Tens of thousands of high school students took to the streets of cities all over the country to protest against the reintroduction of military service. Many people believe that conscription is inevitable.
Across Germany students took to the streets on Thurday against the reintroduction of compulsory military serviceImage: Henricus Lüschen/IMAGO
Young people gathered in Berlin’s central Potsdamer Square on Thursday and marched through the German capital to protest against the government’s plans to reintroduce military service. While the police counted around 3,000 participants, organizers claimed there were 6,000 demonstrators in Berlin and 50,000 in more than 130 towns and cities across Germany.
“I don’t think I’ll be dying for my friends, relatives or acquaintances, in the worst-case scenario,” 17-year-old Shmuel Schatz, spokesperson for the School Strike Committee, told DW’s Gasia Ohanes. “Rather, in the end, only for those who are put into the trenches for the interests of large corporations like Rheinmetall, ThyssenKrupp, and others, so they can line their pockets at the expense of war.”
The German government introduced a new military service law in December 2025. The law means all 18-year-olds will receive questionnaires this year, asking them about their motivation and suitability for the military and informing them about volunteering for the Bundeswehr. Responding will be mandatory for men.
Germany wants more soldiers
“People who go there voluntarily can fight for this, even if that does have its problems. But people should not be forced. Coercion is never a solution,” said 19-year-old Kiran Schürmann, another spokesperson for the protesters in Berlin.
If this drive to bring in more volunteers does not meet the targets specified in the new military service, the government’s plan is to reintroduce full conscription. The government said last year that it had set out a “growth path” to reach a total of around 260,000 soldiers — from a current 180,000 — plus some 200,000 reservists.
In his military report presented on Tuesday, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces Henning Otte, of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), expressed “doubts about the prospects of success of the voluntary principle.”
The number of conscientious military objectors is rising
Many people believe that conscription is inevitable, and peace organizations have already seen a rise in inquiries about how to refuse military service on grounds of conscience. The German constitution, or Basic Law, enshrines people’s right not to join the military, and there are several offers for counseling for conscientious objection.
The number of conscientious objectors in Germany increased significantly in 2025. According to the Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society (BAFzA), a total of 3,867 applications were submitted to the agency last year, a 72% increase compared to the previous year.
More than 38,000 Syrians flee Lebanon for Syria, as mounting violence causes displacement across the Middle East and beyond.
A bulldozer and an excavator clear rubble as emergency personnel search for victims at the site of an Israeli air strike that targeted a residential compound in Baalbek, in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. [Nidal Solh/AFP]Israeli strikes have killed more than 100 people in Lebanon as Israel issued more leave-or-die threats to the suburbs of Beirut, and across vast areas of the country’s south.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health reported on Thursday that the death toll from the Israel-Hezbollah conflict has reached 102, with 638 wounded since Monday.
New strikes hit Hezbollah’s stronghold in Beirut’s southern suburbs early Thursday, with AFPTV footage showing smoke rising from the area.
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that an Israeli drone strike on an apartment in the Beddawi Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli killed senior Hamas official Wassim Atallah al-Ali and his wife.
On Thursday, Israel expanded its forced evacuation threats to residents across hundreds of square kilometres of southern Lebanon, citing imminent military action.
The escalating conflict has triggered a humanitarian crisis, displacing more than 83,000 people within Lebanon. According to Syrian authorities and the UN refugee agency, at least 38,000 people, primarily Syrians, have fled Lebanon for Syria.
Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee posted on X: “Urgent warning to residents of southern Lebanon: you must immediately continue evacuating to the north of the Litani river.” The warning specifically mentioned the cities of Tyre and Bint Jbeil.
Israel’s military announced on Tuesday it was establishing a buffer zone inside Lebanon to protect Israeli citizens. By Wednesday, it confirmed that three divisions comprising infantry, armoured and engineering units were operating inside Lebanese territory.
“Across the Middle East and beyond, a troubling displacement picture is emerging in the aftermath of the ongoing conflicts in the region,” UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch said Thursday.
On Thursday, the Israeli military extended forced evacuation orders to Beirut’s southern suburbs, instructing residents to “save your lives and evacuate your homes immediately,” indicating potential intensified bombardment amid the widening of the Iranian conflict.
While previous forced evacuation threats focused on southern Lebanon below the Litani River, this marks the first comprehensive evacuation threat for areas near the capital since hostilities resumed.
‘Deliberately short-term measure’ only authorises transactions involving oil already stranded at sea
PM Narendra Modi with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Photo credit: Reuters
Amid the escalating conflict with Iran, the US has said it is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil.
“President Trump’s energy agenda has resulted in oil and gas production reaching the highest levels ever recorded. To enable oil to keep flowing into the global market, the Treasury Department is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday.
He said this “deliberately short-term measure” would not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government, as it only authorises transactions involving oil already stranded at sea.
President Trump’s energy agenda has resulted in oil and gas production reaching the highest levels ever recorded.
To enable oil to keep flowing into the global market, the Treasury Department is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil.…
— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) March 6, 2026
“India is an essential partner of the United States, and we fully anticipate that New Delhi will ramp up purchases of US oil. This stop-gap measure will alleviate pressure caused by Iran’s attempt to take global energy hostage,” Bessent said in a post on X.
US President Donald Trump had imposed 25 per cent punitive tariffs on India for buying Russian oil, with the administration asserting that Delhi’s purchases were helping fuel Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Last month, the US and India announced they had reached a framework for an interim agreement on trade, and Trump issued an executive order removing the 25 per cent punitive tariffs on India, noting the commitment by New Delhi to stop importing energy from Moscow and increase purchasing American energy products.
A statement from the Department of Treasury titled ‘Authorizing the Delivery and Sale of Crude Oil and Petroleum Products of Russian Federation Origin Loaded on Vessels as of March 5, 2026 to India’ said that “all transactions prohibited … that are ordinarily incident and necessary to the sale, delivery, or offloading of crude oil or petroleum products of Russian Federation origin loaded on any vessel, including vessels blocked under the above listed authorities, on or before 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time, March 5, 2026 are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, April 4, 2026, provided that the delivery or offloading of such crude oil or petroleum products occurs at a port” in India and the purchaser of such crude oil or petroleum products is an entity organised under the laws of India.
Protesters and members of the news media gather outside Manhattan Federal Court, during the arraignment hearing of Ghislaine Maxwell for her role in the sexual exploitation and abuse of minor girls by Jeffrey Epstein, in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S. July 14, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Segar Purchase Licensing Rights
A U.S. judge granted preliminary approval on Tuesday to an agreement for Jeffrey Epstein’s estate to pay as much as $35 million to resolve a class action lawsuit that accused two of the disgraced financier’s advisers of aiding and abetting his sex trafficking of young women and teenage girls.
Boies Schiller Flexner, a law firm representing Epstein victims, announced the settlement on February 19. On Tuesday, Manhattan-based U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian said the agreement appeared fair. The judge scheduled a hearing for September 16 to consider granting final approval.
The deal would bring an end to a 2024 lawsuit filed against Epstein’s former personal lawyer Darren Indyke and former accountant Richard Kahn, who are co-executors of Epstein’s estate.
Epstein’s estate previously set up a restitution fund that paid out $121 million to victims. The estate also paid $49 million in additional settlements to victims.
Daniel Weiner, a lawyer for Indyke and Kahn, said neither man admitted wrongdoing or conceded misconduct as part of the settlement.
“Because they did nothing wrong, the co-executors were prepared to fight the claims against them through to trial, but agreed to mediate and settle this lawsuit in order to achieve finality as to any potential claims against the Epstein Estate,” Weiner said in a statement.
Sigrid McCawley, a lawyer who brought the case, said in a statement, “We are pleased we could take another step forward on that long road for the survivors and provide some sort of justice.”
Epstein died in a New York jail in August 2019. His death was ruled a suicide.
Millions of documents released this year by the Justice Department from its investigation into Epstein have shed light on his social ties to wealthy and powerful people around the world.
In the 2024 lawsuit, lawyers at Boies Schiller Flexner said Indyke and Kahn helped Epstein create a complex web of corporations and bank accounts that let him hide his abuses and pay victims and recruiters. Indyke and Kahn were “richly compensated” for their work, the lawsuit said.
The Boies law firm previously helped obtain $365 million of settlements with JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank after accusing them of missing red flags about Epstein, once a lucrative client.
The ongoing conflict between the US-Israel alliance and Iran has escalated, particularly after the sinking of the Iranian destroyer Iris Dena off Sri Lanka’s coast, resulting in the death of at least 80 sailors.
A file photo showing Iranian navy ships conducting operations in the Indian Ocean. (AP)
Oil slicks. Bodies floating. Over 80 sailors pulled from the Indian Ocean off Sri Lanka’s coast, many still missing. The Iris Dena — an Iranian destroyer with 180 men aboard — is now on the ocean floor. The US-Israel war on Iran, launched just days ago, has not stayed in the Gulf. It has arrived in India’s waters, India’s neighbourhood, India’s strategic backyard. And New Delhi, with nearly one crore citizens in the Gulf and energy lifelines running through the Strait of Hormuz, can no longer afford the luxury of studied silence.
Before we take this analysis ahead, let’s check on the latest from Iran vs Israel-US war:
US-Israeli war with Iran spreads on fifth day.
More than 1,000 people have been killed in Iran since the war began, according to US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.
NATO downs Iranian missile headed into Turkish airspace
US sinks Iranian warship off Sri Lanka coast in Indian Ocean, killing more than 80; many missing
Hegseth says “we are investigating” strike on girls’ school in Iran
Iran rejected Israeli media reports claiming that Mojtaba Khamenei is country’s new Supreme Leader
Coming back to the question we started with – the alleged “silence” from India.
The Trap We Didn’t See Coming
India signed LEMOA — the logistics agreement with Washington — for interoperability. Now the United States, with its Navy being pushed back by Iranian missiles, may want something far more uncomfortable: Indian waters as a fallback haven.
Strategic analyst Zorawar Daulet Singh has already flagged this issue. “There might be pressure on Delhi to activate the US-India maritime logistics agreement to allow US naval assets to fall back on Indian territorial waters,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter). His warning is unambiguous — the moment India allows that, it stops being a bystander. It becomes a party.
Iran won’t wait for a press briefing from South Block. As analyst AQaiyyum put it with brutal clarity in her X post: “Iran won’t ask for proof. Iran will just ask — whose side are you on? And India’s silence will be read as: America’s.”
Echoing similar sentiments on the sinking of Iris Dena, Congress leader Pawan Khera hit out at the Narendra Modi government. “Today, an Iranian naval vessel – returning from the Milan 2026 International Fleet Review, where it had been invited by India – was sunk by a U.S. submarine at the edge of Indian waters near Sri Lanka. Does India have no influence left in its own neighbourhood? Or has that space also been quietly ceded to Washington and Tel Aviv?” he posted on X.
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, writing in The Indian Express, called New Delhi’s silence “disturbing” and invoked Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the world as one family. “At a time when much of the Global South, along with major powers and India’s partners in BRICS such as Russia and China, have kept their distance, India’s high-profile political endorsement without moral clarity marks a visible and troubling departure,” she said, recalling former BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee advocated for India’s strong civilisational and modern-day ties with Iran.
“At moments when the rules-based order is under visible strain, silence is abdication,” she said.
She is right that silence is not a foreign policy. But India’s silence is not neutrality. That is drift. And drift, in a live conflict, is a choice — just not one India consciously made, possibly for now.
But Then There’s The Other Side Too
Those demanding India loudly condemn Washington must also do honest accounting.
Iran’s proxies have menaced Indian shipping for years. Houthi forces, armed from Tehran, targeted vessels in the very waters where Indian trade moves. The moral picture heading into this conflict was never clean. And India’s relationship with the United States — technology, defence, the Quad, semiconductors — is the architecture of India’s next fifty years. Torching it for optics is not principle. It is performance.
Critics are right that “silence” is not a foreign policy. But the answer to silence is not a megaphone pointed only at Washington.
What’s At Stake For India?
Let us be clear about what is on the line.
One crore Indians live and work across the Gulf. They are not a foreign policy footnote — they are families, remittances, livelihoods. Some have already lost their lives in merchant shipping attacks in the last few days. Others are missing. India’s energy imports, its trade corridors, its economic momentum — all of it runs through a geography now actively at war.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs has called for “dialogue and diplomacy.” It has expressed grief. It has urged restraint.
“In recent days, we have not only witnessed an intensification of the conflict but also its spread to other nations. The destruction and deaths have mounted, even as normal life and economic activities come to a halt. As a proximate neighbour with critical stakes in the security and stability of the region, these developments evoke great anxiety,” MEA said in its statement on March 3, 2026.
“There are almost one crore Indian citizens who live and work in the Gulf region. Their safety and well-being is of utmost priority. We cannot be impervious to any development that negatively affects them. Our trade and energy supply chains also traverse this geography. Any major disruption has serious consequences for the Indian economy. As a country whose nationals are prominent in the global workforce, India is also firmly opposed to attacks on merchant shipping. Already, some Indian nationals have lost their lives or are missing as a result of such attacks in the last few days,” the statement read.
What India Must Actually Do… And Maybe More…
India’s war calculation is not about picking a side. It is about leading the effort to end the war before the costs become irreversible.
New Delhi has the access, the credibility, and the motivation that no other power currently possesses. It has lines open to Tehran and Washington both. It sits at the table with BRICS partners Russia and China who have kept their distance from the conflict. It has moral authority in the Global South that neither the US nor Israel can claim right now. That is not a small hand to play. That is leverage — if India chooses to use it.
U.S. President Donald Trump sought to justify a broad, open-ended war on Iran in his most extensive public comments yet on an operation whose stated aims and timeline have shifted since it began over the weekend.
Trump said the U.S. and Israeli air attacks that began on Saturday had been projected to last four to five weeks but could go on longer.
The military campaign has killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sunk at least 10 Iranian warships and struck more than 1,000 targets. Iran has responded by firing missiles and drones at neighboring Arab states and strangling shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for energy trade.
“We’re already substantially ahead of our time projections. But whatever the time is, it’s okay. Whatever it takes,” Trump said at the White House on Monday, during his first public event since the conflict began.
He made no mention of regime change, saying the fight was needed to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, which Tehran denies seeking, and to thwart its long-range ballistic missile program.
“An Iranian regime armed with long-range missiles and nuclear weapons would be an intolerable threat to the Middle East, but also to the American people,” Trump said.
In a social media post overnight, Trump said there was a “virtually unlimited supply” of U.S. munitions and that “wars can be fought ‘forever,’ and very successfully, using just these supplies.”
The remarks followed days of sometimes conflicting statements from the president, who had discussed the attacks in two brief videos and one-on-one interviews with select journalists over the weekend but did not give a televised address to the nation, as is customary in moments of military action. He took no questions from reporters at Monday’s event.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back on suggestions the administration’s messaging on the operation had been muddled.
On X, Leavitt said Trump had outlined “clear objectives,” including preventing Iran’s proxies from launching attacks and stopping production of roadside bombs like those used against U.S. forces after the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
VARYING MESSAGES
But U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s comments to reporters in Congress indicating that Israel’s determination to attack Iran effectively forced Washington to join the operation have only fueled the debate.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press, as he departs from the White House ahead of his trip to Corpus Christi, Texas, in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 27, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein Purchase Licensing Rights
“The president made the very wise decision — we knew that there was going to be an Israeli action, we knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didn’t preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties,” Rubio said on Monday.
Days earlier, as Trump announced the strikes on Saturday, he urged Iranians to “take back your country,” implying regime change was a goal for Washington.
On Sunday, Trump told The Atlantic he was open to talks with whoever emerged to lead Iran and told the New York Times his January operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was a model for Iran’s future.
In the case of Venezuela, former Maduro ally Delcy Rodriguez emerged as the new leader and has cooperated with Washington. In Iran’s case, U.S. and Israeli strikes have eliminated many of those who could step in to take power, Trump said.
Trump’s timeline for the Iran operation has also shifted since it began. He first told the Daily Mail it could take “four weeks, or less,” then told The New York Times four to five weeks. In separate remarks on Sunday and Monday, he left open the possibility that the operation could continue longer until its objectives are achieved.
In his notification to Congress about the Iran strikes obtained by Reuters, Trump did not provide any timeline.
“Although the United States desires a quick and enduring peace, it is not possible at this time to know the full scope and duration of military operations that may be necessary,” Trump wrote.
Jon Alterman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, who has served as a State Department official focused on the Middle East, said Trump appeared to have deliberately left the war’s ultimate outcome undefined.
Mojtaba was born in 1969 in the city of Mashhad. He grew up at a time when his father was involved in leading opposition to the Shah.
Mojtaba Khamenei, who is also Khamenei’s eldest son, was chosen to take charge of the country by Iran’s Assembly of Experts. (AP/Reuters)
The son of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba Khamenei, has reportedly been elected as the new leader of the country by Iran’s Assembly of Experts. The appointment comes after days of speculation over who would step in after his father was killed in US-Israeli strikes on Saturday.
The 56-year-old, who is also Khamenei’s eldest son, was chosen to take charge of the country by Iran’s Assembly of Experts, Iranian International reported on Tuesday. The report, citing sources, also said that Mojtaba was elected under pressure from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
His selection, however, may raise questions, as the Islamic Republic has often criticised hereditary rule and presented itself as a fairer system. Khamenei himself reportedly did not include him in a list of possible successors he prepared last year. Within Iran’s Shia Muslim clerical establishment, succession from father to son is not viewed positively.
Who is Mojtaba Khamenei?
Mojtaba is not a high-ranking cleric. He has never held office and has no formal position in the regime. However, he is believed to hold considerable influence behind the scenes.
Notably, he also has close ties to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
He fought in the Iranian armed forces during the Iran-Iraq War. Mojtaba was among the Khamenei family members who survived, while the late supreme leader’s wife, daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law were killed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has swiftly engaged with eight Gulf leaders in 48 hours to ensure the safety of nearly 9 million Indians in West Asia amid rising regional tensions.
In the past two days, PM Modi has spoken to the leaders of the UAE, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar.
With tensions between Iran and Israel threatening to engulf the wider region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a flurry of diplomatic outreach, speaking to eight world leaders in just 48 hours to safeguard nearly 9 million Indians living in West Asia.
The rapid series of calls comes as attacks in parts of the Gulf have raised concerns over the safety of the Indian diaspora and the stability of a region critical to India’s strategic and economic interests.
EIGHT LEADERS IN 48 HOURS
In the past two days, PM Modi has spoken to the leaders of the UAE, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar.
Government sources said the conversations focused on the evolving security situation and the welfare of Indian nationals residing in these countries.
Modi condemned the attacks on Gulf nations and conveyed India’s commitment to regional peace and stability.
CALL WITH QATAR’S AMIR
Among the latest conversations was a phone call with the Amir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
During the discussion, PM Modi condemned the attacks on Qatar and thanked the Amir for the support and care extended to the Indian community in the country.
Qatar hosts a significant number of Indian expatriates, many of whom work in the infrastructure, energy and services sectors.
OUTREACH TO OMAN AND KUWAIT
On the same afternoon, PM Modi spoke to two key leaders from the Gulf.
He held a telephone conversation with the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tarik.
He also spoke to the Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.
In both calls, the Prime Minister expressed concern over the attacks in their respective countries and discussed the welfare and security of the Indian community residing there.
FOCUS ON INDIAN DIASPORA
The Centre has been closely monitoring the situation. The Cabinet Committee on Security has reviewed developments and directed that necessary assistance be extended to affected Indians.
The Ministry of External Affairs has issued advisories urging Indian citizens in the region to remain vigilant and follow local guidance.
Ali Bahreini, Iran’s ambassador in Geneva, insisted Tehran had no problem with its neighbours, but could not let US bases in the Gulf be used as launchpads for attacks on Iran.
The United States made a “totally stupid decision” to attack Iran while in negotiations
The United States made a “totally stupid decision” to attack Iran while in negotiations, and betrayed Gulf nations by trashing their diplomatic efforts, Tehran’s UN ambassador said Tuesday.
Ali Bahreini, Iran’s ambassador in Geneva, insisted Tehran had no problem with its neighbours, but could not let US bases in the Gulf be used as launchpads for attacks on Iran.
“War was not our option. War was imposed on Iran,” Bahreini told UN correspondents.
“Nobody should expect Iran to show restraint in front of aggression.
“We will continue our defence until the point that this aggression is stopped,” he said.
On February 26, Washington and Tehran held indirect negotiations in Geneva on Iran’s nuclear programme — with the Omani mediators reporting “significant progress”.
Bahreini was present for part of those talks and said “everybody was optimistic” and the US team “agreed to continue negotiations” in Vienna this week.
But Bahreini said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had convinced US President Donald Trump to destroy diplomacy and attack Iran, with strikes starting on Saturday.
“It was a totally stupid decision. They will know in the future how stupid this decision has been. Both of them will understand, because Iran will firmly determine the situation and the destiny of this war,” he said.
“All our neighbours are now disappointed with the betrayal of the United States because everybody was working for diplomacy, particularly Oman.
“The US betrayed everybody.”
– ‘Not a regional war’ –
Tehran has launched strikes against countries in the region that host US bases.
“I cannot accept labelling what we are doing as reprisal. What we are doing is a kind of self-defence,” said Bahreini.
The ambassador said Iran’s problem was not with its neighbours, describing the Gulf countries as friends.
“We are in daily dialogue with our neighbours to convey to them the message that this war is not a war against our neighbours.
“This is not a regional war.
“But we cannot ignore the fact that the US bases in their lands are operational against us.
“In no way we can allow those bases to be used to make military operations against Iran.”
Violent demonstrations erupted in several Pakistani cities over the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Authorities sent in the army and imposed a curfew in the majority Shiite region of Gilgit-Baltistan.
Protesters have targeted US consulates following the American-Israeli strikes on IranImage: Akhtar Soomro/REUTERS
Pakistan has deployed the military and imposed a three-day curfew in the northern cities of Gilgit and Skardu following deadly protests against the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a US-Israeli attack.
At least 25 people have been killed and dozens injured across the country.
Thousands of Shiite demonstrators attacked UN offices in Skardu, in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, on Sunday. Meanwhile, in the city of Gilgit, protesters burned a police station and damaged a school, officials said.
Police said at least 12 people were killed and 80 others wounded in the Gilgit-Baltistan region.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Monday that Skardu’s UN Military Observer Group Field Station, which monitors the ceasefire along the disputed region of Kashmir, was vandalized when protesters turned violent nearby.
“The safety and security of UN personnel and premises throughout the region remain our top priority, and we continue to closely monitor the situation,” Dujarric said.
Protests in Karachi and other cities
Demonstrations also erupted in the southern port city Karachi, where protesters stormed the US consulate on Sunday, smashing windows and attempting to set the building on fire. Ten people died and more than 50 were injured in clashes with police.
Meanwhile, one person was killed in clashes in the capital, Islamabad.
Thousands also protested in the northern cities of Parachinar, Dera Ismail Khan and Peshawar, but no clashes were reported.
Pakistan is home to the world’s second-largest Shiite community after Iran. While Shiites are a minority nationwide, in some northern areas, including Gilgit-Baltistan, they constitute a majority.
Heightened security around US missions
In the wake of the weekend protests, Pakistani authorities have boosted security around US diplomatic missions across the country. Roads leading to the consulate in Karachi were blocked off by police, and similar measures were also in place in Lahore and Islamabad.
The French president wants more nuclear warheads as Europe becomes increasingly wary of its US ally. It would be the first time since 1992 that the French arsenal is expanded.
Macron spoke in front of Le Temeraire nuclear submarine in Brittany’s Ile Longue military baseImage: Yoan Valat/AP Photo/dpa/picture alliance
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said France would be increasing the number of nuclear warheads in its arsenal.
The French leader was speaking from L’Ile Longue military base that houses the country’s nuclear submarines.
France is the only nuclear power within the EU. Macron has spoken before about France acting as a nuclear deterrent for the bloc amid an increasingly unreliable partnership with the US.
What did Macron say about France’s nuclear arsenal?
“An upgrade of our arsenal is essential,” Macron said from the Brittany base. “We are currently experiencing a period of geopolitical upheaval fraught with risk.”
“That’s why I ordered an increase in the number of nuclear warheads in our arsenal.”
“Whoever wants to be free must be feared. Whoever wants to be feared must be strong,” he added.
With around 290 nuclear warheads, France is the world’s fourth-largest nuclear power after the US, Russia and China.
However, Macron did not say by how many warheads the French arsenal would be expanded.
The change in France’s nuclear doctrine includes more cooperation with European allies, such as Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark, Macron said.
France currently has four nuclear-armed submarines, which can be hidden anywhere in the world’s seas, and have a range of around 10,000 kilometers. It also possesses Rafale fighter jets that can launch cruise missiles with nuclear warheads at a range of around 500 kilometers.
Why does France want to increase its number of nuclear warheads?
The announcement comes amid increasingly public concerns over how much European powers can rely on the US so-called nuclear umbrella — a policy aimed at protecting US allies, particularly in NATO, from nuclear threats.
France last added to its nuclear arsenal in 1992.
Tensions with the US reached a peak earlier this year when US President Donald Trump appeared unwilling to back down from pushing his aspirations to take control of Greenland from EU and NATO member Denmark.
Officials have ordered all schools and educational institutions in the Kashmir Valley to remain closed for two days, today and tomorrow, as a precautionary measure. University of Kashmir has also postponed its ongoing examinations in view of the situation. The development comes amid protests over the reported assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
Agitators hold a portrait of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a protest by Shia Muslims against the United States and Israel following reported attacks on Iran, in Pulwama district, Jammu and Kashmir, (Photo- PTI)
Restrictions have been imposed across parts of Srinagar as authorities move to prevent protests over the reported assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader.
The Lal Chowk area has been sealed, with security forces restricting access to the iconic Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower) to deter gatherings and demonstrations.
Officials have ordered all schools and educational institutions in the Kashmir Valley to remain closed for two days, today and tomorrow, as a precautionary measure.
University of Kashmir has also postponed its ongoing examinations in view of the situation.
Meanwhile, mobile internet speeds have been restricted across the Kashmir Valley in what officials describe as a preventive step to maintain calm, as viral videos from Iran and protest visuals were further intensifying the already tense atmosphere.
Security has been heightened in several sensitive areas, and movement is being closely monitored to maintain law and order.
The Chief Minister Omar Abdullah earlier emphasised that those mourning the killing must be allowed to grieve peacefully.
“We must ensure that people in Jammu and Kashmir who are mourning are allowed to do so peacefully. The police and civil administration should exercise utmost restraint and refrain from using force or unnecessary restrictive measures,” he added.
Anthropic’s AI was used during the Iran attacks(Reuters/AP)
US government used AI tools from Anthropic during the air attack launched on Iran just hours after declaring that it would stop using technology from the AI startup. As per a report by The Wall Street Journal, commands around the world, including U.S. Central Command in the Middle East, used Anthropic’s Claude AI during the Iran attack.
Reportedly, the command used Anthropic’s AI for intelligence assessments, target identification and simulating battle scenarios. Prior to the Iran attack, another WSJ report had revealed that Anthropic’s AI was also used by the Pentagon during the capture of Venezuela president Nicolás Maduro.
The report noted that the use of Claude in high-profile missions is among the reasons why the US administration had said that it would take six months to phase out the technology from the AI startup.
In a Truth Social post about ending the deal with Anthropic, US President Donald Trump had gone on to call the company ‘leftwing nut jobs’ and ‘woke’ while claiming that ‘their selfishness is putting AMERICAN LIVES at risk, our Troops in danger, and our National Security in JEOPARDY.’
Trump had directed all federal agencies in the US to ‘immediately cease’ using Anthropic technology.
“We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and will not do business with them again! There will be a six-month phase-out period for agencies like the Department of War who are using Anthropic’s products at various levels,” he wrote.
US and Anthropic feud over AI safety:
Pentagon and Anthropic had been arguing for months over how the company’s AI models are used in national defence. The AI startup said that it had allowed the US DoD to use Anthropic technology for purposes with two exceptions: mass domestic surveillance of Americans and fully autonomous weapons.
Anthropic has also challenged the US designation of the company as a ‘supply chain risk’ and said it will contest it in court.
Demonstrations against the U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign in Iran turned violent in Pakistan and Iraq on Sunday, while in other parts of the world Iranian exiles took to the streets to celebrate the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
At least 23 protesters were killed in clashes in Pakistan, including 10 in the port of Karachi where security guards at the U.S. consulate fired on demonstrators who breached the outer wall, 11 in the northern city of Skardu where the crowd torched a U.N. office, and two in Islamabad.
In Iraq, police fired tear gas and stun grenades to scatter hundreds of pro-Iranian protesters who had gathered outside the Green Zone diplomatic compound in the capital Baghdad, where the U.S. embassy is located.
But in Paris, a joyous crowd of thousands turned out to celebrate, waving flags of Iran’s pre-revolutionary monarchy, some carrying red roses and bottles of champagne.
Iran’s neighbours to the east and west, Pakistan and Iraq have the world’s largest Shi’ite Muslim populations after Iran, and were the scenes of some of the worst unrest from crowds angry at the U.S.-Israeli attacks.
Protesters in Karachi chanted “Death to America! Death to Israel!” at the consulate, where Reuters reporters heard gunfire and saw tear gas fired in surrounding streets.
Consulate security staff opened fire at a crowd who were pushed back after breaching the outer security layer, said Sukhdev Assardas Hemnani, a local government spokesman. The demonstrators also set a vehicle ablaze outside the main gate and clashed with police, he said.
“We are in constant touch with consulate officials. They are all safe,” Hemnani added.
The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad said in a post on X it was monitoring reports of demonstrations and advised U.S. citizens to observe good personal security practices. The consulate in Karachi and embassy in Islamabad did not respond to Reuters requests for further comment.
Thirty-four people were injured, police said. Karachi’s Civil Hospital said all those killed and injured were hit with gunshots. The provincial government of Sindh ordered an inquiry.
UN OFFICE SET ON FIRE
A police officer fires a teargas shell to disperse a protest outside the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Karachi, Pakistan, March 1, 2026. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro Purchase Licensing Rights
Skardu, where the U.N. building was set ablaze, is in Gilgit Baltistan in the north, Pakistan’s only province where Shi’ites are the plurality.
“A large number of protesters have gathered outside the U.N. office and burned down the building,” local government spokesperson Shabbir Mir told Reuters. The figure of 11 killed was provided by a government official and an intelligence official, both on condition of anonymity.
Protesters also took to the streets in other parts of Pakistan, carrying black flags and chanting “Down with America!” and anti-Israel slogans. In the central city of Lahore, police said hundreds gathered outside the U.S. consulate. There were some small-scale clashes with police, who fired tear gas.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi urged protesters to remain peaceful. “We stand with you,” he said, adding that every Pakistani was as grief-stricken as the people of Iran.
In the capital Islamabad, all roads leading to the Red Zone, which houses diplomatic missions were blocked to traffic, police said. Police fired tear gas and live bullets when thousands of protesters tried to march toward the diplomatic enclave, killing two and injuring nearly 10, two officials said on condition of anonymity.
Elsewhere, protests took place in countries where Iran has influence. In Kano, a part of Nigeria with a sizable Shi’ite Muslim minority, thousands marched peacefully, waving Iranian flags and pictures of Khamenei.
But in Western countries and other areas with large populations of Iranian exiles, many came out to celebrate.
A woman holds on to a picture of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the Vali-Asr Square, after he was killed in Israeli and U.S. strikes on Saturday, in Tehran, Iran, March 1, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
The assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has plunged the Islamic Republic into its most perilous crisis since the 1979 revolution – confronting it with war on its own territory, an unresolved succession, and mounting internal strain.
