Islamabad, Oct 06: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday on an official visit, during which he will meet the country’s top leadership and discuss regional and international developments.

Guterres is undertaking the official visit from October 6 to 8 at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, according to the Foreign Office.

Upon arrival, the UN chief was received by Acting Foreign Secretary Ambassador Nabeel Muni.

Separately, the Foreign Office said the secretary-general will hold talks with Pakistan’s top leadership, including President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Muinir.

Guterres will visit the headquarters of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan and attend a briefing at Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority.

He will also have other engagements during the visit, during which Pakistan will highlight its efforts in strengthening multilateralism and international peace and security, as well as its strides towards disaster preparedness and early warning.

The visit will “offer an important opportunity to reiterate Pakistan’s long-standing cooperation with the United Nations, and to exchange views on regional and international developments”, the Foreign Office said.

It added that the visit will also provide an opportunity to acknowledge the able leadership and vital contributions of Guterres in the areas of international peace and development.

The visit reflects Pakistan’s unwavering support for multilateralism with the UN at its core, and its abiding commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, according to the Foreign Office.

Washington, Oct 06: The US launched the largest denaturalisation effort in modern history by moving to strip 40 individuals, including one of Indian origin, of their American citizenship, the Department of Justice said.

The 40 individuals facing denaturalisation actions in multiple US courts have been accused of serious offences, including acting as an agent for a foreign government, committing voluntary manslaughter, and aggravated sodomy against a special-needs man.

Balwinder Singh of California is facing denaturalisation action in the state’s Eastern District court for using a fraudulent identity to gain admission to and acquire a US citizenship.

“Today’s announcement marks the largest denaturalisation effort in modern history,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche on Monday.

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a naturalised US citizen’s citizenship may be revoked and certificate of naturalisation cancelled, if it was procured illegally or by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.

“Every single one of these individuals lied their way into US citizenship,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. 

“This administration will continue to pursue the largest denaturalisation effort in department history to restore trust and integrity in US citizenship. Our message is clear: the United States will not tolerate deception in the naturalisation process,” Shumate said.

According to the Department of Justice, Singh, in 1992,  submitted an immigration application under the identity of Balwinder Singh.

In 2003, he sought and received permanent resident status under a second identity.

“Fingerprints establish that Singh submitted both applications. In 2009, Singh naturalised under his second identity. The complaint alleges seven counts for his numerous misrepresentations and unlawful acts that adversely reflect his moral character,” the Justice Department said.

The department said it is seeking to revoke the citizenship of Jinchao Wei, a China-born former US Navy sailor convicted of espionage-related offences. 

According to the Justice Department, Wei enlisted in the Navy in 2021 and by February 2022 had begun conspiring to sell military secrets to China. 

He became a US citizen in May 2022 under provisions designed to expedite naturalisation for people serving honourably in the US armed forces. 

Wei was convicted in August 2025 of conspiracy to commit espionage, espionage and unlawful export of technical data related to defence articles. He was sentenced to 200 months in prison and discharged from the Navy. 

Among those against whom denaturalisation actions have been initiated are those from Pakistan, Mexico, Cambodia, Nepal and Afghanistan.

Aden, Oct 06: Forces of the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen have recaptured several key areas around Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Iran-backed Houthi rebels, Yemeni officials said Monday.

The officials said forces allied with the internationally recognised government have retaken the crucial town of Dhubab just north of the strait. They also captured the towns of Bab and Hadeid, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters. Witnesses said they saw government tanks and forces entering the towns.

The government push came as part of a major offensive launched early Monday under air cover by a Saudi military coalition.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that it was expected that the Saudi-backed government in Yemen would hit back at the rebels to reclaim territory. Asked if the Saudi-led coalition coordinated the action with the United States, Rubio said that Saudi Arabia and the US have a defence agreement but wouldn’t offer more details.

The Yemeni government was ousted from some of its territory by a Houthi campaign and the Saudis have come under attack, and “they have a right to defend themselves,” Rubio said.

The US has provided support to Saudi Arabia in its ongoing campaign against the Houthis, according to a regional official and a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorised to speak to reporters. US support included intelligence sharing, target identification and planning for the offensive, said the officials.

The US had supported the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis early in the Yemen war, before quitting the coalition in recent years.

The .. Embassy in the Saudi capital of Riyahd warned US citizens on social media to be vigilant about possible drone or missile attacks.

The offensive came just after the rebels said they had captured more territory in the southwestern part of Yemen, taking a key town in a blow to the Saudi-backed forces as they advanced toward a strategic provincial capital in the region.

