BENGHAZI: A third oil storage tank was set on fire during clashes at the Libyan oil port of Ras Lanuf on Thursday, an oil engineer and a witness said.
Two storage tanks had been set alight over the past week as forces loyal to eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar and rival factions clashed, causing extensive damage.
Third oil storage tank at Libya's Ras Lanuf oil terminal set alight during clashes
Third oil storage tank at Libya's Ras Lanuf oil terminal set alight during clashes

Pakistan says two ‘dangerous’ fugitives wanted in several cases arrested in Spain

- Nawazish Ali Hanjra is wanted in 23 cases on charges ranging from “terrorism” to murder and kidnapping for ransom
- Pakistan says has demanded the arrest and extradition of 38 fugitives from Spain via Interpol’s Red Notices for years
ISLAMABAD: Spanish authorities have arrested two “dangerous” fugitives wanted in several cases such as murder, “terrorism” and kidnapping for ransom, Pakistan’s state-run media reported recently, with Islamabad hoping other absconders in the European country would also be apprehended and extradited soon.
As per details shared by the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), Nawazish Ali Hanjra is wanted in 23 cases including “terrorism,” murder and kidnapping for ransom while Haroon Iqbal, the other suspect, is wanted in a separate case. These two were arrested in Spain on Interpol’s Red Notices, APP said.
Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudry, during his recent visit to Spain, met Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska to demand the arrest and extradition of the two suspects, APP said. The Spanish interior minister acted swiftly and issued directives to authorities in this regard.
“This is a major step forward in our commitment to justice,” Chaudry was quoted as saying by APP on Sunday. “I am grateful to the Spanish authorities for understanding the gravity of the situation and taking swift action. We hope to see the remaining fugitives arrested and extradited soon.”
APP said Islamabad has demanded the arrest and extradition of 38 fugitives from Spain via Interpol’s Red Notices for years. It said these individuals managed to evade justice for years, exploiting legal loopholes and the lack of coordination between international enforcement agencies.
The state-run media said legal proceedings are underway to facilitate Hanjra’s and Iqbal’s extradition to Pakistan, where they will face trial under the country’s anti-terror and criminal laws.
“The development is being hailed as a milestone in international law enforcement cooperation and a sign that Pakistan is intensifying efforts to bring back criminals who have found refuge abroad,” APP said.
At least 45 killed, 68 injured since June 26 as monsoon rains batter Pakistan

- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reports highest casualties, 21, followed by Punjab with 13, Sindh with seven and Balochistan with four deaths
- Pakistan has forecast widespread rain with wind and thundershowers across various regions of the country from June 29 to July 5
ISLAMABAD: At least 45 people have been killed and 68 injured across Pakistan in rain-related incidents since June 26, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said in its latest report as heavy monsoon rains continued to batter the country.
Heavy rains have lashed Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Punjab and Sindh provinces since June 26, raising water levels in rivers to alarming levels and triggering floods in various cities across the country.
The latest casualties took place as the NDMA issued multiple impact-based weather alerts on Sunday, forecasting widespread rain with wind and thundershowers, accompanied by isolated heavy falls across various regions of Pakistan from June 29 to July 5.
“NDMA urges all provincial and district administrations to remain on high alert, activate contingency plans, and ensure timely dissemination of warnings in local languages,” the authority said on Sunday. “Citizens, especially those in high-risk areas, are advised to stay updated through official adviseries, avoid unnecessary travel near glacial streams, riverbanks, and flooded roads, and keep emergency kits ready.”
As per the latest NDMA situation report, 45 people have been killed and 68 injured from June 26-29 in Pakistan’s KP, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan provinces. The casualties include 23 children, 12 men and 10 women.
KP reported the highest number of casualties from rain-related incidents, 21, followed by Punjab with 13, Sindh with seven and Balochistan with four deaths. Punjab reported the highest number of injuries at 39 followed by Sindh with 16 while KP reported 11 and Balochistan two.
The report said flash floods claimed the highest number of casualties, followed by electrocution, drowning, lightning and other factors. Flash flooding in KP’s Swat River last week claimed the lives of 12 tourists while Rescue 1122 emergency service said it was searching for one missing boy on Sunday.
Pakistan, home to over 240 million people, is considered one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change and faces extreme weather events with increasing frequency.
These extreme and irregular weather patterns include droughts, heatwaves and torrential rains which experts have attributed to climate change. Unusually heavy rains and the melting of glaciers in June 2022 triggered cataclysmic floods that killed over 1,700 people across Pakistan, washed away swathes of crops and damaged critical infrastructure. Pakistan estimated the damages to be worth over $33 billion.
Pakistani mangoes draw crowds at China-Eurasia Expo as exporters set 125,000-ton target

