Name: Big relief for Imran Khan: Islamabad High Court says 'toshakhana' case inadmissible
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Newly released Justice Department files linked to Jeffrey Epstein mention prominent figures including Prince Andrew, Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and others, though none have been charged.

Epstein Files: Influential Figures Linked to Controversy

Newly released Justice Department files linked to Jeffrey Epstein mention prominent figures including Prince Andrew, Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and others, though none have been charged.

From tech titans to Wall Street power brokers and foreign dignitaries, a who's who of powerful men make appearances in the huge trove of documents released by the Justice Department in connection with its investigations of Jeffrey Epstein.&nbsp;
All have denied having anything to do with his sexual abuse of girls and young women. Yet some of them maintained friendships with Epstein, or developed them anew, even after news stories made him widely known as an alleged abuser of young girls.&nbsp;
None has been charged with a crime connected to the investigation. Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019.
Here's a primer on some of the notable names in the Epstein files:
 Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor The man formerly known as Britain's Prince Andrew has long been dogged by questions about his relationship with Epstein, including allegations from the late Virginia Roberts Giuffre that she was trafficked by Epstein and instructed to have sex with Mountbatten-Windsor when she was 17. The former prince has repeatedly denied that it happened, but his brother, King Charles III, still stripped him of his royal titles late last year, including the right to be called a prince and the Duke of York. Mountbatten-Windsor's name appears at least several hundred times in Friday's document release, including in Epstein's private emails.
 Sarah Ferguson In March of 2011, Sarah Ferguson, then the Duchess of York, made a public apology for letting Jeffrey Epstein pay off some of her debts. Both she and her ex-husband, the former Prince Andrew, had come under tremendous public scrutiny for continuing a friendly relationship with Epstein after he pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from an underage girl. She told London's Evening Standard newspaper she would have "nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again." But just two months later, she emailed Epstein to say she was going on Oprah Winfrey's TV show and wanted his advice on how she should answer questions about their relationship.
 Elon Musk The billionaire Tesla founder turns up at least a few times in Friday's document release, notably in email exchanges in 2012 and 2013 in which he discussed visiting Epstein's infamous Caribbean island compound. But it's not immediately clear if the island visits took place. Spokespersons for Musk's companies, Tesla and X, didn't respond to emails seeking comment Friday or Saturday. Musk has maintained that he repeatedly turned down the disgraced financier's overtures.
&ldquo;Epstein tried to get me to go to his island, and I REFUSED,&rdquo; he posted on X in 2025.
 Richard Branson The billionaire founder of the Virgin Group, a global conglomerate, exchanged numerous emails with Epstein. In a 2013 exchange, Branson invited Epstein to his own private Caribbean island. &ldquo;Any time you're in the area, we'd love to see you,&rdquo; he wrote. &ldquo;As long as you bring your harem!&rdquo; In another message that year, he suggested Epstein rehabilitate his image by convincing Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates to tell the public how Epstein had &ldquo;been a brilliant adviser&rdquo; and had &ldquo;more than learnt your lesson.&rdquo;
The company stressed in a statement Saturday that there was no wrongdoing and that any dealings were limited to group or business settings.
 Donald Trump It's long been known that Epstein was friends with Trump before the two had a falling out. The new documents contain thousands of references to Trump, including emails sharing news articles, commenting on his policies and gossiping about him and his family. The Justice Department also disclosed a spreadsheet summarising calls to law enforcement tip lines about Trump.
 Bill Clinton Like Trump, Clinton spent time with Epstein more than two decades ago, including flying on his private jet and visiting the White House. Clinton denied knowledge of Epstein's wrongdoing and his representatives said he broke off relations after 2006.
 Steven Tisch The New York Giants co-owner is mentioned more than 400 times. Correspondence shows Epstein offered to connect Tisch with numerous women over the years.
 Brett Ratner The film director appears in several photographs in the files, including one showing him with Jean Luc Brunel, who later died in jail awaiting trial on rape charges.
 Casey Wasserman The president of the LA 2028 Olympics committee exchanged flirty emails with Ghislaine Maxwell. In one exchange, he wrote: &ldquo;What do I have to do to see you in a tight leather outfit?&rdquo; Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence.
 Ehud Barak The former Israeli prime minister stayed in regular contact with Epstein for years, including after his 2008 guilty plea. The files include plans for a 2017 stay at Epstein's New York residence.
 Larry Summers Clinton's former Treasury Secretary and ex-Harvard president is frequently mentioned. Emails show meetings and discussions even after Epstein was charged in 2019. Summers has called his interactions &ldquo;a major error of judgment.&rdquo;
 Howard Lutnick Trump's commerce secretary visited Epstein's island with his family in 2012, contradicting earlier claims of cutting ties. Emails show plans to arrive by yacht with his children.
 Sergey Brin The Google co-founder made plans to meet Epstein and Maxwell at his New York townhouse. Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
 Steve Bannon Trump's former adviser exchanged hundreds of texts with Epstein discussing politics, travel and a documentary. Some messages were sent shortly before Epstein&rsquo;s arrest.
 Miroslav Lajcak The Slovak national security adviser resigned after his correspondence appeared in the files. He said his communications were part of diplomatic duties and denied wrongdoing.

US President Donald Trump said India will buy oil from Venezuela instead of Iran and invited China to join the deal, while New Delhi is yet to respond to the remarks.

Trump claims India will shift to Venezuelan oil, China also welcome

US President Donald Trump said India will buy oil from Venezuela instead of Iran and invited China to join the deal, while New Delhi is yet to respond to the remarks.

