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Minister of Defence Khawaja Asif will lead a high-level Pakistani delegation to hold discussions with Afghan Taliban authorities in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday (today), the Foreign Office (FO) said, after the neighbouring countries extended a ceasefire to their fierce fighting. “The talks will focus on immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism against Pakistan emanating from Afghanistan and restore peace and stability along the Pak-Afghan border,” the FO said. Once allies, Islamabad and Kabul have been engaged in cross-border fighting, which came to a halt with temporary truce lately. Terrorist attacks in Pakistan have been a major irritant in its relationship…

MOSCOW: Three people were killed and five injured in a blast at the Avangard explosives plant in the city of Sterlitamak, Bashkortostan region, regional governor Radiy Khabirov said on Saturday via his Telegram channel. The explosion at the plant occurred on Friday evening. Forensic experts are investigating the cause of the blast, Khabirov said, denying that it was caused by Ukrainian drone strikes. The emergency services said on Saturday that they had completed search and rescue operations at the Sterlitamak plant, which had continued throughout the night. The Avangard plant manufactures industrial explosives and dismantles ammunition. Since 2022, the plant…

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced its withdrawal from the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series, which includes Pakistan, following an attack in Afghanistan’s Paktika province that resulted in the death of three cricketers and five other individuals. The tri-nation series scheduled from November 17 to 29 in Pakistan will now be played between Sri Lanka and Pakistan only, after Afghanistan pull out, Aaj News reported. Once allies, Islamabad and Kabul have been engaged in cross-border fighting, which came to a halt with temporary truce lately. Terrorist attacks in Pakistan have been a major irritant in its relationship with the Afghan Taliban, which…

Gold prices in Pakistan decreased on Saturday in line with their loss in the international market. In the local market, gold price per tola reached Rs446,300 after a decline of Rs10,600 during the day. As per the rates shared by the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA), 10-gram gold was sold at Rs382,630 after it lost Rs9,088. On Friday, gold price per tola reached Rs456,900, a new all-time high, after an increase of Rs14,100 during the day.

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration will freeze a further $11 billion worth of infrastructure projects in Democratic states due to the ongoing government shutdown, White House budget director Russell Vought said on Friday. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will pause work on “low priority” projects in cities such as New York, San Francisco, Boston and Baltimore, Vought said on social media, adding that the projects could eventually be canceled. The money includes $600 million for two aging, federally owned bridges spanning the Cape Cod canal in Massachusetts that are slated for replacement and carry millions of travelers yearly. CALIFORNIA SAYS…

KABUL: Pakistan and Afghanistan will hold peace talks in Doha on Saturday, an Afghan government spokesperson said, after the countries extended a ceasefire to their fierce fighting. “As promised, negotiations with the Pakistani side will take place today in Doha,” Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement. A high-level delegation of the Islamic Emirate, led by the Minister of Defence Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob, has left for Doha, he said.

WASHINGTON: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Friday he expects to meet next week with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Malaysia to try to forestall an escalation of US tariffs on Chinese goods that President Donald Trump said was unsustainable. Bessent made the announcement during a White House cabinet meeting and later confirmed plans for a meeting after a call with He on Friday evening. Bessent said on X the two officials “engaged in frank and detailed discussions regarding trade between the United States and China.” “We will meet in-person next week to continue our discussions,” Bessent wrote.…

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb met with World Bank President Ajay Banga in Washington DC, where he discussed Pakistan’s post-flood recovery efforts, ongoing economic reforms, and future development priorities. Aurangzeb continued his important engagements on the fifth day of his visit to Washington D.C., where he is attending the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group, read a statement released by the Finance Division. During his key engagement with Ajay Banga, the finance minister recalled the prime minister’s productive engagement with him during the UN General Assembly session. He briefed the World Bank chief on…

In a landmark step towards advancing Pakistan–KSA [Kingdom of Saudi Arabia] digital collaboration, GO AI Hub, Pakistan was inaugurated on Saturday in Islamabad through a joint initiative of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoIT&T) and KSA’s GO Telecom (Etihad Atheeb Telecommunication Company), read a statement. The launch marks a major milestone in strengthening bilateral cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), data infrastructure and human capital development, facilitated by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), driving strategic investment partnerships with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “This milestone reaffirms SIFC and MoIT&T’s success in transforming bilateral intent into actionable partnerships, driving…

ISLAMABAD : Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar held a meeting with with the Russian Ambassador to Pakistan, Albert Pyankov, to discuss a range of bilateral issues, including tourism, media cooperation, and the natural beauty of Pakistan’s northern areas. During the meeting, the two leaders discussed the potential for enhancing media and cultural collaboration between the two countries. The also discussed a MoU that is expected to strengthen news exchange and cooperation between the two media organizations. Additionally, an agreement to expand collaboration between state media of the two countries was also finalized. The discussion also focused on the tourism sector,…