Netanyahu calls for dismantling Iran’s nuclear programme in any US deal

WASHINGTON, Feb 16: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has outlined the conditions he considers necessary for any prospective deal between the United States and Iran, including the dismantling of all of Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure.

His comments on Sunday came as Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi headed to Switzerland for a second round of nuclear talks with the US.

Speaking at the annual Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Netanyahu said he was sceptical of a deal, but had told US President Donald Trump last week that any agreement must include several elements.

“The first is that all enriched material has to leave Iran,” he said.

“The second is that there should be no enrichment capability – not stopping the enrichment process, but dismantling the equipment and the infrastructure that allows you to enrich in the first place”.

The third, he said, was resolving the issue of ballistic missiles.

Netanyahu also called for sustained inspections of Tehran’s nuclear programme.

“There has to be real inspection, substantive inspections, no lead-time inspections, but effective inspections for all of the above,” he said.

Iran and the US resumed nuclear negotiations in Oman on February 6, months after previous talks collapsed when Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran last June, which started a 12-day war.

The US joined in the attacks, bombing three Iranian nuclear sites.

Netanyahu’s comments mark the first time he has spoken publicly on the discussions with Trump in Washington, DC, last Wednesday. The meeting was their seventh since Trump returned to office last year.

Trump told reporters afterwards that they had reached no “definitive” agreement on how to move forward with Iran, but that he had “insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a deal can be consummated”.

Iran ready for compromises on nuclear deal if Trump willing to lift sanctions: Report

TEHRAN, Feb 15: Iran has opened the door to compromise on its nuclear programme, saying it is ready to move towards a deal with the US, but only if Washington is prepared to lift sanctions, in a high-stakes diplomatic moment shadowed by military threats and regional tension.

In an interview with the BBC, Iran’s deputy foreign minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said the ball was “in America’s court to prove that they want to do a deal”.

“If they are sincere, I'm sure we will be on the road to an agreement,” he said, adding that Tehran was willing to discuss limits on its nuclear programme if sanctions relief was also on the table.

His comments come as US officials continue to argue that Iran is delaying progress in the long-running negotiations. On Saturday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump preferred a deal but it was “very hard to do” one with Iran.

Trump has warned of possible strikes if a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions cannot be reached, with the US building up its military presence in the region.

The US and Iran held indirect talks in Oman earlier in February. Takht-Ravanchi confirmed that a second round is set to take place in Geneva on Tuesday.

The initial discussions were “more or less in a positive direction but it is too early to judge”, he said. Trump has also described the Oman talks as positive.

Tehran has pointed to its offer to dilute its stockpile of 60 per cent enriched uranium as proof of flexibility. Uranium enriched at that level is close to weapons-grade and has deepened international suspicion that Iran could be moving towards developing a nuclear weapon, something it has consistently denied.

“We are ready to discuss this and other issues related to our programme if they are ready to talk about sanctions,” Takht-Ravanchi said. He declined to say whether Iran would insist on the lifting of all sanctions or accept partial relief.

When asked whether Iran would ship out its stockpile of more than 400 kg of highly enriched uranium, as it did under the 2015 nuclear agreement, he replied it was “too early to say what will happen in the course of negotiations”.

Russia, which accepted 11,000 kg of low-enriched uranium under the 2015 accord, has offered to take the material again.

A key sticking point remains uranium enrichment. Washington has previously demanded that Iran halt enrichment entirely.

Takht-Ravanchi said the “issue of zero enrichment is not an issue anymore and as far as Iran is concerned, it is not on the table anymore”. That contrasts with Trump’s recent comment that “we don't want any enrichment”.

Iran regards a complete halt as a violation of its rights under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

Tehran has also made clear that its ballistic missile programme will not be part of the negotiations, despite pressure from Israel and calls from US officials, including Rubio, to widen the scope of any deal.

“When we were attacked by Israelis and Americans, our missiles came to our rescue so how can we accept depriving ourselves of our defensive capabilities,” Takht-Ravanchi said.

Reza Pahlavi calls on Trump to ‘help’ Iranian people

MUNICH, Feb 14: The exiled son of Iran's last shah called on U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday to help the Iranian people and said it was "time to end the Islamic republic".

"To President Trump... The Iranian people heard you say help is on the way, and they have faith in you. Help them," the U.S.-based Reza Pahlavi told reporters at the Munich Security Conference.