Despite the shock of Khamenei’s killing, five regional officials and analysts cautioned against assuming rapid collapse. Iran’s political order, they said, was deliberately constructed to avoid reliance on a single leader, dispersing authority across clerical institutions, the security apparatus and power networks.
“The Iranian system is bigger than one man – removing Khamenei could harden the regime rather than weaken it,” said Danny Citrinowicz of the Atlantic Council.
“Iran was built to survive the loss of a leader,” added Ali Hashem, a research affiliate at Royal Holloway, University of London. “The danger is not a vacuum. It’s whether war and pressure push the system past the point where that resilience holds.”
At the centre of that resilience is the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), long regarded as Iran’s true centre of gravity. The balance of power now hinges on whether the Guards emerge weakened by battlefield losses and internal frictions – or more entrenched, closing ranks around a harder, more security-driven approach to governance.
“The real question is whether Khamenei’s death takes the air out of the IRGC – the force that actually runs Iran – or whether they close ranks and harden,” said Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. “If rank-and-file officials decide there is no future here, I’m not sure even the Guards can keep the regime together.”
Regional officials say the Guards are unlikely to transform ideologically because their identity and mandate are rooted in protecting the revolution. But they are capable of tactical evolution if the system requires it.
“They may evolve into a less hardline force…there are pragmatic mid-level members open to reducing tensions with the United States if necessary for the system’s survival,” said one regional official. That conditional pragmatism makes the IRGC both the system’s shield and its key barometer.
REGIME CHANGE?
Jonathan Panikoff, a former U.S. deputy national intelligence officer for the Near East, said Washington and Israel appear to be pursuing a strategy aimed not only at degrading Iran’s military response capabilities, but at destabilising the regime itself by removing its senior leadership and testing the loyalty of the rank and file.
The success of that approach, he said, would ultimately depend on whether security forces stand aside or defect if public unrest resurfaces.
In the immediate aftermath, officials say Tehran’s overriding priority is to project continuity. Operationally, Iran’s command structure continues to function, though under heavy pressure. Missile forces, air defences and top commanders have been hit, but the system has so far absorbed the blows.
Iran now faces three intersecting tests, officials say: whether its security state can hold under fire; whether its embattled elite can agree on a successor or pivot to a new governing formula; and whether a shaken public pushes the crisis toward a deeper political rupture.
Veteran Iranian politician Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, announced on Sunday that a temporary leadership council would oversee the transitional period after Khamenei’s death.
Figures such as Larijani and Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the parliament speaker, are seen as potential bridge figures in such a phase, reflecting a security-oriented but pragmatic balancing approach.
Politically, Iran faces a succession process it has navigated only once before – and then under far more stable conditions. The constitution assigns the task to the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member clerical body, but analysts say wartime pressures could push the process toward a more improvised outcome – either a quickly appointed successor or a temporary collective leadership centered on the security establishment.
They said Khamenei has sought to shape that outcome before his death. Following a 12-day war with Israel in June last year that targeted him and his inner circle, he nominated preferred successors and ensured key military posts were filled with backup commanders.
The candidates he favoured included judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i and Hassan Khomeini, a moderate cleric and grandson of the Islamic Republic’s late founder.
But officials say the clerical body may delay the selection of a successor to Khamenei for fear he will be killed.
FAR FROM OVER?
Externally, Israel is signaling the campaign is far from over. Two sources briefed on the operation said Israel intends to keep striking political and security institutions linked to Iran’s ruling establishment, as well as ballistic missile and launcher systems, in an effort to weaken the state and create conditions for regime change.
One source said Israel wants the campaign to continue at least until Iran’s missile capabilities are destroyed, but fears it could be cut short if Washington reaches an agreement with Tehran.
“The objective is very clear: to remove an existential threat to the State of Israel,” Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein told Reuters in Tel Aviv. “That threat is the Iranian regime. We have no quarrel with the Iranian people.”
A senior official with direct knowledge of joint Israeli-U.S. military planning said it was too early to predict what political order might emerge in Iran, noting that the campaign was still in its early stages and outcomes would depend on developments on the ground.
Iranians must take their destiny into their own hands, the official said, adding that this might be easier once the U.S. and Israel have achieved “air supremacy” over Iran.
The Dubai airport suspended its operations for an indefinite period citing safety of people.
Dubai International Airport Credit: X/@shanaka86
Dubai International Airport, which is the world’s busiest airport, was shut down on Saturday after a series of Iranian strikes in UAE and other Gulf regions.
The Dubai airport suspended its operations for an indefinite period citing safety of people.
“Dubai Airports confirms that all flight operations at Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC) are suspended until further notice. Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport at this time and to contact their respective airlines directly for the latest updates regarding their flights. We appreciate the cooperation of our guests. Further updates will be provided as we continue to monitor the situation,” the authorities said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Dubai’s famed man-made island The Palm also got hit in the Iranian strikes on Saturday.
India’s two major airlines Air India and IndiGo have also suspended their operations in the Middle East amid a wave of missile strikes.
More than 300 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed in the latest airstrikes and border clashes, according to Pakistan officials. Meanwhile, the Taliban claimed to have shot down a Pakistani jet.
Pakistan reported hundreds of Taliban casualties, but it is difficult to verify the warring sides’ claimsImage: REUTERS
Pakistan and Afghanistan continued to exchange strikes on Saturday, offering conflicting reports on their progress and discrediting each others’ versions of events.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday that over 331 Afghan Taliban forces had been killed and more than 500 wounded during ongoing airstrikes and clashes with Afghanistan.
He added that air attacks targeted infrastructure and arms stockpiles in 37 locations across Afghanistan. According to the minister, Pakistani forces destroyed more than a hundred Afghan posts, captured 22 others, and destroyed 163 tanks and armored vehicles.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s state-run media reported that the country’s air force carried out strikes targeting key military installations in several areas of eastern Afghanistan.
Pakistani authorities said that hundreds of residents living near the northwestern Torkham border crossing have sought refuge in safer areas. Pakistan has also recently transported dozens of Afghan refugees waiting at the Torkham crossing to return home to safer locations.
What did the Taliban authorities say?
Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry said on Saturday that Afghan forces attacked Pakistani military bases in Miranshah and Spin Wam overnight. The attacks destroyed military installations and caused heavy casualties in response to Pakistan’s ongoing airstrikes, the ministry added.
Mullah Taj Mohammad Naqshbandi, an Afghan commissioner on the Afghan side of the Torkham border, said in a statement that the “brave forces of the Islamic Emirate destroyed the Pakistani military regime’s commissariat, military units, and three important security towers.”
Afghan officials also claimed that their forces had shot down a Pakistani jet over Jalalabad and captured the pilot. However, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry called the claims “totally untrue.”
The Department of Information and Culture in eastern Afghanistan accused Pakistan of targeting civilian areas, destroying homes, and killing at least 11 people. Pakistan claims to target only military installations to avoid civilian casualties.
Donald Trump announced that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed in a joint military operation by the US and Israel.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s daughter, granddaughter, daughter-in-law, and son-in-law have been killed in strikes by the US and Israel, Iranian media reported on Sunday.
“After establishing contact with informed sources in the Supreme Leader’s household, the news of the martyrdom of the daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter of the Revolutionary Leader has unfortunately been confirmed,” Fars news agency and other Iranian media reported.
Khamenei reportedly has six children, including three daughters, and it was not immediately clear which one was killed.
The news came shortly after US President Donald Trump announced that 86-year-old Khamenei had been killed in the operation launched on Saturday.
“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead. This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS,” he posted on Truth Social.
“There was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do,” he added.
Trump also said this is the “single greatest chance” for the Iranian people to “take back” their country.
He said the “heavy and pinpoint bombing” will continue “uninterrupted” throughout the week.
“Or as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD,” he said.
“Many Signs” Khamenei Is Killed: Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said that there were “many signs” that Ali Khamenei is “no longer alive”.
“This morning we destroyed the compound of the tyrant Khamenei,” Netanyahu said in a video statement.
He said that for more than 30 years, Khamenei had “dispatched terrorism across the world, made his own people miserable, and worked constantly and tirelessly on a program to annihilate the state of Israel”.
“There are many signs that this tyrant is no longer. This morning we eliminated senior officials in the ayatollahs’ regime, Revolutionary Guards commanders, senior figures in the nuclear programme – and we will continue. In the next few days, we will hit thousands more targets of the terror regime,” Netanyahu said.
He also called on Iranians to “overthrow the regime and to secure your future.”
Iran’s state TV also confirmed the death of Ali Khamenei.
Two Iranian news agencies, Tasnim and Mehr, however, reported that Ali Khamenei, who led Iran since 1989, was “steadfast and firm in commanding the field.”
The Israeli army said that Ali Shamkhani, a top advisor to Khamenei, and the head of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards, General Mohammad Pakpour, were also killed.
The PM said the opposition party can tear as many clothes as it wants, but his government will continue to work for India’s development.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photo credit:X@BJP4India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday came down heavily on the Congress for the shirtless protest by its youth wing members at the AI Impact Summit recently, and said the opposition party can tear as many clothes as it wants, but his government will continue to work for India’s development.
Addressing the News18 Rising Bharat Summit, Modi also said that the Congress did not just remove its clothes in front of foreign guests but also exposed its intellectual bankruptcy, asserting that the millennials have already taught the country’s oldest party a lesson, and now Gen-Z is ready to do the same.
AI Summit का आयोजन पूरे भारत के लिए गौरव का पल था, लेकिन दुर्भाग्य से देश की सबसे पुरानी पार्टी ने देश के इस उत्सव को मैला करने का प्रयास किया।
विदेशी अतिथियों के सामने कांग्रेस ने सिर्फ कपड़े ही नहीं उतारे, बल्कि अपने वैचारिक दिवालियापन को भी एक्सपोज कर दिया।
In an apparent jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Modi said the opposition was unhappy seeing the statue of “Babbar Shers” (lions) installed atop the new Parliament building, but their own ‘Babbar Shers” were running away after facing the “shoes” of the general public.
Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, had said on February 24 that he was proud of the “Babbar Shers” of the Indian Youth Congress, who “fearlessly” raised their voice at the AI Summit.
“Congress ke Babbar Sher logon ke jute kha ke bhaag gaye (The ‘lions’ of Congress ran away after being hit by shoes by the public),” Modi said.
The prime minister was apparently referring to the protesting Youth Congress workers being heckled by some people at the AI Summit.
On February 20, a group of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers staged a dramatic protest inside Hall No. 5 of the summit venue in Delhi by removing their shirts to reveal T-shirts printed with anti-government slogans, triggering a political slugfest between the BJP and the Congress.
“Congress can tear as many clothes as it wants, but we will continue to work for India’s development. Congress not just shed clothes at the AI Summit, it also exposed its incapabilities in front of foreign guests,” Modi said in his nearly 45-minute speech.
The prime minister also alleged that the Congress always takes refuge in Mahatma Gandhi to hide its failures, but tries to give credit to one family for anything good.
“People of our country welcomed every good step taken by our government, but the Congress only knows how to oppose everything. The votes of Congress are not stolen; rather, people do not consider Congress worthy of their votes. Millennials first taught a lesson to Congress, now Gen-Z is ready to do the same,” he said.
Modi also said that in a democracy, the role of the opposition is not just about blindly opposing every move of the government, but presenting an alternative vision, and that is why the “enlightened public” of the country is “teaching a lesson” to Congress now.
In 1984, the Congress got 39 per cent of the votes and more than 400 seats. But its votes declined consistently in the subsequent elections, he said.
“Today, the condition of the Congress is such that it has more than 50 MLAs in just four states. Over the past 40 years, the number of young voters in the country has increased, but the Congress has clearly diminished,” Modi said.
On the recent trade deals that India signed with foreign countries, Modi said the country has discovered its inherent strength and strengthened its institutions, which prompted developed nations to come forward and sign deals with India.
He also said that even after Independence, some people ensured that the colonial mindset remained for their own benefits.
“No country would have done trade deals with us had we not discovered our inherent strength and strengthened our institutions. Because of this, developed nations have come forward to sign trade deals (with India),” he said.
The prime minister also said that capability does not come suddenly to any country; it is built over generations, and honed by knowledge, tradition, hard work and experience.
Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers said on Friday they were willing to negotiate after Pakistan bombed their forces in major cities and said the allies-turned-foes were in “open war.”
Pakistan struck the Afghan capital Kabul, the city of Kandahar, where Taliban leaders are based, and other towns, a Taliban spokesman said. The attacks were its first directly targeting Afghanistan’s government over allegations it harbours militants seeking to overthrow the Islamabad government.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said there were civilian casualties on Friday but did not provide details.
In Kabul, thick plumes of black smoke rose from two sites and a huge blaze was also visible in video verified by Reuters. Reuters witnesses said many ambulance sirens could be heard following loud blasts and the sound of jets on Friday.
Kabul taxi driver Tamim said an ammunition depot was hit and explosions continued inside after the strikes as stored ordnance ignited.
“The plane came and dropped two bombs, then flew away again. After that, we heard explosions,” said Tamim, who was asleep when the strikes hit. “Everyone, in panic, ran down from the second floor of the house.”
Security sources in Pakistan said the strikes involved air-to-ground missile attacks on Taliban military offices and posts in response to Afghan attacks on Thursday.
The latest violence erupted after Pakistan’s airstrikes on Afghan territory last weekend triggered Afghan retaliatory attacks along the border on Thursday, escalating long‑simmering tensions over Pakistan’s claim that Afghanistan shelters Pakistani Taliban militants. Afghanistan denies this.
The Taliban said on Friday their leaders were ready to negotiate with Pakistan.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has always tried to resolve issues through dialogue, and now also we want to resolve this matter through dialogue,” Mujahid said.
Mujahid said Pakistani strikes hit parts of Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia on Thursday night, and on Paktia, Paktika, Khost and Laghman on Friday.
That followed Afghan drone strikes that began late on Thursday on Pakistani military positions and installations in northwest Pakistan along their shared border.
Pakistani officials said the country’s strikes killed 274 Taliban officials and militants while Afghanistan said it killed 55 Pakistani soldiers – figures which Reuters was unable to verify.
Pakistan confirmed that 12 of its own soldiers were killed and Afghanistan said it had lost 13 Taliban fighters.
UN CHIEF URGES END TO FIGHTING, U.S. EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR PAKISTAN
For years, Islamabad has blamed Afghanistan for attacks inside Pakistan aimed at overthrowing the government, claiming the Taliban shelter Tehreek‑e‑Taliban Pakistan fighters.
Islamabad says TTP leaders operate from Afghan territory and use it as a safe haven to plan cross‑border assaults. While the United Nations has said the TTP and the Taliban in Afghanistan are linked, the Kabul government denies this and argues Pakistan is deflecting blame for its own security failures.
Taliban soldiers load a rocket launcher in a vehicle, following exchanges of fire between Pakistan and Afghanistan forces, near Torkham border in Afghanistan, February 27, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer Purchase Licensing Rights
In New York, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “deeply concerned by the escalation of violence” between Afghanistan and Pakistan and the impact that is having on civilian populations, his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.
“He calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, and he reiterates his call on the parties to resolve any differences through diplomacy,” Dujarric said.
The United States on Friday expressed support for Pakistan.
“The United States supports Pakistan’s right to defend itself against attacks from the Taliban, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group,” a State Department spokesperson said.
“The Taliban have consistently failed to uphold their counterterrorism commitments, allowing violence to destabilize the region while terrorist groups use Afghanistan as a launching pad for their heinous attacks.”
The European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Saturday called for the countries to de-escalate and engage in dialogue.
“The EU reiterates that Afghan territory must not be used to threaten or attack other countries and calls on the Afghan de facto authorities to take effective action against all terrorist groups operating in or from Afghanistan,” Kallas said in a statement.
The strikes threatened to unleash a protracted conflict along the 2,600-km (1,615-mile) frontier between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“Our cup of patience has overflowed. Now it is open war between us and you (Afghanistan),” Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Friday.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry warned that any new Taliban provocations, or attempts by any “terrorist group” to target Pakistanis, would be met with a “measured, decisive and befitting response”.
Pakistan is nuclear-armed and its military capabilities are vastly superior to those of Afghanistan. However, the Taliban are adept at guerrilla warfare, hardened by decades of fighting with U.S.-led forces, before returning to power in 2021.
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi spoke by telephone on Friday with Qatar’s Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, the junior foreign minister, the Afghan ministry said in a statement.
India and the EU will implement a free trade agreement that cuts tariffs on key goods and grants duty-free access to most Indian exports. The deal will also link a market of two billion people.
On January 27, India and the European Union announced the end of negotiations for their free trade agreement. (File photo)
India and the European Union will extend Most Favoured Nation status to each other for five years once their Free Trade Agreement (FTA) takes effect, according to a draft of the deal released on Friday.
The development came almost a month after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa held marathon meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to shape the final draft of the trade deal during their visit to New Delhi.
On January 27, India and the European Union announced the end of negotiations for their free trade agreement, dubbed the ‘mother of all deals.’ Under the pact, 93 per cent of Indian exports will enter the 27-nation bloc duty-free, while EU luxury cars and wines will face lower import costs.
After nearly two decades of talks, the deal will unite India (the world’s fourth-largest economy) with the EU (the second-largest economic bloc), forming a market of around 2 billion people. Together, they represent 25 per cent of global GDP and roughly one-third of global trade, worth about USD 11 trillion of USD 33 trillion.
The European Union is India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral goods trade reaching USD 135 billion in FY 2023–24. Officials said the proposed free trade agreement could significantly expand commercial ties between the two sides.
Beyond trade volumes, the agreement is expected to transform India-EU relations qualitatively across multiple sectors, particularly as global commerce faces disruption from tariff-driven policies of the United States.
The FTA is taking shape amid rising concerns over US trade measures that have impacted both India and the 27-nation bloc, prompting New Delhi and Brussels to deepen economic cooperation.
India and the EU first began FTA talks in 2007, which were paused in 2013 due to differences over the deal’s scope. Negotiations resumed nearly a decade later, in June 2022.
US entrepreneur Bill Gates has apologized to the staff of his Gates Foundation for tainting the image of the philanthropic group through his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Gates cancelled an appearance at an artificial intelligence summit after the recent disclosuresImage: Arun Sankar/AFP
Bill Gates has acknowledged making a “huge mistake” in maintaining contacts with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, telling staff he takes responsibility for his actions.
A spokesperson for the Gates Foundation said Gates addressed the issue during a town hall meeting with employees, speaking candidly after the release of US Justice Department documents related to Epstein that mentioned him.
What did Bill Gates tell his employees?
According to a Wall Street Journal report citing a recording of the meeting, Gates apologized for spending time with Epstein and for involving foundation executives in meetings with him.
“I apologize to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made,” Gates told staff, according to the report.
Gates said he had two affairs with Russian women but denied any involvement in Epstein’s crimes or contact with victims, telling employees, “I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit.”
The meetings with Epstein had been to discuss philanthropy, Gates said, to raise more money for issues like global health.
Gates said his relationship with Epstein began in 2011 — three years after the late financier pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution. The tech entrepreneur said he knew of an “18-month thing” placing restrictions on Epstein’s travel, but that he did not check his background.
Gates said that, although his then-wife Melinda expressed concerns about Epstein in 2013, he continued the relationship for at least another year.
“Knowing what I know now makes it, you know, a hundred times worse in terms of not only his crimes in the past, but now it’s clear there was ongoing bad behavior,” Gates told staff.
What more do we know about Gates’ ties to Epstein?
Justice Department documents indicate Gates and Epstein met multiple times after Epstein’s prison sentence to discuss philanthropic initiatives. Images included in the files show Gates posing with women whose identities were redacted.
Gates last week cancelled an appearance at an artificial intelligence summit in India in light of the recent disclosures.
A previous Wall Street Journal report said that Epstein discovered that Gates had an affair with one of the Russian women and appeared to have used his knowledge to threaten the Microsoft founder.
Anthropic fears the unrestricted military use of its AI systems by the US government may harm democracy. Military officials have threatened to invoke Cold War-era legislation to force Anthropic to comply.
Anthropic was founded in 2021 and is headquartered in San FranciscoImage: Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto/picture alliance
The US artificial intelligence company Anthropic said on Thursday that it would not give in to pressure from the Pentagon to allow unrestricted military use of its technology for fear that it could be used for mass surveillance or in fully-autonomous weapons.
What did Anthropic say?
“Using these systems for mass domestic surveillance is incompatible with democratic values,” said chief executive Dario Amodei, adding that AI systems are not yet reliable enough to be trusted to power deadly weapons without a human in ultimate control.
“We will not knowingly provide a product that puts America’s warfighters and civilians at risk,” he said.
Anthropic – alongside OpenAI, Google and Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot – was commissioned by the Pentagon in 2025 to supply AI models for a range of military applications in a contract worth $200 million (€170 million).
Earlier this week, after a meeting with Amodei, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave Anthropic an ultimatum: Open up its artificial intelligence technology for use in a “classified setting” by Friday, as the other companies have, or risk losing its government contract.
Military officials warned that they could go even further and designate the company as a supply chain risk, or invoke Cold War-era legislation called the Defense Production Act to give the military more sweeping authority to use its products.
“These threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request,” said Amodei, calling the threats “inherently contradictory” since they label Anthropic’s systems simultaneously a “security risk” and “essential to national security.”
“Anthropic understands that the Department of War, not private companies, makes military decisions,” he said, referring to the Trump administration’s title for the Department of Defense. “However, in a narrow set of cases, we believe AI can undermine, rather than defend, democratic values.”
Pentagon: ‘No interest in using AI for mass surveillance’
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said on social media Thursday that the military “has no interest in using AI to conduct mass surveillance of Americans (which is illegal) nor do we want to use AI to develop autonomous weapons that operate without human involvement.”
However, officials also confirmed one exchange between Anthropic and the Pentagon which had revolved around intercontinental ballistic missiles, underscoring the sensitivity of the topics at the heart of the dispute.
Parnell said opening up use of the technology would prevent Anthropic from “jeopardizing critical military operations,” warning: “We will not let ANY company dictate the terms regarding how we make operational decisions.”
The Taliban claimed to have captured several Pakistani checkpoints in border areas, killing and capturing soldiers. Pakistan meanwhile said it launched “strong and effective response” with explosions reported in Kabul.
Afghan Taliban attacks in Pakistan are being met with a heavy response from the Pakistani militaryImage: Aimal Zahir/AFP
Both Afghanistan and Pakistan acknowledged fighting in border areas on Thursday, albeit disagreeing markedly on exact developments on the ground and the extent of each other’s losses and gains.
It’s the latest escalation of violence between the uneasy neighbors in tensions that can ultimately be traced all the way back to the Taliban reclaiming control of Afghanistan in 2021, but which were most recently evident last Sunday with Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan.
Both sides also reported cross-border fire on Tuesday, but without casualties.
What did Afghanistan say about the fighting?
The Taliban’s government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid reported fighting in the border regions late on Thursday local time.
He portrayed it as a response to Sunday’s airstrikes that Afghanistan decried as an unauthorized incursion.
“In response to the repeated rebellions and insurrections of the Pakistani military, large-scale offensive operations were launched against Pakistani military bases and military installations along the Durand line,” Mujahid said in a post on X that began with what appeared to be a religious proverb.
The Durand line is the name for the two countries’ 2,611-kilometer (1,622-mile) border, which Afghanistan has not recognized.
Mujahid followed this up with frequent posts, some including an image, but most simply text, claiming various military gains along the border.
Most followed a consistent formula, announcing the capture of a military facility or post in a given district and concluding with a stock sentence saying: “A large number of the enemy’s soldiers have been killed and wounded, and some have been captured alive.” Besides place names, and the occasional photo of what appeared to be casualties, very few precise details were offered.
Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry said that operations were taking place in five provinces. The Taliban’s deputy government spokesman, Hamdullah Fitrat, said in an English language post that “up to 55” Pakistani soldiers had been killed, with the remains of 23 of them brought back to Afghanistan, and that an undisclosed number had been captured.
Pakistan said it hit Kabul, Kandahar and rejects Taliban claims
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar disputed both the claims on casualties and captures and of territorial losses.
Tarar said that two Pakistani soldiers had been killed and three wounded.
On X, he wrote that Pakistan was mounting a “strong and effective response” to what he called an unprovoked attack from Afghanistan, and said that Islamabad would continue to do so. Explosions were later reported in Kabul after the Pakistani statement.
Mosharraf Ali Zaidi, spokesman for Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, said “a total of 133 Afghan Taliban are confirmed killed, more than 200 wounded. Many more casualties estimated in strikes in Kabul, Paktia and Kandahar military targets.”
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said Pakistan’s “patience has reached its limit” and said there is now “open war” with the Afghan Taliban.
Iran offers to ‘facilitate’ Pakistan-Afghanistan dialogue
Iran on Friday offered to help “facilitate dialogue” to resolve the escalation between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged the two sides to resolve their existing disputes.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran stands ready to provide any assistance in facilitating dialogue and enhancing understanding and cooperation between the two countries,” he said.
Russia also called on Islamabad and Kabul to immediately cease the cross-border attacks and resolve their differences through diplomatic means, the country’s state-owned RIA news agency reported on Friday.
Simmering tensions for years, closer to the boil more recently
Long-testy relations between the neighbors deteriorated sharply in recent months, hitting a low point with the deadly fighting in October that killed more than 70 people on both sides.
Land border crossings have been largely shut since.
Several rounds of talks followed an initial ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkey, but no lasting agreement has materialized in the conflict.
North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un said that the ball is in Washington’s court when it comes to relations with the United States. However, he added that Pyongyang has “absolutely no business” with South Korea.
Kim Jong Un claimed that his nuclear-armed country could “completely destroy” South Korea if its security were threatenedImage: Yonhap/picture alliance
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un brought the ninth congress of the ruling Workers’ Party to a close on Wednesday with a military parade and an announcement that relations with the United States depend entirely on attitudes in Washington.
“If the US withdraws its policy of confrontation with North Korea by respecting our country’s current status … there is no reason why we cannot get along well,” Kim said, according to state news agency KCNA.
Kim met US President Donald Trump on three occasions during the latter’s first term in office, but has so far rejected overtures for a fourth meeting.
The key party congress set out major policy goals for the rogue, nuclear-armed Asian nation for the next five years and culminated in a military parade in which Pyongyang showed off the capabilities of its armed forces.
“We have a prospective to strengthen our national nuclear force, and will on projects to increase the number of nuclear weapons and expand nuclear operational means and space for use,” Kim said, according to KCNA.
South Korea: ‘Most hostile enemy,’ says Kim
He also ruled out any discussions with South Korea which he described as Pyongyang’s “most hostile enemy.”
Kim threatened to “initiate arbitrary action” if Seoul were to conduct what he called “obnoxious behavior,” saying: “South Korea’s complete collapse cannot be ruled out.”
Indian Prime Minister Modi is on a two-day visit to Israel and gave a speech at the Knesset. Modi hailed the relationship between the two countries, with Prime Minister Netanyahu calling him a “brother.”
Modi said India’s rising economy and Israel’s status as a tech hub are a ‘natural foundation’ for future partnershipImage: Ronen Zvulun/REUTERS
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told lawmakers in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, on Wednesday that India stands with Israel “firmly with full conviction.”
Modi to Israel: ‘We feel your pain, we share your grief’
Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Israel, said he carries “the deepest condolences of the people of India for every life lost and for every family whose world was shattered in the barbaric terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7.”
The October 7 terror attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian groups on Israel killed some 1,200 people, with 251 people taken hostage. In response, Israel launched a military operation that has lasted over two years in Gaza, with Israeli media reporting that Israel accepted the estimate from the Gaza Health Ministry that over 70,000 Palestinians were killed in the war.
“We feel your pain, we share your grief. India stands with Israel firmly with full conviction in this moment and beyond,” Modi said.
The Indian leader did not mention the loss of Palestinian life in the war during his Knesset address. A UN special committee and a commission of inquiry as well as outside academic experts have labeled Israel’s actions in Gaza a “genocide.” Israel denies this characterization.
At the Knesset, Modi said “countering terrorism requires sustained and coordinated global action,” and added that India “supports all efforts that contribute to durable peace and regional stability.”
Modi expressed support for the Israel’s normalization of relations with other Arab countries in the region, known as the Abraham Accords. He also affirmed his backing of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan.
Modi highlights India’s rising economy, Israel’s status as a tech hub
In addition to security, Modi’s speech also touched on the close economic relationship between India and Israel.
“For the last few years, India has been the fastest growing major economy in the world,” Modi said. “At the same time, Israel is a powerhouse of innovation and technological leadership. This creates a natural foundation for our forward-looking partnership.”
A report from the State Bank of India released Tuesday said India’s gross domestic product will likely grow at a rate of 8.1% during the October to December 2025 fiscal quarter. India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
Israel, meanwhile, is a hub for tech startups, with a high rate of unicorn companies per capita. A unicorn is a privately held company valued at more than $1 billion (about €850 million).
“We are committed to expanding trade, strengthening investment flows and promoting joint infrastructure development,” Modi said. “I see a lot of synergies in areas such as quantum technologies, semiconductors and artificial intelligence. We are also working with Israel on creating cross-border financial linkages using our digital public infrastructure.”
Netanyahu hails ‘brother’ Modi’s visit to Israel
India is one of Israel’s closest allies.
The two countries both share neighbors with Muslim-majority countries with whom they have hostile relationships. India, for example, borders archrival Pakistan, whereas Israel borders two countries with whom it does not share diplomatic relations: Syria and Lebanon.
Modi received a warm reception from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, when the Indian leader touched down in Tel Aviv earlier on Wednesday.
A suicide bomber blew himself up at a Pakistan checkpost in Bhakkar district near the Dera Ismail Khan border, killing four Punjab police personnel and injuring several others.
The Bhakkar suicide attack occurred hours before militants ambushed a police patrol in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing five officers. Photo : AP
A suicide bomber struck at a checkpost in Pakistan’s Bhakkar district at 7 pm on Tuesday as he blew himself up killing four policemen. The blast came just before dusk. The suicide bomber approached a police checkpost in Bhakkar district and detonated explosives, killing four Punjab police personnel and injuring others. The attack took place near the Dera Darya Khan bridge, a sensitive inter-provincial link connecting Punjab with Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
District Police Officer Shahzad Rafiq said officers were conducting routine checks when the attacker moved towards the barrier and blew himself up. “The suicide attacker came near the check post and detonated himself while we were engaged in search operations,” he told reporters at the scene. CCTV footage reviewed by investigators shows a man wrapped in a dark shawl walking steadily towards the post moments before the explosion.
Two of the deceased were identified as Muhammad Faheem and Muhammad Shehbaz. The injured were rushed to the district headquarters hospital as emergency teams cordoned off the area. By early Wednesday, the main highway between Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been sealed, with traffic suspended near the Dera Ismail Khan border while security personnel conducted combing operations.
Kohat Ambush Within Hours
The Bhakkar suicide attack was not an isolated incident. In Kohat city, terrorists opened fire on a police patrol vehicle late Tuesday, killing five officers and setting the vehicle ablaze, according to local police officials quoted by Reuters. Two civilians later died from injuries sustained during the firing.
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for both attacks. In a separate statement, a lesser-known group identifying itself as Ansar al Islam Pakistan said its operative, named Abu Darda, carried out the Bhakkar bombing. Authorities are assessing the claims as part of the ongoing investigation.
The coordinated timing has prompted questions about whether terrorist networks are attempting to reassert operational reach across provincial boundaries. Targeting police patrols and checkposts has historically been a tactic used to test response times and stretch local security grids.
