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The move signals a shift by energy-rich Gulf states toward securing artificial intelligence supply chains, semiconductor manufacturing, critical minerals, and digital infrastructure.

Qatar, UAE join Pax Silica alliance on global technology supply chains

DOHA: Some personnel have been asked to depart the United States&#39; Al Udeid military base in Qatar, two diplomatic sources told AFP on Wednesday, with the Gulf state saying &quot;regional tensions&quot; were behind the move.&nbsp;The decision comes after Washington&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-keeps-iran-air-strikes-on-table-white-house-says" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">threatened</a>&nbsp;to respond to an Iranian government crackdown on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-warns-of-very-strong-action-if-iran-hangs-protesters" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">protests</a>&nbsp;while Tehran has said it would strike US military and shipping assets in the event of a new attack.&nbsp;The measure was taken &quot;in response to the current regional tensions&quot;, Qatar&#39;s International Media Office said in a statement.&nbsp;&quot;Qatar continues to implement all necessary measures to safeguard the security and safety including actions related to the protection of critical infrastructure and military facilities,&quot; it added.&nbsp;A diplomatic source told AFP earlier that a number of personnel were asked to leave the base by Wednesday evening.&nbsp;A second source confirmed the information, also on condition of anonymity.&nbsp;The US embassy in Qatar declined to comment on personnel movement at Al Udeid.&nbsp;In June, Iran targeted the United States&#39; Al Udeid military base in Qatar in response to earlier American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.&nbsp;Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Iran&#39;s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned US President Donald Trump on Wednesday that the strike on the base had demonstrated &quot;Iran&#39;s will and capability to respond to any attack&quot;.&nbsp;Doha was able to leverage the unprecedented attack on its soil to help deliver a speedy truce between Washington and Tehran.&nbsp;Washington has repeatedly said the United States is considering air strikes on Iran to stop a crackdown on protesters.&nbsp;Trump on Tuesday said in a CBS News interview that the United States would act if Iran began hanging protesters.&nbsp;Iranian authorities called the American warnings a &quot;pretext for military intervention&quot;.&nbsp;Mass protests in Iran since Thursday have posed one of the biggest challenges to the clerical leadership since the 1979 Islamic revolution ousted the shah.&nbsp;Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights said it had confirmed 734 people killed during the protests, including nine minors, but warned the death toll was likely far higher.&nbsp;&quot;The real number of those killed is likely in the thousands,&quot; IHR&#39;s director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said.

Middle East

Qatar said some US personnel were asked to leave Al Udeid base due to regional tensions, amid US threats over Iran’s protest crackdown and Tehran’s warnings, following earlier Iranian strikes and unrest killing hundreds nationwide.

Qatar says some personnel departing US base over 'regional tensions': AFP sources