Trump had said on Friday that a change of government in Iran would be the "best thing that could happen", as he sent a second aircraft carrier to the West Asia to ratchet up military pressure on the Islamic republic.

He had earlier threatened military intervention to support a wave of street protests in Iran that peaked in January and were met by a violent crackdown that rights groups say killed thousands.

Pahlavi, who has not returned to Iran since before the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the monarchy, said in Munich: "It is time to end the Islamic republic."

"This is the demand echoing from the bloodshed of my compatriots who are not asking us to fix the regime but to help them bury it," he added.

Pahlavi had encouraged Iranians to join the wave of protests, which Iranian authorities have said were hijacked by "terrorists" fuelled by their sworn enemies the United States and Israel.

Many protest chants had called for the monarchy's return, and Pahlavi, 65, has said he is ready to lead a democratic transition.

Bangladesh's new Cabinet led by Tarique Rahman to take oath on February 17

DHAKA, Feb 14: The new Union Cabinet of Bangladesh is set to take oath on February 17 following a sweeping victory by Tarique Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the 13th parliamentary elections.

Tarique Rahman will take the oath as Prime Minister of Bangladesh on Monday alongside his cabinet. South Asian leaders have been invited to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Rahman and his cabinet.

“As the new Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Tarique Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), will take the oath on Monday alongside his cabinet. South Asian leaders have been invited to the ceremony, and several invitations have already been sent. However, due to weekend holidays in those countries, it may take some time, and the attendance of the leaders, especially the Prime Ministers, will depend on their availability at that time,” as reported by a news agency.

The new Prime Minister and the other members of his cabinet usually take the oath in the Durbar Hall of Bangladesh's Presidential Palace, Bangabhaban. However, this time, the oath ceremony will be held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhavan.

A senior official of the Bangladesh government said that, because many more guests have been invited to the ceremony, the Durbar Hall could not accommodate the large number, so the ceremony is being held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhavan.

“Invitations have been sent to the Prime Ministers of the South Asian countries, but they will confirm by Sunday who will actually attend. They mentioned that they will inform us of their schedules and whether the Prime Minister can come on Monday. However, each country will send a representative at some level, and if a Prime Minister cannot attend, the Foreign Minister will definitely come – this was indicated,” the source added.

Party sources indicate that Tarique Rahman has begun forming his cabinet. However, this cabinet will be very small initially. It may expand later, but at the outset, it will not be large. Therefore, the cabinet taking the oath on Monday is expected to be small.

After the oath of Cabinet, newly elected members of Bangladesh’s Parliament will also take oath on February 17. The Constitution requires the cabinet’s oath-taking ceremony to be followed by the swearing-in of new parliament members.

In line with the Constitution, the president will administer the cabinet oath at Bangabhaban, the presidential palace. Chief Election Commissioner, AMM Nasir Uddin, will administer the oath to the MPs elected.

The BNP secured 209 of 297 seats, giving it more than a two-thirds majority. Right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami won 68 seats. The Election Commission postponed results in two constituencies, Chattogram-2 and Chattogram-4, while it deferred polling in one seat following the death of a candidate. The polls recorded a voter turnout of 59.44 per cent.

The election assumed significance as it followed a prolonged period of political vacuum and instability after student-led protests ended Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule in August 2024. Hasina fled to India on August 5, and Muhammad Yunus took charge as Chief Adviser of the interim government three days later.

Russia killed opposition leader Alexei Navalny using dart frog toxin, UK says

LONDON, Feb 14: Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was killed using a poison developed from a dart frog toxin, the UK and European allies have said.

Two years on from the death of Navalny at a Siberian penal colony, Britain and its allies have blamed the Kremlin following analysis of material samples found on his body.

Speaking from the Munich Security Conference, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said "only the Russian government had the means, motive and opportunity" to use the poison while Navalny was imprisoned in Russia.

According to Tass news agency Moscow has dismissed the finding as "an information campaign", but Cooper said there is no explanation for the toxin, called epibatidine, being found.

While Cooper announced the findings, a joint statement was issued by the UK, Sweden, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Cooper met with Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya at the conference this weekend.

"Russia saw Navalny as a threat," Cooper said at the event.

"By using this form of poison the Russian state demonstrated the despicable tools it has at its disposal and the overwhelming fear it has of political opposition," she added.

In the statement the allies said: "Only the Russian state had the means, motive and opportunity to deploy this lethal toxin to target Navalny during his imprisonment in a Russian penal colony in Siberia, and we hold it responsible for his death.

