News of the World

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MIDDLE EAST WAR

Who Is Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s New Supreme Leader?

Iranian state news agency Fars reported on Sunday evening that Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been elected as the country's new Supreme Leader.

Newsweek reached out to the White House by email on Sunday evening for comment.

The Context

Khamenei died in the first wave of strikes launched by the U.S. and Israel on February 28 as part of Operation Epic Fury. An 88 person council adjourned over the following week to discuss and elect the new leader, with some analysts suggesting that the longer the process lasted, the more it indicated fractures in the Iranian regime.

Several major figures have been touted as potential candidates, including Khamenei's son Mojtaba and senior cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, the latter of whom is part of the three-man council tasked with picking the next leader, along with Pezeshkian and Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, as established under Article 111 of Iran’s constitution.

On Sunday, Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency reported that the nation's Assembly of Experts, responsible for picking a new head of the regime, had elected a replacement after days of uncertainty over who would take over as the new Supreme Leader, with Mojtaba announced later in the day.

What To Know

Mojtaba, 56, is the second of Khamenei's son and was an early frontrunner to take the post - touted by many as his father's most likely successor long before the Operation Epic Fury - and many of the country's hard-liner clerics supporting his ascension.

The younger Khamenei does not have a huge public profile, but the regime has long been accused of paving the way for him to take over. His critics have long-expressed concerns over what they say has been behind-the-scenes involvement in major decisions, such as the 2005 and 2009 elections.

State TV read a statement saying he was selected based on “strong” votes and urging the nation to unite behind him, and showed people celebrating in public areas of Tehran.

The Revolutionary Guard issued a statement expressing support, and the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah shared a portrait of the younger Khamenei on Telegram with the caption, “Leader of the blessed Islamic revolution.”

What Trump Has Said About New Iran Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei

Iran has chosen its replacement for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed last weekend in coordinated strikes by the U.S. and Israel.

The new leader of the Islamic regime will be, as many expected, Khamenei’s son Mojtaba. However, it’s unclear how long he’ll hold the position, as U.S. President Donald Trump has already called him an “unacceptable” option.

Who Is Mojtaba Khamenei?

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was born in 1969 in Mashhad, about 10 years before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. After the fall of the Shah, his family moved to Tehran. He fought in the Iran-Iraq war, the Associated Press reported.

He became an increasingly influential figure as his father took power in 1989. The AP reported U.S. diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks had described him as "the power behind the robes" and "widely viewed within the regime as a capable and forceful leader and manager who may someday succeed to at least a share of national leadership."

Mojtaba was an early frontrunner to become Supreme Leader, having been touted by many as his father's most likely successor long before the U.S. and Israeli strikes. He had studied with religious clerics in Qom, creating relationships with religious leadership, The New York Times reported. Many of the country's hard-liner clerics have supported his ascension.

What Has President Trump Said About Mojtaba Khamenei?

On Sunday, Trump told ABC News about the new leader: “He’s going to have to get approval from us. If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long. We want to make sure that we don’t have to go back every 10 years, when you don’t have a president like me that’s not going to do it.”

Trump did not explicitly say the U.S. would remove Mojtaba Khamenei, but suggested any leader chosen without his administration's approval would face consequences.

Asked if he would approve someone with ties to the old regime, Trump said: "I would, in order to choose a good leader, I would, yeah, I would. There are numerous people that could qualify."

Trump also told Axios on Thursday, “Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran...They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela.” He noted he was personally involved in leadership decisions there and intends to be similarly engaged with Iran.

He also told Reuters on Thursday: “We want to be involved in the process of choosing the person who is going to lead Iran into the future. We don’t have to go back every five years and do this again and again.”

Meanwhile, U.S. officials have said the goal of the operations against Iran has been to diminish the nation's nuclear program and Navy, not regime change.

When asked by reporters about who he would like to see rule Iran earlier this week, Trump said, "Most of the people we had in mind are dead."

Trump Says Map of Iran Will ‘Probably Not’ Look the Same After War

President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday he believes the map of Iran will "probably not" look the same after the war ends.

When asked if he believes the map of Iran will "look the same after all this is done," Trump said initially, "I can't tell you," but quickly added, "Probably not."

Why It Matters

The war in Iran widened again on Thursday as Israeli evacuation orders sent residents scrambling in Beirut, European governments rushed additional military assets into the Middle East, and global markets braced for further instability. A week into the U.S.–Israeli bombing campaign, the war is spilling rapidly across borders, reshaping regional politics and alarming world leaders. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to work to evacuate citizens in the region.

U.S. officials have said the goal of the operations against Iran has been to diminish the country's nuclear program and Navy, not regime change. When asked by reporters about who he would like to see rule Iran on Tuesday, President Donald Trump said, "Most of the people we had in mind are dead."

However, Trump said he plans to play a direct role in choosing Iran’s next leader following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to an interview with Axios.

What To Know

Reporters peppered the president with dozens of questions about various aspects of the war, which has lasted for one week and included two major joint U.S.-Israel strikes. The initial strike on February 28 killed Khamenei, and both the U.S. and Israel claimed that the strikes killed dozens of top commanders and officials, effectively throwing any chain of succession into chaos.

