US

UK to host multi-nation meeting on Hormuz shipping Thursday

music

'Wake-up call': Megan Thee Stallion falls ill during Broadway show

  • One of the leading women in American rap alongside the likes of Cardi B and Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion is known for her powerful stage presence, freestyles and aggressive flow. rh-bjt/pnb/js
  • American rapper Megan Thee Stallion said Wednesday that she had a "wake-up call" after she was taken to hospital in the middle of a Broadway performance of "Moulin Rouge!"
  • One of the leading women in American rap alongside the likes of Cardi B and Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion is known for her powerful stage presence, freestyles and aggressive flow. rh-bjt/pnb/js
American rapper Megan Thee Stallion said Wednesday that she had a "wake-up call" after she was taken to hospital in the middle of a Broadway performance of "Moulin Rouge!" in New York City. 
"I've been pushing myself past my limits lately, running on empty, and my body finally said enough. It honestly scared me," the 31-year-old wrote on Instagram. 
"I thought I was gonna faint on stage, I really tried to push through my performance but I just couldn't."
Megan Thee Stallion, who has been playing club owner Harold Zidler in the musical, was replaced halfway through the show Tuesday night after she fell ill. 
She said she would be back on stage Thursday after taking off Wednesday to rest.
A spokesperson for the artist, who has won three Grammy awards, said she was transferred to a hospital after experiencing "concerning symptoms."
"Doctors ultimately identified extreme exhaustion, dehydration, vasoconstriction and low metabolic levels as the cause of her symptoms," the spokesperson told AFP. 
"Megan has since been treated, discharged and is now resting."
One of the leading women in American rap alongside the likes of Cardi B and Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion is known for her powerful stage presence, freestyles and aggressive flow.
rh-bjt/pnb/js

Arctic

Canada's defense enters new phase, Arctic in focus: top military officer

BY MARION THIBAUT

  • With only the United States -- long considered an ally -- on its physical borders along with two oceans and the vast Arctic region, Canada has never really had to worry much about its territorial security.
  • Canada's defense of its territory and the Arctic are entering a new phase, the country's top military officer Jennie Carignan told AFP, saying that "geography" no longer offers protection "as well as it did in the past."
  • With only the United States -- long considered an ally -- on its physical borders along with two oceans and the vast Arctic region, Canada has never really had to worry much about its territorial security.
Canada's defense of its territory and the Arctic are entering a new phase, the country's top military officer Jennie Carignan told AFP, saying that "geography" no longer offers protection "as well as it did in the past."
With only the United States -- long considered an ally -- on its physical borders along with two oceans and the vast Arctic region, Canada has never really had to worry much about its territorial security.
But climate change and the melting of Arctic ice caps have made its northernmost land more accessible -- and thus more coveted. This, along with rising tensions between Ottawa and Washington, has changed the status quo.
Canada's armed forces have been forced to "transform" themselves, Carignan said in an interview in Ottawa, calling it a "pivotal moment" for the country.
Citing the seismic shift brought by climate change, Carignan said it is crucial for Canada to "position itself differently" to "ensure that we are in control and taking responsibility for our defense."
"There has been a modernization of our infrastructure, the pre-positioning of materials and equipment... and an increasing number of exercises" and other military operation in northern Canada.
The Arctic, where temperatures are rising three to four times faster than elsewhere on the planet, has become a coveted area for multiple countries, the melting of sea ice has improved access to crucial natural resources such as minerals and fish, and new maritime routes are now open. 

Defense investments

More broadly, Canada has had to adapt to changing global realities and move on from the targeted missions of the last three decades, such as in Afghanistan.
Canadian forces must prepare for "larger-scale" conflicts, Carignan said, while also rebalancing its military supply chains to rely less and less on the United States.
The country has created an agency dedicated to defense-related investments to reinforce its own domestic industrial base. That has required budgetary changes.
Carignan says she is pleased that military spending has reached two percent of GDP, in line with a NATO target.
However, she said that "sustained and stable investments over the next 10–15 years" are necessary to carry out these transformation and modernization efforts.
Carignan, who was named Chief of the Defense Staff in July 2024, is the first woman to occupy such a post in a Group of Seven country.
She says she hopes her example can serve as a "model" for other women, noting that a recent influx of candidates shows that recruitment efforts are bearing fruit in Canada.
The country aims to invest CAN $500 billion (US $360.1 billion) in defense over the next 10 years.
tib/jpo-sst/msp

police

France charges man over failed attack on US bank

  • A source following the case, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the man in his early twenties from a Paris suburb had been charged with "terrorist criminal conspiracy" and remanded in custody.
  • French authorities Wednesday charged a young man in connection with an attempted attack against a Bank of America branch in Paris, as investigators explored suspicions a pro-Iran group was involved.
  • A source following the case, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the man in his early twenties from a Paris suburb had been charged with "terrorist criminal conspiracy" and remanded in custody.
French authorities Wednesday charged a young man in connection with an attempted attack against a Bank of America branch in Paris, as investigators explored suspicions a pro-Iran group was involved.
The plot thwarted before dawn on Saturday came more than a month after US-Israeli strikes on Iran sparked regional conflict, sending energy markets into a tailspin.
A source following the case, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the man in his early twenties from a Paris suburb had been charged with "terrorist criminal conspiracy" and remanded in custody.
French counter-terrorism prosecutors suspect he asked teenagers to place an explosive device outside the US financial institution near the Champs-Elysees.
Contacted by AFP, his lawyer did not wish to comment.
The investigation suggested he recruited three minors in the night of Thursday to Friday, offering to pay them 500 to 1,000 euros for the job, the National Counterterrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) said earlier in the day.
After a failed attempt that night, "two of three minors tried again the following night", it said.
Police on Saturday arrested a 17-year-old who had placed the explosive device near the bank and was about to light it.
The PNAT says the incident could be linked to a little-known Islamist group with possible links to Iran, though no firm link has yet been established.
The Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI) group, meaning The Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand, has claimed responsibility for attacks targeting the Jewish community in the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Police had on Monday last week been informed of a HAYI propaganda video on social media "specifically targeting the French headquarters" of Bank of America, the PNAt said.
The adult suspect told investigators "a third party, presenting themself as an intermediary, had approached him via a social network's messaging service to have the explosive device planted as part of a personal vendetta", it said.
"The explosive device was allegedly delivered to his home by a person he did not know," it added.
mat-al-clw/ah/jj

US

War in the Middle East: latest developments

  • - UN warns of crackdown - Iran and countries across the Middle East are using the war as an excuse to clamp down on rights, the UN warned Wednesday, denouncing attempts to restrict the press in Israel and the United States.
  • Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war: - Iran announces new strikes - Iran's military announced a new wave of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US bases in the Gulf, though there was no immediate word from either of any direct hits.
  • - UN warns of crackdown - Iran and countries across the Middle East are using the war as an excuse to clamp down on rights, the UN warned Wednesday, denouncing attempts to restrict the press in Israel and the United States.
Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war:

Iran announces new strikes

Iran's military announced a new wave of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US bases in the Gulf, though there was no immediate word from either of any direct hits.
In a statement, the military's central command, Khatam Al-Anbiya, said the targets included Israeli cities such as Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean coast and Eilat on the Red Sea, as well as US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait.

