Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Ariana Afghan Airlines has announced it will increase flight frequency between Kabul and Islamabad in response to rising passenger demand. Starting next week, the airline will operate three weekly flights on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, up from the current two flights on Sundays and Thursdays, according to Bakhtar News Agency.&nbsp; The expansion is expected to improve connectivity for travellers between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ariana is state-owned and the oldest airline in the country. The company has its main base at Kabul International Airport, from which it operates domestic flights and international connections to various destinations.

Ariana Afghan Airlines (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) 

Afghanistan

Starting next week, the airline will operate three weekly flights on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, up from the current two flights on Sundays and Thursdays. 

Ariana Afghan Airlines to increase Kabul-Islamabad flights

Web Desk/AFP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said Thursday that the burden of ending its conflict with Afghanistan lay with Kabul, as the two sides held preliminary talks to try to end hostilities, AFP reported. Negotiations started in Urumqi, in northwest China, on Wednesday, after Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar travelled to Beijing for talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi. Pakistan foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi told reporters in the capital that the government hoped for a &quot;durable solution&quot;. &quot;Our participation (in talks) is a reiteration of our core concerns,&quot; he said. &quot;The burden of real process, however, lies with Afghanistan, which must demonstrate visible and verifiable actions against terrorist groups using (its) soil against Pakistan.&quot; &#39;Working level talks&#39;He described the negotiations as &quot;working level talks&quot; and said they were ongoing. &quot;Our delegation has not returned yet,&quot; he added. Pakistan and Afghanistan announced a pause in fighting to mark the end of Ramadan last month, at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey. But sporadic attacks have been reported in remote border areas since the temporary truce ended. The Taliban government denies providing sanctuary to extremists. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have previously attempted to reduce tensions since the conflict escalated in February, while talks in Istanbul last November also failed. Diplomatic efforts Pakistan has stepped up its diplomatic efforts last week to resolve ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Persian Gulf, and Iran, holding high-level meetings, bilateral discussions, and regional consultations, according to the Foreign Office. In this connection, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held multiple telephone conversations with counterparts across the region and beyond, said Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi on Thursday at a weekly briefing. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2039592679106118039&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=168e1d0df7ebef6d7d47a4459e676e075d0574eb&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 641px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>According to the spokesperson, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted the second round of four-party consultations with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt.&nbsp; The first meeting had been held in Riyadh on March 19.&nbsp; Before the group discussions, the visiting ministers held bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Dar. The talks covered the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, efforts to de-escalate violence, and strategies to promote peace and diplomacy.&nbsp; Pakistan reaffirmed its strong ties with Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt, emphasizing regional cooperation and coordination across multiple areas of mutual interest.&nbsp; The formal consultations ran 15 minutes longer than scheduled, signaling the depth of the discussions. Key points from the talks included calls for an early end to the war, recognition of the devastating impact on civilian lives, and the importance of Muslim unity.&nbsp; Deputy Prime Minister&nbsp;Dar briefed the visiting ministers in Islamabad on potential US-Iran talks, which were met with full support.&nbsp; The ministers agreed on dialogue as the primary path to prevent conflict, uphold the UN Charter, and strengthen mutual cooperation. A major development last week was Deputy Prime Minister Dar&rsquo;s visit to China at the invitation of Foreign Minister Wang Yi.&nbsp; Despite medical advice to rest due to an injury, Dar held in-depth discussions on regional and bilateral issues, including Afghanistan.&nbsp; A milestone outcome was a five-point peace initiative by China and Pakistan, emphasizing the immediate cessation of hostilities, humanitarian assistance, the security of civilians, a commitment to dialogue, and adherence to the UN Charter.&nbsp;The initiative highlighted the importance of safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The week also saw extensive telephone diplomacy, the Foreign Office spokesperson said.&nbsp; Prime Minister Sharif spoke with leaders, including the Crown Prince of Kuwait, Iran&rsquo;s President, and the President of the European Council.&nbsp; Discussions focused on Pakistan&rsquo;s mediation efforts, peace initiatives, and regional de-escalation. Deputy Prime Minister Dar held calls with Chinese, Egyptian, Turkish, Qatari, Indonesian, Iranian, and UN officials, emphasizing diplomacy as the only viable path to sustainable peace.&nbsp; Notably, Iran allowed 20 additional Pakistan-flagged ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a move hailed as a constructive gesture toward regional stability. On another front, said the spokesperson, eight foreign ministers from Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Indonesia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar issued a joint statement condemning Israel&rsquo;s restrictions on Muslim and Christian worship in Jerusalem, including at Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.&nbsp; The statement reaffirmed the legal and historical status of Jerusalem&rsquo;s holy sites and called on the international community to press Israel to halt violations. These developments, said the Foreign Office spokesperson, underscore Pakistan&rsquo;s active role in promoting regional diplomacy and conflict resolution, while reinforcing strategic partnerships with key regional and global actors, it was said at the briefing.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan intensified its diplomatic efforts last week to address ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, and Iran, engaging in high-level meetings, bilateral talks, and regional consultations.

