PARIS: Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez has revealed that she fought at the Paris Olympics while seven months pregnant.
Hafez posted on Instagram that she was “carrying a little Olympian one” hours after she had reached the round of 16 in women’s saber Monday.
The 26-year-old fencer from Cairo upset Elizabeth Tartakovsky of the United States, a former NCAA champion, before losing to Jeon Hayoung of South Korea.
“My baby & I had our fair share of challenges, be it both physical & emotional,” Hafez wrote. “The rollercoaster of pregnancy is tough on its own, but having to fight to keep the balance of life & sports was nothing short of strenuous, however worth it. I’m writing this post to say that pride fills my being for securing my place in the round of 16!”
A former gymnast with a degree in medicine, Hafez is a three-time Olympian who won gold medals in the individual and team saber events at the 2019 African Games. She finished Monday’s competition officially ranked 16th, her best result in any of her three Olympic appearances.
Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez reveals she competed at the Paris Olympics while 7 months pregnant
Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez reveals she competed at the Paris Olympics while 7 months pregnant
Pakistan, US pledge to strengthen economic ties in high-level trade talks in Islamabad
- The US remains Pakistan’s largest export market, amounting for $5.1 billion exports in 2024
- Pakistani officials say efforts currently underway to address trade deficit, market access issues
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States (US) have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening economic ties, the Pakistani commerce ministry said on Tuesday, following a series of high-level meetings in Islamabad aimed at enhancing bilateral trade and investment.
The statement came after a delegation of the US Chamber of Commerce and the US-Pakistan Business Council (USPBC), led by Charles Freeman, met with Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan in Islamabad. The delegation was accompanied by US Charge d’Affaires Natalie A. Baker.
Khan welcomed the visit and described it as a step forward in strengthening economic relations between the two nations, acknowledging the USPBC’s pivotal role over the past two decades in fostering commercial engagement between the two sides.
“Pakistan values the United States as its largest export destination and deeply appreciates this strategic trade relationship,” he said. “Efforts are underway to address trade deficit and market access issues through a comprehensive strategy involving relevant stakeholders.”
He noted the recent 90-day pause in reciprocal tariffs, announced last month, between the two countries offered a significant opportunity for “constructive” dialogue and the formulation of a sustainable, mutually beneficial trade roadmap.
US President Donald Trump has imposed a 10 percent baseline tariff on all imports to the US and higher duties on dozens of other countries. Pakistan faces a 29 percent tariff due to a trade surplus with the US of about $3 billion.
US goods exports to Pakistan were $2.1 billion in 2024, up 4.4 percent ($90.9 million) from 2023, according to US government data. The import of goods from Pakistan to the US totaled $5.1 billion in 2024, up 4.9 percent ($238.7 million) from 2023.
During the meeting, US Charge d’Affaires Baker praised positive developments in bilateral agricultural trade, particularly the resumption of US soybean exports to Pakistan.
“Enhanced cooperation in the cotton sector is also a key area for mutual growth, given Pakistan’s textile industry’s demand for high-quality cotton and the US’s position to meet this demand,” she was quoted as saying.
Kamal assured the US delegation of Pakistan’s commitment to maintaining a predictable, transparent and fair trade environment for American businesses and investors. He reiterated that his government remains dedicated to fostering a strong working relationship with the US on both bilateral and multilateral platforms.
Freeman, the US Chamber of Commerce’s senior vice president, appreciated the Pakistani government’s commitment to facilitating businesses and said they looked forward to continued dialogue and technical cooperation to support economic growth and job creation in both countries.
The visit of the US delegation came at a time when Pakistan is striving to boost trade and foreign investment as it slowly recovers from a prolonged economic meltdown. The South Asian country has pursued aggressive economic diplomacy in recent years, signing several agreements and memoranda of understanding with countries in Central Asia and the Middle East and beyond.
The US delegates later held a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who appreciated the USPBC’s role in advancing economic ties between Pakistan and the US.
“My government looks forward to a constructive partnership with the US government, businesses, investors and industrialists to increase bilateral trade and investment in goods and services, especially in the IT sector,” Sharif said, adding that Pakistan’s market was ripe for investment.
“The government of Pakistan is in touch with the US administration on the tariff issue and I hope that a mutually beneficial solution will be found.”
