Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said on Wednesday, Pakistan has made immense sacrifices for Afghanistan, urged the Afghan Taliban&rsquo;s interim government to fulfill its obligations under the Doha Agreement, and cautioned that Afghan soil must not be used against Pakistan. Iqbal expressed these views in an exclusive interview on Pakistan TV&rsquo;s program Newsroom with Sana, as the Foreign Office announced a 48-hour ceasefire with Afghanistan. <div class="fr-embed youtube-embed">&nbsp;</div>The truce came after a strong retaliatory response by Pakistani forces to an unprovoked October 11 attack by the Afghan Taliban, carried out in coordination with the India-sponsored terrorist group Fitna-al-Khawarij, which targeted multiple locations along the border. &ldquo;Afghanistan must fulfill its obligations under the Doha Agreement and ensure that Afghan soil must not be used against Pakistan,&rdquo; Iqbal told Pakistan TV, adding that Pakistan has made immense sacrifices for Afghanistan, and has hosted more than four million Afghan refugees over the years. The minister also addressed the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defense pact, clarifying that it symbolizes unity and cooperation rather than confrontation.&ldquo;The agreement reflects a shared commitment to safeguarding sovereignty and regional stability,&rdquo; he added. The minister further stated that Pakistan has reached a defining moment in its foreign policy, earning global recognition and respect through principled diplomacy and strategic achievements, including initiatives like Marka-e-Haq.<div class="fr-embed youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1xiQl2DT_mk" title="Newsroom with Sana | Pakistan TV | 15-10-2025 |" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" style="width: 100%; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; max-width: 100%; display: block;">&nbsp;</iframe>&nbsp;</div>The planning minister also visited Pakistan TV, and commended the channel&rsquo;s role in countering misinformation and fostering national unity. &ldquo;Pakistan TV is a vital platform for promoting the country&rsquo;s perspective globally and underscored its importance in highlighting Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic initiatives and national security priorities,&rdquo; he added. The minister underscored the vital role of media platforms like Pakistan TV in promoting country&rsquo;s narrative of peace, development, and regional stability amid ongoing global challenges.

Foreign Affairs

Security

The minister expressed these views in an exclusive interview on Pakistan TV’s program Newsroom with Sana, as the Foreign Office announced a 48-hour ceasefire with Afghanistan.

Ahsan Iqbal urges Afghan Taliban to honor Doha agreement, warns against use of Afghan soil for attacks on Pakistan

DHAKA: Bangladeshi prosecution lawyers demanded on Thursday that fugitive ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina receive the death penalty in her trial for crimes against humanity. Hasina has defied court orders to return from India, where she fled last year, to face charges of ordering a deadly crackdown in a failed attempt to crush a student-led uprising. Up to 1,400 people were killed in the clashes between July and August 2024, according to the United Nations. &quot;We demand the highest punishment for her,&quot; chief prosecutor Tajul Islam told reporters outside court. &quot;For a single murder, one death penalty is the rule. For 1,400 murders, she should be sentenced 1,400 times -- but since that is not humanly possible, we demand at least one.&quot; The prosecution alleges that Hasina, 78, was &quot;the nucleus around whom all the crimes committed during the July&ndash;August uprising revolved&quot;. She is being tried in absentia alongside two former senior officials. Her ex-interior minister, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, is also a fugitive, while former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun is in custody and has pleaded guilty. The prosecution said on Thursday that Kamal should also face the death penalty. The trial, which opened on June 1, has heard months of testimony alleging Hasina&#39;s role in ordering or failing to prevent mass killings. &quot;Her goal was to cling to power permanently -- for herself and her family,&quot; Islam said.

In this handout photograph taken and released on July 25, 2024 by Bangladesh Prime Minister's Office, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addresses the media at a vandalized metro station in Mirpur, after the anti-quota protests. (AFP)

Bangladesh

Hasina has defied court orders to return from India, where she fled last year, to face charges of ordering a deadly crackdown in a failed attempt to crush a student-led uprising.

