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April 6 (UPI) — The United States and South Korea began a joint investigation Monday to locate the wreckage of at least three U.S. aircraft that crashed off South Korea’s northeastern coast during the Korean War, officials said.

The four-week survey of the Gangneung and Yangyang areas of northeastern Gangwon Province seeks to trace the wreckage of a fighter plane and two transport aircraft, ahead of underwater investigations scheduled for August, South Korea’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The joint survey is being conducted by the Pentagon’s POW/MIA Accounting Agency and South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense Agency for KIA Recovery and Identification, which will collect materials, including information from local residents, as well as confirm the availability of medical decompression chamber facilities essential for underwater operations.

“Since 2024, I have been coming to Korea for three years to work with MAKRI to find traces of the heroes who fought in the war,” U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Jordyn King, deputy team leader of the Pentagon’s DPAA investigation team in South Korea, said in a statement.

“During the one month given to us, we will carefully gather materials so that we can achieve good results in the future underwater investigation.”

Seoul said the survey covers three aircraft crash sites, including that of a transport plane that crashed on Nov. 15, 1952, after departing Gangneung Air Base for Pohang with nine people, including a South Korean service member, on board.

The plane suffered engine trouble mid-flight and crashed into the sea.

A second site is waters near Yangyang County, where a U.S. aircraft crashed on Feb. 21, 1952. The third is in waters near Gangneung, where a transport plane with 17 people on board crashed on Oct. 16 of that same year after suffering a mechanical problem.

“Just as we recover the remains of South Korean troops killed in action, we will spare no support in helping to find the war dead and missing of the U.S. military who helped us,” Lt. Col. Kim Seong-hwan, acting head of MAKRI, said in a statement.

The announcement comes months after the two agencies signed a memorandum of understanding in Arlington, Va., committing to the recovery and identification of remains of soldiers who were classified as missing during the Korean War of 1950-1953, which ended with an armistice.

According to a DPAA release announcing the signing in August, the agreement enhances cooperation and collaboration between the two agencies, while streamlining efforts to locate, excavate and identify the remains of fallen service members.

More than 1.8 million Americans served in the Korean War of 1950-1953, about 37,000 of whom were killed, more than 92,000 wounded and roughly 8,000 were listed as missing, according to Pentagon statistics.

Several Palestinians were rushed to hospital with severe injuries after an Israeli air strike hit a crowd near the Al Jazeera Club in central Gaza City. Near-daily Israeli attacks have killed more than 700 people since the so-called “ceasefire” entered into effect in October 2025.

April 5 (UPI) — Members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said Sunday they will again modestly boost oil production as war rages in Iran and the Persian Gulf, although the move is largely symbolic as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.

As first they did in March, the eight OPEC+ countries — Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman — on Sunday agreed to a 206,000 barrel-per-day production increase amid attacks by Iran on the oil and gas facilities of several of its members in the Persian Gulf.

Iran has blocked the key Strait of Hormuz shipping lane in response to the American and Israel attacks that started on Feb. 28.

Since then the global price of oil has shot up by close to 60% while gas prices at the pump in the United States have surpassed $4 per gallon.

Although the waterway remains choked off, the OPEC+ move indicated producers will likely ramp up production to help alleviate the worldwide oil shock once the Strait is reopened and production facilities in the Gulf states are secured from Iranian drones and missiles.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday continued to threaten Iran with destruction of civilian and military infrastructure by Tuesday unless Tehran loosens its grip on the Strait.

But Iran has remained defiant, continuing to launch drone attacks against OPEC members who host U.S. military facilities, particularly targeting Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE, where critical infrastructure again came under attack on Sunday.

Damage was sustained at civilian facilities in all three countries, officials reported.

The Kuwait Petroleum Corp. announced “significant material losses” after Iranian drone attacks on several of its facilities, the KUNA news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Kuwaiti Interior Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Nasser Bousleib said officials had registered nine reports of falling shrapnel during the preceding 24 hours, boosting the total of such incidents since the beginning of the Iranian aggression to 678.