When asked if he believes the map of Iran will "look the same after all this is done," Trump said initially, "I can't tell you," but quickly added, "Probably not."

Already, Iran is feeling the strain of its leadership crisis, especially after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian apologized to neighboring countries for retaliatory strikes carried out against them over the past week.

Some parliament members severely criticized Pezeshkian for his apology, with one member calling the message "weak, unprofessional, and publicly unacceptable," while another slammed his fellow members for a "diversionary and toxic debate” over succession, writing on X that "the stench of the power struggle in wartime is nauseating."

What Happens After the Iran War Ends?

The question of "the day after" the conflict ends has remained - at best - vague, especially when Trump said he's not thinking about what comes next and has insisted that everyone should "forget about next."

"Forget about next," he replied to a question. "They are decimated for a 10-year period before they could build it back."

Former MI-6 chief John Sawyer earlier this week told CNN's Christiane Amanpour that he believes the conflict - which he deemed an "unnecessary war" - could lead to Iran fragmenting similarly to the fallout in Syria after Bashar al-Assad's ousting and, more famously, Afghanistan.

"I think just as dangerous is the possibility that the regime might corrode or collapse and lose control of parts of the country, and then you could have a situation like the one we faced in Syria for the last year or so, where the country fragments into several different parts and local administrations crop up often on an ethnic basis," Sawyer said.

"If the country dissolves into component parts... It'll be basically a failed state, an ungoverned state, and we've known from the last sort of 40 years what happens in failed states: It becomes a center for terrorism, for smuggling, for gun running, for drugs, for criminality of all sorts, and it does pose a threat to other countries," he continued.

"I think it's in America's interest, and it's certainly in the interest of Europe, that this deeply unpleasant regime in Tehran nonetheless be replaced by a regime which still has authority over the country, that you can hold it to account," he added.

One of the concerns that has arisen is whether Trump will arm and back the Kurds in Iran to help topple the remnants of the regime, but Trump told reporters on Saturday that he has ruled out any Kurdish involvement, saying: "I don't want the Kurds going in. I don't want to see the Kurds get hurt, get killed. We had a good relationship, then willing to go in, but we really, I've told them, I don't want them to go in," adding that the conflict is "complicated enough" without their involvement.

US Travel Alert Update As Americans Warned of Hotel Terror Attacks

Americans in Iraq and Iran have been warned to avoid hotels and public places as the U.S. government cites heightened risks of terrorist attacks amid escalating regional conflict.

Why It Matters

The warnings come as the United States and Israel remain locked in an expanding military confrontation with Iran, raising fears of retaliatory attacks across the Middle East.

U.S. officials say Americans abroad could be targeted because of their nationality.

What To Know

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad issued an updated security alert on March 6, urging U.S. citizens in Iraq to depart immediately if it is safe to do so, citing severe security risks and limited evacuation options.

The alert warned that terrorist groups and militias continue to pose a threat to Americans and U.S. interests across Iraq, including locations frequented by foreigners such as hotels, restaurants, and businesses.

Commercial flights out of Iraq were not operating at the time of the alert, according to the embassy, which advised Americans to consider overland routes to neighboring countries while acknowledging that border and airspace conditions could change without notice.

Americans who are unable to leave were told to shelter in place in secure locations, maintain supplies of food, water, and medication, and avoid large gatherings and public venues.

A separate security alert issued March 7 by the U.S. Virtual Embassy Iran warned that Americans in Iran face heightened risks of questioning, arrest, or detention and should be prepared to shelter in place if they cannot safely depart.

The Iran alert cautioned that displaying U.S. passports or showing connections to the United States could be sufficient grounds for detention by Iranian authorities, particularly for dual U.S.-Iranian nationals.

U.S. officials also warned that the Iranian government may restrict or prevent departures, adding that commercial flights were not operating from the country at the time of publication.

Both alerts stressed that the security environment remains volatile and subject to rapid change as military operations continue across the region.

7th US service member dies in Operation Epic Fury

A US service member wounded in an Iranian attack against US troops in Saudi Arabia has succumbed to their injuries — the seventh American soldier to have died during Operation Epic Fury.

The unidentified soldier was “seriously wounded” in the March 1 attack as Iran launched missiles and drones at US installations across the Middle East at the start of the conflict, according to CENTCOM.

“Last night, a U.S. service member passed away from injuries received during the Iranian regime’s initial attacks across the Middle East,” CENTCOM wrote on X on Sunday afternoon.

“The service member was seriously wounded at the scene of an attack on U.S. troops in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on March 1.”

CENTCOM said it is withholding releasing the identity of the slain servicemember for 24 hours pending next-of-kin notification.

The news comes a day after NYPD Officer and decorated Army veteran Sorffly Davius died during a health crisis while deployed in Kuwait with the National Guard.

On Saturday, President Trump flew to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where the bodies of six Army Reserve members were flown to after they died when an Iranian drone struck a US facility in Kuwait.

The president, wearing a white USA baseball cap as he stood next to first lady Melania Trump for the somber moment, saluted as soldiers carried the flag-draped caskets containing the remains of the fallen heroes.

“It’s a sad part of war,” the president later said aboard Air Force One. “It’s the bad part of war.”

Also taking part in the solemn event were Vice President JD Vance, second lady Usha Vance, Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, among others. 

