Maryam Shah

Muslims across the world are preparing to celebrate Eid al-Adha, one of the two major Islamic festivals, marked by the ritual sacrifice of animals in remembrance of Prophet Ibrahim&rsquo;s devotion and obedience to Allah. According to Islamic tradition, Prophet Ibrahim was willing to sacrifice his son after receiving a command from Allah in a dream, before Allah replaced the sacrifice with a ram after testing his faith and submission. The event is referenced in the Holy Quran in Surah As-Saffat: &ldquo;And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice.&rdquo;(Surah As-Saffat 37:107) Also known as the &ldquo;Festival of Sacrifice,&rdquo; Eid al-Adha is observed annually on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic lunar calendar, following the completion of the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. Millions of Muslims gather in mosques and open prayer grounds for special Eid prayers before carrying out Qurbani, or ritual animal sacrifice, a practice rooted in faith, charity and social responsibility. The sacrificeEach year, millions of animals are sacrificed globally during Eid al-Adha. In Pakistan alone, around 6.8 million animals were sacrificed during Eid al-Adha in 2024, according to data cited by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE). The figure represented an increase from approximately 6.18 million animals sacrificed during Eid al-Adha in 2023. The total included about 2.86 million cows and bulls, 165,000 buffaloes, 3.3 million goats, 385,000 sheep and nearly 99,000 camels. Under Islamic tradition, the meat from the sacrifice is commonly divided into three portions: one for the family, one for relatives and friends, and one for the poor and needy, reflecting Islam&rsquo;s emphasis on compassion, charity and care for the less fortunate. Beyond its religious significance, Eid al-Adha also generates major economic activity in Pakistan, particularly for livestock farmers, traders, transporters, tanners and small businesses linked to the seasonal cattle market economy. The rules of QurbaniThe practice of sacrifice is rooted in the traditions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Narrated Anas bin Malik: &ldquo;The Prophet sacrificed two horned rams, black and white in colour. He slaughtered them with his own hands, mentioned Allah&rsquo;s name over them, said Takbir and placed his foot on their sides.&rdquo;(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Sacrifice, Hadith 5558) Islamic scholars cite this Hadith as evidence for the method and significance of Qurbani, as well as the importance of offering the sacrifice after the Eid prayer. Islamic jurisprudence also prescribes detailed conditions for a valid sacrifice. The animal must belong to permitted categories, goat, sheep, cow, buffalo or camel, and meet minimum age requirements generally accepted by scholars: at least one year for goats and sheep, two years for cows and buffaloes, and five years for camels. The animal must also be free from major defects such as blindness, severe illness or lameness. A goat or sheep is considered sufficient for one household, while a cow, buffalo or camel may be shared by up to seven people. Managing Eid in PakistanAuthorities across Pakistan typically launch extensive cleanliness, waste disposal and security operations during Eid days to manage animal waste, traffic congestion and crowds in major urban centres. Municipal workers, volunteers and local administrations remain on high alert throughout the holiday period, particularly in large cities where temporary cattle markets and large-scale animal slaughter create additional logistical challenges. For Muslims, however, Eid al-Adha remains above all a spiritual occasion centred on sacrifice, obedience, gratitude and generosity, values deeply rooted in Islamic faith and tradition.

Children play with a bull ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha in Rawalpindi on May 23, 2026. (AFP)

Blogs

Muslims gather for Eid al-Adha prayers and animal sacrifice celebrations, commemorating Prophet Ibrahim’s devotion and emphasizing charity, compassion and community welfare during one of Islam’s most significant religious festivals.

How Eid al-Adha celebrations are rooted in faith and sacrifice

Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD recorded a 55 percent decline in first-quarter net profit, a Hong Kong stock filing showed on Tuesday, as weaker domestic demand added to pressure from cutthroat competition.

Shorts

BYD’s first-quarter net profit fell 55 percent as weak Chinese demand and fierce competition hurt profitability, prompting the EV giant to pursue stronger growth in overseas markets.

Chinese EV giant BYD reports 55% drop in Q1 net profit

FAISALABAD: In the industrial heart of Pakistan, where the hum of textile machines rarely stops, hundreds of women quietly power one of the country&rsquo;s most important industries. Inside a modest garment unit in Faisalabad, rows of workers sit behind sewing machines, carefully stitching fabrics that will eventually become everyday clothing items worn around the world. Among them are dozens of women whose skill and dedication keep the production lines moving. For many, the workday begins early and stretches well into the evening. &ldquo;We work the whole week,&rdquo; Shaheen, an employee, told Pakistan TV Digital. &ldquo;Our duty is from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, but sometimes it continues until 8:00 PM.&rdquo; Despite the long hours, the women handle a wide range of tasks inside the factory. From operating Singer sewing machines to managing overlock machines and other equipment, they move seamlessly between roles depending on where they are needed. &ldquo;Those sitting at the Singer machine do Singer work, and those on the overlock do overlock work,&rdquo; another worker, Shagufta Banu, explained. &ldquo;But we can work on all machines. Wherever they seat us, we do the job.&rdquo; Inside the workshop, garments move from one stage to another in a steady rhythm. Midis, bras, hoodies and other clothing items arrive in stacks of fabric and the workers stitch, assemble and prepare them for the next step in production. From the first seam to the final stitch, much of the process is carried out by these women, workers whose precision and attention to detail are essential to maintaining quality. For many of them, the work represents far more than a paycheck. Their income helps support families, contributes to children&rsquo;s education and, for some, offers a meaningful step toward financial independence and confidence. Factory management says encouraging women to join the workforce is also a conscious effort. &ldquo;We try to help the women we hire as much as possible so they can stand shoulder to shoulder with men,&rdquo; Kashif Rashid, the factory&rsquo;s production in charge, said. &ldquo;Women perform very well in maintaining quality, especially in the kind of garments we produce.&rdquo; According to management, the precision required for products such as undergarments often makes female workers particularly well-suited for the task. &ldquo;Quality is our standard,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;When it comes to our products, women often perform even better than men, which is why we give them preference whenever possible.&rdquo; Faisalabad is widely known as the backbone of Pakistan&rsquo;s textile sector, producing everything from yarn and fabric to finished garments. Behind these industries and exports are skilled workers whose dedication sustains the country&rsquo;s manufacturing strength. On International Women&rsquo;s Day, the story of these women reflects a broader reality: across Pakistan, women continue to play an increasingly important role in economic progress, contributing their talent, resilience and determination to industries that drive the nation forward. Their work may happen inside factory walls, but their impact reaches far beyond them, strengthening families, communities and the country&rsquo;s economic future.

