Afghanistan's Taliban leaders said they were willing to negotiate after Pakistan bombed the capital Kabul and the city of Kandahar, where Taliban leaders are based, as well as other towns on Friday. Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif declared an "all-out confrontation" with the Taliban government, posting on X: "Now it is open war between us and you."
Iraq is in a political deadlock, with no government formed despite general elections held in November.
US President Donald Trump has suggested a "friendly takeover" of Cuba, stating on Friday that the Cuban government is in "big trouble" with no money, oil, or food. He claimed Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading high-level talks on the matter.
Ukraine marked the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion with territorial gains in the south. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told AFP on Saturday that Ukrainian forces had regained 300 square kilometers in southern Ukraine. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskii later stated these gains were 400 square kilometers and occurred since late January.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi met with United States Vice President JD Vance in Washington, DC on Friday, amid growing fears of a potential US attack on Iran.
A near-blind Rohingya refugee was found dead after being released by a border patrol. The incident occurred in a border area, with the cause of death not yet determined. Authorities stated that an investigation is ongoing.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported that Iran is storing most of its highly enriched uranium at an underground tunnel complex in Isfahan, urging Tehran to permit inspections amid increasing U.S. pressure over its nuclear program.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi stated that the United States must drop its "excessive demands" in nuclear talks to achieve a successful outcome. The remarks were made during a phone call with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdel Ati, according to a Friday report by the ISNA news agency.
Bill Clinton told lawmakers he "saw nothing that gave me pause" when he spent time with Jeffrey Epstein, as the former president gave closed-door testimony about his relationship with the late sex offender.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to travel to Israel next week amid President Donald Trump's expressed dissatisfaction with ongoing negotiations with Iran.
On a chilly January afternoon in Iowa, crowds of supporters ringed the stump-speech stage, festooned in red, white and blue. The scene could have easily been part of U.S. President Donald Trump's re-election bid two years ago.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump stated that a "friendly takeover of Cuba" is possible. He made the remark on social media, highlighting Cuba's economic potential.