Asfandyar Yahya

It&rsquo;s not English. It&rsquo;s not nonsense. It&rsquo;s everywhere. Lorem Ipsum has outlived empires, printing presses, and software updates, and somehow ended up on your Canva template.In this episode, we explore the history behind the internet&rsquo;s favorite filler text.

Tell Me Why

Tell Me Why: Lorem Ipsum matters

Web Desk

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.

Middle East

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.

UK fears US-Iran conflict spiralling into Mideast war

ISLAMABAD: Claims circulating on Afghan and Indian media platforms that a Pakistani fighter jet was shot down over Afghanistan during Pakistan&rsquo;s retaliatory strikes have been rejected by Pakistani authorities and debunked by independent reporting. The claim, first attributed to officials of the Afghan Taliban government and amplified by Indian media outlets, alleged that Afghan forces downed a Pakistani jet in Nangarhar province and captured its pilot alive. Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry categorically denied the reports. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s a false claim. Totally untrue,&rdquo; Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said, dismissing assertions of any aircraft loss or pilot capture. No Pakistani authority has reported the loss of an aircraft since the launch of Pakistan&rsquo;s retaliatory operation and no independent international media organization has verified the claim. Officials said the allegation relied entirely on statements from Afghan Taliban sources and unverified social media amplification. Critically, no physical evidence has emerged to support the narrative. No crash debris, wreckage site, or images of a captured pilot have been produced. Analysts note that in modern conflict environments, verified aircraft losses are typically documented quickly through satellite imagery, geolocated footage, or third-party confirmation. None of which exists in this case. Several videos circulated online as purported evidence of the jet&rsquo;s downing were also found to be misleading. Officials said the clips were either old, unrelated footage from Afghanistan or taken from entirely different incidents. An image shared by TOLO News showing a crashed aircraft was also flagged as false context. The image corresponds to a Russian aircraft incident in T&uuml;rkiye in 2021 and has no connection to Pakistan or the current conflict, according to officials familiar with the matter. Independent media outlets monitoring the escalation did not corroborate the Afghan claims. Reports citing journalists on the ground and defense observers found no evidence supporting the assertion of a Pakistani jet being downed. The absence of verification by organizations such as AFP further undercut the credibility of the claim. Pakistani officials described the episode as part of a broader, coordinated disinformation effort following Pakistan&rsquo;s retaliatory strikes inside Afghanistan. &ldquo;For the past two days, hundreds of fake or misleading videos and claims have circulated,&rdquo; an official said, adding that the jet narrative fits a recurring pattern of propaganda following battlefield setbacks. VerdictThe claim that a Pakistani fighter jet was shot down in Nangarhar and its pilot captured is false. No aircraft loss has been confirmed, no physical or visual evidence exists and the material circulated online has been shown to be recycled or unrelated. AdvisoryOfficials urged the public to avoid sharing unverified battlefield claims and to rely on official statements and credible international reporting, warning that disinformation campaigns intensify during periods of conflict.

Security

Claims circulating on Afghan and Indian media platforms that a Pakistani fighter jet was shot down over Afghanistan during Pakistan’s retaliatory strikes have been rejected by Pakistani authorities and debunked by independent reporting.

