Champions League: PSG have chosen their jersey for the final

 Paris Saint-Germain have made their decision for the Champions League final. This Saturday against Arsenal at the Puskás Arena in Budapest (kick-off at 6 p.m., live on M6 and Canal+), the French giants will wear their traditional colors.

PSG will use their classic home kit for the huge clash against Arsenal. Luis Enrique’s players are set to take the field wearing their iconic red and blue jersey for the biggest match of the season.

PSG Stays Loyal to Its Historic Colors

A symbolic decision for a historic occasion. According to journalist Arthur Perrot from RMC Sport, PSG officially approved the use of their “home” jersey for the highly anticipated final against the Gunners.

The Parisian club will therefore rely on its historic colors in an attempt to win the most prestigious competition in European football. The choice brings back memories of the major European nights experienced this season at the Parc des Princes, as well as last year’s final when PSG also wore their home kit. However, it will not be the new jersey, but the current season’s famous “Eiffel Tower” edition.

Arthur Perrot confirmed the news on social media: “PSG will play the Champions League final on Saturday with their red and blue ‘home’ jersey.” An announcement that should delight Paris supporters ahead of the massive showdown with Arsenal.

When Iran thumbs its nose at the ceasefire, the Trump administration shrugs

 The responses to the latest attacks between the US and Iran during the supposed ceasefire have been telling.

Tehran called the US strikes on its missile launch sites and boats a flagrant “violation” of the ceasefire and threatened to retaliate.

The United States, meanwhile, assured that the ceasefire was still “ongoing,” despite casting Iran as the aggressor.

A spokesman for US Central Command accused Iranian boats of “attempting to emplace mines” in the Strait of Hormuz. That would be a remarkably provocative act, especially in the context of what appeared to be some of the most serious peace talks to date. But then the spokesman added: “U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.”

This kind of response has become par for the course.

And the pattern reinforces how apparently anxious the Trump administration is to bring the war to an end — a dynamic that is hurting the United States’ leverage.

The most recent episode involves what the US military called “self-defense strikes” targeting missile launch sites and boats near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. Later in the day, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said that it “shot down a US drone and forced a US drone and fighter jet to flee,” casting it as a “reciprocal response.”

But while Iran’s response was defiant, the US response was less so.

In addition to US Central Command assuring the ceasefire remained “ongoing,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio twice talked around the strikes when asked about them while traveling in India. The first time, he talked broadly about peace negotiations. The second time, he talked about the need for the Strait of Hormuz to be open.

The situation harkens back to a pair of episodes in early May.

In the first one, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine at a briefing cited Iran firing nine times at commercial vessels and seizing two container ships, as well as “more than 10” attacks on American forces. But he instantly qualified that all were “below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point.” He cast it as “low-level kinetics.”

When Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was asked whether the ceasefire was over, he assured reporters it was not.

He at one point seemed to cast what was happening in the strait as distinct from the broader war. And he urged Iran to “be prudent” and make sure its military actions didn’t cross the “threshold” for violating the ceasefire.

A few days later, the US struck military facilities it said were responsible for attacking US warships in the strait.

But President Donald Trump again downplayed it.

“The ceasefire is going. It’s in effect,” he told ABC News in early May. He described the US attacks as “just a love tap.”

As with today, while the Trump administration assured the public that ceasefire was intact, Iran said it had been violated and responded with what it claimed to be “reciprocal” strikes.

And then there’s arguably the biggest potential violation of the ceasefire: Iran keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed.

When Trump announced the ceasefire on April 7, he was unambiguous that it would only last as long as Iran reopened the strait.

He said on social media that, “subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks.”

That “COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE” reopening of the strait, of course, never happened. The administration tried to put a good face on it in the days that followed and cited supposed progress in reopening it. But the US is now seven weeks into the ceasefire, and the strait remains a logjam.

By trying to keep the ceasefire going and downplaying Iran’s provocations, the Trump administration is betraying a readily apparent anxiousness to avoid resuming the war and an eagerness to cut a deal

To that point, Trump has repeatedly ignored his own deadlines for Tehran to make a deal and declined to restart large-scale hostilities, despite his frequent threats.

And that posture is undermining his negotiating position. Iran seems to be gambling that Trump is in a bigger hurry to bring the war to a conclusion than it is.

The divergent responses to the latest attacks only back up that belief.

Trump is doing a Ukraine on Taiwan - exposing a new level of weakness

 An unreliable ally in the West, Donald Trump is now signalling that America is happy to abandon its friends in Asia with the suspension of a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan after his visit to China’s leader Xi Jinping.

The US president is taking on his country’s policy of “strategic ambiguity” over the delicate standing of Taiwan, which China claims as its own, by tilting towards Beijing.

"Right now we're doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury - which we have plenty," US Navy secretary Hung Cao said in a senate hearing on Thursday.

"We're just making sure we have everything, but then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary," he added, referring to the US-Israeli war against Iran which has absorbed vast stockpiles of American munitions, but achieved none of its stated aims.

Trump had intense talks with Xi about Taiwan when he visited the Chinese leader on his first trip to China since 2017.

