Author: Admin

Passengers trapped in Middle Eastern airports are clinging to hope with each phone call, desperately waiting to hear their flights home have been confirmed for departure.

Many travelers refuse to celebrate until their aircraft has actually lifted off and exited the region’s airspace entirely.

“There was just this eerie feeling on the plane. Everyone was just dead quiet. No one really spoke,” described Zoe Jackson, who managed to board one of Tuesday’s initial departures from Dubai.

Jackson explained that passengers didn’t start to unwind until midday, finally believing their nightmare might be ending.

Speaking from the safety of Britain, Jackson revealed she only learned she could travel mere hours before takeoff, when her hotel called at 1 a.m. demanding she leave immediately or lose her opportunity.

Major Gulf airports have dramatically scaled back operations as carriers and nations rush to evacuate thousands of stranded travelers caught in the intensifying conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran.

Dubai typically processes over 1,000 daily flights, while neighboring Doha and Abu Dhabi serve as crucial connection points linking Europe and Asia through precisely timed international routes.

Most trapped passengers anticipated brief layovers but have remained stuck – frequently without their belongings – since Saturday.

Wednesday saw dozens of evacuation flights scheduled to depart Dubai.

However, obtaining confirmed seating remains a gamble.

Hotel lobbies buzz with strangers exchanging flight status updates and discussing departure probabilities. Online travel forums debate whether attempting dangerous land crossings might be safer than risking additional cancellations at major transportation centers.

“The biggest decision is whether we stay put or try to cross a land border,” explained Deirdre Amola, an American travel blogger trapped in Dubai. “Then it’s: where should I even try to fly?”

James Gaskin was returning to Britain from India Saturday when he became stranded in Dubai. By Wednesday, he had reached Istanbul with one remaining connection to Manchester.

His escape proved challenging.

Sleep-deprived in Mumbai, Gaskin discovered his connecting flight was canceled and had to coordinate with two booking agents while using his business credit card to secure passage home.

After finally boarding his Dubai connection, the flight sat delayed for over two hours. When the aircraft began moving toward takeoff, it returned to the gate for another postponement.

“When we got out of UAE airspace, everyone kind of cheered,” Gaskin recalled, though he felt conflicted knowing countless others remained trapped.

Among those still waiting are Grzegorz Markiewicz, his wife Malgorzata, and one of their three children – a Polish family stuck in Doha, Qatar while returning from an Australian wedding.

They’ve received no information about potential departure times.

The family is now weighing a grueling six-plus hour desert drive to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, following other hotel guests who’ve already attempted that route seeking alternative flights.

“We are waiting to hear what they’re going to say about the road, about safety on the road,” Malgorzata stated. “And then we will decide.”

OSLO, Norway — Authorities in Norway are examining reports of a suspected blast that took place near the American Embassy in Oslo during the early hours of Sunday morning, according to officials.

The incident resulted in no casualties. Law enforcement received calls about a “loud bang” or blast occurring at approximately 1 a.m., according to a statement released by Oslo police.

When contacted by reporters, the American Embassy in Oslo directed all inquiries to the U.S. State Department, which has not yet responded to requests for information. Oslo police also have not provided additional comments. Further information about the incident remains unavailable.

A Lebanese resident who recently completed repairs on his war-damaged home now finds himself evacuated once again as renewed conflict strikes his border community.

Hussain Khrais, 66, had recently finished showcasing his reconstructed residence in southern Lebanon, which he had restored following severe damage during 2024 fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah. However, fresh hostilities have put his property back in harm’s way.

Khrais evacuated from Khiyam, located approximately three miles from Israel’s border, when Israeli forces launched intensive aerial bombardments last week following rocket and drone attacks by the Iran-supported Hezbollah organization targeting Israeli territory.

“Is the house I worked so hard to build, or the business I started, still there? Or is it all gone?” Khrais said while speaking to Reuters from a family member’s residence near Beirut, where he and his relatives have taken shelter.

“The feeling is very, very upsetting, because we still don’t know if we’ll go back or not.”

This marks neither Khrais’ initial nor secondary displacement experience. Over the past forty years, the elderly man has been forced to relocate at least four separate times due to Israeli military operations and bombing campaigns, consistently returning to find his community destroyed before methodically reconstructing.

During the previous year, he invested several months and approximately $25,000 fixing destruction from the most recent Hezbollah-Israel warfare, which concluded fifteen months earlier. Hezbollah initiated attacks against Israel following joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran conducted February 28.

“It really bothers me to think this is the life I’ve lived,” Khrais explained to Reuters. “Once again, displacement, return, rebuilding, restoration — then again displacement, return, rebuilding. What kind of life is that?”

Without assistance from Lebanon’s government and minimal aid from Hezbollah’s social services network, most Lebanese citizens whose properties suffered damage or destruction during 2024’s conflict have relied on personal finances for reconstruction efforts.

Rebuilding efforts have created enormous financial strain on impacted Lebanese households, who continue facing difficulties accessing bank savings following the nation’s 2019 economic crisis.

Two weeks prior, Khrais had expressed concerns to Reuters about potential renewed warfare. “I’m at an age where I can’t start all over again. That’s it,” he had stated.

The current conflict has delivered another devastating impact to Lebanese citizens. Approximately 300,000 individuals have been displaced during the past week due to Israeli bombardments and military evacuation directives, affecting roughly eight percent of Lebanese territory.

Khrais currently shares accommodations with about twenty other displaced family members, including some evacuated from Khiyam and others from Beirut’s southern neighborhoods, which have experienced heavy Israeli bombing.

He remains focused on television coverage, where news reports detail Israeli ground forces and armored vehicles advancing further into his hometown.

“I’ve been in Beirut for four days now, and these four days feel like 400 years,” Khrais stated.

He deeply longs for his residence.

“Maybe the thing I’m most attached to, is when I open the door to my children’s bedrooms and see the pictures of their children hanging on the walls,” he explained.

“That sight is worth the world’s treasures — to see my grandchildren’s pictures in Khiyam.”

Khrais lacks current information regarding his home’s condition. He maintains optimism but acknowledges that if destruction has occurred, he will respond as he always has.

“The big shock would be if I came back and didn’t find it. But my feeling says no, God willing, it will remain. And like I said, even if we don’t find the house, we’ll go back and rebuild,” he said.

QUITO, Ecuador — Military forces from the United States and Ecuador have initiated collaborative operations targeting organized criminal networks in the South American nation, according to U.S. military officials who have not disclosed specific locations or the full extent of the mission.

The U.S. Southern Command announced late Tuesday that both nations’ armed forces had commenced operations, describing the effort as a “powerful example of the commitment of partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to combat the scourge of narco-terrorism.”

A brief 30-second video shared on social media platform X depicted a helicopter flying above several individuals on the ground, though the clip ended without revealing the operation’s location or additional details.

“We are taking decisive action to confront narco-terrorists who have long inflicted terror, violence, and corruption on citizens throughout the hemisphere,” officials stated in the social media post, while withholding further operational specifics.

Neither Ecuador’s foreign affairs nor defense departments immediately provided comments to The Associated Press regarding the joint mission. The operation received no mention during Wednesday’s U.S. defense secretary briefing, which concentrated on Iran-related matters.

Earlier this week, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa had announced his administration’s plans to begin collaborative efforts with other nations as part of an expanded campaign against organized crime, as the country confronts ongoing violence connected to narcotics trafficking and unauthorized mining activities.

“Ecuador demands security, our people need to live in peace,” Noboa stated, explaining that both military personnel and police officers would participate in what he characterized as “very important” operations.