Cross-Border Context And Escalation
The twin attacks come days after Pakistan conducted air strikes inside Afghanistan, saying it targeted terrorists blamed for a recent wave of suicide bombings. Islamabad maintains that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan fighters operate from Afghan soil, a charge Kabul denies.
Violence against security forces has surged in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan over the past year. Analysts note that attacks on fixed checkposts, particularly those along inter-provincial corridors like Bhakkar and Dera Ismail Khan, are designed to disrupt movement and signal presence.
Friedrich Merz is leaving Berlin for a visit to China, which will last until FridayImage: Michael Kappeler/dpa/picture alliance
Germany wants “fair” cooperation with China, says Merz
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in his meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang that Germany wants to deepen economic exchanges with Beijing.
However, Merz added that Germany had specific concerns on cooperation and wanted to ensure that cooperation is fair.
The chancellor stressed that the two nations must speak openly with each other.
The comments from Merz came as he began his inaugural visit to China, Germany’s largest trade partner.
Li urged Germany to help safeguard free trade, as he referred to US President Donald Trump’s trade war, that has sent ripples down the global trading system.
“China and Germany, as two of the world’s largest economies and major countries with important influence, should strengthen our confidence in cooperation, jointly safeguard multilateralism and free trade, and strive to build a more just and fair global governance system,” the premier said.
Merz’s visit comes as Germany no longer sees the United States as a reliable partner and is scouring for global partners.
China beat the US to become Germany’s most important trading partner, with a volume of over €250 billion ($294 billion) in 2025.
Germany’s trade relationship with China has seen a significant shift.
Germany’s trade deficit reached a record high in 2025, estimated at around €90 billion according to the German Economic Institute. This marks an increase of €30 billion over 2024 alone.
Chinese industries are also increasingly leading in sectors once dominated by German firms. The German automobile industry was successfully serving the market in China, but now both countries are now witnessing a transition to electric cars. German electric cars have become very expensive in China while China is exporting cheaper vehicles to Europe.
China shock: Rivalry tests Merz and German economy
While the United States had decades to absorb the first China shock at the turn of the century, those now confronting the second — above all Germany — have had far less notice.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz is scrambling to defend German industry from the economic upheaval in Beijing — but what options does he have?
Merz arrives in Beijing
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz landed in Beijing on Wednesday for his first visit to China.
Merz is accompanied by a large delegation of business leaders.
The German chancellor will first be received by Premier Li Qiang with military honours.
Merz is scheduled to hold talks and have dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the evening.
Ukraine: ‘If China says stop, the war will stop’
Friedrich Merz’s visit to China comes one day after the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine — with the war still ongoing and no end in sight.
The German Chancellor has been publicly critical of Beijing relationship with Moscow, accusing China of supporting the Russian war effort via oil imports and technological exports.
“If [Chinese President] Xi Jinping said tomorrow: ‘Stop it’ — then it would stop the day after the tomorrow,” Merz told the dpa news agency on Monday.
On Tuesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry stressed that the war in Ukraine should not strain relations between Europe and China and that Beijing supports diplomatic efforts to find a political solution.
However, just as Russian President Vladimir Putin considers parts of eastern Ukraine as part of Russia — and indeed the entirety of Ukraine as belonging to Moscow’s sphere of influence — as the Chinese government considers the island nation of Taiwan to be Chinese territory.
Like most countries, Germany follows a so-called “one-China policy” in only officially recognizing the People’s Republic of China. However, Merz insisted that “we will determine the precise details [of that policy] ourselves” — and Germany does maintain unofficial economic, cultural and scientific relations with Taiwan.
Merz: ‘It would be a mistake to decouple from China’
China overtook the United States as Germany’s principle trading partner in 2025 and is set to remain a key market for German business in 2026.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz is therefore being accompanied on his visit to China by a large delegation of German industry representatives.
German businesses have called on Merz to raise issues such as overcapacity and export controls on critical raw materials, while German carmakers in particular have long complained of fierce Chinese competition boosted by domestic subsidies and unequal market access.
“It would be a mistake to seek to decouple from China,” Merz said on Tuesday before leaving Berlin, adding that severing ties with China would be like “shooting ourselves in the foot. We would be ruining our own economic opportunities.”
Merz’s five key principles for Germany-China relations
Ahead of his departure for Beijing, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz used a Chinese proverb to sum up the message he wants to convey during his trip, making reference to China’s Year of the Horse, which began last week.
“A horse does not make the most of its strength alone, but by pulling the cart together with others,” he said, thereby calling on China, the second largest economy in the world after the United States, to work with its international partners tackle global issues.
As for Germany, Merz outlined five guiding principles for Berlin’s approach to Beijing:
Dealing with China from a position of European strength. “A smart China policy begins at home,” Merz said. “Only when we in Germany and Europe are united, strong and competitive can we build a balanced partnership with China.”
A common European policy towards China. It’s no coincidence that Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are all visiting China in such a short space of time. “We want our partnership with China to be balanced, reliable, regulated and fair,” he said. “That is our offer and it is also what we hope for from the Chinese side.”
Fair competition. This is the key demand from German industry, representatives of which are accompanying Merz on his trip. German businesses have long complained about market access, untransparent regulations and state-subsidized domestic competition in China, leading Merz to insist: “We must be able to rely upon agreed rules.”
Risk-reduction rather than decoupling. Despite the ideological differences between Germany and China, Merz insists that decoupling from China is not an option, saying it would be like “shooting ourselves in the foot” economically. Nevertheless, it won’t have gone unnoticed in Beijing that Merz visited India first.
International cooperation. In a changing world order in which great powers are playing bigger and bigger roles, Merz believes China has to be reckoned with as a major geopolitical player, and that global challenges such as the battle against climate change can only be tackled together. China’s alliance of convenience with Russia and its rivalry with the United States in the Pacific also have knock-on effects on Europe and Germany.
Among the aspects under investigation is whether a faulty onboard weather radar caused the Beechcraft C90 King Air to deviate fatally from its planned route.
The air ambulance that crashed in Kasariya Panchayat, Simariya block of Chatra district, in Jharkhand. (Image: ANI)
The medical evacuation aircraft that crashed in Jharkhand on Monday night, killing all seven people on board, had no black box, officials familiar with the matter said, according to a Hindustan Times report. This is likely to pose a major challenge in determining the cause of the crash.
Civil aviation rules do not require cockpit voice recorders (CVR) or flight data recorders (FDR) for aircraft weighing below 5,700 kg. An industry expert said the accident will have to be examined through communication records with air traffic control, analysis of the wreckage and eyewitness accounts.
Weather radar under probe
Among the aspects under investigation is whether a faulty onboard weather radar caused the Beechcraft C90 King Air to deviate fatally from its planned route.
Two commercial flights operated by Air India and IndiGo had faced adverse weather on the same route earlier and sought deviations. The IndiGo flight requested a left deviation, while the crashed aircraft sought a deviation to the right. Officials are probing whether the weather radar on the crashed aircraft was functioning properly and whether the crew misread the radar or if the instrument malfunctioned.
Aircraft and crew details
The aircraft, operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, was flying from Ranchi to Delhi when it crashed in the Kasaria area of Chatra district.
Those on board were patient Sanjay Kumar, 41, a doctor, a paramedic, two attendants and two pilots. The pilot in command, Vivek Vikash Bhagat, had around 1,400 flying hours. First officer Savrajdeep Singh had around 450 hours.
The aircraft was manufactured in 1987. Redbird Airways acquired it in 2022 from Orient Flying School, which had bought it in 2001. Another official said the aircraft had remained unused between 2018 and 2022, though the reason could not be independently verified. The flying school had regarded it as a non-revenue-generating asset.
Investigation till now
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation had ordered a special audit of charter jet operators after a Learjet ferrying Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister crashed in Baramati last month, killing all on board. It was not clear whether Redbird Airways was audited. An email seeking comment did not receive a response.
An Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau team has been sent to the crash site. Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu expressed condolences on X, saying he was deeply pained by the loss of lives and that local authorities and AAIB teams had responded for rescue and investigation.
Eyewitness accounts
Aviation expert Mark Martin, quoted by Hindustan Times, said eyewitness testimony would be critical. He noted that some operators of aircraft below 5,700 kg voluntarily install FDR and CVR, but the Beechcraft C90 is an old aircraft and regulations at the time were less evolved.
He said investigators would rely heavily on eyewitness accounts to determine whether the aircraft went nose-down after entering clouds, whether there was a fire, or whether severe weather conditions such as updrafts or downdrafts affected it.
Flight path and last contact
According to the DGCA, the aircraft departed Ranchi at 7.11 pm and was expected to land in Delhi around 10 pm. Ranchi ATC handed it over to Kolkata Area Control shortly after departure.
The aircraft was expected to cross the ATALI waypoint but deviated from its route. The last radar contact was at 7.22 pm, when it was at 13,800 feet and around 40 nautical miles from Ranchi.
While day-to-day life continues and flights are still operating, uncertainty about how the situation may unfold has left many students and their families concerned.
Some students have already arrived in India, so it is not possible for them to return.
Amid soaring geopolitical tensions between Washington and Tehran, India has advised all its nationals, including students, in Iran to leave by any available transport as soon as possible. But for many students–torn between seeking safety and facing academic setbacks–departure is not an easy option. Missing crucial examinations scheduled in early March could delay their graduation and even jeopardise professional recognition of their degrees.
According to estimates, there are around 1,000 to 1,500 Indian students– a large proportion of them medical students from Jammu and Kashmir — enrolled at Iranian universities. Some of them have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for intervention after the advisory, which clashed with their university examination schedule.
The Plea
“We want to come back home. Our families are worried,” Bilal Bhat, an Indian medical student in Iran, said while talking to news agency ANI.
“But our exams are scheduled in March, and there is no clarity on postponement. If we miss exams, it will affect our academic year…If our exam gets postponed, we will leave as soon as possible,” he said.
According to Bhat, while day-to-day life continues and flights are still operating, uncertainty about how the situation may unfold has left many students and their families concerned.
Another student, Musafid, shared similar apprehensions, stating that they are constantly monitoring the situation. “Flights are operational, but we don’t know what may happen next. Our only concern is safety and our studies,” he said, highlighting the dilemma faced by many pursuing professional degrees abroad.
The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA) has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his intervention to ensure the safety and academic future of Indian students currently in Iran.
Speaking to ANI, Mohammad Momin Khan, President of the Jammu and Kashmir unit of AIMSA, highlighted the concerns following a recent travel advisory from the Indian High Commission in Tehran, which has asked citizens to return.
“The Indian High Commission in Tehran issued an advisory, in which they have asked their citizens to return. However, we have received information from students that their exams are scheduled for March 5. Some students have already arrived in India, so it is not possible for them to return. The current situation is very tense, and their parents are also very worried,” Khan said.
Iran’s Exam Schedule
According to media reports, the basic sciences (Olum-e-Paye) examination and pre-internship test–both mandatory government assessments in Iran’s medical education system–are scheduled for March 5. The results of these exams determine whether a student can progress from pre-clinical study to clinical training and hospital postings. These exams are held only twice a year, and missing them could mean losing up to six months of academic progress, significantly delaying their five-and-a-half-year medical degree.
Situation In Iran
Iran’s foreign minister on Tuesday declared that a deal to avoid a military clash with the United States was within reach, two days before talks between the foes were due to resume in Geneva. Abbas Araghchi’s appeal came as Iran issued a muted warning to student protesters maintaining pressure on the government, against the backdrop of mounting US threats of action to halt Tehran’s nuclear programme.
“We have a historic opportunity to strike an unprecedented agreement that addresses mutual concerns and achieves mutual interests,” Araghchi said in a social media post.
The minister added that a deal was “within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority.”
Tehran and Washington are due to hold a third round of negotiations on Thursday in Geneva, the latest since talks resumed earlier this month. The talks will be held following a heavy US military deployment in the region in recent weeks and threats by President Donald Trump of a strike on Iran if no deal is reached.
The Tarique Rehman-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government has recalled Brigadier General Mohammad Hafizur Rahman, who was serving as the defence adviser at the Bangladesh High Commission in India.
BNP bagged a two-thirds majority in the crucial February 12 elections.
Just days after Tarique Rahman took over as Bangladesh’s new prime minister, the South Asian nation’s military witnessed a major reshuffle at the top level, including the appointment of a new chief of general staff (CGS). The changes affect several key strategic commands as well as Bangladesh’s premier military intelligence agency, according to a report by Dhaka Tribune.
BNP bagged a two-thirds majority in the crucial February 12 elections. Rahman, 60, took oath on February 17, ending Muhummad Yunus’ 18-month rule. The changes, issued by Army Headquarters, came days after Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s new government assumed power on February 17.
Who Gets What
Lieutenant General M Mainur Rahman, who was previously serving as the chief of General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Army Training and Doctrine Command (ARTDOC), has been appointed as the CGS. He succeeds Lieutenant General Mizanur Rahman Shamim, who recently took retirement leave.
Major General Kaiser Rashid Chowdhury, serving as a brigadier general at Army Headquarters, has been appointed director general of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI). He will assume the post upon his promotion to major general. He replaced Major General Mohammad Jahangir Alam, who has been deputed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an ambassador.
The principal staff officer (PSO), Lieutenant General SM Kamrul Hasan, was replaced by just-promoted Lieutenant General Mir Mushfiqur Rahman. Hasan has been attached to the foreign ministry to be appointed as an ambassador abroad.
A tip about drug lord Nemesio Oseguera’s romantic liaisons led Mexican authorities to the cartel leader’s hideout in a small town of Jalisco state where he was killed, Mexican authorities said on Monday in the first account of the ambush that spawned violence across much of Mexico.
At least 62 people died in the early Sunday raid on Oseguera, known as “El Mencho,” and in ensuing violence – including 25 members of the National Guard military police and 34 suspected gang members – as cartel loyalists set cars ablaze in 85 roadblocks in more than a dozen states, authorities said.
President Claudia Sheinbaum early on Monday said the situation was normalizing and roadblocks were under control.
Still, Mexico beefed up security in Jalisco, the stronghold of Oseguera’s infamous Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), with the deployment of 2,000 troops, and Mexicans as well as tourists in the state’s famed coastal towns fretted over the quick spread of violence to far corners of Mexico.
Oseguera’s death is a blow to the CJNG, a highly diversified criminal enterprise, and a victory for Mexico’s government after pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to crack down on the cartels. Yet the victory could lead to further violence in a country already grappling with years of killings and disappearances at the hands of organized crime.
“Unfortunately, it’s not the first time we’re experiencing this, but this time it does seem a bit more worrying because there’s no successor to these cartels,” said Fabiola Cortes, a schoolteacher in Mexico City. “We hope that, truly, our president does something for us, protects us, because honestly, fear is everywhere on the streets.”
Oseguera, Mexico’s most-wanted cartel leader, was the mastermind of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel, rival to the also infamous Sinaloa Cartel. The U.S. had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest.
The U.S. provided intelligence to help pinpoint the exact location of the compound in the town of Tapalpa where Mexican authorities found the cartel boss, but Mexican officials underscored that they spearheaded the operation.
“There was no participation in this operation of U.S. forces. What there was, was an exchange of information,” President Sheinbaum said.
MILITARY OPERATION LED TO RETALIATORY SURGE IN VIOLENCE
Oseguera died in a helicopter after being injured in a military operation by Mexican special forces in a wooded area outside the town of Tapalpa in the western state of Jalisco, according to Mexico’s defense ministry.
Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla said information from a confidante of one of Oseguera’s romantic partners helped officials quickly plan the raid for the following day at the crime boss’ compound.
During the raid, Oseguera’s gunmen opened fire on security forces and the conflict moved to a cabin complex in a wooded area, where he was injured along with two of his bodyguards. The three were transported by helicopter to Mexico City but did not survive, Trevilla said.
“Unfortunately, they died on the way,” Trevilla said, speaking at the president’s daily press conference. He choked up while offering condolences to families of officers who died.
Rifles with grenade launchers, rocket launchers and mortar shells were found at the site of the raid, officials added.
A printing worker holds a freshly printed copy of the newspaper PM bearing the headline “U.S. mapped ‘El Mencho’ and Mexico delivered the final blow, Caught between two fires,” following the killing of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, known as ‘El Mencho,’ in a military operation on Sunday, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, February 22, 2026. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez Purchase Licensing Rights
Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office said it was carrying out proceedings across 14 states, nearly half of the country, and Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch said at least 70 people were arrested in seven states.
Throughout Sunday, suspected cartel members set fire to vehicles and businesses, blocking roads and disrupting travel, in protest of Oseguera’s killing.
According to the defense ministry, attacks in Jalisco were organized by Oseguera’s right-hand man and top financial chief known as “El Tuli,” who was also killed in a clash with security forces as they attempted to arrest him.
The cartel operative offered a 20,000 peso ($1,160) reward for the deaths of military personnel, according to Trevilla.
Garcia added that authorities were closely monitoring for a reaction or restructuring within the cartel that could unleash further violence. “There is already a specific surveillance of several leaders of this criminal organization,” he said.
IMMEDIATE IMPACT TO TOURISM
The flare-ups caused airlines to cancel flights on Sunday, and on Monday morning shares in Mexican airline Volaris and airport operators GAP and ASUR were down more than 4%. Airline Aeromexico on Monday said it was gradually resuming flights, while Air Canada said it would resume flights to the popular Puerto Vallarta beach resort on Tuesday, and flights to the Jalisco’s capital city of Guadalajara on Wednesday.
Ryan Davis was among the foreign tourists in Puerto Vallarta shocked by the violence on Sunday. “It was surreal because we’re going to the airport and we’re dodging burned-out cars in the middle of the street,” he recalled.
State oil firm Pemex said its operations were working normally and fuel supplies were guaranteed nationwide, after unverified video footage showed fighting and intense shooting at a Pemex gas station. Mexican conglomerate Femsa, which operates Mexico’s ubiquitous Oxxo convenience stores, reported over 200 incidents at its stores and gas stations.
Kimberley Sperrfechter, emerging markets economist at Capital Economics, said the immediate impact would hit tourism, but if the unrest drags on, it could also risk electronics and semiconductor manufacturing in Jalisco.
Besides electronics manufacturing, Jalisco is also an agricultural hub for products such as eggs, berries and avocados, as well as the birthplace and a leading producer of tequila.
“Beyond the macro implications, the killing shows that Mexico’s government is doing what it can to appease the Trump administration ahead of this year’s USMCA review,” she added, referring to the U.S.-Canada-Mexico free trade pact.
Former British ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson was arrested by London police on Monday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, following revelations over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mandelson, 72, was fired from the most prestigious posting in Britain’s diplomatic service in September, when the depth of his friendship with Epstein started to become clear.
Police earlier this month began a criminal investigation into Mandelson after Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government passed on communications between the former ambassador and Epstein.
“Officers have arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office,” London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement relating to an investigation into a former government minister. A separate statement later said the man had been released on bail, pending further investigation.
Earlier in the day, Mandelson was filmed leaving his central London home accompanied by plainclothes officers wearing body cameras, before being driven away in a car.
The arrest means police suspect a crime has been committed but does not imply any guilt.
There was no immediate response from Mandelson’s lawyers.
EMAILS SHOWED MANDELSON AND EPSTEIN CLOSER THAN THOUGHT
Emails between Mandelson and Epstein, released by the U.S. Department of Justice in late January, showed the two men had a closer relationship than had been publicly known, and Mandelson had shared information with the financier when he was a minister in former Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s government in 2009.
Mandelson, who this month resigned from Starmer’s Labour Party and quit his position in parliament’s upper chamber, has previously said he “very deeply” regretted his association with Epstein. But he has not commented publicly or responded to messages seeking comment on the latest revelations.
Mandelson’s homes in London and west England were searched by police earlier this month.
“He was arrested at an address in Camden on Monday, 23 February and has been taken to a London police station for interview,” the police statement said.
“This follows search warrants at two addresses in the Wiltshire and Camden areas.”
Former British Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson enters a vehicle outside a reported residence, after police launched a misconduct in public office investigation following the release of U.S. Justice Department files linked to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in London, Britain, February 14, 2026. REUTERS/Chris Ratcliffe Purchase Licensing Rights
PRESSURE GROWS ON STARMER OVER VETTING BEFORE APPOINTMENT
A conviction for misconduct in a public office carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and must be handled in a Crown Court, which only deals with the most serious criminal offences.
Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein, who died in prison while awaiting trial in 2019 on sex trafficking charges, is at the centre of a British political scandal that has forced the resignation of two senior government officials.
Starmer, who has faced calls to step down over Mandelson’s appointment, faces further scrutiny after parliament ordered the release of documents relating to his vetting. A minister said on Monday that the first documents should be published in early March.
MANDELSON HAD A DECADES-LONG CAREER IN UK POLITICS
Mandelson has had a turbulent, decades‑long career in British politics.
He came to prominence in the mid-to-late 1990s as one of the architects of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s New Labour project.
But Mandelson was forced to resign twice from the cabinet, first in 1998 for failing to disclose a home loan he had taken from a colleague, and second in 2001 after allegations that he had tried to influence a passport application.
As the accused couple climb down the stairs, they were heard calling the northeastern women “gutter-chaap” and saying that “northeastern people are shit”.
The three women have demanded a formal apology from the accused, saying that their remarks did not just hurt them but also the dignity of the northeastern community. (X/gharkekalesh)
Three women from Arunachal Pradesh were allegedly subjected to racial abuse and humiliation by their neighbours, who called them “dhandhewali” and said they were running “massage parlours”. This reportedly happened following a dispute over some repair work at their rented flat in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar.
The video of the incident has gone viral on social media, showing slurs and accusations flying across the room, with the three northeastern women defending themselves against a man and a woman.
Police said an FIR under sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to outraging a woman’s modesty and promoting enmity on grounds of religion, race, etc., has been registered against two people identified as Harsh Singh and his wife Ruby Jain, PTI news agency reported.
An argument erupted over the falling of dust and debris onto the floor of Singh and his wife during some electrical repair work in the women’s fourth-floor flat at around 3:30 pm on February 20.
‘Dhandhewal’, ‘Momo’
The disagreement soon turned into an ugly fight full of derogatory remarks and racial slurs, targeting the women and the northeastern community.
“Are you sitting here to do business? Have you opened a massage parlour at home?” Ruby is heard asking.
A police officer, who was also present at the scene during the argument, is seen intervening and trying to pacify the two sides in the purported video.
As the northeastern women responded back to Singh and his wife, yelling and screaming for their innocence, Ruby tells them, “Custom officer ka beta hai vo. Politician hai uska baap. Tu kya? Aukaat hai teri aane ki vaha pe? (He’s the son of a customs officer. His father is a politician. What are you? Do you even have the status to be here?)
Ruby alleges that one of the women hit out at her husband, saying that he works at a massage parlour. She says, “Men don’t work at massage parlours here. He’s an educated man, mind your tongue.”
‘Why don’t you sleep with him?’
As the confrontation goes on, another one of the Arunachal women says, “Everyone heard what you said about my image. You made false allegations that I drink alcohol. Go check my room if you find anything there.”
The accused woman, Ruby, makes further offensive comments when she tells the northeastern women, “Why don’t you sleep with him? Go to my bedroom. You will find out how old he is. 35 is not old here.”
While yelling at the Arunachal women to “shut up”, Singh urges his wife to step back and not engage with them. As the accused couple climb down the stairs, they are heard calling the northeastern women “gutter-chaap” and saying that “northeastern people are shit”.
The issue has gone viral across social media, with the women demanding a formal apology from the accused, saying that their remarks did not just hurt them but also the dignity of the northeastern community.
Police said the FIR was registered at the Malviya Nagar police station under BNS sections 79 (word intended to insult a woman’s modesty), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 3(5) (common intention) and 196 (promoting enmity on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.). However, no arrests in the matter have been made so far.
Notably, Section 196 of the BNS, one of the charges against Singh and his wife, is a non-bailable and cognisable offense.
“No physical injuries were reported. However, the complainants have alleged mental harassment and humiliation,” a senior officer was quoted as saying by PTI.
What their advocates said
The women have expressed concerns over their safety and future accommodation, stating that they felt isolated and insulted in a city where they came to work and live.
Police said that further investigation into the matter is underway.
Advocate Reena Rai, representing the three women, said the incident shows the persistent racial prejudice faced by northeastern people in the national capital.
“As neighbours, they should have provided these women, who live far away from home, a sense of security. Instead, they harassed them and made filthy remarks,” said Rai, who hails from Sikkim.
“We are as much Indian as anyone else. Why are we treated like outsiders just because we are from the Northeast? We, too, have the right to live with equality and dignity,” she added.
Meanwhile, advocate Gaurav, representing the couple, said the two sides sat together to reach a compromise after the incident, adding that the matter is being unnecessarily exaggerated on social media.
The advocate defended his clients, saying that they were having dinner at the time of the incident and that Singh uttered something in the heat of the moment. Gaurav said that his client regrets the words he used. “It was my client who had called the PCR, and the police were present at the spot.
Ghana’s President Mahama has received the African Union’s backing in pushing the United Nations to recognize transatlantic slavery as the ‘gravest crime against humanity.’ But will the motion pass?
It’s thought that as many as 15 million people were forcibly transported – here commemorated on Senegal’s Goree IslandImage: picture alliance / AA
Ghanaian President John Mahama wants to push the proposal, which is supported by 40 African Union (AU) members, at the United Nations in March. He says the initiative is “firmly grounded in international law” and, together with the endorsement of the African Union, Ghana will formally table the resolution before the UN General Assembly.
The resolution is just the first step, Mahama said on the sidelines of the recently concluded AU summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. With wide support amongst AU nations, Mahama says the “truth about the story of the transatlantic slave trade must be told” and recognized as the “gravest crime against humanity.”
The ‘gravest crime’ in human history
There is broad historical consensus that the transatlantic slave trade between the 15th and 19th centuries, which involved the kidnapping, enslavement and transport of millions of Africans to the Americas and the Caribbean, was one of the biggest tragedies in human history.
It’s estimated that over 400 years, 15 million men, women and children were forcibly transported. Other sources say 12 to 12.8 million were enslaved. About 10.7 million arrived in the Americas alive, while between 1.5 and 2 million died during the crossing, also known as the Middle Passage.
In Addis Ababa, Mahama said: “People jumped out of ships, who preferred to die. People who were too ill or sick and were thrown overboard to be eaten by sharks.”
Historical and legal validity
Kojo Asante from the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) told DW the crime “definitely” has “historical and legal validity.”
He says the transatlantic slave trade has significantly shaped affected nations to this day. African states have fought for recognition, or at least an apology, from former slave trading nations. For some governments, this has been a decades-long battle, Asante tells DW.
In Ghana, the subject has long been on the agenda. Mahama is not the first president to champion this initiative, says Asante: Nana Akufo-Addo, his predecessor, also championed reparations.
Next step: Demands for reparations?
The AU declared 2025 “The year of reparations: Justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations.” The resolution sees reparations as future mechanism to assist development efforts.
Mahama made it clear that it’s about recognizing historical truth, rather than discussing monetary compensation. Financial questions would be discussed in future.
Western resistance
Asante says there is evidence of a resistance movement in ultra-conservative circles in the United States. Sources close to Donald Trump are said to argue against being held accountable for the actions of their ancestors regarding slavery.
The transatlantic slave trade is a politically sensitive and debated question – especially in nations that benefitted economically from slavery and colonialism.
Support for initiative among younger people
Asante says that especially history oriented young people support the initiative, even if the topic remains somewhat abstract.
At the same time, Asante warns against a strong fixation with the past.
“I think people don’t want to be too romantic about this because they want their leaders in Africa to still govern well,” he tells DW.
“What you do today with power, what you do today with your opportunities is also important. And there are many challenges, governance deficits in many African countries perpetrated not by colonial masters, by leaders on their own citizens,” Asante says.
A competition?
Mahama’s assertion that the slave trade is the “gravest crime against humanity” has drawn criticism. Some critics have asked if other historical crimes are being relativized.
Asante pushes back.
“This is not a competition. I think it’s just more a question of acknowledging the transatlantic slave trade for what it was,” he told DW.
He adds the ongoing effects and incidences of racismshow how current the issue is.
Donald Trump had said he was sending “a great hospital boat to Greenland to take care of the many people who are sick, and not being taken care of there”.
An American flag is displayed on the facade of the US consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Denmark and its territory Greenland, on Sunday (Feb 22) rejected Donald Trump’s offer to send a naval hospital ship to the Arctic island coveted by the US leader.
A day earlier, Trump said he was sending “a great hospital boat to Greenland to take care of the many people who are sick, and not being taken care of there”.
But Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who heads the autonomous territory’s government, wrote on his Facebook page: “That will be ‘no thanks’ from us.”
“President Trump’s idea to send a US hospital ship here to Greenland has been duly noted. But we have a public health system where care is free for citizens,” he said.
“This is not the case in the United States, where going to the doctor costs money.”
Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen likewise told Danish broadcaster DR: “The Greenlandic population receives the healthcare it needs. They receive it either in Greenland, or, if they require specialised treatment, they receive it in Denmark.”
He added: “It’s not as if there’s a need for a special healthcare initiative in Greenland.”
On the day that Trump made his proposal, Danish forces evacuated a crew member of a US submarine off the coast of Greenland’s capital Nuuk, after the sailor requested urgent medical attention.
Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command said in a post on Facebook that the crew member was flown to a hospital in Nuuk after an unspecified medical emergency on board the vessel.
AI-GENERATED HOSPITAL SHIP
In Greenland, as in Denmark, access to healthcare is free for citizens. There are five regional hospitals across the vast Arctic island, with the one in the capital Nuuk serving patients from all over the territory.
Without explicitly mentioning the US proposal, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she was “happy to live in a country where access to healthcare is free and equal for all. Where insurance or wealth does not determine whether one receives dignified treatment”.
Trump, in his Truth Social message on Saturday about the hospital ship, posted an AI-generated image of a US Navy medical vessel, USNS Mercy.
“It’s on the way!!!” he added.
It was not immediately clear if that meant he was deploying that ship to Greenland.
The US president indicated the deployment was being carried out in coordination with Jeff Landry, appointed in December as the US Special Envoy to the Arctic island.
Aaja Chemnitz, who represents Greenland in the Danish Parliament, wrote on Facebook that, while Greenland’s health system had its share of problems, they were best resolved through cooperation with Denmark.
Denmark, she noted, “is one of the wealthiest and most educated countries, for example in the field of healthcare”, contrasting it with “the United States, which has its own healthcare system problems”.
Earlier this month, Greenland signed an agreement with Copenhagen to improve the treatment of Greenlandic patients in Danish hospitals.
Denmark’s central bank had warned in January that the Arctic island’s public finances were under pressure from demographic trends, pointing to its ageing population and shrinking workforce.
“NEW NORMAL”
Trump has repeatedly said he believes the United States must control Greenland to ensure US national security.
Earlier threats he made to seize the territory, by force if necessary, have ebbed since he struck a “framework” deal with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to ensure greater US influence.
The defence minister, Lund Poulsen, told DR he was not aware of a possible arrival of the suggested US hospital ship.
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.
The BBC has verified 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.
The US leader has supported protesters in the past – at one stage appearing to encourage them with a promise that “help is on its way”.
Footage verified by the BBC shows hundreds of protesters – many with national Iranian flags – peacefully marching on the campus of the Sharif University of Technology at the start of a new semester on Saturday.
The crowds chanted “death to the dictator” – a reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – and other anti-government slogans.
Supporters of a rival pro-government rally are seen nearby in the video. Scuffles are later seen breaking out between the two camps.
Verified photos have also emerged showing a peaceful sit-in protest at the capital’s Shahid Beheshti University.
