Global Pulse

作者： admin

  • Vietnam’s leader To Lam strengthens power in unanimous assembly vote

    Vietnam’s leader To Lam strengthens power in unanimous assembly vote

    In a historic shift for Vietnam’s governing structure, To Lam has secured election as the country’s new president by the Communist Party-dominated National Assembly, giving him simultaneous control of the two most powerful positions in the nation – the top role in the Communist Party and the head of state office. The unanimous vote from the 500-member legislative body, which convened this week following the January Communist Party Congress that sets the country’s core strategic direction, cements To Lam’s status as the most influential Vietnamese leader in decades.

    To Lam’s rapid ascent to the apex of Vietnamese politics unfolded over the past 10 years, rooted in his tenure as the country’s high-profile Minister of Public Security. In that role, he led a sweeping nationwide anti-corruption campaign that sidelined and removed dozens of potential political rivals. He first stepped into the dual leadership roles on an interim basis in 2024, following the resignation of former president Vo Van Thuong and the passing of long-time party chief Nguyen Phu Trong. Now, he has secured a full five-year mandate to hold both top posts.

    For decades, the Communist Party of Vietnam has centered its governance model on collective leadership, splitting authority across a set of senior national positions known as the “five pillars” to avoid excessive concentration of power in a single figure. To Lam’s consolidation of the two top roles has drawn international comparisons to China, where President Xi Jinping has also centralized authority in his own hands. When To Lam retained his position as Communist Party General Secretary in January, Xi Jinping extended immediate congratulations, noting that both sides would work to deepen the long-standing traditional friendship between the two neighboring socialist nations. While the two ruling parties maintain close bilateral ties, historical anti-Chinese sentiment remains present among segments of the Vietnamese public.

    Despite these parallels, some regional experts emphasize that key checks on power remain in place in Vietnam’s political system. Carl Thayer, Emeritus Professor at the University of New South Wales, explained that Vietnam’s Central Committee retains a stronger role in overseeing the party’s General Secretary compared to China’s governing structure. “To Lam is the first among equals, but he’s also answerable to the Politburo,” Thayer noted, pointing to the 19-member committee that includes other senior influential leaders. “There’s still a balance. But To Lam has shown that he can work collectively and build coalitions,” he added.

    Looking ahead, the most critical test of To Lam’s leadership will come not from internal party politics, but from his ability to deliver on the ambitious economic goals he has laid out for his administration, against a backdrop of persistent global economic uncertainty. To Lam has already outlined a sweeping reform agenda designed to lift Vietnam to upper-income country status within the next 20 years. He has set an ambitious target of sustaining annual economic growth above 7-10% while continuing his predecessor’s aggressive anti-corruption campaign, dubbed the “blazing furnace” which has already disciplined or removed tens of thousands of public officials across all levels of government.

  • Watch: Artemis II’s historic lunar flyby… in 90 seconds

    Watch: Artemis II’s historic lunar flyby… in 90 seconds

    One of humanity’s most anticipated recent deep-space milestones, the Artemis II lunar flyby mission, has been condensed into a tight, action-packed 90-second recap that highlights the mission’s groundbreaking achievements. At the heart of this mission are four astronauts who launched aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft, embarking on a 10-day journey around the moon that pushed human space exploration further than it has ever gone before. When the mission reached its farthest point from our home planet, the crew officially set a new world record for the greatest distance any human beings have ever traveled from Earth, capping off a historic test flight that paves the way for future lunar landings and long-term deep-space exploration. The condensed recap offers space enthusiasts and casual observers alike a quick, vivid look at the key moments of the mission, from launch to the lunar flyby and the craft’s planned return to Earth, capturing the significance of this step forward in humanity’s quest to explore beyond low-Earth orbit. As the first crewed mission to the moon in more than 50 years following the Apollo program, Artemis II represents a new era of lunar exploration, laying critical groundwork for the Artemis III mission that will see the first woman and first person of color walk on the lunar surface. This record-setting flight is more than just a test of spacecraft systems—it is a proof of concept that human crews can safely travel to deep space, opening the door for future scientific research on the moon and eventual crewed missions to Mars.

