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			<title>US Vice President Vance says Iran war is ‘the reason we lost’ midterms</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638671/us-vp-vance-says-iran-war-is-the-reason-we-lost-midterms</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638671/us-vp-vance-says-iran-war-is-the-reason-we-lost-midterms#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 18:20:25 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638671</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Democratic wave raises doubts over his status as frontrunner for Republican nomination in 2028 presidential election]]>
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				<![CDATA[US Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that the Iran war had doomed Republicans in the midterm elections, moving to distance himself from the unpopular conflict ahead of a possible 2028 White House run.

&ldquo;The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night,&rdquo; Vance said in a lengthy post on X &mdash; apparently referring to President Donald Trump&rsquo;s remarks that the Iran war was &ldquo;part of it&rdquo; but that it was still justified.

&ldquo;If you&rsquo;d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that&rsquo;s at least honest,&rdquo; added Vance.

Read:&nbsp;US midterms deliver wave of historic firsts across states, Congress



One of the things the data analysts on our side obsessed over was &quot;composition&quot;&mdash;whether the electorate looked close enough to 2024 for Republicans to win. And despite polls that showed a Democrat blowout, the data kept on telling us the same story: in some states turnout was&hellip;
&mdash; JD Vance (@JDVance) November 4, 2026


&ldquo;But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there.&rdquo;

The Democratic wave in Tuesday&rsquo;s midterms has raised major questions over Vance&rsquo;s previous status as the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in the 2028 presidential election.

He has not yet formally declared that he will run.

Vance, a longtime vocal critic of US foreign interventionism, had reportedly been sceptical behind the scenes about the war on Iran that Trump and Israel launched in late February.

Vance also acknowledged that Republican voters who backed Trump and himself two years ago had switched sides due to the war and its effects on the US economy.

&ldquo;The main problem is that many people who voted for Trump/Vance in 2024 voted for Democrats in 2026,&rdquo; Vance said.

He said a pollster that he respected showed the Iran war and the economy were key factors in voters abandoning Republicans, along with a desire to &ldquo;change our relationship to Israel&rdquo;.

Meanwhile, top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said the Iran war &ldquo;must end&rdquo; and suggested his party&rsquo;s incoming majority in Congress could use their control over government funding to press for that goal.

&ldquo;This war must end. It must end,&rdquo; Schumer told journalists, later noting that the &ldquo;power of the purse&rdquo; is &ldquo;one of the ways of deterring a president who does war without the consent of the American people&rdquo;.



&quot;The American people don&#39;t know what the heck we&#39;re fighting for in Iran.&quot;

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer calls for an end to the war, accusing President Trump of repeatedly shifting his explanation for the U.S. mission.

Schumer also warns that Democrats will pursue&hellip; pic.twitter.com/7j9QbXY7ZX
&mdash; Fox News (@FoxNews) November 4, 2026


White House insists Trump is &lsquo;still your president&rsquo; after midterm rout

Donald Trump is &ldquo;still your president&rdquo;, the White House said on Wednesday, a day after his Republican Party suffered sweeping losses in midterm elections seen as a referendum on his second term.

The White House delivered the message in a post on X featuring a picture of a glaring Trump looming over the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.

Read More:&nbsp;Trump hand-picked Senate candidates. Republicans paid the price

&ldquo;PSA: TRUMP IS STILL YOUR PRESIDENT,&rdquo; text superimposed on the image said, using the abbreviation for public service announcement.



Thank you for your attention to this matter. pic.twitter.com/Q1ZGYM7idV
&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 4, 2026


&ldquo;Thank you for your attention to this matter,&rdquo; the post added, using a phrase Trump frequently employs in his social media messages.

Opposition Democrats won control of both the House and the Senate on Tuesday, dealing a major blow to Trump and the Republican Party.

The Democratic capture of Congress signals an end to Trump&rsquo;s stranglehold on US politics and gives Democrats the power to pass legislation, launch investigations into Trump&rsquo;s administration and thwart his appointments.

The results reflected deep frustration over the cost of living, tariffs and Trump&rsquo;s war with Iran, which has sent prices soaring and compounded dissatisfaction with an already deeply unpopular president.

But Trump has threatened to use his veto power, raising questions about how much Democrats can achieve even with control of both the House and Senate.]]>
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			<title>Democrats sweep Congress in US midterm elections</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638586/democrats-capture-congress-with-in-sweeping-setback-for-trump</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638586/democrats-capture-congress-with-in-sweeping-setback-for-trump#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 06:09:29 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Voters in conservative bastions who propelled the president to his second term swung dramatically ​toward Democrats]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Democrats seized control of both the Senate and House on Tuesday, scoring sweeping victories in Republican strongholds for the first time in generations as tens of millions of voters delivered a scathing rebuke to President Donald Trump.

Voters in conservative bastions who had propelled the president to his second term in office just two years ago swung dramatically ​toward Democrats, fuelled by deep frustration over the unpopular war with Iran, anxiety over the high cost of living and anger at Trump&#39;s stewardship of the country.



BREAKING: Democrats take Senate majority, winning their 51st seat

🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/Lqv3kGnves pic.twitter.com/y67ub7MFSp
&mdash; Al Jazeera Breaking News (@AJENews) November 4, 2026


In Texas, the biggest Republican state, Democrats ended a decades-long losing streak in seismic fashion, winning a Senate seat and ousting three-term Governor Greg Abbott.

Kansas elected its first Democratic senator since the Great Depression nearly a &zwnj;century ago. In South Carolina, a state that Trump carried by nearly 18 points in 2024, Democrats turned aside his hand-picked Senate candidate.

And in Texas, the biggest Republican state, Democrats ended a decades-long losing streak in seismic fashion, winning a Senate seat and ousting three-term Governor Greg Abbott.

The results will usher in a new era of divided government in Washington, following two years in which the Republican-controlled Congress rarely exercised its power to rein in Trump.

Read: US Supreme Court rejects Trump, lets California count all ballots

Once seated in January, Democrats are expected to use their power to investigate Trump&#39;s administration, family and allies and demand concessions on major legislation. The Democratic Senate can block Trump&#39;s nominees, including any US Supreme ​Court justices should a vacancy arise.

&quot;There is now a generational remake of the Senate map that is going to change America,&quot; said Chuck Schumer, the party&#39;s Senate minority leader. &quot;Americans voted for change, and now Democrats must ​deliver.&quot;

Trump, who is barred by the US Constitution from seeking a third term, has exercised an iron grip on his party for most of the last decade. But the new balance of power in Washington may ⁠accelerate his lame-duck status, as attention turns toward the 2028 presidential race and potential successors begin competing for political influence in a post-Trump world.



pic.twitter.com/7ZIs1dWKFu
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 4, 2026


Despite worries from Democrats that Trump might seek to overturn the election results, as he did in 2020, the president accepted the outcome, congratulating Democrats in ​an interview with Fox News. He also said he would work with Democrats on issues such as immigration, though he threatened to veto any &quot;insane&quot; bills they passed.



.@POTUS on divided government: &quot;It&#39;s been done before, as you know, numerous times. It&#39;s the power of veto &mdash; it&#39;s one of the stronger powers that a President has. They&#39;ll send over things that are insane and I&#39;ll veto them.&quot; pic.twitter.com/X4nhw7F57h
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 4, 2026


Democratic wave

Democrats focused their campaign on corruption and affordability, blaming Trump&#39;s tariff policy and the war with Iran for driving up costs while highlighting the ​billions of dollars the Trump family has made since he returned to the White House.

Republicans, led by Trump, attacked Democrats over culture war issues such as transgender rights while portraying their opponents as radical and extreme. But in poll after poll, voters made it clear they were far more concerned with pocketbook issues.

The Democratic wave flooded huge swaths of the country.

Republicans lost ground in all but a handful of the approximately 2,100 counties where most votes had been counted, according to tallies compiled by Reuters and USA Today.





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Democrats made gains in the richest counties and the poorest; in counties where more people have college degrees and where fewer do. Democrats&#39; advances were particularly sharp ​in heavily Latino counties, including the border counties of Texas that shifted toward Trump in 2024 and the agricultural towns of the Kansas prairie.

In Seward County, Kansas, home to one of America&#39;s biggest beef processing plants and where about half of eligible voters are Hispanic, Democrat Adam Hamilton led ​incumbent Republican Senator Roger Marshall by 13 points, two years after Trump won the county by 39 points.

Democrats flipped more than two dozen House seats currently held by Republicans, locking in a majority. Democrats won all the closely contested House races that have been decided so far, and they won about a dozen races &zwnj;in districts that Trump ⁠won by double digits two years ago.

An unprecedented Republican gambit to redraw several House districts to make them more favourable largely failed, with Democrats hanging on to most of the targeted seats.

Midterm elections are typically seen as a referendum on the sitting president, and Trump did little to disabuse voters of that notion. In the campaign&#39;s final weeks, he held dozens of rallies, telling supporters repeatedly to &quot;pretend I&#39;m on the ballot.&quot;

He also intervened in several Republican primaries earlier this year to ensure his preferred candidates reached the ballot, despite concerns from some Republicans that his choices carried significant liabilities.

In Texas, Trump backed Ken Paxton, the scandal-ridden state attorney general, over the incumbent, Senator John Cornyn.

&quot;I just wasn&#39;t a fan of Cornyn. I just wasn&#39;t a fan. I found him to be a disloyal guy... When it wasn&#39;t fashionable to be with Trump, he wasn&#39;t there. When it was fashionable, he kissed my ass. I remember the other days, and I just felt I couldn&#39;t endorse him,&quot; Trump told Fox News today.



.@POTUS: &quot;I just wasn&#39;t a fan of Cornyn. I just wasn&#39;t a fan. I found him to be a disloyal guy... When it wasn&#39;t fashionable to be with Trump, he wasn&#39;t there. When it was fashionable, he kissed my ass. I remember the other days, and I just felt I couldn&#39;t endorse him.&quot; pic.twitter.com/pgtAcPKtWz
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 4, 2026


In South Carolina, the president anointed Darline Graham, a political neophyte, after her brother, Senator Lindsey Graham, died suddenly earlier this year. Both candidates lost.

But even candidates who sought to distance themselves from Trump were unable to escape ​voters&#39; wrath. In Maine, Republican incumbent Susan Collins had her 30-year Senate ​career end on Tuesday, despite emphasising her willingness to break with ⁠the president during the campaign.

Also read: Abdul El-Sayed becomes 1st Muslim elected to US Senate in Michigan win

Progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan&rsquo;s open Senate seat, becoming the first Muslim elected to the chamber. He defeated Mike Rogers, a former congressman and FBI agent, who entered the race with Trump&#39;s backing and sought to falsely portray El-Sayed, an Egyptian American born in Michigan, as a religious extremist.

&quot;You chose hate, and Michigan chose hope,&quot; El-Sayed told cheering supporters on Tuesday night, referring to Rogers.

Competitive Senate races in Mississippi and ​Alaska had yet to be called early on Wednesday.

On Tuesday night, as it grew clear Republicans were in danger of losing their congressional majorities, Trump wrote on social media, &quot;I wasn&#39;t on the Ballot and if ​I was, we would have won IN ⁠A LANDSLIDE!&quot;



https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/117556082339815131



In media interviews, Trump acknowledged the conflict with Iran had played a role in his party&#39;s losses but stood by his decision to go to war.

Voters rebuke Trump

According to exit polls conducted by SSRS on behalf of a consortium of US media outlets, including major television networks and the Associated Press, half of voters nationwide said they saw the 2026 midterm elections as an opportunity to rebuke the president, and three-quarters said they are &quot;angry&quot; or &quot;dissatisfied&quot; with the way the country is headed.

In addition, 70% of voters surveyed said they want Congress to provide more checks and balances on the president.

&quot;In sweeping and decisive victories, the American people ⁠have rebuked the depravity, ​corruption and incompetence of the man named President Donald J Trump,&quot; incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia told supporters at a victory party.

Both parties witnessed several historic firsts.

In Georgia, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor of any US state, while Byron Donalds won Florida&#39;s gubernatorial race to become the first Black Republican governor in the US. Democrat Gina Hinojosa will become the first Latina governor in Texas, while Democrat Xavier Becerra will be California&#39;s first Latino governor.



Democrat Xavier Becerra made history becoming California&#39;s first Latino governor-elect after defeating Republican Steve Hilton, after a campaign focused on voting rights, immigration and affordability issues https://t.co/08d3jCup46 pic.twitter.com/vXdkJp9DVQ
&mdash; Reuters (@Reuters) November 4, 2026


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			<title>Opp forms APC committees, vows countrywide movement against govt after huddle</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638673/opposition-addresses-press-conference-after-huddle-at-fazls-residence-to-discuss-k-p-emergency</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638673/opposition-addresses-press-conference-after-huddle-at-fazls-residence-to-discuss-k-p-emergency#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 18:31:01 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Achakzai warns govt against targeting Fazl after meeting him at his residence with a delegation]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Opposition parties on Wednesday announced the formation of committees to organise an All Parties Conference (APC) and resolve differences among political groups, while vowing to launch a countrywide movement against what they described as an undemocratic government.

The announcement was made after an opposition meeting at the residence of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, where leaders also condemned what they called a campaign of character assassination against the JUI-F chief and criticised the imposition of governor&#39;s rule and emergency in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

&ldquo;The committee comprises Salman Akram Raja, Kamran Murtaza, Mustafa Khokhar, Aamir Dogar, Nasir Shirazi and Mohammad Aslam Ghauri,&rdquo; Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP) Vice Chairman Allama Raja Nasir Abbas announced at a press conference at Fazl&#39;s residence.



یہ جو رواج ڈالا جا رہا ہے، اگر تم قتل کر رہے ہو یا کرامات کر رہے ہو، تمہارا ہر قدم یا تو آئین کا قتل ہے، قانون کا قتل ہے یا عوام کے حقوق کا قتل ہے۔ گھروں میں گھسنا چادر اور چار دیواری کا قتل ہے۔ اور اس کے بعد آپ کے خلاف کوئی بولے تو آپ کہتے ہیں کہ بولتے کیوں ہو؟ اعتراض نہ کرو، چپ&hellip; pic.twitter.com/Gcq8OJb448
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) November 4, 2026



He said a separate subcommittee would work to resolve differences among the parties and explore ways for them to work together in the future. He announced that Sallahuddin Ayubi, Akhunzada Hussain and Khalid Yousaf would serve as its coordinators.

&nbsp;Abbas said the APC would be held within a week to 10 days, with a committee tasked with consulting political parties, finalising the agenda and announcing the date.

Speaking at the presser, TTAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai said the gathering had been convened to condemn the government&#39;s attacks on Maulana Fazl and express solidarity with him.

&ldquo;The way the government is targeting Maulana Fazlur Rehman is condemnable. We have come here to express our solidarity with him,&rdquo; he said.

&ldquo;We clearly declare that this approach will not work. If someone speaks the truth and points out your wrongdoings, such behaviour will not only pollute the political arena but could also lead to extremely dangerous consequences,&rdquo; he warned.

Achakzai said a committee had been formed to arrange the APC, which was expected to be held this month, adding that another committee would work to address differences and reservations between the PTI and the JUI-F and improve relations between the two parties.

He said the opposition would launch a movement across the country against what he termed as an &ldquo;undemocratic government&rdquo;.



ہم بنیادی طور پر تحریکِ تحفظِ آئینِ پاکستان اور ان تمام سیاسی جماعتوں کی نمائندگی کرتے ہیں جن کا نصب العین اس ملک کو ایک ایسی مضبوط فیڈریشن بنانا ہے جہاں آئین کی بالادستی قائم ہو، طاقت کا اصل سرچشمہ پارلیمان ہو، اور ملکی سیاست کا محور پاکستان کی پارلیمنٹ ہو، جہاں سے ریاست کی تمام&hellip; pic.twitter.com/IkTh86SAdc
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) November 4, 2026



Criticising the imposition of governor&#39;s rule and emergency in K-P, Achakzai said the measures amounted to an insult to the mandate of the province&#39;s 40 million people.

&ldquo;Do not provoke us or launch unjustified attacks against us. God forbid, if an incident takes place as a result, it may become difficult for everyone to handle the consequences,&rdquo; he warned.

Fazl, addressing the press conference, thanked the opposition leaders for attending the meeting and said the participants had held serious consultations on the country&#39;s political situation.

&ldquo;It has been agreed that this consultation process will continue. A committee has been formed for the All Parties Conference, while a subcommittee has also been established to address any mutual reservations,&rdquo; he said.



میں ان تمام اکابرین کا انتہائی شکر گزار ہوں جنہوں نے ہمیں عزت دی اور آج ایک بڑی سنجیدہ مشاورت ہوئی ہے۔ مشاورت کے اس عمل کو مزید آگے بڑھانے پر اتفاق ہوا ہے اور آل پارٹیز کانفرنس کے لیے کمیٹی بنا دی گئی ہے۔ جو کچھ باہمی تحفظات ہیں، ان کو دور کرنے کے لیے بھی سب کمیٹی بنا دی گئی ہے۔&hellip; pic.twitter.com/UJbD22i8nb
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) November 4, 2026



He said the opposition had consistently raised concerns over governor&#39;s rule, the imposition of emergency and what he described as attempts to take control of mineral resources.

&ldquo;We have represented the nation on these issues. We have spoken for the people&#39;s trust, and we will play our role in protecting it,&rdquo; he said.

Fazl alleged that provincial rights and resources were being taken away under various pretexts. Referring to Balochistan, he said attempts were being made to bring profitable coastal areas, including Gwadar, under federal control.

He also referred to discussions about placing islands in Sindh under federal control.

He said the rights granted to provinces and their people under the 18th Amendment were now under threat.

Referring to the merger of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with K-P, he said his party had expressed reservations at the time, arguing that the province was not prepared to absorb the region.



اور ملک متحمل نہیں ہے، آج اس کو دوبارہ ختم کیا جا رہا ہے اور اس کو وفاق کے زیر اہتمام لایا جا رہا ہے۔ تو اس وقت جو عوامل تھے وہ سیاسی تھے اور اس وقت جو عوامل ہیں وہ وسائل کے ہیں۔

لہٰذا ان کی پالیسیوں میں کوئی پتہ نہیں چلتا کہ آج قوم کے ساتھ کیا کھیل کھیلا جا رہا ہے، کل کیا کھیل&hellip; pic.twitter.com/OpSbOyZPu4
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) November 4, 2026



He said the factors behind the earlier move had been political, while the current developments appeared to be driven by control over resources.

&ldquo;We have reservations about these contradictory policies and strategies. We have presented our concerns with full arguments,&rdquo; he said.

The JUI-F chief said the opposition was raising national issues through political discourse, but the government was targeting individuals instead of addressing the concerns.

He referred to what he described as attempts to divert public attention towards matters such as the installation of a generator, construction of a cabin and the location of a kitchen at his residence.



میں 100 فیصد ان کی حمایت کرتا ہوں، اس میں کوئی مسئلہ نہیں ہے، لیکن میں یہ ضرور کہوں گا کہ ہمیں تمام قیدیوں کی بات کرنی ہوگی۔ پی ٹی آئی کے جو کارکنان جیلوں میں ہیں، ہمیں ان کی بھی بات کرنی ہے اور اس پر ہمارا اتفاقِ رائے ہے۔ البتہ ان کے ذاتی نوعیت کے کچھ معاملات کا جو ذکر ہوا ہے،&hellip; pic.twitter.com/TJePwxdtzb
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) November 4, 2026



&ldquo;These things are laughable. Through such absurdities, they are diverting the public&#39;s attention elsewhere,&rdquo; he said.

Fazl said his party would not be distracted by such matters and would continue to protect national resources and provincial rights.

&ldquo;We will neither allow any international institution to plunder our country&#39;s assets nor permit Pakistan&#39;s own institutions to deprive the people of their rights,&rdquo; he said.

He alleged that votes were stolen during elections and resources were plundered after governments were formed, saying such practices were contrary to democracy, the Constitution and Shariah.

Responding to a question about the federal government&#39;s position on provincial autonomy and the creation of new provinces, Fazl said the centre was particularly concerned about two issues: the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award and mineral resources.

&ldquo;This has always been our clear stance. You have heard us say that the federal government is currently troubled by two things: the NFC Award and mineral resources,&rdquo; he said.

He added that his party had raised the issues at public gatherings even before the recent measures, saying the developments had now made its concerns evident.



پاکستان میں سیاستدانوں کو جو غیر جمہوری قوتیں بدنام کر رہی ہیں، مولانا صاحب ان کی نشاندہی کر چکے ہیں اور ان کے نام بھی بتا چکے ہیں۔

​بات یہ ہے کہ سیاسی جماعتوں کو بھی نئے سرے سے غسل اور وضو کر کے یہ اعلان کرنا پڑے گا کہ ہم ایک دوسرے کے خلاف غیر جمہوری قوتوں کا ساتھ نہیں دیں&hellip; pic.twitter.com/KbrqXJXX4s
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) November 4, 2026



Questioning the purpose behind calls for creating new provinces, JUI-F chief said granting financial powers to district governments could turn them into rivals of provincial administrations.

&ldquo;Establishing district governments and granting them financial powers means setting provincial institutions against the provincial government,&rdquo; he said.

Drawing a comparison with the establishment, he said that an institution which was supposed to be subordinate to the government had become more powerful than it.

&ldquo;All these measures amount to destroying the country&#39;s system. We, however, want a balance within the system in accordance with the Constitution and the law,&rdquo; he said.

Opposition leader in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas also criticised the government&#39;s actions, alleging that the country was being run in an unconstitutional manner and that the rule of law had disappeared.



آپ جانتے ہیں کہ پاکستان اس وقت ایک غیر آئینی طریقے سے چلایا جا رہا ہے۔ یہاں قانون کی حکمرانی بالکل نہیں ہے۔

دن بدن اس ظلم و ستم، لاقانونیت اور غیر آئینی اقدامات میں اضافہ ہو رہا ہے، اور چادر و چاردیواری کا تقدس پامال ہو رہا ہے۔ یہ سسٹم جب سے آیا ہے، اس کی پہلی اینٹ ہی ٹیڑھی&hellip; pic.twitter.com/xd7q6o8AOt
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) November 4, 2026



&ldquo;Lawlessness, oppression and unconstitutional measures are increasing by the day, while the sanctity of homes is being violated,&rdquo; he said.

He alleged that the government had undermined the electoral process, damaged the Constitution and attacked the independence of the judiciary before moving against people&#39;s homes and, subsequently, the mandate of K-P.

&ldquo;By imposing emergency and governor&#39;s rule in the province, the government has sent a message to the people that their mandate has no value,&rdquo; he said.

&nbsp;Abbas said a country could not function when institutions ceased to exist, and individuals took control of the system. He warned that public confidence in the system was essential for the country&#39;s stability.

He also condemned what he described as a campaign of character assassination against Maulana Fazl after the JUI-F chief criticised the government&#39;s policies, governor&#39;s rule and emergency in K-P.

&ldquo;Whether this happens to Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif or even our enemy, it is wrong and condemnable. This is a bad tradition,&rdquo; he said.

&ldquo;Today you are entering our homes; tomorrow people may enter yours. Remember, you reap what you sow,&rdquo; he added.

Opposition&nbsp;huddle at Fazl&#39;s residence

Earlier, opposition parties gathered&nbsp;at Fazl&#39;s residence to discuss the prevailing political situation, including the imposition of governor&#39;s rule and an emergency in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

The JUI-F media cell confirmed that it was a meeting of the &quot;united opposition&quot;. The Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP) also confirmed the development.



اسلام آباد: امیر جمعیت علمائے اسلام مولانا۔ فضل الرحمن کی رہائش گاہ پر متحدہ اپوزیشن کا اہم اجلاس شروع ۔

اجلاس میں امیر جمیعت علمائے اسلام مولانا فضل الرحمن ، سربراہ تحریک تحفظ آئین پاکستان محمود خان اچکزئی، قائد حزب اختلاف سینیٹ و سربراہ مجلس وحدت مسلمین علامہ ناصر عباس، سابق&hellip; pic.twitter.com/ZhyIXzRIED
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) November 4, 2026


Those attending the meeting included Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen chief Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and National Assembly Chief Whip Aamir Dogar.

Read: PTI, TTAP affirm &#39;full support&#39; for Fazl after govt hammering in Parliament

Other participants included Senator Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, Senator Kamran Murtaza, former K-P chief minister Akram Khan Durrani, JUI-F leaders Hafiz Hamdullah, Maulana Attaur Rehman and Maulana Attaul Haq Darvesh, and Senator Maulana Salahuddin Ayubi.

The meeting discussed unity among opposition parties, supremacy of the Constitution and the law, protection of democratic rights, a joint strategy to address the prevailing political situation and the opposition&#39;s future course of action.

Other participants included Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) spokesperson Hussain Ahmad Yousafzai, PTI core committee member and legal counsel to Imran Khan Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry, Agha Nasir Shirazi, Akhunzada Hussain, Zahir Durrani and Aslam Ghauri.

On October 11, governor&#39;s rule and an emergency were imposed in K-P, transferring executive authority from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government to the governor. An 11-member advisory council was formed to assist him in overseeing provincial administrative affairs.

The federal government also established a separate administrative structure for 12 districts, including an area representative and a development council to facilitate local representation and development planning.

Also Read: Opposition unites against governor&#39;s rule in K-P

The latest gathering is the first joint meeting of opposition parties to formulate a response to the imposition of governor&#39;s rule in the province, with both Fazl and Achakzai in attendance.

Following the imposition of the emergency and governor&#39;s rule, Fazl accused the government of backing out of negotiations with the PTI and the opposition despite initially agreeing to their demands.

He categorically rejected the imposition of governor&#39;s rule or an emergency in K-P, saying that if an emergency had to be imposed, it should be imposed on the federal government, which he described as illegitimate.

The criticism subsequently spilled over into the assembly, escalating the war of words between the government and the JUI-F chief. Fazl had accused the government of misusing the Constitution.

Federal ministers hit back, accusing the JUI-F chief of overlooking his own role in forming and toppling governments.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi criticised Fazl over his opposition to governor&#39;s rule in the province, suggesting that the religious-political leader was unhappy at not being offered a role in the new provincial setup.

Later, a delegation of the PTI and TTAP expressed full support for the JUI-F chief&#39;s speech in the National Assembly and condemned what it described as his character assassination by government ministers following his strong criticism of the government&#39;s actions.]]>
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			<title>Naqvi says One Constitution Avenue to be converted into five-star hotel in 'coming months'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638652/naqvi-says-one-constitution-avenue-to-be-converted-into-five-star-hotel-in-coming-months</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638652/naqvi-says-one-constitution-avenue-to-be-converted-into-five-star-hotel-in-coming-months#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 13:33:00 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Iqbal says CDA involved in irregularities, fraud, Tarar says matter will be referred to NAB for further investigation]]>
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				<![CDATA[Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced on Wednesday that One Constitution Avenue would be converted into a five-star hotel, assuring that all those entitled to compensation would be paid their dues.

In a press conference in Islamabad, Naqvi said that a joint investigation team (JIT) report on the project was presented before the federal cabinet and action had been taken on its recommendations, further adding that the government had now legally taken possession of the property.

Naqvi added: &quot;We will convert this building to a five-star hotel in the coming months, which was its basic purpose in the first place. There is a severe shortage of hotels in Islamabad, and soon we will try to sign an agreement with a big chain for this purpose.&quot;



#Live https://t.co/NSnbQZBjLk
&mdash; Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) November 4, 2026


Read: IHC issues detailed verdict in One Constitution Avenue case, rules buyers have no legal claim to ownership

&ldquo;As per JIT recommendations, we will try to make rightful payments to the occupants,&rdquo; Naqvi stated, adding that this&nbsp;was&nbsp;binding on the government&nbsp;after the report.

In an earlier press conference, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, speaking alongside Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, said that a JIT report submitted to the cabinet had found &quot;irregularities and rigging&quot; in the One Constitution Avenue project.

He said: &quot;The prime minister had ordered an inquiry committee into the fraud that took place in the name of One Constitution Avenue, and today the JIT report was placed before the cabinet, which consisted of members from NAB, FIA, FBR, SECP, IB and ISI. They investigated the entire project and submitted a report that the cabinet considered today.&quot;



Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has said that the Joint Investigation Team&#39;s report has uncovered serious irregularities, manipulation, and fraud in the One Constitution Avenue project in Islamabad.@PlanComPakistan @betterpakistan @MoIB_Official @CDAIslamabad #RadioPakistan&hellip; pic.twitter.com/WiDPOGye3r
&mdash; Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) November 4, 2026


The planning minister underscored that the bidding process for the project was manipulated, further noting that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) was found not only to be &quot;negligent&quot; but also culpable and &quot;involved&quot; in the irregularities and fraud that took place.

Read More: CDA put on notice in One Constitution Avenue case

The minister added: &quot;The rules were relaxed to favour certain individuals, and the company that was given the lease was not the rightful claimant of the lease&quot;.

He further stated that the precondition of a bank guarantee was removed to favour the developer, adding that the paperwork submitted for the project was also found to be dubious.

Iqbal underlined that the apartments that were sold were done so &quot;illegally&quot;, further noting that the project was initially approved as a five-star hotel but was later converted into selling apartments.

&quot;The JIT identified the individuals involved in the manipulation, including Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, who is the mastermind and has connived with officers from CDA,&quot; he said.

The minister also stated that other CDA officers, including former chairman Kamran Lashari, Dr Faisal Awan, and Azhar Ali Chaudhry, were also involved in this fraud.

He said that these &quot;individuals defrauded many Pakistanis of their savings and secured personal financial benefit from this project&quot;.

Iqbal stated that the recommendations of the JIT report maintain that Shaikh and his company were &quot;prosecuted&quot; and also &quot;blacklisted&quot; for any future public sector projects.

The minister added: &quot;The project should be redirected towards its original purpose, and a transparent bidding process should be carried out, and security clearance from institutions should be obtained. Fire safety and other protocols must also be ensured.&quot;

Iqbal said that the project should also be renamed because the name of One Constitution Avenue was taken through deceit, as the first building on Constitution Avenue was the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. &quot;They only took the name of One Constitution for marketing purposes.&quot;

For those people who invested in this project and were deceived, it is the government&#39;s responsibility to compensate, and the principal amount plus interest would be returned, so that they do not suffer any loss.

The minister added that JIT also recommended that CDA and its ordinance should be overhauled and an independent master plan commission should be established.

&quot;All records will be digitised so that nobody can manipulate the records, and officers will be rotated every two years,&quot; he said.

Tarar says no one above the law in One Constitution Avenue case

Tarar, also speaking at the press conference, said the government would ensure equal application of law in the One Constitution Avenue project, making it clear that neither influential individuals nor wealthy people would be allowed to escape accountability.



Federal Minister Attaullah Tarar said the government would ensure equal application of law in the One Constitution Avenue project, making it clear that neither influential individuals nor wealthy people would be allowed to escape accountability.#AttaTarrar #OneConstitutionAvenue pic.twitter.com/ybz6WnaE6c
&mdash; APP (@appcsocialmedia) November 4, 2026


The minister said the JIT, constituted to examine irregularities in the One Constitution Avenue project, had identified shortcomings in the process dating back to the mid-2000s and also pointed out the officials involved at the time of the award of the contract.

He said the JIT had conducted a fair investigation, identified the offences and those responsible, and recommended that the matter be referred to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for further investigation.

Tarar said the government was equally committed to protecting bona fide investors who had purchased apartments in the project with their hard-earned money without knowledge of the alleged irregularities.

He added the JIT had also recommended safeguarding the interests of genuine investors, including those residing in Pakistan and abroad, and ensuring appropriate compensation for their investments in view of the proposed re-tendering and redesigning of the project.

He said the NAB investigation would be conducted strictly on merit and expedited, with a target of completion within three months, followed by the initiation of the trial process.

Background of One Constitution Avenue case

On May 19, a division bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) comprising Justice Azam Khan and Justice Raja Inam Amin Minhas issued a notice to the CDA on the intra-court appeal submitted by the sub-lease holders of 20 more apartments of One Constitution Avenue and sought its response.

On May 4, the IHC issued a detailed verdict on the One Constitution Avenue project, upholding the Capital Development Authority&#39;s (CDA) decision and ruling that the buyers lack ownership rights.

The court stated that the buyers lacked ownership rights, as the project&rsquo;s lease had been terminated and the proper legal processes had not been followed regarding the transfer of ownership.

On May 1, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif constituted a high-level committee to review the matter of One Constitution Avenue after authorities took control of a multi-storey residential building following a ruling by the IHC in a long-running dispute over the cancellation of its lease.

Also Read: PM constitutes high-level committee over One Constitution Avenue dispute, stays official action

The project originally stems from a 13.5-acre plot awarded to BNP Group following an auction on March 9, 2005, for Rs4.88 billion. Although possession was handed over the same year after an initial payment of Rs800 million, BNP has so far paid Rs1.02b, while the remaining Rs3.85b is recoverable in instalments until 2026.

In July 2016, the CDA cancelled the lease, citing multiple violations. The decision was upheld by the IHC in 2017, which also declared the conversion of a planned five-star hotel into luxury apartments illegal. However, the Supreme Court set aside that judgment in early 2019, directing the developer to pay Rs17.5b in instalments over eight years.

The CDA argued that BNP failed to meet its financial obligations after 21 years, maintaining that full ownership was conditional upon 100% payment of the land cost. Of the total Rs17.5b liability, only Rs2.9b &mdash; around 16.6% &mdash; has reportedly been paid.

The complex is reported to include apartments owned by several prominent figures, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan, Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, Shandana Gulzar Aurangzeb, former minister Burjees Tahir, former caretaker prime minister Nasirul Mulk and Kashmala Tariq.]]>
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			<title>IHC fixes Imran and Bushra's appeals against sentences in £190m case for Nov 10</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638661/ihc-fixes-imran-and-bushras-appeals-against-sentences-in-190m-case-for-nov-10</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638661/ihc-fixes-imran-and-bushras-appeals-against-sentences-in-190m-case-for-nov-10#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 15:39:34 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Division bench comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, Justice Muhammad Asif will hear appeal]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday fixed the hearing of the appeals of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi against their convictions in the &pound;190 million case for&nbsp;November 10.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif would hear the appeals, according to the cause list issued by the IHC Registrar&rsquo;s Office.

The court had sought arguments from counsel for the convicts on their appeals challenging the sentences.

Read: IHC gives Imran final opportunity to argue &pound;190m case appeals

At the previous hearing, the court had adjourned the proceedings without taking up the matter following a request by Imran&rsquo;s counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar.

In January 2025, an Islamabad accountability court sentenced Imran to 14 years and Bushra to seven years in prison in the reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau.&nbsp;

Read More: &pound;190m case: Imran&#39;s lawyer requests IHC to summon IG prisons, hospital authorities with record

The &pound;190m case pertains to allegations linked to the Al-Qadir Trust, a welfare organisation established in 2018. The trust, which runs a university outside Islamabad, is accused of being used as a front to receive land worth millions of dollars from a real estate tycoon.

According to the government, the donations were made in exchange for the former premier&rsquo;s administration using repatriated funds from the United Kingdom to pay fines on behalf of the businessman instead of depositing the amount into the national exchequer. Imran has denied the allegations, maintaining that neither he nor his wife derived any financial benefit from the trust or related transactions.]]>
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			<title>Explainer: What does Democratic control of Congress mean for Trump?</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638667/explainer-what-does-democratic-control-of-congress-mean-for-trump</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638667/explainer-what-does-democratic-control-of-congress-mean-for-trump#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 16:50:40 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638667</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Democrats' House and Senate takeover gives them power to probe the administration, challenge policies]]>
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				<![CDATA[Democrats&rsquo; victory in the US midterm elections has handed them control of both chambers of Congress, setting up a period of divided government that could complicate President Donald Trump&rsquo;s agenda during the final two years of his term.

Democrats on Tuesday secured a majority in both chambers of Congress, winning a projected 54 seats in the Senate and 224 seats in the House of Representatives.

When the new Congress convenes in January 2027, Trump will face a Democratic-controlled House of Representatives and Senate, limiting his ability to advance legislation and potentially complicating his administration&rsquo;s spending priorities.

