dar jordan discuss
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Dar, Jordan FM discuss West Bank crisis and Palest…

ByJustpaste.in

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held talks with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi in Amman on Wednesday, where both leaders reviewed the worsening situation in the occupied West Bank and reaffirmed their support for the Palestinian cause.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of a ministerial conference focused on developing a coordinated stance on the situation in occupied Jerusalem. During the discussions, the two foreign ministers exchanged views on recent regional developments, with particular attention to escalating tensions in the Palestinian territories.

Dar praised Jordan’s longstanding role in protecting the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and acknowledged Amman’s continued support for the Palestinian people. Both sides also expressed satisfaction over the growing momentum in Pakistan-Jordan relations and pledged to further expand cooperation in political, economic, defence, education, cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

The two leaders also discussed broader regional issues, including recent developments involving the United States and Iran. They stressed that dialogue and diplomacy remain essential for reducing tensions and maintaining regional peace and stability.

Both ministers agreed to continue close coordination at bilateral and multilateral forums, including the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), to address regional challenges and promote peaceful solutions.

During his visit, Dar also met Somalia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdisalam Abdi Ali. The two leaders reviewed longstanding bilateral relations and explored opportunities to strengthen cooperation in politics, trade, defence, education and capacity-building. They also reaffirmed their commitment to working closely on issues of mutual interest at international forums.

Dar is attending the ministerial meeting in Jordan to join foreign ministers from Arab League member states and several Islamic countries in formulating a unified response to developments in occupied Jerusalem.

Pakistan is expected to reiterate its consistent support for the Palestinian people and call for the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

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    Polling resumes at 23 stations in AJK’s Bagh

    ByJustpaste.in

    BAGH: Voting is underway at 23 polling stations in two constituencies of Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Bagh district as authorities conduct re-polling following the suspension of results from the earlier phase. Polling began at 8am and is scheduled to continue until 5pm. Security arrangements have been strengthened around the polling stations to ensure voters can cast their ballots without fear or disruption. The re-polling covers parts of LA-15 Bagh Central and LA-16 Eastern Bagh. Voting had earlier failed to take place at nine polling stations in LA-15 and 14 stations in LA-16. The AJK Election Commission subsequently withheld the results of both constituencies and ordered voting at the affected stations. In LA-15, Pakistan Peoples Party candidate Sardar Ziaul Qamar had secured 16,637 votes in the polling that took place earlier. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz candidate Mushtaq Ahmed Minhas was second with 15,015 votes, while Jamaat-i-Islami candidate retired Brigadier Dr Muhammad Khan received 12,259 votes. In LA-16, PML-N’s Sardar Mir Akbar was leading on the basis of votes already counted. He had obtained 19,515 votes and held a lead of 3,225 votes over PPP candidate Sardar Qamaruz Zaman. The contest in both constituencies has remained tense. Candidates have levelled allegations of large-scale rigging against their political opponents. AJK Chief Election Commissioner retired Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal said adequate security had been deployed at the polling stations. He said sufficient police and other law-enforcement personnel were available to provide voters with a secure environment. The re-polling is part of the third phase of the AJK elections, which has been conducted amid concerns over law and order in parts of the region. The third phase was initially scheduled across Poonch Division, covering 11 constituencies in Bagh, Haveli, Poonch and Sudhnoti districts. However, the Election Commission limited polling to Bagh and Haveli because of security concerns. Polling was held earlier in both districts, but the commission withheld the results of two Bagh constituencies after voting could not be conducted at the 23 affected stations. The commission had already announced the result of LA-14 Bagh-I, commonly known as Dhirkot. Jammu Kashmir Awami Dast-o-Bazu Party candidate Sajid Iqbal Abbasi won the seat by securing 40,522 votes. Another closely watched contest was LA-17 Haveli, where AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore was a candidate. The constituency became embroiled in controversy after the returning officer declared Rathore the winner. PML-N candidate Engineer Mohsin Aziz challenged the result and claimed that an assurance had been given that the result would not be announced before his complaint was considered. The AJK chief election commissioner heard arguments from both sides and later reserved his decision.