The six slain reservists were: Nicole Amor, 39; Cody Khork, 35; Declan Coady, 20; Robert Marzan, 54; Jeffrey O’Brien, 45; and Noah Tietjens, 42.

Last week the president warned there would “likely be more” US casualties in the conflict, posting on Truth Social on Friday that “there will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”

‘Toxic’ black rain pours down on Tehran, massive fireballs fill skies following Israeli strikes on oil storage sites

Tehran was blanketed by thick black clouds following Israeli strikes on the capital’s oil facilities late Saturday — in what appears to be the first attack on Iran’s energy infrastructure since “Operation Epic Fury” began a week ago.

Iranians awoke to black rain water — saturated with oil — covering rooftops and streets in the murky liquid.

Eerie photos show Tehran shrouded in smoke and covered in black clouds hours after the Israeli military pummeled several fuel sites.

The Iranian Red Crescent humanitarian organization warned that the explosions seen overnight at Tehran’s oil depots released “significant quantities of toxic hydrocarbon compounds, sulfur, and nitrogen oxides” into the air.

“In the event of precipitation, the resulting rain is extremely dangerous and highly acidic,” officials warned, adding that exposure to the substance could lead to skin burns and severe lung damage.

The city became covered in oil following a series of airstrikes that hit four oil storage facilities and a production center in Tehran and Alborz, according to Iran’s Fars News Agency.

Harrowing video from the Saturday strikes showed pillars of fire soar up into the sky and lighting up the capital, with the bombs killing four tanker drivers, Fars reported.

The Israel Defense Forces took credit for the attack, noting that it was aimed at damaging “the military infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime.”

“The military forces of the Iranian terror regime make direct and frequent use of these fuel tanks to operate military infrastructure,”  the IDF said in a statement.

Terrorism investigated in US embassy explosion in Oslo

Terrorism is being investigated in an explosion at the US embassy in Oslo early Sunday — as officials said it could have been a deliberate attack linked to the strikes in Iran.

“It’s natural to see this in the context of the current security situation and that this could be an attack deliberately targeting the US embassy,” Frode Larsen, head of the Oslo police investigation unit told reporters.

He later told public broadcaster NRK: “One of our hypotheses is that this is terrorism, but we are also exploring other options.”

The blast erupted in Oslo around 1 a.m. local time Sunday, hitting the entrance to the embassy’s consular section and causing minor damage, police incident commander Michael Delmer said.

No suspects have been identified so far, and police have yet to publicly state what the cause of the explosion was.

There were no deaths or injuries reported in the aftermath of the blast, with no additional explosives found near the embassy. 

Sebastian Toerstad, an 18-year-old high school student who was driving by the embassy at the time of the explosion, said the building was covered by “a very thick layer of smoke on the street.”

“There was some damage to the entrance,” he told Reuters.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide slammed the attack on the US embassy as “an unacceptable act,” vowing that Oslo would capture the culprits.

“The security of diplomatic missions is very important to us,” he said in a statement.

Inside the Iranian regime’s sick plots to recruit ‘kill teams’ — and assassinate Donald Trump

The bloodthirsty Iranian regime has assembled multiple “kill teams” to assassinate President Donald Trump over at least the last five years.

Mullahs in the recently decimated hardline Islamist regime have issued numerous fatwas against Trump — religious orders inciting Muslims to kill him — and tried to orchestrate his death through US-based hitmen.

“They are absolutely killers, like the mafia. They have a list of the people they want dead and they have dispatched many of their spies to arrange to kill them,” Yigal Carmon, a retired Israel Defense Forces colonel who is an expert on terrorism told The Post.

Two plots, both from 2024, were foiled but give a shocking insight into the lengths the regime was prepared to go to before US armed forces started their assault on Iran Feb. 28 and killed Ayatollah Khamenei and his henchmen.

In one, a spy was ordered by the regime to recruit a “kill team” and come up with a plot to assassinate Trump while he was still on the campaign trail. He recruited two US-based hitmen, who were both later caught.

The spy, Farhad Shakeri, said he was directed by his Iranian handlers to come up with a plan for the assassination of Trump, on October 7, 2024, according to court papers.

Shakeri indicated to an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) official that it “would cost a ‘huge’ amount of money. In response, IRGC Official said ‘we have already spent a lot of money … so the money’s not an issue,’” according to the documents from the trials of the hitmen.

The papers explain Shakeri understood to mean that the IRGC had previously spent a “significant sum” on efforts to murder Trump and “was willing to continue spending a lot of money in its attempt to procure [Trump]’s assassination.”

He was also told he had only seven days to carry out the plot. According to his interview with the FBI, he was told if he couldn’t carry it out his IRGC handler said it would stop the plan until after the 2024 election as they had assessed “[Trump] would lose the election and, afterward, it would be easier to assassinate” him.

Shakeri spoke to the FBI by phone from Tehran, the Iranian capital, where he was based. Although born in Afghanistan, he had been taken to the US as a child and served 14 years in prison on various crimes before being deported. It is there he made his criminal connections which allowed him to eventually recruit hitmen for the regime.

