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Newly declassified footage has revealed dramatic moments from two separate US military rescue missions in Iran, showing how American Air Force officers were brought to safety after their F-15E fighter jet was shot down during a mission in April. The footage had been obtained by 60 Minutes, offers a rare look at the high-risk operations carried out deep inside Iranian territory. The two officers was named "Alpha" and "Bravo" ejected after their fighter jet was shot down. They ultimately landed about 5 miles apart from each other in a mountainous region south of Isfahan, with Iranian forces actively hunting them.&nbsp;Declassified footage shows the risky daytime mission to rescue Alpha eight hours after he ejected. The US sent in 21 aircraft to get him out. Another declassified video on an infrared feed shows the dramatic moment that weapon systems officer Bravo was rescued, roughly two days after the fighter jet was shot down. Footage shows two elite USAir Force pararescuers advancing toward Bravo, grabbing him and safely bringing him back to an American helicopter.&nbsp;Bravo was badly wounded when he ejected. his parachute was damaged and he plummeted to the ground. Despite a broken back and other injuries, he climbed a 7,000-foot ridgeline to await rescue. In his first-ever interview, Bravo said seeing his rescuers “was one of the greatest moments of [his] life. What did he tell them when he saw them? Let's go."&nbsp;WATCH VIDEO HERE

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Declassified footage shows the moment that “Bravo,” the injured WSO was finally picked up by U.S. forces, specifically by two members of Air Force Pararescue, following the use of technology by the CIA to detect his location. All together, over 90 special operators were involved… <a href="https://t.co/LJGTBhJeS3">pic.twitter.com/LJGTBhJeS3</a>&mdash; OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) <a href="https://x.com/sentdefender/status/2099291477302022623?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Newly declassified footage shows the rescue of two U.S. Air Force officers after their F-15E multirole fighter was shot down over Iran in April. The two pilots ejected and landed roughly five miles apart in mountainous terrain south of Isfahan as Iranian forces searched for… <a href="https://t.co/l49YTKcGtV">pic.twitter.com/l49YTKcGtV</a>&mdash; AfrikTimes (@afriktimesint) <a href="https://x.com/afriktimesint/status/2099323069961556212?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/stranded-us-pilot-climbed-up-to-7-000ft-for-safety-hid-in-a-crevice-to-survive-24-hours-in-hostile-iranian-terrain-1775402213260">Stranded US pilot climbed up to 7,000ft for safety, hid in a crevice to survive 24 hours in hostile Iranian terrain</a><h2>How was the rescue mission executed?</h2>Two US officials told CNN earlier in April that the risky rescue operation involved American military and intelligence personnel. The special operations forces carried out the successful rescue mission, while CIA operatives mounted a deception campaign beforehand to throw off potential Iranian captors. CIA operatives circulated the information inside Iran that both crew members had been recovered to confuse Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members who were frantically themselves looking to capture the downed officer. Navy SEAL Team 6 commandos extracted the ejected US F-15E pilot from Iran. Meanwhile, Israel postponed some planned strikes in Iran to ensure a smooth search and rescue operation besides offering intelligence support.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/pics-iran-releases-images-of-us-aircraft-destroyed-during-rescue-mission-1775386387784">PICS | Iran releases images of US aircraft ‘destroyed’ during rescue mission</a>&nbsp;The CIA ultimately identified the officer’s exact location and shared the information with the military. At a remote airstrip in Iran, two MC-130J special operations transport aircraft had been waiting to take the commandos and the rescued airman out of the country. But they had been damaged during the operation. The military decided to send in new planes and blew up the damaged ones to prevent them from falling into Iranian hands. “WE GOT HIM!” President Trump wrote on social media after spending Saturday monitoring the operation from the White House. “Over the past several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History,” he said.

A US Air Force colonel survived two days behind enemy lines after an Iranian missile shot down his F-15E over Iran in April. With a damaged parachute and broken back, arm and shoulder, he hid in the mountains until a massive US-led rescue involving the CIA and over 90 troops brought him home

Newly declassified footage has revealed dramatic moments from two separate US military rescue missions in Iran, showing how American Air Force officers were brought to safety after their F-15E fighter jet was shot down during a mission in April. The footage had been obtained by 60 Minutes, offers a rare look at the high-risk operations carried out deep inside Iranian territory. The two officers was named "Alpha" and "Bravo" ejected after their fighter jet was shot down. They ultimately landed about 5 miles apart from each other in a mountainous region south of Isfahan, with Iranian forces actively hunting them. Declassified footage shows the risky daytime mission to rescue Alpha eight hours after he ejected. The US sent in 21 aircraft to get him out. Another declassified video on an infrared feed shows the dramatic moment that weapon systems officer Bravo was rescued, roughly two days after the fighter jet was shot down. Footage shows two elite USAir Force pararescuers advancing toward Bravo, grabbing him and safely bringing him back to an American helicopter. Bravo was badly wounded when he ejected. his parachute was damaged and he plummeted to the ground. Despite a broken back and other injuries, he climbed a 7,000-foot ridgeline to await rescue. In his first-ever interview, Bravo said seeing his rescuers “was one of the greatest moments of [his] life. What did he tell them when he saw them? Let's go." WATCH VIDEO HERE

A US Air Force colonel survived two days behind enemy lines after an Iranian missile shot down his F-15E over Iran in April. With a damaged parachute and broken back, arm and shoulder, he hid in the mountains until a massive US-led rescue involving the CIA and over 90 troops brought him home

‘Let’s go’: Newly declassified videos show dramatic rescue of US Air Force officers downed in Iran

With nearly 90 per cent of votes counted in Sweden's general election, four opposition parties led by Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson, held a one-seat majority in the 349-seat parliament over Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's right-wing alliance.&nbsp;The Social Democrats party of Magdalena Andersson, Sweden's first woman prime minister in 2021-2022, is likely to win 175 seats ‌in ⁠the 349-seat parliament, based ​on ​votes ⁠from 4,853 of Sweden's ​6,312 election ​districts.&nbsp;"For now, we are in the lead. And if that is confirmed, Sweden will have a new government," said 59-year-old Andersson, as quoted by AFP.&nbsp;Though, Andersson's party, Sweden's largest, is heading for a majority with 175 seats in ⁠the 349-seat parliament, it would be its worst score in over a century with 28 percent of the vote.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/everybody-s-been-bugging-me-trump-announces-to-lift-tariff-imposed-on-irish-whiskey-1789359285326">'Everybody’s been bugging me’: Trump announces to lift tariff imposed on Irish whiskey</a>&nbsp;Andersson, who was Sweden's first woman prime minister in 2021-2022, &nbsp;ruled the Scandinavian country for most of the 20th century.&nbsp;"We don't yet have the full election result, but it's obvious that we've lost a few percentage points compared with our result four years ago," party leader Jimmie Akesson told an election night watch party.<h2>Outgoing prime minister raises doubts</h2>&nbsp;While, Moderate Party leader and the outgoing prime minister Kristersson credited with 19.9 percent of the counted votes, said that Social Democrats party of Andersson is a coalition of three other parties on the left.&nbsp;He stressed that the four had irreconcilable differences, primarily between the Left Party and the Centre Party, and therefore coming to an agreement on a government programme would be a difficult task.&nbsp;"I will therefore, even if tonight's result stands, examine whether there are any possibilities within this non-socialist parliamentary majority to find some workable government constellation," said Kristersson.&nbsp;"Which government is going to govern Sweden in the coming years is still an open question," he further added.&nbsp;

The Social Democrats party of Magdalena Andersson, Sweden's first woman prime minister in 2021-2022, is likely to win 175 seats.

With nearly 90 per cent of votes counted in Sweden's general election, four opposition parties led by Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson, held a one-seat majority in the 349-seat parliament over Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's right-wing alliance. The Social Democrats party of Magdalena Andersson, Sweden's first woman prime minister in 2021-2022, is likely to win 175 seats ‌in ⁠the 349-seat parliament, based on votes ⁠from 4,853 of Sweden's 6,312 election districts. "For now, we are in the lead. And if that is confirmed, Sweden will have a new government," said 59-year-old Andersson, as quoted by AFP. Though, Andersson's party, Sweden's largest, is heading for a majority with 175 seats in ⁠the 349-seat parliament, it would be its worst score in over a century with 28 percent of the vote. ALSO READ: 'Everybody’s been bugging me’: Trump announces to lift tariff imposed on Irish whiskey Andersson, who was Sweden's first woman prime minister in 2021-2022, ruled the Scandinavian country for most of the 20th century. "We don't yet have the full election result, but it's obvious that we've lost a few percentage points compared with our result four years ago," party leader Jimmie Akesson told an election night watch party. Outgoing prime minister raises doubts While, Moderate Party leader and the outgoing prime minister Kristersson credited with 19.9 percent of the counted votes, said that Social Democrats party of Andersson is a coalition of three other parties on the left. He stressed that the four had irreconcilable differences, primarily between the Left Party and the Centre Party, and therefore coming to an agreement on a government programme would be a difficult task. "I will therefore, even if tonight's result stands, examine whether there are any possibilities within this non-socialist parliamentary majority to find some workable government constellation," said Kristersson. "Which government is going to govern Sweden in the coming years is still an open question," he further added.

The Social Democrats party of Magdalena Andersson, Sweden's first woman prime minister in 2021-2022, is likely to win 175 seats.

Sweden's centre-left opposition bloc likely to win election by one seat

Russia has proposed its Ivolga FG high-speed train for India, with Russian rolling stock manufacturer Transmashholding (TMH) stating that it will jointly develop and produce the train in the country. The presentation of the Ivolga FG high-speed train concept occurred on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit held in New Delhi. The Ivolga FG concept has a design speed of 360 kmph and is being presented as a potential high-speed rail solution for India. TMH has proposed joint research and development in high-speed railway technology, using Russian engineering and scientific expertise.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bullet-train-timeline-revealed-testing-by-may-june-2027-commercial-run-by-year-end-1788868104110">Bullet train timeline revealed: Testing by May-June 2027</a>&nbsp;TMH already has an India partnership through Kinet Railway Solutions, a joint venture involving TMH and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL). The company is working on the manufacture and maintenance of Vande Bharat sleeper trains for Indian Railways. The project involves manufacturing 120 Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets, each comprising 16 coaches, at the Marathwada Rail Coach Factory in Latur, Maharashtra.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-orange-snake-in-the-hills-vande-bharat-s-stunning-western-ghats-journey-goes-viral-1787664579880">Vande Bharat's stunning Western Ghats journey goes viral</a><h2>What we know about Ivolga?</h2>The Ivolga (designated EG2Tv and EGE2Tv) is a family of modern electric multiple unit (EMU) commuter and urban passenger trains manufactured by Transmashholding at the Tver Carriage Works in Russia. Designed specifically for high-capacity urban-rail and surface metro systems, most notably operating on the Moscow Central Diameters (MCD) lines. Evolved through several iterations from Ivolga 1.0 up to the newer Ivolga 4.0, which features three doors per intermediate car to speed up passenger boarding and alighting by up to 30 per cent. Standard production variants reach maximum speeds of 120 to 160 km/h with rapid acceleration, and they are capable of reversing direction at terminal stations in just 1 to 2 minutes. Features wide doorways (1,400 mm), open intercar gangways, adaptive smart lighting, USB charging ports, climate control, and designated spaces for bicycles, scooters, and passengers with reduced mobility. Newer generations boast over 90% to 97% domestically sourced Russian components and parts

Russia has offered India its Ivolga FG high-speed train, designed to reach 360 kmph, with manufacturer Transmashholding proposing joint development and local production. TMH already works with RVNL on 120 Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets

Russia has proposed its Ivolga FG high-speed train for India, with Russian rolling stock manufacturer Transmashholding (TMH) stating that it will jointly develop and produce the train in the country. The presentation of the Ivolga FG high-speed train concept occurred on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit held in New Delhi. The Ivolga FG concept has a design speed of 360 kmph and is being presented as a potential high-speed rail solution for India. TMH has proposed joint research and development in high-speed railway technology, using Russian engineering and scientific expertise. Also Read: Bullet train timeline revealed: Testing by May-June 2027 TMH already has an India partnership through Kinet Railway Solutions, a joint venture involving TMH and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL). The company is working on the manufacture and maintenance of Vande Bharat sleeper trains for Indian Railways. The project involves manufacturing 120 Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets, each comprising 16 coaches, at the Marathwada Rail Coach Factory in Latur, Maharashtra. Also Read: Vande Bharat's stunning Western Ghats journey goes viral What we know about Ivolga? The Ivolga (designated EG2Tv and EGE2Tv) is a family of modern electric multiple unit (EMU) commuter and urban passenger trains manufactured by Transmashholding at the Tver Carriage Works in Russia. Designed specifically for high-capacity urban-rail and surface metro systems, most notably operating on the Moscow Central Diameters (MCD) lines. Evolved through several iterations from Ivolga 1.0 up to the newer Ivolga 4.0, which features three doors per intermediate car to speed up passenger boarding and alighting by up to 30 per cent. Standard production variants reach maximum speeds of 120 to 160 km/h with rapid acceleration, and they are capable of reversing direction at terminal stations in just 1 to 2 minutes. Features wide doorways (1,400 mm), open intercar gangways, adaptive smart lighting, USB charging ports, climate control, and designated spaces for bicycles, scooters, and passengers with reduced mobility. Newer generations boast over 90% to 97% domestically sourced Russian components and parts

Russia has offered India its Ivolga FG high-speed train, designed to reach 360 kmph, with manufacturer Transmashholding proposing joint development and local production. TMH already works with RVNL on 120 Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets

Russia proposes to build 360 kmph Ivolga FG trains in India: What happened on sidelines of BRICS

Chinese scientists have discovered a mineral deposit containing a large amount of gold and silver in the Pacific Ocean. The high concentration of the two metals is an extremely unusual find. The researchers said that the region has huge economic value and mining potential, CCTCV News reported. However, mining the ocean floor remains a contentious topic.&nbsp;A joint scientific expedition carried out by researchers from Tsinghua University, the Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology and Shanghai Jiao Tong University made the discovery. The gold and silver deposits were found in a hydrothermal field, an area on the ocean floor where extremely hot fluids rich in minerals seep upwards through the cracks.<h2>Sulfide cones with huge amounts of gold and silver</h2>The team found three large, cone-shaped seafloor massive sulfides (SMS) or hydrothermal sulfide deposits. Most of the time, they contain copper, zinc and lead, and smaller quantities of gold and silver. In this case, they found that the precious metals surpassed the rest. CCTV News reported that the gold and silver deposits in some of the ore samples exceed those found on land.<h2>How much gold and silver was discovered by China?</h2>According to preliminary analysis, gold concentrations reach up to 0.45 troy ounces (0.4937 ounces) per US short ton of ore, while silver grades reached 36.3 troy ounces (39.83 ounces) per US short ton. The potential polymetallic sulfide resources in the area could be equal to world-class seafloor deposits. "The [large seabed mining area] has extremely high exploitation value," said Song Shiji, one of the lead scientists on the project.<h2>The expedition and research</h2>The 18-day voyage started from Shenzhen on August 10 &nbsp;on the Chinese oceanographic research ship Xiang Yang Hong 10. The researchers conducted seven dives with submersibles during this time, which led them to a back-arc basin in the western Pacific. Previous expeditions had already identified dozens of hydrothermal vents at depths between 2,300 and 4,920 feet, with temperatures reaching more than 315 degrees Celsius. Later, they came across a very large hydrothermal mining area within the basin.&nbsp;After they came across the mounds, the ore bodies were analysed in the laboratory on the ship, which showed that they are mainly composed of chalcopyrite, pyrite and sphalerite, minerals with high economic value. Some of the samples contained 15.4 parts per million (ppm), equivalent to 15.4g of gold per ton of ore, while silver content reached as high as 1,271 ppm, or 1,271g per ton.<h2>Location of gold and silver deposits</h2>According to maritime tracking data, Xiang Yang Hong 10 travelled through waters north and east of Taiwan and north of the Philippines during the expedition. Chinese state media reported that the basin is located within China’s exclusive economic zone, although the exact coordinates have not been shared.&nbsp;

China has discovered vast underwater gold and silver deposits in the Pacific Ocean. They found three seafloor massive sulfides, with some of the ore samples containing even more gold and silver than those found on land. Scientists said it had high mining value.

