Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President and Senior Vice President FIFA, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, will travel to Pakistan on an official visit from November 4 to 7, a statement issued on Monday said.&nbsp; &nbsp;According to the statement issued by Pakistan&rsquo;s Press Information Department (PID), the FIFA vice president&rsquo;s visit marked a new chapter in the promotion of sports &mdash; particularly football &mdash; in Pakistan.&nbsp; Ebrahim would also be accompanied by senior AFC officials and other representatives from the football community, PID said. During his visit, the AFC president was scheduled to hold important meetings with Advisor to the Prime Minister on Inter-Provincial Coordination and Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah Khan, as well as with other senior civil and military leadership, the statement said. &ldquo;These meetings will focus on infrastructure development in the field of football, enhancing youth participation in sports, and exploring avenues of cooperation on sports development projects in Pakistan,&rdquo; it added. Senator Khan, quoted by the press release, said: &ldquo;We extend our heartfelt welcome to His Excellency Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, President of the Asian Football Confederation, Senior Vice President of FIFA, and a respected member of the Royal Family of Bahrain, along with his distinguished delegation.&rdquo; According to the press release, the Senator said that he was &ldquo;confident that this historic visit will lay the foundation for a new era of football development in Pakistan.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;It will not only promote sports but also strengthen sports diplomacy, youth empowerment, and regional cooperation between Pakistan, Bahrain, and other Asian nations,&rdquo; Khan added. Last month, Pakistan played Afghanistan twice, in Islamabad and Kuwait, where the sides drew both games.&nbsp; Pakistan Football Federation also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, aiming to strengthen cooperation in key areas such as coach development, talent identification, women&rsquo;s football, and youth football.

Football

AFC president's visit marks new chapter in promotion of sports; he will also be accompanied by senior officials and other representatives from the football community.

Asian Football Confederation president to travel to Pakistan on official visit today

MUMBAI: India&#39;s top financial crimes agency said it had seized properties worth over $846 million from firms linked to beleaguered tycoon Anil Ambani as part of a bank fraud probe. Anil, the younger sibling of Asia&#39;s richest person Mukesh Ambani, has business interests ranging from power to defence but has seen his fortunes wane over the last two decades. In recent months, the industrialist has attracted law enforcement scrutiny with investigators probing alleged crimes ranging from diversion of bank loans to money laundering. On Monday evening, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said it had frozen assets worth more than 75 billion rupees, including office premises, residential units and over 132 acres (53 hectares) of land as part of its investigation. The agency said it had &quot;detected fraudulent diversion of public money by various Reliance Anil Ambani group companies&quot; and that it was &quot;committed to restituting&quot; the proceeds of these crimes to &quot;their rightful claimants&quot;. The ED also said it had initiated the probe based on a criminal case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in August. Reliance Infrastructure, an Anil Ambani-controlled firm, said in a Monday statement that the ED&#39;s decision to seize company assets would have &quot;no impact&quot; on business operations. The CBI case stems from a fraud complaint received by the State Bank of India, the country&#39;s largest lender, which claimed it was hit with a loss of 29.29 billion rupees after Reliance Communications &quot;misappropriated&quot; bank funds. A Reliance spokesperson said at the time that the tycoon &quot;strongly denies all allegations and charges&quot; and &quot;will duly defend himself&quot;. Anil was last in the public spotlight seven years ago after India&#39;s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi accused him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of dodgy dealings related to the purchase of Rafale jets from France&mdash;allegations that both denied. India&#39;s Supreme Court in December 2018 dismissed calls for a probe into the jet deal.

India

India's Enforcement Directorate seized $846 million in assets from Anil Ambani-linked firms amid a bank fraud probe alleging loan diversion and money laundering.

