EU may start lifting COVID-19 restrictions in Q2

He highlighted India's role as a "first responder" for the Maldives, emphasising that India's support during critical periods has been fundamental to the stability and security of the island nation.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova condemned a drone strike on the commercial vessel Arctic Metagaz in the Mediterranean. Calling it "a terrorist attack & a war crime," she detailed the crew's rescue after a gas explosion, criticised Malta's refusal to assist the injured, and denounced the European silence.

Pakistan's fruit and vegetable supply remains dominated by traditional middlemen and the "mandi" system, with digital platforms handling only 2-3% of trade. Restrictive provincial laws and lack of infrastructure force farmers into dependency on commission agents, stalling modern technological transformation in the agricultural sector.

According to Iranian state media, Iran has intensified its restrictions on the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing US-Israeli strikes.

North Korea is intensifying preparations for its upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for next week, including forming election committees and reviewing candidates for the Supreme People's Assembly, according to a report by Yonhap News Agency citing North Korean state media on Wednesday.

The European Union on Wednesday moved to intensify pressure on Tehran amid the conflict in West Asia by approving new sanctions targeting 19 Iranian regime officials and entities accused of serious human rights violations.

South Korea on Wednesday said its deterrence posture against North Korea would remain unaffected even if some military assets of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) are relocated from the Korean Peninsula amid the conflict in West Asia, Yonhap News Agency reported.

A curfew imposed in the Zehri area of Balochistan's Khuzdar district entered its fourth consecutive day, severely disrupting daily life, mobility and economic activity in the region. Residents said the continued restrictions have forced markets, transport services and commercial centres to remain closed, effectively paralysing normal activity.

In the statement addressed to "fellow compatriots," Pahlavi warned that the situation had reached a highly sensitive point and urged people to prioritise their safety while maintaining unity through peaceful means of resistance.

According to the IRGC, the latest wave "was carried out over more than three hours, with continuous, multi-layered missile strikes, including the heaviest type of missiles."