US and Israeli Launch Attack on Iran

TEHRAN, Feb 28: The US and Israel have attacked Iran, hitting targets across the country.

The office of Iran's supreme leader in the capital Tehran is among the targets, as well as military sites across the country.

Iran has launched retaliatory strikes at Israel and US bases across the region.

Several videos from Tehran show large plumes of smoke rising above the capital.

Satellite imagery taken over the city on Saturday morning, which shows significant damage to part of the compound of Leadership House, the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The high resolution image, captured by Airbus, shows blackened buildings, debris and a column of smoke rising from the site.

The location matches verified footage filmed in Tehran in the aftermath of explosions in the area.

There are also images showing that the Narmak neighbourhood, where former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lives, has been hit.

Another strike hit the area around the ministry of intelligence.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its strikes in Tehran targeted locations where senior political and security figures were gathered.

There are also reports of strikes elsewhere in the country.

At least 85 people were killed at a girls' school in Minab in the south of the country, Iranian state media report.

The Islamic Republic News Agency (Irna) cited a spokesman for the country's ministry of education saying that the school was "targeted by three missile attacks".

Military sites have been targeted in Kermanshah, Qom, Isfahan, Tabriz and Karaj, as well as at Iranian naval facilities in Kenarak in the south of the country.

The IDF has warned Iranian civilians to evacuate areas near military sites and installations ahead of the strikes.

Iran has launched retaliatory strikes on Israel and US bases in the region. Explosions have been heard in Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait.

Bahrain's National Communication Centre said the service centre of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet has been "subjected to a missile attack". It is responsible for operations across the Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean.

Netanyahu says signs show ‘Khamenei is dead’, asks Iranians to ‘flood streets’

TEL AVIV, Feb 28: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters that there are signs that Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei is “no longer alive” and urged Iranians to “flood the streets and finish the job”.

Meanwhile, Iranian media has reported that that 201 people were killed and 747 injured in US-Israeli attacks.

The incident occurred as Iran launched retaliatory strikes across the oil-rich Gulf following US and Israeli attacks, shaking a region long viewed as a haven of stability.

One witness said he saw thick black smoke billowing from a hotel on the Palm and heard ambulances heading to the area.

Dubai’s media office later confirmed an “incident” in a building in the Palm Jumeirah area that led to a fire and left four people injured.

Iran launched strikes on all the oil-rich Gulf countries except Oman, which is acting as a mediator in the US-Iran talks.

In a major setback for Tehran’s leadership, Iran’s Defence Minister Amir Nasirzadeh and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Mohammed Pakpour are believed to have been killed in an Israeli strike, according to sources familiar with Israel’s military operations and a regional source, according to reports.

'Exercise Utmost Caution': India's Advisory For Its Nationals In Israel

TEL AVIV: The Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv on Saturday urged Indian nationals in Israel to exercise "utmost caution" and remain vigilant as tensions escalated following Israeli strikes on Iran.

In an urgent advisory, the mission asked Indians to strictly follow safety guidelines issued by Israeli authorities and the Home Front Command. Citizens were directed to regularly check updated instructions on the official Home Front Command website, stay close to designated shelters.

Israel, India sign 16 MOUs on agriculture, tech

TEL AVIV, Feb 26: Sixteen bilateral memorandums of understanding are signed between Israel and India, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s office announces, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hold a press conference at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem.

Within this framework, Sa’ar and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar signed “cooperation agreements in the areas of agricultural innovation and technologies, the use of civilian drones, satellite data, irrigation and fertilization management, pest control, greenhouse cultivation, and the transfer of knowledge in advanced agricultural technologies,” reads a statement from Sa’ar’s office.

The ministers also signed a memorandum of understanding for the establishment of a research and innovation center in the field of agriculture in India, the statement adds, saying that under the initiative, “training programs for instructors, expert exchanges, and academic collaborations will also take place.”

India stands with Israel in its battle against terror: Modi

TEL AVIV, Feb 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has re-affirmed that India stands with Israel in its battle against terror.

