GENEVA, Mar 27: The European Union has advised its 450 million citizens to prepare for potential crises by stockpiling essential supplies like food and water to last a minimum of 72 hours. The recommendation comes as the 27-nation bloc reevaluates its security strategies in the face of growing threats from war, cyberattacks, climate change, and disease.

The European Union has urged its citizens to stockpile enough food and other essential supplies to sustain them for at least 72 hours if crisis happens, the European Commission has said. “In case of extreme disruptions, the initial period is the most critical,” the document says, setting out possible scenarios, from war to cyber attacks and deadly disease to climate-driven floods, reports Politico.

In a fresh guidance issued on Wednesday, the commission stressed the need for Europe to shift its mindset, to foster a culture of “preparedness” and “resilience.”

The European Union has appealed to its citizens across its 27 member states to prepare three-day survival kits amid growing concerns of a potential military conflict. Europe must acquire all means to defend itself against military aggression, European Council President Antonio Costa said on Tuesday, adding that peace without defence is an illusion. "If Russia considers that Ukraine's borders are just a line on a map, why should it respect any other country's borders?", he said at a European Policy Centre event in Brussels.

Brussels wants to ensure every citizen is equipped for 72 hours of self-sufficiency as fears mount over the threat of continental conflict. EU citizens will be instructed to stock up on a dozen key items as part of their "resilience" kit. These include matches, ID documents stored in a waterproof pouch, bottled water, energy bars and a flashlight.

Putin To Visit India

MOSCOW, Mar 27: Russia and India are aiming to take their bilateral ties to an all-time high, and for this, Russian President Vladimir Putin is going to visit India soon, said Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.

"Preparations are being made for the President's visit," he confirmed in a televised address today.

Lavrov said that "Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made his first foreign visit to Russia after being re-elected for his third consecutive term. Now it is our turn."

He added that "Arrangements are currently being made for President Vladimir Putin to visit India." However, he did not specify the month or date when the visit might take place.

During his visit to Russia last year, Modi had invited the Russian President for an official state visit. "President Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation to visit from the Indian head of government. A visit by the Russian head of state to the Republic of India is being planned," Lavrov said.

Lavrov's remarks came at a conference titled "Russia and India: Toward a New Bilateral Agenda". The meeting was organised by the Russian International Affairs Council or RIAC.

This would be President Putin's first visit to India since the war in Ukraine broke out in February 2022. The visit is expected to take forward Putin's "new economic roadmap" for 2030. India and Russia have agreed to doubling their bilateral trade to over $100 billion annually.

Both countries have also agreed to significantly expand trade routes between the two Asian giants. The Chennai-Vladivostok maritime trade corridor will play a key part in providing fresh supplies from Russia to India. Bilateral trade between the two countries currently stands at approximately $60 billion annually.

Just this week, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov had confirmed that Moscow is aiming to completely redefine the bilateral partnership with New Delhi. Russia aims to expand on its current ties and develop a "special and privileged strategic partnership" with India, he had said.

In his most recent message to President Droupadi Murmu, President Putin had written, "Russia-India relations are based on a special and privileged strategic partnership. I am confident that we will use joint efforts to continue to consistently build up productive bilateral cooperation across all areas, as well as constructive interaction in international affairs. Without a doubt, this meets the fundamental interests of our friendly peoples and is in line with the efforts to form a fair, multi-polar international order."

Trump's Latest Move 'Direct Attack', Canada Will Respond: PM Mark Carney

OTTAWA, Mar 27: US President Donald Trump's latest move is a "direct attack" on Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Wednesday. Carney was speaking about the latest tariffs imposed by President Trump, which the latter announced as a "permanent" measure.

Earlier in the day, Donald Trump brought into effect a massive 25 per cent tariff on all auto imports, including spare and ancillary components. "This tariff shall remain permanent", President Trump said at the time of declaring it.

Reacting to this almost immediately, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said, "This is a very direct attack" on Canada. "We will defend our workers, we will defend our companies, and we will defend our country." He however, did not announce any retaliatory measures.

"We need to see the details of Donald Trump's executive order before responding to them," he said. Prime Minister Carney also decided to cut short his election campaign to fly back to Ottawa immediately to chair a special meeting with the Cabinet committee on US relations to respond to this "unjustified" move by President Trump.

Prime Minister Carney has already announced a $2billion (Canadian dollar) "strategic response fund" in order to protect Canadians employed in the auto industry which will be severely hit by Trump's decision. "Canada will protect its auto workers," he said assuring hundreds of thousands of people who are faced with uncertainty.

The automobile industry is Canada's second-largest industry in terms of exports. It employs more than 125,000 Canadians directly and over 500,000 more in allied industries.

Hamas spokesperson al-Qanoua killed in Israeli airstrike: Hamas media

GAZA, Mar 27: Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua has been killed in an Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza, Hamas-affiliated media said early on Thursday, the latest group figure to be killed since Israel resumed its operations in the enclave.

Al-Qanoua was killed when his tent was targeted in Jabalia, the Hamas-run al-Aqsa television said. The same strike wounded several people, while separate attacks killed at least six in Gaza City and one in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, medical sources said.

Earlier this week, Israel killed Ismail Barhoum, a member of Hamas’ political office, and Salah al-Bardaweel, another senior leader.

Both Bardaweel and Barhoum were members of the 20-member Hamas decision-making body, the political office, 11 of whom have been killed since the start of the war in late 2023, according to Hamas sources.

Israeli airstrike kills Hamas' political bureau member Ismail Barhoum

GAZA, Mar 24: An Israeli airstrike hit Gaza's Nasser hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis on Sunday killing at least five and wounding several others according to medics.

A footage showed flames burning the exterior sign on the hospital's facade, while clouds of smoke billowed from the building. People looked on from the street below.

The strike in the area around Nasser Hospital targeted a key Hamas militant, the Israeli military said, without identifying the militant. The Hamas-affiliated Shehab news agency said the strike killed a member of Hamas' political bureau, Ismail Barhoum.

Gaps In US, Russian Expectations As Ukraine Peace Deal Talks Begin In Riyadh

RIYADH, Mar 24: US and Ukrainian officials met in Saudi Arabia on Sunday night for "productive and focused" talks on de-escalating the war with Russia, with Washington hoping for "real progress" even as Moscow -- whose delegation was set to hold its own separate discussions with the Americans on Monday-- warned of "difficult negotiations" ahead.

The White House is reportedly pushing for a broad ceasefire in Russia's war in Ukraine by April 20 which this year is Easter in both the Western and Orthodox churches. However, according to a Bloomberg report, the timeline may slip given the wide gap that exists between Kyiv and Moscow's positions.

