Pakistani security forces killed 30 militants who attempted to enter the country from Afghanistan, the military said Friday. It said the members of the Pakistani Taliban were spotted overnight in the North Waziristan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and the troops seized weapons, ammunition and explosives from the militants. The military’s statement did not mention if there was a gunfight or other details of the operation. The military alleged the militants were backed by India and asked the Afghan government to prevent the use of its territory by “foreign proxies” to attack Pakistan. There was no immediate comment from New...

 A gas station exploded early on Friday in southeastern Rome, injuring at least 20 people, including eight police officers and a firefighter, local authorities and rescuers said. The explosion was heard across the Italian capital shortly after 8 a.m., sending up a huge cloud of dark smoke and fire visible from several areas of the city. Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri said around 20 people suffered slight injuries. Gualtieri said local police and firefighters rushed to the area after they were alerted about a gas leak. Two explosions followed after they arrived, he added. Elisabetta Accardo, a spokesperson for the Roman...

Russia has become the first country to formally recognise Taliban rule, with Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi calling it a “courageous” decision. He met Russia’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Dmitry Zhirnov, in Kabul on Thursday,where Mr Zhirnov officially conveyed his government’s decision to recognise the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Muttaqi said it was “a new phase of positive relations, mutual respect, and constructive engagement”, and that the shift would serve as “an example” to other countries. The Taliban have sought international recognition and investment since they returned to power in August 2021, despite reports of increasing violations on human rights....

The Baha’i faith — a small but global religion with an interfaith credo — fits comfortably into the religious spectrum of most countries. In several Middle East nations, however, Baha’i followers face repression that is drawing criticism from human rights groups. The abuse is most evident in Iran, which bans the faith and has been widely accused of persecuting its adherents, human rights advocates say. They also report systemic discrimination in Yemen, Qatar and Egypt. Iran has been a driving force in the spread of anti-Baha’i repression in countries where it holds influence, advocates say — a plan first made public in a...

Pop star Katy Perry and actor Orlando Bloom have officially confirmed they have split, US media outlets say, six years after getting engaged. The couple have been romantically linked since 2016 and have a four-year-old daughter. In a joint statement issued to US media outlets, representatives for the couple said the pair “have been shifting their relationship over the past many months to focus on co-parenting”. “They will continue to be seen together as a family, as their shared priority is – and always will be – raising their daughter with love, stability and mutual respect.” The statement was being...