Drop Site Daily: June 22, 2026

U.S. and Iran conclude first round of direct talks in Switzerland. U.S. Vice President JD Vance says “great progress” made in Iran talks. U.S.-Iran Lebanon “deconfliction cell” established following Iran’s closure of Hormuz over Israeli violations and Trump’s threats. Report says Israel debating “limited withdrawals” from parts of southern Lebanon; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says forces will remain in “security zone.” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says uranium enrichment is not on the negotiating table. Israel continued its assault on southern Lebanon through Saturday despite “ceasefire.” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz insists no Israeli troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Hezbollah kills at least six Israeli soldiers. Israel kills Lebanese environmental activist Mona Khalil. Israeli strikes kill medic and student in Gaza. Israeli attacks kill 10 in Gaza on Saturday, four on Sunday. Israel kills Palestinian journalist in Gaza. Desalination plants in Gaza are shutting down because of Israeli fuel restrictions. Israeli forces kill two Palestinians, demolish homes and conduct mass arrests across the occupied West Bank. Major week for primaries in New York, Maryland, and Utah. U.S. military kills two in boat strike in Caribbean. Federal Election Commission filings reveal Republican-linked PAC funded super PACs in Democratic primaries. Trump appointees halted investigation into clemency for fraud convict, officials say. Jim Jordan-linked super PAC receives dark money from private prison company. Trump on Capitol Hill. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announces resignation. Initial count shows far-right presidential candidate de la Espriella leading in Colombia. Two roadside bombs kill at least seven in northwest Pakistan. Rapid Support Forces drone strike on Kosti fuel station kills one, injures 14. Bolivia declares state of emergency to clear protest blockades. At least 15 migrants found dead off Libya’s eastern coast. China places U.S. defense companies on export control list. Ukrainian drone war targeting Moscow escalates.

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U.S. Vice President JD Vance looks on next to Jared Kushner, as Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (L) shakes hands with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, before the start of talks on June 21, 2026 near Stansstad, Switzerland. Photo by Nathan Howard-Pool/Getty Images.

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Iran and Ceasefire

  • U.S. and Iran conclude first round of direct talks in Switzerland: Delegations from the United States and Iran met in the mountain resort town of Bürgenstock, Switzerland, on Sunday for a single day of high-level negotiations towards a final U.S.-Iran deal that should be reached within 60 days, according to the MOU signed by both parties, with technical talks set to continue for the rest of the week.

    • The U.S. delegation for the meeting included Vice President Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and top advisors to Vance and Witkoff.
    • Iran’s delegation included Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, senior SNSC official Ali Bagheri, Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati, National Iranian Oil Company chief Hamid Bovard, and other senior political, economic, and diplomatic officials, according to Iranian state media. The delegation called itself the “Minab 168,” in reference to a U.S.-Israeli airstrike on a girls’ school in the southeastern city in February, which killed up to 168 people, most of them children.
    • Pakistani and Qatari mediators were also present.
    • The talks primarily focused on Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon, which the first clause of the memorandum of understanding requires it to cease, and came after Iran said it would close the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday in protest of continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon.
    • At the talks, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi briefly appeared in the same room with VP Vance, but departed when cameras were present, rejecting what they called an American “media show.”
    • Previous to the talks, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said securing a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah would be one of the two main priorities at talks in Switzerland, alongside discussions about the Iranian nuclear file.
    • Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei had said that his delegation’s trip was strictly about “demanding that the other side fulfill its obligations,” noting that the first clause of the U.S.-Iran MOU requires hostilities to stop on all fronts, including Lebanon**.** He said the United States has “either been unable or unwilling” to enforce that provision, and Israel has continued to violate the agreement.

  • Pakistan-Qatar statement highlights key outcomes from Sunday negotiations: According to a statement put out by mediators from Pakistan and Qatar, the United States and Iran adopted a 60-day roadmap toward a final agreement and agreed to immediately begin further technical negotiations. Other key outcomes included:

    • A High Level Committee was established to oversee implementation of the memorandum, with chief negotiators leading working groups on nuclear issues, sanctions, and dispute resolution.
    • The parties agreed to establish a Lebanon deconfliction cell, facilitated by Pakistan and Qatar and involving Lebanon, to help enforce provisions aimed at ending military operations in Lebanon.
    • Washington and Tehran also created a direct communication channel to prevent misunderstandings during implementation and help ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

  • Vance says “great progress” made in Iran talks:

    • Vance said the latest U.S.-Iran talks made “a lot of good progress” and laid “a very good foundation” for a final agreement, describing the negotiations as “very good.”
    • Vance said that while the Iranian delegation had threatened to walk out over threats issued by Trump regarding their reported closure of Hormuz, talks continued past 1 a.m., adding: “They didn’t walk out, and their technical team is still here in Burgenstock working with our technical team.”
    • He claimed that International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors are expected to return to Iran to verify compliance with a preliminary agreement.
    • On frozen Iranian assets, Vance said Washington wants to ensure any released funds “go to help the people of Iran and not to fund terrorism,” outlining a proposal involving Qatari oversight and the purchase of “American corn and American wheat for the benefit of the Iranian people.”

