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Iran announces it will cease its strikes so long as the US bombing pause continues
Iran will cease its attacks as long the United States also does,?a senior Iranian official said on Sunday. The United States has paused its bombing campaign after President Donald Trump's advisors informed him that they had run out of targets. They also expressed concern about the depletion of the U.S. weapons arsenal. The Pentagon ended the airstrikes against Iran after 13 nights. No U.S. strikes were reported for Saturday or Sunday. Iran has held off its attacks on the neighbouring countries of U.S. bases for two days. It had followed each night's U.S. airstrikes with its own strikes. An anonymous Iranian official said that Tehran would "continue to 'attack back'" if the U.S. attacks stopped. This message has been sent to the United States." Mike Waltz, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations told Fox News Sunday and other U.S. Media that Trump had decided to pause U.S. Attacks to allow for more time to be spent on diplomacy. Waltz did not provide any further details. "He is giving the talks some room, he gives it a bit of space," Waltz said. One anonymous U.S. official stated that U.S. officials have warned that the bombings in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway which has become a flashpoint in this war, had exhausted the pre-selected targets. The option of resuming major operations is still available, but the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine warned Trump privately that it would be risky due to the impact on munitions stocks. The official said that this includes the interceptors used in U.S. air defences in the Middle East. Caine's Office and U.S. Central Command refused to comment. U.S. officials have historically refused to discuss their private advice given to an American president in Congress, or even during testimony. Waltz told NBC's 'Meet the Press' that the U.S. Military "has everything it needs" but that Pete Hegseth, the Defense Secretary under the Trump Administration, "inherited a situation that was depleted." A senior Iranian source who spoke under condition of anonymity said that Tehran didn't hold much hope that Trump’s decision to pause the strikes would represent a major change in U.S. negotiation position. "There's more skepticism than optimism regarding the stoppage of attacks." It is generally believed that the pause in attacks is a tactical one and not genuine. Iran has had enough of what it perceives as 'U.S. deception,' the source stated. "STUCK IN LIMBO" For the last two weeks, U.S. troops have been attacking Iran every night in what Washington claimed was a retaliation to Iranian attacks against shipping in?"the Strait of Hormuz". Iranian forces responded to U.S. strikes by striking water desalination facilities in Gulf Arab countries nearby. Iran claims it wants to keep control of the Strait through which, before the war, a fifth?of global oil flowed. The U.S. renewed military campaign has effectively destroyed last month's interim deal aimed at ending war. Trump's decision to pause strikes was based on what media outlets have described as a Friday meeting where Caine, other senior military and policy advisers and Trump raised their concerns. CNN reported Vice President JDVance expressed reservations. Axios reported 'the commander of U.S. Forces in the Middle East Admiral Brad Cooper had recommended halting U.S. Bombing Campaign because it has'reached its limits of effectiveness. Residents of Iran are still apprehensive. Nader, a 49-year-old import/export businessman in Tehran, doubted that any strike pause would last. He told him by phone that "everyone in the country was stuck in limbo". Trump is playing with Iran. He does not end the war, leave the region or strike decisively. It's exhausting."
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Ukrainian officials report that a vessel sinks after it was hit by Russian gunfire a week earlier.
A cargo ship sank off the Black Sea port of Odesa in Ukraine on Sunday. This was a week after Ukrainian officials claimed that it had been hit by Russian forces. Ukraine's port authority confirmed that the Golden Leo sank near the port. The vessel was sailing under the Guinea-Bissau Flag. In a statement, it was stated that nine crew members were killed and eight others evacuated. According to the statement, the?ship that left the port Chornomorsk on July 19 with a cargo?of?corn suffered significant damage after it was'shelled' by Russian forces. The ship was passing along a coast line towards Romania, through a corridor that was overseen by the Ukraine. The ports authority stated that Russian actions against the ship violated "the norms of the international maritime law", and put the lives of the crew at risk. A?witness at the time in Odesa?saw smoke billowing from a large ship off the coast. Moscow hasn't?publicly responded to the strike. In the fifth year war, Russia has intensified its attacks on deepwater port in southern Ukraine that handles a large amount of grain and other vital cargo. (Reporting and editing by Chris Reese; Ron Popeski)
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London Gatwick Airport water supply issue
Authorities at Gatwick Airport said that water supplies were interrupted 'on Sunday due to a power 'outage in a local treatment -works. Passengers reported the issue on social media. They said that it had led to the failure of flushing toilets and closures?of bars and restaurants. Water supplies were affected in both terminals of the airport, Britain's second busiest airport after Heathrow. The statement said that "Bottled Water is available to passengers and staff at the airport, and contingency measures have been put in place for the passengers' welfare." Water utility SES Water reported that complications caused by an outage at Bough Beech Water Treatment Works resulted in a temporary loss of water supply or low pressure for some customers. The company stated that "Gatwick Airport is affected, but we are working closely with them to restore service as soon as possible." (Reporting and editing by David Holmes; Paul Sandle)
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Romania shoots down a third Russian drone as the president declares breaches to be 'intolerable.'
