Name: USA: death toll due to 'blizzard of the century' rises; people freezing to death in cars
Uploaded: 2022-12-27T08:29:05.000+05:30
Duration: T00M30S
Channel: Editorji News Desk
Description: The deaths have been reported from 9 states experiencing snow squalls and frigid temperatures.

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.

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.

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The deaths have been reported from 9 states experiencing snow squalls and frigid temperatures.

USA: death toll due to 'blizzard of the century' rises; people freezing to death in cars

The deaths have been reported from 9 states experiencing snow squalls and frigid temperatures.

The death toll due to the 'blizzard of the century' pounding the United States of America crossed 45 on 26 December 2022.
The deaths have been reported from 9 states experiencing snow squalls and frigid temperatures. Bodies of people frozen to death have been found in cars and under snow banks.
Around 2,600 flights were cancelled on 26 December, taking the total number of flight cancellations to 15,000 in recent days.
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Japan restarts Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, the world’s largest nuclear plant, to boost energy supply and cut fossil fuel reliance amid public safety concerns.

Japan restarts world's biggest nuclear plant again

Japan restarts Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, the world&rsquo;s largest nuclear plant, to boost energy supply and cut fossil fuel reliance amid public safety concerns.

Japan switched on the world's biggest nuclear power plant again on Monday, its operator said, after an earlier attempt was quickly suspended due to a minor glitch.
A problem with a monitoring alarm in January forced the suspension of its first restart since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in the Niigata region restarted at 2:00 pm (0500 GMT), the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) said in a statement.
The facility had been offline since Japan pulled the plug on nuclear power after a colossal earthquake and tsunami sent three reactors at the Fukushima atomic plant into meltdown.
But now Japan is turning to atomic energy to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and meet growing energy needs from artificial intelligence.
Conservative Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who pulled off a thumping election victory on Sunday, has promoted nuclear power to energise the Asian economic giant.
TEPCO initially moved to start one of seven reactors at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant on January 21 but shut it off the following day after a monitoring system alarm sounded.
The alarm had picked up slight changes to the electrical current in one cable even though these were still within a range considered safe, TEPCO officials told a news conference last week.
The firm has changed the alarm's settings as the reactor is safe to operate.
Commercial operations will commence on or after March 18 after another comprehensive inspection, according to TEPCO officials.
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the world's biggest nuclear power plant by potential capacity, although just one reactor of seven was restarted.
Fourteen reactors, mostly in western and southern Japan, have resumed operation since the post-Fukushima shutdown under strict safety rules, with 13 running as of mid January.
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the first TEPCO-run unit to restart since 2011. The company also operates the stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant, now being decommissioned.
The vast Kashiwazaki-Kariwa complex has been fitted with a 15-metre-high (50-foot) tsunami wall, elevated emergency power systems and other safety upgrades.
But public opinion in the area around the plant is deeply divided: Around 60 percent of residents oppose the restart, while 37 percent support it, according to a survey conducted by Niigata prefecture in September.
Residents have raised concerns about the risk of a serious accident, citing frequent cover-up scandals, minor accidents and evacuation plans they say are inadequate.
On January 8, seven groups opposing the restart submitted a petition signed by nearly 40,000 people to TEPCO and Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority.
"We will continue to demonstrate our commitment to safety as our priority at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station through our actions and results," TEPCO said in a statement Monday.

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi secured a historic two-thirds majority in the lower house, strengthening her mandate to pursue conservative reforms, economic policies, and defence expansion.

Japan PM Takaichi basks in historic election triumph

Japan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi secured a historic two-thirds majority in the lower house, strengthening her mandate to pursue conservative reforms, economic policies, and defence expansion.

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi savoured an election landslide Monday, with her ruling party projected to have won a two-thirds majority in the powerful lower house for the first time in its history.
If confirmed by official results, the outcome gives Japan's first female premier a strong mandate to implement her conservative agenda and stamp her mark on the country of 123 million people over the next four years.
The Asia-Pacific region will be watching closely, however, to see if the 64-year-old ups the ante or lowers the temperature with China after enraging Beijing in November with comments about Taiwan.
Financial markets may also be nervous about Japan's public finances and its gargantuan debt pile if Takaichi decides to cut taxes and boost spending in Asia's number-two economy.
"We have consistently stressed the importance of responsible and proactive fiscal policy," Takaichi insisted late Sunday.
"We will prioritise the sustainability of fiscal policy. We will ensure necessary investments. Public and private sectors must invest. We will build a strong and resilient economy," she said.
On Monday, the Nikkei jumped around five percent to hit a new high, with equities "poised to benefit from higher fiscal spending but interest rates that remain accommodative and negative in real terms", according to analyst Kyle Rodda of Capital.com.
With a stronger mandate, Takaichi is also expected to push through her ambitious policy agenda, which includes boosting the defence budget, tougher immigration measures and potentially changing the constitution.
Capitalising on her honeymoon start after becoming Japan's fifth premier in as many years in October, Takaichi called the snap election last month.
The gamble paid off handsomely, with local media reporting that her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won around 316 of the 465 seats contested, citing partial results.
That takes the party past the 310-seat threshold needed for a two-thirds majority.
Together with its junior coalition partner, they're expected to secure 352 seats.
US President Donald Trump congratulated Takaichi after an earlier endorsement.
"I wish you Great Success in passing your Conservative, Peace Through Strength Agenda," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
 - Drummer -
Takaichi has injected new life into the LDP, which has governed Japan almost non-stop for decades but shed support in recent elections because of unhappiness about rising prices and corruption.
A heavy metal drummer in her youth, Takaichi was an admirer of Britain's "Iron Lady" Margaret Thatcher, and on the ultra-conservative fringe of the LDP when she became party chief.
She has been a hit with voters, especially young ones, with fans lapping up everything from her handbag to her jamming to a K-pop song with South Korea's president.
But she will have to deliver on the economy to remain popular.
"With prices rising like this, what matters most to me is what policies they'll adopt to deal with inflation," voter Chika Sakamoto, 50, told AFP at a voting station in snowy Tokyo on Sunday.
 - Socially conservative -
Despite being her country's first woman premier, Takaichi has shown little appetite for framing her leadership around gender in male-dominated Japanese politics.
She is socially conservative, opposing any revision to a law requiring married couples to share the same surname, a rule that overwhelmingly results in women taking their husband's name.
Before becoming prime minister, Takaichi was seen as a China hawk.
She was a regular visitor to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honours convicted war criminals along with 2.5 million war dead and is seen as a symbol of Japan's militarist past.
Barely two weeks in office, Takaichi suggested that Japan could intervene militarily if Beijing sought to take self-ruled Taiwan by force.
China regards the democratic island as part of its territory and has not ruled out force to annex it.
With Takaichi having days earlier pulled out all the stops to welcome Trump, Beijing was furious with her unscripted remarks.
It summoned Tokyo's ambassador, warned its citizens against visiting Japan and conducted joint air drills with Russia. Japan's last two pandas were even returned to China last month.
Margarita Estevez-Abe, associate professor of political science at Syracuse University, said that Takaichi can afford to dial down tensions now.
"Now she doesn't have to worry about any elections until 2028, when the next upper house elections will take place," Estevez-Abe told AFP before the vote.
"So the best scenario for Japan is that Takaichi kind of takes a deep breath and focuses on amending the relationship with China."

