diplomacy

Trump warns against Taiwan independence after China visit

War

US says Iran-backed militia commander planned Jewish site attacks

  • - 'High-value target' - Al-Saadi is most recently alleged to have plotted attacks in the United States against a New York synagogue and two Jewish centers in California and Arizona. 
  • US authorities on Friday detailed charges against a commander of an Iran-backed Iraqi militia who was allegedly involved in plotting terrorism against Jewish people in Europe, Canada and the United States. 
  • - 'High-value target' - Al-Saadi is most recently alleged to have plotted attacks in the United States against a New York synagogue and two Jewish centers in California and Arizona. 
US authorities on Friday detailed charges against a commander of an Iran-backed Iraqi militia who was allegedly involved in plotting terrorism against Jewish people in Europe, Canada and the United States. 
Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, 32, is said to have directed and urged others to attack US and Israeli interests, and to kill Americans and Jews, in retaliation for the war against Iran.
He was identified as a senior figure in Kataeb Hezbollah, a US-designated foreign terrorist organization linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). 
The Islamic Republic has in the past been accused of seeking to orchestrate terrorist incidents, and several have occurred since US-Israeli strikes on Iran began in late February. 
According to US court filings, Al-Saadi and unidentified associates planned, coordinated and claimed responsibility for at least 18 terrorist attacks in Europe, and two in Canada.
Those attacks "appear to have been carried out both in retaliation for the United States and Israel's recent military actions against Iran and to compel the United States and Israel to halt those actions," a criminal complaint states. 
Examples included the non-fatal stabbing of two Jewish men in London on April 29, as well as several arson attacks on synagogues, Israeli businesses and Jewish schools in Amsterdam, Munich and elsewhere.
Al-Saadi's exact role is unclear, beyond allegations that he posted propaganda videos of the attacks on social media after they happened. 
In a recorded phone call, Al-Saadi is said to have unwittingly told an FBI informant that he or his associates were involved in the European attacks, as well as two in Canada. 
Authorities believe those include the March 10 shooting at the US Consulate in Toronto, in which no one was injured. 

'High-value target'

Al-Saadi is most recently alleged to have plotted attacks in the United States against a New York synagogue and two Jewish centers in California and Arizona. 
He allegedly paid an undercover US agent a $3,000 down payment to conduct the New York attack, before a warrant for his arrest was issued. 
FBI director Kash Patel said on X that his agency had arrested and returned Al-Saadi to the United States, calling him a "high-value target responsible for mass global terrorism."
Al-Saadi appeared Friday at a Manhattan court where he was charged with six counts including conspiracy to provide material support to terrorist groups Kataeb Hezbollah and the IRGC.
He is also charged with conspiring and providing material support for acts of terrorism and conspiring to bomb a place of public use.
Kataeb Hezbollah is part of a pro-Iranian network in Iraq that regularly claims responsibility for attacks on American targets in the Middle East. 
The US blamed it for the December 2020 attack against an Iraqi base housing US troops that killed a US citizen contractor.
That incident sent tensions soaring, with the United States eventually killing Iran's most powerful general, Qassem Soleimani, in a drone attack at the Baghdad airport.
Kataeb Hezbollah was also responsible for kidnapping American journalist Shelly Kittleson for several days in March 2026, at the height of fighting between Iran, Israel and the United States.
bjt/ksb

Global Edition

Stocks tumble as US-Iran impasse fuels inflation fears

  • "Today the catalyst is really the rally in bond yields, bond markets are under pressure as oil prices rise.
  • Global stocks slumped and oil prices rose Friday with worries about sustained inflation driving up bond yields with no conclusion to the Iran war in sight.
  • "Today the catalyst is really the rally in bond yields, bond markets are under pressure as oil prices rise.
Global stocks slumped and oil prices rose Friday with worries about sustained inflation driving up bond yields with no conclusion to the Iran war in sight.
The international oil benchmark Brent crude contract rose more than three percent to $109.26 a barrel. 
On Wall Street, both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite slumped from fresh all-time highs set Thursday. The Dow was down around one percent.
The dollar firmed against the British pound, the euro and the yen.
The London, Paris and Frankfurt stock markets all ended the day with losses of more than 1.5 percent.
"It's been a strong, strong rally and there are some valid reasons for a pause," said Angelo Kourkafas of Edward Jones. 
"Today the catalyst is really the rally in bond yields, bond markets are under pressure as oil prices rise. There are some growing worries about government debt as countries potentially look to cushion the impact of higher energy prices via some consumer support."
Rising crude futures also pushed up government bond yields, including in Britain, where Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced fresh threats to his leadership. 
The yield on 30-year UK government bonds reached 5.869 percent, surpassing Tuesday's mark to hit its highest level since 1998, as investors demanded higher returns to reflect growing inflation risks.
In Japan, the 30-year bond rate hit four percent for the first time since 1999.
"The equity markets have been supported by fast-rising corporate profits and all the AI investments, while bond performance has been reflecting the concerns around energy and inflation," said Kourkafas.
Investors were left disappointed as a highly anticipated summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing failed to deliver major breakthroughs on the Middle East war or trade relations. 
Washington and Beijing both said trade agreements had been made, but no details were shared. Trump told Fox News that Beijing had voiced interest in buying US oil and soybeans.
He also said he did not bring up the issue of tariffs -- on pause since October -- during the summit.
China's top diplomat later said the two countries had agreed to continue implementing "all" agreements previously reached and to establish councils for trade and investment.
"The meeting... was big on warm words and symbolism but not outcomes," said Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club.
"With diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the Middle East conflict in limbo, fresh uncertainty has flooded in," she added.
The White House said the leaders had "agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy."
But investors had hoped for more progress toward reopening the crucial strait, where oil tanker traffic has ground to a near standstill since the outbreak of the war, sending energy prices soaring.
Trump also told Fox News on Thursday that he was "not going to be much more patient" with Iran.
"Stalled US-Iran diplomacy keeps supply fears firmly in focus," said Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.
"Even if resolved next month, the oil market could remain undersupplied through October, keeping inflationary pressures high and adding another headache for consumers, central banks, and, eventually, investors," he added.
In Asia, Tokyo stocks closed two percent lower, while Hong Kong and Shanghai fell more than one percent. 

Key figures at around 2000 GMT

Brent North Sea Crude: UP 3.4 percent at $109.26 a barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 4.2 percent at $105.42 a barrel
New York - DOW: DOWN 1.1 percent at 49,526.17 points (close)
New York - S&P 500: DOWN 1.2 percent at 7,408.50 (close)
New York - Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 1.5 percent at 26,225.14 (close)
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 1.7 percent at 10,195.37 (close)
Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 1.6 percent at 7,952.55 (close)
Frankfurt - DAX 30: DOWN 2.1 percent at 23,950.57 (close)
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 2.0 percent at 61,409.29 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.6 percent at 25,962.73 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 1.0 percent at 4,135.39 (close)
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3316 from $1.3400
Euro/dollar: DOWN at 1.1620 from $1.1673 on Thursday
Dollar/yen: UP at 158.78 yen from 158.33 yen
Euro/pound: UP at 87.25 pence from 87.09 pence
bur-ajb-rl-aha/msp

court

Judge declares mistrial in Weinstein sex assault case

BY GREGORY WALTON

  • - 'Miracle' - During the trial, Mann recalled how he showered her with compliments after the pair met at a party in early 2013, when Mann was an aspiring 27-year-old actor and Weinstein a Hollywood powerbroker.
  • A US judge declared a mistrial in the trial of disgraced cinema mogul Harvey Weinstein after jurors again failed to reach a verdict on allegations he sexually assaulted actor Jessica Mann, prosecutors said.
  • - 'Miracle' - During the trial, Mann recalled how he showered her with compliments after the pair met at a party in early 2013, when Mann was an aspiring 27-year-old actor and Weinstein a Hollywood powerbroker.
A US judge declared a mistrial in the trial of disgraced cinema mogul Harvey Weinstein after jurors again failed to reach a verdict on allegations he sexually assaulted actor Jessica Mann, prosecutors said.
Weinstein, who was at the center of abuse allegations that spurred the MeToo movement in Hollywood, is already in prison for other sex offenses, so he will remain behind bars despite the end of this case.
"While we are disappointed that the proceedings ended with a mistrial, we deeply respect the jury system and sincerely thank all of the jurors for their time and dedication. For nearly a decade, Jessica Mann has fought for justice," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.
It was the third time that Mann has taken the stand against Weinstein after a 2020 guilty verdict was overturned due to mishandling of witnesses, and a 2025 case ended in mistrial after a jury-room feud.
"I felt like he was a really nice person and he was offering to mentor me," Mann told the jury last month, before painting a picture of an abusive relationship. 
Weinstein's spokesman Judah Engelmayer told AFP that "after hearing the evidence multiple times and seeing two juries unable to reach unanimity, it's clear there is significant reasonable doubt here." 
"The Manhattan District Attorney's Office should stop retrying the same case and focus its time and taxpayer resources on the actual violent crime, chaos, and public safety issues impacting New Yorkers every day."
He said that polling by the defense revealed that nine of the 12 jurors were in favor of acquittal. AFP could not independently verify his claim.

