News of the World

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NORTH AMERICA

Ukraine-US Minerals Deal: Here's What's Agreed

President Donald Trump has touted an agreement on Ukrainian minerals as a good deal for the U.S. but experts warn that a long process lies ahead to get the resources out of the ground for American use.

After weeks of tense negotiations over Ukraine, Trump was pleased to brandish his deal- making credentials with Wednesday's agreement where the U.S. and Ukraine can share profits and royalties from the future sale of Ukrainian minerals and rare earth metals.

While both Ukraine and the U.S. have praised the deal that could reinforce U.S. commitment to the war-torn country, a critical minerals expert told Newsweek that there are questions over the quantity and accessibility of Ukraine's resources.

Meanwhile, a geopolitical expert told Newsweek the deal is unlikely to improve Ukraine's long-term security.

Why It Matters

Trump has pushed for American access to Ukrainian critical minerals and rare earths as the U.S. looks to lessen dependence on China, the world's largest producer of the highly prized commodity.

As U.S. efforts to broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia flounder, Trump can point to the minerals agreement as a sign of progress while Kyiv will hope it secures a U.S. stake in assistance against Russian aggression.

What To Know

Trump told NewsNation the minerals agreement with Ukraine ensures that that the U.S. gets "much more" than the $350 billion he argues the U.S. has provided Kyiv, although other estimates, such as the Kiel Institute say the actual figure is closer to $130 billion.

Negotiated over several months, the agreement was signed in Washington, DC on Wednesday by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.

Two More Countries Could Take Deported U.S. Migrants: Report

The Trump administration has discussed transferring migrants with criminal records held in the United States to two African countries, Libya and Rwanda, multiple sources familiar with the talks told CNN.

The Wall Street Journal previously reported this month that several countries, including Libya and Rwanda, were considered as potential partners to receive migrants deported from the U.S.
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President Donald Trump has vowed to prevent illegal immigrants with criminal histories or backgrounds from entering and staying in the U.S. He campaigned on and has pledged to launch the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history. Since taking office just over 100 days ago, his administration has detained and deported thousands.

Last month, the Trump administration deported reported gang members held in U.S. detention to El Salvador. Earlier this month, during a recent White House meeting with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, Trump floated the possibility of extending the criteria of deportees arriving in the Central American country to U.S. citizens who commit violent crimes.

In January, Trump directed top administration officials to pursue international agreements that would enable the U.S. to relocate asylum seekers to other countries.

What To Know

Earlier this year, Trump sent two planes full of migrants that he claimed were gang members to an El Salvadoran mega prison, CECOT. Trump and Bukele brokered a $6 million deal for El Salvador to detain about 300 migrants at CECOT for one year.

In addition to exploring similar partnerships with other countries that would allow the U.S. to deport migrants with criminal records, administration officials are also exploring a formal "safe third country" agreement with Libya, a source told CNN.

Trump Admin Asks Supreme Court To Help With Venezuelan Deportation Cases

President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to allow it to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 300,000 Venezuelan migrants—clearing a path for potential deportations.
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Since his January 20 inauguration, President Donald Trump has implemented sweeping change, mainly through executive orders, and prioritized immigration.

Trump announced the invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a wartime law that grants the commander-in-chief the authority to detain or deport non-citizens. The implementation was blocked in federal court and sparked a contentious legal back and forth.

DHS also previously announced plans to revoke a Biden administration parole program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans (CHNV). The notice of the end of the program was announced in March and would expire in 30 days.

"Parolees without a lawful basis to remain in the United States following this termination of the CHNV parole programs must depart the United States before their parole termination date," the notice says.

What To Know

The Justice Department (DOJ) requested that the Supreme Court hold a lower court's ruling that blocked Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's move to end TPS protections previously granted to some Venezuelans.

According to Reuters, the DOJ argued in its request to the high court: "So long as the order is in effect, [DHS Secretary Kristi Noem] must permit hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan nationals to remain in the country, notwithstanding her reasoned determination that doing so is 'contrary to the national interest,'" citing court documents.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia's Wife Responds to Second Abuse Report

Jennifer Vasquez Sura, the wife of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, has responded after the Trump administration revealed a second allegation of domestic abuse against the Salvadoran immigrant mistakenly deported in March.

