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Iran says U.S. proposal still under review. President Donald Trump discusses a deal with Iran. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait cut U.S. base access in backlash over Strait of Hormuz plan. U.S. forces disable Iranian tanker in Gulf of Oman. Iran formalizes Strait of Hormuz control with new maritime authority. Israeli strikes kill seven early Thursday. Attacks on southern Lebanon kill 13. Image of Israeli soldier defacing statue of the Virgin Mary sparks outrage. Israeli strikes kill eight Palestinians on Wednesday. Israel destroys vineyards in one of Palestine’s main grape-producing regions to expand settler road. Sky News looks into the disappearance of Alakad family in 2023. Hamas Gaza chief son killed in Israeli strike, fourth son killed by Israel. MSF: Israel’s deliberate restriction of aid in Gaza severely impacted pregnant women and newborns. Tuesday’s primary results set fall matchups. Homan hints at “ongoing discussions” about legal status for undocumented Americans and dreamers. Adam Hamawy gets an interesting endorsement. Chris Rabb gets a major ad buy in his Philadelphia congressional race. Rutgers calls off graduation speech because speaker had criticized Israel. Federal judge unseals purported Epstein suicide note. Commerce Secretary Lutnick admits visiting Epstein’s island to Congress. FBI searches Virginia Senate leader’s office and cannabis shop. Syria claims it foiled Hezbollah cell which plotted assassinations of its senior officials. North Korea declares itself permanently outside the NPT. Four killed in post-election riots in West Bengal. RSF accuses Burkina Faso of secretly detaining and abusing journalist for nearly two years. Mexico leads Latin America in journalist murders, report finds. Venezuela rejects World Court jurisdiction in border dispute with Guyana. Iraq’s oil sector in freefall. U.S. escalates drug pressure on Mexico, Colombia. Two former Chinese defense ministers sentenced to death in widening purge.

FROM DROP SITE: “We stopped classes and tried to flee”—Pakistan targets Afghan civilians in scorched-earth military campaign

Drop Site’s Jeremy Scahill breaks down the latest in the negotiations and diplomatic activity between the U.S. and Iran.

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Palestinian landowners inspect damaged grapevines in the Baqaa valley, east of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on May 7, 2026, after thousands were uprooted by Israeli authorities for the expansion of Route 60. The occupied West Bank has been gripped by almost daily violence since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, involving both Israeli troops and settlers. Photo by HAZEM BADER / AFP via Getty Images

