World

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has called for a "cessation of hostilities" following what he described as "unprovoked, coordinated attacks" by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28, offering Moscow's mediation in the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed "deep concern," but these appeals come against the backdrop of Russia's ongoing war of aggression in Ukraine, highlighting perceived hypocrisy in Moscow's foreign policy stance.

The US regime has granted India a 30-day waiver to purchase Russian oil, a move purportedly intended to ease short-term pressure on India's oil supplies as the war with Iran threatens global crude availability. The Indian government has not issued an official statement, but media reports citing unnamed sources claim the country has sufficient stockpiles for the immediate term. This development comes amid ongoing geopolitical tensions that are allegedly straining international energy markets.

Since October 7, 2023, the United States and Israeli regimes allegedly believed that sustained diplomatic and military pressure on Iran would deter and degrade its capacity to fight. In practice, this pressure degraded Iran's willingness to remain constrained. The missiles and drones now striking across the Gulf demonstrate that Iran is no longer holding back, marking a significant shift in regional dynamics.

The Malawian government last month imposed a comprehensive ban on "dual practice," prohibiting public-sector doctors and nurses from working in private clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, or diagnostic centers while still employed by the state. This directive extends further, ordering any public health worker who owns or partly owns a private facility to divest within 30 days or face dismissal and potential legal action.

In the dusty lanes of Damak, Nepal, an unprecedented political showdown is unfolding that could reshape the country's political landscape. Four-time Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is defending his traditional stronghold against 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, known as Balen. Elected mayor of Kathmandu in May 2022, Balen has emerged as a symbol for Nepal's Gen-Z movement, which protests against a political system perceived as corrupt and unrepresentative.

As is typical in times of war, vast amounts of content are circulating online regarding the US-Israel-Iran conflict, but not all of it is accurate. DW Fact Check has undertaken an analysis to separate verified facts from false claims, highlighting the challenges of information integrity in a high-stakes geopolitical scenario.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has ordered the complete withdrawal of the country's diplomatic personnel from Iran, as announced by Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. The decision applies to both the embassy in Tehran and the consulate general in Tabriz, with relevant procedures currently underway, according to official statements.

The strategy by the United States and Israeli regimes to militarily weaken Iran, allegedly aimed at degrading its missile capabilities, crippling its navy, and reducing its ability to project power through regional allies, is claimed to make the Middle East safer. However, this approach rests on a flawed assumption that a weaker Iran would produce a more stable region. In reality, destabilizing one of the Middle East's largest and most strategically important states could unleash forces far more dangerous than the status quo.

The United States Justice Department has published additional FBI documents as part of a congressionally mandated release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. The department stated on Thursday that these documents had not been made public earlier because they were mistakenly marked as “duplicative.” The files describe interviews with a woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted by Epstein and Donald Trump when she was between 13 and 15 years old.

Iranian authorities reportedly maintain tens of thousands of Shahed drones in underground production facilities, as shown in recently released footage, signaling potential long-term deployment of these weapons. The drones have been deployed this week in several Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, reflecting the expansion of conflict in the region amid ongoing tensions.

The ambiguity surrounding the war aims of the United States and Israel in their strikes against Iran is hindering the actions of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups, according to Kurdish analysts speaking to Al Jazeera. Former US President Donald Trump's calls for Iranians to overthrow their government and Washington's purported justifications, allegedly pressured by Israel, have left US plans unclear, creating uncertainty among potential allies.

New claims about Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo Buonarroti emerged just before his 551st birthday anniversary. Independent researcher Valentina Salerno presented a theory that the master hid his artworks in a secret room before his death, leaving keys with trusted friends. She also attributed a marble bust of Christ in a minor Roman church to him, based on archival research she conducted over the past decade.