<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" version="2.0"><channel>
                        <title>Latest World News, International News | Breaking World News</title>
                        <atom:link href="https://tribune.com.pk" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/>
                        <link>https://tribune.com.pk</link>
                        <description>The Express Tribune keeps you up to date with all the latest happenings from Pakistan and across the world!</description>
                        <lastBuildDate>Mon, 05 Oct 26 04:54:21 +0500</lastBuildDate>
                        <language>en-US</language>
                        <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
                        <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
                        <generator>https://laravel.com/</generator><item>
			<title>Iran warns regional states of ‘different and decisive’ response to future attacks</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632895/trump-says-iran-has-virtually-given-up-any-plans-for-nuclear-weapons</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632895/trump-says-iran-has-virtually-given-up-any-plans-for-nuclear-weapons#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 26 05:56:47 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632895</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[IRGC warns US, Israel against further escalation]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Iran&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, on Sunday warned that any future use of regional countries&rsquo; territory to attack Tehran would provoke a &quot;different and decisive&quot; response, according to Press TV.

Speaking at a press conference in Tehran, Baghaei said regional countries must reconsider their actions, adding that Iran and the regional countries were &ldquo;eternal neighbours.&rdquo;

&ldquo;If in the future we witness another aggression by America and the Zionist regime and their soil is used to attack Iran, certainly the response will be different,&rdquo; Baghaei said.

According to Press TV, he called on neighbouring states not to allow parties that have shown no regard for regional security and prosperity to abuse their facilities and territory.



Iran warns US allies in region: Reusing soil for attacks will bring &#39;different&#39; responsehttps://t.co/6BhXTs7g4f
&mdash; Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) October 4, 2026


Baghaei also stated that the Strait of Hormuz was&nbsp;the main focus of Iran&rsquo;s negotiations to end the war with the US.

&quot;Securing the Strait of Hormuz, or restoring security to this waterway, requires specific steps from the American side,&rdquo; Baghaei said, as cited by&nbsp;IRNA news agency.

&quot;This issue has been discussed many times, including stopping interference with Iranian commercial shipping, ending sanctions, and other interventionist measures,&quot; he added.

Baghaei&nbsp;said the latest US proposal to Iran to end the war was almost identical to previous proposals, adding that Washington continued&nbsp;to focus on the nuclear file.



🔴 Iran&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei says Tehran has clarified its positions via mediators to the US response to its 7-day plan

🔴 Iran says US proposal is similar to previous ones, focuses on nuclear file while Tehran wants to focus on Strait of Hormuz

🔴&hellip; pic.twitter.com/Idok8Daq9v
&mdash; Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) October 4, 2026



&quot;We will conduct the necessary investigations regarding some details and will also reflect our supplementary points to the other party,&quot; he noted.

The spokesman said Iran&rsquo;s top leadership had&nbsp;not discussed allowing International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to return to the country.

IRGC warns US, Israel against further escalation

Iran&#39;s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Deputy Commander Brigadier General Ali Fadavi warned&nbsp;on Sunday that&nbsp;any further US and&nbsp;Israeli escalation against Iran would be disadvantageous, adding that US&nbsp;vessels were &ldquo;fully exposed&rdquo; to Iranian attacks and any source used to strike Tehran&nbsp;would be considered a legitimate target, Press TV reported.

Fadavi&nbsp;underlined that&nbsp;Iran had not attacked neighbouring Islamic countries, but only US bases and interests, and claimed the Strait of Hormuz had &ldquo;unequivocally&rdquo; remained under Iranian control in recent months.

According to Press TV, Fadavi also warned that Washington would be &ldquo;foolish&rdquo; to launch new aggression against Iran, while stating that&nbsp;regional states could stand up to the US if they chose to.



🔴 The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Deputy Commander Brigadier General Ali Fadavi:

🔺Any escalation by US, Israel will be disadvantageous to them

🔺US forced ships to use southern route through Strait of Hormuz pic.twitter.com/3WchACXq9m
&mdash; Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) October 4, 2026



Araghchi says Tehran serious about diplomatic path, rules out &lsquo;military solution&rsquo; to end war

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is &ldquo;serious about finding diplomatic solutions, just as we are serious about defending ourselves,&rdquo; Al Jazeera reported on Sunday.

Araghchi said there was no military solution to his country&rsquo;s conflict with the United States, as talks aimed at ending the war appeared to have reached an impasse, AFP reported.

&ldquo;If our enemies again choose the path of military confrontation, our response will be stronger than before, and we will defend ourselves with even more force,&rdquo; Araghchi said at a gathering of foreign ambassadors.

&ldquo;There is no military solution, nor any solution based on new sanctions,&rdquo; he added.

Iran to increase the range of its missiles, army spokesperson tells Fars

Iran will upgrade the range of its missiles following the war with the US, as American forces are now positioned as much as 1,000 km (621 miles) away from the Iranian coast, Army spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia told Fars news on Sunday.

&quot;During this war, we concluded that we absolutely must increase the range of our missiles, and we have now moved in that direction,&quot; he said.

Iran says Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until Islamabad MoU conditions are met: Nournews

The Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until seven Iranian conditions set out in a June interim agreement with the US are met, Nournews reported Iran&rsquo;s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said on Sunday, a few days after Tehran received Washington&#39;s reply to its diplomatic proposal.

&ldquo;The Americans, who say something different in the media, have recently put forward proposals through a mediator. But they must understand that the period of dragging out the process and dictating one-sided demands is over,&quot; Ghalibaf was quoted as saying.

&quot;The position of the Islamic Republic of Iran is completely clear and firm, and the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened until our seven conditions, based on the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, are met.&quot;

Iran ready to &quot;both fight and negotiate,&quot; says parliament speaker

Iran&rsquo;s parliament speaker said on Sunday that Tehran is &quot;neither excited nor intimidated&quot; by the US&rsquo; actions, stressing that Iran is prepared to &quot;both fight and negotiate.&quot;

&quot;We are present in the military battlefield with all our strength and we will face them with new surprises, and we use the tools of diplomacy to establish our superiority in the military field and impose the rights of the Iranian people,&quot; Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf told parliament, according to Iran&#39;s semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Iran army plans volunteer training programme for &ldquo;national defence&rdquo;

The Iranian army plans to begin training volunteers under a programme aimed at preparing citizens for &ldquo;national defence&rdquo;, Al Jazeera reported, citing the West Asia News Agency (WANA).



The Iranian army plans to begin training volunteers under a programme that aims to prepare citizens for &ldquo;national defence,&rdquo; reports West Asia News Agency (WANA).

🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/HrCht5WdbF pic.twitter.com/szKJzCl5sX
&mdash; Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) October 4, 2026


Iran has also opened a military training centre for everyday citizens in Tehran as part of the programme.



Iran has opened a military training centre for everyday citizens in Tehran.

🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/ZeV953aMQq pic.twitter.com/ssN9HQwu9D
&mdash; Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) October 4, 2026


Hegseth says Trump has &ldquo;options&rdquo; if Iran &ldquo;play games&rdquo; over Hormuz

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington&rsquo;s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz remains &ldquo;ironclad&rdquo;, warning that President Donald Trump has &ldquo;options&rdquo; if Iran continues to &ldquo;play games&rdquo; with the vital sea passage, Al Jazeera reported.



US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington&rsquo;s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz remains &ldquo;ironclad&rdquo;, and that Trump has &ldquo;options&rdquo; if Iran continues to &ldquo;play games&rdquo; with the vital sea passage.

🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/CmkFLpfZqL pic.twitter.com/RICG5zXU6l
&mdash; Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) October 4, 2026


US carrier George HW Bush visits Thailand after Middle East deployment

The US aircraft carrier George HW Bush arrived off Thailand&#39;s ​resort island of Phuket on Sunday &zwnj;with about 4,800 personnel aboard for a rest-and-recreation break after months of supporting US operations ​in the Middle East.

The Nimitz-class ​carrier had been operating in the ⁠Arabian Sea during the conflict with Iran, ​according to multiple media reports.

The carrier will ​anchor offshore, while crew members are expected to come ashore through Phuket Deep Sea Port ​and spend time on the popular ​southern resort island from October 4 to 9, local &zwnj;media ⁠reported.

The visit follows a five-day port call by the US carrier Abraham Lincoln at Laem Chabang in eastern Thailand last ​month, with ​about ⁠5,000 sailors and Marines aboard.

A local mayor had estimated each ​US service member from the ​Lincoln ⁠could spend up to 3,000 baht ($89) per day during the visit.

Thailand is the United ⁠States&#39; ​only treaty partner in ​mainland Southeast Asia.

Trump says Iran has &#39;virtually given up&#39; any plans for nuclear weapons

US President Donald Trump suggested on Saturday that Iran has &ldquo;virtually given up&rdquo; any plans to develop nuclear weapons, one of his administration&rsquo;s most frequently stated objectives in the war with Tehran, now in its eighth month.

Trump also claimed oil prices were currently decreasing, long elevated after Israel and the US launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28.

&ldquo;Oil is coming down. Oil is right now lower, and it&#39;s been lower than it was under the Biden administration, and they did nothing about the fact that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,&rdquo; Trump told reporters as he departed the White House to attend a rally in the state of Ohio.

&ldquo;By the way, Iran, as you know, has virtually given up any plans of a nuclear weapon,&rdquo; he added.

Iran has long denied accusations by the US and Israel that it seeks to develop nuclear weapons, a position reiterated by President Masoud Pezeshkian during his visit last month to New York for the UN General Assembly.

Pezeshkian said Tehran is not seeking nuclear weapons because of a religious prohibition, and offered to dilute its enriched uranium stockpiles under international verification.

Iran, however, has maintained that it will not compromise on its peaceful civilian nuclear program or make structural concessions unless the US lifts economic sanctions]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/28152000ddb49a81730135636-0/28152000ddb49a81730135636-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Syria condemns Israeli excavation work near occupied Golan Heights</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632995/syria-condemns-israeli-excavation-work-near-occupied-golan-heights</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632995/syria-condemns-israeli-excavation-work-near-occupied-golan-heights#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 26 20:23:32 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632995</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Urges international action to halt violations, reaffirming its sovereignty and calling for respect for borders]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Syria strongly condemned on Sunday Israeli excavation work near a separation line with the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, calling it a &ldquo;flagrant breach&rdquo; of the 1974 disengagement agreement.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry denounced work on the project known as &ldquo;Sofa 53,&rdquo; as Israeli forces resumed excavations west of al-Asha village in the countryside of the southern Quneitra province.

