JALALABAD: A truck overturned in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, killing 18 people on board including 10 children, a provincial official told AFP. Deadly traffic crashes are common in Afghanistan, due in part to poor roads after decades of conflict, dangerous driving and a lack of regulation. &quot;Eighteen people (have died), including 10 children, five women and three men. In addition, 29 people have been injured,&quot; according to Abdul Malik Niazay, spokesperson for the governor of Laghman province. The accident happened on the road between Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan and capital Kabul.

Afghanistan

Deadly traffic crashes are common in Afghanistan, due in part to poor roads after decades of conflict, dangerous driving and a lack of regulation.

Truck accident kills 18 in Afghanistan

BEIJING: China&#39;s top diplomat said during a trip to Ottawa that high-level political and security talks with Canada would resume, Beijing&#39;s foreign ministry said on Saturday, in a further sign of improving ties. The relationship has warmed in recent months even as Ottawa&#39;s ties with traditional ally Washington have soured following Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney&#39;s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in January.&nbsp;&lsquo;Fully restored&rsquo;Wang Yi&#39;s short visit to Canada, which began on Thursday, was the first by a Chinese foreign minister in a decade. &quot;Bilateral relations have set sail anew, exchanges and cooperation across all fields have been fully restored and the major economic and trade concerns of both sides have been properly addressed,&quot; Wang told his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.&nbsp;High-level dialogue&quot;The two sides agreed... to resume consultations on political and security issues at the foreign ministry level, as well as high-level dialogue on national security and the rule of law,&quot; the statement said. Beijing lowered some duties on Canadian goods this year, while Ottawa agreed to import tens of thousands of Chinese electric vehicles under preferential tariffs.&nbsp;$90B bilateral trade&nbsp;According to China&#39;s foreign ministry, Anand told Wang that Canada was &quot;looking forward to increasing exports to China by 50% before 2030&quot;. Bilateral trade between the countries reached nearly $90 billion in 2025, up 4.9% year-on-year, according to analysis by the University of Alberta, as Canadian exports to China surged by 13.8%.

China

Beijing lowered some duties on Canadian goods this year, while Ottawa agreed to import tens of thousands of Chinese electric vehicles under preferential tariffs.

China's top diplomat says Canada ties 'fully restored'

WASHINGTON:&nbsp;US President Donald Trump&#39;s doctor said he was in &quot;excellent health&quot; but advised him to lose weight, according to a memo released Friday after the 79-year-old underwent a routine medical check. &quot;President Trump remains in excellent health, demonstrating strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and overall physical function,&quot; said <a href="https://pakistantv.com/article/trump-declares-himself-in-perfect-health-as-80th-birthday-looms" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trump&#39;s doctor</a>, US Navy Captain Sean Barbabella. &quot;Preventative counseling was provided, including guidance on diet, recommendation to take a low-dose aspirin, increased physical activity, and continued weight loss.&quot;&nbsp;&lsquo;Fully fit&rsquo;The three-page memo provides an overview of Trump&#39;s physical examination and diagnostic testing conducted at Walter Reed Medical Hospital near Washington on Tuesday. Barbabella said Trump was &quot;fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.&quot; Trump, who turns 80 next month, is on three medications, two of which are designated for cholesterol control and the third being aspirin for &quot;cardiac prevention.&quot; Standing at six foot three inches (191 cm) tall, Trump&#39;s weight increased to 238 pounds (108 kilograms) from his publicly released weight of 224 pounds (101.6 kilograms) from his last full annual medical in April last year.&nbsp;&lsquo;PERFECTLY&rsquo;The check-up was Trump&#39;s third medical examination since returning to office last year and follows mounting speculation about health issues, including bruising on his hands and apparent sleepiness during meetings. &quot;Examination of the dorsal hands revealed ecchymosis (bruising), consistent with minor soft tissue irritation related to frequent handshaking in the setting of aspirin use for cardiovascular prevention,&quot; the memo said regarding Trump&#39;s bruised hands. Trump for his part said the exam went &quot;PERFECTLY&quot; in a post on his Truth Social platform shortly after the appointment.

