Riyadh: Saudi Arabia, together with 14 countries and two regional organizations, has strongly condemned the Israeli Knesset’s approval of two draft laws seeking to impose so-called Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank and illegal settlements. The joint statement, issued by Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Djibouti, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Egypt, Nigeria, and Gambia, along with the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), described the move as a flagrant violation of international law and United Nations Security Council resolutions, notably Resolution 2334. The resolution explicitly condemns measures altering the demographic composition, legal status,…
Author: Imran Ali Khan
Manama:The Third Asian Youth Games (AYG) began with a spectacular opening ceremony on Wednesday evening at Exhibition World Bahrain in Sakhir, marking a historic celebration of youth, sportsmanship, and unity across the Asian continent. More than 4,000 athletes from 45 Asian countries and regions are taking part in this mega sporting event, which runs from October 22 to 31, 2025. This edition of the Games is the largest in AYG history, featuring 26 sports and 232 medal events, surpassing the previous two editions held in Nanjing (2013) and Singapore (2009). A total of 4,074 athletes, including 2,425 men and 1,649…
RAWALPINDI: South Africa’s off-spinner Simon Harmer ripped through Pakistan’s top order with a brilliant spell of 3 for 26, putting the visitors on course for a series-levelling victory in the second Test at Rawalpindi on Wednesday. By the close of the third day, Pakistan were left reeling at 94-4, holding a slender lead of just 23 runs with two days still to play on a sharply turning pitch. Pakistan’s hopes of survival now rest firmly on skipper Babar Azam, who remains unbeaten on a fighting 49, alongside Mohammad Rizwan on 16 not out. The pair will need to produce something…
RIYADH: In a historic move to protect millions of household employees, Saudi Arabia has banned employers from charging domestic workers any fees, including those related to recruitment, work permits, or residency documents. The decision, announced by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, is being hailed as a major step toward fairness, dignity, and better working conditions for domestic workers across the Kingdom. According to Saudi Gazette, employers who violate the new law will face a fine of up to 20,000 Saudi Riyals (approximately $5,300) and may be banned from hiring domestic workers for up to three years. In…
Rawalpindi: Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir on Tuesday issued a powerful and unequivocal message any violation of Pakistan’s territorial integrity, whether direct or indirect, will invite a firm, swift, and decisive response. His statement comes at a time of rising regional tensions with cross-border clashes erupting along the Afghan frontier and sharp rhetoric emerging from India’s civil-military leadership. Speaking at the 17th National Workshop Balochistan held at the General Headquarters (GHQ), the Army Chief reiterated that Pakistan seeks peace and stability in the region, but will never compromise on its sovereignty or security. He emphasized…
Paris: In a historic and dramatic turn of events, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived at La Santé Prison in Paris on Tuesday to begin a five-year prison sentence for conspiring to illegally raise campaign funds from Libya. The moment marks the most stunning downfall for a French leader in modern history and the first time a former president has been jailed since Marshal Philippe Pétain after World War II. Sarkozy, who governed France from 2007 to 2012, left his home hand in hand with his wife, Carla Bruni, as a crowd of loyal supporters chanted “Nicolas, Nicolas!” and sang…
Washington/Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan announced that the international community stands united with Syria as the country enters a new phase of recovery following the overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad last December. Speaking during the IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, al-Jadaan said that multiple major investment deals for Syria are nearing completion, signaling a decisive turn toward reconstruction and economic revival. Al-Jadaan, who also chairs the International Monetary Fund’s steering committee, emphasized that after decades of isolation, it is now the moral and economic duty of the global community to support Syria’s reintegration. We…
KYIV: Ukraine is preparing to import natural gas worth around $2 billion from Europe, the United States, and Azerbaijan this winter, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced, as the country struggles to recover from severe damage to its energy infrastructure caused by recent Russian attacks. Although Zelenskyy did not specify the total gas volume to be purchased, Kyiv had earlier planned to import 4.6 billion cubic meters (bcm) before a wave of Russian missile strikes crippled Ukraine’s gas sector earlier this autumn. Following the destruction, Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk confirmed that imports would now need to rise by at least 30 percent,…
TOKYO: In a historic yet politically charged development, Sanae Takaichi is set to become Japan’s first-ever female prime minister, breaking a centuries-old gender barrier in the nation’s male-dominated politics. The hardline conservative leader clinched 237 votes in Japan’s powerful lower house, comfortably surpassing the majority threshold in the 465-member chamber. A protégé of former premier Shinzo Abe and a self-proclaimed admirer of Britain’s “Iron Lady” Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi’s rise signifies not a liberal breakthrough, but a decisive tilt to the political right. Her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) sealed a coalition pact with the nationalist Japan Innovation Party (Ishin) a move…
DOHA: In a forceful and emotionally charged address to the Shura Council on Tuesday, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani accused Israel of repeatedly violating the fragile Gaza ceasefire, which has been in place for just over eleven days. The Qatari ruler, whose country has been playing a central mediating role in efforts to maintain the truce and negotiate a longer-term peace arrangement, said the latest Israeli airstrikes on Hamas positions have once again put thousands of Palestinian lives at risk and undermined the credibility of international peace efforts. We reiterate our condemnation of all Israeli violations and practices…