Shizza Jasmin

Before Eid al-Adha began across Islamabad, the capital came alive with packed cattle markets, crowded shopping malls, mehndi stalls and families making last-minute preparations late into the night.&nbsp; From sacrificial animal purchases to traditional sweets simmering at home, Pakistan TV Digital&rsquo;s Shizza Hashmi captured the energy, color and chaos of Chand Raat as residents prepared to welcome one of Islam&rsquo;s biggest festivals.

Shorts

Families crowd markets and cattle bazaars across Islamabad during Chand Raat as residents make last-minute preparations ahead of Eid al-Adha celebrations in the Pakistani capital.

How Islamabad celebrated Chand Raat before Eid al-Adha festivities

NABLUS: Youssef Shtayyeh came home from school on an April afternoon, dropped his bag in the hallway and headed straight back out to join his friends. Minutes later, he was dead &mdash; shot by an Israeli soldier, just 100 meters (yards) from his home. He was 15. His is not an isolated case. Since Israel launched a major military operation against armed Palestinian groups in the northern West Bank in January 2025, one Palestinian minor has been killed every week on average across the territory, up from one every three weeks in 2021, according to UNICEF, the UN children&rsquo;s agency. Seventy teenagers, mostly aged 15 to 16, have been killed to date, 65 of them by Israeli forces, according to a UNICEF report dated May 12. Then came Youssef Kaabnah, 16, killed on May 13. Then Fahd Oweis, 15, two days later. The Israeli military said both had &ldquo;hurled stones&rdquo; at soldiers. It is almost certainly what Shtayyeh had been doing too, on April 23, in Nablus &mdash; the largest city in the northern West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967. Youssef and his friends were on a side street above a main road when a couple passing in a car spotted them throwing stones. The couple also saw a military convoy below. One jeep stopped. Then the others. &ldquo;A soldier got out, then two more. They started shooting at the kids,&rdquo; the passing driver told AFP, declining to be named for safety reasons. &lsquo;Designed to kill&rsquo;A neighbor filmed what followed. Two shots. Then screams. Youssef grabbed the car door. &ldquo;He said, &lsquo;Please don&rsquo;t leave me, I&rsquo;m scared. Take me to my father, take me home,&rsquo;&rdquo; the driver recalled. Youssef&rsquo;s father Sameh Shtayyeh, a 48-year-old building contractor, told AFP he had no idea what had caused the soldiers to open fire on his son as he &ldquo;wasn&rsquo;t there.&rdquo; In a panic, the driver told the boy to get in the car and sped to the hospital. By the time they reached the facility, the boy was silent. Youssef&rsquo;s heart had stopped. &ldquo;A gunshot wound &mdash; entry in the back, exit through the chest,&rdquo; surgeon Bahaa Fattouh, who treated him, told AFP. Doctors resuscitated him and rushed him to the operating theater. His heart stopped again. This time, it did not revive. &ldquo;Earlier, we used to treat minor injuries &mdash; legs, arms, rubber bullets,&rdquo; said Fattouh. But since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, &ldquo;we only see lethal wounds &mdash; chest, head.&rdquo; Wounds, Fattouh said, that were &ldquo;designed to kill.&rdquo; &ldquo;Most patients die on the operating table.&rdquo; &lsquo;Standard procedure&rsquo;AFP contacted the Israeli military on the day of the incident, and again after returning from Nablus last week. The response was identical: &ldquo;A terrorist threw stones at soldiers. The soldiers applied the standard arrest procedure, which ended with fire being directed at the suspect.&rdquo; Israeli daily Haaretz recently quoted the military&rsquo;s commander for the West Bank, Major General Avi Bluth, saying troops had killed 42 Palestinians for throwing stones in 2025. He described stone-throwing as &ldquo;terrorism.&rdquo; Standing at the spot where his son fell, Sameh Shtayyeh stares down at the road below. &ldquo;Whether he threw stones or not &mdash; what does it matter? Where is the danger to an army patrol?&rdquo; he asks bitterly. At protests &ldquo;in Israel, in France, people throw stones and bins&rdquo; and face nothing worse than arrest, he said. He buried Youssef in the family village of Tell, five kilometers (three miles) from Nablus. Weeks later, women were still holding a vigil at the flower-covered grave, topped with a portrait of the teenager showing him on a football pitch with a ball at his feet. His father had promised to take him to Saudi Arabia to watch Cristiano Ronaldo play. Now, each time Sameh comes home, Youssef is not there to greet him. His eldest son returns from school &mdash; but Youssef is not there. He glances at the back seat of his car. Youssef is not there.

