India and EU commit to year-end deadline for a free trade pact

NEW DELHI, Feb 28: India and the European Union on Friday agreed to conclude a free trade deal by the end of the year, their first commitment to a deadline on talks that have been going for years, as they look to soften the effect of tariff increases from the United States.

The announcement was made by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, on a two-day visit to India, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a joint press conference.

Both sides have for years been trying to strike a free trade pact, which would involve major concessions by India - one of the world's most protected markets.
Talks for an India-EU free trade deal resumed in 2021 after having been stalled for eight years.

"We have prepared a blueprint for collaboration in the areas of trade, technology, investment, innovation, green growth, security, skilling and mobility," Modi said, adding officials have been asked to conclude the deal by the end of the year.

The EU is India's largest trading partner in goods, with two-way trade growing about 90% over a decade to stand at $137.5 billion in the 2023/24 fiscal year.

Von der Leyen called for an "ambitious" trade and investment deal that could cover industries from batteries and pharmaceuticals to semiconductors, clean hydrogen and defence.

The visit by von der Leyen, accompanied by leaders of EU nations, comes at a time of rising geopolitical tension and as U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose reciprocal tariffs on all nations, including the EU and India, by April.

"We both stand to lose from a world of spheres of influence and isolationism, and we both stand to gain from a world of cooperation and working together," she said, ahead of talks with Modi. "But I believe this modern version of great-power competition is also an opportunity for Europe, and India, to reimagine its partnership."

The deal had been delayed for many years by New Delhi's reluctance to lower tariffs in some areas, while the European Union proved reluctant in easing visa curbs on Indian professionals.

The EU wants India to lower tariffs of more than 100% on imported cars, whiskey and wine, while India seeks greater access for its cheaper drugs and chemicals in the EU market.

India also wants lower tariffs on its exports of textiles, garments and leather products. It also opposes an EU proposal to fix tariffs of 20% to 35% from January 2026 on high-carbon goods, including steel, aluminium and cement.

Hamas Hands Over Bodies Of 4 Hostages, Israel Frees Palestinian Prisoners

GAZA CITY, Feb 27: The bodies of four Israeli hostages were handed over by Hamas early Thursday, authorities confirmed, followed soon after by the return of another group of freed Palestinian prisoners to the occupied West Bank.

The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed they had received the coffins of "four fallen hostages", and a process to formally identify them had started in Israel.

In Ramallah, journalists saw a first group of more than 600 prisoners due to be freed by Israel descend from a bus before a jubilant crowd.

They were supposed to have been freed last weekend, but Israel stopped the process following outrage over elaborate ceremonies Hamas had been holding to hand over hostages, dead or alive, seized in its shock October 7, 2023 attack.

The row had threatened the first phase of a fragile Gaza ceasefire deal that went into effect on January 19.

The Israeli military said it carried out air strikes on several launch sites inside Gaza after a projectile was fired from there on Wednesday, though the munition fell short inside the Palestinian territory.

In Washington, President Donald Trump's top envoy to the Middle East said Israeli representatives were en route to talks on the next phase of the ceasefire.

"We're making a lot of progress. Israel is sending a team right now as we speak," Steve Witkoff told an event for the American Jewish Committee.

"It's either going to be in Doha or in Cairo, where negotiations will begin again with the Egyptians and the Qataris."

The first phase of the deal is supposed to end on Saturday, but negotiations for the next stage -- which were due to begin in early February -- have not yet started.

Putin Agrees To Trump Proposal to Cut Defence Spending By Half

MOSCOW, Feb 26: Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin seem to be on the same page on most issues these days. So much so, that Russia and the US now seem like allies, as the rest of the world is left stupefied. The latest point of agreement between the two leaders is on defence spending.

President Trump recently proposed that the United States, Russia, and China all cut their military spending and defence budgets by half. Surprisingly, Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the suggestion, calling it a "good proposal" and saying that Moscow was more than willing "for a discussion" to explore such an outcome.

China's Xi Jinping however, has rejected the proposal amid Beijing expansionist policies.

On being asked about Moscow's stand on President Trump's proposal in a TV interview, President Putin said "I think it is a good idea. The US would cut its defence budget by 50 per cent and we would cut ours by 50 per cent too, and then China would join too, if it agreed."

When asked, Putin said he cannot speak for China, but confirmed that Moscow would surely be open to negotiations. "We can come to a mutual agreement with Washington (on 50 per cent defence budget cuts). We are not against it at all," he said.

In the last three years, since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Russia has significantly increased their military budget. President Putin had acknowledged publicly that Moscow's defence spends accounted for nearly 9 per cent Russia's GDP.

Moscow's willingness to discuss a mutual cut in defence spends with Washington is another indicator that the war in Ukraine may be heading for a truce soon. Such a move by Moscow might even satisfy European and NATO allies, who are concerned about Russia's military might and constant build-up of arms and military platforms.

After Meeting Trump, Macron Says Ukraine Ceasefire In Weeks

WASHINGTON DC, Feb 25: After an hours-long meeting with Donald Trump in Washington DC, French President Emmanuel Macron laid down the endgame in Ukraine, suggesting that a peace deal or ceasefire agreement is highly likely in a matter of weeks. He also spoke in detail about his meeting with President Trump and what the outcomes will be.

President Macron was representing all of Europe at today's meeting with President Trump, since Europe shares a common concern over its security. Macron had held a meeting with top leaders of the European Union in Paris last week while Russia and the United States were holding a meeting over Ukraine in Saudi Arabia.

European leaders who huddled up in Paris voiced their concern - that a US-Russia direct deal on Ukraine will ignore Europe's concerns on security. They echoed the same sentiment - that talks on the Ukraine war cannot happen without Ukraine and Europe.

Donald Trump has said that the three-year-long Ukraine war will end within weeks, and President Macron shared his optimism. Calling the arrival of President Trump to negotiations on Ukraine as a "game-changer", the French President said "he (Trump) knows how to re-engage with Russia with the full deterrence capacity of the US".

Macron however cautioned the US President not to rush into a deal with Moscow. "In 2014, we had a peace deal with Russia. I can tell you from personal experience, since I was one of the two members along with German representative to follow up on the ceasefire. Russia grossly violated every single time - and none of us reacted collectively. So, the issue is of trust and credibility - how to ensure Russia does not do this again," he said in an interview to Fox News.

He went on to say that "For me the sequence of the ceasefire agreement should be as follows - First, there should be a negotiation between the US and Russia and then the US and Ukraine. President Trump has announced today that he is willing to have a short-term meeting with Ukraine's President Zelensky - this is super important."

"A truce could actually happen in the weeks to come," he said, adding that "Truce has to be achieved on land, in the air, and at sea, and infrastructure (installed in Ukraine) - and Russia must respect it. If it doesn't, it will be clear that Moscow is not serious about a peace deal" and Ukraine's sovereignty.

"During this period of time - when the truce is in place, we negotiate - on security guarantees (by Moscow), on land and territories (to reclaim or surrender), and it will be the responsibility of the Ukrainian President (to safeguard Kyiv's interest)," President Macron said.

"For the United States," he said, Washington "will secure a deal on rare earth and other critical minerals". Confirming that France and the rest of Europe will be fine with this, Macron explained that such a mineral deal for Washington "is important, because this would be the best way to guarantee that the US is also committed" and not back out of Ukraine's safety and sovereignty.

And on the back of these set of manoeuvres, with all parties invested in maintaining Ukraine's sovereignty, we will finally have a peace deal, he explained.

