Iran proposes direct flights to Pakistan to facilitate trade, people-to-people contacts

This picture taken on July 17, 2020 shows an Emirates Boeing 777-31H aircraft disembarking passengers upon arrival at the Iranian capital Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport. (AFP/File)
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Updated 11 May 2023
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Iran proposes direct flights to Pakistan to facilitate trade, people-to-people contacts

  • Chairman of Iranian Commission of National Security and Foreign Policy meets Pakistani commerce minister
  • Naved Qamar pledges commitment to resolve all obstacles and move forward with delayed Pak-Iran Gas Pipeline

ISLAMABAD: Vahid Jalalzadeh, chairman of the Commission of National Security and Foreign Policy of Iran, on Wednesday met Pakistani Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar in Islamabad and proposed direct flights between the two neighboring countries to enhance trade and people-to-people contacts.

A statement from the commerce ministry called the meeting “unprecedented” and said the two leaders underlined the need to strengthen economic ties and increase connectivity.

“Chairman Jalalzadeh proposed the initiation of direct flights between Iran and Pakistan to enhance travel and business opportunities,” the statement said. “Naveed Qamar acknowledged the significance of this proposal and expressed his support for establishing direct flights as a means to facilitate trade and promote people-to-people exchanges.”

Qamar also stressed the importance of expediting the long-delayed Pak-Iran Gas Pipeline, an under-construction 2,775-kilometer pipeline to deliver natural gas from Iran to Pakistan. Discussions to build the pipeline began in 1995 but it has not been completed yet mainly due to lack of funds in Pakistan and complications posed by US sanctions over Iran’s nuclear activities.

“The Minister stressed the importance of expediting the project, as it holds immense potential for energy cooperation between the two countries,” the statement said. “He pledged his commitment to resolve any obstacles and move forward with the pipeline, which would bring substantial benefits to both nations.”

Jalalzadeh said the current trade volume of approximately $2 billion with Pakistan was “insufficient” and called for solid steps to increase it to a multi-billion-dollar level.

“Federal Minister for Commerce echoed this sentiment and emphasized the importance of opening new border markets and implementing a barter trade system to facilitate greater commercial exchange,” the commerce ministry added. “These measures, he believed, would contribute to a significant surge in trade volume between Iran and Pakistan.”

The upcoming inauguration of the Pasheen Border on May 18 was also discussed during the meeting.

“This border crossing, to be inaugurated by the prime minister of Pakistan and the president of Iran, holds immense significance in promoting trade and connectivity between the two countries,” the commerce ministry statement said. “The opening of this border is expected to facilitate smoother movement of goods and people, further enhancing economic cooperation.”

Before the meeting concluded, Jalalzadeh extended an invitation to the Pakistani commerce minister to visit Iran.


Chelsea overcome Club World Cup weather delay, set up Palmeiras quarter-final

Updated 29 min 30 sec ago
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Chelsea overcome Club World Cup weather delay, set up Palmeiras quarter-final

  • The London club were grateful to extra-time goals by Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to give them a 4-1 victory over Benfica