- Pakistan is home to over 100 mango varieties like Sindhri, Chaunsa and Anwar Ratol
- The fruit’s popularity at Chinese exhibition highlights Pakistan’s potential for growth
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has set a pavilion at the China-Eurasia Expo in Urumqi where mango varieties native to the South Asian country have been drawing crowds, the Pakistani embassy said on Sunday, as mango exporters eye 125,000 tons exports this season.
The 2025 China-Eurasia Commodity and Trade Expo, running from June 26 till June 30 in Xinjiang’s Urumqi, has brought together more than 2,800 enterprises and delegates from 50 countries and regions to deepen cooperation across Eurasia, according to the organizers.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi, along with Zhu Lifan, vice chairman of the Xinjiang government, inaugurated the Pakistan Pavilion, displaying a rich array of products, including fruit, jewelry, leather garments, luxury bags and contemporary clothing.
“The pavilion’s showcase of premium Pakistani mangoes drew hundreds of visitors, making it one of the most popular exhibits,” the embassy said in a statement on Sunday. “The fruit’s popularity highlighted Pakistan’s agricultural excellence and potential for growth.”
Pakistan is home to over 100 varieties of mangoes, including Sindhri, Chaunsa and Anwar Ratol.

The South Asian country aims to export 125,000 tons of mangoes this season, a 25,000-ton increase over last year’s export volume, according to the Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association (PFVA). If achieved, the target could generate an estimated $100 million in foreign exchange earnings.
At the inauguration, Ambassador Hashmi briefed Vice Chairman Zhu about Pakistan’s enhanced focus on increasing trade and investment relations with China, including Xinjiang.
“He [Ambassador Hashmi] gave the Vice Chairman a tour of the Pavilion, elaborating the high-quality of Pakistani products. The Chinese VIP also praised the taste of Pakistani mangoes,” the Pakistani embassy said.

China is a longtime friend and strategic partner of Islamabad, with Beijing making significant investments in infrastructure and energy projects in Pakistan.
The total bilateral trade in goods between China and Pakistan reached $23.1 billion in 2024, an increase of 11.1 percent from the previous year, according to China Customs and the Pakistani embassy. China’s exports to Pakistan surged 17 percent year-on-year to $20.2 billion, while imports fell by 18.2 percent to $2.8 billion.
Islamabad, which is on path to economic recovery under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, is currently making efforts to expand trade with China, Central Asian and Gulf nations to boost the $350 billion South Asian economy.
2 killed, 1 wounded in sniper ambush as US firefighters come under siege from rifle fire

