NEW YORK CITY: The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday debated Iran&rsquo;s nuclear program amid rising tensions in the Middle East, with Pakistan telling the 15-member body that an enduring situation lies in embracing diplomacy rather than abandoning it &ldquo;for short-sighted policies.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;It is clear that dialogue, diplomacy and constructive engagement remain the only viable way forward. And yet, diplomacy has been forfeited in favour of military means,&rdquo; Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations (UN), said during a discussions on the UN &lsquo;Committee 1737&rsquo;, which oversees international sanctions on Iran regarding its nuclear and missile programs. &ldquo;The developments since last June as well as the ongoing situation that started with the unprovoked and unwarranted attacks on Iran have deeply impacted the context of Iran nuclear file,&rdquo; he said.<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=2032313042986271046&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=c248310fe0919f799bba80033d73f620b941b880&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 841px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>Regretting the breakdown of diplomacy on the Iranian nuclear issue, the Pakistani envoy said the validity of the fundamental principles and the multilateral spirit that led to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal, remained intact as also the consensus adoption of resolution 2231 in 2015. (But President Donald Trump, during his first term announced in 2018 the withdrawal of the United States (US) from JCPOA, terming it a &ldquo;horrible,&rdquo; &ldquo;one-sided&rdquo; deal that failed to protect US national security interests.) &ldquo;More than ever, and even during the current conflict and heightened tensions, it is clear that an enduring solution lies in embracing those time-tested principles rather than abandoning them for short-sighted policies,&rdquo; Ambassador Asim Ahmad said. The JCPOA, he said, &nbsp;was a &ldquo;unique instrument &ldquo;, manifestation of an approach based on dialogue, diplomacy and pragmatism, highlighting that it was the outcome of painstaking and arduous, yet constructive negotiations that charted a roadmap to comprehensively address the concerns of the parties based on reciprocal actions and thus embodying peaceful resolution of disputes that is at the heart the UN Charter. &ldquo;Pakistan lent its support to the negotiated settlement of the issue, and it remains our core position till today&rdquo;, he added. &ldquo;We have condemned all use of force, targeting of civilian infrastructure, and strikes on nuclear sites under IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) safeguards&rdquo;, the Pakistani envoy said, pointing out that strikes against nuclear facilities carried huge environmental and safety risks for the local population and people all around the region.He warned against disrupting IAEA&rsquo;s crucial verification mandate, saying that the agency is responsible for verifying compliance with respective nuclear safeguards obligations of Member States in an objective, impartial and credible manner on technical grounds. &ldquo;The IAEA should be enabled to fulfill this statutory function and its verification activities in Iran should resume unimpeded,&rdquo; the Pakistani envoy said.Pakistan, he said, &nbsp;calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities in the Middle East, and urged all parties to show maximum restraint, avoid further escalation, institute a permanent ceasefire, and resume dialogue. &ldquo;All our efforts aim in that direction&rdquo;, he said.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan told the UNSC that diplomacy, not military action, remains the only viable solution to Iran’s nuclear issue, urging restraint, ceasefire, renewed dialogue, and unimpeded IAEA verification activities.

As UNSC debates Iran nuclear program, Pakistan stresses diplomacy only way forward

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said Thursday that Pakistan holds sufficient reserves and supply arrangements to manage potential economic fallout from regional developments, the Finance Ministry reported.&nbsp; During a meeting with British High Commissioner Jane Marriott, Aurangzeb detailed the government&rsquo;s strategy for stabilizing the economy. He stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently formed a high-level committee to monitor global commodity markets and energy supplies daily. This group includes members from federal ministries and the State Bank of Pakistan. The committee tracks price movements and potential disruptions in crude oil, coal, gas, and petroleum products. Officials are also assessing how these factors impact inflation and financial stability. Aurangzeb stated the government is performing sensitivity analysis and scenario planning to address a prolonged regional crisis. The finance minister said energy conservation measures are currently under review. The Finance Ministry is coordinating with provincial authorities to manage resources and prevent market panic. Aurangzeb provided an update on Pakistan&rsquo;s engagement with the International Monetary Fund.&nbsp; He stated the government remains committed to meeting program benchmarks. Current efforts focus on tax policy, revenue mobilization, and institutional transparency. The government aims to broaden the tax base through data-driven enforcement. Economic indicators show signs of recovery. Growth reached 3.7% in the first quarter of the current fiscal year. Large-scale manufacturing and the agriculture sector contributed to this improvement. Aurangzeb said the focus is now transitioning from stabilization to sustainable growth. The British High Commissioner acknowledged the government&rsquo;s reform efforts and detailed the United Kingdom&rsquo;s support for Pakistan&rsquo;s macroeconomic stability. The discussion also covered investor confidence in the mining and minerals sectors. Both sides agreed on the importance of good governance to attract international investment. The meeting concluded with both officials pledging to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation.

