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<grammarly-extension data-grammarly-shadow-root="true" style="visibility: visible !important; position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; pointer-events: none; --rem: 16;" class="dnXmp"></grammarly-extension>ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia held counterterrorism talks in Islamabad on Tuesday, with discussions focused on the &quot;regional terrorist threat,&quot; particularly &quot;terrorism emanating from Afghanistan,&quot; according to a Foreign Office statement. The discussions took place during the 12th meeting of the Pakistan-Russia Joint Working Group to Counter International Terrorism. According to a&nbsp;Ministry of Foreign Affairs post on X, &quot;discussions centered on regional terrorist threat, with particular focus on terrorism emanating from Afghanistan and the risk it posed to neighboring states and the broader regional security.&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-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2069363227394453944&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=a7dd1ecd01aa916646ca6b88aa98f8f115625459&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" spellcheck="false">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The ministry said the two delegations also &quot;reviewed the state of bilateral cooperation on counterterrorism&quot; during the meeting and&nbsp;discussed ways to deepen coordination in regional and international organizations. The Foreign Office said both sides identified avenues to enhance engagement at forums, including the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The Pakistani delegation was led by Additional Secretary Ambassador Muhammad Khalid Khan Jamali, while Deputy Foreign Minister Dmitry Lyubinsky represented Russia.

The 12th meeting of the Pakistan-Russia Joint Working Group to Counter International Terrorism was held in Islamabad on 23 June 2026 (Photo: X/@ForeignOfficePk)

Security

Both sides reviewed counterterrorism cooperation and explored ways to enhance engagement at forums, including the United Nations and the SCO.

Pakistan, Russia discuss regional threat from ‘terrorism emanating from Afghanistan’

GENEVA: More than 13 million Syrians -- over half the population -- are facing acute food insecurity, the United Nations warned Tuesday, calling for clearing explosive-littered fields to revitalise agriculture in the war-shattered country.&nbsp;The UN&#39;s Food and Agriculture Organization said turning fields riddled with unexploded ordnance following the brutal civil war into productive land could help solve the food crisis in Syria.&nbsp;&quot;Syria&#39;s agriculture sector is at a pivotal moment,&quot; said Pirro-Tomaso Perri, the FAO&#39;s acting representative in the country.&nbsp;&quot;After 14 years of conflict, recurrent droughts, economic hardship, damaged irrigation, weakened services, disrupted markets, and widespread explosive ordnance contamination, rural livelihoods remain under severe pressure.&quot;&nbsp;He said there were &quot;around 13.4 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity,&quot; while for many rural Syrians, &quot;cultivating land, grazing animals, harvesting crops can be life-threatening&quot;.&nbsp;The Syrian civil war, which erupted in 2011 with president Bashar al-Assad&#39;s brutal repression of anti-government protests, killed over half a million people and devastated the country&#39;s infrastructure.&nbsp;Assad was eventually ousted in December 2024.&nbsp;Perri said that since then, 1,299 explosive ordinance-related incidents have been recorded in Syria, with 2,325 casualties.&nbsp;&quot;Agricultural and grazing areas continue to account for the majority of recorded incidents,&quot; he told a press conference in Geneva.&nbsp;With vast contamination and limited capacity, FAO is drawing up prioritisation plans to identify where clearance could have the greatest impact on food production.&nbsp;Once land is made safe, the FAO would then support farmers and herders with irrigation, seeds, animal feed and veterinary services.&nbsp;The FAO Emergency Resilience Plan for 2026-2028 aims to assist 9.8 million people, and requires $286 million.&nbsp;&quot;Our pledge is to continue supporting Syrian farmers, herders, and rural communities,&quot; said Perri, &quot;so that agriculture can provide food security, restore livelihoods... and help Syria move from emergency to sustainable recovery&quot;.

Africa

More than 13 million Syrians face acute food insecurity, the UN warned. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization said turning fields riddled with unexploded ordnance following the brutal civil war into productive land could help solve the food crisis in Syria.

