Daily News Pakistan

US President Donald Trump held a phone conversation last week with Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, discussing the possibility of a meeting in the United States, The New York Times reported on Friday. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly participated in the call. The reported discussion comes amid growing US pressure on Venezuela, including a significant military deployment in the Caribbean featuring the world’s largest aircraft carrier. Washington says the deployment targets drug trafficking, but Caracas views it as an attempt at regime change. Since early September, US forces have struck over 20 alleged Venezuelan drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, resulting in more than 80 deaths. The US has yet to provide evidence that these vessels were actively smuggling drugs or posed a threat to national security, fueling regional tensions. The Trump-Maduro call follows the US president’s recent statement that measures to curb Venezuelan drug trafficking b...

US President Donald Trump on Thursday unleashed a series of posts on Truth Social that could dramatically reshape US immigration policy, declaring that he will “permanently pause” migration from “all third world countries” and calling for “reverse migration” to remove certain immigrants. “I will permanently pause migration from all third world countries to allow the US system to fully recover. This is necessary because unchecked migration has weakened American society and strained its resources. Until the system stabilises, no new immigrants from these countries will be allowed entry,” Trump wrote. He did not identify any countries by name or give any specifics about what he meant by “permanently pause”. However, his posts signal a sweeping crackdown that could affect millions of residents from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, and which could also alter refugee, Green Card, and other immigration programmes. The development comes a day after the US government abruptl...

The COP30 climate summit concluded with a mixture of cautious optimism and familiar disappointment, highlighting the urgency of the global climate crisis while exposing the continued reluctance of major powers to take decisive action. The summit’s most notable announcement was the pledge to triple adaptation finance for nations already grappling with floods, droughts, heatwaves, and ecological collapse. While the move signals a willingness to support climate-vulnerable countries, experts warned that the commitment lacks a clear baseline and financing timeline, raising concerns that it may remain symbolic rather than transformative. Even more concerning was the summit’s failure to establish a binding roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels. The “Belém Package” offered no global mechanism to reduce dependence on oil, coal, and gas, instead relying on voluntary measures that experts argue are insufficient to meet scientific climate targets. Without a decisive exit from fossil fuels, g...

The deadly Hong Kong blaze was fueled by green construction mesh and bamboo scaffolding, common in traditional Chinese architecture but subject to a safety phase-out in Hong Kong since March. Police have arrested three men on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the fire, according to public broadcaster RTHK, though no further details were provided. Firefighters worked through the night, struggling to reach the upper floors of the Wang Fuk Court housing complex, which contains 2,000 apartments across eight blocks, due to intense heat. A 71-year-old resident, surnamed Wong, broke down in tears, saying his wife remained trapped inside. Among the 36 confirmed dead was a firefighter, while 29 people remain hospitalized, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee told reporters. Approximately 900 people have been accommodated in eight emergency shelters. Lee emphasized the priorities for authorities: “The priority is to extinguish the fire and rescue the residents who are trapped. ...

A group of army officers said they had seized power in coup-prone Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday, on the eve of the expected announcement of results from a hotly contested presidential election. In a statement read on state television, the army officers said they had deposed President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, suspended the electoral process, shut borders and would enforce a curfew. They said they had formed “The High Military Command for the Restoration of Order” and would be in charge of the West African nation until further notice. Shortly before the announcement, gunfire rang out near the electoral commission headquarters, presidential palace and interior ministry, witnesses said. It lasted for about an hour but appeared to have stopped by 1400 GMT (7pm PKT), a Reuters journalist said. There was no word yet of any casualties. The electoral commission was due on Thursday to announce provisional results from Sunday’s election in which Embalo faced off against top challenger Fernando D...