Iraq strike

A strike in northwestern Iraq killed two fighters from the former paramilitary coalition Hashed al-Shaabi, the alliance said, blaming the US and Israel.
Six fighters were also wounded from the alliance, also known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), which is now part of Iraq's regular armed forces, although it also contains pro-Iran factions.

Iran funeral

Thousands of Iranians gathered in Tehran for the funeral of the Revolutionary Guards' naval commander, Alireza Tangsiri, killed in an Israeli strike.

Trump to address nation

US President Donald Trump will address Americans on the Iran war later Wednesday, his first prime-time speech since the conflict began, as his approval ratings plunge and economic anxiety rises.
The White House gave no details on the address, but it comes hours after Trump claimed Iran had sought a pause in hostilities, and that fighting could be over in "two weeks, maybe three".

Iran denies seeking ceasefire

Iran denied US President Donald Trump's assertion that Tehran had asked for a ceasefire, state television reported, citing the foreign ministry. 
"Trump's statements about Iran's request for a ceasefire are false and baseless," foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei was quoted as saying. 
Separately, Iran's Revolutionary Guards insisted that the strategic strait of Hormuz will remain closed to the country's "enemies", as Trump said re-opening the Straits was one of his conditions for a ceasefire.

Israel kills Hezbollah commander

Israel killed a top Hezbollah commander, two sources told AFP, in a Beirut strike that Lebanon's health ministry said killed seven people.
A Lebanese security source and a Hezbollah source told AFP that the commander, Youssef Hashem, had been responsible for the group's military affairs in Iraq. Israel's military said Hashem was Hezbollah's commander for its south Lebanon front.

Lebanon death toll

Lebanon's health ministry said Israeli attacks have killed 1,318 people in the country since war erupted between Israel and Hezbollah on March 2, raising a previous toll of 1,268 a day earlier.
Those killed included 91 women, 125 children and 53 health workers, said the ministry, with 3,935 other people wounded.

UK convenes Hormuz meeting

Britain will on Thursday host a video-conference of about 35 countries to discuss how to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital thoroughfare for much of the world's seaborne oil and gas, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced.
It will "assess all viable diplomatic and political measures that we can take to restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of trapped ships and seafarers and resume the movement of vital commodities", he said.

UN warns of crackdown

Iran and countries across the Middle East are using the war as an excuse to clamp down on rights, the UN warned Wednesday, denouncing attempts to restrict the press in Israel and the United States.
United Nations rights chief Volker Turk warned that governments had dramatically tightened security and restrictions on people's actions and movements in public spaces, infringing on their rights.

Stocks rally, oil drops

Global stocks rallied and oil prices fell after Trump said the Middle East war could be over within weeks.
International oil benchmark Brent was down one percent after falling as much as five percent earlier. The main US contract WTI dropped two percent.
burs-jhb/gv

space

SpaceX files to go public, paving way for record stock offering

BY THOMAS URBAIN AND JOHN BIERS

  • The confidential filing puts the rocket and satellite builder on track to list its shares on a public exchange by July, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing unidentified sources. 
  • Elon Musk's SpaceX has filed papers with US regulators that set the stage for what could be the largest-ever public stock offering, a source familiar with the matter told AFP on Wednesday.
  • The confidential filing puts the rocket and satellite builder on track to list its shares on a public exchange by July, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing unidentified sources. 
Elon Musk's SpaceX has filed papers with US regulators that set the stage for what could be the largest-ever public stock offering, a source familiar with the matter told AFP on Wednesday.
The confidential filing puts the rocket and satellite builder on track to list its shares on a public exchange by July, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing unidentified sources. 
Media reports have said the initial public offering could be valued at a whopping $75 billion or more, for a venture with stratospheric ambitions.
The IPO looks set to blow past a record from 2019, when the oil group Saudi Aramco raised $25.6 billion.
SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment, and officials at the Securities and Exchange Commission declined to comment.
If successful, SpaceX could arrive on Wall Street with a valuation exceeding $1.75 trillion, putting it among the world's ten biggest companies by market capitalization.
After its acquisition of xAI in early February, SpaceX was valued at $1.25 trillion.
Analysts have said that taking SpaceX public will require it and Musk to maintain greater transparency, particularly about its revenues.
It could also expose the company to investor pressure to focus on profits instead of long-term investments -- such as Musk's plan to build a rocket for sending people to Mars.

'Enamored' investors

When the documents are released, SpaceX's IPO filing will likely reveal details about its operations, including its satellite and rocket manufacturing, alongside its xAI artificial intelligence arm.
Given that investors appear "enamored" with Musk's space and artificial intelligence ambitions, SpaceX could "probably get away with listing in a less exuberant market than some other companies might," said Steve Sosnick of Interactive Brokers.
Matthew Kennedy, a senior strategist at Renaissance Capital, said he had little worries that SpaceX would be able to raise such a massive amount of capital, even as markets are roiled by the ongoing war in the Middle East.
"US markets are some of the largest, most robust fundraising in the world, and this is a unique company that has captured the imagination of a lot of investors," Kennedy said.
He also noted investor enthusiasm in potential advancements on space exploration and in AI, alongside the cash to be made in the telecoms sector.
Besides SpaceX, two other tech heavyweights, the AI developers OpenAI and Anthropic, are reportedly planning IPOs this year.
SpaceX, which dominates the space launching market with its reusable rockets, is owned by Musk alongside several investment funds and tech companies including Google's parent Alphabet.
The company's rockets vastly reduce the cost of putting satellites into orbit. SpaceX is also the owner of the Starlink satellite constellation.
In February, Musk announced that SpaceX would take over his artificial intelligence outfit xAI, a step in the billionaire's plan to use SpaceX's rockets to launch solar-powered, satellite-based data centers to run future AI models.
jmb-elm-tu-bys/js

immigration

Supreme Court skeptical of Trump bid to end birthright citizenship

BY CHRIS LEFKOW

  • If the Supreme Court rejects ending birthright citizenship, it would be the second major loss for Trump this term -- the justices struck down most of his global tariffs in February.
  • The US Supreme Court appeared poised on Wednesday to reject Donald Trump's historic bid to end birthright citizenship following a hearing featuring the extraordinary attendance of the Republican president.
  • If the Supreme Court rejects ending birthright citizenship, it would be the second major loss for Trump this term -- the justices struck down most of his global tariffs in February.
The US Supreme Court appeared poised on Wednesday to reject Donald Trump's historic bid to end birthright citizenship following a hearing featuring the extraordinary attendance of the Republican president.
The landmark case is a pillar in Trump's attempts to restrict immigration and his decision to attend oral arguments was unprecedented for a sitting president.
Trump left the hearing following the presentation by his solicitor general, John Sauer, and did not remain for the arguments of American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) attorney Cecillia Wang, who was defending birthright citizenship.
"We are the only Country in the World STUPID enough to allow 'Birthright' Citizenship!" Trump said in a social media post after returning to the White House.
Trump signed an executive order on the first day of his second term decreeing that children born to parents in the United States illegally or on temporary visas would not automatically become US citizens.
Lower courts blocked the move, ruling that under the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment nearly everyone born on US soil is an American citizen.
Sauer told the justices that "unrestricted birthright citizenship contradicts the practice of the overwhelming majority of modern nations" and "demeans the priceless and profound gift of American citizenship."
"It operates as a powerful pull factor for illegal immigration and rewards illegal aliens who not only violate the immigration laws but also jump in front of those who follow the rules," he said.
It also encourages what Sauer called "birth tourism," in which foreigners come to the United States solely to give birth.
The three liberal justices and several conservatives appeared skeptical of the administration's arguments. Conservatives have a 6-3 supermajority on the court and three justices were appointed by Trump.

