WORLD

MOSCOW, 7 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): North Korea and Russia have opened their first road bridge, spanning the Tumen River, in a development described by both countries as an important milestone in their growing strategic partnership, Russia’s state news agency TASS reported on Monday. The new bridge is located near the existing “Friendship Bridge,” a railway crossing commissioned in 1959 following the Korean War. Russia and North Korea already have direct air and rail connections between Moscow and Pyongyang. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said the new bridge would promote development in various sectors, including tourism, while creating new employment opportunities. He said the expansion of cross-border transport infrastructure would provide a strong impetus to trade and coo...

 MOSCOW, 7 September, 2026 (Nosheen): Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said Iran could potentially join the Makkah Joint Defence Pact in the future, suggesting that the emerging security arrangement could expand beyond its founding members. Lavrov said the pact would not remain limited to Gulf countries and that other states could become part of the arrangement in the future. He specifically mentioned Egypt as a potential member and described any expression of interest from Algeria as a positive development. The Russian foreign minister also said Iran could eventually become part of the Makkah defence alliance, although no formal request from Tehran to join the pact has been announced. The Makkah Joint Defence Pact was signed on August 7, 2026, by Pakistan, Saudi Ara...

DUBAI, 7 September, 2026 (Ghufran): Dubai has launched a new biometric immigration system aimed at reducing passenger processing times at Dubai International Airport to as little as 12 seconds, in a major move to automate border controls and ease congestion at one of the world’s busiest airports. The “Click and Travel” service combines facial recognition, electronic passport reading and automated checks to verify travellers’ identities. More than 31,000 passengers were processed during the system’s pilot phase, which ran from May to August, with 31,373 travellers using the service before its official launch on September 7. Under the new system, passengers can have their identities verified through facial recognition while their electronic passports are read automatically, reducing the need...

RIYADH, 7 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Saudi Arabia is preparing to grant the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) additional verification and monitoring powers as part of efforts linked to its planned civil nuclear cooperation with the United States, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said on Monday.Grossi said the planned US-Saudi nuclear agreement does not include Riyadh signing the IAEA’s Additional Protocol, which provides the UN nuclear watchdog with broader inspection and verification powers, including the ability to conduct inspections at undeclared locations. The United States and Saudi Arabia reached an agreement on civil nuclear cooperation in July that would allow Riyadh to enrich uranium and develop nuclear reactors using US technology. The planned agreement, known as ...

 VIENNA, 7 September, 2026 (Nosheen): Austria’s ban on headscarves for girls under the age of 14 is facing its first major test as schools reopen, with the country’s main Muslim organisation describing the measure as discriminatory and preparing to challenge it before the Constitutional Court. The legislation, proposed by Austria’s ruling coalition of three centrist parties, was presented as a measure aimed at protecting girls’ freedom and was passed by parliament in December with the support of the far-right Freedom Party. The left-wing Greens were the only parliamentary group to oppose the legislation. The Islamic Religious Community in Austria (IGGO), which formally represents the country’s Muslim community, has called the ban an infringement of fundamental rights and pledged t...

 MIAMI, 07 September, 2026 (Ghufran): At least five people were killed and five others injured when an Amazon Prime Air cargo plane overran a runway and crashed while landing at Miami International Airport on Sunday, striking several vehicles and catching fire. Prime Air Flight 7598 overran the airport’s diagonal runway shortly before 2pm local time after arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Boeing 767-300 came to rest near the northwest end of the airport after hitting multiple vehicles on the ground. Officials said three of the five injured people were in critical condition. More than 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units rushed to the scene after the aircraft caught fire, while firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze and...

 ISLAMABAD, 7 September, 2026 (Nosheen) – The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has released a new song, “Fizaon K Pasbaan,” to mark Air Force Day, paying tribute to the courage, sacrifices and professional excellence of the country’s air warriors. The song honours the PAF Shaheens for their bravery and sacrifices in defending Pakistan’s airspace and sovereignty. Its lyrics highlight the deep bond of Pakistanis with their homeland and aim to evoke a strong sense of patriotism and national pride. The accompanying visuals showcase the professional skills, dedication and preparedness of PAF personnel and their efforts to safeguard the country’s airspace. The song also pays tribute to PAF personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty while defending the country. It highlights the cou...

CAIRO, 06 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja) — Iran on Sunday claimed that it had struck an unmanned U.S. vessel attempting to enter the Strait of Hormuz, a claim strongly rejected by the U.S. military as a “total lie.” The alleged attack came a day after the U.S. military said its forces had struck three Iranian oil tankers in response to attacks targeting U.S. Navy warships with ballistic missiles. Experts described the developments as a dangerous escalation that could further threaten international commercial shipping and global energy supplies. The conflict began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, and although a fragile ceasefire was announced in June, intermittent fighting has continued amid stalled negotiations. The United States and Iran resumed attacks last week follo...

 TEHRAN, 06 September, 2026 (Ghufran) – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held separate telephone conversations with his Saudi and Turkish counterparts to discuss the latest developments in the region and diplomatic efforts to ease regional tensions. According to foreign media, Araghchi exchanged views with the Saudi and Turkish foreign ministers on the current regional situation during the calls. The three foreign ministers also discussed ongoing diplomatic efforts and possible measures to reduce tensions and help bring an end to the escalation. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, discussed follow-up measures on understandings reached during the first meeting of the Makkah Defence Alliance. According to the F...

ISLAMABAD, 06 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja) – Pakistan has dispatched 100 tonnes of humanitarian assistance to Nepal to support communities affected by devastating floods and landslides, expressing solidarity with the Nepalese government and people during the crisis. According to the Foreign Office, the relief consignment was arranged in coordination with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and transported from Islamabad aboard a chartered aircraft. The humanitarian shipment includes tents, blankets, sleeping mats, hygiene kits and essential medicines intended to provide immediate relief to people affected by the natural disaster. A send-off ceremony was held at Islamabad International Airport, attended by Nepal’s ambassador to Pakistan and senior officials from the Ministry ...