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India on Tuesday (May 13) declared a Pakistani diplomat posted at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi as persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 24 hours.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (May 13) bashed Iran, calling it the "most destructive force" in the Middle East.
Click on the headlines for more
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/pakistan/operation-sindoor-india-pakistan-tensions-india-declares-pakistani-diplomat-persona-non-grata-pahalgam-terror-attack-pakistan-high-commission-india-9065683">&lsquo;Indulging in activities...&rsquo;: India declares Pakistani diplomat &lsquo;persona non grata&rsquo;, gives 24-hour deadline - Here&rsquo;s why</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.publive.online/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/05/13/0urGApXfSgZjUul0kDD9.png" alt=" Pakistan High Commission Delhi Photograph: (PTI) ">
India on Tuesday (May 13) declared a Pakistani diplomat posted at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi as persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 24 hours.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-most-destructive-force-in-middle-east-trump-bashes-iran-for-causing-unthinkable-suffering-9065701">'Iran MOST DESTRUCTIVE force in Middle East': Trump bashes Iran for causing unthinkable suffering</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.publive.online/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/03/28/JD42U0N5VhVoAz14tsXK.png" alt=" US President Donald Trump and Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Photograph: (Reuters) ">
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (May 13) bashed Iran, calling it the "most destructive force" in the Middle East, accusing it of causing unthinkable suffering to the Middle Eastern nations.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mea-briefing-india-pakistan-jk-donald-trump-india-pakistan-ceasefire-operation-sindoor-live-9065048">&lsquo;Our policy has not changed&rsquo;: MEA says J&amp;K is 'bilateral issue' between India, Pakistan - Did India dismiss Trump&rsquo;s ceasefire claim?</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.publive.online/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/05/06/bo8IQ4Pvtg3JttlymH8c.png" alt=" Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump Photograph: (PTI) ">
India has indirectly rejected US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s statement that the United States brokered the recent ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-is-land-of-gautam-buddha-guru-gobind-singh-pm-modi-hails-operation-sindoor-gives-stark-warning-to-terrorists-9064396">'India is land of Gautam Buddha, Guru Gobind Singh': PM Modi hails Operation Sindoor, gives stark warning to terrorists</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.publive.online/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/05/13/U129K868AlhQaQOon2s7.jpg" alt=" Indian PM Narendra Modi at Adampur air base. The S 400 air defence system can be seen in the background Photograph: (X) ">
During his address at the Adampur Air Base, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the success of Operation Sindoor, which was carried out by the Indian Armed Forces and targeted terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-pak-tensions-first-civilian-casualty-outside-jk-punjab-woman-dies-after-pakistani-drone-attack-ferozepur-operation-sindoor-9065459">First civilian casualty outside J&amp;K: Punjab woman dies after Pakistani drone attack</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.publive.online/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/05/10/t3xHo8dzrldZpgLbLXpo.png" alt=" Explosions heard in Srinagar hours after India-Pak ceasefire Photograph: (X/OmarAbdullah) Photograph: ((X/OmarAbdullah)) ">
A 50-year-old woman, based in Punjab's Ferozepur, succumbed to burn injuries in a Pakistani drone attack as the tensions between the two nations escalated. It was the first such recorded civil casualty outside Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-defence-budget-increases-by-26-times-in-12-years-climbs-up-to-798-billion-in-2025-26-mod-ministry-of-defence-9065267">India&rsquo;s defence budget increases by 2.6 times in 12 years, climbs up to $79.8 billion in 2025-26: MoD</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.publive.online/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/05/13/QfAlkvqpfeTscc1GsryU.png" alt=" PM Modi at Adampur airbase Photograph: (X/@narendramodi) ">
The Defence Ministry on Tuesday (May 13) said that India&rsquo;s defence budget has increased by 2.6 times over 12 years, from Rs 2.53 lakh crore ($29.6 billion) in 2013-14 to Rs 6.81 lakh crore ($79.8 billion) in 2025-26.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nuclear-leakage-in-pakistan-heres-what-india-said-india-pakistan-tensions-mea-operation-sindoor-9065007">Nuclear leakage in Pakistan? Here's what India has to say about it</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.publive.online/fit-in/1280x0/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/05/13/ncqRow5IIc9clOUXc0l3.png" alt=" What are Kirana Hills, and why are they in discussion after Operation Sindoor | Explained Photograph: (Google Maps) " style="width: 1280px;">
As there has been a social media buzz on India attacking nuclear facilities in Pakistan, India's Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday (May 13) said that the military action from our side was entirely in the conventional domain.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-gets-f-15-escort-lavender-carpet-welcome-to-saudi-arabia-9064913">Trump gets &lsquo;lavender&rsquo; carpet welcome to Saudi Arabia after F-15 escort</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.publive.online/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/05/13/QfyKFFvX5Fgtz15ZiOxp.jpg" alt=" US President Donald Trump is greeted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman upon his arrival in Riyadh. Photograph: (AFP) ">
US President Donald Trump landed in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for his first official overseas trip of his second term and was welcomed at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-says-trumps-presence-at-peace-talks-would-prompt-putin-to-attend-9065417">Zelensky says Trump&rsquo;s presence at peace talks would prompt Putin to attend</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.publive.online/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/04/17/YuHzficGqdm55rBnyuEJ.png" alt=" Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Photograph: (Reuters) ">
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump joining peace talks with Russia in Turkey might give Vladimir Putin an &lsquo;impetus&rsquo; to attend.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/murray-quits-as-djokovics-coach-as-partnership-fails-to-serve-any-aces-9064708">Murray quits as Djokovic's coach as partnership fails to serve any aces</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.publive.online/fit-in/1280x0/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/05/13/vOrIGeBiJZhoZsLrsZWD.png" alt=" Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic Photograph: (AFP) " style="width: 1280px;">
When Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray revealed their unexpected coaching partnership in December 2024, days before the Australian Open, tennis lovers were divided&mdash;some curious, others undecided and in some serious doubt.

Stay updated with the top global stories, offering an in-depth look at the most impactful news from across the globe, ensuring you are always in the know. India news | World

India on Tuesday (May 13) declared a Pakistani diplomat posted at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi as persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 24 hours. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (May 13) bashed Iran, calling it the "most destructive force" in the Middle East. Click on the headlines for more ‘Indulging in activities...’: India declares Pakistani diplomat ‘persona non grata’, gives 24-hour deadline - Here’s why India on Tuesday (May 13) declared a Pakistani diplomat posted at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi as persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 24 hours. 'Iran MOST DESTRUCTIVE force in Middle East': Trump bashes Iran for causing unthinkable suffering US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (May 13) bashed Iran, calling it the "most destructive force" in the Middle East, accusing it of causing unthinkable suffering to the Middle Eastern nations. ‘Our policy has not changed’: MEA says J&K is 'bilateral issue' between India, Pakistan - Did India dismiss Trump’s ceasefire claim? India has indirectly rejected US President Donald Trump’s statement that the United States brokered the recent ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan. 'India is land of Gautam Buddha, Guru Gobind Singh': PM Modi hails Operation Sindoor, gives stark warning to terrorists During his address at the Adampur Air Base, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the success of Operation Sindoor, which was carried out by the Indian Armed Forces and targeted terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). First civilian casualty outside J&K: Punjab woman dies after Pakistani drone attack A 50-year-old woman, based in Punjab's Ferozepur, succumbed to burn injuries in a Pakistani drone attack as the tensions between the two nations escalated. It was the first such recorded civil casualty outside Jammu and Kashmir. India’s defence budget increases by 2.6 times in 12 years, climbs up to $79.8 billion in 2025-26: MoD The Defence Ministry on Tuesday (May 13) said that India’s defence budget has increased by 2.6 times over 12 years, from Rs 2.53 lakh crore ($29.6 billion) in 2013-14 to Rs 6.81 lakh crore ($79.8 billion) in 2025-26. Nuclear leakage in Pakistan? Here's what India has to say about it As there has been a social media buzz on India attacking nuclear facilities in Pakistan, India's Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday (May 13) said that the military action from our side was entirely in the conventional domain. Trump gets ‘lavender’ carpet welcome to Saudi Arabia after F-15 escort US President Donald Trump landed in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for his first official overseas trip of his second term and was welcomed at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Zelensky says Trump’s presence at peace talks would prompt Putin to attend Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump joining peace talks with Russia in Turkey might give Vladimir Putin an ‘impetus’ to attend. Murray quits as Djokovic's coach as partnership fails to serve any aces When Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray revealed their unexpected coaching partnership in December 2024, days before the Australian Open, tennis lovers were divided—some curious, others undecided and in some serious doubt.

Top 10 world news: India declares Pakistani diplomat ‘persona non grata’; Trump's warning to Iran, and more

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said at the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh that joint investments between Saudi Arabia and the US are one of the key pillars of both countries&rsquo; economic relationship and the two nations aim to raise the total to $1 trillion within the coming months.
In his speech at the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh, attended by President Donald Trump, the Crown Prince added that the economic ties between Saudi Arabia and the US are reflected in the growth of trade exchange between the two countries.
Mohammed bin Salman noted that the two countries share a deep economic relationship dating back 92 years ago, and added, &ldquo;We are working on partnership opportunities worth $600 billion, including over $300 billion in agreements announced during the forum. In the coming months, we will move forward with the second phase to finalize the remaining agreements, aiming to raise the total to $1 trillion.&rdquo;
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-gets-f-15-escort-lavender-carpet-welcome-to-saudi-arabia-9064913" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump gets &lsquo;lavender&rsquo; carpet welcome to Saudi Arabia after F-15 escort</a>
The Saudi leader said that the US remains the &ldquo;main destination&rdquo; of the kingdom&rsquo;s investment fund. &ldquo;We are here today to deepen this strategic partnership at its different levels with an economy that is built on hydrocarbons but also diversifying the economy and building a knowledge-based economy,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;This partnership has always been one of our main pillars, and Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest and most strategic partners of the United States and is also an important member of the G20.&rdquo;
<h2>Iran will never have a nuclear weapon: Trump</h2>
Speaking at the forum, Trump said he wants to make a deal with Iran, with which his administration is engaged in nuclear negotiations. However, he soon issued a threat, saying that if the Iranian leadership rejects this olive branch and continues to attack its neighbours, then the US will respond by &ldquo;massive maximum pressure&rdquo; and drive Iranian oil exports &ldquo;to zero&rdquo;. &ldquo;Iran will never have a nuclear weapon,&rdquo; he tells the crowd. &ldquo;The choice is theirs to make,&rdquo; he added.
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-compares-agility-of-indias-modern-weapons-to-maharana-prataps-legendary-horse-chetak-9064665" rel="noopener" target="_blank">PM Modi compares agility of India&rsquo;s modern weapons to Maharana Pratap&rsquo;s legendary horse Chetak</a>
Trump even called Iran an agent of &ldquo;chaos&rdquo; that has brought &ldquo;unthinkable suffering in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, Yemen, and beyond&rdquo;. &ldquo;But I am here today not merely to condemn the past choices of Iran&rsquo;s leaders, but to offer them a new and a better path toward a much more hopeful future,&rdquo; he said.
<h2>&lsquo;Hope Saudi Arabia normalises ties with Israel&rsquo;</h2>
President Trump added that he hopes Saudi Arabia will join the Abraham Accords negotiated between Israel and some Arab countries during his first term. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s my fervent hope, wish and even my dream that Saudi Arabia &hellip; will soon be joining the Abraham Accords,&rdquo; Trump said at the forum. Palestinian officials have slammed the normalisation as &ldquo;another treacherous stab to the Palestinian cause&rdquo;.
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/world-saw-the-true-face-of-pak-when-its-army-officials-attended-funerals-of-terrorists-pm-modi-9064451" rel="noopener" target="_blank">&lsquo;World saw the true face of Pak when its army officials attended funerals of terrorists&rsquo;: PM Modi</a>
The US president began his speech by saying it&rsquo;s a tremendous honour to be in Saudi Arabia, praising the kingdom as &ldquo;a great place&rdquo; and its population as &ldquo;great people&rdquo;. Trump went on to call MBS &ldquo;an incredible man&rdquo;. &ldquo;There is no one like him,&rdquo; he said.
Meanwhile, the White House released additional details on some of the US-Saudi agreements signed by Trump and Prince Mohammed, describing them as &ldquo;historic and transformative&rdquo;.

Middle East | World: In his speech at the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh, the Crown Prince said that the economic ties between Saudi Arabia and the US are reflected in the growth of trade exchange between the two countries.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said at the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh that joint investments between Saudi Arabia and the US are one of the key pillars of both countries’ economic relationship and the two nations aim to raise the total to $1 trillion within the coming months. In his speech at the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh, attended by President Donald Trump, the Crown Prince added that the economic ties between Saudi Arabia and the US are reflected in the growth of trade exchange between the two countries. Mohammed bin Salman noted that the two countries share a deep economic relationship dating back 92 years ago, and added, “We are working on partnership opportunities worth $600 billion, including over $300 billion in agreements announced during the forum. In the coming months, we will move forward with the second phase to finalize the remaining agreements, aiming to raise the total to $1 trillion.” Also Read | Trump gets ‘lavender’ carpet welcome to Saudi Arabia after F-15 escort The Saudi leader said that the US remains the “main destination” of the kingdom’s investment fund. “We are here today to deepen this strategic partnership at its different levels with an economy that is built on hydrocarbons but also diversifying the economy and building a knowledge-based economy,” he said. “This partnership has always been one of our main pillars, and Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest and most strategic partners of the United States and is also an important member of the G20.” Iran will never have a nuclear weapon: Trump Speaking at the forum, Trump said he wants to make a deal with Iran, with which his administration is engaged in nuclear negotiations. However, he soon issued a threat, saying that if the Iranian leadership rejects this olive branch and continues to attack its neighbours, then the US will respond by “massive maximum pressure” and drive Iranian oil exports “to zero”. “Iran will never have a nuclear weapon,” he tells the crowd. “The choice is theirs to make,” he added. Also Read | PM Modi compares agility of India’s modern weapons to Maharana Pratap’s legendary horse Chetak Trump even called Iran an agent of “chaos” that has brought “unthinkable suffering in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, Yemen, and beyond”. “But I am here today not merely to condemn the past choices of Iran’s leaders, but to offer them a new and a better path toward a much more hopeful future,” he said. ‘Hope Saudi Arabia normalises ties with Israel’ President Trump added that he hopes Saudi Arabia will join the Abraham Accords negotiated between Israel and some Arab countries during his first term. “It’s my fervent hope, wish and even my dream that Saudi Arabia … will soon be joining the Abraham Accords,” Trump said at the forum. Palestinian officials have slammed the normalisation as “another treacherous stab to the Palestinian cause”. Also Read | ‘World saw the true face of Pak when its army officials attended funerals of terrorists’: PM Modi The US president began his speech by saying it’s a tremendous honour to be in Saudi Arabia, praising the kingdom as “a great place” and its population as “great people”. Trump went on to call MBS “an incredible man”. “There is no one like him,” he said. Meanwhile, the White House released additional details on some of the US-Saudi agreements signed by Trump and Prince Mohammed, describing them as “historic and transformative”.