April 5 (UPI) — Medical rescue teams airlifted a hiker from an Arizona mountain over the weekend after he sustained more than 100 bee stings and was unable to descend.

The Phoenix Fire Department said in a statement that rescue teams responded at about 10 a.m. Saturday to reports of a hiker being stung multiple times near the summit of Lookout Mountain in northern Phoenix.

The hiker, only identified as an adult man, was located by rescue crews. A Firebird 10 helicopter hoisted the man from the mountain, authorities said.

The patient was transferred to an ambulance waiting at the trailhead and taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition, according to the fire department.

The man’s condition on Sunday was unknown.

Lookout Mountain is smaller and less frequented by hikers than the more popular and taller North Mountain, but it provides views of the region without crowds, according to its website.

The medical emergency occurred amid recent concern in the area over swarms of bees and potential stinging incidents.

Late last month, at least five people were stung, including one person who was hospitalized, during a lacrosse game at Arizona State University.

The City of Tempe, located just east of Phoenix, issued a warning to residents early last month about bees following what it called “a small number of bee-related emergency calls.”

Following the rescue on Saturday, the Phoenix Fire Department warned the public about the stinging insects.

“Avoid disturbing hives, skip scented products when outdoors, wear light-colored clothing and if you encounter a swarm — run away quickly and protect your head and face,” it said in a statement.

April 5 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s intelligence agency faced renewed scrutiny over political neutrality after its former and current chiefs made conflicting appearances the same day, highlighting long-standing concerns about the agency’s role across administrations.

Former National Intelligence Service chief Cho Tae-yong was recommended for a seven-year prison sentence during a court hearing on charges including illegal political involvement and dereliction of duty, according to prosecutors.

Cho is accused of failing to report plans related to a Dec. 3 martial law declaration and attempting to conceal the situation to prevent the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol.

In his final statement, Cho denied wrongdoing, saying the agency “did nothing shameful” in relation to the situation. Prosecutors, however, argued the case represented a serious breach of constitutional order, accusing the intelligence service of being used to protect the leadership.

On the same day, current NIS Director Lee Jong-seok appeared before a National Assembly inquiry and raised allegations about the previous administration’s handling of a case involving alleged financial transfers to North Korea.

Lee said an internal review found signs that the agency may have tried to influence a prosecution investigation. He alleged that only selected documents were shared with prosecutors, potentially excluding materials that could have offered a broader perspective.

The developments marked a rare moment in which a former intelligence chief faced criminal charges while the sitting director publicly criticized actions taken under a previous administration.

Observers say the episode underscores a recurring pattern in South Korea, where intelligence leadership becomes entangled in political disputes during transitions of power.

Experts called for stronger institutional safeguards to ensure the agency’s independence from political influence, warning that repeated controversies risk undermining trust and encouraging risk-averse behavior among officials.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260405010001309

April 5 (Asia Today) — The number of financially vulnerable companies in South Korea has surged to a record high, with many firms struggling to cover even interest payments as high borrowing costs and weak domestic demand persist.

According to data from five major commercial banks, 3,364 companies were classified as at high risk of becoming distressed in 2025 credit assessments, up 828 from a year earlier. The figure marks the highest level since records began in 2005 and exceeds levels seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The increase reflects prolonged high interest rates and a slow recovery in domestic consumption, which have made it difficult for many firms to repay both principal and interest on loans.

More companies are also slipping into actual distress. Firms categorized as showing clear signs of financial trouble rose to 45, while those deemed unlikely to recover climbed to 98.

The strain is evident in broader financial indicators. The Bank of Korea said 46.4% of companies had an interest coverage ratio below 1 as of the third quarter of last year, meaning nearly half were unable to generate enough operating profit to cover interest expenses.

The rise in vulnerable firms is adding pressure on banks, which are already tightening lending standards. Non-performing corporate loans at the five major banks reached about 4.2 trillion won ($3.1 billion), even as overall corporate lending growth slowed.

Banks have responded by applying stricter credit risk assessments, but the rapid increase in troubled borrowers is raising concerns about asset quality in the financial sector.

Analysts warn that risks could grow further if geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to push up oil prices, fueling inflation and weakening corporate profitability.

