World

Iran's foreign minister heads to Muscat for nuclear talks with US

Feb 5 (Reuters) - Iran's ‌Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has departed for ‌the Omani capital Muscat at the ‌head of a diplomatic delegation for nuclear talks with the U.S. due to be held on Friday, the Iranian ‍Foreign Ministry's spokesperson said.

World

Mexico arrests mayor of Tequila for extorting distillers in alleged cartel scheme

MEXICO CITY, Feb 5 (Reuters) - ‌Mexican authorities on Thursday arrested the mayor of the municipality ‌of Tequila, birthplace of the agave spirit, for allegedly extorting ‌major distillers in collusion with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

World

Roundup: Portugal braces for more storms after deadly weather batters

LISBON, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A series of powerful Atlantic storm systems has swept across Portugal in recent weeks, leaving at least 11 people dead and hundreds more injured or displaced, while causing widespread damage to infrastructure. Authorities have also warned that another round of severe weather could hit the country as early as next week.

World

Kenya's Kipchoge sees Olympic flagbearer role as huge opportunity

NAIROBI, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan marathon great Eliud Kipchoge said he is honored to be named one of the Olympic flagbearers during Friday's opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games.

World

Almaty signs as host city for 10th Asian Winter Games in 2029

MILAN, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) held the signing ceremony of the Host City Contract for the 10th Asian Winter Games here on Thursday, officially confirming Kazakhstan's Almaty as the host city.

World

U.S. embassy cuts ties with Polish official over Trump insults

WARSAW, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Embassy will have "no further dealings" with Polish parliament speaker Wlodzimierz Czarzasty after he insulted U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose said on Thursday.

World

Uganda to compete in ISF Football World Cup in China

KAMPALA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Uganda will compete in the 2026 International School Sport Federation (ISF) Football World Cup to be held in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou.

World

OECD report urges Bulgaria to boost business productivity, address fiscal pressures

SOFIA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Boosting business productivity and addressing fiscal pressures would unlock stronger and more resilient growth in Bulgaria, according to a report released by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on Thursday.

World

Venezuela amnesty law for jailed protesters passes first vote

Feb 5 (Reuters) - An amnesty law being considered in Venezuela's legislature that ‌would grant immediate clemency to people jailed for participating in political protests or critiquing public figures won initial lawmaker approval on Thursday.

World

2nd LD Writethru: Bank of England maintains interest rate at 3.75 pct

LONDON, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Bank of England (BoE) has kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 3.75 percent, Britain's central bank said in a statement on Thursday.

World

2nd LD Writethru: ECB holds interest rates steady

FRANKFURT, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The European Central Bank (ECB) on Thursday decided to leave key interest rates unchanged at its first monetary policy meeting of 2026, marking the fifth consecutive hold since July 2025.

World

Several thousand people evacuated in southern Spain amid storm Leonardo

MADRID, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Torrential rains brought by storm Leonardo have forced the evacuation of around 3,000 to 5,000 people across southern Spain, including the entire population of the small hillside town of Grazalema in Cadiz province, local authorities said on Thursday.

World

WADA chief Banka voices optimism on U.S. ties, funding in Milan

MILAN, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) President Witold Banka addressed multiple critical issues, including relationship with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), at a press conference here on Thursday.

World

Feature: Chinese-backed musical talent show unlocks creative genius of Kenyan youth

NAIROBI, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Fanuel Mulwa was over the moon after outperforming dozens of contestants to win Sing for Africa, a Chinese-supported musical talent show launched in Nairobi, Kenya's capital, in November 2025.

World

Pakistan military says it concludes week-long fight against Baloch separatists

QUETTA, Feb 5 (Reuters) - ‌Pakistan's military said on Thursday it had concluded a week-long operation against separatists in Balochistan who stormed more than a ‌dozen locations, taking hostages, setting off explosives and waging gun battles with security forces.

World

Tanzania warns of floods in March-May rainy season

DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's meteorological authority on Thursday released its climate outlook for the March-May 2026 rainy season, warning of potential floods.

World

Somali president orders joint efforts to tackle severe drought

MOGADISHU, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has directed government agencies to prioritize emergency drought response and redirect the majority of their work and resources toward urgent humanitarian action.

World

Slovenia prepares legislation to ban social media for under-15s

Feb 5 (Reuters) - Slovenia is ‌preparing draft legislation to ban social media access ‌for children under 15, Deputy Prime Minister Matej Arcon ‌told a news conference on Thursday.

World

US, Russia to reestablish military-to-military talks

WASHINGTON, Feb 5 (Reuters) - The ‌U.S. military said that Washington and Moscow on ‌Thursday agreed to reestablish high level military-to-military dialogue, ‌following talks in Abu Dhabi, a move which could signal a move towards normalizing some ties between the United States and Russia.

World

US, Russia close in on deal to extend New START nuclear arms treaty, Axios reports

Feb 5 (Reuters) - The ‌United States and Russia are ‌closing in on a deal to ‌observe the New START nuclear arms control treaty beyond its expiration on Thursday, Axios reported, ‍citing three sources familiar ‍with the talks.