World

Manus claimed to revolutionize agentic AI. Now Chinese authorities are forcing Meta to unwind its purchase of the company in what analysts believe could set a new precedent. China blocked US tech giant Meta from acquiring the AI firm Manus on Monday. China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said in a one-line statement that it would…

Russia’s Vladimir Putin told Iran’s Abbas Araghchi that Iranians would navigate the “difficult period” of war and he hoped for peace soon. Araghchi is visiting Russia at a time when talks with the US remain on hold. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, with the Russian president…

Two giants in the AI sector are set for a courtroom battle: Elon Musk (xAI) is taking on Sam Altmann (OpenAI). Musk has accused Altmann of betraying OpenAI’s originally nonprofit mission. Jury selection began on Monday for a high-profile trial pitting the world’s richest person, Elon Musk, against a company he once backed and that is now…

A Nevada judge sentenced “Dances With Wolves” actor Nathan Chasing Horse on Monday to life in prison for sexually assaulting Indigenous women and girls. A jury had previously convicted him of 13 charges, mostly related to sexual assault of three women. Accusers and their families told Judge Jessica Peterson they continue to suffer from the trauma caused…

Iran offered to end its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. lifts its blockade on the country and ends the war in a proposal that would postpone discussions on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, two regional officials said Monday. U.S. President Donald Trump seems unlikely to accept the offer, which was passed to the…

A spate of attacks against civilians and military bases in Colombia’s southwestern region has raised security concerns as the country heads to a May presidential election in which crime is expected to be one of the top voter concerns. Rebel groups have staged 26 attacks with explosives and drones since Friday, including a deadly blast Saturday on…

President Trump and Melania Trump welcomed King Charles III and Queen Camilla with handshakes and a kiss on the cheek, a warm start to a visit designed to settle diplomatic tensions between the transatlantic allies. The two couples exchanged handshakes upon the royal arrival — while Melania Trump kissed the queen’s cheek before bowing to King Charles.…

President Trump called on ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel on Monday after the comedian referred to Melania Trump as “an expectant widow” two days before Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner. “Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC,” the president wrote in a post on Truth Social, echoing a call made by the first lady…

All Claire’s standalone stores in the UK and Ireland have stopped trading after the accessories chain’s financial woes saw it fall into administration twice in a year. Administrators Kroll said 154 stores have shut and more than 1,300 staff have been “notified of redundancy”, though its 350 concessions will remain open. Known for its colourful shop fronts…

Warning: this piece contains descriptions of alleged child abuse. For years, Noorman had entrusted his two young children to Little Aresha, a daycare centre near his home in the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta which advertises its well-equipped facilities and variety of play activities. So it came as a shock last Friday when the civil servant got a…

A California man, Cole Tomas Allen, has been charged with attempting to assassinate Donald Trump after opening fire at a high-profile Washington dinner. A California man accused of launching a brazen armed attack at a high-profile Washington gala attended by US President Donald Trump has been formally charged with attempting to assassinate the President, according to multiple…

The ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan is jeopardised following claims by Taliban officials that Pakistani artillery struck civilian areas, including a university, in Kunar, resulting in four deaths and numerous injuries. Pakistan has disputed these allegations. The fragile ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan is at risk after Taliban officials on Monday claimed that mortars and missiles fired…

Asked if Iran is serious about making a deal, Rubio mentioned the internal turmoil the country is facing as the reason for them want to get out of “the mess they’re in”. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran has used the Strait of Hormuz as an “economic nuclear weapon” against the world, ruling out any…

In January, the Franklin County Board of Elections in Ohio received a surprising call. The man on the line said he was an agent at the Department of Homeland Security – and he needed immediate access to voter records. Franklin County has a large population of Democrats and has long been a focal point of Republican skepticism…

A strong earthquake rattled Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido early on Monday (Apr 27), US and Japanese meteorological agencies reported, the latest in a series of powerful tremors to hit the island nation. The 6.2-magnitude quake struck at 5.23am in Hokkaido’s southern region, at a depth of 83km, the Japanese Meteorological Agency reported, revising its preliminary estimate…

