Category: World News

OSLO, Norway – Norwegian authorities are investigating a powerful explosion that occurred in the vicinity of the United States embassy in the country’s capital during the early morning hours of Sunday, March 8th.

Officials with the Oslo police department confirmed the incident but stated that the source of the explosion and any potential perpetrators remain unknown at this time.

“The police are in a dialogue with the embassy and there are no reports of any injured persons,” authorities said in an official statement.

Law enforcement officials indicated they are working closely with embassy personnel as the investigation continues.

BEIRUT, March 8 – Lebanese health officials report that an Israeli airstrike on an apartment within a Ramada hotel building in downtown Beirut resulted in four fatalities and ten injuries, marking the initial attack on the capital’s center since Israel-Hezbollah fighting escalated again last week.

The Ministry of Health confirmed the casualties from the bombing in Beirut’s Raouche neighborhood through an official statement.

The targeted hotel had been providing shelter to Lebanese families who fled their homes due to ongoing conflict in southern Lebanon and the capital’s southern districts. Witnesses observed residents evacuating the building afterward, concerned about potential additional airstrikes.

Additional information about the incident remained limited, and Israeli officials had not issued any public response at the time.

Lebanon became involved in the expanding conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran this past Monday when Hezbollah, the Iranian-supported militant organization, launched rocket and drone attacks against Israeli territory. Israel retaliated with extensive bombing campaigns targeting locations throughout southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as areas surrounding Beirut.

On Wednesday, America’s top diplomat Marco Rubio held discussions with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, focusing on Middle Eastern security concerns and Iran’s role in regional instability, according to the State Department.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott released a statement detailing the diplomatic exchange. “The Secretary expressed gratitude to the Foreign Minister for Saudi Arabia’s response to the attack on U.S. Embassy Riyadh,” Pigott stated.

The conversation also covered broader regional security issues. “They also discussed the continued threats the Iranian regime poses to regional stability, as well as other developments in the region,” Pigott added in his statement.

QUITO – Ecuador’s foreign ministry announced Wednesday that it has ordered Cuban Ambassador Basilio Gutierrez and his entire diplomatic team to leave the country, designating them as unwelcome persons under international law.

The ministry gave the Cuban officials 48 hours to depart Ecuador, though government officials have not revealed the reasons behind President Daniel Noboa’s administration making this diplomatic move. The decision was made under Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, according to the announcement.

Officials have not clarified whether this action represents a complete severing of diplomatic ties between Ecuador and Cuba’s government in Havana.

Security forces from Ecuador’s police and military were observed maintaining a presence around the Cuban embassy building in Quito following the announcement, witnesses reported.

When contacted for a response, a spokesperson at the Cuban embassy declined to provide any statement regarding the expulsion order.

A military officer within Iran’s security apparatus has declared that the current government’s downfall is unavoidable, according to a new report from The Media Line.

The officer stated that personnel from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Basij militia, and other security units currently patrolling the streets have grown weary and are losing hope.

This assessment comes after a series of American and Israeli attacks targeted IRGC command facilities over the past week, along with the death of a key Islamic Republic leader who had served as a crucial connection between the IRGC and Iran’s political and financial networks.

These developments suggest that the IRGC, which wields significant influence over Iran’s economy in addition to its military role, could be nearing a breaking point.

A Tehran-based expert with knowledge of IRGC operations explained to The Media Line that the organization’s ability to retaliate has weakened significantly in recent days. Despite making repeated threats about deploying sophisticated missile systems and taking other indirect actions, the IRGC has failed to deliver substantial damage to American and Israeli military installations.

More critically, according to the expert, the IRGC seems to be gradually losing control over domestic affairs and struggling to handle wartime circumstances effectively.

JERUSALEM — A Palestinian man was fatally shot by an Israeli reservist in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, marking the third Palestinian death in the region within a week as tensions continue to escalate throughout the territory.

The victim, identified as 28-year-old Amir Muhammad Shanaran, was killed while his brother Khaled sustained critical injuries when the reservist opened fire in the southern Hebron Hills area, Israeli human rights organization Btselem reported.

This latest fatality follows Monday’s deadly incident in the northern West Bank village of Qaryout, where Israeli settlers fatally shot two Palestinian brothers. That attack also left three additional people wounded by gunfire.

Israeli military officials confirmed they responded to reports of a violent confrontation between settlers and Palestinians on Saturday. Following a preliminary investigation, military sources stated that a reservist discharged his weapon, wounding two Palestinians, with one succumbing to his injuries. The incident remains under military investigation.

Critics, including Palestinian officials and human rights organizations, maintain that Israeli authorities consistently fail to pursue legal action against settlers or ensure accountability for acts of violence.

Saturday’s shooting occurred in Masafer Yatta, an area consisting of multiple Bedouin communities that gained international attention through the Academy Award-winning documentary “No Other Land.” The film documents residents’ efforts to prevent Israeli military demolition of their villages while highlighting settler violence against Palestinian communities.

The Palestinian Authority’s foreign ministry issued a statement Saturday condemning Israel for “exploiting the atmosphere of war” and taking advantage of reduced international focus on West Bank issues to escalate intimidation tactics, violence, and forced displacement of residents.

President Donald Trump declared Saturday that the United States doesn’t require British military assistance to prevail in its conflict with Iran, despite Britain’s consideration of deploying aircraft carriers to the Middle East region.

The president’s remarks on Truth Social represent the most recent friction between the traditional allies, as Trump has consistently criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for what he views as damaging their nations’ long-standing partnership.

Trump’s frustration stems from Britain’s initial refusal to allow American forces to utilize British military installations for strikes against Iran.

“The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East,” Trump wrote on his social media platform.

“That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember. We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!” the president added.

Trump’s statement followed Saturday’s announcement from Britain’s Ministry of Defence regarding preparations for potentially deploying the Prince of Wales aircraft carrier, though British officials emphasized that no final deployment decision has been made.

Prime Minister Starmer has stood by his initial decision to deny American access to British bases, explaining that he required assurance that any military operations would be both legally justified and properly planned.

Starmer subsequently authorized U.S. forces to use British facilities for what he characterized as defensive operations targeting Iranian missile storage facilities and launch sites.

The diplomatic rift has deepened this year, with Starmer condemning Trump’s interest in purchasing Greenland and calling the president’s assertions about European forces avoiding combat roles in Afghanistan “frankly appalling.”

In his Truth Social message, Trump indicated he would not forget Britain’s hesitation to provide immediate support during the Iran crisis.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Saturday that he conducted a conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, focusing on Middle Eastern developments and the Iranian situation, while renewing his nation’s proposal to assist with Iranian drone threats.

During the discussion, Zelensky emphasized Ukraine’s unique expertise, stating on Telegram: “Ukraine has been fighting against (Iranian-designed) ‘Shaheds’ for years, and everyone acknowledges that no other country in the world has such experience.”

The Ukrainian leader added: “We are ready to help and expect that our people will also receive the necessary support.”

This latest diplomatic outreach follows Zelensky’s earlier conversations this week with government officials from Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Ukraine has endured consistent strikes from Shahed drones throughout its ongoing four-year conflict with Russia, giving the country extensive knowledge of these weapons systems. Zelensky has previously indicated that Ukraine would assist the United States by supplying technical experts to help combat these drone attacks.

Several Gulf nations experienced explosions and property damage Saturday evening when Iran launched a barrage of missiles and drones across the region, intensifying conflicts connected to the wider war involving Israel and the United States.

Residents in Bahrain heard multiple powerful explosions throughout the capital city of Manama and surrounding areas. Officials confirmed the Iranian assault ignited a blaze and damaged residential structures and neighboring buildings. Bahrain’s Interior Ministry released a statement saying, “Civil defense is taking steps to control the fire.”

News crews across the Gulf region documented blasts in various locations. CNN personnel stationed in Qatar reported hearing multiple loud explosions, while correspondents in Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s capital, witnessed no fewer than three separate detonations.

According to Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense, an Iranian ballistic missile targeted Prince Sultan Air Base but landed in an unpopulated zone.

The UAE’s National Security Council announced that protective systems had been deployed against approaching dangers. Through a post on X, the council stated, “Air defense systems are currently responding to a missile threat,” while advising citizens to “remain in a safe location.”

UAE defense officials confirmed their nation faced assault from Iranian-launched drones and missiles.

For the first time since hostilities began, United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed spoke publicly about the crisis, declaring that “the United Arab Emirates is in good condition, the military has performed a praiseworthy role.” He continued: “We are in a time of war and I pledge to fulfill our duty to defend our country and our people. I promise everyone that the United Arab Emirates will emerge stronger.”

A high-ranking UAE official stated Iran’s assault on nearby Gulf nations “create a huge trust gap that will persist for decades ahead.” The official noted that “any new arrangement reached in negotiations with Iran will no longer be limited to the nuclear issue — missiles are now at the center stage.”

These declarations from the UAE and fellow Gulf nations followed Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, releasing an earlier statement expressing remorse for the Gulf State attacks and vowing to end them.

“I should apologize to the neighboring countries that were attacked by Iran, on my own behalf,” Pezeshkian stated, attributing the attacks to insufficient oversight of military operations.

“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.”

Iranian officials have maintained their Gulf state operations targeted American military installations and US-connected infrastructure as payback for last week’s US-Israeli military campaign against Iran.

Despite strong verbal backing from Beijing and Moscow, Middle East experts believe Iran should not expect military assistance from China or Russia in its ongoing conflict with Israel and the United States.

Both nations have expressed solidarity with Tehran since hostilities began Saturday, with China condemning the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and issuing multiple statements of friendship. Russia’s Foreign Ministry has declared that halting American and Israeli aggression represents the only path to regional stability.

However, academic specialists suggest this support remains purely rhetorical.

Hebrew University’s Dr. Simon Wolfgang Fuchs characterized the response by saying, “I think we could describe what Russia and China offered as sort of their ‘thoughts and prayers.’ Russia offered its condolences. China was maybe a bit more forceful in condemning the killing of Khamenei.”

Bar-Ilan University’s Prof. Yoram Evron from the Department of Asian Studies believes China is evaluating battlefield conditions and refuses to “tying itself to a sinking ship” or a “collapsing regime.” He noted that “This is not part of China’s DNA.”

Evron emphasized that while China and Iran maintain a longstanding partnership, they lack true alliance bonds. Consequently, China appears unwilling to sacrifice its interests supporting a government acting “illogically” and “engaged in self-destruction.”

Historical precedent supports this assessment. During the summer’s 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel-US forces, Beijing maintained distance, offering general opposition to military action against Iran but little else. Even potential UN Security Council resolutions would face American vetoes, Evron observed.

“In principle, China has not gotten involved in military conflicts in the Middle East,” Evron stated. “It hasn’t done so so far, and it is probably not going to start doing it right now. Also, China, despite its support of the Iranian regime, has so far avoided any direct conflict with the US over Iran. Any time that the US was determined to block Iran, China didn’t put its interests in danger to help Iran.”

Beijing is also monitoring the conflict for intelligence purposes, studying military technologies and considering developments for its own forces while avoiding exposure of its capabilities through direct involvement.

Diplomatic factors further complicate matters. President Donald Trump’s scheduled March 31 visit to China, announced by the White House, makes Beijing reluctant to jeopardize the trip as both nations work to extend their fragile trade agreement.

China also stayed quiet during earlier Iranian protests this year, likely downplaying domestic coverage to prevent encouraging similar unrest at home, Fuchs noted.

Evron predicted Beijing would likely establish diplomatic ties with whatever government eventually replaces Iran’s current leadership.

“No regime can live without China as an oil customer,” Evron stated.

While China imports approximately 12% of its oil from Iran, according to Fuchs, this represents roughly 87% of Iran’s crude exports, creating an asymmetric dependency favoring China.

Despite international sanctions, China has continued Iranian oil purchases, providing crucial regime support. Beijing may have also offered diplomatic backing and possibly supplied dual-use technologies, materials, and potentially military products smuggled into Iran, Evron noted.

However, he cautioned against accepting all reports at face value.

“I assume that many of the news reports about Chinese assistance were largely Iranian leakage, which I’m not sure were very accurate,” he explained. “Iran might have used China to give the impression that it is not totally isolated, but I don’t know to what extent China actually provided it with any military-related materials.”

Energy markets also influence the Russia-Iran relationship. Moscow could potentially benefit from current hostilities if Iranian export disruptions drive buyers toward Russian oil.

The US Treasury issued a 30-day waiver Thursday permitting India to purchase Russian oil currently stranded at sea “to enable oil to keep flowing into the global market,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced via social media.

Russia has gained from Iranian military technology, particularly drones extensively used in the Ukraine war, explained Bar-Ilan University political science lecturer Dr. Ze’ev Khanin. He told The Media Line that this relationship lacks complete reciprocity, as Iran has not received promised advanced fighter aircraft or air defense systems from Russia.

“Russia and Iran officially declared themselves as strategic partners about a year ago and signed an accord around diplomatic, economic, humanitarian, and security affairs,” Khanin said.

Under this cooperation framework, Russia has provided Iran with some air defense systems, military aircraft, and tanks, while receiving unmanned vehicles and drones for Ukraine operations. Nevertheless, Khanin emphasized partnership limitations.

“This doesn’t mean either country will fight for the other,” he stated.

Recent events validate this assessment. When Israel-US-Iran tensions escalated earlier this year, Russia avoided military intervention and likely will continue this approach, Khanin said.

“They might exchange some sort of intelligence information, but not more than that,” Khanin explained.

The conflict extends beyond the three primary actors, involving multiple regional players, particularly Gulf states where Russia maintains significant strategic and economic interests. Moscow has worked to preserve relationships across the region, including with Gulf nations and Israel.

These interests mandate Russian caution. If Gulf states increase cooperation with Western powers during the conflict, Russia risks losing regional influence.

Russia also depends on Iran for sanctions circumvention. According to Khanin, Iran has developed extensive networks of companies and intermediaries in Dubai, Turkey, and Southeast Asia over decades. These networks help Iran bypass international sanctions while enabling Russia to acquire goods unavailable through official channels.

“If Iran at the moment loses this network, that will be a very bad piece of news also for Russia,” Khanin said.

While China and Russia may maintain political solidarity with Iran, experts conclude they are unlikely to provide battlefield support.

President Donald Trump declared through a Truth Social message that Iranian leadership faces additional targeting, stating “Today Iran will be hit very hard!” This announcement came despite Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s earlier apology to regional neighbors regarding Tehran’s military strikes. Gulf nations continue reporting successful interceptions of ballistic missiles and unmanned aircraft originating from Iranian territory.

Trump Rules Out Kurdish Military Involvement

During discussions with journalists on Air Force One, the President confirmed his decision to exclude Kurdish forces from military operations against Iran.

According to Trump, Kurdish fighters in the area have expressed willingness to help overthrow Iran’s government, but their participation would add unnecessary complexity to the situation.

“The war is complicated enough without having– getting the Kurds involved,” Trump stated.

Saudi Forces Down Drone Near Capital

Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry announced late Saturday that military forces successfully intercepted and eliminated an unmanned aircraft east of Riyadh, the kingdom’s capital city.

Iranian Official Denies Leadership Split

Senior Iranian security figure Ali Larijani addressed the nation through state-controlled media, declaring unity among the country’s leaders. “Our leaders are united on this issue and have no disagreements with one another. We have no divisions among ourselves in fighting Israel and the United States,” Larijani proclaimed.

His statement followed President Pezeshkian’s public apology for strikes against “neighboring countries,” though other Iranian authorities indicated no changes to military strategy would occur.

The Islamic Republic continues operating without a supreme leader in place.

Progress Reported on Supreme Leader Selection

Larijani revealed that Iran’s three-person interim leadership council has asked for “arrangements be made to convene the Assembly of Experts to choose the next supreme leader of the country.” No timeline was provided for this process.

Iranian Personnel Evacuated from Lebanon

Family members of Iranian diplomatic staff departed Saturday alongside educators and students from an Iranian educational institution, plus additional Iranian residents of Lebanon, according to Iran’s foreign ministry statement.

The ministry explained the evacuation occurred “due to the current security situation in Lebanon as a result of the brutal attacks launched by the Zionist entity against the country, and out of concern for the safety and security of our citizens residing in Lebanon.”

Consular assistance will continue for Iranians who remain in the country.

Earlier this week, Israeli military forces warned “representatives of the Iranian terrorist regime still in Lebanon to leave immediately before they are targeted.” On Friday, an Israeli military strike occurred close to Iran’s embassy in Beirut.

Iraq’s Leader Condemns Embassy Attack

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani characterized Saturday’s assault on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad as a “terrorist act” executed by “rogue groups” and ordered military and security forces to track down those responsible.

Iraqi security sources reported earlier that a projectile struck the helicopter landing area within the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad. No injuries were documented. Embassy representatives declined comment, and the U.S. State Department has not responded to media inquiries.

Baghdad’s heavily secured Green Zone, home to government facilities and foreign missions, has experienced previous attacks, but this marked the first reported direct hit since Israel and the U.S. began striking Tehran one week ago, sparking broader Middle Eastern warfare.

Iranian forces and affiliated Iraqi militia groups have conducted numerous strikes against U.S. military installations and other American facilities in Iraq since hostilities began. They have also targeted bases belonging to Iranian Kurdish opposition organizations operating in northern Iraq.

Turkish Foreign Minister Reports U.S. Denial of Kurdish Plan

Hakan Fidan revealed his conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who dismissed reports of plans for Iranian Kurdish forces stationed in northern Iraq to launch attacks against Iran as “not their intention.”

During an Istanbul press conference, Fidan said Rubio made these remarks during a recent telephone discussion. The Turkish minister instead accused Israel of employing Kurdish organizations as “a proxy” throughout the region.

Fidan warned that approaches “aim to create ethnic rivalry or an ethnic conflict in Iran would be something we oppose because it would be the most dangerous scenario,” noting Turkey has engaged Kurdish leadership to prevent such a “historic mistake.”

He declined to discuss Turkey’s mediation efforts between Iran and the U.S., saying only that Turkey has participated in “intense diplomatic traffic” to develop a “formula to end this war.”

Tehran Oil Facility Ablaze After Strike

Enormous flames illuminated Tehran’s skyline Saturday evening following Iranian state media reports that an oil storage complex was hit in the most recent wave of attacks. Associated Press footage captured the glowing horizon, then towering flames and thick smoke clouds.

This represents one of the first instances where a civilian industrial site has been targeted during the conflict. Israel’s military has not immediately identified specific targets from the latest strike, though they confirmed Israel conducted another round of attacks in Tehran. Iranian state media responded by threatening to strike oil refineries in Haifa, northern Israel.

Israeli warplanes launched extensive overnight strikes Friday against Iranian military targets in Tehran and central Iran, marking an escalation in the two-week military campaign involving Israeli and U.S. forces, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

The operation included a major assault on Mehrabad Airport in Iran’s capital, where Israeli forces destroyed 16 aircraft belonging to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force. Military officials said these planes were being used to transport weapons to Hezbollah forces.

An IDF spokesperson described the airport as “a central hub for arming and financing the regime’s terror proxies in the Middle East.”

During the same night, Israeli fighter aircraft launched additional strikes across multiple Iranian military locations, releasing approximately 230 bombs throughout the mission. The IDF reported that one target was a subterranean facility where ballistic missiles were stored and produced, with hundreds of Iranian military personnel stationed there.

Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones at Israeli territory, forcing citizens nationwide to seek shelter as warning sirens sounded across the country.

Data from Ynet indicates that Iran has fired over 200 missiles at Israel since hostilities began. Initial attacks included approximately 80 missiles on day one and around 60 on day two, before decreasing to under 20 missiles daily. Lebanon has contributed roughly 200 additional projectiles to the attacks.

The report also noted that 42 drones were launched from Iran toward Israel, with another 43 originating from Lebanon. These attacks on Israeli territory have displaced approximately 3,100 residents from their homes.

President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that no agreement would be reached with Tehran unless Iran accepts “unconditional surrender.”

According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. military is sending specialized anti-drone systems to the Middle East to counter Iranian drone attacks. These systems were previously field-tested during the Ukraine conflict and, as American officials described, received their “baptism of fire” in that theater.

Lebanon is witnessing another mass exodus as tens of thousands of civilians abandon their homes following Hezbollah’s decision to fire rockets into northern Israel, triggering deadly retaliatory strikes.

The Iranian-backed militia’s rocket attack caused no casualties in Israel, but the response was swift and devastating. Israeli bombardments across southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern districts left 31 people dead and dozens wounded, forcing families to relive a nightmare many experienced just over a year ago.

During the early morning hours, desperate families packed whatever belongings they could carry and began fleeing northward. The scenes evoked painful memories of the fall 2024 Israeli offensive that killed thousands over two months and destroyed countless homes across eastern and southern Lebanon.

“What idiots, dragging us into this again; I can’t find another word to describe them,” a young Lebanese woman told The Media Line after a sleepless night of bombardment. “Now, we have to watch their people fleeing the streets and dying.”

Military experts have characterized Hezbollah’s choice to join the broader regional conflict as dangerously irresponsible. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has announced that Lebanon will ban Hezbollah’s military operations.

Israeli forces issued evacuation orders Monday morning for 53 communities across southern Lebanon. With limited options available, most displaced families headed toward Beirut, where city streets once again became temporary shelters. Educational facilities that housed refugees just over a year ago are reopening their doors to the displaced, though media access to these locations remains restricted.

Jude, who requested anonymity, described her family’s harrowing experience. Originally from a border village they haven’t seen in two and a half years due to occupation and destruction, they had been staying in Nabatiyeh, roughly 13 kilometers from the Israeli border.

“We are from a village on the Lebanese border, but we haven’t been able to return for two and a half years because our lands have been occupied and our homes destroyed,” she explained. “There is only a strip of land between us and the Israeli enemy.”

Their journey to Beirut stretched nine grueling hours – a trip that typically takes less than 90 minutes. Standing in Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square with tears streaming down her face, Jude expressed her desperation: “We can no longer bear what has happened to us, what they have done to us, and we don’t know where we are going or what God has in store for us.”

The family of six has reached their breaking point after multiple displacements. “We’ve been through so much, and we’re still in war after war, and there’s no rest,” Jude said while sitting in the shade with three daughters as her husband and son slept in their car.

Housing costs have skyrocketed amid the crisis. “There’s nowhere else to go, and when something happens, everyone gets greedy and rents go up,” she noted. “The cheapest room costs $1,700, and it’s an empty room, with nothing in it.”

The psychological toll has been severe. “Since the war, we’ve been dominated by bitterness, the heat, and fear, and we’re in a very bad mental state,” Jude shared, adding that she “used to go to the psychiatric hospital a lot because of this situation.”

What makes this round of violence particularly frustrating for many Lebanese is that Hezbollah, rather than Israel, initiated the escalation. However, most civilians remain hesitant to openly criticize the militant group.

Lama Alam, a 40-year-old mother of five originally from Aleppo, Syria, who has lived in Beirut’s southern suburbs for 14 years, grew visibly uncomfortable when asked about Hezbollah’s role. “I don’t know anything about that,” she responded.

Alam described her family’s narrow escape: “God knows how we escaped last night, because just before we left, a shell hit us; some died, others survived, but we’re not sure who.” Her six-month-old baby cried in the intense sun as they sat on blankets with about 20 other people, including her sister and sister-in-law.

The family paid 1.5 million Lebanese pounds (approximately $15) for multiple taxis to make the brief journey to safety. During the 2024 conflict, Syrian refugees like Alam’s family were often denied entry to school shelters under unofficial Lebanese government policies.

“We are tired of the war; we have been forced to abandon our homes several times,” Alam said. “We don’t know if we’ll be here for several days, or months, or even years! We want to stay in our homes; we shouldn’t have to suffer this humiliation.” She emphasized that returning to Syria was not a viable option.

Fresh strikes continued hitting Beirut’s southern suburbs and southern Lebanon throughout Monday morning, with casualty reports still unclear. Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir declared that the military was operating both defensively and offensively.

“We must prepare for many days of combat,” Zamir stated. Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Hezbollah “will pay a heavy price for firing on Israel.”

Katz specifically targeted Hezbollah’s leadership, posting on X: “Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s secretary general, who decided to fire under pressure from Iran, is now a clear target for elimination.”

As fighting continues, Lebanese civilians who played no role in starting this conflict find themselves once again paying the heaviest price for decisions made by others.

Warning shots fired into the air have become the urgent signal for residents to evacuate Beirut’s southern suburbs as Israeli forces issued sweeping evacuation orders affecting more than 700,000 people on Thursday. The unprecedented directive targeted four suburban municipalities in the Dahieh area, creating widespread panic and gridlock throughout Lebanon’s capital.

Ahmed, a 30-year resident of the southern suburbs originally from southern Lebanon, described the chaotic scene as he attempted to flee the area. “This is complete madness,” he said, navigating through traffic, motorcycles, and desperate crowds trying to escape. Speaking to The Media Line, Ahmed explained how the warning gunfire had already saved his parents’ lives the day before. “When Israel announced at seven in the morning that it would bomb a building on their street, the warning shots allowed them to evacuate, and they haven’t returned,” he said.

The evacuation order represents an escalation in the conflict that began Monday, with fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah intensifying over recent days. Lebanese sources report that Israeli troops have seized control of five strategic border positions, allegedly violating the ceasefire agreement that went into effect in November 2024.

The human toll continues to mount, with 102 fatalities and 638 injuries reported since hostilities resumed. Wednesday’s evacuation order for all communities south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon displaced approximately 250,000 people. The Thursday directive for Beirut’s suburbs, issued with a 2:30 p.m. deadline, forced an additional 700,000 residents to abandon their homes immediately.

Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee provided specific evacuation routes through social media, directing residents of Bourj el-Barajneh and Hadath to “head east towards Mount Lebanon on the Beirut-Damascus highway.” He instructed those from Hreik and Chiyah to “head north towards Tripoli on the Beirut-Tripoli highway, and east towards Mount Lebanon on the Matn Expressway,” warning that “any movement south could endanger their lives.”

Ahmed’s friend Rifat, examining the evacuation map, criticized the scope of the orders. “What they’re doing is unspeakable,” he told The Media Line. “It looks like a real estate scheme.”

The massive displacement has created a humanitarian crisis, with government-operated schools at capacity and many families unable to afford alternative housing. Some displaced persons have been forced to sleep in vehicles, while others who spent up to 14 hours attempting to flee southern Lebanon have returned home after failing to locate shelter.

The situation has grown more dire as Israeli strikes have reportedly hit buildings housing displaced civilians in areas outside Hezbollah’s influence. This has led many residents to conclude that no location offers safety, with some choosing to remain in their homes as an act of defiance.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun reached out to French President Emmanuel Macron, requesting intervention “to prevent attacks on the southern suburbs, following threats from the Israeli army.” Macron responded on social media, stating: “For Lebanon, we must act; we must do everything possible to prevent this country, so close to France, from being dragged back into war.”

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, speaking from the Israeli border, declared: “Very soon, Dahieh will resemble Khan Yunis.”

As evening approached, crowds gathered on hills overlooking the threatened areas, including Ahmed and Rifat who positioned themselves in Baabda to document events. “This is also part of Lebanon, these threatened people are also Lebanese, so [political leaders] should do something,” Rifat declared while filming the aftermath of Israeli bombardments.

The southern suburbs remained largely dark as night fell, with minimal lighting visible and smoke still rising from recent attacks. Young Lebanese photographers waited with cameras ready to document further destruction, their shutters clicking only when a commercial aircraft departed through the haze, carrying fellow citizens away from the conflict zone.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has launched a series of intensified strikes against Kurdish opposition camps in Iraq as tensions escalate between Tehran and a newly-formed coalition of Kurdish political groups.

