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.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong speaks during the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) at the State Department in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 8, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Australia said on Monday it would not take part in any military operations in Iran, ruling out deploying troops to the Middle East if the conflict escalates, as Israel launched fresh strikes on Tehran and Iran responded with more missile attacks.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in an attack on Saturday, while the United States reported its first casualties in the war as U.S. President Donald Trump hinted the conflict could last for four more weeks.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Canberra would not get involved.
“Australia is not central to the issues in the Middle East. We didn’t participate in these strikes and we wouldn’t anticipate participating in the future,” Wong told Channel Nine on Monday.
Wong said the Australian government was in discussions with airlines to help Australians stranded in the Middle East but acknowledged that evacuation plans would be difficult while airspace across much of the region remained closed.
“We understand how distressing and challenging this time is, and we will do all that we can to provide you with information and to support you. The situation is very challenging,” Wong earlier told reporters in Canberra.
About 115,000 Australians were in the region and the most viable option to get them home would be when commercial airlines resumed services, Wong said. She declined to say whether the government was planning repatriation flights.
“There is conflict in the region, we’ve seen loss of life across the region and airspace is not open. So whether or not it is an Australian flight or a commercial flight, the flights are not able to occur,” Wong said.
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.
Smoke rises after Israeli strikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs, Lebanon, March 2, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir Purchase Licensing Rights
Israel carried out airstrikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday, after the Iran-backed group launched missiles and drones towards Israel to avenge the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
More than a dozen explosions rocked Beirut, in the most intensive strikes on the southern suburbs since a war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2024. People fled on foot and by car, clogging the roads, after the series of strikes began around 2:40 a.m. (0040 GMT).
The violence widened the conflict that has spread through the Middle East since the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday. Hezbollah, a Shi’ite Muslim group established by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in 1982, is one of Tehran’s principal allies in the Middle East.
The Israeli military said it had begun striking Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, including senior Hezbollah members in the Beirut area. Lebanese security sources said the airstrikes hit several areas of the southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh.
“Hezbollah opened a campaign against Israel overnight, and is fully responsible for any escalation,” Israeli Chief of the General Staff, Eyal Zamir, said in a statement.
The Israeli military issued a warning ordering residents of dozens of villages in southern and eastern Lebanon to evacuate.
The Lebanese health ministry could not immediately be reached for a casualty toll.
The Israeli military said several projectiles that crossed from Lebanon fell in open areas and one was intercepted by the Israeli airforce.
“No injuries or damages were reported,” it said.
HEZBOLLAH CLAIMS ATTACK
Hezbollah said it had targeted an Israeli military missile defence facility south of the city of Haifa in revenge for “the pure blood” of Khamenei and in response to what it described as repeated Israeli attacks.
It was the first time the group has carried out such an attack since the 2024 war.
“The resistance leadership has always emphasised that the continuation of Israeli attacks and the assassination of our leaders, youth, and people gives us the right to defend ourselves and respond at the appropriate time and place,” Hezbollah said in a statement.
Since a U.S.-backed ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon in 2024, Israel has carried out regular strikes against what it has identified as Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, accusing the group of seeking to rearm.
It was Israel’s first attack on the southern suburbs since it killed the group’s top military official, Ali Tabtabai, in November.
Israel also carried out airstrikes in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon, the Lebanese security sources said.
LEBANESE PM CRITICISES FIRING OF MISSILES FROM LEBANON
“The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) will operate against Hezbollah’s decision to join the campaign, and will not enable the organization to constitute a threat to the State of Israel,” the Israeli military said.
Israel and Lebanon agreed to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in 2024, ending more than a year of fighting between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah that had culminated in Israeli strikes that severely weakened the Iran-backed group. Since then,
Smoke rises following an explosion, after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 1, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
A wave of cyber-enabled operations took place early Saturday morning alongside the joint U.S.-Israeli attack on targets across Iran, according to cybersecurity experts and observers.
The operations included the hacking of multiple news websites to display various messages and the hack of BadeSaba, a religious calendar app with more than 5 million downloads, which displayed messages telling users “It’s time for reckoning” and urging armed forces to give up weapons and join the people.
A spokesperson for U.S. Cyber Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Internet connectivity in Iran dropped precipitously at 0706 GMT, and then again at 1147 GMT, with only minimal connectivity remaining, Doug Madory, director of internet analysis at Kentik, said in a post on X.
The cyberattack on BadeSaba was a smart move because government supporters use it and they tend to be more religious, said Hamid Kashfi, a security researcher and founder of cybersecurity firm DarkCell.
Cyber operations also struck a variety of Iranian government services and military targets to limit a coordinated Iranian response, the Jerusalem Post reported on Saturday. Reuters has not been able to independently verify the claims.
“As Iran considers its options, the likelihood increases that proxy groups and hacktivists may take action, including cyberattacks, against Israeli and U.S.-affiliated military, commercial, or civilian targets,” said Rafe Pilling, the director of threat intelligence with cybersecurity firm Sophos.
The attacks could include the amplification of old data breaches presented as new, unsophisticated attempts to compromise internet-exposed industrial systems, and potentially direct offensive cyber operations, Pilling said.
Activity in the Middle East has increased, said Cynthia Kaiser, a former top FBI cyber official and current senior vice president at anti-ransomware firm Halcyon. Kaiser said the firm has also seen calls to action from known pro-Iranian cyber personas who in the past have carried out hack-and-leak operations, ransomware attacks and distributed denial-of-service attacks (DDoS), which flood internet services rendering them inaccessible.
The current cyber activity may precede more aggressive operations, said Adam Meyers, senior vice president of counter adversary operations with CrowdStrike (CRWD.O).
“CrowdStrike is already seeing activity consistent with Iranian-aligned threat actors and hacktivist groups conducting reconnaissance and initiating DDoS attacks,” he said.
Cybersecurity firm Anomali said in an analysis shared with Reuters on Saturday that state-backed Iranian hacking groups were already carrying out “wiper” attacks that erase data on Israeli targets ahead of the strikes.
Following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in a US-Israel airstrike, Iran raised a red “flag of revenge” at Jamkaran Mosque, symbolising a call for retaliation in Shia tradition.
Red ‘Flag of Revenge’ Raised Over Mosques In Iran After After Khamenei’s Killing (Photo Credit: X)
After Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed in a joint airstrike by the United States and Israel on Sunday (February 2), a red “flag of revenge” was raised atop the Jamkaran Mosque in Iran’s holy city of Qom. For the unversed, the mosque has a significant religious importance in Iran. Raising this red flag over the mosque is a symbolic gesture hinting towards retaliation.
What Does Red Flag” Mean?
According to reports, in Shia tradition, a red flag symbolises unjust bloodshed and is a call to take revenge. Red flags were also reportedly raised over prominent mosques in other cities of Iran to mourn Khamenei’s death.. It is usually raised during the times of foreign aggression. Chants against United States and Israel were raised at the Hazrat Masoumeh Shrine, reported The Economic Times.
Khamenei’s Killing:
Iran’s supreme leader was killed in the strikes carried out by the US and Israel on Saturday. Israeli fighter jets dropped around 30 bombs on the Tehran complex housing Iran’s supreme leader. In its official announcement, the Israeli military detailed the circumstances of the strike, stating, “The Air Force, under precise intelligence guidance from the Military Intelligence and in cooperation with the Military Intelligence, attacked the leadership compound in the heart of Tehran where he was staying along with other senior officials.”
Iran President’s Address:
In his address to the nation, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed to destroy enemy military bases. “Iran’s armed forces are attacking enemy bases with full force. and will leave the enemy hopeless.” He further added that Israel’s expansion should be curtailed.
Meanwhile, former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was also killed in the joint offensive by the US and Israel.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain is not involved in strikes on Iran but has allowed the US to use British bases for defensive action against missile threats. He stressed the UK supports collective defence while pushing for a negotiated solution to the Middle East crisis.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says Britain will not join Iran strikes but will allow US use of bases for limited defensive operations | X – @Keir_Starmer
Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday (local time) said that the UK will permit the United States to use British bases for a “specific and limited defensive purpose” to counter Iranian missile threats, adding that London is not joining offensive strikes against Iran.
This comes after a joint missile strike titled Operation Roaring Lion/Operation Epic Fury by Israel and the United States on Iran on February 28.
Sharing a video message on X addressing escalating tensions in the Gulf, Starmer said, “Yesterday, I spoke to you about the situation in the Gulf and explained that the United Kingdom was not involved in the strikes on Iran. That remains the case.”
Concern over attacks and British citizens
However, he accused Iran of widening the conflict over the past two days. “Over the last two days, Iran has launched sustained attacks across the region at countries that did not attack them. They’ve hit airports and hotels where British citizens are staying,” he said.
Describing the situation as “clearly dangerous,” Starmer noted that there are “at least 200,000 British citizens in the region, residents, families on holiday and those in transit.”
He urged them to “please register their presence and follow Foreign Office travel advice,” adding, “I know this is a deeply worrying time and we will continue to do all we can to support you.”
Starmer said British armed forces stationed in the region were also at risk. “Our armed forces, who are located across the region, are also being put at risk by Iran’s actions. Yesterday, Iran hit a military base in Bahrain, narrowly missing British personnel,” he said.
Call for negotiated settlement
Warning that leadership changes in Tehran would not alter the threat, he said, “The death of the Supreme Leader will not stop Iran from launching these strikes. Their approach is becoming even more reckless and more dangerous to civilians.”
Reiterating the UK’s position, Starmer said, “Our decision that the UK would not be involved with the strikes on Iran was deliberate. Not least because we believe that the best way forward for the region and for the world is a negotiated settlement, one in which Iran agrees to give up any aspirations to develop a nuclear weapon.”
He added that despite Britain’s non-involvement in offensive strikes, “Iran is striking British interests nonetheless and putting British people at huge risk, along with our allies across the region.”
Defensive support and legal basis
“Our partners in the Gulf have asked us to do more to defend them. And it is my duty to protect British lives,” Starmer said.
He revealed that British jets were already engaged in defensive operations. “We have British jets in the air as part of coordinated defensive operations in the Gulf, which have already successfully intercepted Iranian strikes,” he said.
However, he stressed that “the only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source, in their storage depots or the launchers which are used to fire the missiles.”
“The United States has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose. We have taken the decision to accept this request, to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region, killing innocent civilians, putting British lives at risk, and hitting countries that have not been involved,” he said.
Starmer said the decision was based on “the collective self-defence of long-standing friends and allies and protecting British lives,” adding that it was “in accordance with international law” and that the government would publish “a summary of our legal advice.”
“I want to be very clear. We all remember the mistakes of Iraq and we have learned those lessons. We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and we will not join offensive action now,” he asserted.
Amid attacks, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was moved to a secure location.
Baba Vanga was the blind Bulgarian mystic who passed away in 1996.
The United States and Israel carried out coordinated military strikes on Iran on Saturday, February 28. Reports indicate that the first attacks targeted areas near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. He was later reported to be moved to a different, secure location.
The strikes have ignited widespread concern about the possibility of a broader regional war.
As news of the strikes spreads, attention has turned to the predictions of Baba Vanga, the blind Bulgarian mystic who passed away in 1996. Over the years, she has been credited with foreseeing major global events, and many followers believe her prophecy of a “Great War” in early 2026 (originating from the East) may be coming true.
US-Iran Tensions: Could The Baba Vanga Prophecy Be Unfolding?
With Iran now engaging in retaliatory actions following the US-Israel strikes, people on social media are linking the latest tensions between the two nations with Vanga’s predictions.
Supporters of her prophecies suggest that the unfolding conflict could spread gradually across the world.
Impact Of The War: Which Regions Could Be Affected?
According to Vanga’s prophecy, the conflict is expected to hit the western parts of the world the hardest, with Europe bearing the brunt of the devastation. She predicted that the land in Europe could go completely barren and unstable in the aftermath. This could create widespread economic and social challenges.
At the same time, she predicted that Russia would emerge as a major global power which would potentially reshape the balance of international influence following the conflict.
Joint Military Strikes: US And Israel Take Action Against Iran
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel, in coordination with US has launched a military operation targeting Iran. He described the strikes as a crucial measure to neutralise what he called an “existential nuclear threat” from the Iranian regime.
Netanyahu praised US President Donald Trump’s leadership and stated that the objective of the operation is to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons and to create conditions that could allow the Iranian people to challenge their government.
Trump’s Message To Iran And Iranians
Trump also issued a statement confirming the US was carrying out strikes in Iran. “In advance of the investigation, we launched extensive military operations in Iran. Our goal is to protect the people of America by eliminating the imminent threats from its own regime, Iran,” he said.
He also warned the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard and offered total immunity if they lay down arms or promising “certain death” if they resist. Trump also addressed the Iranian population, saying, “When we are finished, take over your government — it will be yours to take. This will probably be your only chance for generations.”
Prime Minister Modi said he conveyed India’s concerns over the latest developments and highlighted the importance of protecting civilians.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Reuters File Image)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid the current regional situation in West Asia. The conversation took place as tensions continue to rise across the region following recent military developments.
India stresses civilian safety concerns
In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi said he conveyed India’s concerns over the latest developments and highlighted the importance of protecting civilians.
“Had a telephone call with PM Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the current regional situation. Conveyed India’s concerns over recent developments and emphasised the safety of civilians as a priority. India reiterates the need for an early cessation of hostilities,” the Prime Minister wrote.
Had a telephone call with PM Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the current regional situation. Conveyed India’s concerns over recent developments and emphasised the safety of civilians as a priority. India reiterates the need for an early cessation of hostilities.@netanyahu
Pak called US-Israel attacks on Iran unwarranted; it called Iran’s retaliation “violations of sovereignty”. Decoding Islamabad’s response, ties with all players – US, Iran, Saudi
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. (File Image)
Although not a direct participant in the US-Israel war against Iran, Pakistan finds itself in a unique position. While the country has ties with both the United States and Iran, which it even shares a boundary with, it has a defence pact with Saudi, which has tacitly supported America, according to reports.
News18 decodes Pakistan’s response of official condemnation and diplomatic caution.
The key players in the war
A major military confrontation erupted between the United States, Israel, and Iran after coordinated US–Israeli strikes hit Iranian territory, drawing strong Iranian retaliation with missile and drone attacks across the region. The conflict has triggered broader instability in the Middle East, with Iran declaring reprisals and continuing attacks on US and Israeli bases, raising fears of a wider regional war.
How Pakistan has responded to the war
In a delicate balancing act, Pakistan condemned the initial U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Friday that triggered the retaliation, calling them “unwarranted attacks”.
As Iran struck back, targeting Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its Permanent Representative to the UN formally condemned Tehran’s retaliation too, calling it “blatant violations of sovereignty”.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also telephoned Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to pledge “full solidarity” and reiterate the terms of the mutual defense pact. Pakistan specifically highlighted the death of a Pakistani national in the UAE during these attacks.
Saudi Arabia amid US-Israel-Iran war
Saudi Arabia’s relationship with the U.S. during the current 2026 conflict is extremely complicated, characterised by private alignment and public distance.
Publicly, Saudi Arabia has taken a firm stance to avoid being dragged into a direct war with Iran. In the weeks leading up to the February 2026 strikes, Riyadh officially informed both Iran and the U.S. that it would not allow its airspace or territory to be used for military actions against Tehran. Saudi officials emphasised that they do not want their land to serve as a launchpad for attacks, fearing that involvement would turn their oil fields into primary targets for Iranian retaliation, according to Reuters.
However, according to The Washington Post, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) reportedly made several private phone calls to US President Donald Trump over the past month, pushing for a strike on Iran while publicly endorsing diplomacy.
Saudi Arabia is part of a “complex role” where it reportedly coordinated with the U.S. and Israel to share data on Iranian leadership and infrastructure targets, even while officially staying out of the combat, according to reports.
President Trump called MBS on March 1 to affirm that the United States “stands alongside the Kingdom” and supports all measures Saudi Arabia takes to defend itself. In January 2026, just before the conflict escalated, the U.S. formally designated Saudi Arabia as a Major Non-NATO Ally, deepening their legal and military partnership. Under the new U.S.-Saudi Strategic Defense Agreement (SDA), the two countries have committed to nearly $1 trillion in investments, including sales of F-35 jets and hundreds of tanks to bolster Saudi defences.
Why has Pakistan not declared a war?
Pakistan is in a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) with Saudi, which has the “attack on one is an attack on both”. Then why has it prioritised solidarity over military action?
Pakistan shares historical, cultural, economic, and diplomatic ties with Iran. Islamabad and Tehran have maintained bilateral engagement, including high-level visits and cooperation on regional issues, and Iran has publicly commended Pakistan’s support during past regional crises, highlighting the traditionally friendly relationship.
While Trump was once sharply critical of Islamabad during his first term, more recent interactions have reportedly been warmer, with Trump referring to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as a “friend” in diplomatic exchanges — signaling a reset built around strategic interests rather than past grievances. A key emerging area is critical minerals and rare earth cooperation. As global competition intensifies over supply chains dominated by China, Pakistan has highlighted its untapped mineral reserves — particularly in Balochistan — positioning itself as a potential alternative partner for Western supply diversification. This has opened conversations around investment, extraction partnerships, and broader economic engagement.
At the same time, Pakistan continues to seek security cooperation and counterterrorism coordination; trade access and economic stabilization support; diplomatic backing amid regional tensions. For Washington — especially under a Trump-style “America First” lens — engagement with Pakistan is viewed through strategic leverage: Afghanistan spillover risks, counterterrorism intelligence, competition with China, and regional stability involving Iran and the Gulf.
Entering a hot war with Iran is extremely dangerous for Islamabad, as the two share a long, volatile border. A conflict could ignite internal sectarian fault lines within Pakistan’s own population. Large-scale pro-Iran protests have broken out in Pakistani cities like Karachi and Lahore against the U.S.-Israeli strikes, making it politically difficult for the government to take direct military action against Iran.
Analysts note that while the pact with Saudi is formal, it is often viewed as a “political signal of solidarity” rather than an unconditional guarantee for automatic military escalation.
AN internet investigator who helped expose a notorious online pedophile network is urging parents to stay vigilant as authorities ramp up fresh probes into the shadowy group.
Becca Spinks has told The U.S. Sun that her small team of citizen investigators were among the first to identify the scale of the terrifying network that would later be labeled as “764.”
Cameron Finnigan, 19, was jailed for six years in January 2025 after admitting he encouraged girls to kill themselves and self-harm onlineCredit: PA
The FBI has characterized the sprawling, digital gang as “online predators” who are now under scrutiny by federal authorities and members of Congress.
Spinks has been credited with helping draw attention to several alleged members, including 19-year-old Cameron Finnigan, who was sentenced in the United Kingdom to six years in prison in January 2025 after admitting to targeting children online for sexual blackmail and coercion.
She also played a prominent role in exposing another member, Kyle Spitze, for an alleged slew of sickening online crimes.
But the work has come at a personal cost.
Spinks says she relocated for the safety of her young daughter after receiving sustained threats from individuals she believes were connected to the 764 network.
“I think about quitting all the time,” she told The U.S. Sun. “It’s been a rollercoaster going from a normal mom to this.
“It’s a whirlwind I never expected. But I also strongly feel that I was put here for a reason. I believe I’m good at what I’m doing. So it’s hard for me to just walk away.”
Unlike traditional criminal organizations, 764, which the FBI describes as a “violent online group,” does not operate under a clear hierarchy.
Instead, it functions as a loose ecosystem of online communities that share tactics, exploitative material, and extremist themes.
The FBI say members have encouraged minors to produce explicit content, harm themselves, mutilate animals, and attempt suicide — often recording the acts for further coercion.
“They believe that by accelerating the collapse of society, they can get us to a different endpoint, which may be some kind of fascism or satanic cult ideology,” Spinks explains.
“But either way, the strategy is all the same. The reason they’re preying on our kids is because these are our children. What better way to attack a country or a culture than to subvert and corrupt our children?”
Disturbing network
The network is believed to have been started in 2021 by Texas school dropout Bradley Cadenhead.
The name 764 reportedly referenced zip codes connected to his hometown.
In 2023, Cadenhead was sentenced to 80 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts related to child sexual abuse material.
Spinks’ background is in self-defense instruction and gun safety training.
For years, she focused on preparing women and children to protect themselves in the physical world.
But around 2020, she began realizing that the most serious threats facing children were in a digital realm.
“I’m used to teaching people how to defend themselves,” she said. “But at some point I realized there were dangers online that I didn’t even understand as a parent.”
Her research led her into private online channels where she says children were being manipulated into self-harm under threat of exposure.
She alleges members specifically targeted vulnerable teens struggling with mental health issues, isolating them and escalating demands over time.
“They spend their energy on kids who are already struggling,” she said. “It’s psychological warfare. It’s a terror attack on our children.”
“These are the types of kids who try to seek validation online,” Spinks continued.
”They are isolating themselves from their real-life peers and finding validation online, and these bad guys — these groomers and provocateurs — know exactly which type of kid they can influence the best and they spend their energy on them. It’s really sad.”
Increased danger
She is desperate to warn parents how to keep their loved ones safe.
“I say this all the time — there could be an issue anywhere your kids have unsupervised access to talk to strangers on the internet,” Spinks said
“Roblox, Instagram. If your kid has an Instagram account with open DMs, they have access to gaming servers.
“A lot of parents are shocked to hear that their kids can just wander around a virtual landscape and talk to strangers.
“There’s no difference between that and sending your kid out to a downtown area and letting them talk to strangers. It’s just as dangerous.”
Too many families, in her experience, “bury their heads in the sand” when it comes to online protection.
“This could happen to any kid,” she continued. “Number one is knowing what your kid is doing online and keeping them off of platforms where people can exploit them.
“Number two is having age-appropriate, open, honest discussions with your children about predators and how they work. Just like within the self-defense industry, eventually you have to teach your child to protect themselves to some degree, and that’s what we have to do here.”
Whenever there is a school shooting, Spinks and her team begin to delve deep into the history of the perpetrators.
“We immediately start looking for breadcrumbs to link them to these communities,” she admitted.
“More often than not, we’re finding that they were in groups like 764, especially if they’re young perpetrators.”
When the FBI issued a public service announcement in 2023 referencing 764, Spinks says it confirmed patterns she and her team had already been documenting.
“When I first went to the FBI, they didn’t really know what I was talking about,” she claimed. “Once the PSA came out, it finally put a name to what we were seeing.”
As she became more vocal publicly in early 2024, the threats intensified.
She filed reports with local law enforcement and was later included in an FBI complaint related to online harassment.
“The threats haven’t stopped,” she said. “Once you start exposing them, they try to intimidate you into silence.”
“Anywhere your child can talk privately to a stranger online is a potential entry point.
Her involvement deepened when she began investigating Tennessee man Spitze, after noticing allegations linking him to 764 circulating online.
A viral video showing him being shot in the ear by his stepfather drew attention to his case, and commenters claimed they were victims.
They also chillingly alleged he was connected to the network.
His stepfather has since been charged with tampering with a witness connected to his son’s trial.
Following those claims, Spinks says she traced online activity allegedly tied to Spitze to a Telegram channel that she described as containing graphic content involving minors being coerced into harming themselves.
Spitze is currently awaiting sentencing on child exploitation charges.
One of those Spinks says threatened her was Finnigan, according to a BBC report. During his sentencing hearing in the UK, she said hearing her name read aloud in court was surreal.
“To realize he was a 19-year-old sitting behind a screen was jarring,” she said. “These kids are made to believe they’re dealing with monsters who can reach into their homes. In reality, most of them have never left their bedrooms.”
She believes much of the network’s power lies in psychological manipulation — convincing children who don’t act upon their demands will lead to catastrophic consequences for them or their families.
“They create this image of being unstoppable and dangerous,” she said. “For a child, that feels completely real.”
Police problems
The decentralized nature of 764 makes it difficult to dismantle, she added. Groups splinter, rebrand, and migrate across platforms, from gaming environments to encrypted messaging apps.
She admits she once underestimated how mainstream platforms could be used as entry points.
In February 2025, 16-year-old Penelope Sokolowski took her own life, with her dad Jason heartbreakingly admitting looking through her phone was like attending a “crime scene.”
He saw images of self-mutilation and revealed his daughter had told him about being recruited in a group by someone she met on Roblox.
She claimed to have moved on. But not long after she turned 16, she killed herself.
Oil prices surged more than 8 per cent to their highest in months on Monday (Mar 2) as Iran and Israel stepped up attacks in the Middle East.
An oil tanker is pictured offshore in Dubai on Mar 1, 2026. (File photo: AFP/Fadel Senna)
Oil prices surged more than 8 per cent to their highest in months on Monday (Mar 2) as Iran and Israel stepped up attacks in the Middle East, damaging tankers and disrupting shipments from the key producing region.
Brent crude futures struck a high of US$82.37 a barrel and was at US$79.34, up US$6.47, or 8.88 per cent, by 11.05pm GMT (Monday, 7.05am, Singapore time).
US West Texas Intermediate crude jumped US$5.36, or 8 per cent, to US$72.38 a barrel after touching a high of US$75.33 earlier.
Israel launched a new wave of strikes on Tehran on Sunday, and Iran responded with more missile barrages, a day after the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei pitched the Middle East and the global economy into deepening uncertainty.
At least three tankers were damaged off the Gulf coast and one seafarer was killed as Iranian retaliation for US and Israeli strikes exposed ships to collateral damage, shipping sources and officials said on Sunday.
Most tanker owners, oil majors and trading houses have suspended crude oil, fuel and liquefied natural gas shipments via the Strait of Hormuz, trade sources said, after Tehran warned ships against moving through the waterway.
The Taliban say they engaged Pakistani jets in the skies over Kabul as the fighting between the Pakistani military and the Afghan militants continues to escalate.
Afghan Taliban and the Pakistan military have engaged in clashes at various point of the 2,600-km (1,615-mile) borderImage: Maaz Awan/AP Photo/dpa/picture alliance
Pakistani jets near Kabul were targeted by Afghan Taliban on Sunday, with blasts and gunfire rocking the city, officials said.
The explosions in Afghanistan’s capital come as the most recent clashes between the two countries entered a fourth day. The current escalation marks the heaviest cross-border fighting in years, raising fears of a protracted conflict.
On Sunday, explosions were heard across parts of Kabul before sunrise. They were followed by bursts of gunfire, according to the Reuters news agency. It was not clear if the blasts caused any casualties.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, however, said that “Kabul residents should not be concerned.”
“Air defense attacks were carried out in Kabul against Pakistani aircraft,” Mujahid said.
Pakistan has acknowledged bombing key Afghan cities on Friday including the capital, Kabul, and the southern city of Kandahar, where Afghan Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada is based.
The AFP cited witnesses as saying air strikes had hit the Bagram air base area, previously a US stronghold, in the country’s southeast.
Taliban officials boosted security in central Kabul on Sunday evening, with increased checks on cars, AFP reported.
Pakistan PM cancels Moscow trip
The Afghan Taliban launched an offensive over the 2,600-km (1,615-mile) border after accusing Pakistan of targeting civilians inside Afghanistan.
Pakistan rejected the claim, saying its forces had just targeted militants. Islamabad, in turn, insists that that the Taliban-led regime is sheltering extremists that have conducted attacks in Pakistan, which Taliban officials deny.
Diplomatic efforts led by Saudi Arabia and Qatar have failed to secure a ceasefire so far.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif canceled a scheduled visit to Russia amid the fighting. Moscow has called on both Afghanistan and Pakistan to cease cross-border attacks and seek diplomacy to resolve their differences.
Police gunned down a “male shooter” when he fired at them after killing and injuring bar patrons in the US city of Austin. The FBI is now investigating the shooting as a potential act of terrorism.
Saturday night’s shooting took place in Austin’s bustling entertainment districtImage: Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman/AP Photo/picture alliance
Three people were killed early Sunday during a shooting at a bar in the US city of Austin, Texas, which the FBI said may have been an “act of terrorism.”
Fourteen others were wounded, including three who were in a critical condition.
The gunman, who has not been identified, was among the dead.
Speaking at a press conference, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said police received reports of a “male shooting at Buford’s” Backyard Beer Garden, a popular bar in the city’s entertainment district.
When police arrived at the scene, Davis said they confronted a man with a gun and “returned fire, killing the suspect.”
Potential act of terrorism
FBI special agent Alex Doran said an exact motive wasn’t clear, but there were “indicators” found on the gunman and inside his car that suggest “a potential nexus to terrorism.”
“In terms of specifically what type of terrorism, we’re just at this point prepared to say that it was potentially potentially an act of terrorism,” Doran said.
Davis said the suspect first drove past the bar several times before opening fire from his vehicle. He then parked his car and walked toward the bar, shooting at patrons with a rifle.
Austin Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Chief Robert Luckritz said three people were found dead at the scene.
“We received a call at 1:39 a.m. local time (0739 GMT) and within 57 seconds, the first paramedics and officers were on scene actively treating the patients,” Luckritz added.
Debris from an aerial interception caused a fire in a berth in Dubai’s Jebel Ali port
For two days now, Dubai residents have mainly stayed indoors as their city is hit by missiles and drones – part of an attack launched by Iran across the region in response to the latest massive and ongoing attack against it by US and Israel.
Luxury hotels and its main airport – one of the busiest in the world by passenger traffic – were damaged.
The BBC has spoken to people who live in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as well as those on holiday, who describe situations far from the usual flow of daily life.
Resident Becky Williams said she saw about 15 missiles “launched from behind my house yesterday”, referring to missiles fired by UAE authorities to intercept incoming Iranian projectiles. “You can hear the interceptions happening in the air.”
But she added that she and her family were remaining calm and trusted the UAE military to defend its airspace, saying she believed it would “all blow over soon”.
Iran’s attacks in retaliation for the US-Israeli strikes continued into Sunday.
On the Palm Jumeirah, Dubai’s luxury man-made archipelago, the five-star Fairmont The Palm hotel was struck by a large explosion.
Debris from an intercepted drone resulted in a “minor fire” on the outer facade of the five-star Burj Al Arab hotel, authorities have said.
Another Dubai resident told the BBC: “What we’ve lived through over the past 24 hours is a fraction of what others have been living through in areas of conflict so it puts things in perspective.”
Meanwhile, Satya Jaganathan’s weekend plans for a hike on Sunday were foiled by the events.
“And here we are, sheltering in place,” she said.
The 35-year-old said her sister’s family and pets had to seek shelter in their apartment because they lived close to the Jebel Ali port, where there was “a lot of debris falling”.
On Saturday, officials said debris from an “aerial interception” caused a fire in a berth at the port, which is the world’s ninth busiest.