  • Gunman killed, 2 wounded in shootout outside Israel’s Istanbul consulate

    Gunman killed, 2 wounded in shootout outside Israel’s Istanbul consulate

    A violent shootout between police and suspected assailants outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday has left one gunman dead and two other people wounded, according to the city’s governor. The clash also left two Turkish police officers with minor injuries, marking a shocking outbreak of violence in a major urban center that has already faced heightened security threats in recent years. Initial reports from Turkish public broadcaster TRT had claimed two of three attackers were killed, but official accounts have since corrected that narrative, confirming only one assailant died in the exchange of gunfire. Turkish law enforcement has already completed the identification process for all involved attackers, senior officials confirmed. Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci shared key details about the attackers’ movements ahead of the incident, revealing the group traveled to Istanbul from the northwestern Turkish city of Izmit using a rented vehicle. Ciftci also confirmed that one of the assailants has ties to an “organisation that exploits the region,” though official government authorities have declined to publicly name the specific extremist group the suspect is linked to. Despite the government’s refusal to confirm the affiliation, multiple Turkish media outlets have pointed to the Islamic State (IS) militant group as the likely connection. This speculation is bolstered by recent IS-linked violence in the nearby region of Yalova, a coastal province on the Sea of Marmara located approximately 55 miles southeast of Istanbul. In a December attack in Yalova, IS militants opened fire on a Turkish police unit, killing three officers and wounding nine others in one of the deadliest militant attacks in the country in recent months. Additional details released by Ciftci also revealed that the two attackers involved in Tuesday’s incident are brothers, and one of the pair has a prior criminal record related to drug offenses. Turkish security forces have launched a full investigation into the plot, working to uncover any broader networks that may have supported the attack and determine the full scope of the assailants’ plans ahead of the clash at the consulate.

  • Sarkozy says he owes France ‘the truth’ as he challenges conviction over alleged Libya funding

    Sarkozy says he owes France ‘the truth’ as he challenges conviction over alleged Libya funding

    PARIS — In a high-stakes appeal hearing held in Paris this week, 71-year-old former French head of state Nicolas Sarkozy has forcefully reaffirmed his total innocence in a long-running case centered on allegations of illegal campaign financing from the former Libyan regime under Moammar Gadhafi. Addressing a three-judge panel on Tuesday, Sarkozy stated clearly that no Libyan public or private funds ever contributed to his successful 2007 presidential election run, emphasizing that the French public deserves unvarnished transparency about the allegations against him.

    The case carries significant personal and political weight for Sarkozy: after his initial conviction on criminal conspiracy charges handed down in September last year, the former conservative leader spent 20 days behind bars before courts granted his release on bail while he pursues his appeal. The 12-week appeal trial, which launched last month, will conduct a full reevaluation of all evidence and witness testimony related to Sarkozy and nine co-defendants, three of whom are former French government ministers.

    Prosecutors have laid out a core allegation that Sarkozy’s camp orchestrated a scheme to secure millions in secret campaign donations from Gadhafi’s government in 2007, in exchange for future political and diplomatic favors from the French presidency. Sarkozy has repeatedly rejected all claims of misconduct, arguing that the entire prosecution is rooted in political bias against him.

    During Tuesday’s session, which focused heavily on Sarkozy’s actions both as a 2007 candidate and his time as president from 2007 to 2012, the former leader pushed back on a key claim tied to the 2011 Western military intervention in Libya, launched as Gadhafi’s regime violently cracked down on pro-democracy Arab Spring protests. “I took the initiative, France took the initiative. Why? Because Gadhafi had no hold over me — financially, politically, or personally,” Sarkozy told the court. Gadhafi, who ruled the North African nation for 42 years, was killed by opposition forces months after the intervention, ending his long authoritarian rule.

    The appeal also comes amid fresh tension following statements last week from families of French victims of the 1989 UTA Flight 772 bombing, who voiced deep distress over allegations that the alleged 2007 deal included secret promises to Gadhafi’s regime regarding the bombing’s suspected mastermind. Libya accepted formal responsibility for both the 1988 Lockerbie bombing and the 1989 UTA attack that killed 170 people, 54 of whom were French citizens. Prosecutors allege that as part of the secret deal, Sarkozy promised to lift an international arrest warrant for Abdullah al-Senoussi, Gadhafi’s brother-in-law, intelligence chief, and the alleged mastermind of both bombings.

