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A curated guide to major news and developments over the weekend. Here’s today’s news:
IRAN WAR
Leader of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, on Saturday and Sunday issued warnings that support for the United States’ economic sanctions by other nations will be seen as an “act of war,” and that Iran would target other alternative oil shipping routes to the Strait of Hormuz. Also yesterday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that the memorandum of understanding signed in mid-June was the best way to move beyond a situation of “neither war nor peace.” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has promised to reveal severe economic measures on Iran at a press conference today. AP News reports; Menna Alaa El-Din and Kanishka Singh report for Reuters.
Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir arrived in Iran for talks today, Iranian media reported. Pakistan said the visit was part of its efforts “to promote regional peace and stability,” and a source said Munir was expected to meet people close to Iran’s Supreme Leader. Three Pakistani sources claimed President Trump spoke with Munir last week, with one source claiming Trump’s main request was to use Pakistan’s influence to bring Iran back to negotiations. On Tuesday, Oman’s foreign minister will also visit Tehran to discuss the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s foreign ministry. Mena Alaa El-Din and Kanishka Singh report for Reuters; Asif Shahzad, Ariba Shahid, and Mubasher Bukhari report for Reuters; Reuters reports.
Iran has granted permission for several Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz following repeated requests from Baghdad, Iran’s state news agency reported yesterday. Reuters reports.
Iran issued a warning today on social media that vessels violating arrangements for transiting the Strait of Hormuz could face restrictions including fines, detention, or confiscation. Reuters reports.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Two Israeli airstrikes in Gaza yesterday killed at least three people, including a four-year-old boy, and wounded seven others, Palestinian health officials said. The Israeli military also said on Saturday that it had killed a Hamas commander, Sharif Al-Hasnat, who they claim was leading efforts to restore Hamas’ “underground infrastructure.” Over the weekend, Israel reported the launch of drones, balloons and kites from Gaza, with the IDF stating that nothing suspicious was found on the kites and there was no danger to the public. Despite this, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the IDF would intensify strikes and target the “lethal” threat of drones to Israel. Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters; Emmanuel Fabian and Toi Staff report for the Times of Israel; Emmanuel Fabian and Nava Freiberg report for the Times of Israel.
A Board of Peace official told AP News that Ugandan officials and a Burundian military delegation visited Israel last week to discuss deploying troops in Gaza as part of an international security force envisioned for the ceasefire. “We shared significant knowledge with one another, and the Burundi representatives expressed interest in our mission,” the official said. Joseph Falzetta and Sam Mednick report.
WEST BANK VIOLENCE
A seventeen-year-old Palestinian was killed on Friday in a confrontation in the Palestinian village of Sair. A seventy-year-old was also wounded. The IDF claims the Palestinian villagers threw rocks toward the settlers “who were present in the area without advance authorisation,” and a security official then opened fire in the area. The mayor of Sair, Saad Shlaldeh, said in a phone interview that the group of settlers had attacked the village and set fire to property, claiming the “people are thugs and more.” His account was based on conversations with witnesses. Rami Ayyub and Ali Sawafta report for Reuters; Adam Rasgon reports for the New York Times.
Turkey on Friday issued an Interpol “red notice” to authorities worldwide to arrest Netanyahu. Turkey’s Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said in a statement that the request had been made “in connection with the armed intervention against civilians delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza in international waters and the detention of activists.” Zane Irwin reports for the New York Times.
ISRAEL-SYRIA-TURKEY
Mossad spy agency chief Roman Gofman and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani met yesterday in an effort to de-escalate tensions between the countries following the recent airbase strikes. The talks took place in Jordan and were mediated by the United States. In an interview with Reuters on Saturday, al-Shaibani stressed Syria’s priority is to halt Israeli strikes, which he claimed were a “blatant” violation of its territory. Israel claims the strikes were based on intelligence, which determined Turkey was planning to deploy drones and a radar system at the base. The sides also discussed efforts to ease tensions between Israel and Turkey. Barak Ravid reports for Axios; Tom Perry and Feras Dalatey report; Feras Dalatey reports for Reuters.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced today that the EU has approved a €6.1 billion defense package for Ukraine, adding that “Europe stands with Ukraine and we will deliver what it needs, when it needs it.” In a separate announcement yesterday, Norway has pledged to provide $9.2 billion in financial support to Ukraine in 2027. The donation will be for both military and humanitarian spending, according to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Sudip Kar-Gupta reports for Reuters; Terje Solsvik and Jekaterina report for Reuters.