  • The Iranian response: Iran’s Araghchi described the Lebanon mechanism as the agreement’s “first real test,” while saying the mediation had already helped secure progress on “the lifting of the blockade,” waivers for Iranian oil and petrochemical exports, the release of some frozen assets, and the launch of a major reconstruction and development plan for Iran.

  • Report says Israel debating “limited withdrawals” from parts of southern Lebanon: Israel is considering “limited withdrawals” from parts of southern Lebanon, including areas within the buffer zone, a report from Israel’s Channel 12 citing senior Israeli officials said Sunday.

    • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel would maintain a presence in the “security zone” of southern Lebanon “for as long as necessary.” “Nothing will alter that commitment.”
    • After Iran announced the closure of the Strait over Israeli attacks in Lebanon on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz reportedly ordered the Israeli army to cease fire without withdrawing from their positions, according to Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr. More below.

  • Iran announces Strait of Hormuz closure on Saturday: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Saturday that, “in light of the United States’ clear bad faith and failure to implement the first clause of the war-ending memorandum of understanding” and “in response to the continuous ceasefire violations by the Zionist regime in southern Lebanon,” the Strait of Hormuz would be closed to traffic effective immediately. It threatened “further measures had been planned and will be implemented” if Israel’s aggression continued.

    • On Sunday, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright claimed that 67 ships transited the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, following Friday’s total of 55 ships, claiming that “in terms of oil and oil products,” the present situation is “about equal” to the period before the conflict.
    • Windward, a maritime tracking firm, reported only 12 transits on Sunday, and 32 transits on Saturday, however.
    • Iran reportedly informed Hezbollah that it would not reopen the Strait until Israel announced publicly that it would comply with the “comprehensive” ceasefire in Lebanon and end its military operations there.

  • Trump threatens Iran, addresses ceasefire in Fox News interview: As his delegation met with their Iranian counterparts in Switzerland on Sunday, President Donald Trump threatened Iran in a Truth Social post, saying that it must “stop [its] highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble.” “If they don’t,” he warned, “we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!”

    • Also on Sunday, he told Fox News that he would “take over the rest of the country” of Iran, warning that Iran “won’t have a country “if it continues to close the Strait of Hormuz. In the same interview, he threatened to kill the Iranian officials on a diplomatic mission to Switzerland, saying that they would not “make it back” to Iran if the Strait remained closed.
    • Trump’s threats violate Clause 1 of the memorandum of understanding, which commits both sides to “refrain from the threat or use of force against each other.”
    • Trump described the current memorandum of understanding as a ceasefire extension rather than a final deal, saying he still has a “60-day option” and can “do whatever I want” afterward if Iran fails to meet U.S. demands.

  • Pezeshkian says uranium enrichment not on the table: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday that Tehran would not give up its right to enrich uranium, and announced the upcoming return of $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets from Qatar. “What the United States demands is that Iran not build an atomic bomb. This is nothing new, and we can also state in writing that we have no intention of building a bomb,” Pezeshkian added. “However,” he added, “we will not relinquish our right to enrichment, and the other side will have no choice but to accept this right.”

    • Pezeshkian also announced that “with the negotiation process beginning today, our $6 billion blocked in Qatar will return,” referring to Iranian oil revenues frozen by the U.S.