Pakistan says onus on Afghanistan to end hostilities

ISLAMABAD: A sessions court in Varanasi has denied bail to 14 Muslim men who were arrested after having iftari -- a meal to break the fast during Ramadan -- on a boat on the Ganges River. Critics of civil liberties are expressing concern that the case is becoming a significant example of communalized prosecution and pre-trial punishment. According to a report by the Indian Express on Thursday, the men were accused after videos of the March 15 gathering circulated online; they were arrested days later, remanded to judicial custody, denied bail by a magistrate on March 23, and denied bail again by the sessions court on April 1.&nbsp;The original allegation was that the group ate chicken biryani during iftar on the river and threw bones or food waste into the Ganges, hurting Hindu religious sentiments and disturbing communal harmony. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2039345830126334102&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=ad6099de673681cafc55cfa6b48b11e690357ac6&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 825px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The complaint was filed by Rajat Jaiswal, a local BJP youth-wing leader, and the case quickly escalated from a local dispute into a broader communal controversy. Prosecutors invoked a wide range of charges, including promoting enmity, public nuisance, insulting religious feelings, and other provisions linked to public order and alleged pollution. While refusing bail, the Sessions Court said that the posting of the event on social media, prima facie, suggested an intention to affect social harmony, particularly in a sensitive religious atmosphere. The miscarriage-of-justice concern arises from the contested nature of the evidence and the overtly religious framing of the case from the beginning. The Wire reported that the complainant&rsquo;s version shifted over time on whether bones were actually thrown into the river, while an independent review cited in that report said the viral videos did not clearly show waste being dumped. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2039586123614494956&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=ad6099de673681cafc55cfa6b48b11e690357ac6&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 737px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The same report said defense lawyers argued that the accused were falsely implicated, that the complainant was not an eyewitness, and that no chicken or bones were recovered from the site. Taken together, the case has come to symbolize how an iftar gathering by Muslim youths can be rapidly recast as a criminal and communal provocation, with severe charges and prolonged incarceration preceding any final adjudication of guilt. Whether the prosecution ultimately proves its case or not, the controversy has already raised serious questions about selective enforcement, evidentiary standards, and the role of religion in policing public space in contemporary India.

India

Fourteen Muslim men remain jailed in Varanasi after a fast-breaking meal along the Ganges was criminalized, raising concerns over weak evidence, communal framing, selective enforcement, and religion-based targeting in India.