In an email to Newsweek on Thursday, Vasquez Sura wrote: "After the trauma of his time in ICE detention and the struggles we faced during the pandemic, I sought a temporary protective order, but through counseling and faith, Kilmar and I healed, reunited as a stronger couple, and now our family needs him home."

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) argued the allegations, later rescinded, showed the Salvadoran did not belong in the U.S.

Why It Matters

Vasquez Sura has been at the forefront of the fight to bring her husband back to Maryland from El Salvador's CECOT prison, and has stated before that their issues at home were private and had been worked on. The documents shared by DHS include details on her withdrawing the allegations.

What To Know

On Wednesday, DHS released an August 2020 filing, which laid out multiple alleged instances of domestic abuse by Abrego Garcia. In the document, Vasquez Sura said he had been physically and mentally abusive towards her.

When a similar filing from 2021 was released by DHS in mid-April, she said that the couple had worked through their problems, guided by their Christian faith and with the help of counseling.

The year before the alleged abuse, Abrego Garcia had been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), following a police department's determination that he was a member of the MS-13 gang - based on his clothing and an anonymous tip-off.

Marco Rubio Blasts Germany for Labeling Far-Right AfD Party as Extremist

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio tore into Germany on Friday after its domestic intelligence service designated the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) as an extremist group.

The Context

Germany's decision to label AfD as a "proven right-wing extremist endeavor" makes it easier for the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Germany's spy agency, to conduct some types of surveillance of the group.

The AfD was previously a "suspected" extremist group, but its status as an extremist party has now been confirmed, BfV said. The agency added that its decision Friday came after a three-year review.

The AfD denies that it is an extremist party and has said its platform, which calls for mass deportations, criticizes Islam, and emphasizes nationalism and traditional Christian values, reflects the views of the German electorate.

What To Know

"Germany just gave its spy agency new powers to surveil the opposition. That's not democracy—it's tyranny in disguise," Rubio wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

"What is truly extremist is not the popular AfD—which took second in the recent election—but rather the establishment's deadly open border immigration policies that the AfD opposes," he wrote. "Germany should reverse course."

The AfD came in second place in Germany's recent elections and has been backed by several Trump administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance and billionaire CEO Elon Musk, who oversees the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Musk endorsed the AfD on X in December and hosted a 75-minute video conversation with the party's co-leader, Alice Weidel, on his social media platform. Weidel told journalists that Musk personally called her to congratulate her on the party's performance in February's elections.

Vance also signaled his support for the AfD while appearing at the Munich Security Conference that same month.

"There is no room for firewalls," the U.S. vice president said at the conference, apparently referencing other German political parties' efforts to keep the AfD out of mainstream politics. Vance also met with Weidel during his trip to Germany.

Alberta Separatists Push to Leave Canada After Liberals Win Election

Donald Trump is not the only person who wants to change Canada's landscape. Some Albertans frustrated with almost decade of Liberal power want independence from the country, and Cameron Davies, a leader of the breakaway movement, told Newsweek why.

The province, along with several others in the west, has long seen itself as unfairly treated by Ottawa. Its oil and gas resources make it a huge economic contributor, but many feel underrepresented in the capital, especially over environmental policies which regulate its resource industry.

But the push for an independence referendum has seemingly stepped up in the wake of the Liberal Party's victory of the Conservatives on Monday night, making former Bank of England boss Mark Carney prime minister.

This is perhaps best illustrated in Cameron Davies' decision to quit as leader of the United Conservative Party (UCP) of Alberta, which he has served for more than seven years, to take over as the head of the independence-supporting Republican Party of Alberta.

"Today is the birthday of many new separatists in Alberta," Davies said in his announcement after the election results.

"Albertans keep working harder while getting less in return," Davies told Newsweek. "I watched the UCP fold time and again under Ottawa's pressure instead of standing up for Alberta's interests."

"It became clear to me that we need a new path forward—one that puts Albertans first, always," he added.

Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum Draws Red Line for Donald Trump

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she drew a red line to protect the nation's sovereignty during a recent phone call with President Donald Trump, firmly rejecting his proposition to deploy U.S. troops in Mexico, she said at an event Saturday.

"I told him, 'No, President Trump, our territory is inviolable, our sovereignty is inviolable, our sovereignty is not for sale,'" Sheinbaum said.
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The United States and Mexico have engaged in a series of negotiations in recent months on key issues including immigration, drug trafficking, and shared water resources. Sheinbaum has signaled she will cooperate with the U.S., but has drawn firm boundaries around Mexican sovereignty, making clear that any collaboration must respect the nation's autonomy.

