Category: World

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was ready to swap land in negotiations with Russia, which freed at least one American prisoner in what US President Donald Trump described Tuesday as a goodwill gesture on ending the war. Zelensky has in the past refused to cede any territory after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. But in an interview with The Guardian published Tuesday, he said Kyiv was ready for serious talks ahead of a Friday meeting at the Munich Security Conference with US Vice President JD Vance —…

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WASHINGTON: Elon Musk appeared at the White House for the first time alongside US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, unveiling new plans to reduce government spending—though his young son momentarily drew attention away from the event. Dressed in a black “Make America Great Again” cap, black t-shirt, and overcoat, the SpaceX and Tesla tycoon spoke to reporters in the Oval Office while the US president sat behind the historic Resolute Desk. Tasked by Trump to lead federal cost-cutting efforts through his “DOGE” agency—the so-called Department of Government Efficiency—Musk warned that…

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TEHRAN: Iran’s UN mission has strongly criticised former US President Donald Trump for his recent comments suggesting that stopping Iran’s nuclear ambitions could be achieved either “with bombs” or through a deal, calling his remarks “reckless” and a violation of international law. In an interview broadcast on Monday by Fox News, Trump said he believed there were two ways of stopping Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, “with bombs or with a written piece of paper”. “I’d much rather do a deal that’s not gonna hurt them,” he said, adding that…

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview published on Tuesday, said that Ukraine is prepared to offer territory exchange with Russia, emphasised that Europe would not be able to bear the full weight of Ukraine’s defense efforts alone, AFP reported. Zelensky said that Ukraine would propose a territorial swap in any potential peace talks with Russia. Zelensky is set to meet with US Vice President JD Vance on Friday at the Munich Security Conference, where discussions are expected to focus on the ongoing war. Vance, who has often criticised US involvement,…

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UK immigration enforcement teams made 609 arrests in January, marking a 73% increase from the same period in 2024, AFP reported. This effort is part of the Labour government’s plan to address undocumented migration and combat people-smuggling rings. The arrests were conducted at over 800 locations, including restaurants, nail salons, car washes, and convenience stores. This surge comes after Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer reversed his predecessor Rishi Sunak’s controversial plan to deport migrants to Rwanda, opting instead to dismantle criminal gangs involved in illegal migration. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasised that…

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French President Emmanuel Macron trumpeted the benefits of artificial intelligence Sunday, ahead of a two-day Paris summit on the technology and its potential benefits and pitfalls. Co-hosted with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the summit has a slew of stated aims including “mapping” AI governance around the world, promoting the idea of more ethical, accessible and frugal AI and pushing for European sovereignty over the technology. But announcements ahead of the gathering could have been confused with Macron’s annual “Choose France” investor conference, with tens of billions pledged for investment…

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SEOUL: North Korea said on Saturday that its nuclear weapons are meant solely for combat use against enemies threatening its people and world peace, and not for negotiations. The statement comes after US President Donald Trump hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House on Friday. The two leaders expressed their commitment to ensuring North Korea ends its nuclear weapons programme. KCNA did not mention the meeting between the US and Japanese leaders but instead cited reported comments by officials of NATO and the EU that reiterated demands…

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WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Friday called for the shutdown of USAID, escalating his unprecedented push to dismantle the humanitarian agency. In a post on his Truth Social app, he claimed the agency was deeply corrupt, writing, “THE CORRUPTION IS AT LEVELS RARELY SEEN BEFORE. CLOSE IT DOWN!” The move has sparked chaos across the agency’s global network and fuelled concerns over the decline of US influence on the international stage. In the three weeks since he began his new term, Trump has launched a crusade led by his top donor…

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Bangladesh has urged India to prevent ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from making “false and fabricated” statements during her stay in the country, the foreign ministry said. Hasina fled to India last year after violent protests erupted in Bangladesh, leaving over 1,000 people dead. In an online address on Wednesday, she urged her supporters to resist the interim government, accusing it of unlawfully seizing power. Thousands of protesters gathered in Dhaka before Hasina’s address and, an in effort to disrupt it, demolished and set fire to the home of…

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Iran on Friday condemned Washington’s move to impose sanctions related to shipping Iranian crude oil to China worth hundreds of millions of dollars, calling them as “illegal” and “unjustified”. “The decision of the new US government to exert pressure on the Iranian nation by preventing Iran’s legal trade with its economic partners is an illegitimate, illegal and violative measure,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in a statement. The US move was “categorically unjustified and contrary to international rules”, Baqaei added. The US Department of the Treasury on Thursday announced…

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