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Second season of the Professional Fighters League launches in Jeddah

Second season of the Professional Fighters League launches in Jeddah
Jeddah is set for an action-packed night this Friday with the launch of the second season of the Professional Fighters League (PFL) at Onyx Arena. (Supplied)
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Updated 05 May 2025
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Second season of the Professional Fighters League launches in Jeddah

Second season of the Professional Fighters League launches in Jeddah
  • Iranian lightweight champion Mohsen Mohammad Saifi will defend his title against Egypt’s Ahmed El-Sisi
  • Saudi veteran Ahmed Makki, whose career spans 26 years, will take on Egypt’s Hisham Al-Nimr
Updated 05 May 2025
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JEDDAH: Jeddah is set for an action-packed night this Friday with the launch of the second season of the Professional Fighters League (PFL) at Onyx Arena. The event marks a major highlight in the 2025 mixed martial arts calendar for fighters from the Middle East and North Africa.

Headlining the card, Iranian lightweight champion Mohsen Mohammad Saifi will defend his title against Egypt’s Ahmed El-Sisi. Also in the lightweight division, Algeria’s Suhail Thaeri will square off against Kuwait’s Abdullah Saleem, making his return after a season-long suspension due to doping.

Other notable lightweight bouts include Bahrain’s Abbas Khan versus Morocco’s Salah Eddine Hamli, and Lebanon’s George Eid taking on Iraq’s Mohammed Fahmi.

In the featherweight division, Jordan’s Abdulrahman Hayasat— riding a five-fight win streak— returns after missing last season’s final due to injury. He will face unbeaten Moroccan Taha Ben Daoud. Elsewhere in the division, Jordan’s Ezzedine Al-Derbani will meet Algeria’s Mohamed Amin, while Iraq’s Hussein Salem faces Egypt’s Assem Ghanem.

In another featured bout, Egypt’s Islam Reda will go up against Algeria’s Akram Nasri, who steps in for injured Saudi champion Abdullah Al-Qahtani, last season’s gold belt holder.

Capping off the official fight card, Saudi veteran Ahmed Makki, whose career spans 26 years, will take on Egypt’s Hisham Al-Nimr.

The exhibition matches will include the debut of Saudi fighter Abdulaziz Bin Muammar against Morocco’s Fares Hamdani in the open weight division. In the flyweight category, Saudi fighter Malik Bashel will face Morocco’s Montaser Boutouta.

Pakistan calls on US, UK to urge India to come for dialogue at neutral location

Pakistan calls on US, UK to urge India to come for dialogue at neutral location
Updated 49 sec ago
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Pakistan calls on US, UK to urge India to come for dialogue at neutral location

Pakistan calls on US, UK to urge India to come for dialogue at neutral location
  • After brokering May 10 ceasefire, US had said Pakistan and India had agreed “to talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site”
  • Weeks after worst military confrontation in decades, India and Pakistan have dispatched top lawmakers to press their cases in US, UK
Updated 49 sec ago
Muhammad Ibrahim

ISLAMABAD: The head of an official delegation visiting London to present Islamabad’s position following a recent military standoff with New Delhi said on Tuesday the United States and the United Kingdom should encourage India to come for dialogue at a neutral location.

Weeks after their worst military confrontation in decades, India and Pakistan dispatched top lawmakers to press their cases in the United States, where President Donald Trump has shown eagerness for diplomacy between them. The Pakistan delegation is currently in London in the next stop of its mission and will go onwards to Brussels.

Gunmen on April 22 massacred 26 tourists on the Indian-administered part of Kashmir in the deadliest attack on civilians in decades in the scenic region that has seen a long-running insurgency and is disputed between India and Pakistan since 1947. India accused Pakistan of backing the assailants — which it denies — and launched strikes on Pakistani territory.

More than 70 people were killed in missile, drone and artillery fire on both sides for around four days before the US and other allies brokered a ceasefire on May 10. US secretary of state Marco Rubio also said at the time the two nations had agreed “to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site.” He did not specify when the talks would take place or where.

“As part of our achieving this ceasefire, it was agreed at the time that going forward, we would have a dialogue at a neutral location, covering all friction points,” said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the head of the Pakistani delegation and the scion of the political Bhutto dynasty.

Bhutto Zardari, who was speaking to BBC Radio, said it seemed from recent statements by Indian leaders and actions of the government in New Delhi that they were not in favor of pursuing talks.

