With just six months before midterm elections in which President Donald Trump’s Republicans may face an uphill battle to keep their House majority, Democrats are riding high in public opinion polls as they attempt to link the unpopular Iran war with affordability.

Jules Hurst, who is performing the duties of the ​comptroller, told lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee that most of that money was for munitions.

Hurst did not detail ​what that cost estimate included and whether it took into account the projected costs of rebuilding and repairing ⁠base infrastructure in the Middle East damaged in the conflict.

Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, responded to ​Hurst: “I’m glad you answered that question. Because we’ve been asking for a hell of a long time, and no one’s given us the ​number.”

The $25 billion cost is equal to the entire budget of NASA for this year.

But it is unclear how the Pentagon arrived at the $25 billion amount given that a source had told Reuters last month that President Donald Trump’s administration estimated that the first six days of the war had cost the United States at ​least $11.3 billion.

WHAT WOULD YOU PAY?

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers that the cost was justified given the US goal of ensuring Iran will ​not have a nuclear weapon.

“What would you pay to ensure Iran does not get a nuclear bomb? What would you pay?” Hegseth asked.

Hegseth sought to defend ‌the ⁠Iran war more broadly in fiery remarks, saying it was not a quagmire and attacking Democratic lawmakers as “feckless” for criticising the unpopular conflict.

“You call it a quagmire, handing propaganda to our enemies? Shame on you for that statement,” Hegseth said in response to Garamendi, and slammed “reckless, feckless, and defeatist” Congressional Democrats.

The United States started carrying out strikes against Iran on February 28 and the two sides are currently maintaining a fragile ​ceasefire. The Pentagon has poured tens of ​thousands of additional forces into ⁠the Middle East, including keeping three aircraft carriers in the region.

Thirteen US troops have been killed in the conflict and hundreds wounded.

Few issues resonate with US voters more deeply than price increases, and the latest ​inflationary upswing is unsettling Republican insiders worried about their party’s prospects before November elections that will determine control ​of the House ⁠and possibly the Senate.

Disruptions in shipments of oil and natural gas since the war started have caused a run-up in US gasoline prices and agricultural products such as fertilizers, on top of the long list of other high consumer prices.

The average US gasoline price on Tuesday rose to its highest ⁠level in ​nearly four years, according to data from the American Automobile Association.

Trump’s popularity has taken ​a beating since the US and Israel launched the war against Iran.

Just 34% of Americans approve of the US conflict with Iran, down from 36% in mid-April and 38% ​in mid-March, a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

The ‌Emirati official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the country is reviewing the utility of its membership in multilateral organisations broadly.

The statement comes amid intense speculation that Abu Dhabi could exit other regional bodies, including the ​Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), following its surprise decision to leave the Organisation ​of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and OPEC+ effective May 1.

The exit of the ⁠UAE — one of the group’s biggest producers — widens a rift between the UAE and its neighbour, Saudi ​Arabia, which is effectively OPEC’s leader.

Once firm allies, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh have developed a simmering rivalry, ​clashing on issues from oil policy and regional geopolitics to the race for foreign talent and capital.

The comments add to a broader reassessment of alliances underway in Abu Dhabi since the start of the Iran war, with the ​GCC facing some criticism for what Abu Dhabi has called an inadequate response to the conflict.

“It ​is true that, logistically, the GCC countries supported each other, but politically and militarily, I think their position was ‌the ⁠weakest in history,” senior UAE official Anwar Gargash told a conference in the UAE on Monday.

“I expected such a weak position from the Arab League, and I am not surprised by it, but I have not expected it from the GCC, and I am surprised by it.”

Gargash had earlier signalled that ​the UAE would “scrutinise” its ​regional and international relations ⁠to “determine who can be relied upon”, pairing that review with measures to strengthen the UAE’s economic and financial position.

“Strategic autonomy remains the UAE’s enduring choice,” ​Gargash has said.

The UAE is a regional business and financial hub and ​one of ⁠Washington’s most important allies. It has pursued an assertive foreign policy and carved out its own sphere of influence across the Middle East and Africa.

Having come under attack during the Iran war, the UAE has strengthened ⁠its ​relationships with the United States and Israel, with which it ​opened ties in the 2020 Abraham Accords.

It views the relationship with Israel as a lever for regional influence and a unique channel ​to Washington.

“The presidents paid particular attention to the situation regarding Iran and in the Persian Gulf,” Ushakov said.

“Vladimir Putin considers Donald Trump’s decision to extend the ceasefire with Iran to be the right one, as this should give negotiations a chance and, overall, help to stabilise the situation.”