Over 13 million acutely food insecure in Syria: UN 

ISLAMABAD: Iran&rsquo;s President Masoud Pezeshkian made an official one-day visit to Pakistan on Tuesday to further &ldquo;bilateral relations&rdquo; and discuss ongoing &ldquo;diplomatic engagements following the signing of the Islamabad MoU,&rdquo; according to a statement from the Foreign Office. The Iranian president was received at the Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi by Pakistan&rsquo;s President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi, along with other top officials from both sides.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" 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=2069440194630287602&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=d87f4f7b2893c594b316a71fd1e8b13a2dc0a797&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 599px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The visit marks Pezeshkian&rsquo;s first international trip since the US-Israel war on Iran that started on Feb. 28, and his second visit to Pakistan. Pezeshkian&nbsp;was escorted to the President&rsquo;s House, where he was received by President Asif Ali Zardari, former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto, and the first lady, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari. The two presidents held a bilateral meeting and reviewed relations between Islamabad and Tehran. At his reception at the PM House, the Iranian president was presented with a guard of honor and a 21-gun salute, while the air force also presented a fly-past, according to a post on X by the Prime Minister&#39;s Office, PM Sharif also met with the Iranian delegation. The meeting, attended by top Pakistani officials, including Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Munir, took place at the PM House. He later planted a sapling in the gardens. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 744px; 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=2069435355011702876&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=9929fbd0da6d5e5319e60e5d97384d0162cdd2a2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Iran&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was at the talks held between the US and Iran in Switzerland over the weekend, is also accompanying the president. Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir, also called on President Pezeshkian, according to the military&#39;s media wing. The field marshal reiterated Pakistan&#39;s unwavering commitment to peace and stability in the region. The Iranian president appreciated Pakistan&#39;s constructive and responsible role in promoting dialogue, de-escalation, and regional stability. He acknowledged Pakistan&#39;s consistent efforts to encourage the peaceful resolution of disputes and foster understanding among regional stakeholders at a time of heightened geopolitical challenges. Last week, PM Sharif told the National Assembly that President Pezeshkian had called him following the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, in which the Iranian president thanked the Pakistani leadership and public for their support and for the successful mediation efforts in the current conflict.&nbsp;

Foreign Affairs

The Iranian president was received at the Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi by Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi, along with other top officials from both sides. 

'Ongoing diplomatic engagements' focus of Iranian President Pezeshkian's Pakistan visit

Dania

Romesa Umar

ISLAMABAD: A review conducted by Pakistan TV Digital of news stories carried by seven leading Indian media outlets found that Pakistan has been a major focus of reporting over the past 48 hours, featuring in nearly 100 news stories spanning regional developments, diplomacy, security affairs, and sports. The review studied 19 Pakistan-related reports by NDTV, 15 by Aaj Tak, 16 by Times Now, 11 by Republic World, 13 by The Hindu, and 14 each by The Times of India and Hindustan Times. In several of these stories, Pakistan appeared either as the central subject or as a significant element within a broader regional perspective. The Indian media attention was the result of Pakistan&rsquo;s engagement on multiple fronts since June 20, including diplomatic outreach, security consultations, sporting developments, engagements led by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, statements by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, and reactions to a deadly blast in the country&rsquo;s northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A substantial portion of the Indian media coverage focused on Pakistan&#39;s role in regional diplomacy, particularly developments involving Iran and the United States. One report by Times Now falsely suggested that US Vice President JD Vance held Pakistan responsible for the delay in an Iran-related agreement. However, Vance&#39;s recent public remarks at the Lake Lucerne Summit in Burgenstock, Switzerland, highlighted ongoing engagement with Pakistan&#39;s leadership, including meetings and discussions with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir. He acknowledged the need for continuous communication as part of regional consultations. Meanwhile, Republic World described recent diplomatic developments as an example of &quot;awkward diplomacy&quot; and suggested, again falsely, that Pakistan had been sidelined in discussions involving Tehran and Washington. However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi offered a different perspective, publicly stating that the diplomatic process had already achieved &quot;major progress,&quot; reflecting a more positive assessment of the ongoing negotiations. Similarly, a report by The Times of India questioned the significance of former US President Donald Trump&#39;s decision to move swiftly on an Iran-related memorandum of understanding ahead of talks in Switzerland and argued that the development had left Pakistan in &ldquo;an uncomfortable position.&rdquo; The characterization contrasted with several public statements made by Trump in recent months, in which he spoke positively about Pakistan and its leadership and acknowledged the country&#39;s role in regional affairs. While much of the Indian media focused on analyzing the implications of Pakistan&#39;s diplomatic engagements, Pakistani officials continued to prioritize regional outreach, security cooperation, and foreign policy initiatives to strengthen ties with international partners and advance Islamabad&#39;s diplomatic objectives.