    Responding to these claims, Sarkozy told the court: “I believe that such unspeakable suffering can only be answered with the truth. The truth is that I did not act in favor of Mr. Senoussi … who is in prison in Libya because he was arrested following the international action led by France. I never promised him anything.”

    The Paris Court of Appeal trial is scheduled to run through June 3, with a final ruling expected at a later, unannounced date. This case is just one of multiple high-profile legal battles Sarkozy has faced since leaving office in 2012. In November of last year, France’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, upheld a separate conviction for illegal financing of Sarkozy’s 2012 re-election campaign, handing down a six-month sentence that will see him serve the term under house arrest with an electronic monitoring ankle tag. That sentence has not yet been implemented.

  • Vietnamese party chief elected state president

    Vietnamese party chief elected state president

    In a historic unanimous vote held in Hanoi on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, Vietnam’s National Assembly has formally confirmed To Lam, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, as the country’s state president for the 2026 to 2031 tenure. All 499 sitting deputies registered for the session were present, and every single legislator cast a vote in support of the election resolution confirming Lam’s appointment. This outcome marks a key step in consolidating Vietnam’s national leadership as the country enters a new five-year development cycle. To Lam is no stranger to the role of state president: he previously held the position from May to October 2024, before being elected CPVCC General Secretary in August of that same year. During the first plenary session of the 14th Central Committee held on January 23 this year, Lam was re-elected to the top party post for the 2026-2031 term. After his confirmation as head of state, To Lam delivered a policy-focused address to the National Assembly, laying out core priorities for his upcoming tenure. He emphasized that building a highly skilled domestic workforce is a critical prerequisite to meet the evolving development demands of Vietnam’s new era. Beyond workforce development, Lam also highlighted the need to continue refining national governing institutions and administrative frameworks, with the goal of building a modern, socially inclusive, and environmentally and economically sustainable Vietnamese society. To Lam also stressed that Vietnam will continue aligning its national development trajectory with evolving global trends in politics, economics, and human civilization, maintaining the country’s active and constructive role in the international community. The vote was held during an official session of Vietnam’s National Assembly in the capital Hanoi, with Lam taking the official oath of office during the proceedings. A photo from the swearing-in ceremony was distributed by international news agencies following the event.

  • US fund Pershing Square launches takeover bid for Universal Music

    US fund Pershing Square launches takeover bid for Universal Music

    In a bold move that has sent ripples through global financial and entertainment markets, activist investor Bill Ackman’s US-based hedge fund Pershing Square has launched a public takeover bid for music industry giant Universal Music Group (UMG), arguing that the iconic label’s share price has failed to reflect its massive underlying growth potential.

    Announced this Tuesday, the offer proposes a cash-and-stock deal worth 30.40 euros ($35.15) per UMG share, valuing the company – home to A-list recording artists including Taylor Swift, The Weeknd and Lady Gaga – at a total of approximately 55 billion euros. Pershing Square confirmed it has formally submitted the proposal to UMG’s board of directors, with a targeted timeline to close the merger transaction by the end of 2026.

    Under the terms of the plan, UMG would merge with Pershing Square SPARC Holdings, a special purpose acquisition firm created by the hedge fund, and the combined new entity would trade publicly on the New York Stock Exchange.

    In his official statement accompanying the bid, Ackman emphasized that UMG’s underperformance on public markets stems entirely from external factors unrelated to the core strength of its music operations. He cited three key issues dragging down the stock: ongoing market uncertainty surrounding the future of French conglomerate Bollore’s 18 percent ownership stake in UMG, delays to UMG’s planned listing on US exchanges, and what Pershing Square calls the “underutilisation of UMG’s balance sheet.”

    Pershing Square is already a major UMG stakeholder: the firm acquired a 10 percent stake in the music group from French media conglomerate Vivendi – also controlled by the Bollore family – back in August 2021.

    In a detailed letter to UMG’s board outlining the proposal’s long-term financial framework, Pershing Square laid out key commitments for the merged company: annual dividend increases of at least 2 percent, and a sustained leverage ratio of 2.5 times operating profit (EBITDA). The letter also confirmed that all remaining free cash flow, after covering required business investments, would be allocated to share repurchase programs to boost shareholder value.

    Market reaction to the bid announcement was immediate: UMG shares listed on the Amsterdam stock exchange jumped more than 11 percent in early trading, reaching just over 19 euros by 0950 GMT, as investors digested the long-awaited move for the undervalued media asset.

