Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday held a telephone conversation with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to discuss the evolving regional situation and ongoing peace efforts, his office said. According to an official statement, the two leaders exchanged views on regional developments and reviewed progress on diplomatic initiatives aimed at promoting peace and stability.<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-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=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2053398693097959673&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=d6116d9309baac9c01f3daee022d51a0e945b079&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>Prime Minister Shehbaz appreciated Qatar&rsquo;s continued support for Pakistan&rsquo;s peace initiatives and reaffirmed the close brotherly ties between the two countries. Both sides stressed the importance of constructive engagement by all parties to ensure the success of ongoing peace efforts in the region, the statement said. During the conversation, the prime minister conveyed his regards to Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and said he was looking forward to the Amir&rsquo;s upcoming visit to Pakistan. The statement added that the visit would help further strengthen and expand bilateral cooperation and the longstanding partnership between Pakistan and Qatar.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received by Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani at Dewan-e-Ameeri in Doha, Qatar on Aug 24, 2022. (File photo: PID)

Foreign Affairs

Both sides stress the importance of constructive engagement by all parties to ensure the success of ongoing peace efforts in the region, the statement said.

Pakistani PM, Qatar counterpart discuss regional situation, peace efforts

CHENNAI: Indian film star C. Joseph Vijay was sworn in as chief minister of Tamil Nadu state on Sunday after his new party brokered a coalition in the southern industrial hub. The swearing-in ceremony followed days of high drama in the state capital Chennai, where Vijay&#39;s fledgling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party initially struggled to secure support from smaller parties after state elections. Vijay&#39;s TVK, founded only two years ago, emerged as the single largest party after the vote with 108 seats in Tamil Nadu&#39;s 234-member legislative assembly, short of a simple majority. However, it won support from other parties, including the opposition Congress, bringing its seat count to 120 and making it possible for Vijay to claim the top job. Thousands of supporters gathered at Chennai&#39;s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Sunday, chanting &quot;Mudhalvar&quot; (Tamil for &quot;chief minister&quot;) to watch Vijay take his oath of office. &quot;I am not from a royal political background, just a common man,&quot; the 51-year-old told the crowd. &quot;My primary focus will be on basic issues such as education, ration supplies, healthcare, drinking water, roads and bus facilities,&quot; he said. Vijay&#39;s first set of policies included measures to ease electricity prices and improve women&#39;s safety. Voice for the common manVijay, born to a Christian father and a Hindu mother, began his career as a child actor in 1984 in a film directed by his father, a filmmaker. Known for his charismatic screen presence and mass appeal, his fans dubbed him &quot;Thalapathy&quot;, or &quot;leader&quot; in Tamil. His blockbuster hits blended action, social messaging and populist themes, burnishing his reputation as a voice for the common man. He cultivated his public image over the years by taking on roles that touched on subjects ranging from farmers&#39; issues to electoral manipulation. He launched the TVK in 2024 with a promise to end corruption and strengthen social justice. Tamil Nadu is one of India&#39;s most significant economic engines, with its industrial sector producing everything from automobiles to electronics.&nbsp; The state is also India&#39;s smartphone manufacturing hub, including for Apple iPhones. People&#39;s demand for new political leaderThe TVK&#39;s campaign sought to end the dominance of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, traditional parties that had ruled the state since the late 1960s. Analysts said Vijay&#39;s large fan base, combined with young people&#39;s demand for a new political leader, was behind his stunning election performance. Vijay, a political novice, now faces the challenge of turning that popularity into policy. His campaign rallies drew thousands of fans, but were also marred by allegations of crowd mismanagement.&nbsp; A stampede at a rally in September killed at least 40 people.&nbsp;However, it did little to dent his popularity. &quot;When you have a cult, you don&#39;t question at all,&quot; political commentator Sumanth Raman told AFP after the election results were published.

India

'I am not from a royal political background, just a common man,' the 51-year-old Vijay told his supporters after the swearing-in ceremony.