Economy

Highlighting the government’s proactive measures to manage potential economic impacts amid evolving regional developments, Pakistan's Finance Minister said that the country has adequate reserves and supply arrangements.

Pakistan maintains strong reserves to counter regional market disruptions: Finance minister

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Prof Ahsan Iqbal said that he held a &ldquo;very cordial and meaningful&rdquo; meeting with the Leader of the Opposition in Bangladesh, Dr Shafiqur Rahman, during which a detailed exchange of views took place on promoting mutual respect, regional harmony and socio-economic cooperation, state-run APP reported on Wednesday. In a post on X, the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-minister-signals-pm-visit-intent-as-bangladeshs-new-government-takes-office" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">federal minister</a> reaffirmed the resolve to further strengthen people-to-people contacts and economic cooperation 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-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" 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=2023962623985803427&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=2f160a6af769a79deccd60df3035ac59ff0301d9&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 898px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2023962623985803427"></iframe></div></div>On the occasion, he conveyed the good wishes of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and extended an invitation to the Leader of the Opposition to visit Pakistan. Iqbal said that the meeting revived memories of his student days when he was associated with Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba at UET Lahore and played an active role in student politics. He said that period was an important phase in shaping the spirit of learning, dialogue, and public service. Appreciating the affection and warmth of the people of Bangladesh, he expressed hope that people-to-people contacts and mutual cooperation between the two countries would further strengthen in the future, contributing to stability and prosperity in the region.

Pakistan minister conveys the good wishes of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and extends an invitation to the Leader of the Opposition of Bangladesh to visit Pakistan.

Pakistan minister terms meeting with Bangladesh opposition leader ‘very cordial, meaningful’ 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s space agency on Friday said the first day of Ramazan is likely to fall on Feb. 19, based on astronomical calculations. In a statement, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) said the new moon of Ramazan 1447 AH is expected to be born on Feb. 17 at 5:01 pm Pakistan Standard Time. According to SUPARCO&#39;s detailed calculations, at the time of sunset on Feb. 18, the age of the new moon will be approximately 25 hours and 48 minutes.&nbsp; The time duration between sunset and moonset is expected to be 59 minutes along the coastal areas of the country. &quot;Based on astronomical parameters, the chances of sighting the new moon with the naked eye are very bright in the evening of Feb. 18, 2026,&quot; the SUPARCO statement read. &quot;Consequently, the 1st of Ramazan may likely fall on Feb 19.&quot; Earlier this week, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had issued a similar forecast, announcing that there is a &quot;fair chance&quot; of sighting the new moon of Ramazan on the evening of Feb. 18. The agency emphasized that while astronomical calculations indicate favorable conditions for moon sighting, the final announcement will be made by the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, the country&rsquo;s sole authorized body for moon sighting, after receiving and verifying moon-sighting testimonies from across the country.

Climate & Environment

 Calculations indicate favorable conditions for moon visibility on Feb. 18, with the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission and the Pakistan Meteorological Department aligning in their forecasts, though the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee will make the official announcement.

