Medics said one Palestinian was killed and two others wounded in an Israeli airstrike near the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City, while a separate Israeli tank shelling in the central part of the enclave killed another person and injured several more.

There was no immediate comment from Israel on the reported strikes.Hostilities have persisted in Gaza despite the truce, with near-daily incidents reported by local authorities. Israel and Hamas have repeatedly accused each other of violating the ceasefire terms.At Al-Shifa Hospital, relatives gathered to mourn one of the victims, identified as Mohammed Al-Ghandour, according to hospital officials.

Witnesses described scenes of grief as family members assembled outside the morgue.Local medics say at least 830 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire took effect, while Israeli authorities report that militants have killed four Israeli soldiers over the same period.

Israel says its operations are aimed at preventing attacks by Hamas and other militant groups.More than 72,500 Palestinians have been killed since the Gaza war began in October 2023, according to Gaza health authorities, with civilians accounting for a majority of the casualties.

Since the ceasefire, Israeli forces have maintained control over more than half of the enclave, where large-scale destruction and displacement have left much of the population of over 2 million living in makeshift shelters or damaged buildings along the coast.

The sector grew at nearly twice the global rate of 4.1 percent and significantly above the Middle East average of 5.3 percent, reflecting increased investment and policy focus under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the economy beyond oil.Tourism Minister Ahmed Al Khateeb said the growth underscores the impact of sustained investment in destinations, infrastructure and connectivity, adding that the sector is delivering measurable economic returns.

Saudi Arabia has already exceeded its earlier target of attracting 100 million visitors and is now aiming for 150 million annually by the end of the decade. The sector’s $178 billion contribution accounts for nearly half of the Middle East’s total tourism GDP, positioning the Kingdom as the region’s largest market.

International visitor spending rose 8.2 percent in 2025, compared with a global average of 3.2 percent, highlighting strong inbound demand. The WTTC said business travel was a key driver, with spending increasing by more than 55 percent, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s growing role as a hub for corporate events and investment activity.

WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara said the region’s performance demonstrated the sector’s importance for economic growth, employment and international connectivity.

Across the region, the United Arab Emirates recorded tourism GDP of $68.5 billion, while Jordan and Oman each posted growth of 5.5 percent, with international visitor spending reaching $8.5 billion and $4 billion respectively.

Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is expected to begin on May 25 this year in the holy city of Makkah. For many Muslims in the Philippines, where they make up around 10 percent of the country’s predominantly Catholic population of 110 million, the pilgrimage requires years of preparation due to high travel and accommodation costs.

Rasmia Paniorotan, 59, from Marawi, said she had nearly given up hope of performing Hajj after losing her home and business during the 2017 siege that devastated the southern Philippine city.“When ground zero happened, everything was destroyed. We lost everything our home, our business,” Paniorotan said, adding that her daughter had been supporting the family since.

Earlier this year, her daughter surprised her by arranging the pilgrimage for both parents.“One day, she told us to prepare our passports. We asked why, and when she said it was for Hajj, we wondered where we would get the money,” Paniorotan said. “She only said, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.’

She said leaving for Saudi Arabia on Friday was an emotional moment.“I thought we would never be able to go. I lost hope,” she said. “No matter what happens, I am going to Makkah.”According to Zainoden Usudan, head of the pilgrimage bureau at the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, financial readiness remains the biggest barrier for many applicants.

The cost of performing Hajj can reach 350,000 Philippine pesos, or about $5,700, a significant amount for many households, particularly in Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago, where most Filipino Muslims reside.“Some save for years for this once-in-a-lifetime journey,” Usudan said. “Before qualifying for Hajj, you must be physically, mentally and financially prepared.

Among these, financial readiness is the most difficult.”Soraya Marandacan, a school nurse from Marawi, said she spent nearly a decade saving small amounts from her monthly salary and bonuses to fund her pilgrimage.

“I would set aside 5,000 or 10,000 pesos every month until I was able to save enough,” she said.Her plans were delayed by the prolonged illness of her husband, who died in December 2024 after battling colon cancer. Medical expenses, she said, consumed much of her savings.

