South Punjab News

Democrats expand US House majority to 253 seats as midterm vote count continues

2026-11-06T21:41:14.926+05:00

Democrats expanded their majority in the US House of Representatives as more results emerged from Tuesday's midterm elections, US media reported on Friday.

Democrats had secured 253 seats in the 435-member House, compared with 157 for Republicans, with 25 races still uncalled as of 09:22 GMT on Friday.

The party also secured control of the Senate, with Democrats and two independents who caucus with them holding a combined 54 seats, compared with 44 for Republicans. Two Senate races remained undecided.

Democrats also held a 28-20 advantage in governorships, with contests in Alaska and Kansas still too close to call, according to US media reports.

In New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District, Democrat Zack Mullock defeated Republican incumbent Jeff Van Drew, securing 50.8% of the vote against 48.2%, with 97% of ballots counted.

In New York's 17th District, Democrat Cait Conley unseated Republican incumbent Mike Lawler with 52.8% of the vote. The Associated Press called the race at 2.12 am EST on Friday.

Democrat Kristina Knickerbocker also defeated Republican incumbent Mike Turner in Ohio's 10th District, winning 49.3% of the vote against 47.7%.

In North Carolina's 9th District, Democrat Richard N Ojeda II defeated Republican incumbent Richard Hudson with 51.1% of the vote, with 99% of ballots counted.Democrats also flipped Republican-held seats in Colorado and Arizona.

Jessica Killin defeated Republican incumbent Jeff Crank in Colorado's 5th District with 50.5% of the vote, while JoAnna Mendoza unseated Republican incumbent Juan Ciscomani in Arizona's 6th District with 52.8%, according to results with 89% of ballots counted.

In Tennessee's 9th District, Republican Brent Taylor defeated Democrat Justin Pearson, winning 49.6% of the vote against 48.5%, with 99% of ballots counted.

Republican Mike Kennedy won Utah's 4th District, defeating Democrat Jonny Larsen with 53.2% of the vote.In Washington's 4th District, Republican Amanda McKinney defeated Democrat John Duresky with 54.7% of the vote.

Republican incumbent Anna Paulina Luna also retained Florida's 13th District, defeating Democrat Leela Gray with 49.5% of the vote against 48.7%.

3 children among 7 dead after truck runs over them in Jharkhand's Khunti

2026-11-06T20:59:22.987+05:00

Seven people, three of whom were children, died when an 18-wheel truck ran over them while taking a sharp bend in darkness in Jharkhand's Khunti district, police said on Friday.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren expressed grief over the incident and paid condolences to the bereaved families.

Khunti Superintendent of Police (SP) Rishabh Garg said a few people rushed to the Karra-Torpa main road on Thursday night to rescue a scooter rider who fell into a ditch, and several women and children gathered to watch the incident unfold.

"In the meantime, an 18-wheel truck from Torpa ran over them while taking a sharp turn. The driver might not have seen the crowd due to darkness," the officer said.

"Seven people died, and one was injured," he told PTI, adding that six died on the spot and one during treatment. Of the deceased, three were women, as many children and one man, the SP added.

A police officer said the deceased were Jayanti Devi, her daughter Anjali Devi (20) and grandson Saurav Nayak (11), another woman Fagan Sanga (26), her daughters Shiwani Kumari (12) and Soni Kumari (8), and her mother-in-law Karmi Lohrain (50).

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren took to X to say, "The heartbreaking news of seven people losing their lives in a road accident in Karra, Khunti, has deeply saddened me.

"My deepest condolences go out to all the grieving families who have lost their loved ones in this accident. May Marang Buru grant peace to the souls of the departed and give their grieving families the strength to bear this sorrow," he added.

NCCIA arrests 273 people, including 42 minors, in Karachi call centre raid

2026-11-06T20:51:39.512+05:00

National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Additional Director Shahzad Akbar said on Thursday that the agency arrested 273 people, including more than 100 women and 42 underage boys and girls, during a major crackdown on an alleged cyber fraud network operating in Karachi.

Addressing a press conference at the NCCIA Karachi Office, Akbar said the arrests were made from a call centre located in PECHS, located alongside Shahrah-e-Faisal.

“The agency also seized 3,390 laptops, 152 mobile phones and four CPUs during the raid,” he said.

The additional director further said that the forensic examination of the seized laptops and CPUs revealed that individuals based abroad were also involved in the company's scamming operations, while merchants were also part of the fraud network. He said multiple user IDs registered under different names were found logged into individual laptops.

He outlined that the illegal call centres were allegedly obtaining citizens' personal data and using it in various fraudulent schemes.

Responding to a question, Akbar said this was the first time that employees, along with the company owner, had been nominated in a case.

He explained that previously, cases were registered only against company owners, while their relatives would register new companies and resume operations with the same employees.

The NCCIA official further disclosed that approximately 350 call centres in Karachi were currently involved in scamming activities.He added that the company targeted in the latest raid was among the top three call centres involved in scamming operations in the provincial capital.Court grants NCCIA two-day remand of nine suspects in the case

Earlier today, a judicial magistrate granted the NCCIA a two-day physical remand of nine key suspects arrested during the raid.

The suspects were produced before Judicial Magistrate East Gulraiz Memon through a video link, while the NCCIA investigating officer appeared in court and submitted a notification issued by the Sindh Home Department.

The investigating officer told the court that 273 suspects had been arrested during the operation and were being detained at the call centre premises, which the Home Department had declared a sub-jail through a notification.

According to the investigating officer, the suspects were allegedly involved in defrauding foreign nationals, and he sought physical remand of nine key suspects for further investigation and requested that the remaining accused be sent to jail on judicial remand.

During the proceedings, defence counsel informed the court that the arrested individuals included more than 70 juveniles and over 80 women. The lawyer argued that the offences included in the case were bailable and requested that the female and underage suspects be released on bail.

After hearing the arguments, the court granted the NCCIA a two-day physical remand of nine main suspects.

The court also ordered the release on bail of female suspects and those below the age of 18 against surety bonds of Rs5,000 each.The remaining suspects were ordered to be sent to jail on judicial remand.

At around 8-9pm, the NCCIA raided a call centre, Voxtron, located in PECHS near Shahrah-e-Faisal in Karachi on November 3, eyewitnesses told The Express Tribune.

A detainee’s brother said his brother went to the office on Tuesday and was not allowed to leave the next day. He said he approached the police officials at the site on November 4 to enquire about his brother, who told him that he was arrested during the ongoing raid at the facility.

“They told me that a first information report (FIR) has been registered against all employees of the call centre and the magistrate will now decide about their future,” he said, adding that they refused to provide a copy of the FIR.

A relative of another detainee told The Express Tribune that the 15-year-old company was raided twice earlier as well, but no legal steps were taken against the owner.

“The authorities were aware that minors up to the age of 12 were working inside the company, and yet the operation continued undeterred. Where was the labour department and the rest of the authorities at that time? Where was the rule of law?” he questioned, saying that he represented the crowd of heirs gathered outside the call centre who have similar questions

An uncle of a 17-year-old boy detained by NCCIA lamented that the authorities had refused to give the families the FIR registered against the company employees.

“They should have let us have it so that we could get our children freed,” he protested. He too questioned why the call centre fraud did not attract the attention of the authorities for over a decade.

The mother of a young woman told The Express Tribune that she had no contact with her daughter allegedly detained at the company since November 3.“I have no idea if she was given food and water in detention. The authorities have kept us in the dark.”

White House denies Hegseth and Rubio to leave jobs after Republican election losses

2026-11-06T14:22:20.221+05:00

The White House has denied rumours that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio might leave their jobs in a post-election shakeup of the Trump administration.

US media have reported there are calls to replace Hegseth - in particular over his handling of the Iran war, which is being blamed for heavy Republican election losses.

One outgoing congressional Republican has threatened to force an impeachment vote against Hegseth as early as next week. The defence secretary posted a video statement defending his record and denouncing the effort.

"You see, they attack me. They attack us because we are effective," he said. "It's not going to work. We will not back down."

Meanwhile, Rubio is denying reports he is considering leaving his post ahead of a 2028 presidential run.

Working for Trump until the end of his term has "always been my plan," Rubio told The New York Times in an interview.

"I love the work I'm doing," Rubio said. "And plus I always laugh when they say he's going to leave his job. I go, 'Which one?'"

The White House and US State Department also shut down reports that Rubio might be leaving after this week's midterm losses, with both calling it "fake news".

The defence secretary, though, faces a more uncertain political future.

Trump and Vice-President JD Vance have both blamed the Iran war for Republican losses that allowed Democrats full control of the US House of Representatives and the Senate.

In a telephone interview with ABC News, Trump said that he had received "calls about" Hegseth, but added that he had "every intention" of keeping him.

Later on Thursday, he told reporters at the White House that "Pete Hegseth has done a fantastic job", and went on to list what he sees are some of his achievements, including the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January and the Iran war, now into its ninth month.

Purple banner reading "US Midterm Elections 2026" alongside a stylised image of the US Capitol and white stars.

