US budget carrier Spirit Airlines shuts down after talks for a government bailout failed, leaving 17,000 workers jobless and many passengers stranded. Rising fuel prices from the US-Israel war on Iran partially blamed for Spirit’s rapid decline.
Published On 2 May 20262 May 2026
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The US president says he will ‘soon be reviewing the plan Iran has just sent to us’, but doesn’t think he can make a deal.
Published On 3 May 20263 May 2026
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Redi Tlhabi speaks to Professor Robert Pape on the rise of political violence in the US.
After the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, has the US entered a new age of political violence? The third alleged attempted assassination of US President Donald Trump in recent years follows a series of politically motivated violent incidents last year, including the assassinations of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk and Democratic state legislator Melissa Hortman. What is causing the increase in political violence in America? And how much is the Trump administration driving the politically divisive atmosphere with violent rhetoric and lethal foreign policy?
This week on UpFront, Redi Tlhabi speaks with Robert Pape, professor of political science at the University of Chicago and author of the upcoming book “Our Own Worst Enemies: America in the Age of Violent Populism”.
Published On 2 May 20262 May 2026
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Ruben Rocha Moya again denies allegations he shielded cartel, says taking ‘temporary leave’ to defend self.
The governor of Mexico’s Sinaloa state has temporarily resigned days after being charged by United States authorities in a sweeping drug trafficking indictment that has further strained relations between the two countries.
In a brief video statement posted late Friday, Ruben Rocha Moya again denied any wrongdoing, but said he was taking “temporary leave” to defend himself against the US allegations.
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The indictment unsealed by US prosecutors earlier this week claimed that Rocha Moya and nine other officials directly aided the Sinaloa drug cartel in its smuggling operations in exchange for political support and bribes.
That support included members of the powerful cartel kidnapping and threatening opposition candidates in the 2021 election and stealing paper ballots cast for those running against Rocha Moya, the indictment charged.
Rocha Moya is a member of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s progressive Morena party.
“My conscience is clear,” Rocha Moya said in the video message. “To my people and to my family, I can look you in the eye because I have never betrayed you, and I never will.”
Juan de Dios Gamez Mendivil, the mayor of the Sinaloa state capital Culiacan who was among the other officials charged by the US, also announced he would step down on Saturday. He has denied the allegations.
Sheinbaum has also pushed back on charges, which come at a time when she has sought to navigate tense relations with the administration of US President Donald Trump.
On Thursday, she said her government had not been provided with any concrete evidence to back up the claims, suggesting the information laid out in the indictment was insufficient.
“My position on these events is as follows: truth, justice and the defence of sovereignty,” Sheinbaum said.
She added that if “clear and irrefutable evidence” is presented, the US still must proceed “in accordance with the law under our jurisdiction”.
Sheinbaum maintained her government will not “shield anyone who has committed a crime”.
“However, if there is no clear evidence,” she added, “it is evident that the aim of these charges by the [US] Department of Justice is political.”
Since taking office in January of last year, the Trump administration has heaped pressure on Mexico to do more to address migration and drug smuggling.
The approach has included Washington imposing a host of tariffs as leverage against Mexico’s government.
The US State Department has also labelled several Latin American drug cartels as “Foreign Terrorist Organisations”, an unorthodox move in line with the administration’s more militaristic approach to Latin America.
The administration has broadly argued that the criminal groups are driven, in part, by efforts to destabilise the US, a claim rejected by many longtime experts.
Sheinbaum has walked a careful line with Trump, increasing cooperation in countering cartels while pledging to protect Mexico’s sovereignty. Notably, she has staunchly opposed the prospect of any US military action on Mexican soil.
But experts have said charging elected officials in Mexico represents a major escalation in the Trump administration’s strategy.
Speaking to Al Jazeera this week, Vanda Felbab-Brown, an expert on non-state armed groups at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington, DC, said the approach had “long been considered a very big step, almost a ‘nuclear option’”.
She predicted more US indictments were likely to come.
Another assassination attempt on Donald Trump reveals mistrust in the media and conspiracy theories fill the gap.
An assassination attempt at the White House correspondents’ dinner underscored the spectacle, chaos and violence that have defined Donald Trump’s second presidency.
As journalists rushed to report what had happened, a parallel narrative of conspiracy was already taking shape online. Conspiracy theories get far more currency than they merit – and they are a by-product of an information landscape that has been muddied by Trump.
Contributors:
John Nichols – Executive editor, The Nation
Niall Stanage – White House columnist, The Hill
Amber Duke – Editor-in-chief, Daily Caller
Suzanne Kianpour – Cohost, Global Power Shifts podcast
Russia’s effort to tighten internet restrictions and throttle Telegram has caused a furious public backlash. The uproar has forced President Vladimir Putin to admit the measures went too far. Ryan Kohls reports.
Throughout two years of war, Israeli forces have used drones, AI-powered targeting and the infiltration of Lebanese communications devices and the networks they rely on – to control the population, spread terror and kill people. And it has escalated its information war, using all kinds of propaganda to deepen fear and divisions within Lebanese society. We speak to Justin Salhani about the tactics Israel is using in Lebanon.
Featuring:
Justin Salhani – Senior producer, Al Jazeera Digital
Published On 2 May 20262 May 2026
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SPIRIT Airlines has confirmed it has officially shut down after all last-minutes attempts to save the company fell through.