The ministry described the work as part of continuing Israeli violations in the buffer zone covered by the disengagement agreement.

&ldquo;The continuation of the Israeli occupation&rsquo;s aggressive approach, accompanied by attacks and incursions on the ground, poses a direct threat to regional security and stability and undermines international law,&rdquo; the ministry warned.

It urged the international community to take deterrent measures to halt such practices and prevent their recurrence.

The ministry also reaffirmed Syria&rsquo;s right to exercise full sovereignty over all its territory under international law and relevant UN resolutions, calling on the international community to fulfill its legal and moral responsibilities to protect state sovereignty and respect borders.

According to Syria&rsquo;s Al-Ikhbariya television channel, the project involves excavation and construction of a military road along the separation line within the buffer zone.

Read More: Over 800 Palestinian teachers killed by Israel since Gaza war: education ministry

Israel began working on the project, also referred to as the &ldquo;Great Storm&rdquo; or &ldquo;Sofa 53,&rdquo; in mid-2022 near Hader in northern Quneitra, before extending it through Jabata al-Khashab, al-Hamidiyah, al-Qahtaniyah, Ruweihina, Bir Ajam and Bariqa.

Its route continues south through al-Asha toward the point where the Syrian, Jordanian and Israeli boundaries meet.

As part of the project, the Israeli army built a military road approximately 8 meters wide, flanked by earth berms reaching around 5 meters in height, according to the Syrian broadcaster.

It also established observation posts and military positions along the route adjacent to the ceasefire line in the occupied Golan Heights.

Syrian accounts indicate that Israeli forces have advanced between 300 and 1,000 meters beyond the ceasefire line, with military construction accelerating in late 2024, particularly after the fall of Bashar al-Assad&rsquo;s regime.

Residents previously told Anadolu that the project&rsquo;s expansion had rendered thousands of dunams of agricultural land in rural Quneitra unsuitable for farming and grazing, while disrupting water flows and altering the area&rsquo;s natural landscape.

Since Assad&rsquo;s fall on Dec. 8, 2024, Israel has expanded its military operations in Syria, moving troops into the Golan buffer zone and nearby positions.

Syria demands the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the areas they occupied and maintains its commitment to the 1974 disengagement agreement. Israel claims its movements are driven by security considerations.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/israel-tank1789929606-0/israel-tank1789929606-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Houthis claim missile and drone attacks on Saudi Aramco after 50 strikes on Yemen</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632957/yemen-leader-announces-major-military-operations-against-iran-backed-houthis</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632957/yemen-leader-announces-major-military-operations-against-iran-backed-houthis#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 26 15:17:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632957</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Yemen's Saudi-backed government launches major operation to seize territory held by Houthis]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The leader of Yemen&#39;s Saudi-backed government announced the beginning of a major military operation against the Iran-backed Houthis on Sunday, aimed at seizing the &zwnj;territory under their control.

Regional and western officials had told Reuters earlier this week that Saudi Arabia and its Yemeni allies were planning to launch an assault on the Houthis, with the Saudis leading aerial combat and Yemeni forces fighting on the ground.

&quot;Today, I announce the start of military operations to retake the remaining territory of the republic and extend the authority of the state and its institutions across the entire national territory,&quot; Yemeni ​President Rashad al-Alimi said in a televised address.

The Houthis, meanwhile, said they had launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Aramco sites in Riyadh and the Khurais area ​of Saudi Arabia, claiming the attacks caused major fires, in response to what they said were 50 Saudi-led air and missile strikes on ⁠Yemen in the past 12 hours.

There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi Arabia.

&#39;Opportunities for de-escalation exhausted&#39;

Al-Alimi said the decision to launch the counteroffensive came after all opportunities for de-escalation had been ​exhausted, accusing the Houthis of responding to efforts to calm the conflict with further mobilisation and escalation.

&quot;Our position today is to assume the national responsibility of confronting the Houthi militia, after ​all opportunities for de-escalation have been exhausted,&quot; he said.

Al-Alimi said he had ordered the armed forces, security forces and all military formations to begin carrying out their assigned tasks under approved plans.

Saudi Arabia entered neighbouring Yemen&#39;s civil war in 2015 at the head of an Arab coalition in support of the internationally recognised government, which the Houthis had driven out of the capital Sanaa.

Al-Alimi thanked Saudi Arabia for its support, saying the ​kingdom had &quot;stood alongside Yemen in the darkest circumstances,&quot; and called on Yemen&#39;s regional allies and international partners to support the country, its armed forces and state institutions.

The US is already ​providing intelligence to support Riyadh&#39;s operations in Yemen, while some regional and European nations are providing mainly defensive military aid to the kingdom, six people with knowledge of the Saudi preparations told Reuters.

A truce agreed &zwnj;between the ⁠warring parties in 2022 largely held until this year, when the Houthis launched missile and drone attacks on Saudi shipping and oil infrastructure in a spillover from the Iran war.

Houthis&#39; lightning offensive

The Houthis have so far maintained the initiative on the ground, weeks after seizing the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait in a lightning offensive down the coast that saw government forces collapse.

Bab el-Mandeb is the southern exit passage of the Red Sea, a key shipping route between the Mediterranean and Asia that has assumed even more importance this year as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, ​which has been effectively closed by the ​Iran conflict.

Read More: Araghchi says Tehran serious about diplomatic path, rules out &lsquo;military solution&rsquo; to end war

The Houthis already controlled the northwest ⁠of the country, where most of the population live.

In the last 48 hours, the Houthis have also made gains against government and local forces on strategic hilltops near Yemen&#39;s Taiz, military sources said, advancing on the last road between the city and Aden on the southern coast, ​where the Saudi-backed Yemeni government is based.

Houthi control over the Taiz-Aden road would lead to an effective siege of the city, Yemen&#39;s ​third-largest, inhabited by hundreds of ⁠thousands of civilians and where thousands of government forces are also stationed.

It would also consolidate control of that flat coastal Bab el-Mandeb area by seizing the rugged mountains overlooking them in the western Taiz countryside, according to Mohammed Al-Qadhi, a veteran Yemeni journalist from Taiz now working as a political analyst.

&quot;This will help them protect their back in case of any operation against the coastline, and ⁠make recapturing ​those areas much more difficult,&quot; he said.

The city is important not just for its strategic location; Yemeni President Rashad ​al-Alimi is from the region, and a siege of Taiz would amplify an already-dire humanitarian situation in the country.

Three-in-four families in parts of Yemen are going hungry from the impact of the surge in fighting, which has displaced ​tens of thousands of people and disrupted supplies to millions, the World Food Programme said last week.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/yemen1791127727-0/yemen1791127727-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>DR Congo sentences 27 soldiers to death for 'cowardice'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632965/dr-congo-sentences-27-soldiers-to-death-for-cowardice</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632965/dr-congo-sentences-27-soldiers-to-death-for-cowardice#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 26 16:34:45 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632965</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Trial of at least 112 soldiers from the 21st Simba Battalion began on Sept. 15 at Uvira military court]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A military court in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo sentenced 27 Congolese soldiers to death for &quot;cowardice,&quot; according to a court document.

The soldiers were convicted of withdrawing from the front line during fighting against AFC/M23 rebels.

The trial of at least 112 soldiers from the 21st Simba Battalion began September 15 at the military court in Uvira, South Kivu province.

The soldiers were accused of violating orders and fleeing battles against the rebels in eastern Congo in August.

The court said 54 soldiers were sentenced Friday to five years in prison after being found guilty of violating instructions, while 10 others received six-month sentences.

At least 21 soldiers, including five women, were acquitted due to insufficient evidence.

Read More:&nbsp;Ebola cases top 8,000 in DR Congo amid contact-tracing gaps

The soldiers had been deployed to secure strategic areas overlooking Uvira, according to the prosecution.

In May, a military court in Congo sentenced 58 Congolese soldiers to three years in prison for &quot;violating instructions&quot; when they withdrew from the front line during clashes with AFC/M23 rebels.

The latest trial came amid continued clashes between the AFC/M23 rebel group and government forces in Uvira territory, according to local sources.

The sides have traded accusations of ceasefire violations.

The M23 rebels have been at the center of the conflict in eastern Congo.

The group controls significant territory in eastern Congo, including the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu, which it seized in early 2025.

Congo, the UN and Western nations accuse neighboring Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group. Kigali denies the accusation.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/congo-army1791132222-0/congo-army1791132222-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Over 800 Palestinian teachers killed by Israel since Gaza war: education ministry</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632969/over-800-palestinian-teachers-killed-by-israel-since-gaza-war-education-ministry</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632969/over-800-palestinian-teachers-killed-by-israel-since-gaza-war-education-ministry#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 26 17:17:51 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632969</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Over 3,300 educators injured and more than 170 detained, ministry says ahead of World Teachers’ Day]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Israel has killed more than 800 Palestinian teachers and injured over 3,300 others since the start of its war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, the Palestinian Education Ministry said Sunday.

In a statement ahead of World Teachers&rsquo; Day, observed annually on October 5, the ministry said educators across the occupied Palestinian territories are fighting &ldquo;a real battle for survival&rdquo; to protect the right to education amid systematic targeting.

The education sector in Gaza and the West Bank has suffered &ldquo;comprehensive genocide&rdquo; since the start of Israel&rsquo;s genocidal war on Gaza, the ministry said.

The ministry said more than 170 teachers remain detained &ldquo;in harsh conditions.&rdquo;

It said movement restrictions and harassment at hundreds of checkpoints have compounded educators&rsquo; daily suffering, particularly in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, the village of al-Mughayyir in the central West Bank, the Jordan Valley and areas classified as Area C.

Under the 1995 Oslo II agreement, intended as an interim arrangement, the West Bank was divided into Areas A, B and C.

Area A is under Palestinian civil and security control, while Area B is under Palestinian civil administration and Israeli security control. Area C, which accounts for about 60% of the West Bank, remains under full Israeli control.

