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. BERLIN: Two people were killed and three others were seriously injured on Monday when a car drove into a central pedestrian zone of the eastern German city of Leipzig, Mayor Burkhard Jung said, the latest in a spate of such incidents in recent years in Germany. Police arrested the driver, identifying him as a … Read more

. GENEVA: Medics were working on Monday to evacuate two people with symptoms of the deadly hantavirus after a suspected outbreak on a luxury cruise ship held off West Africa carrying mostly British, American and Spanish passengers, officials said. Around 150 people were still stuck on the vessel after three people – a Dutch couple … Read more

WASHINGTON: US intelligence assessments indicate that the time Iran would need to build a nuclear weapon has not changed since last summer, when analysts estimated that a US-Israeli attack had pushed back the timeline to up to a year, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The assessments of Tehran’s nuclear program remain broadly … Read more

. HAMILTON: The US Secret Service confirmed Monday that its personnel are responding to an officer-involved shooting near the White House complex in Washington, DC. “US Secret Service personnel are on the scene of an officer-involved shooting at 15th Street and Independence Avenue in Washington, DC,” said the Secret Service in a post on US … Read more

. MOSCOW/KYIV: Russia on Monday declared a unilateral ceasefire with Ukraine between May 8-9, when Moscow marks its annual World War II Victory Day commemorations, and threatened a “massive missile strike” on Kyiv if Ukraine violated it. Ukraine responded by declaring a truce of its own between May 5-6, saying it was “not serious” to … Read more

US releases MV Touska crew as confidence-building measure; Pakistan facilitates transfer to Iran Crew members of an Iranian container vessel M/V Touska stand with their belongings after they were evacuated and handed over to Iranian authorities at the Gabd-Rimdan border crossing near Gwadar. PHOTO: REUTERS ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday facilitated the transfer of 22 Iranian … Read more

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) has taken exception to a recent Supreme Court judgment that directed all state departments to strictly comply with the Wedlock Policy to address difficulties faced by married government employees. In a 2-page judgment, FCC Justice Aamer Farooq noted that the court could not agree with a judgement authored by … Read more

• Iran, US exchange fire amid push to reopen Strait • Two oil tankers and UAE’s oil facility in Fujairah hit • US Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, Iran. PHOTO: REUTERS DUBAI/WASHINGTON: An open confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday severely imperilled a fragile ceasefire in Gulf region, as … Read more

KARACHI: At least 10 people, including a worshipper, were found dead across multiple areas of Karachi in incidents that authorities say may be linked to extreme heat and suspected drug overdoses, though the exact causes of death in several cases remain unconfirmed. Rescue officials reported that four of the victims were discovered in a deteriorating … Read more

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has given a commitment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to strip the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) of its legal powers to directly sell assets of state?owned enterprises (SOEs) to foreign nations and to retain revenues or take loans. According to these assurances, Pakistan will not make the SWF operational until parliament approves … Read more