Iran and Ceasefire

Iran says U.S. proposal still under review: Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that a U.S. proposal to end the war is still under review. “The U.S. plan and proposal is still under review by Iran, and after finalizing its viewpoints, Iran will convey its views to key mediator in Pakistan,” Baghaei told the Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA). “The exchange of messages through the Pakistani mediator is ongoing, and reviews of the exchanged texts continue,” Baghaei later told state broadcaster IRIB. “Iran’s response to the U.S. views regarding our country’s 14-point proposal has not yet been conveyed to the Pakistani side.”
Trump discusses a deal with Iran: Following Wednesday’s news that the U.S. had drafted a memorandum of understanding which it sent to Iran, President Trump spoke with the media about the prospects of a deal. He reportedly told Fox News’ Bret Baier that he is “optimistic” about this deal and “thinks it’s going to lead to things.” Earlier reporting indicated that Washington had given Tehran 48 hours to decide on the deal. An Iranian official said the proposal, as first reported by Axios, was akin to an “American wish list.”
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait cut U.S. base access in retaliation over Strait of Hormuz plan: Saudi Arabia and Kuwait both suspended American basing and overflight access after President Donald Trump announced Project Freedom without coordinating with Gulf allies, forcing a pause of the operation, according to NBC News and reporting by Drop Site’s Ryan Grim. Saudi Arabia suspended U.S. access to Prince Sultan Air Base and Saudi airspace after being blindsided by the announcement, and a subsequent call between Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman failed to resolve the dispute, NBC News reported. Kuwait similarly cut off access, basing, and overflight rights, a U.S. administration official confirmed to Drop Site. Qatar was contacted only after the operation had already begun, and Oman was not informed until after Trump’s public announcement. Without Saudi and Kuwaiti airspace, U.S. aircraft could not maintain the defensive umbrella required to protect ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, making the operational pause effectively unavoidable.
- Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday praised Trump for pausing his “Project Freedom” operation to guide commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz barely a day after it began. “I am grateful to President Donald Trump for his courageous leadership and timely announcement regarding the pause in Project Freedom in the Strait of Hormuz,” Sharif said in a social media post.
U.S. forces disable Iranian tanker in Gulf of Oman: U.S. Central Command said Wednesday that American forces fired on and disabled the rudder of the Iranian-flagged tanker M/T Hasna in the Gulf of Oman after the vessel allegedly attempted to evade Washington’s naval blockade on Iran. A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from the USS Abraham Lincoln launched 20mm cannon fire at the crew after it ignored repeated warnings, according to CENTCOM. The tanker was traveling through international waters toward an Iranian port at the time of the strike.
Iran asks UN to reject sanctions: Iran’s mission to the UN called on member states to reject a draft Security Council resolution put forward by the U.S. and Gulf states that would impose additional sanctions on Iran. Iran asked states to, “act on the basis of logic, fairness and principle, not pressure, reject the draft, and refrain from supporting or co-sponsoring it.”
Iran formalizes Strait of Hormuz control with new maritime authority: Iran on Wednesday launched the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, a new government body that institutionalizes Tehran’s wartime control over maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Ships seeking to transit the waterway must now obtain authorization through a permit system managed by the authority and follow mandatory “safe passage” instructions designating an Iran-approved corridor. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy has warned that vessels straying outside the corridor will face a “firm response.”
Iran offers maritime services to hundreds of stranded ships in the Strait of Hormuz: Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization issued a message Wednesday to commercial ship commanders in the Strait of Hormuz, announcing that Iranian ports are fully prepared to provide maritime services, technical support, and medical assistance to vessels in the region. Hundreds of vessels remain clustered in regional waters amid the ongoing standoff with U.S. forces.