The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Trump might be, however, considering ousting General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or Centcom chief Admiral Brad Cooper. Both played significant roles in offering guidance on the war, which started eight months ago.

Meanwhile, Republican Representative Thomas Massie, a frequent critic of Trump, has said he will push ahead with plans to push for Hegseth's impeachment.

He told news site Politico that he will trigger his resolution to impeach the defence secretary early next week.And on X, he warned that the president should replace Hegseth before a new Democratic-controlled Congress forms in January.

"He should do it while he can still get the replacements confirmed in the Senate," Massie wrote on X.Hegseth has also been rumoured to be interested in running for an open Tennessee Senate seat.

In his video statement, Hegseth denounced the "sham articles of impeachment" effort against him from a "disgruntled, defeated congressman, along with all his Democrat allies", and listed ways the department has fulfilled Trump's America First agenda under his leadership.

That includes, he said, reviving military recruitment, rebuilding the defence industrial base, and rooting out diversity initiatives.

Of the Democrats, he said: "Their policies don't work. So their obsession with political theatre disguised as power drives them to try to destroy their opponents. It's all about the politics of personal destruction."

Vance says Republicans lost big because of Iran war: 'Everyone knows why we lost'

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Follow the twists and turns of Trump's second term with North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher's US Politics Unspun newsletter. Readers in the UK can sign up here. Those outside the UK can sign up here.

Harmeet Kaur Dhillon,Trump official, resigns as head of US Civil Rights Division

2026-11-06T14:14:24.203+05:00

Indian-origin lawyer Harmeet Kaur Dhillon has resigned as head of the US Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, becoming the first senior official in the Trump administration to step down following the Republicans' major defeat in the midterm elections.

US Attorney General Todd Blanche announced Dhillon's departure on Thursday, praising her work and leadership during her tenure.

"She has defended the civil liberties of every American and enforced the law without fear or favour," Blanche wrote in a post on X, adding that the department was grateful for her public service and wished her success in her future endeavours.

Speaking to Fox News, she said she had delayed announcing her resignation at the request of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles until after Election Day.

In a post on X, Dhillon described serving as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights as the "honour of a lifetime" and thanked President Donald Trump for the opportunity.

Dhillon did not give a specific reason for her resignation, maintaining that the decision was voluntary.

Reflecting on her tenure, she said her team had worked to end what she described as illegal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies and had fought to protect women's and girls' sports.

"Serving my country as AAG for Civil Rights has been the honour of a lifetime. We ushered in the downfall of illegal DEI, we fought to protect women and girls' sports, and so much more. I want to thank President Trump for giving me this opportunity. I look forward to what's next," she wrote.

Dhillon was also known for her active presence on social media, where she frequently posted videos about the work of the Civil Rights Division. In media interviews, she acknowledged that social media posts had at times helped generate ideas for civil rights investigations.

Born in Chandigarh into a Punjabi Sikh family, Dhillon's parents initially moved to London before eventually settling in the United States.

A lawyer by profession, she ran her own law firm in San Francisco for several years and was closely associated with Trump even before joining his administration. Her firm was part of the legal team for Trump's 2020 election campaign.

A prominent supporter of Trump, Dhillon regularly appeared on conservative podcasts and maintained an active presence on social media.

Speaking at a Moms for Liberty event in New York in May, she described her parents' decision to bring the family to the US as the "greatest gift" they had given her.

Dhillon said her father was an orthopaedic surgeon and that her parents left India in the 1970s before eventually moving to the US, where there was a shortage of doctors and medical professionals were being encouraged to come to the country during the Vietnam War.

"Besides life, the greatest gift that Mom and Dad gave me was bringing me here to America and allowing me to be sworn in as a naturalised American citizen when I was 10 years old," she said.

Dhillon rose to prominence as a civil rights attorney before becoming one of Trump's prominent legal and political allies. Her resignation marks the first departure of a senior Trump administration official following the Republican Party's midterm election setback.

Three Zhob jail officials arrested for releasing Narcotics smugglers on fake documents

2026-11-06T12:26:58.058+05:00

The Crime Branch Quetta has arrested three officials of Zhob Jail, including its superintendent and deputy superintendent, for their alleged involvement in the release of two convicted prisoners on the basis of forged Supreme Court orders.

According to prison department officials, two prisoners, Abdul Salam and Amanullah, who were serving sentences in narcotics cases, were released from Zhob Jail on May 30 last year after jail authorities received fake release orders purportedly issued by the Supreme Court.

Following departmental investigations ordered by Inspector General Prisons Asim Khan, cases were registered against Jail Superintendent Habibullah, Deputy Superintendent Muhammad Rafiq and jail clerk Sada Gul. The matter was subsequently handed over to the Crime Branch for further investigation.

Acting on the case, Crime Branch officials arrested all three accused over their alleged role in the unlawful release of the convicts.

19 killed, 63 injured in two road accidents in Hazara and Pakpattan

2026-11-06T12:09:24.630+05:00

At least 19 persons were killed and another 63 injuured in two road accidents in Pakpattan (Punjab)and Hazara (NWFP)

At least eight people were killed and 30 others injured when a passenger bus collided with a dumper truck near the Havelian Interchange on the Hazara Motorway early Friday morning, rescue officials said.

The bus was travelling from Gilgit to Rawalpindi when the accident occurred. Initial reports suggested that a tyre burst caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle before it collided with the truck, the Rescue 1122 statement said.

Following the incident, Rescue 1122 Abbottabad dispatched seven ambulances and a rescue vehicle to the scene to carry out relief operations.

The rescue operation, led by District Emergency Officer Hafeezur Rehman, was completed successfully. Rescue personnel provided first aid to the injured before shifting them to nearby hospitals for treatment.

The bodies of the eight deceased, who reportedly belonged to Gilgit, were transported to different hospitals. One body was taken to Type-D Hospital in Havelian, while four were shifted to Ayub Medical Complex and three to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Abbottabad/

All 30 injured passengers, including five children and six women, were shifted to Ayub Medical Complex for medical treatment. The condition of four injured passengers was reported to be critical, added the statement.

A day earlier, a collision between a passenger bus and truck claimed the lives of 11 people and left 33 others injured near Pakpattan.

Last week, at least five people were killed and 27 others injured when a passenger bus plunged into a drain in Punjab’s Hafizabad district.

A collision between a passenger bus and truck on Thursday claimed the lives of 11 people and left 33 others injured near Pakpattan.

Rescue 1122 said that 11 people had died in the collision. It added that eight people had sustained minor injuries, while 25 others were shifted to the District Headquarter Hospital (DHQ) in Pakpattan.

According to a press release by the district administration, the collision occurred on Depalpur Road between a passenger bus travelling from Multan to Kasur and a truck coming in the opposite direction.

Upon receiving news of the accident, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Asif Raza and District Police Officer (DPO) Javed Iqbal Chadhar immediately arrived at the scene to oversee rescue operations, working alongside teams from Rescue 1122 and the district administration, the statement said.

The three-hour rescue operation used cranes and other heavy machinery to extract passengers trapped in the wreckage.

“Given the gravity of the incident, DC Raza declared an emergency at the DHQ Hospital, Pakpattan and summoned additional doctors and medical staff,” the press release added.

Later, the DC and DPO visited the hospital to enquire after the injured and review the arrangements for their medical care. DC Raza directed the hospital administration to ensure the provision of “prompt, high-quality medical care” to all the injured.

The statement said DC Raza expressed grief at the lives lost and also extended his condolences to the bereaved families.

“Extending his best wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured, he directed the relevant authorities to continue providing all possible support for medical treatment and relief operations,” it added.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed “profound grief and sorrow” over the “tragic loss”.

A statement on social media said that the president extended his condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the early recovery of the injured in the accident.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also expressed “deep sorrow” over the loss of lives in the accident, according to a handout issued by the province’s Directorate General of Public Relations (DGPR).

She directed authorities to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured passengers.

CM Maryam “prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured passengers and extended her heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the bereaved families”, the statement said, adding that she sought a report on the accident.

Separately, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also extended “heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the bereaved families”. He also prayed for the early recovery of those injured in the accident.

7000 students declared absent, parents demand answers

2026-11-06T12:00:21.008+05:00

More than 7,000 students allegedly marked absent in matriculation and intermediate examinations have triggered a protest in Karachi, with student representatives and parents demanding an independent inquiry and public disclosure of answer scripts.

The demonstration, organised by the All Pakistan Muttahida Students Organisation (APMSO) and Student Parents Federation outside the KPC, called on the Sindh govt and examination boards to account for the disputed results.

Accusing the provincial government of neglecting Karachi's education sector for the past 18 years, APMSO Joint In-charge Sharjeel Baig cited deteriorating institutions, poor examination management and alleged disregard for merit.

Questioning the appointment of the matriculation board chairman, Baig asked why an experienced professor had not been appointed to the position and why an official from the technical colleges sector had been entrusted with the responsibility.

He demanded that answer scripts of all students who had failed be made public and uploaded to the respective examination boards' websites, enabling students and parents to scrutinise the marking process.

