GENEVA: This year is set to be among the very warmest ever recorded, capping more than a decade of unprecedented heat, the United Nations said Thursday. &quot;The alarming streak of exceptional temperatures continued in 2025, which is set to be either the second or third warmest year on record,&quot; the World Meteorological Organization said in an update on the state of the global climate released ahead of next week&#39;s COP30 UN climate summit in Brazil.

Climate

The United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization reports 2025 is on track to be the second or third warmest year ever recorded, marking over a decade of record-breaking global heat before COP30

2025 likely among three hottest years on record: UN

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: A brief exchange of fire along the Chaman&ndash;Spin Boldak border crossing coincided Thursday with ongoing Pakistan and Afghanistan peace talks in Istanbul, with Pakistan&rsquo;s information ministry rejected Afghan claims that Pakistani forces opened fire first.&nbsp;&ldquo;We strongly reject claims circulated by the Afghan side regarding today&rsquo;s incident at the Pak-Afghan border at Chaman,&rdquo; the ministry said in a statement posted on X.&nbsp;According to the statement, &ldquo;Firing was initiated from the Afghan side, to which our security forces responded immediately in a measured and responsible manner.&rdquo; It added that the situation was &ldquo;brought under control due to responsible action by Pakistani forces and the ceasefire remains intact.&rdquo;&nbsp;The ministry said Pakistan &ldquo;remains committed to ongoing dialogue and expects reciprocity from Afghan authorities.&rdquo;&nbsp;However, Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim government offered a sharply different account.&nbsp;Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, claimed the firing started from the Pakistani side.&nbsp;&ldquo;While the third round of negotiations with Pakistan has begun in the city of Istanbul, it is regrettable to say that this afternoon, once again, firing was initiated by Pakistani forces at Spin Boldak, which has caused concern among the public,&rdquo; Mujahid said on X.&nbsp;He added that Afghan forces &ldquo;have so far not responded&rdquo; in order to avoid civilian casualties and &ldquo;out of respect for the negotiating team.&rdquo;&nbsp;Local police in Chaman confirmed to Pakistan TV Digital that Pakistani border units returned fire after the initial shots but reported no casualties on either side. The exchange lasted briefly and did not disrupt movement in nearby civilian areas, police official said.&nbsp;The incident unfolded as senior delegations from Islamabad and Kabul continued discussions in Istanbul aimed at establishing a verified mechanism to prevent cross-border militant infiltration into Pakistan.

Security

Reacting to Kabul’s accusations on Chaman border firing amid ongoing Istanbul negotiations, Pakistan’s Information Ministry says Pakistani forces responded responsibly and expects reciprocal restraint from Afghanistan.

Pakistan rejects Kabul’s border firing claims, urges ceasefire respect

Afghanistan

Kabul's opium production fell 32% to 296 tons in 2025, a 95% drop since the Taliban ban, but resurgence risks remain amid high prices and economic desperation.

