سياسة
41638 مقال
War and peace
I HAVE waited many years, decades, to write these words and the time has finally come. Today, I feel proud to be a Pakistani. Today, my country stands out among the comity of nations as a peacemaker of historic proportions. This is, quite possibly, the single biggest day in the life of our country. Let’s not underestimate what just happened. A madman president of the United States had just said “a whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back” on the morning of Tuesday, April 7,...
George Clooney calls Donald Trump’s ‘a whole civilization will die tonight’ threat to Iran a war crime
White House says only person committing war crimes is actor ‘for his awful movies and terrible acting ability’The long-running war of words between the George Clooney and the White House has ignited again after the Oscar-winning actor criticised Donald Trump’s threat to Iran that “a whole civilization will die tonight”.On Wednesday, in a speech to 3,000 high school students in Cuneo, Italy, Clooney said the US president had committed a war crime with his threat. Continue reading...
Taiwan Opposition Head Touts China Talks
The leader of a party stalling Taiwan’s $40 billion defense expansion is in China with a message: Diplomacy is as much a deterrent as American weapons. Yian Lee explains what’s at stake for both China and Taiwan. (Source: Bloomberg)
China plays quiet but persuasive role in Iran talks
WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s mediation that helped bring about a temporary US–Iran ceasefire has drawn global attention, with Islamabad’s envoy to Washington, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, reiterating that the breakthrough was the result of “an intense diplomatic effort that was in progress over the past few weeks.” He said Pakistan’s role was underpinned by trust from all sides, careful consultations, and a commitment to discretion. The interview with CNN on Wednesday came as Washington announced dispatching...
Clean Energy Team Wins Salt River Project Election in Arizona
Proponents of renewable power will control the Phoenix area utility’s policymaking for the first time after they won an unusually contentious race that drew attention from national groups.
As Trump claims victory, Iran emerges bruised but powerful with leverage over Hormuz
Nearly six weeks of war in Iran have ended, for now, with US President Donald Trump claiming victory, but the US-Iran ceasefire locks in a harsh reality: an entrenched, radical government with control over the Strait of Hormuz and a powerful lever over global energy markets and Gulf rivals, analysts say. The shockwaves have rippled outward, contributing to global economic strains and bringing conflict to Gulf neighbours whose economies depend on stability. "This war will be remembere...
China Has Done Its Best for Mideast Peace, Expert Says
Wang Jin, a Chinese scholar specializing in the Middle East, says Beijing is not in a position to influence Iran’s decisions or change its behavior, but that it has done it best to support the Middle East peace process. Speaking to Bloomberg's The China Show, he points out that China has maintained extensive communication with multiple parties in the region. (Source: Bloomberg)
Watch: Artemis II astronauts answer questions as they fly back to Earth
The four Artemis II astronauts hold an in-flight news conference from aboard the Orion spacecraft before their return to Earth. They discuss naming the lunar crater after Reid Wiseman's late wife, Carroll, how the mission has changed them and more.
Israel's deadliest Lebanon strikes kill 250, threaten fragile US-Iran ceasefire
Israeli strikes pummel Lebanon, killing 250Israel carried out its heaviest strikes on Lebanon since the conflict with Hezbollah broke out last month, killing more than 250 people on Wednesday.The strikes raised questions about regional truce efforts, with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian saying a ceasefire in Lebanon was an essential condition of his country's agreement with the US.On Wednesday afternoon, at least five consecutive strikes rocked the capital Beir...
Trump criticises NATO over Iran in meeting with alliance's boss
US President Donald Trump vented his frustration with NATO during a private meeting with its secretary-general, Mark Rutte, on Wednesday as relations in the military alliance reached a crisis point over the Iran war. "He is clearly disappointed with many NATO allies, and I can see his point," Rutte said on CNN's 'The Lead with Jake Tapper,' after spending more than two hours at the White House. "This was a very frank, very open discussion, but also a di...