Bangladesh prosecution demands death penalty for ex-PM Hasina

Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: After years of imprisonment and alleged abuse in Indian jails, sixty Pakistani fishermen have finally reunited with their families in the southern port city of Karachi. The freed fishermen crossed the Wagah border into Pakistan on September 9. The first group of 53 fishermen reached Karachi on October 13, while the remaining seven arrived on October 15 after completing government clearance in Lahore. The returnees were received at the Fishermen&rsquo;s Cooperative Society (FCS) office, where each was presented with a cheque of Rs10,000 ($35.57) during a welcoming ceremony organized by the FCS. <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/25b80479-7e11-4367-a82c-debe1de6f901-3.jpeg" alt="Pakistani fishermen receive cheques following their return to Karachi after years of detention in Indian jails." class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">Pakistani fishermen receive cheques following their return to Karachi after years of detention in Indian jails.</figcaption></figure> &ldquo;These men are innocent victims of circumstance,&rdquo; explained the chairperson of the FCS Fatima Majeed Motani. &ldquo;They were only trying to earn a living when they drifted across an invisible line. Both governments must ensure no fisherman suffers like this again.&rdquo; Years of abuse and neglect The fishermen were detained between 2017 and 2021 after unintentionally crossing the maritime boundary near the disputed Sir Creek area, about 200 kilometers from Karachi. Many recounted horrifying experiences of beatings, burn injuries, and forced labour while imprisoned in India. &ldquo;I was beaten until I couldn&rsquo;t move,&rdquo; said Abdul Qadir, a fisherman from Thatta district in Sindh province. &ldquo;They pressed hot irons against our legs. One of my friends is now half-paralyzed because of the torture.&rdquo; Their ordeal worsened after the May 2025 tensions between Pakistan and India, when Pakistani detainees reportedly became targets for mistreatment. Human rights advocates condemned the abuse, citing violations of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both countries are signatories. The convention mandates a quick release of detained fishermen who cross borders unintentionally, typically after posting a bond. Painful wait for families For years, families of the detained men lived in uncertainty and poverty. Many children grew up without fathers, while wives struggled to support their households. The Edhi Foundation played an important role in facilitating the fishermen&rsquo;s transport from Lahore and meeting their immediate needs upon return. &ldquo;When we saw them walk through the gate, it felt like a miracle,&rdquo; said Rehana Bibi, whose husband had been imprisoned since 2018. &ldquo;We never stopped praying, but every day was filled with fear.&rdquo; Permanent solutions An FCS spokesperson said the release was &ldquo;a moment of relief and celebration&rdquo; but cautioned that &ldquo;dozens more remain behind bars.&rdquo; According to FCS data, 63 Pakistani fishermen are still detained in Indian prisons. &ldquo;The Fishermen&rsquo;s Cooperative Society, along with the Pakistani High Commission in India and the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs, worked tirelessly for their release,&rdquo; the spokesperson&nbsp;added. While Monday&rsquo;s celebration brought tears of joy, the scars, both physical and emotional, remain. The FCS and Edhi Foundation have called for a permanent bilateral mechanism to prevent such detentions and ensure humane treatment of fishermen caught in disputed waters. <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/255c457f-f445-430c-841e-0399ac88b3e1-2.jpeg" alt="Freed Pakistani fishermen given a warm welcome upon returning to their country." class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">Pakistani fishermen receive warm welcome upon returning home after years of detention in India.</figcaption></figure> &ldquo;These men are among the poorest of the poor,&rdquo; said Motani. &ldquo;Their suffering should remind both nations that compassion, not politics, must guide their actions.&rdquo; For now, as the freed fishermen embrace their loved ones, the moment is bittersweet. Their homecoming offers relief, but also a painful reminder that 63 others remain stranded across the border, still waiting for their own chance to come home.

"Freed Pakistani fishermen reunite with loved ones after years of detention and alleged torture in India

Politics

Sixty Pakistani fishermen, imprisoned in India since 2017, were released and reunited with families in Karachi amid calls for humane treatment and a permanent bilateral mechanism.