Jailed for breaking fast on Ganges: 14 Muslim men denied bail in India

ISLAMABAD: Security forces killed eight terrorists during an operation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in North Waziristan district, the military&rsquo;s media wing said on Wednesday. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a group of &quot;khawarij&quot; was effectively engaged, as a result of which eight terrorists connected to &ldquo;Indian proxy, Fitna al Khawarij&rdquo; were killed.&nbsp; Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the militants. The military said the engagement once again &ldquo;substantiated&rdquo; its repeated stance regarding the failure of the Afghan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/operation-ghazab-lilhaq-435-killed-as-pakistan-strikes-afghan-targets" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Taliban</a>&nbsp;regime to ensure effective border management on its side of the border. &ldquo;Afghan Taliban Regime must fulfil its obligations and deny the use of Afghan soil by khawarij and involvement of its citizens in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-security-forces-kill-15-terrorists-in-balochistan-operation-military" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">terrorism</a>&nbsp;inside Pakistan,&rdquo; ISPR added. &quot;Khawarij&quot; is&nbsp;Islamabad&#39;s term for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan terrorist&nbsp;group, which it accuses of operating from Afghan soil, backed by India. PM, President laud security forces&nbsp;Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to the security forces for a successful operation against terrorists.&nbsp; The president and PM praised the professionalism of the security forces for their effective and timely actions, according to press releases issued by the Aiwan-e-Sadr press wing&nbsp;and the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office on Thursday.&nbsp; &ldquo;The role of the security forces in defending the country and safeguarding its borders was commendable,&rdquo; the president said. The leaders urged the Afghan interim government to prevent its territory from being used for terrorism against Pakistan. &ldquo;The entire nation, including myself, stands resolute in its unwavering commitment to the war against terrorism,&rdquo; said PM Sharif.&nbsp; Sanitization operation continuesAccording to ISPR, Pakistan&rsquo;s security forces remain &ldquo;resolute and unwavering&rdquo; in their commitment to defending the nation&rsquo;s frontiers. A sanitization operation was undertaken to eliminate any remaining Indian-sponsored terrorists in the area.&nbsp; The counterterrorism campaign under the Azm-i-Istehkam vision, approved by the federal apex committee on the National Action Plan, will continue at full pace to eliminate &ldquo;foreign-sponsored terrorism&rdquo; from the country, ISPR said.

A Pakistani soldier stands guard in a bunker at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Chaman on February 27, 2026, following overnight cross-border firing between the two countries. (Photo: AFP/File)

Security

The military's media wing urges the Afghan Taliban regime to fulfill its obligations and deny the use of Afghan soil by terrorists and the involvement of its citizens in terrorism inside Pakistan.

8 terrorists killed in North Waziristan operation: Pakistan military 

ISLAMABAD: Loni, a small town in Uttar Pradesh&rsquo;s Ghaziabad district on the edge of Delhi, has been ranked the world&rsquo;s most polluted city for 2025, underscoring the scale of India&rsquo;s air-quality crisis in the National Capital Region, CNN reported on Wednesday.&nbsp; The ranking comes from IQAir&rsquo;s World Air Quality Report, which said Loni recorded an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 112.5 micrograms per cubic meter, more than 22 times the World Health Organization guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic meter.&nbsp; CNN reported that the ranking has cast a spotlight on the health burden borne by residents living amid chronic dust, smoke, and traffic emissions. IQAir said Loni&rsquo;s PM2.5 level rose nearly 23% from 2024 levels, making it the worst-performing city in a global dataset covering 9,446 cities across 143 countries, regions and territories. The same report said only 14% of cities worldwide met the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline in 2025, while India ranked as the world&rsquo;s sixth most polluted country.&nbsp; It also said the 25 most polluted cities were all in India, Pakistan and China, with India home to three of the four worst-affected cities. The report places Loni at the center of a wider pollution belt stretching across Delhi-NCR. New Delhi remained the world&rsquo;s most polluted capital, while nearby NCR cities such as Ghaziabad and Noida also ranked among the world&rsquo;s worst.&nbsp; Indian media reports and local accounts have pointed to a combination of vehicular emissions, industrial activity, road and construction dust, waste burning, brick kilns and seasonal weather conditions that trap pollutants close to the ground. For residents, the ranking reflects an everyday health emergency rather than a statistical distinction.&nbsp; CNN&rsquo;s ground report described coughing and breathlessness as routine complaints, while scene-setting from the area highlighted damaged roads, dust-laden traffic corridors and nearby construction.&nbsp; The findings are likely to intensify pressure on authorities to strengthen enforcement against open burning, illegal polluting units and uncontrolled dust sources in the region.