Lebanon

  • Killed and wounded: At least 4,106 people have been killed and 12,153 wounded in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

  • Israel continued its assault on southern Lebanon through Saturday despite “ceasefire”:

    • On Friday, the same day as the announcement of a “ceasefire” deal, Israeli strikes killed at least 83 people and wounded 141 others in southern Lebanon. Israel continued its overnight air and drone strikes across the Nabatieh and Jezzine districts into Saturday. At least 70 Israeli airstrikes between midnight and 3 p.m. on Saturday killed 38 people across 22 villages, according to Lebanon’s L’Orient Today.
    • One of the deadliest attacks—on the village of Qanaarit—killed 10 people, mostly women and children. Qanaarit, in the Saida district, is sheltering people displaced from villages farther south.
    • Israeli attacks killed four members of two different families in Sohmor and Arabsalim. In Barish, an Israeli strike killed an entire family, including two children.
    • After 3 p.m. on Saturday, southern Lebanon went 19 hours without any reported Israeli airstrikes, artillery shelling, or other major violations, marking the longest period of relative calm in 110 days, according to L’Orient Today.
    • On Sunday evening, Israeli drones bombed two locations, one on the outskirts of Farah in Nabatieh al-Fawqa and the other, a roundabout in Kfar Tibnit. The strikes occurred as the Lebanese Army’s commander in chief was visiting Nabatieh.
    • No Israeli attacks have been reported so far on Monday.

  • Hezbollah kills at least six Israeli soldiers: Hezbollah killed at least six Israeli soldiers and wounded more than 20 during Israel’s campaign in Lebanon over the weekend, according to Israeli military reports.

  • Hezbollah accuses Israel of “never accepting” the terms of a ceasefire: In a statement Saturday, Hezbollah said Israel had “never accepted” the ceasefire terms, accusing it of trying to justify continued attacks through false allegations against the group. Hezbollah said it remains committed to the ceasefire but “will not tolerate” attempts to seize additional territory or expand Israel’s occupation in southern Lebanon.

    • On Sunday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said Israel’s continued military presence in southern Lebanon is “impossible,” and warned that Hezbollah will respond to any Israeli violations. He also condemned the hypocrisy surrounding the ceasefire. “A ceasefire means Hezbollah does not fire and Israel is free to occupy anywhere!” he said. “We do not want such a ceasefire.”
    • Qassem added on Sunday that Hezbollah enjoys the “great support” of Iran, and praised the country for backing and working diligently to implement a ceasefire in Lebanon.
    • On negotiations, Qassem said that the Israeli regime had given Lebanon “nothing” in the past few months, and said that it had only employed “deception” in its direct talks with the Lebanese state. He advised the government not to yield to those demands, saying that doing so would only impair its sovereignty.

  • Katz insists no Israeli troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon: Israeli defense minister Israel Katz insisted on Sunday that Israeli troops would not withdraw from Beaufort castle—also known as Qalaat al-Shaqif—in southern Lebanon. “Israel has no intention of withdrawing from the Beaufort, which is an integral part of the security zone in Lebanon and essential for the defense of the Galilee settlements and IDF forces,” Katz wrote on X. “As prime minister Netanyahu and I have clarified - Israel will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon.”

  • Israel kills Lebanese environmental activist Mona Khalil: Lebanese environmental activist and world-famous turtle conservationist succumbed to her injuries on Friday after an Israeli strike hit her home two weeks ago. The strike also wounded her Ethiopian housekeeper. Khalil trained a generation of volunteers in turtle conservation, working on the Mediterranean coastline where endangered sea turtles travel to lay their eggs. “They knew exactly who Mona Khalil was,” wrote journalist Marwa Osman about the Israeli strike that ultimately killed Khalil. “They knew the bright orange house in Mansouri, south Lebanon. … It was one of the most recognizable symbols of environmental conservation on Lebanon’s southern coast; a sanctuary dedicated to protecting endangered sea turtles and preserving life.”

Palestine

  • Killed and wounded: Over the last 24 hours, three Palestinians were killed and 11 were injured in Israeli attacks across Gaza. At least 17 Palestinians were killed by Israel in Gaza over the weekend.

    • The total recorded death toll since October 7, 2023 has risen to 73,035 killed, with 173,368 injured, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Since October 11, the first full day of the so-called ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 1,024 Palestinians in Gaza and wounded 3,260, while 784 bodies have been recovered from under the rubble.

  • Israeli strikes kill medic and student in Gaza: A Palestinian medic was killed after an Israeli airstrike hit a civilian vehicle in the Al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis on Monday, according to WAFA. In a separate attack, a female student, on her way to sit for her secondary school examinations, was killed and several others wounded when Israel struck a vehicle in the Al-Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City.

  • Four Palestinians killed on Sunday: Israeli drone strikes killed at least four Palestinians, including a child, and wounded others across Gaza on Sunday, as Israel continued breaching the ceasefire. Two Israeli attacks hit Khan Younis, and one hit Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City.