PHILADELPHIA: Chelsea beat Benfica in a game which went on for close to five hours at the Club World Cup on Saturday to set up a quarter-final showdown with Brazilian side Palmeiras at the tournament in the United States.
The London club were grateful to extra-time goals by Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to give them a 4-1 victory over Benfica.
Their late burst of scoring settled a last-16 tie which took four hours, 39 minutes to complete at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina after a near two-hour weather delay.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was left satisfied with his team’s victory but slammed the delay that turned the tie into a near five-hour marathon.
“I think it’s a joke, it’s not football,” Maresca said.
“For 85 minutes we were in control of the game. We created enough chances to win the game. Then after the break, the game changed — for me personally, it’s not football.”
Earlier, Chelsea had been seemingly poised for victory after Reece James’ opportunistic second-half free-kick had left them 1-0 up with four minutes of regulation time remaining.
But just as Chelsea began to think about their quarter-final assignment, the arrival of a storm over Charlotte triggered local safety protocols which required the game to be halted.
It marked the sixth occasion during the Club World Cup that a game has been disrupted by a weather warning.
When play resumed just under two hours later, a revitalized Benfica grabbed an injury-time equalizer after Chelsea substitute Malo Gusto was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area following an intervention by the Video Assistant Referee.
Benfica’s Argentine veteran Angel Di Maria stepped up to roll in an ice-cold penalty, sending the game into extra time.
An end-to-end first half of extra time saw Benfica, reduced to 10 men following Gianluca Prestianni’s second yellow card at the end of regulation, threaten to take the lead as they chased an improbable victory.
But instead it was Nkunku who fired Chelsea back in front, the French international bundling in from close range after Moises Caicedo’s low shot squirted underneath Benfica goalkeeper Antoliy Trubin.
As the game opened up, Benfica were increasingly vulnerable on the counter-attack and Chelsea pounced.
Neto made it 3-1 with a nerveless finish after going clean through on goal in the 114th minute, and three minutes later Dewsbury-Hall completed the rout to send Chelsea through to the last eight.
They will now return to Philadelphia, where they played two games in the group stage, to play Palmeiras in the quarter-finals on Friday.
The Brazilian club were grateful to an extra-time winner by substitute Paulinho as they edged domestic rivals Botafogo 1-0 in a battle of attrition earlier Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
The winger came on at the same time in the second half as Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira withdrew teenage sensation Estevao Willian, a move that appeared baffling in the moment but ultimately proved inspired.
The tie had reached the 100th minute without a goal when Paulinho collected a pass by Richard Rios on the right flank and was afforded the time and space to come inside into the box before slotting a low shot into the far corner.
That sparked wild celebrations among the Palmeiras fans who made up the vast majority of the 33,657 crowd, and the side from Sao Paulo held on to win the tie despite having captain Gustavo Gomez sent off late on.
“That is why he came, so he could play for long enough to decide a game. He is going to have to stop again after the tournament,” Ferreira said of Paulinho, who has struggled with injury since signing for Palmeiras at the start of the year.
Winners of the Copa Libertadores in 2020 and 2021, Palmeiras will now hope to match the feat of their Brazilian rivals Flamengo, who defeated Chelsea during the group stage.
The last-16 action continues on Sunday when European champions Paris Saint-Germain take on Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in Atlanta. Later on Bayern Munich face Flamengo in Miami.


Cena beats Punk to retain WWE Undisputed Championship title in chaotic showdown at ‘Night of Champions’ in Riyadh

Updated 29 June 2025
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Cena beats Punk to retain WWE Undisputed Championship title in chaotic showdown at ‘Night of Champions’ in Riyadh

  • Cena victory sets stage for blockbuster SummerSlam rematch with Cody Rhodes in the US
  • Continuing her rise, Jade Cargill overpowered Asuka to claim the Queen of the Ring title

RIYADH: WWE’s Night of Champions delivered a dramatic spectacle in Riyadh on Saturday night, headlined by John Cena retaining his Undisputed WWE Championship title against CM Punk in their first singles clash in 12 years.

In a highly anticipated bout, Cena and Punk revisited their storied rivalry with the championship on the line. But what promised to be a classic was thrown into chaos as Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, Penta and Sami Zayn all made appearances, interfering throughout the match. 

Despite the disruptions, Cena ultimately prevailed, setting the stage for a blockbuster SummerSlam rematch with Cody Rhodes at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, US.

A view of the packed Kingdom Arena in Riyadh during Saturday's WWE Night of Champions. (AN photo by Jafer Alsaleh)

Earlier in the night, Rhodes booked his ticket to that championship match by capturing the King of the Ring crown, defeating Randy Orton in a hard-fought tournament final. It was the second consecutive year Orton fell short at this stage, while Rhodes celebrated a milestone victory and immediately declared his SummerSlam intentions.

On the women’s side, Jade Cargill’s rise continued as she overpowered Asuka to claim the Queen of the Ring title. Cargill is now in line for a championship opportunity at SummerSlam, though the situation remains fluid with Tiffany Stratton currently holding the title, Naomi possessing the Money in the Bank contract, and the Evolution all-women’s event on the horizon.