Women garment workers operate sewing machines at a textile unit in Faisalabad, the industrial hub of Pakistan, producing clothing for local and international markets

Culture

On International Women’s Day, the dedication of women garment workers in Faisalabad highlights their vital role in Pakistan’s textile industry, where skill, resilience and hard work support families, strengthen communities and contribute to the country’s economic progress.

Women power Pakistan’s textile industry with skill, dedication and resilience

ISLAMABAD: The official White House account this week posted an AI-generated image of President Donald Trump striding across a frozen landscape toward Greenland, hand-in-wing with a penguin carrying a US flag. The caption was brief and cryptic: &ldquo;Embrace the penguin.&rdquo; Shared on X, the post raced past 30 million views, igniting confusion, mockery, and rapid-fire debate across platforms. Trump&rsquo;s penguin post landed against the backdrop of renewed US interest in Greenland.&nbsp; Earlier this week, the president said there is a &ldquo;framework of a future deal&rdquo; involving the semi-autonomous Danish territory, arguing Greenland is critical to US security plans, including a proposed &ldquo;Golden Dome&rdquo; missile defense system, and to access strategic minerals essential for modern technology. But the problem, critics quickly noted, was zoological, not political.&nbsp; Penguins simply do not live in Greenland, the Arctic, or anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere. Every penguin species exists exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere, primarily in Antarctica. &ldquo;There are no penguins in Greenland,&rdquo; the account PatriotTakes wrote, adding: &ldquo;Perhaps you shouldn&rsquo;t have dismantled the Department of Education so quickly.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" 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=2014835024999186902&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=ebfb1c7c4793dc4344a331bf075173eae200a796&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 942px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi offered a shorter correction: &ldquo;Wrong hemisphere.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2014833837960786337&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=ebfb1c7c4793dc4344a331bf075173eae200a796&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 822px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Others went sharper. Conservative commentator Erick Erickson joked that the administration &ldquo;must be planning to invade Antarctica.&rdquo;<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" 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=2014845138988634474&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=ebfb1c7c4793dc4344a331bf075173eae200a796&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div> Danish MP Rasmus Jarlov delivered the harshest line: &ldquo;The message from the White House is clear: Trump belongs in Greenland as much as penguins do.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-4" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-4&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2014871105450791309&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=ebfb1c7c4793dc4344a331bf075173eae200a796&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 846px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Some users interpreted the image as a nod to the &ldquo;nihilist penguin&rdquo; meme circulating online, inspired by Werner Herzog&rsquo;s 2007 documentary, &quot;Encounters at the End of the World.&quot; The film features an Ad&eacute;lie penguin walking alone toward the Antarctic mountains. A moment Herzog famously frames as a doomed, existential march. The White House did not immediately clarify the intent of the post. The Department of Homeland Security later shared a related image, reinforcing the impression that the symbolism was intentional rather than accidental. A familiar patternThe episode fits a broader pattern in Trump&rsquo;s online presence since returning to office. He remains one of the most prolific political figures on social media, regularly pushing out memes, AI-generated images and content engineered for virality alongside policy messaging. A recent Wired investigation reported that Trump personally types roughly 5% of his posts. The rest are produced by aides, including Natalie Harp and Dan Scavino, who convert the president&rsquo;s dictation into a steady stream of attention-grabbing content. &ldquo;The entire ethos and aesthetic of this administration is spectacle and subversion of norms,&rdquo; Dannagal Young, director of the Center for Political Communication at the University of Delaware, told CNN. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t do that through deliberation or argument, but through symbols.&rdquo; TikTok politics, penguin editionTrump&rsquo;s meme-forward strategy is widely seen as an attempt to connect with younger audiences. During the 2024 campaign, his TikTok account became one of the platform&rsquo;s fastest-growing, tapping into Gen Z&rsquo;s preference for visual, ironic and remixable content. The penguin post shows both the upside and downside of that approach. It captured massive attention, but lost narrative control almost instantly, as users reframed it through jokes, fact-checks and satire. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson defended the strategy in a statement to CNN, saying: &ldquo;The success of the White House&rsquo;s social media pages speak for itself. Through engaging posts and banger memes, we are successfully communicating the President&rsquo;s extremely popular agenda.&rdquo; For the internet, though, the takeaway was simpler: if the White House wanted everyone talking, the penguin delivered, even if it waddled in from the wrong hemisphere.

Americas

A viral White House penguin meme sparks laughs online, but lands amid Trump’s renewed push for Greenland, blending Gen Z internet culture with real geopolitical ambition.