The “Coalition of the Willing” arrived in Kyiv today, Ukraine’s Independence Day. U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, a co-chair of the group, will also announce British support to help Kyiv improve its domestic production of long-range missiles. In a statement, Burnham declared that “Ukraine’s security is our security.” French President Emmanuel Macron, another co-chair, on Saturday promised to accelerate the delivery of new French equipment to Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Inti Landauro reports for Reuters; Andrew Macaskill reports for Reuters; Daniel Flynn and Ingrid Melander report for Reuters.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged a series of strikes over the weekend. On Friday, Russia launched a “double-tap” strike on a shopping centre in central Ukraine, killing sixteen and wounding 130 people, according to Ukraine authorities. On Saturday, Ukrainian drones killed at least ten people in attacks against targets across Russia and Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. The strikes hit a warehouse owned by online retailer Ozon and an industrial facility, according to Russian officials. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Kyiv had opened “Pandora’s box” with its strikes on Russian economic targets. Yesterday, the debris of a Ukrainian drone strike hit a private childcare center in the Krasnodar region, killing three teenagers and wounding another eight people, seven of whom were children, Russian officials said. Dan Peleschuk, Daniel Flynn, and Disha Mishra report for Reuters; Felix Light reports for Reuters; Felix Light reports for Reuters; Jekaterina Golubkova reports for Reuters.
In a two-hour off-the-record meeting with reporters on Saturday, Zelenskyy publicly commented on his dispute with former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, claiming the actions of the dismissed minister were misguided. Zelenskyy also said he believes Russia could draft more troops in 2027 in order to reach an overall goal of 500,000, part of what he described as “peripheral mobilisation” targeting Russia’s far-flung regions. Samya Kullab reports for AP News; Max Hunder and Dan Peleschuk report for Reuters.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
Britain’s power companies have been put on alert after hackers thought to be linked to the Iranian regime shut down a small U.K. energy facility last week. The owner and location of the site have not been disclosed, but British officials did not deny reports that the attack closed down the site for four days. George Parker, Charles Clover, Tom Wilson and Malcolm Moore report for the Financial Times.
The German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated on Friday that German security services are investigating a plot to conduct a politically motivated attack, possibly directed by a foreign power, which was linked to guns found stashed in a forest on the edge of Berlin. Germany’s federal prosecutor is investigating a man for possible foreign agent activity and the preparation of a serious crime endangering the state. Christopher F. Schuetze reports for the New York Times.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney suspended trade talks with the United States on Saturday, saying the Trump administration demanded “a bad deal.” Carney said that despite progress made last week, the United States suddenly changed its position, including introducing measures to restrict Canada’s ability to seal trade deals with other nations. “You’re at war when you’re attacked, and we got attacked,” Carney told reporters. U.S. officials have disputed the Canadian depiction of the negotiations. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told the New York Times that the U.S. trade offer to Canada would have given Canada the most preferential treatment of any trading partner. Ilya Gridneff, Steff Chavez, and James Politi report for the Financial Times; Ana Swanson reports.
The United States cancelled a joint marine landing drill scheduled for next month with South Korea, Seoul’s Marine Corps said today, adding that the U.S. Marine Corps had notified them in June that force availability would be constrained due to the war in Iran. Reuters reports.
The Trump administration informed Congress earlier this month of its intention to pay $725 million to the United Nations, according to a congressional notification seen by Reuters. When asked about the payments, a U.S. official said any payments will be contingent on continued reforms of the organization and said no funds had been transferred as of Friday. Humeyra Pamuk and Emma Farge report.