“We still believe that the United States and other allies can engage with India as a friend and explain to them that these decisions are not in their interest,” he said. “Similarly, here in the United Kingdom, you have a long history with India and Pakistan. [Disputed] Kashmir is the unfinished agenda of the partition [of India and creation of Pakistan in 1947] and forms the root cause of our conflict.

“Your [UK] government too is well-placed to speak to the Indian government as a friend and explain to them that refusing to engage with their neighbor, for two nuclear-armed countries to have no dispute resolution mechanism, is not in anybody’s interest.”

Separately, Bhutto Zardari led Pakistan’s delegation in a discussion with the Financial Times Editorial Board in London.

“We reaffirmed Pakistan’s abiding commitment to peace, emphasizing that dialogue, not domination, remains the only sustainable path forward with India,” the leader wrote on X.

“Expressed grave concern over the erosion of strategic stability: India’s violations of the Indus Waters Treaty, the weaponization of water, and the dangerous descent toward conflict in a nuclearized region, a trajectory that threatens to condemn future generations to perpetual insecurity.”

Canelo Alvarez to face Terence Crawford in Riyadh Season Las Vegas showdown

Canelo Alvarez to face Terence Crawford in Riyadh Season Las Vegas showdown
Updated 10 June 2025
Arab News
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Canelo Alvarez to face Terence Crawford in Riyadh Season Las Vegas showdown

Canelo Alvarez to face Terence Crawford in Riyadh Season Las Vegas showdown
  • Fight between 2 of boxing’s biggest generational athletes will be streamed on Netflix
  • They will compete for the unified Super Middleweight championship on Sept. 13
Updated 10 June 2025
Arab News

LONDON: Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will face off against Terence Crawford on Sept. 13 in Las Vegas, Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and president of the Saudi Boxing Federation, and Dana White, CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, have announced.

The highly anticipated fight between two of boxing’s biggest generational athletes will be streamed on Netflix for more than 300 million subscribers on the platform.

White, Alashikh and Saudi events firm Sela will collaborate to promote the event, which is part of Riyadh Season.

The showdown will be promoted through a promotional tour with stops in Riyadh on June 20, New York City on June 22 and Las Vegas on June 27.

The venue for the fight in Las Vegas, scheduled for September, will be announced at a later date. The boxers will compete for the unified Super Middleweight championship.

Alalshikh said on Tuesday: “Canelo and Crawford, two legends of boxing, will finally compete against each other in the fight of the century.”

Dana White described the anticipated fight in Las Vegas as historic. He added: “Turki wants to make the biggest fights that the fans want to see in boxing and this is right up my alley ... it’s literally a once in a lifetime fight.”

Mexican star Canelo is ready to prove he is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. “I’m super happy to be making history again and this time on a Riyadh Season card that will be broadcast on Netflix,” he said.

Crawford, the undefeated American superstar, is confident that his record speaks for itself. “I am the best fighter in the world and no matter the opponent or weight class, I have always come out on top,” he said.

“On Sept. 13, my hand will be raised once again as the world watches greatness,” Crawford told fans.

Topics: boxing Terence Crawford Saul “Canelo” Alvarez Turki Alalshikh General Entertainment Authority Saudi Boxing Federation

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Pakistan announces tax relief for salaried class in FY2025-26 budget

Pakistan announces tax relief for salaried class in FY2025-26 budget
Updated 31 min 39 sec ago
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Pakistan announces tax relief for salaried class in FY2025-26 budget

Pakistan announces tax relief for salaried class in FY2025-26 budget
  • Tax rate for low-income earners slashed from 5% to 1%
  • Rs17.57 trillion budget focuses on economic stabilization
Updated 31 min 39 sec ago
Hasaan Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan announced significant income tax relief for low- and middle-income earners on Tuesday as it presented its federal budget for the fiscal year 2025-26, aiming to ease the burden on salaried individuals amid high inflation and economic uncertainty.

Pakistan’s tax-to-GDP ratio remains below 10%, among the lowest in the region. The government has pledged to raise this ratio to 14% through tax reforms, digital enforcement, and expanding the tax base.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, presenting his first full-year budget in the National Assembly, said the income tax rate for individuals earning between Rs600,000 and Rs1.2 million ($2,128–$4,255) annually would be cut from 5% to 1%.

“First of all, we are giving relief where it is needed the most,” Aurangzeb told parliament, adding that the measure was in line with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directive to support wage earners and retain talent in the country.