The ministry said abuses against Palestinian teachers have been accompanied by severe financial hardship, undermining their material and psychological stability as Israel withholds Palestinian tax revenues.

Read More:&nbsp;Gaza health officials say Israeli strike kills 5

Known as clearance revenues, the funds are taxes collected by Israel on behalf of the Palestinian Authority on imported goods and transferred under the 1994 Paris Protocol.

Israel began deducting sums from these revenues in 2019 and subsequently halted transfers, worsening the Palestinian Authority&rsquo;s financial crisis and its ability to pay public employees&rsquo; salaries in full.

Clearance revenues account for approximately 56% of total Palestinian public revenues, making their withholding a major obstacle to paying salaries, providing public services and meeting government obligations.

The ministry urged the international community, the UN, and education and human rights organizations to take urgent action to curb violations and provide international protection for students and education personnel.

It also called on unions worldwide to press for the release of detained teachers and withheld financial entitlements to ensure educators can live with dignity.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/school01-r1789995816-3/school01-r1789995816-3.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Cornell president vows 'serious look' at fraternities, sororities in wake of rape allegations</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632956/cornell-president-vows-serious-look-at-fraternities-sororities-in-wake-of-rape-allegations</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632956/cornell-president-vows-serious-look-at-fraternities-sororities-in-wake-of-rape-allegations#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 26 14:41:44 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632956</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The lawsuit alleges Cornell failed to adequately punish some of the accused students and seven fraternity members]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Cornell University will examine the role of fraternities and sororities on campus following an outcry over the school&#39;s handling of a student&#39;s rape allegations, the Ivy League school&#39;s president ​said on Saturday.

A civil lawsuit filed last month by the woman, who alleges &zwnj;she was drugged and raped in 2024 by several members of the Chi Phi fraternity, has sparked outrage and soul-searching at Cornell over its campus culture at the school in Ithaca, New York.

In a video message, Cornell ​University President Michael Kotlikoff said the school would take steps to prevent a ​similar situation in the future. That includes &quot;a serious look at the role of ⁠fraternities and sororities in campus life,&quot; Kotlikoff said.

&quot;At their best, these organizations can provide ​students with friendship, belonging, mentorship and a powerful sense of community,&quot; he said. &quot;But being part of ​a group can never diminish individual responsibility.&quot;

The university will seek input, he said, from students, alumni and others on how to &quot;preserve what is valuable about Greek life while strengthening individual accountability, transparency and a culture in ​which every member understands their responsibility to protect the safety and well-being of others.&quot;

The lawsuit ​against Cornell, seven fraternity members and others, alleges that the school failed to adequately punish some of &zwnj;the accused ⁠students.

The accused men have denied all wrongdoing, the New York Times reported.

Read More: Cornell University sexual assault case: Florence Pugh and Josh Gad speak out

Read More: Olivia Rodrigo slams Cornell University over handling of fraternity assault case, shows solidarity for victim

Cornell has defended its handling of the matter, saying it launched a comprehensive investigation and barred the Chi Phi fraternity from campus. The school said it imposed a range of disciplinary measures, including expulsions.

But &quot;we must ​do better,&quot; Kotlikoff said. &quot;We ​don&rsquo;t have all the ⁠answers, but we are committed to investigating and finding the answers our community deserves.&quot;

He vowed that university officials would &quot;be more transparent&quot; about their ​actions related to the 2024 incident, but he did not detail ​specific initiatives that ⁠the university would take.

&quot;In the coming weeks, we will create additional opportunities for members of our community to ask questions and hear directly from university leadership,&quot; he said.

The case has reignited scrutiny ⁠of ​how law enforcement and universities handle sexual assault complaints, with ​students questioning whether processes are enough to protect them. It has also drawn the attention of New York state ​officials, who have appointed a special prosecutor to investigate.

&nbsp;]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/cornellr1791126150-0/cornellr1791126150-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>US Supreme Court to kick off term with bid by Big Oil to toss climate suits</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632941/us-supreme-court-to-kick-off-term-with-bid-by-big-oil-to-toss-climate-suits</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632941/us-supreme-court-to-kick-off-term-with-bid-by-big-oil-to-toss-climate-suits#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 26 11:48:25 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632941</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Exxon, Suncor face Colorado damages claim as nearly 60 state, local govts pursue cases against fossil fuel companies]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The United States Supreme Court&nbsp;begins its new nine-month&nbsp;term&nbsp;on Monday with arguments in a major case&nbsp;involving a&nbsp;bid&nbsp;by&nbsp;oil&nbsp;companies ExxonMobil&nbsp;and Suncor Energy to scuttle a lawsuit by&nbsp;officials in Boulder, Colorado, seeking monetary damages for harms caused by&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change.

It is the first of several important cases already teed up for the&nbsp;term, with disputes involving issues such as President Donald Trump&#39;s immigration policies&nbsp;and state-level bans on assault-style rifles&nbsp;to be heard in the coming months. The&nbsp;court&#39;s 6-3 conservative majority has moved&nbsp;US&nbsp;law dramatically rightward in recent years.

The top&nbsp;US&nbsp;judicial body, as is its custom, opens its&nbsp;term&nbsp;on the first Monday in October.

US-based Exxon and Canada-based Suncor appealed after the Colorado&nbsp;Supreme&nbsp;Court&nbsp;let Boulder&#39;s lawsuit accusing them of state law violations proceed. The Trump administration has backed Exxon and Suncor, arguing that federal law precludes Boulder&#39;s claims.

Read:&nbsp;Supreme Court lets Trump resume deporting migrants to countries not their own

Boulder&#39;s city and county governments have accused the two companies of helping drive climate change and misleading the public about the risks of fossil fuels. Boulder aims to hold the companies liable for past and future costs associated with&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change such as infrastructure repairs, environmental damage, emergency management and harms to public health.

The burning of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, trapping heat and raising average global temperatures over time.

Nearly 60 state and local governments have brought similar&nbsp;suits&nbsp;seeking billions of dollars from fossil fuel companies, with more continuing to be filed, Exxon and Suncor told the justices. A ruling by the&nbsp;Supreme&nbsp;Court&nbsp;in favour of the companies could lead to many of those cases being dismissed.

Monday&#39;s arguments mark the latest example of energy-sector companies asking the justices to block&nbsp;climate-related liability or limit federal environmental regulation.

Also Read:&nbsp;News outlets ask US court to block Trump White House ban beyond 14-day order

Backers of the&nbsp;oil&nbsp;companies argue that if Boulder&#39;s most far-reaching claims are allowed to proceed, it could give states sweeping power over conduct occurring far outside their borders.

Energy companies and trade groups, along with states allied with them, have built a largely winning record before the justices over the past two decades in cases involving&nbsp;climate&nbsp;liability and the reach of federal environmental regulation.

Exxon and Suncor argue, among other things, that Boulder&#39;s claims intrude on an area governed by the Clean Air Act.

Justice Samuel Alito has recused&nbsp;himself from participating in the case. Alito owns stock in several oil and gas companies but not Exxon or Suncor, according to his financial disclosure forms.

The&nbsp;Supreme&nbsp;Court&#39;s decision is expected by the end of June.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/untitled-design-401758970057-0/untitled-design-401758970057-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Turkish foreign minister to attend Makkah Joint Defence Agreement committee meeting in Riyadh</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632938/turkish-foreign-minister-to-attend-makkah-joint-defence-agreement-committee-meeting-in-riyadh</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632938/turkish-foreign-minister-to-attend-makkah-joint-defence-agreement-committee-meeting-in-riyadh#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 26 11:25:53 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632938</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Fidan expected to reaffirm Turkiye's solidarity with Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday will attend a meeting in Riyadh of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee established under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, an alliance founded in August with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

According to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources, Fidan, National Defence Minister Yasar Guler and Chief of General Staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu will also attend the committee meeting in the Saudi capital.

At the meeting, Fidan is expected to share Turkiye&#39;s views on the institutionalisation of the alliance and steps to be taken in the coming days, as well as assessments of threats to peace and stability in the Middle East.

Fidan is also expected to express Turkiye&#39;s views on regional developments concerning the allies&#39; collective security and note that the progress achieved in the alliance&#39;s work in the short time since it was founded is valuable from the perspective of establishing lasting stability in the region.

Read:&nbsp;Meeting of Makkah defence pact in Saudi Arabia next week to focus on Houthi attacks: FM Dar

He is expected to reaffirm Turkiye&#39;s strong solidarity with and support for Saudi Arabia in the face of recent Houthi attacks and underline that provocative actions targeting holy sites are unacceptable.

Fidan is also expected to highlight the alliance&#39;s importance not only in developing a joint and effective response to existing threats but also in preventing regional crises. He is set to stress that resolving disputes in the region through peaceful means remains a priority and that actions that could further escalate tensions should be avoided.

Fidan is also expected to reiterate the importance of ensuring freedom and security of navigation along international trade routes and draw attention to what Ankara describes as Israel&#39;s continued targeting of efforts to establish peace and stability in the region.

Makkah Agreement for Joint Defence

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in Makkah on August 7.

The agreement reflects Turkiye, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia&#39;s commitments to developing regional solutions to regional problems and their shared strategic vision focused on regional security and stability.

It aims to strengthen the security of the three countries through collective deterrence and defence.

Strategic Political and Defence Committee

A Strategic Political and Defence Committee made up of the foreign and defence ministers and chiefs of General Staff of the three countries was established to guide activities under the agreement.

The committee held its first meeting in Istanbul on August 31, hosted by Turkiye.

Foundational decisions were taken at the meeting, and technical work toward institutionalising the alliance was reviewed, including establishing the alliance&#39;s secretariat in Riyadh as soon as possible.

Retired Pakistani Lieutenant General&nbsp;Nauman Mahmood was nominated to serve as the alliance&rsquo;s first secretary-general.

Read More:&nbsp;Saudi crown prince says Makkah defence pact with T&uuml;rkiye, Pakistan aims to bolster regional stability

The foreign ministers of Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia also met in New York on September 24 on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.

They discussed regional developments, and a joint statement issued afterwards condemned attacks targeting the holy city of Makkah as well as Saudi Arabia&#39;s civilian and economic infrastructure.