US President Donald Trump has been aiming for a quick resolution to the three-year-old war, for which US officials are holding separate talks with Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Riyadh for the first such parallel negotiations since the early weeks of Moscow's invasion.

The negotiations were originally scheduled to take place simultaneously to enable shuttle diplomacy, but with both warring sides proposing different plans for a temporary truce, attacks have continued unabated. America is hoping that going back and forth between the delegations can pave the way to a breakthrough.

The meeting between the Ukrainian team, led by defence minister Rustem Umerov, and the Americans finished late Sunday night. "The discussion was productive and focused -- we addressed key points including energy," Umerov said on social media, adding Ukraine was working to make its goal of a "just and lasting peace" a reality.

Ukraine had previously said proposals to protect energy facilities and critical infrastructure would be on the agenda.

In an evening address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that "Russia is the only one who is dragging this war out".

"No matter what we talk about with our partners, we need to push Putin to give a real order to stop the strikes: the one who brought this war must take it away," he said.

Zelensky also urged his country's allies to put fresh pressure on Russia. "New decisions and new pressure on Moscow are needed to bring an end to these strikes and this war," he posted on social media on Sunday.

Israeli air strike kills top Hamas official in Gaza

An Israeli air strike on the southern city of Khan Younis in Gaza has killed top Hamas political leader Salah al-Bardaweel, said a Hamas official.

Locals say the air strike killed both Bardaweel, regarded as Hamas's highest-ranking political leader, and his wife. Israeli officials had no immediate comment.

The total death toll in Gaza since the war began surpassed 50,000 on Sunday, its Hamas-run health authorities said, with least 30 people killed in Khan Yunis and Rafah so far on Sunday.

Israel resumed heavy strikes on Gaza earlier this week - in effect ending the first phase of a ceasefire that lasted almost two months. It blamed Hamas for rejecting a new US proposal to extend the truce.

Canada PM Calls Snap Election Amid Trade War, Trump's Annexation Threats

OTTAWA, Mar 23: Canada's new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, who took over after Justin Trudeau's ouster, has called for snap election in the country on April 28. The ruling Liberal Party of Canada will be up against the main opposition party - the Conservative Party of Canada.

Prime Minister Carney said he has called for a snap election in order to ensure that his country gets a government with a stronger mandate than the Liberal Party currently has. This is important keeping in mind the trade war with neighbouring United States and President Trump's repeated threat to annexe Canada to make it the 51st state of the US - which Canadians outrightly reject.

"I've just requested that the Governor General to dissolve parliament and call an election for April 28. She has agreed," Prime Minister Carney said, referring to King Charles III's representative in Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth.

During the sudden announcement, the prime minister said that "Donald Trump wants to break us (Canada)", but vowed that he will never let that happen. Claiming that Canada faces a serious threat, he said that to take bold decisions, his country must aim to provide a stronger mandate.

It has been just over one week that Carney's predecessor, Justin Trudeau, stepped down due to mounting pressure from within his party as well as Canada's opposition, led by Pierre Poilievre. Mr Carney and an entirely new cabinet were sworn in on March 14.

Hamas studying US 'bridge' proposal on ceasefire as Israel escalates return to war

CAIRO/DUBAI, Mar 21: Hamas said on Friday it was reviewing a U.S. proposal to restore the Gaza ceasefire as Israel intensified military operations to press the Palestinian militant group to free remaining Israeli hostages.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff's "bridge" plan, presented last week, aims to extend the ceasefire into April, beyond Ramadan and Passover, to allow time for negotiations on a permanent cessation of hostilities.

Three days after Israel effectively abandoned the two-month-old truce, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the military was intensifying its air, land and sea strikes and would also evacuate civilians to the southern part of Gaza,
Katz said Israel would continue its campaign until Hamas released more hostages and was totally defeated.

However, while Israeli airstrikes inflicted serious damage on Hamas this week, killing its Gaza government chief and other top officials, Palestinian and Israeli sources say Hamas has shown it can absorb major losses and still fight and govern.

Hamas said it was still debating Witkoff's proposal and other ideas, with the goal of reaching a deal on prisoner releases, ending the war, and securing a complete Israeli military withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

In Balochistan, Families Not Allowed Into Morgues. Then Bodies Disappear

QUETTA (Balochistan), Mar 21: Amid a spike in abductions and enforced disappearances of Baloch nationals, morgues have been kept out of bounds for local residents who live in fear and uncertainty of their loved ones who are missing.

As bodies lined up over the past week, locals were demanding security agencies to allow them to visit morgues to identify if their missing family members were among those dead. But that was reportedly denied by the Pakistani establishment.

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee, a human rights organisation, has been protesting the gross violation of human rights by Pakistan's military in the war-ravaged region. But they too are facing a crackdown.

After days of protest over "enforced disappearances" of Balochis and for not being allowed to visit morgues as bodies piled up, protesters and local residents reportedly barged into the Civil Hospital in Balochistan's capital city Quetta. As per local reports, several corpses were taken away by them.

It is not yet known, if these bodies were taken away after identification or not.

The Pakistan Army says the bodies at the morgue were of members of the militant organisation Baloch Liberation Army, which has been carrying out an armed rebellion against Pakistan for its "illegal occupation" of Balochistan.

The BLA had taken an entire train - Jaffar Express - hostage earlier this month, before reportedly releasing women, children, and Baloch passengers, keeping mostly personnel of the Pakistani security forces hostage. Pakistan's Army had launched a military offensive against them.

To get back the corpses, Pakistan's security agencies launched a search operation. Raids have been carried out in Sariab Road and Secretariat Chowk areas in Quetta. Three bodies have reportedly been recovered and several people have been arrested.

"Corpses that were taken away were the unidentified bodies of militants who were killed in the military operation following the attack on the Jaffar Express," said a government official.

Activists of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee also confirmed the incident, saying some of the protesters, which included family members of missing persons, had taken away a number of bodies. "We had been trying to gain access to the morgue for two days to satisfy the missing persons' family members that the bodies kept there were not of their loved ones," said a BYC member.

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee, led by rights activist Mahrang Baloch, is now under Pak spy agency ISI's scanner.

Ukraine Strikes Russian Strategic Bomber Airfield With Drones

MOSCOW, Mar 20: Ukraine struck a major Russian strategic bomber airfield on Thursday with drones, triggering a huge blast and fire about 700 km (435 miles) from the front lines of the war, Russian and Ukrainian officials said.

Verified videos showed a huge blast spreading out from the airfield, wrecking nearby cottages. Russia's defence ministry said air defences had shot down 132 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions.

Other verified videos showed a giant plume of smoke rising into the dawn sky and an intense fire.