Freed Pakistani fishermen return home after years of torture in India

For many college basketball experts, selecting the greatest players of the women&#39;s poll era sounds easy &mdash; until they try it. Of course, USC&#39;s Cheryl Miller and Diana Taurasi of UConn are relatively easy choices.&nbsp; But narrowing the list from there gets tricky, inevitably leaving out talented players, including those who sharpened their skills during later professional careers. The greatest playersIn honor of the 50th anniversary of the women&#39;s basketball poll, The Associated Press assembled a list of the greatest players since the first poll in 1976.&nbsp; And in the spirit of the Top 25 rankings, the choices are certain to spark a debate and prompt plenty of handwringing among those who were in a position to vote. &ldquo;Nearly impossible,&rdquo; Rebecca Lobo, a former UConn standout and NCAA champion, said of the assignment. &ldquo;As I&rsquo;m looking down the list, I&rsquo;m like no-brainer, no-brainer, no-brainer. But then I&rsquo;m like wait, there&rsquo;s too many no-brainers and not enough slots.&rdquo; Lobo was one of 13 members of a panel of former players and AP sportswriters who voted on the greatest players.&nbsp; They were instructed to consider only the athletes&#39; college careers. Other factors, however, were up to their discretion, including championship pedigree, record-breaking statistics or simply their ability to will their teams to victory. &ldquo;It was extraordinarily difficult especially to try to hone in on a players&rsquo; college career and eliminate their pro career from your brain,&rdquo; Lobo added. &quot;There are going to be players who are Hall of Fame caliber players who aren&rsquo;t on the list.&rdquo; Joining Miller in the frontcourt on the first team are Breanna Stewart and Candace Parker. Caitlin Clark joins Taurasi as the guards. Taurasi helped UConn win three national championships, including carrying the Huskies to the last two basically on her own during her junior and senior season. &lsquo;What an honor&rsquo;&ldquo;What an accomplishment and what an honor,&rdquo; Taurasi said.&nbsp; &ldquo;To think about the history of the game and where it&#39;s gone. You always have to look at the past to go into the future. There&#39;s so many great women who paved the way.&rdquo; Clark led Iowa to back-to-back NCAA championship game appearances while setting the career scoring record for any Division I women&rsquo;s or men&rsquo;s basketball player. Her play on the court, including her logo 3-point shots, helped lift women&rsquo;s basketball to unprecedented levels of attention and energy during her last two seasons. &ldquo;Being named an AP All-American is one of the most storied honors in college sports,&quot; Clark said. &ldquo;It means a lot to be named to this all-time list alongside players I looked up to. It&#39;s fun to think about what it would have been like if we all played together.&rdquo; The frontcourt of Miller, Stewart and Parker dominated the game during their eras. Stewart won four NCAA championships at UConn and earned Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four all four years.&nbsp; Parker led Tennessee to back-to-back titles in 2007-08. Miller, one of the original NCAA greats, starred for USC and led the Trojans to consecutive championships in 1983-84. &ldquo;I grew up watching Cheryl Miller play,&rdquo; Parker said. &ldquo;She&rsquo;d be No. 1. My dad was like &lsquo;This is who we wanted you to be.&rsquo; I&#39;m honored to be on this list with her.&rdquo; The second team&rsquo;s backcourt is UConn&rsquo;s Sue Bird and Virginia&#39;s Dawn Staley. The former Cavaliers guard and current South Carolina coach is the only women&rsquo;s player to win the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four on a losing team when her Cavaliers fell to Tennessee.&nbsp; Bird helped UConn win championships in 2000 and 2002. Consecutive titlesThe Lady Vols&rsquo; Chamique Holdsclaw, UConn&rsquo;s Maya Moore and Lusia Harris of Delta State are on the second team frontcourt.&nbsp; Holdsclaw was a three-time NCAA champion and twice earned the tournament&#39;s MOP honor. Moore was part of the Huskies&#39; dynasty that won a then-record 89 consecutive games.&nbsp; She helped the Huskies to consecutive titles in 2009-10. Harris led Delta State to three AIAW titles in the mid-1970s and was the tournament&#39;s MVP each year. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d watch these two teams play and I&rsquo;m not sure who would win,&rdquo; UConn coach Geno Auriemma said of the first and second teams selected by the panel. Auriemma has four former players on the first two teams, but would enjoy looking to the bench at a group of reserves that includes:UCLA&rsquo;s Ann Meyers Drysdale, Kansas&rsquo; Lynette Woodard and Texas Tech&rsquo;s Sheryl Swoopes in the backcourt. For the frontcourt, there is USC&rsquo;s Lisa Leslie, Baylor&rsquo;s Brittney Griner and South Carolina&rsquo;s A&rsquo;ja Wilson. &ldquo;I am always asked if players today could play back in the &lsquo;70s or &rsquo;80s or vice versa. When you&rsquo;re great in one generation, you&rsquo;re going to be great in any generation,&rdquo; said Meyers Drysdale, who also was a member of the voting panel.&nbsp; &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think there&rsquo;s any name that is wrong or there&rsquo;s any name that is right. There&rsquo;s so many great players that are going to be left off.&rdquo;

Athletics

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the women's basketball poll, The Associated Press assembled a list of the greatest players since the first poll in 1976. 

