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LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted on Wednesday that he would not resign, claiming allegations of misleading MPs over his appointment of a party loyalist as UK envoy to Washington had been “put to bed”.

Starmer, facing pressure to resign, addressed MPs after firing the Foreign Ministry’s most senior official, Olly Robbins, blaming him for failing to disclose Mandelson’s clearance problems.

The premier spoke to lawmakers a day after the foreign ministry’s most senior official, Olly Rob­bins, gave evidence to a parliamentary committee, having been fired by Starmer over the affair last week. Starmer has accused Robbins of failing to tell him about problems that emerged during Mand­elson’s security clearance.

He has repeatedly insisted that, despite previously stating that “all due process” had been followed, he would not have allowed the appointment to proceed if he had known that independent vetting officials had recommended security clearance be denied.

Starmer told MPs that Robbins clearly answered “no” when asked if he had shared the recommendation “with me, number 10 or any other ministers”.

He said this clears all allegations of dishonesty against him, adding that although the opposition claimed it was shared with him, it was not. Mandelson was appointed to the top diplomatic post in December 2024.

The specific risks identified by vetting officials are unknown, but Robbins clarified they are unrelated to Mandelson’s ties with Jeffrey Epstein.

He alleged Downing Street pressured officials to approve the appointment, seemingly ignoring security concerns, with a demanding tone of “get it done”.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch questioned Starmer’s decision not to retract the appointment, despite other controversies.

Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s former top aide who resigned over his role in the crisis, is to appear before lawmakers on Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2026

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Manchester City ended Arsenal’s six-month stay on the Premier League summit and condemned Burnley ​to relegation with a laboured 1-0 victory at Turf Moor on Wednesday.

Erling Haaland’s clinical finish after five minutes could have ‌paved the way for a boost to City’s goal difference but they lacked a cutting edge as Burnley dug deep.

Haaland hit the post and had other chances as City tried to give themselves a safety margin but Pep Guardiola’s side had to make do with a surprisingly narrow victory.

After reeling Arsenal in they now lead the ​table on goals scored with both sides on 70 points from 33 games and with an identical goal difference of plus ​37.

For Scott Parker’s Burnley the inevitable has now become a reality as they are stuck on 20 points, 13 ⁠points behind the safety zone with only four games remaining.

“We played a really good game, unfortunately we missed a lot of chances. We defended ​better in the second half. Second half we had less problems,” Guardiola, whose side face Southampton in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday, told ​Sky Sports.

“It was such a demanding game on Sunday. It is not easy after three days but in the Premier League you have to adjust. We are used to doing it. We competed really well, we made a really good game but it’s a pity the chances we had.”

Burnley produce spirited play

City’s fans sang “we are top ​of the league” at the final whistle as their team hit the top but it was with a mixture of relief as they could ​never truly relax as Burnley betrayed their lowly status with a spirited display.

Arsenal have led the race since early October but have stalled in April and Haaland’s winner ‌in a ⁠2-1 victory against them at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday has given City the edge.

With the race so tight, however, they would have expected to sweep Burnley aside by a wider margin on Wednesday and given themselves the edge on goal difference.

It certainly looked that way at the start as Burnley keeper Martin Dubravka made a great save from Rayan Cherki before Haaland was played through and the Norwegian advanced before dinking a subtle left-footed finish past ​the keeper.

City had 10 goal attempts ​before the break although Burnley ⁠were a threat with Jaidon Anthony having an early shot saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma while Zian Flemming shot wide.

Antoine Semenyo poked a chance over the bar early in the second half and Haaland drifted a shot against ​the post as City strained for a second goal.

In the end it was a nervous finale as ​Burnley won a corner ⁠deep in stoppage time with Dubravka sent forward, but City avoided any stumble to take the points.

While they may have hit the top after stretching their unbeaten league run to 11, City will need to play better in a relatively tough run-in to win a fifth title in six seasons.

They also ⁠are at a ​disadvantage with Arsenal playing twice in the league before City’s next league game away ​at Everton.

For Burnley it is a second relegation in three seasons, having come up from the Championship with 100 points.

“I came here with a dream to keep this club up,” ​Burnley captain Kyle Walker, a multiple title winner with City, said. “Hopefully we can do the fans proud next season.”

Results for the Premier League on Wednesday

AFC Bournemouth (0) 2

Leeds United (0) 2

Burnley (0) 0

Manchester City (1) 1

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KARACHI: Interpol has issued a red notice for a fugitive Lyari gangster, Wasiullah Lakho, who is reportedly hiding abroad and wanted by Karachi police, South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Asad Raza told Dawn on Wednesday.