The only title change of the evening saw Solo Sikoa dethrone Jacob Fatu with the help of JC Mateo, a returning Tonga Loa, and debutant Hikuleo, who made a striking first appearance in WWE after a stint in New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Fans react as action take place inside the packed Kingdom Arena in Riyadh during Saturday's WWE Night of Champions. (AN photo by Jafer Alsaleh)

Elsewhere on the Riyadh card, Rhea Ripley defeated Raquel Rodriguez in a street fight — a first for any WWE show in the Kingdom — while Sami Zayn earned a crowd-pleasing victory over Karrion Kross.

The 11th edition of Night of Champions reaffirmed Riyadh’s growing reputation as a key stop on WWE’s global calendar, setting the stage for an electrifying road to SummerSlam later this summer.


France offers to help make Gaza food distribution safer

Updated 29 June 2025
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France offers to help make Gaza food distribution safer

  • Barrot expressed anger over "the 500 people who have lost their life in food distribution" in Gaza in recent weeks

PARIS: France “stands ready, Europe as well, to contribute to the safety of food distribution” in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Saturday.
His comments came as criticism grew over mounting civilian deaths at Israeli-backed food distribution centers in the territory.
Such an initiative, he added, would also deal with Israeli concerns that armed groups such as Hamas were getting hold of the aid.
Barrot expressed anger over “the 500 people who have lost their life in food distribution” in Gaza in recent weeks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyanu on Friday denounced as a “blood libel” a report in left-leaning daily Haaretz alleging that military commanders had ordered soldiers to fire at Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid in Gaza
Aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) on Friday denounced the Israel- and US-backed food distribution effort in Gaza as “slaughter masquerading as humanitarian aid.”
And UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday that hungry people in Gaza seeking food must not face a “death sentence.”
The health ministry in Gaza, a territory controlled by Hamas, says that since late May, more than 500 people have been killed near aid centers while seeking scarce supplies.
 

 


Democrats slam latest version of Trump’s budget bill as anti-poor, Musk says it would destroy jobs and harm US

Updated 29 June 2025
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Democrats slam latest version of Trump’s budget bill as anti-poor, Musk says it would destroy jobs and harm US

  • Doubling down on his previous tirade, the president's billionaire supporter called the bill “utterly insane and destructive”
  • "It will take food away from hungry kids to pay for tax breaks to the rich,” says Democrat leader Schumer
  • Senate version would add $4 trillion to the debt over the next decade, including interest costs, says nonpartisan group

WASHINGTON: Billionaire Elon Musk on Saturday criticized the latest version of President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill released by the US Senate, calling it “utterly insane and destructive.”

As Senate Republicans prepared to vote on the measure,  Democrats warned that its tax-cut elements would disproportionately benefit the wealthy at the expense of social programs relied upon by lower-income Americans.

“The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country!” Musk wrote in a post on X. “It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.”

Musk's renewed his tirade against the proposed measure, called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, weeks after the world’s richest person and Trump, the world's most powerful, ended a feud sparked by Musk’s opposition to the bill.

Senate Republicans planned to vote Saturday on the bill after agreeing on changes to address concerns about funding for rural hospitals and the deductibility of state taxes.

Several Republican senators who had previously expressed hesitancy about voting for the bill told reporters that their concerns had been assuaged and that they were ready to vote to clear a first procedural hurdle in the coming hours.

Senator John Barrasso, the chamber’s No. 2 Republican, said the first procedural vote on the legislation would take place shortly, though it did not start by 4 p.m. (2000 GMT), as he had predicted. The bill is Trump’s top legislative goal. With his fellow Republicans controlling both chambers, Congress has so far not rejected any of Trump’s priorities.

The 940-page megabill would extend the 2017 tax cuts that were Trump’s main legislative achievement during his first term as president, cut other taxes and boost spending on the military and border security. Nonpartisan analysts estimate that a version passed by the House of Representatives last month would add about $3 trillion to the $36.2 trillion US government debt.

The Congressional Budget Office has not released a forecast for how much the Senate version — still subject to change — would add to the debt if enacted.

Partial to the wealthy

Senator Chuck Schumer, the Senate’s top Democrat, called for the bill’s full text to be read on the Senate floor after the vote, a procedure that was sure to run late into the night, if not past dawn.

“Under this draft Republicans will take food away from hungry kids to pay for tax breaks to the rich,” Schumer said. “Future generations will be saddled with trillions in debt.”