Chinese scientists have discovered a mineral deposit containing a large amount of gold and silver in the Pacific Ocean. The high concentration of the two metals is an extremely unusual find. The researchers said that the region has huge economic value and mining potential, CCTCV News reported. However, mining the ocean floor remains a contentious topic. A joint scientific expedition carried out by researchers from Tsinghua University, the Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology and Shanghai Jiao Tong University made the discovery. The gold and silver deposits were found in a hydrothermal field, an area on the ocean floor where extremely hot fluids rich in minerals seep upwards through the cracks. Sulfide cones with huge amounts of gold and silver The team found three large, cone-shaped seafloor massive sulfides (SMS) or hydrothermal sulfide deposits. Most of the time, they contain copper, zinc and lead, and smaller quantities of gold and silver. In this case, they found that the precious metals surpassed the rest. CCTV News reported that the gold and silver deposits in some of the ore samples exceed those found on land. How much gold and silver was discovered by China? According to preliminary analysis, gold concentrations reach up to 0.45 troy ounces (0.4937 ounces) per US short ton of ore, while silver grades reached 36.3 troy ounces (39.83 ounces) per US short ton. The potential polymetallic sulfide resources in the area could be equal to world-class seafloor deposits. "The [large seabed mining area] has extremely high exploitation value," said Song Shiji, one of the lead scientists on the project. The expedition and research The 18-day voyage started from Shenzhen on August 10 on the Chinese oceanographic research ship Xiang Yang Hong 10. The researchers conducted seven dives with submersibles during this time, which led them to a back-arc basin in the western Pacific. Previous expeditions had already identified dozens of hydrothermal vents at depths between 2,300 and 4,920 feet, with temperatures reaching more than 315 degrees Celsius. Later, they came across a very large hydrothermal mining area within the basin. After they came across the mounds, the ore bodies were analysed in the laboratory on the ship, which showed that they are mainly composed of chalcopyrite, pyrite and sphalerite, minerals with high economic value. Some of the samples contained 15.4 parts per million (ppm), equivalent to 15.4g of gold per ton of ore, while silver content reached as high as 1,271 ppm, or 1,271g per ton. Location of gold and silver deposits According to maritime tracking data, Xiang Yang Hong 10 travelled through waters north and east of Taiwan and north of the Philippines during the expedition. Chinese state media reported that the basin is located within China’s exclusive economic zone, although the exact coordinates have not been shared.

China has discovered vast underwater gold and silver deposits in the Pacific Ocean. They found three seafloor massive sulfides, with some of the ore samples containing even more gold and silver than those found on land. Scientists said it had high mining value.

China discovers vast gold and silver 'mine' in the Pacific with unheard-of deposits

Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar called on Sunday for the award-winning directors of an Israeli-made Gaza documentary to be stripped of citizenship, accusing them of "treason against the state".&nbsp;In "NAZA", Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor spoke to 24 different Israeli military or intelligence whistleblowers who outlined the AI-powered targeting systems used to bombard Gaza that have killed tens of thousands of civilians.&nbsp;The 80-minute documentary won a special jury prize at this year's Venice Film Festival.Zohar accused the directors of being willing to "harm their homeland in order to receive applause from antisemites around the world".&nbsp;"I will act immediately to revoke the Israeli citizenship of these despicable creators for treason against the state," he added on X.&nbsp;Other Israeli ministers also took aim at the directors, who won an Oscar in 2025 for their film "No Other Land" about Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank.&nbsp;"You are a disgrace and an embarrassment to the entire people of Israel. Go away!" far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on X.&nbsp;"I am certain that your friends, that is to say our enemies Hamas in Gaza, will welcome you with open arms," continued the far-right minister.&nbsp;The revocation of nationality is legally possible in Israel, although it is rarely applied.In 2022, the Supreme Court confirmed that the state may strip people of their nationality if they have failed to show "loyalty", for example by committing acts of espionage or treason.&nbsp;The law was also expanded in 2023 to apply to people convicted of "terrorism".&nbsp;The law requires the interior minister to submit the revocation request, the justice minister to approve it and judges to validate it.&nbsp;Abraham said "the Israeli intelligence officers we spoke with talked to us about how this mass killing is systemic: not by accident, but by design, actions of murder and policies that are based on the total dehumanisation of Palestinians".&nbsp;The Israeli military has criticised the use of anonymous testimonies in the film, saying on Friday the identities of the whistleblowers "cannot be verified".&nbsp;Israel denies deliberately targeting civilians.&nbsp;Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.&nbsp;Militants also took 251 hostages to Gaza.&nbsp;Israel's retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 people, according to the territory's health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority and whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.

Naza, directed by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor (co-directors of the Oscar-winning No Other Land), the 2026 documentary premiered at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. 

Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar called on Sunday for the award-winning directors of an Israeli-made Gaza documentary to be stripped of citizenship, accusing them of "treason against the state". In "NAZA", Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor spoke to 24 different Israeli military or intelligence whistleblowers who outlined the AI-powered targeting systems used to bombard Gaza that have killed tens of thousands of civilians. The 80-minute documentary won a special jury prize at this year's Venice Film Festival. Zohar accused the directors of being willing to "harm their homeland in order to receive applause from antisemites around the world". "I will act immediately to revoke the Israeli citizenship of these despicable creators for treason against the state," he added on X. Other Israeli ministers also took aim at the directors, who won an Oscar in 2025 for their film "No Other Land" about Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank. "You are a disgrace and an embarrassment to the entire people of Israel. Go away!" far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on X. "I am certain that your friends, that is to say our enemies Hamas in Gaza, will welcome you with open arms," continued the far-right minister. The revocation of nationality is legally possible in Israel, although it is rarely applied. In 2022, the Supreme Court confirmed that the state may strip people of their nationality if they have failed to show "loyalty", for example by committing acts of espionage or treason. The law was also expanded in 2023 to apply to people convicted of "terrorism". The law requires the interior minister to submit the revocation request, the justice minister to approve it and judges to validate it. Abraham said "the Israeli intelligence officers we spoke with talked to us about how this mass killing is systemic: not by accident, but by design, actions of murder and policies that are based on the total dehumanisation of Palestinians". The Israeli military has criticised the use of anonymous testimonies in the film, saying on Friday the identities of the whistleblowers "cannot be verified". Israel denies deliberately targeting civilians. Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Militants also took 251 hostages to Gaza. Israel's retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 people, according to the territory's health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority and whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.

Naza, directed by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor (co-directors of the Oscar-winning No Other Land), the 2026 documentary premiered at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival.&nbsp;

Israeli minister calls to strip Gaza film directors of citizenship

United States President Donald Trump on Sunday said he would lift the 10 per cent tariff imposed on Irish whiskey. While making the &nbsp;announcement during a golf tournament in Ireland, where he is on an official visit, said he had been asked about the issue by everyone, including Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin and even some of the golfers.&nbsp;“I want to mention one thing, Taoiseach [Micheál Martin] and I talked about it, and [Irish golfer] Shane [Lowry] talked about it, and everybody’s been bugging me, they’re saying, ‘Would you do me a favor? It’s so unfair what’s going on. Could you possibly take the tariffs off of Irish whiskey?’ And I said, ‘On behalf of the United States of America, I am going to take the tariffs off.’”&nbsp;Irish whiskey currently faces the standard tariff of 10 per cent, reduced from the earlier 15 per cent. In May Trump announced he was &nbsp;lifting certain tariffs on UK whiskey, including Scotch and spirits made in Northern Ireland, creating an imbalance with Ireland.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/did-china-give-iran-intel-before-us-base-strike-that-killed-3-troops-trump-says-you-re-right-1789355263142">Did China give Iran intel before US base strike that killed 3 troops? Trump says, 'You’re right...'</a>&nbsp;Though Trump has made the announcement, it is not yet clear when the tariffs will actually be lifted or the announcement come into effect.&nbsp;Chris Swonger, president &amp; CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, called Trump’s announcement a positive step.&nbsp;He was quoted by the Associated Press as saying, “As U.S. hospitality businesses enter the critical holiday season, this action will provide a welcome boost for retailers, restaurants, consumers and the American economy."&nbsp;In May, the Irish Whiskey Association had called for the tariffs to be removed. In their argument they had said that the move would help many U.S. companies with Irish products in their portfolios and avoid uncertainty for consumers.&nbsp;

In May Trump announced he was  lifting certain tariffs on UK whiskey, including Scotch and spirits made in Northern Ireland, creating an imbalance with Ireland.

United States President Donald Trump on Sunday said he would lift the 10 per cent tariff imposed on Irish whiskey. While making the announcement during a golf tournament in Ireland, where he is on an official visit, said he had been asked about the issue by everyone, including Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin and even some of the golfers. “I want to mention one thing, Taoiseach [Micheál Martin] and I talked about it, and [Irish golfer] Shane [Lowry] talked about it, and everybody’s been bugging me, they’re saying, ‘Would you do me a favor? It’s so unfair what’s going on. Could you possibly take the tariffs off of Irish whiskey?’ And I said, ‘On behalf of the United States of America, I am going to take the tariffs off.’” Irish whiskey currently faces the standard tariff of 10 per cent, reduced from the earlier 15 per cent. In May Trump announced he was lifting certain tariffs on UK whiskey, including Scotch and spirits made in Northern Ireland, creating an imbalance with Ireland. ALSO READ: Did China give Iran intel before US base strike that killed 3 troops? Trump says, 'You’re right...' Though Trump has made the announcement, it is not yet clear when the tariffs will actually be lifted or the announcement come into effect. Chris Swonger, president & CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, called Trump’s announcement a positive step. He was quoted by the Associated Press as saying, “As U.S. hospitality businesses enter the critical holiday season, this action will provide a welcome boost for retailers, restaurants, consumers and the American economy." In May, the Irish Whiskey Association had called for the tariffs to be removed. In their argument they had said that the move would help many U.S. companies with Irish products in their portfolios and avoid uncertainty for consumers.

In May Trump announced he was &nbsp;lifting certain tariffs on UK whiskey, including Scotch and spirits made in Northern Ireland, creating an imbalance with Ireland.

'Everybody’s been bugging me’: Trump announces to lift tariff imposed on Irish whiskey

Geoffrey Hinton, widely known as the 'godfather of AI' has backed Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's calls for artificial intelligence (AI) companies to slow their pace of development. Hinton, a British-Canadian cognitive psychologist and computer scientist, told ABC Radio National Breakfast that &nbsp;Amodei's warning was “very sensible" and practically nobody knows if AI can ‘be kept under control.’ At the same time, China’s top intelligence official warned that abusive or weaponised artificial intelligence threatens the nation's political, institutional, and ideological security. Demis Hassabis, co-founder and chair of Google DeepMind and Chief Scientist of Alphabet, also commented on the matter and said that Anthropic CEO's details need refining, the "direction is correct" with respect to AI slowdown.&nbsp;"Nobody knows how to estimate the probabilities of these things. [An Anthropic employee] said 10 per cent. Nobody really knows what figure to give. It's not 1 per cent, it's more than that, and it's not 99 per cent, it's less than that. But basically people are doing it on their gut feelings. Most experts believed AI super intelligence, systems smarter than humans, would arrive within a decade, and that nobody knew whether it could be kept under control. Until we've solved that problem, it would be foolish to develop them," Hinton said&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/whoever-wins-ai-wins-trump-brushes-off-fears-rejects-ai-bosses-calls-to-slow-development-1789309834381">‘Whoever wins AI wins’: Trump brushes off fears</a><h2>What China’s top intelligence official warned?</h2>

State Security Minister Chen Yixin wrote in an article posted Sunday on the official China Cyberspace magazine said that abusive use of AI by adversaries could “directly threaten China’s political security, institutional security and ideological security.” He also cited AI’s increasing ability at discovering flaws in systems and creating malware or software to exploit those weaknesses. He said it would directly threaten the Chinese Communist Party's grip on power and the country's political stability.<h2>Trump downplays concerns</h2>Despite these earnings, UUS President Donald Trump downplayed the concerns. “Well, I say this, we’re leading China on AI. We’re the most sophisticated country in the world and frankly I want to keep it that way, because whoever wins AI, wins,” Trump told reporters at his golf club in Doonbeg, Ireland, according to a White House pool report. “And we can put guardrails, and we can do this and that, but I think you have a lot of negative forces that are bringing it up and they’re bringing up things that won’t happen,” he added.<h2>What was the warning by Anthropic CEO?</h2>Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has called on the artificial intelligence industry to slow the pace of AI development. Amodei outlined a three-part plan to slow the development of frontier AI while strengthening safety measures. As the first step, Anthropic will give third-party evaluators permanent, employee-level access to its AI systems so they can independently assess safety measures, report incidents and evaluate model alignment during training. “We must slow the pace at which we improve the capabilities of AI models,” he wrote. He said the development must be pursued carefully, particularly as similar advances are taking place across the industry, including at Anthropic. At the same time, a former Anthropic and OpenAI employee, Jacob Coxon, claimed in a post online that researchers at the firms “believe AI could kill all humans." Following the Anthropic CEO's post, Sam Altman said he agreed with the former on the “need to pace the frontier”, saying it was a primary topic of discussion at OpenAI in recent weeks. He further stamped his approval on Amodei's idea of independent evaluators being given employee-like access, adding, “we will do the same.” Musk, in a brief response, said, “Dario is right.”

AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton, known as the “godfather of AI”, has backed calls to slow the development of superintelligent systems, warning that nobody knows whether they can be controlled. His comments come as Trump rejects fears and insists the US must win the AI race against China.

