Category: World News

BEIJING – Chinese officials announced Wednesday their intention to deploy a diplomatic representative to the Middle East region as tensions and violence continue to mount across the area.

The announcement came from Foreign Minister Wang Yi during telephone discussions with his counterparts in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according to official statements released by China’s foreign ministry.

During his conversation with the Saudi foreign minister, Wang praised the kingdom’s measured approach and commitment to seeking peaceful solutions to regional disputes, according to the Chinese ministry’s account of the call.

In his discussion with UAE officials, Wang emphasized that certain boundaries must be respected during conflicts, stating that the “red line” of protecting civilians in conflicts must not be crossed. He further stressed that attacks should not target non-military facilities, particularly those related to energy infrastructure, and called for ensuring the security of maritime shipping lanes.

The diplomatic outreach comes as Beijing seeks to expand its role as a mediator in international disputes while regional conflicts continue to destabilize the Middle East.

KAPIKOY BORDER CROSSING, Turkey (AP) — The border crossing in Turkey’s Van province stands as one of the limited pathways available to Iranians seeking to reach other parts of the world, following airspace closures in Iran after U.S. and Israeli military actions against Tehran more than a week ago escalated Middle Eastern conflicts.

The majority of people crossing the border in recent days have existing ties to Turkey through employment, relatives, or personal relationships, with many accelerating previously scheduled trips due to the conflict. Several travelers held residency or citizenship in other nations and were using Turkey as a transit point.

Just a handful of Iranian citizens interviewed by The Associated Press at the Kapikoy crossing indicated plans to remain in Turkey indefinitely to avoid the warfare.

Thirty-eight-year-old plastic surgeon Reza Gol explained that the conflict wasn’t his sole motivation for traveling. He was journeying from Iran’s western city of Urmia to treat patients in Istanbul, his former home.

“It’s not clear whether we will leave Iran for good, but I can clear my head a little bit in the meantime,” he said. “You can see it’s not that crowded at the border. Everyone is staying in their houses. For now, people are not leaving everything they have behind and running away.”

Iranian-Canadian dual citizens Pooneh Asghari and her spouse were hesitantly preparing for their flight to Canada, despite no longer maintaining a residence there and both maintaining employment in Iran. Asghari expressed hope for a short absence.

“We’ve been living in Iran for over the last five years,” she said. “All our life is there.”

A woman identifying herself only as Fariba due to safety worries was traveling to Turkey’s western city of İzmir with her son to wait until the conflict subsides.

She explained that most people in her community lack resources to flee, potentially accounting for the absence of mass migration at the border.

“People are very poor now,” she said. “So they are staying at home, and they are scared.”

Turkish entry typically requires no visa for Iranian citizens. Turkey’s trade minister announced Monday the temporary halt of day-trip crossings, while Iranian border authorities have limited some nationals’ passage, according to travelers and regional news outlets.

Since Thursday morning, however, both Iranian citizens and foreign nationals have been moving through the mountainous Kapıköy crossing without issues.

Turkey’s Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi reported that 2,032 people entered Turkey from Iran on Wednesday, while 1,966 departed for Iran. Updated statistics weren’t immediately available.

Most border crossers proceeded to Van’s airport to continue traveling. Friday evening found approximately 20 passengers, predominantly Iranian, resting on airport seating while awaiting Saturday morning departures.

Twenty-six-year-old Mehregan, a student in China, was visiting family in Ahvaz during winter break when hostilities began. She drove over 15 hours across Iran to reach the Turkish border. She requested partial anonymity, fearing media interviews could create difficulties with Iranian officials.

The financially struggling student chose to sleep at the airport while waiting for her next day’s Istanbul flight, which would connect to China. However, Saturday’s flight cancellation due to snowstorms forced her to consider city hotels rather than spending another night at the airport.

“If I can’t get on a flight tomorrow from here I will miss my flight to China” and lose the cost of the nonrefundable ticket, she said.

Van, located 1.5 hours from the border, has traditionally attracted Iranians for business, tourism, and commerce. Local hotels and businesses that typically experience busy periods during Iran’s mid-March Nowruz celebrations now anticipate reduced revenue.

“It gets really lively here over Nowruz. A lot of our friends come and spend their holidays here with us,” says Resat Yeşilağaç, owner of two hotels in Van. “Now it’s mostly quiet, apart from people who come because of the war. Most of them are dual nationals and they stop in Van for a day or so before flying out.”

Immigration remains a delicate issue in Turkey, which previously sheltered nearly 4 million Syrian refugees.

Turkey has continued strengthening border security to handle possible waves of people escaping unrest following massive anti-government demonstrations in Iran that faced violent suppression in January.

The defense ministry reported in January that Turkey had constructed 380 kilometers (235 miles) of concrete barriers, 203 observation towers and 43 elevator-equipped towers along the 560-kilometer (350-mile) Iranian border.

Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci announced Wednesday that Turkey has prepared emergency plans including temporary camps and buffer areas to manage potential refugee flows from Iran. Such an influx hasn’t occurred yet.

Harrison Mirtar, a 53-year-old Iranian-Canadian, crossed at Kapıköy while returning to Canada after visiting his Tehran parents. He expressed frustration about foreign military involvement in his homeland but wasn’t overly concerned about leaving his parents, who survived the devastating Iran-Iraq conflict of the 1980s.

“They are in their homeland,” he said. “Life is going on, but with some bombs.”

Switzerland’s Defense Minister has joined a growing chorus of European officials condemning recent military strikes against Iran by the United States and Israel, declaring the actions violate international law.

Martin Pfister, Switzerland’s Defense Minister, made the remarks during a Sunday interview with SonntagsZeitung newspaper, becoming the latest European leader to express concern over the escalating conflict.

International law experts note that numerous nations view such attacks as unjustifiable under United Nations Charter provisions, which require member states to avoid using force without UN approval or legitimate self-defense justification.

“The Federal Council is of the opinion that the attack on Iran constitutes a violation of international law,” Pfister stated, speaking on behalf of Switzerland’s governing cabinet.

“In our view it constitutes a violation on the prohibition of violence,” the minister continued, urging all involved nations to cease military operations to safeguard civilian lives.

Pfister clarified his criticism extended to all nations failing to comply with international violence prohibitions, specifically naming the United States and Israel.

“The Americans and Israel have attacked Iran from the air. In doing so, they, like Iran, violated international law,” the Swiss official declared.

Similar concerns emerged from Germany, where Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil expressed skepticism about the conflict’s legal justification to the RND newspaper network, stating he harbored “serious doubts that this war is legitimate under international law.”

Klingbeil firmly rejected any potential German involvement in the military operations, emphasizing: “I say clearly: this is not our war. We will not participate in this war.”

The German official warned of broader implications, noting a “great danger that we are sliding ever deeper into a world where there are no longer any rules. We do not want to live in a world where only the law of the strongest applies.”

Spain has similarly condemned the American and Israeli bombing campaigns against Iran, characterizing them as both reckless and illegal actions.

A prominent British rapper has been sentenced to 12 years behind bars for a fatal hit-and-run crash that claimed the life of a young Nepali student in London last year.

Justin Clarke-Samuel, who performs under the stage name Ghetts, was driving while intoxicated and at excessive speeds when the deadly incident occurred in October 2025, court officials revealed.

The 41-year-old musician also received a 17-year driving ban on Tuesday from Judge Mark Lucraft, who described surveillance video evidence as showing “a quite appalling litany of incidents” that led to a “simply shocking” fatal crash with student Yubin Tamang. The 20-year-old victim sustained severe injuries and passed away two days following the collision.

In December, Clarke-Samuel entered a guilty plea at London’s Central Criminal Court to charges of causing death by dangerous driving.

Judge Lucraft acknowledged that the rapper had shown regret through a written statement to the court.

“As you set out, you have done much to help others over the last 10 years and all that good work is marred by driving in drink and taking the life of another young man,” the judge said.

Court testimony revealed that Clarke-Samuel had consumed alcohol at a central London establishment before operating his BMW in a reckless manner at approximately 70 mph. His dangerous driving included ignoring six traffic signals and traveling in oncoming traffic lanes. Tamang was hit while attempting to cross the street and suffered life-threatening injuries.

“Mr. Tamang was still crossing the road. He could do nothing to avoid a collision. Mr. Tamang was catapulted into the air before crashing down on the roadway,” prosecutor Philip McGhee said. He noted that Clarke-Samuel failed to remain at the scene or contact emergency responders, instead traveling eight miles to his residence.

The victim’s parents, Sharmila and Bikash Tamang, expressed their devastation in a court statement, saying their hearts were “broken beyond repair.”

“Our only child, a precious soul, has been taken from us far too soon,” they said. “He came to the U.K. to study and create a better life for himself and his family. Justin Clarke-Samuel has stolen our son’s future and ours with it.”