The military offensive has targeted facilities belonging to six Kurdish organizations that recently united against Iran’s government, including a Wednesday night assault on a Komala camp and Monday drone strikes against the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran’s base in Koya, Iraq.

According to Kurdish news outlet Rudaw, the targeted facilities house families of opposition fighters. The Kurdistan Freedom Party reported that one of its Peshmerga soldiers died in an IRGC missile strike on their headquarters.

Tasnim News Agency, which has ties to the Revolutionary Guard, confirmed Tuesday that Iranian forces launched 30 drones in what they called a “targeted intelligence operation” against Kurdish groups allegedly “planning infiltration and action against the country.” The agency claimed the positions were “powerfully destroyed.”

Later reports from the same outlet alleged strikes on a U.S. military installation in Erbil, though no other news organizations have verified this claim. These developments coincide with ongoing military exchanges between Iran and both the United States and Israel over recent days.

Shiwa Hassanpour, a student and human rights advocate in Erbil, described the continuing impact on civilians. She told The Media Line that missile fragments struck her home during one attack. “The IRGC attacks on the Kurdistan Region intensified significantly on Wednesday night,” she said, noting that “many areas of Erbil suffered damage, and some people were injured.” Much of the civilian harm results from intercepted missiles and drones crashing into populated areas, she explained.

Kurdish political organizations have disputed media reports suggesting they plan immediate military action inside Iran. Two sources in the Kurdistan Region told The Media Line that an Axios report claiming Kurdish forces were preparing border incursions and engaging with CIA and Mossad officials was inaccurate, stating that their fighters remain at established bases.

However, major news organizations including Associated Press and Reuters have reported discussions between Kurdish groups and U.S. officials about potential operations against Iran’s government amid the current regional conflict.

President Donald Trump reportedly held phone conversations Sunday with key Iraqi Kurdistan leaders Masoud Barzani of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Bafel Talabani of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, discussing the ongoing confrontation with Iran. According to Axios, these calls resulted from Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s efforts to strengthen U.S.-Kurdistan coordination.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump is weighing support for Kurdish opposition forces, while CNN confirmed the president spoke with Mustafa Hijri, head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran, one of the most prominent Kurdish political organizations.

Current security agreements between Iran and Iraq require Kurdish opposition groups to maintain camps away from the border under strict limitations, prohibiting military operations against Tehran from Iraqi territory. These accords mandate disarmament of the groups, though complete weapons surrender has faced resistance from Kurdish organizations.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denied Wednesday that the U.S. is providing arms to Iranian Kurds, though media reports indicate increased Israeli outreach to Kurdish parties recently. Thursday evening, President Trump told Reuters he welcomed and supported Kurdish operations against Iran’s regime.

Many Iranian Kurdish organizations have maintained positive relationships with Israel for years. The Kurdistan Free Life Party, one of the six groups in the new alliance, has stated openly that cooperation with Israel would be welcome if it advances Iranian freedom.

Peyman Viyan, one of two leaders of the Kurdistan Free Life Party and the only female leader among Iranian Kurdish groups, said in one interview that “at present we have no contact with the United States and Israel,” but told Israel’s Channel 12 that Iranian liberation could come through Iranian-Israeli cooperation.

Abdullah Mohtadi, secretary-general of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, recently met with U.S. Congress members during a Washington visit. Kurdish organizations, which command substantial numbers of armed Peshmerga fighters, appear to have gained prominence in U.S. and Israeli strategy during the current conflict with Iran.

Komala, described as a leftist party with moderate positions, announced Wednesday it was joining the coalition of five other Kurdish organizations opposing Iran’s government. The six groups – Kurdistan Democratic Party, Komala, Komala of the Toilers, Kurdistan Free Life Party, Kurdistan Freedom Party, and Khabat – now represent thousands of Peshmerga fighters in the Kurdistan Region and maintain active support networks inside Iranian Kurdistan.

Nearly all Iranian Kurdish political movements seek autonomy for Iranian Kurdistan and broader Iranian freedom. Recently, exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, a prominent opposition figure, used strong language against the Kurdish coalition’s joint actions and threatened “suppression by the army,” generating widespread criticism. On Tuesday, he issued a video message walking back his previous statements, saying he supports ending discrimination against Iran’s ethnic minorities, including Kurds.

Kurdish opponents of Iran’s government have engaged in repeated clashes with the Revolutionary Guard in recent weeks, with Tehran responding through missile strikes on their facilities. Since Sunday, Iran has significantly escalated missile and drone launches against Iranian Kurdish party bases and camps in Iraq, with additional drone strikes reported Thursday.

Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region, said Thursday he wants the area kept out of the broader conflict.

Earlier this week, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, without specifically naming the Revolutionary Guard, condemned ongoing missile and drone strikes as “terrorist attacks” and called on Iraq’s federal government to intervene.

Thursday saw Kurdistan Region media outlets denouncing Iran’s attacks on Erbil and surrounding areas, as well as strikes on camps housing Iranian Kurdish party families, warning that the operations endanger civilian lives.

AJMAN, United Arab Emirates — As Middle Eastern conflict disrupts air travel throughout the Gulf region, an Indian businessman residing in the United Arab Emirates has converted his agricultural property into a sanctuary for displaced travelers. The makeshift shelter features sleeping tents and bedding for guests, who contribute by cooking communal meals, sharing refreshments, engaging in cricket matches, and participating in yoga sessions across the property’s open areas.

Dr. Dhiraj Jain, who leads 1XL Holdings, established this temporary refuge following widespread flight cancellations that left hundreds of people unable to depart from Dubai. Among those seeking shelter, Umang Soin discovered the farm option when his flights were grounded and noted that Jain coordinated transport services to relocate guests from their hotels to the property.

PARIS (AP) — Attendees at Saturday’s Hermès fashion presentation in Paris experienced the autumn collection through multiple senses, with the fragrance hitting them before the visual spectacle began.

The fashion house converted the Garde Républicaine headquarters — home to Paris’ ceremonial mounted police unit — into an indoor woodland environment, covering surfaces with thick, moisture-laden moss that released an earthy, soil-like aroma throughout the venue.

During a Paris Fashion Week schedule that still awaits presentations from Chanel and Louis Vuitton, Hermès demonstrated that true luxury makes its impact through subtlety rather than volume.

The brand simply altered the entire atmosphere of the space.

Fashion models appeared through glowing round portals cut into the venue walls, resembling silhouettes emerging from a bright full moon, then proceeded along an elevated, curved runway suspended over the plant life below.

The presentation achieved dramatic impact without resorting to cheap tricks.

The staging accomplished exactly what creative director Nadège Vanhée intended: creating a sense of disorientation for viewers.

Vanhée, who has overseen Hermès women’s fashion since 2014, named her fall-winter lineup “Entre chien et loup” — a French phrase describing twilight, that uncertain time when distinguishing between a dog and wolf becomes impossible.

Her program notes referenced Hecate, the flame-carrying deity of shadows, although the actual garments emphasized strength and athleticism rather than ancient mythology — featuring sharp lines, form-fitting silhouettes, and movement-friendly construction.

Leather materials took center stage throughout the collection. Flowing outerwear featured oversized Tuscan sheepskin collars.

Front-zippered mini dresses in deep navy opened to display contrasting blouses underneath.

A vibrant orange ostrich-hide jumpsuit, cinched with a belt, combined motorcycle aesthetics with Hermès sophistication.

The brand’s horse-riding heritage appeared through jodhpur pants and low-heeled equestrian boots, while shiny lambskin bicycle shorts matched with pilot-style jackets moved these traditional elements toward edgier, metropolitan styling.

The color scheme defied conventional expectations.

Vanhée appeared to suggest that nighttime encompasses far more than simple black tones.

Her chosen hues ranged from bright sulfur yellow through deep oxblood red, woodland green to shimmering burgundy — finishes that reflected and transformed under lighting like living materials.

Zipper details appeared throughout the collection, cutting diagonally across jacket fronts or extending the complete length of dresses — serving practical purposes while adding visual interest, implying each piece could be modified, restructured, or renewed.

Double-breasted suit jackets and slim-cut trousers provided structured foundation elements for the collection, while padded silk pieces featuring cloud-pattern prints introduced occasional softer touches.

The complete collection made its statement through understated power.

Saudi Arabia has delivered a clear warning to Iran, demanding an end to attacks on the kingdom while threatening military retaliation if strikes against Saudi territory and energy facilities persist, according to four sources with knowledge of the communications.

The diplomatic warning was delivered before Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a public apology on Saturday to Gulf nations for Tehran’s recent military actions, which appeared designed to calm regional tensions after Iranian strikes damaged civilian areas.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan communicated Riyadh’s stance directly to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi during a phone conversation two days prior, the sources revealed.

According to the sources, Prince Faisal emphasized Saudi Arabia’s willingness to support diplomatic mediation efforts focused on reducing tensions and reaching a negotiated resolution. He stressed that neither Saudi Arabia nor other Gulf nations had permitted the United States to utilize their airspace or territory for launching attacks against Iran.

However, the Saudi minister also made clear that continued Iranian assaults on Saudi soil or energy infrastructure would compel the kingdom to authorize U.S. military forces to operate from Saudi bases, the sources indicated. Prince Faisal warned that Saudi Arabia would strike back if attacks on the nation’s vital energy installations persisted.

The kingdom has maintained ongoing diplomatic communication with Tehran through its ambassador since U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran commenced on February 28, following the breakdown of negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program, sources said.

Neither the Saudi nor Iranian foreign ministries provided responses to requests for comment.

Over the past week, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have all experienced intensive drone and missile bombardment from Iranian forces.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed on the opening day of the conflict. In response, Tehran launched attacks against Israel and Gulf Arab nations that host U.S. military installations, while Israel has targeted Lebanon’s Iran-supported Hezbollah militant organization.

During a Saturday interview, Araqchi confirmed ongoing communication with his Saudi counterpart and other Saudi leadership, stating that Riyadh had guaranteed Tehran it remained fully dedicated to preventing the use of its territory, waters or airspace for operations against Iran.

Pezeshkian announced that Iran’s interim leadership council had authorized halting attacks on neighboring nations, with the exception of cases where Iran faces assault from those countries.

“I personally apologise to neighbouring countries that were affected by Iran’s actions,” he stated.

The significance of Pezeshkian’s statements remains uncertain, as additional reports emerged Saturday of continued strikes targeting Gulf states.

Suggesting potential disagreements within Iran’s leadership structure, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which serves as the unified command center for Iranian military forces, released a statement declaring that U.S. and Israeli bases and interests throughout the region would continue as targets.

The command emphasized that Iran’s military respected neighboring states’ sovereignty and interests, claiming no direct action had been taken against them. However, it designated U.S. and Israeli military installations and assets on land, sea and in the air across the region as primary targets that would face “powerful and heavy” attacks from Iranian forces.

U.S. President Donald Trump posted on social media that Iran had “apologized and surrendered to its Middle East neighbours, and promised that it will not shoot at them anymore. This promise was only made because of the relentless U.S. and Israeli attack.”

Two Iranian sources verified that a phone conversation occurred in which Riyadh instructed Tehran to cease attacks on Saudi Arabia and neighboring Gulf nations. Iran reportedly restated its position that the strikes targeted U.S. interests and military installations hosted on Gulf territory, rather than the Gulf countries directly.

One Iranian source revealed that Tehran had demanded the closure of U.S. bases in the region and called for certain Gulf states to cease sharing intelligence with Washington that Iran suspects is being utilized for attacks against it.

Another Iranian source indicated that some military commanders were advocating for continued strikes, claiming the U.S. was utilizing Gulf state bases and airspace to conduct operations against Iran.

Iran had recently improved relations with its Gulf neighbors, including former regional rival Saudi Arabia. This diplomatic progress collapsed amid the barrage of drones and missiles launched by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards over the past week.

Multiple rockets were launched toward the United States Embassy compound in Baghdad on Saturday evening, with warning sirens blaring across the area, according to security officials and eyewitnesses.

This marks the first assault on the embassy facility in more than two years. The most recent previous incident occurred in late 2023, when approximately seven mortar shells struck the compound during a series of coordinated attacks by Iranian-backed militia groups against American facilities in Iraq and Syria, stemming from Washington’s backing of Israel during its conflict with Hamas in Gaza.

Witnesses reported hearing explosions in the vicinity of the embassy located in central Baghdad at approximately 9 p.m. local time (1800 GMT), followed by emergency sirens instructing residents to seek shelter.

According to a high-ranking Iraqi security official speaking to Reuters, the compound’s C-RAM defense system successfully intercepted one of the incoming rockets, with none of the projectiles breaching the embassy perimeter. The official confirmed no American personnel were harmed in the incident.

This assault suggests that Iranian-backed Iraqi militia organizations — who have pledged to seek revenge for the death of Iran’s supreme leader — have expanded their scope of operations beyond targeting US military installations in Iraqi Kurdistan and American energy facilities to now encompass the US Embassy.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has directed security personnel to locate and apprehend those responsible for launching the projectiles. In an official statement from his office, al-Sudani described the perpetrators as “rogue groups operating outside the law that do not represent the will of the Iraqi people.”

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — An Argentine military police officer who endured more than a year of imprisonment in Venezuela is calling on world leaders to help free two dozen foreign prisoners who remain locked up in the notorious Rodeo I facility.

Nahuel Gallo, who walked free this past Sunday following 448 days of captivity in a detention center near Caracas, spoke at a press conference Wednesday in Buenos Aires, declaring that his own liberation feels incomplete while 24 other international detainees remain behind bars.

“My mind is still in prison,” Gallo stated during the media event, which included appearances by several top Argentine officials. Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno expressed gratitude to allied nations such as the United States, Italy and Israel for their assistance in securing Gallo’s freedom.

The military officer was taken into custody on December 8, 2024, while on personal leave to see family members. Gallo, who had been serving in Argentina’s central Mendoza province, faced espionage allegations, according to statements from Argentina’s Foreign Ministry.

At the time of his arrest, Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab claimed Gallo “had attempted to enter Venezuelan territory irregularly” and was “concealing his true criminal plan under the guise of a romantic visit.”

Saab further alleged connections between the officer and “international far-right groups.”

Argentine officials countered these claims, stating that Gallo had made the trip to see his Venezuelan partner and their child together.

Earlier on Wednesday, before the press briefing took place, an Argentine federal judge called upon Gallo to provide testimony in proceedings examining potential crimes against humanity linked to former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s administration.

“Gallo could contribute his knowledge of the events under investigation, which were reported to have been carried out by the Venezuelan state apparatus,” read the court summons from Argentine Judge Sebastián Ramos, which The Associated Press obtained.

During his public appearance, Gallo made no reference to the legal summons and did not indicate his intentions regarding potential testimony. He instead asked reporters for time and understanding, explaining that he remains unprepared to share the full extent of his experiences.

“I still can’t talk about the atrocities they committed,” Gallo said.

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — The Ecuadorian government has given Cuba’s ambassador, Basilio Antonio Gutiérrez, along with his entire diplomatic team, a 48-hour deadline to exit the South American nation after declaring them unwelcome on Wednesday.

In an official statement, Ecuador’s Foreign Affairs Ministry announced the action was taken under international diplomatic protocols but offered no reasoning for expelling the Cuban diplomats. Under the Vienna Convention, nations can remove diplomatic personnel without providing justification.

Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Cuba’s embassy in Quito for comment were unsuccessful.

This diplomatic move follows President Daniel Noboa’s executive order from Tuesday that terminated the duties of Ecuador’s ambassador to Cuba, José María Borja, again without providing any explanation.

On the same day, Ecuador and the United States revealed they had launched combined military efforts targeting organized criminal networks operating within Ecuador.

These actions occur as President Donald Trump escalates pressure on Cuba, particularly following a U.S. military intervention that removed former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power.

Trump has subsequently imposed limitations on petroleum exports to Cuba and declared the Cuban government was “ready to fall.” Ecuador has positioned itself as a key partner for the Trump administration in regional efforts to combat drug trafficking and organized criminal activities.

At least 31 people suffered injuries when a blast rocked a nightclub in Trujillo, Peru during the early morning hours of Saturday, according to regional authorities.

Officials from Peru’s La Libertad region confirmed that local hospitals are currently providing care to victims of the explosion, while investigators work to determine what triggered the incident.

According to La Republica newspaper, which cited regional health officials, four individuals remain in critical condition following the blast. Health authorities also confirmed that several minors were among those wounded in the incident.

The cause of the explosion remains unknown. The incident comes amid rising violence linked to organized criminal activity throughout Peru, and local news outlets report that Trujillo has seen previous smaller-scale attacks targeting nightclub venues.

The blast occurred while Peruvian musical act Amor Rebelde was performing, causing club-goers to flee in panic seeking safety.

Band members from Amor Rebelde escaped injury and later issued a Facebook statement addressing what they described as “unfortunate events” that took place at the venue where they were performing.

Footage broadcast on Peruvian television captured the chaotic aftermath, showing the moments following a thunderous explosion that could be heard on the recording.

WASHINGTON – When Iranian missiles began striking targets across the United Arab Emirates last Saturday, State Department officials found themselves rushing to complete critical paperwork – securing authorization for at least three American embassies to remove non-essential staff.

Documents requesting State Department leadership approval for evacuations at U.S. diplomatic missions in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar – all already under attack from Tehran on Saturday – weren’t submitted for clearance and authorized until hours after America and Israel began military operations against Iran, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters. In some instances, approvals didn’t come until the next day, according to two knowledgeable sources and six internal State Department communications reviewed by Reuters.

Public notifications that America was beginning to withdraw non-essential personnel from Gulf Arab nations started Monday, three days after hostilities commenced. The U.S. embassy in Riyadh received authorized departure approval on Tuesday, four full days into the conflict and the same day Iranian drones struck the facility, causing a fire that damaged embassy property.

This timeline represents an uncommon delay. Usually, America initiates evacuations for planned military actions well ahead of operations beginning.

During America’s 2003 Iraq invasion, regional staff and U.S. citizens had weeks to prepare, with at least two evacuations starting more than a week before combat operations launched. Prior to last week’s strikes, only Israel and Lebanon had received orders for non-essential personnel departures.

The Iranian operation – America’s largest Middle East military action since 2003 – has created enormous pressure on U.S. officials and other nations with citizens in the region. However, lawmakers, former diplomats and process sources indicated America was unusually delayed in implementing contingency measures for both personnel and thousands of stranded Americans.

State Department principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said hundreds of people participated in efforts to help Americans return home.

“We are working 24/7 and have contingency plans ready to go and implement when needed, including the ability to immediately activate the task force, which was done here,” Pigott told Reuters in a statement.

SOCIAL MEDIA NOTIFICATIONS

Sources familiar with the situation said one factor behind the inconsistent approach was Trump administration officials limiting contingency planning to a small group before the war began.

In one instance, officials helping Americans return home learned from a senior Trump official’s social media post that Washington was now providing charter flights to U.S. citizens, according to two people aware of the situation.

“No directive came from anywhere,” one person said.

Pigott stated that announcements regarding the Department’s crisis-specific task force and charter flights were coordinated with appropriate officials.

In another case, the alert for Americans to leave the region didn’t come through standard State Department procedures but again through social media.

Top State Department consular affairs official Mora Namdar posted on X Monday, encouraging Americans across 14 Middle Eastern countries to depart and announcing the U.S. was working to arrange charter flights for citizens.

However, because this message was created outside normal procedures, State Department staff were caught off guard and had to revise the department’s official travel advisory system that American businesses and others depend on for overseas personnel guidance, according to two people familiar with the circumstances.

As of Saturday, the U.S. State Department reported completing “over a dozen charter flights and has safely evacuated thousands of Americans” from the Middle East. It didn’t specify exact departure locations for charter flights.

One flight leaving Dubai for Washington on Friday carried 182 embassy personnel and family members, plus 51 private U.S. citizens, representing only the second charter departure from that country, according to a March 6 communication reviewed by Reuters. Additional flights were scheduled afterward.

When asked to verify if specific plans were completed before the war to help evacuate American citizens from the 14 countries, a State Department official briefing reporters earlier this week provided a general response.

“I wouldn’t say that specifically. What I would say is, we always have contingency plans, and we’re always ready to assist Americans. That’s what I would say to that question,” the official said, speaking anonymously.

The Department said Friday it had helped 13,000 Americans who contacted them seeking departure assistance.

As the Department hurried to execute plans helping Americans, novelist and filmmaker Mohana Rajakumar in Doha called the hotline that senior U.S. officials said stranded citizens should use for help. The recorded message told her not to depend on government assistance for departure, even as the U.S. government repeatedly states that American citizen safety and security worldwide is its highest priority.

“I can tell you every WhatsApp group that I’m in with Americans, nobody feels that way,” Rajakumar told Reuters from Doha. “Everyone is asking why didn’t they tell us to leave given they knew they were going to do this? Why didn’t we have the option to leave?”

Officials said the recorded message was subsequently updated.

Internal divisions within Iran’s government are becoming increasingly visible as the nation faces what its leaders consider a fight for survival, with heated disagreements between hardline and moderate factions erupting over President Masoud Pezeshkian’s commitment to avoid attacking Gulf nations.

The fractures among Iran’s ruling class had been kept under wraps during Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s authoritarian reign, but his death last week has allowed these tensions to surface publicly as American and Israeli military strikes intensify pressure on Tehran.

The continuous military assault poses a deadly threat to the Islamic Republic and has led its most devoted supporters, the Revolutionary Guards, to take on a larger strategic role despite targeted killings that have eliminated numerous high-ranking officers.

Sources with connections to Iran’s leadership, speaking from within the nation, informed Reuters that tensions are becoming apparent among surviving top officials following multiple deaths from the U.S.-Israeli attacks. These sources requested anonymity given the delicate nature of the situation.

Demonstrating the mounting pressure on the government, religious leaders are fast-tracking the selection of a new supreme leader, with a decision potentially coming Sunday — although it remains uncertain whether Khamenei’s replacement will possess sufficient power to resolve internal conflicts.

Although his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, appears to be a leading candidate with support from the Guards and his father’s influential administration, he lacks experience, ranks below most of Iran’s top ayatollahs, and has created friction with moderate elements in the government.

Alternative candidates might find it difficult to maintain the unwavering loyalty of the Guards necessary to preserve order within the system.

“Wartime tends to clarify power structures, and in this case the decisive voice is not that of the civilian leadership but of the IRGC,” explained Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, referring to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS CRITICIZE PRESIDENT’S POSITION

Pezeshkian’s public regret to Gulf nations regarding a week-long bombardment of their lands — along with his promise to limit such operations — immediately drew criticism from hardliners within the Revolutionary Guards and religious establishment, compelling him to partially reverse his position.

Demonstrating one of the most direct attacks on Pezeshkian — and evidence of internal conflict, hardline religious leader and legislator Hamid Rasai publicly addressed the president on social media, stating: “your stance was unprofessional, weak and unacceptable.”

When the president later reiterated his previous statement on social media, he omitted the apology that had infuriated the Guards and other hardliners — representing a humiliating backtrack.

While all top officials within the government remain committed to protecting the Islamic Republic and its revolutionary religious system from American and Israeli attacks, obvious disagreements exist regarding their tactical methods.

Iran’s leadership has occasionally emphasized differences between hardliners and moderates as a negotiating tool with Western nations, but the conflict over Pezeshkian’s Saturday statement revealed authentic divisions, according to two high-level sources.

A hardliner with ties to Khamenei’s administration, which continues as a key power center, told Reuters that Pezeshkian’s remarks had frustrated many top Guard commanders.

Another high-ranking Iranian source, a moderate former government official, stated that no one could replace Khamenei, characterizing the deceased leader as a skilled strategist who had guided Iran through numerous challenging times.

As worry grows within Iran’s leadership circles, prominent ayatollahs have begun publicly calling for the religious council responsible for choosing a supreme leader to speed up its deliberations.

“It should expedite the process so that it leads to the disappointment of the enemy and the preservation of the unity and solidarity of the nation,” Ayatollah Nouri Hamedani declared in a statement published by the semi-official Fars News Agency.

TENSIONS VISIBLE EVEN IN HIGHEST GOVERNMENT BODY

Under Iran’s distinctive political structure, an elected president, administration and legislature answer to a religiously appointed ayatollah who holds ultimate power as supreme leader and directly supervises the Revolutionary Guards and other influential state institutions.

During his 36-year tenure, Khamenei frequently pitted hardline and moderate groups within the ruling apparatus against one another while maintaining final authority, permitting them to express disagreements as long as they accepted his decisions.

Following his death, authority officially transferred to a constitutionally required temporary council including Pezeshkian, the religious head of the court system and another cleric from a hardline organization known as the Guardian Council.

Without Khamenei’s presence, tensions are emerging even within that close-knit group, with the judiciary leader, prominent hardliner Ayatollah Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, stating that certain regional countries had permitted their land to be used for attacks.

“Heavy strikes on those targets will continue,” he declared, opposing Pezeshkian’s more diplomatic approach.

Nevertheless, although Khamenei did occasionally permit moderate or reformist positions to prevail in disagreements with hardliners, they were typically overruled when the system appeared to face danger.

Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodriguez expressed her nation’s commitment to resolving disputes with the United States through diplomatic channels on Saturday, following the recent agreement between both countries to restore formal relations.

In a message posted on social media platform X and directed toward President Donald Trump, Rodriguez stated: “We reiterate our willingness to build long-term relations based on mutual respect, equality, and international law, with a view to promoting a work agenda that strengthens cooperation for the benefit of both countries.”

The diplomatic outreach follows Thursday’s announcement by the U.S. State Department confirming that both nations would officially restore their diplomatic connections.

Relations between the two countries were cut off in 2019 when the initial Trump administration declined to acknowledge Nicolas Maduro as Venezuela’s rightful president following a contested election. Instead, the U.S. backed an opposition politician as the legitimate leader.

The situation shifted dramatically in January when American forces apprehended Maduro after months of escalating tensions, leading to significant political changes in Venezuela and Rodriguez’s installation as interim president.

Since Rodriguez’s government took power and indicated its desire to rebuild connections with Washington, both nations have been working step by step to restore their bilateral relationship.

Brazil’s Senate voted Wednesday to unanimously approve a sweeping free-trade agreement linking South American countries with the European Union, moving the historic deal closer to reality after more than two decades of negotiations.

The upper chamber’s approval follows similar action by Brazil’s lower house of Congress, advancing an agreement that would unite markets representing over 700 million consumers worldwide.

Two other South American bloc members, Argentina and Uruguay, have already given their approval to the trade pact, while Paraguay is anticipated to follow suit. Bolivia, the most recent addition to the Mercosur trading group, wasn’t part of the original negotiations but may participate in future years.

As Mercosur’s dominant economic force, Brazil carries significant weight with its economy projected to exceed $2.3 trillion in 2025. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva championed the agreement, though it still awaits final approval from Europe’s highest court.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has consistently praised Lula’s leadership in advancing the deal despite European resistance. Officials estimate the combined economies involved total approximately $22 trillion in gross domestic product.

Brazilian diplomatic sources and Vice President Geraldo Alckmin indicate portions of the agreement could take effect within months, even as legal challenges continue in Europe – a timeline von der Leyen supports.

“Brazil’s Congress once more is showing its institutional maturity and a move like this shows that it is siding with our society,” Sen. Davi Alcolumbre, the president of Brazil’s Senate, said after the deal was ratified.

The cross-Atlantic agreement received official signatures on January 17, ending a quarter-century stalemate driven largely by European agricultural worries about competitive disadvantages.