Americas

‘President Trump remains in excellent health, demonstrating strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and overall physical function,’ said Trump's doctor, US Navy Captain Sean Barbabella.

Trump 'in excellent health' but should lose weight: Presidential physician

ASTANA: Armenia should hold a referendum on EU membership &quot;as soon as possible&quot;, President Vladimir Putin and three Russian-allied leaders said in a statement Friday, escalating pressure on Yerevan over its deepening ties with Brussels. Armenia is formally allied with Moscow, but has been building ties with the European Union for years amid frustration over Russia&#39;s perceived failure to protect it during conflicts with neighbouring Azerbaijan. The Caucasus country froze its security ties with Moscow in 2024, and last year passed a law declaring its intention to seek EU membership, further angering Russia. Armenia is still a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, the Russian-led customs union. Putin said it was time for Armenia to choose between the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union, insisting it was &ldquo;impossible to reconcile the two&rdquo;. &quot;Prime Minister (Nikol) Pashinyan himself said that he considers it right to hold a referendum on this issue, on where Armenia should position itself: in the Eurasian Union or in the European Union. We would like this to be done as soon as possible,&quot; Putin said at a press conference in Kazakhstan, where he was attending a summit. In a joint statement issued earlier at the summit, Putin and the leaders of Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan warned Armenia&#39;s moves to join the EU posed &quot;significant risks&quot; to the economy of Eurasian Economic Union member states. &quot;We share the position on the need to hold a national referendum in the Republic of Armenia as soon as possible on joining the European Union or remaining part of the Eurasian Economic Union,&quot; the statement said. Armenia did not immediately comment on the move. &ldquo;Whatever decisions are made, this will not damage our humanitarian ties, it will not damage our political ties,&rdquo; Putin said. Under Pashinyan, Armenia has formally pursued a strategy of what he calls &quot;diversification&quot;, in which the landlocked country pursues ties with both Russia and the West.

Europe

Central Asia

Russia and three allied states urge Armenia to hold a referendum on EU membership, arguing it must choose between closer integration with Europe or remaining in the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union.

Armenia should hold EU referendum soon, Putin and allies say

ACCRA, Ghana: Ghana&#39;s parliament on Friday approved an anti-LGBTQ law which is now awaiting ratification by President John Mahama. The law on sexual rights and family values imposes a penalty of up to three years&#39; jail for people who engage in homosexual relations, and between three and five years for the promotion, sponsorship or intentional support of LGBT+ activities. The bill was passed unanimously by parliament in 2024 but former president Nana Akufo-Addo did not sign it. Under Ghana&#39;s constitution, draft legislation not signed by the president before the end of a parliamentary term automatically lapses and must be passed again by the new parliament. The law approved Friday retains the previous bill&#39;s core provisions but includes exemptions for legal, media and healthcare professionals. Same-sex relationships are prohibited in Ghana by a law dating from the British colonial era but there have been no prosecutions to date. Human rights groups and several international organisations have condemned the bill. In February 2025, Mahama said: &quot;I believe in the principles and values that only two genders exist -- man and woman. And that marriage is between a man and a woman.&quot;

Africa

Ghana parliament approves an anti-LGBTQ law imposing prison terms for same-sex relations and support of LGBT activities, with the legislation now awaiting ratification by John Mahama.

Ghana parliament approves 'anti-LGBTQ' law

Web Desk

Middle East

US sources had told AFP the deal was waiting on Trump's sign-off, but the president had made no decision after a two-hour meeting in the White House Situation Room on Friday in Washington.