The Romanian defence ministry announced on Sunday that an F-16 fighter jet pilot had shot down a Russian drone over the Black Sea. This was the latest in a string of airspace violations by NATO members, which?President Nicusor Dan deemed "inadmissible" and "intolerable". Romania shares a land border of 650 km (400 miles) with Ukraine, and Russian drones repeatedly violated Romania's airspace throughout the four-year Ukraine conflict. Moscow has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian ports located across the Danube River. Romania hadn't destroyed any drones before Friday, when a Romanian was able to safely bring down one in an uninhabited region. Three drones have been destroyed in the last few days. Dan wrote in X Sunday that it was "inadmissible" and "intolerable" for the Russian Federation continue to violate Romania's airspace. This is also NATO and European Union airspace. He said: "Such acts are unacceptable and we treat them seriously, along with our allies." Moscow has not yet made any public comments on the incident. ROMANIA SUMMITS?RUSSIAN ambassador OVER AIRSPACE BREACHES NATO said that additional details about Sunday's incident are being investigated. "The shootdowns are occurring as NATO, Romania and other nations acquire ground-based interceptors in order to enhance the allied and national capabilities of air defence," said U.S. Army Col. Martin O'Donnell. He is a spokesperson for NATO's Military Headquarters. Dan said that Romania identified the drone used on Friday as a Shahed type unmanned aerial vehicle, which is commonly used by Russian forces. Dan also stated that investigations were still ongoing into those who were shot down Saturday and Sunday. The Romanian Foreign Ministry said that it summoned Russia's ambassador "following repeated violations". Ilie Bolojan, the Prime Minister of Romania, called these violations "inacceptable". The defence ministry said that the drone was safely shot down in the incident on Sunday, 12 km north-east of the coastal town of Sulina, above territorial waters. "Romania is committed to protecting its airspace and sovereignty, but we must put an end to these provocations," said Radu?Miruta, Romanian Minister of Defence on Facebook. According to the defence ministry, Russian drones have violated national airspace 33 times without permission since the start of war. This includes Sunday's violation. The prosecution has recovered fragments from the drone that was shot down on Friday but is still searching for the pieces of the other two. Romania's chief of army said on Friday that Russian attacks in the area around Odesa, Ukraine, had intensified ahead of harvest season. This increased pressure on vital energy and trade routes along the Black Sea. (Reporting and editing by Joe Bavier, Alan Charlish, Luiza Ilie)
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Modi's aura is tarnished by India's Instagram generation Z ahead of state elections
Narendra Modi posted a rare video of himself, saying he was sorry for their suffering and promised to take remedial measures. The late-night video posted on Instagram by CJP, which had amassed 22 million mostly Gen Z followers within a few days in May, did not satisfy the thousands who had gathered to protest in central Delhi and braved the massive police crackdown a couple of days before. The education minister resigned on Saturday in response to the main protesters' demand. This was a rare setback for Modi. Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as Education Minister is a major victory for the CJP. Their young supporters openly mocked Modi with raps, posters and graffiti. This was an unthinkable event only a few weeks ago in a nation whose politics have been dominated almost exclusively by Modi ever since he took power in 2014. Sanjay Srivastava is an anthropology professor from SOAS University of London. He said that a large number of those who attended the protest were likely his supporters. "What could be interpreted as an achievement is that a wider cross-section now questions the government." A wider group of people are now questioning the notion that the government is good for the nation. Analysts said that the protests were sparked by a leaked "medical entrance exam". But there are also other issues. These include youth unemployment, and fears among young people that AI might take away their jobs at places like India's IT back offices. Amitabh T. Tiwari, a political analyst, said that the paper leak was a "trigger point". It is "largely" a reflection on the anxiety, nervousness and discontent among youth. Rajnath Singh, Modi's senior colleague in the cabinet, said that "understanding our students' real concerns and addressing them quickly is the top