WASHINGTON: The US government on Thursday temporarily eased economic sanctions against Russia to allow Russian oil currently stranded at sea to be sold to India. The Treasury Department&#39;s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a Russia-related license &quot;Authorizing the Delivery and Sale of Crude Oil and Petroleum Products of Russian Federation Origin Loaded on Vessels as of March 5, 2026, to India,&quot; the Treasury said in a statement. It said the transactions, including those from vessels blocked by various sanctions regimes, are authorized through the end of the day on April 3, 2026. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the waiver was issued &quot;To enable oil to keep flowing into the global market.&quot; &quot;This deliberately short-term measure will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government as it only authorizes transactions involving oil already stranded at sea,&quot; he posted on X. The sale to India will &quot;alleviate pressure caused by Iran&#39;s attempt to take global energy hostage,&quot; he added, even though India has said it will stop purchasing Russian oil as part of a trade deal with the United States. In a rare effort to pressure Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Russian oil majors Lukoil and Rosneft last November. Those moves &mdash; the most powerful by Trump against Russia over the Ukraine war &mdash; saw major buyers of Russian oil scramble to find alternative suppliers. Russia has reportedly built up a flotilla of old oil tankers of opaque ownership to get around sanctions imposed by Washington, the European Union and the G7 group of nations, over Moscow&#39;s 2022 all-out invasion of Ukraine.

Americas

Asia

Russia has reportedly built up a flotilla of old oil tankers of opaque ownership to get around sanctions imposed by Washington, the European Union and the G7 group of nations, over Moscow's 2022 all-out invasion of Ukraine.

US approves temporary sale of stranded Russian oil to India

MAIQUET&Iacute;A: Venezuela and the United States are restoring diplomatic ties, the two countries announced Thursday, in a new sign of thawing relations after Washington ousted former president Nicolas Maduro. The announcement came as US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum wrapped up a two-day trip to Venezuela, part of US President Donald Trump&#39;s push for greater access to the country&#39;s mineral wealth. The re-establishment of diplomatic and consular relations &quot;will facilitate our joint efforts to promote stability, support economic recovery, and advance political reconciliation in Venezuela,&quot; the US State Department said. &quot;Our engagement is focused on helping the Venezuelan people move forward through a phased process that creates the conditions for a peaceful transition to a democratically elected government.&quot; Venezuela&#39;s foreign ministry said it would &quot;move forward in a new stage of constructive dialogue, based on mutual respect, the sovereign equality of states and cooperation between our people,&quot; adding that the renewed ties would be &quot;positive and mutually beneficial.&quot; The announcement came hours after Burgum, a member of Trump&#39;s cabinet who leads the National Energy Dominance Council, said he had received assurances from Caracas that the government would ensure the security of foreign mining companies keen to invest there. &#39;Right kind of security&#39; Burgum, who held talks with interim president Delcy Rodriguez during his trip, said dozens of companies had expressed interest in investing in Venezuela. &quot;I think you&#39;re going to see this government very concerned about providing the right kind of security,&quot; Burgum said. He told reporters his meetings were &quot;fantastically positive,&quot; and predicted Venezuela would surpass its oil and gas production targets in 2026. Trump&#39;s administration says it effectively runs Venezuela and controls the country&#39;s vast natural resources after toppling Maduro. Burgum is the second senior US official to visit since the bombing raid on January 3 that left around 100 people dead and saw Maduro and his wife flown to New York for trial on drug trafficking charges. Besides oil, Venezuela is rich in minerals such as gold and diamonds, as well as bauxite, coltan and other rare materials used to make computers and mobile phones. Mining activity is concentrated in a territory known as the Orinoco Mining Arc, where armed groups are active. Burgum&#39;s visit follows that of US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who pushed for a &quot;dramatic increase&quot; in Venezuela&#39;s oil output and talked up &quot;tremendous opportunities&quot; for both Washington and Caracas. The enthusiastic assessments of both men, which echo Trump&#39;s stance, reflect the sea change in relations between Washington and Caracas since the capture of Maduro. Trump has allowed Rodriguez, who was Maduro&#39;s vice president, to move up to interim leader so long as she grants US access to Venezuela&#39;s natural resources. Venezuela has the world&#39;s largest proven oil reserves, and Rodriguez last month overhauled the state-controlled oil sector to enable a wave of private investment. She now has her sights set on updating the mining code.