The South American nation maintains strong diplomatic ties with the United States, Israel, and Italy, frequently working together on security-related challenges.

In February, Noboa directed the foreign ministry to pursue cooperation agreements with “allied nations” that would enable “the incorporation of special forces” on a temporary basis to assist Ecuadorian police and military personnel.

Government officials recognize Ecuador as a crucial operational center in international drug trafficking networks, where narcotics — especially cocaine — are accumulated, warehoused, and shipped, particularly from the northern Colombian border region. These shipments move through Ecuadorian ports to destinations in Central America, the United States, and Europe.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — A fresh attempt to locate Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has yielded no results after searching vast areas of the southern Indian Ocean floor, Malaysian officials announced Sunday. The aircraft disappeared 12 years ago carrying 239 passengers and crew members.

Malaysia’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau reported that Ocean Infinity, a marine robotics firm, conducted extensive seabed exploration between March 2025 and January 2026, scanning thousands of square kilometers without discovering any verified aircraft remains.

The Texas-based company received approval from Malaysia last year to conduct this latest search operation across a 15,000-square-kilometer area in the southern Indian Ocean, where investigators believe the plane went down. Under the agreement, Ocean Infinity will receive $70 million compensation only if wreckage is found.

Operations took place over 28 days in two separate periods — March 25-28 of last year and from December 31, 2025, through January 23 this year, covering approximately 7,571 square kilometers of ocean floor. Weather conditions occasionally hampered the search efforts, according to the bureau.

“The search activities undertaken have not yielded any findings that confirm the location of the aircraft wreckage,” officials stated, without providing details about when operations might continue.

The Boeing 777 aircraft disappeared from radar systems on March 8, 2014, shortly after departing Kuala Lumpur for Beijing with 239 people aboard, predominantly Chinese citizens. Satellite tracking indicated the plane deviated from its planned route and traveled south toward the remote southern Indian Ocean, where experts believe it crashed.

Previous costly international search missions failed to pinpoint the aircraft’s location, though pieces of debris eventually washed up along the east African coastline and various Indian Ocean islands. Ocean Infinity’s earlier private search mission in 2018 also proved unsuccessful.

Voice 370, an organization representing families of the missing passengers, is calling on the Malaysian government to extend Ocean Infinity’s current contract and explore similar partnerships with other deep-sea exploration firms.

While Ocean Infinity’s agreement continues through June, the advocacy group noted that the company’s search vessel has been reassigned to other projects and likely won’t return soon to complete the remaining search zones due to approaching winter weather and worsening ocean conditions.

“The government pays nothing unless the aircraft is found. Any request by Ocean Infinity to extend the search contract should therefore be granted without hesitation,” the group declared. “If the present search is unsuccessful, we would also urge Malaysia to kindly consider extending similar no find, no fee opportunities to other capable deep sea exploration companies.”

The organization pledged to “continue the fight for answers. We will never give up!”

Military strikes expanded across the Middle East on Sunday as Israeli forces targeted oil storage facilities in Tehran and conducted operations in Lebanon, while Iranian forces struck a desalination plant in Bahrain, marking a dangerous escalation in the regional conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated the conflict would intensify, promising “many surprises” in upcoming military operations. The attacks marked the first time civilian industrial infrastructure has become a primary target in the ongoing war.

Tehran’s skyline filled with smoke Sunday morning following Israeli bombardments of oil facilities that created towering flames visible against the night sky in video footage. Iranian state media Fars reported that four oil storage sites and one production transfer facility were hit in Tehran and Alborz provinces, resulting in the deaths of four tanker truck operators.

The conflict, which began February 28 following joint American-Israeli military strikes against Iran, has resulted in significant casualties across the region. Officials report at least 1,230 deaths in Iran, more than 300 in Lebanon, and approximately a dozen fatalities in Israel.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued warnings about escalating attacks on American positions throughout the Middle East as Washington and Tel Aviv continue their aerial campaign.

“When we are attacked, we have no choice but to respond. The more pressure they impose on us, the stronger our response will naturally be,” Pezeshkian stated in video remarks Sunday. “Our Iran, our country, will not bow easily in the face of bullying, oppression or aggression — and it never has.”

The Iranian leader’s comments appeared to reverse more diplomatic statements made Saturday, when he seemed to offer apologies to Gulf neighbors for attacks on their territory. Those conciliatory remarks were quickly contradicted by Iranian hardline officials.

Despite the tough rhetoric, Pezeshkian maintained Iran does not seek conflict with neighboring Arab nations, many of which house American military installations. “They are our brothers,” he declared, while accusing the United States of attempting to create divisions between regional countries. However, Iranian military actions have extended beyond American bases to target energy infrastructure, hotels, and populated areas.

In a significant development, Iranian forces targeted water desalination infrastructure in Bahrain, marking the first time an Arab nation has reported such attacks during the nine-day conflict. Missile fragments damaged a university building in Muharraq city and caused additional property damage, according to Bahrain’s Interior Ministry.

The targeting of desalination facilities raises serious concerns, as hundreds of these plants line the Persian Gulf coastline and provide essential drinking water for Arab countries in the arid region.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed American airstrikes damaged an Iranian desalination facility on Qeshm Island, stating “the U.S. set this precedent, not Iran.” Such infrastructure is vital for providing drinking water in the desert regions surrounding the Gulf.

Israeli military officials confirmed Sunday they had attacked a fleet of F-14 fighter jets that Iran acquired from the United States before the 1979 revolution. The aircraft, stationed at Isfahan Airport south of Tehran, historically served as a cornerstone of Iranian air defense capabilities. Israeli forces also targeted radar systems and air defense installations, though they did not confirm whether the jets were destroyed.

A missile alert was activated Sunday morning in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, indicating the potential for expanded regional involvement in the conflict.

Israel’s armed forces declared on March 8th that they will target anyone chosen to replace Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following his death in combined American and Israeli military operations against Iran.

Using the social media platform X, Israeli military officials posted a message in the Persian language threatening to hunt down not only future supreme leaders but also members of Iran’s religious council tasked with selecting Khamenei’s replacement.

The threatening statement arrives at a crucial moment as Iran’s clerical leadership prepares to convene and select the Islamic Republic’s new supreme leader.

Kuwait’s Fire Force announced Sunday that two firefighters lost their lives during active duty, according to a statement posted on social media platform X.

The agency did not reveal specific details about how the officers died. However, Kuwait has recently been working to intercept aerial attacks including drones and missiles fired from Iran, following military strikes by the United States and Israel against the Middle Eastern nation.

President Donald Trump expressed his admiration for Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during a Saturday telephone interview, highlighting her nation’s support for the United States and Israel in their ongoing conflict with Iran, according to Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper.

In the conversation reported Sunday, Trump characterized Meloni as an exceptional leader and acknowledged Italy’s efforts to provide assistance in the regional crisis.

“I love Italy, I think she is a great leader,” Trump stated when discussing Meloni with the Italian publication.

“She always tries to help, she is an excellent leader and she is a friend of mine,” the president added, as reported by Corriere della Sera.

Italy has announced concrete steps to support the effort, with Meloni revealing Thursday that her country intends to provide air-defense assistance to Gulf nations facing Iranian aerial attacks.

Additionally, an Italian naval vessel is being readied for deployment to Cyprus, according to a navy spokesperson who spoke Friday. The mission represents part of a broader European initiative to defend the Mediterranean island following Iranian strikes against it.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israeli forces continued their bombardment of southern Lebanon on Sunday as a regional conflict stretched into its ninth day, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing “many surprises” in upcoming military operations spreading throughout the Middle East.