Penguins, memes and Greenland: Trump’s viral post breaks the internet

ISLAMABAD: As 2025 comes to a close, Pakistani women across sports, culture, exploration, and legal activism have made their mark on national and international stages. From cricket grounds and mountain summits to pageants and courtrooms, these trailblazers have expanded opportunities and challenged conventional boundaries. Sidra Amin&rsquo;s cricket milestones<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/cf94c1a3-e5a6-4fec-8907-fc3f939f7423.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil">Official Instagram account/ @sidraamin31 Opening batter Sidra Amin, 33, emerged as one of Pakistan&rsquo;s most consistent performers during the 2025 ICC Women&rsquo;s ODI World Cup. The Lahore-born cricketer became the first Pakistani to score back-to-back ODI centuries, a landmark in Pakistan&rsquo;s cricket history. <div class="fr-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Back-to-back centuries for Sidra Amin as the batter continues her brilliant run with the willow 👊<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvSA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">#PAKvSA</a> 📝: <a href="https://t.co/fKEHXWL3l7" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">https://t.co/fKEHXWL3l7</a> | 📸: <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealPCB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">@TheRealPCB</a> <a href="https://t.co/LMXPJ7cVzj" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">pic.twitter.com/LMXPJ7cVzj</a>&mdash; ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1969093586667855973?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">September 19, 2025</a></blockquote></div> According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official match report, Amin also recorded the fastest ODI century by a Pakistani woman, reaching 100 runs in just 97 balls. With more than 150 international appearances and 2,221 ODI runs, including six centuries, she remained a linchpin of Pakistan&rsquo;s batting line-up. Gaddafi Stadium has become her personal stronghold, where she has scored three centuries at an average exceeding 120. Since debuting in 2011, Amin has helped elevate women&rsquo;s cricket in Pakistan to new heights. Naila Kiani&rsquo;s unprecedented climbing record<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/611a7e42-2866-45d0-a73a-3855db9729f0.png" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil">Picture credits: Radio Pakistan Mountaineer Naila Kiani continued her extraordinary ascent in 2025, having summited 12 of the world&rsquo;s 14 peaks above 8,000 metres. Imagine Nepal, the expedition organizer, confirmed that Kiani scaled Kangchenjunga (8,586m), the world&rsquo;s third-highest mountain, in May, staying on course to become the first Pakistani woman to complete all fourteen eight-thousanders. A former aerospace engineer and a mother of two, Kiani also became the fastest Pakistani to summit 11 eight-thousanders in under three years, Alpine Club of Pakistan reported. The Embassy of Pakistan in Turkiye also congratulated her on this achievement.&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-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1787508031929962698&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=2696e4393e4ed6d9d4f0ffa87d85e770d1536c72&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 673px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Beyond her personal achievements, she has championed reforms in Pakistan&rsquo;s mountaineering sector, helping reduce helicopter rescue costs and exposing exploitative commercial practices. According to Radio Pakistan, Naila Kiani remains the only female athlete to currently hold the Sitara-i-Imtiaz.&nbsp; Roma Riaz at Miss Universe<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/6a61b8ec-3923-4895-a670-e3e057da2cd4.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil">Official Instagram account/ @romariaz_official Roma Riaz, 25, a British-Pakistani from Lahore, represented Pakistan at Miss Universe 2025 in Thailand after winning the Miss Universe Pakistan title earlier in the year. Her participation returned Pakistan to the global pageant stage and sparked conversations about beauty standards, colorism, and representation. Raised between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom, Riaz is a graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University and has worked in merchandising and international fashion. Her advocacy focuses on girls&rsquo; education and challenging narrow definitions of beauty. In response to criticism over her skin tone and background, she posted an Instagram reel condemning colorist and body-shaming remarks, asserting that diversity should be celebrated, not policed. Mahnoor Omer and discriminatory taxation<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/aeb6f1e9-2e44-46f3-9f28-e37cedb48d66.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil">Official Instagram account/ @learningwithmahnoor Lawyer and gender rights advocate Mahnoor Omer, 25, gained national and international attention in 2025 for challenging Pakistan&rsquo;s taxation of sanitary products. A former Supreme Court law clerk, Omer is pursuing postgraduate studies in Gender, Peace, and Security at the London School of Economics. She has also served as a Gender Consultant with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, co-authoring Pakistan&rsquo;s first UNODC Gender Equality Strategy. Her constitutional petition contends that menstrual hygiene products, essential for women&rsquo;s health, are unfairly taxed, violating constitutional guarantees of equality and dignity.&nbsp; Natasha Noorani&rsquo;s cultural innovation<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/e235b212-ad97-4260-bf42-9a6cd0616e0f.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil">Official Instagram account/ @natashanoorani Emerging artist Natasha Noorani has established herself as one of Pakistan&rsquo;s most innovative contemporary musicians. Her debut album Ronaq, released in 2023, continued to influence the country&rsquo;s music scene throughout 2025. Blending R&amp;B, pop, electronic music, and neo-soul, the album reflects both creativity and cultural depth. Noorani coined the term &ldquo;Lolly-Pop&rdquo; to describe her approach, which merges retro subcontinental sounds from the 1940s&ndash;1980s with modern electronic production. Produced by Talal Qureshi and Abdullah Siddiqui, Ronaq features tracks including &ldquo;Choro,&rdquo; &ldquo;Thandi,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Faltu Pyar,&rdquo; a collaboration with Hasan Raheem. Her work continues to bridge Pakistan&rsquo;s musical past with its contemporary soundscape. While their paths differed, a common thread ran through their stories, questioning long-standing norms and opening space for wider participation.&nbsp; As Pakistan moves into 2026, the impact of these women&rsquo;s work continues to shape public debate. It offers a broader understanding of what achievement and leadership look like for Pakistani women today.

