WASHINGTON: The United States on Friday announced the approval of a $1.5 billion sale of MH-60R helicopters and related equipment to New Zealand. &quot;The proposed sale will improve New Zealand&#39;s capability to meet current and future warfare threats by providing greater security for its critical infrastructure,&quot; the US State Department said in a statement. &quot;New Zealand will use the enhanced capability to strengthen its homeland defense,&quot; it added. The State Department said in a separate statement that it had approved a $69 million sale of MK 54 torpedoes to New Zealand. The State Department has notified Congress about the proposed sales, which still need to be approved by lawmakers.

The hearing was held to examine the State Department's budget request for fiscal year 2027. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Kevin Dietsch / NORTH AMERICA / AFP)

Australasia

The United States Department of State confirms the approval of a $1.5 billion sale of MH-60R helicopters and related equipment to New Zealand.

US approves $1.5B sale of helicopters to New Zealand

SYDNEY: Wildlife officers have busted an illegal cockroach-breeding operation in rural Australia, seizing a skin-crawling haul worth more than $100,000 on the black market for exotic bugs. More than 100,000 contraband cockroaches were found in a raid on a commercial breeder in the town of Bathurst, west of Sydney, Australia&#39;s environment department said on Friday. They found Madagascar &quot;hissing&quot; cockroaches, a bulky insect named for its noisy defense mechanism, and dubia cockroaches, an invasive critter bred as a snack for pet lizards. Madagascar cockroaches Photos showed one of the seized Madagascar cockroaches was almost big enough to completely cover the palm of an adult hand. &quot;We take our job protecting Australia&#39;s unique biodiversity and breaches of national environment law very seriously,&quot; an environment department spokesman said. &quot;We&#39;re seeing illegal breeding and trading of exotic cockroaches and we&#39;re putting pet businesses and pet owners on notice.&quot; The department said the illicit insects had an estimated value of US$140,000 (Aus$200,000). Officials now have the unenviable task of euthanizing the creepy-crawlies, an insect so hardy it spawned an urban legend they could survive a nuclear blast.

Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW) shows some of the 100,000 contraband cockroaches found in a raid on a commercial breeder in the town of Bathurst, west of Sydney. (Photo: AFP)

Officials now have the unenviable task of euthanizing the creepy-crawlies, an insect so hardy it spawned an urban legend they could survive a nuclear blast.

Australia seizes 100,000 cockroaches in bug-breeder bust

SYDNEY: A Sydney man credited with saving dozens of lives during last year&#39;s deadly mass shooting on Bondi Beach has been charged with assaulting his father, local media and police said Thursday. Ahmed al Ahmed shot to fame in December when he wrested a gun from one of the attackers during Australia&#39;s deadliest attack in decades. Local media including national broadcaster ABC said Ahmed, 44, had been charged after allegedly assaulting his father. Asked to confirm the reporting, New South Wales police told AFP: &quot;On Sunday 15 March 2026 police received a report of an alleged assault at a home in Bankstown on Monday 9 March 2026.&quot; They added that a 44-year-old man had then been charged this week with assault and stalking. He will face court on June 29, police said. Australian police as a rule do not identify individuals charged with crimes to the media. Ahmed was widely hailed as a hero for his actions during the shooting, in which 15 people were killed and dozens wounded in what authorities have described as an antisemitic terrorist attack. He met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and a fundraiser set up for him raised over $1 million. Last month, his two brothers faced court in Sydney over allegations they had attempted to pressure Al Ahmed into handing over some of that money, local media said.

A Sydney man credited with saving dozens of lives during last year's deadly mass shooting on Bondi Beach has been charged with assaulting his father, local media and police said Thursday

Bondi Beach attack hero charged with assaulting father: Media

SYDNEY: A passenger from the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius cruise ship is in quarantine on tiny Pitcairn Island, a volcanic outcrop in the South Pacific famously settled by mutineers from the HMS Bounty. The woman, a US citizen, journeyed halfway across the globe to reach remote Pitcairn Island after disembarking the cruise ship in Saint Helena, authorities said. &quot;We can confirm that someone who had contact with a hantavirus-exposed individual is currently isolating on Pitcairn Island, showing no signs of illness,&quot; said a Pitcairn government spokesman. &quot;We are working closely with the health authorities and the UK Government to manage the situation. The wellbeing of our community remains the top priority.&quot; It was not clear how long the woman might be stuck on Pitcairn Island or how she will be isolated from the around 50 people who call the British territory home. Pitcairn Islanders contacted by AFP said they had been advised against speaking with journalists and should pass all questions on to government officials. It was no small effort for the jet-setting American to reach Pitcairn Island, which bills itself as a &quot;must see for adventurous travellers seeking truly remote horizons&quot;. She first flew from San Francisco to Tahiti and then onwards to the isle of Mangareva in outer French Polynesia. From Mangareva most tourists reach Pitcairn by hitching a 32-hour ride on one of the cargo ships that shuttle back and forth every few days. The government of French Polynesia said she had done all this without telling authorities of her possible exposure to hantavirus. She will not be allowed to leave the island as long as she &quot;poses a risk to others&quot;, the government said in a statement earlier this week. The UK government -- which counts Pitcairn as an overseas territory -- said the woman was not symptomatic, but it was still taking a &quot;precautionary approach&quot;. There is only one grocery store on Pitcairn Island, which typically opens three times a week. The nearest hospitals are in French Polynesia, some 1,350 miles (2,170 kilometres) to the northwest, or New Zealand, about 5,300 kilometres (3,300 miles) southwest. Three people died after the rare rat-borne hantavirus spread through passengers holidaying on the MV Hondius cruise ship, sparking a global health scare. Health authorities have repeatedly emphasised that the broader risk to public health from the outbreak of the Andes strain of hantavirus &nbsp;the only one known to spread between people is low. Globally, the death toll remains at three. No vaccines or specific treatments exist, but health officials have said the risk is low and have dismissed comparisons to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Pitcairn Islands were colonised in 1790 by the mutinous crew of the Royal Navy ship HMS Bounty, led by the master&#39;s mate Fletcher Christian. Their actions, casting adrift the ship&#39;s captain William Bligh, have been immortalised in books and film. Pitcairn&#39;s people are descended from the mutineers and their Tahitian companions.