Indian film star sworn in as head of industrial hub Tamil Nadu

Saqib Tanveer

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan TV Digital, a project of Pakistan Television Network, on Sunday released Four Nights: When Pakistan Roared, a documentary chronicling untold stories, eyewitness accounts and behind-the-scenes moments from the four-day military confrontation between Pakistan and India in May 2025. Released on the first anniversary of Marka-e-Haq, the documentary reconstructs the dramatic events that unfolded between May 6 and May 10 last year, when tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours escalated into one of the most serious military confrontations in recent years. The film traces the chain of events from the April 22, 2025 attack in Pahalgam, in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which left more than two dozen tourists dead and sharply escalated tensions, to India&rsquo;s subsequent strikes inside Pakistan and Islamabad&rsquo;s military response under Operation Bunyan Um Marsoos. Blending frontline accounts, journalist testimonies, military analysis and archival footage, the documentary offers a detailed reconstruction of the conflict, capturing both its strategic dimensions and its human cost. Featuring journalists, defense analysts, diplomats and eyewitnesses, the film revisits the fear, uncertainty and intensity of four nights that pushed South Asia to the brink of a wider conflict. &ldquo;I exactly remember that moment. I cannot forget that moment for the rest of my life,&rdquo; senior television anchor Waseem Badami says in the documentary, recalling the first strikes and the shock that followed. Journalist Meher Bokhari describes the emotional toll of the initial attacks. &ldquo;Innocent civilians being targeted. Children being hit. So, one was aghast,&rdquo; she says. The documentary captures how Pakistan&rsquo;s media, military and civilian institutions responded in real time as the crisis unfolded, including round-the-clock news coverage and efforts to counter competing narratives. Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar recalls the pressure of the moment. &ldquo;We were awake for almost 72 hours. We hadn&rsquo;t slept and we were on the go trying to give our point of view and also to combat and counter false narratives,&rdquo; Tarar says in the film. Journalist Muneeb Farooq reflects on the uncertainty that dominated those early hours. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re Pakistani at the end of the day. You feel alarmed, but there&rsquo;s also anger inside you,&rdquo; he says. The documentary identifies the aerial battle as the turning point in the conflict, when Pakistan says it downed multiple Indian fighter aircraft, including Rafale jets, significantly shifting the strategic momentum. Veteran journalist Talat Hussain recalls the military&rsquo;s posture at the time. &ldquo;For one missile, there will be ten coming from our side,&rdquo; Hussain says, recounting the message conveyed during military briefings. Badami describes the moment confirmation came that Indian aircraft had been brought down. &ldquo;Goosebumps. Oh my God. And you cannot break it right now,&rdquo; he recalls. &ldquo;And then that moment came when I was told: &lsquo;Okay, break it. Tell the world that Pakistan has done it.&rsquo;&rdquo; Beyond the battlefield, the documentary examines the parallel information war that unfolded during the conflict, highlighting competing narratives, media coverage and digital disinformation. Former US ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter, who appears in the documentary, says Pakistan&rsquo;s strategic communications during the crisis appeared more coherent. &ldquo;I was impressed, I&rsquo;d have to say, that the PR element of the war, the Pakistanis did a much better job,&rdquo; Munter says in an interview recorded from Prague. The film also captures the national mood as reports emerged of Pakistan&rsquo;s claimed aerial successes. &ldquo;The feeling itself was fantastic,&rdquo; Tarar says. &ldquo;It was beyond words.&rdquo; The documentary revisits the evolution of the conflict, from India&rsquo;s initial strikes to drone incursions, missile exchanges and the eventual ceasefire that brought an end to four days of fighting. It also examines how the confrontation reshaped regional perceptions of military capability, deterrence and strategic balance. Defence analyst Ali Hamza describes the aerial engagement as a defining moment in modern warfare. &ldquo;It was a system fighting another system. It was one of the episodes of modern air combat,&rdquo; he says. Beyond strategy and statecraft, the documentary highlights the human cost of war, including civilian casualties, displacement and fear among border communities. A civilian witness from Azad Jammu and Kashmir recalls the moment explosions shook homes in the dead of night. &ldquo;The whole house shook. Everyone was scared. Then we took the kids and left,&rdquo; the witness says. Speaking at the documentary&rsquo;s launch at PTV Headquarters in Islamabad, Pakistan TV Digital Editor-in-Chief Saqib Tanveer said the project aimed to preserve firsthand accounts of a conflict that left a lasting mark on the region. &ldquo;The documentary aims to provide a historical record of the crisis through the voices of those who witnessed it firsthand,&rdquo; Tanveer said. &ldquo;From newsrooms and diplomatic circles to affected communities and strategic observers, these voices help document history as it was lived.&rdquo; The release coincides with nationwide commemorations marking the first anniversary of Marka-e-Haq, with official ceremonies held across Pakistan and at diplomatic missions abroad to honour the armed forces and those who lost their lives during the conflict. For viewers, Four Nights: When Pakistan Roared offers both a reconstruction of a critical moment in South Asia&rsquo;s recent history and a deeply personal account of how war is experienced, reported and remembered. The documentary premiered on Pakistan TV Digital&rsquo;s official digital platforms at 4pm on May 10.