The city in Uttar Pradesh was ranked as the most polluted in 2025, with extreme PM2.5 levels, highlighting a wider Delhi-NCR air crisis driven by dust, emissions, waste burning and industry.

Loni, world’s most polluted city, in India: Report

DHAKA: Bangladeshi&nbsp;Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman has formally requested the United States to grant Bangladesh a special waiver to import refined diesel and other petroleum products derived from Russian sources to ease energy challenges, state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) news agency reported on Wednesday. The request was made during a meeting with US Energy Secretary Chris Wright at the Department of Energy in Washington DC on Tuesday.&nbsp; During the talks, the foreign minister underscored Bangladesh&#39;s ongoing energy challenges stemming from global supply chain disruptions, particularly ahead of the critical planting season, and stressed the need to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply for farmers and safeguard food security. Direct waiverRahman explained that Bangladesh could not take advantage of the earlier limited world-wide waiver by US on Russian oil at sea since none of the tankers were bound for Bangladesh at that time. In addition to seeking a direct waiver, the two sides discussed the options to buy more refined oil out of Russian crude from third countries to meet immediate need. US Energy Secretary Wright acknowledged the energy challenges Bangladesh is facing and expressed his country&#39;s commitment to support Bangladesh during these difficult times to help ensure its energy security. &#39;Positively consider&#39; He said the US will &#39;positively consider&#39; the requests of Bangladesh and assured that he and his team would work closely with the relevant departments of the US government to this end. The two sides also discussed longer-term cooperation for sustainable energy solutions for Bangladesh and the prospects of increasing procurement of US energy products. Secretary Chris Wright was assisted by Chief of Staff to the Secretary Carl Cole, Senior Adviser to the Secretary Audrey Robertson, Senior Adviser to the Secretary Andrew Rapp, Director, Office of Asian Affairs Margaux Murali and Fellow, Office of Asian Affairs Hamna Khan. From Bangladesh side, Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Tareq Md Ariful Islam, Deputy Chief of Mission DM Salahuddin Mahmud and Economic Minister Dr Md Fazle Rabbi attended the meeting with the foreign minister.

FM Bangladesh Khalil ur Rahman (File Photo: BSS)

Bangladesh

Bangladesh has asked the United States for a special waiver to import Russian-derived fuel to address urgent energy and food security concerns.