The Saudi-led coalition spokesman, Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, said 100 fighter jets were providing support to the forces of Yemen’s internationally recognized government fighting against the Houthis. He said the coalition has secured “air protection” of the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait and destroyed hundreds of Houthi targets as part of the ongoing campaign.

Pakistan and Turkey say they will deploy forces to Saudi Arabia

Also on Monday, the foreign and defense ministers of Pakistan and Turkey agreed with Saudi Arabia to deploy military forces to the kingdom under their joint defense pact

A joint statement released by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry after an emergency meeting in Riyadh did not specify troop numbers, identify which countries would contribute forces or give a deployment timetable.

The three countries condemned what they described as attempted attacks on Mecca and Medina, as well as continuing attacks on Saudi cities and civilian and economic facilities. The statement did not identify who was responsible.

The air campaign follows the fall of a key town in Yemen

The Houthi rebels seized the town of Turbah on Sunday, shortly before the internationally recognized government announced a major military operation against them.

The escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis has revived Yemen’s civil war after a four-year ceasefire.

Turbah sits on a main road linking the provincial capital of Taiz with the port city of Aden, which serves as an interim seat of Yemen’s government. Over the years, the town was a major post for the government forces defending Taiz against the Houthis.

Earlier, the Houthis seized several villages and areas on Taiz’s outskirts in a series of advances, paving the way for the rebels to encircle Taiz, Yemen’s third-largest city.

Yemen’s flare-up shows the capabilities of the Iran-backed rebels

The Houthis made a swift push on the country’s western coast on the Red Sea in early September. They captured the strategic city of Mokha and several Red Sea islands, gains that enabled them to control the Yemeni side of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial chokepoint through which 12% of global trade transits.

In its announcement Sunday, the Saudi-backed government said it was mobilizing troops across government-held areas.

Rashad al-Alimi, head of the ruling Presidential Leadership Council, said in a televised speech that the operations were aiming at “recovering the remaining territories” controlled by the Houthis. He called on the international community to provide support to his government.

Hours after al-Alimi’s declaration, the Saudi military spokesperson al-Malki vowed “full operational support” to the Yemeni government forces, until the Houthis are “eliminated.”

Saudi-backed government forces are trying to fight back

Al-Alimi said in a post on X on Monday that the operation — dubbed “Yemen Dawn” — has started with the aim of “restoring state institutions, liberating” Sanaa, Yemen’s rebel-controlled capital, and ending “the Houthi terrorist militia coup.”

Al-Nazili said government forces were carrying out a “strategic offensive” on Sanaa. The Houthi media office reported multiple airstrikes by the Saudi coalition on their territories, including Sanaa.

The rebels’ taking of Turbah “will likely severely constrain Yemeni government-aligned forces’ ability to reinforce and resupply front-line positions” across Taiz province and the provincial capital of Taiz, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank.

“Disrupting resupply has military value, of course, but controlling all the roads in and out of areas to the north of Turbah also prevents government forces from retreating out of the city,” the think tank wrote in a Sunday analysis.

The escalation has revived Yemen’s 12-year civil war

Yemen’s civil war began in 2014 when the Houthis descended from their northern stronghold, capturing Sanaa and forcing the government to flee into exile in Saudi Arabia. The war created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters and killed more than 150,000 people.

The latest bout of violence has killed at least 959 people and wounded over 4,200 others, according to the World Health Organization. The flare-up forced about 174,097 people to flee their homes inside Yemen, according to the U.N. migration agency. More than 3,000 others fled across the waters into Djibouti, the agency reported.

Last week, Yemen’s health ministry — part of the internationally recognized government — warned about the conflict’s impact on health facilities and medical staff across Taiz province. The ministry said in a statement on Friday that health facilities in coastal, western and southern areas of the province have closed or are barely partially functioning.

New Delhi, Oct 5: India and Switzerland on Monday signed a migration and mobility partnership pact, decided to expand Swiss market access for Indian exports and agreed to further deepen cooperation in nuclear energy and defence domains following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Swiss President Guy Parmelin.

Parmelin kick-started his three-day trip to India this morning in his first state visit to the country and his second visit this year, having previously attended the AI Impact Summit in February.

Alongside the mobility and migration pact, the two sides inked four other agreements, including a young professionals exchange scheme and a major deal to foster collaboration on transportation technologies, mobility systems, and infrastructure development.

The Ukraine conflict and the situation in West Asia also figured prominently in the discussions, with Modi emphasising that both sides support all meaningful efforts toward peace.

In his media statement, Modi said a series of important decisions were taken to expand market access for Indian exports to Switzerland and further facilitate investment between the two countries.

