Month: October 2026

A sharp rise in voter turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel has given Arab political parties a potentially decisive role in determining the country’s next government, following parliamentary elections that left both major political blocs short of a majority. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party emerged as the largest party, but its electoral bloc secured only 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset. The Jewish-led opposition bloc won 48 seats, while Palestinian parties secured a combined 19 seats. The turnout among eligible Palestinian voters was estimated at 80 per cent, marking…

Security forces have foiled an attempted drone attack on a check post in Kharan district of Balochistan, shooting down all five drones before they could reach their target, according to security sources. The drones were reportedly launched by the terrorist organisation referred to by security sources as “Fitna-ul-Hindostan” to target a security forces’ check post in Albat. Security personnel responded swiftly and destroyed all five drones, preventing the attack. Security sources said no casualties or property damage were reported in the incident. Security forces reiterated their commitment to eliminating terrorism…

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Thursday that visa-free entry arrangements with 25 countries would be finalised within the next six months. “The value of the green passport is currently improving, and its rating will advance further over the next six months,” he said while briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior. The meeting was chaired by MNA Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz. Naqvi said that the matter required a collective decision by parliament in view of visa-exemption negotiations, international commitments, and the planned transition to e-passports. Visa-free entry arrangements…

A flood caused by the Shintaphu glacial lake bursting its banks has washed ​away infrastructure at the Gasa Tshachu natural hot ‌springs in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, media reports said on Friday. No injuries or loss of life have been reported, state ​broadcaster BBS said. The hot springs at Gasa ​Tshachu are a major tourist attraction in the ⁠northern part of the country that is nestled between ​India and China. BBS reported the extent of damage from ​the late-night flash flood was not known because of “darkness and the…

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, said a security breach had resulted in an estimated $6.3 billion impact that analysts said ​could amount to the biggest crypto heist ever and might make investors rethink the risks of owning digital assets. Binance said it had worked with partners to freeze the ‌affected assets, with about $3 billion located so far. It gave no update on the status of the remaining $3.3 billion, as Binance co-founder Yi He said the company would cover “all hacking losses”. An initial investigation suggested the breach…

US President Donald Trump on Thursday cancelled planned weekend campaign stops in Kansas and Iowa, and his allies said ​he would instead phone in to rallies nationwide after four weeks ‌of travel to boost Republicans’ election chances. Trump told reporters he did not “feel like I have to go to Kansas,” a Midwestern state where Senator Roger Marshall, a fellow Republican, is ​in an unexpectedly competitive race with Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton. “He is doing very ​well,” Trump said of Marshall. “We are going to have a strong ⁠Tuesday night.”…

The Pentagon is ​treating the spate of mysterious freezer malfunctions that spoiled food at military bases across the United States in August as a suspected hack, according to four officials familiar ‌with the matter. One of the officials said the military investigators were in touch with their French counterparts about a similar cyberattack on commercial freezers that disrupted supermarkets there earlier this month. Reuters was not able to ascertain how far along the Pentagon’s investigation was or whether it had reached any conclusions about what happened or who might be…