However, European farmers have staged recent protests, using tractors to block roadways and setting off fireworks in Brussels to demonstrate their opposition to the trade arrangement.

French President Emmanuel Macron, among the deal’s critics, has called for protective measures to prevent major economic disruption within the EU, stronger environmental regulations in South American countries including pesticide controls, and enhanced inspection procedures for imports entering European ports.

Western Cuba plunged into darkness Wednesday as a widespread power failure left millions of residents from Havana to central provinces without electricity, marking another crisis for the island nation’s struggling energy infrastructure.

The outage originated when Cuba’s largest thermoelectric facility, the Antonio Guiteras power plant located east of the capital, experienced a critical failure. According to state media reports, a burst pipe in the plant’s boiler system caused water leakage and triggered a fire that emergency crews successfully contained without extensive damage.

Radio Rebelde, the government broadcasting service, cited energy officials who warned that restoring the massive power plant to full operation could require a minimum of 72 hours. The facility’s technical director, Román Pérez Castañeda, explained to the station that repair teams must first identify the exact location of the malfunction, develop a repair strategy, complete the fixes, and then restart and synchronize the entire unit.

The electrical failure impacted a vast area stretching from Pinar del Rio in the west to Camaguey in the central part of the island, according to statements from Cuba’s national electric utility posted on social media platform X.

Recovery efforts began slowly, with government officials announcing by late Thursday that power had been restored to approximately 2.5% of Havana, representing about 21,100 customers. Authorities emphasized that restoration work would proceed gradually based on what the damaged system could handle.

Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz expressed confidence in repair efforts, writing on X: “We trust in the experience and effort of the electrical workers to overcome this situation in the shortest possible time.”

Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy provided updates on restoration progress, noting that one affected power facility had resumed operations. “We are working to restore the National Electric System amid a complex energy situation,” he posted on social media.

The blackout created immediate hardships for residents trying to navigate daily life without power. Odalis Sánchez, a 63-year-old woman recovering from surgery, found herself stranded on the street with her grandson when the outage hit. Unable to walk due to her recent operation, she struggled to find transportation home.

“I need to be able to get home to see what I can do,” Sánchez explained. “Without power, you can’t do anything. My grandson also is studying and I have to make him food. Public transportation isn’t helping.”

The transportation crisis deepened as fuel shortages prevented buses from running, forcing approximately 200 people at a nearby bus stop to seek alternative rides, including hitchhiking.

This represents the second major power failure to hit Cuba’s western territories in just three months. In early December, a nearly 12-hour blackout affected the same region when a transmission line fault between two power plants caused system overloads and the collapse of the western energy sector.

Cuba’s energy challenges have intensified following recent U.S. actions targeting Venezuela in early January, which disrupted crucial oil shipments from the South American ally. The situation worsened when President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on any nation providing oil supplies to Cuba.

Despite the difficulties, some residents maintained their determination to persevere. Ernesto Couto Martínez, 76, who was searching for transportation home, said he would face the latest crisis “with the spirit that all Cubans have.”

“We must keep fighting. There’s no other way,” he stated. “We have to move forward, blockade or no blockade.”

The island nation implemented strict fuel conservation measures last month and announced that jet fuel would be unavailable at nine airports across Cuba until mid-March. Even before the recent U.S. actions against Venezuela, Cuba was already battling an deteriorating electrical grid, power generation shortfalls, and irregular fuel deliveries.

BEIRUT – A mass evacuation of Iranian nationals from Lebanon took place over the weekend as tensions escalate in the region, according to Lebanese security officials.

Over 150 Iranian citizens, including embassy personnel and their relatives, departed Lebanon on Saturday aboard a Russian aircraft bound for Russia, a high-ranking Lebanese security official confirmed to news agencies. An additional 20 Iranians had already left the country on Friday as fighting intensified between Israel and the Lebanese militant organization Hezbollah.

An official at Iran’s Beirut embassy acknowledged that several non-critical diplomatic staff members were departing but declined to specify exact numbers.

The exodus follows renewed hostilities that have drawn attention to Iran’s support for Hezbollah, which initiated attacks against Israel earlier this week using rockets and unmanned aircraft, prompting extensive Israeli military retaliation throughout Lebanon.

Israeli military officials issued a direct warning on Tuesday through social media, stating that Iranian government representatives remaining in Lebanon should “leave immediately before they are targeted.”

The situation intensified when Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam instructed authorities the next day to detain and remove any Iranian Revolutionary Guards conducting military operations within Lebanese borders – marking the first official acknowledgment of potential Iranian military presence in the country.

However, Lebanese officials have not confirmed whether Iranian forces are actually operating on their territory. Hezbollah representative Mahmoud Qmati rejected claims earlier this week that Iranian military personnel were present in Lebanon.

Israeli warplanes targeted locations close to Iran’s diplomatic mission in Lebanon on Friday, according to two security officials. Iranian embassy sources indicated these attacks prompted the decision for diplomatic staff to evacuate.

Sources familiar with government deliberations revealed that Lebanese authorities had also been preparing action against Iranian diplomatic personnel this week, with plans to remove diplomats from the country. It remains unclear whether those who departed did so voluntarily for safety reasons or were compelled to leave by Lebanese officials.

Canadian officials announced Wednesday that over 2,000 of their citizens have contacted the government seeking help to evacuate from Middle Eastern nations as tensions continue to rise between the United States, Israel and Iran.

According to a government representative, approximately half of these evacuation requests originated from Canadian nationals currently in the United Arab Emirates, while 200 came from those in Qatar and 160 from individuals in Lebanon.

Ottawa is actively working to arrange spots on commercial airline flights departing various cities throughout the region, the official explained. The government successfully secured 75 seats on flights leaving Wednesday, with additional arrangements anticipated in the upcoming days.

A 27-year-old Palestinian man was killed by an Israeli settler on Saturday in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The deadly shooting took place in the village area of Masafer Yatta, located near the Palestinian city of Hebron, both the Health Ministry and the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

Israeli military officials have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the fatal incident.

The location where the shooting occurred, Masafer Yatta, has become one of several areas where Palestinians face growing displacement due to escalating settler violence that has increased dramatically in recent years, United Nations reports indicate.

This latest death follows another deadly incident earlier this week when two Palestinian brothers were fatally shot by an Israeli near Nablus in the northern West Bank on Monday, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that military police are conducting an investigation into a reserve soldier in connection with Monday’s fatal shooting.

SYDNEY – Australia has become the newest member of the G7 critical minerals alliance after signing multiple agreements with Canada on Wednesday, according to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

The move represents part of a broader Western effort to reduce dependence on Chinese supply chains for essential minerals needed in semiconductor manufacturing and military applications. China currently dominates both the production and processing of these crucial materials.

“Earlier today, we signed a series of new agreements on critical minerals, including Australia joining the G7 minerals alliance – the largest grouping of trusted democratic mineral reserves in the world,” Carney announced during his address to Australia’s parliament on the final day of his three-day diplomatic visit.

The partnership brings together two major mineral producers, with Australia and Canada collectively responsible for approximately one-third of worldwide lithium and uranium output, plus more than 40% of global iron ore production.

Canadian Energy and Mining Minister Tim Hodgson indicated Tuesday that his government favors creating production partnerships and purchasing coalitions over establishing price controls to address supply chain concentration issues.

Australia has already committed funding toward establishing a strategic reserve of critical minerals, starting with antimony and gallium stockpiles.

Carney’s Australian visit is part of a broader Asia-Pacific tour that includes stops in Japan and India, designed to strengthen relationships between what he termed “middle powers.”

Beyond mineral cooperation, the two nations plan to expand collaboration in defense operations, maritime security, international trade, and artificial intelligence development, according to statements from Carney’s office prior to the visit.

Massive numbers of travelers find themselves trapped throughout the Middle East as regional warfare between the United States, Israel and Iran continues to intensify. Flight cancellations and closed airspace have created chaos for passengers desperately trying to find ways home.

The rapidly escalating situation has particularly impacted Gulf region airports, which serve as vital connection points for travelers heading to Europe, Africa and Asia. Despite ongoing rescue operations, air travel remains severely disrupted, affecting tourists, business people, migrant workers and many others caught in the crossfire.

Several affected passengers spoke with The Associated Press about their experiences during this crisis.

A Serbian woman named Viktoriia Lokhmatova and Belgian man Michael Crepin had brought their children to Dubai for a meaningful family occasion. Though the couple had been dating for over a year, this marked the first in-person meeting between her 8-year-old daughter Anny and his 13-year-old son Gabriel. The February trip was also meant to celebrate all four family members’ birthdays.

Their plans were derailed when their departure flight was cancelled due to regional airspace restrictions caused by the conflict. A replacement booking was also scrapped, forcing the family to scramble for alternatives while dealing with unexpected accommodation costs.

“We stayed on calls with the airline for almost two days trying to figure out another flight,” Lokhmatova explained.

During their search for solutions, Lokhmatova found a program where local vacation rental operators were providing temporary housing for stranded passengers. The family received a complimentary one-night stay in a unit managed by AraBnB Homes, a Dubai luxury rental company that opened empty properties to travelers unable to depart the city.

This temporary housing allowed them to regroup and plan their extended stay. During their first few days, they occasionally heard explosions from air defense systems stopping incoming missiles or drones. “We tried to stay calm because the kids were there,” Crepin explained.

Despite the circumstances, he said they felt secure and appreciated being together during the ordeal. They’re hoping to depart Dubai on Saturday if their newest flight proceeds as scheduled. From there, they plan to travel together to Istanbul before going separate ways – Lokhmatova and Anny back to Serbia, while Crepin and Gabriel return to Belgium.

Technology executive Varun Krishnan, who operates the Indian tech company Fone Arena, discovered two hours into his weekend flight from Doha, Qatar to Barcelona that his aircraft was no longer heading toward Spain. He was completing the final segment of his journey from India to attend the Mobile World Congress telecommunications conference in Barcelona.

“It seemed something was off,” Krishnan explained, mentioning he had been monitoring the flight path and noticed they weren’t following the expected route.

The captain announced during breakfast service that Baghdad’s airspace had closed due to security concerns. Rather than continuing through Iraq toward Europe, the plane began circling over the United Arab Emirates.

While the captain kept passengers informed about developments, Krishnan said “people were panicking.”

Emergency alerts activated throughout the cabin as the aircraft prepared to return to Doha. Upon landing, passengers faced lengthy lines while departure screens displayed widespread cancellations.

Krishnan has remained at a hotel since then, and as of Wednesday was still awaiting airline confirmation about when flights might restart.

Pittsburgh retiree Louise Herrle and her husband became trapped in Dubai during their vacation when the war erupted. She reported to the AP that multiple flights have been cancelled, and while they’re currently booked on an early Thursday morning departure, uncertainty remains about whether this flight will also be scrapped.

They’ve occasionally heard fighter aircraft overhead and some explosions, she noted. Despite the “extremely stressful” circumstances, she’s found comfort in connecting with other affected travelers.

“It’s not a great experience, but it’s, you know, a shared experience and it brings people together,” she observed.

Agnes Chen Pun, a Hong Kong resident who relocated to Dubai with her husband and their 1½-year-old child last year, has attempted to keep her family secure as tensions escalate in the United Arab Emirates. They’ve relocated twice – initially to a resort approximately 90 minutes away in Fujairah, then to another near the port city of Sharjah – due to concerns about possible attacks.

“We were so nervous, so anxious,” explained Chen, who works as a partner at Asia Bankers Club, an investment firm with offices in Hong Kong and Dubai.

She eventually obtained commercial flight tickets to Singapore for $2,200 each, though her departure remains uncertain. Despite the disruption, Chen indicated she intends to return to the UAE once conditions stabilize, considering the country an appealing place to live and work.

“I think the scare, the fears, will be short-term. Definitely now, safety is the most important,” she stated. “I will go to Hong Kong … wait (until) the war is over, and then I probably, definitely would come back again.”

SAO PAULO, March 7 – New polling data from Brazil indicates a potential runoff between current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro would be virtually deadlocked, based on a Datafolha survey published Saturday.

The survey reveals that in a hypothetical runoff election held now, Lula would capture 46% of voter support while Flavio, who is the oldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, would secure 43% – a margin within the statistical margin of error.

When polling tested a matchup between Lula and Sao Paulo state governor Tarcisio de Freitas, results showed similar closeness with 45% backing Lula and 42% supporting de Freitas, again representing a statistical dead heat.

The nation’s general election will take place on October 4. Should no presidential hopeful win an outright majority, the top two vote-getters will compete in a runoff election scheduled for October 25.

The survey data indicates that 80-year-old Lula, who would be seeking his fourth presidential term, maintains an advantage in all first-round polling scenarios. Meanwhile, 44-year-old Flavio’s political prospects have strengthened since his father, currently imprisoned, endorsed his candidacy in December.

Both Lula and Flavio registered the survey’s highest unfavorability numbers. The poll found that 46% of respondents stated they would refuse to vote for Lula regardless of circumstances, while 45% expressed the same sentiment about Flavio – representing another virtual tie.

The Datafolha organization conducted interviews with 2,004 registered voters between Tuesday and Thursday across 137 municipalities throughout the country. The poll carries a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points.

The leader of the United Arab Emirates broke his silence following Iranian missile attacks on his country, delivering a defiant message that his nation remains strong and will not be intimidated by adversaries.

President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who also serves as Abu Dhabi’s ruler, made his first public statements since the strikes while visiting injured victims on Friday. His remarks were broadcast Saturday on Abu Dhabi television.

“The UAE has thick skin and bitter flesh — we are no easy prey,” Al Nahyan declared during his hospital visit.

The president emphasized his government’s commitment to safeguarding the nation during these challenging times. “We will carry out our duty towards our country, our people, and our residents who are also part of our family,” he stated.

Al Nahyan assured that the UAE, a federation of seven emirates that includes Dubai, would provide protection for all people within its borders. His comments came after Iran launched missiles at the Gulf nation during ongoing tensions involving U.S.-Israeli military operations in the region.

The president characterized the current period as wartime but stressed that his country remains resilient despite the attacks.

A former school caretaker who became one of Britain’s most infamous child murderers has died following an assault by another prisoner at a high-security facility.

Ian Huntley, 52, passed away Saturday after spending days on life support following a brutal attack at Frankland prison in northeast England on February 26. According to reports, a fellow inmate repeatedly struck him in the head with a metal bar while they were in the prison workshop.

Huntley was serving a life sentence for killing Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, both 10 years old, in a case that gripped the United Kingdom for two weeks in 2002. The two best friends disappeared from their village of Soham in eastern England on August 4, 2002, after they left a barbecue to purchase candy.

For nearly two weeks, authorities conducted an extensive search while hoping the girls might still be found alive. A photograph showing both children wearing identical red Manchester United soccer jerseys, captured moments before they vanished, dominated newspaper headlines and television coverage as investigators launched a massive manhunt.

The community response was overwhelming, with thousands of people traveling to Soham and leaving hundreds of flower arrangements outside the village church in a massive display of support and concern.

The desperate search came to a tragic end when hikers found the children’s bodies along a dirt trail in a forested area several miles from their hometown.

“The murders of remains one of the most shocking and devastating cases in our nation’s history, and our thoughts are with their families,” the U.K. Ministry of Justice said in a statement.

Although Huntley maintained his innocence regarding the murders of the two 10-year-olds, a jury found him guilty following his trial at London’s Central Criminal Court in 2003. The court imposed a life sentence with a recommendation that he remain imprisoned for a minimum of 40 years.

During his incarceration, Huntley faced multiple assassination attempts and required special protective custody alongside other high-profile convicted killers. In a 2010 incident, another prisoner slashed his throat.

When the crimes occurred, Huntley was living with Maxine Carr, who worked as a teaching assistant at the elementary school attended by Holly and Jessica. Carr provided Huntley with a fabricated alibi and received a 21-month prison sentence for obstructing justice. She currently lives under an assumed identity.

Both Huntley and Carr frequently appeared before news media during the initial search efforts. Huntley claimed to reporters that he believed he was among the final people to encounter the girls while they were still alive, and Carr mentioned she planned to keep a greeting card that Holly had made for her.

According to British news outlets, Anthony Russell, a 43-year-old convicted murderer and rapist, carried out the fatal assault on Huntley.

Durham Constabulary is conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident that resulted in Huntley’s death, and officials are preparing documentation for the Crown Prosecution Service to review potential criminal charges.

HAVANA — Cuban authorities announced Saturday they are working to bring the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric facility back online following a equipment failure that triggered widespread power outages across the island’s western territories.

Felix Estrada Rodríguez, a senior engineer with Cuba’s Electric Union, informed the state-run Canal Caribe network that the facility is expected to resume operations by Saturday evening after repair teams addressed a damaged boiler system.

The equipment malfunction on Wednesday resulted in power losses affecting millions of residents throughout western Cuba, according to officials.

Rodríguez explained that restoration efforts required careful attention to safety protocols due to challenging working conditions.

“It is a confined space with a high temperature,” he stated.

Cuba’s Electric Union reported Saturday that only 1,000 megawatts of electricity generation capacity remained available, representing less than half of what the nation currently requires. Officials did not specify how many residents continue to experience power interruptions.

This marks the second major electrical grid failure to impact western Cuba in the past three months, with authorities citing deteriorating infrastructure and fuel shortages as contributing factors.

The island nation relies heavily on Venezuelan oil imports but has recently adopted strict fuel conservation policies following U.S. actions against the South American country and the detention of its leadership, which disrupted essential petroleum deliveries.

Following the U.S. intervention in Venezuela in early January, President Donald Trump issued warnings about potential tariffs against nations that provide oil supplies to Cuba.

A business partner of a Brazilian bank owner at the center of a major financial scandal has died, according to his legal representatives.

Luiz Phillipi Mourao passed away Friday evening following what authorities described as a suicide attempt that left him brain dead, his attorneys confirmed in a Saturday statement. Mourao had been taken into custody Wednesday as part of an ongoing investigation into the collapse of Banco Master.

The failed financial institution, which controlled less than one percent of Brazil’s total banking assets, was shut down by regulators in November after officials cited severe cash flow problems, declining financial health, and significant regulatory breaches.

Authorities arrested Mourao alongside Banco Master owner Daniel Vorcaro on Wednesday. Prosecutors allege Vorcaro paid bribes to two central bank regulators and conspired with Mourao to threaten and harass individuals he believed were working against his business interests. According to court documents, Vorcaro referred to Mourao as “Sicario,” a term for assassins used by Mexican drug organizations.

Vorcaro’s legal team has rejected all charges against their client, stating they plan to prove “the regularity of his conduct.”

The probe into Banco Master’s downfall has revealed an extensive web of corruption and conflicts of interest that has undermined confidence in several of Brazil’s most influential institutions.

Police in Minas Gerais state announced Saturday that Mourao’s remains have been transferred to forensic experts for analysis and will be returned to his relatives once testing is finished.

STOCKHOLM – Swedish authorities have detained a cargo vessel in Baltic Sea waters after determining the ship was operating under fraudulent flag documentation, police announced Saturday.

The vessel, identified as the Caffa, was intercepted by Swedish police and coast guard forces on Friday amid suspicions of maritime law violations. Johan Andersson, deputy chief of the police National Operations Department, revealed during a Saturday press briefing that one crew member has been formally notified of suspected legal violations.

According to Andersson, the investigation has revealed significant concerns about the vessel’s seaworthiness and compliance with safety regulations.

“Our investigation so far strengthens our suspicions and our opinion that this ship has extensive sea safety deficiencies,” Andersson stated during the press conference.

The deputy police chief also disclosed potential connections to international sanctions, saying “We also have information that the vessel would be on the Ukraine sanctions list.”

The Caffa, which maritime tracking data shows as a 96-meter cargo vessel, was initially documented as flying under Guinea’s flag. However, Swedish authorities determined this documentation was fraudulent, effectively making the ship stateless at the time of seizure.

Andersson confirmed that the majority of the vessel’s 11-person crew are Russian nationals. The ship was intercepted in waters off Sweden’s southern coast during routine maritime monitoring operations.

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese leadership has announced a reduced economic expansion goal of 4.5% to 5% for the current year, marking a downward adjustment as the nation grapples with ongoing real estate market difficulties and global economic challenges.

Premier Li Qiang revealed this target during Thursday’s opening session of the National People’s Congress annual gathering, presenting the government’s yearly assessment. The official report established this objective “while striving for better in practice,” according to the announcement.

This represents a reduction from the approximately 5% targets established over the previous three years. China’s economy achieved exactly 5% growth in the previous year. By establishing a target range between 4.5% and 5%, Chinese officials have created additional flexibility for policy modifications throughout the year.

The U.S. State Department announced Saturday that it has successfully carried out more than a dozen charter flights, bringing thousands of American citizens home from the Middle East over the past week.

The evacuation operations began following military strikes by U.S. and Israeli forces against Iran that started last Saturday. Iran’s retaliatory attacks on surrounding nations led to widespread airspace shutdowns, stranding American travelers in the region.

Critics have questioned the Trump administration’s preparedness and early response in assisting U.S. citizens seeking to leave the area during the escalating conflict.

According to the State Department, officials are working to expand both charter flight services and ground transportation options throughout the region, with operations continuing as security circumstances permit.

BEIRUT — Israeli special forces conducted an overnight mission in eastern Lebanon searching for information about navigator Ron Arad, who disappeared nearly four decades ago, but came up empty-handed, military officials announced Saturday. The operation resulted in deadly confrontations that claimed dozens of lives and left many more injured.

For nearly 40 years, Israel has pursued answers about what became of Arad after he vanished following his parachute landing from a crashed fighter aircraft in Lebanon during 1986. Arad had been participating in strikes against suspected Palestinian militants when local gunmen took him prisoner while he was still alive.

Israeli military officials declined to specify the landing location for their forces, though Lebanese army sources and state media reported that Israeli commandos touched down in mountainous terrain near the Syrian border before advancing toward the eastern community of Nabi Chit. There, they engaged in combat with Hezbollah militants and local fighters. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that no fewer than 41 individuals died and 40 sustained injuries during overnight fighting in Nabi Chit and surrounding areas.

Lebanese army officials confirmed that three of their soldiers perished during the firefight. They reported that four helicopters participated in the mission, with two conducting the actual landing. Residents also confronted the Israeli unit while Lebanese forces went on high alert and launched illumination rounds.

A Nabi Chit resident speaking anonymously to The Associated Press for security reasons said the Israeli unit entered their community and excavated a cemetery grave before departing. The individual provided no additional information.

Israeli army Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced on X that the operation failed to locate Arad’s remains or discover any related evidence.

Hezbollah confirmed their fighters engaged the Israeli force and reported that Israeli warplanes launched approximately 40 air attacks in the region to facilitate the ground unit’s retreat.

Adraee stated that Israeli forces sustained no casualties during the operation.

The Shiite Muslim group known as the Believers’ Resistance initially captured Arad upon his landing and published several photographs of him before he vanished without a trace.

Intelligence suggested Arad remained captive in Nabi Chit through 1988, after which he disappeared following intense fighting between Hezbollah forces and Israeli troops in the southern village of Meidoun.

Last December, retired Lebanese military officer Ahmed Shukr vanished in eastern Lebanon during a meeting with individuals interested in purchasing property. His relatives suspect Israeli agents abducted him for information regarding the case and transported him to Israel.

Shukr’s spouse and sibling recently informed The Associated Press that the former officer possesses no knowledge about Arad’s circumstances.

During 1994, Israeli helicopter commandos penetrated deep into Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley, capturing Believers’ Resistance leader Mustafa Dirani and transporting him to Israel. Dirani gained freedom a decade later through a prisoner exchange with Hezbollah.

In 2008, Hezbollah transmitted a report about Arad through intermediaries to Israel, suggesting he likely perished while attempting to escape his captors and reach Israel. Israeli media published the Hezbollah assessment at that time.

Throughout other areas of Lebanon, Israeli air forces launched strikes across various eastern and southern regions.

These recent airstrikes represent the latest escalation since renewed hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah commenced Monday. The Iranian-supported organization launched rockets and drones toward Israel following the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after Israel and the United States initiated attacks on Iran February 28, sparking the current Middle Eastern conflict.

Saturday morning brought reported airstrikes on southern villages including Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, Arab Saleem, and Jibchit. The Jibchit attack claimed six lives, including four family members, while five people died in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, according to state news sources.

BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized Saturday that complete political allegiance within the armed forces must be guaranteed while demanding continued aggressive action against corruption as military purges expand.

“There must be no one in the military who harbors disloyalty to the (ruling Communist) Party,” Xi stated in comments released by the official Xinhua News Agency.

The Chinese leader delivered these remarks during a full assembly of China’s People’s Liberation Army and People’s Armed Police Force delegation while the nation conducts its yearly “two sessions” gatherings of the primary legislature and main political advisory council.

Xi’s anti-corruption initiative, which has persisted for over ten years, continues without signs of slowing down. Military leadership has become a primary focus in recent years, culminating in the dismissal of the top general last month, as Xi works to restructure and update the nation’s defense forces.

Experts suggest the initiative also serves as Xi’s method of eliminating possible challengers and guaranteeing complete devotion from his officials during his 14th year leading the country.

The National People’s Congress recently removed nine military personnel last week, including two serving under the Central Military Commission, the armed forces’ supreme governing body, along with officials from ground forces, naval operations, aviation units, and missile divisions. Additionally, three generals were expelled from China’s primary political advisory organization this week.

“There must be no hiding place for corrupt individuals,” Xi stated according to Xinhua on Saturday. “The fight against corruption must be resolutely pushed forward.”

Chinese officials also announced this week a 7% increase in defense spending for the current year, reaching approximately 1.9 trillion yuan ($270 billion), representing a slight decrease from the roughly 7.2% yearly growth seen over the previous three years.

Ukrainian companies producing affordable anti-drone interceptors report they’re prepared to ship their technology overseas in significant quantities, following inquiries from American officials and Middle Eastern nations responding to escalating Iranian drone warfare.

Russia has flooded Ukrainian airspace with hundreds of unmanned aircraft based on Iran’s Shahed design during repeated assault campaigns, with many brought down by defensive systems including Western-supplied missiles, military aircraft, ground-based artillery, and interceptor drones.

As Iran now deploys drones against American partners throughout the Gulf region in retaliation for intensive U.S. and Israeli military operations, Ukraine sees an opportunity to demonstrate how its four years of experience battling Russia’s full-scale invasion could benefit allied nations’ long-term defense strategies.

Given that traditional missiles can carry price tags reaching millions of dollars per unit and remain in limited supply as Western militaries rush to strengthen their own defensive capabilities, interceptor systems offer an economical and effective solution against relatively inexpensive drone threats.

American forces and their Middle Eastern partners have quickly reached out to Ukraine seeking assistance with obtaining these interceptor systems.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Thursday that his country would provide support following an American request for aid, noting previously that Middle Eastern governments had contacted Kyiv directly.

While Zelenskyy didn’t detail the specific nature of this assistance, a knowledgeable source informed Reuters that American and Qatari officials were negotiating to acquire Ukrainian interceptor drones.

SkyFall, a leading drone producer specializing in interceptors, reported that its production capabilities have surpassed Ukraine’s purchasing power for these systems, positioning the company for international sales.

“We have had interest and inquiries from our (allies) and countries in the Middle East,” stated Ares, a SkyFall spokesperson wearing a face covering to conceal his identity during the interview.

Ares agreed to speak only under his operational call-sign.

According to SkyFall, its P1-SUN interceptor has successfully eliminated over 1,500 Shahed drones and 1,000 additional unmanned aircraft since beginning operations four months earlier.

“The company is ready to provide any necessary assistance if we get the green light from our government,” he explained, emphasizing that exports would only proceed if they didn’t compromise Ukraine’s defensive capabilities.

