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CAIRO/OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israel received the remains of another hostage from Gaza on Wednesday, the prime minister’s office said, after Hamas’ armed wing transferred a body found near Gaza City to the Red Cross. Israel’s forensics authority will confirm the identity of the remains, the office said. If proven to belong to a hostage, there would be six remaining deceased hostages in Gaza. Separately, the Israeli military said it had killed two Palestinians in Gaza, saying they approached an Israeli-controlled area in a “threatening” way. Gaza health authorities said Israeli fire also killed a Palestinian collecting firewood in central Gaza. The Israeli…

CEBU: The death toll in the Philippines from Typhoon Kalmaegi rose to 114 with another 127 people still missing, the disaster agency said on Thursday, as the storm that devastated the country’s central regions regained strength as it headed towards Vietnam. In Vietnam’s Gia Lai province, some 350,000 people were expected to have been evacuated by the middle of the day as authorities warned of heavy rains and damaging winds that could cause flooding in low-lying areas and disrupt agricultural activity. In the Philippines’ hardest-hit province of Cebu, the scale of the destruction became clearer as floodwaters receded to reveal flattened homes,…

HONG KONG/WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump appealed directly to China’s Xi Jinping to free jailed Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai when the two leaders met in South Korea last week, according to three people briefed on the talks and a U.S. administration official. Trump did not discuss a specific deal to free Lai but spoke more broadly about concerns surrounding the 77-year-old publishing mogul’s health and well-being after his lengthy trial on national security charges, one of the people said. Trump spent less than five minutes discussing the issue, the person added. “President Trump brought up Jimmy Lai’s case, just as he said…

WASHINGTON/CHICAGO: US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Wednesday that he would order a 10% cut in flights at 40 major U.S. airports, citing air traffic control safety concerns as a government shutdown hit a record 36th day. The drastic plan sent airlines scrambling to make significant reductions in flights in just 36 hours and passengers flooded airline customer service hotlines with concerns about air travel in the coming days. Duffy said the cuts could be reversed if Democrats agreed to reopen the government. The shutdown, the longest in US history, has forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation…

DOHA :  President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday held a bilateral meeting with Vice President of China Han Zheng wherein they reaffirmed their resolve to further deepen the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership based on mutual trust, respect, and a shared vision for regional peace and prosperity. In the meeting held on the sidelines of the Second World Summit for Social Development here, they also agreed to continue close cooperation on issues of mutual interest at regional and international fora. Recalling his recent visit to China, President Zardari said that Pakistan and China were iron brothers and all-weather strategic cooperative partners.…

Federal Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday announced that Google will open an office in Pakistan, calling it a significant step toward transforming the country into a regional information technology hub. Speaking to industrialists at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce, the minister said he recently met Google executives in Islamabad, who expressed a strong interest in helping Pakistan build a digital ecosystem. “They want to make Pakistan an IT hub,” Aurangzeb said, adding that the move reflects growing international confidence in Pakistan’s economy. Aurangzeb highlighted that over the past one and a half years, the government has been actively…

Pakistan’s cricket stars witnessed mixed fortunes in the latest ICC rankings update as former captain Babar Azam and pacer Shaheen Afridi slipped in the ODI charts, while several teammates, including Mohammad Rizwan and Naseem Shah, recorded impressive upward moves. Babar Azam, who previously held the fourth position, has now slipped to fifth place with 728 rating points in the ICC Men’s ODI batting rankings. The Pakistan skipper’s slight dip comes amid strong performances from other international batters. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan climbed one spot to 23rd, while opener Fakhar Zaman also improved, moving up to 26th. Middle-order batter Salman Ali Agha…

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government likely to present the 27th Constitutional Amendment in the Senate on November 7, with proceedings expected to continue even on a holiday as the bill is likely to be approved by November 10. The amendment introduces major reforms to the judicial structure and provincial financial powers. Sources privy to the development said. the draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment will be tabled in the upcoming Senate session on November 7. The proceedings will continue through the weekend, including Saturday, a public holiday. The Senate will debate the amendment on Friday and Saturday before forwarding it…

Saudi Arabia’s request to purchase up to 48 F-35 fighter jets has cleared a key Pentagon hurdle. According to officials familiar with the matter, the Pentagon’s policy department has been working on the proposed transaction for several months. The case has now advanced to the secretary level within the Defense Department — a significant procedural step. The Trump administration is reportedly open to approving the sale, which would include 48 of Lockheed Martin’s advanced F-35 stealth fighters. If finalized, the deal would significantly bolster Riyadh’s air capabilities and mark the kingdom’s first acquisition of fifth-generation aircraft. No final decision has…

The United States has drafted a United Nations resolution proposing the deployment of an international stabilization force (ISF) in Gaza for two years under a transitional administration, according to a document seen by Reuters on Tuesday. The move aims to support President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan following a recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The two-page draft, which remains under development, was shared with select countries but has not yet been formally introduced to the 15-member UN Security Council, diplomats confirmed. It was not immediately clear when Washington intends to circulate the resolution for negotiation or a vote. According…