Lufthansa has had to cancel hundreds of flights amid continuing labor unrest from pilots and flight attendants at the national airline company in Germany.

The pilots’ union, called Vereinigung Cockpit (VC), has staged a 48-hour strike from Monday, impacting not only the Lufthansa brand but the cargo arm of the airline and even its regional carrier called CityLine. The pilots in Eurowings only go on strike on Monday.

Frankfurt International Airport, which is Germany’s busiest airport, saw 570 take-offs and landings cancelled, most of which belonged to Lufthansa. This affected more than 50,000 passengers.

Lufthansa reported that two-thirds of its short and medium-haul flights, and half of its long-haul flights were grounded. Eurowings, another subsidiary of Lufthansa, flew just under 60% of its planned routes.

The strike is caused by a disagreement regarding the pension scheme of the company, where VC is demanding an increased contribution from Lufthansa by over 100%. The airline referred to the request as “absurd and unfulfillable.”

As an additional aggravating factor, the UFO cabin crew union launched its two-day strike effective from Wednesday, and thus Lufthansa is facing four days of strikes consecutively.

However, according to the airline, flights to the Middle East will not be impacted due to ongoing conflicts in Iran.

Lufthansa recommended exchanging tickets for train vouchers to minimize the inconvenience to the passengers, while criticizing the unnecessary strike. Union representatives, however, referred to the management’s reluctance to hold negotiations as a cause for strikes.

This strike is the fourth one this year involving Lufthansa pilots.

• PM Shehbaz briefs Zardari on peace negotiation progress.
• Zardari urges continued engagement with global powers.
• PM, DPM, CDF praised for diplomatic coordination efforts.

In a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari lauded Pakistan’s untiring efforts in making the diplomatic initiative of hosting peace negotiations between Iran and the United States a great success.

Islamabad emerged as a key mediator in the US-Iran conflict after PM Shehbaz helped secure a two-week ceasefire on April 8. Following the temporary truce, delegations from Washington and Tehran arrived in Islamabad at his invitation and held over 20 hours of negotiations over the weekend.

However, despite the extended talks and intensive diplomatic engagement, the discussions concluded without reaching a final agreement.

The conflict, which began on February 28 following coordinated US-Israeli strikes targeting Iran’s leadership and infrastructure, has resulted in more than 2,000 deaths and widespread regional instability. Tehran responded with retaliatory operations, including the disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Israeli and US targets in the region.

The international community has broadly welcomed Pakistan’s diplomatic role, backing its efforts to de-escalate Middle East tensions and facilitate negotiations aimed at achieving lasting peace.

In today’s meeting at Aiwan-e-Sadr, President Zardari and PM Shehbaz reviewed the prevailing security and diplomatic situation in the region, noting its far-reaching implications for global security, economic stability, and geopolitical dynamics.

The prime minister briefed the president in detail on the stages of the US-Iran dialogue, progress achieved through Pakistan’s mediation, and his upcoming visits to Saudi Arabia and Turkiye aimed at further advancing peace efforts.

President Zardari praised PM Shehbaz, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and all state institutions for their sustained diplomatic efforts in facilitating peace negotiations, calling the initiative a notable success in advancing regional stability.

He noted that the seamless coordination between all stakeholders was instrumental in facilitating this high-level engagement.

The president highlighted the historic role Pakistan has played in promoting global peace and regional stability.

He remarked that by providing a platform for such a critical dialogue, Pakistan has reaffirmed its position as a responsible and pivotal state in the international community and proved its peace making credentials to the world once more.

President Zardari said that PM Shehbaz and DPM Dar should remain proactively engaged with Washington and Tehran, as well as major regional and global powers, to ensure the sustainability of the peace process and regional harmony.

The meeting was attended by the DPM Dar and PM’s Adviser on Political Affairs Senator Rana Sanaullah, while the president was assisted by former premier Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Parliamentary Leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Senate Sherry Rehman and former Senate chairman Nayyar Bukhari.

Kim Kardashian is expanding her résumé yet again, making her Broadway producing debut with The Fear of 13.

Kardashian has joined the producing team of The Fear of 13, a stage adaptation of the 2015 documentary about Nick Yarris, who spent 22 years on death row before being exonerated through DNA evidence.

Starring Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson, the play explores wrongful conviction and systemic failures in the justice system.

“For the past decade, criminal justice reform has been a deeply personal mission of mine,” Kardashian said in a statement.

“I couldn’t be prouder to make my Broadway producing debut with a project that carries such vital weight.”

The move builds on her advocacy work and her recent acting turn in Ryan Murphy’s All’s Fair, where she starred alongside Glenn Close, Sarah Paulson, Naomi Watts, and Niecy Nash-Betts.

Meanwhile her personal life is also drawing attention after a high-profile outing with Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton at Coachella 2026.

Offstage, Kardashian’s relationship with Lewis Hamilton is making headlines.

The pair, who reportedly began dating earlier this year, were spotted together at Coachella 2026 during Justin Bieber’s headlining set.

Kardashian, dressed in a sleek black bodysuit and leather pants, kept a low profile with a scarf, while Hamilton stayed close by her side.

Adding to the buzz, Kardashian’s daughter North West joined them, making the outing a family affair.