Bangladesh seeks US waiver to import Russian fuel

WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court seemed ready on Wednesday to reject Donald Trump&#39;s historic attempt to end birthright citizenship after a hearing highlighted by the notable presence of the Republican president. The landmark case is a pillar in Trump&#39;s attempts to restrict immigration and his decision to attend oral arguments was unprecedented for a sitting president. Trump left the hearing following the presentation by his solicitor general, John Sauer, and did not remain for the arguments of American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) attorney Cecillia Wang, who was defending birthright citizenship. &quot;We are the only Country in the World STUPID enough to allow &#39;Birthright&#39; Citizenship!&quot; Trump said in a social media post after returning to the White House. Trump signed an executive order on the first day of his second term, decreeing that children born to parents in the United States illegally or on temporary visas would not automatically become US citizens. Lower courts blocked the move, ruling that under the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment, nearly everyone born on US soil is an American citizen. Sauer told the justices that &quot;unrestricted birthright citizenship contradicts the practice of the overwhelming majority of modern nations&quot; and &quot;demeans the priceless and profound gift of American citizenship.&quot; &quot;It operates as a powerful pull factor for illegal immigration and rewards illegal aliens who not only violate the immigration laws but also jump in front of those who follow the rules,&quot; he said. It also encourages what Sauer called &quot;birth tourism,&quot; in which foreigners come to the United States solely to give birth. The three liberal justices and several conservatives appeared skeptical of the administration&#39;s arguments. Conservatives have a 6-3 supermajority on the court and three justices were appointed by Trump. &#39;It&#39;s the same constitution&#39;Chief Justice John Roberts, a conservative, asked Sauer how common &quot;birth tourism&quot; is before pointing out that, regardless of the numbers, it would have &quot;no impact on the legal analysis&quot; of the case. &quot;We&#39;re in a new world now,&quot; the solicitor general said, &quot;where eight billion people are one plane ride away from having a child who&#39;s a US citizen.&quot; &quot;Well, it&#39;s a new world. It&#39;s the same constitution,&quot; Roberts replied. The 14th Amendment states that, &quot;All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.&quot; It does not apply to those not subject to US jurisdiction -- the children of foreign diplomats, for example -- and Roberts said the government appeared to be seeking to expand the exceptions &quot;to a whole class of illegal aliens,&quot; a move he described as &quot;quirky.&quot; Justice Brett Kavanaugh, another conservative, asked Sauer why he was citing the birthright policies of other nations. &quot;We try to interpret American law with American precedent based on American history,&quot; Kavanaugh said. &quot;Why should we be thinking about ... other countries? I&#39;m not seeing the relevance as a legal, constitutional interpretive matter.&quot; Justice Neil Gorsuch, another conservative, said that when the 14th Amendment was passed, in 1868, there was no such thing as &quot;illegal&quot; immigration. &quot;If somebody showed up here in 1868 and established domicile, that was perfectly fine,&quot; Gorsuch said. &quot;And so why wouldn&#39;t we ... come to the conclusion that the fact that someone might be illegal is immaterial?&quot; Decision by JulyWang, the ACLU attorney, told the justices a rejection of birthright citizenship would call into question &quot;the citizenship of millions of Americans past, present and future.&quot; &quot;Ask any American what our citizenship rule is, and they&#39;ll tell you, everyone born here is a citizen alike,&quot; Wang said. &quot;That rule was enshrined in the 14th Amendment to put it out of the reach of any government official to destroy.&quot; The Trump administration is arguing that the 14th Amendment, passed in the wake of the 1861-65 Civil War, addresses citizenship rights of former slaves and not the children of undocumented migrants or visitors. Trump&#39;s executive order is premised on the notion that anyone in the United States illegally or on a visa is not &quot;subject to the jurisdiction&quot; of the country and is therefore excluded from automatic citizenship. The Supreme Court rejected such a narrow definition in a landmark 1898 case involving a man who was born in San Francisco to parents from China. If the Supreme Court rejects ending birthright citizenship, it would be the second major loss for Trump this term -- the justices struck down most of his global tariffs in February. A decision in the case is expected by late June or early July.

Americas

The US Supreme Court appeared inclined to reject Trump’s bid to end birthright citizenship, with liberal and conservative justices questioning his arguments and warning that narrowing the 14th Amendment could affect millions of Americans, past, present and future.