Defense attorney Ben Aina shared portions of Clarke-Samuel’s written apology to the Tamang family.

“I write from a place of extreme regret, shame and remorse,” the rapper wrote. “I am fully aware that there are no number of apologies that I can say which will soothe the pain that the family and friends of Mr Tamang must feel.”

Clarke-Samuel received recognition as best male act at Britain’s MOBO awards in 2021 and has worked with notable musicians including Ed Sheeran and Stormzy.

HAVANA — Cuban authorities announced Wednesday they have brought terrorism charges against six individuals allegedly involved in a deadly confrontation between a U.S.-flagged speedboat and Cuban military forces along the island nation’s northern coastline.

According to a statement from Cuba’s Prosecutor’s Office, the six suspects of Cuban descent are being held in custody pending trial. Officials pledged to ensure “due process” while continuing to act “in defense of our people and the country’s institutions.”

Cuban officials claim that ten heavily armed Cuban nationals traveling from the United States aboard the vessel fired upon soldiers while attempting to enter the island illegally to carry out terrorist activities. Cuban military personnel returned fire during the confrontation, resulting in the deaths of four individuals.

Authorities displayed weapons and equipment they say were recovered from the vessel, including twelve high-powered firearms, over 12,800 rounds of ammunition, and eleven handguns.

According to chief prosecutor Edward Robert Campbell, who spoke with The Associated Press, terrorism convictions can result in sentences of up to three decades in prison or capital punishment, though Cuba has not carried out executions since implementing a moratorium in 2003.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth admitted Wednesday that Iranian aerial assaults might still reach their intended targets, despite his claims that American military dominance is rapidly securing control over the Islamic Republic’s skies.

Speaking to media at the Pentagon, Hegseth emphasized that the United States has invested every available resource and military asset to strengthen air defense networks protecting American troops and regional partners following recent coordinated strikes by the US and Israel against Iran in the expanding regional conflict.

“This does not mean we can stop everything, but we ensured that the maximum possible defense and maximum possible force protection was set up before we went on offense,” he said.

His admission that future drone or rocket attacks across the region might inflict casualties and damage comes as President Donald Trump and senior military officials have cautioned that more American deaths are anticipated in a confrontation that may continue for months.

American military personnel “remain in harm’s way, and we must be clear-eyed that the risk is still high,” Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated during the same briefing.

A recent Iranian drone attack claimed six soldiers’ lives when it struck an operations facility Sunday at a civilian port in Kuwait, located miles from the primary Army installation. According to the spouse of one fallen soldier from an Iowa-based supply and logistics unit, the targeted facility was a shipping container-style structure lacking protective measures.

Hegseth also indicated the confrontation might extend beyond previous administration estimates, suggesting it could span eight weeks while emphasizing America’s ammunition stockpiles and equipment capacity to prevail in prolonged warfare. He refused to establish definitive timelines, noting the conflict’s duration would depend on how events develop.

“You can say four weeks, but it could be six, it could be eight, it could be three,” he said. “Ultimately, we set the pace and the tempo. The enemy is off balance, and we’re going to keep them off balance.”

Additional military assets continue deploying to the region, including fighter aircraft and bombers, Hegseth reported, with the US committed to “take all the time we need to make sure that we succeed.”

Iranian leadership has promised to completely devastate Middle Eastern military and economic infrastructure, indicating the warfare remains far from concluded and may broaden significantly.

President Trump stated earlier this week that military operations would likely continue four to five weeks but expressed readiness “to go far longer than that.”

A gas tanker from Russia has completely sunk in Mediterranean waters off Libya’s coastline after suffering explosions and catching fire, according to Libya’s maritime rescue agency in a Wednesday advisory obtained by Reuters.

The vessel, identified as Arctic Metagaz with IMO number 9243148, sent out a distress signal on Tuesday evening, March 3, 2026, the Libyan agency reported.

“A distress call was received on Tuesday evening, March 3, 2026, from the commercial tanker named Arctic Metagaz. Information indicates that the tanker experienced sudden explosions followed by a massive fire, which ultimately led to its complete sinking,” the agency stated in their report.

The maritime authority confirmed the vessel’s total loss, explaining that “The tanker has been confirmed to have completely sunk at the site of the incident. The wreckage lies in the maritime area between Libya and Malta (within the Libyan search and rescue zone).”

Russian transport ministry officials stated Wednesday that they believe Ukrainian naval drones carried out an attack on the Arctic Metagaz, though this claim has not been independently verified.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wednesday saw dozens of evacuation flights scheduled to depart Dubai.

However, obtaining confirmed seating remains a gamble.

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

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

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

His escape proved challenging.

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

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

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

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

They’ve received no information about potential departure times.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He deeply longs for his residence.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Following Pezeshkian’s apology, Iranian attacks continued.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Multiple other nations launched similar rescue operations.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

President Donald Trump dismissed any possibility of diplomatic talks with Iran during remarks to journalists on Air Force One Saturday, suggesting the ongoing military campaign might continue until Tehran’s government and armed forces are completely eliminated.

Trump indicated the air strikes could render negotiations unnecessary if Iran’s potential leaders are eliminated and its military capabilities destroyed.

“At some point, I don’t think there will be anybody left maybe to say ‘We surrender,’” Trump stated.

The president’s comments came as the U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran moved into its second week, with Israel and Iran exchanging multiple strikes on Saturday.

In an unusual move, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued an apology to regional nations for Iran’s attacks on American facilities within their borders, attempting to reduce tensions throughout the Gulf region. However, his statement sparked backlash from hardline factions within Iran.

“I personally apologize to neighboring countries that were affected by Iran’s actions,” Pezeshkian declared, while asking these nations to avoid participating in U.S.-Israeli operations against Iran.

The Iranian leader called Trump’s demands for unconditional surrender from the Islamic Republic “a dream,” but announced that Iran’s interim leadership council had decided to halt strikes against neighboring countries unless attacks on Iran launched from their soil.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded during a broadcast address, promising safety for any Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members who surrender their weapons.

Ali Larijani, who serves as Iran’s secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, denied any internal disagreements among Iranian officials regarding war strategy during a state television appearance.

Early Sunday morning in Oslo, an explosion struck the U.S. embassy, resulting in minor property damage but no casualties, according to Norwegian authorities. Witnesses reported seeing smoke from the embassy area, though the cause and responsible parties remain unclear.

The State Department has not yet commented on the Oslo incident.

Saudi Arabia has warned Tehran that continued Iranian strikes against the kingdom and its energy infrastructure could prompt similar retaliation, sources familiar with the communications told Reuters.

Saudi defense officials announced they successfully intercepted a drone assault targeting Riyadh’s diplomatic district early Sunday, with no reported injuries.

Pezeshkian’s apologetic remarks created domestic political controversy, forcing his office to reaffirm Iran’s commitment to strong military responses against attacks from regional U.S. bases.

The president later repeated his statement on social media platforms but omitted the apology that had angered hardline elements, including the influential Revolutionary Guards.

Judiciary chief Mohseni-Ejei, a hardline member of the three-person council temporarily exercising supreme leader authority, stated that some regional countries’ territories were being used for attacks against Iran and retaliatory strikes would persist.

Following Pezeshkian’s announcement, Revolutionary Guards claimed their drones hit a U.S. air combat facility near Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, though Reuters could not confirm this report independently.

Kuwait’s military reported Saturday that drone attacks targeted fuel storage facilities at Kuwait International Airport.

Iranian news outlets, citing Oil Ministry sources, said fuel depots in three locations including Karaj, west of Tehran, were struck.

Iranian state media also reported Revolutionary Guards targeted U.S. forces at a Bahrain base, with explosions heard in Doha.

Iran has responded to the U.S.-Israeli campaign by striking both Israel and Gulf Arab nations hosting American military installations. Israel has launched additional attacks in Lebanon following border fire from the Iran-allied Hezbollah militia.

As the conflict expands, Israel warned Lebanon it would pay “a very heavy price” unless it controls Iran-allied Hezbollah fighters, while conducting airstrikes against the group’s strongholds and executing a deadly airborne operation in eastern Lebanon.

Saturday morning revealed additional buildings in Hezbollah-controlled southern Beirut suburbs reduced to smoking debris piles, dust, and twisted metal, Reuters footage showed.

Lebanon’s health ministry reported the death toll from Israeli attacks since Monday reached approximately 300, after at least four people died when an Israeli strike hit an apartment in the Ramada hotel building in central Beirut. This marked the first strike in the capital’s center since Israel-Hezbollah fighting resumed last week.

Iran’s U.N. ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani stated that U.S.-Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,332 Iranian civilians and injured thousands more. State media reported massive explosions in Tehran areas, while Israel confirmed strikes on Iranian missile facilities and command centers.