Pakistani women who made headlines in 2025 (Pakistan TV Digital)

Entertainment

In 2025, Pakistani women made headlines across cricket, mountaineering, music, law, and global platforms, redefining representation and excellence while challenging social norms through record-breaking achievements, creative innovation, and rights-based advocacy at home and abroad. 

Pakistan's Powerhouses: The Women Who Owned 2025

ISLAMABAD: The catastrophic floods that have killed more than 1,200 people across Southeast Asia in recent weeks are not a distant warning for South Asia but &ldquo;a mirror of what Pakistan has already experienced and will face again,&rdquo; according to climate scientists.&nbsp;Across Indonesia and Sri Lanka, rapid heatwaves followed by early monsoon onset and cloudburst-style rainfall, the same sequence that devastated Pakistan in 2022 and again in 2025, have displaced more than 1.5 million people since late November.&nbsp;&ldquo;South Asia has entered &lsquo;new operating conditions&rsquo; where traditional monsoon timelines no longer apply,&rdquo; said Dr. Zainab Naeem, an environmental sciences researcher at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute. Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, she added: &ldquo;What&rsquo;s happening in Southeast Asia right now mirrors exactly what we&#39;ve been experiencing in Pakistan.&rdquo;&nbsp;Parallel crises across regionIn Indonesia, the island of Sumatra recorded 604 deaths after a rare tropical storm triggered widespread flash floods and landslides. In Sri Lanka, Cyclone Ditwah killed at least 355 people and forced nearly 180,000 residents into emergency shelters. In both countries, prolonged dry spells were followed by sudden, moisture-laden systems that unleashed months&rsquo; worth of rainfall in a matter of days.&nbsp;Asia warming faster than global averageAccording to regional climate assessments, Asia is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, leading to more frequent and more intense extreme weather events. In 2023 alone, the continent experienced 79 water-related disasters, the majority of them floods and storms.&nbsp;Pakistan has already felt the force of this shift. The 2022 floods submerged one-third of the country, killed more than 1,700 people, and caused damages and economic losses estimated at $30 billion, according to the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment and World Bank figures.&nbsp;This year, unseasonably early monsoon systems again triggered deadly flooding across multiple provinces.&nbsp;Women face disproportionate impactsWomen remain at heightened risk during climate-driven disasters. During Pakistan&rsquo;s 2022 floods, the UN Population Fund estimated that 650,000 pregnant women were in affected areas, with around 73,000 expected to give birth without access to maternal health services.&nbsp;Protection systems frequently collapse in displacement camps, increasing incidents of gender-based violence. Women, who often work agricultural land without legally owning it, are also excluded from compensation schemes when crops are destroyed.&nbsp;Science&ndash;policy gap leaves countries exposedDespite growing scientific clarity, preparedness remains uneven across the region.&nbsp;&ldquo;The biggest problem is not the absence of policies, it&rsquo;s the disconnect between high-level frameworks and ground implementation,&rdquo; Dr. Naeem said. &ldquo;Technical expertise is missing in many departments. Without integrating scientific evidence into urban planning and governance, we simply cannot manage these impacts.&rdquo;&nbsp;Cities across South and Southeast Asia continue to expand into flood-prone zones, while drainage systems and protective infrastructure remain outdated or overstretched.&nbsp;Warning Pakistan cannot ignoreRescue operations in Indonesia and Sri Lanka are ongoing, with military aircraft airlifting patients from inundated hospitals and naval vessels delivering supplies to isolated districts. The events underscore a clear message for Pakistan: such disasters are no longer &ldquo;once in a generation.&rdquo;&nbsp;Regional environmental agencies stress the urgent need to strengthen early-warning systems, redesign land-use planning, and invest in climate-resilient infrastructure. Without such measures, they warn, human and economic losses will accelerate.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s 2022 floods were described as unprecedented. Three years later, similarly devastating events have become routine across Asia. The question is no longer whether such disasters will strike again, but whether governments will be prepared when they do.

A woman carrying a child wades through a flooded street after heavy rainfall in Wellampitiya on the outskirts of Colombo on November 30, 2025, after a powerful cyclone. (AFP)

Natural Disaster

Climate

In regions across Asia, intensifying heatwaves, early monsoons and extreme floods are overwhelming communities, exposing weak infrastructure and highlighting urgent need for climate-resilient planning protection.

