Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

Pakistan’s army has expressed cautious optimism about mediation between Iran and the United States, as regional efforts continue to revive a ceasefire in the eight-month-old conflict. Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the military’s spokesman, said there were positive signs following a high-level Pakistani delegation to Tehran. His remarks were the first since Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir travelled to Iran earlier this week. Munir, Pakistan’s chief mediator, has visited Tehran twice this month. He most recently travelled there on Monday with Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin. “Why would the Field Marshal…

Alphabet lost $482 billion in market value on Thursday, despite continued expansion plans for its Waymo robotaxi business into London and Tokyo. Waymo’s contribution remained a small part of the group’s third-quarter results, while the division housing it reported a $2.05 billion operating loss. Alphabet’s Other Bets division generated $372 million in revenue in the three months to the end of September, an 8% increase on the same period last year. The figure represented about 0.29% of the company’s total revenue of $127.6 billion. Analysts attributed the heavy sell-off to concerns surrounding Google’s core search business. The market reaction came…

Divorce documents from Ilhan Omar’s split with Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi have shed new light on the former couple’s custody arrangements and financial settlement, as renewed scrutiny surrounds the congresswoman’s earlier marriage. The Minnesota representative and Mr Hirsi’s divorce was finalised on 5 November 2019, according to the judgment. The couple agreed to share legal and physical custody of their three children, who were minors at the time. The children were to live primarily with Ms Omar in Washington DC, while Mr Hirsi was granted substantial parenting time in Minnesota. Ms Omar agreed to pay the children’s travel costs between the…

London City Lionesses head coach Eder Maestre believes his side’s rapid development will face its sternest test yet when they meet unbeaten Manchester City in the Women’s Super League on Sunday. The Bromley-based club are third in the table with 16 points, seven clear of Arsenal, after turning a summer recruitment drive featuring several high-profile arrivals into a competitive team rather than simply a collection of big names. London City have taken 22 points across the last 10 matchdays, with only Chelsea and Manchester City collecting more. Maestre said the speed at which the squad had come together had exceeded…

Sir Patrick Stewart and Dolly Parton were among the most prominent figures whose deaths made headlines during a year that saw the loss of performers, musicians, athletes and cultural pioneers across the world. Stewart, the acclaimed British actor best known as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, died aged 86. His death was announced on 29 October. His spokesperson said he had experienced a short illness involving Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. Patrick Stewart and other major names remembered Stewart’s career stretched across more than six decades, taking…

The United States has cancelled the traditional G20 “family photo” in Atlanta after foreign ministers objected to appearing alongside Russia’s Sergei Lavrov. The photograph was due to be taken on Friday morning but did not go ahead. A US official said the hosts did not want the dispute over Russia’s presence to become a distraction, while Washington issued no formal statement explaining the cancellation. Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong had made clear that she would not take part in a photograph with Mr Lavrov, according to a source familiar with the matter. Canada also objected, Reuters reported, citing a diplomat.…

John Healey has refused to guarantee that the Government will meet its pledge to raise defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP by 2030, as criticism mounted over the lack of detail on how the commitment will be funded. The Chancellor’s Budget commitments are expected to require an additional £11 billion a year. But he has deferred decisions on the funding until next year’s spending review. Mr Healey described 3 per cent by 2030 as a “target” during his Budget speech, prompting accusations that the Government was buying time rather than setting out a firm plan. Asked about the…

A Dominican model and social media influencer has become the subject of a celebrity guessing challenge after gaining wider recognition on Love Island USA season seven. Before appearing on the reality series, she worked as a model and competed in beauty pageants, where she made her mark before entering the spotlight. Her “bombshell” appearance on the latest season of Love Island USA helped introduce her to a broader audience. But can you identify the star?

Republican Ken Paxton has edged ahead of Democrat James Talarico in the latest poll of the Texas Senate race, as the contest enters its final days before voting ends. The Quantus Insights survey put Mr Paxton on 48.7 per cent and Mr Talarico on 47.6 per cent, with 2.2 per cent undecided. The difference is well within the poll’s margin of error of 3.2 percentage points. The poll questioned 1,221 likely voters between 26 and 28 October. Republicans accounted for 46.7 per cent of respondents, compared with 39.4 per cent Democrats and 13.9 per cent independents. The findings underline the…

Australian ghost stories and historical tragedies could provide a distinctly local alternative to imported Halloween imagery, with tales from Berrima, Campbelltown and Canberra offering plenty of material for front-garden displays. Australia’s folklore includes at least 21 ghost stories, according to Bill Wannan’s Dictionary of Australian Folklore. Among the best known are the Headless Ghost of Berrima, Fisher’s Ghost and the Ghost of Yarralumla. Australian ghost stories offer local Halloween inspiration The Berrima legend centres on Lucretia Dunkley, who was hanged at Berrima Gaol in 1842 alongside her lover, Martin Beech. The pair had been convicted of murdering Dunkley’s husband with…