Addressing the Israeli parliament Knesset, Modi drew a parallel between the Hamas attack of October 2023 in which around 1,200 people were killed and the 26/11 attack in Mumbai, in which around 175 people died.

"We feel your pain. We share your grief. India stands with Israel firmly, with full conviction in this moment and beyond," he said.

Modi said "India's connection to this land (Israel) is also written in blood and sacrifice. During the First World War, more than 4,000 Indian soldiers laid down their lives in this region. The cavalry charge at Haifa in September 1918 remains a significant chapter in military history."

Addressing Knesset ahead of Modi, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also delved into history to describe the deep ties and shared culture of India and Israel, drawing parallels between the ancient civilisation of the Indus Valley and the Jordan Valley.

"The alliance between us is an enormous multiplier of our individual powers, enormous multiplier. It's a multiplier of the spirit and the multiplier of deeds and capabilities," he said.

Recalling Modi's first visit to Israel in 2017, Netanyahu cited how they had walked barefoot on the shore Mediterranean sea.

"With all deference to our Christian friends -- they said we didn't wade in the water, we walked on water. That's not true. We didn't walk on water, but we did perform miracles since then," Netanyahu said.

"Because what we have done is - we have doubled our trade, tripled our cooperation, quadrupled our understandings in ways that I cannot begin to describe. and in some ways, probably shouldn't describe," Netanyahu added.

"During my visit to Israel as Prime Minister, our two countries elevated the relationship to a strategic partnership. Our engagement has expanded in scale and scope across many sectors for the last few years," Modi said.

The fast pace of India's growing economy and Israel's strength in innovation and technology, he said, makes for a perfect partnership.

"This creates a natural foundation for our forward-looking partnership. We are committed to expanding trade, strengthening investment flows and promoting joint infrastructure development," Modi said.

He also referred to the India-middle east-Europe economic corridor -- a project in the making that is expected to be a counter to China's Belt and Road Initiative and create fresh transit routes, energy pipelines and digital infrastructure for the member countries.

With his address, Modi enters the august list of the world leaders who addressed Knesset - several US presidents including Donald Trump, late Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, and Argentine President Javier Milei.

During the two-day visit, Modi and Netanyahu are expected to review progress in strategic partnership, explore possibilities in expanding cooperation in science and technology, innovation, defence and security, agriculture, water management and trade and cultural ties.

Trade between the two countries -- to the tune of S$200 million in 1992, when diplomatic relations were established between New Delhi and Tel Aviv -- has increased to US$10.77 billion in 2022-23.

This time, the buzz is that deals to the tune of $9 billion are going to be signed between the India and Israel on defence and security.

Modi conferred with ‘Speaker of the Knesset Medal’ by Israeli Parliament

TEL AVIV, Feb 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with “Speaker of the Knesset Medal” by the Israeli Parliament on Wednesday.

The medal was awarded in recognition of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s exceptional contribution to strengthening strategic ties between India and Israel.

Modi is among the few global leaders to have received top civilian honours from both Israel and Palestine.

In 2018, he was conferred the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine, the highest Palestinian award granted to foreign dignitaries.

Third round of diplomatic negotiations between US and Iran to convene in Geneva On Thursday

GENEVA, Feb 25: A third round of diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Iran is set to convene in Geneva tomorrow.

Iranian officials are signalling a sense of cautious optimism regarding the potential for progress. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that an unprecedented deal is within reach if diplomacy is prioritised.

The Iranian government is facing intense international scrutiny after a violent crackdown on nationwide protests in January 2026.

Human rights groups report that at least 7,000 people were killed and tens of thousands were detained during the unrest, which was sparked by economic hardship and demands for political change.

The U.S. has built up its largest military presence in the Middle East since 2003 to pressure Tehran. This armada includes two aircraft carrier strike groups, the USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Gerald R. Ford.

The primary dispute remains Iran’s uranium enrichment, which the U.S. insists must not reach weapons-grade levels.