Middle East

Youssef Shtayyeh, 15, left school to meet friends and never returned home. Shot near his house in Nablus, he became one of dozens of Palestinian teenagers killed in the occupied West Bank since January 2025, according to UNICEF.

Shot for throwing stones: Israeli forces killing West Bank teens weekly

KHAN YUNIS: New clothes for children, sacrificial sheep and Eid biscuits, the hallmarks of the Muslim holiday, are all either unaffordable or unavailable in Gaza, casting a shadow over what is usually a time of celebration and joy. &ldquo;I go to the market only to look around because I cannot afford to buy anything. Whenever I ask about prices, I return heartbroken,&rdquo; Nadia Abu Shamala, a Palestinian resident of Gaza, told AFP. &ldquo;This year, Eid comes with none of the joy we once knew in Gaza because of the effects of the war, the soaring prices, and our inability to provide even the simplest needs for our children,&rdquo; said the 40-year-old woman from Gaza&rsquo;s north displaced to the central Gaza city of Deir Al-Balah for over two years. Despite a US-brokered ceasefire that began in October 2025, Israeli air strikes are still common in Gaza, where 80 percent of buildings were damaged in the war and most of the population depends on aid for basic needs, according to the United Nations. Israel controls all entry points to Gaza, and lets trucks of foreign aid and private sector goods enter in numbers that are too low to bring down war-inflated prices or shortages, NGOs on the ground say. <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/71c27e25-aabf-4020-b8a6-a1433fc5e5af-gazan-afop2.jpeg" alt="Gaza-Eid-2" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">Palestinians gather on a heavily damaged street to perform morning prayers marking the start of Eid al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice, in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on May 27, 2026. (AFP)</figcaption></figure> &ldquo;The truce is a big lie, but in any case, we are trying to create joy for the children,&rdquo; said Abu Abdullah Al-Mosadar, 59, who told AFP he pooled around 13,000 shekels ($4,570) with his brother to buy a sheep for sacrifice. It is an amount that very few Gazans can afford. &ldquo;I know it is very expensive, but I decided to perform the sacrifice this year,&rdquo; said Mosadar, a former property dealer from one of central Gaza&rsquo;s well-established families, adding that he hopes to start his construction and real estate business when circumstances permit. Sheep shortageCentral to Eid Al-Adha celebrations, which mark the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah, is the sacrificing of a sheep. According to Islamic tradition, God asked the Prophet Ibrahim, or Abraham in Jewish and Christian tradition, to sacrifice his son as a test of faith, only to stop him at the last moment and provide an animal to sacrifice instead. But in tiny Gaza, livestock cannot enter from the outside, and only one quarter of the pre-war&rsquo;s sheep population remains, or about 15,000 for the coastal territory&rsquo;s 2.1 million inhabitants, according to the UN&rsquo;s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). &ldquo;Regarding prices this year, sacrificial animals are witnessing an unprecedented increase due to the limited supply and the rising costs of breeding, feed, and transportation, and the shutdown of many farms,&rdquo; said Raafat Asaliya, spokesperson for Gaza&rsquo;s agriculture ministry. <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/7252fef1-a8f8-4d1b-ac60-fce31da40a64-gazans-eid.jpeg" alt="Gaza-Eid" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">A girl holding a piece of candy stands among Palestinians performing morning prayers marking the start of Eid al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice, on a heavily damaged street in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on May 27, 2026. (AFP)</figcaption></figure> As a result, &ldquo;a sheep or goat that was sold before the war for around 1,000 shekels is now priced between 11,000 and 15,000 shekels,&rdquo; Asaliya said. Gazans say they are shocked by the prices of sheep this year. &ldquo;We have never heard of such prices in our lives,&rdquo; Ahmed Abu Salem, a resident of Gaza City, told AFP. &ldquo;Families like ours, who used to make sacrifices every year, are now unable even to buy one kilogramme of meat for our children,&rdquo; the 50-year-old said. Tent-made sweetsWith gas in short supply, baking and cooking at home becomes an issue as well, Abu Ahmed Wafi, a 42-year-old displaced with his family in south Gaza, told AFP. &ldquo;The markets are mostly filled with kaak, maamoul, and sweets. We used to dream of making them at home as we always did before, but prices have risen sharply and there is no cooking gas available to bake them,&rdquo; Wafi said. In the south Gaza city of Khan Yunis, one family managed to prepare trays of maamoul, the Eid biscuits, under a makeshift shelter covered in a reused tarp bearing the logo of UN children agency UNICEF. Sitting on the ground, a woman and her daughter assembled the dough in circles Gaza-style, before a man baked them in a makeshift clay oven. From her tent in Deir el-Balah, an exhausted Shamala hoped for better days. &ldquo;We are still living in tents with no atmosphere of joy, only worries, fear, and exhaustion, without any of the happiness we once knew,&rdquo; she said.