The chiefs of General Staff of the three countries also met in Riyadh on September&nbsp;25.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/391790375488-7/391790375488-7.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Yemen's armed forces say it is conducting strikes against Houthis in Sanaa</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632934/yemens-armed-forces-say-it-is-conducting-strikes-against-houthis-in-sanaa</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632934/yemens-armed-forces-say-it-is-conducting-strikes-against-houthis-in-sanaa#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 26 10:32:23 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632934</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Spokesperson says attacks targeting 'vital targets' as fighting between Houthis, government-aligned forces continues]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Yemen&#39;s armed forces said &zwnj;early on Sunday it was conducting strikes against the Houthis in the capital Sanaa and the group&#39;s ​stronghold Saada.

A spokesperson for Yemen&#39;s armed forces, ​which are aligned with the internationally recognised government, ⁠said forces were targeting what he described ​as &quot;vital targets&quot;, without providing further details.

Yemen&#39;s Houthi-run Al ​Masirah TV reported earlier an attack it said was carried out by Saudi Arabia on Sanaa. There was no ​immediate Saudi confirmation on the report.

Read:&nbsp;Yemen sees widest escalation in 3 weeks as displacement nears 200,000

The conflict between ​the Houthis and forces aligned with the government &zwnj;mostly ⁠stopped after a 2022 truce, but fighting has broken out again in a spillover from the wider war between Iran and the United States.

Hostilities ​resumed this ​year after ⁠the Houthis declared a naval blockade&nbsp;on Saudi Arabia in July and began ​attacking Saudi territory&nbsp;and shipping, while Houthi ​forces also ⁠made major territorial gains along Yemen&#39;s Red Sea coast.

Saudi Arabia has responded with air strikes in ⁠Yemen ​and backed government forces fighting ​to repel the Houthis.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/untitled-design-31789993403-0/untitled-design-31789993403-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>UK's Green Party votes to declare 'zionism is racism'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632991/uks-green-party-votes-to-declare-zionism-is-racism</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632991/uks-green-party-votes-to-declare-zionism-is-racism#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 26 19:32:20 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632991</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Motion calling for Zionism to be treated as racism passes at party conference in Brighton,]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Motion reasserts party&#39;s commitment to Palestinian liberation, right of return, Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, full arms embargo against Israel

Britain&#39;s Green Party formally adopted a policy declaring &quot;Zionism is racism&quot; after a majority of members voted in favor of a motion Sunday.

The motion, which calls for Zionism to be &quot;treated as any other form of racism,&quot; passed by 1,022 votes to 813 at the party&#39;s annual conference in Brighton.

The vote makes the motion formal policy for the Green Party in England and Wales.



Following the vote on the anti-Zionist policy at Green Party Conference, the 5 Green MPs, the Leader and Co-Deputy Leaders have issued a joint statement pic.twitter.com/NcB2aljsTK
&mdash; The Green Party (@TheGreenParty) October 4, 2026



In 2024, the Green Party became the first political party in England and Wales to vote to recognize the Israeli government as an &quot;apartheid&quot; state.

The party cited international treaties, including the International Convention on Apartheid of 1973 and the Rome Statute of 1998.

Following the vote, a Green Party spokesperson said: &quot;The motion sets out the Party&#39;s opposition to Zionism, defined as an ethnonationalist political project, and states that anti-Zionism should not be equated with antisemitism.&quot;

Read More:&nbsp;Over 800 Palestinian teachers killed by Israel since Gaza war: education ministry

&quot;The motion reasserts the Party&#39;s commitment to Palestinian liberation, the right of return, Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), and a full arms embargo against Israel,&quot; the spokesperson added.

The spokesperson said the Green Party is an &quot;anti-racist party&quot; and reiterated that it has consistently opposed what the party describes as the illegal occupation of Palestinian and Syrian land.

The primary motion, titled &quot;Zionism is racism,&quot; was pushed by a group called Greens for Palestine, The Guardian newspaper reported.

The group encouraged non-party members to join the party to ensure the policy was debated and adopted, according to The Guardian.

The motion argues that Zionism is necessarily racist because it &quot;privileges one ethnic group on the basis of the subjugation of others.&quot;

&quot;This motion is aimed at the political ideology and practice of Zionism, as defined, and not at the religious or ethnic background of those who may identify as Zionists,&quot; it said.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/green-party-zionism1791143021-0/green-party-zionism1791143021-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Saudi Arabia denies reports of suicide bomber at Grand Mosque in Makkah</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632513/suicide-bomber-attempts-to-detonate-inside-kaaba-device-malfunctions</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632513/suicide-bomber-attempts-to-detonate-inside-kaaba-device-malfunctions#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 01 Oct 26 22:46:14 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632513</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Saudi-led coalition says Houthis attacked Madinah power distribution station supplying electricity to Prophet's Mosque]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Saudi authorities on Friday denied reports of a suicide bomber at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, saying a man was arrested for harassing passersby and causing panic.

&ldquo;Security authorities in the holy capital arrested a person for harassing passersby and spreading fear and panic among them, and he was dealt with immediately,&rdquo; authorities said in a statement on the US social media platform X.



الجهات الأمنية في العاصمة المقدسة تقبض على شخص لمضايقته المارة وإثارة الهلع والفزع بينهم، وتم التعامل معه في حينه بشكل فوري. pic.twitter.com/cNNGjLghk8
&mdash; الأمن العام (@security_gov) October 1, 2026


&ldquo;The security authorities confirm that there is no truth to the claims being circulated regarding the incident,&rdquo; the statement said. The statement provided no further details about the suspect.

Earlier claims circulating on social media alleged that a suspected suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest had approached the Kaaba, a cube-shaped stone building located at the centre of the Grand Mosque that serves as Islam&#39;s holiest sanctuary, before being apprehended by security personnel.

Houthis attack Madina power distribution system, Saudi-led coalition says

On Thursday, the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen&#39;s Houthis said that the group had attacked a power distribution station in Madinah which supplies electricity to the Prophet&#39;s Mosque, one of Islam&#39;s holiest sites.

The coalition said the attack put one transformer out of service but did not affect the power network. A Houthi military source, quoted by the Houthi-run Saba News Agency, denied the coalition report.

The Houthis later reported Saudi strikes on the Yemeni capital Sanaa and other parts of Yemen, with no immediate Saudi confirmation of the strikes.

A spokesperson for Yemen&#39;s armed forces, which are aligned with the internationally recognised government, said coalition forces had attacked what it described as &quot;high-value targets&quot; in the capital Sanaa, without providing further details.

The recent escalation is the most serious fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis since a United Nations-brokered truce largely halted cross-border attacks in 2022. Hostilities resumed this year after the Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in July and began attacking Saudi territory and shipping, while Houthi forces also made major territorial gains along Yemen&#39;s Red Sea coast.

Read: Saudi Arabia reports fresh Houthi attacks, issues warning for Makkah

Saudi Arabia has responded with air strikes in Yemen and backed government forces fighting to repel the Houthis.

The Saudi-led coalition said an investigation and examination of drone wreckage confirmed Houthi involvement in planning and carrying out Tuesday&#39;s attack on the Madinah power station. A Houthi military source said the coalition claim was a &quot;lie&quot; intended to cover up what he described as Saudi Arabia&#39;s failure to substantiate its earlier accusation that the Houthis targeted the Muslim holy city of Makkah, said the Saba News Agency.

Saudi Arabia said two weeks ago it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Makkah before it entered restricted airspace over the city. The coalition described the incident as the second Houthi attempt to target Makkah since 2017, while the Houthis denied targeting Makkah or any other Islamic holy site.

The coalition said the Madinah attack was part of what it described as repeated Houthi attempts to target the Two Holy Mosques and &quot;provoke&quot; Muslims worldwide. It said it would continue taking measures to protect the holy sites and pilgrims.

The coalition also said it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis toward the southern Saudi city of Khamis Mushait. It gave no immediate details on any damage or casualties.

Local officials said early on Friday that the Houthis had also targeted the headquarters of the Saudi-led coalition forces command in Aden with several ballistic missiles and drones. There was no immediate comment from the coalition or the Houthis.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/959186-MeccaHajjREUTERS-1442570656/959186-MeccaHajjREUTERS-1442570656.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Saudi Arabia says Houthis attempted to target Makkah, Madinah 3 times over 9 years: report</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632606/saudi-arabia-says-houthis-attempted-to-target-makkah-madinah-3-times-over-9-years-report</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632606/saudi-arabia-says-houthis-attempted-to-target-makkah-madinah-3-times-over-9-years-report#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 26 12:09:18 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632606</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Latest incidents occur twice in September 2026, alongside earlier alleged attack in 2017]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Saudi Arabia has reported three Houthi attempts to target the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah over the past nine years, including two incidents in September, drawing condemnation from Arab and Muslim countries.

The Yemeni group has denied some of the accusations.

According to an Anadolu review of official Saudi statements, the latest alleged attacks targeted Madinah and an area south of Makkah, while the first reported attempt occurred in July 2017.

Makkah and Madinah are home to Islam&rsquo;s holiest sites, the Grand Mosque and the Kaaba in Makkah and the Prophet&rsquo;s Mosque in Madinah.

Saudi Arabia has led a coalition supporting Yemen&rsquo;s internationally recognised government against the Houthis since March 2015. The Yemeni group has controlled the capital Sanaa and several provinces since September 2014.

Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia intensified in September after the group announced what it called a &ldquo;maritime blockade&rdquo; on the kingdom in July and later claimed ballistic missile and drone attacks on Saudi sites and vessels.

Two incidents in September 2026

On Thursday, the Saudi-led coalition said a drone attack it attributed to the Houthis had targeted a power station in Madinah.

Coalition spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki said the attack occurred early Tuesday and knocked a transformer out of service without affecting the electricity grid. Maliki accused the Houthis of targeting civilian infrastructure providing electricity services to the Prophet&rsquo;s Mosque, describing the incident as an &ldquo;extension of this extremist militia&rsquo;s approach in attempts to target the Two Holy Mosques.&rdquo;

&ldquo;Investigation findings, operational data and examination of debris from the drone used in the attack proved the Houthi militia&rsquo;s involvement in planning and carrying out this act,&rdquo; he said. The coalition would continue taking measures to deter the Houthis and protect the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah, he added.

