ISTANBUL: Two Turkish journalists were arrested Saturday for filming near a sensitive airbase in southern Turkey that hosts US troops in live footage taken for Anka news agency, the Turkish outlet said. &quot;Two journalists were detained... as part of an investigation launched by the Adana chief public prosecutor&rsquo;s office regarding ANKA News Agency&rsquo;s broadcast from the vicinity of Incirlik air base,&quot; it said. The arrests came following Israeli and US strikes on Iran, which retaliated with missile barrages against Gulf states hosting US bases and against Israel.

People hold placards during a protest against the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, in Parliament Square in central London, on February 28, 2026. (AFP)

Americas

Middle East

Two reporters arrested in Adana during live coverage near Incirlik base amid escalating regional tensions.

Journalists held for filming near airbase hosting US forces in Turkiye

KANDY: New Zealand qualified for the T20 World Cup semi-finals after Sri Lanka avoided a big defeat against Pakistan on Saturday in Kandy.&nbsp;Pakistan, who needed to win by 65 runs in their final Super Eights match to pip New Zealand on net run rate, won by only five after scoring 212-8 with Sri Lanka just falling short on 207-6.&nbsp;Sahibzada Farhan hit a 60-ball century for Pakistan, his second of the tournament, to take his side to their highest total in any T20 World Cup.&nbsp;Pakistan needed to keep Sri Lanka down to 147 or fewer, but Pavan Rathnayake hit 58 and captain Dasun Shanaka struck an unbeaten 76 off just 31 balls to snuff out Pakistan hopes.&nbsp;After a thrilling chase, Sri Lanka needed six off the last ball but Shanaka failed to connect after hitting three of his eight sixes in the final over.&nbsp;The result puts New Zealand through to a likely meeting with South Africa in Kolkata on Wednesday for a place in the final.&nbsp;Spinner Abrar Ahmed was the pick of the Pakistan bowlers with 3-23 in his four overs.&nbsp;After Pakistan were asked to bat first, Farhan followed his group-stage century against Namibia with another ton to become the first player to score two hundreds in the same T20 World Cup.&nbsp;Fellow opener Fakhar Zaman cracked 84 off 42 balls.&nbsp;Farhan scored five sixes and nine fours as he took his aggregate for the tournament to 383 runs, a T20 World Cup record, passing India&#39;s Virat Kohli&#39;s 319 in 2014.&nbsp;Farhan and Zaman put on an opening stand of 176 in 15.5 overs. Zaman hit four sixes and nine fours.&nbsp;Farhan pushed Shanaka for a single to complete his century off 59 balls before being dismissed by Dilshan Madushanka in the final over.&nbsp;Madushanka was the best Sri Lankan bowler with 3-33.&nbsp;Pakistan&#39;s previous highest at a T20 World cup was the 201-5 they made against Bangladesh in Kolkata in 2016.

Cricket

New Zealand reached the T20 World Cup semifinals after Pakistan’s five-run win over Sri Lanka in Kandy proved insufficient. Sahibzada Farhan’s century lifted Pakistan to 212-8, but Sri Lanka’s strong chase denied the required big-margin victory.

Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka but knocked out of the T20 World Cup