Announcement comes as US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum wraps up a two-day trip to Venezuela, part of US President Donald Trump's push for greater access to the country's mineral wealth.

US, Venezuela restore ties as Washington pushes for minerals access

Web Desk

Middle East

War intensifies as US says it sinks more than 30 Iranian ships and Israel launches new strikes on Tehran; Iran responds with missile attacks on Israel, strikes across Gulf states, including Qatar and Bahrain; UK, Spain, and Italy send additional military assets to the region.

US says sunk more than 30 Iranian ships, Tehran's missile, drone attacks down substantially

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday stepped up diplomatic outreach as the Middle East conflict deepens, condemning the escalating violence and urging restraint while engaging regional and Muslim world leaders to push for de-escalation. The diplomatic push came as the war triggered by joint US&ndash;Israeli strikes on Iran entered its sixth day, widening across the region with missile launches, air defense interceptions and growing fears of a broader confrontation. In a series of calls with foreign leaders, PM Sharif voiced concern over the rapidly evolving situation and emphasized the need to prevent further escalation. &ldquo;The prime minister expressed serious concern over the developing situation in the Middle East,&rdquo; an official statement said, adding that Pakistan condemned the ongoing bombardment and called for restraint by all sides. Sharif held conversations with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, exchanging views on the regional crisis and its potential consequences. During the discussions, the Pakistani leader stressed the need for diplomacy and adherence to international norms. &ldquo;The prime minister emphasized the imperative of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states and the urgent need for restraint, de-escalation and diplomacy,&rdquo; the statment said. The outreach forms part of Islamabad&rsquo;s broader diplomatic effort as the conflict spreads beyond Iran, with retaliatory missile and drone attacks reported across parts of the Middle East and neighboring regions. Sharif also condemned missile strikes linked to the conflict that were reported in Azerbaijan and T&uuml;rkiye, expressing solidarity with both countries. &ldquo;The prime minister expressed serious concern over the attacks and conveyed Pakistan&rsquo;s solidarity with Azerbaijan and T&uuml;rkiye,&rdquo; officials said. Regional tensions have escalated sharply following the initial US&ndash;Israeli strikes on Iranian military and leadership targets, including facilities linked to the country&rsquo;s defense establishment. The strikes triggered retaliatory attacks by Iran across the Gulf and surrounding areas, raising fears that the conflict could draw in additional states. Azerbaijan&rsquo;s President Ilham Aliyev has accused Iran of &ldquo;terrorism&rdquo; after drone attacks struck an airport and a school in the country&rsquo;s border region, warning that retaliation could follow. T&uuml;rkiye has also reported a missile incident linked to the widening hostilities. Turkish authorities said a ballistic missile launched from Iran passed over Iraqi and Syrian airspace before being intercepted by NATO air defense systems. Pakistan has continued to advocate dialogue and restraint, warning that a prolonged conflict could destabilize the wider region. Sharif reiterated that diplomatic engagement remains the only viable path to reducing tensions and preventing a wider war. &ldquo;The prime minister called for maximum restraint and emphasized the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to uphold respect for sovereignty and maintain peace and stability in the region,&rdquo; according to the statement. Islamabad has increasingly positioned itself as a voice for de-escalation as the conflict spreads across multiple fronts and concerns grow over its humanitarian and geopolitical consequences. Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic outreach comes amid heightened uncertainty across the Middle East, where missile exchanges, military deployments and political tensions continue to intensify.

Foreign Affairs

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in calls with Azerbaijan and Türkiye, expresses concern over Iranian attacks, urged maximum restraint, and emphasized diplomacy and dialogue to prevent further escalation, highlighting Pakistan’s role as a regional voice for stability.

