Asia

Islamabad: Archaeologists in Pakistan stumbled on the remains of a well-organised ancient civilisation dating back to the sixth century BC. This groundbreaking discovery was made during their excavation operations at the Bhir Mound site near the ancient city of Taxila. According to scientists, the excavation uncovered vintages of early urban planning, including narrow streets, residential buildings, wells, grain storage facilities, and tools used in daily life. They noted that the city developed organically in an irregular manner, unlike later cities characterized by geometric planning, demonstrating the foundational structure of life for the inhabitants of that era. The city was located along major trade routes leading to Central Asia and Afghanistan, interpreting the discovery of a wealth of unique archaeological artifacts from different epochs. The Bhir Mound is considered the oldest settlement in the Taxila area, which was captured by Alexander the Great during his campaign in India. The site also forms part of the Taxila Ruins, which have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980.

Asia

Islamabad:The Pakistani army announced Monday the killing of five militants during a security operation in the northwest of the country. In a statement, the Pakistani army explained that security forces carried out the operation based on intelligence information that monitored the militants' movements in the Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and were able to kill five militants. The statement also noted that an officer was killed during these clashes. The Pakistani army had recently announced the killing of five militants during a security operation in the Kohlu area of ​​Balochistan province in the southwest of the country.

Europe

Ankara: Armenia on Monday announced a reciprocal easing of visa procedures from January 1, 2026, as part of normalising relations between the two countries, both foreign ministries said. The two nations have never established formal diplomatic ties but have in recent years been attempting to improve relations. Identical but separate statements from Ankara and Yerevan on Monday said the reciprocal easing of visa procedures "reaffirmed their commitment to continue the normalisation process between the two countries with the aim of achieving full normalisation without any preconditions". "Holders of diplomatic, special and service passports from both countries will be able to obtain an electronic visa free of charge starting January 1, 2026," they stated. Serdar Kilic, Turkiye's special envoy for dialogue with Armenia, said on X that he hoped the move would be "beneficial" for the normalisation of ties. Turkiye closed its border with Armenia in 1993 following the first Karabakh war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Diplomatic relations between Ankara and Yerevan have been suspended since then. But in 2021, both countries named special envoys as part of the normalisation process. A year later, Turkiye and Armenia resumed commercial flights after a two-year pause. And in June, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited Turkiye, a step considered "historic" by Yerevan.