Reuters

LONDON: An Afghan national was jailed for five years on Tuesday after he was found guilty of making a threat to kill Nigel Farage, the leader of the populist Reform UK party which leads opinion polls in Britain. Fayaz Khan was last week convicted by a jury at London&#39;s Southwark Crown Court of a single count of making a threat to kill Farage in a TikTok video posted in October 2024. Prosecutors said Khan posted a video in response to one by Farage, in which Khan &ndash; who has an AK-47 assault rifle tattooed on his face &ndash; said &quot;pop, pop, pop&quot; while making gun gestures. Khan had denied making a threat to kill, telling police after his arrest the video was not a genuine threat. Farage gave evidence that he was &quot;genuinely worried&quot; about Khan&#39;s threat, describing the video as &quot;chilling&quot;. Farage sat in the public gallery as Judge Karen Steyn sentenced Khan to five years for making a threat to kill and a separate charge of attempting to enter Britain illegally, to which he had previously pleaded guilty. Khan shouted at both the judge and Farage after he was sentenced, telling Farage: &quot;You want to be prime minister ... you fucked my life.&quot;

Nigel Farage, leader of Britain’s Reform UK party, arrives to attend the sentencing of Fayaz Khan, who was earlier found guilty of making a threat in a TikTok video to kill Farage, at Southwark Crown Court in London, Britain, October 14, 2025. (Reuters)

Europe

Fayaz Khan was last week convicted by a jury at London's Southwark Crown Court of a single count of making a threat to kill Farage in a TikTok video posted in October 2024.

Afghan man jailed for threating anti-migrant leader Nigel Farage in TikTok video

Gaitty Ara Anis

WASHINGTON: Pakistan has been elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2026&ndash;2028 term with a resounding majority of 178 votes, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Tuesday, reaffirming its position as an active voice for human rights on the global stage. The election took place at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, where thirteen other nations also secured seats on the 47-member body. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the development, calling it &ldquo;a testament to Pakistan&rsquo;s effective and vibrant role at the United Nations.&rdquo; In a statement issued by the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office, Sharif reaffirmed the government&rsquo;s &ldquo;unwavering commitment to promoting and protecting human rights across all dimensions, civil, political, economic, social, and cultural.&rdquo; Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, expressing gratitude to UN member states for their &ldquo;overwhelming trust and support,&rdquo; said on X, formerly Twitter, &ldquo;This election reflects global recognition of Pakistan&rsquo;s strong credentials and active contributions toward strengthening the international human rights framework.&rdquo; He added that Pakistan would continue to &ldquo;work constructively with all partners in the spirit of tolerance, respect, and consensus-building.&rdquo; This marks the sixth time Pakistan has been elected to the Human Rights Council since its establishment in 2006. A recognition that underscores the international community&rsquo;s confidence in Islamabad&rsquo;s consistent advocacy for universal human rights and multilateral engagement. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan will use its upcoming term to &ldquo;advance dialogue and cooperation&rdquo; on key issues such as the right to development and the protection of people living under foreign occupation. The ministry also reiterated that Pakistan will continue to raise concerns about &ldquo;grave human rights violations&rdquo; in the Indian occupied Kashmir and Palestinian Territory, in line with the Council&rsquo;s mandate. Based in Geneva, the UN Human Rights Council is the UN&rsquo;s principal intergovernmental body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights globally. With its renewed mandate, Pakistan aims to strengthen its role as a consensus-builder and advocate for fairness, transparency, and universality in global human rights discourse. &ldquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s election is not just a diplomatic achievement,&rdquo; said a senior diplomat at the UN, &ldquo;it&rsquo;s a reaffirmation of the country&rsquo;s enduring belief in dialogue, inclusivity, and the universality of human dignity.&rdquo;

Foreign Affairs

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan’s election to the United Nations Human Rights Council reflects its vibrant and effective role at the UN and reaffirms Islamabad’s unwavering commitment to promoting and protecting global human dignity

Pakistan secures UN Rights Council seat, reaffirms commitment to global justice 

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Afghan Taliban and affiliated militants opened unprovoked fire in the Kurram sector in Pakistan&rsquo;s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, security sources said on Tuesday.&nbsp;The Pakistan Army responded with strong and intense retaliatory fire, destroying multiple Taliban posts and a tank position, according to sources. Fires broke out at the militants&rsquo; posts, and the Taliban fled, leaving behind several of their dead.&nbsp;The latest exchange comes after the neighboring countries engaged in a cross-border assault on the night of October 11&ndash;12. According to the Pakistani military, Afghan Taliban fighters and allied militants launched coordinated attacks along multiple border sectors.&nbsp;Pakistani forces repelled the offensive, killing over 200 attackers, while 23 soldiers embraced martyrdom, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. Islamabad identifies Fitna al-Khawarij, its term for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and Fitna al-Hindustan, referring to Indian-sponsored proxies, as key instigators behind the assault. This is a developing story...