Araghchi’s visit to China: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Wednesday, with both sides issuing statements signaling increased strategic alignment and shared pressure on Washington to negotiate. Araghchi said the meeting was “constructive,” and said Iran “trusts China” to play an active role in ending the conflict and building a post-war regional framework. In his statement, Wang Yi said the region is at “a critical stage of whether the conflict could end,” warning that restarting the war “would be even more ill-advised.” China “supports Iran in safeguarding its national sovereignty and security,” his statement added.
Pezeshkian discusses war with Macron: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, outlining Tehran’s conditions for any diplomatic agreement. Pezeshkian said that the U.S. had “diverted the path of diplomacy towards threats, pressure, and sanctions” and blamed American actions for destabilizing the Strait. He said that Iran is seeking an end to the war and firm guarantees against future hostile actions before it commits to further negotiations. According to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, Macron told Pezeshkian that France is ready to help advance negotiations and “supports lifting sanctions on Iran.”
Tehran governor says all ministries plan to resume full operations: The governor of Tehran Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian said that all ministries, government organizations and executive agencies in Tehran province will operate at 100% capacity starting on Saturday, according to the Mehr news agency.

Lebanon

Israeli strikes kill seven early Thursday: At least seven people were killed and several others injured in Israeli airstrikes and drone attacks across southern Lebanon on Thursday, according to the National News Agency. A direct strike targeted a civil defense team affiliated with the Islamic Health Society in Majdal Salem, leaving several responders injured. In Ain Baal, two Palestinians were killed in a strike on a vehicle, while a separate airstrike on a house in the same town killed one and wounded others. In Nabatieh, delivery worker Charbel Assaf was killed in an Israeli strike. Additional drone attacks targeted a car carrier truck near Mifdoun, killing one person, and a pickup truck near Habboush, where two more people were killed.
Wednesday attacks:
- Strike on Beirut: Israel bombed Beirut on Wednesday for the first time since it agreed to a “ceasefire” with Lebanon last month. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a video statement confirming the strike, saying it targeted the commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force. Hezbollah has not officially commented, though a source reportedly close to the group confirmed the killing to AFP. A senior Israeli official told Kan, Israel’s public broadcaster, that the operation was coordinated with the United States, with Israel receiving a “green light” from Washington for a “surgical and targeted” strike.
- Attacks on southern Lebanon kill 13: At least 13 people were killed and over 10 towns attacked in Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley on Wednesday, despite the U.S.-mediated ceasefire announced last month, according to Reuters. Two people were killed and another wounded in an Israeli strike on the town of Khirbet Selm in southern Lebanon, two more were killed in an Israeli strike on a car near Tyre, and five civilians were killed in Siksikiyah during an Israeli raid, which wounded 15 others. Strikes continued into the night, with 3 people killed and 7 wounded in an Israeli strike on Ansariyah, according to the National News Agency.
Image of Israeli soldier defacing statue of the Virgin Mary sparks outrage: The Israeli military says it will open an investigation after an image circulated online today showing an Israeli soldier placing a cigarette in the mouth of a Virgin Mary statue in southern Lebanon. IDF spokesperson LTC Nadav Shoshani said the military views the incident “with utmost severity” and claimed the soldier’s conduct “completely deviates from the values expected of its personnel,” and that the image was taken “several weeks ago.” The incident comes amid a series of reported Israeli acts targeting Christian sites and symbols during the military’s ethnic cleansing operations in southern Lebanon. A monastery and convent school were partially destroyed during Israeli razing operations in Yaroun, and a statue of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon was photographed being smashed by an Israeli soldier.

Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel

Casualty count: Over the last 24 hours, nine Palestinians were killed—six in new attacks and three from wounds sustained in earlier attacks—and 39 were injured across Gaza. The total recorded death toll since October 7, 2023 has risen to 72,628 killed, with 172,520 injured. Since October 11, the first full day of the so-called ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 846 Palestinians in Gaza and wounded 2,418, while 769 bodies have been recovered from under the rubble, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Strikes on Thursday: Three Palestinians were killed and several others injured on Thursday in Israeli drone strikes west of Gaza City, according to WAFA.
Eight Palestinians killed on Wednesday:
- An Israeli strike in the Al-Daraj neighborhood of Gaza City killed two people and wounded several others, including the son of Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya.
- An Israeli drone struck the Zaytoun neighborhood southeast of Gaza City, killing four Palestinians, including a child, and wounding others, according to a statement by Al-Ahli Hospital.
- Colonel Nasim al-Kalzani of the Palestinian Police was killed when an Israeli drone targeted his vehicle in the al-Mawasi area west of Khan Yunis. Seventeen civilians were also wounded in the strike, according to Al Jazeera.
- A Palestinian was killed by Israeli fire near the Kuwait roundabout south of Gaza City, and another died of wounds sustained in a previous strike near al-Jalaa intersection.
Israel destroys vineyards in one of Palestine’s main grape-producing regions to expand settler road: Israeli forces destroyed more than 200 dunums (nearly 50 acres) of farmland and uprooted thousands of fruit-bearing trees east of Hebron over the past three days, just before harvest season, according to Palestinian officials cited by the Palestinian Information Center. Bulldozers targeted vineyards and vegetable fields in the al-Baqa’a area under the pretext of expanding Route 60. Officials said the area is one of the West Bank’s main grape-producing regions, generating around 13,000 tons of grapes annually and supporting hundreds of families. Farmers said land was cleared without prior warning, with military seizure orders only delivered afterward.
Sky News looks into the disappearance of Alakad family in 2023: Sky News and a team of investigative lawyers published the results of their investigation into the disappearance of several members of the Alakad family from Khan Younis in 2023. The investigation centers on a photograph showing Huda Alakad and her 78-year-old mother Aisha, sitting in the back of an Israeli military vehicle surrounded by Israeli soldiers. Their family discovered the image nearly two years later and says that both women were never seen again. Investigators identified the Israeli soldiers in the photograph as members of the Golani Brigade’s 12th Battalion. Human rights lawyers involved in the investigation argue the case may amount to enforced disappearance, a crime against humanity.
- Drop Site’s Ryan Grim had previously asked the Israeli military repeatedly for information on where the missing women were. “The women were released in the Gaza Strip in an area farther from the troops’ operational activity,” the military claimed. They have not been seen since. The IDF’s statement to Drop Site is here. Sky News’ full investigation is available here.
Hamas Gaza chief son killed in Israeli strike, fourth son killed by Israel: The son of Khalil al-Hayya, head of Hamas in Gaza, succumbed to wounds sustained in an Israeli airstrike on the Al-Darraj neighborhood in Gaza City on Wednesday. Azzam is the fourth of Al-Hayya’s children to be killed in Israeli strikes. In an interview with Al-Jazeera, Al-Hayya said the attack was deliberate and political—“a continuation of the targeting of the Palestinian negotiating delegation.” Israel “wants to take what it wants through pressure, killing, and terror,” he said, suggesting the strike was designed to intimidate Hamas at a critical moment in negotiations. He placed responsibility squarely on Washington: “This places the mediators and guarantors—primarily the Americans, who guaranteed this—before their responsibilities.” He also said that Hamas was fully willing to move onto the next stage of the ceasefire, if the conditions of the first phase were met by Israel.
MSF: Israel’s deliberate restriction of aid in Gaza severely impacted pregnant women and newborns: A malnutrition crisis in Gaza created by Israel has had a devastating impact on pregnant and breastfeeding women, newborns, and infants under six months old, according to an analysis of medical data released today by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The group recorded higher levels of premature births and infant mortality, miscarriage, and malnourished children at four health facilities run or supported by MSF between late 2024 and early 2026. “The malnutrition crisis is entirely manufactured,” Mercè Rocaspana, an MSF medical adviser, said in a statement. “Before the war, malnutrition in Gaza was almost non-existent. For two and a half years, the systematic blockade to humanitarian aid and commercial goods, on top of insecurity, have severely restricted access to food and clean water.”