Donald Trump on Friday had said he had offered a final proposal for a federal bailout.
But a deal was not made after talks hit a wall over a $500million rescue package.
American, United and Frontier Airlines have all offered to support any passengers left stranded by the closure.
It comes after the airline filed for bankruptcy for a second time.
“It is with great disappointment that on May 2, 2026, Spirit Airlines started an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately,” the airline said in a statement on Saturday.
“All Spirit flights have been cancelled, and Spirit Guests should not go to the airport.
“We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the last 34 years and had hoped to serve our guests for many years to come.”
Spirit, like many other airlines, has been plagued with skyrocketing fuel costs as the Iran war continues, with some carriers raising fares and increasing checked bag fees.
“Unfortunately, despite the Company’s efforts, the recent material increase in oil prices and other pressures on the business have significantly impacted Spirit’s financial outlook,” it said.
Some other budget-friendly airlines have asked the government for help as they face jet fuel price spikes.
Spirit’s collapse just a day after it was still selling tickets to travelers has left thousands stranded as all flights have been canceled.
In addition to this, 17,000 workers are now out of work including 14,000 airline employees and thousands of contractors.
Passengers with Spirit tickets will be getting automatic refunds if they booked directly with the airline using a debit or credit card.
Those who have tickets from travel agents must “contact the travel agent directly to request a refund.”
The airline added that it will not be able to help passengers re-book their flights with another airline.
However, rival carriers have offered help, with JetBlue offering passengers $99 one-way fares for those who have proof of a Spirit itinerary for the same route of travel until May 6.
The airline has urged stranded passengers to call 1-800-JETBLUE for help getting where they need to go.
In addition to this, JetBlue has capped basic fares at $299 or less on certain non-stop routes.
Similar moves are being made by United, Delta, and Southewest, the Department of Transportation confirmed.
“The Trump Administration is committed to taking care of you and your family when you fly,” said US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
“In a matter of hours, we’ve activated our airline partners to ensure passengers are not stranded, communities maintain route access, fares do not skyrocket, and Spirit’s workforce is connected to new job opportunities.”
The department has outlined the ways that it and fellow airlines are assisting those affected by Spirit’s collapse from capped and reduced fares to refund advice and employee support.
Duffy has largely blamed former President Joe Biden for the airline’s collapse.
This is because a proposed merger between Spirit and JetBlue was blocked under the Biden administration in 2024 which Duffy called “a massive mistake” in a press conference on Saturday morning.
He added that President Trump was “like a dog with a bone” trying to find a deal to keep Spirit afloat but noted that the airline “was in dire straights long before the war in Iran.”
And it’s not just Spirit struggling financially, with The Association of Value Airlines seeking $2.5billion in federal help to keep discount airlines like Breeze and Frontier running amid high fuel prices.
Duffy has already rejected this level of funding and in his press conference, accused low-budget airlines of trying to piggyback on the generosity the Trump administration showed to save Spirit in trying to save it.
China’s UN Ambassador Fu Cong says maintaining the ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz are “urgent” priorities, warning the issue will be high on the agenda if it remains closed during President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to Beijing.
Published On 2 May 20262 May 2026
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The collapse of the US-based budget carrier due to a doubling in jet fuel prices will cost thousands of jobs.
Published On 2 May 20262 May 2026
Low-cost US carrier Spirit Airlines has said that all of its flights have been cancelled as it started an “orderly wind-down of operations,” after a potential White House bailout fell through.
“Spirit Aviation Holdings, Inc., parent company of Spirit Airlines … today regretfully announced that the Company has started an orderly wind-down of operations, effective immediately. All Spirit flights have been cancelled, and Spirit Guests should not go to the airport,” the airline said in a statement in the early hours of Saturday.
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Spirit had 4,119 domestic flights scheduled between May 1 and May 15, offering 809,638 seats, according to the latest data from Cirium.
The collapse of the carrier due to a doubling in jet fuel prices during the two-month-old Iran war will cost thousands of jobs. It is also a blow to US President Donald Trump, who had proposed $500m to save Spirit despite opposition from some of his closest advisers and many Republicans in Congress.
Spirit had reached a deal with its lenders that would have helped it emerge from its second bankruptcy by late spring or early summer. But those plans derailed after the US war on Iran triggered a spike in jet fuel prices, upending Spirit’s cost projections and complicating its bankruptcy exit.
A Spirit board meeting had ended without an agreement to rescue the company, a person close to the discussions told the Reuters news agency late on Friday.
“Unfortunately, despite the Company’s efforts, the recent material increase in oil prices and other pressures on the business have significantly impacted Spirit’s financial outlook,” Spirit said in a statement announcing its “orderly wind-down”.
Trump on Friday said the White House had given Spirit and its creditors a final rescue proposal, after talks hit an impasse over a $500m financing package that would have helped the airline keep operating through bankruptcy.
“If we can help them, we will, but we have to come first,” Trump told reporters. “If we could do it, we’d do it, but only if it’s a good deal.”
Spirit’s restructuring plan assumed jet fuel costs of about $2.24 a gallon in 2026 and $2.14 in 2027, but prices had climbed to about $4.51 a gallon by the end of April, leaving the carrier unable to survive without new financing.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Reuters he had tried to get many airlines to buy Spirit but found no takers. “What would someone buy?” Duffy asked. “If no one else wants to buy them, why would we buy them?”