Independent CONICET researcher and National University of Cordoba associate professor Raul Gonzalez Ittig holds a preserved specimen of a Graomys chacoensis rodent inside the Population Genetics and Evolution Laboratory of the Institute of Diversity and A

A US woman exposed to hantavirus from the MV Hondius cruise ship is quarantined on remote Pitcairn Island, raising concerns among its tiny isolated community.

Passenger from hantavirus cruise quarantines on remote Pitcairn Island

WELLINGTON: White supremacist killer Brenton Tarrant lost on Thursday an appeal seeking to overturn his conviction and sentence for shooting dead 51 people at two New Zealand mosques in 2019, court documents showed. The 35-year-old admitted to carrying out New Zealand&#39;s deadliest modern day mass shooting before being sentenced to life in prison in August 2020. He appealed to the Court of Appeal in February, saying &quot;torturous and inhumane&quot; detention conditions during his trial made him incapable of making rational decisions when he pleaded guilty. &quot;I did not have the mind frame or mental health required to be making informed decisions at that time,&quot; Tarrant said at the time. The panel of three judges said the court &quot;does not accept Mr Tarrant&#39;s evidence about his mental state.&quot; &quot;There were inconsistencies in Mr Tarrant&#39;s own evidence, and his evidence is at odds with the detailed observations of prison authorities and the assessments of mental health professionals at the time of him entering his pleas.&quot; The judges found Tarrant&#39;s guilty pleas were voluntary and &quot;he was not coerced or pressured in any way to plead guilty&quot;. &quot;The evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that he was not suffering any significant psychological impacts as a result of his prison conditions at the time he pleaded guilty,&quot; the court said. The court said Tarrant&#39;s &quot;proposed conviction appeal is utterly devoid of merit&quot;. &quot;The facts concerning Mr Tarrant&#39;s offending are beyond dispute. He has not identified any arguable defense, or indeed any defense known to the law.&quot; &#39;Huge relief&#39;&nbsp; Tarrant&#39;s penalty of life imprisonment without parole was the stiffest in New Zealand history. Armed with an arsenal of semi-automatic weapons, Tarrant attacked worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch on March 15, 2019. He published an online manifesto before the attacks and then livestreamed the killings for 17 minutes. His victims were all Muslim and included children, women and the elderly. The court&#39;s decision was complicated one week after Tarrant&#39;s February hearing when he sought to abandon his appeal entirely. The judges said the court received a notice of abandonment of appeal signed by Tarrant using a &quot;self-styled moniker&quot; but the document was thrown out because it was not dated or witnessed. Tarrant filed a second notice later that week, again using a pseudonym, which was dated and witnessed. He said he &quot;no longer wishes to have a lawyer&quot; and the appeal should not continue as &quot;it would likely lead to a miscarriage of justice&quot;. Lawyers acting for the survivors and families of victims told national broadcaster RNZ the decision had been a &quot;huge relief&quot;. &quot;The law has now done its job,&quot; they said. &quot;The families, and frankly all of us, will be spared the trauma of reliving the 15th of March all over again in a trial. &quot;It is a huge relief that the difficult and often unsupported journey families are on will not now be added to by the great burden of a new trial. It would have been unimaginably traumatic.&quot;

Brenton Tarrant (C), the man charged in relation to the Christchurch massacre, stands in the dock during his appearance at the Christchurch District Court.

The court rejected Brenton Tarrant’s appeal, upholding his life sentence without parole for the 2019 New Zealand mosque attacks.

New Zealand mosque killer loses bid to overturn convictions 

SYDNEY: A woman will command Australia&#39;s army for the first time since its founding 125 years ago, Defence Minister Richard Marles said Monday as he unveiled the &quot;deeply historic&quot; appointment. Lieutenant general Susan Coyle was named Australia&#39;s Chief of Army following a three-decade career during which she has served in the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and the Middle East. &quot;Her achievement means that she will be the first woman to command a service in Australian history,&quot; Marles told reporters. &quot;And it is a deeply historic moment. As Susan said to me, you cannot be what you cannot see.&quot; Australia&#39;s army is in the throes of a major transformation, equipping itself with long-range firepower, drones and other modern combat tools. Coyle stressed her experience in areas such as cyber-warfare. &quot;This breadth of experience provides a strong foundation for the responsibilities of command and the trust placed in me,&quot; she said.

This handout photo from the Australian Defence Force taken on July 4, 2024, shows Lieutenant general Susan Coyle reacting as she attends an official event in Canberra. Coyle will command Australia's army for the first time since its founding 125 years ago

Lieutenant general Susan Coyle was named Australia's Chief of Army following a three-decade career during which she has served in the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and the Middle East.