The base in Engels, which dates back to Soviet times, hosts Russia's Tupolev Tu-160 nuclear-capable heavy strategic bombers, known unofficially as White Swans.

Roman Busargin, governor of Saratov, said there had been a Ukrainian drone attack on the city of Engels that had left an airfield on fire, and that nearby residents had been evacuated. He did not specifically mention the Engels base, but it is the main airfield in the area.

Ukraine's defence ministry said its forces had struck the airfield and triggered secondary detonations of ammunition. Kyiv said Russia had used the Engels base to carry out strikes on Ukraine.

Ten people were injured in the attack, local officials said. Some local residents expressed surprise at finding various parts of Ukrainian drones in their gardens. The Shot Telegram channel said that Ukraine struck with PD-2 and Liutyi drones.

Ukraine has conducted previous attacks on the Engels air base dating back to December 2022. In January it claimed to have struck an oil depot serving the base, causing a huge fire that took five days to put out.

A Ukrainian security source said at the time that a drone attack had struck a storage facility holding guided bombs and missiles at the Engels base.

Hamas Internal Security Chief Killed In Gaza Air Strike, Says Israel

JERUSALEM, Mar 20: Israel's military said on Thursday it had killed the head of Hamas's internal security agency in an air strike on the Gaza Strip, the latest official targeted in recent days.

Israel resumed its air campaign early Tuesday with a wave of deadly strikes, shattering a relative calm that had pervaded the war-ravaged Palestinian territory since a ceasefire took hold on January 19.

Israeli forces "in recent days... struck and eliminated the terrorist Rashid Jahjouh, head of the Hamas General Security Service, who assumed his position after the elimination of his predecessor, Sami Oudeh, in July 2024," military spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a post on X.

The internal security agency in Hamas-run Gaza is tasked with "combating espionage and providing information to the political leadership to support planning and decision-making", according to the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance.

Adraee said that in a separate raid, Israeli forces had killed Ismail Abdel-Al who "was considered a prominent member of the Islamic Jihad's arms smuggling network", referring to a Palestinian militant group that has fought alongside Hamas in Gaza.

Hamas on Tuesday named the head of its government in the Gaza Strip, Essam al-Dalis, and interior ministry head Mahmud Abu Watfa, among a list of officials it said were killed in a wave of Israeli strikes this week.

The Israeli military confirmed it had killed Dalis, a member of Hamas's political bureau who became the head of its administration in Gaza in June 2021.

Israel kills 15 in Khan Younis with more than 100 dead today in Gaza

GAZA, Mar 20: Gaza’s Health Ministry says 506 Palestinians, including 200 children, have been killed and 909 injured in the enclave since Israel shattered the ceasefire on Tuesday.

At least 110 people have been killed since dawn today in the war-torn territory, according to our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic.

As Israeli ground troops join the attack on Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warns of a “larger and stronger front” in the occupied West Bank in addition to a “fierce war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip”.

Israel Army Bans Traffic On Gaza's Main North-South Route After Ground Op

JERUSALEM, Mar 20: The Israeli army banned traffic Thursday on Gaza's main north-to-south artery, a day after announcing renewed ground operations in the Palestinian territory.

"Over the past 24 hours, IDF soldiers have begun a targeted ground operation in the central and southern Gaza Strip to expand the security zone between the northern and southern parts," army spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X.

Movement along Salaheddin Road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip is prohibited "for your safety", he said.

"Instead, travel from northern Gaza to the south is possible via the Al-Rashid coastal road," Adraee added, without spelling out whether that meant movement from south to north was banned.

Israeli military launches new ground offensive in Gaza, kills 20

TEL AVIV, Mar 19: Amid the airstrikes, the Israeli military on Wednesday said that its forces have resumed ground operations in the central and southern Gaza Strip, according to reports.

According to local health workers, atleast 20 Palestinians have been killed on the second day of airstrikes.

Earlier on Tuesday, over 400 Palestinians were killed in airstrikes in one of the deadliest episodes since the beginning of the conflict, shattering a ceasefire that has largely held since January.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military stated that its operations have extended Israel's control over the Netzarim Corridor, which bisects Gaza. They added that the operations were a "focused" manoeuvre aimed at creating a partial buffer zone between the north and the south of the enclave.

The United Nations said an Israeli airstrike had killed a foreign staffer and wounded five workers at the site of a U.N. headquarters in central Gaza City on Wednesday.

Denying this, Israel said their airstrikes had hit a Hamas site, where it had detected preparations for firing into Israeli territory.

Jorge Moreira da Silva, executive director of the UN office for Project Services, said, "Israel knew that this was a U.N. premises, that people were living, staying and working there, it is a compound. It is a very well-known place."

Israel, which has vowed to eradicate Hamas, said its latest onslaught was "just the beginning".

'Concerned About Gaza Situation, Important All Hostages Are Released': India

NEW DELHI, Mar 19: The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday released a statement calling for the release of all hostages in Gaza. Randhir Jaiswal, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs posted on X calling for a "supply of humanitarian assistance" to the people of Gaza.

He said on X, "We are concerned at the situation in Gaza. It is important that all hostages are released. We also call for supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza to be sustained."

Hamas Chose War By Refusing To Release Hostages: White House

WASHINGTON, Mar 19: The United States said Tuesday that Hamas had chosen war by refusing to release hostages, as Israel unleashed its most intense strikes since a ceasefire and vowed to continue fighting until all hostages are returned.

"Hamas could have released hostages to extend the ceasefire but instead chose refusal and war," National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement.

Trump, Putin Agreed Ukraine War Needs To End With A Lasting Peace: White House

WASHINGTON DC, Mar 18: During an over two-hour call, US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed that the war in Ukraine "needs to end with a lasting peace", the White House said on Tuesday.

Reaffirming that the two countries will move closer under the Trump administration, the two leaders "also stressed the need for improved bilateral relations between the United States and Russia".

"The blood and treasure that both Ukraine and Russia have been spending in this war would be better spent on the needs of their people. This conflict should never have started and should have been ended long ago with sincere and good faith peace efforts," a White House readout said.

Putin Agreed To Pause Strikes On Ukraine's Energy Targets For 30 Days: Kremlin

MOSCOW, Mar 18: Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Tuesday to a proposal by US President Donald Trump for Russia and Ukraine to stop hitting each other's energy infrastructure for 30 days and gave a corresponding order to the Russian military, the Kremlin said.

The Kremlin said in a statement that the two leaders had a "detailed and frank exchange of views" on Ukraine during a phone call in which Putin had said that a resolution of the conflict must be "comprehensive, sustainable and long-term", taking into account Russia's own security interests and the root causes of the war.