Aim to take investments to $1 trillion in next phase, says Saudi Crown Prince

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (May 13) bashed Iran, calling it the "most destructive force" in the Middle East, accusing it of causing unthinkable suffering to the Middle Eastern nations.&nbsp;
He criticised Iran for tearing down the region and funding bloodshed abroad.&nbsp;
The biggest and most destructive force [in the Middle East] is Iran which has caused unthinkable suffering in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, Yemen and beyond,&rdquo; he said during his visit to Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-says-trumps-presence-at-peace-talks-would-prompt-putin-to-attend-9065417">Zelensky says Trump&rsquo;s presence at peace talks would prompt Putin to attend</a>
<h2>'Offer won't last forever'</h2>
However, he added that he still wants to make a deal with Iran, but the offer won't last forever.&nbsp;
He also warned Iran that if it continues to attack its neighbours, then the US will have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure.&nbsp;
"I want to make a deal with Iran. But if Iran&rsquo;s leadership rejects this olive branch and continues to attack their neighbors then we&rsquo;ll have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure,&rdquo; he said.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-saudi-crown-prince-sign-major-business-deals-in-riyadh-9065342">Trump, Saudi Crown Prince sign major business deals in Riyadh</a>
He warned to drive Iranian oil exports to zero, adding, "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon."
&ldquo;The choice is theirs to make,&rdquo; he said, adding, &ldquo;This is not an offer that will last forever.&rdquo;
The US president said that he is not just merely condemning the past chaos of Iran's leaders, but offering them a "new path, and a much better path" towards a "more hopeful future".
Trump is currently on a visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday and stressed that this visit marks 80 years of partnership between the two countries, adding that the US-Saudi relationship has been a "bedrock of security and prosperity".
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-in-saudi-arabia-meets-crown-prince-mbs-elon-musk-joins-in-for-vip-lunch-9064561">Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia, meets Crown Prince MBS; Elon Musk joins in for VIP lunch: See pics here</a>
"Today we take the next steps to make our relationship closer, stronger and more powerful than ever before," Trump said, adding, "It is more powerful than ever before."
The US and Saudi Arabia also made a deal, as Saudis purchased $142 billion worth of American-made military equipment.
"There's no better place to make a future, make a fortune," Trump said.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-gets-f-15-escort-lavender-carpet-welcome-to-saudi-arabia-9064913">Trump gets &lsquo;lavender&rsquo; carpet welcome to Saudi Arabia after F-15 escort</a>

He also warned Iran that if it continues to attack its neighbours, then the US will have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure. World

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (May 13) bashed Iran, calling it the "most destructive force" in the Middle East, accusing it of causing unthinkable suffering to the Middle Eastern nations. He criticised Iran for tearing down the region and funding bloodshed abroad. The biggest and most destructive force [in the Middle East] is Iran which has caused unthinkable suffering in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, Yemen and beyond,” he said during his visit to Saudi Arabia. Also read: Zelensky says Trump’s presence at peace talks would prompt Putin to attend 'Offer won't last forever' However, he added that he still wants to make a deal with Iran, but the offer won't last forever. He also warned Iran that if it continues to attack its neighbours, then the US will have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure. "I want to make a deal with Iran. But if Iran’s leadership rejects this olive branch and continues to attack their neighbors then we’ll have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure,” he said. Also read: Trump, Saudi Crown Prince sign major business deals in Riyadh He warned to drive Iranian oil exports to zero, adding, "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon." “The choice is theirs to make,” he said, adding, “This is not an offer that will last forever.” The US president said that he is not just merely condemning the past chaos of Iran's leaders, but offering them a "new path, and a much better path" towards a "more hopeful future". Trump is currently on a visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday and stressed that this visit marks 80 years of partnership between the two countries, adding that the US-Saudi relationship has been a "bedrock of security and prosperity". Also read: Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia, meets Crown Prince MBS; Elon Musk joins in for VIP lunch: See pics here "Today we take the next steps to make our relationship closer, stronger and more powerful than ever before," Trump said, adding, "It is more powerful than ever before." The US and Saudi Arabia also made a deal, as Saudis purchased $142 billion worth of American-made military equipment. "There's no better place to make a future, make a fortune," Trump said. Also read: Trump gets ‘lavender’ carpet welcome to Saudi Arabia after F-15 escort

'Iran MOST DESTRUCTIVE force in Middle East': Trump bashes Iran for causing unthinkable suffering

Over the last two decades, Pakistan has poured more than $4 billion into buying, upgrading and maintaining its fleet of F-16 fighter jets from the United States. Contrary to some reports, much of this spending came from Pakistan&rsquo;s own funds, not from American military aid.
Records show that in 2010 alone, Pakistan paid $1.4 billion for 18 new F-16 Block-52 jets and another $1.3 billion to upgrade its older jets. Six years later, another $699 million was spent on eight more F-16s with full systems. In 2011, Pakistan also ordered $62 million worth of spare parts.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indo-pak-war-can-pakistan-use-f-16s-against-india-operation-sindoor-pakistan-drone-attack-pahalgam-terror-attack-9050088" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Operation Sindoor: Can Pakistan use F-16s against India? Here&rsquo;s what the rules say</a>
The trend continued with maintenance contracts. In 2019, a $125 million package funded round-the-clock technical oversight, while in 2022, Pakistan paid $450 million for a sustainment deal covering spares, repairs, and engineering services.
Lockheed Martin, the American company behind the F-16, made huge profits from these deals. With an average operating margin of around 11%, it&rsquo;s estimated that the US defence industry earned nearly $445 million in profit from Pakistan&rsquo;s F-16-related contracts.
Here&rsquo;s a look at how the numbers add up:
<ul>
<li>18 F-16 jets (2010): $1.4B &rarr; ~$154M profit</li>
<li>F-16 upgrades (2010): $1.3B &rarr; ~$143M profit</li>
<li>8 F-16 jets (2016): $699M &rarr; ~$77M profit</li>
<li>Support deal (2022): $450M &rarr; ~$50M profit</li>
<li>Technical support (2019): $125M &rarr; ~$14M profit</li>
<li>Spare parts (2011): $62M &rarr; ~$7M profit</li>
</ul>
Total estimated US industry profit: $445 million
Total cost to Pakistan: over $4 billion
<h2>History of F-16 deals with Pakistan</h2>
The F-16 journey began in the early 1980s, when the US sold up to 110 jets to Pakistan under President Reagan. But by 1990, sanctions hit due to Pakistan&rsquo;s nuclear programme, freezing deliveries.
After 9/11, Pakistan returned as a key US partner in the so-called war on terror. Military ties resumed, and in 2005, two upgraded F-16s were handed over as military aid. In 2006, a major upgrade programme began, mostly funded by Pakistan with a small amount ($108 million) of American assistance.
In 2010, Pakistan received 18 brand-new F-16 Block 52 jets for $1.4 billion. These were pitched as a tool to strike terror in camps with precision. Reports said this was a sign of deeper US-Pakistan ties post-9/11.
By late 2008, Pakistan had asked to use $368 million in US Foreign Military Financing (FMF) for upgrades. Still, over 80% of the total cost came from Pakistan&rsquo;s own funds.
<h2>Tight restrictions on how Pakistan could use the jets</h2>
Every F-16 deal with Pakistan came with end-user conditions. The US made it clear: The jets were to be used only for counterterror operations, not against other nations.
Washington closely monitored how Pakistan used the aircraft, aiming to stop any action that might destabilise the region. Despite these limitations, Islamabad continued to invest heavily in these jets.

World: Records show that in 2010 alone, Pakistan paid $1.4 billion for 18 new F-16 Block-52 jets and another $1.3 billion to upgrade its older jets.

Over the last two decades, Pakistan has poured more than $4 billion into buying, upgrading and maintaining its fleet of F-16 fighter jets from the United States. Contrary to some reports, much of this spending came from Pakistan’s own funds, not from American military aid. Records show that in 2010 alone, Pakistan paid $1.4 billion for 18 new F-16 Block-52 jets and another $1.3 billion to upgrade its older jets. Six years later, another $699 million was spent on eight more F-16s with full systems. In 2011, Pakistan also ordered $62 million worth of spare parts. Also read: Operation Sindoor: Can Pakistan use F-16s against India? Here’s what the rules say The trend continued with maintenance contracts. In 2019, a $125 million package funded round-the-clock technical oversight, while in 2022, Pakistan paid $450 million for a sustainment deal covering spares, repairs, and engineering services. Lockheed Martin, the American company behind the F-16, made huge profits from these deals. With an average operating margin of around 11%, it’s estimated that the US defence industry earned nearly $445 million in profit from Pakistan’s F-16-related contracts. Here’s a look at how the numbers add up: 18 F-16 jets (2010): $1.4B → ~$154M profit F-16 upgrades (2010): $1.3B → ~$143M profit 8 F-16 jets (2016): $699M → ~$77M profit Support deal (2022): $450M → ~$50M profit Technical support (2019): $125M → ~$14M profit Spare parts (2011): $62M → ~$7M profit Total estimated US industry profit: $445 million Total cost to Pakistan: over $4 billion History of F-16 deals with Pakistan The F-16 journey began in the early 1980s, when the US sold up to 110 jets to Pakistan under President Reagan. But by 1990, sanctions hit due to Pakistan’s nuclear programme, freezing deliveries. After 9/11, Pakistan returned as a key US partner in the so-called war on terror. Military ties resumed, and in 2005, two upgraded F-16s were handed over as military aid. In 2006, a major upgrade programme began, mostly funded by Pakistan with a small amount ($108 million) of American assistance. In 2010, Pakistan received 18 brand-new F-16 Block 52 jets for $1.4 billion. These were pitched as a tool to strike terror in camps with precision. Reports said this was a sign of deeper US-Pakistan ties post-9/11. By late 2008, Pakistan had asked to use $368 million in US Foreign Military Financing (FMF) for upgrades. Still, over 80% of the total cost came from Pakistan’s own funds. Tight restrictions on how Pakistan could use the jets Every F-16 deal with Pakistan came with end-user conditions. The US made it clear: The jets were to be used only for counterterror operations, not against other nations. Washington closely monitored how Pakistan used the aircraft, aiming to stop any action that might destabilise the region. Despite these limitations, Islamabad continued to invest heavily in these jets.

F-16 in fine print: How much Pakistan paid and how much profit US made? | A brief history of US-Pakistan F-16 deals

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump joining peace talks with Russia in Turkey might give Vladimir Putin an &lsquo;impetus&rsquo; to attend. &ldquo;We have invited President Trump to join us. I do not know the US president&rsquo;s decision, but if he confirms his participation, I think it would give additional impetus for Putin to come,&rdquo; Zelensky said at a press conference in Kyiv. The Kremlin has made no comment on whether Putin will travel to Turkiye himself or not.
President Trump offered to join the talks that Russia&rsquo;s President Vladimir Putin suggested should be held directly with Ukraine after criticism of the Western &ldquo;ultimatums&rdquo; to end the conflict between the two nations.
Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-gets-f-15-escort-lavender-carpet-welcome-to-saudi-arabia-9064913">Trump gets &lsquo;lavender&rsquo; carpet welcome to Saudi Arabia after F-15 escort</a> Trump said on Monday he was &ldquo;thinking about actually flying over&rdquo; to the Turkish city of Istanbul to attend the negotiations expected to take place on Thursday. The initiative was welcomed by Zelensky, but there was no reaction from Moscow. &ldquo;All of us in Ukraine would appreciate it if President Trump could be there with us at this meeting in Turkey. This is the right idea. We can change a lot,&rdquo; Zelenskyy said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-mamnwjtg-8jxz1rf3-rgnch6tf">
I have just heard President Trump's statement. Very important words. I supported <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> idea of a full and unconditional ceasefire &mdash; long enough to provide the foundation for diplomacy. And we want it, we are ready to uphold silence on our end. I supported President Trump&hellip;
&mdash; Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1921955780682502280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
 Trump publicly asked Zelensky to attend after Putin proposed the direct talks following a rejection of a 30-day ceasefire Ukraine and its Western allies insisted should come first. The Ukrainian leader&rsquo;s adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, reiterated that Zelensky would only meet Putin and no other members of the Russian delegation.
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-compares-agility-of-indias-modern-weapons-to-maharana-prataps-legendary-horse-chetak-9064665" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PM Modi compares agility of India&rsquo;s modern weapons to Maharana Pratap&rsquo;s legendary horse Chetak</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-compares-agility-of-indias-modern-weapons-to-maharana-prataps-legendary-horse-chetak-9064665" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;</a> &ldquo;We are committed to a serious search for ways of a long-term peaceful settlement,&rdquo; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday but did not say whether Putin will travel to Turkiye. If Zelensky and Putin happen to meet on Thursday, it would be their first face-to-face meeting since December 2019. Meanwhile, Ukraine said its air defence units destroyed all 10 drones that Russia launched overnight on Tuesday. Russia accused Ukraine of attacking its Belgorod region, with the governor Vyacheslav Gladkov saying on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces used 65 drones and more than 100 rounds of ammunition to attack his region in the past day.
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/world-saw-the-true-face-of-pak-when-its-army-officials-attended-funerals-of-terrorists-pm-modi-9064451" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&lsquo;World saw the true face of Pak when its army officials attended funerals of terrorists&rsquo;: PM Modi</a>
&nbsp;

World: President Trump offered to join the talks that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin suggested should be held directly with Ukraine after criticism of the Western “ultimatums” to end the conflict between the two nations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump joining peace talks with Russia in Turkey might give Vladimir Putin an ‘impetus’ to attend. “We have invited President Trump to join us. I do not know the US president’s decision, but if he confirms his participation, I think it would give additional impetus for Putin to come,” Zelensky said at a press conference in Kyiv. The Kremlin has made no comment on whether Putin will travel to Turkiye himself or not. President Trump offered to join the talks that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin suggested should be held directly with Ukraine after criticism of the Western “ultimatums” to end the conflict between the two nations. Also Read | Trump gets ‘lavender’ carpet welcome to Saudi Arabia after F-15 escort Trump said on Monday he was “thinking about actually flying over” to the Turkish city of Istanbul to attend the negotiations expected to take place on Thursday. The initiative was welcomed by Zelensky, but there was no reaction from Moscow. “All of us in Ukraine would appreciate it if President Trump could be there with us at this meeting in Turkey. This is the right idea. We can change a lot,” Zelenskyy said. I have just heard President Trump's statement. Very important words. I supported @POTUS idea of a full and unconditional ceasefire — long enough to provide the foundation for diplomacy. And we want it, we are ready to uphold silence on our end. I supported President Trump… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 12, 2025 Trump publicly asked Zelensky to attend after Putin proposed the direct talks following a rejection of a 30-day ceasefire Ukraine and its Western allies insisted should come first. The Ukrainian leader’s adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, reiterated that Zelensky would only meet Putin and no other members of the Russian delegation. Also Read | PM Modi compares agility of India’s modern weapons to Maharana Pratap’s legendary horse Chetak “We are committed to a serious search for ways of a long-term peaceful settlement,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday but did not say whether Putin will travel to Turkiye. If Zelensky and Putin happen to meet on Thursday, it would be their first face-to-face meeting since December 2019. Meanwhile, Ukraine said its air defence units destroyed all 10 drones that Russia launched overnight on Tuesday. Russia accused Ukraine of attacking its Belgorod region, with the governor Vyacheslav Gladkov saying on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces used 65 drones and more than 100 rounds of ammunition to attack his region in the past day. Also Read | ‘World saw the true face of Pak when its army officials attended funerals of terrorists’: PM Modi

Zelensky says Trump’s presence at peace talks would prompt Putin to attend

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday trumpeted major business deals with Saudi Arabia as he basked in a lavish royal welcome on the first state visit of his second term.
The Saudi hosts escorted Air Force One into the kingdom with fighter jets before bringing out long-stretching guards of honour and sending flag-waving cavalry to accompany Trump's motorcade to the palace.
Under imposing chandeliers, Trump welcomed a promise by Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for $600 billion in investment and quipped that it should be $1 trillion.
"We have the biggest business leaders in the world here today and they're going to walk away with a lot of cheques," Trump told the prince.
For "the United States, it's probably two million jobs that we're talking about," Trump said.
With cameras rolling, a lengthy procession of Saudi royalty and business figures waited their turn to shake hands with Trump and the crown prince, including Elon Musk, the world's richest person and close advisor to Trump, who made a rare appearance in a suit.
Trump, the crown prince and their cabinet members later ceremonially signed a series of cooperation agreements including on economic ties and defence.
The US leader will head later in the week to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, fellow oil-rich Arab monarchies with long-standing ties to the United States.
In choosing the Gulf for his first major tour, the 78-year-old billionaire is again bypassing traditional presidential stops in Western allies, some of which have been unnerved by his norms-shattering diplomacy.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-gets-f-15-escort-lavender-carpet-welcome-to-saudi-arabia-9064913">Trump gets &lsquo;lavender&rsquo; carpet welcome to Saudi Arabia after F-15 escort</a>
Eight years ago, Trump also chose Saudi Arabia for his first overseas trip -- when he posed with a glowing orb and participated in a sword dance.
Trump's embrace of the Saudis contrasts with a more hesitant initial approach by former president Joe Biden, who had vowed to punish the crown prince after US intelligence found that he ordered the murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
Trump reminisced with the 39-year-old crown prince over their first meeting, saying he was "so impressed with this young guy who was very wise beyond his years".
<h2>Saudis seek image change</h2>
Since Khashoggi's gruesome killing, Saudi Arabia has worked aggressively to change its image, from easing restrictions on women to pursuing initiatives in new areas such as artificial intelligence.
The country has also increasingly exercised diplomatic clout, serving as a venue for the United States to pursue talks with Ukraine and Russia.
Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have also sought outsized international roles, with the Qataris serving as a mediator along with the United States and Egypt in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Jon Alterman, senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that for Trump, the Gulf "is his happy place".
"His hosts will be generous and hospitable. They'll be keen to make deals. They'll flatter him and not criticise him. And they'll treat his family members as past and future business partners," he said.
According to a Saudi official close to the defence ministry, Riyadh will push to secure the latest US F-35 fighter jets along with state-of-the-art air defence systems worth billions of dollars.
<h2>Lavish plane</h2>
Not to be outdone, Qatar has offered a luxury Boeing aircraft for Trump to refurbish as Air Force One and then keep after he leaves the White House.
Trump's Democratic rivals have called the gift blatant corruption. Trump has hit back that it was "very public and transparent" and said: "I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer."
An ultimate prize, pushed both by Trump and Biden, has been to persuade Saudi Arabia, home of Islam's holiest sites, to take the landmark step of recognising Israel.
But Israel normalisation is not likely to feature high on the agenda on Trump's trip, with Riyadh insisting a Palestinian state must be established first.
Israel has cut off all food and other supplies to Gaza for more than two months as it pursues a new offensive against Hamas militants.
The United States, which has quietly been frustrated with its ally, negotiated directly with Hamas to secure the release of a hostage with US citizenship, Edan Alexander, to whom Trump spoke by telephone Tuesday.
Tensions over Iran will likely feature prominently in the talks in the Gulf, after four rounds of nuclear talks between the Trump administration and Tehran.