Afghanistan continues as major opium production hub: UN report

BEIRUT: Hezbollah lashed out on Thursday against the prospect of any political negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, and insisted that it has a right to defend itself. A source close to Hezbollah&rsquo;s political leadership told AFP the declaration followed recent US and Egyptian pressure on Lebanon&rsquo;s leaders to open direct negotiations. Lebanon and Israel are still technically in a state of war, but all the recent armed conflicts with Israel were fought by Hezbollah, not the Lebanese military. On Thursday, an Israeli strike killed one person, according to the Lebanese health ministry. The Israeli military said it had targeted a Hezbollah construction team. The only diplomatic contact between Israel and Lebanon is through a ceasefire monitoring mechanism, which includes the United States, France and the United Nations. This body meets regularly at the headquarters of the UN force in southern Lebanon but the Lebanese and Israeli parties do not directly communicate with each other. Disarmament driveHezbollah was the only movement in Lebanon that refused to disarm after the 1975-1990 civil war, first claiming it had a duty to liberate territory occupied by Israel, and then to continue defending the country. In an open letter to the Lebanese people and their leaders, Hezbollah said it rejected &ldquo;any political negotiations&rdquo; between Lebanon and Israel and that such talks would &ldquo;not serve the national interest.&rdquo; Hezbollah is backed by Iran, which also fought its own war against Israel earlier this year. &ldquo;We reaffirm our legitimate right... to defend ourselves against an enemy that imposes war on our country and does not cease its attacks,&rdquo; Hezbollah added. The group nevertheless said it remained committed to a ceasefire reached with Israel last year, after months of hostilities that escalated into an all-out war. Israel warned last week that it could intensify operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the group of trying to rearm. Last week, US envoy Tom Barrack said that dialogue with Israel could be the key to easing tensions. The Lebanese government is due to meet later Thursday to examine the progress of its efforts to disarm the militant group. Despite the November 2024 ceasefire agreement that ended the latest war, Israel maintains troops in five areas in southern Lebanon and has kept up strikes. Since the ceasefire, the United States has increased pressure on Lebanese authorities to disarm the group, a move opposed by Hezbollah and its allies. &lsquo;Hasty decision&rsquo;Israel has stepped up its strikes on Lebanon in recent weeks, usually saying it is targeting Hezbollah positions. President Joseph Aoun has criticized Israel for intensifying its strikes after he said he was open to negotiating with Israel. A Lebanese official told AFP on Thursday that Israel has not responded &ldquo;positively nor negatively&rdquo; to the offer. The Lebanese government has ordered the army to devise a plan to disarm Hezbollah, but last week Israel&rsquo;s Defense Minister Israel Katz accused Aoun of &ldquo;dragging his feet.&rdquo; &ldquo;The Lebanese government&rsquo;s commitment to disarm Hezbollah and remove it from southern Lebanon must be implemented. Maximum enforcement will continue and even intensify &mdash; we will not allow any threat to the residents of the north,&rdquo; he said. Netanyahu meanwhile accused Hezbollah of attempting to rearm, after it suffered staggering losses in its last war with Israel. In September 2024, Israel killed the group&rsquo;s longtime chief, Hassan Nasrallah and over the course of the war took out many other senior leaders. Under the terms of the ceasefire, the army is tasked with ensuring Hezbollah is disarmed in the south near the Israeli border by the end of the year, before proceeding to its disarmament in the rest of Lebanon. Hezbollah has criticized the government&rsquo;s &ldquo;hasty decision&rdquo; to disarm it, claiming that Israel has taken advantage of the push.

Middle East

Hezbollah rejected any political negotiations between Lebanon and Israel amid rising US pressure and intensifying Israeli strikes, insisting on its right to defend itself and condemning the Lebanese government’s plan to disarm the group under the 2024 ceasefire terms.

Hezbollah rejects any negotiations between Lebanon and Israel

DHAKA: Bangladesh has ordered 25 wide-body aircraft from Boeing as part of a tariff deal with the United States, a top commerce ministry official told AFP on Thursday, as European envoys push an Airbus agreement. &ldquo;We made a commitment and ordered 25 wide-bodies, and we expect to receive the first one in 2029,&rdquo; official Mahbubur Rahman said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s part of the tariff deal with the US.&rdquo; Bangladesh has been in political turmoil since a student-led uprising in August 2024 overthrew autocratic former leader Sheikh Hasina. The South Asian nation, the world&rsquo;s second-biggest garment manufacturer, struck a trade deal with the United States to scale back President Donald Trump&rsquo;s punishing tariffs in August. Dhaka proposed buying Boeing planes and boosting imports of US wheat, cotton and oil to help narrow its trade deficit, which Trump has used as justification for imposing painful levies. Rahman said Dhaka was also considering an offer from Boeing&rsquo;s European rival. &ldquo;We have offers from Airbus as well, and an assessment is currently ongoing,&rdquo; he said. Bangladesh&rsquo;s state-run BSS news agency said national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines was reviewing proposals from both companies. Airbus has proposed supplying 10 A350 wide-body and four A320neo narrow-body aircraft, BSS said. Boeing&rsquo;s further offer is for 10 787 Dreamliners and four 737 MAX jets, it reported. Bangladesh has a reported 19 aircraft in its current fleet, an estimated 14 of them from Boeing. European envoys at talks held in Dhaka this month sought to woo Bangladesh into buying Airbus planes, BSS said. European Union ambassador Michael Miller, speaking at an event held at the French embassy, said Bangladesh had tremendous potential in the aviation sector and that the EU wanted a place &ldquo;at that table.&rdquo; Textile and garment production accounts for about 80 percent of exports in Bangladesh and the industry has been rebuilding after it was hit hard during the deadly 2024 unrest that toppled the government. The United States represents 20 percent of Bangladesh&rsquo;s ready-made garments exports. Trump threatened Bangladesh with 37 percent tariffs in April &mdash; more than double the 16 percent already placed on cotton products. That was scaled back to 20 percent after a deal in August. Bangladesh is being run by an interim government ahead of elections slated for February 2026.