Read:&nbsp;Pakistan calls Houthi attack on Madinah power station &lsquo;grave provocation&rsquo;

On September 16, Maliki said Saudi air defences intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Makkah before it entered the city&rsquo;s restricted airspace. Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry said at the time that it was the second alleged Houthi attempt to target Makkah after an earlier incident in July 2017.

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz condemned the Houthi militia&rsquo;s attempt to again target Makkah, saying the incident had drawn international condemnation because violating the sanctity of holy sites provoked the feelings of Muslims around the world.

Abdul Mohsen al-Qasim, an imam at the Prophet&rsquo;s Mosque, also said during a Friday sermon that attacking Makkah and Madinah was &ldquo;a grave offense before God.&rdquo;

2017 allegation

On July 27, 2017, the Saudi-led coalition announced that it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis toward Makkah over Taif province, around 69 kilometres (43 miles) from the holy city, without causing damage.

Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry accused the Houthis at the time of violating the sanctity of Makkah in &ldquo;a desperate attempt to disrupt the Hajj season.&rdquo;

Houthi denials

The Houthis did not immediately deny the latest accusation involving Madinah. The group, however, swiftly rejected the Saudi accusation concerning the September&nbsp;16 incident near Makkah.

Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi and Hizam al-Assad, a member of the group&rsquo;s political bureau, denied the allegation. The Houthis also rejected the July 2017 accusation, saying their missile forces had targeted only the Taif military base, and had not targeted Makkah.

Read More:&nbsp;Saudi Arabia reports fresh Houthi attacks, issues warning for Makkah

In September, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on United States&nbsp;social media company X that any attack targeting Makkah should be condemned, but described reports of an intercepted drone over the city as &ldquo;merely a claim&rdquo; that could not serve as a basis for accusing any party.

Arab, Muslim condemnation

Saudi announcements concerning the alleged attempts to target Makkah in July 2017 and September 2026 prompted condemnation from a number of Arab and Muslim countries and organisations.

According to an Anadolu review, statements condemning the Houthis were issued by Turkiye, Qatar, Egypt, Yemen, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates and Somalia.

The Gulf Cooperation Council, Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation also issued condemnations, with several statements warning that attacks involving Makkah would offend Muslims around the world.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/Houthi-attack-Israel1721562503-0/Houthi-attack-Israel1721562503-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>US looks to expand use of canoe-sized drones to deter migrant crossings</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632598/us-looks-to-expand-use-of-canoe-sized-drones-to-deter-migrant-crossings</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632598/us-looks-to-expand-use-of-canoe-sized-drones-to-deter-migrant-crossings#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 26 11:39:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632598</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Pentagon considers adding up to 50 solar-powered boats for Rio Grande, Gulf of Mexico patrols]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Pentagon may expand its use of autonomous surveillance boats on the Rio Grande and in the Gulf of Mexico after the canoe-sized vessels helped authorities detect and deter illegal border crossings and narcotics trafficking during a pilot program that began in January, a United States official said.

The unmanned surface vessels, built by San Diego-based startup Seasats, patrol the river for long periods without crews and are part of a growing push by the military and law enforcement agencies to use relatively inexpensive, autonomous systems for surveillance and security missions.

The border mission also highlights how a new generation of venture-backed defence startups is positioned to win business once dominated by traditional contractors, as the Pentagon looks for faster, cheaper ways to deploy emerging technologies that can operate around-the-clock.

Defence officials are studying whether the boats, which draw power from solar panels, could be deployed more widely as part of broader efforts to monitor remote stretches of the Rio Grande. Aside from Seasats, companies named Saronic, Saildrone and Splash provide similar marine drones.

Read:&nbsp;US immigration officers instructed to halt arrests of non-criminal immigrants: report

Defence officials want to increase the robotic fleet from its current test group of 10 vessels by as many as 50 to relieve the strain on Coast Guard cutters and crewed aircraft patrolling the border with Mexico as part of President Donald Trump&#39;s crackdown on illegal immigration.

Maritime drones are &quot;cost-effective solutions to interdict and put people in these areas that narco traffickers are now moving towards,&quot; said M&nbsp;Roosevelt Ditlevson, assistant secretary of defence for Homeland Defence and Americas Security Affairs.

Small drones and other unmanned platforms have proliferated across the US military in recent years after their repeated successes in the war in Ukraine.

Drones can operate for months

Seasats&#39; 11-foot, 340-pound Lightfish is a low-profile autonomous vessel that costs roughly $240,000 and can be launched from a boat ramp or the back of a pickup truck. The drone can operate for months at a time in rough seas.

The vessels carry sensors &mdash; including electro-optical, infrared and sonar sensors &mdash; that feed real-time tracking data directly into military software networks, including Palantir Technologies&#39; Maven Smart System and Anduril Industries&#39; Fortress platform, alerting Customs and Border Protection and Coast Guard units.

The Pentagon said that in an average month, the Lightfish drones have assisted in 452 detections, 350 apprehensions and 100 turnbacks, which refer to when a group of people abort a border crossing attempt after realising they have been discovered. They &quot;see that the vessel is waiting there for them, and they know that they&#39;ve basically been found out,&quot; Ditlevson said.

The drone maker gained international attention in July when Reuters reported&nbsp;that a commercial Lightfish vessel operating inside the Philippines&#39; exclusive economic zone navigated close enough to a Chinese People&#39;s Liberation Army Navy guided-missile destroyer to capture detailed close-up video, demonstrating how low-cost autonomous craft can monitor multibillion-dollar military assets.

Read More:&nbsp;Judge strikes down Trump&#39;s 75-country immigrant visa ban

With continued success, Ditlevson said Lightfish orders could rise by 50 boats and potentially also operate in the Gulf of Mexico, forming a radar fence between Texas and Key West. But Ditlevson said use will expand in increments, exploring different technologies.

&quot;We&#39;re agnostic to the vendor. We want the best technology,&quot; he told Reuters in an interview.

Seasats Chief Executive Mike Flanigan said uncrewed systems provide persistent coverage that traditional, fuel-heavy assets cannot match. &quot;A plane or a ship might go really far really fast, but if you say, &#39;I want to keep that Boeing 737 over a patch of ocean for a day,&#39; it just can&#39;t do it,&quot; Flanigan said.

&quot;The boat doesn&#39;t cover nearly as much territory as fast, but it can stay there for months at a time, which is the key differentiator for these security and monitoring applications.&quot;

As tighter border security and targeted military operations have reduced drug smuggling routes, cartels have increasingly pushed into coastal waterways and near-coastal regions. The expanded drone use in the Gulf of Mexico is a precursor to testing the vessels in the harsher seas of the Pacific Ocean near San Diego.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/lightfish1790941565-0/lightfish1790941565-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Nepal plans to drain four glacial lakes after deadly floods</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632604/nepal-plans-to-drain-four-glacial-lakes-after-deadly-floods</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632604/nepal-plans-to-drain-four-glacial-lakes-after-deadly-floods#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 26 11:56:26 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632604</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[$50 million project to be funded by Green Climate Fund, UNDP, government, could take up to six years to complete]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Nepal will kick off a high-stakes effort this fiscal year to drain four glacial lakes perched high in the mountains, as it scrambles to reduce flood risks, officials said, after a recent disaster that killed more than 1,400.

Rescuers are still searching for more than 5,000 people missing&nbsp;in the border region with China after August&#39;s glacier collapse unleashed landslides and a flash flood that tore through valleys.

&quot;Our aim is to lower the risk of the lakes breaching their natural dams and reduce the risk of downstream floods,&quot; said Subash Tuladhar, an expert with a government research centre tasked with overseeing the new project.

Canals will drain water into nearby rivers in a regulated way, he said, adding that workers faced health risks as a result of the lengthy periods of high-altitude work required, in addition to the dangers of sudden flooding.

Read:&nbsp;Floods, landslides kill 56 in India and 14 in Nepal

Design work and detailed studies targeting the central and eastern lakes of Thulagi, Lower Barun, Lumding Tsho and Hongu II, will begin in the fiscal year that runs until mid-July 2027, authorities said.

The lakes, at heights ranging from 4,050 m to 5,483 m (13,280 ft to 18,000 ft), rank among Nepal&#39;s most potentially dangerous, the United Nations Development Programme and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) said in a 2020 report.

Nepal had the skills and experience required for the $50-million project to be funded by the Green Climate Fund, the UNDP and the government, added Tuladhar, of Nepal&#39;s Centre for Hydrology and Water Resources Research.

Draining project could take six years

The work of draining &quot;through gated structures&quot; will start after a detailed study, and could take up to six years to complete, said Sanjeeb Baral, the Centre&#39;s executive director. It will encompass installation of sensors, a flood forecasting and warning system, and efforts to build downstream resilience and prepare communities for the risks.

In similar previous efforts, Nepal lowered by 3 m (10 ft) the level of the central Himalayan glacial lake of Tsho Rolpa by in 2000 and that of Imja in the vicinity of Mount Everest, the world&#39;s tallest peak, 10 years ago.

Urgency after recent floods

Nepal&#39;s disaster served as a warning to the world, Prime Minister Balendra Shah, 36, told the United Nations in an impassioned speech last month that blamed climate change despite his country&#39;s negligible emissions.

Retreating glaciers, unstable mountain slopes and increasingly unpredictable rivers showed Nepal was paying a heavy price, he added.

Nepal, which has reported about 26 Glacial Lake Outburst Flood events in the past four decades, loses more than 300 lives and property worth millions of dollars to extreme climate events annually on average.

Read More:&nbsp;Nepal turns to drones to deliver flood relief

The latest floods devastated a dozen hydroelectric plants, roads, bridges, farms and settlements. Cash-strapped Nepal would need nearly $5 billion&nbsp;for early recovery, officials have said.

Climate scientists say as temperatures rise glaciers in the Himalayas retreat, leaving behind ​unstable glacial lakes held back by little more than loose rock and ​ice, above valleys home to millions.