The Saudi hosts escorted Air Force One into the kingdom with fighter jets before bringing out long-stretching guards of honour and sending flag-waving cavalry to accompany Trump's motorcade to the palace. World

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday trumpeted major business deals with Saudi Arabia as he basked in a lavish royal welcome on the first state visit of his second term. The Saudi hosts escorted Air Force One into the kingdom with fighter jets before bringing out long-stretching guards of honour and sending flag-waving cavalry to accompany Trump's motorcade to the palace. Under imposing chandeliers, Trump welcomed a promise by Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for $600 billion in investment and quipped that it should be $1 trillion. "We have the biggest business leaders in the world here today and they're going to walk away with a lot of cheques," Trump told the prince. For "the United States, it's probably two million jobs that we're talking about," Trump said. With cameras rolling, a lengthy procession of Saudi royalty and business figures waited their turn to shake hands with Trump and the crown prince, including Elon Musk, the world's richest person and close advisor to Trump, who made a rare appearance in a suit. Trump, the crown prince and their cabinet members later ceremonially signed a series of cooperation agreements including on economic ties and defence. The US leader will head later in the week to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, fellow oil-rich Arab monarchies with long-standing ties to the United States. In choosing the Gulf for his first major tour, the 78-year-old billionaire is again bypassing traditional presidential stops in Western allies, some of which have been unnerved by his norms-shattering diplomacy. Also read | Trump gets ‘lavender’ carpet welcome to Saudi Arabia after F-15 escort Eight years ago, Trump also chose Saudi Arabia for his first overseas trip -- when he posed with a glowing orb and participated in a sword dance. Trump's embrace of the Saudis contrasts with a more hesitant initial approach by former president Joe Biden, who had vowed to punish the crown prince after US intelligence found that he ordered the murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. Trump reminisced with the 39-year-old crown prince over their first meeting, saying he was "so impressed with this young guy who was very wise beyond his years". Saudis seek image change Since Khashoggi's gruesome killing, Saudi Arabia has worked aggressively to change its image, from easing restrictions on women to pursuing initiatives in new areas such as artificial intelligence. The country has also increasingly exercised diplomatic clout, serving as a venue for the United States to pursue talks with Ukraine and Russia. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have also sought outsized international roles, with the Qataris serving as a mediator along with the United States and Egypt in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Jon Alterman, senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that for Trump, the Gulf "is his happy place". "His hosts will be generous and hospitable. They'll be keen to make deals. They'll flatter him and not criticise him. And they'll treat his family members as past and future business partners," he said. According to a Saudi official close to the defence ministry, Riyadh will push to secure the latest US F-35 fighter jets along with state-of-the-art air defence systems worth billions of dollars. Lavish plane Not to be outdone, Qatar has offered a luxury Boeing aircraft for Trump to refurbish as Air Force One and then keep after he leaves the White House. Trump's Democratic rivals have called the gift blatant corruption. Trump has hit back that it was "very public and transparent" and said: "I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer." An ultimate prize, pushed both by Trump and Biden, has been to persuade Saudi Arabia, home of Islam's holiest sites, to take the landmark step of recognising Israel. But Israel normalisation is not likely to feature high on the agenda on Trump's trip, with Riyadh insisting a Palestinian state must be established first. Israel has cut off all food and other supplies to Gaza for more than two months as it pursues a new offensive against Hamas militants. The United States, which has quietly been frustrated with its ally, negotiated directly with Hamas to secure the release of a hostage with US citizenship, Edan Alexander, to whom Trump spoke by telephone Tuesday. Tensions over Iran will likely feature prominently in the talks in the Gulf, after four rounds of nuclear talks between the Trump administration and Tehran.

Trump, Saudi Crown Prince sign major business deals in Riyadh

As the clock ticks closer to Norway Chess Women 2025, the second edition of the prestigious tournament, defending champion Ju Wenjun shared her excitement and expectations ahead of the event, scheduled to take place from May 26 to June 6 2025 at Finansparken (SR-Bank) in Stavanger City, Norway.
"I'm thrilled and excited to play in Norway Chess Women 2025. This will be my second time competing in the event. We have some very strong chess players and opponents this time. I think people are also more familiar now with the Armageddon and the time control format, so I feel the tournament will be even more exciting," the Chinese Grandmaster shared as she gears up for the tournament.
Wenjun, the undisputed queen of chess, clinched her historic fifth consecutive World Championship title earlier this year. Having started playing chess at the age of seven, she turned professional in 2004, earned her <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/grandmaster">Grandmaster</a> title in 2014, and won her first World Championship in 2018. Since then, she has remained unbeaten in women&rsquo;s classical chess. She is also the reigning Women&rsquo;s World Blitz Champion and a two-time Women&rsquo;s World Rapid Champion.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ipl-2025-jaipurs-sawai-mansingh-stadium-gets-third-bomb-threat-in-a-week-9064907">IPL 2025: Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh stadium gets third bomb threat in a week</a>
Reflecting on her journey, the 34-year-old said, "Every match is very memorable and a unique experience in my life. I think it&rsquo;s about taking it one game at a time, staying focused, and putting in a lot of hard work and teamwork. But when I&rsquo;m playing chess, I think it&rsquo;s best to just focus on chess and enjoy the match."
<h2>'There will be pressure to defend title'</h2>
Last year, she made history again by clinching the inaugural Norway Chess Women title. The tournament itself has been groundbreaking as it was the first to offer female players equal prize funds, setting a new benchmark for the future of chess.
Praising the tournament organisers, the World Champion said, "I think it is a huge success and hugely inspiring, not just for women in chess, but for women in sports overall. It&rsquo;s really encouraging more women to get into chess and provides a great platform for us."
Beyond chess, Wenjun enjoys playing and watching table tennis. She draws inspiration from her fellow countryman and table tennis World and Olympic Champion Fan Zhendong. While she plans her sightseeing itinerary for Norway, she also spoke about the level of competition she is expecting to face in the competition.
"I guess there will be some pressure to defend the title, but in general, I&rsquo;m just really looking forward to enjoying my time playing in Stavanger. The line-up is very strong this year. We also have a new player, Sara (Khadem), who is very good in rapid and blitz. She seems to have a lot of potential to win this tournament," she concluded.
Last year's runner-up <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/anna-muzychuk" rel="dofollow">Anna Muzychuk</a>, Indian legend <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/koneru-humpy" rel="dofollow">Koneru Humpy</a>, along with Lei Tingjie, Vaishali R and Saras Khadem will be up against Wenjun at the Norway Chess Women 2025, starting from May 26.

World, Sports: Wenjun clinched her fifth consecutive World Championship title this year. In 2024, she made history again by clinching inaugural Norway Chess Women title

As the clock ticks closer to Norway Chess Women 2025, the second edition of the prestigious tournament, defending champion Ju Wenjun shared her excitement and expectations ahead of the event, scheduled to take place from May 26 to June 6 2025 at Finansparken (SR-Bank) in Stavanger City, Norway. "I'm thrilled and excited to play in Norway Chess Women 2025. This will be my second time competing in the event. We have some very strong chess players and opponents this time. I think people are also more familiar now with the Armageddon and the time control format, so I feel the tournament will be even more exciting," the Chinese Grandmaster shared as she gears up for the tournament. Wenjun, the undisputed queen of chess, clinched her historic fifth consecutive World Championship title earlier this year. Having started playing chess at the age of seven, she turned professional in 2004, earned her Grandmaster title in 2014, and won her first World Championship in 2018. Since then, she has remained unbeaten in women’s classical chess. She is also the reigning Women’s World Blitz Champion and a two-time Women’s World Rapid Champion. Also Read: IPL 2025: Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh stadium gets third bomb threat in a week Reflecting on her journey, the 34-year-old said, "Every match is very memorable and a unique experience in my life. I think it’s about taking it one game at a time, staying focused, and putting in a lot of hard work and teamwork. But when I’m playing chess, I think it’s best to just focus on chess and enjoy the match." 'There will be pressure to defend title' Last year, she made history again by clinching the inaugural Norway Chess Women title. The tournament itself has been groundbreaking as it was the first to offer female players equal prize funds, setting a new benchmark for the future of chess. Praising the tournament organisers, the World Champion said, "I think it is a huge success and hugely inspiring, not just for women in chess, but for women in sports overall. It’s really encouraging more women to get into chess and provides a great platform for us." Beyond chess, Wenjun enjoys playing and watching table tennis. She draws inspiration from her fellow countryman and table tennis World and Olympic Champion Fan Zhendong. While she plans her sightseeing itinerary for Norway, she also spoke about the level of competition she is expecting to face in the competition. "I guess there will be some pressure to defend the title, but in general, I’m just really looking forward to enjoying my time playing in Stavanger. The line-up is very strong this year. We also have a new player, Sara (Khadem), who is very good in rapid and blitz. She seems to have a lot of potential to win this tournament," she concluded. Last year's runner-up Anna Muzychuk, Indian legend Koneru Humpy, along with Lei Tingjie, Vaishali R and Saras Khadem will be up against Wenjun at the Norway Chess Women 2025, starting from May 26.

Chess queen Ju Wenjun hails equal pay as five-time world champion prepares for title defence in Norway Chess Women 2025

US President Donald Trump landed in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for his first official overseas trip of his second term and was welcomed at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Saudi Crown Prince accorded a warm welcome to President Trump by rolling out the lavender carpet for him as Air Force One touched down. In another gesture, Air Force One was escorted by five Saudi F-15 fighter jets before the touchdown.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-mamhwzjf-337ycijo-kzyzromb">
President Trump arrives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and is greeted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. 🇺🇸🇸🇦 <a href="https://t.co/4XeT1XXgT2">pic.twitter.com/4XeT1XXgT2</a>
&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1922202481129381897?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
The red carpet, used earlier, represented suggested glamour, royalty, and power, but in 2021, Saudi Arabia announced dropping red for dignitary visits and choosing purple carpets instead at official state receptions and occasions. Red and purple colours have long been associated with royalty because the dyes for these vibrant colours were the most expensive and therefore they were used to express admiration for visiting dignitaries.
Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-compares-agility-of-indias-modern-weapons-to-maharana-prataps-legendary-horse-chetak-9064665">PM Modi compares agility of India&rsquo;s modern weapons to Maharana Pratap&rsquo;s legendary horse Chetak</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-compares-agility-of-indias-modern-weapons-to-maharana-prataps-legendary-horse-chetak-9064665">&nbsp;</a>
&ldquo;The lavender carpets are identical to the colour of the Kingdom&rsquo;s deserts and plateaus in the spring when they are decorated with the colour of lavender flowers and other plants such as desert germander and basil, which together form a natural violet,&rdquo; according to the Saudi Press Agency.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-mamhy6bz-wuqawhkt-9p9mo5cg">
من وحي تراثنا الطبيعي، تطبع زهرة الخزامى لونها الأخّاذ على سجاد مراسم الاستقبال.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AB%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%A9?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#وزارة_الثقافة</a> <a href="https://t.co/BKjziQfcyT">pic.twitter.com/BKjziQfcyT</a>
&mdash; وزارة الثقافة (@MOCSaudi) <a href="https://twitter.com/MOCSaudi/status/1389985690411208707?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
The lavender ceremonial carpets also include a prominent Saudi cultural element, the traditional art of Sadu weaving on the edges of the new carpets. In December 2020, UNESCO inscribed the traditional weaving of Sadu on the Intangible Heritage list.
After the welcome, the Crown Prince and President Trump exchanged warm greetings during a brief reception at the airport&rsquo;s royal lounge, where they shared traditional Saudi coffee.
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/world-saw-the-true-face-of-pak-when-its-army-officials-attended-funerals-of-terrorists-pm-modi-9064451" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&lsquo;World saw the true face of Pak when its army officials attended funerals of terrorists&rsquo;: PM Modi</a>
President Trump, who is also set to visit the UAE and Qatar during his regional tour, called the trip &ldquo;historic&rdquo; in a press conference at the White House prior to his departure.
Trump is accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/operation-sindoor-we-demolished-global-universities-of-terrorism-at-bahawalpur-muridke-pm-modi-9061746" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Operation Sindoor | &lsquo;We demolished global universities of terrorism at Bahawalpur, Muridke&rsquo;: PM Modi</a>
Trump will spend Tuesday and Wednesday morning in Saudi Arabia before jetting off to Doha, Qatar, and then Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Trump will aim to announce economic deals during the visit, but the long-term goal is to have Saudi Arabia join the Abraham Accords, one of the biggest foreign policy achievements of his previous administration.&nbsp; The Abraham Accords normalised relations between Israel and the UAE, and Israel and Bahrain.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

World: Trump will aim to announce economic deals during the visit, but the long-term goal is to have Saudi Arabia join the Abraham Accords, one of the biggest foreign policy achievements of his previous administration.

US President Donald Trump landed in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for his first official overseas trip of his second term and was welcomed at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Saudi Crown Prince accorded a warm welcome to President Trump by rolling out the lavender carpet for him as Air Force One touched down. In another gesture, Air Force One was escorted by five Saudi F-15 fighter jets before the touchdown. President Trump arrives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and is greeted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. 🇺🇸🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/4XeT1XXgT2 — The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 13, 2025 The red carpet, used earlier, represented suggested glamour, royalty, and power, but in 2021, Saudi Arabia announced dropping red for dignitary visits and choosing purple carpets instead at official state receptions and occasions. Red and purple colours have long been associated with royalty because the dyes for these vibrant colours were the most expensive and therefore they were used to express admiration for visiting dignitaries. Also Read | PM Modi compares agility of India’s modern weapons to Maharana Pratap’s legendary horse Chetak “The lavender carpets are identical to the colour of the Kingdom’s deserts and plateaus in the spring when they are decorated with the colour of lavender flowers and other plants such as desert germander and basil, which together form a natural violet,” according to the Saudi Press Agency. من وحي تراثنا الطبيعي، تطبع زهرة الخزامى لونها الأخّاذ على سجاد مراسم الاستقبال.#وزارة_الثقافة pic.twitter.com/BKjziQfcyT — وزارة الثقافة (@MOCSaudi) May 5, 2021 The lavender ceremonial carpets also include a prominent Saudi cultural element, the traditional art of Sadu weaving on the edges of the new carpets. In December 2020, UNESCO inscribed the traditional weaving of Sadu on the Intangible Heritage list. After the welcome, the Crown Prince and President Trump exchanged warm greetings during a brief reception at the airport’s royal lounge, where they shared traditional Saudi coffee. Also Read | ‘World saw the true face of Pak when its army officials attended funerals of terrorists’: PM Modi President Trump, who is also set to visit the UAE and Qatar during his regional tour, called the trip “historic” in a press conference at the White House prior to his departure. Trump is accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Also Read | Operation Sindoor | ‘We demolished global universities of terrorism at Bahawalpur, Muridke’: PM Modi Trump will spend Tuesday and Wednesday morning in Saudi Arabia before jetting off to Doha, Qatar, and then Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Trump will aim to announce economic deals during the visit, but the long-term goal is to have Saudi Arabia join the Abraham Accords, one of the biggest foreign policy achievements of his previous administration. The Abraham Accords normalised relations between Israel and the UAE, and Israel and Bahrain.