Iranian attacks have resulted in 10 Israeli deaths and at least six U.S. service member fatalities. The remains of the American service members arrived Saturday at a Delaware Air Force base.

Iran’s strategy of widespread disruption has increased conflict costs by driving up energy prices and damaging global business and supply chains.

Kuwait’s national oil company began reducing production Saturday, joining earlier output cuts from Iraq and Qatar.

The conflict has disrupted global markets, pushing oil prices to multi-year peaks with the Strait of Hormuz essentially closed.

Iranian media reported Saturday that hardline religious leaders are calling for quick selection of a new supreme leader, with meetings potentially beginning Sunday.

SYDNEY, March 8 – The Australian government announced Sunday it is evaluating appeals for assistance from nations targeted by Iranian forces as the Middle East crisis continues to expand, while emphasizing it will not engage in any military actions within Iran.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong explained in broadcast comments that multiple non-participating countries have faced Iranian attacks. “You would anticipate as a consequence that we have been asked for assistance, and we will work through that carefully,” Wong stated.

The nation, which maintains strong ties with the United States, has previously declared it will not send military personnel to the Middle East should the situation escalate further.

When questioned about Australia’s potential role in defending nations against Iranian drone and missile strikes, Wong confirmed this was “correct.”

“We will work through that in accordance with the position that I have outlined, which is we are not participating in offensive action against Iran and we have made clear we will not participate in any ground troop deployment,” Wong explained.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed Friday that three Australian military personnel were aboard a U.S. submarine when it destroyed an Iranian vessel using a torpedo in the Indian Ocean, though he emphasized they played no role in the assault.

The Middle East situation has intensified recently, with American and Israeli aircraft conducting strikes throughout Iran, while Iranian forces have bombarded numerous Gulf region cities, including locations in the UAE and Qatar.

Australia is currently coordinating with aviation companies to assist thousands of Australian citizens trapped in the Middle East region.

PARIS (AP) — A unique fashion presentation unfolded Wednesday at Paris Fashion Week when ten horses — half black, half white — took center stage before any models appeared on the runway.

This dramatic opening revealed everything about British-American designer Stella McCartney’s values and vision for her Winter 2026 collection.

McCartney transformed a riding facility in the Bois de Boulogne into her runway, timing the event with the Lunar New Year of the Horse to deliver a powerful but unspoken message: the fashion industry can honor animals instead of exploiting them.

Her commitment remained absolute — zero leather, zero fur, zero feathers, zero exceptions.

Equestrian performer Jean-François Pignon directed the horses through carefully planned movements around the oval space while fashion models circulated along the edges.

McCartney noted that some attendees became emotional during practice sessions.

The atmosphere carried that special intensity that only occurs when live animals share space with people.

Her clothing lineup told the story of her personal journey through fashion.

Opening pieces included full-length artificial fur coats so realistic they required a second look — representing the type of material breakthroughs McCartney has pursued for more than twenty years, utilizing everything from laboratory-cultivated yeast to repurposed denim.

According to the fashion house, sustainable materials comprised 93% of the entire collection.

The personal narrative continued from there.

Thick fisherman-style ribbed sweaters and handmade crocheted accessories paid tribute to her youth spent on Scotland’s Mull of Kintyre with her parents, Paul and Linda McCartney.

Brightly colored stirrup pants and silky dresses with bow details brought back memories of her teenage apprenticeships at fashion houses Lacroix and Yves Saint Laurent — influential Paris experiences that she credits with determining her career path as a designer.

The collection’s centerpiece showcased McCartney’s signature strengths: gentle tailoring with structured shoulders, business wear that allows movement, and lustrous evening wear that catches light without being flashy.

Sequined gowns made without plastic featured bustle details and pleated accents.

Every design demonstrated her consistent blend of masculine and feminine elements, combining precision with playfulness.

The show concluded with a model wearing a tank top that read “My Dad Is A Rockstar.” Seated in the front row, Paul McCartney — Beatles legend, enduring rock icon, and devoted father — showed his appreciation with applause.

“It was beautiful,” he commented following the presentation.

“He’s my dad, he would say that,” Stella responded with humor.

Celebrity guests crowding around to offer congratulations included Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, and Hannah Waddingham.

LVMH executive Antoine Arnault brought his spouse, Natalia Vodianova — their attendance was particularly significant since McCartney recently repurchased the luxury conglomerate’s minority ownership in her company this past January.

Despite the brand’s 25-year history, it hasn’t generated profits since 2017, yet McCartney opted for complete control over outside investment.

“I forget that I’m one of the few women designing for women,” McCartney observed casually, also mentioning she’ll receive France’s highest civilian recognition, the Légion d’honneur, on Thursday.

“I want to feel like I’m actually really embracing women through these collections, and I don’t want the planet to suffer because of it.”

China’s yearly parliamentary session kicks off Thursday in Beijing, where government officials are set to reveal plans for industrial modernization, reducing the technology divide with America, and reinforcing commitments to boost domestic consumer spending.

Premier Li Qiang’s upcoming report is anticipated to set an economic growth objective for 2026 ranging from 4.5% to 5%, representing a modest reduction from last year’s 5% achievement. This adjustment provides additional space for more substantial efforts to address industrial overproduction issues.

While any production limitations would be crucial for reducing deflationary pricing conflicts across numerous industrial areas, Beijing is not anticipated to abandon its dedication to advanced manufacturing investments as competition with Washington grows more intense.

The nation’s 15th five-year strategic plan, covering 2026-2030 and being released simultaneously, is projected to prioritize advancing high-technology sectors. Boosting domestic consumer demand is also expected to receive elevated importance, though potentially more in rhetoric than reality.

Economic experts point out that pursuing this double objective creates policy contradictions.

Should Beijing allocate additional resources toward manufacturers, fewer funds would remain available for consumers, unless the country increases borrowing when total debt already equals three times the nation’s yearly economic production.

Researchers from the Mercator Institute for China Studies characterize consumer promises as “hollow,” noting that leadership views extensive industry support as best serving national priorities during this period of major power rivalry.

“Precariously balanced as it is, China’s economic policy will continue to systematically favour companies over households,” MERICS analysts wrote in a note.

“Beijing will persist in slow-rolling measures to expand social welfare, while using generous subsidies and tax incentives to drive industrial growth and upgrading.”

Regarding economic stimulus measures, most experts predict the budget shortfall will remain steady at 4.0% of total economic output, while allowances for additional special debt issuance will likely increase moderately.

Citi projects a 1.6 trillion yuan allocation in special treasury bonds for the central government in 2026, rising from 1.3 trillion yuan last year, and 4.9 trillion yuan for regional governments compared to 4.4 trillion yuan in 2025.

Larry Hu, Macquarie’s chief China economist, anticipates fiscal tools will be modified adaptively based on economic performance in upcoming months.

“If exports remain strong, they may tolerate weak domestic consumption. Conversely, if exports falter, they will step up domestic stimulus to defend the GDP target,” said Hu.

Former central bank advisor Liu Shinjin cautioned at a January financial conference that China’s unprecedented $1.2 trillion trade surplus last year – a crucial element in achieving the 2025 economic growth goal – demonstrates both increasing manufacturing competitiveness and insufficient domestic consumption.

He emphasized China must transition from its traditional dependence on investment and exports toward a framework primarily powered by innovation and consumption, noting that while manufacturing capabilities could be enhanced further, this doesn’t mean its economic share shouldn’t decline.

“China’s current insufficient consumption is deeply tied to a series of institutional and structural factors, making it unrealistic to fully resolve these issues in the short term,” Liu said.

“However, leaving them unaddressed is not an option either.”

Numerous economists have long advocated for tax system modifications that benefit households over businesses and capital, or reducing state-owned enterprise influence to free resources for private sector investment in services, where local demand exceeds that of consumer goods manufacturing.

However, such reforms would also weaken the fundamental structures that have enabled China to become an export leader and achieve supply chain advantages over competitors.

The response to a significant ruling by China’s highest court last year that prohibited avoiding social insurance payments – theoretically promoting long-term fund transfers from companies to workers through the welfare system – demonstrates the challenges of implementing reforms.

Many companies, facing pressure from weak domestic demand, tariffs, substantial debts, and pricing conflicts caused by industrial overproduction, have responded to the decision primarily by minimizing their own payments, sometimes even reducing employee wages.

The inconsistent enforcement of this ruling has left many economists doubtful about China’s commitment to economic rebalancing.

“This highlights a core tension in Beijing’s structural reforms,” said Alicia Garcia-Herrero, chief Asia-Pacific economist at Natixis.

