According to an update released Monday, 35 new confirmed cases, including 10 deaths, were recorded on Sunday in the eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu. Seven additional patients recovered, bringing the total to 19.

The outbreak was still on an upward weekly trend and the recent slight decline shown in the epidemic curve may reflect delayed laboratory updates, not a real slowdown in transmission, it said.

As of Sunday, 309 people were in isolation or hospitalised, including 116 confirmed cases and 193 suspected cases.

The contact follow-up rate in the three affected provinces rose to 64.4 per cent, with 5,418 contacts under follow-up and 3,489 seen. The rate remained well below the target of 95 per cent.

Laboratory capacity remained under pressure in North Kivu, with 183 test results pending due to a shortage of reagents.

The current outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, was officially declared by the DRC Health Ministry on May 15.

The affected provinces, namely Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, have a combined population of nearly 15 million people and face massive internal displacement and cross-border movements toward neighboring countries, Xinhua news agency reported.

Ebola disease (EBOD) is a severe disease caused by orthoebolaviruses, members of the filoviridae family, which occurs in humans and other primates. The disease was identified in 1976, in almost simultaneous outbreaks in Zaire (DRC) and Sudan (now South Sudan).

The current outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, was officially declared on 15 May. While the Bundibugyo variant is less common than the Zaire strain responsible for several previous outbreaks, it can still cause severe illness and death.

In a letter to US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mark Kelly said the administration should reinstate Section 301 fees and restrictions on Chinese vessels entering American ports.

"Section 301 port fees are critical to revitalizing US shipbuilding. Presidents of both parties have long recognized the serious threat that Chinese shipbuilding dominance poses to the United States, and…(these) fees and restrictions on Chinese vessels would have protected American shipbuilding businesses and workers," the senators wrote.

The intervention comes as Washington and Beijing continue negotiations over trade and economic issues following recent talks between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The lawmakers argued that China's rise as a global shipbuilding power has coincided with a dramatic decline in US shipyard capacity. According to the letter, China produced less than five per cent of the world's commercial ships in 2000. Last year, Chinese shipyards accounted for more than half of global commercial ship production, while US shipyards produced just 0.1 per cent of the world's oceangoing vessels.

Warren and Kelly said the trend poses both economic and strategic risks for the United States.

They noted that both Republican and Democratic administrations have investigated China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors, alleging that Beijing used extensive state support and subsidies to dominate the industry.

The previous Biden administration launched a Section 301 investigation into China's shipbuilding practices. Building on that effort, the Trump administration proposed fees on Chinese-owned, operated and built vessels entering US ports.

According to the senators, even the prospect of those fees produced results.

"Within months of the announcement, orders at Chinese shipyards had dropped precipitously; orders were down 23.5 percent in the first nine months of 2025," the letter said.

However, the senators criticised the administration's subsequent decision to suspend the fees and restrictions for one year amid broader trade negotiations with China.

They argued that Beijing's restrictions on critical minerals used in military technology and semiconductor production led Washington to make concessions, including pausing the shipping measures.

The senators claimed that the suspension quickly benefited Chinese shipbuilders. They pointed to a rise in orders at Chinese shipyards and warned that delaying the measures could undermine efforts to rebuild the American maritime industrial base.

The criticism also targets a key element of the administration's maritime strategy.

Even after suspending the fees, the administration has called for efforts to "reclaim America's maritime strength" and generate "demand for U.S.-built ships, shipyards, and mariners" through its Maritime Action Plan.

"Without meaningful fees on Chinese vessels, this 'plan' is meaningless," the senators wrote.

Warren and Kelly asked Greer whether the administration intends to reinstate the fees, what impact the pause has had on American workers, and whether Washington secured any significant concessions from Beijing in return for delaying the restrictions.

"We urge the Administration to stand up for American shipbuilders and reinstate the fees and restrictions imposed pursuant to USTR's section 301 investigation into Chinese shipbuilding," they wrote.

The issue has gained prominence as the United States seeks to strengthen domestic manufacturing and secure supply chains amid intensifying strategic competition with China. Shipbuilding has emerged as a particular concern because of its links to commercial trade, military readiness and global logistics.

Kelly is the lead sponsor of the bipartisan Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security (SHIPS) for America Act, while Warren is a co-sponsor of the legislation.

"Blaming neighbours for its own failures is an old Pakistani habit (and) this attempt to hoodwink the world will fail", India's Permanent Representative P Harish told the Security Council on Monday.

Pakistan ordering its government agencies to call groups inside its own borders "Fitna al Hindustan", he said, "is nothing but officially sponsored misinformation and disinformation dressed in religious terminology".

"Fitna" is an Arabic religious term variously translatable as "sedition" or "idolatry".

Harish said, "This is an outcome of an organised factory of hate coming from the deep state of Pakistan, which aims to keep their citizens in a state of permanent hostility with India in order to perpetuate their stay in power and control of national resources and distract them from core political and economic problems".

Harish's reference to the "deep state" was aimed at the military, which made unassailable its control of Pakistan's polity through last year's constitutional amendments.

"The de facto coup by the military through the 27th Constitutional amendment is only its most recent manifestation", he said.

The amendment in November put its military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, a religious hardliner, virtually above the law and consolidated his control of the government.

Speaking at the Council discussion on Afghanistan, Harish called for coordinated international efforts to fight terrorism facilitated by Pakistan.

"Only coordinated efforts of the international community can ensure that ISIL [Islamic State] and Al Qaida and their affiliates, including the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) and the Jaish-e-Mohammed, and proxies of LeT such as The Resistance Front, along with those who facilitate their operations, no longer indulge in cross-border terrorism", he said.

LeT's proxy, The Resistance Front, took responsibility for the religiously motivated attack that killed 24 Hindus and a Christian at a tourism spot in Pahalgam in April last year.

The proposed legislation, called the Prohibiting Adversarial Patents Act, was introduced by House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar, Congressman Scott Fitzgerald and Congressman Darrell Issa.

The bill would prohibit the issuance of a US patent to any person or entity identified as a threat to US national security under the Non-SDN CMIC List, the 1260H List or the Federal Communications Commission's Covered List.

"The Chinese Communist Party seeks out US patents not because it believes in the right to own one's intellectual property, but because stealing American innovation is part of its economic plan," Moolenaar said.

"This legislation strengthens our laws against the CCP's attempts to use lawfare to flood our judiciary with bogus patent lawsuits. No country abuses our open society and our legal system more than China, and that must be stopped," he added.

The measure comes amid growing concern in Washington over China's role in global technology competition and intellectual property disputes.

"The Chinese Communist Party has spent years exploiting the American economy to advance its own technological and military ambitions," Fitzgerald said.

"The Prohibiting Adversarial Patents Act closes the door on hostile foreign entities using our patent system to gain economic leverage and undermine our national security," he said.

Issa described the Chinese Communist Party as the foremost challenge to US economic and technological interests.

"Today, there is no greater threat to America's economy, national security, or technological leadership than the Chinese Communist Party's relentless effort to gain advantage over the United States by any means necessary — both legal and illegal," Issa said.

"For too long, companies tied to the CCP have been allowed to benefit from the protections of America's patent system while actively undermining our interests. This legislation ensures that entities posing a threat to our national security cannot exploit the very intellectual property protections that were designed to reward innovation and strengthen America," he added.

