Bill Gates expressed regret over his association with Jeffrey Epstein, denying allegations in newly released documents, while Melinda French Gates said questions remain.

Bill Gates says he regrets 'every minute' with Epstein

Bill Gates expressed regret over his association with Jeffrey Epstein, denying allegations in newly released documents, while Melinda French Gates said questions remain.

Bill Gates has voiced regret over "every minute" he spent with Jeffrey Epstein, even as the Microsoft co-founder's former wife Melinda said he still had questions to answer over his relationship with the convicted sexual offender.
The latest tranche of documents released by the US Justice Department last week contained emails between many prominent figures and Epstein, often revealing warm friendships, illicit financial dealings and private photos.
In a draft email among the documents, Epstein alleged Gates engaged in extramarital affairs, writing that his relationship with Gates ranged from "helping Bill to get drugs, in order to deal with consequences of sex with russian girls, to facilitating his illicit trysts, with married women."
"Every minute I spent with him, I regret, and I apologize," Gates, a billionaire philanthropist, told 9News Australia in an interview broadcast Wednesday.
"That email was never sent. The email is false," he said. "I don't know what his thinking was there. Was he trying to attack me in some way?"
A Gates spokesperson issued a similar denial after the fresh cache of millions of files related to the investigation into Epstein, who died by suicide in prison in 2019, were released.
"The only thing these documents demonstrate is Epstein's frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame," the spokesperson said.
Melinda French Gates told US National Public Radio in an interview that the document dump brought back "memories of some very, very painful times in my marriage."
"For me, it's personally hard whenever those details come up," she said.
"Whatever questions remain there of what -- I can't even begin to know all of it -- those questions are for those people and for even my ex-husband. They need to answer to those things, not me."
The couple divorced in 2021.
Bill Gates told 9News that he met Epstein in 2011 and had several dinners with him over three years, but never visited his Caribbean island and didn't have relations with women.
"The focus was always, he knew a lot of very rich people, and he was saying he could get them to give money to global health. In retrospect, that was a dead end," he said.
Someone's name in the Epstein files does not imply any wrongdoing but the documents revealed connections between Epstein and public figures who have often downplayed -- or even denied -- such ties.

Iran and the US will hold nuclear talks in Oman on Friday, despite Trump’s warnings and ongoing disputes over missile programs and regional security.

US‑Iran nuclear talks set in Oman, Trump says Iran should be 'very worried'

Iran and the US will hold nuclear talks in Oman on Friday, despite Trump&rsquo;s warnings and ongoing disputes over missile programs and regional security.

Iran and the United States said Wednesday they were going ahead with nuclear talks in Oman later this week, even as President Donald Trump piled pressure on Tehran's supreme leader by saying he should be "very worried."
Doubts had swirled about the fate of the negotiations after a report earlier Wednesday that the talks between the bitter foes were falling apart due to disagreements about the format and the venue.
The uncertainty had increased fears of renewed US military action against Tehran, amid soaring tensions since Iran violently put down some of the most serious protests against its rule since the 1979 Islamic revolution.
But Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said nuclear talks were now "scheduled" for Friday in Muscat. "I'm grateful to our Omani brothers for making all necessary arrangements," he said on X.
A White House official also confirmed to AFP that the meeting would happen in Oman on Friday.
Diplomats had earlier said the meeting would happen in Turkey. But the Axios news outlet said the US was on the verge of pulling out, as Iran disputed both the location and whether its ballistic missile program should be included.
But Trump, who has sharply built up the US military presence in the region and refused to rule out new military action, continued to up the pressure on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
"I would say he should be very worried," Trump said Wednesday in an interview with US broadcaster NBC News.
Trump also said that Iran had eyed a new nuclear facility after US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites during Israel's June war against the Islamic republic.
"They were thinking about starting a new site in a different part of the country," Trump told NBC. "We found out about it, I said, you do that, we're going to do very bad things to you."
 - 'Ballistic missiles' -
Trump has sent a US aircraft carrier group -- which he calls an "armada" -- to the region and one of its planes shot down an Iranian drone on Tuesday. Iran has threatened retaliation against US targets in the region if attacked.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier Wednesday that the United States was "ready" to meet Iran -- but insisted that discussions must cover Tehran's missile and nuclear programs to be "meaningful."
"They will have to include certain things, and that includes the range of their ballistic missiles, that includes their sponsorship of terrorist organizations across the region, that includes their nuclear program and that includes the treatment of their own people," he said.
Rubio said that Trump's roving envoy Steve Witkoff had been ready to meet with Iran in Turkey but then received "conflicting reports" on whether Tehran had agreed.
Iran in previous talks on its disputed nuclear program has ruled out discussions on its missiles, casting the weapons that can hit Israel as a tool of self-defense to which every country has a right.
But Iran has been under growing pressure from the protests and after an Israeli bombing campaign last year. Iran has also lost key regional allies with Israel's severe degrading of Lebanon's Hezbollah and the fall of veteran Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

The New START treaty between Russia and the US expired, ending limits on nuclear warheads and raising global concerns over a potential arms race.

Last US-Russia nuclear treaty ends in 'grave moment' for world

The New START treaty between Russia and the US expired, ending limits on nuclear warheads and raising global concerns over a potential arms race.

