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PAMPLONA, Spain — The celebrated San Fermin festival in Spain drew to a close Tuesday, ending with two people suffering goring injuries during the eighth and final bull run of the event.

An 18-year-old Pamplona resident was pierced in the thigh at the course’s first turn, where a bull charged into a cluster of runners — knocking two men onto the cobblestone street and tossing a third over its horns.

A second victim, a 46-year-old man from central Spain, was struck by a horn in the chest area during the final stretch of the course, where the path narrows as it leads into the bull ring. The bulls are later killed by matadors inside the ring later that same day.

Both injured men were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. Eight additional runners also required medical care for less serious injuries, among them an 86-year-old man from Britain.

The six fighting bulls and the steers that accompany them typically complete the 875-meter (957-yard) course — from the starting pen to the bull ring — in just two and a half minutes. That rapid pace frequently catches runners off guard, particularly given that more than a thousand participants are packed into the narrow, winding street route.

The most recent fatality at a San Fermin bull run took place in 2009. Gorings and broken bones remain common occurrences, due in part to the large number of inexperienced runners and international tourists who join seasoned locals on the course. Many injuries result not from the bulls themselves, but from falls triggered by panicking runners.

This year’s festival carries added historical significance, marking 100 years since the publication of Ernest Hemingway’s novel “The Sun Also Rises,” the book widely credited with bringing the San Fermin festival to the world’s attention.

BEIJING (AP) — China’s ruling Communist Party has expelled one of its most senior officials, state media announced Tuesday, marking the latest chapter in leader Xi Jinping’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign.

Ma Xingrui held a seat on the Politburo, an elite 24-member body composed of the country’s top party leaders. State media now refers to him as a former member following the announcement.

Ma is the third sitting Politburo member — whose current term spans 2022 to 2027 — to be removed as part of the anti-corruption effort. The other two expelled members are military generals. Political analysts view the campaign as both a tool to eliminate corruption and a way for Xi to reinforce loyalty within the party’s ranks.

Signs of Ma’s downfall first emerged in April, when authorities announced he was under investigation for serious violations of party discipline and national laws, though no specifics were provided at that time. Tuesday’s reports revealed that party investigators concluded he had committed numerous violations, including accepting gifts and money, as well as engaging in what were described as “power-for-sex” and “power-for-money” exchanges.

Additional violations included using his official position to steer government contracts and job promotions toward certain individuals, and turning a blind eye to alleged criminal behavior by members of his own staff.

Ma, 66, most recently served as the Communist Party chief of the Xinjiang region until 2025. Prior to that, he was governor of Guangdong province, a major manufacturing hub located in southern China along the border with Hong Kong. In China’s political structure, the party chief holds higher authority than the governor within any province or region. By background, Ma is a trained engineer who worked in the aerospace sector before transitioning into local government.

In a separate but related development, the party’s anti-corruption body announced Tuesday that it has launched an investigation into the director of mine safety in Shanxi province, following a deadly coal mine explosion that occurred in May.

A simple conversation between a teacher and a student in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt has grown into a flashpoint over political speech in classrooms — and it comes just two months before a regional election that could hand the far-right AfD party control of the state government.

Max Heckel, who teaches craft and technical work in the town of Stendal, was reported to the state’s Schools Office last year following a post-lesson exchange with a student. According to Heckel, the student asked him whether he had voted for the AfD — Alternative for Germany. He said he told the student he had not, citing in part the domestic security service’s classification of the party as “extremist.”

Weeks after that conversation, Heckel received a formal reprimand for violating rules that require teachers to stay politically neutral in the classroom. Since then, he says he has faced online harassment, threats of violence, vandalism to his car, and verbal attacks from senior AfD politicians — all while fighting the disciplinary action he considers unwarranted.

Heckel, who also works as a part-time musician and runs an informal cultural center in Stendal, argues that teachers have a responsibility to defend Germany’s democratic foundations. He says many of his colleagues are too afraid to speak up, fearing both official discipline and hostility from outside the school.

He believes the situation demonstrates that schools are already being pressured not to allow criticism of the AfD — even before the September 6 election. Polls suggest the party could capture roughly 40% of the vote, while the centre-right CDU, led nationally by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is polling below 30%.

The state’s school authority declined to offer any comment, noting the case remains under review.

The AfD views Heckel as a symbol of left-wing influence it intends to eliminate from schools. Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD’s candidate for premier in Saxony-Anhalt, has repeatedly raised the case in the state assembly. He told Reuters the party would strip political influence from education as part of a broad overhaul.

“We want lessons to remain neutral, so that pupils can form their own views of the political landscape in this country. We don’t need teachers who campaign in any particular direction,” Siegmund said.

He dismissed the security services’ assessment of the AfD as politically driven. The party did win a temporary court order this year halting a determination by the national domestic security agency, the BfV, that it was a “confirmed right-wing extremist” organization. However, Saxony-Anhalt’s own BfV office still classifies the state branch of the party as extremist — meaning it is seen as opposing the liberal-democratic foundations of the state — a label the AfD firmly rejects.

The AfD sees Saxony-Anhalt as a launching pad toward broader national ambitions. If the party forms a regional government there for the first time, it could use education policy as a proving ground for its agenda.

Education carries special weight in Germany because the school system was deliberately structured after World War Two to guard against the return of extremist ideology. For decades, students have been required to learn about the atrocities carried out under Nazi rule in the name of racial purity and national dominance.

The AfD takes issue with that tradition — known in German as “Vergangenheitsbewaeltigung,” or coming to terms with the past — arguing it has fostered a national guilt complex and eroded pride in Germany’s heritage. The party also contends that schools have been weakened by declining academic standards and duties unrelated to education, such as integrating children from refugee families.

Hans-Thomas Tillschneider, a key architect of the AfD’s education and cultural agenda in Saxony-Anhalt, told Reuters that schooling would be a top priority under an AfD government.

“We want a completely new, a completely different education policy,” he said. “Political influence on children, as we experience it — political indoctrination — is not a job for schools.”

Under what the party calls a “patriotic cultural policy,” schools would place greater emphasis on medieval rulers and 19th-century figures from German history, such as Otto von Bismarck, known as the “Iron Chancellor.” Social support programs and integration initiatives would be eliminated.

Mainstream parties, including the CDU, argue the AfD is threatening to dismantle a post-World War Two framework built to protect democratic society. Those parties have adopted a so-called “firewall” policy, refusing to work with the AfD in any coalition arrangement, even if the party falls short of an outright majority.

Critics of the AfD say the party’s version of classroom neutrality would actually suppress informed debate and leave students less equipped to think independently about politics.

Heckel himself is unequivocal about where he stands.

“There is a duty to uphold the constitution,” he said, “and that imposes an obligation on us to protect the free and democratic basic order, both in our private lives and in the workplace.”

India’s foreign ministry announced Tuesday that it has filed a strong protest with Iran, calling in Tehran’s deputy ambassador following the killing of an Indian seafarer in the Strait of Hormuz.

The victim was one of 46 crew members aboard two vessels — the MT Al Bahiyah and the MT Mombasa — when both ships came under attack while passing through the shipping lane. Of those 46 crew members, 30 were Indian nationals, according to the ministry.

Ten additional Indian sailors were injured in the attacks, with two of them reported to be in serious condition, the ministry said in an official statement.

India described itself as “deeply concerned” by the attacks and called for an end to the targeting of commercial ships and civilian infrastructure in the region, stating such actions “must cease.”

The situation in the strait has been escalating. U.S. President Donald Trump reinstated a blockade on Iranian shipping in the Strait of Hormuz this month and put forward a proposal to charge a 20% fee to provide protection there. Iran has pushed back, saying the U.S. has no authority over the future of the waterway, which handled roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies before the conflict broke out on February 28.

A separate incident has also left another Indian national unaccounted for after an attack on the container ship GFS Galaxy in the strait on Sunday. Iran stated it targeted that vessel because it attempted to travel through an unauthorized route after being warned not to do so.

A night out at a popular pub in northern Bangkok turned into a tragedy late Sunday when a fire broke out just before midnight, killing at least 30 people and sending 75 others to the hospital — 24 of them in critical condition.

The blaze began at 11:57 p.m. local time (1657 GMT) at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub, likely triggered by an electrical short circuit in a ceiling air conditioning unit, according to authorities.

One survivor, 41-year-old Usa Tadsree, had stepped outside for a cigarette when she noticed the lights inside flickering, followed quickly by smoke pouring out. “I wanted to go back in to get my friends but there was intense heat coming out, so I had to run out,” she said.

A social media video verified by Reuters captured the terrifying moment — first thick smoke rolled out of the front entrance, then within seconds a powerful horizontal wall of flames shot out into the street, accompanied by screams from those inside and outside the building.

Experts who examined the scene say the rapid spread of fire was fueled by highly combustible materials used throughout the venue’s interior. Busakorn Saensookh, who chairs the Fire Protection Engineering Committee at the Engineering Institute of Thailand, visited the site after the fire. “The severity of this fire was driven by a massive fuel load,” she said.

She pointed specifically to flammable acoustic materials and decorations — including artificial trees and flowers — that had been installed across the ceiling to form a green canopy, particularly around the stage and bar areas. Reuters-verified video from inside the venue before the fire shows a green grass-like material covering the ceiling above the stage, along with what appears to be black acoustic foam panels in seating areas.

“The fire involved plastic materials, and these were relatively dense plastics. Once ignited, they produced a jet of fire as enormous amounts of heat accumulated,” Busakorn explained. “That heat was transferred downward, causing materials below to burn. Upholstered chairs were completely consumed by the fire.”

