EAM Jaishankar backs minerals bloc at US meet

IANS | February 4, 2026 10:17 PM

Washington, Feb 4 (IANS) External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar on Wednesday said that India supports structured international cooperation to reduce risks in critical mineral supply chains, as the United States urged allies to work towards a coordinated trading framework.

Trump dials Xi; trade, Taiwan and Ukraine discussed

IANS | February 4, 2026 9:41 PM

Washington, Feb 4 (IANS) U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he held an “excellent” and wide-ranging telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, touching on trade, security, geopolitics, and energy, and signaling what he described as a positive trajectory for U.S.-China relations over the next three years.

Herof-2 and escalation of Balochistan's insurgency (IANS analysis)

IANS | February 4, 2026 9:34 PM

Islamabad: Balochistan has long been a region marked by bloodshed, enforced disappearances, and systematic oppression. For many Baloch, the persistence of these conditions has made endurance increasingly untenable, pushing communities toward the belief that armed resistance is the only remaining response.

US Vice President Vance, Secy Rubio call for global minerals reset

Lalit K Jha | February 4, 2026 9:34 PM

Washington, Feb 4 (IANS) US Vice President J D Vance on Tuesday urged US allies and partners to act collectively to fix what he described as a broken global market for critical minerals, warning that brittle and highly concentrated supply chains threaten economic growth and national security.