Business

Official says Dhaka committed to buy 25 wide-body aircraft, expecting first in 2029, as part of US tariff agreement deal.

Bangladesh orders 25 Boeing planes, Airbus eyes deals

ISLAMABAD: A World Bank report has urged Pakistan to strengthen its water management and agricultural adaptation strategies, as the country ranks among the world&rsquo;s most vulnerable to inefficient water use under drying conditions.&nbsp;The report, titled &ldquo;Continental Drying: The Global Evidence on Drying Trends and Their Socioeconomic Implications,&rdquo; identifies Pakistan among the top four countries facing severe inefficiencies in agricultural water consumption, particularly in regions where freshwater resources are rapidly declining.&nbsp;According to the report, one-third of inefficient water use in irrigated agriculture occurs in areas already facing water scarcity, a challenge most pronounced in countries such as Pakistan, Algeria, and Tunisia.&nbsp;The study highlights that climate-related shocks, such as droughts and irregular rainfall, have historically led to major productivity and welfare losses in Pakistan. During the 2002 drought, agricultural productivity declined by 19.6%, with rainfall shortages accounting for nearly three-quarters of the loss. Despite farmers&#39; short-term adaptation efforts, overall agricultural output fell by 4.4%, leading to higher food prices and a 1.9% decline&nbsp;in national welfare.&nbsp;The World Bank notes that Pakistan, due to its large agricultural base and high water stress, remains critical to global food supply chains and climate stability. It recommends investing in water-saving technologies, crop diversification, and climate-resilient irrigation systems to safeguard livelihoods and boost productivity.&nbsp;The report also emphasizes regional cooperation on transboundary water management and calls for improved data monitoring and governance reforms to ensure equitable water distribution between sectors.&nbsp;The World Bank further highlights that efficient trade mechanisms played a key role in mitigating welfare losses during past droughts, suggesting that continued participation in regional and global food markets could help Pakistan buffer future climate shocks.

Climate & Environment

World Bank report says one-third of inefficient water use in irrigated agriculture occurs in areas already facing water scarcity, a challenge most pronounced in countries such as Pakistan, Algeria, and Tunisia.