Amorn Pimanmas, president of the Thailand Structural Engineers Association, who also visited the site, said the non-fire-retardant foam used in the decorations released black smoke laced with carbon monoxide and cyanide. “People died from inhaling toxic smoke before being burned by the fire,” he said. “Several bodies showed no signs of burning.”

The comparison to another recent disaster was noted: the use of foam in the Bangkok pub’s ceiling echoes how similar material may have contributed to a deadly New Year’s Eve fire at a Swiss ski resort in Crans-Montana, which killed at least 40 people and injured 119.

Firefighter Chakrit Khongkom reached the Bangkok scene roughly five minutes after the fire started, finding the pub completely filled with smoke. “Most of the survivors were choking on the smoke,” Chakrit said. A search and rescue team he said was deployed inside found many victims collapsed near the bathrooms at the back of the venue, where authorities say multiple emergency exits were blocked by tables and beer crates.

During a visit to the site, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was told that a door previously used as an exit had been bolted shut. Body camera footage from an emergency responder, reviewed by Reuters, also showed multiple victims lying on the floor near the pub’s restrooms.

Thai police are investigating whether the blocked exits prevented people from escaping. The venue had undergone a safety inspection as recently as April.

The pub is situated at a busy intersection near train stations and two shopping malls, part of a cluster of similar bars that draw large weekend crowds for food, drinks, live music, and televised sports. The pub did not respond to requests for comment, and its owner is currently receiving medical treatment at a hospital.

Investigators also noted a regulatory loophole that may have contributed to the danger. The venue, like many others in Bangkok, was registered as a restaurant rather than an entertainment establishment — a classification that carries different and stricter fire safety requirements.

“When venues are not registered as entertainment establishments, their fire protection systems are incomplete, such as lacking smoke ventilation systems,” Amorn said. “This leads to smoke and heat accumulation, creating dangerous risks.”

Thailand has faced similar tragedies before. A 2022 nightclub fire in Chonburi killed 13 people, and a 2009 blaze at a Bangkok nightclub claimed at least 65 lives. Each time, concerns were raised about flammable materials, overcrowding, and unusable exits — yet the problems persisted.

In the wake of Sunday’s fire, Bangkok city officials say they are planning to revisit several regulations, including rules around decorative materials and the legal definition of entertainment venues.

“The risks are much greater today,” Busakorn warned. “But we are still using the same laws written 30 to 40 years ago that no longer reflect current realities.”

NEW DELHI — A prominent Indian activist pushing for the education minister’s resignation over widespread exam paper leaks reached his 17th day of a hunger strike on Tuesday, as his deteriorating health prompted opposition politicians to beg him to stop.

Sonam Wangchuk, 59, has been fasting in central New Delhi in solidarity with the founder of India’s youth Cockroach Janta Party, a group staging a sit-in demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan step down. The controversy stems from exam leaks that occurred in May, disrupting tests taken by millions of students — an unusual act of defiance against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.

The Cockroach Janta Party, known as CJP, was founded by 30-year-old Abhijeet Dipke. The party describes itself as representing “the lazy, the unemployed, and the chronically correct,” and has quickly captured the attention of young Indians on Instagram, amassing 22 million followers within just days of its launch in May.

Wangchuk was seen lying on a white mattress on a stage before a small crowd, gesturing to reporters that he was too weak to speak. He had previously stated his fast could continue for up to six weeks — unless his health gave out first. A photo shared on the social platform X showed him surrounded by medical personnel, and CJP reported he had shed 8.5 kilograms as of Tuesday, with his “health continues to deteriorate.”

Dipke, speaking to onlookers and online video creators at the protest site, expressed concern for the activist’s condition. “We have been trying to convince Sonam sir to withdraw his hunger strike but he is adamant to continue it,” Dipke said. “Sonam sir is asking us to keep preparing for the march to parliament on 20th July. I feel the government wants Sonam sir and other people on hunger strike to die.”

The protest is being held at the Jantar Mantar observatory, located near parliament. On Monday, a young person also participating in the hunger strike fainted and was rushed to the hospital.

The education minister, his ministry, and the government’s chief spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.

Several senior opposition figures called on Wangchuk — an engineer-turned-activist who served as the inspiration for a character in a hit Bollywood film — to abandon his fast. Akhilesh Yadav, a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state, wrote on X: “His life is invaluable to the entire world because it embodies a commitment to humanity and the environment that is as profound as his commitment to democracy.”

The protest taps into deep frustration among India’s youth, who are estimated to make up more than half of the country’s 1.42 billion people. Government figures show the national unemployment rate stood at 3.1% in 2025 for those aged 15 and older, but climbed to nearly 10% among people aged 15 to 29, and reached 13.6% in urban areas.

Anger over the exam leaks has been particularly intense after the scandal led to the cancellation of a medical college entrance examination that had been taken by 2.3 million candidates. That test was eventually rescheduled and held last month.

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian authorities announced Tuesday they are investigating a co-living community for so-called “digital nomads” after allegations surfaced that Israeli citizens may have entered the country illegally by using passports from other nations.

The community in question, known as The Network School, was founded in 2024 by Balaji Srinivasan, a former chief technology officer at Coinbase and a U.S.-based investor. Its website describes it as a “frontier community of techno-optimists” with a mission of “turning internet communities into physical startup societies.”

Srinivasan has publicly stated that the community is situated on a man-made island “near Singapore.” Social media posts and news reports suggest the location is Forest City, a massive $100 billion development built on reclaimed land in Malaysia’s Johor state.

Malaysia is a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause and maintains no diplomatic relationship with Israel. The country’s Immigration Department prohibits Israeli passport holders from entering Malaysia, though there is no law barring individuals with dual citizenship from entering using a non-Israeli passport.

Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi was the first to call for a formal investigation on Tuesday, responding to social media users who alleged that Israeli nationals had used second passports to gain entry into the country through The Network School.

Onn Hafiz also announced via a post on X that Johor state agencies would review the commune’s adherence to local rules, including business licenses, building use, and permitted activities.

Malaysia’s Home Affairs Ministry confirmed in an official statement that the immigration department, police, and other relevant agencies had begun looking into the matter in response to the concerns raised by Onn Hafiz.

Investigators will work to identify who was present at the commune, verify the travel documents they used, and determine the stated purpose of their entry into Malaysia, the ministry said.

“If the investigation finds any violation of the law, misuse of immigration passes, provision of false information or any other offense that affects national security and interests, strict action will be taken without any compromise,” the ministry’s statement read.

The Network School had not responded to requests for comment at the time of this report.

BEIJING — China’s foreign ministry issued a sharp warning to European nations on Tuesday, urging them to watch their words and actions regarding the South China Sea and to stop supporting what Beijing describes as an “illegal ruling” — or risk damaging relations and cooperation between China and the European Union.

During a routine daily press briefing, foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian made the country’s position clear. “Europe is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to comment on China’s legitimate territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea,” Lin stated.

The warning followed a joint statement released the previous Sunday, in which a group of nations — including several European countries — declared that China’s broad maritime territorial claims in the South China Sea lack any legal foundation. The European Union subsequently issued its own related statement on the matter.

Beyond the verbal rebuke, China took additional diplomatic steps, with Lin confirming that officials from the embassies of the relevant countries and the EU’s delegation in China were summoned and formally presented with serious objections from the Chinese government.

PARIS — Firefighters worked through the night battling a fast-moving wildfire that swept through the storied Fontainebleau forest near Paris on Tuesday, as authorities took two people into custody suspected of igniting the blaze near one of France’s most celebrated royal landmarks.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez confirmed late Monday that the situation remained dangerous. “It is not under control,” he said, noting that the main Fontainebleau fire and a second nearby blaze — both of which broke out Monday afternoon — had together consumed 1,300 hectares, or roughly 3,212 acres.

Nunez warned that the fire had advanced to within just a few kilometers of the Palace of Fontainebleau, prompting officials to deploy an extensive response that included water-dropping aircraft and helicopters.

In an unprecedented move, Canadair aircraft drew water directly from the River Seine on Monday for the first time, as the fire sent a thick column of black smoke rising into the sky above the region.

Located about 70 kilometers — approximately 40 miles — from Paris, the fire forced authorities to shut down the A6 highway, a major route connecting the French capital to Lyon and southern France. Additional smaller fires in the surrounding area also disrupted high-speed rail service. Close to 900 residents were ordered to evacuate their homes.

Nunez said the Fontainebleau fire is adding to what is shaping up to be an unprecedented wildfire season for France. So far this year, 32,000 hectares have burned across the country — already surpassing the total recorded for all of 2025. “We’ll probably have a record year,” Nunez said. “We expected this with this major drought.”

The fires are unfolding as Europe endures its third heatwave of the summer, with parched vegetation and soaring temperatures driving blazes across the continent from the Iberian Peninsula to France. Scientists widely attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires to climate change.

Nunez also revealed that 59 people have been arrested across France on suspicion of deliberately starting fires. He said the suspects were roughly split between adults and minors, with some individuals identified as repeat offenders.

DAKAR — No bank card, no home address, no problem. Shoppers across Africa are finding ways to buy from major international brands like Amazon and Walmart, even though those retail giants have virtually no footprint across most of the continent.

The people making it possible are package-forwarding companies — both local startups and established global players — that are using technology and expanding internet access to work around some of Africa’s biggest obstacles to online shopping, including a lack of formal street addresses and limited access to traditional banking.

One example is a Senegalese startup called Afrety, which illustrates just how creative these intermediaries have become in connecting African consumers to products from the United States, Europe, and China.

Getting Packages to People Without Addresses

Afrety gives its customers delivery addresses at warehouses located in France, the United States, and China. Orders can be bundled together and repackaged before being sent to West Africa. When shipments arrive, customs duties are paid, providing revenue for local governments.

