00:00Hello and welcome. You are watching World News. I am Pankaj Mishra.
00:03The highlights of the show, the rising military tension in the Gulf, fresh espionage claims out
00:09of Tehran, a deadly fighter jet crash in Turkey, and a winter storm that has frozen America's
00:15northeast. From hard power to harsh weather, the global temperature is indeed shifting rapidly.
00:22We begin in West Asia.
00:27The United States is once again flexing hard power near Iran. Warships, strategic bombers,
00:34fighter jets, all positioned within striking distance. During his State of the Union address,
00:39President Donald Trump declared that despite what he described as a total obliteration of
00:45Iran's nuclear infrastructure last year, Tehran is attempting a comeback. Trump claimed Iran has
00:52resumed work on missile systems capable of reaching the United States, accusing Tehran of ignoring
00:59clear warnings following last June's U.S. strikes on Fordow, Nathans, and Ashwahan.
01:05Trump was clear. United States won't allow Tehran to build nukes. Here's the full report.
01:12During his State of the Union address, President Donald Trump addressed rising tensions with Iran,
01:18particularly its missile program. They've already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas.
01:28And they're working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America, Trump said.
01:34They've already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas,
01:40and they're working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America.
01:45His remarks came as part of a broader discussion on foreign policy.
01:49He highlighted strikes his administration carried out on Iran's nuclear facilities in 2025,
01:56reiterated a preference for diplomacy,
01:59but issued a stark warning against Iran pursuing nuclear weapons or further aggression.
02:06Trump described Iran as the world's number one sponsor of terror
02:12and pointed to ongoing military buildups in the region,
02:16including U.S. forces positioned near Iran amid stalled diplomatic talks.
02:22They were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons program,
02:27and in particular nuclear weapons.
02:30Yet they continue starting it all over.
02:34We wiped it out, and they want to start all over again
02:36and are at this moment again pursuing their sinister ambitions.
02:42We are in negotiations with them.
02:44They want to make a deal, but we haven't heard those secret words.
02:47We will never have a nuclear weapon.
02:51This latest statement follows a history of escalating tensions,
02:56beginning with the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018,
03:00the 2020 killing of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani,
03:06Iran's missile attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq,
03:09and strikes on Israel in 2024.
03:13Iran currently possesses the largest ballistic missile arsenal in the Middle East,
03:19including short- and medium-range missiles
03:22capable of striking targets across the region and U.S. bases overseas.
03:27Advanced models like the Fatah-1 hypersonic missile and Hebar-Shikhan
03:34have been deployed against Israel with improved precision.
03:38However, these missiles cannot reach the continental United States.
03:43The distance from Iran to the east coast is roughly 9,500 kilometers,
03:50which would require intercontinental ballistic missiles,
03:53technology Iran does not currently deploy.
03:57U.S. intelligence reports indicate Iran has the potential
04:01to develop ICBMs in the long term.
04:04The 2025 Defense Intelligence Agency report estimates
04:08Iran could field a militarily viable ICBM by around 2035,
04:16potentially with up to 60 missiles.
04:18But there is no public evidence that Iran has begun such a program.
04:24Recent focus appears more on regional threats and anti-ship cruise missiles,
04:30including possible deals with China for supersonic CM-302 variants.
04:43Trump's timeline of soon for U.S. reaching missiles is not supported by current intelligence,
04:50which suggests a development horizon of at least nine years if Iran were to pursue it.
04:56Analysts say his statement is partially true.
05:00Iran poses a regional threat and future long-range missile development is possible.
05:05But the immediate threat to the U.S. remains overstated.
05:10Trump's statement fits a pattern of emphasizing potential threats
05:14to justify military readiness and influence diplomatic negotiations,
05:19a strategy that has shaped U.S.-Iran relations for years.
05:25For now, Iran's missiles remain a regional concern,
05:29but a direct U.S. threat is not imminent.
05:36Iranian-linked media reports now claim that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
05:42has seized what is being described as a Bahraini spy boat,
05:47allegedly operating for U.S. interests.
05:49Social media posts suggest the vessel was escorted into Iranian waters.
05:54However, there is no independent verification till now.
05:57No confirmation from Washington, none from Manama either.
06:01Details about the vessel, R, and its crew, the cargo or the mission profile remain unclear.
06:09If true, it would signal a maritime intelligence confrontation
06:13in one of the world's most volatile waterways.
06:16Here's what we know so far.
06:19Reports have emerged claiming that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC,
06:26recently seized a vessel described as a, quote,
06:30Bahraini spy boat, allegedly operating on behalf of the United States.