Geoffrey Hinton, widely known as the 'godfather of AI' has backed Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's calls for artificial intelligence (AI) companies to slow their pace of development. Hinton, a British-Canadian cognitive psychologist and computer scientist, told ABC Radio National Breakfast that Amodei's warning was “very sensible" and practically nobody knows if AI can ‘be kept under control.’ At the same time, China’s top intelligence official warned that abusive or weaponised artificial intelligence threatens the nation's political, institutional, and ideological security. Demis Hassabis, co-founder and chair of Google DeepMind and Chief Scientist of Alphabet, also commented on the matter and said that Anthropic CEO's details need refining, the "direction is correct" with respect to AI slowdown. "Nobody knows how to estimate the probabilities of these things. [An Anthropic employee] said 10 per cent. Nobody really knows what figure to give. It's not 1 per cent, it's more than that, and it's not 99 per cent, it's less than that. But basically people are doing it on their gut feelings. Most experts believed AI super intelligence, systems smarter than humans, would arrive within a decade, and that nobody knew whether it could be kept under control. Until we've solved that problem, it would be foolish to develop them," Hinton said Also Read: ‘Whoever wins AI wins’: Trump brushes off fears What China’s top intelligence official warned?

AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton, known as the “godfather of AI”, has backed calls to slow the development of super-intelligent systems, warning that nobody knows whether they can be controlled. His comments come as Trump rejects fears and insists the US must win the AI race against China.

'Nobody knows if it can be in control': ‘Godfather’ of AI, China spy chief back AI slowdown calls, flags political threat

India’s Ministry of Defence has said that Chinese forces opposite the Himalayan frontier were scaled back in 2025, even as New Delhi kept its own army on a high state of readiness along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). In its annual report for 2025-26, the ministry said: “The year 2025 witnessed significant reduction in deployment of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Forces opposite Northern Borders, with 10 Combined Arms Brigade size forces each deployed in areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and in traditional training areas.” &nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-takes-brics-chair-wars-trade-disruptions-and-local-currency-trade-in-focus-1789298580586">China takes BRICS chair: Wars, trade disruptions and local-currency trade in focus</a>&nbsp;The same document described Indian dispositions as “robust, well poised and prepared to deal with any emerging contingency” in all sectors of the LAC, which runs from Ladakh in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east. The assessment follows the 2020 crisis in eastern Ladakh and later disengagement understandings, including at Depsang and Demchok in 2024.&nbsp;The ministry attributed calmer conditions to talks at every level. It said bilateral interactions “at political, diplomatic and military levels facilitated ‘positive developments along the Northern Borders, leading to stability.’” Those contacts included the 33rd and 34th rounds of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) in March and July 2025. Special Representatives talks on the boundary question also resumed, with meetings in December 2024 and August 2025. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in August 2025 was cited as further evidence of a thaw.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/might-makes-right-does-not-hold-china-s-xi-challenges-global-power-politics-with-5-brics-initiatives-1789297848588">‘Might makes right does not hold’: China’s Xi challenges global power politics</a>&nbsp;Military channels continued in parallel. The 23rd Corps Commander Level Meet, described as a Senior Highest Military Commander Level Meet , was held in eastern Ladakh on 25-26 October 2025. “At ground level, Border Personnel Meetings continue with the PLA in all sectors in a cordial and friendly environment to resolve issues of concern,” the report said. The language is carefully optimistic. India still treats the frontier as sensitive, and the report does not claim that China has dismantled its broader military infrastructure or ended the possibility of sudden pressure.&nbsp;Over the weekend, PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the BRICS New Delhi summit, the 3rd bilateral meeting between the 2 sides since 2024. Both leaders met in 2024 in Kazan that started the re-set, which led to re-start of direct flights, the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. They also met last year in China on the sidelines of the SCO summit.

China reduced PLA deployment along the LAC in 2025, with 10 Combined Arms Brigade-sized forces positioned along the frontier and training areas, India’s Defence Ministry said. New Delhi, however, maintained robust military readiness as talks and the Modi-Xi reset improved border stability.

India’s Ministry of Defence has said that Chinese forces opposite the Himalayan frontier were scaled back in 2025, even as New Delhi kept its own army on a high state of readiness along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). In its annual report for 2025-26, the ministry said: “The year 2025 witnessed significant reduction in deployment of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Forces opposite Northern Borders, with 10 Combined Arms Brigade size forces each deployed in areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and in traditional training areas.” Also Read: China takes BRICS chair: Wars, trade disruptions and local-currency trade in focus The same document described Indian dispositions as “robust, well poised and prepared to deal with any emerging contingency” in all sectors of the LAC, which runs from Ladakh in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east. The assessment follows the 2020 crisis in eastern Ladakh and later disengagement understandings, including at Depsang and Demchok in 2024. The ministry attributed calmer conditions to talks at every level. It said bilateral interactions “at political, diplomatic and military levels facilitated ‘positive developments along the Northern Borders, leading to stability.’” Those contacts included the 33rd and 34th rounds of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) in March and July 2025. Special Representatives talks on the boundary question also resumed, with meetings in December 2024 and August 2025. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in August 2025 was cited as further evidence of a thaw. Also Read: ‘Might makes right does not hold’: China’s Xi challenges global power politics Military channels continued in parallel. The 23rd Corps Commander Level Meet, described as a Senior Highest Military Commander Level Meet , was held in eastern Ladakh on 25-26 October 2025. “At ground level, Border Personnel Meetings continue with the PLA in all sectors in a cordial and friendly environment to resolve issues of concern,” the report said. The language is carefully optimistic. India still treats the frontier as sensitive, and the report does not claim that China has dismantled its broader military infrastructure or ended the possibility of sudden pressure. Over the weekend, PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the BRICS New Delhi summit, the 3rd bilateral meeting between the 2 sides since 2024. Both leaders met in 2024 in Kazan that started the re-set, which led to re-start of direct flights, the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. They also met last year in China on the sidelines of the SCO summit.

China reduced PLA deployment along the LAC in 2025, with 10 Combined Arms Brigade-sized forces positioned along the frontier and training areas, India’s Defence Ministry said. New Delhi, however, maintained robust military readiness as talks and the Modi-Xi reset improved border stability.

China thinned Himalayan troop presence in 2025, India defence report says; terms border situation 'stable'

Since the US-Iran war started crude oil prices have been extremely volatile. And the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia by Houthis and Iranian attacks on ships in the Gulf has led to the prices shooting up more than 2%.&nbsp;Brent crude futures rose $2.90, or 2.77%, to $107.51 per barrel as of ​2313 GMT. WTI futures rose $2.27, or 2.27%, to $102.32 per barrel. Prices had initially risen more than 3% at ​market open.&nbsp;Houthis attacked the country's southern Jazan province and a Saudi military base in a neighbouring province on Sunday. While a merchant vessel was struck in the Strait of Hormuz on the same day killing one person and injuring three others, Iranian authorities said.&nbsp;According to British maritime security agency UKMTO, a vessel in the Strait of ​Hormuz was hit by a projectile, causing a fire and forcing the crew to be evacuated.&nbsp;<h2>Saudi Arabia pipeline targeted</h2>&nbsp;Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline was targeted in the Riyadh and Madinah regions on Thursday morning. Several people were injured in the attacks, according to the ministry.&nbsp;Since the attack, Saudi Arabia temporarily shut its crucial East-West oil pipeline as a precaution.The East-West pipeline, which has a capacity of 7 million barrels per day, carries crude from Saudi Arabia's eastern oil fields to export terminals on the Red Sea. It provides the kingdom with an alternative route that reduces its dependence on the Strait of Hormuz for oil exports.&nbsp;The Houthis declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia in July and have sought to disrupt the kingdom's oil exports through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which links the southern Red Sea with global markets.&nbsp;

Saudi Arabias East-West pipeline was targeted in the Riyadh and Madinah regions on Thursday morning. Several people were injured in the attacks, according to the ministry.

Since the US-Iran war started crude oil prices have been extremely volatile. And the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia by Houthis and Iranian attacks on ships in the Gulf has led to the prices shooting up more than 2%. Brent crude futures rose $2.90, or 2.77%, to $107.51 per barrel as of 2313 GMT. WTI futures rose $2.27, or 2.27%, to $102.32 per barrel. Prices had initially risen more than 3% at market open. Houthis attacked the country's southern Jazan province and a Saudi military base in a neighbouring province on Sunday. While a merchant vessel was struck in the Strait of Hormuz on the same day killing one person and injuring three others, Iranian authorities said. According to British maritime security agency UKMTO, a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz was hit by a projectile, causing a fire and forcing the crew to be evacuated. Saudi Arabia pipeline targeted Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline was targeted in the Riyadh and Madinah regions on Thursday morning. Several people were injured in the attacks, according to the ministry. Since the attack, Saudi Arabia temporarily shut its crucial East-West oil pipeline as a precaution. The East-West pipeline, which has a capacity of 7 million barrels per day, carries crude from Saudi Arabia's eastern oil fields to export terminals on the Red Sea. It provides the kingdom with an alternative route that reduces its dependence on the Strait of Hormuz for oil exports. The Houthis declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia in July and have sought to disrupt the kingdom's oil exports through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which links the southern Red Sea with global markets.

Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline was targeted in the Riyadh and Madinah regions on Thursday morning. Several people were injured in the attacks, according to the ministry.

Crude oil prices jump more than $107 per barrel following Houthi attacks on Saudi

Chinese entities reportedly supplied Iran with high-quality satellite imagery of US Air Force base in Jordan before and after Tehran's July 17 ballistic missile attack that killed three American troops. However, US President Donald trump downplayed the development, and insisted that both China and the US “spy” on each other. The claims was made in a Wall Street Journal report, in which it cited US officials familiar with the matter, without naming them.&nbsp;Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-won-t-surrender-pezeshkian-sends-blunt-message-to-us-while-attending-brics-summit-in-india-1789269444021"> 'Iran won't surrender': Pezeshkian sends blunt message to US while attending BRICS Summit in India</a>&nbsp;US officials called it the clearest evidence yet that Chinese support for Iran during the conflict contributed to the deaths of US troops. However, they stopped short of accusing Beijing of directly participating in the attack, The Wall Street Journal reported. Senior US officials raised the issue of the imagery with their Chinese counterparts, but Beijing rejected the allegation and asked Washington to provide evidence, The Wall Street Journal reported citing sources.&nbsp;Jordan's Muwaffaq Salti Air Base was attacked on July 17 three times within 24 hours. Iranian ballistic missiles struck a housing area where US troops were sleeping, killing 3. They were the first US military fatalities in the Iran war since a 60-day ceasefire agreed in April. The three killed were identified as Lt Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii; Pvt Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas; and Sgt Angel S Rampersad, 28, of Ozone Park, New York. Incidentally, evidence of Iran's use of Chinese technology had emerged months before the deadly attack. The Financial Times reported in April that Iran was using a Chinese-built and launched spy satellite purchased by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Aerospace Force from Earth Eye Co. in late 2024.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-rejects-us-call-to-isolate-iran-says-sanctions-and-pressure-will-not-resolve-conflict-1787299284181">China rejects US call to isolate Iran, says 'sanctions and pressure' will not resolve conflict</a>

<h2>How Trump reacted?</h2>US President Donald Trump downplayed reports that Chinese entities supplied Tehran with satellite images of a military base in Jordan before and after an Iranian strike killed three US soldiers. "You know, when they say that China spies on us, I say you're right, and we spy on them too," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One a day after The Wall Street Journal reported Beijing's intelligence sharing. "That's what we do. They basically do what we do," Trump said. Iran again targeted Muwaffaq Salti Air Base on September 10, with the latest strike reportedly damaging several US aircraft. Trump, however, denied that any US planes were damaged.

Chinese entities supplied Iran with high-quality satellite imagery of a US base in Jordan before and after a July 17 missile strike that killed three US troops, The Wall Street Journal reported. Washington raised the issue with Beijing, which denied the allegation.

Chinese entities reportedly supplied Iran with high-quality satellite imagery of US Air Force base in Jordan before and after Tehran's July 17 ballistic missile attack that killed three American troops. However, US President Donald trump downplayed the development, and insisted that both China and the US “spy” on each other. The claims was made in a Wall Street Journal report, in which it cited US officials familiar with the matter, without naming them. Also Read: 'Iran won't surrender': Pezeshkian sends blunt message to US while attending BRICS Summit in India US officials called it the clearest evidence yet that Chinese support for Iran during the conflict contributed to the deaths of US troops. However, they stopped short of accusing Beijing of directly participating in the attack, The Wall Street Journal reported. Senior US officials raised the issue of the imagery with their Chinese counterparts, but Beijing rejected the allegation and asked Washington to provide evidence, The Wall Street Journal reported citing sources. Jordan's Muwaffaq Salti Air Base was attacked on July 17 three times within 24 hours. Iranian ballistic missiles struck a housing area where US troops were sleeping, killing 3. They were the first US military fatalities in the Iran war since a 60-day ceasefire agreed in April. The three killed were identified as Lt Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii; Pvt Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas; and Sgt Angel S Rampersad, 28, of Ozone Park, New York. Incidentally, evidence of Iran's use of Chinese technology had emerged months before the deadly attack. The Financial Times reported in April that Iran was using a Chinese-built and launched spy satellite purchased by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Aerospace Force from Earth Eye Co. in late 2024. Also Read: China rejects US call to isolate Iran, says 'sanctions and pressure' will not resolve conflict

Chinese entities supplied Iran with high-quality satellite imagery of a US base in Jordan before and after a July 17 missile strike that killed three US troops, The Wall Street Journal reported. Washington raised the issue with Beijing, which denied the allegation.

Did China give Iran intel before US base strike that killed 3 troops? Trump says, 'You’re right...'