  • One dead as high-speed train collides with lorry in France

    One dead as high-speed train collides with lorry in France

    A deadly early-morning collision between a high-speed TGV passenger train and a heavy truck hauling military equipment has left the train’s operator dead and 13 other people injured in northern France, authorities confirmed this week.

    The crash unfolded just before 7 a.m. local time on Tuesday along the route between the towns of Béthune and Lens, located in the Pas-de-Calais region, according to local officials. The TGV was operating a scheduled passenger service from Dunkirk to the French capital of Paris when it struck the lorry at an unsecured level crossing.

    French regional president Xavier Bertrand was among the first officials to confirm the fatality, identifying the victim as the TGV’s driver and calling the incident a devastating “terrible tragedy.” “My thoughts are with his family, his loved ones and all the staff who are mourning his loss,” Bertrand posted on social media platform X Tuesday morning.

    Of the 13 injured passengers and crew, two people remain in critical condition while 11 others have been treated for minor wounds, French national media outlet Franceinfo reported, citing preliminary emergency response data.

    Hours after the crash, French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot announced he was traveling to the collision site alongside Jean Castex, chief executive officer of state-owned national rail operator SNCF and former French prime minister. Castex had not issued a public statement on the incident as of Tuesday afternoon, and the BBC confirmed it had reached out to SNCF for additional comment on the investigation.

    Rail worker union SUD-Rail has already called for full public disclosure of all findings from the official probe into the crash, demanding “total transparency” from regulators and SNCF leadership.

    Regional rail operator TER Hauts-de-France has confirmed that all rail traffic between Béthune and Lens was suspended immediately after the collision, with disruptions expected to last through mid-morning Tuesday. Limited service on alternate routes began rolling out gradually as emergency crews cleared the crash site.

    This latest incident comes less than two weeks after another fatal train-truck collision in southeastern France’s Var region, which claimed one life. While level crossing collisions are relatively uncommon across Europe, official data shows such incidents are far more frequent in France than in neighboring the United Kingdom.

    Preliminary 2024 figures recorded 89 level crossing collisions across France this year, resulting in 20 total deaths. By comparison, the UK recorded just six such incidents in the same period. Between 2021 and 2023, France averaged more than 100 recorded level crossing collisions per year, according to national transport safety data.

  • Air India CEO steps down early as losses mount

    Air India CEO steps down early as losses mount

    India’s legacy carrier Air India is facing a leadership transition as chief executive Campbell Wilson has announced his resignation, departing the role earlier than his 2027 contract end date amid ongoing operational, financial and safety challenges that have stalled the airline’s post-privatization turnaround. Wilson will remain in the top position until the airline’s board-appointed search committee confirms a permanent replacement, a process expected to conclude within the next several months.

    A veteran former Singapore Airlines executive, Wilson was handpicked by Tata Group when the Indian conglomerate acquired Air India from the national government in 2022, following decades of persistent underperformance and mounting losses under state ownership. Tasked with steering a full corporate and operational reset, Wilson oversaw several key milestones during his tenure: the airline added more than 100 new aircraft to its fleet, completed nearly all of the planned interior refits for its older narrow-body jets, began rolling out new wide-body aircraft with upgraded cabins, modernized core operational systems, launched new customer-facing products, and lifted service standards across both ground and in-flight operations.

    In a statement shared internally with Air India staff, Wilson noted that he first notified Air India Chairman N Chandrasekaran of his plan to step down in 2024, and had spent the subsequent period positioning the airline for a smooth leadership handover. “The time is right for me to hand over the reins for the next phase of Air India’s rise,” Wilson said in his message, adding that the transformation the airline has completed over the past three years leaves it on “stable footing” for future growth.

    Even with these incremental improvements, however, Wilson’s tenure was marked by persistent headwinds that have complicated the turnaround effort. Since Tata took control four years ago, Air India and its low-cost subsidiary have remained in the red, recording a combined net loss of approximately 98 billion Indian rupees (equivalent to $1.18 billion) in the 2024-25 fiscal year alone. The most significant setback came in June last year, when Air India flight AI171, operating an Ahmedabad-to-London service, crashed shortly after departure, claiming 260 lives. The disaster sparked heightened regulatory scrutiny and amplified safety concerns at the carrier, with Indian aviation regulators currently finalizing their accident investigation, targeting a final report release by the one-year anniversary of the crash in June.