As parliament begins its session, “expect rhetoric on social security improvements and consumption support, but don’t anticipate radical new enforcement mechanisms” that could burden businesses and risk destabilizing employment, she said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“From now on, they should not attack neighboring countries or fire missiles at them unless we are attacked by those countries. I think we should solve this through diplomacy.”

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

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

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

However, academic specialists suggest this support remains purely rhetorical.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trump Rules Out Kurdish Military Involvement

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

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

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

Saudi Forces Down Drone Near Capital

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

Iranian Official Denies Leadership Split

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

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

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

Progress Reported on Supreme Leader Selection

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

Iranian Personnel Evacuated from Lebanon

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

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

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

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

Iraq’s Leader Condemns Embassy Attack

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tehran Oil Facility Ablaze After Strike

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The brand simply altered the entire atmosphere of the space.

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

The presentation achieved dramatic impact without resorting to cheap tricks.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The color scheme defied conventional expectations.

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

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

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

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

The complete collection made its statement through understated power.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SOCIAL MEDIA NOTIFICATIONS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Officials said the recorded message was subsequently updated.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS CRITICIZE PRESIDENT’S POSITION

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TENSIONS VISIBLE EVEN IN HIGHEST GOVERNMENT BODY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Additional information about the Caffa remains limited at this time.

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

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

Officials have not indicated whether they suspect the Caffa operates as part of this shadow fleet network.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine has transformed from having a weak defense industry to becoming a major producer of affordable drone interceptors, now seeking to leverage this wartime breakthrough for international partnerships as Middle Eastern conflicts deplete expensive missile stockpiles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is proposing an exchange with American and Gulf nation partners: Ukraine’s battle-tested anti-drone technology in return for advanced Patriot missile systems that the country desperately needs but cannot produce domestically.

The transformation began when Russia initiated its comprehensive invasion four years ago, forcing Ukraine’s previously underdeveloped arms sector to rapidly innovate. The nation has since constructed a thriving defense industry focused on affordable drone technology, including specialized systems designed to neutralize Iranian-style Shahed drones that Russia now deploys in massive numbers.

Washington recently sought “specific support” against Iranian-designed Shaheds operating in Middle Eastern theaters, leading Zelenskyy to authorize the deployment of Ukrainian equipment and specialists, though operational details remain confidential.

Ukraine implemented a weapons export prohibition when the 2022 conflict commenced. However, Ukrainian manufacturers of budget-friendly interceptor drones report growing inquiries from American and Gulf state officials.

According to Oleh Katkov, editor-in-chief of Defense Express, Ukraine possesses the only mass-manufactured system with actual combat verification. “There is a huge difference between a mass-produced system proven to work in real combat and something others only promise to develop … It’s like selling the house, not just the bricks,” Katkov explained.

Should international partnerships prove successful, Ukraine could establish itself as a significant force in contemporary warfare, though questions remain about the industry’s ability to expand globally while maintaining national defense capabilities.

Middle Eastern interest has intensified as Gulf nations exhaust their expensive Patriot missile inventories, which they’ve been deploying against considerably cheaper Iranian Shaheds.

Iranian-designed Shahed drones carry price tags of approximately $30,000, while individual interceptor missiles for American-manufactured Patriot defense systems cost millions.

Lockheed Martin announced record production of 600 PAC-3 MSE interceptors for Patriot systems throughout 2025. Zelenskyy stated Thursday that Middle Eastern countries consumed over 800 such missiles within just three days — exceeding Ukraine’s total reserves accumulated during the entire four-year conflict.

To combat Shaheds, Kyiv created budget interceptor drones priced between $1,000 and $2,000, advancing these systems from experimental stages to full-scale production within months during 2025.

However, Ukraine lacks ballistic missile defense capabilities, making Patriot missile acquisition a critical survival issue for Kyiv.

Within this context, Zelenskyy advocates for a “swap” arrangement with allies. “Our message is very simple,” he stated. “We’d like to quietly … receive the Patriot missiles we have a deficit of, and give them a corresponding number of interceptors.”

Despite Zelenskyy’s confidence, some experts caution that global arms market entry involves more complexity than contract negotiations.

“Weapon trading is an incredibly subtle and sensitive issue,” said Yevhen Mahda, executive director of the Kyiv-based Institute of World Policy. He noted American market dominance and warned against “naive” expectations that markets will open based solely on Ukraine’s compelling narrative. “It requires a tough, calculated diplomatic game.”

Ukrainian leadership has only recently started serious discussions about transitioning from wartime export freezes to government-regulated markets, with implementation timelines and methods still undefined.

“We need more than just presidential statements. We need action,” Mahda emphasized. “How can we talk about exports if we officially aren’t selling anything yet?”

The United States and Gulf nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, have repeatedly requested Ukraine’s domestically manufactured interceptor drones, according to three Ukrainian weapons producers.

Neither American nor Gulf country officials immediately responded to Associated Press requests for comment.

“We are ready to share them, and we want to share them,” said Marco Kushnir, spokesperson for General Cherry, a Ukrainian manufacturer producing top-performing interceptor drones that successfully target Shaheds domestically.

Kushnir indicated that final decisions rest with government leadership and Zelenskyy, but the company stands prepared to assist partners within days. He added their production capacity could reach “tens of thousands” of interceptors monthly.

Ukraine currently maintains surplus interceptor drone inventory, with manufacturers claiming they could produce tens of thousands more without compromising national defense. The greater challenge involves training personnel and integrating drones with long-range radar detection systems.

Multiple Ukrainian companies have deployed effective systems. General Cherry’s “Bullet” interceptor, developed in late 2025, has eliminated several hundred Shahed drones, according to Kushnir. Another design, Skyfall’s 3D-printed P1-Sun, costs approximately $1,000 and achieves speeds exceeding 300 kilometers (186 miles) per hour, with manufacturing capacity reaching 50,000 drones monthly, company representatives reported.

While hardware export legal frameworks remain uncertain, Ukraine’s most valuable resource is human knowledge. Zelenskyy has repeatedly emphasized his country’s readiness to provide instructors capable of teaching interceptor operation.

Drone supply won’t present difficulties, said Andrii Taganskyi, director of Camera Business at Odd Systems, which provides cameras for interceptor drones manufactured by Ukrainian company Wild Hornets. However, training foreign operators and adapting tactical approaches will be crucial, he noted.

Interceptor drones require integration with comprehensive radar systems for incoming target detection and tracking, Taganskyi explained. While some models feature partial automation, manufacturers emphasize that crews need proper training for effective operation.

“This is a tool that requires training,” Katkov stated. “And the real, proven expertise — not just on paper — exists only in Ukraine.”

Kyiv’s commitment to deploying specialists internationally represents a substantial strategic sacrifice due to potential impacts on Ukraine’s domestic air defense capabilities. Given constant Russian drone bombardments, every trained soldier remains invaluable.

“We do not have a surplus of military personnel at the front,” Katkov acknowledged. “However, there is a clear understanding that the benefits of such cooperation might far outweigh the risks.”

The Iranian-backed Lebanese militant organization Hezbollah issued an urgent evacuation directive Saturday targeting residents of Kiryat Shmona, an Israeli border city located just kilometers from Lebanon.

The group’s statement provided no details about potential military actions it might take against the community situated so close to the international boundary.

“Warning. All residents of Kiryat Shmona are asked to evacuate immediately. Head south,” the organization declared in its official statement.

The escalation follows Lebanon’s entry into the expanding regional conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran this past Monday. Hezbollah launched rocket and drone attacks against Israeli targets, prompting Israel to conduct extensive retaliatory strikes throughout southern and eastern Lebanon, including areas near the capital Beirut.

Many thousands of northern Israeli residents had previously abandoned their communities when the Gaza conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted in 2023, as Hezbollah commenced launching various projectiles at settlements in the region.

These displaced families returned to their homes following a ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hezbollah in November 2024. Despite the current tensions, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has consistently encouraged northern residents to stay put this week, promising military protection for their communities.

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered strong statements Saturday demanding absolute military allegiance to the Communist Party while intensifying anti-corruption efforts, as reported by China’s state-run Xinhua news agency.

Speaking during the nation’s significant annual political gatherings, Xi declared that corruption has nowhere to escape. “There is no place for corruption to hide,” Xi stated. “The fight against corruption must move forward.”

Xi’s statements were delivered during the yearly sessions of China’s most important political institutions, where government leaders announced the country’s economic objectives for the coming year.

The anti-corruption message gained additional significance as two high-ranking Chinese leaders were notably missing from Wednesday’s opening ceremonies of the annual political meetings, apparently caught up in ongoing government purges targeting top Communist Party officials.

A military conflict involving Iran could result in consumers and businesses around the world enduring elevated fuel costs for an extended period, even if hostilities cease rapidly, according to energy market analysts.

