Category: World News

LJUBLJANA – Citizens of Slovenia cast ballots Sunday in a closely contested parliamentary election pitting current liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob against conservative challenger Janez Jansa, with political observers predicting neither candidate will secure enough seats to govern without coalition partners.

Recent polling data shows Jansa’s Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) running neck-and-neck with Golob’s Freedom Movement (GS) following a contentious campaign marked by accusations of international interference and corruption scandals.

Political experts note that Jansa, who supports Donald Trump and is pursuing his fourth term leading the EU and NATO nation of 2 million residents, maintains a loyal voter base that could benefit from lower voter participation rates.

The election outcome will determine Slovenia’s domestic priorities and international relationships, as the current administration focused on healthcare and social policy reforms but saw declining approval ratings due to mixed achievements.

Jansa has pledged to implement corporate tax reductions while decreasing government support for nonprofit organizations, social programs and news media.

The Alpine nation, which has a strong industrial economy, weathered the breakup of Yugoslavia better than neighboring countries like Serbia and Bosnia, which faced prolonged conflicts, economic penalties and political turmoil.

Jansa, who supports Israel and maintains close ties with Hungarian nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, would likely reverse Golob’s international policies that led Slovenia to recognize Palestinian independence and implement weapons restrictions against Israel last year.

The campaign season, which political watchers characterized as nasty from the beginning with incidents including dead animals being displayed on GS campaign materials, intensified recently when secret recordings appeared on an unnamed website allegedly showing government misconduct.

Golob has rejected all accusations of improper conduct.

This week, reports emerged claiming Jansa had meetings with representatives from Black Cube, an Israeli private intelligence company that LinkedIn accused in 2023 of conducting undercover surveillance operations targeting journalists and activists before Hungary’s 2022 elections.

While Jansa acknowledged meeting with a Black Cube consultant, he has denied any improper behavior. Black Cube has not responded to media inquiries for comment.

Golob has informed European Commission leadership about concerns regarding Slovenia’s democratic processes and has asked for an investigation into allegations of outside interference in the voting.

A Royal Navy nuclear submarine carrying cruise missiles has been deployed to the Arabian Sea, positioning the United Kingdom for potential long-range military operations as tensions continue to rise in the region, according to a Saturday report from the Daily Mail.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm the deployment. The British Ministry of Defence has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the report.

According to the Daily Mail, HMS Anson departed from Perth earlier this month and traveled approximately 5,500 miles to reach its current position. The vessel carries Tomahawk Block IV missiles along with Spearfish torpedoes.

The submarine reportedly surfaces at regular intervals to maintain communication with the UK’s Permanent Joint Headquarters located in Northwood. Any authorization to launch missiles would require approval from the prime minister and would be transmitted through the chief of joint operations, the report stated.

This military positioning follows a recent decision by Downing Street to allow the United States to utilize British military installations for potential strikes against Iranian facilities that pose threats to the Strait of Hormuz shipping corridor.

Cuba experienced a complete electrical system failure on Saturday, plunging the entire island nation into darkness and affecting roughly 10 million residents, according to the country’s power grid management company.

The widespread blackout represents the second total power system collapse this week, following a similar incident that occurred on Monday. The national utility company UNE confirmed the outage through its social media channels and promised to provide ongoing updates about restoration efforts.

The power crisis comes as Cuba struggles with an aging electrical infrastructure that has been severely impacted by ongoing U.S. economic sanctions targeting oil imports to the Caribbean nation.

Jordan’s efforts to stay out of regional warfare collapsed Friday morning when missile fragments crashed into central Amman while King Abdullah attended Eid prayers in Aqaba. Emergency crews rushed to secure the debris site in the Wadi Saqra neighborhood, warning residents to avoid handling suspicious objects from what officials believe was Iranian missile interception remnants.

The kingdom that desperately wanted to avoid becoming a battleground now finds itself directly in the crosshairs. As Iran launched fresh ballistic missile strikes toward central Israel and Jerusalem on Eid morning, Jordan discovered that the difference between being targeted and caught in crossfire has essentially vanished.

Jordanian military officials revealed Saturday that Iran has launched 240 missiles and drones at Jordan during three weeks of warfare. The Royal Jordanian Air Force successfully intercepted 222 of these projectiles, but 18 managed to penetrate their defenses.

Ground crews have documented 414 separate debris incidents throughout the country, according to the Public Security Directorate. Missile pieces struck streets in Irbid, home to 800,000 residents in northern Jordan. Air defense systems engaged threats above Aqaba, the nation’s sole port city facing the Israeli resort of Eilat. Twenty-four individuals sustained injuries during these incidents, though all have since made full recoveries.

The conflict’s impact on Jordan has moved beyond theoretical concerns to tangible threats hitting urban areas, challenging the kingdom’s defensive capabilities and highlighting the impossibility of remaining uninvolved while public opinion remains focused on Gaza.

A child suffered wounds Monday when rocket debris hit his family’s residence in Beit Ras, located west of Irbid. Earlier, on March 3, air defense systems neutralized nine separate incoming threats in a single day, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.

Perhaps the most significant damage occurred at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Azraq, where Iranian strikes destroyed a U.S. radar installation. The Raytheon-manufactured system, valued at nearly half a billion dollars, detects incoming ballistic missiles and directs interceptor weapons toward them. A U.S. official confirmed the loss to Bloomberg, while CNN satellite imagery revealed two impact craters near the location, with all five trailer components destroyed or severely damaged around March 1 or 2.

More than 50 fighter aircraft had been stationed at that base since mid-February. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged that Kyiv deployed drone specialists and equipment to help protect American installations in Jordan. U.S. officials report efforts are underway to replace the damaged radar equipment.

Jordanian analyst Bassam Badareen emphasized that Amman maintains it remains outside the conflict. “Jordan refuses to be a battlefield or a corridor for conflicts,” he stated. However, security analyst Amer Sabaileh argues the military statistics underestimate Jordan’s actual vulnerability, with current missile counts representing a floor rather than a ceiling.

“There are several risks Jordan could face, beyond direct or indirect targeting by missiles or drones if Iran decides to expand the level of chaos in the region,” Sabaileh explained to The Media Line. “Some of these missiles could have consequences that cannot be fully controlled, and they could strike sensitive areas inside Jordan.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi denounced the attacks on the conflict’s opening night, stating Iran had struck Jordan without justification despite the kingdom’s efforts to shield Iran by refusing to allow Jordanian territory or airspace for attacks against Iran while advocating for peaceful solutions. He also condemned concurrent Iranian strikes against the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait. Jordan joined a collective statement with the United States and Gulf nations condemning Iran’s attacks as territorial sovereignty violations endangering civilian populations.

Brig. Gen. Mustafa al-Hayyari, spokesman for Jordan’s armed forces, dismissed claims that Iranian projectiles were simply passing through Jordanian airspace en route to Israel. The missiles and drones specifically targeted Jordanian locations, he stated, including “vital installations inside Jordanian territory.”

Amman had informed all parties before hostilities began that it would not serve as a conflict zone. The strikes occurred regardless. Jordan has since activated defense cooperation agreements with partner nations for additional air protection, al-Hayyari announced during a joint press briefing in Amman, though he declined to identify specific partners. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer later confirmed UK aircraft based in Cyprus had been deployed to help defend Jordanian airspace.

On March 19, the United States approved a $70.5 million support package to maintain Jordan’s existing fleet of F-16 and F-5 fighter jets plus C-130 transport aircraft. The package provides spare parts, maintenance, logistics, and munitions support designed to keep the Jordanian air force operational under current circumstances.

However, the official government position faces domestic pressure. Pro-government newspapers, including Al-Rai and Addustour, have not simply defended Amman’s stance but have criticized both Israel and Iran, characterizing each as promoting extreme religious agendas threatening regional stability.

Jordan shares borders with Israel, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia while maintaining close security relationships with the United States and a peace agreement with Israel. The kingdom has historically attempted to balance these relationships while insisting its territory would not become a battlefield. This time, that diplomatic balancing act failed to prevent warfare from reaching Jordanian soil, with Iran directly striking Jordanian territory with 240 projectiles during the conflict’s first three weeks.

Even before the initial missile crossed Jordan’s border, domestic political opinion was already strained. On February 20, eight days before warfare erupted, Washington’s ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, told Tucker Carlson it would be “fine” if Israel seized territory between the Nile and Euphrates rivers—land encompassing Jordan. President Donald Trump’s administration claimed the remarks were taken out of context, but Jordan’s parliament rejected that explanation.

Parliament Speaker Mazen Al-Qadi characterized the statements as “a blatant provocation and a serious breach of state sovereignty” violating international law and the UN Charter. Lawmakers urged the government to summon the U.S. ambassador in Amman for clarification. One legislator called for permanently removing the term “Israel” from official Jordanian discourse, replacing it with “the usurping entity.” The chamber voted unanimously to strike the word from that session’s official minutes.

One week later, Iran destroyed the American radar installation Jordan’s government was hosting on its territory. This contrast—parliamentary rhetoric on one side, strategic dependence on the other—has not escaped Jordanian attention.

As the war enters its fourth week, pressure on Jordan extends beyond military concerns. Israel launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon on March 17. The Strait of Hormuz has effectively closed to commercial shipping. Oil prices have risen more than 40% since warfare began, particularly impacting Jordan, which imports nearly all its energy needs.

The fighting with Iran has not displaced Gaza in Jordanian public consciousness. Gaza’s ceasefire continues unraveling as Israel has closed all border crossings and blocked humanitarian aid, with negotiations on the next phase suspended. For many Jordanians, the new conflict has not replaced Palestinian concerns but has been layered on top of them.

This distinction carries significance. Jordanian public opinion is neither the unified position official statements suggest nor the passive civilian endurance often portrayed in outside reporting.

Political scientist Hassan Barari explained the pressures are reshaping public sentiment in ways the government cannot fully manage. “The escalation between Israel and Iran could affect public sentiment in Jordan in several ways,” he told The Media Line. “It may increase public tension and anxiety because of fears that the war could expand across the region and bring serious security and economic consequences.”

Still, Barari distinguishes between anxiety and alignment. “The escalation could strengthen public mobilization and expressions of solidarity against what many see as aggression toward Iran, especially as the war in Gaza continues,” he said. “Jordan finds itself in a sensitive position between its regional and international commitments and a public mood that strongly sympathizes with the Palestinian cause.”

That sentiment is not uniformly pro-Iran but rather anti-war, hostile to Israel’s military campaign, and deeply suspicious of being drafted into someone else’s conflict.

“Many Jordanians believe the war between Israel and Iran is part of a broader geopolitical struggle involving the United States and other powers,” Mohammed Abu Sharife, a writer and political researcher specializing in Israeli affairs, told The Media Line. “But they insist Jordan should not become a battlefield for those rivalries.”

Abu Sharife noted public perceptions remain influenced by Gaza rather than sympathy for Iran’s government. “For many people here, Iran is not seen as the main threat. The conflict with Israel and what is happening in Gaza remains the issue that shapes how people see the region.”

Meanwhile, these tensions are manifesting online. Former Jordanian Information Minister Samih Al-Maaytah called for legal action against individuals publicly celebrating Iranian missile attacks, warning that praising projectiles passing through Jordanian airspace toward Israel crosses legal boundaries. Jordan’s Cybercrime Unit reported detecting social media accounts spreading rumors, questioning state positions, or posting content that could inflame tensions. The unit warned it is monitoring online platforms and could pursue legal measures against anyone publishing material threatening national security or inciting unrest. The crackdown itself indicates government awareness that the official narrative is not resonating at the popular level.

On the street, calculations are more immediate. “We live in the middle of this region,” said Mohammad Al-Hussein, a 30-year-old day laborer from Mafraq. “When missiles start flying between Israel and Iran, people here feel that Jordan could become the next place affected. I don’t follow politics closely, but I know one thing: If this war expands, families like mine will pay the price first.”

The warfare erupted on Ramadan’s 10th day. Eid al-Fitr began Friday, March 20. Jordanians who expected to spend the holy month’s final nights at iftar tables with family, in Amman’s illuminated downtown markets, or traveling to visit relatives across the country are instead calculating whether air raid sirens will sound before or after children go to sleep.

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan announced the Eid holiday would run from March 20 to March 23. The Amman Chamber of Commerce reported clothing and shoe prices remained stable. The government is attempting to project normalcy into a holiday that does not feel normal. Eid began with the established pattern already in place—missiles at night, interceptions overhead, debris in the morning. What comes next remains uncertain in Amman.

The government briefly closed the country’s airspace when fighting started, then reopened it following a security review. Schools remained open, though the Cabinet considered shifting to remote learning based on security conditions.

Another area drawing attention is Central Badia on civil defense debris maps. The sparsely populated desert territory along the Iraqi border is widely viewed as a vulnerable corridor into Jordan. Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have threatened to expand attacks to regional countries hosting U.S. troops, specifically naming Jordan.

“This could move to other levels, not just chaos caused by military strikes, but also through the activation of sleeper cells operating inside the country,” Sabaileh warned. “There is also the possibility of militias being pushed toward Jordan’s borders or attempts to target vital areas inside the country. All of these scenarios are now possible.”

King Abdullah has incorporated these same pressures into his diplomacy. In conversations with regional leaders, he emphasized the need to protect worshippers’ access to Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan, connecting the war, Gaza, and the holy month in a unified message directed at the Arab and Islamic world. Border crossings between Jordan and Israel have remained operational since warfare began, indicating Amman has not used the conflict as justification to suspend infrastructure supporting its peace treaty.

“Jordan does not want any of this,” Sabaileh concluded. “But the country has little choice but to strengthen its ability to intercept missiles and Iranian drones, maintain a high level of readiness along its borders, and increase internal awareness among citizens. What they must do now is take all necessary defensive measures and be prepared to respond if attacks occur.”

Emergency responders declared a mass casualty incident in the southern Israeli city of Arad on Saturday after a missile launched from Iran wounded more than 88 people, according to Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel’s emergency medical service.

The attack occurred during what officials described as the ninth wave of Iranian missile strikes targeting southern Israel in a 24-hour span. Channel 13 news reported “early indications of multiple fatalities,” though authorities have not yet officially confirmed any deaths.

Among the wounded, ten people suffered serious injuries, including a young girl aged 5. Another 19 victims sustained moderate injuries, while the remainder had minor wounds. Emergency teams deployed helicopters and numerous ambulances to respond to the crisis as rescue efforts remained ongoing.

“Four seriously wounded in two destruction sites, there are people trapped. We requested assistance from the Home Front Command,” MDA Director-General Eli Bin explained to N12 news. The missile impact devastated nine buildings, with some structures completely destroyed and others collapsing from the blast.

The assault on Arad happened two hours following another direct missile hit in the nearby city of Dimona. Israeli Defense Forces officials are examining why their defense systems failed to stop the missiles that reached Arad. Military analysts believe the projectiles contained conventional explosives weighing hundreds of kilograms.

Medical teams evacuated 37 wounded individuals from the blast zone, including four with critical injuries and 12 with moderate wounds. The emergency declaration triggered the deployment of additional resources, with Soroka Medical Center placed on high alert to treat incoming patients. Rescue helicopters landed at the Arad airstrip to help with patient transport.

Emergency medic Yakir Talker described the devastating scene to Channel 12: “This is a very difficult scene. We arrived with large forces of ambulances, intensive care units, and MDA motorcycles, and saw many injured with varying degrees of injuries as a result of a missile strike.”

Talker continued: “We immediately began setting up a casualty concentration point, triaged the injured according to severity, and provided life-saving medical treatment. There is extensive destruction and chaos at the scene. Teams are conducting thorough searches at this time and will continue to operate here as required.”

While rescue operations continued in Arad, Iran fired additional missiles toward northern Israel. Warning sirens activated twice throughout the region, stretching from the Golan Heights to Haifa. Israeli defense systems successfully intercepted all incoming missiles or they fell harmlessly in unpopulated areas.

Earlier Saturday evening, another Iranian missile barrage targeted Dimona and nearby communities, wounding 31 people across 12 impact locations. One building collapsed in that attack, with casualties including a 10-year-old boy and a 40-year-old woman who suffered moderate shrapnel injuries, while other victims sustained minor wounds.

BOGOTA, Colombia — During a weekend summit in Colombia, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva denounced what he characterized as a revival of colonial-style interference in developing nations, specifically referencing the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and ongoing restrictions against Cuba.

Speaking at a high-level gathering that included African delegates and members of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Lula appeared to target U.S. regional policies without directly mentioning the country. “It’s not possible for someone to think that they own other countries,” Lula declared. “What are they doing with Cuba now? What did they do with Venezuela? Is that democratic?”

The leftist leader also condemned military action by the U.S. and Israel against Iran that began February 28, drawing comparisons to the Iraq conflict. “Iran has been invaded under the pretext that Iran was building a nuclear bomb. Where are Saddam Hussein’s chemical weapons? Where are they? Who found them?” he questioned.

Addressing the assembled nations, Lula noted that all present countries had previously suffered exploitation of their natural resources including gold, silver, diamonds and other minerals. He warned that unnamed powers now seek control over critical minerals and rare earth elements. “After taking everything we had, now they want to own the critical minerals and rare earths that we have,” Lula stated. “They want to colonize us again.”

The United States has a lengthy record of regional intervention dating to President James Monroe’s declaration over two centuries ago claiming the hemisphere as America’s sphere of influence. Though major overt U.S. involvement decreased following the Cold War, recent Trump administration actions have revived these concerns.

Since taking office last year, Trump has authorized maritime operations against suspected Caribbean drug traffickers, implemented a naval embargo on Venezuelan oil shipments, and intervened in electoral processes in Honduras and Argentina.

Regarding Brazil specifically, Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian products last year, citing what he called a ‘witch hunt’ prosecution of former president Jair Bolsonaro. The U.S. has also expressed significant interest in Brazil’s rare earth mineral reserves.

Most recently, on January 3, U.S. forces apprehended Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, transporting him to America to face drug trafficking and weapons charges.

While these measures have pleased right-wing leaders throughout the region, they have sparked alarm among leftist politicians who view them as American intimidation tactics.

“We cannot allow anyone to interfere and violate the territorial integrity of each country,” Lula emphasized Saturday.

The Brazilian president, who has announced plans to seek a fourth non-consecutive term in October’s elections, also criticized the United Nations for its inability to resolve ongoing global conflicts.

“What we are witnessing is the total and absolute failure of the United Nations,” Lula said, citing situations in Gaza, Ukraine and Iran while renewing calls for Security Council reforms.

The Security Council holds responsibility under the U.N. Charter for maintaining international peace and security, yet has proven ineffective in major conflicts due to veto authority held by five permanent members: the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.

Reform efforts spanning decades have attempted to update the Security Council to reflect current geopolitical realities rather than the post-World War II landscape from 80 years ago when the United Nations formed. All such attempts have failed.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro, whom the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has labeled a “priority target,” supported Lula’s criticism of the United Nations.

The organization “is acting in impotence, and that is not what it was created for. It was created after World War II precisely to prevent wars. And yet, what we have today is war,” Petro observed.

However, Petro emphasized the world’s need for U.N. leadership on climate initiatives and global warming prevention. “The more serious humanity’s problems become, the fewer tools we have for collective action. And that path leads only to barbarism.”

Petro criticized U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for promoting Western civilization and called for diplomatic dialogue instead.

The Colombian summit saw limited attendance from Latin American and Caribbean leaders, reflecting the region’s significant political divisions.

Attendees included presidents from Brazil, Uruguay, Burundi and Colombia, along with prime ministers from Guyana and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, plus various deputy ministers, foreign ministers, and ambassadors.

The World Health Organization reported Saturday that a devastating attack on a medical facility in Sudan’s East Darfur region resulted in the deaths of at least 64 individuals, including young patients, healthcare workers, and other civilians.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the casualty figures through a social media post, detailing the Friday assault on Al Deain Teaching Hospital. The organization confirmed that the attack has completely disabled the medical center, eliminating crucial healthcare services for residents of the city.

The incident has left the community without access to the hospital’s medical care, creating a significant healthcare crisis in the region.

Ukrainian officials and American negotiators gathered in Florida on Saturday for the latest attempt to find a diplomatic solution to the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, now in its fourth year. Additional meetings are scheduled to take place through Sunday.

No Russian officials participated in Saturday’s discussions.

Chief Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov posted on social media platform X that the teams “continued discussing key issues and the next steps within the negotiation track.” He noted that “particular attention was paid to aligning approaches for further progress toward practical results.”

This marks the latest in a series of diplomatic efforts, following two rounds of American-facilitated negotiations in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year and another session in Geneva last month. While those previous talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives resulted in prisoner exchange agreements, no major diplomatic breakthroughs emerged.

The White House characterized Saturday’s meeting as “constructive,” stating that conversations “focused on narrowing and resolving remaining items to move closer to a comprehensive peace agreement.”

Both Umerov, who serves as a top Ukrainian security official, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed that additional discussions would take place on Sunday.

Leading the American delegation are special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who is President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.

During his evening video address, Zelenskiy emphasized the importance of maintaining diplomatic momentum. “It is important for all of us in the world that diplomacy continues and that we are trying to end this war. … No one wants this war,” he stated.

Zelenskiy also questioned Russia’s commitment to genuine peace efforts, saying, “The most important thing is to understand how ready the Russian side is to move toward a real end to the war and whether they are prepared to do so honestly and decently.”

On Friday, the Ukrainian president informed reporters that American and Ukrainian working groups would concentrate on bilateral agreements and explore an extensive drone partnership deal.

Drawing from its experience defending against Russian drone strikes, Ukraine is simultaneously working to complete agreements with eight Middle Eastern nations as tensions escalate in the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, according to a knowledgeable source.

The Miami discussions were originally scheduled to include Russian negotiators and occur in Abu Dhabi, with the goal of finding a resolution to the four-year conflict that began with Russia’s comprehensive invasion in February 2022.

Territorial disputes remain the primary obstacle, with Russia demanding that Ukraine surrender the entire Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, including territories that Russian military forces have not yet seized.

Ukraine continues to reject this Russian requirement.

Two brothers return daily to a pile of debris in Tehran, desperately searching for their missing sibling who vanished when his butcher shop was leveled during what witnesses described as a double bombing of a commercial building.

Mahdi Mirzahosseini, 41, had worked as a butcher’s assistant for two decades before launching his own meat shop approximately one year ago. His family says he was determined to keep the business open to supply customers preparing for Persian New Year celebrations.

The youngest of seven children hasn’t been spotted since Monday’s attack that demolished the mixed-use building containing residences, retail shops, and a laundry facility on the ground level. His older brothers have conducted daily searches at the destruction site ever since.

Recovery teams using heavy machinery have only located Mirzahosseini’s jacket and vehicle key during their continuous excavation efforts, the family reported to Reuters on Saturday. He remains the sole person unaccounted for from the incident.

Emergency responders have pulled six bodies from the wreckage along with 18 survivors, rescue officials confirmed. Both a local resident and rescue personnel stated the building had no military connections and was hit twice in rapid succession shortly after midday.

Pir-Hossein Kolivand, who leads Iran’s Red Crescent Society, reported this complex was among more than 80,000 civilian buildings damaged in American and Israeli bombardments during the current three-week conflict.

The Red Crescent chief also noted that strikes have impacted nearly 500 educational institutions and 266 healthcare facilities, encompassing hospitals, medical clinics, and pharmacies. Reuters was unable to independently confirm these casualty figures or verify details surrounding the commercial complex attack.

“Attacks targeting residential neighborhoods and civilian infrastructure are becoming more frequent,” Kolivand stated. Both Israeli and American officials maintain they do not deliberately target non-combatants.

Six days after the bombing, a massive crater marks where the commercial center once operated, encircled by towering heaps of concrete and debris. Charred fabric remnants still dangle from a bare tree nearby.

Red Crescent emergency responder Amir Saeed-Jamshidi described arriving at the scene within minutes of the explosions to discover blazing fires and enormous piles of rubble. Local residents informed his team that people buried beneath the debris were making phone calls pleading for rescue.

Saeed-Jamshidi explained his crew excavated two separate tunnels to reach trapped survivors, including several people caught deep within an underground parking structure.

The blast’s shockwave damaged all neighboring structures, with one building losing every window.

According to his brother Hamid, Mirzahosseini had shuttered his shop during the conflict’s first two weeks, but customers began requesting meat and poultry for holiday meals. Their mother had begged him to remain at home for safety.

“Customers are calling. I have to go do my work,” Mirzahosseini told his family, according to his brother’s account.

The missing man’s relatives maintain their optimism for his safe return.

“God willing we will find him safe,” declared another brother, Khalil, while standing near his former butcher shop’s location and cradling his baby. “There is no trace of him.”

Thirty-four people were wounded Saturday night when Iranian missiles targeted Israel’s Dimona nuclear facility, marking a dangerous escalation in Middle East tensions as Iran claimed the assault was revenge for recent attacks on its nuclear infrastructure.

The casualties included a 12-year-old boy and a woman in her thirties who suffered moderate wounds, though medical officials later upgraded the child’s condition to serious. More than twenty additional victims received treatment for shrapnel wounds, injuries from rushing to bomb shelters, and stress-related symptoms.

Warning sirens blared throughout Dimona as Iranian missiles hit a dozen sites in and around the city. Israel’s military acknowledged it failed to intercept the incoming projectiles and announced plans for a full investigation into the defensive breakdown.

Iran’s official Tasnim news agency said the bombardment came “after the US and Israel attacked the Bushehr power plant and the Natanz facilities.”

The agency issued a stark warning, stating: “The enemy has once again received an unforgettable lesson. The missile attack on the Dimona area has once again conveyed a clear message: no area is safe from Iranian missiles. The enemy must surrender before it is too late.”

Dimona serves as the hub of Israel’s suspected nuclear weapons program, with critical installations spread across the surrounding Negev desert. Israeli officials have long refused to confirm or deny the country’s nuclear weapons capabilities.

Iranian officials say American and Israeli forces targeted the Natanz nuclear complex on March 21, though authorities reported no radiation leaks occurred. The International Atomic Energy Agency verified the attack while confirming radiation measurements stayed normal. Last Wednesday, the same watchdog agency reported that a projectile destroyed a building roughly 350 meters from Iran’s Bushehr nuclear reactor.

On Saturday, Israeli forces acknowledged striking a military research facility at Tehran’s Malek Ashtar University. Military officials described the target as a strategic development center where Iranian forces create components for nuclear weapons and ballistic missile systems.

Israeli commanders said the university operates under Iran’s Defense Ministry and faces international sanctions for advancing the country’s nuclear and missile programs.

PARIS, March 21 – Foreign ministers from seven major world powers announced Saturday their commitment to taking action when needed to safeguard international energy supplies while emphasizing the critical importance of protecting shipping lanes, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz.

Representatives from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, along with the European Union’s chief diplomat, issued a joint declaration stating: “We … express support to our partners in the region in the face of the unjustifiable attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies.”

The Group of Seven officials also declared: “We condemn in the strongest terms the regime’s reckless attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure.”

Two skiers lost their lives Saturday when an avalanche swept through a mountainous area of Italy’s South Tyrol region, trapping 25 people on the slopes, according to Italy’s mountain rescue authorities.

The deadly slide occurred at approximately 7,874 feet elevation on Monte Tallone Grande (known locally as Hohe Ferse), a 8,757-foot peak located near Ratschings, just miles from the Austrian frontier.

Bolzano’s emergency operations center for the CNSAS rescue service confirmed that all 25 skiers were engulfed by the avalanche. Along with the two fatalities, five others sustained injuries – three described as serious and two with minor wounds.

The disaster struck at 11:40 a.m. local time, triggering an extensive search and rescue mission. ANSA, Italy’s national news service, reported that approximately 80 emergency personnel responded, including teams from CNSAS, the Alpine Association, law enforcement, and fire departments, supported by six helicopters.

This winter season has witnessed an alarming surge in avalanche-related deaths across Europe. Data from the European Avalanche Warning Services shows that while typical seasons average 100 fatalities, this year’s count reached 127 by mid-March since the season began October 1st. Italy has recorded 33 deaths, while France and Austria have seen 31 and 29 respectively.

February proved particularly deadly, with 13 Italian skiers perishing in a single week during the Winter Olympics period, including 10 in avalanche incidents.

Mountain safety specialists point to exceptionally unstable snow conditions and increased numbers of skiers venturing into unmarked backcountry areas following recent heavy snowfall as contributing factors.

Climate researchers suggest that warming temperatures combined with intensifying wind patterns are creating increasingly dangerous snow stability conditions.

AMSTERDAM – The European Union’s coordinator for combating racism delivered a stark warning Saturday that discriminatory practices continue to permeate institutions throughout the continent, calling on leaders to address the region’s colonial past.

Speaking at an Amsterdam conference focused on racial issues, Michaela Moua highlighted troubling statistics from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights revealing that approximately half of African-descended residents within EU borders report experiencing discriminatory treatment. Many qualified individuals with college educations still encounter significant employment obstacles, she noted.

During her address to the symposium attendees, Moua emphasized that eliminating these persistent disparities represents a fundamental requirement for maintaining democratic values.

“Racism is not a relic of the past. It’s a living structure. It’s very tangible for many of us. We feel and we sense the urgency, especially in these political times,” Moua stated, emphasizing the critical need for improved data collection on equality metrics, as member nations continue to show significant variation in gathering racial and ethnic information.

The coordinator outlined how the organization’s recently developed anti-discrimination framework seeks to strengthen implementation of current legislation, enhance national response plans, and address prejudicial practices within government agencies.

However, the January-adopted initiative has faced pushback from advocacy organizations. The European Network Against Racism has criticized the approach, arguing it lacks meaningful dedication to restorative justice or addressing the lasting impacts of Europe’s historical actions.

Four people died Saturday when Ukrainian military forces targeted a public facility in Russia’s Belgorod border area, according to regional authorities.

Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov announced via Telegram that the strike hit what he described as a “social site” in Smorodino village, though he did not provide additional specifics about the targeted building. Emergency responders recovered the remains of two women from beneath the debris, Gladkov reported.

The governor shared images showing flames engulfing structures in a developed area of the community.

The Belgorod region has experienced repeated Ukrainian military strikes throughout the ongoing four-year conflict that began with Russia’s comprehensive invasion.

PRAGUE — An estimated 200,000 demonstrators filled Prague’s streets Saturday in a massive show of opposition to Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and his government’s controversial direction.

The peaceful gathering took place at Letná park, a location with deep historical significance as the site of major demonstrations in 1989 that helped topple communist rule.

Demonstrators traveled from throughout the Czech Republic to voice alarm that the billionaire leader and his coalition partners pose a danger to democratic institutions, moving the nation away from Ukraine support and toward authoritarian governance.

Crowds displayed Czech flags while banners proclaimed messages like “Let’s defend democracy.”

“We’re here to clearly stand against dragging our country onto the path of Slovakia and Hungary,” declared Mikuláš Minář, chief organizer from Million Moments for Democracy, referencing those nations’ pro-Russia and authoritarian tendencies.

