Category: English

Iran’s top diplomat on Saturday said there were no plans to hold talks with the United States despite growing concerns over a return to war. “Currently, there are no plans for meetings with American officials, and any speculation to the contrary is merely media assumption,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview with Al Jazeera, according to the state news agency IRNA. “Under current circumstances, Iran sees no necessity for a meeting with the Americans; Iran’s conditions are clear, and consultations regarding them are ongoing among mediators,” he said.…

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Saudi air defences intercepted a drone in the Riyadh region on Saturday, according to the spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthis. “Air defences intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone in the Riyadh region,” Turki al-Malki wrote on X, adding that “debris from the interception fell without causing injuries”. Malki did not say who launched the drone. In recent weeks, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have ramped up attacks on Saudi Arabia, including by launching deadly strikes on Riyadh airport that forced its closure for two weeks and the cancellation…

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Syria’s top diplomat on Saturday said Damascus was considering whether to join the Makkah defence alliance that binds Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed on August 7, 2026, by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey, establishes a collective defence framework where an armed attack against any single member is treated as an attack against all three. “Discussions are currently underway to evaluate Syria’s entry into the Makkah alliance,” Al Shaibani said at the Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain. Saudi Arabia, under heavy fire from Yemen’s Houthis,…

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Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday warned the United States and Israel against returning to war, according to a written statement, following threats from the Islamic Republic’s foes of a possible resumption of strikes. “If the enemies once again launch military or terrorist attacks, it is the armed forces of the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation that will determine the time and conditions for ending them,” said a statement attributed to Khamenei posted on his website. The remarks came during a reported meeting between Khamenei and senior military…

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Sri Lanka scored 325 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their 50 overs to set Pakistan a target of 326 in the final of the tri-nation ODI series at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday. Pakistan won the toss and elected to field first, but Sri Lanka’s batters put up a strong total in the title decider. For Pakistan, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf picked up two wickets each. Naseem conceded 80 runs in his 10 overs, while Haris gave away 60 runs in his 10-over spell. Pakistan made…

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Iran’s army warned on Saturday that any new US attack would only spread the war wider, following threats by America and Israel of further military action as they hold crucial elections. The Iranian warning comes with fresh diplomatic efforts underway to avert a resumption of fighting, with Qatari mediators in Tehran and US Vice President JD Vance reportedly sending a letter to Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei. “If the US president once again embarks on more regional adventurism under pressure from, and in an attempt to appease, the Zionists, the…

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Qatar has announced a free tourist visa on arrival for Pakistani citizens, allowing them to stay in the country for up to 30 days without obtaining a visa in advance. According to information available on the Qatari Ministry of Interior’s official website, the facility is subject to specific requirements that travellers must fulfil before their departure. Under the arrangement, Pakistani nationals can receive a free visa on arrival for a maximum of 30 days. However, the permitted duration may also depend on the length of their hotel reservation. To qualify…

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Bangladesh recorded its highest monthly dengue death toll of the year in October, with experts warning the outbreak is unlikely to ease significantly before December. The outbreak has killed 418 people and led to ​more than 133,000 hospital admissions this year as of October 30, according to health ministry ‌data. October alone accounted for 173 deaths, surpassing September’s 148 and making it the deadliest month of 2026 so far. The surge comes as Bangladesh is also battling the world’s worst measles outbreak, which has killed more than 1,200 people, placing…

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British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he is open to calls for a formal apology for Britain’s historical role in slavery, ​before attending next week’s Commonwealth summit at which he is likely ‌to face demands for financial reparations. Writing in the Guardian newspaper, Burnham said Britain was “offering a structured dialogue with those affected by the transatlantic slave trade”, in which at ​least 12.5 million Africans were abducted and sold into slavery. “Listening to ​calls for a formal apology on behalf of the British ⁠state will form an important…

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The World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors has approved $150 million in financing for a programme aimed at improving urban property tax collection and strengthening municipal service delivery in Sindh, particularly Karachi. The Sindh Property Revenues Enhancement Programme (Sindh PREP) would support the provincial government in improving urban immovable property tax (UIPT) collection and strengthening the service delivery capacity of selected local councils, a WB news release said on Saturday. “Cities that can raise their own revenues can plan and invest for the long term,” World Bank Country Director…

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