First day of Ramazan likely on Feb. 19: Pakistan space agency

UNITED NATIONS: The head of the United Nations Security Council&rsquo;s 1267 al-Qaida sanctions committee on Wednesday warned of the &ldquo;serious threat&rdquo; posed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), saying the terrorist group has conducted numerous high-profile attacks in Pakistan from Afghan soil, &ldquo;some of which incurred mass casualties.&rdquo; According to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), Ambassador Sandra Jensen Landi of Denmark, briefing the 15-member Security Council in her capacity as chair of the committee, said that &quot;TTP, with its approximately 6,000 fighters, is another serious threat emanating from the region, receiving both logistical and substantial support from the de facto [Taliban] authorities.&rdquo; Her remarks came as the Council reviewed updates from the heads of three subsidiary bodies overseeing sanctions against Daesh and al-Qaida, United Nations counterterrorism efforts, and measures aimed at curbing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to non-state actors. &#39;Al-Qaida decimated largely due to Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts&#39;Responding to the briefing, Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Usman Jadoon, said Pakistan &ldquo;has rendered invaluable sacrifices in its efforts to eradicate this menace,&rdquo; citing more than 80,000 casualties and billions of dollars in economic losses. &ldquo;Al-Qaida was decimated largely due to Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts,&rdquo; he said. Jadoon said Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;valiant security forces and law enforcement agencies continue to counter the terrorism threat emanating from Afghanistan, where entities like ISIL-K, TTP and its affiliates, BLA and its Majeed Brigade are thriving under the patronage of their hosts and backed by our principal adversary and net destabilizer in the region,&rdquo; APP said. He stressed that the 1267 Committee&rsquo;s sanctions framework must &ldquo;reflect ground realities,&rdquo; adding that listing and delisting decisions should be taken &ldquo;in a fair, transparent and judicious manner and without political considerations.&rdquo; Calling for a comprehensive approach, the Pakistani diplomat said the United Nations counterterrorism system &ldquo;must also possess the necessary tools to designate violent, far-right, extreme right-wing, ultranationalist, xenophobic and Islamophobic groups around the world,&rdquo; APP reported.&nbsp; China&rsquo;s representative echoed Pakistan&rsquo;s concerns, urging committee members to support the listing of the Balochistan Liberation Army and its Majeed Brigade. Doing so, he said, would &ldquo;send a strong signal of zero tolerance for terrorism.&rdquo; Council members noted that the threat of terrorism continues to evolve across regions, with armed groups increasingly exploiting modern technologies to expand operational reach and evade monitoring.

A wide view of the Security Council meeting that heard briefings by Chairs of subsidiary bodies of the Security Council (UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe)

Security

The head of the United Nations Security Council’s 1267 al-Qaida sanctions committee warned of the 'serious threat' posed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, saying the terrorist group has conducted numerous high-profile attacks in Pakistan from Afghan soil, 'which incurred mass casualties.'

UNSC panel flags 'high-profile’ Afghan Taliban-backed TTP attacks on Pakistan

<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ISLAMABAD: Pakistan urged the United Nations to regulate artificial intelligence, particularly its military use, warning it could destabilize global security. Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said its use must follow international law.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to a statement by the Associated Press of Pakistan, Asif described artificial intelligence as a consequential, dual-use technology that can accelerate socio-economic progress but also deepen inequalities.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He urged states to prohibit applications &ldquo;without meaningful human control&rdquo; and warned that unregulated use enables disinformation campaigns, offensive cyber operations and new types of armaments.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Minister Asif said these developments raise &ldquo;serious questions for the future of warfare,&rdquo; as artificial intelligence &ldquo;lowers the threshold for use of force,&rdquo; making wars more feasible and compressing decision time for diplomacy.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">UN debate on AI risks<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The meeting was chaired by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, as his country holds the Council&rsquo;s rotating presidency for September, APP reported.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Opening the debate, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said artificial intelligence is &ldquo;no longer a distant horizon&rdquo; and, while it can aid de-mining, food security and violence prevention, &ldquo;without guardrails, it can also be weaponized.&rdquo;&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">President Myung urged a legally binding ban by 2026 on lethal autonomous weapons operating without human control and stressed that any decision on nuclear weapon use must rest with humans, not machines, APP reported.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yejin Choi, a senior fellow at Stanford University&rsquo;s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, said current progress is concentrated among a handful of companies and countries.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yejin Choi urged investment in smaller, adaptive systems to lower barriers to entry and pressed for stronger linguistic and cultural representation, noting leading models underperform for many non-English languages.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pakistan&rsquo;s domestic AI push<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pakistan&rsquo;s intervention comes amid domestic steps to expand access to artificial intelligence tools and skills.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Google announced on Wednesday the rollout of its Google AI Plus plan in 40 additional countries, including Pakistan. In a statement, Google Pakistan Country Director Farhan Qureshi described the local digital landscape as &ldquo;vibrant and growing,&rdquo; Dawn reported.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In July, the federal cabinet approved the National Artificial Intelligence Policy 2025, which outlines training one million professionals by 2030, creating public and private funds to spur innovation, and launching thousands of civic projects and local products to build capacity and jobs.<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Secretary-General Guterres closed the session warning that the window to shape artificial intelligence &ldquo;for peace, for justice, for humanity&rdquo; is narrowing and urged swift action by member states to set rules, build institutions and insist on human dignity, echoing past global governance efforts in nuclear arms control and aviation safety.

Pakistan urged the United Nations to regulate artificial intelligence, particularly its military use, warning it could destabilize global security. Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said its use must follow international law.