A central bank official said prolonged external shocks could erode companies’ ability to service debt, potentially undermining financial stability.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260406010001361

April 5 (UPI) — Explosives were found in a border area between Hungary and Serbia near a pipeline that carries Russian gas, and which both depend heavily on.

Serbian president Aleksander Vucic said Sunday that the explosives were found in backpacks “a few hundred miles from the gas pipeline,” and that he’d alerted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban that an investigation was being mounted, CNN and The BBC reported.

“Our units found an explosive of devastating power,” Vucic said on Instagram. “I told PM Orban that we would keep him updated on the investigation.

Experts have suggested that a false flag, or staged, operation could be conducted in one of the two countries to help Orban in his re-election campaign, which has seen support for his 16-year rule in Hungary sagging.

Vucic said that although there were “certain traces” of the origin of the explosives and the backpacks that contained them, he could not offer details as Serbia’s military and police authorities are conducting their investigation.

The purchase and use of Russian oil by Hungary and Serbia, both of whose leaders are allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been controversial in Europe amid Putin’s now four-year-long war to take Ukraine.

Orban, who has previously accused Urkaine of blocking its ability to get the fuels it needs, said Sunday in a post on X that an investigation into the “powerful explosive device” is ongoing and that he had convened an emergency meeting of his defense council this afternoon.

Orban allies have suggested that Ukraine could be behind the attempted explosion based on previous allegations that the country is interfering with Russian-linked gas and fuel facilities amid the ongoing war.

These allegations included Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said it would be “illogical” for it to blow up its own gas pipelines, Ukrainska Pravda reported.

“In recent weeks, dozens of drones have been constantly attacking the TurkStream pipeline, which supplies gas to Hungary, on Russian territory, and now the terrorist attack foiled by Serbia appears to be part of these attacks,” Szijjarto said.

Sunday, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said that “Ukraine has nothing to do with this,” Ukriniform reported.

“We categorically reject attempts to falsely link Ukraine to the incident with explosives found near the Turkstream pipeline in Serbia,” Tykhyi said, noting that the incident could be a Russian effort to affect the upcoming election in Hungary.

During a trip to Damascus, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the two countries agreed to work together to provide ‘more security and opportunities for development for our societies’.

The leaders of Ukraine and Syria have pledged greater security cooperation, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Kyiv offers its military expertise to governments across the Middle East region amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Zelenskyy held talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus on Sunday, in his first trip to the Syrian capital since former leader Bashar al-Assad was ousted in 2024.

Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram that the leaders agreed to work together to provide “more security and opportunities for development for our societies”.

“There is a great interest in exchanging military and security experience,” he said.

Since the war began on February 28, Iran and its allied groups have attacked US and Israeli targets, as well as targets in Gulf countries, using a range of missiles and drones.

Ukraine, which has developed expertise in countering drone attacks in its more than four-year war with Russia, has offered its country’s expertise during Zelenskyy’s visits to countries in the region, and has sent teams to Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

During his visit to the Gulf states last week, Zelenskyy signed long-term military cooperation deals with Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Syria is not known to have any air defences capable of dealing with Iranian drones or missiles.

Zelenskyy also told al-Sharaa that Kyiv was a reliable grain supplier and said the two leaders “discussed joint opportunities to strengthen food security across the region”,

According to Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry on X, the country’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, also met Zelenskyy in Damascus on Sunday, as well as his Syrian counterpart, Asaad al-Shaibani and Ukraine’s Andrii Sybiha.

The meeting with foreign ministers came a day after Zelenskyy visited Turkiye, met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, agreed on “new steps” in security cooperation, and discussed joint gas infrastructure projects and gasfield developments.

April 5 (Asia Today) — A senior South Korean prosecutor refused to take an oath before a parliamentary inquiry, escalating tensions between the prosecution and lawmakers and raising the possibility of coordinated action within the prosecution.

Park Sang-yong, a deputy chief prosecutor leading an investigation into alleged illegal financial transfers to North Korea, declined to be sworn in as a witness during a National Assembly inquiry into allegations of politically motivated prosecutions under the previous administration.

