How Sharif and Munir’s foreign tours are burdening Pakistan’s fragile economy

Many things are not alright with Pakistan’s economy: the deepening foreign exchange crisis, prolonged border skirmishes with Afghanistan, rising oil prices and commodity shortages due to the West Asian crisis, and structural issues of rising poverty and unemployment.

India’s Modi to begin five-nation tour, including UAE, amid Middle East crisis

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a five-nation tour ​taking in the United Arab Emirates and Europe from May ‌15-20, India’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday, as the Middle East crisis drives up global oil prices and ​strains India’s foreign currency reserves.

Uganda’s president sworn in for record seventh term

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, 81, has been sworn in for a record seventh consecutive term following his landslide victory in disputed elections in January, extending his tenure as one of Africa’s longest-serving rulers.

Southern California mayor resigns, will plead guilty to acting as agent for Chinese government

A Southern California mayor has agreed to plead guilty to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government, and has resigned from her city position, officials said Monday.

At least nine people killed in explosion at Pakistan market

An explosion in a busy market in northwestern Pakistan has killed at least nine people and wounded 30, according to emergency workers and a medical official.

Vijay’s personal astrologer gets a post in Tamil Nadu government

TVK chief Vijay’s astrologer Thiru Rickey Radhan Pandit Vettrivel has been appointed Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday.

China should stop hoarding food and fertiliser, says former World Bank chief

China should stop hoarding food and fertiliser to ease a global supply crisis caused by the Iran war, a former World Bank president has told the BBC.

US issues new sanctions over Iran’s oil shipments to China

The U.S. government on Monday announced sanctions against three people and ​nine companies, including four based in Hong Kong and four in the United Arab Emirates, for ‌aiding Iran’s shipment of oil to China. The ninth company is based in Oman.

Oil prices edge higher as fragile US-Iran diplomacy fuels supply fears

Crude oil prices climbed in early Asian trading on Tuesday as the outlook for a diplomatic resolution to the US-Iran war remained uncertain, with Washington and Tehran trading threats after Trump derided Iran’s latest peace proposal.

Trump says Iran ceasefire is on ’massive life support’

US President Donald Trump has said the month-long ceasefire between the US and Iran is on ’’massive life support’’.

Man accused of attempting to assassinate Trump pleads not guilty

The man accused ‌of attempting to assassinate U.S. President Donald Trump at a White House reporters’ gala last month pleaded not guilty to all charges on Monday.

Tamil Nadu CM Vijay meets former CM MK Stalin day after oath-taking

Tamil Nadu’s new Chief Minister Vijay on Monday met his predecessor and DMK chief MK Stalin, a day after the actor-turned-politician was sworn in following a landmark election victory.

Dua Lipa sues Samsung for $15m over use of her image on TV boxes

Pop star Dua Lipa has filed a $15m (£11m) lawsuit against Samsung, alleging it used her image on packaging for its televisions without permission.

Rights on paper, reality in doubt: World Bank report reveals Pakistan’s deep gender equality deficit

In an era when governments increasingly proclaim commitments to gender equality, a new global assessment paints a starkly different picture. Across the world, legislative frameworks may appear progressive, yet their implementation often tells another story.

US and French nationals test positive for hantavirus after leaving ship

An American and a French national who have returned to their home countries having left a cruise ship hit by a deadly outbreak of hantavirus have tested positive, authorities say.

India successfully tests advanced Agni MIRV missile

India on Friday successfully conducted the flight trial of an advanced Agni missile equipped with a Multiple Independently Targeted Re-Entry Vehicle (MIRV) system from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.

Turkish Airlines plane evacuated due to tyre fire after landing in Kathmandu

A tyre of a ​Turkish Airlines (THYAO.IS), opens new tab plane caught fire after ‌it landed on Monday in Nepal’s capital of Kathmandu, authorities said, forcing the closure of the ​airport for an hour.

Oil prices jump after Trump dismisses Iran proposal to end war

Oil prices rose in Monday morning trade in Asia after President Donald Trump said Iran’s response to US proposals to end the war was ’’totally unacceptable’’.

Thailand’s Thaksin Shinawatra released from prison

Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been released from a prison in Bangkok after spending eight months of a one-year sentence there over a corruption-related charge.

Trump calls Iran response to US proposal to end war ’totally unacceptable’

President Donald Trump has dismissed Iran’s response to US proposals to end the war as ’’totally unacceptable’’.

U.S.-China rivalry reaches South American skies

In the foothills of the Argentine Andes, the enormous Chinese radio telescope sits in one of the world’s premier stargazing locations, surrounded by vast, undulating mountain ranges and beneath skies untouched by light pollution.

Iran’s Supreme Leader briefs military chief on ’new guiding measures’

The head of Iran’s armed forces ​unified command met Supreme ‌Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and received from him ’’new guiding measures ​to pursue military operations ​and firmly confront adversaries’’, the semi-official ⁠Fars news reported ​on Sunday.

Spain starts evacuating virus-hit cruise ship in Tenerife

Spain has started evacuating passengers from a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship anchored near Tenerife in the Canary Islands.

Kuwait’s army says hostile drones detected in airspace

Kuwait’s army said ​it detected and dealt ‌with several hostile drones in the country’s ​airspace at dawn, ​marking the first such incident ⁠since a ceasefire ​in the Iran war came ​into effect in April.

India to build strategic outpost near key shipping lane in Indo-Pacific

India is pressing ahead with a $9 billion infrastructure project to bolster its military footprint on the Great Nicobar Island which sits far from the Indian mainland near one of the world’s most critical shipping arteries.

Car bombing and shootout kills 14 Pakistani police officers

A car bombing at a police post in northwestern Pakistan followed ‌by an ambush on police personnel rushing to the scene has killed at least 14 officers, police said on Sunday.

A powerful El Niño is set to reshape global weather in 2026

Weeks after the Pacific Ocean engine that helps drive the world’s weather shifted into neutral, meteorologists and scientists are now laser-focused on the developing signals of its warm phase: El Niño.

Israelis rally against government in Tel Aviv

Dozens of Israelis have protested in Tel Aviv overnight against the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the ongoing attacks on southern Lebanon.

Report revives speculation China Eastern crash was deliberate

A report into a fatal airline crash by an independent US government investigative agency has renewed speculation that one of China’s biggest aviation disasters was deliberate.

Russia says US, Bahrain should withdraw UN resolution on Iran’s actions in Hormuz Strait

Moscow is urging the US and Bahrain to withdraw a draft resolution in the UN Security Council that calls on Iran to end its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.