Security

Released on the first anniversary of Marka-e-Haq, 'Four Nights: When Pakistan Roared' reconstructs the dramatic events that unfolded between May 6 and May 10 last year, when tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors escalated into one of the most serious military confrontations in recent years.

Pakistan TV Digital releases documentary revisiting four nights of Pakistan-India conflict

RIYADH: Saudi oil giant Aramco said Sunday its net profit rose by more than 25 percent in the first quarter of the year compared to the same period in 2025, driven by greater crude oil sales and higher prices. The result comes after the Middle East war sent oil and gas prices soaring and uncertainty plagues global markets over the conflict&rsquo;s trajectory. The group, majority-owned by the state, said in a statement published on the Saudi stock exchange website that its &ldquo;increase in revenue was mainly due to higher prices and volumes sold of refined and chemical products as well as higher crude oil volumes sold and higher crude oil prices.&rdquo; Crude prices jumped during the first quarter from the mid $60s in early February to more than $100 a barrel in March as Iran&rsquo;s shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz sparked a global energy crisis. Aramco, the world&rsquo;s biggest oil exporter, said in its statement that net income in the first quarter of 2026 reached 120.13 billion Saudi riyals ($32.04 billion), compared to 95.68 billion riyals ($25.51 billion) for the same quarter in 2025. &ldquo;The increase was mainly driven by higher revenue and other income related to sales, partially offset by higher operating costs and an increase in income taxes and zakat driven by higher taxable income compared to the same quarter of the previous year,&rdquo; it said

Business

Strong crude demand, elevated energy prices and disruptions linked to Strait of Hormuz tensions boosted the oil giant’s earnings to $32 billion, despite rising operating costs, taxes and zakat, as refined and chemical sales climbed

Saudi Aramco says net profit up more than 25% in first quarter

GRANADILLA DE ABONA, Spain: A cruise ship hit with a deadly hantavirus outbreak arrived in Spain&rsquo;s Canary Islands Sunday, where most of the nearly 150 people on board will be evacuated and flown home after weeks at sea. The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius arrived at the Spanish port of Granadilla escorted by a Civil Guard vessel, AFP journalists reported, confirmed by data from the maritime tracking service VesselFinder. Passengers and some of the crew are expected to evacuate before the ship, where an outbreak of hantavirus led to the deaths of three people, continues on its way to the Netherlands. Three passengers from the ship &mdash; a Dutch husband and wife and a German woman &mdash; have died, while others have fallen sick with the rare disease, which usually spreads among rodents. The only hantavirus type that can transmit from person to person &mdash; the Andes virus &mdash; has been confirmed among those who have tested positive, fueling international concern. &ldquo;We classify everybody on board as what we call a high-risk contact,&rdquo; WHO&rsquo;s epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention director Maria Van Kerkhove said Saturday. But the risk to the general public and the people of the Canaries remained low, she added. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who arrived in Spain on Saturday and is expected to oversee the ship evacuation, gave the same assurance and thanked the people of Tenerife for their solidarity. &ldquo;I need you to hear me clearly,&rdquo; Tedros wrote in an open letter to the people of Tenerife on Saturday: &ldquo;This is not another Covid.&rdquo;After arriving in Tenerife, he said he was confident the operation would be a success. &ldquo;Spain is ready and prepared,&rdquo; he told reporters. Daily life uninterruptedAt the port of Granadilla de Abona early Sunday morning, AFP journalists saw white tents had been sent up along the quay and the police had secured part of the port. Despite the situation, daily life appeared largely normal: some people were swimming, others shopping at the market or sitting at cafe terraces. &ldquo;There are worries there could be a danger, but honestly I don&rsquo;t see people being very concerned,&rdquo; said David Parada, a lottery vendor.Regional authorities have refused to allow the vessel to dock. Instead, it will remain offshore while passengers are screened and evacuated between Sunday and Monday &mdash; the only window health officials say the weather will allow. Cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions said earlier that &ldquo;all guests and a limited number of crew members&rdquo; were expected to begin to leave the ship from around 0700 GMT. &ldquo;Once disembarked, they will be transferred immediately to their allocated aircraft,&rdquo; the Dutch firm said. The WHO said Friday it had confirmed six cases out of eight suspected ones. There are no suspected cases remaining on the ship.The MV Hondius is sailing from Cape Verde, where three infected people had already been evacuated earlier in the week. Tracking and tracingIn Madrid, Spain&rsquo;s health and interior ministers insisted there would be &ldquo;no contact&rdquo; with the local population, and that passengers would leave &ldquo;by nationality groups.&rdquo; &ldquo;All areas (the passengers) pass through will be sealed off,&rdquo; the interior minister said, adding a maritime exclusion zone would be in force around the vessel. The MV Hondius left Ushuaia, Argentina on April 1 for a cruise across the Atlantic Ocean to Cape Verde. Provincial health official Juan Petrina said there was an &ldquo;almost zero chance&rdquo; the Dutch man linked to the outbreak contracted the disease in Ushuaia based on the virus&rsquo;s incubation period, among other factors. Health authorities in several countries have been tracking passengers who had already disembarked and anyone who may have come into contact with them. A flight attendant on the Dutch airline KLM, who came into contact with an infected passenger from the cruise ship and later showed mild symptoms, tested negative for hantavirus, the WHO said Friday. The passenger &mdash; the wife of the first person to die in the outbreak &mdash; had briefly been on a plane bound from Johannesburg to the Netherlands on April 25, but was removed before take-off. She died the following day in a Johannesburg hospital. Spanish authorities said a woman on that flight was being tested for hantavirus, having developed symptoms at home in eastern Spain. She is in isolation in hospital, said health secretary Javier Padilla. Two Singapore residents who had been on the ship tested negative for the disease but would remain in quarantine, the city state&rsquo;s authorities said Friday. British health authorities also said Friday there was a suspected case on Tristan da Cunha, one of the world&rsquo;s most isolated settlements with around 220 people.

