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Analysis by Nic Robertson Sunday April 12, 2026 As the sun dipped below the horizon in Islamabad and rose again over the city, the talks stretched on through the night and into another day. Their collapse without an agreement deals a serious blow to the fragile hopes that a diplomatic escape route might still be found in this crisis. The stakes could hardly have been higher. These were the most senior US-Iranian negotiations since the Islamic Republic was established in 1979, and the complexity of the discussions was…

After 21 hours of talks in Islamabad, the US and Iran have steered clear of the worst possible outcome: a complete collapse of peace negotiations. Only by the narrowest of margins, though. The two delegations were so divided that they walked out of the five-star Serena Hotel without even locking in another meeting — a modest benchmark that even hardened sceptics had assumed was within reach. Although Iran had all but signalled it might stay away, and the opening of the talks slipped behind schedule, there was early cause for…

Sunday April 12, 2026 Barcelona tightened their grip on La Liga on Saturday, opening a nine-point cushion at the summit after a 4-1 home victory over Espanyol in the Catalan derby, helped by Real Madrid's 1-1 draw at home to Girona a day earlier. Ferran Torres set Barcelona on their way and, in the process, ended a scoring drought that had stretched back to January 31. The forward headed in from a corner after just nine minutes as the home side sought a response to their UEFA Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid, then…

Asha Bhosle, the iconic Indian playback singer whose voice became inseparable from Bollywood’s golden decades of the 1970s and 80s, has died in Mumbai at the age of 92, her family said. Bhosle, a two-time Grammy nominee, died at Breach Candy Hospital after being admitted with what doctors described as "extreme exhaustion" and a chest infection. "My mother passed away today (Sunday). Her last rites will be held tomorrow at Shivaji Park in Mumbai," her son Anand Bhosle told reporters. Across a career that stretched over seven…

Sunday April 12, 2026 China is preparing to send Iran new air defense systems in the coming weeks, according to U.S. intelligence cited by CNN late Friday, which quoted three people familiar with recent assessments. The network reported that intelligence also suggests Beijing may try to move the weapons through third countries to obscure their true origin. U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters on Saturday afternoon as he left the White House for Miami, warned that "if China does that, China can have big…

Charges of truce-breaking flew from both Kyiv and Moscow over Orthodox Easter, with each side alleging thousands of violations as the war stretched into its fifth year. The two countries had agreed to a ceasefire for the religious holiday. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the pause on Thursday, more than a week after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky first proposed suspending hostilities. "As of 7:00 a.m. (5am Irish time) on 12 April, 2,299 ceasefire violations were recorded. Specifically: 28 enemy assault…

KAMPALA, Uganda — Uganda’s military chief, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has set off another round of diplomatic unease, this time by calling for $1 billion in compensation for Uganda’s mission in Somalia while also saying he wants to marry the “most beautiful woman” in Turkey. The commander of Uganda’s armed forces and son of President Yoweri Museveni made the remarks in a series of striking statements that once again highlighted his flair for provocation. Kainerugaba said marrying a Turkish national was a personal requirement,…

Sunday April 12, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia marked a major military milestone on Sunday as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud поздравulated members of the Somali National Army and their families on the force’s 66th anniversary. At a ceremony in Mogadishu, Mohamud highlighted the army’s role in safeguarding the country and protecting civilians, saying its work remains a cornerstone of Somalia’s state-building drive. “Heroes of the Somali National Army have saved 20 million Somalis. They do not only defend with weapons, but…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday moved to underscore Uganda’s deep and costly military involvement in Somalia, stressing that Kampala has continued to bankroll troop deployments beyond the African Union mandate and has absorbed heavy losses in hardware without compensation. The president’s remarks offered a diplomatic rebuttal to recent pointed comments from Uganda’s Chief of Defense Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who has drawn attention for his criticism of foreign influence in the Horn of…

Sunday April 12, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s music community is mourning the death of Shankaroon Ahmed Yusuf, better known as Sagal, one of the best-known voices of the celebrated Waaberi band. She died Saturday in the United States, where she had lived for several years, after reportedly being ill. Shankaroon first gained national recognition in the 1970s, during a period when Somalia’s state-backed arts scene was flourishing. She went on to become a key member of the Somali National Army band, which later joined with…