Strikes have resumed in south Lebanon as the ceasefire between Israel and Hazbollah failed. Israeli strikes killed 14 people and wounded 37 on Sunday (Apr 26), Lebanon’s health ministry said, as the Israeli military warned residents to leave seven towns beyond the “buffer zone” it occupied before a ceasefire that has failed to fully halt hostilities. Sunday’s…

China’s economy was just starting to open up in the late 1980s when a determined high school dropout made his way to Beijing with 600 pairs of shoes. Ding Shizhong had them made in a relative’s factory and now he was going to sell them. The money he earned paid for his first workshop where he began…

Iran’s foreign minister was back in Islamabad on Sunday reportedly hoping to work on a peace plan — while President Trump said his top aides will only participate by phone at this point because Pakistan is too far to go to again. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi did the quick turnaround after leaving Pakistan’s capital without meeting…

Russia’s defense minister and the chairman of the State Duma are both visiting North Korea. One helped inaugurate a memorial to North Korean soldiers killed fighting Ukraine, the other hashed out a new defense deal. Two senior Russian politicians visited North Korea over the weekend, inaugurating a memorial to North Korean troops who died fighting against Ukraine…

Suspected guerillas carried out a deadly explosives attack on the Pan-American Highway in southwest Colombia. The region has been gripped by violence over the past few days. A bomb attack on a highway in southwestern Colombia has left at least 19 people dead, with the authorities blaming a drug lord who was once part of the FARC…

Trump explained that if Iran is unable to continue exporting oil, the pipelines will eventually fail, both mechanically and due to the earth’s natural forces. US President Donald Trump on Sunday issued a new warning to Iran, claiming the country has just three days to agree to a ceasefire deal to end the war, or its oil…

In a manifesto sent to family members roughly ten minutes before he opened fire, Allen laid out exactly who he intended to target. Saturday night was meant to be a landmark evening. After a decade-long absence, US President Donald Trump was finally returning to the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. Trump himself later admitted he had been…

Ukraine commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster on Sunday, amid fears that Russia’s four-year war could spark a repeat ​of the world’s worst nuclear accident that led to thousands of deaths and devastating environmental consequences. Marking the disaster – which spewed radioactive material across much ‌of Europe as Soviet authorities sought to hide its true…

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the suspect accused of trying to attack administration officials at a black-tie gala on Saturday night was a “pretty sick guy” who had been flagged to law ​enforcement by family members. Trump said in TV interviews that the suspect, whom an official identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, of…

Israel’s president said on Sunday that he will consider Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pardon request in his long-running corruption trial only ​after efforts to reach a plea deal are exhausted, signalling ‌no decision will come soon. Netanyahu’s legal troubles, which began with investigations around a decade ago, have polarised Israelis and shaken national politics through five rounds…

President Donald Trump said on Sunday Iran could telephone if it wants to negotiate an end to their two-month war and stressed it ​can never have a nuclear weapon, after Tehran said the U.S. should remove obstacles to a deal, including its blockade of Iran’s ports. Hopes of reviving peace efforts receded on ‌Saturday when Trump scrapped…

Tammy Blanton’s life unraveled after years of taking opioids initially prescribed for migraines, according to her daughter Mary Anne, who says the drugs left her mother isolated, unemployed and estranged from her family. Tammy was given opioid prescriptions by multiple providers for decades — receiving more than 200 pills a month on average during one two-year period…

The Justice Department is closing its investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said on Friday, removing an obstacle ​to the confirmation of Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the central bank. The move by Pirro, a Trump ally and the top federal prosecutor in ‌Washington, D.C., for now ends an…

Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung arrived in Eswatini saying Taipei would not be held back by “authoritarian forces”, ​after the government accused China of pressuring three African states to ‌block overflight permission for President Lai Ching-te. Taiwan last week said the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar unilaterally revoked flight permits for its presidential aircraft to cross airspace they…

Hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran receded as a new ‌week began, with talks aimed at ending the two-month conflict at a standstill and both Tehran and Washington showing little willingness to soften their terms. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi left mediator Pakistan empty-handed at the weekend, and U.S. President Donald Trump…

It looks like a “wild” combination of a tiger and a python, but AI tools are calling out this viral Bangladesh Forest Department uniform as a total meme hoax. A post on X (formerly Twitter) is drawing attention after it claimed to show a new uniform of the Bangladesh Forest Department. The image features two men standing…

Okello Chatrie’s cellphone gave him away. Chatrie made off with $195,000 from the bank he robbed in suburban Richmond, Virginia, and eluded the police until they turned to a powerful technological tool that erected a virtual fence and allowed them collect the location history of cellphone users near the crime scene. The geofence warrant police served on…

A spectacular brass astrolabe – or a hand-held astronomical computer – from the 17th Century, once part of the royal collection of Jaipur city in western India, will go under the hammer at Sotheby’s in London on 29 April. The object is “perhaps the largest in existence” and has never been exhibited before, Benedict Carter, head of…

A huge armada of vehicles were used to clean-up the radioactive aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster 40 years ago. Many of them still lie rusting inside the exclusion zone. In the early hours of Saturday 26 April 1986, a safety test at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in what is now Ukraine went horribly – almost apocalyptically…

Hungary’s outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has said he will not take up his seat in parliament after his party was defeated in a landslide that ended his 16-year rule. “I am now needed not in parliament, but in the reorganisation of the patriotic movement,” he said in a video statement released on social media on Saturday…

Mali’s army said unidentified “terrorist” groups had attacked several positions in the capital and elsewhere in the country. Two loud explosions and sustained gunfire rocked the area near Mali’s main military base in Kati, outside the capital city of Bamako, early Saturday morning, according to the AFP and Reuters news agencies. A Reuters witness reported that soldiers…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country is ready to hold talks with Russia in Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, Russian attacks killed several people across Ukraine.   Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday said his country is ready to hold talks with Russia in Azerbaijan, where he is currently visiting. This announcement was made after the Ukrainian leader met…

THIS is the terrifying moment a cable snaps mid-air on a slingshot-style fairground ride leaving two children dangling 300ft up. The capsule can be seen slamming into the support poles as onlookers scream in terror in a horror video filmed by an bystander on the ground. Two brave kids decided to take a turn on the Steel…

A former reality television star is in the sixth year of his presidency. His Cabinet includes a former wrestling executive along with a onetime “Real World” cast member who was filmed decades ago dancing in nothing but a towel. More than a half-dozen stars from the “Real Housewives” franchise just swung through Capitol Hill. Shouldn’t TMZ have…

The body of a Bangladeshi doctoral student who went missing with his girlfriend from the University of South Florida was found on a bridge over Tampa Bay, and his roommate has been taken into custody, law enforcement authorities said Friday. Zamil Limon’s remains were found on the Howard Frankland bridge Friday morning, but Nahida Bristy is still…

Fashionistas knew this already: “Fashion is Art.” But how will Met Gala guests interpret that dress code at this year’s extravaganza? Last year’s theme, “Tailored For You,” led to a lot of great suits; this year’s promises to produce some truly flamboyant attire as guests mount the famous carpeted steps on May 4. As always, the dress code is…

Members of the screenwriters union overwhelmingly ratified a four-year agreement with Hollywood studios and streamers on Friday, bringing an end to a surprisingly smooth and quick process that brought a prolonged strike the last time around. Union leaders said 90% voted to approve the deal struck between the Writers Guild of America West, Writers Guild of America…

The vengeful sister-in-law who doused a UK bride in black paint spilled the details on the messy family feud behind what she branded a “spur of the moment” attack. Antonia Eastwood – sentenced last week for the spite-fueled May 2024 outburst aimed at bride Gemma Monk – told the Daily Mail that she is “ashamed” of what…