Europe

MV Hondius reached Spain’s Canary Islands as authorities prepared evacuations, following three deaths and multiple infections onboard. WHO officials stressed risk remains low while passengers undergo screening, isolation, and repatriation after ordeal

Hantavirus-hit cruise ship arrives in Spain’s Canary Islands

ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh&#39;s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs has commended Pakistan&#39;s reconciliatory role for resolving the Iran-US conflict. &nbsp;&nbsp;Pakistan&#39;s Federal Interior and Narcotics Control Minister Mohsin Naqvi held a meeting with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-bangladesh-sign-mou-to-combat-drug-smuggling" style="color:#0073e6;">Bangladesh&#39;s</a>&nbsp;Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam, according to a series of posts shared on X by Pakistan&#39;s Ministry of Interior on Sunday.<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-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2053330186402443376&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=ab5eef86f04efac745527873796e1a7878741572&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 600px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Detailed exchange of views on bilateral relations, the regional situation, and Pakistan&#39;s reconciliatory role were held during the meeting. Bangladesh&#39;s minister of state for foreign affairs commended Pakistan&#39;s reconciliatory role for resolving the Iran-US conflict, the posts said. &nbsp; The two ministers agreed to increase cooperation in the fields of trade, business, and culture. &nbsp; They also agreed on maximum mutual exchange of delegations to promote trade and cultural relations. Discussion was also held regarding the visit of Bangladesh&#39;s foreign minister to Pakistan. &nbsp; Naqvi said that there were vast opportunities for investment in Pakistan.&nbsp;

Detailed exchange of views on bilateral relations, the regional situation, and Pakistan's reconciliatory role were held during a meeting between Pakistan's interior minister and Bangladeshi state minister for foreign affairs.

Bangladesh commends Pakistan's reconciliatory role in Iran-US conflict: Interior ministry  