The two leaders discussed a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, to which Ukraine agreed last week. The Kremlin said Putin had raised "significant points" about monitoring such a truce and preventing it from being used by Ukraine to mobilise more soldiers and rearm itself.

"It was emphasized that the key condition for preventing the escalation of the conflict and working towards its resolution by political and diplomatic means should be a complete cessation of foreign military assistance and the provision of intelligence information to Kyiv," the Kremlin said.

Over 400 Killed In Israel's Biggest Strike On Gaza Since Ceasefire

GAZA, Mar 18: At least 413 people were killed in Gaza on Tuesday as the Israeli military conducted "extensive strikes" on Hamas targets amid stalled truce talks, the biggest attack in the war-torn territory since the ceasefire began on January 19.

Gaza's civil defence agency said the air strikes, which took place during the month of Ramadan, killed "mostly children, women, and the elderly" and injured about 150 people.

The explosions were heard in multiple locations, including northern Gaza, Gaza City and the Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis and Rafah in central and southern Gaza Strip.

Mahmud Abu Watfa, who headed Hamas's police and internal security services in the Gaza Strip, was also reportedly killed in the strike on Gaza City.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in a post on X this morning, said it was "conducting extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organisation in the Gaza Strip" in accordance with the "political echelon".

Israel also ordered all schools close to the regions neighbouring Gaza shut.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office later said the strikes were ordered after "Hamas's repeated refusal to release our hostages, as well as its rejection of all of the proposals it has received from US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and from the mediators."

"The IDF is, at this time, attacking targets of the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip in order to achieve the objectives of the war as they have been determined by the political echelon including the release of all of our hostages, the living and the deceased," it posted on X.

Israel would now act with "increased military strength" against Hamas, it said.

Hamas, however, said Netanyahu had decided to "sacrifice" hostages by resuming war.

"Netanyahu's decision to resume war is a decision to sacrifice the occupation's prisoners and impose a death sentence on them," a Hamas official said in a statement, adding that the Israeli leader was using the fighting as a political "lifeboat" to distract from internal crises.

In a separate statement, Hamas held Netanyahu "fully responsible for violating and overturning the agreement" and said the ceasefire breach "exposes the prisoners in Gaza to an unknown fate".

A White House spokesperson said Israel had consulted President Donald Trump's administration before it carried out the strikes.

Israel Launches 'Extensive Strikes' On Gaza As Ceasefire Talks With Hamas Stall, 121 Killed

TEL AVIV, Mar 18: The Israeli military on Tuesday conducted "extensive strikes" on Hamas targets in Gaza as truce talks stalled, with medics saying at least 121 people were killed in the attack, the biggest since the ceasefire began on January 19.

Gaza's civil defence agency said the air strikes, which took place during the month of Ramadan, killed "mostly children, women, and the elderly" and injured about 150 others. The explosions were heard in multiple locations, including northern Gaza, Gaza City and the Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis and Rafah in central and southern Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army, in a post on X, said it was currently "conducting extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organisation in the Gaza Strip" in accordance with the "political echelon".

Israel also ordered all schools close to the regions neighbouring Gaza shut.

"The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is, at this time, attacking targets of the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip in order to achieve the objectives of the war as they have been determined by the political echelon including the release of all of our hostages, the living and the deceased," it posted on X.

Israel would now act with "increased military strength" against Hamas, it said.

Hamas, however, held Netanyahu "fully responsible for violating and overturning the agreement". The ceasefire breach "exposes the prisoners in Gaza to an unknown fate", it said in a statement.

A White House spokesperson said Israel had consulted President Donald Trump's administration before it carried out the strikes.

US Airstrikes On Yemen's Houthis Kills 53

SAANAA, Mar 17: The Houthi-run Health Ministry has said that the overnight US strikes killed at least 53 people, including five women and two children, and wounded more than 100 people in Yemeni state capital Sanaa, media reported.

The US has escalated its strikes against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, with President Donald Trump vowing on Saturday to use 'overwhelming lethal force' against the rebels who have attacked international ships in the Red Sea in 'solidarity' with Gaza.

Multiple US strikes in Yemen's capital Sanaa and other areas have resulted in numerous casualties with the militants also vowing escalation as they face one of the most extensive attacks since the war in Gaza began in October 2023

The US conducted overnight airstrikes on multiple targets in Yemen starting around midnight on Sunday, targeting the capital Sanaa, and other places, including the Houthi stronghold province of Sadaa.

Trump said that the Houthis must stop their attacks on international ships in the Red Sea, one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. If they don't, the US President vowed that 'hell will rain down' on them like 'nothing you have seen before'.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS News on Sunday that the strikes will continue until the Iran-backed militants 'no longer have the capability' to attack international ships.

The Houthis have been repeatedly targeting international shipping in the Red Sea, sinking two vessels, in what they call acts of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel has been at war with Hamas, another Iranian ally.

Rubio said that over the past 18 months, the Houthis had attacked the US Navy "directly" 174 times and targeted commercial shipping 145 times using "guided precision anti-ship weaponry".

The attacks had stopped since the ceasefire in Gaza came into effect in January.

Last week, the Houthis said they would renew attacks against Israeli vessels after Israel cut off the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza this month. But no ship has reported any attacks since then.

Donald Trump's National Security Adviser, Michael Waltz, on Sunday, told ABC News that the strikes "actually targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out". He didn't identify them or give evidence.

According to Marco Rubio, some Houthi facilities had been destroyed.

Media outlets reported the Houthis' political bureau saying that the rebels will respond to the US strikes and "meet escalation with escalation".

On Sunday, the militants claimed to have targeted the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group with missiles and a drone.

Houthis did fire drones and at least one missile in response to the US attack, media reported quoting sources.

According to the report, the Houthis fired 11 drones and at least one missile over about 12 hours beginning at about midnight local time in Yemen.

The carrier group remained unscathed though as ten of the drones were intercepted by the US Air Force fighter jets and one was intercepted by a Navy F/A-18 fighter jet. The missile fell into the water far from the ship.

While the Donald Trump administration said that it would hold Iran accountable for attacks by the Houthis, Tehran denied any involvement in the attacks. The Iranian Foreign Ministry also said that Washington couldn't 'dictate' its foreign policy.

Trump-Putin phone call on Tuesday amid Russia-Ukraine peace talks

WASHINGTON, Mar 17: The US push for a quick ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia may get more impetus as President Donald Trump might dial Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

Trump confirmed the date for the call while talking to reporters on Air Force One during a late flight back to the Washington area from Florida on Sunday.

"I'll be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of work's been done over the weekend," he was quoted as saying.