Read: Democrats sweep Congress in US midterm elections

Here is what the shift in power means for the president:

Stronger congressional oversight

One of the biggest changes will be Democrats&rsquo; control of congressional committees in both chambers.

Committees can hold hearings, request government documents, and summon officials to testify. They can also issue subpoenas, although disputes over their authority and executive privilege can lead to legal challenges.

Scott Lucas, a professor of international politics at the Clinton Institute, University College Dublin, said that Democrats are more likely to focus on investigations and accountability.



A demonstrator wearing a frog costume and holding a &quot;CLEAN HOUSE&quot; banner near the White House in Washington, DC, during the US midterm elections on November 4, 2026. Photo: Reuters

These could include inquiries into Trump&#39;s stockholdings, potential insider trading involving his family, and the wealth he has accumulated while in office.

&ldquo;What Democrats can also do because they now control the committees in both houses is have hearings for accountability,&rdquo; he said.

Lucas also expects renewed scrutiny of the files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with victims&rsquo; families and many Democrats saying the Justice Department has yet to release all the files required under a law passed last year.

&ldquo;I think you&#39;ll see hearings reopen on the Epstein files,&rdquo; he said.

Other possible inquiries could focus on federal agencies and whether they have been weakened or pressured by the administration, &quot;like the Justice Department to restore the independence of those agencies,&rdquo; Lucas said.

More legislative obstacles

Democrats will be able to introduce legislation reflecting their own priorities, including proposals on health care, education, and immigration. Lawmakers could also seek legislation to address potential conflicts of interest involving elected officials.

&ldquo;For example, trying to seek accountability on stockholdings might be a bill that you see very clearly so that representatives don&#39;t have conflicts of interest,&rdquo; he said.

&ldquo;They could proceed with proposed legislation on health, on education, to push back on the immigration crackdown.&rdquo;



Supporters react after media outlets projected Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico&#39;s victory in Austin, Texas. Photo: Reuters

However, passing such measures will be difficult if Trump opposes them.

&ldquo;Donald Trump has already been ruling through executive orders, and there is only one major bill that he has passed ... but Democrats can propose their own legislation. They can put forth their own priorities.&rdquo;

&ldquo;Now all of that legislation could get vetoed by Trump, of course, and you need a two-thirds majority to override that,&rdquo; Lucas explained.

A presidential veto can be overturned only if two-thirds of members voting in both the House of Representatives and the Senate support the measure.

This means Democrats would need Republican support to enact major legislation over Trump&#39;s objections.

Lucas said some Republicans may become more willing to cooperate with them, as the election result could weaken Trump&#39;s influence over his own party and encourage some Republican lawmakers to distance themselves from the president.

Greater leverage over government spending

Democrats will have greater influence over federal spending, including the defense budget, military operations, and foreign military assistance, as Congress controls government appropriations.

They could use budget negotiations to scrutinize Pentagon spending, demand greater transparency over military operations, including the ongoing Iran war, and seek changes to defend funding priorities.

However, the president retains authority as commander-in-chief, and funding already appropriated under existing laws can generally continue to be spent.

Also Read: Trump hand-picked Senate candidates. Republicans paid the price

Lucas, however, said he would be surprised if Democrats deliberately pursued a government shutdown, describing such a move as irresponsible.

&quot;I&#39;d be very surprised if Democrats go for shutting down the government. That won&#39;t be responsible.&rdquo;

Instead, he expects Democrats to wait and see how Trump responds to the new balance of power.

&ldquo;I think they will wait to see if Trump wants to shut down the government, which is very possible if he feels he&#39;s not getting his way,&rdquo; Lucas said.

Last year, the country witnessed the longest government-wide shutdown in history of 43 days, from Oct. 1 to Nov. 12, 2025, ending after Congress passed a funding measure that Trump signed into law.

Appointment and administration battles

A Democratic-controlled Senate will have the power to scrutinise and reject Trump&rsquo;s nominees for federal judgeships, Cabinet positions, ambassadorships, and potential Supreme Court vacancies.

Democrats could also use oversight hearings to scrutinise senior administration officials.

Lucas suggested that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth could face particular scrutiny if the months-long Iran war continues.

&ldquo;They may open up hearings on certain officials like the Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, especially if the Iran war continues to go so badly and he keeps urging the military,&rdquo; Lucas said.

Read More: Iranian officials gloat as US voters deal blow to Trump

He also pointed to the possibility of congressional scrutiny of senior Justice Department officials.

&ldquo;I think they will push back on other officials, maybe short of impeachment, like the head of the Justice Department, Todd Blanche, because he&#39;s effectively Trump&#39;s lawyer,&rdquo; he said.

Democrats charge that Trump has weaponised and politicised the Justice Department, using it as a tool to target his political enemies.

Impeachment issue

Democrats could technically launch another impeachment process against Trump, as the House has the power to impeach a president with a simple majority.

But removing him from office would be much harder. Conviction in the Senate requires a two-thirds majority of senators present.

Trump was impeached twice during his first term, in 2019 over his dealings with Ukraine and in 2021 over his role in the events surrounding the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol. The Senate acquitted him in both cases.

Lucas does not expect Democrats to make impeachment their priority.



Senator-elect from Kansas Hamilton in Overland Park, November 3, 2026. Photo: Reuters

&ldquo;Remember, you need a two-thirds majority to convict in the Senate, so you would need 67 seats. At most they&#39;re going to have 56 and more likely it&#39;s going to be around 54, maybe 55.&rdquo;

Current projections put Senate Democrats at 54 seats.

Lucas said the emphasis would be on holding officials accountable rather than trying to remove Trump from office.

&ldquo;I look for them more to go for those hearings for accountability rather than impeachment when it comes to Trump.&rdquo;

What happens next?

The new Congress is scheduled to begin its term on Jan 3, 2027. Republicans retain control of both chambers until the current congressional term ends.

Democratic control will not automatically reverse Trump&rsquo;s executive actions or remove his constitutional powers. However, it will give the opposition party greater authority to investigate his administration, challenge his legislative priorities, and influence federal spending.

The next two years could thus see increased congressional scrutiny, prolonged negotiations over government funding, and a more contested relationship between the White House and Capitol Hill.]]>
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			<title>Saudi Arabia says danger has passed in Najran after earlier alert</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638623/saudi-arabia-says-danger-has-passed-in-najran-after-earlier-alert</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638623/saudi-arabia-says-danger-has-passed-in-najran-after-earlier-alert#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 10:45:26 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Four airstrikes target Houthi weapons depots, military vehicles at Central Security Camp in Al-Bayda province]]>
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				<![CDATA[Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s Civil Defence said Wednesday that the danger had passed in southwestern Najran province following an earlier warning of a &ldquo;potential danger.&rdquo;

In a statement on US social media platform X, the Civil Defence urged residents to continue following its instructions and to &ldquo;avoid gathering and filming.&rdquo;



تم إطلاق إنذار من المنصة الوطنية للإنذار المبكر في حالات الطوارئ في منطقة نجران للتحذير من خطر، اتبع الآتي:

A warning has been issued by the National Early Warning Platform in Najran Province to alert of a potential danger. Please follow the instructions below: pic.twitter.com/zoQyVYXZqT
&mdash; الدفاع المدني السعودي (@SaudiDCD) November 4, 2026



This marked the second such alert issued for Najran province on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, Saudi authorities also issued a warning for Riyadh province before announcing that &ldquo;the danger has passed.&rdquo;



تنبيه زال الخطر عن منطقة الرياض، لسلامتك الاستمرار في اتباع تعليمات #الدفاع_المدني وتجنب التجمهر والتصوير نهائيًا. في حالة الطوارئ اتصل بالرقم (911).

Alert: The danger has passed in Riyadh Province. For your safety, continue following #CivilDefense instructions and avoid&hellip; pic.twitter.com/fzEc3tmPUY
&mdash; الدفاع المدني السعودي (@SaudiDCD) November 3, 2026



Earlier, four airstrikes targeted weapons depots and military vehicles belonging to Yemen&rsquo;s Houthi group at the Central Security Camp in Al-Bayda province, Al-Jumhuriya TV reported on Wednesday, citing field sources. The broadcaster provided no details on casualties or the extent of the damage, and the party responsible for the attack remained unidentified.

The Houthis control most of Al-Bayda, a strategically important province in central Yemen that borders eight others.

Al-Jumhuriya TV also reported that Houthi missile shelling targeted the vicinity of Al-Allala military camp in Qatabah district, in northern Al-Dhalea governorate, with reports of deaths and injuries among recruits.

Separately, Aden TV reported that an ambush killed or wounded Houthi fighters during an attempted infiltration in the Al-Aqroud area, south of Taiz. The broadcaster also said artillery belonging to the armed forces targeted Houthi positions on the fronts in Marib.

In another development, Aden TV reported that the Houthis targeted a prison at the Iron Factory in Lahj province with a ballistic missile. It said there were reports of deaths and injuries among detainees inside the prison.

Read:&nbsp;Saudi-led coalition intercepts Houthi missile, drone targeting kingdom

Since October&nbsp;5, Yemeni government forces have been conducting an operation dubbed &ldquo;Dawn of Yemen,&rdquo; aimed at regaining control of state institutions and retaking the capital, Sanaa, from the group.

Fighting between the two sides resumed in July, killing and wounding thousands and displacing more than 250,000 people, according to United Nations reports. The renewed fighting ended a period of relative calm that had prevailed since April 2022, while worsening Yemen&rsquo;s humanitarian crisis amid continued conflict and displacement.

Yemen has been mired in civil war since the Houthis seized Sanaa and several provinces in September 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government.]]>
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			<title>Federal govt signs off on Pak-Kuwait defence agreement</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638615/pakistan-continues-diplomatic-efforts-to-ease-mideast-tensions-pm-shehbaz</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638615/pakistan-continues-diplomatic-efforts-to-ease-mideast-tensions-pm-shehbaz#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 10:03:13 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638615</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Announces fuel subsidy to continue until end of December; approves Rs160b development package for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa]]>
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				<![CDATA[The federal cabinet on Wednesday ratified the&nbsp;Pakistan-Kuwait Defence Cooperation Agreement.

The agreement was finalised on June 11, 2023, to promote cooperation between the two countries in the defence sector.

A statement from the Prime Minister&#39;s Office (PMO)&nbsp;said the Kuwaiti government had ratified the agreement on July 19.



وزیرِ اعظم محمد شہباز شریف کی زیرِ صدارت وفاقی کابینہ کا اجلاس آج اسلام آباد میں منعقد ہوا.

وفاقی کابینہ نے خیبرپختونخوا میں انتظامی امور کی سہل انجام دہی اور گورننس کی مزید بہتری کیلئے وزیر اعلی کو تفویض شدہ اختیارات کی صوبے میں ایمرجنسی کی مدت کے دوران روزمرہ کے امور کی انجام&hellip; pic.twitter.com/cMBpEs9Bc8
&mdash; Prime Minister&#39;s Office (@PakPMO) November 4, 2026



The agreement establishes a framework for military cooperation between the Kuwaiti and Pakistani armed forces, covering military training, education, intelligence sharing, logistics, defence technology, research and exchanges of expertise, to strengthen institutional military ties between the two countries.

It also provides for cooperation in military manufacturing, electronic communications systems, scientific research, military media and cultural and sports activities.

Under the agreement, a joint military committee will oversee implementation, including the organisation of joint military exercises, official visits and other cooperative programs.

Read More: Pakistan, Kuwait call for de-escalation amid widening US-Iran conflict

The pact will remain in force for five years and will be automatically renewed unless either side decides to terminate it. It also commits both countries to protecting confidential military information and resolving any disputes arising from the agreement through diplomatic channels.

The ratification follows a series of high-level contacts between Kuwaiti and Pakistani military officials in recent months aimed at expanding bilateral defence coordination.

The agreement comes as Kuwait continues to deepen security cooperation with international partners amid heightened regional security challenges in the Gulf.

Kuwait has been among several Gulf countries targeted by Iranian missile and drone attacks during the recent regional escalation. Tehran has said the strikes were aimed at US military facilities hosted by Gulf states, while Kuwaiti authorities said their air defences intercepted projectiles that entered the country&#39;s airspace.

Transfer of powers to K-P governor

The federal cabinet also approved the transfer of powers delegated to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister to the provincial governor for the conduct of day-to-day affairs during the period of emergency.

According to the PMO statement, the move was intended to facilitate administrative matters and improve governance in the province. The governor would submit a monthly report to the federal government reviewing the exercise of these powers.

The cabinet expressed hope that the K-P Advisory Council, under the governor&rsquo;s leadership, would work for the welfare and prosperity of the province&rsquo;s people and help restore peace and security.

The prime minister also said a Rs160 billion development package had been finalised for K-P, with security given priority.

He said a large number of terrorists had been eliminated in the province and expressed confidence that terrorism would be eradicated through the sacrifices of security personnel and the coordinated efforts of law enforcement agencies, the provincial government and the federal government.

Describing K-P as Pakistan&rsquo;s most beautiful province, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised its people for resisting terrorism for decades and paying a heavy price in sacrifices.

He said Balochistan had also faced terrorism for a long time, adding that the menace had been eliminated in 2018 but had unfortunately resurfaced. He expressed hope that it would once again be comprehensively suppressed. He added that the federal and provincial governments would work with security institutions to eliminate terrorism.

New currency note designs approved

On the recommendation of the Ministry of Finance, the cabinet approved the designs of new currency notes after receiving a detailed briefing on the process.

The briefing informed the meeting that proposals had been invited from artists and designers across the country. A cabinet committee established by the prime minister had also held consultations with relevant stakeholders on the proposed designs.

The new notes would feature enhanced security measures to prevent counterfeiting and use modern materials intended to extend their lifespan, the statement said.

The cabinet also approved the introduction of a Rs10 coin to replace the existing Rs10 banknote.

The Federal Cabinet further ratified decisions taken at the October 26 meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government-Owned Institutions.

It also ratified decisions taken at meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases held on January 22, February 26, August 5, 18 and 27, and September 11 and 22.

Pakistan continuing efforts to promote regional peace and stability

PM Shehbaz also said Pakistan was continuing diplomatic efforts to promote regional peace and stability, while the government was taking measures to shield the public from rising international petroleum prices.

He also announced that the fuel subsidy programme would continue until the end of December and said a Rs160 billion development package had been approved for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Addressing a cabinet meeting in Islamabad, he said international oil prices had risen sharply amid unrest in the region and that Pakistan was continuing to play its role in efforts to establish peace.

He said a Pakistani delegation had visited Tehran twice during the previous week, while Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir had also travelled to Iran, along with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Senior officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkiye had held discussions there, which, according to the prime minister, took place in a positive atmosphere.

The discussions also covered ways to promote regional understanding in connection with an agreement involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, he said.

&nbsp;



وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف کی کابینہ اجلاس میں ابتدائی گفتگو https://t.co/43KiQFGNV5
&mdash; Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) November 4, 2026


Fuel subsidy to continue until December

The prime minister said the government&rsquo;s fuel subsidy programme would continue until the end of December, adding that 15 million people had used tokens under the scheme. Assuming an average family size of five, he said, the programme had benefited at least 75 million people.

He said the government had provided approximately Rs28 billion in subsidies and was closely monitoring the programme to ensure transparency.

However, reports of irregularities at some petrol pumps had emerged, prompting him to direct Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik to shut down outlets found involved in malpractice and take strict action against those responsible.

PM Shehbaz said the government had also prevented an increase of Rs15 per litre in petrol prices from being passed on to consumers following a rise in international petroleum prices the previous Friday.

He said the petroleum minister and his team had held discussions with refineries and persuaded them to absorb the additional cost instead of transferring the burden to the public. The prime minister congratulated the minister and his team for their efforts.

PM says LNG mafia era has ended

The prime minister said the government had ended what he described as the LNG import mafia, which he said had earned billions of rupees over several decades.

He praised the deputy prime minister, the energy and finance ministers and their teams for their efforts, saying LPG imports and management were now being handled through government institutions, including Pakistan State Oil and Pakistan Petroleum Limited, under a competitive and transparent mechanism.

PM Shehbaz said LPG imports would be opened to competition, while the locally produced LPG quota would be auctioned. The government would use the resulting profits to provide subsidies to consumers, he added.

Read More: LPG price hike crushes rickshaw drivers

PM Shehbaz said the government was holding meetings every two to three days to review preparations for the winter season, particularly in view of challenges affecting maritime routes and the availability and supply of fuel, LPG and other resources.

He said the government would make every possible effort to ensure that the required quantities of LPG and petroleum products reached consumers and that power generation plants continued operating.

It would also seek to contain the impact of rising prices and prevent supply-related difficulties, he added.

Defence developments and G24 appointment

PM Shehbaz congratulated the nation on Pakistan&rsquo;s successful test of an air-to-air missile, which he said had taken place the previous day.

He credited Field Marshal Munir, his team and the institutions and individuals involved in the test for the achievement.

The prime minister also congratulated Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on his election as chairman of the Group of 24. He said Pakistan would fulfil the responsibility with diligence and effectively present its position at international forums.]]>
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			<title>US midterms deliver wave of historic firsts across states, Congress</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638619/us-midterms-deliver-wave-of-historic-firsts-across-states-congress</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638619/us-midterms-deliver-wave-of-historic-firsts-across-states-congress#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 10:36:39 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638619</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Democrats regain control of both chambers of Congress as Texas, Florida, Wisconsin, Ohio mark historic firsts]]>
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				<![CDATA[The 2026 US midterm elections produced a series of historic firsts across the country, with women and candidates from minority communities breaking longstanding barriers in races for governor and Congress.

The results included the election of the first Black woman governor in US history, the first Native American woman to win a Senate seat, and the first Muslim member of Congress from New Jersey, among other milestones.

The election also reshaped the balance of power in Washington. Democrats secured a majority in the US Senate in Tuesday&#39;s midterm elections, dealing a significant blow to the second half of US President Donald Trump&#39;s presidency. US media projected a 53-42 Democratic advantage as of 1200 PKT, driven by at least seven seat pickups across the nation.

Democrats also won control of the US House of Representatives in Tuesday&#39;s midterms after Johnny Garcia defeated Carlos De La Cruz in Texas&rsquo;s 35th District, according to The Associated Press.

Read:&nbsp;Democrats sweep Congress in US midterm elections

The victory gave Democrats the 218 seats needed for a majority in the 435-member chamber, ending Republican control and dealing a major political setback to President Donald Trump. As of 1139 PKT, 87 seats had yet to be called.

The victories also extended beyond Washington, with Democrats winning key gubernatorial races in traditionally Republican states, including Georgia and Texas.

First Muslim elected to US Senate

Abdul El-Sayed, an Egyptian American Democrat and former public health official, made history Tuesday by becoming the first Muslim elected to the US Senate after defeating Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan&#39;s closely watched midterm election.

El-Sayed, 42, is a medical doctor and former public health official who previously served as Detroit&rsquo;s health director and headed the Wayne County Department of Health, Human and Veterans Services, including Detroit, Michigan&rsquo;s largest city.

Born and raised in Michigan to an Egyptian immigrant father, he graduated from the University of Michigan, earned a doctorate from the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, and received his medical degree from Columbia University.

He won the Democratic nomination in August, defeating US Rep. Haley Stevens in a closely watched primary. His campaign focused on healthcare, economic inequality, and curbing corporate influence in politics.

First Black woman elected governor

Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms made history by defeating Republican businessman Rick Jackson in Georgia, becoming the first Black woman elected governor of a US state.

The former Atlanta mayor is also Georgia&rsquo;s first woman and first Black governor. Her victory returned the governor&rsquo;s office to Democrats for the first time since 1998, ending more than two decades of Republican control.

Bottoms previously served as Atlanta&rsquo;s mayor from 2018 to 2022 and worked in local government before entering statewide politics.

First Native American woman to lead a state

Former US Interior Secretary Deb Haaland became the first Native American woman elected governor of a US state after defeating Republican Gregg Hull in New Mexico.

A citizen of the Laguna Pueblo, Haaland previously made history in 2021 as the first Native American to serve as a US Cabinet secretary when then-President Joe Biden appointed her to lead the Interior Department.

Her election marks another milestone in Native American political representation, bringing a member of an Indigenous community to the leadership of a state.

First Native American woman elected to Senate

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan became the first Native American woman elected to the US Senate after defeating Republican Michele Tafoya, a former NFL sideline reporter.

Flanagan, an enrolled member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, will succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Tina Smith.

Before becoming lieutenant governor in 2019, she served on the Minneapolis Board of Education and represented St. Louis Park in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

She has also worked on Indigenous rights and relations between the state government and tribal nations.

First Muslim member of Congress from New Jersey

Democrat Adam Hamawy won New Jersey&rsquo;s 12th Congressional District, becoming the state&rsquo;s first Muslim member of Congress.

A plastic surgeon and former US Army combat surgeon, Hamawy defeated Republican Gregg Mele.

His election adds another milestone to the growing representation of Muslim Americans in the US Congress.

First Latina governor of Texas

Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Republican incumbent Greg Abbott to become Texas&rsquo; first Latina governor.

Her victory also marks a return of Democrats to the governor&rsquo;s office after more than three decades. The last Democrat to hold the post was the late Ann Richards, who left office in 1995.

Hinojosa&rsquo;s win gives Democrats control of the state&rsquo;s top office after years of Republican leadership and marks a significant change in Texas&rsquo; political landscape.

First Black governors in Florida and Wisconsin

Republican Byron Donalds became Florida&rsquo;s first Black governor and the first Black Republican elected governor in US history after narrowly defeating Democrat David Jolly.

Donalds, a member of the US House of Representatives, will succeed Ron DeSantis. His victory also makes him the first Black candidate elected to statewide office in Florida.

In Wisconsin, Democrat David Crowley defeated Republican Tom Tiffany to become the state&rsquo;s first Black governor.

Crowley previously served as Milwaukee County executive and will succeed Democrat Tony Evers.

First woman elected governor of Ohio

Democrat Amy Acton defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy to become Ohio&rsquo;s first woman elected governor and its first Jewish governor.

A physician and former director of the Ohio Department of Health, Acton became widely known during the COVID-19 pandemic for her role in the state&rsquo;s public health response.

Although Nancy Hollister briefly served as governor for 11 days in 1998-99, Acton is the first woman elected to the office.

3 Black women to serve simultaneously in Senate

Democrat Juliana Stratton&rsquo;s victory in Illinois&rsquo; Senate race will bring the number of Black women serving simultaneously in the chamber to three for the first time when she takes office in January 2027.

She will join Democratic Sens. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware.

Read more:&nbsp;World reacts to Democrats winning US midterms

Stratton, who served as Illinois lieutenant governor under Gov. JB Pritzker, will also become the second Black woman elected to represent Illinois in the Senate, following Carol Moseley Braun, who won her seat in 1992.

Her election means Illinois will have two women of color in the Senate, alongside Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth.]]>
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			<title>Iranian officials gloat as US voters deal blow to Trump</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638663/iranian-officials-gloat-as-us-voters-deal-blow-to-trump</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638663/iranian-officials-gloat-as-us-voters-deal-blow-to-trump#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 15:56:50 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638663</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Iran's Parliament Speaker Qalibaf says Americans reject war over conscience and the cost of living]]>
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				<![CDATA[Iran&#39;s government savoured the stinging rebuke delivered to Donald Trump in the midterm elections, declaring voters had rejected the war launched by ​the US president even as Tehran remained on high alert for the possibility of renewed strikes.

&quot;Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and &zwnj;we endorse this message,&quot; Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran&#39;s chief negotiator, posted on X, adding that Washington should not ignore public opinion by attacking his country again.



Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message.

If the US govt betrays their public will to serve international paymasters and blackmailers, it will learn our NO comes with a Nightmare.
&mdash; محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) November 4, 2026


Iran&#39;s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a written statement that US hostility would persist regardless of which party was in power, warning against &quot;even the slightest inclination towards submission&quot; to the US.



The full text of the message issued by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei, on the occasion of the National Day of Fighting Global Arrogance, Nov. 4, 2026 pic.twitter.com/bjCedjH29h
&mdash; Khamenei Media (@Khamenei_m) November 4, 2026



&quot;The US sees the end of its hegemony as distant; we see it as near,&quot; he added.

Old foes

Democrats ​captured majorities in both the Senate and House in Tuesday&#39;s election, with victories in Republican strongholds underscoring deep frustration with Trump&#39;s stewardship of the economy and his decision to ​launch a war that drove up gas prices.

In Iran, a news outlet run by the judiciary shared a joke circulating on X that &quot;Trump failed at ⁠regime change in Iran, but he succeeded in Texas&quot;, a reference to the southern state where a Democrat won a Senate race for the first time in decades.

But two senior Iranian sources ​told Reuters that while Iranian leaders welcomed the Democrats&rsquo; victory, Tehran was concerned that Trump could seek to compensate for it with a military strike, and remained on high alert.

Read:&nbsp;Anyone expecting shift in US policy after midterm election &#39;seriously mistaken&#39;: Iranian supreme leader

Iran&#39;s leaders have long ​regarded the United States as their main enemy, referring to it as &quot;the Great Satan&quot;.

At a state-organised rally on Wednesday commemorating the student takeover of the US embassy in Tehran during the 1979 Islamic revolution, demonstrators voiced triumph at an election they linked to Iran&#39;s success in surviving months of US attacks.

&quot;The fact that the might of these warmongering Republicans has been broken, something unprecedented in human history, means that from now on we will ​see the real war unfolding inside the US Senate and among American officials,&quot; said one, giving only his family name of Nazari.

Mediators have intensified efforts to end the war amid fears it ​could reignite after the election, with Trump on Tuesday declining to rule out a resumption of combat operations after the vote and Iran planning wider retaliation if war resumes.

The US and Israel attacked Iran on February &zwnj;28, and Iran ⁠responded with strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host US bases. Conflict also erupted in Lebanon between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel, and more recently spread to Yemen, from where the Iran-aligned Houthis have struck energy facilities, airports and other targets in Saudi Arabia.

Global oil and gas prices have shot up, with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz severely disrupted after Tehran declared it closed, while the US has imposed a naval blockade on Iran, hitting Iran&#39;s economy hard.

&#39;Iran&rsquo;s shadow over US elections&#39;

Ahead of the US election, senior Iranian officials told Reuters that Tehran was deliberately prolonging talks with ​the US to weaken Trump politically ahead of the ​vote.

Some news outlets played on the timing ⁠of the election on the anniversary of the embassy seizure, when radical students cemented Iran&#39;s toppling of the US-backed Shah by storming the embassy and holding 52 Americans hostage there for 444 days.

Major Iranian newspaper Hamshahri linked the events with a front-page image showing Trump blindfolded with his head ​bowed.

With a headline declaring &quot;Iran&#39;s shadow over US elections&quot;, it said Washington had been &quot;47 years Iran&#39;s captive: from the capture of the spies&#39; ​nest (US embassy) to the November ⁠2026 US Congress elections&quot;.

The Iran war has been unpopular among Americans since it began, and blaming the war for driving up costs was a focus of the Democrats&#39; election campaign.

Also Read:&nbsp;Democrats sweep Congress in US midterm elections

Khamenei&#39;s message signalled that Tehran had no intention of showing flexibility on its demands for lasting control over the Strait of Hormuz or conditions to end the conflict.

&quot;The consequences of (US) miscalculations and arrogant delusions have manifested as a heavy burden ⁠of costs, ​borne by the American people and the puppet regimes subservient to the US government,&quot; he said.

Trump has offered shifting goals ​and timelines for the war that is now in its ninth month.

&quot;I think a part of it was Iran, but at the same time people understood the importance of what I&#39;ve done with Iran,&quot; Trump told Fox News, referring to the ​election result.

The conservative Iranian newspaper Jam-e Jam declared the election result &quot;The twilight of Trumpism&quot;.]]>
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			<title>Pakistan, UK voice concern over terrorism threat from Afghanistan: FO</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638629/pakistan-uk-voice-concern-over-terrorism-threat-from-afghanistan-fo</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638629/pakistan-uk-voice-concern-over-terrorism-threat-from-afghanistan-fo#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 11:09:19 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[web.desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Both sides agree to address emerging threats, including disinformation and the misuse of social media]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan and the United Kingdom on Wednesday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening counterterrorism cooperation, expressing concern over the continued threat posed by terrorist groups including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operating in and from Afghanistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said.

In a statement issued after the annual Pakistan-UK Counterterrorism Dialogue&nbsp;held in Islamabad, the Foreign Office said the two sides had discussed the evolving global and regional security environment, including threats posed by terrorist organisations and transnational networks.

&nbsp;



🔊 PR No. 3️⃣1️⃣9️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣

Pakistan-UK Counterterrorism Dialogue

🔗⬇️ pic.twitter.com/vdAh6xSP6C
&mdash; Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 4, 2026


The UK also expressed condolences over the loss of innocent lives in terrorist attacks in Pakistan and reiterated its support for Islamabad in the fight against terrorism.

Both sides underscored the need for a stable and secure Afghanistan as a cornerstone of lasting peace and prosperity across the region.



The annual Pakistan&ndash;UK CT dialogue was held on 4 November 2026 in Islamabad. Both sides reviewed ongoing bilateral and multilateral cooperation in counterterrorism and reaffirmed their shared commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The dialogue also&hellip; pic.twitter.com/Kzg9qqtwk3
&mdash; Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 4, 2026


The dialogue also reviewed ongoing bilateral and multilateral cooperation in counterterrorism, with both countries reaffirming their shared commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

The discussions further focused on exchanging best practices and exploring new avenues of partnership to address emerging trends in terrorism, including misinformation and disinformation campaigns, the exploitation of social media platforms and the misuse of emerging technologies.

Read more: Pakistan tells UK: terror hub in Afghanistan

Both sides also acknowledged Pakistan&#39;s contributions to regional stability and security and agreed to strengthen institutional linkages and maintain regular engagement to advance their shared counterterrorism objectives.

The two countries agreed to hold the next round of the Pakistan-UK Counterterrorism Dialogue in London in 2027, on mutually agreed dates.]]>
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			<title>Asim Azhar invites Lahore's Surtaal Kids Band to open his tour</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638631/asim-azhar-invites-lahores-surtaal-kids-band-to-open-his-tour</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638631/asim-azhar-invites-lahores-surtaal-kids-band-to-open-his-tour#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 11:14:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638631</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Young musicians to perform alongside the singer in Faisalabad, Lahore and Islamabad]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Singer Asim Azhar announced a special opening act for his upcoming Asim Ali Tour, inviting young performers from Lahore&rsquo;s Surtaal Music Academy to join him at concerts across Pakistan.

The Surtaal Kids Band will accompany Azhar at three stops on the Pakistan leg of his tour: Faisalabad on November 6, Lahore on November 7 and Islamabad on November 8. The concerts will mark the children&#39;s first public performances on such a major platform.

The announcement came through a collaborative Instagram post featuring Azhar and the academy, in which the young musicians expressed their excitement about performing alongside the singer.

&ldquo;Surtaal Kids Band is coming to the Asim Ali Tour! 6th Nov | FAISALABAD | 7th | LAHORE | 8th Nov ko | ISLAMABAD with @asimazhar Bhai. See You There!&rdquo; the academy wrote in its announcement.

In the accompanying video, Azhar is seen sitting among the children as he explains what prompted him to invite them to perform at his concerts. &ldquo;The kids invited me here with so much love that I thought I should return the gesture by giving them an opportunity to perform as the opening act of my Asim Ali Tour,&rdquo; he said.

The interaction then turns into a musical moment, with the children performing a rendition of Azhar&rsquo;s hit song Jo Tu Na Mila to showcase their vocal abilities. The singer also joins them, making the visit even more memorable for the young performers.





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Based in Lahore, Surtaal Music Academy has been attracting attention on social media for its young musicians&#39; impressive renditions of traditional and contemporary music.

Established in 2016 by music educator Zia-ul-Haq, the academy aims to make structured music education accessible to children, particularly those from underprivileged backgrounds. It provides free music lessons and trains more than 100 students in vocals and various musical instruments, helping them develop their abilities and gain opportunities to perform.

The students recently went viral for their soulful rendition of the popular song Alfaaz, which they performed alongside Norwegian singer and dancer William Gamborg during his visit to the academy. The performance received widespread appreciation on social media, with viewers praising the children&#39;s command of Qawwali and affectionately referring to them as the &ldquo;little Nusrats&rdquo;.

The performance brought wider attention to the academy and its young musicians, highlighting the talent emerging from its classrooms and the opportunities that can help young artists reach wider audiences.

Now, with their upcoming appearances alongside Azhar, the children are set to take another significant step in their musical journey. Their inclusion in the tour offers them an opportunity to perform before larger audiences while highlighting how established artists can help create space for the next generation of Pakistani musical talent.]]>
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			<title>Mariyam Nafees hits back at intrusive questions about having another child</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638648/mariyam-nafees-hits-back-at-intrusive-questions-about-having-another-child</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638648/mariyam-nafees-hits-back-at-intrusive-questions-about-having-another-child#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 12:20:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor sarcastically tells followers to find a job as a nanny if they are so concerned about her family plans]]>
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				<![CDATA[Actor Mariyam Nafees has hit back at people who repeatedly question her about having another child, expressing frustration over the intrusion into her personal life during a recent Instagram Q&amp;A session.

The actor&nbsp;addressed the matter after a follower asked her, &ldquo;Next baby when?&rdquo;, prompting a sarcastic response about people&#39;s tendency to interfere in celebrities&#39; family planning. &ldquo;Life would be going so well and then people would pop up with their questions,&rdquo; she said.

Questioning why anyone would be concerned about her decision to expand her family, Nafees asked, &ldquo;What difference will me having another kid make in your life?&rdquo;

Taking a further dig at the person asking, she suggested that the question might make sense if they were a nanny looking for a job. Otherwise, she could not understand why anyone would be so interested in her family plans.

&ldquo;If you are a nanny and need a job, that is another thing. Otherwise, how does it make any difference to you?&rdquo; she remarked.

Her response highlighted a recurring issue faced by married female celebrities, who are often questioned about pregnancy, motherhood and plans to have more children. She made it clear that decisions about expanding a family are personal and should not become subjects of public interrogation.

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Nafees made her acting debut with the popular drama Diyar-e-Dil in 2015 and gradually gained recognition through her performances in several television projects.

She has since appeared in dramas including Yaqeen Ka Safar, Munkir, Jhooti, Fitrat, Ishq Jalebi, Neem and Jaan-e-Jahan. Her portrayal of Khajista in Yaqeen Ka Safar remains among her notable television roles.

Beyond acting, Mariyam is also known for her outspoken personality and candid views on social issues, including joint-family pressures and women&#39;s space within marriage.

The actor&nbsp;married filmmaker Amaan Ahmed on March 25, 2022. The couple welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Syed Eesa Amaan Ahmed, in March 2025.

Mariyam has openly shared moments from her pregnancy and motherhood journey on social media. She has also spoken about her husband&#39;s involvement in parenting and the importance of sharing responsibilities.

While the actor&nbsp;has remained candid about different aspects of motherhood, her latest response makes one thing clear: being a public figure does not mean celebrities are obliged to answer every personal question about their marriages, children or plans to expand their families.

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			<title>Usman Mukhtar celebrates wife's birthday with playful banter</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638638/usman-mukhtar-celebrates-wifes-birthday-with-playful-banter</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638638/usman-mukhtar-celebrates-wifes-birthday-with-playful-banter#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 11:40:17 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor shares montage of their memories, praising his wife as a loving mother, caring sister and his best friend]]>
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				<![CDATA[Actor Usman Mukhtar celebrated his wife Zunaira Inam Khan&#39;s birthday with a heartfelt Instagram tribute, sharing a montage of their memories together and a loving message that mixed admiration with his trademark humour.

Taking to Instagram, the actor shared a video featuring glimpses of Zunaira at different moments in their life together.

The montage brought together sweet memories, celebrations, candid interactions and funny moments, offering fans a glimpse into the couple&#39;s relationship away from the spotlight.