India

Pakistan TV Digital's review found nearly 100 Pakistan-related stories across seven Indian media outlets in 48 hours, focusing on Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach, security consultations, sporting developments, and regional diplomacy.

Pakistan-obsessed Indian media publishes over 100 reports in 48 hours

Muhammad Usman Amin

ISLAMABAD: A serving police constable was arrested within 24 hours of the killing of a Sikh gurdwara caretaker and his wife in Mardan, northwestern Pakistan, authorities said Thursday, in a case that highlighted quick Pakistani law enforcement action despite the suspect&#39;s position within the police force. Jagannath and Asawanti, who served as caretakers at Gurdwara Dera Baba Karam Singh in the northwestern Pakistani city, were shot and killed Wednesday, Mardan Police spokesperson Muhammad Faheem informed media. Police identified the suspect as Sher Shah, a constable who had previously been stationed at the gurdwara. The police spokesperson said forensic teams were analyzing cell phone data, CCTV footage and using facial recognition technology to identify the killer. Anti-terrorism laws were invoked and a Joint Investigation Team was formed. Authorities said that preliminary interrogations revealed that Sher Shah harbored a personal grievance following his transfer from the gurdwara. &quot;A crime is a crime, whether committed against a Muslim or a non-Muslim,&quot; Provincial Minister for Auqaf, Hajj, Religious, and Minority Affairs Adnan Qadri said in a press conference. The victims&#39; family was granted financial aid, and Rs4 million ($14,381) were allocated for the gurdwara&#39;s upkeep. But across the border, the reaction took a completely different turn. Television pundits, politicians, and right-wing analysts in India seized the tragedy to play geopolitics. They used a singular incident to paint Pakistan as unsafe for minorities. Talk show hosts, such as Hem Saroya on her show Vantage at Firstpost, started their monologues with variations of how while Pakistan was trying to project the image of a peacemaker abroad, at home it is a completely different story. It seems Pakistan&rsquo;s recent role in facilitating peace talks between the United States and Iran has been a source of frustration for India. These attacks come at a time when India is governed by a far-right party, heavily pushing a religious nationalist agenda that increasingly targets minorities. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom reported in 2024 that in India &quot;religious freedoms continue to deteriorate as attacks and discrimination against religious minorities continue to rise.&quot; Human Rights Watch documented escalating mob violence against Muslims across multiple Indian states, while a 2025 report by India Hate Lab documented a 13% rise in hate speech from 2024. In May, during Eid al-Adha, authorities in some Indian states implemented restrictions on Muslim prayer gatherings. Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, was quoted as saying Muslims should pray in shifts or &quot;we will employ other methods,&quot; as reported by India Today Global. In 2024, approximately 1,800 homes, mostly belonging to Muslims, were demolished in Lucknow under what authorities said was an eco-tourism project, according to The New Indian Express. Attacks on Christian minority have also increased. In 2024 alone, a mob attacked 18 Christian families in Chhattisgarh according to The Wire.&nbsp; Citizens for Justice and Peace have reported how Christian minorities face constant attacks in Manipur over ethnic and religious disputes. Given the quick response from Pakistani authorities to the Mardan killings, this raises questions about differing approaches to prosecuting crimes against minorities in India.

The fatal shooting of two Sikh caretakers at a gurdwara in Mardan led to a quick police response, while in India, religious minorities are regularly targetted.