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has ordered the evacuation of its nationals from Iran following US and Israeli strikes on Tehran and retaliatory attacks across the Gulf, while strongly condemning the escalation and calling for diplomacy to restore regional stability.&nbsp;Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level security review on Saturday, directing all federal and provincial institutions to implement comprehensive measures to safeguard national security.&nbsp;He instructed the Foreign Office to coordinate with the Azerbaijani government to ensure the safe return of Pakistani citizens in Iran via Azerbaijan.&nbsp;PM Sharif said the armed forces, under Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir are fully prepared to defend Pakistan&rsquo;s sovereignty and territorial integrity.&nbsp;In separate calls with Gulf leaders, the prime minister expressed Pakistan&rsquo;s solidarity and condolences over casualties.&nbsp;Speaking with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, he said, &ldquo;Spoke with my dear brother HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this evening to express Pakistan&rsquo;s strong condemnation of the dangerous regional escalation following the Israeli attack on Iran and subsequent attacks in the Gulf region.&rdquo;&nbsp;Sharif also spoke with Qatar&rsquo;s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, strongly condemning attacks on their countries and assuring them of Pakistan&rsquo;s full support.&nbsp;He expressed sorrow over the death of a Pakistani national in the UAE missile strike and vowed to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Gulf nations amid the crisis.&nbsp;Earlier, Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed regret over the breakdown of diplomatic talks and condemned &ldquo;unwarranted attacks&rdquo; against Iran, highlighting that such hostilities threaten the peace and stability of the entire region.&nbsp;The Foreign Office also condemned Iranian retaliatory strikes on Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE, calling them &ldquo;blatant violations of the sovereignty of the brotherly Gulf states.&rdquo;&nbsp;Pakistan has issued a travel advisory urging citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Iran. Those currently in the country are advised to minimize movement, remain in regular contact with Pakistani diplomatic missions, and use contact numbers provided by the Embassy in Tehran and consulates in Zahidan and Mashhad.&nbsp;Officials stressed the urgent need for all parties to uphold international law and resume diplomacy to achieve a negotiated, peaceful resolution and prevent further destabilization in the Middle East.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level security review: Directing all federal and provincial institutions to implement comprehensive measures to safeguard national security

PM Sharif orders evacuation of Pakistani nationals from Iran amid Middle East crisis

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan strongly condemned the escalating violence in the Middle East on Saturday, following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent attacks across Gulf countries, emphasizing the urgent need for diplomacy and regional stability, according to official statements.&nbsp;Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, saying, &ldquo;Spoke with my dear brother HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this evening to express Pakistan&rsquo;s strong condemnation of the dangerous regional escalation following the Israeli attack on Iran and subsequent attacks in the Gulf region.&rdquo; <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: 369px; 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=2027756179066392803&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=9543b1882a24efc166071ff1a387a651168967ef&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp; He reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to support Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, adding, &ldquo;We remain ready to play a constructive role for peace and pray that the blessings of Ramadan bring calm and stability to our region.&rdquo;&nbsp;Earlier, Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office expressed regret over the breakdown of diplomatic talks and the outbreak of hostilities. <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" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 850px; 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=2027769233443328272&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=9543b1882a24efc166071ff1a387a651168967ef&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;The spokesperson said, &ldquo;Pakistan condemns the unwarranted attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran. These attacks come at a time when diplomatic efforts were underway to reach a peaceful and negotiated solution. Such a course of action will undermine the peace and stability of the entire region, with far-reaching consequences.&rdquo;&nbsp;The statement also condemned Iranian retaliatory attacks on Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, calling them &ldquo;blatant violations of the sovereignty of the brotherly Gulf states&rdquo; and highlighting the death of a Pakistani national in the UAE missile strike.&nbsp;The Foreign Office urged all sides to refrain from actions that could further escalate the crisis.&nbsp;PM Sharif also held separate telephone conversations with Qatar&rsquo;s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.&nbsp;During the calls, he strongly condemned the regional escalation and expressed Pakistan&rsquo;s full solidarity with the Gulf nations. Referring to attacks on Qatar and the UAE, he expressed condolences over the death of a Pakistani national and assured both countries that Pakistan would continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with their leadership and people amid the crisis.&nbsp;In response to the evolving situation, Islamabad issued a travel advisory urging citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Iran. Nationals currently in Iran are advised to remain cautious, limit movement, and stay in regular contact with Pakistani diplomatic missions.&nbsp;The Embassy in Tehran and consulates in Zahidan and Mashhad have provided landline and mobile numbers for assistance.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s statements underline the country&rsquo;s call for all parties to respect international law and uphold the principles of the UN Charter. Officials emphasized the urgent need to resume diplomatic efforts and pursue a negotiated, peaceful resolution to prevent further destabilization across the region.