In its first response after missile launches on Sat, North Korea said on Mon (Sep 14) that it conducted a joint live-fire drill involving missiles, artillery and drones. The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in a statement said that the drills demonstrated "the huge destructive power of concentration fire." After observing the drill, Marshal Pak Jong Chon said the drill would "improve the level of specialisation to bring down the enemy's armed forces organisationally and structurally once an order is issued." He added that the drill was meant to get familiar with the procedure for the operation of the integrated firepower control system.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/north-korea-unleashes-5-000-tonne-nuclear-warship-kim-vows-to-build-more-nuclear-1788801611283">North Korea unleashes 5,000-tonne nuclear warship: Kim vows to build more nuclear</a>&nbsp;On Saturday, South Korea said that North had fired an unidentified projectile toward the Sea of Japan. The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a statement, said that it detected the launch from around 5:20 a.m. (2020 GMT on Friday) that flew about 250 km (155 miles), toward the body of water that Koreans call the East Sea. South Korea’s National Security Office convened an emergency security situation review meeting and urged North Korea to immediately halt ballistic missile launches, calling them a serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions. The launches came just a day after South Korea concluded five days of joint maritime drills with the United States and Japan that were focused on North Korea.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-fires-missiles-toward-sea-but-us-says-no-immediate-threat-1789172294113">North Korea fires missiles after US, South Korea and Japan military drills but America says 'does not pose immediate threat'</a><h2>US said ‘no threat’</h2>US Pacific Command reacted to the launches but said that there was no immediate threat. “We are aware of the recent missile launch and are consulting closely with our allies and partners. Based on current assessments, this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies. The United States remains committed to the defense of the U.S. homeland and our allies in the region,” it said in a statement.<h2>Trump wants to meet Kim</h2>The statement came as US President Donald Trump is trying to make several overtures to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Last month, Trump shortened annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises between South and US and called the drills "inappropriate and hostile" towards North Korea. Trump told reporters at the White House on August 19 he plans to meet the North Korean leader this year. The US president also said it was important to "get along" with Kim, adding that Pyongyang now had 57 "very powerful" nuclear weapons. Seoul has said the North has around 80-120 nuclear weapons. &nbsp;

North Korea said it conducted a joint live-fire drill involving missiles, artillery and drones after launching a projectile toward the Sea of Japan. The drills came as Trump seeks another meeting with Kim Jong Un, amid rising tensions with South Korea and the US.

In its first response after missile launches on Sat, North Korea said on Mon (Sep 14) that it conducted a joint live-fire drill involving missiles, artillery and drones. The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in a statement said that the drills demonstrated "the huge destructive power of concentration fire." After observing the drill, Marshal Pak Jong Chon said the drill would "improve the level of specialisation to bring down the enemy's armed forces organisationally and structurally once an order is issued." He added that the drill was meant to get familiar with the procedure for the operation of the integrated firepower control system. Also Read: North Korea unleashes 5,000-tonne nuclear warship: Kim vows to build more nuclear On Saturday, South Korea said that North had fired an unidentified projectile toward the Sea of Japan. The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a statement, said that it detected the launch from around 5:20 a.m. (2020 GMT on Friday) that flew about 250 km (155 miles), toward the body of water that Koreans call the East Sea. South Korea’s National Security Office convened an emergency security situation review meeting and urged North Korea to immediately halt ballistic missile launches, calling them a serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions. The launches came just a day after South Korea concluded five days of joint maritime drills with the United States and Japan that were focused on North Korea. Also Read: North Korea fires missiles after US, South Korea and Japan military drills but America says 'does not pose immediate threat' US said ‘no threat’ US Pacific Command reacted to the launches but said that there was no immediate threat. “We are aware of the recent missile launch and are consulting closely with our allies and partners. Based on current assessments, this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies. The United States remains committed to the defense of the U.S. homeland and our allies in the region,” it said in a statement. Trump wants to meet Kim The statement came as US President Donald Trump is trying to make several overtures to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Last month, Trump shortened annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises between South and US and called the drills "inappropriate and hostile" towards North Korea. Trump told reporters at the White House on August 19 he plans to meet the North Korean leader this year. The US president also said it was important to "get along" with Kim, adding that Pyongyang now had 57 "very powerful" nuclear weapons. Seoul has said the North has around 80-120 nuclear weapons.

North Korea said it conducted a joint live-fire drill involving missiles, artillery and drones after launching a projectile toward the Sea of Japan. The drills came as Trump seeks another meeting with Kim Jong Un, amid rising tensions with South Korea and the US.

'Huge destructive power': North Korea calls its latest missile launches 'live-fire drill' even as US dismisses 'immediate threat'

The ongoing conflict in West Asia, the closure of key maritime trade routes and the resulting supply disruption put the BRICS Summit in highlight as Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian’s attended the summit along with other players from the Middle East.&nbsp;It was a tough diplomatic test for Delhi, but the hosts overcame all the challenges and managed a carefully negotiated language on the West Asia conflict. Moreover, an unanticipated Iran-UAE engagement placed India at the centre of a wider regional diplomatic effort.&nbsp;The net result has enhanced Delhi’s increasingly important role as a diplomatic bridge in a fractured region.The challenge for New Delhi was to prevent divisions over the West Asia conflict from spilling at the forum. While Iran sought stronger condemnation of Israeli and US actions, the Gulf countries had their own security concerns.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-tells-ukraine-to-stop-targeting-russian-refineries-says-attacks-causing-shortage-of-diesel-1789316749492">Trump tells Ukraine to stop targeting Russian refineries, says attacks causing shortage of diesel</a>&nbsp;The New Delhi Declaration proved the diplomatic prowess, as instead of sharp rhetoric by either side, BRICS settled on language centred on the deteriorating situation in West Asia, civilian protection, sovereignty, restraint and the need for dialogue and diplomacy.The result was significant as it allowed Iran to remain within the consensus without forcing other BRICS members to endorse its position on the conflict.&nbsp;&nbsp;But the most revealing moment came outside the formal summit proceedings.Pezeshkian’s meeting with UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan brought two regional actors into direct conversation at a time when their interests differ and have been affected by the conflict.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-condemns-attack-on-merchant-vessel-off-oman-coast-13-indian-crew-rescued-one-missing-1789311950141">India condemns attack on merchant vessel off Oman coast; 13 Indian crew rescued, one missing</a>&nbsp;The meeting was the highest-level engagement between Tehran and Abu Dhabi since the outbreak of the conflict.&nbsp;BRICS provided a diplomatic platform and cover for an engagement that was considerably more difficult amid the raging tensions.&nbsp;The summit fully demonstrated India’s balancing act. It became a platform where rivals could talk, while the grouping focused on a common diplomatic vocabulary.&nbsp;Pezeshkian’s visit was significant as it was his first trip to India as president and the first visit by an Iranian president to the country in more than eight years.&nbsp;&nbsp;India reiterated its position that disputes must be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy, while stressing the importance of protecting freedom of navigation, commercial shipping and seafarers.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/want-to-reset-ties-with-india-have-engagement-based-on-mutual-interests-says-bangladesh-minister-1789326034045">‘Want to reset ties with India, have engagement based on mutual interests,’ says Bangladesh minister</a>&nbsp;Earlier BRICS meetings hosted by India had struggled to produce consensus on the Iran conflict, with Tehran seeking stronger criticism of US and Israeli actions while the UAE pushed for language reflecting concerns over Iranian attacks on Gulf targets.&nbsp;The final declaration avoided assigning blame to either side. It expressed serious concern over the deteriorating situation in West Asia and called for maximum restraint, dialogue, diplomacy, respect for sovereignty, protection of civilians and the safeguarding of maritime stability.&nbsp;&nbsp;The summit served as a test of the group’s cohesion and influence, with PM Narendra Modi advocating for global institutional reform and enhanced cooperation.&nbsp;

It was a tough diplomatic test for Delhi, but the hosts overcame all the challenges and managed a carefully negotiated language on the West Asia conflict. Moreover, an unanticipated Iran-UAE engagement placed India at the centre of a wider regional diplomatic effort.

The ongoing conflict in West Asia, the closure of key maritime trade routes and the resulting supply disruption put the BRICS Summit in highlight as Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian’s attended the summit along with other players from the Middle East. It was a tough diplomatic test for Delhi, but the hosts overcame all the challenges and managed a carefully negotiated language on the West Asia conflict. Moreover, an unanticipated Iran-UAE engagement placed India at the centre of a wider regional diplomatic effort. The net result has enhanced Delhi’s increasingly important role as a diplomatic bridge in a fractured region. The challenge for New Delhi was to prevent divisions over the West Asia conflict from spilling at the forum. While Iran sought stronger condemnation of Israeli and US actions, the Gulf countries had their own security concerns. Also Read: Trump tells Ukraine to stop targeting Russian refineries, says attacks causing shortage of diesel The New Delhi Declaration proved the diplomatic prowess, as instead of sharp rhetoric by either side, BRICS settled on language centred on the deteriorating situation in West Asia, civilian protection, sovereignty, restraint and the need for dialogue and diplomacy. The result was significant as it allowed Iran to remain within the consensus without forcing other BRICS members to endorse its position on the conflict. But the most revealing moment came outside the formal summit proceedings. Pezeshkian’s meeting with UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan brought two regional actors into direct conversation at a time when their interests differ and have been affected by the conflict. Also Read: India condemns attack on merchant vessel off Oman coast; 13 Indian crew rescued, one missing The meeting was the highest-level engagement between Tehran and Abu Dhabi since the outbreak of the conflict. BRICS provided a diplomatic platform and cover for an engagement that was considerably more difficult amid the raging tensions. The summit fully demonstrated India’s balancing act. It became a platform where rivals could talk, while the grouping focused on a common diplomatic vocabulary. Pezeshkian’s visit was significant as it was his first trip to India as president and the first visit by an Iranian president to the country in more than eight years. India reiterated its position that disputes must be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy, while stressing the importance of protecting freedom of navigation, commercial shipping and seafarers. Also Read: ‘Want to reset ties with India, have engagement based on mutual interests,’ says Bangladesh minister Earlier BRICS meetings hosted by India had struggled to produce consensus on the Iran conflict, with Tehran seeking stronger criticism of US and Israeli actions while the UAE pushed for language reflecting concerns over Iranian attacks on Gulf targets. The final declaration avoided assigning blame to either side. It expressed serious concern over the deteriorating situation in West Asia and called for maximum restraint, dialogue, diplomacy, respect for sovereignty, protection of civilians and the safeguarding of maritime stability. The summit served as a test of the group’s cohesion and influence, with PM Narendra Modi advocating for global institutional reform and enhanced cooperation.

It was a tough diplomatic test for Delhi, but the hosts overcame all the challenges and managed a carefully negotiated language on the West Asia conflict. Moreover, an unanticipated Iran-UAE engagement placed India at the centre of a wider regional diplomatic effort.

Delhi’s balancing act: BRICS serves as a stage for West Asia diplomacy

Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said on Sunday that Dhaka wants to “reset” its bilateral relationship with India and build a new bilateral engagement based on mutual interests after what he described as an uncomfortable relationship of over 15 years under an “authoritarian, corrupt and exploitative” regime.&nbsp;“We want to move towards a new relationship, which should be done through bilateral discussions, not through a multilateral forum,” Kobir said while responding to a question during the Ministry of Foreign Affairs press briefing on Sunday.&nbsp;He said Dhaka wants to move towards a new relationship with New Delhi through bilateral talks.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-tells-ukraine-to-stop-targeting-russian-refineries-says-attacks-causing-shortage-of-diesel-1789316749492">Trump tells Ukraine to stop targeting Russian refineries, says attacks causing shortage of diesel</a>&nbsp;The remarks came two days after Bangladesh said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would not attend the BRICS Summit hosted by India because he was not invited to the event in his personal capacity, and that the invitation was instead extended to the BIMSTEC chair. The two-day BRICS Summit concluded on Sunday. India had invited Rahman to attend it as chairman of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, while a separate bilateral invitation had been in place since February.&nbsp;“We want to build a good working bilateral relationship with India,” he said.&nbsp;Kobir said Bangladesh’s first engagement with a country with which it wants to develop better relations should ideally take place through a bilateral visit rather than a meeting on the sidelines of a multilateral forum.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-condemns-attack-on-merchant-vessel-off-oman-coast-13-indian-crew-rescued-one-missing-1789311950141">India condemns attack on merchant vessel off Oman coast; 13 Indian crew rescued, one missing</a>&nbsp;He also said Bangladesh needs to move beyond what he described as an “excessive preoccupation” with India and approach ties with New Delhi in a balanced way, focusing on mutual interests and treating the relationship as part of its wider engagement with other countries.&nbsp;<h2>PM to leave for New York on Sept 21</h2>&nbsp;&nbsp;“We have to get out of the India fascination. India is just another country, and Bangladesh wants good bilateral relations with it,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;India-Bangladesh ties have been strained over New Delhi providing refuge to Hasina, who fled to India following her ouster in a youth-led agitation in August 2024.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kobir said Prime Minister Rahman is set to leave for New York on September 21 to attend the 81st session of the UN General Assembly and will stay there until September 26.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amit-shah-s-big-ucc-deadline-all-21-nda-ruled-states-to-implement-law-by-2029-1789303324990">Amit Shah’s big UCC deadline: All 21 NDA-ruled states to implement law by 2029</a>&nbsp;Asked about the possibility of a meeting between Rahman and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UNGA, Kobir said such meetings are often decided at the last moment during major international conferences.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The primary focus of the Prime Minister’s visit is to address the UN General Assembly,” he said, adding that details of the sideline meetings would be known in due course. Overall, Bangladesh said it is seeking a fresh bilateral framework with India while keeping its immediate focus on upcoming diplomatic engagements.&nbsp;<h2>‘PM Tarique Rahman ’s bilateral visit to India should take place’</h2>&nbsp;Bangladesh wants to reset its relations with India and move beyond the nature of ties maintained over the past 15 years, and therefore Prime Minister Tarique Rahman should make a bilateral visit, rather than travel there as part of a multilateral engagement, he said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eam-jaishankar-meets-saudi-foreign-minister-for-bilateral-as-both-nations-seek-to-advance-cooperation-1789302835549">Jaishankar meets Saudi Foreign Minister for bilateral, both discuss ways to advance cooperation</a>&nbsp;Asked about the chief whip’s statement that 101 agreements signed with India were being re-examined, Kobir said the agreements were being scrutinised and reviewed. “This is a matter under the chief whip’s purview. He will be able to give you the correct answer on this,” he said.&nbsp;Humaiun Kobir said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would leave Dhaka on 21 September to attend the United Nations General Assembly. Besides addressing the UNGA, the prime minister will hold a meeting on the Rohingya issue on the sidelines this time, he said.&nbsp;

Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said Bangladesh wants to reset its relations with India and move beyond the old ties maintained over the years, and therefore PM Tarique Rahman should make a bilateral visit, rather than travel there as part of a multilateral engagement. 

Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said on Sunday that Dhaka wants to “reset” its bilateral relationship with India and build a new bilateral engagement based on mutual interests after what he described as an uncomfortable relationship of over 15 years under an “authoritarian, corrupt and exploitative” regime. “We want to move towards a new relationship, which should be done through bilateral discussions, not through a multilateral forum,” Kobir said while responding to a question during the Ministry of Foreign Affairs press briefing on Sunday. He said Dhaka wants to move towards a new relationship with New Delhi through bilateral talks. Also Read: Trump tells Ukraine to stop targeting Russian refineries, says attacks causing shortage of diesel The remarks came two days after Bangladesh said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would not attend the BRICS Summit hosted by India because he was not invited to the event in his personal capacity, and that the invitation was instead extended to the BIMSTEC chair. The two-day BRICS Summit concluded on Sunday. India had invited Rahman to attend it as chairman of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, while a separate bilateral invitation had been in place since February. “We want to build a good working bilateral relationship with India,” he said. Kobir said Bangladesh’s first engagement with a country with which it wants to develop better relations should ideally take place through a bilateral visit rather than a meeting on the sidelines of a multilateral forum. Also Read: India condemns attack on merchant vessel off Oman coast; 13 Indian crew rescued, one missing He also said Bangladesh needs to move beyond what he described as an “excessive preoccupation” with India and approach ties with New Delhi in a balanced way, focusing on mutual interests and treating the relationship as part of its wider engagement with other countries. PM to leave for New York on Sept 21 “We have to get out of the India fascination. India is just another country, and Bangladesh wants good bilateral relations with it,” he said. India-Bangladesh ties have been strained over New Delhi providing refuge to Hasina, who fled to India following her ouster in a youth-led agitation in August 2024. Kobir said Prime Minister Rahman is set to leave for New York on September 21 to attend the 81st session of the UN General Assembly and will stay there until September 26. Also Read: Amit Shah’s big UCC deadline: All 21 NDA-ruled states to implement law by 2029 Asked about the possibility of a meeting between Rahman and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UNGA, Kobir said such meetings are often decided at the last moment during major international conferences. “The primary focus of the Prime Minister’s visit is to address the UN General Assembly,” he said, adding that details of the sideline meetings would be known in due course. Overall, Bangladesh said it is seeking a fresh bilateral framework with India while keeping its immediate focus on upcoming diplomatic engagements. ‘PM Tarique Rahman ’s bilateral visit to India should take place’ Bangladesh wants to reset its relations with India and move beyond the nature of ties maintained over the past 15 years, and therefore Prime Minister Tarique Rahman should make a bilateral visit, rather than travel there as part of a multilateral engagement, he said. Also Read: Jaishankar meets Saudi Foreign Minister for bilateral, both discuss ways to advance cooperation Asked about the chief whip’s statement that 101 agreements signed with India were being re-examined, Kobir said the agreements were being scrutinised and reviewed. “This is a matter under the chief whip’s purview. He will be able to give you the correct answer on this,” he said. Humaiun Kobir said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would leave Dhaka on 21 September to attend the United Nations General Assembly. Besides addressing the UNGA, the prime minister will hold a meeting on the Rohingya issue on the sidelines this time, he said.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said Bangladesh wants to reset its relations with India and move beyond the old ties maintained over the years, and therefore PM Tarique Rahman should make a bilateral visit, rather than travel there as part of a multilateral engagement.&nbsp;

‘Want to reset ties with India, have engagement based on mutual interests,’ says Bangladesh minister

The New Delhi Declaration adopted at the 18th BRICS Summit condemned "unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures" as against international law, but never named the US. It seems like a deliberate move to avoid straining member nations' bilateral trade relationships, especially for India, which chaired the BRICS summit. This comes as India is negotiating a trade deal with the US and seeking competitive rates to those offered to Vietnam and Bangladesh.&nbsp;The tariff-criticism language is vague, so Washington has no direct textual trigger to retaliate against India specifically, unlike Rio 2025, where Trump followed the joint statement almost immediately with an actual 50 per cent tariff on Brazil, tied explicitly to that summit's "anti-American policies" framing.India formally ruled out the creation of a common BRICS currency. It instead advocated for settling bilateral trade in local currencies. Indian officials have repeatedly stressed India has "no plans to challenge the US dollar's global dominance". Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and the MEA emphasised that India's focus is purely transactional, not political. However, its active role in developing the BRICS Cross-Border Payment System to facilitate local currency routing still walks a precarious line with Washington. This is more likely to trigger Trump's reaction than the softened Iran or Gaza language, as Trump has previously also warned about tariffs tracking currency moves.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/neet-ug-computer-based-test-cbt-omr-sheets-nta-1789319006274">NEET-UG to move to computer-based test soon, NTA DG says ‘CBT is the future’</a>Overall, the declaration appears unlikely to change anything; what can change is the optics. Modi was flanked by Xi and Putin, deepening a $100B Russia trade target and hosting Iran while holding Pezeshkian's hand, as its own $500B+ trade negotiation with Washington remains unresolved.&nbsp;US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent launched “Economic Outcast” in late August to isolate the Iranian economy. The US has already moved past warnings and penalised four Indian entities directly in late August. Meanwhile, Modi has discussed with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian readiness to closely cooperate with Iran in multilateral organisations, including BRICS and SCO, and explicitly expressed New Delhi's resolve to "expand and diversify" bilateral trade channels with Iran. Though how much of this is mere rhetoric and how much is deliverable remains to be seen.Trump has yet to directly make any comment on BRICS; he shrugged off the bilateral meeting between Iran and the UAE. But as past instances from Rio indicate, Trump reacts to these symbolic moves just like he does to substance.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The BRICS declaration condemned unilateral tariffs without naming the US as India balances trade negotiations with Washington and ties with Russia and Iran.

The New Delhi Declaration adopted at the 18th BRICS Summit condemned "unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures" as against international law, but never named the US. It seems like a deliberate move to avoid straining member nations' bilateral trade relationships, especially for India, which chaired the BRICS summit. This comes as India is negotiating a trade deal with the US and seeking competitive rates to those offered to Vietnam and Bangladesh. The tariff-criticism language is vague, so Washington has no direct textual trigger to retaliate against India specifically, unlike Rio 2025, where Trump followed the joint statement almost immediately with an actual 50 per cent tariff on Brazil, tied explicitly to that summit's "anti-American policies" framing. India formally ruled out the creation of a common BRICS currency. It instead advocated for settling bilateral trade in local currencies. Indian officials have repeatedly stressed India has "no plans to challenge the US dollar's global dominance". Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and the MEA emphasised that India's focus is purely transactional, not political. However, its active role in developing the BRICS Cross-Border Payment System to facilitate local currency routing still walks a precarious line with Washington. This is more likely to trigger Trump's reaction than the softened Iran or Gaza language, as Trump has previously also warned about tariffs tracking currency moves. Also Read: NEET-UG to move to computer-based test soon, NTA DG says ‘CBT is the future’ Overall, the declaration appears unlikely to change anything; what can change is the optics. Modi was flanked by Xi and Putin, deepening a $100B Russia trade target and hosting Iran while holding Pezeshkian's hand, as its own $500B+ trade negotiation with Washington remains unresolved. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent launched “Economic Outcast” in late August to isolate the Iranian economy. The US has already moved past warnings and penalised four Indian entities directly in late August. Meanwhile, Modi has discussed with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian readiness to closely cooperate with Iran in multilateral organisations, including BRICS and SCO, and explicitly expressed New Delhi's resolve to "expand and diversify" bilateral trade channels with Iran. Though how much of this is mere rhetoric and how much is deliverable remains to be seen. Trump has yet to directly make any comment on BRICS; he shrugged off the bilateral meeting between Iran and the UAE. But as past instances from Rio indicate, Trump reacts to these symbolic moves just like he does to substance.

The BRICS declaration condemned unilateral tariffs without naming the US as India balances trade negotiations with Washington and ties with Russia and Iran.

Did India risk its US trade deal despite softer stance at BRICS?

New Delhi: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said his first visit to India as head of state produced understandings that went “beyond purely diplomatic relations”, pointing to what he called a shared cultural identification rooted in the two nations’ ancient history.&nbsp;Speaking after the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi, Dr Pezeshkian said he had held “a very good session” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Understandings were reached on expanding joint cooperation, and the issue of establishing and strengthening humanitarian ties between the two countries was also addressed,” he said.He added that Indian officials’ “good cooperation” on humanitarian communications had led to a decision that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Indian counterpart, EAM Jaishankar would “discuss the details and continue the necessary interactions to follow up on the agreements reached.”&nbsp;After meeting the Indian PM, Dr Pezeshkian also held talks with President Droupadi Murmu. He said the same topics were raised again and that the Indian president “emphasized full readiness to develop interactions with the Islamic Republic of Iran.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-tells-ukraine-to-stop-targeting-russian-refineries-says-attacks-causing-shortage-of-diesel-1789316749492">Trump tells Ukraine to stop targeting Russian refineries, says attacks causing shortage of diesel</a>&nbsp;Iran President was the only visiting world leader for BRICS summit, that got a meeting with Indian President.&nbsp;The Iranian leader said the historical background of Iran–India relations were “clearly visible in the behaviour, speech, and interactions of Indian officials.” Thanking New Delhi for its hospitality, he said the treatment of his delegation by the prime minister, the president “and the entire body of Indian officials” had been “very appropriate and cordial.”&nbsp;The visit took place against the backdrop of the West Asia conflict and a rare engagement on the summit’s sidelines with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the first such conversation between the 2 sides since the outbreak of war in the region in February.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-condemns-attack-on-merchant-vessel-off-oman-coast-13-indian-crew-rescued-one-missing-1789311950141">India condemns attack on merchant vessel off Oman coast; 13 Indian crew rescued, one missing</a>&nbsp;“A good discussion took place about existing issues and concerns,” Dr Pezeshkian said. “It was agreed to put the past aside, look to the future, and reach an understanding on how the future can be built through cooperation with one another.” Follow-up talks at the foreign minister level, he added, had produced “good interactions” on issues of interest to both sides.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Pezeshkian, at the conclusion of his visit to India: “We had a good conversation with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and agreed to put the past behind us and look to the future. We also had discussions with the Presidents of Russia and China, which were mostly brief… <a href="https://t.co/qxAhuUGDQb">pic.twitter.com/qxAhuUGDQb</a>&mdash; Iran in India (@Iran_in_India) <a href="https://x.com/Iran_in_India/status/2099139135093211512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amit-shah-s-big-ucc-deadline-all-21-nda-ruled-states-to-implement-law-by-2029-1789303324990">Amit Shah’s big UCC deadline: All 21 NDA-ruled states to implement law by 2029</a>&nbsp;On the summit itself, he said many leaders had stressed expanding trade in national currencies and “moving toward independence from the Western financial system.” Outlining what he called the trip’s achievements, he said the final New Delhi declaration condemned attacks on civilian facilities, supported Iran’s accession to the World Trade Organization, emphasized trade in national currencies and opposed unilateral sanctions.India hosted the expanded 11-member grouping on 12–13 September. The New Delhi Declaration, adopted after overnight negotiations, condemned unilateral coercive measures and expressed concern over tensions in West Asia without naming the principal parties, language that allowed both Iran and the UAE to sign the text.

Outlining the trip’s achievements, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said the final New Delhi declaration condemned attacks on civilian facilities, supported Iran’s accession to the World Trade Organization, emphasized trade in national currencies and opposed unilateral sanctions.

New Delhi: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said his first visit to India as head of state produced understandings that went “beyond purely diplomatic relations”, pointing to what he called a shared cultural identification rooted in the two nations’ ancient history. Speaking after the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi, Dr Pezeshkian said he had held “a very good session” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Understandings were reached on expanding joint cooperation, and the issue of establishing and strengthening humanitarian ties between the two countries was also addressed,” he said. He added that Indian officials’ “good cooperation” on humanitarian communications had led to a decision that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Indian counterpart, EAM Jaishankar would “discuss the details and continue the necessary interactions to follow up on the agreements reached.” After meeting the Indian PM, Dr Pezeshkian also held talks with President Droupadi Murmu. He said the same topics were raised again and that the Indian president “emphasized full readiness to develop interactions with the Islamic Republic of Iran.” Also Read: Trump tells Ukraine to stop targeting Russian refineries, says attacks causing shortage of diesel Iran President was the only visiting world leader for BRICS summit, that got a meeting with Indian President. The Iranian leader said the historical background of Iran–India relations were “clearly visible in the behaviour, speech, and interactions of Indian officials.” Thanking New Delhi for its hospitality, he said the treatment of his delegation by the prime minister, the president “and the entire body of Indian officials” had been “very appropriate and cordial.” The visit took place against the backdrop of the West Asia conflict and a rare engagement on the summit’s sidelines with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the first such conversation between the 2 sides since the outbreak of war in the region in February. Also Read: India condemns attack on merchant vessel off Oman coast; 13 Indian crew rescued, one missing “A good discussion took place about existing issues and concerns,” Dr Pezeshkian said. “It was agreed to put the past aside, look to the future, and reach an understanding on how the future can be built through cooperation with one another.” Follow-up talks at the foreign minister level, he added, had produced “good interactions” on issues of interest to both sides.

Outlining the trip’s achievements, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said the final New Delhi declaration condemned attacks on civilian facilities, supported Iran’s accession to the World Trade Organization, emphasized trade in national currencies and opposed unilateral sanctions.

Iran, India agree to deepen humanitarian and political ties, President Pezeshkian says

National Testing Agency Director General Abhishek Singh has announced that the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) will move to a Computer-Based Test (CBT) format. Traditional pen-and-paper OMR sheets will be phased out very soon, noting that "CBT is the future".NEET UG remains the primary major paper-and-pencil exam in India, with ongoing policy initiatives targeting a CBT transition. “All our examinations are CBT (Computer-Based Test) except the NEET examination. On NEET also, we will be moving to CBT very soon,” said Singh."CBT requires augmenting this testing infrastructure, building up safeguards. So that is the future. Currently, the JEE examination, the UGC NET examination, the CUET examinations, the NIFT examinations all are done in CBT. So CBT is the future, so all our examinations will be CBT in the days to come," &nbsp;said the NTA DG.NTA remains an autonomous body rather than a statutory entity without any parliamentary oversight. It is tasked with conducting centralised tests for the millions of students in India. The testing agency has faced unprecedented scrutiny, public outrage, and judicial pressure following the 2026 paper leak. The political fallout resulted in the resignation of the Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in July.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-new-york-times-lincoln-memorial-pool-vandalism-renovation-1789308920864">Trump defends Lincoln Memorial pool amid NYT report blaming renovation flaws, not vandalism</a><h2>NTA wants to provide solutions internationally</h2>The NTA DG also expressed NTA's desire to provide solutions internationally but emphasised that immediate operational priority remains strengthening its core infrastructure within India."Right now we are trying to consolidate our own testing framework. So first is to improve the systems and strengthen the processes within India so that we are able to conduct examinations without any error and in a completely fair manner. And once we have done that, the way we are visualising it is that we should be able to create something that can become like a digital public good that can be adopted by other countries, including the BRICS countries," said Singh.Speaking on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS summit, Singh was optimistic about addressing ongoing security challenges. He said that AI and biometric verification are central to NTA's fraud prevention strategy."We have Aadhaar based and face authentication method, which you use to verify there. So that is not a problem. With this Aadhaar database and the face authentication system, we have solved that problem, and we are using that face authentication framework in almost every examination that we conduct," said Singh.&nbsp;&nbsp;

NEET-UG will move to a computer-based test format soon, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh has announced, ending the exam's reliance on OMR sheets.

