Pakistani Minister Arrives in Tehran to ‘Facilitate’ US-Iran Peace Talks

 Night falls over the city and the Milad Tower in Tehran, Iran, Friday, May 15, 2026. (AP)
Night falls over the city and the Milad Tower in Tehran, Iran, Friday, May 15, 2026. (AP)
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Pakistani Minister Arrives in Tehran to ‘Facilitate’ US-Iran Peace Talks

 Night falls over the city and the Milad Tower in Tehran, Iran, Friday, May 15, 2026. (AP)
Night falls over the city and the Milad Tower in Tehran, Iran, Friday, May 15, 2026. (AP)

Pakistan's interior minister arrived in Tehran on Saturday "to facilitate" the peace talks between Iran and the United States that have stalled despite a fragile ceasefire, Iranian media reported.

"Mohsin Naqvi arrived today in Iran on an official two-day visit as part of Pakistan's ongoing efforts to facilitate talks and promote regional peace," the Tasnim news agency reported.

Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni received Naqvi, whose visit to Tehran comes days after that of Pakistan's influential army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.

Islamabad has been actively mediating in the peace talks between Iran and the US and last month hosted a high stakes meeting between delegations from both sides.

A ceasefire that began on April 8 has largely halted the fighting that erupted when US and Israeli forces attacked Iran on February 28.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that Tehran had received messages from Washington indicating that President Donald Trump's administration was willing to continue negotiations.

Iran's chief negotiator and speaker of parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Tuesday that Washington should accept Tehran's proposal for peace or face "failure" after Trump rejected an Iranian counteroffer and warned the ceasefire was on "life support".

"There is no alternative but to accept the rights of the Iranian people as laid out in the 14-point proposal. Any other approach will be completely inconclusive; nothing but one failure after another," Ghalibaf said, in a social media post.



2nd Passenger Train Derails in England in 2 Days

14 August 2026, United Kingdom, Lewes: Rail workers and police officers investigate at the scene where a train with around 150 people on board derailed near Lewes railway station in East Sussex on Thursday. Photo: James Manning/PA Wire/dpa
14 August 2026, United Kingdom, Lewes: Rail workers and police officers investigate at the scene where a train with around 150 people on board derailed near Lewes railway station in East Sussex on Thursday. Photo: James Manning/PA Wire/dpa
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2nd Passenger Train Derails in England in 2 Days

14 August 2026, United Kingdom, Lewes: Rail workers and police officers investigate at the scene where a train with around 150 people on board derailed near Lewes railway station in East Sussex on Thursday. Photo: James Manning/PA Wire/dpa
14 August 2026, United Kingdom, Lewes: Rail workers and police officers investigate at the scene where a train with around 150 people on board derailed near Lewes railway station in East Sussex on Thursday. Photo: James Manning/PA Wire/dpa

A passenger train derailed near London on Friday, British Transport Police said, the second derailment in two days after two people were seriously injured when another train came off the tracks on Thursday.

Police said officers, paramedics and firefighters were at the scene near Wickford train station in Essex, about 30 miles east of London (48 kilometers), after receiving reports that the rear carriages of a train derailed. The carriages were in an “upright position," police said, and no injuries were reported.

National Rail said officials were working to understand what happened, and major disruptions to train services were expected through Friday afternoon.

The incident came less than 24 hours after a train from London to Eastbourne went off the tracks outside the southern English town of Lewes. Three carriages overturned, seriously injuring two people and causing minor injuries for 18 others.

All passengers were evacuated within about three hours, The Associated Press quoted the transport police as saying.

The cause of the derailment is under investigation.


World Bank Says it Disbursed $200 Million to Colombia for Quake Response

Volunteers participate with rescue teams in search and rescue operations after the earthquake that struck Colombia (Reuters)
Volunteers participate with rescue teams in search and rescue operations after the earthquake that struck Colombia (Reuters)
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World Bank Says it Disbursed $200 Million to Colombia for Quake Response

Volunteers participate with rescue teams in search and rescue operations after the earthquake that struck Colombia (Reuters)
Volunteers participate with rescue teams in search and rescue operations after the earthquake that struck Colombia (Reuters)

The World Bank on Friday said it had disbursed $200 million to Colombia for its emergency response to a deadly August 10 earthquake that left hundreds dead.

The multilateral development bank said it was working with the Colombian government and development partners, financial institutions and the private sector to address immediate needs, while laying the foundations for recovery, Reuters reported.

The bank said it had also launched a Global Rapid Assessment of Damages from Earthquakes (GRADE) to provide the Colombian government with an early assessment of damages and economic losses to help Bogota prioritize aid and reconstruction efforts.

Efforts were underway to channel financing to affected communities and businesses, including support for public health, housing, and small and medium-sized enterprises, the bank said.

The 7.4-magnitude quake struck shortly after 7:30 a.m. on Monday, toppling apartment blocks and damaging homes, schools and hospitals across western Colombia.

Authorities on Friday said that 285 people had been killed and nearly 4,000 injured. Nearly 400 others were still missing.

 

 

 


Pentagon Signs Deals with Boeing, RTX to Boost Missile Interceptor Component Production

Pete Hegseth, Pentagon'da düzenlediği basın toplantısı sırasında (Reuters)
Pete Hegseth, Pentagon'da düzenlediği basın toplantısı sırasında (Reuters)
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Pentagon Signs Deals with Boeing, RTX to Boost Missile Interceptor Component Production

Pete Hegseth, Pentagon'da düzenlediği basın toplantısı sırasında (Reuters)
Pete Hegseth, Pentagon'da düzenlediği basın toplantısı sırasında (Reuters)

The Pentagon on Friday announced framework agreements with Boeing and RTX to increase production of components of SM-3 Block IIA and SM-3 Block IB munitions, Reuters reported.

Both agreements will strengthen production of a series of critical ship-fired surface-to-air interceptors that underpin the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, the Pentagon said in a statement.