#Drone strike sparks fire at UAE nuclear power plant in latest blow to Iran ceasefire.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A drone strike targeted the United Arab Emirates’ sole nuclear power plant on Sunday, sparking a fire on its perimeter. There were no reports of injuries or radiological release, but it highlighted the risk of renewed war as the Iran ceasefire remains tenuous.

No one immediately claimed responsibility, and the UAE did not blame anyone. It has however accused Iran of launching drone and missile attacks in recent days as tensions rise over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy waterway still gripped by Iran, which is under a U.S. naval blockade.

The UAE has hosted air defenses and personnel from Israel, which joined the U.S. in the Feb. 28 attack that sparked the war.

U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested hostilities could resume and was expected to speak with Israel’s prime minister on Sunday. Iranian state television has aired segments with news anchors holding rifles in an effort to prepare the public for war. Diplomatic efforts aimed at a more durable peace have faltered.

Fighting has also heated up between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon despite a nominal ceasefire there, further straining the wider truce.
Barakah plant can provide a quarter of the UAE’s energy

The UAE Defense Ministry said three drones had come over its western border with Saudi Arabia, with the other two intercepted. It was investigating who launched them. Iran and Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Iraq have launched repeated drone attacks targeting Gulf Arab states in the war.

The US$20 billion Barakah nuclear power plant was built by the UAE with the help of South Korea and went online in 2020. It is the only nuclear power plant in the Arab world and can provide a quarter of the energy needs in the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms that is home to Dubai.

The UAE’s nuclear regulator said on X the fire didn’t affect plant safety and “all units are operating as normal.” Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, later said he spoke by phone with his South Korean counterpart.

The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, said the strike caused a fire in an electrical generator and one reactor was being powered by emergency diesel generators.

IAEA director-general Rafael Mariano Grossi expressed “grave concern” and said military activity that threatens nuclear safety is unacceptable, the agency said in a statement.

It’s the first time the four-reactor Barakah plant has been targeted in the war. It is near the border with Saudi Arabia, some 225 kilometres (140 miles) west of the UAE’s capital city, Abu Dhabi.

Yemen’s Irani-backed Houthi rebels, whom the UAE has battled as part of a Saudi-led coalition, claimed to have targeted the plant while it was under construction in 2017, which Abu Dhabi denied.
The UAE’s nuclear program is different from Iran’s and Israel’s

The UAE signed a strict deal with the U.S. over the nuclear power plant, known as a “123 agreement,” in which it agreed to forego domestic uranium enrichment and reprocessing of spent fuel to ease any proliferation concerns. Its uranium comes from abroad.

That’s very different from the nuclear program in Iran, which is at the heart of long-running tensions with the United States and Israel.

Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes, but it has enriched its uranium close to weapons-grade levels and is widely suspected of having had a military component to its program until at least 2003. It has often restricted the work of U.N. inspectors, including since the 12-day war with Israel last year.

Israel is widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed country in the region, but has neither confirmed nor denied having atomic weapons. Iran struck near Israel’s Dimona nuclear facility during the war.

Nuclear plants have increasingly been targeted in wars in recent years, including during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine that began in 2022. During the Iran war, Tehran repeatedly claimed its Bushehr nuclear power plant came under attack, though there was no direct damage to its Russian-run reactor or any radiological release.
Ceasefire appears increasingly shaky

Two people familiar with the situation, including an Israeli military officer, said Israel is coordinating with the U.S. about a possible resumption of attacks. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing confidential military preparations.

Speaking to his Cabinet on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “our eyes are also open” when it comes to Iran. He said he planned a chat with Trump later in the day to discuss the president’s trip to China and “perhaps” other things.

“We are prepared for any scenario,” Netanyahu said.

On Iranian state TV, presenters on at least two channels appeared armed during live programs.

One of them, Hossein Hosseini, received basic firearms training from a masked member of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. Hosseini mimed firing a shot at the flag of the UAE.

On another channel, Mobina Nasiri said a weapon had been sent to her from a gathering in Tehran’s Vanak Square. “From this platform, I declare that I am ready to sacrifice my life for this country,” she said.

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Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, and Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed.

Jon Gambrell And Samy Magdy, The Associated Press

‘Dance all night’: Harry Styles kicks off World Tour in #Amsterdam. Rhinestones bejewelling her eyes and star-shaped clips in her hair, 23-year-old Mathea Ndawula was all set on Saturday for the first show of pop superstar Harry Styles’ new world tour.

“My goal is to dance all night,” the psychology student told AFP, who had travelled from Mons in Belgium to Amsterdam early to secure a good spot.

The typical Dutch weather of lashing rain and wind failed to deter fans of the British star, who turned out in droves from all corners of Europe, huddling in ponchos covered with pink hearts.

The 32-year-old singer will perform for 10 nights at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam, usually home to Dutch football giants Ajax, who have been displaced during the tour.

The residency-style “Together, Together” tour will take root in seven cities for a total of 67 concerts from May 16 to December 13.

A record 12 concerts are scheduled for London’s Wembley Arena in June and New York’s Madison Square Garden will host 30 shows at the end of August.