While both sides express a desire for a peaceful resolution, President Trump has warned that military options remain on the table if diplomacy fails to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Zelenskyy says Ukraine unbroken after 4 years, but Russia vows to fight on

KYIV, Feb 24: Vladimir Putin has not broken Ukraine, its leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday, as the Kremlin marked the start of the fifth year of its invasion by vowing to keep fighting Europe's bloodiest conflict since World War II until it achieves its goals.

Moscow had hoped to take Kyiv in days when it launched its invasion on February 24, 2022.

Four years later — with hundreds of thousands dead, millions forced to flee, much of eastern Ukraine destroyed, and U.S.-led peace talks still deadlocked over territory — it conceded that it has not achieved all it wants in the country.

"The goals haven't been fully achieved yet, which is why the military operation continues," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in response to an AFP question.

Ukraine, meanwhile, was ready to do "everything" it could to secure peace, Zelenskyy said in a video address that featured images of Ukrainians carrying out acts of resistance against Russian soldiers in the opening days of the conflict.

But any settlement must not "betray" the price paid by Ukrainians throughout the conflict, he said.

"Putin has not achieved his goals. He did not break the Ukrainians. He did not win this war. We have preserved Ukraine, and we will do everything to achieve peace — and to ensure there is justice," Zelenskyy said.

"We want peace. Strong, dignified, and lasting peace," he said, but any deal must be "accepted by Ukrainians".

"Everything Ukraine has gone through. It must not be surrendered, forgotten, or betrayed," he added.

Several European leaders, including Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, visited Kyiv on Tuesday to mark the anniversary.

In an address to the EU Parliament and speaking alongside visiting EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, Zelenskyy urged Brussels to accelerate Kyiv's admission to the bloc, or face "decades" of Russian attempts to disrupt the process.

Speaking in Moscow to agents of his FSB security service, Putin said Ukraine has "not managed to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield" and was upping its behind-the-lines sabotage attacks.

Mexico deploys 10,000 troops to end violence over drug lord El Mencho’s death

MEXICO CITY, Feb 24: Mexico has deployed 10,000 troops to quell clashes sparked by the killing of the country’s most-wanted drug lord that claimed dozens of lives, officials said Monday.

Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was wounded Sunday in a shootout with soldiers in the town of Tapalpa, in Jalisco State, and died while being flown to Mexico City, the army said.

News of his death triggered spasms of violence, with cartel members blocking roads in 20 States and torching vehicles and businesses.

During the raid on Oseguera and subsequent clashes, at least 27 members of security forces, 46 suspected criminals and one civilian were killed, authorities reported.

A prison break in Jalisco saw at least 23 people escape when their jail was attacked in a hail of gunfire by “criminal groups,” according to the state security secretary.

Oseguera had a $15 million U.S. bounty on his head.

Fearful residents went into hiding and tourists took shelter in their hotels as cartel members went on the rampage over the weekend. Even as calm largely returned, many businesses remained closed Monday.

The government sent an additional 2,500 troops to Jalisco — one of the host cities in this year’s FIFA World Cup — bringing to 10,000 the troop deployment since Sunday.

In Aguillila, the birthplace of “El Mencho” in Michoacan state, residents reported blockades early Monday.

Mexico's most wanted drug lord 'El Mencho' killed in military operation

MEXICO CITY, Feb 23: Mexico's most wanted man and the leader of the feared Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) drug cartel has been killed during a security operation to arrest him, the defence ministry has said.

Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho", died on Sunday as he was being taken to the capital Mexico City, after being seriously injured in clashes between his supporters and the army.

Four CJNG members were killed in the town of Tapalpa, the central-western Jalisco state. Three army personnel were also injured. The US had given Mexico information that assisted the operation.

CJNG retaliated by setting cars alight, building roadblocks and attacking security forces in eight states.

The US State Department issued a shelter-in-place warning for US citizens in the states of Jalisco, Tamaulipas, as well as some areas in Michoacan, Guerrero and Nuevo Leon.

Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo later urged people to remain "calm".

She wrote on X that "in most parts of the country, activities are proceeding normally".

El Mencho, a 59-year-old former police officer, ran a vast criminal organisation responsible for trafficking huge quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl into the US.