Pakistan urged to boost water efficiency amid global drying trends

ISLAMABAD: On the anniversary of the massacre of Kashmiris by Indian forces, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a statement on Thursday, said the events of November 6, 1947, remain a painful memory for Kashmiris decades later.&nbsp; PM Sharif said Kashmiris worldwide commemorate the date each year in condemnation of the &quot;first massive genocide&quot; of Kashmiris by Indian armed forces. &quot;In the history of Jammu and Kashmir, November 6, 1947, is marked as the darkest day and is etched in the minds of Kashmiri people as a fresh wound even after decades,&quot; Sharif said. &quot;Each year, Kashmiris across the world commemorate it in condemnation as the &#39;first massive genocide&#39; of the Kashmiris by brutal Indian armed forces.&quot; The prime minister said Indian forces and extremists killed 237,000 Kashmiris in November 1947 in an attempt to change the demographic and religious makeup of the region&#39;s population. He said efforts to alter the Muslim majority in Kashmir continue today, citing actions taken on August 5, 2019, as an extension of the same pattern. &quot;In November 1947, Indian forces and extremists brutally tortured and massacred thousands (237,000) of Kashmiris in a genocidal attempt to change the demographic and religious majority of the Kashmiri population,&quot; he said. &quot;Such an illegal and unilateral attempt by Indian forces to artificially alter the demographic majority of Muslims in Kashmir continues to date.&quot; The PM paid tribute to Kashmiris who died in the struggle for freedom.&nbsp; &quot;Pakistan pays homage to the thousands of Kashmiri martyrs, especially of November 1947, who sacrificed their lives in this long struggle for freedom,&quot; Sharif said. &quot;In utter denial of United Nations Security Council resolutions and in violation of international law, India has held illegal usurpation and illegitimate occupation of Kashmir.&quot; He said Pakistan and others who support human rights condemn India in the strongest terms, adding that &quot;India is guilty of protracted violation of fundamental human rights, right to self-determination and international law.&quot; The prime minister described the day as representing the courage and determination of people in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) to secure their right to freedom. He said generations of Kashmiris have resisted Indian forces. &quot;This day incarnates the exceptional courage and unwavering determination of the people of IIOJK to secure their inalienable right to freedom,&quot; he said. &quot;This day also testifies that generations of Kashmiris valiantly challenged Indian forces and never succumbed to Indian brutalities and atrocities.&quot; PM Sharif said Pakistan&#39;s government and people pay tribute to the sacrifices of Kashmiris and extend support to the people in the disputed region. &quot;Today, the government of Pakistan and the people of Pakistan pay heartfelt tribute to the valued sacrifices of Kashmiri brothers and sisters,&quot; he said. &quot;Pakistan extends unequivocal support to the oppressed people of IIOJK.&quot; He said Pakistan will continue to raise the Kashmir issue on the global diplomatic stage and provide political, diplomatic, and moral support to Kashmiris. &quot;Pakistan also reiterates its commitment at the global diplomatic front that Pakistan will continue to ardently raise the issue of Kashmir and will continue to extend its political, diplomatic, and moral support to the people of Kashmir,&quot; he said. The prime minister called on the international community to voice concerns about the continued human rights violations by India in the region. He said Pakistan maintains that the Kashmir dispute must be resolved according to UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of Kashmiris. &quot;The international community must emphatically voice its concerns about the continued violation of human rights and international law by India in IIOJK,&quot; he said. &quot;At every international diplomatic forum, Pakistan has this principled position that the Kashmir dispute must be resolved in line with UNSC resolutions and as per the just aspirations of Kashmiris.&quot;

Foreign Affairs

The anniversary marks the massacre of Kashmiris by Indian forces on November 6, 1947.

Pakistan PM condemns India on 1947 Jammu massacre anniversary

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: The FIFA senior vice president, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, on Thursday said he is looking forward to visiting Pakistan and Pakistan TV again. He said this during his visit to Pakistan TV, where he was briefed about the channel&rsquo;s operations.&nbsp; Sheikh Salman is on an official four-day visit to Pakistan from November 4-7 and has been accorded &lsquo;state guest&rsquo; status by the Pakistani government.&nbsp; Highlighting the crucial role media plays, he appreciated Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar&rsquo;s vision of having a quality 24/7 international broadcasting channel in Pakistan. <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/e54bd167-b07f-4868-85f6-15595eb22d5a-sattv_meeting_251106x.png" alt="Head of Pakistan TV Adil Shahzeb welcomes FIFA Senior Vice President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa during his visit to Pakistan TV in Islamabad on November&nbsp;6,&nbsp;2025." class="fr-fic fr-dib"><figcaption style="text-align: center;" id="isPasted">Head of Pakistan TV Adil Shahzeb welcomes FIFA Senior Vice President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa during his visit to Pakistan TV in Islamabad on November 6, 2025. (Photo: Pakistan TV Satellite)</figcaption> In an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV, the FIFA senior vice president said Pakistan possesses remarkable football talent and affirmed FIFA&rsquo;s commitment to providing all necessary support and resources to promote the sport&rsquo;s growth in the country and ensure equal opportunities for Pakistani players. &ldquo;Pakistan has splendid talent in football. FIFA and AFC will provide all the tools and necessary support to ensure the growth of football in Pakistan and to provide equal opportunities to Pakistani players,&rdquo; Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said. He said programmes will be introduced in Pakistan to find top notch talent in players, coaches and referees. Sheikh Salman hailed Pakistani women participation in football, terming it equally important as contribution of men. He termed relationship between Pakistan and Bahrain historic, particularly mentioning Pakistan&rsquo;s former football coach who hailed from Bahrain. &ldquo;The exchange of teams and players is a hallmark of this relationship, [between Pakistan and Bahrain],&rdquo; he added. Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa called FIFA more than a global body for sports, calling it an organization that has connected the world.

FIFA Senior Vice President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa visits Pakistan TV in Islamabad on November 6, 2025.