Following a pattern that he has established in his behaviour following meetings with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, he appears to have taken the side of a rival power that is also an enemy for America’s long-standing allies.

Speaking to Fox News after his two-day visit to Beijing, Trump suggested that enabling the defence of Taiwan and defending its democracy was no longer a priority.

“I will say this: I'm not looking to have somebody go independent. And, you know, we're supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I'm not looking for that. I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down," he insisted.

In Asia and Australasia, this attitude has caused quiet consternation with Washington’s traditional friends seeking backroom reassurances from the Trump administration that he is not shifting away from America’s well established defence commitments.

There is fear he may abandon long-held strategic policies in the same way that he has ditched the principles that hold Nato together as a defensive alliance on the other side of the world.

China covets Taiwan. It also lays claim to the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands. It is building man-made islands to expand its claims to territorial waters in the South China Sea and has a highly effective long term strategy to expand its imperial reach across the world through trade, exploitation of minerals, and control of transport nodes from Mozambique to Macau.

Past US administrations have said that they were shifting their priorities to Asia and the wider Pacific in order to offset and contain Chinese ambitions.

Taiwan had agreed to buy Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3 interceptor missiles and NASM anti-aircraft weapons from the US. The agreed sales were in response to increased Chinese military activity which included navy and jet fighter incursions close to Taiwan over the last two years.

Regional powers will be looking at Trump’s threats to invade Greenland, part of Nato-member Denmark, his threats towards Canada, another Nato member, and his support to Russia’s invasion on Ukraine by stopping all military aid to Kyiv.

They will rightly worry they are next to be abandoned to Trump’s strategic desire to carve the world into spheres of influence - in which the US dominates the western hemisphere, Russia presides over central Europe and part of Asia and China is left to bestride the rest.

But in apparently bending the knee to Xi, Trump is also revealing a new level of strategic weakness.

The US has failed to successfully project its military power, alongside Israel, on Iran which has survived an aerial onslaught.

In retaliation, Tehran has closed the Straits of Hormuz to shipping in response to America’s bombardment. Up to 85 per cent of Asia’s crude oil is exported through this choke point, and Trump has been blamed for the economic fallout from his Middle East military adventure.

Military failure has reinforced the understanding, already now part of Europe’s strategic plans, that Trump’s American military power is further inhibited by his inability to do joined up thinking.

Britain’s next-generation fighter jet is a disaster in the making

 The defence of the realm is in terrible trouble. The long-delayed Defence Investment Plan – the costed follow-up to last year’s uncosted Strategic Defence Review – will have to contain many massive cuts and savings if it is to match up with planned funds.

The Government has made it clear that there will not be any more money, because welfare.

This means we need to find defence things to cut. They should be expensive things that we can do without, thus freeing up money to save the useful things and maybe even get some new things – such as serious drone forces, for example.

As it happens, there is a very expensive thing that we can do without. This is the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a joint multinational project in which Britain will partner with Italy and Japan to produce the Tempest fighter.

Tempest is to follow the Typhoon, currently in service, which we developed in partnership with Italy, Germany and Spain. Typhoon followed the preceding Tornado, which we developed with Italy and Germany.

It is worth remembering the history here.

The Tornado GR bomber, aka the “Tonka”, was not a success. It was good at one thing only: flying fast and low, the idea being that this would let it stay below enemy radar to reach its target.

Unfortunately this tactic didn’t actually work: when it was tried against the Iraqis in 1991, eight Tornados from a force of 48 were shot down.

What would have happened to our Tornado fliers if they had ever gone in fast and low against serious opposition hardly bears thinking about.

The later fighter version of the Tornado wasn’t good at anything and basically didn’t work at all for much of its service: it was a laughing stock.

Both types cost huge amounts of money to buy and to fly, in large part because of their complicated variable-geometry “swing wings” – an idea long since consigned to the dustbin of engineering history.

Then came the Typhoon, originally known as the Eurofighter, which finally went operational with the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 2007 following an almost unbelievably lengthy and expensive gestation. The Typhoon, in fact, had taken so long to arrive that it was literally an entire generation behind the state of the art.

The initial Typhoons are assessed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) as “early fourth-generation” in capability and technology terms. The first fifth-generation jet, the F-22 Raptor, had been in US service for two years when Typhoon finally arrived.

At the end of the 2000s, we had three fleets of combat jets: the Harrier jump-jet, the Tornado bomber — although the abysmal fighter was already on its way out — and the Typhoon.

Then came the 2010 Strategic Defence Review, in which it was decided that the Harrier and the small aircraft carriers it had been able to fly from – the old Invincible class – would be cut, leaving the Tornado as our only ground-attack plane.

It had been claimed by the RAF that the then-new Typhoon, originally intended as a pure air-to-air fighter, was already able to do ground attack in 2008. However, it turned out that was not true.

This mattered, because at that point ground attack was the only air combat mission being carried out: by our forces in Afghanistan. The Harrier had been very good at ground attack. A group of retired senior officers wrote to The Times after the decision to scrap the Harrier and keep the Tornado.

They said the move to cut the “entire Harrier force is strategically and financially perverse”. 