The US State Department had offered a $15m (£11.1m) reward for information leading to El Mencho's capture.

The Mexican defence ministry said in a statement that the operation was "planned and executed" by the country's special forces.

Indian Embassy in Tehran reiterates its citizens to leave Iran

TEHRAN, Feb 23: In an advisory issued on Monday, the Indian Embassy in Tehran asked Indian nationals (students, pilgrims, business persons and tourists) currently in Iran to leave the country by available means of transport, including commercial flights.

“All Indian nationals in Iran are requested to also have their travel and immigration documents, including passports and IDs, readily available with them. They are requested to contact the Indian Embassy for any assistance in this regard,” it added.

This follows earlier advisories issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), as well as India’s Embassy in Tehran, in January 2026. On January 5, 2026, the MEA had advised Indian nationals to avoid non-essential travel to Iran, as protests roiled the country.

Fresh anti-Government protests have erupted in Iran as students held protests which led to clashes at several ​Iranian universities. Iran is also facing a U.S. military buildup as it seeks to reach a nuclear ‌deal with Washington. Iran has said that it would strike back at U.S. interests in West Asia in the event of an attack.

Meanwhile, Iranian officials are holding out hope for progress towards a deal to forestall fresh conflict when talks with U.S. negotiators resume on Thursday.

The latest advisory also reiterated that “all Indian citizens and PIOs should exercise due caution, avoid areas of protests or demonstrations, stay in contact with the Indian Embassy in Iran and monitor local media for any developments.”

Iran students stage first large anti-government protests since deadly crackdown

TEHRAN, Feb 22: Students at several universities in Iran have staged anti-government protests - the first such rallies on this scale since last month's deadly crackdown by the authorities.

There has been footage of demonstrators marching on the campus of the Sharif University of Technology in the capital Tehran on Saturday. Scuffles were later seen breaking out between them and government supporters.

A sit-in was held at another Tehran university, and a rally reported in the north-east. Students were honouring thousands of those killed in mass protests in January.

The US has been building up its military presence near Iran, and President Donald Trump has said he is considering a limited military strike.

The US and its European allies suspect that Iran is moving towards the development of a nuclear weapon, something Iran has always denied.

US and Iranian officials met in Switzerland on Tuesday and said progress had been made in talks aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear programme.

But despite the reported progress, Trump said afterwards that the world would find out "over the next, probably, 10 days" whether a deal would be reached with Iran or the US would take military action.

US envoy suggests it would be ‘fine’ if Israel expands across Middle East

TEL AVIV, Feb 21: Mike Huckabee, the United States ambassador to Israel, has suggested that he would not object if Israel were to take most of the Middle East, stressing what he described as the Jewish people’s right to the land.

In an interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson that aired on Friday, Huckabee was pressed about the geographical borders of Israel, which he argues are rooted in the Bible.

Carlson told Huckabee that the biblical verse had promised the land to the descendants of Abraham, including the area between the Euphrates River in Iraq and the Nile River in Egypt.

Such a swath would encompass modern-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and parts of Saudi Arabia.

“It would be fine if they took it all,” said Huckabee, who was appointed by President Donald Trump last year.

Carlson, who appeared taken aback by the statement, asked Huckabee if indeed he would approve of Israel expanding over the entire region.

“They don’t want to take it over. They’re not asking to take it over,” the ambassador replied.

The US envoy, an avowed Christian Zionist and staunch defender of Israel, later appeared to walk back his assertion, saying that it “was somewhat of a hyperbolic statement”.

Still, he left the door open for Israeli expansionism based on his religious interpretation.

“If they end up getting attacked by all these places, and they win that war, and they take that land, OK, that’s a whole other discussion,” Huckabee said.

Iran says draft nuclear plan to be ready in 'next two, three days'

TEHRAN, Feb 20: Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would be ready to submit its plan for a nuclear agreement to the United States in the coming days, after President Donald Trump threatened military action.

"The next step for me is to present draft of possible deal to my counterparts in the US. I believe that in the next two, three days, that would be ready, and after final confirmation by my superiors, that would be handed over to Steve Witkoff," Araghchi reportedly said.