ISLAMABAD: In 2025, Israel launched an unprecedented series of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/the-bitter-relationship-between-israel-and-arab-states" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">military attacks across six countries in the Middle East</a>, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED).&nbsp; The data analysis group&rsquo;s report, &ldquo;Israel recalibrates its military campaigns in a region still on edge,&rdquo; highlights the growing scope and intensity of Israel&rsquo;s actions in the region. ACLED, an independent global conflict monitor, reported that Israel launched military attacks in Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, and Yemen throughout the year, marking the widest geographic reach of any military worldwide in 2025. &ldquo;In 2025, Israel launched attacks in Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, and Yemen,&rdquo; ACLED states, noting that between January 1 and November 28 alone, Israel &ldquo;undertook more than 12,500 military actions across the Middle East.&rdquo; Deadliest zone: Palestine (Gaza Strip and West Bank)ACLED identified the Palestinian territories, particularly Gaza, as the deadliest theater of Israel&rsquo;s military activity in 2025. &ldquo;Gaza remained the deadliest arena; the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/gaza-civil-defense-says-7-killed-in-israeli-strikes" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">IDF killed thousands</a>&nbsp;&mdash; the majority civilians &mdash; in strikes,&rdquo; the report details. Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) strikes reportedly killed over 16,100 Palestinians in Gaza. The report further stated that Israel broke a ceasefire in January and, by October, had &ldquo;confined Palestinians in Gaza to less than 25% of the enclave and was pushing to establish full control over Gaza City.&rdquo; In the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/14-countries-condemn-israels-expansion-of-west-bank-settlements" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">West Bank</a>, ACLED documented intensified Israeli military operations: &ldquo;The IDF conducted its largest operations in decades, displacing tens of thousands from the Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur al-Shams camps.&rdquo; Lebanon: ongoing air and artillery strikesDespite a ceasefire, ACLED recorded that Israel continued to carry out air and artillery strikes in Lebanon. &ldquo;The IDF conducted nearly 1,600 air- and artillery strikes, as well as shooting attacks, in Lebanon,&rdquo; the report said. Israeli forces withdrew ground troops in February but continued &ldquo;hundreds of near-daily strikes, mainly in the south but also in the Bekaa Valley and Beirut,&rdquo; killing hundreds of Hezbollah fighters, including nearly 25 commanders. Iran: strategic campaignACLED describes Israel&rsquo;s campaign in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-says-missile-programme-defensive-nonnegotiable" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Iran</a>&nbsp;as the most strategically consequential foreign operation of 2025. &ldquo;Israel launched a 12-day military campaign consisting of over 350 airstrikes across 27 provinces, including in the capital Tehran,&rdquo; the report notes. Targets included missile sites, military bases, nuclear facilities, and government buildings, with assassinations of senior military leaders and nuclear scientists. Syria: expanded presence and strikesIsrael maintained and expanded its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/three-wounded-in-southern-syria-after-israeli-incursion-state-media" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">military presence in Syria</a>, according to ACLED. &ldquo;In Syria, the IDF targeted Syrian military assets despite al-Assad&rsquo;s ouster,&rdquo; the report says, noting that Israel &ldquo;established six additional outposts in the demilitarized buffer zone, deploying up to 15 kilometers inside Syria.&rdquo; Yemen: targeted operations against HouthisIn Yemen, Israel escalated its military campaign against Houthi forces. &ldquo;The IDF conducted operations on 16 separate days in 2025, killing over 120 people,&rdquo; ACLED states, highlighting strikes that decimated the Houthi de facto government and killed the military chief of staff. Qatar: Rare but significant targetACLED points out Israel&rsquo;s rare&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/qatar-says-us-claims-of-warnings-prior-to-doha-attack-are-%E2%80%98baseless%E2%80%99" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">military action in Qatar</a>, related to its pursuit of Hamas leaders. &ldquo;From Palestine to Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran, and even Qatar, the Israel Defense Forces projected military power across the region in 2025,&rdquo; the report says. The strike in Qatar marked a diplomatic turning point affecting regional relations later in the year. ACLED concludes that Israel&rsquo;s 2025 military posture shifted from a status quo power to a more revisionist one, noting: &ldquo;Israel established or expanded buffer zones and military outposts in three countries.&rdquo; This data underscores the complex and far-reaching nature of Israel&rsquo;s military campaigns in the Middle East throughout 2025, marking one of the most active and geographically expansive years in recent regional history.

ACLED says Israel launched military attacks in Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, and Yemen throughout the year.