Lowering the lakes by 3 m (10 ft) would significantly reduce the threat, said Samjwal Ratna Bajracharya, a retired ICIMOD expert on glaciers, glacial lakes and outburst floods. &quot;They are growing fast, are high up in the Himalayas and could cause outbursts any time, due to earthquakes, avalanches, climatic conditions and unplanned human-induced activity,&quot; he told Reuters.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/nepal-11790505513-0/nepal-11790505513-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>US F-16 crashes at Spangdahlem air base in Germany</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2630827/us-f-16-crashes-at-spangdahlem-air-base-in-germany</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2630827/us-f-16-crashes-at-spangdahlem-air-base-in-germany#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 22 Sep 26 16:50:15 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2630827</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Fire and disaster units sent to the scene, one person injured]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A US F-16 fighter jet crashed on Tuesday near Spangdahlem Air Base in western Germany, military authorities said in a statement.

The jet, assigned to the 52nd Fighter Wing, went down at about 2:30pm local time (1230GMT), according to the military base&#39;s press office.

&ldquo;The pilot ejected safely and is receiving medical care,&rdquo; it said. &ldquo;The cause of the incident is under investigation. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.&rdquo;

Earlier today, the Eifelkreis Bitburg-Pruem district said fire and disaster protection units had been sent to the scene. &ldquo;According to current knowledge, one person was injured,&rdquo; the district administration said, adding that it could not provide additional details.

Several residents told reporters they saw a large black column of smoke after the jet went down. Regional outlets also published pictures of the plume.

Read More: All Iranian airlines to shut down worldwide by Sept 23, US Treasury chief says

A spokesperson for Germany&rsquo;s air traffic control agency told public broadcaster SWR that the crash happened after a training exercise involving four aircraft. Two were returning

Spangdahlem when the first crashed. The other three diverted to Ramstein Air Base.

Spangdahlem Air Base lies about 30 kilometres north of Trier in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in West Germany. It is home to an F-16 squadron of the US 52nd Fighter Wing.

The base has seen previous F-16 crashes. In October 2019, an F-16 crashed during a training flight after a power failure shortly after takeoff; the pilot ejected and was lightly injured. In September 2006, another F-16 crashed in the Bitburg-Pruem district. No one was injured.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/f16-wiki1790096228-0/f16-wiki1790096228-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Nobel prize sum raised to $1.27m for 2026</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2630063/nobel-prize-sum-raised-to-127m-for-2026</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2630063/nobel-prize-sum-raised-to-127m-for-2026#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 26 13:34:40 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2630063</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Nobel prize hike adds $106,000, with the sum shared if more than one laureate wins in a category]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[This year&#39;s Nobel Prize winners, to be announced from October 5-12, will receive 12 million kroner ($1.27m) per discipline, up from 11m&nbsp;in 2025, the Nobel Foundation said on Friday.

The hike is equivalent to around $106,000 or 9 per cent more and the sum is shared if there is more than one laureate in any of the six prize categories.

&quot;This year, we are celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Nobel Prize, and in connection with this, we are pleased to be able to increase the prize amount by one million (kroner),&quot; the director of the Nobel Foundation, Hanna Stjarne, said in a statement.

&quot;By increasing the prize amount, we uphold the long-term significance of the Nobel Prize and ensure that the financial part of the prize retains its value over time,&quot; she said.

Read More: Sweden&#39;s centre-left wins election

The first Nobel prizes were awarded in 1901, when the prize sum was 150,782 kroner per discipline.

The medicine prize will kick off this year&#39;s Nobel week on October 5, followed each day by the prizes for physics, chemistry, literature and peace. The economics prize will wrap up the announcements on October 12.

Winners of this year&#39;s prizes in physics, chemistry, peacemaking, literature, economics and medicine or physiology will be announced between October 5 and October 12, marking the 125th anniversary of the first awards.

Established by the will of Swedish 19th-century businessman Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, the first awards in 1901 were for 150,782 crowns per category, according to the foundation.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/nobel-pix1789740083-0/nobel-pix1789740083-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>How Yemen's Houthis went from a small mountain militia to a big regional threat</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2629898/how-yemens-houthis-went-from-a-small-mountain-militia-to-a-big-regional-threat</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2629898/how-yemens-houthis-went-from-a-small-mountain-militia-to-a-big-regional-threat#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 17 Sep 26 17:24:23 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2629898</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Yemen's 2011 turmoil helped the Houthis gain ground and forge ties with Iran and Hezbollah]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A lightning advance by Yemen&#39;s Houthi group has brought the vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait under its control, making the once ragged highland militia a regional player with global clout.

This is how the group evolved into a formidable fighting force with Iranian support that can disrupt vital shipping and strike critical oil and gas facilities in neighbouring Saudi Arabia.

Who are Houthis?

Starting out in the late 1990s as a Zaydi Shia&nbsp;Muslim revival movement in ​north Yemen under the Houthi family, the group waged six wars against the government, building a strong local militia.

When Yemen&#39;s central state disintegrated during the 2011 Arab Spring, the Houthis took advantage, &zwnj;gaining more ground and developing a relationship with Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah.

In 2014, they seized the capital Sanaa, ousting the government and halting a Gulf-backed political transition.

That prompted a Saudi-led military intervention to support the government, leading to years of civil war that ground to a stalemate and a 2022 ceasefire.

The Houthis fired missiles and drones at Israel and international shipping in the Red Sea during Israel&#39;s war in Gaza from 2023-25, in what they said was solidarity with Palestinians.

Also Read: Yemeni airstrikes hit Houthi sites as clashes intensify in Taiz, Lahj: official

With their closest ally Iran under attack by the United States ​since February 28, the Houthis have again been firing on Red Sea shipping as well as energy facilities inside Saudi Arabia.

What is the military situation inside Yemen?

The ceasefire collapsed over recent weeks and fighting resumed ​along the old front lines: Marib and Jawf governorates in the north, the city of Taiz in the southern highlands, Dhale in central Yemen and the Red Sea ⁠coastal strip known as the Tihama.

Last week, the Houthis rapidly advanced into the southern Tihama, seizing first the port city of Mocha and then the rest of the Red Sea coastline and islands, putting their guns along the whole ​shore of the 19-kilometre-wide&nbsp;Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Those territorial gains make it easier to block shipping on the Red Sea, a key route for Saudi oil exports to Asia, and set up a potential launchpad for a new ground thrust towards ​Aden.

Saudi Arabia has conducted airstrikes in support of government-aligned forces.

What do we know about Houthis missiles and drones?

The group&#39;s ability to strike at distance with growing accuracy is why it now matters far beyond Yemen.

Houthi ballistic missiles have reached as far as Israel, more than 1,800km&nbsp;away, and one struck the perimeter of Israel&#39;s main airport in 2025. They have struck more frequently in Saudi Arabia, targeting cities and infrastructure. And Houthi missiles have been fired at ships in the Red Sea, halting traffic in the waterway.

Houthi drones have ​also struck repeatedly at Saudi targets and are now increasingly deployed on the battlefield &mdash; a big change from the last bout of civil-war fighting before the 2022 ceasefire.

What equipment have the Houthis been seen using?

The Houthis have posted ​videos online since the start of September that show some of the military equipment they are using.

Videos show drones dropping different types of mortar and other bombs onto vehicles and opposition fighters, a rocket or missile launching, and precise munition hits on &zwnj;buildings and trucks ⁠at a camp, filmed by a high-resolution drone.

Read More: China presses Iran to help rein in Houthis after Saudi appeal, sources say

Other videos show Houthi forces on the ground, including in pick-up trucks, some mounted with weapons, and on foot. Many fighters are shown in Arab robes rather than uniforms and carrying assault rifles. One video also showed a small group of fighters in camouflage uniforms. In some videos, fighters are shown with light and heavy machine guns and scoped rifles.

Videos showed them parading equipment captured from the Saudi-backed forces in the Tihama, including armoured and combat vehicles, a tank, an artillery gun, a satellite dish, small arms and a drone jamming device. But the videos do not generally show the captured hardware in action.

How do the Houthis get their weapons?

A United Nations ​panel of experts&#39; report in 2025 said the Houthis ​had developed missile and drone technologies through both ⁠technical assistance and domestic manufacturing.

It found there had been widespread arms smuggling despite a UN arms embargo, including overland shipments across the Omani border as well as seaborne smuggling.

Items seized included drone control devices, equipment to receive ships&#39; navigational data, drone engines and missile components. A 2023 UN report noted seizures of entire drones, ballistic missile components such ​as chemical precursors and Iranian-made anti-tank missiles.

Iranian sources have said Tehran has supplied its Houthi allies with both weapons and experts. However, Iran has officially denied arming the ​Houthis in violation of the ⁠UN arms embargo.

A 2025 assessment by the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank found that while the Houthis had made advances in domestic arms production, they remained dependent on Iran for key technologies and advanced capabilities.

In what other ways have the Houthis developed militarily?

The UN panel of experts&#39; report described Houthi military tactics as being focused on infiltration, drone attacks and shelling along front lines, and the laying of mines and other explosive devices.

They assessed that the Houthis had 350,000 fighters, ⁠partly through the ​recruitment of fighters under 18.

Training by Iran and Hezbollah has been critical for the Houthis, according to Yemen analysts. Baraa Shiban, an associate ​fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London, said such training had begun soon after the Arab Spring and had helped the Houthis transform from a militia to a more organised military force with changes to their structure and movements.

Hezbollah missile and drone operatives were present with ​the Houthis in 2025, the UN experts said. Iranian Qods Force general Abdolreza Shahlaei was also present in Yemen for some time&nbsp;working with the Houthis, the experts said.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/houthis-r1789667151-0/houthis-r1789667151-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Iran says US warships suffered ‘serious damage’ in strikes</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2629680/iran-says-us-warships-suffered-serious-damage-in-strikes</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2629680/iran-says-us-warships-suffered-serious-damage-in-strikes#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Sep 26 14:49:23 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[News Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2629680</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Tehran claims attacks forced US forces farther from Iran as Pentagon watchdog reports strategic munitions shortfalls]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Iran&rsquo;s deputy chief of staff of the armed forces, Brigadier General Kiumars Heydari, has claimed that Iranian missile strikes inflicted serious damage on US warships and forced American forces to move hundreds of kilometres farther from Iran, as new US reports and photographs point to extensive damage to American military facilities across the Middle East.