Sunday’s attacks in Lebanon resulted in 12 additional deaths, bringing the Lebanese casualty count beyond 300 following Israel’s evacuation orders for vast areas of the nation during military operations designed to eliminate Iranian-backed forces operating there.

The conflict began February 28 when Israel and the United States launched coordinated strikes, claiming they were targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities and missile capabilities while suggesting regime change as a goal. The warfare has now expanded regionally, causing global market instability, aviation disruptions, and significantly weakening Iran’s leadership through hundreds of combined Israeli and American bombardments.

Iranian forces have launched missile and drone attacks against Gulf neighbors, Israel has escalated Lebanese operations, and military strikes have been documented from Cyprus to waters near Sri Lanka.

During Saturday evening remarks outlining future war plans, Netanyahu stated Israel’s intention to destabilize Iran’s government and facilitate political transformation. Israel subsequently conducted another strike wave late Saturday, targeting a Tehran oil storage complex — marking the first apparent civilian industrial facility hit — creating massive fire columns illuminating the night.

Iran has issued apologies for strikes against “neighboring countries,” though its missiles and drones continue hitting Gulf state targets — including attacks killing civilians — while hardliners indicate Tehran will maintain its current strategy.

President Masoud Pezeshkian adopted conciliatory language Sunday, describing Iran’s neighbors as friends and brothers while accusing the United States and Israel of using “manipulation” to create regional divisions in televised state media comments.

“We will not bow our heads to bullying, injustice or intrusion,” he stated.

Pezeshkian and other Iranian officials have emphasized the restricted authority held by the theocracy’s leadership over the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which operates ballistic missiles targeting Israel and other nations. This force reports exclusively to Khamenei and appears to select its own objectives. The president serves as one of three leadership council members governing Iran since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died in the war’s initial airstrikes.

Divisions between politicians seeking conflict de-escalation and others committed to fighting the United States and Israel may hinder diplomatic initiatives.

Pezeshkian’s statements followed his previous day’s announcement that the leadership council had contacted armed forces and “from now on, they should not attack neighboring countries or fire missiles at them, unless we are attacked by those countries. I think we should solve this through diplomacy.”

The U.S. operations originate from American bases and vessels regionally, not from the Gulf Arab governments experiencing attacks.

However, hardline judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, another council member, indicated war strategy would continue unchanged.

“The geography of some countries in the region — both overtly and covertly — is in the hands of the enemy, and those points are used against our country in acts of aggression. Intense attacks on these targets will continue,” he posted on X.

Pezeshkian also rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s unconditional surrender demands, saying: “That’s a dream that they should take to their grave.”

Trump warned Iran would be “hit very hard” and additional “areas and groups of people” would become targets, without providing specifics. The conflict has already disrupted global markets and weakened Iran’s leadership through hundreds of Israeli and American airstrikes.

“We’re not looking to settle,” Trump informed reporters Saturday aboard Air Force One. “They’d like to settle. We’re not looking to settle.”

He characterized ongoing U.S. Iranian operations as an “excursion” and predicted improvements in gas prices and American safety once fighting concludes.

The U.S. and Israel have focused on Iran’s military assets, leadership structure, and nuclear program. War objectives and timelines have shifted repeatedly as the U.S. has alternately suggested toppling Iran’s government or installing new leadership.

Combat operations have killed at least 1,230 Iranians, over 290 Lebanese, and 11 Israelis, according to respective government officials. Six American troops have died.

Following Pezeshkian’s apology, Iranian attacks continued.

Bahrain reports an Iranian drone strike caused “material damage” to a desalination facility — the first Gulf nation to report Iran targeting such infrastructure during the nine-day conflict.

Hundreds of desalination facilities operate along Persian Gulf coastlines, with the region depending heavily on them for water supplies.

Earlier Sunday, the United Arab Emirates reported debris from aerial interception fell on a vehicle, killing the driver. Four people have now died in the UAE since fighting began. Officials state all victims were foreign nationals.

The UAE advised residents to remain indoors Sunday morning as its military responded to drone attacks. In Kuwait, authorities reported drone waves targeting critical infrastructure, including Kuwait International Airport fuel tanks and a Kuwait City government building. At least two people died from strikes in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region.

Saudi Arabia announced destroying a drone approaching its extensive Shaybah oil field Sunday and shooting down four drones over Riyadh, including one targeting the diplomatic quarter. Bahrain’s Interior Ministry reported missile fragments falling on a Manama road, injuring one person and damaging several shops.

Iranian religious officials have reportedly come close to agreeing on who will succeed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to statements made Sunday by a key religious authority.

Ayatollah Mohammadmehdi Mirbaqeri, who serves on the Assembly of Experts, told the Mehr news agency that broad agreement has been achieved among the majority regarding the succession question. However, he noted that “some obstacles” still need to be worked out in the selection process.

Iranian news outlets indicated that the religious body responsible for choosing the country’s supreme leader has encountered a procedural dispute. The disagreement centers on whether their ultimate choice must be made during a face-to-face gathering or if the decision can be finalized without requiring such a formal meeting.

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A political organization headed by a former rapper appears headed for a commanding victory in Nepal’s parliamentary elections, marking the first such vote since Generation Z demonstrations removed longtime leadership that had governed the Himalayan country for many years.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party, also known as the National Independent Party, established just four years ago, has already secured 103 out of 165 directly elected positions and maintains leads in 21 additional districts according to results released Sunday morning by Nepal’s Election Commission.

Competing political organizations and independent contenders have captured 27 positions combined thus far. Election officials continued vote tallying on Sunday with complete results anticipated later this week.

The organization’s candidate for prime minister is Balendra Shah, a politician who previously worked as a rapper and secured Kathmandu’s mayoral position in 2022. Shah became a prominent leader during the 2025 demonstrations that removed former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli from power.

Nepal’s electoral system allows voters to directly select 165 representatives for the House of Representatives, Parliament’s lower chamber. The additional 110 positions in the 275-member legislature are distributed using proportional representation, where political organizations receive positions based on their voting percentage. On Sunday, RSP also maintained the lead with approximately 51% of those 110 positions.

The comparatively young RSP has displaced Nepal’s two historically powerful parties: the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), which have alternated control of the government.

Regional newspapers described the comprehensive victory as a watershed moment. “RSP set for a landslide victory,” reported the widely-read The Himalayan Times. “People’s ballot revolt; shift in political paradigm,” declared Annapurna Post.

RSP supporters have been marking the victory across multiple districts, presenting winners with flower garlands, bouquets, scarves and applying red vermilion powder.

Party leadership, however, has requested their candidates and supporters avoid victory parades or other public festivities to honor the numerous lives lost during last year’s youth-driven demonstrations.

Nepal’s voting system provides citizens with two ballots: one to select their preferred candidate, typically representing a political party, and another to choose their favored party.

RSP has clearly obtained more than half the directly elected positions, and second ballot outcomes also demonstrate the party has secured over 50% of votes in their favor. They need support from half the total members in Parliament’s lower chamber to establish a government.

Previous year’s demonstrations against corruption and inadequate governance began with a social media prohibition before expanding into widespread resistance against the administration. Numerous people died and hundreds suffered injuries when demonstrators targeted government facilities and police fired upon them.

Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó to Moscow on Wednesday for discussions centered on energy security, as Hungary continues depending on Russian oil and gas despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The Hungarian diplomat traveled to Moscow seeking assurances that his country would maintain access to Russian energy resources amid supply chain disruptions linked to Middle Eastern conflicts and interruptions affecting the Druzhba pipeline carrying Russian oil.