    The leadership shakeup at Air India comes against a broader backdrop of mounting pressure across India’s fast-growing aviation sector. Industry-wide challenges include spiking fuel and operating costs, service disruptions on key Middle Eastern international routes tied to ongoing regional conflict, global supply chain delays that have slowed new aircraft deliveries, and tighter safety oversight from regulators. Just last week, IndiGo—India’s largest domestic carrier and Air India’s primary competitor—also announced a leadership change, appointing industry veteran Willie Walsh as its new chief executive to help navigate these sector-wide headwinds and support continued expansion.

  • Train driver killed, two critically injured as French TGV collides with truck

    Train driver killed, two critically injured as French TGV collides with truck

    A deadly collision between a French TGV high-speed passenger train and a truck carrying military equipment at a northern France level crossing has left the train’s driver dead and multiple passengers and crew injured, according to French local and national officials. The incident unfolded shortly after 7 a.m. local time on Tuesday, as the train, en route from the northern coastal city of Dunkirk to Paris with 243 people on board, struck the lorry in the town of Bully-les-Mines. In an updated casualty report, the regional prefecture confirmed the train driver was killed, two people remain in critical condition, and 11 others have been treated for minor to moderate injuries, revising an earlier preliminary count that had reported 27 injuries. The truck driver, who survived the crash, is currently in police custody as judicial authorities open an investigation into the incident. Hundreds of emergency personnel have been deployed to the crash site, including 88 firefighters, 10 police officers, and dozens of technical and support staff. Footage and on-site reporting show emergency and investigative teams examining the crumpled, mangled front nose of the TGV, which sustained heavy damage in the impact. French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot announced via social media platform X that he was traveling to the crash site alongside the CEO of SNCF, France’s national state-owned railway operator, to oversee the response. The Sud-Rail railway workers union, which has released a statement following the accident, said frontline railway staff have been left reeling from the tragedy. “Railway workers are in shock following this tragic accident,” the union posted on X, adding that it is demanding full transparency from authorities and a firm commitment to investigate all contributing factors to the crash. Fabien Villedieu, a representative for Sud-Rail, also noted that this incident marks the second time in one week a heavy vehicle has become stranded at a French level crossing, a pattern that has raised alarm among rail worker representatives. The crash has already disrupted regional rail services: SNCF confirmed that all services between the northern towns of Bethune and Lens will be suspended through late Tuesday while investigators work to clear the site and conduct their examination. As of Tuesday morning, neither SNCF nor regional authorities have released a definitive account of how the collision occurred, including whether the truck was stranded on the tracks for mechanical reasons, failed to stop at warning signals, or if any other mechanical or human error contributed to the incident. Tuesday’s collision is the latest in a string of level crossing accidents involving heavy vehicles across France in recent months. Just last week on March 25, a regional passenger train collided with a truck at a crossing in the southeastern coastal town of Saint-Raphael, killing the 60-year-old truck driver. In an incident near the northern town of Arras in March 2025, two French soldiers died when their military vehicle was struck by a regional train at a level crossing. While serious accidents on France’s high-speed rail network are far less common than on conventional regional and local lines, the country has seen rare fatal high-speed incidents in recent decades. The deadliest TGV accident on record occurred in November 2015, when a test train traveling between Paris and Strasbourg derailed after navigating a corner at nearly three times the recommended speed, killing 11 people onboard. More recently, on Christmas Eve 2024, a TGV driver died by suicide after jumping from a moving train; the train’s automated safety systems brought the consist to a safe stop without causing any additional injuries. First launched in 1981, France’s TGV network revolutionized intercity rail travel across Europe, setting a new world speed record for conventional rail and cutting travel times between major French cities from full-day or overnight journeys to just a few hours. The first-generation TGV trains reached a top operational speed of 380 kilometers per hour, and the technology has since been exported to more than a dozen countries, including South Korea, Spain, the United States, and Italy, becoming a globally recognized symbol of French engineering and industrial expertise.