Southeast Asia’s deadly floods echo Pakistan’s escalating climate extremes

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s independent film scene is making global headlines once again, with short films A Door to My Memory (Yaadan de Boohay) and Toxicity earning international acclaim.&nbsp;A Door to My Memory, a Punjabi sci-fi romantic drama directed by Sheryar Ali and produced by Suhail Ahmad, had its world premiere at the Tasveer Film Festival in Seattle &mdash; the only Oscar-qualifying South Asian festival in the world.&nbsp;Following its success in the US, the film has been officially selected at multiple Indian festivals, including the Bollywood International Film Festival, the International Kolkata Short Film Festival, and the Global Taj International Film Festival, where it is currently a semi-finalist.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the filmmakers&rsquo; second project, Toxicity, which focuses on Pakistan&rsquo;s smog crisis, continues to gain international attention. Co-directed by Suhail Ahmad and Sheryar Ali, the short film recently premiered at the Festival Internazionale Nebrodi Cinema Doc in Sicily, Italy.&nbsp;Both films are a source of pride, but their success opens up a much larger conversation: What does it really take for Pakistani filmmakers to take their stories international?&nbsp;The struggle of independent filmmaking&nbsp;Independent filmmaking in Pakistan has always been an act of resilience. With limited resources, scattered infrastructure, and an audience still hesitant to embrace experimental cinema, even completing a short film is a major achievement.&nbsp;Then comes distribution, the real test. It can take years for local filmmakers to see their films on screen, if they ever do. Without the support of a major production house, getting a film in front of an audience is nearly impossible.&nbsp;By no means is this a critique of a broken system, but a look at what it takes to survive in it. Pakistan&rsquo;s film scene has seen its share of ups and downs. With Bollywood off local screens and Hollywood still not our main source of entertainment, the revival of local cinema remains slow and uncertain.&nbsp;Most film graduates today enter the industry without knowing how to position or distribute their work. Investors avoid taking risks on new talent, leaving independent filmmakers with scarce funds and no real marketing plan.&nbsp;To better understand this struggle, Pakistan TV Digital spoke with some of the most promising talent in indie filmmaking to get a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes.&nbsp;What it really takes&nbsp;&ldquo;When people talk about hurdles, funding always comes up, and rightly so,&rdquo; says director Sheryar Ali.&nbsp;&ldquo;But for me, the real challenge was learning the distribution process itself. I had to travel abroad and talk to distributors and producers just to understand how it works, despite being a film school graduate who&rsquo;s been in the industry for years.&rdquo;&nbsp;It isn&rsquo;t about gatekeeping, he explains, but the lack of structure.&nbsp;&ldquo;We don&rsquo;t have a stable industry. No one really knows the way forward. That can be very discouraging for young filmmakers. I hope people returning from festivals share their learnings more openly. I know I will.&rdquo;&nbsp;No roadmapAnother example of Pakistani cinema breaking through internationally is Jujji, a feature film recently acquired by the American distribution company Buffalo 8. Eifa Ahmad, the film&rsquo;s head of distribution, explained how it reached this milestone:&nbsp;&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no clear roadmap for taking an independent film international. You&rsquo;re mostly figuring it out as you go, who to reach out to, what materials are needed, how contracts work.&rdquo;&nbsp;Guidance within Pakistan is limited, leaving filmmakers to learn through trial and error. &ldquo;There isn&rsquo;t much local guidance for that process,&rdquo; she says.&nbsp;She adds, &ldquo;When we were working on Jujji, every step was a mix of research, intuition, and persistence. Another big challenge is confidence; we underestimate the strength of our own stories.&rdquo;&nbsp;Ahmad emphasizes the uniqueness of Pakistani narratives. &ldquo;Our stories are rooted in experiences no one else can replicate. Once we start owning that instead of trying to fit external molds, things will shift.&rdquo;&nbsp;The way forwardDespite the hurdles, Pakistan&rsquo;s indie filmmakers are proving their stories can reach international audiences. Each success story helps pave the way for the next generation, gradually building a stronger presence for local cinema on the global stage.

Film & TV

Pakistani indie filmmakers Sheryar Ali and Suhail Ahmad gain global recognition as their films A Door to My Memory and Toxicity make international festival rounds, highlighting both creativity and the challenges of distribution and funding.

Breaking the mold: how Pakistani filmmakers are going global

ISLAMABAD: Afghan officials recently&nbsp;raised objections to the&nbsp;use of the word &#39;border&#39; in&nbsp;a statement Qatar issued in the wake of a ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Doha.&nbsp; The border has long been internationally recognized as Pakistan&rsquo;s western frontier, a position Islamabad has maintained and articulated consistently. The Durand AgreementThe Durand Agreement was&nbsp;signed on Nov. 12, 1893, between the British Indian government and Afghan ruler Amir Abdur Rahman Khan. Negotiated by a British diplomat, Sir Mortimer Durand, the treaty demarcated zones of influence between the British Empire and Afghanistan. Later, the agreement was reaffirmed three times between the British Indian government and Afghan leaders &mdash; in March 1905, August 1919, and November 1921 &mdash; leading to the recognition of the Durand Line as the international border. Following Pakistan&rsquo;s creation in 1947, it inherited the line&nbsp;&mdash;&nbsp;which runs from the Chinese border in the north to the Iranian border&nbsp;in the south-west &mdash;&nbsp;as its international frontier with Afghanistan, a status it has upheld ever since. The 1988 Geneva Accords included an agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan that underscored mutual recognition of the Durand Line as the international border. Afghanistan, however, has periodically disputed what it recognized earlier. During an online press briefing on Oct. 19, 2025, soon after the Doha agreement, Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim Defense Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid said:&nbsp;&ldquo;We do not agree to the term &lsquo;border&rsquo;... the Durand Line is imaginary. Its future will be determined by the Afghan nation.&rdquo; Pakistan&rsquo;s position: &lsquo;A closed and settled issue&rsquo;In contrast, Pakistan &mdash; like countries around the world &mdash; has consistently maintained that the Durand Line is its western international border. In 2012, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) stated:&nbsp;&quot;The Durand Line between Pakistan and Afghanistan is the internationally recognized border. It is a closed and settled issue.&rdquo; In a more recent statement on Jan. 2, 2025, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s position: &ldquo;The Pakistan-Afghanistan border is an internationally recognized border. Anybody&rsquo;s statement cannot change the legality of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. It is not up for any discussion.&rdquo; MoFA has repeatedly emphasized that Pakistan retains the sovereign right to regulate and defend its border, condemning what it describes as &ldquo;unprovoked aggression&rdquo; from Afghan territory. Chronology of Pakistan&rsquo;s stanceThe Foreign Office has reiterated this stance on multiple occasions over the years: <blockquote>2012: It described the Durand Line as &ldquo;a closed and settled issue.&rdquo; 2019: It rejected Afghan claims of non-recognition, calling them &ldquo;irresponsible and unwarranted.&rdquo; It reaffirmed that the border was defined under &ldquo;all relevant international laws and conventions.&rdquo; 2020: In response to Afghan objections to border fencing by Pakistan, MoFA said the activity was in line with international norms and aimed at addressing Pakistan&rsquo;s security concerns without encroaching on Afghan territory. 2023: It asserted that any unauthorized construction by Afghanistan inside Pakistani territory was a violation of sovereignty. 2025: It reiterated that the border is &ldquo;not up for any discussion&rdquo; and rejected any challenges to its legitimacy.</blockquote> International recognitionWhile Afghanistan is the only country in the world that refuses to acknowledge the Durand Line, the international community recognizes it as Pakistan&rsquo;s legitimate western border. In October 2012, the US State Department formally endorsed the line. Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said: <blockquote>&ldquo;We see this [Durand Line] as the internationally recognized boundary.&rdquo;</blockquote> More recently, in February 2024, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said: <blockquote>&ldquo;We support the territorial integrity of both Afghanistan and Pakistan within their internationally recognized borders.&rdquo;</blockquote> Today, the United Nations and all countries of the world, except Afghanistan, recognize the Durand Line as the internationally recognized border of Afghanistan and Pakistan in official maps and bilateral dealings.

