International

GENEVA: The World Health Organisation declared that mpox no longer constitutes a global health emergency on Thursday, almost exactly a year after the disease formerly known as monkeypox started spreading globally. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the decision was prompted by sharply falling case numbers worldwide, but emphasised that the disease remains a threat, particularly in areas of Africa …

KARACHI: As many as 198 Indian fishermen released from the District Prison Malir left for Lahore by the Allama Iqbal Express that departed from the Cantonment Railway Station here on Thursday evening. The original number of fishermen who were to be released was 200 but two fishermen had died earlier. The deceased fishermen are Mohammad Zulfiqar, who died on May …

WASHINGTON: A powerful committee of the US Senate urged the government of Pakistan on Thursday to immediately restore internet services across the country and de-escalate tensions. In a statement, also pos­ted on its official social media accounts, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee said it was “closely monitoring the dev­elopments in Pakistan,” which it described as ‘concerning’. “I support de-escalation …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran on Wednesday agreed to explore new avenues of collaboration in the fields of aviation including direct flight, revival of gas pipeline project and expansion of trade between the two nations. The understanding was reached during a meeting between Commerce Minister Naveed Qamar and visiting Chairman of the Commission of National Security and Foreign Policy of the …

DAMASCUS: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz has invited Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad to attend an Arab League summit in the Gulf country on May 19, Syrian state media reported on Wednesday. Arab foreign ministers had on Sunday agreed that Syria could resume its role in the body, 12 years after its membership was suspended over Assad’s crackdown on protests …

ISLAMABAD: Pakis­tan on Wednesday welcomed efforts of Saudi Arabia for peace in Sudan and to facilitate the pre-negotiation talks in Jeddah between representatives of Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces geared to reaching a short-term ceasefire agreement and subsequent delivery of emergency humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflict. “Pakistan reiterates its principled support for a political …

BRUSSELS: European Union states were holding a first discussion on Wednesday on proposed new sanctions over Russia’s war in Ukraine that would target Chinese and Iranian firms and allow export curbs on third countries for busting trade restrictions. Talks among the EU envoys were set to be heated, according to one diplomat, with Russia hawks upset the plan does not …

CAIRO: An Egyptian archaeologist on Wednesday released a documentary on the life of Cleopatra, the same day Netflix began streaming a controversial production depicting the ancient queen as black. For weeks, pundits and officials in Egypt have reacted angrily to streaming platform Netflix’s decision to cast British actress Adele James in the lead role of its production “Queen Cleopatra” — …

PARIS: Iran executed seven men in two prisons outside Tehran on drugs and rape charges on Wednesday, a rights group said, accelerating what activists describe as a hanging spree over the past two weeks. Three men were executed on drug-related charges in Ghezal Hesar prison in the city of Karaj outside Tehran, the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) NGO said. …

LABUAN BAJO (Indonesia): Southeast Asian nations said on Wednesday they are “deeply concerned” about the violence ravaging Myanmar, and condemned a recent attack on a convoy of diplomats delivering humanitarian aid in the country. Turmoil in junta-ruled Myanmar has dominated talks at this week’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit in Indonesia, as the regional bloc faces criticism for …