Andrew arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office as King says 'law must take its course'

LONDON, Feb 19: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested and is in custody on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The King's brother was arrested at 08:00 this morning at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

King Charles says he "learned with the deepest concern" of Andrew's arrest, adding "the law must take its course" - Prince William and Catherine are understood to support the statement.

The King was not informed in advance of the arrest, according to reports.

Police are searching addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk, including the Royal Lodge in Windsor where the former prince lived until recently

It comes after Thames Valley Police said they were assessing a complaint over the alleged sharing of confidential material by the former prince with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein

Andrew, who turns 66 today, has previously denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.

Trump announces nine Board of Peace members agree to pledge $7 billion for Gaza relief package

WASHINGTON, Feb 19: President Donald Trump announced on Thursday at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting that nine members of the body have agreed to pledge $7 billion toward a Gaza relief package.

Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, UAE, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Kuwait are the countries that are making pledges, Trump added.

“But every dollar spent is an investment in stability and the hope of new and harmonious (region),” said Trump, thanking the donors.

The amount, while significant, represents a fraction of the estimated $70 billion needed to rebuild the Palestinian territory decimated after two years of war.

Trump also announced the U.S. was pledging $10 billion for the Board of Peace but didn't specify what the money will be used for.

“The Board of Peace is showing how a better future can be built, starting right here in this room,” Trump said.

Fire breaks out near key military and strategic sites in Tehran

TEHRAN, Feb 18: A fire has reportedly broken out in Paranad, near Iran's capital Tehran. The spot where the fire has broken out is said to be to several military and strategic sites in the country's Tehran province.

"The black smoke seen near the city of Parand is the result of a fire in the reeds around the Parand river bank... fire fighters are on site and the fire extinguishing operation is underway", state media cited the Parand fire department as saying.

Russia-Ukraine peace talks end without breakthrough

GENEVA, Feb 18: Talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US aimed at ending Moscow's war in Ukraine have concluded without a breakthrough.

The trilateral meetings, held in Geneva, went on late on Tuesday but only lasted two hours on Wednesday.

Although US envoy Steve Witkoff had expressed optimism over the talks, both the chief Russian negotiator and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky indicated they had been "difficult".

After the main talks concluded, Kremlin negotiator Vladimir Medinsky returned to the venue and held a closed-door meeting with the Ukrainian side for about an hour and a half. No details from that meeting have emerged.

Some progress was made on "military issues", including the location of the front line and ceasefire monitoring, according to a Ukrainian diplomatic source.

But an agreement on the issue of territory - without which no ceasefire can be envisaged - remains elusive, with Moscow and Kyiv's positions still far apart.

Russia has not budged in its demand for full control of the eastern Donbas region - made up of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions - which is a non-starter for Ukraine.

While conceding talks were challenging, Kremlin negotiator Vladimir Medinsky added that they had been "businesslike" and said another meeting would take place "soon".

Zelensky also described the negotiations as "not easy" due to the difference in the two sides' positions.

Rustem Umerov cut a less downbeat tone, saying the discussions had been "substantive and intensive" and that while there had been progress, no details could be disclosed "at this stage".

"This is complex work that requires alignment among all parties and sufficient time," Umerov said.

Shortly before the end of the talks was announced, Zelensky accused Russia of "trying to drag out negotiations that could already have reached the final stage".

The Russian and Ukrainian delegations last met in US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi earlier in February, which led to the first prisoner exchange in several months. On Wednesday, Zelensky indicated that another swap might be forthcoming.

US President Donald Trump, who spearheaded diplomatic efforts to end the war, has been signalling impatience with the deadlock between the two sides.

On Monday, he said Ukraine had "better come to the table, fast" - a sentiment Zelensky has since rejected, saying it was "not fair" that his country should be the one asked to compromise.

Agreement on guiding principles reached with U.S.: Araghchi

GENEVA, Feb 17: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday that a general agreement on guiding principles for future talks has been reached in the second round of discussions with the U.S. in Geneva.