Pakistan urges restraint as PM Sharif intensifies diplomacy over Middle East war

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani families, traders, and workers are returning home through the remote Taftan border crossing with Iran as the widening conflict in the Middle East forces civilians to flee the region and disrupts cross-border trade. Small groups of travelers carrying suitcases and bags have been arriving at the dusty crossing in Pakistan&rsquo;s southwestern Balochistan province after making long journeys from Iranian cities affected by the fallout of the ongoing war. The conflict intensified after coordinated US&ndash;Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the Gulf, rattling regional security and prompting several countries to prepare evacuation plans for their citizens. Islamabad has been closely monitoring the rapidly evolving situation, with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordering contingency measures to bring stranded Pakistanis home and maintain diplomatic outreach aimed at de-escalation. Officials said authorities are facilitating the safe return of citizens through the Taftan crossing, Pakistan&rsquo;s main land route with Iran, while coordinating with regional partners as tensions continue to rise. Families arriving at the border terminal were seen waiting for onward transport deeper into Pakistan, some loading their belongings onto pickup trucks and other vehicles heading toward cities across Balochistan and beyond. While the flow of returnees remains steady, residents in Taftan say the war across the border has already begun affecting daily life in the small desert town that depends heavily on trade with Iran. Local resident Kamran Khan said the closure of cross-border trade routes had pushed up food prices sharply in recent days. &ldquo;In Taftan, food items come from Iran,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Before the border closure, one kilogram of vegetables cost Rs130 to Rs150 ($0.46 to $0.53), but now it costs Rs250 to Rs300 ($0.89 to $1.07)&nbsp;per kilogram.&rdquo; He added that other essential items had also surged in price as supply chains were disrupted. &ldquo;Ghee also came from Iran; one kilogram used to cost Rs130 ($0.46) and now it costs Rs300 ($1.07),&rdquo; Khan said. &ldquo;A bottle of clean drinking water used to cost Rs80 ($0.29), but now it costs Rs200 ($0.71). The border closure is causing us many problems.&rdquo; Local traders say the economic fallout is spreading quickly through the border town&rsquo;s small businesses, which rely on regular imports and exports with neighboring Iran. &ldquo;The closure of the border to trade has severely affected our import-export business, causing us losses worth millions of rupees,&rdquo; Khan said. &ldquo;In Taftan there is a shortage of food and grocery items.&rdquo; He added that the disruption had also affected energy supplies moving through the crossing. &ldquo;LPG also comes to Pakistan through the Taftan route, but the closure has caused a shortage of LPG gas as well,&rdquo; he said. Fruit and vegetable vendor Kamal Khan said the conflict had doubled some prices almost overnight. &ldquo;Due to the war in Iran, the border is closed to trade,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Vegetables that used to cost us Rs200 per kilogram are now costing up to Rs400.&rdquo; &ldquo;This has caused a significant increase in vegetable prices,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;There are people here who, unfortunately, cannot afford to buy them.&rdquo; The situation in Taftan reflects the broader regional impact of the escalating conflict, which has triggered missile exchanges, air defense alerts and attacks on military and energy infrastructure across the Middle East. Islamabad has repeatedly called for restraint and diplomacy, warning that further escalation could destabilize the wider region and threaten millions of civilians, including Pakistani workers living abroad. Pakistani officials say diplomatic engagement with regional governments is continuing as authorities work to ensure the safe return of citizens while managing the economic and humanitarian consequences of the unfolding crisis. With inputs from AFP

Security

Local residents and traders in Pakistan’s Taftan border town say the Iran conflict has disrupted cross-border trade, sharply raising food and fuel prices as returning Pakistanis arrive from Iran and uncertainty grows over supplies and livelihoods.



