Month: October 2026

Iranian negotiators held talks in ​Doha with Qatari mediators on Saturday to discuss paths out of war in the Gulf, a source told Reuters, as diplomats ‌try to avert a new outbreak of fighting after the US midterm elections this week. Saturday’s talks in the Qatari capital followed more than 12 hours of discussions on Friday between Iranian and Qatari envoys in Tehran, said the source, who was briefed on the negotiations and spoke on condition of anonymity. The source said the talks were ​being coordinated in regular contact with…

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Pakistan plans to privatise three power distribution companies (DISCOs) in the first quarter of 2027, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Privatisation and Chairman of the Privatisation Commission Muhammad Ali has said. The three DISCOs include the Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO), Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO), and Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO). In an interview, Muhammad Ali said that due diligence for the three companies was already underway, while potential investors had requested additional time to assess the complex transactions, according to a press release issued by the Privatisation Commission. He…

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French protesters marched across the country on Saturday in the latest nationwide demonstrations driven by anger over living costs and strained public ​services, as authorities deployed in force to prevent a repeat of the unrest that erupted two weeks ago and tensions began to surface in some cities. The ‌protests, which fall on Halloween, come after riots and looting on October 17 caught security forces off guard, leaving a trail of damage to shops, public buildings and businesses across the country. France’s top administrative court on Saturday upheld a ban…

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London police arrested Saturday dozens of Palestine Action supporters, who protested there and in Edinburgh days before the Supreme Court hears an appeal over the government’s contentious ban of the group. London’s Metropolitan Police began detaining people shortly after hundreds began a lunchtime “mass action” outside the US Embassy in the British capital, an AFP reporter witnessed. The force said in a mid-afternoon update that 48 people had been arrested and that officers were “continuing to make arrests”. “The majority of arrests have been for expressing support for a proscribed…

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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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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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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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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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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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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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