"But how can one guarantee that Russia will not violate this treaty in future," the French President questioned before giving the answer himself. "There is no consensus for NATO, or having Ukraine join NATO, but if we (European NATO members) leave Ukraine alone, like we did in the past," there is a risk for another invasion by Russia, he explained.

"So, as a follow-up to the ceasefire, we need to see which type of security guarantee we need going forward. One can be to increase the capacity of Ukraine to maintain a very strong army (on the Russian front). The second option will be for France and the UK to work together on a proposal that the two nations will send combined troops to Ukraine - not to go to the frontline, not to go on confrontation, but to be stationed at locations agreed upon by the treaty that all parties approve of. The aim will be just to maintain a troops presence in Ukraine to keep a check on Russia's credibility. Of course, this will be with the backing of the US," he said.

On Europe's responsibility and the sharing of costs, which President Trump has said is "absent", President Macron said "We (Europe) are ready to take our fair share of the burden, since it is in Europe. I have already spoken with around 30 European leaders, and a lot of them are ready to be a part of such a defence structure. But Europe wants a guarantee and solidarity from the US that if there is a violation by Russia, and if Ukraine or Europe is attacked, then the US will back us."

"I discussed this with President Trump this morning and he very clearly announced it. If we have this guarantee and solidarity from the US, then I think we have a deal," he said.

The war in Ukraine completed 3 years on February 24. Thousands of Ukrainian citizens have died and over 6 million live as refugees abroad. Military losses have been catastrophic, although they remain closely guarded secrets. The estimated cost to rebuild Ukraine's economy after Russia's invasion has risen to $524 billion, nearly three times its expected 2024 economic output.

Jaishankar Cautions Bangladesh Over 'Ridiculous' Claims By Its Leaders

NEW DELHI, Feb 24: Days after his meeting with Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain in Muscat, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has cautioned Bangladesh over its inconsistent outlook towards India, advising Dhaka to refrain from some of the "ridiculous" claims being made against India by leaders of the interim government.

Jaishankar's caution comes amid Dhaka's increasingly hostile behaviour towards New Delhi. Voicing his concern sternly, the foreign minister said Bangladesh must "make up their mind" right now on which direction they want their relations with India to head.

Highlighting Dhaka's duplicity, Jaishankar said Bangladesh cannot say it wants good ties with India while blaming New Delhi at the same time for everything that goes wrong for them domestically.

"If every day someone in the interim government stands up and blames India for everything - some of those things if you look at the reports, are absolutely ridiculous...You cannot, on the one hand, say that 'I would now like to have good relations with you', but I wake up every morning and blame you for everything that goes wrong. It is a decision that they must make," Jaishankar said at a public function.

"They must make up their minds on what kind of relationship they want to have with New Delhi, going forward. We have a long history with Bangladesh. We have a very special history with Bangladesh - one that goes back to 1971," he added.

The foreign minister also reiterated India's concerns on the situation in Bangladesh and how it impacts bilateral talks. "There are two aspects to the problem that our bilateral ties are facing - the first being communal attacks on minorities. What is very troubling for India is the spate of attacks on minorities. It obviously is something that impacts our thinking. It is something we have to speak up about, which we have done," Jaishankar said.

"The second aspect," he explained "is that they have their domestic politics - which you can agree with or disagree with, but at the end of the day, we are their neighbour, and they have to make up their mind on their outlook towards us."

The Government of India, he said, has "sent a clear message to Bangladesh" - that New Delhi would like things to calm down. But it does not appreciate Bangladesh's constant hostile messaging towards India.

In the meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart Touhid Hossain, Jaishankar had, last week, conveyed that Dhaka must not "normalise terrorism". The caution comes amid Pakistan's growing influence in Bangladesh.

In response to a question on whether regional grouping SAARC came up during Jaishankar's meeting with Hossain, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that "Regarding whether SAARC came up for discussion or not... Yes, the matter was brought up by the Bangladesh side when the EAM met with Bangladesh's Foreign Adviser in Muscat. It was acknowledged that everyone in South Asia is aware of which country and what activities are responsible for stymying SAARC. EAM conveyed that it is important for Bangladesh not to normalise terrorism."

Jaishankar and Hossain had previously met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September last year, marking the first high-level engagement between India and Bangladesh's interim government after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ouster in August 2024.

Ukraine's Zelenskyy proposes prisoner swap to kickstart peace talks with Russia: 'All for all'

KYIV, Feb 24: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday proposed a complete exchange of all prisoners of war with Russia as the "start" of a process of ending the conflict between the two countries.

Addressing a summit in Kyiv on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion, Zelenskyy said that Russia must release all Ukrainian prisoners and that Ukraine is ready to do the same.

"Russia must release Ukrainians. Ukraine is ready to exchange all for all, and this is a fair way to start," Zelenskyy said.

He also said that this year should be the beginning of a real and lasting peace in Ukraine.

Earlier today, Zelenskyy hailed his country's "resistance" and "heroism" as EU leaders arrived in Kyiv in a show of solidarity on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion.

"Three years of resistance. Three years of gratitude. Three years of absolute heroism of Ukrainians," Zelenskyy said. “I thank everyone who defends and supports it.”

India, UK Aim To Triple Bilateral Trade In 10 Years

NEW DELHI, Feb 24: Talk on a free trade agreement between India and the United Kingdom resumed today after a months-long gap. UK's Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds met Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi in this regard.

Negotiations on the mega deal, which will significantly benefit both nations, is at an advanced stage. The agreement being worked upon aims to triple India-UK bilateral trade within a span of 10 years. It currently stands at $20 billion annually.

Calling the possible agreement "pathbreaking", Goyal said that it has the "potential to rapidly increase our current $20 billion bilateral trade in merchandise to probably two or three times within the next 10 years".

He however, did not commit to a timeline or date by when such an agreement will be finalised, saying that negotiations are at an advanced stage, and there is nothing like "too early or too late" for such a good agreement since the benefits will last for the long-term future of citizens of both nations.

"One has to crystal gaze may be 20-30-50 years into the future and make a robust agreement which is a win-win situation for both sides and therefore neither should we rush into things, but it's always to conclude fast. So we will have speed but not haste," he added.

Reynolds echoed Goyal's remarks, calling the India-UK FTA "a top priority" of the UK. "Such agreements are about the long-term future," he added.

A joint statement after the meeting between the two ministers stated that "Today, the Republic of India and the United Kingdom (UK) have resumed negotiations towards a trade deal between our two countries. Both sides have agreed to resume talks towards a balanced, mutually beneficial and a forward-looking deal that delivers mutual growth and builds on the strengths of the two complementary economies."

"The strengthening of the trading relationship has the potential to unlock opportunities for business and consumers across both nations and build further on the already deep ties," it added.

After the meeting Goyal said that India and the UK held negotiations on three different fronts - the Free Trade Agreement or FTA, the Bilateral Investment Treaty or BIT, and a Double Contribution Convention Agreement. "All three are in parallel and conjoint with each other," he said.

On a question about migration, Goyal said "immigration has never been a part of trade negotiations anywhere in the word and India has never ever discussed immigration in any FTA talks."

Reynolds quickly added to this by saying that "UK welcomes the huge and important relationship we have with people coming from India to UK whether to study, whether to be part of the businesses and obviously business mobility is a separate issue to immigration."

The government-to-government free trade agreement talks between India and the UK began on January 13, 2022. Typically, as the name suggests, a free trade pact between nations either eliminates or greatly reduces taxes or customs duties on maximum goods traded between the two nations.

