分类： world

Escalating tensions across the Middle East took a sharp turn for the worse on Wednesday, as Iran launched retaliatory missile and aerial strikes against United States military installations located in Jordan and Bahrain. The attack came in direct response to recent U.S. retaliatory strikes on Iranian military infrastructure near the Strait of Hormuz, throwing a fragile April ceasefire into serious jeopardy and derailing previously optimistic peace talks billed as entering their final stages.

The cross-border exchanges mark the most serious breakdown in de-escalation efforts since the broader regional conflict began three months ago, when joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran launched the war that upended regional stability and roiled global energy markets. According to a statement released by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and carried by the country’s official IRNA news agency, Iranian forces deployed long-range missiles to hit and destroy four key targets at U.S. facilities in Jordan, including an F-35 fighter jet staging area at an air base and a U.S. command center in Al-Azraq.

Jordan’s military quickly countered the assault, confirming it had intercepted and shot down five incoming Iranian missiles, with no reported casualties or material damage to Jordanian assets. Across the Gulf in Bahrain, defense forces intercepted and destroyed multiple incoming Iranian aerial threats targeting another U.S. base stationed on its territory. An Agence France-Presse correspondent based in Bahrain’s capital Manama reported hearing multiple loud explosions in the early hours of Wednesday morning, consistent with the interception operations. Kuwaiti military authorities also announced their air defense systems were engaging unidentified hostile aerial targets Wednesday, marking the second recent incident of Iranian activity near Kuwaiti territory.

The latest cycle of escalation was triggered by the downing of a U.S. Apache attack helicopter by Iranian forces earlier this week. Following the incident, the U.S. military carried out a retaliatory strike on Iranian positions near the Strait of Hormuz, with U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirming the operation targeted Iranian air defense batteries, ground control stations and surveillance radar sites using precision munitions launched from U.S. Air Force and Navy fighter jets. Ahead of Iran’s retaliatory strikes, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had issued a clear warning of retaliation in a post on X, writing that the U.S. had chosen to test Iran’s resolve, and that Iran’s powerful armed forces would not leave any attack or threat unanswered.

Iran’s retaliatory strikes throw into question recent optimistic claims from U.S. President Donald Trump, who just hours before the escalation told reporters that negotiations to end the three-month-long conflict were in their “final throes”, and that a final peace deal would be reached within two to three days. After the helicopter was downed on Monday, Trump reiterated his pledge of a strong response in an interview with ABC News, saying the U.S. reaction would be “very strong, very powerful, and that’s what this one is.”

The already shaky ceasefire had already faced a major test over the weekend, when Iran and Israel resumed a brief round of hostilities before agreeing to a renewed halt. One major sticking point in ongoing peace negotiations has been Iran’s demand that any final deal include a formal ceasefire in Lebanon, which was drawn into the conflict after Iran-backed Hezbollah militants fired rockets into Israeli territory on March 2. Israel has responded with a sustained campaign of airstrikes and a limited ground invasion into southern Lebanon that has killed more than 3,600 people to date. Despite the nominal regional truce, cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah has continued almost unabated.

On Tuesday, Israeli airstrikes on the southern Lebanese city of Tyre killed 11 people, according to Lebanese officials. The Israeli military also issued an evacuation order for the entire city, prompting a mass exodus of residents northward. AFP correspondents on the ground reported heavy traffic of residents fleeing Tyre, including from the city’s historic Christian quarter, while displaced residents began arriving in the northern coastal city of Sidon with personal belongings strapped to the roofs of their vehicles.

The rapid collapse of de-escalation efforts has also overshadowed ongoing diplomatic attempts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global chokepoint for around a fifth of the world’s daily oil supplies that Iran has blockaded since the start of the war. Global crude oil prices rose 1% on Wednesday as hopes of an imminent peace deal faded, a sharp reversal from the previous day’s 5% price drop that came amid growing optimism a deal would be reached. Araghchi reiterated his warning to foreign forces this week, saying that any foreign military presence near Iranian territory around the strait faces constant risk of being caught in crossfire, and that the only solution for foreign forces is to withdraw from the area.