Australia names Susan Coyle first woman to lead army 

SYDNEY:&nbsp;One of Australia&#39;s most-decorated soldiers was charged Tuesday with murdering unarmed prisoners captured in Afghanistan, police said following a sweeping war crimes probe. A landmark military report in 2020 revealed grave allegations against Australian troops sent to fight Taliban forces, accusing elite units of torture, summary executions and &quot;body count&quot; competitions. Police levelled murder charges against former Special Air Service officer Ben Roberts-Smith, a distinguished soldier awarded Australia&#39;s highest military honor for his efforts fighting insurgents. Commissioner Krissy Barrett said the 47-year-old was allegedly complicit in a string of unlawful killings between 2009 and 2012. &quot;It will be alleged the victims were not taking part in hostilities at the time of their alleged murder in Afghanistan,&quot; she said. &quot;It will be alleged the victims were detained, unarmed, and were under the control of ADF members when they were killed,&quot; she added, referring to the Australian Defense Force. Court documents showed Roberts-Smith was charged with five counts of &quot;war crime - murder&quot;. They included one &quot;actual offence&quot;, one &quot;joint commission to an offence&quot;, and three counts of aiding or abetting a murder. Should Roberts-Smith be found guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. The towering soldier became a household name across Australia when he was awarded the Victoria Cross in 2011, a medal reserved for only the most courageous wartime exploits. &#39;Unlawful killings&#39;&nbsp; He met Queen Elizabeth II, had his portrait hung at the Australian War Museum, and was even honored as the nation&#39;s &quot;father of the year&quot;. But the war hero&#39;s reputation was called into question in 2018, when a series of news reports linked him to the alleged murder of unarmed Afghan prisoners by Australian troops. The soldier had allegedly kicked an unarmed Afghan civilian off a cliff and ordered subordinates to shoot him, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald reported. He was also said to have taken part in the machine-gunning of a man with a prosthetic limb which he later used as a drinking vessel with other soldiers. Roberts-Smith has staunchly maintained his innocence throughout, launching legal action against the newspapers who aired the allegations. But his efforts to sue The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald for slander would backfire, with a judge finding in 2023 many of the journalists&#39; claims were &quot;substantially true&quot;. Such civil trials carry a lower burden of proof than the criminal proceedings Roberts-Smith now faces. Australia deployed 39,000 troops to Afghanistan over two decades as part of US- and NATO-led operations against the Taliban and other militant groups. As Australian veterans returned home, their actions have come into sharp legal focus. Under growing pressure, the government appointed a special investigator to probe whether current and former soldiers should face criminal charges. The 2020 military report found special forces personnel &quot;unlawfully killed&quot; 39 Afghan civilians and prisoners. But investigations into the alleged crimes have been complicated by the Taliban authorities&#39; return to power and the lack of willing witnesses, and Roberts-Smith is only the second soldier to be charged.

This handout image taken and released on April 7, 2026 by the Australian Federal Police shows police arresting a 47-year-old former Australian soldier, who was widely named in local media as Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith, in Sydney.

A landmark military report in 2020 revealed grave allegations against Australian troops sent to fight Taliban forces, accusing elite units of torture, summary executions and 'body count' competitions.

Australian soldier charged for alleged war crimes in Afghanistan

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Indian students are among the most affected as international student visa rejections in Australia climbed to a 20-year high, reflecting tighter immigration controls, according to Australian media.&nbsp;Recent data showed refusal rates for student visas reached 32.5% in February, with Indian applicants facing around 40% rejection, Australian Financial Review reported.&nbsp;Even higher rejection rates were recorded for students from Nepal and Bangladesh, indicating a wider impact on South Asian applicants.&nbsp;The surge in refusals comes as Australia moves to curb migration levels amid domestic political pressure linked to housing shortages and population growth.&nbsp;Education sector representatives have raised concerns over policy inconsistency, saying universities are facing uncertainty after earlier signals of increased student intake.&nbsp;Analysts describe student visas as a key policy tool being used to manage migration flows.&nbsp;Australian officials, however, have defended the measures, maintaining that the country remains open to genuine students while strengthening checks to filter out non-serious applicants.&nbsp;Indian students are also facing similar<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indian-student-visa-rejections-soar-in-canada-us-amid-visa-fraud-surge" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer"> visa constraints in the United States</a> and Canada, where authorities have tightened scrutiny amid concerns over fraudulent applications and misuse of student visa pathways.&nbsp;According to media reports, Canada reduced international student permits for the second consecutive year in early 2025 as part of efforts to curb fraud and control temporary migration.&nbsp;Data showed that 74% of Indian student visa applications were rejected in August 2025, compared to 32% a year earlier, while only 24% of Chinese applications were turned down.&nbsp;The number of Indian applicants to Canada also declined sharply, dropping from 20,900 in August 2023 to 4,515 in August 2025, despite India remaining the top source of foreign students for more than a decade.

Indian students listen to Director of Partnerships and Pathways at KPU International Anita Hamm (L) at a Canadian education fair in Amritsar on September 16, 2015. (AFP/File)

Recent data shows refusal rates for student visas reached 32.5% in February, with Indian applicants facing around 40% rejection.


Indian students among hardest hit as visa curbs tighten in Australia

SYDNEY: Australia will halve a fuel tax to help motorists experiencing soaring petrol prices due to war in the Middle East, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Monday. Albanese announced the step after meeting with the leaders of Australia&#39;s states and territories on Monday, agreeing a plan to tackle fuel shortages as the war in the Middle East continues. Australia charges a sales tax of 52 cents on each litre of petrol sold at the pump, which will be halved for three months. The measure will cost the government $1.75 billion (Aus$2.55 billion), officials said. &quot;We are making fuel cheaper today because we understand that Australians are under serious pressure,&quot; Albanese said. Albanese&#39;s government has sought to reassure motorists that shipments of fuel continue to arrive in Australia, and petrol shortages in rural towns stem from panic buying and distribution bottlenecks. Victoria and Tasmania states have made travel on public transport free, and Albanese urged motorists nationally to do what they can to conserve petrol by driving less. &quot;The less fuel we use in the cities obviously the more we can redirect to regionals areas that are under pressure,&quot; he told reporters in Canberra. In New South Wales, state Premier Chris Minns said there were scores of petrol stations without any fuel, and the focus was on helping rural towns. &quot;If the situation gets worse, we will take extra measures,&quot; he said. Australia&#39;s national parliament on Monday introduced a bill to give powers to the government to underwrite the purchase of shiploads of fuel that will add to supply in Australia. Weekly data released by the government showed Australia has 39 days of petrol, a small increase on the previous week, and 30 days of diesel supply. The government will also reduce costs for trucks by cutting a heavy vehicle road user charge. The Fuel Check monitor showed average petrol prices had leapt from Aus$1.82 in February to Aus$2.48 on Monday in New South Wales, with diesel reaching Aus$3.&nbsp;