National Testing Agency Director General Abhishek Singh has announced that the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) will move to a Computer-Based Test (CBT) format. Traditional pen-and-paper OMR sheets will be phased out very soon, noting that "CBT is the future". NEET UG remains the primary major paper-and-pencil exam in India, with ongoing policy initiatives targeting a CBT transition. “All our examinations are CBT (Computer-Based Test) except the NEET examination. On NEET also, we will be moving to CBT very soon,” said Singh. "CBT requires augmenting this testing infrastructure, building up safeguards. So that is the future. Currently, the JEE examination, the UGC NET examination, the CUET examinations, the NIFT examinations all are done in CBT. So CBT is the future, so all our examinations will be CBT in the days to come," said the NTA DG. NTA remains an autonomous body rather than a statutory entity without any parliamentary oversight. It is tasked with conducting centralised tests for the millions of students in India. The testing agency has faced unprecedented scrutiny, public outrage, and judicial pressure following the 2026 paper leak. The political fallout resulted in the resignation of the Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in July. Also Read: Trump defends Lincoln Memorial pool amid NYT report blaming renovation flaws, not vandalism NTA wants to provide solutions internationally The NTA DG also expressed NTA's desire to provide solutions internationally but emphasised that immediate operational priority remains strengthening its core infrastructure within India. "Right now we are trying to consolidate our own testing framework. So first is to improve the systems and strengthen the processes within India so that we are able to conduct examinations without any error and in a completely fair manner. And once we have done that, the way we are visualising it is that we should be able to create something that can become like a digital public good that can be adopted by other countries, including the BRICS countries," said Singh. Speaking on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS summit, Singh was optimistic about addressing ongoing security challenges. He said that AI and biometric verification are central to NTA's fraud prevention strategy. "We have Aadhaar based and face authentication method, which you use to verify there. So that is not a problem. With this Aadhaar database and the face authentication system, we have solved that problem, and we are using that face authentication framework in almost every examination that we conduct," said Singh.

NEET-UG will move to a computer-based test format soon, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh has announced, ending the exam's reliance on OMR sheets.

NEET-UG to move to computer-based test soon, NTA DG says ‘CBT is the future’

A Russian drone strike on a Kyiv-Warsaw passenger train near Ukraine’s border with Poland has raised fresh concerns about the widening risks of Moscow’s war. Polish officials have warned that further escalation could affect NATO territory. The train, carrying 206 passengers, was struck near Yahodyn in western Ukraine on Sunday (Sep 13). No casualties were reported, but the service was delayed by more than six hours before continuing towards Warsaw after border checks. Following the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of “deliberately” targeting the train.According to Poland’s interior ministry, a second Russian drone hit just two kilometres from the Polish border at a fuel station in Yahodyn, setting two trucks on fire.“The unmanned aircraft hit a fuel station in the town of Yahodyn, 2 km from the Polish border,” spokeswoman Karolina Galecka said, adding that “as a result of the strike two trucks... caught fire.”The strikes came as US President Donald Trump warned Zelensky to “stop knocking out diesel fuel” refineries in Russia as it was resulting in shortages and “hurting” other countries.<h2>Western officials were nearby</h2>Ukraine’s state railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia said senior Western figures were at the station shortly before the strike at the train. According to reports, their train was halted and evacuated. &nbsp;The presence of the former British prime minister and former CIA director adds another layer to an incident already drawing attention because of its proximity to Poland.“Shortly before the locomotive was hit at the Ukrainian-Polish border, a diplomatic train was at Yagodyn station,” the operator said. “There were, among others, security advisers from several EU member states and former European leaders on board, including former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. In another train that was at Yagodyn station at the very moment of the attack was former CIA Director David Petraeus.”Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the strike, calling it a “random and senseless attack” on Ukrainians and civilian railways. He urged Western countries to provide Ukraine with more air defences and use frozen Russian assets to support Kyiv, arguing that stronger backing could help end the war sooner.<h2>Poland warns of escalation</h2>Following the attack, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk chaired an emergency meeting. He warned that Russia’s military campaign could increasingly pose a threat to Poland.“The coming weeks and months will be a period of very intensive actions on the Russian side,” Tusk said, adding that Poland “cannot rule out that this escalation will also affect our territory.”Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, speaking in Kyiv, described the attacks as an escalation and called for increased support for Ukraine.“This is an escalation, this is another great challenge for Ukraine and for the hypothetical future victims of Russian aggression and this means that we should double our efforts to support victims of aggression,” Sikorski said.<h2>Moscow says railway infrastructure targeted</h2>Russia confirmed striking railway infrastructure in western Ukraine but said the facilities were being used to move military supplies from Europe.“Strikes have continued on railway infrastructure in the western regions of Ukraine, which are used to transport military cargo from European countries,” Russia’s defence ministry said.Zelensky, however, said the passenger train was deliberately targeted and accused Moscow of striking civilian and critical infrastructure.“It is precisely to prevent these strikes from spreading further into Europe that Ukrainian men and women fight every day, give their lives, and do not allow the aggression to expand,” Zelensky said.<h2>Peace efforts face another setback</h2>The strikes came days after US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held talks in Kyiv and Moscow as Washington sought to revive negotiations to end the war.The Kremlin said three-way talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the US could potentially take place in October, although there is still no agreed framework. Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said there was no “coordinated package” for negotiations yet, while President Vladimir Putin’s government continues to insist that territorial issues must be addressed.

A Russian drone struck a Kyiv-Warsaw train near Poland when Western officials were nearby, while another hit just 2 km from the border. Is NATO facing threat of wider escalation?

A Russian drone strike on a Kyiv-Warsaw passenger train near Ukraine’s border with Poland has raised fresh concerns about the widening risks of Moscow’s war. Polish officials have warned that further escalation could affect NATO territory. The train, carrying 206 passengers, was struck near Yahodyn in western Ukraine on Sunday (Sep 13). No casualties were reported, but the service was delayed by more than six hours before continuing towards Warsaw after border checks. Following the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of “deliberately” targeting the train. According to Poland’s interior ministry, a second Russian drone hit just two kilometres from the Polish border at a fuel station in Yahodyn, setting two trucks on fire. “The unmanned aircraft hit a fuel station in the town of Yahodyn, 2 km from the Polish border,” spokeswoman Karolina Galecka said, adding that “as a result of the strike two trucks... caught fire.” The strikes came as US President Donald Trump warned Zelensky to “stop knocking out diesel fuel” refineries in Russia as it was resulting in shortages and “hurting” other countries. Western officials were nearby Ukraine’s state railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia said senior Western figures were at the station shortly before the strike at the train. According to reports, their train was halted and evacuated. The presence of the former British prime minister and former CIA director adds another layer to an incident already drawing attention because of its proximity to Poland. “Shortly before the locomotive was hit at the Ukrainian-Polish border, a diplomatic train was at Yagodyn station,” the operator said. “There were, among others, security advisers from several EU member states and former European leaders on board, including former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. In another train that was at Yagodyn station at the very moment of the attack was former CIA Director David Petraeus.” Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the strike, calling it a “random and senseless attack” on Ukrainians and civilian railways. He urged Western countries to provide Ukraine with more air defences and use frozen Russian assets to support Kyiv, arguing that stronger backing could help end the war sooner. Poland warns of escalation Following the attack, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk chaired an emergency meeting. He warned that Russia’s military campaign could increasingly pose a threat to Poland. “The coming weeks and months will be a period of very intensive actions on the Russian side,” Tusk said, adding that Poland “cannot rule out that this escalation will also affect our territory.” Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, speaking in Kyiv, described the attacks as an escalation and called for increased support for Ukraine. “This is an escalation, this is another great challenge for Ukraine and for the hypothetical future victims of Russian aggression and this means that we should double our efforts to support victims of aggression,” Sikorski said. Moscow says railway infrastructure targeted Russia confirmed striking railway infrastructure in western Ukraine but said the facilities were being used to move military supplies from Europe. “Strikes have continued on railway infrastructure in the western regions of Ukraine, which are used to transport military cargo from European countries,” Russia’s defence ministry said. Zelensky, however, said the passenger train was deliberately targeted and accused Moscow of striking civilian and critical infrastructure. “It is precisely to prevent these strikes from spreading further into Europe that Ukrainian men and women fight every day, give their lives, and do not allow the aggression to expand,” Zelensky said. Peace efforts face another setback The strikes came days after US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held talks in Kyiv and Moscow as Washington sought to revive negotiations to end the war. The Kremlin said three-way talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the US could potentially take place in October, although there is still no agreed framework. Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said there was no “coordinated package” for negotiations yet, while President Vladimir Putin’s government continues to insist that territorial issues must be addressed.

A Russian drone struck a Kyiv-Warsaw train near Poland when Western officials were nearby, while another hit just 2 km from the border. Is NATO facing threat of wider escalation?

NATO under Russian threat? Drone strikes just 2 km from Poland, narrow escape for former UK PM, CIA chief

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday (Sept 13) praised India’s leadership as BRICS chair, saying New Delhi successfully brought member countries together to adopt the New Delhi Declaration despite doubts over whether consensus could be reached.&nbsp;Speaking at a press conference after the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Ramaphosa credited the collective efforts of all member countries for the declaration’s adoption while particularly congratulating India for hosting the summit and guiding the discussions.&nbsp;“In this BRICS Summit, we were able to adopt a declaration when many thought that we would not succeed in adopting a declaration. We did. In that regard, we congratulate all BRICS members, but also especially India for hosting a very successful BRICS Summit,” Ramaphosa said.<h3>Ramaphosa praises India’s summit arrangements</h3>Ramaphosa also praised India for the arrangements made for the two day summit and highlighted the scale of meetings and events held during the gathering.&nbsp;“Everything was so well-arranged; they were able to lead us in holding 350 meetings or so in 30 cities. That takes a lot of doing by any host of a huge Summit like this,” he said.&nbsp;“What India has done well was to organise an extremely well-organised summit. Organising summits is always a touch-and-go type of process. There are many things that could go wrong; nothing went wrong. So we congratulate India for doing so,” he said.&nbsp;He said the host country has an important role in steering discussions and helping member states move towards consensus.&nbsp;“When a host convenes a summit, they take the reins of leadership. They direct the discussions, and they also cajole everyone towards a decision. So that's what India has done extremely well,” Ramaphosa said.&nbsp;“Whilst all countries have to cooperate and reach consensus, they need a focal point, and India was the focal point and the lead, bringing light to all this. So we really congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all his various ministers; they have done extremely well,” he added.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-tells-ukraine-to-stop-targeting-russian-refineries-says-attacks-causing-shortage-of-diesel-1789316749492">Trump tells Ukraine to stop targeting Russian refineries, says attacks causing shortage of diesel</a><h3>Ramaphosa, Modi discuss India South Africa ties</h3>Ramaphosa also spoke about his bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the summit, saying the two leaders discussed the special and strategic relationship between India and South Africa.&nbsp;“In our bilateral with Prime Minister, we reflected on the relationship between South Africa and India and did say that it is a special and strategic relationship,” he said.&nbsp;Ramaphosa recalled the strategic partnership agreement signed between the two countries in 1997 during former South African President Nelson Mandela’s visit to India. He said the two countries would mark 30 years of the strategic relationship next year.&nbsp;“The relationship really got seriously underway in 1997 when President Mandela was here. We signed a strategic agreement. They call it the Red Fort Declaration in 1997. Prime Minister Modi commented that we'll be celebrating 30 years of this strategic relationship, and I promptly invited him to come to South Africa next year so that we can together celebrate the strategic partnership between South Africa and India,” he said.&nbsp;The two leaders also discussed trade, investment and ways to strengthen economic cooperation.“We touched on trade issues, investment issues, and how we can deepen our relationship at an economic level,” Ramaphosa said.

Cyril Ramaphosa praised India’s leadership at the BRICS Summit and highlighted his discussions with PM Modi on strengthening their strategic and economic partnership.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday (Sept 13) praised India’s leadership as BRICS chair, saying New Delhi successfully brought member countries together to adopt the New Delhi Declaration despite doubts over whether consensus could be reached. Speaking at a press conference after the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Ramaphosa credited the collective efforts of all member countries for the declaration’s adoption while particularly congratulating India for hosting the summit and guiding the discussions. “In this BRICS Summit, we were able to adopt a declaration when many thought that we would not succeed in adopting a declaration. We did. In that regard, we congratulate all BRICS members, but also especially India for hosting a very successful BRICS Summit,” Ramaphosa said. Ramaphosa praises India’s summit arrangements Ramaphosa also praised India for the arrangements made for the two day summit and highlighted the scale of meetings and events held during the gathering. “Everything was so well-arranged; they were able to lead us in holding 350 meetings or so in 30 cities. That takes a lot of doing by any host of a huge Summit like this,” he said. “What India has done well was to organise an extremely well-organised summit. Organising summits is always a touch-and-go type of process. There are many things that could go wrong; nothing went wrong. So we congratulate India for doing so,” he said. He said the host country has an important role in steering discussions and helping member states move towards consensus. “When a host convenes a summit, they take the reins of leadership. They direct the discussions, and they also cajole everyone towards a decision. So that's what India has done extremely well,” Ramaphosa said. “Whilst all countries have to cooperate and reach consensus, they need a focal point, and India was the focal point and the lead, bringing light to all this. So we really congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all his various ministers; they have done extremely well,” he added. Also Read: Trump tells Ukraine to stop targeting Russian refineries, says attacks causing shortage of diesel Ramaphosa, Modi discuss India South Africa ties Ramaphosa also spoke about his bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the summit, saying the two leaders discussed the special and strategic relationship between India and South Africa. “In our bilateral with Prime Minister, we reflected on the relationship between South Africa and India and did say that it is a special and strategic relationship,” he said. Ramaphosa recalled the strategic partnership agreement signed between the two countries in 1997 during former South African President Nelson Mandela’s visit to India. He said the two countries would mark 30 years of the strategic relationship next year. “The relationship really got seriously underway in 1997 when President Mandela was here. We signed a strategic agreement. They call it the Red Fort Declaration in 1997. Prime Minister Modi commented that we'll be celebrating 30 years of this strategic relationship, and I promptly invited him to come to South Africa next year so that we can together celebrate the strategic partnership between South Africa and India,” he said. The two leaders also discussed trade, investment and ways to strengthen economic cooperation. “We touched on trade issues, investment issues, and how we can deepen our relationship at an economic level,” Ramaphosa said.

Cyril Ramaphosa praised India’s leadership at the BRICS Summit and highlighted his discussions with PM Modi on strengthening their strategic and economic partnership.

