Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 7th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.

Islamabad mosque attack kills at least 31 during Friday prayers

At least 31 people were killed when an attacker opened fire at a Shiite mosque in Islamabad before detonating a suicide bomb during Friday prayers. More than 170 people were wounded after security guards confronted the assailant as he attempted to enter the Khadija Tul Kubra Imambargah compound. Officials said the attack was the deadliest of its kind in the capital in more than a decade.

Senior Russian military intelligence officer shot in Moscow

A senior Russian military intelligence official has been taken to hospital after being shot several times in Moscow, in what appears to be another targeted attack on Russia’s military leadership since the start of the war in Ukraine. Investigators said Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev, deputy head of Russia’s military intelligence agency, was wounded on Friday. 

Storm Leonardo floods Spain and Portugal, forcing mass evacuations

Storm Leonardo has swept across the Iberian Peninsula, triggering widespread flooding, landslides and major transport disruption in Portugal and Spain. At least one person has been killed and thousands have been forced from their homes as authorities issued urgent warnings. Drone footage from Portugal’s Santarém district shows severe flooding along the Tagus River, prompting a red alert for the river basin and rapid evacuations in low-lying areas amid fears of further flooding.

U.S. accuses China of secret nuclear test, escalating arms control tensions

The United States has accused China of carrying out a secret nuclear test in 2020, heightening tensions at a critical moment for global arms control. The claim was made at a disarmament conference in Geneva, just days after the final treaty limiting U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals expired. Washington says the allegation underlines the need for a broader arms control framework that includes China alongside existing nuclear powers.

Azerbaijan summons Russian ambassador over lawmaker’s remarks

Azerbaijan has summoned Russia’s ambassador in Baku and issued a formal protest over comments made by Russian lawmaker Konstantin Zatulin, in a move that has heightened diplomatic tensions between the two countries. The Foreign Ministry said the protest note was delivered to Ambassador Mikhail Yevdokimov, along with strong objections to the remarks.

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