“It’s still relatively calm as there are only loud noises every few hours, but it is eerie because this is not the Dubai we are used to,” Jaganathan explained.
Dubai International Airport was also damaged in what authorities have called an “incident”.
Thousands of flights have been grounded to and from the Middle East, in one of the most serious disruptions to global travel since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Judy Trotter was supposed to return to London from her holiday on Saturday, but was told all flights were cancelled when she arrived at the airport.
“I’ve met people who were very upset about their travel plans, there were thousands of people in the airport, I met people who told me they were missing funerals,” she said.
She added a lot of passengers “were in transit, just passing through” and are now stuck.
Trotter was one of around 1,000 stranded passengers sent to stay at a hotel, where they were warned to stay away from the windows.
“There is a lot of glass in the hotel which is worrying,” she said, adding, they have heard “several missiles throughout the day”.
Another British holidaymaker – Kate Fischer from Buckinghamshire – said she and her family are “very frightened.”
On Saturday evening, she and her partner packed “a grab bag” as the children slept, she said, adding that she “doused bathrobes and towels” in water in case they needed to “escape during the night in fire conditions”.
Sunday, she said, was a strange day.
“It’s a very surreal experience being surrounded by everyone trying to enjoy their holiday and trying to entertain their children whilst we can see visible smoke from nearby areas that have been hit by drones or missiles.”
Emirates has suspended all its operations in and out of Dubai, leaving passengers round the world stranded
Airlines are continuing to cancel and divert flights in the Middle East after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran.
Flights in and out of airports in Tel Aviv, Dubai, Doha and other international hubs in the region have been suspended.
The UK Foreign Office is warning British citizens against all but essential travel to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Those already there have been advised to shelter.
Iran has launched attacks on the Gulf states as part its retaliation to US and Israeli strikes which began early on Saturday. Long-haul travel is being affected more widely, with Heathrow urging travellers to check with their airlines.
British government officials are understood to be formulating plans to potentially evacuate UK nationals from the Middle East.
But the timings of such a move remain unclear, as much of the airspace in the region remains closed.
Emirates has suspended its operations in and out of Dubai until 15:00 local time (13:00 GMT) on Monday due to airspace closures, while Etihad has suspended flights out of Abu Dhabi until 02:00 local time.
One person has been killed and 11 others injured at airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi since the strikes began. Four of those injuries were among members of staff at Dubai International, the world’s busiest airport by passenger traffic.
British Airways has cancelled services to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until Wednesday.
It said services between Heathrow and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai or Tel Aviv could be affected for several days.
Richard and Hannah from London had been en route to Oman but are now stuck in Bahrain.
“In the early hours of this morning a drone attacked the airport so we can’t reach Oman this evening as planned,” Hannah said on Sunday, describing an “uneasy 24 hours”.
Given the situation in the region could escalate, they are now looking to return home, Richard said.
Virgin Atlantic suspended services between London and Riyadh and Dubai over the weekend.
It has warned that flights to India, Saudi Arabia and the Maldives may take longer due to them being rerouted around the affected region.
It is among a number of airlines across the world that have had to cancel or reroute flights to avoid the closed or restricted airspace.
Airspace over Iran, Israel, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Syria remained closed on Sunday, with partial closures in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Jordanian and Lebanese airspace remains open but there is limited flight activity.
Tracking shows flights between Europe and Asia travelling via Saudi Arabia or the Caucasus.
Emma Belcher and her husband Vic were on their way back to Heathrow from a holiday in the Maldives via Dubai when their connecting flight was cancelled.
“There is absolutely no information about when they might open airspace so we don’t know how long we’ll be here,” she said.
“We were really looking forward to getting home to see the children as we haven’t been away without them before.”
Steve Rudderham and his wife had been on their way to the Maldives to celebrate their wedding anniversary but were stuck in Doha where they had been due to have a stopover.
“As the days go on and the vacation is eroded, we’re looking at plans to just to get back home,” he said.
Qatar Airways said its operations remained temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace, with a further update to be provided at 09:00 local time on Monday (06:00 GMT).
Qatar’s defence ministry said it had intercepted Iranian missiles after explosions were heard in Doha.
The UAE also said it had intercepted Iranian missiles and drones, while footage appears to show the moment a US facility in Bahrain was hit.
Kuwait said it had been targeted by Iranian missiles and drones. Explosions were heard at Erbil airport in Iraq early on Sunday morning.
The UK Foreign Office is warning “against all travel to Israel and Palestine”, and against all but essential travel to Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE.
British people in those areas have been urged to register their presence with the Foreign Office, with more than 76,000 people having already done so, mostly in the UAE.
For British nationals in Oman, the Foreign Office advises those in Duqm to shelter in place, and those in Salalah to leave as soon as possible if commercial means allow and follow advice from local authorities.
UK nationals in Saudi Arabia have been told to “remain indoors in a secure location”, while those in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and Turkey have been instructed to “remain vigilant” and take shelter if advised to do so.
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.
Iranian flag, a U.S dollar banknote and minatures of oil pipes and barrels are seen in this illustration taken June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Purchase Licensing Rights
The United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, targeting its leadership and plunging the Middle East into a new conflict that President Donald Trump said would end a security threat and give Iranians a chance to topple their rulers.
The strikes put nearby oil-producing Gulf Arab countries on edge as fears of escalation grew, and Tehran responded by launching missiles towards Israel.
Here’s how the conflict could play out across world markets.
OIL SPIKE
Oil is the main barometer of Middle East tension.
Iran is a major producer and lies opposite the oil-rich Arabian Peninsula across the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of global oil supply passes. Conflict could limit oil entering the global market and push up prices.
Brent crude traded on Friday around $73 a barrel, already up by a fifth this year.
Some oil majors and top trading houses suspended crude oil and fuel shipments via the Strait of Hormuz because of the attacks, four trading sources said on Saturday.
William Jackson, chief emerging markets economist at Capital Economics, said that even if the conflict was contained, Brent might rise to about $80, which was the peak during the 12-day war in Iran last June.
A prolonged conflict affecting supply could cause oil prices to jump to around $100, potentially adding 0.6-0.7 percentage points to global inflation, he said in a note.
WILD SWINGS, EVERYWHERE
The conflict is likely to exacerbate volatility across global markets, which have already swung wildly this year owing to Trump’s tariffs and a sharp tech selloff.
The VIX volatility index (.VIX), has risen by a third this year, and implied U.S. bond volatility (.MOVE), is up 15%.
Currency markets are unlikely to be immune, analysts say.
The dollar index fell by around 1% during the June war, CBA notes. But that fall was short-lived and unwound after three or four days.
“In current circumstances, the size of the fall will depend on how large and how long-lasting the conflict is expected to be,” CBA analysts said in a note a week ago.
“If the conflict was long-lasting and disrupted oil supplies, we expect the U.S. dollar would lift against most currencies except Japanese yen and Swiss franc. The U.S. is a net energy exporter and so benefits from higher oil and gas prices that would result from disrupted oil supply.”
Israel’s shekel will almost certainly be another mover – Iran quickly retaliated against Israel on Saturday.
It dropped 5% at the start of the June war and also reacted after Israel struck Iran’s Damascus consulate in April 2024 and when Iran launched missiles at Israel that October.
All episodes were short-lived and followed by quick shekel rebounds. However, JPMorgan said it could be different this time if the conflict and a rise in market risk premia proved more persistent.
“This would especially be the case if confrontation with Iran also triggers more intensive operations against Iran’s proxies,” the Wall Street bank said.
SAFE-HAVENS DO THEIR THING
The Swiss franc , widely regarded as a safe haven in times of turmoil, is expected to face further upward pressure, creating a headache for the Swiss National Bank. It is up 3% this year against the U.S. dollar.
Investors could also make another dash for gold , which has had a record run and is up 22% so far in 2026, and into silver , which has also been on a roll.
The conflict could also add to demand for U.S. Treasuries whose yields have been falling in the past few weeks.
The outlier has been bitcoin , no longer seen as a haven. It fell 2% on Saturday and has shed more than a quarter of its value in two months.
Firefighters work at the site of a residential building damaged during Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, February 22, 2026. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko Purchase Licensing Rights
Russia said at recent talks in Geneva it would accept the U.S. proposal for Ukraine’s post-war security guarantees, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s chief of staff said on Saturday.
“At the last talks, the Russian side said for example that they would accept the security guarantees offered to Ukraine by the United States,” said top aide Kyrylo Budanov in an interview aired on Ukrainian television.
U.S. President Donald Trump is urging Moscow and Kyiv to strike an agreement to end Europe’s biggest war since 1945, though Zelenskiy has complained that his country is facing more pressure to make concessions.
Ukraine is seeking iron-clad security guarantees which commit the U.S. and its European allies to action if Russia attacks again after a peace deal is reached.
Iran’s state TV reported on Saturday evening, citing the Red Crescent, that more than 200 people had been killed and 747 people wounded in US and Israel strikes against Iran.
This picture obtained from Iran’s ISNA news agency, shows an Iranian man carrying bags as he walks past debris from a destroyed building following a missile strike on a neighborhood of the Iranian capital Tehran on Feb 28, 2026. (Photo: ISNA via AFP/Amir Kholousi)
More than 200 people have been killed across Iran by Israel-US strikes, Iran’s state TV reports, citing the Red Crescent.
The Iranian Red Crescent said on Saturday (Feb 28) evening that another 747 people have been wounded in strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran.
The organisation said “24 (of Iran’s 31) provinces were affected and the Red Crescent is in a state of alert”, in a statement published by the ISNA news agency. This is the first official Iranian toll from the strikes.
Earlier in the day, Iran called for an emergency meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog to discuss “baseless” US and Israeli claims against its atomic programme, used as one of several justifications for the military action against it.
“In light of ongoing acts of aggression by the US and Israeli regimes … (Iran) called for an urgent extraordinary meeting” of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s board of governors, Iran’s mission to the Vienna-based agency said on X above an image of its formal request letter.
“Baseless claims, vicious threats and wrongful acts of aggressors against Iran’s peaceful nuclear program shall be addressed by the Board immediately,” it added.
UN CHIEF CONDEMNS ESCALATION
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres condemned the “escalation” in the Middle East after US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
“I call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation,” Guterres said in a statement, saying the attacks – including Iran’s retaliation – undermine international peace and security.
The Secretary-General is due to deliver further remarks at a Security Council meeting in New York later in the day.
France, China, Russia, Bahrain and Colombia each led a push for the extraordinary Saturday meeting, according to a diplomatic source.
The Russian mission to the UN said it made the request over “the unprovoked act of armed aggression by the United States and Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
“During the Security Council meeting, we will demand from the United States and Israel to immediately cease their illegal and escalatory actions and embark on a path toward a political and diplomatic settlement,” it added in a statement.
“ILLEGAL AGGRESSION”
In a letter to the United Nations, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called on the Security Council to take “immediate” steps to halt what it said was an illegal aggression by the United States and Israel.
Araghchi said the council must “address the US and Israeli regime’s acts of aggression” and “take the necessary and immediate measures to halt this unlawful use of force.”
Emotional regulation is not about pushing aside your feelings but rather about being to able to respond to high-pressure situations at work with intention rather than impulsively.
In October last year, Ms Veenaa Subramaniam, 44, hit a “perfect storm” involving her work and personal life.
Weeks earlier, her father-in-law had suffered a stroke and her two children were just starting their year-end examinations.
The assistant director of a workforce development agency was also focused on a major work event, preparing a presentation for her board of directors and finalising a 10-year partnership deal ahead of a job transition in December last year.
“I felt that the demands were impossible for me to bear,” said Ms Veenaa. “My mind was in a constant loop of: ‘Who needs me most right now?”
With every pillar of her life requiring her full attention at the same time, she felt stretched beyond her limit and overwhelmed by having to be everything to everyone.
She said that she usually relies on family and close friends as a safety valve, often venting to them to relieve pressure when things get overwhelming.
However, Ms Veenaa realised that venting was not always effective, especially when the very people she leaned on were also stretched and struggling.
Phases like this may not happen often and are usually a confluence of factors, but in all likelihood, most people will experience periods like this sometime in their lifetime and still have to be functional at work.
As Ms Cindi Wirawan, the founder of Vibe Tribe, a Singapore-based professional networking community, put it: “We bring our whole selves to work whether we mean to or not.”
Regulating one’s emotions, experts said, is not just about surviving difficult periods. It is about the steady, ongoing practice of understanding and managing our responses to stress.
WHY EMOTIONAL REGULATION HELPS WITH OUTCOMES
They added that if one is able to successfully manage one’s emotions, this often translates into better workplace outcomes, from clearer decision-making to stronger professional relationships.
Mr Chris Wong, a clinical psychologist at Heartscape Psychology, said learning how to regulate our emotions is key.
“While it is normal and valid for us to experience various emotions, learning to regulate them can allow us to manage or respond to them in a more proactive, helpful manner rather than a reactive, unhelpful way,” he said.
Ms Wirawan said that successful individuals are those who can feel stressed or frustrated and still think clearly, communicate effectively, and make good decisions.
Without regulation, everything becomes reactive, which can result in emails fired off in the heat of the moment, decisions driven by anxiety rather than strategy and the breakdown of relationships when people are operating in a constant state of fight-or-flight.
“For many companies, emotional intelligence is a prerequisite for senior leadership roles or for certain promotions,” she said.
Mr James Chong, principal counsellor at The Lion Mind, added that in the workplace, how one manages emotions affects how others perceive one’s reliability, judgment and leadership capacity.
Beyond workplace performance, however, emotional regulation is also a skill for life more broadly.
Mr Chong said that emotional regulation is part of a healthy lifestyle, much like maintaining regular sleep or eating routines.
“When regulation becomes habitual, it supports both well-being and long-term sustainability at work.”
HOW TO REMAIN CALM DURING STORMY MOMENTS
When it comes to personal situations such as grief or conflict at home that spill into the workplace, experts said there is no single correct way to navigate them. However, discretion is key, they added.
Mr Wong said decisions about disclosure to one’s colleagues depend on how emotionally safe a person feels, and emphasised that there is no obligation to share if one does not wish to.
Ms Wirawan agreed that full disclosure is not necessary and that broad strokes outlining the general nature of the predicament are often enough.
Individuals should first consider what they need from work — whether that is time off, a lighter workload or simply space. They should then share only what is necessary to secure that support from their bosses.
“Choosing privacy can be a form of self-respect, allowing emotions to be processed without the added pressure of managing others’ responses,” added Ms Estee Ling, co-founder and director of clinical operations at Sol Therapy.
She added that there are some simple ways to regulate one’s emotions at work.
These include:
Prioritising tasks while one is under pressure, rather than scrambling to complete every task
Pausing briefly before responding to a tense email
Intentionally carving out short moments between tasks to check in with your body and release any tension that has built up by stretching or breathing.
Mr Chong cited regulation techniques that can be done within seconds, such as slow, controlled breathing, unclenching muscles, grounding yourself through physical sensations such as feeling your feet on the floor, or drinking a glass of cold water.
Another trying scenario at the workplace where regulating emotion is key is when there is tension among colleagues, such as someone missing a deadline, dropping the ball, or repeatedly asking for help when you are already stretched thin.
In these situations, delaying immediate responses to emotionally charged messages often allows reactions to soften, said Ms Ling.
For example, stepping away from a trying situation and then drafting a reply through email rather than having a face-to-face conversation can prevent escalation.
She added that shifting questions from: “Why are they like this?” to: “What might be happening that I’m not seeing?” can help individuals see the situation from a different perspective and open room for resolution.
Experts said that when it comes to regulating emotions, it’s not about just being calm all the time – as is expected of those who are constantly under fire in high-stress role such as traders, doctors or frontline staff.
For these individuals, emotional regulation does not mean removing the stress but managing it in the moment, said Mr Chong.
Ms Ling added that in these high-pressure environments, regulation is about “staying anchored while under strain”.
“You may still feel urgency, pressure, frustration, or emotional weight and at the same time remain accountable to your role and responsibilities.”
“You may still feel urgency, pressure, frustration, or emotional weight and at the same time remain accountable to your role and responsibilities,” she said.
For roles that demand constant responsiveness or are emotionally taxing, setting boundaries is critical, said experts.
Ms Ling said in emotionally demanding roles, setting boundaries means caring about the work without taking on “the entire emotional weight of a team or situation”.
The 105,000 trucks are to support the government’s cooperative programme – a flagship initiative of Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto aimed at strengthening rural supply chains and advancing food security.
Employees of Agrinas Pangan Nusantara inspect a Mahindra Scorpio pickup truck at the company’s office in Jakarta on Feb, 25, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Ridhwan Siregar)
Indonesia’s move to import up to 105,000 pickup trucks from India in support of President Prabowo Subianto’s plan to help rural communities through the Red-White village cooperative has sparked mounting political resistance and industry disquiet.
Opponents flag concerns that the imports could undermine the domestic automotive industry, even as the state-owned firm behind the 40 trillion rupiah (US$2.38 billion) procurement insists it had acted lawfully and in the national interest.
The orders – made to two different Indian firms – were by state-owned enterprise Agro Industri Nasional (Agrinas), which was formed last year to support food, energy and water security in the archipelago.
Agrinas said the trucks would support the government’s cooperative programme – known locally as Koperasi Desa Merah Putih – a flagship initiative of Prabowo’s government aimed at strengthening rural supply chains and advancing food security.
The president has made it his vision for Indonesia to become food self-sufficient within four or five years from his inauguration in October 2024.
His administration is focused on achieving food self-sufficiency as soon as possible, targeting rice independence in the short term by increasing national production, optimising land use, and strengthening village and national food barns.
But observers whom CNA spoke to said that the move to import the pickup trucks from India contradicts Prabowo’s push for domestic industrialisation and prioritisation of local manufacturing, with some calling on the government to reassess its plans – including to delay the procurement process or cancel the contracts altogether.
“I don’t think this is necessary for the domestic industry,” said Bhima Yudhistira, executive director of think tank the Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS).
“There is a potential economic loss of about 39 trillion rupiah in workers who could have been employed instead (if the vehicles were produced in Indonesia).”
He added that the imports will create competition with domestic manufacturers, potentially resulting in about 330,000 workers being laid off.
WHAT IS THE AGREEMENT
Indian automakers publicly revealed export deals to Southeast Asia’s biggest economy at the beginning of February, before Indonesian authorities made any announcement of the procurement.
On Feb 4, Mahindra & Mahindra said in a press release that it would supply 35,000 units of its Scorpio pickup trucks to Agrinas this year, describing it as the company’s largest-ever export order.
The Indian firm described the deal as central to strengthening Indonesia’s rural supply chains, as it will enable village-level commerce and support Indonesia’s national food security transformation.
“We are looking forward to this association and to supporting Indonesia’s Koperasi through our partnership with Agrinas Pangan Nusantara,” said Nalinikanth Gollagunta, chief executive officer of the automotive division at Mahindra & Mahindra, in the press release.
“By deploying the Scorpio pickup as a part of the Koperasi, we are strengthening a reliable logistics backbone that connects farmers to markets more efficiently.”
The Scorpio pickup trucks are manufactured at a plant in Nashik, India and will be tailored to “meet the operating requirements of Koperasi – from rough rural roads to farm tracks”, the company said in the statement.
Four days later, India’s Tata Motors confirmed an agreement to supply 70,000 vehicles to Indonesia. These consist of 35,000 Tata Yodha pickup trucks and 35,000 Ultra T.7 trucks.
Asif Shamim, director of PT Tata Motors Distribusi Indonesia, said the two models are designed for “sustained performance, high uptime and efficient operating economics”.
“Their deployment will support agricultural logistics in Indonesia by improving connectivity, enabling more efficient movement of goods across rural and regional networks.’’
The announcements from both companies mean Indonesia will import a total of 105,000 vehicles from India.
HOW THE CONTROVERSY STARTED
The controversy erupted after news of the agreements circulated in Indonesian media.
This prompted the director of Agrinas to hold a press conference on Tuesday (Feb 24) in defence of the procurement, after criticisms intensified when reports emerged that around 1,200 Mahindra units had already arrived in Jakarta.
Joao Angelo De Sousa Mota last week said the move was made because manufacturers in Indonesia purportedly cannot meet Agrinas’ demands and are also more expensive, triggering debate.
On Feb 24, Joao said the decision to import the Indian vehicles was taken only after negotiations with domestic producers failed to secure sufficient production capacity and pricing.
He said locally manufactured vehicles from brands such as Toyota Astra, Mitsubishi, Hino and Suzuki were invited to participate, but they could not meet the volume or timeline requirements.
Thus, Agrinas ultimately committed to purchasing 70,000 units of 4×4 pickup trucks, split evenly between Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors.
Joao said that the pickup trucks were necessary to navigate challenging rural terrain in Indonesia and claimed the procurement generated savings of up to 46.5 trillion rupiah, though detailed pricing was not disclosed.
He added that they are also cheaper than vehicles manufactured in Indonesia by 50 million rupiah per unit, adding that Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors have said they could build a factory or spare parts centres in Indonesia in the near future.
Thus, repairments and after-sales services should “not be an issue”, he claimed.
“Therefore, besides solving after-sales service problems, it will also create new job opportunities in Indonesia,” he told CNA.
Earlier, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the cooperatives would borrow from state banks to finance the vehicles.
“My task at the finance ministry is to be able to pay 40 trillion rupiah over the next six years,” Purbaya said at a press conference in Jakarta, disclosing the value of the imports.
POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS
The plan has triggered criticism from lawmakers, business groups and labour unions who warned of wider economic repercussions.
They questioned whether short-term cost savings justify the potential sacrifice of domestic industrial growth, jobs and supply chain development.
The Association of Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers (Gaikindo) said that about 1.3 million vehicle units are currently produced yearly in the country, but there is still room for improvement to meet government demands.
“Our capacity is 2.59 million, and our production is only 1.3 million,” said Gaikindo’s chairman, Putu Juli Ardika, at a press conference on Feb 23. The production is behind capacity due to slow demand.
“And if we push this further, it will definitely have a tremendous positive impact on our industry because if this industry grows, we can maintain jobs.”
The concerns come as the automotive industry is trying to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2025, Toyota sold the most vehicles in Indonesia, followed by Daihatsu and Mitsubishi Motors. All three firms have plants in Indonesia.
Toyota’s wholesale sales last year were 250,431 units, while its retail sales stood at 258,923 units, according to Gaikindo.
Daihatsu made 130,677 wholesale unit sales last year and 137,835 retail unit sales.
Mitsubishi’s sales in 2025 were comparably lower at 71,781 units and 71,233 units, respectively.
Putu said local pickup trucks production capacity exceeds 400,000 units annually and urged policymakers to consider the broader impact of Agrinas’ plan to import the vehicles from India on jobs and investment in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) said importing completely built-up (CBU) vehicles risks undermining the national automotive manufacturing and weakening industrial supply chains.
It also questioned coordination by relevant ministries, while noting that the procurement value is significant.
“Importing CBU cars is tantamount to killing the automotive industry,” said Saleh Husin, deputy chairman of Kadin for the industrial sector.
Firman Soebagyo, a member of parliament from Golkar party – which is part of Prabowo’s government – said the import move runs counter to the president’s stated goal of strengthening the domestic industry.
He also questioned the availability of spare parts and the after-sales support in rural areas.
In Toyota’s case in Indonesia for example, Firman said the Japanese firm already has a supply chain in the country, even involving micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“So this could kill MSMEs as they will be affected by the plan to import vehicles from India,” said Firman.
Similarly, president of labour group Nusantara Trade Union Confederation Ristadi said that the domestic automotive sector is already facing reduced orders and partial layoffs, adding that awarding the contract to foreign producers could cost Indonesian jobs.
“We support the Red-White village cooperative, which aims to improve the people’s economy in rural areas while also creating jobs,” said Ristadi, who goes by one name.
“Prabowo wants to prioritise economic nationalism, so everyone should maximise the potential of our domestic resources.”
Policy analyst Agus Pambagio from the PH & H Public Policy Interest Group questioned whether lawmakers had been consulted about the plan before the orders were placed.
Agus said that although Agrinas is a state-owned enterprise, it should consult parliament before deciding on major plans.
“Who should be responsible for this? Have the details even been discussed, like who should maintain the (vehicles), what to do when they break down?”
Although other Asian countries, such as Sri Lanka and the Philippines, have imported vehicles from Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors, none of them has placed a single large order that courted controversy.
Sri Lanka’s police received 125 Mahindra SUVs at the end of 2022, while the Philippine police received around 1,500 Mahindra vehicles in 2014.
It is noted, however, that the Philippine procurement ran into issues later and faced scrutiny from the country’s Commission on Audit.
TO CANCEL OR NOT?
The debate now centres on whether the contracts can be revised or should be entirely cancelled.
Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, Indonesia’s deputy speaker of parliament, on Monday called for the import plan to be delayed pending Prabowo’s review once he returns from his overseas trip. The president has since returned on Friday morning from the United Arab Emirates.
“Of course, when the president returns, he will discuss the details regarding the import,” said Dasco, who is from Prabowo’s Gerindra party.
“And of course, the president will also seek opinions and calculate the readiness of domestic companies.”
Kadin – the commerce chamber – has welcomed parliament’s quest to delay the imports but said that it would “be better” if the plans were cancelled.
“We have coordinated with automotive industry players, including the components industry,” said Saleh from Kadin.
“They have requested that the president halt the ongoing car imports from India.”
Similarly, lawmaker Firman from Golkar also wants the procurement from India to be cancelled.
“In my opinion, the scheme should not just be postponed but cancelled,” he said.
Although about 1,200 vehicles have already arrived in Indonesia, economist Bhima said cancellation can likely still be made.
“It is still possible, but there may be some contract termination fees. That’s something to think about,” he said.
Joao, the director of Agrinas, said that the decision to import the vehicles was made under Presidential Instruction No. 17 of 2025, about the acceleration of the physical development of outlets, warehouses, and facilities for 80,000 Red-White village cooperatives.
When CNA asked him whether Prabowo was aware of the import plan, he said: “Yes. Since the beginning.”
BELOVED actor Robert Carradine’s death has been ruled a suicide, as tear-jerking tributes pour in for the late star.
The Lizzie McGuire lead tragically died on Tuesday following a decades-long battle with bipolar disorder.
Robert Carradine died on Tuesday at the age of 71Credit: Getty
Citing the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, Page-Six reported the cause of Carradine’s death was sequelae of an anoxic brain injury resulting from hanging.
Sequelae are conditions resulting from a prior disease, injury, or attack.
Robert’s body has been released to his family.
“It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away,” the family said in statement announcing the heartbreaking news.
“In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon of light to everyone around him.
“We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby’s valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with Bipolar Disorder.
“We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness.”
Older brother and fellow actor Keith Carradine added that the family wished to shed light on Robert’s condition and bring awareness to mental health.
Robert was first diagnosed with the illness after his brother David died by asphyxiation in 2009.
“We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it,” Keith said.
“It is an illness that got the best of him, and I want to celebrate him for his struggle with it, and celebrate his beautiful soul.
“He was profoundly gifted, and we will miss him every day.
“We will take solace in how funny he could be, how wise and utterly accepting and tolerant he was. That’s who my baby brother was.”
Robert got his big break with a role in Revenge of The Nerds in 1984, starring as head nerd, Lewis Skolnick.
He went on to find a new generation of fans starring in Disney Channel’s Lizzie McGuire, as Sam McGuire, dad of the title character.
His co-star Hilary Duff released a heartbreaking tribute to the actor, writing that she “always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents”.
She wrote in a tearjerking Instagram post: “This one hurts. It’s really hard to face this reality about an old friend.
“There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents.
“I’ll be forever grateful for that. I’m deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering.
“My heart aches for him, his family, and everyone who loved him.”
Robert’s daughter, Ever Carradine, shared an emotional statement on Instagram, writing that the late actor “was all heart”.
She wrote: “My sweet, funny dad, who’s only 20 years older than I am, who never missed an opportunity to drive me to the airport or tell me how much he loved my homemade salad dressing, is gone.
“Whenever anyone asks me how I turned out so normal, I always tell them it’s because of my dad.
“I knew my dad loved me, I knew it deep in my bones, and I always knew he had my back.”
Ever added: “My dad was a lover, not a fighter. He was all heart, and in a world so full of conflict and division, I think we can all take a page out of his book today, open our hearts and feel and share the love.”
DONALD Trump today teased a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, suggesting that Washington’s long-time nemesis is on the brink of collapse.
Speaking to reporters on the White House lawn, the president revealed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is locked in “very high level” talks with Cuba’s top brass.
Donald Trump today hinted at a ‘friendly takeover’ of CubaCredit: Getty
Trump’s comments come after Cuban border guards killed four US-based exiles as they charged towards the coast on a speedboat.
“The government is talking with us,” he said.
“They have no money. They have no anything right now.
“We could very well end up having a friendly takeover.”
Trump did not elaborate on his comments, but he has repeatedly mocked the communist state’s rapidly deteriorating financial position.
Cuba has been on the president’s mind since the US military’s daring capture of Venezuelan tyrant Nicolas Maduro.
The ousting of one of Havana’s closest allies delivered a bitter blow to the island’s economy.
Trump even suggested that initiating military action against Cuba might not be necessary as the absence of Venezuelan oil shipments had already brought the country to its knees.
“We’ve had a lot of years dealing with Cuba,” he told reporters today.
“I’ve been hearing about Cuba since I was a little boy. But they’re in big trouble.”
Trump also alluded to the Cuban exile community living in the US, saying: “There could be something coming that I think [is] very positive for the people that were expelled, or worse.”
The US has maintained a strict trade embargo on Cuba since 1962, the year after a failed, CIA-sponsored Bay of Pigs invasion left the White House with egg on its face.
Havana confirmed it was speaking to US officials following the shooting of the American boat carrying Cuban exiles.
Cuban authorities accused its ten occupants of plotting a terrorist attack, saying that they found a sizeable stash of guns and Molotov cocktails on board.
Rubio has vowed the US will “find out exactly what happened” and “respond accordingly.”
“We’re not gonna base our conclusions on what they told us,” he said.
In January, Trump signed an executive order punishing countries that supplied oil to Cuba with tariffs.
The move has sent an already reeling economy into a tailspin and deepened an energy crisis that has already caused mass blackouts across the country.
Carlos Fernndez de Cosso, Cuba’s deputy foreign minister, said today that the US’ fuel embargo remains in full force.
“Nothing announced in recent days changes that reality,” he wrote on X.
“The possibilities of conditional sales to the private sector already existed and do not alleviate the impact on the population.”
