Author: Admin

A commercial cargo ship sailing in international waters near Qatar was struck by an unidentified projectile on Sunday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.

The vessel was traveling approximately 23 nautical miles northeast of Doha when the incident occurred. The projectile impact caused a minor fire aboard the ship, but crew members were able to extinguish the flames quickly.

The ship’s captain confirmed that no crew members were injured in the incident and that there was no damage to the marine environment, UKMTO officials reported.

Maritime authorities have launched an investigation to determine what type of projectile struck the vessel and where it originated from.

In response to the incident, officials have issued safety advisories for ships operating in the region. Vessel operators have been told to exercise extra caution while passing through the area and to immediately report any suspicious activities to UKMTO.

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — After losing his life savings when his clothing venture failed 18 months ago, Tariqul Islam began driving a motorcycle taxi to support his family. Recently, he has spent countless hours waiting in fuel lines as energy shortages connected to the Iranian conflict have reached Bangladesh.

The 53-year-old father of four worries the economic pressure will intensify if the conflict continues, explaining that extensive waits for fuel have dramatically reduced his earnings and made it increasingly challenging to provide for his family in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital, including supporting a daughter and son in higher education.

“My family was managing fairly well through ride-sharing,” he said. “But after the fuel shortage began, I would buy fuel one day and run the bike for two days. As a result, I had to sit idle for one day, which reduced my income.”

Islam’s financial struggles mirror a wider economic crisis in Bangladesh, which depends heavily on fuel imports. Energy shortages have disrupted everyday activities, reduced manufacturing production, and raised alarm about economic expansion as international conflicts drive up prices and limit availability.

The situation has improved modestly recently, with shorter lines at gas stations following government efforts to boost supplies, though worries remain throughout various industries.

Throughout Asia, nations are experiencing comparable difficulties as conflict-related energy price increases affect economies that depend on imported petroleum and natural gas.

The region faces vulnerability because it depends on fuel imports, with much of the supply traveling through the Strait of Hormuz — a critical passage for approximately one-fifth of worldwide oil and natural gas commerce.

Increased fuel expenses are causing inflation and pressuring family budgets, while sectors ranging from manufacturing to transportation confront higher operational costs and supply chain interruptions.

The Asian Development Bank reduced growth projections for developing Asia and the Pacific in late April, cautioning that conflict-related energy disruptions would decelerate economies and increase inflation. The bank now anticipates 4.7% growth in 2026, with inflation climbing to 5.2% as petroleum prices rise and financial conditions become more restrictive.

Many hope for a swift resolution to the conflict and a return to stability.

“If this situation continues, we will have to move back to our village and find some other way to earn a living,” Islam, the struggling father said. “It is not possible to survive in Dhaka by doing ride-sharing under these conditions.”

Escalating energy prices are anticipated to burden Bangladesh’s budget, with officials likely spending an extra $1.07 billion on LNG subsidies during the April-June period alone if worldwide prices stay elevated.

Bangladesh has requested supplies from neighboring India, which has responded favorably as it has diversified fuel sources, including purchases from Russia.

Officials have already implemented cost-cutting measures to address the crisis as international lenders predict slower growth in the nation of over 170 million residents. Natural gas and diesel shortages have caused more frequent electricity outages in manufacturing areas.

The administration has also closed fertilizer plants to redirect gas to power facilities, limited evening operating hours for shopping centers, and established fuel rationing programs.

The World Bank stated in April that it anticipates Bangladesh’s growth to decrease to 3.9% in the fiscal year concluding in June 2026, cautioning that an extended Middle Eastern conflict could increase inflation, expand the current account deficit, and strain government finances through higher energy subsidies.

Jean Pesme, the World Bank’s division director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, noted the economy already confronted “pre-existing vulnerabilities and challenges, in particular on the economic and employment front.”

The increasing expenses are “obviously making the fiscal situation more difficult.”

He also cautioned that officials should be careful about raising fuel prices, noting that higher costs could damage farmers and agricultural production.

The energy shortage is also increasing expenses and endangering Bangladesh’s clothing exports, which form the foundation of its economy, according to business executives.

Anwar-Ul Alam Chowdhury, president of the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries, indicated exports to Europe and the United States could experience a major decline. Shipments have decreased between 5% and 13% in recent months, he reported. He expressed concern that buyers could lose trust in Bangladesh’s delivery capabilities and that competing countries such as India, Vietnam, and Cambodia could capture market share if the crisis continues.

Chowdhury reported that factory production has declined by 30% to 40% for multiple reasons and that conditions have deteriorated since the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran, while business expenses have increased by approximately 35% to 40%.

Bangladesh, the globe’s second-largest clothing exporter following China, generates roughly $39 billion yearly from the industry, which employs around 4 million workers, primarily women from rural regions.

Alvi Islam, director of Arrival Fashion Limited, explained that manufacturers face higher expenses for petroleum-derived materials such as sewing threads, poly bags — plastic packaging materials — and shipping boxes, while spending more on diesel generators to manage frequent power outages.

His company, which exports products valued at approximately $40 million annually, now operates generators for at least four hours daily during production.

“For that reason, the cost of doing business for exporting garments has increased quite significantly in past one month,” he said.

Garment worker Mosammet Runa, 35, expressed concern about her family’s prospects if the conflict persists.

“Millions of people like us depend on this industry. It is how we survive,” said Runa, who, together with her husband, makes about $400 monthly to support their six-member family.

She indicated that an extended conflict could eliminate employment opportunities and urged for an end to the violence.

“We are innocent people. The world should not make us victims,” she said.

Germany is making a renewed push to acquire Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States, according to a Financial Times report published Sunday that cited sources familiar with Berlin’s defense strategy.

German officials are hoping to convince the Trump administration to approve the sale of Tomahawk missiles along with their accompanying Typhon ground-based launching systems, the newspaper reported.

Neither the White House, U.S. Department of Defense, nor Germany’s Ministry of Defence provided immediate responses when contacted by Reuters for comment on the report.

According to the Financial Times, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is planning to travel to Washington in an attempt to restart Berlin’s request for the long-range weapon systems. The original proposal was submitted in July of last year but has not yet received a response from U.S. officials.

Sources speaking anonymously to the Financial Times indicated that Pistorius’s planned visit depends on whether he can arrange a meeting with Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Defense Secretary.

Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles are sophisticated, long-range cruise missiles designed for deep-strike operations and are traditionally fired from naval vessels to hit distant targets.

The Pentagon announced in February that it had entered into a seven-year contract with Raytheon to boost Tomahawk missile production, as military stockpiles have been reduced due to the ongoing conflict with Iran.

A deadly car bomb attack targeted a police station in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of twelve law enforcement officers, according to a senior police official.

The explosive attack occurred at a police facility in Bannu, where militants detonated a vehicle bomb before engaging officers in armed combat. Following the initial blast, a gun battle ensued between the attackers and police personnel.

Emergency responders managed to rescue three officers who survived the assault, and they have been transported to a local medical facility for treatment, the police official confirmed.

Two international activists were sent back to their home countries by Israeli authorities on Sunday following questioning about their involvement in a flotilla attempting to reach Gaza, according to Israel’s foreign ministry.