Trump largely campaigned on economic and immigration policies, pledging to levy numerous tariffs and cracking down on illegal immigration. In February, he imposed a 25 percent tariff on Mexico in order to hold the country "accountable to their promises of halting illegal immigration and stopping poisonous fentanyl and other drugs from flowing into our country." The tariffs were paused for 30-days.

After months of negotiations, the neighbors reached a deal ensuring that Mexico will deliver its overdue water obligations under a longstanding 1944 treaty, providing relief to Texas farmers and ranchers who have faced shortages.

What To Know

At a public event on Saturday, the Mexican president addressed a recent Wall Street Journal report detailing Trump's pressure on Mexico to combat drug cartels, saying the report was "true...but not as described."

Sheinbaum recounted a recent phone call with Trump, saying the two discussed drug trafficking. While she expressed openness to increased intelligence sharing, she said she rejected his suggestion of deploying U.S. troops in Mexico.

In February, Mexico had agreed to deploy some 10,000 troops along the border.

"We will never accept the presence of the United States Army in our territory," she told the audience, recounting her remarks to Trump. He comments drew applause and supportive cheers from the crowd.

Mexican Sewage Is Flowing Into US

For years, raw sewage from Mexico has poured across the border into Southern California, fouling beaches, sickening residents and sparking diplomatic as well as environmental concerns.

The Tijuana River, which crosses from Mexico into California before emptying into the Pacific Ocean, carries not just water but millions of gallons of untreated sewage.

"Each day, a toxic mixture of effluents from maquiladora, Mexican factories that make products for the U.S. market, and raw sewage from Mexico pours through estuaries and out of the Tijuana River, devastating the Pacific coastline - in both Mexico and the United States," James Cooper, professor of law at California Western School of Law, told Newsweek.

"This has been going on for decades," Cooper said.

"Beaches, north of where the Tijuana River meets the Pacific along the coast from Imperial Beach to Coronado, are closed more often than they are open. The bacterial dangers are immense for those brave enough to get into the Pacific. Surfers who hit the waves, U.S. Navy Seals who train in the area, ranchers whose animals drink water from the watershed, sea mammals who live in the Pacific are all negatively impacted by this ongoing environmental disaster.

"And it's even worse when it rains."

San Diego County beaches have been closed for around 1,000 days in recent years due to contamination. Residents have reported illnesses, and military personnel stationed nearby have also suffered. A report from the Department of Defense's Office of Inspector General documented 1,100 cases of illness among Navy SEALs and other service members exposed to polluted waters.

"It's horrible," said San Ysidro resident Jose Cariman. "The quality of life is diminished a lot, the price of the house is diminished 'cause who wants to buy a house in the neighborhood that smells like sewage?" he told Inside Climate News.

Nonprofit advocacy group American Rivers recently named the Tijuana River the second most endangered river in the U.S., citing pollution as one of the factors.

"The Tijuana River is known for its communities on both sides of the U.S./Mexico border as well as stunning beaches, world-class surf breaks and diverse wildlife. This region, however, has been plagued with severe pollution for decades," the group's report said.

UKRAINE WAR

Russia Deepens Connections With North Korea

Construction has begun on a new bridge across the border river between Russia and North Korea.

During a groundbreaking ceremony, officials hailed the project—which will be the first road link between the two countries—as a symbol of strengthening ties and a boost for bilateral trade.

Why It Matters

The bridge is one of numerous initiatives to emerge from the comprehensive agreement signed by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the latter's visit to the East Asian country last June. The accord also elevated Moscow-Pyongyang military cooperation to a level not seen since the Cold War.

This deepening alliance has heightened international concerns, particularly since thousands of North Korean troops joined Russia's war against Ukraine late last year.
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Russia and North Korea are currently connected only by air and a single land route across their 10-mile border: the 66-year-old Korea-Russia Friendship Bridge.

Russian state media outlet TASS said the total length of the new project, including access roads, will be nearly 3 miles. The bridge span itself will be one kilometer long (0.6 miles), with two traffic lanes and a nearby checkpoint.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who participated in the ceremony via video link, hailed the construction as "truly a landmark moment for Russian—Korean relations."

North Korean state media outlet Korean Central News Agency described the bridge as a "substantial guarantee" of efforts to spur bilateral trade, tourism, and passenger travel.