A creditor close to the deal said, “The Trump administration made an extraordinary effort to try and save Spirit, but you can’t breathe life into a corpse. Given that, the company should make its intentions clear for the sake of its customers and employees.”
No US carrier of Spirit’s size – it accounted for 5 percent of US flights at one point – has liquidated in two decades. Spirit helped keep fares lower in markets where it competed against major carriers.
Its collapse shows how the Iran war’s fuel-price shock has exposed weaker airlines. Across the globe, airlines have been increasing prices to reflect the high cost of jet fuel and some airlines have also cut flights.
German airline Lufthansa last month said it cancelled 20,000 flights in a bid to protect itself from the soaring cost of oil.
On Friday, Indian carrier Air India also said it has increased fuel surcharges on all flights and said it will cut 100 flights a day across domestic and international routes.
US President Donald Trump says the latest Iranian peace proposal includes demands he ‘can’t agree to’.
Published On 2 May 20262 May 2026
United States President Donald Trump has voiced frustration with Iran’s latest peace proposal, saying “they’re asking for things I can’t agree to”, and cautioning against ending the conflict too early, only for tensions to resurface “in three more years”.
At the same time, Washington has warned that ships paying tolls or fees to Iran to transit the Strait of Hormuz could face US sanctions, signalling a tougher stance on maritime activity linked to Tehran.
Meanwhile, a new Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll shows 61 percent of Americans believe Trump’s use of military force against Iran was a mistake.
Here is what we know:
Donald Trump says US forces are ‘like pirates’ taking over Iranian ships and cargo near the Strait of Hormuz. The US is maintaining a blockade of Iran’s ports and has seized at least three Iranian flagged vessels.
Published On 2 May 20262 May 2026
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Seoul – Shekinah Yawra had no other option but to spend the night at a South Korean jjimjilbang, a 24-hour bathhouse, after every hotel near central Seoul sold out in late March.
But sleep was secondary for the 32-year-old Filipino who had made her way to Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square at 7am to secure a spot in a crowd that city officials estimated would grow to hundreds of thousands.
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All this was for a glimpse at the seven-member K-pop supergroup BTS, who returned to the stage on March 21 after almost four years away from the limelight for their staggered, mandatory military service.
Though she failed to secure one of 22,000 free tickets for BTS’s first return concert in the square, Yawra was still ecstatic to stand on the sidelines and watch the concert live on a big screen set up for the occasion.
“We all came just for this,” she told Al Jazeera, recounting how friends had flown in from the Philippines for a single night to catch the concert.
Worldwide, more than 18.4 million viewers tuned in for the Netflix livestream of the concert.
With an estimated 30 million fans worldwide – who refer to themselves as the BTS ARMY – the K-pop group is the most visible symbol of “Hallyu”, or the “Korean Wave”, and the global surge of interest in South Korean popular culture and the financial revenues being generated as a result.
In late March, BTS’s 10th studio album, Arirang, topped the charts in the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom, the world’s three largest music markets. The group’s upcoming world tour is expected to generate more than $1.4bn in revenue across more than 80 shows in 23 countries.
Domestically, inbound tourist numbers for the first 18 days of March rose 32.7 percent from the previous month, according to Ministry of Justice data, as the return concert approached and hotel prices surged across central Seoul amid the demand for rooms.
In the week leading up to the concert, sales of BTS merchandise – from BTS glow sticks to blankets – surged 430 percent at the Shinsegae Duty Free retail outlet in central Seoul, the company said.
Over the concert weekend, revenues also rose 30 percent at the city’s Lotte Department Store and 48 percent at Shinsegae overall, compared with the same March weekend a year earlier, in 2025.
As far back as 2022, the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute (KCTI) – a government-sponsored think tank and research organisation – estimated that a single BTS concert in Seoul could generate up to 1.2 trillion won ($798m) in overall economic impact.
KCTI researcher Yang Ji-hoon told Al Jazeera that a sample study of the crowd at the BTS comeback event at Gwanghwamun Square highlighted the uniqueness of fandom-driven tourism. More than half of those at the concert were foreign visitors and many required long-haul travel to attend.
“In Europe and the United States, travel tends to be concentrated within its own regions,” Yang said.
“So, for people to overcome such travel barriers and come to South Korea, it usually requires more than just ordinary motivation or typical spending – it’s not something that happens easily,” he said.
The scale of BTS’s return to the entertainment world reflects a broader state-backed strategy.
When music promoter Hybe requested Seoul city support for the Gwanghwamun square comeback concert, authorities approved it on public-interest grounds, treating the event as a showcase of national cultural influence.
Almost befitting an official event, more than 10,000 state personnel were deployed for security, logistics and crowd control.
According to data retrieved by South Korean publication Sisain, through a public information disclosure request to the Seoul government, close to 130 million won ($87,400) of city funds were spent as part of logistics for the comeback concert.
South Korean government support for BTS has a precedent.
As members of the boyband approached South Korea’s mandatory military service age, policymakers debated special exemptions for members of BTS, which was estimated to have generated $4.65bn annually to the country’s economy.
After BTS’s forthcoming concerts in Mexico City sold out in just 37 minutes, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung to “bring the acclaimed K-pop artists more often”, noting nearly one million fans in Mexico had attempted to secure 150,000 tickets.
