News from North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.
The U.S. State Department has approved a $5 billion military equipment sale to Saudi Arabia, including guidance systems for thousands of bombs and long-range missiles. Washington said the deal would strengthen Saudi Arabia’s air-defense capabilities and contribute to stability and economic development in the Gulf.
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could soon strike Iran’s Mount Kolang, an underground complex near the Natanz nuclear facility known as “Pickaxe Mountain.” The site’s depth, limited public information and lack of access for IAEA inspectors have raised concerns over its potential role in Iran’s nuclear program, although there is no verified evidence that nuclear material or enrichment activities are currently being carried out there.
U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed a “strong response” to Iranian attacks on U.S. bases in Jordan, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claims the strikes were retaliation for U.S. attacks on Lark Island. Jordan says its air defenses intercepted eight Iranian missiles, as Trump kept open the possibility of diplomacy with Tehran.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced visit to Moscow for talks with Russian intelligence officials, in a rare high-level U.S.-Russia contact. President Donald Trump said the discussions could produce results and reiterated Washington’s desire to end the war in Ukraine, while the Kremlin confirmed the intelligence contacts but said Ratcliffe did not meet President Vladimir Putin.
The military trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, accused of being a principal architect of the September 11, 2001 attacks, is scheduled to begin on June 5, 2028, nearly 27 years after the attacks. The case has faced repeated delays over evidence, CIA interrogation practices and pretrial plea agreements, while Khalid Sheikh Mohammed remains detained at Guantanamo Bay.
The United States has launched a sweeping economic campaign against Iran, targeting key sectors and imposing sanctions on dozens of entities, individuals and vessels, while Tehran has vowed retaliation and warned of consequences for U.S. interests and energy routes.
The United States has removed Syria from its State Sponsors of Terrorism list after nearly 47 years, saying the move will encourage investment, support economic recovery and facilitate Syria’s reintegration into the global economy.
The United States is preparing its largest-ever economic sanctions package against Iran, targeting countries and entities trading with Tehran, while Iran has threatened to halt all oil exports through the Gulf if the “economic war” continues.
Two men were injured in a knife attack at a gurdwara in Edmonton, Canada, early Friday, with police arresting a 27-year-old suspect. The victims, aged 75 and 51, suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
A 35-year-old New York woman has been arrested for allegedly plotting to bomb a state Capitol building and kill lawmakers. Prosecutors say she had ties to the Islamic State and discussed the alleged attack with undercover FBI agents.
Oil prices rise and stock markets fall as the Iran-US conflict enters a stalemate, with tensions over the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program continuing to fuel uncertainty.