A red notice is a request to law enforcement agencies by Interpol to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.

DIG Raza said the Interpol secretariat in Lyon, France had issued the notice against Lakho on the request of Pakistani authorities.

According to the notice, seen by Dawn, Lakho had been involved in murders, extortion and assault on police in Karachi.

It said Lakho was wanted for prosecution in more than 60 cases of “heinous nature”. Among them, Interpol issued a red notice for his arrest in a 2014 case registered at Karachi’s Kalri police station under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of their duty), 324 (attempt to murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Elaborating on the case, the notice said a police party had reached Karachi’s Daryabad area upon receiving information that Lakho was present there along with his accomplices, who were associated with Lyari gang war, with the intention to commit a “heinous crime”.

Police cordoned off the area after reaching the site, the notice said, adding that Lakho and his accomplices opened fire on law enforcers with the intention to kill upon seeing them.

“Police also started firing in self-defence. Resultantly, one accused person, Abdul Jabbar, fell down … due to a bullet injury while other accused persons succeeded in escaping,” it read.

The notice said police arrested the injured suspect and found a TT pistol and ammunition in his possession.

It said that during interrogation, arrested suspect Abdul Jabbar named one of the suspects who had fled as Wasiullah Lakho.

Lakho “has fled to avoid arrest. Competent court of law has declared him a proclaimed offender and issued a perpetual warrant of arrest for him. The accused is wanted for prosecution”, the notice read.

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GILGIT: Over 650 candidates have filed their nomination papers for the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections scheduled for June 7 in 24 constituencies.

A total of 666 candidates have submitted their nomination papers; however, no woman candidate has filed nomination papers for the assembly elections.

According to a press release issued by the GB Election Commission Secretariat, polling for the general election will be held on June 7, while the election process is underway in all 24 constituencies.

The secretariat has convened a multi-party conference on Thursday (tomorrow) at the Election Commission Secretariat in Gilgit. The aim of the conference is to consult political parties to advance the election process in a fair, transparent and coordinated manner.

Nawaz says if elected, PML-N will focus on region’s development

The conference will discuss in detail the election process, code of conduct, mutual consultation, coordination in election matters and other related issues so that the conduct of elections can be made more effective and transparent in light of the opinions and suggestions of all political parties.

The GB Election Commission has requested all political parties to ensure their participation in the conference and provide their valuable opinions, suggestions and guidance regarding the conduct of the elections.

The commission has reiterated its commitment that all necessary measures will be taken to make the elections free, fair and transparent.

Nawaz vows GB development

Meanwhile, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday vowed that, if elected, the party would focus on development in Gilgit-Baltistan.

He made the comments in a televised address to the PML-N’s parliamentary board for GB, where he highlighted past projects launched by the party in the region.

He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his younger brother, had the “same passion” for developing GB as he had, noting that the region had massive potential.

The former premier highlighted road projects “worth $60-$65 billion”, adding that “24-hour journeys were reduced to 10 hours”. He recalled facing criticism for having a tunnel constructed in Chitral as it was sparsely populated.

Referring to the initiatives undertaken by PM Shehbaz during his time as the Punjab chief minister, and now by his daughter Maryam, Nawaz Sharif told the party members: “You should copy it, and all these things should be launched in GB as well.”

The PML-N supremo said: “He [Shehbaz] launched numerous projects during his time. Look at him, find out about them. […] And now Maryam has taken the responsibility to take his work forward, so see what is happening there. You should copy it.”

In a message to all the PML-N candidates, Nawaz Sharif said: “When your candidates are elected, God-willing, they must have this in mind that they have been elected for service, not for fun.”

He said that if the party formed a government in GB, he would invite the regional leadership. He asserted that GB “is as dear to me as the rest of Pakistan is, and as Azad Kashmir, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and KP are”. Noting that both the Centre and Punjab were active in development, he called on the rest of the provinces to do the same.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2026

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The Israeli military on Tuesday said two soldiers would receive 30 days of military detention and be removed from combat duty over the destruction of a statue of Jesus in southern Lebanon.

The decision comes after widespread condemnation of a photo shared online showing an Israeli soldier using a sledgehammer to strike the head of a statue of the crucifix.

The sculpture was located in the Christian village of Debl in south Lebanon, near the border with Israel.

Publishing the conclusions of an inquiry into the incident, the military said: “The soldier who damaged the Christian symbol and the soldier who photographed the act will be removed from combat duty and will receive 30 days of military detention”.