Meanwhile, over 40 US civil society organisations sent a letter to Congress today warning that cutting oil shipments to the Caribbean island would spark a humanitarian crisis.
US President Donald Trump has said he would direct every federal agency to immediately stop using technology from AI developer Anthropic.
“We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and will not do business with them again!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Friday.
Anthropic is mired in a row with the White House after refusing demands that it agree to give the US military unfettered access to its AI tools. The refusal led US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to say he’s deemed Anthropic a “supply chain risk”.
The label would make Anthropic the first US company to ever publicly receive such treatment. The company said that it “will challenge any supply chain risk designation in court”.
Trump’s directive came after days of back and forth, in public and private, between the company’s CEO Dario Amodei and Hegseth.
The company had grown concerned in recent months about the government potentially using its AI tools, like Claude, in what it described as “mass surveillance” and “fully autonomous weapons”.
Hegseth and the Pentagon have insisted that Anthropic agree to “any lawful use” of its tools and technology.
Both Trump and Hegseth announced their decisions against Anthropic on social media, with the defence secretary saying on X that Anthropic would be “immediately” designated a supply chain risk, prohibiting any business working with the military from “any commercial activity with Anthropic”.
Anthropic said on Friday evening that it had yet to hear anything directly from the White House or the military “on the status of our negotiations”.
Nevertheless, the company said being designated a supply chain risk “would both be legally unsound and set a dangerous precedent for any American company that negotiates with the government”.
“No amount of intimidation or punishment from the Department of War will change our position on mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons”, the company added.
The Department of War is a secondary name Trump has given to the defence department.
Anthropic’s tools will be phased out of all government work over the next six months, Trump said.
As for Anthropic’s other customers, the company said the only impact will be on companies that also contract with the military. Those companies may have to stop using Anthropic for work being done on behalf of the department.
Prior to Trump’s pronouncement, Anthropic had said that, if the US Department of Defense chose to stop using the company’s tools, the company would “work to enable a smooth transition to another provider”.
Yet, Trump berated the company on his Truth Social platform, saying Anthropic “better get their act together, and be helpful during this phase out period, or I will use the Full Power of the Presidency to make them comply, with major civil and criminal consequences to follow”.
Anthropic has been in use by the US government and military since 2024 and was the first advanced AI company to have its tools deployed in government agencies doing classified work.
Prior to Trump’s decision on Friday, Anthropic received support in its stance against the government.
OpenAI boss Sam Altman offered support to rival AI executive Amodei. He sent a note to staff stating that he had the same “red lines” when it came to the application of the firms’ products.
In the note seen by the BBC, Altman said any OpenAI contracts for the military would also reject uses that were “unlawful or unsuited to cloud deployments, such as domestic surveillance and autonomous offensive weapons”.
He later confirmed on X that OpenAI had reached a deal with the Department of War to use its AI models on classified cloud networks.
Amodei is a long-time figure in tech, rising to prominence as an early employee of OpenAI. He and a handful of other OpenAI employees left the company to found Anthropic after disagreements with Altman.
The two startups now compete directly for users and corporate customers with an evolving offer of AI chatbots, agents and other tools.
“I do not fully understand how things got here; I do not know why Anthropic did their deal with the Pentagon and Palantir in the way they originally did it,” Altman wrote in his company memo.
“But regardless of how we got here, this is no longer just an issue between Anthropic and the [Department of War] DoW; this is an issue for the whole industry and it is important to clarify our stance.”
Hegseth on Tuesday called Amodei to Washington DC for a meeting amid growing tensions. It culminated in two contradictory ultimatums if Anthropic refused to grant the department free rein of its tools.
Hegseth said he would invoke the Defense Production Act, allowing the government to use Anthropic’s products as it saw fit, and deem it a “supply chain risk”.
By Thursday, Amodei said he would rather stop working with the Pentagon than acquiesce to such threats.
A former official with the DoD, who asked not to be named, told the BBC that Anthropic appeared to have the upper hand in the fight.
“This is great PR for them and they simply do not need the money,” the former official said.
WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy requires users to agree to share data with Meta for advertising if they want to continue using the app
A landmark legal battle over privacy, data control and the business model of big tech is playing out in India as WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy faces close scrutiny from the country’s top court.
At stake is not just WhatsApp’s policy, but broader questions over privacy rights, consumer choice and regulation of dominant online platforms. WhatsApp is India’s most popular messaging app.
A few days ago, WhatsApp told the Supreme Court it would comply by 16 March with an order requiring it to give Indian users greater control over how their data is shared with its parent company, Meta.
In an affidavit, seen by the BBC, the messaging platform added that users could continue using the app even if they opted out of sharing data with Meta for advertising.
The move comes days after the court criticised WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy, warning that it would not allow WhatsApp or Meta to “play with” Indians’ right to privacy or “make a mockery” of the Constitution, which guarantees privacy as a fundamental right.
The remarks were made during open court hearings on WhatsApp’s January 2021 policy update, which required users to share data with Meta companies to keep using the app – a “take it or leave it” approach that India’s competition watchdog, the Competition Commission of India (CCI), said left users with “no real choice”.
The update drew criticism from users who said they felt compelled to accept terms they were uncomfortable with, noting it differed from the 2016 policy, which had allowed existing users to opt out of sharing data with Meta for advertising.
The policy has also been criticised by digital rights activists as invasive and a violation of user autonomy, while others argue that leveraging a platform’s popularity for advertising is common practice in the internet age.
WhatsApp is ubiquitous in India with about 853 million users, according to World Population Review. Rivals such as Signal, Telegram and homegrown platforms like Koo exist, but none match in popularity.
Given its vast reach, WhatsApp and its parent company are among the global tech firms closely watched by India’s federal government which has, in recent years, tightened digital regulations and pushed platforms for greater accountability.
A legal battle over WhatsApp’s privacy policy began in March 2021 when the CCI ordered an investigation, alleging that Meta was engaging in “exploitative and exclusionary conduct”. It said forcing users to share data with Meta companies allowed the firm to leverage WhatsApp’s dominance in India to deny advertising access to rivals.
In November 2024, the CCI fined Meta $25m for “abusing its dominant position” and ordered it and WhatsApp to implement behavioural remedies within three months. It barred WhatsApp from sharing user data with Meta entities for five years and directed the company to clearly specify the purposes of data sharing in its privacy policy.
WhatsApp and Meta challenged the order before a company law tribunal, which upheld the penalty but stayed the five-year data-sharing ban. In January 2026, the firms moved the Supreme Court to contest the fine.
While hearing the case earlier this month, the Supreme Court criticised WhatsApp’s “take it or leave it policy”, saying that it was a way of “committing theft of private information”.
The court also voiced concern over personal communications being used for targeted advertising and directed WhatsApp to establish a consent-based framework for data sharing.
In an affidavit to the Supreme Court, WhatsApp reiterated that personal messages are protected by end-to-end encryption and said it would implement the CCI’s data-sharing remedies, which aim to give users greater control over their data.
The app said it would notify users to allow them to opt out of data sharing and enable them to review or modify their choices through a prominent tab in the app’s settings.
“Sharing of user data collected on WhatsApp with other Meta companies or Meta company products for purposes other than for providing WhatsApp services shall not be made a condition for users to access WhatsApp service in India,” the affidavit said.
“All future policy updates shall also comply with these requirements,” it added.
It also said WhatsApp does not share user data with Meta for advertising purposes “except where a user chooses to use optional features”, and that data will not be shared if those features are not used.
According to the affidavit, WhatsApp has already started preparing plans to comply with India’s new digital data protection law.
The law has been challenged in the Supreme Court by petitioners who argue it violates the rights to information and free speech and could be misused for surveillance. A five-judge bench is set to hear the case in March.
The Supreme Court has not yet ruled on the penalty against Meta and the case is still being heard in court.
Some users and rights activists have welcomed the move, arguing that big tech companies should not exploit large developing markets solely for profit. Others, including digital rights activist Nikhil Pahwa, say Meta and WhatsApp, as commercial entities, have a legitimate right to monetise user metadata.
Bill Clinton said he “saw nothing that ever gave me pause” during the time he spent with Jeffrey Epstein. It is the first time a former president has been compelled to testify to Congress.
Bill Clinton, pictured in this file photo, says he was not aware of Epstein’s crimesImage: Andres Kudacki/AP Photo/dpa/picture alliance
Former US President Bill Clinton told lawmakers on Friday that he had “no idea” about the crimes committed by late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong,” Clinton said, as he faced hours of questioning from a US congressional committee about his ties to the disgraced financier.
“Even with 20/20 hindsight, I saw nothing that ever gave me pause,” Clinton added.
As proceedings began, the committee’s Republican chairman, James Comer, said Clinton would be asked about photos, emails and travel movements in connection with Epstein.
The closed-door deposition in Chappaqua, New York, marks the first time a former US president has been compelled to testify to Congress.
What do we know about Clinton’s ties to Epstein?
Bill Clinton’s testimony comes a day after his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, told the panel that she did not recall meeting Epstein and had no knowledge of his crimes.
But Bill Clinton’s relationship with Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell was well documented. Epstein is known to have visited the White House a number of times while Clinton was president. Clinton also traveled in Epstein’s plane several times in the early 2000s after he left office.
Clinton, who served as US president from January 1993 until January 2001, told the committee that he would never have used Epstein’s plane if he had known about his alleged sex trafficking of underage girls.
Epstein was jailed in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from a minor. He died by suicide in jail in 2019 while facing federal sex-trafficking crimes.
“We are only here because he hid it from everyone so well for so long,” Clinton said. “By the time it came to light with his 2008 guilty plea, I had long stopped associating with him.”
Bill Clinton appears in several photographs with women whose faces have been redacted — part of a tranche of millions of documents released by the Justice Department. In one of the images, he has his arm around a woman on a plane. In another, he’s in a pool with Maxwell and a third person whose face is redacted.
Bill Clinton was also expected to face questions about Epstein’s alleged role in the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative.
The Clintons have not been accused of any wrongdoing.
The row between Anthropic, a much vaunted AI startup, and the Trump administration, is sharply escalating. The Pentagon wants complete access to its models, despite safety and ethical concerns.
Anthropic was founded in 2021 by seven former employees of OpenAIImage: Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto/picture alliance
The US government says it will pull AI startup Anthropic from Pentagon supply chains and rip up any agreements it has with it as the row between the two escalates sharply.
US Under Secretary of Defense Emil Michael strongly rebuked Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei on Thursday, calling him a “liar” with a “God-complex.” He said Amodei “wants nothing more than to try to personally control the US military and is ok putting our nation’s safety at risk.”
The row follows a meeting earlier this week between Amodei and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, where — according to sources familiar with the meeting — Hegseth told Anthropic it had until Friday (February 27) to give the US military full access to its Claude model.
If access is not given, Hegseth threatened to cut AI group Anthropic from government supply chains, or possibly compel it to prioritize government orders, according to the sources.
Anthropic has so far refused to give Washington complete access to its models for classified military use, including for potentially lethal missions carried out without human control and for domestic mass surveillance.
In a statement on Thursday, Amodei said, “Anthropic understands that the Department of War, not private companies, makes military decisions. We have never raised objections to particular military operations nor attempted to limit use of our technology in an ad hoc manner. However, in a narrow set of cases, we believe AI can undermine, rather than defend, democratic values.”
While Anthropic’s Claude model is currently used by the Pentagon, Amodei says he believes the company’s red lines of mass surveillance and fully autonomous weapons “need to be deployed with proper guardrails, which don’t exist today.”
It’s the latest example of Washington’s strong-arm tactics in the corporate sector, while it also shows how control over AI models is becoming a new battleground for the Trump administration. It is also likely to prompt a legal battle between the government and Anthropic.
What exactly has Hegseth threatened and why?
Hegseth called Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to Washington for a meeting on Tuesday. An Anthropic spokesperson confirmed the meeting took place and told DW:
“We continued good-faith conversations about our usage policy to ensure Anthropic can continue to support the government’s national security mission in line with what our models can reliably and responsibly do.”
However, sources familiar with the talks said Hegseth made two direct threats to Amodei if Anthropic did not comply.
One was to cut the company out of the Pentagon’s supply chain, while the other would be to invoke the Defense Production Act, a measure from the Cold War era, which gives the US president the power to control domestic industry in the supposed interest of national defense.
Hegseth wants the Pentagon to have unrestricted access to Anthropic’s generative AI chatbot Claude, but Anthropic, which has long billed itself as a safety-oriented AI company, has been consistently opposed.
The company is firmly against its Claude technology being used in operations where final military targeting decisions are taken without human intervention, or for mass surveillance within the United States.
“To our knowledge, these two exceptions have not been a barrier to accelerating the adoption and use of our models within our armed forces to date,” Amodei said in the statement of February 26.
“Anthropic views these things as being not in humanity’s long-term best interest, at least at the current level of technology and safety guardrails that exist, whereas the Pentagon is pushing to have any lawful use that it wants,” Geoffrey Gertz, senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, told DW.
He says talk of invoking the Defense Production Act would be an attempt to exert control over an AI company in an “unprecedented” way, and he is concerned that it could thwart Anthropic’s development.
“There’s a big worry that the government ends up taking actions that hurt Anthropic’s ability to continue to be at the forefront of responsible AI,” he said. “Actions that are trying to curtail Anthropic’s potential markets, I think, could be very harmful and really backfire on what the administration is trying to do on AI policy.”
What has been the relationship between Anthropic and the US military?
Since November 2024, Anthropic has been providing the Claude model to US intelligence and defense agencies.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the US military used Claude during the 2026 raid on Venezuela which resulted in the capture of Nicolas Maduro. Neither Anthropic nor the US defense department commented on the claims, and it is not clear precisely how the AI system was used in the raid.
The threat by Hegseth to remove Anthropic from Pentagon supply chains would have a financial impact on the company.
In July 2025, the US Department of Defense awarded Anthropic a $200 million contract to “prototype frontier AI capabilities that advance US national security.”
Anthropic hailed the arrangement, with Thiyagu Ramasamy, the company’s head of public sector, saying it opened “a new chapter in Anthropic’s commitment to supporting US national security.”
However, at the time, it also emphasized its commitment to “responsible AI deployment.”
“At the heart of this work lies our conviction that the most powerful technologies carry the greatest responsibility,” it said in a statement. “We’re building AI systems to be reliable, interpretable, and steerable precisely because we recognize that in government contexts, where decisions affect millions and stakes couldn’t be higher, these qualities are essential.”
Is Anthropic as safety-oriented as it says?
Anthropic was founded in 2021 by seven former employees of OpenAI. According to CEO Dario Amodei, it was built “on a simple principle: AI should be a force for human progress, not peril.”
However, despite the row with the Pentagon, there are signs that Anthropic is reconsidering that commitment in pursuit of commercial ambitions.
On Tuesday (February 24), the same day as the Hegseth meeting, the company announced it was softening its core safety policy to remain competitive with other leading AI models.
“The policy environment has shifted toward prioritizing AI competitiveness and economic growth, while safety-oriented discussions have yet to gain meaningful traction at the federal level,” Anthropic said in a blog post announcing the changes.
Anthropic faces intense competition from AI rivals such as OpenAI and Google and is making the policy pivot as a result of what it sees as a lack of AI regulation at the federal level. The Trump administration has resisted AI regulation at both the state and federal levels.
The spokesperson for Anthropic told DW that the policy shift was unrelated to the Pentagon negotiations.
What ethical questions are at stake?
If Anthropic submits to Hegseth’s demands, or if the defense department were to take control of Anthropic by invoking the Defense Production Act, it would inevitably lead to accusations that the company’s AI was no longer being used with a safety-first mindset.
The issue also shines a light on the Trump administration’s strong willingness to directly intervene in corporate decision-making and in sectors it deems of critical importance.
In August 2025, the Trump administration announced it had made a $8.9 billion investment in Intel, part of a series of moves to directly intervene in US chipmaking.
It has also intervened directly in the rare-earth sector, making major investments in firms such as Vulcan Elements, MP Materials and USA Rare Earth.
The military cargo plane was carrying Bolivian banknotes which scattered on the highway upon impact. The police tried to disperse locals who rushed to grab the money.
The military cargo plane was carrying Bolivian bank notes from the central bank to other major citiesImage: Juan Karita/AP Photo/picture alliance
A military cargo plane carrying banknotes skidded off the runway near Bolivia’s capital La Paz on Friday and crashed into a busy avenue.
Officials said 15 people had died into the incident and at least 30 others were injured.
Fire Chief Pavel Tovar did not clarify if the dead were in the plane or in the cars on the highway in the city of El Alto, which is adjacent to La Paz.
Crash triggers cash grab
Videos on social media and those reported by local media show the C-130 Hercules transport plane veering off the runway, into a busy highway where it damaged about a dozen vehicles, before coming to rest in a field.
The aircraft was carrying Bolivian bank notes which scattered when the plane crashed.
Other images on social media showed locals rushing to grab the scattered money while the police dressed in riot gear tried to disperse them.
Fire fighters managed to extinguish the flames from the crash.
Israel’s attack comes amid soaring tensions between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s nuclear and missile programs.
Explosions were reported across Tehran early on SaturdayImage: AP Photo/picture alliance
Israel has launched a “preemptive” strike against Iran, the country’s Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Saturday.
He described the attack as being done “to remove threats.” He did not immediately elaborate.
An explosion rang out Saturday in Iran’s capital, Tehran, witnesses said. It wasn’t immediately clear what the target was.
There was no immediate comment from the Iranian government.
Why did Israel attack Iran?
The attack comes amid soaring tensions between Iran and the US over Tehran’s nuclear and missile programs. Washington has deployed a vast fleet of fighter jets and warships to the region to try to pressure Iran into a deal.
Meanwhile, sirens sounded across Israel.
The Israeli military said it was a “proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the state of Israel.”
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.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to Israeli FM Gideon Sa’ar and Iranian FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi, urging dialogue and diplomacy amid escalating regional tensions. India also advised nationals in Syria to avoid unnecessary travel. Meanwhile, Indians were stranded in the UAE, and over 1,000 students in Iran sought safety assurances.
EAM S Jaishankar | File Photo
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday spoke with his counterparts in Israel and Iran amid the escalating tensions in West Asia and reiterated India’s stance of de-escalating tensions through dialogue and diplomacy.
“Spoke with Israeli FM Gideon Sa’ar this afternoon. Reiterate India’s call for dialogue and diplomacy to de-escalate tensions,” Jaishankar posted on X about his call with FM Gideon Sa’ar.
Spoke with Israeli FM Gideon Sa’ar this afternoon. Reiterate India’s call for dialogue and diplomacy to de-escalate tensions. @gidonsaar
In a separate post on X, he said that during his call with FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi, he shared India’s “deep concern at the recent developments”.
“Had a telecon with Iranian FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi this evening. Shared India’s deep concern at the recent developments in Iran and the region. @araghchi,” Jaishankar posted on X.
Had a telecon with Iranian FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi this evening.
Shared India’s deep concern at the recent developments in Iran and the region. @araghchi
Earlier, the Indian Embassy in Syria also issued an advisory to Indian nationals in the country to “avoid unnecessary travel” and take “due care” amid the tensions.
“In view of the current regional situation, all Indian nationals in Syria are advised to avoid unnecessary travel, take due care, remain vigilant, follow safety guidelines and advisories as and when issued by the Embassy and the Syrian Authorities. For any emergency query, Indian nationals in Syria can contact the following number: Mobile No: +963-993385973,” the embassy posted on X.
Meanwhile, in United Arab Emirates, multiple passengers, including Indians, have been stranded at various airports across West Asia. Passengers were left stranded at Abu Dhabi airport after flight operations were disrupted following joint military strikes by the US and Israel on Iran.
Speaking to ANI, Sanjeev Mehta, an Indian passenger stranded at the airport, described scenes of panic and uncertainty. “I came to Abu Dhabi to attend a friend’s party over the weekend, and we are stuck here. Right now we are at the airport. Many alarms went off at the airport, and as the news suggests, some missiles have landed. Missile attacks have also taken place,” he said.
Concern has also increased among Indian students and their families amid the escalating tensions, as over a thousand Indian students, from Jammu and Kashmir, are studying in different cities of Iran, mainly in medical courses, and are feeling unsafe due to the tense situation.
Tom Hanks’ son Chet Hanks is stranded in Colombia.
“Ya’ll ready for story time?” Chet said in an Instagram video shared on Friday, noting that he travelled to Puerto Rico last week for his “home Max’s birthday party,” where he “had a good time.”
The “Running Point” actor — who is the son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson — then explained he decided to take a detour to Medellin to visit a pal named Taylor.
“Sounds good, right?” he said while speaking to fans. “We’ll check this out.”
Chet Hanks shared via Instagram that he’s stuck in Colombia after experiencing a passport technicality. Chet Hanks/Instagram
The actor and musician — who wore a black Los Angeles Dodgers ball cap, black shirt and heavy chain link necklace for the video — then shared how things had taken a stressful turn.
“I’m traveling with my Greek passport because I’m a dual citizen,” he said, adding that he didn’t use his American passport because it’s about to expire, “and sometimes they don’t let you in the country, even if it hasn’t expired, but it’s about to expire.”
He continued, “I go to the airport to check in [for] my flight three hours early.”
“This is an international flight. They tell me that if I’m using a foreign passport, I need a green card to get back into America.”
The incredulous “Surreal Life” alum then explained that he doesn’t “have a green card because I’m an American citizen,” so he’s “literally stuck in Colombia. I’m stuck in Medellin.”
He added, “Granted, there’s worse places to be stuck, but I literally have no f–king idea what I’m gonna do, and the only embassy to get this s–t settled is in Bogota.”
Chet shared that he doesn’t “want to go to Bogota,” which is roughly an hour away from Medellin by air, “so free me.”
A rep for Chet did not immediately return Page Six’s request for additional comment on Saturday.
Followers took to the comments thread with advice, jokes and sympathy. “Better call someone in your family to have them FedEx your passport to you ASAP,” one person wrote, with another responding, “Tom Hanks doesn’t have the best of luck with FedEx” — referencing the Oscar winner’s iconic turn in “Cast Away,” in which his character crashes on a deserted island aboard a FedEx airplane.
A third joked, “Time to start a family out there 😂,” while a fourth quipped, “The one time you should’ve pulled the “my dad is…” card.”
Still, others were amused by Chet’s declaration that he doesn’t have a green card. “Crying at I don’t have a green card cuz I’m an American citizen 😂” one Instagram user chimed in.
Chet, 35, appeared to have been making the most of the predicament — via Instagram Stories on Friday, the rapper shared clips from a dance club, where revelers danced among laser lights and fog.
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.
Iran carried out attacks targeting locations in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, as well as Doha in Qatar and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
The UAE’s Ministry of Defence said a civilian of Asian nationality was killed in the strikes.
Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, was evacuated after explosions were heard across the city as Iran launched retaliatory missile strikes targeting US military locations across the Gulf following joint American and Israeli attacks on Tehran, as per media reports.
Iran carried out attacks targeting locations in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, as well as Doha in Qatar and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
Residents in Dubai told AFP they heard loud explosions and saw missiles moving across the sky.
“It was a big explosion, and it made the windows shake,” one witness said.
A first wave of explosions had been reported earlier in the day, followed by more blasts later.
The UAE’s Ministry of Defence said a civilian of Asian nationality was killed after missile debris fell in a residential area of Abu Dhabi.
“Such acts constitute a dangerous escalation and a cowardly act that threatens the safety of civilians and undermines stability,” the ministry said in a statement.
US-Israel Strike Tehran, Iran Responds
The missile strikes followed joint US-Israeli operations against Iran earlier in the day.
The Pentagon named the operation targeting Tehran “Operation Epic Fury”. Israel claimed that Mohammad Pakpour, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed in the strikes.
Iran responded by launching what the Israeli military described as a “barrage of missiles” toward Israel.
The US and Israel launched a major offensive on Iran on Saturday, with President Donald Trump calling on the Iranian public to “seize control of your destiny” and overthrow the Islamic leadership that has ruled the nation since 1979.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday said it is working on alternate flight plans for players and officials returning from the T20 World Cup in India and Sri lanka amid the disruption caused by the US strikes on Iran. The T20 showpiece that began on February 7 will wind up on March 8 and featured 20 teams, of which six still remain in the fray, including co-hosts India. “The safety and well-being of every individual connected to our event is the ICC’s highest priority. We have already mobilised our travel, logistics and security teams, and are working around the clock to ensure that all stakeholders can return home safely, with minimal disruption,” the ICC spokesperson said in a statement.
“We would also urge fans who have travelled or were planning to travel for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 to monitor closely and adhere to advisories being issued and consider all factors before undertaking any further international travel.” The ICC acknowledged that a significant number of personnel – including players, team management, match officials, broadcast teams, and event staff – rely on Gulf hub airports, particularly Dubai, as key transit points for onward travel to their home countries upon concluding their commitments at the event.
Keeping these factors in mind, the ICC said its ‘travel and logistics’ team is actively working with major international carriers to identify and secure alternative routing options, including connections through European, South Asian and South-East Asian hubs.
“The ICC security consultants are liaising with relevant authorities and will provide real-time advisories as the situation develops. A dedicated ICC Travel Support Desk has also been activated,” the game’s apex body said in the statement.
Iran has the third-highest proven oil reserves in the world, making it an extremely important country
A direct hit on Iran’s oil fields, oil export facilities, or oil refineries would mean the loss of a large chunk of oil production for the world. (AI-Generated Image)
The US and Israeli strikes on Iran, and Tehran’s subsequent retaliation, have not only raised the specter of a wider regional war, but also forced the energy markets to brace for disruption. Analysts warn that crude prices, which are already sensitive to geopolitical shocks, could spike sharply if supply routes or production infrastructure are hit.
IRAN REMAINS MAJOR OIL PRODUCER
To begin with, despite the imposition of sanctions by the US for decades, Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) member Iran still ranks among the top 10 oil-producing countries in the world.
Iran’s oil production in 1974 was six million barrels per day, making it the third-highest oil-producing country in the world, behind the US and Saudi Arabia, according to Global Risk Management analyst Arne Lohmann Rasmussen, who spoke to news agency AFP. Today, the country’s oil production is 3.1 million barrels per day, according to OPEC.
Iran also has the third-highest proven oil reserves in the world, making it an extremely important country. Sanctions may have restricted its oil exports, but the country still exports between 1.3 million to 1.5 million barrels of oil per day, of which more than 80 per cent goes to China, according to an oil analyst at financial markets firm Saxo Bank, Ole Hansen.
A direct hit on Iran’s oil fields, oil export facilities, or oil refineries would mean the loss of a large chunk of oil production for the world.
THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ: THE REAL FLASHPOINT
However, the major threat to oil supplies is not just related to Iran’s oil production; it is related to the Strait of Hormuz itself. According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), daily oil supplies through this strait were about 20 million barrels per day in 2024, which is almost equal to 20 per cent of the world’s overall oil consumption.
The strait is quite narrow, measuring just 50 km in width, and is also quite shallow, which makes it a highly vulnerable area for oil supplies to be interrupted. In fact, this area has been targeted several times by Iran as a retaliatory measure in previous crises; even if it is not blocked entirely, experts believe that insurance costs for tankers would escalate, shipping would slow down dramatically, and it would immediately affect oil pricing.
According to the EIA, only Saudi Arabia and the UAE have limited bypass infrastructure to divert 2.6 million barrels per day, which is still much lower compared to the usual volume of oil that passes through this area.
WHY DOES IRANIAN OIL MATTER?
Iran’s oil is also very cheap to produce, costing as little as $10 a barrel. Only the oil producers in the Gulf states of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, and the UAE enjoy such low production costs. Oil production in the US and Canada costs $40-$60 a barrel.
Iran is therefore benefiting greatly from the high oil prices. If the conflict drives oil prices above $100 a barrel, Iran would still earn more for its oil even if the volumes are reduced, as long as the oil is still being exported.
The sanctions on Iran, however, especially under the policies of President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” on the Iranian regime, are affecting the country’s ability to export its oil. The US is even targeting the independent Chinese oil refineries known as “teapot refineries” for importing oil from Iran. China is still importing oil from Iran at a discounted price.
REGIONAL SPILLOVER RISKS
Iran’s neighbours, including Gulf states hosting US military bases, are facing retaliation. Pierre Razoux of the Mediterranean Foundation for Strategic Studies told AFP that Iran possesses sufficient intermediate-range missiles to strike “vital points” across the region. The potential targets include oil terminals and hydrocarbon hubs, power stations, and desalination plants. Any strike on Gulf energy infrastructure could send prices surging instantly.
WHAT HAPPENS TO PRICES?
According to recent analysis from JPMorgan Chase, oil markets are already tight, with limited spare capacity globally. In a severe Middle East disruption scenario, prices could spike well above $100 per barrel.
Market strategists cited by Moneycontrol warn that crude is now the key risk factor for emerging markets like India, which imports the bulk of its oil. Rising prices could widen trade deficits, weaken currencies, trigger inflation, and force central banks to delay rate cuts
A return to $100+ oil, unseen since the early phase of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, would also hit US consumers.
Bill Clinton told lawmakers on Friday that he “saw nothing that gave me pause” when he spent time with Jeffrey Epstein, as the former president gave closed-door testimony about his relationship with the late sex offender.
Clinton’s closed-door appearance before the House of Representatives Oversight Committee marked the first time a current or former president has been compelled to testify before Congress.
Democrats on the panel said President Donald Trump should be subpoenaed as well, but the committee’s Republican chairman, James Comer said that was not going to happen.
Both men socialized with Epstein before his 2008 conviction of soliciting prostitution from a minor. Both have repeatedly said they did not see any evidence of sex trafficking, and neither have been accused by authorities of criminal activity related to the late financier, who entertained a long list of business and financial leaders at his lavish residences in New York, Florida and the Caribbean.
In his testimony, Clinton told the committee that he would not have flown on the late financier’s plane if he had known about his alleged sex trafficking of underage girls, and would have reported him if he did.
“We are only here because he hid it from everyone so well for so long,” Clinton said, speaking near his main residence in Chappaqua, New York.
Clinton flew on Epstein’s plane several times in the early 2000s after he left office, and a tranche of millions of documents released by the Justice Department includes photos of Clinton with women whose faces are redacted.
“I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong,” Clinton said.
Comer described the hearing as cordial and said Clinton was cooperative. “He’s a charming individual, obviously,” he said.
Clinton said the committee should not have subpoenaed his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who told the panel on Thursday that she did not remember ever meeting Epstein and had nothing to share about his sex crimes.