The men identified as Saif Abu Keshek from Spain and Thiago Ávila from Brazil were released after officials completed their investigation into the May 10 incident.

According to the foreign ministry, Abu Keshek faced suspicions of connections to a terrorist organization, while Ávila was suspected of engaging in illegal activities. Both men rejected these accusations against them.

The deportations concluded the investigation into their roles in the Gaza-bound maritime convoy.

A right-wing populist political party in Australia that seeks to mirror former President Donald Trump’s deportation policies has secured its first seat in the nation’s lower house of parliament, promising to prioritize ending large-scale immigration.

Farmer David Farley claimed victory for the One Nation party in Saturday’s special election in the rural Farrer district, located approximately 340 miles south of Sydney. While this win doesn’t impact the parliamentary majority held by center-left Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, since the seat was previously occupied by a Liberal party member representing the main conservative bloc, it marks a notable milestone for One Nation.

The victory represents major progress for One Nation, which currently holds four Senate positions. Recent polling shows the party ranking second behind Albanese’s Labor Party, surpassing the traditional conservative coalition. Party leader Senator Pauline Hanson enjoys higher public approval than both Albanese and the Liberal party leader.

Following the electoral success, Hanson took to social media platform X on Saturday evening, declaring: “The people of Australia will not be forgotten. One Nation will fight for you on the floor of Parliament. We will fight to lower cost of living, end net-zero and stop mass migration.”

Immigration has emerged as an increasingly contentious topic across Australia, where approximately half of the nation’s 27 million residents were either born in other countries or have at least one foreign-born parent. Anti-immigration demonstrations drew thousands of participants in Australia’s major metropolitan areas during the previous year.

Liberal shadow treasurer Tim Wilson acknowledged that One Nation’s electoral success “showed there’s a lot of work we’ve got to do.” During Sunday television interviews, Wilson stated: “We need to outline very clearly a bold and confident vision for the country about where we want to take it.”

Albanese’s Labor Party, which has never controlled the Farrer seat and chose not to field a candidate in this special election, has characterized One Nation as harmful to Australia’s social cohesion.

JAKARTA – Rescue operations for two missing hikers from Singapore remain severely challenged by ongoing volcanic activity and harsh weather conditions at Mount Dukono in Indonesia, according to local officials who expressed little hope for finding the pair alive.

Local rescue agency chief Iwan Ramdani reported that approximately 150 rescue workers equipped with two thermal drones have been conducting search operations since Sunday morning, concentrating their efforts within 100-150 meters of the volcanic crater’s edge.

“However, Mount Dukono continues to erupt and rain is also falling in the area. We carry out rescue efforts during intervals when there are no eruptions,” Iwan told Reuters.

The volcano, situated in North Maluku province along the Pacific Ocean, initially erupted Friday and launched ash columns reaching 10 kilometers into the sky. Smaller-scale eruptions have persisted since the initial blast.

According to Iwan, volcanic ash still covers the crater area, while search teams are combing approximately 1.25 kilometers around where the missing hikers were last seen.

Search teams have discovered backpacks believed to belong to the two Singapore nationals. Police chief Erlichson Pasaribu previously stated that survivors reported the pair had died.

Indonesian authorities confirmed Saturday that one missing Indonesian hiker was found dead.

The volcanic incident left 17 people alive, including seven from Singapore and 10 Indonesians.

Singapore’s Foreign Ministry announced in a statement that the surviving Singapore citizens would return home Sunday.

Indonesia’s volcano monitoring agency documented at least three eruptions by Sunday morning, with the largest sending ash 1.3 kilometers skyward.

The agency continues enforcing its third-highest danger warning for Mount Dukono and prohibits all human activity within 4 kilometers of the crater.

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s transitional president conducted a major government reorganization on Saturday, dismissing his brother from a senior administrative role amid growing criticism over family favoritism while working to rebuild the war-torn nation following years of devastating conflict.

Maher al-Sharaa, brother of President Ahmad al-Sharaa, had been serving in the role of secretary-general to the presidency based in Damascus. The family appointment had sparked criticism and comparisons to the governing style of Syria’s ousted President Bashar Assad and his predecessor father, Hafez Assad.

President Ahmad al-Sharaa spearheaded the rebel campaign that successfully removed Bashar Assad from power in December 2024, ending nearly 14 years of civil warfare. Throughout Assad’s tenure, he similarly installed relatives, including his spouse and brother, into positions of power and influence.

Maher Assad, the former president’s brother, held command of the Syrian military’s 4th Armored Division — a force that opposition groups accused of murder, torture, extortion and narcotics smuggling. Assad’s spouse, Asma Assad, led the powerful Syrian Trust for Development organization.

Through an official order issued Saturday, al-Sharaa named Abdul Rahman Badreddine al-Aama — who had been serving as Homs province’s governor — to take over his brother’s responsibilities, according to state media outlet SANA.

Officials have not announced what role, if any, Maher al-Sharaa will assume moving forward. The physician had previously held the position of Syria’s temporary health minister.

The interim administration also named new provincial leaders for Homs, Latakia, Deir el-Zour and Quneitra regions, along with selecting a new information minister, Khaled Zaarour, a university professor who recently served as media faculty dean at Damascus University. Zaarour is taking over from Hamza Mustafa, a former broadcasting industry leader who had directed the private Syria TV channel before joining the government as information minister.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s Revolutionary Guard naval forces issued stark warnings on Saturday, threatening massive retaliation against U.S. military installations in the region and enemy vessels if Iranian commercial ships or oil tankers face any strikes, despite an ongoing fragile truce that appears to be maintaining stability.

UK Sends Naval Vessel to Middle Eastern Waters

The British defense ministry announced plans to dispatch a warship to Middle Eastern waters as part of preparations for a possible mission safeguarding commercial vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz after current hostilities conclude.

Officials stated that the HMS Dragon would establish a strategic position in the area, prepared to participate in a security initiative spearheaded by the United Kingdom and France. This week, France declared it was repositioning its aircraft carrier battle group to the Red Sea as part of these preparations.

The UK and France have organized discussions with dozens of nations regarding an alliance aimed at restoring safe passage through the waterway. However, officials emphasize that operations will not commence until a lasting truce is established and shipping companies feel confident about vessel safety in the strait.

Round-the-Clock Diplomatic Efforts Continue

President Donald Trump has restated warnings about resuming comprehensive bombing campaigns unless Iran agrees to reopen the strait and scale back its nuclear activities. On Friday, Iranian foreign ministry representative Esmail Baghaei stated through state media IRNA that the nation was disregarding imposed “deadlines.”

Diplomatic negotiations persist. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif revealed his nation has maintained continuous communication with both the United States and Iran “day and night” while working to extend the current truce and achieve a comprehensive peace settlement.

Russia’s foreign ministry announced that both Russia and Saudi Arabia are advocating for diplomatic initiatives to establish a “sustainable, long-term agreement” that would conclude the conflict.

In a separate development, Putin informed Moscow reporters that removing enriched uranium from Iran as part of settlement negotiations would provide transparency regarding “how much of it there is, and where it is located,” adding that “all of this would be placed under the control of the IAEA,” referring to the United Nations nuclear monitoring agency.