Thirty-one sloths planned for a new “slothnarium” in Florida have died before the attraction’s planned opening, authorities have found. The mammals were planned to be showcased at a permanent, public exhibit at Sloth World in Orlando, set to open this spring. Many of the sloths died due to conditions at a Florida warehouse where they’d been shipped,…

The eldest son of the late Hollywood director Rob Reiner has told how his world “collapsed” after his parents were stabbed to death, and his own brother was charged with their murders. Jake Reiner, 34, wrote in a blog post that “nothing compares to losing both of them at the same time and, on top of that,…

Amid rising numbers of complaints and attacks, Talking Point looks into waste management issues and control strategies for crows, with a conservationist saying that easy access to food waste is helping fuel their population growth. The mandatory tray return scheme, and the way it has been managed, could be one reason for the crow population increase in…

Data center developer Related Digital said on Friday it has secured financing for a $16 billion data center campus it is building in Michigan for Oracle. • The financing includes equity from Related Digital and funds affiliated with Blackstone, as well as fixed-rate, long-term debt financing anchored by PIMCO-managed funds and accounts, the company said. • PIMCO…

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi arrived in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Friday to discuss proposals ​for restarting peace talks with the U.S., offering some hope for an end to the eight-week war that has killed thousands and sown turmoil in global markets. U.S. President Donald Trump told Reuters on Friday that Iran ‌plans to make an…

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday that a U.S. blockade on ​Iran is going global, adding Tehran had a chance to make a “good deal” ‌with Washington. “Our blockade is growing and going global,” Hegseth told reporters. “No one sails from the Strait of Hormuz to anywhere in the world without the permission of the…

The Justice Department is closing its investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said on Friday, removing an obstacle ​to the confirmation of Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the central bank. The move by Pirro, a Trump ally and the top federal prosecutor in ‌Washington, D.C., for now ends an…

New York Times reports Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is severely injured and in hiding, IRGC commanders now drive key military and diplomatic decisions in Tehran A group of senior Iranian military commanders is effectively steering key decisions in Tehran as the country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei remains largely out of direct control and communicates through handwritten letters,…

Trump said he has no plans of deploying nuclear arms but maintained that the Islamic Republic was already “decimated” through conventional means. US President Donald Trump said he wouldn’t turn the war in Iran into a nuclear conflict but threatened, “The clock is ticking” for Tehran to make a peace deal with Washington as a third American…

In Washington, at least 11 incidents involving scientists in areas such as nuclear technology, space research and advanced weapons are under scrutiny. Something strange is happening to some of the world’s top defence scientists. In China, they are dying in car crashes in the middle of the night. In America, they are vanishing. All of them have…

Over the last quarter century, Elon Musk ​revived space travel, turning cosmic exploration into thriving businesses. For its next act, Musk’s SpaceX is eyeing an even bigger opportunity in something ‌more prosaic: building artificial intelligence for the enterprise. SpaceX estimates that its total addressable market – a closely watched metric – could be as much as $28.5…

Pope Leo on Thursday firmly condemned the killing of protesters in Iran, after U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the Catholic leader last week for not doing so while speaking out ​against the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. Leo, the first U.S. pope, also decried the deaths of “so many” ‌civilians in the war and lamented the collapse of…

Lebanon and Israel extended their ceasefire for three weeks after a ​high-level meeting at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday. Trump hosted Israel’s ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese ambassador to the U.S. Nada Moawad in the Oval Office for ‌a second round of U.S.-facilitated talks, a day after Israeli strikes killed…

A U.S. Army soldier involved in the capture of Nicolas Maduro has been charged with making $400,000 ‌by betting on the removal of the ousted Venezuelan leader, the Justice Department said on Thursday. In the weeks leading up to Maduro’s January 3 capture, Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a master sergeant with U.S. Army Special Forces, used sensitive…

A U.S. special forces soldier involved in the military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been charged with using classified information about the mission to win more than $400,000 in an online betting market, federal officials announced Thursday. Gannon Ken Van Dyke was part of the operation to capture Maduro in January and used his…