Babiš regained control following his ANO (YES) party’s strong showing in October elections, subsequently forming a governing alliance with the anti-immigration Freedom and Direct Democracy party and the right-wing Motorists for Themselves.

This partnership with groups holding extreme positions has enabled the administration to dramatically reshape both international and domestic policy approaches.

The prime minister has challenged major European Union environmental and immigration initiatives while refusing Ukrainian financial assistance and rejecting guarantees for EU loans to the war-torn nation, aligning himself with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Critics warn that proposed legislation mirrors Russian foreign agent laws, requiring nonprofit organizations and individuals engaged in broadly defined political activities who receive international funding to register or face substantial penalties.

“This law can easily be used to restrict personal freedom,” former Academy of Sciences director Václav Pačes told demonstrators.

Additional government plans include restructuring public broadcasting funding, which opponents argue would place state media under government influence.

Rally organizers cited parliament’s recent decision to maintain Babiš’s immunity from prosecution in a $2 million fraud case involving EU subsidies as motivation for the demonstration.

Parliamentary approval would have enabled immediate court proceedings, but the rejection means prosecution cannot occur until his legislative term concludes in 2029.

Legislators similarly blocked efforts to allow prosecution of lower house Speaker Tomio Okamura, who leads the Freedom party, on hate speech charges.

Million Moments characterized these decisions as creating two distinct groups: “the ordinary people and the untouchables.”

“I came to defend something that is extremely important to me,” explained Michael Černohlávek, a 19-year-old student. “I know that the system we have, our freedom, can’t be taken for granted and it is important for me to protect it.”

Additional demonstrations are scheduled to follow.

President Donald Trump has delivered a series of contradictory statements regarding the ongoing Iran conflict, creating uncertainty about his administration’s strategic direction over the past day.

During a span of just hours on Friday, the president spoke about potentially scaling back military operations while his administration simultaneously announced the deployment of additional forces to the Middle East. The White House also removed sanctions on certain Iranian oil shipments for the first time in decades, attempting to stabilize global energy markets by reducing economic pressure typically used as diplomatic leverage.

This combination of conflicting actions has intensified criticism from Trump’s opponents, who argue there is no coherent long-term plan for the military campaign that the United States and Israel initiated against Iran. The conflict, now entering its fourth week, continues along an uncertain trajectory with no clear resolution in sight, while global economic markets face ongoing disruption.

Following another difficult trading session, Trump posted on his social media platform Friday afternoon: “We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East.”

The president claimed that U.S. forces have successfully weakened Iran’s naval capabilities, missile systems, and industrial infrastructure while blocking Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

Trump then indicated the United States might withdraw from the conflict without ensuring stability in the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway that handles approximately 20 percent of global oil transportation. Iranian forces have severely damaged this shipping lane through missile strikes, drone attacks, and naval mines throughout the war.

“The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it — The United States does not!” Trump posted. However, contradicting himself again, he stated America would provide assistance if requested, “but it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat is eradicated.”

Although oil passing through the strait typically heads to Asia and other regions rather than North America, the disruption still impacts American consumers. Global oil markets mean that supply shortages affecting Asian nations drive up prices for American companies as well.

This situation, combined with an Israeli attack on Iran’s gas infrastructure and Iranian retaliation that damaged a major Qatari liquefied natural gas export facility, caused U.S. stock markets to plummet Friday, with the S&P 500 falling 1.5 percent. American fuel costs also rose sharply.

Despite Trump’s comments about scaling back the war effort, his administration revealed plans to send three additional warships carrying approximately 2,500 Marines to the Middle East. This marked the second troop increase announcement within the week, with military officials stating that roughly 50,000 personnel now support the conflict.

While Trump has rejected the possibility of ground combat forces, his administration has suggested potential special operations deployments or similar units might be considered.

The Marines heading to the region belong to an expeditionary force trained for rapid amphibious operations, though their deployment doesn’t guarantee a ground invasion. Military experts suggest that securing the strait may ultimately require American boots on the ground.

This troop buildup followed Thursday’s revelation that the Pentagon requested an additional $200 billion from Congress to finance the war effort. Such an enormous funding request contradicts any suggestion of scaling down operations.

The administration announced it would remove sanctions on Iranian oil sales, specifically for shipments already at sea as of Friday. This decision aims to reduce soaring energy costs by allowing freer distribution of oil that Iran has permitted through the strait, while also providing financial support to the Iranian government that Trump is simultaneously targeting.

Trump’s team has attempted various approaches to lower oil prices, including tapping strategic petroleum reserves and lifting certain Russian oil sanctions. Nevertheless, Brent crude remained at $112 per barrel Friday, with analysts predicting elevated prices for months regardless of future war developments.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent explained on X that while Iranian oil would eventually reach other countries, the United States and its allies can now compete for these supplies.

“At present, sanctioned Iranian oil is being hoarded by China on the cheap,” Bessent wrote. “By temporarily unlocking this existing supply for the world, the United States will quickly bring approximately 140 million barrels of oil to global markets, expanding the amount of worldwide energy and helping to relieve the temporary pressures on supply caused by Iran.”

However, 140 million barrels represents only a few days’ worth of global oil consumption.

Patrick De Haan, petroleum analysis chief at GasBuddy fuel-tracking service, said he doesn’t anticipate the temporary sanction suspension will significantly affect gas prices. The effective blockade of the strait has far greater impact, he noted. “Prices will likely still continue to rise so long as the Strait remains silent,” De Haan stated.

The contradictions became apparent in Bessent’s announcement, which described Iran as “the head of the snake for global terrorism.” He promised steps to prevent Tehran from profiting from these sales, though the implementation method remained unclear.

Even some Republicans expressed rare public doubt about these contradictory policies.

“Bombing Iran with one hand and buying Iran oil with the other,” Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina posted on X Saturday.

NICOSIA, March 21 — The United Kingdom has promised Cyprus that British military installations on the island nation will not serve as staging areas for offensive strikes during the ongoing Iran crisis, according to a Cypriot government official who spoke Saturday.

The assurance came during a telephone conversation between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, the government spokesperson revealed in a written statement.

“The British Prime Minister reiterated … that the security of the Republic of Cyprus is fundamental to the United Kingdom and, to that end, a decision has been taken to enhance the means contributing to the preventive measures already in place,” the spokesperson said in the statement.

“Finally, the Prime Minister reiterated that the British Bases in Cyprus will not be used for any offensive military operations.”

The conversation follows a March 2 incident where a Shahed-style drone, similar to Iranian models, struck Britain’s Akrotiri airbase in southern Cyprus, causing minor damage. Military forces successfully intercepted two additional drones during the same attack. No additional security breaches have been reported since that incident.

The UK maintained control over two military installations on Cyprus following the island’s transition from British colonial rule to independence in 1960.

Bahrain’s government disclosed Saturday that a U.S.-manufactured Patriot missile defense system successfully shot down an Iranian drone that was targeting a residential neighborhood earlier this month, contradicting earlier reports about the March 9 incident.

The kingdom’s officials revealed that Iranian forces launched multiple drone attacks that day, with the Patriot system managing to destroy one of the unmanned aircraft before it could strike homes in the Sitra district.

“During this incident, the Patriot air defence system intercepted an Iranian drone aerially,” a government spokesperson explained.

The official added that the successful interception likely prevented mass casualties, stating: “Had the Iranian drone impacted the residential area, it would have resulted in significant loss of life.”

Despite the successful shootdown, the March 9 attacks still resulted in injuries to 32 civilians, including children who needed medical care. U.S. military officials had initially described the incident as a direct strike by an Iranian drone on the residential area.

American Central Command previously rejected claims from Russian and Iranian media outlets suggesting that a U.S. Patriot missile had malfunctioned and accidentally hit civilian areas instead of stopping the incoming drone.

The Patriot defense system, manufactured in the United States, is specifically engineered to destroy incoming missiles, drones, and other airborne threats before they reach their targets.

Multiple Gulf nations, including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar, have deployed these American-made systems to shield their cities, oil facilities, and military installations from ongoing Iranian aerial attacks during the current regional conflict.

PRAGUE – A massive crowd of Czech citizens filled Prague’s streets Saturday in what organizers called the nation’s most significant anti-government demonstration since 2019, with roughly 250,000 people voicing opposition to Prime Minister Andrej Babis’s policies.

The demonstration took place at Letna plain, which provides a sweeping view of Prague’s historic district. Participants began gathering hours ahead of the scheduled event, many carrying flags of the Czech Republic and European Union.

Young protester Tomas Chaloupka, 22, explained his motivation for attending: “I’m here because I care about my country’s future. It upsets me that the current government is trying to manipulate the free and independent media, and freedom and democracy are paramount.”

Babis and his populist ANO party regained control of the government this past December following a four-year period out of power, now governing alongside right-wing and far-right coalition partners.

The demonstration was organized by Milion Chvilek (Million Moments for Democracy), a group that has expressed alarm about potential authoritarian trends similar to those seen in neighboring Slovakia and Hungary, both of which have faced European Union criticism over rule-of-law violations.

Teacher Hana Malanikova voiced these concerns, stating: “We don’t want to be Hungary. We don’t want to follow the Slovak Republic’s path. So it’s time to wake up.”

The current administration has faced criticism for multiple policy changes, including reductions to defense spending and proposed modifications to public television funding that opponents argue could compromise editorial independence. Critics also point to new restrictions on disclosure requirements for non-governmental organizations.

This weekend’s rally follows a February demonstration supporting President Petr Pavel, who has publicly disagreed with Babis’s government on defense budget allocations and ministerial appointments. That earlier protest drew approximately 90,000 participants.

Babis, whose wealth stems from business ventures in food production, chemicals, and agriculture, previously served as prime minister from 2017 to 2021. The same organizing group staged comparable protests in 2019 that attracted more than 200,000 demonstrators.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called for an “immediate cessation” of what he characterized as U.S.-Israeli military actions during a Saturday telephone conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to Iran’s embassy in India.

During their discussion, Pezeshkian emphasized the need for assurances that would prevent future occurrences of such “aggression” and urged the BRICS group of emerging economies to take an independent stance in stopping actions against Iran.

The Iranian leader put forward the idea of establishing a regional security arrangement involving West Asian nations to maintain peace without outside interference, the embassy reported on social media.

In his own social media statement from earlier Saturday, Modi expressed his condemnation of strikes targeting vital infrastructure throughout the Middle East during his conversation with Pezeshkian.

The Indian leader also stressed the critical need to protect maritime navigation rights and keep shipping routes open and safe for international commerce.

For the first time in nearly six decades, Muslim faithful were denied entry to Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque during Eid al-Fitr celebrations on Friday, as Israeli officials implemented an extraordinary security lockdown of one of Islam’s most sacred locations.

The unprecedented ban forced thousands of Palestinian worshippers to conduct their holiday prayers in nearby streets under intense police surveillance, creating a dramatically different scene from the typical massive gatherings that characterize Eid observances at the holy site.

Friday afternoon brought the regional conflict directly to Jerusalem’s doorstep when pieces of an intercepted Iranian ballistic missile crashed into the Old City’s Jewish Quarter. Israeli military officials reported the projectile was successfully intercepted, though falling debris struck approximately 400 meters from both the Western Wall and Al-Aqsa complex, resulting in property damage.

This missile strike highlighted the dangerous security conditions that Israeli officials cited as justification for blocking access to the religious site, arguing such measures were essential to avoid potential mass casualties. Earlier incidents this week had already seen missile fragments land dangerously close to significant religious locations, including areas near Al-Aqsa and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

However, the mosque closure during this important Islamic holiday sparked fierce condemnation from Palestinian leadership and religious authorities, who characterized the action as an infringement on religious liberty and a break from established protocols that have historically governed site access.

Eyewitnesses reported an unusually quiet and anxious mood throughout Jerusalem, where Eid prayers normally attract tens of thousands of worshippers to the compound. Instead, the faithful gathered near entrance points and security barriers, with some making unsuccessful attempts to reach the mosque before being turned away by law enforcement.

Reports indicate this represents the first prevention of Eid prayers at Al-Aqsa since 1967, making it a historically significant closure that underscores the severity of current regional tensions.

The dual impact of restricted religious access combined with active missile threats in Jerusalem has intensified concerns that the already precarious situation surrounding the city’s holy sites may worsen as broader regional hostilities persist.

Iran attempted to strike Diego Garcia, a distant Indian Ocean island hosting a vital joint US-British military installation, though British officials report the missile assault failed to reach its target.

British authorities denounced what they called Iran’s reckless missile strike on the remote outpost. Officials have not disclosed how near the projectiles came to hitting the island, positioned roughly 2,500 miles away from Iranian territory.

American defense officials have characterized the Diego Garcia installation as virtually essential for conducting security missions throughout the Middle East, South Asia, and East Africa regions.

The facility houses approximately 2,500 personnel, predominantly Americans, and has provided logistical support for US military campaigns spanning from Vietnam through conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The United States admitted in 2008 that the base had also served as a location for secret prisoner transfer flights involving terrorism suspects.

During last year’s intensive bombing operations against Yemen’s Houthi forces, the US stationed multiple B-2 Spirit stealth bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons at Diego Garcia.

Initially, Britain declined to permit the installation’s use for joint US-Israeli strikes against Iran. However, following Iran’s aggressive actions toward neighboring countries, the UK authorized American aircraft to operate from Diego Garcia and another British facility for attacks on Iranian missile installations. On Friday, British officials announced this authorization extends to targeting sites used for assaults on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

The UK maintains that British military facilities may only support what it terms “specific and limited defensive operations.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on social media platform X, warning that Prime Minister Keir Starmer “is putting British lives in danger by allowing UK bases to be used for aggression against Iran.”

Iran has voluntarily restricted its ballistic missile capabilities to a maximum range of 1,240 miles. Diego Garcia sits well beyond this self-imposed limitation. Nevertheless, US intelligence officials have long suspected Iran’s space technology development could enable the construction of intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Diego Garcia belongs to the Chagos Archipelago, a collection of over 60 islands situated in the central Indian Ocean near India’s southern tip. These islands have remained under British jurisdiction since 1814, when France surrendered control.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Britain forcibly relocated up to 2,000 residents from Diego Garcia to enable US military construction of the current base.

Recent years have brought increased condemnation of Britain’s administration of the archipelago and its forced removal of the indigenous population. Both the United Nations and International Court of Justice have called on Britain to terminate its colonial governance of the islands and transfer control to Mauritius.

Following extensive discussions, the British government reached an agreement last year with Mauritius to surrender sovereignty over the islands. Britain would subsequently lease the Diego Garcia facility back for a minimum of 99 years.

The UK government contends this arrangement will protect the base’s future operations, which currently face potential legal challenges. However, numerous British opposition leaders have criticized the agreement, arguing that relinquishing the islands creates opportunities for Chinese and Russian interference.

Several displaced Chagos residents and their families have also contested the arrangement, stating they received no consultation and remain uncertain whether they will ever be permitted to return home.

The US administration initially supported the agreement, but President Donald Trump reversed course in January, describing it as “an act of GREAT STUPIDITY.”

Starmer’s original refusal to allow US attacks on Iran from Diego Garcia further frustrated Trump, who stated earlier this month that “the U.K. has been very, very uncooperative with that stupid island that they have.”

British Parliament has suspended consideration of the UK-Mauritius agreement until American support can be restored.

TOKYO (AP) — High-ranking American and Japanese leaders typically avoid making public statements about Japan’s 1941 surprise assault on Pearl Harbor without extreme caution. That’s why officials in Japan felt uncomfortable and confused on Saturday when President Donald Trump casually referenced the World War II attack to explain his secrecy before initiating military action against Iran.

The awkwardness in Japan intensified because Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was uncomfortably seated next to Trump during his remarks.

The reaction stems partly from Japan’s dependence on the United States as its primary regional ally for security and economic support. Simply put, Japan must ensure its relationship with America remains strong. This necessity brought Takaichi to Washington in the first place.

The response also demonstrates how politically sensitive discussions about Japan’s World War II actions remain today, eight decades after the conflict concluded.

High-ranking officials, including Takaichi, have maintained that Japan has offered sufficient apologies for wartime actions. Takaichi has recently suggested she might visit Tokyo’s divisive Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japanese war criminals alongside 2.5 million war casualties.

Nevertheless, it remains surprising for Japan to witness these historical issues emerge during a White House meeting.

During Friday’s session, a Japanese journalist questioned why Trump failed to inform European and Asian allies before the American strike on Iran. Trump invoked Pearl Harbor to justify his choice, stating, “Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor, OK?”

The progressive Asahi newspaper declared in Saturday’s editorial that Trump’s remarks “should not be overlooked.”

“Making such a remark to justify a sneak attack and boast about its outcome is a piece of nonsense that ignores lessons from history,” Asahi said.

Online reactions varied from calling the American president ignorant and disrespectful to suggesting he doesn’t view Japan as an equal ally. Many demanded Japan formally object to Trump’s statements.

Tsuneo Watanabe, a senior fellow at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, wrote in Saturday’s Nikkei newspaper that the remark showed Trump was “not bound by existing American common sense.”

“I get the impression that the comment was intended to bring the Japanese reporter (who asked the question) or Ms. Takaichi into complicity in order to justify his ‘sneak attack’ on Iran during diplomatic negotiations and without telling allied countries,” Watanabe said.

An unwritten agreement appears to exist between American and Japanese leadership to handle this topic delicately. Both nations depend on each other, with Washington counting on Japan to accommodate 50,000 military personnel and advanced weaponry, while Japan depends on American nuclear protection against threatening, nuclear-capable neighbors.

Japan’s postwar constitution prohibits using military force except for self-protection, though Takaichi and other leaders now want to broaden military responsibilities.

Regarding American-Japanese reconciliation, many Japanese citizens reference former leaders Barack Obama and Shinzo Abe, who jointly honored victims at Pearl Harbor’s Arizona Memorial and Hiroshima Peace Park in 2016.

Takaichi, known for her conservative positions, received praise for maintaining composure during Trump’s comments, responding only with an eye roll and glance toward nearby ministers.

Her summit’s purpose was strengthening ties with America, not relitigating World War II. She arrived after Trump indicated Japan was among countries slow to support his Strait of Hormuz protection initiative.

Some critics, however, faulted Takaichi for remaining silent.

Hitoshi Tanaka, a former diplomat and special adviser at the Japan Research Institute, posted on X that watching Takaichi flatter Trump embarrassed him.

“As national leaders, they are equals. … To make an equal relationship is not to flatter,” he said. “Just doing what pleases Trump and calling it a success if you are not hurt is too sad.”

Social media initially blamed the Japanese reporter whose question triggered Trump’s Pearl Harbor reference.

Reporter Morio Chijiiwa from TV Asahi later explained on a talk show that he posed the question representing Japanese citizens unhappy with Trump’s unilateral Iranian attack, especially since other nations including Japan were being asked to assist.

“So that’s why I asked the question. I was meaning to say, Why didn’t you tell us, why are you troubling us?” he said. “Then President Trump hit back with the Pearl Harbor attack. … I found it extremely awkward for him to change the subject.”

Junji Miyako, 53, said watching Takaichi flatter Trump bothered him more than the President’s Pearl Harbor comment.

“I was so frustrated to see Takaichi didn’t even say anything to Trump to stop the war,” he said. “I think Trump’s Pearl Harbor comment was stupid, but to me the war he started is a much bigger problem.”

Bahrain’s government has confirmed that a Patriot air defense system was used to intercept an Iranian drone that flew over a residential neighborhood on March 9, according to statements made to Reuters on Saturday.

A government spokesperson stated that the interception successfully prevented a drone strike and saved lives. However, the incident still resulted in injuries to civilians in the area.

The U.S. military had earlier reported that an Iranian drone had impacted a residential neighborhood on that same date, causing harm to civilians in the process.

The revelation provides new details about the March 9 incident and clarifies the role of the Patriot missile defense system in protecting the residential area from what officials describe as a potentially catastrophic attack.

LONDON — Authorities in Scotland have filed charges against two individuals who attempted to gain unauthorized access to a highly secure military installation housing Britain’s nuclear submarine fleet, officials announced Saturday.

A 34-year-old Iranian national and a 31-year-old Romanian woman are scheduled to make their first court appearance Monday at Dumbarton Sheriff Court, according to Police Scotland.

Following standard Scottish legal procedure, law enforcement officials have not disclosed the suspects’ identities or specified what criminal charges they will face prior to their scheduled hearing.

The two individuals were apprehended Thursday while attempting to gain entry to HM Naval Base Clyde, located approximately 40 miles northwest of Glasgow.

The military installation, commonly referred to as Faslane, serves as headquarters for Britain’s submarine operations, including vessels equipped with nuclear warheads.

The United Kingdom has maintained nuclear capabilities since the 1950s, with its current defense strategy centered on four Royal Navy submarines carrying Trident missile systems since the 1990s.

AL BASOUTA, Syria (AP) — Eight years ago, Abdul Rahman Omar was forced to abandon his home in Syria’s Afrin district when Turkish military forces launched an operation targeting Kurdish fighters throughout the region.

Today, Omar is part of hundreds of Kurdish families who have made their way back to Afrin. He participated alongside his community in marking Nowruz, the traditional spring celebration, for the first time since coming back from displacement and since Syria’s government officially recognized the festival as a national holiday.

The term Nowruz comes from Farsi and means “new year.” This 3,000-year-old celebration has Persian origins and is observed by Kurdish communities across Syria, Turkey, Iraq, and Iran. The festival features vibrant public gatherings and torch-lit marches that wind through mountainous terrain. With roots in Zoroastrianism, the ancient holiday brings together people of various faiths, including Zoroastrians, Muslims, Christians, Jews, and members of the Baha’i community, as well as millions living in diaspora communities worldwide.

On Friday evening, Omar participated in traditional line dancing with other young community members, moving to rhythmic music before climbing into the hills surrounding al-Basouta village. The group carried torches and Kurdish banners, using flames to create the word “raperin,” which translates to “uprising” in the Kurdish language.

Turkish military forces, working alongside Syrian opposition groups, captured Afrin in 2018 during a Turkey-supported campaign that drove out fighters from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces along with thousands of Kurdish residents.

The Turkish government views the SDF as a terrorist entity due to its connections with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, known as the PKK, a separatist movement that conducted a multi-decade insurgency within Turkey. Currently, peace negotiations are taking place.

Kurdish residents who stayed in Afrin reported facing discrimination and violations of their human rights. Many who fled found themselves unable or too frightened to return, as Arab Syrian families displaced by the nation’s civil conflict had moved into their former residences.

During his displacement, Omar lived in Aleppo city’s Sheikh Maqsoud district. This area became a conflict zone in January when government troops clashed with the SDF, which had established a semi-independent territory in northeastern Syria during the civil war that started in 2011.

The Aleppo conflict, combined with a government campaign that captured much of the SDF’s former territory, led to an arrangement integrating the Kurdish-led forces into Syria’s national military and placing key northeastern institutions back under central government authority.

The government also committed to helping displaced Kurdish families return to Afrin, including a group of 400 families who departed from SDF-controlled Hassakeh province this month.

Omar described his return as emotionally complex.

“When a person is away from his home for eight years, of course he misses and longs for it,” he said. However, the community he found upon returning differed significantly from his memories. Many former friends and neighbors who left Syria have not come back.

“There’s a feeling of emptiness, but at the same time, you’ve returned to your own house, you’ve seen the atmosphere of your own village and your memories come back,” he said.

Angelia Hajima, a young Kurdish woman who joined the mountain procession, praised Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party — the leading Kurdish political organization in Iraq — for helping negotiate the agreement between the SDF and Damascus that enabled the displaced to return.

“I hope that everyone can go back to their homeland now,” she said.

While conducting ceasefire talks with the SDF in January, Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa issued an order expanding Kurdish rights. This action was interpreted as an effort to win support from the country’s Kurdish population, many of whom remain suspicious of his administration.

The order established Kurdish as an official language alongside Arabic and designated Nowruz as a national celebration. It also restored citizenship to tens of thousands of Kurds in northeastern Hassakeh province who had been stripped of their status during a 1962 population count.

Throughout the five-decade Assad family rule in Syria, which concluded when former President Bashar Assad was removed in December 2024, Kurdish communities faced marginalization and were prohibited from publicly celebrating Nowruz.

Omar remembered how Kurds previously had to light Nowruz torches in secret and sometimes faced pursuit by security personnel for these activities.

“This is the first time I go to the mountain and light the flame and I’m not afraid,” he said. “Of course it’s a feeling of joy that I, as a Kurd, am celebrating my holiday and speaking in my own tongue without being afraid.”

LONDON – Two foreign nationals are facing criminal charges following their alleged attempt to breach security at Britain’s primary nuclear submarine facility, according to Scottish authorities.

A 34-year-old Iranian citizen and a 31-year-old Romanian national were taken into custody Thursday after trying to gain unauthorized access to the highly secure naval installation, Police Scotland announced Saturday.

British news outlets have identified the pair as suspected intelligence operatives working for Iran.

The incident occurs during heightened tensions, coming three weeks after the start of military operations involving the United States and Israel against Iran. Though Britain has not directly participated in strikes against Iranian territory, British military forces have intercepted Iranian missiles and unmanned aircraft in Gulf waters.

The targeted facility, HM Naval Base Clyde, sits along Scotland’s western coastline and serves as a cornerstone of British national defense. The installation houses the nation’s fleet of nuclear-powered submarines equipped with atomic weapons, along with conventional attack submarines.

Both defendants are scheduled to make their initial court appearance at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on March 23, according to Police Scotland officials.

WASHINGTON, March 21 – As military operations against Iran enter their fourth week, President Donald Trump faces mounting challenges that appear to be spiraling beyond his control. Energy costs worldwide are climbing sharply, America finds itself without key allies, and additional military personnel are being readied for deployment despite Trump’s earlier assurance that the conflict would be merely a “short excursion.”

Taking a defensive stance, Trump criticized NATO partners as “cowards” for declining to assist in securing the Strait of Hormuz and maintained that operations were proceeding as planned. However, his Friday statement claiming the conflict “was Militarily WON” contradicted ongoing realities of Iranian resistance, including disrupted Gulf energy shipments and continued missile attacks throughout the region.

The president, who campaigned on avoiding “stupid” military interventions abroad, now seems unable to dictate either the results or the narrative of a conflict he helped launch. The absence of a defined withdrawal plan poses risks to both his presidential record and his party’s electoral chances as Republicans work to maintain slim Congressional control in upcoming November midterm races.

“Trump has built himself a box called the Iran war, and he can’t figure out how to get out of it,” said Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East negotiator for Republican and Democratic administrations. “That’s his biggest source of frustration.”

A White House official disputed this assessment, pointing to the elimination of numerous Iranian leadership figures through targeted operations, the destruction of most of Iran’s naval fleet, and significant damage to its missile capabilities.

“This has been an undisputed military success,” the official said.

CONSTRAINTS ON PRESIDENTIAL AUTHORITY

The boundaries of Trump’s influence – in diplomatic, military and political spheres – became starkly apparent during the past week.

According to another White House official who requested anonymity to discuss internal matters, the president was surprised by NATO allies and other international partners’ refusal to contribute naval forces for Strait of Hormuz security operations.

To avoid appearing diplomatically isolated, some White House advisers have recommended Trump quickly identify an “off-ramp” and establish boundaries for the military campaign’s scope, according to someone familiar with these conversations. However, it remains uncertain whether this counsel will influence Trump’s decisions.

Some experts believe allies’ reluctance stems not only from their hesitation about joining an uncoordinated military action, but also from resentment over Trump’s dismissive treatment of traditional American partnerships since returning to office 14 months ago.

Tensions with Israel have also emerged, with Trump claiming no advance knowledge of Israel’s attack on Iran’s South Pars gas facility, while Israeli officials maintain the strike was coordinated with American forces.

Trump now stands at a critical juncture in Operation Epic Fury with no clear indication of his next moves, according to analysts.

He could escalate American military action, potentially capturing Iran’s Kharg Island oil facilities or positioning ground forces along Iran’s coastline to target missile installations. Such moves would risk long-term military involvement that most Americans would likely oppose.

Alternatively, with both nations currently rejecting diplomatic talks, Trump could declare success and attempt withdrawal, potentially alienating Gulf partners who would face a weakened but still hostile Iran – one that might continue pursuing basic nuclear capabilities and maintaining control over Gulf shipping routes. Iran has consistently denied seeking nuclear weapons.

Reuters confirmed Friday that thousands of additional Marines and sailors are being sent to the Middle East, though no final decision has been made regarding ground deployment into Iran.

The conflict has also revealed weakening in Trump’s previously solid control over his MAGA supporters, with notable influencers voicing opposition to the military action. While his core supporters have largely remained loyal, analysts suggest Trump’s authority could diminish in coming weeks if fuel costs continue rising and troops are deployed.

“As the economics play themselves out,” Republican strategist Dave Wilson said, “people will start to say: ‘Why am I paying high gas prices again? … Why is the Strait of Hormuz now determining whether or not I can take a vacation next month?’”

STRATEGIC ERRORS

Since operations began February 28, administration officials have increasingly recognized that the conflict and its ramifications should have received more thorough advance planning, according to two sources aware of White House discussions. However, the first White House official maintained that the campaign received extensive preparation and adequate resources for potential scenarios.

Experts identify Trump’s primary error as underestimating Iran’s response to what it views as a threat to its survival.

Tehran has fought back using surviving missiles and armed drone fleets to compensate for military disadvantages, targeting neighboring Gulf nations and largely blocking the Strait of Hormuz, which handles twenty percent of global oil transport.

Regardless of whether Trump and his team anticipated these risks, they have struggled to address them successfully.

“They failed to think through the contingencies around ways in which a conflict with Iran could go sideways, where it might not go according to the plan as they laid out,” said former U.S. ambassador John Bass, who served in Afghanistan and Turkey.

As fighting continues, Trump’s frustration with his limited narrative control has become increasingly evident. Recently, he has attacked news organizations, making unsubstantiated “treason” accusations against reporting he considers harmful to military efforts.

“He’s finding it difficult to drive the news cycle, as he’s accustomed to, because he still can’t explain why he’s taken this country to war and what comes next,” said Brett Bruen, a former foreign policy adviser in the Obama administration who now heads the Situation Room strategic consultancy in Washington. “He seems to have lost his mojo on messaging.”

DAEJEON, South Korea — Emergency responders in South Korea pulled 14 bodies from the burned remains of an automotive parts manufacturing facility on Saturday, following a devastating blaze that also sent 59 people to area hospitals.

According to local fire department officials, 25 individuals sustained severe injuries in the incident, though authorities have not yet determined if any victims are fighting for their lives. Emergency teams numbering more than 500, including firefighters, law enforcement, and paramedics, were called in to battle the flames and search for survivors after the fire erupted on Friday afternoon.

Dramatic footage and images captured at the scene revealed massive plumes of dark smoke rising from the industrial complex, with some employees leaping from windows of the Anjun Industrial building to escape the inferno.