Budapest has recently claimed that Kyiv is intentionally blocking Russian oil shipments through the pipeline that runs across Ukrainian territory. Ukrainian authorities have rejected these claims, stating that Russian drone strikes damaged the pipeline that supplies refineries in both Hungary and Slovakia.

During their meeting, Putin provided reassurance to Szijjártó, stating that Russian officials “have always fulfilled all our obligations, and, of course, we intend and are ready to do so.”

“I understand that this is of concern to you, particularly oil supplies. We see what’s happening in the global and European gas markets. We’ll be happy to discuss all these issues,” Putin said.

“Not everything is in our power,” he said.

The Hungarian minister responded by telling Putin that he was “well aware that Ukraine has been blocking oil shipments to Hungary on the Druzhba oil pipeline for weeks, solely for political reasons and based on a political decision.”

Szijjártó explained that his Moscow visit aimed to secure Hungary’s ongoing access to Russian fossil fuels “at an unchanged price,” despite pipeline disruptions and rising energy costs following Middle Eastern warfare.

Putin also revealed that Russia would free two ethnic Hungarian prisoners of war who had served with Ukrainian forces. Putin noted that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán requested their release during a Tuesday phone conversation, and that Szijjártó could transport them home “right on the plane that brought you here and that you will return to Budapest on.”

Szijjártó expressed gratitude in Russian. The minister has previously claimed that Ukraine forcibly drafted members of the approximately 75,000-strong ethnic Hungarian population living in western Ukraine’s Zakarpattia region. Both released prisoners hold dual Hungarian and Ukrainian citizenship, Putin confirmed.

This prisoner release agreement occurs as Orbán intensifies his anti-Ukraine rhetoric ahead of challenging elections next month.

With polls showing him behind a center-right opponent who promises to rebuild Hungary’s Western partnerships and eliminate Russian energy dependence, Orbán has increased unsubstantiated claims that Kyiv and the European Union want to financially ruin Hungary by compelling it to support Ukraine economically.

He has also attempted to persuade voters that an opposition victory would result in Hungarian young people dying in combat.

Hungary recently prevented new EU sanctions against Russia following Russian oil supply interruptions through Ukraine, and threatened to block a major 90-billion euro ($106 billion) EU loan package for Kyiv until oil deliveries restart.

ROME — A researcher without formal art history credentials has sparked controversy in academic circles by declaring that a marble sculpture of Christ housed in a Roman church was created by Renaissance master Michelangelo.

Independent investigator Valentina Salerno made her announcement Wednesday, causing unease among Renaissance scholars who note the high financial stakes involved. A recent drawing of a foot attributed to Michelangelo sold for $27.2 million at Christie’s auction house, though some experts questioned its authenticity.

The timing has drawn extra scrutiny as Friday commemorates 550 years since Michelangelo’s birth, with numerous exhibitions and scholarly events celebrating his artistic contributions.

Salerno published her findings on academia.edu, a commercial academic networking platform that doesn’t require peer review, before presenting her conclusions at a Wednesday news conference.

The disputed artwork sits in the Basilica of Sant’Agnese fuori le mura, where Italy’s culture ministry currently lists it as an anonymous piece from the Roman school of the 16th century. However, this isn’t the first time someone has suggested Michelangelo created the work.

Art expert William Wallace noted in a 1996 ArtNews piece that 19th-century French author Stendhal once wrote about the same church: “we noticed a head of the savior which I should swear is by Michelangelo.”

“Stendhal’s vow notwithstanding, the head has never been taken seriously, and nowadays would not even appear in a catalog raisonné under ‘rejected attributions,’” Wallace observed at the time.

According to Salerno’s theory, historical documents from the centuries following Michelangelo’s death in 1564 properly credited him with the sculpture, until a 1984 scholarly analysis incorrectly dismissed the attribution.

“I have provided and will continue to provide — I hope, because the research continues — a whole series of documentary evidence on this,” Salerno stated. “There will be experts in the field who will conduct their own investigations. To date, we can say that, according to the documents, the object is attributed to Michelangelo.”

Her research suggests the bust was modeled after Tomaso De’ Cavalieriis, who was close to Michelangelo, and became part of the artistic legacy the master left to his circle when he died. Salerno says she reached this conclusion by examining wills, estate inventories, and notarized records stored in church archives, state repositories, and Roman confraternity collections that included Michelangelo and his pupils.

The culture ministry declined to participate in Salerno’s announcement, according to Rev. Franco Bergamin, who leads the religious order managing the church. Italy’s Carabinieri art crime unit refused to authenticate the statue but has increased security around it, installing a warning sign that reads “Alarm armed.”

“We hope that this asset, which belongs to our cultural heritage regardless of whether it can be attributed to Michelangelo Buonarroti or not, is part of the national heritage that we are responsible for defending,” stated Lt. Col. Paolo Salvatori.

Salerno, who works as an actress and fiction writer, lacks a college education or formal training in art history. She says she stumbled into this research “by chance” while gathering material for a Michelangelo novel a decade ago.

Her published work describes discovering evidence of a secret “pact of indissolubility” between some of Michelangelo’s students and their descendants to preserve the master’s works after his death. This agreement allegedly included a previously unknown chamber that required three separate keys, held by three different pupils, to unlock.

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, who oversees St. Peter’s Basilica, took notice of Salerno’s work and appointed her and her mentor to a 2025 scientific committee exploring a potential Vatican exhibition for Michelangelo’s birth anniversary.

The committee’s work has yet to produce results, and its members have either minimized Salerno’s contributions or refused to discuss them publicly. Some expressed bewilderment at her inclusion alongside world-renowned Renaissance scholars like Vatican Museums director Barbara Jatta, British Museum curator Hugo Chapman, and Washington University art history professor William Wallace.

When contacted by The Associated Press, Jatta distanced herself from the Vatican committee. The British Museum declined to make Chapman available for interviews, and Gambetti’s office didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Wallace told the AP that while Salerno’s research methods have merit and noted Europe’s tradition of accomplished non-academic researchers, he disagrees with her broader conclusions. He supports her argument that Michelangelo didn’t destroy his works in a fire — a myth scholars have already debunked — and agrees the artist likely entrusted remaining pieces to students in his final years.

However, Wallace disputes the idea that vast quantities of Michelangelo’s work were hidden away and await discovery. He points out that the aging master was managing six architectural projects in Rome and likely produced mainly technical sketches that wouldn’t have survived as “working drawings.”

While acknowledging the secret three-key chamber concept is novel, Wallace said proper academic practice would require Salerno to transcribe her source documents and submit them for peer review.

Italy regularly sees claims of newly discovered works by famous artists, with fake, fraudulent, and disputed attributions to Modigliani and others appearing frequently in art history discussions.

“I think I counted up 45 attributions to Michelangelo since 2000, and not one of which you can remember or mention, but every single one arrived with the headline, ‘The greatest discovery of the time,’ (or) ‘It will change everything we think about Michelangelo,’” Wallace explained. “And then five years later, we can’t even remember what it was.”

Michelangelo Buonarroti, who lived from 1475-1564, produced some of the Renaissance’s most celebrated masterpieces, including Florence’s David statue, St. Peter’s Basilica Pieta, the Sistine Chapel ceiling, and “The Last Judgment” fresco.

While missile strikes and drone attacks disrupt energy operations throughout the Persian Gulf region, experts caution that freshwater supplies face even greater danger than petroleum resources in this water-scarce but oil-wealthy area.