The retired officers listed the many advantages the Harrier had over other combat jets, writing: “The Harrier could still use Kandahar runway if half of it were blocked by Taliban action; can use any makeshift landing site; has a response time of less than 10 minutes, as against 30 [for the Tornado]; performs better in hot weather; requires fewer ground crew; and has better availability.”

They said the Harrier would “not require a further £1.4bn to re-engine in 2014; and can remain in service until 2023 without significant investment”.

Meanwhile, “the existing Tornado force will cost, over 10 years, seven times as much to keep in service as Harrier”, the letter argued.

From there, things got worse. Just months after the Harriers and their carriers had been retired, Britain found itself conducting Operation Ellamy against Muammar Gaddafi in Libya.

'Angry' Haaland reacts to Arsenal title victory and tells Man City one thing they need to do

 Man City striker Erling Haaland insists his Citizens team-mates “should feel a fire inside” after Arsenal beat them to the Premier League title.

The Gunners were confirmed as Premier League champions on Tuesday evening as Man City could only pick up a point against Bournemouth in their penultimate match of the season.

Man City needed a win to keep it going until the final day of the season but now Arsenal have an unassailable four-point lead over Pep Guardiola’s side heading into the last weekend.

It was Arsenal’s first Premier League title victory for 22 years, with the last time they won it going back to the Invincibles season of 2003/04 under Arsene Wenger.

Man City have now gone two seasons without a Premier League title and Norway international Haaland insists they must come back next term “angry” and with “fire inside” them.

Haaland told City Studios: “In the end, every game in the Premier League is difficult. We tried. It wasn’t enough. The whole Club should use this as motivation now. We should be angry, we should feel a fire inside our belly because it’s not good enough.

“It’s gone two years now, it feels like forever. We’re going to do everything we can, everyone that will be here next season, to win the league.”

Haaland scored the equalising goal in a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth on Tuesday but it was too little too late for Man City as they conceded the title to Arsenal.

He added on the match itself: “It’s never easy to come here, especially after a final against a really good team. Finals are always more emotional, it’s always more difficult because you automatically give more. The schedule is tough. There are no excuses. But it’s not easy to come to Bournemouth after playing at Wembley in the FA Cup final.

Man City still managed to win two trophies this season as they lifted the Carabao Cup and FA Cup in Guardiola’s last season at the Etihad Stadium.

Reflecting on Man City’s season overall, Haaland continued: “Everything’s relative; it was better than last season. I felt that we could still push a little bit more in the league but it’s over now. We win two trophies, which is important, but we want the Premier (League) as well.”

Enzo Maresca will be Pep Guardiola’s successor at Man City

Following widespread reports that Guardiola is quitting Man City at the end of the season, Fabrizio Romano revealed on Tuesday that Enzo Maresca has agreed to be his replacement.

Romano wrote on X: ‘BREAKING: Enzo Maresca has a total verbal agreement with Manchester City, HERE WE GO! The Italian manager has always been considered the ideal candidate to replace Pep Guardiola. Deal in place and Maresca will sign an initial three year deal at #MCFC. New era, soon.’

Oil tumbles as Trump says Iran war is in its 'final stages'

 Oil prices tumbled and global stock markets rallied after Donald Trump said the war in Iran was in its “final stages” and oil shipments began to move again through the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, fell more than 5pc to around $104 a barrel on Wednesday after two supertankers carrying Iraqi oil to China successfully passed through the key shipping route.

A third vessel carrying Kuwaiti crude to South Korea was also tracked entering the strait before its transponder signal was switched off.

Mr Trump told reporters: “We’re in the final stages of Iran, we’ll see what happens.

“We’ll either have a deal or we’re going to do some things that are a little bit nasty. But hopefully that won’t happen.”

The three tankers were carrying about 6m barrels of oil between them, potentially the biggest single-day movement of crude out of the Gulf since fighting began in late February, fuelling hopes that energy flows from the region could gradually recover.

Despite the veiled threat, traders seized on hopes of a breakthrough. London’s FTSE 100 stock index rose 1.1pc, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.3pc on Wall Street.

Government borrowing costs also dropped sharply as markets scaled back expectations for further interest rate rises.

Benchmark UK 10-year gilt yields fell below 5pc for the first time since Andy Burnham announced his intention to return to Parliament.

Andrew Wishart, an economist at Berenberg Bank, said a genuine breakthrough could quickly improve the outlook for the British economy.

He said: “The positive effects could come through quite quickly.

“A lot of the squeeze we’re seeing on the real economy is because investors expect the Bank of England to have to raise interest rates.

“If oil prices have peaked, then quite quickly investors will probably no longer expect the Bank of England to raise interest rates. That could feed through to a drop in mortgage rates more or less immediately.”

Mr Wishart added that lower borrowing costs could also improve the Government’s finances, potentially giving the Chancellor an extra £15bn of budget headroom by the autumn.

However, energy analysts warned that investors may be getting ahead of themselves after several previous claims by Mr Trump that the war in Iran was close to an end.

Jorge León, head of geopolitical analysis at Rystad Energy, said: “There’s still a lot of uncertainty. We’ve seen many, many times him saying it’s almost there.”