'Miracle'

During the trial, Mann recalled how he showered her with compliments after the pair met at a party in early 2013, when Mann was an aspiring 27-year-old actor and Weinstein a Hollywood powerbroker.
"He told me that I was prettier than Natalie Portman," she said.
She added that Weinstein's apparent interest in boosting her career, including buying her books on acting, initially seemed like a "miracle."
The 40-year-old's testimony -- much of which echoed what she said in the 2020 and 2025 cases -- was emotional and she took occasional pauses as her voice broke. 
Dale Margolin Cecka, director of the Family Violence Litigation Clinic at Albany Law School, told AFP there could now be a fourth trial on Mann's accusations.
"Mann would have to go through the entire process again. The district attorney has 30 days to decide whether to re-try (Weinstein)," Cecka said.
"(He) knew his team could paint Ms. Mann as a 'romantic partner' and plant doubt," Cecka added, while noting: "These women can still bring civil claims."
The Oscar-winning Weinstein, 74, is already serving a 16-year prison term in a California case for the rape of a European actress more than a decade ago. He is appealing that conviction.
He is also appealing a conviction on charges that he sexually assaulted movie producer Miriam Haley.
In 2017, blockbuster investigations by The New Yorker and The New York Times laid bare a series of claims by young women that triggered an avalanche of allegations from more than 80 complainants and prompted the global MeToo movement.
gw/sst

diplomacy

Trump warns against Taiwan independence after China visit

BY DANNY KEMP, ISABEL KUA

  • Xi had begun the summit with a warning on Taiwan, whose President Lai Ching-te considers the island already independent, making a declaration unnecessary.
  • US President Donald Trump on Friday warned Taiwan against declaring formal independence after a visit to China, whose leader Xi Jinping had pressed him not to support the self-ruling island.
  • Xi had begun the summit with a warning on Taiwan, whose President Lai Ching-te considers the island already independent, making a declaration unnecessary.
US President Donald Trump on Friday warned Taiwan against declaring formal independence after a visit to China, whose leader Xi Jinping had pressed him not to support the self-ruling island.
Trump ended a state visit claiming to have made "fantastic" trade deals, although the details were vague and he did not appear to secure any breakthrough with China over his stalemated war on Iran.
Trump invited Xi to pay a reciprocal visit to Washington in September, signalling both sides will likely seek stability in the often turbulent relationship between the world's two largest economies.
On a key issue for Xi, Trump made clear he opposed a declaration of independence by Taiwan and appeared to question why the United States would defend the island in case of attack.
"I'm not looking to have somebody go independent. And, you know, we're supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I'm not looking for that," he told Fox News' "Special Report with Bret Baier."
"I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down," Trump said.
"We're not looking to have wars, and if you kept it the way it is, I think China's going to be OK with that."
The United States recognizes only Beijing and does not support formal independence by Taiwan, but historically has also stopped short of explicitly saying it opposes independence.
Under US law, the United States is required to provide weapons to Taiwan for its defence, but it has been ambiguous on whether US forces would come to the island's aid.
Xi had begun the summit with a warning on Taiwan, whose President Lai Ching-te considers the island already independent, making a declaration unnecessary.
Xi had told Trump that missteps on the sensitive issue could push their two countries into "conflict".
In a statement focused on an interview a day earlier by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said US policy toward Taipei was unchanged, Taiwan's foreign ministry thanked the United States for showing "it supports and values Taiwan Strait peace and stability".

No details on 'fantastic' deals

Trump said China had agreed to buy 200 "big" Boeing jets as well as American oil and soybeans. 
"We've made some fantastic trade deals, great for both countries," he said after a walk with Xi among the rose bushes in the gardens of Zhongnanhai, a central leadership compound next to Beijing's Forbidden City.
"We've settled a lot of different problems that other people wouldn't have been able to solve," Trump added, without providing specifics.
Xi promised to send Trump rose seeds for the White House Rose Garden and said it was a "milestone visit". 
But there were no formal announcements from companies or from China on trade deals.
The reserve on the Chinese side echoes the tone of the summit as a whole, where Trump's overtures to Xi -- whom he described as a "great leader" and "friend" -- were met with a more muted response from Beijing.
Jacob Stokes, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, said the trip ultimately was more about setting a tone than about deliverables, which Trump usually seeks.
"Trump got the optics he was looking for and the Chinese were happy to give them to him," Stokes said.

Little on Iran

Trump had delayed the trip once due to the war in Iran, which has rebuffed his appeals for an agreement and retaliated by exerting control over the key Strait of Hormuz, sending global oil prices soaring.
Trump said Xi had assured him that China was not preparing military aid to Iran. Israel has alleged that Beijing has provided key missile technology to Tehran.
The Chinese foreign ministry on Friday released a statement on Iran saying "shipping lanes should be reopened as soon as possible". 
Trump also acknowledged that he could not persuade Xi to free Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon who was imprisoned in a clampdown and whose cause is broadly backed in Washington.
"He told me, Jimmy Lai is a tough one for him to do," Trump told reporters.
Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the German Marshall Fund's Indo-Pacific program, noted that Trump had already sounded half-hearted in his public comments on Lai.
"My sense is that the Chinese see that this is not a top priority for the United States," she said.
"What Trump seems to want most is purchases of American products -- that appears to be his highest priority."
The two leaders had been expected to discuss extending the one-year tariff truce that paused their frenetic 2025 trade war, struck during their last meeting in October.
But Trump told reporters on the way home that it "wasn't brought up".
On the streets of Beijing, reaction to the talks was tepid. 
"This meeting could be considered a success –- though, to be honest, none of us really had very high expectations to begin with," Zhang Yong, a 46-year-old IT worker, told AFP. 
burs-sct/sst

economy

Bolivia unrest continues despite government deal with miners

  • Early Friday morning, the government reached a deal with the protesters following "almost 12 hours of talks," Economy Minister Jose Gabriel Espinoza told reporters.
  • The Bolivian government struck a deal with protesting miners on Friday, but was still grappling with blockades and demonstrations by other workers across La Paz.
  • Early Friday morning, the government reached a deal with the protesters following "almost 12 hours of talks," Economy Minister Jose Gabriel Espinoza told reporters.
The Bolivian government struck a deal with protesting miners on Friday, but was still grappling with blockades and demonstrations by other workers across La Paz.
Protests against the policies of center-right President Rodrigo Paz have convulsed the Andean nation since early May, and roadblocks were choking routes into the capital on Friday, the national road authority said.
Argentina was providing its neighbor with planes to get food into the city, a presidential spokesperson said.
A demonstration of miners on Thursday demanded that Paz resign, arguing that he has not addressed their demands, which include the provision of fuel and work equipment.
Police used tear gas to block protesters from entering the capital's main square, where government buildings are located, while miners hurled stones and explosives with slingshots, an AFP reporter saw.
Early Friday morning, the government reached a deal with the protesters following "almost 12 hours of talks," Economy Minister Jose Gabriel Espinoza told reporters.
He said the negotiated agreement would be announced in due course, without providing further details.
"We mainly had nine points, all of which have been addressed successfully," Oscar Chavarria, president of Potosi's Federation of Mining Cooperatives, confirmed.
Paz won elections last year that marked a shift to the right after two decades of socialist rule. 
He promised to end Bolivia's worst economic crisis in four decades, marked by an acute shortage of foreign currency and fuel.
Paz scrapped the two-decade-old fuel subsidies that had drained the Treasury's international dollar reserves, but so far has failed to stabilize fuel supplies.
Now he is under pressure from all sides.
Schoolteachers, transportation workers, Indigenous people and other Bolivians have taken to the streets, calling for wage increases, economic stability and an end to the privatization of state-owned companies. 
The Bolivian Highway Administration warned that roadblocks on routes leading into La Paz were preventing food supplies from entering the capital.
The government has been getting food into the city via air since Saturday -- a common response to protest blockades in Bolivia.
Argentina had provided two aircraft to assist with food provision, spokesperson for the Bolivian presidency Jose Luis Galvez said Friday.
Prices of food products including meat, chicken and some vegetables skyrocketed in some supermarkets this past week, after year-on-year inflation hit 14 percent in April.
gta/mvl/cc/msp