Putin's Arctic Shadow Fleet Suddenly Awakens, Sparking Speculation

Russian vessels that are part of the the country's so called "shadow fleet" have been renamed and reregistered in what is seen a sanctions-busting move to transport liquefied natural gas (LNG) from a facility in the Arctic, it has been reported.

The Arctic-LNG 2 project on the shores of the Gulf of Ob opposite the Yamal Peninsula in Russia's far north was targeted by tough U.S.-led sanctions under the previous Biden administration following President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

But last summer, LNG carriers traveling to Arctic LNG 2, which is run by Russia's energy giant Novatek, deactivated or spoofed their locations to allow shipments, according to maritime outlet Gcaptain.com.

Last month, four LNG carriers were reflagged from Panama to Russia and their names were changed, the outlet reported.

Malte Humpert, senior fellow at the Arctic Institute, told Newsweek this was intended as a sanctions-busting move and with the LNG from the site intended mostly for Asia, China was less concerned about secondary sanctions under the Trump administration. Newsweek has contacted Novatek for comment.

Why It Matters

As major generators of Russia's export revenues, oil and natural gas have been the focus of western-led sanctions to choke Moscow's war machine. However, Russia has set up a shadow fleet of vessels to circumvent a $60 price cap on seaborne oil and the export continues to swell the Kremlin's coffers.

Russia's piped natural gas industry has been hit hard by the war. But seaborne LNG exports from Russia to the EU are on the rise and Russian-built carriers are becoming an increasingly important part of the shadow fleet.

Russian State TV Says Nuclear Strike Would Turn US Into 'Waterworld'

In a provocative remark on Russian state television, Vladimir Solovyov, host of The Evening With Vladimir Solovyov, warned that a Russian nuclear strike could transform the United States into a post-apocalyptic landscape reminiscent of the 1995 film Waterworld.
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The comment was made in response to recent remarks by Republican U.S. Senator John Kennedy, who had described Russian President Vladimir Putin as deserving to be turned into "fish food."

As reported by Newsweek, Kennedy leveled harsh criticism at Putin, accusing him of failing to approach peace talks with seriousness in an interview with Fox News.

"I think he thinks we're afraid of him," the Louisiana senator said of the Russian leader. "He has jacked around President Trump at every turn. He has disrespected our president [...] "I don't think it's going to get any better until we make it clear to Mr. Putin that we are willing to turn him and his country into fish food."

Solovyov angry tirade marks the latest esclation of Kremlin media's increasingly sour coverage of the Trump administration and its allies, as peace talks between Moscow, Kyiv and Washington appear to be approaching a dead end.

What To Know

Solovyov, known for his fiery rhetoric and staunch support of the Kremlin, took the opportunity to escalate tensions. In a video posted to Russian Media Monitor's YouTube and creator Julia Davis' X, formerly Twitter, account online, Solovyov said:

"I don't want to listen to mumbling Senator Kennedy but this cretin said that they are ready to turn our president and his country meaning ours, into fish food. He said that he isn't talking about nuclear war: 'We should stop the oil sales, we should put pressure on Russia and suffocate it, otherwise they won't sit at the negotiating table.'

"Listen... the fish food approach can be utilised any moment, thanks to the greatness of a famous human rights champion, a talented engineer and a physicist, and an Academic, a recipient of endless awards. And a three-time hero of socialist labour, I think. His name was Andrei Sakharov.

"In his time, academic Sakharov proposed the following, our colleagues know this, but since Trump and his comrades are watching and translating us, I will explain it for their sake. He proposed a plan to blow up two nukes [...], hydrogen bombs, either way they are thermonuclear, blow them up near the two coasts of the United States.

Putin Pushing Russian Troops Into Deadlier Advances During Peace Talks

Russia is throwing troops into operations but its advances are slowing amid high losses, however Vladimir Putin is ignoring these diminishing returns as he looks for battlefield gains to pressure Ukraine in ceasefire talks, says the Institute for the Study of War.

The Washington, D.C. think tank said so far this year, an average 99 Russian troops were being lost for every square kilometer of territory gained—much higher than the 59 casualties per square kilometer from between last September and December.

The ISW said the troop numbers Moscow is throwing into attacks show that, regardless of U.S.-led peace talks and President Donald Trump's ambition for a peace deal, Putin is still committed to seizing all of Ukraine and undermining NATO.