Styles burst onto the pop scene at the age of 16 from the talent show X-factor, later fronting boy band One Direction.

His new album “Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally” came out on March 6, four years after his last work “Harry’s House”, which won the Best Album award at the Grammy’s.

With a more electronic and experimental sound, although still unashamedly full of dance tracks, the new album is seen as taking a new trajectory.
‘I’m so excited’

“Every album is like a new chapter in his life, something different that he wants to do,” said Jessica Denovan from Manchester in Britain, who has been a Harry Styles fan since One Direction days.

“We have no idea what the intro is going to be. It’s all going to be different. I don’t even know what to expect... I’m so excited,” said the 21-year-old who works in a kindergarten.

In a rare interview given to New Zealand presenter Zane Lowe, Styles said a residency-style tour would offer fans improved staging for the show.

“I think it makes the show better. I think you can build something that doesn’t have to travel every night,” he said.

Tens of thousands turn out for U.K. far-right rally, counter demo. Tens of thousands of people rallied Saturday at a London march organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson and a counter-demonstration fused with a pro-Palestinian protest, as police mounted a huge operation to keep rival attendees apart.

The capital’s Metropolitan Police deployed 4,000 officers -- alongside horses, dogs, drones and helicopters -- to manage Robinson’s “Unite the Kingdom” march and the rally marking Nakba Day as well as the FA Cup Final.

Nakba Day commemorates the 1948 displacement of Palestinians during the creation of Israel. Mustering in west London and ending with speeches near Piccadilly, it combined with an anti-fascism march organized by the Stand Up to Racism group.

The “Unite the Kingdom” march, which started from Holborn in the capital’s heart, culminated with Robinson and other speakers addressing crowds in Parliament Square.

“Immigration’s the main concern,” Christine Turner, 66, from northeast England, told AFP from that event.

“We’re an island. We’ve got a clear border that they’re not protecting. Something needs to be done. It’s gone on too long.”

Attendees -- some sporting “Make England Great Again (MEGA)” red caps, others carrying wooden crosses and chanting “Christ is king” -- had travelled from far and wide.

“The main aspect that I’m behind is to protect women and children,” British-Polish teenager Amelia Stearn, told AFP after flying in from Poland.

“Illegal immigration is really taking a toll on the country,” she said of the UK.

Heather Booker was among those to turn out at the combined pro-Palestine and Stand Up to Racism event.

“It’s very worrying that there’s a real rise in racism and fascism in Britain and across Europe” she told AFP.
43 arrests

The Met were yet to issue attendance estimates but aerial footage broadcast by UK media showed tens of thousands at the Unite the Kingdom rally, which featured a sea of British Union Jack, English St George’s and other flags.

An AFP reporter at the counter-protest estimated only several thousand there.

In a Saturday evening update, police said officers had made 43 arrests at the twin protests, and an additional 22 at the FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester City at Wembley.

“Four officers were assaulted today. Fortunately none seriously. A further six officers were subjected to hate crime offences,” the Met said on X.

Robinson -- real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon -- is a former football hooligan turned anti-Islam activist whose profile has soared in recent years, in particular online.

Last September, he drew up to 150,000 people into central London for a similarly themed rally proclaiming “national unity, free speech and Christian values” -- an unprecedented turnout for an event organized by a far-right figure.

He has tapped into growing public anger over tens of thousands of migrants crossing the English Channel each year in small boats, wider immigration policies, alleged free speech curbs and other issues.

X owner Elon Musk addressed the September gathering via video-link. The rally shocked mainstream Britain for its scale and raw messaging, as well as clashes between some participants and police which injured dozens of officers.

‘Hatred and division’

The Met had imposed various conditions on Saturday’s two rallies in an effort to avoid confrontations. For the first time organizers were made legally responsible for ensuring invited speakers did not break hate speech laws.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer had warned Friday that “anyone who sets out to wreak havoc on our streets, to intimidate or threaten anyone... can expect to face the full force of the law”.

He accused the organizers of Robinson’s rally of “peddling hatred and division”.

Robinson -- who had urged his attendees not to wear masks or drink excessive alcohol, and to be “peaceful and courteous” -- told those gathered he was spearheading a “cultural revolution”.

Leading expletive-filled chants decrying Starmer, he urged them to get involved in politics ahead of “the battle of Britain” in 2029, when the next general election is due.

Ahead of the rally the government also blocked 11 “foreign far-right agitators” from entering Britain.

They include US-based “extremist” Valentina Gomez, who the government said is “known for using inflammatory and dehumanizing rhetoric about Muslim communities”.

Saturday’s rival demonstrations follow a spate of violent attacks targeting London’s Jewish community. Some have blamed instances of hate speech at pro-Palestinian marches for helping to fuel antisemitism.

The UK’s terrorism threat level was raised two weeks ago to the second-highest level of “severe”, with security officials citing the “broader Islamist and extreme right-wing terrorist threat”.

#USS Ford returns home after 11-month deployment supporting the Iran war and Maduro's capture.