Security

Pakistani forces unleashed intense retaliatory fire after Afghan Taliban militants opened unprovoked fire in Kurram, destroying several posts and a tank. Fires engulfed Taliban positions as they fled, leaving behind multiple bodies, security sources said.

Pakistan Army destroys Taliban posts after Kurram attack: sources

WASHINGTON, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Pakistan is set to sign a preliminary deal on a review of its loan programme with the International Monetary Fund this week, the country&#39;s finance minister said, a key step to securing another $1.24 billion payout from the lender. An IMF team left Pakistan last week without signing so-called staff-level agreements on reviews of its two main support programmes which are worth a combined $8.4 billion. &quot;The mission was on the ground for a couple of weeks, we had very constructive dialogue with them around the quantitative benchmarks, the structural benchmarks, and we&#39;ve been having some follow-up discussions,&quot; Muhammad Aurangzeb told Reuters during an interview on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank annual meetings. &quot;During the course of this week, we&#39;re hoping that we can get the SLA done.&quot; RETURN TO CAPITAL MARKETSPakistan stocks closed 4% up after the news. Countries under IMF lending programmes need to pass regular reviews, which, once signed off by the Fund&#39;s executive board, trigger loan tranche payments. The IMF support agreed in September 2024 helped shore up Pakistan&#39;s $370 billion economy following a severe economic crisis that sent its currency tumbling. Aurangzeb said the government now plans to return to capital markets, starting with its first green bond denominated in Chinese yuan before the end of the year, followed by an at least $1 billion international bond. &quot;Euro, dollar, Sukuk, Islam Sukuk - we&#39;re keeping our options open,&quot; he said. Long-delayed state asset sales are also expected to gain traction now after disappointing progress last year. Islamabad wants to sell off three power distribution companies and national flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines. &quot;We are quite hopeful,&quot; Aurangzeb said about the planned airline sale, adding that lucrative reopened routes to Europe and Britain made it &quot;a very good proposition.&quot; If it takes off it would be Pakistan&#39;s first major privatisation in roughly two decades. A deal collapsed last year after a single lowball offer, but the government has since drawn interest from five domestic business groups including Airblue, Lucky Cement, investment firm Arif Habib and military-backed Fauji Fertilizer. Final bids are expected later this year. The government also hopes the privatisation of a yet to be named financial institution could move ahead this month. MEETING WITH US OFFICIALSAurangzeb, who is expected to meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent this week, said Pakistan was relieved to have ended up with a 19% U.S. tariff having originally braced for a 29% levy. Discussions about U.S. investments in the country&#39;s oil and gas and minerals and mining sectors are now taking place, he said, though he added it was early days. Pakistan recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Reko Diq, run by mining firm Barrick Gold, for a first copper mine, with the overall project potentially growing to as much as $6.5 billion to $7 billion, Aurangzeb said. &quot;The potential of this sector is huge,&quot; he said, citing growing demand due to the global energy transition away from fossil fuels. Pakistan is also trying to maintain strong ties with China. &quot;I don&#39;t quite frankly see it as an and-or discussion, it&#39;s very much an and-and discussion for us,&quot; he said, when asked whether Pakistan&#39;s growing ties with Washington signalled a shift in its dealings with Beijing. Asked whether Washington&#39;s reluctance to fund climate change projects could hit Pakistan, Aurangzeb said the country was well-positioned to weather it, given a $1.3-billion Resilience and Sustainability facility with the IMF as well as a $2-billion World Bank programme, of which one-third is earmarked for climate change, and other programmes. &quot;I think there is enough (available funding) at this point in time that we can move forward with the adaptation agenda. The ball is in our court.&quot;

Economy

Pakistan will sign a preliminary IMF loan review deal this week, unlocking $1.24 billion. Finance Minister Aurangzeb said the government plans green and international bonds, privatisation of PIA, and renewed investment talks with the U.S. and China.