ebola

New deadly Ebola outbreak hits DR Congo, 1 dead in Uganda

BY DYLAN GAMBA

  • The current Ebola outbreak is the 17th in the DRC since the virus was first detected in the country.
  • A new outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus has been declared in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, African health officials said Friday, with neighbouring Uganda also confirming one related death.
  • The current Ebola outbreak is the 17th in the DRC since the virus was first detected in the country.
A new outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus has been declared in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, African health officials said Friday, with neighbouring Uganda also confirming one related death.
Until now, the outbreak had been confined to Ituri province in northeastern DRC, bordering Uganda and South Sudan, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa). 
It warned of a high risk of spread, with 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths reported in the DRC. 
On Friday evening, Uganda's health ministry said a 59-year-old man from the DRC had died in Kampala after being admitted earlier in the week. His body was repatriated the same day. 
"This is an imported case from DRC. The country has not yet confirmed a local case," the ministry said. 
Tests showed the man was infected with the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no vaccine exists. Vaccines are only available for the Zaire strain, which is the deadliest variant.
"It is a large outbreak," said Jay Bhattacharya, acting director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The DRC government has not yet commented on the outbreak in the vast central African nation of more than 100 million people.
"The region where it is happening is highly volatile with the humanitarian situation" and cross-border population movements, said WHO emergency alert and response director Abdi Rahman Mahamud.
But he noted the country has extensive experience managing Ebola outbreaks.
"With the insecurity, people are crowded together in the city, and since there are so many people in the city, an epidemic like this would be very serious," Anne-Marie Dive, a resident of Bunia, the main city in Ituri, said by telephone.

Suspected cases

Mining in the gold-rich Ituri province creates an intense movement of people on a daily basis.
For years, it has been plagued by recurrent clashes driven by local militias, making it difficult to access certain parts of the province for security reasons.
The cases reported in recent weeks were in Mongbwalu and Rwampara health zones, each home to around 150,000 people.
Suspected cases have been detected in Bunia, which has an estimated population of 300,000, and are awaiting confirmation, CDC Africa said.
The highly contagious haemorrhagic fever has killed an estimated 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years, despite advances in vaccines and treatment.
The last outbreak in the country was in August in the central region and killed at least 34 people, before being declared eradicated in December.
Nearly 2,300 people died in the deadliest outbreak in the DRC between 2018 and 2020.
First identified in 1976 and believed to have originated in bats, Ebola is a deadly viral disease spread through direct contact with bodily fluids. It can cause severe bleeding and organ failure.
- 'We just dug graves' - 
Burials have already taken place and concern is mounting among locals.
"For the past few weeks, the municipality of Mongbwalu has been recording a cascade of deaths, with at least five to six people dying every day in the streets," Gloire Mumbesa, who lives in the area, told AFP by telephone.
"We just dug graves to bury three people, but we don't actually know what these people died of. We're starting to be afraid of every possible case of illness," Salama Bamunoba, a civil society member in Rwampara, said.
A health source in the Mongbwalu area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said an "exponential" number of deaths had been seen since mid-April.
Patients are currently placed in isolation in health centres but the staff lack equipment including protective gear, the source said.
In a country four times the size of France, delivering medicines is often a challenge, with transportation infrastructure limited and often in poor condition.
The current Ebola outbreak is the 17th in the DRC since the virus was first detected in the country.
Guinea, Uganda and Sierra Leone have also seen Ebola outbreaks in recent years.
burs-cld/rh/phz

US

Israel, Lebanon say extending ceasefire despite new strikes

BY SHAUN TANDON WITH AFP REPORTERS IN BEIRUT AND JERUSALEM

  • But he expressed his hope that the Lebanon-Israel talks "will pave the way toward a political solution."
  • Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend a ceasefire and hold new talks on a political settlement, the United States announced Friday, even as Israel carried out new strikes that it insists are not subject to the truce.
  • But he expressed his hope that the Lebanon-Israel talks "will pave the way toward a political solution."
Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend a ceasefire and hold new talks on a political settlement, the United States announced Friday, even as Israel carried out new strikes that it insists are not subject to the truce.
Israel has been pounding Lebanon and invaded its south in response to fire from Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shia movement that is not part of the ceasefire diplomacy.
Envoys from Israel and Lebanon's government, which has struggled to restrain Hezbollah, met for two days in Washington and said they would extend the ceasefire that was set to expire Sunday.
The cessation of hostilities "will be extended by 45 days to enable further progress," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.
He said that the State Department would hold negotiations aimed at reaching a permanent political agreement on June 2 and 3 and that the Pentagon would bring together delegations from the countries' militaries on May 29.
The United States steadfastly backs Israel, with which it attacked Iran on February 28, but has also gently voiced unease about Israeli troops' control of southern Lebanon.
"We hope these discussions will advance lasting peace between the two countries, full recognition of each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and establishing genuine security along their shared border," Pigott said.
Israel's ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, who led his country's delegation, said after the talks that it would be critical to ensure Israel's security.
"There will be ups and downs, but the potential for success is great," Leiter wrote on X.
Iran's clerical state, Hezbollah's patron, has demanded a lasting ceasefire in Lebanon before any peace agreement with US President Donald Trump, who has been frustrated by Tehran's refusal to an accord on his terms.

'Unacceptable' toll

Hundreds of people have died in Israeli strikes despite the truce announced on April 17. Even as talks were wrapping up in Washington, Israel's military issued evacuation orders for the southern city of Tyre, where it said it was hitting Hezbollah infrastructure.
An AFP correspondent reported a series of strikes, two of them near Tyre, while state media said another targeted a center run by a local NGO near a hospital.
Lebanon's health ministry said the strikes on the Tyre district wounded at least 37 people, including six hospital personnel, nine women and four children.
Hafez Ramadan, a resident near the building targeted by the airstrike, said it had housed people who had fled their towns due to the war, and was adjacent to a hotel where more displaced were staying.
"There are only women, children and the elderly here," he said. "Because of this strike, people have been displaced again."
The Israeli military said another of its soldiers was killed in southern Lebanon, bringing the number of Israeli soldiers killed in clashes with Hezbollah since early March to 19. A civilian contractor was also killed.
It said it killed more than 220 Hezbollah fighters over the past week and struck hundreds of targets.
Hezbollah also claimed attacks on Israeli troops in several southern Lebanese towns and a drone attack on the headquarters of the Israeli army's 300th brigade, one of the units operating in Lebanon.
The United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza, said that diplomacy needed to stop the violence.
"The reality on the ground in Lebanon has been deeply alarming," he said. "Airstrikes and demolitions continue daily, with an unacceptable toll on civilians and civilian infrastructure."
But he expressed his hope that the Lebanon-Israel talks "will pave the way toward a political solution."
During the last talks between Israel and Lebanon, Trump brought envoys to the White House and predicted within the current ceasefire period that he would host a historic meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
That meeting has not happened, with Aoun saying a security deal was necessary first, and there was no mention of a summit in the last ceasefire extension.
Lebanon was dragged into the Middle East war on March 2 when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Israeli attacks since then have killed more than 2,900 people in Lebanon, including more than 400 since the truce took effect, according to Lebanese authorities.
burs-sct/sst

