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ISLAMABAD: Border security chiefs from India and Bangladesh met in New Delhi on Monday for high-level talks &quot;to discuss and deliberate on border-related issues and to improve coordination between the Border Guarding Forces,&quot; India&#39;s Border Security Force said on its social media channels.&nbsp; The 57th Director-General-level Border Co-ordination Conference between India&#39;s Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh is being hosted at BSF Headquarters in New Delhi, running from June 8 to 11. Discussions are expected to cover alleged illegal &quot;push-ins,&quot; border killings, infiltration, smuggling and the construction of border fencing, The New Indian Express reported. The conference comes days after India deported nearly 5,000 Bangladeshi immigrants since Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s Hindu-nationalist party swept to power in West Bengal last month, according to official statistics quoted by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. According to Adhikari, authorities have established detention centers across the state and are identifying and deporting undocumented migrants. India&#39;s ruling BJP has made illegal immigration a key political issue, particularly in states bordering Bangladesh. Critics have accused authorities of targeting Bengali-speaking Muslims and carrying out deportations without due process. Top Indian officials have previously used incendiary language to describe migrants, with senior figures referring to them as &quot;termites&quot; and &quot;infiltrators.&quot;&nbsp; Relations between New Delhi and Dhaka have remained strained since the 2024 political upheaval in Bangladesh that ended the rule of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a close partner of India. Border management, migration, and security cooperation have since emerged as major points of contention between the neighbors. Officials from both sides said the latest talks aim to improve coordination between border forces and reduce tensions along one of South Asia&#39;s busiest and most sensitive international borders, according to BSF officials cited by Indian media.

FILE: Indian troops patrolling the border fence with Bangladesh in India's Assam state in May 2025. (Photo: Biju Boro/AFP)

Bangladesh

Talk comes days after India deported nearly 5,000 Bangladeshi immigrants since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu-nationalist party swept to power in West Bengal last month

India, Bangladesh aim to tighten border security to address migrants issue

KOLKATA:&nbsp;India has deported nearly 5,000 Bangladeshi citizens since Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s Hindu-nationalist party swept to power in West Bengal last month, according to official statistics. Modi&#39;s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a sweeping victory in elections in the eastern border state of more than 100 million people, promising to &quot;detect, delete and deport&quot; illegal migrants. India shares a long and porous border with Muslim-majority Bangladesh, where migration has historically been driven by economic hardship and longstanding family links. On taking power, the new West Bengal government ordered the establishment of detention centers for undocumented Bangladeshis and Rohingya refugees, a mainly Muslim people who fled persecution in Myanmar. State Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, speaking in the capital Kolkata on Sunday, said nearly 5,000 Bangladeshi citizens had been deported across the border. &#39;Deporting Bangladeshi infiltrators&#39; &quot;We have started the work of deporting Bangladeshi infiltrators who do not fall under the purview of the Citizenship Amendment Act,&quot; Adhikari said, saying the government had &quot;established holding centers in all districts of the state&quot; in May. &quot;From these centers, 4,800 Bangladeshi infiltrators have already been deported so far,&quot; he added. &quot;Another 836 people are currently in the holding centers... we are making arrangements to deport the 836 soon,&quot; Adhikari said. The deportation campaign comes against a backdrop of longstanding political tensions over immigration in the border state. &#39;Termites&#39; and &#39;infiltrators&#39; Top Indian officials have referred to migrants as &quot;termites&quot; and &quot;infiltrators&quot;. Critics say the BJP&#39;s rhetoric and policies have added to the unease and marginalization of India&#39;s more than 200 million Muslims, accusing the party of conflating religious identity with illegal migration. Rights groups have previously accused India of also pushing hundreds of Bengali-speaking Muslims into Bangladesh without due process. Relations between India and Muslim-majority Bangladesh soured after a 2024 revolution in Dhaka ended the autocratic rule of then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina, an ally of New Delhi, who fled to India. Bangladesh and Indian border force chiefs are due to meet in New Delhi on Monday.

Deports nearly 5,000 Bangladeshi nationals from West Bengal, officials say, as the government intensifies action against illegal immigration and plans a high-tech border security project.