The bilateral trade between India and the UK increased to $21.34 billion in 2023-24 from $20.36 billion in 2022-23. The United Kingdom is India's sixth largest investor with India having received $35.3 billion FDI during April 2000 and September 2024.

Israel Prepared To Resume Fighting In Gaza 'At Any Moment': Netanyahu

JERUSALEM, Feb 23: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that Israel was prepared to resume fighting in the Gaza Strip "at any moment" while vowing to complete the war's objectives "whether through negotiation or by other means."

"We are prepared to resume intense fighting at any moment," Netanyahu said at a ceremony for combat officers, a day after Israel halted the release of Palestinian prisoners as part of a truce deal.

"In Gaza, we have eliminated most of Hamas's organised forces, but let there be no doubt -- we will complete the war's objectives entirely -- whether through negotiation or by other means," he added.

4th Batch Of 12 Illegal Indian Immigrants Deported By US Lands In Delhi

NEW DELHI, Feb 23; A fourth batch of illegal immigrants from India deported by the US landed in Delhi today, officials said.

They flew back to India via Panama, officials said. Of the 12, four went home to Punjab's Amritsar, officials said.

The first round of deportation had taken place on February 5, when a US military plane transported 104 Indians to Amritsar.

Amid criticism, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said the Centre had been engaging with the US to ensure the deportees are not mistreated. He said the US' deportation of illegal migrants is not a new development and has been going on for years.

Nearly 300 immigrants deported under US President Donald Trump's policies are being held in a Panama hotel as the authorities work to return them to their home countries.

With 40 per cent refusing voluntary repatriation, UN agencies are seeking alternative destinations. The situation has raised concerns over their confinement, as Panama acts as a transit hub while the US covers the costs.

President Trump has defended the mass deportation of undocumented foreign nationals, saying his administration is "draining the swamp by sending home fraudsters, cheaters, globalists and deep state bureaucrats."

He has made mass deportation of undocumented migrants a key policy.

As of 2022, unauthorised immigrants represented 3.3 per cent of the total US population, and 23 per cent of the foreign-born population, according to Pew Research Centre.

The first group of Indians deported by the US earlier arrived in Panama after President Jose Raul Mulino agreed his country would become a "bridge" country for deportees.

The Trump administration is also directing immigration agents to track down hundreds of thousands of migrant children who entered the US without their parents, expanding the US President's mass deportation effort, according to an internal memo reviewed by news agency Reuters.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) memo outlines an unprecedented push to find migrant children who crossed the border illegally as unaccompanied minors. It lays out four phases of implementation, beginning with a planning phase on January 27, though it did not provide a start date for enforcement operations, Reuters reported.

More than six lakh immigrant children have crossed the US-Mexico border without a parent or legal guardian since 2019, according to government data, as the number of migrants caught crossing illegally reached record levels.

Hamas Frees 6 Final Hostages Under First Phase Of Ceasefire

JERUSALEM, Feb 22: Israel's military said the Red Cross on Saturday received a sixth Israeli hostage, thought to be Hisham al-Sayed who was captured in Gaza a decade ago, after the handover of five other captives by Palestinian militants earlier in the day.

"According to the information communicated by the Red Cross, an additional hostage was transferred to them, and he is on his way to IDF (military) and ISA (security agency) forces in the Gaza Strip," said a joint statement from Israel's military and domestic security agency.

Commercial flights diverted as Chinese warships undertake unannounced live-fire drill over sea between Australia, New Zealand

PERTH, Feb 21: Airliners flying between Australia and New Zealand were forced to change course after receiving unexpected warnings from Chinese warships conducting a live-fire exercise over the Tasman Sea, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Friday.

Regulator Airservices Australia issued a warning to commercial pilots about a potential hazard in the airspace between the two countries after three Chinese warships began military exercises off Australia’s east coast.

However, Marles said Australian authorities were not officially informed about the drill and only learned of China’s live-firing plans from airlines that received direct warnings mid-flight.

“To be clear, we weren’t notified by China,” Marles told ABC radio in Perth. “What China did was put out a notification that it was intending to engage in live firing. By that, I mean a broadcast that was picked up by airlines or literally … commercial planes that were flying across the Tasman.”

“This was very disconcerting for the planes that were flying,” he added.

Media reports indicate that three flights from Sydney—bound for the New Zealand cities of Christchurch and Queenstown—were in the air on Friday morning when they first received the warning from a Chinese warship about the live-fire exercise. All three flights altered their routes to avoid the area. The airlines involved—Emirates, Qantas, and Virgin Australia—declined to comment on the incident.

Marles highlighted that when the Australian navy conducts live-firing exercises, it typically provides 12 to 24 hours’ notice to allow airlines to adjust their flight plans accordingly. In this case, he emphasised that all flights were ultimately able to divert safely and that there was no immediate danger to passengers.

The Chinese warships involved in the drill were the frigate Hengyang, the cruiser Zunyi, and the replenishment vessel Weishanhu. The ships were exercising freedom of navigation in international waters, a practice that Australia’s military also follows but it often provokes strong reactions from Beijing when carried out in the disputed South China Sea.

3 Buses Explode In Israel, Cops Call It 'Suspected Terror Attack'

JERUSALEM, Feb 21: Israeli police said that bombs on three buses exploded in the central city of Bat Yam on Thursday evening, with a local official saying there were no injuries.

Defence Minister Israel Katz accused "Palestinian terrorist organisations" of carrying out the blasts, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to hold a security meeting.

"Preliminary report - Suspected terror attack. Multiple reports have been received of explosions involving several buses at different locations in Bat Yam," the police said in a statement.

Three devices exploded on buses while two were being defused, a police spokesman told AFP.

A large number of police were deployed to search for suspects, the police statement said.

"Police bomb disposal units are scanning for additional suspicious objects. We urge the public to avoid the areas and remain alert for any suspicious items," it added.

Tzvika Brot, the mayor of Bat Yam, said in a video statement that there were "no injured in these incidents".

Television footage aired by some Israeli networks showed a completely burnt-out bus and another that was on fire.

Israeli media said that bus drivers countrywide had been asked to stop and inspect their vehicles for additional explosive devices.

A police commander from central Israel, Haim Sargarof said in a televised breifing that the devices used to set off the blasts were similar to those found in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Following the blasts, Netanyahu was set to hold a security meeting, his office said.

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been receiving ongoing updates from his military secretary on the IED (improvised-explosive-device) incidents in the Dan (central) area and will soon hold a security assessment," the office said in a statement.

An official in the prime minister's office said Netanyahu "views the placing of explosives on buses as a very serious incident and will order decisive action against terror elements in the West Bank".

In a separate statement, Katz said he had ordered the military to step up its offensives across the occupied territory, particularly in refugee camps.

Hamas Displays 4 Coffins On Stage Before Handover Of Israeli Hostages' Bodies

GAZA, Feb 20: Hamas handed over coffins it said contain the bodies of four Israeli hostages on Thursday, including those of the Bibas family who became symbols of the ordeal that has gripped Israel since the Gaza war began.

The transfer of the bodies is the first by Hamas since its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war, and is taking place under a fragile ceasefire that has seen living hostages exchanged for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

The ceremony to return the bodies of Shiri Bibas, her two young boys -- Kfir and Ariel -- and a fourth captive, Oded Lifshitz, 83 at the time of his capture, took place at a former cemetery in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis.

The Israeli military said later that "the hostages' bodies were handed over" to it and the Shin Bet internal security agency in Gaza.

Netanyahu said Thursday would be "a very difficult day for the State of Israel -- a heartbreaking day, a day of grief".