An $81 billion Warner-Paramount mega merger has received shareholders’ stamp of approval, propelling a deal that could vastly reshape Hollywood and the wider media landscape closer to the finish line. On Thursday, Warner Bros. Discovery said the overwhelming majority of its stakeholders voted in support of selling Paramount for $31 a share. Including debt, the deal is…

  Iran Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei hasn’t released an audio or video message since assuming power because his face was badly burned in Israeli airstrikes on Feb, 28, according to a report — as President Trump says peace talks are inhibited by a lack of clear leadership in Tehran. Khamenei, 56, “does not want to appear vulnerable…

AN EX-COP has been busted after intending to carry out a mass shooting at an upcoming music festival. Christopher Gillum, 45, was arrested on Wednesday and found in possession of roughly 200 rounds of gun ammo. Gillum was nabbed by the sheriff’s office in Okaloosa County, Florida, roughly 150 miles outside of Tallahassee, after allegedly making threats…

Cyber criminals hacked into the Sri Lankan finance ministry’s computer system and siphoned off US$2.5 million, the government said on Thursday (Apr 23), the largest amount of cash ever stolen by hackers from a state institution in the debt-saddled country. The cyberattack is a major blow to Sri Lanka, which is recovering from a crippling economic crisis…

A FORMER bodyguard and close pal of Michael Jackson has claimed the new biopic about the star whitewashes his life by not delving further into the sex abuse claims made against him. In an exclusive interview, Matt Fiddes claimed Jackson would have wanted any movie to include the allegations and their impact on his life. Fiddes also…

The teenager who Los Angeles prosecutors allege was killed by musician D4vd and found inside the trunk of a car in Hollywood died from “multiple penetrating injuries” from objects, a medical examiner’s report released on Wednesday (Apr 22) said. The dismembered body of Celeste Rivas Hernandez was discovered in September in the trunk of a Tesla registered…

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday criticised the former leadership of the International Olympic Committee as “shameful” and “cowardly” and said he hoped for a new approach from those now in charge of the Olympic movement. Putin made the remarks during a Kremlin ceremony honouring Russian boxers, according to Russian news agencies. He did not name individuals…

Judges ruled the court has authority to try the former Philippine leader despite the Philippines’ exit from the ICC. Appeals judges ruled on Wednesday that the Internation Criminal Court (ICC) has jurisdiction over former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte. The judges dismissed a bid to drop the case over the killings of thousands of people during Duterte’s anti-drug…

Bayern power into German Cup final Bayern Munich have taken a major step toward a treble, reaching their first German Cup final since 2020 with a 2–0 win at Bayer Leverkusen. Top scorer Harry Kane opened the scoring midway through the first half, while Luis Díaz wrapped it up in stoppage time. Bayern will face either Stuttgart…

Courtesy of last night’s Truth Social post from US President Donald Trump, the ceasefire between Iran, the US and Israel which was due to expire on Wednesday does at least persist. Instead of fighting, we have a “war of blockades” over the Strait of Hormuz, with both sides using force to intercept and seize commercial vessels. The…

Artificial intelligence (AI) is flattening the jobs market for young people and governments should eliminate National Insurance to make hiring workers more attractive, former prime minister Rishi Sunak has told the BBC. Sunak, now an adviser to AI firm Anthropic and Microsoft, said while he is an enthusiast for the transformative impact of AI, he said concerns…

President Trump announced Wednesday that Iran will no longer execute eight women after he pleaded Tuesday for their freedom — calling it “very good news” in a social media post. “I have just been informed that the eight women protestors who were going to be executed tonight in Iran will no longer be killed. Four will be…

Khalil’s death has been condemned by Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam as a war crime, highlighting a troubling pattern of targeting media professionals in conflict zones. Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil was killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday, according to local officials and her employer, as violence continued despite a recent ceasefire. Khalil, 43, who…