A car passes a sign displaying petrol prices at a petrol station in Sydney on March 30, 2026.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announces a temporary halving of Australia’s fuel tax to ease soaring petrol prices and shortages caused by the US-Israel war on Iran.

Australia to halve fuel tax in response to US-Israel war on Iran

GOLD COAST: Five players from Iran&rsquo;s visiting women&rsquo;s football team have claimed asylum in Australia, saying they feared punishment at home after refusing to sing the national anthem during a tournament match. Among those seeking protection is the team&rsquo;s captain, Zahra Ghanbari. The players reportedly slipped away from their hotel on Australia&rsquo;s Gold Coast late at night before approaching authorities for help. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the development on Tuesday, saying the athletes had been moved to a safe location and granted special visas on humanitarian grounds. &ldquo;Australians have been moved by the plight of these brave women. They&rsquo;re safe here, and they should feel at home here,&rdquo; Albanese said, adding that the media had shown restraint by delaying reports of the asylum request until the players were secure. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the government held several days of confidential discussions with the players before arranging their transfer to a safe house. He said the footballers were granted special visas after leaving the team hotel, and described an emotional moment when they celebrated after receiving confirmation of their protection status. The controversy began last week when members of Iran&rsquo;s women&rsquo;s team stood silent during the national anthem before a match against South Korea, a gesture widely interpreted as a sign of protest against the authorities in Iran. Pictures showed the players huddled around a table as Burke signed paperwork granting them special visas to stay in Australia on humanitarian grounds. The players broke out into chants of &quot;Aussie, Aussie, Aussie&quot;, Burke said, adding that the rest of the team would also be welcome to stay in the country if they wished. It was unclear whether the remaining players in the Iranian squad would fly home or when they might leave Australia. US President Trump was among the first to confirm five players were safely in the care of Australian officials, following a late-night call with Prime Minister Albanese. He had hours earlier urged Australia to do the right thing, saying it would be a &quot;terrible humanitarian mistake&quot; if the players were forced back to Iran. &#39;Wartime traitors&#39; A presenter on Iranian state TV branded the players &quot;wartime traitors&quot; after they stood motionless during the anthem before a match against South Korea last week. Although they sang the anthem, an ode to the glory of the Islamic Republic in later matches, human rights activists warned the damage was done. Politicians, human rights activists and even &quot;Harry Potter&quot; author J.K. Rowling had called for Australia to offer the side protection. Supporters gathered outside the stadium on the Gold Coast during the team&rsquo;s matches over the weekend, beating drums and chanting slogans in support of the players. It remains unclear whether the rest of the Iranian squad will return home or seek to remain in Australia. Authorities said other team members would also be welcome to stay if they wished.

This photo taken on March 8, 2026 shows Iranian players running towards their positions at the start of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 football match between Iran and the Philippines on the Gold Coast. (AFP)

Five members of Iran’s women’s football team sought asylum in Australia after refusing to sing the national anthem and facing backlash at home.