Coastal areas along the Persian Gulf house hundreds of facilities that convert seawater into drinking water, placing these vital systems within striking distance of Iranian weapons. Major metropolitan areas would struggle to maintain their current resident numbers without these installations.

Kuwait relies on desalinated water for approximately 90% of its drinking supply, while Oman depends on it for roughly 86% and Saudi Arabia for about 70%. These facilities extract salt from ocean water through advanced filtration methods, primarily using reverse osmosis technology that forces water through extremely fine barriers to create freshwater for urban centers, hospitality, manufacturing and limited farming in one of Earth’s most arid regions.

International observers have focused primarily on how the Iranian conflict affects global energy costs. The Gulf region accounts for roughly one-third of worldwide crude oil shipments, and petroleum income forms the foundation of national budgets. Military action has already stopped tanker movement through critical waterways and interrupted port operations, compelling some oil producers to reduce shipments as storage facilities reach capacity.

However, the systems that deliver potable water to Gulf metropolitan areas face similar risks.

“Everyone thinks of Saudi Arabia and their neighbors as petrostates. But I call them saltwater kingdoms. They’re manmade fossil-fueled water superpowers,” said Michael Christopher Low, director of the Middle East Center at the University of Utah. “It’s both a monumental achievement of the 20th century and a certain kind of vulnerability.”

The conflict that started February 28 with American and Israeli strikes against Iran has already brought combat near essential water treatment infrastructure. Iranian attacks on Dubai’s Jebel Ali port on March 2 struck approximately 12 miles from one of the planet’s largest desalination complexes, which supplies much of the city’s potable water.

Reports also emerged of damage at the Fujairah F1 power and water facility in the United Arab Emirates, plus Kuwait’s Doha West desalination installation. The harm to both locations appeared connected to nearby port bombardments or wreckage from destroyed drones, with limited indication that Iran deliberately aims at water processing sites, according to specialists.

Numerous Gulf desalination operations share physical space with electrical generation stations as combined facilities, meaning strikes on power infrastructure could simultaneously impact water output. Even when plants connect to national electrical networks with alternative supply paths, interruptions can spread throughout linked systems, explained David Michel, senior fellow for water security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“It’s an asymmetrical tactic,” he said. “Iran doesn’t have the same capacity to strike back at the United States and Israel. But it does have this possibility to impose costs on the Gulf countries to push them to intervene or call for a cessation of hostilities.”

Water treatment plants contain multiple components including intake mechanisms, processing equipment and power sources, with harm to any segment capable of stopping production, noted Ed Cullinane, Middle East editor at Global Water Intelligence, a water industry publication.

“None of these assets are any more protected than any of the municipal areas that are currently being hit by ballistic missiles or drones,” Cullinane said.

Regional governments and American officials have recognized for years the stability risks these systems create: major desalination plant shutdowns could eliminate most drinking water access for some cities within days. A 2010 CIA assessment cautioned that attacks on desalination infrastructure might spark national emergencies across several Gulf nations, with extended outages potentially lasting months if essential equipment suffered destruction.

The Gulf region produces over 90% of its desalinated water from merely 56 facilities, the analysis noted, with “each of these critical plants extremely vulnerable to sabotage or military action.”

A disclosed 2008 American diplomatic message warned that Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh “would have to evacuate within a week” if the Jubail desalination facility on the Gulf shoreline, its connecting pipelines, or related power systems sustained serious damage.

Saudi Arabia has subsequently built pipeline networks, storage reservoirs and other backup systems intended to buffer temporary interruptions, similar to UAE investments. However, smaller nations including Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait maintain fewer emergency supplies.

Rising ocean temperatures increase cyclone probability and strength in the Arabian Sea while raising landfall chances on the Arabian Peninsula, potentially causing storm surge and heavy rainfall to overwhelm drainage infrastructure and harm coastal desalination equipment.

The facilities themselves add to environmental concerns. Desalination requires substantial energy, with global plants generating between 500 and 850 million tons of carbon emissions yearly, approaching the roughly 880 million tons produced by the worldwide aviation sector.

Desalination creates highly concentrated salt brine as waste, typically returned to oceans where it can damage seafloor environments and coral formations, while water intake systems can capture and kill fish larvae, plankton and other marine life forming the foundation of oceanic food chains.

Climate change intensifies drought conditions, alters precipitation patterns and increases wildfire activity, making desalination expansion likely across many global regions.

During Iraq’s 1990-1991 Kuwait invasion and the following Gulf War, Iraqi military units destroyed power plants and desalination equipment during their withdrawal, according to the University of Utah’s Low. Simultaneously, millions of oil barrels were intentionally released into the Persian Gulf, creating among history’s largest petroleum spills.

The enormous slick threatened to contaminate seawater intake pipes serving regional desalination plants. Emergency crews quickly positioned protective barriers around major facility intake valves.

The destruction left Kuwait mostly without freshwater and requiring emergency water imports. Complete restoration required years.

More recently, Yemen’s Houthi forces have attacked Saudi desalination installations during regional conflicts.

These events highlight broader deterioration of established principles against targeting civilian infrastructure, Michel observed, referencing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and Iraq.

International humanitarian law, including Geneva Convention provisions, forbids attacking civilian infrastructure essential for population survival, including drinking water facilities.

Potential cyber threats against water infrastructure present increasing concerns. During 2023 and 2024, American officials attributed several U.S. water utility hacking incidents to Iran-connected organizations.

Following five consecutive years of severe drought, water reserves in Tehran’s five storage facilities dropped to approximately 10% capacity, leading President Masoud Pezeshkian to warn the capital might require evacuation.

Unlike numerous Gulf states heavily dependent on desalination, Iran obtains most water from rivers, reservoirs and diminishing underground water sources. The nation operates relatively few desalination plants, meeting only a small portion of national requirements.

Iran rushes to expand coastal desalination and transport water inland, but infrastructure limitations, energy expenses and international sanctions have severely restricted expansion capabilities.

“They were already thinking of evacuating the capital last summer,” Cullinane of Global Water Intelligence said. “I don’t dare to wonder what it’s going to be like this summer under sustained fire, with an ongoing economic catastrophe and a serious water crisis.”

BOGOTA, Colombia — Voters across Colombia are participating in Sunday’s elections to choose new legislative representatives and determine presidential nominees from three major political coalitions in advance of the May presidential race.

Security concerns have prompted heightened vigilance throughout the South American nation, especially in countryside areas where illegal armed organizations maintain control.

Current President Gustavo Petro — Colombia’s first leftist president — has raised questions about the reliability of the nation’s voting technology, referencing the 2022 legislative contests when his Historic Pact coalition received an additional 390,000 votes after ballots were recounted. He credited the increase to election monitoring efforts.

The European Union sent 40 election monitors in early February and announced plans to expand their observer mission for Sunday’s legislative voting.

Over 3,000 individuals are competing for 285 seats in the legislature — 102 Senate positions and 183 House seats — with 41.2 million registered voters able to participate.

Sunday’s results will shape Colombia’s political environment for the next presidential administration.

Constitutional restrictions prevent Petro from seeking another consecutive term as president.

While Colombia’s existing legislature supported Petro’s pension and employment reforms, lawmakers blocked his healthcare and taxation proposals, creating frequent friction between the executive and legislative branches.

Conservative opposition groups are working to regain their position as the country’s leading political power. The Democratic Center, Colombia’s main opposition organization, remains under the guidance of former President Álvaro Uribe, who is rallying supporters to establish a strong legislative foundation before the presidential contest.