The APMSO and the parents' federation demanded a review of disputed results and corrective measures.

Saudi strikes on Yemen kill 24 ib 12-hours

2026-11-05T20:45:39.609+05:00

At least seven people were killed in a Saudi airstrike in a residential neighbourhood in Yemen’s southwestern province of Taiz, as recent weeks saw Saudi strikes hitting civilian areas across the country, according to Iranian news agency Press TV

Press TV reported, citing the al-Masirah television channel, that the Saudi aerial raid targeted a family house in the al-Barh area of the Maqbanah district in the early hours of Thursday, according to local sources.

The sources added that there were two children among the fatalities. Six family members sustained injuries in the attack as well.

Elsewhere in the northwestern province of Sa’ada, a civilian was killed when Saudi forces shelled the Shada'a district.

The Yemeni Ministry of Public Health and Population stated on Thursday morning that 12 people were killed and 15 others injured, mostly women and children, in a series of Saudi airstrikes across Yemen over the past 12 hours.

Two Saudi airstrikes struck the homes of two families in Ta'iz. Rescue efforts were carried out by residents, who searched through the debris for survivors and rushed the wounded to hospitals.

In al-Mu'ayteeb village of the Mawiyah district, another Saudi airstrike targeted residential homes, injuring a man and a woman, damaging houses and setting passenger cars on fire.

Saudi warplanes also targeted two health centres in the al-Silw and Hayfan districts. The aircraft targeted two mosques and a public road in the al-Zurbi and Dhi Samir areas as well, according to Press TV.

Furthermore, Saudi fighter jets struck the telecommunications network in the Maran area of the Haydan district in Sa'ada province, destroying two communication towers, a power generator, and maintenance facilities. The attack disrupted residents' access to communications.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthis said on Thursday that a ballistic missile fired by the group at the Medina region, home to one of Islam's holiest cities, had been intercepted.

"Air defence intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the terrorist Houthi militia toward the Medina region," coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki said in a post on X.

Separately, Saudi Arabia's civil defence agency on Thursday issued a warning of potential danger in Yanbu governorate, which is home to one of the country's most strategic ports and energy installations.

"A warning has been issued by the National Early Warning Platform in Yanbu Governorate to alert of a potential danger," read a statement published by the agency online. Yanbu, on the Red Sea, is the terminus of the East-West Pipeline that allows Saudi oil to bypass the blockaded Strait of Hormuz.

Yemeni army says 340 Houthi fighters killed in 1,322 military operations

Yemen’s armed forces said on Wednesday that they had carried out 1,322 operations targeting Houthi positions and military capabilities, claiming to have killed or incapacitated around 340 fighters and commanders.

In a statement on US social media company X, the Yemeni military spokesperson said the operations also destroyed or damaged 114 military vehicles and pieces of equipment.

The spokesperson said government forces had gained territory in Al-Jawf province as part of the ongoing “Dawn of Yemen” military operation.

Units from the First and Third Emergency Divisions seized Houthi positions in Umm Lafifa, Qurun al-Sabir and Duhaydat al-Aqir, according to the statement.

In southwestern Taiz province, government forces and allied popular resistance fighters also reported advances on several fronts, repelling Houthi attempts to recapture lost positions.

The military said its forces continued operations while taking precautions to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Since October 5, Yemeni government forces have been conducting an operation dubbed “Dawn of Yemen,” aimed at regaining control of state institutions and retaking the capital, Sanaa, from the Houthis.

Fighting between government forces and the Houthis resumed in July, killing and wounding thousands and displacing more than 250,000 people, according to UN reports.

The renewed clashes ended a period of relative calm that had prevailed since April 2022, further worsening Yemen’s humanitarian crisis.

Yemen has been engulfed in civil war since the Houthis seized Sanaa and several provinces in September 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government.

Bomb-Hoax- Multiple flights in Europe hit by 'malicious hoax threats', UK transport secretary says

2026-11-05T20:35:43.664+05:00

Flights across Europe have been impacted by bomb threats for the second time this wee

So far today there have been at least 18 flights reportedly impacted by bomb threats across Europe

Flights across Europe have been impacted by bomb threats for the second time this wee

So far today there have been at least 18 flights reportedly impacted by bomb threats across Europe

Aegean Thessaloniki to Milan, landed in Milan

Aer Lingus Dublin to Rome, diverted to France's Evreux airbase

Finnair Helsinki to Rome, landed in Rome

Finnair Helsinki to Vienna, landed in Vienna

Wizz Air Milan to Bucharest, landed in Bucharest

Wizz Air Milan to Warsaw, diverted to Vienna

LOT Warsaw to Brussels, landed in Brussels

LOT Warsaw to Paris, stopped before take-off

Ryanair Porto to Milan, landed in Milan

Ryanair Copenhagen to Sofia, landed in Sofia

Ryanair Madrid to Sofia, landed in Sofia

Ryanair London Stansted to Sofia, diverted to Plovdiv

UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander describes them as "malicious hoax threats" - a government spokesperson says threats to UK flights have been "resolved"

Airport authorities in Rome say they received a threat on email from a group called "Fighters of the Male State" claiming to be targeting a "feminist regime"

In Prague, Czech police say no explosives were found aboard four flights, following threats about an "improvised explosive device"

An aircraft was escorted into Rome Fiumicino Airport by Italian Air Force jets, while the Bulgarian military says its jets escorted three aircraft to Sofia

Polish airline LOT says two of its planes were impacted but "no hazardous items were found" - an eyewitness filmed the moment they were met by 'police, military and sniffer dogs' as they evacuated the flight

On Tuesday, at least seven flights were hit by similar threats - no explosives were found

An Air Serbia plane flying from Belgrade to Bucharest received a bomb threat before safely landing in its intended destination, the country’s national air carrier says in a statement seen by the Reuters news agency.

Iberia Airlines says two of its aircraft received "explosive threats" this morning, adding that these turned out to be "false alarms".

UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander describes them as "malicious hoax threats" - a government spokesperson says threats to UK flights have been "resolved"

Airport authorities in Rome say they received a threat on email from a group called "Fighters of the Male State" claiming to be targeting a "feminist regime"

In Prague, Czech police say no explosives were found aboard four flights, following threats about an "improvised explosive device"

An aircraft was escorted into Rome Fiumicino Airport by Italian Air Force jets, while the Bulgarian military says its jets escorted three aircraft to Sofia

On Tuesday, at least seven flights were hit by similar threats - no explosives were found

Iberia Airlines says two of its aircraft received "explosive threats" this morning, adding that these turned out to be "false alarms".

These warnings were sent to Madrid-Barajas Airport, it says in a statement.

The airline says these messages were then relayed to the pilots of both flights, which went to land in Madrid at approximately 10:00 local time (09:00 GMT).

"Passengers disembarked without any problems, in accordance with established security protocols," it says.The affected flights where IBE668 from Milan to Madrid, and IBE658 from Rome to Madrid.

Two Aegean Airlines flights were targeted by bomb threats on Thursday, the Greek carrier has confirmed.

The threats concerned flight A3552 from Thessaloniki to Milan, which we reported on earlier, and flight A3860 from Athens to Vienna. Both aircraft landed safely at their destinations.

Greece’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Tasos Chatzivassiliou, was among the passengers on the Vienna-bound flight.

In a statement, Aegean said it had worked closely with the relevant authorities and followed all required security procedures before the flights departed, after the threats were found to be unfounded.

EasyJet says two of its flights, one from Newcastle and one from Glasgow, were met by police after arriving in Prague as a "precautionary measure" due to a "security related matter".

"Passengers on both flights disembarked normally," the airline says.

Earlier, Czech police said four flights were inspected after arriving in Prague due to bomb threats, but that no explosives were found.

Local Czech media has since reported that two of these flights had departed from the UK.

Hong Kong's pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong sentenced to 10 years in prison

2026-11-05T11:03:10.312+05:00

Hong Kong pro-democracy activists Joshua Wong has been sentence to 10 years in Prison by a court on Thursday. Wong was once the figurehead of Hong Kong’s democracy movement and entered prison for the first time at 23.

CNN reported, that Wong in September had pleaded guilty to conspiring with fellow activists to invite foreign sanctions against China and Hong Kong in 2020. Beijing had then introduced Hong Kong's National Security Law (NSL), which led to a crackdown on dissent.

Prosecutors had accused Wong of conspiring with others to lobby the United States and other countries to sanction China and Hong Kong, saying that he lobbied with interests groups including then US Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

"The punishment must fit the gravity of the crime," High Court Judge William Tam told a packed courtroom in delivering the sentence, Reuters reported.

"It is also necessary for the court to express the community’s abhorrence ⁠of the defendant's scheme and acts with others to collude with foreign forces or external elements to endanger national security," the Judge said.

Wong has been in detention since November 2020, when he pleaded guilty to inciting and organising an unauthorised anti-government assembly during protests that roiled the Asian financial hub in 2019. He had been due for release next year.

