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Islamabad is preparing for a series of important diplomatic engagements next week, with several foreign delegations expected to visit the country while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to travel to Türkiye on Tuesday. The prime minister will attend the COP31 Leaders’ Summit in Antalya, Türkiye. Meanwhile, Islamabad will host three major diplomatic events: the Margalla Dialogue, the Minerals Summit and a meeting of foreign ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO). The Margalla Dialogue will bring together international security experts, while the Minerals Summit is expected to attract government…

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Pakistan and Sri Lanka will begin their two-match Test series in Rawalpindi on Monday, with the hosts expected to introduce three or more new faces in their playing XI as they look to build a fresh combination. Samir Minhas, Tayyab Arif, Mohammad Taha and Saqib Khan are among the players in contention for their Test debuts, with Pakistan expected to make changes to their line-up. The trophy for the two-match series was unveiled in Islamabad, where both captains also posed for photographs with it at Rawal Lake. Ahead of the…

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A monkey that entered the terminal lounge of Islamabad International Airport was killed instead of being captured alive on Sunday, prompting questions over the wildlife staff’s handling of the incident. According to sources, the team called to remove the animal did not use a trap to catch it safely. Footage showing the monkey’s death has also emerged following the incident. Passengers inside the terminal were reportedly amused by the animal’s movements as it jumped around the premises, at times climbing onto the terminal roof and lounge ceiling. Several travellers also…

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US Senator-elect Abdul El Sayed has taken steps to maintain his political presence beyond the election campaign by setting up a new fundraising organisation, dubbed “Habibi PAC”, The Hill reported. According to Federal Election Commission records, the Michigan Democrat has registered a leadership political action committee, an independent fundraising platform intended to support fellow political allies. The initiative takes its name from “Habibi”, an Arabic expression meaning “my beloved”, which became a popular catchphrase among El Sayed’s supporters during his campaign. The phrase also featured prominently in his victory address,…

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The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthi group said on Sunday that its air defences intercepted and destroyed four missiles, including two ballistic and two cruise missiles, targeting different parts of Saudi Arabia. Coalition spokesman Maj-Gen. Turki Al Maliki said the two cruise missiles were intercepted over Riyadh and southern regions, without providing further details about their origin. The announcement followed an earlier statement in which Al Maliki said air defences had destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis towards the Saudi capital. Earlier on Sunday, the coalition also reported…

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Air pollution and dust continued to blanket Lahore, pushing the city to the top of the global list of most polluted cities, with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 297. Among the city’s neighbourhoods, Allama Iqbal Town recorded the highest AQI at 429, followed by Canal Road at 376, Burki Road at 358, Gulberg at 314 and Johar Town at 298. Model Town recorded an AQI of 289, Lower Mall 283, Bedian Road 281, DHA 241 and Askari 10 recorded 199. Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department reported dry and cold…

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