The last nuclear treaty between Russia and the United States expired Thursday, abruptly ending decades of restrictions on how many warheads the two top powers can deploy and triggering fears of a global arms race.
New START, signed during a warmer period of relations, ended with the turn of the calendar to February 5, with President Donald Trump not following up on Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin's proposal to extend the treaty's limits for one year.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called it a "grave moment for international peace and security" and urged Washington and Moscow to head quickly to the negotiating table.
"For the first time in more than half a century, we face a world without any binding limits on the strategic nuclear arsenals of the Russian Federation and the United States of America," Guterres said in a statement, which considered the treaty over at midnight GMT or 7 pm in New York.
"This dissolution of decades of achievement could not come at a worse time -- the risk of a nuclear weapon being used is the highest in decades," he said, after Russian suggestions of using tactical nuclear weapons early in the Ukraine war.
Pope Leo XIV said each side needed to do "everything possible" to avert a new arms race.
"I urge you not to abandon this instrument without seeking to ensure that it is followed up in a concrete and effective manner," the American-born pope said at his weekly general audience.
Russia's foreign ministry said it considered that both countries are "no longer bound by any obligations or symmetrical declarations within the context of the treaty."
"The Russian Federation intends to act responsibly and prudently," it added, but warned it was ready to take "decisive" countermeasures if its national security is threatened.
 - US demands China involvement -
Trump has frequently lashed out at international limits on the United States and called for nuclear testing to resume after a long moratorium, although he has not followed up.
But some observers say the expiration of New START owes less to ideology than to the workings of the Trump administration, where career diplomats are sidelined, simply not having the bandwidth to negotiate a complex agreement.
Trump, asked in October in front of his helicopter about Putin's proposal for a one-year extension, said it sounded "like a good idea," but there were no subsequent negotiations.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Trump would make a decision later and reiterated a call for a new agreement that includes China.
"The president's been clear in the past that in order to have true arms control in the 21st century, it's impossible to do something that doesn't include China, because of their vast and rapidly growing stockpile," Rubio said.
China's nuclear arsenal is growing quickly with an estimated 550 strategic nuclear launchers, which is still well below the 800 each of Russia and the United States capped under New START. France and Britain, treaty-bound US allies, together have another 100.
Trump in his first term also looked ready to let New START lapse as he insisted on including China, with a US negotiator even provocatively setting up an empty seat with a Chinese flag.
Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, which warns of nuclear risks, agreed that China should engage on its nuclear program but wondered if Trump has even tried.
"Despite Trump's talk about involving China in nuclear negotiations, there is no indication that Trump or his team have taken the time to propose risk reduction or arms control talks with China since returning to office in 2025," Kimball said.
He said that Trump and Putin could agree to keep current limits and then press China.
Joe Biden agreed with Russia to extend New START for five years after he defeated Trump in the 2020 election, but tensions between the two countries later soared over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
The treaty, signed in 2010 in Prague by then presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev, limited each side's nuclear arsenal to 1,550 deployed strategic warheads, a reduction of nearly 30 percent from the previous limit set in 2002.

Kremlin says India can diversify oil suppliers; Russia denies India agreed to stop buying Russian oil despite Trump's claims.

India free to buy oil from any supplier: Kremlin

Kremlin says India can diversify oil suppliers; Russia denies India agreed to stop buying Russian oil despite Trump's claims.

India is free to buy oil from any country, and there is nothing new about its decision to diversify its crude suppliers, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.
"We, along with all other international energy experts, are well aware that Russia is not the only supplier of oil and petroleum products to India. India has always purchased these products from other countries. Therefore, we see nothing new here," Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said while responding to a question.
He was asked about US President Donald Trump's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to stop buying Russian oil and switch to purchasing crude from the United States and, potentially, from Venezuela.
A day earlier, Peskov said that Russia has not received any statements from India regarding the cessation of Russian oil purchases.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Wednesday said that the hydrocarbons trade is beneficial for both India and Russia.
"We remain convinced that India's purchase of Russian hydrocarbons is beneficial to both countries and contributes to maintaining stability in the international energy market. We are ready to continue close cooperation in this area with our partners in India," Zakharova said at a press briefing.
Private Kommersant FM business radio noted that, unlike President Trump, PM Modi did not mention any agreement on stopping Russian oil imports.
Igor Yushkov, a leading expert at the National Energy Security Fund, said that Indian refiners cannot fully stop the import of Russian crude.
"The American shale oil they export is light grades, similar to gas condensate. Russia, on the other hand, supplies relatively heavy, sulfur-rich Urals. This means India will need to blend US crude with other grades, which incurs additional costs, meaning a simple substitution won't be possible," he said.
"Russia typically exports 1.5 million to 2 million barrels per day to the country. America won't be able to cover that volume. So, one gets the sense that Trump is simply trying to show that he won these trade negotiations and the deal was concluded entirely in line with US demands," he said.
Last time, when Russia switched to the Indian market from European and American markets in 2022, it cut production by 1 million barrels per day. This led to prices rising to $120 per barrel, and the US set an all-time high for gasoline and diesel prices, Yushkov recalled.
Trump last year imposed 50 per cent tariffs on India, among the highest in the world, including 25 per cent levies for its purchases of Russian energy.
India buys about 88 per cent of its crude oil, which is converted into fuels like petrol and diesel, from overseas.
Russian oil made up hardly 0.2 per cent of all crude oil that India imported till 2021. India, the world's third-largest oil importer, became the largest buyer of discounted Russian crude after Western countries shunned Moscow following its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
India's import of Russian crude oil dropped to around 1.1 million barrels per day in the first three weeks of January, from an average of 1.21 million bpd in the previous month and over 2 million bpd imports in mid-2025, according to data from real-time analytics company Kpler.

The White House announces a major India-US trade deal as Prime Minister Narendra Modi agrees to stop buying Russian oil, invest $500 billion in key US sectors, and benefit from reduced tariffs.