The move follows a diplomatic clash between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who questioned Washington’s strategy in the two-month-old conflict with Iran and said this week that he saw no clear U.S. exit plan. Merz also said Iran was humiliating the United States in negotiations to end the war.

A senior Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the administration viewed the German leader’s remarks as “inappropriate and unhelpful,” adding that Trump was “rightly reacting to these counterproductive remarks.”Germany hosts about 35,000 active-duty U.S. military personnel, more than any other country in Europe, making it a central hub for American operations on the continent and in the Middle East.

The Pentagon said the drawdown would reduce U.S. troop levels in Europe to roughly their pre-2022 level, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted the administration of former President Joe Biden to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank.

The official said the decision also reflected the Trump administration’s broader push for Europe to take primary responsibility for its own defense, a long-standing demand by the president toward NATO allies he believes rely too heavily on U.S. military protection.Reuters reported last week that an internal Pentagon email outlined options to penalize NATO allies seen as failing to support U.S. operations during the Iran conflict.

Those options reportedly included suspending Spain from NATO and reviewing Washington’s stance on Britain’s claim to the Falkland Islands.Trump has repeatedly criticized European allies for not deploying naval support to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for global oil supplies that has faced severe disruption during the conflict.

The near closure of the waterway has contributed to market volatility and major supply concerns across global energy markets.German officials, however, said Berlin had provided significant logistical support, including authorizing the use of U.S. military bases and overflight permissions for operations linked to the conflict.

Germany also hosts the major U.S. military hospital at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, a critical medical hub for American forces overseas.As part of the drawdown, a brigade combat team currently stationed in Germany will be withdrawn, and a long-range fires battalion planned for deployment later this year under the Biden administration will no longer be sent, the Pentagon official said.

Trump had sought a similar troop reduction during the final months of his first term, but the plan was never implemented after he lost the 2020 election and Biden reversed the proposal.Germany’s military officials told Reuters they were surprised by Trump’s latest announcement, saying meetings at the Pentagon earlier this week had been constructive.

Bukhari made the remarks during meetings in Beirut with Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, Deputy Head of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council Sheikh Ali Al-Khatib, and Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Sami Abi Al-Muna, as Saudi Arabia continues diplomatic engagement over Lebanon’s political and security crisis.

During his meeting with Derian, Bukhari said Riyadh remained committed to Lebanon’s unity and was working diplomatically to support solutions that reinforce security, stability and prosperity while backing Lebanese state institutions.

He said the Taif Accord, which ended Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war and restructured the country’s political system, remained the backbone of any sustainable national settlement.

Derian praised Saudi Arabia’s role in supporting Lebanon’s stability under what he described as exceptional circumstances and said rebuilding the Lebanese state was the only path toward national recovery.

He called for restoring state authority across all Lebanese territory, limiting weapons to the Lebanese army and reaffirming commitment to the Taif Agreement while strengthening national unity.

Derian also welcomed diplomatic efforts by President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, supported by Arab and international partners, to end the war in Lebanon and secure a broader political settlement.

In a separate meeting with Al-Khatib, Bukhari expressed optimism about Lebanon’s future and said preserving civil peace required agreement among the country’s three top leaders on a shared national path.He praised Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri for what he described as wisdom and experience during critical political moments.

Bukhari also recalled late former parliament speaker Hussein Husseini, often regarded as a principal architect of the Taif Agreement, citing his well-known remark that “the alternative to Taif is implementing Taif.”

Al-Khatib said Saudi Arabia played an important role in maintaining civil peace in Lebanon and stressed that his side did not seek a separate political project.He added that Arab and Islamic states needed greater coordination to confront regional instability and said Saudi Arabia was central to any broader effort to strengthen regional cooperation while respecting national sovereignty.

Bukhari later met Abi Al-Muna to discuss continuing military operations in the region, efforts to stop the war in Lebanon, and Saudi diplomatic initiatives aimed at helping the country navigate its political and economic crisis.