The legislation has also drawn support from industry groups.

"We commend Congressman Fitzgerald, and Chairmen Issa and Moolenaar for their steadfast leadership in defending American businesses and US economic security," the High Tech Inventors Alliance said in a statement.

"For too long, the US has allowed entities identified as national security threats to amass and weaponise US patents against critical domestic industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, digital infrastructure, and artificial intelligence. This legislation will help prevent foreign interests from abusing the US patent system and using it as a tool for economic warfare against America," it said.

Supporters of the legislation argue that such companies can continue benefiting from patent licensing agreements and can also enforce patents in US courts against American firms.

According to data cited from the World Intellectual Property Organization, China filed more than 1.8 million patent applications in 2024, the highest of any country. In the United States, nearly 55 per cent of all patent applications in 2024 were filed by foreign residents, with China submitting a record 49,000 applications.

At a Capitol Hill news conference, Jeffries said affordability would remain the central focus of House Democrats as they prepare to oppose the Republican budget reconciliation package.

"From the very beginning of this Congress, House Democrats have made clear that the cost of living in the United States of America is far too high, and that Donald Trump promised to lower costs on day one," Jeffries said. "But costs haven't gone down in the United States of America. Costs have gone up."

He cited rising grocery, housing, healthcare and utility costs, arguing that "America is far too expensive" for many working families. Jeffries also blamed Trump's tariff policies for increasing household expenses and criticised Republican healthcare policies, saying they had caused health insurance costs to rise.

"The Trump tariffs have increased costs on everyday Americans by thousands of dollars per year," he said.

Jeffries linked higher fuel prices to the administration's military actions in Iran.

"Donald Trump's reckless and costly war of choice in Iran has resulted in gas prices through the roof," he said.

The Democratic leader said House Democrats would be "a hard no" on the Republican reconciliation bill, arguing taxpayer money should be used to lower costs rather than provide what he called "another $70 billion blank check" to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Jeffries also escalated criticism of Trump's decision to elevate Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence. He called Pulte "a political hack, a malignant clown, and he's woefully unqualified to serve in any position in the federal government".

Asked whether Democrats could support extending key foreign surveillance authorities if Pulte remained in the post, Jeffries replied with a one-word answer: "No."

Throughout the news conference, Jeffries repeatedly portrayed Republicans as failing to address voters' concerns. He accused House Republicans of being "nothing but reckless rubber stamps for Donald Trump's extreme agenda" and predicted they were "on the brink of losing their majority in November".

Looking ahead, Jeffries said a future Democratic governing agenda would be centred on affordability and healthcare.

"It will be hyper focused on driving down the high cost of living, and of course fixing our broken health care system as a part of that," he said.

Jeffries also dismissed Trump's planned appearance at a New York Knicks game, joking that it was "not clear to me that Donald Trump is a big Knicks fan" and suggesting the president was seeking attention by "injecting himself into the NBA finals".

Speaking during a virtual tele-rally for South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham ahead of Tuesday's Republican primary, Trump devoted much of his remarks to Iran, ongoing negotiations and the broader security situation in the Middle East.

"We're negotiating now and they wanna make a very good deal. They're willing to give us everything. They're willing to give us no nuclear weapon," Trump said. "Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and it's as simple as that."

Trump claimed US military action had inflicted extensive damage on Iran's military infrastructure.

"We've decimated their military. We've decimated their, everything there is to decimate, including their leadership," he said. "Their navy is totally gone. They had 159 ships. Every ship is underwater right now."

The President predicted a favourable outcome from negotiations and said a formal declaration of victory could come soon.

"I think we are winning that battle, but you're really gonna win it over the next two weeks when we declare total victory," Trump said. "It'll be a total victory. It'll happen very soon and oil prices will come tumbling down."

The remarks came as Trump urged Republican voters in South Carolina to support Graham, a longtime ally who has been one of the Senate's most vocal advocates of a hard line towards Iran.

"And Lindsey has been fighting with me all the way, all the way for that," Trump said. "We've been a very tough team."

Trump also praised Graham's role on border security, military spending and conservative judicial appointments.

"I've known Senator Lindsey Graham for many years and he's always been a tireless advocate for the people of South Carolina," Trump said.

The President described Graham as having his "complete and total endorsement" and urged voters to support him in Tuesday's Republican primary.

Trump also endorsed South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, calling her "an America first patriot" and predicting she would become a successful governor.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to sign a memorandum of understanding with UFC President and CEO Dana White on June 11, just days before UFC Freedom 250 takes place at the White House on June 14 as part of America's 250th anniversary celebrations. The event is being billed as the first UFC fight card ever staged at the White House.

The historic fight night will feature a championship main event between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, with Alex Pereira facing Ciryl Gane in the co-main event on the South Lawn of the White House, organizers have announced.

UFC promotional materials describe the event as taking place during celebrations marking the 250th birthday of the United States.

The White House event represents a remarkable moment for a sport that once struggled for legitimacy.

Founded in 1993, UFC transformed mixed martial arts from what critics once dismissed as a fringe "bloodsport" into a global sports and entertainment business. Today, UFC is owned by TKO Group Holdings, the same company that owns World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and recently signed a reported seven-year, $7.7 billion US media rights agreement with Paramount.

For President Donald Trump and many of his political allies, UFC has become more than a sporting organisation. It has emerged as one of the most visible cultural gathering places for a key political constituency: younger male voters.

Recent UFC events have featured Trump alongside Elon Musk, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, Marco Rubio, Vivek Ramaswamy and other prominent allies.

Industry data cited by media reports indicates that roughly three-quarters of UFC fans are men, with a large majority falling between the ages of 18 and 44 â€" a demographic that played an important role in the 2024 presidential election.

Dana White, whose friendship with Trump dates back decades, said the White House event is intended to celebrate the country's milestone anniversary.

"This will be one of the greatest and most historic sports events in history, and President Trump hosting it at the White House is a testament to his vision to celebrate America's monumental 250th anniversary," White told The Hollywood Reporter.

"What this fight is really all about, and why we're doing it at the White House, is it's the 250th birthday of America," White said. "From the first fight of the night until the main event, we will tell the story of America."

White also described the visual ambition behind the unprecedented venue.

"All I want to see during this fight is the White House, the full White House," he said. "I don't want to see a light, a microphone, any type of rigging, and if the fight goes the other way, I want to see the (Washington Monument), that's it."

In a 42-page ruling, US District Judge Leo T. Sorokin concluded that the administration's H-1B policy amounted to an unauthorised tax and exceeded powers granted to the President under federal immigration law.

"The Court finds that the Policy imposes a tax on H-1B petitions without the requisite delegation by Congress," Sorokin wrote. "There are no statutory powers authorizing Defendants to implement a $100,000 tax on H-1B petitions."

The Trump administration had argued that the fee was part of the President's authority to impose restrictions on the entry of foreign nationals into the United States.

Sorokin rejected that argument, finding that immigration laws cited by the administration did not grant the executive branch the power to levy taxes.

"These considerations preclude reading INA §§ 212(f) and 215(a) as delegating Congress's exclusive power to tax," he wrote.

The ruling repeatedly emphasised that while presidents possess broad authority over immigration matters, those powers have constitutional limits.