The talks were “serious and more constructive” than the previous round, Araghchi told reporters in Geneva, adding that various proposals were presented and examined, reported the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.

In the first round, Araghchi had met Steve Witkoff, U.S. special envoy, and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, in Muscat on February 6 amid high tensions in West Asia, where the U.S. has deployed fighter jets, warships and an aircraft carrier. Tuesday’s talks were mediated by Oman in the Swiss city.

“Finally, we were able to reach an agreement on a set of guiding principles based on which we will move forward and discuss the text of a potential deal,” said Araghchi. He, however, added that reaching a final agreement may not be immediate, noting that technical work on the text would be complex.

“The parties agreed to work on the texts of a potential agreement and exchange them before agreeing on the date of the next round of talks,” he added.

The Iranian delegation comprised Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Deputy for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, Deputy for Economic Diplomacy, Hamid Ghanbari, and Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei.

Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, who mediated the talks, also said talks concluded with “good progress”. “Today’s indirect negotiations between Iran and the U.S. in Geneva concluded with good progress towards identifying common goals and relevant technical issues. The spirit of our meetings was constructive,” Albusaidi wrote in a social media post.

“Together, we made serious efforts to define a number of guiding principles for a final deal. The contribution of the IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi was much appreciated. Much work is yet to be done, and the parties are left with clear next steps before the next meeting,” he added.

Araghchi had met IAEA chief Rafael Grossi for “in-depth technical talks” on Monday. On Tuesday morning, U.S. officials also held talks with Grossi.

While talks were held in Geneva, the naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) held live-fire drills in the Persian Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz. On Tuesday, in a series of social media posts, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei criticised Trump’s Iran policy and reiterated Iran’s “right” for nuclear enrichment.

“The Americans constantly say that they’ve sent a warship toward Iran. Of course, a warship is a dangerous piece of military hardware. However, more dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea,” he said.

“Peaceful nuclear industry is not for war; it is for running the country—for agriculture, for treatment and healthcare, and for everything that depends on energy. This is among the nation’s rights. What does it have to do with you Americans?” he added, reiterating the Iranian position that as a signatory of the NPT, Tehran possesses the right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes.

Indo-French partnership 'very special', a force for global stability: PM

MUMBAI, Feb 17: At a time of global uncertainty, the Indo-French partnership is a force for stability, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Mumbai on Tuesday, adding that the bilateral relationship was “very special”. In fact, the relationship has been officially elevated to the status of a ‘Special Global Strategic Partnership’.

The bilateral talks between Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron resulted in a wide-ranging agreement covering health, critical minerals, defence, science and technology, renewable energy, and skilling. Key outcomes included the amendment of the protocol on Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement, the establishment of an annual Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue to review the Horizon 2047 Roadmap, and an agreement on the reciprocal deployment of armed forces.

With Macron at his side during a joint press conference at Lok Bhavan, the Prime Minister was expansive in his description of bilateral ties. “The India-France partnership knows no boundaries. It can reach from deep oceans to the tallest mountains,” he said.

Macron also highlighted the unique nature of the relationship, based on common principles such as a shared agreement on the rule of law and a world order without hegemony.

“We will find a new way which is against hegemony. We want to walk together. We want to give a model to the world about how to work together. All should respect each other, should respect diversity. The algorithms should be transparent,” he said.

He emphasised the strategic partnership between the two countries in multiple sectors including defence, science and technology, nuclear power, and high speed rail networks.

During his first visit to Mumbai and fourth trip to India, Macron started the day with a jog along Marine Drive, south Mumbai’s long coastal promenade, surprising residents. It sent a positive message about health for the youth, in a city which hosts marathons, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Macron paid tribute to the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks at Mumbai’s Taj Mahal Palace hotel, reiterating his country’s strong stance against terror. “In the face of terrorism, unity and determination,” he said.

Later, Modi hosted a dinner for the French President. This visit follows the Prime Minister’s visit to France last year, and marked the 20th meeting between the two leaders over the last few years.