US Supreme Court skeptical of Trump bid to end birthright citizenship

MANADO: A major 7.4-magnitude quake struck off the coast of eastern Indonesia on Thursday, killing at least one person, causing waves of up to 75 centimetres (2.5 feet) and triggering a tsunami warning that was subsequently lifted. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the tremor hit at a shallow depth of 35 kilometres in the Molucca Sea between the Sulawesi and Maluku island groups in the early morning. One person was killed when a building collapsed in the city of Manado in North Sulawesi province, a local search and rescue official told AFP. &quot;The quake was felt strongly around Manado, one person died and one person had a leg injury,&quot; George Leo Mercy Randang told AFP by telephone. The victim was &quot;buried under the rubble&quot; of a collapsed building, he said. The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) initially said hazardous tsunami waves were possible within 1,000 kilometres (621 miles) of the epicentre along the coasts of Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia. Within half an hour of the quake, waves up to 75 centimetres were recorded in North Minahasa and 20 centimetres in Bitung, both in the north of Sulawesi island, according to Indonesia&#39;s BMKG geological agency. Thirty-centimetre waves were also logged in North Maluku province. The PTWC lifted its warning just over two hours after the tremor, saying the tsunami threat &quot;has now passed.&quot; Ternate resident Budi Nurgianto, 42, said he was inside his house when the tremor struck, sending people panicking outside. &quot;The quake was felt strongly. I heard it first from the walls of the house that shook,&quot; he said. &quot;When I went outside, there were many people outside. They were panicked. The quake was felt (for) quite long, more than a minute. &quot;I even saw some people leaving their house without having finished their shower.&quot; Aftershocks&nbsp; BMKG head Teuku Faisal Fathani told journalists in the capital Jakarta there were 11 aftershocks, the biggest with a magnitude of 5.5. An AFP journalist in Manado on Sulawesi, about 300 kilometres west of Ternate by sea, said the shaking woke him and others in the city of around 450,000 people. &quot;I immediately woke up and left my house. People (were) immediately scrambling outside. There is a school and the pupils rushed outside,&quot; he said. The shaking persisted for &quot;quite long&quot; but he did not witness &quot;significant damage&quot;, he added. The PTWC had initially warned that tsunami waves of up to one metre were possible for parts of Indonesia, with smaller waves possible for the Philippines, Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan, Guam and Palau. &quot;Government agencies responsible for threatened coastal areas should take action to inform and instruct any coastal populations at risk,&quot; the agency said. The Japan Meteorological Agency said it expected &quot;slight changes&quot; in the sea level along the Pacific coast from northern Hokkaido to southern Okinawa, but has not issued any warnings. The earthquake centres of the Philippines and Malaysia have also not issued tsunami alerts. Indonesia and neighbouring countries experience frequent earthquakes due to their location in the Pacific &quot;Ring of Fire&quot; -- an arc of intense seismic activity where tectonic plates collide that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin. In 2004, a magnitude-9.1 quake struck Aceh province, causing a tsunami and killing more than 170,000 people in Indonesia.&nbsp;

Police officers look at a building of the North Sumatra's National Sports Committee of Indonesia (KONI) damaged following a severe 7.4-magnitude offshore quake in Manado, North Sulawesi on April 2, 2026. (Photo by Tonny Rarung / AFP

Asia

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake off eastern Indonesia killed one person, triggered small tsunami waves and a brief warning that was later lifted. 

7.4-magnitude quake off Indonesia kills one, tsunami warning lifted

WASHINGTON: The United States on Wednesday lifted sanctions against Venezuela&#39;s interim President Delcy Rodriguez, who took power after Washington ousted her predecessor Nicolas Maduro in a military operation in January.&nbsp;Rodriguez&#39;s name was deleted from the &quot;Specially Designated Nationals List,&quot; according to a post on the US Treasury&#39;s Office of Foreign Assets Control website.&nbsp;Rodriguez welcomed the decision, writing on X that it was part of the &quot;normalization and strengthening&quot; of bilateral relations.&nbsp;&quot;We trust that this progress will allow for the lifting of the sanctions currently in force against our country, and make it possible to build and guarantee an effective binational cooperation agenda for the benefit of our peoples,&quot; she added.&nbsp;Ties between Washington and Caracas have warmed since Maduro&#39;s ouster, with Rodriguez complying with US President Donald Trump&#39;s demands for Caracas to open up its energy industry to American companies.&nbsp;Rodriguez served as Maduro&#39;s deputy and was sanctioned by Washington for being a key official in his government, alongside officials including former defense minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.&nbsp;Rodriguez fired Lopez in mid-March, but she has been walking a fine line between demands from Washington and those from her own backers since Maduro&#39;s toppling.&nbsp;Cabello, who remains in office, is seen as one of her key backers.&nbsp;On Monday, the US Embassy in Caracas resumed operations after being closed for seven years, the State Department said.&nbsp;The reopening came after the US military operation that seized Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from Caracas on January 3, taking them to New York to face drug trafficking charges that they deny.&nbsp;The operation killed around 100 people in Venezuela, according to authorities there.

The US lifts sanctions on Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodriguez after Maduro’s ouster, aiming to improve ties. Rodriguez welcomes the move and seeks broader relief, as relations warm and cooperation with Washington increases.

US lifts sanctions on Venezuelan interim leader Delcy

Middle East

'The root cause of interruptions to navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is the United States and Israel's illegal military operations against Iran,' Beijing's foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a news conference.

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