In addition to congressional races, Colombian citizens will select presidential nominees for the nation’s three primary political groups: centrist, center-left, and conservative. The victors of these “inter-party consultations,” which function like American primary contests, will advance to the presidential election beginning May 31.

Presidential contenders have traditionally utilized these primaries to measure their popularity before the initial voting round. This approach worked effectively four years ago for Petro, who strengthened his position by winning the left-wing primary with Francia Márquez, who later became his running mate.

Yet the two contenders currently ahead in polling — leftist Iván Cepeda from Petro’s party and far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella — have chosen not to enter the optional primaries.

Political expert Gabriel Cifuentes described the primaries as a risky proposition for participants, explaining that success on Sunday only matters if it shows sufficient strength to challenge frontrunners like Cepeda and de la Espriella.

More than 126,000 security personnel are scheduled for deployment nationwide during voting.

BEIJING — Chinese officials are expressing optimism about the possibility of improved relations with the United States, with Beijing’s top diplomat describing this year as potentially transformative for ties between the world’s two largest economies.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered remarks Sunday during a media briefing held alongside China’s annual legislative session, characterizing the current period as significant for US-China relations. Despite ongoing tensions between the nations, Wang emphasized that both presidents have maintained direct communication at the highest levels, which he described as providing crucial stability for diplomatic ties.

President Trump is scheduled to travel to Beijing for meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the conclusion of March. Though Wang did not officially verify the planned visit, his statements suggested Beijing is seeking to reduce friction in the relationship.

“The agenda for high-level exchanges is already on our table. What needs to be done now is for both sides to make thorough preparations for this, foster a suitable atmosphere, manage existing differences, and eliminate unnecessary distractions,” Wang stated. “China’s attitude has always been positive and open, and the key is for the U.S. side to meet us halfway.”

The two nations have experienced prolonged tensions, particularly following Trump’s initiation of trade conflicts during his previous presidency. Trump imposed significant tariffs on Chinese goods last year, representing some of his administration’s most substantial trade penalties globally, citing concerns about trade imbalances. Although Trump and Xi reached a temporary agreement in October to pause the most severe tariffs, fundamental disagreements remain unresolved.

Wang’s statements appeared to reflect China’s growing confidence on the international stage while also defending multilateral institutions like the United Nations, which has faced budget cuts and staff reductions following American withdrawal from various UN programs.

The foreign minister discussed China’s Global Governance Initiative, a security framework that President Xi introduced in September. Beijing now indicates this program will prioritize the United Nations’ central role. “The clearest signal from global governance initiatives is that the U.N.’s leading role must be upheld and cannot be shaken; its core role should be strengthened, not weakened,” Wang explained.

Wang additionally renewed his appeals for an immediate cessation of military operations in Iran.

“This is a war that shouldn’t have happened, and is one that doesn’t bring any benefit to anyone,” Wang remarked. Without directly naming the United States, he delivered what appeared to be indirect criticism, stating “Might does not equal right, and the world cannot revert to the law of the jungle.”

He urged major world powers to assume constructive roles and return to diplomatic negotiations to resolve the conflict.

WASHINGTON – The White House announced Wednesday that Spain has reversed course and agreed to provide military cooperation with the United States, following President Trump’s threat to impose trade sanctions on the European nation.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed the development during a briefing, stating the Spanish government responded quickly to Trump’s warning. “I think they heard the president’s message yesterday loud and clear. It is my understanding over the past several hours they’ve agreed to cooperate with the US military,” Leavitt told reporters.

The diplomatic tension emerged after Spain blocked American military aircraft from accessing shared naval and air facilities in the country’s southern region. These bases were intended to support joint U.S.-Israeli military operations targeting Iran. Trump had proposed implementing a complete trade embargo against Madrid in response to their refusal.

Spanish officials have strongly criticized the American and Israeli bombing campaigns against Iran, characterizing the military actions as both dangerous and unlawful.

Despite the reported agreement, Spanish leadership maintained a defiant tone Wednesday. Deputy Prime Minister Maria Jesus Montero declared that Spain “will not be vassals” to another country. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also delivered a televised statement reaffirming his nation’s opposition to military conflict, cautioning that the current situation could escalate into a worldwide catastrophe.

KUALA LUMPUR – Relatives of those who were aboard the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 are pressing the Malaysian government to extend its current search agreement with deep-sea exploration company Ocean Infinity as the hunt for the vanished aircraft continues into its 12th year.

The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 disappeared while traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014, with 239 people on board – 227 passengers and 12 crew members. The incident remains one of aviation’s most puzzling unsolved mysteries.

Since the plane’s disappearance, numerous search efforts have been launched across the southern Indian Ocean, but none have successfully located the missing aircraft.

Last March, Malaysian officials authorized Ocean Infinity to restart search operations under a “no find, no fee” arrangement, where the company would receive $70 million only upon successfully discovering the wreckage.

However, Malaysia’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau announced Sunday that the search efforts have not produced any significant results. The operations included two separate phases spanning 28 days total, covering approximately 7,571 square kilometers of ocean floor.

Weather conditions and rough seas repeatedly interrupted the search activities, with the most recent phase concluding on January 23, according to the AAIB.

“The government remains committed to keeping the families informed and will continue to provide updates as appropriate,” the bureau stated.

Voice370, an organization representing the families of flight victims, expressed concern that Ocean Infinity may not be able to continue searching before the contract expires in June. The group cited approaching winter weather in the southern hemisphere and worsening ocean conditions as barriers to resuming operations.

The families’ group is asking Malaysian officials to approve any extension requests from Ocean Infinity and to offer similar terms to other exploration companies that may be interested in joining the search.

“A simple addendum extending the contract period without altering the core terms of the agreement would allow the search to continue without delay,” Voice370 stated.

This is not Ocean Infinity’s first attempt to locate the missing plane, as the company has previously conducted unsuccessful search operations.

A 2018 investigation report by Malaysian authorities offered no definitive explanation for what occurred during the flight, though officials did not dismiss the possibility that someone intentionally diverted the aircraft from its planned route.

Israeli military forces have escalated operations against Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, conducting expanded airstrikes and deploying additional troops along the border as the conflict with Iran broadens into a second active theater.

Plumes of smoke billowed from Beirut’s southern neighborhoods early Wednesday following intensified Israeli bombardments targeting what military officials described as Hezbollah command facilities and weapons depots throughout Lebanon.

Israeli commanders characterized the enhanced military activity as defensive measures over the past day, though they warned of further expansion if cross-border attacks persist from Lebanese territory.

According to Israeli military communications, the airstrikes focused on Hezbollah operational centers and ammunition storage facilities in the capital and additional Lebanese locations, as the frequency of cross-border exchanges increased and evacuation alerts spread throughout affected regions.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry documented at least 40 fatalities and hundreds of injuries from the recent bombardment campaign, while thousands of residents evacuated their homes amid fears the confrontation could develop into an extended military operation.

Lebanese government officials have publicly separated the state from Hezbollah’s military activities, with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam denouncing the group’s armed operations as unlawful and signaling efforts to halt attacks originating from Lebanese soil.

“We will not accept anyone dragging the country into adventures that threaten its security and unity,” Salam posted on his X account Saturday, warning Hezbollah against joining Iranian retaliation against Israel.

Israeli leadership portrayed Hezbollah’s involvement as part of Iran’s broader regional strategy, with Defense Minister Israel Katz delivering a stern ultimatum to the organization’s commanders.