Even if a full peace agreement is reached, Mr León said it could still take several months for oil production and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to fully normalise. The waterway handled a fifth of the world’s oil and gas trade before the Iran war began.

Prices are also likely to remain well above pre-conflict levels because global stockpiles have been heavily depleted during the crisis.

Vinícius saves Real Madrid as Sevilla survives dramatic relegation scare

 Real Madrid finally won a game it no longer needed, while Sevilla lost one that ultimately didn’t hurt. Thanks to results elsewhere, Sevilla enters the final weekend of the season safe from relegation in the LaLiga table.

It is hardly a triumph, but given the club’s economic and emotional weight, survival may feel almost as valuable as a Europa League title, even if nobody will celebrate it in the streets.

The match itself had little substance. Kylian Mbappé looked far less dangerous than he did speaking to reporters Sunday, when his comments added fuel to the growing tension surrounding Álvaro Arbeloa. Quiet and wasteful throughout, the Frenchman contributed little beyond the assist, one that almost looked accidental, for Vinícius’ winning goal.

Madrid’s “fourth striker,” as Mbappé sarcastically described himself days earlier, was suddenly back leading the line after four days of public sparring, political maneuvering and presidential appearances. All consequences of a disastrous season for Madridistas, one that still has one final chapter left.

Mbappé against Sevilla

Mbappé played because Arbeloa publicly confirmed he would after the media storm, an apparent attempt to contain the fire if that was still possible. He lined up alongside Vinícius, though the two have often seemed to exist on opposite ends of the galaxy. They have rarely looked comfortable together. The soccer universe has not felt big enough for both stars at once.

That, many believe, is why José Mourinho’s name continues to hover over Madrid: to somehow make this collection of elite talent function as a coherent team.

Arbeloa changed half the lineup. Dani Carvajal returned for emotional and sporting reasons alike, while Dean Huijsen, Fran García, Thiago Pitarch and Mbappé also started. Most of the incoming players looked more convincing than the outgoing ones, yet once again only one summer signing made the XI, another reminder that many of Madrid’s recent transfer moves have backfired.

Sevilla, meanwhile, arrived rejuvenated under Luis García Plaza after three straight wins that helped stabilize the club before its ownership transition. The Ramos project, at least, will begin in La Liga rather than among the wreckage of relegation.

From the opening whistle Sevilla played like a team fighting for survival. Madrid, by contrast, has looked mentally checked out for weeks, with one eye already on August and many players already thinking about the World Cup.

Sevilla produced three shots in the opening five minutes, two from Oso, whose energy immediately troubled Carvajal. None found the net, and that failure allowed Madrid to settle into one of those dark, uneventful games it has so often escaped through sheer attacking quality.

Vinícius’ goal came almost out of nowhere and exposed Sevilla’s fragile defense. Brahim Díaz floated a ball to the edge of the box, Mbappé cushioned it with his chest, though Sevilla protested he used his arm to push aside Carmona in the process, and Vinícius swept his finish inside the post.

The Sánchez-Pizjuán whistled him relentlessly, as happens in almost every away stadium he visits. It no longer seems to affect him.

Vinicius’ goal changed everything

Vinícius’ strike altered the entire mood of the game.

Sevilla lost its momentum, its confidence and eventually possession. Madrid did not dominate exactly, because its talent still feels strangely disconnected, but it controlled the pace for long stretches afterward.

The attacking threat, however, remained minimal.

Mbappé was largely anonymous. Before halftime he managed one off-target shot, little more than proof he was still on the field. The sense remains that he has dialed down his explosiveness to avoid any injury that could jeopardize his World Cup participation.

By then Sevilla was trying to recover through Oso, though without the same sharpness or intensity from the opening minutes. The limitations in the squad are as obvious as the desperation to survive.

Thiago Pitarch, however, did not hold back. The academy product covered enormous ground and his commitment stood out even more when compared with the lethargy around him.

Around the hour mark, Luis García Plaza realized Sevilla’s passive rhythm was leading nowhere and made a triple substitution. Alexis Sánchez nearly equalized moments after entering during Sevilla’s brief surge of intensity.

Madrid, though, remained trapped in the same dull rhythm that defined the entire night.

Mastantuono hits the post

Sevilla’s push forward inevitably left space behind for Madrid’s quick attackers, although neither Vinícius nor Mbappé looked close to their best.

Defenders who once seemed helpless against Vinícius now appear far more comfortable dealing with him. Mbappé, meanwhile, has regressed toward the uncertain version of himself seen early in his Madrid career, before he rediscovered his scoring instincts.

Kike Salas denied him one clear chance, while Acor Adams wasted another at the opposite end after hesitating too long against Huijsen.

Arbeloa responded by introducing Franco Mastantuono and Eduardo Camavinga, moving Jude Bellingham deeper. Mastantuono immediately smashed a left-footed shot against the post, his brightest moment in months.

Then came another worrying scene for Madrid. Vinícius left the field with an apparent adductor issue, enough of a warning sign to end his night immediately.

Sevilla could not capitalize. Survival is secured, but Sergio Ramos still faces a massive rebuilding job. Much like Mourinho potentially does at Madrid.