For customers who don’t have bank cards, payment can be made through mobile money accounts that can be loaded with cash at local kiosks. Mobile money has become a widely used alternative to conventional banking in Senegal and across much of Africa.

Once packages reach Senegal, motorbikes and vans stationed at Afrety’s depot use GPS to make deliveries throughout major cities like Dakar.

“You have to be very, very, very flexible. That’s the key word,” said Souane Diop, the company’s 34-year-old CEO, speaking to Reuters outside a depot stacked with packages bearing the Amazon label and other international brand names.

Diop said Afrety launched in 2018 with the original goal of linking informal networks of air travelers moving between France and Senegal. From those modest beginnings, the company has grown to handle four to five metric tons by air and two to three shipping containers by sea each week. To keep expenses down, Afrety rents warehouse space in France and works with partners in the U.S. and China to manage operations there.

A Much Bigger Player in the Market

Global logistics company Aramex operates on a much larger scale, running two platforms with overlapping services in Africa.

While Afrety grew from the close ties between Senegal and France — its former colonial power, which has a large Senegalese diaspora — Aramex’s Sub-Saharan Africa operations rely on a platform called MyUS, which originally served American expatriates living in Africa. Aramex acquired MyUS in 2022 and also runs its own platform, Shop and Ship, which delivers to numerous countries across the continent.

Aramex Group Chief Executive Amadou Diallo told Reuters that the company’s mission is to serve African customers who want access to brands and choices that are otherwise out of reach. Angola is one of its top destinations, but the company also operates in challenging environments, including Somalia, a country that has been torn by conflict for decades.

Growth Is Real, But So Are the Limits

Aramex describes Sub-Saharan Africa as one of its fastest-growing regions. The most popular product categories include electronics, clothing, toys, and equipment for agriculture and auto repair. The company says it plans to double its revenue from the region by 2030.

Still, significant barriers remain. For both Aramex and Afrety, most customers live in or near major cities, where income levels are higher. According to consultancy Tech Cabal Insights, e-commerce in Africa is largely concentrated in economic hubs.

Internet access has reached roughly 43% of Africa’s 1.5 billion people, but only a small portion of those users earn enough to shop online. Even in Nigeria — West Africa’s largest economy — only one in three internet users makes online purchases. In poorer regions like Central Africa, just about one in twenty people shops online, the consultancy reports.

South Africa Stands Apart

South Africa, the wealthiest economy in sub-Saharan Africa, leads the continent in both internet use and online shopping by a wide margin.

Online retail in South Africa has grown by nearly 35% per year over the past five years, reaching roughly 140 billion rand — about $7.26 billion — in 2025, according to Mastercard figures. That growth has attracted major international brands to establish their first sub-Saharan Africa operations there.

Amazon launched its first online marketplace in South Africa in 2024, where it now competes with local e-commerce leader Takealot. The first Walmart-branded stores in Africa opened in Johannesburg last year.

When asked, neither Amazon nor Walmart commented on whether they are considering expanding to other parts of sub-Saharan Africa, and neither responded to questions about sales volumes to intermediary companies.

Local and Chinese Competitors Are Pushing Back

Even as the global retail giants stay on the sidelines in much of Africa, the intermediary companies face growing competition from other directions.

Nigerian retail company Jumia — often nicknamed the Amazon of Africa — operates in eight sub-Saharan African countries, selling everything from fashion to electronics to home appliances. The company has not yet turned a profit but says it expects to break even this year.

Jumia’s Chief Executive Francis Dufay told Reuters the company is working to fend off competition from Chinese retail giants including Temu and Shein by customizing its services for each country, including opening local help centers and pickup locations in rural areas.

Executives at both Jumia and Aramex identified Nigeria as one of the African e-commerce markets with the greatest potential. The Nigerian government doesn’t regularly publish e-commerce data, but has referenced United Nations estimates putting the total market at around $75 billion in 2025.

Aramex opened a warehouse in Nigeria in April of this year. Jumia’s Dufay said business there grew by around 50% over the last quarter of 2025.

“It’s still totally underpenetrated. We’re just at the beginning of our transformation in Nigeria,” he said.

TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian state television reported Tuesday that two members of the Islamic State group have been put to death after being found guilty of taking up arms against the Islamic Republic.

The two men were named as Mohieddin Abdollahi and Hossein Palani. According to the report, they were part of an ISIS cell that came together following the group’s loss of territory in Iraq and Syria, with plans to carry out attacks within Iran’s borders.

Iranian security forces located the cell’s base of operations in the Bamo mountain region near the border with Iraq before any attacks could be launched. During the operation to neutralize the threat, several militants were killed and others were taken into custody. Three members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard also lost their lives in the operation. Authorities reported seizing weapons, ammunition, and additional equipment at the scene.

Both men were convicted of armed rebellion against the Islamic Republic and were executed by hanging after Iran’s Supreme Court confirmed their death sentences. Officials from the judiciary did not reveal the location where the executions took place.

A fire that erupted late Sunday at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao music bar in northern Bangkok has become the deadliest blaze the Thai capital has witnessed in 17 years. The flames spread rapidly through the venue, leaving shattered windows facing the street and scorched tables still holding beer bottles inside the gutted establishment.

Authorities reported that a significant number of victims were discovered inside windowless bathrooms, areas where patrons apparently sought refuge as the fire overtook the building. The confined spaces offered little protection from the deadly blaze.

In the days following the tragedy, former customers and grieving community members have visited the site to pay their respects, leaving flowers at the location where so many lives were lost. The images captured in the aftermath paint a haunting picture of destruction and sorrow.

This report is based on a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors documenting the scene following the fire.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced Tuesday that it fired ballistic missiles at a U.S. air base located in Jordan, while simultaneously urging Jordanian citizens to push for the removal of American military installations from their country.

In a statement distributed through Fars News, the IRGC addressed the Jordanian people directly: “You know very well that not only do we not have any enmity with your country, but we also love you, the noble people, who understand the pain and oppression of the Palestinian people more than any other nation.”

Jordan’s military responded to the attack, announcing Tuesday that its forces intercepted and destroyed four missiles that crossed into Jordanian airspace from Iranian territory, according to the country’s state news agency.

Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command completed its latest round of strikes against Iran — a campaign carried out under orders from President Donald Trump. The five-hour assault marked the third straight night of American attacks on the country.

As the strikes unfolded, Trump moved to reinstate a naval blockade on Iranian shipping and floated the idea of charging a 20% fee on all cargo traveling through the Strait of Hormuz — a critical global waterway. Iranian media reported that several cities were hit during the U.S. strikes, with four people wounded and rescue teams deployed to affected areas.

Speaking on the “Hugh Hewitt Show” earlier Monday, Trump made clear his intentions: “Very hard tonight, and we’re going to hit them hard tomorrow. And there’s not a damn thing they can do about it.”

The renewed hostilities follow Iran’s weekend announcement that it was closing the Strait of Hormuz, a move that rattled global energy markets and cast doubt on any interim agreement to pause the ongoing conflict.

Trump had posted on Truth Social earlier Monday: “The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. We are reinstating THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE.” He added: “The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT’, but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped.”

Iran’s senior military command pushed back, saying the U.S. has no authority over the waterway’s future. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi took to X to assert that Tehran is — and will remain — the strait’s true guardian, sarcastically responding to Trump’s proposed fee: “20% is of course too much. We will be fair.”

Before the conflict erupted in February, roughly one-fifth of the world’s daily oil and gas traffic moved through the Strait of Hormuz — more than 15 million barrels of fuel worth at least $1.2 billion every day. A 20% levy on that cargo could bring in approximately $240 million daily.

The United Nations shipping agency came out against Trump’s toll proposal, stating it opposes fees on internationally navigated straits and noting there is no legal foundation for imposing mandatory charges on vessels passing through.

Oil prices climbed nearly 3% on Tuesday, reaching their highest point in four weeks, driven by the reimposed U.S. naval blockade and growing fears about disruptions to global energy flows through the strait.

The UAE Ministry of Defense reported Monday that Iranian cruise missiles struck two Emirati oil tankers as they traveled through the southern lane of the strait in Omani territorial waters. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency separately reported that a tanker had been struck by an unidentified projectile approximately 40 nautical miles northeast of Oman’s Qalhat, though it was unclear whether that incident was the same one described by the UAE.

The IRGC claimed it had hit and disabled two “offending” supertankers in the strait after the vessels allegedly ignored repeated warnings and switched off their navigation systems. The IRGC did not identify the ships or confirm whether they matched those mentioned by the UAE. It accused the U.S. of “inciting vessels to use an illegal route” and warned that working with the “aggressor enemy” would result in damage, delays in reopening the waterway, and a potential global energy crisis.

The U.S. Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center announced that a blockade of Iran would take effect at 8:00 p.m. GMT Tuesday, applying to all vessel traffic regardless of flag and covering Iran’s entire coastline, including its ports and oil terminals. Officials noted the blockade would not interfere with neutral transit through the strait to non-Iranian destinations, and that humanitarian shipments would be allowed through after inspection.

The current conflict traces back to February 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran. Iran retaliated with strikes on Israel and Gulf states hosting American military bases. The fighting has resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions of people.

The death toll from a catastrophic fire at a Bangkok live music pub has climbed to 30, Thai officials confirmed Tuesday, as the city’s governor pledged stricter safety enforcement and police launched an investigation into potential negligence and safety violations.

The fire broke out just before midnight Sunday, ripping through the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub in Bangkok’s northern Chatuchak district. Witnesses described an explosion followed by a horizontal burst of flames and thick smoke that quickly consumed the single-story building.

As of Tuesday, 24 people remained in critical condition. Dozens of others who received treatment had been released from hospitals, though three people who had been admitted following the fire later died, officials said.