India detains, deports 5,000 Bangladeshis: State chief minister

NEW DELHI: Hundreds of people in India&#39;s border region with Bangladesh have fled to the frontier, police said Wednesday, after the government ordered the construction of detention centres for undocumented Bangladeshi migrants and Rohingya refugees. Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept to power in West Bengal state in early May with a hardline policy to &quot;detect, delete and deport&quot; illegal migrants. India&#39;s right-wing have long argued that illegal migration is a national security threat, and warned of changing demography in India&#39;s border states. West Bengal government&#39;s last week ordered the setting up of &quot;holding centres&quot; for &quot;apprehended foreigners&quot;, singling out both Bangladeshis and Rohingya. The decision has fuelled anxiety among West Bengal&#39;s roughly 35 million Muslims, many of whom share linguistic and cultural ties with neighbouring Bangladesh. Indian police officer Shirshendu Pati, from the Swarupnagar Police Station about 10 kilometres (six miles) from the Bangladesh border, said streams of people had arrived since Tuesday. &quot;People who say they are from Bangladesh and want to return home have been coming here since yesterday,&quot; Pati told AFP. &#39;Holding centre&#39;Pati said that the process had &quot;been peaceful and smooth so far&quot;, and they received about 200 people on Tuesday and 40 people early Wednesday. &quot;While we verify their identities and complete the necessary paperwork, all of them are in a holding centre,&quot; he said, noting they will be handed to India&#39;s border security force and sent to Bangladesh. &quot;The local administration is catering to all their needs including food, water and lodging,&quot; Pati added. On Tuesday, Home Minister Amit Shah announced the formation of a special committee on demographic change. &quot;Illegal migration and other reasons for unnatural demography change are a big challenge for any country&#39;s present and future,&quot; Shah said in a speech. &quot;Demographic change is a serious issue linked not only to our sovereignty but also to national security, law and order (and) profound changes in social structure,&quot; Shah added. Top BJP members have previously referred to Bangladeshi migrants as &quot;termites&quot; and &quot;infiltrators&quot;. Critics say BJP&#39;s rhetoric and policies have added to the unease and marginalisation of India&#39;s estimated 200 million Muslims, accusing the party of conflating religious identity with illegal migration. The West Bengal centres have drawn particular concern because of the state&#39;s porous border with Bangladesh and its long history of migration. Relations between India and Muslim-majority Bangladesh soured after a 2024 revolution in Dhaka ended the autocratic rule of then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina, an ally of New Delhi who subsequently fled to India. The detention order&#39;s apparent inclusion of Rohingya refugees -- &nbsp;a mainly Muslim group who fled Myanmar during a brutal military crackdown in 2017 -- has also drawn criticism.

Hundreds of people in India's border region with Bangladesh flee to the frontier after the government ordered the construction of detention centres for undocumented Bangladeshi migrants and Rohingya refugees.

Hundreds flee India migrant crackdown towards Bangladesh

WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday it was in negotiations with the Bangladeshi government for a new assistance program at Dhaka&#39;s request, as the South Asian country reels from the economic fallout of the Iran war. &quot;The Bangladeshi authorities have requested a new IMF-supported program,&quot; said Ivo Krznar, the Fund&#39;s Mission Chief for Bangladesh. &quot;IMF staff are in discussions with the authorities on their reform agenda and policy priorities.&quot; In March, Bangladesh&#39;s government said it was seeking loans of around $2 billion from multilateral donors to tackle energy security concerns sparked by the surging fuel prices caused by the war on Iran. In a virtual meeting last week between Bangladesh Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and IMF Deputy Managing Director Nigel Clarke, both sides agreed to move quickly toward a new program, the finance ministry said in a statement on Monday. Bangladesh is already in the middle of a $5.7 billion IMF program, which began in 2023 and was due to run for four years. Last week, the World Bank said it had approved a $350 million loan to help Bangladesh manage rising fuel import pressures and strengthen energy security after shortages linked to the Middle East war. The South Asian nation of 170 million people imports 95 percent of its oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG), much of it from the Middle East, where energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have been disrupted since the war began on February 28. Bangladesh relies on imported LNG to meet its electricity demands, with power needs surging as the South Asian country swelters in the summer heat. The government has already taken several measures to curb fuel consumption, including halting production at most fertilizer factories.