'It's the same constitution'

Chief Justice John Roberts, a conservative, asked Sauer how common "birth tourism" is before pointing out that regardless of the numbers it would have "no impact on the legal analysis" of the case.
"We're in a new world now," the solicitor general said, "where eight billion people are one plane ride away from having a child who's a US citizen."
"Well, it's a new world. It's the same constitution," Roberts replied.
The 14th Amendment states that "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States."
It does not apply to those not subject to US jurisdiction -- the children of foreign diplomats, for example -- and Roberts said the government appeared to be seeking to expand the exceptions "to a whole class of illegal aliens," a move he described as "quirky."
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, another conservative, asked Sauer why he was citing the birthright policies of other nations.
"We try to interpret American law with American precedent based on American history," Kavanaugh said. "Why should we be thinking about...other countries? I'm not seeing the relevance as a legal, constitutional interpretive matter."
Justice Neil Gorsuch, another conservative, said that when the 14th Amendment was passed, in 1868, there was no such thing as "illegal" immigration.
"If somebody showed up here in 1868 and established domicile, that was perfectly fine," Gorsuch said. "And so why wouldn't we...come to the conclusion that the fact that someone might be illegal is immaterial?"

Decision by July

Wang, the ACLU attorney, told the justices a rejection of birthright citizenship would call into question "the citizenship of millions of Americans past, present and future."  
"Ask any American what our citizenship rule is, and they'll tell you, everyone born here is a citizen alike," Wang said. "That rule was enshrined in the 14th Amendment to put it out of the reach of any government official to destroy."
The Trump administration is arguing that the 14th Amendment, passed in the wake of the 1861-1865 Civil War, addresses citizenship rights of former slaves and not the children of undocumented migrants or visitors.
Trump's executive order is premised on the notion that anyone in the United States illegally, or on a visa, is not "subject to the jurisdiction" of the country and therefore excluded from automatic citizenship.
The Supreme Court rejected such a narrow definition in a landmark 1898 case involving a man who was born in San Francisco to parents from China.
If the Supreme Court rejects ending birthright citizenship, it would be the second major loss for Trump this term -- the justices struck down most of his global tariffs in February.
A decision in the case is expected by late June or early July.
cl/acb

Moon

NASA's Moon flyby mission primed for launch

BY CHARLOTTE CAUSIT WITH MAGGY DONALDSON IN NEW YORK

  • If the mission proceeds as planned, the astronauts will set a record by venturing farther from Earth than any human before.
  • Four astronauts are set to embark Wednesday on a trip around the Moon marking humankind's deepest venture into space, an odyssey that aims to launch the US into a new era of interstellar exploration.
  • If the mission proceeds as planned, the astronauts will set a record by venturing farther from Earth than any human before.
Four astronauts are set to embark Wednesday on a trip around the Moon marking humankind's deepest venture into space, an odyssey that aims to launch the US into a new era of interstellar exploration.
The NASA mission dubbed Artemis 2 has been years in the making after facing repeated setbacks and massive cost overruns, but is finally scheduled to take off from Florida as early as 6:24 pm (2224 GMT).
The weather was expected to be favorable, with an 80 percent chance of conditions suitable for launch.
The team featuring Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch along with Canadian Jeremy Hansen will set forth on the approximately 10-day mission and hurtle around Earth's nearest celestial neighbor without landing -- much like Apollo 8 did in 1968.
The journey marks a series of historic accomplishments: it will send the first person of color, the first woman and the first non-American on a lunar mission.
If the mission proceeds as planned, the astronauts will set a record by venturing farther from Earth than any human before.
It is also the inaugural crewed flight of NASA's new lunar rocket, dubbed SLS.
The mammoth orange-and-white rocket is designed to allow the United States to repeatedly return to the Moon, with the goal of establishing a permanent base that will offer a platform for further exploration.
"It's a stepping stone to Mars, where we might have the most likelihood of finding evidence of past life, but it's also a Rosetta Stone for how other solar systems form," Koch told reporters on the weekend.

Repeated setbacks

Under bright Florida sunshine, four giant tanks on the rocket started filling with liquid hydrogen and oxygen at 8:35 am.
A full load of fuel will boost the rocket's weight by 1,000 tons, for a total of more than 2,600 tons.
The mission was originally due to take off as early as February.
But repeated setbacks stalled the mission and even necessitated rolling the rocket back to its hangar for analysis and repairs.
As of Tuesday afternoon, NASA officials voiced confidence that engineering operations and final preparations were proceeding smoothly.
If Wednesday's launch is canceled or delayed, there are more liftoff opportunities through Monday, although weather later in the week was looking slightly less favorable.
About 400,000 people were expected to watch the launch, local media reported.
"We're looking forward to it, we've never seen anything like this," 76-year-old retiree Melinda Schuerfranz of Ohio told AFP.
But Schuerfranz remembers the Apollo era, and thinks some of the magic might be lost in today's fragmented media environment.
"I think it was way more exciting then," she said. "Everybody tuned into it."

'Astronauts for Halloween'

Artemis is facing pressure from President Donald Trump, who has pushed the pace of the program that's aiming to see boots hit the lunar surface before his second term ends in early 2029.
Artemis 2's objectives include verifying that both the rocket and the spacecraft are in working order to pave the way for a Moon landing in 2028.
That deadline has raised eyebrows among experts, in part because Washington is relying on the private sector's technological headway.
The astronauts will require a second vehicle to descend to the moon's surface, a lunar lander that remains under development by rival space companies owned by billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.
This contemporary era of American lunar investment has frequently been portrayed as an effort in competition with China, which is aiming to land humans on the Moon by 2030.
For NASA head Jared Isaacman, it's a multi-pronged pursuit related to scientific discovery, national security and economic opportunity -- as well as some less tangible goals.
"I guarantee after these astronauts fly around the moon, you're going to have more kids dressing up as astronauts for Halloween," Isaacman said during a recent interview.
"And that's going to inspire the next generation to take us further."
cha-mdo/acb/sms

US

Trump says Iran president requests ceasfire, Tehran says 'false'

BY AFP TEAMS IN WASHINGTON, TEHRAN, JERUSALEM, BEIRUT, DUBAI AND SANAA

  • But ahead of his national address, Trump said that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had asked for a truce.
  • President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran's president had asked for a ceasefire, but ruled out any truce until the vital Strait of Hormuz was reopened for crucial energy shipments.
  • But ahead of his national address, Trump said that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had asked for a truce.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran's president had asked for a ceasefire, but ruled out any truce until the vital Strait of Hormuz was reopened for crucial energy shipments.
But his assertion was flatly denied by Iran, with foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei rejecting it as "false and baseless".
Trump made the remarks ahead of a prime-time speech at 9:00 pm (0100 GMT Thursday) -- his first since US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 ignited a regional war and sparked a global energy crisis.
Tehran has insisted there are no ongoing negotiations to end the war, and launched fresh missile attacks on Israel and US-allied Gulf nations on Wednesday, as AFP journalists reported massive explosions in the Iranian capital.
But ahead of his national address, Trump said that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had asked for a truce.
"We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Trump's tone has see-sawed between combative and conciliatory since the war began.
Late on Tuesday, he said that the month-long conflict could be over in "two weeks, maybe three."
Pezeshkian had said Iran had the "necessary will" for a ceasefire, but only if its foes guaranteed that hostilities would not return.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Wednesday that the Hormuz, a narrow strait through which one-fifth of the world's oil normally passes, would remain closed to the country's "enemies".
The Guards also confirmed they hit an oil tanker in the Gulf they said belonged to Israel. A British maritime security agency said the vessel was struck off Qatar, reporting damage but no casualties.