06:36Multiple posts on social media circulated the claim
06:39between February 24th and 25th, 2026.
06:44The report said the boat was escorted into Iranian waters.
06:48Iranian media sources, including Mare News,
06:51were cited as the original source,
06:54though no official article has been publicly verified.
06:58The accounts describe the vessel as conducting espionage for U.S. interests.
07:03Details about the boat's type, crew, cargo, or exact location remain unknown,
07:10and there is no confirmation from U.S., Bahraini, or international authorities.
07:16This alleged seizure comes amid long-standing tensions in the Persian Gulf.
07:22Iran views U.S. and allied naval operations near its territorial waters as provocative,
07:28while Bahrain hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet,
07:32making it a frequent focus of Iranian rhetoric.
07:36Historically, similar incidents have occurred.
07:39In 2016, two U.S. Navy boats accidentally drifted into Iranian waters near Farsi Island.
07:47The IRGC seized the boats, detained the crew briefly,
07:52and later released them after diplomatic negotiations.
07:55No espionage was proven in that case,
07:58and it was deemed accidental.
08:01Other IRGC maritime actions include attempted seizures of U.S. unmanned surface vessels in 2022,
08:09and the capture of tankers in the Strait of Hormuz in 2023,
08:14often linked to retaliation for sanctions or regional disputes.
08:19Analysts caution that the 2026 claim remains unverified.
08:24There are no photos, satellite imagery, or crew statements confirming the event.
08:30It could represent a minor encounter, a misinformation campaign,
08:35or a symbolic demonstration amid heightened U.S.-Iran tensions.
08:40If true, the seizure could escalate hostilities between Iran and the U.S.,
08:46potentially drawing Bahrain into the conflict as a U.S. ally.
08:51Past incidents show Iran often uses such maritime actions to assert sovereignty and gain leverage in negotiations.
08:59The U.S. and Bahraini governments have not issued statements.
09:04Neutral observers, including maritime tracking sites, report no unusual disruptions in the area,
09:11suggesting the incident may not have occurred or was minor.
09:14For now, the reports remain unconfirmed, echoing previous IRGC seizures
09:21and highlighting the ongoing tensions between Iran, the United States, and its regional allies.
09:27More information is expected to emerge as authorities investigate.
09:32A Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jet has crashed during a mission flight, killing its pilot.
09:38The aircraft went down shortly after takeoff from Balikesir's 9th main jet base command.
09:45Video shows the jet descending rapidly before impact.
09:49Radar and radio contact were lost within minutes.
09:52Search and rescue teams confirmed the wreckage in the early hours of Wednesday.
09:57Turkey's military aviation safety record has been under scrutiny in recent years,
10:01and this crash will likely intensify calls for technical and operational review.
10:08Here's the latest.
10:09Tonight, a frontline fighter jet fell out of the sky.
10:14Not in a war zone, not over enemy territory, but over a highway in western Turkey.
10:21Late Monday night, a Turkish Air Force F-16 crashed near the city of Balikesir,
10:27and the pilot did not survive.
10:30Here's what we know.
10:32At around 0050 local time, just before 1 a.m., an F-16 assigned to the 9th main jet base
10:39command
10:40in Balikesir took off on what officials described as a mission flight.
10:45Just six minutes later, at 0056, something went wrong.
10:50Radio communication was lost, radar tracking disappeared, and within moments, the aircraft
10:56was gone.
10:57The crash happened near the busy Bursa-Izmir Highway, a major artery in western Turkey.
11:03Emergency vehicles rushed to the scene.
11:06Ambulances, police, search and rescue teams.
11:09Videos posted online showed debris scattered across the ground,
11:13fragments of metal torn apart, locals gathering cautiously at a distance.
11:18This wasn't a remote military zone.
11:20This was near civilian infrastructure.
11:23That detail matters.
11:25The Turkish Ministry of National Defense confirmed the aircraft had crashed after immediate search efforts.
11:31In an official statement, the ministry said the jet lost both radio contact and tracking data
11:36shortly after takeoff.
11:38The wreckage was located, and the pilot, they said, had become a martyr.
11:42That word, martyr, carries weight in Turkey.
11:45It signals not just loss, but national sacrifice.
11:50Now attention turns to the question everyone is asking.
11:53What happened in those six minutes?
11:55F-16s are highly sophisticated multi-role fighter jets.
11:59Fast, reliable, widely used across NATO forces.
12:03Turkey-A has operated them for decades.
12:05So when one crashes shortly after takeoff, investigators look at several possibilities.
12:10Mechanical failure, human factors, weather conditions, or a systems malfunction.