“Hezbollah will pay a heavy price for the shooting towards Israel, and Naim Qassem, the secretary-general of Hezbollah, who decided on the shooting under pressure from Iran—is now a target for elimination,” read a social media post by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz. “Whoever follows in the path of Khamenei will soon find himself with him in the depths of hell along with all the thwarted elements of the axis of evil.”

Israeli officials view the Lebanese front as directly connected to the broader confrontation with Tehran, maintaining that Hezbollah continues functioning as an Iranian proxy despite significant losses in previous conflicts.

“Ideologically, Hezbollah still has very close ties to Iran,” Avraham Levine, a speaker and digital content manager at the Alma Research and Education Center, a security think tank in northern Israel, told The Media Line. “Nothing has changed; Hezbollah is still a main tool for Iran when it comes to Israel.”

The current escalation threatens to collapse a delicate ceasefire arrangement that remained largely intact following the 2023-2024 Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which forced tens of thousands from their homes on both sides before an internationally mediated agreement reduced hostilities.

“Hezbollah has now challenged this ceasefire by joining the war, no less,” Levine said. “The likely scenario is a continuation of Hezbollah fire, keeping Israel busy on another front and applying pressure by showing support for Iran.”

Levine predicted Hezbollah would pursue selective, focused strikes against Israeli military installations near the border rather than launch a major ground invasion into Israeli territory.

“We have launched an offensive campaign against Hezbollah. We are not only operating defensively; we are now going on the offensive as well,” Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Monday at a briefing with senior commanders. “We must prepare for many prolonged days of combat ahead. This requires strong defensive readiness and sustained offensive readiness, operating in continuous waves while constantly utilizing opportunities.”

Israeli authorities have identified expanded target lists connected to Hezbollah’s operational network in Lebanon, including financial systems, while issuing civilian warnings to avoid Hezbollah-associated locations as strikes extended beyond border areas.

The Lebanese escalation has developed parallel to a fifth day of joint US-Israel strikes against Iran, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautioning the campaign may require “some time” while both nations emphasized initial military successes despite continued Iranian counterattacks reaching Israel.

During the initial phase, Israeli and US officials reported their forces achieved air dominance over Iran by damaging critical air-defense systems, allowing sustained attacks on missile facilities, command structures, and other strategic objectives.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the opening phase of the campaign, along with other senior Iranian commanders, according to Israeli and US statements and multiple reports.

US military forces also targeted Iranian naval capabilities, framing the maritime component as part of broader efforts to reduce Iran’s regional influence and threatening posture.

“Targeting the navy is of utmost importance and can remove one of Iran’s main tools which it has used to threaten countries in the region and threaten the continuity of international trade,” Meir Ben-Shabbat, head of the Misgav Institute for National Security and former national security adviser, told The Media Line.

Ben-Shabbat noted the campaign’s opening phase demonstrated unprecedented operational coordination between Washington and Jerusalem, including effective defense against incoming attacks.

“First and foremost, the close cooperation between Israel and the US must be noted. The amount and quality of the strikes is testament to high-quality intelligence and high operational abilities of the Israeli air force, in addition to a high success rate of air defense systems in Israel,” Ben-Shabbat said.

Iran has maintained ballistic missile and drone attacks toward Israel, with Israeli media reporting at least 12 deaths and more than 60 injuries since the conflict began, plus additional strikes causing damage and casualties in central Israel.

“To all of these achievements, we must add the significant performance of the US military that, in addition to managing and coordinating the effort, conducted over 1,000 strikes against major power centers in Iran,” Ben-Shabbat said.

The immediate concern centers on whether the Israel-Lebanon confrontation remains limited or develops into an extended campaign that pulls Lebanon further into the regional conflict, particularly as Beirut’s administration faces pressure to enforce its public statements through concrete action.

Wednesday brought widespread electrical failures across Cuba, leaving the capital city of Havana and most other regions without power, according to the nation’s electricity workers union UNE. The outage occurred as the island’s communist leadership continues dealing with mounting pressure from the Trump administration.

The Caribbean nation has endured multiple large-scale electrical failures in recent years, predating the current halt in U.S. oil deliveries to the island.

Cuban officials have blamed their nation’s economic struggles on decades of American economic sanctions.

Recent shortages of petroleum from Venezuela and Mexico, stemming from U.S. diplomatic pressure, have made existing supply problems even worse.

According to UNE officials, crews are actively working to bring power back online, with the electrical failure spanning from Camaguey province in the center of the island westward to Pinar del Rio.

Cuba’s energy ministry reported that the Felton 1 thermal power facility in eastern Holguin province continues operating, and emergency restoration procedures have begun.

Venezuela, which serves as Cuba’s primary petroleum supplier, has not delivered oil shipments since December. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was taken during a U.S. operation in the capital in early January, after which American forces have overseen the country’s oil export operations.

Mexican officials announced they would stop their oil deliveries following U.S. threats of tariffs against nations providing petroleum to Cuba.

The electrical disruptions have forced the government to limit essential services.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum conducted high-level meetings in Venezuela Wednesday, sitting down with the country’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez at the presidential palace in Caracas after his arrival earlier that day. Media captured brief footage of their encounter.

Rodriguez and Burgum were joined by Laura Dogu, the U.S. representative in Venezuela, at the Miraflores presidential complex. Earlier in the day, Burgum had separate discussions with executives from international mining firms, according to two sources, as Venezuela’s interim leadership considers updating its mineral extraction rules.

This diplomatic mission represents Washington’s broader strategy to expand American business opportunities in Venezuela, particularly targeting the energy and mining sectors, as the Trump administration seeks greater influence following January’s U.S. operation that resulted in Nicolas Maduro’s capture. This marks the second cabinet-level visit since Maduro’s removal, ending his partnerships with nations like China and Russia.

President Trump has publicly commended Rodriguez for her cooperation and described Venezuela as “our new friend and partner” during his State of the Union speech. However, Reuters reported Tuesday that the administration is simultaneously building a potential legal case against Rodriguez involving possible corruption and money laundering violations, according to four informed sources.

The Venezuela Affairs Unit, representing U.S. diplomatic interests in the country, announced on social media that Burgum’s mission centers on critical mineral supply chain discussions. Burgum also leads the U.S. Energy Dominance Council, which promotes domestic energy production.

Venezuela’s legislature is drafting revisions to the nation’s primary mining statute, including language that would permit international corporations to extract gold, diamonds and rare earth elements, according to Jorge Rodriguez, assembly president and brother of the acting president. The current mining framework dates back to 1999.

The South American nation carries substantial debt to industrial corporations and energy companies stemming from extensive government takeovers twenty years ago, with creditors including Crystallex, Gold Reserve and Rusoro Mining.

Sources confirmed that Burgum is monitoring the proposed mining legislation and conducted Wednesday morning sessions with multiple mining enterprises. Thursday’s agenda includes meetings with petroleum and natural gas companies regarding expansion and investment opportunities. Energy Secretary Chris Wright made a similar visit last month.

Venezuela has not conducted exploration work to verify its rare earth deposits, which consist of 17 specialized metals essential for manufacturing magnets that convert electrical power to mechanical motion. These rare earths fall under the critical minerals category, with China dominating global production.

A 2018 Venezuelan government assessment of mineral resources incorrectly used technical terms like “reserve” and “resource” as synonyms, creating confusion about actual quantities. A 2021 official mapping document identified deposits of antimony, copper, nickel, coltan, molybdenum, magnesium, silver, zinc, titanium, tungsten and uranium without specifying amounts.

Through bilateral agreements in recent years, Iranian firms have conducted mineral exploration within Venezuela, though these efforts did not result in actual investments.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum conducted diplomatic talks Wednesday afternoon with Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez following his arrival in the South American nation earlier that day, according to brief media footage of the encounter.