The pub sits at a busy intersection near train stations and two shopping malls and is part of a cluster of similar bars that draw large weekend crowds. The venue offered food, drinks, live music, and televised football matches.

Investigators believe an electrical short circuit in a ceiling-mounted air conditioning unit may have started the fire. The pub had undergone a safety inspection back in April. Police are now looking into whether emergency exits were blocked and whether flammable materials were used for stage decorations and soundproofing.

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt addressed reporters at a press conference Tuesday, saying, “We’ve set up a committee to investigate the truth, what should be improved and what rules should be changed.” He added, “We will do more random checks.”

Police said 34 individuals had been questioned so far, and that charges would be considered once all facts and evidence were collected. The pub’s owner is reportedly among those currently receiving treatment in an intensive care unit.

At a Bangkok morgue Tuesday, rescue workers were filmed moving a victim’s coffin as television cameras rolled and journalists crowded the scene. Grieving family members and friends arrived to claim their loved ones’ remains.

Outside the pub, relatives mourned the victims while forensic investigators worked to gather evidence from the fire scene.

The pub posted an apology on its Facebook page, stating it was fully cooperating with the investigation. “We apologise deeply over the very sad events that took place and express our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and send our support to those injured,” the post read. The message drew hundreds of comments, many expressing anger and raising questions about the venue’s safety practices. The pub did not respond to phone calls or requests for comment regarding the preliminary investigation findings.

Thailand has a troubling history of deadly fires at entertainment venues. While such establishments are required to undergo fire safety inspections, those protocols are not always strictly followed. A nightclub fire in Chonburi in 2022 killed at least 13 people, and a New Year’s Eve blaze at a crowded Bangkok club in 2009 left 65 dead and roughly 200 injured — an incident that later revealed corruption and widespread safety violations.

In Bangkok’s well-known Khaosan Road backpacker area — packed with bars and nightclubs and located about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the fire site — tourists said they were saddened by the tragedy but felt no personal safety concerns.

“It doesn’t worry us. All the places that we’ve been have been very safe,” said Connor McLernon, 30, a visitor from Boston.

His travel companion, Patricia Bello McLernon, 31, said she believed the fire was an isolated incident. “It’s just an unfortunate accident that happened and I don’t think that should deviate anybody from visiting,” she said.

PARIS — France’s annual Bastille Day celebration this year carries a message that extends well beyond French borders. Soldiers and warplanes from nations across Europe are participating in Tuesday’s grand parade through the streets of Paris, in a deliberate display of support for Ukraine and a demonstration of European military capability.

For President Emmanuel Macron, this marks his final Bastille Day in office, and he is using the occasion to host roughly 30 fellow world leaders. The gathering appears designed to signal to both Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump that Europe stands united and is taking its own defense seriously.

At the same time, the country’s biggest national holiday is being disrupted by rapidly spreading forest fires and a dangerous heat wave — the third such event in France this year — leading officials to cancel traditional fireworks displays and firefighters’ balls in several areas.

Bastille Day falls on July 14 each year, marking the date in 1789 when Parisians stormed the Bastille fortress and prison, an act that helped ignite the French Revolution. That revolution ultimately toppled the monarchy and led to the executions of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette.

Today, the holiday holds a central place in French life. Presidents use it to celebrate national achievements and pride, local mayors organize village festivals, and families come together for holiday meals.

The highlight of the day is the parade beneath the Arc de Triomphe and down the Champs-Elysees — the very event that inspired U.S. President Donald Trump to organize his own military parade last year.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will stand alongside Macron and approximately 30 other heads of state or government in the designated viewing area.

Ukrainian soldiers will march along the historic cobblestone avenue, and Ukrainian co-pilots who received training in France will fly two Mirage 2000B fighter jets side by side with French air force pilots.

Speaking Monday evening, Macron called it a “great honor” to welcome “all the partners in the coalition of the willing and our Ukrainian friends who will march with us and illustrate its strategic reawakening and our unity.”

The parade will open with approximately 500 soldiers representing the “coalition of the willing” — a group of countries that have committed to assisting with Ukraine’s security after the war ends.

Military aircraft from Germany, the United Kingdom, Croatia, Poland, Denmark, Greece, Sweden, Norway, Spain, and Italy will participate in the aerial portion of the event.

This year’s parade will set a new record for troop participation, with 6,800 soldiers marching — up from 5,810 in 2025.

Wildfires are currently burning in the Fontainebleau forest south of Paris and in regions of southern France. In response, authorities in several areas, including Paris itself, have prohibited fireworks and the traditional firefighters’ balls typically held around Bastille Day. The Eiffel Tower’s drone light show was not affected and went ahead Monday night as planned.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — American forces carried out strikes against Iran in the early hours of Tuesday, just hours after President Donald Trump declared that the United States is “reinstating” a blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump also floated the idea of charging other nations’ ships a fee for safe passage through the strait — a dramatic reversal of longstanding American policy backing freedom of navigation on international waters.

Iran wasted no time responding, launching attacks on Bahrain, Jordan, and two oil tankers linked to the United Arab Emirates that were traveling through the strait. One mariner was killed and eight others were wounded in the tanker strikes. The UAE threatened to strike back against Iran, potentially pulling the country — home to both Abu Dhabi and Dubai — into direct combat with Tehran.

At the heart of the conflict is a struggle between Iran and the U.S. for dominance over the strait, which in peacetime carried roughly one-fifth of all globally traded crude oil and natural gas. Benchmark Brent crude oil prices climbed to a one-month high of more than $84 per barrel in early Tuesday trading — still far below the nearly $120 peak reached at the height of the conflict, but high enough to threaten rising costs worldwide.

The U.S. military’s Central Command announced strikes on locations near Abu Musa, Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, Chahbahar, Jask, and Konarak, saying the targets included Iranian “coastal defense systems, missile and drone sites and maritime capabilities.” Iran confirmed that strikes occurred near those areas but did not immediately release any figures on casualties or damage.

“These strikes will continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” the U.S. military stated.

Shortly after the military’s announcement, Trump described the operation as “another major attack.”

“We’re hitting them very hard. And it’ll continue, and we’ll see what happens,” he told reporters in the Oval Office. “We’re knocking out all of their offensive capability and we’re controlling the straits. We’re putting the blockade back.”

Trump also expanded on his proposal to collect tolls from ships transiting the strait — a reversal of a position he had previously taken against such charges.

“We’re protecting a very rich portion of the world,” he said. “We’re spending money. And so, what we’ve done is, we are going to be reimbursed for protection.”

This marks a significant departure from prior U.S. policy, which held that the strait should be freely open to all vessels — as it was before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28. Any move by either the U.S. or Iran to impose transit fees would run counter to international norms on freedom of navigation and could trigger further economic disruption well beyond the Middle East region. The U.S. Navy has championed freedom of the seas dating back to the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812.

The UAE’s Defense Ministry confirmed early Tuesday that Iran struck two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, firing two cruise missiles at vessels identified as the Mombasa and the Al Bahiyah. Both tankers caught fire as a result of the attacks, though crews were able to extinguish the flames.

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard took responsibility for the strikes, claiming the two vessels “ignored repeated warnings.”

“They chose to pass through a minefield and were subsequently targeted and disabled,” the Guard stated.

The UAE’s Defense Ministry identified the casualty as one Indian national and said six other Indians and two Ukrainians were among the wounded. The ministry issued a stern warning, saying: “The UAE reserves its full right to respond to this escalation and to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, its citizens and residents.” The Emirates used similar language prior to launching earlier attacks against Iran during the conflict. Residents in Dubai reported hearing fighter jets overhead Tuesday morning.

Bahrain also faced renewed missile attacks early Tuesday as part of Iran’s retaliation. Missile warning sirens sounded three separate times, with authorities urging the public to take shelter. No immediate reports of casualties or damage emerged from those strikes.

Jordan’s military said it intercepted four Iranian missiles, according to a statement carried by the country’s state-run Petra news agency. Jordan, which hosts American forces, has faced repeated attacks from Tehran in recent days.

The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the U.S. Consulate in Dubai informed American citizens early Tuesday that consular appointments were canceled through Wednesday, citing “the regional security situation.”

On Monday, Trump told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt that the agreement reached last month was “built to test” Iran, adding that “when you’re dealing with sleazebags (agreements) don’t mean much.” He added, “They didn’t honor the test.”

Iran maintains it has the right to oversee traffic through the strait and to potentially collect fees under the terms of the interim peace deal — a claim the U.S. rejects. The American military and the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization have worked to establish an alternate shipping lane through the strait along Oman’s coastline, outside Iranian jurisdiction. Iran has attacked ships using that route, arguing the U.S. is violating the interim deal. American forces have responded with strikes on Iran, which has in turn launched attacks on U.S.-allied Arab nations.

Recent exchanges of fire had already raised serious questions about the durability of the interim peace agreement. Washington had previously lifted a blockade it put in place in mid-April as part of that deal, which also called for the strait to be fully reopened.

“We are reinstating the THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE,” Trump posted on social media. “All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait.”

Trump said the U.S. would be “reimbursed” at a rate of 20% of the value of cargo to offset “any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security.” The U.S. military announced the blockade of Iranian ports would resume at midnight local time Wednesday in Dubai.

CAIRO (AP) — Shortly after the U.S. and Israel launched military operations against Iran, a veterinarian and bird-of-prey researcher named Reza Kiamarzi set out on a difficult climb into the mountains near his home city of Isfahan in southern Iran. His goal was to locate nests of endangered falcons tucked high in the rocky cliffs.

