NEW DELHI: Star batsman Virat Kohli’s absence from the India squad for undisclosed “personal reasons” will extend to the remaining three Tests against England, the country’s cricket board said Saturday. The series is level at 1-1 after two matches that Kohli also missed and will resume without him in Rajkot for the third Test starting Thursday. Both he and the …

A Canadian tourist opened the door of a Thai Airways flight that was preparing to take off from Chiang Mai airport bound for the capital Bangkok, local broadcaster ThaiPBS and officials said this week. “The whole plane was in chaos,” wrote Facebook user Ananya Tiangtae, who was on the flight, adding that officials escorted the passenger off the plane. “What …

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Friday directed all the ministries to prepare plans within five days for commissioning of development projects with a potential to attract foreign investment. While presiding over a meeting to review progress on execution of investment deals with GCC states, the premier directed officials of different ministries to present their respective strategies on …

WASHINGTON: An all-European quartet of astrona­uts, including Turkiye’s first, splashed down off the Florida coast on Friday mor­ning, completing Axi­om Space’s third private mission to the International Space Station. The Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) was the company’s first launch where all three paid seats were bought by national agencies rather than wealthy individuals. A livestream showed a SpaceX Crew Dragon …

GAZA STRIP: Israel conducted fresh strikes on Gaza’s overcrowded border town of Rafah on Friday with UN chief Antonio Guterres saying the Israeli action would exponentially increase what is already a humanitarian nightmare Israel’s key backer US warning of a looming disaster. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he has ordered troops to “prepare to operate” in Rafah, the …

UNITED NATIONS: While UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern about suspension of mobile communications services and violence in Pakistan on election day, the European Union and the United States adopted cautious response with the former seeking investigation into irregularities and the latter saying the State Department is looking forward to “timely, complete election results that reflect the will of the …

DEHRADUN: Five people were killed in India and dozens more injured after religious clashes sparked by the destruction of a madressah, the latest in a spate of demolitions targeting Islamic structures, on Friday. Hindu nationalist groups have been emboldened in their campaign against Muslim religious structures since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office a decade ago. Authorities in the northern …

The United States, Britain and the European Union have separately expressed concerns about Pakistan’s electoral process in the wake of a vote on Thursday and urged a probe into reported irregularities. The main battle was between former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s party and candidates backed by ex-prime minister Imran Khan. Both declared victory separately. Elections were held for 265 seats in the National Assembly …

LAHORE: While the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s official election result from NA-130 (Lahore) was issued on Friday night after his victory speech on behalf of his party, following an 18-hour delay, the returning officer (RO) concerned proceeded on “medical leave”. The Lahore deputy commissioner on Friday wrote a letter to the Provincial Election Commissioner, seeking exemption from further election duty …

NAROWAL: The wife of independent candidate from Narowal and former minister, Daniyal Aziz, former MNA Mahnaz Akbar Aziz and her son were arrested by police in Zafarwal on charge of inciting violence on Friday. Police arrested Mehnaz and her son, Mikaal Aziz, from outside the office of the returning officer (RO) of NA-75. On the arrest of Mehnaz, the voters …