Pakistan’s national space agency, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), is set to launch a new Earth Observation satellite on 25 December 2025, in what officials describe as a significant advancement for the country’s space-based imaging and geospatial capabilities. Pakistan is set to replace its aging communications satellite, Paksat-1R, with a new satellite, scheduled for launch on December 25. Paksat-1R, launched in August 2011, had a design life of 15 years and has now reached the end of its operational period. The new satellite aims to strengthen geospatial services, enhance satellite imagery capabilities, and boost the country’s Earth-observation capacity. It is also expected to support improved high-speed communications, indirectly benefiting broadband and digital connectivity nationwide. The mission is being hailed as a key milestone in Pakistan’s space programme, building on the success of PakSat-MM1, which took over Paksat-1R’s communications ro...

“The 1980s are calling,” a teenager with a retro hairstyle tells viewers as the Tears for Fears classic “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” plays in the background. The entire montage created using artificial intelligence has garnered more than 600,000 likes on Instagram and is part of an online trend known as “AI nostalgia,” which can be perplexing for those who actually lived through the decade. Maximal Nostalgia, the Instagram account behind much of this content, showcases a highly idealized version of life in the 1980s and 1990s. This soft-focused fantasy is made possible by modern generative AI tools such as OpenAI’s Sora, Google’s Veo, and Luma AI’s Ray which can produce remarkably realistic videos that, at first glance, are difficult to distinguish from genuine vintage footage. On Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, numerous channels are recreating the past through an AI-enhanced lens, portraying pre-iPhone youth as more present, outdoorsy, and eager to connect face-to-face. ...

Two pandas at a zoo in central France are to return to China on Tuesday after the female was diagnosed with kidney failure, drawing hundreds of visitors for a final goodbye. Huan Huan and her partner Yuan Zi arrived at the Beauval Zoo in 2012 as part of China's "panda diplomacy" programme, which sees the black-and-white bears dispatched across the globe as soft-power ambassadors. The two pandas, both 17, were meant to stay in France until January 2027, but will return to China on Tuesday to live out their retirement at the Chengdu panda sanctuary, leaving behind some devoted fans. More than 200 well-wishers braved a cold and rainy Sunday to say "bon voyage", including one couple dressed head-to-toe in panda-themed gear, who say they have visited the bears "more than a thousand times" since their arrival in 2012. Patrice Colombel, an electronics technician, and his wife Veronique, an administrative assistant at a secondary school, told AFP they wo...

Malaysia plans to ban social media for users under the age of 16 starting from next year, joining a growing list of countries choosing to limit access to digital platforms due to concerns about child safety. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said on Sunday the government was reviewing mechanisms used to impose age restrictions for social media use in Australia and other nations, citing a need to protect youths from online harms such as cyberbullying, financial scams, and child sexual abuse. "We hope by next year that social media platforms will comply with the government's decision to bar those under the age of 16 from opening user accounts," he told reporters, according to a video of his remarks posted online by local daily The Star. The effects of social media on children's health and safety have become a growing global concern, with companies including TikTok, Snapchat, Google and Meta Platforms — the operator of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — facing l...

In response to growing threats in the digital sphere, the federal government has initiated steps to set up a Cybersecurity Authority. According to a news article, the proposed authority will be responsible for recommending security protocols for the country’s critical digital infrastructure and overseeing the rollout of cybersecurity initiatives nationwide. According to officials, the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications has drafted the preliminary version of the Cybersecurity Act and circulated it among relevant stakeholders for review. The upcoming legislation aligns with the National Cybersecurity Policy, which lays out a nationwide framework for digital protection and is currently being implemented as part of the Digital Economy Enhancement Programme. The move comes after the MoIT acknowledged in September that Pakistan has suffered multiple significant cyberattacks and data breaches in recent years. In a submission to the National Assembly, the ministry d...