Foreign Affairs

The 1988 Geneva Accords included an agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan that underscored mutual recognition of the Durand Line as the international border

The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan 

HONG KONG: Asian stocks and oil futures were mixed on Tuesday after fresh US strikes on Iran threatened fragile negotiations to reopen the Hormuz strait. The United States and Iran have been trying to broker a deal to end the Middle East war and reopen the crucial waterway since a fragile ceasefire came into force on April 8. Stocks had rallied on Monday and crude futures contracts dropped below $100 after reports suggesting a deal was on the cusp of being reached. But these hopes were dampened on Monday when US forces attacked missile sites in southern Iran and boats trying to lay mines. &quot;US forces conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,&quot; Tim Hawkins, a US Central Command spokesman, said in a statement. Both sides have played down chances of a quick deal to end the war that has driven up energy prices and fuelled global inflation. US President Donald Trump offered little certainty, saying on Monday that a deal with Tehran would either be &quot;great and meaningful&quot; or there would be &quot;no deal&quot; at all. Iran&#39;s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei confirmed progress had been made, but added a deal was not yet within reach. Top US diplomat Marco Rubio insisted on Tuesday that the blockaded strait would reopen &quot;one way or the other&quot;. Asian stocks showed a mixed picture in early trade, with Tokyo and Shanghai down around 0.5%. Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Sydney and Manila were also down. Seoul, however, was up more than 3%, opening at a new record high over 8,000, as chipmakers, carmakers and shipbuilders continued their strong gains. Hong Kong, Jakarta, Bangkok, Wellington and Taipei also climbed. Oil prices fluctuated on the geopolitical uncertainty, with US benchmark West Texas Intermediate down over 5%, and international benchmark North Sea Brent slightly up. &quot;The market&#39;s reaction remains almost mechanical at this point,&quot; said Stephen Innes, an analyst at SPI Asset Management. &quot;Every incremental diplomatic headline involving Iran gets treated like another liquidity injection directly into risk appetite. &quot;Yet beneath the surface, the actual negotiations still resemble two traders standing on opposite sides of the pit pretending the spread has narrowed while the hardest legs of the trade remain unresolved.&quot; Investors will be keeping an eye this week on how the US Federal Reserve reacts to key consumer inflation data and its potential effect on interest rates. Higher prices triggered by the US-Israeli war against Iran will limit the likelihood of interest rate cuts by the Fed to boost US growth, many economists have warned. &quot;Traders have already fully priced in another Federal Reserve rate hike by year&#39;s end, despite the arrival of Kevin Warsh as the new Fed chairman,&quot; Innes said. Russia&#39;s war against Ukraine has also injected more uncertainty, with Moscow saying on Monday it planned to launch more strikes on Kyiv following a major recent assault. Key figures at around 0230 GMT Brent North Sea Crude: UP 2.0% at $98.11 a barrel West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 5.1% at $91.71 a barrel Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.4% at 64,915.67 points Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.4% at 4136.32 Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.3% at 25,679.68 Euro/dollar: DOWN at 1.1634 from 1.1646 on Monday Pound/dollar: DOWN at 1.3487 from $1.3502 Dollar/yen: UP at 158.94 from 158.90 yen Euro/pound: UP at 86.26 from 86.25 pence London - FTSE 100: Closed for a holiday Paris - CAC 40: UP 1.8% at 8,258.26 (close) Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 2.0% at 25,389.10 (close) New York - DOW: Closed for a holiday

An electronic quotation board (L) displays the Nikkei Stock Average on the Tokyo Stock Exchange along a street in Tokyo on May 25, 2026. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP)

Business

Asian stocks and oil prices traded mixed as renewed US strikes on Iran disrupted hopes for a Hormuz Strait deal, keeping markets volatile amid geopolitical uncertainty.