South Korea’s cultural influence is also extending beyond music.
South Korea’s cosmetics exports surpassed $11bn last year, according to global accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), overtaking France in cosmetics shipments to the US, while South Korean food and agricultural exports reached a record $13.6bn, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
KCTI researcher Yang described the growing interest as a phase of “transition to the global mainstream”, where South Korean products are internationally recognised and content output is measured against worldwide benchmarks such as the Billboard charts and the Academy Awards.
He also warned that structural reform is now essential to keep pace with the wave of interest in South Korea.
“As the industries expand in scale, they must also evolve in its underlying systems, infrastructure, and workforce,” he said.
“Rather than focusing solely on direct financial support, future governmental policies should move toward strengthening foundational conditions – such as improving labour environments, addressing unfair practices, building relevant infrastructure, and establishing more robust statistical and data systems,” he said.
Politicians appear to be paying attention.
During his election campaign last year, President Lee framed the next phase of cultural expansion as “Hallyu (Korean Wave) 4.0”, with promises to grow the sector into a 300 trillion won ($203bn) industry with 50 trillion won ($34bn) in exports.
In line with this vision, the government set the budget to bolster “K-content”, support the “pure” arts sector and strengthen the overall culture-related fields at a record 9.6 trillion won ($6.5bn) — reflecting the president’s view of the cultural sector as a strategic national industry rather than merely a consumer market.
South Korea’s strategy appears to be paying off.
South Korea now ranks 11th globally in “soft power”, according to Brand Finance’s Global Soft Power Index, placing the country as both “influential in arts and entertainment” and “products and brands the world loves”, just behind the US, France, the United Kingdom and Japan.
Amid its global success, the darker side of the K-culture industry has received more scrutiny.
Mega-promoter Hybe has been embroiled in a prolonged dispute with K-pop’s New Jeans, a band considered to be a potential heir to BTS and their all-female colleagues Blackpink. The highly public legal dispute that started in 2024 highlights industry tensions over creative control and artist autonomy.
Since the early 2000s, K-pop has also grappled with the legacy of “slave contracts”, or highly restrictive agreements limiting artists’ freedom. Although reforms by the Fair Trade Commission have improved protections for performers, contractual obligations in the K-pop industry are exacting on new performers and their strict work routines have long been documented.
From their trainee years, aspiring idols endure gruelling schedules that involve long workdays and little sleep.
Many top stars often face contractual restrictions on socialising, using their phones or dating. They are also typically limited in what they can say publicly, relying on agency-managed messaging to communicate with fans and the media.
While the rise of social media and other online platforms has opened new avenues for more direct expression and interaction in recent years, concerns over burnout and depression have continued to shadow the industry, with several high-profile stars taking their own lives.
Beauty standards associated with the K-culture genre have also become another flashpoint for controversy.
A 2024 report by South Korean economy news site Uppity found 98 percent of 1,283 respondents born between 1980 and 2000 viewed physical appearance as among the most desirable “social capital” an individual can possess.
Nearly 40 percent of respondents in the survey had undergone cosmetic procedures, while more than 90 percent held neutral or positive attitudes regarding undergoing medical procedures to enhance beauty.
According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, South Korea has the world’s highest rate of procedures, with 8.9 per 1,000 people compared with 5.91 per 1,000 people in the US and just 2.13 per 1,000 in neighbouring Japan.
Yoo Seung-chul, a professor of media studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, said that K-culture has reinforced the normalising of beauty as a significant metric of personal and social value.
“K-culture has reinforced systems and structures around self-expression,” Yoo told Al Jazeera.
“With the rise of webtoons that incorporate themes like plastic surgery, there has been a noticeable reduction in the stigma towards going under the knife among younger audiences in their teens and early twenties,” Yoo said, explaining that popular plastic surgery platforms such as Unni have further normalised the trend by connecting people to clinics and reviews of these clinics and their surgeons.
At the same time, globalisation has reshaped the K-culture industry itself. Many new K-pop acts now include international members to broaden appeal.
Hybe has expanded this strategy through its US subsidiary, Hybe America, producing globally oriented groups like Katseye, which only has one South Korean member in its six-member girl group.
The shift has prompted debate.
Even BTS’s latest album Arirang – a nod to South Korea’s most iconic folk song – has divided fans over its use of English lyrics and foreign producers.
“K-content is being designed with global audiences in mind from the outset. In film, there has been a noticeable rise in genres like horror and science fiction, which are easier to export internationally,” Yoo said.
“This global orientation is also reflected in K-pop agencies recruiting foreign members for idol groups,” he said.
But international audiences do not always prefer highly globalised versions of Korean content, Yoo said, adding, in fact, that many are drawn to K-pop’s “sense of locality”.
As audiences increasingly seek authenticity, Yoo argues the industry faces a defining challenge.
“Industries and companies need to figure out how to preserve a sense of local identity while effectively marketing to global audiences,” Yoo added.
“Striking that balance will be crucial in shaping the next phase of Korea’s cultural exports.”
US President Donald Trump said he is “not happy” with the latest peace proposal from Iran and warned that the alternative to talks is to “blast the hell out of” the country.
Published On 1 May 20261 May 2026
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White House officially tells Congress that hostilities with Iran have ‘terminated’ despite continued presence of US troops in Middle East.