U.S. News

By Julian Andreone, with Ryan Grim. Have a tip on Capitol Hill? Email Andreone at Julian@dropsitenews.com.

Tuesday’s primary results set fall matchups: Results from Tuesday’s primary elections in Ohio and Indiana continued to roll in on Wednesday. In Ohio, Democrats nominated former Sen. Sherrod Brown to challenge Republican Jon Husted—who holds the Senate seat vacated when Vice President JD Vance left for the White House—in a race considered among the most consequential of the cycle. Trump ally Vivek Ramaswamy, who briefly co-led the Department of Government Efficiency, won the Republican gubernatorial nomination and will face Democrat Amy Acton, who directed the state’s health department during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Homan hints at “ongoing discussions” about legal status for undocumented Americans and dreamers: Tom Homan, Trump’s “border czar” and one of the administration’s most vocal advocates of mass deportation, suggested in an interview with CBS that the White House is considering a directional change to its immigration policy. “Would you support a compromise that involves giving legal status to the millions of people who are here illegally but are otherwise law-abiding, including dreamers?” he was asked by the reporter. While he insisted that he was “not going to get ahead of the President,” he said that Trump was “talking to various members of his Cabinet” about the issue, and that he was part of “some” of the discussions and not others. Trump has previously balked at the idea of “amnesty” for undocumented immigrants and has made aggressive enforcement of immigration law a signature issue of his political career; an April Politico poll found that a majority of Americans think that Trump’s immigration agenda is “too aggressive,” and a 2025 Gallup poll found that more Americans support increased pathways to citizenship for undocumented residents.
Adam Hamawy gets an interesting endorsement: The 314 Action Fund, which supports Democratic scientists and doctors running for Congress, endorsed Adam Hamawy to represent New Jersey’s 12th congressional district. The group has previously allowed itself to be used to funnel covert AIPAC funds, but Hamawy, a surgeon who led a team of volunteer physicians in Gaza and who was prevented from leaving by Israel, has been a consistent and vocal critic of Israel’s genocide. The endorsement does not guarantee 314 will spend money to support Hamawy, but it buys them perceived credibility in a nearby race where they are funneling millions to back Dr. Ala Stanford.
Chris Rabb gets a major ad buy in his Philadelphia Congress race: The Working Families Party released a new ad in support of State Representative https://linktr.ee/dropsitenews, who is vying to represent Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District in a heated Democratic primary. The ad, which features endorsements from State Sen. Nikil Saval, State Reps. Rick Krajewski and Elizabeth Fiedler, and City Councilmembers Kendra Brooks and Nicholas O’Rourke, will draw on at least $200,000 and up to $400,000 of placement money, according to Drop Site’s Ryan Grim, and the ads are slated to run in Philadelphia while the city’s professional basketball team continues its playoff run.
Rutgers calls off graduation speech because speaker had criticized Israel: Rutgers University canceled a graduation speech by biotech CEO Rami Elghandour after students objected to his criticism of Israel and posts about Gaza, according to the AP. The decision was made after the university learned that “some graduating students would not attend their graduation ceremony due to concerns about the invited speaker’s social media posts,” a university spokesman said. Elghandour, an alumnus who was set to speak at the Rutgers School of Engineering convocation, frequently shares footage and reporting from Gaza and has accused Israel of war crimes and apartheid. He said Rutgers had previously highlighted his role as executive producer of a documentary about the murdered Palestinian child Hind Rajab, “until it was inconvenient” for them.
Federal judge unseals purported Epstein suicide note: A federal judge on Wednesday made public a purported suicide note written by Jeffrey Epstein that had remained sealed for years as part of the criminal case of his former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione. “They investigated me for month — FOUND NOTHING!!!” the note reads, adding, “It is a treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye.” “Watcha want me to do — Bust out cryin!!,” concluding with an underlined “NO FUN,” and, “NOT WORTH IT!!” Tartaglione, a former Briarcliff Manor police officer who shared a cell with Epstein, said he found the note tucked inside a graphic novel in July 2019 after Epstein was found unresponsive with a strip of cloth around his neck—an incident Epstein survived before dying weeks later. Tartaglione said he gave the note to his lawyers, believing it could be useful if Epstein continued to allege that his cellmate had attacked him; it subsequently became entangled in a legal dispute among Tartaglione’s attorneys and was placed under seal to protect attorney-client privilege.
Commerce Secretary Lutnick admits visiting Epstein’s island to Congress: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick acknowledged to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee investigators Wednesday that he visited Jeffrey Epstein’s private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2012—seven years after he had previously claimed to have severed ties with the convicted sex offender. He described the decision as “inexplicable,” according to lawmakers present for the closed-door session. Democrats emerged from the proceedings sharply critical, with Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) calling Lutnick “evasive, nervous” and dishonest, and Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) suggesting Democrats could compel a public, on-camera hearing if they retake the House majority. The interview was not a sworn deposition and was not recorded on video, though Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) said a transcript of the hearing would be released.
FBI searches Virginia Senate leader’s office and cannabis shop: Federal agents searched the Portsmouth, Virginia, office of and neighboring cannabis store owned by Democratic State Sen. L. Louise Lucas, the Virginia Senate’s president pro tempore, on Wednesday as part of a corruption investigation opened during the Biden administration, according to the Associated Press. Lucas, 82, has been a prominent figure in Virginia’s Democrat-led redistricting effort, which voters approved last month and which could help Democrats gain up to four U.S. House seats. Her cannabis outlet, which she opened in 2021 and which she says sells legal hemp and CBD products, has previously drawn local media scrutiny over allegations of mislabeled products; recreational marijuana retail sales remain illegal in Virginia.
Progressive challenger targets Moskowitz as Florida redistricting scrambles South Florida congressional map: Oliver Larkin, a former Democratic digital fundraiser, launched a primary challenge against Representative Jared Moskowitz of Florida’s 23rd Congressional District over Moskowitz’s staunch support for Israel and his vote for the Laken Riley Act, building a grassroots campaign fueled in part by a $70,000 fundraising surge after an appearance on streamer Hasan Piker’s channel. Florida’s newly unveiled Republican-drawn electoral map has since fractured the district into three separate constituencies, and both candidates are now forced to decide which district they plan to run in. In his response to the map changes, Larkin argues that the map was “uniquely designed to disenfranchise” his campaign. David Dayen at the American Prospect has more on Larkin and Moskowitz here.
Bowlers sue private equity-backed Bowlero for antitrust violations: A class-action lawsuit filed Wednesday in Washington state federal court accuses Bowlero—which controls roughly 35% of U.S. bowling revenue after expanding from six locations in 2012 to nearly 350 today—of illegally consolidating the industry, using algorithmic pricing to drive up costs, and cutting maintenance at acquired alleys. The suit asks the court to unwind Bowlero’s acquisitions, including its purchase of the Professional Bowling Association, and bar further consolidation. A full report on the suit from The Lever is available here.