  • New strikes in Tehran as deadline looms for Trump threat to infrastructure

    New strikes in Tehran as deadline looms for Trump threat to infrastructure

    As a high-stakes deadline set by former President Donald Trump hangs over the Middle East, fresh explosions have shaken Iran’s capital Tehran, escalating an already five-week-long conflict that threatens to upend global energy security and trigger wider regional instability. Trump has issued an explicit ultimatum to Iran: reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz to unimpeded global maritime traffic by midnight GMT, or face the total destruction of the country’s critical civilian infrastructure.

    The US leader has doubled down on his threat, dismissing warnings that targeting public infrastructure could amount to war crimes. In blunt remarks at a recent press briefing, he warned that every major bridge across Iran would be destroyed, and every power plant would be rendered permanently inoperable if Tehran refused to comply with his demands. Iran’s military has already rejected Trump’s warning as arrogant, empty rhetoric that will not alter the course of its military operations, amid deep divisions within the Iranian public over how seriously to take the ultimatum.

    For many ordinary Iranians, the threat of further attack carries a devastating personal weight. “I’m terrified and so should everyone else in the country be,” Metanat, a 27-year-old university student who lost a classmate to a strike two weeks prior, told Agence France-Presse. While some Iranians dismiss Trump’s threats as empty posturing, she noted, “Death is not a joke.” Other Iranians have grown numb to repeated threats: 62-year-old pensioner Morteza Hamidi said he has watched Trump back down from past escalations, adding that while he no longer fears the rhetoric, he remains deeply gloomy about the country’s future after months of conflict.

    Diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the crisis, led by Pakistan acting as a neutral mediator between Washington and Tehran, have hit a critical sensitive stage, Iran’s ambassador to Islamabad confirmed Tuesday on social media platform X, though he offered no further details on the status of negotiations. A proposed 45-day ceasefire, brokered by a coalition of Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey, has been rejected by both sides. Trump initially called the plan significant, but ultimately rejected it as insufficient, while Iranian officials said the country rejects any temporary pause and insists on a permanent, definitive end to hostilities that protects its core national interests. Under the terms of the draft proposal, Iran would reopen the strait in exchange for the right to charge a $2 million transit fee per vessel, a portion of which would be shared with neighboring Oman, according to reporting from The New York Times.

    Military activity ramped up across the region on Tuesday. Israel Defense Forces confirmed it launched a new wave of airstrikes targeting what it describes as Iranian “terror regime infrastructure” across Tehran and other inland areas. Local Iranian media reported that the strikes completely destroyed Tehran’s historic Rafi-Nia synagogue, and that explosions were recorded across northern Tehran and the nearby city of Karaj. Following the Israeli strikes, Israel’s military confirmed it had detected multiple missile launches from Iran targeting Israeli territory, and that its air defense systems were actively intercepting incoming projectiles. Israel also issued an urgent advisory for Iranian civilians to avoid rail travel until 17:30 GMT amid the ongoing strikes.

    The threat of Iranian retaliation has forced precautionary disruptions across the Gulf region. Authorities temporarily closed the King Fahd Causeway, the key overland route connecting Saudi Arabia to Bahrain, as a security measure Tuesday. Air raid sirens sounded across Bahrain on Tuesday morning, while the United Arab Emirates confirmed its air defense systems engaged and intercepted incoming Iranian drones and missiles targeting the country. Overnight, a witness told AFP that an Iranian attack struck a major petrochemical complex in the Saudi industrial city of Jubail, just hours after similar energy infrastructure in Iran was hit in US-Israeli strikes.

    Iran has blocked all commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, since the outbreak of the war on February 28. The closure has already driven sharp spikes in global oil and natural gas prices, as roughly 20 percent of the world’s daily crude oil supplies transit through the waterway. Analysts warn that the conflict has already moved beyond a looming infrastructure war to an active one. “Infrastructure war is not looming. It is already underway,” wrote Sina Toossi, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Center for International Policy, in a Substack newsletter. Toossi noted that Iran’s demonstrated resilience throughout the conflict suggests Tehran will not back down on its core demand to maintain control over the strait, regardless of the military cost.

    On the multilateral diplomatic front, the United Nations Security Council is scheduled to vote on a weakened draft resolution addressing the closure of the strait on Tuesday, diplomatic sources told AFP. Earlier, more robust versions of the resolution were sidelined after key Council members threatened to veto the text, leaving negotiators to water down the language to secure a vote.