Senior diplomats from Egypt and Qatar emphasized that diplomatic solutions represent the only viable path forward, according to an official summary of a telephone conversation between both nations’ foreign ministers.

Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has remained absent from public view and has not made any public statements since hostilities began, generating questions about his current situation.

On Friday, a senior Iranian official confirmed that Khamenei was in “complete health” and would eventually make public appearances. Mazaher Hosseini, connected to the office of Iran’s former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died when the war started, spoke at a government-supporting event. Hosseini explained that Mojtaba, the late Khamenei’s son, sustained knee and back injuries during the conflict’s initial attacks but has mostly recovered.

Bahraini officials revealed Saturday that security forces have detained 41 individuals suspected of operating within an intelligence network connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with allegations including espionage activities and assistance to Iranian operations.

According to the Interior Ministry, security services discovered this organization while conducting investigations overseen by prosecutors examining cases involving “espionage on behalf of foreign entities and sympathy for Iranian aggression.”

These detentions occur as Bahrain has strengthened domestic security protocols amid escalating regional conflicts involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. The island nation serves as home to a significant US military installation and was among Gulf states impacted by Iranian strikes that followed American and Israeli military actions against Iran.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry released a statement Saturday expressing Riyadh’s complete backing of Bahrain’s actions to counter efforts designed to undermine the kingdom’s stability.

The ministry additionally lauded Bahraini security personnel, highlighting what it characterized as their success in thwarting attempts to compromise national security.

Following the start of regional hostilities, Bahraini officials have implemented measures targeting individuals suspected of publicly backing Tehran. In the previous month, Bahrain stripped citizenship from 69 people charged with demonstrating support for Iran.

The Bahraini Interior Ministry reiterated Saturday that this case originated from previous investigations connected to foreign-sponsored intelligence operations and assistance to Iranian activities.

Three Israeli soldiers sustained injuries Saturday when explosive drones launched by Hezbollah detonated close to the Lebanese border in the Shlomi region, amid ongoing military exchanges between the two sides.

According to Israeli military reports, one reserve soldier from the Israel Defense Forces suffered serious injuries, while an officer and another reserve soldier received moderate wounds. Medical teams transported the injured personnel to a hospital, and their families have been informed of the incident.

Israeli forces successfully intercepted multiple aerial attacks targeting troops operating in southern Lebanon, with no additional casualties recorded from those incidents.

Reports from Lebanese media outlets indicate that Israeli airstrikes resulted in 12 fatalities in southern Lebanon on Saturday. Prior to the strikes, Israeli military officials ordered civilians in multiple southern Lebanese villages to leave their homes.

Army spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee issued a statement to local residents, saying: “In light of the Hezbollah terror organization’s violations of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF is forced to act against it with force and does not intend to harm you.”

Israeli military officials reported conducting operations against more than 85 Hezbollah infrastructure sites throughout various regions of Lebanon during the previous 24-hour period. The targeted facilities included ammunition storage sites, rocket launchers, and buildings used by the militant organization.

Additional Israeli operations targeted a subterranean weapons production facility located in the Bekaa Valley, along with militant fighters positioned in southern Lebanon.

In separate military actions, Israeli forces attacked storage facilities containing military equipment and destroyed a Hezbollah drone launch site in southern Lebanon that had been used for attacks against Israeli forces. The military also eliminated two rocket launchers that were loaded and ready for deployment.

Warning systems for drone infiltrations activated across the Western Galilee region on Saturday before the Home Front Command declared the threat had passed and authorized residents to exit protective shelters.

Israeli Air Force units intercepted several suspicious aerial objects launched from Lebanese territory toward Israel, according to military statements. Near the border town of Metula, security forces identified an explosive drone deployed by Hezbollah. Military officials confirmed no injuries or property damage occurred, and investigators are examining the location.

Washington remains in a holding pattern as Iranian officials deliberate over a comprehensive peace proposal designed to halt the conflict that started in February.

Iranian leadership is examining a detailed 14-point plan from the United States that would establish a two-month cessation of hostilities, restore access through the Strait of Hormuz, and halt Iran’s uranium enrichment activities for a minimum of 12 years in return for lifting economic sanctions.

The wait extended into Saturday despite earlier expectations for a quicker response. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had indicated Friday that Washington anticipated hearing from Tehran within hours, while Donald Trump suggested the Iranian decision would come “tonight.” As of Saturday, no official word had emerged regarding Iran’s position on the offer.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that Islamabad continues intensive diplomatic efforts with both nations “day and night” to maintain the current ceasefire and advance broader peace negotiations.

Ali Safari, who advises the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, spoke with Lebanon’s Al-Mayadeen network about Tehran’s perspective on the strategic waterway dispute. “Iran’s priority is to stop the war, open the Strait of Hormuz and stop American maritime piracy,” Safari stated.

Safari elaborated on Iran’s comprehensive approach to ending hostilities: “When we say ending the war, we mean all fronts, especially Lebanon. We decided to use the Strait of Hormuz card for the Lebanese front. We are in contact with official parties in Lebanon.”

The Iranian advisor also leveled accusations against the United Arab Emirates regarding military involvement. “The United Arab Emirates is among the countries that participated in the war against Iran. We have evidence,” he claimed.

United States Central Command reported Saturday that American forces had “diverted 58 commercial vessels and disabled four, since April 13, to prevent ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports,” characterizing these actions as components of the Strait of Hormuz blockade operations.

The past several days have witnessed the most intense confrontations in the critical shipping corridor since a ceasefire began one month ago. The United Arab Emirates also experienced additional attacks on Friday.

Iran’s ISNA news agency published details of diplomatic exchanges that revealed Tehran’s concerns about American military activities in the Persian Gulf. “The recent escalation of tensions by American forces in the Persian Gulf and their numerous actions in violating the ceasefire have added to suspicions about the motivation and seriousness of the American side in the path of diplomacy,” according to the Iranian diplomatic account.

According to a Wall Street Journal report published Saturday, Israel established a hidden military facility in Iraq’s desert region to bolster its aerial operations against Iran, with sources including U.S. officials providing details to the publication.

The covert installation served as a base for Israeli special operations forces and functioned as a supply center for Israel’s air force operations, according to the newspaper. The facility was constructed with American awareness prior to the commencement of joint U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran, the report states. Search-and-rescue personnel were also stationed at the location to provide assistance to any Israeli aviators who might be shot down, the Journal reported.

Reuters was unable to confirm the Wall Street Journal’s account independently. Israeli Prime Minister’s office did not provide an immediate response when Reuters sought comment on the matter.

The hidden facility nearly came to light in early March when Iraqi state television reported that a local herder had observed suspicious military operations, including aircraft activity in the region.

When Iraqi military personnel were sent to examine the area, Israeli forces conducted aerial bombardments to maintain distance and avoid detection of their position, according to the newspaper’s sources.

The Journal referenced a formal complaint Iraq submitted to the United Nations in late March, alleging that foreign military forces and aerial attacks were responsible for the incident, with Iraq pointing to U.S. involvement. However, the WSJ reported that a source knowledgeable about the situation stated the United States did not participate in the strikes.

A devastating militia assault in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed the lives of no fewer than 69 individuals, according to reports from Agence France-Presse on Saturday.