US President Donald Trump has claimed that India will be purchasing oil from Venezuela instead of Iran.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while flying to Palm Beach in Florida on Saturday, Trump made the remarks while responding to a question on whether China would recover money it had lent to Venezuela in exchange for oil supplies.
&ldquo;China is welcome to come in and would make a great deal on oil. We welcome China. We've already made a deal. India is coming in, and they're going to be buying Venezuelan oil as opposed to buying it from Iran. So we've already made that deal, the concept of the deal," he said.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
VIDEO | Florida: US President Donald Trump says, "China is welcome to come in and make a great deal on oil. India is coming in and they're going to be buying Venezuelan oil as opposed to buying it from Iran. So we've already made that deal, the concept of the deal. But China is&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/u0vLLCuBnM">pic.twitter.com/u0vLLCuBnM</a>
&mdash; Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/2017815466371375500?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
There was no immediate reaction from New Delhi on Trump's comments. India had been a major buyer of Iranian oil until 2019, when imports were significantly reduced following the reimposition of US sanctions on Tehran.
Trump's comments come against the backdrop of US sanctions on Iran and Venezuela and its pressure on major energy-importing countries to avoid buying crude from nations under restrictions.
In recent years, India significantly increased its purchases of discounted Russian crude, making Russia one of its largest oil suppliers. The US has imposed 50 per cent tariffs on India, including 25 per cent for its purchases of Russian oil.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a telephone conversation with Venezuela&rsquo;s Acting President Delcy Rodr&iacute;guez, during which both leaders agreed to further deepen and expand bilateral ties.
The Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that the two leaders agreed to further expand and deepen the India-Venezuela partnership in all areas, including trade and investment, energy, digital technology, health, agriculture and people-to-people ties.
"Both leaders exchanged views on various regional and global issues of mutual interest and underscored the importance of their close cooperation for the Global South," the MEA had said.

Newly released Jeffrey Epstein documents reveal ties or correspondence with tech leaders, royalty, and politicians, including Elon Musk, Prince Andrew, and Richard Branson, though none face charges related to his sex crimes.

From Musk to ex-prince Andrew: who's who of powerful men named in Epstein files

Newly released Jeffrey Epstein documents reveal ties or correspondence with tech leaders, royalty, and politicians, including Elon Musk, Prince Andrew, and Richard Branson, though none face charges related to his sex crimes.

From tech titans to Wall Street power brokers and foreign dignitaries, a who's who of powerful men make appearances in the huge trove of documents released Friday by the Justice Department in connection with its investigations of Jeffrey Epstein.
Many have denied having close ties to the late financier, or at least having anything to do with his alleged sexual abuse of girls and young women that led to his arrest on sex trafficking charges. None have been charged with a crime connected to the investigation. Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019.
Yet some of them maintained friendships with Epstein, or developed them anew, even after he became known as a predator of young girls and registered sex offender. Here's a primer on some of the notable names in the Epstein files: 
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor&nbsp;
The man formerly known as Britain's Prince Andrew has long been dogged by questions about his relationship with Epstein, including allegations from the late Virginia Roberts Giuffre that she was trafficked by Epstein and instructed to have sex with Mountbatten-Windsor when she was 17.
The former prince has repeatedly denied that it happened, but his brother, King Charles III, still stripped him of his royal titles late last year, including the right to be called a prince and the Duke of York.
Mountbatten-Windsor's name appears at least several hundred times in Friday's document release, including in Epstein's private emails. Among the correspondence is an invitation for Epstein to dine at Buckingham Palace, Epstein's offer to introduce Mountbatten-Windsor to a 26-year-old Russian woman, and photos that appear to show Mountbatten-Windsor kneeling over an unidentified woman lying on the floor.
 Elon Musk
The billionaire Tesla founder turns up at least a few times in Friday's document release, notably in email exchanges in 2012 and 2013 in which he discussed visiting Epstein's infamous Caribbean island compound. But it's not immediately clear if the island visits took place.
Spokespersons for Musk's companies, Tesla and X, didn't respond to emails seeking comment Friday or Saturday. Musk has maintained that he repeatedly turned down the disgraced financier's overtures.
&ldquo;Epstein tried to get me to go to his island and I REFUSED,&rdquo; he posted on X in 2025.
 Richard Branson
The billionaire founder of the Virgin Group, a global conglomerate, exchanged numerous emails with Epstein in the years after he pleaded guilty to soliciting sex from a minor and agreed to register as a sex offender in Florida in 2008.
In a 2013 exchange, Branson invited Epstein to his own private Caribbean island, which regularly hosts large conferences, charity events and business meetings. &ldquo;Any time you're in the area would love to see you,&rdquo; he wrote. &ldquo;As long as you bring your harem!&rdquo;
In another message that year, he suggested Epstein rehabilitate his image by convincing Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates to tell the public how Epstein had &ldquo;been a brilliant adviser to him&rdquo; and had &ldquo;more than learnt your lesson and have done nothing that's against the law since.&rdquo;
The company stressed in a statement Saturday that there was no wrongdoing on Branson's part and that any dealings with Epstein were &ldquo;limited to group or business settings&rdquo; more than a decade ago. Branson also declined a charitable donation and decided not to meet or speak with him again after his team &ldquo;uncovered serious allegations," the company said.
&ldquo;Had they had the full picture and information, there would have been no contact whatsoever," the statement reads. "Richard believes that Epstein's actions were abhorrent and supports the right to justice for his many victims.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
Steven Tisch
The New York Giants co-owner is mentioned more than 400 times in the files released Friday. Correspondence between the two shows Epstein offered to connect Tisch to numerous women over the years.
In one 2013 email exchange with the subject line &ldquo;Ukrainian girl,&rdquo; Epstein encouraged Tisch to contact a particular woman, whose physical beauty he praised in crude terms. &ldquo;Pro or civilian?&rdquo; Tisch asked in reply.
Tisch, a scion of a powerful New York family that founded the Loews Corporation, has acknowledged knowing Epstein but denied ever going to his infamous Caribbean island.
&ldquo;We had a brief association where we exchanged emails about adult women, and in addition, we discussed movies, philanthropy and investments,&rdquo; said Tisch, who also won an Academy Award in 1994 for producing &ldquo;Forrest Gump.&rdquo;
&ldquo;As we all know now, he was a terrible person and someone I deeply regret associating with.&rdquo; 
Casey Wasserman
The president of the committee for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles exchanged flirty emails with Epstein confidant Ghislaine Maxwell, Friday's document release shows.
In a 2003 exchange, Wasserman wrote to Maxwell: &ldquo;I think of you all the time. So, what do I have to do to see you in a tight leather outfit?&rdquo;
In another, Maxwell asks whether it will be foggy enough during an upcoming visit &ldquo;so that you can float naked down the beach and no one can see you unless they are close up?&rdquo;
Wasserman released a statement Saturday saying he never had a personal or business relationship with Epstein and that he regretted the correspondence with Maxwell, which he said came &ldquo;long before her horrific crimes came to light.&rdquo;
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking and abuse of minors. 
Ehud Barak
The former Israeli prime minister and his wife turn up frequently in the documents released Friday, showing they stayed in regular contact with Epstein for years, including well after his 2008 guilty plea for sex crimes in Florida.
Among the correspondence are plans for a 2017 stay at Epstein's New York residence. Other missives discuss mundane logistics for other visits, meetings and phone calls with Epstein.
Barak has acknowledged regularly visiting Epstein on his trips to New York and flying on his private plane, but maintains he never observed any inappropriate behaviour or parties. Barak served as Israel's prime minister from 1999 to 2001 and later served as its defense minister. 
Howard Lutnick
President Donald Trump's commerce secretary visited Epstein's private Caribbean island with his family on at least one occasion, records released Friday show. That appears to contradict prior statements he's made claiming he cut ties with the disgraced financier, who he's called &ldquo;gross,&rdquo; decades ago.
But emails show Lutnick and his wife accepted an invitation to Little St James in the US Virgin Islands in December 2012 and planned to arrive by yacht with their children.
The former chairman of Newmark, a major commercial real estate firm, also had drinks on another occasion in 2011 with Epstein and corresponded with him about the construction of a building across the street from both of their homes.
The Commerce Department, in a statement, said Lutnick had &ldquo;limited interactions with Mr Epstein in the presence of his wife and has never been accused of wrongdoing.&rdquo; 
Sergey Brin
The billionaire Google co-founder made plans to meet with Epstein and Maxwell at his townhouse in New York years before he was publicly accused of sexually abusing underage girls, emails show.
In one exchange in 2003, Maxwell invited him to join her at a screening of the Renee Zellweger film &ldquo;Down with Love&rdquo; in New York. She followed up a few weeks later to invite him to a &ldquo;happily casual and relaxed&rdquo; dinner at Epstein's house. Brin offered to bring along Google's then-CEO Eric Schmidt.
Spokespersons for Google didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment Saturday. 
Steve Bannon
The one-time adviser to Trump exchanged hundreds of friendly texts with Epstein, some sent months before his 2019 arrest and jailhouse suicide. The two discussed politics, travel and a documentary Bannon was said to be planning that would help salvage Epstein's reputation.
One 2018 exchange, for example, focused on Trump's threats at the time to oust Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. In a 2019 message, Bannon asked Epstein if he could supply his plane to pick him up in Rome.
Bannon hasn't responded to emails seeking comment. 
Miroslav Lajcak
A national security adviser to the Slovakian prime minister, Lajcak resigned Saturday after his past communications with Epstein appeared in Friday's document release. Opposition parties and a nationalist partner in Fico's governing coalition had called for him to step down.
Lajcak, a former Slovak foreign minister and a onetime president of the UN General Assembly, has not been accused of any wrongdoing, but was photographed meeting with Epstein in the years between his initial release from jail and his subsequent indictment in 2019 on sex trafficking charges.
He said his correspondence with Epstein were part of his diplomatic duties.