Trump gets ‘lavender’ carpet welcome to Saudi Arabia after F-15 escort

When <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/novak-djokovic">Novak Djokovic</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/andy-murray">Andy Murray</a> revealed their unexpected coaching partnership in December 2024, days before the Australian Open, tennis lovers were divided&mdash;some curious, others undecided and in some serious doubt.
Two of the game's all-time greatest nemesis uniting not on opposite sides of the net, but on the same side of the court, was a twist of destiny few saw coming. Six months on, the partnership has been ended before the 2025 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/french-open">French Open</a>.
It was an ambitious experiment. One that promised inside information, mutual respect, and a common sense of the sport's highest stakes. But it finished with hushed press releases and courteous goodbyes&mdash;putting stop to a relationship that perhaps never did find its beat.
<h2>From rivals to allies</h2>
To see why this partnership captivated and stunned in equal proportion, we must go back to the genesis of the Djokovic-Murray rivalry. Both born just one week apart in May 1987, the two rose to the junior ranks side by side and emerged as Grand Slam giants, facing each other in four major finals between 2011 and 2016.
Their head-to-head score tilted in favor of Djokovic (25&ndash;11) notwithstanding, there was no mistaking the reciprocal respect. Murray, intensely logical and notoriously stubborn, was nearly alone among rivals able to contend with Djokovic's ductility and grit in competition. Outside of it, however, their dispositions were different&mdash;one of spiritual compliance and open vulnerability in the case of Djokovic, and dry sarcasm and cautious emotional register for Murray.
When Murray announced he would become a member of Djokovic's staff as a coach in December 2024, it was universally called as a masterstroke. Djokovic, meanwhile, was struggling with form and injury issues, and appeared to be looking for a psychological advantage&mdash;and who was better qualified than someone familiar with his game better than anyone else?
<h2>A rocky start</h2>
However, barely a moment later, the arrangement appeared uncomfortable.
The Australian Open, their opening grand slam as partners, witnessed Djokovic being knocked out in the third round. His movement was messy, his temperament fragile. Murray, on the other hand, appeared surprisingly subdued in the box&mdash;a sharp contrast to Djokovic's longtime previous coach Goran Ivani&scaron;ević, whose dynamism and tactical input were widely regarded as critical components in Djokovic's supremacy.
Publicly, they remained positive. &ldquo;I really enjoy working with Andy,&rdquo; Djokovic had said in March in an interview. &ldquo;He sees the game differently and we&rsquo;re trying new things.&rdquo; Murray echoed the sentiment, calling the partnership &ldquo;a learning experience.&rdquo; But reports suggested friction behind the scenes.
Some of the friction could have been a product of the very nature of their relationship. Murray, even after retiring carried the heart of a fighter. His own life had been marked by pain, grit, and a certain rejection of orthodoxy. Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, was a man wrestling with the existential burden of legacy.
Whereas Murray stressed upon strategic finesse and back-court stoutness, Djokovic's coaches apparently favoured sustaining intensity and ferocity. Their coaching philosophies intersected&mdash;not explosively, but sufficiently to build tension.
There were whispers Murray grappled with the limited control he was granted. A source told Sky Sports, "It never felt like Andy was ever really in charge. Djokovic still called most of the shots. Andy was more like an advisor than a coach."
<h2>A quiet breakup</h2>
The breakup was without drama, but also without affection.&nbsp;In statements issued to the media ahead of the French Open, both parties announced their split. &ldquo;I really enjoyed deepening my relationship with Novak,&rdquo; Murray said. &ldquo;But we&rsquo;ve decided to go our separate ways.&rdquo;
Djokovic was equally courteous, saying, "Thank you, coach Andy, for all the har d work, fun &amp; support over last six months on &amp; off the court. I really enjoyed deepening our friendship together. "
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thank you, coach Andy, for all the hard work, fun &amp; support over last six months on &amp; off the court. I really enjoyed deepening our friendship together 🙏 <a href="https://t.co/iXqkdIN2Gb">pic.twitter.com/iXqkdIN2Gb</a>
&mdash; Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) <a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/1922201125152809324?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The press releases were brief&mdash;professional, polished, and pointedly devoid of sentimentality.What's most revealing, perhaps, is the timing. Breaking up the partnership on the eve of Roland Garros sends the message that both men saw it wasn't working, and neither was prepared to drag it through the clay-court grind.
There are some partnerships, however high-minded in aspiration or storied in history, that just don't work. The Djokovic-Murray coaching saga is a reminder that friendship and rivalry don't always go hand-in-hand.
This was not the first unconventional coaching experiment that Djokovic had tried&mdash;his previous stint with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/boris-becker">Boris Becker</a>, Andre Agassi, and even Marian Vajda each saw different levels of success. None were nearly as confusing, though.
<h2>What comes next?</h2>
For Djokovic, then, the French Open starts. Without Murray to support him, he'll rely on trusted staff and his own judgment to launch another Grand Slam bid&mdash;perhaps his final best chance at victory in Paris considering his recent struggles and age.
For Murray, there are questions regarding what he will do after playing. Will he go on a younger player's team? Will he take time to reassess? Either time or Murray himself will tell.
What&rsquo;s sure is that this brief, turbulent partnership will be remembered&mdash;not for trophies, but for the curiosity it inspired and the conversations it sparked. It was a bold move. It just wasn&rsquo;t the right one.

World, Sports: When former tennis player Andy Murray announced he would join Novak Djokovic’s team in a coaching role in December 2024, many hailed it as a masterstroke

When Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray revealed their unexpected coaching partnership in December 2024, days before the Australian Open, tennis lovers were divided—some curious, others undecided and in some serious doubt. Two of the game's all-time greatest nemesis uniting not on opposite sides of the net, but on the same side of the court, was a twist of destiny few saw coming. Six months on, the partnership has been ended before the 2025 French Open. It was an ambitious experiment. One that promised inside information, mutual respect, and a common sense of the sport's highest stakes. But it finished with hushed press releases and courteous goodbyes—putting stop to a relationship that perhaps never did find its beat. From rivals to allies To see why this partnership captivated and stunned in equal proportion, we must go back to the genesis of the Djokovic-Murray rivalry. Both born just one week apart in May 1987, the two rose to the junior ranks side by side and emerged as Grand Slam giants, facing each other in four major finals between 2011 and 2016. Their head-to-head score tilted in favor of Djokovic (25–11) notwithstanding, there was no mistaking the reciprocal respect. Murray, intensely logical and notoriously stubborn, was nearly alone among rivals able to contend with Djokovic's ductility and grit in competition. Outside of it, however, their dispositions were different—one of spiritual compliance and open vulnerability in the case of Djokovic, and dry sarcasm and cautious emotional register for Murray. When Murray announced he would become a member of Djokovic's staff as a coach in December 2024, it was universally called as a masterstroke. Djokovic, meanwhile, was struggling with form and injury issues, and appeared to be looking for a psychological advantage—and who was better qualified than someone familiar with his game better than anyone else? A rocky start However, barely a moment later, the arrangement appeared uncomfortable. The Australian Open, their opening grand slam as partners, witnessed Djokovic being knocked out in the third round. His movement was messy, his temperament fragile. Murray, on the other hand, appeared surprisingly subdued in the box—a sharp contrast to Djokovic's longtime previous coach Goran Ivanišević, whose dynamism and tactical input were widely regarded as critical components in Djokovic's supremacy. Publicly, they remained positive. “I really enjoy working with Andy,” Djokovic had said in March in an interview. “He sees the game differently and we’re trying new things.” Murray echoed the sentiment, calling the partnership “a learning experience.” But reports suggested friction behind the scenes. Some of the friction could have been a product of the very nature of their relationship. Murray, even after retiring carried the heart of a fighter. His own life had been marked by pain, grit, and a certain rejection of orthodoxy. Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, was a man wrestling with the existential burden of legacy. Whereas Murray stressed upon strategic finesse and back-court stoutness, Djokovic's coaches apparently favoured sustaining intensity and ferocity. Their coaching philosophies intersected—not explosively, but sufficiently to build tension. There were whispers Murray grappled with the limited control he was granted. A source told Sky Sports, "It never felt like Andy was ever really in charge. Djokovic still called most of the shots. Andy was more like an advisor than a coach." A quiet breakup The breakup was without drama, but also without affection. In statements issued to the media ahead of the French Open, both parties announced their split. “I really enjoyed deepening my relationship with Novak,” Murray said. “But we’ve decided to go our separate ways.” Djokovic was equally courteous, saying, "Thank you, coach Andy, for all the har d work, fun & support over last six months on & off the court. I really enjoyed deepening our friendship together. " Thank you, coach Andy, for all the hard work, fun & support over last six months on & off the court. I really enjoyed deepening our friendship together 🙏 pic.twitter.com/iXqkdIN2Gb — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) May 13, 2025 The press releases were brief—professional, polished, and pointedly devoid of sentimentality.What's most revealing, perhaps, is the timing. Breaking up the partnership on the eve of Roland Garros sends the message that both men saw it wasn't working, and neither was prepared to drag it through the clay-court grind. There are some partnerships, however high-minded in aspiration or storied in history, that just don't work. The Djokovic-Murray coaching saga is a reminder that friendship and rivalry don't always go hand-in-hand. This was not the first unconventional coaching experiment that Djokovic had tried—his previous stint with Boris Becker, Andre Agassi, and even Marian Vajda each saw different levels of success. None were nearly as confusing, though. What comes next? For Djokovic, then, the French Open starts. Without Murray to support him, he'll rely on trusted staff and his own judgment to launch another Grand Slam bid—perhaps his final best chance at victory in Paris considering his recent struggles and age. For Murray, there are questions regarding what he will do after playing. Will he go on a younger player's team? Will he take time to reassess? Either time or Murray himself will tell. What’s sure is that this brief, turbulent partnership will be remembered—not for trophies, but for the curiosity it inspired and the conversations it sparked. It was a bold move. It just wasn’t the right one.

Murray quits as Djokovic's coach as partnership fails to serve any aces

Scientists have discovered a new species of dinosaur that roamed in India. The dinosaur has been named Maleriraptor kuttyi and lived nearly 220 million years ago during the Norian age of the Triassic period. It belongs to the Herrerasauria group of small- to medium-sized carnivores. The discovery of Maleriraptor kuttyi proves for the first time that herrerasaurs survived a massive upheaval in Gondwana that killed a group of herbivorous dinosaurs.
The research and the discovery were published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.
The researchers said that till now, only four species of the Herrerasaurs had been found in Argentina and southern Brazil (233-229 million years ago). "These species are bipedal forms ranging from 3.9-19.7 feet in total length," Dr. Mart&iacute;n Ezcurra, a palaeontologist who was involved in the study, stated.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mayans-human-sacrifice-proof-found-in-guatemala-blood-cave-9064476" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Mayans ritually dismembered over 100 humans, proof found in Guatemala 'blood cave'</a>
Ezcurra works with the Bernardino Rivadavia Argentine Museum of Natural Sciences ( MACN ), the University of Birmingham and the National Scientific and Technical Research Council, an Argentine government agency.
<h2>Herrerasaurs were believed to live outside South America, but where exactly?</h2>
He further says that the first time the possibility of herrerasaurs existing outside of South America was raised was in the mid-1990s. At that time, the Chindesaurus bryansmalli from middle-upper Norian levels was cited from the Chinle Formation of North America.
The remains of Maleriraptor kuttyi were first collected from the Pranhita-Godavari Valley, a kilometre from the Annaram village in south-central India, in the early 1980s. Palaeontologists who were part of the study say that this region "preserves a dinosaur assemblage slightly younger than the initial Carnian radiation of the group."
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/when-will-the-universe-die-in-about-1-quinvigintillion-years-9062619" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">When will the universe die? In about 1 QUINVIGINTILLION years</a>
<h2>Maleriraptor kuttyi survived a mass extinction event</h2>
The researchers say the discovery of the remains of Maleriraptor kuttyi is proof that these dinosaurs survived a mass extinction of rhynchosaurs, a herbivorous species of dinosaurs, around 227-220 million years ago.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The discovery of Maleriraptor kuttyi shows that herrerasaurs survived in Gondwana at least during the early Norian after the event that vanished the rhynchosaurs,&rdquo; the study authors wrote.
The researchers also pointed out the reason for the herrerasaurs being found in the early Norian of India and not in South America. They believe that this could be because of the mean temperatures in India, which were similar to those in southern North America during the Norian.
"The more similar palaeoclimate between India and southern North America can explain the presence of common faunistic components that are absent in south-central South America (or are extremely rare), such as phytosaurs, herrerasaurs, protopyknosians and malerisaurine allokotosaurs," they wrote.

New Herrerasaurian dinosaur species in India: Maleriraptor kuttyi was a species of dinosaur that lived in India. It also survived a mass extinction in Gondwana. World Science & Tech

Scientists have discovered a new species of dinosaur that roamed in India. The dinosaur has been named Maleriraptor kuttyi and lived nearly 220 million years ago during the Norian age of the Triassic period. It belongs to the Herrerasauria group of small- to medium-sized carnivores. The discovery of Maleriraptor kuttyi proves for the first time that herrerasaurs survived a massive upheaval in Gondwana that killed a group of herbivorous dinosaurs. The research and the discovery were published in the journal Royal Society Open Science. The researchers said that till now, only four species of the Herrerasaurs had been found in Argentina and southern Brazil (233-229 million years ago). "These species are bipedal forms ranging from 3.9-19.7 feet in total length," Dr. Martín Ezcurra, a palaeontologist who was involved in the study, stated. Also Read: Mayans ritually dismembered over 100 humans, proof found in Guatemala 'blood cave' Ezcurra works with the Bernardino Rivadavia Argentine Museum of Natural Sciences ( MACN ), the University of Birmingham and the National Scientific and Technical Research Council, an Argentine government agency. Herrerasaurs were believed to live outside South America, but where exactly? He further says that the first time the possibility of herrerasaurs existing outside of South America was raised was in the mid-1990s. At that time, the Chindesaurus bryansmalli from middle-upper Norian levels was cited from the Chinle Formation of North America. The remains of Maleriraptor kuttyi were first collected from the Pranhita-Godavari Valley, a kilometre from the Annaram village in south-central India, in the early 1980s. Palaeontologists who were part of the study say that this region "preserves a dinosaur assemblage slightly younger than the initial Carnian radiation of the group." Also Read: When will the universe die? In about 1 QUINVIGINTILLION years Maleriraptor kuttyi survived a mass extinction event The researchers say the discovery of the remains of Maleriraptor kuttyi is proof that these dinosaurs survived a mass extinction of rhynchosaurs, a herbivorous species of dinosaurs, around 227-220 million years ago. “The discovery of Maleriraptor kuttyi shows that herrerasaurs survived in Gondwana at least during the early Norian after the event that vanished the rhynchosaurs,” the study authors wrote. The researchers also pointed out the reason for the herrerasaurs being found in the early Norian of India and not in South America. They believe that this could be because of the mean temperatures in India, which were similar to those in southern North America during the Norian. "The more similar palaeoclimate between India and southern North America can explain the presence of common faunistic components that are absent in south-central South America (or are extremely rare), such as phytosaurs, herrerasaurs, protopyknosians and malerisaurine allokotosaurs," they wrote.