The deadly violence was confirmed by both local authorities and security officials in the region, AFP reported.

The attack represents the latest incident of violence to plague the central African nation, which has struggled with ongoing conflict and instability.

A devastating coordinated assault on a police station in northwestern Pakistan resulted in the deaths of at least three law enforcement officers on Saturday, with officials warning the death toll could climb significantly higher.

The attack occurred at a police facility located on the outskirts of Bannu, where a vehicle packed with explosives was detonated at the station. Police official Sajjad Khan expressed grave concerns that most of the 15 officers who were working at the post during the incident may have perished, noting that the facility was completely destroyed in the blast.

Khan stated that combat operations were still underway and that the full scope of casualties and destruction would not be determined until the fighting concluded.

An unnamed police official described the multi-phase nature of the assault, explaining: “The terrorists first attacked the police post with an explosives-laden car, and then militants entered its premises and opened fire on the police personnel.”

The official continued: “Other law enforcement personnel were sent to help the police, but the terrorists ambushed them and caused some casualties.”

According to police sources, the attackers also deployed drones during the operation, adding another layer of sophistication to the assault.

Emergency response teams and ambulances from rescue organizations and civilian medical facilities were immediately sent to the location. Officials announced that all government hospitals in Bannu had been placed on emergency status to handle the influx of casualties.

The militant group Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen has taken credit for orchestrating the deadly attack.

Such violent incidents threaten to escalate tensions and resume hostilities along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan. Earlier this year in February, the most severe clashes in years broke out between the former allies, resulting in Pakistani air strikes within Afghan territory that Pakistan claimed were targeting militant bases.

While the intensity of conflict has diminished since then, sporadic border clashes continue to occur, and no formal ceasefire agreement has been established between the two nations.

Pakistan’s government continues to accuse Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership of providing safe haven to militant groups who use Afghan territory as a base for planning attacks against Pakistani targets.

Taliban officials have rejected these accusations, maintaining that Pakistan’s security challenges with militant groups represent domestic issues rather than cross-border problems.

The British Foreign Office confirmed Saturday that officials called in China’s ambassador to the United Kingdom on Friday in response to a recent court ruling that found two individuals guilty of conducting espionage operations for Hong Kong and China.

The diplomatic summons came after a London court delivered guilty verdicts in a national security case involving the two men, who were convicted of carrying out spying activities that ultimately benefited Chinese interests through Hong Kong connections.

The Foreign Office announced the ambassador’s summons the day after the diplomatic meeting took place, highlighting the serious nature of the espionage convictions and their impact on UK-China relations.

A Brazilian Supreme Court justice has temporarily blocked legislation that would have significantly shortened the prison term of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving 27 years for attempting to orchestrate a coup following his 2022 electoral defeat.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued the suspension order on Saturday, preventing the implementation of the sentence reduction measure while the nation’s highest court examines its constitutionality, according to court documents.

The controversial legislation, which received congressional approval last month after lawmakers overrode President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s veto, would have slashed Bolsonaro’s sentence to approximately two years. Under this reduced term, the former right-wing leader could have been released as early as 2028.

Two political parties in Brazil, along with the press association ABI, filed separate legal challenges this week arguing the law violates the constitution. The measure would also have reduced penalties for individuals convicted in connection with the January 2023 uprising, when Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed and damaged the presidential palace, Supreme Court building, and congressional offices.

Justice Moraes determined the law cannot take effect until the Supreme Court completes its review of two separate cases seeking to invalidate the measure on constitutional grounds.

Bolsonaro’s legal team has not yet formally petitioned the court to apply the sentence reduction to their client. However, on Friday, his attorneys submitted a motion requesting criminal review to have the Supreme Court overturn his conviction entirely.

The former president is currently serving his sentence under humanitarian house arrest conditions, which were initially granted for 90 days based on medical considerations.

DAKAR, Senegal — Rebel forces operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo have criticized the United States for inadequate mediation efforts in the ongoing conflict plaguing the nation’s resource-rich eastern territories, as the Trump administration works to secure access to the area’s strategic mineral deposits for American interests.

Congolese rebel commander Corneille Nangaa penned a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, alleging that Washington has not adequately confronted the Congolese government regarding its purported breaches of peace agreements.

The correspondence, obtained by The Associated Press on Saturday, bore the signature of the Congo River Alliance, an organization that encompasses the M23 rebel faction supported by Rwanda.

Last year, Congo and Rwanda entered into a peace agreement facilitated by the United States, designed to halt the prolonged violence in eastern Congo. The arrangement outlined economic cooperation terms among the three nations and promised to facilitate agreements concerning rare earth mineral extraction.

President Donald Trump lauded the heads of state — Congo’s Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame — when the deal was reached. Trump has frequently highlighted his role in brokering the agreement. Despite the accord, combat operations persist in the area, with rebel and government military units each claiming the other side has broken the peace terms.

Nangaa’s letter to Rubio also condemned American sanctions targeting “actors critical of the authorities in power” in Kinshasa, Congo’s capital city. This appears to reference recent U.S. penalties imposed on former Congolese leader Joseph Kabila for his suspected involvement in financing and assisting rebel groups. Washington previously sanctioned Rwanda’s armed forces and four high-ranking officials for their support of M23.

“Your administration has neither imposed any sanctions nor issued even a simple warning to the leaders in Kinshasa, whose intransigent and arrogant attitude calls into question the impartiality and neutrality of the American Facilitator/Mediator,” the letter stated.

“The absence of clearly identifiable corrective measures fuels questions regarding the facilitation’s ability to preserve, over time, the requirements of impartiality and neutrality that are essential to its credibility,” it continued.

Congo, the United States, and United Nations specialists maintain that Rwanda provides backing to M23, which has expanded from several hundred fighters in 2021 to approximately 6,500 combatants, according to UN data.

Eastern Congo has endured decades of violence as government troops battle over 100 armed organizations, with M23 being the most formidable, frequently competing for control of the region’s mineral wealth. M23 forces launched a significant offensive in the area in early 2023, capturing Goma and other strategic locations while rapidly extending their territorial control.

Although American diplomatic intervention has helped reduce regional tensions, it has not halted the intensifying ground combat, according to Kristof Titeca, a University of Antwerp professor who specializes in Central African governance and conflict issues.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Three law enforcement officers died Saturday night when militants launched a coordinated assault on a police facility in Pakistan’s northwestern region, authorities confirmed.

The deadly incident occurred in Bannu district within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which shares a border with Afghanistan, according to police official Zahid Khan. Attackers used a vehicle packed with explosives while armed fighters engaged officers in combat.

Khan reported that numerous blasts echoed through the area following the initial explosion, which destroyed both the police facility and several residential buildings in the vicinity due to the powerful detonation.

The police official declined to provide additional information, noting that gunfire continued between security forces and the attackers. He added that some officers sustained injuries and may be buried beneath debris from the collapsed structures.

Authorities have not identified which organization orchestrated the assault.

Intelligence experts anticipate the Pakistani Taliban, formally called Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, along with associated extremist organizations, will likely emerge as suspects given their history of conducting comparable operations. The nation has experienced an escalation in extremist attacks over recent years.

