Spain train crash: riot police clash with protesters in Madrid as transport minister refuses to quit
The ministry says the AVE train was cleared to restart after a safety-system failure and hit 200km/h when it should have been limited to 40km/h.
Top stories
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INTERNATIONAL
Manipur killings that reignited Meitei-Kuki tensions may have started over felled trees, probe finds
Inspections of Kuki camps under the lapsed Suspension of Operations pact found only one of 159 registered members at one site.
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ECONOMY
State Bank doubles minimum capital for banks to Rs20 billion
Existing banks and development finance institutions have until the end of 2030 to meet the new requirement, which may squeeze smaller lenders.
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ECONOMY
Poverty in Pakistan rises to 28.9%, reversing a decade of gains, Ahsan Iqbal admits
The planning minister blamed instability, policy reversals and climate shocks as the government weighs measuring poverty by constituency.
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FOOTBALL
Vincent Kompany out of hospital after collapse caused by meningeal irritation, Bayern say
The Bayern coach collapsed at training last Friday and will rest at home, with the club saying his return is “weeks, not days” away.
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INTERNATIONAL
‘I did not flee Brazil’: Flávio Bolsonaro declares himself ‘leader of Brazil’ from Miami and claims election fraud
In a letter posted after landing in Miami, the defeated candidate vowed to lead the opposition from the United States and said there was no arrest warrant against him.
Ask Pakistan. Get the proof.
- What did the budget change for salaried workers?
- Why did the State Bank hold the rate?
- How much have remittances risen?
Every answer from Thursday Times reporting and the official record. On WhatsApp too.
Featured
Vance wrote to Iran’s security chief, WSJ reports, as Trump denies ordering peace talks and Gulf is told to brace for strikes
The Journal said the letter to Mohsen Rezaei was ordered by Trump. Trump says the contact was about “medical supplies”.
Zohran Mamdani’s popularity in New York City jumps to 69%, Siena poll finds
The mayor’s rating among city voters rose nine points in a month as Republicans try to tie him to Governor Kathy Hochul, who now leads by 14 points.
Iraqi PM al-Zaidi makes first visit to post-Assad Syria as Baghdad seeks oil route around Hormuz
Ali al-Zaidi and Ahmed al-Sharaa discussed oil exports through Baniyas, trade and border security in the first such visit since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
The Thursday Times targeted in major cyberattack by Indian hackers
An extensive security investigation uncovered a sustained Indian intrusion into the publication’s digital infrastructure. With normal operations restored, The Thursday Times says its commitment to independent journalism remains unchanged.
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Why Pakistan doesn’t need a treaty to defend Makkah
Pakistan's commitment to defending Makkah predates the pact it just signed, and its silence on specifics isn't hesitation, it's strategy.
5 min read
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How Pakistan overtook India in global diplomacy
What does it take to go from an unanswered White House phone call to a UN Security Council seat in two years? Ask Pakistan. The Makkah Defence Pact. US-Iran mediation. An invite from Damascus. India lost Washington's favor in the same stretch.
7 min read
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A prisoner in his own inner citadel
Imran Khan’s sister says he is fit, with normal blood pressure and improved eyesight. Official records document specialist treatment and family access. Yet the international narrative remains one of isolation and medical crisis. The record versus the rhetoric.
10 min read
Why Afghanistan is called a global hub of terrorism
UN monitors, US intelligence and Russia all warn of terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan, as Pakistan becomes the country most affected by terrorism.
“Provided by the de facto authorities in conjunction with weapons permits and travel documents.”
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Through the Maldives, Pakistan stakes a claim to a bigger Indian Ocean role
A maritime security pact signed during President Muizzu’s visit gives Islamabad a foothold in waters New Delhi has long treated as its own backyard.
4 min read
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With Badr, four Muslim powers bet on building their weapons together
Signed in Doha with little fanfare, the Badr memorandum joins Turkish factories, Qatari capital, Pakistani scale and an Indonesian market. Read as industrial policy rather than a pact, it may matter more than it looks.
7 min read
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Inside the Makkah alliance: DG ISPR on expansion, legal basis and the Muslim world’s test
DG ISPR Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry details the Makkah alliance's secretariat, its Article 51 legal basis, and a maritime coalition spanning Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb, in an interview with Independent Arabia.
2 min read
Pakistan in Numbers
The prices and figures behind your bills and savings, kept up to date.
See all the numbers- InflationHow fast prices are rising, over a year10.3%Down from 11.1%Sep 2026
- PetrolPrice of a litreRs 377.91Up from Rs 376.0629 Oct 2026
- Foreign reservesDollars the State Bank holds$21.49bnUp from $21.47bn16 Oct 2026
- Dollar rateRupees for one US dollarRs 276.75Down from Rs 276.8828 Oct 2026
- Stock marketThe KSE-100 index165,737Up from 164,46728 Oct 2026
- Load-sheddingPower shortfall, as reported4,000 MWUp from 3,600 MW6 Oct 2026
Westline
How markets and wars dictate society.