Shakeri had already engaged two hitmen, his old prison buddy Carlisle “Pop” Rivera and a man named Jonathan Loadholt, both New Yorkers. They were initially promised $100,000 to assassinate a different person, an anti-Iranian regime activist. However, they were caught before carrying out their plan.

Both men were found guilty of murder-for-hire, with Rivera sentenced to 15 years in prison in January. Loadholt is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

Shakeri was charged with murder-for-hire by the FBI in absentia, as he remained in Iran.

However, this week, US and Israeli forces said they took out the Tehran-based “mastermind” behind assassination attempts against Trump.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the death after the deadly strikes on Tehran, now widely believed to be Shakeri or his boss Rahman Mokadam, leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) special forces unit charged with killing Trump — or both of them.

As recently as January, a month before US and Israeli strikes on the country, Iran issued a threat against Trump, broadcasting a picture of the commander-in-chief during the 2024 Butler rally assassination attempt — with the words “This time it will not miss the target.”

US investigators told Trump months after that assassination attempt they could not rule out Iran’s role, and noted then multiple “kill teams” were plotting his demise, according to reports.

Iran has had Trump in its crosshairs since the US military killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad in 2020 on Trump’s orders.

Carmon explained the Iranians only work with their own nationals to plan and co-ordinate hits on enemies, saying “they do it with Iranians, not Americans,” but actually carrying out the hits can be done by any contract killer.

The second known plot against Trump was orchestrated by a Pakistani national was told he’d get up to $1 million if the hit was successful.

Asif Merchant came to the US to recruit a kill team and posed as a Pakistani clothing merchant, according to federal court documents.

He was convicted Mar. 6 of terrorism and murder-for-hire in Brooklyn federal court.

Merchant, who represented himself at trial, said the plot involved setting up a fake protest, hiring a local hit squad and stealing documents.

However, the “hitmen” he got turned out to be undercover FBI agents, according to court records.

“I was not wanting to do this so willingly,” Merchant said through an Urdu translator at his trial this week.

He claimed he was forced by IRGC leaders to go along with the plan to kill Trump and other US politicians, saying Iranian officials had threatened his family in Iran. He has another wife and family who are in Pakistan, according to court records.

Bahrain says Iran hit a desalination plant, stoking fears of attacks on civilian sites

Bahrain accused Iran of striking a desalination plant on Sunday, raising fears civilian infrastructure may become fair game in a nine-day-old war, as Iran’s president vowed to expand its attacks on American targets across the region in the face of intense US and Israeli airstrikes.

A late-night Israeli strike on an oil facility covered Iran’s capital, Tehran, in smoke on Sunday, while Israel renewed its attacks in Lebanon.

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to press ahead with the campaign, which has rippled across the region and appears to have no end in sight.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian threatened on Sunday to step up attacks on American targets across the Middle East.

He appeared to be backtracking from conciliatory comments toward his Gulf neighbors on Saturday. Those comments, in which he apologized for attacks on their soil, were quickly contradicted by Iranian hard-liners.

In Lebanon, Israeli strikes pushed the death toll there to above 300 after Israel ordered large swaths of the country to evacuate ahead of an offensive aimed at stamping out the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

The war, which erupted on Feb. 28 after joint US-Israeli strikes hit Iran, has so far killed at least 1,230 people in the Islamic Republic, more than 300 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, according to officials.

Six US troops have also been killed.

The conflict has since spread across the region, rattling global markets, disrupting air travel and leaving Iran’s leadership weakened by hundreds of Israeli and American airstrikes.

Iran’s president toughens tone

“When we are attacked, we have no choice but to respond. The more pressure they impose on us, the stronger our response will naturally be,” Pezeshkian said in video comments Sunday. “Our Iran, our country, will not bow easily in the face of bullying, oppression or aggression — and it never has.”

The remarks, starkly different in tone, came a day after Pezeshkian said Iran regretted regional concerns caused by Iranian strikes and urged neighboring states not to take part in US and Israeli attacks against Iran.

Iranian women’s team may face jail, death after losing soccer game

Australian protestors have laid siege to a tour bus transporting Iranian female soccer players as calls grow for the government to protect the women.

Around 50 protestors, some brandishing Iranian Lion flags surrounded the bus as it left the stadium on the Gold Coast on Sunday night.

The Iranian Lion and Sun (Shir-o-Khorshid) flag, was used before the 1979 Islamic Revolution and is used by protesters as a symbol of resistance against the current regime.

The women’s team now faces the prospect of returning to Iran after suffering a 2-0 defeat against the Philippines.

The defeat ends their Women’s Asian Cup campaign, which was marked by controversy after they refused to sing the Iranian national anthem on Monday.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong declared Australia “stands in solidarity” with the Iranian women’s soccer team amid fears the women could be jailed or killed if they return to their country.

Thousands of Australians are urging the Albanese Government to act to protect the Lionesses players as they played their last game on the Gold Coast.

The women’s team saluted and mouthed the Iranian national anthem ahead of Saturday night’s match after an international furore over their failure to do so in an earlier match.

In a petition on Change.org, there are calls for urgent protection for the women who face an “impossible situation” – return to a war zone where they have been accused of being “traitors” or risk danger for their families at home if they stay.

“These concerns are immediate and serious. In their opening match, members of the team reportedly remained silent during the Iranian national anthem,’’ the petition states.