The situation creates broader economic concerns and presents political challenges for President Trump as midterm elections approach, with American voters particularly sensitive to energy costs and skeptical of overseas military involvement.

“The market is shifting from pricing pure geopolitical risk to grappling with tangible operational disruption, as refinery shutdowns and export constraints begin to impair crude processing and regional supply flows,” JP Morgan analysts said in a research note on Friday.

Military actions have already interrupted approximately one-fifth of worldwide crude oil and natural gas production, as Tehran has targeted vessels navigating the critical Strait of Hormuz waterway between Iranian territory and Oman, while simultaneously striking energy facilities throughout the region.

International oil costs have jumped 24% during the current week, reaching above $90 per barrel and heading toward their sharpest weekly increases since the pandemic began, pushing fuel expenses higher for consumers globally.

The near-total closure of the Strait has forced major regional oil exporters including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Kuwait to halt deliveries of approximately 140 million barrels of crude oil – equivalent to roughly 1.4 days of worldwide consumption – to international refineries.

Consequently, petroleum and gas storage facilities throughout the Middle East Gulf region are approaching capacity, compelling Iraqi oil fields to reduce production while Kuwait and the UAE will likely follow suit, according to industry analysts, traders and sources.

“At some point soon, everyone will also shut in if vessels do not come,” said a source with a state oil company in the region, who asked not to be named.

Oil production facilities across the Middle East that are forced to cease operations due to shipping interruptions may require considerable time to restore normal output levels, explained Amir Zaman, head of the Americas commercial team at Rystad Energy.

“The conflict could be ended, but it could take days or weeks or months, depending on the types of fields, age of the field, the type of shut in that they’ve had to do before you can get production back up to what it once was,” he said.

Iranian military forces are simultaneously attacking regional energy infrastructure including refineries and terminals, forcing operational shutdowns, with some facilities suffering significant damage from strikes and requiring extensive repairs.

Qatar announced force majeure on its substantial gas export operations Wednesday following Iranian drone strikes, and sources indicate it may require at least one month to restore normal production capacity. Qatar provides 20% of global liquefied natural gas supplies.

Saudi Aramco’s massive Ras Tanura refinery and crude export facility has also suspended operations due to attacks, though damage assessments have not been disclosed.

White House officials have defended military action against Iran, claiming the nation presented an immediate danger to the United States, though specific details have not been provided. Trump has also expressed concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear weapons development efforts.

While a swift conclusion to hostilities would calm markets, returning to pre-conflict supply levels and pricing could require weeks or months depending on infrastructure damage and shipping recovery.

“Considering physical damage due to Iranian strikes, so far we have not seen anything that would be considered structural, although the risk remains as long as the war continues,” said Joel Hancock, energy analyst, Natixis CIB.

The primary concern for energy supplies involves when the Strait of Hormuz will become secure for shipping operations again. Trump has proposed naval protection for oil tankers and pledged U.S. insurance coverage for vessels operating in the region.

However, waterway security may prove difficult to achieve, as Iran possesses the capability to maintain drone attacks on shipping for months, according to intelligence and military sources.

The crisis may also prompt nations to increase their strategic petroleum reserves in coming weeks and months after fighting ends, having exposed the risks of limited inventories. This would boost oil demand and maintain higher prices.

Meanwhile, the interruption of energy shipments is creating ripple effects through supply chains and economies in import-dependent Asia, which obtains 60% of its crude oil from Middle Eastern sources.

In India, state-operated Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals announced force majeure on gasoline export shipments, sources reported this week, joining numerous regional refineries unable to meet sales obligations due to supply shortages.

At least two Chinese refineries have reduced operations. China, a major regional supplier, has requested refineries halt fuel exports. Thailand has similarly suspended fuel exports, while Vietnam has stopped crude oil shipments.

The disruption has benefited Russia, with prices for Russian crude increasing as the U.S. granted Indian refiners a 30-day exemption to purchase Russian oil as a substitute for lost Middle Eastern supplies. Washington had previously pressured India to reduce Russian oil purchases under tariff threats.

In Japan, the world’s second-largest LNG importer, baseload power futures for Tokyo beginning in April rose more than one-third this week on the EEX exchange in anticipation of higher fuel costs. In Seoul, motorists formed lines at gas stations expecting rising pump prices.

For European consumers, the gas supply crisis and increased prices represent a double burden. The region suffered most severely from gas supply disruptions caused by sanctions on Russian energy imports following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Europe shifted to LNG imports to replace Russian pipeline gas. Europe now must purchase 180 additional LNG shipments compared to last year to fill gas storage to required levels before next winter.

Supply risks to the United States are more limited, as the country has become the world’s largest oil and gas producer in recent years. However, U.S. crude and fuel prices move alongside international crude markets, affecting pump prices for gasoline and diesel despite abundant domestic supply.

U.S. average retail gasoline reached $3.32 per gallon nationally on Friday, increasing 34 cents from the previous week, according to AAA. Diesel prices hit $4.33 per gallon, up from $3.76 per gallon one week earlier.

Rising pump prices represent a significant risk for Trump and Republican colleagues heading into November midterm elections.

“Gasoline prices are psychologically powerful,” said Mark Malek, chief investment officer at Siebert Financial. “They are the inflation number that consumers see every single day.”

BEIJING, March 5 – Chinese government officials announced Thursday their intention to establish a society that encourages families to have children over the next five years, releasing details in an official government document that outlines responses to concerns about jobs, schooling, healthcare, wellness and earnings.

Government leaders plan to enhance population-related services and take active steps to address the country’s aging demographics, which includes “advancing quality employment opportunities for all, enhancing how income gets distributed, and strengthening social safety net programs.”

This declaration follows China’s fourth straight year of declining population numbers in 2025, with birth rates dropping to unprecedented lows according to January government statistics, while demographic specialists predict continued decreases ahead.

The nation’s population has contracted since 2022 while growing older at an accelerated pace, creating challenges for Beijing’s goals to increase consumer spending domestically and control government debt.

Officials will implement fresh policies to advance “quality growth in the silver economy” focusing on citizens 60 years and older, expanding senior care programs especially in countryside regions, according to the government document.

Leadership will also develop strategies to strengthen support measures for older adults covering retirement funding, health services and caregiving, the report stated.

Projections show that by 2035, citizens over 60 will reach 400 million people – approximately matching the combined populations of America and Italy – indicating that hundreds of millions will exit the labor force while pension funding faces existing pressure.

The country has already extended working ages, requiring men to remain employed until 63 instead of 60, while women must work until 58 rather than 55.

Officials will encourage “supportive views on marriage and having children,” the document stated, noting plans to expand housing assistance for families raising kids.

Programs for expectant mothers in pregnancy’s early phases along with reproductive healthcare will see improvements while officials work to better prevent and address birth complications.

Leadership will also enhance policies providing free early childhood education and expand availability of standard high school positions, with mandated government education funding exceeding 4% of the nation’s economic output, the report indicated.

Energy markets saw significant gains Thursday as escalating tensions between the United States and Iran continue to disrupt global oil and gas supplies through one of the world’s most critical shipping corridors.

Brent crude climbed $1.67 to reach $83.07 per barrel, marking a 2.05% increase by early Thursday trading. Meanwhile, U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude jumped $1.94 to $76.60, representing a 2.60% gain.

The conflict expanded Wednesday following a U.S. military strike on an Iranian naval vessel near Sri Lanka. Senate Republicans also threw their support behind President Trump’s military operations against Iran, voting down a bipartisan measure that would have halted air strikes and required congressional approval for further military action against the country.

The ongoing hostilities have severely impacted regional energy production. Iraq, which ranks as OPEC’s second-largest oil producer, has been forced to reduce daily output by approximately 1.5 million barrels due to storage limitations and blocked export pathways, according to officials who spoke with Reuters.

Qatar, the Persian Gulf’s leading liquefied natural gas supplier, announced force majeure on gas shipments Wednesday. Industry sources indicate it could take a minimum of one month before production levels return to normal.

For five consecutive days, vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has remained virtually paralyzed. This waterway serves as a crucial passage for nearly 20% of the world’s energy supplies.

Britain’s maritime operations center reported a significant blast witnessed by a tanker captain positioned 30 nautical miles southeast of Kuwait’s Mubarak Al Kabeer port. A small vessel was later observed departing the explosion site.

According to a J.P. Morgan analysis shared with clients, Iran has avoided targeting most essential energy infrastructure while maintaining extremely high shipping risks. The investment bank estimates roughly 329 oil tankers remain trapped in Gulf waters.

“Storage capacity in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and prevailing energy prices are limiting factors on the length of the U.S. campaign,” the firm noted. This alliance includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain.

J.P. Morgan projects that most oil production facilities could resume operations within days, with complete capacity restoration typically occurring within two to three weeks.