Ihor Fedirko, who leads UCDI, Ukraine’s government-supported arms manufacturing organization, calculated that interceptor drone producers and other counter-drone system manufacturers were creating approximately double what Ukrainian forces required to handle Russia’s regular bombardments.

SkyFall requested that their facility’s location remain confidential. During a recent media visit, Reuters journalists observed extensive rows of 3D printing equipment producing plastic drone parts and workshop areas where employees soldered and constructed the aircraft.

The manufacturer projected it could produce as many as 50,000 interceptor drones monthly and export between 5,000 to 10,000 units without affecting Ukraine’s defensive requirements.

While Ukraine doesn’t neutralize every Russian drone launch, this isn’t always due to ammunition shortages but can result from coordination challenges.

Ukrainian leadership is working to improve its layered air defense approach to reduce successful penetrations, viewing expanded interceptor drone deployment as a crucial component of this strategy.

During February, these systems accounted for 70% of drones eliminated in and around Kyiv, according to Ukrainian military reports.

Most Ukrainian interceptor drones carry price points of several thousand dollars or below. By contrast, PAC-3 missiles utilized in the highly-valued American Patriot air defense network can cost $4 million per unit and are typically reserved for destroying enemy missiles.

Iran’s Shahed-136 drones, originally developed by Iran and now produced in large quantities by Russia, are estimated to cost between $50,000 and $100,000 each.

SkyFall promotes the P1-SUN as an extremely cost-efficient alternative. Based on the model’s features, it charges Ukraine’s armed forces approximately $1,000 per drone.

“If we are talking about export and … assistance to partners, then the price will most likely be higher,” Ares noted, though he maintained it would still represent the most affordable option available.

Industry experts identified pilot training rather than drone availability as one of the primary challenges for deploying Ukrainian interceptor drones in Gulf operations. Ukraine remains the sole nation with drone operators experienced in combat use of these systems.

SkyFall operates its own training facility offering a three-week pilot certification program, and company officials confirmed readiness to deploy instructors internationally should Ukraine’s government authorize drone sales to foreign nations.

The company also reported developing remote piloting capabilities, potentially allowing Gulf-region drones to be operated from Ukrainian control stations.

ANKARA – Turkish defense officials are evaluating the possibility of stationing F-16 fighter jets in Cyprus, according to a source within the country’s defense ministry who spoke Saturday.

The official indicated that positioning military aircraft represents one option under review as part of comprehensive security planning designed to protect the Turkish Cypriot territory in the island’s northern section, particularly as regional tensions continue to escalate.

The potential deployment would mark a significant military move as Turkey develops multi-phase strategies to safeguard the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state, which operates in the northern portion of the divided Mediterranean island.

STOCKHOLM — Maritime officials in Sweden have launched an investigation into a freight vessel navigating Baltic Sea waters that they suspect operates without proper national registration.

The cargo ship Caffa was traveling through Sweden’s territorial waters on Friday displaying a flag from Guinea when the vessel caught the attention of law enforcement, according to a police statement.

Coast Guard personnel climbed aboard the ship to conduct a thorough search and question crew members. Officials expressed safety concerns regarding the vessel’s condition and ability to operate safely at sea.

Additional information about the Caffa remains limited at this time.

In recent months, Sweden has announced plans to enhance insurance verification procedures for international vessels as part of efforts to crack down on Russia’s “shadow fleet” operations involving older ships. Moscow employs this unofficial maritime network to move oil and natural gas products, as well as transport grain taken from Ukraine. These vessels typically average about 18 years in age, placing them near retirement and increasing accident risks, particularly when maintenance is inadequate.

Stockholm’s government directed the Coast Guard and Swedish Maritime Administration last year to gather insurance documentation from ships not only docking at Swedish harbors, but also those traveling through the nation’s territorial boundaries and exclusive economic waters.

Officials have not indicated whether they suspect the Caffa operates as part of this shadow fleet network.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine has transformed from having a weak defense industry to becoming a major producer of affordable drone interceptors, now seeking to leverage this wartime breakthrough for international partnerships as Middle Eastern conflicts deplete expensive missile stockpiles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is proposing an exchange with American and Gulf nation partners: Ukraine’s battle-tested anti-drone technology in return for advanced Patriot missile systems that the country desperately needs but cannot produce domestically.

The transformation began when Russia initiated its comprehensive invasion four years ago, forcing Ukraine’s previously underdeveloped arms sector to rapidly innovate. The nation has since constructed a thriving defense industry focused on affordable drone technology, including specialized systems designed to neutralize Iranian-style Shahed drones that Russia now deploys in massive numbers.

Washington recently sought “specific support” against Iranian-designed Shaheds operating in Middle Eastern theaters, leading Zelenskyy to authorize the deployment of Ukrainian equipment and specialists, though operational details remain confidential.

Ukraine implemented a weapons export prohibition when the 2022 conflict commenced. However, Ukrainian manufacturers of budget-friendly interceptor drones report growing inquiries from American and Gulf state officials.

According to Oleh Katkov, editor-in-chief of Defense Express, Ukraine possesses the only mass-manufactured system with actual combat verification. “There is a huge difference between a mass-produced system proven to work in real combat and something others only promise to develop … It’s like selling the house, not just the bricks,” Katkov explained.

Should international partnerships prove successful, Ukraine could establish itself as a significant force in contemporary warfare, though questions remain about the industry’s ability to expand globally while maintaining national defense capabilities.

Middle Eastern interest has intensified as Gulf nations exhaust their expensive Patriot missile inventories, which they’ve been deploying against considerably cheaper Iranian Shaheds.

Iranian-designed Shahed drones carry price tags of approximately $30,000, while individual interceptor missiles for American-manufactured Patriot defense systems cost millions.

Lockheed Martin announced record production of 600 PAC-3 MSE interceptors for Patriot systems throughout 2025. Zelenskyy stated Thursday that Middle Eastern countries consumed over 800 such missiles within just three days — exceeding Ukraine’s total reserves accumulated during the entire four-year conflict.

To combat Shaheds, Kyiv created budget interceptor drones priced between $1,000 and $2,000, advancing these systems from experimental stages to full-scale production within months during 2025.

However, Ukraine lacks ballistic missile defense capabilities, making Patriot missile acquisition a critical survival issue for Kyiv.

Within this context, Zelenskyy advocates for a “swap” arrangement with allies. “Our message is very simple,” he stated. “We’d like to quietly … receive the Patriot missiles we have a deficit of, and give them a corresponding number of interceptors.”

Despite Zelenskyy’s confidence, some experts caution that global arms market entry involves more complexity than contract negotiations.

“Weapon trading is an incredibly subtle and sensitive issue,” said Yevhen Mahda, executive director of the Kyiv-based Institute of World Policy. He noted American market dominance and warned against “naive” expectations that markets will open based solely on Ukraine’s compelling narrative. “It requires a tough, calculated diplomatic game.”

Ukrainian leadership has only recently started serious discussions about transitioning from wartime export freezes to government-regulated markets, with implementation timelines and methods still undefined.

“We need more than just presidential statements. We need action,” Mahda emphasized. “How can we talk about exports if we officially aren’t selling anything yet?”

The United States and Gulf nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, have repeatedly requested Ukraine’s domestically manufactured interceptor drones, according to three Ukrainian weapons producers.

Neither American nor Gulf country officials immediately responded to Associated Press requests for comment.

“We are ready to share them, and we want to share them,” said Marco Kushnir, spokesperson for General Cherry, a Ukrainian manufacturer producing top-performing interceptor drones that successfully target Shaheds domestically.

Kushnir indicated that final decisions rest with government leadership and Zelenskyy, but the company stands prepared to assist partners within days. He added their production capacity could reach “tens of thousands” of interceptors monthly.

Ukraine currently maintains surplus interceptor drone inventory, with manufacturers claiming they could produce tens of thousands more without compromising national defense. The greater challenge involves training personnel and integrating drones with long-range radar detection systems.

Multiple Ukrainian companies have deployed effective systems. General Cherry’s “Bullet” interceptor, developed in late 2025, has eliminated several hundred Shahed drones, according to Kushnir. Another design, Skyfall’s 3D-printed P1-Sun, costs approximately $1,000 and achieves speeds exceeding 300 kilometers (186 miles) per hour, with manufacturing capacity reaching 50,000 drones monthly, company representatives reported.

While hardware export legal frameworks remain uncertain, Ukraine’s most valuable resource is human knowledge. Zelenskyy has repeatedly emphasized his country’s readiness to provide instructors capable of teaching interceptor operation.

Drone supply won’t present difficulties, said Andrii Taganskyi, director of Camera Business at Odd Systems, which provides cameras for interceptor drones manufactured by Ukrainian company Wild Hornets. However, training foreign operators and adapting tactical approaches will be crucial, he noted.

Interceptor drones require integration with comprehensive radar systems for incoming target detection and tracking, Taganskyi explained. While some models feature partial automation, manufacturers emphasize that crews need proper training for effective operation.

“This is a tool that requires training,” Katkov stated. “And the real, proven expertise — not just on paper — exists only in Ukraine.”

Kyiv’s commitment to deploying specialists internationally represents a substantial strategic sacrifice due to potential impacts on Ukraine’s domestic air defense capabilities. Given constant Russian drone bombardments, every trained soldier remains invaluable.

“We do not have a surplus of military personnel at the front,” Katkov acknowledged. “However, there is a clear understanding that the benefits of such cooperation might far outweigh the risks.”

The Iranian-backed Lebanese militant organization Hezbollah issued an urgent evacuation directive Saturday targeting residents of Kiryat Shmona, an Israeli border city located just kilometers from Lebanon.

The group’s statement provided no details about potential military actions it might take against the community situated so close to the international boundary.

“Warning. All residents of Kiryat Shmona are asked to evacuate immediately. Head south,” the organization declared in its official statement.

The escalation follows Lebanon’s entry into the expanding regional conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran this past Monday. Hezbollah launched rocket and drone attacks against Israeli targets, prompting Israel to conduct extensive retaliatory strikes throughout southern and eastern Lebanon, including areas near the capital Beirut.

Many thousands of northern Israeli residents had previously abandoned their communities when the Gaza conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted in 2023, as Hezbollah commenced launching various projectiles at settlements in the region.

These displaced families returned to their homes following a ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hezbollah in November 2024. Despite the current tensions, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has consistently encouraged northern residents to stay put this week, promising military protection for their communities.

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered strong statements Saturday demanding absolute military allegiance to the Communist Party while intensifying anti-corruption efforts, as reported by China’s state-run Xinhua news agency.

Speaking during the nation’s significant annual political gatherings, Xi declared that corruption has nowhere to escape. “There is no place for corruption to hide,” Xi stated. “The fight against corruption must move forward.”

Xi’s statements were delivered during the yearly sessions of China’s most important political institutions, where government leaders announced the country’s economic objectives for the coming year.

The anti-corruption message gained additional significance as two high-ranking Chinese leaders were notably missing from Wednesday’s opening ceremonies of the annual political meetings, apparently caught up in ongoing government purges targeting top Communist Party officials.

A military conflict involving Iran could result in consumers and businesses around the world enduring elevated fuel costs for an extended period, even if hostilities cease rapidly, according to energy market analysts.

The situation creates broader economic concerns and presents political challenges for President Trump as midterm elections approach, with American voters particularly sensitive to energy costs and skeptical of overseas military involvement.

“The market is shifting from pricing pure geopolitical risk to grappling with tangible operational disruption, as refinery shutdowns and export constraints begin to impair crude processing and regional supply flows,” JP Morgan analysts said in a research note on Friday.

Military actions have already interrupted approximately one-fifth of worldwide crude oil and natural gas production, as Tehran has targeted vessels navigating the critical Strait of Hormuz waterway between Iranian territory and Oman, while simultaneously striking energy facilities throughout the region.

International oil costs have jumped 24% during the current week, reaching above $90 per barrel and heading toward their sharpest weekly increases since the pandemic began, pushing fuel expenses higher for consumers globally.

The near-total closure of the Strait has forced major regional oil exporters including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Kuwait to halt deliveries of approximately 140 million barrels of crude oil – equivalent to roughly 1.4 days of worldwide consumption – to international refineries.

Consequently, petroleum and gas storage facilities throughout the Middle East Gulf region are approaching capacity, compelling Iraqi oil fields to reduce production while Kuwait and the UAE will likely follow suit, according to industry analysts, traders and sources.

“At some point soon, everyone will also shut in if vessels do not come,” said a source with a state oil company in the region, who asked not to be named.

Oil production facilities across the Middle East that are forced to cease operations due to shipping interruptions may require considerable time to restore normal output levels, explained Amir Zaman, head of the Americas commercial team at Rystad Energy.

“The conflict could be ended, but it could take days or weeks or months, depending on the types of fields, age of the field, the type of shut in that they’ve had to do before you can get production back up to what it once was,” he said.

Iranian military forces are simultaneously attacking regional energy infrastructure including refineries and terminals, forcing operational shutdowns, with some facilities suffering significant damage from strikes and requiring extensive repairs.

Qatar announced force majeure on its substantial gas export operations Wednesday following Iranian drone strikes, and sources indicate it may require at least one month to restore normal production capacity. Qatar provides 20% of global liquefied natural gas supplies.

Saudi Aramco’s massive Ras Tanura refinery and crude export facility has also suspended operations due to attacks, though damage assessments have not been disclosed.

White House officials have defended military action against Iran, claiming the nation presented an immediate danger to the United States, though specific details have not been provided. Trump has also expressed concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear weapons development efforts.

While a swift conclusion to hostilities would calm markets, returning to pre-conflict supply levels and pricing could require weeks or months depending on infrastructure damage and shipping recovery.

“Considering physical damage due to Iranian strikes, so far we have not seen anything that would be considered structural, although the risk remains as long as the war continues,” said Joel Hancock, energy analyst, Natixis CIB.

The primary concern for energy supplies involves when the Strait of Hormuz will become secure for shipping operations again. Trump has proposed naval protection for oil tankers and pledged U.S. insurance coverage for vessels operating in the region.

However, waterway security may prove difficult to achieve, as Iran possesses the capability to maintain drone attacks on shipping for months, according to intelligence and military sources.

The crisis may also prompt nations to increase their strategic petroleum reserves in coming weeks and months after fighting ends, having exposed the risks of limited inventories. This would boost oil demand and maintain higher prices.

Meanwhile, the interruption of energy shipments is creating ripple effects through supply chains and economies in import-dependent Asia, which obtains 60% of its crude oil from Middle Eastern sources.

In India, state-operated Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals announced force majeure on gasoline export shipments, sources reported this week, joining numerous regional refineries unable to meet sales obligations due to supply shortages.

At least two Chinese refineries have reduced operations. China, a major regional supplier, has requested refineries halt fuel exports. Thailand has similarly suspended fuel exports, while Vietnam has stopped crude oil shipments.

The disruption has benefited Russia, with prices for Russian crude increasing as the U.S. granted Indian refiners a 30-day exemption to purchase Russian oil as a substitute for lost Middle Eastern supplies. Washington had previously pressured India to reduce Russian oil purchases under tariff threats.

In Japan, the world’s second-largest LNG importer, baseload power futures for Tokyo beginning in April rose more than one-third this week on the EEX exchange in anticipation of higher fuel costs. In Seoul, motorists formed lines at gas stations expecting rising pump prices.

For European consumers, the gas supply crisis and increased prices represent a double burden. The region suffered most severely from gas supply disruptions caused by sanctions on Russian energy imports following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Europe shifted to LNG imports to replace Russian pipeline gas. Europe now must purchase 180 additional LNG shipments compared to last year to fill gas storage to required levels before next winter.

Supply risks to the United States are more limited, as the country has become the world’s largest oil and gas producer in recent years. However, U.S. crude and fuel prices move alongside international crude markets, affecting pump prices for gasoline and diesel despite abundant domestic supply.

U.S. average retail gasoline reached $3.32 per gallon nationally on Friday, increasing 34 cents from the previous week, according to AAA. Diesel prices hit $4.33 per gallon, up from $3.76 per gallon one week earlier.

Rising pump prices represent a significant risk for Trump and Republican colleagues heading into November midterm elections.

“Gasoline prices are psychologically powerful,” said Mark Malek, chief investment officer at Siebert Financial. “They are the inflation number that consumers see every single day.”

BEIJING, March 5 – Chinese government officials announced Thursday their intention to establish a society that encourages families to have children over the next five years, releasing details in an official government document that outlines responses to concerns about jobs, schooling, healthcare, wellness and earnings.

Government leaders plan to enhance population-related services and take active steps to address the country’s aging demographics, which includes “advancing quality employment opportunities for all, enhancing how income gets distributed, and strengthening social safety net programs.”

This declaration follows China’s fourth straight year of declining population numbers in 2025, with birth rates dropping to unprecedented lows according to January government statistics, while demographic specialists predict continued decreases ahead.

The nation’s population has contracted since 2022 while growing older at an accelerated pace, creating challenges for Beijing’s goals to increase consumer spending domestically and control government debt.

Officials will implement fresh policies to advance “quality growth in the silver economy” focusing on citizens 60 years and older, expanding senior care programs especially in countryside regions, according to the government document.

Leadership will also develop strategies to strengthen support measures for older adults covering retirement funding, health services and caregiving, the report stated.

Projections show that by 2035, citizens over 60 will reach 400 million people – approximately matching the combined populations of America and Italy – indicating that hundreds of millions will exit the labor force while pension funding faces existing pressure.

The country has already extended working ages, requiring men to remain employed until 63 instead of 60, while women must work until 58 rather than 55.

Officials will encourage “supportive views on marriage and having children,” the document stated, noting plans to expand housing assistance for families raising kids.

Programs for expectant mothers in pregnancy’s early phases along with reproductive healthcare will see improvements while officials work to better prevent and address birth complications.

Leadership will also enhance policies providing free early childhood education and expand availability of standard high school positions, with mandated government education funding exceeding 4% of the nation’s economic output, the report indicated.

Energy markets saw significant gains Thursday as escalating tensions between the United States and Iran continue to disrupt global oil and gas supplies through one of the world’s most critical shipping corridors.

Brent crude climbed $1.67 to reach $83.07 per barrel, marking a 2.05% increase by early Thursday trading. Meanwhile, U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude jumped $1.94 to $76.60, representing a 2.60% gain.

The conflict expanded Wednesday following a U.S. military strike on an Iranian naval vessel near Sri Lanka. Senate Republicans also threw their support behind President Trump’s military operations against Iran, voting down a bipartisan measure that would have halted air strikes and required congressional approval for further military action against the country.

The ongoing hostilities have severely impacted regional energy production. Iraq, which ranks as OPEC’s second-largest oil producer, has been forced to reduce daily output by approximately 1.5 million barrels due to storage limitations and blocked export pathways, according to officials who spoke with Reuters.

Qatar, the Persian Gulf’s leading liquefied natural gas supplier, announced force majeure on gas shipments Wednesday. Industry sources indicate it could take a minimum of one month before production levels return to normal.

For five consecutive days, vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has remained virtually paralyzed. This waterway serves as a crucial passage for nearly 20% of the world’s energy supplies.

Britain’s maritime operations center reported a significant blast witnessed by a tanker captain positioned 30 nautical miles southeast of Kuwait’s Mubarak Al Kabeer port. A small vessel was later observed departing the explosion site.

According to a J.P. Morgan analysis shared with clients, Iran has avoided targeting most essential energy infrastructure while maintaining extremely high shipping risks. The investment bank estimates roughly 329 oil tankers remain trapped in Gulf waters.

“Storage capacity in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and prevailing energy prices are limiting factors on the length of the U.S. campaign,” the firm noted. This alliance includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain.

J.P. Morgan projects that most oil production facilities could resume operations within days, with complete capacity restoration typically occurring within two to three weeks.

“While operators must gradually rebuild reservoir pressure, particularly in Iraq, where water injection is critical, the primary constraint today is logistics rather than geology,” the analysis concluded.

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Voters across Nepal headed to polling stations Thursday for the country’s inaugural nationwide election following last year’s deadly youth uprising that drove the ruling government from office.

Armed security personnel monitored streets and stood watch at voting locations throughout the mountainous country of approximately 30 million residents as citizens queued to vote. Vote tallying will commence Thursday evening, with final outcomes anticipated by weekend’s end.

Officials implemented a vehicle ban on roadways and outlawed political demonstrations and public assemblies. Campaign activities of any kind are forbidden on voting day.

The Election Commission reports that close to 19 million citizens qualify to participate in the election.

Citizens will choose 165 representatives directly for the House of Representatives, Parliament’s lower house. The additional 110 positions in the 275-seat legislature will be distributed via proportional representation, where political organizations select lawmakers according to their voting percentage.

Political observers view this as a triangular race, influenced by citizen dissatisfaction with rampant corruption and calls for increased governmental transparency.

The National Independent Party, established in 2022, leads polling predictions and presents a formidable opposition to two historically powerful organizations — the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist).

Balendra Shah, the emerging party’s candidate for prime minister, transitioned from rap music to politics, securing Kathmandu’s mayoral position in 2022 and becoming a prominent voice in the 2025 demonstrations that removed former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli.

The 35-year-old Shah has capitalized on widespread dissatisfaction with established political organizations. During his campaign, he emphasized healthcare and educational improvements for Nepal’s impoverished population.

The student-driven demonstrations against governmental corruption and ineffective leadership began with social media restrictions before escalating into widespread resistance against authorities. Violence erupted when demonstrators stormed government facilities and law enforcement responded with gunfire, resulting in dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries.

Although Congress and Communist parties maintain dedicated supporter networks, Shah’s organization has attracted significantly larger campaign audiences, demonstrating its increasing popularity among young voters seeking political alternatives.

The incoming government will face substantial obstacles. Leadership must fulfill reform promises from last year’s demonstrations, address deeply rooted corruption, and skillfully navigate relationships with neighboring powers India and China.

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un conducted a two-day examination of his military’s newest destroyer before its official launch and watched cruise missile testing from the vessel, promising to speed up nuclear weapon integration into his naval forces, according to state media reports released Thursday.

North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim made visits to the Nampo shipyard on the western coast Tuesday and Wednesday, where he also reviewed construction progress on a third destroyer matching his 5,000-ton vessel, the Choe Hyon, which debuted in April 2025.

The North Korean leader has praised the Choe Hyon’s development as a major step forward in his plan to extend his nuclear-equipped military’s operational reach and first-strike abilities. According to state media, the vessel can deploy multiple weapon systems, including air defense and anti-ship weapons, plus ballistic and cruise missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Military analysts and South Korean defense officials believe the Choe Hyon was constructed with Russian technical support as the two nations strengthen military cooperation, though some question whether the ship is combat-ready.

The regime revealed a second destroyer of identical design in May of last year, but the vessel suffered damage during a failed launch ceremony at Chongjin port in the northeast, prompting an angry response from Kim, who labeled the incident “criminal.” North Korea announced the repaired destroyer, called Kang Kon, was successfully relaunched in June, but international observers doubt the ship’s full operational status.

Following Tuesday’s observation of the Choe Hyon’s ocean testing, Kim declared the vessel satisfied operational standards and described it as representing his nation’s growing naval strength. He demanded the construction of two warships annually for the coming five years, all matching or exceeding the Choe Hyon’s specifications.

Kim returned Wednesday to witness cruise missile launches from the Choe Hyon. State media released images showing him observing from the coastline as multiple projectiles lifted off from the ship amid clouds of white smoke, describing the weapons as “strategic,” terminology North Korea uses for nuclear-capable systems.

Following years of emphasizing ballistic missile advancement, Kim has redirected attention toward naval development, including ongoing work on a nuclear-powered submarine. KCNA announced the third destroyer being built at Nampo shipyard should be finished by the ruling Workers’ Party’s founding celebration in October.

Naval enhancement was a central theme when Kim presented his five-year military objectives at last month’s Workers’ Party congress, including demands for intercontinental ballistic missiles that can launch from beneath the ocean.

Kim stated Tuesday that his campaign to equip his navy with nuclear arms was “making satisfactory” headway. He claimed these alleged improvements would “constitute a radical change in defending our maritime sovereignty, something that we have not achieved for half a century.”

KCNA provided no additional details about Kim’s statement. Some experts suggest North Korea might be preparing to officially announce a maritime border that could intrude into waters under South Korean control.

With inter-Korean relations deteriorating, Kim has consistently stated he rejects the Northern Limit Line, established by the U.S.-led U.N. Command following the 1950-53 Korean War. This imprecisely defined western maritime boundary has been the location of multiple fatal naval confrontations in recent years.

During the party congress, Kim reinforced plans to grow North Korea’s nuclear weapons stockpile, which currently includes various systems that threaten the United States and American allies across Asia, while confirming his aggressive stance toward South Korea.

However, he maintained openness to discussions with the Trump administration, repeating Pyongyang’s requirement that Washington abandon its demand for denuclearization as a prerequisite for restarting dormant negotiations.

In the devastated remains of what was once a modest hotel room, virtually nothing survived the destruction. The bed frame lies in pieces, its metal coils now twisted into dangerous fragments. Personal belongings from two destroyed luggage cases are strewn throughout the gray debris.

The walls have been completely obliterated, leaving nothing to shield the space from the harsh wind now flowing freely through the wreckage. Following the Israeli bombardment that rocked the foundation of the Comfort Hotel in Baabda—a Christian community near Beirut—only a small statue of the Virgin Mary stands untouched. Nobody has the courage to disturb it.

The religious icon belonged to the hotel clerk, who lived on the ground floor throughout the workweek. In recent days, she had been hosting approximately 10 refugees from different regions of Lebanon. She is currently receiving medical treatment at a local hospital.

George Dagher, who works at the hotel, expressed his bewilderment to The Media Line, stating: “I still don’t understand what happened.” Speaking mechanically to reporters, he continued to voice his confusion. “This is the first time something like this has happened to us, and we are surprised,” he explained.

The Comfort Hotel had operated as a modest lodging establishment on the periphery of Lebanon’s capital for six decades without incident—until Tuesday morning’s pre-dawn hours, when Israeli aircraft targeted the structure, causing significant damage to its lower two stories. Israeli military operations persisted throughout Lebanon during the night and following day, with the most intense bombardment occurring in southern and eastern regions, as well as Beirut’s southern districts.

Casualty reports indicate at least 72 fatalities and approximately 437 injuries. The assault on the Comfort Hotel garnered special notice because it targeted a location where residents insist no obvious Hezbollah activity existed.

The town of Baabda has a largely Christian population and houses multiple diplomatic missions. The strike site sits just 700 meters away from Lebanon’s Presidential Palace, though the attack caused no deaths.

Joseph, another hotel worker, expressed his concerns to The Media Line, saying: “This will ultimately lead us to a civil war.” He was off duty Tuesday evening. His coworker, who was present during the strike, remains too traumatized to discuss the incident.

Dagher warned: “The spread of attacks throughout Lebanon will lead us to a situation of civil conflict.” Within two days, bombardments have reached areas of Lebanese territory not typically linked to Hezbollah operations. This expansion has intensified fear among citizens, with many expressing that nowhere feels secure.

All 15 individuals staying at the Comfort Hotel have since departed. Dagher noted: “They were all displaced people, children and the elderly.” The majority had already taken shelter there during the ongoing 2024 conflict.

He added: “We are very careful about who stays here, and we check their IDs,” explaining that they refused accommodation to young Shiite males, who might be Hezbollah affiliates and could endanger other residents.