Israel

Prosecutors seek death penalty for US man charged with killing Israeli embassy staffers

  • US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a court filing that prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Rodriguez, who faces murder, firearms and hate crime charges. 
  • Prosecutors said Friday that they will seek the death penalty for a Chicago man charged with fatally shooting two Israeli embassy staffers in the US capital last year.
  • US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a court filing that prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Rodriguez, who faces murder, firearms and hate crime charges. 
Prosecutors said Friday that they will seek the death penalty for a Chicago man charged with fatally shooting two Israeli embassy staffers in the US capital last year.
Elias Rodriguez was arrested immediately after the May 21 shooting of Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and his fiancee, Sarah Milgrim, 26, outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington.
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a court filing that prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Rodriguez, who faces murder, firearms and hate crime charges. 
"Rodriguez's actions were motivated by political, ideological, national, and religious bias, contempt, and hatred," Pirro said.
Rodriguez allegedly shouted "Free Palestine" as he was taken away by police after the shooting and told officers, "I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza."
According to the FBI, Rodriguez is believed to have acted alone, motivated by "anti-Zionist and pro-Palestinian ideology."
Lischinsky, an Israeli citizen, was a researcher at the Israeli embassy, while Milgrim, an American, worked for its public diplomacy department. The couple were engaged to be married.
President Donald Trump is a proponent of capital punishment and has called for an expansion of its use "for the vilest crimes."
cl/msp

television

Eurovision finalists tune up as boycotting Spain digs in

BY ROBIN MILLARD

  • "We will not be in Vienna, but we will do so with the conviction that we are on the right side of history,"  Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Friday in a video message on X. "In the face of illegal war and also genocide, silence is not an option.
  • Eurovision performers from 25 countries on Friday went through a full dress rehearsal for the grand final, while Spain's prime minister defended the country's boycott of this year's event over Israel's participation.
  • "We will not be in Vienna, but we will do so with the conviction that we are on the right side of history,"  Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Friday in a video message on X. "In the face of illegal war and also genocide, silence is not an option.
Eurovision performers from 25 countries on Friday went through a full dress rehearsal for the grand final, while Spain's prime minister defended the country's boycott of this year's event over Israel's participation.
This year in Vienna marks the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, which despite the razzmatazz rarely escapes the politics in the background.
Eurovision is the world's biggest live televised music spectacle, typically reaching more than 150 million viewers, and Saturday's final at the Wiener Stadthalle is set to be no exception.
But Israel's presence has drawn a political boycott from five countries, including Spain, which is traditionally one of the top financial contributors to the glitzy extravaganza.
"We will not be in Vienna, but we will do so with the conviction that we are on the right side of history,"  Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Friday in a video message on X.
"In the face of illegal war and also genocide, silence is not an option. And we cannot remain indifferent to what continues to happen in Gaza and in Lebanon."
In a central Vienna square, hundreds of demonstrators gathered for a pro-Palestinian event dubbed a "song protest" featuring a concert and speeches.
"Culture is a very important factor in protesting against injustice in the world," said Marco Van Jura, 38, one of the organisers, adding that the event aimed to "take a stand".
Eurovision director Martin Green said the door remained open for Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia to return.
"Regarding our five family members, we've made it very clear to them we can't wait for them to come back," he said Thursday.
"Obviously, the ball's in their court because it's their decision. And I'm sure those conversations will continue."

Audience mikes kept open

Finland are the overall favourites to win Saturday's final, with its violin and vocal duet "Liekinheitin", or "Flamethrower".
They came through Tuesday's first semi-final, along with Greece and Israel.
Four people were thrown out of Austria's biggest arena after attempts to disrupt Israel's performance, with the chanting of slogans heard on the live broadcast.
Asked whether they would mute the audience microphones in Saturday's final in case of further protests or disruption, host broadcaster ORF's programme director Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz said: "We made the decision and we're going to stick to this decision. And we are sure that love will win."

Australian star rising

Australia's Delta Goodrem came through Thursday's second semi-final with her song "Eclipse", with bookmakers considering the 41-year-old established star as Finland's closest contender for the crown.
Australia has appeared at Eurovision by invitation since 2015, and Goodrem's performance went down well with the more than 10,000 fans in the arena.
She stood on top of a golden glittering piano, then soared into the air on a riser as sparks fell from the ceiling.
Romania and Denmark were among the others to qualify from Thursday's show.
Romania's heavy metal song "Choke Me" caused a minor furore in the Eurovision build-up over the lyrics.
Denmark's Soren Torpegaard Lund sang "For Vi Gar Hjem" ("Before We Go Home"), plunging the crowd into the world of nightclubs.
The 27-year-old musical theatre singer will open Saturday's final. 
Bulgarian pop singer Dara got the party started with some highly choreographed dancing on "Bangaranga".
"We have nothing like this in America, and I think Eurovision is phenomenal because it brings everybody together," Tory Huflar, a US fan, told AFP after Thursday's concert.
Australian fan Grace Casper said it was "an amazing thing to see... it's a very different experience to see it in person".
The final is decided by a mixture of public televoting and professional juries in participating countries, and a televote from viewers in the rest of the world.
Eurovision 2026 executive producer Michael Kroen told reporters after Friday's dress rehearsal: "We have a lot of different acts and features that really tell a story about 70 years of singing, laughing, happy people -- and that's what we're all about."
bur-rjm/phz

panda

Indonesia's first giant panda is set to charm the public

  • Ahead of his debut later this month, Rio has already amassed many fans who can't wait to see him. 
  • With his signature black and white fur, the first giant panda born in Indonesia is growing and thriving ahead of his public debut this month. 
  • Ahead of his debut later this month, Rio has already amassed many fans who can't wait to see him. 
With his signature black and white fur, the first giant panda born in Indonesia is growing and thriving ahead of his public debut this month. 
Satrio Wiratama was born in November last year in Taman Safari Indonesia, a zoo in Cisarua, West Java, to a pair of pandas loaned by China to Indonesia.
"There are so many Indonesians who had to go all the way to China just to see baby pandas. Now they don't have to anymore," zoo director Aswin Sumampau told reporters Friday. 
Inside the enclosure built to welcome his parents, the 170-day-old cub, whose name means "brave and noble warrior", was playing with a panda stuffed toy and a bamboo teether. 
His mother, Hu Chun, and his father, Cai Tao, arrived in Indonesia in 2017 when they were both seven years old as part of "panda diplomacy" aimed at celebrating 60 years of bilateral ties between the two countries. 
Nicknamed Rio, the cub was the only panda born in a zoo outside China in the past three years, Aswin said. 
Ahead of his debut later this month, Rio has already amassed many fans who can't wait to see him. 
"The little panda is cute, adorable and totally heart-melting," a fan wrote on the zoo's social media page. 
Rio currently weighs more than 11 kilograms and is still learning to climb, according to Bongot Huaso Mulia, the veterinarian caring for him. 
The cub, whose coat is still peppered with reddish fur, is very active and still nursing, he said. 
China has a long history of using giant pandas -- a national icon -- in its diplomatic outreach.
Indonesia maintains it has no maritime disputes with China in the South China Sea, unlike other Asian nations, and does not contest ownership of reefs or islets there. 
str-dsa/acb

diplomacy

Showdowns and spycraft on Trump-Xi summit sidelines

BY DANNY KEMP

  • A Chinese official replied: “The security of our side does not allow you.”
  • While Donald Trump and Xi Jinping were hailing their friendship for the cameras, it was less amicable for the rival Chinese and US security services.
  • A Chinese official replied: “The security of our side does not allow you.”
While Donald Trump and Xi Jinping were hailing their friendship for the cameras, it was less amicable for the rival Chinese and US security services.
From a standoff over a US Secret Service agent’s weapon to a US staffer trampled during a melee, tensions bubbled to the surface throughout Trump's visit to Beijing.
The mutual distrust was underscored when US officials made staffers and media, including an AFP reporter, boarding Air Force One hand over all badges and pins given to them by the Chinese side.
Along with "burner" phones from the US delegation, the confiscated items were tossed in a trash can at the bottom of the stairs of the presidential jet.
For all Xi’s warm words about being "partners not rivals," this was always a summit between two superpowers with a long history of suspicion.
As they vie for supremacy without tipping over into conflict, both sides are taking their espionage and counterintelligence efforts to new heights.
The result in Beijing verged at times towards collective paranoia.
US officials and journalists traveling to China to cover the summit were advised to use phones and laptops that could be wiped or disposed of back home to preserve cybersecurity.
The frictions also played out on the ground in Beijing as US and Chinese officials appeared to be having their own shadow superpower battle.

