The Thursday Times

The Thursday Times

@thursdaytimes.com

Analysing how political and social currents are reshaping life in the future for bluer skies—and for the 21st century globalist. thursdaytimes.com

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The Thursday Times
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Update: At least 68 people were killed in the Spain train crash, the regional president says, and 80 were injured. The transport minister says the Renfe train was wrongly cleared through a red signal.

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Israel election: "This is racism," says Balad leader Sami Abu Shehadeh as both blocs refuse to govern with Arab parties, who are heading for a record 19 seats. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comIsrael election: ‘This is racism’, says Balad leader as both blocs shun record 19-seat Arab partiesSami Abu Shehadeh, barred from standing himself, said Palestinian citizens of Israel were being treated as illegitimate partners despite record turnout.
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Pakistan calls the Afghan Taliban's account of the Angoor Adda clash "fabricated", saying Kabul's forces fired first on civilians and seven Taliban posts were destroyed in response. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comPakistan says it destroyed seven Afghan Taliban posts, dismisses Kabul’s Angoor Adda claims as ‘fabricated’The information ministry said Taliban forces fired first on civilians in South Waziristan, as KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi warned Kabul to “have no illusions”.
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A Peshawar anti-terrorism court has issued arrest warrants for suspended KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and ex-ministers Taimur Jhagra and Kamran Bangash over the May 9, 2023 Radio Pakistan attack. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comCourt issues arrest warrants for suspended KP chief minister Sohail Afridi over May 9 Radio Pakistan attackFormer ministers Taimur Jhagra and Kamran Bangash are also named, as prosecutors cite forensic analysis of footage from the 2023 arson.
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Israel election: Netanyahu's Likud says the vote was "stolen" by Arab parties and wants a police and Shin Bet probe. The elections committee is reviewing the claims, none of which has been verified. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comIsrael election: Netanyahu’s Likud claims vote was ‘stolen’ by Arab parties, demands police and Shin Bet probeLikud accused Arab parties of bribery, threats and forgery after a record Arab vote left both blocs short of a majority. The elections committee is reviewing the claims, none of which has been…
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Flávio Bolsonaro, who said he had 'never thought' of leaving Brazil, has landed in Miami via Argentina and Ecuador after defying a court order to surrender his passports. Trump backed his entry. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comFlávio Bolsonaro flees to Miami via Argentina and Ecuador after defying court order to surrender passportsBrazil’s defeated presidential candidate, who said he had ‘never thought’ of leaving, landed in Florida as Trump backed his entry to the US.
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'If one wins, he wants to strike you; if the other wins, he wants to kill you,' a Jordanian told Reuters. Across the Middle East, few expect change as Netanyahu's bloc leads 53-48 with 86% counted. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comIsrael election: ‘If one wins, he wants to strike you’ – Middle East shrugs as Netanyahu bloc leads countFrom Gaza to Tehran, people expect no change whoever wins, as Netanyahu’s bloc leads 53 to 48 with 86 per cent of votes counted.
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Sabeer Bhatia values Gautam Adani's reputation at "Rs 0" as the Calcutta High Court orders YouTube, X and Instagram to preserve data on accounts that shared his Modi-Adani film. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comSabeer Bhatia values Adani’s reputation at ‘Rs 0’ as Indian court orders platforms to hand over data on Modi-Adani film sharersThe Calcutta High Court told YouTube, X and Instagram to preserve logs and reveal unidentified account holders, as Raj Thackeray deleted the film after a police request.
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Governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will end after six months but the emergency stays until peace returns, minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry says, announcing a Rs160bn package for the province. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comGovernor’s rule in KP to end after six months but emergency stays until peace returns, minister saysTariq Fazal Chaudhry also announced a Rs160 billion three-phase package for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, focused on its 12 worst-hit districts.
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Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz says she told assault victims to hit back, and vowed that no party will shield offenders who keep walking free on bail. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/27/n...

thursdaytimes.comMaryam Nawaz says she told assault victims to hit back, vows no party will shield offendersThe Punjab chief minister cited a beaten scooty rider in Lahore and an attendant thrashed at a petrol pump, and said she would go to the chief justices if suspects kept walking free on bail.
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Update: A senior Iranian official has dismissed the plan as "unacceptable ideas and not an offer", saying Tehran will not show flexibility on its nuclear programme.