priority of government". GOVERNMENT IS OUT OF TOUCH WITH GEN Z, SAYS ANALYST Tiwari stated that Indians between 18 and 40 years old make up approximately 40% of the population, but only 10% of the seats in lower house parliament. This is down from the more than double the number of seats they held in 1950. The average age of the cabinet is over 60. The CJP, though not a political group, has tried to take advantage of the opportunity they saw in the recent protests against Modi by taking up their cause. Next year, Modi's state Gujarat and the state with the highest population of Uttar Pradesh could see the first test of youth anger. Both Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat are run by the BJP. Modi's biggest risk could be the national elections of 2029 if the CJP becomes a political party. Abhijeet Dimple, its founder, said that no decision has been taken yet about joining electoral politics. Analysts claim that young voters have voted mainly along religious or class lines in the past, resulting in a vote for Modi's Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. But things could be changing. A Gen Z actor, who ran for his party and was allied with the opposition parties, was elected as chief minister of Tamil Nadu in the southern state. His Instagram-first fanbase propelled him to victory. Anurag Minus verma, an author, said: "This has been a moment for reckoning for Modi. It shows that he is completely out of touch with the wants of Gen Z." "For many years, the BJP’s digital strategy focused on platforms such as X where most of the political?conversation occurred. Instagram is now the place where people are talking about politics, especially among young users. The BJP has 23 million followers on X and 18 million on Facebook, while Modi's personal followers are massive, ranging between 60 and 107 millions. Modi has between 60 to 107 million followers across all social media platforms. The BJP only has 18 million followers on Facebook and 23 million on X. Santosh Desai, a columnist, said: "You have to be authentic on Instagram." "Pre-laboured and carefully massaged messages will not work. This medium was developed by this generation, and it is what it is today because of this generation. This generation does not reverence the past." Modi's government has been resisting the pressure to sack ministers for a decade. Modi had to face protests from Indian farmers for almost a year in order to repeal controversial farm laws. Tiwari stated that "a leader who is willing to listen will do well in the future." Modi wants to demonstrate this. Reporting by Tora Aggarwala in New Delhi and Krishna N. Das Editing by Gareth Jones
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Flooding and torrential rains are possible in Southern China following the landfall of Noul
Typhoon Noul hit southern China early Sunday morning, bringing torrential rainfall and gale force winds to the province of Guangdong and Hong Kong. Authorities warned that heavy rains and storms would continue until Tuesday. Noul is the 12th tropical storm of the year, and the third one to strike China in this month. Authorities said that it has forced more than 700,000. people to relocate in Guangdong Province. Noul, China's strongest typhoon in 2026 so far, hit the coast of Huidong County in the southern Guangdong Province at 3:50 am Saturday (1950 GMT) as a powerful typhoon. State broadcaster CCTV said that as the storm moves inland, it will bring heavy rain and strong winds to southern provinces, including Jiangxi, Hunan and Jiangxi. The rainfall is likely to continue 'until Tuesday. The National Meteorological Centre predicted heavy to torrential rainfall from Sunday to 8:00 am Monday in much of southern China. Extremely heavy to extraordinary downpours are expected in certain areas, including southern Fujian. The highest level of alert was placed in several provinces for flash flooding. Local governments should pay special attention to construction sites, mountain-river areas, valleys and bridges. Hong Kong's?Observatory reported on Sunday that the typhoon was weakening while it moved further inland. It also noted that gale-force southwesterly wind continues to?affect parts of the city. The authorities in the Asian financial center downgraded Typhoon Signal No. 8 to Signal No. At 12:40 p.m. on Sunday, authorities in the Asian financial hub downgraded Typhoon Signal No. 3 at 12:40 pm on Sunday. The storm alert was raised to the second highest Typhoon Signal No. 9 overnight. The storm was only 80 miles (50 km) from Hong Kong when it passed. The Hong Kong airport authorities announced that flight operations will slowly resume on Sunday afternoon, after being suspended in large part for over 12 hours.