Israeli forces broadened their Lebanese offensive overnight, moving beyond traditional Hezbollah strongholds like Baalbek in the Bekaa Valley, where eight people died including two young girls. Prior to hitting Baabda, Israeli jets struck Aramoun in the Aley region and Saadiyat in Shouf—territories with significant Druze communities.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed six deaths from these two attacks, with eight additional people injured.

Israeli aerial campaigns have extended across multiple regions of the nation, while southern Lebanon has seen ground operations and official proclamations. Tuesday’s evacuation directive affecting over 50 villages and towns has enabled Israel to create what it calls a security perimeter in southern Lebanon while expanding its protective zone.

Israeli military officials reported two soldiers sustained injuries from an anti-tank weapon fired in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has taken credit for multiple assaults on Israeli forces within Lebanese borders following the intensification of Wednesday’s ground offensive.

Lebanese news outlets reported that Israeli troops seized the public hospital in Mais al-Jabal, Marjayoun, in southern Lebanon this morning.

Simultaneously, evacuation warnings broadcast by Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee have increased uncertainty for civilians determining safe destinations. He announced this afternoon: “Residents of southern Lebanon must immediately move north of the Litani River,” demanding the relocation of tens of thousands of people.

More than 80,000 Lebanese citizens have been forced from their residences and are seeking safety in hundreds of emergency shelters established in educational facilities and community centers. UNICEF reports that 18,000 children are among those internally displaced. Of the numerous casualties over the past three days, at least seven victims are minors.

Marcoluigi Corsi, UNICEF’s Lebanon representative, stated: “No child should be killed or suffer the physical and emotional consequences of violence for the rest of their life.” Israeli military sources estimate approximately 300,000 Lebanese civilians have evacuated southern villages following evacuation orders.

Israeli forces claim to have targeted more than 250 Hezbollah positions in Lebanon over two days, including 100 in the most recent 24-hour period. The Shiite organization acknowledged responsibility for 13 attacks against Israel on Tuesday and maintained rocket and drone strikes on Israeli urban centers including Tel Aviv and Haifa.

At noon, Hezbollah executed coordinated drone attacks against the Tel Hashomer facility 120 kilometers from the border, Haifa’s naval installation, and the Ramat David base using multiple suicide drones.

Israel experienced no casualties and limited property damage, as many projectiles were neutralized before reaching their targets. However, hundreds of Lebanese buildings sustained damage or complete destruction from the strikes, according to regional reports.

Following the Comfort Hotel attack, employees have begun efforts to restore some normalcy. The hotel entrance has been cleared of broken glass. A team of young workers is reinforcing the building’s structural integrity.

Dagher emphasized: “We’re not political people; we’re very far from Hezbollah,” while still attempting to comprehend their misfortune. From neighboring building terraces, residents wearily discard damaged items into the street below.

Across the road, another hotel is installing replacement windows and doors. The Lebanese population continues working without pausing to mourn.

The Comfort Hotel employee made an earnest appeal: “As the people of this country, we are tired of war after war in our land; truly, we want to rest.”

Nigerian military forces engaged in deadly combat with armed raiders in the northern region of Katsina state, resulting in 45 attacker deaths, state officials announced Saturday.

The confrontation stemmed from cattle theft attempts by armed groups who traveled from the adjacent Zamfara state into Alhazawa village within the Musawa area on March 5, according to the Katsina State Government’s official statement.

The raiders made a second attempt the next day, but this time encountered military personnel deployed at the army’s Forward Operating Base located in Dan Ali, close to Maidabino ward. The resulting battle led to the deaths of 45 attackers, state authorities reported.

The military engagement also claimed the lives of three Nigerian service members, including one captain and two enlisted soldiers, the government statement confirmed.

Two prominent hardline religious leaders in Iran are pushing for the rapid appointment of a new supreme leader as the country faces ongoing military strikes from the United States and Israel, according to Iranian media reports from Saturday.

The urgency expressed by these clerics indicates that portions of Iran’s religious establishment are hesitant about allowing a temporary three-person leadership council to remain in control, despite this arrangement being permitted under the nation’s constitution following Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death.

President Donald Trump has stated that America should play a part in selecting Iran’s next leader, but Iranian officials have dismissed this proposal.

Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, whose religious interpretations carry significant weight among followers, stated that a quick appointment is necessary to “help better organise the country’s affairs,” according to state media coverage.

Earlier this week, two high-ranking Shi’ite religious figures issued fatwas – formal religious rulings – demanding that Muslims worldwide seek retribution for Khamenei’s death. Makarem Shirazi declared it a religious obligation for Muslims “until the evil of these criminals is eradicated from the world.”

Grand Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani has similarly pressed the Assembly of Experts, the religious council responsible for selecting the supreme leader, to speed up their decision-making process regarding Khamenei’s replacement, state media reported.

Under Iran’s constitutional framework, a temporary leadership group consisting of the president, a high-ranking cleric, and the judiciary chief has assumed the supreme leader’s duties while the Assembly of Experts deliberates.

Iran’s constitution mandates that a new supreme leader must be selected within three months, though ongoing warfare makes it uncertain how quickly the 88-member Assembly of Experts can gather. Sources indicate that some religious officials have been conducting preliminary discussions through online platforms.

Rescue teams recovered bodies from rushing floodwaters throughout Kenya’s capital on Saturday following deadly overnight flooding that claimed at least 10 lives and caused major disruptions at the region’s busiest airport, officials reported.

In Nairobi’s Grogan industrial area, 34-year-old security guard John Lomayan discovered the body of an elderly roadside egg vendor he knew, trapped under a vehicle that had been swept away when the Nairobi River overflowed.

“I saw him being carried by the water from up there,” Lomayan explained, pointing up the street. “We didn’t know where he had gone. It is only now that we see him under the car.”

A news reporter witnessed three victims being pulled from beneath vehicles. Law enforcement confirmed the death toll has reached 10 people.

Climate researchers indicate that rising global temperatures are intensifying both flooding and drought conditions throughout East Africa by concentrating precipitation into briefer, more powerful downpours. Research from the 2024 World Weather Attribution study determined that climate change has doubled the likelihood of catastrophic rainfall events in the area.

Kenya Airways reported that the heavy precipitation had caused flight cancellations and delays at Nairobi’s airport, with some aircraft being rerouted to Mombasa on the coast.

“So many cars, so much stuff, I don’t know. Everything was just (washed away). All of the water (came) … from that river,” said stunned local resident Cedric Mwanza, referring to the Nairobi River.

American diplomats recently confronted Syria’s communications leadership about the nation’s growing dependence on Chinese telecommunications infrastructure, highlighting escalating tensions between global superpowers over digital influence in the recovering Middle Eastern country.

On February 24, State Department representatives met with Syrian Communications Minister Abdul Salam Haykal in San Francisco, expressing alarm over potential national security and data privacy threats posed by Chinese telecom systems. US officials cautioned that acquiring essential infrastructure technology from Chinese corporations could leave sensitive information vulnerable, reinforcing Washington’s ongoing claims that Beijing can force its companies to assist intelligence operations. Chinese officials reject these allegations, characterizing them as competitive tactics.

While the disagreement appears technical in nature, it represents a larger struggle for control over the region’s digital backbone as Syria works to rebuild. Telecommunications purchasing decisions have evolved into indicators of geopolitical loyalty, affecting network design, funding arrangements, technical protocols, and future dependencies for a nation attempting to rejoin regional commerce following years of conflict.

Beijing’s ties with Damascus predate the current political transformation. Throughout Bashar Assad’s presidency, China provided diplomatic support at the UN Security Council, frequently collaborating with Russia while promoting sovereignty principles and opposing forced government changes.

As Syria enters a new political era, its continued engagement with Beijing raises an important question: why maintain relationships with a previous regime supporter? Experts suggest this reflects Chinese diplomatic strategy, which views “the state” as the consistent partner, collaborating with whatever leadership exists while safeguarding its interests.

Dr. Samer Al-Khatib, who teaches international relations at the University of Damascus, described the renewed cooperation as pragmatic rather than ideological. In his interview with The Media Line, he explained Syria’s goal to “diversify its political and economic umbrellas to avoid falling into unilateral dependency,” noting that Beijing benefits from being perceived as an economic ally without imposing direct political requirements.

Syria’s telecommunications landscape makes this debate particularly relevant. Industry analysts estimate that Chinese technology powers a substantial portion of Syria’s two mobile networks—a situation resulting from years of Western sanctions, limited procurement options, and the attractiveness of affordable, rapidly deployable equipment. Modernizing the telecommunications sector is considered crucial for economic recovery: poor coverage beyond major urban areas and sluggish internet connectivity discourage investment, restrict business activity, and hamper overall progress. For officials seeking swift modernization at reasonable costs, Chinese technology offers appealing price points and implementation speed.

However, these decisions carry implications beyond technical considerations. Supplier selection creates multi-year commitments involving financing, maintenance, system upgrades, and technical standards—while signaling how governments plan to navigate major power competition in critical digital sectors.

Reconstruction economics specialist Reem Al-Hassan emphasized to The Media Line that the matter is “governed by numbers before slogans.” She explained that telecommunications modernization demands substantial investment and deployment-ready technologies—areas where Chinese companies typically offer competitive pricing. Nevertheless, she cautioned against “long-term financial dependency,” advocating for diversified investment sources and risk distribution across multiple partners.

This creates an inherent challenge for Syria. American restrictions, including export limitations, have prevented US technology from entering Syrian markets significantly. This produces a contradiction: Washington issues warnings about Chinese dependence while providing few practical alternatives for Syria to adopt Western technologies comprehensively.

Cybersecurity specialist Tarek Nasser explained to The Media Line that Chinese technology concerns “goes beyond the issue of direct espionage, to the nature of control over digital supply chains.” He noted that excessive dependence on single telecommunications suppliers creates both technical and political risks, emphasizing that successful outcomes require effective oversight mechanisms and robust legal frameworks for data protection. This involves independent regulation, procurement reviews, vendor risk assessments, and enforceable privacy legislation.

The implications extend far beyond communication towers or advanced wireless networks. This situation represents a competition for Syria’s position in the region’s future economic structure—and determining who establishes standards for digital infrastructure connected to reconstruction efforts. Beijing has pursued expanded Middle Eastern presence through infrastructure and connectivity initiatives, while Washington has attempted to limit that expansion in sensitive digital areas, particularly those involving data and critical networks.

For Damascus, the challenge is both immediate and practical: securing large-scale investment to rebuild war damage, with telecommunications being fundamental to economic reintegration. The strategic question persists: can Syria benefit from Chinese technology without becoming a battleground in US-China rivalry, or does this competition’s structure make neutrality increasingly impossible?

Syria’s probable objective involves balance rather than alignment—leveraging Chinese engagement for rapid reconstruction and improved Western negotiating position, while keeping other partnerships available. Success will depend on Damascus’ ability to enforce oversight and data protection regulations while diversifying suppliers. It will also require Washington’s commitment to providing viable alternatives that go beyond cautioning against China’s involvement in the region’s digital transformation.

The passing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has eliminated the nation’s most influential political figure, leaving a critical leadership void in a government structure designed around concentrated religious authority. This development has immediately raised questions about which faction will assume control of the country.

Within Iran’s governmental framework, the supreme leader maintains authority over elected bodies and exercises final control over major state institutions, particularly security forces. While the nation’s constitution designates the Assembly of Experts to choose the next supreme leader, political observers have questioned how this transition period will unfold.

However, Middle East researcher Beni Sabti from Tel Aviv’s Institute for National Security Studies believes real power now rests with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its connected organizations, including the Basij militia.

Sabti, an Iranian native born in 1972 who lived through the Islamic Revolution before fleeing to Israel in 1987, explained that Iran’s current power structure will be shaped by interconnected figures with strong Revolutionary Guard connections. “Most of these figures always come from the IRGC. They have some roots in the IRGC … and also the IRGC as a whole, as an entity, influences a lot,” he stated.

The expert emphasized that today’s Revolutionary Guard holds significantly more influence compared to when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini died in 1989. “It was not like this when Khomeini died, because he kept them limited,” Sabti noted. “But Khamenei was in their alliance, and they were his allies, so they have a kind of symbiotic relationship.”

According to Sabti, the IRGC operates “behind the curtain, for sure.” Although the Assembly of Experts maintains constitutional responsibility for selecting a successor, he contends this process serves more as formal approval rather than genuine decision-making.

“These councils of experts … they are also very symbolic,” he observed. “Eighty-eight very old clerics, that they have to decide who can be the next leader. They waited for someone to tell them what to do.” Sabti argued the Assembly has historically followed the existing leader’s direction and remains structurally dependent on the system it supposedly oversees. “They have been receiving salaries for so many years from the leader, so they are kind of the slaves of the system.”

Sabti anticipates this pattern will continue. “They will wait for someone to tell them what to vote for. Maybe the council, or IRGC, all together.”

Regarding the current presidency, Sabti believes it carries minimal independent authority during this succession phase. “President Pezeshkian is a good puppet for now to do his job, and after that, they can kick him out and give him just a symbolic job, because he’s not a cleric. As you see, he doesn’t have any influence,” he said.

The researcher’s main thesis suggests the outcome depends less on constitutional processes and more on whether the Revolutionary Guard maintains unity. “Yes, there is a chance that there can be some divisions in the IRGC,” he acknowledged. He believes any internal fractures would largely depend on continued external pressure. “It depends on if US and Israel continue to try to destroy as much as possible of this regime,” he explained.

Under such pressure, Sabti suggested some factions might choose survival over ideological commitment. “Some of them can come out and say, OK, we don’t want to lose our heads, we don’t want to lose Iran as a country, so maybe we can have some compromises,” he elaborated.

He also mentioned possibilities of internal coups and confrontations, drawing parallels to Soviet-era instability. “They can make a coup or something, and there can be some clashes inside the IRGC,” he said.

Without Khamenei’s presence, Sabti warned that competing ambitions within the IRGC and other power centers might escalate as various actors reassess their positions. “What is the map of the interests of everyone? It can change now, because the leader is not there,” he said. “They have their new interests. So yes, there can be a huge clash inside IRGC or other systems.”

Beyond political maneuvering, Sabti described a significant divide between the government and portions of the population. “The people … they came out and they were very happy, many of them,” he said. He noted that authorities quickly moved to limit information access. “We see that the regime once again shut down the internet, and we don’t know much what is going on inside.”

He suggested leadership priorities center on maintaining power rather than public welfare. “They don’t care now about the people. The regime doesn’t care about whether there are supplies in the supermarkets, or the roads are open, or anything like that.” He highlighted what he called inadequate civilian protection measures. “You know that there are no sirens in Iran, and no shelters? This is amazing. They don’t care about the people. It’s just like the ’80s.”

Despite public frustration and what he described as celebrations, Sabti doubted spontaneous mass protests would occur without external encouragement and organization. “The people cannot act unless President Trump, again, says something or does something,” he said. He noted the regime maintains organized forces and structural advantages. “There are many Basij forces outside. They [the citizens] don’t have connection. Someone has to guide them.”

Looking forward, Sabti predicted instability will continue. “In the short term, they [the IRGC] will be more dangerous,” he said. He believes the next period will be influenced by additional attacks on command centers and leadership figures. “But again, in a few days, if enough headquarters, and IRGC generals, and other figures are eliminated, there can be something else there,” he added.

He warned that any timeline should be considered in weeks rather than days, given Iran’s scale and complex security structure. “When you talk about Iran, it’s such a huge country, so many divisions, so many units of IRGC and army,” he said.

When asked about potential tipping points, Sabti said rapid collapse seems unlikely. “I think not less than two weeks,” he said. “Even Saddam held for three weeks.”

Other experts note that any successor will still require religious legitimacy, even if security leadership influences the selection. The upcoming period, Sabti suggested, may be determined less by constitutional procedures and more by internal reassessment among security officials—particularly within the IRGC. The critical factor, he argued, is whether the IRGC remains united.

American military forces have eliminated over 20 Iranian naval vessels and damaged Tehran’s primary operational submarine during an ongoing military campaign designed to neutralize Iran’s maritime forces, according to U.S. officials who spoke Wednesday. The operation included a U.S. submarine using torpedoes to sink an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean waters near Sri Lanka.

The Iranian frigate IRIS Dena was destroyed as U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that Iranian naval forces have been effectively removed from crucial regional waterways. Admiral Brad Cooper, who leads CENTCOM, announced in a video update shared on X earlier Wednesday that Iranian vessels were absent from the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman as of Tuesday.

American officials confirmed that U.S. forces have eliminated more than 20 Iranian ships during the campaign and have also damaged Tehran’s most capable submarine, creating a breach in its hull.

According to Cooper, American forces will maintain their focus on Iran’s naval resources through Operation Epic Fury. This military campaign seeks to eliminate Tehran’s capacity to menace commercial vessels and reduce its missile strike capabilities.

“We’re hunting Iran’s last remaining mobile ballistic missile launchers to eliminate, what I would characterize as their lingering launch capability,” Cooper stated.

Tehran operates dual naval forces: the Islamic Republic of Iran navy, which handles traditional maritime duties, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy, which specializes in unconventional warfare tactics.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth verified that an American submarine used torpedoes to destroy the IRIS Dena in waters near Sri Lanka during the military operation.

“An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters,” Hegseth announced during a Pentagon press conference. “Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo.”

Hegseth characterized the attack as a “quiet death,” noting it marked the first occasion since World War II that American forces had destroyed an enemy vessel using torpedo weapons.

“Their navy, not a factor. Pick your adjective; it is no more.”

Sri Lankan naval authorities reported Wednesday that they had retrieved 87 bodies and saved 32 survivors following their response to an emergency signal from the vessel. According to Sri Lanka’s foreign minister, Vijitha Herath, who addressed Parliament, approximately 180 crew members were aboard the ship when it sank.

Sri Lankan officials initiated search and rescue operations after receiving the distress transmission, according to AP reports. Maritime vessels and aircraft were sent to the location.

Naval spokesperson Buddhika Sampath confirmed that survivors received medical treatment at a hospital in Galle, a southern coastal city, while recovered bodies were being transported to shore.

White House officials announced that Iran’s government has been completely devastated as American and Israeli military forces continue extensive operations against the Middle Eastern nation.

Speaking to the press, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that “under President Trump’s leadership, the rogue Iranian terror regime has been utterly crushed. Forty-seven years of tolerance and allowing the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism to operate freely have come to an end.”

Leavitt continued her remarks by saying, “Iran’s murderous terror leaders are paying for their crimes against America, and they are paying in blood.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio provided updates on the American military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury, indicating the mission is meeting its intended targets. “We are on track to achieve the goals of the operation, to destroy their missile launchers and factories and also their fleet so they will never be able to hide behind them to develop nuclear weapons,” Rubio explained.

American Central Command forces have destroyed or damaged 20 Iranian naval vessels throughout the ongoing campaign. CENTCOM leader Brad Cooper confirmed that long-range precision missiles were deployed against Iran for the first time during this operation, stating, “I couldn’t be more proud of our people in uniform.”

According to a Washington Post report citing three informed sources, the Pentagon’s stockpile of precision weaponry is being quickly exhausted after less than one week of strikes. The rapid consumption of sophisticated air defense systems may soon require the U.S. military to make strategic decisions about which incoming threats to intercept.

Israeli military leaders have also revealed the magnitude of their involvement, confirming that 5,000 munitions have been deployed in attacks against Iranian positions since operations commenced.

Defense Minister Israel Katz visited the Intelligence Division with Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder and other high-ranking officials, where he explained that Iranian leadership was surprised by the extensive nature of the military action. Katz noted that Tehran “could not assess the scope, breadth and depth of the intelligence down to the last target, and the operational capability to exploit the intelligence to strike, attack, destroy and demolish their capabilities.”

The State Department confirmed Wednesday that a government-chartered aircraft is transporting American citizens back to the United States from Middle Eastern countries, with plans underway for additional evacuation flights throughout the region.

Officials declined to specify how many passengers were on board the flight or reveal which nations they departed from, nor did they provide scheduling details about departure or arrival times.

According to State Department figures, over 17,500 Americans have successfully returned home from Middle Eastern nations since February 28, when American and Israeli military forces began conducting initial strikes against Iran. On Tuesday alone, approximately 8,500 citizens made it back to U.S. soil.

The department noted that numerous other American nationals have evacuated to European and Asian destinations rather than returning directly to the United States since hostilities began.

Earlier this week, State Department officials issued urgent advisories to Americans in 14 Middle Eastern countries, recommending immediate evacuation using “available commercial transportation.” However, many citizens are encountering difficulties securing flights due to widespread airline disruptions stemming from the regional conflict.

The evacuation efforts have drawn harsh criticism from several members of Congress, who have accused State Department leadership of poor advance planning and delayed warning systems.

In response to the criticism, the department stated it was “facilitating charter flights” from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan specifically for American citizens requiring evacuation assistance.

ICHIKAWA, Japan — A young orphaned macaque named Punch is slowly becoming less reliant on the stuffed orangutan toy that helped him through his difficult early days after being rejected by his mother and the monkey community.

Photos of the tiny Punch carrying around his oversized plush companion captured hearts when they showed how the baby monkey would run to his toy for comfort whenever other primates pushed him away from their group.

Now the situation is changing for the better. Recently, observers have watched Punch climbing onto other monkeys’ backs, spending time with adult members of the troop, and even receiving grooming and embraces from his fellow primates.

“It was good to see him grow, and I’m reassured,” said Sanae Izumi, a 61-year-old Punch fan from Osaka who came to the zoo because she was worried about the baby monkey. “He is adorable!”

After his mother left him following his birth — likely due to exhaustion — zoo staff bottle-fed Punch and provided him with the stuffed toy to help him develop the clinging instincts that baby macaques require for survival.

“Helping Punch learn the rules of monkey society and being accepted as a member is our most important task,” said Kosuke Kano, a 24-year-old zookeeper.

The baby monkey became an internet sensation after photos of him with his toy companion went viral last month, forcing the zoo to implement quiet zones and 10-minute viewing limits to prevent stress among the facility’s 50-plus other monkeys.

Zoo officials view Punch’s decreased reliance on his stuffed companion as positive progress.

“When he grows out of the plush toy that encourages his independence, and that’s what we are hoping for,” zoo director Shigekazu Mizushina said.

While Punch continues to sleep alongside his toy each night, Mizushina explained that staff hope to eventually see him sleeping curled up with other monkeys instead.

Nearly three decades after their groundbreaking benefit album topped British music charts, War Child UK is returning with a star-studded sequel to support children caught in global conflicts.

The charity’s original ‘Help’ compilation became a chart-topping phenomenon in 1995, climbing to No. 1 in Britain and generating over 1.25 million pounds (approximately $1.938 million) to assist families affected by the Bosnian conflict. The album featured exclusive tracks from legendary Britpop acts like Oasis, Blur, and Radiohead, plus collaborations involving Paul McCartney and Paul Weller.

According to Rich Clarke, War Child UK’s music director, the organization has spent years attempting to replicate that remarkable achievement. This Friday marks the release of ‘Help(2)’ on retail and streaming services, showcasing never-before-heard material from contemporary stars including Arctic Monkeys, Olivia Rodrigo, and Wet Leg. Proceeds will benefit children impacted by ongoing conflicts across Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan.

‘I think it’s a situation now where musicians feel not that they want to do something, but that they need to do something,’ Clarke said. ‘That’s a powerful driver. And sometimes, things happen when they’re meant to happen.’

Jarvis Cocker’s relationship with the charity dates to 1996, when his group Pulp donated their Mercury Prize earnings to War Child UK. When producer James Ford, who worked on Pulp’s recent comeback album ‘More,’ invited Cocker to participate in the new compilation, the singer eagerly accepted.

‘When the last one happened, it was something like 10% of the world’s kids were living in poor areas, and now it’s more like 20%,’ Cocker told The Associated Press. ‘And it’s a strange thing, you know, childhood sets you up for the rest of your life or it doesn’t.’

Pulp’s track ‘Begging for Change’ represents a 14-year creative journey for Cocker, who struggled to complete the song until finding purpose in the charitable mission. ‘Somehow, with it having the focus of trying to help some people and change their situation, I did manage to finish it,’ he said. ‘And I’m quite pleased with the result.’

The recording experience at London’s Abbey Road Studios proved uniquely meaningful, despite Cocker’s typical reluctance to be filmed while performing. Director Jonathan Glazer documented the sessions with assistance from young filmmakers, creating what Cocker called an appropriate perspective for a children’s charity project.

‘I thought it was a good idea,’ Cocker said. ‘I mean, if you’re going to do a thing for a charity that is supposed to help children in war zones, then it makes sense to capture it from a child’s point of view.’

Children even participated as a choir on Pulp’s contribution, serving as a constant reminder of the project’s humanitarian goals. ‘Charity shouldn’t have to exist if governments did what they were supposed to, if they looked after people and looked after the world,’ Cocker said. ‘But they do need to exist. They need to exist even more now.’

John Nolan from rock bands Taking Back Sunday and Straylight Run views benefit compilations as a longstanding tradition within independent music circles. The format allows artists direct involvement in causes they support, he explained while discussing his own recent ACLU fundraising album ‘Music for Everyone, Vol. 2.’

‘It’s something that we can be a lot more hands-on with,’ said Nolan. ‘I think that’s also why a lot of more underground bands take on compilations for causes too, because it’s something you can be kind of DIY with.’

British group Black Country, New Road contributed their song ‘Strangers’ as an extension of their ongoing advocacy work, including previous fundraising efforts for Palestinian children. Violinist Georgia Ellery emphasized the importance of artistic activism in today’s climate.

‘With what was going on in the world a couple of years ago, I think it became important to us that we became more aware and started questioning things and how we wanted to move as artists,’ said Ellery.

Scottish band Young Fathers found participation in ‘Help(2)’ an obvious choice, according to member Graham Hastings. ‘When you see children in these refugee camps, for me it’s a sign of humanity failing for that to even occur,’ he said. ‘For us, the important thing is for people just to feel a general awareness about what’s happening and why it’s happening, and get active and get involved in the community.’

BEIRUT – Israeli military forces executed an uncommon helicopter assault in eastern Lebanon during overnight hours, according to local residents and Lebanese government media reports Saturday, while intensive Israeli bombardments in the region resulted in over a dozen fatalities.

The Middle Eastern nation found itself drawn further into regional warfare this past Monday after Iran-supported Hezbollah fired rockets and unmanned aircraft toward Israel, prompting Israel to respond with extensive bombing campaigns throughout Lebanon’s southern regions, eastern areas, and zones close to Beirut.

During nighttime operations, Israeli helicopters transported soldiers to an area near Nabi Chit in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley, according to Lebanese government media and local witnesses. Local residents and Hezbollah militants opened fire on the soldiers as they advanced on foot, according to these accounts.

The Israeli forces retreated and departed via helicopter while Israeli airstrikes hammered Nabi Chit and surrounding communities, government media and witnesses reported. Israel’s military had not provided an immediate response to Reuters’ inquiries about the operation.

Lebanon’s health ministry reported that 16 individuals were killed in Israeli attacks during the previous 24-hour period in Nabi Chit. A ministry representative informed Reuters that this count included casualties from strikes throughout Friday as well as during heavy overnight bombardments, with expectations that the number would continue climbing.

Two security officials confirmed to Reuters that three military personnel were among those killed.

Israeli bombardments have resulted in over 200 deaths throughout Lebanon, while evacuation orders have forced approximately 300,000 people from their homes, with only one-third currently housed in official government shelters.

Shawki al-Masri, a resident of a community neighboring Nabi Chit, characterized the overnight bombing campaign as “a night of hell.”

“We heard the helicopters over our house all night – they were so low we thought they would land on us,” he told Reuters.

“People in the town woke up and started shooting at them, then the warplanes started bombing. It was a very violent night and only calmed down when the sun came up,” he said.