"While 'the Executive has broad discretion over the admission and exclusion of aliens, . . . that discretion is not boundless,'" Sorokin wrote.

He added that such authority "may not transgress constitutional limitations" or "the statutory authority conferred by Congress."

The judge also rejected the government's argument that the $100,000 charge could be treated as an immigration restriction rather than a tax.

"Taxes are not 'restrictions,'" Sorokin wrote while analysing the administration's interpretation of presidential powers under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

A significant portion of the ruling focused on the US Constitution's assignment of taxing authority to Congress. Sorokin noted that Congress may delegate some taxing powers to executive agencies, but only when lawmakers clearly express that intention.

According to the ruling, the immigration statutes cited by the administration authorise the President to impose restrictions, rules, regulations and limitations on the entry of foreign nationals, but contain no language explicitly authorising the creation of a new tax.

The judge also found that federal agencies implementing the policy had exceeded their own statutory authority.

"There are no statutory powers authorizing Defendants to implement a $100,000 tax on H-1B petitions," the ruling stated.

Beyond the constitutional questions, the court determined that agencies failed to follow required rulemaking procedures and did not adequately justify the dramatic increase in costs imposed on employers seeking H-1B workers.

The ruling ultimately declared the policy unlawful and vacated it nationwide.

"The Policy implementing the Proclamation is declared unlawful and is VACATED in its entirety," Sorokin wrote.

The decision is likely to be closely watched beyond the H-1B programme because it addresses the limits of presidential authority in immigration matters and reaffirms Congress's exclusive constitutional role in taxation.

"President Trump has clear legal authority to restrict entry of any class of aliens he determines is not in America's best interests, and that is exactly what he did," White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told IANS.

"The H-1B program has been abused for decades, and President Trump finally took action to fix it. A federal judge in Washington already upheld a nearly identical order, and the Administration is confident this order will be reversed on appeal," she said in response to a question.

The response came hours after US District Judge Leo T. Sorokin of Massachusetts invalidated the policy and vacated it nationwide.

In a sharply worded ruling, Sorokin concluded that the administration had imposed a tax without congressional authorisation.

"The Court finds that the Policy imposes a tax on H-1B petitions without the requisite delegation by Congress," the judge wrote. "There are no statutory powers authorizing Defendants to implement a $100,000 tax on H-1B petitions."

The court rejected the administration's argument that broad presidential powers under immigration law permitted the fee.

"While 'the Executive has broad discretion over the admission and exclusion of aliens...that discretion is not boundless,'" Sorokin wrote. He added that such authority "may not transgress constitutional limitations" or "the statutory authority conferred by Congress."

The ruling specifically challenged the legal foundation of the proclamation signed by Trump in September 2025, which required employers filing new H-1B petitions to pay an additional $100,000.

The judge further found that immigration statutes cited by the administration did not give the President authority to impose such a charge.

"These considerations preclude reading INA § 212(f) and 215(a) as delegating Congress's exclusive power to tax," Sorokin wrote.

The court also criticised the agencies that implemented the policy, finding they had bypassed required rulemaking procedures and failed to adequately justify the fee.

At the conclusion of the ruling, Sorokin declared that "The Policy implementing the Proclamation is declared unlawful and is VACATED in its entirety."

The White House did not indicate when it would file an appeal, but administration officials signalled they intend to continue defending the measure as part of Trump's broader effort to tighten oversight of the H-1B programme.

The signing ceremony is scheduled for June 11 at the US Department of State and will mark what officials described as a new public-private partnership between the US government and the world's largest mixed martial arts organisation.

According to a State Department notice, the agreement is intended to "enhance sports diplomacy initiatives and collaborate on the global growth of mixed martial arts."

The announcement comes as the UFC continues to expand its international footprint and attract audiences across Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, turning mixed martial arts into one of the fastest-growing global sports.

The State Department said additional details of the partnership would be released after the signing ceremony.

The agreement reflects a growing effort by Washington to use sport as a tool of public diplomacy and international engagement. Sports exchanges have long been part of US diplomatic outreach programmes, helping to build people-to-people ties and cultural connections beyond traditional government channels.

In its announcement, the department highlighted UFC's global reach and influence, describing it as "the world's leading mixed martial arts organization."

"As an American-founded organization, the UFC has grown into a major global sports platform, reflecting US leadership in modern combat sports promotion, athletic performance standards, and international event production," the State Department said.

The department added that UFC events are "broadcast worldwide and contribute to the United States' broader cultural and sports influence through professional competition and athlete development."

The signing also underscores the growing commercial and cultural significance of mixed martial arts, which has evolved from a niche combat sport into a mainstream global entertainment property.

Sports diplomacy has increasingly become a feature of US foreign engagement, with the State Department supporting programmes involving athletes, coaches and sports organisations to foster international exchanges and leadership development.

Indian American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi said the decision was "a welcome rejection of an unlawful policy that threatened America's economic competitiveness and made it harder for businesses, hospitals, universities, and research institutions to attract the high-skilled talent they need to succeed."

"The H-1B program drives innovation, strengthens American leadership in critical industries, and supports job creation here at home by helping companies grow and invest in the United States," he said.

Krishnamoorthi argued that policymakers should address abuse of the programme without discouraging highly skilled workers from coming to the United States.

"Instead of imposing arbitrary barriers that push talent and investment elsewhere, we should focus on preventing abuse while ensuring America remains the best place in the world to build, innovate, and grow our economy," he said.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who led the multistate lawsuit challenging the policy, described the ruling as a major victory against what he called an unlawful burden on employers and public institutions.

"The judgment is in! The Trump Administration's unlawful and costly $100,000 tax has been struck down," Bonta said.

"This tax was an attack on America's ability to attract and retain the high-skilled talent that strengthens our economy and helps us meet critical workforce needs."

Bonta said the fee created barriers for employers seeking teachers, physicians, nurses, researchers and other skilled professionals needed to address workforce shortages.

"California remains open for business, open to talent, and committed to ensuring our communities have essential services — from healthcare to education — that depend on a strong, skilled workforce," he said.

The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) also welcomed the ruling, saying it would help restore certainty to the employment-based immigration system.

"We welcome the Massachusetts federal court's decision striking down the $100,000 H-1B visa fee, which restores predictability and fairness to the employment-based immigration system," said Khanderao Kand, Chief of Policy & Strategy at FIIDS.

"This ruling is appropriate for preserving America's competitive advantage in innovation, research, and entrepreneurship. Access to highly skilled global talent remains essential for the continued growth of the US technology, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing sectors."

Kand said the decision underscored the importance of ensuring major immigration policy changes are grounded in law and economic realities.

"The judgment reinforces the principle that major policy changes must be grounded in statutory authority and economic realities. FIIDS believes a balanced, merit-based immigration framework strengthens both American businesses and the broader economy," he said.

Congressman Sanford Bishop of Georgia also praised the ruling, noting that hospitals and healthcare providers in rural and underserved communities had warned that the additional fee would make recruitment more difficult and expensive.

"The $100,000 fee for employers' H1-B applications would have discouraged the best and the brightest from coming to America and helping our economy grow and to innovate," Bishop said.

"While the bipartisan legislation that I introduced earlier this year applied only to health care professionals, the ruling by Judge Sorokin is a victory for every American concerned about attracting the world's smartest talent to our country."