The downed Apache helicopter marks the second crewed U.S. military aircraft confirmed shot down by Iran since the conflict began, following the loss of an F-15 fighter jet in April. CENTCOM confirmed that both crew members of the downed helicopter were rescued shortly after it went down off the coast of Oman.

One hundred years to the day after the death of legendary Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, Pope Leo XIV will travel to Barcelona this Wednesday to bestow a papal blessing on the newly completed central tower of the iconic Sagrada Familia Basilica, now officially recognized as the tallest church on Earth.

The visit to Barcelona marks the third major stop of the pontiff’s week-long apostolic journey across Spain, which launched Saturday when he landed in the Spanish capital Madrid. During his opening days in Madrid, Pope Leo made history as he became the first pope to address the Spanish parliament, drawing a crowd of 1.5 million worshippers for an open-air Mass held in the city’s central public space.

For the global Catholic community, the papal trip carries layered symbolic weight: it aligns exactly with the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s 1926 death, a milestone that arrives as the architect’s sainthood cause moves forward through Vatican processes. A deeply devout Catholic, Gaudí died after being struck by a city tram while traveling to a prayer service in 1926.

Throughout his time in Spain so far, Pope Leo, the first American-born leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, has focused his addresses on pressing global and domestic issues. He has repeatedly denounced rising political polarization across societies, called for “patient dialogue” as an alternative to armed conflict and global rearmament, and pushed to revitalize Catholic participation in what was once one of the Church’s strongest traditional strongholds. Religious observance in Spain has fallen sharply over recent decades, a shift the Vatican is working to reverse. The pontiff has also reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to addressing what he has called the “scourge” of clergy sexual violence, promising expanded action to hold abusive clergy accountable and support survivors.

Before Wednesday’s blessing and Mass inside Sagrada Familia, the Pope will schedule two additional stops in the Barcelona region: a visit to a local prison and a meeting with religious leaders at an ancient abbey tucked in the Montserrat mountain range that overlooks the city. After wrapping up his time in Catalonia, he will travel to the Canary Islands for two days of engagements focused exclusively on the global migration crisis. The Atlantic archipelago is one of the most common entry points for irregular migrants seeking to reach European Union territory.

The Sagrada Familia, Gaudí’s unfinished magnum opus, welcomed nearly 5 million visitors in 2025, drawing pilgrims and architecture enthusiasts from across the globe. Its soaring central tower, dedicated to Jesus Christ, was only completed in February of this year, pushing the basilica to its full planned height of 172.5 meters (566 feet). In a deliberate choice designed to honor Gaudí’s deeply held religious beliefs, the tower’s peak was built 4.5 meters lower than nearby Montjuïc Hill – a decision the architect insisted on, arguing that the hill was a creation of God that should not be surpassed by any human-made structure.

Construction on Sagrada Familia first began in 1882, and for decades, organizers targeted 2026 – the centenary of Gaudí’s death – as the project’s completion date. But the global COVID-19 pandemic upended those plans: when international tourism collapsed, the basilica lost its primary source of funding, which comes from entry ticket sales to visitors. While tourism has rebounded strongly in recent years, with international travelers returning in large numbers to refill the project’s coffers alongside ongoing private donations, the project’s governing board, a private canonical foundation, has declined to set a new firm completion date for the remaining work.

Unfinished elements include the controversial Glory Façade and its four accompanying bell towers. The board’s current plans for the entrance of the basilica include building a large public square and sweeping set of stairs in front of the main entrance, a project that would require demolishing two full city blocks of existing residential homes. Local residents have organized a years-long campaign to block the plan, creating a persistent point of tension around the iconic landmark’s final construction phase. Full completion is now estimated to take roughly another 10 years, if current work timelines hold.