Because whoever takes over next season may need to be more than just a coach. They may need to be a disciplinarian, mediator and psychologist for a locker room that appears to have stopped understanding itself both on and off the field.

Russian inmate numbers expose how many criminals are being used in Ukraine

 When a nation faces a massive crisis, every available resource is pulled into the fight.

Everyday life shifts, and sometimes the most desperate people are the first ones called to step forward.

Emptying the cells

Russia operates one of the largest penal systems on the planet. For decades, this network has traced its roots directly back to the old Soviet labor camps. But those facilities look remarkably empty today.

According to the Kyiv Independent, Russian inmate numbers have dropped by almost 40 percent. The outlet cites Russian state media as reporting that the population plunged from 465,000 prisoners in late 2021 to just 282,000 today.

Arkady Gostev runs the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service. He confirmed the disappearance of more than 180,000 people from the system on Tuesday. He also noted that roughly 85,000 of the current inmates are simply sitting in pretrial detention.

A deadly bargain

The steep decline points directly to the battlefields in Ukraine. Over the last four years, military recruiters have swept through cell blocks with a simple offer: inmates can trade their sentences for combat gear.

Those who sign contracts head straight to the front lines. If they survive the fighting, authorities wipe their criminal records entirely clean.

But the war effort needs more than just fresh soldiers. To keep the machine running, Gostev explained that remaining inmates are manufacturing vital military supplies behind bars.

Working for the war

The prison chief provided specific financial details about the operation. “We produce goods for the special military operation [worth] around 5.5 billion rubles ($75 million),” Gostev said.

The overall industrial output is massive. “The volume of production [at prison sites] in 2025 amounted to 47 billion rubles ($642 million),” Gostev stated.

This heavy reliance on inmate labor highlights a wider problem: the economy is under strain. Across the board, the nation simply does not have enough workers to meet demand.

Searching for workers

Hundreds of thousands of men are currently fighting. Meanwhile, countless others fled the country entirely to avoid sudden military mobilization. That mass exodus has left local factories scrambling.

A Reuters report from February highlighted the sheer scale of the crisis. The news agency found that Russia needs 2.3 million workers just to fill immediate gaps in its workforce.

To keep things running, officials are looking far beyond their own borders. Media reports indicate Moscow is quietly bringing in foreign laborers. In fact, South Korean intelligence officials noted last year that North Korea alone had sent nearly 15,000 workers to Russia.

Man Utd to be handed transfer boost as club face being 'kicked out of Europe'

 Manchester United could be handed a boost to their hopes of signing Afonso Moreira, with his current club, Lyon, facing the possibility of being kicked out of European competitions. United have been linked with an interest in the winger ahead of the summer transfer window.

Reports say the club are preparing a bid for the 21-year-old, who came through Sporting CP's ranks while ex-United boss Ruben Amorim was manager. Moreira moved to Lyon last summer and has impressed with his performances.

His four goals and eight assists in Ligue 1 so far this season mean that Lyon are in fourth place in the table, which would see them qualify for Champions League football.

A win in their final league game of the season would see Lyon secure a place in the Champions League qualifiers, and maybe even the league phase. If not, they are guaranteed a spot in at least the UEFA Conference League.

However, The Telegraph report that the club are facing possible expulsion from UEFA competitions next season.

There are concerns that the French club have not complied with the terms of a settlement agreement with UEFA reached last summer.

It was announced that Lyon, along with Chelsea and Aston Villa, had been sanctioned for breaking financial stability regulations.

The clubs were given certain conditions to comply with over the next four years, including that the owners had to inject €60 million (£51.9m) and convert it to equity by October. It’s reported that Lyon has not met the condition.

While UEFA are said to be reluctant to throw clubs out of competitions, they could be forced to do so if Lyon are not close to the target.

Should they be expelled from the competition, they could be forced to sell players to make up for the financial blow that would entail.

Having Champions League football to offer could put United in the driving seat for Moreira should they decide to make a move.

Worrying find in Iran shows that Trump was more than wrong

 Fresh doubts are emerging around Donald Trump’s repeated claims that Iran’s military infrastructure has been devastated following months of escalating conflict in the Middle East.

New assessments cited by American media suggest key Iranian missile facilities may still be operational despite earlier statements from Washington describing Tehran’s capabilities as effectively destroyed.

Military analysts now fear the gap between public messaging and battlefield reality could complicate ongoing negotiations aimed at ending the war.

Missile sites may still be active

Reports from officials familiar with intelligence assessments indicate Iran still maintains access to most of its missile infrastructure near the Strait of Hormuz.

Strategic waterway remains one of the most important shipping routes on the planet and plays a critical role in global oil transport.

According to the latest findings, only a small number of Iranian missile facilities along the strait are believed to be completely unusable.

“In some cases they can launch missiles directly from launchpads that are part of the facilities. Only three of the missile sites along the strait remain totally inaccessible, according to the assessments,” according to reporting cited by The New York Times.

Military experts believe some mobile launch systems may have survived earlier strikes and could still threaten American naval forces operating in the region.

