LOS ANGELES: Miguel Aleman, a 39-year-old brought to the U.S. from Mexico at the age of 4, is among the hundreds of thousands of immigrants seeking a path to citizenship through a new program launched by the Biden administration on Monday. This initiative represents one of President Joe Biden’s most significant efforts to provide legal status to long-term U.S. residents who entered the country illegally. The “Keeping Families Together” program, announced in June, aims to offer legal status to an estimated 500,000 spouses who have lived in the U.S. for at least 10 years as of June 17. Additionally, around…
Author: Hasnain Abid Khanzada
UNITED NATIONS: On Monday, the United Nations denounced the “unacceptable” surge in violence against humanitarian workers, which saw a record 280 fatalities worldwide in 2023. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlighted the disturbing trend in a statement on World Humanitarian Day, expressing concern that ongoing conflicts, particularly the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, are contributing to escalating violence. Joyce Msuya, the acting director of OCHA, condemned the normalization of violence against aid workers and the lack of accountability for such attacks. “The normalization of violence against aid workers and the lack of accountability are unacceptable, unconscionable,…
BEIJING: On Monday, the Philippines and China exchanged accusations over dangerous maneuvers and vessel collisions in the South China Sea, escalating tensions in the disputed region. The confrontation occurred less than two weeks after a separate air incident involving the Chinese and Philippine militaries near Scarborough Shoal. China’s Coast Guard claimed that a Philippine vessel, despite repeated warnings, “deliberately collided” with a Chinese vessel in a manner deemed “unprofessional and dangerous.” In response, the Philippines accused Chinese vessels of performing “unlawful and aggressive maneuvers” near Sabina Shoal, resulting in collisions that caused structural damage to two Philippine Coast Guard vessels.…
WASHINGTON: Pro-Kremlin fake news sites posing as legitimate US news outlets have recently propagated baseless allegations that Democrats orchestrated an assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. This represents a troubling example of how AI-powered fake portals are spreading inflammatory falsehoods during the high-stakes election season. Disinformation researchers report that the proliferation of fake media outlets has surged in recent months, now outnumbering American newspaper sites. This trend is eroding trust in traditional media as the White House race heats up. The fake sites, enabled by inexpensive and widely available AI tools, are fueling a rise in polarizing and false…
In Gaza, a mother fears for her month-old son, Mohammed, following the Palestinian health ministry’s confirmation of the first polio case in the region in 25 years. The reappearance of the disease has sparked widespread concern as Gaza battles ongoing conflict and health crises. Ghada al Ghandour’s infant son began showing troubling symptoms just days after birth, including severe skin rashes. Despite seeking medical help at Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el Balah, the family faces challenges due to the region’s lack of hygiene and medical resources amid prolonged conflict. The health ministry confirmed that the first polio case,…
In a poignant farewell address at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, President Joe Biden emotionally passed the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris, expressing his deep commitment to the country and his belief in her candidacy. At 81, Biden reflected on his five-decade political career and his achievements, urging voters to support Harris in the upcoming election against Donald Trump. “America, America, I gave my best to you,” Biden declared, quoting a patriotic hymn during his nearly hour-long speech. The event marked Biden’s formal exit from the 2024 presidential race, a decision he made less than a month ago.…
Specialist divers launched a new search effort on Tuesday for six missing individuals, including UK tech mogul Mike Lynch and Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer, after their yacht capsized off the coast of Sicily. The British-flagged yacht, Bayesian, which had 22 people on board including 10 crew members, was anchored approximately 700 meters from the port when it was struck by a waterspout, a mini tornado-like phenomenon, before dawn on Monday. The vessel, a 56-meter luxury sailboat, sank rapidly after being hit by violent weather conditions. Fifteen survivors, including Lynch’s wife Angela Bacares and a one-year-old baby, were rescued.…
LAHORE: Pakistani authorities have detained a citizen accused of spreading disinformation that allegedly contributed to race-related riots in the UK, following the stabbing of three young girls in Southport. Law enforcement sources have informed Dawn that the UK broadcaster ITV News had implicated a Lahore-based freelancer in the misinformation campaign. However, investigators are advocating for a joint investigation team (JIT) to examine the claims made by ITV News. They suggest that Farhan Asif, a freelance web developer linked to the Channel3Now platform, may not have been the originator of the false news. Instead, Asif is believed to have merely shared…
TEL AVIV: Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged Hamas to agree to a US-proposed bridging plan aimed at securing a truce in Gaza and a prisoner exchange, following what he described as a “very constructive” meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog on Monday. Blinken emphasized that this proposal might be the best and possibly last chance for reaching an agreement and called on both parties to move forward. Recent talks in Doha ended without progress as Hamas refused to accept new conditions and insisted that Israel adhere to prior agreements from July 2. New…
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has inaugurated the foundation stone for a cutting-edge 100-bed international hospital in Islamabad. This initiative, a partnership between the National Police Foundation (NPF) and a Turkish company, is poised to transform healthcare services for both policemen and the general public. The NPF has provided the land for the hospital, while the Turkish firm will contribute Rs5 billion to fund the project. Minister Naqvi emphasized that this development not only represents a significant advancement in regional healthcare but also marks a major achievement for the revitalized NPF, led by MD Sabir Ahmed. Naqvi noted that the…