Under South Korean law, witnesses may refuse to take an oath if their testimony could expose them to criminal liability.

Park submitted a seven-page written explanation to the committee chair and left the hearing after about 38 minutes. He later said the inquiry itself was unconstitutional and illegal, arguing that participating would amount to cooperating with an improper process.

“The law allows a refusal to take the oath if justified, yet I was prevented from following that procedure,” Park said after leaving the session.

Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho criticized the move as “highly inappropriate,” saying it undermined accountability. The acting prosecutor general also expressed regret, calling the incident unacceptable.

The dispute stems from an investigation into alleged payments to North Korea involving a South Korean company. Park has also faced separate allegations of misconduct during the probe, which are under investigation by prosecutors.

Within the prosecution, signs of collective action have emerged. Members of the investigative team reportedly created a group chat, fueling speculation about a coordinated response to the inquiry.

Legal experts warned the standoff could weaken the effectiveness of the parliamentary probe and deepen concerns over institutional conflict between the legislature and prosecution.

Some analysts said the episode reflects broader tensions over the independence of investigative authorities and the limits of parliamentary oversight.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260405010001293

Humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain dire, despite the “ceasefire” that came into effect in October.

For months, the Israeli military has violated the agreement – carrying out air strikes and limiting the entry of aid.

But the situation got worse when Israel and the United States launched their war on Iran on February 28.

The Rafah border crossing was closed again. And deliveries of food, fuel and aid were further restricted.

With the Iran war disrupting global supply chains and the United Nations warning of threats to food security, what are the implications for Palestinians in Gaza?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Dr Mohammed Tahir – Orthopaedic surgeon who has worked extensively in Gaza

Alex de Waal – Executive director of the World Peace Foundation

Xavier Abu Eid – Political analyst and former communications director for the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)

April 5 (UPI) — The four astronauts of the Artemis II mission were woken on Sunday by the sounds “Working Class Heroes (Work)” by CeeLo Green, and they will go to sleep as their spacecraft enters its sphere of gravitational influence.

Day 5 of NASA’s first journey to the moon in more than 50 years remained on course Sunday morning after maneuvering the Orion space capsule in its precise course to ricochet around the far side of the moon before heading back to Earth.

The crew is roughly half-way through its ten-day mission to test the abilities of the Orion space capsule and make direct observations of the far side of the moon, all of which will take them farther from Earth than any human has previously traveled.

The crew’s work for Sunday includes a full sequence of space suit operations and preparations for their approach to the moon, as well as their responsibilities during the five-hour trip around its back side, NASA said.

“We’re going to work!” NASA said in a post on X around 12:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday that the astronauts were hearing the day’s wake-up song, which the agency has been announcing each day of the mission.

In addition to the wake-up song, the astronauts were greeted this “morning” with an audio message from Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke, who in 1972 became the 10th person to walk on the moon at age 36.

“Below you, on the moon, is a photo of my family,” Duke said in the 46-second recording, which the crew posted to X. “I pray it reminds you that we, in America, and all of the world, are cheering you on. Thanks for building on our Apollo legacy with Artemis.”

The suits are designed to protect astronauts during “dynamic” phases of space flight, can keep them alive should the Orion’s cabin depressurize and are designed to provide life support after splashing down in the ocean when they return to Earth.

The demonstration, like many of the other tasks the Artemis II crew is conducting, are meant to inform later Artemis missions to land on the moon and eventually build a human base there.

Although the crew was able to skip two other planned correctional burns on the way to entering the moon’s gravitational influence, an outbound trajectory correction burn is still planned for later today.

The final lunar science targets that the astronauts will be inspecting, photographing and analyzing will be sent from mission control and the crew will prepare to actually enter the moon’s gravity.

Video captured the moment of a direct hit by an Iranian missile on a residential building in Israel’s Haifa. Multiple injuries were reported and some people are feared trapped under the rubble of the partially collapsed structure.

April 5 (UPI) — A 57-year-old man stands charged with driving his car into a crowd of parade-goers in southern Louisiana while drunk and causing multiple injuries, authorities say.

