Iran ‘extremely cautious’ about success of nuclear talks with the US

Iran and the United States have agreed to continue nuclear talks next week, both sides said, as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he was “extremely cautious” about the potential success of the negotiations aimed at resolving a decades-long nuclear standoff, Aljazeera reported.

US President Donald Trump has signalled confidence in clinching a new pact with the Islamic republic that would block Tehran’s path to a nuclear bomb.

On Saturday, Araghchi and Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff held a third round of indirect talks in Oman’s capital Muscat through Omani mediators for about six hours, a week after a second round in Rome that both sides described as constructive.

“The negotiations are extremely serious and technical … there are still differences, both on major issues and on details,” Araghchi told Iranian state TV, according to Aljazeera.

“There is seriousness and determination on both sides … However, our optimism about success of the talks remains extremely cautious.”

Only about half of Republicans say Trump has focused on the right priorities, AP-NORC poll finds

Many Americans do not agree with President Trump’s aggressive efforts to quickly enact his agenda, a new poll finds, and even Republicans are not overwhelmingly convinced that his attention has been in the right place, Associated Press reported.

Americans are nearly twice as likely to say Trump has been mostly focusing on the wrong priorities as to say he has been focusing on the right ones, according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research

Further, about 4 in 10 Americans say Trump has been a “terrible” president in his second term, and about 1 in 10 say he has been “poor.” In contrast, about 3 in 10 say he has been “great or ”good,” while just under 2 in 10 say he has been “average," according to Associated Press.

Newcastle climb to third as Ipswich relegated, Chelsea win

Newcastle United got a boost in their quest for Champions League football next season with a 3-0 Premier League win that saw Ipswich Town relegated on Saturday, while Chelsea got back into contention for a top-five finish with a 1-0 win over Everton, Reuters reported.

Fulham beat bottom side Southampton 2-1 while Brighton & Hove Albion struck two late goals in a thrilling 3-2 victory over West Ham United in the chase for European places.

Wolverhampton Wanderers extended their winning run to six league games with a 3-0 victory over relegated Leicester City.

Newcastle climbed to third place on 62 points, while Ipswich have 21 points after a defeat that saw them reduced to 10 men when Ben Johnson was sent off for two yellow cards, according to Reuters.

Newcastle took the lead in first-half stoppage time when Alexander Isak scored from the spot after Julio Enciso was penalised for pulling down Jacob Murphy.

Barcelona sink Real Madrid in extra time to win Copa del Rey title

A Jules Kounde goal in the dying minutes of extra time handed Barcelona a dramatic 3-2 win over fierce rivals Real Madrid in an enthralling Copa del Rey final on Saturday, Reuters reported.

Barca won a record extending 32nd Spanish Cup title thanks to a stunning strike from the French defender, who slotted in a low drive into the bottom corner from 25 yards in the 116th minute.

However, Real took control in the second half as Kylian Mbappe, who was absent from the starting XI as he has yet to regain full fitness from an ankle injury, came off the bench to score the equaliser from a free kick in the 70th minute.

Aurelien Tchouameni gave Real Madrid the lead seven minutes later with a towering header from a corner before Ferran Torres found the equaliser in a counter attack in the 84th minute that took the game to extra time, according to Reuters.

Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, Nepali Ambassador to India Sharma hold talks

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Nepali Ambassador to India Dr Shankar Sharma held a meeting in New Delhi on Friday.

During the meeting, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar expressed sadness over the death of a Nepali citizen in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir.

Taking to X, he paid tribute to Sudip Neupane and extended condolences to his family and relatives.

On the occasion, issues of mutual interest between the two countries were also discussed.

 

 

 

Brazil’s former president arrested and ordered to begin prison sentence

Brazil former president, Fernando Collor, has been arrested early and ordered to begin serving a prison sentence stemming from his 2023 conviction for corruption, The Guardian reported.

Collor was convicted of receiving 20m reais ($3.5m) to facilitate contracts between BR Distribuidora, a fuel distributor formerly controlled by the state-owned oil company Petrobras, and construction firm UTC Engenharia for the construction of fuel distribution bases. In return, he offered political support for the appointment of executives at BR Distribuidora when it was still state-owned.

Collor, who led the country from 1990 to 1992, was sentenced to eight years and 10 months, to be served initially in prison, rather than under house arrest. He was arrested on Friday in the northeastern state of Alagoas, according to The Guardian.

Under the Brazilian legal system, cases concerning members of Congress, presidents and ministers go directly to the supreme court. He was not yet in prison because his lawyers were still lodging appeals.

Newly-appointed Education Minister Pant calls on agitating teachers for talks

Newly-appointed Minister for Education Raghuji Pant has called the Teachers’ Federation Nepal for talks.

He called the agitating Teachers’ Federation Nepal  for dialogue through a letter sent to the Federation on behalf of the government today.  

Minister Pant has urged the teachers to hold talks as soon as possible to find a solution collectively through continuous dialogue and discussion as in the past.

Stating that the draft of the School Education Bill has been prepared after proper discussion and consultation with the teachers' representatives, he said it was natural for the school teachers and employees to have concern and expectation that the said bill should be issued soon.

The Education Minister appealed for finding a solution through dialogue, stating that there are certain legislation-related and legal arrangements for the bill on school education to be presented in the Parliament, discussed and finally getting it approved.

He said that the Ministry was always making efforts to find an appropriate way to promote the rights of the teachers by creating an environment for passing the School Education Bill on time.

Teachers from across the country have been protesting in Kathmandu under the leadership of the Teachers’ Federation Nepal since April 2, demanding immediate enactment of School Education Bill.

 

Foreign Minister Rana ruled out possibility of change in government

Minister for Foreign Affairs Arzu Rana Deuba has said there was no truth in a rumor of change in the incumbent government. 

The rumor was spread by a group of people wanting the same, she mentioned.

Talking to media persons upon her arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport today after attending United Nations program organized at Bangkok of Thailand, Foreign Minister opined, "Now, there is no possibility of a change in government. It's only a rumor."

Responding to a query of media persons regarding the Bangkok visit of Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, she made it clear that President Deuba had left for Bangkok for his regular health examination, not for a political meeting.

Minister Rana further said the NC President has a telephone conversation with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Thursday about the rumor.  

The Foreign Minister returned home today after chairing the 81st session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) for the United Nations held from April 21.

Similarly, she also chaired the special meeting of Least Developed, Landlocked Developing and Small Island Developing States in this connection.

On the occasion, she on behalf of Nepal expressed the view regarding the issue of shared welfare of these nations. 

The Foreign Minister also held meetings with executive secretary of ESCAP, Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana as well as high representative of Least Developed, Landlocked Developing and Small Island Developing States, Rabab Fatima.