    • Drop Site contributor Mohammed Ahmed filmed from Al-Shati. A resident of the camp described to Ahmed a strike on a tent that killed one. “There is nowhere safe,” he told Ahmed. He said he rarely leaves his tent, and when he does, even for a 100-meter walk, “I entrust myself to God,” fearing any car or person nearby could be the next target. Ahmed’s video dispatches from the scene are here and here.

  • Israeli attacks kill 10 in Gaza on Saturday: Israeli airstrikes and gunfire killed at least 10 Palestinians across Gaza on Saturday, including two young girls.

    • In the Bureij camp in central Gaza, an Israeli strike on a group of people killed three.
    • In Gaza City, a pre-dawn strike on an apartment killed four people, including two young girls and a woman. A 9-year-old boy was critically wounded in the attack and had his leg amputated.
    • An Israeli attack near Khan Younis killed one and wounded 8 others.
    • Another strike and gunfire killed a woman in Beit Lahiya and a man near the Saftawi junction in Northern Gaza.

  • Israel kills Palestinian journalist in Gaza: Israeli forces killed Palestinian journalist and cameraman Ahmad Samir Washah during an attack on the Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza on Saturday. Washah worked for Al Jazeera Mubasher. His brother, journalist Mohammed Samir Washah, was assassinated in an Israeli drone strike on his car on April 8. Israel killed both brothers in a span of 73 days.

    • Ahmad’s sister mourned her brothers at Washah’s funeral on Sunday in footage provided by Drop Site contributor Abdel Qader Sabbah. Ahmad “wanted to be with Mohammed, and Mohammed wanted Ahmad,” she said. “Their souls are intertwined.” “He was a lion, and more,” she added, describing him as a “thorn” in Israel’s side, reflecting on his fearless journalism.

  • Desalination plants in Gaza are shutting down because of Israeli fuel restrictions: Israeli restrictions on fuel entering the Gaza Strip caused some desalination plants to cease operations on Friday and Saturday, according to Gaza’s Association of Desalination Plant Owners. The sector, which provides much of the Strip’s drinking water, is “significantly suffering” from a “severe shortage of operational and maintenance supplies,” they wrote—a product of Israeli policies.

    • Only 14.8% of the quantity of fuel agreed upon in the October ceasefire agreement has been allowed into Gaza, according to Palestinian reports shared with mediators and obtained by Drop Site.

  • Israeli forces kill two Palestinians, demolish homes and conduct mass arrests across West Bank: Israeli forces intensified attacks across the occupied West Bank on Monday.

    • In Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, two teenage boys, 15 and 19 years old, were killed by Israeli forces and settlers, according to WAFA, which said the pair were left bleeding before their bodies were withheld. Two other young men were wounded by Israeli gunfire in the town. A 50-year-old woman was also assaulted and injured during an Israeli raid on the village of Kafr Qalil near Nablus.
    • In Jerusalem and Bethlehem, Israeli forces demolished two multi-story buildings and two homes, while also detaining dozens of Palestinians during raids across multiple areas.
    • At least 70 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the occupied West Bank since the start of 2026.

U.S. News

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

  • Major week for primaries: New York, Maryland, and Utah will hold critical primaries.

    • In New York, Israel has become a fissure in three high-profile races, with Claire Valdez (NY07), Darializa Avila Chevalier (NY13), and Brad Lander (NY10) running as a Zohran Mamdani-backed slate. Just north of the city, Israel critic Effie Phillips-Staley is running in NY17 for the nomination to take on Mike Lawler, arguably the most outspoken defender of Israel in Congress. In another Manhattan race (NY12), Alex Bores is running to rein in artificial intelligence, a test of the AI industry’s power, which has spent millions to stop him. Valdez and Avila Chevalier will appear on Breaking Points later Monday. Read or follow Drop Site contributor Michael Lange to stay abreast of the New York races.
    • In New York’s 13th district, a former energy minister from the Dominican Republic circulated an incendiary, racist attack against Chevalier, accusing her backer, Mamdani, of attempting to replace Dominican political power with Haitian voters. Both Darializa and her opponent, the incumbent Adriano Espaillat, are Dominican.
    • “AIPAC Adrian” Boafo faces last-minute scramble to stop him: The Washington Post on Sunday finally covered the AIPAC-dominated congressional race in the paper’s backyard of southern Maryland, highlighting the $11 million AIPAC and crypto have put behind him. Adrian Boafo was a top aide to outgoing Rep. Steny Hoyer, a leading AIPAC ally who organized the bi-annual congressional delegation to Israel. He is also a federal lobbyist for Oracle, founded by Larry Ellison, the largest donor to Friends of the IDF and the new owner of TikTok and, through his son David Ellison, CBS News, and much of the rest of the media. The most viable candidate to be able to stop Boafo, according to sources in the district with access to internal polling, appears to be Quincy Bareebe, a progressive health care business owner who has self-funded her campaign.
    • In Utah, the populist-progressive field is split between Liban Mohamed and Nate Blouin, which may make space for center right former Rep. Ben McAdams to sneak through.