In telephone conversations with Saudi Crown Prince, UAE President, and Qatar Emir, Pakistan’s Prime Minister condemns Israeli strikes on Iran, expresses solidarity with Gulf states, urges diplomacy, calls for restraint and issues travel advisory for Pakistani nationals

Pakistan PM condemns attacks on Iran, urges peace across Middle East

A live blog tracking fast-moving developments after US and Israeli strikes on Iran, including regional military responses, airspace closures, airline disruptions, official statements, and international diplomatic reactions as events unfold in real time.

US, Israel strike Iran; regional escalation prompts retaliation warnings across

TEHRAN:&nbsp;Iran&#39;s judiciary said the death toll from a strike on Saturday that hit a school in the country&#39;s south has risen to 85, after the US and Israel launched a wave of attacks on the Islamic republic.&nbsp;&quot;The number of martyrs at the girls&#39; school in Minab has increased to 85,&quot; the judiciary&#39;s Mizan Online website quoted the local prosecutor&#39;s office as saying.&nbsp;AFP was unable to access the location to verify the toll or the circumstances surrounding the incident.&nbsp;Iran&#39;s President Masoud Pezeshkian said &quot;this barbaric act is another black page in the record of countless crimes committed by the aggressors&quot;.&nbsp;Israel and the US launched a wave of strikes against their longtime foe on Saturday morning.&nbsp;

Asia

Iran’s judiciary said the death toll from a Saturday strike on a girls’ school in southern Iran has risen to 85, following US and Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic.

Death toll from attack on school in Iran's south rises to 85: Judiciary

ISLAMABAD: Airlines across Asia, Europe and the Middle East suspended or rerouted flights on Saturday after US and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered widespread airspace closures and security alerts across the region.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines, said it halted services to several Gulf destinations, citing deteriorating regional conditions.&nbsp;&ldquo;PIA&rsquo;s flights to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Doha and Kuwait have been suspended due to the changing situation,&rdquo; the airline said in a statement.&nbsp;Multiple governments moved to restrict civilian air traffic after Iran closed its airspace and retaliatory activity spread across neighboring states. Pakistan, T&uuml;rkiye, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates all announced at least partial airspace closures within hours of the strikes.&nbsp;Airlines suspend regional operations&nbsp;Turkish Airlines said it cancelled flights to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Jordan until March 2.&nbsp;&ldquo;Flights to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Oman are suspended for today,&rdquo; spokesman Yahya &Uuml;st&uuml;n said.&nbsp;Qatar&rsquo;s civil aviation authority announced a temporary closure of the country&rsquo;s airspace, prompting Qatar Airways to suspend all departures and arrivals from Doha.&nbsp;The airline said it &ldquo;confirms the temporary suspension of its flights to, and from, Doha due to the closure of Qatari airspace.&rdquo;&nbsp;Air France said it was suspending flights to Dubai and Riyadh, expanding earlier cancellations that included Tel Aviv and Beirut.&nbsp;&ldquo;Due to the security situation at the destination, the airline has decided to cancel its flights scheduled for February 28 and March 1 to and from Tel Aviv,&rdquo; the company said, adding that the suspension would be extended.&nbsp;Russia&rsquo;s aviation authority said all commercial flights to Israel and Iran were cancelled &ldquo;until further notice,&rdquo; affecting multiple Russian carriers.&nbsp;Air India announced a blanket suspension of Middle East operations.&nbsp;&ldquo;In view of the developing situation in parts of the Middle East, all Air India flights to all destinations in the Middle East have been suspended,&rdquo; the airline said in a statement.&nbsp;British Airways said it would not operate flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until March 4 and confirmed the cancellation of a scheduled service to Amman.&nbsp;&ldquo;We are closely monitoring the situation and have taken the operational decision to cancel our flights,&rdquo; the airline said.&nbsp;Swiss International Air Lines said it suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv until March 7 and cancelled scheduled services between Zurich and Dubai.&nbsp;&ldquo;As numerous airspaces are closed as a result of the current situation, we are cancelling these flights,&rdquo; the airline said.&nbsp;The Lufthansa Group said it cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil and Tehran until March 7, and temporarily halted services to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.&nbsp;&ldquo;These measures are due to the current situation in the Middle East,&rdquo; the group said.&nbsp;Air Alg&eacute;rie said it cancelled flights scheduled for Saturday to Amman, Dubai and Doha, according to a statement released to local media.&nbsp;Norwegian budget carrier Norwegian Air said it suspended flights to and from Dubai through March 4.&nbsp;&ldquo;We will then assess if it&rsquo;s possible to resume flights,&rdquo; communications director Charlotte Holmbergh said.&nbsp;Widespread airspace closures&nbsp;Iran&rsquo;s Civil Aviation Organization said the country&rsquo;s airspace was closed nationwide &ldquo;until further notice.&rdquo; Israel also shut its skies to civilian traffic, Transport Minister Miri Regev said.&nbsp;Iraq closed its airspace entirely, while the United Arab Emirates said it was implementing a &ldquo;partial and temporary&rdquo; closure. Syria&rsquo;s Civil Aviation Authority said southern air corridors near the Israeli border were closed for 12 hours.&nbsp;Jordan&rsquo;s military said its air force was conducting defensive drills to protect national airspace, later stating that two ballistic missiles were intercepted. Kuwait announced a full airspace closure, with its military saying it had &ldquo;engaged incoming missiles.&rdquo;&nbsp;Flight tracking service FlightAware reported that by early afternoon GMT, more than 11,000 flights had been delayed worldwide and over 900 flights cancelled, reflecting the broad impact of the regional escalation on global air travel.