Pakistanis return through Taftan as Iran war disrupts border trade

BAKU: Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev accused Iran of &quot;terrorism&quot; and threatened retaliation after drone attacks Thursday targeted an airport and a school in an Azerbaijani border region, an incident that could drag yet another country into the Mideast war.&nbsp;Tehran denied the allegation and blamed Israel, Azerbaijan&#39;s ally, of trying to stage a provocation.&nbsp;The midday attacks involved at least four drones that crossed from Iran into Azerbaijan&#39;s exclave of Nakhchivan bordering Iran, with one hitting the airport and another exploding near a school, Baku said.&nbsp;Video footage published by Azerbaijani media showed what appeared to be a drone crashing into the ground and exploding near the school, followed by loud screams from children in the building.&nbsp;AFP could not verify the footage.&nbsp;&quot;Today a terrorist act was carried out from the Iranian side against the territory of Azerbaijan,&quot; Aliyev told a hastily convened security council meeting.&nbsp;Azerbaijan&#39;s military &quot;have been instructed to prepare and carry out retaliatory measures ... placed on mobilisation level number one, and must be ready to conduct any operation,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&quot;Those dishonourable people who committed this terrorist act against us will regret it. Let them not test our strength... This stain will never be erased from their dirty and ugly face,&quot; he added.&nbsp;The Azerbaijani defence ministry said it had detected four drones launched by Iran&#39;s army.&nbsp;&quot;One of them was disabled by the Azerbaijani army, while the others were directed at civilian infrastructure, including a secondary school building during class hours. Fortunately, the drone targeting the school did not reach its objective and instead fell and exploded near the school,&quot; it said.&nbsp;The Nakhichevan Airport terminal was damaged, with video showing grey smoke rising above the building after the strike.&nbsp;Four people were hospitalised with &quot;traumatic brain injuries,&quot; Sahib Abuzarov, head of emergency services at a hospital in Nakhichevan said later.&nbsp;The general staff of Iran&#39;s armed forces said it did not carry out the attack and pointed the finger at Israel.&nbsp;&quot;Such actions by the Zionist regime, aimed at disrupting relations between Muslim countries in various ways, are not unprecedented,&quot; it said in a statement.&nbsp;Azerbaijan-Israel partnershipFrance&#39;s foreign ministry said the &quot;unjustifiable&quot; attack &quot;constitutes a blatant violation of Azerbaijan&#39;s sovereignty and of international law.&quot;&nbsp;Turkey&#39;s foreign ministry condemned strikes &quot;which target third countries in the region and increase the risk of the war spreading.&quot;&nbsp;Azerbaijan summoned the Iranian envoy in Baku over the incident.&nbsp;&quot;We demanded from the Islamic Republic of Iran to provide, within the shortest possible timeframe, a clear explanation regarding the case and conduct investigation,&quot; foreign ministry spokesman, Aykhan Hajizada, told AFP.&nbsp;Analysts have said Azerbaijan&#39;s Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline -- which runs through neighboring Georgia and Turkey and carries around a third of Israel&#39;s oil imports -- could become a potential target for the Iranian military.&nbsp;In 2024, Azerbaijan exported 2.37 million tonnes of oil to Israel via the pipeline, director of the Baku-based Centre for Oil Research, Ilham Shaban, told AFP.&nbsp;&quot;The pipeline is buried underground along most of its route, making it difficult to disable,&quot; he said, adding that &quot;above-ground facilities -- such as terminals and pumping stations -- could still be vulnerable to Iranian drone strikes.&quot;&nbsp;Iran has long expressed concern that Israel -- a close ally of Azerbaijan and a key arms supplier -- could use Azerbaijani territory to stage attacks.&nbsp;Last June, Azerbaijan reassured Tehran that it would not allow such use of its territory after Israel launched a large-scale strike on Iranian targets.&nbsp;Tehran has historically been wary of separatist sentiment among its ethnic Azerbaijani minority, which makes up around 10 million of Iran&#39;s 83 million citizens.

Azerbaijan accused Iran of launching drones into Nakhchivan, damaging an airport and near a school, injuring four. President Ilham Aliyev ordered retaliatory readiness, escalating regional tensions. Iran denied involvement, blaming Israel.

Azerbaijan vows retaliation after Iran's 'terrorist' drone strikes

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;The Indian Air Force (IAF) said early Friday that a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet crashed during a training mission in the northeastern Indian state of Assam, hours after the aircraft was reported missing. In a statement posted on X, the air force said the aircraft went down in a remote area of Karbi Anglong district. &ldquo;The Su-30MKI, which was on a training mission, crashed in the area of Karbi Anglong, Assam, approx 60 km from Jorhat,&rdquo; the IAF said in the post. The force added that search operations are underway, though it did not immediately confirm the status of the crew. The aircraft had earlier lost contact after taking off from the region late Thursday, triggering search efforts in the surrounding area. Indian journalist Amandeep Flora said the aircraft disappeared near the city of Jorhat before the crash was confirmed. &ldquo;Indian Air Force Sukhoi-30 MKI went missing near Jorhat, Assam. Pilot status &mdash; UNKNOWN. Search operation launched. Court of Inquiry ordered,&rdquo; Flora wrote on X. He added that the incident highlights the scale of the loss. &ldquo;India&#39;s most advanced fighter jet. Missing over its own soil. This is India&#39;s 12th Su-30 MKI lost,&rdquo; he said. Flora also noted the timing of the crash as global attention remains focused on intensifying tensions in the Middle East. &ldquo;While the world watches Iran, India just lost a fighter jet in Assam,&rdquo; he wrote. The crash comes amid broader global security concerns following escalating tensions in the Middle East, where recent US&ndash;Israeli strikes on Iran have triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the Gulf, prompting air defense alerts and raising fears of wider regional instability.&nbsp;

India

The Indian Air Force said it lost contact with a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet after it departed from Assam at 7:42 pm Thursday, with officials yet to disclose crew details or the aircraft’s last known position.