Dinosaur that roamed India 220 million years ago identified as Maleriraptor kuttyi

World | US President Donald Trump is joined by Elon Musk and other VIPs in Saudi Arabia during the first major trip of his second term: See pics here

Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia, meets Crown Prince MBS; Elon Musk joins in for VIP lunch: See pics here

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European Council chief Antonio Costa on Tuesday insisted that Serbia was fully committed to the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;accession process, despite the country's president visiting Moscow last week.
Aleksandar Vucic attended the May 9 celebrations to mark 80 years since the victory over Nazi Germany, even after&nbsp;EU&nbsp;warnings that doing so would not be viewed favourably.
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/last-american-hostage-21-year-old-edan-alexander-released-netanyahu-faces-backlash-at-home-amid-gaza-offensive-9063800" aria-label="Last American hostage 21-year-old Edan Alexander released, Netanyahu faces backlash at home amid Gaza offensive">Last American hostage 21-year-old Edan Alexander released, Netanyahu faces backlash at home amid Gaza offensive</a>
Serbia has been an&nbsp;EU&nbsp;candidate country since 2012 but has maintained a close relationship with Russia since the invasion of Ukraine and refuses to impose sanctions, unlike the European Union it hopes to join.
"We cannot celebrate the liberation 80 years ago and not condemn the invasion of a country today," Costa said at a joint press conference with Vucic, adding that Serbia is aware that, on the path to&nbsp;EU&nbsp;membership, it must align with the&nbsp;EU's foreign and security policy.
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/family-fake-disease-and-a-special-dish-all-about-australias-mushroom-murder-mystery-9064107" aria-label="Family, fake disease and a special dish: All about Australia's 'Mushroom' murder mystery">Family, fake disease and a special dish: All about Australia's 'Mushroom' murder mystery</a>
Vucic said Serbia "supports the territorial integrity of all countries in the world, including Ukraine" and that&nbsp;EU&nbsp;membership is the country's strategic commitment.
"Serbia today and Serbia tomorrow is on the European path. I accept criticisms. Serbia in Europe is our path, it is our goal, it is our political will," he said.
Serbia, whose majority of trade is with the&nbsp;EU, has been walking a delicate tightrope between Brussels and Moscow for nearly three years.
Belgrade, which has welcomed hundreds of thousands of Russians since February 2022, relies almost entirely on Russia for its gas supplies and is currently negotiating a new multi-year gas deal with Moscow, as the current agreement expires at the end of May.</div>
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<div class="text fontsize_0 jq_Content jq_langdir">Also Read:&nbsp;<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-arrives-in-saudi-arabia-in-his-first-major-trip-of-second-term-mbs-welcomes-him-9064095" aria-label="US President Trump arrives in Saudi Arabia on his first trip of second term; MBS welcomes him | Pics here">US President Trump arrives in Saudi Arabia on his first trip of second term; MBS welcomes him | Pics here</a></div>
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During his visit to Moscow, Vucic highlighted the energy negotiations as an important reason for his trip.
The&nbsp;EU&nbsp;has often expressed concerns about the ties between Serbia and Russia and regularly urged Serbia to align its foreign and security policies with its own.
The Balkan country, however, has never adhered to European sanctions against Russia, and several of its ministers have regularly travelled to Russian territory in recent years.
In mid-April, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos called for urgent reform.
EU&nbsp;expectations of Belgrade were "almost the same" as protesters who have been campaigning for months against institutional corruption, after a deadly railway station roof collapse in the city of Novi Sad last year.
&nbsp;Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-jinping-says-bullying-leads-to-self-isolation-in-message-to-trump-after-trade-deal-china-wants-us-to-stop-shifting-blame-on-fentanyl-9063872" aria-label="Xi Jinping's 'self-isolation' message to Trump after trade deal, China says 'stop shifting blame' on fentanyl">Xi Jinping's 'self-isolation' message to Trump after trade deal, China says 'stop shifting blame' on fentanyl</a>
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<div class="leftCol actions">With inputs from agencies</div>
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Serbia remains committed to EU accession despite President Vucic's visit to Moscow, highlighting the country's strategic alignment with European policies. World

European Council chief Antonio Costa on Tuesday insisted that Serbia was fully committed to the EU accession process, despite the country's president visiting Moscow last week. Aleksandar Vucic attended the May 9 celebrations to mark 80 years since the victory over Nazi Germany, even after EU warnings that doing so would not be viewed favourably. Also Read: Last American hostage 21-year-old Edan Alexander released, Netanyahu faces backlash at home amid Gaza offensive Serbia has been an EU candidate country since 2012 but has maintained a close relationship with Russia since the invasion of Ukraine and refuses to impose sanctions, unlike the European Union it hopes to join. "We cannot celebrate the liberation 80 years ago and not condemn the invasion of a country today," Costa said at a joint press conference with Vucic, adding that Serbia is aware that, on the path to EU membership, it must align with the EU's foreign and security policy. Also Read: Family, fake disease and a special dish: All about Australia's 'Mushroom' murder mystery Vucic said Serbia "supports the territorial integrity of all countries in the world, including Ukraine" and that EU membership is the country's strategic commitment. "Serbia today and Serbia tomorrow is on the European path. I accept criticisms. Serbia in Europe is our path, it is our goal, it is our political will," he said. Serbia, whose majority of trade is with the EU, has been walking a delicate tightrope between Brussels and Moscow for nearly three years. Belgrade, which has welcomed hundreds of thousands of Russians since February 2022, relies almost entirely on Russia for its gas supplies and is currently negotiating a new multi-year gas deal with Moscow, as the current agreement expires at the end of May. Also Read: US President Trump arrives in Saudi Arabia on his first trip of second term; MBS welcomes him | Pics here During his visit to Moscow, Vucic highlighted the energy negotiations as an important reason for his trip. The EU has often expressed concerns about the ties between Serbia and Russia and regularly urged Serbia to align its foreign and security policies with its own. The Balkan country, however, has never adhered to European sanctions against Russia, and several of its ministers have regularly travelled to Russian territory in recent years. In mid-April, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos called for urgent reform. EU expectations of Belgrade were "almost the same" as protesters who have been campaigning for months against institutional corruption, after a deadly railway station roof collapse in the city of Novi Sad last year. Also Read: Xi Jinping's 'self-isolation' message to Trump after trade deal, China says 'stop shifting blame' on fentanyl With inputs from agencies

Serbia 'committed' to EU despite Vucic's Moscow visit: bloc chief Costa

Mayan discoveries have fascinated archaeologists for decades. In the 1990s, when human remains were found in a Guatemala cave, it created a puzzle that they have been trying to solve since then. Cueva de Sangre, translated as &ldquo;blood cave,&rdquo; is filled with body parts of over 100 adult and young humans. They had marks that indicated traumatic injuries and were dismembered.
An analysis has revealed that these humans weren't just killed, but were sacrificed by the Mayans to appease the rain god. Mayans visited the cave at Dos Pilas in Peten between 400 BC and 250 AD.
According to a research titled &ldquo;Black as Night, Dark as Death,&rdquo; the remains were part of a ritual to please a Maya rain god. Michele Bleuze, bioarcheologist at California State University, Los Angeles, told Live Science that the remains presented an opportunity to "investigate ritual behaviour among ancient Mesoamericans."
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/when-will-the-universe-die-in-about-1-quinvigintillion-years-9062619" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">When will the universe die? In about 1 QUINVIGINTILLION years</a>
<h2>Blood Cave had body parts, and not bodies</h2>
The researchers noted that "there are body parts and not bodies." Since body parts are "just as valuable as the whole body" in Mayan ritual, scientists figured that humans were sacrificed.
Those who studied the remains also state that other indications of ritual dismemberment were that the body parts weren't buried and that the injuries on the body parts occurred around the time of death.&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/bacteria-that-can-survive-in-space-and-contaminate-planets-found-on-earth-9062813" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Scientists have found a self-healing organism that can survive space radiation</a>
&ldquo;The types of skeletal elements present, trauma, arrangement of bones, and bone modifications, strongly support the sacrificial nature of the deposition,&rdquo; the researchers wrote.
<h2>Similar marks on remains of different humans&nbsp;</h2>
Similar marks found on remains of different people also hinted at the possibility of human sacrifice. Ellen Fricano, a forensic anthropologist at Western University of Health Sciences in California, told Live Science that something like a hatchet was possibly used to kill an adult and a child, since the same mark was found on a skull&rsquo;s forehead and on a child&rsquo;s hip bone.
The way the bones were placed was another clue. Experts found four stacked skull caps in one spot, besides objects like red ochre and obsidian blades. This, combined with the number of bones and the traumatic injuries, led them to conclude that it wasn't just a burial site, but a place for ritualistic sacrifices.
The cave can only be accessed during the three months of the dry season. Bleuze thinks the Mayans came to the cave on the Day of the Holy Cross celebration on May 3 every year, where they prayed to the Maya rain god to have a good harvest.

The "blood cave" in Guatemala can only be accessed during the three months of dry season. An analysis has revealed that these humans weren't just killed. World Trending

Mayan discoveries have fascinated archaeologists for decades. In the 1990s, when human remains were found in a Guatemala cave, it created a puzzle that they have been trying to solve since then. Cueva de Sangre, translated as “blood cave,” is filled with body parts of over 100 adult and young humans. They had marks that indicated traumatic injuries and were dismembered. An analysis has revealed that these humans weren't just killed, but were sacrificed by the Mayans to appease the rain god. Mayans visited the cave at Dos Pilas in Peten between 400 BC and 250 AD. According to a research titled “Black as Night, Dark as Death,” the remains were part of a ritual to please a Maya rain god. Michele Bleuze, bioarcheologist at California State University, Los Angeles, told Live Science that the remains presented an opportunity to "investigate ritual behaviour among ancient Mesoamericans." Also Read: When will the universe die? In about 1 QUINVIGINTILLION years Blood Cave had body parts, and not bodies The researchers noted that "there are body parts and not bodies." Since body parts are "just as valuable as the whole body" in Mayan ritual, scientists figured that humans were sacrificed. Those who studied the remains also state that other indications of ritual dismemberment were that the body parts weren't buried and that the injuries on the body parts occurred around the time of death. Also Read: Scientists have found a self-healing organism that can survive space radiation “The types of skeletal elements present, trauma, arrangement of bones, and bone modifications, strongly support the sacrificial nature of the deposition,” the researchers wrote. Similar marks on remains of different humans Similar marks found on remains of different people also hinted at the possibility of human sacrifice. Ellen Fricano, a forensic anthropologist at Western University of Health Sciences in California, told Live Science that something like a hatchet was possibly used to kill an adult and a child, since the same mark was found on a skull’s forehead and on a child’s hip bone. The way the bones were placed was another clue. Experts found four stacked skull caps in one spot, besides objects like red ochre and obsidian blades. This, combined with the number of bones and the traumatic injuries, led them to conclude that it wasn't just a burial site, but a place for ritualistic sacrifices. The cave can only be accessed during the three months of the dry season. Bleuze thinks the Mayans came to the cave on the Day of the Holy Cross celebration on May 3 every year, where they prayed to the Maya rain god to have a good harvest.

'Blood Cave' in Guatemala proves Mayans brutally killed their own people once a year

Australia's conservative Liberal Party elected Sussan Ley, a former outback pilot with three finance degrees, as its first woman leader on Tuesday, after an election loss 

Who is Sussan Ley? Australia's Opposition Party's first woman leader

Dismissing ethical concerns about his plan to accept an airplane as a gift from the Qatari royal family, US <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-arrives-in-saudi-arabia-in-his-first-major-trip-of-second-term-mbs-welcomes-him-9064095" rel="dofollow">President Donald Trump </a>said that the Defense Department is getting a gift "free of cost." Calling it a "very public and transparent transaction", Trump said that a 747 aircraft will "replace the 40-year-old Air Force One, temporarily." News of the offer drew immediate criticism from Democrats and advocates of good government including Republicans, who warned it was a conflict of interest that could influence presidential decisions.
Read More | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-arrives-in-saudi-arabia-in-his-first-major-trip-of-second-term-mbs-welcomes-him-9064095">US President Trump arrives in Saudi Arabia on his first trip of second term; MBS welcomes him&nbsp;</a>
This luxurious&nbsp;&lsquo;flying palace&rsquo; Boeing 747-8 jumbo will be among the most expensive gifts ever given to the US by a foreign government. But what are the highlights of this luxurious jet?
<ul>
<li>It is a $400 million luxury plane</li>
<li>It has ultra-luxurious interiors</li>
<li>Gold-colored walls&nbsp;</li>
<li>Gold furnishings</li>
<li>A spacious master bedroom</li>
<li>A conference area accommodating 6-7 people</li>
<li>Multiple lounges and several bathrooms</li>
<li>Winding staircase leading to a second level</li>
<li>Plush carpeting </li>
<li>Leather couches</li>
<li>It is dubbed as &ldquo;world&rsquo;s most luxurious private jet&rdquo;</li>
<li>Interior of the plane done by French interior design firm Alberto Pinto Cabinet</li>
</ul>
Read More |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/is-donald-trumps-middle-east-man-jared-kushner-working-behind-the-scenes-for-expansion-of-abraham-accords-9058520" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Is Donald Trump's 'Middle East man' Jared Kushner working behind the scenes for expansion of Abraham Accords?</a>
<h2>Qatar denies reports of "gift" to Trump</h2>
Qatar, meanwhile, on Sunday acknowledged discussions with the US for the transfer of a luxury plane to be temporarily used as President Trump's Air Force One carrier but denied reports that the jet &ldquo;is being gifted&rdquo; or that a final decision had been made. Reacting to the report, Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar&rsquo;s media attach&eacute;, in a statement said, &ldquo;Reports that a jet is being gifted by Qatar to the United States government during the upcoming visit of President Trump are inaccurate.&rdquo;
<h2>Criticism on the gift to Trump</h2>
Amid concerns of a violation of the US Constitution &ndash; its emoluments clause prohibits government officials from accepting gifts "from any King, Prince or foreign State" &ndash; and concerns about foreign influence, Trump defended the move on social media.
Read More | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-trump-embarks-on-middle-east-tour-with-focus-on-business-regional-tensions-9057057">US President Trump embarks on Middle East tour with focus on business &amp; regional tensions</a>
<img src="https://img-cdn.publive.online/fit-in/580x348/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/post_attachments/8a6583f9-a7f.png">
&nbsp;
Read More | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-jinping-says-bullying-leads-to-self-isolation-in-message-to-trump-after-trade-deal-china-wants-us-to-stop-shifting-blame-on-fentanyl-9063872">Xi Jinping's 'self-isolation' message to Trump after trade deal, China says 'stop shifting blame' on fentanyl</a>
However, Senate Republicans indicated they have multiple concerns. &ldquo;It would be better if Air Force One were a big, beautiful jet made in the United States of America,&rdquo; said Sen. Josh Hawley. &ldquo;If Qatar gives a plane to the president of the United States, it seems to me that raises questions of whether the administration would be in compliance with the gift law,&rdquo; Sen. Susan Collins. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not flying on a Qatari plane. They support Hamas...I don&rsquo;t know how you make it safe,&rdquo; said Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who is an ardent Trump supporter. &ldquo;

Dismissing ethical concerns about his plan to accept an airplane as a gift from the Qatari royal family, US President Donald Trump said that the Defense Department is getting a gift "free of cost."

Dismissing ethical concerns about his plan to accept an airplane as a gift from the Qatari royal family, US President Donald Trump said that the Defense Department is getting a gift "free of cost." Calling it a "very public and transparent transaction", Trump said that a 747 aircraft will "replace the 40-year-old Air Force One, temporarily." News of the offer drew immediate criticism from Democrats and advocates of good government including Republicans, who warned it was a conflict of interest that could influence presidential decisions. Read More | US President Trump arrives in Saudi Arabia on his first trip of second term; MBS welcomes him This luxurious ‘flying palace’ Boeing 747-8 jumbo will be among the most expensive gifts ever given to the US by a foreign government. But what are the highlights of this luxurious jet? It is a $400 million luxury plane It has ultra-luxurious interiors Gold-colored walls Gold furnishings A spacious master bedroom A conference area accommodating 6-7 people Multiple lounges and several bathrooms Winding staircase leading to a second level Plush carpeting Leather couches It is dubbed as “world’s most luxurious private jet” Interior of the plane done by French interior design firm Alberto Pinto Cabinet Read More | Is Donald Trump's 'Middle East man' Jared Kushner working behind the scenes for expansion of Abraham Accords? Qatar denies reports of "gift" to Trump Qatar, meanwhile, on Sunday acknowledged discussions with the US for the transfer of a luxury plane to be temporarily used as President Trump's Air Force One carrier but denied reports that the jet “is being gifted” or that a final decision had been made. Reacting to the report, Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar’s media attaché, in a statement said, “Reports that a jet is being gifted by Qatar to the United States government during the upcoming visit of President Trump are inaccurate.” Criticism on the gift to Trump Amid concerns of a violation of the US Constitution – its emoluments clause prohibits government officials from accepting gifts "from any King, Prince or foreign State" – and concerns about foreign influence, Trump defended the move on social media. Read More | US President Trump embarks on Middle East tour with focus on business & regional tensions Read More | Xi Jinping's 'self-isolation' message to Trump after trade deal, China says 'stop shifting blame' on fentanyl However, Senate Republicans indicated they have multiple concerns. “It would be better if Air Force One were a big, beautiful jet made in the United States of America,” said Sen. Josh Hawley. “If Qatar gives a plane to the president of the United States, it seems to me that raises questions of whether the administration would be in compliance with the gift law,” Sen. Susan Collins. “I’m not flying on a Qatari plane. They support Hamas...I don’t know how you make it safe,” said Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who is an ardent Trump supporter. “