'Don't run over anybody'

Two incidents made headlines, including when Chinese officials blocked US officials and journalists in a room during Trump and Xi's visit to the Temple of Heaven.
“We're in the motorcade with the president. Do you not understand that?" said one journalist, in scenes witnessed by an AFP reporter.
A Chinese official replied: “The security of our side does not allow you.”
Voices were raised and the US group ended up pushing past the Chinese team to get to their vans in Trump’s motorcade before it left.
"US press, we are going," a US official said. "Be gentle but we are going. Don’t run over anybody, do not do what they did to us."
That appeared to refer to an earlier incident at the Great Hall of the People, in which a US staffer fell and had her ankle trodden on as officials from both sides tried to corral journalists rushing to film the start of the Trump-Xi talks.
Earlier at the temple, US and Chinese officials had clashed over whether a US Secret Service agent should be allowed to bring his weapon into the complex.
For nearly half an hour under the sun on Beijing’s hottest day of the year, they had increasingly intense discussions as unyielding Chinese officials insisted the agent could not pass.
At almost every turn, there appeared to be diplomatic arm-wrestling between US and Chinese over timings, positions and alleged last-minute schedule changes.
US and Chinese officials like to talk about the principle of "reciprocity" in their relationship, particularly when it comes to confidence building measures.
But it can cut both ways -- and Xi is now due to visit the White House in September.
At one point in the Temple of Heaven standoff, an official could be heard talking about what would happen on that trip.
Both sides are known for ensuring that when limitations are placed on numbers for officials or journalists, tit-for-tat measures are taken when the other country makes a return visit.
One senior US official in the administration of president Joe Biden was even reportedly denied breakfast after their counterpart did not get their morning meal.
With Trump and Xi eyeing three more meetings in 2026, it could be a long year for their staff.
dk/bgs

troops

US scraps deployment of 4,000 troops to Poland

BY W.G. DUNLOP

  • "If a brigade other than the one originally planned is sent to Poland -- maybe the one from Germany -- and 5,000 soldiers leave Germany for Poland... there is no change to the security guarantees," Kosiniak-Kamysz told reporters.
  • The United States has canceled the planned deployment of 4,000 soldiers to Poland, US officials said Friday, as Washington reorganizes its forces in Europe after announcing it would withdraw thousands of troops from Germany.
  • "If a brigade other than the one originally planned is sent to Poland -- maybe the one from Germany -- and 5,000 soldiers leave Germany for Poland... there is no change to the security guarantees," Kosiniak-Kamysz told reporters.
The United States has canceled the planned deployment of 4,000 soldiers to Poland, US officials said Friday, as Washington reorganizes its forces in Europe after announcing it would withdraw thousands of troops from Germany.
The head of US European Command "received the instructions on the force reduction," General Christopher LaNeve, the acting chief of staff of the US Army, said during a congressional hearing when asked about the canceled deployment.
"I've worked with him in close consultation on what that force unit would be, and it... made the most sense for that brigade to not do its deployment in theater," LaNeve said, referring to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team.
Some elements of the unit had already been sent overseas and its equipment was in transit, according to the general, who said the order to cancel the deployment came from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's office.
Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll, testifying alongside LaNeve, said the deployment was scrapped "a couple days ago."
Republican Representative Don Bacon said Poland had not been informed in advance.
"They called me yesterday. They did not know, they were blindsided," Bacon said during the hearing, describing the canceled deployment as "reprehensible" and "an embarrassment to our country."
Representative Marilyn Strickland, a Democrat, also criticized the move, saying that "when we take that many troops away, it says that we are not reliable ally."
At the beginning of this month, the Pentagon announced that Washington would pull 5,000 troops from Germany, with spokesman Sean Parnell saying the withdrawal was expected "to be completed over the next six to twelve months."

Iran war dispute

That announcement came during a heated dispute between Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the US-Israeli war against Iran, and the US president subsequently said the troop reduction would be "a lot further than 5,000," without providing details.
Poland's defense minister, Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, suggested Friday that the cancelation of the deployment to his country could be related to the removal of troops from Germany.
"If a brigade other than the one originally planned is sent to Poland -- maybe the one from Germany -- and 5,000 soldiers leave Germany for Poland... there is no change to the security guarantees," Kosiniak-Kamysz told reporters.
Trump has threatened to slash US troop numbers in Germany and other European allies during both his White House terms, saying he wants Europe to take on greater responsibility for its defense rather than depending on Washington.
He now appears determined to punish allies who have failed to back the Middle East war or contribute to a peacekeeping force in the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway, which Tehran's forces have effectively closed.
A NATO official told AFP on Friday that "we know that the US is working to adjust its posture in Europe."
"A focus on rotational forces would not impact NATO's deterrence and defense plans. And we're already seeing increasing presence on the eastern flank from Canada and Germany -- all of which contributes to a stronger NATO overall," the official added.
burs-wd/ksb

Global Edition

Stocks tumble as US-Iran impasse fuels inflation fears

  • But investors had hoped for more progress toward reopening the crucial strait, where oil tanker traffic has ground to a near standstill since the outbreak of the war, sending energy prices soaring.
  • Global stocks slumped and oil prices rose Friday as talks between the United States and China failed to deliver progress on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, rekindling worries of persistent inflation pressures that could derail economic growth. 
  • But investors had hoped for more progress toward reopening the crucial strait, where oil tanker traffic has ground to a near standstill since the outbreak of the war, sending energy prices soaring.
Global stocks slumped and oil prices rose Friday as talks between the United States and China failed to deliver progress on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, rekindling worries of persistent inflation pressures that could derail economic growth. 
Oil prices rose three percent, with the international benchmark Brent crude contract at nearly $109 a barrel. 
Rising crude futures also pushed up government bond yields, including in Britain, where Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced fresh threats to his leadership. 
The yield on 30-year UK government bonds reached 5.869 percent, surpassing Tuesday's mark to hit its highest level since 1998, as investors demanded higher returns to reflect growing inflation risks.
In Japan, the 30-year bond rate hit four percent for the first time since 1999.
"Bond yields have continued to march higher, and this has introduced more volatility to the wider financial markets as investors worry about the impact of increased government borrowings across the developed economies and what they mean for their economies," said FOREX.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada.
On Wall Street, both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite slumped from fresh all-time highs set Thursday as an AI tech rally rolled on. 
The dollar firmed against the British pound, the euro and the yen.
The London, Paris and Frankfurt stock markets all ended the day with losses of more than 1.5 percent.
Investors were left disappointed as highly anticipated talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping failed to deliver major breakthroughs on the Middle East war or trade relations. 
Trump did not spell out the trade agreements he said had been sealed with China, but told Fox News that Beijing had voiced interest in buying US oil and soybeans.
Trump also said he did not bring up the issue of tariffs during the summit.
China's top diplomat later said the two countries had agreed to continue implementing "all" agreements previously reached and to establish councils for trade and investment.
"The meeting... was big on warm words and symbolism but not outcomes," said Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club.
"With diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the Middle East conflict in limbo, fresh uncertainty has flooded in," she added.
The White House said the leaders had "agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy".
But investors had hoped for more progress toward reopening the crucial strait, where oil tanker traffic has ground to a near standstill since the outbreak of the war, sending energy prices soaring.
Trump also told Fox News on Thursday that he was "not going to be much more patient" with Iran.
"Stalled US-Iran diplomacy keeps supply fears firmly in focus," said Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.
"Even if resolved next month, the oil market could remain undersupplied through October, keeping inflationary pressures high and adding another headache for consumers, central banks, and, eventually, investors," he added.
In Asia, Tokyo stocks closed two percent lower, while Hong Kong and Shanghai fell more than one percent. 