Pakistan urges UN to regulate AI for military applications

MEAUX: A 17-year-old in France admitted to fatally stabbing a fellow teenager in a row said to have been provoked by girl refusing to accept him on TikTok, a prosecutor said Monday. The adolescent appeared in court on Monday in Meaux, near Paris, where he was arraigned on a charge of premeditated murder and placed in custody pending another hearing on Thursday, local prosecutor Jean-Michel Bladier said in a statement. The killing occurred Saturday in a camping site in the town of Villevaude, on the outskirts of Paris. The prosecutor said the mortal chain of events apparently started with the suspect repeatedly being rejected as a TikTok contact by a girl. A heated telephone call between the suspect and the girl allegedly took place on Saturday, during which another 17-year-old &ndash; the boyfriend of a close friend of the girl &ndash; grabbed the phone and challenged the suspect to a fight at the camping site. Bladier said that teenaged boy was set upon by two individuals at the camping site, where he suffered a fatal stab wound to the chest. The 17-year-old suspect, identified by eyewitnesses, was arrested Saturday night after he turned up at the emergency ward of a Paris suburban hospital with a knife wound on his hand he said he had caused by accident. The prosecutor said the adolescent told investigators he had gone to the camping site, with a knife, &quot;to show he wasn&#39;t afraid&quot;. The suspect said he &quot;lost his head&quot; and did not intend to kill, Bladier said. The suspect had a juvenile criminal record, for violence against an older relative and for weapons possession. The prosecutor said a friend of the suspect, considered an accomplice at the camping site, had yet to be identified.

Two pupils stand in a classroom at Goethe-Gymnasium and look at their smartphones; the logo of the social media platform TikTok can be seen on one of the displays. (AFP)

Europe

The adolescent appeared in court on Monday in Meaux, near Paris, where he was arraigned on a charge of premeditated murder and placed in custody pending another hearing on Thursday, local prosecutor Jean-Michel Bladier said in a statement.

Teen mortally stabbed in France after row sparked by TikTok rejection

GOMA: Fighting between government troops and the Rwanda-backed M23 militia has been raging for days in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where an Ebola epidemic is spreading, security sources and locals said Monday. The mineral-rich region has been scarred by violence from various armed groups for more than three decades. Since 2021, the M23 has seized swathes of territory and fighting has stepped up since the start of 2025. It is also ground zero for an Ebola outbreak which has sparked an international health alert by the World Health Organization. The illness has caused 204 deaths and 867 suspected cases, according to a toll given over the weekend by the DRC&#39;s health ministry. The security and local sources said the recent combat has been taking place in Masisi, an area in North Kivu province, which lies south of the Ituri province, the epicentre of the Ebola epidemic. On Monday, North Kivu&#39;s &nbsp;deputy governor, Didier Lomoyo, said mortar fire had been aimed at the strategic airport at Kisangani, used by Congolese troops, while a police source on the ground told AFP that two drones had been intercepted &quot;without causing any damage.&quot; In recent months, M23 has repeatedly targeted the airport, from which military aircraft belonging to Kinshasa&rsquo;s forces take off. Local sources have reported several air strikes in localities in North Kivu and South Kivu in recent days, but AFP has not been able to confirm the casualty figures from these strikes with independent sources.

Response team members are helped to wear protective suits before burying a person suspected of having died from Ebola in Bunia, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, on May 25, 2026. (AFP)

Africa

Fighting between government troops and Rwanda-backed M23 militia intensifies in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as a deadly Ebola epidemic spreads across the region.