GUJARAT: India faces challenging heatwaves each year, but few places endure conditions as searing as the country&#39;s western desert salt pans, where workers rely on simple techniques to survive almost unbearable temperatures. Up to 50,000 workers in Gujarat spend eight months on the remote salt pans without electricity or healthcare, relying on a tanker to deliver drinking and washing water every 25 days. They use shaded rest breaks, cloth-cooled water bottles and staggered hours to survive. In Gujarat&#39;s Little Rann of Kutch, summer temperatures routinely cross 45&deg;C, and can climb to 47-48&deg;C. The same dry heat that makes life punishing also makes the desert ideal for salt production &mdash; Gujarat produces roughly three-quarters of India&#39;s total salt output. &quot;We work in staggered timing... doing our work in early mornings and after sunset,&quot; said 42-year-old Babulal Narayan, who rakes the salt as brine water dries in shallow pools. During the hottest hours, many retreat to makeshift huts &mdash; frames of sticks draped with coarse homespun cloth, plastered with wild donkey dung. &quot;We sit here every two to three hours, so that we do not feel weak or dizzy,&quot; said 17-year-old salt worker Bhavna Rathore. The dung blocks the sun and allows heat to escape, while the rough cloth allows some air to pass through, she explained. The huts offer shelter in a landscape without trees or natural shade, and where the sun reflects harshly off the white salt crust. &#39;Heatwave&#39;Kanchan Narayan, 44, uses a damp cloth-wrapped bottle hung on a string, cooling the drinking water inside via evaporation. &quot;The wind helps to cool the water,&quot; she said. Poornima, a salt pan worker, sips black tea during the day, saying the hot drink induces sweating in the dry weather to cool the body. The salt is produced by pumping saline water from bore-wells into shallow pans, where the liquid evaporates under the sun and wind. Workers rake the surface daily to ensure even crystallization. Over weeks, a thick crust of salt forms, which the workers break and stack into mounds. The job has always involved enduring harsh conditions, but this year the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts an &quot;above-normal number of heatwave days&quot; across several regions, including Gujarat. Workers are exposed to the heat for longer than before. Previously, they relied on expensive diesel pumps to bring the saline water to the surface. But a switch to solar has reduced costs and enabled families to operate the pans for longer. That means work that used to end in March now continues into the hottest months. &#39;Fever&#39;The consequences for workers can be deadly, with regular reports of fatigue, dizziness and nausea &mdash; signs of heat stress, when the body&#39;s natural cooling systems are overwhelmed. This can cause organ failure and even death. Several studies have found high levels of dehydration, heat stress and even signs of kidney malfunction among these communities. &quot;I take a paracetamol whenever fever becomes high,&quot; said Kanchan, a rare worker wearing rubber boots &mdash; to protect against prolonged exposure to brine, which can crack skin so deep it bleeds. India has no fixed legal temperature at which work must stop. Instead, it relies on IMD heatwave thresholds, around 40&deg;C for alerts and 47&deg;C for &quot;severe&quot; conditions, with local authorities imposing restrictions. The desert conditions make the extreme heat marginally more survivable &mdash; at low humidity, sweat evaporates more quickly off the skin, cooling the body. But conditions are growing harder, with heatwaves intensifying and unseasonal storms also threatening livelihoods. A sudden rainstorm can dissolve crystallized salt overnight &mdash; forcing workers to restart the evaporation cycle. &quot;A big dust storm hit us last month, destroying salt worth 200,000 rupees ($2,100),&quot; Narayan said. He and five relatives made a profit of 250,000 rupees ($2,635) &mdash; or $450 each for eight months of hard work. But families say they have little alternative. &quot;What else will we do?&quot; said 65-year-old worker Rasoda Rathore. &quot;We have no land to farm, no livestock to earn our livelihood from ... this is all we know.&quot;

A worker harvests salt at the Little Rann of Kutch (LRK) region of Gujarat on April 29, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

The same dry heat that makes life punishing also makes the desert ideal for salt production; the state of Gujarat produces roughly three-quarters of India's total salt output.

No trees, no fans: Surviving extreme heat in India's salt pans

WASHINGTON: A person who jumped a perimeter fence and was hit by an airplane taking off from Denver International Airport died in the incident, the airport said Saturday.&nbsp;Frontier Airlines Flight 4345 aborted takeoff after hitting the person at about 11:19 pm Friday night (0519 GMT Saturday), the airport said.&nbsp;&quot;DEN can confirm that the pedestrian jumped the perimeter fence and was hit just two minutes later while crossing the runway,&quot; the statement said.&nbsp;&quot;The pedestrian is deceased, and is not believed to be an employee of the airport nor have they been identified,&quot; it said.&nbsp;The person hit &quot;was at least partially consumed by one of the engines,&quot; ABC News reported citing an unidentified official.&nbsp;The plane was quickly evacuated and 12 passengers on the flight reported minor injuries; five were transported to local hospitals, the airport said.&nbsp;The Airbus A321, bound for Los Angeles, was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members, according to Frontier.&nbsp;Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that local law enforcement was investigating.&nbsp;&quot;Late last night, a trespasser breached airport security at Denver Int&#39;l Airport, deliberately scaled a perimeter fence, and ran out onto a runway&quot; and was struck by the plane &quot;during takeoff at a high speed,&quot; Duffy said in a post on X.&nbsp;&quot;No one should EVER trespass on an airport,&quot; Duffy wrote.&nbsp;The airport has examined the fence line and found it to be intact, it said.&nbsp;&quot;We&#39;re stopping on the runway, we just hit somebody, we have an engine fire... There was an individual walking across the runway,&quot; a pilot told air traffic controllers, according to audio from ATC.com.&nbsp;The Denver Fire Department said that a brief engine fire was extinguished after the incident.&nbsp;The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified and runway 17L at Denver International Airport will remain closed during the investigation.&nbsp;&quot;We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities,&quot; Frontier Airlines said. &quot;We are deeply saddened by this event.&quot;