Bangladesh is already in the middle of a $5.7 billion IMF program, which began in 2023 and was due to run for four years; World Bank says it had approved a $350 million loan to help Bangladesh manage rising fuel import pressures and strengthen energy security after shortages linked to the Middle East war.

IMF says Bangladesh requests new assistance program amid Iran war fallout

DHAKA:&nbsp;Bangladesh&#39;s densely populated capital, infamous for grinding gridlock, has launched its first AI-powered traffic enforcement system in a bid to bring order to one of the world&#39;s most congested cities. Across <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/bangladesh-evaluating-airbus-bid-for-10-planes" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dhaka</a>, buses, cars, motorcycles and pedal rickshaws jostle for space -- seeming to treat signals, pedestrian crossings and even traffic police as obstacles to overcome. On-the-spot police fines often spark arguments, confrontations are common, and officers are sometimes struck by vehicles refusing to obey <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/bangladesh-to-sign-37-bn-deal-with-boeing-state-media" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">commands</a>. &quot;Those who violate the rules turn against us,&quot; traffic sergeant SM Nazim Uddin told AFP.&nbsp;&lsquo;Obeying the law&rsquo;&quot;But since AI was introduced, people behind the wheel have started obeying the law -- and we have been spared the everyday quarrels.&quot; Despite repeated attempts to modernize traffic management, the city of more than 22 million people had remained reliant on manual control, with officers stretching ropes across roads before traffic lights turned green. But in April, Dhaka police linked traffic cameras to artificial intelligence software designed to automatically detect violations. Motorist Hannan Rahman Jibon, 28, was among the first drivers caught. &quot;I ran a red light and the owner of my car, who was sitting at home, received a text message saying that the vehicle had violated traffic rules,&quot; said Jibon, who was hit with an automatic 2,000 taka ($16) fine. &quot;I am more careful now, with cameras installed in many different parts.&quot; &#39;Getting results&#39;&nbsp;One study, by the US National Bureau of Economic Research, ranked Dhaka as the &quot;slowest city&quot; in the world. With an average speed of just 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) per hour, according to a World Bank and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology study, it is quicker to walk. City police spokesman NM Nasiruddin said the AI system used existing traffic-monitoring camera feeds -- with the software identifying offences ranging from signal and lane violations to illegal parking. Coverage does not stretch across all the city, and manual traffic enforcement will be phased out over time, but police say it is changing behavior. &quot;We have started getting results,&quot; Nasiruddin said. &quot;We have prosecuted at least 300 vehicles.&quot; Inside a control room at police headquarters, analyst Sharmin Afroze, 52, monitored a bank of live traffic feeds, plugged into the AI system, where violations it flags are checked by humans. &quot;Before, police used to stop vehicles, check papers and determine fines,&quot; Afroze told AFP, noting that in a single day, the system had recorded nearly 800 traffic violations. For now, police are only fining the worst offenders -- while giving the others a warning.

In April, Dhaka police linked traffic cameras to artificial intelligence software designed to automatically detect violations; Coverage does not stretch across all the city, and manual traffic enforcement will be phased out over time.

