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The death toll from a powerful explosion at Iran's biggest port of Bandar Abbas has risen to at least 40, with more than 1,200 people injured, state media reported on Sunday, as firefighters worked to fully extinguish the fire, Reuters reported.

Saturday's blast took place in the Shahid Rajaee section of the port, Iran's biggest container hub, shattering windows for several kilometres around, tearing metal strips off shipping containers and badly damaging goods inside, state media said.

The incident occurred as Iran held a third round of nuclear talks with the United States in Oman.

Fires kept breaking out in different parts of the affected area as of Sunday night, according to state media, with helicopters and fire fighters continuing efforts to extinguish them, according to Reuters.

Chemicals at the port were suspected to have fuelled the explosion, but the exact cause was not clear and Iran's Defence Ministry denied international media reports that the blast may be linked to the mishandling of solid fuel used for missiles.

The U.S. State Department said on Sunday Washington was in touch with both India and Pakistan while urging them to work towards what it called a "responsible solution" as tensions have risen between the two Asian nationsfollowing a recent Islamist militant attack in Kashmir, Reuters reported.

In public, the U.S. government has expressed support for India after the attack but has not criticized Pakistan. India blamed Pakistan for the April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed over two dozen people. Pakistan denies responsibility and called for a neutral probe.

"This is an evolving situation and we are monitoring developments closely. We have been in touch with the governments of India and Pakistan at multiple levels," a U.S. State Department spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed statement.

"The United States encourages all parties to work together towards a responsible resolution," the spokesperson added, according to Reuters.

The weather today will remain partly to generally cloudy in the hilly areas of the country including Koshi and Madhes Provinces and clear to partly cloudy in the rest of the country. 

There is a possibility of light rain with thunder and lightning in some places in the hilly areas of the country including Madhes Province and one or two places in the rest of the country. There is also a possibility of light rain and snowfall in some places in the mountainous areas of the country.

This is due to the influence of westerly winds coupled with local winds. In addition, the water vapor-rich air entering from the Bay of Bengal is also having an effect, according to the Meteorological Forecasting Division.

Similarly, tonight, the weather will remain partly to generally cloudy in the hilly areas including Koshi Province and clear to partly cloudy in the remaining parts of the country. There is a possibility of light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning at some places in the hilly parts of Koshi, Madhesh  and Gandaki provinces, and at one or two places in the hilly parts of Bagmati and Karnali provinces. 

There is a possibility of light rain and snowfall at one or two places in the mountainous parts of Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali provinces.

Matatirtha Aunsi or Mother's Day is being celebrated in honour of mothers with devotion across the country today.

This festival is considered a day of devotion, respect and recognition of the mothers, who are considered greater than the priests and fathers in the religious scriptures, and a day to seek blessings from her. It is customary for children to get up early this morning, take a bath, dress their mother in beautiful clothes, and feed her with sweet and savory foods to seek her blessings and recognize her contribution and very important role in the family and society. 

Those who have already lost their mother remember them and the great and difficult deeds she accomplished by making offerings to her soul and offering food to the needy in her remembrance.

Ancient Vedic scriptures highlight the importance of mother and the motherland in the noble saying, ‘Janani Janmabhoomischa Swargadapi Gariyasi’, meaning that the mother who gives birth and the motherland are greater and more loving than heaven, says Theologist and member of the Nepal Calendar Determination Committee, Prof. Dr Devmani Bhattarai.

He says that it is mentioned in the scriptures that the importance of a mother is a thousand times greater than that of a father. Because of such importance, the living mother is honoured and served with sweet delicacies and gifts while offerings are made in the name of the deceased mother with devotion. 

On this occasion, a fair is held today at Mata Tirtha in Chandragiri Municipality of Kathmandu while many visit temples and gather at river confluences and banks to pray for eternal peace for their late mothers. Those with a living mother, visit her with various gifts while seeking her blessings.

Russia's military says it has regained full control of the country's western Kursk region - a claim denied by Ukraine, BBC reported.

Top Russian commander Valery Gerasimov said the last village held by Ukrainian troops had now been recaptured - eight months after Kyiv's surprise incursion.

He also praised the "heroism" of North Korean troops during a Russian counter-offensive, in what is the first time Russia has publicly acknowledged their involvement. Russian President Vladimir Putin described Ukraine's efforts in Kursk as a complete failure, according to BBC.

Ukraine says its troops are still conducting operations in the Russian border region, with the military describing Moscow's claims as "propaganda tricks".

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.”

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 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.