"Epibatidine can be found naturally in dart frogs in the wild in South America. Dart frogs in captivity do not produce this toxin and it is not found naturally in Russia.

"There is no innocent explanation for its presence in Navalny's body."

Trump calls Israel’s president ‘disgraceful’ for not pardoning Netanyahu

WASHINGTON, Feb 1: Donald Trump has upped his pressure against Israel’s President Isaac Herzog as he seeks a pardon for his ally, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing bribery charges.

The United States president told reporters on Thursday that the Israeli prime minister has been an “extraordinary” wartime leader. He then condemned Herzog for failing to offer Netanyahu presidential clemency.

“You have a president that refuses to give him a pardon. I think that man should be ashamed of himself,” Trump said of Herzog.

He added that Israelis should pressure Herzog to grant the pardon to Netanyahu.

“He’s disgraceful for not giving it. He should give it,” Trump said.

The comments come a day after Trump hosted Netanyahu at the White House — their seventh meeting since the US president returned to power last year.

Netanyahu has been accused of receiving lavish gifts as bribes and considering deals with media outlets in exchange for favourable coverage of his government.

His first trial started in 2020, but the legal proceedings have been repeatedly disrupted by the geopolitical upheaval in the region, including Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.

The US has previously called on Herzog — whose role is largely ceremonial — to grant amnesty to Netanuahu, a power allocated to Israel’s presidents.

But with Thursday’s rebuke, Trump appears to be asserting himself directly in the country’s domestic politics.

'Death to Khamenei' chanted during Iran state celebrations

TEHRAN, Feb 11: Chants of “death to Khamenei” and “death to the dictator” have been heard during celebrations for the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

The celebrations began on Tuesday night across Iran, the eve of the anniversary, with people cheering and waving flags in mosques while pro-establishment crowds took to the streets during the day followed by firework displays in the evening.

It followed weeks of anti-government protests and a deadly government crackdown resulting in thousands of deaths amid a weeks-long internet blackout, which has since been lifted.

The state encouraged people to shout “Allahu Akbar” during the Islamic Revolution celebrations but we have verified footage of people in Tehran shouting “death to Khamenei” and “death to the dictator” from their homes and in the street.

We’ve located the videos to neighbourhoods in the west of Tehran. Each video featured fireworks in the background, a feature of the state’s celebrations, while we identified landmarks and road layouts to confirm the location of the videos. Reverse image searches on frames from the footage show the videos first appeared online late on Tuesday.

At least 9 killed and dozens injured in Canada shootings

VICTORIA, Feb 11: Nine people have been killed and dozens wounded after a shooting at a school and home in northeast British Columbia, Canada on Tuesday afternoon.

Six of the victims were found dead at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, making it Canada’s deadliest school shooting in decades. A seventh person died en route to hospital, while the bodies of two people were found at a home in the town, which has just 2,400 people.

The alleged shooter was also found dead at the school with a self-inflicted injury. Police did not give further details and declined to say if they were a child.

Mass shootings are rare in Canada, a country with much stricter gun laws than the US, and school shootings of this scale are extremely rare.

Foreign Secretary Misri says ‘national interests’ guide oil imports

NEW DELHI, Feb 9: India’s oil imports will be guided by “national interests”, said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday, but did not refute U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that India has committed to stop buying Russian oil. Misri’s statement came even as the government prepared to brief parliamentarians about the trade deals finalised with the European Union and the U.S., as well as on trade ties with Bangladesh.

A notice sent out on Monday said that the External Affairs Ministry will brief the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, chaired by senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Opposition stepped up its attack over issues surrounding the trade deals, including the impact on farmers, and the government’s refusal to confirm or deny Trump’s assertions.

“What I can firmly and confidently say is that whether it is the government or indeed our business [sector], at the end of the day, national interests will be the guiding factor for us in our choices,” Misri told journalists at a briefing meant to discuss the visit of Seychelles President Patrick Herminie in India. Misri said that the key drivers of India’s energy policy are “adequate availability, fair pricing, and reliability of supply” calling it a “rather complex matrix of issues”.

However, he did not respond or comment directly on the U.S. President’s Executive Order issued on February 6 that, while cancelling punitive 25% tariffs on India, said that India had already begun to stop buying Russian oil, and threatened to resume the tariffs if India buys more.

