France protests: Authorities impose local curfews, Catholic bishops condemn violence
French authorities imposed local curfews in parts of Paris, Lille and Nice on Monday after a weekend of riots and looting linked to nationwid...
Pakistan's political leadership on Monday welcomed a breakthrough agreement between the U.S. and Iran aimed at ending more than three months of conflict, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif describing it as a major diplomatic success and a victory for peace.
Addressing the National Assembly, Sharif said the agreement marked a "historic milestone" after months of mediation efforts involving Pakistan and several regional partners.
"This is not an agreement between two countries, but it is the success of peace and dialogue — a diplomatic success," he told lawmakers.
The prime minister announced that the formal signing ceremony would take place in Geneva on 19 June and said Pakistan would host the event.
Under the framework agreement, Washington and Tehran have agreed to end military operations, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and continue negotiations on outstanding issues.
Pakistan played an active role throughout the crisis, hosting the first round of direct U.S.-Iran talks in Islamabad in April and maintaining contact with both sides as negotiations continued.
Sharif thanked the leadership of the U.S. and Iran for remaining committed to dialogue despite difficult circumstances. He also acknowledged the support of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, China and other international partners involved in the peace effort.
The prime minister said Pakistan's role in the process had earned international recognition and would be remembered as a contribution to global peace.
Sharif credited Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir with helping sustain negotiations during difficult periods when talks risked collapsing.
He also praised Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Foreign Ministry officials for their role in supporting the peace process.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif described the agreement as a historic achievement, saying Pakistan's leadership had helped resolve a highly sensitive international crisis through "wisdom and patience".
"There is no doubt we are passing through historic times," Asif told parliament, while congratulating Iran's leadership and urging greater unity across the Muslim world.
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the understanding demonstrated the power of sustained diplomacy and would help restore confidence in global markets and developing economies affected by regional instability.
President Asif Ali Zardari welcomed the agreement as an important step towards durable peace and stronger multilateral cooperation.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari called the deal "an important first step towards reducing tensions and advancing peace through dialogue", while praising the efforts of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Asim Munir and the diplomatic teams involved in the negotiations.
The agreement has drawn international attention to Pakistan's mediatory role, with world leaders and the United Nations welcoming the breakthrough as a significant step towards restoring stability in the Middle East.
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for continuing to target Russia's energy infrastructure, while Russian strikes on Kyiv overnight killed at least one person and damaged a metro station.
What started out as planned protests against the cost of living, declining public services and education funding in France, quickly devolved into violent riots across the country on Saturday.
The day after waiving sanctions and tariffs related to Russian exports, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he has yet to announce a final decision on the matter as Secretary of State Marco Rubio said officials want more time to evaluate the situation.
A Saudi AH-6i helicopter crashed in the Najran region of Saudi Arabia due to a technical malfunction, killing its two crew members, the Saudi-led coalition's spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki said in a statement on Sunday.
French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the violence, looting and vandalism that erupted during cost-of-living protests across France. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu held crisis talks on Monday, calling for partial curfews and raising the possibility of a state of emergency.
French authorities imposed local curfews in parts of Paris, Lille and Nice on Monday after a weekend of riots and looting linked to nationwide anti-government protests, as the government faced mounting criticism over security failures.
Torrential rain and flooding in eastern Spain have killed at least four people, forced thousands to evacuate and left tens of thousands of residents under shelter-in-place orders, as emergency crews rescued people stranded on rooftops.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to its lowest level across both of his presidential terms, while Democrats have widened their lead over Republicans ahead of the 3 November congressional elections, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Tajikistan on Sunday for an official visit and a major regional summit, with security, trade and transport links high on the agenda as Beijing strengthens its ties with Central Asia.
The U.S. and five Central Asian nations have held high-level talks in Samarkand, focusing on trade, investment and regional security as Washington seeks to strengthen its presence in the strategically important region.
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