She said she was also asked about UFOs and a 2016-era conspiracy theory during the seven-hour session.
via House Oversight Committee Democrats Purchase Licensing Rights
Comer said some of Hillary Clinton’s answers had been inconsistent and would be examined for possible perjury.
He did not rule out the possibility of subpoenaing Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who visited Epstein’s Caribbean island after his 2008 conviction. “Stay tuned on that,” he said.
Democrats said the investigation would not be credible if it does not examine Trump’s role.
“President Clinton’s presence here today under oath highlights the Donald Trump-sized gaping hole in Chairman Comer’s investigation,” said Democratic Representative James Walkinshaw of Virginia.
Democrats are also accusing Trump’s Justice Department of withholding records of a woman who accused Trump of sexually abusing her when she was a minor. The Justice Department has said it is looking at the material and will publish it if appropriate, and has also warned that the material includes unfounded accusations about Trump.
Trump’s name appears frequently in the Epstein files. He socialized extensively with Epstein in the 1990s and 2000s and says he broke off ties before Epstein’s 2008 conviction. Authorities have not accused him of criminal wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, but the association has dogged him for decades.
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.
A combination picture of satellite images show planes at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on February 17, 2026 (left), and on February 21, 2026 (right). 2026 Planet Labs PBC/Handout via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
Satellite images showed a rise in the number of military support aircraft including refuelling tankers at a Saudi airbase used by the U.S. military during a four-day period in February, as Washington built forces in the region amid tensions with Iran.
Saudi Arabia, a longstanding U.S. ally, told Iran last month it would not allow its airspace or territory to be used for military actions against Tehran, which held indirect negotiations with Washington on Thursday over its nuclear programme.
In a high-resolution satellite image taken on February 21, at least 43 aircraft were visible at Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Airbase – which has hosted U.S. forces for decades – compared with 27 aircraft visible in a February 17 image.
The number dropped to 38 in a February 25 image.
PLANES INCLUDE BOEING KC-135 STRATOTANKERS
The aircraft in the February 21 image included 13 Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers and six Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft known as AWACS, among a total of 29 large, swept-wing aircraft parked at the base, William Goodhind, a forensic imagery analyst with Contested Ground, told Reuters.
In the February 17, medium-resolution image, 11 large, swept-wing aircraft were visible, according to a Reuters tally.
Asked for comment, the Pentagon said it had “nothing to provide”. The U.S. military does not usually comment on force movements.
The Saudi government’s media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Oman, which is mediating between the United States and Iran, said the sides made progress in talks on Thursday, though there was no sign of a breakthrough that could avert potential U.S. strikes.
Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said on Thursday the sides plan to resume negotiations soon after consultations in their countries’ capitals, with technical-level discussions scheduled to take place next week in Vienna.
U.S. President Donald Trump walks to depart 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
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he is directing the government to stop work with Anthropic, and the Pentagon said it would declare the startup a supply-chain risk, dealing a major blow to the artificial intelligence lab after a showdown about technology guardrails.
Trump added there would be a six-month phase-out for the Defense Department and other agencies that use the company’s products. If Anthropic does not help with the transition, Trump said, he would use “the Full Power of the Presidency to make them comply, with major civil and criminal consequences to follow.”
The actions mark an extraordinary rebuke by the United States against one of the premier companies that has kept it in the lead on national security-critical AI, threatening to give Anthropic a pariah status that Washington until now had reserved for enemy suppliers. Alphabet’s Google (GOOGL.O), and Amazon.com (AMZN.O), are among Anthropic’s financial backers.
The moves further set a precedent that U.S. law alone would constrain how AI is deployed on the battlefield, with the Pentagon seeking to preserve all flexibility in defense and not be limited by warnings from the technology’s creators against powering weapons with unreliable AI.
In a statement, Anthropic said it would challenge any risk designation in court by the Department of Defense, which the Trump Administration has renamed the Department of War.
“We believe this designation would both be legally unsound and set a dangerous precedent for any American company that negotiates with the government,” the company said.
“No amount of intimidation or punishment from the Department of War will change our position on mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons.”
Late on Friday, rival OpenAI, which is backed by Microsoft (MSFT.O), Amazon and others, announced its own deal to deploy technology in the Defense Department’s classified network. CEO Sam Altman on X said the Pentagon shared its principles for human responsibility over weapon systems and for having no mass U.S. surveillance.
“We put them into our agreement,” Altman said of the points. “We also will build technical safeguards to ensure our models behave as they should, which the DoW also wanted.”
It was not immediately clear whether these contractual details differed from the red lines proposed by Anthropic. The Pentagon and OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
‘NUCLEAR WAR’
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Anthropic would be designated a supply-chain risk, following an impasse in months of talks on whether the company’s policies could constrain military action.
Meeting with Hegseth this week, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei argued for weapons and surveillance limits and irked Pentagon officials. The Pentagon said U.S. law, not a private company, would determine how to defend the country.
The designation could bar tens of thousands of contractors from using Anthropic’s AI when working for the Pentagon. That represents an existential threat to its business with the government and could harm its private-sector relationships, said Franklin Turner, an attorney who specializes in government contracts.
“Blacklisting Anthropic is the contractual equivalent of nuclear war,” he said.
Similar U.S. action was taken to remove Chinese tech giant Huawei from the Pentagon’s supply chains. Starting in 2017, the U.S. restricted Defense Department use of Huawei equipment, prohibited federal agencies from purchasing its technology, and halted federal grant and loan funds for Huawei equipment.
Anthropic has raced to win fierce competition to sell novel technology to businesses and government, particularly for national security, ahead of a widely expected initial public offering. The company has said it has not finalized an IPO decision.
Saif Khan, who served in the National Security Council in former President Joe Biden’s White House, said the Defense Department’s action “may be the most draconian domestic AI regulation any government has ever issued.”
“The Department is arguably treating Anthropic as a greater national security threat than any Chinese AI companies, none of whom they’ve designated supply-chain risks,” Khan said.
‘KILLER ROBOTS’
Tech companies and the Pentagon have repeatedly locked horns since at least 2018, when employees at Alphabet’s Google protested against the Pentagon’s use of its AI to analyze drone footage. A rapprochement ensued with companies including Amazon and Microsoft jousting for defense business, while several big-tech CEOs pledged cooperation last year with the Trump administration.
But theoretical “killer robots” have worried human-rights and technology activists as wars in Ukraine and Gaza showcased increasingly automated systems. Bolder U.S. military action in the past year has added to these concerns, said Jack Shanahan, who had directed the Pentagon’s algorithmic warfare effort Project Maven.
“People might be a little bit more nervous about no restrictions,” Shanahan said. The White House’s legal sign-off could be “top cover for anybody that does anything that would potentially result in lack of due process, civilian casualties, collateral damage.”
Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif met Army Chief Asim Munir and senior military officials at the General Headquarters to review the security situation along the Afghanistan border. The meeting comes amid escalating cross-border clashes and increased military operations, as diplomatic efforts also intensify between the two countries.
Shehbaz Sharif with Asim Munir | File
Amid escalating tensions along the Afghanistan border, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reportedly held a meeting with Army Chief Asim Munir and senior military officials at the General Headquarters to review the security situation.
The visit comes as military operations and diplomatic activity intensify following days of cross-border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, according to India Today.
During the meeting, discussions regarding the border situation, ongoing operations, and national security preparedness were held.
Air Strikes In Kabul & Kandahar
Pakistan carried out air strikes under operation “Ghazab lil-Haq” targeting sites in Kabul and Kandahar, where the Taliban top brass is based. The strikes marked the first time Pakistan directly targeted its former allies, describing the situation as “open war” amid allegations the Taliban are harbouring militants hostile to Islamabad.
Thick plumes of black smoke were visible rising from multiple locations in Kabul after the strikes, according to news agency Reuters.
He was behind dozens of hits in the 1960s and ’70s, including Breaking Up Is Hard to Do, Laughter in the Rain and Oh! Carol, a lament for his high school sweetheart, singer-songwriter Carole King.
Neil Sedaka poses for a portrait in New York, on Apr 30, 2012. (Photo: AP Photo/Charles Sykes)
Neil Sedaka, the hit-making singer-songwriter whose boyish soprano and bright melodies made him a top act in the early years of rock ‘n’ roll and led to a second run of success in the 1970s, has died.
Sedaka, whose hits included Breaking Up Is Hard to Do and Laughter in the Rain, died Friday at age 86.
“Our family is devastated by the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Neil Sedaka,” his family said in a statement. “A true rock and roll legend, an inspiration to millions, but most importantly, at least to those of us who were lucky enough to know him, an incredible human being who will be deeply missed.”
No other details of his death were immediately available.
A key member of the Brill Building songwriting factory, Sedaka teamed with lyricist and boyhood neighbour Howard Greenfield on songs that reflected the teen innocence of the post-Elvis/pre-Beatles era of the late 1950s-early 1960s, including Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen, Calendar Girl and Oh! Carol, a lament for his high school sweetheart, Carole King.
A federal judge on Friday blocked Virginia from enforcing a new law that aimed to protect children from being addicted to social media by requiring age verification and limiting use by those under 16 to one hour per day.
U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles in Alexandria, Virginia, said the technology trade group NetChoice was likely to establish that the law unconstitutionally infringed the free speech rights of adults, children and its dozens of members, including Google, Meta Platforms, Netflix, Reddit and Elon Musk’s X.
The judge issued a preliminary injunction against the law known as Senate Bill 854, which had been signed last May by then-Governor Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, and took effect on January 1, 2026.
NetChoice has also challenged similar laws in states, including California.
Virginia argued that the law was reasonably tailored to protect children from the “addictive features” of social media, and address a mental health crisis among youth.
But the judge said that notwithstanding Virginia’s interest in protecting children, the law was both overinclusive by requiring everyone, including adults, to verify their age, and underinclusive by exempting potentially addictive interactive gaming from coverage.
She also said the law treats “functionally equivalent” speech differently by preventing children from watching, for example, science, history and church programming lasting more than an hour that they could watch elsewhere, including streaming platforms.
“The court recognizes the Commonwealth’s compelling interest in protecting its youth from the harms associated with the addictive aspects of social media,” wrote Giles, an appointee of former Democratic President Joe Biden. “However, it cannot infringe on First Amendment rights, including those of the same youth it aims to protect.”
Rae Pickett, a spokesperson for Virginia’s Democratic Attorney General Jay Jones, said after the decision: “We look forward to continuing to enforce laws that empower parents to protect their children from the proven harms that can come through social media.”
Robert Carradine’s cause of death has been confirmed after his tragic passing.
Page Six can exclusively confirm the beloved actor’s manner of death has been ruled a suicide, according to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office.
His cause of death is sequelae of anoxic brain injury from hanging.
According to the Brain Injury Association of America, an anoxic injury occurs when oxygen is cut off completely from the brain. Sequelae are conditions resulting from a prior disease, injury, or attack.
The cause of death for Robert Carradine (photographed here in 1986) has been confirmed. Getty Images
Carradine’s body has been released to his family.
TMZ was the first to report that Carradine died in a hospital.
On Feb. 23, the “Lizzie McGuire” star’s family shared Robert died by suicide after a two-decade battle with bipolar disorder. He was 71.
“It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away,” the family shared in a statement to the outlet.
“In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon of light to everyone around him. We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby’s valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with Bipolar Disorder.
“We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness. At this time we ask for the privacy to grieve this unfathomable loss. With gratitude for your understanding and compassion,” the statement concluded.
In the same statement, Robert’s younger brother, actor Keith Carradine, explained the family shared the news because they wanted to bring awareness to mental health.
Robert was first diagnosed with the illness after his brother David died by asphyxiation in 2009.
“We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it,” Keith expressed. “It is an illness that got the best of him, and I want to celebrate him for his struggle with it, and celebrate his beautiful soul. He was profoundly gifted, and we will miss him every day. We will take solace in how funny he could be, how wise and utterly accepting and tolerant he was. That’s who my baby brother was.”
Shortly after, Ever Carradine, whom Robert shared with Susan Snyder, penned an emotional tribute on Instagram.
“My dad died today. My sweet, funny dad, who’s only 20 years older than I am, who never missed an opportunity to drive me to the airport or tell me how much he loved my homemade salad dressing, is gone,” the “Handmaid’s Tale” alum began, alongside a series of throwback photos with Robert.
“If you knew my dad, you know he’s the guy that’s always there. Invite him to dinner? He’s in. Kid’s Little League game in Simi Valley, just tell him what time. Red eye flight and need a ride home from the airport, just text him your column number after you get your bags,” the 51-year-old added.
Ever went on to describe her childhood, crediting her father for turning out “so normal.”
“I have a thousand stories and I’m being flooded with memories — so if you see me, please ask me about my dad, Bobby Carradine, who made me who I am. Rest easy, dad. I love you the most,” she concluded.
The cast of “Lizzie McGuire” also took to social media to share their memories of working with Robert on the hit Disney Channel show from 2001 to 2004.
Robert played Sam McGuire, Hilary Duff’s on-screen dad.
“This one hurts. It’s hard to face this reality about an old friend,” the actress, 38, wrote on Instagram. “There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents,” she added about her TV mom Hallie Todd. “I’ll be forever grateful for that.
“I’m deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering,” Duff concluded. “My heart aches for him, his family and everyone who loved him.”
The singer’s TV brother, Jake Thomas, took to his own social media to reflect on Robert’s passing.
“My heart hurts today,” the 36-year-old began. “I was fortunate to know Bobby for most of my life. And he was one of the coolest guys you could ever meet.”
A French magistrate recently went public about how US envoys had tried to interfere in French national politics. Experts say it is clear that France is a target of disinformation strategies.
French President Emmanuel Macron met his US counterpart Donald Trump in the Oval Office last yearImage: Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images
US President Donald Trump and his allies have long expressed their support for the right and far right of the European political spectrum. This was made official in the United States National Security Strategy (NSS) published in December 2025. The document suggests that there is a real risk of Europe facing “civilizational erasure” because of its migration policies and also states that the “growing influence of patriotic European parties indeed gives cause for great optimism.”
The Trump administration has been active behind the scenes too, something that Magali Lafourcade, a French magistrate and also the secretary general of France’s human rights commission (CNCDH), became convinced of last year. On April 28, 2025, she raised the alarm about foreign interference with the French Foreign Ministry. Experts say the episode makes clear the extent to which France is in the sights of the US.
Lafourcade, who is not involved in the Marine Le Pen trial, recently made public that she had received Samuel D. Samson and Christopher Anderson from the US State Department when they were on a tour of Europe, during which, according to media reports, they also met with members of the French far-right party Rassemblement National (RN).
“It quickly became clear that they wanted information about the trial against Marine Le Pen,” the magistrate told DW. Not long before, the RN’s presidential candidate had been convicted of embezzling EU funds and barred from running for political office for five years. If an appeals court upholds the ruling this coming July, Le Pen will not be able to stand in next year’s presidential elections.
“According to the US diplomats, the verdict was politically motivated because Le Pen was in the opposition against President Emmanuel Macron,” Lafourcade recalled. “I said that she had been convicted of corruption after a thorough 10-year investigation and it was not unusual to be barred on grounds of ineligibility. But they wouldn’t let up — as if they were looking for evidence that it wasn’t a fair trial. Then Samson said that Europe must respect freedom of expression. I replied that we had freedom of expression here, except with regard to slander, defamation, hate speech, discrimination, and Holocaust denial,” she told DW.
“They said, ‘We are your allies, but for that, Europe must reallow forbidden statements.’ MAGA [Make America Great Again] uses the language of human rights to undermine them,” Lafourcade explained.
Trump has come under criticism for his words and actions against people and organizations who think differently from him. This has not stopped him from denying journalists access to the White House or suing media outlets.
Republicans Overseas member describes foreign interference claims as ‘slander’
Nicolas Conquer, a member of Republicans Overseas France and the founder of The Western Arc, a think tank that says it is inspired by MAGA, described the claim that the meeting was an attempt at foreign interference as “slander.”
He told DW that this was “clutching at straws. It is entirely legitimate to have concerns regarding the trial. We are observers of the developments and we support things that lie in the interest of the Americans and Europeans.”
However, for the French Foreign Ministry it is less clear whether US interests continue to coincide with those of France and Europe. “We respond to anyone who attacks us — whether from the East or the West,” ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux told DW.
The timing of French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot’s announcement of a new strategy against foreign interference speaks for itself: the announcement was made on January 29, 2025, one week after Trump’s inauguration.
The ministry has set up an X account entitled “French Response” to respond to disinformation with irony. “We cannot win the information war without going to battle,” Confavreux said. Earlier this month, the French Foreign Ministry summoned the US ambassador after comments made by the Trump administration regarding the death of a far-right activist in the city of Lyon. The ambassador ignored the summons.
According to David Colon, a history professor at Sciences Po Paris whose research focuses on mass manipulation, France has the best system in Europe for defending itself against information warfare. “President Macron became aware of the danger of foreign interference during his 2017 presidential campaign,” he told DW, explaining that during what became known as the ‘Macron leaks’ someone had published thousands of emails related to his campaign on the internet.
He said that Europe was like the sandwich filling between two big powers. “There are conspiracy theorists in power in the US. They have the same goals and strategies as the Russians, want to weaken the EU and want the US to withdraw from NATO.”
US President Trump has threatened to attack Iran if it doesn’t agree to a new deal on its nuclear program by early March. Meanwhile, the UN’s nuclear watchdog has urged Tehran to allow inspections at its nuclear sites.
The US ambassador to Israel has urged staff considering leaving the country to do so immediatelyImage: Valery Sharifulin/TASS/dpa/picture alliance
The United States on Friday authorized part of its embassy staff in Israel to leave “due to safety risks,” amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
The US Embassy in Jerusalem said non-emergency staff and family members of embassy employees would be able to leave Israel following approval from the US State Department.
It also said US citizens should consider leaving Israel while commercial flights are still available.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to strike Iran if ongoing negotiations on curbing its nuclear program fail and has sent a massive fleet of warships and aircraft to the region.
Trump said Friday that he was frustrated by Iran’s position in talks but added he had not decided whether to carry out an attack.
“I’m not happy with the fact that they’re not willing to give us what we have to have,” the president told reporters on Friday. “I’m not thrilled.”
Iran has threatened to target American bases in the region if it is attacked. Tehran would also likely launch missile strikes against US ally Israel.
Countries issue updated travel advice for Israel, Iran
A number of countries have started withdrawing nonessential staff from parts of the Middle East and advising citizens not to travel to Iran.
Germany’s Foreign Ministry on Friday “urgently” advised against travel to Israel.
“Travel to Israel and east Jerusalem is urgently discouraged,” the ministry said on its website.
The French Foreign Ministry also urged its citizens not to travel to Israel given the security situation.
China’s embassy in Israel advised its citizens to remain highly vigilant, “familiarize themselves in advance with nearby bomb shelters” and avoid going out, according to state media.
China also told its citizens to evacuate from Iran “as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, the UK Foreign Office said Friday that its embassy staff had been temporarily withdrawn from Iran.
What’s happening with the US-Iran talks?
Trump said on February 19 that Iran must make a deal on its nuclear program in 10 to 15 days, otherwise “really bad things” would happen.
Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi, who is serving as mediator, was expected to meet with US Vice President JD Vance in Washington on Friday after a third round of nuclear talks ended in Geneva with no sign of a breakthrough.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that “success in this path requires seriousness and realism from the other side and avoidance of any miscalculation and excessive demands.”
He told state TV the talks “made very good progress” and that the next round would take place in “perhaps less than a week.”
The US wants cuts to Iran’s missile program and support for armed groups to be part of discussions. It also wants Iran to give up all uranium enrichment. Iran, meanwhile, is seeking the lifting of US sanctions, but says it has the right to enrich uranium.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to travel to Israel early next week for talks on Iran, according to the State Department.
Additionally, technical talks at the UN’s nuclear agency are expected to begin in Vienna on Monday.
A previous attempt at negotiations collapsed in June last year when Israel and the US bombed several key nuclear facilities in Iran.
At the time, Trump said the US strikes “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities. He has not elaborated on whether the strikes were not as effective as he claimed or how Iran could have rebuilt any such nuclear capabilities in less than one year.
UN nuclear watchdog urges Iran to grant access to sites
Meanwhile, a confidential report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Friday that it had not been able to access Iran’s nuclear sites that were affected by the US and Israeli attacks last June.
That means the UN watchdog has not been able to confirm the size of Iran’s stockpile or whether Iran has stopped its enrichment, according to the report.
Former Tamil Nadu CM O. Panneerselvam joins the DMK in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin at Anna Arivalayam, in Chennai on February 27, 2026 | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
In a seismic realignment of Tamil Nadu political landscape just a few months ahead of Legislative Assembly elections O. Panneerselvam, three times former Chief Minister and a staunch loyalist former AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa, joined the DMK in the presence of party president and Chief Minister M.K Stalin on February 27, 2026.
On February 20, the last sitting of the 16th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, Mr. Pannerselvam had called on Mr. Stalin on the premises of the House and said the ruling DMK has a chance of retaining power.
Mr. Panneerselvam and his supporters were expelled from the AIADMK in July 2022. He unsuccessfully contested Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha seat as an Independent candidate backed by the BJP-led NDA in 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Tamil Nadu Assembly elections are slated to be held in 2026.
V.K. Sasikala on OPS joining DMK
After the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam joined the DMK on Friday (February 27, 2026), V.K. Sasikala in a X post said “This decision by Mr. O. Panneerselvam, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, senior pioneer of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and Member of the Legislative Assembly, is very unfortunate.”
She added “Considering the DMK as an evil force that needs to be removed from Tamil Nadu, it would be a wrong decision to join the DMK, thinking it is the mother party.”
Ms. Sasikala said “But the reason for all these situations is the same. He is no one else. Those who have declared themselves the leader of the AIADMK, those who are deceiving those around them, those who are under the complete control of the DMK and who have expelled everyone in the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and who are continuing to act against the policies of the revolutionary leader and the revolutionary leader Amma, the time of destruction has come. In this situation, in the upcoming assembly elections, under my leadership, the blood of the revolutionary leader and the lions descended from the revolutionary leader Amma will definitely defeat the enemies and traitors.”
Panneerselvam and Ayyappan resign MLA post
Former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, who joined the DMK on February 27, 2026, resigned his MLA post. He was representing Bodinayakkanur Assembly segment as AIADMK MLA. Mr. Panneerselvam’s supporter and Usilampatti MLA P. Ayyappan also resigned his MLA post. — N. Sai Charan
AIADMK IT wing slams Panneerselvam for joining DMK
The AIADMK’s IT wing has strongly reacted to Mr. Panneerselvam’s entry to the DMK.
In a long X post in Tamil, the party’s AIADMK IT wing handled called Mr. Panneerselvam a “chameleon”. The post also ridicules his ‘dharma yuddham’, a revolt he undertook against Sasikala and Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
Stalin delivered growth across all sectors, says Panneerselvam
Addressing a press conference after joining the DMK, Mr. Panneerselvam said “The entire country is closely watching the leadership of Mr. Stalin. He has set the grammar for how to run a political party. Over the last five years, Mr. Stalin, as Chief Minister, has delivered growth across all sectors and has been providing an efficient and commendable administration to the people of Tamil Nadu.” — N. Sai Charan
Lakhs of AIADMK cadre joined DMK after Jayalalithaa’s death, says Panneerselvam
Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam said “After Amma’s [Jayalalithaa] death, lakhs of AIADMK cadre have joined the DMK under Thalapathi’s [Mr. Stalin] leadership.” — N. Sai Charan
Palaniswami conducts himself like an autocrat, says Panneerselvam
While speaking to reporters after joining the DMK, Mr. Panneerselvam said “Edappadi. K. Palaniswami is conducting himself in politics like an autocrat, with an arrogant approach.”
He added “Palaniswami has created a situation in which the AIADMK may never be able to achieve success in politics.” — N. Sai Charan
Stalin is leading party and government by example, says Panneerselvam
Mr. Panneerselvam said “In the path and political culture of embracing everyone shown by Anna [C. N. Annadurai] and Kalaignar [M. Karunanidhi], Thalapathy [M.K. Stalin] is leading the party and the government.” — N. Sai Charan
Happy to return to ‘Thaai Kazhagam’, says Panneerselvam
After joining the DMK, former TN Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam said “It gives me immense happiness that I have joined the ‘Thaai Kazhagam’ (parent party), the DMK, founded by Perarignar Anna [Former Chief Minister C. N. Annadurai].”
While addressing the media, Mr. Panneerselvam said “I thank DMK president and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin by referring to him as ‘Thalapathy’.” — N. Sai Charan
OPS meeting with Stalin
In August last year, Mr. Panneerselvam and Mr. Stalin stumbled upon each other at the Theosophical Society during their morning walks. The meeting between both the leaders happened just after Mr. Panneerselvam walked out of the National Democratic Alliance after he was not given an appointment to meet Prime Minister Narendra when the latter was visiting Tamil Nadu.
On the same day, Mr. Panneerselvam visited Mr. Stalin’s house. It was termed as a courtesy visit to enquire about the death of the Chief Minister’s elder brother.
Just six days ago, the leaders met again – this time to congratulate Mr. Stalin’s successful completion of five years in government. — N. Sai Charan
Panneerselvam supporters greet Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin
After former Tamil Nadu CM O. Panneerselvam formally joined the DMK, the supporters of Mr. Pannerselvam in large numbers greeted Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin. — N. Sai Charan
OPS, fourth AIADMK MLA to switch sides
Mr. Panneerselvam, who had also served as Deputy Chief Minister in Edappadi K. Palaniswami led AIADMK government between 2017 and 2021, was the fourth AIADMK legislator to switch sides in recent times.
Earlier former School Education Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan, who represented Gobichettipalayam in the Assembly resigned his MLA post to join actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. Mr. Panneerselvam’s supports Paul Manoj Pandian and R. Vaithilingam, who represented Alangulam and Orathanad Assembly segments respectively, resigned their MLA posts and joined the DMK.
Mr. Pannerselvam enjoys considerable support from his Mukkulathor community in southern Tamil Nadu. — N. Sai Charan
OPS signs the DMK membership form
O. Pannerselvam, incumbent AIADMK MLA from Bodinayakkanur, along with his supporters including Usilampatti MLA P. Ayyappan arrived at Anna Arivalayam, the DMK Headquarters in Chennai, and was received by DMK Ministers. Later he filled the DMK membership form to join the party.
Panneerselvam formally join DMK
In a seismic realignment of Tamil Nadu political landscape just a few months ahead of Legislative Assembly elections O. Panneerselvam, three times former Chief Minister and a staunch loyalist former AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa, joined the DMK in the presence of party president and Chief Minister M.K Stalin on February 27, 2026. — N. Sai Charan
In a seismic realignment of Tamil Nadu political landscape just a few months ahead of Legislative Assembly elections O. Panneerselvam, three times former Chief Minister and a staunch loyalist former AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa, joined the DMK in the presence of party president…
Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam arrived at Anna Arivalayam. Supporters raised slogans against Edappadi K. Palaniswami, the general secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).
Former three-time Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Pannerselvam arrives at Anna Arivalayam to join the DMK in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.
Mr. Pannerselvam’s supporters chant slogans against AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami. — N. Sai Charan
A Taliban security personnel stands guard as Afghan Muslim devotees offer the second Friday prayers during the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan along a road in Kabul on February 27, 2026 following heightened security measures after overnight cross-border fighting between the two countries. (AFP)
The United States, on 27 February (local time), extended its support to Pakistan after it bombed neighbouring Afghanistan and declared an ‘open war’ against its Taliban government following clashes along the border.
Pakistan launched air strikes on Afghan cities on Friday morning. The Pakistani strikes came hours after it said Afghanistan launched a cross-border attack in the latest escalation of violence between the neighbouring countries along their porous frontier.
“We continue to monitor the situation closely and expressed support for Pakistan’s right to defend itself against Taliban attacks,” Allison Hooker, the under secretary of state for political affairs, wrote on X after talks with a Pakistani counterpart.
She said she expressed to Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch, Pakistan’s senior-most career diplomat, US “condolences for lives lost in the recent conflict between Pakistan and the Taliban.”
Spoke today with Pakistan Foreign Secretary Baloch to express condolences for lives lost in the recent conflict between Pakistan and the Taliban. We continue to monitor the situation closely and expressed support for Pakistan’s right to defend itself against Taliban attacks.
Hooker’s brief statement did not call for an end to the fighting. Unlike the US, the UK earlier called for “de-escalation,” China called for a ceasefire, and Iran offered to mediate.
EU calls for immediate de-escalation
Even the European Commission (EU) called on all actors for immediate de-escalation while urging Afghan authorities to take effective action against all terrorist groups.
“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,” read a statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the escalation between Afghanistan and Pakistan
Pakistan bombarded Afghanistan’s major cities in its most significant attacks since the Taliban returned to power in 2021 with the US withdrawal. Afghanistan said Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Kabul and Kandahar to the south and in the southeastern province of Paktia.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, acknowledged the Pakistan strikes and declared an ‘open war’ on the Taliban government in Afghanistan.
The Afghanistan war has soured the US relationship with Pakistan, with former president Joe Biden wanting little to do with Islamabad due to past support for the Taliban as the United States propped up a pro-Western government.
I think Pakistan is doing terrifically well: Trump
President Donald Trump has shifted course and forged close ties with Pakistan, which has gone out of its way to praise him for his mediation during a conflict with India last year and said he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize.
Trump, asked about the strikes on Afghanistan earlier Friday, hailed Pakistan’s powerful military chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“You have a great prime minister, you have a great general there, you have a great leader. I think two of the people that I really respect a lot,” Trump told reporters.
“I think Pakistan is doing terrifically well,” he said.
Why is Pakistan attacking Afghanistan?
Tension has been high between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the two neighbours, for months, with deadly border clashes in October killing dozens of soldiers, civilians and suspected militants.
A Qatari-mediated ceasefire was agreed on between the two sites on October 19 last year. The ceasefire has largely held, but the two sides have still occasionally traded fire across the border. Several rounds of peace talks in November failed to produce a formal agreement.
On Friday, Afghanistan’s Taliban government said it was willing to negotiate after Pakistan bombed their forces in major cities and said the allies-turned-foes were in “open war.”
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has always tried to resolve issues through dialogue, and now we also want to resolve this matter through dialogue,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
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.
India and Israel concluded over a dozen bilateral agreements during Modi’s two-day visit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said India and Israel would deepen cooperation in defence and artificial intelligence as he concluded a two-day visit to Israel.
Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu said in a joint statement on Thursday that their countries would work towards pursuing a free trade agreement.
“We’ve taken a historic decision to elevate our time-tested partnership to a Special Strategic Partnership,” Modi said in a post on X.
Modi’s second visit to Israel since 2017 has been seen as a test of India’s foreign policy as it tries to balance its ties with Israel and other Middle Eastern countries.
During the visit, Modi toured Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial, and addressed the Knesset, where he condemned the October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.
“We feel your pain. We share your grief. India stands with Israel, firmly, with full conviction, in this moment, and beyond,” he said.
Earlier too, India had condemned the deadly attack and expressed solidarity with Israel, while also voicing concern over civilian casualties in Gaza and reiterating its support for a two-state solution.
The two countries also concluded over a dozen bilateral agreements, including on cybersecurity, trade, space exploration, education, investment, agriculture and economic cooperation.
Additionally, Israel pledged to allow another 50,000 Indian workers into the country over the next five years while India has said that it would extend its landmark digital payment system – UPI – to Israel, boosting digital finance cooperation between the two countries.
In the joint statement, the two leaders also “unequivocally condemned terrorism” and cross-border terrorism and lauded US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.
“India’s thinking is clear: humanity must never become a victim of conflict. The Gaza peace plan has opened a path to peace. India has fully supported these efforts. We will continue dialogue and cooperation with all countries in the future,” Modi said at a joint news conference on Thursday.
While the two prime ministers have described the visit as being productive and a sign of India and Israel’s growing strategic ties, Modi’s visit has received some criticism at home.
Jairam Ramesh, spokesperson for the main opposition Congress party, has condemned the trip and accused the Modi government of abandoning the Palestinian cause.
President Trump has said he is not happy with Iran in the wake of the latest talks on its nuclear programme, but said he had not yet decided whether to attack the country.
“I’m not happy with the fact that they’re not willing to give us what we have to have. So I’m not thrilled,” Trump said in his first comments on negotiations in Geneva that broke up on Thursday without a deal.
The US president stressed that he did not want to use military force against Iran, but said sometimes “you have to”.
Concern over the prospect of US strikes against Iran led a number of countries to issue warnings to their citizens in the region on Friday.
The UK temporarily withdrew staff from its embassy in Tehran and updated its travel guidance to advise against “all but essential travel” to Israel.
Countries including China, India and Canada urged their citizens to leave Iran as soon as possible due to the prospect of hostilities. Germany advised “urgently” against travel to Israel while France reiterated its advice not to do so.
Meanwhile, the US urged its citizens in Iran to leave “immediately”. Its embassy in Israel also told some non-emergency staff and their families they could leave the country, advising that they may wish to do so “while commercial flights are available”.
Trump has threatened military action against Tehran if it does not reach a deal about its nuclear ambitions.
He has ordered the largest US military build-up in the Middle East since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, while Iran has vowed to respond to an attack with force.
Washington and its allies suspect Iran is moving towards developing a nuclear weapon, which Tehran has always denied. It claims its programme is intended for peaceful, civilian purposes despite having enriched uranium up to near weapons-grade level.
The president told reporters on Friday: “I say no enrichment… I think it’s uncivil.”
It came as Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, who was mediating the talks, said Tehran had agreed never to stockpile enriched uranium, making “the enrichment argument less relevant”.
“If you cannot stockpile material that is enriched then there is no way you can actually create a bomb,” Albusaidi told CBS News.
The UK Foreign Office said the decision to temporarily withdraw its embassy staff from Tehran was a ‘precautionary measure’ (file photo)
He had said on Thursday that US and Iranian officials made “significant progress” in the high-stakes nuclear talks in Geneva, but the chances of a deal that could avert a war remain unclear.
Albusaidi said the two sides planned to resume negotiations “soon” after consultations in their capitals, and technical-level discussions would take place next week in Vienna.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who led his country’s delegation, said “good progress” had been made but while there had been agreement on some issues, differences remained on others.
He said more negotiations would happen in a less than a week. President Trump’s comments on Friday were the first official reaction from the US.
Meanwhile, the State Department announced US Secretary of State Marco Rubio would travel to Israel on Monday, where he is expected to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and discuss “a range of regional priorities”, including Iran.
Rubio also said on Friday he had designated Iran a “state sponsor of wrongful detention”. It marked the first use of a power created in September under which the US can sanction or take other measures against countries unjustly detaining its citizens.
“We reiterate our call for Americans who are currently in Iran to leave immediately,” he said in his statement announcing the move.
Earlier, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee advised embassy staff who wished to leave Israel to “do so TODAY”, the New York Times reported.
He reportedly said in email there was “no need to panic, but for those desiring to leave, it’s important to make plans to depart sooner rather than later”.
A statement on the embassy’s website said they “may wish to consider leaving Israel while commercial flights are available”.
It came days after the US government ordered all non-essential staff to leave its embassy in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, following a security review.
Vice-President JD Vance had told the Washington Post on Thursday that strikes remained under consideration – but there was “no chance” of the US becoming involved in a drawn-out war.
“I think we all prefer the diplomatic option,” Vance said. “But it really depends on what the Iranians do and what they say.”
The US has sent thousands of troops and what Trump has described as an “armada” to the region in recent weeks, including two aircraft carriers along with other warships, as well as fighter jets and refuelling aircraft.
He said on 19 February that the world would find out within 10 days whether the US would reach a deal with Iran, or take military action.
“We have to make a meaningful deal otherwise bad things happen,” Trump said at the time.
The Artemis missions will return humans to the Moon for the first time in 50 years
Nasa is adding an extra mission to its Artemis programme before it attempts to land astronauts on the Moon for the first time in half a century.
The original plan was to fly around the Moon for the Artemis II mission, which is currently scheduled for April, and then attempt a lunar landing with Artemis III in 2028.
Now Artemis III will stay closer to home – a crew will head to low-Earth orbit in 2027 to practice docking with a lunar lander.
Nasa said this additional flight would not slow down its return to the Moon – it is still aiming for 2028 for one or even two lunar landings in what will be Artemis IV and V.
Nasa administrator Jared Isaacman told a media briefing that he was adding an extra step to the Artemis programme because he did not want such long gaps between launches.
He added that the extra flight to low-Earth orbit would help to test the technology before a Moon landing.
The US space agency also provided an update on the Artemis II mission, which will see four astronauts fly around the far side of the Moon and back to Earth.
Nasa was targeting March for the launch, but its plans were delayed after a helium leak was discovered on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
The rocket has now been taken from the launchpad to the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida where it will be repaired.
The earliest launch opportunity is now in April – but Nasa said the exact date would depend on how long the technical work would take.
The new plans are a significant change to Artemis programme.
Isaacman said the current architecture was “not a pathway to success.”
“You don’t go from one uncrewed launch of SLS [Artemis I], wait three years, go around the Moon [Artemis II], wait three years and land on it.”
He said sending the Orion capsule – which is the spacecraft that the astronauts will travel to the Moon in – and a lunar lander into low-Earth orbit first would reduce risks.
“I would certainly much rather have the astronauts testing out the integrated systems of the lander and Orion in low-Earth orbit than on the Moon,” he said.
“It’s also an opportunity for us, maybe, to get our suits up there before the astronauts actually have to wear them on the surface of the Moon … this is all going to help take down risk for a subsequent landing.”
However Nasa’s lunar plans have a major missing part – the lander that will take astronauts to the Moon’s surface has not yet been selected.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX company has a contract to build the lander – which will be flown to the Moon on a SpaceX Starship rocket. But delays to the Starship rocket have led Nasa to ask SpaceX for a new streamlined plan to speed a return to the Moon.
Nasa has also asked rival company Blue Origin – which is owned by Jeff Bezos – to come up with an accelerated plan for a lunar lander.
At least 11 people have been killed after a Bolivian air force cargo plane crashed in the western city of El Alto, according to media reports quoting firefighters.
The incident happened at 18:15 local time (22:15 GMT) on Friday as the plane was arriving at El Alto’s airport from the city of Santa Cruz, aviation officials said. It reportedly skidded off the runway and hit nearby vehicles.
The defence ministry later confirmed its C-130 Hercules was involved and that it had been transporting banknotes to the Central Bank of Bolivia. It did not say how many people were on board, and gave no casualty numbers.
Police fired tear gas to disperse crowds allegedly trying to take the scattered banknotes.
Video footage showed people running away from the tear gas and police officers, some holding shields, forming a line. Some in the crowds are seen throwing rocks at police.
The crashed plane can be seen on the ground and badly damaged vehicles can be seen in other videos.
“I want to make it clear to those who are trying to take money from the plane involved in this tragedy that this money has no legal value since it has not been issued by the Central Bank and does not have a serial number, and that attempting to use this money is a crime,” the Minister of Defence, Marcelo Salinas, said.
“We also ask all those who are engaging in acts of vandalism in this area to refrain from doing so and to respect the mourning and grief we are experiencing at this difficult time.”
Firefighters working at the crash site said that at least 20 people were injured, local media reported.
El Alto International Airport was temporarily closed following the crash.
“My sister told me that she was in the car when the plane crashed. The plane’s tire fell on the car, and my sister was injured because the impact of the tire hit her on the head, so we rushed her to the hospital,” a man told the Reuters news agency.
If no new measures are taken, Singapore’s citizen population will start to shrink by the early 2040s, says Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.
A baby holding an adult’s finger. (File photo: iStock)
Singapore’s total fertility rate dropped significantly to a new low of 0.87 in 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said in parliament on Thursday (Feb 26).
The country’s fertility rate fell below 1.0 for the first time in 2023 to 0.97, and the figure remained the same in 2024.
Singapore’s citizen population grew 0.7 per cent in 2025, said Mr Gan.
Even with immigration, the growth of the country’s citizen population has slowed over the past 10 years – falling from an average of 0.9 per cent per year between 2015 and 2020, to 0.8 per cent per year over 2020 to 2025.
“If no new measures are taken, our citizen population will start to shrink by the early part of the 2040s,” said Mr Gan.
Assuming the total fertility rate stays at 0.87, every 100 residents today will have 44 children and 19 grandchildren, said Mr Gan.
Over time, it will be “practically impossible” to reverse the trend, as Singapore will have fewer women who can bear children, he added.
“We cannot give up,” said Mr Gan.
Noting the significant drop in total fertility rate from 1.24 a decade ago, he said low birth rates and an ageing population will “profoundly reshape” Singapore, as well as its society and economy in the coming years.
Singapore saw about 27,500 resident births in 2025, the lowest number in its recorded history, said Mr Gan.
“The overall trend is also of grave concern. Marriage rates have come down, and those who are married have fewer children or no children,” he added.
Singapore’s population is also ageing faster than ever, said Mr Gan, who is also Minister for Trade and Industry.
In 2025, one in five citizens was aged 65 or older, compared with one in eight in 2015.
“This is an existential challenge,” he said.
PARENTHOOD RESET
To change the trajectory of the total fertility rate, the issue cannot be addressed by policy measures alone, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah.
“What we need is a marriage and parenthood reset,” she added.
Singapore must reset three areas – how marriage and parenthood are viewed and supported, how workplaces can evolve to better align work and family, and how everyone can play their part, said Ms Indranee.
The government will form a new workgroup with the relevant agencies to look into these issues holistically and engage widely with members of the public, businesses and the people sector, she added.
It will build on current efforts to enhance government support for marriage and parenthood, cultivate positive mindsets about this, and work with employers to foster family-friendly workplace cultures and practices.
She added that the government will consider suggestions raised by Members of Parliament (MPs) in the Budget debate, including more childcare leave and providing more support for parents with costs.
IMMIGRATION AND THE ECONOMY
At the macro level, a declining population means less vitality in Singapore and its economy, said Mr Gan.
Economic growth and income growth will slow while spending on healthcare and social issues must increase to support the growing population of seniors, he added.
“This tremendous strain will be felt at the national level, but also at the individual households.”
With fewer citizens, it will also become increasingly difficult to meet Singapore’s national security and defence needs, said Mr Gan.
“This raises the deeper question of what Singapore will be 50 or 100 years from now – will we remain vibrant, liveable and relevant? Will we exist?”
Even as the government redoubles its efforts to support Singaporeans in starting families and having more children, the country will still need “carefully managed” immigration flow to augment its low birth rate, said the deputy prime minister.
While most Singaporeans recognise the case for immigration, this is not the full picture, he said, noting people’s concerns and anxieties.
“Will bringing in immigrants mean fewer job opportunities for us? Will the Singapore that my children grow up in feel vastly different from the one that I grew up in? I understand these concerns,” said Mr Gan.
“And we take these concerns over competition and our social fabric seriously. We will continue taking steps to address them.”
Singapore granted about 25,000 citizenships in 2025, he said.
The country expects to take in between 25,000 to 30,000 new citizens each year over the next five years, said Mr Gan, noting that this depends on other demographic trends including the total fertility rate.
“We will also have to adjust our PR (permanent resident) intake, as permanent residence is the pathway to work towards citizenship,” he added.
Singapore’s PR population has remained stable at 540,000 over the last few years, said Mr Gan.
The country expects to take in about 40,000 PRs each year in the next five years, more than the 35,000 granted in 2025, he said.
In 2024, 22,766 people were granted citizenship and 35,264 individuals were granted permanent residency. In general, the figures have been trending upwards since 2013.
Singapore intends to maintain the broad ethnic balance of its citizen population and carefully manage the impact of immigration on its population composition to preserve the overall texture of society, said Mr Gan.
The government will ensure Singapore does not bring immigrants in faster than it can accommodate, be selective about who is brought in, and step up integration efforts, he added.
With these adjustments, Singapore hopes to maintain a citizen population with modest growth, he said, adding that this growth is likely to slow further to “about half a per cent”.
“But even at half a per cent, this is going to be hard, as it would depend on the TFR being held up,” said Mr Gan, adding that the government will review this again in 2030.
In the past five years, Singapore’s foreign workforce grew at an average of 3.3 per cent per year, mostly driven by the post-pandemic catch-up in the construction industry, he added.
Excluding construction work permit holders, the foreign workforce grew more slowly at an average of 2.5 per cent per year, Mr Gan noted.
“But as our citizen population grows more slowly, we will keep a close watch on the growth of the non-resident population, which includes foreign workers, to ensure that Singapore citizens remain the majority of the population,” he added.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong also addressed an insinuation that the ruling People’s Action Party “deliberately painted a doom and gloom picture for electoral advantage” last year.
Customers shopping at a supermarket. (File photo: CNA/Javier Lim)
Fiscal projections in Singapore have frequently resulted in surpluses due to the volatility of the global environment, rather than the government being overly conservative, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Thursday (Feb 26).
While such projections are done with the best available data, evolving global conditions mean it is harder to forecast Singapore’s economic growth, which is dependent on external conditions, said Mr Wong, who is also the finance minister.
Speaking at the close of the debate on Budget 2026, Mr Wong also reiterated the importance of the Goods and Services tax (GST) hike over 2023 and 2024.
He explained that while revenue is expected to increase from the 2027 financial year, the overall expenditure needs of the country are also rising.
GST HIKE NEEDED
In response to a call by MP Gerald Giam (WP-Aljunied) to re-evaluate the GST hike, Mr Wong said that while various tax revenue streams exist, the GST plays a “structural role” in funding the country’s rising expenditure.
The GST was increased from 7 per cent to 8 per cent in 2023, and then to 9 per cent in 2024.
While Singapore is expecting an increase in tax revenue from the 2027 financial year due to collections from the top-up taxes imposed for BEPS, that additional revenue does not replace the purpose of the funds from the GST increase, explained Mr Wong.
BEPS – base erosion and profit shifting – refers to tax planning strategies used by multinational firms to exploit gaps in tax systems and avoid paying a fairer share of tax. The top-up tax will subject large multinational enterprises operating in Singapore to a higher minimum effective tax rate of 15 per cent.
“The GST increase was introduced to fund rising, structural healthcare expenditure for an ageing population. These spending needs are permanent and will continue to grow, and they should be supported by a stable and reliable revenue base,” he said.
Mr Wong said that at the beginning of this decade, the government knew that healthcare spending would rise sharply, along with other areas such as social needs, the energy transition, security and infrastructure.
Notably, healthcare funding would see a “significant and permanent increase” in the second half of this decade, said Mr Wong.
While the government raised property taxes, motor vehicle taxes for luxury cars and the top marginal personal income tax rates, they were still not sufficient to close the structural funding gap, he said.
Mr Wong also noted that the WP had suggested raising the maximum Net Investment Returns Contribution (NIRC) that can be used in the annual national budget from 50 per cent to 60 per cent.
The NIRC allows the government to spend a portion of expected returns on reserves, supporting sustainable budgets.
“We did not agree with that proposal because the NIRC framework was carefully designed to safeguard intergenerational equity,” said Mr Wong.
“If we increase the cap to 60 per cent, that can ease immediate pressures, but it will weaken fiscal discipline, reduce our buffer for future shocks and shift a heavier burden onto the next generation.”
In the end, the GST remained the only broad-based and sustainable option to fund the healthcare needs, while preserving the country’s reserves framework, said Mr Wong.
“So the additional corporate tax revenues will strengthen our fiscal position and support these growing needs. But they do not replace the structural role of the GST, and especially what we have done to fund permanent and rising healthcare costs,” he said.
Mr Wong added that Singapore’s approach to taxation is a balanced one, with taxes kept moderate but progressive.
Resources are redistributed to those with greater needs, complemented with heavy investments in human capital, such as early childhood education, quality schooling and tertiary education, as well as lifelong learning, he said.
“Upward mobility remains central to our social compact because here in Singapore, your starting point should never determine your finishing position,” he said.
FISCAL PROJECTIONS FROM BEST DATA
Mr Wong also addressed the issue of the government’s fiscal marksmanship, as questions on the Budget surplus were raised by Mr Giam and other MPs Alex Yam (PAP-Marsiling-Yew Tee), Louis Chua (WP-Sengkang) and Xie Yao Quan (PAP-Jurong Central).
He had announced in his Budget speech that Singapore’s budget surplus for the 2025 financial year is expected to come in at S$15.1 billion (US$12 billion), more than double the earlier estimate of S$6.8 billion.
Singapore recorded a surplus of S$6.4 billion in the previous financial year, up from an S$0.8 billion estimate.
“It’s perhaps my favourite topic because, as I have shared before, I started work in MOF doing precisely this: fiscal projections,” said Mr Wong.
He said that Singapore’s forecast deviations are within a reasonable range, comparable to other advanced economies.
“Our projections are prepared by MOF economists using the best available data at the start of each financial year, including GDP growth assumptions at that time,” said Mr Wong.
Revenues in recent years have come in above projections, not because the government was overly conservative, but because of the difficulty in doing so amid an ever-evolving global environment, explained Mr Wong.
“For a small open economy, like Singapore, growth outcomes can diverge significantly from forecasts as global conditions evolve. Because we are so dependent on the external environment, forecasting Singapore’s GDP growth is like forecasting the world’s GDP growth, which is very, very difficult to do,” he said.
Revenues from property transactions or Certificate of Entitlement premiums are inherently difficult to predict, he added.
“But I assure everyone in this House and Singaporeans that our approach has been and will be responsible and professional,” he said.
NOT DOOM AND GLOOM
In his speech, Mr Wong also addressed an insinuation that the People’s Action Party government “deliberately painted a doom and gloom picture for electoral advantage”.
WP chief Pritam Singh had in his Budget debate speech taken aim at the timing of the last General Election, saying it was called shortly after global trade tensions flared.
“The political timing of the General Election was calculated to put the PAP in the most advantageous position, with tariff uncertainty serving as a rallying call for voters to back the tried and tested,” Mr Singh had said.
Mr Wong said that after the US Liberation Day tariffs, there was widespread uncertainty across the world, and the government had to move quickly.
“How many analysts projected 5 per cent growth for Singapore in 2025? I don’t recall any. The reason why things did not turn out as badly as we feared was partly due to factors beyond our control, but also partly because of the decisive steps we took,” he said.
The US Commerce Department, in a statement to HT, said the two sides “discussed ways to deepen the trade and economic relationship between the US and India.”
US ambassador to India Sergio Gor and Goyal confirmed the development through separate posts on X. (X/@PiyushGoyal)
Days after the US Supreme Court invalidated President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs, commerce secretary Howard Lutnick made an unscheduled visit to New Delhi and had a “highly productive” lunch meeting with commerce minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday that largely revolved around trade and economic partnership.
US ambassador to India Sergio Gor and Goyal confirmed the development through separate posts on X. Along with a photograph of the three, Gor said: “A highly productive lunch with @howardlutnick and @PiyushGoyal. So many areas of cooperation for our two nations!”
Goyal said he had “engaged in very fruitful discussions to expand our trade and economic partnership.”
The US Commerce Department, in a statement to HT, said the two sides “discussed ways to deepen the trade and economic relationship between the United States and India.” A spokesperson of commerce ministry did not respond to queries seeking details.
Later in the day, Lutnick departed for Jodhpur. He is attending the wedding of Ayesha Arora, the daughter of tech executive Nikesh Arora, and Jack Hughes in Jodhpur, people familiar with the matter said.
The meeting comes at a critical juncture in India-US trade relations. The Supreme Court struck down Trump’s use of emergency powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose sweeping tariffs on February 20, forcing his administration to rely on alternative legal provisions.
Trump invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to impose a fresh global tariff at 10%, and announced less than 24 hours later that he would raise it to the statutory ceiling of 15%. To be sure, the tariff, as on Thursday, stands at 10% on all trading partners, over and above prevailing MFN rates. The levy is valid for 150 days. The ruling upends a carefully negotiated timeline. India’s chief negotiator Darpan Jain and his team had been due in Washington from February 23 for talks to finalise the legal text of an interim bilateral trade agreement, based on a February 6 joint statement.
That statement had envisaged the US reducing its additional tariffs on India — which had reached as high as 50% combining reciprocal and punitive levies — to 18%, in return for India restricting purchases of Russian crude and allowing preferential access to specific American goods. The visit was postponed, with both indicating they needed time to “evaluate” the court’s decision and its “implications.” Experts said the February 6 joint statement would need to be readjusted given the changed landscape. The country-specific tariff structure it envisaged has been invalidated by the court, replaced by a uniform baseline that applies to all trading partners.
Protesters hold placards during the Belfast Welcomes Diversity antiracism protest in Belfast, Northern Ireland, August 10, 2024 [Hollie Adams/Reuters]“People here are tired, scared and feel forgotten,” says Nabila*, a Muslim mother of two in Basildon, a town in the English county of Essex.
Sitting in her living room with a mug of tea, a Quran visible on the bookshelf and Japanese prints hanging to its right, she recalls a string of incidents in recent months: Glass thrown from a residential building at Muslim children, a racist attack on the local mosque where red crosses were daubed across its walls alongside the words “Christ is King” and “This is England”, and reports of drivers accelerating as Muslim women cross the road with their children.
According to the 2021 census, Basildon is 93 percent white, and Muslims make up less than 2 percent of the population. Campaigners have warned that in areas where ethnic minority communities are smaller and more geographically isolated, they face heightened risks, as visibility increases vulnerability.
A single mother working full time, Nabila has been documenting incidents of racism, supporting victims and organising meetings with local authorities.
She said she no longer feels safe in the place she calls home.
After being racially abused while walking through her favourite park, she stopped going there altogether. Women, she said, are increasingly changing their daily routines, constantly watching over their shoulders. Racism now permeates every aspect of their lives, she added.
At a women’s listening circle organised by Nabila in collaboration with the local authority at the Wat Tyler Centre, another Muslim woman, Zarka*, spoke about her experiences as a young mother in Basildon who wears the hijab.
After being told to “take that rag off your head” during the school run by a passer-by, she stopped taking her children to school for two weeks. Beyond verbal abuse, she described the cumulative effect of everyday hostility, from cars failing to stop at zebra crossings and hostile looks from passers-by.
‘I can’t do this any more, Mum.’
Hundreds of miles north, similar experiences are unfolding in Scottish classrooms.
Etka Marwaha’s daughter Anisa was seven when she first experienced racist taunting at her primary school in Glasgow.
Marwaha said Anisa became quiet and withdrawn. She was isolated on the playground and subjected to racial slurs. Months later, she broke down in tears in front of her mother, explaining the abuse she had suffered.
On multiple occasions, Marwaha contacted the school, urging them to take action, even offering her own support on understanding racism. But, she said, they failed in their duty of care, and the extent of the problem was kept hidden.
It went on for two years before Etka felt compelled to take her daughter out of the school.
“The plan was never to move her into a different school,” she told Al Jazeera. “But she was refusing to go to school; she would come home very, very upset. She was isolated.
“She was in tears, saying, “I can’t do this any more, Mum.’ So she made the decision, at that young age, that ‘I want to get out of here.’”
The girl’s new school is not in the catchment area, nor is there a direct bus to it, causing further inconvenience. But it has a zero-tolerance approach to racism, and Anisa is happier.
At her new school, Anisa can speak about her experiences of racism and how it made her feel.
The ordeal brought back painful memories for Marwaha’s own experiences at school.
“The racist bullying, for me, started at secondary school. You’d think times have changed, that people have been educated, but I think things have changed for the worse when a seven-year-old can openly make a racist comment and that’s accepted by society, and parents don’t address it.”
Sam*, a doctor in northwest Scotland with dual heritage children, said he has been surprised by the level of racism in local schools.
“There has been a clear normalising of racist jokes and name-calling. Every one of our kids has been affected,” he said. “Perhaps the biggest surprise is how few other students stand up against racism. When I was growing up, if someone was racist, they would be the person being socially excluded. Now, silence. It has forced us to look at moving out of the UK.”
‘Racism is out of control’
In the latest incident of alleged and potentially dangerous racism, a man walked into Manchester Central Mosque on Tuesday, reportedly with an axe and weapons. The man was arrested. There had been 2,000 worshippers in the mosque at the time, for the evening tarawih prayers during Ramadan.
Official figures underline the scale of the problem.
In October 2025, the UK Home Office revealed that the number of hate crimes recorded by police in England and Wales had risen for the first time in three years, including increases in racially and religiously motivated offences.
Religious hate crimes against Muslims rose by 19 percent, with a spike following the Southport murders and subsequent riots in mid-2025, the Home Office said.
The rise comes as hard-right politicians and activists, such as Reform leader Nigel Farage and the Islamophobic activist Tommy Robinson, rail against immigration. According to recent YouGov polling, if a general election were held tomorrow, Reform would lead with 24 percent.
Shabna Begum, head of Runnymede Trust, a race equality think tank, said, “Mainstream political and media actors have played in normalising and enabling racist narratives that have scapegoated migrants, people seeking asylum, Muslims and people of colour generally.”
In a report released last year, How Racism Affects Health, Runnymede highlighted the hypervigilance that people of colour have to operate with in order to guard their safety, and which causes long-term physiological damage, affecting life expectancy and mental health outcomes.
“For those that live in more disparate communities where they show up as minorities in a more visible way, that sense of threat is acute,” said Begum.
School suspensions for racist incidents have more than doubled in recent years, according to UK Department for Education data.
John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy left their mark on New York City’s bustling dining scene — one effortlessly cool table at a time.
Before their love story tragically ended in a 1999 plane crash, Carolyn and the only son of President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis embodied a certain downtown duality: as comfortable slipping into a low-key neighborhood spot as they were holding court in an impossibly chic, downtown dining room.
Several of their favorite haunts have been spotlighted in FX and Hulu’s 2026 drama, “Love Story,” while other intimate moments were immortalized by the relentless paparazzi that followed their every unpredictable move.
First-hand accounts obtained exclusively by Page Six depict how the couple moved through Manhattan’s most storied establishments with an ease that felt both aspirational and accessible — from the red-sauce sanctum of Harlem’s Rao’s to cozy Tribeca standby Bubby’s — leaving behind a breadcrumb trail of their star-crossed courtship that ended far too soon.
John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette (seen here in 1997) dined all over New York City during their up-and-down romance. Getty Images
Bubby’s
Bubby’s — the Tribeca institution beloved for its pancakes and comfort-food classics — was one of JFK Jr. and Carolyn’s most frequented neighborhood spots
Owner and chef Ron Silver exclusively spoke with Page Six about how the pair — who lived just a few blocks away — treated Bubby’s like their home away from home.
“Bubby’s was like a living room for those guys, and they were in all the time,” he shared. “It was a place where they would come together and also separately with their friends and have meetings or different things like that.”
“I feel like it was very much a part of their living environment in a certain way,” he added.
Silver recalled John coming into his restaurant on the second day it opened in 1990 and being a fixture in the years that followed.
“He was like family,” Silver said of John. “He would just walk in and nobody ever made a giant thing about him being in there. I feel like, for both of them, that it was a place where they could feel completely at home and comfortable and not harassed for being celebrities, which I think was very unusual for them.”
A very smitten Carolyn would join John for brunch at Bubby’s in the early days of their relationship.
“I saw them right when they started going out, and they certainly were very fond of each other and super sweet,” Silver recalled.
The duo didn’t have a table preference and liked being in the mix.
“They could park their celebrity-selves outside and just relax,” Silver said. “They did their best to be regular New Yorkers.”
As for what they ordered, we’re told Carolyn liked the soup and salad, and John preferred pancakes, bacon and eggs.
The paparazzi photographed the pair leaving the low-key pancake house on several occasions —cementing the restaurant’s prominent place in their love story.
“I’m happy to have participated in that story,” Silver said.
Nobu
John and Carolyn were known for having sushi date nights at the ultra-trendy Nobu.
Drew Nieporent — who co-founded the Japanese gem with Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Robert De Niro in 1994 — recalled John’s “extremely easy-going” nature in an exclusive interview with Page Six.
“At Nobu, and a lot of other restaurants, people are finicky about where they sit and [John] had no problems sitting all the way in the back,” Nieporent said.
“He never never never caused any problems whatsoever,” the restaurateur continued. “He was the ultimate customer.”
John and Carolyn were spotted holding hands while dressed in casual attire as they exited a Nobu dinner in February 1996.
Nieporent also recalled attending a 150-person dinner party on Lafayette Street hosted by De Niro in the early ’90s.
“I was seated right next to John and my wife was at another table seated next to Carolyn Bessette,” The “I’m Not Trying to be Difficult” author said.
After being served Osso Buco, a bone-in braised veal shank dish, Nieporent remembered John talking to the waiter.
“John asked for a doggy bag [for his dog Friday] because Osso Buco has this huge bone,” he said. “I thought that was amazing — very memorable to me,” he reminisced.
The Odeon
Another local go-to for the late couple was The Odeon.