How Pakistan's accountability highlights India's minority protections gap

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday said US-Iran talks in Switzerland have entered a second phase focused on nuclear issues, sanctions, and Lebanon, but could have been &quot;derailed&rdquo; by Israeli attacks on Lebanon.&nbsp; In an interview with Al Arabiya, FM Dar said that the negotiations could have started several days earlier, but were delayed by developments in Lebanon.&nbsp; &quot;These parlays, which are starting today in Switzerland, could have started a few days earlier, but because of Israel&#39;s attack on Lebanon, they actually derailed everything and stopped everything,&quot; he said. &quot;The moment this deal was signed, we saw that there was heavy bombing in Lebanon,&quot; he said. &quot;The world community should convince and persuade and influence Israel not to do what they&#39;re doing.&quot; Pakistan emerged as a key mediator during the crisis, maintaining diplomatic channels with both sides and helping facilitate negotiations that ultimately produced the memorandum. Dar said three technical groups had begun work following the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding on June 18. &quot;There are three technical groups, one to deal with nuclear issues vis-&agrave;-vis Iran. Second is about sanctions and de-freezing of assets. And third one is Lebanon,&quot; he said. The discussions are taking place under a timeline that envisages some issues being concluded within 30 days, while the broader agreement is expected to take up to 60 days, with the possibility of an extension, said the foreign minister. In April, Pakistan hosted direct US-Iran talks in Islamabad and facilitated subsequent rounds of engagement, helping preserve dialogue despite repeated setbacks. Now, after months of diplomacy involving Pakistan, Qatar, and other regional stakeholders, the process has moved to Switzerland, where technical-level discussions have begun under the framework established by the Islamabad MoU. &quot;Pakistan has been right from day one; very, very active,&quot; he said. On the Strait of Hormuz, FM Dar reiterated Pakistan&#39;s position that maritime traffic should return to the status that existed before the conflict erupted on Feb. 28, including toll-free passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz. &quot;According to my interpretation, there should be no fee. Its [straits] status before the 28th of February should be restored,&quot; said Dar. &quot;No matter what you call it -- service fee, toll or fee -- whatever it is, our understanding is there should be nothing.&quot; &quot;Ships are passing since 18th of June after signing of this agreement,&quot; he said. The foreign minister acknowledged concerns that tensions involving Lebanon could still undermine the broader diplomatic effort. Despite the challenges, Dar voiced confidence that the US-Iran negotiations would ultimately succeed. &quot;I have full faith that these two countries will reach a final deal.&quot;

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. (Radio Pakistan/X)

'These parlays, which are starting today in Switzerland, could have started a few days earlier, but Israel's attacks on Lebanon derailed everything and stopped everything,' Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said in an interview with Al Arabiya.

Israel attempted to ‘derail’ US-Iran talks in Switzerland: Pakistan FM 

ISLAMABAD: The tense standoff at a gurdwara in Rudraprayag district, in India&#39;s northern province of Uttarakhand, has entered its third day, as officials work to peacefully persuade a group of Sikh Nihangs occupying the building&#39;s roof to end their protest, local police and other government officials told the media. Nihangs, also known as Akalis, are a traditional order of Sikh warriors, easily recognized by dark blue robes, tall conical turbans and dedication to martial arts.&nbsp; The situation developed on June 20 after a disagreement at the Sikh temple Nagrasu Gurdwara, where a group of Nihangs reportedly clashed with staff and local authorities.&nbsp; Police said that the Nihangs climbed onto the roof and initially refused to come down, insisting on the release of four of their members who had been arrested following a separate incident in Chamoli district on June 16.<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: 897px; 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=2069352009866891511&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=f3f25907c68a665ebe28b96552aeb0a9a32f500b&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2069352009866891511"></iframe></div></div> While earlier reports indicated that a Sikh devotee had been taken hostage during the standoff, local police later alleged that there was no active hostage situation, assuring that everything was being closely monitored and remained under control. Witnesses reported seeing one Nihang waving a sword from the rooftop and allegedly throwing stones and bricks down below.&nbsp; Security forces are maintaining a strong presence around the gurdwara. Local officials said they have held several rounds of negotiations in recent days. Although some members of the group have come down from the roof, several Nihangs remain, despite repeated calls from authorities. The dispute reportedly started when the Nihangs, travelling from Rishikesh to Karnaprayag, stopped at the gurdwara for a meal.&nbsp; They complained that they were treated poorly by the caretakers of the gurdwara, which sparked an argument and led to police involvement. Authorities are reaching out to Nihang elders from Punjab for help in resolving the crisis through dialogue and to&nbsp;convince the remaining protesters to come down peacefully. The standoff has the potential to become a flashpoint with thousands of pilgrims passing through the area on their way to Hemkund Sahib, one of the most revered Sikh shrines in the world.

A standoff at the Sikh temple Nagrasu Gurdwara in Uttarakhand province has entered the third day as Nihang protesters continue to occupy the building's roof, demanding the release of arrested members, while authorities pursue negotiations with Sikh elders for a peaceful resolution.