Bangladesh puts AI in driving seat to tackle terrible traffic

DHAKA: Bangladesh&#39;s national carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines is evaluating a proposal to buy 10 Airbus aircraft, after earlier this month agreeing its biggest-ever purchase, 14 planes from US manufacturer Boeing, officials said Sunday. Dhaka&#39;s state-run BSS news agency said that Biman was assessing the European offer, after committing an estimated $3.7 billion to the Boeing order. &quot;We have received a fresh proposal from Airbus recently and our techno-finance committee is now evaluating it,&quot; Biman General Manager Bushra Islam told BSS. The proposal is for four Airbus A350-900 wide-body aircraft and six Airbus A321neo jets, BSS reported. &quot;A mixed fleet allows an airline to deploy the most suitable aircraft depending on passenger demand, route performance and cost structure,&quot; Islam told BSS. Biman on May 1 agreed to the 14-plane Boeing purchase -- a deal negotiated last year as part of a tariff agreement with the United States. That deal calls for the delivery over the next decade of eight 787-10 Dreamliners, two 787-9 Dreamliners and four single-aisle 737-8 MAX jets. Before the Boeing deal, Bangladesh reportedly had 19 aircraft in its current fleet, an estimated 14 of them from Boeing. The purchase was agreed in August 2025 by the caretaker government which ran the South Asian nation of 170 million people after a 2024 revolution, until a new government was elected in February. Bangladesh, the world&#39;s second-biggest garment manufacturer, struck a trade deal with the United States to scale back President Donald Trump&#39;s punishing tariffs. The United States represents 20 percent of Bangladesh&#39;s ready-made garments exports. Dhaka proposed buying Boeing planes and boosting imports of US wheat, cotton and oil to help narrow its trade deficit, which Trump used as justification for imposing painful levies.

Bangladesh's national carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines is evaluating a proposal to buy 10 Airbus aircraft, after earlier this month agreeing to its biggest-ever purchase, 14 planes from US manufacturer Boeing.

Bangladesh 'evaluating' Airbus bid for 10 planes

DHAKA: Bangladesh has recorded 311 child deaths since March in one of its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/bangladesh-pm-orders-probe-into-measles-outbreak" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">worst measles outbreaks</a>&nbsp;in decades, government data showed Monday. The number of suspected cases has reached 41,793, while authorities logged the highest daily death toll since the outbreak began on March 15, with 17 children dead within 24 hours. &quot;Some children were already in a critical condition to a point of no return,&quot; government health services spokesman Zahid Raihan told AFP. &quot;That&#39;s why the recorded deaths are still increasing.&quot; Measles is highly contagious, spreading through coughs and sneezes, and has no specific treatment once caught. Complications can include brain swelling and severe breathing problems. While the disease can affect anyone, it is most common among children. Most cases recorded in Bangladesh during the current&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/halal-concerns-drive-vaccine-hesitancy-as-indonesia-fights-measles-outbreak" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">outbreak</a>&nbsp;have been among children aged between six months and five years. Health officials are working to vaccinate children in the country of 170 million people, with support from the UN children&#39;s agency, the World Health Organization (WHO) and security forces. The WHO estimates as many as 95,000 measles deaths globally every year, mostly among unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children under the age of five, according to its latest statistics.

Bangladesh has recorded 311 child deaths since March in one of its worst measles outbreaks in decades, according to the country's health officials. (Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha)

Bangladesh reports 311 child deaths and 41,793 suspected measles cases since March outbreak, officials say, as health authorities and WHO-led partners intensify vaccination efforts nationwide among young children Monday report.

Bangladesh measles outbreak kills 311 children since March

DHAKA: Bangladesh will sign a $3.7 billion deal with Boeing on Thursday to acquire 14 planes over the next decade for its national carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the state news agency reported. Dhaka&#39;s state-run BSS news agency said it will mark the &quot;biggest modern fleet expansion&quot; for the national airline, under an agreement hammered out last year as part of a tariff deal with the United States. &quot;Under the proposed agreement, Biman will procure 14 new aircraft, including eight Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and four Boeing 737-8 MAX jets,&quot; BSS reported. A formal signing ceremony will take place on Thursday evening in the capital Dhaka. Bangladesh has a reported 19 aircraft in its current fleet, an estimated 14 of them from Boeing. The purchase was agreed in August 2025 by the caretaker government which ran the South Asian nation of 170 million people after a 2024 revolution, until a new government was elected in February. Second-biggest garment manufacturer Bangladesh, the world&#39;s second-biggest garment manufacturer, struck a trade deal with the United States to scale back President Donald Trump&#39;s punishing tariffs. The United States represents 20% of Bangladesh&#39;s ready-made garments exports. Dhaka proposed buying Boeing planes and boosting imports of US wheat, cotton and oil to help narrow its trade deficit, which Trump used as justification for imposing painful levies. But an initial proposed 25 aircraft was slashed to 14. The deal sparked frustration in Europe, which had been in discussion to sell Airbus airplanes to Bangladesh. Trump threatened Bangladesh with 37% tariffs, more than double the then 16% on cotton products. That was scaled back to 20% after the deal. Textile and garment production accounts for about 80% of exports in Bangladesh and the industry has been rebuilding after the 2024 unrest that toppled the government.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines - (File photo: BSS)