Alongside the video, Usman penned a birthday message celebrating his wife&#39;s many qualities and the different roles she plays in the lives of those around her.

&quot;To the woman who is the most loving mother, the most caring sister, a wonderful daughter, an incredible wife, and, above all, possibly the most intelligent human being I have ever known,&quot; he began.

The actor went on to appreciate how effortlessly Zunaira manages her many responsibilities, adding a playful touch to his otherwise emotional message.

&quot;You wear so many hats and somehow manage to make it all look effortless (which is frankly getting a little annoying for the rest of us),&quot; he joked.

Concluding his message, Usman wrote, &quot;Happy Birthday, Zunaira! I hope life gives you as much happiness as you bring to everyone around you. I love you more than words can say.&quot;





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The affectionate message, coupled with the collection of personal memories, offered a glimpse into the warmth and humour that characterise their relationship.

Usman and Zunaira tied the knot in an intimate Nikah ceremony on March 31, 2021. Their wedding took place amid COVID-19 restrictions, with the actor announcing their marriage on social media and expressing gratitude for having Zunaira by his side.

The couple later celebrated their wedding festivities with family and friends, sharing glimpses of the occasions with their followers.

Their family grew in February 2025 when they welcomed their first child, a daughter named Siera Inam Mukhtar. Announcing the arrival of their baby girl, Usman expressed gratitude for the new addition to their family, describing her as a beautiful blessing who had brought immense joy into their lives.

The actor has also marked previous wedding anniversaries with affectionate messages for Zunaira. In 2024, he described her as his best friend and full-time reality check, joking that their relationship felt like a romantic comedy mixed with a roast session.

On their fourth anniversary in 2025, he wrote about how life would not feel complete without Zunaira and their daughter, describing his wife as his best friend and the person who keeps him grounded.

His latest birthday tribute continued that tradition, celebrating not only Zunaira as his wife and the mother of their daughter but also the friendship and humour that underpin their relationship.]]>
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			<title>'It is a cappuccino. It can't be $10,' says Harry Styles about NYC coffee prices</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638653/it-is-a-cappuccino-it-cant-be-10-says-harry-styles-about-nyc-coffee-prices</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638653/it-is-a-cappuccino-it-cant-be-10-says-harry-styles-about-nyc-coffee-prices#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 14:26:59 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Singer jokes coffee and tipping costs spookiest part this Halloween]]>
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				<![CDATA[Singer Harry Styles, who recently completed a 30-show residency at Madison Square Garden in New York, ​thought prices for coffee in the city were some &zwnj;of the spookiest things he saw around Halloween.

&quot;It is a cappuccino. It can&#39;t be $10, it can&#39;t be,&quot; he said during one of his last concerts, ​according to videos posted by fans on social media.

&quot;The ​scariest thing about this Halloween is the price of ⁠caffeinated beverages in this city. Astronomical. It&#39;s out of control,&quot; he ​added, before also complaining about expensive tipping.

Some fans, in comments after ​the video, thought it was amusing that such a wealthy and successful personality would complain about such an ordinary thing as the price for a ​cup of coffee.

&quot;Harry is right... $10 for a cappuccino plus at ​least a 20% tip?,&quot; said one fan. &quot;Are you for real?&quot;

Others, meanwhile, criticized ticket &zwnj;prices ⁠for his concerts.

Coffee has suffered a series of cost shocks in recent years including climate-related production shortfalls in major producers and the imposition of US tariffs, which were later removed.

The price of a ​pound of ground ​roast coffee ⁠in US cities averaged $9.33 in September, according to the latest inflation reading from the Bureau of Labor ​Statistics.

That is the highest ever for the month ​and ⁠91% higher than in 2020, adding another item to the cost of living discussion as the US votes in the midterm elections.

Coffee companies say ⁠they ​had to cut profit margins during the ​cost shock to prevent prices rising even more, and are now in a period ​of recovering their margins.]]>
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			<title>Sonam Kapoor revisits Elizabeth Taylor’s iconic Bulgari emerald necklace after Kim Kardashian moment</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638654/sonam-kapoor-revisits-elizabeth-taylors-iconic-bulgari-emerald-necklace-after-kim-kardashian-moment</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638654/sonam-kapoor-revisits-elizabeth-taylors-iconic-bulgari-emerald-necklace-after-kim-kardashian-moment#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 14:57:40 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[From Taylor’s romance with Richard Burton to its $6.1 million auction, the necklace has a remarkable celebrity legacy]]>
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				<![CDATA[Sonam Kapoor is taking a trip down memory lane, and the jewellery in question has quite the history. After Kim Kardashian recently brought Elizabeth Taylor&#39;s iconic emerald-and-diamond Bulgari necklace back into the spotlight, the Bollywood actor shared throwback photographs of herself wearing the legendary piece.

Taking to Instagram, Sonam posted pictures of herself in a striking red ensemble, accessorised with the spectacular emerald necklace. Her caption was as witty as ever:

&quot;Since everyone&rsquo;s talking about Elizabeth Taylor&rsquo;s iconic Bulgari necklace, I thought I&rsquo;d throw it back to when I had my little moment with her. My big fashion revelation at the time? Red and green look rather fabulous together. Groundbreaking, I know.&quot; &quot;Clearly, this necklace has a better social life than most of us,&quot; she added.





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And she isn&#39;t wrong. Few pieces of jewellery have enjoyed a social calendar quite as extraordinary as this one.

Long before it became a coveted piece of jewellery history, the emerald-and-diamond necklace was part of one of Hollywood&#39;s most famous love stories.

The necklace was created by Italian luxury jewellery house Bulgari around 1962, when Taylor was in Rome filming Cleopatra. It was during this period that Taylor&#39;s romance with her co-star Richard Burton blossomed, with the couple becoming regular visitors to Bulgari&#39;s famous boutique on Via Condotti.

Burton, who famously indulged Taylor&#39;s love of extravagant jewellery, gifted her an extraordinary collection of Bulgari emerald pieces over the course of their relationship. The necklace was presented to Taylor as a wedding gift in 1964, according to Christie&#39;s auction catalogue.

The necklace also featured a distinctive design element: a hoop at the front that allowed Taylor to suspend a magnificent detachable emerald-and-diamond pendant from it. The pendant was a separate jewel, originally gifted to her by Burton around the time of their engagement in 1962.

Together, the pieces formed part of Taylor&#39;s celebrated Bulgari emerald suite, a collection that reflected both her extraordinary personal style and her enduring romance with Burton.

The necklace was also an exquisite example of Bulgari&#39;s distinctive approach to coloured gemstones.

According to Christie&#39;s auction catalogue, the platinum creation featured 16 graduated rectangular and square-cut emeralds, each surrounded by circular-cut diamonds. These were separated by delicate diamond motifs incorporating circular, marquise and pear-shaped stones.

While Elizabeth Taylor made the necklace famous, she was not the last celebrated woman to wear the historic creation.



PHOTO: Harper&#39;s Bazaar Australia

In February 2013, actress Julianne Moore wore the very same necklace at a Bulgari celebration at the brand&#39;s Rodeo Drive boutique in Beverly Hills.

The event showcased pieces from Taylor&#39;s jewellery collection, which Bulgari had acquired following the 2011 auction.

Moore&#39;s appearance marked one of the necklace&#39;s first major public outings after its return to the jewellery house.



PHOTO: Getty Images

Most recently, Kardashian brought the necklace back into the conversation during a visit to Bulgari&#39;s Rome boutique.

The reality star and entrepreneur was given the opportunity to try on the historic piece, sharing her experience and admiration for Taylor on social media.



PHOTO: People

Following Taylor&#39;s death in 2011, her extraordinary jewellery collection went under the hammer at Christie&#39;s in New York.

The Bulgari emerald-and-diamond necklace was sold on December 13, 2011, for an impressive $6,130,500, substantially exceeding its pre-sale estimate of $1 million to $1.5 million.

What makes Taylor&#39;s Bulgari necklace so fascinating is that its appeal goes far beyond its monetary value.

It represents an era when jewellery was deeply personal, when extraordinary gemstones were exchanged as declarations of love and when Hollywood glamour was defined by unapologetic extravagance.

Perhaps that is why it continues to captivate a new generation of celebrities and fashion enthusiasts, decades after it first became part of Hollywood history.]]>
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			<title>Govt slashes petrol by Rs7.06, diesel by Rs3.71 for Nov 5</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638670/govt-slashes-petrol-by-rs706-diesel-by-rs371-for-nov-5</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638670/govt-slashes-petrol-by-rs706-diesel-by-rs371-for-nov-5#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 17:43:21 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638670</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Petrol price decreases to Rs362 per litre, while HSD will cost Rs387.81 under daily price mechanism]]>
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				<![CDATA[The federal government on Wednesday slashed the price of petrol by Rs7.06 per litre and that of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs3.71 per litre for November 5.

According to a notification issued by the Petroleum Division, the price of petrol was fixed at Rs362 per litre, while HSD would cost Rs387.81 per litre for Thursday.

The latest revision comes a day after the government reduced the price of petrol by Rs5.45 per litre and that of HSD by Rs3.68 for November 4.

Read: Govt cuts petrol price by Rs5.45, HSD by Rs3.68 for Nov 4

On Monday, the government announced that oil refineries would bear a burden of Rs15 billion per month, which would allow petrol to be sold Rs15 cheaper than it was in the global market amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Read More: Refineries to shoulder Rs15b fuel burden

On July 17, the government announced a new pricing mechanism under which petroleum product prices would be reviewed and notified daily, replacing the weekly pricing mechanism, as renewed tensions between the United States and Iran continued to drive volatility in global oil markets and raise concerns over fuel supplies.

On September 13, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a special relief scheme offering Rs100 per litre off petrol for motorcycles, three-wheeler rickshaws and cars with engines up to 800cc, in an attempt to shield lower-income consumers from the impact of rising petroleum prices.

Under the proposal, an estimated 11.8 million beneficiaries would be covered. Around 10 million two-wheeler users and 800,000 three-wheeler users would be entitled to relief on 20 litres of fuel per month, translating into a maximum monthly benefit of Rs2,000 per beneficiary.

Another one million users of cars up to 800cc would receive relief on 30 litres per month, providing them with a maximum benefit of Rs3,000 each.

On Sept 17, the government reintroduced austerity and fuel conservation measures amid rising fuel prices, tightening business operating hours and restricting public events.

Under the measures, notified with immediate effect, shops, markets, shopping malls, bazaars, departmental stores, grocery stores, general stores and kiryana shops would close by 9pm throughout the week, according to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division.

Marriage halls, marquees and other commercial venues hosting festive events would close by 10pm, while restaurants, cafes, eateries, food outlets and standalone fruit and vegetable shops would be allowed to operate until 11pm. Takeaway and home delivery services would remain exempt from the timing restrictions.]]>
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			<title>PSX soars nearly 4,000 points in euphoric rally</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638608/kse-100-surges-over-2500-points-to-cross-170000-mark</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638608/kse-100-surges-over-2500-points-to-cross-170000-mark#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 08:52:36 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Buying frenzy sweeps bourse as US midterm outcome lifts hopes of Iran peace]]>
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				<![CDATA[A wave of cheer swept through the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Wednesday as renewed hopes of easing geopolitical tensions and a shift in Washington&#39;s political dynamics following the United States midterm elections lifted investor confidence.&nbsp;

Reflecting the upbeat mood, the benchmark KSE-100 Index surged 3,994.62 points, or 2.38% to settle at 172,013.48 points, crossing another major milestone and posting one of its strongest single-session gains in recent trading history. The market had opened on a positive note, with the index gaining 1,707.48 points, or 1.02%, to reach 169,726.34 at 10:04am.

A further boost to market sentiment came from the decline in international oil prices, which eased as investors weighed the implications of the US midterm election results against uncertainty over Washington&#39;s next move in the US-Israeli war on Iran. The combination of softer oil prices and hopes of a possible easing of geopolitical tensions provided an encouraging backdrop for equities, supporting the upbeat mood at the local bourse.

Internationally, Brent crude futures fell $1.75, or 0.7%, to $101.85 a barrel at 10:34am GMT, after dropping as much as $2 earlier in the session. Similarly, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures declined $1.18, or 1.2%, to $94.91 a barrel, reversing an earlier gain of $1.

Read: PSX gains over 1,400 points on renewed buying

&ldquo;Buying by institutional investors and funds, hopes of a shift in the US political landscape following the midterm elections, reports of a draft proposal between the US and Iran, and relatively stable oil prices around $103 a barrel all contributed to the market&#39;s positive momentum,&rdquo; Arif Habib Limited (AHL) Head of Research Sana Tawfik told The Express Tribune. She added that investors were closely monitoring geopolitical developments, particularly the US midterm election results, which indicated a shift in the balance of political power in Washington.

Cumulatively, trading volume jumped to 841.6 million shares from Tuesday&rsquo;s total of 517.3 million while the value of traded shares stood at Rs35.3 billion. Shares of 499 companies were traded in the ready market, of which 368 stocks closed higher, 103 fell and 28 remained unchanged.

TPL Properties became the volume topper with trading in 67.9 million shares, gaining Rs0.68 to close at Rs12.67.]]>
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			<title>Oil rises on Iran war uncertainty after Trump's Republicans face election rout</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638585/oil-rises-on-iran-war-uncertainty-after-trumps-republicans-face-election-rout</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638585/oil-rises-on-iran-war-uncertainty-after-trumps-republicans-face-election-rout#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 06:08:51 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Brent futures rise 82 cents, or 0.8%, to $104.42 a barrel]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Oil prices ​rose on Wednesday in a volatile session as investors awaited Washington&#39;s next move in the war with Iran, after Democrats captured control of the US Congress from President Donald Trump&#39;s Republicans in the&nbsp;midterm elections.

Brent futures rose 82 cents, or 0.8%, to $104.42 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained 50 cents, or 0.5%, to $96.59, reversing earlier ​declines.

In the previous session, Brent settled at its lowest level in nearly four weeks as traders weighed ​talks to end the wars in Ukraine and Iran.

Vote counting was underway in the ⁠US midterm elections, with Democrats snaring majorities in both houses of Congress for the rest of Trump&#39;s second term.

&quot;President ​Trump&#39;s conflicting signals, with military strikes continuing alongside statements downplaying further escalation, have made it difficult for traders to ​build strong directional conviction,&quot; said Priyanka Sachdeva, head of market insights at Phillip Nova.

Read:&nbsp;Govt cuts fuel prices, unveils LPG reforms

&quot;I believe some profit-taking and reduction in speculative long positions are justified, particularly after the sharp rally in October,&quot; said Sachdeva.

&quot;However, the underlying supply disruption risks around the Strait of Hormuz ​have not disappeared. An unexpected drawdown in US crude inventories is also offering some fundamental support,&quot; she added.

The ​US had carried out &quot;defensive&quot; strikes on Iran&#39;s Qeshm island targeting surface-to-air missiles used against US assets, a US official said on &zwnj;Tuesday. Another ⁠official said the strikes appeared limited and did not signal a return to major combat operations.

Markets remained on watch for any progress in talks to end the US-Israeli war with Iran, as Qatar stepped up mediation efforts to avert an escalation of attacks after the US elections.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday that Iran and ​the United States remain far from ​a deal to end ⁠their war.

US President Donald Trump told the Financial Times on Tuesday that the United States had no immediate plans to strike Iran.

Read more:&nbsp;Oil falls 7.5% on peace hopes, gold up

Meanwhile, crude stocks fell by 5.27 million barrels in ​the week ended October 30, market sources said on Wednesday, citing data from the ​American Petroleum Institute.

Eight ⁠analysts polled by Reuters had expected, on average, a rise of about 880,000 barrels in crude inventories.

Gasoline stocks rose by 1.43 million barrels, while distillate inventories fell by 1.19 million barrels from a week earlier, the sources said.

&quot;Diesel inventories remain ⁠tight, while ​gasoline stocks rose more than expected. The data are broadly supportive ​of oil prices,&quot; Haitong Futures said in a note on Wednesday.

Official data from the US Energy Information Administration is due at 10:30 am&nbsp;EST (1530 ​GMT) on Wednesday.]]>
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			<title>Committee warns GSP+ access at risk</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638497/committee-warns-gsp-access-at-risk</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638497/committee-warns-gsp-access-at-risk#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 26 21:08:51 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Shahbaz Rana]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638497</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Fixed tax scheme fails as only 222 of a hoped-for 1 million traders joined]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan&#39;s duty-free access to the European Union (EU) could be in the doldrums because of a deteriorating human rights situation, National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance Chairman Syed Naveed Qamar said on Tuesday, amid the government&#39;s assurance that there was no such threat.

The standing committee also expressed disappointment over yet another failed trader scheme, as the government announced enforcement action against all traders except the 222 who joined, subject to approval by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

&quot;We are getting signals that the GSP+ status is in the doldrums because of human rights issues,&quot; Qamar, a former finance and commerce minister, said while chairing the committee.

He did not specify the exact concerns that could lead to an adverse EU decision. The last monitoring report on the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) highlighted scores of human rights and fundamental rights violations, a weakening judicial system and curbs on freedom of expression.

The scheme runs until December 2028, and a deputy prime minister-led committee is preparing an application to qualify for the new scheme from January 2029, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Bilal Kayani told the committee

Pakistan was the top beneficiary of the EU&#39;s GSP+ trade scheme, recording 7.5 billion in exports to the bloc in 2024 under preferential tariffs, according to the fifth GSP report, which evaluated the implementation of 27 international core conventions in beneficiary countries.

Continuation of the scheme is critical for Pakistan, which remains unable to bring substantial improvement in its exports despite decades of protection and fiscal incentives given to exporters.

The EU monitoring report underlined that Pakistan needed to take robust steps to reverse negative trends on enforced disappearances and violations of freedom of expression. &quot;In this regard, laws on blasphemy, cybercrime (such as PECA), defamation, counterterrorism and sedition should be amended or repealed.&quot;

In view of the revised GSP rules from 2027, the EU said key priorities for future engagement include accountability for human rights violations, increased efforts against torture, in-prison and capital punishment reforms, and reversing negative developments on enforced disappearances and freedom of expression.

During the 2023-2025 monitoring period, Pakistan has faced compliance issues with its GSP+ obligations, the report noted. &quot;It has regressed in a number of areas while positive change was limited.&quot;

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA Dr Nafisa Shah raised the closure of Pakistan&#39;s borders with Iran and Afghanistan and its implications for exports to the Central Asian republics.

&quot;There is an impact on trade with Central Asia but we closed our borders with Afghanistan because of national security priorities,&quot; Kayani said.

Despite a conflict between China and India, neither country has suspended trade, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) MNA Jawed Hanif said.

Trade scheme fails

The standing committee expressed disappointment over the failure of the fixed tax scheme for traders, as only 222 new shopkeepers joined against a hope of one million out of 3.7 million non-filers.

&quot;We did not get the kind of response that we had hoped for,&quot; Kayani said in response to a question from Dr Nafisa Shah, adding that traders now had no excuse after the government accepted all their demands, including exemption from audit, a fixed tax rate and no dealings with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

There will be no further extension of the scheme after it expires on October 31, and the government is beginning a new phase of imposing fines and taking enforcement action, he said.

Traders remain largely outside the tax net, and the government offered them a new scheme in June, the third since 2022. This too failed, with only 222 new traders joining.

The minister of state said the government had consulted the attorney general for Pakistan before taking legal action and did not disclose the nature of the action.

However, sources said there could be legal and ethical issues if the government gives traders a Rs10,000 first default notice under the new scheme with a direction to file returns, whereas any non-trading person is required to pay a Rs25,000 fine for late filing.

Qamar repeatedly asked whether Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the federal cabinet were in favour of punitive action and would not budge when traders threatened to observe a strike.

&quot;The government is very much committed to take action and we are preparing an enforcement plan for the approval of the prime minister,&quot; Kayani said.

He said there was no reason traders would observe a strike, as the scheme had been prepared with their extensive input, and sought Parliament&#39;s support before enforcement action.

The committee chairman was of the view that the FBR did not have the manpower to go after all traders.

Given limited enforcement capacity, the FBR could use powers to suspend bank accounts or other services to compel traders to become filers, Hanif recommended.

Kayani said the government was considering severing services but that these could be measures of last resort.]]>
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			<title>ECC asks about placement of trained agri-experts</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638500/ecc-asks-about-placement-of-trained-agri-experts</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638500/ecc-asks-about-placement-of-trained-agri-experts#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 26 21:08:51 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[ZAFAR BHUTTA]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638500</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Committee wants to gauge impact of training imparted to 885 experts in China]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Pakistan&#39;s economic managers have raised questions about the placement of agricultural professionals trained in China and has directed the food ministry to share their status.

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet told the food ministry to disclose the placement status of 885 agricultural professionals following completion of their training.

During discussions in a recent meeting, the ECC, while responding to a query from the minister for power about the placement of 885 trained agricultural professionals, asked the Ministry of National Food Security and Research and the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training to share their placement status with the committee to gauge the impact of training.

The Ministry of Education briefed the ECC that the prime minister during his visit to China in June 2024 had said that 1,000 Pakistani agricultural professionals be trained in China to benefit from its expertise in agricultural technology, innovation and research. Accordingly, the Ministry of Food Security developed a training framework, while the Higher Education Commission (HEC) was entrusted with the logistical and financial management of the programme.

The Ministry of Education recalled that the ECC, in its meeting held on November 28, 2024, had approved a technical supplementary grant of Rs3,072 million for implementation of the programme in batches. Of the total, Rs1,950 million was released during fiscal year 2024-25. HEC arranged training of 292 professionals under batch-I, however, batch-II training could not be undertaken within the stipulated timeframe and consequently, Rs1,406 million remained unutilised, while the unutilised balance of Rs544 million was surrendered.

The Ministry of Federal Education apprised the ECC that during FY2025-26 HEC placed a further 593 trainees in two batches, bringing the total number of trained agricultural professionals to 885. The remaining 115 trainees, having Sindh domicile, have met the prescribed requirements and have been registered at the Northwest Agricultural &amp; Forestry University, Xi&#39;an, China. Their departure under Cohort-I, batch-III was scheduled for the last week of September 2026, thereby completing the target of 1,000 trainees.

The Ministry of Education added that to ensure continuity of the programme, a meeting was held with the Finance Division on August 8, 2025, wherein it was agreed in principle that the immediate requirement of Rs1,666 million would be met from HEC&#39;s FY2025-26 allocation under the &quot;Promotion of Research&quot; programme and the amount would be recovered through a supplementary grant during the third quarter of FY2025-26. However, the committed grant could not be released during FY26.

Meanwhile, the HEC incurred expenses of Rs897.187 million through internal re-appropriation from its own resources. The Ministry of Education told the meeting that timely release of required funds was essential to ensure the uninterrupted implementation and successful completion of the initiative as well as to recover the released amount, ie, Rs897.187 million, by the commission to safeguard the continuity of the national research ecosystem and meet HEC&#39;s committed national and international obligations. The ECC considered a summary dated September 16, 2026, submitted by the Ministry of Federal Education and titled &quot;Technical Supplementary Grant of Rs1,666.176 million for the Prime Minister&#39;s Initiative on Short Term Training of three to six months for 1,000 Agricultural Professionals in China&quot;, and approved the proposal.]]>
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			<title>US Vice President Vance says Iran war is ‘the reason we lost’ midterms</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638671/us-vp-vance-says-iran-war-is-the-reason-we-lost-midterms</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638671/us-vp-vance-says-iran-war-is-the-reason-we-lost-midterms#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 18:20:25 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638671</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Democratic wave raises doubts over his status as frontrunner for Republican nomination in 2028 presidential election]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[US Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that the Iran war had doomed Republicans in the midterm elections, moving to distance himself from the unpopular conflict ahead of a possible 2028 White House run.

&ldquo;The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night,&rdquo; Vance said in a lengthy post on X &mdash; apparently referring to President Donald Trump&rsquo;s remarks that the Iran war was &ldquo;part of it&rdquo; but that it was still justified.

&ldquo;If you&rsquo;d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that&rsquo;s at least honest,&rdquo; added Vance.

Read:&nbsp;US midterms deliver wave of historic firsts across states, Congress



One of the things the data analysts on our side obsessed over was &quot;composition&quot;&mdash;whether the electorate looked close enough to 2024 for Republicans to win. And despite polls that showed a Democrat blowout, the data kept on telling us the same story: in some states turnout was&hellip;
&mdash; JD Vance (@JDVance) November 4, 2026


&ldquo;But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there.&rdquo;

The Democratic wave in Tuesday&rsquo;s midterms has raised major questions over Vance&rsquo;s previous status as the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in the 2028 presidential election.

He has not yet formally declared that he will run.

Vance, a longtime vocal critic of US foreign interventionism, had reportedly been sceptical behind the scenes about the war on Iran that Trump and Israel launched in late February.

Vance also acknowledged that Republican voters who backed Trump and himself two years ago had switched sides due to the war and its effects on the US economy.

&ldquo;The main problem is that many people who voted for Trump/Vance in 2024 voted for Democrats in 2026,&rdquo; Vance said.

He said a pollster that he respected showed the Iran war and the economy were key factors in voters abandoning Republicans, along with a desire to &ldquo;change our relationship to Israel&rdquo;.

Meanwhile, top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said the Iran war &ldquo;must end&rdquo; and suggested his party&rsquo;s incoming majority in Congress could use their control over government funding to press for that goal.

&ldquo;This war must end. It must end,&rdquo; Schumer told journalists, later noting that the &ldquo;power of the purse&rdquo; is &ldquo;one of the ways of deterring a president who does war without the consent of the American people&rdquo;.



&quot;The American people don&#39;t know what the heck we&#39;re fighting for in Iran.&quot;

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer calls for an end to the war, accusing President Trump of repeatedly shifting his explanation for the U.S. mission.

Schumer also warns that Democrats will pursue&hellip; pic.twitter.com/7j9QbXY7ZX
&mdash; Fox News (@FoxNews) November 4, 2026


White House insists Trump is &lsquo;still your president&rsquo; after midterm rout

Donald Trump is &ldquo;still your president&rdquo;, the White House said on Wednesday, a day after his Republican Party suffered sweeping losses in midterm elections seen as a referendum on his second term.

The White House delivered the message in a post on X featuring a picture of a glaring Trump looming over the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.

Read More:&nbsp;Trump hand-picked Senate candidates. Republicans paid the price

&ldquo;PSA: TRUMP IS STILL YOUR PRESIDENT,&rdquo; text superimposed on the image said, using the abbreviation for public service announcement.



Thank you for your attention to this matter. pic.twitter.com/Q1ZGYM7idV
&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 4, 2026


&ldquo;Thank you for your attention to this matter,&rdquo; the post added, using a phrase Trump frequently employs in his social media messages.

Opposition Democrats won control of both the House and the Senate on Tuesday, dealing a major blow to Trump and the Republican Party.

The Democratic capture of Congress signals an end to Trump&rsquo;s stranglehold on US politics and gives Democrats the power to pass legislation, launch investigations into Trump&rsquo;s administration and thwart his appointments.

The results reflected deep frustration over the cost of living, tariffs and Trump&rsquo;s war with Iran, which has sent prices soaring and compounded dissatisfaction with an already deeply unpopular president.

But Trump has threatened to use his veto power, raising questions about how much Democrats can achieve even with control of both the House and Senate.]]>
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			<title>Trump says Iran war worth it despite midterm elections losses</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638580/us-has-no-immediate-plans-to-strike-iran-trump</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638580/us-has-no-immediate-plans-to-strike-iran-trump#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 05:11:01 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638580</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Trump suffered military, political defeats: Mohsen Rezaei]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the war in Iran was worth the political and economic costs as his Republican Party lost the midterm elections, insisting that the country had &quot;no choice&quot; but to take military action to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Asked at the White House whether he believed the conflict was worth it, Trump responded: &ldquo;I do. Yeah. I mean, well, you have no choice.&rdquo;



Q: Was the Iran war worth it?

Trump: Yes. You have no choice. You have to do it. pic.twitter.com/F2APmFgjxl
&mdash; Clash Report (@clashreport) November 4, 2026



&ldquo;The Iran thing we had to do, and we continue to do it,&rdquo; he added.

Asked about Vice President JD Vance&#39;s suggestion that the war in Iran contributed to Republican losses, Trump agreed, acknowledging that the conflict had pushed gasoline prices higher in the short term.

&ldquo;Well, I think it&#39;s largely true because it drove the gasoline up,&rdquo; he said.



.@POTUS: &quot;I think it&#39;s largely true because it drove the gasoline up... At the same time, if I had to do it again, I&#39;d have to do it again because long-term, it&#39;s the only answer. You can&#39;t let Iran have a nuclear weapon.&quot; https://t.co/Q7vkw1W3on pic.twitter.com/tFPDWdl807
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 4, 2026



However, he defended the decision to launch and continue the military campaign, arguing that it was necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

&ldquo;At the same time, if I had to do it again, I&#39;d have to do it again because, long term, it&#39;s the only answer. You can&#39;t let Iran have a nuclear weapon,&rdquo; he said.

Trump suffered military, political defeats: Mohsen Rezaei

Iran&rsquo;s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei claimed on Wednesday that Tehran had inflicted military and political defeats on US President Donald Trump.

&ldquo;The Iranian nation handed Trump a strategic defeat on the battlefield and in the Hormuz&mdash;and a POLITICAL DEFEAT in Washington,&rdquo; Rezaei wrote on X.

He also said Americans were bearing the financial burden of the war.



The Iranian nation handed Trump a strategic defeat on the battlefield and in the Hormuz&mdash;and a POLITICAL DEFEAT in Washington. Meanwhile, Americans got stuck with the bill for his war.
Anyone who takes on Iran will pay the price&mdash;from the battlefield to their own doorstep.
&mdash; محسن رضایی (@ir_rezaee) November 4, 2026


&ldquo;Anyone who takes on Iran will pay the price&mdash;from the battlefield to their own doorstep,&rdquo; he warned.

The remarks came after US Vice President JD Vance blamed the war with Iran for Republicans&rsquo; defeat in Tuesday&rsquo;s midterm elections.

&ldquo;The reason we lost is the war,&rdquo; Vance wrote on X on Wednesday, saying voter anger over the conflict had driven former Trump supporters to back Democrats.

Democrats secured control of both chambers of Congress in the elections.

Anyone expecting shift in US policy after midterm election &#39;seriously mistaken&#39;: Iran&#39;s supreme leader

Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said that anyone expecting a shift in US policy was &ldquo;seriously mistaken&rdquo;, a day after US midterm elections dealt a blow to US President Donald Trump, AFP reported on Wednesday.

&ldquo;Those who still harbour even the slightest hope that the behaviour of the hegemonic system might change through partisan or factional shifts, or who imagine that making concessions to the US can dissuade it from hostility towards the Iranian nation, are seriously mistaken,&rdquo; he said in a written statement published on his website.

Khamenei warned that the Middle East war would become even wider if the United States resumed its attacks on the Islamic republic.

&ldquo;Should such aggressions be repeated, its (the war) scope will become much wider,&rdquo; Khamenei said.

Americans said no to war, and we endorse this message: Iran&#39;s Ghalibaf

Senior Iranian Parliament Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf hailed the US public&#39;s rejection of the Iran war by voting against the Republican Party in the Congress midterm election in an X post on Wednesday.

&quot;Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message,&quot; he said.

He added that &quot;If the US govt betrays their public will to serve international paymasters and blackmailers,&quot; it will suffer &quot;a nightmare.&quot;



Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message.

If the US govt betrays their public will to serve international paymasters and blackmailers, it will learn our NO comes with a Nightmare.
&mdash; محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) November 4, 2026


His comments came as Democrats established a majority in the Senate and House elections in a rebuke against US President Donald Trump&#39;s stewardship of the country, which in part has stemmed from the war waged on Iran.

Drones attack Iranian Kurdish opposition in Iraq&#39;s Sulaymaniyah and east Erbil, sources say

Two explosive-laden drones attacked the Iranian Kurdish opposition in Iraq&#39;s Sulaymaniyah and east Erbil on Wednesday, security sources said.

Iran has repeatedly struck the bases of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in Iraq&#39;s autonomous Kurdistan region, accusing the groups of carrying out attacks in Iran.

Four oil tankers destroyed in Hormuz after hitting mines, Tehran says

Four oil tankers caught fire after hitting mines while attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran said on Wednesday, after it warned no one would benefit from a return to war.

It came a day after US President Donald Trump said the United States had launched strikes on the Islamic Republic, following reports of a raid on Qeshm, the largest island in the strait.

&quot;Four non-compliant oil tankers attempting to pass through the prohibited passage south of the Strait of Hormuz were destroyed after striking naval mines and are still burning,&quot; Iran&#39;s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said in a statement quoted by state TV.

&quot;Two other non-compliant ships or vessels have also been halted.&quot;

The Guards also said they had shot down a drone over the strait.

Tehran claims control over Hormuz, a vital global energy conduit, and has targeted vessels that attempt to cross without its authorisation since the war erupted.

The conflict, triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February, has been at a stalemate for months.

Indirect contact between the United States and Iran via mediators has continued with little sign of any diplomatic breakthrough, and Iran has said it is ready to reopen the strait but only if Washington agrees to a long-standing list of demands.

Tehran&#39;s chief negotiator in talks with the United States, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said the Islamic Republic was &quot;ready for battle with its finger on the trigger&quot;, although President Masoud Pezeshkian insisted his government was trying to resolve the crisis &quot;through dialogue&quot;.

&quot;No one will benefit from this war&quot; if fighting resumes, Pezeshkian said on Tuesday.

US has no immediate plans to strike Iran: Trump

The US has no immediate plans to strike Iran, President Donald Trump told the Financial Times on Tuesday.

In an interview with the newspaper hours before polls closed in US midterm elections, Trump described Washington&#39;s position toward Iran as a &ldquo;brilliant situation,&rdquo; suggesting the administration was satisfied with the current balance of pressure on Tehran.

&ldquo;We seem to be getting everything we want,&rdquo; he said.

Asked about indications from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that an attack could take place later this week, Trump said American forces remained prepared to act but suggested that military action might not be necessary.

&ldquo;I&rsquo;m ready, we&rsquo;re ready. We&rsquo;re locked and loaded if we need to go, but there may be no reason for it,&rdquo; he said.

Read: Midterms decide Iran strategy: war or deal?

Trump argued that the US was not currently engaged in a conventional war with Iran, pointing to previous American military operations against the country&#39;s nuclear infrastructure.

&ldquo;We&rsquo;re not really in a war, because we hit them with the B-2 bombers and wiped out their nuclear potential incapacity,&rdquo; he said, referring to the earlier US bombing campaign.

He also referenced Operation Epic Fury and subsequent military actions, arguing that the confrontation did not resemble major conventional conflicts such as World War I, World War II or the ongoing war in Ukraine.

&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t consider that we&rsquo;re in a war like Ukraine, wars like World War I, World War II,&rdquo; he said.

Despite his assessment, the president acknowledged that Washington remained concerned about Iran&#39;s stockpile of approximately 1,000 pounds of enriched uranium.

Trump described the material as &ldquo;nuclear dust&rdquo; and said indirect negotiations with Tehran over its future were continuing.

Although much of the material is believed to be buried beneath extensive rubble from previous strikes, Trump said he was not satisfied with the prospect of it remaining there.

&ldquo;Even though it&rsquo;s under hundreds of tons of rock, I would say that I&rsquo;m not happy that it will be there,&rdquo; he told the FT.

He added that the issue remained among the subjects being discussed in ongoing contacts with Iran.]]>
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			<title>Democrats sweep Congress in US midterm elections</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638586/democrats-capture-congress-with-in-sweeping-setback-for-trump</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638586/democrats-capture-congress-with-in-sweeping-setback-for-trump#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 06:09:29 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638586</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Voters in conservative bastions who propelled the president to his second term swung dramatically ​toward Democrats]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Democrats seized control of both the Senate and House on Tuesday, scoring sweeping victories in Republican strongholds for the first time in generations as tens of millions of voters delivered a scathing rebuke to President Donald Trump.