India committed to no longer purchasing Russian oil, $500 billion of investments into US: White House

The White House announces a major India-US trade deal as Prime Minister Narendra Modi agrees to stop buying Russian oil, invest $500 billion in key US sectors, and benefit from reduced tariffs.

The White House has hailed a new trade agreement with India, saying the country has committed to &ldquo;no longer&rdquo; purchasing Russian oil, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi also agreeing on investments of USD 500 billion across key American sectors.
These remarks were made by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday.
"The President struck another great trade deal with India. He spoke with Prime Minister Modi directly. They share a very good relationship. India is committed to not only no longer purchasing Russian oil, but buying oil from the United States, also perhaps from Venezuela too, which we know will now have a direct benefit on the United States and the American people,&rdquo; Leavitt told reporters Tuesday.
She further said that in addition to that, Prime Minister Modi &ldquo;committed to $500 billion of investments into the United States, including for transportation, for energy and for agricultural products as well. So this is another great trade deal thanks to President Trump.&rdquo;
Earlier, speaking to Fox News about the India-US trade deal, Leavitt said the two leaders had a &ldquo;great call&rdquo; on Monday, following which the bilateral trade deal was announced.
&ldquo;...when it comes to Prime Minister Modi, I know he (Trump) particularly enjoys their relationship and has a deep respect for the Prime Minister and for his country of India.
&ldquo;They had a great call. It was very productive yesterday, and they struck a deal in which India has agreed to stop purchasing Russian oil to buy more American oil from the United States of America, and potentially from Venezuela too,&rdquo; she said.
Leavitt added that Trump and his national security team are &ldquo;now dictating&rdquo; the commerce of Venezuela and those oil sales.
&ldquo;So this directly benefits the American people as well. And in addition, India has agreed to invest more in the United States because of President Trump's call to action on that phone call yesterday. Prime Minister Modi committed to USD 500 billion of purchases of US energy, transportation, and agricultural products,&rdquo; she said.
Leavitt said the US tariff on India will now be at 18 per cent, but American exports to India will face a tariff of 0 per cent, so this is a great deal and a huge win for American workers, businesses and consumers alike.&rdquo;
The Trump administration had imposed 50 per cent tariffs on India, including 25 per cent for Delhi&rsquo;s purchases of Russian oil.
In a Truth Social post on Monday, Trump had said that, effective immediately, the two sides agreed to a trade deal under which the US will lower its reciprocal tariff imposed on India from 25 per cent to 18 per cent.
India will also move forward to reduce its tariffs and non-tariff barriers against the United States to &ldquo;zero".
&ldquo;The Prime Minister also committed to &lsquo;BUY AMERICAN&rsquo;, at a much higher level, in addition to over $500 BILLION DOLLARS of US Energy, Technology, Agricultural, Coal, and many other products.
&ldquo;Our amazing relationship with India will be even stronger going forward. Prime Minister Modi and I are two people who GET THINGS DONE, something that cannot be said for most,&rdquo; Trump said.
Modi said it was wonderful to speak with his &ldquo;dear friend" Trump.
"Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18 per cent. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement,&rdquo; Modi said.
"When two large economies and the world&rsquo;s largest democracies work together, it benefits our people and unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation. President Trump&rsquo;s leadership is vital for global peace, stability, and prosperity. India fully supports his efforts for peace. I look forward to working closely with him to take our partnership to unprecedented heights,&rdquo; Modi said.

A US fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone near an American aircraft carrier in the Middle East as tensions rose ahead of planned nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran.

US jet downs Iran drone but talks still on course

A US fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone near an American aircraft carrier in the Middle East as tensions rose ahead of planned nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran.

A US fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that approached an American aircraft carrier in the Middle East on Tuesday, Washington said, as renewed tensions on the high seas overshadowed plans for nuclear talks.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that US envoy Steve Witkoff is still expected "to have conversations with the Iranians late this week," despite the incident.
The downing of the drone was the second clash between the foes in Middle Eastern waters on the same day, after Iranian forces attempted to detain a US-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.
Washington and Tehran have agreed to talks after US President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened Iran with military action -- and Iran warned that it would respond with strikes on US vessels and bases.
The United States bombed Iran's nuclear sites last summer, and has sent a naval battlegroup back to the region since Tehran's deadly crackdown on anti-government protests.
Negotiations are now set for Friday, but Trump has refused to rule out military action and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian insists talks will only go ahead provided they were free of threats.
"An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defense," Central Command spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins said in a statement.
The aircraft carrier was dispatched to the Arabian Sea last month amid a buildup of US forces.
 - 'Bad things' -
Trump had told Iranians that "help is on its way" during anti-government protests in Iran that were met with a deadly crackdown last month.
Pezeshkian confirmed on Tuesday that he had ordered the start of talks with the United States, provided they were free of threats, after Trump suggested "bad things" would happen without a deal.
Iran has not confirmed where the talks will take place but said Turkey, Oman and "some other countries in the region" had expressed willingness to host them, adding that the venue and timing were "not a complicated issue."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Witkoff in Jerusalem on Tuesday that Iran "cannot be trusted," according to a statement from Netanyahu's office.
The US opposes Iran's nuclear program, which it maintains is a precursor to acquiring nuclear weapons, while Tehran insists it is for civilian research purposes.
Washington also wants to curtail Iran's support for proxy forces in the region and cut its vast arsenal of ballistic missiles.
"I have instructed my minister of foreign affairs, provided that a suitable environment exists -- one free from threats and unreasonable expectations -- to pursue fair and equitable negotiations," Pezeshkian wrote in a post on X.
Iran has repeatedly stressed that any talks should focus solely on the nuclear issue and not its missile program or defense capabilities.
While Trump and Pezeshkian insisted they were dedicated to talks, US and Iranian forces were in action at sea.
A US-flagged tanker was challenged on Tuesday by Iranian gunboats in the Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command said.
Spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins said two Iranian boats and a drone approached the M/V Stena Imperative "and threatened to board and seize the tanker."
A US destroyer responded with air support and escorted the tanker onwards.
British maritime security firm Vanguard Tech reported that the Stena Imperative was approached by three pairs of small armed boats belonging to the Revolutionary Guards while transiting the strait 16 nautical miles (30 kilometers) north of Oman.
The ship increased speed and maintained course, the firm added, stressing it did not enter Iranian waters.
But the Iranian news agency Fars said a vessel, whose nationality it did not specify, had entered the country's territorial waters in the Strait of Hormuz.
"It was therefore warned and immediately left Iranian waters," Fars said.
 - Thousands arrested -
Protests against the rising cost of living broke out in Tehran in December before evolving into wider nationwide anti-government demonstrations that triggered a deadly crackdown by the authorities.
Iranian officials have acknowledged more than 3,000 deaths during the unrest, but insist that most were members of the security forces and innocent bystanders, attributing the violence to "terrorist acts."
The Human Rights Activists News Agency, a US-based NGO, says it has confirmed 6,872 deaths, mostly protesters killed by security forces, with other rights groups warning the figure is far higher.
On Tuesday, the NGO said it had counted at least 50,553 arrests linked to the protests, with further detentions ongoing.
Iranian authorities have said the "riots" were inflamed by the United States and Israel.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the India-US trade deal and discussed formalising cooperation on critical minerals during talks in Washington.