SAT News Desk

Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa is on an official four-day visit to Pakistan from November 4-7 and has been accorded ‘state guest’ status by the Pakistani government. 

FIFA senior vice president looks forward to visiting Pakistan and Pakistan TV again

NEW YORK: Tesla shareholders will determine on Thursday the fate of a massive pay package meant to retain Elon Musk long enough to achieve technological breakthroughs he vows will change the world. Musk &mdash; who has boasted that Tesla&#39;s engineering prowess in artificial intelligence, autonomy, and robotics will leave rival tech giants in the dust &mdash; stands to garner as much as $1 trillion in an unprecedented package tied to performance benchmarks. Tesla Chair Robin Denholm has appeared on CNBC and other broadcasts in recent weeks to promote the plan, a sign of the board&#39;s continued enthusiastic backing for Musk, despite criticism that the billionaire&#39;s embrace of far-right political figures has weighed on sales. &quot;Without Elon, Tesla could lose significant value, as our company may no longer be valued for what we aim to become: a transformative force reimagining the fundamental building blocks of mobility, energy, and labor,&quot; Denholm said in an Oct. 27 message to shareholders. Musk himself has hinted he could leave Tesla or take a back seat if his ownership share is not raised enough to give him the influence over its future that he desires. The package could raise Musk&#39;s stake in Tesla to more than 25%, up from its current level of more than 12%. &quot;It&#39;s not like I&#39;m going to spend the money,&quot; Musk said on a conference call in October. &quot;It&#39;s just if we build this robot army, I want to have at least a strong influence over that robot army.&quot; The outcome of the vote will be announced at Tesla&#39;s annual shareholder meeting at the company&#39;s factory in Austin, Texas, on Thursday. Anti-Musk protesters plan a demonstration outside the Tesla gigafactory that day, after an anti-Musk rally in downtown Austin on Wednesday. &quot;A trillion dollars is way too much any person should have under any circumstances,&quot; activist Ethan McBride told AFP, calling the package a means of &quot;enriching the man who is funding degradation of our democracy.&quot; Norway fund says no Musk, with a net worth of more than $500 billion, is already the world&rsquo;s richest person, according to Forbes&#39; real-time list of billionaires. He must hit 12 milestones related to market capitalization to receive the full pay package. The first tranche would be available if and when Tesla reaches $2 trillion in market value. The plan also involves a series of operating profit and product goals, such as the delivery of 20 million Tesla vehicles. The package aims to ensure that Musk stays at Tesla for at least 7.5 years. Musk has described Tesla&#39;s potential growth as nearly boundless, saying in July that &quot;Tesla will be the most valuable company in the world by far&quot; if the company delivers on its vision for autonomous driving and artificial intelligence. Musk&#39;s success in growing Tesla, SpaceX, and other ventures has inspired many believers. However, skeptics have complained that the company has been slow to introduce new models and that Musk has a penchant for pushing back or not delivering on targets that sound difficult, if not impossible. The pay proposal has been panned by Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), advisory firms Musk has referred to as &quot;corporate terrorists.&quot; An Oct. 17 ISS analysis of the proposal criticized the rationale for the potential windfall, noting that Musk&#39;s financial interests are already closely tied to Tesla&#39;s fate. As structured, the separation of the overall package into tranches of &quot;unprecedented&quot; value &quot;could undermine the necessity for all goals to be realized,&quot; said ISS, which also flagged the lack of explicit requirements that the busy Musk keep focused on Tesla. Norway&#39;s sovereign wealth fund, one of Tesla&#39;s 10 largest shareholders, said this week it was voting no. &quot;While we appreciate the significant value created under Mr Musk&#39;s visionary role, we are concerned about the total size of the award, dilution, and lack of mitigation of key person risk &mdash; consistent with our views on executive compensation,&quot; Norges Bank Investment Management said on its website. Others voting against the proposal include New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. Florida state officials have endorsed the plan, noting Musk&#39;s record of creating equity value and calling the package the &quot;gold standard for executive compensation.&quot;

Tesla CEO Elon Musk attends the public memorial service for right-wing activist Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on September 21, 2025. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)

Artificial Intelligence

Tesla shareholders will determine on Thursday the fate of a massive pay package meant to retain Elon Musk long enough to achieve technological breakthroughs he vows will change the world.