This comes after White House special envoy Steve Witkoff said earlier on Sunday that a Trump-Putin phone call might happen this week. He also added that the US is continuing its engagement and conversation with Ukraine as well.

“I expect that there’ll be a call with both presidents this week. And we’re also continuing to engage and have conversation with the Ukrainians,” Witkoff said on CNN’s State of the Union.

On Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin had asked Witkoff to convey messages to Trump ahead of a possible phone call and added there was “cautious optimism” about the prospect of a ceasefire deal, according to the Interfax news agency.

Just last week, Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow after Ukraine accepted the US proposal of a 30-day ceasefire in talks happening in Saudi Arabia. But the said proposal was rejected by Putin who maintains that issues still need to be resolved.

Mark Carney sworn in as Canada prime minister amid trade war with US

OTTAWA, Mar 14: Liberal party leader Mark Carney was sworn in as Canada's new prime minister on Friday amid a raging trade dispute with neighbouring United States triggered by President Donald Trump.

Carney (59) replaced Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January and remained the caretaker prime minister until the Liberal Party elected a new leader.

The former head of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England was officially sworn in during a ceremony in Ottawa on Friday. Francois-Philippe Champagne will be his finance minister as Dominic LeBlanc was shifted to manage international trade amid a raging tariff dispute with Trump. Melanie Joly will continue as foreign minister, and David McGuinty will remain the public safety minister.

Carey was chosen overwhelmingly by the Liberal Party as the prime minister without a single term at the House of Commons or Senate. The former banker is widely expected to trigger a general election in the coming days or weeks.

In Favour Of 30-Day Ceasefire With Ukraine, But 'There Are Nuances': Putin

MOSCOW, Mar 13: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he had "serious questions" about Washington's plan for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine but Moscow was ready to discuss it with US President Donald Trump.

Putin made his first comments on the plan, which Ukraine agreed to Tuesday at talks with the United States, saying he was "for" the proposed ceasefire, but "there are nuances" and he had "serious questions" about how it would work.

Putin told reporters: "I think we need to talk to our American colleagues... Maybe have a phone call with President Trump and discuss this with him."

The United States has called for Russia to agree a ceasefire without any conditions, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying Tuesday: "That's what we want to know -- if they're prepared to do it unconditionally."

Trump said Putin's statement was "promising" but "not complete".

"A lot of the details of a final agreement have actually been discussed. Now we're going to see if Russia is there and, if not, it will be a very disappointing moment for the world," Trump said.

"I'd love to meet with him or talk to him. But we have to get it over with fast."

Putin earlier said at his press conference that Russia would take its "next steps" based on the situation on the ground as its forces make rapid progress on the front line.

After visiting a military headquarters in the Kursk region Wednesday, the Russian president hailed troops' progress against Ukraine.

He said Russian troops were "advancing in practically all areas" of the front line and "based on how the situation on the ground develops, we will agree on the next steps in ending the conflict and reaching agreements acceptable to all".

As Trump pushes for a speedy end to the more than three-year conflict, his envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow Thursday to discuss the plan.

A top Kremlin aide, Yuri Ushakov, said Witkoff would meet Putin on Thursday evening in a "closed format", in comments to Izvestia newspaper.

Russia has been grinding forward on the battlefield for over a year, and claimed on Thursday to have driven Ukrainian forces from the town of Sudzha in Russia's Kursk region.

Trump has expressed optimism that his team can secure a ceasefire, despite Moscow's battlefield gains.

"If we can get Russia to stop, then we have a full ceasefire. And I think it'll never go back to war," Trump told reporters on Wednesday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier Thursday had criticised the lack of an official response from Moscow, saying on social media that this shows "Russia seeks to prolong the war and postpone peace for as long as possible."

Ukraine Agrees To Ceasefire Proposal, US Says 'Ball Now In Russia's Court'

JEDDAH, Mar 12: Ukraine endorsed an American proposal for a 30-day ceasefire and agreed to immediate negotiations with Russia in crunch talks in Jeddah on Tuesday after three years of grinding war.

The positive response from Ukraine prompted President Donald Trump's administration to lift a freeze on military aid and to predict the beginning to an end to three years of war.

With Trump stunning allies by applying intense pressure on Kyiv and reaching out to Moscow, Ukrainian officials came to talks in Saudi Arabia eager to make up and had proposed a partial truce on air and sea attacks.

Trump's advisers pressed for more and said Ukraine agreed to their proposal for a full month-long ceasefire in a war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

"Today we made an offer that the Ukrainians have accepted, which is to enter into a ceasefire and into immediate negotiations," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters after around nine hours of talks in an ornate hotel in Jeddah.

"We'll take this offer now to the Russians and we hope they'll say yes to peace. The ball is now in their court.

"If they say no then we'll, unfortunately, know what the impediment is to peace here," Rubio said of Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of its smaller neighbour in February 2022.

Rubio said the United States would immediately resume military assistance and intelligence sharing it had cut off to pressure its wartime partner following a disastrous February 28 meeting between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In Washington, Trump said he was ready to welcome Zelensky back to the White House and may speak to President Vladimir Putin this week.

Asked by a reporter about the prospects of a comprehensive ceasefire in Ukraine, Trump answered: "Well, I hope it will be over the next few days, I'd like to see.

"I know we have a big meeting with Russia tomorrow and some great conversations hopefully will ensue."

In a joint statement, Ukraine and the United States said they would conclude "as soon as possible" a deal securing US access to Ukraine's mineral wealth, which Trump demanded as compensation for billions of dollars in US weapons under his predecessor Joe Biden.

Zelensky was supposed to sign the deal at the White House before the dramatic on-camera showdown, in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance dressed down the wartime leader and accused him of ingratitude.

Zelensky quickly thanked Trump over the "positive" ceasefire proposal made in Jeddah and said the United States must now work to persuade Russia.

"The American side understands our arguments, perceives our proposals, and I want to thank President Trump for the constructive conversation between our teams," Zelensky said in his evening address.

Canada retaliates against Trump, announces tariffs: 'Need to fight nonsense'

OTTAWA, Mar 12: Canada on Wednesday announced new 25% counter-tariffs on about C$30 billion ($20.8 billion) of US-made items after the Donald Trump administration implemented global levies on imports of steel and aluminium.

Canadian finance minister Dominic LeBlanc said the retaliatory measures will target US steel and aluminium products as well as consumer items such as computers and sporting goods. The new levies match the US tariffs “dollar for dollar” and will take effect at 12:01 a.m. New York time on Thursday, reported Bloomberg.

Melanie Joly, Canada’s foreign minister, said the US tariffs are “unjustified and unjustifiable". She said she would raise the matter with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting, which Canada is hosting.

"We need to fight back against this nonsense," Joly added.

