News brief: Big stories of the day

Iran today slammed US secretary of stateMike Pompeo's joint statementin New Delhi in which he accused Iran of being the "world's largest state sponsor of terror".

The Indian prime minister expressed his happiness over coming to Japan after seven monthsas he told the crowd that PM Shinzo Abe is a "good friend". "I am humbled by your support," theIndian prime minister said.

German ChancellorAngela Merkel was seen shakingas she met President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Thursday, her second such bout within two weeks, but her spokesman said she was fine.

A division bench of Justices Ranjit More and Bharati Dangre, however, said the quota percentage should be reduced from 16 per cent to 12 to 13 per cent, as recommended by the State Backward Classes Commission.

"One on one meeting held between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Islamabad. Matters pertaining to bilateral cooperation in various sectors and regional situation were discussed in the meeting," tweeted the government of Pakistan.