WORLD

Doha, 1 October, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Qatar has expressed hope that its efforts to exchange messages between Iran and the United States could help break the deadlock over the nuclear issue and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said Doha was working to establish common ground and reach an agreement that could prevent further consequences of the eight-month-long conflict. US and Iranian officials separately held discussions with Qatari mediators, while negotiations have so far failed to produce an agreement on reopening the strategic waterway. US President Donald Trump rejected reports that Washington had offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for concessions on its nuclear programme, stating that he had o...

 Gyeryong, 1 October, 2026 (Ghufran): South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has called on North Korea to restore trust and resume dialogue, while pledging to strengthen the country’s military capabilities. Speaking at an Armed Forces Day ceremony, Lee urged Pyongyang to join efforts to rebuild trust and reopen dialogue after a prolonged interruption, saying his administration would continue pursuing practical measures to reduce military tensions between the two Koreas. His remarks came a day after South Korea’s military and the United Nations Command accused North Korea of violating the Korean War armistice following a landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone that injured three South Korean soldiers. Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, rejected the findings,...

Ankara, 1 October, 2026 (Nosheen): Representatives of the Syrian government and Lebanese group Hezbollah have held secret face-to-face talks in Turkey in an effort to ease tensions between the two sides, according to six sources briefed on the meeting. The talks, reportedly the first known direct meeting between the longtime adversaries, took place at least once last month at the invitation of Turkish security and intelligence agencies. The meeting involved Hezbollah representatives as well as Syrian intelligence and foreign ministry officials and focused on resolving security concerns and points of tension. Sources said the discussions made progress, with Syria assuring Hezbollah that it would not intervene militarily in Lebanon to disarm the group, while Syrian officials asked Hezbollah ...

 Rabat, 30 September, 2026 (Nosheen): King Mohammed VI on Tuesday appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as Morocco’s first woman prime minister after her liberal-centrist Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) emerged as the largest party in the September 23 parliamentary election, the royal palace said. The king asked El Mansouri to form a new government and submit a list of cabinet members for approval. El Mansouri, a lawyer who previously served as housing minister and mayor of Marrakech, will lead coalition negotiations. PAM won 97 seats, followed by the National Rally of Independents (RNI) with 66 seats and Istiqlal with 65 seats. El Mansouri said there would be no “red lines” in coalition talks, despite earlier disagreements between PAM and the RNI over issues including risin...

Gaza, 30 September, 2026 (Nosheen): Israeli strikes killed at least six Palestinians in separate attacks across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, according to Palestinian health officials and medics. Medics said an Israeli airstrike targeting a vehicle in Gaza City’s Tel Al-Hawa neighbourhood killed at least four people and wounded 14 others, while an earlier strike on an apartment elsewhere in the city killed a woman. Later in the day, another Israeli airstrike outside a mosque in Khan Younis killed one person and wounded several others, bringing the reported death toll for the day to at least six. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the reported strikes. Israel has accused Hamas of rearming and carrying out attacks in violation of an October ceasefire, while Hamas has denied t...

 New Delhi, 30 September 2026 (Ghufran): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump have agreed to maintain close engagement to advance the two countries’ strategic partnership, as India seeks an interim trade arrangement with the United States. During a telephone conversation, Modi and Trump reviewed bilateral cooperation in trade, defence, energy and critical technologies, while also exchanging views on regional and international issues, including efforts to promote global peace and security. India’s Trade Minister Piyush Goyal is visiting the United States from September 29 to October 5 for talks on a proposed bilateral trade agreement and an interim arrangement. Goyal is expected to meet US officials as part of efforts to advance a “balanced and mutually...

Jerusalem, 30 September 2026 (Kamran Raja): A Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia after transmitting emergency signals following a reported physical altercation between the pilots, according to an Israeli official. Flydubai Flight FZ1073, operated by a Boeing 737, was flying over Jordanian airspace toward Israel when it first transmitted a general emergency signal, followed several minutes later by another signal indicating possible unlawful interference, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24. The aircraft later transmitted another general emergency signal before landing safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. An Israeli Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson said the incident was not believed to be a hijacking. Flydubai s...

Mogadishu, 30 September, 2026 (Nosheen): Eight Egyptian nationals who had been held captive by Somali pirates for several months have been released and safely returned to Egypt, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The released individuals were members of the crew of a commercial vessel and were reportedly taken hostage in May this year after pirates intercepted the ship near the coast of Puntland, Somalia, on May 2. Egyptian authorities said continuous contacts were maintained with Somali and Yemeni officials to secure the hostages’ release, with diplomatic efforts eventually resulting in the safe recovery of all eight Egyptians. Following their release, the crew members returned to Egypt, where their families and authorities welcomed their safe arrival after months in c...

 Brussels, 30 September, 2026 (Ghufran): Russia has warned NATO that it could use nuclear weapons if the Western alliance attempts to isolate Kaliningrad, the heavily militarised Russian exclave located between Poland and Lithuania. In a diplomatic note sent to NATO and seen by Reuters, Moscow accused the alliance of pursuing a “dangerous and reckless course” that could create a high risk of direct armed conflict, including possible Russian strikes against decision-making centres in NATO member states from the outset. Russia said it would be prepared to use its full range of forces and capabilities, including nuclear weapons, to defend its territory if NATO countries attempted to cut off Kaliningrad from the rest of Russia. NATO, in a written response seen by Reuters, said it was ...

 Riyadh, 30 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Saudi Arabia has denied reports that representatives from the Kingdom attended a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi over the weekend. A Saudi source said there was no truth to reports that a Saudi representative participated in an expanded meeting following the talks between Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohammed. Israeli media had reported that Saudi representatives took part in discussions focusing on security cooperation, Iran, the Houthis and regional defence systems. Saudi officials rejected the reports, while Arab News also reported that there were no meetings involving representatives from other countries. Netanyahu visited Abu Dhabi on Sunday and met ...