The BBC have also verified footage from another Tehran university, Amir Kabir University of Technology, showing chanting against the government.
In Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city in the north-east, local students reportedly chanted: “Freedom, freedom” and “Students, shout, shout for your rights”.
Sizeable demonstrations in other locations were also reported later in the day, with calls for further rallies on Sunday.
It is not immediately clear whether any demonstrators have been arrested.
Last month’s protests began over economic grievances and soon spread to become the largest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (Hrana) said it had confirmed the killing of at least 6,159 people during that wave, including 5,804 protesters, 92 children and 214 people affiliated with the government.
Hrana also said it was investigating 17,000 more reported deaths.
Iranian authorities said late last month that more than 3,100 people had been killed – but that the majority were security personnel or bystanders attacked by “rioters”.
Saturday’s protests come as the Iranian authorities are preparing for a possible war with the US.
Taiwan’s Foxconn and India’s HCL Group formed a joint venture to set up an Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly & Test (OSAT) facility in Greater Noida.
PM Modi launching then HCL-Foxconn semiconductor facility in UP.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid the foundation stone of the HCL-Foxconn semiconductor facility in Uttar Pradesh, calling it a key milestone for the nation’s self-reliance in semiconductor chips.
“We are proud that Uttar Pradesh is becoming a part of the semiconductor ecosystem in the country. This semiconductor unit will give new recognition to the state. Moreover, it will boost employment, as the establishment of a semiconductor facility attracts ancillary industries, which will ultimately generate more jobs,” Modi said in a virtual address.
Taiwan’s Foxconn and India’s HCL Group formed a joint venture, called India Chip Private Limited, to set up an Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly & Test (OSAT) facility at YEIDA (Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority) in Greater Noida. The advanced facility is expected to be operational by 2028.
In his address, PM Modi said a weak supply chain of tiny chips during the Covid-19 pandemic halted development of several economies and stopped work at various factories. “Developed India will be built only when India is self-reliant. For this, Made in India chip is very important. Whatever India is doing in the field of technology in this decade, it will become foundation of our capability in the 21st century,” Modi said.
The establishment of the HCL-Foxconn semiconductor facility in Uttar Pradesh is a step towards technological self-reliance. It will boost India’s presence in the global chip ecosystem. https://t.co/DNY4D9MDUz
The Prime Minister also said four semiconductor units, out of the ten approved under the India Semiconductor Mission, are set to begin production in the country. “If India’s chips are made in India, we will not have to rely on others for the tech manufacturing needs. Digital India, semiconductor chips, EVs, 5G, and AI are the soul of everyday needs. If we have chips of our own, our progress in every sector will remain unimpeded,” he said.
HCL Group has earmarked an investment of Rs 3,700 crore over the next few years in the facility that will produce display driver chips. The investment is expected to create over 3,500 direct and indirect jobs, build local supply chains, and attract ecosystem partners across the semiconductor value chain.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw were also present on the occasion. They were joined by Roshni Nadar Malhotra, chairperson, HCL Group, and Bob Chen, president (semiconductor business group), Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn).
The latest strikes follow a string of deadly attacks in northwestern Pakistan. Days earlier, a suicide bomber, backed by gunmen, drove an explosives-laden vehicle into the wall of a security post in the Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing 11 people
Pakistan carried out similar strikes deep inside Afghanistan in October, also aimed at militant hideouts. (Photo: AP)
Pakistan said early Sunday that it had carried out strikes along its border with Afghanistan, targeting hideouts of Pakistani militants it blames for a series of recent attacks inside the country. Officials in Islamabad did not initially specify the precise locations of the strikes. According to reports, the operations also targetted the Ghani Khelo and Garda Samia districts inside Afghanistan. Local reports said at least 17 Afghan civilians were killed in the strikes.
There was no immediate comment from authorities in Kabul.
In comments posted before dawn on X, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the military had conducted what he described as “intelligence-based, selective operations” against seven camps belonging to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, and its affiliates. He added that an affiliate of the Islamic State group had also been targeted in the border region.
Pakistan carried out similar strikes deep inside Afghanistan in October, also aimed at militant hideouts.
At least 17 Afghan civilians were killed after Pakistan carried out airstrikes on the Ghani Khelo and Garda Samia districts in Afghanistan.
Tarar said Pakistan “has always strived to maintain peace and stability in the region,” but added that protecting the safety and security of Pakistani citizens remained the government’s top priority.
The latest strikes follow a string of deadly attacks in northwestern Pakistan. Days earlier, a suicide bomber, backed by gunmen, drove an explosives-laden vehicle into the wall of a security post in the Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, which borders Afghanistan. The blast caused part of the compound to collapse, killing 11 soldiers and a child. Authorities later said the attacker was an Afghan national.
Hours before the reported cross-border strikes, another suicide bomber targeted a security convoy in the nearby Bannu district, killing two soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel.
After Saturday’s violence, Pakistan’s military warned it would not “exercise any restraint” and that operations against those responsible would continue “irrespective of their location,” language that suggested rising tensions between Islamabad and Kabul.
Tarar said Pakistan had “conclusive evidence” that recent attacks — including a suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque in Islamabad earlier this month that killed 31 worshippers — were carried out by militants acting on the “behest of their Afghanistan-based leadership and handlers.”
He said Pakistan had repeatedly urged Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to take verifiable steps to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory to launch attacks across the border, but alleged that no substantive action had been taken.
Pakistan is urging the international community to press Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities to uphold their commitments under the Doha agreement not to allow their soil to be used against other countries.
The operation, conducted by the Indian Coast Guard earlier this month, centred on the Mali-flagged MT Asphalt Star, which was intercepted approximately 100 nautical miles off Mumbai in the early hours of February 5.
Surveillance first detected the MT Asphalt Star on February 4 in a stationary “hot lay-up” position.
India seized three oil tankers suspected of links to Iran’s sanctioned oil trade after a dramatic mid-sea operation, which revealed a deliberate 11-hour blackout of tracking systems and illegal fuel transfers in Indian waters involving one of the tankers.
The operation, conducted by the Indian Coast Guard earlier this month, centred on the Mali-flagged MT Asphalt Star, which was intercepted approximately 100 nautical miles off Mumbai in the early hours of February 5. The vessel had gone completely “dark” on January 28, disabling its Automatic Identification System (AIS), VHF radio, and other sensors for nearly 11 hours while in Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), where it had lingered for eight days from 20 to 28 January.
Coast Guard officials say such deliberate shutdowns are a hallmark of illicit maritime activity, allowing ships to conceal their identity and movements.
Surveillance first detected the MT Asphalt Star on February 4 in a stationary “hot lay-up” position in the Arabian Sea. When contacted, the vessel repeatedly altered its reported identity and destination. Coast Guard ships closed in around 2 am on February 5 and boarded at 6 am.
The crew initially claimed they were bound for Mangaluru in Karnataka. Further checks revealed the tanker was transmitting false voyage data via AIS and VHF. It carried only a temporary registration certificate issued in Bamako in Mali, on January 30 and lacked the mandatory Protection & Indemnity (P&I) insurance required for international shipping.
Investigators allege the MT Asphalt Star was part of a coordinated operation with two sister vessels, MT Al Jafzia and MT Stellar Ruby (also referred to as MT Steller Ruby), conducting unauthorised ship-to-ship transfers inside India’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
Approximately 30 metric tonnes of heavy fuel oil were transferred to MT Al Jafzia, while 5,473 metric tonnes of VG-40 bitumen were offloaded to MT Stellar Ruby. All transfers were allegedly carried out using forged documents and Automatic Identification System (AIS) spoofing to mask the ships’ true identities.
The probe has also uncovered prior attempts to deceive Indian port authorities. MT Stellar Ruby is accused of entering Karwar Port in Karnataka using a forged P&I insurance certificate, while MT Al Jafzia allegedly used fake documentation to gain access to the Alang ship-breaking yard in Gujarat.
Probe into the master’s mobile phone on MT Asphalt Star revealed WhatsApp conversations with overseas handlers and company officials, providing key evidence of coordination.
An FIR lodged at Mumbai’s Yellow Gate Police Station on the complaint of an Indian Coast Guard commandant names nine individuals as accused: Shyam Bahadur Chouhan, Navjyot Chalotra, Gopal Das, Ravi Kumar, Gyna Chandra Gupta, Munwar Khalphe, Shivkumar Sharma, Nasaruddin Mandal, and Jogender Singh Brar. They include crew members, masters, and engineers from the three vessels, along with representatives of Star Shipping Management, the registered owner.
The accused face charges of criminal conspiracy, smuggling, document forgery, and violations of customs, shipping, IT, and petroleum laws.
After having agreed to provide Ukraine a €90 billion EU loan package, officials in Budapest have said on Friday they plan to veto the deal unless Russian oil starts flowing back to Hungary.
Hungary’s Orban said he will go back on his word to let the EU provide billions in aid to Ukraine unless his country starts getting more Russian oilImage: Benoit Doppagne/Belga/IMAGO
After agreeing to provide Ukraine a €90 billion ($106 billion) EU loan package, officials in Budapest said on Friday they plan to veto the deal unless Russian oil starts flowing in a pipeline to Hungary.
“As long as Ukraine blocks the Druzhba pipeline, Hungary will block the €90 billion Ukrainian war loan. We will not be pushed around!” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wrote on Facebook.
Ukrainian officials say the oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russian oil across Ukraine to Hungary and Slovakia, have been disrupted since Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure damaged it in January.
Hungarian and Slovakian politicians, however, accuse the Ukrainian leadership of blocking the resumption of supplies. Both countries rely heavily on the pipeline for their oil imports and are the most Russia-friendly governments in the European Union.
On Wednesday, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico declared a state of emergency over supplies and threatened retaliatory measures against Ukraine if the pipeline was not reopened.
Hungary decries pipeline ‘blackmail’ ahead of election
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto called the stop to oil flows in the pipeline “blackmail.”
“Ukraine is blackmailing Hungary by halting oil transit in coordination with Brussels and the Hungarian opposition to create supply disruptions in Hungary and push fuel prices higher before the elections,” he wrote on X.
For the first time in 16 years, Orban faces the possibility of losing a parliamentary election.
Kyiv has long called on its EU allies to stop buying Russian energy supplies as they help finance Moscow’s full-scale invasion, which is about to enter its fifth year.
EU leaders, including Orban, agreed in December to provide Ukraine with up to €90 billion over two years, a decision endorsed by the European Parliament last week. The EU also exempted Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic ― which have all opposed further aid for Kyiv ― from repaying the loan’s borrowing costs.
Final approval by the Council of the European Union, made up of national ministers, is still required before the first funds can be disbursed, a step previously regarded as a formality.
US President Donald Trump has imposed a new 10% global tariff to replace ones struck down by the Supreme Court, calling the ruling “terrible” and lambasting the justices who rejected his trade policy as “fools”.
The president unveiled the plan shortly after the justices outlawed most of the global tariffs the White House announced last year.
In a 6-3 decision, the court held that the president had overstepped his powers.
The decision was a major victory for businesses and US states that had challenged the duties, opening the door to potentially billions of dollars in tariff refunds, while also injecting new uncertainty into the global trade landscape.
Speaking from the White House on Friday, Trump indicated that refunds would not come without a legal battle, saying he expected the matter to be tied up in court for years.
He also said he would turn to other laws to press ahead with his tariffs, which he has argued encourage investment and manufacturing in the US.
“We have alternatives – great alternatives and we’ll be a lot stronger for it,” he said.
The court battle was focused on import taxes that Trump unveiled last year on goods from nearly every country in the world.
The tariffs initially targeted Mexico, Canada and China, before expanding dramatically to dozens of trade partners on what the president billed as “Liberation Day” last April.
The White House had cited a 1977 law, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which gives the president power to “regulate” trade in response to an emergency.
But the measures sparked outcry at home and abroad from firms facing an abrupt rise in taxes on shipments entering the US, and fuelled worries that the levies would lead to higher prices.
Arguing before the court last year, lawyers for the challenging states and small businesses said that the law used by the president to impose the levies made no mention of the word “tariffs”.
They said that Congress did not intend to hand off its power to tax or give the president an “open-ended power to junk” other existing trade deals and tariff rules.
In his opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts, a conservative, sided with that view.
“When Congress has delegated its tariff powers, it has done so in explicit terms and subject to strict limits,” he wrote.
“Had Congress intended to convey the distinct and extraordinary power to impose tariffs, it would have done so expressly, as it consistently has in other tariff statutes.”
The decision to strike down the tariffs was joined by the court’s three liberal justices, as well as two justices nominated by Trump: Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch.
Three conservative justices, Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh and Samuel Alito, dissented.
At the White House, Trump said he was “absolutely ashamed” of the Republican appointees on the court who voted against his trade policy.
He said they were “just being fools and lap dogs” and were “very unpatriotic and disloyal to our Constitution”.
Shares on Wall Street rose after the announcement, with the S&P 500 closing up about 0.7%, as businesses across the US cautiously welcomed the ruling.
“I feel… like a thousand-pound weight has been lifted off my chest,” said Beth Benike, the owner of Busy Baby products in Minnesota, which manufactures products in China.
Nik Holm, chief executive of Terry Precision Cycling, one of the small businesses involved in the case, called the ruling a “relief”.
“Though it will be many months before our supply chain is back up and running as normal, we look forward to the government’s refund of these improperly-collected duties,” he said.
The anticipated refunds and relief from tariff costs may prove elusive, however.
On Friday, Trump signed a proclamation imposing the new 10% tariff under a never-used law known as Section 122, which gives the power to put in place tariffs up to 15% for 150 days, at which point Congress must step in.
It will go into effect on 24 February.
The order states a variety of exemptions, including certain minerals, natural resources and fertilizers; some agricultural products like oranges and beef; pharmaceuticals; some electronics and certain vehicles.
For many of the categories of exempt goods, the order is broad and does not specifically say what items might be exempt.
Canada and Mexico will retain an exemption under a North American free trade pact, the USMCA, on tariffs covering a vast majority of goods.
A White House official said countries that struck trade deals with the US, including the UK, India and the EU, will now face the global 10% tariff under Section 122 rather than the tariff rate they had previously negotiated.
The Trump administration expects those countries to keep abiding by the concessions they had agreed to under the trade deals, the official added.
Analysts expect the White House to also consider other tools, such as Section 232 and Section 301, which allow import taxes to address national security risks and unfair trade practices.
Trump has previously used those tools for tariffs, including some announced last year on sectors such as steel, aluminium and cars. Those were untouched by the court ruling.
“Things have only gotten more complicated and more messy today,” said Geoffrey Gertz, senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security in Washington.
Reaction by major trade partners was relatively muted.
“We take note of the ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court and are analysing it carefully,” European Commission spokesman Olof Gill wrote on social media.
The US has already collected at least $130bn in tariffs using the IEEPA law, according to the most recent government data.
In recent weeks, hundreds of firms, including retailer Costco, aluminium giant Alcoa and food importers like tuna fish brand Bumble Bee, have filed lawsuits contesting the tariffs, in a bid to get in line for a refund.
But the decision by the majority does not directly mention refunds, likely handing back the question of how that process might work to the Court of International Trade.
In his dissent, Justice Brett Kavanaugh warned the situation would be a “mess”.
Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rishi Sunak emphasised that India has moved into a medal position as an AI superpower. He lauded the country’s energy to develop the technology and use it.
Rishi Sunak made a light hearted remarks on Delhi’s traffic congestion at AI event on Thursday.
Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made a light hearted remarks on Delhi’s traffic congestion as he apologised for the delay in the joint session with UK Deputy PM David Lammy at the British High Commission here.
“Sorry, we’re a few minutes late, that’s entirely my fault. AI can do many things, as we’ve heard this week, but it can’t yet fix Delhi’s traffic. So, work to do,” he said.
Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rishi Sunak emphasised that India has moved into a medal position as an AI superpower. He lauded the country’s energy to develop the technology and use it.
“What this week has been is just a showcase of the extraordinary, not just the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, but the energy that all of you have here to develop this technology and use it, is unlike anywhere else in the world. It’s a very special ingredient. It’s the reason that India, now, according to Stanford, who do the world rankings, moved into one of the medal positions as an AI superpower in the world, which is something that many of you here should be proud of.”
Continuing his light-hearted banter, Sunak said that India “leapfrogged” the UK to get ahead in the AI race and reminded that England still leads in ICC test rankings, which he jokingly said is “more important.”
“Although a little bit disappointing, because they leapfrogged the UK to get to that position. Although I did just point out to Prime Minister Modi just now, if you look at the ICC test rankings, England is still ahead, which arguably is more important,” he said.
UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy introduced Sunak as “a great son of the United Kingdom and also a great son of India.”
Sunak promptly interjected, saying, “Son-in-law”, drawing laughter from the audience, as Lammy responded with “Son-in-Law!”
Lammy went on to underline his own India connection, “I just want to establish my heritage too, because my great-grandmother on my mother’s side was from Calcutta.”
Turning to artificial intelligence, Lammy referenced Sunak’s decision to convene the first global AI Summit at Bletchley Park.” You kicked off the first global summit, um, in Bletchley Park. Um, it’s an issue that you cared about then. Why did you decide that it was something that you were going to use your platform to signal to the world that this is important? And how do you think that story’s going?” he asked.
This comes amid the AI Summit being held in Delhi, which Sunak, during his address at the summit, called an ideal venue for shaping the future of artificial intelligence (AI)
Addressing the AI Impact Summit as a keynote Speaker earlier, he said India was uniquely positioned to drive the next phase of AI’s global journey, not just for developed nations, but for the developing world as well.
“I don’t know if they’re real or not,” US President Trump said of aliens. But he said interest in the topic led him to order the declassification of information related to extraterrestrial life.
Do you believe aliens are real? Trump isn’t sure, but Obama says they’re out there…. somewhereImage: Knut Niehus/Zoonar/picture alliance
US President Donald Trump, citing “tremendous interest,” said he was directing the Pentagon and other government agencies to release files related to extraterrestrials and unidentified flying objects (UFOs).
He said the agencies should include “any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters.”
He made the announcement on social media on Thursday, hours after accusing former President Barack Obama of disclosing “classified information” when he suggested in a podcast interview that aliens were real.
“I don’t know if they’re real or not,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. When asked of Obama, he said: “I may get him out of trouble by declassifying.”
What did Obama say about aliens in the podcast?
In a podcast released last week, Obama said he believed aliens were real, but he had not seen any evidence of them during his presidency.
“They’re real, but I haven’t seen them and they’re not being kept in… Area 51,” he told host Brian Tyler Cohen, referring to the top-secret facility at the heart of many UFO conspiracies.
Once his comments quickly went viral, the ex-president took to clarify on Instagram.
“Statistically, the universe is so vast that the odds are good there’s life out there,” he said. “But the distances between solar systems are so great that the chances we’ve been visited by aliens is low, and I saw no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us. Really!”
Aliens and Area 51
Public interest in extraterrestrials, unidentified flying objects and unidentified aerial phenomena has prompted several conspiracy theories over the years.
Several internet chat rooms and social media accounts dedicate themselves to solving this mystery, and many insist the US government knows more than it lets on.
‘Oh my word!’ – USA’s Liu wins women’s figure skating gold with stunning performance
American superstar Alysa Liu added Olympic figure skating gold to her world title as she beat a standout field in the women’s final.
Liu came into the free skate in third place following a couple of errors in the short program, but produced a performance for the ages.
Appropriately wearing a sparkly gold dress and performing to Donna Summer, she scored a staggering 150.20 in her free skate.
It pushed her to the top of the leaderboard with an overall score of 226.79, narrowly beating Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto – who Liu beat to the world title last year.
Sakamoto, in her final performance before retirement, won silver with 17-year-old compatriot Ami Nakai claiming bronze.
Japan’s Mone Chiba finished fourth, ahead of Amber Glenn – who rose from 13th to fifth after an excellent free skate – while Russian champion Adeliia Petrosian came sixth following a fall.
Liu, 20, becomes the first American Olympic champion in women’s figure skating since Sarah Hughes in 2002, and the first USA medallist since Sasha Cohen in 2006.
She was playing catch up on Nakai – leader after the short program – and Sakamoto after Tuesday night following a mistake on her triple lutz where she failed to fully rotate in the element.
But there were no mistakes here with a truly showstopping routine that drew deafening cheers from the crowd.
It was a much needed boost for the USA, as their only gold in singles figure skating following Ilia Malinin’s collapse in the men’s event.
Malinin was among those in the crowd who gave Liu – the alt girl with her iconic halo hair and lip piercing – a standing ovation as she wrote herself into Olympic folklore.
It completes a remarkable comeback for Liu, who previously quit the sport aged 16 after missing out on a medal at Beijing 2022.
Sakamoto meanwhile has to settle for silver as her stellar career ends without an Olympic crown.
She is retiring aged 25 having won three world titles and bronze at Beijing 2022.
Her final performance here was to Non, je ne regrette rien by Edith Piaf, and Sakamoto must have no regrets about a performance in which all 12 elements were given positive grades of execution.
But it scored five points lower than Liu in the technical elements, with the American’s routine judged to have been more challenging.
Sakamoto wept as she left the ice, but by the medal ceremony rightly looked delighted with another major honour.
That initial disappointment was in stark contrast to the joy of compatriot Nakai, who ends a phenomenal debut campaign with an Olympic medal.
The youngest skater in the competition, Nakai stormed to the top of the leaderboard following the short program and opened her free skate with a triple axel – a brutally tough element she is now making her trademark.
But Nakai stumbled on her triple lutz, which played a major role in knocking her down below Liu and Sakamoto.
For a while, it looked like American champion Glenn might have produced an all-time great Olympic comeback.
She was down in 13th following a disastrous short program which left her in tears after she missed her triple loop, meaning it was scored zero as an invalid element.
Glenn – who is open about her bisexuality and criticism of USA president Donald Trump – has been a magnet for online backlash, and came out on Thursday in Milan with a point to prove.
Despite suffering a heavy fall in the warm-up she attacked her free skate, including a triple axel to start then a complex triple loop and double axel sequence.
She punched the air at the conclusion, and even as she missed out on a medal she had the body language of someone pleased to have brought her best to the Olympic stage.
The U.S. State Department is developing an online portal that will enable people in Europe and elsewhere to see content banned by their governments including alleged hate speech and terrorist propaganda, a move Washington views as a way to counter censorship, three sources familiar with the plan said.
The site will be hosted at “freedom.gov,” the sources said. One source said officials had discussed including a virtual private network function to make a user’s traffic appear to originate in the U.S. and added that user activity on the site will not be tracked.
A woman views her phone as she walks past street art on a wall in London, Britain, December 18, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville Purchase Licensing Rights
Headed by Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers, the project was expected to be unveiled at last week’s Munich Security Conference but was delayed, the sources said.
Reuters could not determine why the launch did not happen, but some State Department officials, including lawyers, have raised concerns about the plan, two of the sources said, without detailing the concerns.
The project could further strain ties between the Trump administration and traditional U.S. allies in Europe, already heightened by disputes over trade, Russia’s war in Ukraine and President Donald Trump’s push to assert control over Greenland.
The portal could also put Washington in the unfamiliar position of appearing to encourage citizens to flout local laws.
In a statement to Reuters, a State Department spokesperson said the U.S. government does not have a censorship-circumvention program specific to Europe but added: “Digital freedom is a priority for the State Department, however, and that includes the proliferation of privacy and censorship-circumvention technologies like VPNs.”
The spokesperson denied any announcement had been delayed and said it was inaccurate that State Department lawyers had raised concerns.
The Trump administration has made free speech, particularly what it sees as the stifling of conservative voices online, a focus of its foreign policy including in Europe and in Brazil.
Europe’s approach to free speech differs from the U.S., where the Constitution protects virtually all expression. The European Union’s limits grew from efforts to fight any resurgence of extremist propaganda that fueled Nazism including its vilification of Jews, foreigners and minorities.
U.S. officials have denounced EU policies that they say are suppressing right-wing politicians, including in Romania, Germany and France, and have claimed rules like the EU’s Digital Services Act and Britain’s Online Safety Act limit free speech.
The EU delegation in Washington, which acts like an embassy for the 27-country bloc, did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the U.S. plan.
In rules that fall most heavily on social media sites and large platforms like Meta’s (META.O), opens new tab Facebook and X, the EU restricts the availability — and in some cases requires rapid removal — of content classified as illegal hate speech, terrorist propaganda or harmful disinformation under a group of rules, laws and decisions since 2008. FRICTION WITH EUROPEAN REGULATORS
Rogers of the State Department has emerged as an outspoken advocate of the Trump administration position on EU content policies. She has visited more than half a dozen European countries since taking office in October and met with representatives of right-wing groups that the administration says are being oppressed. The department did not make Rogers available for an interview.
In a National Security Strategy published in December, the Trump administration warned that Europe faced “civilisational erasure” because of its migration policies. It said the U.S. would prioritize “cultivating resistance to Europe’s current trajectory within European nations.”
EU regulators regularly require U.S.-based sites to remove content and can impose bans as a measure of last resort. X, which is owned by Trump ally Elon Musk, was hit with a 120 million-euro fine in December for noncompliance.
Germany, for example, in 2024 issued 482 removal orders for material it deemed supported or incited terrorism and forced providers to take down 16,771 pieces of content.
Similarly, Meta’s oversight board in 2024 ordered the removal of a Polish political party’s posts that used a racial slur and depicted immigrants as rapists, a content category EU law treats as illegal hate speech.
Macron landed in Mumbai on Tuesday midnight for a three-day official visit during which he will also attend the AI Impact Summit in Delhi on Thursday.
French President Emmanuel Macron shared an AI-generated photo with PM Modi. (X/@EmmanuelMacron)
French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday shared an AI-generated photo with Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid French leader’s 3-day visit to India as he is set to attend the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi on Thursday.
“When friends connect, innovation follows. Ready for The AI Impact Summit! (sic),” Macron said in the caption of the photo.
Macron, accompanied by First Lady Brigitte Macron, landed in Mumbai on Tuesday midnight and spent a day in India’s financial capital before heading to Delhi for the AI Impact Summit.
Macron and his wife left Mumbai for New Delhi on Wednesday after concluding his official engagements here, including bilateral talks with PM Modi. The Macrons were seen off at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport by Maharashtra governor Acharya Devvrat, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Eknath Shinde.
Macron began his official visit to India on February 17 at the invitation of PM Modi to participate in the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. PM will also inaugurate the summit on February 19 where as many as 20 heads of state will be present at the inaugural session, Electronics and IT Secretary S Krishnan said.
On Tuesday, PM Modi called France ‘special partner’ as he inaugurated the assembly line of H-125 helicopters with Macron.
Modi and Macron virtually inaugurated the H-125 Light Utility Helicopter Final Assembly of Tata Airbus at Vemagal, Karnataka.
Google and Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta have been accused of deliberately making platforms addictive to children and harming their mental health.
Mark Zuckerberg has denied allegations that his company’s products are inherently addictiveImage: Ryan Sun/AP Photo/dpa/picture alliance
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared in a Los Angeles court on Wednesday, where he testified in a trial that has put his company in the spotlight over social media’s harmful effects on children.
A California woman who used Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube as a child has said the apps fueled her depression and suicidal thoughts.
The plaintiff started using YouTube at age 6, Instagram at 11, then TikTok and Snapchat. The latter two already reached a damages settlement with the woman.
The suit accuses the companies of seeking to get children hooked on their services, despite being aware of the mental health harms they can cause.
At issue is the notion of whether or not social media apps are addictive to children.
Zuckerberg regrets slow progress on spotting under-13s on Instagram
Meta and Google have denied the allegations, with Meta pointing to research from the National Academies of Sciences, which did not find that social media affected kids’ mental health.
If Meta loses the case, it will have to pay compensation to the plaintiff, and such a verdict would have an impact on social media companies’ credibility, at a time when more and more governments around the world are banning the apps for children under 16.
While on the stand, Zuckerberg said he regretted how slowly his firm spotted under-13-year-olds on Instagram. He added that improvements had been made.
“I always wish that we could have gotten there sooner,” he added.
Last week, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri testified at the trial, flatly rejecting the concept of social media addiction.
“I’m sure I’ve said that I was addicted to a Netflix show when I binged it really late one night, but I don’t think that’s the same thing as clinical addiction,” Mosseri said.
Internal emails displayed in court
The Los Angeles case is one of several trials against social media companies in the United States.
Its resolution could help establish a standard for resolving thousands of other lawsuits that blame social media for fueling an epidemic of depression, anxiety, eating disorders and suicide among young people.
The focus is on the apps’ design, algorithms and personalization features.
The plaintiff’s lawyer presented an internal Instagram memo from 2018 saying, “If we want to win big with teens, we must bring them in as tweens.”
Zuckerberg said the document’s presentation in court was “mischaracterising what I am saying,” adding that he “had different conversations over time to try to build different versions of services that kids can safely use.”
Meta had discussed creating a version of Instagram for children under 13, but never made such a service.
Prosecutors also presented internal email exchanges in which Mosseri defended Zuckerberg’s 2020 decision to allow cosmetic beauty filters on Instagram.
Other executives strongly objected, warning of the filters’ harmful effects, particularly on young girls. Supporters of the filters sought to avoid losing market share amid growing competition from TikTok.
Jurors were also shown emails from 2014 and 2015 in which Zuckerberg explicitly aimed to increase the amount of time users spent on the app by double-digit percentages.
Zuckerberg also pointed out the difficulty for app makers in verifying a user’s age and said the responsibility should lie with the makers of mobile devices.
More countries ban apps for minors
The lawsuit is part of a global backlash against social media platforms, as several governments have passed laws to ban them, with the goal of protecting children’s mental health.
Australia’s ban on social media platforms for children under 16 has already gone into effect.
In France, a bill calling for a social media ban on users under 15 years old is making its way through parliament. Meanwhile, the Council of Ministers in Spain is expected to approve a similar ban on users under 16 years old and send it to parliament.
At the 6th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue in Bengaluru the two ministers discussed bilateral security and defence issues including priority areas for co-development and co-production of equipment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with French President Emmanuel Macron during a joint press meet Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: India and France on Tuesday gave a major push to bilateral defence relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurating a key helicopter manufacturing facility in Karnataka even as the two nations renewed a ten-year defence cooperation agreement.
In addition, New Delhi and Paris inked an agreement on setting up a production unit in India to manufacture Hammer missiles used by Rafale combat jets and formalised an arrangement on reciprocal deployment of officers at Indian Army and French Land Forces establishments.
“France is one of India’s oldest strategic partners. And together with President Macron, we have given this strategic partnership unprecedented depth and energy…The inauguration of the helicopter assembly line in India is another shining example of this deep trust,” Prime Minister Modi said in a statement after the summit meeting.
“We are proud that India and France will jointly manufacture the world’s only helicopter capable of flying to the heights of Mount Everest. And we will also export it to the entire world,” he noted, referring to the H125 Tata-Airbus helicopter assembly line at Vemagal in Kolar district of Karnataka.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh the investment in the H-125 programme would exceed Rs 1,000 crore. The H125 is the only helicopter in history to have landed on the summit of Mount Everest, giving it a performance ceiling that exceeds existing light utility fleets.
President Macron said, “From Rafale jets to submarines, we are expanding defence cooperation.” The two sides also agreed to make Exercise Shakti – wargaming between Indian and French land forces – an annual affair instead of holding it once in two years.
Last week, the Defence Ministry accorded an initial clearance to buy 114 Rafale fighter aircraft from France for the Indian Air Force in a Rs 3.25 lakh crore deal. The IAF currently flies 36 Rafale jets and last year India signed another major contract to purchase 24 Rafale-M for the Navy.