Israel attacked six Muslim countries in 2025: Report

DOHA: The nearly two-month-old ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will not be complete until Israeli troops withdraw from the Palestinian territory under a peace plan backed by Washington and the UN, mediator Qatar&#39;s prime minister said Saturday.&nbsp;&quot;Now we are at the critical moment ... A ceasefire cannot be completed unless there is a full withdrawal of the Israeli forces, (and) there is stability back in Gaza,&quot; Qatari premier Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told the Doha Forum, an annual diplomatic conference in the Gulf state&#39;s capital.&nbsp;Qatar, alongside the United States and Egypt, helped secure the long-elusive truce in Gaza, which came into effect on Oct. 10 and has mostly halted two years of fighting between Israel and Hamas.&nbsp;Under a second phase of the deal, which has yet to begin, Israel is to withdraw from its positions in the territory, an interim authority is to take over governance, and an international stabilization force (ISF) is to be deployed.&nbsp;Arab and Muslim nations have been hesitant to participate in the new stabilization force, which could end up fighting Palestinian militants.&nbsp;Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, also speaking at the forum, said talks on the force were ongoing and that critical questions remained about its command structure and which countries would contribute.&nbsp;But its first goal, Fidan said, &quot;should be to separate Palestinians from the Israelis.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;This should be our main objective. Then we can address the other remaining issues,&quot; he added.&nbsp;Hamas is also supposed to disarm under the 20-point plan first outlined by US President Donald Trump, with members who decommission their weapons allowed to leave Gaza. The militant group has repeatedly rejected the proposition.&nbsp;Turkey has indicated it wants to take part in the stabilization force, but its efforts are viewed unfavorably in Israel, which considers Ankara too close to Hamas.&nbsp;&quot;I think the only viable way to finish this war is to engage faithfully and forcefully in peace talks,&quot; Fidan said.&nbsp;Sheikh Mohammed said Qatar and fellow truce guarantors Turkiye, Egypt, and the US were &quot;getting together in order to force the way forward for the next phase&quot; of the deal.&nbsp;&quot;And this next phase is just also temporary from our perspective,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&quot;If we are ... just resolving what happened in the last two years, it&#39;s not enough,&quot; he continued, calling for a &quot;lasting solution that provides justice for both people.&quot;&nbsp;Deployment of stabilization force in Gaza &#39;as soon as possible&#39;Egypt&#39;s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Saturday urged the rapid deployment of an international ceasefire monitoring force under the second phase of a peace deal for the Gaza Strip. &quot;As for the International Stabilization Force, we need to deploy this force as soon as possible on the ground because one party, which is Israel, is every day violating the ceasefire ... so we need monitors,&quot; the minister said. He warned that Egypt&#39;s Rafah crossing into Gaza &quot;is not going to be a gateway for displacement. It&#39;s only for flooding Gaza with humanitarian and medical care.&quot;

Gaza’s ceasefire incomplete without full Israeli withdrawal; urges second phase with a stabilization force; Egypt demands rapid deployment of monitors and rejects Rafah’s use for displacement.

Qatar PM says Gaza truce incomplete without 'full withdrawal' by Israel

Ali Bin Mubarak Al-Khateer

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

Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani

Articles

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

Qatar and international conflict mediation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited Qatari investors to explore new avenues of collaboration under the government&#39;s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) framework. Talking to Qatar&#39;s Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al-Thani in Islamabad on Friday, the prime minister underscored the importance of enhancing bilateral trade and investment cooperation, emphasizing opportunities in energy, agriculture, food security, information technology, tourism and infrastructure development, said a report published by state-run Radio Pakistan. &lsquo;Positive trajectory&rsquo;&nbsp;The prime minister expressed satisfaction at the positive trajectory of Pakistan-Qatar relations, anchored in shared faith, values, and mutual respect. He also appreciated Qatar&#39;s role as an important partner and an influential regional mediator. The prime minister conveyed Pakistan&#39;s deep appreciation for Qatar&#39;s consistent support on regional and global issues and reiterated Pakistan&#39;s desire to strengthen collaboration at regional and multilateral fora. In his remarks, Qatar&#39;s Minister of Commerce and Industry conveyed warm greetings from the Qatari leadership and reaffirmed Qatar&#39;s commitment to further deepen economic engagement with Pakistan. Joint Ministerial Commission&nbsp;Qatar&#39;s Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al-Thani is in Pakistan to co-chair the 6th Session of Pakistan-Qatar Joint Ministerial Commission.&nbsp; He noted that the 6th Session of the JMC provided an important platform to review existing cooperation and identify new initiatives to advance mutually beneficial partnerships. Both sides agreed to continue close coordination to translate shared understandings into tangible outcomes, including greater facilitation for business-to-business linkages and investment projects. Earlier, a press release issued by the Press Information Department of Pakistan on Thursday regarding 6th Session of Pak-Qatar JMC For Economic, Trade, and Technical Cooperation, stated: &quot;In the realm of trade, economy, and investment, the signed protocol commits both nations to realizing His Highness the Amir of Qatar&rsquo;s vision of investing USD 3 billion in Pakistan through the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) or other investment vehicles.&quot;&nbsp; &quot;A key focus was strengthening direct engagement between Pakistan&rsquo;s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and the QIA to streamline investment processes and create a conducive environment for Qatari investors. The SIFC was highlighted as a pivotal platform to facilitate investments in priority sectors, ensuring seamless coordination and support for Qatari businesses,&quot; it said.&nbsp;Pak, UAE leaders discuss bilateral issues&nbsp;Meanwhile, a statement issued by Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Office of the Spokesperson) on Friday, Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke on the phone late last night with the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of UAE, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. &nbsp; &ldquo;The two leaders discussed bilateral &amp; multilateral issues of mutual interest as well as recent regional &amp; global developments, and agreed to stay closely engaged,&rdquo; it said. Flow of remittances Dar also chaired a meeting to review the flow of remittances from abroad, particularly from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, said another statement issued by the ministry. He emphasized the need to increase, improve, and facilitate remittance flows through the use of digital technologies, reducing transfer time and minimizing transaction costs to better serve overseas Pakistanis and their families.&nbsp; The meeting was attended by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan Tariq Bajwa, the Governor and Deputy Governor State Bank of Pakistan, and other concerned officials.