Nam Deuk-woo, the fire department chief for the city’s Daedeok district, explained that the flames completely gutted the factory structure, which rescue teams could not initially access due to concerns about structural collapse. Recovery efforts for missing workers commenced late Friday evening after crews used robotic firefighting equipment to cool the building and engineers completed safety assessments.

“Nine of the 14 dead were discovered in what is believed to have been a gym on the third floor, while three were found near a water tank on the second floor,” Nam stated. Officials confirmed that all previously unaccounted-for individuals have now been located.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung traveled to the disaster site on Saturday afternoon, where he met with families of those killed and emphasized the importance of safety protocols to prevent the weakened structure from collapsing during ongoing search efforts.

The emergency call came in at approximately 1:18 p.m. on Friday. While Nam indicated the origin of the fire remains under investigation, the flames appeared to have moved quickly through the building, with eyewitnesses describing hearing an explosion. Emergency crews concentrated on stopping the fire from reaching neighboring buildings and securing dangerous chemical materials. Nam reported that workers removed more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of highly volatile chemicals from the facility.

Injuries occurred when people jumped from the structure to flee the fire, while others were harmed by smoke inhalation, according to officials. By Saturday morning, 28 individuals remained in hospital care, with four requiring surgical procedures for fractured bones and other trauma.

The response effort involved approximately 120 emergency vehicles and specialized equipment, including aircraft, an unmanned water cannon truck, and two robotic firefighting units designed for dangerous areas, alongside hundreds of emergency personnel.

President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace has delivered a formal written document to Hamas detailing how the Palestinian militant organization could surrender its arsenal, according to two sources familiar with the negotiations. This marks a significant development as the administration continues pursuing its Gaza peace initiative.

The document was delivered to Hamas representatives during negotiations held in Cairo within the past week, according to one source. The discussions included participation from Nickolay Mladenov, who serves as Trump’s Board of Peace representative for Gaza, and Aryeh Lightstone, an assistant to Trump’s special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

The Gaza peace framework, which both Israel and Hamas accepted in October, calls for Israeli military forces to pull back from the territory while reconstruction efforts begin, contingent upon Hamas relinquishing its weapons.

Speaking on Thursday, Mladenov indicated that substantial progress was being made to provide assistance to the war-devastated region, with mediators having established a framework that could facilitate rebuilding efforts across the heavily damaged territory.

“It is now on the table. It requires one clear choice: full decommissioning by Hamas and every armed group, with no exceptions and no carve-outs. In this season of hope, may those responsible make the right choice for the Palestinian people,” Mladenov wrote on social media platform X during the Muslim celebration of Eid al-Fitr.

Hamas representatives could not be reached for immediate response on Saturday, during the second day of the religious holiday. The disarmament discussions had been suspended when the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran commenced on February 28.

According to U.S. officials, the Iran-supported Hamas organization might receive amnesty as part of any agreement requiring them to surrender both heavy military equipment and smaller weapons including firearms.

Individuals with knowledge of Hamas’s position indicate the organization would probably decline to surrender their firearms due to concerns about attacks from competing armed groups within Gaza, some of which receive Israeli support. Hamas and rival factions have conducted lethal operations against each other following the October ceasefire agreement.

One source noted that much depends on what terms Israel finds acceptable, as Israeli leadership insists on Hamas’s total disarmament.

Several high-ranking Hamas officials have categorically dismissed any disarmament requirements in recent months.

Israel has given no indication of withdrawing its military personnel, who currently control approximately half of Gaza’s territory, while Hamas maintains authority over the remaining portion of the territory and its two million residents, most of whom have been displaced by two years of intense warfare.

The source indicated that amnesty provisions and targeted Gaza investment programs were being presented as incentives for Hamas, though uncertainty remains about whether the Board of Peace would have sufficient funding available.

Trump secured approximately $7 billion in commitments this February from various nations, including Gulf states, before those same countries faced Iranian attacks as Middle East tensions escalated.

According to the source, only a minimal portion of those promised funds have actually been delivered, though specific amounts were not disclosed.

BAGHDAD – A military officer died Saturday following a drone attack carried out by what Iraqi authorities described as “outlaw groups” targeting the area around Baghdad’s National Intelligence Service headquarters.

The National Intelligence Service confirmed the casualty in an official statement released following the March 21st incident. The attack represents the latest security challenge facing Iraqi government facilities in the capital city.

American military forces have established operations in Nigeria, sending several MQ-9 surveillance drones and 200 service members to support the country’s fight against Islamic extremist organizations, according to officials from both nations who spoke with Reuters.

The American personnel are not participating in frontline combat operations with Nigerian forces, and the unmanned aircraft are being used solely for intelligence collection rather than conducting strikes, officials confirmed.

This deployment marks America’s renewed engagement in combating Islamic State and al-Qaeda affiliated insurgencies spreading throughout West Africa, following U.S. air operations against militants in Nigeria’s northwest region in late 2025.

The mission comes after the closure of America’s $100 million drone facility in neighboring Niger, which housed approximately 1,000 troops monitoring extremist activity across the Sahel region. That base was shuttered in 2024 when Niger’s military government demanded the departure of U.S. forces, reflecting a broader regional shift away from Western military partnerships.

Recent violence underscores the ongoing security challenges, including a suicide bombing attack on a northeastern Nigerian garrison town this week that demonstrated how the 17-year insurgency continues to threaten urban areas.

Extremist groups have also intensified operations in Nigeria’s northwest, along the borders with Benin and Niger, where existing criminal activity risks evolving into another stronghold for Islamic militants.

A U.S. defense official explained that Nigeria requested the drone deployment for intelligence gathering purposes. “We see this as a shared security threat,” the official stated.

Major General Samaila Uba, who serves as director of defense information at Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, verified that American assets are operating from Bauchi airfield in the country’s northeast.

“This support builds on the newly established U.S.-Nigeria intelligence fusion cell, which continues to deliver actionable intelligence to our field commanders,” Uba explained to Reuters. “Our U.S. partners remain in a strictly non-combat role, enabling operations led by Nigerian authorities.”

Uba indicated that both countries will jointly determine how long the American deployment will continue.

The MQ-9 aircraft, also called Reaper drones, can remain airborne at high altitudes for over 27 hours and serve dual purposes for both surveillance and strike missions.

While neither Uba nor the American official discussed specific instances where U.S. intelligence resulted in Nigerian operations against militants, Uba noted that American forces are assisting Nigeria to “identify, track and respond to terrorist threats.”

Reuters previously reported that aircraft operating from Ghana conducted intelligence missions over Nigeria for the U.S. military late last year.

The United States, which has maintained a longstanding military partnership with Nigeria through training programs and weapons sales, conducted air operations in the northwest on Christmas Day, stating the action was necessary to prevent attacks on Christians in the region.

However, Nigerian government officials and conflict analysts have disputed claims of systematic anti-Christian violence, arguing such characterizations oversimplify a multifaceted crisis.

The perpetrators of the March 16 garrison town attack remain unidentified and under investigation, according to Uba.

He noted that both Boko Haram militants and ISWAP, an Islamic State affiliate, continue posing significant threats while evolving their operational methods.

“We continue to assess that these organisations will seek opportunistic targets and may attempt to demonstrate relevance through high-visibility attacks,” Uba said.

Military conflict in the Middle East has created what experts are calling the most severe global energy crisis ever recorded, forcing nations worldwide to implement drastic conservation measures while consumers face dramatically higher fuel costs.

Since U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran commenced on February 28, the strategic Strait of Hormuz waterway has been effectively blocked, halting the flow of approximately 20% of global oil and natural gas shipments through the Iranian coastal passage.

Continued military exchanges between Iranian and Israeli forces have also struck critical energy facilities throughout the region, inflicting damage to natural gas fields, petroleum refineries, and shipping terminals that energy sector experts estimate will require years to fully restore.

The International Energy Agency has declared this disruption surpasses even the 1973 Arab oil embargo in severity, which previously held the record for causing the most widespread economic harm from fuel shortages.

“You’re not going to conserve your way around this. What it’s going to translate to is price rises high enough that people stop consuming,” explained Dan Pickering, chief investment officer for Pickering Energy Partners.

The crisis has already eliminated approximately 400 million barrels from global markets – equivalent to four days of worldwide supply – driving price increases of roughly 50%.

Energy products derived from oil and gas serve essential functions across modern society, powering transportation systems, heating buildings, operating industrial facilities, and manufacturing everything from plastic goods to agricultural fertilizers.

“The breadth of what is at risk here in fuels, chemicals, LNG and fertilizer inputs is what makes this moment qualitatively different from previous episodes of Gulf tension,” noted Aditya Saraswat, senior vice president at consultancy Rystad Energy.

Rising energy costs typically drive broader inflation, creating financial strain for both consumers and businesses. This economic pressure has become a significant political challenge for U.S. President Donald Trump as he works to maintain public support for the military campaign.

Trump has criticized NATO member nations for insufficient backing of the U.S.-Israeli military action against Iran, publicly labeling the traditional American allies “cowards.”

International benchmark crude oil prices have climbed more than 50% to exceed $110 per barrel since hostilities began. Middle Eastern oil varieties, which Asian economies rely on heavily, have reached record highs near $164 per barrel.

These increases have resulted in steep transportation fuel price hikes worldwide, prompting governments to take emergency steps to preserve available supplies.

Thailand has directed government employees to reduce energy use by canceling international travel and taking stairs rather than elevators, while Bangladesh has shuttered its universities.

Sri Lanka has implemented fuel rationing systems, China has prohibited refined fuel exports, and the United Kingdom’s emergency energy plan includes lowered speed limits to reduce fuel consumption.

The International Energy Agency released additional demand reduction recommendations on Friday, including remote work arrangements and limiting air travel, which has already faced severe disruptions after the conflict forced major Middle Eastern aviation hubs to close.

Earlier this month, the IEA authorized the release of a record 400 million barrels from emergency oil reserves. However, analysts consider this measure insufficient since 400 million barrels would only offset approximately 20 days of war-related supply losses.

JP Morgan analyst Natasha Kaneva emphasized that demand reduction represents the only viable solution when supply shortages occur.

“The market is facing an acute shortage of products (…) that cannot be consumed simply because they are not available,” she stated.

Prices continue climbing for all remaining available products.

European jet fuel prices have reached record levels around $220 per barrel – costs that airlines will likely pass directly to passengers through higher ticket prices. In the United States, which imports minimal Middle Eastern oil, retail gasoline prices have increased more than one dollar per gallon since February 28 to approximately $4 per gallon.

Natural gas prices across Europe and Asia are climbing after recent Israeli-Iranian strikes targeted Gulf region gas facilities. Consumer electricity costs could also rise substantially.

Israeli forces attacked Iran’s South Pars gas field on Wednesday, while Iranian forces struck Qatar’s massive Ras Laffan LNG complex the following day. QatarEnergy CEO Saad al-Kaabi informed Reuters that Iranian attacks will eliminate 12.8 million tons annually of LNG production – roughly 3% of global supply – for three to five years.

The situation poses critical risks since oil and gas products are essential for manufacturing pharmaceuticals, plastics, and fertilizers, according to Menelaos Ydreos, secretary general of the International Gas Union representing worldwide gas producers.

“We, again, call for an immediate stop to the targeting of energy facilities and for the resumption of cargo traffic through the Strait of Hormuz as fertilisers, petrochemicals for the pharmaceutical industry, oil, grain, and gas are all critical to our existence,” he stated.

The military conflict also threatens global food security by severely disrupting fertilizer markets, since approximately one-third of international fertilizer trade normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz and is currently blocked.

Nitrogen-based fertilizer products like urea, considered the most crucial fertilizer type, have seen price increases of 30% to 40% since fighting began. American farmers are already reporting empty store shelves as spring planting season approaches.

Fertilizer manufacturing facilities in India, Bangladesh and Malaysia are suspending orders, reducing production, or completely shutting down operations due to lack of raw materials.

If the conflict continues for just a few more weeks, global food supplies will face significant disruption, warned Maximo Torero, chief economist with the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization.

“This will affect planting. … There will be a lower supply of commodities in the world – of staple cereals, of feed, and therefore of dairy and meat,” he explained.

Approximately half of the world’s food production depends on fertilizers, which in some nations account for up to half the cost of grain production.

The Middle Eastern conflict has now stretched into its fourth week, with President Trump indicating the United States may begin scaling back its military involvement in the region.

According to recent statements, the administration is exploring options to “wind down” its military operations while simultaneously addressing the ongoing energy crisis through potential policy changes regarding Iranian oil sanctions.

The President has suggested that lifting restrictions on Iranian oil currently stranded at sea could help alleviate energy supply concerns that have emerged during the prolonged conflict.

The conflict shows no signs of immediate resolution as it continues to impact both regional stability and global energy markets.

KYIV, Ukraine — Two civilians lost their lives when a Russian drone struck a residential home in Zaporizhzhia on Saturday morning, according to Ukrainian officials, as diplomatic efforts to revive peace negotiations continue.

Regional administrator Ivan Fedorov confirmed that both a man and woman died in the attack, while two children sustained injuries when the drone targeted the private residence.

The deadly assault occurred as Ukrainian and U.S. representatives prepared for discussions scheduled to take place in Miami later Saturday, according to Ukrainian state media reports.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Thursday evening that he had dispatched an official delegation to America with the goal of restarting the currently suspended U.S.-facilitated peace negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s military invasion.

The three-way discussions that include Russia have been stalled recently as global focus has shifted to the Iran conflict, despite failing to achieve significant progress on critical issues.

White House officials have not verified any scheduled meetings with the Ukrainian representatives.

Zelenskyy outlined that the delegation’s primary objectives in the United States include getting the trilateral negotiations back on track and securing Washington’s continued authorization for NATO allies to buy American military equipment for transfer to Ukraine.

A top Kremlin representative suggested Friday that renewed U.S.-mediated discussions between Moscow and Kyiv could happen in the near future.

“The pause is temporary, we hope it’s temporary regarding the continuation of the trilateral format,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated.

Over the past year, Western European leaders have consistently criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for stalling negotiations while attempting to leverage his larger military force to gain battlefield advantages and seize additional Ukrainian territory. Russian troops currently occupy approximately 20% of Ukraine.

The recent Middle East crisis that started February 28 with Israeli and American military actions against Iran has shifted global focus away from Ukraine’s situation.

Meanwhile, Russia benefits from a temporary U.S. exemption on petroleum sanctions, providing financial gains, while Ukraine faces severe budget shortfalls and continues awaiting a promised 90-billion-euro ($103 billion) European Union loan package.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards completely restructured Hezbollah’s military operations following the Lebanese group’s devastating losses to Israeli forces in 2024, according to sources with knowledge of the Iranian activities.

The unprecedented reorganization by the IRGC came after Israel decimated Hezbollah’s leadership structure, including the assassination of longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah and numerous senior commanders throughout 2024.

Two sources familiar with the Iranian operations revealed that the Revolutionary Guards deployed officers to fill command gaps and completely overhaul the Shi’ite organization that Iran originally established in 1982.

This marked the first comprehensive restructuring in Hezbollah’s history, demonstrating Iran’s direct intervention following the severe damage inflicted during the previous conflict.

The Iranian investment appears to have succeeded in restoring Hezbollah’s capabilities in time for the current Middle East conflict, where the group has joined the fighting alongside Tehran after attacks by the United States and Israel.

According to the sources, IRGC personnel arrived in Lebanon to retrain fighters and supervise weapons replenishment efforts. The Iranian officers also redesigned command systems that Israeli intelligence had successfully penetrated, which had enabled the targeted killings of multiple Hezbollah leaders.

An Israeli military representative acknowledged on March 12 that despite three years of Israeli operations against it, Hezbollah continues to pose a significant threat.

Since joining the regional conflict on March 2, Hezbollah has launched hundreds of rockets toward Israel, triggering Israeli counterattacks that have resulted in over 1,000 Lebanese casualties. Ground fighting continues as Hezbollah militants engage Israeli forces occupying southern Lebanese territory.

However, questions remain about Hezbollah’s performance capabilities, as its strength has not yet returned to previous peak levels, particularly if facing a comprehensive Israeli ground invasion.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in January that Hezbollah was actively working to rearm and reconstruct its infrastructure with Iranian assistance.

The IRGC officers assigned to assist Hezbollah’s recovery arrived shortly after the November 2024 ceasefire took effect, continuing their work despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes. One source indicated approximately 100 officers participated in the deployment.

The restructuring eliminated traditional hierarchical command in favor of a decentralized network composed of small, independent units with limited knowledge of other operations, enhancing security and operational secrecy.

Iranian officers also developed coordinated missile attack strategies targeting Israel that would be executed simultaneously from both Iran and Lebanon – a plan first implemented on March 11.

A senior Lebanese security official confirmed that Iranian commanders assisted Hezbollah in rehabilitating and reorganizing its military personnel. The official believes the Iranians are helping manage the pace of current hostilities rather than selecting specific targets.

Another informed source said the IRGC deployed officers to Lebanon in 2024 to conduct a comprehensive post-conflict assessment of Hezbollah and assumed direct oversight of its military operations.

Two additional sources confirmed that the IRGC embedded specialized advisers with Hezbollah throughout the previous year to guide military decision-making.

Andreas Krieg, a lecturer in security studies at King’s College London, explained that the IRGC “has basically reorganized Hezbollah as a far more flat system,” contrasting this with the political hierarchy that had developed around Nasrallah before his death.

“That decentralized model that they’ve now implemented is also a bit more like what Hezbollah looked like in the 1980s – very small cells,” said Krieg, who has studied the organization for 15 years. He characterized this as a “mosaic defence” strategy also employed by the IRGC within Iran.

The Iranian restructuring efforts proceeded simultaneously with attempts by Lebanon’s government and its U.S.-supported military to advance disarmament of the group, highlighting significant obstacles to achieving that goal.

Lebanon estimates approximately 100 to 150 Iranian nationals in the country maintain government connections extending beyond standard diplomatic roles, including IRGC affiliations, according to a Lebanese official.

The official said the government requested these individuals leave Lebanon in early March.

The sources familiar with IRGC activities confirmed that Guards officers were among more than 150 Iranians who departed Beirut on a March 7 flight to Russia.

IRGC personnel were among roughly 500 people killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon during the 15 months between the 2024 ceasefire and the outbreak of renewed fighting. Approximately twelve additional IRGC members have died in Israeli strikes since the current war began, including casualties from a March 8 attack on a Beirut hotel.

The Revolutionary Guards have maintained close involvement with Hezbollah since establishing the group in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley to spread Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution and combat Israeli forces that invaded Lebanon in 1982.

Qassem Soleimani, the senior IRGC commander killed in a 2020 U.S. drone strike, had collaborated with Nasrallah during Hezbollah’s 2006 conflict with Israel. When Israeli airstrikes killed Nasrallah in a bunker in Beirut’s southern suburbs, an Iranian general died alongside him.

BUCHAREST, Romania — A special runway show in Romania’s capital city featured numerous models with Down syndrome who took to the catwalk in celebration of World Down Syndrome Day.

The annual observance focuses on celebrating individuals with Down syndrome while advocating for equal rights and opportunities, as well as increasing public understanding and awareness.

The fashion event highlighted the talents and abilities of the participating models as they confidently walked the runway in Bucharest.

KYIV, Ukraine – A Russian drone assault on Saturday knocked out electricity across most of Ukraine’s Chernihiv region in the country’s north, according to regional governor Viacheslav Chaus.

Chaus reported that crews were working to restore power following the infrastructure damage. The affected region sits along Ukraine’s borders with Russia and Belarus and was home to nearly one million people before the war began.

The regional capital city, which shares the same name as the region, lost all electrical service, city officials confirmed.

Since the conflict started, Russia has launched an extensive campaign targeting Ukraine’s power grid and energy infrastructure, resulting in frequent blackouts lasting several hours that affect communities nationwide.

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered New Year greetings to Iranian leadership on Saturday, emphasizing Moscow’s unwavering commitment to its partnership with Tehran, according to Kremlin officials.

Putin extended his Nowruz congratulations to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, marking the Iranian new year celebration.

“Vladimir Putin wished the Iranian people to overcome the harsh trials with dignity and stressed that in this difficult time Moscow remains a loyal friend and reliable partner of Tehran,” the Kremlin said.

However, questions remain about the actual depth of Russian assistance. Iranian sources have indicated they’ve received minimal concrete help from Moscow during what some consider Iran’s most significant crisis since the 1979 revolution that overthrew the U.S.-supported Shah.

Moscow has characterized recent U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran as destabilizing forces that have pushed the Middle East toward chaos and created a significant global energy crisis. Putin has also denounced the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling it a “cynical” killing.

Reports emerged that Russia offered the United States a potential intelligence-sharing agreement, proposing to halt information exchanges with Iran in return for Washington ending intelligence support to Ukraine regarding Russian operations. U.S. officials rejected this proposal, while the Kremlin has labeled these reports as false.

The loss of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro as an ally has affected Russia’s regional partnerships, though Moscow has gained economically from elevated oil prices resulting from Middle Eastern conflicts involving its strategic partner Iran.

Despite their partnership agreement, Russia and Iran’s alliance lacks mutual defense provisions. Moscow has consistently opposed Iranian nuclear weapons development, expressing concerns that such weapons could spark widespread nuclear proliferation throughout the Middle East.

Iranian military forces launched two intermediate-range ballistic missiles on Saturday aimed at the Diego Garcia military installation in the Indian Ocean, which houses both American and British personnel, according to Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency.

Earlier reporting from The Wall Street Journal confirmed that Iran had deployed the ballistic missiles in the direction of the strategic base, though the projectiles failed to make contact with the facility.

According to Mehr’s coverage, the missile strike represented a “significant step … that shows that the range of Iran’s missiles is beyond what the enemy previously imagined.”

BUCHAREST, Romania — A special runway show in Romania’s capital city featured dozens of young models with Down syndrome wearing custom-designed outfits to commemorate World Down Syndrome Day and celebrate what organizers called “atypical beauty.”

The SEEN Anonymous Seamstresses Gala took place Wednesday at Bucharest’s Romexpo center, bringing together clothing designers from throughout Romania who crafted garments “with great kindness, care and creativity” specifically for youth with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities.

According to Georgeta Bucur, president of Down Plus Association Bucharest who organized the event, 50 volunteer seamstresses each designed and created an outfit for a young person they had never previously encountered.

“The costumes were created without anyone trying them on,” she explained. “But the most important thing is that the people gathered together again. This event is really special … it’s the most beautiful thing that could happen.”

Nineteen-year-old Antonia Voicu, dressed in a voluminous green netted gown and crowned with red roses, described taking the stage as fulfilling a longtime dream.

“I feel like I’m always fashionable, and I like to strike a pose, so I like to do like this,” she explained before walking the runway. “I’m not nervous at all.”

Diana Negres, Antonia’s caretaker, described the fashion show as “a big step” for Antonia, who had long fantasized about “being a star” performing on stage. “This event gives her exactly this,” Negres said. “This is her first time, we did no preparation at all, so everything will be spontaneous.”

Seamstress and event organizer Cristina Bucur explained that her inspiration for the fashion show stemmed from having a child with a disability.

“I wanted the other children to see what it’s like to wear a costume during a fashion show, what it’s like to be cheered on stage,” she said. “They enjoy it enormously because they see that someone looks at them, that someone does something for them.”

Statistics from the Romania Down Syndrome Federation indicate approximately 12,000 people in Romania have Down syndrome, while more than 6 million people worldwide live with the condition. Romanian data from 2022 showed one person with Down syndrome is born per every 847 births in the Eastern European nation.

Nine-year-old Marusika Burlaca, wearing a pink pearl-studded dress with styled hair, shared her excitement about the experience.

“On stage, us children go on a parade, and today I’m dressed in a nice dress and try to do some modeling,” she said.

Event organizer Larisa Bucur noted that while participants sometimes experience nervousness due to emotions, they genuinely enjoy being the focus of attention.

“We know that they want to be in the spotlight. I think it’s a very good opportunity for them,” she said. “Maybe they get a bit nervous at times, it’s the emotions, but they really like to be the center of attention.”

World Down Syndrome Day aims to celebrate the lives of individuals with Down syndrome while ensuring they receive equal rights and opportunities, and to increase public awareness. The United Nations General Assembly officially designated March 21 as the day of observance in 2011.

This year’s focus addresses combating loneliness, which the World Down Syndrome Day website notes affects people with Down syndrome disproportionately.

“Everyone feels lonely sometimes,” the organization states. “But for many people with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities, loneliness is a more common and painful experience.”

Russian government officials have employed creative justifications to shut down planned demonstrations against internet restrictions and the blocking of Telegram, the nation’s second-most popular messaging platform.

Local administrators cited everything from tree maintenance needs to snow clearing operations and lingering COVID-19 protocols to prevent rallies in nearly a dozen regions across Russia in recent weeks.

Their efforts largely succeeded. Aware of the harsh response to dissent following the invasion of Ukraine four years ago, protest organizers chose not to risk unauthorized gatherings, even for non-war related causes. Some pursued legal challenges to government denials of permits, while others shifted to smaller indoor meetings.

However, opposition continues to simmer across various political groups regarding restrictions on Russia’s second-most used messaging service, contributing to mounting public frustration over numerous national problems.

“Clearly the situation has changed, the laws have become stricter, but the protest hasn’t gone anywhere,” said Alexander Sustov, a legislator in Russia’s far eastern Primorye region where a pro-Telegram rally was blocked last month.

“Discontent remains. And any ban only fuels that discontent,” he said.

The Telegram restrictions represent Russia’s newest effort to bring internet communications under state oversight. Government censors have blocked thousands of websites and platforms, along with numerous virtual private networks that help users bypass restrictions. Extensive mobile internet shutdowns often leave only government-approved sites accessible.

Among Russian users, only WhatsApp surpasses Telegram in popularity, though it too faces severe limitations. Government agencies regularly use Telegram for official communications, as do pro-Kremlin commentators and military bloggers with massive followings.

Officials are promoting MAX, a government-supported messaging platform that critics describe as a surveillance mechanism.

Military bloggers have criticized the Telegram restrictions, contending the app serves as essential communication infrastructure for Russian forces in Ukraine and activists organizing fundraising efforts for Moscow’s military.

Initially, the government pledged not to limit Telegram access for battlefield use, but the Kremlin later sent mixed signals.

During an International Women’s Day meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a servicewoman labeled Telegram “an adversarial communications tool” and endorsed his statement that “the use of communications systems that are not ours, not under our control, poses a danger to personnel” in combat.

Unverified media accounts suggest complete blocking of the application may occur in coming weeks. Telegram recorded 93.6 million monthly Russian users in December 2025, representing 76% of the population according to monitoring organization Mediascope.

The Telegram blocking has mobilized diverse political factions, including war supporters and general Kremlin backers.

The broad dissatisfaction and absence of clear justification for the restrictions has made “people feel like they can afford to protest here,” explained political analyst Abbas Gallyamov.

Last month, Other Russia members, an ultranationalist, pro-war organization, secured the entrance to Roskomnadzor’s Moscow headquarters with bicycle cables and displayed a sign reading: “Give us an internet without supervision, (and) Russia without Roskom-disgrace.”

In December, the group displayed a banner at the agency’s St. Petersburg location stating, “Roskomnadzor, ban this banner.”

All participants faced arrest, with the Moscow demonstrators receiving criminal charges.

Communist Party regional offices, typically Kremlin-supportive, attempted to coordinate rallies in multiple locations. Altai region officials in Siberia rejected their request, claiming assertions of internet restrictions were “at odds with reality.” Southern Krasnodar has approved a late March rally on the city’s periphery.

Communist Party members successfully conducted pickets in northern cities Naryan-Mar and Syktyvkar, carrying signs declaring “It is not up to officials to decide what we read” and “The internet is not a prison.”

These represented rare exceptions, as authorities elsewhere denied rally permits or canceled them last-minute.

Perm organizers in the Ural Mountains secured approval for a March 15 demonstration, but received notice two hours beforehand of a “potential emergency situation” making the site unsuitable for gatherings.

Some attendees still appeared. Viktor Gilin, 80, displayed a banner reading, “Vladimir Putin! I demand that you bring back freedom of thought and speech — the internet!” He faced immediate detention and fines.

In Siberian Novosibirsk, authorities detained 16 individuals this month at a planned pro-Telegram gathering site. Despite not requiring authorization for protests at that location, participants found the area cordoned off for an alleged “tree inspection,” activist Roman Malozyomov reported.

Malozyomov and fellow activists, journalists and bystanders were held briefly before release. He immediately proceeded to Lenin Square for a solo demonstration with a sign expressing his desire to “stay connected,” featuring a crossed-out Roskomnadzor logo.

This week, activists in several regions submitted requests for March 29 rally authorization. Some faced immediate rejection.

Public demonstrations have become uncommon since violent suppression of anti-war protests in 2022, with political prosecutions surging and dissent-restricting legislation expanding.

Smaller protests have persisted in some areas, including unauthorized ones. Military wives demonstrated at the Kremlin and Defense Ministry in 2024, while over 1,000 people assembled that year in Bashkortostan to oppose a local activist’s imprisonment, leading to widespread arrests.

Siberian farmers protested this month against what they consider unnecessary cattle culling. In northern Komi, woodworking plant employees rallied for overdue wages.

Hundreds participated in an authorized October rally in Vladivostok opposing increased vehicle registration costs, marking one of the Pacific coast city’s largest gatherings in years.

In Siberian Tomsk, activist Anton Isakov recently organized approved demonstrations against blocking the popular gaming platform Roblox and another addressing animal cruelty.

When authorities permit protests, participants readily appear due to numerous issues “that people want to speak out about,” he explained. His attempts to secure pro-Telegram rally permits have been unsuccessful.

Malozyomov, the Novosibirsk activist, noted that small, authorized rallies addressing issues like high utility costs often receive approval because “the authorities are trying to give people an opportunity to vent, so that the tension doesn’t build up.”

Some are pursuing alternatives to rallies.

Konstantin Larionov in Kaluga, southwest of Moscow, and 41 others filed legal action against Roskomnadzor and government officials last year, claiming Telegram and WhatsApp restrictions violate free speech and privacy rights.

Larionov encouraged others to join through court email petitions, expanding the plaintiff count to 105. He found it encouraging to see people “from different parts of the country” willing to participate.

The court ruled in favor of authorities. Larionov appealed unsuccessfully but intends to pursue the case to the Supreme Court.

He acknowledges diminished protest capabilities in Russia but believes continued efforts remain important.

“We are, maybe, retreating a little bit, but we’re not giving up,” he said.

Analyst Gallyamov characterizes the Telegram protests as signaling popular discontent rather than “fighting the regime.”

However, “it is another crack in the foundation” of Putin’s rule, he said.

A young East African refugee thought he was finally safe when a California immigration judge granted him protection after 13 months in detention. Despite his asylum denial, the court ruled he couldn’t be sent home due to safety concerns.