Human Rights Watch has criticised the sentencing saying the Hong Kong government should immediately and unconditionally release Wong.

“The harsh sentence on baseless charges against Joshua Wong is cruel and unjust,” said Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

“Young people promoting social change are an asset for any vibrant society, but the Hong Kong government puts them behind bars,” she added.

Human Rights Watch also called on foreign governments to denounce the sentences against Wong and other wrongfully detained pro-democracy activists and impose targeted sanctions on officials responsible for Hong Kong’s growing repression.

ECP rebuts former judge's remarks on reserved seats

2026-11-05T10:58:00.706+05:00

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday objected to remarks made by former senior puisne judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Mansoor Ali Shah, regarding polls in KP and Punjab and the reserved seats case pertaining to the PTI.

Shah made the remarks at an event organised by the US-based Community Alliance for Peace and Justice on October 29, where he was asked about his dissenting opinion in the 2023 SC ruling on provincial elections in Punjab and KP and whether it was a “turning point” and the beginning of a “division” within the SC.

In its 3-2 verdict, the SC, after taking a suo motu notice, directed that elections should be held within 90 days in both provinces. Two judges, including Shah, had dissented from the ruling, saying that the suo motu proceedings initiated by then-chief justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, were “wholly unjustified”, besides being initiated with “undue haste”.

In their detailed reasoning, they explained that the SC by a majority of 4-3 and not 3-2 had dismissed the suo motu hearing on polls delay in Punjab and KP and therefore the same should be considered as the “Order of the Court”.

It had resulted in a controversy, with the government igniting a raging debate claiming that the ruling was a 4-3 majority decision in its favour and not a 3-2 verdict against.

In response to the question, Shah said that this was the time when the ex-chief justice was forming “like-minded benches”, adding that three or four judges were attending to the majority of the cases.

He said that initially the matter was taken by the high courts. He said that the SC judges had gathered in the ante-room and discussed with the chief justice at the time that suo motu notice should not be taken at this point. He said that it was “agreed” to wait but days later a SC bench took up the matter under suo motu powers as he denounced the “one-man show” going on at the time.

He said that at the time, two SC judges — Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Athar Minallah — had dismissed the petitions in the case. He said that the SC bench was later reconstituted, adding that since two judges had decided the matter, the verdict could not be dismissed. He said that this sparked the 4-3, 2-3 debate.

Shah also defended the 2024 verdict in the reserved seats case, wherein PTI was declared eligible for seats reserved for women and minorities, in a setback to the ruling coalition.

“We said that the PTI was a political party and it was wrong to deprive [them of their symbol] … and illegal,” he said, recalling that this was a decision “that nobody liked”.

In a statement on Wednesday, the ECP referred to the remarks made by Shah, saying that they ignored “basic constitutional and legal facts related to the election matters and judicial decisions”.

“It is highly inappropriate to present the judicial record for specific purposes through selective quotations, incomplete perspectives and one-sided interpretations,” the statement said.

The electoral watchdog said that Shah had claimed that the SC’s majority decision about the elections in 2023 was a 4-3 verdict and that the suo motu notice and relevant petitions were dismissed.

The ECP also stated that according to Shah’s claims, the election ruling was a “minority decision” and the commission could not have held polls.

Regarding the PTI case, it said that Shah had declared the order for withdrawal of the party’s electoral symbol during the 2024 elections as “illegal”.

The commission said that the election symbol was subject to transparent intra-party elections as per Sections 208 and 209 of the Election Act 2017. It added that “till date, PTI has not been able to fulfil the requirement”.

The ECP said PTI was supposed to hold intra-party elections by June 30, 2021, and the commission had given the party three chances; however, the party failed to hold intra-party elections.

As a result, the commission said that the party’s election symbol was withdrawn, which, the ECP added, was also upheld by the SC in 2025, along with rejecting review petitions filed by the PTI.

The ECP further stated that PTI held intra-party elections after five years and its proceedings remained pending before the commission as the “PTI itself has taken a stay order from a high court”. It further stated that as per the commission’s records, the PTI was still enlisted as a political party.

The ECP added that only political parties which contested the elections had a right to the reserved seats.

“These political parties are required to submit a preferred list of candidates before the elections, while PTI has not submitted any preferred list,” it stated.

It further stated that it was mandatory for a political party to win at least one seat and that independent members were not entitled to reserved seats and therefore, the ECP gave the seats to the eligible parties.

It said that if the PTI was entitled to the reserved seats, then “Articles 51 and 106 of the Constitution and Section 104 of the Elections Act 2917 become ineffective”.

The ECP said that it was “unfortunate” that a retired judge was taking a position against the Constitution and the law.

In November 2025, Shah had resigned as an SC judge alongside Minallah, hours after the 27th Constitutional Amendment — which made significant changes to the country’s judicial system and established the Federal Constitutional Court — was signed into law by President Asif Ali Zardari.

“By fracturing the unity of the nation’s apex court, it has crippled judicial independence and integrity, pushing the country back by decades,” he wrote in the letter sent to the president.

“Staying on would not only amount to silent acquiescence in a constitutional wrong, but would also mean continuing to sit in a court whose constitutional voice has been muted,” he said.

Russian attacks disrupt power in Kyiv, while the death toll in a stricken village rises to 40

2026-11-04T21:16:34.955+05:00

Russian attacks triggered power and water outages for hours Wednesday across Kyiv and surrounding regions while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the death toll in a stricken village in southern Ukraine rose to 40 in one of the deadliest strikes there in nearly five years of war.

On Monday, multiple Russian guided bombs had slammed into a former school and nearby shelter in the village of Komyshuvakha, near the front line in the Zaporizhzhia region as residents waited for humanitarian aid.

In addition to those killed, Zelenskyy said 30 more people could still be buried in the rubble.

“Unfortunately, there has been very little reaction from the world to this insane attack,” he said in a post on X. “But it, like thousands upon thousands of other war crimes Russia has committed against Ukraine and Ukrainians, demands a strong response. Evil always goes further if it is left unanswered.”

Elsewhere, Moscow showed no signs of letting up its aerial assaults.

Residents in the capital of Kyiv were urged to use public drinking water fountains, and emergency centers were set up hastily in the worst-hit areas, offering hot tea and power for people seeking to charge electrical devices.

Kyiv’s water utility said the city’s supplies later were restored, while Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, said emergency shutdowns in Kyiv ended after repairs.

Russia attacked overnight with 310 drones, including 81 of them powered by jets, according to Ukraine’s air force. In its daily social media report, the air force said it downed or suppressed 272 drones of various types.

Such attacks are a regular feature of wartime life in Ukraine despite arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court in 2024 for two senior Russian officers whom prosecutors accuse of overseeing strikes on civilian infrastructure.

Officials from the United States, Germany, France, Britain, NATO and the European Union were to meet later Wednesday at the European Commission’s headquarters in Brussels. The discussions are expected to focus on security arrangements for postwar Ukraine, the massive reconstruction effort that will be required and also various “economic opportunities” that peace could bring.

Those talks come ahead of a new round of U.S.-brokered peace negotiations next week, more than 4 1/2 years after Russia’s all-out invasion of its neighbor.

The death toll from Monday’s strike on the site in the village of Komyshuvakha rose to 37, according to Mykhailo Semikin, acting head of the regional military administration. He had said earlier that Russian drones were hampering the search but that operations would continue.

Ivan Fedorov, co-chair of the regional defense council, said 12 bodies pulled from the rubble were identified so far.

The National Police of Ukraine said in a Telegram post that visual identification of some bodies was not possible and that specialists were working with relatives of the dead to collect DNA samples.=

Body camera footage recovered from a police officer killed in the attack shows the devastating impact of the Russian guided bomb. The video was recorded Monday as the officer descended stairs into the shelter after the nearby aid distribution center was struck.

According to the video, the officer speaks to survivors of the initial attack, urging them to seek shelter. “Go down! Why are you gathering here?” he is heard saying.

Moments after entering a low-ceilinged underground room, a rumble is briefly heard as the video cuts to black.

On Tuesday, Baptist pastor Vladyslav Makhovskyi had joined the search for survivors. But as the day wore on, bodies wrapped in white plastic sheets were carried from the ruins and laid in rows as smoke drifted across the shattered landscape.

“When the bombs hit, people could no longer get out,” Makhovskyi told The Associated Press. “I understand that many were killed immediately. Even if some were still alive, they probably couldn’t breathe.”

The attack followed the end of a six-day ceasefire in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in the southwestern Ukrainian region of Kherson. It was the most significant truce between Kyiv and Moscow since 2022, and allowed the evacuation of residents from the shattered city.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded U.S. first lady Melania Trump the Order of Princess Olga, 1st class — an honor for women who have made an outstanding contribution to the Ukrainian state.

She was recognized for her humanitarian support, including human rights and charitable activities aimed at helping Ukrainian children, according to the presidential website.