Gurdwara standoff in northern India enters third day as talks fail 

ENGLAND: Multiple schools in England were closing early Tuesday and were set to remain closed for two more days, as a heatwave expected to set new records in the UK spread across Europe. The UK&#39;s meteorological office issued an extremely rare red heat warning -- only issued once before -- for Wednesday and Thursday, as temperatures could soar to 40C, unprecedented for the time of the year. The red &quot;extreme heat&quot; warning extends to parts of central and south England, including London and Birmingham, the UK&#39;s two biggest cities. The Met Office also forecast that the June temperature record -- 35.6C, set in 1976 -- could be broken on Tuesday, with the mercury expected to rise to 37C in southern England. &quot;To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering,&quot; said Met Office chief scientist Stephen Belcher. &quot;Human induced climate change has made events like this more likely and more intense,&quot; he added. Climate experts have also repeatedly told the government that the UK is not prepared for warmer summers. Dozens of schools said they planned to close early on Tuesday. A school in southeastern Buckinghamshire said it was closing on Wednesday and Thursday because &quot;most of our buildings cannot be cooled adequately and there is little shade outside.&quot; Network Rail, which manages most of the UK&#39;s railway, told passengers to &quot;only travel if absolutely necessary&quot; on those days, while the railway line connecting the northeast to London issued a &quot;do not travel&quot; advisory. The Met Office warned that high overnight temperatures could see &quot;tropical nights&quot; across parts of England and Wales. &quot;We&#39;re expecting severe and significant impacts from this heatwave, with health impacts likely for many, even beyond those who are normally more vulnerable to the heat,&quot; said Met Office deputy chief forecaster Mark Sidaway. Italy issues red alertsItaly&#39;s health ministry declared a red heatwave alert in 15 cities, including Milan and Rome, on Tuesday, advising people to stay indoors during the hottest parts of the day. The number of red alerts will rise to 16 on Wednesday and 17 on Thursday, the ministry said. There have been blackouts in Milan and Turin due to a spike in air-conditioning use. The hospital service in Parma, northern Italy, said 1,068 people had accessed its emergency care facilities over the last three days due to the heatwave. In Rome, a doctors&#39; association told the Corriere della Sera daily that seven public health service clinics had no air conditioning or broken air conditioning. The city&#39;s transport authority said the batteries on its new electric buses were running out of power faster than usual due to increased cooling demands. France records hottest-ever nightFrance experienced its hottest night from Monday to Tuesday since records began in 1947, according to the Meteo-France weather agency. The national temperature indicator -- an average of readings from 30 stations across France -- reached 21.6C, surpassing the previous record of 21.4C set in July 2019. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said 40 people -- many of them young -- had drowned since June 18 amid the severe heatwave. &quot;The latest figure reported to us is 40 deaths since June 18, mainly among young people,&quot; Lecornu said during a crisis meeting on Tuesday. The deadly heatwave has disrupted daily life across France, forcing school closures and train cancellations. Earlier, Sports and Youth Minister Marina Ferrari urged swimmers to respect safety rules after reporting around 20 drownings since the beginning of the weekend. Spain under widespread warningsNearly all of Spain was under a heat alert on Tuesday, with parts of the south and north of the country placed on the highest warning level. National weather agency AEMET issued red alerts for areas around the southern city of Cordoba, the northern city of Bilbao and parts of Cantabria. Temperatures of up to 40C were forecast in parts of the Basque Country, where such extreme heat is relatively uncommon. Large areas of central and northern Spain were placed under orange alerts, while most of the remainder of the country was covered by yellow warnings. Authorities in Catalonia imposed restrictions on traditional Saint John celebrations because of wildfire fears, banning firecrackers and flaming objects within 500 metres of forests. The heatwave, which began on Sunday, is expected to last until at least Thursday. On Monday, 101 of Spain&#39;s 828 weather stations recorded temperatures of 40C or higher, while around 30 stations failed to drop below 25C overnight, underscoring the intensity of the extreme weather gripping much of western Europe.

Swimmers jump from a bridge into the Canal Saint-Martin as France experiences a heatwave, in Paris on June 22, 2026 (AFP)

Climate

The UK's meteorological office issued an extremely rare red heat warning -- only issued once before -- for Wednesday and Thursday, as temperatures could soar to 40C, unprecedented for the time of the year.