US President Donald Trump has warned that Canadian Bombardier jets could lose US certification and face a 50% tariff unless Canada approves American-made Gulfstream aircraft, escalating trade tensions.

Trump threatens decertification, 50% tariff on Canadian aircraft

US President Donald Trump has warned that Canadian Bombardier jets could lose US certification and face a 50% tariff unless Canada approves American-made Gulfstream aircraft, escalating trade tensions.

President Donald Trump on Thursday said all Canadian-built aircraft would lose their US certification until Canada approves American-made Gulfstream business jets, a stunning move threatening major travel disruptions if enacted.
Writing on his Truth Social network, Trump charged that "Canada has wrongfully, illegally, and steadfastly refused" to grant certification to Gulfstream's newest models -- the 500, 600, 700, and 800.
"We are hereby decertifying their Bombardier Global Expresses, and all Aircraft made in Canada, until such time as Gulfstream, a Great American Company, is fully certified, as it should have been many years ago," Trump wrote.
He additionally threatened a 50 percent tariff on all Canadian aircraft sold to the United States.
It was not immediately clear through what process Trump could unilaterally decertify aircraft or what that decertification would entail.
The US Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to AFP's requests for comment.
 - 'Significant impact' -
Quebec-based Bombardier said in a statement that it had "taken note of the post" and was "in contact with the Canadian government."
"Thousands of private and civilian jets built in Canada fly in the US every day. We hope this is quickly resolved to avoid a significant impact to air traffic and the flying public," the company added.
While the Global Express is a business jet, Trump's threat to decertify "all" Canadian aircraft would also appear to include CRJ regional jets and Airbus A220s -- used by several major US airlines for shorter range flights.
The move is the latest in a string of verbal and commercial attacks on the United States' northern neighbor since Trump's return to power last year.
Earlier in the week, Trump threatened Canada with 100-percent tariffs after Prime Minister Mark Carney traveled to China and struck several economic deals.
Carney downplayed the threat, saying the comments should be viewed with an eye toward an upcoming review of the US-Mexico-Canada trade deal.
Canada has been hit hard by Trump's sectoral tariffs -- especially in the auto, steel and aluminum sectors -- but more than 85 percent of bilateral US-Canada trade has remained tariff-free through the ongoing trade war.
Carney has enjoyed better ties with Trump, compared to his predecessor Justin Trudeau, whom Trump often referred to as a "governor" of what he declared should be the 51st US state, but their relationship has soured in recent days.
The Canadian premier delivered a blistering denunciation of US global leadership at last week's World Economic Forum in Davos, earning a rare standing ovation and capturing global headlines.
Trump shot back in his own Davos address, telling Carney to watch his words, as "Canada lives because of the United States" and later referring to Carney as a "governor" in a social media post.