Years of Israel's relentless military aggression have stolen Gaza’s Eid joy, children without new clothes, families unable to afford sacrificial sheep, and parents baking sweets in tents while surviving fear, hunger, displacement, and endless devastation.

No feasts, no joy: Gazans mark a dark Eid

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump said an annual medical checkup had gone &ldquo;perfectly&rdquo; Tuesday, as the health of the oldest US president ever to take the oath faces growing scrutiny with the approach of his 80th birthday. It was Trump&rsquo;s third medical examination since returning to office last year and follows mounting speculation about issues including bruising on his hands and apparent sleepiness during meetings. &ldquo;Everything checked out PERFECTLY,&rdquo; Trump posted on his Truth Social network as he drove back to the White House from the Walter Reed Military Hospital near Washington. The White House later posted a picture of Trump on social media with the caption: &ldquo;PERFECT BILL OF HEALTH!&ldquo; Trump&rsquo;s doctor is expected to release a summary of the medical exam in coming days, although the amount of detail released is entirely at the White House&rsquo;s discretion. Trump has long been accused of a lack of transparency about his health &mdash; and the chronology of his various checkups during his second term has added to the confusion. He referred to Tuesday&rsquo;s checkup as a &ldquo;six-month physical,&rdquo; despite the White House billing it as an annual dental and medical examination when it announced it earlier this month. Trump&rsquo;s last scheduled annual checkup was in April 2025. But it was followed by an unannounced hospital visit that October, which the White House then also described as an annual physical. The Republican billionaire&rsquo;s claims about his health are all the more subject to scrutiny given his repeated boasts about his mental and physical vigor compared to Democratic predecessor Joe Biden. Trump turns 80 on June 14 &mdash; an event that will coincide with an Ultimate Fighting Championship cage fight held on the White House lawn. &ldquo;I feel the same as I did 50 years ago,&rdquo; Trump said during an Oval Office event earlier this month. Trump said that was despite his well-documented love of fast food, steak and Diet Coke, adding: &ldquo;Maybe junk food is good.&rdquo; Officially standing at 6 foot 3 inches (191 cm) tall, Trump weighed 224 pounds (101.6 kilograms) as of his last full annual medical in April 2025, down from 243 pounds in 2019. He has denied taking weight-loss drugs. Trump has also spoken dozens of times about &ldquo;acing&rdquo; a cognitive test that he claims his presidential predecessors have not taken. Vein problemBut last summer, the White House disclosed that Trump had been evaluated for swelling in his legs and diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency &mdash; a common condition in which faulty vein valves allow blood to pool, causing swelling, cramping and skin changes. The revelation came after Trump was seen with swollen ankles on a number of occasions. Since returning to office in 2025, Trump has also often appeared with bruising on his right hand, usually covered with makeup. He also had a rash on his neck during one Oval Office appearance. The White House has attributed the marks on his hand to the aspirin he takes as part of a &ldquo;standard&rdquo; cardiovascular health regimen. During a number of White House events, Trump has also been seen apparently closing his eyes for several seconds, although he has repeatedly denied dozing off. After his October checkup, Trump said an MRI taken during the visit showed his cardiovascular health was &ldquo;excellent.&rdquo; His doctor, US Navy Captain Sean Barbabella, wrote in a letter released by the White House at the time that Trump&rsquo;s cardiac age &ldquo;was found to be approximately 14 years younger than his chronological age.&rdquo; Presidential age has been a recurring theme in US politics in recent years. During the 2024 presidential election, Biden was forced to drop his bid for a second term at the age of 81 after a disastrous debate against Trump. Biden was the oldest ever president to take office &mdash; until Trump began his second term. Trump also holds the record for the third oldest president to be inaugurated, having begun his first term at age 70.