The greatest women's college basketball players: Who made the list?

<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style='font-family: "AP Font", "AP Font Local", Verdana, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; float: none; display: inline !important;' id="isPasted">NEW YORK:&nbsp;The stage is set Thursday for the first debate of the New York City mayoral election, with Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa looking to halt the momentum of Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, who already defeated the once-powerful New York governor in the primary this summer. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For Cuomo, who&#39;s now running as an independent, the stakes are high. The debate is one of his last chances to sway voters to his side and convince them that going with Mamdani would be a mistake. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The race is also Cuomo&rsquo;s attempt at a political comeback after he resigned as governor four years ago following a barrage of sexual harassment allegations. He denies wrongdoing but has been trailed by heavy criticism over the scandal, along with other damaging baggage he picked up during his tenure as governor. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist, is in a more comfortable position, though he will need to fend off two hours of sharp jabs from Cuomo while maintaining the hopeful, charming vibe that has characterized his campaign.<img data-fr-image-pasted="true" src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/2b228499-f627-4aac-ba37-0a033f3d4c05-AP25288704706240.jpg" alt="New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks during an interview on " style="box-sizing: border-box; border-style: none; max-width: 100%; height: auto; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;" id="isPasted" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil"><figcaption style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(75, 85, 99); font-style: italic; margin-top: 0.25rem; display: block; text-align: left; font-family: sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks during an interview on &quot;The Story with Martha MacCallum&quot; at Fox News on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)</figcaption> <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meanwhile, Sliwa, the colorful creator of the Guardian Angels crime patrol group, hopes to land a major upset in the deeply blue city. Sliwa received almost 30% of the vote when he last ran as the GOP candidate four years ago. This time around he&#39;s hoping Mamdani and Cuomo split the Democratic vote while he secures Republicans and centrists to come out on top. <figure id="isPasted"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/54857c18-d4cb-44b6-8118-fabf3510e1ad-AP25288801959872.jpg" alt="FILE - New York City Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa speaks during a New York Young Republicans Club vigil for Charlie Kirk at Madison Square Park on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Kena Betancur,File)" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><figcaption style="text-align: center; line-height: 2;">FILE - New York City Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa speaks during a New York Young Republicans Club vigil for Charlie Kirk at Madison Square Park on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Kena Betancur,File)</figcaption></figure> <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The race has catapulted Mamdani to national political stardom, with Republicans, including President Donald Trump, trying to turn him into the face of the Democratic Party by highlighting his most controversial past comments and positions and casting him as dangerous, a communist, and an antisemite. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trump has threatened to arrest Mamdani, to deport him and even to take over the city if he wins. Mamdani is a naturalized U.S. citizen. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mamdani has tried to distance himself from some of his past statements, including calling the New York Police Department &ldquo;a major threat to public safety,&rdquo; and his refusal, during the Democratic primary, to disavow use of the phrase &ldquo;globalize the intifada,&rdquo; which is seen as a call to violence for many Jews. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mamdani&#39;s brand of economic populism &mdash; a laser focus on lowering the city&#39;s astronomical cost of living through the idea that government should do more to help the lower and middle classes instead of the wealthy &mdash; has generated buzz and excitement.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the same time, the state assemblyman&#39;s calls to raise taxes on the wealthy and intense criticisms of the Israeli government&#39;s military actions in Gaza have unnerved some centrists and conservatives. That&#39;s where Cuomo&#39;s rebooted campaign sees its path to victory. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The former governor has painted Mamdani as a potentially dangerous leader who would lead the city into financial and social ruin, while casting himself as a competent manager who can handle the city&#39;s expansive bureaucracy and finances. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, suspended his reelection campaign late last month, after being deeply wounded by a now-dismissed federal corruption case and his relationship with the Trump administration. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A poll of New York City likely voters conducted by Quinnipiac University in early October, after Adams ended his bid for a second term, found that Mamdani continued to hold a lead over Cuomo. The poll suggested that Cuomo may have benefited somewhat from Adams&rsquo; departure, but the current mayor&rsquo;s exit did not appear to have a meaningful impact on the state of the race. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adams was not included in the poll but remains on the November ballot because he didn&#39;t withdraw his candidacy before a balloting deadline. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The candidates are scheduled to meet for a second and final debate next week.<figure class="fr-media" style="line-height: 2;"> </figure>