Pakistan finmin sees staff deal on $1.2 billion IMF payout this week

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa became the latest African nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after beating Rwanda 3-0 Tuesday to top its qualifying group, despite being docked three points for fielding an ineligible player in earlier games. It will be South Africa&#39;s first appearance at a World Cup since it qualified automatically as the host in 2010. &nbsp;South Africa&rsquo;s victory meant Nigeria finished second in the group and will have to qualify through a playoff. &nbsp;Nigeria beat Benin 4-0 at home after a hat trick from star striker Victor Osimhen. Benin had led the group before the last round.&nbsp;

Football

South Africa became the latest African nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after beating Rwanda 3-0 Tuesday to top its qualifying group

South Africa secures World Cup spot with 3-0 win over Rwanda

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government sees the future in information technology and is focused on expanding the sector by setting targets and pursuing partnerships with emerging IT markets that have growth potential and investment capacity, rather than established markets. Recently, the Pakistan Mission to the UAE hosted a networking event called &quot;Pakistan Night,&quot; aimed at promoting the country&rsquo;s digital sector and encouraging collaboration between Pakistani technology firms and the international innovation community. Pakistan&rsquo;s ambassador to the UAE, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, said the government aims to increase IT exports dramatically&mdash;from $4 billion to $100 billion&mdash;through innovation, foreign investment, and international partnerships. Government targets and initiatives The government has set an ambitious goal for the IT sector to reach $20 billion in size in coming years. A key part of this strategy includes international partnerships, such as a $10 billion agreement with South Korea to develop technology parks. The &quot;Uraan Pakistan&quot; initiative targets boosting IT exports to $10 billion by 2029, with a milestone of $4 billion set for the fiscal year 2025. To achieve these ambitions, the government is investing in building technology parks, supporting startups, and strengthening digital infrastructure. Current situation in the IT Sector As of October 2025, Pakistan&rsquo;s IT sector is estimated to be worth around $3.5 billion, contributing about 1% to the national GDP. The sector has grown rapidly, doubling in size over the past four years, and is expected to reach approximately $7 billion within the next two to four years under current government plans aligned with Pakistan Vision 2025 and the 2018 Digital Policy. IT exports have shown strong growth, reaching $1.53 billion in the first five months of the current fiscal year&mdash;a 33% increase compared to the same period last year. This growth is driven largely by software development, freelancing, and IT-enabled services. Pakistan ranks third globally in freelancing and fifth on platforms such as Upwork, with freelancing exports estimated to exceed $1 billion. The sector is supported by more than 12,000 companies, employing around 120,000 professionals nationwide. The software development industry plays a significant role, with about 1,800 IT companies operating domestically. The Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce, Rana Ihsan Afzal Khan, described Pakistan&rsquo;s IT sector as the fastest-growing industry in the country, with an annual growth rate of approximately 20%.

The Pakistani government is focused on expanding the country's IT sector by setting targets and pursuing international partnerships.

The government aims to increase IT exports—from $4 billion to $100 billion—through innovation, foreign investment, and international partnerships.

How the Pakistani government is boosting growth in the IT Sector

ISLAMABAD: FIFA President Gianni Infantino has pledged to rebuild all football facilities in Gaza following last weekend&rsquo;s ceasefire, saying the sport must &ldquo;bring hope&rdquo; to the war-torn territory on Monday.&nbsp;Speaking at the Summit for Peace in Egypt, co-chaired by US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Infantino said that football&rsquo;s role is to support, to unite and give hope in the region.&nbsp;He added that FIFA will help rebuild all football facilities in Palestine, provide equipment, construct new pitches, bring in instructors, and assist in organizing local competitions.&nbsp;FIFA will launch a dedicated fund to rebuild football infrastructure in Palestine, adding that the organization had already contributed through its FIFA Arena programme and the construction of mini-pitches.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;We will help to bring football back together with the Palestinian Football Association in every corner of the country&rdquo;, he added.&nbsp;Infantino stated that FIFA has contributed with mini-pitches, with the FIFA Arena programme, adding: &ldquo;We want the whole world to contribute, because football brings hope to children, it&rsquo;s very, very important.&rdquo;&nbsp;FIFA has faced repeated calls to act over the war in Gaza, with Palestinian officials pressing for Israel to be suspended from international football.&nbsp;The issue has been under review by FIFA for months, but no decision has been taken. Infantino has consistently said such matters require consensus with the confederations and must be handled with caution.

Gianni Infantino pledged to help restore football infrastructure in Gaza, establish a reconstruction fund, and revive local tournaments, emphasizing that the sport should serve as a source of hope for the Palestinian people in the aftermath of the ceasefire and the peace summit held in Egypt.