Todd Landry, of Jeanerette, La., was arrested Saturday after “striking multiple pedestrians” during the Lao New Year Parade in Broussard, La., located about seven miles south of Lafayette, La., in Iberia Parish, according to Louisiana State Police.

The exact number of people injured in the 2:30 p.m. incident remained unconfirmed on Sunday but Acadian Ambulance reported it transported a total of 11 patients by ground and two patients by air to nearby hospitals.

State troopers said they arrested Landry and booked him into the Iberia Parish jail on 18 counts of first-degree negligent injuring, one count of first-offense driving while impaired, careless operation of a vehicle and having an open container of alcohol in his car.

“Based on the preliminary investigation, this does not appear to be an intentional act,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

Iberia Parish Sheriff Tommy Romero on Sunday extended “heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the victims, their families, and the entire Laos community during this difficult time.

“We stand with those affected and ask our community to keep them in your prayers.”

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry also expressed concern, writing on X, “Sharon and I are praying for all those affected, and are grateful for the first responders who have responded to the scene.”

State Attorney General Liz Murrill said her office “will be following up with responding law enforcement agencies to offer support.”

April 5 (UPI) — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday beseeched world leaders to “lay down” the weapons of war and use “dialogue” rather than force as the means to bring about peace.

In the annual Urbi et Orbi address delivered by the presiding Catholic pontiff each Easter Sunday in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Leo said the holy day can provide a light from Christ allowing hearts “to be transformed by his immense love for us.

“Let those who have weapons lay them down. Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace. Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue. Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them,” Leo said in his first Easter address as pontiff.

An estimated 50,000 people jammed the Roman square to hear Leo’s Urbi et Orbi Easter Mass homily, or “To the City and the World,” in which he warned against allowing “indifference” to blunt the impact of war’s devastation as conflicts raged in Iran, Lebanon, Gaza, Ukraine and elsewhere in the world.

“We are growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it, and becoming indifferent,” he said. “Indifferent to the deaths of thousands of people. Indifferent to the repercussions of hatred and division that conflicts sow. Indifferent to the economic and social consequences they produce, which we all feel.”

Instead, he declared, “We cannot continue to be indifferent! And we cannot resign ourselves to evil!”

Leo, the first American pope, has been a frequent critic of U.S. President Donald Trump, but did not specifically mention him or any other leader or country during the Easter homily. Rather, he anti-war remarks were universal.

“On this day of celebration, let us abandon every desire for conflict, domination, and power, and implore the Lord to grant his peace to a world ravaged by wars and marked by a hatred and indifference that make us feel powerless in the face of evil,” Leo urged.

In his time as pope, Leo has established a track record of issuing unambiguous calls for peace.

Last month, for instance, he voiced a direct demand for an end to the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran as the conflict entered its third week.

“On behalf of the Christians of the Middle East, and of all women and men of good will, I appeal to those responsible for this conflict: Cease fire!,” the pope said during the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square on March 15.

The greatest threat to stability in the Middle East is not Iran, but “the US working closely together with Israel”, argues United States political scientist John Mearsheimer.

Mearsheimer tells host Steve Clemons that the notion that the US and Israel are making a safer, more stable Middle East is “ludicrous”. And the idea that Iran is “the great destabiliser” in the region is “a myth that the US and Israel purvey”.

After US President Donald Trump insisted that “We have all the cards; they have none”, Mearsheimer says the exact opposite is true – “and that’s why we are in desperate straits”.

In a trip that included visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE to discuss tensions brought about by the US-Israeli war on Iran, Italian PM Meloni emphasized the importance of the Gulf to Italian and European national security.

Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has proposed a roadmap for ending the United States-Israeli war on Iran as tensions escalate across the Middle East.

Zarif’s plan was published by Foreign Affairs magazine on Friday and goes “beyond a temporary ceasefire”.

The war, which erupted on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has spread across the Middle East and convulsed the global economy as Tehran attacked its neighbours, claiming to be targeting US assets there and restricting movement of vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

Regional hostilities showed no signs of abating on Sunday, a day after US President Donald Trump said Iran had 48 hours to cut a deal or face “all hell”.