US President Donald Trump said Vladimir Putin agreed to halt attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities during an extreme cold snap, as Ukraine faces a growing humanitarian crisis and renewed peace talks.

Trump says Putin agrees to pause Kyiv strikes amid harsh cold

US President Donald Trump said Vladimir Putin agreed to halt attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities during an extreme cold snap, as Ukraine faces a growing humanitarian crisis and renewed peace talks.

US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Russia's Vladimir Putin agreed to a personal request to halt attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, after Moscow's strikes left millions without heating during an "extreme" cold snap.
Trump's claim comes as Russian strikes on Ukraine's power infrastructure have disrupted light, heating and water supplies, with temperatures plummeting and leaving the war-battered country facing a fresh humanitarian crisis.
The Kremlin did not immediately confirm any truce, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Trump and said he was counting on Washington to secure the pause in attacks.
"Because of the cold, extreme cold... I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and the cities and towns for a week during this," Trump told a cabinet meeting at the White House.
"They've never experienced cold like that. And I personally asked President Putin not to fire into Kyiv and the various towns for a week. And he agreed to do that, and I have to tell you, it was very nice," he added.
Ukraine's state weather agency on Thursday forecast a drastic dip in temperatures to as low as minus 30C in coming days as authorities race to restore services.
Trump, who met Putin in Alaska last year amid great fanfare but without achieving any breakthrough, said he trusted the Russian leader to honor the agreement.
"People said, 'don't waste the call. You're not going to get that.' And he did it," said Trump, without specifying when the conversation took place, or when the purported truce would start.
 - 'Make this happen' -
Zelensky, who met Trump in Davos last week despite patchy relations since their Oval Office bust-up nearly a year ago, thanked the US president for his "important statement."
"We hope the United States can make this happen," the Ukrainian leader said.
The pause had initially been discussed last weekend during three-way talks in Abu Dhabi between Russia, Ukraine and the United States, Zelensky said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also welcomed what he termed "efforts in favour of a truce".
Merz at the same time stressed that "the systematic and brutal destruction of Ukraine's civilian infrastructure by Russian attacks" was "still ongoing", which he condemned "in the strongest terms", his spokesman, Stefan Kornelius, said.
A second round of trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi is scheduled to begin on Sunday as Trump pushes his plan to end the nearly four-year-old invasion by Russia.
Putin met Emirati counterpart Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Moscow on Thursday ahead of those talks. The UAE has emerged as a key mediator in the war.
The talks come as Ukraine faces one of its most difficult periods since Russia's February 2022 invasion, with Moscow's forces grinding slowly on in the east and bitter cold closing in.
Zelensky warned in an evening address on Wednesday of fresh Russian attacks on energy facilities.
Russian attacks killed six people in central and southern Ukraine on Thursday, regional authorities and emergency services said.
But Trump has repeatedly said in recent days that he believes a ceasefire is possible.
At the cabinet meeting on Thursday, Trump said there had been "a lot of progress" in the talks.
Trump's roaming envoy Steve Witkoff said he was also confident there would be a truce, saying that the US president had a "friendship" with his Russian counterpart.
"The president, what he said, is true," he said in response to an AFP reporter at the premiere of a documentary about Trump's wife Melania.
"And I think that he and Vladimir Putin have a friendship, and I think that allows them to talk and to have a relationship that hopefully will help things out here, get to a settlement and save a lot of lives.'

Russia has reiterated its invitation to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky for peace talks in Moscow as US-led efforts continue in Abu Dhabi, amid ongoing fighting and unresolved territorial disputes.

Russia invites Ukraine President Zelensky to Moscow for peace talks

Russia has reiterated its invitation to Ukraine&rsquo;s President Volodymyr Zelensky for peace talks in Moscow as US-led efforts continue in Abu Dhabi, amid ongoing fighting and unresolved territorial disputes.

The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russia has reiterated its invitation to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to visit Moscow for peace talks, amid intensifying US-led efforts to broker an agreement to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine.
The statement came as Russia and Ukraine carried out their latest exchange of war dead, and hours after Moscow declined to comment on reports suggesting that the two sides had agreed to halt strikes on each other&rsquo;s energy infrastructure.
Washington-mediated peace talks held in Abu Dhabi last weekend have injected renewed momentum into diplomatic efforts to reach a settlement. However, major differences remain between the Russian and Ukrainian negotiating positions. Fierce fighting continues on the ground, while Ukraine is dealing with widespread power outages following recent missile attacks.
An unnamed US official told Axios on Saturday that Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin were &ldquo;very close&rdquo; to arranging a meeting following the US-mediated discussions.
Another round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiating delegations is scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. US President Donald Trump, who has been advocating for an end to what he has described as Europe&rsquo;s largest conflict since World War Two, said on Tuesday that &ldquo;very good things&rdquo; were happening in the peace process.
Despite these developments, significant disagreements remain unresolved. These include questions over territorial control in any future settlement, the possible deployment of international peacekeepers or monitors in post-war Ukraine, and the future of the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted by the Interfax news agency, said on Thursday that Moscow has not yet received a response to its invitation for Zelensky to come to the Russian capital.
Zelensky had rejected a similar invitation last year, saying he could not go to the capital of a country that was firing missiles at Ukraine every day. At the time, he suggested that Putin travel to Kyiv instead.
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday that any meeting between Putin and Zelensky would need to be carefully prepared and focused on achieving concrete results. He added that Zelensky&rsquo;s safety would be guaranteed if he visited Moscow.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that the disagreement over territorial claims was the central issue and described it as &ldquo;very difficult&rdquo; to resolve.
Russia is seeking the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the roughly 20% of the Donetsk region that remains outside Russian military control.
Kyiv has stated that it does not want to concede territory that Russia has not captured on the battlefield, arguing that such areas could be used by Russian forces in the future to launch further advances into Ukraine.
Ushakov said on Thursday that he did not consider territorial issues to be the only major matter still under negotiation.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed doubts about the effectiveness of any security guarantees that the United States might offer Ukraine as part of a peace agreement. He said he questioned whether such guarantees could bring lasting stability if they were aimed at keeping Ukraine&rsquo;s current political leadership in power.
Meanwhile, Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-backed leader of Chechnya in southern Russia, called for continuing the war rather than pursuing peace, reflecting the views of some hardliners who believe Moscow is gaining the upper hand on the battlefield.
&ldquo;I believe the war must be taken to its conclusion,&rdquo; Kadyrov told reporters at the Kremlin. &ldquo;I am against negotiations.&rdquo;