The TTP operates independently from but maintains ties with Afghanistan’s Taliban movement, which assumed control of the neighboring country in 2021.

MOSCOW, May 9 – Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Saturday that he believes the ongoing war in Ukraine is approaching its conclusion.

The conflict, which began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has created the most severe tensions between Russia and Western nations since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, a period when many feared global nuclear conflict was imminent.

“I think that the matter is coming to an end,” Putin stated when speaking with reporters about the Ukrainian war.

Recent reports from the Financial Times on Thursday indicated that leaders across the European Union are making preparations for possible negotiations.

When questioned about his openness to discussions with European officials, Putin indicated his preference would be to work with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

Russian government officials stated last week that European nations must initiate contact first, since they were responsible for cutting off diplomatic communication with Moscow when the Ukrainian conflict began in 2022.

Seven people lost their lives, including one child, when Israeli forces targeted the Lebanese town of Saksakiyeh on Saturday, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Fifteen others sustained injuries in the attack.

Israeli military officials confirmed they conducted the operation against Hezbollah fighters in the area, claiming the militants were preparing assaults on Israeli troops.

“The IDF is aware of reports regarding harm to uninvolved civilians in the structure in which the terrorists were struck. The details of the incident are under review,” military officials stated.

The deadly confrontation marks continued violence between Israeli forces and the armed group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, where Israel maintains what it calls a security zone. This ongoing conflict persists even after a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States was announced on April 16.

Earlier this week, Israeli forces reported killing a high-ranking Hezbollah commander from the elite Radwan unit on Wednesday. The strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs was the first of its kind since the ceasefire declaration.

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts continue as the United States facilitates discussions between Lebanese and Israeli representatives. These meetings represent the most significant diplomatic contact between the two nations’ government officials in many years.

State Department officials confirmed that Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to Washington will participate in a third round of negotiations scheduled for Thursday and Friday this week.

A liquefied natural gas tanker from Qatar was making its way toward the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, heading to Pakistan after leaving Qatar’s Ras Laffan terminal, maritime tracking information from LSEG reveals.

If the vessel completes its journey successfully, it would represent the first time a Qatari LNG ship has made it through the strategic waterway since Iran began its military campaign. QatarEnergy has not yet responded to requests for comment.

The tanker Al Kharaitiyat operates under a Marshall Islands flag and is operated by Nakilat Shipping Qatar Ltd, with storage space for 211,986 cubic meters of cargo, maritime records indicate.

In early April, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards stopped two LNG vessels from Qatar – the Al Daayen and Rasheeda – as they approached the Strait of Hormuz on April 6, ordering them to remain stationary without providing any reasoning, according to a source who spoke to Reuters.

As the globe’s second-biggest LNG supplier, Qatar primarily ships its energy exports to Asian markets. Iranian military actions have damaged 17% of Qatar’s LNG shipping capabilities, with reconstruction work anticipated to keep 12.8 million tons annually of the fuel offline for three to five years.

BEIRUT — Saturday’s deadly Israeli military operations resulted in 17 fatalities across Lebanon, with drone attacks targeting vehicles south of Beirut claiming four lives and separate airstrikes in the country’s southern region killing at least 13 others, according to state media and Health Ministry reports.

The vehicle-targeting drone operations south of Lebanon’s capital represent a significant escalation in hostilities, occurring despite a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah that took effect on April 17. Despite the truce, both sides have maintained daily military operations.

Earlier this week on Wednesday evening, Israeli warplanes conducted an airstrike on a southern Beirut suburb, with Israel claiming the operation eliminated a high-ranking Hezbollah military commander. That attack marked the first strike near the capital since the ceasefire agreement was established.

Saturday’s drone operations included two strikes along the major highway connecting Beirut to the southern coastal city of Sidon, injuring several individuals, while a third attack occurred on a roadway leading to Lebanon’s Chouf region, resulting in three deaths, the state-operated National News Agency reported.

An Associated Press correspondent at one scene observed a fatality on the highway in Saadiyat.

Health Ministry officials confirmed that an Israeli airstrike on Saksakiyeh village in southern Lebanon resulted in at least seven deaths, including one child, with 15 people wounded. Ministry representatives noted this represented preliminary casualty figures.

Additional strikes hit various southern Lebanese communities, including an attack on Bourj Rahhal village that killed three people and another in Maifadoun that claimed one life, according to agency reports.

In a particularly tragic incident, Health Ministry officials said three Israeli drone strikes killed a Syrian man traveling by motorcycle with his 12-year-old daughter in Nabatiyeh city.

According to ministry accounts, following the initial attack, the man and his daughter managed to escape the immediate area before being targeted again by the drone, instantly killing the father. The wounded girl then moved approximately 100 meters away before being struck a third time by the drone. The child later succumbed to her injuries at a medical facility, NNA reported.

“The Ministry of Public Health denounces this barbaric targeting and the deliberate violence against civilians and children in Lebanon,” ministry officials stated, describing the attack as part of an ongoing pattern “of grave violations of International Humanitarian Law.”

Israeli military representatives reported that Hezbollah launched explosive drones into Israeli territory near the Lebanese border, with three soldiers wounded in one attack, including one seriously injured. Military officials added that Hezbollah also deployed drones within Lebanese territory, with one striking an Israeli vehicle without causing casualties.

Hezbollah acknowledged responsibility for multiple attacks within Lebanon and confirmed firing a drone at an Israeli military installation in the northern community of Misgav Am.

The current conflict between Israel and Hezbollah commenced on March 2, when Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel, occurring two days after the United States and Israel initiated military action against Hezbollah’s primary supporter, Iran. Israel has subsequently conducted hundreds of aerial bombardments and launched a ground offensive into southern Lebanon, seizing control of numerous border towns and villages.

Subsequently, Lebanon and Israel engaged in their first direct negotiations in over thirty years. The two nations have remained technically at war since Israel’s establishment in 1948.

A new round of diplomatic discussions is planned for Washington beginning Thursday and continuing for two days.

A 10-day ceasefire announced in Washington became effective on April 17, with the agreement later extended for an additional three weeks.

In Syria’s capital Damascus, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam conducted discussions Saturday with Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing security cooperation amid regional conflicts.

Addressing reporters before returning to Lebanon, Salam stated that Lebanon would not again be utilized to harm “our Arab brothers, on top of them Syria.” The Prime Minister was making an indirect reference to Hezbollah’s participation in Syria’s civil conflict that began in 2011, supporting the five-decade Assad family regime that concluded in December 2024.

LOS LLANITOS, Mexico — In a dusty field along Mexico’s Pacific shoreline, five young cousins ranging from 8 to 13 years old remove their clothing and footwear. Adults nearby assist them in putting on traditional pre-Hispanic gear called “fajado” — loincloths and leather belts wrapped around their waists.

The Osuna youngsters take hold of a solid rubber ball weighing 3.2 kilograms — approximately 7 pounds, making it seven times heavier than a standard soccer ball — and start their game. Players can only strike the ball with their hips, requiring them to jump high in the air or drop low when the ball bounces near the earth.