Although Trump can point to a minerals deal with Ukraine struck this week, the U.S. has warned that it would walk away if peace negotiations did not bear fruit soon.

However, the ISW assessment shows that Kyiv's forces are effectively fending off Russian attacks and one military expert has told Newsweek that the Ukrainian front line is not about to collapse, thanks in part to Kyiv's drone capabilities.

What to know

Russia's front line gains have slowed in 2025 while enduring losses even greater than in the final four months of 2024, according to the ISW's Friday update.

It calculated that so far this year, citing Ukraine's figures of personnel losses, Russia had gained 1,627 square kilometers (628 square miles) in Ukraine and Russia's Kursk oblast where Kyiv staged an incursion last August at a cost 160,600 casualties—or 99 per square kilometer.

By comparison, between September and December 2024, Russian forces gained an estimated 2,949 square kilometers (1,138 square miles) at the cost of 174,935 casualties, or an average of 59 casualties per square kilometer taken.

The think tank said the high numbers reflect how Russia is deploying "low quality" troops to front line units that hindered complex operations to make quick advances. But it also showed Putin wanted to leverage further battlefield, pressure Ukraine in ceasefire and peace negotiations and force Ukraine's collapse.

Russian Black Sea City Declares Emergency After New Ukraine Strikes

AUkrainian drone attack on the Black Sea coast has sparked a state of emergency, according to local officials.

The attack on the city of Novorossiysk in Russia's Krasnodar region took place overnight Friday and injured at least five people, according to the city's mayor.

Much of Russia's Black Sea Fleet has been moved to the city in the Krasnodar region which is east of Crimea, the peninsula occupied by Russia since 2014, separated by the Kerch Strait.
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Often without claiming direct responsibility, Ukraine is continuing to use drones to attack Russian military and energy infrastructure. Russia's use of drones and missiles on Ukraine is also ongoing, as U.S.-led efforts to broker peace falter.

What to know

Novorossiysk Mayor Andrey Kravchenko said on Telegram a state of emergency had been declared in the city following an overnight attack by Ukraine, which injured at least five people, including two children.

Residents posting on social media said that the explosions were heard in Kerch, Feodosia, Novorossiysk, and the airport area near Anapa.

"Panic among the civilian population grew—the Crimean bridge was temporarily blocked, and air defense did not always hit where it was needed," reported Ukrainian outlet UA.org, citing local Telegram channels.

Footage from Baza, a Telegram channel said to have links to Russia's security services, showed a building that had been hit.

ASIA

China Spy Fears at Air Bases Lead to String of Tourist Detentions

A string of detentions of Chinese nationals caught taking unauthorized photos or filming near military bases has raised concerns over Beijing-linked spying in South Korea.
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The incidents, some of which took place near installations housing U.S. air and naval forces, recall suspected espionage cases in the Philippines and Japan, which, like South Korea, are key American security partners.

Tensions are running high as China steps up its challenge to U.S. military power across the Asia-Pacific, including efforts to assert territorial claims in the South and East China seas and around Taiwan.

What To Know

Acting on a tip from U.S. military personnel, South Korean authorities detained two Chinese nationals on April 23 for using high-end cameras to photograph planes, on suspicion of violating Seoul's Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act, according to local reports.

Police confirmed the pair had been briefly detained and warned just two days earlier for the same activity near the same facility—Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek.

The base is the center of U.S. Air Force operations in the country and home to the 51st Fighter Wing, which operates a variety of aircraft, including F-16s and A-10 Thunderbolt II "Warthog" attack planes.

The two men were released after a review determined the photos, which were taken from public streets, did not constitute a national security threat. South Korean law does not consider photographing planes from nonrestricted areas to be a legal offense.

The incident follows a similar case involving two Chinese teenagers who were arrested for violating the same law after authorities discovered they had taken thousands of photos at Osan Air Base and several other major bases and international airports.

The students, who had arrived just three days prior on tourist visas, told authorities that plane photography was a hobby.

One of them also said his father works for China's public security bureau, raising questions about whether the students had been tasked with collecting intelligence on their government's behalf.

South Korea presidential ouster part of Chinese strategy to 'expand its regional influence,' expert says
South Korea will hold new elections in two months, with the left-leaning Democrats leading in early polling

In a week that saw French right-wing leader Marine Le Pen banned from running for office, the South Korean Constitutional Court's ouster of President Yoon Suk Yeol from office on Friday has critics looking towards Beijing’s hand in efforts to remove the leader from power.