Europe

Pakistan International Airlines suspends Middle East flights as regional airspace closures follow US and Israeli strikes on Iran, with major global airlines cancelling routes amid escalating tensions and widespread disruption across Gulf and neighboring countries

Pakistan, global airlines halt Middle East flights after US, Israel strike Iran

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has &quot;strongly condemned&quot; the &quot;unwarranted attacks&quot; against Iran on Saturday.&nbsp; A post shared by Pakistan&#39;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X on Saturday stated: &quot;DPM/FM Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar received a call from FM of Iran, Seyed Abbas Araghchi. They reviewed the evolving situation in Iran and the wider region.&quot;<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" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 770px; 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=2027698224249901202&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=c4adfe28f371d8383619bdeef82ca5026e275958&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>&quot;DPM/FM strongly condemned the unwarranted attacks against Iran and called for an immediate halt to escalation through urgent resumption of diplomacy to achieve a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the crisis,&quot; it added.&nbsp;

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan's DPM/FM Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar received a call from FM of Iran Seyed Abbas Araghchi; they reviewed the evolving situation in Iran and the wider region, said a statement from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Pakistan 'strongly condemns unwarranted attacks' against Iran 

Paris: Countries in the Middle East and around the world voiced fear of a regional conflagration after the United States and Israel carried out long-feared strikes on Iran on Saturday. Russia: Talks a &#39;cover&#39;&nbsp;Russia called on its citizens to leave Iran, with former president Dmitry Medvedev saying that talks with the United States had just been a &quot;cover&quot;. &quot;The peacekeeper is at it again,&quot; Medvedev, now the chair of Russia&#39;s security council, said in a post on X. &quot;The talks with Iran were just a cover. Everyone knew that. So who has more patience to wait for the enemy&#39;s sorry end now?&quot; he added. Qatar: &#39;secure&#39;&nbsp;Qatar, which hosts a US military base, initially said it was secure after the US and Israeli attacks on neighbouring Iran but was monitoring developments closely. An official later told AFP that Qatari defence systems had intercepted an Iranian missile, and the defence ministry said it had repelled &quot;a number of attacks&quot;. EU: &#39;perilous&#39;&nbsp;The European Union warned the situation in the region was &quot;perilous&quot; and called for civilians to be protected in any ensuing conflict. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, on X, urged &quot;all parties to exercise restraint&quot;, stressing it was &quot;critical&quot; to &quot;ensure nuclear safety&quot; after the US indicated Iran&#39;s nuclear sites were in its crosshairs. EU&#39;s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, who said the situation was dangerous, announcing the withdrawal of the bloc&#39;s non-essential personnel from the region. UK: avoid &#39;wider conflict&#39;&nbsp;The UK government feared the strikes could blow up into a broader Middle East conflict, and urged its citizens in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE to find shelter. &quot;We do not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict,&quot; a government spokesperson said, adding that the UK&#39;s &quot;immediate priority&quot; was the safety of its citizens in the region. Shah&#39;s son: &#39;final victory&#39; near&nbsp;Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran&#39;s last