The plan, presented at a global climate conference, does not unveil any new pledges but brings existing climate and energy policies and targets under one umbrella with an explicit goal.

Analysts say no other country has published such a clear and comprehensive plan.

Here are details of the 14-page roadmap that Europe’s second biggest economy presented Tuesday at the first-ever talks on how to transition away from fossil fuels in Santa Marta, Colombia:

Fossil fuel consumption

Fossil fuels accounted for less than 60 per cent of France’s final energy consumption in 2023, compared to 65 per cent in 2011.

Final consumption refers to energy consumed by end-users such as households, industry and agriculture, excluding energy used in power generation and distribution.

The French roadmap sets a goal of reducing the share of fossil fuels in final energy consumption to 40 per cent by 2030 and 30 per cent in 2035.

The aim is to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

Phaseout dates

The country plans to close its last two coal-fired power plants by 2027.

It seeks to transition away from oil by 2045 through a “large-scale electrification” of transport.

France set a 2050 target date to ditch fossil gas by developing alternative heating methods, including heat pumps, or improving energy efficiency in buildings.

Transport

France wants two out of three new cars to be electric by 2030.

The plan also calls for deploying charging stations and rolling out electric buses and large trucks.

French manufacturers are expected to produce 400,000 electric vehicles by 2027 and one million by 2030.

The aim is to ensure that “reduced dependence on oil does not translate into new dependence on imported vehicles”, the document says.

Buildings

France is banning the installation of gas boilers in new buildings by the end of this year.

It aims to install one million heat pumps a year by 2030.

The government wants to reduce oil-fired boilers in residential buildings by 60 percent and in non-residential buildings by 85 per cent by 2030.

The goal is to phase out fossil oil for heating by 2035.

Electricity

Two-thirds of France’s electricity came from nuclear plants in 2025 while solar, wind and hydropower accounted for around a quarter last year, according to data from electricity system operator RTE.

France plans to build next-generation EPR2 nuclear reactors and extend the lifespan of its existing fleet of reactors.

It also wants to add 1.3 gigawatts of onshore wind power each year and increase installed solar capacity threefold by 2035.

Reactions

NGOs welcomed France’s announcement but also pushed the country to go further.

“After two years of backsliding in its public policies on the ecological transition, and with emissions falling at a rate three times slower than its own targets since 2024, France has the merit of setting dates to phase out fossil fuels,” Anne Bringault, programmes director at the Climate Action Network, told AFP.

Lorelei Limousin, climate and fossil energy campaigner at Greenpeace France, said: “This is a first step, but it remains largely insufficient given the climate emergency.”

He said US President Donald Trump “divides the country into two groups: hardliners and moderates, and then immediately talks about a naval blockade to force Iran into submission through economic pressure and internal discord,” state TV reported.

With the killing of numerous Iranian leaders by US-Israeli strikes, including supreme leader Ali Khamenei, there has been widespread speculation over the balance of power within the Islamic Republic.

Trump said earlier this month that the government of Iran was “seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so”.

Ghalibaf, a powerful figure, has grown in prominence since the start of the war and was the lead negotiator in the so far only round of direct US-Iranian talks.

“The enemy has entered a new phase and wants to activate economic pressure and internal division through naval blockade and media hype to weaken or even make us collapse from within,” he said on Wednesday.

He called for “maintaining unity” as the only solution.

The United States has been blockading Iranian ports in retaliation for Tehran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for oil and gas.

The restricted area, marked on the maps with an orange line, ​makes up an estimated 11% of Gaza’s territory beyond the “Yellow Line” demarcating the part of Gaza occupied by Israeli troops since an October ceasefire. The areas cordon off nearly two-thirds of Gaza’s territory in total.

Israel’s military ‌sent the maps to aid groups in Gaza in mid-March, two aid sources said, but has not released them publicly.

Israel says the area between the orange line and the yellow truce line to which its troops withdrew under an October deal is a restricted zone to enable aid delivery, and that aid groups must coordinate their movements with the military. It says civilians are not affected.

The expanded zone has stirred fears from displaced Palestinians living there that they could be deemed targets by Israel and shot. It has also stoked concerns that Israel may plan to hold the area permanently.

Israeli officials describe ​the territory they’ve seized in Gaza, Syria and Lebanon as “buffer zones” that can stave off potential militant attacks following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault that set off the Gaza war.

“In Gaza, more than half of the Strip’s territory” is ​under Israeli control, Netanyahu said in a March 31 video statement. “We are the ones who attack and initiate, and we are the ones who surprise our enemies.”