In an overnight statement, Hezbollah reported that it had engaged Israeli soldiers who had been transported near Nabi Chit by four Israeli helicopters. The organization stated that the Israeli forces pulled back.

Although Israeli military units are conducting ground campaigns in southern Lebanon, advancing further into border village areas, helicopter-based operations remain uncommon. During a 2024 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Israeli naval personnel abducted an individual from a Lebanese coastal community.

The United Nations issued a warning Saturday that the conflict was poised to become “even worse,” emphasizing that negotiations between Israel and Lebanon “must be pursued with urgency” to halt the fighting.

UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert stated that it was “clear that ongoing military actions will not deliver a lasting win to anyone.”

“Rather, they will only deepen instability and inflict further suffering,” she said.

KATHMANDU, March 7 – A sophisticated political operation run from the upper floors of a six-story building in western Kathmandu has positioned a 35-year-old former rapper to become Nepal’s next prime minister.

Balendra Shah, known by his stage name “Balen,” represents the Rastriya Swatantra Party, which currently leads vote tallies following Nepal’s first parliamentary election since youth demonstrations in September toppled the previous administration.

Election officials expect final results for 275 total parliamentary seats – 165 direct seats and 110 proportional representation positions – to be announced next week.

Should current voting patterns continue, Shah will have successfully capitalized on momentum from the September uprising through what may be the most advanced campaign operation the small Himalayan country has witnessed.

Reuters spoke with six RSP party leaders to understand Shah’s campaign strategy, which operated primarily from the party’s Balaju neighborhood headquarters and received substantial financial backing from overseas Nepali communities.

“We are overwhelmed by the support and love we received from people on the ground,” stated Bigyan Gautam, who served on RSP’s national campaign team.

Shah’s electoral success contrasts sharply with Bangladesh’s recent election, where a youth-oriented party failed to gain traction despite emerging from similar “Gen-Z” demonstrations that removed that nation’s longtime leader in 2024.

The RSP’s political operation centers around its Research, Strategy and Documentation Department, managed by an 11-person board supervising 300 party workers organized into three national units that support local candidate teams.

These nationwide groups developed electoral strategies, coordinated rallies, produced digital content, and monitored grassroots campaigning efforts throughout Nepal, according to three party officials.

Leading up to Thursday’s election, the party implemented a precisely timed media approach, with Shah delivering major addresses every eight days to allow a 660-person social media team sufficient time to amplify each event’s impact.

RSP also conducted road shows across five to seven districts daily, supported by brief daily appearances in one of Nepal’s seven provinces where Shah would engage directly with voters.

“If you keep giving speeches, people get confused,” explained one party official who requested anonymity. “We let opposition parties raise some issues, and then respond once. This way, our message stays clear.”

The centralized campaign structure and large-scale events received direct party funding through substantial contributions from Nepalis residing overseas, particularly those in the United States, two officials confirmed.

However, individual candidates handled organizing and financing their own local campaign activities, according to RSP Treasurer Lima Adhikari.

Before joining RSP last December prior to the elections, Shah served as Kathmandu’s mayor, a role he secured in 2022 by utilizing his fame as one of Nepal’s most popular rap artists with millions of social media followers.

At a January 19 rally in Nepal’s Madhesh province capital, Shah appeared alongside RSP founder and former television host Rabi Lamichhane, declaring to thousands of supporters: “A Madhesi boy is going to become prime minister.”

Despite the Madhesh region and surrounding Terai plains containing Nepal’s largest population centers, the country’s political leadership has historically come from Kathmandu and the mountainous regions.

Shah’s January address became a social media sensation, highlighting the early effectiveness of RSP’s strategy to make him the first plains-region leader to claim the prime minister’s office, three party officials noted.

“It was very clear to us that the nation was fed up with the old corrupt leaders and they were seeing hope in young leaders like Balen Shah and Rabi Lamichhane,” said Birendra Kumar Mehta, a central committee member. “The party saw this as an opportunity.”

Shah is running for parliament from Jhapa-5, a plains constituency that has traditionally been the political stronghold of K.P. Sharma Oli, who resigned as prime minister following the September protests.

In this rural Nepal district, Shah maintained his unconventional campaign approach, avoiding traditional media interviews while making unscheduled stops to speak with voters and organizing youth volunteer networks throughout the constituency.

His team, supported by the RSP’s Kathmandu operation, has also gathered voter concerns and complaints regarding development initiatives and government services.

“People from every part of Nepal will feel that the government is theirs and most importantly, that it is there for them,” said D.P. Aryal, RSP’s vice chairperson, noting that Shah’s government plans to recruit external experts to strengthen its capabilities. “Youth engagement and the maximum integration of technology will also be among our top priorities.”

The Middle Eastern conflict has intensified as Iran fired additional missiles toward Israeli territory and American military installations, marking the sixth consecutive day of warfare. Israeli defense forces reported detecting multiple incoming projectiles early Thursday morning and confirmed they were working to intercept the weapons.

Simultaneously, Israeli forces initiated fresh military operations targeting Hezbollah positions throughout Lebanon, the Iranian-supported militant organization. Lebanese health officials and state media reported that no fewer than eight individuals lost their lives from late Wednesday through early Thursday due to these strikes.

Iranian leadership has issued warnings about potential devastation to military and economic infrastructure across the Middle East, causing significant disruption to global financial markets. Oil prices have become a key indicator for market movements, with crude costs climbing again early Thursday morning.

Israeli defense officials announced Thursday morning that they had initiated a “large-scale wave of strikes against infrastructure” targeting Iran’s capital city of Tehran.

Oman’s foreign minister revealed Thursday that his nation was coordinating with international partners to arrange evacuation flights for foreign nationals unable to leave the region.

In a message posted to X, Badr al-Busaidi stated: “For everyone hoping to fly home from the Gulf, the Omani government is working with your governments and international airlines to organize flights to get you home. We mean everyone, whatever passport you hold. The citizens of all countries have the human right to safety and security. People matter. Let’s stop the war now.”

While Oman, positioned along the Arabian Peninsula’s eastern coastline, has experienced attacks near its shores and ports, Muscat International Airport has remained operational throughout the conflict.

Qatar Airways announced Thursday it would begin operating limited “relief flights” to assist passengers stranded by the ongoing Middle Eastern warfare.

The carrier announced via X that departure cities would include Muscat, with destinations including Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, London, Madrid and Rome. An additional route connecting Riyadh to Frankfurt, Germany was also planned.

These flights are designed to “support passengers who are stranded due to the current situation across the region.”

Qatari airspace remains shut down due to Iranian missile activity throughout the region. Qatar Airways serves as a major connection point between Eastern and Western destinations.

Bali immigration officials have issued emergency residency extensions and eliminated overstay penalties for foreign visitors unable to depart due to Middle Eastern flight disruptions affecting the Indonesian resort destination.

Airport officials reported that approximately 6,000 travelers bound for Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi experienced flight cancellations over a four-day period at Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Iranian and Israeli diplomatic representatives held competing press briefings Thursday in Seoul, South Korea, exchanging harsh criticisms as their nations’ conflict continues escalating.

Iran’s Ambassador to South Korea Saeed Koozechi, speaking with translation assistance, urged Seoul — a major American ally — to more forcefully condemn what he characterized as unlawful aggression by American and Israeli military forces, who launched operations despite ongoing diplomatic talks.

Koozechi warned that “many coffins would return to the United States” should it choose to deploy ground troops, while justifying Iranian attacks on Gulf nations hosting American military facilities as necessary actions.

Israeli Ambassador Raphael Harpaz countered that combined American-Israeli military actions serve dual purposes: eliminating Iran’s nuclear development programs and missile facilities while supporting Iranian citizens against governmental oppression.

South Korea has backed American-led diplomatic initiatives to limit Iran’s nuclear capabilities but has not formally supported the American-Israeli military campaign, instead advocating for renewed negotiations.

Saudi defense officials reported destroying an unmanned aircraft in the kingdom’s al-Jawf province, which shares a border with Jordan.

Israeli forces targeted a structure within the Beddawi Palestinian refugee settlement in Tripoli, a coastal Lebanese city, resulting in two fatalities according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.

The attack occurred without advance notice and represents the conflict’s northernmost strike to date, injuring one additional person, health officials confirmed.

Israeli military officials have not disclosed the intended target of this operation.

Beddawi, situated roughly 85 kilometers north of Beirut and more than 180 kilometers from the Lebanese-Israeli frontier, was previously targeted during the 2024 Israeli-Hezbollah war.

Even after a November 2024 ceasefire agreement, Israeli forces conducted a July strike against a Hamas operative within the camp.

An Israeli drone attack during nighttime hours targeted a vehicle traveling on a southern Lebanese coastal road, killing three individuals, according to Lebanon’s official news service.

The targeted roadway links Tyre to Naqoura, a border community adjacent to Israel.

Israeli military officials warned residents Wednesday to relocate north of the Litani River, which functions as a crucial buffer zone with communities to its south positioned nearest the Israeli border.

Lebanese Health Ministry data indicates that Israeli strikes have claimed more than 70 lives across four days since the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict resumed, with over 430 individuals sustaining injuries.

The civilian casualty count remains unclear, though health officials confirmed Tuesday that seven children were among the deceased.

The strikes have also eliminated officials from both Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant organizations.

Chinese President Xi Jinping presented an ambitious roadmap for his nation’s future during Thursday’s parliamentary session in Beijing, as tensions with the United States continue to escalate over technology and global influence.

The National People’s Congress approved the country’s latest Five-Year Plan, which establishes targets for economic expansion, government spending, industrial development, and military capabilities as Xi seeks to advance China’s position as a global technological leader.

Key elements of the parliamentary blueprint include:

ECONOMIC TARGETS AND SPENDING

Chinese leaders are targeting economic expansion between 4.5% and 5% annually, slightly lower than the previous year’s 5% growth rate, creating opportunities for economic restructuring efforts.

The government will maintain stimulus measures to energize an economy still recovering from pandemic impacts, establishing a budget shortfall equal to 4.0% of the nation’s total economic output, matching last year’s level.

TECHNOLOGY FOCUS AMID US TENSIONS

As competition with America intensifies, Beijing is fast-tracking initiatives to reduce dependence on foreign technology. The nation also intends to strengthen its dominance in rare earth minerals, essential components for electric cars, aviation engines, and military equipment.

MILITARY EXPANSION

China will enhance military preparedness and speed up development of “advanced combat capabilities,” Premier Li Qiang announced, increasing defense expenditures by 7% in 2026.

Defense analysts are monitoring Beijing’s push to upgrade its armed forces by 2035 and expand military influence as regional conflicts over Taiwan and other global tensions continue to rise.

BANKING SYSTEM SUPPORT

The government will provide 300 billion yuan ($43.59 billion) to state-controlled banks this year and expand reforms of government-owned financial institutions to strengthen the banking sector during ongoing real estate challenges and deflationary pressures.

DEMOGRAPHIC CHALLENGES

Officials pledged to create a “childbirth-friendly society” within five years, tackling issues related to jobs, schooling, and healthcare as the country faces an aging population and declining birth rates that threaten economic objectives.

AGRICULTURAL SECURITY

Grain production capacity will increase to approximately 725 million metric tons between 2026-2030 to achieve long-term food independence goals, addressing the country’s significant dependence on imported agricultural products like soybeans, with America serving as its second-largest supplier.

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENTS

The administration plans to speed up reductions in carbon intensity during the upcoming five-year period, shifting focus from overall energy efficiency to specifically targeting carbon emissions reduction.

Military activity from China around Taiwan has dropped dramatically in recent weeks, with no aircraft detected in the past seven days, according to new data from Taiwan’s defense ministry.

Taiwan has recorded 460 Chinese military aircraft – including fighter jets and drones – entering its air defense identification zone this year, representing a 46.5% decrease compared to the same period last year, based on information compiled by the Secure Taiwan Associate Corporation research group.

February saw 190 Chinese aircraft detections, marking the lowest monthly count since Taiwan began releasing detailed daily reports in 2022 regarding what officials describe as Beijing’s ongoing pressure campaign.

Two Taiwanese officials suggest Chinese President Xi Jinping may be reducing these visible pressure tactics to improve conditions before his expected meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump later this month.

A senior Taiwan security official, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the topic, told reporters that Beijing might be attempting to project a peaceful image. “Beijing might be trying to create a false impression: I am peaceful, I am moving toward peace, so you should stop selling weapons to Taiwan,” the official stated.

China’s defense ministry and Taiwan Affairs Office did not respond to requests for comment.

The current six-day pause in Chinese military flights near Taiwan, which began February 27, represents an unusual break in operations that coincided with Iran’s conflict, according to STA researcher Tristan Tang.

Previous interruptions in Chinese military activity were typically brief and connected to weather events like typhoons or Chinese holidays.

Military corruption investigations within China’s forces could provide another explanation for the reduced activity.

Su Tzu-yun, a researcher at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defence and Security Research, indicated the anti-corruption campaign might be the “primary reason” behind the lull, as Chinese military units undergo command structure changes that could be affecting operational readiness.

A Taiwan defense official, also requesting anonymity, suggested Beijing may be using this quiet period to analyze findings from recent large-scale military exercises.

Despite the reduction in air activity, China’s naval and coast guard operations continue at normal levels, Taiwan’s defense ministry reports, indicating Beijing has specifically scaled back the more politically provocative aerial operations.

Another senior Taiwan security official cautioned against reading too much into the temporary change. “Just because they’re not coming now doesn’t mean they won’t come back in the future, and we can’t rule out that they may be preparing for an even larger operation,” the official said.

“We should not project any change in Beijing’s intentions based solely on a few days of activity,” the official added.

NEW DELHI, March 6 – India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar announced Saturday that his nation permitted an Iranian naval vessel to dock at one of its ports as a humanitarian measure, coinciding with a U.S. submarine attack on another Iranian ship near Sri Lanka.

The Iranian vessel Lavan arrived at Kochi port in southern India on Wednesday, according to an Indian government source who spoke with Reuters. This occurred on the same day American forces struck the Iranian navy frigate Dena, following an emergency docking request from Tehran.

President Donald Trump has stated that eliminating Iran’s naval capabilities represents a key objective in the military campaign he and Israel initiated against the Islamic Republic one week prior.

Speaking at the annual Raisina Dialogue conference, Jaishankar explained that the Lavan – described by the U.S. Naval Institute as an amphibious landing craft – along with two additional vessels had been participating in a naval review when they became trapped by unfolding events.

“I think we really approached it from the point of view of humanity, of other than whatever the legal issues were,” Jaishankar stated. “I think we did the right thing.”

The American assault on the Dena occurred in Sri Lanka’s exclusive economic zone, approximately 19 nautical miles from shore but beyond the country’s territorial waters, resulting in at least 87 fatalities.

According to the government source, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the information, India received the emergency docking request on February 28 – the same day hostilities with Iran commenced. The source noted that the request carried urgency because the vessel had encountered mechanical problems.

Naval facilities in Kochi are currently housing all 183 crew members from the Lavan, the source confirmed.

The attacked frigate Dena had been returning from naval exercises hosted by India, based on information from the drill’s official website and statements from Sri Lankan officials.

Sri Lankan authorities reported Friday that they are guiding another Iranian naval ship, the Booshehr, toward an eastern coast harbor while relocating most of its personnel to a naval installation near Colombo.

PERPIGNAN, France – Along the Mediterranean coast near the Spanish border, far-right mayor Louis Aliot is campaigning for another term in this weathered French city with a straightforward promise: enhanced law enforcement, expanded surveillance, and restored public safety.

Since taking control of city hall in 2020, the National Rally (RN) mayor has centered his administration around security initiatives. His party now showcases Perpignan, home to 122,000 residents and the largest municipality under RN control, as a model for governance they want to expand across France during this month’s municipal elections.

Despite facing an embezzlement conviction that could remove him from office pending his appeal, Aliot maintains his lead in polling. He describes Perpignan as an experimental ground for RN leadership and a demonstration of the party’s capabilities ahead of France’s 2027 presidential race.

“When the National Rally is in office, well, we govern, we run cities and we run them well,” he stated during an interview.

Electoral victories in additional municipalities would provide Marine Le Pen’s organization with momentum entering next year’s presidential campaign. Surveys indicate strong RN performance in Toulon, Nice and Marseille, though the two-round electoral system complicates predictions.

The party’s emphasis on law enforcement appeals to numerous Perpignan voters, where impoverished districts rank among France’s most disadvantaged areas just blocks away from the historic Catalan-influenced city center.

With elections scheduled for March 15 and 23, RN leader Jordan Bardella and far-left opponent Jean-Luc Mélenchon – both potential presidential candidates – conducted competing weekend campaigns, transforming the city into a political proving ground.

“Faced with the violence engulfing our country year after year, we intend to make public order an absolute priority,” Bardella declared to his supporters.

Aliot has pledged to add 50 additional officers and install 200 surveillance cameras, focusing on suburban areas where middle-class residents have relocated from inner neighborhoods housing significant North African and Roma communities.

The municipality has already grown its police force from 161 officers in 2020 to 199 currently, achieving 1.6 municipal officers per 1,000 residents – the highest ratio among French cities exceeding 100,000 population and nearly triple Paris’s 0.6 rate, based on Interior Ministry statistics analyzed by Reuters.

Intensified law enforcement has dramatically increased drug trafficking prosecutions, with Perpignan now ranking seventh among more than 50 major French cities, climbing from 18th place in 2020. Police-initiated trafficking cases have more than doubled, while minor possession fines have increased fourfold.

This security emphasis carries financial consequences. Municipal debt reaches 1,600 euros per resident, significantly exceeding the 1,200 euro average for comparable cities, according to Finance Ministry records.

Property tax rates surpass those in 71% of similar municipalities, while 98% of peer cities maintain lower business tax rates.

Nevertheless, business publication Challenges recently ranked Perpignan as France’s third best-managed city, providing Aliot’s supporters with talking points to attract security-focused voters beyond the RN’s traditional base.

An early December Ifop survey shows Aliot leading with 44% support in the first round, benefiting from divided opposition spread among five competitors.

A veteran far-right politician, Aliot has played a key role in Le Pen’s efforts to moderate the anti-immigration party’s image for mainstream appeal. Polling data suggests either Le Pen or her protégé Bardella could win next year’s presidential first round and compete in a close runoff election.

Local resident opinions remain divided. At a downtown market, retiree Marie Nivet praised cleaner streets and visible police presence while seeking stronger anti-drug measures.

She expressed uncertainty about supporting Aliot due to his pending appeal regarding EU fund misuse charges that also threaten Le Pen’s political future.

Aliot indicated he would challenge any adverse ruling in France’s supreme court, noting that team members could assume leadership if necessary.

The legal questions didn’t concern Laure Guérin, a retired private school administrator, who plans to support Aliot based on the RN’s law-and-order approach.

Other residents showed more reservation. Christian Pyguillem, a retired property manager, acknowledged Aliot’s improvements in street cleanliness and security but argued that persistent neighborhood poverty requires comprehensive urban renewal beyond any mayor’s previous attempts.

“We’ll give him another six years, but it’s a vote motivated by the local situation, I don’t agree with their other ideas,” he explained.

Opposition candidates criticized the security strategy as ineffective and blamed deteriorating city finances. Center-right contender Bruno Nougayrède accused Aliot of prioritizing national politics over local responsibilities and emphasizing publicity over tangible results.

“These five years have been marked by complete inaction for the people of Perpignan,” Nougayrède told Reuters. “A lot of resources went into PR, but the city itself has not changed.”

Far-left candidate Mickaël Idrac labeled Aliot’s tenure “catastrophic,” criticizing “frenzied” spending on police equipment and surveillance technology while condemning what he characterized as polarizing language.

Aliot responded that voters would evaluate his performance based on their personal safety experiences. He positions the RN as the party committed to maintaining order following decades of inaction by both left and right-wing predecessors.

“If the left had defended the poor, we wouldn’t be here today. If the right had defended order, we wouldn’t be here today,” Aliot concluded.

An intensifying Middle East conflict is causing major disruptions to global air freight operations, leaving everything from fresh food to aircraft components stranded as shipping capacity drops dramatically worldwide.

The ongoing U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran have forced the suspension of both passenger and cargo flights throughout the region, including major international shipping centers in Doha and Dubai.

Aviation consulting firm Aevean reports that worldwide air freight capacity fell 22% during the four-day period from February 28 through March 3, compared to a similar timeframe last month prior to Chinese New Year celebrations.

“It is an absolute halt of the supply chain to the Middle East,” stated Abdol Moaberry, chief executive of GA Telesis, a Florida-based company specializing in aircraft components and maintenance services. His company cannot transport parts to the affected region or retrieve components requiring repairs.

According to the International Air Transport Association, air freight handles roughly one-third of international commerce by monetary value. This includes everything from Apple devices to climate-sensitive medications, fresh produce, and automotive components transported in passenger aircraft cargo holds and dedicated freight planes.

Middle Eastern airlines control approximately 13% of global air cargo capacity, according to Aevean data. The disruption particularly affects routes connecting Asia and Europe.

Brian Bourke, chief commercial officer at SEKO Logistics, explained that Europe and Asia-Pacific regions face greater consequences due to their dependence on Middle Eastern shipping hubs.

“Companies in the U.S. should be paying attention,” Bourke noted. “But it’s not as immediate as if you’re in Europe or Asia or Australia.”

Air freight capacity along the Asia-Middle East-Europe corridor has dropped 39% since hostilities began, though direct shipping between China and Europe has grown 26%, Aevean reported.

Joshua Ng from Alton Aviation Consultancy suggests Chinese carriers may gain competitive advantages since they can utilize Russian airspace while many competitors face restrictions, resulting in shorter routes and reduced operational expenses.

Freightos consultancy data shows shipping rates from Southeast Asia to Europe have increased more than 6% to $3.82 per kilogram since Friday, with South Asian rates climbing 3% to Europe and 5% to the United States.

“Whenever operational disruptions increase costs or reduce capacity, air cargo rates tend to experience upward pressure,” Ng explained. “In the near term, shippers may begin to see higher spot rates on the Asia–Europe corridor, particularly if the disruption persists and capacity constraints continue.”

Stefan Paul, chief executive of Swiss logistics company Kuehne+Nagel, warned Tuesday that “certain backlogs arising in Southeast Asia and in China for the European and the U.S. marketplace” could develop by early next week.

Aircraft parts typically require air transport, and extended disruptions may delay Middle Eastern carriers’ attempts to resume normal operations. Kuehne+Nagel data indicates aerospace shipments to and from the region represented 6.7% of global aerospace freight in 2025.

“Even if the aircraft is not flying because of the war, the aircraft still has to be airworthy for when the skies open up,” explained Amyr Qureshi, senior vice president at Aventure Aviation.

Aventure serves approximately 70 airlines, including Etihad Airways, Emirates and Qatar Airways, maintaining essential components like engine valves and avionics at its Atlanta distribution facility.

Qureshi reported urgent calls from numerous carriers seeking parts, as individual components can sometimes determine whether aircraft remain grounded for maintenance. “If the part doesn’t arrive on time the airplane sits in the hangar more,” he said, calling it a “domino effect.”

On a positive note, Qureshi mentioned that components scheduled for shipment from Dubai airport to Atlanta for repairs were collected by a freight forwarder Wednesday.

“There is a gradual improvement,” he observed. “But these things are so unpredictable… tomorrow everything comes to a standstill.”

JAKARTA – Indonesia’s communications ministry delivered a sharp rebuke to Meta Platforms Inc on Thursday, citing the company’s inadequate efforts to remove harmful content from its social media platforms.

The formal reprimand followed an unexpected visit by Communications and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid to Meta’s Jakarta headquarters on Wednesday. During the visit, officials expressed frustration with the company’s poor track record in addressing problematic material.

According to ministry officials, Meta has demonstrated insufficient compliance with Indonesian laws designed to combat harmful online content. The company’s platforms – including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp – have failed to adequately address issues ranging from false information and online gambling to defamatory posts and hate speech.

The statistics paint a concerning picture: Meta took action on merely 28.47% of content that Indonesian authorities had flagged as problematic, particularly material related to gambling and misinformation.

“Disinformation, defamation, and hate content threaten lives in Indonesia, yet Meta has allowed them to persist,” Minister Hafid stated.

Indonesian officials are demanding that Meta enhance its content monitoring capabilities and speed up the process of removing illegal and dangerous material from its platforms.

This latest confrontation follows previous government action from last year, when ministry officials summoned Meta executives along with representatives from other major social media companies, ordering them to improve their content oversight practices.

Meta has not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding the warning.

KYIV, Ukraine — Seven people lost their lives and 10 others sustained injuries, including three children, when a Russian missile struck a five-story apartment building in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, on Saturday, according to Ukrainian officials.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the assault and urged the international community to take action. The president reported that Russia launched a massive overnight bombardment using 29 missiles and 480 drones, focusing on power infrastructure in Kyiv and other central areas, with damage documented in at least seven additional locations nationwide.

Initial reports indicate Ukrainian air defense forces successfully intercepted 19 missiles and 453 drones, while 9 missiles and 26 attack drones found their targets across 22 different sites.

Rescue teams in northeastern Kharkiv continued searching through debris for potential survivors.

The Kyiv region experienced damage from falling debris across three districts, local officials reported. In southern Odesa, authorities deployed 80 firefighters to combat extensive blazes at infrastructure sites following multiple drone strikes. Ukraine’s national railway company Ukrzaliznytsia announced that infrastructure damage necessitated route modifications in the country’s center-west region.

“There must be a response from partners to these savage strikes against life,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. “Russia has not abandoned its attempts to destroy Ukraine’s residential and critical infrastructure, and therefore support must continue. We count on active work with the European Union to guarantee greater protection for our people. I am grateful to everyone who helps strengthen our protection.”

Since launching its invasion more than four years ago, Russia has deployed tens of thousands of Iranian-designed Shahed drones against Ukraine. Moscow has established large-scale domestic manufacturing of these weapons and has bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones in single attacks — exceeding the total used during some complete months in 2024.

Iran has deployed similar drone technology against Middle Eastern nations following joint U.S.-Israeli military operations.

Zelenskyy revealed that the United States had requested Ukrainian assistance in defending against Iranian drones in the Middle East, and he had authorized the provision of equipment and Ukrainian specialists.

The Middle Eastern conflict has shifted international focus from Europe’s largest war since World War II and caused the delay of new U.S.-mediated negotiations between Russia and Ukraine that were scheduled for this week.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced Saturday that the nation’s temporary leadership council has decided to halt military strikes against neighboring countries, with the exception of retaliatory action if Iran faces attacks from those nations first.

The declaration was made while Iran continues conducting military operations throughout the region as a response to strikes carried out by U.S. and Israeli forces against the Islamic Republic.

Officials in Azerbaijan announced Friday they successfully disrupted multiple terrorist operations allegedly orchestrated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including schemes to strike a critical oil pipeline and Jewish community locations.

According to Azerbaijan’s State Security Service, as reported by the government-run Azertag news agency, the planned attacks targeted the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, Israel’s embassy in the country, a synagogue serving the Ashkenazi community, and a prominent figure from Azerbaijan’s Mountain Jews, an ancient Jewish population.

Iranian officials have yet to respond to these allegations.

The threatened BTC pipeline carries oil through Georgia and Turkey to European markets and provides approximately one-third of Israel’s petroleum imports. Any successful attack on this infrastructure could significantly increase global energy costs as Middle Eastern conflicts continue into their second week.

This announcement follows Azerbaijan’s Thursday pledge to respond to what it described as an Iranian drone attack on its Nakhchivan territory, which reportedly wounded four individuals and damaged airport facilities. Tehran has categorically rejected claims it launched the drone strike.

