Russian lab worker’s death triggers health response over plague fears
The death of a laboratory employee at a Russian plague research institute in Siberia has triggered a major public health response and international...
U.S. president Donald Trump said Iran is “seriously talking” with the United States and expressed hope that negotiations could lead to an outcome acceptable to Washington.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Donald Trump said discussions with Iran were under way but stopped short of confirming whether a final decision had been made.
“I hope they negotiate something that’s acceptable,” Trump said. “But they are talking to us, seriously talking to us.”
Trump added that the U.S. has “very big, powerful ships” heading toward the region, while acknowledging uncertainty over whether a negotiated settlement could be reached.
“Some people think they will make a negotiated deal that would be satisfactory with no nuclear weapons, and some people don’t,” he said.
Iranian officials have also been in contact with U.S. allies in the Middle East as part of what Qatar described as efforts to de-escalate regional tensions. Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met senior Iranian official Ali Larijani in Tehran on Saturday to discuss diplomatic avenues.
Masoud Pezeshkian said war would harm both countries and the wider region.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has never sought, and in no way seeks, war,” Pezeshkian said during a phone call with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, adding that conflict would not be in the interests of Iran, the United States or the Middle East.
The diplomatic signals come against the backdrop of weeks of nationwide protests in Iran, sparked by soaring inflation and rising living costs. Demonstrations began in late December and were followed by a sweeping security crackdown.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency says more than 6,700 people have been killed since the protests began, including thousands of demonstrators. Other rights groups report similarly high figures. Iranian authorities have not confirmed those numbers.
Trump has previously urged Iranians to continue protesting and has accused Tehran of killing anti-government demonstrators, comments that have further strained relations.
Despite the sharp rhetoric, both sides have indicated that diplomacy remains possible, as regional and international actors seek to prevent the crisis from tipping into open conflict.
Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, with Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), appointed as acting oil minister, according to Iranian state media.
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday's first-round vote with a slight lead over the incumbent.
Candidates elected to Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-member presidency declared victory after preliminary unofficial results showed Denis Becirovic leading the Bosniak seat, Darijana Filipovic ahead in the Croat seat and Zeljka Cvijanovic likely retaining the Serb seat.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States meets seven conditions agreed under a June memorandum, as President Donald Trump signals he may soon decide whether to resume military operations against Tehran.
Uzbekistan’s grape exports have grown rapidly. In January-August 2025, the country exported 86,200 tonnes of fresh grapes worth $78.3 million to 19 countries but can it turn these crops into a recognisable international product?
The death of a laboratory employee at a Russian plague research institute in Siberia has triggered a major public health response and international scrutiny, while authorities say there is no evidence of an outbreak.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of a deadly drone strike on a Türkiye-owned cargo ship in the Black Sea, killing its captain and endangering a civilian crew that included Azerbaijani and Indian nationals.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 5 October 2026. These are the top five elections making headlines around the world.
The United States has withdrawn all 12 of its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain, just a week after several people were arrested over an alleged plot targeting the air base.
Australian counterterrorism authorities are examining the links of the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to take control of a flydubai flight bound for Israel. Authorities in New Zealand have also said they are investigating reports the suspect had spent time in that country.
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