“He told me: ‘Welcome to the U.S.,” the 28-year-old told The Associated Press, sharing his legal paperwork. “You are now protected by the U.S. law, so you can leave the center, work and stay in this country.”

Instead of freedom, the man found himself shackled aboard a charter flight bound for Equatorial Guinea, a West African oil-rich dictatorship that made a covert agreement with the Trump administration to accept deported migrants. The nation now serves as a holding station for people who cannot legally be returned to their homelands.

The refugee, who asked to remain unnamed due to safety fears, said he escaped his birth country after facing violence and imprisonment based on his ethnicity.

He joins 28 others sent to Equatorial Guinea, which Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the leading Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has labeled “one of the most corrupt governments in the world.”

Seven African countries have made similar arrangements with the United States to accept third-country deportees, creating what legal advocates describe as a workaround to American protection laws. Most of those sent away had received court orders preventing their return home, according to their attorneys.

The Associated Press previously spoke with a Moroccan gay asylum-seeker who was flown to Cameroon and eventually felt pressured to return to Morocco, where homosexuality is criminalized.

During a telephone conversation, the 28-year-old described how Equatorial Guinea officials push him to leave despite filing an asylum request there, which AP reviewed.

“They told us there is no any asylum or any protection in this country for us,” he explained. “So the best option is to leave the country as soon as possible.”

However, he said going back to a nation torn by ethnic violence was “not an option.”

America is sending people to other nations “to circumvent laws that forbid sending a person to a country where their life or freedom would be threatened,” explained Meredyth Yoon, litigation director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice, who has assisted deportees in Equatorial Guinea.

Yoon confirmed key details of the asylum-seeker’s story.

“Once deported, these individuals face impossible alternatives: indefinite detention without access to counsel, or forced deportation to the very countries they fled from,” she stated.

The 29 deportees originated from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Mauritania, Angola, Congo, Chad, Georgia, Ghana and Nigeria, according to a visiting attorney who requested anonymity given the country’s poor human rights situation. Officials prevented him from meeting most detainees.

The refugee said his deportation occurred in January. Previously, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents tried forcing him to sign papers claiming he wanted voluntary return to his homeland. He said they seemed shocked he could read the document, quoting one officer as saying: “I never knew Black people could read and write.”

After refusing to sign, he was moved to Arizona, where he spent five months in a windowless room with several others. Sanitation was poor and medical care was “very difficult” to obtain.

“One guy in my room became crazy and started shouting and hitting himself because he wanted to go home,” he recalled.

A judge rejected his asylum petition but approved protection under American law and the U.N. Convention Against Torture, which blocks return home while permitting transfer to a supposedly safe third nation.

“All the people told me that we are going back to Africa,” he remembered. “I needed to speak with my lawyer, but these ICE officers started using force, they started beating me.”

Following moves through California, Texas and Louisiana, he was handcuffed and transported to an airport during overnight hours.

The aircraft was operated by Omni Air International, a charter company, carrying others in similar situations, he said.

Upon landing, he learned their destination was Equatorial Guinea.

A Department of Homeland Security representative denied his allegations, stating ICE officers “did NOT beat, coerce, or use racial slurs” against him, calling him “an illegal alien” who “was processed as an expedited removal and was removed to Equatorial Guinea.”

“All of these illegal aliens deported to Equatorial Guinea received due process and had a final order of removal,” they added.

The man and fellow deportees are held in Malabo, the former capital city.

“It’s an old closed hotel and there are no other customers,” he described. “Most of us were sick because of the food. I was hospitalized for two days. There is also malaria here, two guys were hospitalized with that.”

Yoon said 17 detainees have been forced back to their origin countries after being told no alternatives exist, since Equatorial Guinea lacks asylum procedures.

“Everyone who I’ve talked to since they left is not in a good situation,” she noted. “Many of them are in hiding.”

One deportee returned to Mauritania still attempted requesting asylum from the prime minister’s office, according to documents reviewed by AP. The visiting lawyer forwarded copies to the United Nations refugee agency.

However, on Christmas Day, Equatorial Guinea authorities restrained him and placed him on an outbound flight.

“He alerted (authorities) to the fact that he had applied for asylum, and we contacted the U.S. Embassy in Malabo about his case but didn’t receive a response,” Yoon said.

The UN refugee agency declined commenting on specific cases. Larissa Schlotterbeck, regional head of external engagement, said Equatorial Guinea is developing asylum procedures and UNHCR is assisting with identifying people needing protection meanwhile.

The Trump administration allocated at least $40 million for deporting roughly 300 migrants to nations other than their homelands, based on a February Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democratic staff analysis. Other African partners include South Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, Eswatini, Ghana and Cameroon.

Equatorial Guinea obtained $7.5 million, Senator Shaheen revealed.

In correspondence to Secretary of State Marco Rubio obtained by AP, Shaheen called the “highly unusual payment” concerning regarding taxpayer money usage, noting it surpassed American foreign aid to Equatorial Guinea during the previous eight years.

Last year, the State Department granted temporary sanctions relief allowing Teodorin Obiang, son of Equatorial Guinea’s president and the nation’s vice president, to visit America. Obiang met with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.

Neither the State Department nor Equatorial Guinea officials responded to comment requests.

The 28-year-old asylum-seeker remains trapped in uncertainty. He considers this the most difficult aspect of his experience.

“Before, we were immigrants with hope,” he said. “But here, there is no more hope.”

LONDON (AP) — Recent Iranian strikes against Qatar’s natural gas production facilities have created a significant threat to worldwide technology manufacturing, as the disrupted helium output could impact everything from computer chip production to medical equipment operations.

While most people recognize helium as the substance that lifts party balloons, this gas serves critical functions in semiconductor manufacturing, rocket launches, and medical imaging equipment.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Qatar provides approximately one-third of global helium supplies, but the country was forced to suspend operations when conflict began three weeks ago. Following the most recent Iranian attacks on energy infrastructure, Qatar’s government-owned gas corporation announced helium shipments would decrease by 14%.

Understanding helium’s industrial significance:

Helium emerges as a secondary product during natural gas extraction through a process called cryogenic distillation. Qatar, which controls the planet’s largest individual natural gas reserve, generates roughly 30% of worldwide helium according to U.S. Geological Survey data.

The nation’s helium comes from the Ras Laffan complex, recognized as the globe’s most extensive liquefied natural gas operation. However, the state-controlled energy firm QatarGas stopped LNG production and related materials on March 2 following Iranian drone strikes, then announced force majeure two days afterward, indicating contractual obligations cannot be met due to uncontrollable circumstances.

Following additional Iranian bombardments on Wednesday and Thursday that targeted Ras Laffan again, QatarGas documented widespread destruction requiring years of reconstruction and reducing yearly helium shipments by 14%.

“It makes the story worse,” said Phil Kornbluth, president of Kornbluth Helium Consulting. “Your best case scenario would be you’re back producing some helium in six weeks or something like that. As it looks right now, that’s highly unlikely.”

Market prices for helium have increased twofold since the crisis began and will likely climb higher, Kornbluth explained.

However, immediate market trading represents only approximately 2% of total transactions during typical periods, he noted. Helium operates as a specialty commodity primarily distributed through extended agreements.

Nevertheless, contract costs “could go up a lot,” Kornbluth stated. “There’s lots of room for price increase if this is an extended outage.”

Kornbluth explained the supply shortage hasn’t materialized yet, since helium shipments that should have been loaded when fighting started in early March would require additional weeks to reach Asian destinations.

“Nobody’s run out of helium yet. But it’s a few weeks out when the shortage really hits.”

Helium plays a vital role in semiconductor production, including advanced processors used in artificial intelligence systems manufactured at Asian facilities.

The gas excels at heat conduction and transfer, making it perfect for quick cooling applications.

Semiconductor manufacturers utilize helium to reduce temperatures of wafers — silicon disks containing microscopic electronic pathways. The gas is employed during etching procedures, when deposited materials are removed from wafers to create transistor formations, explained Jacob Feldgoise, an analyst at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology.

Throughout the etching procedure, “you really want to maintain a constant temperature over the wafer. And in order to do that, you need to be able to draw heat away from the wafer that’s being processed,” Feldgoise said. “Helium is an excellent thermal conductor. And so chip fabs will blow helium over the back of the wafer in order to speed heat removal and keep heat removal consistent.”

Current semiconductor production methods lack any practical alternative to helium for wafer cooling, according to Jong-hwan Lee, a professor of semiconductor devices at South Korea’s Sangmyung University.

Healthcare facilities depend on helium to cool superconducting magnets that operate magnetic resonance imaging equipment.

Space companies utilize helium to clean rocket fuel storage systems, with demand projected to increase due to more frequent missions by organizations like SpaceX and Blue Origin.

Helium’s molecular characteristics create storage and transportation challenges.

As a gas, helium’s microscopic particles easily escape storage systems by seeping through even tiny openings.

Qatar’s energy company typically freezes helium into liquid state and stores it in specialized insulated vessels for shipment through the Strait of Hormuz. These custom containers maintain helium for 35 to 48 days. Beyond that timeframe, they begin heating up, causing helium to return to gas form and escape through safety release mechanisms.

Approximately 200 of these vessels remain trapped in the Middle East, Kornbluth reported. Each container costs roughly $1 million, so additional units aren’t readily available elsewhere.

“It’s going to take a fair amount of time to get these containers out of Qatar and to get them somewhere else where they might be able to be filled with helium,” he explained.

“So this initial period when you lose Qatar supply and have to rejig the supply chain and reposition containers, that’s going to be the worst part of the shortage most likely.”

Only a limited number of nations manufacture helium.

The United States leads production, generating 81 million cubic meters annually. Qatar, Algeria and Russia represent other major suppliers, though Russian materials are prohibited under United States and European Union sanctions.

USGS calculations show the United States possesses 8.5 billion cubic meters of extractable helium in underground formations, while other countries hold 31.3 billion cubic meters.

The conflict emphasizes the extensive international supply networks supporting South Korea’s semiconductor sector, which has experienced increased worldwide demand for its processors during the AI expansion.

Fitch Ratings released a report this week indicating the country — headquarters to Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, the planet’s largest memory chip manufacturers — faces particular supply shortage risks because it imports approximately 65% of its helium from Qatar.

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix probably maintain several months of stock, but they must urgently secure alternative sources, Lee emphasized, as the conflict could continue and potentially interrupt additional material supplies beyond helium.

Helium ranks among 14 semiconductor supply chain components the Seoul government monitors due to significant war-related vulnerability.

“Even disruptions affecting just a handful of materials could destabilize the entire semiconductor manufacturing process as each stage of production depends on the previous one,” Lee stated.

Nevertheless, a complete helium emergency remains unlikely, specialists indicated. During shortages, Kornbluth said the helium sector prioritizes distribution based on necessity, placing essential industries like chipmaking and healthcare first in line.

Since helium represents a minor portion of overall semiconductor production expenses, manufacturing facilities likely “would be willing to pay a higher price” to obtain supplies, Feldgoise noted.

Samsung and SK Hynix refused to answer questions regarding inventory levels or diversification strategies. The Korea Semiconductor Industry Association confirmed short-term supplies remain adequate and companies have been expanding their supply sources.

Major chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company also stated it does not “anticipate any significant impact at this time” but will continue monitoring developments.

President Donald Trump suggested Friday he may be ready to reduce American military involvement in the Middle East, posting this message at the same time his administration is deploying three additional amphibious assault vessels and approximately 2,500 more Marines to the area.

The president’s Friday social media statement came after Iran issued warnings about targeting tourist and recreational locations globally, amid another day of aerial bombardments and missile exchanges across the region.

These contradictory signals from Washington emerged following another surge in petroleum costs that sent U.S. markets tumbling, prompting the Trump administration to announce it would temporarily suspend sanctions on Iranian crude oil already aboard vessels in an effort to control rising fuel costs.

The conflict, now in its third week, continues to escalate without any indication of resolution, as Israel reported Iran launched additional missiles early Saturday morning, while Saudi Arabia announced it intercepted 20 unmanned aircraft within just hours in its eastern provinces where critical oil infrastructure is located.

These latest strikes occurred one day after Israeli warplanes targeted locations in Tehran during Iran’s celebration of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, a traditionally joyous occasion now overshadowed by warfare.

American and Israeli officials have provided varying explanations for the military campaign, ranging from hopes of sparking internal rebellion against Iran’s government to destroying its nuclear and missile capabilities. No evidence of such an uprising has emerged publicly, and no conclusion to the hostilities appears imminent.

Trump wrote on social media: “We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East.”

This statement appeared to contradict his administration’s decision to increase military assets in the region while requesting an additional $200 billion from Congress for war funding.

According to an official who spoke with The Associated Press, the United States is sending three more amphibious assault vessels along with roughly 2,500 additional Marines to the Middle East. Two other U.S. officials verified the ship deployments without specifying their destinations. All three sources requested anonymity when discussing classified military movements.

Earlier this week, the U.S. redirected another group of amphibious assault ships carrying an additional 2,500 Marines from Pacific operations to the Middle East. These forces will supplement more than 50,000 American troops already stationed in the region.

While Trump has stated he has no intention of deploying ground forces into Iran, he has also maintained that all military options remain available.

Iranian military spokesman Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi issued a warning Friday that “parks, recreational areas and tourist destinations” worldwide would not be secure for the country’s adversaries. This threat has raised fresh concerns that Tehran might return to using militant attacks outside the Middle East as a strategy to apply pressure.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei commended Iranians’ resilience during wartime in a written message broadcast on Iranian television for Nowruz. Khamenei has not appeared publicly since assuming the supreme leadership role after Israeli attacks killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and allegedly injured him.

With limited information emerging from Iran, the extent of damage to its weapons, nuclear, or energy infrastructure from intensive U.S. and Israeli bombardments that started February 28 remains unclear, as does the question of who is actually governing the country. However, Iran’s counterattacks continue to disrupt oil supplies and drive up food and fuel costs well beyond the Middle East.

Israeli military forces announced early Saturday they had begun a series of strikes against Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters in southern Beirut neighborhoods.

Residents observed smoke rising, fires erupting, and heard powerful explosions throughout parts of central Beirut, following renewed Israeli military evacuation orders for seven districts.

Israeli operations against Hezbollah forces in Lebanon have resulted in more than 1,000 deaths and displaced over 1 million people, according to Lebanese government statistics.

Casualties in Iran during the war have exceeded 1,300 people. In Israel, Iranian missiles have killed 15 individuals, with four additional deaths in the occupied West Bank. At least 13 U.S. service members have lost their lives.

Brent crude oil, the global benchmark, has climbed dramatically during the fighting and was trading around $106 per barrel, up from approximately $70 before the conflict began.

The recently announced U.S. sanctions suspension covers Iranian oil loaded onto ships as of Friday and will expire April 19.

This measure does not increase production output, which is a key driver of the price increases. Iran has successfully circumvented U.S. sanctions for years, indicating that much of its exported oil already reaches international buyers.

In seeking methods to increase global oil availability during the Iran conflict, the Trump administration previously suspended sanctions on specific Russian oil shipments for 30 days, which opponents criticized as benefiting Moscow while providing only minimal market relief.

Iranian officials carried out the executions of three young men this week, including a 19-year-old wrestling champion, sparking concerns among international human rights organizations that authorities may be launching a broader campaign of state killings targeting protesters.

The deaths of these three individuals mark the initial executions from the tens of thousands of people detained during Iranian security forces’ January suppression of widespread demonstrations. Human rights advocates warn that more than 100 additional protesters may be facing potential death sentences.

Saleh Mohammadi, the teenage wrestler, was executed alongside Mehdi Qasemi and Saeed Davoudi early Thursday morning in the city of Qom, located south of Tehran, according to Iranian state media reports. The trio had received death sentences under charges of “moharabeh,” translated as “waging war against God,” for their alleged involvement in the deaths of two police officers during demonstrations in their city.

Amnesty International condemned the convictions, stating the three men and others detained during the protests were subjected to “grossly unfair trials” where authorities used confessions obtained through torture.

According to Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, who directs the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights organization, the executions were “intended to instill fear in society and deter new protests” during the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran.

Amiry-Moghaddam expressed concern that numerous additional “executions of protesters and political prisoners may be imminent.”

His organization has verified at least 27 death sentences handed down to individuals arrested during the demonstrations. An additional 100 people face charges carrying potential death penalties, while Iranian state television has broadcast hundreds of coerced confessions to capital crimes, according to Amiry-Moghaddam.

The nationwide demonstrations that started in late December reached their peak during January’s first week, triggering the most lethal government response since the Islamic Republic’s establishment in 1979.

Determining an accurate casualty count has proven difficult due to government-imposed internet restrictions. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists New Agency, which maintains contacts throughout Iran, confirmed more than 7,000 deaths while investigating thousands of additional cases. The organization reported over 50,000 arrests within just six weeks. Iranian officials acknowledged more than 3,000 fatalities.

During the protest movement’s height, Iranian leadership indicated that rapid trials and executions would follow.

U.S. President Donald Trump had suggested military intervention might be necessary to halt the violent crackdown. However, he later announced that he had learned execution plans were suspended, indicating military action was no longer being considered.

One month afterward, Israel and the United States began an intensive aerial bombing campaign against Iran, striking military facilities and targeting senior political and security officials. The security agencies believed responsible for the protester crackdown are also being attacked.

Even during wartime, Iranian authorities have maintained their suppression of dissent. Officials report dozens of additional detentions since the war commenced on February 28, including some who participated in January’s protests.

Due to Iran’s internet shutdown, limited information is available about Thursday’s executed men. Amiry-Moghaddam noted that Davoudi was born March 20, 2004, meaning his execution occurred one day before his 22nd birthday. Qasemi’s age remains unknown.

Mohammadi had distinguished himself in wrestling, an extremely popular sport throughout Iran. He earned a bronze medal in 2024 at an international youth freestyle wrestling competition held in Krasnoyarsk, Russia.

His Instagram profile featured photographs and videos from competitions and training sessions, accompanied by motivational messages about perseverance. His final post in late December showed him exercising at a gym with the caption: “We endured beyond our imagination. Back again #bodybuilding #training #wrestling.”

“He was full of energy,” recalled Shiva Amelirad, an Iranian educator now living in Toronto who had spoken with Mohammadi in 2022 during his high school years.

Amelirad explained that Mohammadi had joined anti-government demonstrations that erupted earlier that year following Mahsa Amini’s death in police custody after her detention for improper headscarf wearing. Those protests also faced severe government suppression.

She said Mohammadi shared that exercise and eating ice cream were his only methods “to forget all this catastrophe that we are facing.”

“He always tried to show that he was happy,” Amelirad remembered.

Multiple human rights organizations report that Mohammadi, Qasemi and Davoudi were arrested in Qom on January 15. The details surrounding their arrests remain unclear, and it’s unknown whether they were previously acquainted.

They faced charges in connection with a police officer’s killing on January 8 and received convictions in early February, according to both Amnesty and Iran Human Rights.

While detained, Mohammadi suffered beatings and had one hand broken, Amnesty reported in a February 19 public letter to Iran’s judiciary criticizing the prosecution of numerous arrested demonstrators. Amnesty stated that Mohammadi rejected the charges and withdrew his confessions in court, claiming they were obtained through torture.

“Authorities have systematically subjected those arrested in connection to the protests to enforced disappearance, incommunicado detention, torture to extract forced ‘confessions,’” Amnesty stated in their letter.

Mizan, the Iranian judiciary’s official news outlet, confirmed Thursday’s executions of the three men, broadcasting footage of them wearing prison clothing in court. The agency claimed they had admitted to killing two police officers using “knives and swords,” and displayed video purporting to show them recreating the killings for court officials.

Amiry-Moghaddam from Iran Human Rights said the Islamic Republic is fighting for survival “and is well aware that the main threat to its existence comes not from external actors, but from the Iranian people demanding fundamental change.”

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed his support for President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace initiative aimed at funding and implementing basic reconstruction efforts in Gaza, according to a Politico report published Saturday.

In an interview with the publication, Guterres indicated his organization is actively working alongside the board’s framework. “There is an objective there that was defined, approved by the Security Council, and we are cooperating actively with structures created by the Board of Peace,” Guterres stated.

However, the UN leader emphasized that he believes the board’s role should remain limited to Gaza’s rebuilding efforts. “This is not the effective way to address the dramatic problems that we have now. We need to be clear about international law, to be clear about the values of the Charter of the United Nations. That is essential in any peace initiative,” he explained.

During the interview, Guterres also addressed regional tensions, urging Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He proposed that the United Nations could play a role in safeguarding the crucial waterway and contribute to reducing ongoing attacks in the area.

The Secretary-General revealed he has not had direct communication with President Trump since the conflict began, though he has maintained contact with other members of the administration.

Israeli forces launched military strikes against Iran and Lebanon on Saturday while the United States announced plans to deploy thousands of additional Marines to the Middle East, as President Donald Trump criticized NATO partners for their unwillingness to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The death toll has exceeded 2,000 since U.S. and Israeli forces began their offensive against Iran on February 28, with growing American concerns about the conflict’s potential expansion as it continues into its fourth week.

Saturday’s Israeli operations targeted Hezbollah positions in Lebanon’s capital city, marking an escalation in airstrikes against the Iranian-supported group. This represents the most significant expansion of the Iranian conflict since Hezbollah began attacking Israel on March 2 in solidarity with Tehran.

Israeli military officials confirmed they also conducted fresh strikes against Iranian targets Saturday, including locations within Tehran itself.

Critical energy facilities throughout Iran and neighboring Gulf nations have come under attack, causing oil prices to spike 50% since hostilities began and raising fears of worldwide economic disruption.

United Airlines responded to the crisis by announcing a 5% reduction in scheduled flights for the second and third quarters, anticipating continued elevated fuel costs.

The strategically important Strait of Hormuz, which handles approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, has remained largely inaccessible to commercial vessels since the U.S.-Israeli military campaign commenced.

President Trump criticized American allies as “cowards” on Friday for refusing to participate in efforts to reopen the waterway while combat operations continue.

Multiple allied nations, who were not briefed prior to the conflict’s start, have committed to joining “appropriate efforts” to restore safe maritime passage through the strait. However, Germany and France have insisted that fighting must cease first. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz indicated he would discuss the situation with Trump over the weekend.

Iran has signaled willingness to permit Japanese-affiliated ships to transit the Strait of Hormuz, according to Kyodo News reports Saturday, citing Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. Japan relies on the strait for approximately 90% of its oil imports.

In an attempt to boost supply and reduce prices, the Trump administration announced a 30-day sanctions waiver allowing the sale of 140 million barrels of Iranian oil currently held on tankers due to the conflict. The administration had previously implemented similar relief measures for sanctioned Russian oil.

Before Saturday’s attacks, Israeli military personnel issued evacuation orders for seven neighborhoods in southern Beirut suburbs. Lebanese casualties have surpassed 1,000 deaths, with more than one million people displaced by Israeli strikes.

Friday saw Israeli forces execute two major bombing campaigns against Tehran and central Iran, while Israel endured several rounds of Iranian missile attacks, according to Israeli military reports.

As Muslims throughout the region began Eid al-Fitr celebrations marking Ramadan’s end Friday evening, and Iranians observed Nowruz, their traditional New Year, Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei released a defiant statement.

Khamenei, who has remained out of public view since an Israeli attack killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on the conflict’s opening day, declared that Iranians had responded with “unity and resistance” and “dealt a disorienting blow to the enemy.”

A U.S. intelligence official, speaking anonymously, suggested Khamenei’s written statement raises concerns about his wellbeing, noting his father traditionally delivered New Year messages via video.

Three U.S. officials informed Reuters Friday that 2,500 Marines, accompanied by the amphibious assault vessel Boxer and supporting warships, would be dispatched to the region, though their specific mission remains undisclosed.

A recent Reuters/Ipsos survey revealed nearly two-thirds of Americans expect Trump to authorize troops for large-scale ground combat, with only 7% supporting such action.

Two officials confirmed no final decision has been made regarding ground troop deployment into Iran. Sources previously told Reuters that potential targets might include Iran’s coastline or the Kharg Island oil export facility.

When questioned Thursday about troop deployment plans, Trump stated he was “not putting troops anywhere,” adding, “If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you.”

Trump indicated the United States was approaching its military objectives, which include weakening Iran’s armed forces and preventing nuclear weapons development, and suggested the possibility of reducing military operations.

BEIRUT (AP) — Twelve healthcare workers died instantly when an Israeli airstrike hit a medical facility in southern Lebanon, with one person critically injured and four others trapped beneath debris for hours.

The March 13 attack on the village of Burj Qalaouiyah facility represents one of the most devastating single incidents since the current Israel-Hezbollah conflict erupted on March 2. The targeted medical center operated under Hezbollah’s healthcare division, the Islamic Health Society, which has now lost 24 staff members during the past two weeks of fighting.

Israeli forces have expanded their strategy beyond attacking Hezbollah’s military capabilities, now systematically targeting the organization’s civilian operations in what appears to be an effort to diminish the Iran-supported group’s influence and erode its popular support base.

The militant organization functions both as an armed faction and political entity, with its healthcare and community service programs serving as key pillars of its public backing throughout the years.

Beyond medical facilities, Israeli airstrikes have eliminated more than twelve locations belonging to Hezbollah’s banking operation, al-Qard al-Hasan. Additional bombardments have severely damaged the organization’s Al-Manar television headquarters and Al-Nour radio broadcasting centers.

The military campaign has also focused on the group’s Amana fuel stations and Sajjad discount retail outlets, where economically disadvantaged residents purchase heavily subsidized goods.

Wednesday’s Israeli airstrike on a residential building in central Beirut resulted in the deaths of Mohammed Sherri, who directed political programming for Hezbollah’s Al-Manar television network, and his spouse.

Israeli officials claim Hezbollah operates military functions within healthcare facilities and assert that al-Qard al-Hasan — formally registered as a charitable organization providing no-interest loans — funds the group’s armed operations. Lebanon’s Health Ministry rejects Israeli allegations regarding military use of Hezbollah medical facilities.

“This represents a distinct conflict that will not conclude through ceasefire agreements,” stated Hilal Khashan, a political science professor at American University of Beirut. “This conflict will persist until Israel accomplishes its complete goal — eliminating Hezbollah not merely as a military force, but ultimately removing Hezbollah entirely from Lebanon’s political arena.”

Hezbollah faces mounting domestic and international demands to surrender its weapons and recognizes this current confrontation as pivotal. Fierce fighting along Lebanon’s southern frontier between Hezbollah militants and advancing Israeli forces has resulted in numerous Lebanese fighter casualties.

During Monday’s visit to the northern battlefront, Israeli army commander Gen. Eyal Zamir declared that Hezbollah now engages in “a conflict for its survival and faces severe consequences for joining this confrontation.” He emphasized that Israeli military pressure will continue to “escalate further.”

“This constitutes an existential struggle. It is neither limited nor straightforward,” Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem declared during a weekend televised address. Kassem pledged his organization would continue fighting indefinitely and never capitulate.

Israeli authorities maintain that Lebanon has failed to disarm the organization according to the Lebanese government’s own commitments, therefore Israel will complete this objective independently.

Contrasting with earlier Israeli conflicts, the current situation occurs while the Lebanese government has declared Hezbollah’s military operations unlawful and officials have arrested multiple group members for unauthorized weapons possession.

Similar to past conflicts, Hezbollah faces domestic criticism from Lebanese opponents who hold the Iran-backed organization responsible for initiating this war through rocket attacks on Israel. Hezbollah launched these rockets in retaliation for the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, occurring less than 48 hours after U.S. and Israeli operations against Iran commenced, sparking regional warfare.

Israel responded with extensive aerial bombardment campaigns across Lebanese territories, resulting in over 1,000 fatalities and displacing more than one million residents from southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as Beirut’s southern neighborhoods.

“Hezbollah executed a self-destructive action that will not alter the situation,” commented legislator Samy Gemayel, who leads the nationalist Kataeb Party, adding that Tehran exploits Lebanon “as a launching pad to protect Iran.”

The previous 34-day Israel-Hezbollah war in 2006 concluded without a clear victor. A 14-month conflict beginning in October 2023 — when Hezbollah fired rockets supporting Palestinians following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault on southern Israel — eliminated much of Hezbollah’s political and military leadership and significantly weakened but did not destroy the organization.

Following airstrikes against Hezbollah facilities even in central Beirut, local residents demonstrated and compelled the group to shut down an al-Qard al-Hasan branch in the capital’s center. Yielding to public pressure, employees removed the financial institution’s signage and dismantled automated teller machines, ending its presence in central Beirut.

Amnesty International has declared that al-Qard al-Hasan branches do not constitute legitimate military objectives under international humanitarian law and that these strikes warrant investigation as potential war crimes.

“The Israeli military appears to operate under the assumption that designating something as Hezbollah-connected, whether healthcare personnel, residences in border communities, or financial institutions, makes it a valid target. This approach is incorrect,” said Heba Morayef, regional director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.

Mahmoud Karaki from Hezbollah’s Islamic Health Society reported that during the most recent 2024 conflict, his organization lost 153 members in Israeli attacks. However, he promised the group would maintain its operations as it has during previous wars.

“By attacking us, they target the support system for civilians and their resilience in areas under assault,” Karaki stated.

The Israeli military’s Arabic spokesperson has alleged that Hezbollah uses ambulances for weapons and fighter transportation, accusations the paramedic organization firmly denies.

Hezbollah and Iranian representatives have indicated that any cessation of U.S.-Israeli operations against Iran must also include ending Israeli attacks in Lebanon.

Senior Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qamati informed Lebanon’s Al-Jadeed television Monday that “Iran will not abandon Lebanon or the resistance, nor will it permit Lebanon to remain defenseless,” adding that “Lebanon will participate in this victory and will not be abandoned.”

When asked whether Tehran could accept a ceasefire halting strikes on Iran while continuing in Lebanon, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded: “I doubt that.”

“We reject ceasefire concepts; we support ending the war completely. And concluding the war means precisely that — terminating warfare on all battlegrounds,” Araghchi told Al Jazeera English, adding this encompasses Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Iran and “additional regional nations.”

While the United States dispatches additional warships and Marines to the Middle East, President Donald Trump announced his administration is exploring the possibility of reducing military operations in the region, despite Iran’s threats to target tourist destinations globally.

These conflicting signals from Washington emerged as rising oil costs sent U.S. stock markets tumbling, leading the Trump administration to announce it would remove sanctions on Iranian oil currently aboard vessels in an effort to combat skyrocketing fuel costs.

Combat operations continue to escalate without any indication of slowing down.

Israeli forces reported that Iran maintained its missile attacks against Israeli territory early Saturday morning, while Saudi officials confirmed they intercepted 20 drone attacks within just two hours in the kingdom’s eastern provinces, where critical oil infrastructure is located. Saudi defense officials reported no casualties or infrastructure damage from the attacks.