Americas

From bruised hands to swollen ankles, here’s all you need to know about Tump’s health as scrutiny grows ahead of his 80th birthday and latest medical reports claim the US president remains in “perfect” condition despite mounting questions.

Trump declares himself in ‘perfect’ health, as 80th birthday looms

Simran Siraj

KARACHI: Under the blazing afternoon sun at Karachi&rsquo;s sprawling Northern Bypass cattle market, camel groomer Syed Ali Hassan carefully moves a pair of scissors across the thick coat of a towering camel, carving intricate geometric patterns into its fur with practiced precision. Around him, crowds gather to watch as circles, waves and traditional Sindhi-inspired motifs slowly emerge on the animal&rsquo;s body ahead of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim festival of sacrifice. The centuries-old craft, locally known as &ldquo;Oont Ki Katai,&rdquo; literally &ldquo;camel clipping,&rdquo; transforms sacrificial camels into living works of art before they are sold in Pakistan&rsquo;s bustling Eid cattle markets. &ldquo;There is no template,&rdquo; Hassan told Pakistan TV Digital while trimming another design into a camel&rsquo;s coat. &ldquo;I picture the pattern in my mind first. Then I make it with scissors.&rdquo; In Pakistan, Eid al-Adha triggers one of the country&rsquo;s largest seasonal economic activities, with millions of goats, cows, buffaloes, sheep and camels traded in temporary livestock markets across urban centers. The festival commemorates Prophet Ibrahim&rsquo;s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah, before God replaced the sacrifice with a ram. Muslims traditionally slaughter animals during the three-day festival and distribute meat among relatives, friends and the poor. While goats and cows dominate Pakistan&rsquo;s sacrificial markets, camels hold a special cultural place in parts of Sindh and Balochistan, where breeders often decorate and groom them before sale. At Karachi&rsquo;s market, regarded as one of Asia&rsquo;s largest seasonal cattle bazaars, elaborately groomed camels attract attention from buyers willing to pay extra for animals adorned with hand-cut artwork. Hassan, who comes from Sindh&rsquo;s Daulatpur area, said he learned the craft through observation and childhood fascination rather than formal training. &ldquo;When people see it, they ask if I use a computer or copy designs,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But I make everything myself.&rdquo; His father, also involved in camel grooming, gave him early guidance on forming patterns, but Hassan says years of practice helped him perfect the art. The work requires patience and near-perfect symmetry. A single mistake can ruin an entire design. Despite the growing popularity of social media videos featuring elaborately groomed camels, Hassan said many customers still underestimate the labor involved. &ldquo;People ask why I charge so much,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;They don&rsquo;t understand how difficult it is to create these designs using only scissors.&rdquo; As Eid al-Adha celebrations begin across Pakistan, artisans like Hassan continue preserving a fading folk tradition that blends livestock culture, craftsmanship and religious festivity into one of the country&rsquo;s most visually distinctive Eid customs.

Culture

A camel groomer creates intricate hand-cut patterns on sacrificial camels at Karachi’s Northern Bypass cattle market ahead of Eid al-Adha, preserving the traditional Sindhi art of Oont Ki Katai through skilled scissor work.