The iconic American brasserie became a playground for Manhattan’s artists and creatives after opening in 1980.
The Calvin Klein publicist loved ordering the hamburgers with a side of sautéed spinach instead of fries, People previously reported.
Tim English, the author of “The Kennedys’ New York,” claimed that John and Carolyn rekindled their relationship at The Odeon after a brief split.
“By the early summer of 1994, John Jr. had been seeking to reunite with Carolyn for some time. It finally happened one evening when Carolyn was working a private event for Calvin Klein [at The Odeon], to which John showed up,” English wrote.
“Carolyn intervened before he could be turned away at the door, and the pair then spent the rest of the night talking. But by the end of the summer, they were going steady.”
In the Hulu drama, The Odeon served as the backdrop for a high-stakes scene in which Carolyn meets John’s friends for the first time.
Panna II Garden Indian Restaurant
John and Carolyn were “regulars” at Panna II Garden Indian Restaurant, owner Bashir Khan told The Post last week.
Colorful festive lights are draped from every corner of the East Village mainstay that serves dishes like chicken tikka masala and vegetable biryani.
The Ryan Murphy-produced series depicts a fictional first date for Carolyn and John in the spicy spot. While it’s unclear if Panna II was truly their first date destination, the couple were definitely frequent patrons in the ’90s.
The dazzling scene — starring Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn and Paul Anthony Kelly as JFK Jr. — has since spurred an influx of reservations for city-dwellers seeking a full Kennedy experience.
Indochine
Indochine, the French-Vietnamese outpost in Noho, hosted the Kennedy scion and his wife on numerous occasions.
In 1994, Carolyn attended a dinner party at the leafy lounge that was thrown by Calvin Klein’s then-wife, Kelly Rector. The fashion guru was photographed sitting with Kelly (who was married to the designer from 1986 to 2006) at a table topped with glasses of wine and martinis.
Carolyn also reportedly had dinner with John at Indochine shortly after they tied the knot, Vogue reported.
Originally founded by Brian McNally — who also co-opened The Odeon — and music producer John Loeffler, the breezy hideaway hit the scene in 1984.
The cultural hub quickly became a meeting place for fashion bigwigs and artists, including Jean‑Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol and Julian Schnabel.
Tribeca Grill
Tribeca Grill — which sadly shuttered its doors after 35 years in 2025 — was a cherished dinner spot for Carolyn and her husband.
Nieporent, who co-owned Tribeca Grill with De Niro, recalled to Page Six how he chatted with John many times at the legendary steakhouse.
In 1995, JFK Jr. celebrated his 35th birthday alongside Carolyn in the brick-walled dining room.
They dined with their close social circle on the menu — which was known for dishes like a roasted rack of lamb and housemade tagliatelle — before capping off the night at the divey Mudville 9 bar around the corner.
After Tribeca Grill closed, Executive Chef Scott Burnett celebrated the restaurant’s rich past, writing on Instagram, “A lot of years, a lot of history. Lucky to have played a part in a truly epic story. @tribecagrill you’ll be missed.”
Il Cantinori
John and Carolyn were repeat customers at the ultra-trendy Il Cantinori.
Art director Sam Shahid recalled bumping into Carolyn at the Tuscan trattoria many times in a 2026 interview with Town & Country, noting that she liked to dine “discreetly” with friends like designer Narciso Rodriguez.
“When Carolyn walked into the room, you always knew she was there, the presence,” Shahid shared. “I think Calvin just worshiped her as far as the style. He really depended on her for her taste and her style and her ideas and music.”
The Italian institution, which opened in 1983, is known for its pappardelle al cinghiale, veal chop milanese and panna cotta. Regular celebrity diners include Jennifer Aniston, Richard Gere, and Dolly Parton.
Sarah Jessica Parker, who dated JFK Jr. for roughly six months in 1991, was also a notable patron. Her “Sex and the City” character, Carrie Bradshaw, famously had her 35th birthday party at the Greenwich Village spot.
El Teddy’s
Before Tribeca’s El Teddy’s served its last taco in 2004, the Mexican restaurant welcomed John and Carolyn through its doors many times.
The casual taqueria played a major role in their rocky relationship timeline — serving as the location where they allegedly broke up before getting back together, according to Elizabeth Beller, the author of “Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.“
“Carolyn met John for dinner at El Teddy’s, where he presented Carolyn with a letter [from] a friend of his. The letter claimed Carolyn was a user, a partier, that she was out for fame and fortune [and] ‘dated guys around town,’” Beller wrote, according to People.
“John casually tossed the piece of paper at her, stood, and walked out the door,” she continued. “Carolyn stared in shock at John as he departed.”
The pair would eventually get back together, allegedly making amends at The Odeon.
El Teddy’s was a stylish setting for artists and socialites to gather over very strong margaritas.
Rao’s
Rao’s, arguably one of the hardest restaurants to get into in the world, was an easy reservation for John and Carolyn.
John would frequently ride his bike all the way from Tribeca to the East Harlem red sauce joint in the ’90s.
Publishing exec David Pecker recalled dining at Rao’s with John to celebrate the launch of George magazine.
“The Wire” actor Bobby J. Brown has died at age 62.
The actor died due to smoke inhalation after being caught in a barn fire on Wednesday, his daughter told TMZ Thursday.
The Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed Brown’s cause of death to TMZ, stating that he suffered from smoke inhalation and diffuse thermal injury.
“The Wire” star Bobby J. Brown, seen here on the show “We Own This City,” has died at age 62.
The fire was deemed to be an accident caused by a vehicle that the HBO actor jump-started in the barn.
He called for a family member to bring him a fire extinguisher. However, the barn was engulfed in flames by the time they arrived.
Brown’s agent, Albert Bramante, also spoke out about his tragic passing, telling TMZ, “I am upset and saddened. He was such a good actor and person. He was totally dedicated to the craft of acting and was a joy to work with.”
Brown is survived by his son, Bobby Brown II, and daughter.
Brown made several guest appearances as Officer Bobby Brown in “The Wire,” which aired from 2002 to 2008.
His death follows several of his co-stars, including James Ransone, who portrayed Ziggy Sobotka, who died by suicide in December 2025.
Additionally, Michael K. Williams, who portrayed Omar Little, died in September 2021, followed by Lance Reddick, who played Cedric Daniels, in March 2023.
Charley Scalies, who played Thomas “Horseface” Pakusa, and Al Brown, who was cast as Col. Stan Valchek, both died in May 2025.
Brown, meanwhile, had several other notable roles, including the 2008 Albert Bramante-directed film “From Within” and a few special appearances in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”
Instagram’s parent company, Meta, is investigating AI-generated social media accounts that sexualise disabled people appearing on its platform.
It comes after the BBC flagged dozens of profiles showing AI-generated images of women with disabilities, including Down’s syndrome or vitiligo.
Some profiles post fake images and videos of women with missing limbs, visible scarring or in wheelchairs. Many are in sexualised positions, wearing revealing clothing.
Some accounts have amassed hundreds of thousands of followers in a matter of months. One profile, claiming to be conjoined twins, has about 400,000 followers, despite only joining Instagram in December 2025.
Kamran Mallick, chief executive of Disability Rights UK, said the emergence of “accounts that fetishise, mock, or monetise the identities of disabled people is nothing short of horrific”.
He added: “What we have here is technology weaponised to strip disabled people of their agency and dignity, turning our lived experiences into digital caricatures for the profit and titillation of others.”
Medical charities have also voiced concern. A spokesperson for Gemini Untwined, which funds specialist surgery for rare newborns joined by the head, said portraying conjoined twins as entertainment was “morally reprehensible”.
They added: “We witness first-hand the medical challenges that these children and their families endure, which makes the portrayal of conjoined twins as a form of entertainment or spectacle especially problematic.”
Dr Amy Gaeta, from the University of Cambridge, told the BBC she researches how AI shifts power in relation to gender and disability. She said the internet is “flooded” with free and low-cost generative AI image-making tools.
Generative AI is a type of software that creates new content based on patterns it has learned from existing data in response to a user’s prompt.
Gaeta said while some tools have restrictions on content, like banning sexually explicit prompts, others do not or can be easily bypassed.
“Sometimes, without my prompting or intent, hypersexualized images of disabled people will be generated. This clearly shows a bias in the datasets that these tools are trained upon,” she said.
An Ofcom spokesperson said it was “tracking how AI is evolving, the risks that may emerge, and what actions may be needed to address them”.
They said the watchdog’s online safety rules require tech firms to tackle illegal content and protect children from harmful material – including abusive or hateful content.
The Online Safety Act requires platforms like Instagram to apply terms of service consistently, including where content mocks people based on protected characteristics, like their disability.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission said the accounts flagged by the BBC were “deeply disturbing”, adding: “It’s vital there are robust regulatory powers in the digital space to protect people from harm.”
A spokesperson for Meta said it was investigating the content and that it removes material that promotes sexual exploitation or attacks people based on protected characteristics.
While these accounts are generating fake personas, there is serious concern over the commands for the generative tools behind them.
Alison Kerry, head of communications at disability equality charity Scope, said the practice amounted to “discrimination dressed up as content”.
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.
Speaking at a joint press statement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, “I owe India a great personal debt. When I met Sara (his wife) for the first time, I think our first or second date was in an Indian restaurant in Tel Aviv.”
Netanyahu embraces his wife Sara before addressing supporters in Tel Aviv early on March 3, 2020
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he owes India “a great personal debt” because he met his wife Sara in an Indian restaurant in Israel’s Tel Aviv. He said the “food was unbelievable”.
Speaking at a joint press statement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, “I owe India a great personal debt. When I met Sara (his wife) for the first time, I think our first or second date was in an Indian restaurant in Tel Aviv.”
“Sara was introduced to it for the first time, so it was a great first date – not only with the food, the date was excellent too…” he added.
#WATCH | Jerusalem, Israel: Speaking candidly at the joint press statement with PM Modi, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says, “…I owe India a great personal debt. When I met Sara (his wife) for the first time, I think our first or second date was in an Indian restaurant in Tel… pic.twitter.com/egTANLKbHL
He said that the restaurant was run by Reena Pushkarna, who is a celebrated Indian-origin chef, restaurateur, and business entrepreneur widely known as Israel’s “Curry Queen”. She is credited with introducing authentic Indian cuisine to Israel and serves as a vital cultural ambassador between the two nations.
She also led the culinary preparations for PM Modi’s two-day state visit to Israel.
Netanyahu had recalled his date at the Indian restaurant when he hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July 2017 and had remarked that the “food was great”.
PM Modi began his two-day official visit to Israel by meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on Wednesday. In a warm gesture, Israeli PM Netanyahu and his wife personally welcomed him at the airport and honoured him with a special guard of honour.
The President revealed that the Yunus administration put him under virtual house arrest, tried to unseat him from the Presidency several times.
Bangladesh’s president has alleged that the Yunus regime attempted to oust him. (Reuters)
Days after Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin spoke publicly about how he was treated by the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the chief of the Islamist party Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami launched a sharp criticism of the President.
In a Facebook post, the Jamaat-e-Islami chief and current Leader of the Opposition, Shafiqur Rahman, questioned why Shahabuddin had allegedly withheld key details about the events of August 5, 2024 — the day Hasina left the country.
On that day, Hasina’s Awami League government was forced from power amid deadly nationwide protests and later the administration was overtaken by the Islamists.
Shahabuddin, in an interview with Bangla newspaper Kaler Kontho, slammed the Yunus regime, terming its rule and many of its actions as unconstitutional, India Today reported.
The President also revealed that the Yunus administration put him under virtual house arrest, tried to unseat him from the Presidency several times and prevented him from flying out of Bangladesh for medical treatment.
Notably, Shahabuddin was appointed as the President of Bangladesh in April 2023 by the Hasina-led Awami League government.
Jamaat Chief Criticises Shahabuddin
As Shahbuddin criticised Yunus and his regime during the interview, Jamaat supremo Shafiqur Rahman attacked him over hiding details regarding the August 2024 protests in Bangladesh.
“The President has suppressed many things regarding August 5, 2024. He did not acknowledge in his current statement what he told the leaders present regarding the resignation of the fallen and fugitive Prime Minister and what he later told the nation. And he did not say anything that day that he is saying now,” Rahman wrote on Facebook, slamming the President.
Shafiqur was referring to the controversy over Sheikh Hasina’s missing resignation letter, a document which was constitutionally required to legitimise the coming in of Yunus’s interim regime in the country.
“You know Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has tendered her resignation letter to the President and I have received it,” Shahabuddin had said in a televised address to the nation on August 5, hours after Hasina left.
Later after two months later, the President claimed that he had only heard that Hasina had resigned, but had no evidence of her resignation.
“I tried [to collect the resignation letter] many times but failed. Maybe she did not have the time,” Shahabuddin had said to Dhaka-based newspaper, Janatar Chokh in October 2024.
Shahabuddin On Bangladesh-US Trade Deal
Citing what he described as a “secretive” trade agreement between Bangladesh and the United States — signed hurriedly by the Yunus-led interim administration in its final days and shielded by a Non-Disclosure Agreement — Mohammed Shahabuddin said he had not been informed of the deal.
“Such a state agreement should have been communicated to me. But, he [Yunus] did not do it,” Shahabuddin remarked.
Shahabuddin further claimed that he was able to remain in office only because of backing from senior figures within the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and support from the armed forces.
“A high-ranking BNP leader assured me of their support. We want to maintain constitutional continuity. We are not in favour of removing the President through any unconstitutional means,” he said.
Questions On Yunus-Islamist Nexus
The significance of the Jamaat chief’s response lies in longstanding allegations that Islamist groups such as Jamaat and its male student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, played a key role in the downfall of the Awami League government.
Several reports have suggested that Islamist factions and the interim administration shared a mutually beneficial understanding from the outset.
The United States has deployed F-22 Raptors to Israel for the first time. The move marks a historic shift in US military policy, ending decades of reluctance to base offensive aircraft on Israeli soil.
The F-22 deployment strengthens air defence and offensive options amid escalating Iran tensions and limited basing access in Gulf states.
For decades, Washington avoided permanently stationing offensive combat aircraft in Israel, wary of alienating Arab partners across the Middle East. That posture has now shifted. The United States has deployed F-22 Raptors to Israeli air bases, marking the first time America’s premier stealth fighters are positioned there for what officials describe as a potential wartime contingency involving Iran.
The deployment comes amid heightened Iran tensions and growing uncertainty over regional basing access. While US Central Command has declined public comment and the Pentagon has not formally announced the move, videos showing F-22 stealth jets arriving in Israel began circulating on social media earlier this week.
The F-22, operated by the US Air Force, is considered one of the most advanced air superiority fighters in service. It is capable of air-to-air dominance, precision strikes and escort missions for bombers. Retired Major General Charles Corcoran, a former F-22 pilot, previously described the aircraft as able to “conduct strikes, escort bombers and operate defensively against cruise missiles and one-way attack drones.”
Strategic Context: Iran And Basing Constraints
The timing is significant. As President Donald Trump increases pressure on Tehran over its nuclear and missile programmes, Iran’s leadership has warned that any strike would trigger regional retaliation. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has declared that bases supporting US operations would be considered legitimate targets.
The U.S. has quietly moved an entire squadron of F-22 Raptors to an air base in southern Israel. This is an unprecedented deployment outside American borders.
Over the past 24 hours, transport and refueling aircraft have arrived, along with a passenger jet carrying support… pic.twitter.com/zZK7CFVQ9p
Complicating US options, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have reportedly indicated they would not allow American forces to use their territory or airspace for an attack on Iran. Concentration of US aircraft at bases such as Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan has raised operational concerns about vulnerability and overreliance on limited locations.
By dispersing aircraft to Israel, Washington broadens its operational flexibility. Israel’s layered air defence network — including Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow systems — offers additional protection for high-value assets such as the F-22.
A Policy Break From The Past
Historically, US commanders maintained distance from overt integration with Israel’s military to avoid friction with Arab coalition partners. Before 2021, in efforts to to ease diplomatic sensitivities, Israel used to be categorized under US European Command rather than Central Command.
However, after the Abraham Accords were signed, Israel was moved into Central Command’s area of responsibility, facilitating deeper operational coordination. Ex-US official Dennis Ross has described operating combat aircraft from Israeli bases as unprecedented, calling it “a first.”
This is part of a broader recalibration of US posture in the Middle East. For more than 30 years, Washington has avoided basing offensive aircraft in Israel to prevent regional backlash. However, the current deployment suggests that strategic calculations have changed taking into account Iran’s posture.
Paramount Skydance (PSKY.O), emerged as the winner in a months-long battle to acquire Warner Bros Discovery (WBD.O), after streaming giant Netflix (NFLX.O), on Thursday refused to raise its bid for the storied Hollywood studio.
“We’ve always been disciplined, and at the price required to match Paramount Skydance’s latest offer, the deal is no longer financially attractive, so we are declining to match the Paramount Skydance bid,” Netflix said in a statement.
Netflix confirmed to Reuters that it was walking away from bidding for Warner Bros Discovery. The Warner Bros board still has to terminate the Netflix deal and adopt Paramount Skydance’s offer.
“Once our board votes to adopt the Paramount merger agreement, it will create tremendous value for our shareholders,” Warner CEO David Zaslav said in a statement. “We are excited about the potential of a combined Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery and can’t wait to get started working together telling the stories that move the world.”
Paramount maintained its dogged pursuit of Warner Bros, launching a hostile campaign to wrest the prize from Netflix. It managed to lure Warner Bros back to the bargaining table last week, with the potential of an increased cash offer for the company.
Earlier in the day, Warner Bros said Paramount’s revised $31-a-share offer was superior to Netflix’s bid of $27.75 per share for Warner Bros’ streaming and studio assets.
A Netflix adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they had recommended the streaming service should bow out of the bidding because the deal no longer made economic sense. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos hinted that the streaming giant would not substantially raise its offer in a February 20 interview with Fox News’ Liz Claman, where he emphasized that Netflix has been “very disciplined buyers.”
The adviser said Netflix was bidding against a billionaire who signaled a willingness to pay a price for Warner Bros that Netflix viewed as irrational.
“There’s no point in playing chicken with someone who won’t turn the wheel,” said the source, referring to billionaire Larry Ellison, co-founder, executive chairman and chief technology officer of Oracle and father of Paramount CEO David Ellison.
Netflix shares jumped more than 10% after it declined to raise its offer.
A drone view shows the Netflix logo on one of the company’s buildings in the Hollywood neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, U.S., January 20, 2026. REUTERS/Daniel Cole/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
REGULATORY CONCERNS
Paramount’s merger with Warner Bros would unite two major Hollywood studios, two streaming platforms (HBO Max and Paramount+) and two news operations (CNN and CBS).
The Ellisons have ties to President Donald Trump. Still, the bid is likely to face antitrust scrutiny in Washington, foreign countries and U.S. states including California.
“Approval from federal regulators seems likely given the political environment; however, we think it is very likely that some state regulators – most notably, California Attorney General Rob Bonta – could attempt to challenge the deal. We think there is potential for European regulators to have a say as well,” TD Cowen analysts said in a note.
Bonta, a Democrat, said late on Thursday that this is not a done deal. “These two Hollywood titans have not cleared regulatory scrutiny — the California Department of Justice has an open investigation, and we intend to be vigorous in our review,” he added.
States have the power to sue to block deals, though the DOJ has the most resources to do so.
Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Richard Blumenthal have worried approval of the deal could be tainted by political favoritism.
In its revised bid, Paramount raised the termination fee it would pay should the deal fail to gain regulatory approval to $7 billion from $5.8 billion. It also agreed to cover the $2.8 billion fee Warner Bros would owe Netflix for walking away from the merger agreement.
The Ellison Trust is committing $45.7 billion in equity, up from $43.6 billion previously, backed by Larry Ellison, who also agreed to provide additional funds needed to satisfy Paramount’s bank solvency requirements, the firm said.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told a congressional committee on Thursday that she did not remember ever meeting the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and had no information to share about his criminal activities.
“I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island, homes or offices,” Clinton said in a statement, which she released as she delivered a closed-door deposition to the House of Representatives Oversight Committee in Chappaqua, New York.
Following a seven-hour appearance before the panel, Clinton told reporters she repeatedly was asked the same questions throughout the day, but that she also offered some suggestions on conducting the investigation. She did not detail those ideas.
Clinton said that late into the procedures “it got quite unusual because I started being asked about UFOs and a series of questions about Pizzagate, one of the most vile bogus conspiracy theories.”
She was referring to false, widely disseminated musings in 2016 that a Washington, D.C. pizzeria was a front for a child sex ring run by her and that New York City police had discovered a pedophilia ring linked to Democrats.
In her prepared testimony, Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, also accused the Republican-led panel of trying to shift focus away from Trump’s ties to Epstein, who died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. She noted Trump’s administration has “gutted” a State Department office focused on international sex trafficking.
Speaking to reporters after Clinton’s testimony, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer dismissed the idea of having Trump appear before the panel.
“President Trump has answered hundreds if not thousands of questions from you all about Epstein and I think he’s been very transparent in releasing the documents,” said Comer, a Kentucky Republican.
Clinton and her husband, Democratic former President Bill Clinton, initially refused to testify before the committee, but relented when lawmakers moved to hold them in contempt of Congress.
Bill Clinton is scheduled to testify to the committee on Friday.
Hillary Clinton told reporters that the former president will tell the committee that the “vast majority” of people who had contact with Epstein before his criminal pleas in 2008 “did not know” about the sex trafficking. “That is exactly what my husband will testify to tomorrow,” she said.
Before the hearing, Comer denied that the probe was a partisan effort, noting that several Democrats had pushed for the Clintons to testify.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks to the members of the media outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, on the day she appears for a deposition in the House Oversight Committee investigation of late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in Chappaqua, New York, U.S., February 26, 2026. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton Purchase Licensing Rights
“No one is accusing at this moment the Clintons of any wrongdoing but we do have a lot of questions,” Comer said.
He said the committee would seek to find out about any interactions she might have had with Epstein, his involvement with the Clintons’ charitable work, and any relationship she may have had with jailed Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. He said transcripts and video of the Clintons’ interviews will be made public.
Representative Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the committee, told reporters that Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick should also testify. Lutnick has admitted to visiting Epstein’s private island years after he says he broke off ties. Comer said it was “possible” the committee might subpoena him.
MISSING FILES
Garcia and other Democrats are accusing Trump’s Justice Department of selectively withholding material from 3 million Epstein-related documents it released to shield Trump from scrutiny. That includes records of a woman who accused Trump of sexually abusing her when she was a minor, Garcia said.
“Where are these files? Who removed them? These questions have to be answered,” he said.
The Justice Department said it is reviewing whether any documents were improperly withheld and would publish them if appropriate. It has previously cautioned that the material it has released includes unfounded accusations and sensationalist claims about Trump.
Law enforcement authorities have not accused Trump of any criminal wrongdoing in connection with Epstein. Trump socialized extensively with Epstein in the 1990s and 2000s, before his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Comer said evidence gathered by the panel does not implicate Trump.
People from the first group of white South Africans granted refugee status for being deemed victims of racial discrimination under U.S. President Trump’s Refugee plan, check in for a connecting flight, at Dulles International Airport, in Dulles, Virginia, U.S., May 12, 2025. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst Purchase Licensing Rights
The U.S. aims to process 4,500 refugee applications from white South Africans per month, far above President Donald Trump’s stated refugee program cap, and is installing trailers on embassy property in Pretoria to support the effort, a U.S. contracting document said.
The new target, contained in a previously unreported document from the U.S. State Department dated January 27, signals a push to ramp up admissions from South Africa, while refugee applications from other areas have been severely curtailed.
Trump has said the U.S. would only admit 7,500 total refugees from around the world in fiscal year 2026, while a much higher cap of 40,000 to 60,000 was discussed internally last year. Only 2,000 white South Africans had entered the U.S. as refugees as of January 31 under a program launched in May 2025, although the pace has picked up in recent months.
The ambitious target could also face administrative delays in Washington, which in recent weeks have halted all refugee travel to the U.S., including white South Africans, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter.
The U.S. State Department and Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment. The White House referred questions to the State Department.
The South African Chamber of Commerce in the U.S. said last year that more than 67,000 people had expressed interest in relocating.
Trump ordered a halt to refugee admissions into the U.S. after taking office in 2025 as part of his crackdown on legal and illegal immigration. But weeks later, he launched an effort to bring in white South Africans of Afrikaner ethnicity as refugees, saying they had been violently persecuted in the majority-Black country. South Africa’s government has rejected that claim, while some refugee advocates have criticized the Trump policy.
U.S. SEES URGENT NEED FOR REFUGEE PROCESSING SITE
The contracting document, posted to a U.S. government database on Wednesday, explains the rationale for awarding the contract for the trailers without a competitive bidding process, stressing an urgent need for a secure site.
An immigration raid by South African authorities on a previous U.S. refugee processing site on a commercial property in Johannesburg had forced the government to consider a more secure location, it said, after “operations were compromised.”
“The inability to safely process about 4,500 applicants per month, an objective communicated to (the U.S. State Department’s refugee division) from the White House, would result in failure to meet a Presidential priority,” the document said.
South African Foreign Ministry spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said his government would not interfere with the U.S. program if it remained within legal boundaries, while reiterating Pretoria’s rejection of Trump’s claims about white South Africans.
“The assertion that Afrikaners face systemic persecution is fundamentally unsubstantiated,” he said.
Whether the U.S. could reach the ambitious 4,500 per month target remains unclear. The State Department last week canceled all refugee travel – including for South Africans – from February 23 to March 9 due to operational factors, an email sent to applicants said.
Because of Trump’s sweeping refugee ban issued in January 2025, South Africans must be admitted as exceptions on a case-by-case basis by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The U.S. official, who requested anonymity to discuss internal operations, said DHS had delayed the approvals, creating an administrative backlog.
Prior to the pause on admissions, South African entries had been ramping up, with about 1,500 admitted in December and January, compared with about 500 in the previous six and a half months, according to U.S. State Department figures.
AFTER PUBLIC U.S.-SOUTH AFRICA TENSIONS, A PRIVATE AGREEMENT
Tensions between the U.S. and South Africa over the refugee effort boiled over in mid-December when South African authorities raided the commercial building in Johannesburg where U.S. staff and contractors were working on refugee cases.
Seven Kenyans working as contractors for a U.S.-based refugee group were arrested for alleged violations of their visa terms, while two U.S. refugee officers were briefly detained.
The United States and Iran made progress in talks over Tehran’s nuclear program on Thursday, mediator Oman said, but hours of negotiation ended with no sign of a breakthrough that could avert potential U.S. strikes amid a massive military buildup.
The two sides plan to resume negotiations soon after consultations in their countries’ capitals, with technical-level discussions scheduled to take place next week in Vienna, Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said in a post on X after the day’s meetings in Switzerland.
Badr Albusaidi will hold talks with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and other U.S. officials in Washington on Friday, MS NOW reported late on Thursday. Neither the White House nor Oman’s embassy in Washington immediately responded to requests for comment.
Any substantial move toward an elusive agreement between longtime foes Washington and Tehran could reduce the imminent prospects for U.S President Donald Trump to carry out a threatened attack on Iran that many fear could escalate into a wider war.
But Tuesday’s indirect talks wrapped up without a deal, still leaving the region on edge.
The Omani minister’s upbeat assessment followed indirect talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Geneva, with one session in the morning and the second in the afternoon.
“We have finished the day after significant progress in the negotiation between the United States and Iran,” Badr Albusaidi said.
But with many analysts seeing the latest diplomacy as the last chance before Trump could decide to go to war, Badr Albusaidi provided no details and stopped short of saying the two sides had overcome their biggest stumbling blocks to a deal.
Describing the talks as some of the most serious that Iran has had with the U.S., Araqchi told Iranian state television: “We reached agreement on some issues, and there are differences regarding some other issues.”
“It was decided that the next round of negotiations will take place soon, in less than a week,” he said. The Iranians, he added, had clearly expressed their demand for lifting of U.S. sanctions, which Washington has long insisted will only come after deep concessions from Tehran.
There was no immediate comment from the U.S. negotiating team on the outcome of the talks. But Axios quoted a senior U.S. official as saying the Geneva negotiations were “positive.”
The discussions about the decades-long dispute over Iran’s nuclear work come as fears grow of a Middle East conflagration. Trump has repeatedly threatened action if there is no deal, and the U.S. military has amassed its forces in waters near the Islamic Republic.
‘INTENSE AND SERIOUS’ TALKS
A senior Iranian official told Reuters earlier on Thursday that the U.S. and Iran could reach a framework for a deal if Washington separated “nuclear and non-nuclear issues.”
An Iranian woman walks past an anti-U.S. billboard in Tehran, Iran, February 26, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
The Trump administration has insisted that Iran’s ballistic missile program and its support for armed groups in the region must be part of the negotiations.
After the morning session, Badr Albusaidi said the two sides had exchanged “creative and positive ideas”.
But a senior Iranian official said at the time that some gaps still had to be narrowed.
Washington, which believes Tehran seeks the ability to build a nuclear bomb, wants Iran to give up all uranium enrichment, a process that makes fuel for atomic power plants but that can also yield material for a warhead.
Iran has long denied wanting a bomb and said earlier on Thursday it would show flexibility at the talks. Reuters reported on Sunday that Tehran was offering undefined new concessions in return for removal of sanctions and recognition of its right to enrich uranium.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that Iran’s refusal to discuss its ballistic missile program was a “big problem” which would have to be addressed eventually.
The missiles were “designed solely to strike America” and pose a threat to regional stability, he said, but offered no proof to back the claim that U.S. territory could be targeted.
TRUMP THREATENS ‘REALLY BAD THINGS’
Trump said on February 19 that Iran must make a deal in 10 to 15 days, warning that “really bad things” would otherwise happen.
He briefly laid out his case for a possible attack on Iran in his State of the Union speech on Tuesday, underlining that while he preferred a diplomatic solution, he would not allow Tehran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
In June, the U.S. joined Israel in hitting Iranian nuclear sites and has been ramping up the pressure on Tehran again since January, when Trump threatened to intervene over its crushing of nationwide protests with thousands killed.
Ukrainian law enforcement/Handout via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
Images of debris from Russian strikes on Ukraine strongly indicate that Moscow has used a cruise missile whose development led Donald Trump to quit a landmark nuclear pact in his first term, two experts said, confirming earlier Reuters reporting.
The specialists based their analysis on images of fragments of the nuclear-capable missile provided to Reuters by three Ukrainian law enforcement sources, the first visual evidence published to date corroborating Russia’s use of the weapon.