The talks also covered the recent visit to Lebanon by Saudi Foreign Ministry adviser Yazid bin Farhan and broader efforts to preserve national unity and avoid further escalation.

Voting took place throughout April in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and the union territory of Puducherry, with attention centered on whether the BJP could expand its footprint in major opposition-held regions ahead of future national political contests.

Exit polls, while often used as early indicators in India, have a mixed record and final outcomes can differ significantly from projections.The most closely watched contest is in West Bengal, where the BJP mounted an aggressive campaign to unseat Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), which has governed the state since 2011.

Several exit polls suggested the BJP held a narrow advantage over the TMC, raising the possibility that Modi’s party could take power in the state of more than 100 million people for the first time.Banerjee’s TMC won 213 of the 294 seats in the 2021 assembly election, and the state has a history of electoral violence and intense political rivalry.

This year’s campaign was also marked by controversy over a Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls, a process authorities said was intended to remove ineligible voters, but which critics argued disproportionately affected marginalized and minority communities.

Political activist Yogendra Yadav said there was “no way” the TMC would lose in what he described as a fair election, alleging that the BJP could only prevail through manipulation of voter lists or counting irregularities.The BJP has denied opposition allegations of electoral malpractice.

In Assam and Puducherry, the BJP-led alliance was widely projected to retain power, reinforcing the party’s hold in regions where it already governs.In Tamil Nadu, one of India’s largest industrial states, exit polls indicated the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) led by Chief Minister M. K. Stalin was likely to remain in office.

The polls also suggested actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay, leading the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party, could emerge as a significant new challenger to the state’s established political parties.In Kerala, India’s only communist-ruled state, projections indicated a closely fought contest, with a Congress-led alliance expected to challenge the ruling Left Democratic Front.

Strong results for the BJP in the state elections would strengthen Modi’s political position as his government navigates economic pressures including high unemployment and negotiations over a pending trade deal with the United States.

The amendment, backed by 57 of the 60 lawmakers in the Legislative Assembly dominated by Bukele’s ruling party, transfers full authority for appointing the five magistrates of the Supreme Electoral Court to Congress.

Under the previous system, three magistrates were nominated by the political parties that received the most votes in the last election, while the remaining two were chosen by the Supreme Court of Justice.The new rules remove that structure, giving the Legislative Assembly sole power over the appointments.

Legislative Assembly President Ernesto Castro defended the reform, saying it would eliminate partisan influence over the electoral authority.“No more party quotas.

No more personal agendas or interests in the highest electoral authority,” Castro wrote on X.Opposition groups and civil society organizations criticized the measure, arguing it would allow Bukele’s government to consolidate control over the body responsible for overseeing elections.

Non-governmental organization Accion Ciudadana said the changes were “designed so that the ruling party can fully control the electoral body.”Bukele, 44, has governed El Salvador since 2019 and won re-election in 2024 with 85% of the vote.

His administration has maintained exceptionally high approval ratings, largely driven by an aggressive anti-gang security strategy, but has also faced growing criticism from rights groups and opposition leaders over institutional weakening and concentration of power.Since taking office, Bukele’s government has overseen multiple constitutional reforms, including last year’s abolition of presidential term limits, clearing the path for him to run again in elections scheduled for February 2027.

Critics have described the country’s political direction as increasingly authoritarian, while Bukele has defended the changes as necessary to modernize governance and deliver security and stability.The five current magistrates of the Supreme Electoral Court were appointed in 2024 for five-year terms and are expected to oversee the upcoming general elections.

The latest reform adds to broader debate over democratic checks and balances in El Salvador as Bukele continues to tighten control over the judiciary, legislature and electoral institutions.

The announcement was made through the state-run WAM news agency, which said the decision reflects the country’s changing economic priorities and expanding domestic energy ambitions.“This decision reflects the UAE’s long-term strategic and economic vision and evolving energy profile, including accelerated investment in domestic energy production, and reinforces its commitment to a responsible, reliable, and forward-looking role in global energy markets,” the government said in a statement.