The delegates expressed their “keen interest” in investing in various Pakistani sectors and to benefit from existing opportunities, Sharif’s office said.
PIA grounds flights for 12 hours amid India-Pakistan military escalation
- A latest Notice to Airmen circulated by authorities indicates Pakistan’s airspace remains open
- Several Asian airlines are still rerouting or canceling their flights amid India-Pakistan tensions
KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has canceled all flights for the next 12 hours, a spokesperson announced on Wednesday, as tensions escalated sharply with neighboring India following missile strikes.
The move comes as Pakistan’s military said at least 26 civilians had been killed and 46 injured in Indian attacks on six locations inside Pakistani territory.
India said its forces had launched “Operation Sindoor,” targeting sites it claimed were linked to a recent attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir which it blamed on Pakistan despite Islamabad’s repeated denials.
Pakistan’s information minister, Attaullah Tarar, said the Pakistani military had downed five Indian jets in retaliation for the late-night strikes.
“PIA has currently canceled flights for next 12 hours. Passengers are requested to keep in contact with PIA,” Abdullah Khan, the PIA spokesperson, told Arab News.
He added that flights already airborne had been diverted to Karachi while all ground operations were put on hold.
Despite the cancelations, a source within the Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) told Arab News the country’s airspace remained open.
“The latest NOTAM cancels previous NOTAM which has closed airspace,” the source said, sharing the latest Notice to Airmen.
Meanwhile, several Asian airlines said they were rerouting or canceling flights to and from Europe because of fighting between India and Pakistan, according to Reuters.
Taiwan’s EVA Air said it would adjust its Europe-bound flights to avoid airspace affected by the conflict.
One flight from Vienna was diverted back, while a Taipei–Milan flight was rerouted to Vienna for refueling before continuing to its destination, the airline said in a statement to Reuters.
Korean Air began rerouting its Seoul Incheon-Dubai flights on Wednesday, opting for a southern route over Myanmar, Bangladesh and India instead of Pakistani airspace.
Thai Airways said flights to Europe and South Asia would be rerouted from early Wednesday morning, warning of potential delays.
Taiwan’s China Airlines also said it had activated its contingency plan and taken measures to ensure passenger and crew safety, though it did not elaborate.
-With Input from Reuters
Egypt, Qatar mediate for Gaza Strip humanitarian relief
DUBAI: Egypt and Qatar issued a joint statement on Wednesday affirming their ongoing mediation efforts to address a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
Egypt and Qatar said their efforts are closely coordinated with the United States to reach an agreement that ensures civilian protection and resolves the humanitarian tragedy.
Trump, Ukraine propel EU and UK toward defense pact
- The EU and Britain look set to seal a defense pact at a landmark summit this month as worries about US President Donald Trump and the war in Ukraine spur them beyond the wrangles of Brexit
BRUSSELS: The EU and Britain look set to seal a defense pact at a landmark summit this month as worries about US President Donald Trump and the war in Ukraine spur them beyond the wrangles of Brexit.
Multiple EU diplomats and officials told AFP the signs are positive that a security agreement will be inked when British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets EU chiefs in London on May 19.
The “security and defense partnership” is billed as an important first step in Starmer’s much-vaunted push to reset ties after the years of bad blood caused by the UK leaving the bloc.
The move is aimed at opening the door to closer cooperation as both the EU and Britain race to rearm in the face of the menace from Russia and fears Trump will no longer help protect Europe.
That should mean more regular security talks, Britain considering joining EU military missions and the potential for London to fully tap into a 150-billion-euro defense fund being set up by the bloc.
But the deal is expected to leave much of the detail to be filled in later — for instance requiring a further agreement on giving the UK and its defense industry unfettered access to the EU programs.
“It is a pre-condition for more serious stuff,” said one EU diplomat, talking like others on condition of anonymity to discuss internal discussions.
Diplomats said fears had subsided that a dispute over prolonging access to British waters for EU fishermen could derail talks as both sides are keen to improve relations amid the global turmoil unleashed by Trump.
“At this stage I’d say the odds are quite positive,” said a second EU diplomat. “But all the different files are linked, so lots can still happen between now and the 19th.”
The defense deal is expected to be signed alongside two other documents: one setting out a shared vision on global issues and another on the list of thorny subjects both sides hope to make progress on, including customs checks, energy links and a youth mobility scheme.