The ruling came after US District Judge Leo T. Sorokin concluded that the Trump administration lacked authority to impose the fee and that Congress had not delegated taxing powers to the executive branch for H-1B petitions. The court subsequently vacated the policy nationwide.

The H-1B programme allows US employers to hire foreign professionals in speciality occupations requiring highly specialised knowledge and at least a bachelor's degree or equivalent. The programme is widely used by technology companies, universities, healthcare systems and research institutions facing shortages of specialised talent.

Indian nationals receive the overwhelming majority of H-1B visas issued each year, making the programme particularly important for India and the Indian-American community.

In a major setback for the administration's immigration agenda, US District Judge Leo T. Sorokin of Massachusetts sided with a coalition of 20 states challenging the policy and vacated it nationwide.

"The Court finds that the Policy imposes a tax on H-1B petitions without the requisite delegation by Congress," Sorokin wrote. "There are no statutory powers authorizing Defendants to implement a $100,000 tax on H-1B petitions."

The ruling overturns a September 2025 presidential proclamation that required employers filing new H-1B petitions to make an additional $100,000 payment. The administration had argued that the H-1B programme was being exploited to replace American workers and suppress wages in key sectors, particularly science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.

The states contended that the measure would make it significantly more difficult for public schools, universities and healthcare systems to recruit skilled foreign professionals, worsening existing staffing shortages. The court agreed that the policy threatened to impede hiring in education, academic research and healthcare.

Sorokin rejected the administration's argument that broad presidential powers under immigration law allowed the fee to be imposed as a condition of entry into the United States.

"While the Executive has broad discretion over the admission and exclusion of aliens, . . . that discretion is not boundless,'" the judge wrote. He added that such discretion "may not transgress constitutional limitations" or "the statutory authority conferred by Congress."

At the centre of the case was whether the fee was a legitimate immigration restriction or an unauthorised tax. Sorokin concluded it was the latter.

"Taxes are not 'restrictions,'" he wrote while rejecting the government's interpretation of presidential powers under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

The judge said Congress had never delegated its taxing authority to the President through the immigration statutes cited by the administration.

"These considerations preclude reading INA §§ 212(f) and 215(a) as delegating Congress's exclusive power to tax," Sorokin wrote.

Beyond the constitutional issues, the court found that federal agencies violated the Administrative Procedure Act by implementing the policy without following the required notice-and-comment rulemaking process.

"Defendants issued a legislative rule without engaging in notice-and-commenting rulemaking," the ruling said.

The court also found the policy arbitrary and capricious, saying agencies failed to adequately explain the unprecedented increase in costs imposed on employers.

"The administrative record is devoid of any indication that Defendants 'reasonably considered the relevant issues and reasonably explained the decision' to implement a $100,000 tax on H-1B petitions," Sorokin wrote.

As a remedy, the judge declared the policy unlawful and vacated all agency actions implementing the payment requirement.

"The Policy implementing the Proclamation is declared unlawful and is VACATED in its entirety," the ruling said.

The H-1B programme allows US employers to hire foreign professionals in speciality occupations requiring highly specialised knowledge and at least a bachelor's degree or equivalent.

Congress currently caps most new H-1B visas at 65,000 annually, with an additional 20,000 reserved for holders of advanced US degrees. Universities, affiliated non-profit institutions and certain research organisations are exempt from those annual limits.

"At the moment, the fire is on hold because after ... it (Iran) stopped attacking us," Netanyahu said in his first televised statement more than 20 hours after Iran first launched missiles at Israel on Sunday night.

If Iran "makes the mistake of attacking us again, we will respond with force," he added.

Netanyahu said he had ordered the military to strike military and economic targets across Iran on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Following Netanyahu's statement, Israel's Home Front Command said it will lift most civil defence restrictions across the country on Tuesday morning.

The current restrictions would remain in place until 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, the Home Front Command said. From then, most of the country will return to full activity, while restrictions will remain in place in several northern communities near the Lebanese border.

Earlier in the day, Iran's main military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, announced the cessation of the Iranian armed forces' operations against Israel, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

In a statement, the headquarters warned that any further Israeli "aggression and malicious acts," including in southern Lebanon, would trigger a much more "severe and crushing" response.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday said that they have neither abandoned the field nor the negotiating table.

"Our priority is national security and the peace of our people. We will defend the rights of the nation with authority and will not retreat in the face of any threat. Diplomacy and defence are the two wings of national power; we have neither abandoned the field nor the negotiating table. God willing, with unity and rationality, Iran will emerge triumphant from this trial as well," Pezeshkian wrote on X.

The headquarters said that the Iranian armed forces' actions were carried out in support of the Lebanese people following Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon and the Dahieh district south of the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

â€"IANS

ksk/uk

"The women and men we commemorate today include 97 civilian personnel and 39 uniformed peacekeepers -- military and police. They came from 32 countries: diverse in background, but united in purpose," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at the annual memorial service held at the UN Headquarters in New York, Xinhua news agency reported.

Among the dead were 80 staff members who served in Gaza with the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. More UN colleagues have been killed in Gaza than in any other conflict or disaster in the history of the United Nations, said Guterres. "These tragedies weigh heavily on us all, and should be remembered by the entire world."

UN personnel must never be targeted. Attacks on peacekeepers and humanitarian workers are a violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, he said. "We reaffirm our unwavering commitment for the security and safety of UN personnel everywhere, and we will never stop demanding accountability."

The UN personnel who died in the line of duty chose to serve in some of the most difficult and dangerous places on Earth, because they understood that the world does not improve unless someone strives to improve it, said the UN chief.

"We live in a moment when multilateralism is under attack, when powerful forces would have us believe that the United Nations -- that unity itself -- is a pipedream. The people we commemorate today prove otherwise," he said.

"Amidst all the fear and the doubt, they knew exactly how to live: We must be brave enough to take a stand, kind enough to care for others, and dedicated enough to keep showing up. Courage, compassion, and commitment ... These are the highest instincts of humankind," he said.

The action marks the latest enforcement measure under a blockade initiated by the United States on April 13 and underscores the growing military pressure surrounding maritime traffic linked to Iran.

According to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the Palau-flagged tanker M/T Marivex was disabled while transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman on its way toward Iran. The vessel was unladen at the time of the incident.

CENTCOM said the ship failed to comply with instructions issued by U.S. forces.

An F/A-18 Super Hornet operating from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln fired what CENTCOM described as a "precision munition" into the vessel's engineering and steering spaces. The strike rendered the tanker incapable of continuing its voyage.

"Marivex is no longer sailing to Iran," CENTCOM said in a statement.

The military did not report casualties, damage beyond the targeted systems, or the identity and nationality of the crew members aboard the vessel.

CENTCOM said the disabled tanker had been attempting to reach an Iranian port despite the ongoing blockade.

The command also released updated figures on its enforcement operations since April 13. According to CENTCOM, U.S. forces have disabled seven vessels deemed non-compliant with blockade measures, redirected 134 ships that complied with instructions, and permitted 42 vessels carrying humanitarian assistance to continue their voyages.