With Mexico set to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the country is reflecting on a sport that dates back 3,400 years — ulama, one of humanity’s oldest team competitions. This ceremonial practice was almost completely destroyed during Spanish colonization and only endured in isolated areas of northwestern Mexico until experiencing a renaissance in the late 1900s. Now, officials and contemporary players are using soccer’s global popularity to bring attention to this ancient game once more.

Though players recognize that tourist interest helped revive the sport, many express concern that promoting an “exotic” image damages a tradition that defines their cultural identity.

“We must rid the game of the notion that it is a living fossil,” said Emilie Carreón, a researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM, and director of a project aimed at studying and practicing the sport.

The Osuna family exemplifies this mission. Following the death of ulama player Aurelio Osuna, his wife María Herrera, 53, has carried on his work by instructing their grandchildren in the ballgame within their small Sinaloa village, located 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) northwest of Mexico City.

“This seed will bear fruit someday,” she said.

The Popol Vuh, the holy Mayan text, describes how the universe began through a ballgame where light battled darkness to create balance between life and death and set everything in motion.

Before the Maya civilization, the Olmecs — Mesoamerica’s earliest known society — participated in this sport. This reenactment of opposing forces was widespread among various pre-Hispanic cultures. Archaeological evidence includes ancient rubber balls discovered throughout Mexico and nearly 2,000 ball courts spanning from Nicaragua to Arizona.

Historical records show the game in codices, stone engravings, and sculptures, revealing multiple variations and purposes — from fertility and war rituals to political demonstrations and even human sacrifices.

Although some participants faced execution — potentially the defeated players — Guatemalan archaeologist and anthropologist Carlos Navarrete clarified this happened only during certain time periods and in specific areas. The physically challenging game primarily served as a major social gathering, attracting crowds for entertainment and gambling.

Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortés admired the display presented by Aztec ruler Moctezuma, but the Spanish eventually prohibited ulama and commanded the demolition of its courts, likely considering the practice as opposition to Christian beliefs. According to the Catholic Church, “the ball was the living devil,” Carreón explained.

The sport — involving striking the ball with hips, forearms, or mallets — only persisted along Mexico’s northern Pacific coastline, where Jesuit-led colonization was gentler and ulama became incorporated into Catholic celebrations, according to Manuel Aguilar Moreno, an art history professor at California State University.

During the opening ceremony of the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, audiences witnessed muscular men twisting their bodies in surprising ways to maintain the rubber ball’s movement for extended periods. This demonstration inspired research about the ballgame and preservation efforts in subsequent decades.

Luis Aurelio Osuna, 30, Herrera’s oldest son, started playing hip ulama after classes, following his father’s example from decades earlier in Los Llanitos, a ranch near the port city of Mazatlán. Today his three children also participate.

Osuna and his mother instruct the children on ball-striking techniques and explain the complex regulations, including a point system where scores can be gained and lost.

Their motivation combines love for the game with practical concerns in a state where criminal organizations are widespread.

“We need to find a way to keep them entertained with good things,” said Osuna.

Hip ulama squads can include up to six participants, and the Osuna family occasionally competes in tournaments or demonstrations.

Years ago, competitions were major occasions connected to religious celebrations, sometimes lasting an entire week. However, those times have passed as enthusiasm declined and rubber balls became difficult to obtain.

During the 1980s, filmmaker Roberto Rochín recorded the work of possibly the final rubber ball craftsman in Sinaloa’s mountains. The artisan created them using methods similar to the Olmecs, who learned that combining heated rubber sap with plant materials produced strong, flexible, and long-lasting material. This civilization manufactured some of the world’s earliest balls.

Throughout the 1990s, employees from a Mexican Caribbean resort traveled nationwide seeking Sinaloan families who could demonstrate the ballgame as entertainment in the Riviera Maya, where the sport had disappeared.

“It’s pure spectacle: they paint their faces and put on feathered costumes,” Herrera said. Still, she recognizes its importance. “That’s where the revival began.”

The ballgame started expanding and gaining recognition beyond Mexico’s borders. Osuna, playing with his father’s team, eventually performed hip ulama in an Italian Roman amphitheater. The attention was so significant they were recruited for a deodorant advertisement, he recalled.

As the World Cup nears, government agencies and companies are organizing exhibitions in Mexico City and Guadalajara, and including ulama players in advertising campaigns celebrating Mexican culture — a development that has created conflicted reactions.

“We’re not circus monkeys,” says Ángel Ortega, a 21-year-old ulama player from Mexico City who recently participated in a TV commercial alongside football players.

Ilse Sil, a player and member of the UNAM project led by Carreón, thinks institutional backing will help preserve ulama, but officials must promote the game in communities and schools to attract more young participants, as it remains a niche sport with roughly 1,000 players primarily in Mexico and Guatemala.

In Los Llanitos, Herrera’s grandchildren enjoy playing. Location doesn’t matter to them — whether in the dirt field, on a proper court, or even in their home hallway — but they always use their treasured inheritance: a handcrafted rubber ball from Sinaloa’s mountains that’s decades old. They claim it absorbs impacts more effectively.

Eight-year-old Kiki shows the greatest passion. He declares his commitment to continue training until he achieves his goal of captaining his own team.

LONDON – British officials announced Saturday that the Royal Navy has moved its HMS Dragon destroyer to the Middle East region as part of advance preparations for a possible international mission to safeguard merchant vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.

The air defense warship had been stationed in the Eastern Mediterranean since March, where it was assigned to help protect Cyprus following the outbreak of conflict involving Iran.

Britain’s decision to reposition the vessel comes as France has also moved its carrier battle group to the southern Red Sea region, with both European nations collaborating on defensive measures designed to rebuild trust in the vital shipping corridor.

A representative from Britain’s Ministry of Defence explained the strategic move, stating: “The pre-positioning of HMS Dragon is part of prudent planning that will ensure that the UK is ready, as part of a multinational coalition jointly led by the UK and France, to secure the Strait, when conditions allow.”

The coordinated European response comes as tensions between the United States and Iran appear to be moving toward a possible resolution after 10 weeks of conflict, with British and French officials developing proposals to establish secure passage through the waterway once regional stability returns.

Any protective operation would require cooperation with Iranian authorities, and approximately twelve nations have expressed interest in participating in such an initiative.

However, Britain’s capacity to contribute to any naval protection effort faces constraints due to the Royal Navy’s reduced size compared to previous decades, with some vessels being decommissioned before replacement ships become operational.

A Palestinian family in the West Bank reports they were forced to dig up their elderly father’s remains after Israeli settlers confronted them at a village cemetery, demanding the body be removed from what they claimed was settlement land.

Mohammed Asasa says his 80-year-old father Hussein died of natural causes on Friday and was laid to rest that same evening in the cemetery of Asasa village, located near Jenin. The burial proceeded with all required permits from Israeli military authorities, who were present during the ceremony.

However, the family received an urgent call from villagers shortly after the funeral, informing them that settlers had arrived at the gravesite and were demanding the grave be excavated.

“They said the land was for settlement and that burial was not allowed. We told them that this is the village’s cemetery, not part of the settlement,” Mohammed Asasa explained.

When the settlers threatened to use heavy machinery to dig up the grave, the family made the difficult decision to remove their father’s body themselves, according to Asasa.