The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget public policy organization on Saturday said its preliminary estimate is that the Senate version would add $4 trillion to the debt over the next decade, including interest costs.

“If you thought the House bill borrowed too much — and it did — the Senate manages to make things even worse,” Maya MacGuineas, the group’s president, said in a statement.

The White House said this month that the legislation, titled the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, would reduce the annual deficit by $1.4 trillion.

Ready to move forward

Republican Senators Josh Hawley of Missouri and Susan Collins of Maine, who had opposed concern about tax-code changes that could hurt rural hospitals, told reporters they were ready to move forward.

A successful vote would kick off a lengthy process that could run into Sunday, as Democrats unveil a series of amendments unlikely to pass in a chamber that Republicans control 53-47.

“By passing this bill now, we will make our nation more prosperous and secure,” Senate Budget Committee chairman Lindsey Graham said in a statement accompanying the bill text.

Republicans from states with large rural populations have opposed a reduction in state tax revenue for Medicaid providers including rural hospitals. The newly released legislation would delay that reduction and would include $25 billion to support rural Medicaid providers from 2028 to 2032.

“If you want to be a working-class party, you’ve got to get and deliver for working-class people,” Hawley told reporters. “You cannot take away health care for working people.”

The legislation would raise the cap on federal deductions for state and local taxes to $40,000 with an annual 1 percent inflation adjustment through 2029, after which it would fall back to the current $10,000. The bill would also phase the cap down for those earning more than $500,000 a year.

That is a major concern of House Republicans from coastal states including New York, New Jersey and California, who play an important role in keeping the party’s narrow House majority.

Republicans are using a legislative maneuver to bypass the Senate’s 60-vote threshold to advance most legislation in the 100-member chamber.

Narrow path
The narrow majorities for Republicans in the Senate and House mean they can afford no more than three no votes from the party in either chamber to advance a bill that Democrats are united in opposing.

Democrats will focus their firepower with amendments aimed at reversing Republican spending cuts to programs that provide government-backed health care to the elderly, poor and disabled, as well as food aid to low-income families.

The bill also would raise the Treasury Department’s debt ceiling by trillions of dollars to stave off a potentially disastrous default on the nation’s debt in the coming months. If the Senate passes the bill, it will then return to the House for another vote before Trump could sign it into law.


Trump slams Israel’s prosecutors over Netanyahu corruption trial

Updated 29 June 2025
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Trump slams Israel’s prosecutors over Netanyahu corruption trial

  • “The United States of America spends Billions of Dollar a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said Saturday the United States was “not going to stand” for the continued prosecution of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges.
“The United States of America spends Billions of Dollar a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
An Israeli court on Friday rejected Netanyahu’s request to postpone giving testimony in his corruption trial, ruling that he had not provided adequate justification for his request.
In one case, Netanyahu and his wife Sara are accused of accepting more than $260,000 worth of luxury goods such as cigars, jewelry and champagne from billionaires in exchange for political favors.
In two other cases, Netanyahu is accused of attempting to negotiate more favorable coverage from two Israeli media outlets.
Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and has thanked Trump for his support in Israel’s war with Iran, which saw a ceasefire agreement earlier this week.
His lawyer had asked the court to excuse the leader from hearings over the next two weeks, saying he needs to concentrate on “security issues.”
Trump on Wednesday sprung to Netanyahu’s defense, describing the case against him as a “witch hunt.”
On Saturday, he described Netanyahu as a “War Hero” and said the case would distract the prime minister from negotiations with Iran and with Hamas, the Gaza-based Palestinian armed group that Israel is at war with.
“This travesty of ‘Justice’ will interfere with both Iran and Hamas negotiations,” said Trump, although it was unclear what negotiations he was referring to with regards to Iran.
Hamas took 251 hostages during its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, with 49 still believed to be held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
Negotiations are ongoing for the return of the remaining hostages and the bodies of those killed, while Israel’s punishing war on Gaza continues unabated.
The US leader also likened Netanyahu’s legal troubles to his own before he took office for his second term.
“It is a POLITICAL WITCH HUNT, very similar to the Witch Hunt that I was forced to endure,” said Trump.
The Republican was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records in May 2024 in a case related to hush money payments to a porn star.
Trump also faced two federal cases, one related to his alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.