Voters in conservative bastions who had propelled the president to his second term in office just two years ago swung dramatically ​toward Democrats, fuelled by deep frustration over the unpopular war with Iran, anxiety over the high cost of living and anger at Trump&#39;s stewardship of the country.



BREAKING: Democrats take Senate majority, winning their 51st seat

🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/Lqv3kGnves pic.twitter.com/y67ub7MFSp
&mdash; Al Jazeera Breaking News (@AJENews) November 4, 2026


In Texas, the biggest Republican state, Democrats ended a decades-long losing streak in seismic fashion, winning a Senate seat and ousting three-term Governor Greg Abbott.

Kansas elected its first Democratic senator since the Great Depression nearly a &zwnj;century ago. In South Carolina, a state that Trump carried by nearly 18 points in 2024, Democrats turned aside his hand-picked Senate candidate.

And in Texas, the biggest Republican state, Democrats ended a decades-long losing streak in seismic fashion, winning a Senate seat and ousting three-term Governor Greg Abbott.

The results will usher in a new era of divided government in Washington, following two years in which the Republican-controlled Congress rarely exercised its power to rein in Trump.

Read: US Supreme Court rejects Trump, lets California count all ballots

Once seated in January, Democrats are expected to use their power to investigate Trump&#39;s administration, family and allies and demand concessions on major legislation. The Democratic Senate can block Trump&#39;s nominees, including any US Supreme ​Court justices should a vacancy arise.

&quot;There is now a generational remake of the Senate map that is going to change America,&quot; said Chuck Schumer, the party&#39;s Senate minority leader. &quot;Americans voted for change, and now Democrats must ​deliver.&quot;

Trump, who is barred by the US Constitution from seeking a third term, has exercised an iron grip on his party for most of the last decade. But the new balance of power in Washington may ⁠accelerate his lame-duck status, as attention turns toward the 2028 presidential race and potential successors begin competing for political influence in a post-Trump world.



pic.twitter.com/7ZIs1dWKFu
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 4, 2026


Despite worries from Democrats that Trump might seek to overturn the election results, as he did in 2020, the president accepted the outcome, congratulating Democrats in ​an interview with Fox News. He also said he would work with Democrats on issues such as immigration, though he threatened to veto any &quot;insane&quot; bills they passed.



.@POTUS on divided government: &quot;It&#39;s been done before, as you know, numerous times. It&#39;s the power of veto &mdash; it&#39;s one of the stronger powers that a President has. They&#39;ll send over things that are insane and I&#39;ll veto them.&quot; pic.twitter.com/X4nhw7F57h
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 4, 2026


Democratic wave

Democrats focused their campaign on corruption and affordability, blaming Trump&#39;s tariff policy and the war with Iran for driving up costs while highlighting the ​billions of dollars the Trump family has made since he returned to the White House.

Republicans, led by Trump, attacked Democrats over culture war issues such as transgender rights while portraying their opponents as radical and extreme. But in poll after poll, voters made it clear they were far more concerned with pocketbook issues.

The Democratic wave flooded huge swaths of the country.

Republicans lost ground in all but a handful of the approximately 2,100 counties where most votes had been counted, according to tallies compiled by Reuters and USA Today.





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Democrats made gains in the richest counties and the poorest; in counties where more people have college degrees and where fewer do. Democrats&#39; advances were particularly sharp ​in heavily Latino counties, including the border counties of Texas that shifted toward Trump in 2024 and the agricultural towns of the Kansas prairie.

In Seward County, Kansas, home to one of America&#39;s biggest beef processing plants and where about half of eligible voters are Hispanic, Democrat Adam Hamilton led ​incumbent Republican Senator Roger Marshall by 13 points, two years after Trump won the county by 39 points.

Democrats flipped more than two dozen House seats currently held by Republicans, locking in a majority. Democrats won all the closely contested House races that have been decided so far, and they won about a dozen races &zwnj;in districts that Trump ⁠won by double digits two years ago.

An unprecedented Republican gambit to redraw several House districts to make them more favourable largely failed, with Democrats hanging on to most of the targeted seats.

Midterm elections are typically seen as a referendum on the sitting president, and Trump did little to disabuse voters of that notion. In the campaign&#39;s final weeks, he held dozens of rallies, telling supporters repeatedly to &quot;pretend I&#39;m on the ballot.&quot;

He also intervened in several Republican primaries earlier this year to ensure his preferred candidates reached the ballot, despite concerns from some Republicans that his choices carried significant liabilities.

In Texas, Trump backed Ken Paxton, the scandal-ridden state attorney general, over the incumbent, Senator John Cornyn.

&quot;I just wasn&#39;t a fan of Cornyn. I just wasn&#39;t a fan. I found him to be a disloyal guy... When it wasn&#39;t fashionable to be with Trump, he wasn&#39;t there. When it was fashionable, he kissed my ass. I remember the other days, and I just felt I couldn&#39;t endorse him,&quot; Trump told Fox News today.



.@POTUS: &quot;I just wasn&#39;t a fan of Cornyn. I just wasn&#39;t a fan. I found him to be a disloyal guy... When it wasn&#39;t fashionable to be with Trump, he wasn&#39;t there. When it was fashionable, he kissed my ass. I remember the other days, and I just felt I couldn&#39;t endorse him.&quot; pic.twitter.com/pgtAcPKtWz
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 4, 2026


In South Carolina, the president anointed Darline Graham, a political neophyte, after her brother, Senator Lindsey Graham, died suddenly earlier this year. Both candidates lost.

But even candidates who sought to distance themselves from Trump were unable to escape ​voters&#39; wrath. In Maine, Republican incumbent Susan Collins had her 30-year Senate ​career end on Tuesday, despite emphasising her willingness to break with ⁠the president during the campaign.

Also read: Abdul El-Sayed becomes 1st Muslim elected to US Senate in Michigan win

Progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan&rsquo;s open Senate seat, becoming the first Muslim elected to the chamber. He defeated Mike Rogers, a former congressman and FBI agent, who entered the race with Trump&#39;s backing and sought to falsely portray El-Sayed, an Egyptian American born in Michigan, as a religious extremist.

&quot;You chose hate, and Michigan chose hope,&quot; El-Sayed told cheering supporters on Tuesday night, referring to Rogers.

Competitive Senate races in Mississippi and ​Alaska had yet to be called early on Wednesday.

On Tuesday night, as it grew clear Republicans were in danger of losing their congressional majorities, Trump wrote on social media, &quot;I wasn&#39;t on the Ballot and if ​I was, we would have won IN ⁠A LANDSLIDE!&quot;



https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/117556082339815131



In media interviews, Trump acknowledged the conflict with Iran had played a role in his party&#39;s losses but stood by his decision to go to war.

Voters rebuke Trump

According to exit polls conducted by SSRS on behalf of a consortium of US media outlets, including major television networks and the Associated Press, half of voters nationwide said they saw the 2026 midterm elections as an opportunity to rebuke the president, and three-quarters said they are &quot;angry&quot; or &quot;dissatisfied&quot; with the way the country is headed.

In addition, 70% of voters surveyed said they want Congress to provide more checks and balances on the president.

&quot;In sweeping and decisive victories, the American people ⁠have rebuked the depravity, ​corruption and incompetence of the man named President Donald J Trump,&quot; incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia told supporters at a victory party.

Both parties witnessed several historic firsts.

In Georgia, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor of any US state, while Byron Donalds won Florida&#39;s gubernatorial race to become the first Black Republican governor in the US. Democrat Gina Hinojosa will become the first Latina governor in Texas, while Democrat Xavier Becerra will be California&#39;s first Latino governor.



Democrat Xavier Becerra made history becoming California&#39;s first Latino governor-elect after defeating Republican Steve Hilton, after a campaign focused on voting rights, immigration and affordability issues https://t.co/08d3jCup46 pic.twitter.com/vXdkJp9DVQ
&mdash; Reuters (@Reuters) November 4, 2026


&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Israeli president receives official election results as committee rejects fraud allegations</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638666/israeli-president-receives-official-election-results-as-committee-rejects-fraud-allegations</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638666/israeli-president-receives-official-election-results-as-committee-rejects-fraud-allegations#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 16:37:20 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638666</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Election chief warns against undermining vote integrity, says final results are 'binding on all of us']]>
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				<![CDATA[Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday received the official results of last week&#39;s parliamentary elections as the Central Elections Committee rejected fraud allegations raised by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and right-wing parties.

&quot;Voices are seeking to undermine the election results. This is a real danger,&quot; Committee Chairman Judge Noam Sohlberg said during a ceremony attended by Herzog, according to Israeli news website Ynet.

Sohlberg said allegations concerning aspects of the electoral process remained under investigation but warned against questioning the legitimacy of votes cast by Arab citizens.

Read:&nbsp;Israeli opposition leaders say Netanyahu cannot remain in power after US midterm elections

&quot;We must not cast doubt on voting in Arab society, just as we must not cast doubt on any other group in Israeli society,&quot; he said.

The election results are &quot;binding on all of us,&quot; Sohlberg stressed.

Earlier Wednesday, the committee approved the final results, with 15 members voting in favor, two against and 14 abstaining, according to Ynet.

The approval followed the committee&#39;s announcement that it had found no evidence that the integrity of last week&#39;s parliamentary elections had been compromised.

Netanyahu and right-wing parties in his bloc had alleged fraud and voting manipulation within Israel&#39;s Arab community.

Herzog to begin government formation consultations

Herzog is scheduled to begin consultations with representatives of elected parties Wednesday afternoon to determine which lawmaker should be tasked with forming the next government, Ynet reported.

During the consultations, parliamentary parties are expected to recommend candidates for prime minister.

Herzog will then decide which candidate has the best chance of assembling a governing coalition and grant that lawmaker the mandate to form a government.

Also Read:&nbsp;Eisenkot says Netanyahu&#39;s bid to discredit Israeli election results has &#39;failed&#39;

Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot is expected to receive 48 recommendations from Yashar, Yachad, the Democrats and Yisrael Beytenu.

Netanyahu is expected to secure 46 recommendations from Likud, Otzma Yehudit, Shas and Religious Zionism.

The predominantly Arab parties, including the Joint List and Ra&#39;am, and the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party have yet to announce whom they will recommend, according to Ynet.]]>
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			<title>Troops deployed in Indonesia as president sacks aide accused of wiretapping</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638664/troops-deployed-in-indonesia-as-president-sacks-aide-accused-of-wiretapping</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638664/troops-deployed-in-indonesia-as-president-sacks-aide-accused-of-wiretapping#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 16:13:37 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638664</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Presidential official says wiretaps may amount to treason amid growing rift between president and predecessor]]>
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				<![CDATA[Indonesia&#39;s president sacked his chief of staff on Wednesday after his arrest in a wiretapping scandal &zwnj;that the government said pointed to treason, as the military said thousands of troops were being mobilised in the capital to boost security.

Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who was appointed chief of staff just a few weeks ago, was among three senior police officers detained on Tuesday, accused of illegally tapping the phones of President Prabowo Subianto and unnamed journalists, politicians, government ​officials and business people since early 2025.

The illegal wiretaps were carried out by &quot;rogue individuals&quot; whose actions indicated treason, presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi ​said.

Read:&nbsp;IOC regrets Indonesian decision to block entry for Israeli gymnasts

&quot;It also tends toward acts that endanger state interests and the safety of the nation&#39;s leadership, including the safety of ⁠the head of state,&quot; Hadi told reporters.

Reuters could not immediately contact the three suspects or their lawyers.

The scandal comes as the president, a retired army ​general, faces pressure on multiple fronts, with widening public discontent about his big-spending populist policies and a slump in investor confidence over his administration&#39;s handling ​of the $1.5 trillion G20 economy.

Political intrigue has been growing in Indonesia in recent weeks amid a rift between Prabowo and his two-term predecessor and former backer Widodo, who remains highly influential, despite stepping back from politics.

Listyo, the former national police chief, was known as a loyalist of Widodo.

Military mobilized to &lsquo;safeguard and protect stability&#39;

Troops were deployed to Jakarta to &quot;safeguard and ​protect the stability of Indonesia&#39;s security,&quot; navy spokesperson Tunggul said late on Wednesday.

The deployment was also related to upcoming training in areas near Jakarta, Tunggul, ​who goes by one name, added.

Soldiers on the capital&#39;s streets are not uncommon in Indonesia, where the military has been regularly deployed ahead of anti-government protests.

Elected president in &zwnj;2024 by ⁠a big majority, former special forces commander Prabowo has seen his approval rating slide in his second year in office, with unease over food prices and his troubled free meals and village cooperatives programmes.

His administration has also been under intense investor scrutiny this year, with ratings outlook cuts, concerns about policy unpredictability, and record stock market routs after warnings by global index provider MSCI of an equities market downgrade.

Prabowo&#39;s party Gerindra said it would hold talks with other political parties to discuss the ​wiretapping, with its secretary-general Sugiono on Wednesday ​calling the scandal &quot;insubordination&quot; within the government.

In ⁠a post on X on Wednesday, former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono appealed to Prabowo to &quot;restore civility to our politics&quot;.

Motive for wiretaps unclear

The government has yet to determine the motive for the wiretapping, said Yusril Ihza Mahendra, Indonesia&#39;s senior ​minister for legal affairs.

Police late on Tuesday said the suspects were being investigated for unauthorised wiretaps. The targets ​of the wiretaps were ⁠not disclosed.

Amnesty International in Indonesia urged authorities on Wednesday to reveal who the subjects of the wiretaps were and said the public had a right to know.

Also Read:&nbsp;Indonesia says no to $1 billion fee for Trump&#39;s &#39;Board of Peace&#39; seat

&quot;If this scandal is allowed to continue unchecked, it could pave the way for a secret police apparatus used to tame the opposition,&quot; it said.

Sana Jaffrey, a state-building ⁠researcher at ​the Australian National University, said the troop deployment in Jakarta could signal concerns about tension ​between the military and police loyal to former chief Listyo.

&quot;If Prabowo increasingly sees threats to his personal security, then this could strengthen the case for relying more heavily on the military,&quot; she ​said, adding that the immediate concern was the risk of unintended escalation.]]>
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			<title>Google unveils $15 billion data centre investment in Malaysia</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638627/google-unveils-15-billion-data-centre-investment-in-malaysia</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638627/google-unveils-15-billion-data-centre-investment-in-malaysia#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 11:00:49 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638627</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[US tech giant says investment will be made over next two years, expanding on $2 billion investment announced in 2024]]>
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			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Google announced plans on Wednesday to invest $15 billion in Malaysia over the next two years to build data centres and other infrastructure as demand booms for artificial intelligence services.

The country is Southeast Asia&#39;s fastest growing hub for new data centres &mdash; warehouse-like buildings crammed with servers that can train and run AI tools such as chatbots and image generators.

&quot;Malaysia is one of Southeast Asia&#39;s most dynamic digital economies, driven by 99% internet penetration and rapid AI adoption across government agencies, businesses, and consumers,&quot; the United States tech giant said in a statement. It said the $15 billion investment will be made &quot;over the next two years (2027 to 2028)&quot;, expanding on a $2 billion investment announced in 2024.

Read:&nbsp;Trump says companies should pay &#39;dividend&#39; to communities to make data centres popular

AI data centres require large amounts of electricity &mdash; placing increased pressure on grids often still reliant on fossil fuels &mdash; and, in many cases, water to cool down hot computing equipment. Backlash is growing worldwide against their environmental impact, and there are also concerns over noise, pollution, their appearance and how many jobs the facilities actually create.

Google pledged Wednesday that its data centre campuses in Malaysian industrial zones would be &quot;energy-efficient&quot;. The company said it would work to &quot;bolster local water security, and add more than one gigawatt of clean energy capacity&quot; to the national grid.

&quot;Once operational, the facilities are projected to sustain more than 9,000 local jobs per year, with wages averaging 45% above the national median,&quot; it added.

Malaysia accounts for more than half of under-construction data centre capacity among Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam, according to market intelligence firm DC Byte.

Read More:&nbsp;Most US voters say Trump, Congress don&#39;t take AI risks seriously, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds

The International Monetary Fund forecasts that Malaysia&#39;s economy will grow by 5.2% in 2026, partly encouraged by data centre activity. But by 2035, data centres are forecast to swallow up one-third of Malaysia&#39;s total energy consumption, the deputy prime minister told parliament in July.

The government said at that time it would only approve data centre projects after ensuring sufficient energy and water supply capacity.

In October, a Finnish authority ordered work on two of Google&#39;s data centre sites in the country halted until mandatory environmental impact assessments have been completed.]]>
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			<title>Australia social media teen ban a 'modest' step, says govt in top court challenge</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638633/australia-social-media-teen-ban-a-modest-step-says-govt-in-top-court-challenge</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638633/australia-social-media-teen-ban-a-modest-step-says-govt-in-top-court-challenge#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 11:27:39 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638633</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Reddit, advocacy group say law violates constitutionally protected speech as govt calls it harm minimisation measure]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Australia&#39;s world-first teen social media ban was a modest, non-partisan and justified curb on political expression, a lawyer for the government told the top court on Wednesday, rejecting a legal challenge by Reddit.

Nearly a year since Australia banned large social media platforms from allowing under-16s to hold accounts, messaging platform Reddit and a libertarian advocacy group have sought to invalidate the law on grounds that it violates constitutionally protected speech.

The government is defending the law, calling it a necessary harm minimisation measure.

A win for the plaintiffs would be a major setback not just for Australia but for lawmakers around the world who followed with similar measures in what has become a global movement to protect child physical and mental health in the digital age.

After a lawyer for Reddit told the court the law&#39;s imposition on free speech for minors was disproportionate to the benefits of keeping them off social media, Stephen Lloyd, for the government, said the ban was a relatively minor measure with proven positive effects. &quot;The burden is indirect and modest in extent,&quot; Lloyd told the court&#39;s seven-judge panel on the second day of hearings.

Read:&nbsp;Australia introduces digital safety bill allowing users to switch off social media algorithms

The law &quot;incrementally&quot; reduced children&#39;s ability to send and receive content online, while they could still view some content without an account, he added, noting it was &quot;viewpoint neutral&quot; so did not target any particular type of political expression.

Under the law, children and caregivers face no punishment but platforms can be fined up to A$99 million ($68.97 million) for systemic noncompliance.

So far, multiple studies including by Australian regulator the eSafety Commissioner have found that most of the country&#39;s under-16s still use social media, and the government has said it is preparing an enforcement lawsuit.

On Wednesday, Lloyd said it was unclear if noncompliance was the result of weaknesses in age assurance technology or platforms&#39; failure to implement it, but added that the law would contribute to the government&#39;s child protection aims regardless.

The hearing has been adjourned to a date to be decided, when the judges are expected to give a ruling.]]>
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			<title>Apple AI tools come to China after two-year delay</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638630/apple-ai-tools-come-to-china-after-two-year-delay</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638630/apple-ai-tools-come-to-china-after-two-year-delay#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 11:12:56 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638630</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Trial rollout restricted to developers but public access to Apple Intelligence services will come in December]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Apple began on Wednesday a long-delayed trial rollout of in-house artificial intelligence tools for Chinese users, playing catch-up to homegrown smartphone makers in a major market for the United States giant.

The on-device features dubbed &quot;Apple Intelligence&quot; were first released in the US and other countries in autumn 2024, marking the firm&#39;s first major push into generative AI. But strict Chinese regulatory requirements for the fast-evolving technology have held back its launch there&nbsp;&mdash; as well as the fact that models from Google&nbsp;and OpenAI, which Apple has used elsewhere to boost its own AI capabilities, are not available in the country.

Apple, which has largely stayed out of the global AI investment frenzy, announced it will work with a Chinese partner &mdash; Alibaba&#39;s Qwen &mdash; to integrate more powerful AI features into devices alongside its own basic AI offerings.

Read:&nbsp;In China, the AI bubble has already burst

Wednesday&#39;s trial rollout is restricted to developers, but public access to Apple Intelligence services in China will come in December, the company said in a statement at the weekend.

The long-anticipated Chinese rollout of Apple Intelligence &quot;fills a long-standing gap in Apple&#39;s AI offering&quot;, said Ivan Lam, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research. However, it does not necessarily give the Californian company &quot;a significant advantage&quot; in a crowded market, Lam said.

The initial release includes 18 AI features, from live translation of phone calls to tools for summarising and proofreading messages, but not the latest upgrade of iPhone assistant Siri.

&#39;Concession&#39;

Chinese regulations require AI service providers to register with the country&#39;s internet watchdog, and there are requirements to use local data centres and process data domestically.

Apple only secured regulatory approval in July, after reportedly holding talks with Chinese tech firms including Alibaba, Baidu, ByteDance and Tencent about partnerships on Apple Intelligence. Major US AI firms, including Google, OpenAI and Anthropic, have either banned Chinese users or restricted access to their services, and are unlikely to secure regulatory clearance.

Working with local partners on Apple Intelligence &quot;signifies a structural concession by Apple regarding its pricing and defining power over the AI experience in the Chinese market&quot;, Zhang Yi, founder of research firm iiMedia, told AFP.&nbsp;Apple&#39;s delay in introducing AI tools in China was not due to lags in research and development, but rather &quot;compliance costs&quot;, he said.

Read More:&nbsp;China&#39;s AI journey offers insights

Despite reporting a 21%&nbsp;increase in revenue in the Greater China region, which includes Hong Kong and Taiwan, for the past quarter, Apple&#39;s new CEO John Ternus still faces significant challenges in an evolving market.

According to research firm Omdia, more than 110 million iPhones in China can support Apple Intelligence, providing a foundation for quick adoption &mdash; but competition is fierce. &quot;Chinese mobile phone manufacturers and internet companies are actively developing AI features and agent ecosystems,&quot; Zhong Xiaolei, a senior analyst at Omdia, told AFP.]]>
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			<title>NASA's Swift satellite telescope heads for fiery re-entry 22 years after launch</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638591/nasas-swift-satellite-telescope-heads-for-fiery-re-entry-22-years-after-launch</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638591/nasas-swift-satellite-telescope-heads-for-fiery-re-entry-22-years-after-launch#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 06:50:25 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Satellite set to fall back to Earth nearly 22 years after launch ending a mission exceeded its original 2year lifespan]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[An ageing NASA satellite telescope that a robotic spacecraft was sent to retrieve on a failed rescue mission this&nbsp;summer&nbsp;was&nbsp;headed for a fiery re-entry into Earth&#39;s atmosphere on Wednesday, nearly 22 years after it was launched into orbit.

The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, weighing roughly 3,200 pounds (1,452 kg), was set to tumble out of orbit and burn up in the atmosphere somewhere over the tropics, with fragments surviving re-entry unlikely to threaten populated areas, according to NASA.

The US Space Force has put the odds of harm coming to anyone on Earth at one chance in 2,100, NASA said in an online statement, projecting the time of re-entry at approximately 3:30am EST (0830 GMT). The Aerospace Corporation, a non-profit national security research entity, projected a re-entry window of 5:19am EST, plus or minus two hours.



Our latest prediction for Swift&#39;s reentry is: November 4, 2026 10:19 UTC &plusmn; 2 hours.

Follow updates from Aerospace&#39;s Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies as we approach reentry time: https://t.co/SUrxDT2FJr#swiftreentry #CORDS pic.twitter.com/P6cTEqyeY1
&mdash; The Aerospace Corporation (@AerospaceCorp) November 3, 2026


London-based astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, an honorary professor at the Durham University Space Research Centre, cited revised US Space Force data predicting re-entry most likely to come around 7:45am EST.

&quot;The satellite is in a very circular orbit, skimming the top of the atmosphere,&quot; he told Reuters by phone on Tuesday night. &quot;The question is at what point does it heat up enough that it starts breaking up.&quot;

NASA&#39;s prized $500 million Swift satellite, a first-of-its-kind multi-wavelength space observatory, has been studying gamma-ray bursts and other cosmic phenomena since 2004, using its array of three telescopes.

The observatory, which has no onboard propulsion system of its own, has been drifting towards an expected demise for months as it circles the globe at a speed of roughly 17,000 miles per hour (27,359 kph).

Read:&nbsp;NASA robot mission aims to rescue space telescope

Astronomers had hoped to extend Swift&#39;s mission for a number of years by giving the satellite telescope a lift.

In July, NASA and Arizona-based start-up Katalyst launched a specially built rescue vehicle called LINK on a mission to rendezvous with Swift, latch onto the satellite and tug the observatory back into a higher, more sustainable orbit.

But the LINK spacecraft itself began spinning uncontrollably soon after reaching space, and by mid-August, mission managers abandoned the effort, resigned to letting Swift continue to meet its fate.

The aborted rescue attempt, the first US mission of its kind, took on heightened significance as a demonstration of a new orbital grappling technology seen as pivotal to the outcome of the US-China space race.

The LINK effort was closely watched as a trial run of a key satellite-maintenance technology with potential dual-use military space applications.

Katalyst touted the mission as a historic endeavour that designed, built and tested the LINK rescue vehicle on an unprecedented nine-month production schedule under a $30 million NASA contract.

Swift was launched more than two decades ago to explore the most powerful known explosions in the universe, bursts of gamma-ray radiation emanating from the cores of distant galaxies.

Originally designed for a two-year prime mission, Swift remained in operation far longer with observations of a wide range of cosmic objects, from galaxies powered by supermassive black holes and stars emitting X-ray flares, to comets and asteroids streaking through our own solar system.]]>
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			<title>European supermarkets rush to patch vulnerabilities after region-wide fridge hack</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638475/european-supermarkets-rush-to-patch-vulnerabilities-after-region-wide-fridge-hack</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638475/european-supermarkets-rush-to-patch-vulnerabilities-after-region-wide-fridge-hack#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 26 16:57:51 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638475</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[EU cybersecurity agency ​says attacks underscore importance of European cooperation, rapid information-sharing]]>
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				<![CDATA[European supermarkets targeted in a second wave of cyberattacks that cranked up ​fridge and freezer temperatures were rushing on Tuesday to upgrade their systems and protect themselves against further hacking attempts.

Stores in &zwnj;eight European countries were forced to throw away vast quantities of food after hackers tampered with their fridges on Monday, in an attack identical to one that swept dozens of supermarkets in France three weeks ago.

In Sweden, supermarket chain Coop said it was switching systems to 5G networks and modern modems, instead of 4G connections - a process that had ​already started since the French incident.

Read:&nbsp;New cyberattack on supermarket fridges sweeps across Europe

The seven stores hit by the attack are back up and running, but their refrigeration systems have ​been disconnected from the internet, a spokesperson said.



Freezers at dozens of supermarkets across Europe were targeted on Monday in the second spate of so-called freezer hacks in a month.

How unusual is this? How did they do it? Who is behind this? Find out here: https://t.co/Sts0xXMfoD pic.twitter.com/VE688RWG7F
&mdash; Financial Times (@FT) November 3, 2026



&quot;We are looking quite thoroughly and deeply into the status of the ⁠entire network of stores to see if we risk any vulnerability anywhere in the entire network,&quot; the spokesperson added.

Software provider Danfoss, whose systems were ​again among those targeted, said it has been in close contact with customers over the past three weeks to help them manage the situation, and ​recommended that systems should not be directly accessible via the internet.

&ldquo;Retailers need to act now. They should identify whether their refrigerator controllers are vulnerable, check if they are connected to the internet, ensure they&#39;ve got the latest security updates and are supported by the manufacturer. And if they don&rsquo;t even know, then remove them from the public ​internet immediately,&rdquo; said Frank Groenewegen, cybersecurity expert at Deloitte in The Hague.

&ldquo;With disconnecting, you haven&rsquo;t fixed the root cause, but you&rsquo;ve at least isolated ​those systems so that an attacker is not able to do this anymore.&rdquo;

&#39;Heightened alert&#39;

Many European supermarkets are run by independent business owners in a cooperative structure, meaning &zwnj;systems are ⁠not the same across stores.

Read More:&nbsp;French supermarket fridges hacked

Swedish grocer ICA said all 23 stores hit in Monday&#39;s cyberattack had equipment connected outside the chain&#39;s centrally managed store network.



Hackers are turning supermarket freezers into food safety risks. Cyberattacks on connected refrigeration systems across Europe have disrupted cooling and forced retailers to discard spoiled stock, exposing the dangers of vulnerable software and weak passwords. Those responsible&hellip; pic.twitter.com/WV3pKHJKdz
&mdash; Pakistan TV (@PakTVGlobal) November 3, 2026



ICA store owner Christian Olofsson said he felt even more frustrated about the cyberattack given he was in the process of changing the security systems at his stores in Tomelilla and Sjobo in Sweden when they were hacked.

A Swedish police spokesperson said around 10 police reports had been filed since Monday ​and they expected more.

German supermarket operator ​Edeka, which had fridges hacked at ⁠a store in Reisbach, Germany, told Reuters there are no standardised refrigeration systems across its network of stores run by independent retailers.



Rewe und Edeka &ndash; Deutscher Supermarkt meldet 50-Grad-Attacke auf K&uuml;hlschr&auml;nke https://t.co/LvdId5NgNz pic.twitter.com/Y9oMGbiJsy
&mdash; WELT (@welt) November 3, 2026



Even integrated supermarket groups were not immune: Carrefour&nbsp;which had 80 franchised stores in France ​hacked three weeks ago, suffered the same cyberattack again at 15 stores in Belgium on Monday.

EU cybersecurity agency ENISA ​said the large-scale nature ⁠of the cyberattacks targeting retail across several member states &quot;underscores the importance of European cooperation, rapid information-sharing and coordinated responses to cyber incidents&quot;.

In Britain, hackers tried to target small meat-processing firms, but the impact was minimal, said Richard Horne, chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

The NCSC is working with organisations to ⁠spot vulnerabilities ​and close them before somebody exploits them, Horne said. &quot;We&#39;re obviously on heightened alert.&quot;

The attack ​on supermarket fridges is just an early sign of what are likely to be increasingly frequent disruptions as old technology fails to keep pace with hackers, Horne said.]]>
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			<title>Fact check: Glenn Phillips did not score 16-ball century against India</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638596/fact-check-glenn-phillips-did-not-score-16-ball-century-against-india</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638596/fact-check-glenn-phillips-did-not-score-16-ball-century-against-india#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 07:36:52 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Fact Check By iVerify]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638596</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[He made 107 runs off 49 balls]]>
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				<![CDATA[Multiple Pakistani users on social media platform X shared videos since Tuesday claiming that New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips scored a century off just 16 balls, hitting sixes in succession against India. However, Phillips scored 107 runs off 49 deliveries.

India&#39;s tour of New Zealand began on October 22, 2026, with a five-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series, followed by five One Day Internationals (ODIs) and two Test matches. The ODI series was scheduled to begin on November 4 in Auckland, with the final match set for November 15.

On Oct&nbsp;30, New Zealand defeated India by 87 runs in the fourth T20I at Eden Park in Auckland. New Zealand posted 259-7 in their allotted 20 overs, while India managed 172-9 in response.

Phillips played a crucial role in the victory, scoring a century. New Zealand team also won the final T20I on November 1 by seven wickets. However, India clinched the five-match series 3-2.

How it started

A day earlier, an X user&nbsp;who appeared to be a journalist, based on their profile bio and posts,&nbsp;shared&nbsp;a viral video showing Phillips hitting sixes against India, along with a scoreboard showing 100 runs off&nbsp;16 balls.

The caption said: &quot;New Zealand&#39;s batsman Phillips smashed India with a barrage of boundaries, hitting 6 sixes in 1 over, and smashed a century off 16 balls.&quot;

The post gained 552,200 views.

Today, another X user, who also appeared to be a journalist based on their bio and posts, shared the same clip with the following caption: &ldquo;Two new world records. A century in 16 balls, six after six. New Zealand has set a new trend and completely thrashed India.&rdquo;

The post garnered 45,300 views.

Subsequently, the video was shared by other users, as can be seen here, here, here, here, here, here, and here, collectively gaining 178,962 views.

Methodology

A fact-check was initiated to verify the claim due to its widespread circulation on social media and significant public interest in the purported record-breaking feat, particularly whether scoring a century in just 16 balls was possible.

A keyword search was conducted to determine whether any credible sports news outlets had reported the record-breaking century. However, no such reports were found.

A further keyword search for the fastest century in T20 international cricket revealed that Estonia&#39;s Sahil Chauhan holds the record, reaching 100 runs in just 27 balls against Cyprus on June 17, 2024, as reported by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Meanwhile, South African cricketer AB de Villiers holds the record for the fastest century in ODI cricket, scoring 100 runs off 31 deliveries against the West Indies on January 18, 2015.

Furthermore, even if a batter hit six sixes in succession and scored a six off each of 16 deliveries, the total would amount to just 96 runs, falling four runs short of a century.

Further examination of the match scorecard on Cricbuzz revealed that Phillips scored 107 runs off 49 deliveries, hitting 10 sixes and six fours against India on October 30, 2026. The figures were also corroborated by a report published by the ICC, confirming that the viral claim of a century in just 16 balls was false.

Fact-check status: False

The claim that New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips scored a century off just 16 balls against India is false. Official match records confirm that Phillips scored 107 runs off 49 deliveries, including 10 sixes and six fours, during the October 30, 2026, T20I match against India.]]>
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			<title>Organisational lapses hit SAFF Cup ahead of kick-off</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638641/organisational-lapses-hit-saff-cup-ahead-of-kick-off</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638641/organisational-lapses-hit-saff-cup-ahead-of-kick-off#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 11:45:30 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Alam Zeb Safi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638641</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[India face accommodation delays in Dhaka, Pakistan’s hotel is changed before team’s departure]]>
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				<![CDATA[The SAFF Cup 2026 kicks off in Dhaka on Thursday but organisers have already faced embarrassing moments over accommodation arrangements for participating teams.
A well-placed source has informed this correspondent that the Pakistan team&rsquo;s hotel was changed before the squad departed for Dhaka on Tuesday.
Pakistan, coached by Nolberto Solano, arrived in the Bangladesh capital in the early hours of Wednesday.
&ldquo;Yes, our hotel was changed, but it happened before the team&rsquo;s departure,&rdquo; a well-connected source told this correspondent.
The main concern is that Pakistan will begin their campaign on Thursday with a crucial encounter against India. It remains to be seen how quickly the players can settle in after a long journey from Islamabad to Dhaka via Qatar.
Meanwhile, media reports suggest that the Indian team also had to wait several hours for accommodation following its arrival in Dhaka.
&ldquo;The team landed in the Bangladesh capital around 2:15 pm after a slight delay and was given the address of a private hotel on Gulshan Avenue. However, upon reaching the property, the team discovered that rooms had not been allocated for them,&rdquo; a web portal reported.
According to the report, Indian players were still waiting for accommodation until 5pm IST.

However, a subsequent report confirmed that the Indian team had eventually secured accommodation in Dhaka.
Social media was also abuzz with reports about the alleged poor treatment of the Indian team, which will enter the tournament as defending champions.
This correspondent also approached a senior SAFF official for comment, but received no response.
The high-profile Pakistan-India encounter will be played at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Thursday.
Pakistan head coach Nolberto Solano is targeting a strong performance in the six-team tournament, which Nepal will miss due to a suspension.
&ldquo;We go step by step. We have a big game against India on Thursday, followed by Maldives. Our focus is on these two matches and qualifying for the semi-finals. We have to think of every game as a final. The first final is against India, and the second final is against Maldives,&rdquo; Solano said.
Comparing the intensity of Pakistan-India encounters to the rivalry between Peru and Chile, Solano said: &ldquo;Peru-Chile is just like Pakistan-India. It has the same intensity. I understand what these games mean to the fans. We want to please the people because we know what it means to them. These games are special, and that itself is motivation.&rdquo;
Pakistan, India and Maldives are placed in Group B, while hosts Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan make up Group A.
Pakistan have never won the SAFF Cup, finishing third in the 1997 edition hosted by Nepal.
India are the most successful team in the tournament&#39;s history, having won the title a record nine times. Maldives have lifted the trophy twice, while Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka have won it once each.
Bhutan will face hosts Bangladesh in the tournament&#39;s second match on Thursday under floodlights.
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, scheduled for November 14, while the final will take place on November 17.
India are fielding second string, rather, under-23 team, in the tournament which will provide a very good opportunity for Pakistan&rsquo;s home-grown players to put up a strong fight against them]]>
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			<title>Pakistan Under-19 begin title defence on Friday</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638644/pakistan-u19-begin-title-defence-on-friday</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638644/pakistan-u19-begin-title-defence-on-friday#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 11:56:41 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Sports Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638644</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Defending champions are drawn alongside UAE, India and Nepal in Group A]]>
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				<![CDATA[The ACC Men&rsquo;s U19 Asia Cup 2026 will begin in Oman on Thursday, 5 November with defending champions Pakistan U19 taking on the UAE on Friday, 6 November at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Muscat.