Ukraine 'Destroys' Russia's S-350 Air Defence System

KYIV, Feb 19: As top diplomats from the US and Russia arrived in Saudi Arabia for a meeting on the years-long war in Ukraine, Moscow was dealt a severe blow in the battlefield. Ukraine's Ministry of Defence released a video in which it claimed that it has destroyed Russia's advance S-350 missile defence system.

The video, with undated footage from a drone, shows a convoy of Russian military vehicles crossing an agricultural stretch of land. The video then zooms in at what appears to be launch vehicles of the S-350 surface-to-air missile defence systems. In the very next moment they are destroyed in a precision air strike resulting in plumes of smoke and dust.

The drone footage was shared with the Ukranian defence ministry by the Black Forest Brigade - an elite artillery reconnaissance arm of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The location coordinates and actual date of the claimed offensive was not revealed.

According the a report in the Kyiv Post, the elite Black Forest Brigade issued a statement along with the video in which it said "Thanks to the skillful actions of the reconnaissance men of the Chornyi Lis (Black Forest) Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade, we have managed to detect and destroy Russia's latest short- and medium-range S-350 Vityaz anti-aircraft missile system."

If found true, this will be a major achievement for the Ukrainian military and an even bigger embarrassment for Russia, which prides over its "virtually impenetrable" air defence systems like the S-300, S-350, and S-400.

The S-350 air defence system is said to be the latest generation of Russian medium-range surface-to-air missile defence system. It is reportedly intended to replace the outdated S-300PS and the Buk-M1-2 systems in the Russian military.

Each unit of the S-350 air defence system reportedly costs more than $130 million and were inducted into the Russian military as recently as 2020. Each unit comprises of a mobile launcher which holds 12 missiles, an advanced multi-functional radar system, and a command post.

With a medium range of 120 kilometers the system is capable of deterring any incoming aerial threats from cruise missile, tactical ballistic missiles, drones, UAVs, military aircraft such as fighter jets and helicopters. They also have inbuilt AI systems which allow it to operate without human intervention while automatically tracking, detecting, and destroying all incoming threats.

The S-350 and the S-400 surface-to-air defence systems are both upgraded versions of the S-300. It is important to note that both India and China have in recent years procured large number of S-400 air defence systems.

The S-350 Vityaz, though not as advanced as the S-400, is still considered a highly capable deterrent system. While the S-350 is a medium-range system, the S-400 is long-range. The missiles in the S-350 are from the same family as that of the S-400, with range being the principal differentiating factor.

Hamas Ready To Free Hostages In 'One Go'

GAZA, Feb 19: Hamas has offered to release all remaining captives in the Gaza Strip in "one go". This move is contingent upon a lasting truce and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the besieged enclave.

Hazem Qassem, Hamas spokesman, emphasised the group's commitment to this proposal, stating, "We are ready for a second phase in which the prisoners will be exchanged in one go, within the criterion of reaching an agreement that leads to a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal from the Strip".

This proposal marks a crucial step in the negotiations, as Hamas seeks to secure a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. The group has also rejected Israel's demand for its disarmament and removal from Gaza, with Qassem labeling this condition as "a ridiculous psychological war."

He further emphasised that the withdrawal or disarmament of the resistance from Gaza is unacceptable.

Hamas has also decided to increase the number of captives to be freed during the next swap on Saturday from three to six.

"The Hostages and Missing Families Forum welcomes with profound joy the return of Eliya Cohen, Tal Shoham, Omer Shem Tov, Omer Wenkert, Hisham Al-Sayed, and Avera Mengistu this Saturday", the group said in a statement, after the two parties confirmed that six hostages will be freed, per AFP.

This decision was made in response to a request from mediators and to demonstrate Hamas' commitment to implementing the terms of the agreement. Qassem explained, "Doubling the number of prisoners to be released was done in response to a request from the mediators and to prove our seriousness in implementing all the terms of the agreement."

The proposal was made as United States President Donald Trump spoke out against weekly phased release of hostages taken from Israel. Moreover, even the families of those remaining in Gaza have called for all remaining captives to be freed together. Israel's continued blockade of the Gaza Strip has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, with vital border crossings remaining sealed.

The devastating impact of the war is evident in the staggering statistics. Gaza's Ministry of Health has confirmed 48,291 deaths, while 111,722 people have been wounded. The Government Media Office has updated its death toll to at least 61,709 people, with thousands of Palestinians missing under the rubble now presumed dead. Rebuilding Gaza could cost a staggering $53.2 billion, according to a report by the World Bank, the United Nations, and the European Union.

Moscow Hardens Stand, US Says 'Long Journey' Ahead

RIYADH, Feb 18: The much-anticipated meeting between Russia and the United States in Saudi Arabia concluded on Tuesday evening (Riyadh time). Ukraine was discussed in detail. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke to the international press immediately after the top-level meeting.

"Today is the first step of a long and difficult journey - but an important one," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in his opening remarks. He outlined the goal set in the meeting. "The goal is an agreement that is acceptable to everyone involved in it - and that obviously includes Ukraine, but also our partners in Europe, and, of course, the Russian side as well."

Secretary Rubio stressed that Donald Trump wants a swift resolution of the conflict and has urged all sides to move quickly in order to bring an end to the years-long war in Ukraine. Calling for a fair, enduring, and sustainable agreement in this regard, Rubio said all sides will need to make concessions in order to find a common ground.

The US delegation, which included National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and special envoy Steve Witkoff said that the US and Russia will both appoint special teams to negotiate a settlement in order to "bring the conflict in Ukraine to an end". Russia currently controls approximately one-fifth or 20 per cent of Ukraine's territory.

The US team said that the talks with Russian officials also focused on improving ties between Washington and Moscow which had gone into a deep-freeze under the Biden administration. They however said, that a date has not yet been decided for a possible summit to be held by Putin and Trump.

Russian negotiator and Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters after the over four-hour discussion that "It was a very serious conversation on all the questions we wanted to touch upon", however gave no specific details of Moscow's demands.

At the meeting in Riyadh today, Russia signalled a hardening of its demands. In a press briefing in Moscow, foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said it was "not enough" for NATO not to admit Ukraine as a member, adding that the military alliance must go further by disavowing a promise it made at a summit in Bucharest in 2008 that Kyiv would join at a future, unspecified date. "Otherwise, this problem will continue to poison the atmosphere on the European continent," she stressed.

Ukraine's Zelensky, however, has repeatedly stressed that a NATO membership for Kyiv is the only way for Ukraine to safeguard its independence and sovereignty. Ahead of the Russia-US meeting in Riyadh today, for which Ukraine was not invited, Zelensky said "We, as a sovereign country, simply will not be able to accept any agreements without us."

As the meeting concluded, Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said that the US "better understood" Moscow's position on the situation. He went on to describe the meeting as a "very useful" one.

"We did not just listen but heard each other, and I have reason to believe that the American side has better understood our position," he said, adding that Moscow has conveyed to Washington that it opposes any NATO member sending any troops to Ukraine as part of a ceasefire, whether under a national flag or that of the European Union. "This is absolutely unacceptable to us," he said pointedly.

Lavrov also mentioned that Washington hinted at lifting sanctions currently placed on Moscow. "There was strong interest in removing artificial barriers to the development of mutually beneficial economic cooperation," he said.

Ukraine and the European Union, especially NATO allies are worried about Washington making hasty decisions under President Trump just to cut a deal with Moscow. This, they fear, may not just result in ignoring the security concerns of Europe, but might end up being rewarding for Moscow for its invasion.