Earlier this month, the Canadian government imposed tariffs on C$30 billion of US products in response to Donald Trump’s move to place 25% tariffs on many Canadian goods.

"We will not stand idly by while our iconic steel and aluminium industries are being unfairly targeted," he told reporters.

On Tuesday, Donald Trump, miffed with Ontario's surcharge on electricity exports, doubled the tariffs on steel and aluminium imports to the United States.

Pakistan train siege ends, 346 hostages freed; 33 militants, 21 passengers dead

ISLAMABAD, Mar 12: The Pakistan Army on Wednesday said that the hijack of the Jaffar Express had ended, with 21 passengers and four paramilitary Frontier Corps soldiers killed by Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) militants who had taken control of the train.

Army spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif told Pakistani media outlet Dunya News TV that all 33 militants present at the attack site had been killed.

"The armed forces successfully concluded the operation in the (Wednesday) evening by killing all terrorists and rescuing all passengers safely,” Sharif said.

The Jaffar Express, carrying some 400 passengers in nine coaches, was going from Quetta to Peshawar when BLA militants derailed it using explosives and hijacked it near the mountainous terrain of Gudalar and Piru Kunri in a tunnel 160 kilometres from Quetta.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack on Tuesday when they said they killed six soldiers.

However, an Army official told AFP that 27 off-duty soldiers who were passengers on the train were killed.

Over 300 Passengers, Including Soldiers, Held Hostage As Rebels Hijack Train In Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Mar 11: The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which seeks independence for Balochistan from Pakistan, in a statement said it took control of a train and kept over 180 passengers, most of them Pakistani soldiers, hostages. Several Pakistani military personnel were also killed, the BLA said.

The BLA gave 48 hours to the Pakistani government to release all Baloch political prisoners and "forcibly disappeared persons."

The Jaffar Express, with over 450 passengers on board in nine bogies, was on its way from Quetta in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when it was fired on, railway officials told news agency Reuters.

"Over 450 passengers onboard are being held hostage by gunmen," Muhammad Kashif, a senior railway government official in Quetta, told a news agency earlier.

Security sources said that Pakistani troops had freed 80 train passengers who were taken hostage.

"Security forces have successfully freed 80 hostages, including 43 men, 26 women, and 11 children, from the terrorists," the security sources said, adding that "efforts are ongoing to ensure the safe release of the remaining passengers".

The BLA, in a statement signed by its spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch, said the hostages will be killed if Pakistani forces launch an operation.

The BLA fighters blew the railway tracks and forced the train to stop inside a tunnel, after which they boarded it.

"Any military incursion will be met with an equally forceful response. So far, six military personnel have been killed, and hundreds of passengers remain under BLA custody. The Baloch Liberation Army takes full responsibility for this operation," the BLA spokesperson said in the statement shared on social media.

Security forces had reached the site of the incident, in the Mushqaf area of the Bolan district of Balochistan, a railway official said.

The Balochistan government has imposed emergency measures and all institutions have been mobilised to deal with the situation, government spokesperson Shahid Rind said.

A decades-long insurgency in Balochistan by separatist militant groups has led to frequent attacks against the Pakistani government, army and Chinese interests in the region, pressing demands for a share in mineral-rich resources.

The BLA is the biggest of several ethnic insurgent groups that have battled the Pakistani government for decades, saying it unfairly exploits Balochistan's rich gas and mineral resources.

Although Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan by area, covering nearly 44 per cent of the country's total landmass, it is the least populated province. The province is home to one of the world's largest deep-sea ports in Gwadar, which Pakistan says is strategically significant for both regional and global trade routes.

Situated in the southwestern region of Pakistan, Balochistan shares borders with the Pakistani provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the northeast, Punjab to the east, and Sindh to the southeast. It also borders Iran to the west and Afghanistan to the north, while its southern boundary is formed by the Arabian Sea.

Canada's Ontario province slaps 25% power tariff on US

ONTARIO, Mar 10: Ontario, Canada's most populous province, announced a 25% hike in electricity export tariffs for nearly 1.5 million American consumers living in Minnesota, New York, and Michigan. The move is a retaliation against US President Donald Trump's decision to levy import tariffs on some Canadian goods and energy.

The revised prices will be effective on Monday. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said, “I will not hesitate to increase this charge. If the United States escalates, I will not hesitate to shut the electricity off completely.”

“Believe me when I say I do not want to do this. I feel terrible for the American people who didn't start this trade war. It’s one person who is responsible, it’s President Trump,” he added.

The provincial government expects to generate a revenue of $300,000 Canadian dollars ($208,000) to CA$ 400,000 ($277,000) per day by imposing a 25% surcharge on electricity supplied to American consumers. Ford's office said the increased revenue “will be used to support Ontario workers, families and businesses.”

Ontario's electricity tariffs are in addition to the federal government's $21 billion worth retaliatory tariffs on several American products, which will not be revoked unless Trump rescinds his tariffs completely. The US president has suspended his 25% levies on most Canadian imports under the trade agreement for a month as trade disputes ignited fears of inflation and economic downturn.

The provincial premier called for US tariffs to end. “Until these tariffs are off the table, until the threat of tariffs is gone for good, Ontario will not relent,” he said, vowing to maximise pain on the Americans as Trump keeps changing his stance “every day” and continues to attack Canada.

“I will do whatever it takes to maximize the pain against Americans,” Ford said.

Trump's decision to provoke a tariff war with the country's three biggest trading partners drew immediate retaliation from Mexico, Canada and China and sent financial markets into a tailspin.

Mark Carney to replace Justin Trudeau as Canada’s next prime minister

OTTAWA, Mar 10: Mark Carney was announced as the next Liberal Party leader and the 24th prime minister of Canada on Monday, with former Bank of Canada chief set to succeed Justin Trudeau at Ottawa's top office.

Liberal Party president Sachit Mehra announced former UK and Canada central bank chief Mark Carney's victory in the Liberal leadership race.

Carney was the front-runner to succeed Trudeau as the leader of the Liberal Party. He has served as the 8th governor of the Bank of Canada from 2008 to 2013. He also served as the chair of the Financial Stability Board from 2011 to 2018.

The former Goldman Sachs executive earned fame when he helped Canada avoid one of its most catastrophic outcome of the 2008 financial crisis. The countrymen recognize him as the most reliable politician to deal with US President Donald Trump, polls had suggested.

Carney had once likened Trump to Voldemort, the antagonist from Harry Potter.

Mark Carney won the leadership race with 131,674 votes which is about 85.9 per cent of the ballots. His competitors Chrystia Freeland bagged 11,134 votes, Karina Gould secured 4,785 votes and Frank Baylis bagged 4,038 votes.