Against this backdrop, Zarif’s roadmap said that although Iran viewed itself as successful in the war, prolonging the conflict – while potentially “psychologically satisfying” for Tehran – would only result in further loss of civilian lives and destruction of infrastructure.

Iran should, therefore, offer to “place limits on its nuclear program” under international monitoring as well as “reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for an end to all sanctions”, Zarif wrote.

Since the war began, Iran has virtually blocked the key waterway, through which one-fifth of the world’s crude oil and natural gas supplies normally pass.

Nuclear limits on Iran would include a commitment to never seek nuclear weapons and to blend its entire stockpile of enriched uranium so its enrichment levels fall below 3.67 percent, Zarif said.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimates, Iran is believed to have about 440kg (970lb) of uranium enriched to 60 percent, a level at which uranium can be quickly enriched to the 90 percent threshold needed to produce a nuclear weapon.

Zarif called Trump’s demand for zero enrichment “fanciful” thinking.

Iran should also “accept a mutual nonaggression pact with the United States” in which both countries pledge to not strike each other in the future, the former minister said.

The US should also end all sanctions and United Nations Security Council resolutions against Iran, he added.

Regional consortium

Zarif also outlined potential roles for regional and international actors.

He suggested that China and Russia along with the US could help create a regional fuel-enrichment consortium with Iran and its Gulf neighbours at West Asia’s sole enrichment facility with Iran transferring all enriched material and equipment there.

Zarif additionally proposed that Gulf states, UN Security Council powers and possibly Egypt, Pakistan and Turkiye should form a regional security framework to “ensure nonaggression, cooperation and freedom of navigation”, including arrangements to guarantee safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

“To further consolidate peace, Iran and the United States should initiate mutually beneficial trade, economic and technological cooperation,” Zarif added.

The Iranian politician said this roadmap would benefit Trump, offering him a “well-timed off-ramp” and an opportunity to claim peace.

“Emotions may be high, and each side is boasting about its war-front victories. But history best remembers those who make peace,” he said.

The US has presented Iran with a 15-point plan for a ceasefire as Pakistan, Turkiye and Egypt have been trying to achieve direct talks, but there has been no signs of progress on the diplomatic front.

What about the Gulf?

Officials from Gulf states have responded to Zarif’s proposal, criticising it for overlooking Tehran’s attacks against its neighbours.

“Reading M. Javad Zarif’s article in Foreign Affairs ignores one of the core flaws in Iran’s strategy: aggression against its Gulf Arab neighbors,” Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates, said on X on Saturday.

“Thousands of missiles & drones targeting infrastructure, civilians, even mediators, is not strength; it is hubris & strategic failure. The Arab world has seen this before: destruction peddled as victory,” he added.

Former Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani also responded to Zarif’s plan, writing on X on Sunday that he “agreed with much of it” and it took a “clever” approach.

Still, he pushed back, stating that the war has “led us all into a path that is more complicated and dangerous” and chiding Iran for its attacks on the Gulf.

“You may believe that you have achieved progress in some aspects, and perhaps temporary tactical gains, but the cost was clear: the loss of an important part of your friends in the region, and the erosion of the trust that was built over years,” he wrote.

“Today, we need a voice like yours [Zarif’s] merging from within Iran to propose solutions to this war,” he added.

Canadian Space Agency President Lisa Campbell expresses her pride as the Artemis II moon orbiting mission carries the first Canadian to the moon along with three Americans. She also discusses the significance of this mission.

Yamal’s unhappiness at the end of the match against Atletico Madrid was over missed scoring opportunities, Flick says.

Lamine Yamal’s apparent anger at the end of Barcelona’s win over Atletico Madrid stemmed from his inability to score a goal during the crucial La Liga fixture and was not linked to any off-field incidents, says the Catalan club’s manager, Hansi Flick.

The Spanish forward was visibly unhappy in the closing moments of the closely fought match in Madrid and did not celebrate with teammates when Robert Lewandowski scored the winner in the 87th minute on Saturday.