Indian investigators freeze assets in Anil Ambani probe

<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 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;">ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Tuesday launched Pakistan&rsquo;s first Google Chromebook assembly line in Islamabad, calling it a &ldquo;historic milestone&rdquo; in the country&rsquo;s digital transformation journey.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 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;">Speaking at the launch ceremony, Dar said the initiative would make digital tools more affordable and accessible, particularly in the education sector. He said the local assembly of Chromebooks would promote inclusivity and enhance learning opportunities for students across Pakistan.<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" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 673px; 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=1985644681581998215&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=99e15a41b80bc88f35ad031d8ed9c7317dda1694&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div><span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 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;">&ldquo;This is a defining moment for our country&rsquo;s digital transformation,&rdquo; Dar said, adding that the project marked &ldquo;a powerful endorsement of Pakistan&rsquo;s digital potential&rdquo; and the government&rsquo;s commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 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 deputy prime minister highlighted that Google&rsquo;s decision to establish a local office in Pakistan represented &ldquo;a moment of national pride&rdquo; and a step toward closer collaboration between global technology leaders and local startups. He said the company&rsquo;s local presence would enable direct partnerships, capacity building, and easier access to global digital platforms.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 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;">&ldquo;Together, we will also advance localized AI-powered solutions, such as Android services for public safety, and offer 100,000 Google Career Certificates to equip Pakistanis with world-class digital training and globally recognized credentials,&rdquo; he added.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 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;">Dar said Pakistan&rsquo;s policy was focused on creating a favorable environment for international technology firms to invest, innovate, and build sustainable operations in the country. He noted that the government was also working to rationalize tax structures to encourage investment and make Pakistan a regional hub for technology development.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 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;">Dar said the government remained committed to fostering an environment conducive to innovation and investment, adding that reforms &mdash; including tax rationalization &mdash; were aimed at making Pakistan a regional hub for technology development, Radio Pakistan reported.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 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;">Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima described the launch as a transformative step that &ldquo;brings together technology, manufacturing, and education,&rdquo; reaffirming the government&rsquo;s commitment to accelerating Pakistan&rsquo;s digital progress.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar joins officials and representatives from Google, Tech Valley and partner organizations at the launch of Pakistan’s first Chromebook assembly line in Islamabad on Nov. 4, 2025, marking a

Foreign Affairs

Economy

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar inaugurated Pakistan’s first locally assembled Chromebook facility, set up in collaboration with Google, terming it a landmark step toward technological advancement and youth empowerment. Officials said the project will expand digital access, create employment opportunities, and accelerate the country’s drive toward a knowledge-based economy.

Pakistan launches first Google Chromebook assembly line, DPM hails ‘historic milestone’

ISLAMABAD: Major education destinations, including Canada and the United States, are tightening scrutiny of student visa applications from India amid a surge in fraudulent applications and misuse linked to recruitment agents and forged documents.&nbsp;According to CTV News, citing Reuters, Canada reduced international student permits for the second consecutive year in early 2025 as part of efforts to curb fraud and control temporary migration. Data from the immigration department shows that 74% of Indian student visa applications were rejected in August 2025, compared to 32% a year earlier. In contrast, only 24% of Chinese applications were turned down.&nbsp;The number of Indian applicants also declined sharply, from 20,900 in August 2023 to 4,515 in August 2025, even though India has been Canada&rsquo;s top source of foreign students for more than a decade.&nbsp;Canada&rsquo;s new immigration legislation, Bill C-12, empowers the government to cancel or suspend study and work permits en masse to tackle large-scale visa fraud. Immigration Minister Lena Diab, addressing the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, said the bill targets &ldquo;people who are going to be committing large-scale fraud,&rdquo; adding that the measures aim to &ldquo;strengthen the integrity of the international student program and better protect the students themselves,&rdquo; according to UniversityAffairs.ca.&nbsp;Internal documents obtained by Canada&#39;s largest broadcaster, CBC News, reveal that Canadian and US authorities have formed a joint working group to identify and cancel fraudulent visas, singling out India and Bangladesh as &ldquo;country-specific challenges.&rdquo;&nbsp;BackgroundCanada&rsquo;s tougher measures stem from investigations launched in 2023 and 2024, when hundreds of fraudulent student visa cases involving Indian applicants came to light. According to the Government of Canada, a special task force was created to review these cases and determine which students were genuine and who had entered the country using fake admission letters arranged by agents.&nbsp;In April 2024, the task force had reviewed more than 108 cases, of which 41 (about 38%) were found to be non-genuine, while others were still under review. The findings prompted Ottawa to strengthen immigration oversight and lay the groundwork for wider reforms.&nbsp;US visa approvals also plungeIn the US, student visa approvals have also dropped sharply. AFP reported that 313,138 student visas were issued in August 2025, a 19% decrease from the same month a year earlier. Indian students, who became the largest foreign student group in 2024, saw a 44.5% decline in new visas.&nbsp;The fall coincides with the Trump administration&rsquo;s stricter visa policies, which include social media vetting and the revocation of thousands of student visas on grounds of national security or political sensitivity.&nbsp;President Trump has also imposed a hefty new fee on H-1B visas, widely used by Indian technology professionals, and restricted applicants from seeking visas outside their home consulate jurisdictions. The measures reflect a broader shift in Washington&rsquo;s approach toward India, once seen as a strategic counterbalance to China.