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    Israeli forces arrest 14 Palestinians in West Bank…

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    RAMALLAH: Israeli forces detained at least 14 Palestinians, including a woman, during a series of military raids across the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, while three homes were also demolished, according to local sources. The latest arrests come as tensions continue to rise across the occupied territory, where Israeli military operations, arrests and settler violence have intensified in recent days. The raids targeted several locations, including Nablus, Jenin and Tulkarm, according to reports. Eight detained in Nablus In Nablus, Israeli forces entered the Ras al-Ain neighbourhood and stormed three buildings. Soldiers searched several homes before detaining eight Palestinians, including a woman, local sources said. The operation reportedly involved searches of residential properties, with residents subjected to questioning before the detainees were taken away. The raid was part of a wider military campaign across the northern West Bank, where Israeli forces have repeatedly carried out overnight and early-morning operations. Raids reported in Tubas and Jenin In Tubas province, Israeli troops entered the town of Tammun and remained there for several hours before withdrawing. No arrests were reported from the operation. Meanwhile, in the Jenin area, Israeli forces entered Al-Yamoun, where they arrested a former Palestinian prisoner from Jenin city. Another Palestinian was detained in Deir Ghazaleh, located northeast of Jenin, according to local sources. The arrests added to growing concerns over the continuing military pressure on Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank. More arrests in Tulkarm Further arrests were reported in the Tulkarm area. Israeli forces detained a Palestinian customs police officer and a young man from Irtah, a suburb south of Tulkarm. Two other Palestinians were also arrested following raids and searches of homes in the village of Far’un. The latest operations come against a backdrop of escalating violence in the West Bank. Reuters reported this week that Palestinian residents have described mounting pressure from military raids and settler attacks, warning that the situation is approaching a breaking point. At the same time, reports of demolitions have added another layer to the tensions. Anadolu Agency reported that three Palestinian homes were demolished during the wider military campaign, with Israeli authorities citing claims related to construction permits. The developments are likely to fuel further concern over the security and humanitarian situation in the occupied West Bank, where repeated raids, arrests, demolitions and clashes have continued to affect Palestinian communities.

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    Irina Shayk finds new boyfriend after parting ways…

    ByJustpaste.in

    Supermodel Irina Shayk appears to be embracing a new chapter in her love life. Nearly three years after her brief romance with former NFL star Tom Brady ended, the Russian model is reportedly dating NBA player Devin Booker. According to multiple reports, the relationship is still in its early stages, but those close to the pair say the connection is growing stronger with each passing week.  Sources claim Shayk and Booker were introduced through mutual friends several months ago. Since then, they have been spending time together whenever their busy schedules allow. With Booker preparing for the upcoming NBA season, the two are reportedly making the most of the summer, enjoying low-key outings and getting to know each other away from the public eye.  Romance rumors intensified after the pair were spotted together in the Hamptons over the weekend. Witnesses reportedly saw them leaving a café before later attending a social gathering in Montauk. While neither Shayk nor Booker has confirmed the relationship publicly, insiders say the model is “very into him” and may even attend some of his basketball games once the season begins.  The reported romance comes after Shayk’s short-lived relationship with Tom Brady, which first made headlines in the summer of 2023. The pair dated for a few months before quietly going their separate ways. At the time, sources described the split as amicable, saying the relationship had simply “fizzled out” without any drama or hard feelings.  Before Brady, Shayk was in a long-term relationship with actor Bradley Cooper, with whom she shares daughter Lea De Seine. Despite ending their romance in 2019, the former couple have maintained a friendly co-parenting relationship and have often been praised for putting their daughter first.  Booker, meanwhile, was previously in a high-profile relationship with reality star Kendall Jenner. The NBA standout has largely kept his personal life private since their split, making the reported romance with Shayk one of his first public dating stories in recent years.  Although neither Shayk nor Booker has addressed the reports directly, those close to the couple say they are enjoying the early stages of their relationship without rushing into the spotlight. For now, the pair seem content to let their romance develop naturally, proving that sometimes the best relationships begin quietly before capturing the world’s attention. 