'Every day we hear drones'

An airport in central Iran was damaged in an attack on Wednesday evening, the deputy provincial governor of Isfahan province, told local news agency of Mehr.
Iranian media also said steel complexes in central and southwest Iran were damaged in separate attacks.
An AFP journalist reported huge explosions in Tehran on Wednesday afternoon and earlier strikes near the former US embassy, now a symbol of decades of US-Iranian tensions.
The Israeli military confirmed it struck Tehran, while emergency services in Israel said an Iranian missile attack wounded 14 people, including an 11-year-old girl.
Israel also said its air defences had responded to a missile fired from Yemen -- the third attack by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels since they entered the war over the weekend. 
In Lebanon, seven people were killed in strikes around south Beirut, the health ministry said Wednesday, with the Israeli military saying it had struck a senior Hezbollah commander.
A Lebanese security source and a Hezbollah source both told AFP that the strike had killed Hezbollah's top commander for Iraq military affairs. 
AFP correspondents at the scene saw a blackened, debris-strewn street.
"Nobody knows what's happening," resident Hassan Jalwan told AFP, adding that "displaced people have been sleeping in the open" in the area. 
Israel launched broad strikes and a ground offensive against Lebanon after attacks on March 2 by the Tehran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
The Lebanese health ministry said Wednesday that Israeli attacks had killed more than 1,300, among the thousands reported killed across the region since the war began, mostly in Iran.
Iran has also carried out retaliatory attacks on nations in the Gulf it says have been launchpads for strikes.
A Bangladeshi national was killed on Wednesday by falling shrapnel from an intercepted drone in the United Arab Emirates.
Strikes in Kuwait caused a large fire in fuel tanks at its international airport, Bahrain's interior ministry said a fire broke out at a business facility, and Saudi Arabia said several drones were intercepted.
Meanwhile, a drone strike caused a massive fire at the storage facilities of an engine oil firm in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan. 
"Every day, we hear the sound of drones," Waad Abdulrazaq, a 31-year-old truck driver, told AFP near Iraq's Erbil international airport.
"We hear them in the morning, and we hear them at night. We can no longer sleep or live in peace." 

Energy crisis

Optimism sparked by Trump's comments on the timeline for the end of the war pushed oil prices down Wednesday, and stock markets rallied in Europe and Asia.
But Iran's chokehold on Hormuz, through which Gulf oil and gas exports reach global markets, has sent energy prices soaring and unleashed global economic turmoil. 
Average US gasoline prices topped $4 a gallon for the first time in four years this week, while European inflation spiked and governments around the world started to unveil support measures. 
"We're a small outfit," driver Nicolas Barthes told AFP at a protest against soaring fuel prices in the French city of Toulouse. "The additional diesel cost for me this month is €15,000, and we're not managing to pass all of that on."
Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club, said prices were still about 50 percent above pre-war levels, showing "scepticism still remains about Trump's claims of progress".
Trump has criticised allies for not helping in the war, and President Emmanuel Macron repeated Wednesday that France would not take part.
Britain said Wednesday that it would host a meeting of about 35 countries this week to discuss how to reopen the strait.
Washington has not said who it is speaking with in Iran, which has denied it is in talks. 
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera he still receives messages from US envoy Steve Witkoff, "directly, as before, and this does not mean that we are in negotiations".
Trump threatened earlier this week to "obliterate" Iran's oil wells, its main Kharg Island export terminal, and possibly water desalination plants if the Islamic republic didn't make a deal.
burs-np/smw

US

Middle East war: global economic fallout

  • - India fuel hike - India's oil ministry said domestic jet fuel prices would rise as the Middle East war pushed up energy costs, but that it had cushioned airlines from an expected 100-percent jump.
  • Here are the latest economic events in the Middle East war: - Stocks rise, oil slides - Stocks rallied and oil slumped as investors reacted to US President Donald Trump saying that the Middle East war might be over within weeks -- and comments by his Iranian counterpart that Tehran had "the necessary will" to end the conflict.
  • - India fuel hike - India's oil ministry said domestic jet fuel prices would rise as the Middle East war pushed up energy costs, but that it had cushioned airlines from an expected 100-percent jump.
Here are the latest economic events in the Middle East war:

Stocks rise, oil slides

Stocks rallied and oil slumped as investors reacted to US President Donald Trump saying that the Middle East war might be over within weeks -- and comments by his Iranian counterpart that Tehran had "the necessary will" to end the conflict.
International benchmark Brent North Sea crude fell 1.9 percent to $102.01 a barrel, and the main US oil contract WTI dropped 1.2 percent to $100.18 a barrel.
Wall Street's main indices built on strong gains made Tuesday. European and Asian markets finished higher.
- UK meeting on Hormuz shipping
Britain will on Thursday hold a meeting of about 35 countries to discuss how to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz which has been crippled by the Middle East war, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced.
The meeting will "assess all viable diplomatic and political measures that we can take to restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of trapped ships and seafarers and resume the movement of vital commodities", Starmer said.

Germany outlook dims

Leading economic institutes cut their growth forecasts for Germany on Wednesday, warning that surging inflation resulting from the Middle East war and rising energy costs would hit Europe's top economy hard.
The German economy should grow by 0.6 percent in 2026, the seven institutes said, down from a September forecast of 1.3 percent, while inflation is predicted to stand at 2.8 percent, up from 2.0 percent.

Bank of England warning

The Bank of England on Wednesday said the Middle East war had caused "a substantial negative supply shock to the global economy", increasing risks to the financial system.
Following a surge in oil prices that is set to push up overall inflation, the BoE said the fallout would also weigh on economic growth and tighten financial conditions, such as restricted lending by banks.

India fuel hike

India's oil ministry said domestic jet fuel prices would rise as the Middle East war pushed up energy costs, but that it had cushioned airlines from an expected 100-percent jump.

Kuwait airport hit

Kuwait's international airport came under an Iranian drone attack that led to "a large fire" at fuel tanks, but no casualties were reported, the civil aviation authority said.
In a further sign of strain in the Gulf state, the National Bank of Kuwait said it would close its headquarters for two days along with another branch, as Iran carries out daily strikes on the Gulf.

Save fuel, Australians

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged his countrymen to switch to public transport and save fuel for rural communities and essential services.
"Farmers and truckies, small businesses and families are doing it tough. And the reality is, the economic shocks caused by this war will be with us for months," he said in a national address.

Cambodia farmers suffer

The price of diesel in Cambodia spiked to double the level at the start of the Middle East war after the latest government increase.
Farmers are being particularly hard hit as they rely on the fuel for tractors and water pumps.

Tanker struck off Qatar

A tanker has been hit by a projectile off the coast of Qatar's capital Doha, a British maritime security agency said Wednesday, reporting damage but no casualties.