While Prime Minister Modi met President Macron in Mumbai, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held discussions with his French counterpart Catherine Vautrine in Bengaluru. President Macron will travel to Delhi to attend the ongoing AI impact summit.
At the 6th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue in Bengaluru the two ministers discussed bilateral security and defence issues including priority areas for co-development and co-production of equipment, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
They emphasised on the need for a closer defence partnership and connecting the industries of both nations, especially in the field of niche technology besides reaffirming their commitment to enhance military-to-military cooperation as a key pillar of the strategic partnership.
While Rajnath flagged the importance of the recent India-EU Security & Defence Partnership as a significant step in deepening the collective engagement, the two ministers agreed to leverage this framework, both bilaterally and in the wider European context for tangible outcomes to strengthen regional stability, enhance joint capabilities, and reinforce the enduring Indo-French strategic alignment.
Millions of files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein suggest the existence of a “global criminal enterprise” that carried out acts meeting the legal threshold of crimes against humanity, according to a panel of independent experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council.
The experts said crimes outlined in documents released by the U.S. Justice Department were committed against a backdrop of supremacist beliefs, racism, corruption and extreme misogyny.
Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein are seen in this image released by the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., U.S., on December 19, 2025 as part of a new trove of documents from its investigations into the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. U.S. Justice Department/Handout via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
The crimes, they said, showed a commodification and dehumanization of women and girls.
“So grave is the scale, nature, systematic character, and transnational reach of these atrocities against women and girls, that a number of them may reasonably meet the legal threshold of crimes against humanity,” the experts said in a statement.
The experts said the allegations contained in the files require an independent, thorough and impartial investigation, and said inquiries should also be launched into how it was possible for such crimes to be committed for so long.
The U.S. Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A law, approved by Congress with broad bipartisan support in November, requires all Epstein-related files to be made public.
The U.N. experts raised concerns about “serious compliance failures and botched redactions” that exposed sensitive victim information. More than 1,200 victims were identified in the documents that have been released so far.
“The reluctance to fully disclose information or broaden investigations, has left many survivors feeling retraumatized and subjected to what they describe as ‘institutional gaslighting,'” the experts said.
The Justice Department’s release of documents has revealed Epstein’s ties to many prominent people in politics, finance, academia and business – both before and after he pleaded guilty in 2008 to prostitution charges, including soliciting an underage girl.
He was found hanged in his jail cell in 2019 after being arrested again on federal charges of sex trafficking of minors. His death was ruled a suicide.
Peru’s Congress on Tuesday ousted President Jose Jeri just four months into his term over a scandal involving undisclosed meetings with a Chinese businessman, extending a cycle of political upheaval that has gripped the Andean nation for much of the past decade.
There were 75 lawmakers who voted in favor of removing Jeri, while 24 voted against and three abstained.
Peruvian President Jose Jeri holds a press conference after facing a congressional oversight committee, amid a scandal over undisclosed meetings with a Chinese businessman, a case that has intensified scrutiny over his government’s transparency and accountability, at the Government Palace, in Lima, Peru, January 21, 2026. REUTERS/Gerardo Marin/ File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Legislators will now elect a new head of Congress who will also assume Peru’s presidency, becoming the country’s eighth president in as many years. Jeri is Peru’s third consecutive president to be removed from office.
The rapid-fire ousters underscore how Peru’s political class has failed to address voter concerns like crime and corruption, leaving the country stuck in a cycle of short-lived administrations with little time or authority to tackle problems and a deeply unpopular Congress that seeks to gain support by removing unpopular leaders.
Ruth Luque, one of the lawmakers who backed the censure measures, said she wanted to replace Jeri with a leader who would put public interest and security first, ahead of a new president coming into office.
“We ask to end this agony so we can truly create the transition citizens are hoping for,” she said. “Not a transition with hidden interests, influence-peddling, secret meetings and hooded figures. We don’t want that sort of transition.”
With yet another interim leader set to take over ahead of scheduled elections on April 12, the volatility risks deepening public distrust as legislators and politicians seek to posture themselves as presidential contenders.
“It strikes me that there is no trace of high mindedness here, only electoral calculations,” said Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue think tank in Washington. “Enough lawmakers concluded their support for Jeri would hurt them in elections, so they had to act.”
The scandal that was dubbed “Chifagate” – after a local name for Chinese restaurants – began last month when Jeri was filmed arriving at a restaurant late at night wearing a hood to meet with Chinese businessman Zhihua Yang, who owns stores and a concession for an energy project. The meeting was not publicly disclosed.
Jeri became president in October after Peru’s unpopular Congress voted unanimously to remove his predecessor Dina Boluarte, as the right-wing parties that had backed her dropped their support amid corruption scandals and growing anger over rising crime.
Boluarte had no vice president and Jeri, who was the head of Congress at the time, was next in the line of succession.
This interim status was used to remove him from the presidency on Tuesday. Unlike impeachment, which requires a supermajority of 87 in the 130-member legislature, Congress voted to censure Jeri, which strips him of his title as head of Congress with a simple majority.
Jeri has said he would respect the outcome of the vote. VOTING ON NEW PRESIDENT ON WEDNESDAY
While the current head of Congress, Fernando Rospigliosi, would be constitutionally next in the line of succession, he has declined to assume the presidency. As such, legislators will have to elect a new head of Congress who will then automatically assume the presidency.
Rospigliosi said parties have until 6 p.m. local time to present their candidates and the legislature would vote on a new president on Wednesday.
This would be similar to Francisco Sagasti’s ascent to the presidency in 2020 after he was chosen by Congress amid a sharp political crisis and protests following former President Manuel Merino’s five-day presidency.
Trump and Epstein moved in the same social circles in New York and Palm Beach in the 1990s and early 2000s.
US President Donald Trump. (IMAGE: AP PHOTO)
US President Donald Trump issued a strong denial of any connection to Jeffrey Epstein, saying he had been “totally exonerated” and insisting he had no involvement with the convicted sex offender.
“I have nothing to hide. I have been exonerated. I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein,” Trump said.
His remarks come after the recent release of Epstein-related files by the US Department of Justice, which has renewed scrutiny of the late financier’s links with prominent political and business figures. The department published more than 3 million additional pages, including 2,000 videos and 180,000 images. In total, nearly 3.5 million pages have been officially released.
Trump’s Ties With Epstein
Trump and Epstein moved in the same social circles in New York and Palm Beach in the 1990s and early 2000s. They were photographed together at several events and Epstein was known to have visited Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort during that period. In a 2002 interview with New York Magazine, Trump described Epstein as a “terrific guy” and said he liked beautiful women “on the younger side”.
Trump Says He Cut Ties With Epstein
Trump has repeatedly said he later distanced himself from Epstein. He has stated that Epstein was barred from Mar-a-Lago in the mid-2000s, reportedly following a dispute and concerns about his behaviour. Their relationship is also believed to have soured around 2004, when the two competed to purchase the same oceanfront property in Palm Beach, which Trump ultimately acquired. Trump has never been criminally charged in connection with Epstein’s trafficking case.
India aims to prevent its waters from being used for ship-to-ship transfers that obscure the origin of oil cargoes, according to sources.
The seizures follow an improvement in US-India relations (File)
India has seized three U.S.-sanctioned tanker ships linked to Iran this month and stepped up surveillance in its maritime zone to curb illicit trade, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said on Monday.
India aims to prevent its waters from being used for ship-to-ship transfers that obscure the origin of oil cargoes, the source added.
The seizures and heightened surveillance follow an improvement in U.S.-India relations. Washington earlier this month announced it will cut import tariffs on Indian goods to 18% from 50%, as New Delhi has agreed to stop Russian oil imports.
Sanctioned vessels Stellar Ruby, Asphalt Star, and Al Jafzia frequently changed their identities to evade law enforcement by coastal states, the source said, adding that their owners were based overseas.
Indian authorities said in a post on X on February 6 that they had intercepted three vessels about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai after detecting suspicious activity involving a tanker in India’s exclusive economic zone. The post was later deleted, but the source now confirmed that the vessels had been escorted to Mumbai for further investigation.
The Indian Coast Guard has since deployed about 55 ships and 10 to 12 aircraft for round-the-clock surveillance in its maritime zones, according to the source.
The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control last year sanctioned the vessels Global Peace, Chil 1, and Glory Star 1 with IMO numbers identical to the ships captured by India.
Two of the three tankers are linked to Iran, with Al Jafzia having carried fuel oil from Iran to Djibouti in 2025 and Stellar Ruby flagged in Iran, according to LSEG data.
Obama initially commented on the subject as part of a quickfire round of questions on a podcast
Former US President Barack Obama has clarified that the chances Earth has been visited by aliens is “low” after comments he made about extra-terrestrial species caught attention online.
“They’re real but I haven’t seen them,” he told American podcast host Brian Tyler Cohen during an interview published on Saturday.
“They’re not being kept in Area 51. There’s no underground facility unless there’s this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States,” he added.
Obama has since said his comments were made in line with “the spirit of the speed round” of questions, adding that statistically the chances are that life is out there but he saw “no evidence” while president.
Obama’s initial comments were made during a quickfire “lightning” round of questions.
“Are aliens real?” Cohen had asked as his first question of the round for the former president.
Obama’s answer was subsequently run in different media outlets and attracted attention online – prompting him to publish a clarifying statement on his official Instagram account on Sunday.
“I was trying to stick with the spirit of the speed round, but since it’s gotten attention let me clarify,” he wrote in a caption that accompanied the video clip from the podcast.
“Statistically, the universe is so vast that the odds are good there’s life out there. But the distances between solar systems are so great that the chances we’ve been visited by aliens is low, and I saw no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us. Really!”
In his letter on Sunday, MK Stalin described the issue as one of “profound humanitarian, constitutional and national importance,” noting that around 89,000 Sri Lankan Tamils continue to reside in Tamil Nadu
Letter comes at a time when DMK is foregrounding Tamil language, identity and heritage
With just two months to go for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, Chief Minister MK Stalin has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a “humane and pragmatic” resolution to the long-pending citizenship issue and legal status of Sri Lankan Tamils living in the state for over four decades.
In his letter on Sunday, Stalin described the issue as one of “profound humanitarian, constitutional and national importance,” noting that around 89,000 Sri Lankan Tamils continue to reside in Tamil Nadu, both inside refugee camps and outside. Nearly 40 per cent of them were born in India, and many have lived here for over 30 years.
The Chief Minister pointed out that since 1983, successive Tamil Nadu governments, with the concurrence of the Union Government, have provided shelter, education and healthcare to those who fled ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. However, many continue to lack access to citizenship or long-term visa status.
Hon’ble @PMOIndia Thiru. @NarendraModi, please provide a humane legal solution for Sri Lankan Tamils living in Tamil Nadu for decades by enabling citizenship pathways, granting long term visa relief, and removing administrative barriers that keep them in legal uncertainty.… pic.twitter.com/9L83qONtlG
— M.K.Stalin – தமிழ்நாட்டை தலைகுனிய விடமாட்டேன் (@mkstalin) February 15, 2026
Referring to recommendations of a State Advisory Committee, Stalin urged the Centre to rescind earlier administrative instructions that bar consideration of citizenship applications, waive passport and visa requirements where appropriate, delegate powers to district-level authorities for faster processing, and formally clarify that registered Sri Lankan Tamil nationals sheltered up to January 9, 2015, should not be treated as “illegal migrants.”
The issue had also figured in Parliament last year during discussions on the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025, when Union Home Minister Amit Shah alleged that the DMK had never taken up the refugees’ issue with him. The claim was denied by DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, who cited details of letters sent by the Tamil Nadu government on the matter.
Politically, the letter comes at a time when the ruling DMK is foregrounding Tamil language, identity and heritage as key campaign themes against the BJP-led Centre. By pressing for citizenship and legal clarity for Sri Lankan Tamils, the DMK is seeking to consolidate pro-Tamil voters and sympathisers of Lankan refugees.
Despite their prolonged stay, only 11 Sri Lankan refugees have so far been granted Indian citizenship. Of them, just one has secured voting rights, while the remaining ten have applied for inclusion in the electoral rolls, highlighting the limited progress in regularising their status.
Kim Ju Ae first appeared publicly at a long-range missile test in November 2022. Since then, she has joined her father at more events
Kim Jong Un’s sister Kim Yo Jong, 38, is seen as the second most powerful figure in North Korea
North Korea could be headed for a tense family showdown. South Korea’s spy agency says Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter, Kim Ju Ae, is close to being named the country’s next leader, a move that could set her against her powerful aunt, Kim Yo Jong, in a future fight for control.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) told lawmakers last week that Kim Ju Ae, believed to be around 13, is nearing formal designation as heir. The timing is crucial, with North Korea preparing its biggest political conference later this month, where Kim Jong Un is expected to set major goals and tighten his grip.
In a closed-door briefing, NIS officials said they are watching whether Kim Ju Ae appears with her father before thousands of delegates at the upcoming Workers’ Party Congress.
Kim Ju Ae first appeared publicly at a long-range missile test in November 2022. Since then, she has joined her father at more events, from weapons tests and military parades to factory visits. She even travelled with him to Beijing last September for a meeting with China’s leader on the sidelines of a World War II event.
Officials in Seoul had earlier doubted that a girl could be chosen to lead North Korea, pointing to the country’s conservative, male-dominated leadership. But Kim Ju Ae’s frequent appearances have forced a rethink. In a previous assessment, the NIS told lawmakers that bringing her to China likely helped build a narrative for her succession.
The Aunt Who Could Challenge The Crown
A potential challenge could come from Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s sister. At 38, she is seen as the second most powerful figure in North Korea and enjoys strong political and military backing.
Kim Yo Jong currently holds a senior position in the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, and is reported to have influence over her brother.
A former senior South Korean intelligence official, Rah Jong Yil, warned that a power struggle is “probable” and said Kim Yo Jong would move to take the top job if she believed she had a chance, New York Post reported. He argued there would be “no reasons” for her to hold back from pursuing her own political project.
Rah told The Telegraph, “It depends on the timing, but I believe if Kim Yo Jong believed that she had a chance of becoming the top leader then she would take it. For her, there are no reasons to refrain from putting into effect her own political project.”
Kim Yo Jong has built a fearsome reputation inside and outside North Korea. Known for her cutting remarks, she regularly issues statements in her own name.
In 2022, she targeted South Korea’s defence minister with one of her harshest comments yet, calling him “a senseless and scum-like guy” and warning that Seoul could face “a miserable fate little short of total destruction and ruin,” The Guardian had reported.
“The senseless and scum-like guy dare mention a preemptive strike at a nuclear weapons state,” Kim Yo Jong said in a statement carried by state media. “South Korea may face a serious threat owing to the reckless remarks made by its defense minister.”
She added another warning, “South Korea should discipline itself if it wants to stave off disaster.”
A December report published on 38 North, the website of the US-based think tank Stimson Centre, had also raised concerns about potential “turbulence” should Kim Jong Un suddenly die. The analysis also underscored the “high likelihood of a power struggle emerging between Kim Jong Un and his potential successor candidates.”
According to the report, “in the immediate term, more politically established candidates, like Kim Yo Jong, are more likely to succeed in the event of Kim Jong-un’s sudden death or serious illness.”
In contrast, other potential successors, including Kim Ju‑ae and her siblings, believed to be two boys, “are still too young and unestablished to realistically be considered for succession in the coming five to 15 years.” the report noted.
The report further emphasised that Kim Yo Jong holds an advantage. “Kim Yo-jong, for example, will be able to immediately outmanoeuvre the others due to the political and military support she has garnered within the [Workers’ Party of Korea],” the report stated.
A Brutal Family History
North Korea has seen brutal internal purges before. After taking power in 2011, Kim Jong Un moved against his uncle and mentor, Jang Song Thaek, who was executed by firing squad in 2013 following accusations of “anti-party, counter-revolutionary, factional acts.”
Kim’s half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, the one-time heir to North Korea, was also killed when a pair of women smeared the deadly VX nerve agent on his face at Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur International Airport in 2017.
US President Donald Trump said the Board of Peace’s member states have committed billions of dollars to Gaza’s reconstruction, as well as thousands of personnel to a UN-authorized stabilization force.
Donald Trump chaired the first meeting of the so called “Board of Peace” in Davos last month [January 22, 2026]Image: Denis Balibouse/REUTERSUS President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the member states of his so-called “Board of Peace” have pledged more than $5 billion (€4.2 billion) for reconstruction and humanitarian efforts in Gaza.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president announced that he will formally unveil the pledges when the board meets in Washington on Thursday.
The event is expected to draw delegations from more than 20 countries, including heads of state.
Reconstruction of Gaza is expected to cost $70 billion, according to United Nations, World Bank and European Union estimates, after more than two years of war.
The US-brokered October 10 ceasefire calls for an armed international force to provide security and disarm Hamas, but few nations have expressed interest.
Trump wrote that the member states of the board have committed thousands of personnel to the UN-authorized international stabilization and police force in the Palestinian enclave, calling the board “the most consequential international body in history.” He didn’t name which countries were planning to contribute.
Indonesia’s military, however, confirmed on Sunday it expects up to 8,000 troops to be ready by late June for a possible peace and humanitarian mission, the first concrete commitment to the proposed force.
Trump calls on Hamas to disarm
Trump is also urging Hamas to move ahead with full disarmament under his postwar plan for Gaza.
“Very importantly, Hamas must uphold its commitment to full and immediate demilitarization,” he wrote in his Truth Social post.
Disarmament is an important part of the second phase of the US-mediated ceasefire plan that was agreed in October between Israel and Hamas. This plan aims to end the conflict that began after Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023.
The second phase stipulates that Israeli forces will gradually withdraw from Gaza, and that Hamas will disarm. An international stabilization force will be deployed to ensure security.
Sources told NDTV that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been formally invited but is unlikely to attend due to prior commitments in Mumbai
India’s invitation carries particular weight, given Dhaka-New Delhi ties
Dhaka is set to witness a major political moment on February 17 as Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman is sworn in as the next Prime Minister of Bangladesh, marking the formal return of the BNP to power.
The oath ceremony, expected to take place at the Southern Plaza of the Bangladesh Parliament House, is being closely watched across South Asia, with India featuring prominently among the invited countries.
According to BNP sources, the day will begin with the oath-taking of newly elected Members of Parliament, followed by the swearing-in of the new prime minister and cabinet later in the day. The oath to Tarique Rahman will be administered by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, underscoring the constitutional transition after the general election.
Speaking to NDTV, a BNP spokesperson described February 17 as a “historic day for Bangladesh,” noting that the formation of the new government would signal a fresh political chapter after a prolonged and closely scrutinised electoral process. The spokesperson added that attention would also focus on the international presence in Dhaka, particularly the arrival of South Asian leaders.
In a significant diplomatic outreach, the Chief Adviser of the interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, has invited heads of government from 13 countries to attend the oath ceremony. The invitee list includes India, China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, and Bhutan.
India’s invitation carries particular weight, given Dhaka-New Delhi ties and the shared history between the two neighbours. Sources told NDTV that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been formally invited but is unlikely to attend due to prior commitments in Mumbai on the same day with French President Emmanuel Macron. Instead, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar or Vice President CP Radhakrishnan is expected to represent India at the ceremony.
Diplomatic observers say India’s participation at any level will be closely analysed for signals about the future trajectory of India-Bangladesh relations under the new BNP-led government. While past BNP administrations have had complex ties with New Delhi, recent statements from party leaders have emphasised regional cooperation, trade, connectivity and stability.
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.”
The Foreign Office said the UK has informed the Organisation on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons of Russia’s alleged breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Praising Navalny’s “huge courage”, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said “his determination to expose the truth has left an enduring legacy”.
“I am doing whatever it takes to defend our people, our values and our way of life from the threat of Russia and Putin’s murderous intent,” he added.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot also said his country “pays tribute” to Navalny, who he suggested was “killed for his fight in favour of a free and democratic Russia”.
Navalny – an anti-corruption campaigner and Russia’s most vociferous opposition leader – died suddenly in jail on 16 February 2024 at the age of 47.
In 2020 he was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent. He underwent treatment in Germany, and was arrested at the airport upon his return to Russia.
‘Extremely rare’ toxin
Epibatidine, the toxin the UK and its European allies have said was used to kill Alexei Navalny, was first derived from a group of poison dart frogs native to northern South America.
Though epibatidine has previously been investigated as a pain killer and for relief from painful inflammatory conditions of the lungs, it has been deemed too toxic to use clinically.
Speaking to BBC Russian, toxicology expert Jill Johnson said it was “200 times more potent than morphine”.
By acting on receptors in the central nervous system, it can cause “muscle twitching and paralysis, seizures, slow heart rate, respiratory failure and finally death,” Johnson said.
The extremely rare neurotoxin is only found in one wild frog species in tiny quantities, and only when the frog eats a specific diet, she told the BBC.
Researchers believe the frogs acquire it through their diet because animals from different habitats have displayed different levels of the toxin, and those raised in captivity have none.
Johnson described it as an “incredibly rare way to poison a person”.
She added: “Finding the wild frog in the correct location that is eating the specific diet to create the correct alkaloids is almost impossible…almost.”
The Indian Consulate said it will provide all assistance to the family, including for the repatriation of mortal remains to India.
Saketh Sreenivasaiah was pursuing his Master of Science in the Product Development Programme at the University of California, Berkeley. (LinkedIn)
The 22-year-old Indian student, Saketh Sreenivasaiah, who went missing in the United States since February 9, was found dead in Lake Anza near the Berkeley Hills by the local police, India’s mission in San Francisco said on Sunday.
Sreenivasaiah, a post-graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, hailed from Tumakuru in Karnataka. He was last seen near a lake in the Tilden Regional Park in California.
In a post on X, the Indian Consulate in San Francisco said, “The Consulate deeply regrets to inform that local police have confirmed the recovery of the body of the missing Indian student, Saketh Sreenivasaiah. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones during this profoundly difficult time.”
It further added that the Indian mission is ready to provide all the necessary assistance to the family in coordinating with local authorities and arranging for the repatriation of Sreenivasaiah’s mortal remains.
“Our consular officers are in direct contact with the family and will support them with all required formalities and services,” the Consulate added.
The update from the Consulate came merely 24 hours after it expressed deep concern over the 22-year-old’s disappearance. The mission had said that it was in touch with Sreenivasaiah’s family and with the local authorities.
Saketh’s father, Sreenivasaiah, said he last spoke to his son on February 9. “We still haven’t been able to locate him. We are in touch with his roommates and others. We have written to the government seeking support and assistance to find our son,” he told news agency PTI.
Sreenivasaiah’s parents wrote to Karnataka chief secretary Shalini Rajneesh on February 13, seeking the state government’s cooperation and assistance. They stated in the letter that their son’s roommates had searched all known locations and, after confirming he was untraceable, lodged a formal complaint with the Berkeley Police Department.
The Karnataka government on Saturday requested the ministry of external affairs to extend all necessary assistance. Rajneesh said in a letter to foreign secretary Vikram Misri, “It is requested that the ministry of external affairs, through the Consulate General of India in San Francisco, extend all necessary assistance, including coordination with local law enforcement and facilitation of support to the family.”
An upside-down U.S flag flutters at the former United States Embassy in Tehran, Iran, February 5, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
The U.S. military is preparing for the possibility of sustained, weeks-long operations against Iran if President Donald Trump orders an attack, two U.S. officials told Reuters, in what could become a far more serious conflict than previously seen between the countries.
The disclosure by the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the planning, raises the stakes for the diplomacy underway between the United States and Iran.
U.S. and Iranian diplomats held talks in Oman last week in an effort to revive diplomacy over Tehran’s nuclear program, after Trump amassed military forces in the region, raising fears of new military action.
U.S. officials said on Friday the Pentagon was sending an additional aircraft carrier to the Middle East, adding thousands more troops along with fighter aircraft, guided-missile destroyers and other firepower capable of waging attacks and defending against them.
Trump, speaking to U.S. troops on Friday at a base in North Carolina, said it had “been difficult to make a deal” with Iran.
“Sometimes you have to have fear. That’s the only thing that really will get the situation taken care of,” Trump said.
Asked for comment on the preparations for a potentially sustained U.S. military operation, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: “President Trump has all options on the table with regard to Iran.”
“He listens to a variety of perspectives on any given issue, but makes the final decision based on what is best for our country and national security,” Kelly said.
The Pentagon declined to comment.
The United States sent two aircraft carriers to the region last year, when it carried out strikes against Iranian nuclear sites.
However, June’s “Midnight Hammer” operation was essentially a one-off U.S. attack, with stealth bombers flying from the United States to strike Iranian nuclear facilities. Iran staged a very limited retaliatory strike on a U.S. base in Qatar.
RISKS INCREASING
The planning underway this time is more complex, the officials said.
In a sustained campaign, the U.S. military could hit Iranian state and security facilities, not just nuclear infrastructure, one of the officials said. The official declined to provide specific detail.
Abuse in a juvenile facility, hazardous dust from a battery factory and an alleged sex video involving the opposition leader — the run-up to Hungary’s election has so far been dominated by one scandal after another.
‘Let’s protect the children’ — a protest organized by the Hungarian opposition party Tisza. In the center of the photo, dressed in black, is Tisza leader Peter MagyarImage: Robert Hegedus/dpa/picture alliance
Hungary is no stranger to extremely polarized election campaigns.
For decades now, Victor Orban has — whether in government or in the opposition — followed the same playbook: Starting months ahead of the polls, he has run campaigns that suggest the very survival of the Hungarian nation is at stake.
In these campaigns, he styles himself as the only one who can save Hungary and its people from evil and the threat of destruction at the hands of the country’s enemies.
Hungary is due to elect a new parliament on April 12, and this time, the campaign is more negative than ever.
Nonsense and fabrications
Orban, his government and his party, Fidesz, have no qualms about papering the country with thousands upon thousands of anti-Ukrainian posters, using taxpayers’ money to organize a “national petition” against the EU and Ukraine, and flooding social media with AI-generated fake videos about the opposition.
These videos all have one thing in common: They spread nonsense and fabrications. The prime minister and his team are essentially claiming that if Orban loses the election, the country will face war, mobilization on the Ukrainian front, and enslavement and mass impoverishment as a result of tax increases from Brussels.
In view of this particularly extreme campaign, Gabor Torok — an otherwise sober political scientist — has already spoken of the “decline and fall” of political culture.
Could Orban lose the election?
The reason for this downward spiral is quite simply the real possibility that Orban could lose power for the first time since 2010.
People have in general grown weary of what they see as the corrupt, arrogant and autocratic Orban system.
For months now, Peter Magyar and his opposition Tisza party have been clearly and consistently ahead in opinion polls.
At the same time, the prime minister and his government are struggling with the fallout from a number of self-inflicted public scandals that could all safely be filed under “Lies and double standards.”
Child abuse scandal
The first of these scandals relates to serious violence and the sexual abuse of minors at a juvenile facility in Budapest. New aspects of the story have gradually been coming to light over the past few months.
The facility, which was more or less a brutal prison for young offenders, has since been closed. Leaked videos have shown shocking scenes of staff violence at the facility.
Government representatives apparently knew about conditions in the facility for quite some time, but did nothing, even though child protection — coupled with homophobia — is a major theme for Orban’s government. Indeed, the government likes to claim that it is protecting Hungarian children against “Brussels’ LGBTQ+ propaganda” and the supposed abuse that this will lead to.
Orban and some members of his government and party also seemed to suggest a few weeks ago that the victims themselves were responsible by pointing out that they were criminals.
In doing so, they seemed to imply that civic and human rights could be revoked at will. This was greeted with even greater opposition from some parts of Hungarian society.
Ignoring health hazards at a battery plant
Earlier this week, Hungary was rocked by revelations about environmental and health hazards at a Samsung battery plant in God, a town north of Budapest.
According to research conducted by the Hungarian news site Telex.hu, staff at the factory have for years been exposed to poisonous heavy metal particles, and this dust was emitted into the air, the soil and the groundwater. Documents show that levels were in some cases over 500 times higher than permissible limits.
The Hungarian government was apparently aware of this. It is claimed that even the Hungarian domestic intelligence agency AH warned the government of the catastrophic situation. Nevertheless, it is reported that Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto stopped the closure of the plant.
There are also reports that when the anti-corruption website Atlatszo.hu first wrote about the matter in early 2024, the government considered how best to silence the site.
The story is so explosive because Orban’s government has for years been pushing the massive development of battery production in Hungary and sees it as a pillar of the country’s forward-looking economic and technology policy.
To this end, Chinese and South Korean investors were brought in. Despite numerous local protests, court cases and concerns voiced by experts, the government repeatedly moved ahead with its plans.
Scandal about a possible sex video
And then there is the story of a supposed sex video involving opposition leader Peter Magyar, which has the Hungarian public on tenterhooks.
A few days ago, a black-and-white photo of an unmade bed in a bedroom appeared on a mysterious website named after — but not belonging to — Tisza’s deputy leader Mark Radnai. The image was taken from the perspective of what would appear to be a security camera.
After days of speculation, Magyar himself posted a Facebook video about the photo on February 12. In it, he said that he had had “consensual sex” with a former girlfriend in that room on August 3, 2024. He also said that there had been drugs on a table in the apartment, but that he had not taken any.
During his speech at the Munich Security Conference, France’s president said Europeans should be more proud of the continent’s achievements. Meanwhile, Germany’s Merz rejected the MAGA “culture war.” DW has more.
Macron defended Europe as model for the world during a speech at the Munich Security ConferenceImage: Kay Nietfeld/REUTERS
The Munich Security Conference kicked off on Friday with a speech by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who did not hold back in calling out a growing “rift” between Europe and the United States under President Donald Trump.
Merz said the post-World War II order, which had been shaped by US supremacy and Europe enjoying a “vacation from world history” under Washington’s security umbrella, has come to an end.
He said Europe can come together and shape a new order.
“We are not at the mercy of this world, we can shape it,” Merz said, arguing that Europeans can do so if they “step up together with determination and confidence in our own strengths.”
At the same time Merz said the US and Europe need to “repair and revive trans-Atlantic trust together,” while pointing out that the US “claim to leadership has been challenged, and possibly lost,” warning of the rise of Russia and China.
“Merz’s pointed analysis of how isolated Trump’s aggressive take on trade and security has left the US was so blunt that it sounded like an insult,” DW’s Chief Political Editor Michaela Kuefner said at the conference.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is representing the US at the conference, with a much-anticipated speech due for Saturday morning.
Before leaving for Munich, Rubio said ties between the US and Europe are facing a “defining moment.”
“The old world is gone, frankly, the world I grew up in, and we live in a new era in geopolitics, and it’s going to require all of us to re-examine what that looks like and what our role is going to be,” he said.
Rubio added that the US is “deeply tied to Europe, and our futures have always been linked and will continue to be. We’ve just got to talk about what that future looks like.”
Overall security spending is expected to rise in the coming years as global tensions increase, says Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
An RSAF Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicle on display at the 10th edition of the Singapore Airshow, on Jan 31, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Wallace Woon)
Singapore will maintain its current defence budget at 3 per cent of gross domestic product, but this could change if circumstances call for it, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Thursday (Feb 12).
Delivering this year’s national budget, Mr Wong, who is also Finance Minister, said sustaining investments in security is critical amid a more fragmented and dangerous world.
“For now, we expect to keep defence spending at around 3 per cent of GDP. But we are prepared to spend more if the need arises,” he said.
He added that national security extends beyond the Ministry of Defence and includes investments in the protection of critical infrastructure and the work of the Home Team.
“Taken together, we expect overall security-related expenditures to rise in the coming years – to keep Singapore safe and secure in a far more complex threat environment.”
RISING SECURITY RISKS
Mr Wong said the world has become more dangerous in recent years. In 2024, there were 61 state-based armed conflicts worldwide – the highest number recorded since World War II, he said.