Ancient camel grooming tradition draws crowds at Karachi cattle market

Muhammad Ibrahim

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a series of high-level bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the United Nations Security Council Open Debate in New York, discussing regional stability, multilateral cooperation and expansion of Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic and economic partnerships. During a meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Dar discussed developments in the Middle East and Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts to promote dialogue and diplomacy for &ldquo;lasting peace and stability&rdquo; in the region. The two sides also exchanged views on UN Security Council reforms, the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, Afghanistan and Palestine.<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" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 696px; 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=2059484008589980120&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=1e3e311ebbf374c7d91e88216ff6d42c29cee4dc&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2059484008589980120"></iframe></div></div>According to the Foreign Office, Secretary-General Guterres appreciated Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;active engagement and contributions to international peace and security&rdquo; and its support for the broader UN agenda. In separate meetings with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Bahrain, Panama and Costa Rica, Dar reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to strengthening bilateral political, economic and multilateral cooperation. During talks with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, both sides reaffirmed their &ldquo;shared commitment to the UN Charter, state sovereignty and territorial integrity,&rdquo; while emphasizing the importance of the Global South&rsquo;s role in shaping a fair international order.<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-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 696px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2059312824015544604&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=1e3e311ebbf374c7d91e88216ff6d42c29cee4dc&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2059312824015544604"></iframe></div></div>The two countries also hailed their &ldquo;historic defence ties&rdquo; and agreed to enhance economic cooperation by optimizing the Preferential Trade Agreement and Transit Trade Agreement frameworks, alongside expanding energy and LNG cooperation. In his meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono, Dar reaffirmed the &ldquo;strong fraternal ties&rdquo; between Pakistan and Indonesia, with both sides underscoring the importance of frequent high-level exchanges and continued bilateral cooperation.<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-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; 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=2059334515928223912&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=1e3e311ebbf374c7d91e88216ff6d42c29cee4dc&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2059334515928223912"></iframe></div></div>Dar also met Bahraini Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, where the two sides discussed expanding cooperation in trade, investment and economic sectors, while agreeing to strengthen coordination as elected members of the UN Security Council.<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-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2059507385669202308&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=1e3e311ebbf374c7d91e88216ff6d42c29cee4dc&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2059507385669202308"></iframe></div></div>In talks with Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Mart&iacute;nez-Acha V&aacute;squez, both leaders reaffirmed commitment to strengthening bilateral political and economic ties.<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-4" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-4&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2059328561845325921&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=1e3e311ebbf374c7d91e88216ff6d42c29cee4dc&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2059328561845325921"></iframe></div></div>Meanwhile, Dar&rsquo;s meeting with his Costa Rican counterpart, Manuel Tovar Rivera, focused on enhancing cooperation across diverse sectors and strengthening high-level engagement between the two countries.<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-5" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 696px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-5&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2059320334147580362&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=1e3e311ebbf374c7d91e88216ff6d42c29cee4dc&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2059320334147580362"></iframe></div></div>The meeting was also attended by Rebeca Grynspan, Costa Rica&rsquo;s candidate for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Foreign Affairs

On the sidelines of the United Nations Security Council Open Debate in New York, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar holds a series of high-level meetings focused on regional stability, multilateral cooperation and strengthening bilateral partnerships.

‘Regional peace, stability’: Pakistan FM leads wide-ranging talks at United Nations