Fighting flares in east DR Congo as Ebola epidemic spreads

MANCHESTER: Basketball legend Michael Jordan joined thousands of Manchester City fans paying tribute to Pep Guardiola at the manager&#39;s farewell party on Monday. Guardiola is about to step down after a glorious decade in charge of City and the Premier League club gave him a fitting send-off during a trophy parade in Manchester. Jordan, one of the NBA&#39;s all-time greats, was a surprise participant in the event, delivering a recorded video message saluting Guardiola. &quot;Hey Pep. This is Michael Jordan. I just wanted to congratulate you on an unbelievable career,&quot; the former Chicago Bulls star said as Guardiola watched the video on a screen inside the Co-op Live &#39;after-party&#39; following the parade. Referencing Guardiola&#39;s fondness for golf, Jordan quipped &quot;Enjoy your retirement. Good luck on the links and keep them straight. Congratulations.&quot; Earlier, fans lined the streets to salute Guardiola as the Spaniard joined City&#39;s players and staff on an open-top bus ride to the Etihad Stadium. Guardiola led City to the FA Cup and League Cup in his final season in charge, taking his trophy haul to 20 since arriving in 2016. He masterminded six Premier League title victories, as well as City&#39;s first Champions League crown in 2023. City finished second in the Premier League behind champions Arsenal this term and were beaten 2-1 at home by Aston Villa in Guardiola&#39;s last game on Sunday, with the boss reduced to tears after the final whistle. The 55-year-old&#39;s decision to leave City was officially announced on Friday after several days of speculation that he was set to quit. A host of current and former City players brought every trophy won during Guardiola&#39;s reign onto the Co-op Live stage to cheers from the sell-out 19,000 crowd. Guardiola said goodbye for the final time in an interview with Oasis rock star Noel Gallagher at the after-party. &quot;I think, first of all, thank you so much for coming tonight to say bye,&quot; Guardiola said. &quot;To say bye to John (Stones) and Bernie (Bernardo Silva) and all these incredible legends like Vinny (Vincent Kompany), Fernandinho, Eddy (Ederson), Jack (Grealish), all of them and many, many more. &quot;I feel tonight that really shows the connection this club has. (City chairman) Khaldoon Al Mubarak and all the people and all the City fans that were connected from the first minute. &quot;Thank you so much, I don&#39;t have enough gratitude. Always, for the rest of my life, I will have you in my heart. Thank you so much.&quot;

Manchester City's English defender #05 John Stones (centre right) and Manchester City's Portuguese midfielder #20 Bernardo Silva (centre left) say goodbye at an after-party event with the players after their victories in the two domestic cup competitions 

Football

Guardiola is about to step down after a glorious decade in charge of City and the Premier League club gave him a fitting send-off during a trophy parade in Manchester.

Guardiola saluted by Michael Jordan at Manchester City farewell party

PARIS: Four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek and second seed Elena Rybakina both eased into the second round with comfortable wins at a sweltering Roland Garros on Monday, as Stan Wawrinka bade an emotional farewell to the tournament. Swiatek, playing at a Grand Slam event for the first time since linking up with Rafael Nadal&#39;s former coach Francisco Roig, made short work of seeing off Australian teenager Emerson Jones 6-1, 6-2 in just 60 minutes. The Pole is looking to regain the trophy she won at Roland Garros in three successive years from 2022-24 before losing to Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals 12 months ago. Swiatek will take on Czech Sara Bejlek for a place in the last 32 on Wednesday. The third seed is among the favorites for the title after finding some form by reaching the Italian Open semi-finals earlier this month. &quot;I&#39;m really happy with the way I played. It was a solid match from the beginning to the end. I technically knew how to play,&quot; said Swiatek. Rybakina also wasted little time in swatting aside Slovenian Veronika Erjavec 6-2, 6-2 on Court Philippe Chatrier. Like Swiatek, the Kazakh was pleased to not spend too much time on court in the 32C heat. &quot;It&#39;s tough conditions but I&#39;m happy things worked, and I&#39;m looking forward to the next match,&quot; she said. Rybakina, who won the Australian Open earlier this year, plays Ukraine&#39;s Yuliia Starodubtseva next. Elina Svitolina survived a scare against Hungary&#39;s Anna Bondar on Court Suzanne Lenglen, fighting back from 3-1 down in a deciding set to win 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (10/3). The Ukrainian, who ended an eight-year wait for a fifth WTA 1000 title in Rome earlier this month, has still never lost in the French Open first round in 13 appearances. Former runner-up Jasmine Paolini was a 7-5, 6-3 winner over Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine. China&#39;s Zheng Qinwen, who won Olympic gold at Roland Garros two years ago, crashed out in the first round for the first time with a 6-4, 6-0 loss to Poland&#39;s Maja Chwalinska. Sixth seed Amanda Anisimova, last year&#39;s Wimbledon and US Open runner-up, beat French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah 6-3, 6-1. Wawrinka waves goodbye to Roland Garros Former champion Wawrinka&#39;s final Roland Garros ended in disappointment as the 41-year-old was beaten 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 by Dutch lucky loser Jesper de Jong. Wawrinka, who beat Novak Djokovic in the 2015 final, is retiring at the end of the season. He enjoyed a fairytale run to the third round of his last Australian Open but could not repeat the feat in the Paris heat, despite being backed by a packed crowd on Court Simonne Mathieu. After the match, Wawrinka was presented with a glass case containing a section of a clay court and two video tributes to his career were displayed on big screens around the stadium &mdash;&nbsp;the latter featuring messages from former champions Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic. &quot;Thanks to all your support, I wanted to go on as long as possible, to 41 years of age, to continue living moments like this,&quot; Wawrinka said. The high temperatures took their toll on two-time runner-up Casper Ruud and Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin, as the Norwegian narrowly avoided a first opening-round defeat at Roland Garros, winning 6-2, 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 0-6, 6-2. Both players had medical time-outs in the fourth set and they took over 16 minutes to return to court ahead of the fifth, as the rallies slowed to walking pace. Ruud found just enough energy as the decider went on, though, with Safiullin continuing to wilt in the evening sunshine. Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar enjoyed a winning French Open debut with a 6-1, 6-0, 6-4 dismantling of American Aleksandar Kovacevic. Jodar has quickly climbed the rankings this year, winning a clay-court title in Marrakesh, reaching the Barcelona Open semi-finals and then the quarter-finals in both Madrid and Rome. Fifth seed Ben Shelton, who has made at least the quarter-finals at each of the other three Slams, saw off Daniel Merida in straight sets. Thanasi Kokkinakis, playing only his fourth tour-level tournament of the last two seasons after injuries, won an epic five-set battle over four hours and 18 minutes with Frenchman Terence Atmane, who crumbled from 5-2 up in the decider.