Before his address to the Liberal Party convention, Carney was introduced onto the stage by his daughter Cleo Carney.

Over 1,000 dead in 2 days of clashes, revenge killings in Syria

LONDON, Mar 10: More than 1,000 people have died in two days of violence in Syria, according to a war monitoring group. Clashes between government forces and supporters of former President Bashar Assad, followed by revenge killings, have led to one of the deadliest incidents in the country’s 14-year conflict.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that among the dead were 745 civilians, mostly killed at close range, along with 125 government security personnel and 148 militants linked to Assad.

Large parts of Latakia province were left without electricity and drinking water.

Fighting broke out on Thursday as security forces attempted to detain a wanted individual near Jableh but were ambushed by Assad loyalists, according to the Observatory.

Revenge attacks escalated on Friday, with Sunni Muslim gunmen, loyal to the government, targeting Alawites, Assad’s minority sect. The violence is a major challenge for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group that helped overthrow Assad.

Syria’s government said it has regained most areas taken by Assad loyalists. France condemned the violence, with its foreign ministry stating, “Paris condemns in the strongest possible terms atrocities committed against civilians on religious grounds.”

Israel cuts electricity supply to Gaza amid ceasefire standoff

TEL AVIV, Mar 10: Israel has announced an immediate halt to its electricity supply to the Gaza Strip, further escalating tensions in the ongoing conflict with Hamas. The move, ordered by Energy Minister Eli Cohen, is reportedly aimed at pressuring Hamas to release hostages and comply with Israel’s demands in ceasefire negotiations.

“We will employ all the tools available to us so that all the hostages will return, and we will ensure that Hamas won’t be in Gaza on the ‘day after,’” Cohen stated in a video message, as reported by The Times of Israel. His office also circulated a letter instructing the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) to cease selling electricity to Gaza power stations.

The full impact of the decision remains unclear, but Gaza’s desalination plants, which rely on electricity for producing drinking water, are expected to be affected.

The territory, home to over two million people, has already been grappling with severe devastation from the war, relying on generators and solar panels for limited power supply.

The announcement comes a week after Israel cut off all supplies of goods to Gaza, citing Hamas’s refusal to agree to an extension of the initial ceasefire phase. The first stage of the ceasefire and hostage release deal ended last weekend, and while Hamas has pushed for immediate negotiations on a more complex second phase, Israel has opted to increase pressure instead.

China's 'Noose and Sword' Warning Spooks Taiwan, Xi Sends Record Jets & Balloons Across Strait

BEIJING, Mar 10: China’s military has vowed to tighten its "noose" around Taiwan if separatism escalates, warning independence supporters to retreat.

Spokesman Wu Qian reaffirmed the PLA's role in countering separatism, citing increased military drills and patrols. The remarks followed Beijing’s 7.2% defense budget hike for 2025, aimed at military modernization amid US competition.

Taiwan reported heightened Chinese military activity, detecting multiple aircraft, naval vessels, and surveillance balloons. Beijing dismissed Taipei’s concerns, calling its operations routine training.

Australian court sentences Indian community leader to 40 years for sexually assaulting five women

SYDNEY, Mar 8: An Australian court has sentenced Indian community leader Balesh Dhankhar to 40 years in prison for the sexual assault of five Korean women, describing his crimes as “premeditated and elaborately executed.”

The 43-year-old showed no emotion as the Downing Centre district court delivered its verdict on Friday, setting a non-parole period of 30 years, according to a media report.

Dhankhar used fake job advertisements to deceive women, luring them to locations in or near his Sydney home, where he drugged and assaulted them.

The former IT consultant then sexually abused the victims. He also recorded his crimes for future sexual gratification, a report stated.

While sentencing Dhankhar on Friday, district court judge Michael King described his actions as “premeditated, elaborately executed, manipulative, and highly predatory.”

The judge added that Dhankhar's actions displayed utter disregard for his victims, driven solely by his pursuit of gratification.

“This was an egregious sequence of planned predatory conduct against five unrelated young and vulnerable women over a significant period,” the report quoted the judge as saying.

All the victims, aged between 21 and 27, were either unconscious or severely impaired during the assaults.

Dhankhar maintained a disturbing Excel spreadsheet where he rated applicants of his fake job advertisements based on their appearance and intelligence. It also detailed his interactions with each victim, noting their personal information and his assessment of their vulnerability.

'Time To Make Things Right': Zelensky Regrets Trump Spat After US Aid Pause

KYIV, Mar 4: Just days after a stunning public clash with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today underscored that he wants to "make things right" with Trump and wanted to work under his "strong leadership" to secure a lasting peace in Ukraine.

"Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive," Zelensky posted on X in his first public comments since Trump halted US military aid to Ukraine.

Russia said the suspension of US-Ukraine aid was the "best contribution" to peace, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that it was a "solution which could really push the Kyiv regime to a peace process".

Any disruption in the flow of US arms to the front line would rapidly weaken Ukraine's chance of beating back Russia's invasion.

"None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to get a peace that lasts," said Zelensky.

US and Russian officials have held talks on ending the war, enraging Kyiv and Europe for being sidelined, and prompting fears that any deal could threaten Ukraine's future.

"We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky - ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure - and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal." said Zelensky.

Zelensky again underlined the US' support in maintaining its independence.

"We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this," Zelensky added.

He also said that Kyiv was ready to sign a deal giving the US preferential access to Ukraine's natural resources and minerals at "any time and in any convenient format".

Trudeau Slaps 25% Tariffs On US, Calls Trump's Trade War 'Dumb Thing To Do'

TORONTO, Mar 4: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has vowed to fight back against the United States' sweeping tariffs on Canadian imports, calling it a "trade war" that will "first and foremost harm American families". Trudeau emphasised that Canadians are "reasonable" and "polite," but will not back down from a fight, especially when the country's well-being is at stake.

On Tuesday, speaking from Parliament Hill, Trudeau criticised US President Donald Trump's decision, saying that tariffs are a "very dumb thing to do." He also questioned the logic of working with Vladimir Putin, whom Trudeau called a "murderer and a dictator," while imposing tariffs on Canada, a close ally and partner.

"Today the United States has launched a trade war against Canada. Its closest partner and ally, its closest friend", Trudeau said.

In response to the US tariffs, Canada will implement 25% tariffs on $155 billion worth of American goods, starting with $30 billion worth of goods immediately, and the remaining $125 billion worth of goods in 21 days. Trudeau also announced plans to challenge US's "illegal actions" or tariffs at the World Trade Organisation, citing a violation of the free trade agreement between the two countries.