Azerbaijani investigators determined that two Iranian nationals and one Azerbaijani citizen worked together to smuggle more than seven kilograms of C-4 explosives into the country under IRGC direction. International arrest warrants have been issued for four suspects.

On Friday, Azerbaijan withdrew its diplomatic personnel from Iran due to security concerns, further straining relations between the nations that have been complicated by Baku’s partnerships with Israel and Turkey.

BEIRUT – As Israeli airstrikes hammered southern Beirut neighborhoods early Monday morning, a pregnant Sudanese refugee named Ridina Muhammad had to make a desperate escape with her family, walking through darkened streets until they reached safety at a local church.

Muhammad, 32 and eight months pregnant, trekked for hours alongside her husband and three children before finding transportation to St. Joseph Tabaris Parish, one of the few places willing to shelter refugees and migrants during the current conflict.

The family joins approximately 300,000 people forced from their homes throughout Lebanon this week due to intense Israeli bombardments, which came as retaliation for rocket and drone attacks launched by Hezbollah into Israeli territory.

While government facilities house only 100,000 of those displaced, with others staying with family or sleeping outdoors, refugees and migrants report being denied access to official shelters – the same treatment they experienced during previous conflicts between Israel and Hezbollah.

Muhammad’s seven-year-old daughter lost the ability to speak following the 2024 war, and now the family faces even greater hardships with their home destroyed and Muhammad’s delivery date approaching at month’s end.

“I don’t know if there’s a doctor or not, but I’m really scared about it because I haven’t prepared any clothes for the baby, nor arranged a hospital, and I don’t know where to go,” Muhammad explained to reporters while her younger child rested against her swollen belly.

Despite registering with the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), Muhammad says she has received no assistance during this crisis.

“Us, as refugees, why did we register with the U.N., if they are not helping us in the most difficult times?” she questioned.

UNHCR Lebanon representative Dalal Harb acknowledged the agency’s mobilization efforts but noted the enormous challenge of reaching everyone given the rapid scale of displacement. She revealed that UNHCR’s Lebanon operations currently receive only 14% of needed funding.

The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), which previously assisted the church in hosting displaced individuals in 2024, has resumed its support role.

According to Michael Petro, JRS Emergency Shelter Director, the church reached capacity within 24 hours of the strikes beginning, now housing 140 people from South Sudan, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and other nations.

“There are many, many more people coming than there were in 2024, and we have fewer and fewer places to put them,” Petro noted.

Petro revealed that weeks before the current escalation, he was assured government shelters would welcome migrants if warfare resumed. However, when strikes commenced and even Lebanese citizens struggled to find refuge, that policy appeared to shift.

“We’re hearing from hotlines up to government officials and ministries that migrants are not welcome,” Petro stated.

Lebanon’s Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayyed did not respond to requests for comment, though she announced Thursday that Beirut shelters had reached full capacity.

When the bombardment started, 41-year-old Sudanese resident Othman Yahyeh Dawood loaded his two young sons onto his motorcycle and traveled 75 kilometers from the southern town of Nabatieh to St. Joseph’s, where they had previously found shelter in 2024.

“I know the area is safe and there are people who will welcome us,” Dawood said.

“We don’t know where to go; there’s war there (in the south), war here (in Beirut), war in Sudan, and nowhere else to go,” he added.

During Thursday’s annual parliamentary session in Beijing, Chinese officials presented their 15th five-year economic strategy, establishing the nation’s priorities across multiple sectors that will receive government backing and financial support.

The comprehensive plan addresses several key areas that could significantly impact global commodity markets:

RARE EARTH MINERALS AND METALS

For the first time in any five-year plan, Beijing specifically highlighted its dominance in rare earth minerals, committing to preserve its global leadership position while modernizing the sector. Officials also indicated they would strengthen their export control mechanisms, which have previously created supply shortages of essential minerals in international markets.

The nation’s commitment to expanding renewable energy infrastructure is expected to drive increased demand for copper and aluminum through extensive electrical grid development projects, many of which have already been announced. Despite China’s heavy dependence on imported materials like copper and iron ore, Beijing pledged to boost domestic mining and exploration efforts, though specific examples were not provided.

INDUSTRIAL OVERCAPACITY CONCERNS

Chinese leadership renewed their commitment to address excess production capacity in heavy industries including steel manufacturing, petrochemicals, and copper processing. While no specific reduction targets or output cuts were announced, the government did establish energy efficiency goals designed to accelerate restructuring within these carbon-heavy sectors.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY POLICIES

The plan sets a goal to reduce carbon intensity – measuring carbon emissions relative to economic output – by 17 percent, which represents a slight decrease from last year’s 18 percent target. Over the previous five-year period, carbon intensity actually dropped by only 12 percent. This approach allows total emissions to continue rising alongside economic growth.

Beijing aims to reach peak coal consumption within the next five years but removed previous commitments to phase down coal usage entirely. This change suggests coal consumption may stabilize rather than decline. The government did commit to generating 25 percent of all energy from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.

OIL AND NATURAL GAS STRATEGY

China plans to maintain consistent domestic oil production at 200 million tons per year while continuing to increase natural gas output and expand strategic petroleum reserves. The plan includes advancing preliminary work on the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline project with Russia, which Moscow considers nearly finalized despite ongoing pricing disputes that have caused significant delays.

The country will also continue expanding its coal-to-liquids industry, which converts coal into oil, gas, and petrochemical products.

AGRICULTURAL OBJECTIVES

By 2030, China seeks to boost annual grain production to 725 million metric tons, relying on advanced technology and improved crop yields as available farmland becomes increasingly limited. Officials reiterated their focus on securing reliable overseas food supply chains for the substantial quantities of agricultural products the nation continues to import.

The plan calls for addressing overcapacity issues in the pork industry while providing support for dairy and beef sectors, both of which have recently received tariff protection.

MOSCOW – The Russian government leveled serious accusations against Washington and Tel Aviv on Thursday, claiming both nations are deliberately attempting to involve Arab Gulf countries in an expanded Middle East war through provocative actions against Iran.

According to Moscow’s allegations, Gulf Arab nations – which maintain strong diplomatic ties with the United States and some with Russia as well – have faced Iranian drone and missile bombardments following weekend airstrikes conducted by American and Israeli forces against Iran on Saturday.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin reached out to four Arab Gulf nation leaders by telephone on Monday, proposing that Moscow could leverage its diplomatic relationship with Iran to communicate the region’s concerns about Tehran’s attacks on petroleum facilities throughout the area.

In an official statement released Thursday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry directly blamed America and Israel for intentionally attempting to pull Arab Gulf nations into a larger regional war.

“They deliberately provoked Iran into retaliatory strikes against targets in some Arab countries, which led to human and material losses, which the Russian side deeply regrets,” the ministry said.

“In doing so, they (Washington and Tel Aviv) are trying to drag the Arabs into a war for someone else’s interests,” the statement continued.

MOGADISHU – In a significant political development Wednesday, Somalia’s legislative body approved constitutional amendments that will postpone the nation’s upcoming elections and lengthen the terms of both parliamentary members and the country’s president.

The East African nation has struggled with ongoing instability and tribal conflicts since autocratic leader Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991, leaving the country without effective central governance for decades.

Despite efforts by African Union peacekeeping forces to combat the terrorist organization al Shabaab, which has ties to al Qaeda, the militant group continues to maintain control over large rural territories and regularly launches attacks against major cities and towns.

Last August, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud negotiated an agreement with certain opposition figures that would have allowed direct legislative elections in 2026, though the presidential selection would remain in parliament’s hands. Legislation passed in 2024 had restored direct voting rights for citizens prior to the scheduled election.

During Wednesday’s session, 222 members of the combined parliament and senate – representing two-thirds of the total 329 legislators – approved the constitutional modifications through voice vote. The changes extend both legislative and presidential terms to five years, up from the previous four-year limit.

“Today is a historic day for it is the official completion of the constitution which had dragged for a long period,” the president told a press conference on Wednesday.

However, opposition party leadership, including multiple former presidents and past prime ministers, have denounced the constitutional amendment and continue to demand that elections move forward in May according to the original timeline.

A crude oil tanker sustained what appears to be hull damage following an explosion that occurred while the ship was moored near an Iraqi port facility, according to the vessel’s operating company.

The incident involving the Sonangol Namibe, which operates under a Bahamas flag, took place early Thursday morning near Iraq’s Khor al Zubair port when an unidentified small craft came alongside the tanker around 1:20 a.m. local time.

According to a statement from Sonangol Marine Services, the company representing the vessel, the small watercraft moved toward the left side of the oil tanker before the explosion occurred.

“The small boat approached the port side of the tanker and a short time later a loud bang was heard,” Sonangol Marine Services said in a statement.

The company reported that the tanker’s crew has observed water escaping from a ballast tank on the port side, indicating possible damage to the ship’s exterior structure. However, officials emphasized that the vessel continues to maintain stability and remains safely positioned in the water.

“The crew reports that a port ballast tank is losing water which suggests some form of hull breach but the ship remains stable and safely afloat,” the company stated.

MOSCOW, March 7 – Russian President Vladimir Putin offered his sympathies to Iran’s leadership following civilian deaths from what the Kremlin characterized as “armed Israeli-American aggression against Iran” while demanding an immediate end to the fighting.

During a Friday evening telephone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Putin conveyed his deep sympathies regarding the deaths of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Khamenei’s family members, Iranian government and military officials, and “numerous civilians,” according to Kremlin officials.

“Vladimir Putin reaffirmed Russia’s principled stance in favour of an immediate cessation of hostilities, the rejection of force as a method to solve any issues surrounding Iran or arising in the Middle East, and a swift return to the path of diplomatic resolution,” the Kremlin said.

The Russian president indicated he maintains ongoing communication with leaders from Gulf Cooperation Council nations.

“Masoud Pezeshkian expressed gratitude for Russia’s solidarity with the Iranian people as they defend their sovereignty and the independence of their country. He also provided a detailed update on the developments during the latest active phase of the conflict,” the Kremlin said.

NAIROBI, Kenya — Drivers found themselves trapped for hours on Saturday as flooding overwhelmed the streets of Kenya’s capital following intense overnight downpours.

Military personnel were called in to support emergency rescue operations, while the local toll road company eliminated charges for drivers using elevated highways.

The deluge started Friday and persisted through the night, completely submerging cars and forcing drivers in certain locations to walk through waist-deep floodwaters to find safety on higher ground.

Social media platforms filled with footage showing waterlogged residences throughout the city.

Military rescue teams were dispatched during the night to bolster emergency services as Kenya Red Cross response crews faced difficulties reaching stranded individuals.

Kenya Red Cross Secretary-General Ahmed Idris explained that search and rescue operations were working around the clock to help those trapped.

“We are severely limited by the traffic and the situation on what used to be roads. We are doing our best to reach those in need,” he wrote on X.

Local citizens attributed the severe flooding to blocked storm drains, arguing that municipal leaders should have prepared by maintaining proper drainage systems before the current wet season began.

Resident Aisha Bajaber expressed frustration on X, writing, “The whole city is flooded yet again. How long will officials keep ignoring the lack of drainage?”

The country has experienced continuous rainfall since the end of February, marking the beginning of the extended rainy period.

Past wet seasons have brought devastating floods, landslides, and mudslides that have claimed hundreds of lives and forced thousands from their homes.

Regional tensions in the Middle East reached new heights Saturday as Iran unleashed fresh waves of ballistic missiles and drone attacks, with Gulf nations reporting successful interceptions of multiple projectiles.

Saudi Arabian forces neutralized four drones targeting the nation’s significant Shaybah oil facility early Saturday morning, marking the second assault on the location within just hours. Residents of Dubai reported hearing multiple explosions during morning hours, with United Arab Emirates officials confirming “a minor incident resulting from the fall of debris after an interception.”

Israeli fighter aircraft conducted extensive bombing campaigns against targets in both Beirut and Tehran as the conflict continued to escalate. Saturday’s casualty figures showed devastating losses, with officials reporting at least 1,230 fatalities in Iran, over 200 deaths in Lebanon, approximately a dozen killed in Israel, and six American service members confirmed dead.

Intelligence sources revealed Russia’s apparent entry into the conflict, with two U.S. intelligence officials confirming Moscow had shared information with Iran that could assist Tehran in targeting American naval vessels, aircraft, and military installations throughout the region.

The expanding warfare showed no signs of abating as President Trump’s administration greenlit a fresh $151 million weapons package for Israel. This decision followed Trump’s declaration that negotiations with Iran would only occur after its “unconditional surrender.”

The conflict’s economic ripple effects reached Pakistan, where officials announced a substantial fuel price increase of 55 rupees per liter (approximately $0.20) overnight. Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar attributed the hike to surging global oil costs stemming from Middle Eastern hostilities, noting Pakistan’s heavy dependence on petroleum imports from Saudi Arabia and neighboring Gulf states.

Israeli defense forces identified Tehran’s Imam Hussein University as a primary target, stating the facility served as a training center for Revolutionary Guard personnel and housed “multiple military assets” utilized by the Guard. Military officials reported deploying more than 80 combat aircraft in Saturday’s latest assault wave, which struck an underground facility storing ballistic missiles and housing command operations where “senior officials of the Iranian regime” were stationed.

Additional targets encompassed launch facilities across Iran’s central and western regions, according to military statements.

Tehran’s morning hours were punctuated by explosions as fresh airstrikes pounded Iran’s capital city. The bombardment appeared concentrated on downtown Tehran and government facilities in the area.

Dubai International Airport, recognized as the globe’s busiest hub for international flights, experienced disruptions when travelers were evacuated into underground train tunnels following missile alert warnings. Mobile phone emergency notifications alerted Dubai residents Saturday morning about “potential missile threats,” with Emirati officials instructing citizens to find immediate shelter as air defense systems activated.

When questioned about the escalating situation during a White House meeting focused on student-athlete compensation in college athletics, President Trump sharply criticized the reporter’s inquiry. “I have a lot of respect for you, you’ve always been very nice to me,” Trump addressed Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy. “What a stupid question that is to be asking at this time. We’re talking about something else.”

Israeli citizens rushed to protective shelters throughout the country early Saturday after loud explosions signaled incoming Iranian missile attacks on additional targets. Emergency services reported no immediate casualty information was available.

Ukrainian officials confirmed Saturday that a deadly missile attack launched by Russian forces has claimed seven lives in the city of Kharkiv, with two children among the casualties.

Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported through the Telegram platform that the missile impact caused significant damage to a five-story apartment complex located within one of Kharkiv’s residential districts. Emergency response teams have been deployed to the scene and are currently working to remove debris from the damaged structure.

The attack represents the latest in ongoing hostilities affecting civilian areas throughout Ukraine’s second-largest city.

BEIJING, March 7 – Leaders from China’s economically vital Jiangsu province unveiled ambitious strategies to boost artificial intelligence development and modernize industrial operations Saturday, responding to President Xi Jinping’s directive for the region to spearhead technological innovation.

As China’s second-largest provincial economy and a critical manufacturing hub for exports, Jiangsu plays a pivotal role in the nation’s economic landscape.

The province produced approximately 14 trillion yuan ($2 trillion) in economic output during 2025, creating an economy comparable to nations like Spain and serving as a cornerstone of Beijing’s efforts to maintain growth and industrial strength while facing mounting geopolitical pressures from Western countries.

Provincial Governor Liu Xiaotao, leading Jiangsu’s delegation at China’s National People’s Congress, announced Saturday that the region hosts over 1,500 companies focused on artificial intelligence and holds the nation’s second-highest computing power ranking, featuring 66 major AI systems and 283 algorithms officially registered with government regulators.

Transportation official Wu Yonghong revealed plans to expand “AI plus” transportation programs, creating approximately 50 demonstration projects that utilize artificial intelligence to enhance infrastructure oversight and shipping operations.

Yangzhou Mayor Zheng Haitao reported that artificial intelligence applications are already transforming local manufacturing, with 186 automated production systems established across industries including auto parts and environmental technology sectors.

Zheng explained that Yangzhou is implementing financial incentives, such as computing cost assistance and specialized talent recruitment programs, designed to draw businesses and establish a comprehensive artificial intelligence network.

President Xi, who serves as a representative in the Jiangsu delegation and frequently participates in their discussions, addressed provincial legislators Thursday, calling on the region to pioneer the nation’s development of “new quality productive forces” – Beijing’s terminology for technology-based economic advancement.

Xi’s remarks gained additional emphasis Thursday through China’s 15th five-year development strategy, which referenced artificial intelligence more than 50 times and featured a comprehensive “AI plus” framework designed to integrate the technology throughout Chinese economic and social systems.

China’s National People’s Congress brings together approximately 3,000 representatives from provincial and regional groups, including government officials, business leaders, scholars, and laborers, who debate and approve laws and policy directions during the yearly legislative gathering in Beijing.

Turkish defense officials announced Thursday they are monitoring the Iranian Kurdish militant organization known as PJAK, expressing concerns about the group’s impact on regional security and stability.

The announcement follows Tuesday reports that Iranian Kurdish organizations have been in discussions with U.S. officials regarding potential operations against Iranian security forces in Iran’s western regions, according to sources who spoke with Reuters.

Turkey, which maintains NATO membership and shares a border with Iran, is currently pursuing peace negotiations with the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), an Iraq-based militant organization. Turkish leadership also supports incorporating Syrian Kurdish fighters into Syria’s official government structure, making them unlikely to endorse any cooperation between Washington and Iranian Kurdish militants.

“The activities of groups that fuel ethnic separatism, such as the terrorist organization PJAK, negatively affect not only Iran’s security but also the overall peace and stability of the region,” Turkey’s defense ministry stated during their weekly press conference in Ankara.

Turkish officials confirmed that government agencies are maintaining close surveillance of the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), a banned militant organization with connections to the PKK. Both Turkey and its Western allies, including the United States and European Union nations, have classified the PKK as a terrorist organization.

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that upcoming U.S.-facilitated peace negotiations with Russia have been delayed due to ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts.

At the same time, America and Middle Eastern allies are requesting Ukraine’s help in defending against Iranian Shahed drones. According to Zelenskyy, Russia has launched tens of thousands of these same Shahed drones at Ukraine since beginning its invasion more than four years ago. Iran has deployed identical drone technology in response to combined U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iranian facilities.

The Middle Eastern conflict, now entering its sixth day, has shifted global focus from what analysts call Europe’s largest war since World War II. Western officials and experts report the Russia-Ukraine conflict has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties, with no indication that year-long American-led peace initiatives will end hostilities soon.

“Right now, because of the situation around Iran, there are not yet the necessary signals for a trilateral meeting,” Zelenskyy stated Wednesday evening. “But as soon as the security situation and the overall political context allow us to resume that trilateral diplomatic work, it will be done.”

Multiple nations, including America, have contacted Ukraine seeking assistance with Iranian drone defense, Zelenskyy revealed. He disclosed recent conversations with leaders from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait regarding potential cooperation.

Ukraine will only provide such assistance if it doesn’t compromise its own defensive capabilities and enhances Kyiv’s diplomatic position in ending Russia’s invasion, he explained.

“We help to defend from war those who help us, Ukraine, bring a just end to the war” with Russia, Zelenskyy stated.

Ukrainian forces have recently repelled Russian troops at several locations along the approximately 1,250-kilometer (750-mile) battle line, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

The Washington-based research organization reported this week that targeted Ukrainian counteroffensives reclaimed more territory than Ukrainian forces surrendered during February’s final two weeks, estimating recovered land at roughly 257 square kilometers (100 square miles) since January 1.

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Initial vote tallies from Saturday reveal that a political movement headed by a former rapper is dominating Nepal’s parliamentary elections, marking the nation’s first vote since a youth-driven uprising last year.

The National Independent Party, known locally as Rastriya Swatantra, has secured 27 out of 165 direct election seats while maintaining the lead in 90 additional districts, according to data from Nepal’s Election Commission.

The party’s candidate for prime minister is Balendra Shah, a politician who previously worked as a rapper before capturing Kathmandu’s mayoral position in 2022 and becoming a prominent voice in the 2025 movement that removed former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli from power.

Shah, age 35, centered his campaign messaging around improving healthcare and educational opportunities for Nepal’s impoverished population, capitalizing on widespread public dissatisfaction with established political organizations.

In a direct matchup against Oli in a southeastern region, Shah currently holds a commanding advantage over the ex-prime minister while vote tabulation proceeds.

The remaining six decided races were captured by the Nepal Congress party alongside two communist political organizations.

Citizens are choosing 165 representatives for direct election to the House of Representatives, Parliament’s lower house. An additional 110 positions in the 275-seat legislature will be distributed using proportional representation, where parties receive seats corresponding to their vote percentages.

Vote tallying continued across most districts Saturday, with complete results anticipated over the coming two days. Election officials are using helicopters to retrieve ballot containers from isolated mountain communities in the country’s northern regions.

Political observers view this election as a three-party competition, driven by citizen anger over extensive corruption and calls for increased governmental transparency.

Though the National Independent Party only formed in 2022, it has attracted massive voter support in this election, establishing itself as the leading contender while mounting a serious challenge to two historically powerful parties: the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist).

The 2025 demonstrations opposing corruption and inadequate leadership began with restrictions on social media usage before expanding into widespread government opposition. The violent clashes resulted in dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries as demonstrators targeted government facilities and law enforcement responded with gunfire.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian forces launched heavy attacks against Gulf Arab nations in the early hours of Saturday, while Israel and the United States maintained their ongoing aerial bombardment of the Islamic Republic.

The conflict appears far from over. President Donald Trump’s administration greenlit a fresh $151 million weapons package for Israel following Trump’s declaration that he would refuse negotiations with Iran unless it agrees to “unconditional surrender.” American officials have cautioned that an upcoming bombing offensive will surpass anything seen during this week-long battle.

Iran’s representative to the United Nations declared the nation would “take all necessary measures” for its defense.

Video footage from the Associated Press captured explosions and billowing smoke across western Tehran as Israel announced it had launched a comprehensive strike operation. During the same early morning hours, loud explosions echoed through Jerusalem while Iranian missiles sent Israeli civilians rushing to protective shelters nationwide.

Israeli emergency response teams reported no immediate casualties.

Demonstrating how the conflict continues to spread, warning sirens blared throughout Bahrain as Iranian forces attacked the island nation. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia reported successfully intercepting drones approaching its massive Shaybah oil facility and destroying a ballistic missile aimed at Prince Sultan Air Base, where American military personnel are stationed.

American and Israeli forces have pounded Iran with continuous strikes, focusing on military infrastructure, government leadership, and nuclear facilities. The conflict’s objectives and timeline have changed multiple times, with the United States occasionally indicating its goal is removing Iran’s current government or supporting new internal leadership.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Qatar’s energy minister Saad al-Kaabi cautioned that the war might “bring down the economies of the world,” forecasting a complete halt to Gulf energy shipments that could drive oil prices to $150 per barrel.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil prices climbed above $90 per barrel on Friday, marking the highest level in over two years.

Intelligence sources indicate Russia has shared information with Iran that could assist Tehran in targeting American naval vessels, aircraft, and other regional military assets, according to two officials with knowledge of U.S. intelligence findings.

These sources, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization for public comment, emphasized that intelligence has not revealed Russian direction of Iran’s use of this information.

Nevertheless, this represents the first evidence of Moscow’s involvement in the conflict.

Trump posted on social media Friday: “There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” Following surrender “and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s),” he continued, America and its allies would assist in rebuilding Iran, making it “economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before.”

These statements will likely generate additional questions regarding the war’s ultimate objectives. The fighting has claimed at least 1,230 Iranian lives, over 200 Lebanese deaths, and approximately twelve Israeli casualties, based on official counts from these nations. Six American service members have died.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian posted on social media that “some countries” had initiated mediation attempts, without providing details.

Iranian state broadcasting reported Friday that a leadership council had begun deliberations on convening the nation’s Assembly of Experts, responsible for choosing the next supreme leader.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated in a Friday television appearance that the war’s “biggest bombing campaign” remains ahead.

Israeli officials report extensively bombing a vast underground bunker complex that Iranian leadership intended to occupy during the hostilities over the past week.

Fresh evidence has emerged indicating that a fatal February 28 explosion at a school in Minab, an Iranian city approximately 1,100 kilometers (680 miles) southeast of Tehran, likely resulted from American airstrikes. This evidence encompasses satellite imagery, expert evaluation, a U.S. official’s account, and public data from American and Israeli military sources.

Iranian state media reported that more than 165 people died in the explosion, with children comprising the majority of victims.

Iran has accused Israel and the United States of responsibility for the blast. Neither nation has acknowledged involvement, though Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed American investigation into the incident.

The Iranian-supported militant organization Hezbollah reported that its forces engaged with an Israeli unit that landed Friday night in Lebanon’s eastern mountains. Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed at least three fatalities.

Israel has not confirmed this engagement, and its military has not responded to requests for comment.

Israeli forces have conducted repeated airstrikes against Beirut’s southern suburbs, areas with significant Hezbollah presence that also house hundreds of thousands of civilians.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry reports at least 217 deaths from Israeli strikes since Monday, with 798 people wounded.

Evacuation traffic clogged roads throughout the Lebanese capital as smoke rose from the city’s southern neighborhoods. Two medical facilities evacuated their patients and personnel.

“What can we do? We prayed here under the tree. During the night, we slept in the car because there is no place to stay,” said Jihan Shehadeh, among tens of thousands of displaced residents.

PRAGUE — Members of the Czech Parliament’s lower chamber were scheduled to vote Thursday on whether to remove Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s legal protections from prosecution in a $2 million fraud case connected to European Union funding.

If approved, the decision would enable Prague’s Municipal Court to proceed with the case and render a final judgment. The court had previously cleared Babiš on two occasions, but a higher court overturned those decisions, stating they failed to properly evaluate the evidence and directing the lower court to find him guilty in a new trial.

Babiš has maintained his innocence and declared the case “is clearly politically motivated.” Prosecutors initially sought a suspended sentence and financial penalty for the billionaire populist leader, who started his third term as prime minister in December.

The allegations focus on a property called the Stork’s Nest, which obtained EU funding after being moved from Babiš’s Agrofert business empire to his family members’ control. Subsequently, Agrofert regained control of the property.

The EU funding was designated for smaller businesses, which would have made Agrofert ineligible to receive it. The company eventually repaid the subsidy money.

Jana Nagyová, Babiš’s former business partner who authorized the subsidy application, will also face a new trial. She currently serves in the European Parliament, which has already removed her immunity protections.

Babiš regained leadership after his ANO (YES) party secured a decisive victory in October elections, creating a governing alliance with two smaller parties: the anti-immigration Freedom and Direct Democracy party and the conservative Motorists party.

The new coalition plans to reduce the country’s support for Ukraine and oppose certain European Union initiatives.

Commercial airline pilots across the globe are confronting unprecedented safety challenges as expanding military conflicts introduce missiles and unmanned aircraft into civilian airspace, creating dangerous conditions that aviation professionals say they weren’t prepared to handle.

The recent escalation of Middle Eastern warfare has launched hundreds of ballistic missiles and attack drones into airspace above some of the planet’s busiest aviation hubs. Iran’s retaliatory strikes against the United States and allied nations have targeted airports, forcing the cancellation of numerous flights from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, while only limited rescue operations have managed to evacuate thousands of stranded travelers.

Aviation industry professionals interviewed by Reuters – including eight pilots and multiple aviation security experts – describe how multiple simultaneous conflicts spanning from Ukraine to Afghanistan and Israel have created mounting pressure on flight crews, who must now navigate increasingly restricted airspace while contending with military drone activity extending well beyond active combat zones. This situation has intensified mental health challenges for pilots committed to protecting themselves and their passengers.

