World

Cuba has confirmed that officials from Havana and Washington recently held talks on the island, amid heightened tensions with the United States under President Donald Trump. A meeting between delegations from the two countries recently took place in Cuba, Alejandro García del Toro, the Cuban Foreign Ministry official responsible for U.S. affairs, told the newspaper Granma in remarks published on …

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday made fresh accusations against the United States, but did not explicitly rule out a new round of negotiations. “The provocations, threatening rhetoric and continued U.S. violations of the ceasefire, especially the attacks on Iranian merchant ships, are a significant obstacle to the continuation of the diplomatic process,” Araghchi said in a phone call …

United States Department of State has welcomed Latvia to the Artemis Accords, as Latvia becomes the 62nd country to sign the Accords to date, pledging its commitment to peaceful exploration and use of space. A statement by the State Department said Latvia’s Minister of Education and Science Dace Melbārde signed the Accords on behalf of the Republic of Latvia on …

An Iranian-flagged cargo ship recently seized by U.S. forces had recently traveled through chines port, spotlighting a supply route now under scrutiny as officials probe suspected dual-use cargo aboard the vessel.   The vessel, Touska, remains in U.S. custody as American forces continue inspecting what maritime security sources told Reuters is likely “dual-use” cargo — materials that can serve both civilian …

Russia’s domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Security Service, said it has arrested a German citizen suspected of attempting to carry out a terrorist attack in the country’s North Caucasus region. According to the agency, the woman born in 1969 was detained in the city of Pyatigorsk in the Stavropol region. Authorities alleged on Monday that she was acting on behalf …

Officials in Japan have warned of an increased risk of a “huge” earthquake in the next week after a 7.7 magnitude quake struck off the north-east coast, triggering an evacuation order and warnings of 3m tsunami waves. Thousands of people were told to leave coastal areas for higher ground after the quake in waters off Iwate prefecture, 530km (330 miles) …

“Never.” That’s when a senior Iranian lawmaker says they’ll be ready to give up their control of the Strait of Hormuz. “It’s our inalienable right,” Ebrahim Azizi, a former commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), tells the BBC in Tehran. “Iran will decide the right of passage, including permissions for vessels to pass through the Strait.” And he …

Turkish Airlines and Air Peace have signed a Bilateral Special Prorate Agreement to enhance connectivity between Nigeria, Africa and global destinations. This is contained in a statement by Air Peace spokesperson, Mr Efe Osifo-Whiskey, on Sunday in Lagos. Osifo-Whiskey said the partnership enables passengers to enjoy single-ticket travel, coordinated schedules and simplified baggage handling across both airlines. He added the …

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned a US decision to extend the period during which Russia is allowed to sell oil despite Western sanctions. The move means countries can purchase Russian oil and petroleum products already loaded on vessels at sea until 16 May. The US argues that the waiver is meant to ease the energy supply crunch sparked by …

At least six people have been killed and others injured after a person opened fire in Kyiv on Saturday, Ukrainian officials say. The incident happened in the southern Holosiivskyi district. Ukraine’s Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said the man, who lived locally, began shooting at people on the street and then took others hostage in a nearby supermarket. Klymenko said the …