Speaking at a meeting of the Council of the Foundation for the Preservation and Publication of Sacred Defence and Resistance Values on Wednesday, Heydari said Iran had emerged victorious because its forces had prevented the United States from achieving its objectives.

&ldquo;Today, there is no doubt that our armed forces are victorious on the battlefield,&rdquo; Iran&rsquo;s state-run Press TV quoted him as saying, arguing that a defender prevails when it prevents an attacker from reaching its objectives at a predetermined time and place.



Iran inflicted &lsquo;serious damage&rsquo; on US warships: Generalhttps://t.co/xPO5Zq6Vu8
&mdash; Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) September 16, 2026


Heydari said the United States, which Iran had accused of seeking to overthrow its system, was now responding to Iranian military actions. &ldquo;The enemy that dreamed of overthrowing the system is now acting passively on the battlefield,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;If it carries out any action, it is in response to our actions.&rdquo;

The Iranian commander also claimed that Iranian missiles had struck US warships and frigates, describing the attacks as evidence of the vulnerability of American naval power. &ldquo;The peak of American military capability is its navy and its warships,&rdquo; Heydari said, adding that Iran had recently targeted &ldquo;heavy warships and frigates&rdquo; and inflicted serious damage on them.

He further claimed that Iranian attacks had compelled US forces to move at least 500 kilometres away from Iran.

Read: Houthis claim attack on Aramco facilities in Yanbu, airbase in Khamis Mushait

There was no independent confirmation in the material reviewed of Heydari&rsquo;s specific claim that US warships had suffered serious damage.

However, a Pentagon inspector general report released this week provides evidence of substantial damage to US military infrastructure across the region during the conflict.

According to the report, US Central Command told investigators that Iranian strikes damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures at American bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan.

The report also said US diplomatic facilities in four countries suffered physical damage from Iranian strikes, with the State Department estimating the cost at about $184 million.

The extent of the damage was also illustrated by photographs obtained exclusively by CBS News from active-duty US service members who provided them anonymously because of military restrictions on the media.

One photograph from Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia showed what CBS described as a direct hit on a Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft, with its tail severed from the charred fuselage. The aircraft&rsquo;s rotating radar is used for airborne intelligence and surveillance.

Other photographs showed damaged buildings, barracks and vehicles at US positions in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, including Camp Buehring and Camp Arifjan.

One US service member told CBS that the damage to American bases had not been fully communicated to the public. The Pentagon did not respond to CBS&rsquo;s request for comment.

Read more: Iran war exposed &#39;strategic&#39; US munitions shortfalls: Pentagon watchdog

The Pentagon watchdog&rsquo;s report also detailed losses of military equipment. CBS reported that the inspector general put equipment losses at up to $3.7 billion, while its report listed four F-15s destroyed, one F-35 damaged, seven KC-135 tanker aircraft damaged, and as many as 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones destroyed.

The report also highlighted pressure on US weapons stocks after months of fighting.

Between February 28 and June 30, Operation Epic Fury had an estimated cost of $33.4 billion, according to the inspector general. Of that amount, $22.3 billion was spent on munitions alone.

The report said the scale of expenditure had resulted in &ldquo;strategic inventory shortfalls&rdquo; and exposed bottlenecks in the US industrial base responsible for replenishing weapons.

The findings came despite repeated assurances from US officials that American weapons stocks remained sufficient. President Donald Trump has publicly dismissed concerns over ammunition shortages, saying the United States had extensive supplies and was producing munitions at unprecedented levels.

The scale of the problem has nevertheless prompted US defence officials to push manufacturers to expand weapons production. CBS reported that a Patriot missile production facility operated by Lockheed Martin was producing about 750 missiles a year, with each missile costing roughly $4 million.

The inspector general&rsquo;s findings also add to broader estimates of the cost of the conflict. CBS reported that US officials had previously estimated the cost of Operation Epic Fury at around $25 billion in April, while officials familiar with internal assessments subsequently put the figure closer to $50 billion at that stage.

Iran points to domestic capabilities

Heydari attributed Iran&rsquo;s ability to sustain the confrontation to its domestic defence industry, saying the country had relied primarily on indigenous capabilities despite years of sanctions.

&ldquo;If we had not relied on our domestic capabilities, our stockpiles and reserves could not have met the demands,&rdquo; he said.

Also Read: Chinese FM urges Iran, US to return to Islamabad MoU in meeting with Iranian counterpart

Iran has developed an extensive indigenous military-industrial base that produces ballistic and cruise missiles, drones, anti-ship systems and other weapons. Tehran has repeatedly highlighted these capabilities as a means of deterring attacks and threatening hostile military assets in and around the Persian Gulf.

Heydari said Iran had responded to what he called every &ldquo;brazen move&rdquo; by the enemy with large-scale missile attacks.

&ldquo;Today, in response to every brazen move by the enemy, we are raining a barrage of missiles across the region and have surprised the enemy,&rdquo; he said.

He also warned that a continuation of the war would expose US forces in the region to further losses.

&ldquo;If the Americans continue the war, large numbers of their forces ... will return to their country on the decks of those same warships, while many others, God willing, will sink to the bottom of the region&rsquo;s waters,&rdquo; he said.

Heydari said Iran&rsquo;s military measures were calibrated to widen the distance between the two sides and ultimately enable Tehran to declare victory.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/deputy-chief-of-staff-of-irans-armed-forces-br1789570687-0/deputy-chief-of-staff-of-irans-armed-forces-br1789570687-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Belgian mosque defaced with anti-Islam message for 2nd time</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2629482/belgian-mosque-defaced-with-anti-islam-message-for-2nd-time</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2629482/belgian-mosque-defaced-with-anti-islam-message-for-2nd-time#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 15 Sep 26 17:42:49 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2629482</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Tawfieq mosque in Schelle was again targeted with anti-Islam graffiti, Muslim Rights Watch Belgium said]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A mosque in Belgium was defaced with an anti-Islam message for the second time in 10 days, broadcaster VRT reported on Tuesday.

The Tawfieq mosque in the town of Schelle was again targeted with the words &quot;F**k Islam&quot; spray-painted across the width of its facade, according to Muslim Rights Watch Belgium (MRWB).

&quot;This is the second time in barely 10 days,&quot; MRWB Chairman Mohamed Amin Chaib told the broadcaster.

Chaib said the repeated targeting of the mosque showed that places of worship serving Muslim communities are vulnerable, and he urged greater attention to their security.

&quot;This can no longer be dismissed as mere vandalism,&quot; he said, questioning whether authorities would have responded with the same urgency if another religious community had been targeted.

Read More: Saudi civil defence says danger has passed in six cities including Yanbu

The Rupel police zone said an investigation is underway to determine whether the same person was responsible for both attacks.

The mosque was vandalised on September&nbsp;5, when the same anti-Islam message and swastikas were painted on the building.

Dog excrement was also left near the entrance, according to reports.

The mosque&#39;s administration filed a complaint against unknown perpetrators following the first incident, while police launched an investigation.

No suspects have been identified.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/masjjid-aa1789494507-0/masjjid-aa1789494507-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Israeli newspaper rejects Netanyahu’s demands, vows to reveal truth in court after lawsuit threat</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2628570/israeli-newspaper-rejects-netanyahus-demands-vows-to-reveal-truth-in-court-after-lawsuit-threat</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2628570/israeli-newspaper-rejects-netanyahus-demands-vows-to-reveal-truth-in-court-after-lawsuit-threat#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 10 Sep 26 15:50:05 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2628570</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Haaretz claims Netanyahu ignored the 'UAE warning' about the possibility of a Hamas attack 10 days before Oct 7]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Israeli left-wing newspaper Haaretz on Thursday rejected three demands by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to avoid being sued and vowed to reveal the truth in court.

The dispute concerns a report published on Tuesday by the newspaper that said Netanyahu received a warning from United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in a call before October 7, 2023, that Hamas was planning to launch an attack.

Netanyahu denied having any contact with the UAE president or receiving any warning from him. The UAE Foreign Ministry said it did not comment on reports of talks between government leaders.

Haaretz said in a statement that it recently sent a response to Netanyahu&rsquo;s lawyers rejecting his threat to sue the newspaper and journalists Shlomi Eldar and Ruti Yuval.

The newspaper said the report concerned a warning from the UAE president to Netanyahu 10 days before the October 7 attack about a major operation that late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was planning against Israel.



Following Oct. 7 Expos&eacute; &bull; Haaretz response to Netanyahu threat: &#39;Won&#39;t hesitate to expose truth in court&#39; https://t.co/TePnw2IiJr
&mdash; Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) September 10, 2026


The Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, attacked military bases and settlements near the Gaza Strip, killing and capturing Israelis.

Israeli military, intelligence and political officials described the attack as an unprecedented political, security and military failure in Israel&rsquo;s history.

Read: Netanyahu warned by UAE president before October 7 events, failed to brief security chiefs: Haaretz

While several security, military and political officials acknowledged responsibility for the failure, Netanyahu had rejected responsibility and instead blamed the military.

Haaretz said the report was &ldquo;the product of an in-depth, well-sourced journalistic investigation into a matter of the utmost public interest&rdquo;.

The newspaper told Netanyahu&rsquo;s lawyer that &ldquo;in the absence of full accountability to the public on behalf of your client, the press is fulfilling its role and revealing information to the public, piece by piece.&rdquo;

It rejected Netanyahu&rsquo;s demands to remove the report, issue an apology, and pay one million shekels ($331,000) as part of a settlement, coupled with a threat to file a lawsuit seeking more than 2.5 million shekels ($827,000).

The newspaper stressed that the demands and threat to sue reveal the true nature of Netanyahu&rsquo;s approach, &ldquo;the sole purpose of which is to silence journalistic criticism&rdquo;.

Haaretz said it received a warning letter on Wednesday from Netanyahu in response to its publication of the report.

Also on Wednesday, Netanyahu instructed his team to file a defamation lawsuit against Haaretz, the journalists and &ldquo;other elements&rdquo; he did not identify.

Netanyahu ignored the &ldquo;UAE warning&rdquo; about the possibility of a Hamas attack and did not inform the military or the Shin Bet security agency, according to the newspaper.