The UAE did not provide further details on how the move would affect its crude production policy or its broader cooperation with OPEC+, the wider alliance of oil-producing nations led by Saudi Arabia and Russia.

The decision comes at a time of heightened volatility in global energy markets, with oil prices rising sharply amid continued tensions surrounding the Iran war and concerns over supply routes through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical channel for global crude shipments.

The UAE has in recent years expanded its oil production capacity while also investing heavily in natural gas, renewables and low-carbon energy technologies as part of its broader diversification strategy.

Its departure from OPEC could reshape internal dynamics within the producer group, where production targets and output discipline have often been subjects of negotiation among member states.

OPEC, headquartered in Vienna, was founded in 1960 and remains one of the world’s most influential oil alliances, coordinating output policies among major exporters to stabilize prices and manage market supply.

The UAE has been one of the organization’s key Gulf members and among its largest producers, making its exit one of the most significant institutional changes for the cartel in recent years.

Markets and analysts are expected to closely watch whether Abu Dhabi maintains coordination with OPEC+ informally or pursues a more independent production strategy after its formal withdrawal takes effect.

In an interview with CNN, Zelenskiy stated that Ukraine has so far experienced no disruption in the delivery of such systems or related intelligence support, but cautioned that an extended Middle East conflict could place existing supply arrangements under pressure.

He noted that Ukraine has secured portions of its U.S. weaponry through a program under which NATO countries finance purchases for Kyiv, enabling access to critical systems including anti-ballistic missiles for Patriot platforms.

“Through this program, we can include and buy anti-ballistic missiles for Patriot systems and some other weapons which is very important for us,” Zelenskiy said, adding that similar mechanisms were not available through European partners.

The Ukrainian leader emphasized that U.S. supply volumes remain limited due to constrained production capacity, acknowledging that Washington has provided only a relatively small number of such systems.“We understand why, because the production in the United States is not so big,” he said, warning that delays in de-escalation or ceasefire efforts in the Middle East could exacerbate supply risks.

Zelenskiy also highlighted Ukraine’s growing role in sharing military expertise abroad, particularly in countering drone threats. He said Kyiv had signed agreements with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to provide training and technical know-how developed during its conflict with Russia, where Iranian-designed drones have been widely deployed.

He added that Ukraine intends to expand such cooperation with other countries, focusing initially on knowledge transfer and training missions.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya central military command said the vessel was en route from China when it came under attack, warning that Iranian forces would respond. A spokesperson described the incident as “armed piracy” and said retaliation would follow.U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier that a U.S.

Navy destroyer intercepted the ship, identified as the MV Touska, after it failed to comply with repeated warnings while attempting to breach a U.S.-imposed maritime blockade on Iranian ports.Trump said the vessel was disabled after the USS Spruance fired on its engine room and that U.S. Marines had taken control of the ship.

He added that the Touska was subject to U.S. Treasury sanctions due to a history of alleged illegal activity.The U.S. Central Command said the destroyer issued warnings over a six-hour period before using force to stop the vessel, marking the first such interception since the blockade began last week.

It added that U.S. forces have turned back at least 25 commercial vessels attempting to navigate the restricted waters.The confrontation comes amid heightened instability in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil and gas shipments, which has remained largely closed since the outbreak of the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran seven weeks ago.

Iran briefly reopened the strait on Friday following a ceasefire in Lebanon but shut it again within 24 hours, citing continued U.S. naval restrictions. The uncertainty has disrupted maritime traffic, with vessel tracking data showing tankers reversing course in recent days.Energy analysts warned that the renewed tensions could drive volatility in oil markets after a brief easing late last week.

Amrita Sen, founder of Energy Aspects, said developments over the weekend underscored the fragility of the situation and the risk of further escalation.

The incident adds pressure on diplomatic efforts to stabilize the region, with markets and governments closely monitoring the standoff for signs of either de-escalation or further conflict.