Concerns grow over possible peace deal

Pressure has steadily increased on the White House to secure some form of diplomatic breakthrough after months of fighting between Iran, Israel and the United States.

Conflict has already caused widespread casualties and sent energy markets into turmoil after disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz pushed oil prices sharply higher.

Critics inside both Washington and Israel reportedly worry Trump could eventually accept a compromise agreement that allows parts of Iran’s nuclear program to survive intact.

Israeli officials speaking anonymously to American media suggested fears are growing that negotiations may end with last-minute concessions from the United States.

White House insists Iran is weakened

Trump administration officials continue rejecting suggestions that Iran retains meaningful military strength.

White House representatives argue Iran’s missile production capability and naval assets have suffered catastrophic damage during the conflict.

“Now, they are being strangled economically by Operation Economic Fury and losing $500 million per day thanks to the United States Military’s successful blockade of Iranian ports,” said White House spokesperson Olivia Wales.

Administration officials also insist Washington maintains overwhelming leverage in any future negotiations, pointing toward sanctions, military pressure and economic isolation as evidence that Tehran’s position continues to weaken.

Fighting, however, has shown little sign of fully disappearing from the region despite months of military operations and diplomatic maneuvering behind the scenes.

Iran says Khamenei fully recovered from 'scratch behind the ear'

 Iran said Mojtaba Khamenei was suffering from a “small scratch” behind the ear despite reports he had undergone life-changing surgery on his face.

According to the regime’s first public comments on his injuries, the supreme leader is in “full health” after also suffering injuries to his kneecap and back in the US and Israel’s attack in February.

Khamenei has not been seen publicly since the strike on the Tehran compound of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his late father, on Feb 28.

He was reportedly not in the same building as his father, who was killed. The New York Times had reported that Khamenei’s face had required plastic surgery and that he was awaiting a prosthetic leg.

But in Iran’s first public comments on his injuries, the Fars News agency said: “[His] back injury has improved during this period, and the kneecap injury will soon heal as well. He is in full health.”

As for his facial injuries, Mazaher Hosseini, the director general of protocol at the office of the supreme leader, said there was only a “small crack behind the ear”.

The Telegraph revealed in March that Khamenei escaped death by seconds. Private comments by Mr Hosseini showed Khamenei had gone outside “to do something” moments before Israeli Blue Sparrow ballistic missiles hit his residence at 9.32am local time on Feb 28.

“He was outside and was heading upstairs when they struck the building with a missile. His wife, Ms Haddad, was martyred instantly,” Mr Hosseini said in the recording.

Mr Hosseini added: “Thank God, he is in good health. The enemy is spreading all kinds of rumours and false claims. They want to see him and find him, but people should be patient and not rush. He will speak to you when the time is right.”

On Thursday, Masoud Pezeshkian, the Iranian president, said he had met Khamenei at an undisclosed location.

“What struck me most during this meeting was the vision and the humble and sincere approach of the supreme leader of the Islamic revolution,” Mr Pezeshkian said.

Iranian state television said on Sunday that Ali Abdollahi, the head of Iran’s military central command, had met Khamenei.

Khamenei issued “new directives and guidance for the continuation of operations to confront the enemy”, state TV said, without specifying when the meeting took place.

The lack of evidence for Khamenei being alive has caused confusion in Washington, with Donald Trump repeatedly saying he does not know who is in charge of the Islamic Republic.

The US president said: “There is tremendous infighting and confusion within their leadership. Nobody knows who is in charge, including them.”

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said on Friday that Iran’s “system is still highly fractured and a bit dysfunctional as well”.

IRGC pulling the strings

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, and Abbas Araghchi, its foreign minister, have officially led the country’s talks with the US.

However, some analysts suggest the war has left the hardline Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) more in charge of Iran than ever, dictating the country’s negotiating position.

Referring to Khamenei, a source told CNN: “There is no indication he is actually giving orders on any ongoing basis, but nothing proves he is not.”

Ali Vaez, the Iran director of the International Crisis Group, told the New York Times: “Mojtaba is not supreme; he might be leader in name, but he is not supreme the way his father was.

“Mojtaba is subservient to the IRGC because he owes his position and he owes the survival of the system to them.”

The IRGC has been more militant in its public statements since the ceasefire with the US took effect, repeatedly threatening to attack American assets in the region.

After American attacks on Iranian oil tankers, the group said in a statement on Sunday: “Any attack on Iranian tankers and commercial vessels will result in a heavy attack on one of the American centres in the region and enemy ships.”

Russia unleashes nighttime drone attack on Ukraine: Air defense results revealed

 Did any of the drones reach their targets?

On May 10 overnight, Russia attacked Ukraine with 27 strike drones from two directions. Air defense forces managed to shoot down all hostile drones, according to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Russian forces launched 27 Shahed, Gerbera, and Italmas strike drones, as well as Parodiya decoy drones throughout the night, from Russia's Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Millerovo areas.

Electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, in coordination with mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, repelled the air assault.

Preliminary data say, as of 8:00 a.m., air defense forces had shot down or jammed all 27 Russian Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas, and Parodiya drones. No impacts were recorded.