Indian Air Force Su-30MKI fighter jet crashes during training mission

ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh government initiated emergency energy conservation measures and prepared for potential power rationing as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/usisrael-war-on-iran-day-6" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Middle East conflict</a>&nbsp;disrupts global fuel markets, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) reported. According to the state-run news agency, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood stated that the nation faces a temporary crisis in the energy sector due to ongoing regional unrest. Following an emergency review meeting, the energy minister requested that citizens use electricity and fuel economically to help manage the supply gap. Bangladesh currently holds 201,610 tons of diesel, enough to last 14 days, according to Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) Director Dr. AKM Azadur Rahman. BSS reported on March 3 that petrol and octane reserves are sufficient for approximately 17 and 31 days. The BPC director indicated that the state is monitoring the supply chain to ensure refined&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/saudi-arabia-assures-pakistan-alternative-oil-supply-route-amid-regional-crisis-1" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">oil shipments</a>&nbsp;from alternative markets continue despite the closure of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/opec-backs-market-stability-as-iran-rules-out-hormuz-closure" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Strait of Hormuz.</a> Bangladesh&rsquo;s Cabinet Division issued an 11-point directive on March 5 ordering all public and autonomous offices to curb consumption. As per the mandate, offices must set air conditioners to 25 degrees Celsius or higher and switch off half of their lights. The directive also specified that decorative lighting should be avoided and the use of private vehicles reduced. The research director at the Centre for Policy Dialogue, Dr. Khondaker Golam Moazzem, stated that the nation&#39;s energy system faces increased pressure, making supply rationing likely in the short term. Research published in the International Research Journal reported that national energy consumption in Bangladesh grows by roughly 10% annually. This creates a supply-demand disparity that requires immediate management. State Minister Anindya Islam Amit told BSS that electricity for the Boro irrigation season remains a priority even if rationing occurs in other sectors. Boro is Bangladesh&#39;s key dry-season rice crop,&nbsp;demanding heavy irrigation from November to June. To protect gas for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/global-coal-demand-expected-to-hit-record-in-2025-international-energy-agency" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">power generation</a>, the Bangladeshi government ordered CNG filling stations to close daily from 3 pm to 9 pm local time through the month of Ramadan, according to a statement by the energy ministry. A study from the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies found that rising energy costs are already straining the agri-food system, as production costs for rice increased 3.45% annually in recent years. Bangladesh&rsquo;s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman instructed the Energy and Mineral Resources Division to procure necessary liquefied natural gas from alternative markets to stabilize the grid, BSS reported on March 1.

Fuel droplets fall from a nozzle at a gasoline station in Dhaka, Bangladesh on August 6, 2022. (AFP)

Bangladesh

Bangladesh launches energy conservation and power rationing amid Middle East conflict disrupting fuel supplies, imposing office cutbacks and CNG closures.