The government has also proposed reducing the tax on annual income up to Rs1.2 million from Rs30,000 to Rs6,000, lowering the tax rate from 15% to 11% for those earning up to Rs2.2 million ($7,800) and cutting the rate from 25% to 23% for income between Rs2.2 million and Rs3.2 million ($11,350).

For high-income earners making over Rs10 million ($35,460) annually, a 1% reduction in the additional surcharge has been recommended to help curb the ongoing brain drain, the minister said.

Aurangzeb described the changes as part of broader efforts to simplify the tax structure and “strike a balance between inflationary pressures and take-home pay.”

The federal budget, with a total outlay of Rs17.57 trillion ($62 billion), comes as Pakistan seeks to stabilize its economy under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout program.

The budget also includes a 20% increase in defense spending, while total government expenditure is expected to be 7% lower year-on-year, reflecting fiscal consolidation goals tied to IMF negotiations.

The proposed budget will be debated in parliament before final approval.

Topics: Pakistan budget Pakistan Budget 2025-26

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Prophet’s Mosque prepares prayer areas, courtyards to receive post-Hajj worshippers in Madinah

Prophet’s Mosque prepares prayer areas, courtyards to receive post-Hajj worshippers in Madinah
Updated 17 sec ago
Arab News
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Prophet’s Mosque prepares prayer areas, courtyards to receive post-Hajj worshippers in Madinah

Prophet’s Mosque prepares prayer areas, courtyards to receive post-Hajj worshippers in Madinah
  • The entry and exit points of the Prophet’s Mosque were assessed to minimize congestion and overcrowding
  • General Authority said its goal is to allow worshippers to perform their rituals in a calm, orderly, and reverent atmosphere
Updated 17 sec ago
Arab News

Madinah: The Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, located in the Hijaz region of Saudi Arabia, has improved and updated its crowd management in preparation to receive worshippers during the post-Hajj period.

The General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, which oversees the mosques in Makkah and Madinah, announced on Tuesday that the Prophet’s Mosque and its courtyards and praying areas had been prepared to offer a safe and organized environment for worshippers.

The entry and exit points of the mosque were assessed to minimize congestion and overcrowding, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Signs were placed to direct worshippers to the prayer areas and to prohibit sitting or praying in the mosque’s corridors and courtyards, ensuring smooth foot traffic.

The authority said its goal is to allow worshippers to perform their rituals in a calm, orderly, and reverent atmosphere, according to the SPA.

Over 1.4 million pilgrims concluded this week the Hajj, a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage that able Muslims must undertake, and they visited various holy sites in Makkah and Madinah, including the Prophet’s Mosque.

Topics: Hajj2025 Prophet's Mosque

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Jordan pledges continued support for Lebanon’s efforts to preserve security, stability, sovereignty

King Abdullah of Jordan greets Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Amman on Tuesday. (Supplied)
King Abdullah of Jordan greets Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Amman on Tuesday. (Supplied)
Updated 10 June 2025
NAJIA HOUSSARI
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Jordan pledges continued support for Lebanon’s efforts to preserve security, stability, sovereignty

King Abdullah of Jordan greets Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Amman on Tuesday. (Supplied)
  • President Joseph Aoun holds talks with King Abdullah in Amman, thanks him for Jordanian support of Lebanese army
Updated 10 June 2025
NAJIA HOUSSARI

BEIRUT: During talks in Amman on Tuesday with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, King Abdullah of Jordan reaffirmed his country’s “support to Lebanon in its efforts to preserve its security, stability, sovereignty and territorial unity.”

The two leaders also emphasized “the importance of preserving security and stability in Syria, which will help facilitate the voluntary and safe return of Syrian refugees” to their home country.

Aoun praised Jordan for the role it has played, under the leadership of King Abdullah, “in standing with Lebanon and its people, and providing support to the Lebanese army.”

He also highlighted the importance of “enhancing security and defense cooperation between both countries, particularly in the field of combating terrorism and smuggling.”

In a joint statement, King Abdullah and Aoun stressed “the need to immediately reinstate the ceasefire in Gaza, and ensure adequate humanitarian aid reaches all areas” of the territory. They rejected any plans to displace Palestinians, and urged Arab states and the wider international community to step up efforts to reach a just and comprehensive resolution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, based on a two-state solution.

The king also warned of “the danger of the unprecedented escalations and violence targeting Palestinians in the West Bank, and Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.”

More broadly, the two leaders said it was important to maintaining coordination and consultation on all issues of mutual interest.

Topics: Lebanon Jordan

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