Desalination plant hit

Strikes have knocked out a desalination plant on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian media reported, without saying when the attack took place.
"One of the desalination plants on Qeshm Island was targeted... and is now completely out of service, as it is not possible to repair it in the short term," the ISNA news agency reported, quoting health ministry official Mohsen Farhadi.
burs/rl/jj

US

UK to host multi-nation meeting on Hormuz shipping Thursday

  • On Tuesday, he said that countries which had not joined the war but were struggling with fuel shortages should "go get your own oil" in the Strait of Hormuz, adding that the US would not help them. pdh/har/jj
  • Britain will on Thursday hold a virtual a meeting of about 35 countries to discuss how to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz which has been crippled by the Middle East war.
  • On Tuesday, he said that countries which had not joined the war but were struggling with fuel shortages should "go get your own oil" in the Strait of Hormuz, adding that the US would not help them. pdh/har/jj
Britain will on Thursday hold a virtual a meeting of about 35 countries to discuss how to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz which has been crippled by the Middle East war.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the meeting earlier Wednesday, while a UK official told AFP the meeting would be virtual and held on Thursday.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will host the discussions, Starmer told reporters during a Downing Street news conference. 
The meeting will "assess all viable diplomatic and political measures that we can take to restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of trapped ships and seafarers and resume the movement of vital commodities", he added.
"Following that meeting, we will also convene our military planners to look at how we can marshal our capabilities and make the strait accessible and safe after the fighting has stopped," he added.
The discussions will include countries who recently signed a statement saying they were ready "to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz", said Starmer.
Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands are among those to have signed it.

'Will not be easy'

Iran has virtually closed the vital strait since the US-Israeli strikes that started the war on February 28, causing global oil and gas prices to soar.
A fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the strait in peacetime.
"I do have to level with people on this. This (reopening) will not be easy," Starmer said.
The UK leader also backed NATO following renewed criticism of the eight-decade-old alliance by US President Donald Trump.
"NATO is the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen, and it has kept us safe for many decades, and we are fully committed to NATO," Starmer said.
Trump told Britain's Telegraph newspaper in an article published Wednesday that NATO was a "paper tiger".
Asked whether he would reconsider US membership, he replied: "Oh yes, I would say (it's) beyond reconsideration," the paper reported.
Last month, Trump told the Financial Times that it would be "very bad for the future of NATO" if members fail to help reopen the vital waterway.
On Tuesday, he said that countries which had not joined the war but were struggling with fuel shortages should "go get your own oil" in the Strait of Hormuz, adding that the US would not help them.
pdh/har/jj

diplomacy

Armenia cannot be in both EU and Russian customs bloc, Putin says

  • Being in a customs union with the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union is impossible.
  • Armenia cannot be both a member of the European Union and the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union, President Vladimir Putin told Armenia's Prime Minister on Wednesday, amid tensions over Yerevan's pivot towards the West.
  • Being in a customs union with the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union is impossible.
Armenia cannot be both a member of the European Union and the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union, President Vladimir Putin told Armenia's Prime Minister on Wednesday, amid tensions over Yerevan's pivot towards the West.
Armenia has shifted its foreign policy away from Russia in recent years, in part because Moscow did not intervene militarily when Azerbaijan launched an offensive against ethnic Armenian separatists in September 2023.
The former Soviet republic froze its membership of the Russian-led CSTO security alliance in 2024, and in the same year expressed an interest in joining the European Union, further deepening its rift with Moscow.
"We see that Armenia is discussing developing relations with the European Union, and we are completely calm about this," Putin said.
"But it should be obvious... Being in a customs union with the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union is impossible. It's simply impossible by definition," he added.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he was aware being in the two unions was incompatible, but that pursuing both paths was possible "for now".
"When the processes develop to the point where a decision needs to be made, I'm confident that we, I mean the citizens of the Republic of Armenia, will make that decision, of course," he said.
Moscow and Yerevan are formally allies but their ties have become increasingly strained under Pashinyan.
Armenia's foreign intelligence service warned earlier this year that "external actors" were trying to meddle in Armenian politics, in what analysts believe was a reference to Russia.
bur/jj

US

Could NATO be collateral damage from Trump's Iran war?

BY MAX DELANY

  • "I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger," Trump told British newspaper The Telegraph Wednesday, suggesting he was strongly considering pulling the United States out.
  • "Paper tiger".
  • "I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger," Trump told British newspaper The Telegraph Wednesday, suggesting he was strongly considering pulling the United States out.
"Paper tiger". "Cowards". As US President Donald Trump grapples with the fallout of his war on Iran, much of his anger has been redirected onto another target: the NATO military alliance. 
Enraged by European allies who have refused to back his fight, rejected demands to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, or denied access to US jets, Trump's tone has grown increasingly menacing.
"I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger," Trump told British newspaper The Telegraph Wednesday, suggesting he was strongly considering pulling the United States out.
The ire from the president -- who has also blasted NATO allies as "cowards" over Iran -- is just the latest existential crisis to grip the 77-year-old alliance since his return to power last January. 
A few months ago he rocked NATO's foundations by threatening to seize the vast Arctic island of Greenland from fellow member Denmark -- before abruptly backing off. 
That followed him repeatedly pulling the rug from under Ukraine in its war against Russia, threats not to protect allies if they don't spend more on defence, and warnings Washington could yank troops from Europe. 
But while previous storms have blown over, there is increasing anxiety among some US allies that this time the damage might be harder to recover from. 
"Day by day it is getting more serious," one European diplomat at NATO told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. 
Trump has long railed against NATO, calling it "obsolete" in 2017 and mulling withdrawing during his first term in office.
Fuelling the worry is that this time round it is not only Trump that is sounding off about the alliance from Washington, but other traditional supporters.  
Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Tuesday the United States "is going to have to reexamine" its relationship with NATO after several European countries restricted the US military from using bases on their soil. 
"When we need them to allow us to use their military bases, their answer is 'No?' Then why are we in NATO? You have to ask that question," he told Fox News. 
Former US ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder argued that while NATO members have handled many disagreements in the past, this standoff threatened the vital glue of trust holding the alliance together. 
"The last two weeks have brought relations between the president and European allies to a boiling point," Daalder, who served under President Barack Obama, wrote in an online post.
"This is by far the worst crisis NATO has ever confronted."

Stronger than ever?

After bending over backwards repeatedly to keep Trump happy -- including a pledge to ramp up spending at NATO's summit last year -- European allies seem unwilling to play ball this time on Iran. 
As Trump didn't consult them before launching the war there is little appetite to help clear up the problems it has unleashed and risk becoming further embroiled. 
But while doomsayers see an unbridgeable rift opening up -- others insist that NATO will pull through yet again. 
"It has kept us safe for many decades, and we are fully committed to NATO," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Wednesday. 
Alliance chief Mark Rutte -- dubbed a "Trump whisperer" -- is central as he has managed to keep the president onside, thanks in large part to his unbridled flattery of the US leader. 
He has praised Trump for tackling the threat from Iran and continues to insist he has made NATO stronger by cajoling Europeans to up defence spending. 
"NATO is stronger today than it has ever been," he said last week.