“He was a little bit angry,” La Liga leaders’ head coach, Flick, told reporters after the match.

The 18-year-old hit the post with a dinked effort after Fermin Lopez laid the ball off to him during the first half in a tense battle on the pitch.

A few minutes earlier, Yamal displayed great control, skill and vision to receive a ball in his own half, nutmeg an Atletico player and provide an open pass for Lopez in front of goal, but the 22-year-old failed to convert it into a goal.

“He [Yamal] gave it his all but was unlucky when it came to scoring or providing the final pass,” the German coach said.

“In the end, everything is fine.

“Of course, he has emotion. This was the game, with emotion, but he’s in the dressing room, and everything is good.”

Lewandowski’s dramatic late winner was celebrated by the Barcelona players on the pitch and bench, but Yamal looked subdued as he trudged on the pitch by himself.

Once the referee blew the full-time whistle, Yamal walked past Flick, who tried to placate his star player, and the two exchanged a few words before the forward headed back towards the dressing room.

Flick said Yamal’s reaction, or lack of it, was not “because of how he played, he played good”, and elaborated on his star player’s exasperation. “At the moment, he does not have this fortune that he scores the goals, but it can come back.”

Yamal has been at the centre of an Islamophobia controversy in Spanish football after he slammed anti-Muslim chants during his national team’s friendly match against Egypt in Barcelona on Tuesday.

At the ⁠⁠RCDE Stadium near Barcelona, the home ground of La Liga club Espanyol, Spanish supporters chanted “Whoever doesn’t jump is a Muslim” during the ⁠⁠World Cup warm-up match, which ended in a goalless draw.

It was the latest in a string of similar incidents to overshadow Spanish football in recent years, with Real Madrid’s Brazilian attacker Vinicius Junior in particular repeatedly racially abused.

Yamal is a Muslim player whose father moved from Morocco to Spain. He issued a damning statement on Instagram in the wake of the controversy.

“I am a Muslim. Yesterday at the stadium the chant ‘the one who doesn’t jump is the Muslim’ was heard,” he posted on Instagram in the aftermath of the match.

“I know I was playing for the rival team and it wasn’t something personal against me, but as a Muslim person it doesn’t stop being disrespectful and something intolerable.”

Yamal and Barcelona will return to action against the same opposition on Tuesday, as they host the fourth-ranked Spanish team in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal at the Camp Nou.

The fixture will provide another opportunity for the young player to add to his goal tally of 19 this season. He has scored 14 goals in La Liga and five in European competition.

“We have three days now to prepare for the next match,” Flick said when asked about the upcoming fixture.

“It’s a very important one, and he [Yamal] will be in a better mood than after the game.”

CCTV footage circulated online shows the moment that a military dog attacks a worshipper leaving a mosque during an Israeli raid on Tarqumiyah in the occupied West Bank.

Bahrain and the UAE also reported attacks resulting in fires, which were put out quickly.

Kuwait has said Iranian drone attacks damaged two power and water desalination plants and sparked a fire at an oil complex, without causing injuries.

Gulf countries have borne the brunt of Tehran’s response to the US and Israeli strikes on Iran since February 28.

Fatima Abbas Johar Hayat, a spokesperson for Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, said on Sunday the “criminal aggression” caused “serious material damage” overnight to the two plants and the outage of two electricity-generating units.

The attack is the latest to target civil infrastructure in Kuwait. Other drone attacks overnight caused a fire at the Shuwaikh Oil Sector Complex and “significant damage” to a government office complex.

Reporting from Kuwait City, Al Jazeera’s Malika Traina referred to the incident as “devastating news” because “water desalination here and across the Gulf is extremely important. In Kuwait, around 90 percent of the country’s drinking water comes from these plants”.

Alongside the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait has been at the “epicentre” of Iranian attacks over the past few days, said Al Jazeera’s Victoria Gatenby, reporting from Doha, Qatar.

“The concern here in the region is that if President [Donald] Trump and the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, follow through on those threats to escalate attacks on Iran, the result may be that Tehran attacks similar facilities here in the Gulf,” said Gatenby.