FIFA vows to bring football back to Palestine after peace summit

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s national football team faces Afghanistan on Tuesday in a must-win AFC Asian Cup qualification match for Saudi Arabia 2027, aiming to revive their campaign after a 0-0 draw previously. The match is taking place at Ali Al-Salem Al-Sabah Stadium in Ardiyah, Kuwait. Pakistan head coach Nolberto Solano said ahead of the match, &ldquo;We [are determined] to win, the focus is on getting three points. It&rsquo;s football &mdash; anything can happen. We&rsquo;ll also have another chance against Syria at home in [&hellip;] but tomorrow&rsquo;s game is key.&rdquo; <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/a55d3c9c-6965-4c82-9d01-02ef396d7a43-2.jpg" alt="Pakistani national football team practice ahead of their match against Afghanistan. (PFF)" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">Pakistani national football team practice ahead of their match against Afghanistan. (PFF)</figcaption> Squad Solano confirmed no major lineup changes, with goalkeeper Saqib Hanif and captain Abdullah Iqbal leading the squad. Mohammad Fazal, Syed Abdullah Shah, Mohib Afridi, Tufail Khan, Haris Ali Zeb, Etzaz Hussain, Otis Khan, Mckeal Aaron Abdullah, and Ahmed Faraz complete the lineup. 0-0 draw against Afghanistan The first leg between Pakistan and Afghanistan, played at Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad, ended in a 0-0 stalemate. Pakistan dominated possession and created numerous chances but were repeatedly frustrated by Afghanistan&rsquo;s defense and goalkeeper Ovays Aziz&rsquo;s key saves. A critical moment came in the 67th minute when Pakistan was awarded a penalty, but Otis Khan shot the ball over the bar. Despite disappointment from the home draw, Solano praised his young team. &ldquo;We were a little disappointed [but] we&rsquo;re a team that loves the ball. This is part of the process&mdash;these young lads are playing together for the first time, and I am very pleased with their performances.&rdquo; Pakistan&rsquo;s Group E campaign so far Pakistan&rsquo;s road in Group E has been difficult, with two prior losses: &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;A 2-0 defeat to Syria (23-minute opener by Ahmad Faqa and captain Omar Alsoma&rsquo;s second half goal) at Prince Abdullah Bin Jalawi Stadium, Saudi Arabia, on 25 March. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;A 1-0 loss to Myanmar at Thuwunna Stadium, Yangon, sealed by a precise free-kick from Than Paing on 10 June. Group E Points Table (as of latest matches) <table width="750" id="isPasted"><thead><tr><td>Position</td><td>Team</td><td>Played</td><td>Wins</td><td>Draws</td><td>Losses</td><td>Goals For</td><td>Goals Against</td><td>Goal Difference</td><td>Points</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Syria</td><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>11</td><td>1</td><td>+10</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Myanmar</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>4</td><td>9</td><td>-5</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Afghanistan</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>-4</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Pakistan</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>-3</td><td>1</td></tr></tbody></table> Both teams are currently trailing behind group leaders Syria and Myanmar in the race for the only qualification spot to the 2027 Asian Cup. Rising popularity of football in Pakistan The Afghanistan vs Pakistan qualifier attracted significant fan interest, with over 7,345 attendees filling Jinnah Stadium. The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) celebrated the turnout, stating on Instagram, &ldquo;7,345 fans filled the stadium with passion, pride, and energy.&rdquo; Upcoming matches Pakistan will face Syria on Tuesday in another Group E qualifier. 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualification overview The Asian Cup qualification pathway involves 46 AFC member nations competing across four rounds, with the first two rounds doubling as the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers for Asia. The top 18 teams from the second round, plus Saudi Arabia as hosts, automatically qualify. Remaining teams compete in the current third round for the last six tournament spots. So far in the third round, six group winners have emerged as qualifiers: Philippines (Group A), Lebanon (Group B), Hong Kong (Group C), Thailand (Group D), Syria (Group E), and Malaysia (Group F). The 2027 AFC Asian Cup will be hosted in Saudi Arabia from 7 January to 5 February 2027, featuring 24 teams competing for continental glory.

Pakistan national football team warm up ahead of the AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Afghanistan on November 14, 2025. (PFF)

Pakistan and Afghanistan meet in key AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier in Kuwait, aiming to advance despite earlier goalless draw and tough Group E challenges.