Casualty figures have climbed beyond 1,300 fatalities in Iran, over 1,000 deaths in Lebanon, 15 Israeli casualties, and 13 American service members killed in the region. The conflict has forced millions of Lebanese and Iranian civilians from their homes.

Recent developments include:

Israeli defense forces announced early Saturday they were conducting operations against targets in Tehran.

This announcement followed the military’s earlier statement that it had launched a series of strikes against Hezbollah installations throughout Beirut’s southern suburbs in Lebanon.

Earlier that day, Israeli forces issued fresh evacuation orders for seven Beirut suburban neighborhoods, causing some residents to discharge firearms as warning signals for families who had returned home to evacuate once again.

Initial reports indicated no immediate casualties from these operations.

United Airlines’ chief executive told company staff the airline is bracing for oil prices to remain near $100 per barrel through the end of 2025.

In a Friday message to United personnel, CEO Scott Kirby explained that jet fuel costs, which have more than doubled over the past three weeks, would result in $11 billion in annual expenses for the carrier if current price levels persist.

Brent crude oil has fluctuated dramatically from approximately $70 per barrel before the Iranian conflict began to peaks of $119.50 this week.

Regarding United’s contingency planning, Kirby stated, “I think there’s a good chance it won’t be that bad, but … there isn’t much downside for us to preparing for that outcome.”

WASHINGTON – Cuban authorities have turned down a request from the United States Embassy in Havana seeking permission to bring in diesel fuel for power generators, this while the Trump administration maintains its ongoing fuel embargo against the Caribbean nation, according to two U.S. officials with knowledge of the situation.

The rejection comes as the State Department considers cutting personnel at its Havana diplomatic mission due to diesel shortages. Such a reduction would likely prompt Washington to demand corresponding staff cuts at Cuba’s embassy in the nation’s capital, the officials said, speaking anonymously due to the delicate nature of the discussions.

The Washington Post initially broke the story of Cuba’s refusal.

The island nation has faced severe petroleum shortages since the United States moved against Venezuela’s leadership, cutting off vital oil deliveries from that country. President Trump subsequently warned other nations against selling or providing oil to Cuba, threatening them with tariffs.

Cuban authorities are now depending on domestic natural gas, solar energy, and locally produced oil to operate power plants, though these sources fall short of meeting the country’s energy needs.

This diesel dispute unfolds as Trump pushes for significant governmental changes under Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel’s leadership.

The president has indicated that Cuban officials would be wise to avoid the same outcome as former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who faced removal and arrest during a U.S. military intervention in January. Venezuela had served as Cuba’s primary ally and oil supplier through heavily discounted petroleum deals.

Embassy staffing cuts aren’t expected in the immediate future, as American officials believe current diesel reserves will sustain operations for approximately one more month, according to one source.

Last week, Díaz-Canel acknowledged that Cuba has engaged in discussions with Washington. This represented the first official confirmation from the Caribbean nation regarding widely rumored talks with the Trump administration during its ongoing pressure campaign.

Relief organizations started flying humanitarian supplies to Cuba on Friday, delivering solar panels, food supplies, and medical equipment.

The island is preparing to receive a Russian oil delivery later this month, marking its first petroleum shipment in three months.

Both Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have identified the island as the next location where America can extend its regional influence.

The Associated Press previously reported that the Trump administration seeks Díaz-Canel’s departure while continuing diplomatic negotiations with Cuban leadership. Officials have not specified who they would prefer to see assume power.

Iranian forces launched a pair of ballistic missiles targeting the Diego Garcia military installation but failed to strike the joint U.S.-British base located in the Indian Ocean, according to a Friday report from the Wall Street Journal citing several American officials.

According to the newspaper’s sources, one of the intermediate-range missiles experienced a malfunction while airborne, and a U.S. naval vessel deployed an SM-3 defensive missile against the second projectile, though officials could not confirm whether the defensive action was successful. The Wall Street Journal did not provide details about the timing of the missile attack.

Neither the White House nor representatives from the British embassy in Washington or the U.K. Ministry of Defence provided immediate responses when Reuters sought comment on the reported incident.

Israeli forces launched fresh airstrikes targeting Hezbollah positions in Lebanon’s capital during the early morning hours Saturday, military officials confirmed.

Before conducting the strikes, Israeli authorities issued evacuation orders for residents in seven neighborhoods located in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

No casualties were immediately reported following the attacks.

The latest military action comes as Israel has intensified its aerial campaign against Lebanese targets during the third week of ongoing hostilities with the Iran-supported militant organization.

The current conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has emerged as the most lethal escalation stemming from the broader U.S.-Israeli confrontation with Iran, beginning when the Lebanese militant faction launched attacks against Israel in solidarity with Tehran on March 2. The violence has resulted in more than 1,000 deaths across Lebanon and forced over one million people from their homes.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — As Middle Eastern conflict enters its third week, Iran issued fresh warnings Friday about expanding retaliation against recreational and tourist locations globally, while Washington announced additional naval vessels and Marines heading to the region.

Later that day, President Donald Trump posted on social media that his administration was contemplating a “wind-down” of military activities in the area. His statement followed another oil price surge that sent U.S. markets tumbling.

These contradictory signals emerged as the conflict shows no indication of slowing.

Iranian forces launched fresh strikes against Israeli targets and energy infrastructure in nearby Gulf nations, coinciding with one of Islam’s most sacred observances. Iranians simultaneously marked Nowruz, their traditional New Year celebration, while Israeli bombing campaigns hit Tehran.

Limited intelligence from Iran makes it difficult to assess damage to the nation’s weapons facilities, nuclear installations, or energy infrastructure from sustained American and Israeli bombardments that commenced February 28. Questions also remain about Iran’s current leadership structure. However, Iranian attacks continue disrupting oil distribution and driving up food and fuel costs worldwide.

Washington and Tel Aviv have provided varying justifications for military action, ranging from encouraging internal Iranian revolt to dismantling the country’s nuclear and missile capabilities. No evidence of popular uprising has emerged, and no conclusion to hostilities appears imminent.

Trump stated in his social media message: “We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East.”

This statement contradicted his administration’s decision to strengthen regional military presence and seek an additional $200 billion in congressional war funding.

Pentagon officials confirmed to The Associated Press that three additional amphibious assault vessels carrying approximately 2,500 Marines are deploying to the Middle East. Two additional officials verified ship movements without specifying destinations. All sources requested anonymity due to operational sensitivity.

Earlier this week, the military redirected another amphibious group with 2,500 Marines from Pacific operations to Middle Eastern waters. These forces will supplement over 50,000 American military personnel already stationed regionally.

While Trump has ruled out ground invasion of Iran, he maintains that all military options remain available.

Iranian Revolutionary Guard spokesman Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini told state media Friday that missile production continues despite Israeli claims of destroying manufacturing capacity. Iranian television later reported Naeini’s death in an airstrike.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei issued a written Nowruz statement praising Iranian resilience during wartime. He characterized American and Israeli attacks as based on false assumptions that eliminating top Iranian officials would trigger governmental collapse.

Khamenei has remained out of public view since assuming supreme leadership after Israeli strikes killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and reportedly injured him. Airstrikes have also eliminated Iran’s Supreme National Security Council head and numerous other senior officials.

Iran’s chief military spokesman, Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, declared that “parks, recreational areas and tourist destinations” worldwide would become unsafe for enemy nations. This threat raises concerns about Iran returning to international militant tactics as leverage.

NATO commander Gen. Alexus Grynkewich announced the alliance relocated several hundred Iraqi-based personnel to Europe. These advisors had been working with Iraqi defense officials before Iranian attacks targeted British, French, and Italian military installations.

Since Israel bombed Iran’s massive South Pars offshore gas field, Iranian attacks on Gulf neighbors have intensified while maintaining shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, through which twenty percent of global oil and essential goods transit.

Early Friday, two Iranian drone waves struck a Kuwaiti oil refinery, igniting fires. The Mina Al-Ahmadi facility processes approximately 730,000 barrels daily, ranking among the Middle East’s largest refineries.

Brent crude oil, the international benchmark, has climbed to around $108 per barrel during fighting, up from roughly $70 before hostilities began.

Trump’s social media post provided unclear guidance on strait security, suggesting other nations using the waterway should patrol it, though this wouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat “is eradicated.”

The president previously criticized NATO allies as “cowards” for not directly participating in waterway security operations.

British officials announced Friday they agreed to allow American forces to use UK bases for operations preventing Iranian shipping attacks in the strait.

Powerful explosions rocked Dubai as air defense systems intercepted incoming fire over the city, where many observed Eid al-Fitr, marking Ramadan’s conclusion.

Jerusalem experienced loud explosions after Israeli military warned of approaching Iranian missiles. Military officials reported missile debris struck Jerusalem’s Old City perimeter, near sites sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Iranian casualties have exceeded 1,300 during the conflict. Israeli operations against Iran-backed Hezbollah forces in Lebanon have displaced over one million people, with Lebanese authorities reporting more than 1,000 deaths. In Israel, Iranian missiles have killed 15 civilians, while four others died in the occupied West Bank. American military deaths total at least 13.

HAVANA — International solidarity efforts reached Cuba Friday as approximately 650 representatives from 33 nations and 120 organizations delivered roughly 20 tons of emergency humanitarian supplies to the island nation struggling through a devastating energy shortage.

The delegates participating in the “Our America Convoy to Cuba” touched down via aircraft from Italy, France, Spain, the United States, and multiple Latin American nations, with additional participants expected to dock Saturday aboard a three-ship flotilla departing from Mexico, according to organizers.

An advance team of activists had already reached Havana Wednesday, distributing donated supplies directly to medical facilities.

This international relief effort unfolds against a backdrop of escalating U.S.-Cuba tensions, with both governments confirming ongoing diplomatic discussions following President Donald Trump’s implementation of an oil embargo. Trump recently declared he anticipated having the “honor” of “taking Cuba in some form,” stating: “I can do anything I want.”

The donated materials include solar energy equipment, food supplies, and cancer treatment medications for the island, which has experienced widespread disruptions since Trump’s January energy embargo intensified an ongoing five-year economic downturn as his administration pushes for governmental restructuring.

“In the end, we are dozens and dozens of delegates, and we represent millions of people in this convoy,” declared David Adler, an American citizen serving as coordinator for Progressive International, among the caravan’s organizing groups. “We cannot allow this collective punishment. We cannot normalize it.”

Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío responded Friday to speculation regarding potential governmental changes or possible removal of Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel through the current bilateral negotiations.

“The Cuban political system is not up for negotiation, nor is the president, nor the position of any official in Cuba, subject to negotiation with the United States or with the government of any other country,” Fernández de Cossío stated.

He emphasized numerous areas of mutual interest where Washington dialogue remains feasible, citing historical precedent.

Manolo de los Santos, representing The People’s Forum — another organizing entity — characterized traveling to Cuba currently as both “defying the U.S. blockade” and preventing “another Gaza in the Americas.”

Multiple experts and regional officials, including Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, have cautioned about potential humanitarian catastrophe in Cuba.

Adler noted overlapping support between the Gaza-bound flotilla and the Cuba mission. Beyond social advocates, the Cuban effort encompasses labor organizations, notable personalities, and political movements, including Mexico’s Morena party, Brazil’s Workers’ Party, and Uruguay’s Broad Front.

Prominent participants include British Parliament member Jeremy Corbyn; Colombian Senator Clara López; former Spanish political leader Pablo Iglesias; American labor organizer Chris Smalls; and Brazilian humanitarian worker Thiago Ávila.

Following weeks where Cuba received assistance solely from Mexico, which provided food and sanitary supplies through three separate shipments, international activists and officials began forming support networks and gathering donations.

Díaz-Canel conveyed appreciation through social media platforms.

“They bring shipments of aid to combat the attempt to suffocate us. Welcome once again to the compassion of the people. Solidarity always returns to those who practice it with no other interest than human well-being,” the president stated.

Brazil separately announced plans to ship 20,000 tons of food items, mainly rice, beans, and milk powder. Chilean legislators also delivered aid Thursday, while China confirmed through its embassy that a vessel loaded with 60,000 tons of rice had departed for Cuba.

WASHINGTON – Since launching military operations alongside Israel against Iran in late February, President Donald Trump and his senior officials have presented constantly changing justifications and expected durations for the conflict, leading critics to question whether adequate planning occurred before the war began.

The administration’s stated goals have ranged from encouraging regime change in Tehran to diminishing Iran’s military capabilities and reducing its regional power, while also advancing Israeli security interests.

The following timeline shows how Trump’s explanations have evolved:

FEBRUARY 28: ENCOURAGING REGIME CHANGE

As U.S. and Israeli forces began their assault, Trump posted a social media video urging Iranian citizens to “take over” their nation’s leadership. “It will be yours to take,” Trump declared. “This will be probably your only chance for generations.”

Trump characterized the military action as “major combat operations.”

FEBRUARY 28: TARGETING MILITARY CAPABILITIES

Trump stated that Washington would prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, despite Tehran’s assertions that its nuclear program serves civilian purposes. Iran currently possesses no nuclear weapons, while both the United States and Israel maintain nuclear arsenals.

The president vowed to eliminate what he called Tehran’s ballistic missile capabilities. “We’re going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground,” Trump declared. “We’re going to annihilate their navy.”

Trump alleged that Iran’s long-range missiles “can now threaten our very good friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas, and could soon reach the American homeland.”

These statements mirrored arguments made by President George W. Bush before the Iraq invasion, which contained inaccurate claims. Current intelligence assessments and expert analysis contradict Trump’s statements, indicating Iran’s missile program remains years away from posing a threat to American territory.

MARCH 2: CHANGING TIMEFRAMES

Trump indicated the conflict would continue for four to five weeks but acknowledged it might extend longer.

“We’re already substantially ahead of our time projections. But whatever the time is, it’s okay. Whatever it takes,” Trump stated during White House remarks. On social media, he claimed America possessed a “virtually unlimited supply” of weapons and that “wars can be fought ‘forever,’ and very successfully, using just these supplies.”

Congressional notification from Trump contained no specific timeline. Earlier media interviews showed Trump telling the Daily Mail the war might last “four weeks, or less,” then informing The New York Times it could take four to five weeks, before later suggesting a longer duration.

MARCH 2: RUBIO CITES ISRAELI PRESSURE

Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained to journalists that Israel’s decision to attack Iran compelled American involvement.

“We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action, we knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didn’t preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties,” Rubio explained.

MARCH 3: TRUMP OFFERS DIFFERENT EXPLANATION

Trump provided contradictory reasoning, claiming he authorized American participation because Iran appeared ready to attack first.

“I might have forced their (Israel’s) hand,” Trump acknowledged. “If we didn’t do it, they (Iran) were going to attack first.”

MARCH 4: PENTAGON DEFINES MISSION

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlined the objective as seeking to “destroy Iranian offensive missiles, destroy Iranian missile production, destroy their navy and other security infrastructure.”

MARCH 6: DEMANDING TOTAL CAPITULATION

“There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER,” Trump posted on social media.

MARCH 8-11: CONTRADICTORY ASSESSMENTS

In a CBS News interview broadcast March 8, Hegseth described Iranian strikes as “only just the beginning.”

Twenty-four hours later, Trump told the same network “I think the war is very complete, pretty much.”

“We’ve already won in many ways, but we haven’t won enough,” Trump informed reporters that same day. When questioned whether the conflict was starting or finishing, he responded: “Well, I think you could say both.”

By March 11, Trump again claimed victory while adding: “We’ve got to finish the job.”

MARCH 13: MODERATING REGIME CHANGE RHETORIC

During a Fox News appearance, Trump said the war would conclude “when I feel it in my bones.”

Trump backed away from his earlier calls for internal Iranian uprising. “So I really think that’s a big hurdle to climb for people that don’t have weapons,” Trump acknowledged.

MARCH 19: NO DEFINITIVE ENDPOINT

Hegseth announced that Washington would not establish a specific timeline, leaving the decision to Trump.

“We wouldn’t want to set a definitive time frame,” the Defense Secretary stated. “It will be at the president’s choosing, ultimately, where we say, ‘Hey, we’ve achieved what we need to.’”

MARCH 20: CONSIDERING CONCLUSION

Trump wrote on Truth Social that “we are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts” regarding Iran. Earlier that day, he told reporters “I don’t want to do a ceasefire” when questioned about the conflict.

Conflict in their homeland and tensions with their adopted country have left Iranian Americans facing a difficult decision this week: whether to celebrate Nowruz, their traditional new year holiday.

Kayvon Pourmirzaie and his spouse, Behnaz Almazi, chose to mark the occasion by traveling from Philadelphia to attend a Persian pop-up dinner in New York City over the weekend. Born and raised in America after his parents immigrated before Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution, Pourmirzaie expressed optimism about the ongoing turmoil.

“Nowruz for me this year signifies a chance to see my beautiful homeland,” said Pourmirzaie. “Even more important, I’m excited for the world to see the beauty of Iran. Nobody wants war, but this is a very strong feeling for me.”

The current U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran creates complex emotions for Iranian Americans: hope that a despised government might fall; concern for loved ones still under its control; frustration with what many view as poorly planned military action; and sometimes guilt over their own safety.

As the conflict enters its third week, Nowruz — among Iran’s most significant secular observances — brings these internal conflicts into sharp relief. The Friday celebration traditionally features dancing, music and meals centered on herb-rich foods like kuku sabzi, a frittata-style dish representing spring renewal and new beginnings.

Across America, many Nowruz gatherings have been scrapped or transformed into solemn events. Saeed Shafiyan Rad, who leads Boston’s Iranian Association, explained their decision to cancel their usual large-scale celebrations that typically draw thousands of participants.

“We want to respect the people,” said Shafiyan Rad. “We just want peace and prosperity for the Iranian people.”

While disagreements within Iranian immigrant communities aren’t unusual, the current warfare has intensified these divisions just as Nowruz draws attention to them. Young Iranian Americans, many who have never visited Iran, are particularly affected as generational differences emerge around what Iranian identity means from a distance.

Hedi Yousefi is organizing her second annual Norooz Bazaar in New York City, featuring Iranian American cuisine and artists. Despite receiving threatening messages from critics and her own doubts about appropriateness, she concluded that honoring Nowruz aligns with Iranian people’s wishes.

“For me, this is an act of resistance against the regime,” said Yousefi, who left Tehran for America 13 years ago. “My grandfather always said (the regime) would like nothing more than to stop Nowruz.”

Persian American content creator Omid Afshar has turned to his kitchen more frequently before Nowruz, experimenting with traditional Iranian dishes. The Instagram personality, who showcases Persian dining establishments at @omidafshar, sees cooking as cultural reconnection.

“Cooking Persian food has become a way to reconnect with our culture,” said Afshar. “For a long time growing up in America, I felt like I had to make that part of myself smaller so I could fit in with the rest of the world around me.”

According to Persis Karim, former head of San Francisco State University’s Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies, Nowruz feasts should provide consistency during turbulent periods. However, she finds herself unable to embrace the holiday’s hopeful message this year.

“I’m not comfortable celebrating a tradition I love because I’m so appalled by what is happening to my family in Iran,” Karim said. “Of course I wish for a change of regime. But it should come from within Iran, not from bombs from the United States.”

Brooklyn restaurateur Nasim Alikhani initially considered shutting down Nowruz celebrations at her Persian establishment, Sofreh, but ultimately reached a different decision, similar to Yousefi’s reasoning.

“Iran has been invaded throughout history … And yet Iranians kept the tradition of Nowruz alive,” she said. “I will not allow this unjust war and this aggression to win. Instead of singing and dancing around the table, maybe we will pray for peace and hold hands with our guests. But the food will absolutely be there, because there is no gathering without food.”

Persian dining establishments and markets usually experience their busiest period during Nowruz. This year, however, sales have declined in areas where public opinion opposes the military action. Conversely, in regions with strong support, particularly Los Angeles — whose massive Iranian population earned it the nickname “Tehrangeles” — business surges with each news development.

Farinaz Pirshirazi, who co-owns Los Angeles Persian restaurant Toranj, described the correlation between current events and customer traffic.

“When the war started, we had a spike. When the supreme leader of Iran was said to be dead, we had a spike,” said Pirshirazi. “Whoever came in had the biggest smile on their face, and they were crying a little bit out of joy. They were all telling us, ‘We have to go out tonight, and we have to have Persian food.’”

The current situation has also reversed some cultural customs. Following Iran’s brutal January crackdown on demonstrators, many Iranian Americans prepared halva, a sweet paste typically served during mourning periods. When warfare commenced and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei died, they continued making the confection.

“It was a sarcastic way of sharing the joy and happiness,” Pirshirazi said. “Usually halva is something that they do at funerals, when you’re sad. But in this particular situation, it was very sarcastic, because it was a sign of joy that they were making halva.”

Anais Dersi helped organize the pop-up dinner that Pourmirzaie attended, where dishes included a pasta interpretation of tahdig, Iran’s beloved crispy rice preparation. After her Brooklyn event last month sold out within hours, she decided to host another Nowruz gathering, with both events raising funds for Iranian charities.

“The idea was bringing the community together over something. Giving people a place to mourn, to feel distraught, or whatever they were feeling,” she said. “As a first-generation American, food is a tether to my culture. I can’t always connect through politics or language, but the food feels like mine. And it feels like it belongs to others too. It’s a great unifier.”

Fernando Haddad has officially stepped down from his position as Brazil’s Finance Minister to pursue the governorship of São Paulo state, according to an announcement published in the country’s official gazette on Friday.

The 80-year-old President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has named Dario Durigan, who previously served as the finance ministry’s executive secretary, as Haddad’s replacement.

Haddad, widely viewed as a potential successor to the aging president, announced his gubernatorial campaign on Thursday. The race will likely pit him against incumbent Governor Tarcísio de Freitas, a supporter of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro who has indicated plans to seek reelection.

Speaking at a campaign event Thursday in São Bernardo do Campo, Haddad expressed confidence about his political ambitions. “I don’t run in elections to bargain, I run to win,” he stated. “Political victory is always possible: you just have to present yourself with integrity and a strong plan.”

Political analyst Paulo Henrique Cassimiro from Rio de Janeiro State University believes Haddad faces an uphill battle against de Freitas, who currently holds the lead in polling data. However, Cassimiro noted that the gubernatorial campaign will elevate Haddad’s national profile.

“Lula’s Workers’ Party is really counting on him, including for Lula’s succession,” Cassimiro explained. “Even if he loses, running brings a very large amount of political capital, raises the person’s profile and makes the candidate’s name more widely known.”

Should President Lula win reelection—he declared his candidacy last October—Haddad could potentially return to his finance minister role, according to Cassimiro’s analysis.

Current polling shows a tight race between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro, the former president’s oldest son who has also announced presidential ambitions, in a potential head-to-head matchup.

During Thursday’s São Paulo event, President Lula characterized Brazil’s current political climate as deeply troubling. “If we don’t bring forward the best people we have in each city and each state, and if we don’t take up the fight to defend democracy, we run the risk, through inaction, of handing democracy back once again to the fascists,” the leftist leader warned.

Haddad’s 2018 presidential campaign came about because Lula was imprisoned at the time. Though Lula served 19 months in jail, the Supreme Court eventually overturned his convictions, clearing the path for his successful 2022 campaign against Bolsonaro. The former president is currently serving a 27-year sentence for coup attempt charges following his electoral loss.

During his tenure leading Brazil’s finance ministry, Haddad successfully implemented significant reforms to the nation’s taxation system for goods and services—changes that had been under consideration for decades. He also championed well-received income tax modifications.

However, his time as finance minister wasn’t without challenges. Social media users created viral memes in 2024 dubbing him ‘Taxad’—a play on words combining ‘tax’ with his last name—after implementing controversial tariffs on inexpensive international online purchases.

Economist Carla Beni from the Getulio Vargas Foundation identified managing the economic effects of Middle Eastern conflicts as a key challenge facing new Finance Minister Durigan.

The government recently implemented temporary federal tax cuts on diesel fuel as global energy costs continue climbing. Officials plan to offset the resulting revenue loss through a 12% tax on crude oil exports.

“A very intense war like the one we’re seeing in the Middle East is something quite complex for Durigan to manage,” Beni observed.

Defense officials are sounding the alarm about weakened European air defenses after the Pentagon transferred substantial numbers of Patriot missile systems from European bases to Middle Eastern operations, according to sources within the U.S. military.

The ongoing conflict with Iran, now in its third week, has prompted Washington to deploy thousands of service members to the region while the Pentagon seeks an additional $200 billion in emergency funding. Iranian forces have launched missile and drone attacks throughout the Gulf region, targeting American military installations and civilian facilities in tourist areas.

Military sources confirm that two Patriot defense systems were relocated from German bases to Turkey following multiple ballistic missile launches directed at Turkish territory from Iran since hostilities began. Additional Patriot missiles from various European stockpiles have been redirected to strengthen Middle Eastern air defenses, according to three defense officials who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of military operations.

European Patriot missile inventories are “absolutely” being depleted due to the Iranian conflict, with one official describing the situation as “pretty concerning.”

When asked about the missile transfers, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to the Associated Press: “The US military has more than enough munitions, ammo, and weapons stockpiles to achieve the goals of Operation Epic Fury laid out by President Trump — and beyond.”

However, one defense official maintained that NATO retains “plenty” of defensive capability for European protection, noting that American military assets are positioned globally to project power worldwide.

The Patriot defense platform, a surface-to-air missile system operational since the 1980s, can engage aircraft, cruise missiles, and short-range ballistic missiles.

Combat experience in Ukraine has demonstrated the Patriot system’s effectiveness against diverse threats, including Russia’s maneuverable hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, according to military officials.

However, in Middle Eastern operations, American forces are deploying Patriots “against threats that don’t require them,” one official noted, including relatively inexpensive Iranian Shahed drones.

Military experts argue Patriots should primarily defend high-value systems, such as precision strike missiles fired from HIMARS platforms currently operating in the Middle East.

The missile redeployment occurs as Russia maintains its Ukrainian offensive, with European nations experiencing spillover effects including drone incursions from the Baltic region to Poland and Romania. European officials report Russia is conducting hybrid warfare operations against Europe through sabotage and cyber attacks.

Any military capability removed from Europe represents resources that “can’t respond to Russia” should Moscow exploit potential opportunities, the defense official warned.

Turkish defense authorities report NATO forces have intercepted three Iranian ballistic missiles over Turkish airspace since President Donald Trump initiated military action against Iran on February 28. One Patriot system was transferred from Germany’s Ramstein air base to Incirlik Air Base, where American and NATO personnel are stationed.

Turkey announced last week that NATO positioned another Patriot system in southeastern Malatya province, home to a NATO radar installation. General Alexus Grynkewich, commanding U.S. and NATO forces in Europe, confirmed Wednesday that certain European air defense assets have been relocated to Middle Eastern operations.

Captain Reann Mommsen, spokesperson for U.S. European Command overseeing American military activities in Europe, declined to address shortage concerns and cited operational security in refusing to discuss missile movements or locations.

Ukrainian leadership has repeatedly requested additional Patriot systems and missiles. This week, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Kyiv will “definitely” experience Patriot shortages due to American military operations against Iran.

A German military official stated he has not observed operational shortfalls in Ukraine caused by Middle Eastern conflicts, though he anticipates potential future shortages that could diminish Ukraine’s defensive capabilities and endurance. The official also spoke anonymously regarding sensitive military matters.

In a BBC interview, Zelenskyy reported American production of 60-65 Patriot missiles monthly, totaling approximately 700-800 annually, while noting that 803 were expended on the first day of Middle Eastern combat operations.

The Foreign Policy Research Institute, a Pennsylvania-based security think tank, calculated that America used roughly 325 Patriot missiles during the initial 96 hours of Iranian conflict. The organization estimated total usage by Washington and allied Gulf nations at approximately 943 missiles.

Following the outbreak of Middle Eastern hostilities, military sources informed the Associated Press that America possessed limited effective anti-drone capabilities in the region but planned to deploy the Merops anti-drone system.

The Merops platform, transportable in pickup trucks, neutralizes drones more economically than missile-based systems by using drone-versus-drone technology.

Officials characterized the American response to Iranian Shahed drones as “disappointing,” particularly since these represent more basic versions of the same drones Russia continuously improves for Ukrainian operations.

The United States currently maintains a “limited” number of operational Merops systems in the Middle East, with additional units en route and regional training programs underway, according to defense officials.

Volunteers in Mexico are organizing a humanitarian mission to deliver essential supplies to Cuba as the island nation struggles with widespread power outages and economic difficulties caused by U.S. restrictions on oil imports.

At a port in Mexico’s Yucatan state, located roughly 497 miles from Havana across the Gulf of Mexico, dozens of volunteers gathered to pack boats with rice, baby wipes, and other critical supplies. A hand-painted sign reading “Let Cuba Live” marked the collection site.

Volunteer Marisela Vega described how the grassroots movement gained momentum. “At the beginning we felt like we were going against the tide, trying to get enough aid,” Vega explained. “And suddenly it overflowed. … When everyone started finding out, little by little they responded more and more.”

The donated items include beans, baby formula, shampoo, and feminine hygiene products, according to Vega. Volunteers have also used donations to purchase medications for the shipment.

The boats departed Friday as part of the “Nuestra America Convoy” (“Our America Convoy”), a civilian initiative calling on volunteers worldwide to send vital goods to Cuba. The effort specifically seeks food, medicines, and energy supplies like batteries and flashlights, with all items being collected at a central location in Cuba by Saturday.

The aid mission responds directly to actions taken by U.S. President Donald Trump during heightened tensions between Washington and Havana. The United States has imposed an oil embargo on the Caribbean communist nation following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Cuba’s primary economic supporter. This week, Trump suggested he might soon have the “honor of taking Cuba” while engaging in discussions with Cuban officials.

Mexico, which previously supplied fuel to Cuba before the U.S. delivery ban, has provided humanitarian assistance to the island.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the situation Friday, stating: “Cuba has lived through an economic blockade for years that has prevented the Cuban people from being able to develop freely in economic terms. It is the people of Cuba themselves who must decide how to govern without foreign intervention.”

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel acknowledged the arrival of European supplies Friday as part of the “Nuestra America” relief effort. “The warmth of the people is welcome,” he wrote on social media.

LONDON, March 20 – British officials on Friday granted the United States permission to utilize UK military installations for operations targeting Iranian missile positions that have been attacking commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

Government ministers convened Friday to address Iran’s military actions and the country’s obstruction of the crucial shipping lane, a statement from Downing Street revealed.

The official statement explained that ministers “confirmed that the agreement for the U.S. to use UK bases in the collective self-defence of the region includes U.S. defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Communities along Mexico’s Gulf Coast remain on edge as crude oil continues threatening their shorelines, with residents anxious about additional contamination nearly four weeks after the initial pollution was discovered.

According to the Gulf of Mexico Reef Corridor Network, a coalition representing fishing, Indigenous and environmental organizations, the oil spill has impacted 143 miles of coastline and 39 communities across Tabasco and Veracruz states.

Local economies built around fishing and tourism face significant concerns as the Easter holiday season approaches, typically a peak time for beach visitors in the region.