A sharp escalation of settler violence against Palestinian civilians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank has spurred a coalition of Western nations, including Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, France and Norway, to announce coordinated action — including targeted sanctions — to hold extremist perpetrators accountable, after a new United Nations report documented a dramatic surge in bloodshed and human rights abuses over the past year.

A historic milestone for Somali football has been abruptly derailed, after award-winning referee Omar Artan was barred from entering the United States ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The Somali government has issued unwavering public support for Artan, whose selection to the World Cup officiating roster marked the first time a Somali official had ever qualified for the global football finals, drawing widespread national pride.

The 2025 CAF Men’s Referee of the Year arrived at Miami International Airport on Saturday to process his entry, only to be turned away by U.S. border authorities. Following an 11-hour interview and additional hours of detainment in a holding cell, Artan was placed on a return flight to Istanbul, where he currently resides. Both Artan and a senior Somali government advisor confirmed that he held all valid documentation, including a legally obtained U.S. visa, for the trip.

FIFA later confirmed that Artan would be removed from the 52-person officiating roster for the quadrennial tournament, which kicks off Thursday. A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection only described the denial as the outcome of a routine inspection, offering no further detail. Somalia remains on the U.S. travel restriction list first implemented during the Trump administration as part of a sweeping immigration crackdown, a policy that has remained in place through successive presidential terms.

In an official statement released Tuesday, Somalia’s Ministry of Sports expressed deep regret over the outcome, noting that even with diplomatic engagement with both U.S. authorities and FIFA, officials were unable to reverse the entry denial. The ministry reaffirmed the country’s full confidence in Artan’s integrity, professionalism, and contributions to football both domestically and across the globe, calling him a shining example of Somali athletic talent. “Artan represents the very best of Somali talent,” the statement read.

Long before the incident, Artan’s appointment to the World Cup roster was celebrated as a landmark moment across Somalia. In April, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud called Artan “a symbol of inspiration for the new generation of Somalis”, a sentiment that has been echoed by senior political figures in the wake of the entry denial.

Former Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire took to social media platform X to voice his deep disappointment, telling Artan that “Africa and the world stand with you.” Khaire emphasized that Artan represents the aspirations of millions of young Africans who believe excellence, regardless of nationality, deserves global recognition.

Former Somali government minister Abdirashid Hashi went further, calling the entry ban a politically motivated decision that contradicts football’s core mission of uniting people around the world. “He should be judged by his merit and professionalism — not by the passport he carries,” Hashi said, urging FIFA to intervene on Artan’s behalf. He also floated a potential workaround, noting that the World Cup is co-hosted by three North American nations, and calling on Canada and Mexico to issue Artan visas so he can still officiate matches held in their territories. “There is no reason a referee denied entry to one host country cannot still contribute to a World Cup being hosted across three countries,” Hashi added.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has also expressed regret over the decision, confirming that the continental governing body has no authority to override U.S. immigration rulings. For Artan, the rejection has cost him the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong goal. In an interview with *The New York Times* from Istanbul, the referee described the experience as having the “biggest dream of my life” ripped away.

“I am very, very disappointed,” Artan said. “I’m just simply a referee who’s trying to live his dream, the biggest dream of my life, to come to the World Cup.”

The news has sparked widespread public outrage across Somalia, with many citizens and officials echoing the view that the entry denial is unfair and discriminatory. As the World Cup prepares to kick off, calls for FIFA and the other host nations to find a path for Artan to participate continue to grow across the African football community.

A wave of violent anti-immigration unrest swept through Belfast, Northern Ireland on Tuesday evening, just 24 hours after a shocking stabbing attack allegedly carried out by a Sudanese refugee that sent shockwaves across the United Kingdom. Hundreds of demonstrators, many wearing masks to conceal their identities, gathered at multiple strategic locations across the city, leaving a trail of destroyed property in their wake. AFP correspondents on the ground confirmed that a passenger bus and multiple private cars were set ablaze, while a commercial and residential building on the edge of Belfast’s city center sustained significant fire damage, forcing all residents to evacuate urgently for their safety.