Dhaka is set to sign a $3.7 billion deal with Boeing to buy 14 aircraft for Biman Bangladesh Airlines over the next decade as part of a trade agreement that also helped reduce US tariffs on its garment exports.

Bangladesh to sign $3.7B deal with Boeing: State media

DHAKA: Bangladesh will begin loading uranium fuel into its first nuclear power station on Tuesday, a key step towards bringing the 2,400 megawatt plant online to ease pressure on the overstretched power grid. When operating, it could meet up to 10 percent of the power demands of the South Asian nation of 170 million people, according to the government. Construction began on the $11 billion Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in 2017, with initial power generation of around 300 MW hoped to come online by August, before full production in late 2027. &quot;A controlled nuclear fission chain reaction will be initiated in the reactor core, once fuel loading is completed,&quot; Saikat Ahmed, the plant&#39;s senior scientific information officer told AFP. &quot;This marks the start of the physical start-up phase.&quot; The grid in Bangladesh is stretched every year during the summer heat, when people crank up power-hungry air conditioners. But restrictions have been made worse after an energy crunch due to the Middle East war. Bangladesh imports 95 percent of its oil and gas, much of it from the Middle East, where energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have been disrupted since war began in late February. Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam, speaking earlier this month, said it was hoped the plant would supply around 300 megawatts of electricity to the grid by August. But the process requires a slow process of testing at each stage. &quot;This is a complex and sensitive phase, and every aspect of safety and security will be further evaluated before full-scale production,&quot; said Shafiqul Islam, a professor of nuclear engineering at the University of Dhaka.

Bangladesh will load uranium into its first nuclear plant at Rooppur, starting physical start-up. The $11 billion, 2,400 MW project aims to ease grid pressure, supply 300 MW by August, and reach full output by late 2027.

Bangladesh starts fuelling its first nuclear power station

DHAKA: Bangladesh has tightened airport security after police warned of a possible attack involving a suspected militant and two former military personnel, authorities said on Monday. The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) said enhanced measures have been put in place at the country&#39;s eight airports, including three international terminals, following an alert from police headquarters. &quot;We have received a letter from the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/majority-of-incidents-involving-minority-communities-in-2025-found-noncommunal-bangladesh-state-media" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">police</a> headquarters asking us to strengthen security,&quot; CAAB chairman Mostafa Mahmud Siddiq told reporters in Dhaka. &quot;Airports are designated as key point installations and remain under strict security, but this has been further enhanced after receiving the letter,&quot; he said. Bangladesh police warned last week that a member of a banned militant group had been in regular contact with two former military personnel. It said the suspects could launch attacks on key installations, including airports, parliament and places of worship, using &quot;sharp weapons, firearms or explosive devices&quot;. Bangladesh has periodically been targeted by homegrown militant groups inspired by <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/former-us-army-member-charged-for-supplying-equipment-to-alqaeda" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">al-Qaeda</a> and the ISIS group. An attack on a bakery in Dhaka in 2016 killed 22 people, most of them foreigners. Around the same time, Al-Qaeda-linked militants killed several writers and activists, including Avijit Roy, a US citizen of Bangladeshi origin. Five men were sentenced to death in 2021 for killing the blogger.

Security personnel deployed across Dhaka to maintain order during a major public event. (Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha)

Bangladesh tightens airport security nationwide after police warn of a possible militant attack involving a suspect linked to a banned group and two former military personnel.

Bangladesh tightens airport security after militant threat

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"