The military strikes earlier this year happened to fall during the breeding season for two of Iran’s most prized falcon species — the Saker and the red-naped Shaheen — both among the fastest birds on the planet. Kiamarzi knew of two nests situated near military installations that had been hit, and he was determined to find out whether the blasts, ground vibrations, and noise had disrupted birds that were either laying eggs or rearing their young.

“It’s a long climb to the foot of the cliffs. And then we have to rock climb to reach the nests,” Kiamarzi said.

The ongoing conflict and a worsening economic crisis are heaping additional burdens on conservationists already working hard to protect Iran’s remarkable but threatened wildlife. For years, these groups have faced the dual challenges of climate-related threats to the country’s fragile ecosystems and the economic toll of decades of international sanctions.

Roughly two and a half times the size of Texas, Iran is home to a remarkable variety of plant and animal life spread across diverse climate zones. The northern regions along the Caspian Sea are lush and heavily forested, while the Persian Gulf coast is arid and hot. The country sits between two major mountain ranges — the Zagros and the Alborz — and serves as a vital migration corridor and rest stop for birds traveling between Eurasia and Africa, giving conservation work there a significance that extends well beyond Iran’s borders.

According to a 2024 report by Iran’s Environment Department, at least 86 animal species face the threat of extinction within the country. That list includes the Asiatic cheetah, Persian fallow deer, brown bear, leopard, black bear, Persian onager, the great bustard, and multiple species of birds of prey.

“It’s a big question how much longer we and other conservation NGOs can keep working. We’re waiting every moment to see what happens,” said Iman Ebrahimi, founder of a conservation organization based in Isfahan called AvayeBoom — a Persian phrase meaning “The Earth’s Cry.”

Kiamarzi reported that he did find the falcon nests and that the birds were still there. However, he is continuing to analyze his observations to fully understand how the bombing may have affected the falcons.

Even before the war, falcon populations in Iran were declining largely because of smuggling. Iran’s currency, which has lost more than half its value over the past year, made the illegal trade in these birds even more appealing — smugglers sell the prized hunting birds to buyers in Arab Gulf countries who pay in hard foreign currency, Kiamarzi explained.

There is a certain irony in the situation: during peacetime, military zones had actually become some of the safest places for falcons to breed. “It’s a secure area no one dares get close to, not poachers and smugglers,” he said.

U.S.-based Iranian wildlife expert Jamshid Parchizadeh has expressed concern that airstrikes targeting military installations in remote desert and mountain locations have damaged habitats that endangered cheetahs and other large predators depend on.

“These strikes in far-flung places are causing habitat degradation. Definitely this causes water and land pollution, soil contamination, destruction of land cover,” he said.

Parchizadeh, who specializes in Iran’s large carnivores, spent years studying the habitats and population declines of Asiatic cheetahs, Persian leopards, and brown bears before leaving Iran in 2022. He currently works at Michigan’s Department of Fisheries and Wildlife.

“Bombing causes wildlife disturbance for the bears, the leopards who live in the mountains — and that animal forever leaves that area from fear,” he said.

Iran’s water-scarce environment is particularly vulnerable to disruption, Parchizadeh noted. Over the past two decades, the country’s population has grown from approximately 73 million to more than 93 million people, intensifying pressure on already limited water supplies that have suffered from mismanagement and prolonged drought.

The war has also made it nearly impossible to access key wildlife sites on islands in the Persian Gulf. Even with a preliminary ceasefire agreement in place, the U.S. and Iran have continued military exchanges in the area, which is home to Iran’s vital oil and energy infrastructure.

“Unfortunately, two of the most important islands of the Persian Gulf for biodiversity are small islands along Iran’s key oil islands,” said AvayeBoom’s Ebrahimi.

He noted that reports indicate an oil slick reached at least one location near the tiny uninhabited island of Shidvar — a critical nesting ground for turtles and tens of thousands of birds.

Iran has a long cultural history intertwined with its wildlife. Traditional Persian carpet-weaving and artwork frequently featured animal imagery, including the Persian lion — a species that has not been spotted in the country in more than 70 years.

Iran was among the first nations in the world to establish an environmental protection body, creating its Environment Department just one year after the United States launched its own agency in 1970. However, restrictions on development in protected areas — which tend to be located in poorer, rural communities — have frequently created friction with local residents.

The Arjan protected area, a large stretch of land containing significant wetlands in the southern province of Fars, was originally set aside in the 1970s as part of a project to reintroduce the Persian lion into the wild. That effort was abandoned following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Residents of the village of Dasht-e Arjan have since complained that the protected status has hurt their local economy, according to Ebrahimi.

Four years ago, AvayeBoom launched a community awareness campaign around the Arjan area, organizing workshops and local events. The campaign chose the ruddy shelduck — a waterfowl with striking orange feathers that locals already recognized — as its symbol. A mural of the bird was painted on a wall in a main town in the area.

After a ceasefire took hold in April, AvayeBoom members returned to the village and found that the campaign had significantly boosted recognition of the bird and improved overall environmental awareness among residents.

“Despite the war, the majority of people considered the environment, the nearby wetlands they have and the wildlife there very important to them,” said Fateme Kazemi, the CEO of AvayeBoom.

Recent years of anti-government protests and now the war have also led to tighter security measures. A wildlife photographer who documents birdlife along the Persian Gulf coast said she had stopped taking photographs in recent months due to safety concerns. She spoke without giving her name, citing fear for her security.

“One of the real dangers for protecting the environment is people losing their connection with nature,” she said. She added that she intends to resume her work once the peace agreement with the U.S. appears stable.

AvayeBoom, which was founded more than a decade ago in Isfahan, has undertaken conservation projects spanning Iran’s mountains, forests, deserts, and extensive wetlands. But the organization depends on local donors who are themselves being squeezed by Iran’s ongoing currency crisis. International sanctions effectively prevent Iranian nonprofits from receiving funding from foreign donors, Ebrahimi explained.

“The first thing we are worried about is that the economic situation will make protecting the environment not a priority,” he said.

Yet despite the weight of sanctions, security restrictions, and war, Ebrahimi said his organization has not given up. “Our doors haven’t closed and we’ve continued with our work,” he said.

BEIJING — China’s top mine safety official overseeing one of the country’s leading coal-producing regions is now under investigation for corruption, following a gas explosion in May that killed 82 miners.

Hu Haijun, who serves as director of the Shanxi Bureau of the National Mine Safety Administration, is suspected of committing serious violations of both discipline and law, according to an announcement made Monday evening by the government’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

A short notice published on the commission’s website offered no additional details about the specific nature of the alleged violations.

Hu also holds the title of Communist Party chief within his bureau, making him the highest-ranking official swept up in a growing investigation into Shanxi province’s coal mining sector, according to Caixin, a Chinese business publication.

Following the May explosion — described as China’s deadliest mining accident in recent years — authorities launched a sweeping inspection of the industry. While mine safety in China has seen improvement over time, it continues to be a persistent concern, as does workplace safety more broadly across the country.

The mine where the explosion occurred was operated by the Shanxi Tongzhou Coal and Coke Group. China’s National Mine Safety Administration had placed the facility on a list of disaster-prone coal mines back in 2024.

Despite China’s significant expansion of wind and solar energy, coal remains a central part of the country’s energy supply. Shanxi province, home to roughly 800,000 mine workers, produced approximately 1.3 billion tons of coal last year — accounting for nearly one-third of China’s total coal output.

Officials in Bangkok confirmed Tuesday that the death toll from a massive fire at a city music bar has risen to 30.

According to Bangkok city authorities, more than 70 people are still receiving hospital treatment following the disaster, and 24 of those patients are listed in critical condition.

The fire erupted late Sunday night at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar, located in the northern part of the Thai capital. It took firefighters approximately 30 minutes to get the blaze under control. The incident is being called the deadliest fire Bangkok has seen in 17 years.

The bar, which translates its name in Thai to mean a brewery or beer hall, advertised a capacity of up to 600 customers. It remains unknown exactly how many people were inside the venue when the fire broke out Sunday evening.

Police reported that the majority of those who died were discovered in windowless restrooms, where victims appear to have fled in an attempt to escape the flames. Investigators are now working to determine what caused the fire and whether the establishment was operating in accordance with safety regulations.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Trump opened the doors of the White House on Tuesday to Iraq’s newly appointed leader, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, a meeting that comes after Trump played a significant role in supporting al-Zaidi’s rise to power.

Al-Zaidi, a businessman who had never held political office before, emerged as a compromise choice for Iraq’s top government post following a prolonged stalemate after last year’s parliamentary elections. When al-Zaidi was officially named prime minister-designate in April, Trump took to social media to celebrate, calling it the “beginning of a tremendous new chapter between our Nations — Prosperity, Stability, and Success like never seen before.”

However, Trump’s involvement in shaping Iraq’s leadership began well before that announcement.

Iraq’s most powerful parliamentary coalition, the Coordination Framework — a grouping of Shiite political parties aligned with Iran — had initially thrown its support behind former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The Trump administration considered al-Maliki to be too closely tied to Tehran. Trump publicly voiced his opposition to al-Maliki and threatened to cut off American aid to Iraq if he were appointed, warning that “if we are there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom.”

The shadow of Iran is expected to hang heavily over Tuesday’s discussions. Iraq has been facing mounting pressure to dismantle a network of militias backed by Iran that operate within its borders — some of which carried out attacks on American military bases and diplomatic facilities following the U.S. and Israel’s military campaign against Iran that began in February. The Iraqi government has officially set a deadline of the end of September for non-state armed groups to lay down their weapons, but some of the most powerful militia factions have publicly stated they have no plans to comply.

A Trump administration official, speaking anonymously ahead of the Oval Office meeting in order to discuss internal strategy, said the U.S. would make “informed” decisions based on how seriously Iraq pursues the disarmament of those Iran-backed groups.