UK schools plan to close as Europe braces for record-breaking heatwave

Faraz Saeed

ISLAMABAD: The United States has partially lifted sanctions on Iranian oil exports, marking the first concrete economic step within a broader diplomatic framework aimed at ending regional hostilities and reshaping Tehran&rsquo;s ties with global markets. The US Treasury on Monday issued a 60-day waiver authorizing the production, delivery and sale of Iranian crude, petroleum products and petrochemicals under terms agreed during talks between Washington and Tehran. The license runs through Aug. 21. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the decision reflected progress under the June 17 Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding&nbsp;and followed Iranian commitments on freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and cooperation with IAEA inspectors.&nbsp; &ldquo;As part of the framework, Treasury has issued a temporary 60-day general license authorising the production, delivery and sale of Iranian oil,&rdquo; he said. The sanctions waiver is among the memorandum&rsquo;s most consequential economic measures. Diplomats hope the move will help convert a fragile ceasefire into a broader political settlement. Iran&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi credited &ldquo;tireless Pakistani and Qatari mediation&rdquo; for the breakthrough and said the talks made major progress toward ending the conflict in Lebanon.&nbsp; In a post on X after the Lake Lucerne Summit in Burgenstock, Araghchi listed several outcomes from the negotiations: sanctions relief on oil and petrochemical exports, the lifting of blockades, the partial release of frozen Iranian assets, and the launch of a major reconstruction and development initiative for Iran. The joint Pakistan-Qatar statement, issued after the first high-level committee meeting involving the US and Iran, established a diplomatic channel to oversee implementation of the broader framework.&nbsp; At the center of the economic package is energy: Iran holds some of the world&rsquo;s largest proven oil reserves, but years of sanctions have sharply limited its export footprint, and the waiver is expected to widen Tehran&rsquo;s access to international energy markets. But the agreement extends beyond oil: the memorandum commits the US and regional partners to develop a definitive reconstruction and development plan for Iran worth at least $300 billion, with an implementation mechanism to be finalized within 60 days and the US agreeing to provide necessary licenses, waivers and permissions for related financial transactions. Iranian officials have emphasized the domestic impact. Finance Minister Seyed Ali Madanizadeh told state news agency IRNA the deal would enable Iran to sell oil without restrictions and repatriate foreign-exchange earnings.&nbsp; He said higher oil revenues would help narrow the budget deficit, bolster the currency and support non-oil exports and trade activity. He also highlighted the importance of frozen funds held abroad, describing them as central bank assets whose release would increase the supply of foreign currency to businesses and other economic actors. Madanizadeh linked Iran&rsquo;s recent economic strain to conflict, siege conditions and political tensions, arguing that falling government revenues had fueled inflationary pressure on households.&nbsp; Washington has stressed safeguards over any released assets: US Vice President JD Vance said the framework aims to ensure that any unfrozen funds are used for economic development rather than activities Washington views as destabilizing.&nbsp; &ldquo;We wanted to make sure that we set up a process where if we ever unfreeze Iranian assets, we can ensure that Iranian money goes to help the people of Iran and not to fund terrorism,&rdquo; Vance said in Lucerne. The agreement&rsquo;s potential economic effects are already drawing regional interest. Pakistan&rsquo;s finance minister told Pakistan TV Digital that lifting oil sanctions could create substantial opportunities for bilateral trade and investment, reflecting wider expectations that gradual normalization could unlock new commercial corridors, energy cooperation and cross-border investment flows. But implementation remains the decisive challenge. Araghchi pointed to the newly established Lebanon deconfliction cell as the first test of whether diplomatic commitments can be translated into durable political and economic results.&nbsp; If the mechanism proves effective, the framework could mark the start of Iran&rsquo;s most significant economic opening in years: restoring oil revenues, freeing frozen capital and laying the financial groundwork for a reconstruction effort potentially worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (L) shakes hands with Pakistan's Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif (C) next to Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir (R) prior to a quadrilateral meeting between the United States, Iran, Pakist

The US Treasury has issued a 60-day waiver authorizing the production, delivery and sale of Iranian crude, petroleum products and petrochemicals under terms agreed during Pakistan-Qatar mediated talks between Washington and Tehran.