'Flying palace': What's inside Qatar's $400M luxury airplane for Donald Trump

Following the release of the last living American hostage, 21-year-old Edan Alexander, refused to meet Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, citing mental exhaustion.&nbsp;
Edan Alexander of New Jersey was in a 19-month-long captivity by Hamas. His release was termed as an 'emotional moment' by PM Netanyahu. He was released in a direct deal made between Hamas and the United States. Hamas called the release a goodwill gesture between Trump and Hamas.&nbsp;
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/operation-keller-three-terrorists-slained-in-counter-insurgency-effort-of-indian-army-in-shopian-district-9063544" aria-label="Operation Keller: Three terrorists killed by Indian Army in J&amp;K's Shopian">Operation Keller: Three terrorists killed by Indian Army in J&amp;K's Shopian</a>
Hamas attacked Israel on&nbsp; October 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 Israeli and foreign nationals, including 56 U.S. citizens in Israel. In retaliation, Israel had launched a major offensive on the Gaza Strip with material and political support from the United States.&nbsp;
Hamas and other groups seized 251 hostages, of whom 58 are still considered to be in Hamas captivity.
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modis-message-to-pakistan-with-indias-s-400-in-background-at-adampur-air-base-watch-9063607" aria-label="Adampur airbase visit: With S-400 in background, PM Modi's stern message to Pakistan">Adampur airbase visit: With S-400 in background, PM Modi's stern message to Pakistan</a>
<h2 dir="ltr">Netanyahu's political survival</h2>
The recent release was facilitated by the four-way diplomatic talks between Hamas, the United States, Egypt and Qatar.&nbsp;
Einab Zangaukher, whose son Matan is one of the hostages who is believed to be alive, said that Mr. Netanyahu is choosing his political survival over the end of the war. Efrat Machikawa, a relative of the freed hostage Gadi Moses, has said that people should take to the streets to demand an end to the war.&nbsp;
Israel's decision to resume attacks on Gaza has met with mass protests from Israeli citizens over Mr. Netanyahu's handling of the hostage crisis.&nbsp;
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/operation-sindoor-turkey-songar-drones-vs-india-air-defence-s400-sudarshan-chakra-akashteer-how-bharat-crushed-pakistan-drone-attack-9063564" aria-label="Turkish Songar vs India&rsquo;s air defence: How Bharat crushed Pak's drone swarm">Turkish Songar vs India&rsquo;s air defence: How Bharat crushed Pak's drone swarm</a>
<h2 dir="ltr">What is next?&nbsp;</h2>
Hamas hinted that it will release all the hostages if Israel decides to put an end to the war. They refuse to lay down arms until Israel continues its attack.&nbsp;
The integrated food security phase classification, a global hunger monitor, said that there are half a million people in Gaza who are facing starvation, and by September, it will be in famine.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/operation-sindoor-india-pakistan-war-ceasefire-kargil-war-vajpayee-clinton-till-pakistan-had-single-inch-of-india-land-9063511" aria-label="When Vajpayee rejected Clinton's offer to talk over Kargil war: Till Pakistan had a 'single inch of our land...'">When Vajpayee rejected Clinton's offer to talk over Kargil war: Till Pakistan had a 'single inch of our land...'</a>

Edan Alexander's release, after months of captivity by Hamas, involved U.S. diplomacy, highlighting complex geopolitical dynamics and tensions in the Middle East. World

Following the release of the last living American hostage, 21-year-old Edan Alexander, refused to meet Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, citing mental exhaustion. Edan Alexander of New Jersey was in a 19-month-long captivity by Hamas. His release was termed as an 'emotional moment' by PM Netanyahu. He was released in a direct deal made between Hamas and the United States. Hamas called the release a goodwill gesture between Trump and Hamas. Also Read: Operation Keller: Three terrorists killed by Indian Army in J&K's Shopian Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 Israeli and foreign nationals, including 56 U.S. citizens in Israel. In retaliation, Israel had launched a major offensive on the Gaza Strip with material and political support from the United States. Hamas and other groups seized 251 hostages, of whom 58 are still considered to be in Hamas captivity. Also Read: Adampur airbase visit: With S-400 in background, PM Modi's stern message to Pakistan Netanyahu's political survival The recent release was facilitated by the four-way diplomatic talks between Hamas, the United States, Egypt and Qatar. Einab Zangaukher, whose son Matan is one of the hostages who is believed to be alive, said that Mr. Netanyahu is choosing his political survival over the end of the war. Efrat Machikawa, a relative of the freed hostage Gadi Moses, has said that people should take to the streets to demand an end to the war. Israel's decision to resume attacks on Gaza has met with mass protests from Israeli citizens over Mr. Netanyahu's handling of the hostage crisis. Also Read: Turkish Songar vs India’s air defence: How Bharat crushed Pak's drone swarm What is next? Hamas hinted that it will release all the hostages if Israel decides to put an end to the war. They refuse to lay down arms until Israel continues its attack. The integrated food security phase classification, a global hunger monitor, said that there are half a million people in Gaza who are facing starvation, and by September, it will be in famine. Also Read: When Vajpayee rejected Clinton's offer to talk over Kargil war: Till Pakistan had a 'single inch of our land...'

Last American hostage 21-year-old Edan Alexander released, Netanyahu faces backlash at home amid Gaza offensive

US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-trump-embarks-on-middle-east-tour-with-focus-on-business-regional-tensions-9057057" rel="dofollow">Donald Trump</a> has arrived in Saudi Arabia, in what will be the first stop of a three-day tour that will also see him visit Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS greeted him on his arrival.
<figure class="image"><img alt="Cover (87)" src="https://img-cdn.publive.online/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/05/13/2I0plMnOD1EipAExO0Kh.png" style="width: 1280px;">
<figcaption>Photograph: (AFP)</figcaption>
</figure>
&ldquo;The era of peace will return, and the commander-in-chief of the US armed forces will be in Washington to help safeguard the Gulf&rsquo;s security and stand by its people &ndash; because he knows them well and believes in the importance of their friendship,&rdquo; said Eric Trump while speaking to&nbsp;Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.
Read More | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/is-donald-trumps-middle-east-man-jared-kushner-working-behind-the-scenes-for-expansion-of-abraham-accords-9058520">Is Donald Trump's 'Middle East man' Jared Kushner working behind the scenes for expansion of Abraham Accords?</a>
As Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia, Royal Saudi Air Force's F-15 fighter jets escorted Air Force One.&nbsp;At least five fighter jets came flanking of the AF1's wings, three on the right side, two on the left side, just as the plane approached for landing.
Read More |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-trump-embarks-on-middle-east-tour-with-focus-on-business-regional-tensions-9057057" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US President Trump embarks on Middle East tour with focus on business &amp; regional tensions</a>
&ldquo;On behalf of President Trump, THANK YOU!&rdquo; Dan Scavino, Assistant to Trump and the White House Deputy Chief of Staff posted on X with a video from the flight. WATCH here&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-mambtcsy-advjyh09-rq12pcg7">
Air Force One about to go wheels down in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with Saudi F-15 fighter jets bringing us in. On behalf of President Trump, THANK YOU! 🇺🇸🇸🇦 <a href="https://t.co/UDzPyylyF8">https://t.co/UDzPyylyF8</a> <a href="https://t.co/Nd6DnRGtZD">pic.twitter.com/Nd6DnRGtZD</a>
&mdash; Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/1922191139546812793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
While Israel&rsquo;s war in Gaza and Iran&rsquo;s nuclear ambitions remain front and center, the White House has framed the visit as a &ldquo;historic return&rdquo; to a region Trump first visited as president in 2017&mdash;when he famously posed over a glowing orb with Saudi and Egyptian leaders in Riyadh. By choosing again to begin his overseas travels within the oil-producing Gulf&mdash;instead of with long-standing Western partners&mdash;Trump is demonstrating the rising geopolitical influence of the region, and also emphasising his long-established personal and commercial connections there.

US President Donald Trump has arrived in Saudi Arabia, in what will be the first stop of a three-day tour that will also see him visit Qatar and the United Arab Emirates

US President Donald Trump has arrived in Saudi Arabia, in what will be the first stop of a three-day tour that will also see him visit Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS greeted him on his arrival. Photograph: (AFP) “The era of peace will return, and the commander-in-chief of the US armed forces will be in Washington to help safeguard the Gulf’s security and stand by its people – because he knows them well and believes in the importance of their friendship,” said Eric Trump while speaking to Saudi Arabia’s Asharq al-Awsat newspaper. Read More | Is Donald Trump's 'Middle East man' Jared Kushner working behind the scenes for expansion of Abraham Accords? As Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia, Royal Saudi Air Force's F-15 fighter jets escorted Air Force One. At least five fighter jets came flanking of the AF1's wings, three on the right side, two on the left side, just as the plane approached for landing. Read More | US President Trump embarks on Middle East tour with focus on business & regional tensions “On behalf of President Trump, THANK YOU!” Dan Scavino, Assistant to Trump and the White House Deputy Chief of Staff posted on X with a video from the flight. WATCH here Air Force One about to go wheels down in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with Saudi F-15 fighter jets bringing us in. On behalf of President Trump, THANK YOU! 🇺🇸🇸🇦 https://t.co/UDzPyylyF8 pic.twitter.com/Nd6DnRGtZD — Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) May 13, 2025 While Israel’s war in Gaza and Iran’s nuclear ambitions remain front and center, the White House has framed the visit as a “historic return” to a region Trump first visited as president in 2017—when he famously posed over a glowing orb with Saudi and Egyptian leaders in Riyadh. By choosing again to begin his overseas travels within the oil-producing Gulf—instead of with long-standing Western partners—Trump is demonstrating the rising geopolitical influence of the region, and also emphasising his long-established personal and commercial connections there.

US President Trump arrives in Saudi Arabia on his first trip of second term; MBS welcomes him | Pics here

In his first public remarks since a temporary truce over tariffs with the United States, Chinese President Xi Jinping has taken aim at "bullying" and "hegemonism" stating that there are no winners in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-china-trade-deal-finalised-trumps-trade-representative-says-geneva-talks-productive-substantial-progress-made-9058674" rel="dofollow">trade wars</a>.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian also said that China made it clear to the United States to "stop smearing and shifting blame" on the causes of its fentanyl crisis.&nbsp;"Fentanyl is the United States' issue, it is not China's issue," Jian said.
Read More | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-us-conclude-difficult-but-useful-fourth-round-of-nuclear-talks-iranian-prez-wont-dismantle-facilities-9058591" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iran, US conclude &lsquo;difficult but useful&rsquo; fourth round of nuclear talks, Iranian Prez won&rsquo;t &lsquo;dismantle&rsquo; facilities</a>
<h2>What the Chinese President said&nbsp;</h2>
Addressing a gathering of Latin American and Caribbean officials in Beijing, Jinping said that great changes unseen in a century are accelerating, which have &ldquo;made unity and cooperation among nations indispensable,&rdquo; CNN reported.
&nbsp;&ldquo;There are no winners in tariff wars or trade wars. Bullying or hegemonism only leads to self-isolation,&rdquo; he added.
Read More |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/is-donald-trumps-middle-east-man-jared-kushner-working-behind-the-scenes-for-expansion-of-abraham-accords-9058520" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Is Donald Trump's 'Middle East man' Jared Kushner working behind the scenes for expansion of Abraham Accords?</a>
&ldquo;In the face of seething undercurrents of geopolitical and bloc confrontation, and the surging tide of unilateralism and protectionism, China stands ready to join hands with our Latin American and Caribbean partners,&rdquo; CNN quoted Jinping saying.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-mam9yay3-c8ugc32v-qm5bgw6t">
After successful negotiations over the weekend in Geneva, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> reached an agreement with China to retain U.S. reciprocal tariffs on China, reduce Chinese retaliation and eliminate harmful countermeasures, and establish a path for future discussions regarding opportunities for&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/PrfZRLnYGQ">pic.twitter.com/PrfZRLnYGQ</a>
&mdash; United States Trade Representative (@USTradeRep) <a href="https://twitter.com/USTradeRep/status/1922047147777917365?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
This comes a day after the US and China announced that they would strategically roll back drastic tariff measures against each other&rsquo;s goods for an initial 90-day period.
Read More |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-donald-trump-xi-jinping-call-us-president-trade-war-9011352" target="_blank" rel="noopener">'First stop threatening, blackmailing China': Beijing calls out Trump over 'fake' Xi call. Was US prez bluffing to end trade war?</a>
<h2>US-China Trade War</h2>
The meeting was the first face-to-face interaction between senior American and Chinese economic officials since Trump took office and launched a global tariff blitz that started with declaring a national emergency over the U.S. fentanyl crisis, imposing a new 20% tariff on Chinese goods in February. Trump followed with a 34% "reciprocal" duty on Chinese imports in April, and subsequent rounds pushed the rates into triple digits, bringing nearly $600 billion in two-way trade to a standstill.
This development comes after Trump said on Friday that an 80% tariff on Chinese goods "seems right," suggesting for the first time a specific reduction target.

World | In his first public remarks since a temporary truce over tariffs with the United States, Chinese President Xi Jinping has taken aim at "bullying" and "hegemonism" stating that there are no winners in trade wars.

In his first public remarks since a temporary truce over tariffs with the United States, Chinese President Xi Jinping has taken aim at "bullying" and "hegemonism" stating that there are no winners in trade wars. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian also said that China made it clear to the United States to "stop smearing and shifting blame" on the causes of its fentanyl crisis. "Fentanyl is the United States' issue, it is not China's issue," Jian said. Read More | Iran, US conclude ‘difficult but useful’ fourth round of nuclear talks, Iranian Prez won’t ‘dismantle’ facilities What the Chinese President said Addressing a gathering of Latin American and Caribbean officials in Beijing, Jinping said that great changes unseen in a century are accelerating, which have “made unity and cooperation among nations indispensable,” CNN reported. “There are no winners in tariff wars or trade wars. Bullying or hegemonism only leads to self-isolation,” he added. Read More | Is Donald Trump's 'Middle East man' Jared Kushner working behind the scenes for expansion of Abraham Accords? “In the face of seething undercurrents of geopolitical and bloc confrontation, and the surging tide of unilateralism and protectionism, China stands ready to join hands with our Latin American and Caribbean partners,” CNN quoted Jinping saying. After successful negotiations over the weekend in Geneva, @POTUS reached an agreement with China to retain U.S. reciprocal tariffs on China, reduce Chinese retaliation and eliminate harmful countermeasures, and establish a path for future discussions regarding opportunities for… pic.twitter.com/PrfZRLnYGQ — United States Trade Representative (@USTradeRep) May 12, 2025 This comes a day after the US and China announced that they would strategically roll back drastic tariff measures against each other’s goods for an initial 90-day period. Read More | 'First stop threatening, blackmailing China': Beijing calls out Trump over 'fake' Xi call. Was US prez bluffing to end trade war? US-China Trade War The meeting was the first face-to-face interaction between senior American and Chinese economic officials since Trump took office and launched a global tariff blitz that started with declaring a national emergency over the U.S. fentanyl crisis, imposing a new 20% tariff on Chinese goods in February. Trump followed with a 34% "reciprocal" duty on Chinese imports in April, and subsequent rounds pushed the rates into triple digits, bringing nearly $600 billion in two-way trade to a standstill. This development comes after Trump said on Friday that an 80% tariff on Chinese goods "seems right," suggesting for the first time a specific reduction target.

Xi Jinping's 'self-isolation' message to Trump after trade deal, China says 'stop shifting blame' on fentanyl

The gruelling work system in China is infamous around the world. People work for hours day after day to survive and sustain themselves in a competitive world. Now, a company finds itself facing the ire of social media users after listing "free toilet use" as a benefit for employees interested in working for it.
According to a report in SCMP, the company also posted "free use of the lifts" as a benefit for the employees. It even states that it won't charge employees doing overtime for the electricity they use in the process. In fact, it is one of the many perks of the job.
The job advertisement was brought to light by a social media account called Workplace Slackers.
It did not mention the name of the company or the job title. But it listed the description and other details. The job requires the candidate to be proficient in the use of Excel for spreadsheets, detail-oriented and involves processing orders.
<h2>Job description and strange perks</h2>
Employees will be required to work for nine hours a day with four offs off a month. Two shifts - 9 am to 6 pm and 1 pm to 10 pm - are available. It pays 4,000 yuan ($550) a month, with double pay on national holidays. The salary will be increased by 100 yuan ($14) after a year.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mystery-illness-took-over-a-canadian-province-experts-say-it-doesnt-even-exist-9047475" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">A mysterious illness stirred fear in Canada. A probe and a study found that it doesn't even exist</a>
What left people flabbergasted was the list of so-called benefits. The staff is free to use the toilet, and if at all they do overtime, the company won't ask them to pay for the electricity.
Other benefits include late-night snacks, tea, and team-building activities etc.&nbsp;
<h2>Social media reacts to job post</h2>
Social media users could not believe the listed benefits and commented on the strange job advertisement. While one asked how the use of toilets and lifts perks, another stated that there are worse job advertisements out there.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vasectomy-in-exchange-for-benefits-indonesian-governors-absurd-suggestion-9047181" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Vasectomy in exchange for benefits: Indonesian governor's absurd suggestion</a>
The job scene in China has made headlines for its gruelling working hours and the highly competitive environment. The 996 schedule has invited backlash from across the world, where people work from 9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week.&nbsp;
China has a job crunch as more and more youngsters are graduating every year. They do not have anything to take up. Some of them have chosen to stay with their parents, working for them in exchange for money. This trend was highlighted in several reports last year. Meanwhile, it is equally hard for those 35 and above to find a job or hold onto one.