The diplomatic session took place at Caracas’ Miraflores presidential palace, where both officials were joined by Laura Dogu, who serves as the U.S. representative to Venezuela.

Prior to his meeting with Rodriguez, Burgum held discussions with leadership from international mining corporations, according to two sources familiar with the matter. These conversations occur as Venezuela’s transitional administration considers potential modifications to its mining industry regulations.

A catastrophic landslide at a mining operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed the lives of more than 200 individuals, including approximately 70 children, according to officials from the country’s mines ministry.

The deadly incident occurred Tuesday at the Rubaya coltan mine located in the eastern region of the country, where torrential rainfall caused the ground to give way, the ministry announced Wednesday.

However, conflicting reports have emerged regarding the death toll. A high-ranking official with the M23 group provided Reuters with significantly different casualty figures, stating that only five or six people perished in the mining accident.

The tragedy highlights the dangerous working conditions at mining sites in the region, where coltan extraction is a major economic activity despite significant safety risks.

Nations worldwide worked frantically Wednesday to evacuate their citizens from Middle Eastern countries as expanding warfare continued to cause massive disruptions to international air travel.

France successfully landed its first evacuation aircraft in Paris early Wednesday morning, bringing home citizens who had been retrieved from Oman and Egypt. Italian authorities also completed the evacuation of students from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, marking early progress in international rescue efforts.

Despite these initial successes, aviation across the Middle East remained severely hampered. Closed airspace and flight restrictions throughout much of the Gulf region have left passengers stranded not only within the conflict zone but also in distant cities where connecting flights through major airline centers have been scrapped.

Aviation analytics company Cirium reports that over 20,000 flights out of more than 36,000 scheduled Middle East departures and arrivals have been scrapped since hostilities began through Wednesday. FlightAware data shows approximately 2,000 worldwide flight cancellations on Wednesday, an improvement from the roughly 3,150 cancellations recorded Monday.

Countries including Oman, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan have become crucial staging areas for evacuation operations bringing foreign nationals to safety.

French President Emmanuel Macron estimates approximately 400,000 French citizens are currently in conflict-affected Middle Eastern regions, whether as permanent residents or temporary visitors.

French Minister for Citizens Abroad Eleonore Caroit explained that roughly 100 spots on their initial rescue flight were designated for at-risk travelers, particularly families with young children, elderly individuals and people requiring medical care.

France planned two additional Wednesday evacuations — a military transport bringing 180 citizens from Abu Dhabi and a chartered aircraft carrying 205 people from Israel.

“Our goal is to help repatriate as quickly as possible the French people who wish to return,” Caroit stated during an interview with French broadcaster TF1.

Multiple other nations launched similar rescue operations.

The U.S. State Department pledged Wednesday via social media to assist in evacuating American citizens. Earlier this week, officials advised U.S. nationals to depart more than a dozen countries using whatever commercial travel remained available.

“Any American in the Middle East who wishes to leave: call the State Department and we will get your home,” the department posted, noting that 18,000 Americans had successfully returned to the United States, with 8,500 arriving Tuesday alone.

British officials announced a charter aircraft would depart Oman late Wednesday to transport some of the thousands of U.K. citizens in Gulf nations.

The U.K. Foreign Office reported that over 130,000 British nationals in the Middle East had registered with government authorities since Saturday’s conflict outbreak, though officials noted not everyone seeks to leave. Many are located in the UAE, and the government has discouraged attempts to travel overland to Oman.

Ireland’s foreign minister confirmed Emirates airline would operate a Dubai to Dublin flight Wednesday. Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee estimated 22,000 to 23,000 Irish citizens were in the Middle East. Irish authorities also planned to charter an aircraft for approximately 280 people from Oman in coming days.

Norway’s Foreign Ministry announced it was deploying an “emergency team” to Dubai to support Norwegian Embassy personnel assisting an estimated 1,500 registered Norwegians in the city.

Italian student Valerio Schiavoi, who was attending a United Nations diplomatic simulation in Dubai through the World Students Connection Program, described how the situation changed dramatically when news of U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran emerged Saturday.

“As soon as we leave the room, we start to hear the sounds of military planes and so on. And the panic starts a bit,” Schiavoi told Italian news agency LaPresse. “Through the window we could see missiles passing by and alarms kept sounding, but we didn’t know what to do.”

Some commercial carriers have restored limited service, with Etihad, Emirates and Virgin Atlantic scheduled to operate UAE-to-London flights Wednesday. However, numerous travelers continued struggling to secure passage home.

British Airways announced Wednesday that flights departing Thursday through Saturday from Muscat were completely booked.

“We fully understand this is a very difficult time for our customers,” the airline stated, promising to add extra flights “if we are able to.”

Li Qian, a 44-year-old visitor from Hangzhou, China, has been trapped in Abu Dhabi with her family after airspace closures canceled their return flight. She described receiving continuous missile warnings on her phone and witnessing smoke rising from areas they had previously toured.

“It was frightening … We just want to get home as soon as possible,” she explained, expressing concern about her mother’s blood pressure medication and her child’s school attendance.

Thousands of miles away on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali, approximately 6,000 people remained stranded after flights to Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi were canceled, according to local officials. Many affected travelers were European or American tourists attempting long-distance flights via those Middle Eastern airports.

Indonesian immigration officials issued emergency residence permits and waived overstay penalties for stranded foreign visitors.

Agnes Chen Pun, a Hong Kong resident who relocated with her family to Dubai last year, described difficulties finding airline tickets to exit the region. She initially moved to a Fujairah resort, then to a desert resort near Sharjah due to concerns about potential attacks and local fires.

“We were so nervous, so anxious,” said Chen, a partner at Asia Bankers Club, a Hong Kong- and Dubai-based investment firm.

She considered booking a 13-passenger private aircraft costing $268,000 but eventually obtained commercial tickets to Singapore for approximately $2,200 per person. Despite the disruption, Chen indicated she planned to return to the UAE once conditions stabilize.

“I think the scare, the fears, will be short-term,” she said.

CARACAS, Venezuela — Interior Secretary Doug Burgum conducted meetings in Venezuela this week with the country’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez, marking another indication of the Trump administration’s strategy to gain influence over the South American nation’s abundant natural resources.

The secretary, who heads President Donald Trump’s National Energy Dominance Council, planned to engage with both American and Venezuelan business representatives during his visit to “work for a legitimate mining sector and safe critical mineral supply chains,” the U.S. diplomatic mission in Venezuela stated on X.

The diplomatic mission described Burgum’s two-day trip as “another vital and historic step” supporting the administration’s gradual approach to transforming Venezuela.

This marks the second high-level U.S. official visit to Caracas for meetings with Rodríguez, who assumed leadership after U.S. forces captured former President Nicolás Maduro two months prior. Energy Secretary Chris Wright previously traveled there in February, concentrating on the nation’s petroleum resources.

America’s chief diplomat in Venezuela, Laura Dogu, accompanied Burgum during his presidential palace meeting with Rodríguez.

Last month, the Trump administration revealed plans to establish a critical minerals trading partnership with allied nations, aimed at countering China’s dominance over essential materials used in products ranging from military aircraft to mobile devices.

Beyond its petroleum wealth, Venezuela possesses significant deposits of gold, copper, diamonds and additional valuable minerals, though the poorly supervised mining industry frequently operates under dangerous conditions.

Prior to his detention, Maduro and his supporters argued that American antagonism stemmed from desire to control Venezuela’s abundant oil and mineral wealth.