Macron had a cinema-themed lunch with a few film personalities, including Anil Kapoor, Manoj Bajpayee, and Niraj Ghaywan. “Alongside the legends of Indian cinema. Culture brings us together,” he posted on X. He is expected to meet investors in Mumbai on Wednesday morning before heading to Delhi.

Modi and Macron launched the India-France Year of Innovation and the India-France Innovation Network, with a cultural programme at the iconic Gateway of India to commemorate the launch. In a first for the private sector, Modi and Macron virtually inaugurated the H125 Helicopter Final Assembly Line at Vemagal, Karnataka, in the presence of the Defence Ministers from both the countries.

The Prime Minister also announced the launch of three new centres: the Indo-French Centre for AI in Health, Indo-French Centre for Digital Science and Technology, and the National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Aeronautics. “These are not just institutions, but future-building platforms,” he said.

Tarique Rahman sworn in as new Prime Minister of Bangladesh

DHAKA, Feb 17: Five days after the parliamentary elections in Bangladesh, Tarique Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Bangladesh on Tuesday.

The swearing-in of the new Prime Minister and his ministerial colleagues came hours after Chief Election Commissioner A.M.M Nasir Uddin administered the oath of parliament to the newly elected members of BNP in the parliament of Bangladesh – Jatiyo Sansad.

As the new Prime Minister Rahman will lead a team of twenty-five cabinet ministers and twenty-four ministers of state, who were all administered oath by President of Bangladesh Mohammed Shahabuddin.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chaudhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku – prominent members of the National Standing Committee of the BNP, and Nitai Roy Choudhury, Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossein, Abdul Awal Mintu, Rashiduzzaman Millat, Shama Obaid from the BNP executive committee were sworn in as cabinet ministers.

While most of the ministers sworn in were elected MPs in the February 12 election, the ministry will also include Mohammed Amir Ur Rashid under the ‘technocrats’ category.

BNP’s ally Gonosanghati Andolan’s Jonaid Saki, a popular face among the gen-z protesters for his radical comments, will be a state minister as well.

In a continuity from the Interim Government the current National Security Adviser Dr. Khalilur Rahman has been included among the cabinet ministers as a ‘technocrat’ as well. BNP sources have confirmed that Dr. Rahman who’s been the face of Bangladesh’s diplomacy regarding the Rohingya issue will be the next foreign minister of Bangladesh.

Around 1,200 foreign and domestic guests attended the swearing-in ceremony that took place in the South Plaza of the parliament. President of the Maldives Mohamed Muizzu, Pakistan’s Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri were among the foreign dignitaries who attended the swearing-in ceremony.

The process of transfer of power from the interim government led by Chief Adviser Prof. Mohammed Yunus started earlier this morning with when Chairman of BNP Tarique Rahman led the BNP-alliance members to the parliament, where they were administered the oath of membership of the parliament by Chief Election Commissioner A.M.M. Nasir Uddin in the Oath Taking Hall of the parliament.

Before the procedure, standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed took the microphone and said that the BNP members who were present on the occasion in the parliament will not take oath for being part of the “Constitution Reform Commission”.

“None of us were elected as members of the Constitution Reform Commission and the oath for this commission has not yet become part of the constitutional process,” said Ahmed asserting that he is conveying the decision of the party regarding the Constitution Reform Commission in the presence of Chairman Tarique Rahman.

The oath taking ceremony was paused after the BNP members were sworn in with the members of the opposition bloc not showing up with reports that the elected members of the Jamaat-e-Islami –led 11-party alliance were thinking of boycotting the swearing-in ceremony. They, however, arrived in the parliament accompanied by the newly elected independent MPs where they were administered two separate oaths for the parliament as well as the Constitution Reform Commission.

The twin-oath procedure was conceived to integrate the results of the parliamentary election as well as referendum for extensive constitutional amendment by including the July Charter into the constitution.

The July Charter, a document that was adopted by the interim government in consultation with political parties on October 17, 2025, is based on recommendations that were received to change governance in Bangladesh after the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina-led government on August 5, 2024.

The BNP has said that though they had signed the July Charter on October 17, 2025, the final text of the July Charter has gone far beyond what they had agreed to.

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.