12:15At this stage, officials are saying very little about the cause.
12:19And that's deliberate.
12:21Turkey's Justice Minister, Akun Gerlik, announced that a formal investigation is now underway.
12:26The Balakesir Public Prosecutor's Office has been assigned to examine the incident.
12:31According to Gerlik, a prosecutor, deputy prosecutor, and two additional prosecutors have already gone to the crash site.
12:37This is not being treated as routine.
12:40It's being treated as a serious military and legal investigation.
12:44Accident investigation teams will now analyze flight data, maintenance records, pilot communications, and debris patterns.
12:51They'll try to reconstruct the final moments, second by second.
12:55Because when a fighter jet disappears from radar six minutes after takeoff, every second matters.
13:04A powerful winter storm has paralyzed large parts of U.S. northeast.
13:09More than 11,000 flights are grounded.
13:12Half a million homes and businesses are without power.
13:15Highways are abandoned under whiteout conditions.
13:18Several states have imposed travel bans as emergency crews struggle to restore order.
13:24Even as snowfall begins to ease, the disruption is expected to linger for days.
13:29Here's a ground report from the Storm Zone.
13:41This week, a historic blizzard brought one of the most powerful regions in the world to a complete standstill.
13:48The U.S. northeast, home to New York City, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, was hit by a winter storm so intense
13:57that over 11,000 flights were canceled, and more than 500,000 people were left in the dark.
14:04This wasn't just a snow day.
14:06This was infrastructure under pressure.
14:09A powerful late winter system swept through the region, dumping more than a foot of snow across at least eight
14:15states.
14:16In some places, much more.
14:18In Manhattan's Central Park, about 20 inches of snow fell between Sunday and Monday.
14:23Out on Long Island, ISLIP saw more than 22 inches, but the real headline came from Providence.
14:3032.8 inches.
14:32That's not just a big number.
14:34That breaks a record set during the famous blizzard of 1978.
14:39Meteorologists called this one of the most intense late-season snowstorms in years.
14:44And then, the travel system collapsed.
14:47Airlines canceled or grounded more than 11,000 flights between Sunday and Tuesday.
14:53Major airports in New York and Boston filled with stranded passengers.
14:57At John F. Kennedy International Airport, Winguss hit 47 miles per hour.
15:02Out on Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, Guss reached 70 miles per hour.
15:06That's strong enough to ground planes and snap tree limbs.
15:10Train travel wasn't safe either.
15:13Amtrak suspended service between New York and Boston through Monday night.
15:17Thousands of travelers were left with one option.
15:20Wait, but the real crisis wasn't at the airport.
15:23It was at home.
15:24At the height of the storm, more than 519,000 homes and businesses from Virginia to Massachusetts
15:31lost power.
15:32Heavy, wet snow weighed down power lines.
15:35Tree branches snapped.
15:37Transformers failed.
15:38New Jersey reported over 93,000 outages.
15:41But Massachusetts was hit hardest, with more than 282,000 customers in the dark.
15:47Utility crews worked nonstop.
15:50Officials warned restoration could take days.
15:52On the roads, conditions turned dangerous fast.
15:56Whiteout conditions made visibility near zero.
15:59Several states imposed travel bans.
16:01In Massachusetts, officials reported abandoned cars blocking major routes.
16:05Snowplows couldn't move.
16:07Tow trucks couldn't reach stranded passengers.
16:08Governor Mara Healy urged residents to stay off the roads for the safety of emergency crews.
16:14By Monday afternoon, the snow began to ease.
16:18In New York City, officials lifted restrictions on streets, highways, and bridges.
16:22Schools announced they would reopen.
16:24But the aftermath remained.
16:26Businesses operated with limited staff.
16:28Commuters struggled.
16:30Power crews raced against time.
16:32And even the energy markets felt it.
16:35Natural gas futures surged nearly 7% as heating demand spiked.
16:39But then, prices pulled back.
16:41Why?
16:42Because when half a million customers lose power, they can't use energy.
16:45Wholesale electricity prices stayed relatively stable.
16:49Closures actually kept demand lower than expected.
16:51This storm wasn't just about snow.
16:54It was a stress test.
16:55For airlines, for power grids, for emergency response, for cities that rarely truly stop.
17:02And for a few days, the Northeast did just that.
17:06Frozen, grounded, in the dark.
17:11So, from military brinkmanship in the Gulf to contested waters to a deadly air crash and
17:17a climate crisis unfolding in real time.
17:20The message is clear.
17:22Instability wears many faces.
17:25That's all for now on World News.
17:27I'm Pankaj Mishra.
17:28Thanks for watching.
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