The drafts are set to be debated by EU ambassadors in Brussels on Wednesday and need to be signed off by all 27 before they can be forwarded to the British for final approval.
London and Brussels are treading carefully as closer cooperation with the EU remains a politically divisive issue for Starmer who faces a growing challenge from diehard euroskeptics Reform UK.
Reaching the security pact was long seen as the lowest hanging fruit for negotiators given that Britain already has intertwined defense ties with 23 EU countries in NATO.
Those bonds have only tightened as Trump has rattled Europe by pushing for a quick end to the war in Ukraine.
Britain has teamed up with France to spearhead plans for possibly deploying troops to Ukraine in the event of any deal.
In the latest sign of the closer relationship, British foreign minister David Lammy will meet his EU counterparts for talks in Warsaw on Wednesday.
London said Lammy would “make the case for a long-term UK-EU strategic partnership that will support economic growth, protect citizens, and support European collective security and defense.”
“We are working hand-in-hand with our European allies to build a safer, more secure, and more prosperous Europe,” Lammy said in a statement.
“Together, we will stand firm against aggression, defend our shared values, and deliver lasting peace. “
Pakistan says it downed five jets after Indian missile attack as global powers urge restraint
- Official sources in Indian Kashmir confirm to Reuters at least three of their planes have ‘crashed’
- PM Sharif to hold a national security meeting today to finalize Islamabad’s response to the situation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Wednesday it had downed five Indian fighter jets in a major escalation between the nuclear-armed South Asian rivals, a claim partly corroborated by Indian government sources who confirmed at least three, as the international community urged both countries to exercise restraint and avoid further conflict.
The military confrontation follows a missile attack by India on Tuesday, when the Indian armed forces said they had struck nine Pakistani sites described as “terrorist infrastructure” allegedly linked to an April 22 militant assault in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.
According to Pakistan’s military, six locations across its territory, including Ahmedpur East, Muridke, Sialkot, Shakargarh, Kotli and Muzaffarabad, were targeted, resulting in the deaths of 26 civilians and injuries to at least 46 others.
Pakistan said it had also responded to the Indian strikes, though details were a bit murky initially.
“The aggression they committed has been responded to by Pakistan many times over,” Pakistan’s Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said in a televised statement on Wednesday.
“Not only were five of their jets shot down, but a drone was also brought down,” he added. “We also targeted their posts along the Line of Control. Their posts were destroyed, and they were forced to wave the white flag.”
According to Reuters, local government sources on the Indian side of Jammu and Kashmir said three of their fighter jets had “crashed” in the region. Pakistan’s military also told the news agency it had shot down five Indian aircraft, though the Indian authorities have not officially confirmed any planes were brought down by hostile fire.
In New Delhi, the Indian defense ministry maintained that its strikes had targeted militant infrastructure and avoided civilian or military installations.
The escalation prompted immediate international concern. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was closely monitoring the situation and echoed President Donald Trump’s earlier remarks hoping the conflict would end quickly.
“I will continue to engage both Indian and Pakistani leadership toward a peaceful resolution,” he said.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged both nations to exercise “maximum military restraint,” warning that the world could not afford a broader military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed countries.
China’s foreign ministry also called on both sides to de-escalate and said it regretted India’s military action while expressing concern about the rising tensions.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) during the day to finalize Islamabad’s response and review military preparedness.
Authorities in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province declared an emergency, placed hospitals and security forces on high alert and ordered schools to remain closed.
The latest crisis was triggered by the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination in Indian-administered Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed. India accused Pakistan of orchestrating the attack but provided no public evidence.
Pakistan, in response, denied any involvement and called for an international investigation.
Kashmir has remained a flashpoint between the two countries since 1947. Both nations claim the region in full but administer separate portions. They have fought two of their three wars over the disputed territory, and tensions have remained high, particularly since India revoked the special semi-autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.
India accuses Pakistan of supporting militant groups that have waged an insurgency in Indian-administered Kashmir since 1989, a charge Islamabad denies, saying it provides only moral and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.
The current confrontation recalls the last major military standoff between the two nations in 2019, when an Indian airstrike in Balakot was followed by Pakistani retaliatory action, including the downing of an Indian fighter jet and the capture of its pilot, who was later released in a gesture of goodwill.