Americas

Official data show Indian visa rejections in Canada surged to 74% in August 2025, while US approvals fell by nearly 45%.

Indian student visa rejections soar in Canada, US amid visa fraud surge

PARIS: This year&#39;s United Nations climate summit promises to be symbolic, marking a decade since the Paris Agreement and taking place in the environmentally vulnerable Amazon in Brazil from Nov. 10 to 21. But what is actually on the agenda? The marathon negotiations gather nearly every country to confront a challenge that affects them all, but unlike recent editions, this &ldquo;COP&rdquo;, or Conference of the Parties, has no single theme or objective. That does not mean big polluters will get off easily at COP30, with climate-vulnerable nations frustrated at their level of ambition and financial assistance to those most affected by a warming planet. Here are the big issues to look out for as world leaders gather in the city of Bel&eacute;m, located at the mouth of the Amazon River, on Thursday and Friday before the start of formal negotiations the following week: Emissions The world is not cutting emissions fast enough to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, and no amount of pomp and pageantry at COP30 will sugarcoat that uncomfortable reality. Under the climate accord, signatory nations are required to submit stronger targets every five years to cut greenhouse gas emissions, thereby steadily raising the collective effort to reduce global warming. The latest round of pledges for 2035 was due in February, giving the UN time before COP30 to assess the quality of these commitments. Most nations missed that deadline, but by early November, about 65 had turned in their revised plans. Few have impressed, and China&rsquo;s target in particular has fallen well short of expectations. The European Union, riven by infighting among member states, cannot agree on its target, while India, another major emitter, is yet to finalize its pledge. A reckoning could be coming in Belem. Brazil &mdash; which described the latest round of pledges as &ldquo;the vision of our shared future&rdquo; &mdash; is facing pressure to marshal a response. Money&nbsp; Money &mdash; specifically, how much rich countries give poorer ones to adapt to climate change and shift to a low-carbon future &mdash; is a likely point of conflict in Bel&eacute;m, as it has been at past COPs. Last year, after two weeks of acrimonious haggling, COP29 ended unhappily with developed nations agreeing to provide $300 billion a year in climate finance to developing ones by 2035, well below what is needed. They also set a much less specific target of helping raise $1.3 trillion annually by 2035 from public and private sources. Developing nations will be demanding some actual detail about this at COP30. Adaptation is a major focus of the summit, particularly a funding shortfall to assist vulnerable nations in protecting their people from climate impacts, such as building coastal defenses against rising seas. Forests Brazil chose to host COP30 in Bel&eacute;m because of its proximity to the Amazon, an ideal stage to draw the world&rsquo;s attention to the rainforest&#39;s vital role in fighting climate change. At COP30, the hosts will launch a new, innovative global fund that aims to reward countries with high tropical forest cover for keeping trees standing rather than chopping them down. The Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF) aims to raise $25 billion from sponsor countries and another $100 billion from the private sector, which will be invested in financial markets. Brazil has already contributed $1 billion. Clement Helary from Greenpeace told AFP the TFFF &ldquo;could be a step forward in protecting tropical forests&rdquo; if accompanied by clearer steps at COP30 toward ending deforestation by 2030. The destruction of tropical primary forest hit a record high in 2024, according to Global Forest Watch, a deforestation monitor. The equivalent of 18 football fields per minute was lost, driven mostly by massive fires.

Partial view of one of the entrances at the City Park of the COP30, the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belem, Para State, Brazil, taken on November 3, 2025. (AFP)

Europe

Some of the major issues to watch out for at the annual climate conference in Belém, Brazil, include emissions, money, and forests.

Trees, targets and trillions: What's on the agenda at COP30?