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    War leaves Gaza zoo animals malnourished

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    GAZA/CAIRO: The war in Gaza has taken a heavy toll on animals, with shortages of food, medicine and vaccines leaving many of them weak and malnourished. At a zoo near the Nuseirat refugee camp, visitors found animals showing clear signs of the difficult conditions. A lion remained largely inactive inside its cage, while chimpanzees sat quietly in their enclosure. The zoo is being operated by Mahmoud Gomaa, who has worked to keep the animals alive despite the continuing crisis. He previously ran a zoo in Rafah but was forced to leave the area after Israeli military operations reached the city in 2024. Gomaa said saving the animals became a priority for him during the war. He moved the surviving animals from one location to another before eventually settling in Nuseirat, where he reopened the zoo earlier this year. He said he had faced enormous difficulties in finding food and providing basic care for the animals. Before the war, Gaza had several zoos that housed wild and exotic animals. The conflict, however, has made maintaining such facilities extremely difficult. Veterinarians say the shortage of suitable food has affected the animals’ health. Some zoo owners have been forced to feed animals frozen meat because fresh food is difficult to obtain. The war has also caused direct losses among Gaza’s animals. When Gomaa left Rafah, he said he had to abandon three lions, several crocodiles and African ostriches. When he later returned, he found only the bones of the crocodiles and ostriches. The lions had also disappeared. Animal welfare experts say the impact of war extends beyond food shortages and physical injuries. Continuous explosions, aircraft noise and fighting can cause severe stress among animals. Veterinarian Amir Khalil, who has visited Gaza with the animal welfare organisation Four Paws, said animals can detect sounds and disturbances that humans may not notice. He said the constant conflict creates fear and extreme stress for them. Despite the harsh conditions, the zoo has become a temporary place of relief for some children. Children visiting the facility were able to interact with parrots and smaller monkeys. For many, it offered a rare opportunity to step away from the destruction surrounding them. Residents say children have few places left where they can play. Large parts of Gaza have been reduced to rubble, while many families continue to live in tents. The zoo therefore serves a purpose beyond displaying animals. It provides children with a brief moment of normality amid a devastating humanitarian crisis. Yet keeping the facility operating remains a major challenge. Limited supplies, damaged infrastructure and the continuing conflict threaten both the animals and the people caring for them.

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    Petroleum minister defends daily fuel pricing mech…

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    Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik defended the government’s new daily fuel pricing system on Thursday, telling lawmakers it has ended a practice under the previous mechanism in which oil companies restricted petrol supplies ahead of expected price revisions. The federal government announced on July 17 that petroleum product prices would now be reviewed and notified daily rather than weekly, a shift introduced as renewed tensions between the United States and Iran continue to unsettle global oil markets and raise concerns about fuel supply security. The daily system followed an earlier move from fortnightly to weekly price revisions that had been introduced during the first phase of the US Iran conflict. The change has faced pushback from transporters, businesses and opposition lawmakers, who argue that frequent price adjustments create uncertainty, push up transport and freight costs, and make it harder for businesses and households to plan their spending. Petrol pump owners had threatened a nationwide strike over the issue before suspending their protest after receiving government assurances that their concerns would be addressed. Speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum, chaired by Umar Farooq, Malik said petrol and diesel prices still rely on a seven day rolling average of international market prices, even though the pricing is now updated daily instead of fortnightly. He said the government has delegated pricing authority to the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority, which coordinates with stakeholders before finalizing prices, and noted that the pricing methodology and benchmark figures are published on the regulator’s website. He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had instructed the regulator to also publish the formula in Urdu to improve transparency. Malik explained that international benchmark prices are drawn from Platts, with government taxes and oil company margins added afterward to determine domestic retail prices. He said the switch to daily pricing corrected a flaw in the earlier weekly system, under which companies could anticipate price movements from an emerging three day average and adjust supply accordingly. Under the new approach, he said, prices are set daily based on the seven day average, removing that predictability. Committee members pushed back sharply on the new mechanism. Senator Saifullah Abro described it as slow poison for consumers, saying the public has no way of knowing what today’s price is, let alone tomorrow’s. He questioned recent price increases, pointing out that international crude prices rose from 76 dollars a barrel on July 11 to 82 dollars on July 17, and asked how domestic fuel prices had climbed by 30 rupees over the same period. Malik responded that the comparison was misleading since domestic fuel prices track refined petroleum products rather than raw crude oil. The minister also defended the existing tax structure, saying the petroleum levy remains lower than the rate imposed during the height of the conflict period. He said reducing the levy further would be difficult without agreement from the International Monetary Fund, though he suggested an alternative revenue source could eventually make a reduction feasible. Ogra officials also addressed the committee in support of the new system. Acting Chairman Nabeel Ahmed Awan said daily prices remain based on the seven day average, meaning that both price declines and increases in the global market are passed on to consumers gradually over a week. He said the new mechanism removes opportunities for short term profiteering by preventing traders from creating false market impressions to turn a profit. Officials also told the committee that customs duty on petrol currently stands at 18.11 rupees per litre. The session grew tense at points, with committee members criticizing Ogra for failing to circulate a working paper ahead of the meeting. When the acting chairman asked what a working paper was, Abro rebuked him sharply, questioning his familiarity with basic regulatory procedure. Malik also told the committee that the process to appoint a permanent Ogra chairman had begun on schedule, but that interviews failed to produce a suitable candidate, prompting officials to restart the search. The government had reshuffled Ogra’s leadership in April, replacing then acting chairman Shahzad Iqbal with Nabeel Ahmed Awan, a senior Pakistan Administrative Service officer and secretary of the Establishment Division, who was appointed to a three month term as the search for a permanent chairman continues.