PM hopes US-Iran ceasefire will become permanent
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairs a federal cabinet meeting.—APP • Govt considers observing ‘Youm-i-Tashakur’ to mark its diplomatic role• Premier thanks China, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Egypt, Qatar for supporting peace push ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday hoped that the temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran would become a permanent truce. The government is also considering observing Youm-i-Tashakur (Thanksgiving Day) on Friday t...
Pakistan strongly condemns Israeli aggression against Lebanon: FO
Pakistan on Thursday strongly condemned Israeli aggression against Lebanon, citing the loss of innocent lives and widespread destruction of infrastructure, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA). “The Israeli actions undermine international efforts to establish peace and stability in the region and constitute a blatant violation of international law and fundamental humanitarian principles,” the statement read. The Foreign Office called on the international communi...
US urged to end Ukraine war after Iran truce
• Ukranian FM says ‘American decisiveness’ in Gulf can be replicated• Kremlin also signals hope for peace talks• US vice president calls conflict ‘hardest to solve’, pledges continued effort KYIV: Kyiv on Wednesday called on the United States to pressure Russia into ending its invasion of Ukraine, saying a US ceasefire agreement with Iran demonstrated the success of American “decisiveness,” while the Kremlin said it was hopeful for a new round of talks. The calls from both capitals came after a...
Chinese, Russian diplomats hold consultations on UN affairs
Senior Chinese and Russian diplomats held consultations on UN affairs, including the Security Council, in Beijing on Wednesday. They pledged to jointly uphold multilateralism and support a greater role for the UN in addressing global challenges.Cai Wei, China's assistant minister of foreign affairs, and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov exchanged views on the international landscape, UN-related matters and major regional and global hotspots.They agreed to safeguard the UN-centered...
Trump's abrupt Iran reversal exposes limits of his leverage
US President Donald Trump's dramatic climbdown from his chilling threat to wipe out Iran's civilisation has exposed the limits - and the rising risks - of the US president's typically unpredictable negotiating style. His decision on Tuesday to back down and agree to a two-week ceasefire – which critics mockingly called another example of “TACO,” or “Trump always chickens out” – marked the biggest step so far toward de-escalating a 40-day-old...
15 nations plan to help restore traffic through Hormuz: Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes his counterpart from Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, to the Elysee Palace.—AFP • President says France to lead mission for securing key oil route after US-Iran truce• First ships cross strategic strait; major shipping lines hold back, citing unpredictable risks• Hundreds of vessels remain stranded after month-long blockade slashes traffic by 95pc PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday that approximately 15...
Pakistan's envoy to US hails diplomacy for successful US-Iran ceasefire
Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh said that Pakistan had been working diplomatically for weeks, and the successful announcement of the ceasefire between US and Iran, and the opening of negotiations was a direct result of these efforts. In an exclusive interview with CNN, Sheikh discussed the country’s diplomatic efforts in facilitating the ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran. "This is a victory for diplomacy and dialogue,&q...
Dar, Saudi FM discuss Lebanon ceasefire violations in phone call
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia expressed deep concern over ceasefire violations in Lebanon on Thursday, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA). The concern was raised during a telephone conversation between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the statement said. Dar appreciated Saudi Arabia’s continued support for Pakistan’s efforts towards achieving lasting peace. Both leaders stressed the urgent ne...
Naqvi assures foolproof security for US-Iran ceasefire talks in Islamabad
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi assured US Ambassador to Pakistan Natalie Baker on Thursday of foolproof security ahead of the arrival of high-level foreign delegations in Islamabad on Friday for the US-Iran ceasefire talks. The meeting came a day after Pakistan brokered a US‑Iran two‑week ceasefire. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that Iran and the US, along with their allies, had agreed to an immediate ceasefire ‘everywhere, including Lebanon,’ effective immediate...
India says it won’t host UN climate talks in 2028
SINGAPORE: India has withdrawn its offer to host the United Nations annual climate Conference of the Parties (COP33) in 2028, two government officials familiar with the matter said. India communicated its decision to not host the conference this month, the officials said, but it was not immediately clear why the government had pulled out. The officials declined to be named as they are not authorised to speak to the media. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had proposed hosting the summit in 2023. The...