          FILE - Mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo speaks to supporters during a Democratic primary watch party, June 24, 2025, in New York. 

Americas

The stage is set Thursday for the first debate of the New York City mayoral election, with Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa looking to halt the momentum of Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, who already defeated the once-powerful New York governor in the primary this summer.

Cuomo, Sliwa aim to blunt Mamdani's momentum in first NYC mayoral debate

OSLO: A Norwegian court has sentenced a former US embassy security guard to three years and seven months in prison for spying for Russia and Iran. The 28-year-old Norwegian man was convicted of providing floor plans, personal details of embassy staff and their families, and information about activities at the US embassy between March and November 2024. In exchange, he was paid 10,000 euros ($11,700) from Russian intelligence and 0.17 bitcoin from Iranian intelligence, the court ruled Wednesday. US security interests&nbsp;In its judgment made public Thursday, the Oslo court said the information was &quot;of a nature that could be used for direct actions and physical attacks against the concerned individuals.&quot; &quot;The accused understood that disclosing this information could harm US security interests,&quot; the court noted. During his trial, the accused admitted to spying, which he said was in protest against the United States&#39; backing of Israel&#39;s offensive in Gaza, but denied the charge of aggravated espionage for which he was convicted. He argued that the information he transmitted was not classified. List of mail services&nbsp;In Norway, Serbia, or Turkey, he provided Russian and/or Iranian authorities with the names, addresses, phone numbers, and license plate numbers of embassy diplomats and employees, as well as their spouses and children. He also sent embassy plans, security routines, and a list of mail services used by Norwegian intelligence. The prosecution had asked for a sentence of six years and four months for the crime, which is punishable by up to 21 years in prison in Norway. Norwegian intelligence services have regularly identified Russia -- with whom the NATO member shares a border in the Arctic -- Iran, and China as the main countries conducting intelligence operations in Norway.

Europe

The 28-year-old Norwegian man was convicted of providing floor plans, personal details of embassy staff; the man was paid 10,000 euros ($11,700) from Russian intelligence and 0.17 bitcoin from Iranian intelligence, the court ruled Wednesday.

Ex-US embassy guard in Norway convicted of spying for Russia, Iran

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan security forces successfully thwarted an infiltration attempt, killing at least 45 militants affiliated with Fitna Al-Khwarij during an operation across the northwestern border district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military&rsquo;s media wing said on Thursday. The intelligence-based operation was carried out in the Mohmand district when militants attempted to infiltrate Pakistan&rsquo;s territory, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. Some 45 to 50 militants were killed, while several others were injured in the operation, which was based on intelligence reports, the statement said.&nbsp; The slain militants crossed over from Afghanistan with the intent to carry out attacks inside Pakistan, the statement said.&nbsp; Earlier, the military targeted hideouts in the North and South Waziristan and Bannu districts in operations conducted between October 13 to 15. Pakistan army troops killed 34 terrorists affiliated with the Indian proxy network Fitna Al-Khwarij, the ISPR said. In the Spinwam area of North Waziristan, a major intelligence-based operation led to an intense exchange of fire. Resultantly, 18 terrorists were killed. In a separate operation in South Waziristan, eight more militants were killed, while another eight were neutralized in another encounter in Bannu district. PM Sharif hails forces&rsquo; successful counterterrorism operationsPrime Minister Shehbaz Sharif commended the professionalism and bravery of the troops in thwarting the nefarious designs of these militants, his office said.&nbsp;The premier affirmed that all necessary measures will be taken to protect the people of Pakistan and uphold national security. He reiterated that the counterterrorism campaign will continue with full momentum until the complete eradication of terrorism from the country.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Government of Pakistan is fully committed to eliminating the scourge of terrorism from our soil,&rdquo; he added. President Zardari pays tribute to armed forces&nbsp; Pakistan&#39;s President Asif Ali Zardari has paid rich tribute to the Armed Forces and security agencies of Pakistan for their successful operations against terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in North, South Waziristan, and Bannu, said a press release issued by the President&#39;s Secretariat on Thursday. The president said that these operations are a matter of pride for the nation and reflect the professionalism, courage, and determination of Pakistan&rsquo;s security forces.&nbsp; He noted that the timely and effective actions of the security agencies have frustrated India-backed terrorists and significantly improved the overall peace and stability situation in the country. Reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s firm resolve to eliminate terrorism in all its forms, Zardari stated that operations under the &ldquo;Azm-e-Istehkam&rdquo; campaign will continue with full force to their logical end as the security forces defeat terrorists and the nation defeats terrorism. He emphasised that Pakistan will root out the India-backed fitna-e-khawarij and fitna-e-Hindustan and will not rest until the menace of terrorism is fully defeated. The president further said that the entire nation stands firmly behind its Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies in their mission to safeguard the homeland and uphold peace, the press release said.