The statement did not identify the intended Iranian destination of the tanker, nor did it provide details about the vessel's cargo history or any communications that may have occurred between the crew and U.S. forces before the strike.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi noted Seoul and the IAEA have already begun such discussions, though they are still in a preliminary stage, due largely to the lack of specific details for Seoul's envisioned submarine program, Yonhap news agency reported.

"As you know, in order to do that (build nuclear-powered submarines), countries that are party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) ... have to notify the IAEA, and for this to happen, there has to be a special arrangement with the IAEA," Grossi told a press conference here in Vienna.

"So we are in the face of the kickoff ... of that process, which is a highly technical process where our safeguards experts meet with Korean experts, and they start looking at what will be necessary," he added.

His remarks come as South Korea is pushing to build conventionally armed, nuclear-propelled submarines following security agreements reached in a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump in October.

"Insofar as you have a very solid agreement with the IAEA, there shouldn't be any proliferation concerns," Grossi said, when asked if the IAEA had any proliferation concerns over Seoul's proposed submarine program.

Grossi noted that the main technical challenge is ensuring accountability for nuclear material once it is loaded into submarines, which can operate underwater for extended periods outside routine inspection.

"So we need to find technical ways to ensure that the amount of uranium that left the harbour is the same when it comes to," the chief said. "It is going to take a long time precisely to ensure that there is no proliferation."

Grossi stressed that discussions between Seoul and the IAEA are at a preliminary stage, noting that South Korea has not yet made final decisions on the type of technology or operational modalities involved in the project.

"This must be very specific because it will depend on the type of submarines that you are going to be building, how they are going to be designed, what kind of fuel there is going to be on it, what kind of infrastructure onshore you're going to have," he said.

According to the road map for the program announced by Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back last month, the envisioned submarines will use low-enriched uranium enriched to less than 20 per cent for fuel. Nuclear weapons typically use uranium enriched to more than 90 per cent.

The Seoul government plans to launch the first nuclear-powered submarine in the mid-2030s and push ahead with development to enter operational service before 2040.

Following the October summit, Seoul and Washington released a joint fact sheet, where the US committed to supporting processes that would lead to Seoul's nuclear-propelled submarine construction, as well as uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing for civilian use.

After some delays, the two nations launched talks last week to discuss the implementation of these security initiatives.

"Deeply saddened by the tragic road accident in Dubai that claimed the lives of several Indian workers," the Consulate General wrote on X.

Consulate officials visited the hospital and met the injured Indians. They are working closely with local authorities to provide all possible assistance and support.

"Our heartfelt condolences and prayers are with the grieving families during this difficult time," the consul added.

According to Dubai Police, seven people were killed and nine others injured when a minibus collided with a truck that had stopped in the middle of the road.

Brigadier Juma Salem bin Suwaidan, Director of the General Department of Traffic, stated that preliminary investigations indicate the truck had stopped suddenly in the middle of the road due to a technical malfunction.

He explained that the bus driver, reportedly failing to pay attention and maintain a safe distance, collided with the truck from behind. The accident resulted in seven fatalities and nine injuries, including five serious and four moderate injuries. All injured were transported to the hospital for treatment.

He also noted that experts from the Traffic Accident Investigation Section were dispatched to the scene to inspect and gather precise evidence to determine the exact causes of the crash.

"Traffic patrols regulated traffic flow, secured the site, and facilitated the access of rescue vehicles. Work teams also removed the damaged truck and bus to restore normal traffic flow," he said.

The police department issued a warning after the incident, reminding drivers of the serious dangers of stopping in the middle of the road due to a vehicle breakdown, running out of fuel, or a tyre failure. The Force stressed that drivers must ensure their vehicles are roadworthy before setting off.

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The embassy also thanked the Omani authorities for their swift response.

"We are thankful to the Omani authorities for their swift response and rescue of all the 24 crew members of Indian nationality onboard MT Marivex, and for ensuring their safety," the embassy wrote on X.

Earlier in the day, during an inter-ministerial briefing, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) said fire was reported at around 1:30 p.m. on Monday.

"This is the preliminary information which we have received. Based on this, as per available information, all Indian seafarers are presently safe," a Ministry spokesperson said.

Opesh Kumar Sharma, Director of the Shipping Division, informed that whether the ship was hit by a projectile is still being verified. "As you are aware, the fire incident was at 1:30 today," he said.

He added, "We are in touch with the owners, and we are trying to ascertain the facts. We are also in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs and our mission in Oman."

The Shipping Ministry is coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Indian missions abroad, the Indian Navy, and the Ministry of Defence to ensure the safety of the seafarers.

The vessel was well out of the Strait of Hormuz and cleared to the south. It was not carrying any cargo and was in ballast condition.

The Embassy of India in Muscat said in a post on X that "The Mission is seized of an incident involving a ship with Indian sailors onboard. We are in touch with the Omani authorities for their rescue and safety."

"Ambassador Paramita Tripathi visited the Indian nationals, who were injured during the attack on Kuwait International Airport on 3 June 2026, at Jaber Hospital today," the Indian Embassy in Kuwait wrote on X.

According to the embassy, out of the 13 Indian nationals admitted to various hospitals, all have been discharged except four who are still receiving treatment.

The embassy said the Ambassador enquired about their well-being and assured them of the mission's full support and assistance. It added that the Embassy is maintaining close contact and coordination with the hospital and the families of those injured.

Dozens of people were injured, many of them critically, when drones and missiles targeted the passenger building (T1) at Kuwait International Airport.

On June 3, the Embassy of India in Kuwait confirmed the death of an Indian national in the attack carried out at Kuwait International Airport.

The embassy expressed its deepest condolences at the tragic demise of the Indian national due to the attack. It said it is in touch with the bereaved family and is closely coordinating with Kuwaiti authorities to render all possible support and assistance to the family, as well as those injured in the incident.

In a statement, Kuwait's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned and denounced "in the strongest terms" the "brutal and ongoing Iranian attacks" using ballistic missiles and drones. It said the strikes once again targeted civilian and vital facilities, including Kuwait International Airport, resulting in the death of one individual, injuries to others, and damage to vital facilities, including diplomatic missions.

The Justice Department said Monday that the denaturalisation actions, filed in federal courts across the country, target individuals accused of offences ranging from sexual abuse of minors and healthcare fraud to money laundering, securities fraud and immigration-related crimes.

Among those named is Neeraj Sharma, 50, a native of India and former owner and chief executive officer of New Jersey-based staffing company Magnavision LLC.

According to the Justice Department, Sharma signed and filed 11 fraudulent H-1B visa petitions containing false representations that workers would be employed by a global financial institution. The petitions allegedly included forged signatures of company executives.

In 2017, Sharma applied for US citizenship and, according to the complaint, falsely stated under penalty of perjury that he had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested, never provided false information to US government officials and never lied to obtain immigration benefits.

The Justice Department said Sharma became a US citizen in December 2017. He was later convicted of fraud and misuse of visas for conduct that occurred between April 2015 and April 2017.

The government is seeking to revoke his citizenship, alleging that he failed to disclose unlawful acts, provided false testimony and concealed material facts during the naturalisation process.

Announcing the actions, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said, "When criminal aliens exploit the naturalisation process by breaking the law, there are consequences. Criminal aliens are lying about their past crimes, including drug dealers, sexual predators, and fraudsters."