Business

Talking to Qatar's Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al-Thani in Islamabad on Friday, Pakistan's prime minister underscored the importance of enhancing bilateral trade and investment cooperation, emphasizing opportunities in energy, agriculture, food security, information technology, tourism and infrastructure development.

Pakistan invites Qatari investors to explore new avenues of collaboration  

Saqib Tanveer

ISLAMABAD: Talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban representatives are underway in Doha, focusing on recent border clashes between the two countries. Earlier,&nbsp;Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and ISI Director General and National Security Adviser Gen Asim Malik landed in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday ahead of talks scheduled with the Afghan delegation, security sources say. The delegations from both sides comprise the defense ministers and the intelligence chiefs, they said. The sources said Abdul Haq Wasiq, Head of Intelligence of Afghanistan, and Mullah Muhammad Yaqub, the defense minister, have also landed in Doha. The talks began at 2pm Pakistan Standard Time. &nbsp;&nbsp;Foreign ministry&#39;s statement&nbsp;A statement issued by Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday said: &ldquo;A high-level delegation from Pakistan, led by our Minister of Defence, will hold discussions with representatives of the Afghan Taliban in Doha today.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 344px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=1979475426478301661&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=2cc6de8cbe1833a3d11cfc7947ef4e8e7289f162&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&ldquo;The talks will focus on immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism against Pakistan emanating from Afghanistan and restore peace and stability along the Pak-Afghan border.&rdquo; The statement further said: &ldquo;Pakistan does not seek escalation but urges the Afghan Taliban authorities to honour their commitments to the international community and address Pakistan&rsquo;s legitimate security concerns by taking verifiable action against terrorist entities, including the FAK/TTP and FAH/BLA.&rdquo; &ldquo;Pakistan appreciates the mediation efforts of Qatar and hopes these discussions contribute to peace and stability in the region,&rdquo; it added. Ceasefire and planned talks&nbsp;Earlier this week, Islamabad and Kabul agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire, following several days of intense cross-border fighting, the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) confirmed. Security officials told Pakistan TV Digital that the upcoming Doha talks aim to &ldquo;defuse tensions and establish a mechanism to prevent future border incidents.&rdquo; Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said both sides are making &ldquo;sincere efforts&rdquo; to achieve a peaceful resolution. &ldquo;Pakistan believes in dialogue and remains committed to peace,&rdquo; Khan said at a weekly press briefing. &ldquo;Both countries are exploring constructive and sustainable solutions to these complex but solvable issues.&rdquo; Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim government also confirmed the continuation of discussions. Speaking to Ariana News, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the ceasefire has been extended until the conclusion of planned talks, according to a report by Reuters. Khan added that Islamabad continues to maintain diplomatic engagement with Kabul. &nbsp;&ldquo;There is no downgrade in relations,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But Pakistan will continue to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and people at all costs.&rdquo;&nbsp;Repatriation of Afghan nationalsMeanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed all federal and provincial authorities to expedite the repatriation of Afghans residing illegally in Pakistan, citing mounting security concerns and recent attacks originating from Afghan territory. Chairing a high-level meeting attended by Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, federal ministers, and provincial representatives, Sharif said: &ldquo;Pakistan has always stood by Afghanistan in difficult times, but the involvement of Afghans in recent terrorist attacks on Pakistani soil is deeply concerning.&rdquo; Officials briefed the meeting that 1,477,592 Afghans have already been repatriated under the ongoing phased process. Only those holding valid Pakistani visas will be permitted to stay in the country, they added. Pakistan launched its Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP) in 2023, under which tens of thousands of Afghans who had fled decades of war and deprivation have since returned to Afghanistan.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan's delegation is represented by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and DG ISI Asim Malik; the Afghan side is represented by Abdul Haq Wasiq, Head of Afghan Intelligence, and Mullah Muhammad Yaqub, the defense minister.  