Tennis

Four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek defeated Emerson Jones 6-1, 6-2, while second seed Elena Rybakina swept past Veronika Erjavec 6-2, 6-2 in sweltering conditions at Roland Garros.

Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina cruise through Roland Garros openers

Adil Shahzeb

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) transformed Pakistan&rsquo;s economic landscape at a time when the country was facing severe energy shortages, crediting China&rsquo;s unwavering support as a defining feature of the bilateral partnership. In an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV head Adil Shahzeb in Beijing aired on current affairs programme &lsquo;Beyond Borders&rsquo;, Ahsan Iqbal said the first phase of CPEC directly benefited ordinary Pakistanis by addressing crippling electricity shortages that had paralysed economic and social life across the country.&#39; He said China&rsquo;s investment of around $25 billion in energy and infrastructure projects helped add nearly 8,000 megawatts of electricity to the national grid, benefiting hospitals, schools, factories and households nationwide. <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: 648px; 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=2058976964313235698&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F6158%2F&sessionId=43fcca235e7efd22e8f1a2b99e2c10749c894e76&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div><div class="fr-embed"><div><div> </div> Recalling the launch of CPEC in 2013, he described it as an unprecedented economic partnership that rapidly moved from &ldquo;a piece of paper&rdquo; to major on-ground development projects within just three years.</div></div> Iqbal also spoke about what he termed an &ldquo;organised campaign&rdquo; against CPEC during its early years, saying the government countered misinformation through public engagement and fact-based communication. He said consensus among all provinces eventually helped accelerate the project&rsquo;s progress. Discussing CPEC 2.0, the minister said the new phase places greater emphasis on livelihoods, poverty alleviation and human resource development through what he called the &ldquo;corridor of livelihoods&rdquo;, aimed at creating opportunities for ordinary citizens and improving education and skills development. Turning to regional diplomacy, Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan&rsquo;s role in facilitating talks between the United States and Iran had earned global appreciation, including from Chinese leadership. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir played an important role in bringing both sides to the negotiation table after decades of hostility. According to the minister, the easing of tensions prevented further disruption to the global economy and rising fuel prices. He expressed hope that a resolution could be achieved soon, stressing that prolonged conflict would hurt poor populations worldwide through inflation and economic instability. Speaking during celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of Pakistan-China diplomatic relations in Beijing, Iqbal described the relationship as an &ldquo;Iron Brotherhood&rdquo; built on &ldquo;unbreakable trust&rdquo;, saying both countries had never witnessed an &ldquo;autumn&rdquo; in bilateral ties throughout their diplomatic history.

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, left, speaks during an interview with Pakistan Television head Adil Shahzeb in Beijing, China. 

Beyond Borders

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said Chinese investment under CPEC added thousands of megawatts to Pakistan’s power grid, while Pakistan also helped ease tensions between the United States and Iran through diplomacy.