The eight-team 50-over tournament consist of two groups. Pakistan, UAE, India and Nepal are in Group A, while Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Malaysia are in Group B.

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, scheduled for Thursday, 12 November. The final will take place on Saturday, 14 November.

Pakistan will be led by Farhan Yousaf, who also captained the side in the previous edition when Pakistan defeated India by 191 runs at the ICC Cricket Academy Ground in Dubai.

Following their opening match, Pakistan will face India on Sunday, 8 November before taking on Nepal in their final group match on Tuesday, 10 November.

Talking exclusively to PCB Digital, Pakistan U19 captain Farhan Yousaf said:

&ldquo;Our preparations have been progressing really well. The PCB&rsquo;s initiative to send us to Oman ahead of the tournament has been extremely beneficial, allowing us to assess the weather, pitches and playing conditions.

&ldquo;As defending champions, we understand the responsibility that comes with the title. We are not taking anything for granted and are determined to carry forward the positives from last year with the same hunger, commitment and winning mindset.

&ldquo;The morale within the squad is very high and the players are confident heading into the tournament. We had a strong squad last year and the addition of new players has further strengthened the team.

&ldquo;The confidence and support shown by the team management have been instrumental in our preparations. We are focused on building on last year&rsquo;s success, maintaining our positive approach and performing consistently throughout the tournament.&rdquo;

15-member squad

Farhan Yousuf (captain), Abdul Qadir (wk), Abdul Subhan, Ahmed Hussain, Ali Raza, Hamza Zahoor (wk), Hasnain Abbas Dar, Hayam Khan, Huzaifa Ahsan, Jahangir Bilal, Mohammad Huzaifa, Mohammad Seyam, Niqab Shafiq, Rizwanullah and Usman Khan

Player support personnel

Shahid Anwar (head coach &amp; team manager), Rao Iftikhar Anjum (fast bowling coach), Zohaib Khan (spin bowling coach), Humayun Farhat (fielding coach), Ubaid Ullah (Physiotherapist), Ibrar Ahmed (trainer) and Ali Hamza (performance analyst)

Pakistan&rsquo;s fixtures at the ACC Men&rsquo;s U19 Asia Cup 2026 - OMAN 

6 November &ndash; Pakistan v UAE &ndash; OCA Ground 2

8 November &ndash; Pakistan v India &ndash; OCA Ground 1

10 November &ndash; Pakistan v Nepal &ndash; OCA Ground 1

12 November &ndash; Semi finals

14 November &ndash; Final]]>
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			<title>Mendis leads Sri Lanka recovery against Patron’s XI</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638607/mendis-leads-sri-lanka-recovery-against-patrons-xi</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638607/mendis-leads-sri-lanka-recovery-against-patrons-xi#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 08:49:46 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Sports Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638607</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Visitors reach 162-5 in Islamabad as Saqib Khan strikes twice in warm-up contest]]>
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				<![CDATA[Kusal Mendis leads Sri Lanka XI&#39;s recovery with an unbeaten 45 as the visitors reached 162 for five against Patron&rsquo;s XI in their warm-up match at Islamabad Cricket Club on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka, who elected to bat after winning the toss, recovered from a difficult start after losing three wickets for just 40. Till filing of the story they had progressed to 162 in 38.4 overs, with Mendis providing the backbone of the innings.

Mendis struck eight boundaries in his 48-ball knock, maintaining an aggressive approach despite the early setbacks. Anjala Bandara was unbeaten on seven.

Earlier, Lahiru Udara anchored the innings with 65 from 105 deliveries, including seven fours and three sixes. His contribution proved crucial after Pasindu Sooriyabandara fell for eight and Dinesh Chandimal departed without scoring, both to Saqib Khan.

Dhananjaya De Silva added 14 before becoming Mohammad Salman&#39;s only victim, leaving Sri Lanka struggling at 40-3.
Udara subsequently combined with Mendis to rebuild the innings before Ali Shabbir dismissed him for 65. Shabbir later removed Sonal Dinusha for ten to finish with two wickets.

Saqib was the standout bowler, returning figures of 2-25 from 11 overs, while Shoaib Akher Juniorr. impressed with an economical spell, conceding just 12 runs in seven overs.

The match provides Sri Lanka with valuable preparation ahead of their upcoming two-Test series against Pakistan, scheduled to begin in Rawalpindi on November 9, with the second Test in Lahore from November 17.]]>
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			<title>Pakistan's Test revival begins against Sri Lanka</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638594/pakistans-test-revival-begins</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638594/pakistans-test-revival-begins#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 07:24:35 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Saleem Khaliq]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638594</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Hesson orders fast tracks; Azan, Fazal emerge as leading contenders to open the innings against Sri Lanka]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan have decided to put an end to their disappointing performances on lively pitches, with head coach Mike Hesson directing efforts to prepare pace-friendly surfaces for both home Test matches against Sri Lanka.
Five players from the playing XI that featured in the final Test against England are now out of contention, meaning Pakistan will have to make several changes to their line-up. The team is also expected to field a new opening combination in its first home Test series of the year.
Meanwhile, Babar Azam is featuring in a domestic four-day match on Hesson&#39;s advice as he looks to regain his batting form.
Pakistan&#39;s performance in Test cricket in 2026 has been disappointing, with the team losing six of its seven matches. The Green-shirts suffered whitewash in two series, while another series ended in a 1-1 draw.
Pakistan are currently ranked ninth among ten teams in the ICC Test rankings and occupy the bottom, ninth position in the World Test Championship standings.
The team management has now begun taking steps to turn things around.
Following their triumph in the tri-nation ODI series, Pakistan&#39;s next assignment is a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. The first Test will begin in Rawalpindi on November 9, while the second is scheduled to start in Lahore on November 17.
Remarkably, Pakistan will be playing their first home Test of the year in November, despite having already featured in seven Tests across three overseas series. The team managed just one victory during that period, which came in the West Indies, while its overseas campaign had also begun with a defeat.
Before that, Pakistan lost both Tests in Bangladesh, while England handed them a humiliating 3-0 series whitewash in the most recent series.
Sources revealed that the team management has now agreed to prepare more competitive and lively pitches at home to help the side overcome its struggles on pace-friendly surfaces during overseas tours. Hesson has instructed the ground staff to prepare fast tracks for both Tests against Sri Lanka.
Groundsmen are working to produce surfaces that offer greater assistance to fast bowlers.
Following the three-day match against Sri Lanka, two fast bowlers from the PCB Patron&#39;s XI are expected to be added to the national squad. Mohammad Abbas and Razaullah appear certain to receive call-ups.
Five players from the XI that featured in the final Test against England including Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Mohammad Imran and Mohammad Ali are no longer part of the team&#39;s plans, making a significant overhaul inevitable.
Shan Masood scored 95 runs in the first innings of the Birmingham Test. However, the coach reportedly believes it is time to give a younger player an opportunity in place of the 37-year-old batter.
The opening combination is also set for a change, with Azan Awais and Abdullah Fazal currently emerging as the leading contenders to open the innings.
Sources further revealed that Hesson had advised Babar Azam to feature in a domestic four-day match to regain his batting rhythm. As a result, the former Pakistan captain is currently representing his side in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.
The PCB&#39;s decision to make participation in domestic competitions compulsory has also ensured that star players are representing their respective departments and regions, even if some are reluctant to do so.
Pakistan are currently ninth among ten teams in the ICC Test rankings, with only Zimbabwe below them. The Green-shirts also occupy ninth place, the bottom position, in the World Test Championship standings.
The Pakistan Cricket Board&#39;s think tank has already begun implementing measures to improve the team&#39;s performance in the next World Test Championship cycle. Officials are hopeful that the inclusion of young players, combined with a more aggressive approach to Test cricket, will help revive Pakistan&#39;s fortunes.]]>
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			<title>Opp forms APC committees, vows countrywide movement against govt after huddle</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638673/opposition-addresses-press-conference-after-huddle-at-fazls-residence-to-discuss-k-p-emergency</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638673/opposition-addresses-press-conference-after-huddle-at-fazls-residence-to-discuss-k-p-emergency#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 18:31:01 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638673</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Achakzai warns govt against targeting Fazl after meeting him at his residence with a delegation]]>
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				<![CDATA[Opposition parties on Wednesday announced the formation of committees to organise an All Parties Conference (APC) and resolve differences among political groups, while vowing to launch a countrywide movement against what they described as an undemocratic government.

The announcement was made after an opposition meeting at the residence of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, where leaders also condemned what they called a campaign of character assassination against the JUI-F chief and criticised the imposition of governor&#39;s rule and emergency in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

&ldquo;The committee comprises Salman Akram Raja, Kamran Murtaza, Mustafa Khokhar, Aamir Dogar, Nasir Shirazi and Mohammad Aslam Ghauri,&rdquo; Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP) Vice Chairman Allama Raja Nasir Abbas announced at a press conference at Fazl&#39;s residence.



یہ جو رواج ڈالا جا رہا ہے، اگر تم قتل کر رہے ہو یا کرامات کر رہے ہو، تمہارا ہر قدم یا تو آئین کا قتل ہے، قانون کا قتل ہے یا عوام کے حقوق کا قتل ہے۔ گھروں میں گھسنا چادر اور چار دیواری کا قتل ہے۔ اور اس کے بعد آپ کے خلاف کوئی بولے تو آپ کہتے ہیں کہ بولتے کیوں ہو؟ اعتراض نہ کرو، چپ&hellip; pic.twitter.com/Gcq8OJb448
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) November 4, 2026



He said a separate subcommittee would work to resolve differences among the parties and explore ways for them to work together in the future. He announced that Sallahuddin Ayubi, Akhunzada Hussain and Khalid Yousaf would serve as its coordinators.

&nbsp;Abbas said the APC would be held within a week to 10 days, with a committee tasked with consulting political parties, finalising the agenda and announcing the date.

Speaking at the presser, TTAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai said the gathering had been convened to condemn the government&#39;s attacks on Maulana Fazl and express solidarity with him.

&ldquo;The way the government is targeting Maulana Fazlur Rehman is condemnable. We have come here to express our solidarity with him,&rdquo; he said.

&ldquo;We clearly declare that this approach will not work. If someone speaks the truth and points out your wrongdoings, such behaviour will not only pollute the political arena but could also lead to extremely dangerous consequences,&rdquo; he warned.

Achakzai said a committee had been formed to arrange the APC, which was expected to be held this month, adding that another committee would work to address differences and reservations between the PTI and the JUI-F and improve relations between the two parties.

He said the opposition would launch a movement across the country against what he termed as an &ldquo;undemocratic government&rdquo;.



ہم بنیادی طور پر تحریکِ تحفظِ آئینِ پاکستان اور ان تمام سیاسی جماعتوں کی نمائندگی کرتے ہیں جن کا نصب العین اس ملک کو ایک ایسی مضبوط فیڈریشن بنانا ہے جہاں آئین کی بالادستی قائم ہو، طاقت کا اصل سرچشمہ پارلیمان ہو، اور ملکی سیاست کا محور پاکستان کی پارلیمنٹ ہو، جہاں سے ریاست کی تمام&hellip; pic.twitter.com/IkTh86SAdc
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) November 4, 2026



Criticising the imposition of governor&#39;s rule and emergency in K-P, Achakzai said the measures amounted to an insult to the mandate of the province&#39;s 40 million people.

&ldquo;Do not provoke us or launch unjustified attacks against us. God forbid, if an incident takes place as a result, it may become difficult for everyone to handle the consequences,&rdquo; he warned.

Fazl, addressing the press conference, thanked the opposition leaders for attending the meeting and said the participants had held serious consultations on the country&#39;s political situation.

&ldquo;It has been agreed that this consultation process will continue. A committee has been formed for the All Parties Conference, while a subcommittee has also been established to address any mutual reservations,&rdquo; he said.



میں ان تمام اکابرین کا انتہائی شکر گزار ہوں جنہوں نے ہمیں عزت دی اور آج ایک بڑی سنجیدہ مشاورت ہوئی ہے۔ مشاورت کے اس عمل کو مزید آگے بڑھانے پر اتفاق ہوا ہے اور آل پارٹیز کانفرنس کے لیے کمیٹی بنا دی گئی ہے۔ جو کچھ باہمی تحفظات ہیں، ان کو دور کرنے کے لیے بھی سب کمیٹی بنا دی گئی ہے۔&hellip; pic.twitter.com/UJbD22i8nb
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) November 4, 2026



He said the opposition had consistently raised concerns over governor&#39;s rule, the imposition of emergency and what he described as attempts to take control of mineral resources.

&ldquo;We have represented the nation on these issues. We have spoken for the people&#39;s trust, and we will play our role in protecting it,&rdquo; he said.

Fazl alleged that provincial rights and resources were being taken away under various pretexts. Referring to Balochistan, he said attempts were being made to bring profitable coastal areas, including Gwadar, under federal control.

He also referred to discussions about placing islands in Sindh under federal control.

He said the rights granted to provinces and their people under the 18th Amendment were now under threat.

Referring to the merger of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with K-P, he said his party had expressed reservations at the time, arguing that the province was not prepared to absorb the region.



اور ملک متحمل نہیں ہے، آج اس کو دوبارہ ختم کیا جا رہا ہے اور اس کو وفاق کے زیر اہتمام لایا جا رہا ہے۔ تو اس وقت جو عوامل تھے وہ سیاسی تھے اور اس وقت جو عوامل ہیں وہ وسائل کے ہیں۔

لہٰذا ان کی پالیسیوں میں کوئی پتہ نہیں چلتا کہ آج قوم کے ساتھ کیا کھیل کھیلا جا رہا ہے، کل کیا کھیل&hellip; pic.twitter.com/OpSbOyZPu4
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) November 4, 2026



He said the factors behind the earlier move had been political, while the current developments appeared to be driven by control over resources.

&ldquo;We have reservations about these contradictory policies and strategies. We have presented our concerns with full arguments,&rdquo; he said.

The JUI-F chief said the opposition was raising national issues through political discourse, but the government was targeting individuals instead of addressing the concerns.

He referred to what he described as attempts to divert public attention towards matters such as the installation of a generator, construction of a cabin and the location of a kitchen at his residence.



میں 100 فیصد ان کی حمایت کرتا ہوں، اس میں کوئی مسئلہ نہیں ہے، لیکن میں یہ ضرور کہوں گا کہ ہمیں تمام قیدیوں کی بات کرنی ہوگی۔ پی ٹی آئی کے جو کارکنان جیلوں میں ہیں، ہمیں ان کی بھی بات کرنی ہے اور اس پر ہمارا اتفاقِ رائے ہے۔ البتہ ان کے ذاتی نوعیت کے کچھ معاملات کا جو ذکر ہوا ہے،&hellip; pic.twitter.com/TJePwxdtzb
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) November 4, 2026



&ldquo;These things are laughable. Through such absurdities, they are diverting the public&#39;s attention elsewhere,&rdquo; he said.

Fazl said his party would not be distracted by such matters and would continue to protect national resources and provincial rights.

&ldquo;We will neither allow any international institution to plunder our country&#39;s assets nor permit Pakistan&#39;s own institutions to deprive the people of their rights,&rdquo; he said.

He alleged that votes were stolen during elections and resources were plundered after governments were formed, saying such practices were contrary to democracy, the Constitution and Shariah.

Responding to a question about the federal government&#39;s position on provincial autonomy and the creation of new provinces, Fazl said the centre was particularly concerned about two issues: the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award and mineral resources.

&ldquo;This has always been our clear stance. You have heard us say that the federal government is currently troubled by two things: the NFC Award and mineral resources,&rdquo; he said.

He added that his party had raised the issues at public gatherings even before the recent measures, saying the developments had now made its concerns evident.



پاکستان میں سیاستدانوں کو جو غیر جمہوری قوتیں بدنام کر رہی ہیں، مولانا صاحب ان کی نشاندہی کر چکے ہیں اور ان کے نام بھی بتا چکے ہیں۔

​بات یہ ہے کہ سیاسی جماعتوں کو بھی نئے سرے سے غسل اور وضو کر کے یہ اعلان کرنا پڑے گا کہ ہم ایک دوسرے کے خلاف غیر جمہوری قوتوں کا ساتھ نہیں دیں&hellip; pic.twitter.com/KbrqXJXX4s
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) November 4, 2026



Questioning the purpose behind calls for creating new provinces, JUI-F chief said granting financial powers to district governments could turn them into rivals of provincial administrations.

&ldquo;Establishing district governments and granting them financial powers means setting provincial institutions against the provincial government,&rdquo; he said.

Drawing a comparison with the establishment, he said that an institution which was supposed to be subordinate to the government had become more powerful than it.

&ldquo;All these measures amount to destroying the country&#39;s system. We, however, want a balance within the system in accordance with the Constitution and the law,&rdquo; he said.

Opposition leader in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas also criticised the government&#39;s actions, alleging that the country was being run in an unconstitutional manner and that the rule of law had disappeared.



آپ جانتے ہیں کہ پاکستان اس وقت ایک غیر آئینی طریقے سے چلایا جا رہا ہے۔ یہاں قانون کی حکمرانی بالکل نہیں ہے۔

دن بدن اس ظلم و ستم، لاقانونیت اور غیر آئینی اقدامات میں اضافہ ہو رہا ہے، اور چادر و چاردیواری کا تقدس پامال ہو رہا ہے۔ یہ سسٹم جب سے آیا ہے، اس کی پہلی اینٹ ہی ٹیڑھی&hellip; pic.twitter.com/xd7q6o8AOt
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) November 4, 2026



&ldquo;Lawlessness, oppression and unconstitutional measures are increasing by the day, while the sanctity of homes is being violated,&rdquo; he said.

He alleged that the government had undermined the electoral process, damaged the Constitution and attacked the independence of the judiciary before moving against people&#39;s homes and, subsequently, the mandate of K-P.

&ldquo;By imposing emergency and governor&#39;s rule in the province, the government has sent a message to the people that their mandate has no value,&rdquo; he said.

&nbsp;Abbas said a country could not function when institutions ceased to exist, and individuals took control of the system. He warned that public confidence in the system was essential for the country&#39;s stability.

He also condemned what he described as a campaign of character assassination against Maulana Fazl after the JUI-F chief criticised the government&#39;s policies, governor&#39;s rule and emergency in K-P.

&ldquo;Whether this happens to Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif or even our enemy, it is wrong and condemnable. This is a bad tradition,&rdquo; he said.

&ldquo;Today you are entering our homes; tomorrow people may enter yours. Remember, you reap what you sow,&rdquo; he added.

Opposition&nbsp;huddle at Fazl&#39;s residence

Earlier, opposition parties gathered&nbsp;at Fazl&#39;s residence to discuss the prevailing political situation, including the imposition of governor&#39;s rule and an emergency in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

The JUI-F media cell confirmed that it was a meeting of the &quot;united opposition&quot;. The Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP) also confirmed the development.



اسلام آباد: امیر جمعیت علمائے اسلام مولانا۔ فضل الرحمن کی رہائش گاہ پر متحدہ اپوزیشن کا اہم اجلاس شروع ۔

اجلاس میں امیر جمیعت علمائے اسلام مولانا فضل الرحمن ، سربراہ تحریک تحفظ آئین پاکستان محمود خان اچکزئی، قائد حزب اختلاف سینیٹ و سربراہ مجلس وحدت مسلمین علامہ ناصر عباس، سابق&hellip; pic.twitter.com/ZhyIXzRIED
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) November 4, 2026


Those attending the meeting included Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen chief Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and National Assembly Chief Whip Aamir Dogar.

Read: PTI, TTAP affirm &#39;full support&#39; for Fazl after govt hammering in Parliament

Other participants included Senator Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, Senator Kamran Murtaza, former K-P chief minister Akram Khan Durrani, JUI-F leaders Hafiz Hamdullah, Maulana Attaur Rehman and Maulana Attaul Haq Darvesh, and Senator Maulana Salahuddin Ayubi.

The meeting discussed unity among opposition parties, supremacy of the Constitution and the law, protection of democratic rights, a joint strategy to address the prevailing political situation and the opposition&#39;s future course of action.

Other participants included Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) spokesperson Hussain Ahmad Yousafzai, PTI core committee member and legal counsel to Imran Khan Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry, Agha Nasir Shirazi, Akhunzada Hussain, Zahir Durrani and Aslam Ghauri.

On October 11, governor&#39;s rule and an emergency were imposed in K-P, transferring executive authority from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government to the governor. An 11-member advisory council was formed to assist him in overseeing provincial administrative affairs.

The federal government also established a separate administrative structure for 12 districts, including an area representative and a development council to facilitate local representation and development planning.

Also Read: Opposition unites against governor&#39;s rule in K-P

The latest gathering is the first joint meeting of opposition parties to formulate a response to the imposition of governor&#39;s rule in the province, with both Fazl and Achakzai in attendance.

Following the imposition of the emergency and governor&#39;s rule, Fazl accused the government of backing out of negotiations with the PTI and the opposition despite initially agreeing to their demands.

He categorically rejected the imposition of governor&#39;s rule or an emergency in K-P, saying that if an emergency had to be imposed, it should be imposed on the federal government, which he described as illegitimate.

The criticism subsequently spilled over into the assembly, escalating the war of words between the government and the JUI-F chief. Fazl had accused the government of misusing the Constitution.

Federal ministers hit back, accusing the JUI-F chief of overlooking his own role in forming and toppling governments.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi criticised Fazl over his opposition to governor&#39;s rule in the province, suggesting that the religious-political leader was unhappy at not being offered a role in the new provincial setup.

Later, a delegation of the PTI and TTAP expressed full support for the JUI-F chief&#39;s speech in the National Assembly and condemned what it described as his character assassination by government ministers following his strong criticism of the government&#39;s actions.]]>
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			<title>PTI seeks Imran's immediate transfer to Shifa International Hospital over renewed blood pressure concerns</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638696/pti-seeks-imrans-immediate-transfer-to-shifa-international-hospital-over-renewed-blood-pressure</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638696/pti-seeks-imrans-immediate-transfer-to-shifa-international-hospital-over-renewed-blood-pressure#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 19:40:33 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Imran's sister demands independent medical treatment, saying his blood pressure was normal as recently as a year ago.]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday expressed grave concern over the health of its incarcerated founder Imran Khan, saying his blood pressure had reached 192 in recent days, and demanded his immediate transfer to Shifa International Hospital for independent medical treatment under the supervision of his personal physicians.

The statement came two days after a meeting between Imran and his lawyer at Adiala jail on Nov 2, during which the former prime minister reportedly conveyed concerns about his health.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has allowed Imran to meet his family members, lawyers and other associates twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However, despite repeated court orders directing the authorities to facilitate these meetings, access to the former prime minister by his family and party leaders has remained largely restricted in recent months.

In the meeting&#39;s aftermath,&nbsp;Imran&#39;s sister Rubina Khan said her brother had conveyed through his lawyer that his blood pressure had shot up to 192. She alleged that he had accused the authorities of failing to provide him with proper medical treatment.



Statement of Imran Khan&rsquo;s sister Rubina Khan (November 3, 2026) pic.twitter.com/MGXPkPwCBb
&mdash; PTI (@PTIofficial) November 3, 2026


She said the lawyer had been allowed to meet Imran briefly after seven months, adding that access to a lawyer was a basic right of every prisoner.

&ldquo;Imran Khan has never had high blood pressure. As recently as a year ago, his blood pressure was normal,&rdquo; she said, adding that the family&rsquo;s medical advisers considered it unusual for someone over 70 to suddenly develop high blood pressure.

&ldquo;As his family, we demand that he be immediately admitted to an independent medical institution in Islamabad for proper treatment, in the presence of his personal doctor and a doctor of my choice,&rdquo; Rubina said.

She also referred to statements by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, UN experts, the UN Committee Against Torture and Amnesty International concerning Imran&#39;s detention and treatment.

Rubina said the Supreme Court&#39;s August 2026 decision requiring immediate medical treatment at Shifa hospital had not been implemented.

She alleged that there had previously been multiple attempts on her brother&#39;s life, including an assassination attempt, and said the family feared for his safety in prison.

&ldquo;If he does not receive medical treatment now, anything that happens to him would amount to cold-blooded murder,&rdquo; she said.

Sharing his aunt&#39;s statement on X, Imran&#39;s son Kasim said: &ldquo;This high blood pressure is not normal. It is the direct result of this isolation.&rdquo;

&ldquo;If he is not freed soon, he will die in this cell,&rdquo; he added.

PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja called it&nbsp;an &quot;extremely alarming matter&rdquo;.&nbsp;

He further said: &quot;We now, as a party, need to adopt an effective strategy regarding the health of Khan Sahib and Bushri Bibi. An effective strategy cannot be based merely on excitement and anger ... In this regard, every doubt and apprehension must be eliminated. After consultation with all authorised bodies of the family and the party, including the parliamentary party, a full-force&nbsp;voice will be raised both inside the country and abroad. Protecting Khan Sahib&#39;s health is the duty of the entire nation.&quot;



عمران خان صاحب کی ہمشیرہ روبینہ نیازی صاحبہ کے جاری کردہ بیان کے بعد اب ہمیں بطور پارٹی خان صاحب اور بشری بی بی کی صحت کے حوالے سے موثر حکمت عملی اپنانی ہے۔ موثر حکمت عملی محض ہیجان اور غصے پر مبنی نہیں ہوا کرتی۔ خان صاحب کے بلڈ پریشر میں اتار چڑھاو انتہائی تشویش کا باعث ہے۔ اس&hellip;
&mdash; salman akram raja (@salmanAraja) November 4, 2026


In a statement shared by the PTI on X, Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said repeated fluctuations in Imran&#39;s blood pressure were a matter of extreme concern, adding that protecting his health was the responsibility of the state and the entire nation.

He accused the government of endangering the life and fundamental rights of the country&#39;s most popular political leader by denying him adequate medical facilities, access to his family and treatment of his choice.



PRESS RELEASE
ISLAMABAD &mdash; Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram has expressed grave concern over the deteriorating health of party founder Imran Khan, revealing that his blood pressure had surged to 192, and demanded his immediate&hellip;
&mdash; PTI (@PTIofficial) November 4, 2026


Akram demanded immediate implementation of the Supreme Court&#39;s August 18 order directing Imran&#39;s transfer to Shifa International Hospital, where he should be treated by his personal and family-appointed doctors.

He also called for the release of Imran, Bushra Bibi and all political prisoners detained in Kot Lakhpat jail and elsewhere in the country. He condemned raids on PTI ministers in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and what he described as violations of the sanctity of homes in Punjab and K-P.

&ldquo;Political victimisation and repression must end,&rdquo; he said, urging the government to release Imran and pursue national reconciliation to put the country back on the path of peace, prosperity and progress.]]>
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			<title>Federal govt signs off on Pak-Kuwait defence agreement</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638615/pakistan-continues-diplomatic-efforts-to-ease-mideast-tensions-pm-shehbaz</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638615/pakistan-continues-diplomatic-efforts-to-ease-mideast-tensions-pm-shehbaz#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 10:03:13 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638615</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Announces fuel subsidy to continue until end of December; approves Rs160b development package for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa]]>
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				<![CDATA[The federal cabinet on Wednesday ratified the&nbsp;Pakistan-Kuwait Defence Cooperation Agreement.

The agreement was finalised on June 11, 2023, to promote cooperation between the two countries in the defence sector.

A statement from the Prime Minister&#39;s Office (PMO)&nbsp;said the Kuwaiti government had ratified the agreement on July 19.



وزیرِ اعظم محمد شہباز شریف کی زیرِ صدارت وفاقی کابینہ کا اجلاس آج اسلام آباد میں منعقد ہوا.

وفاقی کابینہ نے خیبرپختونخوا میں انتظامی امور کی سہل انجام دہی اور گورننس کی مزید بہتری کیلئے وزیر اعلی کو تفویض شدہ اختیارات کی صوبے میں ایمرجنسی کی مدت کے دوران روزمرہ کے امور کی انجام&hellip; pic.twitter.com/cMBpEs9Bc8
&mdash; Prime Minister&#39;s Office (@PakPMO) November 4, 2026



The agreement establishes a framework for military cooperation between the Kuwaiti and Pakistani armed forces, covering military training, education, intelligence sharing, logistics, defence technology, research and exchanges of expertise, to strengthen institutional military ties between the two countries.

It also provides for cooperation in military manufacturing, electronic communications systems, scientific research, military media and cultural and sports activities.

Under the agreement, a joint military committee will oversee implementation, including the organisation of joint military exercises, official visits and other cooperative programs.

Read More: Pakistan, Kuwait call for de-escalation amid widening US-Iran conflict

The pact will remain in force for five years and will be automatically renewed unless either side decides to terminate it. It also commits both countries to protecting confidential military information and resolving any disputes arising from the agreement through diplomatic channels.

The ratification follows a series of high-level contacts between Kuwaiti and Pakistani military officials in recent months aimed at expanding bilateral defence coordination.

The agreement comes as Kuwait continues to deepen security cooperation with international partners amid heightened regional security challenges in the Gulf.

Kuwait has been among several Gulf countries targeted by Iranian missile and drone attacks during the recent regional escalation. Tehran has said the strikes were aimed at US military facilities hosted by Gulf states, while Kuwaiti authorities said their air defences intercepted projectiles that entered the country&#39;s airspace.

Transfer of powers to K-P governor

The federal cabinet also approved the transfer of powers delegated to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister to the provincial governor for the conduct of day-to-day affairs during the period of emergency.

According to the PMO statement, the move was intended to facilitate administrative matters and improve governance in the province. The governor would submit a monthly report to the federal government reviewing the exercise of these powers.

The cabinet expressed hope that the K-P Advisory Council, under the governor&rsquo;s leadership, would work for the welfare and prosperity of the province&rsquo;s people and help restore peace and security.

The prime minister also said a Rs160 billion development package had been finalised for K-P, with security given priority.

He said a large number of terrorists had been eliminated in the province and expressed confidence that terrorism would be eradicated through the sacrifices of security personnel and the coordinated efforts of law enforcement agencies, the provincial government and the federal government.

Describing K-P as Pakistan&rsquo;s most beautiful province, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised its people for resisting terrorism for decades and paying a heavy price in sacrifices.

He said Balochistan had also faced terrorism for a long time, adding that the menace had been eliminated in 2018 but had unfortunately resurfaced. He expressed hope that it would once again be comprehensively suppressed. He added that the federal and provincial governments would work with security institutions to eliminate terrorism.

New currency note designs approved

On the recommendation of the Ministry of Finance, the cabinet approved the designs of new currency notes after receiving a detailed briefing on the process.

The briefing informed the meeting that proposals had been invited from artists and designers across the country. A cabinet committee established by the prime minister had also held consultations with relevant stakeholders on the proposed designs.

The new notes would feature enhanced security measures to prevent counterfeiting and use modern materials intended to extend their lifespan, the statement said.

The cabinet also approved the introduction of a Rs10 coin to replace the existing Rs10 banknote.

The Federal Cabinet further ratified decisions taken at the October 26 meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government-Owned Institutions.

It also ratified decisions taken at meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases held on January 22, February 26, August 5, 18 and 27, and September 11 and 22.

Pakistan continuing efforts to promote regional peace and stability

PM Shehbaz also said Pakistan was continuing diplomatic efforts to promote regional peace and stability, while the government was taking measures to shield the public from rising international petroleum prices.

He also announced that the fuel subsidy programme would continue until the end of December and said a Rs160 billion development package had been approved for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Addressing a cabinet meeting in Islamabad, he said international oil prices had risen sharply amid unrest in the region and that Pakistan was continuing to play its role in efforts to establish peace.

He said a Pakistani delegation had visited Tehran twice during the previous week, while Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir had also travelled to Iran, along with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Senior officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkiye had held discussions there, which, according to the prime minister, took place in a positive atmosphere.

The discussions also covered ways to promote regional understanding in connection with an agreement involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, he said.

&nbsp;



وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف کی کابینہ اجلاس میں ابتدائی گفتگو https://t.co/43KiQFGNV5
&mdash; Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) November 4, 2026


Fuel subsidy to continue until December

The prime minister said the government&rsquo;s fuel subsidy programme would continue until the end of December, adding that 15 million people had used tokens under the scheme. Assuming an average family size of five, he said, the programme had benefited at least 75 million people.

He said the government had provided approximately Rs28 billion in subsidies and was closely monitoring the programme to ensure transparency.

However, reports of irregularities at some petrol pumps had emerged, prompting him to direct Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik to shut down outlets found involved in malpractice and take strict action against those responsible.

PM Shehbaz said the government had also prevented an increase of Rs15 per litre in petrol prices from being passed on to consumers following a rise in international petroleum prices the previous Friday.

He said the petroleum minister and his team had held discussions with refineries and persuaded them to absorb the additional cost instead of transferring the burden to the public. The prime minister congratulated the minister and his team for their efforts.

PM says LNG mafia era has ended

The prime minister said the government had ended what he described as the LNG import mafia, which he said had earned billions of rupees over several decades.

He praised the deputy prime minister, the energy and finance ministers and their teams for their efforts, saying LPG imports and management were now being handled through government institutions, including Pakistan State Oil and Pakistan Petroleum Limited, under a competitive and transparent mechanism.

PM Shehbaz said LPG imports would be opened to competition, while the locally produced LPG quota would be auctioned. The government would use the resulting profits to provide subsidies to consumers, he added.

Read More: LPG price hike crushes rickshaw drivers

PM Shehbaz said the government was holding meetings every two to three days to review preparations for the winter season, particularly in view of challenges affecting maritime routes and the availability and supply of fuel, LPG and other resources.

He said the government would make every possible effort to ensure that the required quantities of LPG and petroleum products reached consumers and that power generation plants continued operating.

It would also seek to contain the impact of rising prices and prevent supply-related difficulties, he added.

Defence developments and G24 appointment

PM Shehbaz congratulated the nation on Pakistan&rsquo;s successful test of an air-to-air missile, which he said had taken place the previous day.

He credited Field Marshal Munir, his team and the institutions and individuals involved in the test for the achievement.

The prime minister also congratulated Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on his election as chairman of the Group of 24. He said Pakistan would fulfil the responsibility with diligence and effectively present its position at international forums.]]>
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			<title>IHC fixes Imran and Bushra's appeals against sentences in £190m case for Nov 10</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638661/ihc-fixes-imran-and-bushras-appeals-against-sentences-in-190m-case-for-nov-10</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638661/ihc-fixes-imran-and-bushras-appeals-against-sentences-in-190m-case-for-nov-10#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 15:39:34 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Division bench comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, Justice Muhammad Asif will hear appeal]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday fixed the hearing of the appeals of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi against their convictions in the &pound;190 million case for&nbsp;November 10.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif would hear the appeals, according to the cause list issued by the IHC Registrar&rsquo;s Office.

The court had sought arguments from counsel for the convicts on their appeals challenging the sentences.

Read: IHC gives Imran final opportunity to argue &pound;190m case appeals

At the previous hearing, the court had adjourned the proceedings without taking up the matter following a request by Imran&rsquo;s counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar.

In January 2025, an Islamabad accountability court sentenced Imran to 14 years and Bushra to seven years in prison in the reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau.&nbsp;

Read More: &pound;190m case: Imran&#39;s lawyer requests IHC to summon IG prisons, hospital authorities with record

The &pound;190m case pertains to allegations linked to the Al-Qadir Trust, a welfare organisation established in 2018. The trust, which runs a university outside Islamabad, is accused of being used as a front to receive land worth millions of dollars from a real estate tycoon.