“Credible reporting has also raised concerns that regime-connected personnel are embedded with the delegation, that players are not allowed to move freely, and that their communications are restricted.”

The petition asks Australia to ensure that any player wishing to seek protection can do so safely, privately, and without interference from regime-associated officials or handlers.

That reminds me of an earlier article on soccer...

Iran’s soccer federation head doubts country will play in 2026 World Cup after US-Israeli strikes

The president of Iran’s soccer federation says he does not know if the national team can play World Cup matches in the United States following the surprise US and Israeli bombardment of his country.

“What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Mehdi Taj told sports portal Varzesh3 as Iran traded strikes with Israel as part of a widening war prompted by the bombardment.

The US-Israeli strikes on Iran continued for a second day on Sunday after the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threw the future of the Islamic Republic into uncertainty and raised the risk of regional instability.

Iran has been drawn in Group G at the World Cup and is scheduled to play in Los Angeles – where it faces New Zealand and Belgium on June 15 and 21, respectively – before it plays Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

The United States is hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

Fans from Iran were already banned from entering the US in the first iteration of the travel ban announced by the Trump administration.

FIFA did not immediately reply to an email from The Associated Press over the current situation regarding Iran’s participation in the World Cup.

UKRAINE WAR

Scott Bessent Says U.S. Could Lift Sanctions on More Russian Oil

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday said that the U.S. could further relieve Russian sanctions as gas and oil prices soar following Iran's decision to shut off shipping access through the Strait of Hormuz.

Discussing India's need to cover a gap in its oil supply, Bessent told FOX Business host Larry Kudlow: "We have given them permission to accept the Russian oil. We may unsanction other Russian oil."

The White House in response to a Newsweek request for comment referred to the Treasury secretary's comments.

Why It Matters

India had committed to not buy Russia's oil as the U.S. attempted to apply pressure on Moscow to end its invasion of Ukraine. The U.S., in turn, planned to lower tariffs on Indian goods to 18 percent from 25 percent. Previously, India had increased its consumption of Russian oil, which had dropped in price as Western nations switched to alternative supplies to isolate and sanction Russia for its invasion.

Iran, however, closed the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for U.S.-Israeli joint strikes, which killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The closure has tilted the oil and gas markets, with supplies now strained and nations scrambling to determine a backup plan: Iraq's Ministry of Oil said Tuesday that it would stop production in a key oil field because of disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

The closure has also caused crude oil prices to surge worldwide, with Brent crude hitting $92 a barrel. President Donald Trump, on Friday, addressing concerns over a consequent rise in gas prices, said: "If they rise, they rise."

What To Know

The U.S. provided India with a 30-day waiver to buy Russia's oil, which is currently stranded at sea, in order to ease the demand on global oil supplies.

Bessent had described the waiver as a "deliberate short-term measure" to keep the global market from feeling further strain as supplies of oil and gas remain stranded on tankers near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has threatened to attack any vessels attempting to pass through the narrow chokepoint.

The BBC reported that millions of barrels are believed to be stranded on those tankers, and nearly half of India's crude oil and gas imports transit through the Strait.

Bessent, during his appearance on FOX Business, said: "The Indians had been very good actors. We had asked them to stop buying sanctioned Russian oil this fall: They did."

"They were going to substitute it with U.S. oil, but to ease the temporary gap of oil around the world, we have given them permission to accept the Russian oil," Bessent said. "We may unsanction other Russian oil.

"The other thing Treasury can do here, Larry, is there are hundreds of millions of sanctioned barrels of sanctioned crude on the water, and, in essence, by unsanctioning them, Treasury can create supply, and we are looking at that," Bessent added. "We're going to keep a cadence of announcing measures to bring relief to the market during this conflict."

Russian missile attack on apartment building kills 11, including children — as Moscow’s staggering losses continue to rise

A fiery night of intense Russian bombing across Ukraine saw at least 14 civilians, including two children, killed in the aftermath.

The city of Kharkiv was badly hit, with a ballistic missile striking a five-story residential building.

At least 11 people were killed in that attack, including a teacher and her 9-year-old son, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. Another 15 people were wounded.

Footage of the attack shows the top two floors of the apartment burnt out and crumbling, as firefighters battle an intense fire.

The Kremlin unleashed 480 drones and nearly 30 missiles across Ukraine overnight into Saturday, Ukraine’s Air Force reported.

“There must be a response from partners to these savage strikes against life,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X. “Russia has not abandoned its attempts to destroy Ukraine’s residential and critical infrastructure.”

The offensive comes as latest estimates show the Kremlin is facing staggering losses in the four-year war.

More than 1.2 million troops have been killed and over 161,000 drones and 81,000 vehicles and fuel tanks destroyed, according to March 7 damage assessments from Ukraine’s military intelligence service.

Meanwhile, Kyiv struck a manufacturing plant in the Russian-occupied Donestk region, used for the storage, preparation and launch of Shahed-type drones.

The war-torn country also reasserted control over more territory in February than Russia captured, marking Ukraine’s first net territorial gains since the Kursk offensive. Ukraine has retaken several settlements in southern regions, the armed forces said.