  • U.S. military kills two in boat strike in Caribbean: The U.S. military conducted a boat strike in the Caribbean on Sunday, killing two people. SOUTHCOM posted a video of the strike and said, “Two male narco-terrorists were killed during this action, and there were six male survivors.” The U.S. has killed more than 200 people in over 60 strikes on vessels in the Pacific and Caribbean since September.

  • FEC filings reveal Republican-linked PAC funded super PACs in Democratic primaries: New FEC filings show two pop-up super PACs, Real Change PAC and Lead Left were entirely funded by Conservative Americans PAC, a Republican-linked group. The super PACs spent more than $4.3 million across Democratic congressional primaries in Texas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nebraska, and Maine.

    • The groups helped elect Maine state auditor Matt Dunlap and advancing Denise Powell in Nebraska, but failed to defeat winning candidates, including Pennsylvania’s Bob Brooks.
    • The group also spent over $1 million to boost Maureen Galindo in Texas, a candidate who was castigated by her party for her antisemitic remarks. Galindo was defeated by her opponent, sheriff’s deputy Johnny Garcia.

  • Trump appointees halted investigation into clemency for fraud convict, officials say: Trump’s political appointees quashed an early-stage investigation into whether improper payments helped secure a clemency grant for David Gentile, a private equity executive convicted in a $1.6 billion fraud scheme, according to The New York Times. Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn were examining whether Gentile offered $2.5 million to facilitate his release, including to the Rev. Frank Mann, a retired priest and friend of Trump’s. Mann denied involvement and the inquiry was abandoned in May.

  • Jim Jordan-linked super PAC receives dark money from private prison company: The American Liberty Foundation, a super PAC tied to Rep. Jim Jordan, received $250,000 in “dark money” payments last year from GEO Group, a private prison company that runs ICE detention centers, according to a report by Pogo Investigates.

  • Trump on Capitol Hill: President Trump is set to join the Senate GOP lunch on Wednesday. The discussion among Republican senators is expected to center on the SAVE America Act, a bill significantly restricting access to voting rights that Trump has incessantly advocated for ahead of upcoming elections. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has indicated the legislation does not have enough votes to pass the Senate, hence his reluctance to bring it to the floor for a vote, with several GOP senators, most notably Sen. Thom Tillis, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, and Sen. Susan Collins expressing opposition.

  • Democratic senator allegedly misused campaign funds: Ruben Gallego, who has been facing questions about the nature of his longtime friendship with disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell, spent campaign dollars on tickets to the Super Bowl in 2023 via a joint account with Swalwell, according to a report in Politico. He also spent money on family vacations to Miami, Disney World and Disneyland, as well as babysitting expenses paid directly to his mother-in-law.

  • Minnesota Senate candidates debate: The first debate between Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan and Congresswoman Angie Craig centered on campaign finance reform and immigration policy.

    • Flanagan criticized Craig’s campaign funding from large super PACs and special interest groups, as well as her vote to pass the Laken Riley Act, which unconstitutionally mandates ICE and CBP detention of undocumented immigrants strictly based on prior, unproven arrests.
    • Craig focused her messaging on fraud in Minnesota, claiming that Flanagan and the Walz administration failed to enforce existing laws.
    • While Craig has a significant advantage in dollars raised, Flanagan has consistently led in the polls and won the endorsement of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.

  • Van Hollen discusses presidential run: Maryland Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen discussed a potential presidential run on the “On NOTUS” podcast earlier this week, saying he was “kicking the tires a bit” following visits to early primary states.

    • Van Hollen said that senior Biden administration officials responsible for U.S. policy on Gaza should not serve in a future Democratic administration unless they acknowledge they were wrong, saying that Washington has a culture of “no accountability.”