Asia stocks, oil prices mixed on US-Iran deal uncertainty

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held high-level meetings with leading Chinese companies in Beijing on Tuesday, as Islamabad intensified efforts to expand industrial cooperation, infrastructure connectivity, and technology investment under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The engagements come as Pakistan increasingly seeks to reposition CPEC beyond large-scale infrastructure financing toward manufacturing, industrial relocation, energy transition and export-oriented business partnerships with Chinese firms. According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office, PM Sharif and Chinese executives reaffirmed their commitment to &ldquo;further expand cooperation in the economic, industrial and infrastructure sectors under CPEC Phase-II.&rdquo; During a meeting with FAMSUN Chief Executive Officer Zhengjun Chen, the prime minister praised the company&rsquo;s longstanding role in Pakistan&rsquo;s agriculture sector, particularly in grain storage, feed production and food security. The statement said PM Sharif identified the reduction of post-harvest crop losses as a government priority and invited the company to establish manufacturing and technology-transfer facilities in Pakistan by utilizing incentives available under Special Economic Zones and the Green Pakistan Initiative. PM Sharif also met Chairman Hou Jianxin and representatives of Shandong Xinxu Group Corporation, welcoming the group&rsquo;s expanding investments in maritime development, battery manufacturing, mineral processing and industrial cooperation. The prime minister appreciated the company&rsquo;s role in the Xinxu Special Economic Zone, the C2 Steel project at Port Qasim, and investments in Gwadar and Pakistan&rsquo;s northern mineral sectors. Reaffirming Islamabad&rsquo;s backing for the projects, Sharif stressed the need for their &ldquo;fast-track implementation under CPEC Phase-II,&rdquo; according to the statement. The prime minister separately met Chairman Zhang Bingnan of China Communications Construction Company and senior representatives of China Road and Bridge Corporation. Sharif praised the companies&rsquo; contribution to Pakistan&rsquo;s infrastructure development over the past six decades, particularly in projects including the Karakoram Highway and Rashakai Special Economic Zone. He reiterated Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to accelerated progress on the ML-1 railway project, the realignment of the Karakoram Highway and other regional connectivity initiatives. The prime minister emphasized that Pakistan viewed CCCC and CRBC as &ldquo;long-term strategic partners&rdquo; in infrastructure modernization and regional connectivity. The meetings follow Sharif&rsquo;s investment-focused engagements in Hangzhou earlier this week, where he urged Chinese companies to relocate industries to Pakistan through joint ventures with Pakistani firms. &ldquo;This model will be a win-win model for Chinese and Pakistani entrepreneurs,&rdquo; Sharif said during the Pakistan-China B2B Investment Conference. Chinese companies participating in Tuesday&rsquo;s meetings expressed &ldquo;strong confidence in Pakistan&rsquo;s economic potential&rdquo; and signaled &ldquo;keen interest&rdquo; in expanding investments across agriculture, industrial production, logistics, infrastructure and technology sectors, according to the statement. Federal ministers and senior Pakistani officials attended the meetings and were directed to ensure &ldquo;effective and timely implementation&rdquo; of decisions reached during the business engagements.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speaks during a meeting with Chen Zhengjun, president and CEO of FAMSUN, in Beijing on May 26, 2026. (Handout/PMO)

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets senior executives of leading Chinese companies in Beijing, seeking expanded cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing and technology under CPEC Phase-II while urging faster implementation of strategic investment projects in Pakistan.

Pakistan pushes Chinese industrial investment during high-level Beijing business meetings

ISLAMABAD: Tens of thousands of Pakistani pilgrims joined more than 1.5 million Muslims in the holy city of Makkah this week as Hajj rituals entered a crucial phase against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Middle East. Pilgrims on Tuesday continued arriving in Mina after performing the &ldquo;tawaf,&rdquo; or seven circumambulations around the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque, as temperatures climbed to around 45 degrees Celsius across the holy sites. Pakistan has sent around 179,000 pilgrims for this year&rsquo;s Hajj, including more than 119,000 under the government scheme and 60,000 through private operators, making it one of the world&rsquo;s largest Hajj contingents. Officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Pakistan, said extensive arrangements had been finalized in coordination with Saudi authorities to ensure smooth transport, accommodation and logistical support for Pakistani pilgrims throughout the pilgrimage. &ldquo;All operations, including flights, accommodation, and transport, are being organized in a smooth and exemplary manner to ensure the comfort and safety of all pilgrims,&rdquo; Radio Pakistan quoted Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousuf as saying during his visit to Saudi Arabia. The pilgrimage this year is unfolding amid uncertainty surrounding efforts to maintain stability in the region following conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, though Saudi authorities have emphasized strong security and operational preparedness for the annual gathering. Saudi officials have also deployed enhanced heat management and emergency response measures after last year&rsquo;s extreme temperatures during Hajj. Pakistan&rsquo;s Hajj mission said trained teams of Khuddam-ul-Hujjaj, or pilgrim facilitators, remained deployed across the holy sites to assist pilgrims with transport, accommodation, crowd management and emergency support. Officials said the facilitators had undergone specialized training in digital navigation systems, emergency response, and crowd handling ahead of the pilgrimage season. This year, Pakistan also introduced a pilot project allowing thousands of Pakistani pilgrims to travel between Makkah and Madinah through the Haramain High-Speed Railway, significantly reducing travel time between the two holy cities. The main Hajj rituals will continue with the gathering at Mount Arafat, regarded as the spiritual climax of the pilgrimage, where pilgrims spend the day in prayer and reflection before proceeding to Muzdalifah and Mina for the symbolic stoning ritual. Despite regional uncertainty and intense heat, many pilgrims described the experience as spiritually uplifting and the culmination of a lifelong dream.

Middle East

Pilgrims take part in Hajj rituals in Makkah as thousands move through Mina and the Grand Mosque during one of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings in Saudi Arabia.

Pakistani pilgrims offer prayers for peace as Hajj rituals continue

Football

FIFA announced training sites for 48 teams at the 2026 World Cup, with Argentina and England based in Kansas City. Most teams will train in the United States, while seven will base in Mexico and two in Canada.