Five Iran women footballers take asylum in Australia 

JESSORE: Rice farmer Mohammad Ismail Hossain fears violence could blight his quiet fields in southwestern Bangladesh, on the front line of a growing Indian push to expel undocumented migrants. The countries share a porous 4,096-kilometre (2,500-mile) border, with communities on either side often so interwoven that crossings -- illegal or not -- are common. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has been stepping up deportations of illegal migrants to Bangladesh, a campaign that critics say unfairly targets Bengali-speaking Muslims. Rights groups say those efforts have gathered more momentum since Modi&#39;s Hindu-nationalist party won power in West Bengal state, which borders Bangladesh, for the first time last month. &quot;(India) says that those found to be Bangladeshi would be sent back after verifying their documents,&quot; Hossain, 66, told AFP at a tea stall in the border region of Khulna-Jessore. &quot;But no one seems to be verifying anything. They are pushing people in, left, right and centre,&quot; he said. Authorities say many people in the border region lack proper documents to prove their citizenship, mainly due to poverty, a lack of awareness, and a long history of informal movement. &quot;If the situation escalates, there could be a bigger conflict, with shots being fired... India, being the larger country, can forcefully do anything,&quot; said a worried Hossain. &nbsp;&#39;Infiltrators&#39;&nbsp;The borderland communities long predate the 1947 partition of British India, which delineated the frontier of the nation now called Bangladesh. Along some stretches, it is often difficult to distinguish one country from the other. Family networks straddle both sides. Some homes may even have their kitchen in Bangladesh and their courtyard in India. India has informally &quot;pushed back&quot; illegal migrants into Bangladesh for decades, but activists say the political changeover in West Bengal has boosted the deportation campaign. The state government has set up detention centers and claimed to have forced out nearly 5,000 &quot;Bangladeshi infiltrators&quot;. The escalation has riled Bangladesh, which is equally reluctant to absorb groups of people whose identities are not immediately clear. Bangladeshi border guards have increased patrols and issued warnings through loudspeakers that no one may enter without verification, Mahmudul Hasan, a regional commander, told AFP. &quot;We are willing to accept our citizens once their nationality has been verified by both countries, but we are not taking unidentified nationals,&quot; Hasan said. &quot;Rules must apply even to undocumented people.&quot; Since June 5, Bangladeshi guards have thwarted at least 35 attempts by India to force migrants over the border, a Bangladeshi spokesman told AFP. West Bengal police official Subrata Saha insisted Indian authorities were only handing over deportees &quot;after it is proved that they crossed the Indian border illegally and they are Bangladeshi nationals&quot;. Battered, bruised&nbsp;Meanwhile, many undocumented migrants remain in limbo, and humanitarian concerns are mounting. At a hospital in the city of Satkhira, Mohammad Mohiuddin lay recovering from injuries he says were inflicted by Indian guards as he was trying to wade across a lake into Bangladesh. &quot;They hit me in the eye with the butt of a rifle and shot me,&quot; he told AFP from his bed. &quot;I don&#39;t deserve such cruelty.&quot; A senior official from India&#39;s Border Security Force refused to comment when contacted by AFP. Women and children have reportedly spent days stranded along the &quot;zero line&quot; -- the narrow buffer zone separating Bangladesh from India -- relying on villagers for food and water. Viral videos show frightened families huddled near border fences while Indian and Bangladeshi personnel argue over who should take responsibility for them. Rights groups say the crisis exposes the gruelling poverty that drives many Bangladeshis to cross illegally. They also worry that India could arbitrarily decide to push Rohingya refugees, who are mainly Muslim, across the border. Bangladesh already hosts more than one million Rohingya refugees from neighboring Myanmar, a huge economic and social burden for one of the world&#39;s less-developed countries. Torn apart&nbsp;Many villagers do not see illegal border crossings as criminal because of the deep historical and family ties linking communities on both sides, said A.B.M. Mohid Hossain, who works with the non-profit Justice and Care. &quot;Some people cross in search of work because they have family members on the other side,&quot; he told AFP. For some families, the suffering continues long after they are detained. At least 20 Bangladeshi children were repatriated in May while their parents were jailed in India on charges of illegal entry, according to police and human rights groups. Among them was 14-year-old Sumi Khatun, who said she and her younger sister were separated from their family after being detained a year ago. Sumi, whose parents are Bangladeshi, says she was born in India but lacks the documents to prove that. &quot;They arrested us and separated my little sister and me from our mother and brother,&quot; she said. &quot;My father&#39;s grave is in Delhi, my mother and brother are in jails in different cities in India, and my sister and I are in Bangladesh,&quot; she said. Sumi said she no longer wants anything to do with the country where her family was torn apart. &quot;I will never go to India again... Just bring my mother and brother back so that we can all live together again.&quot;

This photograph taken on June 3, 2026 shows Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel patrolling near the Benapole-Petrapole frontier crossing between Bangladesh and India in Benapole (AFP)

India

Bangladesh

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has been stepping up deportations of illegal migrants to Bangladesh, a campaign that critics say unfairly targets Bengali-speaking Muslims; Rights groups say those efforts have gathered more momentum since Modi's Hindu-nationalist party won power in West Bengal state, which borders Bangladesh, for the first time last month.

India migrant evictions seed fear in Bangladesh border towns

ISLAMABAD: India&rsquo;s &quot;Cockroach Janta Party&quot; founder Abhijeet Dipke arrived at Lucknow airport on Friday to participate in a peaceful protest at Eco Garden against the Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.&nbsp; In a post on X, Dipke said he was traveling to the Uttar Pradesh capital after participating in what he described as two successful and peaceful protests in New Delhi and Pune. <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=2065095286754553911&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=c024945361eba3518781b87b0926dd27ab26d6ee&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 321px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> &quot;Will join the students there tomorrow to demand resignation of Education Minister,&quot; he wrote on Thursday. According to a post by his party, if local authorities denied permission for the demonstration, Dipke would personally approach police officials and request approval for the gathering. <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-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=2065236086230569226&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=c024945361eba3518781b87b0926dd27ab26d6ee&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 897px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div> The party held its first major street protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, calling for Pradhan&#39;s resignation over major exam irregularities, including question paper leaks and technical glitches. Within weeks, the movement has amassed more than 22 million followers on Instagram, making it one of the most prominent youth-driven online campaigns in India.

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke addresses his supporters during a protest over alleged irregularities in the country's major examinations, in New Delhi on June 6, 2026 (AFP).

Abhijeet Dipke says he will join a student-led protest in Lucknow to demand the education minister's resignation and approach the police himself if permission for the demonstration is denied.

India's 'Cockroach Party' founder arrives in Lucknow to join protest demanding minister's resignation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (Conversion) (Repeal) Bill, 2026, paving the way for PIA&#39;s privatization. According to the details, following the president&#39;s approval, the legal requirements necessary for the completion of the&nbsp;<a href="https://pakistantv.com/article/pia-nears-full-privatization-as-consortium-moves-for-remaining-stake" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">privatization</a>&nbsp;process of Pakistan International Airlines Company Limited have been fulfilled, said a post shared on&nbsp;<a href="https://pakistantv.com/article/from-18-to-60-aircraft-new-owners-unveil-pia-expansion-plan" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">President</a>&nbsp;of Pakistan&#39;s X handle on Friday.<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=2065282559559537061&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=08b9253216cdb53baaa53f1d414c3a108e4996d7&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 393px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>The bill was approved by the Senate of Pakistan on June 10, 2026, and by the National Assembly of Pakistan on June 11, 2026.

Economy

After the approval of the bill, the legal requirements necessary for the completion of the privatization process of Pakistan International Airlines Company Limited (PIACL) have been fulfilled, said a post shared on President of Pakistan's X handle on Friday.