Qatar Commits To Investing $10 Billion In India

NEW DELHI, Feb 18: Qatar has committed to investing $10 billion in India across various sectors, the two nations said in a joint statement on Tuesday, after Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani visited New Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had a "very productive meeting" with Qatar's Emir, who was on a two-day visit to New Delhi.

"Trade featured prominently in our talks. We want to increase and diversify India-Qatar trade linkages," Modi said in a post on X. It was the first such visit by a Qatari Emir to the South Asian nation in 10 years.

According to the statement, Qatar will invest $10 billion in India in infrastructure, technology, manufacturing, food security, logistics, hospitality and other sectors.

The two countries will aim to double their annual trade to $28 billion in the next five years and are exploring the signing of a free trade agreement, the Indian foreign ministry said earlier in the day.

Bilateral trade between the two nations stood at $18.77 billion in the fiscal year that ended in March 2023, mainly comprising liquefied natural gas imports from Qatar.

Qatar accounted for more than 48% of India's LNG imports that year.

The two sides said they would work to enhance bilateral energy cooperation, including mutual investments in energy infrastructure, as well as look at settlement of bilateral trade in their respective currencies.

Israel Says Hamas Must Leave Gaza, Surrender Arms

JERUSALEM, Feb 18: Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Monday that Hamas militants must surrender their arms and leave Gaza.

He was speaking ahead of a cabinet meeting to discuss the next phase of the truce between Israel and Hamas Palestinian militants.

Smotrich in a video statement said he "will demand a vote" by ministers on US President Donald Trump's plan and that Israel must "issue a clear ultimatum to Hamas -– immediately release all hostages, leave Gaza for other countries, and lay down your arms".

"If Hamas refuses this ultimatum, Israel will open the gates of hell," said Smotrich, echoing an expression used by both Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A strong opponent of stopping the war, he has threatened to quit Netanyahu's ruling coalition if the war is not resumed after the end of the first stage of the ceasefire.

Trump's plan lacked detail but has triggered widespread outrage internationally for his call to resettle Palestinians in other countries such as Egypt and Jordan under a US "takeover" of Gaza.

Smotrich said Israel should go for a "complete conquest" of the territory.

According to Israeli media, the security cabinet convened on Monday evening to discuss phase two of the fragile ceasefire which began on January 19.

More than 15 months of war destroyed or damaged more than 69 percent of Gaza's buildings, displaced almost the entire population, and triggered widespread hunger, according to the United Nations.

"It's them or us. Either we crush Hamas, or God forbid, Hamas will crush us," Smotrich said.

"I call on the prime minister to declare that once the war resumes after Phase One, Israel will, from the first day, seize 10 percent of Gaza's territory, establish full sovereignty there, and immediately apply Israeli law", he added.

"Furthermore, it must be announced that once combat resumes, all humanitarian aid will be completely halted."

Smotrich further said that according to a plan currently in preparation "Gaza's residents will be allowed to leave, but only in one direction -— with no possibility of return".

"The loss of territory is the only heavy price our enemies understand -- the only thing that will make them realise we are serious," Smotrich added.

Since the first phase of the truce began last month, 19 Israeli hostages have been released in exchange for more than 1,100 Palestinian prisoners.

Out of 251 people seized in Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which sparked the war, 70 remain in Gaza, including 35 the Israeli military says are dead.

Russia-US Talks In Riyadh, Zelensky Travelling to Saudi Too, Europe Holds Urgent Meet

RIYADH, Feb 17: As Saudi Arabia gears up to facilitate talks between top diplomats from Russia and the United States aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is also traveling to the middle-eastern nation - but a day after the Russia-US meeting.

As the world awaits the update from high-level meeting between Moscow and Washington, it is important to note that Ukraine has not been invited to these diplomatic talks, leaving European nations aghast with Washington's dramatic change in policy towards Moscow after the Trump administration took charge.

This will be the first time that diplomats from Russia and the United States will meet for talks since the beginning of the war in Ukraine in February 2022. Donald Trump has, on a number of occasions, been vocal about a swift resolution to the three-year-long war.

Ukraine's President Zelensky however, said Kyiv "does not know anything about" the upcoming talks in Riyadh, adding that "Kyiv cannot recognise any agreements or things discussed about us without us."

President Zelensky's spokesperson has said that he will be in Riyadh a day after the Russia-US meeting as was announced along with his visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Turkey. He stressed that President Zelensky will not be meeting any officials either from Russia or from the US during his visit.

The spokesperson, Sergiy Nykyforov, said the stopover of President Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska in Saudi Arabia is part of a "long-planned" official visit.

The Kremlin has described this meeting as an effort by both nations to repair ties between Moscow and Washington. "The meeting is primarily devoted to restoring the whole complex of Russian-American relations," the statement read.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and Putin's top aide Yuri Ushakov, along with a top-level delegation will meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and other top diplomats from the United States.

Marco Rubio, who arrived in Riyadh today, will also be meeting top officials over the situation in Gaza.

Moscow has shut the door on Europe and has said that US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin want to move on from "abnormal relations" between their countries during the Ukraine war, and that it saw no place for Europeans to be at any negotiating table.

Russia has repeatedly slammed NATO's increasing presence in central and eastern Europe and before it launched its full-scale military offensive on Ukraine, Moscow had demanded that NATO pull its troops, equipment, and bases out of several eastern European member states that were under Moscow's sphere of influence during the Cold War.

Sidelining Europe, the Kremlin also said that this meeting will explore the possibility of a US-Russia Summit led by Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Meanwhile, European leaders met in Paris to discuss Washington's massive policy shift towards Moscow and the war in Ukraine. In last week's telephonic conversation between Trump and Putin, the two leaders discussed the war in Ukraine and the need for negotiations and dialogue to end the conflict.

This led to a sudden call by European leaders to hold an urgent meeting in Paris on Monday. The meeting was scheduled for 1500 hrs GMT (8 pm IST). They believe that a meeting between Trump and Putin could be a possibility "very soon".

Hosted by President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee palace, the European meeting brought together leaders from France, Germany, Britain, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark, as well as the heads of the European Council, the European Commission and NATO.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that he is willing to put "our own troops on the ground if necessary" in response to what he called "a once-in-a-generation moment for the collective security of our continent".

The war in Ukraine is days short of its third anniversary on February 24.

Israel kills Hamas ‘commander’ in Lebanon on eve of ceasefire deal deadline to withdraw troops

TEL AVIV, Feb 17: The Israeli military said it killed a commander from the Palestinian militant group Hamas in an airstrike in southern Lebanon's Sindon on the eve of a deadline in a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

“Mohammed Shahine was eliminated after recently planning terror attacks, directed and funded by Iran, from Lebanese territory against the citizens of the state of Israel,” the military said in a statement.

“Shahine was a significant source of knowledge within the terrorist organisation and was responsible throughout the war for various terror attacks and rocket launchers aimed at Israeli civilians,” it added.

The strike occurred near an army checkpoint and Sidon’s municipal sports stadium. Footage believed to be from the site of the attack showed a car engulfed in flames. Lebanese state news agency said rescuers removed one body from the car but did not identify the victim.

The drone strike comes on the eve of a deadline fixed by the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah. The deal that ended the 14-month-long war stipulated Israel withdraw all of its forces from southern Lebanon.

Israel has continued its strikes against “military sites” in southern and eastern Lebanon since the ceasefire. The Jewish state's claims that it is only targeting sites containing Hezbollah missiles and combat equipment have been disputed by Lebanon, which accused Israel of violating the deal.

In November, a US-brokered ceasefire agreement granted Israel 60 days to withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon completely. The deadline was extended to February 18 amid Israel's insistence to maintain its troops in five posts inside Lebanon.