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Pakistan has warned the UN against adding permanent Security Council seats or widening the veto, telling the debate: "Reform for all. Privilege for none!" ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/27/n...

thursdaytimes.comPakistan warns UN against more permanent Security Council seats and wider vetoPakistani diplomat Gul Qaiser Sarwani told the veto debate that new permanent seats would deepen inequality and risk paralysing the Council. "Reform for all. Privilege for none!"
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Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz announces the Apna Punjab Kisan Bank for farmers, with interest-free loans of up to Rs100 million, plus plans to give farmers land and expand livestock farming. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comMaryam Nawaz announces Apna Punjab Kisan Bank with interest-free loans of up to Rs100 million for farmersThe Punjab chief minister also promised land for farmers and a livestock push, saying loan eligibility and details would follow soon.
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The government and Jamaat-e-Islami have agreed to form a committee on fuel relief, but JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman says his party's march on Islamabad will still go ahead in mid-November. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/27/n...

thursdaytimes.comGovernment and Jamaat-e-Islami form committee on fuel relief, but JI says Islamabad march still onHafiz Naeemur Rehman gave the government seven to 10 days after meeting Shehbaz Sharif, saying JI wants the petroleum levy scrapped, not phased out.
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PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari says the Sindh Assembly has put a "full stop" to calls for a new province in Sindh, and that only the province's people can decide its future. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/27/n...

thursdaytimes.comBilawal calls ‘full stop’ on new province debate, says only Sindh’s people decideThe PPP chairman said the Sindh Assembly had settled the question, denied being consulted on a 28th Amendment and accused Karachi’s federal ministers of doing nothing for the city.
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Pakistan has shut its airspace to Taiwanese airlines in support of the One-China policy, a first according to Bloomberg. "Only mainland China is allowed," Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comPakistan shuts airspace to Taiwanese airlines in first-of-its-kind backing for One-China policy“Only mainland China is allowed,” Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said, as China Airlines and EVA Air reroute Asia-Europe flights over Russia.
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China says it "takes seriously" Kylian Mbappe's apology for a Mao joke, after three Chinese sponsors dropped him and state TV pulled Spain's La Liga off air. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/s...

thursdaytimes.comChina ‘takes seriously’ Mbappe’s apology for Mao joke after sponsors quit and La Liga is pulled off airThree Chinese brands dropped the Real Madrid star and state TV suspended Spanish football after he laughed at a meme likening him to a ‘Chinese dictator’.
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Israel election, 66% counted: Netanyahu's bloc has 54 seats and Eisenkot's 48. With the Arab-led parties' 18, the opposition would have 66, a majority, if Eisenkot relies on their support. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comIsrael election: Netanyahu bloc on 54 with two-thirds counted, Eisenkot and Arab parties would have 66Netanyahu’s lead keeps narrowing, and the opposition could only reach a majority with the Arab-led lists, which won 18 seats on the partial count.
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The State Bank of Pakistan has raised its remittance forecast to $45 billion and expects reserves to reach $25 billion by June, with Governor Jameel Ahmad saying Pakistan is "out of the danger zone." ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/27/n...

thursdaytimes.comSBP raises remittance forecast to $45bn, sees reserves at $25bn by JuneGovernor Jameel Ahmad said Pakistan is “out of the danger zone” on its external account, crediting a better exchange rate and exchange company reforms for pulling remittances into formal channels.
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Supreme Court judge Justice Ayesha Malik has rejected the assumption that women "invite" rape, warning that sexual violence has become so routine in Pakistan that it no longer causes outrage. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/27/n...

thursdaytimes.comJustice Ayesha Malik rejects idea that women ‘invite’ rape, warns sexual violence no longer shocksThe Supreme Court judge spoke at the launch of a bench book for rape trials, alongside a study on why so few gender-based violence cases end in convictions.
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Iran accuses Washington of "contempt for diplomacy" after Trump reportedly told a rally he never believed in the Pakistan-brokered Islamabad MoU and saw it as a waste of time. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comIran says Trump’s ‘waste of time’ jibe at Pakistan-brokered Islamabad MoU exposes ‘hollow’ US promisesTehran accuses Washington of ‘contempt for diplomacy’ after Trump reportedly told a rally he never believed in the ceasefire deal Pakistan brokered.
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Update: In his resignation letter, Kayani says the 26th and 27th Amendments "compromised" judicial independence amid the executive's "growing control" over judges.