Published On 2 May 20262 May 2026
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President Donald Trump has feuded with European allies over their reluctance to step up support for war on Iran.
Published On 1 May 20261 May 2026
The United States military has said that it will pull 5,000 troops out of Germany amid ongoing tensions with the key European ally concerning the US war against Iran, according to media reports.
Reuters reported that the Pentagon made the decision on Friday, several days after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Iran was humiliating the US during negotiations over the end of the war.
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“The president is rightly reacting to these counterproductive remarks,” the report cites an anonymous official as saying.
The news service reported that the withdrawal is expected to take place over the next six to 12 months. The decision was also reported by CBS News, citing senior defence officials.
President Donald Trump has lashed out at European allies for not doing more to assist the US-Israel war on Iran, and had stated on Wednesday that he was thinking of pulling troops out of European countries deemed insufficiently supportive.
The US outlet Politico reported earlier this week that Trump’s threats to pull troops out of European countries caught the military by surprise, citing several anonymous defence officials and a congressional aide.
Trump attacked his German counterpart in another social media post on Thursday, stating that Merz should spend more time trying to end the war between Russia and Ukraine and less time “interfering with those that are getting rid of the Iran Nuclear threat, thereby making the World, including Germany, a safer place”.
While European countries have been hesitant to commit their own forces to the US war on Iran, leaders such as Merz were initially hesitant to offer criticism of the US attacks, widely considered illegal under international law.
But criticism has mounted as the war sends shocks across the global economy due to serious disruptions to regional energy supply. Earlier this week, Merz compared the war to previous military quagmires such as the US invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.
“It is, at the moment, a pretty tangled situation,” he said. “And it is costing us a great deal of money. This conflict, this war against Iran, has a direct impact on our economic output.”
US President Donald Trump has said that all state permits for the 2026 recreational red snapper fishing season have been approved, a move he says will expand access for anglers across southeastern coastal states.
In a post shared on Truth Social on Friday, Trump described the decision as a “huge win” for fishermen in states including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
“For years, our Great Fishermen have been punished with VERY short Federal fishing seasons despite RECORD HIGH fish populations and the States begging to oversee these permits,” he added.
The policy centres on coordination with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which regulates fisheries and sets quotas and seasons in federal waters.
For years, recreational red snapper fishing has been tightly controlled at the federal level, often limited to brief seasonal openings that critics say restrict access.
At its lowest point in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the red snapper spawning stock fell to about 11 percent of its historical level, prompting strict conservation measures under a long-term rebuilding plan set to run through 2044.
Several southeastern states have since pushed for more flexibility, seeking a greater role in setting fishing seasons and expanding the number of days anglers can fish.
Catch limits and size requirements would still apply, with anglers typically limited to one fish per day in the South Atlantic.
Supporters argue the changes better reflect what they describe as a recovering red snapper population and would improve access for recreational fishermen.
“State management and expansion of Gulf snapper season have been a major boon for our Gulf of America communities, allowing so many Floridians and visitors to enjoy the Red Snapper our waters have to offer,” said Governor Ron DeSantis in a release of November 2025.
“I was proud to announce that Florida anglers will soon be able to enjoy more Atlantic Red Snapper fishing as well. The Trump Administration has taken action to rein in the bureaucracy and return this power to the states, where it belongs,” he added.
A similar approach has already been rolled out in the Gulf of Mexico, where states have taken on a larger role in managing recreational red snapper seasons.
But Ocean Conservancy, a US-based ocean conservation nonprofit, says there are growing warning signs under that system, including what it describes as a decline in the average size of fish and reports from anglers who say they must travel farther to catch a keeper.
The group also notes that recent Gulf Council meetings have included public testimony from fishermen raising concerns about a downturn in the stock.
The group says the Gulf population is about 10 times larger, meaning management approaches that appear sustainable there may not translate to smaller, more vulnerable stocks.
Marine scientists and conservation groups warn that loosening federal oversight could increase the risk of overfishing, particularly if monitoring and enforcement vary across states.
Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, regulators must set annual catch limits to prevent overfishing, but critics say longer fishing seasons could undermine those safeguards.
“These exempted fishing permits are an end run around sustainable management,” said Meredith Moore of Ocean Conservancy in a release shared with Al Jazeera.
“Just last year, NOAA’s own analysis showed a two-day season was needed to prevent overfishing. There is no doubt that allowing months-long seasons will lead to overfishing, while unproven data collection means we may not realise the damage until it is done.”
Others warn the impact could be felt beyond stock levels, affecting the long-term future of the fishery.
“Overfishing means sacrificing the chance to teach the next generation to fish in order to fill coolers this season,” added JP Brooker, the group’s Florida conservation director.
“Red snapper is a favourite of Floridians and out-of-state anglers. No one likes short fishing seasons, but if we don’t follow the science and let these fish recover, we could soon lose this cherished fishing season for good,” he added.
Ocean Conservancy estimates highlight the scale of concern. Federal regulators have set the South Atlantic recreational catch limit at 22,797 fish, yet a recent two-day season in Florida alone landed 24,885 fish.
The group estimates that catches could reach 485,000 fish over a 39-day season, more than 20 times the annual limit and potentially in breach of federal law.
Latest warning comes as Iranian state media reports Tehran has presented new peace proposal to US.