She was credited with brokering the ceasefire to allow those trapped in Oleshky to leave.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, expressed hope that U.S. President Donald Trump will continue his efforts to end the war in Ukraine regardless of the outcome of the midterm elections that saw Democrats take control of Congress, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

At least 7 Muslims elected to US Congress in midterm elections

2026-11-04T21:04:47.585+05:00

At least seven Muslim lawmakers won seats in the US Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections, marking historic gains in both chambers as candidates campaigned on civil rights, healthcare and foreign policy.

The elections shifted the balance of power in Washington, with Democrats winning control of both the Senate and House of Representatives from Republicans.

Several newly elected and returning lawmakers campaigned on international legal standards, humanitarian assistance and opposition to unconditional US military support for Israel amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Abdul El-Sayed, Michigan

The 42-year-old Democratic candidate defeated former Republican Representative Mike Rogers, becoming the first Muslim elected to the US Senate.

A physician and former public health official, El-Sayed won the seat vacated by retiring Senator Gary Peters following a contentious campaign in which his religion became a target of attacks by Republicans and President Donald Trump.

El-Sayed, who won the Democratic primary in August, criticised unconditional US arms transfers to Israel and described its military operations in Gaza as genocide.

His former primary opponent, Rep. Haley Stevens, endorsed Rogers two days before the general election over El-Sayed's rhetoric.

Adam Hamawy, New Jersey

The 56-year-old Democrat defeated Republican Gregg Mele in the state's 12th Congressional District, becoming the first Muslim elected to represent New Jersey in Congress.

A plastic surgeon, retired US Army combat physician, and Iraq War veteran, Hamawy volunteered at the European Hospital in Gaza in 2024.

He campaigned for universal Medicare, cancellation of medical and student debt, abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and an end to US military assistance to Israel.

Darializa Avila Chevalier, New York

The Democrat secured a House seat after previously defeating longtime incumbent Representative Adriano Espaillat in the June primary.

Chevalier, a civil rights investigator, doctoral student and convert to Islam, won more than 85% of the vote.

Her campaign focused on community organising and advocacy for Palestinian rights.

Four Muslim members of the House of Representatives won reelection to two-year terms, maintaining their roles in congressional debates over foreign policy and Palestinian rights.

Rashida Tlaib, Michigan

The Palestinian-American Democrat secured a fifth term representing the state's 12th Congressional District, defeating Republican James Hooper.

The only Palestinian-American member of Congress, Tlaib has advocated enforcement of domestic and international arms regulations, civilian protection and Palestinian self-determination.

Ilhan Omar, Minnesota

The Democrat won a fifth term representing the state's 5th Congressional District, defeating Republican John Nagel and independent candidate DeVelle Jackson.

Omar, who arrived in the US at age 12, became the country's first Somali-American federal lawmaker when she took office in 2019.

She has advocated humanitarian assistance and oversight of US arms transfers while facing repeated political attacks over her background.

Andre Carson, Indiana

The Democrat retained his Indianapolis-based 7th Congressional District seat against Republican Patrick McAuley and Libertarian James Sceniak.

Serving since 2008, Carson is the longest-serving Muslim lawmaker in the House.

His policy positions have emphasised international legal institutions, equal human dignity and humanitarian assistance.

Lateefah Simon, California

The Democrat retained her seat representing the state's 12th Congressional District in the East Bay, defeating fellow Democrat Jamie Joyce.

Simon has advocated against offensive US arms deliveries.

Meanwhile, Muslim candidate Aisha Wahab maintained an early lead in a separate congressional race in California as vote counting continued.

Factory owners, workers agree to increase wages from Dec 1 in Bangladesh

2026-11-04T20:57:51.337+05:00

Representatives of garment factory owners and workers have agreed to implement the new minimum wage structure for readymade garment (RMG) workers from December 1, with the increased wages to be paid in January along with the salaries for December.

The decision was announced today following the first meeting of the eighth Minimum Wage Board for RMG workers at the board's office in Segunbagicha in the capital.

Worker representative and Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation General Secretary Babul Akhter told journalists that both sides had reached a consensus on implementing the new wage structure from December 1 and paying the revised wages in January.

At this first board meeting, they haven’t determined the minimum wages yet, and it will be discussed in the upcoming meetings.

Currently, the minimum wage for garment workers in Bangladesh is 12,500 taka per month, but the workers are demanding a monthly minimum wage of 30,000 taka. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh government has recently announced a new pay scale for government employees, roughly doubling their salaries and benefits.

In response, garment workers are now demanding that their wages also be increased. They are insisting that the minimum wage be set at 30,000 taka per month.

However, garment factory owners say that orders have decreased and prices have not risen, while raw material import costs are high. They say meeting such a demand is difficult. In this situation, the government has formed a wage board to set new wages for garment workers. Even though the wage board has been formed, garment workers are still on the streets taking part in protests.

The Ready-Made Garments (RMG) industry in Bangladesh began its journey in the late 1970s and early 1980s, rapidly transforming from a modest export sector into a powerhouse of the national economy. Today, Bangladesh stands as the world's one of the largest garment exporter, accounting for over 80% of the country’s total export earnings.

The sector directly employs around 4 million workers, with women making up roughly 60% to 70% of the workforce, which has driven massive social empowerment across the nation

Indonesian military helicopter on firefighting mission crashes off Borneo, killing one

2026-11-04T20:50:24.709+05:00

An Indonesian military helicopter carrying eight people on a firefighting mission crashed in waters off Borneo island on Wednesday, killing a crew member, the army said.

The Southeast Asian archipelago has for months been struggling to control wildfires that have burned through large swathes of Sumatra, Borneo and Papua islands, causing choking haze that drifted to neighbouring Malaysia, East Timor and Singapore.

The helicopter took off on Wednesday morning from Seruyan district in Borneo’s Central Kalimantan province to fight fires in the Tanjung Puting National Park, an army statement said. The park is home to animals including critically endangered Bornean orangutans.

“The accident occurred while the helicopter was scooping seawater for water-bombing,” the statement said.“The cause of the incident is still under investigation.

The statement did not provide any details about the condition of the two remaining crew members.

Aside from ground-based firefighters, Indonesia has also relied heavily on air operations to put out fires that have razed more than 1.9 million hectares in the nine months to September this year, according to deforestation monitor Nusantara Atlas.

The fires are driven in part by a strong El Nino weather phenomenon, which in Indonesia typically causes drought.Experts say deforestation and peatland drainage is at the root of the destruction.

Pollution from smoke emitted by this year’s blazes caused an estimated 3,560 deaths in Indonesia in September alone, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, a Helsinki-based think tank.

More than 400,000 people in Indonesia have been treated for acute respiratory ailments caused by the toxic haze, the health ministry said Wednesday.

Festivity in US after mid-term elections-Democrats sweep to resounding midterms win

2026-11-04T20:38:10.255+05:00

In the US House of Representatives, where all of its 435 seats were up for grabs in this election, there are still 68 that are yet to be confirmed.

The Democrats have so far won 228 seats, already comfortably past the 218 required for a majority, and have flipped 25 of those from the Republicans.

Last night, Trump acknowledged the Democrats’ wins, telling the New York Times,, external “I am absolutely willing to accept those results."

He also posted on Truth Social , externalthat if he was on the ballot, "We would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!"

Democrats seized control of the House and Senate in commanding fashion during Tuesday’s midterm elections, flipping seven Senate seats and making history in multiple races in a widespread rebuke of the Trump administration and Republican candidates.

Political analysts late Tuesday and early Wednesday largely attributed the victories by Democrats to voter dissatisfaction over the Trump-initiated U.S. war with Iran, rising gas prices and broader economic anxieties, including the persistent affordability crisis.

It’s “a full-blown repudiation of [Donald] Trump and GOP policies,” said Costas Panagopoulos, a distinguished professor of political science at Northeastern University.

Voters also expressed frustration with the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement and what many of them described as the president’s failure to deliver on promises to lower prices and improve the economy.

Projected Democratic victories included Keisha Lance Bottoms’ capture of the Georgia governor’s office, making her the nation’s first Black woman governor; Chris Pappas’ victory in New Hampshire’s Senate race, making him the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate; and Hakeem Jeffries’ reelection to the House, positioning him to become the first Black speaker if Democrats elect him to the post.

In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa prevailed over Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, becoming the state’s first Latina governor and the first Democrat to hold the office since Ann Richards left in 1995.

On the Republican side, Rep. Byron Donalds won Florida’s gubernatorial race, becoming the state’s first Black governor.

“This is a change election,” Jeffries said. “And we understand as House Democrats we need to deliver dramatic change. Things are broken.”

Other high-profile races included Democrat Roy Cooper flipping a Republican-held Senate seat in North Carolina by defeating Republican challenger Michael Whatley, according to the Associated Press.

Democrat Annie Andrews defeated Republican Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham’s sister, in South Carolina. In the Lone Star State, U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico became the first Democrat to win a statewide office in 32 years by defeating Republican Ken Paxton, a Trump pick.

In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers to win the state’s open U.S. Senate seat, becoming the first Muslim elected to the Senate. In Maine, Democrat Troy Jackson ousted longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins, ending her nearly 30-year Senate tenure and making him the first Democrat elected to represent Maine in the Senate since 1995.