“We found that they already dug the grave and reached the body,” he stated. “We continued digging and got the body and buried him in another cemetery.”

Social media footage appears to document the disturbing scene, showing settlers observing as individuals excavate a hillside grave. The video then captures people carrying what appears to be human remains while Israeli soldiers follow behind. Reuters confirmed the footage was recorded in Asasa.

Israeli military officials acknowledged that the funeral had been properly coordinated with their forces and stated they never instructed the family to relocate the burial. Troops were dispatched to the location after receiving reports of a confrontation involving settlers who were “digging in the area.”

“The soldiers confiscated digging tools from the Israeli civilians and remained at the location in order to prevent further friction,” military representatives said, adding their condemnation of actions that violate the “dignity of the living and the deceased.”

The United Nations Human Rights Office strongly criticized the incident.

“This is appalling and emblematic of the dehumanisation of Palestinians that we see unfolding across the OPT (Occupied Palestinian Territories). It spares no one, dead or alive,” declared Ajith Sunghay, who leads the OHCHR Palestinian office.

Attempts to contact settlers from the adjacent Sa-Nur settlement were unsuccessful.

Sa-Nur was among 19 settlements dismantled during Israel’s 2005 disengagement plan, which also involved removing settlers and military forces from Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration authorized Sa-Nur’s reconstruction one year ago, and building activity has progressed quickly, according to Peace Now, an organization that monitors Israeli settlement activity.

The West Bank represents territory that Palestinians hope will become part of a future independent state. Israel justifies its presence there based on historical and biblical connections to the region, along with security considerations.

Netanyahu’s current government, which firmly rejects Palestinian statehood, has been expanding settlement construction while increasing settler violence against Palestinians has prompted international concern.

The United Nations and most nations consider Israeli settlements on West Bank territory seized during the 1967 conflict to be illegal under international law, though Israel challenges this interpretation.

Peter Magyar officially took the oath of office as Hungary’s new prime minister on Saturday, riding into power on campaign pledges to transform the country after years of economic struggles and deteriorating relationships with Western partners during Viktor Orban’s lengthy tenure.

The center-right politician toppled the nationalist Orban in a decisive April 12 electoral victory, ending Orban’s 16-year grip on power. Magyar’s Tisza party secured a constitutional majority in the vote, positioning him to reverse institutional changes that opponents argue undermined Hungarian democracy.

Markets and citizens have responded positively to Magyar’s election win. Hungary’s currency, the forint, reached four-year peaks against the euro, government bond yields dropped, and polling conducted after the election shows increased support for the Tisza party.

However, the 45-year-old leader faces immediate challenges, as he must quickly secure billions of euros in frozen European Union funds essential for reviving Hungary’s struggling economy and addressing the country’s financial difficulties.

“Hungarian people have given us a mandate to put an end to decades of drifting,” Magyar stated. “They have given us a mandate to open a new chapter in Hungary’s history. Not only to change the government, but to change the system as well. To start again.”

The new prime minister takes control of an economy that barely escaped recession in the first quarter and now confronts new challenges from rising energy prices connected to Middle Eastern conflicts, which could significantly impact Europe’s import-dependent economies.

Government financial data released Friday revealed Hungary’s budget shortfall had already consumed 71% of the annual target by April, largely due to Orban’s pre-election spending spree. Magyar has warned the deficit might climb to 7% of the country’s economic output this year.

Magyar has committed to restoring Hungary’s alignment with Western nations. The NATO member country had been perceived as moving closer to Moscow under Orban, who resisted European Union initiatives to assist Ukraine in defending against Russia’s military invasion.

The new leader has also announced plans to halt public media news programming after assuming power, claiming state-controlled media and pro-Orban outlets helped the former prime minister retain control while limiting coverage of opposition voices.

Magyar, who has vowed to launch an extensive anti-corruption campaign, is working to negotiate an agreement with EU officials to release the suspended funding by May 25.

JERUSALEM – Israeli authorities freed two international activists from detention Saturday following their arrest during a humanitarian mission to Gaza last month, according to their legal representatives.

Spanish citizen Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian national Thiago Avila had been held since April 29 when Israeli forces stopped their vessel bound for the Gaza Strip.

The two men were participants in the second Global Sumud Flotilla, which departed Spain on April 12 with the goal of delivering humanitarian supplies to Gaza while challenging Israel’s naval blockade of the territory.

Israeli foreign ministry officials accused Abu Keshek of having ties to a terrorist organization and alleged Avila engaged in illegal activities. Both men have rejected these accusations.

The Spanish and Brazilian governments condemned the detentions as illegal, though Israel’s Ashkelon Magistrate’s Court had ordered the men held until May 10.

Adalah, a human rights organization providing legal support for the activists, also challenged the legality of their imprisonment. The group announced that Abu Keshek and Avila were notified Saturday of their release from detention and transfer to immigration custody pending deportation.

“Adalah is closely monitoring developments to make sure that the release from detention goes ahead, followed by their deportation from Israel in the coming days,” the organization stated. Israeli officials could not be reached immediately for response.

During their detention, Israeli authorities investigated the activists for potential charges including providing assistance to enemies and maintaining contact with terrorist organizations.

The Palestinian territory of Gaza remains under the control of Hamas, which Israel and many Western nations classify as a terrorist group.

Hamas launched its October 7, 2023 assault against Israel, triggering the current conflict in Gaza that has displaced most of the territory’s residents and created widespread dependence on humanitarian assistance that aid organizations report is arriving inadequately.

BUDAPEST – Peter Magyar officially took the oath of office as Hungary’s new prime minister on Saturday, marking a significant political transition for the European nation.

The centre-right politician’s rise to power comes after he campaigned on a reform agenda, promising to address the country’s prolonged period of economic difficulties and repair damaged relationships with important international allies that deteriorated during Viktor Orban’s time in leadership.

Magyar’s inauguration represents a notable shift in Hungarian politics as the nation seeks to move forward from recent challenges under the previous administration.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An unstable truce between the United States and Iran appeared to remain intact Saturday following American military action against Iranian oil vessels, while Bahrain announced the arrest of dozens allegedly tied to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

Friday’s military actions raised questions about the delicate month-long ceasefire that Washington maintains remains valid. The United States continues to wait for Tehran’s response to its most recent peace proposal aimed at ending hostilities, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and scaling back Iran’s controversial nuclear activities.

American military officials reported Friday that their forces had incapacitated two Iranian oil tankers attempting to break through a U.S. naval blockade at Iranian ports. Earlier that day, the military announced it had prevented attacks on three Navy vessels and conducted strikes against Iranian military installations in the strategic waterway.

In Bahrain, the small Gulf nation’s Interior Ministry announced Saturday the detention of 41 individuals suspected of belonging to a cell connected to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Officials said investigations continue to identify additional members of the organization, though they declined to provide additional specifics.

The island kingdom operates under Sunni Muslim leadership while maintaining a predominantly Shiite population similar to Iran. Human rights organizations have accused Bahrain of exploiting the Iran-U.S. conflict, which involves the country hosting America’s Fifth Fleet, to justify suppressing domestic opposition.