The U.S. military has intercepted at least three Iranian-flagged tankers in ‌Asian waters and is redirecting them away from their positions near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday. Washington has imposed a blockade on Iran’s trade by sea while Iran has fired on ships to prevent them sailing through the Strait…

Traders placed a series of bets worth $430 million on a drop in crude prices just 15 minutes before U.S. President Donald Trump ​said he would extend a ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday. It is the third ‌time this month, and the fourth in total, that large, well-timed directional bets on the oil price have been made…

Tesla (TSLA.O), sharply raised its spending plan to more ​than $25 billion for the year as CEO Elon Musk pours money into artificial intelligence, robotics and chips – moves he said were “well justified” to build big future revenue streams. The EV maker’s ‌investors took a more skeptical view, pushing its stock down 2.4% after these remarks…

Over 30 nations meet in London to plan reopening the Strait of Hormuz, led by the UK and France, aiming to protect shipping once a ceasefire allows safe maritime operations. Military planners from more than 30 countries are holding two days of talks in London starting Wednesday to advance plans for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and…

US-Iran war depletes key US missiles, nearly half of Patriot and THAAD used, experts warn years needed to rebuild stockpiles, raising risk if another major conflict erupts. It appears that President Donald Trump needs to secure a deal with Iran more than Tehran itself, as prolonged fighting has significantly depleted key missile stockpiles. A fragile pause in…

A 22-year-old Indian student created “Emily Hart,” an AI influencer, and earned thousands targeting a MAGA audience. Using tailored political posts and viral “rage bait,” the account gained millions of views before being banned. A 22-year-old medical student from northern India has revealed how he made thousands of dollars by creating and operating “Emily Hart,” an AI-generated…

A 31-year-old Brazilian beauty queen died of a sudden heart attack, highlighting the rising heart-related issues in young women, hidden factors, subtle symptoms, and the importance. A 31-year-old Brazilian beauty queen, Maiara Cristina de Lima Fiel, died after reportedly suffering a sudden heart attack, sparking grief and shock among her community and followers. The young mother’s untimely…

Recent Israeli airstrikes in Gaza resulted in the deaths of at least five Palestinians amidst escalating violence, despite a ceasefire established last October. Since the ceasefire, over 750 Palestinians have died, while four Israeli soldiers have been killed. Israeli strikes killed at least five Palestinians in separate incidents across the Gaza Strip on Monday (April 20), Palestinian…

A draft law in the UK to create a “smoke-free generation” by banning smoking for anybody born after 2008 has cleared both houses of parliament. Only the king’s signature remains for it to become law. Children who do not reach the age of 18 before January 1, 2027 will never be permitted to buy cigarettes or tobacco…

Lebanon’s healthcare system is under severe strain despite a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Thousands of displaced pregnant women are struggling to access medical services. When 32-year-old Nour fled her home in Beirut, she focused on one thing: staying calm. “I was breathing slowly and holding my belly the whole time,” she told DW, describing the…

The US-Israel war on Iran has taught Tehran a valuable lesson – it may not have a nuclear weapon, but it controls the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil and gas shipping route that gives it strategic leverage akin to a nuclear deterrent. Nuclear weapons. Specifically, an estimated 440kg of 60 per cent enriched uranium, short of…

Some of the women, who were claimed to be on the verge of execution, have been released, Iran said. Iran’s judiciary denied on Tuesday that eight women arrested over protests that shook the Islamic republic this year were at risk of execution, after US President Donald Trump urged Tehran to release them to help negotiations. Rights groups…

Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he will be extending the ceasefire until Iran comes up with a unified proposal. Pakistan, which has positioned itself as the lead negotiator in talks between Iran and the US, seems to have played a significant role in changing US President Donald Trump’s mind about extending the ceasefire that was due…

A warning by former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has crystallised fears among Gulf states that reopening the Strait of Hormuz may be the most Iran-U.S. talks can achieve, falling short of the broader de-escalation they regard as vital. Officials and ​analysts expect the next round of negotiations, due in Islamabad, will focus increasingly not on Iran’s missiles…