Pakistan president approves law paving the way for PIA’s privatization

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif have reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to eliminating child labor, stressing that every child has the right to protection, education, and a safe future free from exploitation. In their separate messages, released in connection with the celebration of World Day Against Child Labor on Friday, the two leaders referred to Article 11 of the Constitution of Pakistan, which prohibits forced labor and exploitation of children. At the same time, Article 25-A guarantees free and compulsory education to all children. President Zardari, in his message, said child labor not only deprives children of their childhood but also damages their future and education.<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" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 921px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=2065149075553730881&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=6c5db4e6cd2d8e8ee9390e0d4c633e78823e05cd&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> He said steps are being taken at both federal and provincial levels to eliminate child labor, but added that effective implementation of laws is essential to protect vulnerable children from exploitation. The president said children trapped in exploitative labor must be brought back into schools and provided a safe and supportive environment. He also called on parents, teachers, religious leaders, civil society, and employers to play their role in protecting children and ensuring that no child is deprived of education.&ldquo;No one should be allowed to exploit children,&rdquo; the President said. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sharif, in his separate message released from the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office (PMO) in Islamabad, said that Pakistan joins the international community in reaffirming its commitment to protecting every child from exploitation and providing them opportunities for a brighter future through education. He went on to say that this year&rsquo;s theme, &ldquo;Red Card to Child Labor: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults,&rdquo; highlights the need for collective action against child labor. Citing International Labor Organization estimates, he said, &ldquo;nearly 138 million children worldwide remain engaged in child labor, including around 54 million in hazardous work.&rdquo; The prime minister said that Pakistan has ratified relevant ILO conventions on minimum age for employment and elimination of the worst forms of child labor. He added, &ldquo;The government is pursuing a comprehensive strategy focused on legal reforms, enforcement, social protection, education, and economic empowerment to address the root causes of child labor.&rdquo; Sharif said that institutions such as the National Commission on the Rights of Child, Child Protection Institute, provincial child protection bodies, and welfare bureaus are working to support vulnerable children.

Education

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to eliminate child labor, stressing constitutional protections, education, law enforcement, rehabilitation, and collective national action to protect children from exploitation.

President, PM reaffirm Pakistan’s commitment to ending child labor

BUSHBUCKRIDGE: In a remote South African village, Paulina Mhlongo sits in the yard as health workers in green protective gear move briskly through her home, soaking the walls with anti-mosquito insecticide. Her teenage grandson fell critically ill last year from malaria, the disease that kills more than a quarter of a million people annually and is surging in southern Africa as the climate shifts. Before this spraying, the family&#39;s &quot;only defense&quot; against malaria-carrying mosquitoes was a rattling fan, said Mhlongo, a 63-year-old retiree. Her village of Calcutta is in Mpumalanga, one of three provinces in South Africa&#39;s malaria belt experiencing changing rain patterns and rising temperatures that favor mosquito breeding. Heavy rains leave pools for eggs, while warmer temperatures speed up mosquito development and shorten the malaria parasite&#39;s incubation period. Malaria cases in Mpumalanga jumped fourfold in January compared with a year earlier, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). The upsurge jeopardises South Africa&#39;s goal of eliminating the disease by 2029. Gauteng the powerhouse province home to Johannesburg and Pretoria, and where malaria is not endemic logged more than 400 cases and 11 deaths in the first three months of 2026, according to the NICD. While most infections were imported into the province from known hotspots, these figures are &quot;concerning&quot; even if the disease is not being transmitted between people, the public health body said. Supercharging hotspotsHuman‑driven climate change has increased the likelihood and intensity of extreme weather, while the naturally occurring La Nina weather phenomenon brought above‑average rains to parts of southern Africa in early 2026, causing flooding that created more mosquito breeding sites, the group said. Namibia reported 8,760 cases in the first four weeks of 2026, a 68% increase from a year earlier. Flood-hit Mozambique recorded more than 1.35 million cases in the first six weeks of the year, up 55% alongside dozens of deaths. The outlook offers little reassurance as climate volatility deepens. The increase in malaria cases does not mean the disease is migrating, said Jantjie Taljaard, head of infectious diseases at Stellenbosch University. Instead, climate change is supercharging existing hotspots and lengthening transmission windows, fueling far more intense outbreaks. &quot;Rural environments and areas on the margins of established malaria risk areas are at highest risk,&quot; Taljaard said. The effects are being felt on the front line at Cunningmoore Clinic, where technicians Nicholas Skhumbane and Armstrong Mgiba swiftly process a steady stream of blood samples from surrounding villages. Working out of a threadbare laboratory, the two men, clad in white coats and latex gloves, move systematically from slide to slide. They add a drop of Giemsa stain -- a purplish-blue dye that reveals malaria parasites -- before placing each sample under a microscope. The results are returned just as quickly as at Tintswalo Hospital, a modern facility some 50 kilometers (30 miles) away. &nbsp;&#39;Even in winter&#39;&nbsp;For health officials, the shifting weather patterns are forcing a rethink of malaria planning beyond traditional hotspots and seasons. &quot;Climate change is a complex thing to deal with,&quot; said Sharon Lindiwe Nyoni, malaria program manager at the Mpumalanga department of health. &quot;When you plan as a department, you need to anticipate what is coming your way, but with climate change everything is just unfolding.&quot; The old assumption that malaria is confined to summer no longer holds, she warned. &quot;Even in winter, we continue to see transmission.&quot; It is not only local health systems that are coming under strain, experts say, but also intervention efforts. &quot;Flooding can mean we simply cannot reach communities to deliver control measures,&quot; virologist Edina Amponsah-Dacosta told AFP. Apart from heavy rains, extreme heat is a challenge as it can break the strict cold chain required before vaccines, which need refrigeration, ever reach remote clinics, she said. Despite the rising case numbers, health workers say that some locals remain skeptical about the safety of the insecticide spray and refuse to let health workers inside their homes. &quot;It is very painful to see someone dying of something that is preventable and again curable,&quot; Nyoni said. Back in Calcutta, Mhlongo waited outside as the sharp scent of insecticide drifted from her freshly sprayed nine-room house, which she shares with eight relatives. Empty beer cans littered the back of a nearby pickup truck propped on rocks -- a place the sprayers warned could harbor mosquitoes. &quot;I am happy because mosquitoes are a problem,&quot; Mhlongo said, serving the spray team a homemade snack of maize meal, sugar and groundnuts as a neighbor&#39;s music drifted across the farming village.

