Pakistan faces pressure over mediator role in Iran war

Pakistan has taken on a leading role in the peace efforts between the US and Iran, hosting talks and serving as an intermediary for backchannel diplomacy between the warring parties.

At least eight dead, 25 injured in train collision that sparks bus fire in Thailand

At least eight people were killed and 25 ​others injured after a ‌train collision triggered a fire that engulfed a public bus in ​Bangkok on Saturday, rescue officials ​and police said.

India and UAE sign defence pacts, as Iran war tensions simmer

The United Arab Emirates and India have signed pacts on defence, energy and shipping during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Gulf state on Friday, as both countries seek to deepen their relationship amid heightened tensions between Abu Dhabi and Tehran.

Palk Strait land link proposal back in spotlight

A renewed discussion on establishing a fixed land link across the Palk Strait between Sri Lanka and India has sparked fresh attention following recent remarks by Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, who described the absence of direct connectivity between the two neighboring nations as a geographic “anomaly.”

Kaal Bhairava: India’s first AI combat aircraft to be manufactured in Europe

In a sign of make-in-India products going global, India’s first AI combat aircraft ‘Kaal Bhairava’ will now be manufactured in Europe. Indian AI warfare company FWDA on Thursday announced that its AI combat aircraft will be manufactured in Portugal in partnership with SKETCHPIXEL, a European company known for building advanced fighter jet simulation systems for aircraft such as the F-16 fighter jet.

Oil gains after Trump says Xi agrees Iran cannot have nuclear weapons

Oil prices gained about 2% after U.S. President Donald Trump said he and ‌China’s Xi Jinping agree Iran cannot have nuclear weapons and as concerns persisted over ship attacks and seizures despite Tehran saying about 30 vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz.

India hikes petrol, diesel prices more than 3%, retailers say

India has raised petrol and diesel prices for the first time in four ​years by 3 rupees ($0.03) per litre, or more than 3%, according to ‌retailers in Delhi on Friday, to recoup some of the losses incurred due to higher global crude oil prices.

US set to drop criminal fraud case against India’s Gautam Adani

The U.S. Justice Department is close to dropping criminal ​fraud charges against Gautam Adani, an Indian billionaire who has promised to invest $10 billion in the U.S. economy, according to ‌two sources familiar with the matter.

US plans to indict Cuba’s Raul Castro, US DOJ official says

The United States plans to indict Cuba’s Raul Castro, a U.S. Department of ​Justice official said late on Thursday.

Trump says he is losing patience with Iran after talks with China’s Xi

U.S. President Donald Trump said his patience with Iran was running out after he discussed the costly and unpopular war with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday and a ship was reported seized by Iranian personnel off the United ​Arab Emirates.

Trump’s apparent wine sip draws attention during China trip

U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to sip wine during a state banquet hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, drawing attention because of Trump’s decades-long public abstinence from alcohol and stirring questions online over whether he had broken a long-standing personal rule.

Government negligence worsens Pakistan’s farm crisis

The US-Iran war has had a severe negative impact on Pakistan’s agricultural sector, causing a rise in input costs, shortages of fuel and fertilisers, trade disruptions, and aggravated inflation. However, the country’s heavy dependence on agriculture has turned the apparent rural concern into a major national problem. The farm sector supports livelihoods of over 40 per cent of the population and contributes over 20 per cent to the GDP

Trump might welcome Chinese investment, but America is wary

A hallmark of President Donald Trump’s second term has been his penchant for negotiating economic deals with countries that pledge to invest trillions of dollars in the United States.

Roast duck, beef ribs: State banquet sets the table for Trump-Xi reset

When Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping sat down to a ​lavish state banquet in Beijing on Thursday, the menu itself read like a work of diplomacy.

White House claims Xi, Trump agree ’Hormuz must remain open’

U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed that the Strait of Hormuz ’’must remain open,’’ the White House said Thursday after the U.S.-China summit in Beijing.

Modi’s UAE visit signals strategic energy, defence pivot amid Gulf tensions

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to the UAE on May 15 — his eighth trip to the country since taking office in 2014 — comes at one of the most volatile moments in the Gulf region in recent years, underscoring the extraordinary strategic importance New Delhi now places on its rapidly expanding defence and energy partnership with Abu Dhabi.

Rat poison watermelon deaths puzzle Indian investigators

Nearly three weeks after an Indian family of four were found dead in their home, investigators tell the BBC they are no closer to knowing what actually happened.

ROP foils attempt to transfer $6.6 million linked to cyber fraud

The General Directorate of Investigation and Criminal Research at the Royal Oman Police, in cooperation with the National Central Bureaus of the Interpol, has foiled an attempt to transfer approximately $6.6 million through a local bank in Oman after investigations revealed the funds were linked to electronic fraud operations originating from an Asian country.

US citizen convicted of running secret Chinese ’police station’ in NYC

A US citizen has been convicted of helping run what has been described as the first known secret police station in the US on behalf of the Chinese government.

US drops $15,000 visa deposit for foreign fans with World Cup tickets

The Trump administration will exempt football fans from 50 countries subject to a $15,000 (£11,000) visa deposit requirement, provided they are travelling to the US for the World Cup with valid match tickets.

More than 70 million warnings sent to people seeking child abuse material

More than 70 million warning messages have been sent to people attempting to access child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online over the past two years, the Lucy Faithfull Foundation says.

India, Russia in advanced talks on critical minerals pact, Reuters

India and Russia are in advanced talks to sign a preliminary agreement on ‌critical minerals covering exploration, processing and technological collaboration, two sources familiar with the matter said.

Google says criminal hackers used A.I. to find a major software flaw

A criminal hacking group recently attempted to launch a widespread cyberattack that appeared to rely on artificial intelligence to detect a previously unknown bug, Google said in research published Monday, highlighting the potential threat that A.I. poses to digital security.

eBay rejects $55.5bn offer from GameStop

Online marketplace eBay has rejected a $55.5bn (£40.9bn) takeover offer from video game retailer GameStop, calling it ’’unsolicited’’ and ’’neither credible nor attractive’’.

Air India crisis deepens ahead of final Ahmedabad crash report

In under a month from now, India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is expected to release its final report on the crash of London-bound Air India flight AI‑171 that went down seconds after take‑off from Ahmedabad in western India on 12 June 2025.

India raises gold and silver tariffs to 15% to curb imports, support rupee

India has raised import tariffs on gold and silver to 15% from 6%, government orders ​said on Wednesday, as part of efforts to curb overseas purchases of the ‌metals and ease pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

Chinese FM asks Pakistan to step up Iran-US mediation efforts

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged Islamabad, via his Pakistani counterpart, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, to step up mediation efforts to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Xinhua news agency.

Trump says he doesn’t need Xi’s help on Iran war as he heads to China

United States President Donald Trump has said he does not need China’s assistance in ending the war on Iran as he departed Washington, DC, for Beijing, where he is set to hold a state visit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Australia to join 40 nations for planned post-war Hormuz Strait mission

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles has spoken to counterparts from more than 40 countries, reaffirming collective diplomatic, economic and military support for freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

US offers $15m reward for tips on ‘illicit’ IRGC oil shipments

The US State Department is offering a reward of up to $15m for details regarding oil deliveries connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its facilitators.