The Trump administration will allow Venezuela to sell oil under US oversight, with proceeds earmarked for policing, healthcare, and infrastructure, while preventing misuse of funds.

Rubio details how Trump administration will control Venezuela's oil money

The Trump administration will allow Venezuela to sell oil under US oversight, with proceeds earmarked for policing, healthcare, and infrastructure, while preventing misuse of funds.

The Trump administration soon will allow Venezuela to sell oil now subject to US sanctions, with the revenue initially dedicated to basic government services such as policing and health care and subject to Washington's oversight, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday.
The United States will retain control in the short term to ensure the oil revenue is used to stabilise Venezuela, Rubio said at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. &ldquo;The funds from that will be deposited into an account that we will have oversight over,&rdquo; Rubio said, adding that the US Treasury would control the process. Venezuela, he said, &ldquo;will spend that money for the benefit of the Venezuelan people.&rdquo;
Rubio offered new insight into how the US is planning to handle the sale of tens of millions of barrels of oil from Venezuela, which has the largest proven reserves of crude in the world, and oversee where the money flows. After the US raid that captured then-President Nicolas Maduro this month, the US is working to influence the next steps in the South American country through its vast oil resources.
The US will not subsidise oil industry investments in Venezuela, Rubio said, and is only overseeing the sale of sanctioned petroleum as an &ldquo;interim step.&rdquo; &ldquo;This is simply a way to divide revenue so that there isn't systemic collapse while we work through this recovery and transition,&rdquo; Rubio said.
Democrats and some Republicans on the committee pressed Rubio for more details about Trump's plans for Venezuela's oil. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., asked for assurances from Rubio that the sale of Venezuelan oil will be fair and open, not rigged to benefit oil companies allied with Trump. &ldquo;You are taking their oil at gunpoint, you are holding and selling that oil &hellip; you're deciding how and for what purposes that money is going to be used in a country of 30 million people,&rdquo; Murphy said. &ldquo;I think a lot of us believe that that is destined for failure.&rdquo;
Under Maduro, Rubio said Venezuela's oil industry benefited the country's corrupt leaders and countries such as China, which purchased Venezuelan oil at a discount. Now, Venezuela's interim leaders are assisting the US in seizing illegal oil shipments, he said.
The US will give Venezuela's current leaders instructions on how the money can and cannot be spent and conduct audits to ensure it is used as intended, Rubio said. He said Venezuela could use the money to pay for policing or to buy medicine. The fund was initially set up in Qatar to avoid having the proceeds seized by American creditors and because of other legal complications that stem from the US not considering Maduro's government legitimate, Rubio said.
Hundreds of millions of dollars have already been set aside and as much as USD 3 billion more is anticipated, he said. &ldquo;It's an account that belongs to Venezuela, but it has US sanctions as a blocking mechanism,&rdquo; Rubio said. &ldquo;We only control the dispersal of the money, we don't control the actual money.&rdquo;
Earlier this month, acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez said cash from oil sales would flow into two sovereign wealth funds: one to support crisis-stricken health services and a second to bolster public infrastructure, including the electric grid. The country's hospitals are so poorly equipped that patients are asked to provide supplies needed for their care, from syringes to surgical screws. They also must pay for lab and imaging tests at private hospitals.
On Tuesday, during a televised event to announce the revamping of various health care facilities, Rodriguez said her government and the US administration &ldquo;have established respectful and courteous channels of communication&rdquo; since Maduro was captured. Neither Rodriguez nor her government's press office immediately comment on Rubio's remarks Wednesday.
At Rodriguez's request, Venezuelan lawmakers last week began debating an overhaul of the country's energy law. The proposed changes are meant to create conditions to attract much-needed private foreign investment.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing to boost trade ties, discuss human rights, and tackle national security concerns.

