Fire erupts in central Beirut

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.

Two oil tankers caught fire near Iraq after being struck by an "unknown projectile," with UKMTO reporting all crew are "evacuated and safe." This follows a surge in maritime attacks amid regional conflict, drawing a sharp response from India and warnings from President Trump regarding the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the Indian Embassy in Beirut, the first batch of 177 Indian nationals was repatriated to New Delhi on a charter flight arranged by their employer on Wednesday. The group was seen off at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport by India's Ambassador to Lebanon, Noor Rahman Sheikh.

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.

Jaishankar said in a post on X, "Appreciate the exchange of assessments today with FM Jean-Noël Barrot of France on the West Asia conflict. Look forward to continuing it in person."

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.

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.

The Iranian envoy claimed that strikes on fuel storage facilities had caused toxic pollutants to enter the air.

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."

In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the envoy said that on March 8, the Israeli government had carried out a targeted strike at the Ramada Hotel in Beirut.