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Lahore is the world's most polluted major city again this morning, with an AQI of 296, ahead of Cairo and Delhi. Punjab's EPA blames easterly winds carrying smog from across the Indian border. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comLahore ranked world’s most polluted major city as smog thickens, AQI hits 296Punjab’s environment agency blames easterly winds carrying pollution from across the Indian border, as Cairo and Delhi follow in IQAir’s ranking.
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The government is working to end the six-month penalty on households that cross 200 electricity units once, and may raise the limit to 250, Power Minister Awais Leghari told the Senate. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/27/n...

thursdaytimes.comGovernment moves to end six-month penalty for crossing 200 electricity units, may raise limit to 250Power Minister Awais Leghari told the Senate relief would be aimed at poorer households after a PML-N senator asked why a 201-unit user pays the 400-unit rate.
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Pakistan needs $18 billion over 10 years for dams and flood defences, a Planning Commission plan says, as its dams hold just 11% of the Indus's yearly flow. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comPakistan needs $18bn for dams and flood defences over 10 years, plan says, urging water to be treated as national securityA Planning Commission framework warns storage holds just 11% of the Indus’s flow and that flood warning time at Marala has fallen from 40 hours to 5.5.
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The US war on Iran has cost the Pentagon over $47 billion, a quarter above July's estimate, with $29 billion just to replace munitions, Reuters reports. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comUS cost of Iran war tops $47bn, a quarter above Pentagon’s July estimate, Reuters reportsReplacing munitions alone accounts for more than $29bn, and the figures leave out repairs to US bases hit by Iranian missiles, as Trump weighs restarting combat after the midterms.
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With about 42% of ballots counted, Netanyahu's bloc leads 57-47 in Israel's election, with Arab parties on 16 seats. The gap is narrowing, and the final result may take until Friday. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comIsrael election count: Netanyahu’s bloc leads 57-47 with 42% counted, final result may take until FridayPartial official results show Likud on 28 seats and Eisenkot’s Yashar on 21, but the gap is narrowing and 650,000 double-envelope ballots are still to come.
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Pakistan has raised the cash reporting threshold for banks to Rs3 million from Rs2 million, and brought maritime piracy and crypto regulator PVARA under its anti-money-laundering law. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comPakistan raises cash reporting threshold to Rs3m, brings piracy and crypto under anti-money-laundering lawBanks will now report cash transactions to the Financial Monitoring Unit from Rs3 million, up from Rs2 million, under changes approved by a committee chaired by Muhammad Aurangzeb.
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PM Shehbaz Sharif deposited more than three dozen gifts in the Toshakhana between July and September, including 1kg of fine gold from Kyrgyzstan, Cabinet Division records show. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comPM Shehbaz deposited over three dozen gifts in Toshakhana, including 1kg of Kyrgyz gold, record showsThe Cabinet Division list also shows seven gifts for President Zardari, as new rules require every Toshakhana gift to be sold at open auction.
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Netanyahu says Likud is the largest party and the right has a "decisive majority", as Channel 12's updated exit poll puts his bloc on 52 seats to the opposition's 49. Exit polls, not results. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comIsrael election: Netanyahu claims ‘decisive majority’ for the right as updated polls put his bloc aheadChannel 12 now gives Netanyahu’s camp 52 seats to the opposition’s 49, as the prime minister rules out relying on Arab parties. These are exit polls, not results.
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A Lahore anti-terrorism court has sent PTI's Hammad Azhar to jail on judicial remand, refusing police more custody for a polygraph test in the May 9 Jinnah House case. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comHammad Azhar sent to jail after court refuses police more custody for polygraph test in May 9 caseThe anti-terrorism court ended the PTI leader’s 50 days in police custody after his lawyer argued a lie-detector test needs his consent.
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Updated Israel exit polls put Netanyahu's bloc and the opposition level on 51 seats each, as Gadi Eisenkot declares "the old era is over". Exit polls, not results. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comIsrael election: updated exit polls show Netanyahu and Eisenkot blocs tied as Eisenkot hails ‘new era’Channel 13 and Kan now put both blocs on 51 seats, with Likud up to 27 and Arab-led parties on 18. These are exit polls, not results.
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Benjamin Netanyahu is racing to stop Likud defections and has signalled openness to a unity government, Israeli media reports say, as Ben-Gvir rejects any deal with Eisenkot. ✍🏼 Read: thursdaytimes.com/2026/10/28/n...

thursdaytimes.comIsrael election: Netanyahu races to stop Likud defections and signals openness to unity government, reports sayNetanyahu wants to be first to try to form a government, Israeli media reported, as a former ambassador said there is “no way in the world” he can build a coalition.