Pakistan, Afghan Taliban hold talks in Doha on border clashes

WASHINGTON: The US military is moving forward with plans to build a dedicated facility in Idaho to train pilots from Qatar, an important US ally in the Middle East, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday. Hegseth, who made the announcement during a visit by Qatar&#39;s defense minister, said the facility to be built at the Mountain Home Air Force Base would &ldquo;host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase the lethality, and interoperability.&rdquo; The arrangement is not unusual. Pentagon officials noted that similar facilities have been set up for other allies for decades, and the Idaho base already hosts a fighter squadron from Singapore. But the news drew a sharp rebuke from close Trump ally and right-wing influencer Laura Loomer, who called the plan &ldquo;an abomination&rdquo; and accused the Qataris of being associated with Islamic terror organizations. &ldquo;No foreign country should have a military base on US soil. Especially Islamic countries,&rdquo; Loomer wrote in one of several social media posts just hours after Hegseth&#39;s announcement. Although Loomer holds no formal position within the Trump administration, her online complaints have a history of achieving results. Her criticisms have led to the firing of officials on the National Security Council, Dr. Vinay Prasad, the Food and Drug Administration&rsquo;s vaccine chief, and Gen. Tim Haugh, the head of the National Security Agency. Qatar, which hosts the biggest US military base in the Middle East, made clear that it will not have a base on US soil and that it will cover the costs of building the training facility. &ldquo;This will not be a Qatari air base,&rdquo; the spokesman for the embassy in Washington said in a statement posted on X. &ldquo;Rather, Qatar has made an initial 10-year commitment to construct and maintain a dedicated facility within an existing US air base, intended for advanced training and to enhance interoperability in defending and advancing our shared interests around the world.&rdquo; The statement said the project will create hundreds of jobs for Americans and noted that the planning began several years ago, and it received local approval. When asked for more details about the future facility, Hegseth&rsquo;s office said it had nothing to offer beyond the secretary&rsquo;s remarks. The announcement comes just days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order vowing to use all measures, including US military action, to defend Qatar. Loomer also criticized that decision, writing, &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to die for Qatar. Do you?&rdquo; on social media. However, she was not alone. The Wall Street Journal&rsquo;s editorial board also questioned the pledge, writing that &ldquo;this is a decision that can be and should have been debated.&rdquo; &ldquo;Instead, it comes out of the blue &mdash; an executive order following no public debate,&rdquo; the board wrote. The small, gas-rich country played a key role in negotiating the most recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas aimed at ending the war in Gaza, as well as in several other key negotiations. Doha, the capital of Qatar, came under surprise attack from Israel last month as members of Hamas were in the city last month to discuss a ceasefire. Qatar also lavished a $400 million jumbo jet on Trump for use as Air Force One. However, the Qataris&#39; connection with US military aviation predates these more recent developments. In 2020, the US Air Force announced it had signed a deal with Qatar for the sale of more than 35 F-15 fighter jets. An Air Force environmental study, completed two years later, revealed that Mountain Home Air Force Base was proposing to build a facility that would house 12 Qatari F-15 jets and about 300 additional Qatari and US Air Force personnel. While the US military has a long history of training pilots for allied countries, the practice received scrutiny in 2019 following a deadly mass shooting at Pensacola Naval Air Station that killed three US service members and wounded several others. The shooter, Mohammad Saeed Al-Shamrani, was a Saudi Air Force officer who was training at the Pensacola base. The FBI said he was linked to the al-Qaida extremist group and had been in contact with it before the shooting. In the wake of the shooting, the US sent home 21 other Saudi military students after an investigation revealed each had expressed jihadist or anti-American sentiments on social media pages or had &ldquo;contact with child pornography,&rdquo; including in internet chat rooms, according to officials at the time. However, the US continued to train Saudi pilots. Loomer referenced the incident in her social media posts on Friday. &ldquo;Why are we trying to train more Muslims how to fly planes on US soil? Didn&rsquo;t we already learn our lesson?&rdquo; she wrote on social media.