“Our approach is to maintain multiple sources of supply and diversify them as appropriate to ensure stability. Therefore, I would say that the more diversified we are in this area, the more secure we are,” Misri added.

While nearly 25% of India’s oil imports are still being sourced from Russia, India is expected to raise its imports from other countries including the U.S. and Venezuela. India’s purchases of Russian oil were down to a 38-month low in December 2025, and a number of news agencies confirmed on Monday that India’s major refiners Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Reliance Industries have so far avoided advance orders for the month of April entirely.

Thus far, however, the government has neither confirmed nor denied the U.S.’s contention that it has agreed to ending its Russian oil imports. When asked last week about the deal, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar fielded questions to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, while Goyal said that questions on Russian oil would be answered by the External Affairs Ministry.

“On the Russian oil issue and the India-U.S. trade deal - the Commerce Minister says, ask the External Affairs Minister, the External Affairs Minister says ask the Commerce Minister, and the Petroleum Minister is preoccupied with other issues,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post, adding that this contrasted with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policy of a “whole of government” approach.

In addition, the Ministry is expected to field questions from the members of the parliamentary committee on the impact of the FTA with the EU and the joint statement with the U.S.

In a pre‑briefing note to the panel, the Ministry shared details of the EU agreement, as well of trade figures with Bangladesh. Underscoring the significance of the deal, the government said the EU is well‑positioned to shape “international standards and narratives”. India and the EU, it added, are now “natural and preferred partners”.

The Ministry highlighted that over the past two years, there have been more than 30 visits at the head‑of‑state or government-level between India and Europe, along with more than 150 ministerial‑level engagements. Under the FTA with the EU, India has secured preferential access to European markets across 97% of tariff lines, covering 99.5% of trade value, it said.

The Ministry note on U.S. trade outlined the benefits of the trade deal being negotiated. While it mentioned Trump’s executive order, it omitted mentions of the contentious portions, including the Indian “commitment” on ending oil imports from Russia.

On Bangladesh, the Ministry is expected to explain the downturn in trading ties and connectivity due to tensions in bilateral relations with the Yunus administration in Dhaka, with hopes of a reset once an elected government is in place after elections on February 12. According to the figures, India’s exports to Bangladesh came down from $11 bn in 2024-25 to $8bn in the year 2025-26 till date.

French President To Visit India From February 17-19

NEW DELHI, Feb 10: French President Emmanuel Macron will visit India from February 17 to 19 and will discuss bilateral cooperation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Ministry of External Affairs announced the visit in a statement on Tuesday. The French president's visit comes after Modi's visit to France last year in February.

"Let's finally look at what we have managed to achieve together, the successes of French diplomacy last year --the Artificial Intelligence summit. The whole world came to Paris. We made progress on this and we co-chaired it with Prime Minister Modi and next month, I'll be in India to follow up," Macron had said earlier.

The Foreign Ministry stated that the two leaders are expected to hold discussions across a wide range of areas. The bilateral discussion will include topics set out in the Horizon 2047 Roadmap, which is a 25-year strategic blueprint between India and France designed to guide their bilateral relationship until the centenary of India's independence in 2047.

"In addition, the leaders will discuss regional and global issues of mutual interest, including cooperation in the Indo-Pacific," the statement read.

They will jointly inaugurate the India-France Year of Innovation, which is a year-long initiative aimed at deepening cooperation in cutting-edge technologies, sustainability and cultural exchange. 2026 is the year that has been officially designated as the India-France Year of Innovation.

Apart from that, Macron will also participate in the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.

Tehran ready to scale back nuclear plan, says can dilute enriched uranium if all sanctions lifted

TEHRAN, Feb 9: As the US continues its military buildup in the Middle East, Iran has stated that the military deployment near the region "does not scare" Tehran. "Their military deployment in the region does not scare us," said Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, adding that Iran will not give up uranium enrichment, which is a key demand of the United States.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington escalated after US President Donald Trump called for a regime change in the nation, particularly after the nationwide protests.

The protests in Iran, which have left over 3,400 dead, were triggered due to rising inflation and rapid recline of the Iranian rial. In response to the protests, the Iranian government imposed a violent crackdown, killing and arresting many citizens.

US President Donald Trump has warned Iran of possible military action amid its violent crackdown on nationwide protests. Furthermore, the US' warning also comes to deter Iran from its nuclear and uranium enrichment programme.

Japanese stocks surge as Takaichi secures historic election victory

TOKYO, Feb 9: Japanese stocks surged to a record high on Monday, as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) basked in a historic election victory.