Published On 1 May 20261 May 2026
The United States has warned that any shippers paying tolls or other fees to Iran for passage through the Strait of Hormuz risk being sanctioned.
The warning on Friday comes as a US naval blockade of the strait continued for its third week, amid stalled US-Iran ceasefire talks. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called the ongoing siege on the country’s ports “intolerable”.
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Iran’s influence over, and ability to effectively close, the Strait of Hormuz emerged as a key point of leverage shortly after the US and Israel began launching attacks on Iran on February 28.
About one-fifth of the global crude oil and liquefied natural gas maritime shipments pass through the arterial waterway.
In its past proposals to end the war, Iran has proposed charging fees or tolls for vessels seeking to pass through the state. Washington has repeatedly rejected the prospect.
The advisory from the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said Iran may offer shippers fiat currency, digital assets, offsets, informal swaps, or other in-kind payments.
It said those also included payments framed as charitable donations, including to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, Bonyad Mostazafan, or Iranian embassy accounts.
“OFAC is issuing this alert to warn US and non-US persons about the sanctions risks of making these payments to, or soliciting guarantees from, the Iranian regime for safe passage,” it said.
“These risks exist regardless of payment method,” it said.
Both the government of Iran and the International Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) remain under US sanctions.
The advisory on Friday came as Iranian state media reported that Tehran had sent a new proposal for a lasting ceasefire to the Trump administration.
A White House spokesperson said it does not “detail private diplomatic conversations”, declining to confirm receipt of the proposal.
The spokesperson, Anna Kelly, added that “Trump has been clear that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon, and negotiations continue to ensure the short- and long-term national security of the United States”.
Both sides have largely halted attacks since reaching a tentative agreement to pause fighting on April 7. Trump has repeatedly threatened to resume attacks amid the stalled negotiations.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that Tehran remains open to diplomacy with the US if Washington alters its “expansionist approach” and “threatening rhetoric”.
Poll finds that Americans are concerned about impact of the war on the cost of living and sceptical of success thus far.
Published On 1 May 20261 May 2026
A new poll has found that a large majority of people in the United States believe that the decision to take military action against Iran was a mistake, as the war roils the global economy and fuels cost-of-living concerns in the US.
A Washington Post-ABC-Ipsos poll released on Friday shows that 61 percent of respondents believe the use of military force against Iran was a mistake, with just 36 percent saying it was the right decision.
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The poll is the latest to find low levels of support for the war launched against Iran by the US and Israel in late February, which has killed thousands of people across the Middle East and sent global energy prices surging.
Asked if they had changed their behaviour due to higher gas prices, 44 percent of respondents said they had cut back on driving, and 42 percent said they had done the same for household expenses. Those figures increased to 56 percent and 59 percent for respondents making less than $50,000 per year.
Those concerns come at a time when President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have dropped to new lows, with voters expressing frustration over economic issues and the cost of living.
The war has also been depicted as a contrast with Trump’s promise to keep the country out of unnecessary foreign wars, and 46 percent of respondents said the decision to attack Iran was inconsistent with the position Trump took during his presidential campaign.
Despite relatively low casualty figures among US forces, the poll found that the war on Iran is as unpopular as the Iraq War was during a period of heightened violence in 2006 and the Vietnam War was in the early 1970s.
Asked whether US military actions against Iran have been successful thus far, 39 percent said they had been unsuccessful, while 19 percent said they had been successful. A plurality of 41 percent said it was too soon to tell.
Support for the war remains robust among members of Trump’s Republican Party, however. Nearly 80 percent of Republicans said that the decision to attack Iran was the correct one, even as they were split evenly between rating operations as successful or stating that it was too soon to tell.
Iran says it will respond with “long and painful strikes” on US positions across the Gulf region if Washington renews attacks, and has restated its claim to the Strait of Hormuz, complicating the plans of the United States for a coalition to reopen the waterway.
Two months into the US-Israel war on Iran, the strait remains closed, choking off 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas supplies. That has sent global energy prices surging and heightened concerns about the risks of an economic downturn.
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Pakistan-led efforts to resolve the conflict have hit an impasse. Despite a ceasefire in place since April 8, Iran continues to block the strait in response to a US naval blockade of its ports, preventing oil exports – Tehran’s economic lifeline.
Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei defended the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. “This is because of the war and the defence of our right – that is, according to international law, it is legitimate, legal, and accepted,” he said on Thursday night, Iran’s official news agency IRNA reported.
He accused the US of “exploiting a waterway” of which Iran is the coastal state. “In such circumstances, you cannot allow this waterway to be misused,” he said.
Baghaei also justified attacks on US assets in Gulf countries.
“Unfortunately, the regional countries also truly acted unjustly; during the holy month of Ramadan, they cooperated with a foreign party in attacking an Islamic country, and this is something that will remain a permanent demand.”
On Thursday, the United Arab Emirates said it had banned its citizens from travelling to Iran, Lebanon and Iraq, and urged those currently in those countries to leave immediately and return home.
Then, on Friday, in response to Iran’s threat to hit targets in the Gulf, the adviser to the UAE’s president, Anwar Gargash, said: “No unilateral Iranian arrangements can be trusted or relied upon, following its treacherous aggression against all its neighbours.”
Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa also condemned what he described as Iranian aggression against Manama and accused Tehran of threatening its security and stability and exposing internal collaborators.