The results so far point to a major night for Democrats, with victories in several key races and historic firsts for the party.

Whether those wins amount to an endorsement of a broader Democratic policy agenda is a more complicated question, said Martha Johnson, an associate professor of political science at Northeastern University.

She said the Democratic victories also suggest “problems with candidate quality on the Republican side,” which “is itself a reflection of Trump and his influence” over the primaries.

“Democrats are benefiting from Americans’ dissatisfaction with inflation, tariffs and the war with Iran, as well as frustrations with how Trump is governing,” Johnson said.

Johnson said the Democrats still need to articulate how they will generate improvements for people across the country,

“I do not think we can see this as a clear victory for the Democratic Party’s policy agenda or priorities, which are themselves hard to pin down given the wide variety of candidates and messages in the party,” she said.

Trump remained adamant that Republicans faced such a defeat because he wasn’t on the ballot.

“If I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!,” he wrote Tuesday evening on his social media platform, Truth Social, despite the fact that during the campaign, the U.S. president had encouraged supporters to “vote like I’m on the ballot.”

Election law experts, voting rights advocates, and Democrats were prepared for the White House to potentially contest the results of the election.

Trump spent much of the year warning about voter fraud, external - which experts say is rare - and had previously claimed the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden, was rigged against him.

The Justice Department launched unprecedented attempts to intervene in state election processes, and touted illegal non-citizen voting as a rampant issue despite evidence that this was rare.

But with the midterm results overwhelmingly in the Democrats' favour, that clamour from the administration has gone conspicuously quiet.

Despite a few technical hiccups in a handful of jurisdictions, so far it appears the election went very smoothly. That makes it very politically difficult to dispute the results.

James Talarico, the Democrat who has flipped a crucial Texas Senate seat from Republicans, says one of his biggest priorities in Congress will be to "get big money out of our politics"

"Last night the people of Texas delivered a crystal clear message to the world's first trillionaire," he tells CBS, referencing Elon Musk, who poured more than $47m (£35m) into the campaign of Talarico's opponent, Republican Ken Paxton. "Texas is not for sale."

"We're all tired of these billionaires who own the algorithms, who own so many of the news networks, who own the politicians fighting on our screens," he adds.

Now that Democrats have won a majority in the House of Representatives, Democrat Hakeem Jeffries, formerly the House Minority Leader, is poised to become the first black Speaker of the House.

Last night's blue wave was "an incredible victory for the American people all across the country, and a stunning rebuke [of] MAGA extremism", Jeffries tells MS Now's Joe Scarborough.

Responding to a question on what comes next for his party, Jeffries says "we won on affordability, and now it's our job to govern on affordability".

Turning to Congress, Scarborough asks about Trump's priorities for lawmakers.

Jeffries says the president needs to end the war in Iran, before the new Congress even takes power in January.

"That was clearly one of the messages that the American people decisively sent last evening," he says.

Once again, Iran has played a significant role in American elections.

On this very day 47 years ago Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran, taking American diplomats hostage. The 444-day crisis contributed to Jimmy Carter’s defeat by Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential election.

Now, the war with Iran, along with soaring energy prices and the rising cost of living, has led to major Republican losses in the midterms and handed Democrats control of both chambers of Congress.

Analysts close to the Iranian regime, appearing on state television, have openly discussed prolonging negotiations with Washington and maintaining pressure on oil supplies, in the hope that the economic fallout would weaken President Trump politically and undermine Republican prospects in the elections.

Nearly a half-century ago, Iran released its American hostages just minutes after Reagan was sworn into office, January 20, 1981.

Tehran may now hope that a Democratic-controlled Congress will limit Trump’s ability to launch another major military offensive against Iran.

But while Congress can restrict funding and challenge presidential decisions, Trump, as the US commander in chief, still retains considerable authority over military operations and foreign policy.

Death toll rises to 14-Second Indian national dies after Oct 10 Riyadh airport attack

2026-11-04T20:06:03.202+05:00

The death toll in the October 10 attack on Saudi Arabia's King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has risen to 14 after another Indian national, who was critically injured in the incident, succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday.

The latest death marks the second Indian national to have succumbed to injuries sustained in the attack. The incident had initially claimed 12 lives and left 309 people injured, according to the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia.

In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh confirmed the latest death and expressed condolences to the bereaved family.

"With a heavy heart, we share that another Indian national, critically injured in the 10 October attack on Riyadh airport, has passed away in ICU," the Embassy said.

With a heavy heart, we share that another Indian national, critically injured in the 10 October attack on Riyadh airport, has passed away in ICU. We have been by his family's side throughout, and we remain with them now. We convey heartfelt condolences to the family and friends. We will extend all possible assistance to bring his mortal remains home to India or funeral in Riyadh as per the wishes of the family. @MEAIndia @diaspora_india

"We have been by his family's side throughout, and we remain with them now. We convey heartfelt condolences to the family and friends," it added.

The Embassy further assured that it would extend all possible assistance to bring the mortal remains of the deceased back to India or arrange a funeral in Riyadh, according to the wishes of the family.

The development comes after the Embassy had earlier confirmed the death of an Indian national injured in the attack. The first Indian victim was identified as Mohammed Yousef Ali, whose funeral rites were completed in Riyadh on October 12, 2026, according to the wishes of his family. The Ambassador and Embassy officials attended the funeral.

In an earlier update on X on October 12, the Embassy said its officials had visited all hospitals where Indian nationals injured in the attack had been admitted.

"Further Update regarding Riyadh airport attack: - Our Embassy officials have visited all hospitals where Indian nationals injured in the attack have been admitted. As mentioned earlier, 1 Indian national unfortunately passed away today, 3 are in ICU but stable, 2 more are admitted in normal wards, while others have been discharged," the Embassy said.

It also thanked Saudi authorities for providing medical care to the injured Indian nationals and assured their families of all possible assistance.

In another update, the Embassy had said that four Indian nationals remained in the ICU, four were receiving medical care in normal hospital wards, while three had been discharged.

"The Embassy officials continue to visit the hospitals where the injured Indian nationals are receiving medical treatment, and are in constant touch with their family members and providing all possible support," the mission said.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), in its statement issued on October 11, reported that the attack on King Khalid International Airport had resulted in 12 fatalities and 309 injuries.

The initial death toll of 12 was subsequently revised to 13 following the Indian Embassy's confirmation of the first Indian national's death. With the latest confirmation of another Indian national's death, the overall toll has now risen to 14. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

Govt weighs options to recover $800m from Etisalat

2026-11-04T11:02:44.089+05:00

The government is considering international arbitration against Etisalat over the outstanding $800 million payment from the sale of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), along with its opportunity cost since 2008 and applicable damages.

The matter was discussed at a joint meeting of the Senate standing committees on information technology and privatisation on Tuesday, where members were informed that the Office of the Attorney General for Pakistan (OAGP) had been directed to implement the federal cabinet’s decision under Rule 24 of the Rules of Business, 1973, at the earliest.

However, senators from both committees expressed surprise that they were not given access to the sale purchase agreement (SPA) concerning the divestment of 26pc shares in PTCL, along with management control, to UAE-based Etisalat International Pakistan (EIP).

The meeting was jointly chaired by Senator Dr Afnanullah Khan, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Privatisation, and Senator Palwasha Khan, chairwoman of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications.

Cabinet asks attorney general’s office to prepare case for international arbitration

At the outset, IT Secretary Zarrar Hasham Khan informed the committees that the agenda item concerning Etisalat’s outstanding $800m payment to the government was sensitive.

He requested the chairpersons to ask all unauthorised persons, including media representatives, to leave the meeting, following which the proceedings were held in camera.

However, after the meeting, some senators expressed annoyance that they, too, had not been provided details of the PTCL sale agreement.

“The strange part is that we parliamentarians cannot handle information, but it is safe with the bureaucrats,” one senator remarked.

“There has to be a law in this regard, and parliament should be informed about such sales of national assets rather than depending upon bureaucrats and officers,” the senator added.

According to a briefing submitted by the Ministry of Privatisation, a copy of which is available with Dawn, the government sold 26pc shares in PTCL, along with management control, to Etisalat in 2005 for $2.59 billion.

Of this amount, $1.76bn was received, while approximately $800m remains unpaid.

The briefing said the payment was linked to the transfer of PTCL properties to the new management. Although 99pc of the properties had been transferred, 32 of the total 3,246 properties remained untransferred.

Etisalat, which is now known as e&, has continued to withhold the outstanding $800m because of the non-transfer of these properties.

The ministry said the government had made extensive efforts since 2015 to resolve post-privatisation issues, including the formation of several committees and negotiations with Etisalat for an amicable settlement.

However, the dispute remained unresolved, prompting the government to constitute another committee in July 2026, headed by the adviser to the prime minister on privatisation. The committee included representatives of the ministries of IT and law and the OAGP.

Considering the 20-year history of the dispute, the committee recommended that Pakistan consider international arbitration, as provided under the SPA, to recover the outstanding $800m, along with its opportunity cost since 2008 and applicable damages.