Pakistan vs Afghanistan: Neighbors clash in AFC Asian Cup qualifier

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar: An elite military unit told AFP Tuesday it had taken power in Madagascar after the national assembly voted to impeach President Andry Rajoelina for desertion of duty. The 51-year-old president had refused growing demands to step down, going into hiding after weeks of anti-government street demonstrations in the island nation. &quot;We have taken power,&quot; Colonel Michael Randrianirina, head of the CAPSAT military unit, told AFP after reading out a statement at a government building in the capital. The unit will set up a committee composed of officers from the army, gendarmerie and national police, he said. CAPSAT played a major role in the 2009 coup that first brought Rajoelina to power. &quot;Perhaps in time it will include senior civilian advisers. It is this committee that will carry out the work of the presidency,&quot; Randrianirina said in his statement. &quot;At the same time, after a few days, we will set up a civilian government,&quot; he said. The announcement came minutes after the lower house of parliament voted to impeach Rajoelina in a session dismissed by the presidency as &quot;devoid of any legal basis&quot;. Just hours earlier, Rajoelina had dissolved the national assembly by decree to block the session. The impeachment passed with 130 votes in favour -- well above the two-thirds constitutional threshold required in the 163-member chamber. The High Constitutional Court has to validate the vote. Rajoelina, a former mayor of the capital Antananarivo, said late Monday he was sheltering in a &quot;safe space&quot; after attempts on his life, without revealing his location. The protests began on September 25 and reached a pivotal point at the weekend when mutinous soldiers and security forces, including CAPSAT, joined the demonstrators and called for the president and other government ministers to step down.

Africa

An elite military unit in Madagascar seized power after parliament impeached President Andry Rajoelina for desertion. Colonel Michael Randrianirina announced a transitional military committee following weeks of protests and mutiny by security forces

Madagascar military unit seizes power after president impeached

TOKYO: Japan beat Brazil for the first time on Tuesday, fighting from two goals down to win the friendly 3-2 in Ajinomoto Stadium.&nbsp;Ayase Ueda grabbed the winning goal with a header in the 71st minute, sending the sell-out crowd into celebration.&nbsp;It was Japan&#39;s historic first win over the South American powerhouse at its 14th attempt.&nbsp;Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti made several changes to the team that won 5-0 in South Korea four days ago, but the five-time world champion continued its strong form from Seoul with a dominant first half in the Japanese capital.&nbsp;Goals from Paulo Henrique and Gabriel Martinelli put the visitors seemingly in control at halftime, and a 12th win over Japan appeared likely.&nbsp;Seven minutes after the restart, however, Takumi Minamino capitalized on a mistake by Fabricio Bruno to score from inside the area. Just after the hour, Keito Nakamura&rsquo;s shot deflected off Bruno to bring Japan level.&nbsp;Both teams have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Japan earned their first-ever win over Brazil, coming from two goals down to triumph 3-2 in Tokyo. Minamino, an own goal, and Ueda’s header sealed victory after Brazil’s early dominance in the friendly.

Japan beats Brazil for the first time in Tokyo comeback

WASHINGTON: Oracle and Advanced Micro Devices are expanding their partnership with the deployment of 50,000 AMD graphic processing units beginning in the third quarter of 2026 with further expansion to follow.&nbsp;The so-called AI &ldquo;supercluster&rdquo; is a massive, interconnected group of high-performance computers designed to work together as a single system.&nbsp;AMD shares jumped 3% before the bell on Tuesday, while Oracle&#39;s slipped 1.8%.&nbsp;The companies said that next-generation AI models are poised to outgrow the limits of current AI infrastructure.&nbsp;No dollar figures for what each company&#39;s investment in the expanded partnership.

Artificial Intelligence

Oracle and AMD announced plans to expand their AI partnership, deploying 50,000 AMD GPUs from mid-2026 to build a massive AI supercluster, aiming to meet rising demand for next-generation artificial intelligence models.

Afghan man jailed for threating anti-migrant leader Nigel Farage in TikTok video

Related Articles

Trump convinced Netanyahu to take a deal. Can he keep him onboard?

Trump's call for peace 'at odds' with US actions: Iran

'Indispensable' peacekeeping operations threatened by cuts, UN warns

UN says countries are willing to help fund Gaza's $70 bln reconstruction

Latest News

Pakistan secures UN Rights Council seat, reaffirms commitment to global justice

Pakistan Army destroys Taliban posts after Kurram attack: sources

Pakistan finmin sees staff deal on $1.2 billion IMF payout this week

South Africa secures World Cup spot with 3-0 win over Rwanda

How the Pakistani government is boosting growth in the IT Sector