- Firefighters were responding to a blaze in a northern Idaho mountain community when they came under fire
- Idaho Gov. Brad Little called the sniper barrage a“heinous” assault and ordered deputies to fire back
BBOISE, Idaho: Two firefighters were killed Sunday and another was wounded when they were ambushed by sniper fire while responding to a blaze in a northern Idaho mountain community, as crews endured a barrage of gunfire over several hours that the governor called a “heinous” assault. No arrests were announced.
The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office said crews responded to a fire at Canfield Mountain just north of Coeur d’Alene around 1:30 p.m., and gunshots were reported about a half hour later.
Sheriff Bob Norris said officials weren’t immediately sure how many people were shot.
“We don’t know how many suspects are up there, and we don’t know how many casualties there are,” Norris told reporters at a 4:30 p.m. news conference. “We are actively taking sniper fire as we speak.”
People were still coming off the mountain in the late afternoon, the sheriff said, so it “would be safe to assume” that others were still up there.
Three victims were brought to Kootenai Health, said hospital spokesperson Kim Anderson. Two were dead on arrival and the third was being treated for injuries, Anderson said. The wounded firefighter’s condition wasn’t known.
Gov. Brad Little said “multiple” firefighting personnel were attacked.
“This is a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters,” Little said on X. “I ask all Idahoans to pray for them and their families as we wait to learn more.”
Norris said it appeared the sniper was hiding in the rugged terrain and using a high-powered rifle. He said he instructed deputies to fire back.
“I’m hoping that somebody has a clear shot and is able to neutralize, because they’re not at this point in time showing any evidence of wanting to surrender,” the sheriff said.
An alert by the Kootenai County Emergency Management Office asked people to avoid the area around Canfield Mountain Trailhead and Nettleton Gulch Road, about 4 miles (6.5 km) north of downtown Coeur d’Alene.
The fire was still active, Norris said.
“It’s going to keep burning,” he said. “Can’t put any resources on it right now.”
The FBI has responded to the scene with technical teams and tactical support, Deputy Director Dan Bongino said.
“It remains an active, and very dangerous scene,” he wrote in a post on X.
The Idaho House Republican Leadership said in a statement: “We are horrified by the murder of two firefighters in Coeur d’Alene, and shocked by such a vicious attack on our first responders. We are praying for them, the injured, their families and their colleagues.”
Coeur d’Alene is a city of 55,000 residents near the border with Washington. Canfield Mountain is a popular hiking and biking area on the city’s outskirts, covered with trees and heavy brush and crisscrossed with trails that lead into a national forest.
Fire is always a big concern for the region, said Bruce Deming, whose property abuts the trail system. When he noticed smoke on the ridge Sunday afternoon, he wondered why no firefighting helicopters were responding.
When a friend texted to tell him about the shooting, he realized why he wasn’t seeing aircraft: “Because they’re concerned about being shot at,” he said.
As deputies set up posts nearby, Deming pointed them to a trail that starts near his backdoor and leads directly to the site of the fire.
“I just don’t want to have to wake up in the middle of the night to figure if somebody’s out prowling around my place,” he said.
Canadian Prime Minister Carney says trade talks with US resume after Canada rescinded tech tax

TORONTO: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said late Sunday trade talks with US have resumed after Canada rescinded its plan to tax US technology firms.
US President Donald Trump said Friday that he was suspending trade talks with Canada over its plans to continue with its tax on technology firms, which he called “a direct and blatant attack on our country.”
The Canadian government said “in anticipation” of a trade deal “Canada would rescind” the Digital Serves Tax. The tax was set to go into effect Monday.
Carney’s office said Carney and Trump have agreed to resume negotiations.
“Today’s announcement will support a resumption of negotiations toward the July 21, 2025, timeline set out at this month’s G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis,” Carney said in a statement.
Carney visited Trump in May at the White House, where he was polite but firm. Trump traveled to Canada for the G7 summit in Alberta, where Carney said that Canada and the US had set a 30-day deadline for trade talks.
Trump, in a post on his social media network last Friday, said Canada had informed the US that it was sticking to its plan to impose the digital services tax, which applies to Canadian and foreign businesses that engage with online users in Canada.
The digital services tax was due to hit companies including Amazon, Google, Meta, Uber and Airbnb with a 3 percent levy on revenue from Canadian users. It would have applied retroactively, leaving US companies with a $2 billion US bill due at the end of the month.
“Rescinding the digital services tax will allow the negotiations of a new economic and security relationship with the United States to make vital progress,” Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said in a statement.
Trump’s announcement Friday was the latest swerve in the trade war he’s launched since taking office for a second term in January. Progress with Canada has been a roller coaster, starting with the US president poking at the nation’s northern neighbor and repeatedly suggesting it would be absorbed as a US state.
Canada and the US have been discussing easing a series of steep tariffs Trump imposed on goods from America’s neighbor.
Trump has imposed 50 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum as well as 25 percent tariffs on autos. He is also charging a 10 percent tax on imports from most countries, though he could raise rates on July 9, after the 90-day negotiating period he set would expire.
Canada and Mexico face separate tariffs of as much as 25 percent that Trump put into place under the auspices of stopping fentanyl smuggling, though some products are still protected under the 2020 US-Mexico-Canada Agreement signed during Trump’s first term.