'Roller-coaster'

A major test looks set to come when Trump comes face-to-face with NATO's 31 other leaders at a summit in Ankara in July -- with some hoping the bad blood might have cleared by then. 
"The only good news on Ankara is that there is still some time -- three or four months in Trump terms is a lot," the NATO diplomat said.
Even if this row passes, the alliance needs to brace for further tumult as long as Trump is in charge.
"I wouldn't say it's in perma-crisis, but rather on a kind of roller-coaster for the next three years or so," John Deni, a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council think tank, told AFP.
Meanwhile among European allies there is a growing sense that Trump has once again reinforced the fundamental fact that they need to take their defence more into their own hands. 
"What we want to do is to strengthen Europe's defence within the Atlantic alliance," French armed forces minister Alice Rufo said. 
"That creates reliability and trust."
del/raz/st

US

Macron lauds Europe's 'predictability' in seeming contrast to Trump

BY FRANCESCO FONTEMAGGI

  • Macron criticised countries that said they were "going much faster" than their allies, but "you don't know whether the day after tomorrow they will still be in that position, and whether tomorrow they won't make a decision that could hurt you without even informing you".
  • French President Emmanuel Macron praised Europe's "predictability" during a visit to Japan on Wednesday, contrasting it with countries that "could hurt you without even informing you" in an apparent swipe at Donald Trump.
  • Macron criticised countries that said they were "going much faster" than their allies, but "you don't know whether the day after tomorrow they will still be in that position, and whether tomorrow they won't make a decision that could hurt you without even informing you".
French President Emmanuel Macron praised Europe's "predictability" during a visit to Japan on Wednesday, contrasting it with countries that "could hurt you without even informing you" in an apparent swipe at Donald Trump.
The US president lashed out at France on Tuesday, writing on social media that Paris had been "very unhelpful" during the war with Iran, which has since spread across the Middle East.
"I'm well aware that sometimes Europe can be seen as a continent that is slower than others," Macron told an audience of Japanese business leaders and investors in Tokyo.
"But predictability has value, and we have demonstrated that over all these past years and, dare I say, even these past weeks: we are where you know we will go," he added.
"That's not bad, in times like these, believe me."
Macron criticised countries that said they were "going much faster" than their allies, but "you don't know whether the day after tomorrow they will still be in that position, and whether tomorrow they won't make a decision that could hurt you without even informing you".
The remark was a reference to the month-long US-Israeli war on Iran, which has responded by virtually closing the vital Strait of Hormuz, through which a large share of the oil imported by Japan normally transits.
Macron's office had expressed surprise at Trump's criticism of France for not letting planes carrying military supplies for the conflict fly over its territory.
"It is absolutely true that France, which has not been consulted and is not part of this military offensive launched by the United States and Israel, is not taking part in it," Macron said in an interview with Japanese broadcaster NHK later on Wednesday, adding that had been France's stance since "day one" of the war.

Energy crisis

Macron earlier met with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo and spoke of their cooperation in the face of the "current energy crisis".
"We share a belief in international law and in the international order based on the United Nations Charter, and we also believe in the democratic values that we defend. This is why... we both advocate the return to peace, to a ceasefire, to calm, and to the free movement of people and goods through the Strait of Hormuz," he said.
Takaichi echoed his words, saying the two leaders had agreed "on the importance of ensuring the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, maintaining a stable supply of essential materials, and calming the situation as soon as possible".
Japan depends on the Middle East for 95 percent of its oil imports and has had to dip into strategic stockpiles to temper the impact of rising fuel prices since the start of the war.
The two countries signed a roadmap on access to critical minerals and another on defence cooperation, while joint projects are being showcased during the visit, including initiatives to tackle space debris.
But they also shared a lighthearted moment during a news conference, turning to each other and cupping their hands in a gesture known as a kamehameha, taken from globally beloved Japanese manga, anime and video game franchise "Dragon Ball".
Macron's visit, his fourth to the country, comes as China-Japan ties worsen following Takaichi's suggestion in November that Tokyo might intervene militarily in any Chinese attempt to take Taiwan.
Macron visited China in December.
He and his wife Brigitte are due to have lunch with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako on Thursday but a hoped-for outside viewing of Japan's famous cherry trees in full bloom was cancelled due to heavy rain.
He will fly to South Korea later on Thursday.
fff/aph/pbt/mtp

Israel

Armed teenagers on patrol strike fear into Tehran residents

BY ADAM PLOWRIGHT WITH AFP CORRESPONDENTS

  • - 'Hardline support base' - The crackdown is designed to suppress any chances of a popular uprising, which was encouraged by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the start of the war, analysts said.
  • In the security crackdown ordered by Iranian authorities since the start of the war, an unsettling new sight on the streets of Tehran has put residents on edge: teenagers armed with machine guns.
  • - 'Hardline support base' - The crackdown is designed to suppress any chances of a popular uprising, which was encouraged by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the start of the war, analysts said.
In the security crackdown ordered by Iranian authorities since the start of the war, an unsettling new sight on the streets of Tehran has put residents on edge: teenagers armed with machine guns.
During the first weeks of the war against the United States and Israel, checkpoints sprang up around the capital, often comprising police or military vehicles, with traffic cones and barriers blocking the roads.
In recent days, following highly publicised airstrikes on their positions, some of the most visible barriers have been removed, but security forces remain a noticeable presence on the streets.
Iranian authorities have confirmed they are recruiting children as young as 12 for paramilitary group patrols, traffic checks and other duties. 
"Around 9 pm, I was feeling suffocated and nostalgic, so I got in the car to drive around town," a 28-year-old woman told AFP on Monday on condition that her identity be protected.
"I came across two checkpoints in the north of Tehran, with teenagers aged 13 or 14, weapons in their hands, who were stopping vehicles," she added in a message sent to an AFP correspondent abroad.
One of the boys opened the passenger door and sat down next to her.
"He asked for my mobile phone and checked everything, even my photographs. It was extremely intrusive," she added.
Hundreds of Iranian authorities have been arresting people for connecting to the international internet, which remains banned and largely inaccessible, while those caught sending information overseas have been accused of spying.
Another Tehran resident told AFP last week he had been through a checkpoint of military vehicles, then "just 100 metres (330 feet) ahead, there are several private cars with teenagers stopping vehicles".
"They open car doors without permission, open dashboards and check phones," he added.

'Do not abandon'

Iranian authorities say minors as young as 12 are being allowed to join the country's much-feared Basij volunteer paramilitary force, reviving memories of the 1980s when thousands of children fought during the Iran-Iraq war.
Basij units, part of the ideological army of the Revolutionary Guards, are believed to have played a role alongside other security forces in the violence against anti-government protesters in January which left thousands dead.
Rahim Nadali, an official with the Revolutionary Guards in Tehran, said on state television last week that Basij units had been inundated with volunteers. 
"Considering the ages of those requesting to join, we have now lowered the minimum age to 12 years old, because children aged 12–13 want to be involved," he said.
Analysts have varying interpretations of the move, with some seeing it as a sign of desperation, or a lack of volunteers. 
Others said the move was evidence of a more radical turn by authorities.
In a statement at the weekend, the powerful speaker of parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf urged supporters to "not abandon the streets, because missiles, streets and straits have squeezed the enemy's throat".
The reference to "straits" was to the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic shipping route off Iran's coast that Tehran has all but closed.