U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS
The State Department in December approved a $5 million payment to Liberia in connection with a deal to send migrants there from the United States, according to internal documents reviewed by the New York Times. The documents appear to undercut a statement from the Liberian government last week, which said it had not “demanded or received any compensation or promise of reward” as part of the arrangement. Madeleine Ngo, Hamed Aleaziz, and Zolan Kanno-Youngs report.
At least five people who were deported on the first U.S. flight to Liberia resisted getting off the plane and were flown instead to Equatorial Guinea on Thursday, according to a U.S. official and lawyers. Three of the deportees said that while resisting disembarking, officers placed knees on their necks. They were eventually put back on the plane and told by federal agents that they would be returned to the United States, but in fact landed in Equatorial Guinea. Pranav Baskar, Hamed Aleaziz, and Genevieve Glatsky report for the New York Times.
The father of a U.S. sailor on board the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier was taken into federal immigration detention on Saturday, the sailor said on social media. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said yesterday that Border Patrol arrested Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, originally from Nicaragua, after conducting a vehicle stop in Florida. “Having a family member in the military is not a free pass to violate our nation’s laws,” DHS said. Kanishka Singh reports for Reuters.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
A wildfire near Reno, Nevada, over the weekend prompted authorities to urge nearly ninety thousand people to evacuate. As of yesterday evening, no part of the fire’s perimeter had yet been contained, according to local officials. Alyssa Lukpat reports for the Wall Street Journal; Ben Hatton reports for BBC News.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta yesterday canceled a meeting with representatives of Paramount that was scheduled for today to begin discussing a settlement of the state’s lawsuit seeking to block Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Bonta accused Paramount of leaking details of a meeting held on Friday, adding “they misrepresented these discussions, demonstrating a lack of good faith.” Laurel Rosenhall reports for the New York Times.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) met privately in recent weeks with Jared Kushner to discuss potential areas of common ground, including housing, immigration, and the high cost of living, according to five sources. Two of the sources said Kushner suggested that Jeffries should meet with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Maggie Haberman and Annie Karni report for the New York Times.
The Justice Department announced on Friday that it has reached a $400 million settlement with TikTok, ending a 2024 lawsuit alleging the company violated federal children’s online privacy laws. TikTok will clear the allegations without undergoing further litigation or admitting wrongdoing. Ashley Gold reports for Axios.
The Postal Service on Friday published regulations that would restrict mail voting, clarifying how it would carry out an executive order signed by Trump in March. If the regulations are enacted, pending a Supreme Court ruling on Trump’s order, the Postal Service said it would not deliver mail ballots in states that do not share voter data with the federal agency. Adam Sella reports for the New York Times.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS
The Education Department on Friday recommended ending the American Bar Association’s ability to oversee law school programs across the country. In a nearly 500-page report, the department asserts that the ABA’s accreditation wing is not sufficiently independent of the profession. The report also faulted the ABA for being too slow to revise its rule requiring law schools to meet diversity standards. “We have said many times that accreditation, in general, operates like a cartel,” Assistant Secretary of Education David Barker said. “When there’s no competition, accreditors feel free to inject their own political preferences, their own ideologies into the work that they do.” Douglas Belkin and Erin Mulvaney report for the Wall Street Journal; Karen Sloan reports for Reuters.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION
The Supreme Court on Friday granted an administrative stay that puts a hold on a federal appeals court decision that found Trump appeared to lack legal authority to embark on major construction at the White House without specific approval from Congress. The one-page order did not explain the rationale behind the decision. Josh Gerstein reports for POLITICO.
A federal appeals court on Friday upheld a lower court ruling that the Justice Department could not enforce subpoenas seeking information about cases pursued by New York Attorney General Letitia James, finding that Trump ally John Sarcone was unlawfully serving as the top prosecutor. James Luc Cohen reports for Reuters.
A federal judge on Friday set aside a Trump administration policy that suspended the processing of visas from 75 countries, whose nationals the administration deemed likely to require public assistance in the United States. The judge ruled that Secretary of State Marco Rubio exceeded his authority by issuing the policy, which “runs afoul” of the Immigration and Nationality Act by mandating the “refusal of visas to eligible applicants without any basis in law.” Michael Casey reports for AP News.
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