"Free toilet use" and "free use of the lift" are perks of a job in China, as stated in an advertisement. And if you do overtime, it won't ask you to pay for electricity.  World Trending

The gruelling work system in China is infamous around the world. People work for hours day after day to survive and sustain themselves in a competitive world. Now, a company finds itself facing the ire of social media users after listing "free toilet use" as a benefit for employees interested in working for it. According to a report in SCMP, the company also posted "free use of the lifts" as a benefit for the employees. It even states that it won't charge employees doing overtime for the electricity they use in the process. In fact, it is one of the many perks of the job. The job advertisement was brought to light by a social media account called Workplace Slackers. It did not mention the name of the company or the job title. But it listed the description and other details. The job requires the candidate to be proficient in the use of Excel for spreadsheets, detail-oriented and involves processing orders. Job description and strange perks Employees will be required to work for nine hours a day with four offs off a month. Two shifts - 9 am to 6 pm and 1 pm to 10 pm - are available. It pays 4,000 yuan ($550) a month, with double pay on national holidays. The salary will be increased by 100 yuan ($14) after a year. Also Read: A mysterious illness stirred fear in Canada. A probe and a study found that it doesn't even exist What left people flabbergasted was the list of so-called benefits. The staff is free to use the toilet, and if at all they do overtime, the company won't ask them to pay for the electricity. Other benefits include late-night snacks, tea, and team-building activities etc. Social media reacts to job post Social media users could not believe the listed benefits and commented on the strange job advertisement. While one asked how the use of toilets and lifts perks, another stated that there are worse job advertisements out there. Also Read: Vasectomy in exchange for benefits: Indonesian governor's absurd suggestion The job scene in China has made headlines for its gruelling working hours and the highly competitive environment. The 996 schedule has invited backlash from across the world, where people work from 9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week. China has a job crunch as more and more youngsters are graduating every year. They do not have anything to take up. Some of them have chosen to stay with their parents, working for them in exchange for money. This trend was highlighted in several reports last year. Meanwhile, it is equally hard for those 35 and above to find a job or hold onto one.

Chinese company lists 'free toilet, free lifts, free overtime' as perks, leaves people flabbergasted

Cricket Australia has backed the players' individual decisions as they face tough coming weeks ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa. In a statement released on Tuesday (May 13), the apex body of Australian Cricket vows to back the individual decisions as players are contract-tied with the Indian Premier League (IPL). In case the players included in the WTC final squad commit to playing in the IPL 2025 and reach the final, they will have only one week to prepare, including travel.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">CA to support players' decision</h2>
"Cricket Australia will support players in their individual decisions whether to return to India or not," CA said in a statement.
"Team management will work through the preparation implications for the World Test Championship final for those players who choose to play in the remaining IPL matches.
"We are maintaining communication with the Australian Government and BCCI around security arrangements and safety."
The IPL Playoffs are scheduled to start from May 29, with the final taking place on June 3.
On Tuesday, Cricket Australia announced the squad for the WTC final with the likes of Pat Cummins, Travis Head and Mitchell Starc still involved. While Cummins and Head (part of the WTC final squad) won&rsquo;t play in the IPL 2025 Playoffs and final, they will have a decision in hand with only three more games remaining in the league season for SunRisers Hyderabad.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-releases-ipl-2025-revised-schedule-tournament-to-restart-on-may-17-final-in-june-9062057" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">BCCI releases IPL 2025 revised schedule, tournament to restart on May 17, final in June</a>
However, that won&rsquo;t be the case for Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis and Mitchell Starc as their IPL sides are destined to play in the Playoffs. These players are also named in the 15-man squad for the WTC final by Cricket Australia.
So if any player from the trio features in the IPL final, they will have only seven days to prepare before the WTC summit clash starts at Lord&rsquo;s Cricket Ground against South Africa.

In case the Australian players included in the WTC final squad commit to playing in the IPL 2025 and reach the final, they will have only one week to prepare. World | Cricket | Sports

Cricket Australia has backed the players' individual decisions as they face tough coming weeks ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa. In a statement released on Tuesday (May 13), the apex body of Australian Cricket vows to back the individual decisions as players are contract-tied with the Indian Premier League (IPL). In case the players included in the WTC final squad commit to playing in the IPL 2025 and reach the final, they will have only one week to prepare, including travel. CA to support players' decision "Cricket Australia will support players in their individual decisions whether to return to India or not," CA said in a statement. "Team management will work through the preparation implications for the World Test Championship final for those players who choose to play in the remaining IPL matches. "We are maintaining communication with the Australian Government and BCCI around security arrangements and safety." The IPL Playoffs are scheduled to start from May 29, with the final taking place on June 3. On Tuesday, Cricket Australia announced the squad for the WTC final with the likes of Pat Cummins, Travis Head and Mitchell Starc still involved. While Cummins and Head (part of the WTC final squad) won’t play in the IPL 2025 Playoffs and final, they will have a decision in hand with only three more games remaining in the league season for SunRisers Hyderabad. ALSO READ | BCCI releases IPL 2025 revised schedule, tournament to restart on May 17, final in June However, that won’t be the case for Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis and Mitchell Starc as their IPL sides are destined to play in the Playoffs. These players are also named in the 15-man squad for the WTC final by Cricket Australia. So if any player from the trio features in the IPL final, they will have only seven days to prepare before the WTC summit clash starts at Lord’s Cricket Ground against South Africa.

'Will support players': Cricket Australia backs individual decisions ahead of rescheduled IPL 2025

Indian student Priya Saxena studying in America's South Dakota School of Mines and Technology received a doctorate in chemical and biological engineering and a master's degree in chemical engineering on May 12. She is one of the many who face <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/deportation-of-indian-student-with-less-than-30-days-for-graduation-temporarily-blocked-by-us-judge-8967167" rel="dofollow">deportation </a>under the Trump administration's stringent crackdown on immigrants.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-malzd8k4-tmpshw50-1su28pfx">
Here is Dr.Priya Saxena graduating with a Doctorate after Kristi Noem tried to deport her! 😡 <a href="https://t.co/gIIzkKSnld">pic.twitter.com/gIIzkKSnld</a>
&mdash; Suzie rizzio (@Suzierizzo1) <a href="https://twitter.com/Suzierizzo1/status/1922003937500020961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
Saxena received a deportation notice over a four-year-old misdemeanour conviction for refusing to yield to flashing yellow lights. Saxena&rsquo;s student visa was valid until 2027. She sued the Homeland Security Department and its head Kristi Noem.
Read More | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-international-student-deportations-indian-student-akshar-patels-case-exposes-how-govt-checks-criminal-databases-9018238">REVEALED: Indian student Akshar Patel's case exposes how Trump govt checks into FBI criminal databases for deportations</a>
In her suit, Saxena stated that she &ldquo;has not been involved in any political activity, has not attended any demonstrations, and has not made any statements about controversial public matters.&rdquo;
A judge ruled in Saxena's favour &nbsp;that prevented the government from terminating her visa until a hearing on May 13 and thus she was allowed to get the degree she had been working toward for five years.&nbsp;
Read More | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/deportation-of-indian-student-with-less-than-30-days-for-graduation-temporarily-blocked-by-us-judge-8967167">Deportation of Indian student&nbsp;with less than 30 days for graduation temporarily blocked by US judge</a>
<h2>'Humiliation' for Kristi Noem</h2>
Kristi Noem's alma institution, Dakota State University, awarded her an honorary degree in public service. She studied political science at the campus.
According to The Daily Mail, Noem endured the &ldquo;ultimate humiliation&rdquo; as she failed to garner any cheers but faced protesters who heckled her.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-malzdfg2-xiovwt1b-awx8w0xj">
Congratulations to the graduates of Dakota State University! I am so proud of South Dakota. It was an honor to give the commencement speech to some of the many men and women who will make South Dakota&rsquo;s future bright. <a href="https://t.co/MTS6vlrDVu">pic.twitter.com/MTS6vlrDVu</a>
&mdash; Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/1921352388733997351?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
Both the student senate and the general faculty voted against awarding Noem an honorary degree, contending that doing so would be a politicised gesture with negative implications for international students.
"One thing that immediately came to my brain when I heard she was coming here was I was genuinely scared of the massive amounts of international students that we have on campus," The Daily Mail quoted one of the demonstrators as saying.
The Trump administration has been instructing international students to self-deport themselves by revoking their visas. The Homeland Security Department cited petty crimes such as shoplifting, drunk driving, etc as reasons for deportation, reports suggest that students were deported due to their alleged involvement in campus activism.
Read More | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-indian-students-in-trumps-us-are-facing-deportation-drunk-driving-shoplifting-speeding-8941370">Why Indian students in Trump's US facing deportation: 'Drunk driving, shoplifting, speeding'</a>

World | Indian student Priya Saxena, on Trump's deportation list, received a doctorate and a master's degree in America's South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Indian student Priya Saxena studying in America's South Dakota School of Mines and Technology received a doctorate in chemical and biological engineering and a master's degree in chemical engineering on May 12. She is one of the many who face deportation under the Trump administration's stringent crackdown on immigrants. Here is Dr.Priya Saxena graduating with a Doctorate after Kristi Noem tried to deport her! 😡 pic.twitter.com/gIIzkKSnld — Suzie rizzio (@Suzierizzo1) May 12, 2025 Saxena received a deportation notice over a four-year-old misdemeanour conviction for refusing to yield to flashing yellow lights. Saxena’s student visa was valid until 2027. She sued the Homeland Security Department and its head Kristi Noem. Read More | REVEALED: Indian student Akshar Patel's case exposes how Trump govt checks into FBI criminal databases for deportations In her suit, Saxena stated that she “has not been involved in any political activity, has not attended any demonstrations, and has not made any statements about controversial public matters.” A judge ruled in Saxena's favour that prevented the government from terminating her visa until a hearing on May 13 and thus she was allowed to get the degree she had been working toward for five years. Read More | Deportation of Indian student with less than 30 days for graduation temporarily blocked by US judge 'Humiliation' for Kristi Noem Kristi Noem's alma institution, Dakota State University, awarded her an honorary degree in public service. She studied political science at the campus. According to The Daily Mail, Noem endured the “ultimate humiliation” as she failed to garner any cheers but faced protesters who heckled her. Congratulations to the graduates of Dakota State University! I am so proud of South Dakota. It was an honor to give the commencement speech to some of the many men and women who will make South Dakota’s future bright. pic.twitter.com/MTS6vlrDVu — Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) May 10, 2025 Both the student senate and the general faculty voted against awarding Noem an honorary degree, contending that doing so would be a politicised gesture with negative implications for international students. "One thing that immediately came to my brain when I heard she was coming here was I was genuinely scared of the massive amounts of international students that we have on campus," The Daily Mail quoted one of the demonstrators as saying. The Trump administration has been instructing international students to self-deport themselves by revoking their visas. The Homeland Security Department cited petty crimes such as shoplifting, drunk driving, etc as reasons for deportation, reports suggest that students were deported due to their alleged involvement in campus activism. Read More | Why Indian students in Trump's US facing deportation: 'Drunk driving, shoplifting, speeding'

Embarrassment for Kristi Noem as Indian student on Trump's deportation list gets loud cheers at grad ceremony

Pat Cummins-led Australia have named their 15-man squad for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final as they take on South Africa in the only Test. The final set to take place at the iconic Lord&rsquo;s Cricket Ground in London will see the return of Cameron Green. The Aussie all-rounder missed the Sri Lanka series and the Champions Trophy along with the Indian Premier League, but has now recovered from the back issue to feature.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Cameron Green returns for Australia<o:p></o:p></h2>
One of the best Australian all-rounders in recent times, Green had recovered well for the Aussies, having missed cricket for the majority of the last year. Green last played for the Aussies in September 2024 against England and was missing from the squad thereafter due to injury. His last Test appearance came in March 2024 against New Zealand, after which he was largely troubled by injuries. <o:p></o:p>
The injury forced Green to miss the key series against India and Sri Lanka, while he also played no part in the Champions Trophy 2025, where Australia lost in the semis to India. He has represented Australia in 28 Test matches, scoring 1377 runs, including two hundreds. He has also scalped 35 wickets during the period. He recently returned to competitive action in English County cricket, representing Gloucestershire.<o:p></o:p>
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-releases-ipl-2025-revised-schedule-tournament-to-restart-on-may-17-final-in-june-9062057" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">BCCI releases IPL 2025 revised schedule, tournament to restart on May 17, final in June</a> 
On the other hand, the squad also features the return of Matt Kuhnemann, but is expected to play second fiddle to Nathan Lyon. Sam Konstas will also return to the squad for Australia as the selectors showed faith in him. He had earlier returned midway from the Sri Lanka series in January to play in the Sheffield Shield. He had a mixed India tour where Konstas was in and out of the squad. Brendan Doggett has been named a travelling reserve in case any injury affects the squad. <o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Australia squad for WTC final<o:p></o:p></h2>
Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster. Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett<o:p></o:p>

Pat Cummins-led Australia have named their 15-man squad for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final as they take on South Africa in the only Test. Cricket | Sports

Pat Cummins-led Australia have named their 15-man squad for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final as they take on South Africa in the only Test. The final set to take place at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London will see the return of Cameron Green. The Aussie all-rounder missed the Sri Lanka series and the Champions Trophy along with the Indian Premier League, but has now recovered from the back issue to feature. Cameron Green returns for Australia One of the best Australian all-rounders in recent times, Green had recovered well for the Aussies, having missed cricket for the majority of the last year. Green last played for the Aussies in September 2024 against England and was missing from the squad thereafter due to injury. His last Test appearance came in March 2024 against New Zealand, after which he was largely troubled by injuries. The injury forced Green to miss the key series against India and Sri Lanka, while he also played no part in the Champions Trophy 2025, where Australia lost in the semis to India. He has represented Australia in 28 Test matches, scoring 1377 runs, including two hundreds. He has also scalped 35 wickets during the period. He recently returned to competitive action in English County cricket, representing Gloucestershire. ALSO READ | BCCI releases IPL 2025 revised schedule, tournament to restart on May 17, final in June On the other hand, the squad also features the return of Matt Kuhnemann, but is expected to play second fiddle to Nathan Lyon. Sam Konstas will also return to the squad for Australia as the selectors showed faith in him. He had earlier returned midway from the Sri Lanka series in January to play in the Sheffield Shield. He had a mixed India tour where Konstas was in and out of the squad. Brendan Doggett has been named a travelling reserve in case any injury affects the squad. Australia squad for WTC final Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster. Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett

WTC Final: Pat Cummins-led Australia name 15-man squad, Cameron Green returns after back injury

French President Emmanuel Macron was seen picking up a white-coloured item from the table in a video shot inside a train from Poland to Kyiv. He was accompanied by Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Rumours started circulating that Macron hid a packet of cocaine.&nbsp;
Some Kremlin officials further fuelled them, openly alleging that the leaders were intoxicated. The &Eacute;lys&eacute;e Palace has slammed the claims as "disinformation", saying that it was only a piece of tissue paper.
Marcon, Merz, and Starmer were visiting Ukraine to show their support for Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia. The cocaine claims first popped up on pro-Russian social media channels. Later, a Kremlin spokesperson and another official also talked about it.
&ldquo;This fake news is being spread by France&rsquo;s enemies, both abroad and at home. We must remain vigilant against manipulation,&rdquo; the &Eacute;lys&eacute;e posted on X.
The video shows the three leaders around a table as the cameras start rolling. Macron then picks up a white object from the table and later puts it in his pocket.&nbsp;
&ldquo;This is a tissue. For blowing your nose,&rdquo; the &Eacute;lys&eacute;e posted alongside an image from the meeting. &ldquo;This is European unity. To build peace."
&ldquo;When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs.&rdquo;
<h2>Video of Macron allegedly picking up "cocaine"</h2>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-malvbkke-f8ui9aui-txxk36by">
🚨 BREAKING! Macron, Starmer, and Merz caught red handed with a bag of coke on the table as Macron tries to hide it! Thoughts? <a href="https://t.co/lZ9CfTpV0D">pic.twitter.com/lZ9CfTpV0D</a>
&mdash; Liberal Tear Creator&trade; (@LibTearCreator1) <a href="https://twitter.com/LibTearCreator1/status/1921559791542956437?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
The cocaine story received a further boost from user claims that Merz was holding a white cocaine spoon. In the video, he can be seen holding the alleged object fully in his hand.&nbsp;
<h2>Russian spokesperson claims the European leaders did cocaine</h2>
Among those who promoted the cocaine claim was the Kremlin&rsquo;s foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, who posted about it on her Telegram channel.
&ldquo;After pushing Zelensky into yet another hellish scheme to derail a settlement and prolong the bloodshed in Europe, it&rsquo;s like a joke: a Frenchman, an Englishman, and a German got on a train &ndash; and did a line,&rdquo; Zakharova wrote on Sunday.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-will-be-waiting-for-putin-ukraines-zelensky-ready-for-talks-but-only-if-russia-agrees-to-a-ceasefire-9058550" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ukraine's Zelensky ready for talks, but only if Russia agrees to a ceasefire</a>
&ldquo;Apparently, they were so out of it they forgot to hide the paraphernalia &ndash; a small bag and a spoon &ndash; before the journalists arrived. Europe&rsquo;s fate is in the hands of placeholders who are dependent, in every sense of the word.&rdquo;
<iframe width="600" height="auto" style="width: 100%; aspect-ratio: 4/3;" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="external-video publive-iframes-block" src="https://cdn.thepublive.com/wion/static/kaltura_player/wion_video_player_iframe.html?thumbnail=wion/media/post_attachments/screenshot/1205_WION_TALK_9PM/00000002.jpg&amp;videourl=https://vodakm.zeenews.com/vod/WION/1205_WION_TALK_9PM.mp4/index.m3u8&amp;duration=183&amp;tags=Russia, Ukraine, World News, WION" title="Russia opens door for Ukraine peace talks amidst EU pressure" id="PL_iframe_block-malvebuz-8lb45wl9-q3j6tys9"></iframe>
Kirill Dmitriev, another Russian official, wrote under the video on X, &ldquo;Is this footage AI or real? If it&rsquo;s real &ndash; are we looking at sugar or something entirely different? If it&rsquo;s something else, it explains a lot of recent ideas and proposals."
According to the western media, Russia is trying to sour relations between the US, Europe and Ukraine over pressure for a ceasefire.
Zakharova and other Russian officials had earlier claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was an &ldquo;unstable cocaine addict&rdquo;. They have often claimed that European leaders use cocaine.&nbsp;