Russia breaks 'ceasefire'

A so-called "ceasefire" between Ukraine and Russia is in effect from May 9 to May 11. However, Russia has already repeatedly violated it.

On the night of May 9, Russia hit Ukraine with an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 43 strike drones, despite the previously announced ceasefire. Air defense forces managed to shoot down most of the enemy drones.

A missile strike and nine attack drones were recorded hitting six locations, while downed drones (debris) fell at two additional sites.

In addition, as of 10:00 p.m. on May 9, 121 combat clashes took place along the front line over the course of the day. Despite the "ceasefire," Russia continued to violate the truce, including on the battlefield.

China says wider US sanctions on Cuba are 'illegal'

 China urged Washington on Tuesday to immediately end its embargo and sanctions on Cuba, saying the expanded measures were "illegal" and "seriously violated" the norms of international relations.

U.S. President Donald Trump, seeking to put more pressure on Havana after ousting Venezuela's leader, signed an executive order on Friday broadening U.S. sanctions against the Cuban government, two White House officials told Reuters.

Beijing has voiced support for the socialist island after tension flared in January between the United States and Cuba after the U.S. captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, long a close ally of Cuba.

"The United States has intensified its illegal unilateral sanctions against Cuba," China's foreign ministry said, criticising the move as "seriously violating" the basic norms of international relations.

"China ... urges the United States to immediately end the embargo and sanctions against Cuba and any form of coercive pressure," it added in a statement, saying they violated the Cuban people's right to existence and development.

China backs Cuba's efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and security and resolutely opposes interference in its internal affairs, the ministry added.

Russia disrupts internet as Kremlin scales back Victory Day parade

 Russia has severed mobile internet services for numerous customers across Moscow, just days before the annual May 9 parade commemorating victory over Nazi Germany.

The event itself has been significantly scaled back amid heightened concerns over potential drone attacks from Ukraine.

This move comes as part of a broader crackdown on internet access within Russia this year, which has seen mobile services blocked and millions forced to use VPNs.

Opponents of President Vladimir Putin suggest these measures are an attempt to bolster domestic control following four years of conflict.

The Kremlin has asserted that these restrictions are a necessary security precaution due to an elevated risk of Ukrainian drone incursions.

Six Reuters journalists in Moscow independently reported that mobile internet was unavailable on their devices in various parts of the capital on Tuesday.

However, they noted that telephone calls could still be made from many areas.

Russian mobile phone operators have acknowledged potential issues with mobile internet, citing the need to ensure security in the coming days.

Sberbank, the country's largest bank, also issued a warning about possible disruptions to mobile internet and messaging services.

The taxi unit of Russia's largest internet company, Yandex, said there could be problems with ordering taxis online due to limits on the internet.

Four years after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the two sides are engaged in the biggest drone war ever fought.

Their long-range drones are targeting everything from command points to energy infrastructure, far behind the "death zones" created by short-range drones along the front lines.

For the first time since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia's annual Victory Day parade will proceed without its customary display of military equipment, the Defence Ministry has confirmed.

The ministry's statement cited the "current operational situation" as the reason for excluding both a military equipment convoy and cadets from the parade, offering no further elaboration on the decision.

Despite the absence of ground vehicles, the parade is still scheduled to feature "servicemen from higher military educational institutions of all kinds and certain service branches of the Russian Armed Forces," alongside a traditional military aircraft flyover, according to the ministry.

Govt prepares plan to expand data centers to eastern Indonesia

  The government is preparing a master plan to ensure a more equitable distribution of data centers across Indonesia, including in eastern regions.

Director General of Digital Infrastructure at the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs Wayan Toni Supriyanto said the plan aims to expand data center development beyond western Indonesia.

"We are preparing a master plan for private data centers to ensure they are developed not only in the western region but also in the eastern regions," he said on Wednesday.

According to market research firm Mordor Intelligence, Indonesia's data center industry is projected to grow to US$1.83 billion by 2026 and generate revenues of up to US$3.48 billion by 2031.

Currently, most data center operations are concentrated in Jakarta, supported by extensive fiber optic networks and its role as a landing point for submarine cables.

Batam has also emerged as a key hub due to its proximity to Singapore.

Indonesia's vast archipelagic geography, with more than 17,000 islands based on data from the Geospatial Information Agency (BIG), offers significant potential for broader infrastructure development.

Director of Digital Infrastructure Strategy and Policy Denny Setiawan said the ministry is coordinating with other agencies to prepare data centers as digital infrastructure.

He added that the ministry is identifying potential locations, particularly those with access to alternative energy sources, to support data center operations.

A national roadmap for the data center industry is also being prepared to maintain data sovereignty while opening investment opportunities.

Minister apologizes, stresses safety after Bekasi train crash

 Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Arifah Fauzi apologized for her remarks following a train collision in Bekasi, West Java.

"I would like to sincerely apologize to the public, especially the victims and their families who may have felt hurt or uncomfortable due to my statement," she said in Jakarta 

Arifah was referring to her earlier suggestion regarding the placement of women-only carriages on commuter trains.

She clarified that the government prioritizes the safety of all passengers, regardless of gender.