USA

Donald Trump Cuts Tucker Carlson Out of MAGA: ‘Lost His Way’

President Donald Trump has cut Tucker Carlson out of the MAGA contingent following his criticism of the U.S.-Israeli military action against Iran.

"Tucker has lost his way," Trump told ABC News. "He's not MAGA. MAGA is saving our country. MAGA is making our country great again. MAGA is America First, and Tucker is none of those things. And Tucker is really not smart enough to understand that."

The former Fox News host has long opposed American military involvement in the Middle East, and said in a statement to ABC News that the decision to attack Iran was "absolutely disgusting and evil."

Newsweek contacted a representative for Carlson for comment via email outside of normal working hours.

What To Know

On Monday, Carlson said on his podcast, The Tucker Carlson Show: "This is Israel's war. This is not the United States' war. This war's not being waged on behalf of American national security objectives — to make the United States safer or richer. This war isn't even about weapons of mass destruction, nukes."

Carlson added that there are times he gets "annoyed with Trump," and that this moment is "definitely included." But he said: "I'll always love him no matter what he says about me."

Response to Trump's remarks about Carlson have been mixed among Republicans. The former Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on X: "I SUPPORT TUCKER. Trump doesn't even know what MAGA is anymore."

"Trump is not America First, he's donor first. Tucker would beat Trump if he ran for President and Trump tried to violate the constitution and tried to run again for a third term," she said.

But Republican congressman Randy Fine wrote on X: "I agree with Donald Trump - Tucker Carlson is not MAGA."

What People Are Saying

Trump said in a video posted to Truth Social: "A short time ago, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran. Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime."

Erik Prince, a Trump ally and former Navy SEAL, said on Steve Bannon's War Room podcast: "I don't think this was in America's interests. It's going to uncork a significant can of worms and chaos and destruction in Iran now."

House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote to X: "Today, Iran is facing the severe consequences of its evil actions. President Trump and the administration have made every effort to pursue peaceful and diplomatic solutions in response to the Iranian regime’s sustained nuclear ambitions and development, terrorism, and the murder of Americans—and even their own people."

Megyn Kelly, a conservative commentator and the host of The Megyn Kelly Show, said on Monday's episode of the podcast: "There's nothing unpatriotic or unsupportive of one's conservatism or general adherence to MAGA-type principles to say, 'I would like to be better convinced that this is worth the sacrifice of American blood and treasure.' That's where I am. That's where a lot of people are."

Mamdani Speaks Out After Explosive Devices Found Outside of His Home

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani broke his silence Sunday, calling the protest outside his official residence "rooted in bigotry and racism" and condemning the use of explosive devices that led to six arrests the day before.

"Yesterday, white supremacist Jake Lang organized a protest outside Gracie Mansion rooted in bigotry and racism," Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, wrote on X. "Such hate has no place in New York City. It is an affront to our city's values and the unity that defines who we are."

The Context

Amid the ongoing war between Iran, the United States and Israel, two people are in custody after suspicious devices were found outside Gracie Mansion, the official residence of Mamdani, during an anti-Islam demonstration Saturday morning, the New York Police Department (NYPD) confirmed to Newsweek.

The protest was organized by Jake Lang, a conservative influencer pardoned for charges tied to the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot. Images from the scene showed smoke and what appeared to be an unexploded homemade device lying in the street.

The devices were described as jars wrapped in black tape containing nuts, bolts, screws and a hobby fuse.

New York City Comptroller Mark D. Levine, citing information from NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, said the two individuals arrested for use of ignitable devices were part of a Lang's counter-protest—not Lang's group.

What To Know

The NYPD told Newsweek on Sunday that "officers were on scene for a scheduled demonstration in the vicinity of East End Avenue and 88th Street, within the confines of the 19 Precinct when they were alerted to two suspicious devices at the location."

The police department added that no one was injured and no property was damaged, adding that "two persons of interest were taken into custody and the investigation remains ongoing."

Meanwhile, Mamdani addressed the violence that followed Lang's demonstration that drew a counter-protest. Two counter-protesters, identified as Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, were arrested for deploying the ignitable devices. The NYPD later confirmed one device was a real improvised explosive device (IED).

A member of Lang's group was also arrested for using pepper spray on a counter-protester, bringing the total number of arrests to six. "The attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal, it is reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are," the mayor wrote.

The NYPD Bomb Squad transported the devices for examination. It remains unclear whether they were functional explosives or hoax devices, as authorities have not yet determined whether they contained energetic material. Mamdani said his administration is closely monitoring the situation and that he remains in contact with Tisch.

NYPD Evacuates Buildings After New Suspicious Device Found

The New York City Police Department (NYPD) has identified a suspicious device inside a vehicle on East End Avenue between 81st and 82nd Streets, prompting officers to freeze the surrounding area and begin evacuating nearby buildings, the department announced Sunday.

The discovery comes one day after an improvised explosive device was deployed outside Gracie Mansion—New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's primary residence—during an anti-Islam demonstration that ended in six arrests. The NYPD Bomb Squad is on scene assessing and working to remove the device.

Newsweek reached out to the NYPD and mayor's office via email on Sunday for comment.

The Context

Amid the ongoing war between Iran, the United States and Israel, two people are in custody after suspicious devices were found outside Gracie Mansion during an anti-Islam demonstration Saturday morning, the New York Police Department (NYPD) confirmed to Newsweek.