The environmental coalition reports that crude oil has now reached Ostion lagoon in Veracruz, an important nursery habitat for fish, shrimp and clams. Conservationists are particularly worried about insufficient information regarding wildlife impacts and stress the urgent need for shoreline restoration before sea turtle nesting season starts in April.

During cleanup efforts in Coatzacoalcos, ecologist Alex Zepeda warned of continued spreading while holding tar-covered sea turtle remains. “These slicks are going to keep spreading,” Zepeda stated.

“Part of this oil residue is here on our beaches, but some of it is surely still miles offshore,” he added, advocating for offshore containment barriers to help control the marine pollution.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Thursday that government officials are examining the spill’s origins, suggesting it may have come from an oil tanker operating off Tabasco’s coast. She clarified that state petroleum company Pemex bears no responsibility for the incident.

Cleanup operations involving Pemex and environmental agencies have removed approximately 95 metric tons of contaminated material from affected beaches, according to official reports.

Environment Minister Alicia Barcena revealed earlier this week that a discharge occurred near an offshore anchorage adjacent to the Pajaritos petrochemical facility, where commercial vessels conduct cargo operations.

Barcena indicated that investigators consider a private ship the most probable source, though the official inquiry remains ongoing.

Ukrainian authorities have initiated mandatory evacuations of children from the eastern city of Sloviansk as Russian military forces continue their advance toward the strategically important location in the Donbas region.

Regional Governor Vadym Filashkin announced the evacuation order through his Telegram channel, stating: “I signed an order for the compulsory evacuation of children from certain areas of Sloviansk that are most vulnerable to enemy strikes.”

The decision comes as Russian troops have moved to within approximately 12 miles of Sloviansk’s outskirts, steadily pushing forward from positions to the north and east of the city. Military analysts view this proximity as a significant threat to civilian safety in the area.

Sloviansk serves as a critical component of what Ukrainian officials describe as an urban “fortress belt” spanning several cities and towns that remain under government control throughout the eastern Donetsk region. This defensive network represents Ukraine’s efforts to maintain territorial control in the broader Donbas area, which Moscow has identified as its primary military objective due to the region’s coal mining operations and industrial infrastructure.

Ukrainian forces currently maintain control over roughly one-quarter of the Donetsk region, with military leaders expressing confidence that their network of fortified settlements can sustain defensive operations for an extended period.

The expansion of dangerous zones near front-line areas has accelerated throughout the conflict, as advancing drone technology and increased deployment have made locations 10 to 20 kilometers from active combat zones increasingly hazardous for civilian populations.

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Vice President JD Vance is planning a trip to Hungary just ahead of what could be Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s most challenging electoral battle in two decades, Hungary’s foreign minister announced.

While Vance’s office hasn’t officially confirmed the upcoming visit, the timing would place it shortly before Hungary’s April 12 election where Orbán seeks his fifth straight term in office.

The longtime leader, who has controlled Hungary since 2010, is confronting his most serious political threat from center-right opposition party Tisza and its head, Péter Magyar.

With most polling data showing him behind, Orbán has launched a comprehensive campaign effort across the nation to regain voter confidence.

Magyar has pledged to rebuild Hungary’s weakened democratic framework and realign the nation with Western partnerships, presenting a formidable challenge to the pro-Russian populist’s previously secure position.

During a Friday podcast appearance, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó attributed Vance’s upcoming visit to the “very intensive Hungarian–American intergovernmental relationship,” though he didn’t provide specific arrival details.

This potential visit would follow Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent trip to Budapest, where he publicly backed Orbán’s reelection bid.

Among European Union leaders, Orbán stands as one of President Trump’s strongest advocates and has actively sought the U.S. president’s support as the election approaches. The Hungarian leader previously indicated he hoped Trump himself might visit Hungary before voters head to the polls.

NEW YORK — Federal authorities in New York are examining whether Colombian President Gustavo Petro maintained connections to drug trafficking organizations, according to two individuals with knowledge of the investigation.

The sources, who were not permitted to publicly discuss the active investigation, provided information to The Associated Press under the condition of anonymity.

Federal prosecutors working in Brooklyn and Manhattan have spent recent months interviewing drug dealers about their connections to Petro, particularly focusing on claims that the Colombian leader’s associates requested payments to prevent their deportation to the United States, one source revealed.

The individual noted that it remains unclear whether federal authorities have directly implicated Petro in criminal activity.

“The investigation focuses on efforts at Colombian jails to get donations to the Petro campaign — and Petro himself — in exchange for a promise not to extradite,” this person said.

A representative for the Colombian presidency refused to provide comment regarding the active investigations involving Petro or related legal matters.

The New York Times initially reported on the federal investigation earlier Friday.

Petro became a focus of interest during drug trafficking investigations conducted by New York law enforcement, which eventually identified him as a person of interest, according to a second source with knowledge of the situation.

The investigations involving Petro remain in preliminary phases and may not lead to criminal charges, this individual explained, noting that the White House has played no part in these investigations.

Petro, who previously served as a rebel commander, won the presidency with promises to decrease Colombia’s reliance on oil and gas while redirecting government funding toward combating widespread poverty.

The outspoken leftist politician, recognized for his lengthy and sometimes rambling public addresses, has frequently condemned the Trump administration’s support for Israel, its attacks on drug vessels in Caribbean waters, and has compared White House immigration policies to “Nazi” methods.

Following one such criticism delivered at a pro-Palestinian rally near United Nations headquarters in New York, Trump responded by canceling Petro’s U.S. visa. Trump also temporarily imposed steep tariffs on Colombian goods after Petro rejected deportation flights from the United States.

However, the relationship between the two leaders has recently improved. Following a White House meeting in February, Trump praised Petro as “terrific.”

Advocacy groups and researchers are condemning the British royal family following a controversial photograph from a recent diplomatic gathering in London.

The image, taken during a March 10 Commonwealth Day reception at St. James’s Palace, shows King Charles III standing with Caribbean government representatives underneath a large portrait of George IV, a former monarch who financially benefited from enslaved people’s labor.

The gathering included foreign ministers from Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago, along with Grenada’s high commissioner to Britain, Rachér Croney, and other Caribbean diplomatic officials. The group of 29 attendees posed with Charles and British Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper for the photograph, which was later distributed through various Caribbean government social media accounts.

Independent researcher Desirée Baptiste’s findings, shared with Reuters in 2023, revealed that George IV received approximately 1,000 pounds—equivalent to about 103,000 pounds in today’s currency—from profits generated by two Crown-owned estates in Grenada. These properties relied on the forced labor of hundreds of enslaved individuals during the 18th and 19th centuries. George IV ruled Britain from 1820 to 1830.

“It is offensive to have his portrait up,” said Arley Gill, who chairs Grenada’s National Reparations Committee. “It is doubly offensive to have persons of African descent with the king below a photograph of him.”

“It just rubs salt in the wounds,” Gill added.

Gill suggested the controversy surrounding the photograph could serve as a learning opportunity for Caribbean officials to better understand the historical impact of slavery.

Baptiste described the photograph as a “diplomatic misstep” by palace officials and called on Charles to “deepen his understanding” of how the monarchy participated in the slave trade.

Robert Beckford, a British theology professor with Jamaican roots, characterized the group portrait as demonstrating “historical amnesia.”

“Standing beneath royal portraits normalises forgetting,” Beckford stated.

The current monarch has previously acknowledged the painful legacy of slavery, expressing regret during a 2022 address to Commonwealth leaders. Charles has also supported academic research examining the royal family’s historical involvement in the slave trade.

Additional research published by The Guardian in 2023 uncovered that King William III, who reigned from 1689 to 1702, received 1,000 pounds worth of shares in the Royal African Company, an organization responsible for transporting thousands of enslaved Africans to the Americas.

Buckingham Palace officials have not responded to requests for comment regarding the controversial photograph.

The incident has intensified calls from experts for the monarchy to issue a comprehensive apology and fully acknowledge how the institution profited from slavery throughout history.

Qatar’s top energy official disclosed that he had repeatedly cautioned U.S. government leaders and American oil executives about the risks of Iranian retaliation against energy infrastructure in the Gulf region.

Saad al-Kaabi, who serves as both QatarEnergy’s chief executive and the nation’s energy minister, revealed his concerns proved justified after Iranian strikes severely damaged his country’s crucial natural gas facilities.

“I was always warning, talking to executives from oil and gas that are partnered with us, talking to the U.S. Secretary of Energy, to warn him of that consequence and that that could be detrimental to us,” al-Kaabi stated in an interview.

Among QatarEnergy’s American partners are industry giants ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips.

Daily Warnings About Energy Facility Threats

“They were aware of the threat, and they were always reminded by me, almost on a daily basis, that we need to make sure that there is restraint on oil and gas facilities,” the energy chief explained.

The Department of Energy directed inquiries to the White House regarding al-Kaabi’s claims.

White House representative Taylor Rogers responded: “President Trump and his entire energy team were not ignorant of the reality that there would be short-term disruptions to oil and gas supply during the ongoing operations in Iran, and planned for these highly anticipated, temporary disruptions.”

While ExxonMobil refused to provide a statement, ConocoPhillips acknowledged the situation: “We remain fully committed to our longstanding partnership and will continue to work with QatarEnergy on a path to recovery.”

The current U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran have entered their third week, with missile and drone strikes hitting tankers, refineries, and critical energy infrastructure throughout the region. Qatar’s Ras Laffan facility, recognized as the globe’s largest liquefied natural gas complex, has suffered the most significant documented damage.

Al-Kaabi informed reporters Thursday that the destruction to the $26 billion facility would disrupt LNG shipments to European and Asian markets for as long as five years.

International leaders have long dreaded such circumstances, where installations essential to global supplies of crude oil, natural gas, jet fuel, and liquefied petroleum gas for heating and cooking face extended damage periods.

No Advance Notice of Strike

Wednesday saw Israel launch an assault on Iran’s primary South Pars gas field, marking a significant escalation in the conflict. Iran retaliated with strikes against energy infrastructure across Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar’s Ras Laffan complex.

Al-Kaabi confirmed he received no advance notification about the South Pars attack.

“I was not aware of anything, but I don’t think anybody was aware. President Trump said he didn’t know. So do you think we would know?”

The South Pars field represents part of the world’s most extensive gas reserve, shared between Iran and Qatar, where Qatar refers to its portion as the North Field.

The QatarEnergy leader indicated the company has not yet determined whether insurance policies will cover losses from the conflict.

Extensive Infrastructure Damage

Al-Kaabi explained that the Ras Laffan attack eliminated 17% of Qatar’s LNG export capability, with effects lasting up to five years due to the specific equipment destroyed.

“The cold boxes are gone,” he noted, describing the cooling systems damaged on two of the facility’s 14 processing trains that purify and chill gas for liquid transport.

“This is the main unit, that is the cooling box of the LNG, it is completely destroyed.”

Major Expansion Project Now Postponed

Following the evacuation of personnel after earlier Iranian attacks this month, expansion work at Ras Laffan will face delays, affecting gas deliveries scheduled for France, Germany, and China starting in 2027.

“It wasn’t easy to pull everybody from offshore, you know, 10,000 people evacuated in 24 hours, and shut down all the operations,” al-Kaabi recalled.

“I’m so glad we have zero injuries, zero fatalities. It is because of that decision we took.”

The expansion project was designed to strengthen Doha’s position as the world’s leading LNG exporter, increasing Qatar’s processing capacity from 77 million to 126 million tons annually by 2027.

“No work is happening on the North Field expansion. There are no workers there. It’s definitely delayed,” al-Kaabi confirmed.

“I think it will be delayed for months, if not a year or more.”

Production at QatarEnergy can only resume after hostilities cease, and even then would require three to four months to return to full loading capacity, according to al-Kaabi.

Regional Economic Consequences

Al-Kaabi, who also chairs Qatar Airways, warned that the conflict’s impact would spread across all Gulf economies.

“This has taken the whole region back 10-20 years.”

“Tourism is out. Your airlines are not flying …Your trade is down. There is nothing moving from any of the ports.”

“You have economies that have zero income from oil and gas, and we are predominantly an oil and gas economy. So obviously, the spending from the governments is going to be at a much, much lower rate.”

Personal Impact Hard to Express

Al-Kaabi built his career at QatarEnergy after joining the state company in the mid-1980s while pursuing studies at Pennsylvania State University.

Recognized for maintaining composure during challenging periods, he advanced through company positions to become CEO of the then-named Qatar Petroleum in 2014.

When asked about his feelings regarding the attacks on his company and nation, al-Kaabi struggled to respond.

“How I feel is difficult to describe,” he said, pausing before continuing to the next question.

A damaged Russian gas tanker that has been floating without crew in the Mediterranean Sea for two weeks has now moved into Libya’s search and rescue territory, positioning itself roughly 40 nautical miles from Libya’s coastal boundaries, according to Italy’s civil protection officials on Friday.

The vessel, known as the Arctic Metagaz, belongs to Russia’s “shadow fleet” — ships used to transport oil and gas while circumventing international sanctions imposed due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The liquefied natural gas carrier sustained severe damage from what authorities believe was a maritime drone strike in waters near Malta earlier this month.

Russian officials claim Ukrainian naval drones were responsible for hitting and damaging the tanker. Ukrainian authorities have not issued any statement regarding the incident.

Italy’s Civil Protection department, which has been tracking the vessel’s movement, stated Friday that the primary danger currently stems from possible gas releases, though no leakage has been identified at this time.

Given current wind patterns moving southward and ocean currents, and assuming conditions remain stable, the ship could reach Libya’s coastline “from four to six days,” Civil Protection spokesman Pierfrancesco Demilito told reporters during a Rome press briefing.

Demilito reported the tanker contains approximately 450 tons of heavy oil and 250 tons of diesel for operational fuel, along with an undetermined amount of LNG that may have already partially escaped.

Officials also worry the vessel might collide with offshore drilling facilities. However, no such installations are currently positioned in the area, Demilito noted.

He explained that any rescue operations would need approval from Libyan officials since the ship has entered their rescue jurisdiction, though Italy has volunteered assistance if needed.

In a collaborative letter delivered Wednesday to the European Commission, government heads from Italy, Spain, Malta, Greece and Cyprus cautioned that the vessel creates an “imminent and serious risk” of environmental catastrophe, requesting activation of the EU’s emergency response system.

The five Mediterranean leaders called for a unified European approach to rapidly deploy necessary resources, emphasizing concerns about the tanker’s compromised structure and dangerous cargo.

While all crew members were safely evacuated, the crippled tanker continues drifting while loaded with potentially explosive fuel.

In their correspondence, the leaders stressed wider dangers from ships operating beyond international safety regulations, cautioning about threats to maritime security and environmental protection throughout the Mediterranean region.

Investigators in the Czech Republic are examining a warehouse blaze at a drone manufacturing facility as a potential act of terrorism involving arson, officials announced Friday.

The blaze occurred at an industrial facility in Pardubice, located approximately 60 miles east of Prague, with no reported casualties according to law enforcement.

LPP Holding acknowledged the fire damaged one of their facilities and stated they are assisting with the ongoing investigation while declining additional comments.

The firm produces equipment for both civilian and defense applications, including drone systems currently utilized by Ukrainian military forces in their conflict with Russian forces.

“The incident may be related to a terrorist attack,” Interior Minister Lubomír Metnar stated.

“At the moment, we don’t have information about a further danger,” he said.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš described the situation as “very serious.” Senior police official Martin ondrášek indicated investigators are working under the assumption of deliberate arson.

Emergency responders successfully extinguished the flames, and authorities confirmed no public safety threat remains. Officials have not disclosed what materials were stored in the affected warehouse.

LPP Holding had previously announced plans to establish a facility for drone development and manufacturing, along with personnel training, in partnership with Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems.

Metnar indicated Czech officials will coordinate investigation findings with international allies.

Authorities in Rio de Janeiro have reassigned four police officers to administrative roles as investigators examine their conduct during a fatal operation in one of the city’s impoverished neighborhoods that resulted in eight deaths, officials announced Friday.

The reassignments came after initial reviews of Wednesday’s law enforcement action in the Prazeres favela revealed questionable handling of body cameras, according to Rio state’s military police in a statement to news outlets. Officials declined to specify what constituted the misuse or whether the devices may have been deactivated during the operation.

Police leadership moved the officers from field operations to desk assignments to allow for a complete and open examination by the military police’s internal oversight unit, according to the statement.

The operation resulted in the death of Claúdio Augusto dos Santos, believed to be a high-ranking leader within the Red Command criminal organization. Six additional suspected traffickers and one local resident also died in the confrontation.

Gang members responded to the raid by torching a public bus and creating roadblocks, resulting in five people being taken into custody on destruction charges.

Approximately 150 military police personnel participated in Wednesday’s coordinated sweep across multiple interconnected communities including Prazeres, Fallet, Fogueteiro, Coroa, Escondidinho and Paula Ramos.

The operation follows last year’s massive assault on Red Command positions in the Penha and Complexo de Alemao neighborhoods, which became Rio’s deadliest police action with over 120 fatalities. The casualties triggered public demonstrations and demands for Governor Cláudio Castro to step down.

Intelligence reports indicate Red Command has expanded its territorial control by more than 100 percent since 2023, with organized crime groups now operating in almost half of all municipalities throughout Brazil’s Amazon region.

A 29-year-old Palestinian man has come forward with disturbing allegations that Israeli settlers subjected him to sexual assault during a violent raid on his West Bank community earlier this month.

Suhaib Abu Kbash from the Bedouin community of Humsah described how approximately 80 masked settlers carrying knives and sticks stormed his area on March 13. According to Abu Kbash, roughly 20 of the attackers physically assaulted him, removed his clothing, restrained his genitals with zip ties, and forced him to walk naked in view of his young children.

“I thought they were going to kill me,” Abu Kbash stated.

Three witnesses who observed the incident have confirmed Abu Kbash’s version of events to Reuters reporters.

Israeli military and law enforcement officials confirm they are actively investigating the matter. Police authorities reported that seven individuals have been taken into custody as potential suspects, with both police officers and military personnel sent to the Humsah area.

“The forces, together with forensic investigators from the district, began conducting searches for suspects and collecting testimonies, evidence, and findings,” the statement said.

“As part of the investigation, which is currently under a court-issued gag order, seven suspects were arrested several days ago on suspicion of involvement in the incident.”

Officials have not disclosed whether formal charges have been filed against any of the detained suspects.

The Yesha Council, which serves as a representative body for Jewish settlements, chose not to comment on the allegations.

The community of Humsah is located in the Jordan Valley between two hills, in an area that Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem reports experiences frequent settler attacks. Yuli Novak, the group’s executive director, characterized the alleged assault on Abu Kbash as containing “horrific sexual violence” and described it as part of an increasing pattern of violent incidents.

Israeli military officials have not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding B’Tselem’s assessment.

Palestinian communities have consistently maintained that Israeli military forces prioritize protecting settlers over local residents — an accusation that military officials reject.

Abu Kbash reported that the settlers made threats to sexually assault women and children in the community unless they abandoned their homes. “We will stay here. If we leave, they will take over all this land,” he declared.

Violent incidents involving settlers have increased significantly since Israel and the United States conducted strikes on Iran in late February, with Reuters documenting that Israeli settlers have killed no fewer than five Palestinians during this timeframe.

Legal prosecution of settler violence cases remains uncommon in Israel. Israeli rights organization Yesh Din reported that by the end of 2025, among the hundreds of documented cases since Hamas-led attacks on Israel in October 2023, only 2% have resulted in formal indictments.

Abu Kbash also claims the settlers took 400 sheep during the alleged raid, which represents a critical source of income for the community. He says his efforts to file a theft complaint with Israeli police have been unsuccessful. While police confirm they are investigating the alleged assault, they have not addressed the reported livestock theft.

Palestinian leadership seeks to establish an independent nation encompassing the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem — territories that came under Israeli control during the 1967 Middle East conflict.

Israeli settlement expansion throughout the West Bank has accelerated with support from Israel’s current right-wing administration.

The majority of international governments consider Israel’s settlement construction in the West Bank to be a violation of international laws governing military occupations. Israeli officials contest this legal interpretation.

Iranian state media confirmed Friday morning that Ali Mohammad Naini, a high-ranking spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed in what Israeli forces acknowledged as a targeted assassination.

The Israel Defense Forces verified Naini’s death and described him as a senior official who “held several roles … and in the past two years served as the chief propaganda distributor for the IRGC.” Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that Naini had been “martyred.”

The killing occurred just hours after Naini publicly challenged statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. When Netanyahu claimed Iran has “no ability” to produce ballistic missiles, Naini countered that the country’s missile stockpiles remained adequate and manufacturing operations were continuing despite ongoing conflict.

Naini served as the IRGC’s deputy for public relations and was killed just days following Israeli strikes that targeted two other high-ranking Iranian officials: Ali Larijani, considered a key power broker within the Iranian government, and Gholamreza Soleimani, who held a prominent position in suppressing anti-government demonstrations.

In a separate development announced Friday, Israel’s Foreign Ministry revealed that six additional nations have officially classified the IRGC as a terrorist organization. The countries joining this designation include Iceland, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Liechtenstein.

This expansion came after Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar held conversations with his international counterparts regarding the matter.

Israeli military forces launched airstrikes against Syrian government military installations following reports of attacks on the Druze minority community in southern Syria’s As-Suwayda region.

The Israeli Defense Forces targeted a military command facility and weapons stockpiles at Syrian regime military installations, responding to escalating violence against the Druze population in the area.

Reports from Druze media outlets indicate that Syrian internal security personnel also came under mortar fire, followed by the deployment of heavily armed units from the National Guard Druze paramilitary group throughout As-Suwayda.

The military action occurred as fresh worries emerged about the security of Druze populations in the area, where previous conflicts have escalated into significant violent confrontations.

Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that Israel would not permit Syrian military forces to use the current conflict with Iran and Hezbollah as justification for attacking Druze communities.

Israel has historically maintained unofficial relationships with Syrian Druze populations, offering assistance and limited protection along border areas. Israeli Druze community leaders have consistently called for intervention when Syrian Druze face security threats.

During the previous summer, violent clashes broke out in the Druze-dominated As-Suwayda province following local disagreements and abductions involving Druze factions and Bedouin tribal groups that escalated into wider confrontations.

The conflict intensified when Syrian government troops and supporting militia forces moved into Druze territories, resulting in hundreds of casualties, including non-combatants, and causing significant destruction to residential areas and public infrastructure.

A Tel Aviv University professor is calling Israel’s largest oil refinery a “ticking time bomb” following a recent Iranian missile attack that narrowly avoided causing a catastrophic disaster.

While the Bazan refinery in Haifa Bay escaped serious damage during the strike, Marcelo Sternberg, a climate change ecology professor at Tel Aviv University’s School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, says the close call should serve as a wake-up call rather than cause for relief.

“It’s actually a time bomb,” Sternberg told The Media Line, emphasizing that the real threat comes from what could have happened during the attack.

The refinery’s location in a heavily populated area near Haifa has drawn criticism for years, even before the current conflict began. Sternberg noted that the facility sits dangerously close to residential neighborhoods, creating a volatile situation.

“This type of oil refinery in a highly populated, dense area close to the city of Haifa,” he explained, has faced opposition long before wartime conditions made the risks even more apparent. “There have been a lot of claims before the war against the position of this refinery… because it’s located very close to highly populated neighborhoods.”

The environmental expert stressed that while this particular attack resulted in minimal damage, the ongoing daily operations already pose significant health risks to nearby residents through air pollution. He described the current contamination levels as “very, very high” from normal refinery operations.

Sternberg compared the unpredictable nature of missile attacks to a deadly game of chance. “It’s like Russian roulette,” he said. “You don’t know exactly where the missile will fall and if the missiles will be able to fully repel the attack or not.”

The professor warned that a direct strike on critical refinery components could trigger devastating consequences far beyond the initial impact. He pointed to attacks on refineries in other locations as examples of how quickly situations can spiral out of control.

“Definitely the damage and the potential of explosions that we see in other places where the refineries were attacked,” could escalate rapidly, he explained. “Not only the fire, but the explosion and the release of heavy smoke and all the additional elements that are contained in that smoke are highly, highly toxic, and they can produce the death of people.”

Despite only one person being injured in the recent attack, Sternberg emphasized this was purely fortunate timing rather than effective protection. “It was very, very lucky that it did not happen in a wider case,” he said.

The geographic challenges facing the facility add another layer of concern, with Haifa positioned within striking distance of multiple hostile forces, particularly from northern borders. Sternberg described the overall security situation as “very, very risky.”

Local officials and residents have been pushing for years to relocate the industrial complex away from populated areas. “The general public, and even the mayor of Haifa, is claiming… to move this plant to another place, south of Israel,” Sternberg said, referencing proposals to shift heavy industry to less populated regions like the Negev desert.

Should a major strike occur, the consequences for local residents could be severe and immediate. Sternberg warned that mass evacuations would likely become necessary to protect people from toxic gas releases.

“If there is a major impact, definitely a vast part of the population will need to be evacuated,” he predicted, citing the dangers posed by poisonous gases released when petroleum products and chemical byproducts explode. “This will lead to major movement of people being evacuated to major areas.”

The professor expressed frustration with what he sees as government inaction on addressing these long-standing safety concerns. “This is something that people have been claiming a lot, but the government is not interested, unfortunately,” he said. “The issues about the environment are not on the agenda of this government.”

Beyond environmental and safety concerns, the refinery’s strategic importance to Israel’s fuel supply creates additional vulnerabilities. The Bazan facility handles a dominant portion of the country’s refining capacity, making any disruption potentially significant for fuel availability.

“It will definitely affect petrol,” Sternberg warned, arguing that government planning focuses too heavily on immediate concerns rather than long-term strategic risks. “The government is looking only at the short term and not really planning for what may happen.”

He suggested that distributing refining capacity across multiple smaller facilities could reduce the current single-point-of-failure risk. “How can we make small areas or small distillation plants?” he asked, noting this critical question has not received adequate attention from policymakers.

Sternberg also criticized what he sees as misplaced priorities in government planning and the influence of powerful private interests in maintaining the current arrangement. “The priorities are not there,” he said regarding environmental planning and risk reduction efforts.

He referenced the strong political influence of the family that owns the petrochemical facility, suggesting their lobbying power has helped prevent structural changes that could improve safety.

As the refinery continues operating under ongoing security threats, Sternberg warned that avoiding catastrophe may depend more on luck than proper planning and preparation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a press conference Thursday evening, defending his nation’s military actions against Iran while addressing tensions with President Trump over recent strikes.

Speaking to both Israeli citizens and international media, Netanyahu claimed that after 20 days of warfare with Iran, the country has been stripped of its nuclear enrichment and ballistic missile production capabilities. He declared that Israel and the United States are achieving victory together, emphasizing what he called extraordinary cooperation with the Trump administration.

The press conference came after President Trump publicly criticized Israel’s Wednesday attack on Iran’s South Pars gas infrastructure. Trump stated he was not informed beforehand about the operation and suggested Israel would halt similar strikes following Iran’s retaliatory attack on Qatar’s Ras Laffan gas facilities. Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro noted on social media that such a large-scale operation would typically require American coordination or approval.

Netanyahu directly confronted these concerns, confirming that Israel conducted the operation independently and that Trump subsequently asked for no repeat actions. He called suggestions that Israel had pulled Washington into the conflict “ridiculous,” stating that nobody dictates to President Trump and that both leaders share the same perspective on Iran.

The Israeli leader described the U.S.-Israel partnership as reaching historic heights, calling Israel an exemplary ally and highlighting extensive military and intelligence cooperation between the nations.

During his dual-language presentation, Netanyahu commended Israeli citizens for following civil defense protocols, saying their steadfastness enables government and military forces to pursue their strategic objectives.

Netanyahu outlined three primary war aims: destroying Iran’s nuclear capabilities, dismantling its missile programs, and establishing circumstances that would enable Iranian citizens to determine their own future. He noted that Israel now targets not just weapons but also the industrial infrastructure supporting these programs.

“And already now, after 20 days, I can tell you that Iran does not have the opportunity to enrich uranium and it does not have the opportunity to create ballistic missiles,” Netanyahu stated.

He detailed the elimination of top-level Iranian political and military command structures, missile and defense systems, and the deaths of prominent Iranian officials including Intelligence Minister Ali Larijani and the Basij commander. Netanyahu reported destroying hundreds of missiles and launchers while conducting coordinated strikes with U.S. forces across air, ground, underground, and maritime targets.

Netanyahu accused Iran of attacking civilians, Americans, and U.S.-connected facilities throughout Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, and Oman, as well as using proxies in Cyprus and Europe. He charged Tehran with attempting global blackmail by threatening the Straits of Hormuz. “So today, Israel and the United States are protecting America, Israel, the entire Middle East, but I venture to say the entire world,” he declared.

The Prime Minister argued the campaign has enhanced Israel’s strategic position, describing his country as more powerful than ever while Iran grows increasingly weak. He pointed to expanded security perimeters in Gaza, Syria extending to Mount Hermon, and Lebanon, claiming threats from Hezbollah and Iran have been substantially diminished.

However, Netanyahu recognized that Iran continues launching attacks that have resulted in Israeli casualties. He offered sympathy to grieving families while asserting the actual damage was far less than Iran intended.

Regarding potential Iranian regime change, Netanyahu said Israel can help establish the right conditions but emphasized that “in the end, it will be dependent solely on them,” referring to Iran’s population. He mentioned signs of internal pressure, including leadership conflicts and some defections, but cautioned it’s premature to predict regime collapse. Even if the current government survives, he argued, it will emerge considerably weakened.

During the question period, Netanyahu repeated that Israel is making significant headway in weakening Iran’s nuclear and missile programs while refusing to provide a specific timeline. He again dismissed accusations that Israel forced U.S. involvement and emphasized that Trump operates independently despite close collaboration.

He confirmed Israel acted unilaterally in attacking Iranian gas infrastructure and subsequently honored Trump’s request to avoid similar future operations. Netanyahu also highlighted internal fractures within Iran’s government, noted Hezbollah’s severe degradation, and rejected worries that eliminating Iranian leaders strengthens extremists, maintaining that any political change must come from the Iranian people themselves.

Persian Gulf nations are questioning whether their longstanding diplomatic strategy with Iran remains effective after missile and drone attacks directly struck their territories, targeting crucial energy infrastructure and civilian areas.

For decades, Gulf countries maintained open communication with Tehran to manage regional tensions and avoid conflict. However, recent strikes on oil and gas facilities, strategic installations, and civilian locations have brought warfare directly to nations that previously managed to remain insulated from broader Middle Eastern conflicts.

The confrontation has expanded beyond military targets to include critical economic systems. Israeli attacks on Iran’s South Pars gas field – part of the world’s largest offshore natural gas reserve shared with Qatar – prompted Iranian counterstrikes against Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, a globally significant liquefied natural gas hub. Israeli operations also targeted Iran’s Kharg Island, which handles much of Iran’s oil exports.