Pakistan-Qatar mediation yields economic breakthrough for Iran

GENEVA: Israel is deliberately targeting Palestinian children in what has become a key factor in an ongoing &quot;genocide&quot; in Gaza, United Nations investigators charged on Tuesday, in a report slammed by Israel. The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry said it had found evidence that &quot;Palestinian children have been deliberately targeted and killed by Israeli security forces&quot;. This, it said, was a key factor in establishing &quot;the genocidal intent of the Israeli authorities and security forces to destroy the larger Palestinian group in Gaza&quot;. The three-member investigative team, which does not speak for the UN itself, first determined in a report last September that Israel had committed &quot;genocide&quot; in the war in Gaza -- a finding Israel flatly rejected. In Tuesday&#39;s follow-up report, they said the intense scale and systematic nature of Israeli military operations had continued, resulting in the &quot;unprecedented&quot; death, injury and trauma of Palestinian children. There were &quot;reasonable grounds&quot; to conclude that Israel&#39;s authorities and security forces &quot;have continued to commit the crime of genocide&quot; in Gaza, they said. Israel, which has long been harshly critical of the commission, slammed the report as &quot;defamatory&quot; and a &quot;libellous sham&quot;. It accused the investigators of ignoring &quot;the brutal tactics of Hamas, which ruthlessly attacks Israeli children and uses Palestinian children as human shields&quot;. Childhood &#39;erased&#39; in GazaThe commission, which was established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2021, examined for its latest report crimes affecting Palestinian children, and how living conditions imposed by Israel in Gaza were &quot;resulting in preventable mortality of children&quot;. &quot;Israeli authorities and security forces have deliberately targeted Palestinian children, resulting in genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in the Gaza Strip, and war crimes in the West Bank,&quot; the team said in a statement. The commission said that severe physical and mental injuries, mass trauma, orphanhood, separation, disability, repeated displacements, starvation, and the collapse of education and healthcare had &quot;erased childhood&quot; in Gaza and would continue to affect the territory&#39;s children throughout their lives. &ldquo;By targeting children, Israel is attacking the very capacity of the Palestinian people to exist and to determine their future,&quot; said Indian judge Srinivasan Muralidhar, who chairs the inquiry. &quot;Even after the October 2025 ceasefire, children continue to be killed and seriously injured.&quot; &#39;Strategy to destroy&#39;&nbsp;The report comes days after the UN children&#39;s agency UNICEF said at least 265 children had been killed and hundreds more wounded in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect. UNICEF said children had been shot, bombed, and struck by quadcopters, killed in tents, in schools, and while playing football or fishing. The UN inquiry said that during the first two years of the war, at least 20,179 children were killed and 44,143 injured &quot;as a direct result of the hostilities in Gaza&quot;. The killing and maiming of Palestinian children &quot;was part of a strategy to destroy the biological continuity and future existence of the Palestinian group in Gaza&quot;, it said. Disability a &#39;demographic reality&#39;&nbsp;By targeting children, the report said, &quot;Israel is eroding the foundational structure of Palestinian society, weakening the demographic vitality&quot;. Israel was responsible for causing a &quot;severe orphan crisis&quot;, while wounded youngsters &quot;face a lifetime of disability&quot; -- now &quot;a defining demographic reality&quot; among Gaza&#39;s children, it said. The siege of Gaza &quot;directly undermined reproductive and newborn health&quot;, while the collapse of public health programmes &quot;eroded the conditions necessary for a healthy next generation&quot;. The report listed Israeli divisions, brigades, and units that may be responsible for killing children in specific incidents in Gaza and the West Bank. Besides Gaza, the commission also documented a sharp increase in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian children in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967. The commission urged all UN member states, including Israel, to ensure accountability for crimes committed.

Displaced Palestinians sit with their empty containers amid the rubble of buildings destroyed by the Israeli military, as they wait to collect food from a charity kitchen in the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on May 1, 2026. (AFP)

Middle East

"Israeli authorities and security forces have deliberately targeted Palestinian children, resulting in genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in the Gaza Strip, and war crimes in the West Bank," the team said in a statement; The report comes days after the UN children's agency UNICEF said at least 265 children had been killed and hundreds more wounded in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect.

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