FIFA reveals 48 World Cup team base training sites

Web Desk/AFP

This live blog follows the latest developments across the Middle East crisis, including regional diplomacy, maritime security, ceasefire negotiations, and economic fallout.<hr style="line-height: 2;">Catch up: Yesterday&rsquo;s top developments<ul style="list-style-type: square;"><li style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">US military strikes southern Iran targeting missile sites and boats &ldquo;laying mines&rdquo; in &ldquo;self-defense&rdquo;</li><li style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Explosions reported in Bandar Abbas with Iranian state media saying situation under control</li><li style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trump proposes transferring Iran&#39;s uranium to the US or destroying it domestically under international monitoring.</li><li style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trump conditions Iran peace deal on Saudi Arabia and Qatar normalizing relations with Israel</li><li style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Iran restores internet access suspended since February attacks began.</li><li style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hezbollah claims drone attacks on Israel while Netanyahu escalates strikes in Lebanon</li></ul><hr style="line-height: 2;"> Iran says over 1,500 schools damaged during recent conflict Published: May 26, 2026 | 4:45 GMT | by Web Desk Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Iran&rsquo;s School Renovation Organization has identified damage to 1,507 schools and 219 non-educational facilities during the recent war. According to IRNA, the head of the organization said 15 schools were completely destroyed and would be rebuilt with support from charities and assistance organizations. Officials also said another 254 schools are expected to resume operations within two months.<hr> Asia stocks, oil prices mixed on US-Iran deal uncertainty Published: May 26, 2026 | 3:20 GMT | by AFP Asian stock markets and oil prices traded unevenly Tuesday as uncertainty over negotiations between the United States and Iran continued to weigh on investor sentiment following fresh US strikes in southern Iran. Markets had rallied earlier this week after reports suggested progress toward an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but optimism faded after US Central Command said American forces carried out &ldquo;self-defense strikes&rdquo; targeting missile sites and boats allegedly attempting to lay naval mines. Oil prices fluctuated amid the uncertainty, with Brent crude edging higher while US benchmark West Texas Intermediate fell more than 5%. Analysts said markets were reacting sharply to every diplomatic or military development linked to the Middle East crisis and the future of maritime trade through Hormuz.<hr> Strait of Hormuz &ldquo;has to be open&rdquo;: Rubio Published: May 26, 2026 | 2:46 GMT | by Web Desk US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz &ldquo;has to be open&rdquo; and would reopen &ldquo;one way or the other,&rdquo; after renewed US strikes on Iran raised uncertainty over efforts to sustain a broader ceasefire agreement. Speaking during a visit to Jaipur, India, Rubio described the disruption in maritime navigation as &ldquo;unlawful,&rdquo; &ldquo;illegal&rdquo; and &ldquo;unsustainable for the world.&rdquo;<hr> Rubio says Iran deal still possible within days despite US strikes Published: May 26, 2026 | 2:21 GMT | by AFP US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that a deal with Iran was still possible despite new American strikes that cast doubt on their fragile ceasefire. &quot;There were some talks going on in Qatar today, so we&#39;ll see if we can make progress. I think it&#39;s a lot of talking back and forth going on about specific language in the initial document, so it&#39;ll take a few days,&quot; Rubio told reporters in Jaipur during an official visit to India. &quot;The president&#39;s expressed his desire to make it. He&#39;s either going to make a good deal or no deal,&quot; he said. <hr> WTI crude price falls over 5% despite new US strikes on Iran Published: May 26, 2026 | 00:52 GMT | by AFP The price of the main US benchmark for oil fell more than 5% on Tuesday, despite US forces launching new strikes on Iran. Around 00:30 GMT, the price of West Texas Intermediate was down 5.46% at $91.33 a barrel. However, North Sea Brent crude was up 1.6% at $97.68 a barrel. Oil prices plunged below $100 on Monday as investors raised expectations of a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, following signs that Washington and Tehran were edging closer to a deal. <hr> US CENTCOM strikes Iran as Trump urges Qatar and Saudi Arabia join Abraham Accords Published: May 26, 2026 | 00:48 GMT | by Web Desk The United States military struck southern Iran while President Donald Trump set new conditions on the ongoing peace negotiations, urging Qatar and Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel as a prerequisite for ending the conflict. The US Central Command said it targeted &ldquo;missile launch sites&rdquo; and Iranian &ldquo;boats laying mines,&rdquo; characterizing the action as &ldquo;self-defense&rdquo; during an ongoing ceasefire, according to The Guardian. Explosions were also reported in the port city of Bandar Abbas, with the Iranian state news agency Mehr stating the situation remained under control. The US President also laid out a nuclear disposal framework in a Truth Social post, proposing Iran&#39;s enriched uranium be transferred to the United States for destruction or destroyed domestically under international oversight. <hr> Canada&#39;s Carney calls treatment of Gaza flotilla activists &#39;unacceptable&#39; Published: May 26, 2026 | 00:44 GMT | by AFP Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday denounced the &quot;appalling treatment&quot; of activists aboard the Gaza-bound aid flotilla as &quot;unacceptable,&quot; in a call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, according to a statement. Last week, Israel&#39;s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir sparked widespread condemnation and a diplomatic backlash by posting a video mocking the activists after they were seized in international waters by Israeli soldiers. In the video dozens of activists, including 12 Canadian citizens, were forced to kneel with their foreheads to the ground and their hands tied. In the call, Carney called for an independent investigation and &quot;strongly condemned&quot; remarks by Ben Gvir, according to the statement. Last week, Canada said it was summoning the Israeli ambassador over the incident.

US military strikes southern Iran targeting missile sites and mining boats as Trump sets new conditions on peace negotiations, urging Qatar and Saudi Arabia to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel.

LIVE: US CENTCOM strikes Iran as Trump urges Qatar and Saudi Arabia join Abraham Accords

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 

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.

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