It said six additional soldiers who “were present at the scene and did not act to stop the incident or report it” had been summoned for “clarification discussions”.

Israel has conducted airstrikes across Lebanon and invaded the country’s south after Hezbollah entered the Middle East war on March 2.

The fighting has killed more than 2,400 people and displaced more than a million, with the death toll continuing to rise even after a ceasefire came into effect last week, as more bodies are found under the rubble.

“The inquiry determined that the soldiers’ conduct completely deviated from IDF orders and values,” the military statement said. It added that “its operations in Lebanon are directed solely against the Hezbollah terrorist organisation and other terrorist groups, and not against Lebanese civilians.”

In a post on X, the Israeli military said the damaged sculpture in Debl was replaced by troops “in full coordination with the local community”, sharing a photo of a new crucifix statue.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said on Monday he was “stunned and saddened to learn that an IDF soldier damaged a Catholic religious icon in southern Lebanon”, vowing “harsh disciplinary action against the offender”.

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Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hassan Waqar Cheema refuted on Tuesday a notification that claimed a local holiday had been announced in the garrison city for April 22 (Wednesday).

“This notification circulating on social media is fake,” the DC said on X, sharing a photo of the order, which stated that he had declared a “local holiday in the territorial jurisdiction of Rawalpindi on April 22”.

Dismissing it, the DC urged the public “to rely only on official sources for authentic information”.

On Sunday, Islamabad DC Irfan Nawaz Memon also dismissed as fake a notification announcing that all public and private offices in the federal capital and Rawalpindi would remain closed from April 20 until further notice.

The developments take place as authorities take several measures in anticipation of hosting US-Iran talks in Islamabad.

In Rawalpindi, some roads have been closed, and many universities and schools have also been shut while others remain open.

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BEIRUT: Israel says it has established a “Yellow Line” in south Lebanon near the border, where its forces are operating despite a 10-day ceasefire with Iran-backed Hezbollah group.

What is the so-called “Yellow Line”, how does it resemble an Israeli military demarcation in the Gaza Strip and where does it leave Lebanon?

What has Israel announced? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel agreed to the truce, which took effect on Friday, but would maintain a 10-kilometre (six-mile) deep “security zone” along the border in southern Lebanon.

On Saturday, Israel’s military announced a “Yellow Line” in the country’s south.

Hezbollah vows to bring down ‘arbitrary boundary’ through its resistance

The following day, it published a map identifying a “forward defence line”, stretching from the Mediterranean in the west up to Lebanon’s border with Syria in the east.

It said “five divisions, alongside Israeli navy forces” were operating in the area to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure and “prevent direct threats to communities in northern Israel”.

The area includes frontier villages that were destroyed or heavily damaged after a previous round of hostilities erupted between Israel and Hezbollah in 2023.

Most locals have fled the area, though residents of some Christian villages have been defying Israeli army evacuation orders.

Similar to Gaza?

In Gaza, the “Yellow Line” refers to an Israeli military demarcation established during an October 2025 ceasefire with Palestinian militant group Hamas, creating a de facto boundary inside the Palestinian territory.

It effectively splits Gaza between an area under direct Israeli military control where Palestinians are not permitted, and a Hamas-governed area where residents remain vulnerable to Israeli strikes.

The line has reshaped daily life for Gazans and prevented tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians from returning home.

Israel’s military regularly says it has targeted individuals it describes as militants approaching the line in Gaza, and has begun doing the same in Lebanon.

Lebanese military expert Hassan Jouni said that “the Yellow Line in Lebanon is a copy of the idea and philosophy of the Yellow Line in Gaza”, even bearing the same name.

In Gaza, however, the line was “the result of an agreement with Hamas. In Lebanon, there is no agreement… it was decided unilaterally” by Israel, he said, calling it “an aggressive decision”.

What options does Lebanon have?

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Monday that planned direct talks with Israel aimed to end hostilities and Israel’s occupation in the south.

Under the truce terms, which do not mention an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, Israel reserves the right to continue targeting Hezbollah to prevent “planned, imminent or ongoing attacks”.

Israeli forces never fully withdrew after the last war, despite being required to under a November 2024 ceasefire.

Hezbollah strongly opposes the planned negotiations and has also called on Israeli troops to withdraw, decrying what it sees as Israeli expansionism. Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said on Monday that “we will bring down this Yellow Line through the resistance (Hezbollah), with our insistence on our legitimate right to defend ourselves and our country”.

He vowed that Israel would be unable to set up any buffer zone in south Lebanon, and that Hezbollah would drive out Israeli troops if they stay “on any inch of our territory”.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2026

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