Jaishankar, Rubio welcome trade deal; discuss energy, nuclear, defence, critical minerals

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the India-US trade deal and discussed formalising cooperation on critical minerals during talks in Washington.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio "welcomed" the trade deal reached between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and discussed "formalising" bilateral cooperation on critical minerals exploration and mining during their meeting in Washington DC on Tuesday.
Rubio held bilateral discussions with Jaishankar at the State Department, ahead of the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial meeting being convened by the US on Wednesday.
"Delighted to meet US @SecRubio this afternoon. A wide ranging conversation that covered our bilateral cooperation agenda, regional and global issues," Jaishankar posted on X after the meeting.
"Facets of India-US Strategic Partnership discussed included trade, energy, nuclear, defence, critical minerals and technology. Agreed on the early meetings of various mechanisms to advance our shared interests," he wrote.
A readout of the bilateral meeting provided by State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said that Rubio and Jaishankar "welcomed the trade deal reached between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi. The two leaders emphasised the importance of our democracies working together to unlock new economic opportunities and advance our shared energy security goals."
Pigott further said that Rubio and Jaishankar "discussed formalising bilateral cooperation on critical minerals exploration, mining and processing."
Rubio and Jaishankar "concluded their meeting by expressing their commitment to expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation through the Quad. They acknowledged that a prosperous Indo-Pacific region remains vital to advancing our shared interests," the readout said, referring to the four-nation grouping of Australia, India, Japan and the US.
In an X post, Rubio said he met with Jaishankar to "discuss our bilateral cooperation on critical minerals exploration and work together to unlock new economic opportunities between our two countries. We also commended the trade deal between the United States and India."
Jaishankar is on a visit to the United States from February 2-4 and will participate in the Critical Minerals Ministerial being convened by Rubio.
During the visit, he will also hold meetings with senior members of the US administration, the Ministry of External Affairs had said.
The meeting between Jaishankar and Rubio came a day after Trump announced on Truth Social that India and the US agreed to a trade deal under which Washington will bring down reciprocal tariff on Delhi from 25 to 18 per cent.
At the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial, the US will welcome delegations to advance collective efforts to strengthen and diversify critical minerals supply chains.
"This historic gathering will create momentum for collaboration to secure these critical components vital to technological innovation, economic strength, and national security," the State Department has said.
US Vice President J D Vance, Rubio, Special Assistant to the President of the United States and Senior Director for Global Supply Chains David Copley, and Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg will deliver opening remarks at the ministerial.

The Kremlin on Tuesday said it has received no official communication from India on halting Russian oil imports, contradicting claims made by US President Donald Trump.

Russia has not received any message from India about stopping oil purchases: Kremlin spokesman

The Kremlin on Tuesday said it has received no official communication from India on halting Russian oil imports, contradicting claims made by US President Donald Trump.

Russia has not heard any statements from India about stopping Russian oil purchases, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.
His comments came a day after US President Donald Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the United States and, potentially, Venezuela."
"We haven't heard any statements from New Delhi on this matter yet," Peskov said.
The Kremlin spokesman also said that Russia intends to continue to develop its relations with India in every possible way, according to Russian media reports.
Sources in Russia's energy ministry said they have not received any notice from Indian refiners to cancel contracts.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump, who spoke with PM Modi on Monday, announced that India and the US agreed to a trade deal under which Washington will charge a reduced reciprocal tariff on Delhi, lowering it from 25 per cent to 18 per cent.
Trump last year imposed 50 per cent tariffs on India, among the highest in the world, including 25 per cent levies for its purchases of Russian energy.
India buys about 88 per cent of its crude oil, which is converted into fuels like petrol and diesel, from overseas.
Russian oil made up hardly 0.2 per cent of all crude oil that India imported till 2021.
India, the world's third-largest oil importer, became the largest buyer of discounted Russian crude after Western countries shunned Moscow following its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
India's import of Russian crude oil dropped to around 1.1 million barrels per day in the first three weeks of January, from an average of 1.21 million bpd in the previous month and over 2 million bpd imports in mid-2025, according to data from real-time analytics company Kpler.
Iraq is now supplying almost the same volumes as Russia, up from an average of 9,04,000 bpd in December 2025, according to Kpler.
Volumes from Saudi Arabia too have risen to 9,24,000 bpd in January, from 7,10,000 bpd in December and lows of 5,39,000 bpd in April 2025.