Bangladesh curbs energy use as Middle East war strains reserves

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Thursday approved seven development projects worth Rs15.174 billion ($54.3 million) and referred four larger schemes costing Rs108.16 billion ($387.1 million) to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for final approval, according to an official statement. The meeting, chaired by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, reviewed projects spanning education, health, information technology and energy under the government&rsquo;s URAAN Pakistan reform agenda. &ldquo;The initiatives cover key sectors including education, health, IT and energy,&rdquo; the planning ministry said in a statement after the meeting. Education and youth initiatives The CDWP approved Rs4.687 billion ($16.77 million) for establishing a Daanish School in Haveli-Kahuta in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. During the meeting, Iqbal instructed the Ministry of Education to review financial planning for the project. &ldquo;Iqbal directed the Ministry of Education to rationalize costs and provide a multi-year financial plan to ensure operational stability,&rdquo; the statement said. In the higher education sector, the forum approved a Rs1.846 billion ($6.6 million) initiative to support students with physical disabilities. The scheme will provide electric wheelchairs, laptops for visually impaired students and other audio-visual learning aids. The facility will be limited to full-time students enrolled in public sector universities. Two healthcare initiatives were reviewed during the session. The committee approved the Rs1.335 billion ($4.78 million) National Health Support Programme for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while recommending a Rs7.931 billion ($28 million) project to upgrade the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Hafizabad to ECNEC for final consideration. During the review, Iqbal raised concerns about jurisdictional responsibility for the Hafizabad project. &ldquo;Iqbal noted the Hafizabad project falls under provincial jurisdiction,&rdquo; the statement said. The forum decided that the Government of Punjab would bear any additional financial liability and reimburse federal funds released beyond the mandated federal share. The CDWP also recommended several energy efficiency initiatives funded by the World Bank. These include Rs19.016 billion ($68 million) for the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) and Rs30.255 billion ($108.3 million) for the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO), both of which were forwarded to ECNEC for approval. Separately, the committee approved a Rs3.781 billion ($13.5 million) hydropower and renewable energy project in Gilgit-Baltistan. In the agriculture sector, a Rs50.956 billion ($182.4 million) irrigated agriculture development project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was also recommended to ECNEC. According to the planning ministry, the project will rehabilitate 14,260 watercourses and introduce high-efficiency irrigation systems across 11,650 acres, with significant funding from the World Bank. The forum approved a Rs185.691 million ($664,562) initiative to digitize rural land records in Islamabad to improve transparency in land administration. Other approvals included the construction of a new administrative block for the Supreme Court Branch Registry in Quetta and a revised Rs3.106 billion ($11 million) cost for the Pakistan Audit and Accounts Academy in Islamabad.

An aerial view shows the USAID-funded Pakistani non-profit HANDS water supply plant in Jacobabad in southern Sindh province on February 18, 2025. (AFP)

Economy

Pakistan’s planning ministry cleared projects in education, healthcare, renewable energy and digital governance, including disability support in universities and irrigation upgrades, while sending major power efficiency and agriculture initiatives to the national economic council for final approval.

Pakistan approves $54M development projects, refers $387M schemes

MOSCOW:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/russian-says-no-deadlines-to-end-ukraine-war" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Moscow</a>&nbsp;and Kyiv will each release a total of 500 prisoners of war over Thursday and Friday, Russia&#39;s top negotiator said, with the Russian defense ministry saying the first 200 on each side had already been swapped. &quot;There will be an exchange of prisoners of war with Ukraine. 500 for 500,&quot; Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky wrote on Telegram. He added that the swap was part of agreements reached at trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States in Geneva searching for an end to the conflict. The Russian defense ministry said the UAE and the United States helped mediate Thursday&#39;s exchange of 200 captured Russian soldiers for 200 captured Ukrainians. It added that the Russian servicemen were in <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/ski-body-blocks-russian-belarusian-athletes-from-2026-winter-olympics" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Belarus</a>, a close ally of Russia that neighbors Ukraine. Moscow and Kyiv have held several rounds of prisoner exchanges throughout the war, one of the rare areas of cooperation between the warring countries. The swaps are among the very few tangible results of the talks, being pushed and mediated by Washington, trying to broker a deal to end the war. Negotiations appeared to have stalled amid a lack of progress and since the eruption of war in the Middle East. Kyiv had said there had been a tentative plan to hold talks in Abu Dhabi this week - one of the places being hit by Iranian missiles and drones. <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-zelensky-speak-before-ukraineus-talks-in-geneva" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky</a> on Monday suggested holding the next meeting in Switzerland or Turkey, which both have hosted previous rounds talks, instead.

This handout photograph taken and released by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine on March 5, 2026 shows buildings on fire following a Russian attack in the coast of Bilgorod-Dnistrovskyi district in Odesa region. (AFP)

Europe

The swap was part of agreements reached at trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States in Geneva searching for an end to the conflict.

US approves temporary sale of stranded Russian oil to India

Latest News

US, Venezuela restore ties as Washington pushes for minerals access

US approves temporary sale of stranded Russian oil to India

US says sunk more than 30 Iranian ships, Tehran's missile, drone attacks down substantially

Pakistan urges restraint as PM Sharif intensifies diplomacy over Middle East war

Pakistanis return through Taftan as Iran war disrupts border trade