Trudeau addressed the American public, warning that the tariffs will lead to inflation and harm American jobs, particularly in workplaces that rely on materials or consumers from Canada. He urged Trump to reconsider, saying that the two countries should work together to ensure "prosperity for North Americans".

"They have chosen to sabotage their agenda," Trudeau adds. "There is absolutely no justification or need for these tariffs today."

The Canadian government has also announced measures to support Canadians affected by the trade war, including expanding support for those who lose their jobs and helping businesses stay afloat. Trudeau assured Canadians that the government will "relentlessly fight" to protect the economy.

He addressed the fentanyl issue and insisted that Trump's claim that Canada is unwilling to fight it is "totally false".

'Ready To Sign Minerals Deal': Zelensky After Clash With Trump

KYIV, Mar 2: A shouting match in the Oval Office, broadcast worldwide, with US President Donald Trump appears to have not deterred Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky, whose joint news conference and signing ceremony for a deal on rare minerals was cancelled with US officials telling Ukrainians to leave, today underscored that it is "crucial for us to have President Trump's support".

"We want peace. That's why I came to the United States, and visited President Trump. The deal on minerals is just a first step toward security guarantees and getting closer to peace. Our situation is tough, but we can't just stop fighting and not having guarantees that Putin will not return tomorrow," Zelensky posted on X.

UK and France to draft Ukraine peace deal for Trump’s approval: Starmer

LONDON, Mar 2: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that Britain and France will work with Ukraine on a peace deal, which will be presented to former US President Donald Trump. The initiative comes after a tense meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday.

Speaking on Sunday, Starmer described the plan as a significant step forward and emphasised the need for a "coalition of the willing" within Europe to support Kyiv. However, he stressed that any ceasefire agreement must be backed by the United States to prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin from launching another invasion.

"In other words, we’ve got to find those countries in Europe that are prepared to be a bit more forward-leaning," Starmer told BBC television.

"The UK and France are the most advanced on the thinking of this, and that is why President Macron and I are working on this plan, which we will then discuss with the US."

The announcement followed Starmer’s discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron and Trump on Saturday. This came after he hosted Zelenskyy in Downing Street, just a day after the Ukrainian leader’s contentious meeting with Trump in Washington.

Reiterating his position, Starmer stressed that any peace deal would require a U.S. security guarantee to be viable.

"I’ve always been clear that that is going to need a US backstop, because I don’t think it would be a guarantee without it," he said.

The UK is set to host Western leaders in London as part of ongoing efforts to advance a potential settlement for Ukraine.

Israel Stops Entry Of All Aid And Supplies Into Gaza As Ceasefire Ends

TEL AVIV, Mar 2: Israel said Sunday it is stopping the entry of all goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip.

The prime minister's office did not elaborate on the decision but warned of “additional consequences” if Hamas does not accept what Israel says is a U.S. proposal for an extension of the ceasefire.

The first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, which included a surge in humanitarian assistance, expired on Saturday. The two sides have yet to negotiate the second phase, in which Hamas was to release dozens of remaining hostages in return for an Israeli pullout and a lasting ceasefire.

Israel said earlier on Sunday that it supports a proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire through Ramadan and Passover, or April 20. It said the proposal came from the Trump administration's Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff.

Under that proposal, Hamas would release half the hostages on the first day and the rest when an agreement is reached on a permanent ceasefire, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.

There was no immediate comment from the United States, Egypt or Qatar, who have been mediating between Israel and Hamas for over a year. Hamas has not yet responded to the proposal.

'No fuel to Americans': Norwegian firm after Trump's clash with Zelensky

OSLO, Mar 2: One of the largest Norwegian oil and shipping companies has announced that they will cut off all supply refuelling US Navy vessels in solidarity with Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky after a clash with US President Donald Trump.

The company, Haltbakk Bunkers, issued an official statement on Facebook, which has since been deleted due to heavy traffic.

The statement read, "We have today been witnesses to the biggest shitshow ever presented "live on tv" by the current American president and his vice president. Huge credit to the president of Ukraine restraining himself and for keeping calm even though USA put on a backstabbing tv show. It made us sick. Short and sweet. As a result, we have decided to immediate STOP as fuel provider to American forces in Norway and their ships calling Norwegian ports."

They company also stated, "We encourage all Norwegians and Europeans to follow our example."

The company's decision was a response to a live broadcast meeting between US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Zelensky, where the latter was criticised for not showing gratitude leading to an argument between the world leaders.

The move could have a major negative impact on the US military, particularly if other companies from Europe follow suit, as they depend on commercial suppliers for their fuel needs.

In an interview with a Norwegian outlet, Kystens Næringsliv, the CEO of Haltbakk Bunkers, Gunnar Gran, stood behind the company's decision and reiterated that “not a single litre will be delivered until Trump is finished.”

The company has also stopped supplying fuel to Russia after the war with Ukraine began three years ago. "This meant that many of our competitors received significant additional income. We lost a lot of revenue. But we have a moral compass. Now, the US is excluded due to their behaviour towards the Ukrainians," Gran said.

Israeli military probe confirms October 7 attack was a complete failure

TEL AVIV, Mar 1: A new internal probe by the Israeli military has confirmed what many had suspected—Israel’s defense forces were completely unprepared for Hamas’s unprecedented assault on October 7, nearly two years ago. The attack, which saw Palestinian militants infiltrate Israel, killing over 1,200 people, including civilians, and taking hostages, has been described as the most brutal assault on Jews since the Holocaust.

The report highlights a catastrophic failure in Israel’s defense strategy. Hamas launched its attack in three waves, overwhelming Israeli forces. The first wave saw over 1,000 elite fighters breach Israeli territory under heavy fire. This was followed by 2,000 more militants in the second wave, and finally, hundreds more arrived, accompanied by thousands of civilians. In total, around 5,000 Hamas fighters infiltrated Israel, catching the country’s military off guard.

The findings confirm that Israel’s security forces were completely overwhelmed and unable to prevent the massacre. The Gaza Division, tasked with defending the border, was overrun in the early hours of the assault. Intelligence failures and an underestimation of Hamas’s capabilities contributed to the devastating outcome. The military had perceived Hamas as a reactive threat, assuming that any large-scale offensive would come with prior warning—an assumption that proved disastrous.

The investigation, which consists of 77 separate probes, is currently being presented to those affected by the attack. The findings may lead to further demands for accountability, including a broader inquiry into the political and military decisions that left Israel so vulnerable. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to take direct responsibility for the failure, the report raises serious questions about Israel’s preparedness and decision-making at the highest levels.

With these revelations, Israel faces not only the ongoing war with Hamas but also an internal reckoning over how its military and intelligence apparatus failed so catastrophically on that fateful day.

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