Fact Check: Claims of Pakistani jet downed after retaliatory strikes false

LONDON: The US and Israeli strikes against Iran could severely disrupt the global supply of crude oil and send prices soaring to levels not seen in years. AFP looks at the risks. Major producer Iran remains just inside the world&#39;s top 10 oil producers even though its output has fallen sharply since the 1970s, hit in particular by rounds of US sanctions. &quot;In 1974, Iran was the third-biggest producer in the world after the US and Saudi Arabia, and ahead of Russia, producing some six million barrels per day,&quot; Arne Lohmann Rasmussen, chief analyst at Global Risk Management, told AFP. Today, Iran produces about 3.1 million barrels per day, according to the oil-producing cartel OPEC, of which Iran is a member. This remains a significant amount, and the Islamic republic is believed to hold the world&#39;s third-largest crude reserves, cementing its strategic importance. Additionally, Iran&#39;s oil industry is in far better shape than that of Venezuela, another country hit by years of US sanctions. Strait of Hormuz The main risk to the oil market remains a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has frequently threatened to paralyse. This waterway is by far the main shipping route connecting the wealthy oil-producing countries of the Middle East to the rest of the world. Approximately 20 million barrels of crude oil passed through it daily in 2024, equivalent to nearly 20 percent of global liquid oil consumption, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). The strait is particularly vulnerable owing to its narrow width, around 50 kilometres (30 miles), and its shallow depth, which does not exceed 60 metres (200 feet). &quot;Even a doubt about security in the Strait would prompt many vessels, for insurance reasons, to face difficulties transiting, as premiums would rise sharply,&quot; said Rasmussen. According to Saxo Bank analyst Ole Hansen, &quot;only Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates possess meaningful bypass infrastructure&quot;. The route could transport a maximum of 2.6 million barrels daily, noted the EIA. Highly profitable oil Iranian crude is relatively easy and cheap to extract, with production costs as little as $10 per barrel, making it particularly profitable, Rasmussen said. Only Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates enjoy similarly low production costs. By comparison, major Western producers like Canada and the United States typically face costs of $40 to $60 per barrel. With such low costs, Iran gains disproportionately from high global prices, a crucial factor for an economy heavily reliant on oil revenues. US sanctions imposed since the 1979 Islamic Revolution have left Iran with few export options -- especially after Trump revived a &quot;maximum pressure&quot; policy on Tehran upon his return to the White House. Last year, Washington targeted Chinese &quot;teapot&quot; refineries, which operate independently of state-owned oil companies, accusing them of buying Iranian crude. China, however, continues to buy Iranian oil at below-market prices. Iran exports between 1.3 and 1.5 million barrels daily, with more than 80 percent of the total bound for Chinese refineries owing to US sanctions, according to Hansen. Impact on Iran neighbours Iran&#39;s neighbours, from Gulf states to Turkey and Pakistan, fear an Iranian response since their hosting of US military sites places them in the firing line. They &quot;know they are vulnerable because the Iranians have enough basic intermediate-range missiles that allow them to strike vital points&quot; in the worst-case scenario, noted Pierre Razoux, director of studies at the Mediterranean Foundation for Strategic Studies. At-risk infrastructure includes hydrocarbon hubs as well as electrical power and seawater desalination plants, he added. Soaring oil prices, meanwhile, risk a return to soaring inflation, hurting the global economy. Crude reaching $100 per barrel for the first time since the start of Russia&#39;s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 could also hurt Trump in the midterm elections at the end of the year, especially as he has promised American voters cheap energy.

As the US and Israel launch "preventative" strikes on Iran, a major oil producer, oil markets will are set to receive shocks. 

How will US, Israeli strikes on Iran affect oil markets?

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad&#39;s foreign ministry said on Saturday that claims by Afghan military and police of downing a Pakistani jet and capturing a pilot were &quot;totally untrue&quot;. &quot;That&#39;s a false claim. Totally untrue,&quot; ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi told AFP. Information Ministry rebuts fake newsMeanwhile, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Saturday rebutted false reports claiming a Pakistani fighter jet was shot down in Nangarhar, Afghanistan and its pilot captured.<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" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 698px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2027651563183853750&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>The official Twitter handle of Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for exposing fake news released a statement on its X handle on Saturday, addressing false reports about a Pakistani fighter jet allegedly being shot down in Nangarhar, Afghanistan. According to the ministry, Afghan news agencies and certain Indian media outlets, including Khaleej Times, circulated claims that the Ministry of Defense of the so-called Islamic Emirate reported Afghan forces had downed a Pakistani jet and captured its pilot alive. No jet shot down&nbsp;The ministry provided official counter-facts, stating that no Pakistani jet was shot down and no aircraft loss has been reported by the Pakistan Armed Forces. Independent international media outlets and defense monitoring agencies have not verified the claims. It further noted that no visual proof, debris, wreckage, or evidence of a captured pilot has been presented. Coordinated disinformation campaign&nbsp;The viral videos circulated as &ldquo;evidence&rdquo; were either old or unrelated, and an image shared by TOLO News showing a fallen jet was actually from a Russian aircraft incident in Turkey in 2021. The ministry described the reports as part of a coordinated disinformation campaign linked to the India&ndash;Afghan propaganda ecosystem, emphasizing that no credible defense analysis supports the claim that Afghan forces have the operational capability suggested. The statement urged the public not to rely on unverified battlefield claims and to cross-check information with official Pakistani authorities and credible international agencies, while avoiding the sharing of recycled or misleading content.

Afghanistan

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting rebuts false reports claiming a Pakistani fighter jet was shot down in Nangarhar, Afghanistan.

Pakistan says Afghanistan jet crash claim 'totally untrue' 

ISLAMABAD: The Government of Pakistan has issued a travel advisory urging its nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to Iran for their safety and security, said an advisory issued by Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday. Pakistani citizens currently in Iran are advised to remain cautious, minimize non-essential movement, and stay in regular contact with Pakistani diplomatic missions.<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: 875px; 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=2027632681362854112&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=c4adfe28f371d8383619bdeef82ca5026e275958&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2027632681362854112"></iframe></div></div>The Embassy of Pakistan in Tehran and its consulates in Zahidan and Mashhad have provided landline and mobile contact numbers for assistance.