Medical technologist and laboratory manager at the National Health Laboratory Service Rirhandzu Mashale points to a malaria-positive blood sample projected from a microscope at Tintswalo Hospital in Bushbuckridge on May 26, 2026. (AFP)

Africa

Climate change and extreme weather are driving a sharp rise in malaria cases across southern Africa, straining health systems and threatening disease elimination efforts.

As climate shifts, malaria gains ground in southern Africa

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has expressed support for the Muscat Plan of Action, describing it as an innovative and timely pathway to counter hate speech, prevent incitement to genocide and other atrocity crimes, and promote peace through dialogue, mediation and local peacebuilding. The Muscat Plan of Action is a UN-backed framework aimed at strengthening the role of traditional and indigenous leaders and communities in countering hate speech and preventing genocide, atrocity crimes and their incitement. Speaking at the launch of the Muscat Plan of Action at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, said that the initiative comes at a time when the world is witnessing a sharp rise in exclusion, intolerance and discrimination. &ldquo;Pakistan supports initiatives such as the Muscat Plan of Action and appreciates the urgency shown by the United Nations in addressing these disruptive and dangerous trends,&rdquo; added the Pakistani envoy.<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" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 640px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=2065227854917345717&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=ef5545f1c212c27393391d5ca5361035a9d8eaba&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The launch ceremony was attended by UN Secretary-General Ant&oacute;nio Guterres, along with representatives of member states, international organizations and peacebuilding networks. Ambassador Iftikhar further said that the plan draws strength from the cultural legitimacy, credibility and influence of traditional and Indigenous leaders, particularly in societies where local mechanisms continue to play an important role in conflict prevention and dispute resolution. Inclusive and peaceful societies&ldquo;By mobilizing traditional knowledge, cultural practices, and local mechanisms, the Plan of Action reinforces States&rsquo; efforts for establishing just, inclusive and peaceful societies,&rdquo; he said. He noted that hate speech and incitement to genocide and atrocity crimes are driven by complex social, political and ideological factors, requiring an effective and holistic response at national,&nbsp;international and community levels. The Pakistani envoy said that heads of clans, tribal chiefs and Indigenous leaders have historically played a leading role in local governance, mediation and conflict prevention. Even today, he said, such leaders remain at the forefront of peacebuilding, dispute resolution and humanitarian relief efforts in many parts of the world. Ambassador Iftikhar reaffirmed that Pakistan would continue working with international partners to counter the ideology of hate speech and promote societies based on peace, equality and dignity. He said Pakistan remained committed to supporting collective efforts to transform communities into &ldquo;oases of peace, equality and tranquility.&rdquo; The ambassador also congratulated the Sultanate of Oman, the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and the Peacemakers Network for compiling and finalizing the Muscat Plan of Action. Pakistan said the initiative can serve as an important platform for linking global prevention frameworks with community-based peacebuilding efforts, especially in areas vulnerable to hate-driven violence and social fragmentation.

Foreign Affairs

Endorses the Muscat Plan of Action at the UN; Calls it an innovative framework to counter hate speech, prevent genocide incitement, and promote peacebuilding through traditional and Indigenous leaders.

Pakistan backs Muscat Plan of Action against hate speech, genocide incitement

BUENOS AIRES: Temperatures in the Antarctic Peninsula have reached a record-breaking high of 15.4C for June, and ice is melting at abnormal rates during the current winter, climate scientists told AFP on Thursday. Esperanza Base, an Argentine research station located in the north of the peninsula, recorded the unprecedented figure on June 6. The previous highest temperature on record for that month -- 13.3C -- dates back to 1998. The current heat also significantly exceeds Esperanza&#39;s June average of -6.2C. Such a figure is &quot;very unusual for this time of year,&quot; Jose Luis Stella, a climatologist at Argentina&#39;s National Meteorological Service, told AFP. Argentine bases Marambio and San Martin also recorded unequalled temperatures between June 5 and 6. Marambio recorded 11.8C, surpassing a previous high of 9.2C and its June average of -10.7C. San Martin meanwhile saw 9.4C compared to its previous 7.8C record and June average of -5.6C. &#39;Confirms a trend&#39;The northern Antarctic heatwave is not an isolated event, University of Groningen professor Raul Cordero told AFP. &quot;It confirms a trend,&quot; he said, warning that &quot;these kinds of events will continue to occur with increasing frequency&quot; if global warming is not derailed. Thomas Caton Harrison, a polar climate scientist at the British Antarctic Survey, believes a combination of factors including climate change resulted in the current heat. &quot;There is credible evidence that climate change is playing a role, but the effect is complex in this region,&quot; he said. &quot;Because Antarctica sees such big swings in temperature, we have to collect lots of data over many years to build a picture of the underlying climate.&quot; Both specialists agree that regional temperatures have been rising for years and are already showing visible effects. &quot;A surprising amount of precipitation has been falling as rain rather than snow,&quot; Caton Harrison said. &quot;This has implications for polar ecosystems such as penguin colonies,&quot; he said, adding that &quot;it poses a challenge to my colleagues working on Antarctic bases because a lot of liquid rain has been falling and creating runoff and ice.&quot; Esperanza Base has been recording above-zero temperatures daily for three consecutive weeks. This trend has caused &quot;large areas in the far north of the white continent to remain free of snow,&quot; according to Cordero, who called it &quot;an unusual scene in the Antarctic landscape during winter.&quot;

Climate

Temperatures in the Antarctic Peninsula reach a record-breaking high of 15.4C for June, as ice melts at abnormal rates during the current winter.