Bill and Hillary Clinton will testify in a US House probe into Jeffrey Epstein, averting a potential contempt vote, as questions arise over unredacted files and political tensions surrounding the investigation.

Bill, Hillary Clinton to testify in US House Epstein probe

Bill and Hillary Clinton will testify in a US House probe into Jeffrey Epstein, averting a potential contempt vote, as questions arise over unredacted files and political tensions surrounding the investigation.

Bill and Hillary Clinton will testify in a US House investigation surrounding deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a spokesman for the ex-president said, heading off a potential vote to hold the couple in contempt.
The Epstein affair continues to cast a long shadow over Washington, entangling some of the most prominent names in US politics and highlighting the sharp partisan battles that have shaped the scandal.
A court, meanwhile, is due to hear a request on Wednesday to block access to investigative files linked to Epstein, the New York Times reported, after victims said their names had not been redacted.
The Justice Department released last week what it said would be the final batch of pages, photos and videos from the Epstein files, adding fuel to a political drama that has put pressure on President Donald Trump.
But the department was left scrambling after names of alleged victims -- who were supposed to be anonymized -- were left unredacted, according to lawyers quoted by the Times.
In a letter to judges, Brad Edwards and Brittany Henderson from the Florida legal firm Edwards Henderson cited an email published in the cache of documents "listing 32 minor child victims, with only one name redacted and 31 left visible".
Another woman said that her full address had been published in the files.
The lawyers requested an "immediate takedown" of the government website showing the files.
District Judge Richard M. Berman said in a short order that he would hold a hearing on Wednesday, adding: "I am not certain how helpful I can be."
On Sunday the Justice Department said it was "working around the clock" to make further redactions to the files after New York Times journalists had found dozens of naked photos that include people's faces.
Those photos have since been largely removed or redacted, the Times reported.
 - 'Setting a precedent' -
The House Rules Committee had advanced resolutions accusing the Clintons of defying subpoenas to appear in person to explain their links to Epstein, who died in custody in 2019.
The couple had originally refused to appear before lawmakers examining how authorities handled earlier investigations into the disgraced financier, who had connections and correspondence with the world's business and political elite.
But Clinton spokesman Angel Urena said on X that "the former President and former Secretary of State will be there. They look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone."
Democrats say the probe is being weaponized to attack political opponents of Trump -- himself a longtime Epstein associate who has not been called to testify -- rather than to conduct legitimate oversight.
Trump spent months trying to block the disclosure of investigative files linked to Epstein, who moved in elite circles for years, cultivating ties with billionaires, politicians, academics and celebrities.
Neither Trump nor the Clintons have been accused of criminal wrongdoing related to Epstein's activities.
In letters where they initially refused to appear in Washington, the Clintons had argued that the subpoenas were invalid because they lacked a clear legislative purpose.
Republicans say the Democratic couple's past links to the business tycoon, including Bill Clinton's use of his private jet in the early 2000s, justify in‑person questioning under oath.
Instead, the couple submitted sworn written statements describing their knowledge of Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking.
Bill Clinton acknowledged flying on Epstein's plane for Clinton Foundation-related humanitarian work, but said he never visited his private island.
Hillary Clinton said she had no meaningful interactions with Epstein, never flew on his plane and never visited his island.
After the Clintons agreed to testify, the Rules Committee decided Monday evening to suspend its vote on the contempt proceedings.

Russia carried out its largest drone and missile attack of 2026 on Ukraine, cutting heating for hundreds of thousands amid freezing temperatures, just a day before a new round of US-backed peace talks in Abu Dhabi.

Russia launches major drone and missile attacks on Ukraine ahead of peace talks

Russia carried out its largest drone and missile attack of 2026 on Ukraine, cutting heating for hundreds of thousands amid freezing temperatures, just a day before a new round of US-backed peace talks in Abu Dhabi.

Russia launched its biggest drone and missile attack this year on Ukraine overnight, leaving hundreds of thousands without heating in freezing temperatures on Tuesday, just one day ahead of fresh talks aiming to find an end to the four-year war.
The strikes hit as Ukraine was experiencing the coldest temperatures during the Russian invasion and damaged an iconic Soviet-era WWII monument.
They also came a day before Ukrainian and Russian negotiators were due to meet for a second round of talks in Abu Dhabi.
"Taking advantage of the coldest days of winter to terrorise people is more important to Russia than turning to diplomacy," Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media, denouncing the attack.
AFP journalists heard explosions across the capital overnight and residents in over 1,000 buildings woke to find their heating cut off as temperatures dipped towards minus 20 Celsius.
The Kremlin had last week said it agreed to a US request not to strike Kyiv for seven days, ending Sunday.
Ukraine had not reported large-scale Russian attacks on the capital last week, while reporting continued attacks in other parts of the country.
"Several types of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones, were used to strike high-rise buildings and thermal power plants," Energy Minister Denys Shmygal said.
"Hundreds of thousands of families, including children, were deliberately left without heat in the harshest winter frosts," he added.
Russia attacked with 71 missiles, as well as 450 attack drones, the Ukrainian air force said. Ukraine said it intercepted or destroyed 38 missiles and 412 drones.
Five people were wounded in the capital, officials said, adding that thousands were without electricity.
 - 'Symbolic and cynical' -
The base of the city's towering Soviet-era Motherland statue was damaged.
"It is both symbolic and cynical: the aggressor state strikes at a place of remembrance of the struggle against aggression in the 20th century, repeating its crimes in the 21st century," Culture Minister Tetyana Berezhna wrote on social media.
Russian strikes had this month repeatedly cut power and heating to tens of thousands of homes -- with Kyiv and its European allies accusing Moscow of deliberately freezing Ukraine's population.
Strikes also hit Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, temporarily cutting heating to some 100,000 subscribers.
The hours-long attack targeted energy infrastructure and aimed to "cause maximum destruction... and leave the city without heat during severe frost", Kharkiv Governor Oleg Synegubov wrote on Telegram.
Authorities had to cut heating to more than 800 homes to prevent the wider network from freezing, he said, urging people to go to round-the-clock "invincibility points" around the city if they needed to warm up.
Overnight temperatures plunged to minus 19C in Kyiv and sank as low as minus 23C in Kharkiv.
 - US-backed talks -
Washington has sought to craft a settlement between the two sides, but the first round of trilateral talks held in Abu Dhabi last weekend failed to yield a breakthrough.
A second round is due to begin on Wednesday in the Emirati capital.
Zelensky said on Monday that recent "de-escalation" with Russia was helping build trust in negotiations, apparently referring to a break in attacks on energy facilities.
The second round of talks is expected to focus on territory -- with no breakthrough so far on the crucial issue.
Russia wants full control of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, which Kyiv has ruled out, saying such a move would only embolden Moscow.
After failing in its aim of a lightning offensive to capture Kyiv and topple Ukraine's leadership in a matter of days in 2022, Russia has been bogged down in the face of Ukrainian defences and is now mounting a grinding advance that has come at huge human cost.
Moscow's troops accelerated their advance in Ukraine throughout January, capturing almost twice as much land as in the previous month, according to an AFP analysis.
Russia seized 481 square kilometres (186 square miles) in January, according to the analysis of data from the Institute for the Study of War, which works with the Critical Threats Project.
The January gains were up from 244 square kilometres in December 2025 and one of the largest advances during a winter month since Russia invaded four years ago.

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China&rsquo;s space authority has released pictures taken by its Mars rover and declared the probe mission a success on Friday.The four photographs, which the authority posted on WeChat, included a panoramic view of the landing site, a look at the Martian soil, a shot of the landing platform, and another of the&nbsp;rover Zhu Rong&nbsp;and the landing platform together.Sent back to Earth by radio waves via the orbiter, they showed that the landing site was largely flat, with small rocks and a round pit nearby. The panoramic view, extending to the Mars horizon, showed several dunes.The Zhurong rover landed on the Utopia Planitia region of&nbsp;Mars&nbsp;on May 15. This is China's first Mars mission -- making it only the second country to land a rover on the planet, after the United States.

China releases images of Mars taken by its Zhurong rover

China&rsquo;s space authority has released pictures taken by its Mars rover and declared the probe mission a success on Friday. The four photographs, which the authority posted on WeChat, included a panoramic view of the landing site, a look at the Martian soil, a shot of the landing platform, and another of the&nbsp;rover Zhu Rong&nbsp;and the landing platform together. Sent back to Earth by radio waves via the orbiter, they showed that the landing site was largely flat, with small rocks and a round pit nearby. The panoramic view, extending to the Mars horizon, showed several dunes. The Zhurong rover landed on the Utopia Planitia region of&nbsp;Mars&nbsp;on May 15. This is China's first Mars mission -- making it only the second country to land a rover on the planet, after the United States.

China releases new images of Mars taken by its Zhurong rover

China posts new photos taken by Mars rover Zhu Rong
China marks&nbsp;success of first Mars exploration mission
Photos of flat landscape, soil, landing platform and rover posted
&nbsp;

China&rsquo;s space authority has released pictures taken by its Mars rover and declared the probe mission a success on Friday. The four photographs, which the authority posted on WeChat, included a panoramic view of the landing site, a look at the Martian soil, a shot of the landing platform, and another of the&nbsp;rover Zhu Rong&nbsp;together with the&nbsp;landing platform. The landing site was largely flat, with small rocks and a round pit nearby. The panoramic view, extending to the Mars horizon, showed several dunes.

A suicide bomber targets Khadijatul Kubra Shia mosque in Islamabad, killing 31 and injuring nearly 170. Attacker linked to TTP; security forces and hospitals respond to the emergency.

31 killed, 169 injured in suicide attack at Shia mosque in Pakistan's capital Islamabad

A suicide bomber targets Khadijatul Kubra Shia mosque in Islamabad, killing 31 and injuring nearly 170. Attacker linked to TTP; security forces and hospitals respond to the emergency.