"The government's priority is to ensure the best possible care for all victims, both those who died and those who were injured," she said.

She stressed that her remarks were not intended to disregard the safety of other passengers.

"I had no intention of ignoring the safety of other passengers. In times of grief like this, our focus should be on safety, handling the victims, and showing empathy to affected families," Arifah said.

The minister also assured that the government continues to handle the incident while ensuring the rights of victims and their families are fulfilled.

She added that her ministry is committed to providing psychological assistance, protection, and necessary support, particularly for children and families affected by the tragedy.

Arifah also called on all stakeholders to focus on assisting victims and improving transport safety to prevent similar incidents in the future.

According to authorities, 16 people were killed in the April 27 train collision.

FWD Group reports strong first quarter new business update, adding to its consistent track record of financial performance

  FWD Group Holdings Limited (“FWD Group” or “FWD”) today announced strong first quarter new business highlights for the three months ended 31 March 2026.

- New business sales were up four per cent to US$720 million compared to the same period in 2025 on an annualised premium equivalent (APE) basis.

- New business contractual service margin was US$556 million, with year-on-year growth of 18 per cent.

- Introduced 11 new products around the region; the FWD Group consumer outlook survey released in February 2026 showed that the majority of Asia’s middle-class feel financially anxious and underprepared for retirement.

Huynh Thanh Phong, Group Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of FWD Group, said, “This is another strong set of results, reflecting our consistent track record of performance, growth, and the diversified pan-Asian footprint and distribution model of FWD Group. Japan and our Expansion Markets in Southeast Asia were key drivers of growth, alongside another solid performance from Hong Kong SAR, despite the high base effect from a record first quarter comparison in 2025.”

“At FWD Group, we have confidence over the long-term that the rising middle-class trend in Asia will continue, despite the near-term impacts of external shocks on economies and consumers in the region. The outlook for the high-net-worth segment, served by FWD Private, remains positive, particularly given the strength and confidence in financial hubs in the region like Hong Kong SAR where we are headquartered,” added Huynh Thanh Phong.

The Hong Kong SAR & Macau SAR reporting segment delivered continued growth in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the record high first quarter in 2025, reflecting both domestic and financial hub related demand.

Japan reported strong growth, reflecting the boost from its strategic expansion into the retirement and savings segment in mid 2025, alongside its long-standing protection business.

The Expansion Markets segment – comprised of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam – posted excellent growth, driven by the broker and independent financial advisor channel and solid bancassurance results.

In the Thailand & Cambodia segment, the focus on developing quality new business continued, given sustained growth headwinds from the lower rate environment in Thailand. As previously announced, Khun Knattapisit Krutkrongchai (KK) will join FWD as Chief Executive Officer, Thailand, effective 11 May 2026, subject to relevant regulatory approvals. KK is a seasoned insurance executive with almost 30 years of experience, including most recently as Chief Executive Officer of Krungthai-AXA.

About FWD Group

FWD Group (1828.HK) is a pan-Asian life and health insurance business that serves approximately 40 million customers across 10 markets, including BRI Life in Indonesia. FWD’s customer-led and tech-enabled approach aims to deliver innovative propositions, easy-to-understand products and a simpler insurance experience. Established in 2013, the company operates in some of the fastest-growing insurance markets in the world with a vision of changing the way people feel about insurance. FWD Group is listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code 1828. For more information, please visit www.fwd.com

*The unaudited results are for the three months ended 31 March 2026 and are compared to the same period in 2025. Growth rates are represented on a constant exchange rate basis. New business sales are calculated on an APE basis, based on 100 percent annualised first year premiums and 10 percent single premiums.

Gov't reinforces protection for outsourced workers with new regulation

 The government has strengthened legal protection and certainty for outsourced workers through Manpower Ministerial Regulation No. 7 of 2026 on Outsourced Employment.

Minister of Manpower Yassierli said in a statement here on Thursday that the regulation is a concrete step by the government to ensure that outsourcing practices are implemented more fairly and provide clear protection for workers.

“This ministerial regulation is a follow-up to Constitutional Court Decision No. 168/PUU-XXI/2023, which mandates restrictions on outsourced work,” Yassierli said.

“This policy aims to provide legal certainty, strengthen the protection of workers’ rights, and at the same time maintain business continuity,” he added.

Under the regulation, the government explicitly limits the types of outsourced work to specific areas, namely cleaning services, food and beverage services, security services, driver provision and worker transportation, operational support services, and supporting work in the mining, oil and gas, and electricity sectors.

In addition, employers that outsource part of their work to outsourcing companies are required to have a written agreement. The agreement must at least include the type of work being outsourced, duration, work location, number of workers, labour protection, as well as the rights and obligations of the parties.

Outsourcing companies are also required to fulfill all workers’ rights in accordance with laws and regulations, including wages, overtime pay, working hours and rest periods, annual leave, occupational safety and health, social security for health and employment, religious holiday allowances, and severance pay rights.

“Through this regulation, the government reaffirms its commitment to continuously promote harmonious, transformative, and fair industrial relations with the spirit of advancing industry and ensuring worker welfare,” Yassierli said.