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Southern China is soaked as Typhoon Noul hits land
Typhoon Noul hit southern China early on Sunday, bringing with it 'heavy rains and gale force winds in the Guangdong province and neighbouring Hong Kong. This led to the cancellation of flights at Hong Kong International Airport. Noul, or the glow of sunrise in Korean, is the third typhoon to hit China in this month and the 12th in the Pacific this year. Authorities said that it has forced more than 340,000 people to relocate in Guangdong Province. Hong Kong's?Observatory reported on Sunday that the typhoon was weakening while it moved further inland. It added that strong?gales continued to affect?much? of the city. The Observatory has issued an Amber Rainstorm Warning due to heavy rains and warned residents of flash floods. The Observatory said that rain exceeding 30 mm an hour (1.2 inches) has fallen, and it is expected to continue. The Asian financial hub upgraded the storm alert from Typhoon Signal No. 9 to Typhoon Signal No. Early on Sunday, as the storm approached Hong Kong within 80 km (50 miles), authorities in the Asian financial hub raised the alert to Typhoon?Signal No. At 7:10 am Saturday morning (2310 GMT), the storm was downgraded to Signal?No. Typhoon 'Signal?No. The observatory said that the Typhoon?Signal No. 8, which closes most businesses and transport routes, would be in effect until at least noon. The airport authorities have announced that flight operations will resume gradually after Sunday evening at 6:00 pm.
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Iran claims that a Ukrainian vessel attacked in the Caspian Sea has killed a sailor
Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned on Saturday an attack by Ukraine on a commercial Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea. It said that a resulting explosion killed one sailor and injured another. Throughout the Ukraine war, Kyiv had to combat drones designed by Iran that were deployed by Moscow. Kyiv offers its drone intercepting expertise to Middle East countries that have been hit by?Iran. Tehran called the attack on the Iranian vessel an act of aggression, and said it would defend national security and interests. It also accused Kyiv of trying to escalate the conflict in Ukraine. The Iranian denial coincided with the comments of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who said that Kyiv noted Russia's passing on of its'satellite observation in?the Middle East' to Iran in order to allow it to direct attacks in the region. Zelenskiy said earlier that Ukraine's military forces had struck a Russian ship and vessels transporting military cargo with ties to Iran in the Caspian Sea. In a series of?remarks on X, the Ukrainian president said that Kyiv has been recording since July 1 "active Russian satellite monitoring of the gulf states and U.S. Military facilities there." These images then appear in Iran." Zelenskiy stated that "there is a correlation between the Russian satellite imagery of the sites and the Iranian strikes - both before they were launched, as a 'preparation,' and afterwards, when assessing the damage done." He claimed that on July 19 and 20, he had observed four air bases, two in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait. Reporting by Enas Alashray in Cairo, Editing by Ron Popeski and Rod Nickel
As flights to the Middle East cease, governments plan repatriations
Commercial flights have been grounded in some parts of the Middle East due to an escalating conflict after U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. This has left foreigners stranded and prompted governments to plan for repatriations.
Here is what government officials, airlines and governments have said regarding repatriation plans.
AUSTRIA
Austria's Foreign Ministry?said that it had helped 117 vulnerable citizens leave the UAE and Israel through neighbouring countries and planned a charter flight for?170 passengers from Muscat on 4 March. It warned, however, that travellers would have to take land departures at their own risk.
BULGARIA
GullivAir and Bulgaria Air, as well as the State Aviation Operator, returned Bulgarians from Dubai and Abu Dhabi on March '4 and '5 including a GullivAir flight with 326 seats from Dubai and a Bulgaria Air Boeing 737 via Oman. A 90-seat government plane from Abu Dhabi was also included.
CZECH REPUBLIC
According to CTK and government officials and the Czech news agency, three flights have been organised from Oman, Jordan, and Egypt for 175 people who are stranded.
ESTONIA
On March 4, the Estonian foreign ministry announced that it had organized a flight from Muscat to Oman on March 5. This would be open to Estonian citizens living in Oman or the United Arab Emirates.
EUROPEAN UNION
The European Commission announced that it is now coordinating the repatriation of citizens under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, as more and more member countries request assistance to evacuate their citizens from the Middle East.
Austria, Belgium Bulgaria, Cyprus Czech Republic, France Italy Luxembourg, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovakia are the countries that have activated this mechanism. A spokesperson for the EU said that ten flights with over 1,000 EU citizens had already landed in Europe.
FINLAND
The?foreign minister said that Finland would organise one single flight to bring home the approximately 3,000 Finns currently living in the United Arab Emirates. The flight will leave Muscat, Oman on 8 March.