It also recommended that the attorney general assess the strength of Pakistan’s case, its prospects of success and the associated legal implications.

“If merits of the case permit to pursue international arbitration, prior to issuance of the Notice of Intent to Etisalat, the Attorney General should seek approval of the prime minister or the federal government,” the privatisation ministry’s briefing stated.

The Privatisation Division informed the committees that a summary had subsequently been submitted to the federal cabinet.

Soldier, two cops martyred, 17 terrorists killed in Balochistan IBOs: ISPR

2026-11-03T20:51:54.237+05:00

A soldier, Two cops were martyred while security forces killed 17 militants in two intelligence-based operations in Balochistan’s Kachhi and Kharan districts, the military’s media wing said on Tuesday.

Two policemen were martyred, and another was injured when unidentified armed men attacked a polio vaccination team in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's (K-P) Mohmand district on Tuesday, District Police Officer (DPO) Raza Muhammad Khan said.

“On November 1, 2026, security forces conducted two intelligence-based operations in Kachhi and Kharan districts of Balochistan on the reported presence of terrorists belonging to Indian proxies, Fitna al-Hindustan and Fitna al-Khawarij, neutralising 17 Indian-sponsored terrorists,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

The federal government last year officially designated all militant groups operating in Balochistan as Fitna al-Hindustan, accusing India of sponsoring a proxy war through these outfits. Fitna al-Khawarij is a term used by the state for terrorists affiliated with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The first operation was conducted in the Sanni area of Kachhi district, where security forces foiled an attempt by terrorists to establish a roadblock, killing 10 of them. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered.

In the second operation in Kharan district, security forces busted a terrorist hideout. Following an intense exchange of fire, seven TTP members were killed, the ISPR said, adding that weapons and ammunition were also recovered.

“Meanwhile, during the intense fire exchange, Sepoy Hikmatullah, having fought gallantly, paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced martyrdom,” the statement said.

Sanitisation operations were underway to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area, it added.

The ISPR said the counterterrorism campaign under the vision of Azm-e-Istehkam, approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, would continue at full pace to eliminate the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.

President Asif Ali Zardari praised the security forces for killing the 17 terrorists in the two operations.

In a statement, the president commended security forces for foiling the attempt to block a road in Kachhi district, saying their timely and effective action had thwarted the militants’ designs.

Also Read: Terrorist killed in intelligence-based operation in Balochistan's Kech district: state media

He also lauded the successful operation in Kharan district and expressed grief over the martyrdom of Sepoy Hikmatullah.

Zardari said the soldier’s sacrifice for the defence, peace and security of the country would always be remembered.

The president said operations under Azm-e-Istehkam would continue until terrorism sponsored and supported by foreign elements was eliminated.

He also praised the continued efforts and sacrifices of security forces and law enforcement agencies in the fight against terrorism, describing them as a source of pride.

Separately, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid tribute to security forces for their successful operations against Indian-sponsored militants in Balochistan, commending their professionalism in foiling the militants’ nefarious designs.

“I salute the security forces for sending 17 Indian-sponsored terrorists to hell,” he said.

He also paid tribute to Sepoy Hikmatullah, who was martyred during the operations, saying the soldier had set a supreme example by sacrificing his life for the country

The DPO said one terrorist was also injured in the incident while a search operation was underway following the attack.

The attack took place in the Tamanzai area, within the jurisdiction of Pandiali Police Station, during an anti-polio vaccination campaign. Police identified the martyred personnel as Zahoor and Arabi, while the injured officer was named Sabir.

President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the incident, expressing "profound grief and sorrow" over the martyrdom of the police personnel, paying tribute to their "dedication, bravery, and national services."

According to a post on X, President Zardari stated that the targeting of personnel performing their duties in the anti-polio campaign "to protect children" was "extremely regrettable and condemnable:"

He expressed heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the families of the martyrs, while extending prayers for the swift recovery of the injured personnel.

"Police personnel deployed to protect polio teams are performing a national duty; their sacrifices will not be forgotten," President Zardari said.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the firing on the personnel deployed on anti-polio duty, paying tribute to the two policemen martyred in the incident. Naqvi expressed "heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the families of the martyred," the statement said.

"The policemen deployed to protect polio workers are striving for our healthy future," Naqvi said. He also termed the incident "unacceptable," saying that "the elements involved in the firing do not deserve any leniency."

Earlier, four polio workers were abducted by unidentified armed men after being subjected to gunfire in the Tank district, while two other members of a polio vaccination team, who had been kidnapped in Lower South Waziristan, were subsequently released.

The incident in Tank occurred in the village of Jious, located in the Sheikh Attar union council, where unidentified armed men abducted four polio workers. The gunmen reportedly took all four workers to an undisclosed location.

In a separate incident, two members of a polio vaccination team were abducted by armed men in the Azam Warsak area of Lower South Waziristan. Sources said armed men affiliated with the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were allegedly involved in the kidnapping. However, both polio workers were later released.

The incidents came amid a special anti-polio campaign launched on November 2 in 97 selected districts across the country. According to the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) for Polio Eradication, the campaign will continue until November 8.

NEOC confirmed Pakistan’s seventh polio case of the year, reported from Khyber district of K-P. The affected child was a 13-month-old girl belonging to Jan Baz Union Council in Bara tehsil, the NEOC said. This was the second polio case reported from Khyber district this year and the sixth from K-P.

Bomb Hoax- Several planes searched after suspected bomb threats across Europe

2026-11-03T20:44:58.774+05:00

Two Ryanair planes were searched after landing in Rome, with one - flying from Dublin - escorted by the Italian Air Force. No explosives have been found on any of the planes.

Another two flights were inspected in Warsaw, including one that was diverted after setting off from London Heathrow - another two landed in Sofia

A plane that departed Manchester was inspected in Murcia, where a local official said no explosives were found.

Several flights across Europe received hoax bomb threats Tuesday that prompted searches, diversions and, in one case, an escort by the Italian Air Force until landing, officials said.

The flights included Polish airline LOT, Scandinavian Airlines, Wizz Air and Ryanair. The hoax threats came a day after a plane headed for Bulgaria was diverted to Hungary after receiving a similar bomb threat while in the air. No one was injured.

Matthew Borie of Osprey Flight Solutions, which advises airlines on flight threats, gave several hypotheses for the as-yet unexplained incidents: A single threat triggers copycat incidents; an individual or a group makes multiple threats; or operations of “hybrid warfare” by state actors or their supporters

Such threats were “not a new phenomenon” and came at a time of increased geopolitical tensions and signs of “disruption,” like attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems, drone incursions in Europe and mysterious triggers to alert apps — even as authorities have warned that hybrid threats abound.

The focus on Europe means “there could be a Russian angle,” said Borie, the company’s co-founder and chief intelligence officer. “We need to keep in mind, though, that Iranian hybrid warfare is just as active in certain pockets of Europe as well.”

His message for travelers? “Don’t be alarmed,” he said, noting “coordinated response mechanisms” by national authorities — including, at times, the deployment of NATO fighter jets to escort such planes.

A Ryanair flight from Lisbon landed in Rome’s Fiumicino airport Tuesday morning after receipt of an email reporting a bomb was on board, according to information provided by a Fiumicino official with knowledge of the events.

Police bomb disposal experts carried out security checks of passengers, crew and baggage and found no explosives.

There was also a bomb threat reported on another Ryanair flight to Rome from Dublin, with no explosives found, the official said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly.

The Italian Air Force confirmed it scrambled two Air Force Eurofighters to “intercept and escort” a plane bound for Rome. It said it responded immediately “following a report of a

We landed in Murcia - then the bomb squad turned up, one passenger tells us

On Monday, a flight from London Luton to Sofia made an emergency landing in Budapest, following a bomb threat

The Bulgarian transport minister has said there were bomb threats against two planes travelling to Sofia, local media reports.

Georgi Peev tells the state-owned Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) that there were threats against a flight travelling from the Italian city of Bergamo to Sofia - an incident we've already reported.

He also says a threat was made against a flight travelling from Dublin to the Bulgarian capital.

That brings the total number of flights reported threatened today to seven, in addition to another plane on Monday.

Peev explains that the flights into Sofia were not diverted and no explosives were found when the planes were checked.

A flight from Manchester to Murcia was searched by emergency services following a threat. Earlier a Spanish official explained no explosives were found on the plane and normal activity has since resumed at the airport. A dog was seen searching around the plane as firefighters waited nearby.

Avaition security expert Paul Mason says bomb threats on passenger planes "don't happen that frequently", which makes these incidents "unusual".

"It sounds like they've been made in a credible manner across a broad range of airlines," he tells BBC 5 Live. "That would suggest to me that it's been a very deliberate act by a typical actor rather than a load of coincidental, malicious calls."

Mason explains "there are a lot of processes" that the onboard crew and people on the ground must go through "to validate the credibility of the threat".

He says in such circumstances the primary responsibility for the crew is the safety of the aircraft and "maintaining a calm state in flight is absolutely essential".