Antarctic Peninsula sees record high June temperatures

MEXICO CITY: Mexico ignited their World Cup party with a dominant 2-0 victory over nine-man South Africa on Thursday as the biggest ever edition of the global footballing showpiece kicked off at the iconic Estadio Azteca. Julian Quinones scored the opening goal of the tournament and veteran striker Raul Jimenez added a second as the co-hosts&#39; bid for qualification from Group A got off to smooth start. South Africa meanwhile never looked like spoiling the opening day fiesta, and finished with only nine men after Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off. The Mexican-colored red, green and white smoke from pre-game fireworks had barely dissipated before Quinones fired the hosts into the lead on nine minutes, drilling a low shot through the legs of South Africa&rsquo;s goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams. A deafening roar cascaded down from the stands of the Azteca, the footballing cathedral that became the only stadium to host games at three different World Cups. South Africa coach Hugo Broos had warned his players to be ready for the intimidating atmosphere created by a capacity 80,824 crowd at the imposing concrete arena. But South Africa&rsquo;s players looked to have a bad case of stage fright as Mexico&#39;s fans &nbsp;greeted each completed pass with a raucous chorus of &quot;Ole!&quot; in the opening minutes Sithole seemed particularly affected, being caught in possession trying to play out of the back for Quinones&#39; opening goal. Sithole&#39;s miserable afternoon ended with a 49th minute dismissal after bundling over Mexico&rsquo;s Brian Gutierrez when clean through on goal. Mexico rammed home their advantage in the 67th minute, with a fine counter attack culminating in Roberto Alvarado crossing for Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Jimenez to nod home at the far post. It got worse for South Africa in the 84th minute when Zwane was dismissed after a VAR review for flinging an arm into the face of Alvarado. There was still time for late drama when Mexican defender Cesar Montes was shown a red card for a clumsy challenge on Khulisa Mudau on the edge of the penalty area.

Football

Mexico launches World Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over South Africa at a packed Estadio Azteca, while the visitors finish with nine men after two red cards.

Mexico beat South Africa to kick off World Cup

NEW YORK: Taylor Swift on Thursday became the youngest woman ever inducted into the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame, another milestone in the 36-year-old US pop star&#39;s record-breaking career. The female record was previously held by Carole Bayer Sager, who was 43 when she joined in 1987. Stevie Wonder remains the youngest person ever admitted, at age 32 in 1983. Artists become eligible for the Hall of Fame 20 years after the release of their first commercial track. For Swift, that was &quot;Tim McGraw,&quot; released in June 2006. Her success since is undeniable: the American artist has recorded 12 albums spanning country, pop, and folk, earning her 14 Grammy Awards in the United States, including four Album of the Year trophies -- a record. &quot;Swift&#39;s ability to shapeshift as a songwriter, to inhabit different sonic landscapes and write as credibly in the world of one genre as she does another is part of her superpower as a songwriter,&quot; reads her bio on the Hall of Fame website. &quot;It also represents the boldness and bravery of her artistry: to explore new frontiers when the most practical next step would be to keep mining the material that has gotten you the success in the first place.&quot; Swift appeared on the red carpet in New York on Thursday wearing a strapless black dress with floral motifs ahead of the naming ceremony. &#39;Great honor&#39;Also inducted on Thursday were Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS, the band behind hits such as &quot;Rock and Roll All Nite&quot; and &quot;Detroit Rock City.&quot; &quot;It doesn&#39;t suck,&quot; Stanley told AFP when asked how it felt to join the prestigious songwriting ranks. &quot;It&#39;s really hard to digest the idea. I certainly don&#39;t consider myself in that rarified air of some of the writers, but if you wanna be in that club, I&#39;m there.&quot; Kenny Loggins, the hitmaker behind movie soundtrack classics like &quot;Footloose&quot; and &quot;Danger Zone&quot; from &quot;Top Gun,&quot; was inducted into the Hall of Fame as well. &quot;It&#39;s a great honor and I appreciate it,&quot; Loggins told AFP. &quot;It&#39;s the culmination of a lifetime writing, and that&#39;s exciting for me.&quot; Canadian singer Alanis Morissette, inescapable in the 1990s, and American record producer Walter Afanasieff were also among the total of nine songwriters joining the Hall of Fame this year. Estimates put Taylor Swift&#39;s worldwide sales at over 250 million album-equivalents. Her most recent tour in 2023 and 2024, titled &quot;The Eras Tour,&quot; brought in a record sum of around two billion dollars. She is also the female artist with the most songs ever to reach the top 10 list compiled by Billboard, the leading US music magazine. Swift is omnipresent in the media. After unveiling a country track for the soundtrack of the film &quot;Toy Story 5,&quot; she was at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday for a game of the NBA Finals.

Entertainment

Taylor Swift becomes the youngest woman ever to be inducted into the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame, another milestone in the 36-year-old US pop star's record-breaking career.

Taylor Swift becomes youngest woman in Songwriters Hall of Fame

Middle East

Americas

Says a 'great settlement' with Iran has been reached and approved by Iran's Supreme Leader; Trump praises Pakistan for a 'fantastic role' in mediation, calling Field Marshal Asim Munir a 'great general'; Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson denies that any final decision on a deal with the US has been made.