Tehran has largely sealed off the vital shipping lane for global energy supplies since the United States and Israel initiated military action on February 28, triggering worldwide fuel price increases and destabilizing international markets. Washington has implemented its own naval blockade of Iranian shipping facilities.

American military officials released footage showing Friday’s strikes on the two Iranian tankers, with fighter jets targeting their smokestacks. Earlier this week, a U.S. military aircraft disabled a tanker’s steering system after officials said it attempted to violate the blockade.

An overnight American attack resulted in at least one sailor’s death and injured 10 others when a cargo ship caught fire, according to a news outlet linked to Iran’s judicial system. Officials have not confirmed whether this vessel was among the two tankers the U.S. acknowledged striking.

President Donald Trump has maintained that the ceasefire continues despite recent military actions. He has repeated warnings about resuming comprehensive bombing campaigns if Iran rejects an agreement to reopen the strait and curtail its nuclear development.

Iranian foreign ministry representative Esmail Baghaei stated Friday that his country was ignoring “deadlines” and continues examining the American proposal for ongoing talks, state-run IRNA reported.

A senior Iranian official also confirmed Friday that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei remains in “complete health” and will make public appearances in the future.

Mazaher Hosseini, connected to the former Supreme Leader’s office, made these statements at a government-supporting event. Hosseini explained that Mojtaba had experienced knee and back problems that have mostly resolved, leaving him in good physical condition.

Khamenei has not appeared publicly since hostilities began, and the ongoing lack of verified photographs, recordings, or video footage has sparked questions about his wellbeing. Statements like Hosseini’s are viewed by some as efforts to address speculation that he may have died.

International diplomatic activity has increased as tensions continue rising.

Russia’s foreign ministry announced Saturday that both Russia and Saudi Arabia are advocating for continued diplomatic work toward a “sustainable, long-term agreement” to conclude the conflict.

Top diplomats from Egypt and Qatar have also emphasized that diplomatic solutions represent the only viable path forward, according to details from a Saturday telephone conversation between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif revealed his nation has maintained continuous contact with both the United States and Iran “day and night” working to extend the ceasefire and achieve a lasting peace agreement.

A temporary halt in hostilities between Russia and Ukraine began Saturday, offering war-weary civilians their first peaceful nights in months as part of a three-day truce negotiated by American officials.

President Donald Trump announced Friday that both nations had committed to the ceasefire running from May 9 through May 11, which also includes an exchange of prisoners. Trump expressed optimism for a “big extension” of the agreement.

The pause in fighting coincided with Russia’s World War Two victory commemoration in Moscow, which proceeded without incident despite earlier Russian threats of potential Ukrainian attacks that could have prompted massive retaliation against Kyiv.

Ukrainian air defense forces reported detecting some unmanned aircraft along the extensive 1,000-kilometer front line stretching across southeastern Ukraine during morning hours, though no missile alerts were issued overnight or into Saturday.

“On the one hand, this is very good because, honestly, the sleepless nights have gotten a bit tiresome,” said Kateryna Kizev, who evacuated from the frontline city of Kherson in the south and currently resides in Cherkasy in central Ukraine.

“At least for a few days we will be able to sleep in peace and without the attacks,” the 22-year-old told Reuters at Kyiv’s Independence Square during a weekend visit to the capital.

KREMLIN SAYS A UKRAINIAN SETTLEMENT IS COMPLICATED

Ever since Russia launched its comprehensive invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow has bombarded power facilities and critical infrastructure throughout Ukraine using missiles and drones, while Kyiv has targeted Russia’s energy production and export sites.

Diplomatic efforts have reached an impasse, with Ukraine refusing Russia’s conditions that it relinquish territory it has successfully protected after forcing Russian troops away from the capital during the early stages of the conflict.

“It is understandable that the American side is in a hurry,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state television reporter Pavel Zarubin.

“But the issue of a Ukrainian settlement is far too complex, and reaching a peace agreement is a very long way with complex details,” Peskov said.

The temporary truce encompasses a halt to all “kinetic activity” and an arrangement to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war from both sides. Officials had not announced Saturday when the prisoner swap would occur.

“There were no strikes on the Red Square. Obviously, there was no massive retaliatory missile strike on Kyiv from us,” Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told reporters.

Both Russia and Ukraine had previously declared individual ceasefires starting on different days this week, but each side rapidly accused the other of violations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy indicated the current truce resulted from ongoing U.S. diplomatic initiatives and emphasized that humanitarian concerns remain central to Kyiv’s priorities.

UKRAINE MARKS VICTORY DAY DIFFERENTLY

Ukraine, which remained part of the Soviet Union until 1991 and suffered millions of casualties during World War Two, shifted its remembrance ceremonies for the Soviet triumph over Nazi Germany from May 9 to May 8 after Russia’s invasion began.

However, some Ukrainian citizens who lost family members during World War Two continue to place flowers at Soviet military monuments on May 9.

“This ceasefire – for a day, or two or three – these are temporary measures. We need peace. It is the fifth year already. It is enough,” Oleksandr Boiko told Reuters in Kharkiv.

“I have lost everything… We need peace.”

Another Kharkiv resident, Ramaz Tsytsyashvili, expressed hope that the ceasefire might create opportunities for additional discussions to conclude the war.

“And perhaps there will be a miracle and this temporary silence, this ceasefire, will hold up a bit and continue, and then step by step it will move to negotiations, and affairs will be solved in offices, not on the battlefield.”

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized Saturday that European nations remain committed to preserving NATO’s effectiveness, even as disagreements with the Trump administration over the Iran conflict have created new strains within the alliance.

Speaking during a press conference in Stockholm alongside Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Merz addressed mounting concerns about NATO’s future amid escalating disputes between Washington and European partners.

Relations have deteriorated significantly after Germany and several other European nations declined to back the U.S. and Israeli military campaign against Iran that started in late February. These tensions add to existing friction over defense spending requirements and immigration policies that Trump has previously criticized.

“We are really willing to keep this alliance alive for the future,” Merz stated during the joint appearance. He noted that both Sweden and Finland have bolstered NATO’s European component.

“We know that there are some differences. We know that we are seeing challenges, all of us, but our final goal is to bring this conflict to an end and to guarantee that Iran is not able to produce nuclear weapons,” the German leader explained.

“And this goal is a common goal between America and Europe,” he added.

The relationship between Germany and the U.S. has become particularly strained after Merz criticized Iran for “humiliating” America last month. In response, Trump ordered the withdrawal of 5,000 American troops and canceled plans to deploy long-range Tomahawk missiles.

Merz downplayed the significance of troop reductions, arguing that “unity of purpose” matters more than numbers. He maintained that having a robust European NATO presence serves American interests.

“We are remaining interested and highly interested in having the American army and the American military support on our side,” he said. “So this is something we are having in common and we are trying to achieve that currently.”

European nations, including Germany, are investing heavily in military modernization after years of reduced defense spending, responding to what Merz described earlier Saturday as an immediate Russian threat to Europe.

His comments came as Russian President Vladimir Putin participated in Moscow’s annual parade commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. Merz expressed disappointment that Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico had reportedly planned to attend the ceremony, saying he intended to discuss “this day in Moscow” with the Slovak leader.

However, while Fico did travel to Moscow, he ultimately chose not to participate in the parade itself.