Mason adds that the aircraft may be asked to divert if the credibility of a threat "is of a certain level" and in some cases the onboard crew may not even be advised on what the ground operators are dealing with.

Warsaw-Modlin Airport has reopened but officials are continuing to inspect an aircraft involved in a "reported bomb threat," the airport says.

"Passengers and crew remain in the arrival halls, awaiting further action," it says in its latest statement.

The airport adds that several areas remain closed until further notice.

Indian killed after two helicopters collide in Nepal's Mount Everest region

2026-11-03T11:01:56.237+05:00

A 47-year-old Indian national was killed and another passenger injured when two helicopters collided while landing on Tuesday in Nepal's Solukhumbu district, police said.

The two helicopters collided while landing at Pheriche in Ward 4 of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality of Solukhumbu district on Tuesday, according to a Nepal Police statement.

The helicopters, operated by Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty, collided at around 8.11am (local time), according to the District Police Office, Solukhumbu.

Police Inspector Mausam Tamang said the deceased was identified as Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu, an Indian national travelling aboard the Fishtail Air helicopter.

Shailesh Krishna Patel, a 49-year-old Indian origin resident of New Zealand who was also aboard the same helicopter, was injured in the collision. He was airlifted to Mediciti Hospital in Kathmandu by a Prabhu Helicopter, Tamang said.

Nepalese pilots, Rabindra Prajapati of Fishtail Air and Prajwal KC of Dynasty Air, were also injured in the incident and have been taken to Kathmandu for further treatment.

Pheriche lies on the way to the Mt Everest Base Camp, 150 km northeast of Kathmandu.Police said the body of Balaramaramadu has been taken to a hospital in Lukla.

The number of passengers aboard the two helicopters at the time of the collision has yet to be confirmed. Police said they were gathering further details of the incident.

US signals progress in Iran talks to avert flare-up

2026-11-03T10:56:37.346+05:00

US President Donald Trump signaled progress on Tuesday in talks with Iran to avoid a return to war, as Tehran reported “intensive” exchanges while offering to reopen the Strait of Hormuz under strict conditions.

The fresh diplomatic signals came ahead of US midterm elections on Tuesday, in which Trump’s Republican Party is pushing to retain control of Congress, faced with voter dissatisfaction over the conflict and the soaring fuel prices it has triggered.

A deal with Tehran “could happen,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.“Iran wants a settlement, as soon as possible.”

But hours later, Washington’s diplomatic overtures were dashed by a report that the United States had attacked Iran, in what the Wall Street Journal said was the latest in a string of limited strikes it secretly carried out against the Islamic republic in recent weeks.

Iranian state media reported five explosions in rapid succession on Qeshm island in the Strait of Hormuz.The US Central Command did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.

Earlier, oil prices plunged by more than seven per cent on Monday on optimism over a possible end to the eight-month-old conflict.

The WSJ report came shortly before polls opened in the midterms, in which Democrats expect to win at least partial control of Congress and impose political constraints on Trump for the first time in two years.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Monday that indirect talks with Washington were taking place via mediators.

“Given the sensitivity and gravity of the current situation, consultations and deliberations are very intensive,” Araghchi told state media.“Qatar and Pakistan are playing a very active mediating role in these negotiations.”

Vice President JD Vance said both he and Trump were optimistic about securing an agreement.“We’ve certainly made some progress. We’ll see if we can make some more,” Vance told reporters on Monday.

China also urged a return to diplomacy, while Iran’s security chief discussed the conflict with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Earlier, the Axios news outlet reported that Vance had sent a letter to Iranian national security chief Mohsen Rezaei about possible new talks, marking the highest-level move in months.

Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said the messages received from Washington were “an acknowledgement of our victory.”

A senior Iranian official said that Tehran was ready to open the Hormuz strait, an export conduit for the energy-rich Gulf, within two days — as long as Washington agreed to its list of demands.

In September, Iran proposed a seven-day plan to reopen the strait, with demands including ending the war on all fronts, unfreezing Iranian assets, lifting oil sanctions and ending its counter-blockade of Iranian ports.

“The possibility of implementing this plan in two days is another indication of Iran’s good-faith approach,” Tehran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters at a briefing.

Chinese President Xi Jinping also discussed the war with Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq in Beijing on Monday – the first visit to China by the Gulf nation’s head of state since diplomatic ties were established.

“The two sides called for resolving disputes through political and diplomatic means, urging the United States and Iran to pursue a peaceful path, achieve a ceasefire (and) prevent war entirely,” an Omani statement said.

China held meetings with Iranian and Saudi officials in Beijing on Monday as well.

Beijing supports Tehran in “safeguarding its own sovereignty and security,” Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Ali Bagheri, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, according to a Chinese statement.

Bagheri told Wang that “Tehran’s stance on defending its national security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity remains unchanged, and that Iran will make no compromises in this regard,” state TV reported.

In an interview with Al Jazeera released on Sunday, Araghchi said Washington must accept a new route agreed between Iran and Oman for transiting the strait.

He said Washington must also remove sanctions imposed recently and reduce American troop numbers in the region.

Trump has kept up his threats against Tehran, saying on Sunday that the United States may have to give Iran “the hammer” at some unspecified time.

On Saturday, the US leader said he still had to “take care” of one or two targets including Pickaxe mountain in central Iran, a suspected nuclear site which Tehran denies is such a facility.

Baqaei warned that any act of aggression against Iran “will be met with a powerful, immediate and comprehensive response. “

Islamabad court sentences man to 7-year jail term for filming objectionable video of teenage boy

2026-11-02T20:11:16.849+05:00

An Islamabad Additional District and Sessions Court sentenced Raja Haris Naveed to seven years of rigorous imprisonment in a cybercrime case involving the harassment of a 16-year-old boy and the recording of an objectionable video without his consent, it emerged on Monday.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka announced the verdict after finding the main accused in the case “guilty”, according to the order dated October 29.

The accused was convicted under Section 22 (child pornography) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, read with Sections 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and 109 (Punishment of abetment if the Act abetted committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment) of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs1 million on the convict under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) amended in 2025.

In case of non-payment of the fine, the judge said the convict will have to serve an additional six months in prison.

According to the case details, the accused lured a 16-year-old matriculation student into a drawing room and confined him. He then threatened and harassed the minor at gunpoint before recording an objectionable video without his consent.

The court acquitted co-accused Shahzaib Miraj, granting him the benefit of the doubt, as the prosecution failed to establish his involvement in aiding or abetting the crime.

In a similar case, an Islamabad court on October 22 sentenced two men to 10 years in prison each for blackmailing a 12-year-old girl and sharing her objectionable pictures.

Judge Majoka awarded each convict seven years' imprisonment and a fine of Rs1 million under Section 22 of PECA.

Under Section 24 (cyber stalking) of the same act, both convicts were sentenced to an additional three years in prison each and fined Rs1 million each, bringing their total prison term to 10 years each and the fine to Rs2 million each.

The case was registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency on the complaint of the minor girl's father, according to The Express Tribune.

Bangladeshi garment workers clash with police in widespread wage protests

2026-11-02T20:05:16.857+05:00

Thousands of Bangladeshi garment workers block major highways and clash with police in industrial hubs, demanding a monthly minimum wage of 30,000 taka ($241).

MIRPUR: Thousands of Bangladeshi garment workers blocked a major highway and clashed with police on Monday, demanding a monthly minimum wage more than double current pay, as protests spread across industrial hubs.

Bangladesh is the world’s second-biggest garment exporter behind China, manufacturing clothes for some of the largest international brands

Hundreds of workers in Gazipur, north of the capital Dhaka, blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway, vandalising several vehicles, while large groups took to the streets in the Mirpur district, where police dispersed demonstrators with tear gas, AFP reporters saw.

The protests came despite the government’s announcement on Sunday that it would establish a wage board to review the minimum wage in the vital garment industry, which employs millions of people and generates the bulk of Bangladesh’s export earnings.

But labour leaders say workers’ grievances extend beyond the formation of the board, citing inflation and rising household expenses.

Protesters demand a 30,000-taka monthly pay ($241), which is more than double their current pay.Workers currently earn about 13,000 taka a month, according to Kalpona Akter of the Bangladesh Center for Workers Solidarity.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman held an emergency cabinet meeting late Sunday.

“The prime minister… instructed us to ensure workers’ rights and improve their living standards. He also instructed us to ensure that production and exports continue unhindered,” Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed told reporters after the meeting

“We are requesting law enforcement agencies to crack down on those involved in violence, unruly behaviour and unnecessary indiscipline and unrest,” he added.

Kamrul Hasan, general secretary of the Ekota Garments Sramik Federation, told AFP Monday that some labour leaders had gone into hiding.

“We were not prepared for this unrest either, as the wage board has already been formed. But workers are now protesting over wages and other unresolved issues,” he said.

Industry representatives who asked not to be identified confirmed that workers from at least 529 factories in Dhaka and its surrounding industrial areas, including Savar, Ashulia, Jirani and Gazipur, had left their workplaces yesterday.