“These conflicts are not confined to distant regions. Closer to home, we witnessed one of the most serious armed clashes involving ASEAN member states in years,” said Mr Wong, citing the Thailand-Cambodia military confrontation.
Calling these developments “deeply troubling”, Mr Wong said they reflect a “shrinking space for negotiation, a greater willingness to use force, and a higher risk of miscalculation, with consequences that can easily spill across borders”.
He reiterated that no one will come to Singapore’s rescue in a crisis and that the country is responsible for its own defence and survival.
Recent conflicts have underscored how the nature of warfare is changing, particularly with the widespread use of unmanned systems, he said. Drones are now used not only for surveillance, but also for precision strikes, electronic warfare and coordinated operations.
“We will study these developments carefully and invest decisively in capabilities that are essential to Singapore’s defence. This includes strengthening our ability to deploy, counter, and operate alongside unmanned systems across all domains,” said Mr Wong.
The digital domain has also become increasingly contested, with a sharp rise in cyberattacks by state-sponsored and non-state actors. These range from scams targeting individuals to highly sophisticated attacks on critical information systems.
“Singapore is an attractive target. We have faced attacks from malicious cyber actors, including hostile information campaigns and deliberate attempts to undermine our national security,” said the prime minister.
Singapore has strengthened its defences over the years by establishing agencies such as the Cyber Security Agency, the Home Team Science and Technology Agency and the SAF’s Digital and Intelligence Service, he said.
“But the threat landscape continues to evolve, with attacks becoming more frequent, more coordinated and more sophisticated,” he said.
“We will therefore continue to strengthen our cybersecurity posture by deepening capabilities, improving coordination across agencies and better safeguarding our most critical systems.”
“A TIME OF PROFOUND GLOBAL CHANGE”
In what was his first Budget speech for the current term of government, Mr Wong said Singapore is entering its post-SG60 phase “at a time of profound global change”.
He said the international order that had underpinned global stability and economic cooperation for nearly eight decades is weakening.
“It underwrote global security, championed open markets, and helped form the institutions and rules that enabled shared prosperity across the world – including here in Asia. That era has now come to an end.”
The US is reassessing and undoing part of that system, setting aside trade rules and bypassing global institutions, making long-standing norms less reliable, said Mr Wong. This has weakened the multilateral system and driven more states towards unilateral action.
The guardrails that once helped manage disputes and tensions are also eroding, leading to a more contested, fragmented and dangerous world, said Mr Wong.
While last year’s US Liberation Day tariffs were expected to trigger a sharp global slowdown, Mr Wong said “our worst fears did not materialise” as firms adjusted quickly by front-loading production and imports.
The impact of the tariffs was also reduced by subsequent trade deals and shifts in global supply chains, he said. Growth in the major economies held up, supported in part by strong investment in Al-related activities.
“In short, despite mounting stresses, the global economy proved more resilient than anticipated, and the international system continued to function,” said Mr Wong.
“This year, however, we may not be so fortunate. Events in just the first month of 2026 have already been of exceptional scale and consequence. They have increased geopolitical tensions worldwide.
“As pressures build and the margin for error narrows, the resilience of the global system will be tested far more severely.”
WEAKENING OF GLOBAL ECONOMY
Mr Wong also pointed to “clear and growing signs of fragility in the global economy”.
“Rising public debt in many major economies will strain financial stability, and weigh on longer-term growth prospects. At the same time, heightened risk-taking in financial markets has pushed up asset valuations, leaving them vulnerable to abrupt corrections,” he said.
Such corrections could dampen confidence and spill over into real economic activity, he added.
These developments have direct implications for Singapore. Although the economy grew by a stronger-than-expected 5 per cent in 2025, a more moderate outlook is expected this year.
“Growth is therefore projected at 2 per cent to 4 per cent; with inflation at 1 per cent to 2 per cent,” he said.
Still, Mr Wong said Singapore can move forward with confidence.
“Over the decades, we have systematically strengthened our economic foundations – deepening capabilities, investing in our people, and reshaping our industries as technologies evolve,” he said.
Anthropic raised 30 billion dollars at a 380 billion valuation, sparking criticism from Elon Musk, who called the company “misanthropic and evil”.
A file photo of Elon Musk (AP)
Artificial intelligence company Anthropic on X announced that it has raised $30 billion in fresh funding at a $380 billion post-money valuation, underscoring its rapid ascent in the global AI race, thus triggering a response from Elon Musk.
“We’ve raised $30B in funding at a $380B post-money valuation. This investment will help us deepen our research, continue to innovate in products, and ensure we have the resources to power our infrastructure expansion as we make Claude available everywhere our customers are,” the company posted.
Soon after, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk responded to Anthropic’s announcement on X.
“Your AI hates Whites & Asians, especially Chinese, heterosexuals and men. This is misanthropic and evil. Fix it,” Musk wrote.
He further added, “Frankly, I don’t think there is anything you can do to escape the inevitable irony of Anthropic ending up being Misanthropic. You were doomed to this fate when you chose your name.”
Musk also wrote: “The Name of the Wind.”
Your AI hates Whites & Asians, especially Chinese, heterosexuals and men.
This is misanthropic and evil. Fix it.
Frankly, I don’t think there is anything you can do to escape the inevitable irony of Anthropic ending up being Misanthropic. You were doomed to this fate when you…
His remarks come at a time when his own artificial intelligence startup, xAI, is undergoing significant changes.
According to a Reuters report, Musk has overhauled xAI’s management structure ahead of a planned initial public offering, following its merger with SpaceX.
The reorganisation came after the departure of several co-founders from the three-year-old firm.
At an all-hands meeting, Musk said, “We’re organising because we’ve reached a certain scale. We’re organising the company to be more effective at this scale. Now, naturally, when this happens, some people are better suited for the early stages of a company and less suited for the later stages.”
He also highlighted the company’s ambitions in the competitive AI space, saying, “We are hiring, and we’re looking for intelligent and smart people. This is not an easy place to work. It’s a grind, but we have, I guess, like interstellar ambitions.”
Anthropic is the maker of chatbot Claude and is widely seen as one of the leading challengers to OpenAI and other generative AI firms developing large language models for enterprise and consumer use.
AMONG TOP PRIVATE AI FIRMS
According to an Associated Press report, Anthropic’s $380 billion valuation places it among the world’s most valuable startups, alongside OpenAI and SpaceX.
Renaissance Capital has ranked Anthropic as the third most valuable private firm, behind OpenAI, valued at $500 billion, and SpaceX, which recently merged with Elon Musk’s AI venture.
The latest funding round was led by Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC and US-based investment firm Coatue, along with dozens of other major investors.
AP reported that the funding includes a portion of the $15 billion investment previously announced by Nvidia and Microsoft.
As part of that arrangement, Anthropic is expected to buy up to $30 billion in computing capacity from Microsoft to build and run AI systems like Claude.
Anthropic, founded in 2021 by former OpenAI employees, is not yet profitable but has said it is on track for $14 billion in sales over the next year.
Russia has fully blocked WhatsApp over Meta’s alleged failure to comply with local laws, urging users to shift to the state-backed messaging app MAX. The move is part of Moscow’s push for a “sovereign” communications system amid wartime controls and tighter regulation of foreign tech firms.
Russia has fully blocked WhatsApp over Meta’s alleged failure to comply with local laws.
Russia has fully blocked US-based messaging platform WhatsApp, owned by Meta Platforms, over what the Kremlin described as the company’s failure to comply with local laws. The move comes amid a broader push by Russian authorities to promote a state-backed “national messenger” called MAX.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the decision on Thursday, saying the government had implemented the block because of Meta’s non-compliance.
“Due to Meta’s unwillingness to comply with Russian law, such a decision was indeed made and implemented,” Peskov told reporters, urging citizens to switch to MAX.
“MAX is an accessible alternative, a developing messenger, a national messenger, and it is available on the market for citizens as an alternative,” he said.
Critics have described MAX as a surveillance tool, an allegation Russian authorities deny. Officials say the platform integrates various government-related services and aims to simplify citizens’ daily lives.
The move follows six months of mounting pressure on WhatsApp and reflects Moscow’s broader effort, particularly during wartime, to establish what it calls a “sovereign” communications infrastructure. Under this framework, foreign technology companies must comply with Russian laws or face removal from the market.
Meta Russia has already been designated as an extremist organisation. WhatsApp earlier complained that authorities were attempting to fully block its service.
“Today the Russian government attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to drive people to a state-owned surveillance app,” the company said in a statement.
“Trying to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication is a backwards step and can only lead to less safety for people in Russia”.
Following the latest measures, some domain names associated with WhatsApp disappeared from Russia’s national register of domain names. As a result, devices inside Russia stopped receiving the app’s IP addresses, making access possible only through a virtual private network (VPN).
Roskomnadzor, Russia’s state communications regulator, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Authorities had already restricted WhatsApp and other messenger services in August, blocking users from completing phone calls on the platforms. Officials accused foreign-owned platforms of failing to share information with law enforcement in fraud and terrorism cases.
In December, Roskomnadzor said it was taking additional steps to gradually restrict WhatsApp. The regulator accused the app of continuing to violate Russian law and of being used “to organise and carry out terrorist acts on the territory of the country, to recruit their perpetrators and to commit fraud and other crimes.”
Authorities said at least 31 people have been killed with several still missing. Its estimated some 250,000 people have been impacted by Tropical Cyclone Gezani.
The vast majority of deaths were reported in the port city ToamasinaImage: Zo Andrianjafy/REUTERS
Local authorities in Madagascar on Wednesday said that at least 31 people have been killed by a tropical cyclone.
The National Office for Risk Management and Civil Protection (BNGRC) said a number of people were still missing and that at least 36 people were injured.
Tropical Cyclone Gezani swept across the island packing speeds of up to 270 kilometers an hour (167 miles an hour) the BNGRC said.
Majority of deaths reported in Toamasina
The agency said that 29 of the deaths were recorded in Toamasina on the island’s second-largest city.
In the aftermath of the weather system, 6,870 people were displaced, while a total 250,406 were classified as disaster victims, the BNGRC said.
In the Atsinanana region where Toamasina is located, around 75% of the infrastructure was damaged or destroyed.
President Michael Randrianirina — who took power in a military coup in October — visited Toamasina to survey damage and meet residents.
Videos posted on social media showed flooded neighborhoods and widespread damage.
“It’s devastation. Roofs have been blown away, walls have collapsed, power poles are down, trees have been uprooted. It looks like a catastrophic landscape,” resident Michel told the AP news agency.
Where tropical Cyclone Gezani is expected next
Weather forecasts showed Gezani was expected to move into the channel between Madagascar and Africa’s east coast on Thursday.
There were warnings that the weather system may strengthen again into a tropical cyclone and make its way back toward Madagascar’s southwest coast next week.
Gezani is the second cyclone to hit Madagascar this year and comes 10 days after Tropical Cyclone Fytia killed 14 and displaced over 31,000 people, according to the UN’s humanitarian office.
Mumbai Coastal Road will feature India’s first musical road, playing Jai Ho for motorists from Nariman Point to Worli.
India to get its first ‘musical road’ in Mumbai (Image credit: X/@richapintoi)
A section of the Mumbai Coastal Road (MCRP) is set to become India’s first ‘musical road’, offering motorists a rare yet enriching experience as they drive through the path.
Vehicles travelling from Nariman Point to Worli will be treated to the tune of ‘Jai Ho’, the Academy Award-winning song from the 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire.
“The tune ‘Jai ho’ has been chosen as a dedication to the nation and also as it infuses a feeling of patriotism in people”, said a civic official, as quoted by Hindustan Times.
According to a report by the outlet, musical strips have been installed on the north-bound carriageway from Nariman Point towards Worli. As motorists emerge from the underground tunnel, heading towards Worli, they will be able to listen to the music even from within their vehicles.
The musical road, part of the city’s traffic-free Coastal Road corridor, focuses on blending technology with entertainment, making driving along the stretch enjoyable. This marks only fifth such musical road in the world and the first in India.
The initiative is set to be inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today at 12:30 P.M.
The outcome of the elections will affect not just Bangladesh’s future but also the regional balance in India’s neighbourhood.
India will also be keeping a close eye on the elections given the spurt in attacks on minorities.
The polls will be held in the absence of its two most towering political figures, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been in India since she was deposed in 2024, and Khaleda Zia, who died in December 2025.
Here are 10 points on this big story:
Voters will cast their ballots for 299 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad, or parliament, for which the majority mark will be 150. Voting has been cancelled in the Sherpur-3 constituency following the death of a candidate. A total of 12.77 crore registered voters will cast their votes in the first-past-the-post system. Voting will begin at 7.30 am local time (7 am IST) and results should start trickling in by evening.
Another 50 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad are reserved for women and these members are elected by MPs through proportional representation via single transferable vote.
The 13th parliamentary elections will be the first since prime minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina was ousted following massive student protests in August 2024. Her arch-rival Khaleda Zia, who led the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) died in December the following year.
Zia and Hasina held the prime minister’s post alternately from 1991 until the Awami League chief came to power in 2009. She remained in the post for over 15 years and 200 days and had won elections again in 2024, until she was deposed months later.
These elections will, thus, also be the first without two of the most consequential political figures in the country in decades. People in Bangladesh will cast their votes in a completely changed political landscape and hope to start a new chapter in the country’s history.
Filling the political vacuum, in a blast from the past, is Zia’s son Tarique Rahman. The 60-year-old returned to the country from exile after nearly 17 years in December and has quickly capitalised on popular support enjoyed by his mother, the BNP and himself to emerge as the frontrunner for the prime minister’s post.
With the Awami League excluded from participation in the elections because of its crackdown during the student protests, the main challenger will be the Jamaat-e-Islami. The Jamaat, which was allied with the BNP for many years, is now leading a coalition of its own and has the support of the National Citizen Party, a student and Gen-Z outfit born out of the anti-Hasina protests.
Apart from picking the next government, electors will also vote in a referendum on the July National Charter that has been agreed to by the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government and several political parties. Among the points in the charter are limiting prime ministers to two terms (10 years), establishing an upper House of parliament, and restoring the caretaker system – having a caretaker government take charge for 90 days before an election to ensure polls are free and fair.
India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of pulses, including lentils, chickpeas, and dry beans. To preserve the interest of Indian farmers, New Delhi has imposed substantial tariffs on American exports in these categories.
The Donald Trump administration in the United States has revised its factsheet on the “key terms” of the “historic” India-US trade deal, dropping the claim that New Delhi would reduce tariffs on “certain pulses” and altering wording relating to the $500 billion purchase “commitment”, among other things. The revisions in the factsheet are significant, given that agricultural imports, particularly pulses, are sensitive for India’s farm sector.
Revision On Pulses
The factsheet released by the White House on Tuesday explicitly mentioned “certain pulses” among the products for which India would reduce or eliminate tariffs. “India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products, including dried distillers’ grains (DDGs), red sorghum, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, certain pulses, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products,” the statement read.
The updated version of the document no longer carries any mention of pulses. It says, “India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products, including dried distillers’ grains (DDGs), red sorghum, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products.”
India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of pulses, including lentils, chickpeas, and dry beans. To preserve the interest of Indian farmers, New Delhi has imposed substantial tariffs on American exports in these categories. The change in the US factsheet suggests New Delhi successfully pushed back on the characterisation.
“Agri Goods” Removed
The Trump administration has also removed the mention of agricultural goods from the text. It also altered its wording around President Trump’s claim about India’s “commitment” to buying over $500 billion of US goods.
The earlier version of the factsheet said, “India committed to buy more American products and purchase over $500 billion of US energy, information and communication technology, agricultural, coal, and other products.”
However, the revised paragraph does not refer to agricultural products. It also replaced the word “committed” with “intends.”
The revised version said, “India intends to buy more American products and purchase over $500 billion of US energy, information and communication technology, coal, and other products.”
The politically sensitive agriculture sector accounts for about a fifth of India’s GDP. The country’s agri space was estimated to be worth $580 billion to $650 billion, according to a June report by McKinsey & Co., which said that the sector could grow to $1.4 trillion by 2035.
New Delhi has resisted opening its agriculture sector because of the move that may intensify pressure on some domestic farmers in the highly competitive market.
No Removal Of Digital Services Taxes
Team Trump also walked back assertions that India would eliminate digital services taxes. The earlier version of the text read, “India will remove its digital services taxes and committed to negotiate a robust set of bilateral digital trade rules that address discriminatory or burdensome practices and other barriers to digital trade, including rules that prohibit the imposition of customs duties on electronic transmissions.”
The updated version says, “India committed to negotiate a robust set of bilateral digital trade rules that address discriminatory or burdensome practices and other barriers to digital trade.”
What Led To The Changes
The changes came a day after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the Centre over the framework of the Interim Trade Agreement with Washington. Kharge claimed the trade pact undermined India’s strategic autonomy, farmers, cattle, and the textile sector.
He called the deal a “PR-wrapped betrayal” and questioned whether it protects India’s strategic and economic interests. The Congress leader raised concerns over agriculture, alleging that pulses and genetically modified (GM) feed, including dried distillers’ grains (DDGs) and red sorghum for animal feed, have been silently added to the deal.
He noted that the White House factsheet on the deal mentioned conditions not included in the earlier Indo-US Joint Statement.
“We were told that the Indo-US Joint Statement said nothing on Russian oil, even though Mr. Trump publicly tweeted otherwise. Now the White House fact sheet clearly lists “India’s commitment to stop purchasing Russian Federation oil” as a condition for removal of an additional 25 per cent tariff. The Modi government agreed to this erosion of India’s sovereignty. Why? The Congress party had already exposed the Executive Order placing India under US monitoring for direct or indirect oil imports,” he said in a post on X.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is facing growing pressure from US officials and the family of his prominent accuser Virginia Giuffre to testify in the US about his links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Speaking to the BBC, Democrat Congressman Ro Khanna said the Royal Family had “not been transparent”, while Democrat Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez said King Charles III “should direct his brother” to go to the US to answer questions.
On Monday, the King said the Royal Family were “ready to support” police in their inquiries.
Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre in 2022 containing no admission of liability.
In the King’s first intervention in the latest round of revelations in the Epstein scandal, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said if they were approached by the police, they stood “ready to support them” in their investigation.
It added the King had “made clear…his profound concern” over allegations against his brother, and the King and Queen’s “thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse”.
Thames Valley Police announced on Monday it was assessing a complaint by anti-monarchy group Republic over the alleged sharing of confidential material by Andrew with Epstein.
The former prince appears to have knowingly shared confidential information with Epstein from his official work as trade envoy in 2010 and 2011, according to material in the latest release of files seen by the BBC.
Andrew has been contacted for comment but is yet to respond.
The King is now facing pressure to tell his brother to go to the US to testify to lawmakers
When asked by the BBC if the former prince should go to the US, Khanna said that would be “appropriate”.
The Congressman, who co-sponsored the law that compelled the justice department to release the Epstein files last year, also said the Royal Family should “come clean” and lay out what they knew and what “action they’re going to take”.
“They have a large wealth, they should probably be compensating these survivors for the horrors that have taken place,” he added.
Khanna said the Royal Family were “finally” asking for an investigation, and that “these women have been denied justice”.
It comes a day after Khanna told journalists this was the “most vulnerable” the British monarchy had been, and said stripping Andrew of a title was not enough.
“The King has to answer what he knew,” he said.
The former prince has also moved out of his Windsor home and is currently living at Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk while his new permanent home undergoes renovations.
Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez, who is on the House Oversight Committee, called for more transparency from Andrew.
Speaking to the BBC’s Newsnight, she urged the King to tell his brother to “answer questions here at the Oversight Committee”.
“You cannot say ‘I am protected because I’m no longer in the jurisdiction of the United States, so I cannot be held liable’,” Fernandez argued.
She also called for an inquiry in England. She said Andrew “was there, he knows who else was in the room with him. Who else was at those locations where these attacks took place?”
Sky Roberts, the brother of Virginia Giuffre, piled on the pressure earlier on Tuesday, telling journalists: “I think he [Andrew] should show up in front of our Congress and answer questions.”
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer agreed.
The latest emails released by the US Department of Justice reveal there have been multiple unsuccessful approaches from US authorities for Andrew to help with Epstein inquiries.
The former prince cannot be forced by a subpoena to go to the US, which has caused a lot of frustration.
Last autumn, Democrats in Congress set a November deadline for the former prince to testify about what he knew about Epstein, but he gave no response.
The scandal surrounding US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is rocking European countries. In Germany, journalists are combing through the files, and politicians are pushing for investigations.
The US Department of Justice has released around three million documents relating to the Epstein scandalImage: Jon Elswick/AP Photo/picture alliance
The German government says it is closely monitoring the evaluation of the so-called Epstein files. “We are watching what is coming to light in other countries and how it is affecting politics there,” said government spokesman Stefan Kornelius at a press conference.
Kornelius stressed that if the documents reveal any criminal offense committed by German nationals, the country’s law enforcement agencies would take action.
“The federal government is not an investigative authority,” the spokesman explained, adding that he is “not currently aware of any criminal proceedings.”
Are Germans mentioned in the Epstein files?
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel is mentioned in the published documents dozens of times; for example, in email correspondence between Jeffrey Epstein and Steve Bannon, the former chief strategist to US President Donald Trump. Both men make disparaging remarks about Merkel and express their desire to see her fail politically.
Another German name in the Epstein files is that of former German Defense Secretary Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg’s ex-wife, now known as Stephanie von Bismarck. She appears twice, but only on a list of customers of a bank where Epstein also had an account. The accounts are not related to each other.
Reporters for German news magazine Der Spiegel found a copy of a press card seemingly issued by the German Union of Journalists Ver.di for Epstein’s accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. Ver.di has since described it as a forgery, and reserves the right to take legal action.
German politicians demand investigation
Several German lawmakers have argued that there should be a systematic evaluation of the files. They want to know whether political or economic influence was exerted in Germany through Epstein’s network.
Konstantin von Notz of the opposition Green Party says the German government must provide information on the extent to which German intelligence services and other security agencies were aware of Epstein’s actions.
Notz, the Green Party’s deputy leader in Bundestag, toldthe Handelsblatt newspaper he wants to know whether the German authorities knew of the “exploitative, criminal, or pedo-criminal networks,” as well as Epstein’s international connections.
Sebastian Fiedler, domestic policy spokesman for the parliamentary group of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) in the Bundestag, referred to speculation over a possible European intelligence dimension to the case. He pointed to a suspicion expressed by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who spoke of an Russian influence operation.
“Given the numerous interconnections within European power circles, it cannot be ruled out that interconnections could also arise in Germany,” Fiedler told the Handelsblatt.
Fiedler said the Epstein files showed a form of “serious organized crime” that had infiltrated institutions, business and culture across national borders.
King Charles carried out engagements in Lancashire on Monday
King Charles has made his first intervention in the latest round of revelations in the Epstein scandal, saying Buckingham Palace is ready to support the police as they consider allegations against his brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
“The King has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct,” a Palace spokesman said.
“While the specific claims in question are for Mr Mountbatten-Windsor to address, if we are approached by Thames Valley Police we stand ready to support them as you would expect,” he said.
Thames Valley Police confirmed it is assessing whether there are grounds to investigate a complaint by the anti-monarchy group Republic, which reported Mountbatten-Windsor for suspected misconduct in public office and breach of official secrets.
Emails from the recently-released batch of Epstein files appear to show the former prince passing on reports of visits to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam and confidential details of investment opportunities.
After the trips, on 30 November 2010, he appears to have forwarded official reports of those visits sent by his then-special adviser, Amit Patel, to Epstein, five minutes after receiving them.
There were also details of investment opportunities in Afghanistan, described as “confidential”, which appear to have been passed on to Epstein on 24 December 2010.
Under official guidance, trade envoys have a duty of confidentiality over sensitive, commercial, or political information about their official visits.
The Buckingham Palace statement says that the King and Queen’s “thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse”.
Earlier on Monday the King had travelled to Clitheroe where a heckler shouted: “How long have you known about Andrew?” The rest of the crowd booed the man putting the question.
The Buckingham Palace intervention follows an earlier statement from the spokesperson for the Prince and Princess of Wales, saying they were “deeply concerned” by the latest revelations about Epstein.
“Their thoughts remain focused on the victims,” said a Kensington Palace spokesperson, ahead of Prince William’s visit to Saudi Arabia this week.
Since the release of three million more documents related to Epstein, there has been growing pressure on Mountbatten-Windsor, with claims a second woman was sent to the UK by Jeffrey Epstein for a sexual encounter with him.
Photographs appearing to show him kneeling on all fours over a female lying on the ground were also included in the latest batch of files.
There has also been embarrassment for his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. Emails signed “Sarah” show appeals for support and money from sex offender Epstein.
Certain textiles and garments made in Bangladesh from US-produced materials will attract zero tariffs.
The US-Bangadesh trade deal sees tariff exemptions for some Bangadesh exports made with materials produced in the United StatesImage: Joy Saha/ZUMA Press Wire/picture alliance
The United States and Bangladesh unveiled a new trade agreement on Monday.
Under the deal, certain volumes of imports from Bangladesh into the US can receive preferential treatment, attracting zero tariffs.
But the volume will be related to how much textiles the US exports to Bangladesh.
The US had “committed to establishing a mechanism for textile and apparel goods from Bangladesh using US-produced cotton and man-made fiber to receive zero reciprocal tariff in US market,” Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus said in a statement.
The US is Bangladesh’s biggest single destination for apparel exports, totaling $7.34 billion (€6.17 billion) in 2024.
But Bangladesh faces stiff competition from other Asian nations, such as India, which announced its own trade deal framework with the US last week, and Vietnam.
Worth $38.48 billion in 2024, Bangladesh’s readymade garment industry is its biggest export earner, accounting for more than 80% of total export earnings and employing about 4 million workers.
Bangladesh opens its markets to a range of US goods
The White House said Bangladesh had agreed to provide significant preferential market access for a range of US industrial and agricultural goods, including chemicals, medical devices, machinery and motor vehicles and parts, and US farm and food products.
Bangladesh will cut tariffs to zero on products such as poultry, pork, seafood, rice, corn and cereal grains when the agreement enters into force.
The tariffs on some other US products, such as almonds, will reduce to zero over five or 10 years.
Slight cut to tariff rate of Bangladeshi goods entering US
Most Bangladeshi products entering the US market will pay a flat rate of 19%, down 1% from the 20% rate set in August 2025. This is higher than the 18% announced in the US-India trade deal.
But Bangladeshi-made ingredients for pharmaceuticals and aircraft parts are allowed in duty-free.
Bangladesh will also ease some non-tariff barriers to trade with the US. These include accepting US vehicle safety and emissions standards and recognizing US Food and Drug Administration certifications.
Bangladesh was the first country in South Asia to complete a reciprocal trade deal with US, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said.
It “marks a meaningful step forward in opening markets, addressing trade barriers, and creating new opportunities for American exporters,” he said.
The South Asian nation exported around $8.4 billion worth of goods to the US in 2024, while its US imports amounted to $2.2 billion.
Pakhi, 12, Prachi, 14, and Nishika, 16, had jumped to their deaths from the ninth floor of their flat in Bharat City, a residential township in Ghaziabad, last Wednesday, allegedly after their parents objected to their gaming addiction and took away their phones.
Pakhi, 12, Prachi, 14, and Nishika, 16, died by suicide by jumping off 9th floor of their Ghaziabad flat
Multiple marriages, five children crammed in a single room, a mysterious 2018 death, and financial ruin – the triple suicide of three sisters in Ghaziabad reeks of buried horrors.
Pakhi, 12, Prachi, 14, and Nishika, 16, had jumped to their deaths from the ninth floor of their flat in Bharat City, a residential township in Ghaziabad, last Wednesday, allegedly after their parents objected to their gaming addiction and took away their phones.
While the initial narrative centered on a “gaming addiction,” the investigation into their father, Chetan Kumar, has exposed a crumbling timeline of serial weddings and suspicious inconsistencies.
Police sources reveal that Kumar’s testimony regarding his marriages fails the test of basic logic. He claimed his second marriage was a necessity born of his first wife’s inability to conceive, yet the ages of his children suggest otherwise.
“Kumar (the girls’ father) has been changing statements. He tried to hide his marriage to Tina initially,” a senior police officer said.
Post-mortem reports confirm the minors died from head injuries. Atul Kumar Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Shalimar Garden, told NDTV that there were no signs of sexual assault on the girls.
The phones of the minors, one of which was sold off just 15 days before the incident, have been traced and sent, along with others, for forensic analysis to determine what transpired in the final hours.
Consent, Cover-Up And Serial Marriages
Chetan Kumar, his three wives – Sujata, Hina, and Tina – and their five children slept in one room of a three-bedroom flat in Ghaziabad’s Bharat City Society. Probe shows he fathered a daughter and a mentally challenged son with first wife Sujata.
“He said that he married Hina because Sujata couldn’t conceive”, ACP Singh said. As per Kumar’s testimony to police, he married Sujata in 2010, her sister Hina in 2013 and Tina, who had converted to Hinduism from Islam, in 2023. However, Kumar’s timeline and reasons for marrying Hina don’t add up as Sujata’s daughter at the time of her death is believed to be 16.
Asked how he managed to marry three women without divorcing any of the previous wives, the ACP said, “The women had apparently consented to the marriages. No one complained.”
With Hina, he had two daughters (14 and 12), both died by ‘suicide’ along with Sujata’s elder daughter, allegedly jumping off from the ninth floor of the building. Tina, the youngest of the wives, 22, has a three-year-old daughter with him. “She had worked with Kumar in the past. So far it has emerged that the other wives consented to this marriage too,” the ACP said.
As per the police, so far, Kumar, during interrogation, has maintained that his daughters were addicted to task-based Korean games and that he had taken away their phones.
Police have also recovered a 30-page diary where the girls had reportedly mentioned that they were frustrated after their access to Korean drama and K-Pop music was cut off.
Another detail that has emerged is the death of Sujata and Hina’s sister in 2018, who had fallen off the balcony of the house while visiting them. The case was treated as an accidental death, and the family never filed any police complaint.
The Civil Aviation Ministry is reviewing 400 uncontrolled airstrips for uniform standards after the Baramati crash that killed Ajit Pawar.
The Baramati crash has renewed focus on safety at non-ATC airfields. (PTI/File)
The Civil Aviation Ministry has launched a nationwide review of about 400 uncontrolled airstrips, aiming to create a uniform set of operating standards and a shared oversight system involving both the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and state governments, according to officials.
The exercise will assess shortcomings in basic infrastructure, availability of communication systems, firefighting preparedness, and the level of coordination with district and local agencies. Most of these airstrips are owned by state governments and fall outside the DGCA’s regular surveillance framework, resulting in limited regulatory supervision, Hindustan Times reported.
The move to inspect these facilities and draft uniform guidelines comes in the wake of the January 28 aircraft crash in Baramati, which claimed the lives of Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others, bringing renewed attention to safety risks at non-ATC airfields.
DGCA teams have begun reviewing safety practices at Category A airports—uncontrolled facilities with no air traffic control services—managed by states, private operators or flight training organisations. India has at least 400 such airstrips, many of which are used by charter operators, political flights and flying schools but lack standardised procedures for runway upkeep, rescue services and aircraft movement coordination.
HT cited a senior official as saying that existing guidelines for these airstrips do not come under DGCA jurisdiction, and a new system is being developed with states to ensure visibility of their operational status and safety standards. Another official confirmed that inspection teams include officers from the flight safety, airworthiness and operations directorates.