The LDP secured 316 out of 465 seats in Sunday's election, the first time a single party has won a two-thirds lower house majority since Japan's parliament was established in its current form in 1947.

The Japan Innovation Party, the LDP's coalition partner, won in 36 more constituencies, taking their combined total to 352 seats.

The resounding mandate is a gamble that paid off for Takaichi, who now faces the challenge of reviving Japan's moribund economy and tackling cost-of-living woes.

The Nikkei 225 index rallied by more than 5% in early trade on Monday, briefly crossing the 57,000 mark for the first time. It then gave up some gains, but still closed up 3.9% at a record high of 56,363.94.

The LDP's decisive win will help Takaichi advance her pro-business policies without having to negotiate extensively with opposition parties.

Takaichi told reporters on Sunday that she would pursue a "responsible yet aggressive" fiscal policy and would not reshuffle the Cabinet, which was formed less than four months ago.

Japan's first female prime minister called the snap election last month, just a few months after taking office in October. Her success is in marked contrast to her two predecessors, under whom the party lost its parliamentary majority, battled corruption scandals and struggled to curb rising costs.

Iran insists on right to enrichment, ready for confidence-building

DUBAI, Feb 8 : Recognition of Iran's right to enrich uranium is key for nuclear talks with the U.S. to succeed, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday.

American and Iranian diplomats held indirect talks in Oman on Friday, aimed at reviving diplomacy amid a U.S. naval buildup near Iran and Tehran's vows of a harsh response if attacked.

"Zero enrichment can never be accepted by us. Hence, we need to focus on discussions that accept enrichment inside Iran while building trust that enrichment is and will stay for peaceful purposes," Araqchi said.

Iran and the U.S. held five rounds of nuclear talks last year, which stalled mainly due to disagreements over uranium enrichment inside Iran. In June, the U.S. attacked Iranian nuclear facilities at the end of a 12-day Israeli bombing campaign.

Tehran has since said it has halted enrichment activity, which the U.S. views as a possible pathway to nuclear bombs. Iran says its nuclear programme is solely for peaceful purposes.

A diplomat in the region briefed by Iran said on Friday that Tehran was open to discussing the "level and purity" of enrichment as well as other arrangements, as long as it was allowed to enrich uranium on its soil and would be granted sanctions relief in addition to military de-escalation.

"Iran's insistence on enrichment is not merely technical or economic (...) it is rooted in a desire for independence and dignity," Araqchi said. "No one has the right to tell the Iranian nation what it should or should not have."

The minister also said that Iran's missile programme, which the U.S. would like to include in negotiations, had never been part of the agenda.

President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a post on Sunday that talks with the U.S. were a "step forward" and that Tehran wanted its rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to be respected.

The date and venue of the next round of talks will be determined in consultation with Oman and might not be Muscat, Araqchi said.

Takaichi’s coalition poised to secure huge majority

TOKYO, Feb 8: Projections show supermajority win for PM Takaichi’s coalition. Takaichi’s ruling bloc looks to have secured a two-thirds majority in the lower house of parliament, according to media estimates.

If confirmed, it would be the best result for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) since elections in 2017 under Takaichi’s mentor, assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The LDP alone was seen winning about 300 of the 465 seats up for grabs, up from 198, and regaining a majority – and potentially a super-majority on its own without its junior partner, the Japan Innovation Party (JIP).

Hiromasa Nakano, co-secretary-general of the main opposition Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA) party, says his party should “take the results humbly and seriously, although the final results have yet to come and are being projected”.

“Vote counting is still ongoing in many districts that are closely contested,” he was quoted as saying by public broadcaster NHK. “I will keep closely watching developments, hoping our candidates win as many seats as possible.”

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s governing coalition is almost certain to win a single-party majority in the parliamentary election, NHK and other major networks say, citing exit poll results.

An exit poll by the Nikkei has shown that the LDP is set for a landslide victory. It’s showing that the Liberal Democratic Party will win at least 233 seats. That would give it a single party majority.

Its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, is expected to hold on to its 34 seats. Earlier polls had showed the governing coalition winning as many as 300.

We haven’t got the final results in, but regardless, this is a two-third majority. This also gives the governing coalition control of parliamentary committees.

Iran FM Araghchi says agreed with U.S. to 'proceed with negotiations'

DOHA, Feb 6: Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday described the atmosphere of talks with the United States as positive, with the two sides agreeing to proceed with negotiations.