Netanyahu says with US support, 'we can finish the job' against Iran

JERUSALEM, Feb 16: Israel and the United States are both determined to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions and its "aggression" in the Middle East, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Speaking after a meeting with Rubio in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said they had held a "very productive discussion" on a number of issues, "none more important than Iran".

"Israel and America stand shoulder to shoulder in countering the threat of Iran," he said. "We agreed that the ayatollahs must not have nuclear weapons and also agreed that Iran's aggression in the region must be rolled back."

Rubio said: "Behind every terrorist group, behind every act of violence, behind every destabilising activity, behind everything that threatens peace and stability for the millions of people that call this region home is Iran."

Netanyahu said Israel had dealt a "mighty blow" to Iran over the past 16 months since the start of the war in Gaza against Hamas and said that with the support of Trump "I have no doubt we can and will finish the job".

He said Israel had weakened the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement in southern Lebanon and had hit hundreds of targets in Syria to prevent a new Iranian-backed front opening up against Israel.

"Now, if any other force believes that Israel will permit other hostile forces to use Syria as a base of operations against us, they are gravely mistaken," Netanyahu said.

Hamas Releases 3 Israeli Hostages In Exchange For 369 Palestinian Prisoners

GAZA, Feb 15: The release of three Israeli hostages, Israeli-Argentine Yair Horn, Israeli-American Sagui Dekel-Chen, and Israeli-Russian Sasha Troufanov, happened on Saturday, following successful mediation efforts by Egyptian and Qatari officials.

The hostages, who were seized by Hamas militants during an attack on October 7, 2023, were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which then transported them to Israeli forces. The military has confirmed that the freed hostages are now back in Israel.

The release is part of a prisoner swap agreement that will see 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees freed in exchange for the three Israeli hostages. The agreement is a significant development in the ongoing efforts to maintain a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The three hostages, who were held captive for several months, were seen being handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza's southern city of Khan Yunis. They were reportedly in good health and were seen clutching gift bags and certificates marking the end of their captivity.

However, the situation remains volatile, with tensions running high between Israel and Hamas. The Israeli military has been accused of blocking aid from entering Gaza, which has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the region. Hamas has threatened to hold off on releasing more hostages if Israel fails to meet its aid obligations.

The release of the three hostages brings the total number of hostages released since the ceasefire began to 19. However, many more hostages remain in captivity, and efforts are ongoing to secure their release.

The situation in Gaza remains dire, with thousands of people left homeless and without access to basic necessities like food, water, and electricity. The international community has called for an immediate end to the violence and for all parties to work towards a lasting ceasefire.

As the situation continues to unfold, all eyes are on the release of the remaining hostages and the maintenance of the ceasefire.

'1,400 Killed In 45 Days': UN On 'Crimes Against Humanity' By Sheikh Hasina Government

NEW DELHI, Feb 13: Bangladesh's former government was behind systematic attacks and killings of protesters as it tried to hold onto power last year, the UN said on Wednesday, warning that the abuses could amount to "crimes against humanity".

Before Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was toppled in a student-led revolution last August, her government cracked down on protesters and others, including by "hundreds of extrajudicial killings", the United Nations said.

The UN rights office (OHCHR) said it had "reasonable grounds to believe that the crimes against humanity of murder, torture, imprisonment and infliction of other inhumane acts have taken place".

These alleged crimes committed by the government, along with violent elements of Hasina's Awami League party and the Bangladeshi security and intelligence services, were part of "a widespread and systematic attack against protesters and other civilians", OHCHR's report into the violence said.

Hasina, 77, who fled into exile in neighbouring India, has already defied an arrest warrant to face trial in Bangladesh for crimes against humanity.

Asked about Hasina's personal culpability, UN rights chief Volker Turk told reporters that his office "found reasonable grounds to believe that indeed the top echelons of the previous government were aware, and in fact were involved in... very serious violations".

Bangladesh's interim leader Mohammed Yunus, who had asked the UN rights office to launch its fact-finding mission, welcomed the report, insisting that he wanted to transform Bangladesh "into a country in which all its people can live in security and dignity".

The UN investigation examined events in Bangladesh between July 1 and August 15 last year, relying on hundreds of interviews with victims, witnesses and others, and on photos, videos and other documents.

The team determined that security forces had supported Hasina's government throughout the unrest, which began as protests against civil service job quotas and then escalated into wider calls for her to stand down.

OHCHR estimated that "as many as 1,400 people may have been killed" over the 45-day period, the vast majority of them "shot by Bangladesh's security forces".

Children made up 12 to 13 percent of those killed, it said.

The overall death toll given is far higher than the most recent estimate by Bangladesh's interim government of 834 people killed.

"The brutal response was a calculated and well-coordinated strategy by the former government to hold onto power in the face of mass opposition," Turk said.

He pointed to findings of "hundreds of extrajudicial killings, extensive arbitrary arrest and detention and torture and ill treatment", decrying "a disturbing picture of rampant state violence and targeted killings".

The rights office also found indications of widespread gender-based violence and the abuse and killing of children.

On the other side, the report highlighted "lynchings and other serious retaliatory violence" against police and Awami league officials or supporters.

Bangladeshi rights group Odhikar said that a dozen people had died in detention since Hasina's ousting.

Asked about these cases, Turk said his office had only examined the situation up to mid-August.

He hailed the interim government's cooperation and expressed commitment to reforms, but warned of "major challenges and deficiencies in the current legal system".

Rory Mungoven, head of OHCHR's Asia-Pacific section, said the office was prepared to cooperate with Bangladesh's judiciary to help ensure justice, but only if the process meets international fair trial standards.

The fact that Bangladesh allows capital punishment also posed a problem, he said.

Turk said that the country needed "a comprehensive process of truth-telling, healing and accountability, and to redress the legacy of serious human rights violations and ensure they can never happen again".

Modi, Macron discuss 'Strategic partnership, global affairs, terrorism’

PARIS, Feb 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed their shared vision for bilateral cooperation and international partnership in a joint statement following the former's two-day trip to France. The two leaders commended the progress achieved in their bilateral cooperation and expressed their commitment to accelerating it further.

During their bilateral talks, the joint statement reads, the two leaders discussed several vexed topics, including the Indo-Pacific and the Russia-Ukraine war. They also discussed strategic partnership and cooperation in areas like defence, nuclear energy, and space. They also discussed collaboration in the fields of technology and innovation.

"The talks covered all aspects of the India-France strategic partnership. The two leaders reviewed cooperation in the strategic areas of Defence, Civil Nuclear Energy and Space. They also discussed ways to strengthen collaboration in the fields of Technology and Innovation.

This area of partnership assumes greater salience in the backdrop of the just concluded AI Action Summit and the upcoming India-France Year of Innovation in 2026. The leaders also called for enhancing trade and investment ties and in this regard welcomed the report of the 14th India- France CEOs Forum," said the Indian government's statement.

On Tuesday, Modi and Macron flew together from Paris to Marseille in the French Presidential Aircraft.

They committed to further deepen engagement in the Indo-Pacific and global forums and initiatives.

Modi touches upon 'job loss' fear, re-skilling, deepfakes at AI Summit in France

PARIS, Feb 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called for investment in skilling and re-skilling people for an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven future.

Addressing the AI Action Summit at the Grand Palais in Paris, the prime minister said,"Loss of jobs is AI's most feared disruption, but history has shown that work does not disappear due to technology, only its nature changes. We need to invest in skilling and re-skilling our people for an AI-driven future."