“We are not military pilots. We are not trained to deal with these kinds of threats in the air,” stated Tanja Harter, a pilot with Middle East experience who serves as president of the European Cockpit Association.

Harter explained that the current situation represents the most recent in a series of security challenges facing the aviation sector over recent years, potentially causing “fear and anxiety” among pilots. While airlines have established peer support programs to address these concerns, she noted that as a pilot, she would prefer not to “share airspace with missiles.”

Industry specialists report that airspace security has deteriorated significantly over the past two and a half years as conflicts have expanded, driven by a combination of GPS manipulation – where aircraft positioning systems are deliberately compromised – and increased presence of missiles and drones.

Recent incidents highlight these dangers: An Air France evacuation flight intended to transport stranded French citizens from the United Arab Emirates was forced to return due to missile activity on Thursday, while a Lufthansa pilot diverted from Riyadh to Cairo on Friday citing regional security concerns.

Aviation professionals working in Middle Eastern regions have developed extensive experience managing emergency situations, according to Lebanon’s civil aviation leadership. The current conflict escalation has rapidly tested these abilities, with March 5 video footage showing aircraft departing Beirut’s airport while smoke rose over the Lebanese capital’s buildings.

“Middle East pilots have always faced crises, so from the start we trained how to deal with contingencies, emergencies and everything else,” explained Captain Mohammed Aziz, who directs Lebanon’s civil aviation authority.

“No one can give you a guarantee that they won’t bomb the airport or will bomb the airport,” he added.

A Middle East Airlines pilot with ten years of experience described how Beirut routes have grown increasingly complicated. Previously, shoulder-launched anti-aircraft weapons in Lebanon typically reached 15,000 feet, prompting pilots to fly at higher altitudes for safety, while aircraft frequently carried additional fuel for potential diversions.

However, most missile strikes occur at sufficient distance to avoid direct risk, and pilots often remain too occupied with flight operations to dwell on external threats.

“You’re actually busy enough on the plane trying to make sure you have clearance to land, that everything is in order, so you don’t have time to process your emotions over what’s happening outside the plane,” the pilot explained.

The dangers extend beyond Middle Eastern regions. Following Russia’s 2022 Ukraine invasion, unmanned aircraft have become primary weapons for both sides. European airports from Stockholm to Munich have experienced drone-related disruptions, though suspected connections to the conflict remain unconfirmed.

Captain Christian von D’Ahe, who has piloted commercial aircraft for 15 years and leads Denmark’s Air Line Pilots Association, expressed concern about this developing threat.

“Drones are not easily detected,” von D’Ahe observed. “We can see them in the air, and they’re very small. So sooner or later, something will happen.”

Drone impacts on aircraft engines could result in complete power failure, while wing damage could severely compromise a plane’s maneuverability capabilities.

Most registered aircraft transmit identification signals through transponders that communicate with radar systems, but drones lack this technology, leaving pilots without warning. Standard airport radar systems struggle to detect drones, while specialized detection equipment is typically controlled by law enforcement or military agencies.

Dedrone, a counter-drone technology manufacturer, reported over 1.2 million drone violations occurred in the United States during 2023, with increases expected in future years.

Airports can deploy radar systems, frequency sensors, and jamming equipment to counter drones, with some systems capable of redirecting them off course. However, safety regulations prevent airports from shooting down drones.

Tim Friebe, a German air traffic controller and vice president of the Air Traffic Controllers European Unions Coordination, characterized drones as a “threat that is growing,” while noting airports often have few response options available.

“For now we have reports, pilot reports, or sometimes controllers spot drones. The problem is there’s not much you can do except shutting down the airport,” he stated.

Drone incidents forced closures at major international airports including Munich and London’s Gatwick last year, prompting operators to enhance their foreign object and drone detection capabilities, according to multiple industry officials.

Moritz Burger, a commercial pilot operating from Germany, recalled observing what appeared to be a balloon with attached structure while approaching a European airport for landing.

“I was looking out of the window and suddenly there appeared an object that passed by just below our aircraft. We could see it for maybe one, maximum two seconds,” he described, noting the incident was startling and provided no opportunity for evasive maneuvers.

“When you encounter such a near-miss or some passing object, there is not enough time to react. So it is unrealistic to expect that pilots could fly around such an object. There’s pretty much nothing we can do,” Burger concluded.

NEW YORK — Relatives and advocates for Americans imprisoned in Iran express growing concern that their loved ones could become casualties of the escalating Middle East conflict, either through accidental targeting during military strikes or through retaliation by Iranian authorities.

“For Americans imprisoned in Iran, this is about as terrifying a moment as it gets,” said Siamak Namazi, an Iranian American who was detained for nearly eight years before being released as part of a deal with the U.S. in 2023. “What these families are facing now is days of war with no clear end in sight.”

While U.S. officials decline to specify the number of Americans held in Iran, the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, which advocates for hostages, reports six Americans are currently detained and face “unprecedented danger” due to the ongoing military conflict.

The documented cases include a former Washington-based journalist and a Jewish Iranian American from New York who went to Iran for family matters last year and has been prevented from returning home.

Two of the confirmed detainees are imprisoned at Evin Prison, Tehran’s infamous facility where Namazi was previously held, according to their representatives. The maximum-security complex houses many of Iran’s political prisoners and has previously been targeted in Israeli bombing campaigns.

Kamran Hekmati, a 61-year-old Long Island resident held at Evin, contacted his wife Monday during the early days of the conflict to confirm his immediate safety, according to his cousin Shohreh Nowfar.

However, his family remains concerned about his deteriorating health, as he has not received consistent treatment for bladder cancer since his detention began months ago, she explained.

“It’s an uncertain time in an uncertain country,” said Nowfar, who lives in Los Angeles.

Ryan Fayhee, who represents detained Iranian American journalist Reza Valizadeh at Evin, said he has emphasized the critical nature of the situation during ongoing discussions with White House and State Department officials.

Israeli military forces have recently used social media platforms to urge residents near the prison facility to evacuate as airstrikes continue. Relatives of other foreign prisoners at Evin have reported to European media that explosions have occurred close enough to shatter prison windows.

“It’s my job to let the administration and the Israeli government know that there are innocent American citizens within that prison,” Fayhee said. “They should take great care with this military action to avoid any unfortunate collateral damage.”

White House and State Department representatives declined to address specific questions regarding the detainees’ status, citing safety and security concerns, but demanded Iran release them immediately.

“President Trump has been clear that he wants every American wrongfully detained to be returned home safe and sound, and that there will be dire consequences for regimes who treat Americans as political pawns,” said Anna Kelly, a White House spokesperson.

Valizadeh is one of at least 15 journalists currently imprisoned in Iran, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

The 50-year-old left Iran in 2009 following his coverage of the country’s pro-democracy demonstrations, according to a petition his attorneys filed with the United Nations in January.

Valizadeh became a U.S. citizen in 2022 while employed in Washington by Radio Farda, the Persian-language division of Radio Free Europe, which receives U.S. government support.

He was arrested in 2024 after traveling to Iran to see his aging parents and received a 10-year prison sentence on accusations of working with the U.S. government.

The U.S. has formally classified Valizadeh as wrongfully detained, indicating officials believe in his innocence and have transferred his case to the State Department’s special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, the government’s top hostage negotiator.

Another American whose situation has become known publicly is Afarin Mohajer, a California resident who was born in Iran.

She was arrested in September and faces charges of sharing anti-government propaganda on social media and insulting Iran’s Supreme Leader and Islam, according to her son Reza Zarrabi, a political activist living in Germany.

Zarrabi did not respond to recent interview requests, but has previously told European journalists that his mother avoids political activities and believes she was detained to suppress his vocal criticism of the Iranian government.

Hekmati’s relatives are certain the New York City jewelry store owner represents another case of Iran’s “hostage diplomacy.”

For decades, Iran has imprisoned Americans hoping to secure the freedom of Iranians detained in the U.S. or to extract political concessions from Washington. Just last week, the U.S. moved to penalize Iran for hostage-taking, with the State Department designating the country as a state sponsor of wrongful detention one day before the current conflict erupted.

Nowfar explained that her cousin Hekmati departed Iran following the 1979 revolution but had made multiple trouble-free return visits.

In May, Iranian officials detained him at the airport, confiscated his passport and prohibited his departure. He was subsequently charged under Iranian legislation that criminalizes visits to Israel within the previous decade.

Hekmati’s family insists his most recent Israel trip occurred approximately 13 years ago for his son’s Bar Mitzvah ceremony. They also reject espionage allegations claiming he met with Mossad operatives.

“They just wanted to have a hostage. An American hostage,” Nowfar said.

Additional worries exist that Hekmati’s religious background could lead to further mistreatment, according to Kieran Ramsey, chief investigative officer at Global Reach, a nonprofit organization working on Hekmati’s case.

“He’s not only American, he’s also Jewish — and we had had some concerns early on in this case of him” getting bullied, said Ramsey, who previously directed the U.S. government’s Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell.

Namazi understands the anguish families experience while seeking reassurance, remembering a devastating 2022 fire that claimed at least eight prisoners’ lives during his imprisonment at Evin.

“I remember the smoke, the confusion, and the total absence of reliable information,” the 54-year-old Washington resident said. “For us prisoners it was terrifying. My mother says that night was one of the hardest she endured.”

Following recent U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Iran, a fabricated video showing crowds watching flames and debris fall from a burning skyscraper allegedly in Bahrain gained widespread circulation online.

Users on social platforms claimed the footage showed damage from an Iranian missile attack on the building. However, experts determined the video was artificially created using AI technology and distributed by Iranian government-linked accounts to exaggerate the nation’s military achievements.

Several telltale signs revealed the video’s artificial nature, including two vehicles that appeared fused together on the left side of the frame and a person whose arm passed through a backpack unnaturally.

Since the Iran conflict erupted last weekend, numerous fake and misleading videos have flooded online platforms, driven largely by government-sponsored propaganda campaigns focused on portraying battlefield victories and inflating casualty numbers.

“The content that’s coming from state actors tends to be a little better targeted,” explained Melanie Smith, senior director of policy and research on information operations at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. “They have a very clear kind of narrative structure and the videos are just used to support some kind of statement they want to make about the conflict and about the kind of geopolitical situation writ large.”

Iranian-aligned social media profiles have promoted stories that overstate the damage and death counts from their nation’s military operations, echoing themes found in Iran’s official state broadcasting. This messaging strategy has resulted in numerous computer-generated videos depicting fictional airstrikes, similar to the bogus Bahrain tower footage.

A continuing Russian-connected disinformation campaign known as Operation Overload, sometimes called Matryoshka or Storm-1679, has been distributing videos that falsely represent intelligence services and media organizations. The operation aims to create fear and uncertainty to influence public behavior, using methods previously employed during electoral periods. One example included a fabricated warning supposedly from Israeli intelligence advising Israeli citizens in Germany and America to avoid public spaces or remain indoors entirely.

While false and manipulated videos have appeared during other recent military conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars, researchers note a significant difference in the current situation: limited information flowing from Iranian citizens due to internet blackouts and widespread censorship, eliminating perspectives that might have supported or contradicted the Iranian government’s narrative.

“In Ukraine, that message was so full-throated it really changed the entire dynamic of the conflict because the world really aligned with the perspective of Ukrainians facing the attacks and showing resilience in light of the attacks, but we’re sort of missing that story from Iran,” said Todd Helmus, a senior behavioral scientist at RAND who studies irregular warfare, terrorism and information operations.

Beyond state-sponsored efforts, opportunistic social media users seeking viral content have significantly contributed to the misinformation surrounding the Iran war’s initial days, sharing outdated footage from previous conflicts as current events, posting video game sequences as authentic combat footage, and creating their own AI-generated material.

Artificial intelligence technology has enabled misinformation campaigns impossible during earlier conflicts, even those occurring just years ago. Combined with government-sponsored false information and media restrictions, this creates an even larger void where accurate information becomes difficult to identify.

“The volume of AI content is starting to just pollute the information environment in these kinds of crisis settings to a really terrifying degree,” Smith noted. “The inability to get access to verified and credible information in times like this — it’s getting harder and harder to do that.”

Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, announced Tuesday that the platform would remove users from its revenue-sharing program for posting AI-generated conflict content without proper labeling. Initial violations result in 90-day suspensions, with permanent bans for repeat offenses. Emerson Brooking, director of strategy and resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, cautioned that social media platforms now serve as battlegrounds in modern warfare, and users should recognize their potential exploitation by government actors, regardless of their physical distance from actual combat zones.

“If you’re in these spaces, just understand that this is an extension of the physical battle space,” he warned. “That there are actors on all sides of the conflict that are actively trying to spread propaganda and disinformation to convince you that certain things are true that aren’t. That your eyeballs and your attention are an asset.”

Mexican officials have broadened their investigation into drug cartel fuel smuggling schemes at major seaports following revelations from a recent Reuters report that exposed the criminal operations.

According to a February government document obtained by Reuters, Mexico’s anti-corruption ministry is now conducting internal investigations at the ports of Guaymas, Tampico and Ensenada, along with probes within the Navy and customs departments.

Authorities had previously acknowledged investigating suspected fuel smuggling activities at the Port of Tampico, leading to the arrest of 14 individuals last year, including customs officials and Navy personnel.

The government disclosed details about these fuel smuggling investigations while responding to inquiries from the opposition National Action Party (PAN) regarding alleged corruption within government agencies that reportedly enabled fuel smuggling operations to thrive across Mexico. These details were included in a comprehensive 217-page response addressing senators’ questions about the administration’s policy achievements.

Port officials at Guaymas, Tampico and Ensenada did not respond to comment requests, nor did representatives from Mexico’s Attorney General’s office, Navy or customs agency.

The fuel smuggling operation involves creating fraudulent shipping and customs documents for fuel imports, primarily from the United States. Criminal organizations avoid Mexico’s substantial tax on imported diesel and gasoline by falsely declaring these products as other petroleum-based materials that are exempt from duties. These fraudulent schemes can save smugglers more than half of a cargo shipment’s total value.

According to the U.S. Treasury Department, illegal fuel operations and stolen crude oil now represent the second-largest revenue stream for Mexican cartels, trailing only behind narcotics trafficking.

Criminal smugglers have escalated their operations from truck and rail transportation to utilizing petroleum tankers, a shift that U.S. and Mexican security authorities say demonstrates coordination between cartels and corrupt port employees.

Reuters’ 2025 investigation traced a vessel that unloaded imported diesel at the Ensenada and Guaymas ports, with the cargo falsely declared in Mexico as tax-exempt lubricants, resulting in $7 million in lost government revenue.

Three Mexican security officials and an undated government security document reviewed by Reuters indicated the importing company was believed to be a shell operation for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

In their inquiries, PAN officials pressed the federal government to detail how it would investigate, dismantle and prosecute all participants in the fuel smuggling network, including any high-ranking government officials who may be involved.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum faces mounting pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to intensify efforts against drug cartels.

Neither PAN officials nor the president’s office provided responses to comment requests.

MEXICO CITY – The man who orchestrated the takedown of notorious drug kingpin “El Mencho” has spent the last four years living like a prisoner in his own country, confined to armored government facilities after barely surviving a cartel assassination attempt.

Omar Garcia Harfuch, Mexico’s 44-year-old security minister, operates from a specially-constructed apartment within the security ministry that features a bedroom, fitness center, kitchen and conference space for 25 people. Visitors to his quarters can hear gunshots from a shooting range elsewhere in the building, while a red phone on his desk connects him directly to Mexico’s president, according to a senior government official familiar with the setup.

This fortress-like existence began in 2020 when cartel gunmen ambushed Harfuch’s armored vehicle during his morning commute, firing over 400 rounds at his SUV. The security chief fought back and survived with three bullet wounds, but two of his protective detail and an innocent bystander lost their lives.

Harfuch attributed the attack to Nemesio Oseguera, the 59-year-old leader of the violent Jalisco New Generation Cartel who went by “El Mencho.” For those close to the security minister, the recent elimination of the cartel boss represented a deeply personal victory for a man still haunted by his guards’ deaths.

The security chief chose not to provide comment for this report, which draws from conversations with twelve associates, colleagues and security experts.

Associates believe Harfuch will maintain his cautious security posture despite El Mencho’s death. However, the successful operation has significantly raised the profile of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s security minister, who many credit with leading her administration’s more aggressive cartel strategy. Political observers now view him as a leading contender for the presidency when Sheinbaum’s term concludes in 2030.

“Omar Garcia Harfuch stands as today’s top presidential prospect,” stated Armando Vargas, a security specialist with the México Evalua research institute. “He represents the most prominent figure behind this new approach.”

This strategy carries significant dangers: El Mencho’s elimination sparked nationwide violence that claimed 25 National Guard lives and may intensify deadly conflicts as competing cartel factions battle for territory.

The approach also marks a dramatic shift from previous President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s “hugs not bullets” policy, during which cartels expanded their influence across large territorial areas and branched out from narcotics into extortion, human smuggling, and stolen fuel operations.

Harfuch gained recognition within Mexico City’s administration while current President Sheinbaum served as the capital’s mayor.

Rodrigo Canales, who provided security counsel to Sheinbaum, explained that Harfuch assisted her through challenging early mayoral years when senior police officials faced corruption allegations.

“He possesses Claudia’s complete confidence, which he earned through exceptional loyalty and effectiveness during critical early moments of her mayorship,” Canales explained.

Sheinbaum elevated Harfuch to lead the city’s police force in 2019 after removing his predecessor due to a money laundering controversy.

The assassination attempt occurred less than a year into his new position. Following the initial firefight, he took cover in his armored vehicle’s rear seats until backup forces arrived, as he described in subsequent interviews. Authorities arrested twelve alleged Jalisco cartel members who received life sentences.

After the ambush, he relocated from his residence to Mexico City police headquarters. His already limited social circle became even more restricted, with only brief opportunities to see his children.

“He transformed from someone who could dine out, socialize with friends, and attend colleagues’ celebrations, to being confined in an office, spending nearly 90 percent of his time within police facilities,” described a longtime friend who has known Harfuch for two decades.

Similar to the cartel leaders he pursues, one mistake could prove fatal.

Harfuch descends from a distinguished Mexican military and political lineage.

His grandfather, Marcelino Garcia Barragan, served as defense minister during the 1960s, while his father, Javier Garcia Paniagua, was both a senator and presidential candidate who directed a federal security organization in the 1970s.

This combination of police and military background is uncommon in Mexico and positions Harfuch uniquely to oversee the nation’s militarized public security framework, according to two sources who have collaborated with him.

“Garcia Harfuch seemed destined to continue his father and grandfather’s legacy,” observed Gladys McCormick, a Syracuse University professor specializing in U.S.-Mexican relations.

However, this same heritage generates skepticism within segments of the governing leftist Morena party. Both his grandfather and father presided over periods of military misconduct and suppression of social movements by security personnel.

Critics also point to Harfuch’s connection to the notorious 2014 disappearance of 43 students from Ayotzinapa teachers’ college. A 2022 truth commission report identified him—then a mid-ranking federal police officer—as participating in meetings where officials developed a narrative that concealed security forces’ involvement in the disappearances.

Harfuch, who faced no wrongdoing accusations, previously stated he only participated in meetings to assist in coordinating the search for the missing students. No local or federal officials have received sentences in this case.

For the United States, Harfuch has become central to security cooperation with Mexico as President Donald Trump pressures America’s southern neighbor to combat cartels aggressively, threatening U.S. military intervention if Mexico fails to demonstrate progress.

Derek Maltz, former acting head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, recalled meeting Harfuch last year following Mexico’s transfer of 29 suspected high-ranking cartel members to the U.S. in what represented the largest such handover at that time.

“He made direct eye contact and told me, ‘This is only the beginning,’” Maltz remembered.

Though initially skeptical, Maltz witnessed Mexico subsequently transfer another 63 suspected cartel leaders and eliminate the country’s most sought-after drug lord. “I’m extremely impressed with current developments,” he stated.

These prisoner transfers highlight what officials from both nations describe as unprecedented cooperation and intelligence sharing as they work to dismantle cartels through military operations, money laundering investigations, and drug and weapon seizures.

The pursuit of El Mencho intensified in November when the Jalisco cartel abducted two of Harfuch’s investigators in Zapopan, a cartel stronghold, according to the senior Mexican official.

Military forces raided suspected cartel members’ residences, and interrogations yielded intelligence that helped narrow the search for El Mencho. Reuters first reported the kidnappings’ role in the hunt for El Mencho. The agents were freed after one week.

The decisive breakthrough occurred when authorities traced one of El Mencho’s several girlfriends to his residence, Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla has revealed. A new U.S.-military-led task force pinpointed the house’s exact location, Reuters previously reported.

However, the government official indicated the real mistake wasn’t the romantic relationship; it was the 59-year-old cartel leader’s desire to visit his two children with the woman. Mexican forces struck after the girlfriend and El Mencho’s children departed.

Following a gun battle, El Mencho died aboard a military helicopter while being transported to a hospital. Eight of his bodyguards also perished. Two soldiers died during the operation; two others later succumbed to injuries.

Harfuch received a confirmation message containing an image of El Mencho’s body, still wearing body armor, the Mexican official revealed.

“I conversed with him Sunday morning after El Mencho was eliminated,” said Eduardo Clark, a senior health official in Mexico who maintains a close relationship with Harfuch. “He expressed to me, ‘this brings enormous relief.’”

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced Thursday that the military alliance has no plans to activate its collective defense provision following Wednesday’s interception of an Iranian missile near Turkey’s border.

Speaking with Reuters from Brussels on March 5th, Rutte stated definitively that “Nobody’s talking about Article Five” when asked about the alliance’s response to the incident.

The confrontation occurred when NATO defense systems successfully intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile that was traveling toward Turkish territory. This represents the first direct involvement of a NATO member nation in the ongoing Middle East crisis, creating concerns about potential escalation that could draw in the entire 32-member alliance.

Article Five represents NATO’s cornerstone mutual defense commitment, establishing that any attack against one member nation constitutes an attack against all alliance partners.

Despite ruling out the collective defense response, Rutte expressed NATO’s backing for American military actions targeting Iran, explaining that the country was approaching the point of “becoming a threat to Europe as well.”

Affluent Gulf nations are confronting their most severe food security crisis since the worldwide food emergency of 2008, as ongoing conflict with Iran jeopardizes ports and interrupts maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

The current situation is putting to the test approaches implemented following 2008, when skyrocketing food costs led Gulf countries to transition toward import-reliant policies that involved investing heavily in overseas agricultural ventures.

This approach replaced previous costly programs that attempted to boost local production of essential grains but faced obstacles from the area’s harsh climate and water scarcity. Saudi Arabia, for instance, started reducing a domestic wheat cultivation program in 2008 to become nearly entirely dependent on imports.

Currently, with international shipping disrupted and airspace restrictions in place across many nations in a region that depends on food imports for 80%-90% of its supply, experts anticipate price increases and shortages of certain products.

“With over 70% of GCC foodstuffs being imported through the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf states face shortages if the war persists,” said Neil Quilliam, associate fellow at think tank Chatham House.

“While GCC countries have taken steps to diversify suppliers and ensure sufficient stores to withstand disruption, this can only last several months. At this point, price increases and longer lead times will start to hit the markets,” Quilliam added.

Experts caution that even brief blockages in Hormuz requiring ships to reroute from major ports to smaller facilities will generate pressure.

The majority of significant Gulf ports, including Dubai’s Jebel Ali and key ports in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the Saudi Gulf coastline, are positioned where most arriving traffic must navigate through the Hormuz passage.

Iranian attacks targeted many of these crucial supply lines including Jebel Ali, the region’s biggest container port, this week, halting operations for several hours.

“The biggest immediate effect will be due to the blockade of Jebel Ali, serving about 50 million people,” Ishan Bhanu, lead agricultural commodities analyst at Kpler, said about the Dubai port that also serves as a re-export hub to the region and beyond.

UAE ports located outside the strait possess limited capacity. Khorfakkan can accommodate 5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and Fujairah handles less than 1 million and would struggle to compensate for capacity lost at Jebel Ali or Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa Port.

“Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq effectively become landlocked and will depend on overland routes through Saudi Arabia,” Bhanu added, warning of costly congestion.

These bottlenecks have yet to materialize and the UAE has stated its strategic reserves of essential goods provide coverage for four to six months of requirements. Officials urged residents to report unjustified price increases through a dedicated hotline.

Grocery store employees informed Reuters that shelves remain mostly stocked, although suppliers are requiring more time to restock certain items. Dubai this week temporarily eased truck-movement restrictions to sustain the flow of merchandise.

Iran’s strikes on the Gulf beginning Saturday prompted many to stockpile goods and caused a temporary decline that intensified panic, serving as a preview of potential future scenarios.

“It is worth noting that perception risk matters and even if stocks are sufficient now, public runs on supermarkets can spook the public,” Quilliam said.

Several residents have already observed some price increases.

“Is it just me whose groceries cost three times as of yesterday?” one shopper wrote in a local Facebook group on Tuesday. “Even the bananas cost have gone crazy.”

Items like bananas that deteriorate rapidly are especially susceptible to any shipping rerouting that extends travel times. Airlifting perishable food when airspace reopens to reduce journey time will increase costs.

“If food is flown in or brought in overland, that is going to be more expensive than shipping,” said Justin Alexander, Gulf analyst at GlobalSource Partners and director at Khalij Economics.

“It may be that governments choose to absorb some of that cost through subsidizing the food. And they’ve certainly done that in previous crises,” Alexander noted.

Beyond investing internationally to secure access to major food production centers, Gulf nations have also been building modern silos capable of storing hundreds of thousands of tons of strategic grains over the past two decades. These facilities provide a cushion for staples that can be preserved for months like wheat, rice and cooking oils.

The UAE launched its Fujairah grain silos in 2016 on the Indian Ocean coastline outside the Strait of Hormuz, with approximately 300,000 metric ton capacity. Officials selected this location strategically to circumvent Hormuz since Iran had previously threatened to block the strait during periods of increased tensions with the West.

“Fujairah’s grain silos act as a strategically important pressure valve providing routing flexibility and risk diversification when the Gulf’s maritime environment tightens,” said Sudhakar Tomar, president of India Middle East Agri Alliance Ecosystem.

The project initially envisioned emergency supplies to be distributed throughout the entire Gulf region. However, practical challenges, including vast distances and insufficient road or rail connections between nations, meant it remained domestic. Other Gulf states have subsequently constructed their own storage facilities, including Qatar’s Food Security Terminal at Hamad Port with 51 climate-controlled silos.

Regional collaboration among Gulf Cooperation Council members will be essential to preventing food shortages, but the six-nation alliance has historically faced coordination difficulties.

“It will require close cooperation amongst GCC states to manage complex logistics and ensure that all six states and Iraq are sated,” Quilliam said.

BERLIN – A Berlin court has sentenced a Syrian refugee to 13 years behind bars for a knife attack at the city’s Holocaust memorial that left a tourist fighting for his life, court officials announced Thursday.

The 20-year-old defendant, who authorities say supported the Islamic State, attacked a 30-year-old visitor from Spain with a knife, slashing his neck at the memorial site located in central Berlin.

The victim suffered severe, life-threatening wounds that required immediate emergency medical intervention and placement in a medically-induced coma to save his life.

According to prosecutors, the Syrian national had spent weeks preparing to target and kill Jewish individuals, driven by his views on the ongoing Middle East conflict, which led him to select the memorial as his attack location.

The memorial site serves as a tribute to the 6 million Jewish victims murdered during Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime throughout World War Two.