In a statement, the king expressed anger at individuals and some legislators accused of siding with the attackers, warning that traitors could face imprisonment, loss of citizenship and expulsion. He stressed that loyalty to the nation is “paramount”, urging unity and accountability, and said parliament must be “cleansed” of those who support enemies.
It is unclear whether the US is planning to renew its attacks on Iran.
Friday is the deadline for Congress to approve the war. Without that – or a 30-day extension, which the Trump administration must also justify by the day – the US will have to scale back its offensive significantly under the 1973 War Powers Resolution.
A senior administration official said late on Thursday that, for the resolution, hostilities had ceased with the start of the April ceasefire between Tehran and Washington, effectively resetting the clock.
President Donald Trump received a briefing from officials on Thursday on plans for a series of further military strikes to pressure Iran to negotiate an end to the conflict, US publication Axios reported, quoting sources.
US Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal told CNN on Thursday that he had the “impression from some of the briefings”, as well as from other sources, that “an imminent military strike is very much on the table”.
He added that this prospect was “deeply disturbing” because it could “well involve American sons and daughters in harm’s way” and lead to “potential massive casualties”.
Meanwhile, Iran has been bracing itself for likely attacks. Air defence activity was heard in some areas of the capital, Tehran, late on Thursday, Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency reported, and the Tasnim news agency said air defences were engaging small drones and unmanned surveillance aerial vehicles.
A senior official of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said any new US attack on Iran, even if limited, would usher in “long and painful strikes” on its regional positions. Iranian media reports, quoting the aerospace force commander, Majid Mousavi, said: “We’ve seen what happened to your regional bases, we will see the same thing happen to your warships.”
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a written message to Iranians that “the enemies’ abuses of the waterway” would be eliminated under the new management of the strait, indicating that Tehran intended to maintain its hold over it.
“Foreigners who come from thousands of kilometres away … have no place there except at the bottom of its waters,” he said.
Reporting from the White House, in Washington, DC, Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna said: “There’s no doubt that there have been various scenarios laid out for him [Trump] by his military advisers and by his intelligence advisers as to what to do should the ceasefire no longer be extended.”
“Obviously, that would involve some form of armed action, some form of intensified economic action.”
“There’s absolutely no doubt that President Trump has all sorts of scenarios that have been laid out in front of him, but very clearly as well, it’s going to be him and him alone who will choose what to do next,” Hanna added.
The Minnesota Timberwolves eliminated Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets while the New York Knicks put on one of the most dominant displays in NBA playoff history, destroying Atlanta to advance, and the surging Sixers beat the visiting Celtics again to force a decisive Game 7
Sixth-seeded Minnesota will play the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals after completing a 110-98 win on Thursday for a 4-2 series upset defeat of third-seeded Denver.
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Three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic top-scored for Denver with 28 but it was not enough to fend off the dogged Timberwolves, who were playing without star man Anthony Edwards due to injury.
The clash in Minneapolis was tight throughout, with no team gaining a double-digit lead until the game’s dying moments.
The Timberwolves edged the first half, leading 57-50 at the break.
Jokic roared to life. The Serbian superstar scored 14 points in the third quarter alone to ensure a nail-biting finish.
Having already been ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct from game four after a shoving match, Jokic enraged the home crowd by sparking another brawl, with Jaylen Clark.
With his Timberwolves leading by five with 90 seconds remaining, Jaden McDaniels sank a long jump-shot for two to rouse the home fans and force a Nuggets timeout.
When play resumed Denver could only turn over the ball again. McDaniels closed out the win with two free throws, ending his night with a career-high 32 points, to top-score overall.
“It’s a great night. It’s a great victory for us. Hopefully … we’ve got 12 more to go,” said Minnesota coach Chris Finch.
“We came into these playoffs not trying to beat Denver, but trying to win a championship.”
A visibly crestfallen Jokic, whose side last won the NBA championship just three years ago, said they “just didn’t do a good job”.
“I needed to play better. I must play better,” he added.
Edwards – out with a bone bruise and hyper-extended left knee – could return for the Timberwolves’ series with the high-flying Spurs.
Elsewhere on Thursday, the Knicks routed the Atlanta Hawks 140-89.
It was the most points scored and the biggest win by the Knicks in a playoff game, setting up an Eastern Conference semifinal with either the Celtics or the 76ers, who are tied 3-3 after a Philadelphia win.
The Knicks wrapped up their 4-2 series victory in emphatic style, leading the Hawks by as many as 61 points before benching their starters for the final quarter.
New York’s 47-point half-time lead, at 83-36, was the widest in NBA postseason history.
OG Anunoby top-scored with 29 points, including 26 in the first half, before he was rested. None of New York’s starters played more than 29 minutes.
“We can’t just meet the moment, we’ve got to exceed it, and I thought we did a great job of doing that tonight,” said Karl-Anthony Towns, who recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
Having finished third in the Eastern Conference, the heavily favoured Knicks had been down 2-1 early in the playoff series, before roaring back.
They are the first team to advance to the East’s semifinals – their fourth straight year of reaching that stage.
The Hawks briefly led at the start of the game, going up 11-9 before the wheels dramatically came off. They trailed 40-15 at the end of the first quarter.
The final 51-point margin of defeat was not quite the largest in playoff history, which stands at 58 points.