These developments prompted Saudi Arabia to organize a high-level ministerial gathering bringing together Arab and Muslim nations, including Gulf states alongside Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Pakistan and others. The meeting produced a joint statement condemning Iranian missile and drone attacks on civilian infrastructure, energy facilities and sovereign territory while affirming nations’ rights to self-defense under international law.

The statement signaled movement toward legitimizing potential military responses while officially maintaining commitment to reducing tensions. Participants emphasized ongoing coordination among member countries and stressed that respecting sovereignty and avoiding interference would remain central to future Tehran engagement.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud’s post-meeting comments illustrated this strategic shift. While expressing preference for reducing tensions, he indicated that continued attacks could prompt more forceful responses, including possible military action if necessary.

A Qatari political analyst explained this balanced approach to The Media Line, noting that Gulf nations’ fundamental position toward Iran hasn’t changed, but operating conditions are rapidly evolving.

“The region’s main ask of Tehran continues to be that it should respect their sovereignty. So, in that regard, the current war does not change the political calculus. However, while the ‘ask’ is not changing, the approach might change if the war drags on for too long,” he stated.

“The region’s economy will suffer irreparable damage if the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues for longer than a couple of months,” he explained.

The analyst added that while Gulf nations, particularly Qatar, Oman and the UAE, previously pursued neutrality and mediation with Iran, the region may soon need to explore alternative strategies, including diplomatic pressure and international alliance-building.

The crisis appears to be strengthening regional cooperation among Gulf states. The Qatari analyst observed a transformation in intra-Gulf relationships, with previous disagreements giving way to unified responses against shared threats.

“This could signal a deeper strategic shift. While the diplomatic crisis of 2017-2021 created mistrust and suspicion between Qatar and its neighbors, the political situation today has shifted internal thinking in the opposite direction,” he noted, referencing solidarity shown by neighboring countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain following Israel’s September 2025 attack on Doha.

“That attack had the inadvertent effect of revitalizing and expanding the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] Unified Military Command. Within days of Israel’s attack on Doha, the Arab Gulf states took swift and decisive measures to strengthen air defense coordination across the region,” he said. “The benefits of this close coordination are being felt today, as the region’s air defenses are being tested by Iran’s relentless missile and drone attacks.”

However, he acknowledged structural limitations remain in developing fully integrated defense capabilities, noting Gulf states must overcome collective action challenges and build greater trust before creating a “NATO-like force” as an alternative to U.S. security guarantees.

Saudi political analyst Abdulaziz Alshaabani characterized Saudi Arabia’s recent diplomatic activities as part of broader regional recalibration aimed at containing escalation and preventing conflict expansion. “The objective is not limited to political alignment, but extends to conveying a message that regional stability is a collective responsibility,” he told The Media Line.

Regarding Pakistan’s participation in the ministerial meeting, Alshaabani emphasized flexibility over formal partnership. “The presence of Pakistan should not necessarily be interpreted as the formation of a formal military alliance, but rather as an extension of political and strategic coordination beyond the Gulf region,” he said.

Alshaabani highlighted evolution in Saudi messaging: “The shift in Saudi rhetoric can be understood in light of increasing security risks, particularly following attacks that targeted sovereignty and energy infrastructure. This has pushed the discourse toward greater firmness, reflecting a stronger emphasis on deterrence.” He continued, “However, this does not mean a complete abandonment of de-escalation, but rather its integration with clearer messaging that any further escalation will carry consequences.”

“Riyadh is also consolidating its position as a central coordinator of Gulf responses, particularly in matters related to energy security and the protection of critical infrastructure. This reflects a move toward more structured regional coordination, especially after recognizing that threats may directly impact multiple countries at the same time,” Alshaabani observed.

The focus on energy infrastructure reflects Gulf economies’ interconnectedness, particularly regarding gas production, oil exports, desalination and transportation. Disruptions in one country quickly create regional ripple effects, reinforcing needs for coordinated responses.

Alshaabani described Saudi Arabia’s Iran relationship as shifting toward more conditional, security-focused framework. “This phase can be viewed as a reassessment of Saudi policy toward Iran, rather than a fundamental shift. Saudi Arabia is moving from a cautious approach to a model that balances continued dialogue with strengthened deterrence and containment measures,” he said.

The Qatari analyst noted similar dynamics regarding economic relations, expecting reduced bilateral engagement with Iran while deepening intra-Gulf cooperation.

“Qatar wants to reduce its exposure to external economic shocks, especially those caused by the actions of belligerent states like Iran or Israel. Besides, any progress toward improving trade with Iran has been set back by decades due to Tehran’s attacks on Qatar. At the same time, economic and security interdependence within the Gulf is expected to increase in the coming months and years. So, while one door closes, another opens,” he observed.

Alshaabani pointed to complex regional perceptions of escalation responsibility: “Saudi Arabia is expected to maintain a pragmatic approach. At the same time, it is becoming increasingly clear across the region that the current escalation is not driven by Iran alone,” explaining that Israel is widely viewed as central to pushing toward broader confrontation.

“As a result, regional tensions are increasingly viewed as the outcome of interactions among multiple actors, rather than being attributed to a single side,” he added.

This perception affects normalization prospects. Alshaabani believes current conditions don’t favor advancing normalization with Israel short-term, since escalation and regional public sentiment make such steps more sensitive and complex. He emphasized normalization remains tied to regional stability and broader security environment, particularly in the Gulf.

Gulf states appear to be transitioning toward more layered approaches. Diplomacy remains important but is no longer considered sufficient alone. Deterrence is being reintroduced more explicitly, though without clear appetite for direct military escalation. Coordination is increasing while remaining constrained by structural and political limitations.

The central challenge for Gulf nations is no longer choosing between engagement or deterrence, but combining both without being drawn deeper into widening conflict. As attacks continue targeting critical infrastructure and energy systems, the space for managing escalation without direct involvement continues narrowing, leaving the region navigating increasingly fragile equilibrium.

French military officials are implementing corrective actions after a naval officer accidentally revealed the location of the country’s aircraft carrier through a fitness tracking application.

The incident occurred when a crew member aboard the Charles de Gaulle used the Strava exercise app during a March 13 morning run, according to reporting by French newspaper Le Monde. Journalists were able to track the officer’s workout data and subsequently pinpoint the nuclear-powered vessel’s Mediterranean location using satellite imagery from that date.

Military spokesperson Col. Guillaume Vernet confirmed that the Strava activity violated current protocols and said command is implementing corrective actions.

“During their service, naval personnel receive regular briefings about security risks from connected devices, particularly social media usage in personal time and potential location tracking through digital apps,” Vernet explained to The Associated Press on Friday.

“Various levels of connected device restrictions are implemented throughout the French navy to prevent information disclosure about vessels. Command determines these restriction levels based on threat assessment,” he added.

The carrier’s Mediterranean deployment this month was publicly known, and Rear Adm. Thibault Haudos de Possesse had conducted a media briefing via video link from the Charles de Gaulle on the same day as the officer’s tracked run.

During that briefing, the commander revealed that multiple warships, including French and allied frigates, were accompanying the carrier, which carries 20 Rafale fighter aircraft, two Hawkeye surveillance aircraft and three helicopters.

Le Monde emphasized the security concerns of revealing the strike group’s near real-time location on a public platform during ongoing conflicts in Iran. A March 12 drone strike on a Kurdish military facility in the Erbil area killed French Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion and injured six others.

This week, French President Emmanuel Macron revealed details about France’s future nuclear aircraft carrier, which will surpass the Charles de Gaulle in size. The 10 billion-euro ($11.5 billion) France Libre is scheduled for 2038 deployment and will accommodate 30 Rafale fighters and 2,000 crew members.

The new carrier will measure 310 meters (1,017 feet) in length with 80,000-ton displacement, significantly larger than the current Charles de Gaulle’s 261-meter (856-foot) length and 42,000-ton displacement.

French naval forces intercepted an oil tanker in the Western Mediterranean on Friday that officials suspect belongs to Russia’s covert shipping network designed to circumvent international sanctions, President Emmanuel Macron announced.

Maritime authorities confirmed to Reuters that naval personnel boarded the vessel Deyna, which flies under a Mozambican flag but was allegedly using false documentation. The ship had departed from Russia’s northern port of Murmansk before its interception.

This covert fleet of oil tankers has emerged as Russia’s method of maintaining crude oil exports despite economic restrictions imposed by Western nations following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

“The war involving Iran will not deflect France from its support for Ukraine, where Russia’s war of aggression continues unabated,” Macron stated on social media platform X.

“These ships, which circumvent international sanctions and violate the law of the sea, are war profiteers. They seek to reap profits and finance Russia’s war effort,” the French president added.

Although European sanctions against Russian energy remain active, the United States has temporarily relaxed some restrictions on Russian oil purchases due to Middle Eastern conflicts affecting global energy markets and driving up prices.

Russian diplomatic officials in France have not responded to requests for comment, though Moscow has historically characterized the seizure of its vessels or ships carrying Russian cargo as acts of maritime piracy.

Military sources confirmed the intercepted tanker was transporting Russian crude oil.

These shadow fleet vessels typically operate through complex and unclear ownership arrangements, raising significant environmental concerns. The aging, poorly maintained tankers pose risks of oil spills, equipment breakdowns, and other maritime accidents that could damage ocean ecosystems.

Such ships commonly operate without premium Western insurance coverage or proper safety certifications, often relying on unknown insurance providers or unverified vessel inspectors – requirements that are standard for legitimate commercial maritime operations, according to shipping industry experts.

British forces assisted in the maritime operation, according to French Mediterranean command officials.

UK Defense Secretary John Healey confirmed on X that British military personnel supported the French-led mission, stating that “disrupting, deterring and degrading Russia’s shadow fleet – and starving Putin’s war machine of funds – is a priority for this government” and allied nations.

Following a prosecutor’s directive, the vessel was guided to a secure anchorage location for comprehensive examination, French military officials reported.

“These inspections will likely focus on vessel documentation, including flag state registration and P&I Club insurance, with particular scrutiny on any discrepancies or evidence of falsified documents,” a maritime security expert explained.

The source noted that recent public declarations by French officials suggest an increasingly aggressive approach, indicating this situation could develop into more serious legal action.

“Should material irregularities or violations be identified, French authorities may proceed with the formal seizure of the vessel,” the security source added.

This marks France’s second similar interception in recent months. In January, French forces stopped the oil tanker Grinch in waters between Spain’s southern coastline and Morocco’s northern shores, suspecting it of operating within Russia’s shadow fleet network.

French naval forces also provided support to Belgian authorities in a third operation conducted earlier this month.

BRUSSELS, March 20 – The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has confirmed modifications to its operations in Iraq following media reports indicating the military alliance began pulling staff from the region amid escalating Middle East conflicts.

NATO spokesperson Allison Hart confirmed the changes in an email statement to Reuters, saying “We can confirm that we are adjusting our posture in the context of NATO Mission Iraq. We are working in close coordination with Allies and partners.”

Hart emphasized personnel safety as the driving factor behind the decision while declining to provide operational specifics. “The safety and security of our personnel is paramount, which is why we will refrain from providing additional details about this matter. NATO and Iraq’s political dialogue and practical cooperation, including through NATO Mission Iraq, will continue,” she stated.

The alliance’s operational changes come as military tensions continue across the Middle East region, though NATO maintains its commitment to ongoing diplomatic and practical partnerships with Iraqi officials.

Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is preparing to deliver a statement shortly to commemorate the beginning of the Persian New Year, according to Iranian state-controlled media outlets on Friday.

The announcement comes as Iran observes Nowruz, the traditional Persian celebration marking the start of spring and the new year in the Persian calendar.

KARAMOJA, Uganda — Wildlife officials in Uganda have successfully brought rhinos back to a remote national park where poachers had completely eliminated them four decades ago, marking what conservationists are calling a major victory in the fight to save this endangered species.

Four southern white rhinos have been moved into Kidepo Valley National Park in northeastern Uganda this week, with the first pair arriving on Tuesday and two additional animals transported in metal containers on Thursday. The rhinos came from a private breeding facility in the country’s central region.

Kidepo Valley National Park had been without rhinos since 1983 after poachers killed off the entire population. However, the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in central Uganda has been successfully breeding these massive animals since 2005, creating a stable population for relocation efforts.

“This moment marks the beginning of a new rhino story for Kidepo Valley National Park,” stated James Musinguzi, who leads the Uganda Wildlife Authority. “We are deeply grateful to our conservation partners whose technical expertise, financial support and logistical contributions have made this milestone possible.”

The relocation project involved cooperation between local wildlife officials and several conservation organizations, including Global Conservation. The animals were moved more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) from the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to their new home within Kidepo Valley National Park.

Park officials have prepared the rhinos’ new environment with protective fencing, road access, and fire prevention systems. Additional rhinos are planned to arrive later this year, including some from neighboring Kenya.

According to Jeff Morgan, who directs Global Conservation, the rhino transfer “shows that Uganda is stable again for tourism, national parks are being protected, and Ugandans and international visitors can watch rhinos in their natural setting, which will be an incredible feat.”

While poaching continues to threaten wildlife in Uganda’s parks, improved security protocols have reduced such incidents in recent years.

Criminal hunters target rhinos because their horns command extremely high prices in illegal markets, particularly in Asian countries where they are sought for traditional medicine and other purposes. Research shows that rhino horn products sometimes sell for more than gold on black markets.

WASHINGTON, March 20 – President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack Friday against NATO member nations, branding them as ‘cowards’ for their refusal to back the ongoing U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran.

Taking to social media, Trump declared: ‘Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER!’

The president has been pressing major American allies – none of whom were briefed about the military action beforehand – to assist in protecting maritime traffic through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. The military confrontation has caused widespread disruption to international markets, resulted in thousands of casualties, and forced millions from their homes since the U.S.-Israeli offensive launched on February 28.

Trump expressed frustration that NATO member states refuse to participate in combat operations against Iran while simultaneously voicing concerns about escalating fuel costs.

‘Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices. So easy for them to do, with so little risk,’ Trump posted.

He concluded his message with: ‘COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!’

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian military leaders issued warnings against global tourist destinations and declared continued missile production capabilities on Friday, displaying defiance as U.S.-Israeli military operations enter their third week, having eliminated numerous high-ranking Tehran officials and damaged weapons manufacturing and energy infrastructure.

The Islamic Republic launched attacks against Israeli targets and energy facilities in neighboring Gulf nations while many Muslims observed Eid al-Fitr, one of Islam’s most sacred celebrations. Iranians simultaneously celebrated Nowruz, their traditional Persian New Year, though festivities remained more restrained than usual this year.

Limited intelligence emerging from Iran makes it difficult to assess the extent of damage to the nation’s military, nuclear, or energy infrastructure since hostilities commenced February 28, or to determine current leadership structures. However, Iran has demonstrated ongoing capacity for attacks that disrupt oil distribution and impact the worldwide economy, driving up food and fuel costs well beyond Middle Eastern borders.

American and Israeli officials have presented varying justifications for the military campaign, ranging from encouraging domestic rebellion to overthrow Iranian leadership to dismantling nuclear and missile development programs. No visible signs of popular uprising have emerged, and Iran’s remaining military capabilities and potential conflict resolution remain unclear.

Iran’s senior military spokesperson issued a Friday warning that “parks, recreational areas and tourist destinations” globally would face danger for Tehran’s adversaries.

Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi delivered these threats while Iran endures continued American and Israeli bombardment. The statement raises fresh worries that Iran might resume militant operations outside the Middle East as wartime leverage.

American and Israeli leadership claim weeks of bombardment have devastated Iran’s armed forces. Air campaigns have also eliminated the supreme leader, Supreme National Security Council chief, and numerous other high-level military and government officials.

Thursday saw Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assert that Iran’s naval forces were destroyed and air capabilities severely compromised, while claiming ballistic missile manufacturing had been eliminated. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard challenged the missile production claims Friday.

“We are producing missiles even during war conditions, which is amazing, and there is no particular problem in stockpiling,” spokesman Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini was quoted as saying in Iran’s state-run IRAN newspaper.

Naeini stated Iran had no plans for rapid conflict resolution. “These people expect the war to continue until the enemy is completely exhausted,” he said.

Shortly following the statement’s publication, Iranian state media reported Naeini’s death in an airstrike.

The nation’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei issued an uncommon declaration, stating Iran’s adversaries must have their “security” eliminated.

Khamenei has remained unseen since replacing his father, 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died in an Israeli strike on the war’s opening day.

Iran has intensified energy facility attacks across Gulf Arab nations following Israel’s bombing of Iran’s extensive South Pars offshore natural gas installation earlier this week.

Two Iranian drone waves targeted a Kuwaiti oil refinery Friday morning, igniting fires. The Mina Al-Ahmadi facility, capable of processing approximately 730,000 daily barrels, ranks among the Middle East’s largest refineries. Thursday brought another Iranian assault on the same installation.

Bahrain reported warehouse fires from intercepted projectile debris, while Saudi Arabia confirmed destroying multiple drones aimed at its oil-producing Eastern Province.

Massive explosions echoed through Dubai as defensive systems intercepted incoming attacks over the city, where residents were celebrating Eid al-Fitr, marking Ramadan’s conclusion.

In Iran, many observed Nowruz despite Israel announcing fresh strikes and explosions heard over Tehran. The Persian New Year, coinciding with spring equinox, represents a southwestern Asian tradition spanning millennia.

Jerusalem also experienced loud explosions after Israeli military warnings about incoming Iranian missiles. Emergency responders treated two approximately 70-year-old individuals with minor injuries.

Beyond consistent Iranian strikes, Israel has repeatedly targeted Lebanon, focusing on Iran-supported Hezbollah fighters who have launched rockets and drones into Israeli territory.

Friday brought Israeli expansion into Syria, with officials citing infrastructure attacks responding to what they characterized as assaults on the Druze minority community. Syria’s state-operated SANA news service did not immediately confirm the attack.

Over 1,300 Iranian deaths have occurred during the conflict. Israeli operations in Lebanon have displaced more than one million residents, according to Lebanese authorities, who report over 1,000 fatalities. Israel claims eliminating more than 500 Hezbollah fighters.

Within Israel, Iranian missile attacks have killed 15 people. Four additional deaths occurred in the occupied West Bank from Iranian missile strikes.

At least 13 American military personnel have died.

Iranian energy infrastructure attacks throughout the Gulf, combined with shipping disruption in the Strait of Hormuz—a crucial passage for one-fifth of global oil and essential goods transport—has sparked global energy crisis concerns.

Brent crude oil, the international benchmark, has surged during fighting, reaching approximately $107 in Friday morning trading, representing over 47% increase since war began.

Rising fuel costs arrive as world leaders already struggle with elevated food prices and consumer goods. Asia faces particular hardship as most Strait of Hormuz oil and gas exports flow there.

However, price impacts spread throughout the global economy. Essential raw materials—including helium for computer chip manufacturing and sulfur for fertilizer production—face supply disruptions and potential shortages, elevating costs across entire supply chains.

LONDON — Three men who survived bombings carried out by the Irish Republican Army in England withdrew their civil lawsuit against former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams on Friday.

The case was dismissed on what should have been the final day of a two-week trial at London’s High Court. Attorney Anne Studd, representing the three plaintiffs, told the court the lawsuit would be withdrawn following “proceedings developed overnight.” She indicated the decision stemmed from issues surrounding “abuse of process.”

The lawsuit accused Adams of bearing direct responsibility and complicity in Provisional IRA decisions to carry out bombings in England during 1973 and 1996. The men were seeking symbolic damages of 1 pound ($1.34).

Adams, age 77, testified during the proceedings but was absent from court Friday when the case was dropped. He quickly issued a statement expressing satisfaction with the plaintiffs’ decision.

“I attended the civil case out of respect for them,” he said in a statement. “This decision brings to an emphatic end, a case that should never have been brought.”

Adams stands as one of Northern Ireland’s most significant figures during decades of sectarian violence. He served as head of the IRA-associated political organization Sinn Féin from 1983 through 2018 and played a key role in negotiating the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement. While he has consistently rejected claims of IRA membership, some former associates have identified him as a senior leader.

The three plaintiffs alleged Adams served on the IRA’s governing Army Council and bore equal responsibility with those who physically planted explosives during “the Troubles,” three decades of violence involving Irish republican militants, British loyalist groups, and U.K. military forces. The conflict claimed approximately 3,600 lives, primarily in Northern Ireland, though the IRA also conducted bombing campaigns in England.

Police officer John Clark sustained shrapnel wounds to his head and hand during the 1973 Old Bailey courthouse attack in London. Jonathan Ganesh experienced psychological trauma from the 1996 London Docklands explosion. Barry Laycock became 50% disabled and faced emotional and financial hardship following the 1996 Arndale shopping center bombing in Manchester.

During testimony, the three men explained they had not pursued legal action previously because they were unaware of their options, lacked financial resources, dealt with physical or mental injuries, and worried about violent retaliation.

Adams has never faced criminal charges related to these bombings or been detained on suspicion of involvement. Authorities charged him with IRA membership in 1978, but prosecutors later abandoned the case due to insufficient evidence.

Last year, Adams secured a 100,000 pound ($116,000) libel judgment against the BBC regarding claims in a television documentary that he had authorized the execution of an informant within the Irish republican movement.

French naval forces seized control of an oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea on Friday that officials believe is part of Russia’s covert shipping network designed to bypass international sanctions imposed over the Ukraine conflict.

Maritime officials identified the vessel as the Deyna, which they suspect was operating with fraudulent flag documentation. The seizure occurred in the western Mediterranean with assistance from British forces who had been tracking the ship’s movements.

“This operation aimed to verify the nationality of the vessel,” maritime authorities explained in an official statement. The tanker was displaying Mozambique’s flag while traveling from the Russian Arctic port of Murmansk. Paperwork discovered during the boarding “confirmed doubts about the validity of the flag,” officials reported.

French naval personnel redirected the vessel to a secure anchorage location for additional inspection, and the matter has been forwarded to prosecutors in Marseille for potential legal action.

President Emmanuel Macron identified the Deyna as part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” in a social media statement.

“These vessels, which circumvent international sanctions and violate the law of the sea, are war profiteers. They seek to generate profits and finance Russia’s war effort,” Macron declared. “We won’t let this happen.”

Intelligence estimates suggest Russia operates hundreds of ships to dodge sanctions related to its military campaign in Ukraine. France and allied nations have pledged to intensify enforcement efforts against these operations.

This marks the third such incident involving French forces in recent months. In January, France’s navy stopped another Russian oil tanker in the Mediterranean, which was eventually released after paying millions in penalties. Last September, French naval personnel boarded a different tanker off the Atlantic coast that Macron also connected to the shadow fleet operation. Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned that earlier action as maritime piracy.

Spanish authorities have determined that the death of an Illinois college student who vanished during a spring break trip to Barcelona appears to be accidental, regional police announced Friday.

Twenty-year-old James “Jimmy” Gracey, a University of Alabama student from Elmhurst, Illinois, was discovered Thursday afternoon in coastal waters near a Barcelona beach. The location was close to where he had last been spotted with friends outside a local nightclub early Tuesday morning.

According to a representative from Catalonia’s regional police force, investigators believe “all signs point” to an accidental death for the young man. An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the exact cause.

Gracey disappeared around 3 a.m. Tuesday after leaving the Shoko nightclub. He failed to return to his shared rental accommodation, prompting concern from his travel companions. Authorities later located his mobile phone. The student’s hometown of Elmhurst sits approximately 19 miles west of Chicago.

The grieving family released a public statement requesting prayers and privacy during this difficult period.

“Our family is heartbroken as we confirm that Jimmy’s body has been recovered in Barcelona. Jimmy was a deeply loved son, grandson, brother, nephew, cousin, and friend, and our family is struggling to come to terms with this unimaginable loss,” the statement said.

The Spanish coastal city attracts millions of international tourists annually and maintains a reputation for safety, particularly when compared to major American metropolitan areas. Petty theft typically represents the primary concern for visitors to the Mediterranean destination.

Barcelona’s seaside areas remain easily accessible from the city’s core, making them particularly attractive to younger travelers. The location where Gracey spent his final evening features numerous dining establishments and entertainment venues popular with both residents and tourists.

Speaking to reporters before official confirmation of the death, Gracey’s aunt described her nephew as “just a great kid, a good Catholic boy from the Midwest.”

University of Alabama officials expressed their sorrow in an official statement, saying the campus community “is heartbroken to learn of the death of Jimmy Gracey.”

“Jimmy’s loss is deeply felt across our campus. Our condolences are with the Gracey family during this devastating time,” the university added.

Moscow is moving forward with comprehensive regulations that could block major international artificial intelligence platforms from operating within Russian borders, according to newly released government documents.

The Russian Ministry for Digital Development has outlined proposed rules targeting AI services including ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini if these platforms cannot meet Moscow’s compliance requirements. Officials say the measures aim to expand Russia’s efforts to create an independent internet infrastructure free from outside influence while upholding what authorities describe as “traditional Russian spiritual and moral values.”

Ministry officials stated the proposed framework is intended to “help protect citizens from covert manipulation and discriminatory algorithms.”

The regulatory plan is expected to favor domestically developed AI systems created by Russian companies like state-owned Sberbank and tech firm Yandex. This initiative comes as Moscow continues expanding government oversight of internet services within the country.

Following additional review and official approval, these rules are anticipated to take effect in the coming year.

According to the proposed regulations: “The operation of cross-border artificial intelligence technologies may be prohibited or restricted in cases specified by the legislation of the Russian Federation.”

State media outlet RIA reported Friday that international AI platforms would be subject to these new requirements because they inherently transfer Russian users’ information outside the country’s borders.

Technology attorney Kirill Dyakov explained to RIA that “Cross-border artificial intelligence technologies refers to all foreign AI models, including ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini, where the use of such models results in user data, queries and dialogues being transmitted to the developers of these models outside Russia.”

The three AI systems Dyakov referenced were created by American companies: OpenAI developed ChatGPT, Anthropic created Claude, and Google parent company Alphabet built Gemini.

However, Dyakov noted that other international open-source AI technologies, including China’s Qwen and DeepSeek platforms, could potentially operate within closed systems using Russian infrastructure belonging to government agencies and domestic businesses, since user information would remain within those networks.

Under the proposed regulatory framework, AI platforms serving more than 500,000 daily users would be required to maintain Russian citizen data on servers located within the country for a three-year period, according to RIA’s reporting. Western technology companies have historically declined to comply with similar data localization requirements.

France’s top diplomat delivered a sobering assessment Friday following discussions with Israeli leadership, stating that the ongoing Middle East crisis shows no clear path to resolution in the near future.

Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot acknowledged the challenging reality during a press briefing with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar near Tel Aviv, emphasizing that despite the bleak outlook, diplomatic efforts must continue.

“There is no obvious short-term way out of the ongoing regional escalation, which has in some ways been unfolding since October 7, 2023. But this must in no way serve as a pretext for inaction,” Barrot stated to assembled journalists.

The gravity of the situation became immediately apparent when Iranian missiles streaked toward Israel as the minister prepared to address reporters, forcing Barrot, his delegation, and media personnel to seek shelter as warning sirens wailed across the area.

The French official’s visit to Israel followed his Thursday trip to Lebanon, where he worked to promote ceasefire negotiations and reduce regional tensions. France maintains deep historical connections with Lebanon and has partnered with the United States in mediation efforts since Iran-backed Hezbollah began launching attacks against Israel.

During his meetings, Barrot conveyed France’s concerns regarding potential Israeli ground operations in southern Lebanon while emphasizing that Lebanese forces must take all necessary steps to disarm Hezbollah, as the Lebanese government has demanded.

However, Israeli officials have dismissed Beirut’s offer for direct negotiations, viewing it as insufficient given the timing and circumstances, according to sources familiar with the discussions. These sources indicate that while Lebanon’s government shares Israel’s goal of disarming Hezbollah, officials fear that confronting the group could spark civil conflict.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who held talks with Barrot on Thursday, has indicated readiness to engage in direct discussions with Israel. This comes as Israel continues conducting airstrikes in Lebanon following Hezbollah’s March 2 attack on Israeli territory, while Hezbollah has dismissed diplomatic overtures and maintained its military operations.

Recent diplomatic activity has seen France proposing alternative solutions to American-led peace initiatives, though three diplomatic sources report that Washington has shown limited enthusiasm for the French proposals. Israel has reportedly rejected these suggestions entirely while discussions with U.S. officials continue.

Chinese foreign ministry officials issued a plea Friday for immediate cessation of Middle East hostilities, expressing alarm over the conflict’s growing impact on worldwide commerce, energy supplies, and shipping lanes after nearly three weeks of fighting.

Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian addressed the escalating situation as Muslim communities worldwide conclude Ramadan observances. “History and reality have repeatedly shown the world that force is not the solution to problems and armed conflict will only breed new hatred,” Lin stated during a ministry briefing.

Beijing’s diplomatic representative described the expanding Middle East conflict as damaging to shared global interests, reaffirming China’s stance that all parties must halt military actions while ensuring uninterrupted energy distribution from the region.

The Chinese statement coincided with the 23rd commemoration of the Iraq War’s beginning, when coalition forces led by the United States launched their 2003 invasion to remove Saddam Hussein from power, based partially on allegations his regime maintained weapons of mass destruction.

The Iraq intervention resulted in prolonged regional turmoil and governmental collapse, ultimately creating conditions that enabled the emergence of ISIS terrorist operations.

Current Middle East tensions present Beijing with mixed consequences, according to policy experts. While the crisis allows China to position itself as a more dependable global partner, rising energy prices pose threats to Chinese manufacturing and could spark domestic inflation if hostilities persist.

The regional instability also jeopardizes President Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road development program, which relies on Middle Eastern corridors to transport Chinese exports to markets across the Gulf region, North Africa, and Europe during a period when domestic consumer demand remains weak.

Military actions have resulted in postponing a planned summit between Xi and President Donald Trump by approximately six weeks. The delayed China visit had been viewed as an opportunity to improve strained relations between the economic superpowers following disputes over American trade tariffs.

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán warned Friday that his administration may implement additional measures targeting Ukraine to force the restart of Russian oil shipments that have been halted to Hungary and Slovakia since the beginning of the year.

During a media briefing in Brussels following his decision to obstruct a 90-billion euro ($104-billion) European Union aid package for Ukraine, Orbán declared that his administration possesses “a lot of cards in our hands” beyond preventing the financial assistance that Kyiv requires for military equipment and economic stability.

“We have other tools as well,” he stated. “Forty percent of Ukraine’s electricity supply goes through Hungary, we haven’t touched that yet. (The EU) constantly wants to introduce new sanctions (against Russia). That will require unanimity, and we will not give it.”

Relations between Hungary and Ukraine have deteriorated significantly in recent weeks, creating an intense dispute over Hungary’s ability to receive Russian oil via a pipeline running through Ukrainian land.