The US plans to train Qatari pilots in Idaho, sparking backlash from critics citing past security concerns, though officials stress Qatar will fund the project, creating more American jobs.

Pentagon to build a training facility for Qatari pilots in Idaho

ISLAMABAD: Qatar announced on Thursday that a full agreement between Israel and Hamas has been reached regarding the &quot;first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.&quot; &quot;The mediators announce that tonight an agreement was reached on all the provisions and implementation mechanisms of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which will lead to ending the war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of aid.&quot;&nbsp; Dr Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari, Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, said in a social media post, as&nbsp;reported by the state-run Qatar News Agency.&nbsp; <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1976058667645440032&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=c46136357c6d53ddd2e07518be38f10515abb71c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 479px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&quot;The details will be announced later,&quot; the Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs added.

Includes implementation mechanisms for ending the war, release of hostages and prisoners, and allowing entry of aid into Gaza.

Qatar announces full agreement reached on 'first phase of Gaza ceasefire agreement' 

ISLAMABAD: Qatar&#39;s prime minister and Turkish delegates will join Hamas and Israeli negotiators in Egypt on Wednesday for a third day of talks aimed at ending the Gaza war, AFP reported. Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas are being held at the Red Sea resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, based on a 20-point plan proposed by US President Donald Trump last month. &lsquo;There&rsquo;s a possibility&rsquo;: TrumpPresident Trump on Tuesday pledged US support for Gaza security guarantees and said he believes a deal is close to being completed for the remaining hostages, Reuters reported. Talking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said, &quot;I think there&#39;s a possibility that we could have peace in the Middle East&quot; beyond just Gaza. He said he would discuss Gaza with visiting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. &quot;We are very close to making a deal on the Middle East that will bring peace to the Middle East after all of these years,&quot; Trump said at the start of an Oval Office meeting with Carney. Asked what security guarantees the United States was willing to offer, Trump pledged help without providing specifics. &quot;We are going to do everything possible &mdash; we have a lot of power &mdash; and we&#39;re going to do everything possible to make sure everybody adheres to the deal,&quot; he said.&nbsp;Global pressureGlobal pressure to end the war has escalated, with much of Gaza flattened, a UN-declared famine unfolding and Israeli hostage families still longing for their loved ones&#39; return, AFP reported. A UN probe last month accused Israel of genocide. Hamas&#39;s top negotiator, Khalil El-Hayya, said the group wants &quot;guarantees from President Trump and the sponsor countries that the war will end once and for all&quot;. Trump&#39;s plan calls for a ceasefire, the release of all the hostages, Hamas&#39;s disarmament, and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The plan received positive responses from both Israel and Hamas and prompted indirect talks in Egypt since Monday. A Palestinian source close to the Hamas negotiating team said Tuesday&#39;s session included Hamas discussing &quot;the initial maps presented by the Israeli side regarding the withdrawal of troops as well as the mechanism and timetable for the hostage-prisoner exchange&quot;.&nbsp;Steve Witkoff to join talksOn Wednesday, Trump&#39;s special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will join the talks, according to Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. &quot;The primary guarantee of success at this stage is US President Trump himself ... even if it comes to a point to require him imposing a vision,&quot; he said. Qatar stated that its prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, would attend. In contrast, Turkish state media reported that the country&#39;s Intelligence Chief, Ibrahim Kalin, would lead a delegation to Egypt. Israel&#39;s war on Gaza has killed at least 67,160 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in Gaza, figures the United Nations considers credible.

The two countries will join the talks in Cairo, based on a US-proposed plan calling for a ceasefire, hostage release, and Israeli withdrawal. President Trump says he believes a deal is close. 

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