Other International News

  • British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announces resignation: Starmer announced on Monday he is stepping down as leader of the Labour Party and will remain in office until a new Labour leader is chosen by the party. It will be the UK’s seventh prime minister in 10 years. Starmer led Labour to a landslide election victory in July 2024, but since then his popularity has plummeted and he is widely seen as having betrayed the left wing of the party. Former Manchester mayor and newly elected Labour MP Andy Burnham is widely expected to become the next Prime Minister. Read Paul Holden’s exceptional piece explaining Starmer’s downfall for Drop Site.

  • Initial count shows far-right presidential candidate de la Espriella leading in Colombia: Millionaire and self-proclaimed “outsider” Abelardo de Espriella leading the quick count in Colombia’s presidential runoff on Sunday, against left-wing senator Iván Cepeda. De La Espriella’s lead amounts to 250,830 more votes than Cepeda out of nearly 13 million votes cast.

    • Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Espriella and President Trump said he had won “BIG” in a post on Truth Social. The news was also celebrated by Chilean President José Antonio Kast, Venezuelan opposition figure Corina Machado, and Brazilian presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro.
    • During his campaign, Espriella threatened to “disembowel” the left, pledged to build “mega-prisons,” and threatened to kill criminals like “rats and cockroaches.”
    • Petro alleged that there were irregularities in the preliminary vote count. He accused Israel of interfering in the elections, citing changes to the national registry’s server IP addresses. He called for a full audit and recount.
    • Cepeda called for patience as the official count advanced, saying he would challenge the results at voting centers that presented alleged irregularities.

  • Explosion reported in Qatar: An “internal explosion” at Qatar’s Ras Laffan gas facilities injured 58 people and left 18 others missing on Sunday, authorities said. The explosion was precipitated by “a technical incident, according to Qatar’s interior ministry.

  • Two roadside bombs kill at least seven in northwest Pakistan: Two roadside bombs killed at least seven people and injured three in Bannu district near the Afghan border on Saturday, the Associated Press reported. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, and President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack, warning against support for “internal and external handlers of terrorism.”

  • RSF drone strike on Kosti fuel station kills one, injures 14: A drone strike by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on a fuel station in Kosti, White Nile State, killed one civilian and injured 14 others on Sunday, Sudan Tribune reported. The RSF has recently intensified attacks on energy infrastructure in White Nile and its neighboring North Kordofan state, destroying several fuel stations and causing severe fuel shortages.

    • Separately, the Sudanese army launched intensive drone strikes on Saturday, targeting RSF positions and movements across North Kordofan state to foil preparations for an assault on the state capital, El Obeid, military sources told Sudan Tribune. The strikes hit areas including Um Samima, Abu Gaoud, and Hamrat al-Sheikh.

  • Bolivia declares state of emergency to clear protest blockades: Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz declared a 90-day state of emergency on Saturday, empowering the military to remove road blockades that have isolated La Paz and disrupted fuel and food supplies amid weeks of protests against his austerity measures.

    • At least 17 people have died in the unrest and 365 have been arrested.
    • The protests, led by highland Indigenous and rural workers’ groups, erupted over Paz’s elimination of fuel subsidies. Rural workers’ federations maintained that they would continue to strike in the country, journalist Ollie Vargas reported.

  • At least 15 migrants found dead off Libya’s eastern coast: The bodies of at least 15 migrants washed ashore near Tobruk over the past week after their boat, carrying around 61 people, was believed to have capsized, Reuters reported on Saturday. Officials said more bodies could still be found.

    • Separately, medics in Khumas treated 13 migrants after another boat capsized off Libya’s coast, a route that has drawn migrants fleeing conflict and poverty since the 2011 fall of Muammar Gaddafi.

  • China places U.S. defense companies on export control list: China added 10 U.S.-based companies to its export control list and barred government procurement from 46 U.S. firms as part of an escalating trade war with Washington. The move comes about two weeks after the Pentagon expanded its list of companies it says are linked to China’s military and are banned from contracting ties, including major firms such as Alibaba, Baidu, and BYD. The newly blacklisted U.S. companies include U.S. defense contractors involved in drones, radar, shipbuilding and aerospace.

  • Ukrainian drone war targeting Moscow escalates: Russia said it shot down over 300 drones overnight, including 84 that targeted Moscow and briefly halted flights at airports near the capital. The drone raids came after Ukraine claimed a high-profile strike on a satellite communications center near Moscow, as well as the destruction of Moscow’s only oil refinery last week.

    • Russian drone and missile attacks also struck multiple Ukrainian regions, killing at least six people, including a 13-year-old boy, his father, and his grandmother in Sumy, two people in Zaporizhzhia, and one person in Odesa, after an Iskander missile hit an agricultural facility.

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