US warns capable of resuming war with Iran as deal remains elusive

ANTALYA: Iran will have an answer from US authorities over their World Cup visa applications &quot;this week&quot;, their football federation vice-president Mehdi Mohammad Nabi said on Friday. The Iranian World Cup squad will be based in Mexico during the tournament in North America, but all three of their group stage matches are due to be held in the United States. The two countries have been at war since the US and Israel began bombing Iran at the end of February, although currently a fragile ceasefire is being observed. The war has led to uncertainty over whether or not Iran&#39;s footballers would receive visas to play at the tournament in the US. &quot;We have sent an email to the FIFA asking about the status of the visas... and FIFA replied to us that the results would be communicated this week,&quot; Nabi said through an interpreter after Iran beat Gambia 3-1 in a World Cup warm-up match in Turkey. Iran will play another friendly against Mali in Antalya next Thursday and begin their World Cup campaign against New Zealand on June 16 in Los Angeles. They will play further group matches against Belgium, also in LA, and Egypt in Seattle.

Football

Iran says it expects a response this week on US World Cup visa applications for its football squad, whose group-stage matches are scheduled in the United States despite ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Iran expect to hear about US World Cup visas this week

PARIS: Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca knocked Novak Djokovic out in the third round of the French Open on Friday to scupper the Serbian great&#39;s latest quest for a record 25th Grand Slam. The 19-year-old Fonseca rallied from two sets down for the second straight match to stun Djokovic with a phenomenal display of power-hitting. Fonseca triumphed 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 after four hours and 53 minutes to make it through to the last 16 of a major for the first time. Asked how he kept believing after falling behind, Fonseca replied: &quot;I actually didn&#39;t. &quot;I just kept playing. I just enjoyed being on court. What a pleasure it was stepping on court with him (Djokovic) for the first time. &quot;I was trying to hit the ball as fast as I could. Djokovic, he does not miss.&quot; Fonseca will next play two-time Roland Garros runner-up Casper Ruud or American 24th seed Tommy Paul. Djokovic&#39;s exit comes a day after the shock elimination of world number one and red-hot title favourite Jannik Sinner. It means there will be a first-time men&#39;s Grand Slam champion this year at the French Open, ending a run of nine successive majors won by Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz. &quot;What an incredible match to be part of,&quot; said Djokovic. &quot;Huge credit to Joao for really deserving to win the match. Without a doubt he was the better player in crucial moments.&quot; Djokovic has been stuck on 24 majors since the 2023 US Open and may not get a better chance to add to that haul. Two-time defending champion Alcaraz was already absent in Paris due to injury. &quot;You just have to say well done and congratulate him. He played lights-out tennis,&quot; Djokovic said of Fonseca. &quot;I don&#39;t think I&#39;ve done much wrong with my game. He was just better.&quot; Alexander Zverev, a three-time Grand Slam finalist, is best placed to capitalise on the wide open draw. The second seed plays Frenchman Quentin Halys in the night session. Swiatek and Andreeva move onIga Swiatek booked her place in the last 16 of the women&#39;s draw with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Magda Linette in an all-Polish affair. Four-time women&#39;s champion Swiatek dug herself out of an early 2-0 hole against the 35th-ranked Linette, who won their most recent meeting at Miami in March. Swiatek broke three times in the opening set to nose ahead, and then surged into a 4-1 lead in the second set. She overcame a stumble as she tried to close it out, before sealing victory to set up an intriguing match-up with the in-form Marta Kostyuk. &quot;It was a good match. I played much better than Miami,&quot; said Swiatek, who moved to appoint Francisco Roig, a longtime coach of Rafael Nadal, in the wake of her loss to Linette two months ago. Kostyuk, the 15th seed, continued her fine run with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Switzerland&#39;s Viktorija Golubic. She is unbeaten in 15 matches on clay this season following titles in Madrid and Rouen. &quot;Marta is having a great season. She always had a game to play well,&quot; said Swiatek. &quot;So good for her. But I&#39;m going to focus on myself, prepare tactically, as before any other match, and we&#39;ll see.&quot; Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva swept into the last 16 with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Czech 27th seed Marie Bouzkova. The eighth-seeded Andreeva goes on to face Swiss world number 170 Jil Teichmann, who knocked out former French Open runner-up Karolina Muchova. Elina Svitolina extended her winning run to nine matches, easing into the second week with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Tamara Korpatsch. Svitolina, who ended an eight-year wait for another WTA 1000 title in Rome, meets Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic or American Peyton Stearns for a place in the quarter-finals. Romanian 18th seed Sorana Cirstea demolished Argentina&#39;s Solara Sierra 6-0, 6-0.