Washington and Kyiv said on Sunday that any eventual peace deal to halt the war with Russia must fully uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty, following “constructive” talks between US, Ukrainian, and European officials in Geneva. Negotiations, based on a US-proposed plan criticized for favoring Russia, produced an updated and refined peace framework, according to a joint US-Ukraine statement. The conflict, which began nearly four years ago following Russia’s full-scale invasion, remains unresolved. US President Donald Trump had set a deadline of November 27 for Ukraine to approve his plan. Kyiv, however, sought modifications to a draft that would have required Ukraine to cede territory, reduce its army, and pledge never to join NATO. “The talks were constructive, focused, and respectful, underscoring the shared commitment to achieving a just and lasting peace,” the joint statement said. It added that any future agreement must fully uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty while delivering a sustaina...

The Bangladeshi government announced on Sunday that it has formally requested India to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was sentenced to death earlier this week over a deadly crackdown on a student-led uprising. Hasina, 78, has been in hiding in India since her autocratic rule was toppled in August 2024. During her tenure, she had received support from New Delhi. Bangladesh’s interim foreign affairs minister, Touhid Hossain, told reporters on Friday that the government had “sent a letter seeking the extradition of Sheikh Hasina.” He did not disclose further details of the request, which Bengali newspaper Prothom Alo reported was the third official extradition request since Hasina fled the country. Following her conviction on Monday for crimes against humanity, Bangladesh’s foreign ministry stated that India has an “obligatory responsibility” under a bilateral treaty to facilitate Hasina’s return. India’s foreign ministry responded that it had “noted” the verdic...

Meta allegedly halted its own internal research into the mental health impact of Facebook and Instagram after early findings showed a direct causal link between the platforms and declining user well-being, according to newly un-redacted court filings in a class-action lawsuit brought by U.S. school districts. The documents reveal that in 2020, under a project code-named Project Mercury, Meta researchers partnered with Nielsen to study the effects of temporarily “deactivating” Facebook and Instagram accounts. To Meta’s surprise, internal files show that users who stayed off Facebook for a week reported significantly lower levels of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and social comparison—outcomes that contradicted Meta’s public stance. Instead of releasing the findings or commissioning further research, the company shut the project down, claiming the results were influenced by the prevailing “negative media narrative” surrounding social media. Privately, however, Meta employees told...

The crash of India’s Tejas fighter jet during the Dubai Airshow has delivered a major setback to the country’s defense export ambitions, leaving the jet reliant on domestic orders to sustain its status as a showcase of India’s home-grown defense technology. The cause of Friday’s accident is yet to be determined, but it occurred amid intense international attention at the event, attended by India’s rival Pakistan, just six months after a historic air battle between the two nations. Wing Commander Namansh Syal tragically lost his life in the incident. Experts say the crash at such a high-profile event will overshadow India’s decades-long effort to promote the Tejas abroad. Douglas A. Birkey, executive director of the U.S.-based Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, called the incident “brutal imagery” that sends a message of failure, though he added that the program could regain momentum. The Tejas program, launched in the 1980s to replace aging MiG-21s, has faced production de...

US President Donald Trump has claimed that tariffs and foreign investment are bringing trillions of dollars into the United States and have made the country the wealthiest and most powerful in its history. In a statement on Truth Social, Trump reiterated his long-standing assertion that his tariff policies prevented between five and eight wars. He said the stock market reached an all-time high for the 48th time in the past nine months, which he described as proof of the American economy’s strength. Trump maintained that rising tariff revenues and foreign investment have significantly boosted national wealth and global influence. On November 20, 2025, he claimed that he personally prevented a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan by threatening both nations with massive trade penalties. His remarks come months after Pakistan shot down seven Indian warplanes, including three Rafale aircraft, in May 2025. Speaking at the Saudi Investment Conference in Washington, Trump said ...

US President Donald Trump hosted New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at the White House on Friday for a meeting that proceeded smoothly despite their sharply contrasting political views. One of Trump’s notable wins was shifting the narrative about Mamdani, whom he had previously criticized as a “100% Communist Lunatic.” “We agree on a lot more than I would have thought,” Trump said, smiling as he addressed Mamdani respectfully as “Mr. Mayor” and predicted success for his tenure. Their televised Oval Office meeting drew significant attention, presenting Trump in a more favorable light after weeks of negative coverage linked to files from the late Jeffrey Epstein. With his poll numbers declining, the meeting offered a timely distraction and a chance to reset the political conversation. Focus on Affordability Trump and Mamdani focused their discussion on the cost of living and affordability, central issues in Mamdani’s mayoral campaign. Trump spoke at length about reducing hous...