A suicide bomber blew himself up at a Shia mosque during Friday prayers in Pakistan's capital Islamabad, killing at least 31 people and injuring nearly 170 others, officials said.
The powerful explosion took place at Khadijatul Kubra mosque-cum-imambargah in the Tarlai area of Islamabad, the police said in a statement. The suicide bomber was stopped at the gate of the imambargah, but he detonated himself, police and eyewitnesses said.
At least 31 people were killed and 169 others injured in the explosion, a district administration spokesperson said in a post on X. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the blast. However, police sources said that the attacker was a foreign national and had links with Fitna al Khwaraji, a term used for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
In a post on X, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon earlier said that more than 80 people were injured in the blast, while 15 bodies were shifted to different hospitals.
Police and Rescue 1122 personnel reached the site of the incident and initiated rescue operations. The army troops and Rangers have cordoned off the area, and security operations are underway in and around the site of the blast.
An emergency was declared in the hospitals of the capital to deal with the situation, as the injured were being shifted to hospitals. The attack came less than three months after a suicide bomber killed 12 people in a blast outside a district and sessions court building in Islamabad.
Today's attack came when Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was visiting Pakistan. He arrived on a two-day state visit on Thursday.
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas condemned the attack. &ldquo;Targeting innocent civilians is a crime against humanity,&rdquo; Zardari said.
Strongly condemning the attack, Abbas said that targeting places of worship is a direct attack on humanity, religion and social values, which cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.
According to police officials, the nature of the explosion was being probed, but the explosion seems to be a suicide attack.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry visited the Pakistan Institute of Medical Science (PIMS) hospital in Islamabad and met the injured.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry strongly condemned the attack in a post on social media platform X, expressing grief over the loss of lives in the &ldquo;cowardly act&rdquo;.
&ldquo;Such acts of terrorism cannot dampen the morale of the nation. The need of the hour is that we all stand united for peace, tolerance, and stability, and express solidarity with law enforcement agencies,&rdquo; the minister stressed.
Chaudhry is a native of Islamabad and belongs to the area where the blast occurred.

US President Donald Trump urged a modernized nuclear treaty after New START expired, while experts warn it could spark a global arms race and China rejects participation.

Trump urges new nuclear treaty after Russia agreement ends

US President Donald Trump urged a modernized nuclear treaty after New START expired, while experts warn it could spark a global arms race and China rejects participation.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday called for a brand new nuclear treaty after the last agreement with Russia expired, prompting fears of a new global arms race.
The Trump administration has repeatedly pressed for a new treaty to include China, whose arsenal is growing but still significantly smaller than those of Russia and the United States, but Beijing has publicly rejected the pressure.
Trump had been mostly mum on Russian calls to extend New START, the 2010 treaty that imposed the last restrictions on the two largest nuclear powers after decades of agreements dating from the Cold War.
But hours after it expired, Trump said that the treaty, signed by predecessor Barack Obama and extended by Joe Biden, was "badly negotiated" and "is being grossly violated."
"We should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved, and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future," he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Asked if Washington and Moscow had agreed to stick to the terms of the expired START treaty while negotiations on a new accord are ongoing, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said: "Not to my knowledge."
Russia had refused inspections under New START as relations deteriorated with the Biden administration.
It said Wednesday that it no longer considered itself bound on the number of nuclear warheads due to the expiration of New START.
Despite the stalemate on New START, Trump has enthusiastically restarted diplomacy with Russia and invited President Vladimir Putin to Alaska last August.
The United States announced Thursday that it was resuming military dialogue with Russia after three-way talks in Abu Dhabi on the Ukraine war.
 - 'Unconstrained nuclear competition' -
Campaigners have warned that the end of the New START treaty could trigger a global arms race, and urged nuclear powers to enter negotiations.
A group of former senior arms control officials from around the world, in a joint statement Thursday, called on the United States and Russia to agree to keep observing New START's limits as a first step.
The end of New START "will reduce nuclear stability and predictability, threaten global security, and increase the risk of a new era of unconstrained nuclear competition," they wrote.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the nuclear treaties between the United States and Russia after more than half a century were at a "grave moment."
"This dissolution of decades of achievement could not come at a worse time -- the risk of a nuclear weapon being used is the highest in decades," Guterres said, after Russian suggestions of using tactical nuclear weapons early in the Ukraine war.
A NATO official, speaking on condition of anonymity, called for "restraint and responsibility" and said that the US-led military alliance "will continue to take steps necessary" to ensure its defense.
The official condemned "Russia's irresponsible nuclear rhetoric."
 - China rejects pressure -
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that arms control was "impossible" without including China.
China's foreign ministry expressed regret Thursday over New START's demise but said Beijing "will not participate in nuclear disarmament negotiations at this stage."
"China's nuclear capabilities are of a totally different scale as those of the United States and Russia," foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news conference.
Russia and the United States together control more than 80 percent of the world's nuclear warheads.
China's nuclear arsenal is growing faster than any country's, by about 100 new warheads a year since 2023, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
China is estimated to have at least 600 nuclear warheads, the institute says -- well below the 1,500 each at which Russia and the United States were capped under New START.
France and Britain, treaty-bound US allies, together have another 100.
Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, which warns of nuclear risks, agreed that China should engage.
But "there is no indication that Trump or his team have taken the time to propose risk reduction or arms control talks with China since returning to office in 2025," Kimball said.

US President Donald Trump repeated claims that he prevented a war and nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan, despite India denying any third-party intervention.

Trump claims again that he stopped war between India, Pakistan

US President Donald Trump repeated claims that he prevented a war and nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan, despite India denying any third-party intervention.

