for army aviation personnel lost in the Mi-17 accident, while separate services were held for two Christian soldiers before burial with full military honors.

Pakistan honors helicopter crash martyrs at Rawalpindi funeral service

NEW YORK: Elon Musk&#39;s SpaceX on Thursday confirmed it will begin trading on the Nasdaq exchange Friday in the biggest initial public offering in history, a blockbuster market debut that could propel the entrepreneur to trillionaire status. In a filing with the US markets regulator, the company priced more than 555 million shares at $135 each, placing SpaceX among Wall Street&#39;s most elite companies with a valuation of just under $1.8 trillion. The offering will raise a record $75 billion, easily outranking Saudi Aramco&#39;s $29.4 billion debut in 2019, until now the biggest ever. Underwriters hold an option to buy nearly 83 million additional shares, which would push the total above $86 billion if exercised in full. Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America led a syndicate of more than 20 banks on the deal. The space and rocket company, co-founded by Musk in 2002, will trade under the ticker symbol &quot;SPCX,&quot; with a parallel listing on Nasdaq Texas. All eyes will be on how Wall Street absorbs the offering, which could send tremors across global markets. As is traditional for high-profile debuts, executives are expected to ring the opening bell on Friday to mark the start of the session -- in this case at New York&#39;s Times Square, home of the Nasdaq. SpaceX will be the first out of the gates among the tech and AI giants eyeing public markets, with OpenAI and Anthropic expected to follow -- both having recently filed with regulators for their own market debuts. The IPO is Musk&#39;s biggest financial gamble yet, with his xAI company and the X social media platform (formerly Twitter) also included in the offering after the multi-billionaire folded them into the company earlier this year. The offering was more than four times oversubscribed by major banks and financial institutions, according to Bloomberg, with interest from everyday investors reported to also be high. More than 20 percent of the shares will be reserved for these retail investors, a far greater proportion than is typically allocated in IPOs, giving Musk&#39;s legions of fans a chance to buy a slice of the company. Data centers in spaceThe success of the IPO rests squarely on investors&#39; faith in Musk as a visionary entrepreneur. The tech multi-billionaire will serve as chief executive, chief technology officer and board chairman of the newly traded company. The IPO is expected to mint thousands of new millionaires and many billionaires, with former and current employees -- and a long list of investors -- from the company&#39;s near quarter-century history looking to cash in. The financials of the company are giving some on Wall Street pause, as the valuation largely depends on Musk delivering on promises worthy of science fiction, including putting data centers in space as well as people on Mars using as yet unproven technology. While the company is growing fast -- revenue hit $18.7 billion in 2025 -- it is also losing money, producing a net loss of $4.9 billion. In an extraordinary prediction, SpaceX&#39;s filing claims it can pull in over $28.5 trillion in revenue from its various markets. Musk&#39;s fortune on Thursday stood at $782 billion according to the Forbes list of the world&#39;s richest people, nearing three times the wealth of number two, Google co-founder Larry Page. A successful IPO could make him the first trillionaire in history on Friday.

Artificial Intelligence

SpaceX confirms a record $75 billion IPO, valuing the company at nearly $1.8 trillion, as investors back Elon Musk’s space, AI and long-term technology ambitions worldwide for growth.

SpaceX to make historic IPO that could make Musk a trillionaire

LONDON: British Defense Secretary John Healey sensationally quit on Thursday, accusing beleaguered Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the finance ministry of failing to commit enough money to protect the country. His shock resignation weakens Starmer&#39;s authority further at a precarious moment for the embattled Labour leader, a week before a by-election that could prompt a bid to replace him. In stinging criticism, Healey warned that Starmer&#39;s long-awaited Defense Investment Plan (DIP) for funding over the next decade&mdash;which the premier has yet to publish&mdash;risked making Britain &quot;less safe.&quot; &quot;You have been unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling, to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats,&quot; Healey wrote in a resignation letter to Starmer posted on his X account. &quot;After explaining to you that I would not be able to accept a DIP settlement that does not give our Forces the resources they need, I am now left with no other option than to submit my resignation.&quot; Healey&#39;s sudden departure comes after months of delays to the defense plan, which Starmer has insisted he will publish before a NATO summit in Turkey beginning on July 7. Starmer&#39;s centre-left government, elected in July 2024 following 14 years of Conservative rule, has pledged to ramp up defense spending, with priority given to NATO commitments. The rise comes amid threats from Russia and as US President Donald Trump repeatedly urges NATO allies to spend more and become less reliant on Washington for security. &#39;Grave moment&#39;Starmer has vowed to raise defense spending to 2.5 percent of gross domestic product from next year, increasing to three percent if Labour wins the next general election, expected in 2029, before reaching 3.5 percent in 2035. British media has for weeks been reporting on behind-the-scenes battles within the government over the DIP settlement. In his resignation letter, Healey said he was first given full sight of DIP on Monday, and it sees defense spending rise to only 2.68 percent of GDP in 2030. A source close to the former defense secretary told AFP the deal offered by the Treasury did not put a date on the three percent commitment. The plan &quot;falls well short of what is required for defense and the country at this dangerous time,&quot; Healey wrote. &quot;Without a DIP that meets the moment in this way, I am being forced to make decisions that would reduce the readiness of our forces and increase the risk to personnel on operations, and could make the country less safe.&quot; Tan Dhesi, chair of parliament&#39;s defence committee, said the government must take Healey&#39;s warning &quot;with the utmost seriousness&quot;. &quot;That a defence secretary of his integrity and commitment has felt compelled to resign in response to the inadequacy of the proposed defence settlement is a grave moment,&quot; the Labour MP said in a statement. Starmer faces political peril in next Thursday&#39;s contest when Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham stands for the Makerfield parliamentary seat. Both men have said they would participate in any Labour leadership race, although none has yet been triggered. Wes Streeting quit as health secretary last month following disastrous local and regional election results for Labour and has also said he would run in any future contest. Healey, 66, has been previously talked about as another potential contender, but there was no immediate suggestion that his resignation is linked to the leadership speculation. It &quot;underlines that Starmer has become a lame duck prime minister who cannot get decisions through his own government,&quot; Patrick Diamond, a politics professor at Queen Mary University of London, told AFP. The investment plan, originally due to be published in late 2025, has repeatedly been pushed back, to the frustration of industry and others. Healey&#39;s resignation &quot;creates a sequence of political headaches in terms of a replacement, and trying to get the defence investment plan published,&quot; said Ed Arnold, senior associate fellow at the RUSI think-tank. A government source insisted that Starmer had made Britain &quot;safer,&quot; adding the defense spending proposals &quot;will deliver the capability our armed forces need.&quot;

Europe

British Defense Secretary John Healey sensationally quit on Thursday, accusing beleaguered Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the finance ministry of failing to commit enough money to protect the country

UK defense minister quits with stinging rebuke of PM Starmer

JERUSALEM: Radio France Internationale (RFI) condemned Thursday Israel&#39;s entry ban on French reporter Alice Froussard, who freelances for the station and other outlets, as &quot;an obstacle to press freedom&quot;. &quot;Israeli authorities have not provided any justification to RFI for this decision,&quot; the broadcaster said in a statement. &quot;RFI&#39;s management offers its full support to Alice Froussard and protests against this expulsion, which constitutes an obstacle to press freedom and comes at a time when journalists are facing increasing difficulties in covering current events in the region,&quot; it added.

Calls it an as "an obstacle to press freedom"