‘India did extremely well’: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa praises BRICS leadership

Ukrainian Navy has claimed a triumph in "the first-ever naval battle between unmanned boats", sinking its Russian rival. For the first time in history, two unmanned boats have fought a battle at sea, according to the Ukrainian Navy. Ukrainian defence intelligence units first detected the Russian unmanned vessel moving across the Black Sea. Then destroyed its communication antennas from roughly 1 km away and then destroyed the vessel at point-blank range.A video of the battle shared by the Ukrainian Navy on Telegram shows Ukraine's Sargan 3000 sea drone spotting a Russian Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) in the Black Sea and firing several rounds using its 12.7mm ‘Protector RWS’ automatic turret. After taking fire, there was at least one explosion before smoke emerged from the Russian USV.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-diplomat-child-abuse-images-secretly-flown-out-uk-1789305485905">US diplomat accused of possessing child abuse images secretly flown out of UK by US Marines</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">💥🌊BREAKING: The first naval battle in history between two unmanned surface vessels has taken place in the Black Sea. A Ukrainian Navy Sargan 3000 USV, armed with a 12.7 mm Protector RWS, engaged and destroyed a Russian naval drone. The engagement marks the first known combat… <a href="https://t.co/VVBlZXQfDY">pic.twitter.com/VVBlZXQfDY</a>&mdash; Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) <a href="https://x.com/bayraktar_1love/status/2098801740409696322?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Several independent OSINT observers have identified the sunken Russian craft as an improved Orca-type unmanned surface vessel (USV), also referred to as the Zefir or Zephyr in some Russian military circles. The Sargan 3000 can reach up to a speed of 40 to 55 knots and carries up to 450 kilograms of explosives or combat equipment, with an operational range of up to 1,600 kilometres.No specific date, time, or location of the duel was mentioned by the Ukrainian Navy. It is unclear how long the battle lasted. Neither the Russian Ministry of Defence nor Kremlin officials have formally acknowledged the clash.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ukraine's Navy claims its Sargan 3000 sea drone fought and destroyed a Russian unmanned vessel in what it calls the first-ever naval drone battle.

Ukrainian Navy has claimed a triumph in "the first-ever naval battle between unmanned boats", sinking its Russian rival. For the first time in history, two unmanned boats have fought a battle at sea, according to the Ukrainian Navy. Ukrainian defence intelligence units first detected the Russian unmanned vessel moving across the Black Sea. Then destroyed its communication antennas from roughly 1 km away and then destroyed the vessel at point-blank range. A video of the battle shared by the Ukrainian Navy on Telegram shows Ukraine's Sargan 3000 sea drone spotting a Russian Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) in the Black Sea and firing several rounds using its 12.7mm ‘Protector RWS’ automatic turret. After taking fire, there was at least one explosion before smoke emerged from the Russian USV. Also Read: US diplomat accused of possessing child abuse images secretly flown out of UK by US Marines

Ukraine's Navy claims its Sargan 3000 sea drone fought and destroyed a Russian unmanned vessel in what it calls the first-ever naval drone battle.

First naval drone battle? Ukraine says Sargan 3000 sank Russian unmanned boat

India’s BRICS Summit in New Delhi focused on diplomacy, Global South representation, conflicts, trade and technology, with the New Delhi Declaration adopted and China taking over the 2027 chairship.

India’s BRICS Summit in New Delhi focused on diplomacy, Global South representation, conflicts, trade and technology, with the New Delhi Declaration adopted and China taking over the 2027 chairship.

BRICS in pictures: Leaders, diplomacy and viral moments from Delhi summit

US President Donald Trump on Sunday called on his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky to halt strikes on Russian refineries, saying the attacks are causing a shortage of diesel.&nbsp;Trump, who is in Ireland for the weekend, was asked by a reporter if he had spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following his recent conversation with Russia’s Vladimir Putin. The US president responded by calling on Zelensky to halt strikes against Russian refineries.&nbsp;“Mr. Zelensky has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” Trump said. “Let him go after targets but not diesel fuel, because he’s causing a shortage of diesel fuel.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-condemns-attack-on-merchant-vessel-off-oman-coast-13-indian-crew-rescued-one-missing-1789311950141">India condemns attack on merchant vessel off Oman coast; 13 Indian crew rescued, one missing</a>&nbsp;Ukraine’s recent long-range strikes have targeted Russia’s oil and gas industry, which Kyiv says both funds and directly fuels its war on Ukraine.&nbsp;Trump’s remarks came as Russia and Ukraine continued overnight waves of drone attacks.&nbsp;Ukrainian authorities reported Russian drone attacks on the Black Sea port of Odesa and a fire near a border crossing with Poland while two people were killed in Russia’s Tatarstan.&nbsp;&nbsp;Russia’s attacks have targeted Ukraine’s power grid ahead of winter in what officials say is meant to demoralize civilians.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amit-shah-s-big-ucc-deadline-all-21-nda-ruled-states-to-implement-law-by-2029-1789303324990">Amit Shah’s big UCC deadline: All 21 NDA-ruled states to implement law by 2029</a>&nbsp;Ukrainian drones struck Nizhnekamsk, a city in Tatarstan, which houses a cluster of oil refineries and petrochemical, rubber and polymer plants, including some of Russia’s largest facilities of their kind.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Ukrainian drone campaign has caused fuel rationing across Russia, despite the country being a key oil and gas exporter. Ukrainian strikes also targeted major Russian online retailers, bringing the war ever closer to the public.&nbsp;Ukraine also claimed to have hit a major oil refinery in Sloviansk-on-Kuban, in Russia's Krasnodar region, on Sunday. The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) agency said its drones struck a key oil processing unit and the refinery's tank farm overnight, sparking a massive blaze visible from dozens of kilometres away.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eam-jaishankar-meets-saudi-foreign-minister-for-bilateral-as-both-nations-seek-to-advance-cooperation-1789302835549">Jaishankar meets Saudi Foreign Minister for bilateral, both discuss ways to advance cooperation</a><h2>Trump says he ‘doesn’t care’ if Gulf nations meet Iran, discuss Hormuz</h2>&nbsp;The US president said he doesn’t care if Gulf countries meet with Iran on Monday to discuss the future of the Strait of Hormuz.Speaking to reporters at his golf resort in Doonbeg in the Republic of Ireland, Trump said it was “up to them” if they wanted to hold talks with senior Iranian officials about the strait.He reiterated his claim that Iran is desperate for a deal, saying, “I will tell ⁠you this: Iran wants to make a deal so bad. They are calling ⁠constantly. They want to make a ⁠deal. They’ve got to make ⁠the right deal. I’m not going to make a deal that’s no good.”&nbsp;Trump again said that the war would end either before, or immediately after, the midterm elections on November 3, claiming that as a result “gasoline’s going to drop like a rock”.

Ukraine’s recent long-range strikes have targeted Russia’s oil and gas industry, which Kyiv says both funds and directly fuels its war on Ukraine. The Ukrainian drone campaign has caused fuel rationing across Russia, despite the country being a key oil and gas exporter.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday called on his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky to halt strikes on Russian refineries, saying the attacks are causing a shortage of diesel. Trump, who is in Ireland for the weekend, was asked by a reporter if he had spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following his recent conversation with Russia’s Vladimir Putin. The US president responded by calling on Zelensky to halt strikes against Russian refineries. “Mr. Zelensky has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia,” Trump said. “Let him go after targets but not diesel fuel, because he’s causing a shortage of diesel fuel.” Also Read: India condemns attack on merchant vessel off Oman coast; 13 Indian crew rescued, one missing Ukraine’s recent long-range strikes have targeted Russia’s oil and gas industry, which Kyiv says both funds and directly fuels its war on Ukraine. Trump’s remarks came as Russia and Ukraine continued overnight waves of drone attacks. Ukrainian authorities reported Russian drone attacks on the Black Sea port of Odesa and a fire near a border crossing with Poland while two people were killed in Russia’s Tatarstan. Russia’s attacks have targeted Ukraine’s power grid ahead of winter in what officials say is meant to demoralize civilians. Also Read: Amit Shah’s big UCC deadline: All 21 NDA-ruled states to implement law by 2029 Ukrainian drones struck Nizhnekamsk, a city in Tatarstan, which houses a cluster of oil refineries and petrochemical, rubber and polymer plants, including some of Russia’s largest facilities of their kind. The Ukrainian drone campaign has caused fuel rationing across Russia, despite the country being a key oil and gas exporter. Ukrainian strikes also targeted major Russian online retailers, bringing the war ever closer to the public. Ukraine also claimed to have hit a major oil refinery in Sloviansk-on-Kuban, in Russia's Krasnodar region, on Sunday. The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) agency said its drones struck a key oil processing unit and the refinery's tank farm overnight, sparking a massive blaze visible from dozens of kilometres away. Also Read: Jaishankar meets Saudi Foreign Minister for bilateral, both discuss ways to advance cooperation Trump says he ‘doesn’t care’ if Gulf nations meet Iran, discuss Hormuz The US president said he doesn’t care if Gulf countries meet with Iran on Monday to discuss the future of the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking to reporters at his golf resort in Doonbeg in the Republic of Ireland, Trump said it was “up to them” if they wanted to hold talks with senior Iranian officials about the strait. He reiterated his claim that Iran is desperate for a deal, saying, “I will tell ⁠you this: Iran wants to make a deal so bad. They are calling ⁠constantly. They want to make a ⁠deal. They’ve got to make ⁠the right deal. I’m not going to make a deal that’s no good.” Trump again said that the war would end either before, or immediately after, the midterm elections on November 3, claiming that as a result “gasoline’s going to drop like a rock”.

Ukraine’s recent long-range strikes have targeted Russia’s oil and gas industry, which Kyiv says both funds and directly fuels its war on Ukraine. The Ukrainian drone campaign has caused fuel rationing across Russia, despite the country being a key oil and gas exporter.

Trump tells Ukraine to stop targeting Russian refineries, says attacks causing shortage of diesel

The leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are set to meet in Cardiff on Monday to discuss plans for greater constitutional autonomy and the possible breakup of the United Kingdom, according to The Telegraph.&nbsp;Scotland First Minister John Swinney, Wales First Minister Rhun ap Iowerth and Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill are expected to sign a joint declaration calling for the right to hold referendums on independence. The meeting would be significant as pro-independence parties now govern all three constituent nations for the first time.&nbsp;According to The Telegraph, the summit is aimed at increasing pressure on UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham after he told Parliament that he would support another Scottish independence referendum if there was a “clear consensus” in favour of one.&nbsp;The three leaders are expected to use the unprecedented Cardiff meeting to push for their nations to have a greater say in determining their constitutional futures. The gathering is also expected to focus on closer cooperation between the devolved governments.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/whoever-wins-ai-wins-trump-brushes-off-fears-rejects-ai-bosses-calls-to-slow-development-1789309834381">‘Whoever wins AI wins’: Trump brushes off fears, rejects AI bosses’ calls to slow development</a><h2>Pro-independence parties gain ground</h2>The meeting comes after major political changes across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.In Wales, Plaid Cymru emerged as the largest party in the Cardiff Senedd following May’s elections. Its leader, Rhun ap Iowerth, subsequently became First Minister.&nbsp;In Scotland, the Scottish National Party remained the dominant political force despite losing six seats at Holyrood, while Reform and the Greens made gains.&nbsp;Northern Ireland has been led by Sinn Féin since Michelle O’Neill became First Minister in 2024. Sinn Féin emerged as the largest party in the 2022 Stormont elections, although a walkout by the Democratic Unionist Party delayed the formation of the executive.&nbsp;Sinn Féin is widely expected to remain in power when Northern Ireland holds its next election next year.The Cardiff summit will also include Sinn Féin president and Irish opposition leader Mary Lou McDonald. The leaders are expected to discuss greater cooperation and a renewed push for constitutional autonomy at the meeting.<h2>Trump’s Irish reunification remarks add to debate</h2>The summit also comes amid renewed discussion over Northern Ireland’s constitutional future after US President Donald Trump commented on Irish reunification.&nbsp;During a visit to Dublin on Saturday, Trump said he would “love” to see a united Ireland. He described Northern Ireland joining the Republic of Ireland as “a great thing” and asked, “How can it be bad?”&nbsp;The comments have added another dimension to the political debate, as nationalist parties in the UK’s devolved nations push for greater control over their constitutional futures.&nbsp;Burnham has made the devolution of power in England a central part of his political agenda. Swinney has meanwhile accused the UK prime minister of facing the prospect of becoming “the final prime minister of the United Kingdom”.&nbsp;The Cardiff meeting is expected to further intensify the debate over the future of the United Kingdom and the powers of its constituent nations.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland leaders are set to meet in Cardiff to push for independence referendums and greater control over their constitutional futures.

The leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are set to meet in Cardiff on Monday to discuss plans for greater constitutional autonomy and the possible breakup of the United Kingdom, according to The Telegraph. Scotland First Minister John Swinney, Wales First Minister Rhun ap Iowerth and Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill are expected to sign a joint declaration calling for the right to hold referendums on independence. The meeting would be significant as pro-independence parties now govern all three constituent nations for the first time. According to The Telegraph, the summit is aimed at increasing pressure on UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham after he told Parliament that he would support another Scottish independence referendum if there was a “clear consensus” in favour of one. The three leaders are expected to use the unprecedented Cardiff meeting to push for their nations to have a greater say in determining their constitutional futures. The gathering is also expected to focus on closer cooperation between the devolved governments. Also Read: ‘Whoever wins AI wins’: Trump brushes off fears, rejects AI bosses’ calls to slow development Pro-independence parties gain ground The meeting comes after major political changes across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Wales, Plaid Cymru emerged as the largest party in the Cardiff Senedd following May’s elections. Its leader, Rhun ap Iowerth, subsequently became First Minister. In Scotland, the Scottish National Party remained the dominant political force despite losing six seats at Holyrood, while Reform and the Greens made gains. Northern Ireland has been led by Sinn Féin since Michelle O’Neill became First Minister in 2024. Sinn Féin emerged as the largest party in the 2022 Stormont elections, although a walkout by the Democratic Unionist Party delayed the formation of the executive. Sinn Féin is widely expected to remain in power when Northern Ireland holds its next election next year. The Cardiff summit will also include Sinn Féin president and Irish opposition leader Mary Lou McDonald. The leaders are expected to discuss greater cooperation and a renewed push for constitutional autonomy at the meeting. Trump’s Irish reunification remarks add to debate The summit also comes amid renewed discussion over Northern Ireland’s constitutional future after US President Donald Trump commented on Irish reunification. During a visit to Dublin on Saturday, Trump said he would “love” to see a united Ireland. He described Northern Ireland joining the Republic of Ireland as “a great thing” and asked, “How can it be bad?” The comments have added another dimension to the political debate, as nationalist parties in the UK’s devolved nations push for greater control over their constitutional futures. Burnham has made the devolution of power in England a central part of his political agenda. Swinney has meanwhile accused the UK prime minister of facing the prospect of becoming “the final prime minister of the United Kingdom”. The Cardiff meeting is expected to further intensify the debate over the future of the United Kingdom and the powers of its constituent nations.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland leaders are set to meet in Cardiff to push for independence referendums and greater control over their constitutional futures.