The talks took place following threats from Washington and after it recently deployed an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East following Iran's deadly response to anti-government protests.

"In a very positive atmosphere, our arguments were exchanged and the views of the other side were shared with us," Araghchi told Iranian state TV, adding that "it was a good start."

He noted the two sides had "agreed to proceed with the negotiations" and that the "way forward" would be decided after negotiators held consultations within their respective capitals.

The timing and the format of the next round will be decided "at a later date", Araghchi said, expressing hope that Washington would refrain from "threats and pressure" so that "the talks can continue".

The top diplomat insisted that the discussions were "focused exclusively on the nuclear issue", in an interview with the official IRNA news agency.

"We are not addressing any other subject with the Americans," he added.

The United States has sought to address Iran's ballistic missile programme and its support for militant groups in the region, but Tehran has repeatedly rejected expanding the talks beyond the nuclear issue. Washington briefly joined Israel with strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites.

Iran responded at the time with drone and missile attacks on Israel, as well as by targeting the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East, located in Qatar.

31 killed as suicide bomber targets Friday prayers at Shia centre in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD, Feb 6: At least 31 people were killed and 169 others were injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a Shia mosque during Friday prayers in Pakistan's capital.

"The death toll in the blast has risen. A total of 31 people have lost their lives. The number of wounded brought to hospitals have risen to 169," said Islamabad's deputy commissioner Irfan Memon.

Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported the casualty figures – which might go up – from the explosion at Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra in the Tarlai area quoting a district administration spokesperson.

Friday’s attack comes at a time when Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is on a two-day official visit to Pakistan.

The attack came less than three months after a suicide bomber killed 12.

Russia-Ukraine talks conclude without breakthrough on ending war

ABU DHABI, Feb 5: Ukraine and Russia have concluded a second day of United States-brokered negotiations in the United Arab Emirates without achieving a breakthrough towards ending Russia’s war.

The two sides agreed to each hand over 157 prisoners of war with officials from Ukraine and the US as well as Russia’s Ministry of Defence confirming on Thursday that the exchange had taken place.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff – who led the American mediation team alongside Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law – said that while “significant work remains” in peace negotiations to end the war, the prisoner swap showed that “sustained diplomatic engagement is delivering tangible results and advancing efforts to end the war in Ukraine.”

Progress was also reached towards strengthening US-Russian engagement. According to the US military’s European Command, the two sides agreed to re-establish high-level military-to-military dialogue, which has been suspended since 2021.

The channel “will provide a consistent military-to-military contact as the parties continue to work towards a lasting peace”, the European Command said in a statement.

Before Thursday’s session concluded, Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev told state media: “Things are moving forward in a good, positive direction.” He also said active work was under way to restore Russia’s relations with the US, including within the framework of a US-Russia working group on the economy.

However, he criticised what he described as attempts by European nations to “disrupt” and “meddle” in the process.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy remained cautious, saying Ukraine would remain “as constructive as possible” even though the process is “certainly not easy”.

“We want faster results,” he added during a news conference in Kyiv alongside visiting Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

The first round of trilateral negotiations took place in late January but appeared to make little progress on the vital question of territory. Moscow is demanding Kyiv cede a fifth of the Donetsk region that it still controls, which Zelenskyy’s government is refusing to do.

Xi Jinping holds phone call with Trump hours after talks with Putin

BEIJING, Feb 4: Chinese President Xi Jinping held a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump, according to China’s state media, marking their first direct engagement in several months.

The call came shortly after Xi spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin via video link, during which Beijing and Moscow described their ties as “stabilising” amid global uncertainty. The Kremlin later said Putin accepted Xi’s invitation to visit China in the first half of this year.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that the Xi–Trump conversation took place ahead of an expected visit by the US President to China in April, though no official details were immediately released by Beijing. The White House also did not respond to requests for comment.

The two leaders last spoke by phone in late November, following which Trump described relations between Washington and Beijing as “extremely strong”. That conversation came after a period of heightened tensions in East Asia, including strains in China-Japan relations.

The latest diplomatic outreach comes at a sensitive moment in global geopolitics, with Russia’s New START nuclear arms treaty with the United States, signed in 2010, set to expire on Thursday.

Relations between Washington and Beijing had been strained by months of trade tensions triggered by tariffs imposed by Trump last year. However, ties showed signs of stabilisation after Xi and Trump met in October in South Korea, where the two sides reached a fragile trade truce.