Categories Of Airports In India
According to DGCA officials, Indian airports are grouped into four categories. Category A airports operate without air traffic control (ATC) services. Category B airports have limited control, offering partial ATC or AFIS facilities, such as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Jalgaon. Category C airports function under procedural ATC, where aircraft separation is maintained without radar, as seen at Pune. Category D airports are fully controlled, radar-equipped hubs, including Mumbai and Delhi.
Among the prominent uncontrolled but operational airstrips are Baramati, Karad and Chandrapur in Maharashtra; Ujjain and Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh; Bhagalpur and Begusarai in Bihar; Alwar in Rajasthan; Sultanpur and Saifai in Uttar Pradesh; and Hassan in Karnataka.
Protesters in Dhaka demand the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, now in exile in India
The walls of Dhaka University are screaming again.
Graffiti – angry, witty, sometimes poetic – sprawls across walls and corridors, echoing the Gen Z-led July 2024 uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina after 15 years in power. Once Bangladesh’s pro-democracy icon, critics say she had grown increasingly autocratic. After her resignation, she fled to India.
Students gather in knots, debating politics. On an unkempt lawn, red lanterns sway above a modest Chinese New Year celebration – a small but telling detail in a country where Beijing and Delhi are both vying hard for influence. For many here, the election scheduled for 12 February will be their first genuine encounter with the ballot box.
Nobel peace-prize laureate Muhammad Yunus took charge days after Sheikh Hasina’s fall. Hasina now lives in exile in Delhi, which has refused to return her to face a death sentence imposed in absentia over the brutal security crackdown in 2024 – violence in which the UN says around 1,400 people were killed, mostly by security forces.
Her Awami League – the country’s oldest party, which commanded some 30% of the popular vote – has been barred from contesting. Analysts say the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is now moving to occupy the liberal-centrist space it has vacated. The main Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, has joined forces with a party born out of the student uprising.
But the slogans on the campus – and beyond – are not only about democracy at home. It increasingly points across the border.
“Dhaka, not Delhi” is splashed on walls – and stitched onto saris, a traditional dress for women in South Asia. Among the young, “hegemony” has slipped into everyday speech, shorthand for India’s long shadow over Bangladesh.
“The young generation feels India has been intervening in our country for many years,” says Mosharraf Hossain, a 24-year-old sociology student. “Especially after the 2014 election, which was basically a one-party election.”
That grievance – Delhi’s perceived role in enabling Bangladesh’s democratic erosion – sits at the heart of a sharp rise in anti-Indian sentiment. The result: India-Bangladesh relations, once touted as a model of neighbourhood diplomacy, are now at their lowest ebb in decades.
“Delhi is struggling in Dhaka because of deep anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh and a hardening, often a hostile turn, in India’s own domestic political discourse towards its neighbour,” says Avinash Paliwal, who teaches politics and international studies at SOAS University of London.
Many blame Delhi for supporting an increasingly authoritarian Hasina in her final years and see India as an overbearing neighbour. They remember disputed general elections in 2014, 2018 and 2024 and Delhi’s “endorsement” of them.
“India supported Hasina’s regime without any pressure, without any questions,” Hossain says. “People think the destruction of democracy was supported by India.”
That sense of betrayal has merged with longer-standing grievances – border killings, water-sharing disputes, trade restrictions and inflammatory rhetoric from Indian politicians and television studios – into a more corrosive belief: that India views Bangladesh less as a sovereign equal than as a pliant backyard.
Local media is rife with reports that an Indian conglomerate supplying electricity to Bangladesh has been cheating the country – a charge the group denies. On Facebook, a key platform for political mobilisation, campaigns rage to ban a leading daily branded an “Indian agent”. Both countries have suspended most visa services.
Delhi’s decision to bar a Bangladeshi cricketer from the Indian Premier League (IPL) and refusal to move Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka has fed resentment across the border.
“To be sure, India has channels with all stakeholders in Bangladesh. But translating such engagement into positive political outcomes remains challenging in the current political climate,” says Paliwal.
Delhi has indeed begun to broaden its outreach.
Last month Foreign Minister S Jaishankar travelled to Dhaka for former prime minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Khaleda Zia’s funeral, and used the occasion to meet the party’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman. The 60-year-old heir to the Zia dynasty, Rahman recently returned after 17 years in exile in London and now looms as the frontrunner in the landmark election.
India has also opened channels to Islamist forces. A senior Jamaat-e-Islami leader told me that Indian officials have engaged the party’s leadership four times in the past year, including a recent invitation to the Indian High Commission’s Republic Day reception in a Dhaka hotel.
Yet these tactical shifts have done little to arrest the broader slide. Kamal Ahmed, consulting editor of The Daily Star newspaper, says the current chill marks a low unseen even during earlier crises. “There’s no doubt this is the lowest point of the bilateral relationship,” he told the BBC.
The contrast with the Sheikh Hasina years is stark.
Over 17 years, Dhaka “opened up almost all fronts for India” – security co-operation, transit, trade, cultural exchange and people-to-people ties. Today, Ahmed says, “nothing is moving – neither people nor goodwill”.
What appears to have turned scepticism into anger was Delhi’s response after Hasina was ousted last August. Many Bangladeshis said they expected India to recalibrate a Bangladesh policy that had rested almost entirely on backing one party. Instead, India appeared to double down – offering Hasina refuge and tightening visa and trade restrictions. The message received in Dhaka, Ahmed says, was: Bangladeshis were “not being valued as neighbours”.
Rhetoric has worsened matters.
When Indian politicians label Bangladeshi migrants “termites” or talk of teaching Bangladesh a lesson “like Israel did in Gaza,” Ahmed asks: “How do you expect people in Bangladesh to react?”
Cultural retaliation followed – calls to boycott Indian goods, the suspension of IPL broadcasts – driven by resentment. “Culture, trade, respect – nothing is one-way traffic,” Ahmed says. “Unfortunately, that’s how the current Indian leadership is practising it.”
Yet officials in Dhaka caution against reading the relationship solely through its crises.
Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to Yunus, describes ties with India as “multi-dimensional”, anchored in geography as much as politics. “We share 54 rivers… We share language, we share the same history,” he says, citing trade flows and daily movement across a 4,096km (2,545-mile) frontier.
Even so, Alam admits public sentiment has hardened sharply.
Ask Bangladeshis why they could not vote freely for over 15 years, he says, and many give the same answer: Sheikh Hasina’s authoritarianism – and India’s “backing” of it. “They also say that Hasina has always been supported by India.”
Hasina’s flight to India after the 2024 violence remains an especially sore point.
“Hundreds of young people were killed… and then she fled to India,” Alam says. The perception that she was treated as a “head of a government”, rather than a disgraced leader, deepened anger.
Alam also criticises Indian media coverage as alarmist, dismissing claims of systematic persecution of minority Hindus as “a massive disinformation campaign”. Isolated incidents do occur, he says, but are routinely portrayed as religious violence. “Come and visit,” he urges Indian journalists. “Meet the people and see what actually happened.”
India, meanwhile, says independent sources have documented more than 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities – including killings, arson and land grabs -during the interim government’s tenure, adding that these cannot be all “media exaggeration or dismissed as political violence”.
Ali Riaz, an academic who is currently serving as the special assistant to Yunus, believes the rupture runs deeper than miscommunication.
“It has reached the bottom,” he says. He believes that over time, the relationship narrowed down to “a relationship between a party or an individual and the Indian establishment, rather than between Bangladesh and India”.
Long-standing disputes amplified the damage. Water sharing, Riaz argues, creates hierarchy. “If you control the water, the relationship immediately becomes unequal.”
Border killings cut deeper still. “It is viewed as how the Indian establishment see the lives of Bangladeshis.” India has denied unlawful killings by its forces in specific deaths along the border.
These issues, analysts say, are not episodic irritants but symbols of imbalance.
That imbalance, critics argue, was reinforced after Hasina’s fall. Mohammad Touhid Hossain, foreign affairs adviser to Yunus, says India failed to recalibrate, missing a chance to reset ties with the interim government. “We tried to go forward on a number of occasions, but then the response from India was on again, off again,” he told me.
India, for its part, has voiced concern over Bangladesh’s “deteriorating security environment” and called for “free, fair, inclusive and credible elections” conducted peacefully.
Political strain is now spilling into economic ties. Bilateral trade of $13.5bn could be far higher if tariff and non-tariff barriers were eased and diplomatic relations improved, says Fahmida Khatun of the think tank Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD). “Political tension has led to economic tension.”
Yet this hardening at the state level does not always translate neatly on the street.
“Whenever I hear India, I think it is my enemy,” says Fatima Tasnim Juma of Inquilab Mancha, a cultural platform known for its nationalist anti-India messaging.
“But when it comes to people, it does not work like that.” Juma says she grew up in a Hindu-majority area; relatives move easily across the border. “Our conflict is with the Indian government or the structure. Not with people.”
Anti-Indianism has been notably subdued on the campaign trail – not because it has faded, but because every political contender knows that a reset with India is unavoidable.
Even so, repairing India–Bangladesh ties will not be quick – or cosmetic.
“A reset won’t be easy simply because there’s an election or a new government. The background [issues] will remain,” says Alam.
Still, the rupture is not irreversible. “No state relationship is,” says Riaz – but the burden of repair, he argues, lies largely with Delhi and will require moving beyond the habit of managing Dhaka through favoured intermediaries. Ahmed says Bangladesh is open to normalising ties, but India needs a reset that works with whoever holds power in Dhaka.
Political figures frame the reset in moral as much as strategic terms.
Mahdi Amin, a key adviser to BNP leader Rahman, puts it bluntly: “The bigger the nation, the more the responsibility.”
People-to-people ties, he argues, can only grow if India aligns its policy with the aspirations of Bangladeshis, not just the preferences of governments.
Keir Starmer’s top aide Morgan McSweeney has quit amid fallout over the appointment of Britain’s former US ambassador. Criticism has mounted as new details emerged of the appointee’s links to Jeffrey Epstein.
Morgan McSweeney played a similar role to Peter Mandelson in engineering an election victory for LabourImage: Tayfun Salci/ZUMA/picture alliance
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, resigned on Sunday as pressure intensified over Starmer’s decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the United States.
The departure deepened a political crisis for Starmer after newly published US documents raised questions about Mandelson’s past relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
What did McSweeney say about his resignation?
McSweeney, Starmer’s closest adviser, said he took responsibility for recommending Mandelson’s appointment.
“The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong,” McSweeney said in a statement.
“He has damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself,” McSweeney said.
“When asked, I advised the Prime Minister to make that appointment and I take full responsibility for that advice.”
Why has the Mandelson controversy flared again?
Mandelson was sacked last September over his relationship with Epstein.
However, the controversy escalated after documents released in the United States suggested Mandelson shared market-sensitive information with Epstein. The documents formed part of a larger trove of files made public in the US.
The material raised questions about Mandelson’s conduct at the time, when he was serving as Britain’s business secretary during the 2008 financial crisis.
Starmer faced mounting criticism — and suggestions that he should also step down — over his judgment in sending Mandelson to Washington in 2024.
Who is Morgan McSweeney?
The 48-year-old Irish strategist has been keeping a low profile but is being described by some as “the most powerful man in politics” after playing a key role in Starmer’s decisive election victory in July 2024.
He was credited with helping steer Labour toward a more centrist agenda after the left-wing tenure of former leader Jeremy Corbyn. McSweeney was said to have been close to Mandelson.
Who is Peter Mandelson?
Mandelson was an influential figure in British politics and the Labour Party for decades.
He was central to Labour’s shift toward the political center in the 1990s, in a similar way to McSweeney, helping former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair modernize the party and win the 1997 landslide election.
The now-72-year-old was long dubbed the “Prince of Darkness,” a term widely used to describe his reputation as a highly skilled, behind-the-scenes political operator. However, he proved to be a divisive and controversial figure, and was forced out of government twice under Blair over allegations of misconduct.
Police used tear gas and water cannons on dozens of protesters near the Olympic Village in Milan. Protesters were demonstrating over the environmental impact of the games and also the presence of US ICE agents.
A larger peaceful protest earlier in the day had dispersed by the time a smaller crowd clashed with security personnelImage: Claudio Furlan/LaPresse/dpa/picture alliance
A peaceful demonstration in Milan on Saturday, near the Olympic Village in northern Italy, has ended in clashes with police.
Earlier on Saturday, upwards of 10,000 people marched towards the Olympic Village, but later on, once the larger peaceful group of protesters had left, a smaller group had violent confrontations with police.
Flares and stones were thrown at police, who dispersed protesters with batons, water cannons and tear gas following the otherwise peaceful march.
Why are people protesting at the Olympics?
Protesters took to the streets over the environmental impact of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, which got underway on Friday.
“Let’s take back the cities and free the mountains,” one banner by a group calling itself the Unsustainable Olympic Committee read.
At the larger, peaceful demonstration — which police said had 10,000 demonstrators — people carried cardboard cutouts representing the trees cut down to build the new bobsled run in Cortina.
The protests took place amid US Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Milan as head of the US delegation. Vance attended the opening ceremony to many boos and some applause on Friday.
Protesters unhappy with presence of US ICE officers
The protest was also directed partly at the presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency officers at the games.
ICE officers have been tasked with protecting officials, including Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi attends a press conference after meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, in Istanbul, Turkey, January 30, 2026. REUTERS/Dilara Senkaya/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Iran will strike U.S. bases in the Middle East if it is attacked by U.S. forces that have massed in the region, its foreign minister said on Saturday, insisting that this should not be seen as an attack on the countries hosting them.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi spoke to Qatari Al Jazeera TV a day after Tehran and Washington pledged to continue indirect nuclear talks following what both sides described as positive discussions on Friday in Oman.
While Araqchi said no date had yet been set for the next round of negotiations, U.S. President Donald Trump said they could take place early next week. “We and Washington believe it should be held soon,” Araqchi said.
Trump has threatened to strike Iran after a U.S. naval buildup in the region, demanding that it renounce uranium enrichment, a possible pathway to nuclear bombs, as well as stopping ballistic missile development and support for armed groups around the region. Tehran has long denied any intent to weaponise nuclear fuel production.
While both sides have indicated readiness to revive diplomacy over Tehran’s long-running nuclear dispute with the West, Araqchi balked at widening the talks out.
“Any dialogue requires refraining from threats and pressure. (Tehran) only discusses its nuclear issue … We do not discuss any other issue with the U.S.,” he said.
Last June, the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear facilities, joining in the final stages of a 12-day Israeli bombing campaign. Tehran has since said it has halted uranium enrichment activity.
Its response at the time included a missile attack on a U.S. base in Qatar, which maintains good relations with both Tehran and Washington.
In the event of a new U.S. attack, Araqchi said the consequences could be similar.
“It would not be possible to attack American soil, but we will target their bases in the region,” he said.
Signage is seen outside of the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 30, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Brad Karp, the chairman of high-powered U.S. law firm Paul Weiss, joined other prominent Democratic fundraisers at election night gatherings in Washington in November 2024 hoping for a Kamala Harris victory over Republican rival Donald Trump.
Karp had reached out to hundreds of corporate lawyers in a fundraising push for Harris soon after she replaced incumbent Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential candidate in July 2024, and one of his Paul Weiss partners helped prepare the former U.S. vice president for her debate with Trump.
But Trump won the election. And his return to the presidency last year set in motion a series of events that first shook Paul Weiss and later, with the U.S. Justice Department’s release of records involving the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, led Karp to resign this week as its chairman.
Though he has not been accused of wrongdoing, the disclosures of his contacts with Epstein undid in a matter of days Karp’s longstanding grip over the firm that had cemented him as a Wall Street and Washington power broker.
“If you were going to write a Greek tragedy about a law firm leader, this is it,” a former senior Paul Weiss attorney told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
TRANSFORMING PAUL WEISS
After becoming chairman of Paul Weiss in 2008, Karp transformed it from a respected New York litigation firm to a big-money global powerhouse. And Paul Weiss lawyers and staff outpaced other major law firms in donations to Democrats during the 2024 election cycle.
Paul Weiss devoted pro bono work to progressive causes and recruited star Wall Street dealmakers alongside litigators who had served in Democratic former President Barack Obama’s administration.
Trump’s return to the White House quickly created tumult for Karp and his firm. Karp’s subsequent decision to cut a deal with Trump to rescind an executive order the president had issued punishing the firm made him the face of capitulation for some lawyers aligned with the Democratic Party.
At least a dozen partners, including the one who had advised Harris for her presidential debate, departed the firm afterward.
A bipartisan push in Congress last year, despite Trump’s objections, required the Justice Department to release files related to Epstein. A trove of emails made public at the end of January revealed extensive communications between Karp and Epstein, prompting him to resign as chairman.
Karp did not respond to requests for comment. The firm did not respond to a request for comment beyond the statement it released on Wednesday announcing his resignation.
In that statement, Karp said that “recent reporting has created a distraction and has placed a focus on me that is not in the best interests of the firm.” The firm previously had said he regretted his Epstein interactions and “never witnessed or participated in misconduct.”
Karp, whose rolodex of representations has included large Wall Street banks and the National Football League, remains at Paul Weiss serving clients, the firm said in its statement. Karp was replaced as chairman by Scott Barshay, who he had recruited in 2016 to turbocharge the firm’s mergers and acquisitions practice and other corporate work.
Mette-Marit’s relationship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein comes as her son faces trial for rape and assault. The Epstein scandal is also affecting high-profile politicians in other European countries.
Mette-Marit says she ‘deeply regrets’ her Epstein ties [FILE: October 2024]Image: Jens Kalaene/dpa/picture allianceNorway’s crown princess Mette-Marit has apologized to everyone she has “disappointed” over her ties to the late billionaire and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement published by the Royal Family on Friday, the crown princess said she was sorry “for the situation I have put the Royal Family in, especially the King and Queen.”
“It is important for me to apologize to all of you whom I have disappointed,” she said. “Some of the content of the messages between Epstein and me does not represent the person I want to be.”
What do the Epstein files say about the Norwegian crown princess?
The latest tranche of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein — known as the “Epstein files” — was released last week by the US Justice Department.
Mette-Marit was mentioned hundreds of times in the documents, which include e-mail exchanges with Epstein that reveal an unexpectedly close friendship between them that continued for years, even after Epstein had been convicted in 2008 of soliciting a minor for prostitution.
A person’s name being mentioned in the Epstein files does not necessarily imply any wrongdoing.
Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking. Authorities ruled his death to be a suicide.
Mette-Marit admitted that year to having had contacts with Epstein, telling Norwegian media that she had shown “poor judgment” and regretted having “any contact” with the late financier. “It is simply embarrassing,” she said.
Scandal-hit Mette-Marit in the spotlight
While Norway’s royals are generally popular in the Nordic country, Mette-Marit’s previous relationships with convicted drug offenders caused a stir when she married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001.
The fresh revelations stemming from last week’s release of documents have raised more questions in Norway about whether Mette-Marit, who was born into a working-class family, is fit to be queen.
The revelations in the Epstein files come with Mette-Marit and the royal family already under intense media scrutiny.
Marius Borg Hoiby, 29, her son from a relationship before she married the Crown Prince, is currently on trial for 38 charges, including domestic violence and rape.
Hoiby is accused of raping four women and assaulting ex-partners, as well as drug possession.
What has Norway’s Crown Prince said?
Speaking on the sidelines of an official royal visit on Friday, Haakon said the royals “support Marius.”
He also acknowledged that many people want to hear from Mette-Marit, who suffers from a chronic lung condition that will require a lung transplant.
“She thinks that is completely natural. She would like to speak, but right now she can’t. And I also tell her that she is not allowed to,” Haakon said.
“She needs time to gather herself, and then she would like to say more about the matter, and we hope people understand that she needs a bit of time,” the crown prince added.
Epstein scandal spreads across Europe
The Epstein scandal has also ensnared other high-profile Norwegians, including former prime minister Thorbjorn Jagland and former foreign minister Borge Brende, the current CEO of the World Economic Forum.
Brende and Jagland have both said they are cooperating with investigators.
The latest revelations from the Epstein files have also sent shockwaves through other European nations, including the United Kingdom, where police on Friday raided properties linked to Peter Mandelson as part of a probe into misconduct in public office.
The Epstein files released last week show that Mandelson had extensive ties to Epstein. They also suggested that Mandelson had leaked UK government documents to the disgraced financier, and that Epstein had made payments to Mandelson and his husband.
Mandelson, a former Labour Party politician, was appointed US ambassador by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in 2024.
With his future looking increasingly uncertain, Starmer apologized on Thursday for that appointment and for “believing Mandelson’s lies” to him about the scope of his relationship with Epstein.
Some experts have questioned how such a ban will be implemented and whether it will work. Meanwhile, the EU’s flagship digital law is seen to be flailing in driving systematic changes on large online platforms.
The EU has backed a minimum digital age for use of social media platforms like Instagram and TikTokImage: Yui Mok/dpa/picture alliance
Days after France’s lawmakers voted on a social media ban for children under the age of 15, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez vowed to protect Spain’s children “from the digital Wild West.”
Hours of scrolling over harmful content is rewiring young brains and causing anxiety and other health hazards, experts say, compelling European governments to act.
“The specific focus on minors is due to the increased risk of long-term harm, since they are still developing cognitively,” Paul O. Richter, affiliate fellow with Brussels-based think tank Bruegel, told DW. “There is a lot of research showing strong correlations between social media usage and mental health issues.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also expressed support for an EU-wide age limit along the lines of a new Australian law that set an age limit of 16 for social media usage.
But how can such a ban be implemented ― and would it even work?
Which European countries are mulling a social media ban for children?
In France, the bill that calls for a ban on under-15s will now be sent to the upper house of the French parliament for a vote.
In Spain, the Council of Ministers is expected to approve the ban on under 16s and add the clause to a draft bill under discussion in the Spanish parliament.
“Today, our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone, a space of addiction, abuse, pornography, manipulation [and] violence,” Sanchez said as he announced the proposed ban.
Other European countries are also considering a social media ban on children under 16 or 15 years of age.
In late 2025, Denmark decided to protect children and young people from online abuse and “create a better framework for their digital lives.”
In a multiparty agreement, political groups in Denmark said access to some social media platforms should be banned. A law is yet to go into effect.
Italy has also introduced a bill in the Italian parliament to impose social media restrictions, including on child influencers, under the age of 15.
According to a senior official who spoke to news agency Reuters, Greece is “very close” to imposing a similar ban.
This week, Portugal submitted legislation that calls for parental consent for children under 16 to access social media content.
Austria is also contemplating a social media ban, while the United Kingdom has started a consultation process on the subject.
Meanwhile, European parliamentarians in November recommended a Europe-wide social media ban on children under 16, while also suggesting that 13- to 16-year-olds could be granted access with parental consent.
An EU-wide digital ID to check age?
One idea being discussed for age-verification is an EU-wide digital ID. Richter, the affiliate fellow with Bruegel, said an EU Digital ID is envisaged as a tool that would verify the user’s age without compromising personal details.
“It would allow people to digitally verify that they are above a certain age without the need to share any extra personal data such as exact birth date, name, address or ID number. This would facilitate the implementation of a digital age restriction,” Richter said.
But Marc Damie, spokesperson of France’s ctrl+alt+reclaim ― a youth-led tech justice and digital rights movement ― claimed that details about how age verification apps or IDs would work, and whether private information would be safe, are unclear.
“Such bans will backfire,” he said. “We agree there is a problem, social media is causing mental health issues, but such a ban,” he claimed, was just a symbolic measure on the part of politicians rather than an actual solution.
Expert: Social media ban wouldn’t alleviate ‘structural problems’
“It doesn’t solve structural problems” on social media platforms, said Damie.
He pointed to platform practices such as autoplay ― which forces unwanted and unexpected audio and video content upon users ― and anxiety-inducing infinite scrolling, intended to keep the users hooked online, as major issues.
Damie also objected to the age limit because “addiction doesn’t stop at 15 or 16.”
Richter agreed that lack of sufficient research makes it difficult to definitively argue for a specific age as the optimal cutoff.
“Some of the potential risks relate specifically to the effect social comparison from social media has on adolescent and teenage girls,” he said. “Therefore, a higher age cutoff could be justified.”
Only EU can push online platforms to make systematic changes
The European Union has backed a digital age of majority, but cautioned member states against stepping on the EU’s flagship Digital Services Act (DSA) that requires tech companies to mitigate risk related to algorithms and impact on minors.
“The DSA and the EU Commission are the only entities that can impose additional obligations on very large platforms,” Thomas Regnier, the Commission’s spokesperson for tech, told journalists.
Richter said member states are simply frustrated and don’t think the EU is able to effectively impose its laws on foreign tech companies, mostly those in the US.
“The DSA requires very large online platforms like popular social media [sites] to… change algorithms and platform design to mitigate systemic risks, including those to minors,” Richter said. “It also requires them to share data with researchers to allow for independent research on risks.
“In practice, this has not meaningfully occurred. [That’s why] more restrictive proposals, including social media bans, have gained more support,” he added.
US President Donald Trump has said he could impose additional tariffs on countries that continue to trade with Iran, in an executive order signed on Friday.
The order does not specify the rate that could be imposed, but uses 25% as an example, and says it will apply to goods imported into the US from any nation that “directly or indirectly purchases, imports, or otherwise acquires any goods or services from Iran”.
Trump has not directly commented on the order, but reiterated “no nuclear weapons” for Iran when speaking from Air Force One on Friday night.
It comes amid ongoing talks between senior US and Iranian officials in Oman, following several weeks of threats from both sides.
Trump threatened a 25% tariff of countries doing business with Iran earlier this year, in a post to Truth Social.
On 12 January, he wrote: “Effective immediately, any country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America.”
At the time, no further detail was provided on how the tariffs would work in practice.
The White House said that this latest executive order reaffirmed the “ongoing national emergency with respect to Iran”, and noted that the president may modify it of circumstances change.
It read: “The President is holding Iran accountable for its pursuit of nuclear capabilities, support for terrorism, ballistic missile development, and regional destabilization that endanger American security, allies, and interests.”
There has been no immediate comment from Iran.
Starting in Oman on Friday, the ongoing talks are the first involving US and Iranian officials since last June, when the US bombed Iran’s three main nuclear facilities.
The Iranian delegation was led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while the US was represented by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Speaking to reporters onboard Air Force One, Trump said Friday’s talks were “very good”, and that Iran “looks like it wants to make a deal very badly”.
“If they don’t make a deal, the consequences are very steep,” the president said, adding that there will be another meeting early next week.
Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, who mediated the discussions, said they had been “useful to clarify both Iranian and American thinking and identify areas for possible progress”.
In a statement to X, Araghchi described the talks to date as “a good start” and said that a “positive atmosphere prevailed”. He said negotiators had now returned to their respective capitals for consultation.
Rising tensions between the US and Iran have raised fears of a conflict between the countries, with Trump declaring that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei should be “very worried” as recently as Wednesday.
The president has said he would be prepared to strike the Middle Eastern nation if it refused to reach a deal on its nuclear programme.
Actor Celina Jaitley has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention for the release of her brother, former Special Forces officer Major Vikrant Jaitley, detained in the UAE since September 2024.
Actor Celina Jaitley has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to secure the release of her brother, Major Vikrant Jaitley, a former Indian Army Special Forces officer who has been detained in the United Arab Emirates since September 2024.
In an interview with India Today TV’s Gaurav Sawant, Celina Jaitley broke down while recounting her brother’s detention and the lack of information surrounding his arrest. The matter reached the Delhi High Court, which has now directed the Ministry of External Affairs to appoint a legal firm to represent Major Jaitley in the UAE. Following the court’s order, UAE-based law firm Khalid Almarie Partners and Advocates has stepped in to provide legal assistance.
Major Vikrant Jaitley, a retired Special Forces commando, has been in custody in the UAE for over 16 months. Celina Jaitley told the court that her brother was “illegally taken and detained” without any formal information about his legal status, welfare, or charges for months. She said that only in June 2025 did she learn that he had been moved to Al-Wathba Detention Centre in Abu Dhabi.
According to Celina Jaitley, her brother was picked up from the Mall of the Emirates parking area by unidentified individuals who asked for his Emirates ID and took him away in a black car. She said there was no official arrest record for nearly nine months.
“He was taken without any explanation. There was no record of arrest, no access to legal counsel, no communication. I didn’t even know where my brother was,” she said.
Major Jaitley was working with Matiti Group International, a company founded by his wife in 2016, with operations in human resources, risk management, and information technology. Celina Jaitley said the only information she has received so far is a prosecution number and a vague reference to “national security,” without any clarity on the allegations.
“I only know one term — national security. That’s it. Nothing else. No charges, no prosecution details,” she said.
Celina Jaitley said she repeatedly contacted the Indian mission in the UAE and the MEA in New Delhi but received no response until she filed a grievance on the MADAD portal in November 2024. Even then, she said the responses were “templatised” and did not provide concrete details.
“I was only hearing from a portal, not from people. For a sister looking for her brother, that is devastating,” she said.
After approaching the Delhi High Court in October 2025, Celina Jaitley said the court’s intervention brought some movement. The High Court also directed that efforts be made to facilitate a phone call between the siblings, which she said has not yet happened.
The court’s latest order directing the MEA to appoint a legal firm has led to Khalid Almarie Partners and Advocates agreeing to represent Major Jaitley pro bono. Celina Jaitley said multiple law firms had earlier demanded “millions of dirhams,” which she could not afford due to ongoing personal and financial difficulties.
“They said they want to do this for our soldier. They believe in justice beyond borders and dignity,” she said.
Addressing concerns raised in court about differing views within the family on legal representation, Celina Jaitley said no firm had been appointed for over 16 months despite multiple options being shared.
“A soldier of our country is in a foreign jail without prosecution. Why should we delay legal aid any further?” she said.
Celina Jaitley appealed directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the interview, citing his support for the armed forces.
“My request to Modiji is to please bring this soldier back. He has given his entire youth to the nation. If he had done something wrong, there would have been a prosecution by now,” she said.
The total $7 billion project in the remote, insurgency-hit western province is expected to start production by the end of 2028.
Reko Diq is important for Islamabad as it is counting on the mine to anchor its mineral strategy
Pakistan has secured nearly $1.3 billion worth of commitments from the United States for a copper and gold mining project in the South Asian nation’s sensitive Balochistan province, marking a major foreign investment in one of the world’s largest undeveloped mineral deposits. The Reko Diq project, located near the Pakistan-Iran border, is a total $7 billion project in the remote, insurgency-hit western province and is expected to start production by the end of 2028.
The project is being developed by Canadian miner Barrick Mining Corp in partnership with Pakistani authorities. The US investment in the project will be channelled through the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) as part of Washington’s broader push to secure critical mineral supply chains and strengthen economic ties with Pakistan.
According to Barrick, it owns 50 per cent of the project, while the other 25 per cent is owned by three federal state-owned enterprises, and 25 per cent by the Government of Balochistan, of which 15 per cent is on a fully funded basis and 10 per cent is on a free carried basis.
Security Concerns
Balochistan suffers frequent attacks by separatists and jihadists, making security a major concern for the mine. The project also requires a railway line upgrade to transport copper concentrate to Karachi for processing abroad.
Investments
Lenders, including the International Finance Corporation and the Asian Development Bank, among others, are assembling a financing package exceeding $2.6 billion, according to a report by Reuters.
The Reko Diq project added 13 million ounces to Barrick’s gold reserves in 2024 and is expected to produce 200,000 metric tons of copper a year in its first phase, doubling after expansion, with projected free cash flow of more than $70 billion over 37 years.
Pakistan’s Mineral Pay
The Reko Diq is important for Pakistan, with Islamabad counting on the mine to anchor its mineral strategy while the Canadian miner advances one of its largest long-term projects.