Renad Mansour, who serves as director of the Iraq Initiative at the Chatham House think tank, offered his assessment of how the talks are likely to unfold. He said he expects that “the U.S. will put significant pressure on al-Zaidi” to move forward with disarmament during the Washington visit, adding that al-Zaidi is likely to respond by saying, “‘But I need support — intelligence support, technical support, armed support.’”

Mansour also raised concerns about the risks involved. “There is a scenario in which, if the Iraqi government starts going after these groups, they will also go after the government,” he said. “And this is a scenario that I think that the Iraqi government is apprehensive about.”

Al-Zaidi’s path to the premiership was not without complications. He previously served as chairman of Al-Janoob Islamic Bank, one of the financial institutions that Iraq’s central bank banned in 2024 from conducting transactions in U.S. dollars. That action came amid American pressure on Iraq to crack down on money laundering and the funneling of funds to Iran — yet Trump still extended his support to al-Zaidi.

Since taking the helm of Iraq’s government, al-Zaidi has made anti-corruption efforts a centerpiece of his administration. His government has launched raids and arrested dozens of current and former lawmakers and officials on corruption charges, including several individuals connected to former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

Al-Zaidi’s delegation traveling to Washington includes both Iraqi business leaders and government officials. His office released a statement saying the visit is intended to “strengthen economic and development partnerships, attract investment, and expand the role of U.S. companies in implementing infrastructure projects,” as well as to grow the energy sector in the oil-rich country.

WASHINGTON (AP) — For months, President Donald Trump has pursued every available option to force Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz — launching airstrikes, imposing naval blockades, conducting negotiations, and even threatening to destroy a “whole civilization.” But so far, none of it has been enough.

According to defense and foreign policy experts, restoring the flow of oil tankers through this critical Middle East shipping lane to prewar levels would likely demand a far larger fleet of U.S. warships — or possibly tens of thousands of American troops deployed on Iranian soil. Even with ongoing military exchanges, Iran retains the ability to strike ships in the narrow Persian Gulf corridor using drones and missiles concealed across a country roughly one-third the size of the continental United States.

“Iran has been preparing for this type of asymmetric conflict for decades now,” said Jason H. Campbell, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and a former Pentagon official. “I think they’re starting to demonstrate why no other U.S. president since Reagan has elected to engage at this level of conflict with Iran, because they have that ability to completely disrupt the Strait of Hormuz.”

On Monday, Trump announced that the U.S. is reinstating its blockade of Iranian ports and will require other ships to pay for safe passage through the strait. Iran has claimed authority over the waterway, which under normal circumstances carries roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply. Both sides have traded fire over the past week in a series of clashes that raise fears of a return to full-scale war.

The situation highlights the difficult position Trump finds himself in: commercial shipping through the strait remains choked off, oil prices are on the rise again, and Iran has given no indication it plans to back down. The conflict has grown unpopular with many Americans and could become a factor in the upcoming midterm elections, particularly as fuel prices climb.

“They thought the situation was under control, and now they’re seeing renewed escalations, and the markets responding negatively to this,” said Eric Lob, a nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Middle East program and a professor of politics and international relations at Florida International University.

“It’s really a kind of test of wills to see how much economic pain the Iranians are willing to absorb and then how much economic pain and even political liability this could be for Trump and the Republicans heading into November,” Lob added.

Before joining the Middle East Institute in Washington, Campbell worked as a researcher at RAND, where he helped the U.S. military run simulated war-game scenarios involving Iran.

“The things they’re doing now are precisely the types of things that were discussed and came up in really all of these types of situational scenarios,” Campbell said.

He explained that Iran manufactures components for its weapons at multiple dispersed facilities to lower the risk of losing them in an attack. Iranian military units frequently act on their own initiative without waiting for direction from Tehran, and they avoid concentrating in one location — which limits the effectiveness of airstrikes.

“It’s very difficult to envision any scenario where you could satisfactorily secure the Strait of Hormuz absent ground forces,” Campbell said.

He estimated that securing the strait would require tens of thousands of troops — not just to destroy Iran’s concealed weapons stockpiles, but also to take control of hundreds of miles of coastline and large areas of inland territory. Those troops would almost certainly face insurgent-style attacks, and assembling such a force would take several months and come with “very high costs,” Campbell said.

Trump pushed back Monday evening, insisting that “the strait is open. It will be open,” and claiming the U.S. has made meaningful progress in weakening Iran’s military capabilities over the past few months. Iran, for its part, vowed to resist any American interference in the strait.

Experts say another possible approach would be expanding the U.S. naval escort program — having warships guide civilian vessels through the strait — though that option also carries significant challenges and expenses.

The U.S. ran a similar escort operation during the 1980s, when Iran targeted commercial shipping during its war with neighboring Iraq. At the time, the U.S. — which had been backing Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein with intelligence, weapons, and other support — escorted Kuwaiti oil tankers that had been reflagged as American vessels.

Replicating that effort today would demand a large number of warships at a time when the U.S. fleet is considerably smaller than it was four decades ago, said Michael Eisenstadt, a former U.S. military analyst who now leads the Military and Security Studies Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

“You’d still need a very large chunk of the U.S. fleet being dedicated to this on an open-ended basis,” Eisenstadt said. He noted that the environment today is far more complex, given Iran’s expanded arsenal of advanced drones and missiles.

“If we were to do what we need to do in order to make this work, which might involve putting people ashore in order to clear anti-cruise missile and drone launch sites, the losses of U.S. service members can go up, and if you’re going to do an escort operation also, the losses can potentially go up,” Eisenstadt said.

Commercial ships have been steering clear of the strait’s traditional routes due to fears about Iranian mines. Iran has demanded that vessels travel along a path near its own coastline and has suggested it could collect fees under a potential interim agreement to end the conflict. Increasingly, ships have been taking a southern route along Oman’s coast, guided by U.S. drones and aircraft as part of an overwatch operation.

Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said mine-clearing operations are continuing along some of the traditional routes through the strait, but noted that “alternative pathways have been open.”

Even the southern route has not been enough to stop Iranian attacks on ships, prompting the U.S. military to strike Iranian air defense systems, radar installations, missile and drone equipment, and small boats.

But according to Noam Raydan, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy who focuses on energy and maritime risks in the Middle East, Iran doesn’t even need to fire a single weapon to disrupt commerce in the strait.

“They don’t need to launch drones and missiles — they can just use the marine radio channel to make some threats,” Raydan said. “And this in itself is enough to scare off a lot of seafarers.”

Clayton Seigle, a nonresident scholar in energy security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, argued that the Trump administration has failed to follow through on early promises to use military force to protect shipping — commitments that later became a liability.

“Those naval escorts, U.S. warships, larger commitments like boots on the ground never came because I think that the rhetoric got a little ahead of our risk tolerance,” Seigle said. “And when push came to shove, the United States was not ready to deploy its Navy, to deploy its other military forces in the capacity that would be needed to even have a shot at neutralizing those threats.”

The U.S. military announced late Monday evening that American forces have wrapped up their most recent round of strikes on Iran, carried out by U.S. Central Command earlier in the day under orders from President Donald Trump.

In a statement posted to X, Central Command reported that “during the five-hour mission, U.S. forces successfully struck military targets across Iran including Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas.”

This latest round of attacks represents the third consecutive night of U.S. military strikes against Iran. President Trump also announced he was reinstating a blockade on Iranian shipping, while proposing a 20% fee for providing security in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s top joint military command pushed back against Trump’s proposal, stating that the U.S. has no authority over the future of the waterway and would not be permitted to intervene there.

Iran had previously announced over the weekend that it was closing the strategically critical waterway.

The conflict between the two nations traces back to February 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran. Iran responded with its own attacks targeting Israel and Gulf states where U.S. military bases are located.

The combined U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, along with Israeli military actions in Lebanon, have resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions of people. The war has also sent oil prices sharply higher and caused significant turbulence in financial markets worldwide.

Australia’s internet safety regulator has declared that major technology companies — including Apple, Meta, and Google — have “significant gaps” in how they handle child sexual abuse and the rising threat of online sexual extortion, according to a report released Tuesday.

The country’s online safety watchdog, eSafety, said in a new transparency report that digital platforms are not deploying existing tools capable of identifying well-known manipulation scripts used by sexual extortion criminals.

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant did not mince words about the lack of action. “In several cases, we have provided these platforms with evidence of how their services are being colonised by criminals to devastating impact, with clear guidance on how to stem the abuse,” she said. “Even when we’ve laid this out, we haven’t seen adequate responses, despite the technology being readily available.”

Google, Meta, Snap, Microsoft, and Apple did not respond to requests for comment.

The report arrives on the heels of legislation introduced in June that would give eSafety greater authority to take tech companies to court for failing to follow Australia’s ban on social media use by children under 16. Australia made history as the first nation to enact such a ban, and countries including Britain and several European nations are now pursuing similar policies.

Australia has also been scrutinizing the safety of children on chat and gaming platforms. Back in April, eSafety asked certain online gaming companies to explain how they shield children from grooming by sexual predators.

In 2024, eSafety directed eight technology platforms to submit reports every six months detailing their compliance with Australia’s “Basic Online Safety Expectations” — rules focused on detecting and preventing child sexual exploitation and abuse.

This latest release is the third in a planned four-part series and centers on sexual extortion — a form of online blackmail in which perpetrators share or threaten to share intimate material unless victims meet their demands.

The first report in the series set a baseline for comparison, while the second raised red flags about companies’ failure to proactively identify abusive content.