The protest was organized by Jake Lang, a conservative influencer pardoned for charges tied to the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot. Images from the scene showed smoke and what appeared to be an unexploded homemade device lying in the street.

The devices were described as jars wrapped in black tape containing nuts, bolts, screws and a hobby fuse.

New York City Comptroller Mark D. Levine, citing information from NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, said the two individuals arrested for use of ignitable devices were part of a Lang's counter-protest—not Lang's group.

What To Know

Saturday's incident began when Lang organized an anti-Islam demonstration outside Gracie Mansion.

A counter-protest formed at the scene, and two counter-protesters—Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, who law enforcement sources say traveled from Pennsylvania—were arrested after deploying ignitable devices. Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin reported, citing multiple law enforcement sources, the suspects shouted "Allahu Akbar" before throwing one of the devices.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed Sunday that the Bomb Squad's preliminary analysis determined one of the devices was a genuine improvised explosive device (IED) capable of causing "serious injury or death"—not a smoke bomb or hoax device. Further analysis is underway on a second device. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force separately confirmed that preliminary analysis identified one of the devices deployed by the suspects as an IED explosive, with testing on additional devices still ongoing. A member of Lang's group was also arrested for using pepper spray on a counter-protester, bringing total arrests to six.

The NYPD is conducting the investigation in coordination with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI through the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Mamdani addressed the violence Sunday, calling Lang's demonstration "rooted in bigotry and racism" while also condemning the use of explosives. "The attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal, it is reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are," he wrote. His administration said he remains in direct contact with Tisch.

 I dunno how Mamdani can claim they are racist when his own wife is quite antisemitic.

Donald Trump Refuses to Sign Other Bills Until SAVE Act Is Passed

Ahead of the midterms this year, President Donald Trump has said he would not sign any other bills until the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act is passed by the U.S. Senate. 

The bill would reshape federal election rules by requiring documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and has been criticized by Democrats as disenfranchising many voters. 

Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday that the passage of the bill “must be done immediately” and “supersedes everything else.” 

“I, as President, will not sign other Bills until this is passed,” Trump added, regarding the legislation that passed in the House on Wednesday by a 218-213 vote before heading to the Senate where it faces opposition.

While Republicans hold a narrow majority in the Senate, some GOP senators have expressed concerns about imposing federal election mandates on states. The legislation so far does not have the 60 votes it needs to overcome a filibuster.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota said Republicans in his party are discussing whether to move it forward, even as they rule out changing Senate filibuster rules.

Trump has pressed Thune to use a talking filibuster to pass the bill which would force Democrats to speak continuously on the Senate floor to delay a vote. Once Democrats cede the floor, Republicans could pass the measure with just 51 votes, without the need for a 60-vote majority.

In his Truth Social post, Trump praised conservative activist Scott Pressler appearing on Fox News' Fox & Friends “talking about using the filibuster, or Talking Filibuster, in order to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT.”

Trump said he did not want a “watered down version” of the bill and that voters must show voter ID and proof of citizenship, adding, “NO MAIL-IN BALLOTS EXCEPT FOR MILITARY - ILLNESS, DISABILITY, TRAVEL.”

On Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, wrote on X: "The SAVE Act is Jim Crow 2.0. It would disenfranchise tens of millions of people. If Trump is saying he won’t sign any bills until the SAVE Act is passed, then so be it: there will be total gridlock in the Senate. Senate Democrats will not help pass the SAVE Act under any circumstances."

Zorro Ranch Update: Fears Evidence ‘Compromised’ at Epstein’s Former Estate

Fears are growing that evidence linked to Jeffrey Epstein’s former New Mexico ranch could be compromised, a key state lawmaker told Newsweek, as delays and construction could risk undermining a reopened criminal investigation.

Why It Matters

Allegations tied to Epstein’s former New Mexico estate have lingered for years without a clear public accounting.

State officials say determining what evidence still exists — and why earlier investigations stalled — is critical for survivors and public trust.

The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office told Newsweek, “We have no comment at this time” when approached.

What To Know

New Mexico State Representative Andrea Romero told Newsweek that the failure to secure Epstein’s sprawling 7,500‑plus‑acre property in 2019 has intensified concerns about whether potential evidence can still be preserved — particularly now that renovation work is underway.

Romero said New Mexico still has no public accounting of what the federal investigation into alleged activity at the ranch examined or why it was ultimately closed.

She said the decision to reopen a criminal investigation has now offered a “glimmer of hope” for survivors who testified years ago and were told nothing more could be done.

The estate, formerly known as Zorro Ranch, has since been purchased by Texas businessman and former GOP state senator Don Huffines, who has said he is converting it into a Christian retreat and has renamed it San Rafael Ranch, after the patron saint of healing, with construction “already underway.”

Huffines has also said publicly that he would cooperate with law enforcement if asked.

A spokesman for Huffines told Newsweek in a statement that authorities would be granted “full and complete cooperation” if approached.

Romero is a sponsor of New Mexico’s nonpartisan Epstein Truth Commission, a legislative panel tasked with establishing a public record of alleged abuse tied to the ranch.

“The fact that we have to do it at all is absurd,” Romero said. “We need to be able to trust our institutions.”