“While operators must gradually rebuild reservoir pressure, particularly in Iraq, where water injection is critical, the primary constraint today is logistics rather than geology,” the analysis concluded.

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Voters across Nepal headed to polling stations Thursday for the country’s inaugural nationwide election following last year’s deadly youth uprising that drove the ruling government from office.

Armed security personnel monitored streets and stood watch at voting locations throughout the mountainous country of approximately 30 million residents as citizens queued to vote. Vote tallying will commence Thursday evening, with final outcomes anticipated by weekend’s end.

Officials implemented a vehicle ban on roadways and outlawed political demonstrations and public assemblies. Campaign activities of any kind are forbidden on voting day.

The Election Commission reports that close to 19 million citizens qualify to participate in the election.

Citizens will choose 165 representatives directly for the House of Representatives, Parliament’s lower house. The additional 110 positions in the 275-seat legislature will be distributed via proportional representation, where political organizations select lawmakers according to their voting percentage.

Political observers view this as a triangular race, influenced by citizen dissatisfaction with rampant corruption and calls for increased governmental transparency.

The National Independent Party, established in 2022, leads polling predictions and presents a formidable opposition to two historically powerful organizations — the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist).

Balendra Shah, the emerging party’s candidate for prime minister, transitioned from rap music to politics, securing Kathmandu’s mayoral position in 2022 and becoming a prominent voice in the 2025 demonstrations that removed former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli.

The 35-year-old Shah has capitalized on widespread dissatisfaction with established political organizations. During his campaign, he emphasized healthcare and educational improvements for Nepal’s impoverished population.

The student-driven demonstrations against governmental corruption and ineffective leadership began with social media restrictions before escalating into widespread resistance against authorities. Violence erupted when demonstrators stormed government facilities and law enforcement responded with gunfire, resulting in dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries.

Although Congress and Communist parties maintain dedicated supporter networks, Shah’s organization has attracted significantly larger campaign audiences, demonstrating its increasing popularity among young voters seeking political alternatives.

The incoming government will face substantial obstacles. Leadership must fulfill reform promises from last year’s demonstrations, address deeply rooted corruption, and skillfully navigate relationships with neighboring powers India and China.

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un conducted a two-day examination of his military’s newest destroyer before its official launch and watched cruise missile testing from the vessel, promising to speed up nuclear weapon integration into his naval forces, according to state media reports released Thursday.

North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim made visits to the Nampo shipyard on the western coast Tuesday and Wednesday, where he also reviewed construction progress on a third destroyer matching his 5,000-ton vessel, the Choe Hyon, which debuted in April 2025.

The North Korean leader has praised the Choe Hyon’s development as a major step forward in his plan to extend his nuclear-equipped military’s operational reach and first-strike abilities. According to state media, the vessel can deploy multiple weapon systems, including air defense and anti-ship weapons, plus ballistic and cruise missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Military analysts and South Korean defense officials believe the Choe Hyon was constructed with Russian technical support as the two nations strengthen military cooperation, though some question whether the ship is combat-ready.

The regime revealed a second destroyer of identical design in May of last year, but the vessel suffered damage during a failed launch ceremony at Chongjin port in the northeast, prompting an angry response from Kim, who labeled the incident “criminal.” North Korea announced the repaired destroyer, called Kang Kon, was successfully relaunched in June, but international observers doubt the ship’s full operational status.

Following Tuesday’s observation of the Choe Hyon’s ocean testing, Kim declared the vessel satisfied operational standards and described it as representing his nation’s growing naval strength. He demanded the construction of two warships annually for the coming five years, all matching or exceeding the Choe Hyon’s specifications.

Kim returned Wednesday to witness cruise missile launches from the Choe Hyon. State media released images showing him observing from the coastline as multiple projectiles lifted off from the ship amid clouds of white smoke, describing the weapons as “strategic,” terminology North Korea uses for nuclear-capable systems.

Following years of emphasizing ballistic missile advancement, Kim has redirected attention toward naval development, including ongoing work on a nuclear-powered submarine. KCNA announced the third destroyer being built at Nampo shipyard should be finished by the ruling Workers’ Party’s founding celebration in October.

Naval enhancement was a central theme when Kim presented his five-year military objectives at last month’s Workers’ Party congress, including demands for intercontinental ballistic missiles that can launch from beneath the ocean.

Kim stated Tuesday that his campaign to equip his navy with nuclear arms was “making satisfactory” headway. He claimed these alleged improvements would “constitute a radical change in defending our maritime sovereignty, something that we have not achieved for half a century.”

KCNA provided no additional details about Kim’s statement. Some experts suggest North Korea might be preparing to officially announce a maritime border that could intrude into waters under South Korean control.

With inter-Korean relations deteriorating, Kim has consistently stated he rejects the Northern Limit Line, established by the U.S.-led U.N. Command following the 1950-53 Korean War. This imprecisely defined western maritime boundary has been the location of multiple fatal naval confrontations in recent years.

During the party congress, Kim reinforced plans to grow North Korea’s nuclear weapons stockpile, which currently includes various systems that threaten the United States and American allies across Asia, while confirming his aggressive stance toward South Korea.

However, he maintained openness to discussions with the Trump administration, repeating Pyongyang’s requirement that Washington abandon its demand for denuclearization as a prerequisite for restarting dormant negotiations.

In the devastated remains of what was once a modest hotel room, virtually nothing survived the destruction. The bed frame lies in pieces, its metal coils now twisted into dangerous fragments. Personal belongings from two destroyed luggage cases are strewn throughout the gray debris.

The walls have been completely obliterated, leaving nothing to shield the space from the harsh wind now flowing freely through the wreckage. Following the Israeli bombardment that rocked the foundation of the Comfort Hotel in Baabda—a Christian community near Beirut—only a small statue of the Virgin Mary stands untouched. Nobody has the courage to disturb it.

The religious icon belonged to the hotel clerk, who lived on the ground floor throughout the workweek. In recent days, she had been hosting approximately 10 refugees from different regions of Lebanon. She is currently receiving medical treatment at a local hospital.

George Dagher, who works at the hotel, expressed his bewilderment to The Media Line, stating: “I still don’t understand what happened.” Speaking mechanically to reporters, he continued to voice his confusion. “This is the first time something like this has happened to us, and we are surprised,” he explained.

The Comfort Hotel had operated as a modest lodging establishment on the periphery of Lebanon’s capital for six decades without incident—until Tuesday morning’s pre-dawn hours, when Israeli aircraft targeted the structure, causing significant damage to its lower two stories. Israeli military operations persisted throughout Lebanon during the night and following day, with the most intense bombardment occurring in southern and eastern regions, as well as Beirut’s southern districts.

Casualty reports indicate at least 72 fatalities and approximately 437 injuries. The assault on the Comfort Hotel garnered special notice because it targeted a location where residents insist no obvious Hezbollah activity existed.

The town of Baabda has a largely Christian population and houses multiple diplomatic missions. The strike site sits just 700 meters away from Lebanon’s Presidential Palace, though the attack caused no deaths.

Joseph, another hotel worker, expressed his concerns to The Media Line, saying: “This will ultimately lead us to a civil war.” He was off duty Tuesday evening. His coworker, who was present during the strike, remains too traumatized to discuss the incident.

Dagher warned: “The spread of attacks throughout Lebanon will lead us to a situation of civil conflict.” Within two days, bombardments have reached areas of Lebanese territory not typically linked to Hezbollah operations. This expansion has intensified fear among citizens, with many expressing that nowhere feels secure.

All 15 individuals staying at the Comfort Hotel have since departed. Dagher noted: “They were all displaced people, children and the elderly.” The majority had already taken shelter there during the ongoing 2024 conflict.

He added: “We are very careful about who stays here, and we check their IDs,” explaining that they refused accommodation to young Shiite males, who might be Hezbollah affiliates and could endanger other residents.

Israeli forces broadened their Lebanese offensive overnight, moving beyond traditional Hezbollah strongholds like Baalbek in the Bekaa Valley, where eight people died including two young girls. Prior to hitting Baabda, Israeli jets struck Aramoun in the Aley region and Saadiyat in Shouf—territories with significant Druze communities.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed six deaths from these two attacks, with eight additional people injured.

Israeli aerial campaigns have extended across multiple regions of the nation, while southern Lebanon has seen ground operations and official proclamations. Tuesday’s evacuation directive affecting over 50 villages and towns has enabled Israel to create what it calls a security perimeter in southern Lebanon while expanding its protective zone.

Israeli military officials reported two soldiers sustained injuries from an anti-tank weapon fired in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has taken credit for multiple assaults on Israeli forces within Lebanese borders following the intensification of Wednesday’s ground offensive.