While declining to comment on the report by Haaretz, the UAE Foreign Ministry said that Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv maintained &ldquo;open and direct channels of communication&rdquo; since establishing relations more than five years ago, through which they exchange intelligence when necessary.



بيان صادر من وزارة الخارجية بشأن تقارير إعلامية

Statement by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Response to Media Reporting pic.twitter.com/9S4Zavjjzc
&mdash; MoFA وزارة الخارجية (@mofauae) September 8, 2026


Since October 8, 2023, Israel has carried out a genocidal war in Gaza that has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and injured over 174,000, most of them women and children, according to Palestinian authorities.

Netanyahu has been wanted by the International Criminal Court since 2024 for war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinians in Gaza.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/thumbs-b-c-b5408ca38098b76f41117517d7456dcb1789056932-0/thumbs-b-c-b5408ca38098b76f41117517d7456dcb1789056932-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Ash-covered shoes and a president in crisis: A Reuters reporter remembers 9/11</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2628379/ash-covered-shoes-and-a-president-in-crisis-a-reuters-reporter-remembers-911</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2628379/ash-covered-shoes-and-a-president-in-crisis-a-reuters-reporter-remembers-911#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 09 Sep 26 16:31:52 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2628379</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Bush was reading to children when an aide whispered, 'America is under attack,' as the 9/11 attacks unfolded]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[President George W Bush was jogging around a Florida golf course before dawn when I first saw him on September 11, 2001.

As one of two Reuters correspondents travelling with Bush that day, I was covering what was expected to be a routine event with schoolchildren to promote his education policies. He had been president of the United States for less than eight months.

Within hours, the untested Bush was confronting the worst attack on American soil since Pearl Harbour in 1941.

The tragedy unfolded as Bush visited the Emma E Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida. As the president was meeting staff and students, I was in a nearby press centre set up for reporters.

We watched a live television broadcast showing smoke pouring from one of the World Trade Centre twin towers in New York. It had been hit by a plane in what we initially assumed was an accident.

Then, as we watched, a second plane struck.

Bush was at the school, reading to children. Cameras captured the shocked look on his face as a White House aide entered the classroom and whispered to him about the second plane, saying, &quot;America is under attack.&quot;

By the end of the week, Bush would show a range of emotions as he came to grips with events that marked a turning point in his presidency and in American life &mdash; horror and anger at the attacks, grief and tears for the victims, and defiant promises to make those responsible pay.



US President George Bush (R) is pictured with Vice President Dick Cheney (L) and senior staff in the President&#39;s Emergency Operations Centre in Washington in the hours following the September 11, 2001 attacks. Photo: Reuters/ File

The former president, now 80, plans to attend a ceremony on Friday to mark the 25th anniversary of the attacks at Ground Zero in New York. On Wednesday evening, he will share his reflections on the anniversary at his presidential library in Dallas, while 16 artworks he has painted reflecting the courage and sacrifice of that day will be on display.

&quot;It became evident ... that the world had changed,&quot; Bush would later tell CBS&#39;s &quot;60 Minutes II&quot;.

Bush spent the rest of his presidency working to prevent another such attack.

The hijackings exposed security vulnerabilities, spurring increased safety measures at airports and public buildings. His administration drew fire for the harsh interrogation tactics used on some Islamic militant suspects, and his 2003 invasion of Iraq was seen by many as a costly mistake.

The former president declined an interview request from Reuters for this story.

Scrambling to protect the president 

A quarter century later, the memories remain vivid.

In the immediate aftermath of the hijacked plane attacks, there was a scramble to protect the president. As Bush was whisked away to Air Force One to leave Florida, the scale of the crisis was becoming clear.

The World Trade Centre towers collapsed, leading to the deaths of about 3,000 people. A third plane ploughed into the Pentagon, killing 64 people on the plane and 125 in the building.

A fourth plane slammed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers fought back against the hijackers, and all 44 people on board died.

Panic gripped Washington. Plumes of smoke from the Pentagon prompted fears of car bombs.



Pedestrians react to the World Trade Centre collapse, September 11, 2001. Photo: Reuters/ File

The White House was evacuated, with the Secret Service telling female staffers to take off their heels and run.

Bush spent the day flying across the country on Air Force One, first to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana and then to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.

Later, he was to push for improved communications equipment on Air Force One after he had trouble staying in touch with the White House as he flew around the country.

In Nebraska, he entered an underground bunker to hold a teleconference briefing with top national security aides and Vice President Dick Cheney.

Eager to return to Washington, Bush arrived back at the White House late that afternoon. That night he gave an Oval Office address.

&quot;The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger,&quot; Bush said.

Meanwhile, along with much of the White House press corps, I was still stranded in Florida, unable to fly anywhere as all air travel had been shut down.

As president of the White House Correspondents&#39; Association at the time, I helped push for our return home, and we finally took a chartered bus back to the capital.

After a 14-hour drive, our first view of Washington was the smoking gash in the Pentagon.

On September 14, I travelled with Bush to Ground Zero. The towers were still burning, the smell evident miles away.

As Bush walked around the ravaged site with then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani, there were worries that some surrounding buildings had weakened to the point of collapse.



Reuters Correspondent Steve Holland sits for an interview in Washington, DC, US, September 3, 2026. Photo: Reuters

A thick layer of ash lay everywhere, on sidewalks, streets and on the shoulders of weary firefighters.

Standing on the remains of a firetruck, Bush told emergency crews that the United States was now at war with Islamists.

&quot;I can hear you! I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you! And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!&quot; he said through a bullhorn.

The shoes I wore that day were covered with ash and soot.

When I got back home, I put them in a plastic bag and stowed them in a closet.

Twenty-five years later, there they remain.

Too ruined to wear, too dear to throw away.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/george-w-bush1788972392-2/george-w-bush1788972392-2.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Trump posts map appearing to show North America, other territories as part of US</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2627975/trump-posts-map-appearing-to-show-north-america-other-territories-as-part-of-us</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2627975/trump-posts-map-appearing-to-show-north-america-other-territories-as-part-of-us#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 07 Sep 26 16:31:59 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2627975</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Shares photo showing 'Mexico' crossed out in New Mexico and replaced with 'America']]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[United States President Donald Trump has shared a map on his Truth Social account that appears to depict much of North America and surrounding territories under the US flag, in the latest in a series of provocative posts involving geography and territorial claims.

The image shows the American flag covering the US as well as large parts of Canada, Greenland and Mexico, while US-style imagery also appears across other areas of the region. The post did not include an explanation from Trump.



The image comes a day after Trump shared another graphic that appeared to rename the US state of New Mexico as New America, with the word Mexico crossed out and replaced by America. The White House has not announced any formal effort to change the state&#39;s name.



Alongside the North America map, Trump posted several other similar images after the New Mexico graphic drew criticism from state officials.

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said on X that the state&rsquo;s name &ldquo;isn&rsquo;t up for debate&rdquo;, accusing Trump of &ldquo;colouring on maps&rdquo; while working families face rising fuel costs.

Senator Martin Heinrich said on X: &ldquo;Three things I will always call by their actual names &hellip; The Gulf of Mexico, Lake Ontario, New Mexico.&rdquo;



Three things I will always call by their actual names...

The Gulf of Mexico
Lake Ontario
New Mexico
&mdash; Martin Heinrich (@SenatorHeinrich) September 6, 2026


Representative Melanie Stansbury also rejected the idea, saying: &ldquo;We&rsquo;re New Mexicans. Period.&rdquo;

Rep Gabe Vasquez said Trump could not &ldquo;erase New Mexico&rdquo;, its history or culture.

Trump has increasingly used geographic renaming and maps as part of his political messaging. In January 2025, he ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be referred to by the US government as the &ldquo;Gulf of America&rdquo;. On August 27, he signed an executive order directing federal agencies to rename Lake Ontario &ldquo;Lake America&rdquo;, a move that came amid sharply deteriorating relations with Canada.

The Trump administration has also pursued claims over Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark, prompting diplomatic tensions.

Washington&#39;s pressure on Cuba has also intensified, with the US imposing sanctions and maintaining a broader economic pressure campaign against Havana.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/trump-mexico-r1788799512-0/trump-mexico-r1788799512-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>UN agrees text on lethal autonomous weapons</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2627648/un-agrees-text-on-lethal-autonomous-weapons</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2627648/un-agrees-text-on-lethal-autonomous-weapons#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 05 Sep 26 19:05:03 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2627648</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen said 128 countries agreed to the deal after talks led by the Netherlands]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Nearly 130 countries on Saturday agreed on a text defining lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) &mdash;&nbsp;&quot;killer robots&quot; to their critics &mdash;&nbsp;a first step towards talks on a possible international treaty to regulate them.

The text agreed upon has not yet been made public &mdash;&nbsp;but campaign groups following the talks have already criticised leading countries for dragging their feet on the issue.

Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen announced the agreement, by 128 countries, on Saturday. The Netherlands has been overseeing the talks.



Positive news from Geneva: 128 states have reached consensus in the GGE LAWS. As military technology is evolving rapidly, this marks an important step in the regulation of lethal autonomous weapon systems that the Netherlands, in its capacity as Chair, helped shape. pic.twitter.com/Tpnkha1StL
&mdash; Tom Berendsen (@ministerBZ) September 5, 2026


Countries are already developing and using weapons capable of selecting targets and using force against them without human intervention.

But the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned in a statement that &quot;the unconstrained development and use of autonomous weapon systems pose serious legal, ethical and humanitarian challenges&quot;.

The ICRC and several campaigning groups have called for international legally binding rules to restrict and regulate their use.

Read More: UN adopts new map showing Africa bigger, US smaller

Nicole van Rooijen, executive director of Stop Killer Robots, an international alliance of campaign groups, accused the United States, Russia and their allies of trying to weaken the agreed text.

Lex International, a Geneva-based philanthropic group funding work on key policy issues, also criticised some nations&#39; positions.

&quot;The United States, Russia, India and Israel are amongst the key opponents of negotiations,&quot; it said.

&quot;The governments of Brazil, Ireland, and Norway are leading efforts to get such negotiations started in November,&quot; it added.

UN member states will decide at November talks of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons whether to move towards an international treaty regulating such weapons.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/un-x1788635982-0/un-x1788635982-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item>	</channel>
                </rss>