Militants killed attempting to cross over into Pakistan from Afghanistan during ceasefire; infiltration attempt takes place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mohmand district; army says killed militants affiliated with Fitna Al-Khwarij; another 34 terrorists killed in recent operations in South Waziristan and Bannu


Pakistan army claims killing at least 45 militants from Afghanistan

ASCHAFFENBURG: An Afghan man accused of a deadly knife attack on a group of toddlers in Germany went on trial Thursday, nine months after an incident that inflamed a heated pre-election debate on immigration. Germany was shocked by the stabbing spree that killed a two-year-old boy and a 41-year-old man who tried to protect the children and left three others wounded in the southern city of Aschaffenburg. Five toddlers from a kindergarten class were in a public park, accompanied by two teachers, when the assailant attacked them with a kitchen knife.The suspect arrested at the scene of the January 22 attack has been only partially named, in line with usual practice by the German judiciary, as 28-year-old Enamullah O. History of mental illness&nbsp;He has a long history of mental illness and prosecutors said an expert assessment concluded his psychiatric state meant he was not criminally responsible. The public prosecutor&#39;s office has previously said there was no indication the suspect acted out of extremist or terrorist motivation, and they were seeking to have him permanently confined to a psychiatric facility. The trial is expected to stretch over several days of proceedings in October. The suspected attacker injured a two-year-old Syrian girl, one of the teachers as well as a 72-year-old man who had also tried to protect the children. He was arrested shortly afterwards and it soon emerged that the authorities had tried and failed in 2023 to deport him to Bulgaria -- the first EU country he had arrived in. In August 2024, he allegedly threatened a fellow resident at an accommodation for asylum seekers in the nearby town of Alzenau with a butcher&#39;s knife and caused her minor injuries. Political reactionsThe Aschaffenburg stabbings, which followed a string of other bloody attacks in Germany, provoked intense political reactions. Friedrich Merz, the leader of the centre-right Christian Democrats who went on to become chancellor, promised a &quot;fundamental&quot; overhaul of asylum rules and strict border controls &quot;from day one&quot; if elected. About a week later, Merz, then the opposition leader, relied on support from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to pass a non-binding resolution through parliament demanding stricter immigration and refugee policies. Merz&#39;s decision to rely on far-right support broke a longstanding taboo in post-World War II German politics, prompting fierce criticism and mass street protests.

The public prosecutor's office has previously said there was no indication the suspect acted out of extremist or terrorist motivation, and they were seeking to have him permanently confined to a psychiatric facility.