Modi is co-chairing the AI Action Summit with French president Emmanuel Macron.

“We must develop open source systems that enhance trust and transparency. We must build quality data centres free from biases, we must democratize technology and create people centre applications. We must address concerns related to cyber security, disinformation and deepfakes,” Modi said.

“We must also ensure that technology is rooted in local ecosystems for it to be effective and useful. Loss of jobs is AI's most feared disruption, but history has shown that work does not disappear due to technology, only its nature changes. We need to invest in skilling and re-skilling our people for an AI-driven future,” the prime minister added.

“AI is developing at an unprecedented scale and speed and being adapted and deployed even faster. There is also a deep interdependence across borders. Therefore, there is a need for collective global efforts to establish governance and standards that upload our shared values, address risks, and build trust,” Modi added.

Modi in Paris for AI Summit, bilateral talks with Macron

PARIS, Feb 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Paris on Monday to co-chair the AI Action Summit and hold bilateral talks with French president Emmanuel Macron.

“Over the next few days, I will be in France and USA to take part in various programmes. In France, I will be taking part in the AI Action Summit, where India is the co-chair. I will be holding talks with President @EmmanuelMacron towards strengthening India-France relations. We will also be going to Marseille to inaugurate a Consulate there,” the prime minister posted on X ahead of his departure.

The prime minister will attend a dinner hosted by Macron at the Élysée Palace, which is likely to be attended by a large number of CEOs from the tech domain along with other distinguished invitees to the summit.

On February 11, the prime minister will co-chair the AI Action Summit, along with Macron.

He will also hold discussions in both restricted and delegation formats and address the India-France CEO's Forum.

Hamas says it is postponing next hostage release, claiming Israel has broken terms of deal

GAZA, Feb 10: Hamas has said the next hostage release scheduled to take place in Gaza on Saturday will be postponed, accusing Israel of breaking the ceasefire deal.

In a post on X, Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, said that the handover of the prisoners “who were scheduled to be released next Saturday … will be postponed until further notice, and until the occupation commits to and compensates for the entitlements of the past weeks retroactively.”

He added: “We affirm our commitment to the terms of the agreement as long as the occupation commits to them.”

In response to Hamas’ announcement, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said he has instructed the country’s military to “prepare at the highest level of alert for any possible scenario in Gaza.”

The defense minister described Hamas’ move as a “complete violation of the ceasefire agreement and the deal to release the hostages.”

Israel’s far-right former minister of national security, Itamar Ben Gvir, said Israel should respond with a “massive attack on Gaza.”

“Hamas’ announcement must have one real-life response: a massive attack on Gaza, from the air and land, alongside a complete halt to humanitarian aid to the Strip, including electricity, fuel and water, and including the bombing of aid packages that have already been brought in and are in Hamas’ hands in Gaza,” Ben Gvir, leader of the Jewish Power party, said in a Monday statement.

Hamas and Israel have each accused the other of violating the agreement throughout the first phase of the deal, raising questions about whether the ceasefire that took more than 15 months to reach would hold.

UK's crackdown on illegal immigrant workers hits Indian restaurants

LONDON, Feb 10: The crackdown in the UK against illegal immigrants has extended to Indian restaurants, nail bars, convenience stores and car washes which employ such individuals.

The Home Office described the action as a UK-wide blitz on illegal working in the country. Secretary Yvette Cooper said her department’s Immigration Enforcement teams raided 828 premises in January, a 48% increase year-on-year. 609 people were arrested, marking a 73 per cent increase from the previous year.

The department said that a significant action was taken against restaurants, takeaways and cafes as well as in the food, drink and tobacco industry. Seven individuals were arrested from an Indian restaurant in Humberside, northern England.

The home office also stressed that the teams were taking action against illegal working conditions in all sectors. “The immigration rules must be respected and enforced. For far too long, employers have been able to take on and exploit illegal migrants and too many people have been able to arrive and work illegally with no enforcement action ever taken,” Cooper said.

“Not only does this create a dangerous draw for people to risk their lives by crossing the Channel in a small boat, but it results in the abuse of vulnerable people, the immigration system, and our economy,” she added.

The Labour Party government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, will table the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill for a second reading in the country's Parliament this week. The bill aims to “smash the criminal gangs” that the government accuses of undermining border security.

Putin ‘wants to see people stop dying’ in Ukraine war, says Trump after tele conversation

WASHINGTON DC, Feb 9: President Trump has spoken to Russian leader Vladimir Putin on the phone to try to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war, he said in an interview aboard Air Force One Friday.

“I’d better not say,” said Trump when asked how many times the two leaders have spoken.

But he believes Putin “does care” about the killing on the battlefield.

“He wants to see people stop dying,” said Trump.

“All those dead people. Young, young, beautiful people. They’re like your kids, two million of them – and for no reason.”

The three-year-old war “never would have happened” if he had been president in 2022, Trump asserted.

“I always had a good relationship with Putin,” he said, unlike his predecessor.

“Biden was an embarrassment to our nation. A complete embarrassment.”

Trump said he has a concrete plan to end the war.

“I hope it’s fast. Every day people are dying. This war is so bad in Ukraine. I want to end this damn thing.”

Addressing National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, who joined him in his study aboard Air Force One Friday night, the president said: “Let’s get these meetings going. They want to meet. Every day people are dying. Young handsome soldiers are being killed. Young men, like my sons. On both sides. All over the battlefield.”

Vice President Vance will meet Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference next week.

Trump has said he wants to strike a $500 million deal with Zelensky to access rare-earth minerals and gas in Ukraine in exchange for security guarantees in any potential peace settlement.

Hamas parades 3 frail hostages in Gaza before release, images shock Israelis

TEL AVIV, Feb 8: Hamas on Saturday released three more Israeli hostages, after nearly 500 days of captivity, to the humanitarian aid organisation Red Cross. The three hostages -- Eli Sharabi, Or Levi and Ohad Ben Ami -- were released as part of the ongoing ceasefire deal with Israel.

However, their frail and emaciated condition drew widespread condemnation from the global community.

Soon after their release, the international media highlighted the thin and frail images of the Israeli nationals, who were reportedly in a worse state as compared to the 18 hostages freed last month.

Reacting to the visuals of the emaciated Israeli hostages being paraded on a stage in Gaza, an infuriated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "We will not gloss over the shocking scenes that we saw today."

Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi were abducted by terror group Hamas from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023. Eli Sharabi's wife and children were both killed in the infamous October 7 attack.

Meanwhile, Hamas prisoners' office said that Israel would free 183 hostages in return as part of the prisoner-hostage swap. Out of the 183 prisoners, 18 were sentenced to life.

Trudeau says Trump’s intent to make Canada US’s 51st state is a ‘real thing’

TORONTO, Feb 8: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that US President Donald Trump’s intent to make Canada America’s 51st state maybe a “real thing”.

According to reports in Canadian media, while hosting the Canada-US Economic Summit in Toronto on Friday, Trudeau said, “I suggest that not only does the Trump Administration know how many critical minerals we have but that may even be why they keep talking about absorbing us and making us the 51st state. They’re very aware of our resources, of what we have and they very much want to be able to benefit from those.”

“But Mr Trump has it in mind that one of the easiest ways of doing that is absorbing our country. And it is a real thing,” he added.

That meeting was held as Ottawa prepares for the March 4 date on which Trump is expected to decide whether to levy a 25% tariff on imports from Canada.

Soon as his election in November, Trump had accused Canada of being responsible for a flow of illegal immigrants and the deadly drug fentanyl into the US.