Between July and December 2025, eSafety received more than 2,000 complaints related to sexual extortion, with young men between the ages of 18 and 24 being the most frequently targeted group. A separate eSafety study conducted last year found that more than one in ten teenagers aged 16 to 18 had experienced sexual extortion, and more than half of those victims were first targeted before they turned 16.

Investigators found that the same criminal tactics kept appearing across multiple extortion cases, yet companies consistently failed to catch them. The report stated that “responses from the companies show there are serious gaps in the use of available technologies like language analysis that can identify well-known coercion scripts used by sexual extortion offenders.”

The report also flagged problems with reporting tools: “Gaps in reporting tools also persist across services like WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord and Google Messages, with some services lacking clear, accessible ways for users to report sexual extortion or child abuse or failing to provide dedicated reporting categories for these harms.”

Additionally, the regulator noted that technology already exists to better detect livestreamed child sexual abuse, but it is not being consistently put to use.

Some progress was acknowledged. Google and Snap have taken steps to proactively identify known child sexual abuse material, Discord has begun blocking links to abusive content, Meta has introduced new tools to detect grooming behavior, and Microsoft has started detecting live abuse during video calls.

South Korea announced Tuesday that it is moving quickly to accelerate artificial intelligence investments as part of a broader push to strengthen its economy, raising its 2026 growth outlook to a five-year high of 3.0% on the strength of a worldwide semiconductor surge.

The country’s finance ministry, in semi-annual economic policy plans, projected next year’s growth at 3.0% — the best performance since 2021 and a significant jump from the previous forecast of 2.0%, as well as last year’s modest 1.1% growth rate.

The ministry outlined three key goals for its economic policies, including pushing the economy’s potential growth rate up to 3% from its current estimated level of below 2%.

To help reach that target, the government plans to accelerate three “mega projects” announced last month, focusing on semiconductor development, AI data centers, and physical AI investments.

Earlier this week, officials revealed plans to boost 2027 budget spending by at least 10%, bringing total spending to more than 800 trillion won — roughly $532.73 billion — with priority given to those mega projects. The increased spending would be supported by stronger tax revenues flowing in from the semiconductor industry.

“While robust economic indicators, such as exports, driven by a semiconductor boom are clearly opportunity factors, there remain tasks that our economy needs to overcome at the same time,” said Vice Finance Minister Lee Hyoung-il.

The nation, which ranks as Asia’s fourth-largest economy, recorded its strongest quarterly growth in nearly six years last quarter, fueled by surging chip exports as global demand for AI technology continues to climb.

The ministry also set long-term targets, including positioning South Korea among the world’s four largest exporters and raising gross national income per capita to $50,000, up from an expected $40,000 this year. The country currently sits among the top five exporters globally.

Officials also pledged steps to address ongoing challenges, including stubborn inflation, a weakened currency, and elevated bond yields tied to the Middle East conflict. Planned measures include fuel price caps, extended foreign-exchange regulatory relief, and low-cost policy loans in the second half of the year.

Inflation is now forecast at 2.6% for 2026, higher than the earlier projection of 2.1% set in January, largely due to elevated oil prices. That would outpace the 2.1% inflation rate seen in 2025 and mark the fastest pace since 2023.

Looking further ahead, the ministry projected 2027 economic growth at 2.2%, with inflation also expected to come in at 2.2% that year.

Global oil prices surged 2% on Tuesday, hitting a four-week peak as tensions between the United States and Iran intensified in the Strait of Hormuz, raising fresh concerns about the stability of energy supplies worldwide.

Brent crude futures gained $1.68, or 2%, reaching $84.98 per barrel by 0051 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude also climbed $1.65, or 2.1%, to $79.79 per barrel. The gains follow an extraordinary 9.6% single-day spike in Brent crude during the previous session — the largest daily increase since May 2020.

Prices are now at their highest point since the two nations signed a memorandum of understanding on June 17 to bring their conflict to an end.

The latest flashpoint came Monday when two tankers belonging to the United Arab Emirates were struck by Iranian cruise missiles in the southern lane of the Strait of Hormuz, within Omani territorial waters. The UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed the attack, which killed one Indian crew member and left eight others injured.

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters that the United States had brought back its blockade of Iranian shipping. He also stated that he expected other nations benefiting from U.S. protection in the strait to help cover the cost of those efforts.

Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade, described the situation as a significant new risk for energy markets. “The latest escalation, including the U.S. reinstatement of the blockade and Iranian responses, has clearly injected fresh risk into the market,” he said. “While a full closure hasn’t occurred, the competing objectives of both sides have made the supply picture highly uncertain,” Waterer added.

U.S. Central Command reported that it launched a third straight night of strikes against Iran. Meanwhile, Iran’s semi-official YJC news agency reported early Tuesday that seven explosions were heard in the port city of Bandar Abbas, with two additional blasts reported on Kish Island.

Adding to regional instability, Yemen’s Houthi movement launched missiles toward Saudi Arabia after accusing the kingdom of striking an airport under Houthi control on Monday.

Simon Wong, a portfolio manager at Gabelli Funds, warned in a note that “if the Houthis extend their attacks to Saudi’s crude products in the Red Sea, it could put (further) uncertainties on crude flows from the region.”

On the domestic supply front, a preliminary Reuters poll conducted Monday suggested that U.S. crude oil stockpiles likely declined last week, while gasoline and distillate inventories were expected to have increased.

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s newly installed prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi, is making a push for large-scale American investment in his country’s energy sector during a White House visit this week, following the damage the Iran war inflicted on Iraq’s oil output and government revenues.

The visit, scheduled from July 13 to July 18, reflects Iraq’s growing effort to broaden its international partnerships as a way of managing the instability that has plagued the region, according to analysts.

The move marks one of the most direct efforts in recent memory to draw major U.S. investment into a sector that has long been controlled by Chinese, Russian, and European companies. Iraqi officials, however, push back on the idea that Baghdad is pulling away from its close relationship with Tehran in order to grow closer to Washington.

“The Iran war was a turning point,” said Baghdad-based political analyst Ahmed Younis. “It highlighted the risks of overreliance on any single regional partner.”

Younis added that Zaidi “views energy as the fastest route to deeper cooperation with Washington.”

According to Iraqi and U.S. officials, the strategy involves talks with Chevron about major upstream oil projects, backing for U.S.-supported power and liquefied natural gas ventures, security assurances for American operators in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, and renewed planning for export pipelines that would connect Iraq to Mediterranean markets.

Among the deals already approved by Zaidi’s cabinet is an agreement with U.S.-based HKN Energy to develop the Himreen oilfield in northern Iraq. The government has also given the green light for the Electricity Ministry to finalize a broad cooperation deal with General Electric focused on expanding Iraq’s power generation and transmission systems.

Zaidi has stated that his government intends to “significantly” boost oil production within three years, according to a release from his office. He made those comments while meeting in Washington with Iraqi business leaders and members of the Iraqi Christian community, encouraging them to invest in areas such as education, healthcare, and petroleum products.

These energy deals are expected to be central to discussions between Zaidi — a multimillionaire who took office in May — and U.S. President Donald Trump, who has expressed strong support for the new Iraqi leader.

“We have directed the Ministries of Oil, Electricity and Communications to give priority to reputable American companies working in energy, telecommunications, technology, and development,” Zaidi said in a statement released before the trip.

Despite the optimism, analysts caution that pulling in enough investment to develop oilfields and address long-standing infrastructure problems will be a difficult task.

An internal government document reviewed by Reuters showed that in early June, Iraq’s cabinet instructed the state-run Basra Oil Company to waive certain regulatory requirements for U.S. energy firms currently in talks about energy projects.

“The recent decisions regarding Chevron, U.S. operators in the Kurdistan region, and other U.S. energy projects reflect a deliberate policy shift,” said Mohammed Abbas, a former manager at the state-run Basra Oil Company who now works as an energy consultant. “Zaidi is using Iraq’s energy sector to strengthen ties with Washington and to reverse a perception among some U.S. energy majors that Iraq is a challenging environment for large-scale investment.”

Four Iraqi oil officials who are familiar with the ongoing talks — involving companies including Chevron, ExxonMobil, HKN, and others — said the effort reflects Baghdad’s wider goal of deepening economic cooperation with the United States.

Iraq faces a challenge common to many oil-producing nations: trying to attract investment and grow production while remaining bound by output limits set by the OPEC+ group. Despite holding some of the world’s largest crude oil reserves, Iraq has struggled to raise the revenues needed to support its rapidly expanding population.

Talks with Chevron have become one of the most closely watched parts of Iraq’s strategy. Earlier this year, Chevron entered exclusive negotiations with Iraq over the massive West Qurna-2 oilfield after Baghdad moved to replace Russia’s Lukoil as the operator — a deal that could hand the American company control of one of Iraq’s top-producing assets.

Several Iraqi lawmakers and analysts said the government’s energy push is designed to send a message to Washington that Iraq has become a more appealing place for large-scale investment, after years marked by security concerns, red tape, and legal disputes.

Security conditions have improved considerably since Islamic State was defeated roughly a decade ago, though occasional drone strikes and regional tensions still present risks to energy infrastructure. Iraqi officials say protections around key oil facilities have been strengthened since the Iran conflict, with new measures intended to reassure foreign energy companies.

“Prime Minister Zaidi comes from a business background and understands that winning over American energy companies, especially amid fragile regional security, is no easy task,” said Murad Ismael, a lawmaker and member of Iraq’s parliamentary oil and gas committee.

SAN SALVADOR — El Salvador’s ruling party has officially nominated President Nayib Bukele to run in the February 2027 presidential elections, setting the stage for what would be his third consecutive term in office — a prospect that lawyers and human rights advocates say is deeply troubling.