The flow of oil through the Druzhba pipeline was disrupted following what Ukraine described as Russian drone attacks that damaged pipeline facilities. Hungarian officials have blamed Ukraine for intentionally establishing an “oil blockade” to prevent Russian crude deliveries, and have vowed to oppose all EU assistance to Kyiv until the shipments restart.

Hungary and Slovakia, both governed by leaders who maintain friendly ties with the Kremlin, remain the sole EU nations still receiving Russian oil imports.

In a bid to convince Orbán to remove his opposition to the loan, EU representatives announced Tuesday that the bloc had provided Ukraine with technical assistance and funding to fix the pipeline, which Kyiv has agreed to accept.

On Friday, Orbán also warned he would reject the EU’s upcoming seven-year budget if it contains aid for Ukraine, stating: “We have a lot of cards in our hands, so I don’t think it’s worth picking a fight with Hungary.”

European Union leaders criticized Orbán Thursday for his obstruction of Ukrainian aid, claiming he is blocking essential assistance and weakening EU decision-making processes to gain electoral advantage domestically.

With Orbán confronting what analysts predict will be his most competitive election on April 12, he has intensified an anti-Ukraine strategy that depicts Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a fundamental danger to Hungary.

He has claimed that the Ukrainian president, together with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, seeks to pull Hungary into Russia’s conflict, now in its fifth year, and has maintained that his re-election represents the sole path to peace and stability.

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has dispatched an official team to the United States as he works to revive stalled peace discussions aimed at ending Russia’s military campaign against his nation. Meanwhile, a top Russian government official suggested Friday that fresh U.S.-facilitated negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv may happen in the near future.

The three-way discussions, which haven’t achieved any major breakthroughs on critical matters, have been suspended as the Iran conflict has captured global focus.

Zelensky wants to rebuild progress in the diplomatic process and announced Thursday evening that he had dispatched officials to America for what’s anticipated to be a Saturday gathering. The White House has not verified any such meeting.

Russian government spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow will not participate in those discussions. He noted that timing and location for fresh three-party negotiations remain undecided.

“The pause is temporary, we hope it’s temporary regarding the continuation of the trilateral format,” he said.

Western European leaders have consistently criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin over the past year for stalling in diplomatic efforts while attempting to leverage his larger military’s combat advantage and seize additional Ukrainian territory. Russian troops currently occupy almost 20% of Ukraine.

The recent Middle East crisis that started February 28 with Israeli and American attacks on Iran has shifted global focus away from Ukraine’s situation.

Simultaneously, Russia benefits from a temporary American exemption on petroleum sanctions while Ukraine faces severe financial constraints and continues awaiting a 90-billion-euro ($103 billion) loan commitment from the European Union.

Kyiv may also receive fewer sophisticated air defense systems needed to counter Russian aerial bombardments as the Iran conflict depletes available supplies.

Putin is widely anticipated to begin fresh military campaigns as Ukraine’s weather conditions improve, creating additional challenges for Kyiv.

Ukraine has emerged as a major global manufacturer of combat-proven drone defense systems, and Zelensky hopes to offer technical knowledge to Arab Gulf nations facing Iranian Shahed attacks in return for air defense weaponry.

A group of high-ranking Ukrainian representatives has traveled to the Gulf area recently.

“There is an understanding of what new security agreements can be reached with countries in the region,” Zelensky said in an evening address on Thursday.

QUSHTAPA, Iraq (AP) — Displaced as children from Iran decades ago, thousands of Kurdish refugees now living in Iraq maintain cautious optimism that ongoing conflicts involving the U.S. and Israel could destabilize the Iranian government that drove them from their homeland.

These Iranian Kurds cling to dreams of returning to ancestral homes they know only through wall paintings and aging family photos displayed in their current dwellings.

However, these thousands of displaced people understand that their desire for political independence and their long-standing resistance to Iran’s religious leadership make a safe return improbable. They insist they will only return home if Iran gets a new government that ensures their protection and supports their political objectives.

More than 300 families live in Kawa Camp, located in the Qushtapa district of Irbil within northern Iraq’s self-governing Kurdish territory. These families were forced from their homes following Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, which triggered prolonged warfare with Kurdish independence movements.

Many current residents descend from those original fighters. As children, they escaped with their families from Kermanshah, a northern Iranian province. Some later joined resistance movements while in exile, launching attacks against Iranian security personnel. Most now struggle economically on the fringes of Iraqi Kurdish society, lacking citizenship, full legal rights, access to public services, or property ownership rights.

At Kawa Camp, residents’ hopes for homecoming are clouded by profound distrust of international powers that have repeatedly used their struggle for strategic purposes. Many interpreted recent reports about the Trump administration potentially asking for their support in ground operations against Iran as another example of such exploitation.

“From 1979 until now, this has been our only hope — that the regime will fall. I’m watching the clock; if it falls now, I’ll return home the next second,” said a 57-year-old member of the Iranian Kurdish opposition party living in Kawa, who fled Iran at age 11.

This individual, like most people interviewed for this report, requested anonymity due to concerns about retaliation from Iran-supported Iraqi militias that have increased attacks on Iranian Kurdish installations. They also worry about Iranian intelligence surveillance, as many still have family members living in Iran.

Iraqi Kurds control a semi-independent region in northern Iraq. Many have conducted insurgency operations aimed at creating their own nation, which they call Kurdistan. Iranian Kurds have extensive historical complaints against both the Islamic Republic and the monarchy that came before it.

Community leader Jehangir Ahmadi displays a painting of a street from his birth village in Iran’s predominantly Kurdish Kermanshah province, which shares a border with Iraq. He hasn’t visited that street in almost five decades, and his childhood memories play like vintage footage: He remembers playing among those dusty walls while village elders would gather under the poplar trees.

Ahmadi recalls the frantic escape from home and the lengthy wait to cross the border. His family initially stayed in a border camp before relocating to another facility in the desert regions of western Anbar province. Security conditions worsened dramatically after Saddam Hussein’s overthrow during the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, leading the United Nations to relocate them again.

Through the years, temporary shelters were replaced with permanent housing, marketplaces developed, and the Iranian Kurds gained employment rights, with many working as traders, cab drivers and factory employees. However, purchasing property or vehicles requires finding an Iraqi guarantor who must accept legal responsibility for them, essentially binding their futures to that guarantor, Ahmadi explained.

“For all our lives in Iraq we were paying the price of leaving. Until now people look at us like we are slaves,” Ahmadi said. “Until now we don’t have good work, no good place to live.”

According to Ahmadi, Kurds, particularly Iran’s Kurdish population, have consistently been victims throughout history. He cited the brief Republic of Mahabad in northwestern Iran, which had Soviet backing before collapsing in 1976; Iran’s 1975 withdrawal of support for a failed Kurdish rebellion against Iraq; Iraq’s 1988 chemical weapon attacks against Kurds; and territorial losses in northeast Syria following President Bashar Assad’s December 2024 downfall.

Therefore, Ahmadi expressed doubt about the reported U.S. request for backing an Iranian Kurdish military force in the current conflict.

“We didn’t trust that they will support us because we are wounded nation, we have been betrayed many times,” he said.

Iranian Kurdish opposition militias operating from Iraq have faced attacks from Iran’s Iraqi allies since the Iran conflict began.

Military leaders and Iraqi Kurdish politicians report they lack the capability to launch a genuine ground assault without U.S. air support, and that the concept proposed by the United States was never formally discussed with Washington.

A high-ranking Iraqi Kurdish official revealed that some Iranian Kurdish organizations initially anticipated Iran’s religious government would quickly collapse and planned to advance into Iranian Kurdish regions to claim victory. Other Iraqi Kurdish leaders, viewing Tehran’s administration as more durable, gave them a stark warning: “You will be massacred,” according to the official.

Unit commander Rebaz Sharifi took cover in a mountain crevice when Iran-backed militias launched a drone attack on a Kurdistan Freedom Party base, waiting for additional strikes to end. The party is an Iranian-Kurdish nationalist independence organization known locally as PAK.

Sharifi reported there are approximately 8,000 to 10,000 Iranian Kurdish fighters — a number confirmed by two other Iraqi Kurdish officials. Apart from standard assault weapons, they lack advanced modern armaments and do not have drones, which are essential in contemporary warfare.

He stated that Iranian-Kurdish organizations are requesting security assurances, particularly air protection, to defend against Iranian rockets and drones.

“We don’t want to go now because we know we will die because of (Iranian) airstrikes and missiles,” he said. “It’s not the right time for this because Iranian forces still have power to control the skies.”

At just the possibility that these groups might prepare for deployment, Iran-backed forces in Iraq began launching almost daily aerial bombardments.

“So, imagine what they will do if we move there now,” Sharifi said.

The danger of ongoing attacks forced Kurdish fighters to relocate their families from military installations to nearby towns for protection.

In Kawa, a local resident connected to the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan is providing shelter for a fighter’s wife and children from the party’s military branch. They relocated from the party’s Koya camp near the border due to persistent attacks during the war’s initial days.

The militia drone strikes haven’t targeted civilian areas yet, but the party member worries this could change as the conflict continues.

“Every day we are afraid of the militias,” he said. “We are nervous at night because we think they might hit here also.”

He also fears Iranian intelligence operations in the region.

“My relatives in Iran told me that they know where I work, what I do, and where I live,” he said.

OSLO, Norway (AP) — In her first public discussion about the controversial connection, Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit revealed she felt manipulated and unsafe during interactions with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, particularly during a 2013 visit to his Florida estate in Palm Beach.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit, wife of Crown Prince Haakon who is next in line for Norway’s throne, participated in a 20-minute television interview Thursday with Norwegian network NRK alongside her husband. The interview took place on the same day her son Marius Borg Høiby’s criminal trial wrapped up.

Høiby, the crown princess’s child from an earlier relationship, faces rape charges that he has denied. Prosecutors are requesting a sentence of seven years and seven months imprisonment. The court’s decision is anticipated in early June.

While Thursday’s NRK broadcast didn’t reveal any shocking new information, it represented the royal couple’s first formal media appearance to discuss the controversy surrounding the crown princess’s connection to Epstein. Although her association with him has prompted criticism of her decision-making, she faces no criminal allegations.

The interview’s duration was shortened because of Mette-Marit’s medical condition — she suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease that severely impacts breathing.

The crown princess had previously issued an apology for placing the royal family in a difficult position. Her initial meeting with the American financier occurred in 2011, with their communication extending through 2014. Documents related to Epstein referenced the crown princess hundreds of times, and she expressed regret about their association in 2019.

Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while facing trial for sexually abusing minors at his U.S. residences. Speaking to NRK, Mette-Marit stated she was unaware of his criminal behavior and abuse, noting she only observed his interactions with adults and never saw illegal activity.

During the interview, she expressed feelings of responsibility toward Epstein’s victims and revealed she has spent years reflecting on their connection and the accusations against him. She acknowledged failing to properly investigate his background.

Released documents containing email correspondence between the pair suggested what appeared to be a close friendship to some observers. In one electronic message, Mette-Marit told Epstein, “you tickle my brain.”

During October 2012, Epstein mentioned in an email that he was in Paris “on my wife hunt.” The crown princess responded that Paris was “good for adultery” but “Scandis” made “better wife material.”

Additional email exchanges revealed that Mette-Marit used an Epstein-owned Florida property in Palm Beach for several days in 2013. She explained the arrangement came through a shared acquaintance, and it was during this stay that she experienced the troubling encounter that prompted her to telephone Haakon back in Norway.

Though she refused to provide additional details during the NRK interview, she explained that she maintained contact with Epstein afterward because she was naive and had fallen victim to his manipulation.

ROME (AP) — Umberto Bossi, who established Italy’s Northern League party and emerged as one of the nation’s most impactful yet controversial political personalities, passed away Wednesday at 84 years old, according to his party.

Political leaders from across Italy responded quickly to news of his passing. President Sergio Mattarella honored him as “a passionate political leader and sincere democrat,” while Premier Giorgia Meloni recognized his “fundamental contribution” to creating Italy’s first modern center-right coalition.

Starting from humble beginnings, Bossi built a political movement that transformed Italy’s postwar political scene. Beginning in the late 1980s, he became the spokesperson for northern Italy’s frustrated taxpayers, turning regional complaints into a populist campaign focused on independence and sometimes complete separation from the south.

His famous populist phrase “Roma ladrona” (Thieving Rome) captured his criticism of the corrupt central government and became a battle cry for disappointed voters across a generation.

Bossi was born September 19, 1941, in Cassano Magnago, a small industrial town in northern Italy’s manufacturing region. He officially began his national political career in 1987, gaining the nickname “Il Senatùr” (the Senator in Lombard dialect) when he joined Italy’s senate.

Throughout the following years, he successfully grew the Northern League from a small regional organization into a major national political power, creating partnerships — and unexpected breaks — with late center-right leader Silvio Berlusconi.

Under Berlusconi’s government, he held ministerial positions twice, focusing on institutional reform while advancing his lifelong goal of national federalism.

Bossi’s legacy remains complicated: supporters viewed him as a visionary while critics saw him as a divisive populist, but everyone agrees he was a major figure whose ideas and aggressive political approach permanently changed modern Italian politics.

His appearance in a white tank top during summer 1994 became a legendary moment in Italian political history, deliberately contrasting with the polished image of his political partner-turned-opponent Berlusconi. This image became a lasting representation of his straightforward, “common man” approach.

A severe stroke in 2004 greatly impacted Bossi’s health, though he stayed involved in politics for many years following his recovery.

In 2012, he resigned from party leadership after a controversy involving misused party money, but he maintained his influence as the movement’s founding figure, despite tensions with current party leader Matteo Salvini.

Legislation that would eliminate criminal penalties for abortion procedures throughout pregnancy is making progress through the British Parliament. The House of Lords had the opportunity to support an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that would have stripped out the decriminalization provisions, but chose not to act.

The Christian Institute’s Simon Calvert criticized British legislators, stating they have “shown little regard for public opinion and have dehumanised the unborn to a shocking new degree.”

As nationwide demonstrations swept across Iran in late 2025, Shayan Ghadimi watched her 70-year-old mother make a fateful decision to travel from Paris back to their homeland to witness the historic uprising firsthand.

Now, months later, that separation weighs heavily on the family as they struggle to maintain contact through violent government suppression and ongoing military conflict. For Iranian communities worldwide, the traditionally joyous Persian New Year celebration of Nowruz has become a time of profound worry rather than celebration.

Ghadimi’s elderly mother had been following the early demonstrations on television from Paris. “We could see the market closed, the people in the street. She said, ‘I want to be there,’” the 41-year-old restaurant owner explained while preparing meals in her aromatic Paris eatery.

“Now, she is all alone at home, with no way to stay in contact, watching the sky. I cannot imagine the state she is in,” Ghadimi shared.

The impact extends far beyond individual families. A Paris-based Iranian cultural organization that previously hosted musical performances for Nowruz has declared itself in mourning this year. Similarly, Iranian American groups across the United States have either called off their celebrations entirely or dramatically reduced their scope.

The holiday known as Nowruz, meaning “new day” in the Persian language, traditionally aligns with the spring equinox and is observed across a vast region spanning from Afghanistan to Turkey. People of various religious backgrounds within Iranian communities celebrate this ancient Zoroastrian festival, which traces its origins back thousands of years, despite periodic attempts by religious conservatives to discourage the practice.

Shakiba Edighoffer, while shopping for traditional Nowruz ingredients, described the emotional turmoil she and fellow Iranians experience as military operations continue. Israel and the United States have launched attacks targeting Iran’s government officials and armed forces, while the Islamic Republic has responded by launching missiles and unmanned aircraft toward Israel and neighboring Gulf nations.

“You hear news about this or that leader of the Islamic Republic being eliminated … about executions or bombings,” explained Edighoffer, who works as a makeup artist.

The near-complete breakdown of communication networks has transformed attempts to check on relatives and friends enduring bombardments into anxiety-inducing ordeals.

“I had a friend who managed to connect very briefly on Instagram a few days ago, but I think it’s been about 20 days now since the war started, and that was really the only time I was able to speak with him a little,” Edighoffer noted.

Despite the circumstances, she emphasized the importance of maintaining cultural traditions. Observing Nowruz alongside family and friends “helps us cope, at least a little, with the psychological pressure,” she explained. “All these oppressors want is for us to be sad, to forget our millennia-old Persian and Iranian traditions. We must not give them that victory.”

Among the customers visiting Ghadimi’s restaurant for traditional grilled meat dishes and seasoned rice, opinions about the conflict’s potential outcomes vary dramatically. Some express hope that the warfare might herald positive change, while others focus solely on the casualties and devastation caused by Israeli and American military strikes.

“I have people in tears. I have people who cry for joy. They say, ‘Did you see? They are coming. We are going to be saved.’ Others say, ‘Our country is being destroyed,’” she observed.

Communication with her mother has been severely limited since her January departure for Iran, with only two successful phone conversations occurring during the entire period.

“Quite honestly, I don’t try anymore. Because it stresses me out, if I try calling and can’t get hold of her,” she admitted. “My sister calls 100 times a day and can’t reach her.”

Her mother had originally purchased a round-trip ticket and promised to return in time for the Nowruz celebration.

However, during their most recent conversation approximately one week ago, her mother revealed that those plans had shifted. Having witnessed the 1979 Islamic Revolution firsthand, she expressed determination to remain and observe Iran’s unfolding political transformation.

“I am staying here until the end,” her mother declared.

COPENHAGEN – Danish voters will cast ballots Tuesday in a national election overshadowed by President Donald Trump’s ongoing campaign to acquire Greenland, the Arctic territory home to 57,000 residents that has remained under Danish control for hundreds of years.

The following chronology outlines key developments in the international standoff:

2019

Trump unexpectedly floated purchasing Greenland from Denmark during his initial presidency, prompting Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to dismiss the idea as “absurd.”

The president canceled his scheduled Denmark trip, describing Frederiksen’s response as “nasty.”

JANUARY 2025

Before his inauguration, Trump declined to eliminate the possibility of employing military or economic pressure to gain control of Greenland.

Donald Trump Jr. visited the territory, claiming residents “will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our nation.”

MARCH 2025

The victorious Demokraatit party in Greenland’s elections promised to deepen relationships with Denmark.

Vice President JD Vance criticized Denmark’s security efforts regarding Greenland.

DECEMBER 2025

Trump named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as special representative to “lead the charge” concerning Greenland.

JANUARY 4-6, 2026

Following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, Trump declared “we do need Greenland,” with administration officials confirming the president was considering various approaches, including possible military action.

JANUARY 9

“We are going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not. Because if we don’t do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland, and we’re not going to have Russia or China as a neighbour,” Trump stated to journalists.

JANUARY 14-15

Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt and Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen met with Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, declaring that Danish and Greenlandic independence remained non-negotiable.

Multiple European nations including Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Netherlands deployed military personnel to Greenland as a show of solidarity and deterrence.

White House officials indicated that European troop deployments would not influence Trump’s strategy.

JANUARY 17-19

Trump threatened escalating tariffs against European partners until America could purchase Greenland, causing market volatility and dollar weakness.

European Union leadership cautioned against a “dangerous downward spiral.”

JANUARY 21

At the Davos forum, Trump unexpectedly retreated from tariff threats, eliminated force as an option, and indicated a resolution might be near.

The president announced that he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had “formed the framework of a future deal.”

Financial markets rebounded and oil prices dropped as confidence returned.

Reuters learned from sources that Rutte and Trump agreed to continue discussions between America, Denmark and Greenland regarding modifications to a 1951 military access accord.

JANUARY 28

Official diplomatic negotiations commenced among the United States, Greenland and Denmark.

FEBRUARY 11

NATO initiated an Arctic presence enhancement mission as part of tension reduction efforts.

FEBRUARY 21-22

Trump announced a U.S. medical vessel was “on the way” to Greenland “to take care of the many people who are sick, and not being taken care of there.” Greenland’s prime minister rejected the ship, saying “no thanks.”

FEBRUARY 26

Frederiksen announced Denmark’s parliamentary election would occur March 24.

A comprehensive investigation into last year’s historic power failure across Spain and Portugal has revealed that numerous system breakdowns combined to create Europe’s most severe electrical grid collapse in more than two decades.

The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) released its final analysis Friday, detailing how the April 28th incident unfolded when voltage control systems failed to respond properly, triggering widespread power plant shutdowns across the Iberian Peninsula.

The blackout left millions of residents in Spain and Portugal without electricity for as long as 16 hours, marking the first incident of this magnitude in the region’s history.

According to the investigation, several critical issues contributed to the cascade failure. Traditional power facilities including coal, natural gas, and nuclear plants failed to regulate voltage levels as grid operators had anticipated under standard operating procedures. Additionally, some voltage control systems required manual operation, creating dangerous delays during the emergency.

The report also identified that protective equipment designed to disconnect during voltage spikes was not properly calibrated according to established safety standards.

Investigators noted that Spain’s electrical grid operates with broader voltage tolerance ranges compared to other European nations, leaving minimal safety margins between normal operations and automatic shutoff thresholds.

The study further suggested that coordination problems with power connections to France may have worsened the situation as it developed.

“The analyses above clearly indicate that the key phenomenon in the incident was the non-effectiveness of voltage control within the Spanish power system,” the report’s summary said.

Researchers encountered obstacles during their investigation when power plant operators claimed they lacked essential data needed to explain some of the initial generation failures that occurred in Spain.

To prevent similar widespread outages, the report recommends enhanced monitoring systems for electrical networks and improved communication protocols between utilities and grid operators throughout the region.

The investigation was designed to identify systemic problems and propose solutions rather than assign responsibility for the incident.

BEIRUT (AP) — Following Israel’s assassination of a senior Iranian Basij commander earlier this week, the military launched additional attacks targeting lower-level members of the notorious force that helped suppress major demonstrations this year. An Israeli drone destroyed one of numerous temporary roadblocks the Basij had established throughout Tehran, the Iranian capital.

According to Israeli and American officials, their ongoing bombardment campaign seeks to dismantle the Islamic Republic’s mechanisms for internal suppression. The military offensive, now approaching its third week, has seen monitoring organizations estimate that approximately one-third of all attacks have focused on senior leadership and major installations of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and its volunteer Basij units responsible for maintaining allegiance to Iran’s religious government.

Israeli forces recently expanded their targeting to include Basij security checkpoints, putting lower-ranking personnel at risk. However, the Basij, police forces, and Revolutionary Guard continue to maintain control, with no evidence of Iranians responding to American and Israeli encouragement for revolt, as citizens instead seek shelter from aerial bombardments and ongoing instability.

Tehran residents report that security personnel continue to maintain a threatening presence throughout the city. War monitoring groups indicate that an escalated suppression campaign, which started with January’s nationwide protest crackdown, persists and frequently targets individuals who record footage of strikes or attempt to circumvent weeks-long internet restrictions to communicate externally.

Israel’s strategy may seek to damage Basiji morale and encourage desertion or service refusal. The campaign could also embolden numerous Iranians who remain outraged over the thousands killed during January’s violent suppression. In early March, Israeli military forces broadcast a message in Farsi encouraging Basiji mothers to “save their children” by urging them to abandon their weapons.

However, according to Hamidreza Azizi, an authority on Iran’s security and foreign policy, Basijis maintain strong ideological commitment and represent “the most decentralized force within an already highly decentralized system.”

Azizi explained that Israel’s elimination of top commander Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani on Tuesday morning will probably not significantly impact the organization. The Basij leadership position is selected based on “ideological rigidity and demonstrated loyalty to the supreme leader” rather than technical competence, serving a primarily symbolic function.

“In most cases, Basij units operate autonomously or semiautonomously, particularly in operational matters,” Azizi stated.

Throughout Tehran, Basij security checkpoints have multiplied, typically consisting of simple traffic cone barriers and several vehicles. One local resident reported five or six new checkpoints appearing in his affluent neighborhood alone. Personnel at these locations search cars for weapons, inspect identification documents, and occasionally demand to examine mobile phones, according to the resident who requested anonymity for security reasons.

Checkpoint attacks commenced on March 11, with Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, an American monitoring organization, documenting at least 15 separate incidents in one day.

“We are landing crushing blows on the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij, both in the streets and at checkpoints,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the following day, stating the objective was establishing conditions for Iranians to remove their government.

On Tuesday, Israeli military officials announced strikes against more than 10 Basij locations throughout the capital. Video footage shared online and confirmed by the Associated Press displayed two burning vehicles near traffic cones on a central Tehran boulevard. The scene corresponded with aerial footage released by Israeli forces showing a Tuesday checkpoint strike as public transportation and civilian vehicles passed nearby.

Iranian citizens have been distributing videos and social media posts revealing checkpoint locations, frequently tagging the Israeli military’s Farsi account and requesting strikes, sometimes honoring protesters killed in those areas. Others share checkpoint information to warn commuters about traffic delays. Multiple videos show checkpoints positioned beneath bridges, apparently seeking protection from aerial attacks.

The Basij, meaning “mobilization” in Farsi, comprises tens of thousands of volunteers operating under Revolutionary Guard authority. Most remain unarmed and participate in “ideological and political activities,” according to Azizi, a visiting researcher at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.

The organization operates similarly to how the Communist Party functioned in the Soviet Union, maintaining divisions in educational institutions, universities, government agencies, and other organizations, he explained. Male and female volunteers work to guarantee devotion to the Islamic Republic through activities like conducting religious instruction or intimidating those who violate social regulations. They can also be activated for government-sponsored events, including counter-demonstrations, Azizi noted.

Local paramilitary divisions deploy during periods of domestic unrest — such as January’s protests — equipped with weapons ranging from clubs and stun devices to lethal ammunition.

Throughout those protests and the current conflict, the Basij’s function has been supplying personnel, Azizi explained.

“The state’s security apparatus has been continuously engaged, leaving many of its core forces both deeply entrenched and likely fatigued,” he said. Through checkpoint operations, the Basij enables security agencies to concentrate on intelligence collection and detentions.

Iranians describe widespread text message warnings against demonstrations and aggressive Basij patrols in Tehran. On Thursday, Iran announced executing three men detained during January’s protests, marking the first known implementation of such sentences.

Over the past week, semi-official media sources have reported arresting more than 100 individuals across Iran, mostly charged with collaborating with hostile nations or sharing media content with foreign organizations. At least 14 faced accusations of possessing Starlink internet equipment or planning to distribute them or virtual private network access cards. Starlink has provided one of the few methods for accessing global internet since the unprecedented blackout started January 8.

The government has also reportedly disabled portions of Iran’s domestic internet and canceled some VPN cards issued to individuals with specialized occupations.

The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, an American-based organization, reported people being arrested for photographing checkpoint, base, and military facility locations. Authorities continue detaining individuals connected to January’s protests, former political prisoners, or minority group members.

The rights organization said it received reports of security forces firing weapons at checkpoints. In one case, two teenage brothers were shot and killed after honking their vehicle horn celebrating Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death in the war’s initial attack.

ATHENS, Greece — Israeli military operations have systematically eliminated Iran’s highest-ranking officials in a series of targeted strikes.

The campaign began with the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the conflict’s initial phase. Subsequently, Ali Larijani, who served as secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and ranked among the nation’s most influential figures, was also eliminated. Multiple other senior military and political officials have been killed as well.

With such extensive losses among Iran’s top echelon, questions emerge about the country’s current leadership structure and who maintains operational control.

Iran’s governmental system centers around the supreme leader position, which has served as the ultimate authority since the Islamic Republic’s establishment following the 1979 revolution that toppled the shah.

Following Khamenei’s death, his 56-year-old son Mojtaba Khamenei received swift appointment as the new supreme leader. The younger Khamenei, known for maintaining a low profile, has remained absent from public appearances since the airstrike that claimed his 86-year-old father’s life.

Despite never holding an elected or appointed governmental role, the cleric had been widely viewed as a potential successor. He maintains strong connections with Iran’s influential paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

His ideological stance is reportedly more extreme than his father’s positions. In his official capacity, he now oversees Iran’s military forces, and nuclear program decisions fall under his authority.

However, questions persist about his actual control over the nation.

“I’m not sure who’s running Iran right now,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated during a Thursday evening press conference. “Mojtaba, the replacement ayatollah, has not shown his face. Have you seen him? We haven’t, and we can’t vouch for what exactly is happening there.”

The Israeli strike that killed his father also claimed the life of Mojtaba Khamenei’s wife, Zahra Haddad Adel. American and Israeli intelligence sources indicate he sustained injuries in the same attack.

“Iran’s command and control structure is in utter chaos,” Netanyahu declared.

According to Burcu Ozcelik, a senior research fellow specializing in Middle East security at the Royal United Services Institute, a UK-based defense and security think tank, the elimination of numerous Iranian leaders will transform the theocratic system, though changes may unfold gradually.

“Leadership matters, and the loss of key decision-makers spanning politics, intelligence, internal security and (the) army will have transformative consequences,” Ozcelik stated.

“The fixation on the terminology of ‘regime collapse’ is obscuring the fact that the regime is already changing” as a result of the military strikes and leadership assassinations. However, she noted that the war’s complete impact on the country may require time to fully manifest.

“We need to be prepared for change that may take years, not weeks or months.”

Many experts believe actual authority now lies with Iran’s formidable paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard.

“The Revolutionary Guard is the state now,” explained Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group. Prior to the conflict, civilian leadership was “subservient entirely” to the supreme leader, while the Guard represented the country’s second-most powerful institution.

However, with the elder Khamenei deceased and his son lacking equivalent authority, “it is really the Revolutionary Guards who are running the country.”

The Guard emerged from Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution as a protective force for the Shiite cleric-led government. It subsequently gained constitutional recognition and functions alongside Iran’s conventional military.

The Guard’s overseas operations unit, the Quds Force, played a crucial role in establishing what Iran calls its “Axis of Resistance” opposing Israel and the United States. It provided support to Syria’s former President Bashar Assad, Lebanese militant organization Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthi rebels, and additional regional armed groups.

During the conflict’s early stages, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi indicated that the country’s military forces were operating without centralized governmental oversight.

“Our … military units are now in fact independent and somehow isolated and they are acting based on instructions — you know, general instructions — given to them in advance,” Araghchi stated during a March 1 Al Jazeera interview.

When questioned about Tehran’s attacks on other Gulf states, including Oman, which had served as an intermediary in recent U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations, he responded: “What happened in Oman was not our choice. We have already told our … army, armed forces to be careful about the targets that they choose.”

The prospect of Israeli or American military action against Iran had long been anticipated. The Islamic Republic had incorporated this possibility into its strategic planning, establishing numerous backup plans, according to Vaez.

“I think the mistake in the U.S. and in Israel is that they ended up believing their own rhetoric that Iran is akin to a terrorist organization, that decapitating the regime or removing one or two layers of political elite would result in paralysis and collapse,” Vaez observed. “Whereas this is a state, … it has multiple layers of leadership.”

Even with all senior commanders eliminated, he noted, subordinate officers can assume their predecessors’ responsibilities. “The expectation that this regime will … implode by removing a few dozen senior leaders, I think is nothing but an illusion.”