Key figures at around 1530 GMT

Brent North Sea Crude: UP 3.0 percent at $108.88 a barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 3.5 percent at $104.71 a barrel
New York - DOW: DOWN 0.9 percent at 49,636.63 points
New York - S&P 500: DOWN 0.9 percent at 7,436.28
New York - Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 1.1 percent at 26,335.25
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 1.7 percent at 10,195.37 (close)
Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 1.6 percent at 7,952.55 (close)
Frankfurt - DAX 30: DOWN 2.1 percent at 23,950.57 (close)
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 2.0 percent at 61,409.29 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.6 percent at 25,962.73 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 1.0 percent at 4,135.39 (close)
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3324 from $1.3400
Euro/dollar: DOWN at 1.1624 from $1.1673 on Thursday
Dollar/yen: UP at 158.68 yen from 158.33 yen
Euro/pound: UP at 87.25 pence from 87.09 pence
bur-ajb-rl/rlp

conflict

Ukraine vows more strikes on Russia after attack on Kyiv kills 24

BY DARIA ANDRIIEVSKA WITH ROMAN PILIPEY IN CHERNIGIV REGION

  • Kyiv has responded with its own attacks and a drone strike on the Russian city of Ryazan earlier Friday killed four people including a child, according to officials there.
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed on Friday to launch more retaliatory strikes on Russia, a day after a Russian strike on Kyiv killed 24 people, including three children, according to officials.
  • Kyiv has responded with its own attacks and a drone strike on the Russian city of Ryazan earlier Friday killed four people including a child, according to officials there.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed on Friday to launch more retaliatory strikes on Russia, a day after a Russian strike on Kyiv killed 24 people, including three children, according to officials.
Russia has shown little sign of halting its more than four-year invasion of Ukraine, launching hundreds of drones and multiple missiles at its neighbour every day.
Kyiv has responded with its own attacks and a drone strike on the Russian city of Ryazan earlier Friday killed four people including a child, according to officials there.
US-led talks on ending Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II have stalled in recent months, while Moscow has ruled out a ceasefire or comprehensive negotiations with Kyiv unless it caves to its maximalist demands.
"Ukraine will not allow any of the aggressor's strikes that take the lives of our people to go unpunished," Zelensky said in a post on X.
"We are entirely justified in our responses against Russia's oil industry, military production, and those directly responsible for committing war crimes against Ukraine and Ukrainians," he added.
Earlier Friday, Zelensky visited the site of a building in Kyiv ripped apart by a Russian missile.
"Here, Russia took the lives of 24 people, including three children," Zelensky said, after walking through a courtyard littered with rubble.
The three children killed were all girls -- aged 12, 15 and 17. 
The father of the youngest -- named as Liubava Yakovleva -- had already died fighting Russia's invasion, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said.
"Rescue operations lasted more than 28 hours, 30 people were thankfully saved due to the tireless efforts of our emergency workers," she said on social media.
Two dozen people were still in hospital, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

POW swap

The scenes in Kyiv contrasted with elation in northern Ukraine, where 205 Ukrainian soldiers were freed in the latest POW exchange with Moscow.
AFP reporters saw the released fighters -- with shaven-heads and draped in Ukrainian flags -- cheering, crying, embracing one another and waiting to be reunited with their families.
Kyiv freed the same number of Russian soldiers.
Moscow said its 205 released troops were brought to its ally Belarus, where they were receiving "psychological and medical assistance". 
The exchanges remain one of the few remaining areas of cooperation between the two sides, at war since Russia ordered troops into its neighbour in February 2022.
The release was the "first stage of the 1,000 for 1,000 exchange" that had been brokered and previously announced by US President Donald Trump, Zelensky said.
Most of the freed Ukrainian troops had been in Russian captivity since 2022, including those who fought for Mariupol's steelworks Azovstal and at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which briefly fell to Moscow at the start of its invasion.

Slimming hopes for peace

Thursday's devastating attack on Kyiv -- the deadliest on the Ukrainian capital for months -- further hit already slim prospects for a breakthrough on ending the war.
Kyiv's allies accused Russia of mocking diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. 
Moscow has shown no sign of backing down from its aims in Ukraine, demanding that Kyiv give up four eastern and southern regions that Russia claimed in 2022 to have annexed.
Fresh Russian attacks on Friday killed one person in the southern Zaporizhzhia region.
In Russia, Ukrainian overnight drone strikes on an apartment block in the city of Ryazan -- south-west of Moscow -- killed four people including a child, officials said.
Unverified social media videos showed plumes of smoke rising over Ryazan -- a city of around 500,000 -- and a high-rise apartment block with several blackened floors.
The Ukrainian army, which has launched retaliatory drone strikes throughout Moscow's offensive, said it had targeted an oil refinery.
Since Russia's invasion began in 2022, hundreds of thousands of people have died, millions have been forced to flee their homes and parts of eastern and southern Ukraine have been decimated by fighting.
Russia currently occupies around a fifth of Ukraine: the entirety of the Crimean peninsula, which it annexed in 2014, most of the eastern regions of Donetsk and Lugansk -- collectively referred to as the Donbas -- and large parts of the southern Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.
bur-cad/jc/phz

conflict

Ukraine can down Russian drones en masse. But missiles are a problem

BY DARIA ANDRIIEVSKA AND JONATHAN BROWN

  • Ukraine's homegrown air defence network  -- electronic jamming systems, anti-aircraft guns, helicopters and jets, and smaller interceptor drones -- took down all but 22 of the Russian drones.
  • A massive Russian bombardment of Kyiv this week that lit up the night sky, sent thunderous booms echoing through the capital, and killed two dozen civilians, has revealed a stark dichotomy in Ukraine's air defence architecture.
  • Ukraine's homegrown air defence network  -- electronic jamming systems, anti-aircraft guns, helicopters and jets, and smaller interceptor drones -- took down all but 22 of the Russian drones.
A massive Russian bombardment of Kyiv this week that lit up the night sky, sent thunderous booms echoing through the capital, and killed two dozen civilians, has revealed a stark dichotomy in Ukraine's air defence architecture.
Ukraine -- at war for more than four years -- has become the envy of some of the world's most powerful militaries in combating long-range drones.
But at the same time it is uniquely vulnerable to Russian missiles, and remains almost entirely reliant on its Western allies to counter them.
Russia fired 675 drones and 56 missiles in the seven-hour barrage that ripped open a Kyiv apartment block, killing 24 people.
Ukraine's homegrown air defence network  -- electronic jamming systems, anti-aircraft guns, helicopters and jets, and smaller interceptor drones -- took down all but 22 of the Russian drones.
But 15 missiles got through.
For Ukraine, it once again revealed their acute shortage of sophisticated Western anti-missile systems and the expensive ammunition for them.
"The real damage was done by missiles, especially in Kyiv," Sergii Beskrestnov an advisor to the defence minister said in the aftermath of the attack.
President Volodymyr Zelensky praised Ukraine's air force for downing 94 percent of the Russian drones.
But he conceded: "The most difficult challenge is defending against ballistic missiles."

Ammo is 'hard to find'

He repeated his call to allies for urgent help, including via the PURL system that Kyiv's partners use to buy US weapons for Ukraine.
After the attack, Britain's Defence Minister John Healey said he had "directed for UK deliveries of air defence and counter-drone systems to be accelerated as fast as possible."
But the war in the Middle East -- which saw US allies expend huge quantities of air defence ammunition protecting sites in the Gulf -- has exacerbated a shortage Ukraine has faced since the start of the war.
Ammunition for the US-made Patriot batteries that Ukraine uses can cost around $4 million apiece.
The United States produces only around 600 per year, and several can be needed to down a single ballistic missile.
Zelensky has said that Middle East countries used 800 PAC-3 interceptors to counter Iranian drones and other projectiles, adding that Ukraine had never had that many during its war.
A senior Ukrainian put the problem with missile interceptors for air defence batteries in stark terms to AFP: "They've become harder to find."
Just days before Russia unleashed its latest barrage, a representative of the Ukrainian air force told state media that ammunition was already being rationed due to "supply problems."
"The launchers that are part of certain units and batteries are half-empty -- and that's putting it mildly. They have a limited number of missiles," the official, Yuriy Ignat, said.
He added that Ukraine's stockpiles were already low following a devastating Russian campaign against Ukrainian energy facilities over the winter.
Air force representatives are sometimes negotiating with allies for as little as between 5 and 10 missiles for Western supplies systems, like Patriot batteries, he said.