Bukele’s party, Nuevas Ideas, which holds a supermajority in the country’s legislative assembly, conducted its internal elections on Sunday and announced the outcome via Twitter on Monday. Vice President Félix Ulloa is set to join the ticket once again as Bukele’s running mate.

Bukele, who is 44 years old, first took office in June 2019, making him the youngest president in the region at the time. He has maintained strong public approval throughout his tenure.

His February 2024 reelection victory — in which he captured nearly 85% of valid votes — drew sharp criticism from constitutional scholars who argued it violated a constitutional prohibition against consecutive reelection. Critics further allege that Bukele unlawfully replaced judges on the country’s constitutional court and removed the attorney general in an effort to consolidate his grip on power.

A ruling by the constitutional court in September 2021 had permitted presidential reelection, but only for a single additional term.

The legislative assembly, under the control of Bukele’s party, then went further in July 2025, passing a constitutional amendment allowing unlimited presidential reelection. The reform stripped away penalties — including loss of citizenship rights — for those who advocated for presidential reelection, and removed the ban on running for president if a person had served in the previous term.

The same constitutional overhaul also lengthened the presidential term from five years to six and moved the next presidential election up to 2027. Under the prior constitution, a former president could only seek reelection after being out of office for at least 10 years.

Bukele has stood behind the constitutional changes pushed through by the assembly. He argued that “90% of developed countries allow the indefinite reelection of their head of government and nobody bats an eye,” and said that when a small, impoverished country like El Salvador attempts the same, “it suddenly becomes the end of democracy.”

Many Salvadorans have credited Bukele’s hardline security approach — including a four-year state of emergency that has resulted in the imprisonment of more than 90,000 people — with dramatically cutting homicide rates and improving public safety. In 2015, El Salvador recorded one of its most violent years, with 6,656 murders and a homicide rate of 106 per every 100,000 residents.

By the end of 2025, government figures showed the country had reached a historic low of just 82 homicide cases for the entire year.

However, human rights organizations report that more than 500 people have died while in custody since the state of emergency began, with most deaths attributed to health-related causes and some linked to violence inside prisons.

A narrow, elbow-shaped waterway in the Middle East has become the central battleground in an escalating conflict between the United States and Iran. The Strait of Hormuz, long considered a safe and reliable corridor for the world’s oil and natural gas supplies, is now at the heart of a high-stakes power struggle.

Iran has been working to assert dominance over the strait by claiming that an interim ceasefire gave it authority to set the terms for how ships travel through the waterway. It has threatened and fired upon vessels that didn’t follow its preferred route, using that leverage to gain an upper hand in negotiations with the U.S.

On Monday, President Donald Trump pushed back hard. He reimposed a blockade on Iran and declared that the United States controls the strait — even announcing that the U.S. would charge ships a fee for safe passage, a tactic that mirrors what Iran had previously attempted.

Trump posted on Truth Social that the U.S. “will be, from this point forward, known as THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT.”

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which oversees the country’s ballistic missile program, fired back. “We will not allow a rogue and child-killing army from the other side of the world to continue its illegal interference in it,” the Guard said Sunday.

The back-and-forth comes as both nations have been ramping up attacks against each other in and around the strait, raising fears of a return to full-scale war.

The strait runs along the coastlines of both Iran and Oman. The international community has long viewed it as a free-to-use waterway open to all nations. But after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, Tehran declared sovereignty over the strait — a move that rattled global energy markets and pushed prices higher.

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, established in 1982, no country has the right to claim international waters, and all ships are entitled to unimpeded passage. While neither the U.S. nor Iran has formally ratified that convention, experts say it still applies.

Marc Weller, director of the International Law Program at the University of Cambridge, explained it this way: “That doesn’t matter, because this has become part of universal custom, so all states can rely on it under all circumstances.”

Despite international law, both countries have been using their respective strengths to influence traffic through the strait. Raymond Waid, who leads the maritime industry group at law firm Liskow & Lewis in New Orleans and is a former Navy officer, put it plainly.

“You have two nations, both of which are very capable — the U.S., because it has the most powerful Navy in the world, and Iran, which is geographically well positioned to disrupt commerce throughout the Strait of Hormuz — (and) can exercise a significant degree of control,” Waid said.

The impact on shipping has already been dramatic. Maritime data agency Kpler reported that crossings through the strait dropped by roughly 52% between Friday and Monday compared with the same period the week before. On Sunday, only about 14 ships passed through — a stark contrast to the roughly 130 ships that made the crossing daily before the war began.

Iran exploited its geographic advantage early in the conflict by attacking ships and, in some cases, demanding payment to let vessels through. Even the threat of drone or speedboat attacks was enough to keep many ships away.

After an interim ceasefire was reached last month, Iran required ships to register with a newly created Persian Gulf Strait Authority to have their crews and cargo reviewed. Iran also insisted that ships travel along a route near its own coastline rather than a southern path along the Omani coast, where U.S. military forces had been escorting vessels. The central portion of the strait has been mined by Iran, leaving that route largely impassable.

Tehran is suspected of attacking ships that chose the Oman route. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center, which issues maritime security alerts, reported receiving information about six ships attacked near Oman since June 25.

The two countries have been at odds over what exactly was agreed to in the interim ceasefire. U.S. officials say the deal required the strait to be reopened while longer-term negotiations continued. Iranian officials, however, say a clause in the agreement gave them the right to manage ship traffic — and that as long as they didn’t charge fees for 60 days, they could set the operating conditions.

The interim agreement itself stated that Iran would “make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days only from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa.” It also called for Iran to “conduct dialog with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services in the strait.”

On Monday, the U.S. announced it would impose a 20% toll on cargo shipped through the strait to cover “any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World.” That position represents a sharp reversal — the U.S. had previously opposed such fees — and experts say any attempt by either country to charge tolls would violate international norms on freedom of navigation.

The U.S. plan closely mirrors an earlier Iranian proposal that Washington had criticized, in which Iran suggested it might charge fees of up to $2 million per vessel.

Weller, the international law expert, said fees for specific services in international straits can be legally permissible under certain conditions. He pointed to Chile, which collects fees in the Strait of Magellan for pilotage and safety services. But he drew a clear line.

“A fee would be possible, but it has to be a fee commensurate with the actual service granted,” Weller said. “So it’s not anything Iran should earn money off. It’s not $2 million per vessel or something like that.”

The International Maritime Organization, the United Nations agency responsible for international shipping safety and security, said it was waiting to learn more details about Trump’s proposal but confirmed its position against passage tolls had not changed.

Late Monday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi used Trump’s announcement to mock the U.S. president while simultaneously legitimizing Iran’s own position. In a post on X, Araghchi wrote: “POTUS is absolutely right. Whoever provides secure and safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service … 20% is of course too much. We will be fair.”

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The United States launched a fresh wave of military strikes against Iran on Monday, just hours after President Donald Trump announced that Washington is reimposing a blockade on Iran and — in what appears to be a major reversal in policy — plans to charge vessels for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

The announcements come as Iran has claimed it holds control over the vital waterway, and as the renewed fighting raised fears of a return to full-scale war between the two nations.

U.S. Central Command confirmed on social media that American forces had launched the new round of strikes against Iran.

“These strikes will continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” the U.S. military stated.

Shortly after the military’s announcement, Trump described the action as “another major attack.”

“We’re hitting them very hard. And it’ll continue, and we’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters at the Oval Office. “We’re knocking out all of their offensive capability and we’re controlling the straits. We’re putting the blockade back.”

Trump also elaborated on the administration’s apparent change of direction regarding tolls for ships passing through the strait — a stance that contradicts what the U.S. had previously said it would not do.

“We’re protecting a very rich portion of the world,” Trump said. “We’re spending money. And so, what we’ve done is, we are going to be reimbursed for protection.”

Until now, U.S. policy held that the strait should remain freely open to all shipping without fees — a standard that had been in place before the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28. Experts say any attempt by either the U.S. or Iran to impose passage fees would violate international norms on freedom of navigation and could trigger broader economic disruption well beyond the Middle East region.

Global oil markets reacted sharply to the news. The price of Brent crude oil — the international benchmark — jumped 7.8% to $81.92 per barrel on Monday, though that figure remains well below the nearly $120 per barrel reached at the peak of the conflict.

Trump Says Iran Failed a Test

Earlier in the day, Trump spoke with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, saying the agreement reached last month was “built to test” Iran, and adding that “when you’re dealing with sleazebags” agreements “don’t mean much.”

Trump said he had questioned why the U.S. was pursuing a ceasefire deal rather than working toward a comprehensive agreement first. Last week, he declared that ceasefire “over.”

“They didn’t honor the test,” Trump said.

Recent exchanges of fire, triggered by Iranian attacks on ships, had already cast serious doubt on the interim peace arrangement. As part of that deal, Washington had lifted a blockade it originally put in place in mid-April, and the agreement had called for the strait to be fully reopened to all vessels.

“We are reinstating the THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE,” Trump wrote on social media. “All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait.”

Trump said the U.S. would be “reimbursed” an amount equal to 20% of the value of cargo passing through, intended to offset “any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security.”

The U.S. military announced that the blockade of Iranian ports will resume Tuesday at 4 p.m. Eastern time.

WASHINGTON — President Trump told reporters Monday that the United States is actively striking Iran’s military capabilities tied to the Strait of Hormuz, as military operations between the two nations continue to escalate.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump confirmed that the U.S. military is carrying out new strikes against Iran. However, he also made clear that he has not closed the door on reaching a diplomatic settlement with Tehran.

The president also raised a separate concern, suggesting that Iran may have positioned drones in Cuba.

“If they do have that, and they might very well have that, we’ll take care of it,” Trump said.

He continued: “We’re not going to have a problem. We’re not going to allow that to happen so it could be that they are storing some. We’re looking into it now.”