Lebanese news outlets reported that Israeli troops seized the public hospital in Mais al-Jabal, Marjayoun, in southern Lebanon this morning.

Simultaneously, evacuation warnings broadcast by Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee have increased uncertainty for civilians determining safe destinations. He announced this afternoon: “Residents of southern Lebanon must immediately move north of the Litani River,” demanding the relocation of tens of thousands of people.

More than 80,000 Lebanese citizens have been forced from their residences and are seeking safety in hundreds of emergency shelters established in educational facilities and community centers. UNICEF reports that 18,000 children are among those internally displaced. Of the numerous casualties over the past three days, at least seven victims are minors.

Marcoluigi Corsi, UNICEF’s Lebanon representative, stated: “No child should be killed or suffer the physical and emotional consequences of violence for the rest of their life.” Israeli military sources estimate approximately 300,000 Lebanese civilians have evacuated southern villages following evacuation orders.

Israeli forces claim to have targeted more than 250 Hezbollah positions in Lebanon over two days, including 100 in the most recent 24-hour period. The Shiite organization acknowledged responsibility for 13 attacks against Israel on Tuesday and maintained rocket and drone strikes on Israeli urban centers including Tel Aviv and Haifa.

At noon, Hezbollah executed coordinated drone attacks against the Tel Hashomer facility 120 kilometers from the border, Haifa’s naval installation, and the Ramat David base using multiple suicide drones.

Israel experienced no casualties and limited property damage, as many projectiles were neutralized before reaching their targets. However, hundreds of Lebanese buildings sustained damage or complete destruction from the strikes, according to regional reports.

Following the Comfort Hotel attack, employees have begun efforts to restore some normalcy. The hotel entrance has been cleared of broken glass. A team of young workers is reinforcing the building’s structural integrity.

Dagher emphasized: “We’re not political people; we’re very far from Hezbollah,” while still attempting to comprehend their misfortune. From neighboring building terraces, residents wearily discard damaged items into the street below.

Across the road, another hotel is installing replacement windows and doors. The Lebanese population continues working without pausing to mourn.

The Comfort Hotel employee made an earnest appeal: “As the people of this country, we are tired of war after war in our land; truly, we want to rest.”

Nigerian military forces engaged in deadly combat with armed raiders in the northern region of Katsina state, resulting in 45 attacker deaths, state officials announced Saturday.

The confrontation stemmed from cattle theft attempts by armed groups who traveled from the adjacent Zamfara state into Alhazawa village within the Musawa area on March 5, according to the Katsina State Government’s official statement.

The raiders made a second attempt the next day, but this time encountered military personnel deployed at the army’s Forward Operating Base located in Dan Ali, close to Maidabino ward. The resulting battle led to the deaths of 45 attackers, state authorities reported.

The military engagement also claimed the lives of three Nigerian service members, including one captain and two enlisted soldiers, the government statement confirmed.

Two prominent hardline religious leaders in Iran are pushing for the rapid appointment of a new supreme leader as the country faces ongoing military strikes from the United States and Israel, according to Iranian media reports from Saturday.

The urgency expressed by these clerics indicates that portions of Iran’s religious establishment are hesitant about allowing a temporary three-person leadership council to remain in control, despite this arrangement being permitted under the nation’s constitution following Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death.

President Donald Trump has stated that America should play a part in selecting Iran’s next leader, but Iranian officials have dismissed this proposal.

Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, whose religious interpretations carry significant weight among followers, stated that a quick appointment is necessary to “help better organise the country’s affairs,” according to state media coverage.

Earlier this week, two high-ranking Shi’ite religious figures issued fatwas – formal religious rulings – demanding that Muslims worldwide seek retribution for Khamenei’s death. Makarem Shirazi declared it a religious obligation for Muslims “until the evil of these criminals is eradicated from the world.”

Grand Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani has similarly pressed the Assembly of Experts, the religious council responsible for selecting the supreme leader, to speed up their decision-making process regarding Khamenei’s replacement, state media reported.

Under Iran’s constitutional framework, a temporary leadership group consisting of the president, a high-ranking cleric, and the judiciary chief has assumed the supreme leader’s duties while the Assembly of Experts deliberates.

Iran’s constitution mandates that a new supreme leader must be selected within three months, though ongoing warfare makes it uncertain how quickly the 88-member Assembly of Experts can gather. Sources indicate that some religious officials have been conducting preliminary discussions through online platforms.

Rescue teams recovered bodies from rushing floodwaters throughout Kenya’s capital on Saturday following deadly overnight flooding that claimed at least 10 lives and caused major disruptions at the region’s busiest airport, officials reported.

In Nairobi’s Grogan industrial area, 34-year-old security guard John Lomayan discovered the body of an elderly roadside egg vendor he knew, trapped under a vehicle that had been swept away when the Nairobi River overflowed.

“I saw him being carried by the water from up there,” Lomayan explained, pointing up the street. “We didn’t know where he had gone. It is only now that we see him under the car.”

A news reporter witnessed three victims being pulled from beneath vehicles. Law enforcement confirmed the death toll has reached 10 people.

Climate researchers indicate that rising global temperatures are intensifying both flooding and drought conditions throughout East Africa by concentrating precipitation into briefer, more powerful downpours. Research from the 2024 World Weather Attribution study determined that climate change has doubled the likelihood of catastrophic rainfall events in the area.

Kenya Airways reported that the heavy precipitation had caused flight cancellations and delays at Nairobi’s airport, with some aircraft being rerouted to Mombasa on the coast.

“So many cars, so much stuff, I don’t know. Everything was just (washed away). All of the water (came) … from that river,” said stunned local resident Cedric Mwanza, referring to the Nairobi River.

American diplomats recently confronted Syria’s communications leadership about the nation’s growing dependence on Chinese telecommunications infrastructure, highlighting escalating tensions between global superpowers over digital influence in the recovering Middle Eastern country.

On February 24, State Department representatives met with Syrian Communications Minister Abdul Salam Haykal in San Francisco, expressing alarm over potential national security and data privacy threats posed by Chinese telecom systems. US officials cautioned that acquiring essential infrastructure technology from Chinese corporations could leave sensitive information vulnerable, reinforcing Washington’s ongoing claims that Beijing can force its companies to assist intelligence operations. Chinese officials reject these allegations, characterizing them as competitive tactics.

While the disagreement appears technical in nature, it represents a larger struggle for control over the region’s digital backbone as Syria works to rebuild. Telecommunications purchasing decisions have evolved into indicators of geopolitical loyalty, affecting network design, funding arrangements, technical protocols, and future dependencies for a nation attempting to rejoin regional commerce following years of conflict.

Beijing’s ties with Damascus predate the current political transformation. Throughout Bashar Assad’s presidency, China provided diplomatic support at the UN Security Council, frequently collaborating with Russia while promoting sovereignty principles and opposing forced government changes.

As Syria enters a new political era, its continued engagement with Beijing raises an important question: why maintain relationships with a previous regime supporter? Experts suggest this reflects Chinese diplomatic strategy, which views “the state” as the consistent partner, collaborating with whatever leadership exists while safeguarding its interests.

Dr. Samer Al-Khatib, who teaches international relations at the University of Damascus, described the renewed cooperation as pragmatic rather than ideological. In his interview with The Media Line, he explained Syria’s goal to “diversify its political and economic umbrellas to avoid falling into unilateral dependency,” noting that Beijing benefits from being perceived as an economic ally without imposing direct political requirements.

Syria’s telecommunications landscape makes this debate particularly relevant. Industry analysts estimate that Chinese technology powers a substantial portion of Syria’s two mobile networks—a situation resulting from years of Western sanctions, limited procurement options, and the attractiveness of affordable, rapidly deployable equipment. Modernizing the telecommunications sector is considered crucial for economic recovery: poor coverage beyond major urban areas and sluggish internet connectivity discourage investment, restrict business activity, and hamper overall progress. For officials seeking swift modernization at reasonable costs, Chinese technology offers appealing price points and implementation speed.

However, these decisions carry implications beyond technical considerations. Supplier selection creates multi-year commitments involving financing, maintenance, system upgrades, and technical standards—while signaling how governments plan to navigate major power competition in critical digital sectors.

Reconstruction economics specialist Reem Al-Hassan emphasized to The Media Line that the matter is “governed by numbers before slogans.” She explained that telecommunications modernization demands substantial investment and deployment-ready technologies—areas where Chinese companies typically offer competitive pricing. Nevertheless, she cautioned against “long-term financial dependency,” advocating for diversified investment sources and risk distribution across multiple partners.

This creates an inherent challenge for Syria. American restrictions, including export limitations, have prevented US technology from entering Syrian markets significantly. This produces a contradiction: Washington issues warnings about Chinese dependence while providing few practical alternatives for Syria to adopt Western technologies comprehensively.