Russia-Ukraine war: Second round of peace talks begin in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI, Feb 4: Ukrainian and Russian negotiators have begun a second round of United States-brokered talks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as they seek to advance the fraught negotiations on how to end Russia’s nearly four-year war on Ukraine.

The Russian and Ukrainian delegations arrived in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday morning, according to Russian state media and a spokesperson for the Ukrainian chief negotiator. It remained unclear when the US delegation would arrive.

“Another round of negotiations has begun in Abu Dhabi,” Rustem Umerov, head of the Ukrainian delegation, wrote on social media, adding Kyiv’s team was seeking “to achieve a just and lasting peace”.

The two-day trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi come as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of violating an agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump that called for ceasing attacks on energy facilities.

A large Russian drone and missile barrage in the run-up to the talks pounded Ukraine’s energy grid, knocked out power and heating in temperatures far below freezing and threatened to overshadow any chances of progress in the Emirati capital.

“Each such Russian strike confirms that attitudes in Moscow have not changed. They continue to bet on war and the destruction of Ukraine, and they do not take diplomacy seriously,” Zelenskyy said on Tuesday.

“The work of our negotiating team will be adjusted accordingly,” he said without elaborating.

“Many Ukrainians here are hoping that there will be another pause on [strikes targeting] energy infrastructure” after the second meeting in Abu Dhabi, Al Jazeera’s Audrey MacAlpine said, reporting from Kyiv.

However, given the “very little progress” that was achieved during the “first round of meetings, many here are not hopeful” that a deal will be struck with Russia, MacAlpine added.

The first round of meetings was held in the UAE last month, marking the first direct public negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv on a plan proposed by the Trump administration to end the conflict – Europe’s worst since World War II.

While the Trump administration over the past year has pushed the two sides to find compromises, breaking the deadlock on key issues appears no closer as the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of its neighbour approaches this month.

US and Iran to seek de-escalation in nuclear talks in Oman, regional official says

DOHA, Feb 4: The US and Iran are due to hold talks in Oman on Friday after Tehran requested a change of venue in order to keep the negotiations focused solely on its nuclear program, a regional official said, as a build-up of US forces in the Middle East raised fears of a confrontation.

Iran wanted the meeting to take place in Oman as a continuation of previous rounds of talks held in the Gulf Arab country on its nuclear program, asking for a change of location from Turkey to avoid any expansion of the discussions to issues such as Tehran’s ballistic missiles, the regional official said.

Iran has said it will not make concessions on its formidable ballistic missile program — one of the biggest in the Middle East — calling that a red line in negotiations.

Tehran, which says it has replenished its stockpile of ballistic missiles since coming under attack from Israel last year, has warned that it will unleash its missiles to defend the Islamic Republic if its security is under threat.

The regional official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Iran had since the beginning stressed that it would only discuss its nuclear program, while Washington wanted other issues on the agenda.

Haven't Heard From India About Stopping Purchases Of Russian Oil: Moscow

MOSCOW, Feb 3: The Kremlin stated that it had not heard from India about halting Russian energy purchases after US President Donald Trump said that New Delhi had agreed to stop buying it as a part of the India-US trade deal.

"So far, we haven't heard any statements from New Delhi on this matter," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"We respect bilateral US-Indian relations," Peskov told reporters. "But we attach no less importance to the development of an advanced strategic partnership between Russia and India.

"This is the most important thing for us," he said, "and we intend to further develop our bilateral relations with Delhi."

India has been importing around 1.5 million barrels of Russian crude per day, even after Trump imposed 25 per cent punitive tariffs on Indian goods, making it over one-third of the overall Indian imports, according to global trade data provider Kpler. India is the second-largest purchaser of Russian crude.

The Indian government has previously defended its Russian oil trade, calling it essential to the country's energy security. New Delhi relies heavily on oil imports from other nations to cover the vast majority of its demand.

Historically, India's relationship with Russia revolved more around defence than energy. Russia provided only a fraction of India's oil but the majority of its military hardware.

But in the aftermath of the Russian invasion, India used the moment to buy discounted Russian oil, allowing it to increase its energy supplies while Russia looked to cut deals to boost its beleaguered economy and keep paying for its brutal war.

As recently as December 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a visit to New Delhi that he was ready to continue "uninterrupted shipments" of fuel to India despite US pressure.

