Conflict between farmers and elephants in Sri Lanka has grown worse as food and fuel are scarcer due to war in the Middle East.
Wally Funk, an aviation pioneer and the oldest woman to travel to space at age 82, has died at 87. She passed away in Grapevine, Texas, after recent falls and an infection. Funk was among the first female pilots to undergo astronaut testing in the 1960s and finally reached space in 2021 on Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket.
The U.S. launched new airstrikes against Iran, which responded by targeting U.S.-allied Mideast countries, threatening an interim ceasefire deal. The exchange of fire, including strikes near Iran's nuclear plant and on bridges, killed at least 14 in Iran and wounded one in Kuwait, raising fears of renewed war and global economic impact.
Retired Israeli military officers visited Palestinian farmer Mohammed Abu Sabha in Masafer Yatta, West Bank, who was recently beaten by settlers. The officers, part of Commanders for Israel's Security, are speaking out against settlement expansion and attacks on Palestinians, calling the situation unacceptable and an existential threat to Israel.
President Trump flew partway home from a NATO summit on an older Air Force One jet instead of the new Qatari-gifted plane, citing "old time's sake." The swap occurred as the U.S. and Iran traded strikes, raising security questions about the new jet, which reportedly lacks some missile detection systems.
At a NATO summit in Turkey, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the U.S. will grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot air defense systems, a significant win for Kyiv. Trump also struck a positive tone with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, expressing optimism for a peace deal. The summit saw European allies increasing defense spending, though Trump initially expressed dissatisfaction with some partners.
The US launched new airstrikes against Iran early Thursday, hitting approximately 90 targets. Iran responded by targeting Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar. These actions threaten an interim deal aimed at ending the Persian Gulf war, with President Trump warning of escalation.