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: More than 1.7 million Muslims gathered in Mina before dawn on Wednesday to perform the symbolic stoning ritual marking the start of Eid al-Adha, following an overnight stay in Muzdalifah during one of the most demanding stages of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. According to Saudi publication Arab News and the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), pilgrims arriving from Muzdalifah began performing the ritual of stoning Jamrat Al-Aqaba at dawn, throwing seven pebbles at the largest of the three pillars representing Satan. The movement of pilgrims unfolded under extensive security, transport and health operations as Saudi authorities managed one of the world&rsquo;s largest annual religious gatherings. Millions of pilgrims dressed in white ihram garments moved through pedestrian corridors linking Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina, while water misting stations and medical teams were deployed along the routes to help pilgrims cope with desert temperatures. Saudi authorities said crowd movement at the Jamarat complex remained smooth under integrated operational plans involving security personnel, ambulance teams, sanitation workers and crowd-management officials. The Saudi Press Agency reported that shuttle buses and the Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro continued transporting pilgrims between the holy sites according to coordinated traffic schedules designed to reduce congestion and travel times. Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) said around 290,000 pilgrims were transported from Arafat to Muzdalifah during one operational phase alone, bringing the total number of passengers transported through the metro system during the first three phases to more than 604,000 pilgrims. SAR said the metro network would operate more than 2,000 trips during Hajj season, transporting over two million passengers across the holy sites. The third day of Hajj coincides with the beginning of Eid al-Adha, one of Islam&rsquo;s most important religious festivals commemorating Prophet Ibrahim&rsquo;s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah. After completing the first stoning ritual, pilgrims proceed with animal sacrifice, hair shaving or trimming and Tawaf Al-Ifadah at the Grand Mosque in Makkah before returning to Mina for additional stoning rituals during the days of Tashreeq. On Tuesday, pilgrims gathered at Mount Arafat for the spiritual climax of Hajj, offering prayers and supplications at the site where Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his final sermon. This year&rsquo;s Hajj has drawn 1,707,301 pilgrims, according to Saudi authorities, including more than 1.54 million international pilgrims. Pakistan has sent around 179,000 pilgrims for Hajj 2026, including more than 119,000 under the government scheme and 60,000 through private tour operators, making it one of the world&rsquo;s largest Hajj contingents. Pakistani officials said trained teams of Khuddam-ul-Hujjaj remained deployed across the holy sites to assist pilgrims with transport, accommodation, crowd management and emergency support. Pakistan also introduced a pilot project this year enabling thousands of Pakistani pilgrims to travel between Makkah and Madinah aboard the Haramain High-Speed Railway, significantly reducing travel time between the two holy cities. Saudi authorities said this year&rsquo;s Hajj witnessed expanded digital services, stronger crowd coordination and broader implementation of the Makkah Route Initiative, which allows pilgrims from participating countries, including Pakistan, to complete immigration procedures before departure.

Pilgrims gather in Mina to perform the symbolic stoning ritual marking the start of Eid al-Adha after spending the night in Muzdalifah during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Millions perform stoning ritual in Mina as Eid al-Adha begins

ISLAMABAD: The sun aligned directly above the Holy Kaaba in Makkah on Tuesday in a rare astronomical phenomenon witnessed as more than 1.5 million Muslims gathered in Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2026. The alignment occurred at 12:18 p.m. local time when the sun reached its closest point to complete perpendicularity above the Kaaba inside the Grand Mosque, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). The phenomenon came as pilgrims from around the world continued performing Hajj rituals in the holy cities of Makkah, Mina and Mount Arafat during one of the largest annual religious gatherings globally. Jeddah Astronomy Society Director Engineer Majed Abu Zahra said the sun reached an elevation of 89.94 degrees above the Kaaba, just 0.06 degrees short of perfect alignment. The event allows Muslims worldwide to verify the direction of the Qibla by observing the sun&rsquo;s position and the shadows cast by vertical objects, which nearly disappear at the moment of alignment. Abu Zahra said the phenomenon occurs twice each year due to the sun&rsquo;s apparent movement between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and carries scientific, educational and religious significance. He added that the alignment has historically been used to help correct mosque orientations and improve astronomical calculations linked to Islamic practices.

As Muslims from around the world gather for Hajj 2026, the sun aligns directly above the Holy Kaaba in Makkah during a rare astronomical phenomenon used to determine the Qibla direction.