Iranian President orders start of talks with US on ‘nuclear file’

TEHRAN, Feb 2: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered the start of nuclear talks with the United States, according to Fars news agency.

“Iran and the United States will hold talks on the nuclear file,” Fars reported, without specifying the date.

The move signals a de-escalation after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a stern warning on Sunday to the US, stating that if the latter starts a war, it will turn into a regional war. Khamenei further said that the Americans should not try to “intimidate the Iranian nation with” with “warships and aircrafts”.

However, Trump had, even after Khamenei's strong remarks, reiterated his hope on Sunday that the US and Iran could strike a deal. While responding to questions related to Iran's Supreme Leader's remarks, the US President said that he was hopeful both the nations will make a deal.

"Hopefully we'll make a deal. If we don't make a deal, then we'll find out whether or not he was right," Trump said on Sunday while talking to reporters.

Over 150 dead, internet cut in Baluchistan's deadliest violence

ISLAMABAD, Feb 1: Pakistan security forces launched an extensive hunt on Sunday for militants behind a wave of coordinated attacks across Balochistan, a day after violence killed at least 31 civilians, 17 security personnel and 145 militants, according to official figures.

The attacks, among the deadliest in recent years in the restive province, prompted Islamabad to vow retaliation.

Authorities imposed sweeping security restrictions across the province as investigations continued and rescue operations entered their second day.

Around a dozen locations targeted in Saturday’s attacks — including the provincial capital Quetta — remained sealed off on Sunday, with troops combing affected areas after militants stormed banks, jails and military installations, officials said. An official told the news agency that a deputy district commissioner was abducted during the violence.

Mobile internet services across Balochistan have been suspended for more than 24 hours, while road traffic remains disrupted and train services have been halted as part of heightened security measures.

After being rocked by explosions, usually bustling Quetta lay largely deserted on Sunday, with major roads empty, businesses shut and residents staying indoors amid fears of renewed violence.

Shattered metal fragments and mangled vehicles were seen strewn across several roads in the city, reflecting the intensity of the blasts and gun battles that erupted a day earlier.

“Anyone who leaves home has no certainty of returning safe and sound. There is constant fear over whether they will come back unharmed,” said Hamdullah, a 39-year-old shopkeeper who goes by one name, in Quetta.

The Pakistan military said it was conducting “sanitisation operations” in areas hit by the attacks and pledged action against those responsible. "The instigators, perpetrators, facilitators and abettors of these heinous and cowardly act... will be brought to justice," it said in a statement late Saturday.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the province’s most active separatist militant group, claimed responsibility in a statement, saying it targeted military installations as well as police and civil administration officials through gun attacks and suicide bombings.

India on Sunday categorically rejected Pakistan military’s claims of Indian involvement in the Balochistan violence.

"We categorically reject the baseless allegations made by Pakistan, which are nothing but its usual tactics to deflect attention from its own internal failings," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

“Instead of parroting frivolous claims each time there is a violent incident, it would do better to focus on addressing long-standing demands of its people in the region. Its record of suppression, brutality and violation of human rights is well known,” spokesperson added.

Trilateral Ukraine talks to resume in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday: Zelenskyy

KYIV, Feb 1: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says a second round of trilateral talks on ending the war with Russia will take place in Abu Dhabi this week as the fate of a temporary energy ceasefire hangs in the balance.

Zelenskyy, whose country’s energy system has come under relentless attack in one of the coldest winters in years, said envoys from the United States, Russia and Ukraine would meet in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday and Thursday.

“Ukraine is ready for a substantive discussion, and we are interested in ensuring that the outcome brings us closer to a real and dignified end to the war,” he said on Sunday amid continuing US pressure to reach a deal with Russia after almost four years of war.

The first round of trilateral negotiations took place in late January but appeared to make little progress on the vital question of territory. Moscow still is demanding Kyiv cede a fifth of the Donetsk region that it still controls, which Zelenskyy’s government is refusing to do. The next round had been scheduled to take place on Sunday but may have been delayed because of the US-Iran crisis.

US President Donald Trump, who has said he wants to be remembered as a “peacemaker”, has repeatedly said a deal to end the Ukraine war is close and on Thursday announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to stop strikes on energy targets for a week due to cold weather.

The terms of his agreement with Putin were not clear, but the Kremlin said on Friday that it had agreed to halt strikes on energy infrastructure until Sunday. Ukraine appeared to believe the suspension was supposed to last until the following Friday.