Read Westline
The backlog Britain built
Ministers of both parties have spent a decade blaming the people in the queue. The numbers point at the people running it.
Abdullah Esquire
The Tories edge past Reform, but credibility is the real fight
Abdullah Esquire
Trump’s infatuation with Munir is a love letter to charisma
The Editorial Desk
Every Starmer stumble brings Kemi closer
TT Monitoring Desk
London court revives Ras Al Khaimah’s $273m claim against India over bauxite deal
The Court of Appeal ruled that an arbitration tribunal was wrong to turn away the Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority’s case over a cancelled Andhra Pradesh aluminium project.
AI courtroom simulator launched in Dubai lets trainee lawyers cross-examine virtual witnesses
Legaline Platform’s Meta Legal Space, unveiled at the Dubai AI Festival, puts law students in front of AI judges, witnesses and opposing counsel under UAE, DIFC and ADGM rules.
UAE enters veteran diplomat Lana Nusseibeh in race for UN Secretary-General
The UAE's former UN envoy would be the first woman and second Arab to lead the world body, but joins a deadlocked race in which every candidate has drawn a veto.
Houthis claim strike on Saudi defence ministry as Pakistan vows to defend kingdom ‘with full force’
Saudi air defences intercepted two missiles over Riyadh after the Houthis also claimed a hit on the Ras Tanura refinery, as Türkiye moved to ratify the Makkah defence pact.
Türkiye plans parliamentary mandate to deploy military personnel to Saudi Arabia
An AK Party lawmaker told Reuters the request would follow ratification of the Makkah defence pact, which Ankara sent to parliament on Tuesday. There has been no official confirmation from Ankara, Riyadh or Islamabad.
Saudi Arabia warns businesses over October 31 VAT filing deadline
ZATCA reminds businesses to file September or third-quarter VAT returns by October 31, warning of penalties of up to 25 per cent of tax due for late filing.
PMLN and PPP agree to form joint federal government in surprise coalition
The PML(N) and PPP have agreed to form a coalition government at both the federal and Punjab levels, following talks between Shehbaz Sharif and PPP leaders Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Asif Ali Zardari, aiming to tackle Pakistan's political and economic challenges through unity and collaboration.
Maryam Nawaz, a catalyst for the PML(N)’s revitalisation
Maryam Nawaz ignites PML(N)’s resurgence, championing progressive reforms and female empowerment, poised to redefine Pakistan’s politics in her electrifying electoral debut.
The PTI’s social media strategies continue to leave other parties in the dust
Imran Khan's PTI continue to lead the way in Pakistan's digital political landscape, leveraging innovative social media strategies and AI technology as the 2024 Pakistani General Elections approach.
The SIFC is a visionary concept with flawed execution
Pakistan's untapped FDI potential hinges on proactive diplomacy, strategic investment policies, and private sector engagement to transform its economy; empowering ambassadors can unlock opportunities for sustainable growth and development, writes global policy expert Abdul Rauf Shakoori.
Benazir, the pioneer
Benazir Bhutto, twice Prime Minister of Pakistan, was the first woman to lead a democratic government in a Muslim-majority country. Her landmark tenures, from 1988-1990 and 1993-1996, were marked by significant political and social reforms.
The enduring impact of the PPP
Over its 55-year history, the Pakistan People's Party has been a transformative force in Pakistan, championing inclusivity and social welfare under the leaderships of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, and Asif Ali Zardari, and continuing its legacy with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
Vincent Kompany out of hospital after collapse caused by meningeal irritation, Bayern say
The Bayern coach collapsed at training last Friday and will rest at home, with the club saying his return is “weeks, not days” away.
Haris Rauf fined and hit with fifth demerit point for clash with Will Jacks in England thriller
The ICC reprimanded Rauf for raising his bat and brushing past the umpire during Pakistan’s one-wicket win, while England were fined for a slow over rate.
China ‘takes seriously’ Mbappe’s apology for Mao joke after sponsors quit and La Liga is pulled off air
Three 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’.
The names and the hits
The people who have written for The Thursday Times, and the stories readers came for most.
Written for The Thursday Times
Reham KhanBroadcaster, formerly of the BBCCelebrity sufferings
Mohammad Ishaq DarDeputy Prime Minister and Foreign MinisterPurchasing power is being squeezed from the common man
Mian Javed LatifPML-N member of the National Assemblyعمران خان کا ایجنڈا
Absar AlamFormer PEMRA chairmanجنرل باجوہ کا بیٹا اور میرا بیٹا
Hina Parvez ButtPML-N, Punjab Assemblyلوٹ کے بدھو گھر کو آ رہے ہیں
Ahmad JawadFormer PTI information secretaryقیامت سے قیامت تک
Ammar MasoodChief editor, WE Newsاک نئی قرداد پاکستان
Hammad HassanColumnist, Jangثاقب نثار کے جرائم
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