An Indian Tejas fighter jet participating in a demonstration at the Dubai Airshow crashed on Friday afternoon. The HAL-manufactured aircraft went down at around 2:10 pm local time while executing an aerial maneuver in front of a large audience. Thick plumes of black smoke were seen billowing from the crash site near the airport, causing panic among spectators, including families who had gathered to enjoy the event. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the pilot was able to eject before the aircraft hit the ground.

Reports indicate that the Indian Armed Forces (IAF, Army, and other branches) have seen increasing politicization and religious influence, raising concerns about the military’s neutrality and secular character. Analysts and human rights organizations highlight the growing “saffronization” of the forces under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration, linking military actions, symbols, and recruitment practices to Hindu nationalist agendas. Religious Symbolism in Military Spaces In January 2025, the Army Chief’s lounge in South Block, New Delhi, replaced a historic 1971 war painting with “Karam Kshetra”, depicting Hindu mythological figures alongside modern military assets. Similarly, in December 2024, the Fire and Fury Corps unveiled a statue of 17th-century Hindu king Shivaji near Pangong Tso in Ladakh, accompanied by a saffron flag, signaling the assertion of Hindu identity in a sensitive strategic area. Religious Rituals and Political Statements Senior military officials...

Afghanistan is racing to diversify its trade routes after a deadly border clash with Pakistan last month pushed ties to their lowest point in years, disrupting commerce and affecting communities on both sides of the frontier. The South Asian neighbors have been embroiled in a tense dispute since the Taliban took control of Kabul in 2021, with Islamabad accusing Afghanistan of sheltering militants behind cross-border attacks—a claim the Taliban government denies. Last week, Abdul Ghani Baradar, Afghanistan’s deputy prime minister for economic affairs, urged traders to “redirect their trade toward alternative routes instead of Pakistan.” He warned that Kabul would not intervene if businesses continued relying on Pakistani routes. Pakistan has long been Afghanistan’s top trading partner, supplying rice, pharmaceuticals, and raw materials, while absorbing 45 percent of Afghan exports in 2024, according to the World Bank. More than 70 percent of those exports, valued at $1.4 billion, ...

Meta announced on Thursday that Australians under the age of 16 will be removed from Facebook and Instagram starting December 4, ahead of new government rules set to take effect next week. From December 10, Australia will require social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, to remove all users under 16, with hefty fines for non-compliance. Meta said it will proactively start restricting access to its platforms before the law comes into force. “From today, Meta will notify Australian users it believes to be aged 13-15 that they will lose access to Instagram, Threads, and Facebook,” the company said in a statement. Meta added that it will block new accounts created by under-16 users and revoke access to existing accounts starting December 4, aiming to remove all identified users by December 10. According to government data, approximately 350,000 Instagram users and 150,000 Facebook accounts in Australia belong to users aged 13-15. Meta has begun alerting aff...

US President Donald Trump announced that he will meet New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at the White House on Friday, marking the first encounter between the Republican leader and the democratic socialist who won this month’s mayoral election. The two figures have previously been critical of one another, with Trump supporting Mamdani’s rival, Andrew Cuomo, during the campaign. Meanwhile, Mamdani has criticized Trump administration policies, including immigration crackdowns and the handling of protests against US support for Israel amid the Gaza conflict. Trump confirmed the meeting on social media, stating, “We have agreed that this meeting will take place at the Oval Office on Friday, November 21st.” Earlier in the week, Mamdani told reporters that his team had contacted the White House to arrange the discussion. “My team reached out to the White House to fulfill a commitment I made to New Yorkers over the course of this campaign,” he said on Monday. Mamdani’s transition...