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    Karan Johar credits Shah Rukh Khan for filmmaking success

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    Indian filmmaker Karan Johar marked the occasion of Guru Purnima with an emotional tribute to two people he says transformed his life and career—superstar Shah Rukh Khan and filmmaker Aditya Chopra. Through a heartfelt social media post, Karan reflected on the guidance, encouragement, and unwavering faith they showed in him long before he became one of Bollywood’s most successful directors. Sharing nostalgic photographs with Shah Rukh Khan and Aditya Chopra, Karan looked back on the early days of his journey in the film industry. He recalled a life-changing moment when Aditya Chopra invited him to assist on the iconic film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. At the time, Karan was planning to continue his studies, but Aditya convinced him to stay back and experience filmmaking from behind the scenes. According to Karan, Aditya spoke to him late one night and urged him to work on the film. More importantly, he encouraged Karan to become a director, insisting that he had the talent for it. Karan remembered Aditya telling him that avoiding this path would be one of the biggest mistakes of his life. Those words remained with him and eventually changed the direction of his future. The following morning, Karan discussed the opportunity with his father, the late producer Yash Johar. He asked for one year to work on a film set before making any long-term decisions. Karan shared that his father questioned whether he understood the responsibilities of working on a set. When Karan admitted he did not, Yash Johar offered advice that stayed with him forever. He explained that technical knowledge alone could make someone a producer, but becoming a director required genuine passion and commitment. Karan acknowledged that Aditya Chopra believed in his potential at a time when he lacked confidence in himself. That encouragement gave him the courage to step into filmmaking and eventually direct his first feature film. The filmmaker also reflected on another unforgettable moment involving Shah Rukh Khan. During a trip to Switzerland, the actor confidently told Karan that he would one day become a director and that Shah Rukh himself would star in his debut film. Karan admitted he did not take the promise seriously at the time, assuming it was simply a kind gesture. However, after returning to India, Shah Rukh Khan fulfilled that promise. He stood by Karan and supported him as he prepared for his directorial debut. That support eventually led to the creation of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, the film that launched Karan Johar’s career as a director and became one of Bollywood’s biggest successes. Concluding his Guru Purnima message, Karan expressed deep gratitude to both Shah Rukh Khan and Aditya Chopra. He said their trust, mentorship, and belief helped him overcome self-doubt and pursue storytelling with confidence. Karan added that every success and failure he has experienced in his career has been possible because of the guidance and support they gave him. He described the two as the greatest influences on his journey and thanked them for making it possible for him to tell stories on the big screen.

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