NEW DELHI: India launched a revision of its voter rolls Tuesday, expanding a contentious exercise that activists warn could fuel disenfranchisement in the world&#39;s largest democracy.&nbsp;The three-month voter registration overhaul &mdash; known as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) &mdash; kicked off in 12 states and territories, many of which are slated to hold local elections next year.&nbsp;Tens of thousands of election officials and nearly half a million volunteers will go door-to-door to help residents complete voter enumeration forms.&nbsp;Officials &quot;will help the elector fill the enumeration form, collect it and submit it,&quot; Election Commission of India chief Gyanesh Kumar told reporters while announcing the exercise.&nbsp;Earlier this year, the ECI conducted a similar revision in the eastern state of Bihar, home to more than 130 million people, ahead of its state elections beginning November 6.&nbsp;The process led to the exclusion of around 6.5 million names, which the ECI said was necessary to prevent the inclusion of &quot;foreign illegal immigrants.&quot;&nbsp;Members of Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have long claimed that undocumented Muslim migrants from neighboring Bangladesh have fraudulently registered as voters.&nbsp;Critics, however, argue that stringent documentation requirements could result in large numbers of Indian citizens being wrongly removed from the rolls.&nbsp;Activists have reported cases of living voters declared dead and entire families being struck off draft lists.&nbsp;In August, India&#39;s Supreme Court eased some concerns by ruling that the widely used biometric-linked Aadhaar identity card could be accepted as valid documentation for the process.The latest SIR drive will cover major states including Uttar Pradesh &mdash;India&#39;s most populous state with about 199 million people &mdash; as well as West Bengal with 91 million, Tamil Nadu with 72 million, and Kerala with 33 million, according to the 2011 census.&nbsp;Several rights groups and opposition parties have filed legal challenges.&nbsp;Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, whose party filed its opposition in the Supreme Court on Monday, said the exercise was a &quot;mere trick to delete the names of genuine voters.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;Voting is the body and soul of democracy, and that right is facing a threat,&quot; he told opposition parties on Sunday.&nbsp;The final electoral roll is expected to be released on February 7, 2026.

The three-month voter registration overhaul kicks off in 12 states and territories, many of which are slated to hold local elections next year.

India launches mass overhaul of voter rolls

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday described the blue economy as a &ldquo;game changer&rdquo; for the country&rsquo;s long-term growth, saying it has the potential to transform Pakistan&rsquo;s economic landscape by unlocking new investment and trade opportunities. Speaking virtually at the Pakistan International Maritime Expo and Conference 2025 (PIMEC-25) in Karachi, Aurangzeb said Pakistan&rsquo;s maritime potential remains largely untapped, but the government is committed to developing it into a key driver of sustainable growth. &ldquo;The blue economy is going to be transformational for Pakistan,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We are hovering at about 0.4% to 0.5% of the national gross domestic product &mdash; roughly $1 billion,&quot; but our &quot;real potential&quot; stands at $3 trillion. He praised the Ministry of Maritime Affairs for setting an ambitious but achievable goal of developing a $100 billion blue economy by 2047, calling it &ldquo;transformational and the right ambition.&rdquo; Aurangzeb outlined several pillars to reach that target, including excellence in fisheries and aquaculture, modernization of ports and logistics, digitalization of port operations, and investments in renewable energy through innovative financing mechanisms such as blue bonds and blended finance. He said Pakistan&rsquo;s seafood exports currently stand at $500 million but could reach $2 billion over the next three to four years with the right policies and infrastructure. &ldquo;This is a very achievable milestone,&rdquo; he added. The finance minister emphasized that consistent policies and investor confidence are critical to realizing Pakistan&rsquo;s maritime potential. &ldquo;As finance minister, I would like to assure you that we will ensure policy consistency,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Whatever we commit, we will see it through the cycle.&rdquo; Aurangzeb said marine biotechnology, coastal tourism, and regional collaboration could further boost the sector, making it an integral part of Pakistan&rsquo;s national economic transformation agenda. While noting that Pakistan&rsquo;s broader economy was in a &ldquo;good spot&rdquo; due to macroeconomic stability and favorable geopolitical conditions, he said sustainable development of the blue economy would play a pivotal role in shaping the country&rsquo;s future. He concluded his remarks by commending the efforts of all stakeholders participating in PIMEC-25 and urged them to continue fostering partnerships that promote conservation, innovation, and inclusive growth in the maritime sector.

FILE PHOTO - Muhammad Aurangzeb at World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington D.C. (Screengrab from X /@Financegovpk)

Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday described the blue economy as a 'game changer' for the country’s long-term growth, saying it has the potential to transform Pakistan’s economic landscape by unlocking new investment and trade opportunities.