Tennis

Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca stunned Novak Djokovic in five sets at the French Open, ending Djokovic’s bid for a 25th Grand Slam and guaranteeing a first-time men’s champion in Paris.

Fonseca blasts Djokovic out of French Open after epic comeback

ISLAMABAD: US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio acknowledged Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic and mediation efforts in the Middle East during talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday, as the two sides agreed to deepen cooperation in trade, security, and counter-terrorism.&nbsp;The meeting marked one of the highest-level engagements between Islamabad and Washington since Pakistan helped facilitate negotiations between the United States and Iran and came amid ongoing efforts to preserve the US-Iran ceasefire framework and advance a broader regional peace agreement.&nbsp;According to Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office, Dar and Rubio welcomed the positive trajectory of Pakistan-US relations over the past year and discussed a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues.&nbsp; <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; 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including his support for the US-Iran ceasefire and the dispatch of a high-level American delegation led by Vice President JD Vance to Pakistan for the Islamabad peace talks.&nbsp;The Foreign Office said Rubio acknowledged Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;diplomatic and mediatory efforts&rdquo; and commended the close engagement and continued coordination between Pakistan&rsquo;s leadership and the US administration.&nbsp;&nbsp;Dar said Pakistan&rsquo;s continued efforts for peace and stability, backed by friendly countries, would yield positive results.&nbsp;In a statement released after the meeting, the US State Department said Rubio thanked Pakistan for the &ldquo;constructive role&rdquo; it continues to play in advancing President Trump&rsquo;s vision for peace in the Middle East and for its mediation efforts with Iran.&nbsp; <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; text-align: left; 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and that both sides agreed on the importance of strengthening &ldquo;a meaningful partnership for better security and more prosperity for our two nations.&rdquo; <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; text-align: left; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 728px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=2060392000067625078&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=390663f160f49a66f67f8a79ba1dd8268e8e51f0&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;The discussions also focused on regional security challenges.&nbsp;&nbsp;According to the Foreign Office, Dar conveyed Pakistan&rsquo;s concerns regarding the use of Afghan territory by terrorist groups carrying out attacks inside Pakistan and stressed the need for enhanced counter-terrorism cooperation.&nbsp;The foreign minister also appreciated the role played by Trump and Rubio in helping de-escalate tensions between Pakistan and India last year and preventing a broader conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.&nbsp;Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Dar described his talks with Rubio as &ldquo;a very comprehensive meeting,&rdquo; covering bilateral relations, trade, investment, energy cooperation and regional developments.&nbsp;&nbsp;He revealed that Pakistan had proposed reviving the Pakistan-US High-Level Strategic Dialogue, a framework that has remained dormant for nearly a decade, and said the proposal received a positive response.&nbsp;Dar said Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic engagement throughout the Middle East crisis had been driven by a desire to prevent further escalation, restore regional stability and minimize the humanitarian and economic consequences of the conflict.&nbsp;&nbsp;He noted that disruptions to global energy supplies and maritime trade had affected economies worldwide and said Islamabad had maintained active contacts with Washington, Tehran, Beijing, Riyadh, Ankara and other capitals throughout the crisis.&nbsp;The two sides agreed to continue working together to strengthen a Pakistan-US partnership anchored in high-level engagement and shared interests in regional peace, security and economic prosperity.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is meeting US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio in Washington on Friday as Islamabad and Washington continue diplomatic engagement on regional peace, security and bilateral cooperation