"Gaining US citizenship is a privilege and under the steadfast leadership of President Trump, this Department of Justice maintains a zero-tolerance policy for the abuse of this process," he said.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said citizenship "must be earned honestly".

"If you come here break our laws, and lie in your immigration proceedings, you forfeit that privilege," Mullin said.

The Justice Department said the 17 cases involve individuals originally from India, China, Haiti, Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, Jamaica, Somalia, the Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago and several other countries.

Many of the complaints allege that the individuals committed crimes during the period in which they were required to demonstrate "good moral character" for naturalisation. Others involve allegations that applicants concealed key information or provided false testimony to immigration authorities.

Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate said, "We will not turn a blind eye to those who unlawfully obtained U.S. citizenship."

"Anyone thinking they can defraud the naturalization process should think again. We will continue to pursue anyone who unlawfully or fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship," he added.

The Justice Department noted that the lawsuits are civil actions and that the allegations remain unproven.

"The claims made in the complaints are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability," the department said.

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, US citizenship may be revoked if it was obtained illegally or through concealment of material facts or wilful misrepresentation. Denaturalisation cases are uncommon but have periodically been used by federal authorities in cases involving fraud, national security concerns and serious criminal conduct.

In a joint statement, the US Department of State and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said international organisations can contribute to scientific discussions, but their findings "should not automatically be treated as definitive in the United States."

The statement specifically targeted IARC, a specialised cancer research agency affiliated with the World Health Organisation (WHO), saying concerns have grown over the "consistency, transparency, and real-world applicability" of some of its cancer hazard assessments.

"Too often, broad classifications based on limited or theoretical risks can create unnecessary public confusion, undermine confidence in everyday products and industries, and lead to policy outcomes that are disconnected from actual exposure and modern scientific standards," the statement said.

The administration argued that IARC's evaluations often fail to distinguish between a potential hazard and actual risk under real-world conditions.

"IARC's findings and monographs often blur the line between hazard and true risk, while diminishing independently verified findings of other research institutions," the statement said.

The administration also accused the agency of promoting what it described as "politicised narratives" that are frequently cited in US legal proceedings and regulatory debates.

"Furthermore, IARC's research provides diminishing returns on scientific enterprise, while advancing politicised narratives that are often cited for US domestic legal contexts," the statement said.

As an example, the statement cited IARC's classifications involving red meat and tobacco products.

"Equating red meat to tobacco products oversimplifies complex scientific discourse and does little to inform sound public health policy that could be of benefit to the American people," it said.

The administration said its approach reflects President Donald Trump's "America First" agenda and seeks to ensure that decisions affecting workers, consumers, farmers and businesses are based on evidence reviewed through US institutions.

"An America First approach to public health means ensuring that decisions affecting U.S. workers, families, farmers, and businesses are guided by transparent, evidence-based processes that reflect America's interests and scientific standards," the statement said.

"The United States will continue to support credible science while prioritising policies that are practical, balanced, and rooted in accountability to the American people," the statement said. "American regulatory decisions should be made by American institutions accountable to the American people."

"The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has issued 737 visas to pilgrims from India to participate in the annual festival scheduled on the eve of Martyrdom Day of Guru Arjun Dev Ji to be held in Pakistan from 10-19 June 2026," the Pakistani High Commission wrote on X.

Earlier in the day, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), stated that it has received visas for 541 Sikh pilgrims who will travel to Pakistan to pay obeisance at historic Sikh shrines on the occasion of the martyrdom anniversary of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji. The Jatha of pilgrims will depart from the SGPC headquarters on June 10.

Providing details, Gurinder Singh Mathrewal, Secretary of the SGPC's Dharam Prachar Committee, said that the SGPC had submitted passports of 561 pilgrims to the Pakistani Embassy in New Delhi. Out of these, visas have been granted to 541 pilgrims, while 20 applicants could not obtain visas.

"He said that the jatha will travel to Pakistan to participate in the martyrdom anniversary events scheduled for June 18. The group will leave the SGPC headquarters on June 10 amid religious fervour and chants of Sikh slogans. During the visit, the pilgrims will pay obeisance at various historic Sikh shrines and participate in commemorative events before returning to India on June 19," read a statement issued by the SGPC.

Last year, a group of 170 Sikh devotees visited Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev, and Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, ahead of Guru Nanak Jayanti, or Prakash Parv, on November 5.

Approximately 21,006 pilgrims from India were granted visas by Pakistan to visit Nankana Sahib for the celebrations.

The devotees had expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government for facilitating the visa process, especially in the wake of security concerns following Operation Sindoor.

The decision to declare June 8 as Missing Persons Day in Balochistan was taken during a central committee meeting of the Baloch Students Organisation(BSO)-Azad in 2017 to raise awareness regarding the Pakistani authorities' brutal policy of enforced disappearances.

Highlighting the atrocities of Pakistani forces, BSO-Azad took to X on Monday and posted: "June 8 is the day to remember all the victims of enforced disappearances who were taken away by the security agencies of the Pakistani army. Many of them returned after being tortured severely for some days, some of them remained in custody for months, enduring severe psychological and mental torture by the security agencies. Hundreds of them returned as dead bodies to their families, as the state killed them in fake encounters or extrajudicial target killings."

According to the student body, the number of people taken away by the agencies and later found dead runs into the thousands, while several never returned after disappearing by the agencies of the Pakistani state.

"Let's raise our voices for those who are behind torture cells, waiting to see the people stand for them, and inform the world about the atrocities committed by the state of Pakistan in the form of abducting thousands of people," it added.

Meanwhile, human rights organisation Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) stated that the day serves as a reminder that state coercion is not accidental but a systematic political policy aimed at keeping Balochistan mired in fear, silence, and division.

Renewing the call for justice, the BYC said, "8 June teaches us that silence is not neutrality but complicity with oppression. Today, every individual bears the responsibility to raise their voice against enforced disappearances, stand with affected families, expose state coercion, and challenge this political system built on fear. We need unified intellectual and practical struggle against this issue, because a nation that does not speak out for its missing people accepts silence for its future as well."

Another human rights body, the Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ), said that enforced disappearances constitute a serious violation of fundamental human rights, including the right to liberty, security, and due process. It added that the continued absence of accountability only deepens the suffering of affected families and undermines the principles of justice and the rule of law.

"On this day of remembrance and resolve, we reaffirm our commitment to stand in solidarity with the families of the missing. We call for truth, justice, and the immediate recovery of all forcibly disappeared individuals, and we pledge to continue raising our voices until every missing person is accounted for and reunited with their loved ones," the BVJ stated.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the deaths were reported in the 24 hours leading up to Monday morning.

Among the eight fatalities, one was a confirmed measles death, while the remaining seven died with symptoms of the disease, Bangladeshi media outlet UNB reported.

Reports suggest that the total number of confirmed deaths from measles has reached 92, while suspected deaths surged to 536.

The DGHS recorded a total of 1,092 suspected measles cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the overall tally of suspected cases to 80,104.

Additionally, 93 new confirmed cases were reported, increasing the total to 9,779 during the same period.

Bangladesh's severe measles outbreak continues to spread despite government claims that vaccination coverage has exceeded 100 per cent of the targeted children, raising concerns among immunisation experts about vaccine effectiveness and coverage gaps, the country's leading daily, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

More than a month after a nationwide emergency measles vaccination drive concluded, hospitals across the country admit over 1,000 children daily with measles or measles-like symptoms, while fatalities continue to rise.

