Shah Rukh, Karan tease Friendship Day surprise

Two firefighting helicopters collided mid-air west of Athens while tackling a major wildfire, killing a Greek and a Danish pilot aboard one of the aircraft. The two crew members on the second helicopter survived and were rescued, while the destroyed aircraft had been leased from Australia’s McDermott Aviation to support Greek operations. The tragic crash occurred as high winds whipped up severe blazes across the region, destroying more than 100 homes overnight in the coastal village of Porto Germeno. More than 500 firefighters remain deployed to combat the active flames despite extreme weather conditions hampering aerial firefighting efforts.

In a major step to improve consular services for overseas Pakistanis, the Pakistan High Commission in London has launched a digital property transfer facility, enabling British Pakistanis to transfer property in Punjab without travelling to Pakistan. Introduced in line with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directives to enhance services for the Pakistani diaspora, the initiative allows overseas Pakistanis to complete the property transfer process directly at the High Commission after verifying their identity. Under the new system, applicants are no longer required to issue a Power of Attorney or appoint an agent to handle property transfers on their behalf, reducing the risk of fraud and unnecessary legal expenses. The digital property transfer process is designed to be transparent, secure, efficient and cost-effective, offering overseas Pakistanis a streamlined alternative to the traditional method of property transactions. The service is part of a collaboration between the Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA) and Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, bringing digital land record services closer to the Pakistani community in the United Kingdom. Officials said the initiative reflects the government’s commitment to modernising public services and facilitating overseas Pakistanis by allowing them to manage property matters from London without the need to travel to Pakistan.

SPOKANE: Devastating wildfires sweeping across the outskirts of Spokane, Washington, have destroyed more than 700 buildings, displaced 64,000 residents, and prompted fears that fatalities may be discovered as emergency crews struggle to contain the fast-moving infernos. The cluster of three major wildfires, which erupted over the weekend, has become the highest firefighting priority in the United States, with more than 1,100 firefighters deployed to battle the flames. Despite their efforts, officials confirmed that none of the fires had been contained by Monday. The blazes have scorched over 8,000 acres (3,200 hectares) on the northern edge of Spokane, Washington’s second-largest city, located near the Idaho border. Thick smoke has blanketed the region, reducing visibility and worsening air quality across large parts of the Pacific Northwest. Dramatic aerial footage showed firefighting aircraft repeatedly dropping fire retardant over forests as towering flames raced toward residential neighborhoods. Entire communities have been reduced to ashes, with officials warning that another 400 structures may also have been damaged or destroyed. For many families, the evacuation came with little warning. Among them was Kami Fehlig, who fled her home with her husband, two daughters and family dog after watching flames leap across the Spokane River and race toward their neighborhood. “We knew we had to leave immediately,” she recalled. “We grabbed our wedding album, baby books, pet supplies and whatever we could carry before the power went out.” Hours later, the family learned that their home and surrounding neighborhood had been completely destroyed. Authorities said thousands more residents remain under mandatory evacuation orders as shifting winds continue to threaten additional communities. Emergency officials also warned that the full scale of the disaster may not yet be known. Several people have been reported missing, while search teams have been unable to access some of the hardest-hit areas because of intense fire activity. “There is a high probability that fatalities will be found once crews can safely enter devastated neighborhoods,” incident command spokesperson Benjamin Cossel said. The cause of the fires remains under investigation. The Spokane fires are part of an exceptionally severe wildfire season gripping the Pacific Northwest. Washington alone is battling 15 major wildfires, with more than 250,000 acres already burned. Across the United States, officials have recorded over 44,700 wildfires so far this year, consuming nearly 5.2 million acres, making it one of the worst fire seasons in recent years. Neighboring British Columbia, Canada, is also experiencing intense wildfire activity fueled by record drought conditions and extreme heat. Fire managers hope a brief period of cooler temperatures and lighter winds will help firefighters make progress before another round of scorching weather arrives later this week. Scientists say increasingly frequent and intense wildfire seasons across North America and Europe are being driven by prolonged drought, rising temperatures and other effects linked to human-caused climate change, leaving communities facing ever-growing environmental and economic challenges.