Afghan man on trial in Germany over deadly knife attack on toddlers

NEW DELHI: India said Thursday that its energy priority was the interest of its citizens after US President Donald Trump said New Delhi had promised it would stop buying Russian oil. New Delhi neither confirmed nor denied that it was shifting policy toward Russia. In a recent statement from Russian state media, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that Russia is confident its energy partnership with India will continue. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had said India&#39;s prime minister Narendra Modi had promised him that India would stop buying oil from Moscow.&nbsp; Responding to Trump&#39;s statement, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said,&nbsp;&ldquo;It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario.&rdquo; &ldquo;Our import policies are guided entirely by this objective,&rdquo; he said. <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-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 803px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1978690629522653592&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=7c80ad9b4e0b40ca02cb968ad2ae8817c7f22a86&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> &ldquo;Ensuring stable energy prices and secured supplies have been the twin goals of our energy policy,&rdquo; Jaiswal added. &ldquo;This includes broad-basing our energy sourcing and diversifying as appropriate to meet market conditions.&rdquo; Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticized Modi in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying the prime minister was &ldquo;frightened of Trump&rdquo; and listing what he described as examples of Modi yielding to US pressure, including the reported cancellation of a finance minister&rsquo;s visit to Washington. <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-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 418px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1978669002798055695&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=7c80ad9b4e0b40ca02cb968ad2ae8817c7f22a86&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Major oil importer&nbsp;India, one of the world&rsquo;s largest crude oil importers, relies on foreign suppliers for more than 85% of its oil needs. It&nbsp;traditionally relied on Middle Eastern nations. But since 2022, it has shifted sharply toward discounted Russian crude, taking advantage of a buyer&rsquo;s market created by Western bans on Moscow&rsquo;s exports. &ldquo;Where the US is concerned, we have for many years sought to expand our energy procurement,&rdquo; Jaiswal said. &ldquo;This has steadily progressed in the last decade. The current administration has shown interest in deepening energy cooperation with India. Discussions are ongoing.&rdquo; In August, the US raised tariffs on Indian exports to the United States to 50%, with Trump&rsquo;s aides accusing India of fueling Russia&rsquo;s war in Ukraine. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has previously defended buying oil from Russia, a historic partner of India, despite Moscow&rsquo;s invasion of Ukraine.

Participants speak in front of an exhibition stand of Russia's power company Rosseti at the Russian Energy Week international forum in Moscow, Russia, October 15, 2025. 

Asia

According to an Indian foreign ministry spokesman: 'It has been our consistent priority to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario.'

India says consumers on priority after Trump comments on stopping Russian oil

ISLAMABAD: Taliban authorities publicly executed a man in western Afghanistan on Thursday, who had been convicted of two murders, the country&#39;s Supreme Court said, according to AFP. The man was executed in front of crowds at a sports stadium in Qala-i-Naw, the capital of Badghis province, the Supreme Court said in a statement. It brings to 11 the number of men publicly put to death since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, according to an AFP tally. India to reopen embassy in KabulThe interim Afghan government has been relatively isolated internationally due to concerns about issues such as its systematic human rights abuses, severe oppression of women and girls, suppression of dissent, and failure to combat terrorism Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, in his opening remarks at his meeting with the Foreign Minister of the Interim Afghan Government, Amir Khan Mutaqqi, in New Delhi on October 10, announced, &quot;India will be upgrading its technical mission in the Afghan capital Kabul to an embassy.&quot; Jaishankar said India appreciated the interim Afghan government&rsquo;s sensitivity toward India&rsquo;s security concerns, adding, &ldquo;Your solidarity with us in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack was noteworthy.&rdquo; He said, &ldquo;India is fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan.&rdquo; &nbsp; New Delhi has maintained a steady contact with the Taliban after they took over power in Kabul in 2021, establishing a technical mission in the country&rsquo;s capital in 2022, the Associated Press reported. It continued engagement through backchannel diplomacy and regional forums that subsequently prompted increased engagement between the two countries this year.

It brings to 11 the number of men publicly put to death since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, according to an AFP tally; the interim Afghan government has been relatively isolated internationally due to concerns about issues such as the rights of women.

