Iran warns of alleged plots to target Supreme Leader Khamenei

Iran’s intelligence ministry has issued a warning about what it says are attempts by foreign adversaries — including the United States and Israel — to target Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and undermine the Islamic Republic.

According to a report published Saturday by the ISNA news agency, Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib claimed that “the enemy seeks to target the supreme leader, sometimes with assassination attempts, sometimes with hostile attacks.”

Khatib did not specify whether he was referring to a particular plot or incident, and while Iranian officials frequently accuse foreign governments of covert operations, explicit warnings about threats to Khamenei have been uncommon. Such remarks have drawn increased attention since the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel in June.

“Those who act in this direction, knowingly or unknowingly, are infiltrating agents of the enemy,” Khatib said, directly pointing to the United States and Israel.

During the confrontation earlier this year, Israel carried out strikes on senior Iranian military personnel, nuclear scientists, government facilities and residential areas, with the United States later joining with attacks on key nuclear sites.

When asked about reports during the conflict alleging that then-U.S. President Donald Trump vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Khamenei to prevent escalation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the claim but remarked that such an act would “end the conflict.”

At the time, Trump had described Iran’s supreme leader as a “very easy target,” adding, “We are not going to take him out, at least not for now.”

Babar, Farhan steer Pakistan to 195 against Zimbabwe

Babar Azam and Sahibzada Farhan struck fluent half-centuries as Pakistan posted a formidable 195-run total against Zimbabwe in the fourth match of the T20I tri-series on Sunday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Farhan provided early momentum at the top, while Babar anchored the innings with characteristic control, enabling Pakistan to set a challenging 196-run target.

Pakistan XI: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Muhammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Usman Tariq.

Zimbabwe XI: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Brendan Taylor (wk), Sikandar Raza (c), Ryan Burl, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Tinotenda Maposa, Richard Ngarava, Wellington Masakadza.

Pakistan lift IBSF Snooker World Cup title after remarkable comeback

Pakistan claimed the IBSF Snooker World Cup Team Championship on Sunday, overturning a 2–1 deficit to edge Hong Kong China 2 by 3–2 in a tense best-of-five final.

The Pakistani duo — former world champion Muhammad Asif and Asjad Iqbal — delivered two superb century breaks in the crucial final stages to secure the trophy. Hong Kong’s challenge was led by Chau Hon Man and Nansen Wan.

Hong Kong struck early when Chau Hon Man dominated the opening frame, defeating Asjad Iqbal 94–0 with the help of an 85 break to put Pakistan on the back foot.

Pakistan hit back in the second singles frame, with Asif producing a fluent 82 break to beat Nansen Wan 95–17 and bring the contest level.

Hong Kong then regained control by taking the doubles frame 84–41, pushing Pakistan into a 2–1 deficit and within a frame of defeat.

But the momentum shifted sharply in the reverse singles. Asif kept Pakistan’s hopes alive with a clinical 100 break in his 100–36 win over Chau Hon Man, tying the match at 2–2.

With the championship on the line, Iqbal delivered under pressure, compiling a brilliant 104 break to shut out Nansen Wan 104–0 and complete Pakistan’s stunning comeback.

Pakistan sealed the title with a 3–2 victory. Frame scores: 0–94 (85), 95 (82)–17, 41–84, 100 (100)–36, 104 (104)–0.

Dubai Run 2025 turns Sheikh Zayed Road into a giant fitness carnival

DUBAI: Dubai’s signature fitness festival once again brought the city to a halt on Sunday, as Dubai Run 2025 transformed Sheikh Zayed Road into what has become the world’s largest free community run.

At sunrise, tens of thousands of people — including families, children, senior citizens, and fitness enthusiasts — packed the city’s main highway to take on the 5km and 10km routes.

This year’s edition delivered an unexpected highlight. As runners advanced along the route, the morning sky suddenly burst into streaks of red and green. A formation of paramotors swept overhead, executing precise aerial manoeuvres while releasing trails in the colours of the UAE flag. The surprise display drew cheers and awe from participants and quickly became one of the most memorable moments of the run.