UK PM Keir Starmer Seeks Stronger Ties with China Amid Global Challenges

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing to boost trade ties, discuss human rights, and tackle national security concerns.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chinese leader Xi Jinping stressed the need for closer relations between their countries in order to face geopolitical headwinds, as the two met in Beijing on Thursday.
Starmer's visit to China is the first by a British prime minister since 2018 and follows a slew of Western leaders seeking a rapprochement with Beijing recently, pivoting from an increasingly unpredictable United States.
The leaders met at the opulent Great Hall of the People, with Starmer telling Xi during their meeting that China is a "vital player on the global stage".
"It's vital to build a more sophisticated relationship where we identify opportunities to collaborate, but also allow a meaningful dialogue on areas where we disagree," Starmer told Xi.
Xi also stressed the need for stronger ties with a "long-term view" in the context of what he called a "complex" international situation.
"China and the UK need to strengthen dialogue and cooperation, whether it is to maintain world peace and stability or promote the economies and livelihoods of both countries," Xi told Starmer.
Xi also noted they would need to overcome difficulties in order to move forward but that cooperation would unlock a "new chapter" in their relations.
"Good things often come with difficulties... Leaders will not shy away from difficulties and will forge ahead bravely," he said.
"Cooperation between our two countries will surely take the lead and open a new chapter in China-UK relations and cooperation."
The two leaders will also have lunch together after their meeting.
Starmer, who is in China until Saturday, also met the country's third highest-ranking official Zhao Leji in the morning and is expected to hold talks with Premier Li Qiang in the afternoon.
Zhao said relations were on "the correct track to improvement and development" while Starmer called the visit a chance to "find positive ways to work together".
Britain and China are set to sign a cooperation agreement targeting supply chains used by migrant smugglers, according to Downing Street.
The issue of irregular migrants is highly sensitive for Starmer, who has promised to crack down on people smugglers and stem a wave of arrivals that has fuelled rising support for the far right.
Starmer will also travel to economic powerhouse Shanghai on Friday before making a brief stop in Japan to meet Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
 - Repairing ties -
London and Beijing enjoyed what they described as a "Golden Era" a decade ago but relations deteriorated from 2020 when Beijing imposed a national security law on Hong Kong and cracked down on pro-democracy activists in the former British colony.
Starmer is expected to discuss the case of Hong Kong media mogul and democracy supporter Jimmy Lai, 78, who is facing years in prison after being found guilty of collusion charges in December.
Human rights abuses, alleged spying and cyber attacks, and China's perceived support for Russia's war in Ukraine have also strained ties.
Nevertheless, China -- the world's second-largest economy -- remains Britain's third-largest trading partner, though UK exports to the Asian giant plummeted 52.6 percent year-on-year in 2025, according to British government statistics.
The visit by Starmer, who took the helm in 2024, follows finance minister Rachel Reeves's trip to Beijing last year, as the centre-left Labour government looks to improve trade relations and fulfil its primary goal of boosting UK economic growth.
He is accompanied by around 60 business leaders from the finance, pharmaceutical, automobile and other sectors, as well as cultural representatives, as he tries to balance attracting vital investment and appearing firm on national security concerns.
Starmer's trip also comes as Britain faces a rift with its closest ally, the United States, following Trump's bid to seize Greenland and his brief threat of tariffs against Britain and other NATO allies.

A twin-propeller aircraft carrying 15 people, including Colombian lawmaker Diogenes Quintero, crashed near the Venezuelan border, killing all on board.

Colombian lawmaker among 15 killed in twin-propeller plane crash near Venezuelan border

A twin-propeller aircraft carrying 15 people, including Colombian lawmaker Diogenes Quintero, crashed near the Venezuelan border, killing all on board.

A twin-propeller aircraft carrying 15 people, including a Colombian lawmaker, crashed Wednesday in a mountainous region near the Venezuelan border, killing all passengers and crew, according to authorities in Bogota.
The plane took off from the Colombian border city of Cucuta and lost contact with air traffic control shortly before it was due to land in nearby Ocana around noon (1700GMT).
There were 13 passengers and two crew members aboard the flight, which was scheduled to take 23 minutes and was operated by Colombian state airline Satena.
"There are no survivors," an official from the aviation authority told AFP. The cause of the crash was not immediately known.
The government deployed the Air Force to carry out a search of the area -- a rugged, densely covered tract of the Andes' eastern range with highly changeable weather.
Swaths of the surrounding countryside are controlled by Colombia's largest guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army, better known by its Spanish acronym ELN.
So far, seven bodies have been recovered, according to North Santander state governor William Villamizar, speaking to local news magazine Semana.
One Colombian lawmaker and a legislative candidate were aboard. "I deeply regret these deaths," leftist President Gustavo Petro wrote on X. "All my solidarity to their families."
Among the list of dead was Representative Diogenes Quintero, 36, a member of Colombia's chamber of deputies, and Carlos Salcedo, a candidate for the upcoming elections.
Quintero's party described him as "a leader committed to his community."
He was born in Catatumbo, a conflict‑ridden region with coca crops and competing armed groups.
The aircraft was a Beechcraft 1900 twin-propeller plane.
With thick jungle and snow-capped mountain ranges, much of Colombia is difficult to traverse by land.
Planes link many towns that in less rugged countries would be connected by train or highway.

The US criticised the EU for prioritising trade with India over sanctions on Russian oil, calling the India-EU free trade agreement disappointing and beneficial mainly for India.

'Very disappointed': US Treasury Secretary on India-EU trade deal

The US criticised the EU for prioritising trade with India over sanctions on Russian oil, calling the India-EU free trade agreement disappointing and beneficial mainly for India.