Blue economy a ‘game changer’ for Pakistan’s growth: FinMin

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s security forces killed four terrorists affiliated with the India-backed group Fitna al-Hindustan during an intelligence-based operation in Balochistan&rsquo;s Kalat District, the military said on Tuesday.&nbsp; Fitna al-Hindustan is a term Islamabad uses for the banned Balochistan Liberation Army.&nbsp;According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army, the operation was conducted on the night of Nov. 1, following reports of the terrorists&rsquo; presence in the area.&nbsp;Security forces engaged the terrorists&rsquo; location, killing all four and recovering weapons and ammunition. The slain terrorists were reportedly involved in multiple violent incidents and cross-border terrorist activities, the ISPR added.&nbsp;Sanitization operations are ongoing to ensure no remaining terrorists are present in the area.&nbsp;The ISPR said the operation is part of the ongoing counterterrorism campaign under Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, which aims at eliminating foreign-sponsored terrorism from Pakistan.&nbsp;President Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to the security forces, saying the nation stands firmly with the troops in their resolve to combat terrorism.&nbsp;Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also lauded the officers and personnel involved, praising their professionalism and courage. He reaffirmed the government&rsquo;s determination to continue the fight against terrorism until the menace is fully eradicated from the country.

Security

The military's media wing says the operation was conducted on the night of Nov. 1, following reports of the terrorists’ presence in the area.

Security forces kill four Indian-backed terrorists in Balochistan’s Kalat

<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 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 HAGUE: The International Criminal Court&rsquo;s Office of the Prosecutor on Tuesday expressed deep concern over reports of mass killings, rapes, and other crimes allegedly committed during recent attacks by the Rapid Support Forces in El-Fasher, North Darfur.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 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;">In a statement, the ICC Prosecutor&rsquo;s Office said the alleged atrocities form part of a wider pattern of violence that has plagued the Darfur region since April 2023. If confirmed, these acts may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute, the statement said.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 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 Office recalled that &ldquo;under UN Security Council Resolution 1593 (2005), the ICC has jurisdiction over crimes being committed in the ongoing conflict in Darfur.&rdquo; It said investigations are ongoing &ldquo;into crimes allegedly committed in Darfur since the outbreak of hostilities in April 2023.&rdquo;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 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;">According to the statement, &ldquo;the Office is working intensively, including through repeated field deployments, deepened engagement with victim groups and civil society, and enhanced cooperation with national authorities and international organisations.&rdquo;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 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;">Based on recent reports from El-Fasher, &ldquo;immediate steps are being taken to preserve and collect relevant evidence for its use in future prosecutions, the Prosecutor&rsquo;s Office said.&rdquo;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 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;">It added that &ldquo;the recent conviction by ICC judges of Janjaweed leader Mr Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman (also known as Ali Kushayb) for similar crimes committed in Darfur in 2004 is a warning for all parties to the conflict in Darfur that there will be accountability for such atrocious crimes.&rdquo;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 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;">ICC called on &ldquo;all individuals and organisations engaged in the pursuit of justice and accountability to submit, through the secure OTP Link platform, any information or evidence related to recent and prior events in El-Fasher.&rdquo;

Africa

The International Criminal Court expressed deep concern over reports of mass killings and abuse in Sudan’s El-Fasher, warning that the alleged atrocities by Rapid Support Forces may constitute war crimes.

Atrocities in Sudan could constitute war crimes, ICC says

Cricket

Pakistan have featured in 12 ODIs at the ground, winning nine and losing three, while South Africa have played five, winning two.