Gulf patience is not ‘unlimited’

Bahrain also faced Iranian attacks on Sunday.

Bahrain’s Gulf Petrochemical Industries Co said that several of its operational units were subjected to an attack by Iranian drones, while earlier in the day, the country’s national oil company, Bapco Energies, said an oil tank at one of its storage facilities was hit.

Both attacks caused a fire but were later brought under control and extinguished, Bahraini media reported.

No casualties were reported in either attacks, and damage from both was being assessed.

Earlier, Bahrain’s Ministry of the Interior had reported on the Bapco Energies fire without specifying where the blaze had broken out.

The Interior Ministry has said civil defence crews “extinguished a fire in the facility” that broke out “as a result of the Iranian aggression”.

The announcement came an hour after Bahrain activated air raid sirens.

Authorities in neighbouring Abu Dhabi on Sunday also stated they responded to several fires that broke out at the Borouge petrochemical plant, caused by falling debris from an interception.

“Operations at the plant have been immediately suspended pending a damage assessment,” read a statement issued by Abu Dhabi Media Office.

No injuries have been reported so far, it added.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, intercepted missiles early on Sunday, the kingdom said.

“Iran has said that it is only really attacking US military bases and US assets in the region, but we know from what’s been happening over the past five weeks and from what Gulf leaders have been saying that they have very much been targeting civilian infrastructure and critical energy infrastructure in this region as well,” said Gatenby.

While Gulf countries have shown “incredible restraint” in the face of attacks over the past five weeks, it is not because they lack the ability to respond and, increasingly, countries are talking about the fact that their patience is not unlimited, said Gatenby.

Saudi Arabia, in particular, has been talking in the past week about its right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter, she said.

“The GCC countries continue to say their main priority is de-escalation and dialogue, but some others have been saying this defensive posture may have to change if they continue to be attacked,” said Gatenby.

Miami captain scored his team’s first goal after David Beckham said the Nu Stadium was a ‘dream come true’ for Miami.

Lionel Messi marked the opening of Inter Miami’s gleaming new stadium with a goal as the Major League Soccer (MLS) champions battled to a 2-2 draw against Austin FC.

Inter Miami’s co-owner, David Beckham, was among the star-studded crowd as the club’s 26,000-capacity Nu Stadium made its debut on Saturday, marking the end of a more-than-a-decade-long journey to find a permanent home.

“To see this stadium come to life, after years and years of trying to get this stadium up and running in Miami, is something that’s very special,” Beckham said shortly before kickoff.

“I came to America in the MLS 20 years ago, and I made a lot of promises. And 13 years ago, I made a lot of promises again, announcing I was coming to Miami.

“Today it’s just a dream come true for us.”

While the match kicked off in celebratory fashion, with Beckham joining billionaire Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas in a pre-game ribbon-cutting ceremony, Austin refused to follow the script.

The Texas club, who went into the game with only one win from five matches, stunned the home crowd after only six minutes, with Guilherme Biro nodding in a corner from Facundo Torres to make it 1-0 to the visitors.

Messi, though, did not take long to open his account in his new surroundings.

Right-back Ian Fray burst down the flank and crossed for Messi, who equalised with a rare headed goal to make it 1-1 four minutes later.

Inter Miami dominated possession thereafter and carved out a string of chances, with Mateo Silvetti twice going close with a shot in the 34th minute before heading wide four minutes later.

But Austin’s dogged defence and speed on the counter continued to pose problems for the hosts, and they once again took the lead after 53 minutes.

Messi was dispossessed deep in the Austin half by Joseph Rosales, who released Myrto Uzuni, who in turn sent substitute Jayden Nelson clean through on goal to score.

With Miami increasingly desperate, coach Javier Mascherano sent on veteran striker Luis Suarez in the 73rd minute.

The Uruguayan duly delivered eight minutes later, prodding home from close range after a Messi corner was flicked on by German Berterame in the Austin defence.

Suarez thought he had scored a dramatic winner when he finished from close range after Messi’s free-kick came back off the woodwork, but it was ruled out for offside.