Rubio acknowledges Pakistan mediation efforts during Washington talks

ISLAMABAD: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s long-standing effort to diplomatically isolate Pakistan has yielded the opposite result, with Islamabad emerging as an increasingly influential geopolitical and diplomatic actor, according to a report by Al Jazeera.&nbsp;The report recalled that in September 2016, following the Uri attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir, Modi publicly vowed to isolate Pakistan internationally.&nbsp;&nbsp;Addressing a rally in the southwestern state of Kerala, he said India would intensify efforts to ensure Pakistan remained isolated on the world stage.&nbsp;Nearly a decade later, however, Al Jazeera noted that Pakistan has strengthened ties with major global powers, including China and the United States, while expanding its diplomatic role in regional and international affairs.&nbsp;The report highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s growing engagement with the administration of US President Donald Trump, noting that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir both visited the White House over the past year.&nbsp;According to Al Jazeera, Pakistan has also emerged as an important diplomatic interlocutor between Washington and Tehran amid continuing regional tensions, further enhancing Islamabad&rsquo;s international relevance.&nbsp;The report pointed to the May 2025 military confrontation between Pakistan and India as another moment that elevated Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic profile.&nbsp;During the conflict, US President Donald Trump publicly announced a ceasefire between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.&nbsp;&nbsp;Pakistan promptly acknowledged Washington&rsquo;s role in securing the truce, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanking Trump for his &ldquo;leadership and proactive role.&rdquo;&nbsp;Islamabad later nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, a move that, according to the report, further strengthened ties between Pakistan and the United States.&nbsp;In contrast, Al Jazeera noted that New Delhi resisted acknowledging third-party mediation and maintained that the ceasefire resulted solely from bilateral military communication.&nbsp;&nbsp;Trump, however, repeatedly asserted that the United States had brokered the truce and claimed his administration had helped avert a potentially wider conflict in South Asia.&nbsp;The report said Pakistan also gained an advantage in shaping international perceptions during the crisis.&nbsp;Analysts cited by Al Jazeera argued that India failed to present convincing evidence linking Pakistan to the Pahalgam attack that triggered the escalation.&nbsp;Michael Kugelman of the Atlantic Council told Al Jazeera that Pakistan appeared to have won &ldquo;the global battle of narratives.&rdquo;&nbsp;The report further noted that Pakistan&rsquo;s military performance during the confrontation attracted significant international attention, particularly Islamabad&rsquo;s claims regarding the downing of multiple Indian fighter aircraft, including Rafale jets.&nbsp;According to Al Jazeera, India&rsquo;s delayed acknowledgment of aircraft losses reinforced perceptions that Pakistan had effectively held its ground militarily against a much larger adversary.&nbsp;On the diplomatic front, the report highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s deepening strategic partnership with China.&nbsp;During PM Sharif&rsquo;s recent visit to Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping described relations between the two countries as &ldquo;unbreakable,&rdquo; underscoring what the report characterized as the enduring strength of bilateral ties.&nbsp;Al Jazeera also pointed to Pakistan&rsquo;s expanding engagement with regional countries, including Bangladesh following political changes in Dhaka, while noting that India&rsquo;s regional diplomacy has faced challenges amid the continued paralysis of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).&nbsp;Analysts cited in the report argued that New Delhi&rsquo;s approach toward Pakistan had undermined prospects for broader regional integration in South Asia.&nbsp;Former Pakistani envoy Masood Khan told Al Jazeera that Pakistan&rsquo;s recent diplomatic gains in Washington were the result of &ldquo;astute diplomacy,&rdquo; particularly in the aftermath of the May 2025 conflict.&nbsp;The report concluded that despite years of Indian efforts to isolate Pakistan through international forums and counterterrorism narratives, shifting geopolitical realities have repositioned Islamabad as an increasingly important regional actor with growing influence in Washington, Beijing, and wider international diplomacy.

India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s long-standing effort to diplomatically isolate Pakistan has yielded the opposite result, with Islamabad emerging as an increasingly influential geopolitical and diplomatic actor, according to a report by Al Jazeera

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