Finnair announced on 6 March that it would be operating flights from Muscat in Oman to Helsinki, to help customers stranded at Dubai get home. The first flight will take place on March 10 with additional flights scheduled later in the week.
FRANCE
The French Foreign Minister said that several flights to bring back French nationals who are estimated to number around 400,000 in the area were scheduled for March 4.
France has deployed consular teams to Israel's border with Egypt and Jordan in order to facilitate the land exits for people who want to fly onward. A similar mechanism has been put in place in the UAE, at the borders with Oman, Saudi Arabia and Oman, where airspace remains open.
GERMANY
Johoann Wadephul, German Foreign Minister, announced that two more flights, each carrying about 250 passengers, are planned for the 5th and 6th of March from the Gulf after the first flight landed in Frankfurt on March 5. The commercial air traffic has increased, and Germany is evaluating how it can offer more support.
GREECE
Greece announced on 6 March that it had repatriated on 5 March 315 nationals who were in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Jerusalem. Earlier this week, 162 people had returned to the Middle East.
HUNGARY
The foreign ministry of Hungary said that 87 people had been repatriated from Amman in Jordan on March 4. Another flight carrying 88 passengers is scheduled for March 5.
On March 6, a flight will depart from Sharm es Sheik in Egypt. Hungary signed a deal with Flydubai to rent a plane on March 5 and 6 for Hungarians returning from Dubai. On March 7 and 8, Hungary will be departing from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia with two flights.
The Italian Foreign Ministry said that about 2,500 Italians had returned from Abu Dhabi and Riyadh on commercial flights organized by the ministry.
The consulate has increased its staff in Oman and in the UAE, and it is also coordinating the return of large groups from the UAE, and other transiting via land through Qatar Kuwait Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Additional Italians living in Oman Israel the Maldives, Thailand and Oman are receiving assistance or being given priority for transport.
Netherlands
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that repatriation from the Middle East would resume on 6 March. Flights include a KLM flight to the Omani capital Muscat and a TUI service from Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt.
POLAND
Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces reported that the first group of Polish citizens evacuated from the Middle East by military airlift arrived in Poland early on 6 March morning.
PORTUGAL
The foreign ministry of Portugal said that a charter TAP flight carrying 140 Portuguese and eight foreigners would land at Lisbon at 11 am local time on March 6th.
ROMANIA
The Romanian Foreign Ministry announced on 4 March that FlyDubai had scheduled two flights from Dubai to Bucharest for March 4 and 5. The ministry has received over 3,000 requests for repatriation and there are around 16,000 Romanians in the region.
SERBIA
Air Serbia's flight from Sharm el-Sheikh landed at Belgrade in the early hours of March 4 with 67 passengers. All were evacuated from Israel.
SLOVAKIA
The Slovakian government has "conducted six repatriation flight with 248 passengers. Of these, 189 were Slovaks and the remainder of different nationalities. The Foreign Ministry announced late Thursday that eight additional evacuation flights from Jordan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia were scheduled by the end the week.
SLOVENIA
The prime minister's office announced that on March 3 four buses were organized by Slovenia to transport Slovenian citizens, including families with children, from Dubai to Muscat Airport in Oman.
Two more flights are scheduled for the afternoon and evening of March 4.
Jose Manuel Albares, the Foreign Minister of Spain, announced on March 3 that Spain had begun to evacuate its citizens from the Middle East. On March 3, evening, more than 175 Spanish citizens arrived in Abu Dhabi via Istanbul. Further flights are expected to arrive from the UAE.
Albares said that Spain would also reinforce its embassies located in the UAE and Saudi Arabia to support and facilitate future repatriations.
SWEDEN
Sweden will charter an aircraft to bring 180 Swedes back home who have been identified as vulnerable. The flight is scheduled to leave Dubai on 7 March.
THAILAND
Thailand will evacuate its citizens from Iran to Turkey by land on 7th and 10th March, while those stranded are either returning to their home countries or will do so once the airspace is reopened.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
State news agency WAM reports that the UAE Civil Aviation Authority will start operating "special flight" across all airports in the country to assist some of the tens and thousands of passengers stuck in the region.
UNITED KINGDOM
The British Foreign Office announced that British chartered flight will leave Oman on 5 March after technical delays on 4 March, prioritising vulnerable UK citizens who want to depart the region.
(source: Reuters)