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi ruled out abandoning uranium enrichment as US-Iran talks resumed in Oman, amid rising military tensions, sanctions, and a renewed crackdown on protesters.

Iran defies US threats to insist on right to enrich uranium

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi ruled out abandoning uranium enrichment as US-Iran talks resumed in Oman, amid rising military tensions, sanctions, and a renewed crackdown on protesters.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday ruled out Tehran ever giving up uranium enrichment in its negotiations with Washington, insisting it will not be intimidated by the threat of war with the United States.
Washington first threatened to intervene over Tehran's deadly crackdown on anti-government protesters, with authorities on Sunday arresting three prominent reformists accused of anti-government rhetoric.
They also imposed another hefty prison sentence on Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi, who was arrested before the protests, on charges of harming national security.
Araghchi told a forum in Tehran attended by AFP that Iran had little trust in Washington and doubted that the US side was taking renewed negotiations seriously.
He later said Iran was consulting with its "strategic partners" China and Russia about the talks.
"Why do we insist so much on enrichment and refuse to give it up, even if a war is imposed on us? Because no one has the right to dictate our behaviour," Araghchi said at the forum.
"Their military deployment in the region does not scare us," he added, referring to the arrival of an aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, in the Arabian Sea.
The United States and Iran reopened negotiations on Friday in Oman for the first time since Israel's 12-day war with the Islamic republic in June of last year, which the US briefly joined.
Iran is seeking to have US economic sanctions on the country lifted, in exchange for what Araghchi said at the forum could be "a series of confidence-building measures concerning the nuclear programme".
Western countries and Israel, thought to be the Middle East's only country with nuclear weapons, say Iran is seeking to acquire an atomic bomb, which the Islamic republic denies.
"They fear our atomic bomb, while we are not looking for one. Our atomic bomb is the power to say 'no' to the great powers," Araghchi said.
The US and Israel want the negotiations to go beyond the nuclear question and include Iran's ballistic missiles and support for armed groups in the region, issues Iran refuses to include in the talks.
 - 'Peace through strength' -
Washington's lead negotiators, envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner, visited the nuclear-powered USS Abraham Lincoln on Saturday, the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
The ship was dispatched to the Middle East several weeks ago as part of military build up in the region, following US President Donald Trump's threats against Iran.
In a social media post, Witkoff said the carrier and its strike group were "keeping us safe and upholding President Trump's message of peace through strength".
The threat of war continues to hover over the negotiations, even as Trump called the talks "very good" and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said they "constitute a step forward".
Following Friday's first round in Oman, Trump signed an executive order calling for fresh tariffs on countries still doing business with Iran.
The United States also announced new sanctions against numerous shipping entities and vessels, aimed at curbing Iran's oil exports.
At the Tehran forum on Sunday, Araghchi said ongoing "sanctions and military actions raise doubts about the seriousness and readiness of the other side to conduct genuine negotiations". 
- Arrests, sentencing -
The talks between the two foes and the US military buildup in the region follow Iran's crackdown on anti-government protests that began in late December, sparked by economic grievances.
Iranian authorities on Sunday arrested three reformist figures including the head of Iran's Reform Front coalition, Azar Mansouri, the Fars news agency reported, listing charges that included "targeting national unity" and "coordination with enemy propaganda", among others.
After the demonstrations began, Mansouri posted on Instagram that "when all avenues to be heard are closed, protest takes to the streets", later calling the death toll a "great disaster".
Meanwhile, jailed Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi was sentenced on Saturday to six years in prison on charges of harming national security and one-and-a-half years for "propaganda" against Iran's Islamic system, her foundation said in a statement.
She was arrested after speaking out against the government at a funeral ceremony in December.
The authorities in Iran have acknowledged that 3,117 people were killed in the protests, publishing on Sunday a list of 2,986 names, most of whom they say were members of the security forces and innocent bystanders.
International organisations have put the toll far higher.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) says it has verified 6,961 deaths, mostly protesters, and has another 11,630 cases under investigation.
It has also counted more than 51,000 arrests.

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.

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