International cricket returns to Faisalabad after 17 years

Gaitty Ara Anis

WASHINGTON: New York City takes the world&#39;s political center stage as it approaches its mayoral election on Tuesday, with over 750,000 votes already cast through early voting. New York City, home to 8.7 million people, faces a stark political choice among three candidates: charismatic democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and seasoned independent Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani currently leads by double digits in all major surveys. If victorious, he would make history as the city&#39;s first self-declared democratic socialist and its first Muslim mayor. According to experts, Mamdani is up against two less-than-bright candidates. Cuomo has little chance due to his past scandals, and Sliwa is not very popular. American Dream personified&quot;He is presenting the classic American dream,&quot; said Jahangir Khattak, an academic and New Yorker. Mamdani, born in Uganda to South Asian parents, is a foreign-born immigrant in a city where 40% of the population was born abroad. His ethnic and immigrant background serves as a powerful symbol of New York&#39;s diversity, providing the foundation for his inclusive vision, promoted with the slogan &quot;Roti and Roses.&quot; Youth and immigrant supportMamdani&#39;s meteoric rise depends heavily on young voters &mdash; particularly Gen Z New Yorkers and immigrants &mdash; who view him as &quot;an authentic and long-overdue break&quot; from the political establishment. Muslim voter baseThe city boasts a large and growing Muslim population of around 1 million. According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, more than 300,000 Muslims are registered voters among the city&#39;s 5.1 million registered voters, providing a critical base of support for the first Muslim mayoral candidate. Policy platformMamdani&#39;s core platform promises a steep economic shift to ensure affordability for working-class New Yorkers. His key proposals include a rent freeze for stabilized units, fare-free city buses, and universal childcare, all funded by raising income and corporate taxes on the wealthiest. &quot;If Mamdani wins, it will be because of his ideas to work for the benefit of the working class,&quot; says Khattak, who believes that for a working-class person, &quot;saving a single dollar&quot; means a lot daily. However, the agenda is &quot;radical and ambitious,&quot; and &quot;these are still promises that need to be seen how they materialize,&quot; Khattak emphasized.&nbsp; Many projects are at the grassroots level but will undoubtedly require &quot;federal funding at some point,&quot; noted Dr Sohail Khalid, an expert on international affairs. Anti-Zionist positionMamdani&#39;s unapologetic anti-Zionist stance and intense criticism of the Israeli government have become a powerful rallying point for the progressive and younger electorate. He has consistently spoken out against what he calls the &quot;genocidal war&quot; in Gaza, saying the struggle there is &quot;tied to capitalist interests over here.&quot; Netanyahu arrest pledgeMamdani has said that if elected, he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit the city. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024, accusing him of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Israel-Hamas war. However, analysts note that &quot;New York is the bastion of Jewish population&quot; and believe Mamdani&#39;s statement is extreme, with actually arresting the Israeli prime minister &quot;almost impossible.&quot; Political fallout&quot;Mamdani, if he wins, will have to defeat many Democrats as well,&quot; Dr Khalid pointed out, as a considerable chunk of Democrats is siding with Cuomo due to Mamdani&#39;s anti-Israel stance. Despite this, Mamdani has backing from prominent Jewish and ethnic politicians, including Bernie Sanders and former President Barack Obama. Immigration policy clash?A Mamdani victory would set the stage for immediate conflict with President Trump&#39;s administration. Trump has made mass deportation a central policy, defending aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tactics and asserting that enforcement actions &quot;haven&#39;t gone far enough.&quot; Mamdani has pledged to defy federal immigration policies, announcing plans to transform New York City into an &quot;impregnable shield against ICE activities.&quot; He vowed that, &quot;We&#39;re taking every step we can to keep New Yorkers safe, to keep New Yorkers together, and to show the world that they are welcome in this city.&quot; Federal funding at riskPresident Trump has relentlessly attacked Mamdani, labeling him a &quot;communist,&quot; and warned that a Mamdani mayoralty would face &quot;problems with Washington like no mayor in the history of our once great city.&quot; Khattak fears a triumphant Mamdani would put the city in &quot;direct confrontation&quot; with Trump, who opposes Mamdani&#39;s socialist ideas and controls the &quot;federal purse strings.&quot; The Cuomo factorFormer Governor Andrew Cuomo, technically an independent candidate representing the centrist Democratic status quo, has repeatedly attacked Mamdani&#39;s inexperience and policy proposals as reckless and unrealistic. Challenging Mamdani&#39;s leadership capacity, Cuomo has asserted, &quot;This is no job for on-the-job training.&quot; He argues that his own prior experience dealing with the federal government makes him the only candidate who can protect the billions in federal funds the city depends on. In response, Mamdani has repeatedly pointed out Cuomo&#39;s past scandals and questioned his &quot;integrity&quot; as a politician. What&#39;s at stakeA Mamdani victory would not only dramatically reshape New York&#39;s political economy with sweeping social programs but also set the stage for an unprecedented legal and political showdown between a democratic socialist city hall and the Republican White House over the rights and safety of immigrants, even as the city faces continuous criticism from President Trump himself. The question remains: What would this win mean for New Yorkers, and how would it affect the broader political landscape in the deeply divided USA?

According to the city government, more than 750,000 votes have already been cast through early voting; Zohran Mamdani is currently showing a double-digit lead in all major surveys.

Asian Football Confederation president to travel to Pakistan on official visit today

Related Articles

Shafali Verma: India's World Cup hero who disguised herself as a boy

Barca beat Elche to recover from Clasico loss

India lift first Women's World Cup

New Zealand's Kane Williamson retires from T20 internationals

Latest News

Indian investigators freeze assets in Anil Ambani probe

Pakistan launches first Google Chromebook assembly line, DPM hails ‘historic milestone’

Indian student visa rejections soar in Canada, US amid visa fraud surge

Trees, targets and trillions: What's on the agenda at COP30?

India launches mass overhaul of voter rolls