“Obviously you hate to lose anything. And to lose the way we did, I think, particularly given the enthusiasm and support that we’ve had from the people in this building … disappointed on a lot of levels,” said Hawks coach Quin Snyder.
The Celtics-76ers playoff series is headed for a decisive game seven in Massachusetts after Philadelphia beat Boston 106-93.
The Celtics had held a 3-1 series lead, but the 76ers proved dominant on their home court to make it 3-3.
Tyrese Maxey top-scored with 30 points. Paul George added 23, and 2023 Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid poured in another 19, plus 10 rebounds and eight assists.
It is the 23rd playoff series between the two historic rivals – an NBA record.
American Airlines has resumed flights as Donald Trump moves to rebuild ties following the abduction of Nicolas Maduro.
The first direct commercial flight between the United States and Venezuela has landed in Caracas, ending a seven-year suspension imposed by the US Department of Homeland Security over security concerns.
Flight AA3599, operated by Envoy Air, a regional subsidiary of American Airlines, departed Miami at 10:11am ET (14:11 GMT) on Thursday, five minutes ahead of schedule, according to airport data.
It arrived in the Venezuelan capital roughly three hours later and was due to return to Florida later in the day. Earlier, the airline said that a second daily flight between Miami and Caracas would start on May 21.
The return of nonstop flights comes months after a dramatic shift in US-Venezuela relations, following Washington’s January operation that led to the abduction of former President Nicolas Maduro, and marks the first direct air link between the two countries since diplomatic ties were severed in 2019. For years, travellers had used indirect routes through other Latin American hubs.
Translation: “For nearly seven years, there were no direct commercial flights between the United States and Venezuela. Under President Trump, we are changing that today. Flights between Miami and Caracas have resumed,” The US State Department posted on X.
At Miami International Airport, American Airlines marked the occasion with a small ceremony, decorating the departure gate with Venezuelan flags and balloon displays in the country’s yellow, blue and red colours.
Passengers were served coffee and arepas, a traditional Venezuelan dish, on board the flight.
Thursday’s service was operated by an Embraer E175 regional jet with a capacity for about 75 passengers.
US Transportation Secretary Sean P Duffy said the flight signalled more than the return of an air route.
“Today is about more than just another flight, it’s a critical milestone in strengthening the United States relationship with Venezuela and unleashing economic opportunity in both countries,” Duffy added.
He added that the resumption followed extensive work by the department and praised American Airlines for restoring a route he described as vital, saying more flights are expected in the coming months.
Despite the celebratory mood, high ticket prices remain a key barrier, alongside strict US visa requirements that have left many potential travellers without the documentation needed to fly.
Recent searches on the airline’s website show return fares for early May starting at more than $1,200, before dropping to just more than $1,000 later in the month, suggesting prices may ease as services expand.
By comparison, flights via Bogota typically range from $390 to $900 round-trip, with Avianca among the main carriers.
American Airlines was the last US carrier operating in Venezuela before suspending flights in 2019, while Delta and United had already withdrawn in 2017 amid a deepening political crisis that drove millions to leave the country.
“Parents will be able to reconnect with children, grandparents with grandchildren, and families with the place they once called home,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said before the departure. “Miami-Dade is home to the largest Venezuelan community in the United States.”
Palestine and Israel representatives had been lined up close together at the FIFA Congress in Canada.
Published On 30 Apr 202630 Apr 2026
Palestinian football federation president Jibril Rajoub refused to stand alongside Israel FA Vice-President Basim Sheikh Suliman in a heated moment at the 76th FIFA Congress.
Both men were called to the stand by FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the event on Thursday, but Rajoub declined to be brought closer to Suliman, a Palestinian citizen of Israel.
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Infantino put his hand on Rajoub’s arm and invited him with a gesture to come closer to Suliman, but in vain.
Asked what Rajoub said when he refused, Palestinian FA Vice President Susan Shalabi, who was in the room, told Reuters: “I cannot shake the hand of someone the Israelis have brought to whitewash their fascism and genocide! We are suffering.”
Israel has denied committing genocide in Gaza.
Infantino then took the stand and said: “We will work together, President Rajoub, Vice President Suliman. Let’s work together to give hope to the children. These are complex matters.”
Speaking to the Reuters news agency after the congress ended, Shalabi said Infantino’s attempt to have Suliman and Rajoub shake hands showed little consideration for the Palestinian FA chief’s speech, in which he made yet another plea for Israeli clubs not to base teams in the West Bank settlements.
“To be put in a position where to have a handshake after everything that was said, this negates the whole purpose of the speech that the general [Rajoub] was giving,” she said.
“He spent like 15 minutes trying to explain to everyone how the rules matter, how this could easily become a precedent where the rights of member associations are violated with impudence, and then we’ll just wrap this under the carpet. It was absurd.”
Last week, the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against FIFA’s decision not to sanction Israel over clubs based in West Bank settlements.
The PFA has long argued that clubs based in settlements in the West Bank – territory Palestinians seek as part of a future state – should not compete in leagues run by the Israel Football Association (IFA).
FIFA said last month it would take no action against the IFA or Israeli clubs, citing the unresolved legal status of the West Bank under public international law.
Israeli attacks on Lebanon killed at least 2,586 people and wounded more than 8,000 since March 2, local media report.
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