Today's headlines: Trump describes initial indirect talks between the US and Iran in Oman as “excellent”; ISIS claims responsibility for attack on Shia mosque in Pakistan; Economic crisis in Japan impacts Valentine's Day choclate gifts; Discounts and price controls in Malaysia during the Lunar New Year; Manila, ASEAN president, wants to speed up talks to finalise the code of conduct in the South China Sea with Beijing.

BANGLADESH - INDIA

A woman in her 40s or 50s has died in Bangladesh after contracting the Nipah virus. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), she developed symptoms such as fever and headache on 21 January and died a week later. The case in Bangladesh follows two others identified in neighbouring India, but they are not related. The woman had not travelled, but she used to consume fresh date palm juice, a traditional drink obtained by collecting sap from the incised bark of the date palm in winter.

IRAN - US - ISRAEL

US President Donald Trump described as “excellent” the indirect nuclear talks held yesterday in Oman between Iranian and US representatives to avert a military escalation between the two sides. Tehran reportedly rejected Washington's demands to stop uranium enrichment, but is willing to negotiate on “level and purity”. Further meetings are planned in the coming days, while the White House tenant has signed an executive order imposing secondary tariffs on any country importing goods from the Islamic Republic. Meanwhile, the United States intends to hold the first working meeting of the “Peace Council” for Gaza on 19 February in Washington.

PAKISTAN

 

The Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing at the Shiite mosque of Imam Bargah Qasr-e-Khadijatul Kubra yesterday on the outskirts of Islamabad during Friday prayers, in which at least 31 people were killed and another 169 were injured. Today, thousands of people attended the funerals of some of the victims. The explosion was the deadliest in the capital since the 2008 attack on the Marriott Hotel, with the death toll expected to rise.

JAPAN

Due to the rising cost of everyday goods and growing economic hardship, fewer women in Japan will be giving chocolates on Valentine's Day - a traditional gesture in Japanese culture - compared to last year. This was revealed in a survey of 2,500 women and girls aged between 15 and 79: 42.8% said they did not intend to give chocolates, an increase of 4 percentage points on the previous year. The gift is intended for fathers, partners, friends or work colleagues. The most noticeable decline is among family members (down 4.4%) and friends (down 2.1%) compared to 2025.

MALAYSIA

The Malaysian cabinet has agreed to provide discounts on motorway tolls and to implement price controls on selected food products during the Chinese New Year period. ‘This initiative,’ said a government spokesperson, ‘aims to reduce travel costs for the public and help motorists plan suitable dates or times to return to their hometowns during the holiday season.’ Price controls would be applied for nine days, from 13 to 21 February.

PHILIPPINES - CHINA

As the current chair of ASEAN (the association of Southeast Asian nations), Manila wants to accelerate the talks that have been ongoing for years on the code of conduct in the South China Sea. Foreign Minister Theresa Lazaro reports that she will increase the pace of the working group's meetings to monthly meetings in order to sign an agreement that will prevent clashes and disputes at sea.

RUSSIA - NORTH KOREA - UKRAINE

North Korean soldiers continue to support the Russians in the war in Ukraine, stationed in the Kursk region and launching attacks in the border territories with regular rotation of contingents and “transmitting information”.

This has been revealed by Kiev's intelligence services, according to which mastery of unmanned technologies and the acquisition of experience in modern warfare appear to be key objectives of Pyongyang's participation in the Russian-Ukrainian war.

KAZAKHSTAN - PAKISTAN

The President of Kazakhstan, Kasym-Žomart Tokaev, paid an official visit to Pakistan, where he met his counterpart Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad, who awarded him the highest honour, Nishan-e-Pakistan. He also met with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, congratulating him on 30 years of constructive political dialogue between the two countries and assuring him of the strengthening of collaborative relations in many sectors between Central and South Asia.