Ahsan Iqbal hails CPEC success, highlights Pakistan’s role in US-Iran talks

MADRID: A Spaniard placed under quarantine after partaking in a cruise hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak has tested positive, the Spanish ministry of health said on Monday.&nbsp;&quot;The patient was transferred to a high-level isolation unit in the Gomez Ulla hospital, where he will remain hospitalised,&quot; the ministry said in a statement.&nbsp;&quot;This does not change the level of the risk for the general population and does not change the measures of the current epidemiological response,&quot; it said.&nbsp;It is the second confirmed case of the hantavirus in Spain.&nbsp;The hantavirus outbreak occurred on a Dutch-flagged ship MV Hondius that set off April 1 from Ushuaia, Argentina, taking in remote islands in the South Atlantic Ocean before heading north to Cape Verde, then Tenerife in Spain&#39;s Canary Islands, where remaining passengers were evacuated.&nbsp;The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that 12 suspected and confirmed cases have been reported to the UN agency, including three deaths, and that no deaths have been reported since May 2.&nbsp;Spread by rodents, hantavirus is a rare virus for which no vaccines or specific treatments exist.

Spain confirms a second hantavirus case in a quarantined cruise passenger from the MV Hondius outbreak. The rodent-borne virus has no vaccine or specific treatment, while public risk remains low.

Quarantined Spaniard tests positive for hantavirus: health ministry

MOSCOW: Russia said Monday it plans to launch more strikes on Kyiv, including on its &quot;decision-making centres&quot;, and repeated a call for foreign citizens and diplomats to leave the city.&nbsp;Russia launched scores of drones and missiles at Ukraine over the weekend, killing four people, wounding dozens and causing damage across the Ukrainian capital.&nbsp;Among the weapons Russia used was its Oreshnik hypersonic missile, which can travel 10 times the speed of sound and is capable of carrying nuclear warheads, according to Moscow.&nbsp;The barrage came days after Russia accused Kyiv of striking a vocational school in the Russian-occupied Lugansk region, killing 21 people. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military to retaliate.&nbsp;&quot;Under the current circumstances, the Russian Armed Forces are starting to launch systematic strikes against Ukrainian military-industrial facilities in Kyiv,&quot; Russia&#39;s foreign ministry said in a statement.&nbsp;&quot;The strikes will target both decision-making centres and command posts... We are warning foreign citizens, including personnel of diplomatic missions and international organisations, to leave the city as soon as possible,&quot; it added.&nbsp;Ukraine described Russia&#39;s threats as &quot;rhetoric&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;We are now telling our partners that they should not give in to all this Russian blackmail,&quot; Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said.&nbsp;Russia had already called on foreign citizens and diplomats to evacuate Kyiv earlier this month, when it threatened massive strikes on central Kyiv if Ukraine disrupted a military parade on Red Square.

Russia says it plans more strikes on Kyiv, including “decision-making centres,” after weekend attacks kill four people. Moscow urges foreign citizens and diplomats to leave the city, while Ukraine dismisses the threats as Russian blackmail.

Russia threatens more strikes on Kyiv, urges foreigners to leave city

MEXICO CITY: Mexico will allow Iran to be based in the country during the 2026 World Cup so its players can avoid US visa restrictions, President Claudia Sheinbaum said Monday.&nbsp;The Iranian national team, scheduled to play three first-stage matches in US stadiums, announced on Saturday that FIFA had endorsed its plan to stay overnight on the Mexican side of the border to avoid visa problems.&nbsp;Uncertainty has clouded the Iranian team&#39;s participation in the tournament ever since the US and Israel launched an offensive against the Islamic republic in late February.&nbsp;The team had originally planned to set up camp in Tucson, in the US state of Arizona.&nbsp;&quot;The United States doesn&#39;t want the Iranian team to spend the night,&quot; Sheinbaum told reporters in her daily press conference. &quot;So they asked us, &#39;can we stay the night in Mexico? We said sure, no problem.&#39;&quot;&nbsp;The Iranian team chose the northwestern border state of Tijuana as their base, where they will recuperate in between two games in Los Angeles and a third in Seattle.&nbsp;The players are in Group G and will debut on June 15 in a game against New Zealand.&nbsp;Sheinbaum explained that Mexican authorities are coordinating the details of the Iranians&#39; stay with FIFA.&nbsp;Iran and the United States broke diplomatic relations in 1980 after militants held dozens of Americans hostage for more than a year in the US Embassy in Tehran.

Mexico agrees to host Iran’s 2026 World Cup squad after the United States rejects their presence in Arizona. President Claudia Sheinbaum confirms Iran's requests for relocation to Tijuana, which Mexico accepts without issue.