US President Donald Trump repeated twice in a single day the claim that he stopped the war between India and Pakistan last year.
"In one year, I've ended eight raging wars, such as (the war between) Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, Pakistan and India, Israel and Iran, Armenia and Azerbaijan," Trump said at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday.
Later, in a post on Truth Social, Trump reiterated the claim that he stopped a nuclear war from breaking out between India and Pakistan.
"The United States is the most powerful Country in the World. I completely rebuilt its Military in my First Term, including new and many refurbished nuclear weapons. I also added Space Force and now, continue to rebuild our Military at levels never seen before. We are even adding Battleships, which are 100 times more powerful than the ones that roamed the Seas during World War II -- The Iowa, Missouri, Alabama, and others. I have stopped Nuclear Wars from breaking out across the World between Pakistan and India, Iran and Israel, and Russia and Ukraine," Trump posted.
The US President has claimed over 90 times that he stopped the conflict between India and Pakistan.&nbsp;
He has been making the assertion repeatedly, on various platforms in the US and around the world, since May 10 last year when he announced on social media that India and Pakistan agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire after a "long night" of talks mediated by Washington.&nbsp;
India has consistently denied any third-party intervention.&nbsp;

Ukraine and Russia resume US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi to end the war, while Russia continues missile and drone strikes on Kyiv.

Ukraine, Russia, US start second day of war talks

Ukraine and Russia resume US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi to end the war, while Russia continues missile and drone strikes on Kyiv.

Ukraine and Russia on Thursday began a second day of US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi aimed at &nbsp;ending a war sparked by &nbsp;Moscow's 2022 invasion of its pro-Western neighbour.
The negotiations are the latest bid in diplomatic efforts to halt the fighting -- Europe's deadliest since World War II, with hundreds of thousands killed, millions forced to flee their homes and much of eastern and southern Ukraine left decimated.
"The second day of talks in Abu Dhabi has begun. We're working in the same formats as yesterday: trilateral consultations, group work, and subsequent alignment of positions," Ukraine's lead negotiator Rustem Umerov said.
The first day of talks in the Emirati capital concluded with Kyiv describing the negotiations as "substantive and productive", though there was no apparent breakthrough.
"There is definitely progress, things are moving forward in a good, positive direction," Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev told state media.
Dmitriev slammed what he called attempts from European nations to "disrupt the progress".
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that 55,000 of his country's troops had been killed, a rare assessment of battlefield losses by either side.
 - 'Concrete steps' -
Russia has also stepped up strikes on Ukraine's power infrastructure, leaving many people, including residents of the capital Kyiv, without power and shivering through temperatures as low as minus 20C in recent days.
Overnight Russia attacked with two missiles and 183 drones, the air force said. The attacks injured two people in Kyiv.
Ukraine's chief negotiator Umerov said "concrete steps and practical solutions" had been discussed in the first day of the talks.
But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters fighting would persist "until the Kyiv regime makes the appropriate decisions".
The main sticking point in the negotiations is the long-term fate of territory in eastern Ukraine.
Moscow is demanding that Kyiv pull its troops out of swathes of the Donbas, including heavily fortified cities atop vast natural resources, before any deal.
It also wants international recognition that land seized in the invasion belongs to Russia.
 - 'Maintain pressure' -
Kyiv has said the conflict should be frozen along the current front line and has rejected a pull-back of forces.
Trilateral negotiations, which were first held January 23 and 24 in Abu Dhabi, are the most public sign of progress so far in US President Donald Trump's push to negotiate an end to the war.
His envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner have been sent to try to corral the sides into an agreement.
In Ukraine, foreign ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhy Kyiv was "interested in finding out what the Russians and Americans really want".
Zelensky said the US president's role would be crucial, telling French television in an interview broadcast Wednesday that "Putin is only scared of Trump".
Trump could use economic sanctions against Russia or transfer weapons to Ukraine to "maintain this pressure on Putin", Zelensky said, but added that Kyiv would not compromise on sovereignty.
Russia occupies around 20 percent of Ukraine. It claims the Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions as its own, and holds pockets of territory in at least three other Ukrainian regions in the east.
Kyiv still controls around one-fifth of the Donetsk region. It has warned that ceding ground will embolden Moscow, and that it will not sign a deal that fails to deter Russia from invading again.

The Indian High Commission in Colombo has rejected claims of an assault on Sri Lankan fishermen by the Indian Coast Guard, calling the reports baseless.

Indian High Commission Denounces Alleged Attack on Sri Lankan Fishermen

The Indian High Commission in Colombo has rejected claims of an assault on Sri Lankan fishermen by the Indian Coast Guard, calling the reports baseless.

The Indian High Commission in Colombo on Thursday denied the alleged attack on a group of Sri Lankan fishermen by the Indian Coast Guard.
Issuing a statement, the Indian High Commission said it had noticed media reports pertaining to the alleged assault on Sri Lankan fishermen at sea on January 29, 2026.
"On our side, we have ascertained and can confirm that no such assault was inflicted by any Indian Navy or Indian Coast Guard personnel," a press release said.
"India has consistently maintained that a humanitarian approach should be adopted to fishermen&rsquo;s livelihood concerns and that the use of force should not be resorted to under any circumstances," it said.
On February 2, the Sri Lankan fisheries minister Ramalingam Chandrasekeran said a protest was to be recorded with the Indian government on the incident. He said the Indian High Commission has been informed on the incident by them.
On January 29, three trawlers with 12 fishermen had ventured out for fishing from the Wellamankaraya fishing harbor at Wennappuva in the north western coast. They were allegedly attacked by the Indian Coast Guards.
The Navy deployed a vessel to bring ashore four fishermen who had been badly injured by the assault. Another naval craft was moved to bring back six more injured fishermen, the Naval spokesman Buddika Sampath said.
Tyronne Mendis the fishermen&rsquo;s association official said, &ldquo;three trawlers had come under attack, two of them were within Sri Lankan waters when they were attacked&rdquo;.
He charged that Sri Lankan Navy was helpless to prevent the attack by Indian coast guards.

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