Elon Musk's $1 trillion pay package to face Tesla shareholder vote

ISLAMABAD: &nbsp;Lina Khan, a British-born lawyer of Pakistani descent and former chair of the US Federal Trade Commission, has been named co-chair of New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani&rsquo;s all-women transition team. New York City mayor-elect Mamdani, on Wednesday, named five women to co-chair his transition team as he prepares to take office on January 1, according to AFP. The transition team includes co-chairs Lina Khan, Maria Torres‑Springer, Grace Bonilla, Melanie Hartzog, and Elana Leopold as the executive director. In a statement shared on the social media platform X, Lina Khan expressed confidence that Zohran Mamdani has the vision and courage they actually deliver, adding that it was an honor for her to be part of the transition team. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1986224535557853608&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=efc8c01abe5eb2d78c0a2154e04dd02116c2bd89&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 548px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Here are brief profiles of the transition team members: Lina Khan&nbsp;The US Federal Trade Commission&rsquo;s website says that Lina Khan served as chair of the Federal Trade Commission from June 15, 2021, to January 20, 2025. Before joining the FTC, Khan served as counsel to the US House Judiciary Committee&rsquo;s Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law. She was also an associate professor at Columbia Law School. Khan is a graduate of Williams College and Yale Law School. According to Columbia Law School&rsquo;s website, Khan has been named to the Politico 50, Foreign Policy magazine&rsquo;s Global Thinkers, Prospect magazine&rsquo;s Top 50 Thinkers, WIRED25, National Journal 50, and Time magazine&rsquo;s Next Generation Leaders. She is a recipient of the Reinhardt Fellow 2016-2017, a scholarship for demonstrated commitment to public interest law. She has also won awards such as the Israel H. Peres Prize for best Note or Comment appearing in the Yale Law Journal (2017); Michael Egger Prize for best Yale Law Journal Note on current social problems (2017), and Arthur B. Graves Essay Prize for best essay in political theory (2010), according to Khan&rsquo;s CV available on the US Senate Committee on Housing&rsquo;s website. According to an international media report, Khan was born in London in 1989 to Pakistani parents. The family emigrated to the US when she was 11. Maria Torres-Springer&nbsp;Maria Torres-Springer resigned her post as deputy mayor under outgoing Mayor Eric Adams due to his engagement with US President Donald Trump, according to AFP. According to the New York City (NYC) government&rsquo;s website, Torres-Springer has served as the deputy mayor for housing, economic development, and workforce development.&nbsp; Torres-Springer previously was vice president of US Programs at the Ford Foundation, commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, and also a president and CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation.&nbsp;Grace Bonilla&nbsp;According to the NYC government&rsquo;s website, Grace Bonilla has served as the president and CEO of United Way of New York City (UWNYC) since July 2022. Before her role at UWNYC, Grace held leadership positions across the nonprofit sector, including senior vice president for Latin America at Covenant House International.&nbsp;Melanie Hartzog&nbsp;According to The New York Foundling&rsquo;s website, Melanie Hartzog is the nonprofit&#39;s CEO and president. Hartzog was the deputy mayor of New York City for Health and Human Services. She previously served as the director of the Mayor&rsquo;s Office of Management and Budget.&nbsp; Hartzog holds a Master of Science degree from the New School&rsquo;s Milano School of International Affairs, Management and Urban Policy and a Bachelor of Arts from Eckerd College. Elana Leopold&nbsp;Elana Leopold is a progressive political strategist and runs Seneca Strategies, New York&rsquo;s first women-run political consulting firm, according to an international publication. Landslide victory&nbsp;Mamdani, 34, broke the one-million-vote mark, earning 50% of the vote, compared to his closest rival, 67-year-old former state governor Andrew Cuomo, who won just shy of 42% in the largest turnout since 1969.

Americas

Lina Khan joins Maria Torres‑Springer, Grace Bonilla, Melanie Hartzog, and Elana Leopold as a member of New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s all-women transition team tasked with preparing for Mamdani’s administration, which begins on January 1.

2025 likely among three hottest years on record: UN

Latest News

Pakistan rejects Kabul’s border firing claims, urges ceasefire respect

2025 likely among three hottest years on record: UN

Afghanistan continues as major opium production hub: UN report

Hezbollah rejects any negotiations between Lebanon and Israel

Bangladesh orders 25 Boeing planes, Airbus eyes deals