According to the government, the donations were made in exchange for the former premier&rsquo;s administration using repatriated funds from the United Kingdom to pay fines on behalf of the businessman instead of depositing the amount into the national exchequer. Imran has denied the allegations, maintaining that neither he nor his wife derived any financial benefit from the trust or related transactions.]]>
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			<title>Naqvi says One Constitution Avenue to be converted into five-star hotel in 'coming months'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638652/naqvi-says-one-constitution-avenue-to-be-converted-into-five-star-hotel-in-coming-months</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638652/naqvi-says-one-constitution-avenue-to-be-converted-into-five-star-hotel-in-coming-months#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 13:33:00 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638652</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Iqbal says CDA involved in irregularities, fraud, Tarar says matter will be referred to NAB for further investigation]]>
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				<![CDATA[Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced on Wednesday that One Constitution Avenue would be converted into a five-star hotel, assuring that all those entitled to compensation would be paid their dues.

In a press conference in Islamabad, Naqvi said that a joint investigation team (JIT) report on the project was presented before the federal cabinet and action had been taken on its recommendations, further adding that the government had now legally taken possession of the property.

Naqvi added: &quot;We will convert this building to a five-star hotel in the coming months, which was its basic purpose in the first place. There is a severe shortage of hotels in Islamabad, and soon we will try to sign an agreement with a big chain for this purpose.&quot;



#Live https://t.co/NSnbQZBjLk
&mdash; Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) November 4, 2026


Read: IHC issues detailed verdict in One Constitution Avenue case, rules buyers have no legal claim to ownership

&ldquo;As per JIT recommendations, we will try to make rightful payments to the occupants,&rdquo; Naqvi stated, adding that this&nbsp;was&nbsp;binding on the government&nbsp;after the report.

In an earlier press conference, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, speaking alongside Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, said that a JIT report submitted to the cabinet had found &quot;irregularities and rigging&quot; in the One Constitution Avenue project.

He said: &quot;The prime minister had ordered an inquiry committee into the fraud that took place in the name of One Constitution Avenue, and today the JIT report was placed before the cabinet, which consisted of members from NAB, FIA, FBR, SECP, IB and ISI. They investigated the entire project and submitted a report that the cabinet considered today.&quot;



Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has said that the Joint Investigation Team&#39;s report has uncovered serious irregularities, manipulation, and fraud in the One Constitution Avenue project in Islamabad.@PlanComPakistan @betterpakistan @MoIB_Official @CDAIslamabad #RadioPakistan&hellip; pic.twitter.com/WiDPOGye3r
&mdash; Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) November 4, 2026


The planning minister underscored that the bidding process for the project was manipulated, further noting that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) was found not only to be &quot;negligent&quot; but also culpable and &quot;involved&quot; in the irregularities and fraud that took place.

Read More: CDA put on notice in One Constitution Avenue case

The minister added: &quot;The rules were relaxed to favour certain individuals, and the company that was given the lease was not the rightful claimant of the lease&quot;.

He further stated that the precondition of a bank guarantee was removed to favour the developer, adding that the paperwork submitted for the project was also found to be dubious.

Iqbal underlined that the apartments that were sold were done so &quot;illegally&quot;, further noting that the project was initially approved as a five-star hotel but was later converted into selling apartments.

&quot;The JIT identified the individuals involved in the manipulation, including Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, who is the mastermind and has connived with officers from CDA,&quot; he said.

The minister also stated that other CDA officers, including former chairman Kamran Lashari, Dr Faisal Awan, and Azhar Ali Chaudhry, were also involved in this fraud.

He said that these &quot;individuals defrauded many Pakistanis of their savings and secured personal financial benefit from this project&quot;.

Iqbal stated that the recommendations of the JIT report maintain that Shaikh and his company were &quot;prosecuted&quot; and also &quot;blacklisted&quot; for any future public sector projects.

The minister added: &quot;The project should be redirected towards its original purpose, and a transparent bidding process should be carried out, and security clearance from institutions should be obtained. Fire safety and other protocols must also be ensured.&quot;

Iqbal said that the project should also be renamed because the name of One Constitution Avenue was taken through deceit, as the first building on Constitution Avenue was the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. &quot;They only took the name of One Constitution for marketing purposes.&quot;

For those people who invested in this project and were deceived, it is the government&#39;s responsibility to compensate, and the principal amount plus interest would be returned, so that they do not suffer any loss.

The minister added that JIT also recommended that CDA and its ordinance should be overhauled and an independent master plan commission should be established.

&quot;All records will be digitised so that nobody can manipulate the records, and officers will be rotated every two years,&quot; he said.

Tarar says no one above the law in One Constitution Avenue case

Tarar, also speaking at the press conference, said the government would ensure equal application of law in the One Constitution Avenue project, making it clear that neither influential individuals nor wealthy people would be allowed to escape accountability.



Federal Minister Attaullah Tarar said the government would ensure equal application of law in the One Constitution Avenue project, making it clear that neither influential individuals nor wealthy people would be allowed to escape accountability.#AttaTarrar #OneConstitutionAvenue pic.twitter.com/ybz6WnaE6c
&mdash; APP (@appcsocialmedia) November 4, 2026


The minister said the JIT, constituted to examine irregularities in the One Constitution Avenue project, had identified shortcomings in the process dating back to the mid-2000s and also pointed out the officials involved at the time of the award of the contract.

He said the JIT had conducted a fair investigation, identified the offences and those responsible, and recommended that the matter be referred to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for further investigation.

Tarar said the government was equally committed to protecting bona fide investors who had purchased apartments in the project with their hard-earned money without knowledge of the alleged irregularities.

He added the JIT had also recommended safeguarding the interests of genuine investors, including those residing in Pakistan and abroad, and ensuring appropriate compensation for their investments in view of the proposed re-tendering and redesigning of the project.

He said the NAB investigation would be conducted strictly on merit and expedited, with a target of completion within three months, followed by the initiation of the trial process.

Background of One Constitution Avenue case

On May 19, a division bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) comprising Justice Azam Khan and Justice Raja Inam Amin Minhas issued a notice to the CDA on the intra-court appeal submitted by the sub-lease holders of 20 more apartments of One Constitution Avenue and sought its response.

On May 4, the IHC issued a detailed verdict on the One Constitution Avenue project, upholding the Capital Development Authority&#39;s (CDA) decision and ruling that the buyers lack ownership rights.

The court stated that the buyers lacked ownership rights, as the project&rsquo;s lease had been terminated and the proper legal processes had not been followed regarding the transfer of ownership.

On May 1, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif constituted a high-level committee to review the matter of One Constitution Avenue after authorities took control of a multi-storey residential building following a ruling by the IHC in a long-running dispute over the cancellation of its lease.

Also Read: PM constitutes high-level committee over One Constitution Avenue dispute, stays official action

The project originally stems from a 13.5-acre plot awarded to BNP Group following an auction on March 9, 2005, for Rs4.88 billion. Although possession was handed over the same year after an initial payment of Rs800 million, BNP has so far paid Rs1.02b, while the remaining Rs3.85b is recoverable in instalments until 2026.

In July 2016, the CDA cancelled the lease, citing multiple violations. The decision was upheld by the IHC in 2017, which also declared the conversion of a planned five-star hotel into luxury apartments illegal. However, the Supreme Court set aside that judgment in early 2019, directing the developer to pay Rs17.5b in instalments over eight years.

The CDA argued that BNP failed to meet its financial obligations after 21 years, maintaining that full ownership was conditional upon 100% payment of the land cost. Of the total Rs17.5b liability, only Rs2.9b &mdash; around 16.6% &mdash; has reportedly been paid.

The complex is reported to include apartments owned by several prominent figures, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan, Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, Shandana Gulzar Aurangzeb, former minister Burjees Tahir, former caretaker prime minister Nasirul Mulk and Kashmala Tariq.]]>
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			<title>PIA to launch three direct weekly Islamabad-Birmingham flights from Dec 1</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638659/pia-to-launch-three-direct-weekly-islamabad-birmingham-flights-from-dec-1</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638659/pia-to-launch-three-direct-weekly-islamabad-birmingham-flights-from-dec-1#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 15:14:27 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Talib Fareedi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638659</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Spokesperson says airline aims to increase the total number of weekly flights between Pakistan, UK to 23]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Wednesday said it would launch three weekly direct flights between Islamabad and Birmingham from December 1, expanding its UK network to facilitate Pakistani residents in northern and central parts of Britain.

According to a PIA spokesperson, the flights would initially operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.



New Airline Announcement! ✈️🎉

We&#39;re delighted to announce that PIA will be returning to Birmingham Airport (BHX) on 1 December 2026.

Due to high demand from travellers in the Midlands , direct flights to Islamabad will be resuming three times a week.

With more than 320,000&hellip; pic.twitter.com/MnhqTtIvua
&mdash; Birmingham Airport (@bhx_official) November 3, 2026


The spokesperson added that the UK was an important destination for PIA, adding that the airline aimed to increase the total number of weekly flights between Pakistan and the UK to 23.

Read: PIA resumes UK flights after five-year ban

On September 3, PIA decided to expand its air operations to London, increasing the number of weekly flights to seven from October 27.

A PIA spokesperson stated the national flag carrier would&nbsp;operate daily flights between Pakistan and London, including five weekly flights between Islamabad and London and two between Lahore and London, adding that the increase in flight frequency reflected growing passenger demand and confidence in the national airline.

PIA resumed direct flights to Britain in October last year, months after UK authorities ended a five-year suspension imposed over aviation safety concerns.

The flag carrier was earlier barred from flying to Britain, the European Union and the United States in June 2020, a month after one of its Airbus A320 aircraft plunged into a Karachi neighbourhood, killing nearly 100 people.

The deadly crash was blamed on human error.

Read More: UK team reviews PIA safety systems

Britain lifted restrictions on Pakistani carriers in July 2025 after concluding that aviation safety standards were &quot;satisfactory and in line with international norms&quot;.]]>
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			<title>Pakistan, UK voice concern over terrorism threat from Afghanistan: FO</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638629/pakistan-uk-voice-concern-over-terrorism-threat-from-afghanistan-fo</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638629/pakistan-uk-voice-concern-over-terrorism-threat-from-afghanistan-fo#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 11:09:19 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[web.desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Both sides agree to address emerging threats, including disinformation and the misuse of social media]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan and the United Kingdom on Wednesday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening counterterrorism cooperation, expressing concern over the continued threat posed by terrorist groups including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operating in and from Afghanistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said.

In a statement issued after the annual Pakistan-UK Counterterrorism Dialogue&nbsp;held in Islamabad, the Foreign Office said the two sides had discussed the evolving global and regional security environment, including threats posed by terrorist organisations and transnational networks.

&nbsp;



🔊 PR No. 3️⃣1️⃣9️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣

Pakistan-UK Counterterrorism Dialogue

🔗⬇️ pic.twitter.com/vdAh6xSP6C
&mdash; Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 4, 2026


The UK also expressed condolences over the loss of innocent lives in terrorist attacks in Pakistan and reiterated its support for Islamabad in the fight against terrorism.

Both sides underscored the need for a stable and secure Afghanistan as a cornerstone of lasting peace and prosperity across the region.



The annual Pakistan&ndash;UK CT dialogue was held on 4 November 2026 in Islamabad. Both sides reviewed ongoing bilateral and multilateral cooperation in counterterrorism and reaffirmed their shared commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The dialogue also&hellip; pic.twitter.com/Kzg9qqtwk3
&mdash; Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 4, 2026


The dialogue also reviewed ongoing bilateral and multilateral cooperation in counterterrorism, with both countries reaffirming their shared commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

The discussions further focused on exchanging best practices and exploring new avenues of partnership to address emerging trends in terrorism, including misinformation and disinformation campaigns, the exploitation of social media platforms and the misuse of emerging technologies.

Read more: Pakistan tells UK: terror hub in Afghanistan

Both sides also acknowledged Pakistan&#39;s contributions to regional stability and security and agreed to strengthen institutional linkages and maintain regular engagement to advance their shared counterterrorism objectives.

The two countries agreed to hold the next round of the Pakistan-UK Counterterrorism Dialogue in London in 2027, on mutually agreed dates.]]>
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			<title>FM Dar congratulates Oliver Blanco on appointment as Venezuela's foreign minister</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638590/fm-dar-congratulates-oliver-blanco-on-appointment-as-venezuelas-foreign-minister</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638590/fm-dar-congratulates-oliver-blanco-on-appointment-as-venezuelas-foreign-minister#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 06:28:12 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638590</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Asim Iftikhar meets British, Japanese envoys, discusses bilateral ties, regional developments, cooperation]]>
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				<![CDATA[Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday congratulated Oliver Blanco on his appointment as Venezuela&#39;s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and expressed&nbsp;his desire to further strengthen bilateral relations between Pakistan and Venezuela.

In a post on X, Dar extended &ldquo;warm felicitations&rdquo; to Blanco on his appointment as foreign minister of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.



Warm felicitations to H.E. Mr. Oliver Blanco on his appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

I wish Foreign Minister Blanco every success in his new responsibilities and look forward to working closely with him&hellip;
&mdash; Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) November 4, 2026



&ldquo;I wish Foreign Minister Blanco every success in his new responsibilities and look forward to working closely with him to further strengthen the friendly ties and mutually beneficial cooperation between Pakistan and Venezuela,&rdquo; he wrote.

Read:&nbsp;Dar discusses bilateral ties, regional issues with four counterparts

Responding to Dar&#39;s post&nbsp;on X, Blanco thanked him for his wishes and expressed his willingness to work together to strengthen bilateral relations.



Thank you for your kind words and warm wishes. I look forward to working closely together to further strengthen the bonds of friendship between Venezuela and Pakistan and advance our cooperation for the mutual benefit of our peoples. 🇻🇪🤝🇵🇰
&mdash; Oliver Blanco (@OliverBlanco) November 4, 2026



&ldquo;Thank you for your kind words and warm wishes. I look forward to working closely together to further strengthen the bonds of friendship between Venezuela and Pakistan and advance our cooperation for the mutual benefit of our peoples,&rdquo; he wrote.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Asim Iftikhar Ahmad received British High Commissioner Jane Marriott, with discussions focused&nbsp;on bilateral ties between Pakistan and the United Kingdom, as well as regional and global developments, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a post on X.



Foreign Secretary @asimiahmad received British HC @JaneMarriottUK today. Discussion focused on 🇵🇰🇬🇧 ties, regional and global developments. pic.twitter.com/I9agMVeaTc
&mdash; Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 3, 2026



He also met Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan Akamatsu Shuichi and exchanged views on strengthening multifaceted cooperation between Pakistan and Japan, MoFA said in a separate post on X.



Foreign Secretary @asimiahmad with Ambassador of Japan H.E. AKAMATSU Shuichi - exchanged views on strengthening Pakistan-Japan multifaceted cooperation. pic.twitter.com/Wn0rcsToMv
&mdash; Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 3, 2026



&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Polio team supervisor abducted during vaccination drive in K-P's Jamrud</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638593/polio-team-supervisor-abducted-during-vaccination-drive-in-k-ps-jamrud</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638593/polio-team-supervisor-abducted-during-vaccination-drive-in-k-ps-jamrud#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 07:03:01 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Ali Murad]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638593</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[DPO says Jalil Khan picked up by unidentified armed men as recovery efforts underway]]>
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				<![CDATA[A polio campaign team&nbsp;supervisor, identified as Jalil Khan, was abducted by unidentified armed men from the Chapri area of Jamrud in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) during the ongoing seven-day polio vaccination campaign, District Police Officer (DPO) Waqar Ahmad said on Wednesday.

According to the DPO, the armed men took Khan to an undisclosed location. A heavy contingent of police was dispatched to the area following the incident, while blockades were set up on key routes in an effort to recover the abducted supervisor, he said.

A day earlier, two policemen were martyred, and another was injured when unidentified armed men attacked a polio vaccination team in K-P&#39;s Mohmand district. One terrorist was also injured in the incident.

Earlier in the week, four polio workers were abducted by unidentified armed men after being subjected to gunfire in K-P&#39;s Tank district, while two other members of a polio vaccination team, who had been kidnapped in Lower South Waziristan, were subsequently released.

Read: Polio protection

The incident in Tank occurred in the village of Jious, located in the Sheikh Attar union council, where unidentified armed men abducted four polio workers. The gunmen reportedly took all four workers to an undisclosed location.

In a separate incident, two members of a polio vaccination team were abducted by armed men in the Azam Warsak area of Lower South Waziristan. Sources said armed men affiliated with the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were allegedly involved in the kidnapping. However, both polio workers were later released.

The incidents came amid a special anti-polio campaign launched on November 2 in 97 selected districts across the country. According to the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) for Polio Eradication, the campaign will continue until November 8.

NEOC confirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s seventh polio case of the year, reported from Khyber district of K-P. The affected child was a 13-month-old girl belonging to Jan Baz Union Council in Bara tehsil, the NEOC said. This was the second polio case reported from Khyber district this year and the sixth from K-P.]]>
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			<title>Two terrorists, including suicide bomber, killed in K-P</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638640/two-terrorists-including-suicide-bomber-killed-in-k-p</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638640/two-terrorists-including-suicide-bomber-killed-in-k-p#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 11:43:57 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638640</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[K-P IG says security forces foiled a large-scale terrorist attempt by neutralising terrorists]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Two terrorists were killed and another was injured in a police operation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), police said on Wednesday.

The incident occurred in the Lakki Marwat district, where police launched an operation following a tip-off.

The terrorists, belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij, opened fire on police, who returned fire, killing two of them. A third terrorist managed to escape after being injured.

Fitna al-Khawarij is the term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

K-P Inspector General of Police Zulfikar Hameed told reporters that security forces had foiled a &ldquo;large-scale terrorist attempt&rdquo; by neutralising the terrorists.

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in terrorist activity over the past three months, with a series of attacks across the country resulting in the martyrdom of security personnel and civilians.

Also Read: Security forces kill 11 terrorists in separate Balochistan, K-P operations

Last week, 12 people were killed and 35 others injured when a blast struck a joint checkpoint near Aman Mela in the Darazinda area of Dera Ismail Khan, with the TTP claiming responsibility for the attack.

On September 19, 23 people, including 15 police personnel, were martyred in a blast at a mosque in Kohat&rsquo;s Police Lines during Friday prayers. Eight terrorists were also killed during a subsequent search and clearance operation. Later, the Ittihadul Mujahideen Pakistan (IMP), led by Afghanistan-based Hafiz Gul Bahadur, claimed responsibility for the deadly bombing and rampage involving multiple attackers.

In a separate incident, a captain and a lieutenant were among six security personnel martyred in an exchange of fire in Hangu district, while eight terrorists were killed.

On September 1, six personnel, including two officers, and a customs department official were martyred as security forces thwarted an attempt to breach the Customs House in Balochistan.

In July, at least 30 people, including 27 police personnel, were martyred when terrorists identified by the state as the Indian proxy Fitna al-Hindustan ambushed police personnel deployed in the Kach Mangi Phase III area of Ziarat, triggering hours-long gun battles. The attackers also abducted several civilians and police personnel after the assault.

In the aftermath of the attack, the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps and Balochistan Police launched a joint operation, which remains underway, with forces intensifying action against terrorists across the province.

&nbsp;

With additional input from Web Desk]]>
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			<title>Police use tear gas on protesting teachers, detain 42 marching towards CM House in Karachi</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638632/police-use-tear-gas-on-protesting-sindh-teachers-detain-several-at-karachi-press-club</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638632/police-use-tear-gas-on-protesting-sindh-teachers-detain-several-at-karachi-press-club#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 11:24:23 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Ayesha Khan Ansari]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638632</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Teachers demand restoration of service structure, promotions and employment rights]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Police used water cannons, tear gas and batons to disperse protesting primary school teachers from various districts of Sindh near the Chief Minister&#39;s House&nbsp;on Wednesday, detaining 42&nbsp;demonstrators demanding the restoration of their service structure, promotions and other employment-related rights.

The protesters, representing the All Sindh Primary Teachers Association (ASPTA), staged a sit-in outside the press club before attempting to march towards the CM House, which was immediately blocked by a heavy police contingent.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) South Mahzor Ali&nbsp;said the police had detained 42 men for protesting in the red zone.

He said the protestors are in the process of being released after Karachi Bar Association General Secretary Arshad Shar guaranteed on behalf of the demonstrators that the detained persons will not engage in protests inside the red zone.

&ldquo;The protestors will be handed over to the Karachi Bar Association after they file the undertaking,&rdquo; SSP Shar added.





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Teachers from Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Jacobabad, Mirpur Mathelo, Sukkur, Shaheed Benazirabad and other districts participated in the demonstration.

The Express Tribune witnessed police personnel preventing the demonstrators from reaching their destination by charging with batons, firing tear gas shells and using a water cannon, triggering chaos at the scene.

Several teachers were injured, one of whom was taken to the hospital, while a number of protesters, including the association&rsquo;s central president, were reportedly taken into custody as they pressed the authorities to accept their 14 work-related demands.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, a protesting teacher, Kausar, said that police had subjected demonstrators to severe tear gas shelling as they attempted to move towards the CM House. She also claimed that the association&#39;s central president, Ijaz Ali Chandio, had been taken into custody.

Also Read: JI announces protest against prolonged loadshedding

Kausar said teachers would not call off their protest or reopen schools until their leadership was released and progress was made towards meeting their demands.

Shabina Khan, another teacher associated with the Primary Teachers Association Hyderabad, said teachers had been campaigning for their demands since August and that the protest had not been organised without prior notice.

She said the association had already submitted a list of 14 demands to the government, with the restoration of a formal service structure for primary school teachers among its foremost demands.

According to Shabina, many primary teachers worked on the same grade for years, with limited opportunities for career progression.

She said teachers were currently serving in grades 9, 14 and 16, while high school teachers had better promotion opportunities and their Departmental Promotion Committees (DPCs) were held regularly.

She added that the government had also discontinued the progression of primary teachers to high school teacher posts.

Shabina highlighted that Sindh Education and Literacy Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah had expressed his desire on October 5 to see primary teachers promoted up to grade 20. However, she maintained that a formal service structure was necessary to make such promotions possible and provide teachers with a clear career progression pathway.

Another key demand, she said, was that teachers&#39; service should be counted from their initial date of appointment. Under the existing arrangement, the initial three-year contractual period is not included in the service record, adversely affecting their chances at promotions and grade upgrades.

&ldquo;Some senior primary teachers in Sindh have been serving for 18 years but are still working in grade 9, whereas teachers recruited between 2022 and 2025 have been appointed in grade 14,&rdquo; she revealed.

Read more:&nbsp;Government employees rally for pay, perks

To end absenteeism, Shabina said the association has demanded that the district-level biometric attendance and transfer systems be restored, while asserting that the Sindh Secretariat centralised both systems, creating difficulties for teachers.

&ldquo;Transfers are sometimes made to distant areas without taking their preferences or convenience into account,&rdquo; she lamented.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Saima Khan, the association&#39;s district vice president, said smaller government schools should not be merged with larger institutions.

&ldquo;The government should explore alternative solutions to address administrative issues,&rdquo; she added.

She said the cluster hub policy, under which primary schools were being merged into larger schools, was undermining the identity and status of primary schools and their teachers.

&ldquo;Teachers are being assigned administrative responsibilities beyond their core duties,&rdquo; she protested.

The protesters also expressed concern over the declining number of standalone primary schools across Sindh, saying several institutions were being merged with higher secondary or larger schools.

They specifically cited the proposed merger of Hyderabad&#39;s historic Firdous Primary School with a higher secondary school, saying such decisions threatened the separate identity of primary education institutions.

In a unified call, the teachers demanded the restoration of a formal service structure, upgradation of grades, counting of service from the initial date of appointment, decentralisation of the biometric attendance and transfer systems, withdrawal of the cluster hub policy and preservation of the independent status of primary schools.

They vowed to protest until their rights were granted.

Following the protest, roads surrounding the Karachi Press Club were closed to traffic, while Sir Syed Road was also shut. Traffic was diverted towards Aiwan-e-Sadr Road and Zainab Market, according to traffic police.

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>SSGC announces winter gas supply timings for consumers</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638606/ssgc-announces-winter-gas-supply-timings-for-consumers</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638606/ssgc-announces-winter-gas-supply-timings-for-consumers#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 08:40:58 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638606</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Company prioritises domestic consumers, schedules gas availability during breakfast, lunch, dinner hours]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) on Wednesday announced designated gas supply timings for domestic consumers during the winter season, prioritising availability during cooking hours in accordance with the directives of the Government of Pakistan.

In a post on X, SSGC said it was committed to prioritising domestic customers and ensuring gas availability during designated cooking hours.

According to the schedule shared by the company, gas would be available for breakfast from 6:30am to 9am, lunch from 12pm to 2:30pm and dinner from 6pm to 9pm.



This winter as per the directives of Government of Pakistan, SSGC is committed to prioritizing domestic customers and ensuring gas availability during designated cooking hours. pic.twitter.com/edBxTWOdav
&mdash; SSGC Official (@SSGC_Official) November 4, 2026


The company said the arrangements were aimed at &ldquo;managing gas load effectively this winter&rdquo; while ensuring a steady gas supply in line with government directives.

Govt unveils LPG reforms

A day earlier, the government announced sweeping reforms to open the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sector to competition, improve supply and curb profiteering.

Addressing a press conference alongside Information Minister Attaullah Tarar earlier, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed the government to provide maximum relief to low-income groups.

A major focus of the briefing was the LPG sector, where the government plans to abolish the existing quota-based distribution mechanism, introduce competitive auctions and encourage public and private companies to import the commodity at competitive prices.

The minister said domestic LPG production stood at around 2,000 to 2,500 tonnes daily, while a substantial portion of demand had traditionally been met through imports from the western border. Supply disruptions had allowed some market players to sell the commodity for Rs700 to Rs800 per kilogramme.

Read: Govt cuts fuel prices, unveils LPG reforms

Under the proposed reforms, locally produced LPG will be auctioned in transparent lots of five to 10 tonnes among companies licensed by Ogra. The auction results will be made public, with the process monitored by the petroleum secretary and Ogra chairman.

State-owned companies, including Pakistan State Oil, Sui Southern Gas Company and Pakistan LNG Limited, have been directed to arrange bulk supplies through government-to-government and business-to-business agreements. Private companies will also be encouraged to import LPG.

Malik said importers would disclose monthly cost components, including Saudi Aramco&#39;s contract price, premiums, freight charges and other expenses, on their websites. The government also plans to establish price stabilisation and vulnerable consumers&#39; protection funds to help deserving households obtain LPG at subsidised rates.

He said the government would ensure that the 10% LPG quota allocated for remote and hard-to-reach areas was properly utilised, with state-owned companies responsible for procuring and distributing the allocated supplies.

The minister added that the Competition Commission had been asked to act against cartelisation and anti-competitive practices, while Ogra would strengthen licensing and audit mechanisms to prevent hoarding and profiteering.

On international pricing, Malik said Saudi Aramco&#39;s contract price had risen from $540 per tonne in March to $756 per tonne, prompting a corresponding revision in domestic LPG prices. He said the prevailing spot-market price, after accounting for associated costs, was estimated at Rs450 to Rs500 per kilogramme.

Malik also assured consumers that the government would make every effort to meet winter gas demand, particularly during meal times. He said domestic demand was expected to rise by 400 to 500 million cubic feet per day and that alternative arrangements for imported liquefied natural gas would be made to meet requirements.

Read more: Oil rises on Iran war uncertainty after Trump&#39;s Republicans face election rout

Information Minister Tarar said the government had abolished the LPG monopoly and discretionary quota system to introduce transparency and competition. He added that the prime minister had provided Rs130 billion in subsidies to consumers and prioritised public relief during the energy crisis.

The government has also announced that oil refineries will bear a cumulative burden of Rs15 billion over 30 days under a revised petrol pricing mechanism, allowing a reduction of Rs14.71 per litre at the consumer end.

Malik said the new LPG arrangements were expected to become fully operational before winter, adding that the government aimed to establish a competitive market with transparent pricing and more reliable supplies.

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Adiala breakthrough</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638481/adiala-breakthrough</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638481/adiala-breakthrough#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 26 19:25:03 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[editorial]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Editorial]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638481</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Monday meet must lead to regularisation of meetings with the imprisoned political leaders as per the jail manual]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[In a breakthrough of sorts in the legal realm, PTI lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar met Imran Khan and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, in Adiala jail after a hiatus spanning months. This sudden meeting has come as a pleasant surprise for party members and supporters. Safdar, as amicus curiae of the Supreme Court, had earlier twice met the incarcerated former prime minister, aprising the court of his health and jail conditions.

Given to understand that the reputed lawyer is a thorough professional, who has kept himself away from any narrative building, there is not much to read in the political context. Nonetheless, the meeting happening out of the blue after a prolonged solitary confinement has surely raised hope for a fall in political temperature. This move can be built upon to provide due relief to the former first couple and, likewise, to all political prisoners, thereby addressing the pestering political stability in the country.

The Monday meet must lead to regularisation of meetings with the imprisoned political leaders as per the jail manual. The defiance of the government to restrict lawful audiences with family, lawyers and personal physicians despite standing court orders had not only caused friction among the organs of the state, but also deepened mistrust in the sitting dispensation. The courts too failed to assert their writ, especially after the controversial 26th and 27th constitutional amendments &ndash; proving to be detrimental in the process of speedy justice and timely relief.

The way forward is to ensure that cases pending for appeal and bails see the light of the day. Imran Khan too had prescribed such a modus operandi, and the party has been continuously knocking on the doors of the court. The tendency of the executive overseeing the judiciary must come to an end, and justice be dispensed as per law and the Constitution. No out-of-the-box solution is desired for putting an end to political instability, as all it entails is to let the law take its course.]]>
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			<title>Fuel relief</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638482/fuel-relief</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638482/fuel-relief#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 26 19:25:03 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[editorial]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Editorial]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638482</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Industry officials argue the policy was changed without prior consultation]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The government&#39;s latest effort to bring down fuel prices revises the petrol pricing mechanism by asking oil refineries to absorb the difference between import and ex-refinery prices through a petroleum levy. But while the immediate effect is expected to lower prices, the move carries several potential risks, raising concerns among analysts.

Unfortunately, the government is running out of options, and with the US-Israeli war on Iran sending international prices soaring, there are only a few measures available to keep the prices down without trampling on the bottom lines of fuel companies. The new arrangement, approved by the federal cabinet on Oct 30, will see refineries surrender the price differential, allowing petrol to be sold Rs15 cheaper than global market rates and sparing motorists a punishing blow. The measure will, in theory, also help reduce inflation, as prices depend on transportation costs, which are directly tied to fuel prices.

With refineries collectively bearing a burden of approximately Rs15 billion each month, this additional load could push gross refining margins into negative territory. Industry officials argue the policy was changed without prior consultation, forcing them to sell petrol below production cost and creating regulatory uncertainty that may discourage future investment. The government&#39;s own figures reportedly put the surrender at Rs49 per litre, which is significantly higher than the Rs15 number being thrown around. The government&#39;s justification is largely based on the fact that oil companies have earned excess profits due to price fluctuations in recent months.

But even though oil companies are rarely deserving of anyone&#39;s sympathy, they do have a valid complaint in that the difference between import and ex-factory prices is not all profit, and converting the entire amount into a levy is effectively forcing them to operate at a loss due to the failure to account for salaries, overheads and other expenses. Reducing prices at the pump is useful, but it is a short-term goal. A better strategy would have been to heavily tax the excess profits and use the funds to bridge budget gaps.]]>
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			<title>Polio protection</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638483/polio-protection</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638483/polio-protection#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 26 19:25:03 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[editorial]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Editorial]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638483</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Compounding the problem are the myths and misconceptions surrounding polio vaccination]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan&#39;s struggle against polio is being undermined not only by the persistence of the virus but also by the violence directed at those working to eradicate it. Two policemen were recently killed and another injured in an attack on personnel assigned to polio vaccination duty in K-P&#39;s Mohmand district. Such attacks threaten the lives of frontline workers and jeopardise efforts to protect children from a disease that much of the world has already eliminated.

Compounding the problem are the myths and misconceptions surrounding polio vaccination, which continue to fuel mistrust and vaccine refusals. False claims about infertility and the safety of vaccines have prevented many parents from immunising their children, leaving them vulnerable to a preventable disease. The government must counter these misconceptions through sustained awareness campaigns involving religious scholars, community leaders and healthcare professionals to educate the public and build confidence in vaccination. However, the government has a major responsibility to ensure that vaccination workers and the police personnel protecting them are not left vulnerable to armed attacks. Personnel operating in high-risk districts should be provided with appropriate protective equipment, including ballistic vests and helmets where the threat assessment warrants them to. The authorities must also investigate attacks promptly and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

Eradicating polio requires a sustained commitment to public trust and the safety of those carrying out vaccination campaigns. The government must recognise that misinformation and insecurity are serious obstacles to immunisation, and both demand a coordinated response. Vaccination teams cannot be expected to fulfil their responsibilities while risking their lives, nor can Pakistan afford to allow preventable infections to continue because parents remain misinformed. Protecting frontline workers and educating communities must become central to the country&#39;s eradication strategy.]]>
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			<title>Living in digital darkness</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638480/living-in-digital-darkness</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638480/living-in-digital-darkness#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 26 19:25:03 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Mujeeb Ali]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638480</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[From the Industrial Revolution to today's digital revolution, technology has dramatically improved living standards]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[We are living in the 21st century - an era of unprecedented technological advancement and digital transformation, where AI, social media and smartphones have revolutionised the way we communicate, learn, work and access information.

From the Industrial Revolution to today&#39;s digital revolution, technology has dramatically improved living standards. It has transformed industries, simplified everyday tasks, increased productivity and connected billions of people across the globe. Today, digital tools are indispensable in education, healthcare, business, governance and scientific research. From daily wage labourers using mobile banking to professionals working remotely, technology has become an integral part of modern life.

The world has digitally connected, but has created a wide disconnect in human relationships. People are connected on social media just for the sake of appearances, and they are unaware of their neighbours. Ironically, they have hundreds of friends on social media platforms but hardly know about them. They consume hours scrolling through reels and videos, wasting valuable time and energy. When it is time to spend with family members or friends, they often make excuses, saying that they are too busy.

Not long ago, families and friends regularly gathered to share meals, visit one another, and spend quality time together. Nowadays, it is increasingly common to see people sitting in the same room absorbed in their smartphones. Conversations are interrupted by endless scrolling through social media platforms. Although we are constantly &quot;connected&quot;, genuine human interaction is steadily declining.

An estimated 35 million children in Pakistan are now online, many of them without adequate supervision. Pakistani children spend almost 43% of their screen time on YouTube, followed by 16% on WhatsApp and nearly 9% on Instagram. At the same time, internet-based crimes against children are rising rapidly. Parents are frequently unaware of the type of content their children consume online. Many children create accounts on Instagram and TikTok and upload content without any parental oversight or verification of whether it is appropriate, informative or beneficial.

Many young people imitate online influencers in pursuit of likes, followers and instant fame, often at the expense of their cultural values, personal dignity, and even their safety. Privacy has also become increasingly vulnerable as users routinely share personal information without fully understanding the consequences. According to PEMRA, Pakistanis spent over $689 million on digital media in 2024, including $158 million on video games. In 2025, expenditure on video-on-demand services reached $392 million, with a substantial share reportedly spent on adult content.

Since children have highly impressionable minds, prolonged exposure to low-quality or inappropriate content can negatively influence their behaviour, language, values and personality. Furthermore, screen time is increasingly replacing the time they would otherwise spend interacting with parents, siblings and friends.

Aristotle famously said, &quot;Man is by nature a social animal.&quot; The problem is not merely psychological; it is also sociological. Human beings learn brotherhood, cooperation, communication and emotional intelligence through face-to-face interaction.

This does not mean that technology itself is the problem. Digital connectivity has brought remarkable progress that should be embraced as a means of survival.