Sun aligns above Holy Kaaba in rare astronomical phenomenon

WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday it was in negotiations with the Bangladeshi government for a new assistance program at Dhaka&#39;s request, as the South Asian country reels from the economic fallout of the Iran war. &quot;The Bangladeshi authorities have requested a new IMF-supported program,&quot; said Ivo Krznar, the Fund&#39;s Mission Chief for Bangladesh. &quot;IMF staff are in discussions with the authorities on their reform agenda and policy priorities.&quot; In March, Bangladesh&#39;s government said it was seeking loans of around $2 billion from multilateral donors to tackle energy security concerns sparked by the surging fuel prices caused by the war on Iran. In a virtual meeting last week between Bangladesh Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and IMF Deputy Managing Director Nigel Clarke, both sides agreed to move quickly toward a new program, the finance ministry said in a statement on Monday. Bangladesh is already in the middle of a $5.7 billion IMF program, which began in 2023 and was due to run for four years. Last week, the World Bank said it had approved a $350 million loan to help Bangladesh manage rising fuel import pressures and strengthen energy security after shortages linked to the Middle East war. The South Asian nation of 170 million people imports 95 percent of its oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG), much of it from the Middle East, where energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have been disrupted since the war began on February 28. Bangladesh relies on imported LNG to meet its electricity demands, with power needs surging as the South Asian country swelters in the summer heat. The government has already taken several measures to curb fuel consumption, including halting production at most fertilizer factories.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh is already in the middle of a $5.7 billion IMF program, which began in 2023 and was due to run for four years; World Bank says it had approved a $350 million loan to help Bangladesh manage rising fuel import pressures and strengthen energy security after shortages linked to the Middle East war.

IMF says Bangladesh requests new assistance program amid Iran war fallout

ISLAMABAD: Millions of Muslims across Pakistan on Wednesday celebrated Eid al-Adha with special prayers, animal sacrifices and gatherings with family and friends, while worshippers also prayed for peace in the Middle East and the success of diplomatic efforts aimed at easing regional tensions following the conflict involving the United States-Israel and Iran. The three-day religious festival, observed from the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, comes at the culmination of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, where more than 1.5 million Muslims, including around 179,000 Pakistanis, are performing the sacred rites of Islam. Mosques and open prayer grounds across Pakistani cities filled early in the morning as worshippers offered Eid prayers and listened to sermons emphasizing sacrifice, compassion, unity, and care for the underprivileged. Eid al-Adha, also known as the &ldquo;Festival of Sacrifice,&rdquo; commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah before God replaced the sacrifice with a ram. The occasion is marked by the ritual sacrifice of animals, with meat traditionally distributed among family members, relatives and the poor. In his Eid message, President Asif Ali Zardari said the festival reminded Muslims of &ldquo;obedience to Allah, patience, loyalty, sincerity and sacrifice.&rdquo; &ldquo;The joy of Eid is complete only when the underprivileged, the deserving, orphans, widows, the sick and those quietly enduring hardship are also included in these celebrations,&rdquo; he said. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also urged Pakistanis to remember vulnerable communities and reaffirm commitments to unity and service to humanity. &ldquo;We also stand in unwavering solidarity with our oppressed brothers and sisters in Palestine and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir,&rdquo; the prime minister said in his message. Meanwhile, the military leadership, including Field Marshal Asim Munir, Admiral Naveed Ashraf and Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, said Eid al-Adha symbolized &ldquo;sacrifice, faith and solidarity.&rdquo; &ldquo;The Pakistan Armed Forces remain steadfast in their sacred duty to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and stand shoulder to shoulder with the nation in pursuit of peace and stability,&rdquo; the military said in a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations. Special prayers were also offered for lasting peace in the Middle East, stability in the Muslim world and the success of ongoing Pakistan-backed diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions in the Gulf region after months of uncertainty linked to the US-Israel conflict with Iran. Across Pakistan, authorities deployed additional sanitation workers, security personnel and municipal teams to manage crowds, animal markets and waste disposal during the Eid holidays, one of the busiest annual periods in the country. The festival is also expected to generate significant economic activity for livestock farmers, traders, transporters and small businesses linked to seasonal Eid markets.

Mosques and open prayer grounds across Pakistani cities fill early in the morning as worshippers offer Eid prayers and listen to sermons emphasizing sacrifice, compassion, unity, and care for the underprivileged.



How Islamabad celebrated Chand Raat before Eid al-Adha festivities

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