In the wake of the FTA between India and the EU, the US has described the Europeans as &ldquo;very disappointing&rdquo;, saying they were unwilling to join Washington in putting tariffs on New Delhi for its purchases of Russian oil because of this trade deal.
"Again, they should do what&rsquo;s best for themselves, but I will tell you I find the Europeans very disappointing because the Europeans are on the front line of the Ukraine-Russia war," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an interview with CNBC's 'Squawk on thUS-e Street' Wednesday.
Bessent was responding to a question on the &ldquo;massive&rdquo; trade deal between Europe and India and whether that threatens America, given that the countries are moving ahead with free trade without Washington.
"...India started buying sanctioned Russian oil, and guess who was buying the refined products? The Europeans. So, the Europeans have been funding the war against themselves and like something that you couldn&rsquo;t have made up."
"The US sanctioned or put a 25 per cent tariff on India for buying the Russian oil. The Europeans were unwilling to join us, and it turns out that they wanted to do this trade deal. So, every time you hear a European talk about the importance of the Ukrainian people, remember that they put trade ahead of the Ukrainian people. Trade -- European trade, more important than ending the war in Ukraine,&rdquo; Bessent said.
When asked if the Europeans need energy, Bessent said, &ldquo;At a price, they want cheap energy, but we could have cheaper energy too if we were willing to buy sanctioned Russian oil.&rdquo;
Bessent&rsquo;s comments were the second remarks in as many days by the Trump administration on the trade deal between India and the EU, dubbed as the &ldquo;mother of all deals.&rdquo;
On Tuesday, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa were leading the signing of the trade deal in New Delhi, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said India came out on &ldquo;top&rdquo; in the trade deal.
"I've looked at some of the details of the deal so far. I think India comes out on top on this, frankly. They get more market access into Europe,&rdquo; Greer had said in an interview to Fox Business.
Greer was responding to a question on the trade deal signed between India and the EU.
"It sounds like they (India) have some additional immigration rights. I don't know for sure, but President (Ursula) von der Leyen of the EU has talked about mobility for Indian workers into Europe," Greer said.
"So I think on net, India is going to have a heyday with this. They have low-cost labour, and it looks like the EU is doubling down on globalisation when we're trying to fix some of the problems of globalisation here in the US,&rdquo; Greer had said.
When asked if he has any impressions on the India-EU trade deal, Greer said, &ldquo;I do. First of all, strategically, it's important to understand that because President Trump has prioritised domestic production and essentially started charging a fee for other countries to access our market, these countries are trying to find other outlets for their overproduction. And so the EU is turning to India to try to find a place."
"The EU is so trade dependent, they need other outlets if they can't keep sending all their stuff to the United States.&rdquo;
India and the European Union sealed the landmark free trade agreement-- billed as the "mother of all deals" -- to create a market of two billion people with Modi and the top EU leadership unveiling a transformative five-year agenda to largely leverage trade and defence in protecting the rules-based world order.
The two sides also inked two crucial pacts -- one on security and defence collaboration and another on mobility of Indian talents to Europe -- after Prime Minister Modi hosted von der Leyen and Costa for summit talks amid frosty ties with the US.
The free trade agreement that will account for almost a quarter of the global GDP will reduce tariffs on 99 per cent of Indian exports to the EU and cut duties on over 97 per cent of the EU's exports to India, according to officials.
Indian sectors such as textiles, apparel, leather goods, handicrafts, footwear and marine products are set to gain from the FTA, while Europe is set to benefit in areas of wine, automobiles, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, among others.

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The court also approved his bail application.

Big relief for Imran Khan: Islamabad HC says 'toshakhana' case inadmissible

Huge legal relief for Pak ex-PM Imran Khan: reports 'Toshakhana' case labelled inadmissible: reports Order by Islamabad High Court: reports

Big relief for Imran Khan: Islamabad High Court says 'toshakhana' case inadmissible

The court also approved his bail application.

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan received a major legal boost on July 4.
The Islamabad High Court labelled the 'Toshakhana' case against him inadmissible, as per a News18 report. The court also approved his bail application.
Imran Khan has been accused of buying gifts from the state depository which he received as PM at a low price and then selling them for profit.

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.

India has gained a competitive advantage in exports to the US after Washington reduced tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent under a new bilateral trade agreement.

India gains export edge over Asian rivals as US cuts tariffs to 18%

India has gained a competitive advantage in exports to the US after Washington reduced tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent under a new bilateral trade agreement.

India has gained a competitive edge in exports to the United States after Washington lowered tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent under a newly announced bilateral trade agreement.
Under the revised structure, Indian products now face lower duties than those from several countries in South and Southeast Asia. Exports from Indonesia attract a 19 per cent tariff, while Bangladesh and Vietnam face rates of 20 per cent each.&nbsp;
Compared to China, India enjoys significantly lower tariffs, with Beijing facing duties of 34 per cent. India also has a marginal advantage over Pakistan, where tariffs are set at 19 per cent.
The tariff reduction follows an announcement by US President Donald Trump, who said that the United States and India &ldquo;have agreed to a trade deal,&rdquo; cutting the reciprocal tariff from 25 per cent to 18 per cent &ldquo;out of friendship and respect&rdquo; for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the agreement would take effect &ldquo;immediately.&rdquo;
In a post on Truth Social, Trump referred to his conversation with PM Modi and described him as &ldquo;one of my greatest friends and, a Powerful and Respected Leader of his Country.&rdquo; He said they discussed trade and the Russia-Ukraine war, and claimed that Modi had agreed to &ldquo;stop buying Russian oil&rdquo; and to increase purchases from the United States. Trump also said India would reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers against American products.
&ldquo;It was an Honor to speak with Prime Minister Modi, of India, this morning. He is one of my greatest friends and, a Powerful and Respected Leader of his Country&hellip; Out of friendship and respect for Prime Minister Modi and, as per his request, effective immediately, we agreed to a Trade Deal between the United States and India, whereby the United States will charge a reduced Reciprocal Tariff, lowering it from 25% to 18%&hellip; They will likewise move forward to reduce their Tariffs and Non Tariff Barriers against the United States, to ZERO,&rdquo; Trump wrote.
Responding to the announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was pleased with the development and thanked the US President. In a post on X, he said it was wonderful to speak with his &ldquo;dear friend President Trump&rdquo; and expressed happiness that &ldquo;Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18%.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today. Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18%. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement,&rdquo; PM Modi wrote.
Meanwhile, a White House official told ANI that the US would also withdraw the additional 25 per cent tariff imposed on Indian imports over New Delhi&rsquo;s purchase of Russian oil. The official said India would need to &ldquo;cease, not just reduce, Russian oil purchases.&rdquo;
When asked whether tariffs would be lifted in return for reducing Russian oil imports, the official said, &ldquo;Yes, although the agreement is that India will cease, not just reduce, Russian oil purchases.&rdquo;

India and the United States agreed on a trade deal reducing reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods from 25% to 18%, a development welcomed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

President Trump announces US-India trade deal, lowers tariffs from 25 pc to 18 pc