shah and a leading critic of Tehran, said that &quot;we are very close to final victory&quot; following the strikes. &quot;I want to be by your side as soon as possible so that together we can take back and rebuild Iran,&quot; Pahlavi -- who lives in exile in the Washington area -- said in a message to Iranians. Jordan: protect skiesJordan&#39;s military said its air force was at work on Saturday to protect the kingdom and its people while the strikes were ongoing. A military official later said that two ballistic missiles targeting the kingdom&#39;s territory &quot;were successfully intercepted by Jordanian air defence systems&quot;. Ukraine: Iran at fault&nbsp;Ukraine argued that the Iranian government&#39;s &quot;violence against its own people and other countries&quot; had triggered the US and Israeli attacks against Tehran. &quot;The reason for the current events is precisely the violence and arbitrariness of the Iranian regime, in particular the murders and repressions against peaceful protesters, which have become particularly large-scale in recent months,&quot; the foreign ministry said in a statement. France: safety a priority&nbsp;France, which has several military bases in the Middle East, notably in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, said that Paris&#39;s priority was the safety of its citizens. &quot;Obviously our priority in these sort of cases is the protection of our nationals, the protection of our forces in the region and the monitoring of the situation in real time, which we are doing,&quot; Alice Rufo, a deputy defence minister, told France 2 television. African Union: stability at risk&nbsp;The African Union called &quot;for restraint, urgent de-escalation and sustained dialogue&quot; after the strikes, warning that conflict could risk harming people on the continent. &quot;Further escalation risks worsening global instability, with serious implications for energy markets, food security, and economic resilience -- particularly in Africa, where conflict and economic pressures remain acute,&quot; said the pan-African body&#39;s head, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf.

Countries across the World have voiced serious concerns over a regional conflict after US and Israel carried out strikes on Iran

World warns against Mideast war as US, Israel strike Iran

LONDON: The UK government expressed the fear Saturday that the military strikes pitting the United States and Israel against Iran could blow up into a broader Middle East conflict. &quot;We do not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict,&quot; a government spokesperson said. They said that the UK&#39;s &quot;immediate priority&quot; was the safety of its citizens in the region. The spokesperson also said that the UK has &quot;a range of defensive capabilities in the region, which we have recently bolstered. We stand ready to protect our interests.&quot; A government source noted, however, that Britain was not involved in the US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Saturday. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was understood to be chairing an emergency meeting of his key cabinet ministers during the day. Separately, the British government, in a message on X, urged its citizens in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and United Arab Emirates to &quot;immediately shelter in place&quot; because of reported missile attacks on sites in those countries.

UK PM Keir Starmer said that Britain was not involved in the US-Israel attack on Iran and that it stands to protect its interests in the region.

Journalists held for filming near airbase hosting US forces in Turkiye

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Pakistan PM condemns attacks on Iran, urges peace across Middle East

Journalists held for filming near airbase hosting US forces in Turkiye

US, Israel strike Iran; regional escalation prompts retaliation warnings across