In a special address at the Saudi investment conference on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump once again claimed he prevented a nuclear war between Pakistan and India — a crisis he said could have killed “millions.” Trump shared the account with his characteristic boast about settling disputes, recounting how he allegedly handled what he described as an imminent armed clash in South Asia. According to Trump, both countries were “going to go at it, nuclear weapons,” and he said he warned them that Washington would impose a massive tariff if they proceeded. “I said that’s okay, you can go at it, but I’m putting a 350% tariff on each country,” he told the audience, adding that he refused to “have you guys shooting nuclear weapons at each other, killing millions of people, and having the nuclear dust floating over Los Angeles.” He said leaders in both capitals initially pushed back, but he claimed he held firm: “They said, ‘We don’t like that.’ I said, ‘I don’t care if you like it ...

The European Union's ambassador to Pakistan has expressed support for Islamabad’s position that militants based in Afghanistan are behind recent attacks in the country, while emphasizing that Pakistan must align its security expectations with tangible progress on human rights and democratic norms. Newly appointed Ambassador Raimundas Karoblis said Pakistan’s call for the Taliban to prevent the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from operating on Afghan soil is “legitimate” and linked to genuine security concerns. “We condemn terrorism in all its forms,” he noted, adding that Pakistan’s expectations from Afghanistan regarding action against the TTP are justified. At the same time, Karoblis stressed that the EU is urging Islamabad to maintain diplomatic channels, highlighting Turkiye’s ongoing mediation efforts between the two sides. When asked whether the Taliban were honoring their Doha pledge not to allow Afghan soil to be used against neighboring countries, he said he lacked ...

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday expressed pride in having halted eight wars worldwide, claiming that he also stopped a conflict from “restarting” between nuclear-armed neighbours, Pakistan and India. Speaking at a joint press conference with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is visiting the US for the first time in seven years, at the Oval Office, Trump said: “I've stopped eight wars... I've actually stopped eight wars.” Trump added that his administration had achieved a lot during his tenure, stating: “We stopped India and Pakistan. I could go through the list... I'm very proud. I stopped one that was almost ready to start again.” He was likely referring to the May 2025 escalation between India and Pakistan, during which the US engaged diplomatically to help secure a ceasefire. Responding to questions, Trump said both Pakistan and India are now “doing well.” Turning to Russia, he remarked: “I'm a little surprised at Putin. It's take...

The United States and Saudi Arabia signed landmark agreements on civil nuclear energy and the sale of advanced US F-35 fighter jets during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington on Tuesday, the White House confirmed. The two nations ratified a “joint declaration” on civil nuclear energy, establishing a legal framework for a multi-billion-dollar, decades-long partnership that adheres to strict nonproliferation standards, according to a White House statement. In addition, President Donald Trump approved a major defense sale package, which includes future deliveries of F-35 stealth fighter jets. Saudi Arabia has requested 48 of the advanced aircraft, which would mark the first US sale of F-35s to Riyadh—a significant policy shift. The deal could reshape the military balance in the Middle East and test Washington’s commitment to maintaining Israel’s “qualitative military edge,” as Israel has been the only Middle Eastern country to operate F-35s until now. Crown Princ...

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to take action against a violent “handful of extremists” among Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, following clashes and another attack on Monday. On Monday evening, homes and vehicles in a Palestinian village were set on fire, just hours after members of the so-called Hilltop Youth clashed with security forces who were dismantling an illegal settler outpost. Violence in the West Bank has surged since the Hamas attack on Israel triggered the Gaza war in October 2023. In recent weeks, attacks attributed to Israeli settlers—particularly those living in outposts—have increased, targeting Palestinians and sometimes even Israeli soldiers. “I view with great severity the violent riots and the attempt by a handful of extremists to take the law into their own hands,” Netanyahu said, calling the perpetrators “a group that does not represent” settlers in the Palestinian territories. He added, “I call on law enforcement authorities to...