Local residents described scenes of chaos as the unrest unfolded. Eemran, an Indian-origin engineer who has resided in Belfast for just over a year, recalled how the violence escalated rapidly. “By 7:30 pm, they started setting bins on fire… we heard police cars and sirens. More and more people started coming, they began throwing petrol bombs. Suddenly the fire spread, and we had smoke inside our building. Firefighters came in and ordered everyone to evacuate immediately,” he explained. Camila, a 36-year-old Chilean national who only relocated to Belfast one month prior, described the experience as deeply unsettling. “It’s scary. Of course I’m not used to this. I understand people feel rage, but there are far more peaceful ways to air grievances,” she noted.

Law enforcement responded with a major show of force, deploying police helicopters to patrol over the city while local businesses shut their doors early to avoid potential damage. Michelle O’Neill, First Minister of Northern Ireland, issued a sharp rebuke of the violence and made a public appeal for de-escalation. “Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice,” she wrote on social platform X. “Racism, intimidation and violence are wrong wherever they occur. There can be no excuse and no justification for these attacks tonight. No one wants to see this on our streets, and I again appeal for calm.” Smaller crowds of demonstrators also assembled in Antrim, a town located roughly 25 kilometers west of Belfast.

The unrest came in direct response to a stabbing attack that took place a day earlier, which was captured in a graphic video that circulated widely across social media. The 30-year-old suspect, whose identity has not been released to the public, was charged late Tuesday with three counts: attempted murder, possession of a bladed weapon in a public space, and making threats to kill. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Wednesday. UK authorities later confirmed that the suspect is a Sudanese refugee who entered the United Kingdom in 2023 via Paris and Dublin, and was granted a residence permit valid through 2028. Northern Ireland Police Chief Jon Boutcher confirmed the suspect had no prior national security flags and was not previously known to local law enforcement.

The victim, a man in his 40s, was rushed to hospital with severe life-altering injuries, including significant damage to his eyes and deep slash wounds across his face and back. A kitchen knife believed to be the weapon used in the attack was recovered at the scene. Graphic footage of the attack shows the suspect straddling the victim on a public street and slashing repeatedly at his head and neck, a moment far-right groups have falsely framed as an attempted beheading. Multiple bystanders intervened to stop the attack, with one person wielding a traditional Irish hurling stick to tackle the suspect before police arrived.

Anti-immigration public figures have seized on the attack to stoke tensions, with high-profile names like Nigel Farage, leader of the hard-right Reform UK party, and Rupert Lowe of Restore Britain demanding the release of additional details about the suspect. Elon Musk, the US tech billionaire and owner of X, also amplified calls for continued action, retweeting a post from controversial anti-immigration activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (known professionally as Tommy Robinson) and adding: “Only by protesting REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY will there be any change!!”

Tensions around immigration have been simmering across the UK for weeks, following violent clashes last week in the southern English city of Southampton linked to the fatal stabbing of a young white student by a British Sikh man. On Tuesday, dozens of protesters gathered outside a hotel that houses asylum seekers in Southampton, carrying banners reading “no racism, just patriotism” and “enough is enough”.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer labeled the original Belfast stabbing “horrific” and “sickening” in a post on X. The leaders of Northern Ireland’s five largest political parties issued a joint statement condemning the attack, stressing that “there is no place in our society for this kind of brutality.” Both political leaders and law enforcement urged the public not to share the graphic attack footage, noting that its violent content would only serve to retraumatize victims and those affected by the incident. Despite this appeal, dozens of far-right and anti-immigration social media accounts have circulated the footage widely, using it to mobilize supporters to protest the UK’s current immigration policies.

Immigration has emerged as one of the most divisive hot-button issues in UK politics in recent years, a factor that has driven a sharp rise in polling support for the hard-right Reform UK party ahead of upcoming elections.