She said the lack of any clear federal accounting has left lawmakers and survivors trying to reconstruct events years after the fact.

Rihanna’s Beverly Hills mansion hit by gunfire while singer was at home, 30-year-old woman arrested

A 30-year-old woman was arrested Sunday after allegedly firing several shots with a rifle at the Beverly Hills, Calif. mansion belonging to pop star Rihanna while the singer was allegedly inside her house.

Los Angeles police responded to the report of the shooting at 1:21 p.m. Sunday and quickly took the suspect into custody, a spokesperson told the California Post. One bullet reportedly pierced a wall of the home.

Photos from the scene showed yellow police tape outside the singer’s home. Los Angeles police officers were also seen closing off the street near the star’s property.

It is not apparent if Rihanna’s partner, rapper A$AP Rocky, and their three kids — RZA, 3, Riot Rose, 2, and 5-month-old Rocki Irish Mayers — were also in the house when the shots were fired.

Photos from the scene showed yellow police tape outside the singer’s home. Los Angeles police officers were also seen closing off the street near the star’s property.

No injuries were reported in the incident, according to Police Sgt. Jonathan de Vera, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department who spoke to the Los Angeles Times regarding the incident.

The LA Times also reported that the police dispatch for the incident noted “approximately 10 shots” being fired at the house, which came from a vehicle across the street from the residence.

The suspect then sped off in a white Tesla, heading south on Coldwater Canyon Drive, according to the dispatch audio.

A source close to Rihanna’s family told the Post, “they are all doing okay.” The singer has not yet publicly commented on the incident.

No other information, including motive for the shooting, is known at this time.

ASIA

US Ally [Philippines] Suspects Spy Was Behind Chinese Blockades

A suspected spy likely provided China with the intelligence it needed to anticipate and obstruct Philippine efforts to resupply a military outpost at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela said Friday.

Newsweek reached out to the Philippine Coast Guard via email for comment.

Why It Matters

The Spratly Islands' Second Thomas Shoal, known as Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines and Ren’ai Reef in China, is uninhabited save for the rusting World War II–era warship BRP Sierra Madre, grounded on the feature in 1999 to stake the country’s claim.

China claims most of the South China Sea as its territory, including Scarborough Shoal, and between 2023 and mid-2024, Chinese maritime forces repeatedly intercepted Philippine supply missions, leading to sometimes dramatic clashes that left several Philippine injuries and raised concerns that a miscalculation could trigger the Philippines’ Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States.

What To Know

“The information that was leaked is related to supply operations [to the Sierra Madre],” Tarriela told The Philippine Star in an interview Friday.

The suspected informant, said to have links to a member of the Philippine Coast Guard, likely took advantage of a lapse in record-keeping to gain access to and transfer sensitive operational information to China, he added, without identifying either individual.

The statement comes just two days after reports, first published by Rappler, that the Philippines’ National Security Council had uncovered a network involving Chinese nationals recruiting Filipinos employed in defense or security agencies into “consultancies” that later sought classified information.

“The mere fact that a fellow Filipino was tempted to provide this kind of information at the cost of our legitimate operations in the West Philippine Sea — for me, a large amount of money was being paid,” Tarriella told the Star.

What People Are Saying

Cornelio Valencia Jr., spokesperson for the Philippine National Security Council, said in a statement: “For reasons of national security, we cannot discuss identities, methods, or timelines so as not to jeopardize on-going operations. Nonetheless, necessary actions have been taken against the individuals concerned — all Filipino nationals — who have all confessed their complicity in espionage activities and are cooperating with authorities.”

China Announces Big Changes To Improve Marriage, Birth Rates

China’s leadership has pledged to roll out new policies to encourage "positive attitudes toward marriage and childbearing" amid mounting concern over the country’s rapidly aging population.

The plan will include a slate of measures to expand child care support, promote employment, and address the growing needs of the country’s "silver economy."

Why It Matters

An estimated two-thirds of the world’s population now lives in countries with fertility rates below the level needed to sustain population growth. China has one of the world’s lowest, with a total fertility rate of around 1.0, and births fell by 17 percent in 2025. Authorities introduced a raft of new measures last year, but many analysts say deeper reforms will be needed.

Adding to the demographic challenge, a shrinking workforce has to support record numbers of retirees, adding pressure on China’s modest social safety nets.

Newsweek has reached out to China’s Foreign Ministry by email with a request for comment.

What To Know

Authorities will increase support for child care services, childbirth costs and other pro-natal policies to "build a fertility-friendly society," according to a government report unveiled Thursday as China’s top legislature, the National People’s Congress, convened its annual weeklong meeting.

Officials also pledged to expand the middle class and reform the social security system so coverage becomes more universal, standardized and equitable across rural and urban areas. The government said it would improve employment quality and capacity, including expanded vocational training and stronger worker protections.

China has set its target urban unemployment rate at "around 5.5 percent" after posting 5.3 percent last year. Since the end of the country’s strict anti-COVID measures in late 2022, youth unemployment has remained elevated, with jobless rates of 15 percent or more among those aged 16 to 24.

To address population aging, the government said it would strengthen development of elderly care services and related industries to ensure "a rich and fulfilling life for the elderly."