Few short term options

The war in the Middle East may also present a solution for Kyiv.
Ukraine's success in drone warfare has attracted the attention of rich Gulf states that have been targeted with the same types of Iranian-designed drones that Ukraine is now well versed in countering.
Zelensky, on several visits to the region, has inked various air defence agreements with many countries in the region.
The details have not been revealed, but he had earlier proposed sharing Kyiv's anti-drone expertise in return for Patriot ammunition or investment in Ukraine's defence industry.
Lockheed Martin, the US-based producer of PAC-3 Patriot batteries plans to ramp up production over the next seven years. 
Over the long-term, Ukraine can also expand its domestic capacities with help from allies.
But options to fend off the attacks Ukraine is facing right now are limited, said Jade McGlynn, Research Fellow at the Department of War Studies, King's College London.
"Bluntly I can't see any significant solution or significant improvement that's available in the short term, beyond just giving Ukraine more, more of the air defence systems that are a bit more available than the Patriots," she told AFP.
bur-jbr/jc/pdw

luxury

Milan Fashion Week says will ask brands not to show fur

  • The National Chamber of Italian Fashion (CNMI), which organises fashion week, has been under pressure from animal activists to ban fur at the shows -- something fashion weeks in London, New York and various others have already done.
  • Milan Fashion Week said Friday it would "invite" participating brands at its high-profile runway shows not to show fur, in a partial concession to animal rights activists following pressure.
  • The National Chamber of Italian Fashion (CNMI), which organises fashion week, has been under pressure from animal activists to ban fur at the shows -- something fashion weeks in London, New York and various others have already done.
Milan Fashion Week said Friday it would "invite" participating brands at its high-profile runway shows not to show fur, in a partial concession to animal rights activists following pressure.
The National Chamber of Italian Fashion (CNMI), which organises fashion week, has been under pressure from animal activists to ban fur at the shows -- something fashion weeks in London, New York and various others have already done.
But the guidelines published Friday fell short of activists' demands, making the request not to show fur voluntary.
"CNMI believes that the most effective approach does not consist in imposing bans... but in issuing a request not to present, during the Milan Fashion Week shows, clothing, accessories, or any other item made of fur," the body said. 
The new guidelines, to come into effect starting in September, include the chamber not using fur in its communications. 
According to the chamber, materials excluded from the guidelines include shearling, vintage fur and fur obtained "by indigenous communities through traditional subsistence hunting practices". 
Most fashion names who show at Milan Fashion Week have already gone fur-free, including the Armani Group, Dolce & Gabbana and Prada, but a major holdout has been Fendi, which began as a furrier. 
In her first show for the brand, new Fendi designer Maria Grazia Chiuri showed a collection that included "remodelled" furs, or pieces from old furs reworked into new designs. 
In March, anti-fur activists demonstrated during the women's shows, unfurling banners that said "Milan Fashion Week Go Fur-Free".
Animal activists noted that CNMI's new guidelines fell short of the flat-out bans on fur seen in other fashion weeks, but nevertheless called it progress.
"Without a fur-free policy like those in place at New York and London Fashion Weeks, there is no guarantee that cruelty will be excluded from Milan’s runways, but we hope this anti-fur statement encourages greater use of next-generation biomaterials, which are both beautiful and responsible," said Emma Hakansson of Collective Fashion Justice.
The European Commission has yet to rule on a 2023 citizens' initiative that called on the EU to ban fur farms and the killing of animals such as mink, foxes, raccoon dogs or chinchillas solely for their pelts. 
Activists cite the cruelty inherent in fur farming, in which the animals  are crammed into tiny wire battery cages before being gassed or electrocuted.
ams/dt/pdw

Global Edition

Possible contenders in UK Labour Party leadership race

BY ANNA MALPAS

  • - Keir Starmer - Starmer will automatically be a candidate if a leadership race is triggered and has insisted he will not step down.
  • As embattled British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces a likely leadership contest, several rivals are getting into position to stand against him to lead the Labour party and the country.
  • - Keir Starmer - Starmer will automatically be a candidate if a leadership race is triggered and has insisted he will not step down.
As embattled British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces a likely leadership contest, several rivals are getting into position to stand against him to lead the Labour party and the country.
If a leadership race is triggered, the winner will be selected by the party membership. Here are the possible contenders: 

Wes Streeting

The 43-year-old rising Labour star resigned as health minister Thursday with a barbed message saying he had "lost confidence" in Starmer.
He urged debate on the party's future direction with the "best possible field of candidates", rather than launching a solo bid.
Streeting, whose full name is Wesley, was one of the most visible Labour figures during the 2024 election campaign and hailed as one of its best communicators. Streeting is popular on the party's right.
He comes from a working-class background, growing up on an east London municipal housing estate he has described as "grim" and attending state school.
Streeting has talked about his grandfather being an armed robber who knew notorious London gangsters the Kray Brothers. After studying at Cambridge University, he was elected an MP in 2015. 
He came out as gay while a student. His partner is a communications adviser.
In a potentially damaging connection, Streeting initially defended Labour grandee Peter Mandelson when he was sacked as US ambassador over his association with US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Streeting has denied he was close friends with Mandelson.

Angela Rayner

Former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner hinted at standing this week when she announced she has resolved a tax issue that led her to leave the government.
Rayner is well-liked on Labour's left-wing and known for her straight-talking style.
The 46-year-old is an outlier in a country long dominated by a ruling class disproportionately educated at private schools and Oxford and Cambridge universities.
She grew up in social housing in northern England, left school at 16 when she became a single mother.
A trade unionist before being elected to parliament in 2015, she was became Labour's number two in 2020.
She resigned last year over unpaid property tax but said Thursday she had paid up and been cleared of deliberate wrongdoing. 
Rayner has three children. One of her sons has a serious disability.

Andy Burnham

Popular mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham needs to become an MP before any leadership bid and has announced his intention to stand in a by-election.
He said he wanted to return to parliament because "much bigger change is needed at a national level".
The 56-year-old, seen as representing Labour's "soft left", became an MP in 2001 and served as health minister under Gordon Brown
After twice standing unsuccessfully for party leader, he left parliament in 2017 to become mayor of the northern England metropolis.
He has twice been re-elected mayor, most recently in 2024, gaining the nickname "king of the North".
Born near Liverpool, he joined the Labour Party as a teenager before studying at Cambridge.
He has openly opposed Starmer over welfare cuts and warned of a "climate of fear" in the party.
Burnham has said he wants to stand as MP in Makerfield, northwest England, and is expected to be selected by Labour.
He has a Dutch-born wife and three children and told Huffington Post that he is "Catholic by upbringing" but "not particularly religious now".

Keir Starmer

Starmer will automatically be a candidate if a leadership race is triggered and has insisted he will not step down.
The 63-year-old became prime minister two years ago, after winning a general election landslide, promising to "tread more lightly" on people's lives after 14 years of Conservative rule. 
Internationally he has won praise for standing up to US President Donald Trump over the Iran war and maintaining European support for Ukraine. 
But at home he has made unpopular moves to cut welfare, which were watered down by left-wing lawmakers, and increase business costs amid a cost of living crisis.
He has struggled against the rise of the hard-right Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage and Labour suffered humiliating defeats in local elections this month.
Starmer has one of the lowest popularity ratings ever among prime ministers at just 19 percent, according to a YouGov poll.
Born in London, he had a successful career as a human rights lawyer and chief state prosecutor and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
A keen flautist and Arsenal fan, he became an MP in 2015, succeeding Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader five years later.

