Pakistan announces second consecutive cut in petro…

At least six people have died in the US state of Indiana after severe storms brought record-breaking rainfall and triggered widespread flooding. Authorities said several areas received more than 11 inches of rain over two days. The heavy rainfall caused the White River to rise rapidly, flooding communities and forcing large-scale rescue operations. More than 90 people and 45 pets were rescued from flooded areas, according to local authorities. The worst flooding was reported along the White River, stretching from Hamilton County towards the northern suburbs of Indianapolis. Several neighbourhoods were left under water. In Indianapolis, floodwaters submerged vehicles and reached residential properties. Some residents used kayaks and small boats to move through streets that had turned into waterways. The White River rose above 24 feet in Anderson and Noblesville. The level exceeded records set during the major flooding of 1913, highlighting the severity of the disaster. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett declared a local emergency and urged people living near the river to leave their homes if authorities advised evacuation. Emergency officials described the flooding as an unprecedented event. Marion County Emergency Management director Jacob Spence said the scale of the disaster was unlike anything recently experienced in the area. Several counties reported storm-related deaths. One woman, aged 58, was found dead in Delaware County after apparently attempting to drive through floodwaters. Authorities also confirmed fatalities in Jennings, White, Porter and La Porte counties. Indiana Governor Mike Braun said he had spoken with US President Donald Trump about the disaster. He said a request for a federal emergency declaration was being processed to speed up assistance for affected communities. Braun expressed sympathy for the families who lost loved ones and urged residents to remain cautious. He warned people to stay away from flooded roads and fast-moving water. The National Weather Service continued to issue flood warnings across parts of central Indiana. Officials warned that water levels were still rising in some locations. More severe weather was also expected. Emergency authorities urged residents to monitor official warnings and avoid unnecessary travel. The storms were not limited to Indiana. Tornadoes, intense rainfall and flash flooding affected several parts of the US Midwest. Damage was reported across a broad area stretching from the Chicago region towards western Pennsylvania.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the newly inaugurated government of Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has formally requested US collaboration in joint military operations within Colombia to combat drug trafficking organizations. Speaking in Panama City during a meeting of the Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition, Hegseth confirmed that Colombia will join the US-led “Shield of the Americas” regional counter-narcotics initiative as its 19th member nation. De la Espriella, a conservative leader sworn into office last week, has taken a hardline stance against armed groups, reversing the policy direction of his predecessor, Gustavo Petro. Hegseth also urged participating Latin American nations to reject the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Addressing legal scrutiny surrounding recent US military strikes against suspected regional drug networks, Hegseth maintained that US counter-cartel actions fully comply with international humanitarian law.

BEIJING: Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, a key figure in the country’s economic transformation during the 1990s, has died at the age of 97. Zhu was known for his direct speaking style and his strong support for economic reform. His tenure was marked by major changes aimed at restructuring China’s state-dominated economy and opening it further to global markets. He served as China’s vice premier from 1991 to 1998 before becoming premier, a position he held until early 2003. Zhu’s political career began decades earlier. He graduated from Tsinghua University and joined the Communist Party in 1949. During the Cultural Revolution, he was sent to work in the countryside and experienced a period of political hardship. He was later rehabilitated and gradually returned to senior government positions. In 1987, Zhu became mayor of Shanghai. During his tenure, he helped guide the city through early economic reforms and development that eventually contributed to its emergence as a major international financial centre. He moved to Beijing in 1991 after joining the central government. As vice premier and later premier, Zhu became closely associated with efforts to tackle economic overheating, inflation and financial instability. His government introduced wide-ranging reforms to state-owned enterprises. Many inefficient state companies were closed, restructured or privatised, while large numbers of workers were laid off. Zhu also strengthened the central government’s control over taxation and introduced reforms that encouraged private home ownership. Those changes played a major role in reshaping China’s housing market. One of his most significant achievements was helping China secure membership of the World Trade Organization in 2001, following years of difficult negotiations. China formally joined the organisation in December that year. The WTO accession accelerated China’s integration into the global economy and helped expand international trade and investment. However, Zhu’s reform programme also had critics. Some observers argued that changes to agricultural policy, tax arrangements and state-owned enterprises created difficulties that later governments had to address. Despite those criticisms, Zhu remained widely regarded as one of the most influential economic reformers in modern Chinese history. His reputation for blunt remarks became particularly prominent after a collection of his speeches was published in 2011. The books contained unusually candid assessments of corruption, government debt, banking problems and weaknesses in public administration. The speeches attracted significant public attention because they addressed many of the economic and social challenges facing China at the time. Zhu warned about corruption, inequality and problems created by local officials. His comments continued to attract interest among reform-minded officials, academics and members of the public long after he left office. His death marks the passing of a leader who played a central role in one of the most consequential periods of China’s economic development. Zhu’s legacy is closely linked to the difficult reforms of the 1990s, when China moved towards a more market-oriented economy while maintaining the political control of the Communist Party.

One in three people worldwide, approximately 2.69 billion individuals, cannot afford a healthy, nutrient-rich diet, according to a joint report by five United Nations agencies. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026 calculates the global average cost of a healthy diet at 4.28 purchasing power parity (PPP) dollars per day. This figure significantly exceeds the international extreme poverty line of $3 PPP per person, placing diverse, nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, and lean meats out of economic reach for billions. Public health experts note that historic agricultural subsidies have heavily favoured starchy staples over nutrient-dense options, driving a global surge in adult obesity rates from 12.1 per cent in 2012 to 16.2 per cent in 2024. While global hunger declined for a third consecutive year in 2025, affecting 7.8 per cent of the world’s population compared to 8.1 per cent in 2024, regional disparities remain severe. Africa has become home to the highest absolute number of hungry people for the first time, with roughly 309 million affected. Across the continent, 66.6 per cent of the population was unable to afford a healthy diet in 2025, more than double the rates observed in Asia or Latin America. UN officials warn that ongoing disruptions to maritime trade, alongside potential climate shocks, threaten to reverse recent progress and jeopardise international targets to eliminate global hunger by 2030.