While Trump announced the tariffs would be imposed on February 4, that deadline was moved by 30 days after the Trudeau government made several concessions, including the appointment of a fentanyl czar.

In Bold Protest, Naked Iranian Woman Jumps On Police Car

TEHRAN, Feb 6: A daring protest in Iran's second-largest city, Mashhad, has gone viral after a woman was filmed stripping naked and jumping onto a police car. The shocking footage, shared on social media, shows the woman yelling at armed officers as she stands on the hood of the car in the crowded streets.

She then climbs onto the windshield, making a defiant gesture. Despite attempts by officers to get her down, she refuses to move, even as one officer reaches into the vehicle, reportedly for a weapon.

A male officer, armed with an automatic weapon, appears to hesitate to detain the woman due to her nakedness, as reported by Euronews.

While the exact motivation behind her actions is unclear, reports on social media suggest that she was protesting Iran's increasingly oppressive clothing laws for women. The woman's bold protest has sparked a mix of reactions, with some speculating about her mental health and others hailing her as a symbol of resistance against the country's oppressive clothing laws for women.

The incident is part of a larger movement in Iran, where women are pushing back against the strict dress code enforced by the morality police. Earlier, a woman stripped to her underwear at Tehran University, sparking widespread debate and discussion on social media.

After US, Israel announces departure from ‘anti-semitic’ UN Human Rights Council

TEL AVIV, Feb 6: A day after President Donald Trump announced the United States’ withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Israel declared it would follow suit. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced the decision on Wednesday, stating, “Israel joins the United States and will not participate in the UNHRC.”

Sa’ar accused the UNHRC of protecting human rights violators while unfairly targeting Israel. “The UNHRC has traditionally protected human rights abusers by allowing them to hide from scrutiny, and instead obsessively demonizes the one democracy in the Middle East – Israel,” he wrote in the post on X.

He further claimed that Israel had been subjected to over 100 condemnatory resolutions under the UNHRC, making up more than 20 per cent of all resolutions passed by the body. “Israel will not accept this discrimination any longer!” he added.

Later, in another post on X, he announced that Israel has informed the United Nations Human Rights Council that it will follow the United States in withdrawing its participation.

“The decision was reached in light of the ongoing and unrelenting institutional bias against Israel in the Human Rights Council, which has been persistent since its inception in 2006,” Sa’ar said in a letter to UNHRC President Jorg Lauber which he posted on X.

The announcement coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the US, where he attended a press conference with President Trump in Washington.

On Tuesday, Trump declared that the US was withdrawing from both the UNHRC and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which he accused of funding Hamas.

“I’m also pleased to announce that this afternoon the United States withdrew from the anti-Semitic UN Human Rights Council and ended all of the support for the UN Relief and Works Agency, which funneled money to Hamas and which was very disloyal to humanity,” Trump stated.

He also announced the reinstatement of his “maximum pressure” policy on Iran, vowing to impose strict sanctions to cut Iranian oil exports to zero and weaken Tehran’s ability to fund terrorism.

Argentina To Pull Out Of WHO After Trump Exit Over 'Deep Differences'

BUENOS AIRES, Feb 5: Argentina will pull out of the World Health Organization, President Javier Milei's office said Wednesday, following in the footsteps of the United States which announced its exit from the UN agency last month.

Milei's decision was based on "deep differences regarding health management especially during the (Covid-19) pandemic," spokesman Manuel Adorni told reporters, adding Argentina would not "allow an international body to interfere in our sovereignty."

The measure also gave Argentina "greater flexibility to implement policies adapted to the context" locally, while ensuring "greater availability of resources," he said.

Self-declared "anarcho-capitalist" Milei is an avowed fan of US President Donald Trump, who signed an order within hours of his January 20 inauguration for the United States to withdraw from the WHO, which he has also criticized for its handling of the pandemic.

Washington was the biggest contributor to the Geneva-based organization, which Trump claimed had "ripped us off," and the US withdrawal could leave global health initiatives short of funding.

Since taking office in December 2023, Milei has gutted public spending, having vowed to maintain a zero budget deficit after years of overspending.

His austerity measures are estimated to have tipped millions more people into poverty, but the country also recorded its biggest-ever trade surplus in 2024 -- partly due to an import and spending slump.

Milei was the first foreign leader to visit Trump at his Mar-a-Lago Florida estate after the Republican's November US election victory.

10, Including Suspect, Dead In Sweden School Shooting: Police

STOCKHOLM, Feb 4: Around 10 people were killed in a shooting at an education centre in central Sweden on Tuesday, including the suspected assailant, police officials said.

The shooting was the deadliest school attack in the country's history.

"Around 10 people have been killed today," Orebro police chief Roberto Eid Forest told reporters, adding that police could "not be more specific about the number due to the large number of wounded".

He provided no details about the number of wounded.

"This is a terrible event. This is exceptional, a nightmare," Forest said.

Police did not disclose any information about the identity or ages of the dead, nor whether they were students or teachers at the Campus Risbergska secondary school for young adults.

Several media reported the suspected gunman turned his gun on himself but police would not confirm those reports.

"The suspected assailant is not known to police. He has no connection to any gang," Forest said, referring to the surge in deadly shootings and bombings linked to gang violence that have plagued Sweden in recent years.

"We don't expect any other attacks," Forest said.

Canada announces $155B tariff package in response to unjustified U.S. tariffs

OTTAWA, Feb 2: The Canadian Government is moving forward with 25 per cent tariffs on $155 billion worth of goods in response to the unjustified and unreasonable tariffs imposed by the United States (U.S.) on Canadian goods.

These countermeasures have one goal: to protect and defend Canada’s interests, consumers, workers, and businesses.

The first phase of our response will include tariffs on $30 billion in goods imported from the U.S., effective February 4, 2025, when the U.S tariffs are applied. The list includes products such as orange juice, peanut butter, wine, spirits, beer, coffee, appliances, apparel, footwear, motorcycles, cosmetics, and pulp and paper. A detailed list of these goods will be made available shortly.

Canadian Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs LeBlanc also announced that the government intends to impose tariffs on an additional list of imported U.S. goods worth $125 billion.

A full list of these goods will be made available for a 21-day public comment period prior to implementation, and will include products such as passenger vehicles and trucks, including electric vehicles, steel and aluminum products, certain fruits and vegetables, aerospace products, beef, pork, dairy, trucks and buses, recreational vehicles, and recreational boats.

In addition to this initial response, Minister LeBlanc and Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, reiterated that all options remain on the table as the government considers additional measures, including non-tariff options, should the U.S. continue to apply unjustified tariffs on Canada.

Less than 1 per cent of the fentanyl and illegal crossings into the United States come from Canada. We will not stand idly by when our nation is being needlessly and unfairly targeted. The government will defend Canadian interests and jobs. We stand ready to support affected workers and businesses.

The U.S. administration’s decision to impose tariffs will have devastating consequences for the American economy and people. Tariffs will upend production at U.S. auto assembly plants and oil refineries, raise costs for American consumers—at gas pumps and grocery stores—and put American prosperity at risk.

The government is also taking steps to mitigate the impact of its tariff countermeasures on Canadian workers and businesses by establishing a remission process to consider requests for exceptional relief from the tariffs imposed as part of Canada’s immediate response, as well as any future tariff actions. More details about the framework and process will be announced in the coming days.

The government continues to work closely with provincial and territorial governments, as well as business, labour, and other leaders to advance a robust Team Canada response, and to advocate with U.S. decision-makers on behalf of all Canadians to safeguard and strengthen Canada’s economy.