Other International News

Pakistan targets civilians in Afghanistan: A Pakistani military drone struck the main building of Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University in Asadabad, in Afghanistan’s Kunar province, on Sunday, April 27, killing at least seven students and wounding dozens more, including teachers, according to witnesses who spoke to Drop Site News. The attack undermined ceasefire efforts brokered by China in the western city of Urumqi in April. It came roughly a month after Pakistani strikes killed more than 400 people at a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul. “Pakistan keeps insisting TTP militants are the targets, but when you hit a university and a clinic, you aren’t fighting a terror group. You are fighting a population,” one Afghan official told Drop Site. Read the latest dispatch from Afghanistan from Emran Feroz here.
Syria claims it foiled Hezbollah cell which plotted assassinations of its senior officials: Syrian authorities said they dismantled a cell affiliated with Hezbollah in Syrian territory that was allegedly planning targeted assassinations of senior government figures. Simultaneous security operations in the Damascus countryside and the provinces of Aleppo, Homs, Tartous, and Latakia resulted in 11 arrests, authorities said, along with the seizure of explosive devices and RPG launchers. Hezbollah categorically denied the accusations, calling them false and noting that Syrian authorities had made similar claims repeatedly.
North Korea declares itself permanently outside the NPT: North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations, Kim Song, declared Thursday that Pyongyang will never be bound by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and that no outside pressure will alter its standing as a nuclear-armed state. The statement, carried by state media, came during the 11th NPT Review Conference at UN headquarters, where the United States and allied countries criticized North Korea’s nuclear program. “To make it clear once again,” Kim said, “the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will not be bound by the Non-Proliferation Treaty under any circumstances whatsoever.” North Korea withdrew from the NPT in 2003 and has since conducted six nuclear tests; it is believed to have dozens of nuclear warheads.
Four killed in post-election riots in West Bengal: At least four people were killed in clashes between supporters of Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party and Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress in Kolkata, India, after the former reported a surprise victory in elections on Tuesday. Two workers from each party were confirmed killed. India’s election commission instructed West Bengal state authorities to enforce a “zero-tolerance policy” towards any incidents of post-election violence.
RSF accuses Burkina Faso of secretly detaining and abusing journalist for nearly two years: Reporters Without Borders said that missing journalist Atiana Serge Oulon, director of the Burkinabe outlet L’Événement, was arbitrarily detained by the country’s military authorities. Armed men in civilian clothing had abducted him from his home on June 24, 2024. The military government claimed Oulon had been conscripted into the armed forces, but the press freedom group said its investigation found he was held captive at least through the end of 2025. Former prisoners in the same makeshift detention facility described sleeping on bare floors, wearing the same clothing for months, and drinking water from toilets, with guards allegedly using tree branches to beat detainees. RSF said Oulon had been in the authorities’ sights since 2022, when he accused a senior army officer of embezzlement, and called the conscription claim a cover for his captivity.
Mexico leads Latin America in journalist murders, report finds: Seven journalists were murdered and one disappeared in Mexico in 2025, nearly doubling the previous year’s toll of four killings and making the country the deadliest in Latin America for the press, according to a report published Wednesday by the British advocacy group Article 19. Mexico also recorded 53 physical attacks on reporters last year. The Committee to Protect Journalists separately named Mexico the deadliest country for journalists in 2025 outside of the active war zones of Gaza, Yemen, and Sudan. A record 129 journalists and media workers were killed last year, two-thirds of whom were killed by Israel.
Venezuela rejects World Court jurisdiction in border dispute with Guyana: Venezuela told judges at the International Court of Justice in The Hague on Wednesday that it does not accept the court’s jurisdiction over its long-running dispute with Guyana over the oil-rich Esequibo region. The contested area covers roughly 160,000 square kilometers of mostly jungle terrain along the Esequibo river and an offshore zone where significant oil and gas deposits have been discovered. Guyana argued before the court on Monday that Venezuela’s claim to the Esequibo region encompasses more than 70% of its territory and poses an existential threat to the country. A final ICJ ruling is months away.
Iraq’s oil sector in freefall: Iraqi oil production has collapsed to 1.6 million barrels per day—down 60% from pre-war levels—amid ongoing disruptions from the U.S. war on Iran, according to a report in Rudaw. The Strait of Hormuz closure and fighting between the U.S. and Iran-backed militias in Iraq have triggered a capital flight as dozens of major investment projects are stalled and foreign contractors have pulled out of development projects. Iraq now faces a major economic crisis as state revenues from energy sales have dropped towards $1 billion monthly, while the budget requires $5.8 billion to cover basic fiscal needs including salaries, pensions, and welfare payments.
U.S. escalates drug pressure on Mexico, Colombia: The Trump administration unveiled a new drug control strategy that sharply escalates pressure on Mexico and Colombia, demanding “measurable results” against cartels and drug trafficking networks. The plan identifies Mexico as a priority target for dismantling fentanyl and methamphetamine production, including operations against labs, chemical precursors and cross-border smuggling routes. Colombia, meanwhile, faces renewed demands to reduce coca cultivation and intensify cooperation with U.S. security efforts. Trump again threatened unilateral military action inside Mexico, saying “if they’re not gonna do the job we’re gonna do the job,” during a press conference Wednesday.
Two former Chinese defense ministers sentenced to death in widening purge: Two former top officials in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), former defense ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, were handed suspended death sentences for corruption, Xinhua reported Thursday, marking the most severe penalties yet in Xi Jinping’s deepening purge of senior military officials. Both were convicted of taking bribes and trading personnel appointments for cash; and their death sentences are expected by Chinese legal observers to be commuted to life imprisonment without possibility of parole.

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