Its deployment dozens of times in Ukraine is a striking example of how the nuclear arms control edifice emerging from the Cold War has crumbled in recent years. This month saw the expiry of New START, the nuclear treaty that imposed limits on U.S. and Russian strategic weapons.
Russia’s development of the 9M729 prompted Trump to quit the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, then a cornerstone of nuclear arms control, in 2019, saying the ground-launched missile could fly far beyond the permitted limit of 500 km (310 miles).
The Ukrainian General Prosecutor’s Office told Reuters in a written statement in November that one of the 9M729 missiles fired by Russia on October 5 last year flew more than 1,200 km.
FRAGMENTS FOUND AT SITES ACROSS WESTERN UKRAINE
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and sources told Reuters in October that Russia had fired the 9M729 at Ukraine twice in 2022 and 23 times between August and October last year, the first known combat uses of the missile anywhere.
Russia fired at least four more of the missiles at Ukraine on February 17, one of the law enforcement sources said, the first time those cases have been reported. There have been other uses since October too, the source added.
“The images really do appear to show the 9M729. In addition to the markings, the debris are similar to other cruise missiles that are related to the 9M729,” said Jeffrey Lewis, Distinguished Scholar of Global Security at Middlebury College in Vermont.
Analysts at Janes, a UK-based defence intelligence company, told Reuters there was a high likelihood the debris shown in the 10 images had come from the ground-launched 9M729 missile.
The law enforcement sources said the images show fragments recovered in Zhytomyr, Lviv, Khmelnytskyi and Vinnytsia regions, all in western Ukraine.
Reuters could not verify where and when the photographs of the fragments were taken.
One piece bears the serial number 0274, while others bear the marking 9M729. In another case, a Reuters reporter saw a fragment stamped 9M729, but was asked by a Ukrainian law enforcement official not to photograph it for publication.
Russia’s Defence Ministry did not respond to a request for comment for this article.
CONCERNS IN EUROPE GROW
Russia has acknowledged the existence of the missile, but denied it was in breach of the 1987 treaty and that it could fly as far as the distance permitted.
One of the 9M729 missiles fired by Russia on October 5 struck a home in Lapaiivka village near Lviv, resulting in the death of five civilians, the Ukrainian General Prosecutor’s Office said in its statement – over 1,200 km from the point from which it was fired.
The use of the missiles is being investigated in eight different regions, it added.
The INF specifically outlawed ground-launched missiles with a range of over 500 km because their launchers are easier to conceal, making them a greater potential threat than missile-carrying warplanes or warships that militaries track.
Since November 2024, Russia has also twice attacked Ukraine with the Oreshnik, a new intermediate-range ground-launched ballistic missile that would also have been banned under the INF.
Both the 9M729 and the Oreshnik can carry a nuclear or conventional warhead and their range puts European capitals within reach.
The 9M729 has a range of 2,500 km, according to the Missile Threat website produced at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
Several NATO countries in Europe are now trying to buy or develop their own long-range, deep-strike weapons to narrow the gap in their deterrence capabilities with Russia.
Some European governments worry that the U.S. is no longer committed to protecting Europe. Washington has told Europeans they must take over primary responsibility for the conventional defence of the continent.
Russia said last August it would no longer place any limits on where it deploys intermediate-range missiles that can carry nuclear warheads.
Hoda Kotb is set to stay in Savannah Guthrie’s “Today” seat for an extended period as the search for the star’s mother Nancy Guthrie stretches into its fourth grueling week, sources tell Page Six.
Behind the scenes at the NBC morning show, bosses are dealing not only with the impact of Savannah’s absence, but also with wild – and hurtful – rumors about who could take her job, according to insiders.
Although Kotb, 61, left ‘Today’ just over a year ago, she returned to Studio 1A to rejoin her former colleagues as somewhat of a salve shortly after Savannah’s life was brutally upended.
Hoda Kotb returned to Studio 1A to co-anchor ‘Today’ alongside Craig Melvin in the wake of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance. She’ll be in Savannah Guthrie’s seat for the time being, sources tell Page Six. NBC
“At the moment, we’re taking things week by week, day by day,” we’re told.
“Hoda has been a steady hand, and calm presence for the staff.”
Despite this, there are no plans for Kotb to return full time and join co-anchor Craig Melvin, who replaced her on the show, as she is focused on her lifestyle business, Joy 101, and her family.
No one could have expected that one of NBC News’ most loved stars would become part of the biggest news story in the US. Savannah was forced to pull out of hosting the Winter Olympics opening ceremony and first week of coverage in Milan – and also missed her regular spot helming NBC’s “State of the Union” coverage Tuesday night.
Hoda was meant to jet to Italy to cover the Olympics, as was Craig, but both stayed in the US in the “Today” studio.
And while some insiders have reported it’s been difficult to keep up morale at such a tumultuous time as they focus on covering a story that is about one of their own, show staffers are trying to “tune out the noise and focus on work,” said an NBC insider.
“If anything, this incredibly heartbreaking situation has reinforced the strength of the ‘Today’ family.
“Everyone, from top down is focused on supporting Savannah and her family, and also doing the best job possible, because that’s what she would do. She is just so missed by everyone,” the insider said.
Savannah, 54, remains in her hometown of Tucson, Ariz., during the ongoing hunt for her 84-year-old mom. As rumors swirled about her future on the show, we revealed that the popular star – whose multimillion dollar contract is up this year – will be off “Today” for the foreseeable future.
Hours after Savannah released another heartbreaking video Tuesday in which she offered a reward of up to $1 million for any help in her mother’s return, the insider added, “We just hope this video will bring some answers.”
Robert Cosby Jr., the son of “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Mary Cosby, was unconscious when police responded to a 911 call before his death.
The dispatcher said, according to audio exclusively obtained by Page Six, “23-year-old male, not conscious, not breathing. One dose of Narcan has been given.”
“Police have been called. Three units in route,” the dispatcher added.
A 911 audio call reveals new details about Robert Cosby Jr.’s death. Bravo
A Salt Lake City Police Department spokesperson told Page Six that Robert was found dead on Monday after officers “responded to an overdose call that turned into a death investigation.”
They responded to the call at 6:14 p.m., authorities confirmed.
Mary and her husband, Robert Sr., released a joint statement Monday, writing, “Our beloved son Robert Jr. has been called home to the Lord.
“Though our hearts ache, we take comfort in God’s promise and in knowing he is finally at peace. We are grateful for your prayers and trust in the Lord to carry us through this time of sorrow.”
Mary’s rep did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
TMZ was the first to report on the death.
Bravo executive Andy Cohen mourned the loss in an Instagram Threads statement Wednesday.
“Devastatingly sad news out of SLC,” he wrote. “This is every parent’s worst nightmare. My heart is broken for Mary, and I am sending all my love to her and Robert Sr.”
Robert’s death comes four months after his estranged wife, Alexiana Smokoff, filed for divorce after three years of marriage.
The former couple reportedly got married in a Utah courthouse in August 2022, with their secret marriage playing out in front of cameras for Season 4 of “RHOSLC.”
Robert and Smokoff’s alleged drug use was also a storyline in Season 6, which was filmed in early 2025.
In one emotional moment, Robert told his mother that he was “at a standstill” in his recovery after completing a 30-day rehab stint.
“I’m not in that dark place, but, like, it’s still there, if that makes sense,” he said, explaining that he is struggling without the ritual.
Robert’s relapse was revealed later that season after he was arrested in November for allegedly violating a restraining order put in place by Smokoff’s family.
“[Her family] filed a restraining order against him, and he went back anyway, thinking that she want[ed] him to come back and save her,” Mary revealed in the episode. “I don’t know where he’s getting that from … delusional.”
The Bravolebrity, 53, admitted that she refused to visit her son in jail and talk to him from behind the glass. However, she shared that she was sending him books to read.
A baseline tariff may be the “price” Canada has to pay to continue shipping goods to the US, Canada’s finance minister said.
François-Philippe Champagne’s remarks came after Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, in which the US president said he wants tariffs to eventually replace income taxes to become America’s main revenue source.
Champagne’s comments follow US trade chief Jamieson Greer saying Canada has to accept “some level of higher tariff” if it wants to do business with the United States.
Trump last week imposed a worldwide 10% tariff through a never-used law known as Section 122 after the US Supreme Court rejected his previous sweeping tariffs policy.
“I think it is pretty well understood now in the world that the view of the American administration is that there’ll be a price to access the American market,” Champagne told reporters in Ottawa, after being asked if the president’s remarks in his speech hinder Canada’s hopes of getting tariffs lifted.
“Every country of the world that I know of is paying a price,” he went on. “What I’m saying is that Canada is paying the lowest price.”
Canada has exemptions from tariffs that comply with the continental free trade deal, the USMCA. It also faces steeper tariffs on steel, aluminium and softwood lumber.
“If Canada wants to agree that we can have some level of higher tariff on them, while they open up their market to us in things like dairy and other things, then that’s a helpful conversation,” Greer said while speaking to CBC on Tuesday.
In the wake of the trade tensions, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he wants to double Canada’s non-US exports by the next decade, particularly in industries such as metals and cars.
The US is by far Canada’s largest customer, making up about 75% of Canadian exports.
The new tone from the Canadians on US tariffs comes in the wake of a 6-3 US Supreme Court decision on Friday that found Trump’s sweeping tariff policy enacted last April was unlawful and the president had overstepped his powers.
Trump responded to the ruling by announcing a new 10% global tariff to replace ones struck down by the Supreme Court.
With Washington amassing military force in the Middle East, US and Iranian representatives are again meeting in Geneva on Tehran’s nuclear program. Hopes for a breakthrough are slim.
In recent weeks, the US military has moved the largest force into the Middle East since the Iraq War in 2003Image: Daniel Kimmelman/US Navy/AFP
Tensions are rising shortly before renewed talks between the US and Iran, with representatives from Tehran and Washington set to negotiate on Thursday in Geneva over Iran’s nuclear program.
In political and security policy circles, there is increasing talk of a “military countdown” should no agreement be reached.
Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that US President Donald Trump is considering limited military strikes against Iran as a first step to exert pressure on Tehran to accept his demands on a nuclear deal, while trying to avoid a spiral of escalation that could lead to all-out war.
At the same time, it is said that if Iran continues to refuse to comply with US demands, the Trump administration could also consider a much broader military campaign aiming to weaken or overthrow the leadership in Tehran.
Iran has stated in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that it does not want to start a war. However, if the country is attacked militarily, it will respond “resolutely and appropriately” within the framework of its right to self-defense.
Risk of military escalation growing
No one can say for sure what goals the US would pursue in the event of a war, according to Menashe Amir, an Israel-based Iran expert and Farsi-language journalist at Israel Radio International.
“Perhaps even Trump himself does not yet know the definitive answer,” he said.
Nevertheless, the idea of the Iranian regime’s downfall is gaining some traction in Washington. “Trump has come to the conclusion that the Middle East will never find stability without an end to the current leadership in Tehran,” Amir added.
Two US officials confirmed to the Reuters news agency on February 20 that military planning on Iran is already at an advanced stage. Reported options include targeted attacks on specific individuals and measures that could even aim at regime change, provided President Trump gives the order.
However, Damon Golriz, a strategy analyst at The Hague Institute for Global Change, warns that even a limited military intervention in Iran would most likely go beyond its originally intended scope.
A regime that faces existential threats on several fronts would no longer see escalation as merely an option, but rather as necessary for its survival, Golriz pointed out.
Under pressure from massive internal unrest and international isolation, Golriz said the regime in Tehran could trigger a “chain reaction” with its regional militant proxy groups that could escalate instability in the Middle East.
Kamran Matin, a lecturer in international relations at the University of Sussex, said, however, that Trump prefers a deal with Iran to military conflict.
“A military conflict would be difficult to predict, and there is no clear exit strategy in sight. The president’s advisors have also repeatedly pointed out the risks of open conflict,” he told DW.
Pressure from Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been trying to persuade Trump into military action against Iran.
Last year, the US joined Israel’s 12-day war with Iran by dropping bunker-busting bombs on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Israel sees the Iranian regime as an existential threat and would be a target for Iranian drones and missiles if the conflict were to escalate.
During a speech to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, on February 23, Netanyahu said Israel was “vigilant and prepared for any scenario.”
Netanyahu warned that if the Ayatollahs’ regime in Tehran makes “the biggest mistake in their history and attacks Israel, we will respond with a force they cannot imagine.”
Israel-based Iran expert Amir said that Israel has “convinced Washington with extensive evidence that the region’s problems can only be radically solved by overthrowing the regime.”
“In Trump’s latest statements, we see that he is not only addressing Iran’s nuclear program, but also the oppression of the Iranian people. This could indicate a fundamental change in the American president’s doctrine,” he added.
These political and military signals increase the pressure on the upcoming talks in Geneva, which many observers consider to be the last chance for a diplomatic solution.
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.
The Cuban Interior Ministry said the US boat fired at the Cuban coast guard, injuring the Cuban commander of the vessel. The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Cuba and the US.
The incident comes as the Trump administration is hoping for regime change in Cuba (FILE: December 12, 2022)Image: Yamil Lage/AFP
The Cuban coast guard shot dead four people and injured six more in a speedboat registered in the United States, the Cuban Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.
What do we know so far?
The speedboat was detected a nautical mile from Cayos Falcones in Villa Clara province off Cuba’s northern coast, the ministry said in a statement.
The Interior Ministry said the boat fired at the coast guard, injuring the commander of the vessel.
“As a result of the clash, at the time of this report, on the foreign side, four aggressors were killed and six others were wounded,” the ministry said, adding that the injured were evacuated and received medical assistance.
The ministry said that it remained committed to “protecting its territorial waters.”
Later, the Cuban government said that the ten individuals aboard the Florida-registered speedboat were armed Cubans living in the US who were trying to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism.
What did the US say?
Carlos Gimenez, a Cuban-born Republican member of the US House from Florida, urged “an immediate investigation into this massacre.”
“United States authorities must determine whether any of the victims were US citizens or legal residents and establish exactly what occurred,” Gimenez said in a post on X.
In response to Gimenez’s post, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier ordered the Office of Statewide Prosecution “to work with our federal, state, and law enforcement partners to begin an investigation.”
US Vice President JD Vance said he spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding the shooting.
“Certainly, you know, a situation that we’re monitoring, hopefully it’s not as bad as we fear it could be. But I can’t say more, because I just don’t know more,” Vance said.
Rubio says US is gathering information about incident
Meanwhile, Rubio told reporters that he had been made aware of the incident and that the US was now gathering information to determine whether the victims were American citizens or permanent residents.
“We have various different elements of the US government that are trying to identify elements of the story that may not be provided to us now,” Rubio said, while on a trip to the Caribbean nation of St Kitts and Nevis.
“We’re not going to base our conclusions on what they’ve (Cuba) told us, and I’m very, very confident that we will know the full story of what happened here,” Rubio stressed. “As we gather more information, then we’ll be prepared to respond accordingly.”
The US top diplomat also said that the status quo in Cuba was unsustainable and that the island needed to change “dramatically.”
Afghanistan’s female players are used to fighting and waiting. Months after their reintroduction to internationals, they now wait on another game and must wrestle with FIFA doubling down on a country that rejected them.
Afghanistan’s players returned to the international fold in October but little is straightforwardImage: Ann Odong/FIFA
Three years ago, a team of exiled Afghan women looked on with frustration as the Women’s World Cup took place in the Australian cities where they lived.
The displaced players have come a long way since then, but the Women’s Asian Cup, which starts in Australia on March 1, is both an inspiration and a reminder of the many hurdles they must still clear to play international matches.
“I couldn’t stop crying the entire time as it reminded me of a time that I was able to take that pride and play for my country [before the return of the Taliban in 2021],” defender Mursal Sadat told DW of her memories of the 2023 World Cup, at which point Afghanistan had no women’s national team. “Hopefully, Afghanistan will be competing by the next qualifiers.”
The dream of competing for Afghanistan at a World Cup moved a step closed last October when an Afghan women’s team branded as Afghan Women United were recognized by FIFA and played in a friendly tournament in Morocco.
‘Eager to represent Afghanistan again’
The team’s first major step on the path to international recognition from football’s governing body was an emotional and sporting milestone after a four-year battle to be heard. But four months later, they have yet to play another fixture.
“Morocco was a big milestone, but for us it is only the beginning,” UK-based goalkeeper Elaha Safdari told DW. “As players, we are always eager to represent Afghanistan again. Of course, we want more international matches, but we have stayed disciplined, training hard and improving as a team. We know the staff is working behind the scenes to create more opportunities so we remain ready and motivated.”
After a period of silence, FIFA announced on Monday that Afghanistan will play two unnamed opponents in the June international break, with further information to follow “in the coming months.” Those players based in Europe were involved in a training camp in Doncaster, England, earlier this month, while those based in Australia are set for something similar later in the year.
Given the team’s struggles for recognition, trauma and the development gap that has emerged after missing four years of international competition, the World Cup in Brazil next year, was always going to come too soon. March’s Asian Cup will decide which Asian teams qualify for Brazil 2027 — the semifinalists will make it automatically, while the losing quarterfinalists will go into a series of playoffs for the remaining four Asian spots.
Taliban and UAE ties ‘logical explanation’ for visa rejection
Like Afghanistan, the UAE will not be at Brazil 2027 after failing to qualify for the Asian Cup. It’s fair to say they also won’t be the Afghan team’s opponents in June either, after the Gulf state refused to allow the Afghanistan players to enter the country in October, forcing a last minute change of host country to Morocco.
FIFA has since repeatedly refused to answer any questions from DW on why the UAE, who had agreed to host and play the team, reneged on the deal. It appears more than likely that the UAE’s relationship with the Taliban was the reason for the refusal.
“That appears to be the most reasonable and logical explanation,” Alison Battisson, the Australian human rights lawyer who helped the team find asylum in Australia and maintains close contact with the players, told DW. “The UAE can turn around visas in hours for a team. If it is true that they went quiet on FIFA in that week beforehand, withdrew visas that had been granted or didn’t grant visas, that is really quite extraordinary.
“To me, it says that, without explanation, somebody much more senior and not really that concerned about women’s sport stepped in and said we have to prioritize this other interest, which I can only assume is economic interest in Afghanistan.”
FIFA doubles down on UAE relationship
DW understands this is also the suspicion of many players, but FIFA’s silence leaves the situation unclear. The organization, headed by Gianni Infantino, were less tight-lipped when they announced “the launch of a new annual world football awards event in Dubai [in the UAE]” on December 29, two months after the visa refusal.
From this year, the press release said, these awards will be the “official annual FIFA awards ceremony that gathers the world’s most influential football figures, celebrating the best players, teams, and achievements of the beautiful game for the previous year.”
Given what happened in October, it’s safe to assume the players of Afghanistan Women United would not be able to attend such a ceremony.
While Afghan players past and present do express gratitude for FIFA’s support, the explicit backing of a country that rejected a team FIFA has recognized is impossible to square with the governing body’s commitment to use “advocacy and diplomacy with relevant actors and organizations regarding long-term access to sport” for the Afghan women.
US President Donald Trump is set to travel to China from Mar 31 to Apr 2 in his first visit to the country since starting his second term in office.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters in a departure lounge before returning to Washington following meetings with Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders, at Robert L Bradshaw International Airport in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis on Feb 25, 2026. (Photo: Pool via AFP/Jonathan Ernst)
The United States and China have reached “stability” in their long-fractious relationship, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday (Feb 25) ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit to the Asian power.
“I think we’ve reached a point at least of a sort of strategic stability in the relationship,” Rubio told reporters.
“I think both countries concluded that having an all-out global trade war between the United States and China would be deeply damaging to both sides and to the world,” Rubio said on a visit to the tiny Caribbean nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Rubio has long been known as a hawk on China, with him and Trump casting the world’s second-largest economy as an adversary that needed to be defeated globally.
Rubio said that the United States would keep raising concerns, including seeking to diversify from China’s dominance in supply chains.
He also vowed to keep pushing China to negotiate a three-way nuclear deal with the United States and Russia.
A senior US official met with Russia and China in Geneva this week after the expiration of New START, the last remaining treaty between Russia and the United States that limited nuclear warheads.
“They have publicly said they’re not willing to do it,” Rubio said of China.
“We’ll continue to press on it, because we think it would be good for the world if we could reach such an agreement.”
China’s nuclear arsenal has been growing rapidly, although it remains well below that of Russia and the United States.
North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un also left the door open for discussions with the United States if Washington “withdraws its policy of confrontation”.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during the fifth session of the Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Feb 23, 2026. (File photo: Reuters/KCNA)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he would focus on expanding his country’s nuclear arsenal and that prospects for improving relations with the US rested entirely on Washington’s attitude, state media KCNA reported on Thursday (Feb 26).
North Korea’s week-long Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party wrapped with a military parade in the capital Pyongyang on Wednesday, KCNA reported.
The Asian nation’s “international status has risen extraordinarily” as it laid out major policy goals for the next five years, Kim said.
“It is our party’s firm will to further expand and strengthen our national nuclear power, and thoroughly exercise its status as a nuclear state,” Kim said, according to KCNA. “We will focus on projects to increase the number of nuclear weapons and expand nuclear operational means.”
North Korea has assembled around 50 warheads, possesses enough fissile material to produce up to 40 more warheads and is accelerating the production of further fissile material, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) think tank estimated last year.
Kim also laid out North Korea’s plans to develop stronger intercontinental ballistic missiles, including ones that can be launched from underwater, attack systems using artificial intelligence and unmanned drones, KCNA said.
State media photos of the military parade showed formations of soldiers marching through a brightly-lit Kim Il Sung square under a podium where Kim and his daughter stood with senior officials.
Some troops in the parade were wearing camouflage and special warfare gear and a formation of jets held a fly-by. It was not immediately clear what, if any, military hardware was on display.
The presence of Kim’s daughter, known as Ju Ae, will fuel further speculation over whether she is being groomed as his successor.
US RELATIONS
Kim left the door open for discussions with the United States.
“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 with the US,” Kim said, according to KCNA.
Kim has so far not accepted overtures by US President Donald Trump, whom he met with three times during Trump’s first term.
Kim’s remarks “all point to an expected refusal of any US-North Korea talks premised on denuclearisation, though (Kim) still left the door open for dialogue if Washington first abandons what it calls its hostile policy,” said Yang Moo-jin, former president of the University of North Korean Studies.
Trump plans to travel to China from Mar 31 to Apr 2. Some North Korea experts including South Korea’s spy agency have speculated that Kim could meet Trump during that occasion.
However, Kim called South Korea the “most hostile enemy” and ruled out discussions with its neighbour, saying “the conciliatory attitude that South Korea’s current government advocates on the surface is clumsily deceptive and crude,” according to KCNA.
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.
PM Modi has become known internationally for greeting world leaders with embraces, a departure from traditionally formal diplomatic gestures such as a handshake.
During his visit, Prime Minister Modi addressed Israel’s parliament, the Knesset.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trademark “hugplomacy”, where he embraces world leaders in his trademark hug, has once again drawn international attention after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised what he called the famous “Modi hug”.
“It’s been a wondrous friendship, both personally, between the two of us, and between our two countries and our two peoples,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu recalled the moment the two leaders greeted each other warmly moments after PM Modi landed in Israel.
“Prime Minister Modi’s personal embrace is something special-it’s called the ‘Modi hug.’ It’s well known around the world, and when you hug someone closely, truly, you know it’s not an act. It’s a real thing,” he said.
“So I want to return the hug here from every single one of the Knesset members; it’s not only an indication of the personal relations and the personal friendship between us, but it really reflects the warmth of the tie between our two peoples,” he said.
PM Modi has become known internationally for greeting world leaders with embraces, a departure from traditionally formal diplomatic gestures such as a handshake.
During his visit, Prime Minister Modi addressed Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to do so.
OpenAI said the user appeared to rely on ChatGPT as a running journal diary to document the alleged covert campaign of suppression.
Beyond Chinese dissidents, the campaign also extended to world leaders.
You should never trust an AI chatbot with your deepest, darkest secrets. A Chinese law enforcement official learned this the hard way when they decided to use ChatGPT as their personal diary.
A major influence campaign was uncovered not by the CIA or MI6, but by OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, all because a user was treating the chatbot like a private notebook to plan his next ‘smear’ operation.
According to a new report by OpenAI, a Chinese law enforcement official unknowingly revealed details of an operation aimed at intimidating Chinese dissidents living abroad, including by impersonating US immigration officials.
OpenAI said the user appeared to rely on ChatGPT as a running journal diary to document the alleged covert campaign of suppression.
In one instance, operators allegedly warned a Chinese dissident living in the US that their public statements had violated American law. In another case, forged documents purportedly from a US county court were made to pressure social media platforms into removing a dissident’s account.
The campaign, according to OpenAI, involved hundreds of participants and thousands of fake online accounts operating across multiple social media platforms.
“This is what Chinese modern transnational repression looks like,” Ben Nimmo, principal investigator at OpenAI, said ahead of the report’s release, as per CNN. “It’s not just digital. It’s not just about trolling. It’s industrialised. It’s about trying to hit critics of the CCP with everything, everywhere, all at once.”
ChatGPT itself was not used to generate most of the campaign content. Instead, OpenAI said the tool functioned mainly as a planning and record-keeping space, while other systems produced and distributed material online.
The company banned the account after identifying suspicious activity.
As part of the campaign, a Chinese official allegedly attempted to fabricate the death of a Chinese dissident.
The ChatGPT user described creating a false obituary along with images of a gravestone, which were then circulated online. OpenAI investigators later matched these claims with real rumours that surfaced in 2023 about the dissident’s supposed death, reported at the time by Voice of America’s Chinese-language service.
Beyond Chinese dissidents, the campaign also extended to world leaders.
FBI Director Kash Patel announces the apprehension of Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder who was on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitive list, during a press conference in Ontario, California, U.S., January 23, 2026. REUTERS/Mike Blake/ File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
The FBI subpoenaed records of phone calls made by Kash Patel and Susie Wiles, now the FBI director and White House Chief of Staff, when they were both private citizens in 2022 and 2023 during the federal probe of Donald Trump, Patel told Reuters on Wednesday.
Reuters is the first to report on the FBI’s actions that took place during the Biden administration, largely when Special Counsel Jack Smith was investigating whether Trump had interfered with the 2020 election and had hidden classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, according to Patel. Smith was appointed to take over that probe in November 2022.
Patel portrayed the seizing of his phone records by the FBI and efforts to conceal them as an example of overreach by unelected government officials under Biden, a theme often repeated by President Trump.
“It is outrageous and deeply alarming that the previous FBI leadership secretly subpoenaed my own phone records – along with those of now White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles – using flimsy pretexts and burying the entire process in prohibited case files designed to evade all oversight,” Patel said in a statement to Reuters.
Reuters could not independently verify many of the details about Patel’s claims, including the full extent and timing of the seizure of phone records and the motive for doing so. Patel said the records were filed in a way that made it difficult for him and other FBI leaders to find them after taking over the bureau in February 2025.
At least 10 current FBI employees have been dismissed as a result of the revelations about the targeting of Patel, Wiles and others connected to the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case, according to three FBI officials.
Democrats in Congress have consistently defended Smith from previous GOP criticisms, saying he had acted appropriately in seeking phone records and other evidence they said was necessary to thoroughly investigate allegations of wrongdoing by Trump and his associates.
Investigators routinely subpoena and collect records of phone calls during investigations, even of prominent people, while seeking to determine the key facts in a case and who might be involved in a particular incident.
Patel publicly said in 2022 that Trump had declassified the documents taken to Mar-a-Lago, a claim prosecutors disputed and Trump’s lawyers did not make in court. Patel was summoned before a grand jury hearing evidence in the case that year after he was given limited immunity from criminal charges.
Reuters could not independently establish what records the FBI obtained or who approved the subpoenas. The news agency also couldn’t ascertain if Patel or Wiles themselves were under investigation and, if so, why. Both were close to Trump during this period, as he built toward and ultimately launched his campaign to reclaim the presidency in 2024.
Both Patel and Wiles were known to have been interviewed by investigators as part of Smith’s investigation into Trump’s retention of classified documents following his first term.
In 2023, the FBI recorded a phone call between Wiles and her attorney, according to two FBI officials. Wiles’ attorney was aware that the call was being recorded, and consented to it, but Susie Wiles was not.
A spokesperson for Smith declined to comment on Patel’s allegations on Wednesday. Biden, former Attorney General Merrick Garland, and former FBI director Chris Wray, who oversaw the bureau during Smith’s investigations, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Garland appointed Smith as special counsel.
A federal judge on Monday permanently barred the Justice Department from releasing Smith’s report on the documents investigation. Smith has told Congress that he is barred by court orders from discussing any aspects of the probe that have not been previously disclosed in court filings.
Smith previously told Congress that his investigators had serious concerns about obstruction of justice in their investigations. He told lawmakers last month that his office “followed Justice Department policies, observed legal requirements and took actions based on the facts and the law.”
The White House and Wiles did not immediately comment.
Patel said investigators used subpoenas to obtain what are known as “toll records,” which detailed the timing and recipients of calls he and Wiles made, but not what was said on the calls. The government may lawfully obtain phone records via subpoena without a judge’s approval.
Patel said investigators obtained the records around the time Smith led the probe into allegations that Trump illegally took classified documents to his South Florida property, Mar-a-Lago, after he left the presidency in 2021 and allegedly obstructed federal efforts to return those documents.
Smith charged Trump with felonies related to this investigation in 2023 but that case was ultimately dismissed by a federal judge, and Smith dropped an appeal of that ruling after Trump won election to a second term. Trump has denied wrongdoing related to Smith’s investigations.
Patel said he did not know the FBI’s purpose in seizing the phone records of him and Wiles, who became a top Trump adviser after he left office in 2021 and eventually co-campaign manager for his 2024 run against Biden. Patel also was a Trump political ally during this time.
Patel said the collection of phone records extended into Wiles’ time as Trump’s co-campaign manager, though he did not say when exactly the record collection began or ended.
Larry Summers and Woody Allen are seen in this handout image from the estate of late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee in Washington, D.C., U.S., on December 12, 2025. House Oversight Committee Democrats/Handout via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers on Wednesday said he will resign from teaching at Harvard University at the end of the academic year, amid the continuing fallout from his ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“I have made the difficult decision to retire from my Harvard professorship at the end of this academic year,” Summers said in a statement.
Summers, also a former president of Harvard, has been under fire since the U.S. House Oversight Committee released documents detailing an ongoing personal correspondence between Summers and Epstein. No evidence of wrongdoing by Summers has surfaced.