Mexico accepts to host Iran during the World Cup: president

GENEVA: The countries neighboring the Democratic Republic of Congo are at high risk from Ebola and should act immediately to counter the virus, the World Health Organization&rsquo;s head said on Monday.&nbsp;&quot;Countries bordering DRC are at especially high risk and should take immediate action,&quot; said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding that he would travel on Tuesday to the DRC, the epicentre of the current outbreak of the deadly disease.&nbsp;&quot;The outbreak is spreading rapidly,&quot; Tedros told a virtual ministerial meeting on the viral haemorrhagic fever, which spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids. It can cause severe bleeding and organ failure.&nbsp;He said the current outbreak was &quot;especially challenging&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;First, the delay in detecting the outbreak means that we are now playing catch-up with a very fast-moving epidemic. We are urgently scaling up operations but at the moment, the epidemic is outpacing us,&quot; he said by videolink from Geneva.&nbsp;Secondly, the eastern provinces of the DRC, where the outbreak was first detected on May 15, &quot;are highly insecure, with intensified fighting in recent months (and) there is also significant distrust of outside authorities among the local population&quot;.&nbsp;Thirdly, he pointed out, there were &quot;no approved vaccines or therapeutics&quot; for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola behind the current outbreak.&nbsp;The WHO has recorded 10 confirmed Ebola deaths and 220 suspected deaths in the DRC since May 15. One person is confirmed dead in neighbouring Uganda&nbsp;Ten African countries are at risk of being affected by the Ebola virus, in addition to the DRC and Uganda, the African Union&#39;s health agency, Africa CDC, warned on Saturday.

WHO warns neighboring countries of Democratic Republic of Congo are at high Ebola risk as the outbreak spreads rapidly. Ten confirmed and 220 suspected deaths reported, plus one in Uganda. Insecurity, delay, and no vaccine worsen the situation.

WHO urges DRC's neighbors to act immediately on Ebola

BUNIA: Locals at the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak in the DR Congo attacked the town hospital overnight, demanding the body of a religious leader who died from the virus, officials said on Monday.&nbsp;Mongbwalu, a large town in the unstable northeastern province of Ituri, is where the current outbreak of the viral haemorrhagic fever was first detected on May 15, since when it has killed more than 200 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.&nbsp;&quot;A group of young people attacked the hospital four times,&quot; a hospital official told AFP of the incident on Sunday night.&nbsp;&quot;They wanted to retrieve the body of a Catholic shepherd who had died of Ebola,&quot; the official said on condition of anonymity.&nbsp;He said the victim had been &quot;a well-known local figure, a religious leader from Mongbwalu&quot;, which is home to 130,000 people.&nbsp;Soldiers intervened to disperse the crowd with warning shots, he said.&nbsp;Ebola is a deadly viral disease that spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids. It can cause severe bleeding and organ failure.&nbsp;There is no vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo strain responsible for the current Ebola outbreak, the 17th to plague the vast central African country of more than 100 million people.&nbsp;Attempts to tackle the spread are forced to rely mainly on precautions and rapid contact tracing.&nbsp;But in rural parts of the DRC, &quot;loved ones are throwing themselves at the bodies, touching the corpses and the clothes of the deceased, while organising mourning rituals bringing together loads of people&quot;, Jean Marie Ezadri, a civil society leader in Ituri, told AFP last week.&nbsp;&quot;This... explains the many instances of contamination.&quot;&nbsp;Distrust and incomprehensionPoorly served by roads and torn apart by violence, Ituri is one of the most troubled provinces in the DRC.&nbsp;Hastily arranged burials of Ebola victims have been met with suspicion in a region already distrustful of the state.&nbsp;An isolation tent near Mongbwalu hospital was torched on Friday night and the hospital official said his car had been stoned at the weekend.&nbsp;The tensions were &quot;hampering (Ebola) response efforts&quot;, he said.&nbsp;Another hospital worker confirmed the incidents.&nbsp;Mongbwalu medical centre is not the first in Ituri to have been attacked.&nbsp;Tents used to isolate Ebola patients at the hospital in Rwampara, Ituri, were burned down on Thursday after the family of a deceased man was prevented from taking his body for burial because of the dangers of contamination.&nbsp;Tonnes of medical supplies have been sent to Ituri, where teams from the World Health Organization are on the ground.&nbsp;But the response has been slow to get off the ground in a province where state services have been largely absent from rural areas for decades.&nbsp;One million of the province&#39;s estimated eight million inhabitants have been displaced by years of conflict and live cheek-by-jowl in cramped camps.&nbsp;The WHO has issued an international health alert.

At least 200 people have died in a Bundibugyo strain Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with angry residents attacking hospitals over burial disputes. Officials say distrust, violence, and unsafe mourning rituals are hampering efforts to contain the virus.

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