Iran War Live Updates: Coalition of 32 Countries to Tap Oil Reserves to Keep Prices in Check

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U.S. Seeks Extradition of Maduro Ally Alex Saab From Venezuela

The indicted tycoon Alex Saab is being detained in Venezuela on a U.S. request. His case tests President Trump’s sway over the country’s new rulers.

US responsible for deadly bombing of Iranian girls school, preliminary findings reportedly say – live

Strike on school in Minab, Iran, in which at least 175 people died was result of a ‘targeting mistake’, officials have told the New York TimesDonald Trump said that the US-Israel war in Iran will end “soon” because there is “practically nothing left to target” in a phone interview with Axios.“Any time I want it to end, it will end,” the president told the outlet. “The war is going great. We are way ahead of the timetable. We have done more damage than we thought possible, even in the original six-week period.” Continue reading...

Iran Soccer Players Seeking Asylum Are Part of a History of Athlete Defections

Members of the Iranian soccer team who chose to remain in Australia this week are far from the first to travel to a competition and stay there.

Lebanese residents left in shock and fear as Israeli strikes reach center of Beirut.

Starmer Was Warned About Risk of Appointing Friend of Epstein As Ambassador

British officials told Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Peter Mandelson’s close ties to Jeffrey Epstein before Mr. Mandelson was appointed U.S. ambassador.

Middle East crisis live: three ships hit in strait of Hormuz as ‘largest ever’ oil reserve release agreed by 32 countries

Thai navy responds to attack on bulk carrier; sources say Iran has deployed a dozen mines in the strait How have you been affected by the latest Middle East events?Over in Senate question time, the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has confirmed embassies in Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv and the consulate in Dubai all physically closed in the last week. Wong said the government’s number one priority is to “keep Australians safe at home and abroad”. She continued: “The dangerous and destabilising attacks by Iran put civilian lives at risk, including Australian lives.” More than 3,200 Australians over 23 commercial flights have returned to Australia since the US and Israel attacked Iran, setting off a regional conflict and grounding thousands of international flights.Wong criticised Nationals senators for “winding up people and stoking fear” to panic buy fuel. The senator said:“Petrol companies are telling us that fuel stock continues to arrive as expected and on time but there has been a large change in the pattern of demand and that is having an effect on the supply, particularly in regional communities. We have seen jerry cans coming off the shelves at Bunnings and lines at the pump.”One of the two members of the Iranian women’s football teams provided with a humanitarian visa to stay in Australia has changed her mind and contacted the Iranian embassy, according to the country’s home affairs minister.In Australia, people are able to change their mind, people are able to travel. So, we respect the context in which she has made that decision.Unfortunately, in making that decision, she had been advised by her teammates and coach to contact the Iranian embassy and get collected … As a result of that, it meant that the Iranian embassy now knew the location of where everybody was. Continue reading...

Starmer’s national security adviser expressed concern about Mandelson appointment, documents show - UK politics live

Release shows that Jonathan Powell warned Morgan McSweeney about the appointment of Mandelson as US ambassadorAs reported by Nadeem Badshah this morning, the documents relating to Peter Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the US expected to be released today will include a due diligence report by the Cabinet Office, which is believed to be two pages long.It is likely to raise questions about Keir Starmer’s judgment, with sources saying it had warned the prime minister of the serious “reputational risk” of going ahead with Mandelson’s appointment in December 2024 given his links with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.He has said, as you know that it is a little bit – it does fall into the category of too little too late, but I think they have a good, solid relationship, and hopefully they’ll be able to repair it. I go by what the president says, and the president says continuously that everybody is entitled to their point of view. But I think sometimes we detect that there’s not that feeling of gratitude.I think the president’s position is that we do plenty for Europe, plenty for the UK, in the area of trade, in the area of defence, in the area of the support we give to Nato. And I think sometimes the response back, the reciprocity back, is a little bit lacking. I would leave it at that, OK? Continue reading...

UK court rejects bid to reinstate ‘terrorism’ charge against Kneecap rapper

Rapper Liam O'Hanna welcomes ruling in case he says was 'never about any threat to the public, never about terrorism'.