UK breakup on the cards? Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland push for independence

Africa has heard the compliments before.The continent of the future. The world's youngest continent. A mineral powerhouse. The next great consumer market. An indispensable voice of the Global South.All true.But recognition without influence is merely applause.The New Delhi Declaration adopted at the BRICS Summit makes a powerful case for a more representative global order and greater participation by developing economies, particularly those from Africa, Asia and Latin America.That is welcome.But Africa should ask an uncomfortable question: where is its power in this emerging order?Africa has 54 countries and more than 1.5 billion people, yet only South Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia are full members of BRICS. Nigeria and Uganda are partner countries.That is progress. It is not proportional power.And simply stuffing BRICS with dozens more members is not necessarily the solution either.Expansion without coordination risks creating another enormous international talking shop — impressive family photographs, lengthy declarations and very little ability to act.Africa therefore needs something more important than seats: a strategy.This is where the African Union should become central.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://x.com/hashtag/WIONAtBRICS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIONAtBRICS</a> | 54 African countries. Only THREE are full BRICS members. Africa doesn&#39;t need applause for its &quot;potential.&quot; It needs power proportional to it. India deserves credit for opening the door. But Africa must decide how it walks through it.<a href="https://x.com/eriknjoka?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@eriknjoka</a> brings more on… <a href="https://t.co/xmwS1LAkgK">pic.twitter.com/xmwS1LAkgK</a>&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://x.com/WIONews/status/2099168609893576871?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Instead of African countries approaching emerging blocs primarily through individual national interests, the continent needs greater coordination around what it wants from them: infrastructure financing, industrialisation, technology transfer, energy security, agricultural transformation, value addition and reform of global financial institutions.Africa possesses many of the resources the emerging world wants. It should negotiate accordingly.India deserves recognition here.New Delhi has repeatedly pushed greater representation of the Global South, backed the African Union's elevation within the G20 and used its 2026 BRICS chairship to again place developing economies prominently on the agenda.That matters.India and Africa also have something important in common: neither wants the international system permanently dictated by institutions reflecting yesterday's balance of power.But partnership cannot mean replacing dependence on one centre of global power with dependence on another.Africa should neither become an appendage of the West nor a bargaining chip for the East.It should become a pole of power itself.That means BRICS should not simply ask how many more African countries it can accommodate.Africa should ask what membership actually delivers.More African flags around the BRICS table will mean little if African economies continue exporting raw minerals only to import the finished products; if infrastructure gaps persist; if Africans remain underrepresented where global financial and security decisions are made; and if the continent's enormous population translates into market size but not negotiating strength.The New Delhi Declaration talks about giving the Global South a greater voice.Good.Now Africa must use it.Because the continent does not need another invitation to somebody else's table.It needs the leverage to help decide what is served.

New Delhi has repeatedly pushed greater representation of the Global South, backed the African Union's elevation within the G20 and used its 2026 BRICS chairship to again place developing economies prominently on the agenda.

Africa has heard the compliments before. The continent of the future. The world's youngest continent. A mineral powerhouse. The next great consumer market. An indispensable voice of the Global South. All true. But recognition without influence is merely applause. The New Delhi Declaration adopted at the BRICS Summit makes a powerful case for a more representative global order and greater participation by developing economies, particularly those from Africa, Asia and Latin America. That is welcome. But Africa should ask an uncomfortable question: where is its power in this emerging order? Africa has 54 countries and more than 1.5 billion people, yet only South Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia are full members of BRICS. Nigeria and Uganda are partner countries. That is progress. It is not proportional power. And simply stuffing BRICS with dozens more members is not necessarily the solution either. Expansion without coordination risks creating another enormous international talking shop — impressive family photographs, lengthy declarations and very little ability to act. Africa therefore needs something more important than seats: a strategy. This is where the African Union should become central.

New Delhi has repeatedly pushed greater representation of the Global South, backed the African Union's elevation within the G20 and used its 2026 BRICS chairship to again place developing economies prominently on the agenda.

The Verdict | Africa is too big to remain a guest at the BRICS table

US President Donald Trump has hit back at the New York Times over an investigative report critical of the deteriorating condition of the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, published on the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Trump shared a post of US Department of the Interior on Truth Social early Sunday, which accused the Times of dedicating significant time and investigative resources to a story about a swimming pool liner on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attack while not reporting the vandalism at the site.The Times reported that the internal government documents and statements from the project's contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, blamed design and construction error rather than vandalism. The plan reportedly used two incompatible chemicals, where the top layer reached a temperature which the compounds in the lower layer could not withstand, causing it to blister and come loose.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-diplomat-child-abuse-images-secretly-flown-out-uk-1789305485905">US diplomat accused of possessing child abuse images secretly flown out of UK by US Marines</a>The Trump administration had previously attributed the bubbling, peeling, and green algae plaguing the pool's "American flag blue" liner to deliberate acts of vandalism executed by individuals using knives or box cutters. They also arrested former Olympian David Hearn in connection with it, but the Department of Justice later dropped charges, acknowledging that the structural damage was caused by flawed renovation work rather than criminal activity.The $16.4 million worth renovation was unveiled on June 6, but it had faced serious problems. By June 14, the blue colour of the pool turned green, which officials blamed on residual algae in the supply line. Authorities used hydrogen peroxide and ozone treatments to clear it. Then by June 18, the blue coating itself was peeling away. The Trump administration had awarded a $2.7 million contract to a Massachusetts company to try to fix the algae issue.&nbsp;

Donald Trump has hit back at the New York Times over a report linking damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to flawed renovation work rather than vandalism.

US President Donald Trump has hit back at the New York Times over an investigative report critical of the deteriorating condition of the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, published on the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Trump shared a post of US Department of the Interior on Truth Social early Sunday, which accused the Times of dedicating significant time and investigative resources to a story about a swimming pool liner on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attack while not reporting the vandalism at the site. The Times reported that the internal government documents and statements from the project's contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, blamed design and construction error rather than vandalism. The plan reportedly used two incompatible chemicals, where the top layer reached a temperature which the compounds in the lower layer could not withstand, causing it to blister and come loose. Also Read: US diplomat accused of possessing child abuse images secretly flown out of UK by US Marines The Trump administration had previously attributed the bubbling, peeling, and green algae plaguing the pool's "American flag blue" liner to deliberate acts of vandalism executed by individuals using knives or box cutters. They also arrested former Olympian David Hearn in connection with it, but the Department of Justice later dropped charges, acknowledging that the structural damage was caused by flawed renovation work rather than criminal activity. The $16.4 million worth renovation was unveiled on June 6, but it had faced serious problems. By June 14, the blue colour of the pool turned green, which officials blamed on residual algae in the supply line. Authorities used hydrogen peroxide and ozone treatments to clear it. Then by June 18, the blue coating itself was peeling away. The Trump administration had awarded a $2.7 million contract to a Massachusetts company to try to fix the algae issue.

Donald Trump has hit back at the New York Times over a report linking damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to flawed renovation work rather than vandalism.

Trump defends Lincoln Memorial pool amid NYT report blaming renovation flaws, not vandalism

The Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attack on commercial vessel MT El Gaia off the coast of Oman on Sunday and said that 3 Indian crew members have been rescued while search and rescue operations continue for one missing Indian national.&nbsp;The MEA said 14 Indians were onboard the vessel when the incident took place.&nbsp;“We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel MT El Gaia off the coast of Oman earlier today,” the ministry said in a statement.&nbsp;“Our Embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing search and rescue operation,” it added.&nbsp;The MEA also thanked the Omani authorities for their support in rescuing the Indian nationals.&nbsp;We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions and pursuance of dialogue and diplomacy to bring peace to the region, the MEA statement said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amit-shah-s-big-ucc-deadline-all-21-nda-ruled-states-to-implement-law-by-2029-1789303324990">Amit Shah’s big UCC deadline: All 21 NDA-ruled states to implement law by 2029</a>&nbsp;“The targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers, civilians, and civilian infrastructure in the region is unacceptable. We also urge that free and safe navigation and flow of commerce through the international waterways in the region be restored at the earliest,” it added.&nbsp;At the BRICS Summit in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had highlighted the attacks on sailors since the beginning of the West Asia conflict and proposed an emergency support network for seafarers to ensure their safety.&nbsp;Prime Minister Modi extended the proposal while addressing foreign delegates during the BRICS summit in New Delhi on Saturday.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eam-jaishankar-meets-saudi-foreign-minister-for-bilateral-as-both-nations-seek-to-advance-cooperation-1789302835549">Jaishankar meets Saudi Foreign Minister for bilateral, both discuss ways to advance cooperation</a>&nbsp;Highlighting the role of sailors in terms of global trade, PM Modi said they “make a massive contribution.”&nbsp;The PM said that mariners often lack support in times of crisis and that the proposed network would help bridge the gap between maritime authorities and diplomatic missions by providing assistance to seafarers through distress alerts, medical aid, evacuations, and family notifications.&nbsp;Seafarers from several countries, including India, have come under attack while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which is facing a blockade by both Iran and the US.

The Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attack and said 14 Indians were onboard the commercial vessel when the attack took place. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had highlighted the attacks on sailors and proposed an emergency support network to ensure the safety of seafarers.

The Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attack on commercial vessel MT El Gaia off the coast of Oman on Sunday and said that 3 Indian crew members have been rescued while search and rescue operations continue for one missing Indian national. The MEA said 14 Indians were onboard the vessel when the incident took place. “We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel MT El Gaia off the coast of Oman earlier today,” the ministry said in a statement. “Our Embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing search and rescue operation,” it added. The MEA also thanked the Omani authorities for their support in rescuing the Indian nationals. We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions and pursuance of dialogue and diplomacy to bring peace to the region, the MEA statement said. Also Read: Amit Shah’s big UCC deadline: All 21 NDA-ruled states to implement law by 2029 “The targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers, civilians, and civilian infrastructure in the region is unacceptable. We also urge that free and safe navigation and flow of commerce through the international waterways in the region be restored at the earliest,” it added. At the BRICS Summit in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had highlighted the attacks on sailors since the beginning of the West Asia conflict and proposed an emergency support network for seafarers to ensure their safety. Prime Minister Modi extended the proposal while addressing foreign delegates during the BRICS summit in New Delhi on Saturday. Also Read: Jaishankar meets Saudi Foreign Minister for bilateral, both discuss ways to advance cooperation Highlighting the role of sailors in terms of global trade, PM Modi said they “make a massive contribution.” The PM said that mariners often lack support in times of crisis and that the proposed network would help bridge the gap between maritime authorities and diplomatic missions by providing assistance to seafarers through distress alerts, medical aid, evacuations, and family notifications. Seafarers from several countries, including India, have come under attack while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which is facing a blockade by both Iran and the US.

The Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attack and said 14 Indians were onboard the commercial vessel when the attack took place. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had highlighted the attacks on sailors and proposed an emergency support network to ensure the safety of seafarers.

India condemns attack on merchant vessel off Oman coast; 13 Indian crew rescued, one missing

The Kremlin on Sunday (Sep 13) said it was not ruling out the possibility of three-way talks with Ukraine and the United States as early as October, offering a fresh indication that diplomatic efforts to end the war could resume. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was open to the possibility of another round of negotiations in the “foreseeable future”. This comes as Washington continues efforts to revive talks that have stalled after several rounds failed to produce a breakthrough.“We do not rule out such a possibility; we are talking about the foreseeable future,” Peskov told journalists, according to Russia’s RIA and TASS news agencies.In recent weeks, the US has stepped up diplomatic efforts, with American negotiators travelling to both Kyiv and Moscow. US President Donald Trump has also spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin as Washington attempts to find a path towards ending the conflict. Previous negotiations have made little progress, with Moscow and Kyiv remaining divided over several key issues, particularly territory.<h2>Zelensky, Putin meeting remains unlikely</h2>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday (Sep 12) said that he would be prepared to meet Putin at the G20 summit in Miami in December. Moscow, however, quickly dismissed the prospect. Peskov told AFP in New Delhi on Saturday that such a meeting was “impossible”, reiterating Russia’s position that any direct meeting between the two leaders could only take place in Moscow.Putin has repeatedly rejected proposals for a face-to-face meeting with Zelensky, despite international efforts to bring the two sides to the negotiating table.<h2>Territorial dispute remains key hurdle</h2>The war has continued to exact a heavy toll, with both Russia and Ukraine intensifying long-range strikes in recent months. The escalation has contributed to the highest civilian death toll since the early stages of the conflict.Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said Sunday that there was still no agreed framework for negotiations.“At present, there is the idea that we need to reach an agreement on the territorial issue. But there are also many other questions,” he said, adding that there was no “coordinated package” on which talks could currently be based.Moscow continues to demand territorial concessions from Ukraine, including areas in the east that Russian forces have not fully captured. That demand remains one of the biggest obstacles to a wider peace agreement.

The Kremlin said Russia is not ruling out three-way Ukraine peace talks with the US and Kyiv in October, but major disputes over territory and other issues remain unresolved.

The Kremlin on Sunday (Sep 13) said it was not ruling out the possibility of three-way talks with Ukraine and the United States as early as October, offering a fresh indication that diplomatic efforts to end the war could resume. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was open to the possibility of another round of negotiations in the “foreseeable future”. This comes as Washington continues efforts to revive talks that have stalled after several rounds failed to produce a breakthrough. “We do not rule out such a possibility; we are talking about the foreseeable future,” Peskov told journalists, according to Russia’s RIA and TASS news agencies. In recent weeks, the US has stepped up diplomatic efforts, with American negotiators travelling to both Kyiv and Moscow. US President Donald Trump has also spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin as Washington attempts to find a path towards ending the conflict. Previous negotiations have made little progress, with Moscow and Kyiv remaining divided over several key issues, particularly territory. Zelensky, Putin meeting remains unlikely Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday (Sep 12) said that he would be prepared to meet Putin at the G20 summit in Miami in December. Moscow, however, quickly dismissed the prospect. Peskov told AFP in New Delhi on Saturday that such a meeting was “impossible”, reiterating Russia’s position that any direct meeting between the two leaders could only take place in Moscow. Putin has repeatedly rejected proposals for a face-to-face meeting with Zelensky, despite international efforts to bring the two sides to the negotiating table. Territorial dispute remains key hurdle The war has continued to exact a heavy toll, with both Russia and Ukraine intensifying long-range strikes in recent months. The escalation has contributed to the highest civilian death toll since the early stages of the conflict. Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said Sunday that there was still no agreed framework for negotiations. “At present, there is the idea that we need to reach an agreement on the territorial issue. But there are also many other questions,” he said, adding that there was no “coordinated package” on which talks could currently be based. Moscow continues to demand territorial concessions from Ukraine, including areas in the east that Russian forces have not fully captured. That demand remains one of the biggest obstacles to a wider peace agreement.

The Kremlin said Russia is not ruling out three-way Ukraine peace talks with the US and Kyiv in October, but major disputes over territory and other issues remain unresolved.

Russia-Ukraine-US talks in October? Kremlin says not ruling out possibility of trilateral

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Trump defends Lincoln Memorial pool amid NYT report blaming renovation flaws