Cybersecurity specialist Tarek Nasser explained to The Media Line that Chinese technology concerns “goes beyond the issue of direct espionage, to the nature of control over digital supply chains.” He noted that excessive dependence on single telecommunications suppliers creates both technical and political risks, emphasizing that successful outcomes require effective oversight mechanisms and robust legal frameworks for data protection. This involves independent regulation, procurement reviews, vendor risk assessments, and enforceable privacy legislation.

The implications extend far beyond communication towers or advanced wireless networks. This situation represents a competition for Syria’s position in the region’s future economic structure—and determining who establishes standards for digital infrastructure connected to reconstruction efforts. Beijing has pursued expanded Middle Eastern presence through infrastructure and connectivity initiatives, while Washington has attempted to limit that expansion in sensitive digital areas, particularly those involving data and critical networks.

For Damascus, the challenge is both immediate and practical: securing large-scale investment to rebuild war damage, with telecommunications being fundamental to economic reintegration. The strategic question persists: can Syria benefit from Chinese technology without becoming a battleground in US-China rivalry, or does this competition’s structure make neutrality increasingly impossible?

Syria’s probable objective involves balance rather than alignment—leveraging Chinese engagement for rapid reconstruction and improved Western negotiating position, while keeping other partnerships available. Success will depend on Damascus’ ability to enforce oversight and data protection regulations while diversifying suppliers. It will also require Washington’s commitment to providing viable alternatives that go beyond cautioning against China’s involvement in the region’s digital transformation.

The passing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has eliminated the nation’s most influential political figure, leaving a critical leadership void in a government structure designed around concentrated religious authority. This development has immediately raised questions about which faction will assume control of the country.

Within Iran’s governmental framework, the supreme leader maintains authority over elected bodies and exercises final control over major state institutions, particularly security forces. While the nation’s constitution designates the Assembly of Experts to choose the next supreme leader, political observers have questioned how this transition period will unfold.

However, Middle East researcher Beni Sabti from Tel Aviv’s Institute for National Security Studies believes real power now rests with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its connected organizations, including the Basij militia.

Sabti, an Iranian native born in 1972 who lived through the Islamic Revolution before fleeing to Israel in 1987, explained that Iran’s current power structure will be shaped by interconnected figures with strong Revolutionary Guard connections. “Most of these figures always come from the IRGC. They have some roots in the IRGC … and also the IRGC as a whole, as an entity, influences a lot,” he stated.

The expert emphasized that today’s Revolutionary Guard holds significantly more influence compared to when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini died in 1989. “It was not like this when Khomeini died, because he kept them limited,” Sabti noted. “But Khamenei was in their alliance, and they were his allies, so they have a kind of symbiotic relationship.”

According to Sabti, the IRGC operates “behind the curtain, for sure.” Although the Assembly of Experts maintains constitutional responsibility for selecting a successor, he contends this process serves more as formal approval rather than genuine decision-making.

“These councils of experts … they are also very symbolic,” he observed. “Eighty-eight very old clerics, that they have to decide who can be the next leader. They waited for someone to tell them what to do.” Sabti argued the Assembly has historically followed the existing leader’s direction and remains structurally dependent on the system it supposedly oversees. “They have been receiving salaries for so many years from the leader, so they are kind of the slaves of the system.”

Sabti anticipates this pattern will continue. “They will wait for someone to tell them what to vote for. Maybe the council, or IRGC, all together.”

Regarding the current presidency, Sabti believes it carries minimal independent authority during this succession phase. “President Pezeshkian is a good puppet for now to do his job, and after that, they can kick him out and give him just a symbolic job, because he’s not a cleric. As you see, he doesn’t have any influence,” he said.

The researcher’s main thesis suggests the outcome depends less on constitutional processes and more on whether the Revolutionary Guard maintains unity. “Yes, there is a chance that there can be some divisions in the IRGC,” he acknowledged. He believes any internal fractures would largely depend on continued external pressure. “It depends on if US and Israel continue to try to destroy as much as possible of this regime,” he explained.

Under such pressure, Sabti suggested some factions might choose survival over ideological commitment. “Some of them can come out and say, OK, we don’t want to lose our heads, we don’t want to lose Iran as a country, so maybe we can have some compromises,” he elaborated.

He also mentioned possibilities of internal coups and confrontations, drawing parallels to Soviet-era instability. “They can make a coup or something, and there can be some clashes inside the IRGC,” he said.

Without Khamenei’s presence, Sabti warned that competing ambitions within the IRGC and other power centers might escalate as various actors reassess their positions. “What is the map of the interests of everyone? It can change now, because the leader is not there,” he said. “They have their new interests. So yes, there can be a huge clash inside IRGC or other systems.”

Beyond political maneuvering, Sabti described a significant divide between the government and portions of the population. “The people … they came out and they were very happy, many of them,” he said. He noted that authorities quickly moved to limit information access. “We see that the regime once again shut down the internet, and we don’t know much what is going on inside.”

He suggested leadership priorities center on maintaining power rather than public welfare. “They don’t care now about the people. The regime doesn’t care about whether there are supplies in the supermarkets, or the roads are open, or anything like that.” He highlighted what he called inadequate civilian protection measures. “You know that there are no sirens in Iran, and no shelters? This is amazing. They don’t care about the people. It’s just like the ’80s.”

Despite public frustration and what he described as celebrations, Sabti doubted spontaneous mass protests would occur without external encouragement and organization. “The people cannot act unless President Trump, again, says something or does something,” he said. He noted the regime maintains organized forces and structural advantages. “There are many Basij forces outside. They [the citizens] don’t have connection. Someone has to guide them.”

Looking forward, Sabti predicted instability will continue. “In the short term, they [the IRGC] will be more dangerous,” he said. He believes the next period will be influenced by additional attacks on command centers and leadership figures. “But again, in a few days, if enough headquarters, and IRGC generals, and other figures are eliminated, there can be something else there,” he added.

He warned that any timeline should be considered in weeks rather than days, given Iran’s scale and complex security structure. “When you talk about Iran, it’s such a huge country, so many divisions, so many units of IRGC and army,” he said.

When asked about potential tipping points, Sabti said rapid collapse seems unlikely. “I think not less than two weeks,” he said. “Even Saddam held for three weeks.”

Other experts note that any successor will still require religious legitimacy, even if security leadership influences the selection. The upcoming period, Sabti suggested, may be determined less by constitutional procedures and more by internal reassessment among security officials—particularly within the IRGC. The critical factor, he argued, is whether the IRGC remains united.

American military forces have eliminated over 20 Iranian naval vessels and damaged Tehran’s primary operational submarine during an ongoing military campaign designed to neutralize Iran’s maritime forces, according to U.S. officials who spoke Wednesday. The operation included a U.S. submarine using torpedoes to sink an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean waters near Sri Lanka.

The Iranian frigate IRIS Dena was destroyed as U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that Iranian naval forces have been effectively removed from crucial regional waterways. Admiral Brad Cooper, who leads CENTCOM, announced in a video update shared on X earlier Wednesday that Iranian vessels were absent from the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman as of Tuesday.

American officials confirmed that U.S. forces have eliminated more than 20 Iranian ships during the campaign and have also damaged Tehran’s most capable submarine, creating a breach in its hull.

According to Cooper, American forces will maintain their focus on Iran’s naval resources through Operation Epic Fury. This military campaign seeks to eliminate Tehran’s capacity to menace commercial vessels and reduce its missile strike capabilities.

“We’re hunting Iran’s last remaining mobile ballistic missile launchers to eliminate, what I would characterize as their lingering launch capability,” Cooper stated.

Tehran operates dual naval forces: the Islamic Republic of Iran navy, which handles traditional maritime duties, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy, which specializes in unconventional warfare tactics.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth verified that an American submarine used torpedoes to destroy the IRIS Dena in waters near Sri Lanka during the military operation.

“An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters,” Hegseth announced during a Pentagon press conference. “Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo.”

Hegseth characterized the attack as a “quiet death,” noting it marked the first occasion since World War II that American forces had destroyed an enemy vessel using torpedo weapons.

“Their navy, not a factor. Pick your adjective; it is no more.”

Sri Lankan naval authorities reported Wednesday that they had retrieved 87 bodies and saved 32 survivors following their response to an emergency signal from the vessel. According to Sri Lanka’s foreign minister, Vijitha Herath, who addressed Parliament, approximately 180 crew members were aboard the ship when it sank.

Sri Lankan officials initiated search and rescue operations after receiving the distress transmission, according to AP reports. Maritime vessels and aircraft were sent to the location.

Naval spokesperson Buddhika Sampath confirmed that survivors received medical treatment at a hospital in Galle, a southern coastal city, while recovered bodies were being transported to shore.