India and the United States agreed on a trade deal reducing reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods from 25% to 18%, a development welcomed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India and the US agreed to a trade deal under which Washington will bring down reciprocal tariff on Indian goods to 18 per cent from current 25 per cent, US President Donald Trump said on Monday after a phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The prime minister said he was delighted that "Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18 per cent".
"Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today. 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," Modi said.
The prime minister said when two large economies and the world's largest democracies work together, it benefits the people and "unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation".
"President Trump's leadership is vital for global peace, stability, and prosperity. India fully supports his efforts for peace," he said on 'X'.
Modi noted that he looked forward to working closely with Trump to take the bilateral partnership to unprecedented heights, without mentioning many of the other issues that figured in Trump's post on social media.
Trump said India will move forward to reduce "tariffs and non tariff barriers" against the US to zero, adding New Delhi would buy American goods, including energy, worth more than USD 500 billion.
"Out of friendship and respect for Prime Minister Modi and, as per his request, effective immediately, we agreed to a trade deal between the United States and India, whereby the United States will charge a reduced reciprocal tariff, lowering it from 25 per cent to 18 per cent," the US president said on social media.
India will "likewise move forward to reduce their tariffs and non tariff barriers against the United States, to zero", he said.
Trump said Modi also committed to buy American goods at much higher level, in addition to over USD 500 billion dollars of US energy, technology, agricultural, coal, and many other products.
"Our amazing relationship with India will be even stronger going forward. Prime Minister Modi and I are two people that get things done something that cannot be said for most," he said.
In his remarks, Modi said, "When two large economies and the world's largest democracies work together, it benefits our people and unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation."
"I look forward to working closely with him to take our partnership to unprecedented heights," he added.
Trump said Modi and he also discussed ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.
"He agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the United States and, potentially, Venezuela," the US president said.
"This will help end the war in Ukraine, which is taking place right now, with thousands of people dying each and every week," Trump said.
Trump and Modi last spoke on phone in October 2025.
The two leaders had agreed at a meeting in February last year to finalise the first tranche of a bilateral trade agreement by the autumn.
Though the two sides held several rounds of negotiations, forward movement on the trade deal stalled after Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, including the 25 per cent punitive tariffs for India's procurement of Russian crude oil.
The Modi-Trump phone talks came on a day External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar travelled to Washington DC.
India has now lower tariff compared to competing export economies, officials said.
They cited 19 per cent American tariffs on Indonesia, 20 per cent on Vietnam, 20 per cent on Bangladesh and 34 per cent on China.
Official sources last week said India and the US have made "very significant" progress in the negotiations for the trade deal.

Donald Trump threatens to sue Grammy host Trevor Noah over a joke linking him to Jeffrey Epstein during the 68th awards ceremony.

Trump threatens legal action against Trevor Noah over Epstein comment

Donald Trump threatens to sue Grammy host Trevor Noah over a joke linking him to Jeffrey Epstein during the 68th awards ceremony.

Donald Trump threatened legal action on Monday against the host of the 68th Grammy Awards over the comedian's comment on the US president and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
After congratulating Billie Eilish for winning the Grammy for Song of the Year for her track "Wildflower," host Trevor Noah brought up Trump and Epstein.
"Wow. That's a Grammy that every artist wants -- almost as much as Trump wants Greenland," he quipped, referring to the president's threats to seize the autonomous Arctic territory.
Noah then added: "Which makes sense because, since Epstein's gone, he needs a new island to hang out with Bill Clinton."
Noah, who announced that this will be his final year hosting the Grammys after six turns as emcee, has been light on political commentary in previous years.
His comments drew the ire of the president, who took to his Truth Social platform first saying that the "Grammy Awards are the WORST and virtually unwatchable," before criticizing Noah.
"I can't speak for Bill, but I have never been to Epstein Island, nor anywhere close, and until tonight&rsquo;s false and defamatory, statement, have never been accused of being there, not even by the Fake News Media," Trump asserted.
The Republican then branded South African Noah a "total loser" who needs to "get his facts straight."
"I'll be sending my lawyers to sue this poor, pathetic, talentless, dope of an M.C. ... Get ready Noah, I'm going to have some fun with you!" Trump added.
Trump, who moved in the same social circles as Epstein in Florida and New York, has fought for months to prevent the release of a vast trove of documents about the disgraced financier and has given varying accounts of why he eventually fell out with Epstein.
More than three million documents were released on Friday that included mention of numerous powerful figures, including the 79-year-old president, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Bill Clinton and former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

A Bangladesh court has sentenced former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in prison in two corruption cases linked to irregular land allocations.

Bangladesh court sentences Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in jail in corruption cases

A Bangladesh court has sentenced former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in prison in two corruption cases linked to irregular land allocations.

A Bangladesh court on Monday sentenced deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in jail in two separate corruption cases related to alleged irregularities in allocations of land in a government housing project.
Dhaka Special Judge&rsquo;s Court-4 Judge Rabiul Alam handed down the verdicts, sentencing Hasina to a total of 10 years&rsquo; imprisonment &mdash; five years in each case, state-run BSS news agency reported.
The court sentenced 78-year-old Hasina, her nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq, and her nieces, Tulip Rizwana Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq, and others in the cases over alleged irregularities in the allocation of plots under the Rajuk New Town Project in Purbachol.
The judgment was pronounced at around 12.30 pm.
Tulip Siddiq was sentenced to four years&rsquo; imprisonment &mdash; two years in each case &mdash; while Radwan Mujib Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq were each sentenced to seven years&rsquo; imprisonment in both cases.
Rajuk member Mohammad Khurshid Alam, the only accused to surrender before the court, was sentenced to one year&rsquo;s imprisonment in each case, totalling two years.
The court also fined all convicted persons Tk1 lakh each and ordered them to serve an additional six months in prison in default of payment.
Hasina has been living in India since she fled Bangladesh on August 5 last year in the face of the massive protests.
She was earlier declared a fugitive by the court.
The cases were filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over alleged abuse of power in the allocation of two 10-katha plots.
According to the prosecution, the accused manipulated the allocation process and violated existing rules and regulations of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).

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