Summers discontinued teaching roles at Harvard and went on leave as a director of a business and government school at the university in November after the university said it would conduct a review of people named in the Epstein files.
“In connection with the ongoing review by the University of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein that were recently released by the government, Harvard Kennedy School Dean Jeremy Weinstein has accepted Professor Lawrence H. Summers’ resignation from his leadership position as co-director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government,” Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton said in a statement.
Newton said Summers would remain on leave until he retires from his academic and faculty positions at Harvard at the end of the school year.
A woman visits a growing makeshift memorial on the steps of the town hall, four days after one of the worst mass shootings in recent Canadian history, in the town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, February 14, 2026. REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Canadian ministers told OpenAI that if it did not quickly boost its safety protocols in the wake of a recent school shooting, Ottawa would effect the change through legislation, a top official said on Wednesday.
Ottawa summoned OpenAI’s safety team for talks on Tuesday after the ChatGPT maker said it had not contacted police about an account that it banned belonging to an alleged mass shooter.
Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, is suspected of killing eight people on February 10 before taking her own life in a small town in British Columbia.
OpenAI said it banned her account last year on ChatGPT for policy violations, which it said did not meet internal criteria for reporting to law enforcement.
“The message that we delivered, in no uncertain terms, was that we have an expectation that there are going to be changes implemented, and if they’re not forthcoming very quickly, the government is going to be making changes,” Justice Minister Sean Fraser told reporters.
OpenAI was not immediately available for comment.
ONLINE HATE CRACKDOWN
In 2024, Canada’s Liberal government introduced draft legislation to crack down on online hate, but the effort stalled amid criticism it was too broad in scope. Ministers say they will try again this year with more focused measures.
“Anything that anyone could have done to prevent that tragedy or future tragedies must be done. We will fully explore it to the full lengths of the law,” Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters.
Van Rootselaar, who police say was born male but identified as a woman and began transitioning six years ago, had a history of mental health problems. The killings took place in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, a town with about 2,400 people.
“We were really disturbed by the reports that there might have been an opportunity to escalate this to law enforcement … and we want to make sure if any company has that opportunity, they would escalate further,” said Evan Solomon, the federal minister in charge of artificial intelligence.
On Tuesday, OpenAI said it would shortly update Ottawa on what additional steps it was taking.
OpenAI says it banned Van Rootselaar’s account in 2025 after it was flagged by systems that identify “misuses of our models in furtherance of violent activities.”
A view shows MMR vaccine at the City of Lubbock Health Department in Lubbock, Texas, U.S. February 27, 2025. REUTERS/Annie Rice Purchase Licensing Rights
A bipartisan majority of Americans believe vaccines are safe and that children should receive them to attend school, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, illustrating the challenges President Donald Trump’s administration faces to win broad support for upending decades of health policy.
The six-day poll, which closed on Monday, comes as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has led the U.S. government to drop recommendations for several childhood immunizations and boosted federal support for states providing exemptions to vaccine mandates, such as for school attendance.
Some 84% of respondents, including 92% of Democrats and 81% of Republicans, said vaccines for diseases like measles, mumps and rubella are safe for children. The readings were little changed from when the question was asked in a 2020 Reuters/Ipsos poll.
Seventy-four percent said the government should require healthy children to be vaccinated to attend school, with 23% saying unvaccinated children should be allowed in schools. Nearly all U.S. states mandate vaccination for school enrollment, with some limited exemptions.
TRUMP’S MAHA PUSH
Trump has embraced many of Kennedy’s priorities and those of his followers, organized under the Make America Healthy Again movement, which promotes fewer vaccines and healthier eating, among other policies.
Public health experts have said weakening school vaccine mandates would result in more children being sickened by preventable diseases.
“Having vaccine requirements keeps schools safe, and we know they work. If they are rolled back, we will see vaccine rates fall, and unfortunately, we will see kids suffer,” said Sean O’Leary, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Infectious Diseases.
Views of Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist, skew along partisan lines. Overall, some 37% of respondents said they view him favorably and 52% unfavorably. By party affiliation, 72% of Republicans gave him a thumbs up, with just 12% of Democrats saying the same.
The poll shows stronger support for federal efforts to tackle unhealthy eating habits than to reduce the number of recommended childhood vaccinations.
Two-thirds of respondents said it is a good idea for the government to do more to discourage unhealthy eating, while just 29% supported reducing the number of recommended vaccines for children.
SKEPTICISM OF MANDATES
The poll showed division among Republicans on vaccine mandates and the number of shots given to children.
Two-thirds of self-identified Republicans said they backed vaccine mandates in schools, while nine in 10 Democrats backed mandates.
Asked if they agreed with a statement “children in the United States today are given too many vaccines they do not actually need,” 55% of Republicans said yes, compared to 44% who disagreed, while 81% of Democrats disagreed.
States determine which vaccines are required to attend school. Religious or personal exemptions to vaccine mandates are allowed by 46 states and Washington, D.C., according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
MAHA groups are working in as many as a dozen states this year to bar school vaccine mandates, buoyed by Kennedy’s overhaul of federal vaccine policy.
A leadership shuffle underway at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has seen the departure of top officials, including principal deputy director Ralph Abraham, who in his prior role as Surgeon General of the state of Louisiana moved to stop promotion of mass vaccination. The agency this month postponed a federal vaccine advisory board meeting to March.
In his speech, Trump talked about the first year in the office, which he claimed to have been focused on economic revival, tougher border enforcement and more assertive of US as a superpower.
Donald Trump addresses the United States. Credit: Reuters Photo
US President Donald Trump delivered his address to the nation in his second term’s first State of Union speech, focusing on his agenda of “Making America Great Again”.
The televised address was delivered before a joint session of the Congress.
The speech came just over a year into his second term and month before the midterm election.
In his speech, Trump talked about the first year in the office, which he claims to have been focused on economic revival, tougher border enforcement and more assertive of US as a superpower. He also invited the US ice hockey team that recently won the gold medal at the Winter Olympics.
Key takeaways
Trump said he inherited a nation that had a stagnant economy, open border, poor police and military recruitment.
The president said the economy is booming, the borders are secure and the police are stacked like never before.
In the last nine months, zero “illegal immigrants” have entered the United States, said Trump, adding that the nation will allow people to enter the US legally.
Our nation is back – bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before, Trump said.
This July 4th, we will mark two and a half centuries of liberty and triumph, progress and freedom in the most incredible and exceptional nation ever to exist on the face of earth and we have seen nothing yet, he said.
The murder rate saw the biggest decline in history, the president said.
Core inflation is down to the lowest level in last five years and in the last three months of 2025, it was down to 1.75 per cent, Trump claimed.
Gas prices have come down to $1.85 a gallon.
Annual cost of a typical mortgage is down by $5,000 dollars in just one year.
Stock market has set 53 all-time record highs in a single year. Everyone is gaining, said Trump.
In 12 months, $18 trillion investments in the US was secured from all over the globe.
We received more than $80 million worth oil from Venezuela. I kept my promise of “Drill Baby Drill”, Trump said.
Kenyan leader William Ruto wants more trade between the East African neighbors. But previous mooted border openings have failed and fears of Al-Shabab attacks remain.
Kenyan soldiers pictured at Mandera, along the border with SomaliaImage: Reuters/G. Tomasevic
Somalia’s efforts to open the country took another step forward when President William Ruto of neighboring Kenya announced that two border crossings would be reopened in April.
Officially, Kenya’s land borders to Somalia have been closed since 2011, and there have been previous attempts to open the border. In May 2023, the two nations agreed to a phased reopening of their common border.
Kenya reversed the decision two months later following the killing of five civilians and eight police officers near the frontier in attacks blamed on Al-Shabab, the al-Qaeda-affiliated insurgency group based in Somalia.
Separately, the 680 kilometer (422 miles) frontier has been disputed over a potentially oil- and gas-rich chunk of the Indian Ocean.
Somali traders welcome border opening
Mohamed Aden Ali, a trader living in Beled Hawo, a border town opposite Kenya’s Mandera, is excited at the prospect of the opening.
“It is a big move. Traders on both sides of the border depend on each other for their businesses,” he told DW.
“President Ruto said the border will open in April, but I am requesting that it be opened as soon as possible because we cannot wait any longer.”
Ahmed Barre Diriye, a community leader in Beled Hawo, said Kenya and Somalia are connected by “trade, education, security, and social ties. It also comes at a crucial time, as both sides are facing severe drought and people need to move to access support.”
Fahmo, a businesswoman, told DW she is happy that “after 15 years of closure, the border will finally reopen. We hope traders on the other side feel the same way.”
Certainly, Ruto seemed to share these sentiments when he posted on X: “It is unacceptable that fellow Kenyans in Mandera remain cut off from their kin and neighbors in Somalia due to the prolonged closure of the Mandera border post.”
According to Somali economic analyst Ahmed Khadar, there are economic incentives for Somalia and Kenya to grow closer.
“Somalia joined the East African community and Kenya is the only country in the East African community that has a border with Somalia,” he said, adding that Kenya “can be the gateway to connecting Somalia to the other members of the East African Community.”
Tourism in Somalia
The move follows other efforts by the Somali government to increase connectivity, trade and tourism to the Horn of Africa nation. It is rolling out online visas and visas on arrival options.
This month, Somalia joined the East African Community (EAC) passport system, after becoming a member of the bloc in 2024. The travel document is intended to boost trade and ease of travel.
The government has also touted Somalia as a tourism destination. In Mogadishu, the capital, a group of western tourists explored the ruins of formerly grand buildings overlooking the white beaches and blue sea. Fishing boats bobbed in the surf.
“The people are lovely, getting on with their daily life. There’s beauty. There’s destruction as well. Obviously, there are security issues. But it’s been really interesting and I’m really enjoying it so far. I’d say come and have a look,” Sherry Roberts told DW, standing near the Mogadishu Cathedral, which was badly damaged by Al-Shabab in 2008.
At a fish market, Australian Nick Benady said: “You may be very well accustomed to traveling in Africa, but Somalia is immensely different. The language is different. The culture is different, the food is different, and the people, importantly, are different. And I think some of the biggest hearts I’ve met in Africa.”
At Mogadishu’s Liido Beach, tour boat operators like Aweis Ali are seeing more business. “Recently, more tourists have been visiting and enjoying the country, and we’ve seen many of them sharing their activities on social media platforms like TikTok,” he said.
“As boat operators, we are always ready to welcome them at beach hotels and provide enjoyable boat rides.”
Years of conflict beginning in the 1990s devasted tourism in Somalia. Mogadishu went from being known as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” to being dubbed one of the world’s most dangerous cities.
Kenya-Somalia security fears
Opening the border brings challenges such as logistics, monitoring and infrastructure. Poor roads and banditry risks make traveling overland in Somalia and northern Kenya difficult.
“There should be a cooperation between the border agencies in terms of the immigration protocols,” Ahmed Khadar said, adding that the movement of people needs to be managed. “Maybe after 10 years, there should be full normalization of the border issues.”
But the biggest concern, and the most commonly given reason for shutting the land border in 2011, is security. This coincided with Kenyan forces launching operations against Al-Shabab in Somalia.
For security, President Ruto said a multi‑agency security team will patrol the area, alongside plans to double police deployment.
Khadar told DW that previously, security cooperation was “very low, maybe because of weak government in Somalia, and maybe there was a time that Somalia, there were no government in Somalia.”
He added that “the security concern is not that much compared to 10 years ago or 15 years ago.”
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is facing trial in The Hague for his unprecedented “war on drugs,” which has killed thousands. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, the war on drugs continues.
Duterte could become the first former Asian leader to face trial at the International Criminal CourtImage: Aaron Favila/AP Photo/picture alliance
On the afternoon of October 14, 2016, four masked gunmen stormed the Manila home of Paquito Mejos, a 53-year-old father of five who worked as an electrician on construction sites. An occasional user of shabu, a methamphetamine, Mejos had turned himself in to local authorities two days earlier after learning he was on a “watch list” of drug suspects. (…) Two gunshots rang out. Police investigators arrived moments later and were assisted by the gunmen. In their report, the police referred to Mejos as “a suspected drug pusher” who “pointed his gun [at the police] but the police officers were able to shoot him first hitting him on the body causing his instantaneous death.” They said a shabu packet was found along with a handgun. “But Paquito never had a gun,” said his relative. “And he did not have any shabu that day,” the human rights watchdog Human Rights Watch cites him in 2017.
Paquito Mejos was one of the thousands of people who fell victim to former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs”. The exact number of people killed between 2016 and 2022 remains unknown: The Philippine police say up to 7,000 people, while HRW, Amnesty International, as well as the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague estimate up to 30,000 fatalities.
ICC: “Crimes against humanity”
The ICC accuses the former Philippine president of crimes against humanity; he is alleged to have been involved as an “indirect accomplice” in the planning and implementation of systematic killings.
Investigators cite at least 78 cases of murder and attempted murder in which they hope to prove his direct involvement. In addition, he is said to have incited police officers and hired killers to “neutralize” suspected criminals.
The current preliminary proceedings at the ICC serve to determine whether there is sufficient evidence for a main trial; a decision on this is expected in May 2026. This would make Rodrigo Duterte the first former head of state from Asia to face trial in The Hague.
The rise from Davao to Manila
Rodrigo’s political career started in Davao on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. Until the 1980s, Davao was considered one of the most dangerous cities in the Philippines. Murders, drug crimes, robberies, and shootouts between rival gangs were commonplace.
However, this changed during the 22-year tenure of Rodrigo Duterte as mayor, during which he gained a reputation as a relentless crime fighter. Duterte declared a “zero tolerance policy” and essentially gave the police carte blanche to use lethal force when suspects resisted arrest. He is even said to have collaborated with death squads, the notorious “Davao Death Squads.” According to reports, between 1998 and 2015, these groups executed more than 1,400 people — including petty criminals, drug dealers, and even street children — without trial.
While human rights organizations expressed outrage, Duterte became enormously popular among the local population: Under his leadership, Davao was transformed into one of the safest and most economically prosperous cities in the Philippines. Nicknamed “The Punisher,” he ran in the 2016 Philippine presidential election and won by a landslide.
Martial slogans and deadly police brutality
As president, Duterte continued his “war on drugs” throughout the country. Although some suspected cartel bosses also fell victim to his campaign, it was mainly petty criminals, drug users, and even completely innocent bystanders who were killed, especially in the impoverished neighborhoods of Manila and other cities.
Time and again, his statements in this context caused international outrage. “If you know someone who is addicted, go and kill them,” he urged slum residents in Manila shortly after his inauguration in July 2016. “In Davao, I did it myself. Just to show the boys (from the police): ‘If I can do it, why can’t you?'” he stated in a speech in December 2016.
Particular consternation erupted when some critics compared his anti-drug war to the crimes of National Socialism. However, Duterte took up the comparison and stated that Hitler had “massacred millions of Jews. Well, there are three million drug addicts here. I would like to slaughter them all,” he said.
According to a report by Amnesty International, police officers allegedly received unofficial bounties for every suspect they killed. These bounties were not paid for mere arrests.
The war on drugs goes on
In June 2022, after six years in office, Rodrigo Duterte stepped down. The new election winner was, of all people, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the son of former dictator Marcos. The fact that he had Duterte arrested in March 2025 and transferred to The Hague has less to do with a change of heart in the fight against drugs than with the new president’s desire to get rid of his biggest political rival.
After all, the war on drugs has never been officially called off, even under Duterte’s successor. Numerous regulations from the Duterte era remain in force. According to Amnesty International, the number of extrajudicial killings has declined slightly.
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.
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.
A top Democrat has accused the FBI director of causing a delayed response to high-profile cases in the US due to his personal use of the agency’s private jet.
Sen Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, called for a probe into FBI Director Kash Patel over what he called “irresponsible joyriding” in the bureau’s private aircraft.
He cited a whistleblower who alleged it slowed the FBI’s response to Utah after conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was killed and Patel’s trip to Italy, where he was seen celebrating with the men’s USA hockey team after their Olympic win.
An FBI spokesperson disputed the allegations that Patel’s travels in any way hindered investigations.
FBI spokesman Ben Williamson called the claims both “false” and “egregious” and said, “Durbin and whoever he’s speaking to are full of it”.
FBI directors are barred from flying commercial airlines due to security, and personal jet use has come under scrutiny under multiple administrations, both Republican and Democratic.
Durbin, a Democrat representing Illinois, cited a whistleblower report to his staff that chronicled that the FBI’s shooting reconstruction team was delayed responding to Utah in September after Kirk was killed during an event on a college campus. Durbin said the team was halted for at least a day due to a pilot shortage that was allegedly caused by Patel traveling.
The whistleblower alleged that same team was delayed in responding to a mass shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island over Patel’s guidance and placing a jet on hold. The team instead drove from Quantico, Virginia – where the bureau’s headquarters is located – to Providence, Rhode Island, Durbin said.
Two students were killed and nine others were wounded in the attack.
Williamson, the FBI spokesman, said these allegations were false.
“The Brown U thing is totally false but the Charlie Kirk allegation is even more egregious,” he wrote on X. “Kash was in DC on 9/10 and in New York the next day for the 9/11 ceremonies – not personal travel. Durbin and whoever he’s speaking to are full of it.”
He went through the FBI’s response to Brown University and called the allegations of a delayed response both “misleading” and “ridiculous”.
According to CNN, the FBI has three jets based in Virginia for operational use and for the director’s transport, along with a fleet of aircraft stationed around the country for surveillance and emergency response missions.
The issue over the FBI director using a private jet has been scrutinised for years for chief’s appointed by both Democrats and Republicans.
In 2013, the Government Accountability Office – the federal government’s internal watchdog – examined private jet use by FBI director Robert Mueller and US Attorney General Eric Holder after accusations that they had been misusing them.
Former FBI directors James Comey and Christopher Wray had also been called out for taking hundreds of trips that cost US taxpayers millions of dollars.
Before being appointed by President Donald Trump, Patel once criticised his predecessor for using the agency’s jet for personal travel.
Durbin has asked that the Government Accountability Office and the Justice Department’s inspector general investigate Patel’s jet usage.
“As federal law enforcement is navigating multiple crises—including Americans facing significant danger after a prominent cartel leader was killed in Mexico—the FBI cannot afford to have its resources further stretched by a Director who views its staff and aircraft as a means to support his jet-setting lifestyle,” Durbin wrote in a letter to both agencies.
Patel on Monday defended his recent trip to the Winter Olympics in Italy, telling the “very concerned media” that he was “extremely humbled” to be with the men’s hockey team after their victory over Canada in Milan. An FBI spokesperson said the trip was focused on meetings with public officials in Italy and had been planned for months.
Footage showed the FBI chief drinking a beer and cheering with the players in a locker room after the game.
That same day – shortly before the celebration – Patel had posted on X that the FBI was “dedicating all necessary resources” to investigate how an armed man tried to enter President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida where Secret Service agents fatally shot the alleged intruder.
Last November, Patel reportedly used the FBI’s plane to fly to Pennsylvania and watch a performance by his girlfriend, country music star Alexis Wilkins.
Abigail Spanberger, the first female governor in Virginia’s history, attacked President Donald Trump’s economic and immigration policies during Democrats’ response to the State of the Union address.
She questioned whether the president was working to make life more affordable and safer for Americans, while criticising Trump’s immigration crackdown in US cities and tariffs on imports.
The rebuttal – first delivered in 1966 by a rising star in the opposing party – came just moments after Trump finished his remarks on Capitol Hill.
Spanberger, 46, was elected as Virginia’s governor in November after serving in Congress and working as a CIA officer.
“Tonight the president did what he always does,” she said of Trump’s remarks. “He lied, he scapegoated, and he distracted, and he offered no real solutions to our nation’s pressing challenges, so many of which he is actively making worse.”
She began her speech laying out three questions she wanted Americans to ask themselves: is the president working to make life more affordable, is the president working to keep America safe at home and abroad, and is the president working for you.
Spanberger said the answer to all three of those questions is no.
She attacked the Trump administration’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Democrat-led cities, and applauded resistance to the efforts in Minneapolis.
“Our president has sent poorly trained federal agents into our cities where they have arrested and detained American citizens and people who aspire to be Americans,” she said. “And they have done it without a warrant.”
“They have killed American citizens in our streets. And they have done it all with their faces masked from accountability.”
Federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti and Renee Good – both US citizens – last month during immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis. The Trump administration replaced the top official and withdrew agents from the city following an outcry after the deaths.
Spanberger also criticised the rising costs of housing and healthcare, and described Trump’s tariff policy as “reckless”. She claimed his policies have cost American families $1,700 (1,260£) each.
Even though the Supreme Court ruled against the Trump administration’s tariff policy, Spanberger said “the damage to the American people has already been done”.
She said Republicans in Congress, by failing to oppose the president, are costing Americans.
“They’re making your life harder,” the governor said. “They’re making your life more expensive.”
The selection of Spanberger to deliver the Democratic rebuttal to Trump represented little political risk for Democrats. She was elected a few months ago and cannot run for re-election, since Virginia has a one-term limit.
In her rebuttal speech, she suggested Democrats could be in a good position to win seats in Congress in November’s midterm elections, noting that she ousted a Republican incumbent in 2018 to win a seat in US Congress and helped Democrats secure a majority.
India was one of the 51 countries that abstained from the resolution, which was introduced by Kyiv.
India abstains from UN resolution vote calling for ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. (File photo: Getty Images via AFP)
India on Tuesday abstained from voting on a United Nations General Assembly draft resolution that called for an immediate, complete, and unconditional ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
The resolution, titled ‘Support for Lasting Peace in Ukraine,’ received 107 votes in favour, 12 against, and 51 abstentions from the 193-member assembly. Notably, the resolution was adopted on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
India was one of the 51 countries that abstained from the resolution, which was introduced by Kyiv. Other abstaining nations included Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
Zelenskyy Expresses Gratitude
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the 107 nations that supported Ukraine’s resolution at the UN General Assembly, calling for a full ceasefire and the return of Ukrainian citizens.
In a post on X, the Ukrainian President wrote, “I am grateful to each of the 107 countries that stood with Ukraine today in defense of life at the UN. The General Assembly adopted our resolution in support of a lasting peace, with clear calls for a full ceasefire and the return of our people.”
“These are the right and necessary steps. And we will keep working actively to achieve peace, together with our partners,” the post read.
I am grateful to each of the 107 countries that stood with Ukraine today in defense of life at the @UN.
The General Assembly adopted our resolution in support of a lasting peace, with clear calls for a full ceasefire and the return of our people.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 24, 2026
UN Chief Calls War ‘Threat To Global Peace’
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, United Nations General Secretary Antonio Guterres marked the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, describing the war as a violation of international law and a threat to global peace.
In a post on X, Guterres said, “24 February marks four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in violation of the @UNCharter & international law. This devastating war is a stain on our collective consciousness & remains a threat to regional & international peace & security. The longer the war continues, the deadlier it becomes. Civilians bear the brunt of this conflict, with 2025 witnessing the largest number of civilians killed in Ukraine.”
24 February marks four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in violation of the @UN Charter & international law.
This devastating war is a stain on our collective consciousness & remains a threat to regional & international peace & security.
Surveillance footage had showed Avtar Singh being forcibly taken by three unidentified individuals in a white SUV. His wife reported him missing when she returned home to find their infant triplets alone.
Singh, a long-time cook at the Guru Nanak Parkash Gurdwara, was reported missing, prompting an investigation by local authorities.
Days after a 57-year-old Sikh man, who had allegedly been kidnapped from a Gurudwara complex in the Tracy area in California’s San Joaquin County, was found dead, authorities have reported that the incident was a case of mistaken identity. Avtar Singh served as a cook at the Taksal-controlled gurdwara Guru Nanak Parkash for few years and went missing on February 17. His body had been discovered days later.
According to surveillance footage, Avtar Singh was picked up by three unidentified individuals in a white SUV at approximately 2:30 p.m. (local time) on Tuesday (February 17, 2026), police said. The victim appeared to have entered the car against his will, according to the authorities. The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office in a Facebook post identified him as 5’7” and around 200 lbs, wearing “light-colored traditional Sikh clothing,” at the time of the kidnapping.
“During the investigation, surveillance footage showed a white SUV and 3 unidentified individuals dressed in dark clothing with the victim at approximately 2:30 PM. The victim appears to have entered the vehicle against his will,” the Sheriff’s Office posted. Detectives are actively investigating, it added.
After his wife returned home from work later that day to find their infant triplets alone, she reported him missing. Three days later, his body was discovered near Lake Berryessa, nearly two hours from where he was kidnapped.
‘They were targeting another individual’: Police
Now authorities have confirmed that Avtar was not the intended target. Investigators believe the attackers were pursuing someone else, pointing to what they suspect was a deadly case of mistaken identity.
At least a dozen US states have sued the Trump administration over sweeping changes to childhood vaccine recommendations, arguing the rollback threatens public health. The lawsuit challenges new CDC guidance limiting immunizations and the replacement of federal vaccine advisers, warning the move could increase outbreak risks and strain state resources.
States Sue Over Changes to Childhood Vaccine Rules
The Trump administration has been sued by at least a dozen states over its rollback of vaccine recommendations for children, calling the move an illegal threat to public health. According to the argument put forward by the states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put children’s lives at risk after announcing last month that it would stop recommending that all children get immunized against the flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis, and RSV.
The new guidance – which has drawn sharp criticism from doctors- protects against those diseases only for certain groups deemed high risk or when doctors recommend them in what’s called “shared decision-making”.
What does the lawsuit say?
Filed by a coalition of at least 14 attorneys general and the governor of Pennsylvania, the lawsuit has asked the courts to nullify the administration’s immunisation decision. It has also challenged “the unlawful replacement” of members of the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, who recommend vaccines for Americans.
The suit names the Department of Health and Human Services and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as defendants, along with acting CDC director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya.
According to the lawsuit, the new vaccine recommendations not only ignore long-standing medical guidance but will make states like Arizona and California spend more to protect against outbreaks. “The health and safety of children across the country is not a political issue,” said Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat, at a news conference. “It is not a culture war talking point.”
“H.H.S. Secretary R.F.K. Jr. and his C.D.C. are flouting decades of scientific research, ignoring credible medical experts, and threatening to strain state resources and make America’s children sicker,” said Rob Bonta, attorney general of California. “The fact is, vaccines save lives and save our state’s money,” he added.
Advisory panel bypassed
The schedule’s announcement bypassed A.C.I.P. – the advisory panel that recommends which shots the children should get and when. The committee’s decisions have usually guided states in determining the vaccines they need for entry into day care and elementary schools. It is also imperative for the insurance companies to cover the shots the members have recommended.
In June last year, Kennedy fired all 17 previous panelists and appointed the new ones after sharing his skepticism of vaccines and mandates.
More than 100 public health experts and organizations this month have filed an amicus brief in support of that lawsuit, which also seeks to reverse the new schedule and to stop the new advisers from meeting. A federal court in Massachusetts heard arguments in that case this month and is expected to rule in the coming days.
Representative Robert Garcia has accused the Department of Justice of unlawfully withholding FBI interview records related to a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein, who also charged President Trump with serious offences.
Trump And Epstein (Photo Credits: Twitter)
The Department of Justice “appears to have illegally withheld” FBI interview records with a survivor of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who had also accused President Donald Trump of serious crimes, said Rep. Robert Garcia on Tuesday. His remarks follow reports that FBI interview files involving the accuser were missing from the DOJ’s database, which contains millions of Epstein-related records released after Congress passed a federal law requiring their disclosure.
“For the last few weeks, Oversight Democrats have been investigating the FBI’s handling of allegations from 2019 of sexual assault on a minor made against President Donald Trump by a survivor,” Garcia, D-Calif., said in a statement, according to a report by CNBC.
Garcia, who is the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, added, “Yesterday, I reviewed unredacted evidence logs at the Department of Justice. Oversight Democrats can confirm that the DOJ appears to have illegally withheld FBI interviews with this survivor who accused President Trump of heinous crimes.”
“Oversight Democrats will open a parallel investigation into this.”
Garcia added that, due to a previously issued Oversight Committee subpoena and the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the records must be released immediately to both Congress and the American public.
“Covering up direct evidence of a potential assault by the President of the United States is the most serious possible crime in this White House cover up,” he said.
Timeline of Jeffrey Epstein’s Criminal Cases
The legal scrutiny around Jeffrey Epstein began in 2005, when police in Palm Beach, Florida, opened an investigation after the parents of a 14-year-old girl accused him of sexual abuse.
By July 2006, the Federal Bureau of Investigation had launched a federal probe, identifying at least 36 underage victims. A year later, federal prosecutors drafted a sweeping 60-count indictment. However, in September 2007, then–US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Alexander Acosta, approved a controversial non-prosecution agreement that shielded Epstein, along with four named and other potential co-conspirators, from federal charges.
In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to two state prostitution-related charges under a sealed deal. He was sentenced to 18 months in a county jail but was granted extensive work-release privileges, allowing him to leave custody for up to 12 hours a day. He was released in 2009 after serving less than 13 months and was required to register as a sex offender.
Over the following decade, multiple women publicly accused him of sexual exploitation and trafficking. In November 2018, reporting by the Miami Herald reignited national attention on the case. In July 2019, federal prosecutors in New York charged Epstein with sex trafficking, arguing they were not bound by the earlier plea deal, according to a report by Al Jazeera.
Hotel guests carry their suitcases as they wade through the water on an inundated street amid floods following heavy rain at Legian Kuta near Denpasar on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on Feb 24, 2026. (Photo: AFP/Sonny Tumbelaka)
Flooding in parts of Indonesia’s popular resort island of Bali prompted hundreds of people, including dozens of tourists, to seek safety, a local disaster official said on Tuesday (Feb 24).
Intense rains triggered flooding since late on Monday across several Bali districts and the provincial capital city of Denpasar, said local disaster mitigation agency senior official I Gede Agung Teja Bhusana Yadnya.
There were no fatalities, he said.
Waters inundated facilities, such as cafes and gas stations, in the Badung district and forced some tourists to be evacuated on rubber boats.
“We are here to visit Bali Zoo … so we were trying to visit the elephants, but due to this condition we couldn’t do this,” 28-year-old Mexican national Briana Palacios told AFP.
Gede told AFP that about 30 foreign tourists were evacuated from the flooding on Tuesday, noting that some tourists moved to other hotels or later returned to their accommodations.
In total, about 350 people temporarily sought safety amid rising waters on Tuesday, Gede said, adding that most of the people returned to their homes as waters receded.
