* Pakistan launches retaliatory military operation against India

Pakistan has launched 'Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos' in retaliation against India, targeting military sites in Beas and destroying an S-400 missile defence system, according to state broadcaster PTV.

The strikes come after India allegedly attacked Pakistani territory, prompting Islamabad to respond with what it calls a “solid structure” of defence.

India condemned the strikes, labelling them as a "blatant violation of sovereignty" and vowed to counter any further aggression.

* UN: 70% of Gaza under Israeli military orders or militarised zones

The UN says 70% of Gaza is now either under Israeli military control or displacement orders, severely hampering humanitarian efforts.

UN spokesperson Farhan Haq criticised Israeli authorities for blocking repairs to a damaged fibre optic cable vital for communication in the region.

Despite recent attempts to access fuel supplies in Rafah, the UN reports continued challenges in securing critical resources for humanitarian work.

* Turkish FM Fidan: 'I was poisoned in assassination attempt'

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has revealed he was targeted in an assassination attempt involving arsenic and mercury poisoning five years ago.

Speaking on 24 TV, Fidan said he was exposed to high levels of the toxic metals in a plot he linked to terrorist groups.

The former intelligence chief also accused opposition parties of using information from criminal networks to undermine him, calling it a "dangerous path".

* 80% tariff on Chinese goods 'seems right': Trump

US President Trump has endorsed an 80% tariff on Chinese goods ahead of key trade talks in Switzerland, saying it "seems right" in a Truth Social post.

Trump has already raised tariffs to 145% on Chinese imports, escalating tensions with Beijing, which has retaliated with its own levies on US goods.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set to meet China’s economic chief He Lifeng, as both sides attempt to resolve the trade standoff.

*Turkish student Rumeysa Ozturk released on bail in US

A US federal judge has ordered the release of Turkish PhD student Rumeysa Ozturk, who was detained for co-authoring an op-ed on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the school’s student newspaper.

The judge ruled Ozturk posed no flight risk and lifted travel restrictions, allowing her to return to Massachusetts.

Ozturk, a doctoral student at Tufts University, had been held by immigration authorities for over six weeks.