"Yoon’s foreign and security policies stand in stark contrast to the pro-China figures long supported and controlled by the [Chinese Communist Party (CCP)]," Anna Mahjar-Barducci, Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) project director, told Fox News Digital. She explained that those policies "posed a threat to Beijing’s long-term strategy of cultivating a pro-China faction in South Korea,"

Mahjar-Barducci claimed the CCP has used "overt economic cooperation, political donations, covert benefit transfers and even illegal sexual bribery" to cultivate "certain South Korean political figures over time, aiming to undermine the U.S.-South Korea alliance, weaken South Korea’s strategic independence and expand its regional influence at the expense of the U.S."

Mahjar-Barducci also claimed that one Korean activist who spoke to her on Friday told her that election fraud in South Korea had been organized in cooperation with China, whose government had unduly influenced the past two general elections.

The Associated Press reported on Friday that supporters of the ousted president were enraged by the decision. Kim Min-seon, a Yoon supporter, is quoted as saying it was the only way to deal with liberals blocking Yoon’s efforts to fight Pyongyang and Beijing’s campaigns to threaten South Korea’s democracy through cyberattacks, disinformation and technology theft — something denied by the opposition party.

Yoon had long provoked the ire of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un over his plans to increase his country’s nuclear capacity. The former South Korean leader sought increased cooperation with the U.S. as a deterrent to the North Korean threat.

A spokesman from the Chinese embassy in Washington D.C. did not answer Fox News Digital questions on allegations the country interferes in Seoul's politics. Questions sent to the South Korean embassy were not returned.

China's Warships 'Militarize' Waters Near US Ally

Beijing is accused of attempting to "militarize" the Yellow Sea between China and South Korea, a key United States ally, by frequently sending warships to the waters that are under its neighbor's jurisdiction.
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The Chinese military is expanding its reach and presence in the Western Pacific Ocean with the world's largest navy by hull count, deploying its warship fleet to the waters near other countries, including the waters between the Japanese archipelago and the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea has demanded that China remove three structures in the Provisional Measures Zone (PMZ), referring to the waters in the Yellow Sea where the two countries' exclusive economic zones (EEZs) overlap. Seoul feared a change in the status quo in Beijing's favor.

What To Know

Citing military data, the South Korean newspaper The Chosun Daily said on Wednesday that there are "growing signs" of the Chinese attempt to "militarize" the Yellow Sea, as its naval ships had entered the waters under South Korea's jurisdiction over 330 times in 2024.

According to the report, these Chinese naval incursions took place in both the PMZ and the waters that are considered within the South Korean sole EEZ. Meanwhile, the South Korean military did not observe any Chinese naval ships sailing in the country's territorial waters.

All countries enjoy the freedom of navigation in the EEZ, as it covers the waters up to 200 nautical miles beyond the territorial sea of any country, which itself extends 12 nautical miles from shores, according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

India and Pakistan Flex Naval Muscles as Nuclear Tensions Rise

The Indian Navy is conducting drills in the Arabian Sea in an area less than 100 miles from where Pakistan's navy is carrying out exercises, according to Indian media.
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Growing tensions between India and Pakistan are fueling concerns about the potential for conflict between the two nuclear-armed South Asian nations following an attack on tourists in Kashmir which killed 26 people — mostly Indian nationals. India accused Pakistan over the attack, but it has rejected any responsibility.

The United States has urged both countries to refrain from escalation as concerns are growing about the potential for war between countries that each have around 200 nuclear warheads.

What To Know

The Indian Navy has issued four firing notices for live weapons drills off the Gujarat coast, just 85 nautical miles from where Pakistan is holding naval exercises in the Arabian Sea, according to India Today, citing unnamed defense sources.

News agency ANI reported: "According to defence sources, warships are on high alert, with multiple anti-ship and anti-aircraft firings executed recently to demonstrate combat readiness and deter potential threats in the region."

The recent drills highlight India's military capabilities, which significantly exceed Pakistan's in terms of fleet size, warship technology, and maritime surveillance reach. The Indian navy has carried out multiple recent naval missile tests and posted images on social media.

Pakistan had issued further notification of firing in the Arabian Sea in its ongoing exercises, according open source intelligence analyst Damien Symon in a posting on X.