Dubai Run remains a flagship event of the Dubai Fitness Challenge, the month-long initiative aimed at inspiring residents and visitors to embrace active, healthier lifestyles.

For the Pakistani community in the UAE, the event has become one of the most anticipated public gatherings of the year, reflecting their strong engagement and enthusiasm for the fitness movement.

Organisers noted that Dubai Run has grown far beyond a recreational event, evolving into a global benchmark for mass-participation fitness activities and drawing runners from across the world.

Sahafi vs AI? Not quite

I’m back with another set of reflections on a conference — this time, the Sahafi Summit in Lahore held a couple of weeks ago. I know this has become something of a recurring theme, and this will probably be my last conference-focused op-ed for a while, but the event was genuinely worth writing about. It was fun, unexpectedly inspiring in parts, and one of those rare gatherings where you can discuss journalism without feeling the urge to bang your head against the nearest podium.

Before getting into the summit itself, it’s worth talking about its central theme: artificial intelligence. AI — the shiny, alarming, endlessly hyped force that some claim is coming for our jobs, our brains, and possibly our souls — took centre stage at this Sahafi get-together.

Let me begin with the most honest assessment I can offer: if anyone believes AI isn’t already being used in journalism, they’re either mistaken or lying. There is no third possibility. Let’s be real — everyone uses ChatGPT. The bold experiment with Gemini. The adventurous (or eccentric) swear by Claude. And somewhere out there, someone is secretly relying on something called “Google AI Studio Beta Ultra Something” and pretending they’re not.

Personally, I’m still a noob with most of these tools, and I couldn’t tell you how half of them work — something I need to fix soon. But I do use ChatGPT, not to write my stories, but for the sort of tasks an extremely efficient personal assistant might handle: cleaning up work lists, arranging my course outlines by date, reorganizing bullet points, sorting data. To me, it’s a support tool, nothing more — at least for now. But the larger point stands: AI is here, it’s everywhere, and we can stop pretending otherwise. And if anything, AI didn’t “break” journalism; it just exposed the fractures we’ve long ignored — shrinking newsrooms, low wages, and a culture that prizes speed over thoughtfulness. In that sense, AI is a mirror, and the reflection isn’t flattering.

Then there’s the second big fear: AI will wipe out jobs. Is that true? To a degree, yes. Transcribers and translators are already feeling the impact. Machines do both tasks brilliantly, in milliseconds, and without the annoying requirement of a salary. But is this the first time technology has reshaped our work? Of course not. We once had typists — until we didn’t. Compositors — until we didn’t. And as the song reminds us, “video killed the radio star.” (It didn’t, actually; radio simply reinvented itself — hello, podcasts.)

Pakistan, India set for T20 World Cup 2026 clash on February 15: reports

LAHORE: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly firmed up the schedule for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, with a blockbuster Pakistan–India showdown pencilled in for February 15. 

According to Indian media, the 10th edition of the tournament is expected to run from February 7 to March 8, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, and featuring 20 participating teams. The ICC is tipped to officially release the schedule on November 25.

Reports suggest Pakistan and India have been drawn into the same group alongside the United States, Namibia, and the Netherlands. The highly anticipated clash between the rivals is slated to take place in Colombo, while Pakistan is expected to play all of its group matches in Sri Lanka. 

Under the event format, the 20 teams will be split into four groups of five. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super Eight stage, which will be further divided into two groups of four. The leading two sides from each Super Eight group will then progress to the semi-finals. 

India will enter the competition as the defending champions after defeating South Africa in the final in Barbados earlier this year. 

All 20 teams have already secured their spots, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) becoming the final side to qualify last month.

The final is likely to be staged either in Ahmedabad or Colombo, with the venue potentially depending on Pakistan’s progression—an outcome influenced by ongoing political tensions that have halted bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan.