The U.S. military announced that it had shot down an Iranian drone on Tuesday after it “aggressively” approached the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea.
The Iranian Shahed-139 drone was flying toward the carrier “with unclear intent” and was shot down by an F-35 U.S. fighter jet, it said, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
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“An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defense and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board,” said Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson at the U.S. military’s Central Command.
No American service members were harmed during the incident and no U.S. equipment was damaged, he added.
The incident came as diplomats sought to arrange nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, and U.S. President Donald Trump warned that with U.S. warships heading toward Iran, “bad things” would probably happen if a deal could not be reached.
The Lincoln carrier strike group is the most visible part of a U.S. military buildup in the Middle East following a violent crackdown against anti-government demonstrations last month, the deadliest domestic unrest in Iran since its 1979 revolution.
External Affairs Minister of India S. Jaishankar began a busy three-day visit to the United States on Tuesday with a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, highlighting renewed momentum in the strengthening India–US partnership.
The meeting comes amid a shift in bilateral relations following a historic trade agreement reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump. The Trump administration lowered the tariffs on New Delhi—from 50 per cent to 18 per cent on Indian goods, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
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The meeting with Secretary Bessent is viewed as a vital step in “papering” the details of the breakthrough trade deal announced just 24 hours prior. Under the terms of the agreement, Washington has slashed reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods from 25 per cent to 18 per cent, effective immediately.
The discussions focused on the immediate implementation of the new economic framework and the broader trajectory of the “Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.” Taking to social media platform X after the engagement, Jaishankar expressed his optimism regarding the dialogue.
“Pleased to meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington DC today. Had a useful discussion on advancement of India-US economic partnership and strategic cooperation,” the Minister stated.
Tariffs cut is expected to provide a massive competitive edge to Indian exporters, particularly in the manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and solar energy sectors.
Jaishankar has been vocal in his support of the pact, emphasising its domestic benefits for India. He noted that the agreement is designed to “boost job creation, spur economic growth, promote innovation,” and provide a significant tailwind to the “Make in India” initiative. In earlier remarks, he stressed that a “robust economic relationship is the strongest foundation for our strategic partnership.”
Jaishankar is also set to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio today. The meeting is scheduled for 3:30 pm (local time).
The US State Department revealed ahead of the event that Secretary Rubio plans to rally global partners to bolster teamwork on critical mineral supply chains. Discussions at the summit will prioritise worldwide efforts to build stable, robust networks vital for economic stability, national defence, tech supremacy, and the shift to clean energy.
US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said that around 30 nations are eager to join a coalition of allies and partners focused on critical minerals trade to cut dependence on China.
He added that as many as 20 additional countries have “strong interest” in signing on to the group, which promises tariff-free exchanges, mineral trading, and a baseline price mechanism.
A new analysis has revealed that up to 40% of cancer cases worldwide could be prevented, emphasizing the importance of stricter tobacco control and other measures to reduce risks and save lives.
The study by the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) looks at 30 preventable causes, including tobacco, alcohol, high body mass index, physical inactivity, air pollution and ultraviolet radiation, News.Az reports, citing UN News.
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Nine cancer-causing infections – such as human papillomavirus (HPV) which can cause cervical cancer – also are included for the first time.
Cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity, responsible for nearly 10 million deaths worldwide in 2020, or nearly one in six.
Projections point to a 50 per cent increase in new cases by 2040 if current trends continue, underscoring the urgent need for effective prevention strategies.
The study was released ahead of World Cancer Day, observed annually on 4 February.
The findings draw on data from 185 countries and 36 cancer types. Estimates show that 37 per cent of all new cancer cases in 2022, around 7.1 million, were linked to preventable causes.
“By examining patterns across countries and population groups, we can provide governments and individuals with more specific information to help prevent many cancer cases before they start,” said Dr. André Ilbawi, WHO Team Lead for Cancer Control and author of the study.
Tobacco top cause
Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of cancer, responsible for 15 per cent of all new cases, followed by infections (10 per cent) and alcohol consumption (3 per cent).
Lung, stomach and cervical cancer represented nearly half of all preventable cases in both men and women.
Lung cancer was primarily linked to smoking and air pollution, while stomach cancer was largely attributable to Helicobacter pylori infection. Cervical cancer was overwhelmingly caused by HPV.
Differences among men and women
The burden of preventable cancer was substantially higher in men than in women. Among new cancer cases, 45 per cent occur in men compared with 30 per cent in women.
In men, smoking accounted for an estimated 23 per cent of all new cancer cases, followed by infections (9 per cent) and alcohol (4 per cent).
Among women, infections accounted for 11 per cent of all new cancer cases, followed by smoking at 6 per cent and high body mass index at 3 per cent.
Regional picture, risk factors
Preventable cancers also varied widely between the world’s regions.
Among women, they ranged from 24 per cent in North Africa and West Asia, to 38 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa.
Among men, East Asia accounted for the highest burden at 57 per cent, while the lowest incidence was found in Latin America and the Caribbean at 28 per cent.
These differences are largely due to varying exposure to behavioral, environmental, occupational and infectious risk factors, as well as differences in socioeconomic development, national prevention policies, and health system capacity.
Prevention strategies
The report emphasised the need for “context-specific prevention strategies” such as strong tobacco control measures, alcohol regulation, and vaccination against HPV and other cancer-causing infections such as hepatitis B.
Improved air quality, safer workplaces, healthier food and promoting physical activity are also important.
Furthermore, “coordinated action across sectors, from health and education to energy, transport and labour, can prevent millions of families from experiencing the burden of a cancer diagnosis,” WHO said.
The UN agency stressed that addressing preventable risk factors not only reduces cancer incidence but also lowers long-term healthcare costs and improves population health and well-being.
The meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US special envoy Steve Witkoff has commenced in Jerusalem.
Netanyahu is joined by the heads of Israel’s security services, said Prime Minister’s Office, News.Az reports, citing The Times of Israel.
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The discussion comes days before Witkoff is to meet Iran’s foreign minister in Istanbul for talks that Tehran hopes could head off a US strike on the country.
Netanyahu is expected to push the White House to take a hard line in negotiations.
Dave Weisberger, co-founder of CoinRoutes and the man who built Morgan Stanley’s first program trading system, thinks October’s crypto crash was a coordinated attack. He shared his views on the Thinking Crypto podcast with host Tony Edward.
Weisberger called it “the greatest mass liquidation event in history.” The damage, that has kept the industry talking, was $19 billion wiped out. Bitcoin alone saw $5 billion in liquidations. Many altcoins dropped 20-70% at the bottom.
“Was it manipulation? I damn well think so. I have no proof. But it was just too damn obvious a time for an incredibly profitable attack,” he said.
How Did It Happen?
Weisberger broke down the playbook. Attackers spend weeks building a position: long spot, short perpetual futures. Then they wait for a low-liquidity window and dump spot holdings. They place bids far below market price in perpetuals.
When prices fall, leveraged traders get liquidated. Forced selling kicks in. The attackers scoop up assets at rock-bottom prices and walk away with massive profits.
DeFi exchanges got hit hardest because positions were visible on-chain. Binance’s auto-deleveraging system, Weisberger said, was “broken” during the event.
Weisberger has no patience for the halving cycle theory. He pointed out it’s based on just three data points.
He compared it to the Super Bowl Indicator, a 16-year streak that linked NFL wins to stock market performance. That correlation was “complete and unadulterated bullshit,” he said. The four-year cycle, in his view, is no different.
Why Recovery Is Still on the Table
Weisberger stays bullish long-term. Hash rate is now 6x what it was in 2022. Around 10-30% of Bitcoin supply has moved from early holders with cost basis between $10 and $1,000 to newer buyers who paid more.
New institutional holders are making multi-year allocations, not leveraged bets, he noted.
His portfolio reflects that confidence: Bitcoin as his main holding, Solana and BitTensor as secondary plays, and smaller positions in Zcash and XRP.
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