Did Macron hide a packet of cocaine? A video on social media shows the French president picking up something from the table that people think is cocaine. World Trending

French President Emmanuel Macron was seen picking up a white-coloured item from the table in a video shot inside a train from Poland to Kyiv. He was accompanied by Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Rumours started circulating that Macron hid a packet of cocaine. Some Kremlin officials further fuelled them, openly alleging that the leaders were intoxicated. The Élysée Palace has slammed the claims as "disinformation", saying that it was only a piece of tissue paper. Marcon, Merz, and Starmer were visiting Ukraine to show their support for Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia. The cocaine claims first popped up on pro-Russian social media channels. Later, a Kremlin spokesperson and another official also talked about it. “This fake news is being spread by France’s enemies, both abroad and at home. We must remain vigilant against manipulation,” the Élysée posted on X. The video shows the three leaders around a table as the cameras start rolling. Macron then picks up a white object from the table and later puts it in his pocket. “This is a tissue. For blowing your nose,” the Élysée posted alongside an image from the meeting. “This is European unity. To build peace." “When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs.” Video of Macron allegedly picking up "cocaine" 🚨 BREAKING! Macron, Starmer, and Merz caught red handed with a bag of coke on the table as Macron tries to hide it! Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/lZ9CfTpV0D — Liberal Tear Creator™ (@LibTearCreator1) May 11, 2025 The cocaine story received a further boost from user claims that Merz was holding a white cocaine spoon. In the video, he can be seen holding the alleged object fully in his hand. Russian spokesperson claims the European leaders did cocaine Among those who promoted the cocaine claim was the Kremlin’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, who posted about it on her Telegram channel. “After pushing Zelensky into yet another hellish scheme to derail a settlement and prolong the bloodshed in Europe, it’s like a joke: a Frenchman, an Englishman, and a German got on a train – and did a line,” Zakharova wrote on Sunday. Also Read: Ukraine's Zelensky ready for talks, but only if Russia agrees to a ceasefire “Apparently, they were so out of it they forgot to hide the paraphernalia – a small bag and a spoon – before the journalists arrived. Europe’s fate is in the hands of placeholders who are dependent, in every sense of the word.” Kirill Dmitriev, another Russian official, wrote under the video on X, “Is this footage AI or real? If it’s real – are we looking at sugar or something entirely different? If it’s something else, it explains a lot of recent ideas and proposals." According to the western media, Russia is trying to sour relations between the US, Europe and Ukraine over pressure for a ceasefire. Zakharova and other Russian officials had earlier claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was an “unstable cocaine addict”. They have often claimed that European leaders use cocaine.

'Did a line' and 'forgot to hide': ‘Cocaine’ conspiracy theory accuses Macron, Starmer and Merz of drug use on train to Kyiv

US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, believed to be the last living US citizen held hostage in Gaza, was released by Hamas on Monday as President Donald Trump departed Washington for a trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Alexander was being escorted out of the Gaza Strip by the IDF and brought to the facility near Re&rsquo;im when reports last came in.
Alexander, who is now 21, grew up in New Jersey before moving to Israel, where he was serving in the Israeli military when he was abducted during the Hamas-orchestrated attack on Oct. 7, 2023 that sparked the war in Gaza.
Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-signs-executive-order-aiming-to-slash-drug-costs-in-us-by-50-9061909">Trump signs executive order aiming to slash drug costs in US by 50%</a>
Hamas said on Sunday evening that it would release Alexander without conditions in the hope of working for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and renewing the flow of vital humanitarian aid to the besieged Palestinian territory.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said in a post on X that the release of Edan Alexander by Hamas &ldquo;marks the beginning of the end to this terrible war.&rdquo;
&ldquo;We demand the immediate release of all remaining hostages,&rdquo; the envoy added.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum welcomed the news of Alexander&rsquo;s release and said they&rsquo;d be organising a march at the U.S. embassy in Israel on Monday to demand &ldquo;a breakthrough and comprehensive agreement&rdquo; to bring the remaining hostages home.
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/operation-sindoor-we-demolished-global-universities-of-terrorism-at-bahawalpur-muridke-pm-modi-9061746" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Operation Sindoor | &lsquo;We demolished global universities of terrorism at Bahawalpur, Muridke&rsquo;: PM Modi</a> Hamas said Sunday the decision to release Alexander came after &ldquo;contacts with the US administration over the past few days,&rdquo; and that it was ready to &ldquo;immediately begin intensive negotiations for ending the war, establish a mutually agreed-upon prisoner exchange, and have the Gaza Strip administered by an independent professional body.&rdquo; In a post on Truth Social, President Trump called the move &ldquo;a step taken in good faith towards the US and the efforts of the mediators&mdash;Qatar and Egypt&mdash;to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones. Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict.&rdquo;
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-air-force-struck-missile-site-at-malir-cantt-near-pakistans-port-city-of-karachi-9061396" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Indian Air Force struck missile site at Malir Cantt near Pakistan&rsquo;s port city of Karachi</a> The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement saying, &ldquo;Israel did not commit to any ceasefire or to the release of terrorists, but only to a safe corridor that would allow for Edan&rsquo;s release.&rdquo; &ldquo;Negotiations will continue under fire and while preparations are being made to intensify the fighting,&rdquo; the prime minister&rsquo;s office said. Israel has been preventing the entry of food and medical aid into Gaza for nearly three months.
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-downed-pakistani-mirage-jet-during-operation-sindoor-army-shares-proof-watch-9060787" rel="noopener" target="_blank">India downed Pakistani Mirage Jet during Operation Sindoor, Army shares proof | Watch</a>

Middle East | World: Alexander, who is now 21, grew up in New Jersey before moving to Israel, where he was serving in the Israeli military when he was abducted during the Hamas-orchestrated attack on Oct. 7, 2023 that sparked the war in Gaza.

US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, believed to be the last living US citizen held hostage in Gaza, was released by Hamas on Monday as President Donald Trump departed Washington for a trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Alexander was being escorted out of the Gaza Strip by the IDF and brought to the facility near Re’im when reports last came in. Alexander, who is now 21, grew up in New Jersey before moving to Israel, where he was serving in the Israeli military when he was abducted during the Hamas-orchestrated attack on Oct. 7, 2023 that sparked the war in Gaza. Also Read | Trump signs executive order aiming to slash drug costs in US by 50% Hamas said on Sunday evening that it would release Alexander without conditions in the hope of working for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and renewing the flow of vital humanitarian aid to the besieged Palestinian territory. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said in a post on X that the release of Edan Alexander by Hamas “marks the beginning of the end to this terrible war.” “We demand the immediate release of all remaining hostages,” the envoy added. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum welcomed the news of Alexander’s release and said they’d be organising a march at the U.S. embassy in Israel on Monday to demand “a breakthrough and comprehensive agreement” to bring the remaining hostages home. Also Read | Operation Sindoor | ‘We demolished global universities of terrorism at Bahawalpur, Muridke’: PM Modi Hamas said Sunday the decision to release Alexander came after “contacts with the US administration over the past few days,” and that it was ready to “immediately begin intensive negotiations for ending the war, establish a mutually agreed-upon prisoner exchange, and have the Gaza Strip administered by an independent professional body.” In a post on Truth Social, President Trump called the move “a step taken in good faith towards the US and the efforts of the mediators—Qatar and Egypt—to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones. Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict.” Also Read | Indian Air Force struck missile site at Malir Cantt near Pakistan’s port city of Karachi The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement saying, “Israel did not commit to any ceasefire or to the release of terrorists, but only to a safe corridor that would allow for Edan’s release.” “Negotiations will continue under fire and while preparations are being made to intensify the fighting,” the prime minister’s office said. Israel has been preventing the entry of food and medical aid into Gaza for nearly three months. Also Read | India downed Pakistani Mirage Jet during Operation Sindoor, Army shares proof | Watch

US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander released after 584 days in Hamas captivity

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday that aims to cut prescription drug costs in the US by aligning what the government pays for certain medications with the prices paid in other countries. The order, experts say, is far more aggressive than the one during Trump&rsquo;s first term to cut drug costs, which was blocked by a federal judge and failed hence. Health policy experts feel the order will meet significant opposition from the drug industry. The new order directs Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to come up with price-cutting goals within 30 days, White House officials said on Monday.&nbsp; The move will kick off a round of negotiations between the health secretary and the drug industry and if the talks fail, Kennedy will move to enforce the &ldquo;most favoured nation&rdquo; pricing model, capping the drug prices in the US at the lowest rates paid by other wealthy nations.
Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/trump-reacts-to-india-pakistan-ceasefire-agreement-operation-sindoor-nuclear-war-pahalgam-terror-attack-9061528">'Could have been a bad nuclear war': Trump reacts to India-Pakistan ceasefire agreement</a> Officials highlighted that this time the policy will not be limited to certain drugs under Medicare, as in the previous version, but will also target medications covered by Medicaid and private insurance. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m doing this for the American people,&rdquo; Trump said at the White House, discussing the executive order. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m doing this against the most powerful lobby in the world probably, the drug lobby.&rdquo;
The administration hasn&rsquo;t picked any specific class of drugs for price cuts, but officials said that drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound will also be included.
Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/operation-sindoor-we-demolished-global-universities-of-terrorism-at-bahawalpur-muridke-pm-modi-9061746">Operation Sindoor | &lsquo;We demolished global universities of terrorism at Bahawalpur, Muridke&rsquo;: PM Modi</a> Last month, the Trump administration rejected a Biden-era proposal for Medicare to cover weight loss drugs. The plan would have saved patients money but cost the government about $25 billion over 10 years. The Food and Drug Administration will also consider importing prescription drugs from countries besides Canada, where prices are often lower than in the US. The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission will be directed to act against &ldquo;anti-competitive&rdquo; actions by drugmakers that keep drug prices high, said officials.
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-air-force-struck-missile-site-at-malir-cantt-near-pakistans-port-city-of-karachi-9061396" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Indian Air Force struck missile site at Malir Cantt near Pakistan&rsquo;s port city of Karachi</a> Prescription drug prices are notoriously high in the US, which has less than 5% of the global population but accounts for nearly three-quarters of global pharmaceutical profits. Rand Corporation, a public policy think tank, says Americans pay up to 10 times more for medications than people in other similarly wealthy nations. Many experts back Trump&rsquo;s approach but doubt how the administration would pursue price reductions for drugs under private insurance.&nbsp; Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-downed-pakistani-mirage-jet-during-operation-sindoor-army-shares-proof-watch-9060787" rel="noopener" target="_blank">India downed Pakistani Mirage Jet during Operation Sindoor, Army shares proof | Watch</a> In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump claimed that prescription drug costs would be reduced &ldquo;almost immediately&rdquo; by 30% to 80% and that the US &ldquo;will pay the same price as the Nation that pays the lowest price anywhere in the World.&rdquo; In a follow-up post Monday, Trump said drug prices would be cut by 59%. At the White House later on Monday, Trump claimed drug prices would be reduced by 50% to 90%.

World: Prescription drug prices are notoriously high in the US, which has less than 5% of the global population but accounts for nearly three-quarters of global pharmaceutical profits.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday that aims to cut prescription drug costs in the US by aligning what the government pays for certain medications with the prices paid in other countries. The order, experts say, is far more aggressive than the one during Trump’s first term to cut drug costs, which was blocked by a federal judge and failed hence. Health policy experts feel the order will meet significant opposition from the drug industry. The new order directs Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to come up with price-cutting goals within 30 days, White House officials said on Monday. The move will kick off a round of negotiations between the health secretary and the drug industry and if the talks fail, Kennedy will move to enforce the “most favoured nation” pricing model, capping the drug prices in the US at the lowest rates paid by other wealthy nations. Also Read | 'Could have been a bad nuclear war': Trump reacts to India-Pakistan ceasefire agreement Officials highlighted that this time the policy will not be limited to certain drugs under Medicare, as in the previous version, but will also target medications covered by Medicaid and private insurance. “I’m doing this for the American people,” Trump said at the White House, discussing the executive order. “I’m doing this against the most powerful lobby in the world probably, the drug lobby.” The administration hasn’t picked any specific class of drugs for price cuts, but officials said that drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound will also be included. Also Read | Operation Sindoor | ‘We demolished global universities of terrorism at Bahawalpur, Muridke’: PM Modi Last month, the Trump administration rejected a Biden-era proposal for Medicare to cover weight loss drugs. The plan would have saved patients money but cost the government about $25 billion over 10 years. The Food and Drug Administration will also consider importing prescription drugs from countries besides Canada, where prices are often lower than in the US. The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission will be directed to act against “anti-competitive” actions by drugmakers that keep drug prices high, said officials. Also Read | Indian Air Force struck missile site at Malir Cantt near Pakistan’s port city of Karachi Prescription drug prices are notoriously high in the US, which has less than 5% of the global population but accounts for nearly three-quarters of global pharmaceutical profits. Rand Corporation, a public policy think tank, says Americans pay up to 10 times more for medications than people in other similarly wealthy nations. Many experts back Trump’s approach but doubt how the administration would pursue price reductions for drugs under private insurance. Also Read | India downed Pakistani Mirage Jet during Operation Sindoor, Army shares proof | Watch In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump claimed that prescription drug costs would be reduced “almost immediately” by 30% to 80% and that the US “will pay the same price as the Nation that pays the lowest price anywhere in the World.” In a follow-up post Monday, Trump said drug prices would be cut by 59%. At the White House later on Monday, Trump claimed drug prices would be reduced by 50% to 90%.

Trump signs executive order aiming to slash drug costs in US by 50%

Afghanistan sees yet another ban, this time Taliban outlaws playing chess, citing concerns of gambling.
Ever since the Taliban took over, Afghans have had one ban after another. Speaking to news agency AFP, Atal Mashwani, spokesperson for the Taliban&rsquo;s sports directorate said, "Chess in sharia (Islamic law) is considered a means of gambling."
He added, "Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan. There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess."
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taliban-leader-warns-pashtuns-against-being-used-in-india-pakistan-conflict-9048205">Taliban leader warns Pashtuns against being used in India-Pakistan conflict</a>
Not too long ago, MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) was under the Taliban's radar for it wasn't compatible with Islamic laws. The officials said&nbsp;it was too "violent" and "problematic with respect to sharia".
Since 2021, Afghanistan has been no stranger to such bans, all of which are cited as not acceptable under Islamic law. From women's education to their free movement, a lot is at stake. Women's voices, their rights have been silenced like never before.&nbsp;
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Afghanistan sees yet another ban, this time Taliban outlaws playing chess, citing concerns of gambling. World

Afghanistan sees yet another ban, this time Taliban outlaws playing chess, citing concerns of gambling. Ever since the Taliban took over, Afghans have had one ban after another. Speaking to news agency AFP, Atal Mashwani, spokesperson for the Taliban’s sports directorate said, "Chess in sharia (Islamic law) is considered a means of gambling." He added, "Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan. There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess." Also read: Taliban leader warns Pashtuns against being used in India-Pakistan conflict Not too long ago, MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) was under the Taliban's radar for it wasn't compatible with Islamic laws. The officials said it was too "violent" and "problematic with respect to sharia". Since 2021, Afghanistan has been no stranger to such bans, all of which are cited as not acceptable under Islamic law. From women's education to their free movement, a lot is at stake. Women's voices, their rights have been silenced like never before.

Taliban strikes again, this time bans playing chess in Afghanistan because...

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