The persistent rise in cases has alarmed public health experts, who said that vaccination coverage does not necessarily translate into protection unless children develop sufficient immunity.

"Measles transmission should decline significantly once vaccine coverage exceeds 90 per cent. If vaccination has truly reached the reported level, then infections should have fallen much more sharply by now," Dhaka Tribune quoted Be-Nazir Ahmed, former director of the government's disease control branch, as saying.

According to Be-Nazir Ahmed, official targets may not accurately reflect the true size of the eligible children.

"In some cases, coverage may appear to be 100 per cent on paper while thousands of children remain unvaccinated in reality," he added.

Last week, expressing grave concern over the worsening measles outbreak across the country, the Awami League said that the crisis was not a "natural disaster" but a "man-made failure of governance" that began during the tenure of the former Muhammad Yunus-led interim administration and has continued under the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led government.

The Awami League alleged that the roots of this tragedy lie in "catastrophic decisions" taken during the interim government.

The party further stated that although Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and the BNP government assumed office in February this year with full knowledge of the unfolding crisis, the response over the past four months remained "disturbingly inadequate," as the death toll from the measles outbreak continued to rise.

Calling for urgent action, the Awami League urged the Bangladesh government to declare a national public health emergency with clear timelines, targets, and daily public reporting. It also demanded an accelerated emergency vaccination drive and treatment with full transparency and international oversight.

The situation raises question on whether the Pakistani authorities and the society can recognise the scale of the danger and respond before a crisis becomes collapse. Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries on the planet when it comes to facing the consequences of the climate and ecologies emergency. Each city of Pakistan faces a unique threat with regards to the climate crisis, according to a report in The Express Tribune magazine.

"An unfolding national security, public health, and survival challenge â€" Pakistan’s climate crisis is no longer a distant environmental warning. From melting glaciers in the north to rising seas in the south, from choking smog in Punjab to chronic water scarcity in Balochistan and Karachi, the country’s ecological stresses are colliding with rapid population growth, poor governance, and outdated infrastructure," climate activist Zain Haq mentioned in a report in The Express Tribune.

"The consequences are not abstract. They threaten the most basic foundations of human life: food, water, shelter, energy, and breathable air. While Pakistan’s contribution to global emissions remains relatively small, its vulnerability is immense â€" and vulnerability does not absolve responsibility," Haq added.

Google search reveals that the ground water supply of Quetta has depleted sharply since the late 1990s. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, as reported in multiple publications a few years back, it was just 50 metres below the surface in the area around Quetta at the start of the century, while today one has to dig at least 150 metres before coming across water. According to the organisation, the water supply is also reduced by 2-5 metres each year, posing existential threat to Quetta's consistently rising population.

Climate crisis is also causing increase in temperatures. The global average increase is currently at 1.5 degrees and for coastal cities like Quetta and Lahore, a two degrees increase in global average temperatures could mean a five degrees average increase, implying that temperature in Quetta would reach 41-46 degrees during summers within the next 10-15 years.

Pakistan is also facing water shortage as Karachi, unlike parts of Punjab, does not have underground water storage. The government has claimed to work on the K4 plan to supply water to Karachi from Keenjhar lake, a project that was scheduled to be completed by 2019, however, still has not been completed as of yet.

"The other crisis that Karachi faces is that of an impending food shortage and crisis. In the 2023 floods, Pakistan lost 90% of its crops, which in part worsened inflation in the country. For 2026, the National Disaster Management Agency has claimed that the monsoon is supposed to be 26 per cent worse compared to last year," the report in Express Tribune magazine stated.

"This trend is predicted to worsen over the coming decades. Cities do not grow their own food and rely on the country-side to provide them with food. However, with an increasingly unstable and unpredictable climate and weather patterns, food production could be seriously disrupted. We have already seen a universal increase in food prices, in part due to climate change, in addition to the war on Ukraine," it added.

"Ambassador Dr Suhel Ajaz Khan had a cordial meeting with Deputy Minister for International Multilateral Affairs and General Supervisor of the Economic and Development Affairs Deputyship H.E. Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Rassi," stated the Embassy of India in Saudi Arabia on X.

"They reviewed bilateral cooperation and coordination at various international fora and discussed other issues of mutual interest," it added.

"His Excellency the Undersecretary for Multilateral International Affairs and Supervisor General of the Ministry's Agency for Economic and Development Affairs, Dr.Abdulrahman_Al-Rasi, receives His Excellency the Ambassador of the Republic of India to the Kingdom, Dr. Sohail Ejaz Khan, and they review the bilateral relations between the two countries, and discuss topics of common interest," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia wrote on X.

Ambassador Khan, who has been serving as India's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is set to complete his tenure shortly. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Vipul, an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) 1998 batch officer, presently Ambassador of India to the State of Qatar, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

"I am deeply honoured for the opportunity given by Government of India to serve our great nation in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Look forward to contributing to making our bilateral relations even stronger, following my colleague and friend Amb Suhel Ajaz Khan," Ambassador Vipul wrote on X ahead of his new appointment.

"Warmly welcome the appointment of my good friend Vipul, as next Amb to KSA. Confident that he will take India-Saudi Arabia relations to newer heights. For me, it has been a great honour to contribute to strengthening our bilateral partnership across all domains & serving our community," Ambassador Khan wrote on X.

Khan arrived in Riyadh on January 15, 2023 and assumed charge as the Ambassador of India to Saudi Arabia on January 16, 2023.

According to MEA, he was also concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to Yemen, with residence in Riyadh in July 2024.

FAO said the economic disruption has fueled inflation, making necessities increasingly unaffordable for vulnerable families and undermining local market stability.

Government figures show that fuel prices in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, have risen from about 0.60 US dollars to 1.50 dollars per litre, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The sharp rise in fuel prices is driving inflation in food, transport, utilities, and services, significantly increasing logistics costs," FAO Food Security Cluster Coordinator Gordon Dudi said in a statement.

He added that a constrained global funding environment, coupled with shifting donor priorities, has reduced operational efficiency and heightened the risk of scaled-back humanitarian assistance.

The statement comes as the latest data released by FAO's Somalia Water and Land Information Management (SWALIM) show that recent rainfall has brought some relief to parts of the country, while the Shabelle River remains dangerously high at Jowhar.

Meanwhile, the report noted that parts of southern and central coastal Somalia continue to face severe water shortages, with drought conditions particularly acute in Southwest State.

Bethwell Mutai, SWALIM's lead meteorologist, said that while rainfall in the Ethiopian highlands and resulting surface runoff are expected to remain manageable through May, an El Nino phenomenon is forecast to develop in mid-2026 and intensify toward the end of the year.

"From that point onward, we are likely to see a shift from drought concerns to flood risks. The main threat is expected to be flooding, particularly along the Juba and Shabelle rivers, the country's two major waterways," he added.

Mutai said it remains imperative to continue supporting drought-affected communities while simultaneously preparing for possible floods and fuel shortages.

FAO Somalia Representative Etienne Peterschmitt said that humanitarian assistance must be sustained throughout 2026 and into 2027 to prevent further suffering, help affected populations recover from drought, and prepare for the impacts of El Nino.