The US Embassy in Iran urged Americans to leave the country immediately, warning of internet shutdowns, travel disruptions and heightened detention risks.
A file photo of Donald Trump (AP)
The US Embassy in Iran has issued an urgent security alert advising American citizens to “leave Iran now,” citing expanding communications blackouts, transport disruptions and mounting risks of questioning or detention as regional tensions spike ahead of renewed diplomatic talks.
In the advisory, the embassy warned that “increased security measures, road closures, public transportation disruptions, and internet blockages are ongoing,” adding that Iranian authorities continue to restrict access to mobile, landline and national internet networks.
Airlines, it said, are also limiting or cancelling flights.
“US citizens should expect continued internet outages, plan alternative means of communication, and, if safe to do so, consider departing Iran by land to Armenia or Türkiye,” the alert stated.
Americans were urged to prepare departure plans that do not rely on US government assistance, noting, “Flight cancellations and disruptions are possible with little warning.”
Those unable to leave were advised to shelter in secure locations, maintain supplies of food, water and medications, avoid demonstrations, keep a low profile and remain alert to changing conditions.
The embassy also encouraged enrollment in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive updates.
The warning highlighted particular dangers for US-Iranian dual nationals, stressing that Tehran does not recognise dual citizenship and treats such travellers solely as Iranian citizens.
“US nationals are at significant risk of questioning, arrest, and detention in Iran,” it said, adding that even showing a US passport or ties to the United States can be reason enough for Iranian authorities to detain someone.”
As of Thursday, February 5, the Armenian land crossing at Agarak/Norduz and several Turkish crossings, Gürbulak/Bazargan, Kapıköy/Razi and Esendere/Serow, remained open, according to the alert.
US citizens entering Armenia may stay up to 180 days visa-free, while those crossing into Türkiye may remain for 90 days.
Borders with Turkmenistan are open but require special authorisation coordinated by the US Embassy in Ashgabat, while land crossings into Azerbaijan are largely closed and subject to case-by-case approval.
Americans were cautioned not to attempt travel through Afghanistan, Iraq or the Pakistan-Iran border area.
The advisory noted that Washington has no diplomatic or consular relations with Tehran and that the Swiss government, through its embassy in Tehran, acts as the protecting power for US interests.
The alert comes as the nuclear talks between Iran and the United States are expected Friday in Oman.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced the negotiations, while US President Donald Trump issued a sharp warning aimed at Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying in an NBC News interview, “I would say he should be very worried.”
The Iranian Shahed-139 drone was flying towards the carrier “with unclear intent” and was intercepted after displaying what the military described as aggressive behaviour, US officials said. It was destroyed by an F-35 fighter jet operating from the aircraft carrier.
The drone was destroyed by an F-35 fighter jet operating from the aircraft carrier.(Photo: Reuters)
The US military shot down an Iranian drone near its aircraft carrier, Abraham Lincoln, in the Middle East on Tuesday, raising fresh alarm over rising tensions in the Arabian Sea amid fragile diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran.
The incident came at a tense moment, as diplomats tried to bring Iran and the United States back to the negotiating table. US President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened that “bad things” could happen if a deal was not reached.
According to news agency Reuters, CENTCOM said the drone “aggressively approached with unclear intent and continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by US forces operating in international waters”. The drone was destroyed by an F-35 fighter jet operating from the aircraft carrier.
“An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defence and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board,” said Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for United States Central Command, as per Reuters.
He added that no American personnel were injured and that no military equipment was damaged during the operation. US Central Command said the decision to engage the drone was taken to ensure the safety of the vessel and its crew amid heightened regional security risks.
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency said contact with the drone was lost while it was flying in international waters and that the reason for the loss of connection remains unclear. Iranian media also reported that the drone had completed a surveillance mission in international waters.
US WARSHIPS MOVE CLOSER AS DIPLOMACY STALLS
The incident came just days ahead of scheduled talks between US and Iranian officials on Friday to restart long-running nuclear discussions and ease tensions.
US President Donald Trump has recently warned that tensions could worsen if negotiations fail, particularly as American naval forces increase their presence near Iran.
The Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group remains the most visible symbol of Washington’s military buildup in the region. The deployment followed a violent crackdown on anti-government protests in Iran last month, which marked the country’s deadliest domestic unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
While Trump initially stopped short of military intervention during the unrest, he has since demanded that Tehran agree to new nuclear concessions.
Last week, the US President said Iran was “seriously talking”, suggesting some progress in behind-the-scenes diplomacy.
On the Iranian side, senior official Ali Larijani confirmed that arrangements for negotiations were under way, offering cautious optimism that talks could resume.
SEPARATE CONFRONTATION IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ
Hours after the drone incident, US officials reported another tense encounter in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.
US Central Command said boats linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps moved close to a US-flagged commercial tanker.
Pakistan Faces Production Crunch as Global Demand for China-Backed JF-17 Jets Surges
Pakistan says it has fielded requests for its JF-17 fighter from five countries in recent months, a surge of interest that could overwhelm its capacity to jointly produce the jet with China.
In the past month, Iraq, Bangladesh and Indonesia have expressed interest in acquiring the JF-17 Thunder, according to Pakistan’s Armed Forces. Saudi Arabia and Libya are also exploring the aircraft, Reuters reported separately, after Pakistan hailed the performance of its Chinese-made jets during its conflict with India in May 2025.
Pakistan makes fewer than 20 JF-17s per year, and almost all go to its own air force. It’s not clear whether Islamabad can expand capacity to meet the sudden demand, key to boosting its ambitions of being an arms maker for the developing world and extending Beijing’s influence in the weapons market.
The JF-17 is seen “as a market disruptor due to its affordable price tag and, more importantly, its recent success in combat,” said Manoj Harjani, research fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. “Not hard to imagine the JF-17 becoming more widely adopted, especially by militaries that cannot afford fighters produced by Western companies.”
If Indonesia and Saudi Arabia end up purchasing JF-17s, it would represent a major shift, as both nations have long relied on more Western platforms. Indonesia recently took delivery of three Dassault Aviation SA Rafales as part of a defense deal with France, and it agreed with Boeing Co. in 2023 to buy 24 F-15 jets. Saudi Arabia similarly relies on US and European aircraft, and has sought to purchase F-35s.
Competing on Price
Conceived in a 1999 deal, the JF-17 Thunder is a lightweight, all-weather fighter jointly produced by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, located in Kamra, northwest of Islamabad, and China’s AVIC Chengdu, in the country’s southwest. Pakistan manufactures 16-18 JF-17s per year, former Air Commodore Khalid Chishti said in a video on production of the fighter.
One advantage the JF-17 has over its Western peers is the price. Pakistan’s Minister for Defence Production Raza Hayat Harraj told BBC Urdu last month that each unit costs $40 million to $50 million, depending on the variant and customization. This compares with $100 million or more for some versions of the Rafale and Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-16.
Despite the relative affordability, the JF-17 has only so far been sold to Azerbaijan, Nigeria and Myanmar. Myanmar was the first buyer, ordering at least 16 Block IIs in 2015, with six delivered so far so far. Nigeria added three to its air force in 2021. Azerbaijan ordered 40 of the jets in 2024, in a deal worth about $1.6 billion. In November 2025, it unveiled five JF-17s at its Victory Day parade.
The recent interest, if translated into orders, requires a significant ramp-up of Pakistan’s and China’s production capacity. Libya and Bangladesh are both looking to buy 16 JF-17s each, reports say, while Saudi Arabia is possibly exploring a $2 billion deal with Pakistan for as many as 50. Indonesia is said to be in early discussions to acquire about 40 JF-17s.
With over 150 JF-17s in service, the PAF still needs to replace more than 250 aging Dassault Mirages and Chinese F-7s, a project expected to feature Chinese JF-17, J-10C, and FC-31 jets. And there are still 45 existing JF-17s export orders outstanding.
“So far it was like whatever Pakistan can make, the capacity was just enough for Pakistan,” said former Air Vice Marshal Faaiz Amir. “We had a long view for exports, but you don’t build capacity for exports before there are orders.”
Scaling Up
Increasing production would require investment, and Pakistan might not have the funds for that, said Sameer Lalwani, a senior fellow with the German Marshall Fund Indo-Pacific Program.
“I don’t see any actor willing or able to put down the capital to expand production lines,” Lalwani said. “Absent that, Pakistan would have to be exporting from its own stock or countries would have to wait several years for delivery to a point to where the platform is approaching obsolescence.”
Harraj told the BBC that China is “definitely involved” in the negotiations when asked whether Beijing will also be a financial partner. China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation’s display at the Singapore Airshow on Tuesday included the JF-17 among other aircraft on offer to foreign customers.
Under the current arrangement, 58% of the production, as well as the final assembly, is carried out in Pakistan, which makes the airframe, and 42% in China, which supplies the avionics. There is no public information on how profits are split.
“Sales of the JF-17 are contingent on both China and Pakistan agreeing, as the fighter is jointly produced by the two countries,” Harjani said.
Because it is a joint venture, production becomes trickier.
“China has to see its schedule whether it can build planes in collaboration with Pakistan,” Amir said. “All of these schedules have to be agreed between the joint venture partners, and only after that there could be deals.”
China’s Defense Ministry, AVIC Chengdu, Pakistan’s Ministry for Defence Production and the Pakistan Air Force did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The publicly listed number for Pakistan Aeronautical Complex did not connect.
Supply Chain Challenges
The JF-17 supply chain also draws on components from outside China and Pakistan, Harjani added.
“A major limitation would be procuring sufficient engines, which are made by the Russian company Klimov,” he said. UEC Klimov is under sanctions related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia is a major arms supplier to India, which could complicate Pakistan’s ability to secure parts.
The JF-17 was officially transferred to Pakistan in 2007, making its debut at the National Day Parade. In 2015, when President Xi Jinping visited Pakistan, his plane was escorted by eight JF-17s.
The latest version, the Block III variant, is classified as a 4.5-generation fighter. It features air-to-air and air-to-surface capabilities, advanced avionics, and an active electronically scanned array radar, which allows pilots to track multiple targets simultaneously and detect threats at longer distances.
Bill Gates has refuted allegations stemming from newly released documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein, emphasizing their falsehood and expressing regret over their association. In an interview, Gates clarified that a draft email found in Epstein’s records, which contained unverified claims about him, was never sent and lacked credibility.
“Every minute I spent with him, I regret, and I apologise that I did that,” Bill Gates said.
Bill Gates has denied allegations linked to his name after it appeared in millions of newly released documents related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, saying claims made in the files are false and that he regrets ever spending time with Epstein.
In an exclusive interview with Australia’s 9News, the Microsoft co-founder said the documents include a draft email found in Epstein’s account that was never sent and contains false allegations.
“Apparently, Jeffrey wrote an email to himself. That email was never sent. The email is false,” Gates said, adding, “I don’t know what his thinking was there. Was he trying to attack me in some way?”
Gates said he met Epstein in 2011 and had several dinners with him over a period of about three years but denied any criminal behaviour. He said he never visited Epstein’s private island and had no sexual relationships connected to Epstein.
“Every minute I spent with him, I regret, and I apologise that I did that,” he said.
The newly released documents reportedly include claims suggesting Epstein arranged meetings between Gates and women and that Gates contracted a sexually transmitted infection. His office immediately issued a statement denouncing the “absolutely absurd and completely false” assertion, but until now Gates, 70, has remained silent.
“The focus was always, he knew a lot of very rich people, and he was saying he could get them to give money to global health. In retrospect, that was a dead end,” Gates said. “I was foolish to spend time with him. I was one of many people who regret ever knowing him,” he said.
Epstein, a convicted sex offender, died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
Gates said further disclosures would show he had no involvement in Epstein’s crimes.
“The more that comes out, the more clear it will be that, although the time was a mistake, it has nothing to do with that kind of behaviour,” he said.
Melinda French Gates, Gates’ former wife, said in a separate interview with NPR that the allegations brought back “very, very painful” memories from their marriage and said Gates was among those who had questions to answer about Epstein. The interview with Melinda French will be released in full by NPR on Thursday, after the network published excerpts and a three-minute video clip earlier this week addressing the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
In the interview, French Gates described the renewed attention surrounding the documents as a “reckoning as a society.” Speaking about Epstein’s victims, she said, “No girl should ever be put in the situation they were put in by Epstein and whatever was going on with all of the various people around him. It’s beyond heartbreaking.”
“I remember being those ages the girls were, I remember my daughters being those ages,” she added.
French Gates said she has moved on from her marriage, which she described as one she needed to leave, and said she is now in “a really unexpected, beautiful place in my life.”
“I’m so happy to be away from all the muck that was there,” she said.
Asked about her reaction to allegations involving her former husband, including claims that he attempted to secretly obtain antibiotics for her, French Gates said she felt “just unbelievable sadness.”
“I’m able to take my own sadness and look at those young girls and say, ‘My God, how did that happen to those girls?’ I hope there’s some justice for those now women. What they went through is unimaginable,” she said.
The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, is shown at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California, U.S. August 11, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake Purchase Licensing Rights
The U.S. military on Tuesday shot down an Iranian drone that “aggressively” approached the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, the U.S. military said, in an incident first reported by Reuters.
The incident came as diplomats sought to arrange nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, and U.S. President Donald Trump warned that with U.S. warships heading toward Iran, “bad things” would probably happen if a deal could not be reached.
Oil futures prices rose more than $1 per barrel after news the drone was shot down.
The Iranian Shahed-139 drone was flying toward the carrier “with unclear intent” and was shot down by an F-35 U.S. fighter jet, the U.S. military said.
“An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defense and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board,” said Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson at the U.S. military’s Central Command.
Iran’s U.N. mission declined to comment.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency said connection had been lost with a drone in international waters, but the reason was unknown.
No American service members were harmed during the incident and no U.S. equipment was damaged, he added.
The Lincoln carrier strike group is the most visible part of a U.S. military buildup in the Middle East following a violent crackdown against anti-government demonstrations last month, the deadliest domestic unrest in Iran since its 1979 revolution.
Trump, who stopped short of carrying out threats to intervene during the crackdown, has since demanded Tehran make nuclear concessions and sent a flotilla to its coast. He said last week Iran was “seriously talking,” while Tehran’s top security official, Ali Larijani, said arrangements for negotiations were under way.
IRANIAN BOATS HARASS U.S.-FLAGGED TANKER
In a separate incident on Tuesday in the Strait of Hormuz, just hours after the drone shootdown, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces harassed a U.S.-flagged, U.S.-crewed merchant vessel, according to the U.S. military.
“Two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached M/V Stena Imperative at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the tanker,” Hawkins said.
Federal Reserve Board Governor Stephen Miran speaks on “Regulations, the Supply Side, and Monetary Policy” during the Delphi Economic Forum Lecture event, at the National Gallery in Athens, Greece, January 14, 2026. REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki Purchase Licensing Rights
Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran resigned on Tuesday from his position as chair of the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers, fulfilling a pledge he made to the Senate as his assignment at the central bank becomes longer-lasting.
Miran had been on unpaid leave from his CEA post since President Donald Trump appointed him last year to fill an unexpected vacancy on the Fed’s Board of Governors to a term that expired January 31. The arrangement drew the ire of Democratic Senators who said it would make a presidential puppet of the Fed’s newest policymaker.
Miran said he had been legally advised there was no need to quit his CEA post as the Fed job was only for a few months.
“I promised the Senate that if I should stay on the Board past January, I would formally depart the Council,” Miran said in his resignation letter dated Tuesday and reviewed by Reuters. “I believe it is important to stay true to my word while I continue to perform the job at the Federal Reserve to which you and the Senate appointed me.”
Trump on Friday announced plans to nominate former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh as the next chair of the central bank to succeed Jerome Powell. While this would fill the Fed Board seat currently occupied by Miran, the law allows him to serve until a successor is confirmed by the Senate.
The White House had no immediate comment on whether Pierre Yared, now the CEA’s acting chair, would be named to the top post permanently.
Miran’s resignation was first reported by Barron’s.
Miran has argued for sharply lower interest rates at every Fed meeting since he joined the central bank last September. Trump has made no secret of his desire for the Fed to reduce interest rates, and indeed made support for easier monetary policy one of his criteria for a new Fed chief.
Powell, whose leadership term ends in May, disclosed in January that the Department of Justice (DOJ) had launched a criminal probe into statements he made to the Senate about Fed building renovations. Powell has described the investigation as part of a broader effort by the administration to exert control over the Fed.
The DOJ last year also opened an investigation into Fed Governor Lisa Cook for alleged misstatements on her mortgage application. She denies wrongdoing and is suing to stop Trump’s attempt to fire her in a case that is before the Supreme Court.
According to media reports, the Greek patrol boat issued a warning signal after spotting the migrant boat, which then tried to escape. For reasons that are still unclear, the two boats collided.
Those injured in the accident were brought to the port of Chios, where emergency services would transport them to the island’s hospitalImage: Konstantinos Anagnostou/REUTERS
A Greek coast guard boat collided with a migrant speedboat off the island of Chios on Tuesday, leaving many people dead or injured.
The Coast Guard said that the bodies of 14 people — 11 men and three women — were recovered from the sea. One of the injured women later died in hospital, bringing the death toll to at least 15.
ERTNews, a Greek broadcaster, reported that 25 injured individuals, including 11 children and two coast guard officers, were taken to the island’s hospital.
A search-and-rescue operation involving patrol boats, a helicopter, and divers was underway to find potentially missing individuals, as the total number of people who had been on board the speedboat was not immediately clear.
What do we know about the collision?
According to the media reports, a boat carrying dozens of migrants was traveling from Turkey toward the coast of Chios. A Greek coast guard patrol reportedly spotted the boat and ordered it to change course.
ERT, the public broadcaster, said the patrol issued a warning signal after spotting the migrant boat, which then tried to escape.
For reasons that are still unclear, the two boats collided, causing some people to fall into the sea, according to the Athens news channel Skai. No official statement has been released yet.
The finance minister asserted that the momentum of structural changes remains constant, often moving at a high velocity outside the traditional budgetary cycle
The Finance Minister further highlighted that the ‘Reform Express’ is currently pulling into ‘frontier areas’. File pic
In an exclusive interview with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi following the presentation of the Union Budget 2026-27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasised that the government’s economic agenda is not a once-a-year event. Coining the phrase “Reform Express”, the minister asserted that the momentum of structural changes remains constant, often moving at a high velocity outside the traditional budgetary cycle.
Beyond the Budget
Sitharaman challenged the notion that major policy shifts are restricted to the annual financial statement. She noted that the government has consistently implemented critical reforms throughout the year, independent of the budget document.
“Budget and aside from the budget, reforms continue,” the Finance Minister told News18. “We have done several reforms not through the budget, but yet outside of it through the year. That is why the expression ‘Reform Express’. It is continuing to move and move at a good pace.”
She urged observers to look beyond the immediate announcements of February 1 and evaluate the government’s sustained performance and year-round legislative activity.
Signature Reform: The Customs Overhaul
A primary example of this “on-track” momentum is the comprehensive overhaul of the customs framework. While the 2026 Budget touched upon several customs rationalisations, Sitharaman revealed that the scope of this reform is far broader than what was mentioned on the floor of the House.
Time Constraints: The minister noted that many specific changes were omitted from the speech for “want of time” but remain active priorities.
Continuous Revamp: The overhaul is described as a “major signature reform” that will carry on well into the next fiscal year, aiming to simplify compliance and mirror the transparency achieved in the income tax regime.
Focus on Frontier Areas and R&D
The Finance Minister further highlighted that the “Reform Express” is currently pulling into “frontier areas”. This includes significant investment and the promotion of research and development (R&D) in sectors like biopharma, rare earth minerals, and green energy. By creating an ecosystem that encourages innovation outside of mere fiscal allocations, the government intends to secure India’s position in the global supply chain.
Pakistani security forces have killed about two dozen militants in overnight raids in the insurgency-hit southwest bordering Afghanistan
People gather as others collect recyclable items beside a burnt vehicle along a road on the outskirts of Quetta on February 1, 2026, a day after an attack by Baloch separatists. | Photo Credit: AFP
Pakistani security forces killed about two dozen militants overnight in multiple raids in the insurgency-hit southwest bordering Afghanistan, raising the militant death toll to 177 in the past 48 hours, officials said on Monday (February 2, 2026), following a wave of coordinated insurgent attacks that killed at least 33 people, mostly civilian.
Police, backed by the military, have been conducting these raids in several areas against members of the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army since early on Saturday (January 31), after nearly 200 militants in small groups carried out simultaneous suicide bombings and gun attacks on police stations, civilian homes, and security facilities across the province.
Analysts say the scale of militant deaths in the past 48 hours is the highest in decades.
The weekend attacks claimed by BLA killed at least 18 civilians and 15 members of the security forces, drawing widespread condemnation from political leaders across Pakistan, including members of the party led by imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
On Monday (February 2), Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in a statement praised the security forces for killing an additional 22 insurgents. He described those killed as “Indian-backed terrorists.” However, he offered no evidence, and there was no immediate response from New Delhi.
Though Pakistan’s largest province, Baluchistan is its least populated, made up largely of high mountains. It’s also a hub for the country’s ethnic Baluch minority, whose members say they face discrimination and exploitation by the central government. That has fueled a separatist insurgency demanding independence. Islamic militants also operate in the province.
Though authorities said normalcy largely returned to the province on Monday (February 2), the train service between Balochistan and rest of the country remained suspended for a third consecutive day. Provincial authorities suspended train services following the attacks, citing security concerns, and the suspension remains in effect.
In March, at least 31 people were killed when BLA militants attacked the Jaffar express train carrying hundreds of people in Balochistan, taking passengers hostage before security forces launched a rescue operation. All 33 assailants were killed, and the passengers were freed.
Trump hinted at possible US-Iran nuclear talks while warning of US naval deployment near Iran. Ayatollah Khamenei rejected war threats, warning of regional conflict if attacked. Global powers fear escalation as Iran-US tensions and Axis of Resistance rhetoric intensify.
(Photograph: AI)
Trump vs Khamenei
US President Donald Trump has once again signalled that he is in talks with Tehran and US-Iran can seal a deal soon. However, Trump’s statement came with a threat that Washington has deployed major naval assets close to the Islamic Republic. The statement by POTUS shows that he is openly using threat tactics to pressurise Iran on signing a nuclear deal with America with a promise that Tehran will have no nuclear weapons.
What Trump said
Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, “We have the biggest, most powerful ships in the world over there, very close, and in a couple of days, hopefully, we’ll make a deal. If we don’t make a deal, then we’ll find out whether or not he was right.” He also added, “We do have very big, powerful ships heading in that direction, as you know. But I hope they negotiate something that’s acceptable.” Earlier in White House, Trump said, “They do want to make a deal,” but Hopefully, we’ll make a deal. If we don’t make a deal, we’ll see what happens.”
What Khamenei said?
Calling the recent Iran protest as “coup attempt”, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that the United States wants to “devour Iran” and that its oil, gas, rich minerals, and geographic location are the main attraction for America. Khamenei warned that the Iranian regime is not the “initiators of war” and they do not want to attack any country but they will give a blow to those who attack them. Khamenei also said that there will be regional war if Trump attacks Tehran.
Will there be a regional war?
Trump responded to Khamenei’s “regional war” statement and said that if Tehran does not strike a deal, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Nation will see if there could be a regional war. Meanwhile, China and Russia also expressed similar fears, with Beijing saying that “any military adventurism will only push the region into an abyss of unpredictability” and the Kremlin warning that US strike on Iran would “destabilize Middle East”. Turkey and Egypt echoed same concerns and warned of a “wider regional conflict.”
‘Axis of Resistance’ united against Trump
America’s anti-Iran rhetoric has reunited Iran-backed ‘Axis of Resistance’ with Hezbollah vowing to defend Iran’s Supreme Leader in case of any attack. Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi paramilitary group, warning of a “total war” and Houthi rebels threatening new attacks on ships travelling through the Red Sea corridor.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to “under no circumstances” get involved with protests in Democratic-led cities unless they ask for federal help or federal property is threatened.
The announcement follows weeks of unrest and protests sparked by a large deployment of Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to Minnesota, and the killings of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, by federal agents who said they were reacting to threats.
Many observers have said bystander videos contradict those claims of self-defense. Video footage of Pretti’s death, verified by Reuters, undercuts Trump administration claims that he brandished a weapon before officers fatally shot him.
Activists and demonstrators opposed to Trump’s immigration enforcement crackdown have tried to closely follow immigration officers in Minneapolis and other communities.
Although the president’s new order would seem to have DHS avoid confrontations with protesters in the street and during raids, ICE and Border Patrol will act aggressively to protect federal buildings, Trump wrote on social media.
“We will not allow our Courthouses, Federal Buildings, or anything else under our protection, to be damaged in any way, shape, or form,” he posted.
The Department of Homeland Security, as well as the offices of Minnesota Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, did not immediately return requests for comment.
Demonstrators attend a protest against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after the fatal shootings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti by U.S. federal immigration agents, in Minneapolis Minnesota, U.S., January 31, 2026. REUTERS/Seth Herald Purchase Licensing Rights
Cities must protect their own state and local properties, Trump wrote. He also put the onus on state and municipal officials to help protect federal property.
The federal government will provide help if requested, Trump wrote, adding that it would “take care of the situation very easily and methodically.”
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Minneapolis and other U.S. cities on Friday to demand the withdrawal of federal immigration agencies from Minnesota, following the fatal shootings of Good and Pretti.
The Trump administration had sent 3,000 federal officers to the Minneapolis area as part of a crackdown on illegal immigration, and many of those officials found themselves facing off with protesters and activists.
It was the most recent example of Trump’s willingness to use federal personnel in cities. He has sent federal law enforcement officers or National Guard members to a number of cities largely governed by Democrats, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Portland, Oregon.
PM Modi said Budget 2026-27 was “human-centric,” strengthened India’s foundation with “path-breaking reforms,” and boosted women, youth and sunrise sectors.
A file photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the Union Budget 2026 is “human-centric and strengthens India’s foundation with path-breaking reforms.”
The Prime Minister also described it as historic and a catalyst for accelerating the country’s reform trajectory and long-term growth.
In remarks following the presentation of the Budget in Parliament, PM Modi said the proposals would energise the economy, empower citizens and give India’s youth fresh opportunities to scale new heights.
“This budget brings the dreams of the present to life and strengthens the foundation of India’s bright future. This budget is a strong foundation for our high-flying aspirations of a developed India by 2047,” he said.
Calling the government’s reform agenda a “Reform Express,” the Prime Minister added, “The reform express that India is riding today will gain new energy and new momentum from this budget.”
“The path-breaking reforms that have been undertaken give the bold, talented youth of an aspirational India the open skies to soar.”
Highlighting the country’s ambitions on the global stage, PM Modi said Indians were determined to climb further up the economic ladder.
“The 140 crore citizens of India are not satisfied with being the fastest-growing economy; we want to become the world’s third-largest economy as soon as possible,” he remarked.
The Prime Minister underlined what he described as the inclusive and people-focused nature of the Budget, noting that sunrise sectors, infrastructure and capital expenditure had received major encouragement.
He said young people would benefit the most from the new policy thrusts and trade initiatives outlined in the fiscal blueprint.
The Prime Minister also drew attention to the role of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who presented her ninth consecutive Budget in Parliament.
“Today’s budget is historic. It reflects the strong empowerment of the nation’s women. As a woman Finance Minister, Nirmala ji has created a new record by presenting the country’s budget for the ninth consecutive time,” he said.
“This budget is a highway of immense opportunities. It turns today’s aspirations into reality and strengthens the foundation of India’s bright future,” PM Modi said.
He added that the Budget struck a balance between fiscal discipline and growth ambitions.
“This is a unique budget that focuses on reducing the fiscal deficit and controlling inflation, while also emphasising high CAPEX and high growth. We aim to become the world’s third-largest economy soon,” the Prime Minister noted.
The remarks came as Sitharaman outlined three key “Kartavyas” in her speech, accelerating and sustaining economic growth, fulfilling people’s aspirations by building their capacities, and ensuring inclusive access to resources in line with the government’s ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas’ vision.
She also said the Reform Express would maintain its momentum and proposed interventions in six areas, including manufacturing, MSMEs, infrastructure and city economic regions.
India will begin purchasing oil from Venezuela to replace some of the petrol it purchases from Russia a month after President Trump threatened to increase the 50% tariffs the US has already imposed.
The president signaled on Saturday that Delhi — the world’s third-biggest oil importer — would be open to renew business in Latin America after India stopped buying oil from Caracas last year due to US sanctions.
“We’ve already made that deal, the concept of the deal,” Trump told reporters.
President Trump said he was working on a deal for India to restart oil purchases from Venezuela. AP
The president did not elaborate further on what an oil deal between the US, Venezuela and India would entail.
While the president initially claimed that the deal would stop India from buying crude from Iran, Delhi had already stopped buying from Tehran in 2019 due to US sanctions.
Instead, India served as the top buyer of Russian oil, reaping in crude at a discount as Moscow faced heavy sanctions from the West over its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Trump had repeatedly warned India to stop purchasing Russian oil, slapping 50% tariffs on the country. He threatened to raise the rate again last month if India did not curb its purchases.
The president’s openness to strike a deal with Delhi stands in stark contrast with the months of tension between the US and the world’s largest democracy — with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signaling a more amicable relationship last month and suggesting the tariffs on India maybe removed.
Along with India, Trump suggested that he was open to a deal with Beijing on purchasing Venezuelan oil.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacts during the funeral of Israeli hostage Ran Gvili, whose remains were brought back to Israel, in the southern town of Meitar on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026.(Chaim Goldberg/Pool Photo via AP)
The Trump administration has approved a massive new series of arms sales to Israel totaling $6.67 billion and to Saudi Arabia worth $9 billion.
The State Department announced the sales to America’s allies in the Middle East late Friday as tensions rise in the region over the possibility of U.S. military strikes on Iran. They were made public after the department notified Congress of its approval of the sales earlier Friday.
The sales also come as President Donald Trump pushes ahead with his ceasefire plan for Gaza that is intended to end the Israel-Hamas conflict and reconstruct the Palestinian territory after two years of war left it devastated, with tens of thousands dead.
While the ceasefire has largely held, big challenges await in its next phases, including the deployment of an international security force to supervise the deal and the difficult process of disarming Hamas.
The sale to Saudi Arabia
The Saudi sale is for 730 Patriot missiles and related equipment that “will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a Major non-NATO Ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region,” the department said.
“This enhanced capability will protect land forces of Saudi Arabia, the United States, and local allies and will significantly improve Saudi Arabia’s contribution” to the integrated air and missile defense system in the region, it said.
It was announced after Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman met with top Trump administration officials like Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
A series of arms packages to Israel
The sales to Israel are split into four separate packages, including one for 30 Apache attack helicopters and related equipment and weapons, with another for 3,250 light tactical vehicles.
The Apache helicopters, which will be equipped with rocket launchers and advanced targeting gear, are the biggest part of the total package, coming to $3.8 billion, according to the State Department.
The next largest portion is the light tactical vehicles, which will be used to move personnel and logistics “to extend lines of communication” for the Israel Defense Forces and will cost $1.98 billion, it said.
Rep. Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, accused the Trump administration of rushing to announce the deals for Israel in a way that would “disregard Congressional oversight and years of standing practice.”
He said in a statement that “the Trump Administration has blatantly ignored long-standing Congressional prerogatives while also refusing to engage Congress on critical questions about the next steps in Gaza and broader U.S.-Israel policy.”
Under the deals, Israel will spend an additional $740 million on power packs for armored personnel carriers it has had in service since 2008, the State Department said. The remaining $150 million will be spent on a small but unreported number of light utility helicopters to complement similar equipment it already has, it said.