'Hardline support base'

The crackdown is designed to suppress any chances of a popular uprising, which was encouraged by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the start of the war, analysts said.
As well as manning checkpoints, pro-government supporters form street patrols at night.
"They take cars fitted with speakerphones and they give them flags and they march with lots of noise and shout slogans in the streets," another resident in a Tehran suburb told AFP recently.
Hamidreza Azizi, an academic and author on Iran, said the idea was "to prevent any opposition calls for people to come onto the streets".  
Azizi, a visiting fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said that Iran's government was leaning on its most devout supporters. 
"The legitimacy deficit in the Islamic republic has led it to rely on its minority hardline support base which has proved to be effective in supporting the regime in the middle of the war," he told a discussion organised by the International Crisis Group, a think-tank, on Monday.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch campaign group said the recruitment of children for military purposes was "a war crime when the children are under 15" and would put them at risk of US-Israeli attacks.
"What this boils down to is that Iranian authorities are apparently willing to risk children's lives for some extra manpower," Bill Van Esveld, associate children's rights director at the group said in a statement.
burs-adp/sw/dcp

conflict

Pakistan says holding talks with Afghan government in China

  • China has sought to mediate in the escalating conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
  • Pakistan and Afghanistan are holding talks in China to try to find a way to end months of conflict sparked by cross-border attacks, two officials from Islamabad told AFP on Wednesday.
  • China has sought to mediate in the escalating conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are holding talks in China to try to find a way to end months of conflict sparked by cross-border attacks, two officials from Islamabad told AFP on Wednesday.
The meeting in the northwestern city of Urumqi comes after Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar travelled to Beijing on Tuesday to meet his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.
The pair discussed Islamabad's role in trying to get the United States and Iran to the negotiating table, and set out a joint five-point plan for an end to the conflict.
Dar returned to Islamabad on Wednesday with Chinese backing for Pakistan's diplomatic efforts, which saw foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey meet in the Pakistani capital last weekend.
China has sought to mediate in the escalating conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan. It has sent a special envoy and pledged to play a "constructive role in de-escalating tensions".
Pakistan says it is targeting extremists who have carried out cross-border attacks, but authorities in Kabul deny harbouring militants.
There was no immediate comment about the talks from Pakistan's foreign ministry and military when contacted by AFP, or from the Afghan government.
However, a senior Pakistani security official said: "A delegation led by an official from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in Urumqi to hold talks with the Afghan Taliban.
"The meeting is taking place at the request of our Chinese friends."
A second senior government official also confirmed the talks, adding: "The meeting is to set a base for full-scale dialogue."
The first official said Pakistan's demands from Afghanistan "remain unchanged", urging Kabul to "take verifiable action" against extremists and "end any support for the group".
It also wants to "ensure that Afghan territory is not used as a base for launching attacks against Pakistan". 

'Calm and restraint'

Pakistan is one of China's closest partners in the region and Beijing has called for "calm and restraint" in Islamabad's conflict with Afghanistan.
The meeting is the first significant engagement after earlier mediation efforts facilitated by Qatar and Turkey failed to achieve a lasting ceasefire, prompting Islamabad to launch a major military operation that included airstrikes deep inside Afghanistan.
The conflict intensified on February 26, a few days after Pakistani airstrikes, followed by a ground offensive by Afghan forces.
Both sides announced a truce for the Eid al-Fitr holiday that marks the end of Ramadan.
Islamabad said the truce has since ended but no major attacks have been reported.
The truce came two days after a Pakistani strike on a drug rehabilitation centre in the Afghan capital, which the Afghan authorities said killed more than 400 people.
Islamabad maintains that its bombing was a precision strike against "military installations and terrorist support infrastructure".
zz/phz/pbt

conflict

Pakistan says holding talks with Afghan govt in China

  • China has sought to mediate in the escalating conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
  • Pakistan and Afghanistan are holding talks in China to end months of conflict, two officials from Islamabad told AFP on Wednesday.
  • China has sought to mediate in the escalating conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are holding talks in China to end months of conflict, two officials from Islamabad told AFP on Wednesday.
The meeting in the northwestern city of Urumqi comes after Pakistan's Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, travelled to Beijing on Tuesday to meet his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.
The pair discussed Islamabad's role in trying to get the United States and Iran to the negotiating table, and set out a joint five-point plan for an end to the conflict.
Dar had been due to return to Islamabad on Wednesday.
China has sought to mediate in the escalating conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Pakistan says it is targeting extremists who have carried out cross-border attacks, but authorities in Kabul deny harbouring militants.
There was no immediate comment from Pakistan's foreign ministry and military when contacted by AFP, or from the Afghan government.
But a senior Pakistani security official said: "A delegation led by an official from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in Urumqi to hold talks with the Afghan Taliban
"The meeting is taking place at the request of our Chinese friends."
A second senior government official also confirmed the talks, adding: "The meeting is to set a base for full-scale dialogue."
The first official said Pakistan's demands from Afghanistan "remain unchanged", urging Kabul to "take verifiable action" against extremists and "end any support for the group".
It also wants to "ensure that Afghan territory is not used as a base for launching attacks against Pakistan". 
zz/phz/fox

Iran

Australia PM warns months ahead 'may not be easy' due to Mideast war

  • Australian prime ministers typically reserve an address to the nation for only the gravest of circumstances. 
  • Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned Wednesday the months ahead "may not be easy" because of the Middle East war, in a rare address to the nation across television networks. 
  • Australian prime ministers typically reserve an address to the nation for only the gravest of circumstances. 
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned Wednesday the months ahead "may not be easy" because of the Middle East war, in a rare address to the nation across television networks. 
"The months ahead may not be easy. I want to be upfront about that. No government can promise to eliminate the pressures that this war is causing," Albanese said.
The conflict that began on February 28 with US-Israeli attacks on Iran has mushroomed throughout the region, sending energy markets into a tailspin and threatening to torpedo the global economy.
Facing historic spikes in petrol prices, Albanese urged Australians to switch to using public transport, preserving fuel for rural communities and essential services.
"Australia is not an active participant in this war. But all Australians are paying higher prices because of it," he said.
"Farmers and truckies, small businesses and families are doing it tough. And the reality is, the economic shocks caused by this war will be with us for months," he said.
Albanese has previously sought to reassure motorists that shipments of fuel continue to arrive in Australia, and petrol shortages in rural towns stem from panic buying and distribution bottlenecks.
Australians can help the situation by switching to taking the train, bus or tram to work, he said.
This will preserve fuel for nurses, shift workers, trades people and miners who rely on driving.
Australia this week announced temporary tax relief for small businesses and halved a fuel tax to help motorists experiencing soaring petrol prices, but has resisted imposing fuel restrictions.
Geographically isolated and with only two working oil refineries, Australia is heavily exposed to disruptions in global fuel supply and imports most of its petrol.
Australia holds roughly 37 days' worth of petrol in reserve, according to government figures, far below the 90-day minimum dictated by the International Energy Agency.
"No government can promise to eliminate the pressures that this war is causing. I can promise we will do everything we can to protect Australia from the worst of it," he added.
Australian prime ministers typically reserve an address to the nation for only the gravest of circumstances. 
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made one at the height of the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, while Scott Morrison did the same as Covid-19 swept the globe in 2020.
US President Donald Trump is due to address his nation later Wednesday night (0100 GMT Thursday).
Trump, whose statements on the war have swung from combative to conciliatory, said Tuesday the war could be over in "two weeks, maybe three".
"But we're finishing the job," he insisted.
kln-sft/fox