Afghan Taliban authorities publicly execute man for murder: court

Syed Ahmed Raza

ISLAMABAD: At an age when most cricketers start contemplating retirement, Pakistan&rsquo;s Noman Ali continues to redefine persistence and performance. Affectionately known as &lsquo;Chachu&rsquo; in the dressing room, Noman has quietly evolved into Pakistan&rsquo;s most dependable force in Test cricket. His relentless accuracy, unwavering fitness, and mastery of spin have not only earned him admiration but also reshaped Pakistan&rsquo;s Test fortunes in recent years. Yet, it remains baffling that a player with such influence still languishes in Category C of the Pakistan Cricket Board&rsquo;s central contracts. Why is Pakistan&rsquo;s most consistent match-winner not valued accordingly? Let&rsquo;s dig in.&nbsp;Breaking records, defying ageIn Pakistan&rsquo;s historic 93-run victory over defending World Test Champions South Africa in Lahore this week, Noman once again rose to the occasion. His 10-wicket haul (10/191) was his third in just 20 Tests, an extraordinary feat achieved by only 11 other players in cricket history within a few matches.<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;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1978352490656526759&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F1422%2F&sessionId=d92f6f8f14ec3f8a18ae56bfb1be02fbb9a7f668&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-twitter-extracted-i1760601469914208806="true">Noman Ali grabs his career&#39;s 3rd 1️⃣0️⃣-wicket haul vs South Africa in the first Test at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvSA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvSA</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GreenPeYaqeen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GreenPeYaqeen</a> <a href="https://t.co/aNS5J4Lq9m">pic.twitter.com/aNS5J4Lq9m</a>&mdash; Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealPCB/status/1978352490656526759?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2025</a></blockquote></div>He now joins an elite club alongside Fazal Mahmood, Sydney Barnes, and Australia&rsquo;s C.V. Grimmett &mdash; bowlers who defined their eras. Even legends like Muttiah Muralidaran, Shane Warne, and Ravichandran Ashwin didn&rsquo;t reach this milestone so early in their careers. Noman&rsquo;s match-turning spells against England, West Indies, and now South Africa highlight his reliability. Eleven and nine wickets against England, six and ten versus West Indies, and another ten against South Africa, these numbers speak of a spinner at the peak of his craft.&nbsp;Dominance backed by numbersSince making a late Test debut in 2021 at 35, Noman has become Pakistan&rsquo;s most trusted match-winner in the longer format, a bowler capable of altering the course of a game on his own. Over 20 Tests, he has taken 93 wickets at an impressive average of 24.15, including nine five-fors and three ten-wicket match hauls. No Pakistani bowler has claimed more wickets during this period. He leads the pack ahead of Shaheen Shah Afridi (81), Sajid Khan (64), Hasan Ali (49), and Abrar Ahmed (46). In the past year alone, Noman&rsquo;s form has been sensational, 52 wickets at a remarkable average of 15.21 since July 2023, the best by any bowler in the world over that span.&nbsp;A tireless workhorseBeyond the stats, it&rsquo;s Noman&rsquo;s work ethic that truly defines him. In the recent Lahore Test, Pakistan bowled 144.5 overs, and Noman shouldered 63 of them, a testament to his stamina and commitment. His ability to maintain accuracy, extract turn, and sustain pressure makes him indispensable in the red-ball format. At 39, his endurance and discipline remain unmatched, setting a benchmark for the next generation of Pakistani spinners.&nbsp;Recognition overdueDespite his remarkable consistency, it&rsquo;s disappointing that Noman remains in Category C of the PCB&rsquo;s central contracts, a slot that hardly does justice to his impact. For a player who has carried Pakistan&rsquo;s spin attack for nearly four years, higher recognition is long overdue.&nbsp;A case for T20 inclusionWith the T20 World Cup 2026 set to be played in spin-friendly conditions across India and Sri Lanka, Pakistan&rsquo;s lack of experienced spinners could once again be exposed. Given Noman&rsquo;s control, temperament, and ability to deceive with flight and drift, he could be a surprise yet valuable addition to Pakistan&rsquo;s T20 setup. In a format dominated by mystery and wrist-spinners, his classical left-arm orthodox style could bring control and stability, especially on turning tracks.&nbsp;An underrated legend in the makingFrom being a late bloomer to becoming Pakistan&rsquo;s most consistent Test bowler, Noman Ali&rsquo;s journey embodies resilience, patience, and quiet excellence. He may not command the spotlight like Shaheen or Naseem, but his numbers tell a story of dominance and reliability few can match. At 39, Noman continues to prove that age is just a number, not a limitation, in the story of a spinner who refuses to stop rewriting Pakistan&rsquo;s Test history.

Cricket

At 39, Noman Ali defies age and odds to become Pakistan’s most reliable Test match-winner yet remains undervalued.