MIDDLE EAST

Hamas Says Arson 'Legitimate' Method of War, Denies Setting Israel Fires

Asenior official of the Palestinian Hamas movement has not ruled out the possibility of using arson in its ongoing war with Israel, which is currently beset by what officials describe as the worst wildfires in the nation's history.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Thursday that 18 suspects have been arrested for alleged arson amid the inferno, which has spread across more than 5,000 acres in the foothills of Jerusalem over the past two days. The figure was disputed by unnamed police sources cited by Israeli media, including Israeli Army Radio and the Times of Israel, which counted three individuals detained for attempted arson at separate sites unrelated to the fires in Jerusalem.

One of those arrested was a resident of East Jerusalem's Umm Tuba neighborhood, said by the Israel Police to have been detained while in possession of a lighter, cotton wool and other incendiary materials. Another detainee is from East Jerusalem's Issawiya neighborhood, said to have been held on suspicion of inciting acts of arson online.

The arrests came amid calls from some Palestinian social media accounts to set fire to Israeli property in the midst of the Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) ongoing operations in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

But Basem Naim, a Hamas Political Bureau member and spokesperson, cast further suspicion on the claims by the Israeli government while denying any direct participation in the fires.

"We have no knowledge of the identities of the detainees, nor do we have prior knowledge of these activities," Naim told Newsweek. "We doubt the occupation's narrative because we are accustomed to their lies and their evasion of political and legal responsibility for their failures, placing them on other parties. I do not believe that any of the detainees have any connection to Hamas."

Asked about whether the group would support such acts, however, Naim said that "resisting the occupation by all means and methods, including armed resistance, is a legitimate right of the people under occupation, and we call for and encourage this."

Israel Reopens Ben Gurion Airport After Houthi Missile Strike

At least six people have been wounded following a Houthi missile attack on Israel's Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.

Flights were briefly suspended from the airport on Sunday after a ballistic missile launched from Yemen hit the airport's vicinity and caused damage, reports said.

Although the airport has reopened, this strike caused British Airways to suspend all flights to Tel Aviv until May 7.
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The attack is another escalation in the proxy fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Although the Houthis have been firing missiles at Tel Aviv and other Israeli targets since 2023, this is one of few successful impacts, leaving the IDF to question how the missile got through its defenses.

What To Know

The strike hit an open area close to Terminal 3 at Ben Gurion Airport early on Sunday, resulting in six injuries.

A man in his 50s sustained trauma to his limbs. Two women, aged 54 and 38, were injured by the shock wave. One man was hit by an object from the impact site, and two other women were hurt while running for safety. None of the injuries were life-threatening.

Footage from the strike shows plumes of black smoke rising from the terminal as people run for cover amid siren sounds. Photos from the strike show shrapnel covering a road near the terminal.

The Israeli military has said the strike is under investigation as multiple attempts to prevent the missile from hitting Israel failed.

Houthi rebels have said the strike demonstrates their capabilities in a war where they have "no red lines."

Iran Slams Trump as Nuclear Tensions Grow: "Destructive and Unlawful"

A senior Iranian military official has accused President Donald Trump of stoking domestic unrest and destabilizing the global order through what he called aggressive policies, warning that the United States is speeding toward international decline under his leadership.

Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi described Trump's conduct as "destructive and unlawful"—a sharp rebuke delivered just as critical nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington face fresh delays.
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The remarks reflect heightened frustration in Tehran as diplomatic progress falters. Iran's sharp criticism of Trump's leadership, paired with a warning about worsening instability, adds further strain to a negotiation process already weakened by sanctions, threats, and deep distrust. With a postponed fourth round of talks and intensifying rhetoric, hopes for de-escalation are dwindling.

What to Know

Safavi, top military adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Friday that Trump's conduct is fueling America's internal disorder and international isolation. "Trump's destructive and unlawful behavior has disrupted America internally and created instability internationally," he told Iranian state media.

Safavi added that Trump's confrontational style has alienated allies and undercut international cooperation. "His confrontational approach has caused tensions with many countries and undermined global order," he said, calling it a symptom of American decline.

Trump's Threat

On Thursday, President Donald Trump issued a sweeping threat on social media, warning that "any country or person" purchasing oil or petrochemicals from Iran will face immediate U.S. sanctions. He added that violators "will not be allowed to do business with the United States of America in any way, shape, or form." China, Iran's largest oil customer, is widely seen as a primary target of the message.