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"The process is at its core a ritualistic transfer of authority among federally controlled political actors while fundamental questions of constitutional status, political rights, institutional accountability, etc, remain unresolved. This ambiguity facilitates elite capture through a flawed political system that enables control over local resources without meaningful accountability. Public resources continue to be consumed by expanding bureaucratic structures, patronage networks and non-development expenditures," Afzal Ali Shigri, a former IGP of Sindh province who belongs to PoGB, wrote in leading Pakistani daily Dawn.

"More troubling is the ill-defined governance structure in which critical decisions, including appointments to senior judicial and institutional positions, are made through opaque processes. Such a system effectively guarantees immunity for unaccountable decision-makers, while ordinary citizens continue to bear the burden of weak institutions, unemployment, and political uncertainty. This has reduced Sunday's election to an exercise in futility," wrote Shigri.

Instead of locally rooted political structure, governance in PoGB has remained dominated by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who considered the region through the lens of national power politics, strategic utility, electoral expansion, patronage and resource control, instead of genuine political empowerment.

The first problem is lack of commitment from these parties to resolve the constitutional status of PoGB. At the time of elections, parties make promises of autonomy, reforms and provisional provincial status. However, not a single party has fulfilled their promise when they are in federal power.

The second problem is bringing confrontational mainland political culture into a socially sensitive and geographically isolated region. Local leadership in PoGB often emerges not from grassroot level or public legitimacy, but through patronage networks, loyalty to party centres and access to federal power, leading to weakening of local institutions and prevents independent political consensus.

A new generation is emerging in PoGB, which is educated, technologically connected, politically conscious and not ready to accept symbolic representation in place of genuine rights and participation, according to a report in Dawn. This rising Gen Z may challenge the cycle of constitutional ambiguity and political misgovernance in PoGB as no political structure based on perpetual ambiguity, exclusion and managed dependency can continue for an indefinite period.

In April, a leading international human rights organisation called on the Pakistani authorities to immediately release all detained activists of the Awami Action Committee (AAC) from Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) and drop all charges against them related to their "peaceful activism".

Expressing its grave concern, Amnesty International mentioned that seven members of the ACC have been arbitrarily detained for over 45 days under Pakistan's anti-terrorism law, solely for "peacefully" exercising their rights to assembly and expression.

The charges stem from allegations that 13 AAC members made "anti-state" speeches during an Iftar dinner on March 8 and made plans for a protest — rights guaranteed under international human rights law.

According to the rights body, among those detained is 70-year-old lawyer and AAC chairperson Ehsan Ali, whose continued detention has raised serious concerns over his right to life and due process.

"Despite applications filed by his lawyers requesting hospitalisation, Ehsan was denied appropriate medical care until his condition drastically worsened. He was transferred to the hospital only after developing pneumonia and losing consciousness while in police custody. Ehsan has been under police guard at District Headquarters Hospital, Gilgit, along with two other AAC activists, Ibrar Bahoro and Hasnain Ramal. His lawyers have raised concerns that, given his underlying heart condition and current health, the care being provided at the current medical facility is inadequate," the Amnesty International stated.

The organisation added that other ACC activists named in the case have been forced to restrict their right to freedom of movement, association, peaceful assembly and freedom of expression out of fear of arrest, leaving them unable to campaign for the upcoming elections in PoGB scheduled for June 7, 2026.

The rights body urged the Pakistani authorities to ensure immediate access to adequate healthcare for all detainees pending their release.

In a joint statement issued after the consultations in Addis Ababa, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN) and other partners said they remained united in their belief that "there can be no military solution to this crisis" and called for an inclusive political process reflecting "the aspirations of the Sudanese people".

The statement followed consultations held by the Quintet â€" the AU, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), League of Arab States, EU and UN â€" with Sudanese political stakeholders from June 3-5 in Ethiopia's capital.

The countries and organisations reaffirmed their commitment to "a peaceful, democratic, and stable future" for Sudan and to preserving the country's "sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity".

They also voiced alarm over the worsening humanitarian situation.

"We express deep concern over the devastating humanitarian consequences of the ongoing conflict, where millions face displacement, acute food insecurity, and limited access to basic services, while attacks on civilians and infrastructure persist," the statement said.

The signatories stressed that "the protection of civilians must remain central" and reiterated "the urgent need for a humanitarian truce, leading to a permanent ceasefire".

The joint statement welcomed outcomes from the Berlin Conference on Sudan held on April 15, including the adoption of the "Berlin Principles for Sudan" and a civilian stakeholders' declaration calling for an end to the war and the launch of a Sudanese-owned political process.

According to the statement, those initiatives helped strengthen international coordination and support for "a civilian-led path towards a durable peaceful settlement".

The group said advancing a civilian track must remain central to efforts to end the conflict and establish a democratic transition.

It supported "a swift and time-bound civilian track that leads to a civilian-led transition" and said progress would be assessed against agreed benchmarks.

The statement also warned that "appropriate measures will be considered by the international community against those who seek to undermine the civilian transition process".

The international partners endorsed plans by the Quintet to begin "in the coming few weeks" a comprehensive civilian-led dialogue process involving a broad spectrum of Sudanese political and civil actors.

The proposed dialogue would include representatives of civil society, women's groups, youth organisations and stakeholders reflecting Sudan's geographic and social diversity. The process, the statement said, should be transparent, credible and free from coercion.

The signatories said they hoped the dialogue could be concluded "ideally within six months" and lead to "a clear pathway toward a transition process to an independent civilian-led government, grounded in legitimacy, accountability, and respect for human rights".

They described the establishment of such a government as "indispensable to ensuring a durable end to the conflict".

In a statement, the headquarters warned that any further Israeli "aggression and malicious acts," including in southern Lebanon, would trigger a much more "severe and crushing" response.

Iran's President on Monday said that they have neither abandoned the field nor the negotiating table.

"Our priority is national security and the peace of our people. We will defend the rights of the nation with authority and will not retreat in the face of any threat. Diplomacy and defence are the two wings of national power; we have neither abandoned the field nor the negotiating table. God willing, with unity and rationality, Iran will emerge triumphant from this trial as well," Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on X.

The headquarters said that the Iranian armed forces' actions were carried out in support of the Lebanese people following Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon and the Dahieh district south of the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

It accused the United States of backing Israeli operations and said that Israel should have learned its lesson from Iran's response.

Israel halted its strikes on Iran at the request of US President Donald Trump, local media reported, citing a senior Israeli official.

The official was also cited as saying that Israel warned it would strike Beirut's southern suburbs if Hezbollah continued attacks on Israeli towns.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement on Sunday that its aerospace force had launched ballistic missiles at the Ramat David Air Base in northern Israel in response to Israel's "widespread crimes" in southern Lebanon.

The IRGC continued its attacks on Monday by targeting the Nevatim and Tel Nof air bases as well as certain industries in Israel.

In response to Iran's missile attacks, the Israeli military carried out airstrikes on several targets in Iran, including a petrochemical company in the southwestern province of Khuzestan.

Earlier in the day, an Iranian military source was quoted by Tasnim news agency as saying that Iran is ready for a long-term war with Israel and to "deal blows" to the US interests.

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