Switzerland is a major economic partner for India in Europe. Over 330 Swiss companies are currently operating in India in sectors such as engineering, services, precision instruments, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, while Indian companies are present in Switzerland in sectors such as IT, pharmaceuticals, and machinery.

The Swiss leader said boosting trade ties was a key focus of the talks. Parmelin noted that Switzerland hopes to conclude an investment protection agreement with India soon to facilitate greater flow of investments into various sectors of the Indian economy.

The bilateral trade and investment ties received a further boost following the coming into force in October of the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) States of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Modi said the TEPA is an “ambitious blueprint” for investment, innovation, jobs, and shared prosperity.

“Through this, we will realise our goals of USD100 billion in investment and one million direct jobs in India over the next 15 years,” he said. The prime minister, describing innovation, infrastructure and advanced technology as strong pillars of India-Switzerland partnership, said both sides are going to give engagement a “new impetus”.

“We have taken several important decisions to expand market access for Indian exports to Switzerland and further facilitate investment between the two countries,” he said.

“This will increase India’s exports of agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles and engineering goods to Switzerland. At the same time, we will attract new Swiss investment in key sectors like biotech, life sciences, banking, insurance, food processing, and sustainability,” he said.

Through these initiatives, “we will jointly develop trusted supply chains and reliable solutions for the entire world,” he added.

PM Modi said the two sides identified “new possibilities” for cooperation in military exchanges and defence production besides agreeing to further deepen cooperation in nuclear energy.

“The ropeway in Varanasi, the Jewar Airport in Noida, and railways and tunnelling projects in hilly areas are shining examples of our infrastructure cooperation.”

An agreement was inked for collaboration on transport and infrastructure. “We invite Swiss infrastructure companies to invest in India on a large scale, and to participate in capacity building, design, and manufacturing,” Modi said.

The prime minister, calling the India-Switzerland science and technology cooperation a strong pillar of the ties, said new joint research projects in priority areas such as health, clean energy, and space will be launched soon.

Modi also touched upon the importance of people-to-people connect, characterising it as the “greatest strength of the partnership”.

“The migration and mobility partnership agreement and the young professionals agreement signed today will open up many new opportunities in Switzerland for Indian students, researchers, professionals, and youth,” he said.

The MoU on migration and mobility aims to promote mobility “under equal treatment principles”, and to combat irregular migration and human trafficking in accordance with national laws.

It provides for multiple-entry visas for up to five years, including stays of up to six months on each visit, and renewable one-year student permits.

The agreement on the exchange of young professionals is aimed at those taking up temporary employment to enhance their professional and language skills. It provides for the exchange of 300 people annually per country, which may increase to 500.

Modi said India and Switzerland believe in democratic values, the rule of law, dialogue and diplomacy, and both sides will continue to work together for global peace and stability.

“Whether in Ukraine or West Asia, India has supported every meaningful effort towards peace. We also agree that reform of global institutions is essential to address growing global challenges,” he said.

The prime minister also made a mention of India-EFTA Prosperity Summit to be held on Wednesday.

“This summit will be an important platform to translate the promise of our trade and investment partnership into concrete outcomes,” he said. In his remarks, Parmelin said his visit marks the first anniversary of the TEPA implementation and asserted that the pact benefits both India and Switzerland.

“This partnership benefits both parties: India gains access to capital, technology transfers, and easier access to markets for high-value-added goods. Switzerland, for its part, benefits from trade with a massive partner experiencing sustained growth, at a time when global trade has become more vulnerable and unpredictable,” he said.

The Swiss president is accompanied by a large delegation of high-ranking business leaders.

“To further stimulate investment, Switzerland hopes to conclude an investment protection agreement soon. In this context, achieving results in discussions on intellectual property protection is equally important,” he said.

“In the realm of migration, our countries have concluded two agreements that embody high-quality cooperation between Switzerland and India: an agreement on a migration and mobility partnership, and an agreement on exchanges for young professionals,” he said.

The Swiss leader said both sides also discussed issues relating to artificial intelligence with a focus on promoting an approach to AI governance that is both innovative and equitable.

“India, the world’s most populous democracy, and Switzerland, one of the oldest democracies, share fundamental values.”

In his statement, PM Modi also extended his best wishes to Switzerland for hosting the next edition of the AI Summit next year.

“In February this year, India hosted the world’s largest AI Summit. Next year, Switzerland will take this journey forward through the Geneva AI Summit,” he said.

“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Switzerland for the success of the Geneva AI Summit. I am confident that together we will continue to move forward towards making AI responsible, inclusive, and human-centric,” he added.