Challenge lies in the effective implementation of the Social Media (Age Restriction for Users) Act. Countries such as the UK, Australia and New Zealand have imposed restrictions on social media access for children under the age of 16. Pakistan has also adopted a similar approach, but it requires stronger enforcement and a comprehensive regulatory framework to ensure its effectiveness. Schools should teach digital citizenship alongside digital literacy, enabling students to use technology responsibly, safely and ethically.]]>
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			<title>Lancet report and Pakistan's public health crisis</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638484/lancet-report-and-pakistans-public-health-crisis</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638484/lancet-report-and-pakistans-public-health-crisis#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 26 19:25:03 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Dr Rana Jawad Asghar]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638484</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Number of moderate or higher heat stress hours has increased significantly in both Pakistan and India]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[When I moved back to Pakistan, I had never imagined the scale of our health challenges. Having worked in some of the poorest countries in Africa, I assumed that Pakistan would be much better on different indicators. Unfortunately, every passing year we fall behind on health indicators compared to many poorer countries. Wild polio has been eradicated from all over the world even from war-torn countries, except for Pakistan and Afghanistan. In Pakistan, according to WHO, every single day 675 newborns and 27 mothers die in childbirth. Pakistan&#39;s maternal mortality rate is highest in South Asia when compared with India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

One of the world&#39;s top medical journals, The Lancet has published &quot;The 2026 Global Report of the Lancet Countdown&quot;, documenting how climate change is affecting our health. It is a separate discussion as to who is responsible for climate degradation and how much they should be held responsible for financial compensation. We must now think about safeguarding our already vulnerable population from increased health risks due to climate degradation.

According to this report, the number of moderate or higher heat stress hours has increased significantly in both Pakistan and India (more than 2000 hours/year), costing Pakistan $17 billion and India $174 billion (of course, due to its larger population and economy). Increased heat is also increasing favourable months for transmission of mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue. This year though our underreporting of dengue is showing few dengue cases. However, I myself was recently infected by dengue even though I was always meticulous about protecting myself. There is a limit to individual preventive measures if infectious diseases are not being controlled at the population level.

Climate change is also bringing extreme floods and droughts in the region. In Pakistan, the 2022 floods damaged around 1,500 health facilities. Thirty-five percent of Pakistan&#39;s land has experienced extreme drought annually for the last many years.

According to the same report, air pollution is now one of the major challenges, costing India $500 billion and Pakistan $33 billion. These numbers should alert decision-makers, even if we don&#39;t talk about the immense health costs of air pollution. A 2030% increase in mortality from heart diseases, cancers and strokes is linked to air pollution. This year too both Indian and Pakistani cities are occupying four to five top slots in the top ten most polluted cities in the world.

The Lancet report suggests some priority actions. First, consider the consequences of climate change like health emergencies, and start preparing for them. Since frequent floods and droughts are now part of regular cycles, be prepared. Build resilience by making sure there are flood-resilient health facilities with solar electricity and cold chains for vaccinations. Deploy mobile health services to operate in natural emergencies. Establish a real-time, representative and effective disease surveillance and response system.

These are important steps to prepare for climate-induced health emergencies. But unless we address the core issues of our public health - such as population growth, safe drinking water and nutrition - our preparedness for emergencies will only be tinkering at the edges.

Pakistan is an agricultural country, but 40% of our children are stunted. Severe malnutrition may reduce 10 to 15 IQ points in children. Over the decades, successive governments did nothing to improve the situation.

Pakistan&#39;s fertility rate is around 3.5 while every other country in South Asia has a fertility rate of around 2 or lower. Our population explosion is now threatening national security as we can&#39;t provide food, health and education for our children. Our population is already physically and mentally disadvantaged, and the fast-approaching climate health crisis will affect us even more. We were already struggling with uncontrolled infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases, and this climate-related health emergency now completes a triple whammy of health crises.

We need to strengthen our foundations while still repairing our roof for the incoming rains.]]>
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			<title>The shifting scales of global power</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638485/the-shifting-scales-of-global-power</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638485/the-shifting-scales-of-global-power#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 26 19:25:03 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Asad Ashraf Malik]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[China's ascent is no longer merely an economic miracle]]>
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				<![CDATA[The world stands at the threshold of a historic transformation, as the old architecture of global power trembles. For decades, the United States occupied the commanding heights of military supremacy. Yet history is an impatient sculptor; empires cannot retain their familiar contours forever. China&#39;s rise is redrawing global influence and forcing Washington to confront a once-unthinkable question: can American power still dictate another great power&#39;s ambitions?

China&#39;s ascent is no longer merely an economic miracle. It is visible in technological innovation, military modernisation, naval expansion, missile development, Artificial Intelligence and integrated warfare. This century&#39;s contest will not be measured simply by the number of aircraft, ships or missiles in rival arsenals, but by how intelligently they are woven into a single web of military power.

Modern warfare is no longer a collection of isolated battles. It is an intricate orchestra in which satellites, aircraft, ground forces, naval platforms, submarines and information networks must perform in harmony. Advantage belongs not necessarily to the nation with the largest arsenal, but to the one that sees first, decides faster and strikes precisely. Information is the eye, technology the nervous system, and coordination the invisible hand of military strength.

Pakistan&#39;s military cooperation with China illustrates this landscape. Collaboration in defence production, aviation and technology has strengthened its capabilities. Superiority in the skies cannot be divorced from intelligence in space, strength on land or command of the seas. The future belongs to integrated power, where separate instruments become a single, responsive shield.

The May 2025 India-Pakistan confrontation brought this transformation into sharp focus. Pakistan&#39;s response to India&#39;s opening strikes demonstrated the importance of coordination, intelligence, electronic warfare and modern air-combat systems. The Pakistan Air Force claimed to have brought down six Indian military aircraft, including three French-made Rafales. India subsequently acknowledged aerial losses, and its Chief of Staff conceded that aircraft had been lost in the engagements. Independent assessments also identified evidence of multiple Indian aircraft losses. The encounter challenged assumptions about the invulnerability of sophisticated Western platforms, showing how technology, intelligence and coordination can alter the balance in the skies. Pakistan&#39;s performance deserves neither patriotic exaggeration nor hostile denial, but sober examination: technological complacency carries a heavy price.

These developments complicate Washington&#39;s calculations. Direct confrontation between nuclear-armed powers would be catastrophic. Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and now Iran remind us that military superiority does not guarantee victory against a determined adversary. The mightiest war machine may command the battlefield, yet remain imprisoned in history&#39;s unforgiving corridors.

When direct confrontation becomes prohibitively dangerous, rivalry does not disappear; it changes its clothing. The battlefield shifts, actors multiply, and principal contestants may advance their interests through regional partners and local conflicts. Thus emerges the perilous politics of proxy warfare: a shadowy contest in which distant powers pull the strings while smaller nations dance upon the edge of an abyss.

The Philippines occupies a sensitive position. Its proximity to China and importance in the South China Sea make it pivotal to the Indo-Pacific equation. Taiwan remains another combustible flashpoint. Turning either into an instrument of strategic coercion could transform regional disagreement into a conflagration far beyond Asia.

In proxy warfare, those who light the match are rarely first to feel its heat. Powerful capitals calculate advantages from fortified chambers, while soldiers, fishermen and families pay the price. The architects sit behind closed doors; debris falls upon villages, grief enters homes, and wounds pass through generations. Smaller nations must not mistake a patron&#39;s embrace for permanent security. A borrowed umbrella offers little protection in a hurricane.

India, Pakistan and South Asia must exercise restraint. Their rivalry is burdened by history, territorial disputes and nuclear risks. May&#39;s confrontation showed how rapidly modern weapons inflict damage and how consequences reverberate for generations. It should prompt sober examination of capabilities and vulnerabilities, not triumphalism. In the nuclear age, dignity lies not in bellicose rhetoric, but in preventing a passing storm from becoming catastrophe.

For Pakistan, the relationship with China remains important, but must be guided by mature diplomacy and national interests. Friendship should be a bridge to stability, not a passage into another country&#39;s confrontation. Pakistan can gain from technological cooperation, economic partnership and regional connectivity, but stands to lose if the subcontinent becomes a chessboard for distant powers, indifferent to those living on its squares.

The Philippines, too, is better served by diplomacy than by becoming the frontline of a contest between giants. Its sovereignty deserves respect, as do China&#39;s security concerns, which should be addressed through dialogue. Statesmanship means distinguishing firmness from belligerence and preventing disagreement from becoming destruction.

China&#39;s rise should not invite celebration of one power&#39;s decline or another&#39;s triumph. Replacing one hegemon with another would hardly herald peace. Humanity has paid dearly for imperial arrogance and those who mistook military strength for immortality. History&#39;s ruins are crowded with monuments to power, but painfully short of monuments to wisdom.

The United States and China must recognise that their rivalry cannot become humanity&#39;s collective misfortune. The South China Sea must not become a theatre of miscalculation, Taiwan the fuse of a global explosion, or South Asia another arena of confrontation.

The world needs fewer leaders who wear war upon their lips and more statesmen who carry peace in their hearts.

In the final reckoning, a powerful nation&#39;s greatest victory is not the destruction of its adversary, but the preservation of a world in which future generations can look towards the horizon without seeing war&#39;s dark silhouette hanging over their skies. Empires may rise upon the wings of power, but only wisdom can keep the world from falling beneath them.]]>
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			<title>Israeli clearance of Gaza rubble could destroy 'evidence'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2628033/israeli-clearance-of-gaza-rubble-could-destroy-evidence</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2628033/israeli-clearance-of-gaza-rubble-could-destroy-evidence#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 26 00:35:53 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Albanese says Palestinians should take charge of clearance]]>
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				<![CDATA[A UN expert said on Monday that Israeli clearance of rubble in Gaza could destroy valuable evidence of &quot;atrocity crimes&quot; and prevent the recovery of human remains.

Israel&#39;s assault on Gaza - started after the deadly raid into Israel by Hamas in October 2023 - has generated around 61 million tons of wreckage and debris that could take seven years to clear, according to the United Nations.

Francesca Albanese, the UN expert on the Palestinian territories, said evidence should be gathered and human remains identified before full clearance started.

She issued a statement headlined: &quot;UN expert warns Israeli rubble-clearing could erase traces of atrocity crimes&quot; and said Palestinians should be behind any plans to remove waste.

&quot;In devastated Gaza, rubble is not just construction waste. It is part of a crime scene, a graveyard, and the material record of what happened during a brutal and senseless bombing campaign that lasted two years,&quot; she said.

She said that multiple sources had confirmed Israeli companies were involved in the clearance, without naming those sources. Her office did not immediately respond to questions on where that information had come from.

Israel&#39;s Foreign Ministry, its Prime Minister&#39;s Office and military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the past, all have fiercely disagreed with Albanese, who has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of Israel&#39;s military actions in Gaza.

In February, Germany, France and Italy all condemned what they said were her overly negative statements about Israel, though she denied making the remarks they cited.

In July last year, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Albanese over what it said were her efforts to prompt the International Criminal Court to take action against U.S. and Israeli officials, companies, and executives.

UN experts are commissioned by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council to monitor and document specific human rights crises but are independent of the organisation itself.

The 2023 Hamas-led attacks killed 1,200 people in Israel while another 251 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel&#39;s military campaign, according to Gaza health authorities. Israel says it has gone to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties and that Hamas uses Gaza&#39;s civilians as human shields in densely populated areas - a claim Hamas denies.

Palestinian authorities estimate more than 8,000 people remain buried in the wreckage. A Palestinian recovery team that combed through the wreckage in Gaza City last month said it found the remains of 112 people from the same clan.]]>
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			<title>Rahul Gandhi, Indian opposition lawmakers detained over election chief protest for second day</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2633522/rahul-gandhi-indian-opposition-lawmakers-detained-over-election-chief-protest-for-second-day</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2633522/rahul-gandhi-indian-opposition-lawmakers-detained-over-election-chief-protest-for-second-day#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 07 Oct 26 15:11:32 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2633522</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Visuals show security personnel hauling Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra into separate vehicles and taking them away]]>
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				<![CDATA[Indian ​police detained opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and several lawmakers for the third time in two &zwnj;days on Wednesday as they launched an unannounced protest demanding the resignation of the election chief over a controversial revision of voter lists.

Opposition parties, their student units, and the &quot;cockroach&quot; youth movement have been staging almost daily demonstrations seeking Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar&#39;s resignation, ​after the Indian Express newspaper last month reported disagreements within the poll panel over updating voter ​lists, stoking concerns over its neutrality.

Opposition lawmakers led by the Congress party leader&nbsp;protested ⁠on Tuesday as well, seeking a meeting with Kumar and his deputies, before police broke up their gathering ​and briefly detained them.

Read: Police detain Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi at poll chief protest

Wednesday&#39;s protest began after a lunch meeting of lawmakers that Congress organised at a restaurant ​in central Delhi, close to the Jantar Mantar site where authorities permit demonstrations.



Indian police detain opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and several lawmakers for the third time in two days as they demand the resignation of the election chief over revision of voter lists, which disenfranchises 130M citizens, mostly Muslims https://t.co/mg3WB8uuHh
&mdash; TRT World (@trtworld) October 7, 2026


&quot;Yesterday ... Delhi Police stopped us and said you cannot protest here ... so today ... we will go to the designated protest site, sit there, and tell the country that, for us, Gyanesh Kumar is ​not the legitimate commissioner,&quot; Gandhi told reporters, referring to Jantar Mantar.

&quot;The people who have done this [vote theft]&nbsp;​are traitors ... Gyanesh Kumar will have to resign,&quot; he said, before boarding a bus that was to take the lawmakers to Jantar &zwnj;Mantar.

New ⁠political challenge to Modi

Lawmakers in the bus held posters against the windows that said, &quot;no vote theft, no democracy theft&quot;, and &quot;election commission, not BJP commission&quot;, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Hundreds of Congress members accompanied the bus on foot amid heavy deployment of police and paramilitary personnel in riot gear. Police also closed ​the road leading to ​Jantar Mantar, forcing the ⁠bus to take a detour.

Gandhi later stepped out of the bus, with a live feed on his party&#39;s YouTube channel showing him standing at the centre of a crowd ​of protesters and security personnel, while his sister Priyanka Vadra and other lawmakers ​sprawled out ⁠on the road.

Visuals showed security personnel hauling Gandhi and Priyanka into separate vehicles and taking them away.



लोकतंत्र के गद्दारो को बचाने के लिए बचे-खुचे लोकतंत्र को घसीटा गया है।

हिसाब होगा - एक भी देशद्रोही बख्शा नहीं जाएगा। pic.twitter.com/QbngN1p9y6
&mdash; Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 6, 2026


There was no immediate comment from the police on the detentions.

The demonstrations present a new political challenge to Modi midway into his ⁠third term, ​just months after similar protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party youth movement forced the resignation of his education minister over exam paper leaks.

Read More: India&#39;s Gen Z demands poll chief&#39;s resignation

Kumar has not commented on the voter lists issue, but the ​Election Commission and BJP have denied accusations of wrongdoing.]]>
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			<title>Bangladesh ex-PM loses right to appeal</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2628034/bangladesh-ex-pm-loses-right-to-appeal</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2628034/bangladesh-ex-pm-loses-right-to-appeal#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 26 00:35:53 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadulo Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Bangladesh&#39;s former premier Sheikh Hasina can no longer appeal her death sentence after the 30-day deadline for filing an appeal expired, the chief prosecutor said on Monday.

&quot;Those sentenced to death by the court, including Sheikh Hasina, who have not appealed within 30 days of the verdict, will no longer have the opportunity to do so,&quot; Md Aminul Islam told reporters.

Last November, Hasina was sentenced to death by the Dhaka-based International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity and for her role in a brutal crackdown during the 2024 uprising that ousted her government.

At least 1,400 people were killed and thousands were injured in the uprising by Hasina&#39;s security forces and supporters of her Awami League party, according to the UN.

&quot;Now, what is left is the execution of the verdict,&quot; said the prosecutor.

However, he said, the &quot;government has the absolute inherent power to suspend or cancel any punishment&quot;.

She is in self-imposed exile, living in India after fleeing the country.]]>
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			<title>We have to keep Netanyahu 'a little bit sane', says Trump</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2614354/we-have-to-keep-netanyahu-a-little-bit-sane-says-trump</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2614354/we-have-to-keep-netanyahu-a-little-bit-sane-says-trump#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 21 Jun 26 02:21:50 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2614354</guid>
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				<![CDATA[.]]>
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				<![CDATA[US President Donald Trump delivered a blunt critique of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press interview, stating their relationship is &quot;good, but we have to keep him a little bit sane&quot;

The remark came when Trump was asked by Axious, an American media outlet, about his ties with the Israeli premier amid ongoing efforts to end fighting in Lebanon.

Trump asserted he can control Israeli military actions in Lebanon because officials there &quot;do as I say.&quot;

He highlighted American military superiority, saying that the US provides &quot;the guns&quot; and &quot;B-2 bombers,&quot; and claimed that without his intervention, Israel would have been &quot;eviscerated,&quot; echoing his remarks earlier this week asserting: &quot;Without the United States, there would be no Israel.&quot;

Earlier this week, the US president said he advised Netanyahu to use a &quot;softer touch&quot; in Leb-anon, saying Israel does not have to &quot;knock down a building every time somebody walks into it that&#39;s from Hezbollah,&quot; referring to frequent Israeli bombing of Lebanon, including many residential areas.]]>
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			<title>Five dead in South Korea aerospace plant blast</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2611013/five-dead-in-south-korea-aerospace-plant-blast</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2611013/five-dead-in-south-korea-aerospace-plant-blast#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 26 22:32:55 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Five people have died and two others were injured on Monday after an explosion and fire on a South Korean production line for rocket propellant at a factory operated by Hanwha Aerospace in the city of Daejeon, officials said.

The two survivors, including one who was badly burned, had escaped from the facility themselves, a fire official told a briefing.

&quot;Authorities have yet to identify the victims because their bodies were severely damaged,&quot; a health official told the same briefing.

A fire official said that an explosion had triggered the blaze, though the cause of the blast was still being investigated. The blast appeared to have occurred while water was being used to clean explosive material from tools making rocket propellant, a Hanwha official told a company briefing.

&quot;We bow our heads in apology to the victims and their bereaved families,&quot; said Chief Executive Officer Son Jae-il, pledging to cooperate fully with authorities to determine the cause of the accident.

The five dead included two temporary workers in their 20s and all were employed by Hanwha, the company said.]]>
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			<title>Israeli strikes kill seven in Gaza</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2610261/israeli-strikes-kill-seven-in-gaza</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2610261/israeli-strikes-kill-seven-in-gaza#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 26 18:45:04 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Israeli strikes killed at least seven Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday including five in a refugee camp and two in a car, health officials said.

Medics and residents said an Israeli drone fired a missile at people who came out of their homes when an Israeli-backed Palestinian militia tried to storm an area east of Maghazi camp.

As well as at least five fatalities, several people were injured.

The Israeli military, which has been fighting Hamas in the Palestinian territory since October 2023, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on that incident.

Incursions by Israeli-backed armed gangs, whom Hamas brands &quot;Israeli collaborators&quot;, have escalated in past weeks.

Leaders of those groups, who operate in areas under Israeli control, say they aim to topple Hamas rule.

Later on Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike struck a vehicle in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, killing two people and wounding several others, medics said.

The Israeli military told Reuters it was a &quot;targeted strike&quot; and provided no further details.]]>
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			<title>Trump rules out any deal except ‘unconditional surrender’ as Iran vows to defend its ‘dignity and sovereignty’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2596085/trump-says-not-currently-considering-us-ground-forces-in-iran</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2596085/trump-says-not-currently-considering-us-ground-forces-in-iran#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 26 05:23:32 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2596085</guid>
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				<![CDATA[Iran says some countries have begun mediation efforts amid retaliatory strikes]]>
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				<![CDATA[United States President &zwnj;Donald Trump demanded Iran&#39;s &quot;unconditional surrender&quot; on Friday and ruled out any deal, a dramatic escalation of his demands a week into the war he launched alongside Israel.

Trump made the remarks on social media just hours after Iran&#39;s president announced that unspecified countries had ​begun mediation efforts in one of the first signals of any diplomatic initiative to end ​the conflict.

&quot;After ⁠that, and the selection of a great and acceptable leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful ​and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of ​destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before.&quot;



https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116182551337254643



On Thursday, Trump had told Reuters in a telephone interview that he was demanding the right to help select Iran&#39;s new supreme leader, to replace Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed ​in the war&#39;s first day.

Israel pounded the Lebanese capital Beirut on Friday after ordering an unprecedented evacuation ​of the entire southern suburbs of the city, in a major expansion of the war.

It carried out heavy air strikes on Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut and started a &quot;broad-scale&quot; wave of attacks against infrastructure in Tehran, while Iran said it targeted the heart of Tel Aviv with missiles.

Explosions and flashes lit up the night sky over Beirut&#39;s southern suburbs. The Israeli military said it had carried out 26 waves of strikes overnight in the southern suburbs, saying targets included Iran-backed Hezbollah militia command centres and weapons storage facilities.

It also launched a new &zwnj;wave ⁠of attacks on Iran, saying 50 of its warplanes had struck a bunker beneath the destroyed Tehran compound of Khamenei, still being used by Iran&#39;s leadership after he was killed.

Iran says some countries have begun mediation efforts amid retaliatory strikes

Earlier, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian revealed that some countries had begun mediation efforts as the Islamic Republic continued its retaliatory strikes against Israel and US military bases in the Gulf region.

&ldquo;Some countries have begun efforts at mediation,&rdquo; Pezeshkian wrote in a post on his official X handle.

&ldquo;Our response to them is clear: we are committed to lasting peace in the region, but we have not the slightest doubt in defending the dignity and sovereignty of our country,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;The intended audience for mediation should be those who, by underestimating the Iranian people, have stoked the flames.&rdquo;



Some countries have begun mediation efforts. Let&#39;s be clear: we are committed to lasting peace in the region yet we have no hesitation in defending our nation&#39;s dignity &amp; sovereignty. Mediation should address those who underestimated the Iranian people and ignited this conflict https://t.co/MxWCuNYOYR
&mdash; Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) March 6, 2026


Iran&rsquo;s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Kheibar missiles were fired towards Tel Aviv as part of the 21st wave of its &ldquo;Operation True Promise 4&quot;. In a statement, the IRGC said the wave began with a combined missile and drone operation targeting sites in the heart of Tel Aviv.

Overnight, Iranian drones attacked the US Al Udied airbase in Qatar, the biggest US base in the Middle East, Qatari officials said. There were no reported casualties.

The IRGC said Iranian forces had targeted the Ramat David air base and a radar site in Israel, the Al-Adiri camp in Kuwait where US forces are stationed, and a drone attack on a base hosting US troops in Erbil, Iraq.

A Guards spokesperson said new initiatives and weapons would soon be deployed to confront Israeli and U.S. aggression, without giving details.

&quot;This was an &#39;existential war&#39; for Iran, leaving us with no choice but to respond wherever American attacks originate from,&rdquo; Iran&rsquo;s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said at the Raisina Dialogues conference in New Delhi on Friday.

Hezbollah, in a message published in Hebrew on its Telegram channel early on Friday, warned Israelis to leave towns within five kilometres of the border.

&quot;Your military&#39;s aggression against Lebanese sovereignty and safe citizens, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and the expulsion campaign it is carrying out will not go unchallenged,&quot; Hezbollah said.

At least 1,230 people have been killed in Iran since the fighting began a week ago, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

The Lebanese health ministry has reported 123 people have been killed and another 683 wounded as a result of Israeli attacks this week. Its figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. There have been no reported fatalities in Israel as a result of Hezbollah attacks.

Azerbaijan was preparing unspecified retaliatory measures on Thursday after it said four Iranian drones crossed its border and injured four &zwnj;people in the Nakhchivan exclave. Iran, which has a significant Azeri minority, denied it targeted its neighbour.

Ground troops in Iran

Trump said on Thursday it would be a &quot;waste of time&quot; currently to consider sending US ground troops into Iran, NBC News reported, dismissing the Iranian foreign minister&#39;s warning that such a move would spell disaster for invaders.

&quot;It&#39;s a waste of time. They&#39;ve lost everything. They&#39;ve lost their navy. They&#39;ve lost everything they can lose,&quot; he told NBC by telephone, adding that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi&#39;s earlier remark that Iran was ready for a US or Israeli ground invasion was a &quot;wasted comment&quot;.



US President Trump said Iran is being demolished &ldquo;ahead of schedule and at levels people have never seen before&rdquo;, claiming the country now has &ldquo;no air force, no air defence&rdquo; and the air force is &ldquo;gone&rdquo;.

🔴 Follow our LIVE coverage: https://t.co/q1Q18tbGFl pic.twitter.com/ILTEFBYY5m
&mdash; Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 6, 2026


Trump also indicated he is keen to see Iran&#39;s leadership structure removed and that &quot;we want to go in and clean out everything&quot; quickly.

&quot;We don&#39;t want someone who would rebuild over a 10-year period,&quot; he said. He added that he had ideas for a new leader but declined to name anyone.

Trump said earlier he would &quot;have to be involved&quot; in the appointment of Iran&#39;s next leader after US-Israeli strikes killed Khamenei when the conflict began on Saturday. He rejected the possibility that Khamenei&#39;s son Mojtaba could succeed his slain father, dismissing him as a &quot;lightweight&quot;.

Heavy attacks were reported in Tehran after Israel said it was hitting &quot;regime infrastructure&quot; in a &quot;new phase&quot; of the war it launched with the US against Iran.

Read: Middle East war spreads to Lebanon, Iraq as Israel attacks Tehran

The conflict, now in its seventh day, has seen Iran target Israel, the Gulf states, Cyprus, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. The violence has also spread to the Indian Ocean, where a US submarine sank an Iranian naval ship off the coast of Sri Lanka.

The Iranian ship was invited to take part in the International Fleet Review 2026 in India. The strike killed around 87 sailors.



Welcome! | خوش آمدید!

🇮🇳🤝🇮🇷 Indian Navy welcomes IRIS Dena, of the Iranian Navy, on her arrival at #Visakhapatnam to participate in #IFR2026_India and #MILAN2026, reflecting long-standing cultural links between the two nations.@India_in_Iran #BridgesOfFriendship&hellip; pic.twitter.com/O77v2qNJHJ
&mdash; Eastern Naval Command 🇮🇳 (@IN_HQENC) February 17, 2026


According to former Indian Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal, he wrote in a post on X that, &quot;I am told that as per protocol for this exercise, ships cannot carry any ammunition. It was defenceless.&quot;



The Iranian ship will not be where it was if we had not invited it to talk part in our Milan exercise.

We were the hosts.

I am told that as per protocol for this exercise ships cannot carry any ammunition. It was defenceless.

The Iranian naval personnel had paraded before&hellip; https://t.co/3r8bWFJn8d
&mdash; Kanwal Sibal (@KanwalSibal) March 5, 2026


Araghchi has rejected calls for a ceasefire and stated there was no reason to negotiate with the US. Despite the challenges, Iranian forces continue to retaliate against Israel and its allies. According to Drop Site News, Iran warns that it has not begun using their &quot;new&quot; weapons.

IRGC spokesman Brig. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini said, according to Mehr News Agency, &ldquo;The enemy should expect painful blows in every operational wave,&rdquo; he said, adding that Iran&rsquo;s &ldquo;new innovations and weapons&rdquo; have not yet been used on a large scale.



⭕️ Iran warns new weapons have not yet been used

Iran is prepared for a prolonged war and has not yet deployed many of its newest weapons systems, IRGC spokesman Brig. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini said, according to Mehr News Agency.

➤ &ldquo;The enemy should expect painful blows in&hellip; https://t.co/54Lc5YXOFe
&mdash; Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) March 6, 2026


US-Israeli escalation

On Friday morning, Iranian media reported heavy strikes in Tehran shortly after Israel&rsquo;s announcement that it was targeting Iran&rsquo;s &quot;regime infrastructure&quot;.

Israel&rsquo;s military chief, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, warned that the US-Israeli campaign had entered the next phase and would &ldquo;further dismantle the regime and its military capabilities&rdquo;.

Zamir also hinted at &quot;additional surprises&quot; to come, but declined to disclose further details. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that &ldquo;firepower over Iran and over Tehran is about to surge dramatically&quot;.



🚨Important: IDF Chief of Staff outlines next phase of war against Iran and Lebanon

▪️On Iran, Israel will escalate strikes aimed at weakening the Iranian state:

&ldquo;We will intensify the blow to the foundations of the regime and its military capabilities. We still have additional&hellip; pic.twitter.com/rJdN0O3UmB
&mdash; Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) March 5, 2026


Iran&rsquo;s Revolutionary Guards responded by launching missiles toward Tel Aviv after an earlier explosion in central Israel caused a fire at a residential building. AFP journalists reported hearing simultaneous explosions in Tel Aviv, while rocket trails lit up the sky in Netanya, further north.

Trump backs Kurds

In the midst of the escalating conflict, Trump expressed support for Iranian Kurdish militias in Iraq, encouraging them to intensify their attacks against Iran.

Speaking to Reuters, Trump stated, &ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s wonderful that they want to do that, I&#39;d be all for it.&rdquo;

These militias, based along the Iran-Iraq border in Iraqi Kurdistan, have been in consultations with the US on launching attacks on Iran&rsquo;s western security forces.

Read more: Iran hits CIA site in Riyadh as US seeks to arm Kurdish forces against Tehran

Security sources reported two Iranian drone strikes on an opposition camp in Iraqi Kurdistan on Thursday, underscoring the rising violence. Iranian Kurdish forces have been preparing for such operations to weaken Iran&rsquo;s military while US and Israeli airstrikes target Iranian installations.

Iran&rsquo;s future leadership

Meanwhile, Hegseth sought to clarify that, despite Trump&rsquo;s comments, there were no changes in the US military&rsquo;s objectives in Iran. &quot;There&rsquo;s no expansion in our objectives. We know exactly what we&rsquo;re trying to achieve,&quot; Hegseth said.

Also read: US investigation points to likely US responsibility in Iran school strike, sources say

Azerbaijan prepares retaliation

Azerbaijan has vowed to retaliate after &quot;Iranian&quot; drones crossed its border and injured four people in the Nakhchivan exclave. President Ilham Aliyev condemned the attacks as an &ldquo;unprovoked act of terror and aggression&rdquo; and vowed to take action.

Hezbollah responds

Hezbollah, an armed force fighting against Israeli aggression in Lebanon, launched missiles in retaliation for the war.

Displaced families are seeking shelter on a beach, facing dire conditions.

Attacks across region

US forces sank an Iranian frigate off the coast of Sri Lanka that had travelled to India to take part in a parade, while Azerbaijan threatened retaliation after a drone attack on an airport. Iran also targeted US bases inside Gulf countries, including Qatar, which intercepted a drone targeting a US base in Al-Udeid. Bahrain reported an alleged attack on a hotel and residential buildings, while Saudi Arabia intercepted three ballistic missiles.

Casualties mount in Iran, Lebanon

In Lebanon, 77 have died. Thousands have fled southern Beirut, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. Additionally, two paramedics have been killed in Shiraz, Iran, according to Al Jazeera.



UPDATE: Two paramedics killed in Shiraz, Iran: Report

🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/C3iSVX4pRP pic.twitter.com/CXHJVw5D20
&mdash; Al Jazeera Breaking News (@AJENews) March 6, 2026


More than 3,000 homes in Iran were damaged by US-Israeli attacks, according to the Red Crescent.

Pir Hossein Kolivand, president of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, says the US-Israeli attacks have damaged 3,643 civilian sites, including 3,090 homes. Also damaged are 528 commercial and service centres, 14 medical or pharmaceutical facilities and nine Red Crescent facilities, he said.

Most of the targets, he added, were in &ldquo;densely populated residential areas&rdquo;.

Drop Site News reports that 20 more Iranian civilians were killed and 30 injured after US&ndash;Israel strikes hit the Zibashahr residential area of Shiraz, a major city in southwestern Iran about 420 miles south of Tehran, the acting head of the political deputy office of the Fars Province governorate said, according to Islamic State News Agencies.



🚨 New: 20 Iranian civilians killed in U.S.&ndash;Israel strikes on residential area in Shiraz

At least 20 civilians were killed and 30 injured after U.S.&ndash;Israel strikes hit the Zibashahr residential area of Shiraz &ndash; a major city in southwestern Iran about 420 miles south of Tehran &ndash;&hellip; https://t.co/TRKWPIvfDd
&mdash; Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) March 6, 2026


Prolonged conflict preparation

US officials, including Admiral Brad Cooper, head of Central Command, confirmed that strikes from Iran have significantly diminished, with ballistic missile attacks decreasing by 90% and drone attacks down by 83%. However, Pentagon officials reaffirmed their commitment to the ongoing campaign, emphasising the availability of sufficient munitions for a sustained effort.

Global disruptions

The conflict has disrupted global markets, energy supplies, and travel. While oil prices have surged, global logistics and air transport have been heavily affected. Iran claims control over the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy chokepoint, but the US has signalled it may escort ships through the area if necessary.]]>
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			<title>PTI seeks Imran's immediate transfer to Shifa International Hospital over renewed blood pressure concerns</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638696/pti-seeks-imrans-immediate-transfer-to-shifa-international-hospital-over-renewed-blood-pressure</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638696/pti-seeks-imrans-immediate-transfer-to-shifa-international-hospital-over-renewed-blood-pressure#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 19:40:33 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Imran's sister demands independent medical treatment, saying his blood pressure was normal as recently as a year ago.]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday expressed grave concern over the health of its incarcerated founder Imran Khan, saying his blood pressure had reached 192 in recent days, and demanded his immediate transfer to Shifa International Hospital for independent medical treatment under the supervision of his personal physicians.

The statement came two days after a meeting between Imran and his lawyer at Adiala jail on Nov 2, during which the former prime minister reportedly conveyed concerns about his health.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has allowed Imran to meet his family members, lawyers and other associates twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However, despite repeated court orders directing the authorities to facilitate these meetings, access to the former prime minister by his family and party leaders has remained largely restricted in recent months.

In the meeting&#39;s aftermath,&nbsp;Imran&#39;s sister Rubina Khan said her brother had conveyed through his lawyer that his blood pressure had shot up to 192. She alleged that he had accused the authorities of failing to provide him with proper medical treatment.



Statement of Imran Khan&rsquo;s sister Rubina Khan (November 3, 2026) pic.twitter.com/MGXPkPwCBb
&mdash; PTI (@PTIofficial) November 3, 2026


She said the lawyer had been allowed to meet Imran briefly after seven months, adding that access to a lawyer was a basic right of every prisoner.

&ldquo;Imran Khan has never had high blood pressure. As recently as a year ago, his blood pressure was normal,&rdquo; she said, adding that the family&rsquo;s medical advisers considered it unusual for someone over 70 to suddenly develop high blood pressure.

&ldquo;As his family, we demand that he be immediately admitted to an independent medical institution in Islamabad for proper treatment, in the presence of his personal doctor and a doctor of my choice,&rdquo; Rubina said.

She also referred to statements by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, UN experts, the UN Committee Against Torture and Amnesty International concerning Imran&#39;s detention and treatment.

Rubina said the Supreme Court&#39;s August 2026 decision requiring immediate medical treatment at Shifa hospital had not been implemented.

She alleged that there had previously been multiple attempts on her brother&#39;s life, including an assassination attempt, and said the family feared for his safety in prison.

&ldquo;If he does not receive medical treatment now, anything that happens to him would amount to cold-blooded murder,&rdquo; she said.

Sharing his aunt&#39;s statement on X, Imran&#39;s son Kasim said: &ldquo;This high blood pressure is not normal. It is the direct result of this isolation.&rdquo;

&ldquo;If he is not freed soon, he will die in this cell,&rdquo; he added.

PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja called it&nbsp;an &quot;extremely alarming matter&rdquo;.&nbsp;

He further said: &quot;We now, as a party, need to adopt an effective strategy regarding the health of Khan Sahib and Bushri Bibi. An effective strategy cannot be based merely on excitement and anger ... In this regard, every doubt and apprehension must be eliminated. After consultation with all authorised bodies of the family and the party, including the parliamentary party, a full-force&nbsp;voice will be raised both inside the country and abroad. Protecting Khan Sahib&#39;s health is the duty of the entire nation.&quot;



عمران خان صاحب کی ہمشیرہ روبینہ نیازی صاحبہ کے جاری کردہ بیان کے بعد اب ہمیں بطور پارٹی خان صاحب اور بشری بی بی کی صحت کے حوالے سے موثر حکمت عملی اپنانی ہے۔ موثر حکمت عملی محض ہیجان اور غصے پر مبنی نہیں ہوا کرتی۔ خان صاحب کے بلڈ پریشر میں اتار چڑھاو انتہائی تشویش کا باعث ہے۔ اس&hellip;
&mdash; salman akram raja (@salmanAraja) November 4, 2026


In a statement shared by the PTI on X, Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said repeated fluctuations in Imran&#39;s blood pressure were a matter of extreme concern, adding that protecting his health was the responsibility of the state and the entire nation.

He accused the government of endangering the life and fundamental rights of the country&#39;s most popular political leader by denying him adequate medical facilities, access to his family and treatment of his choice.



PRESS RELEASE
ISLAMABAD &mdash; Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram has expressed grave concern over the deteriorating health of party founder Imran Khan, revealing that his blood pressure had surged to 192, and demanded his immediate&hellip;
&mdash; PTI (@PTIofficial) November 4, 2026


Akram demanded immediate implementation of the Supreme Court&#39;s August 18 order directing Imran&#39;s transfer to Shifa International Hospital, where he should be treated by his personal and family-appointed doctors.

He also called for the release of Imran, Bushra Bibi and all political prisoners detained in Kot Lakhpat jail and elsewhere in the country. He condemned raids on PTI ministers in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and what he described as violations of the sanctity of homes in Punjab and K-P.

&ldquo;Political victimisation and repression must end,&rdquo; he said, urging the government to release Imran and pursue national reconciliation to put the country back on the path of peace, prosperity and progress.]]>
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			<title>Govt slashes petrol by Rs7.06, diesel by Rs3.71 for Nov 5</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638670/govt-slashes-petrol-by-rs706-diesel-by-rs371-for-nov-5</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638670/govt-slashes-petrol-by-rs706-diesel-by-rs371-for-nov-5#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 17:43:21 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Petrol price decreases to Rs362 per litre, while HSD will cost Rs387.81 under daily price mechanism]]>
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				<![CDATA[The federal government on Wednesday slashed the price of petrol by Rs7.06 per litre and that of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs3.71 per litre for November 5.

According to a notification issued by the Petroleum Division, the price of petrol was fixed at Rs362 per litre, while HSD would cost Rs387.81 per litre for Thursday.

The latest revision comes a day after the government reduced the price of petrol by Rs5.45 per litre and that of HSD by Rs3.68 for November 4.

Read: Govt cuts petrol price by Rs5.45, HSD by Rs3.68 for Nov 4

On Monday, the government announced that oil refineries would bear a burden of Rs15 billion per month, which would allow petrol to be sold Rs15 cheaper than it was in the global market amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Read More: Refineries to shoulder Rs15b fuel burden

On July 17, the government announced a new pricing mechanism under which petroleum product prices would be reviewed and notified daily, replacing the weekly pricing mechanism, as renewed tensions between the United States and Iran continued to drive volatility in global oil markets and raise concerns over fuel supplies.

On September 13, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a special relief scheme offering Rs100 per litre off petrol for motorcycles, three-wheeler rickshaws and cars with engines up to 800cc, in an attempt to shield lower-income consumers from the impact of rising petroleum prices.

Under the proposal, an estimated 11.8 million beneficiaries would be covered. Around 10 million two-wheeler users and 800,000 three-wheeler users would be entitled to relief on 20 litres of fuel per month, translating into a maximum monthly benefit of Rs2,000 per beneficiary.

Another one million users of cars up to 800cc would receive relief on 30 litres per month, providing them with a maximum benefit of Rs3,000 each.

On Sept 17, the government reintroduced austerity and fuel conservation measures amid rising fuel prices, tightening business operating hours and restricting public events.

Under the measures, notified with immediate effect, shops, markets, shopping malls, bazaars, departmental stores, grocery stores, general stores and kiryana shops would close by 9pm throughout the week, according to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division.

Marriage halls, marquees and other commercial venues hosting festive events would close by 10pm, while restaurants, cafes, eateries, food outlets and standalone fruit and vegetable shops would be allowed to operate until 11pm. Takeaway and home delivery services would remain exempt from the timing restrictions.]]>
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			<title>Trump says Iran war worth it despite midterm elections losses</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638580/us-has-no-immediate-plans-to-strike-iran-trump</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638580/us-has-no-immediate-plans-to-strike-iran-trump#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 05:11:01 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Trump suffered military, political defeats: Mohsen Rezaei]]>
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				<![CDATA[President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the war in Iran was worth the political and economic costs as his Republican Party lost the midterm elections, insisting that the country had &quot;no choice&quot; but to take military action to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Asked at the White House whether he believed the conflict was worth it, Trump responded: &ldquo;I do. Yeah. I mean, well, you have no choice.&rdquo;



Q: Was the Iran war worth it?

Trump: Yes. You have no choice. You have to do it. pic.twitter.com/F2APmFgjxl
&mdash; Clash Report (@clashreport) November 4, 2026



&ldquo;The Iran thing we had to do, and we continue to do it,&rdquo; he added.

Asked about Vice President JD Vance&#39;s suggestion that the war in Iran contributed to Republican losses, Trump agreed, acknowledging that the conflict had pushed gasoline prices higher in the short term.

&ldquo;Well, I think it&#39;s largely true because it drove the gasoline up,&rdquo; he said.



.@POTUS: &quot;I think it&#39;s largely true because it drove the gasoline up... At the same time, if I had to do it again, I&#39;d have to do it again because long-term, it&#39;s the only answer. You can&#39;t let Iran have a nuclear weapon.&quot; https://t.co/Q7vkw1W3on pic.twitter.com/tFPDWdl807
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 4, 2026



However, he defended the decision to launch and continue the military campaign, arguing that it was necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

&ldquo;At the same time, if I had to do it again, I&#39;d have to do it again because, long term, it&#39;s the only answer. You can&#39;t let Iran have a nuclear weapon,&rdquo; he said.

Trump suffered military, political defeats: Mohsen Rezaei

Iran&rsquo;s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei claimed on Wednesday that Tehran had inflicted military and political defeats on US President Donald Trump.

&ldquo;The Iranian nation handed Trump a strategic defeat on the battlefield and in the Hormuz&mdash;and a POLITICAL DEFEAT in Washington,&rdquo; Rezaei wrote on X.

He also said Americans were bearing the financial burden of the war.



The Iranian nation handed Trump a strategic defeat on the battlefield and in the Hormuz&mdash;and a POLITICAL DEFEAT in Washington. Meanwhile, Americans got stuck with the bill for his war.
Anyone who takes on Iran will pay the price&mdash;from the battlefield to their own doorstep.
&mdash; محسن رضایی (@ir_rezaee) November 4, 2026


&ldquo;Anyone who takes on Iran will pay the price&mdash;from the battlefield to their own doorstep,&rdquo; he warned.

The remarks came after US Vice President JD Vance blamed the war with Iran for Republicans&rsquo; defeat in Tuesday&rsquo;s midterm elections.

&ldquo;The reason we lost is the war,&rdquo; Vance wrote on X on Wednesday, saying voter anger over the conflict had driven former Trump supporters to back Democrats.

Democrats secured control of both chambers of Congress in the elections.

Anyone expecting shift in US policy after midterm election &#39;seriously mistaken&#39;: Iran&#39;s supreme leader

Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said that anyone expecting a shift in US policy was &ldquo;seriously mistaken&rdquo;, a day after US midterm elections dealt a blow to US President Donald Trump, AFP reported on Wednesday.

&ldquo;Those who still harbour even the slightest hope that the behaviour of the hegemonic system might change through partisan or factional shifts, or who imagine that making concessions to the US can dissuade it from hostility towards the Iranian nation, are seriously mistaken,&rdquo; he said in a written statement published on his website.

Khamenei warned that the Middle East war would become even wider if the United States resumed its attacks on the Islamic republic.

&ldquo;Should such aggressions be repeated, its (the war) scope will become much wider,&rdquo; Khamenei said.

Americans said no to war, and we endorse this message: Iran&#39;s Ghalibaf

Senior Iranian Parliament Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf hailed the US public&#39;s rejection of the Iran war by voting against the Republican Party in the Congress midterm election in an X post on Wednesday.

&quot;Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message,&quot; he said.

He added that &quot;If the US govt betrays their public will to serve international paymasters and blackmailers,&quot; it will suffer &quot;a nightmare.&quot;



Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message.

If the US govt betrays their public will to serve international paymasters and blackmailers, it will learn our NO comes with a Nightmare.
&mdash; محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) November 4, 2026


His comments came as Democrats established a majority in the Senate and House elections in a rebuke against US President Donald Trump&#39;s stewardship of the country, which in part has stemmed from the war waged on Iran.

Drones attack Iranian Kurdish opposition in Iraq&#39;s Sulaymaniyah and east Erbil, sources say

Two explosive-laden drones attacked the Iranian Kurdish opposition in Iraq&#39;s Sulaymaniyah and east Erbil on Wednesday, security sources said.

Iran has repeatedly struck the bases of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in Iraq&#39;s autonomous Kurdistan region, accusing the groups of carrying out attacks in Iran.

Four oil tankers destroyed in Hormuz after hitting mines, Tehran says

Four oil tankers caught fire after hitting mines while attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran said on Wednesday, after it warned no one would benefit from a return to war.

It came a day after US President Donald Trump said the United States had launched strikes on the Islamic Republic, following reports of a raid on Qeshm, the largest island in the strait.

&quot;Four non-compliant oil tankers attempting to pass through the prohibited passage south of the Strait of Hormuz were destroyed after striking naval mines and are still burning,&quot; Iran&#39;s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said in a statement quoted by state TV.

&quot;Two other non-compliant ships or vessels have also been halted.&quot;

The Guards also said they had shot down a drone over the strait.

Tehran claims control over Hormuz, a vital global energy conduit, and has targeted vessels that attempt to cross without its authorisation since the war erupted.

The conflict, triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February, has been at a stalemate for months.

Indirect contact between the United States and Iran via mediators has continued with little sign of any diplomatic breakthrough, and Iran has said it is ready to reopen the strait but only if Washington agrees to a long-standing list of demands.

Tehran&#39;s chief negotiator in talks with the United States, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said the Islamic Republic was &quot;ready for battle with its finger on the trigger&quot;, although President Masoud Pezeshkian insisted his government was trying to resolve the crisis &quot;through dialogue&quot;.

&quot;No one will benefit from this war&quot; if fighting resumes, Pezeshkian said on Tuesday.

US has no immediate plans to strike Iran: Trump

The US has no immediate plans to strike Iran, President Donald Trump told the Financial Times on Tuesday.

In an interview with the newspaper hours before polls closed in US midterm elections, Trump described Washington&#39;s position toward Iran as a &ldquo;brilliant situation,&rdquo; suggesting the administration was satisfied with the current balance of pressure on Tehran.

&ldquo;We seem to be getting everything we want,&rdquo; he said.

Asked about indications from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that an attack could take place later this week, Trump said American forces remained prepared to act but suggested that military action might not be necessary.

&ldquo;I&rsquo;m ready, we&rsquo;re ready. We&rsquo;re locked and loaded if we need to go, but there may be no reason for it,&rdquo; he said.

Read: Midterms decide Iran strategy: war or deal?

Trump argued that the US was not currently engaged in a conventional war with Iran, pointing to previous American military operations against the country&#39;s nuclear infrastructure.

&ldquo;We&rsquo;re not really in a war, because we hit them with the B-2 bombers and wiped out their nuclear potential incapacity,&rdquo; he said, referring to the earlier US bombing campaign.

He also referenced Operation Epic Fury and subsequent military actions, arguing that the confrontation did not resemble major conventional conflicts such as World War I, World War II or the ongoing war in Ukraine.

&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t consider that we&rsquo;re in a war like Ukraine, wars like World War I, World War II,&rdquo; he said.

Despite his assessment, the president acknowledged that Washington remained concerned about Iran&#39;s stockpile of approximately 1,000 pounds of enriched uranium.

Trump described the material as &ldquo;nuclear dust&rdquo; and said indirect negotiations with Tehran over its future were continuing.

Although much of the material is believed to be buried beneath extensive rubble from previous strikes, Trump said he was not satisfied with the prospect of it remaining there.

&ldquo;Even though it&rsquo;s under hundreds of tons of rock, I would say that I&rsquo;m not happy that it will be there,&rdquo; he told the FT.

He added that the issue remained among the subjects being discussed in ongoing contacts with Iran.]]>
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			<title>PIA to launch three direct weekly Islamabad-Birmingham flights from Dec 1</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638659/pia-to-launch-three-direct-weekly-islamabad-birmingham-flights-from-dec-1</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638659/pia-to-launch-three-direct-weekly-islamabad-birmingham-flights-from-dec-1#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 15:14:27 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Talib Fareedi]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Spokesperson says airline aims to increase the total number of weekly flights between Pakistan, UK to 23]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Wednesday said it would launch three weekly direct flights between Islamabad and Birmingham from December 1, expanding its UK network to facilitate Pakistani residents in northern and central parts of Britain.

According to a PIA spokesperson, the flights would initially operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.



New Airline Announcement! ✈️🎉

We&#39;re delighted to announce that PIA will be returning to Birmingham Airport (BHX) on 1 December 2026.

Due to high demand from travellers in the Midlands , direct flights to Islamabad will be resuming three times a week.

With more than 320,000&hellip; pic.twitter.com/MnhqTtIvua
&mdash; Birmingham Airport (@bhx_official) November 3, 2026


The spokesperson added that the UK was an important destination for PIA, adding that the airline aimed to increase the total number of weekly flights between Pakistan and the UK to 23.

Read: PIA resumes UK flights after five-year ban

On September 3, PIA decided to expand its air operations to London, increasing the number of weekly flights to seven from October 27.

A PIA spokesperson stated the national flag carrier would&nbsp;operate daily flights between Pakistan and London, including five weekly flights between Islamabad and London and two between Lahore and London, adding that the increase in flight frequency reflected growing passenger demand and confidence in the national airline.

PIA resumed direct flights to Britain in October last year, months after UK authorities ended a five-year suspension imposed over aviation safety concerns.

The flag carrier was earlier barred from flying to Britain, the European Union and the United States in June 2020, a month after one of its Airbus A320 aircraft plunged into a Karachi neighbourhood, killing nearly 100 people.

The deadly crash was blamed on human error.

Read More: UK team reviews PIA safety systems

Britain lifted restrictions on Pakistani carriers in July 2025 after concluding that aviation safety standards were &quot;satisfactory and in line with international norms&quot;.]]>
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			<title>Israeli president receives official election results as committee rejects fraud allegations</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638666/israeli-president-receives-official-election-results-as-committee-rejects-fraud-allegations</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638666/israeli-president-receives-official-election-results-as-committee-rejects-fraud-allegations#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 16:37:20 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638666</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Election chief warns against undermining vote integrity, says final results are 'binding on all of us']]>
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				<![CDATA[Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday received the official results of last week&#39;s parliamentary elections as the Central Elections Committee rejected fraud allegations raised by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and right-wing parties.

&quot;Voices are seeking to undermine the election results. This is a real danger,&quot; Committee Chairman Judge Noam Sohlberg said during a ceremony attended by Herzog, according to Israeli news website Ynet.

Sohlberg said allegations concerning aspects of the electoral process remained under investigation but warned against questioning the legitimacy of votes cast by Arab citizens.

Read:&nbsp;Israeli opposition leaders say Netanyahu cannot remain in power after US midterm elections

&quot;We must not cast doubt on voting in Arab society, just as we must not cast doubt on any other group in Israeli society,&quot; he said.

The election results are &quot;binding on all of us,&quot; Sohlberg stressed.

Earlier Wednesday, the committee approved the final results, with 15 members voting in favor, two against and 14 abstaining, according to Ynet.

The approval followed the committee&#39;s announcement that it had found no evidence that the integrity of last week&#39;s parliamentary elections had been compromised.

Netanyahu and right-wing parties in his bloc had alleged fraud and voting manipulation within Israel&#39;s Arab community.

Herzog to begin government formation consultations

Herzog is scheduled to begin consultations with representatives of elected parties Wednesday afternoon to determine which lawmaker should be tasked with forming the next government, Ynet reported.

During the consultations, parliamentary parties are expected to recommend candidates for prime minister.

Herzog will then decide which candidate has the best chance of assembling a governing coalition and grant that lawmaker the mandate to form a government.

Also Read:&nbsp;Eisenkot says Netanyahu&#39;s bid to discredit Israeli election results has &#39;failed&#39;

Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot is expected to receive 48 recommendations from Yashar, Yachad, the Democrats and Yisrael Beytenu.

Netanyahu is expected to secure 46 recommendations from Likud, Otzma Yehudit, Shas and Religious Zionism.

The predominantly Arab parties, including the Joint List and Ra&#39;am, and the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party have yet to announce whom they will recommend, according to Ynet.]]>
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			<title>Troops deployed in Indonesia as president sacks aide accused of wiretapping</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638664/troops-deployed-in-indonesia-as-president-sacks-aide-accused-of-wiretapping</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638664/troops-deployed-in-indonesia-as-president-sacks-aide-accused-of-wiretapping#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 16:13:37 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638664</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Presidential official says wiretaps may amount to treason amid growing rift between president and predecessor]]>
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				<![CDATA[Indonesia&#39;s president sacked his chief of staff on Wednesday after his arrest in a wiretapping scandal &zwnj;that the government said pointed to treason, as the military said thousands of troops were being mobilised in the capital to boost security.

Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who was appointed chief of staff just a few weeks ago, was among three senior police officers detained on Tuesday, accused of illegally tapping the phones of President Prabowo Subianto and unnamed journalists, politicians, government ​officials and business people since early 2025.

The illegal wiretaps were carried out by &quot;rogue individuals&quot; whose actions indicated treason, presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi ​said.

Read:&nbsp;IOC regrets Indonesian decision to block entry for Israeli gymnasts

&quot;It also tends toward acts that endanger state interests and the safety of the nation&#39;s leadership, including the safety of ⁠the head of state,&quot; Hadi told reporters.

Reuters could not immediately contact the three suspects or their lawyers.

The scandal comes as the president, a retired army ​general, faces pressure on multiple fronts, with widening public discontent about his big-spending populist policies and a slump in investor confidence over his administration&#39;s handling ​of the $1.5 trillion G20 economy.

Political intrigue has been growing in Indonesia in recent weeks amid a rift between Prabowo and his two-term predecessor and former backer Widodo, who remains highly influential, despite stepping back from politics.

Listyo, the former national police chief, was known as a loyalist of Widodo.

Military mobilized to &lsquo;safeguard and protect stability&#39;

Troops were deployed to Jakarta to &quot;safeguard and ​protect the stability of Indonesia&#39;s security,&quot; navy spokesperson Tunggul said late on Wednesday.

The deployment was also related to upcoming training in areas near Jakarta, Tunggul, ​who goes by one name, added.

Soldiers on the capital&#39;s streets are not uncommon in Indonesia, where the military has been regularly deployed ahead of anti-government protests.

Elected president in &zwnj;2024 by ⁠a big majority, former special forces commander Prabowo has seen his approval rating slide in his second year in office, with unease over food prices and his troubled free meals and village cooperatives programmes.

His administration has also been under intense investor scrutiny this year, with ratings outlook cuts, concerns about policy unpredictability, and record stock market routs after warnings by global index provider MSCI of an equities market downgrade.

Prabowo&#39;s party Gerindra said it would hold talks with other political parties to discuss the ​wiretapping, with its secretary-general Sugiono on Wednesday ​calling the scandal &quot;insubordination&quot; within the government.

In ⁠a post on X on Wednesday, former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono appealed to Prabowo to &quot;restore civility to our politics&quot;.

Motive for wiretaps unclear

The government has yet to determine the motive for the wiretapping, said Yusril Ihza Mahendra, Indonesia&#39;s senior ​minister for legal affairs.

Police late on Tuesday said the suspects were being investigated for unauthorised wiretaps. The targets ​of the wiretaps were ⁠not disclosed.

Amnesty International in Indonesia urged authorities on Wednesday to reveal who the subjects of the wiretaps were and said the public had a right to know.

Also Read:&nbsp;Indonesia says no to $1 billion fee for Trump&#39;s &#39;Board of Peace&#39; seat

&quot;If this scandal is allowed to continue unchecked, it could pave the way for a secret police apparatus used to tame the opposition,&quot; it said.

Sana Jaffrey, a state-building ⁠researcher at ​the Australian National University, said the troop deployment in Jakarta could signal concerns about tension ​between the military and police loyal to former chief Listyo.

&quot;If Prabowo increasingly sees threats to his personal security, then this could strengthen the case for relying more heavily on the military,&quot; she ​said, adding that the immediate concern was the risk of unintended escalation.]]>
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			<title>UK ban on Palestine Action is challenged at top court, some protesters arrested</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638655/uk-ban-on-palestine-action-is-challenged-at-top-court-some-protesters-arrested</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638655/uk-ban-on-palestine-action-is-challenged-at-top-court-some-protesters-arrested#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 15:01:45 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638655</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Palestine Action co-founder says group’s ban is unlawful as over 4,000 people are arrested for showing support]]>
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				<![CDATA[A co-founder of Palestine Action challenged Britain&#39;s decision to ban ​the campaign group as a terrorist organisation at the UK Supreme Court on Wednesday, arguing that &zwnj;the move was disproportionate and undermined counter-terrorism laws.

The British government proscribed Palestine Action last year after a series of high-profile incidents mostly targeting defence firms, culminating in a break-in at the Royal Air Force&#39;s Brize Norton air base in which two planes were damaged.

Britain&#39;s Home Office (interior ministry) argues ​that the group&#39;s escalating actions, causing serious property damage, particularly a 2024 raid targeting Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems (ESLT.TA),&nbsp;​amounted to terrorism and justified the ban.

Read:&nbsp;Pakistan calls for UN action on Palestine

But the move has drawn criticism from civil liberties ⁠groups and prominent supporters including Irish novelist Sally Rooney, whose books can no longer be sold in Britain over her plans ​to provide royalties to the group.

There have been more than 3,600 arrests linked to support for Palestine Action between proscription ​in July 2025 and this June, representing more than one-third of all terrorism arrests in Britain since 9/11, according to Home Office statistics.

With the arrest of over 300 people last weekend outside the US embassy in London, plus two dozen or so outside the Supreme Court ​on Wednesday, the figure is now more than 4,000 &ndash; though any resulting charges could be dropped if the ban ​is overturned.

Lawyer compares group to suffragettes 

Founded in 2020, Palestine Action carried out hundreds of &quot;actions&quot;, many involving obstructing or occupying premises, or spraying &zwnj;graffiti and ⁠breaking windows of businesses they said were linked to providing arms to Israel.

After Israel began bombarding Gaza in response to a deadly attack by Hamas-led fighters in October 2023, Palestine Action&#39;s campaign escalated, the Home Office says, with the Elbit raid causing an estimated &pound;1 million ($1.35 million) of damage.

Lawyers representing Huda Ammori, who co-founded Palestine Action, said that, at the time ​the group was proscribed, government ​officials had assessed that ⁠just three of 385 actions carried out over five years had met the definition of terrorism.

London&#39;s High Court initially ruled that the ban was unlawful, but the Court of Appeal overturned that decision ​in June, rejecting comparisons with historical groups such as the suffragettes who campaigned for ​women&#39;s right to ⁠vote.

Ammori&#39;s lawyer Raza Husain, however, said on Wednesday that the suffragettes and other groups &quot;used tactics similar or more extreme than Palestine Action&quot;, citing the suffragettes&#39; early 20th-century bombing campaign.

The Home Office, though, says the 2024 Elbit attack did involve the use of violence ⁠and ​weapons against security staff and police officers, one of whom suffered a ​spinal injury when she was hit with a sledgehammer.

The United States in August also designated Palestine Action as a terrorist group. President Donald Trump has described ​activists who targeted his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland last year as &quot;terrorists&quot;.]]>
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			<title>ICJ to rule on Myanmar genocide case over Rohingya on Nov 19</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638662/icj-to-rule-on-myanmar-genocide-case-over-rohingya-on-nov-19</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638662/icj-to-rule-on-myanmar-genocide-case-over-rohingya-on-nov-19#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 26 15:53:12 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2638662</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Case filed by Gambia concerns military crackdown that forced over 700,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The International Court of Justice (ICJ) would deliver its judgment on November 19 on whether Myanmar violated the UN Genocide Convention in its treatment of the Rohingya Muslim minority, the court announced on Tuesday.

The ruling is scheduled for 10am local time in The Hague, Netherlands, in a case brought by Gambia in 2019, with 11 states intervening in the proceedings.

The lawsuit accuses Myanmar of violating its obligations under the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide during military operations against the Rohingya.

Read: ICJ urged to make Rohingya genocide report public



PRESS RELEASE: the #ICJ will deliver its Judgment in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (The #Gambia v. #Myanmar: 11 States intervening) on 19 November at 10 a.m.

Live @UNWebTV https://t.co/Mj00rLQcSZ pic.twitter.com/1Em1IXMRQR
&mdash; CIJ_ICJ (@CIJ_ICJ) November 3, 2026


Gambia&#39;s decision to bring the case before the UN&#39;s highest court was hailed as a &quot;historic achievement&quot; by members of the Rohingya community.

The Rohingya are a stateless Muslim minority who have faced decades of discrimination and displacement in Myanmar.

Read More: Rohingya tell UN of Myanmar bloodshed, suffering

More than 700,000 fled the country&#39;s Rakhine State following a military crackdown in August 2017, with most seeking refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh.

The UN has described the Rohingya as the world&#39;s most persecuted minority, while a report by the Ontario International Development Agency estimated that thousands were killed by Myanmar&#39;s security forces.]]>
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			<title>Pakistan unveils 10-year national plan to conserve shark populations</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2628098/pakistan-unveils-10-year-national-plan-to-conserve-shark-populations</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2628098/pakistan-unveils-10-year-national-plan-to-conserve-shark-populations#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 26 07:52:16 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2628098</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Plan covers all chondrichthyan species found in Pakistani waters, including sharks, rays, skates, chimaeras]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Tuesday unveiled Pakistan&rsquo;s first 10-year national action plan for shark conservation, under which the government would restore declining shark populations, curb illegal finning and bycatch, protect critical marine habitats and promote sustainable fisheries in Pakistani waters through 2035.

The plan will be implemented in three phases by the Marine Fisheries Department and backed by an estimated $3.8 million to $5 million in funding during its first five years.

In a statement, Chaudhry said that the National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (NPOA-Sharks Pakistan 2025-2035) would be overseen by a multi-stakeholder National Advisory Committee. He further added that the plan sought to strengthen fisheries management and enforcement while improving data collection and scientific research on shark populations.

Among the proposed measures are mandatory fins-naturally-attached policies, species-specific protections, shark sanctuaries, mangrove restoration and steps to reduce shark deaths as bycatch across different fisheries. The plan also seeks to improve the livelihoods of coastal fishing communities through targeted support, while encouraging sustainable shark fisheries and greater international cooperation, including through the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission.

The minister said that the implementation would be assessed annually against performance indicators such as landing-site monitoring coverage, completion of stock assessments, deployment of vessel monitoring systems and reductions in bycatch mortality. Formal reviews would be carried out every three years.

Read: Seafood exports jump to $568m

The plan covers all chondrichthyan species found in Pakistani waters, including sharks, rays, skates and chimaeras, with particular focus on species targeted by fisheries or facing high levels of bycatch mortality.

&ldquo;Although the primary emphasis is on sharks, the management frameworks, data collection systems and enforcement mechanisms established through the NPOA will also benefit other elasmobranch species,&rdquo; the minister said.

He said the action plan had been tailored to Pakistan&rsquo;s ecological, institutional and socioeconomic conditions while remaining aligned with the Food and Agriculture Organisation&rsquo;s International Plan of Action for Sharks and other international best practices.

Preparation of the plan fulfilled Pakistan&rsquo;s responsibilities as a shark-fishing nation under international fisheries law, he added.

The FAO&rsquo;s international shark action plan encourages countries to develop national conservation and management plans, minimise waste and promote sustainable fishing practices. Chaudhry said that &ldquo;responsible management of marine resources must come first&rdquo;, stressing the need for stronger safeguards for vulnerable shark species and those whose capture is prohibited.]]>
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			<title>NDMA issues nationwide alert ahead of pre-monsoon rains, warns of hazards</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2615432/ndma-issues-nationwide-alert-ahead-of-pre-monsoon-rains-warns-of-hazards</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2615432/ndma-issues-nationwide-alert-ahead-of-pre-monsoon-rains-warns-of-hazards#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 26 14:34:40 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2615432</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Says intermittent pre-monsoon rains expected from June 28 to July 3]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Sunday advised citizens to stay alert as intermittent pre-monsoon rains were expected across Pakistan from June 28 to July 3.

According to NDMA&nbsp;officials talking to media channels, a dangerous combination of intense heat and expected pre-monsoon rainfall was likely to accelerate glacier melting, triggering a sharp rise in water levels in rivers and streams across Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), and Azad Jammu and&nbsp;Kashmir.

The authority warned that vulnerable mountainous regions face heightened risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), flash floods, and landslides during the forecast period due to rapidly changing and unstable weather conditions.



NDMA issues strong countrywide alert ahead of pre-monsoon rainfall spell, warns of hazards pic.twitter.com/JuCxbEGIZu
&mdash; APP (@appcsocialmedia) June 28, 2026


Residents, tourists and travellers have been strongly advised to exercise extreme caution in high-risk districts, including Hunza, Nagar, Ghizer, Skardu, Shigar, Ghanche, Kharmang, Astore, Diamer, Upper and Lower Chitral and Swat, where sudden weather shifts could create life-threatening situations.

NDMA further urged the public to strictly avoid unnecessary movement near rivers, streams, glacial lakes and riverbanks, stressing the importance of immediate reporting of any unusual or hazardous conditions to local authorities to prevent loss of life and property.

Read More:&nbsp;Lahore swelters before monsoon

Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) have been placed on high alert with strict instructions to ensure full emergency preparedness, rapid response capability and coordinated action in case of any disaster triggered by the expected weather system.

Overall, NDMA&nbsp;stressed that timely precautions, strict adherence to safety advisories, and coordinated preparedness at all levels were essential to minimise risks, protect lives and reduce potential damage from the expected weather-related hazards.]]>
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			<title>Govt decides to end fuel subsidies after sharp decline in global oil prices</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2614572/govt-decides-to-end-fuel-subsidies-after-sharp-decline-in-global-oil-prices</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2614572/govt-decides-to-end-fuel-subsidies-after-sharp-decline-in-global-oil-prices#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 26 17:51:19 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2614572</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Committee agrees to withdraw fuel subsidies after benefit already passed on to consumers]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Owing to a sharp decline in global fuel prices, the government on Monday decided to discontinue fuel subsidies provided to motorcyclists, small farmers and public transport.

The development comes after recent reductions in petroleum prices, under which petrol was cut by Rs74 per litre and diesel by Rs67 per litre, bringing them down to Rs299 per litre and Rs311 per litre respectively, following a decline in the international market after the US and Iran reached an agreement to end a conflict that had lasted over three months.

The decision was taken during the seventh meeting of the National Steering Committee on Fuel Subsidy, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.



Deputy Prime Minister &amp; Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 chaired the 7th meeting of the National Steering Committee on Fuel Subsidy.

The Committee reviewed the rollout of fuel subsidy for motorcyclists, small farmers, public transport &amp; goods transport in&hellip; pic.twitter.com/I4X55tPKNV
&mdash; Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) June 22, 2026


The committee reviewed the rollout of fuel subsidy for motorcyclists, small farmers, public transport and goods transport across all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Noting the sharp decline in global fuel prices and that the benefit had already been passed on to consumers, the committee agreed to discontinue the subsidy, with the prime minister&rsquo;s approval.

While appreciating the committee&rsquo;s work marked by sustained interprovincial coordination, the deputy prime minister directed that lessons learnt from the exercise be documented and gaps in data and delivery be addressed to strengthen future initiatives aimed at improving public service delivery.

Also Read: Govt disburses Rs38b in fuel subsidy

The meeting was attended by SAPM Tariq Bajwa, federal secretaries of petroleum and IT, the State Bank of Pakistan governor and senior representatives from all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Following the oil price surge in the global market after the US-Iran conflict, the government significantly increased petroleum product prices after initially deciding to absorb the burden.

At one point, petrol prices had reached Rs458 per litre in April this year. However, days later, the prime minister announced an immediate Rs80 per litre reduction in the petroleum levy to provide relief to the public.

While announcing the relief, the prime minister also unveiled a fuel subsidy package aimed at shielding the public from rising fuel costs triggered by tensions in the Gulf region.

Under that initiative, motorcyclists were to receive a subsidy of Rs100 per litre, while goods transport, public transport and freight vehicles were also provided support for one month.

Under the same relief measures, small trucks were given Rs70,000 per month, large trucks Rs80,000 and public transport buses Rs100,000 as monthly subsidies.

The initiative also included support for small farmers, who were provided Rs1,500 per acre in assistance.]]>
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			<title>Govt moves to fully digitise passport issuance system</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2614022/passport-system-to-go-fully-digital-with-e-passport-rollout</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2614022/passport-system-to-go-fully-digital-with-e-passport-rollout#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 26 07:45:38 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Islamabad]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2614022</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Preparatory work for home delivery of passports in Pakistan, abroad completed, service will be launched soon]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The government on Friday decided to transition its passport issuance system to a complete e-passport framework as part of sweeping reforms aimed at modernising immigration services and eliminating fraud.

According to the Interior Ministry, a high-level meeting on Passport and Immigration was held at the headquarters under the chairmanship of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, where key decisions regarding the digital overhaul of the system were approved.

A principal decision was taken to fully shift passport issuance to e-passports, with the move aimed at reducing fraud and forgery in the passport system. However, no deadline has been announced for the phase-out of existing passports.



وزیر داخلہ محسن نقوی کی زیر صدارت پاسپورٹ اینڈ امیگریشن ہیڈکوارٹرز میں خصوصی اجلاس
ڈی جی پاسپورٹس اینڈ امیگریشن محمد علی رندھاوا نے وفاقی وزیر داخلہ کو تفصیلی بریفنگ دی
پاسپورٹ کے اجراء کو مکمل طور پر ای پاسپورٹ پر منتقل کرنے کا اصولی فیصلہ
ای پاسپورٹ پر منتقلی سے فراڈ اور&hellip; pic.twitter.com/UlOOovm4Yv
&mdash; PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) June 19, 2026


The Director General of Passports and Immigration, Muhammad Ali Randhawa, briefed the minister on ongoing reforms and plans. Officials said premium service applicants will now be charged according to the actual cost of passport services.

According to the briefing, preparatory work for home delivery of passports within Pakistan and abroad had been completed, and the service will be launched soon.

From July 1, a cashless payment system will be introduced at passport offices across the country, and online passport applications will also be shifted to the Pak-ID platform.

The meeting also decided to finalise a policy for business passports in consultation with the Federal Board of Revenue.

Also Read: Public cautioned over multiple passports

The ministry said the reforms are part of broader efforts to make the passport system more efficient, transparent, and citizen-friendly.

According to the Ministry of Interior, the e-Passport is a highly secure travel document. It has an electronic chip embedded in one of the passport pages, which will be used to store biometric information about the holder.

The chip contains data that will verify the passport holder&rsquo;s identity and will include the biometrics of the passport holder, the personal data found on the data page of the passport, a unique identification number, and a digital signature.

An e-passport has a contactless chip on it which means that those passports can be read electronically. The newly launched e-Passports in Pakistan are in compliance with the United Nations&rsquo; ICAO standards.]]>
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