space

Florida tourists gather to 'witness history' ahead of Moon launch

BY CHARLOTTE CAUSIT

  • After several years of delays, the Artemis 2 mission is poised to carry three Americans and one Canadian on a journey that is expected to break the distance record set by the Apollo missions, venturing further into space than any crew has gone before.
  • Jason Heath had ventured with his family from northeastern Maine to the Sunshine State for a vacation -- but soon found out they were set to "witness history" with the launch of NASA's Artemis 2 mission.
  • After several years of delays, the Artemis 2 mission is poised to carry three Americans and one Canadian on a journey that is expected to break the distance record set by the Apollo missions, venturing further into space than any crew has gone before.
Jason Heath had ventured with his family from northeastern Maine to the Sunshine State for a vacation -- but soon found out they were set to "witness history" with the launch of NASA's Artemis 2 mission.
"It's definitely cool to know that humans are going further than ever before," the 40-year-old shipbuilder told AFP from the shores of Cocoa Beach, a popular Florida resort area near the NASA launch complex from which the enormous orange-and-white rocket will blast off.
"It's definitely pretty cool to know that I'll be around," said Heath, his daughter and nephew clinging to his legs.
After several years of delays, the Artemis 2 mission is poised to carry three Americans and one Canadian on a journey that is expected to break the distance record set by the Apollo missions, venturing further into space than any crew has gone before.
The lunar mission -- the first of its kind in more than 50 years -- will see the first person of color, the first woman and the first non-American embark on a journey to the Moon.
According to local Florida newspapers, some 400,000 people are expected to turn up to watch liftoff, which is currently slated for Wednesday at 6:24 pm local time (2224 GMT).

Fortuitous timing

Temperatures were hovering around 77F (25C) as Alyx Coster, 38, enjoyed the beach with her children, who she says are "super excited" for the launch.
The family that includes a 10, 11 and 18-year-old had come into town from Minnesota for a baseball trip -- "we didn't know it was happening until we got down here," she told AFP.
But now they are now clued in to their fortuitous timing.
Coster said her children were "super proud that they'll get to witness history."
Their unawareness of the upcoming Moon launch is far from the exception: despite NASA's communication and subsequent news coverage emphasizing the historic nature of the flight, many Americans interviewed by AFP in recent weeks said they were unaware of the mission.
Melinda Schuerfranz, 76, remembers the Apollo days, when everyone would gather around the television to watch scientific advancement in action.
"I think it was way more exciting then, but I think it was publicized more too, and everybody tuned into it," the retiree from Ohio told AFP.
The "space race" with the Soviet Union also boosted interest, her husband John added.
But the couple enjoying their beach vacation were excited nonetheless: "We've never seen anything like this."
"We can't wait," said Melinda. "We'll be here early."
cha/mdo/jgc/jfx

US

War in the Middle East: latest developments

  • - Yemen missiles - The Israeli military said air defences responded to a missile launched from Yemen, where Iran's Houthi allies have claimed attacks on Israel in recent days for the first time in the war.
  • Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war: - 11-year-old Israeli wounded - Israel's emergency medical service said an 11-year-old girl was in a serious condition after a missile attack that the military blamed on Iran.
  • - Yemen missiles - The Israeli military said air defences responded to a missile launched from Yemen, where Iran's Houthi allies have claimed attacks on Israel in recent days for the first time in the war.
Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war:

11-year-old Israeli wounded

Israel's emergency medical service said an 11-year-old girl was in a serious condition after a missile attack that the military blamed on Iran.
Missile alerts sounded across central and northern Israel after the military issued warnings for incoming fire, with rescuers warning of at least 12 more injured.

Bangladeshi killed in UAE

A Bangladeshi national was killed by falling shrapnel after a drone interception in the United Arab Emirates, the official WAM news agency said.
In a post on X, WAM added that the incident happened in Fujairah, which is close to the Strait of Hormuz, under effective blockade by Iran.

Israel strikes Tehran

The Israeli military said it carried out strikes on Wednesday on Tehran, where Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported blasts in several areas.
IRIB said Tehran was under attack on Wednesday, reporting that explosions were heard in areas of the capital's north, east and centre.

Yemen missiles

The Israeli military said air defences responded to a missile launched from Yemen, where Iran's Houthi allies have claimed attacks on Israel in recent days for the first time in the war.
Israeli media said the missile was intercepted, and there were no reports of any casualties or damage.

Attacks on the Gulf

Kuwait's civil aviation authority said that the Gulf state's international airport had come under an Iranian drone attack that led to "a large fire" at fuel tanks.
Bahrain's interior ministry said a fire broke out at a business facility "as a result of the Iranian aggression", while Saudi Arabia said it shot down several drones.
A tanker was also hit in the waters off Qatar, a British maritime security agency said.

Journalist kidnapped

An American journalist was kidnapped Tuesday in Baghdad by a suspected Iranian-backed Iraqi armed group, the United States said.
The State Department said it had warned the journalist -- identified as Shelly Kittleson, a freelancer, by media advocacy groups -- of security risks and was working to ensure the American's release "as soon as possible".

Trump to address Americans

US President Donald Trump will give an address to the nation on Wednesday night "to provide an important update on Iran", the White House said.
The announcement comes as the commander-in-chief said US forces would end operations in Iran "very soon", and fuel prices would "come tumbling down" at the end of the war.

Asian markets climb

Asian stocks rallied after Trump suggested that the war may end soon.
Japan's Nikkei 225 jumped 4.0 percent while benchmarks in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Seoul all rose.

Deadly strikes hit Beirut

Three explosions rocked Beirut's southern suburbs, AFP journalists reported, as a series of Israeli strikes in the south of the Lebanese capital and a nearby area killed seven people and wounded dozens, according to Lebanon's health ministry.
The Israeli army said it struck a "senior Hezbollah commander" and another "senior" member of the Iran-backed group in Beirut.

Pope hopes

Pope Leo XIV said Tuesday he hoped Trump was looking to end the war in the Middle East and called for a halt to the violence.  
"I'm told that President Trump recently stated that he would like to end the war. Hopefully he's looking for an offramp, hopefully he's looking for a way to decrease the amount of violence, of bombing," the pope told journalists.
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Anthropic

Anthropic releases part of AI tool source code in 'error'

  • "Earlier today, a Claude Code release included some internal source code.
  • Anthropic accidentally released part of the internal source code for its AI-powered coding assistant Claude Code due to "human error," the company said Tuesday.
  • "Earlier today, a Claude Code release included some internal source code.
Anthropic accidentally released part of the internal source code for its AI-powered coding assistant Claude Code due to "human error," the company said Tuesday.
An internal-use file mistakenly included in a software update pointed to an archive containing nearly 2,000 files and 500,000 lines of code, which were quickly copied to developer platform GitHub.
"Earlier today, a Claude Code release included some internal source code. No sensitive customer data or credentials were involved or exposed," an Anthropic spokesperson said.
"This was a release packaging issue caused by human error, not a security breach."
A post on X sharing a link to the leaked code had more than 29 million views early on Wednesday.
The exposed code related to the tool's internal architecture but does not contain confidential data from Claude, the underlying AI model by Anthropic.
Claude Code's source code was partially known, as the tool had been reverse-engineered by independent developers. An earlier version of the assistant had its source code exposed in February 2025.
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