World

Carlos Alcaraz overcame a strong challenge from Tomás Martín Etcheverry to win in three sets and reach the Monte Carlo Masters quarter-finals. The World No 1 recovered after losing the second set to keep his title defence on track

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorised direct negotiations with Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah and establish relations, potentially boosting fragile Middle East ceasefire efforts, even as Israeli strikes on Beirut and tensions over the Strait of Hormuz continue to threaten regional stability

The Iran war has delivered no decisive winner — only a stark reminder of the limits of force, the resilience of states, and the power of perception in modern conflict

The Israel Defence Forces said it killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem, in Beirut. Israel also claimed strikes on Hezbollah weapons sites and crossings in Lebanon, while separately alleging the killing of a Hamas operative posing as a journalist

The Hindu American Foundation has approached a US appeals court alleging that California’s civil rights regulator wrongly linked caste discrimination to Hinduism while pursuing a case against Cisco, raising broader questions about how caste is addressed in American workplaces.

Police in Rawalpindi charged relatives of Imran Khan and PTI members under anti-terror laws after protests near Adiala Jail, while Amnesty International condemned detentions and restrictions on peaceful assembly

Tensions are rising between Donald Trump and Europe’s right-wing leaders over the Iran war, as figures like Viktor Orban face backlash, exposing limits to Trump’s efforts to build a unified global conservative alliance

India has been elected to key United Nations Economic and Social Council subsidiary bodies, including science, NGO and coordination panels, while Ambassador Preeti Saran was re-elected to a rights committee, strengthening India’s role in global development governance

Iranian semiofficial agencies ISNA news agency and Tasnim reported Revolutionary Guard sea mine placement in the Strait of Hormuz, marking danger zones and alternate routes during war, raising tensions amid a fragile ceasefire and potential negotiations

President Donald Trump has tasked Vice President J.D. Vance with leading negotiations in Islamabad aimed at securing a long-term settlement with Iran after a fragile ceasefire. The talks follow “Operation Epic Fury,” a US military campaign that weakened Iran’s defence infrastructure and forced Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

A US court sentenced Jasveen Sangha to 15 years in prison for selling the ketamine that caused the 2023 overdose death of “Friends” star Matthew Perry. Prosecutors said the dealer ran a drug network catering to wealthy clients despite earlier overdose deaths

The United States urged Iran to immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz after Tehran closed the strategic waterway following Israeli strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon. The move has cast doubt over a fragile US-Iran ceasefire amid escalating regional tensions and uncertainty over oil shipments

Israeli airstrikes devastated central Beirut on Wednesday, hitting residential and commercial areas just hours after a ceasefire was announced in the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Lebanon’s health ministry reported at least 89 dead and 700 wounded. President Donald Trump said Lebanon was excluded from the deal due to Hezbollah’s involvement.

Kuldip Singh, a 42-year-old former Metropolitan Police officer of Indian origin, has pleaded guilty to multiple charges in connection with a “crash-for-cash” insurance scam in the UK. Singh and his associates staged vehicle collisions, filed fraudulent injury and damage claims, and manipulated police records to cover up their crimes.

US President Donald Trump announced what he termed a “productive regime change” in Iran, vowing to eliminate uranium enrichment while signalling possible sanctions relief and threatening steep tariffs on countries supplying weapons to Tehran.

A US Securities and Exchange Commission case against Gautam Adani advanced as a New York court granted a hearing on his dismissal plea, citing lack of jurisdiction, no investor losses, and disputing alleged bribery and securities fraud claims

Artemis II crew surpassed Apollo 13 record for farthest human travel, completing a lunar far-side flyby and capturing images. The mission also tested new science operations, aiding future moon missions and advancing lunar geology research

Donald Trump shifted from threatening Iran to backing a 14-day ceasefire after mediation efforts, including Shehbaz Sharif. The move aims to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and avoid prolonged US military involvement

Donald Trump hailed the ceasefire as a “big day for world peace,” pledging US support to ease congestion in the Strait of Hormuz while expressing confidence in stability and reconstruction efforts in Iran

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif faced controversy after a “draft” label appeared in his social media post urging Donald Trump to delay action on Iran, sparking speculation over authorship and possible external involvement in messaging.

The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, with President Donald Trump pulling back planned strikes. The deal includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and initiating talks, though sporadic attacks continue across the region

Oil prices fell sharply below USD 100 while global markets rallied after the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and easing tensions despite continued sporadic attacks across the region

The UN Security Council failed to pass a resolution aimed at safeguarding navigation through the Strait of Hormuz after Russia and China vetoed the proposal. Bahrain, backed by Gulf allies, had introduced a toned-down draft calling for defensive coordination, but Pakistan and Colombia abstained.