The Government of Pakistan has issued a travel advisory urging its nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to Iran for their safety and security, said an advisory issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday.

Pakistan advises nationals to avoid non-essential travel to Iran

Web Desk/AFP

The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Saturday, with Israel's public broadcaster reporting that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been targeted, as the Islamic Republic retaliated with barrages of missiles at Gulf states and Israel.

US and Israel launch strikes on Iran, explosions reported across region

ISLAMABAD: Member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will actively campaign worldwide in support of Bangladesh&rsquo;s candidature for the presidency of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman said on Saturday. Speaking to reporters at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport upon his return from Saudi Arabia, Dr Rahman said Bangladesh has received &ldquo;full and unequivocal backing&rdquo; from OIC member states for its bid, state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) news agency reported. &ldquo;The candidate has been changed following the change in government. One of our key challenges is that Cyprus has been campaigning throughout the year, whereas we have barely three months, or even less, in hand,&rdquo; he said. Dr Rahman said extensive discussions were held with OIC partners to assess the overall situation and devise strategies to secure Bangladesh&rsquo;s victory in the election. &ldquo;We have received their full and unequivocal support,&rdquo; he said, adding that OIC countries assured not only their votes but also active campaigning in favour of Dhaka&rsquo;s candidature across the world. He noted that Palestine had withdrawn its candidature a few days ago as anticipated, clearing the way for Bangladesh to contest the 2026&ndash;2027 term against Cyprus. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir described the response from OIC countries as highly encouraging. &ldquo;We have received very positive feedback. We will conduct a detailed assessment at an appropriate stage, but the support so far has been strong. The visit was both fruitful and productive,&rdquo; he said. Earlier, the interim government had nominated former Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain as Bangladesh&rsquo;s candidate. Following the change in government, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman nominated Dr Rahman for the position. The election for the president of the 81st session of the UNGA is scheduled to be held on June 2 at the UN Headquarters in New York in accordance with Rule 30 of the Rules of Procedure. Under the established regional rotation system, the president for the 81st session will be elected from the Asia-Pacific Group. The 81st session of the UNGA will open on Sept. 8, 2026, while the high-level General Debate will begin on Sept. 22. Bangladesh last held the position in 1986&ndash;87, when then foreign minister Humayun Rashid Chowdhury was elected President of the 41st General Assembly. On regional issues, the foreign minister expressed concern over escalating tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, saying war would bring no benefit to anyone. Describing the situation between the two SAARC member states as &ldquo;very sad,&rdquo; he said Bangladesh is approaching the matter cautiously and refraining from making any public statement for now. &ldquo;We are trying, in our own way, to help our friends understand that such conflicts do not serve anyone&rsquo;s interests,&rdquo; he said. Dr Rahman also reiterated Bangladesh&rsquo;s firm and unchanged position on Palestine, stating that the country&rsquo;s stance on the Palestinian issue remains unequivocal. Leaders attending the recent OIC executive meeting expressed confidence that Bangladesh would achieve political stability and accelerated development under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, while reiterating their full support for Dhaka&rsquo;s UNGA candidature.

Bangladesh FM Dr Khalil ur Rahman (Photo: BSS)

Bangladesh

Speaking to reporters at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport early Saturday upon his return from Saudi Arabia, Dr Rahman said Bangladesh has received 'full and unequivocal backing' from OIC member states for its bid.

OIC to campaign for Bangladesh's UNGA bid: FM Rahman 

TORONTO: Canada announced Friday that it is relocating non-essential diplomatic staff and their dependents from Tel Aviv, due to ongoing tensions in the region as the US weighs striking Iran.&nbsp; &ldquo;Global Affairs Canada has made the decision to temporarily relocate non-essential employees and dependents from Tel Aviv,&rdquo; the department said, noting that operations at Canada&rsquo;s embassy in Israel would continue uninterrupted. Canadian diplomatic staff and their families in Lebanon and Palestine will remain in place, according to the statement. &ldquo;Canadian staff and their dependents in Lebanon and Palestine remain in place, and our missions continue to operate normally,&rdquo; the government said. &ldquo;Canadians in Iran should leave now if they can do so safely,&rdquo; the statement added.

Americas

'Global Affairs Canada has made the decision to temporarily relocate non-essential employees and dependents from Tel Aviv,' the department said, noting that operations at Canada’s embassy in Israel would continue uninterrupted.

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Latest News

Pakistan 'strongly condemns unwarranted attacks' against Iran

World warns against Mideast war as US, Israel strike Iran

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How will US, Israeli strikes on Iran affect oil markets?