Other possibilities

Other candidates could emerge with speculation centred on energy minister Ed Miliband and junior armed forces minister Al Carns -- while neither has confirmed.
Miliband, 56, became Labour leader in opposition in 2010, beating his own brother, David. He resigned after the party suffered a severe defeat in the 2015 election.
Carns, a decorated former commando, became an MP in 2024. Allies have suggested the 46-year-old relative unknown would step forward if someone else "fires the starting gun". 
bur-am/har/tw

politics

Germany's Merz says wouldn't advise young people to move to US

  • At a gathering of German Catholics in the southern city of Wuerzburg on Friday, Merz garnered applause after saying: "I would not recommend to my children today that they go to the US to get an education and to work."
  • German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday he would not advise young people in his country to move to the United States for study or work, in the latest sign of cooling ties between Berlin and Washington.
  • At a gathering of German Catholics in the southern city of Wuerzburg on Friday, Merz garnered applause after saying: "I would not recommend to my children today that they go to the US to get an education and to work."
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday he would not advise young people in his country to move to the United States for study or work, in the latest sign of cooling ties between Berlin and Washington.
Last month Merz had a high-profile spat with US President Donald Trump after the chancellor said Iran was "humiliating" Washington at the negotiating table.
Following the comment, Trump -- who suggested Merz was doing a "terrible" job as leader -- abruptly announced that the United States would pull 5,000 troops from bases in Germany.
At a gathering of German Catholics in the southern city of Wuerzburg on Friday, Merz garnered applause after saying: "I would not recommend to my children today that they go to the US to get an education and to work."
He cited "the social climate that has suddenly developed" in the United States and said that "even the best educated in America have great difficulty in finding a job".
Merz has traditionally been a transatlanticist in the mould of most centrist German politicians but the relationship with the US has become increasingly strained under Trump's administration.
"I am a great admirer of America's, but right now my admiration is not increasing," he said, to laughter from the audience.
Even before the row over Iran, Merz had said that a cultural "rift" has opened between the United States and Europe due to the culture wars embraced by Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.
The Trump administration has charged that Europe faces a "civilisational decline", and has courted far-right parties on the continent.
Trump's threats to annex Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO member Denmark, and his cutting back of support to Ukraine have also frayed ties between the US and its traditional European allies.
jsk/fz/rmb

television

Finland's 'Flamethrower' and 4 other Eurovision favourites

BY BLAISE GAUQUELIN WITH AFP BUREAUX

  • Here are five of the favourites to win the mega talent show in Vienna on Saturday.
  • A vibrating violin behind a fiery curtain and a song about star-crossed planets are among the favourites to win this year's Eurovision Song Contest.
  • Here are five of the favourites to win the mega talent show in Vienna on Saturday.
A vibrating violin behind a fiery curtain and a song about star-crossed planets are among the favourites to win this year's Eurovision Song Contest.
The bookmakers put Finland's string-laden "Flamethrower" well ahead of Australia, which surged to second place after Thursday's semi-final performance.
Here are five of the favourites to win the mega talent show in Vienna on Saturday.

Finland: a blazing violin

Linda Lampenius, a 56-year-old violinist, and pop singer Pete Parkkonen, 36, are trying to strike a chord with the public with their passionate song "Liekinheitin" ("Flamethrower"), performed in Finnish.
The handsome dark-haired singer laments his unrequited love, while his counterpart in a sparkling dress answers him by violently vibrating the strings of her instrument behind a curtain of fire, with her long blonde hair fluttering in the air.
Compelling listeners to dance, the song is "a duet of very high musical quality" and "a three-minute burst of drama", Finnish Eurovision expert Anna Muurinen told AFP.
"Flamethrower" has raised hopes across Finland -- whose only win so far dates from 2006 -- that the song will appeal to a broad audience without having to resort to English lyrics.

Australia: a power ballad

Australia's ballad "Eclipse" evokes a love affair between planets. The singer is 41-year-old Delta Goodrem, who has sold more than nine million albums.
The song blends delicate piano with impressive vocal crescendos, which Goodrem -- a songwriter, musician, film star and a coach on The Voice Australia -- has brought to perfection.
The worldwide fame of the Sydney-born artist, who signed her first contract aged 15, is fuelling hopes of a first-ever victory for contest-mad Australia.

Greece: Mediterranean techno

Akylas Mytilineos sings "Ferto", meaning "Bring It". The energetic song with a pronounced Greek accent recounts a son's thirst for glory and fortune so that he can give his mother everything they lacked during his childhood.
Sporting black sunglasses and a trademark beanie, the 27-year-old identifies as a queer artist, highlighting the need for expression and acceptance throughout his music.
He started his career on cruise ships before his style charmed internet users. In 2022, he took part in the Greek version of The Voice.
Greece won its only Eurovision title in 2005.

Denmark: after-party electro

Soren Torpegaard Lund, a 27-year-old singer, is competing with "For vi gar hjem" ("Before We Go Home"), a pop song in Danish with a touch of electro music evoking the atmosphere of a hot late-night club.
Denmark "for once actually is sending a good song", said Lisanne Wilken, a Eurovision specialist and associate professor at Aarhus University in Denmark.
She added that the Danish contestant will also benefit from an unexpected geopolitical boost as US President Donald Trump has made claims on Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory.
"The situation with Greenland and Trump has put Denmark even more on the map, and that put the spotlight on it, on the country in a way that never happened before," Wilken said.
She added that Denmark was rarely a Eurovision favourite despite having won three times, the last in 2013.

France: operatic pop

Monroe, a 17-year-old French-American singer, is the youngest performer ever to represent France at Eurovision.
She will sing "Regarde!" ("Look!"), a love song blending pop, opera and references to musicals.
The wider public discovered Monroe, sporting long braided hair, in a TV talent show dedicated to young classical music virtuosos.
Monroe, who released her first album last November, was born in the United States and grew up surrounded by both US and French culture.
She names Italian opera star Cecilia Bartoli, Whitney Houston, late French rocker Johnny Hallyday and Celine Dion as her sources of inspiration.
"It makes me want to work on my voice so I can present good things, carry the colours of France and of our lovely culture," Monroe told AFP after she was chosen to represent France, which has scored five Eurovision victories.
bur-bg-frj/jza/tw

health

NZ passenger from hantavirus cruise quarantines in Taiwan

  • Health authorities have repeatedly emphasised that the broader risk to public health from the outbreak of the Andes strain of hantavirus -- the only one known to spread between people -- is low.
  • A New Zealand passenger from the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius cruise ship is in hospital quarantine in Taiwan, Taiwanese health authorities said on Friday.
  • Health authorities have repeatedly emphasised that the broader risk to public health from the outbreak of the Andes strain of hantavirus -- the only one known to spread between people -- is low.
A New Zealand passenger from the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius cruise ship is in hospital quarantine in Taiwan, Taiwanese health authorities said on Friday.
The person, who has tested negative for the rare disease and is showing no symptoms, arrived in Taiwan on May 7 after disembarking from the cruise ship in Saint Helena on April 24.
New Zealand authorities told Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on Wednesday that the person was in Taiwan, CDC spokeswoman Tseng Shu-hui said.
The person was admitted to hospital the same day and will remain there until June 6, Tseng told AFP. 
Tseng declined to provide details about the person's age, gender or current location in Taiwan. 
"At present, we believe their probability of developing the disease is relatively low," Tseng said.
"Their last exposure with the other passengers was on the 25th (of April), which is about 20 days ago."
The virus has a potential incubation period of 42 days.
CDC director-general Lo Yi-chun told reporters that the person did not return to New Zealand after leaving the cruise ship, but he would not provide information on the route they took to Taiwan.
A spokesperson for New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) said it is "providing consular assistance to a dual national" in Taiwan.
"The person resides outside New Zealand and sought help from MFAT on Wednesday 13 May," the ministry said in a statement.
The ship set sail from Argentina on April 1, charting a course across the Atlantic Ocean.
Health authorities have repeatedly emphasised that the broader risk to public health from the outbreak of the Andes strain of hantavirus -- the only one known to spread between people -- is low.
Globally, the death toll remains at three.
No vaccines or specific treatments exist, but health officials have said the risk is low and have dismissed comparisons to the Covid-19 pandemic.
joy/amj/pbt