The most advanced U.S. warship and two accompanying destroyers docked at Naval Station Norfolk with about 5,000 sailors waiting to see their families for the first time since June. Besides combat operations and traversing continents, the sailors aboard the carrier faced a noncombat-related fire that left hundreds without places to sleep and forced lengthy repairs on the Greek island of Crete.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was on hand for the arrival of the warships, which included the destroyer USS Bainbridge.

Hegseth commended the crew of the Bainbridge for a “job well done.”

“You didn’t just accomplish a mission, you made history,” Hegseth said on the destroyer’s deck. “You made a nation proud.”

Hegseth also spoke to the crews of the USS Mahan, a destroyer, and the Ford.

The Ford’s 326 days at sea are the most for an aircraft carrier in the past 50 years and broke the record for the longest post-Vietnam War deployment, according to U.S. Naval Institute News, a news outlet run by the U.S. Naval Institute, a nonprofit organization. The only longer deployments were the 1973 deployment of USS Midway at 332 days and the 1965 deployment of USS Coral Sea at 329 days.

The Ford’s long time at sea has raised questions about the impact on service members who are away from home for long periods as well as about increasing strain on the ship and its equipment beyond the fire, which started in one of the carrier’s laundry spaces.

When the Ford first left Virginia’s coast in June, it headed to the Mediterranean Sea. It was then rerouted to the Caribbean Sea in October as part of the largest naval buildup in the region in generations.

The carrier took part in the military operation in January to capture Maduro. Then it would see more battle, heading toward the Middle East as tensions with Iran escalated. The Ford participated in the opening days of the Iran war from the Mediterranean Sea before going through the Suez Canal and heading into the Red Sea in early March.

Technically, the crew of the USS Nimitz was on duty and away from home for a total of 341 days in 2020 and 2021. However, that included extended isolation periods ashore in the U.S. meant to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Who is #Raul #Castro, the Cuban leader facing a US indictment. Revolutionary beginnings and military career

Born in ​1931, Castro was a key leader alongside his older brother ⁠Fidel in the 1959 guerrilla war that toppled U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio ​Batista and launched the country's communist revolution. Castro served as his brother's defense minister ​for decades, building a powerful base within the military and Cuban state.
Among his roles, Castro helped defeat the U.S.-organized Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and oversaw Cuba's overseas ​military interventions, particularly in Africa.

Political rise

Castro began his political ascent when ​Fidel fell ill in 2006, serving as acting president and then formally becoming president in ‌2008.
Following ⁠Fidel's death in 2016, Castro remained the country's dominant political figure, bucking expectations that Fidel's absence would destabilize the communist-run government.

A lasting power broker

Castro served as president until 2018. After stepping down, he retained the honorific title of "army ​general" and continued ​to wield significant ⁠influence within Cuba's Communist Party, armed forces and state institutions.
Current President Miguel Diaz-Canel is widely seen as relying ​on Castro's guidance for major decisions.
In December 2025, Castro proposed ​postponing ⁠the Communist Party congress scheduled to choose Diaz-Canel's successor, citing the country's deep economic crisis. The party's Central Committee unanimously approved the move.
Castro last appeared in ⁠public ​on May 1 for International Workers' Day. Wearing ​a military uniform, he marched alongside Diaz-Canel and other officials but appeared fatigued and had to ​sit down suddenly during the ceremony.

Reporting by Natalia Siniawski; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani

South Korea’s bond are set to extend this year’s rout as a #semiconductor boom supercharges the nation’s economic growth and adds to inflationary pressures, analysts say

Adnoc is continuing to load liquefied natural gas onto tankers masking their location in the Persian Gulf, as the energy producer pushes to get more fuel through the Strait of #Hormuz

#Iranian authorities are ready to guarantee safe passage through the Strait of #Hormuz for all commercial vessels once the war with the United States ends, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said.

"The only solution [to the issue of passage through the Strait of Hormuz] is a complete cessation of the aggressive war [waged by the US against Iran], after which we will guarantee safe passage for every vessel," he said in a comment to the Indian television channel Doordarshan.

On February 28, the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, came under attack. In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a large-scale retaliatory operation and launched strikes on Israel. US military facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia were also targeted.

Iranian authorities subsequently announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to vessels associated with the United States, Israel, and countries that supported the attacks against the Islamic Republic.

#Ottawa paying Lockheed Martin $1.5 billion to maintain Hercules transport #aircraft.

OTTAWA — The federal government says it will pay Lockheed Martin $1.5 billion through an updated contract to maintain and upgrade the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Hercules transport aircraft.

The Hercules aircraft provide logistics support to military operations within Canada and overseas, including disaster relief, by transporting passengers, supplies and equipment long distances.

Lockheed already had a contract to maintain the CC‑130J aircraft dating back more than a decade, and this will extend the partnership.

The new agreement consists of two contract amendments — one that extends in-service support for the fleet through to June 2029 and another that deals with fleet upgrades.

Canada ordered 17 of the CC‑130J aircraft from Lockheed in 2007 to replace its old Hercules E-models.

The Liberal government has yet to reach a decision on its order of F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed, which has been the subject of a political review for more than a year now.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15, 2026.

#Gold headed for a weekly decline as a war-driven surge in #US inflation fuels expectations for higher interest rates