Americas

A pedestrian who jumped a perimeter fence at Denver airport was struck and killed by a Frontier Airlines plane during takeoff. The aircraft aborted departure, passengers had minor injuries, and authorities are investigating the incident.

Plane hits and kills pedestrian during takeoff at Denver airport

Web Desk/AFP

A vessel is seen in the Gulf, off the coast of the Sharjah on May 9, 2026. Iran questioned the seriousness of American diplomacy on May 9, in the wake of renewed naval clashes in the Gulf, while keeping Washington waiting for a response to its latest nego

Middle East

Army official Mohammad Akraminia tells IRNA that countries that comply with the United States by imposing sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran will certainly face difficulties crossing the strait.

LIVE: Iran army says countries siding with US to 'face difficulties' in Hormuz

MANCHESTER: Manchester City kept their slender Premier League title hopes alive as Jeremy Doku inspired a 3-0 win against Brentford on Saturday.&nbsp;Pep Guardiola&#39;s side struggled to prise open Brentford for almost an hour at the Etihad Stadium.&nbsp;But Doku&#39;s latest dazzling strike broke the deadlock before Erling Haaland bagged his 26th league goal this season.&nbsp;Omar Marmoush wrapped up an essential City victory in stoppage-time.&nbsp;City closed to two points behind leaders Arsenal, putting pressure back on Mikel Arteta&#39;s team to win at third-bottom West Ham on Sunday.&nbsp;After their damaging 3-3 draw at Everton on Monday put the destiny of the title in Arsenal&#39;s hands, City did their bit to prolong the drama.&nbsp;City will have a game in hand on Arsenal after this weekend, but the Gunners are guaranteed to clinch the title for the first time in 22 years if they win their remaining matches against West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace.&nbsp;Guardiola&#39;s men host Palace on Wednesday before turning their attention to the FA Cup final against Chelsea on May 16.&nbsp;Foreshadowing his match-winning contribution, City winger Doku forced an early save from Caoimhin Kelleher.&nbsp;But &nbsp;Gianluigi Donnarumma almost gifted Brentford a goal when Michael Kayode&#39;s long throw was scrambled off the line after the City keeper made a hash of his attempt to catch the ball.&nbsp;Donnarumma&#39;s lackadaisical effort was in keeping with City&#39;s laboured attempts to take control.&nbsp;Haaland wastefully headed high and wide when Doku&#39;s cross picked out the striker just six yards from goal.&nbsp;When Haaland met Doku&#39;s cutback with a close-range blast, Kelleher repelled it before Nathan Ake failed to convert the rebound to groans from City&#39;s frustrated fans.&nbsp;Bernardo Silva escaped with a booking after the City midfielder lashed out at Nathan Collins.&nbsp;City were equally lethargic at the start of the second half and Donnarumma had to save Igor Thiago&#39;s low drive.&nbsp;Guardiola sent on Marmoush and Phil Foden in a bid to spark City into life and the move paid instant dividends.&nbsp;Doku had scored twice with a eye-catching curlers against Everton and he repeated the trick to end Brentford&#39;s resistance in the 60th minute.&nbsp;Seizing the rebound after his initial effort was blocked, Doku whipped a superb strike into the top corner from the left-hand side of the penalty area.&nbsp;Doku&#39;s fourth goal in his last three games was nearly followed by one for Foden, but Kelleher was equal to his close-range shot.&nbsp;City were still vulnerable at the back and Kevin Schade appealed in vain for a penalty after contact from Matheus Nunes.&nbsp;Haaland settled City&#39;s fraying nerves in the 75th minute, back-heeling in from close-range after his first effort was blocked from Antoine Semenyo&#39;s cross.&nbsp;Marmoush bolstered City&#39;s goal difference, which is now just one less than Arsenal&#39;s, with a composed finish from inside the area in the final seconds.

Football

Manchester City beat Brentford 3-0 with goals from Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush, keeping title hopes alive and closing gap to two points behind leaders Arsenal after a strong second-half performance win match.

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