‘People don’t know what is what’

Israel’s ⁠expanding control beyond the line agreed in the US-brokered October ceasefire casts further doubt on President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, held up for months due to the Iran war and disagreements over disarming Hamas militants.

It also widens the zone in which Israel’s military says it could ​operate and carry out deadly attacks against Palestinians, without marking it on the ground. The October ceasefire line was marked with concrete blocks painted yellow. Israel has previously moved those blocks deeper into Hamas-controlled territory, Reuters has reported.

Issuing its first public comments on the expanded zone, ​COGAT, the Israeli military agency that controls access to Gaza, said it had defined areas adjacent to the Yellow Line in which international organisations, including humanitarian groups, were required to coordinate their movements with the military.

“The boundaries of these areas (the Orange Line), in which coordination is required, are determined and updated in accordance with the operational situational assessment, with the aim of enabling humanitarian activity while safeguarding personnel in a complex operational environment,” COGAT said.

COGAT declined to comment when asked how frequently it updates and distributes maps to aid groups showing the location of the orange line, and whether it ​has communicated its location to Palestinian civilians.

At least three Palestinians working with foreign aid groups – two with UNICEF, and one with the World Health Organisation – have been killed by Israeli attacks in the area between the two lines since mid-March.

In both cases, Israel’s military said it ​had identified threats near the Yellow Line and had opened fire as a result. UNICEF and the WHO did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether they coordinated their workers’ movements with Israel.

Rani Ashour, who lives in a camp for displaced people near Gaza ‌City that sits ⁠between the two lines, said residents lacked water and other aid because humanitarian groups feared sending staff there.

“People don’t know what is what, (the orange) line is here today, you sleep, and you wake up, and you find it has passed you.”

Since the ceasefire, local medics say Israeli fire has killed more than 800 Palestinians in Gaza, many of them in the area near the Yellow Line, which is dotted with displaced persons camps and people living in bombed-out buildings. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed during the same period.

New map appears to show shifting lines

The two aid sources, both working in Gaza, said the military originally sent aid groups a map showing an expanded zone beyond the Yellow Line after the October ceasefire. That map was published by groups including UNICEF, but never by the ​military.

The military sent the groups an updated version of the map ​in mid-March, said the sources, who shared images of the ⁠map with Reuters but declined for them to be published directly. The new map shows the Yellow Line and marks the expanded zone with an orange line.

Reuters shared the images with Palestinian researchers who superimposed the two lines onto a map. The two aid sources said that the Yellow Line had moved forward to encompass the original expanded zone, with the orange line marking the boundaries ​of an even bigger restricted area.

The military declined to comment when asked whether the Yellow Line had been moved forward, but said that the “area adjacent to the Yellow Line is ​a sensitive and dangerous operational environment”, and ⁠that “(signs) are posted in the area indicating that it is forbidden to approach”.

That in effect leaves Israel in control of at least 64% of Gaza, said Jad Isaac, director general of the Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem, an independent Palestinian think tank in the occupied West Bank, with the nearly 2 million population almost entirely confined to a sliver of Hamas-controlled territory along the coast.

“They want to put as many Palestinians as possible in the smallest area in order to drive them out because of the absence of any viability or any sustainability in what’s ⁠left of Gaza,” Isaac ​said.

Israeli officials, including Bezalel Smotrich, a minister in Netanyahu’s government, have called for Palestinians to leave Gaza, reinforcing Arab fears that Israel wants to drive Palestinians from ​the land where they seek a future state.

Behind its Yellow Line, Israel has forced civilians out and bulldozed most remaining buildings, while the US and UAE have drafted development plans for the territory.

Amjad al-Shawa, the head of the Palestinian NGOs Network in Gaza, said the additional line of control had caused confusion and concern.

“Residents do not know ​where the lines begin or end. One day, the boundary is in one location, and the next day it shifts without warning,” Shawa said.

Participants at a White House meeting, which took place on Tuesday and was first reported by Axios, discussed “the steps President Trump has taken to alleviate global oil markets and steps we could take to continue the current blockade for months if needed and minimize impact on American consumers,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“The President meets with energy executives frequently to get their feedback on domestic and international energy markets,” the official said, with topics including “domestic production, progress in Venezuela, oil futures, natural gas, and shipping.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was “host of the meeting,” the official said, adding that Vice President JD Vance and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles also joined.

US oil giant Chevron confirmed to AFP that its CEO, Mike Wirth, participated in the meeting.

Global crude prices soared on Wednesday following media reports that Trump was considering an extended blockade of Iran, with Brent jumping above $115 a barrel and US benchmark WTI nearing $105.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Iran “can’t get their act together” and criticised its approach to negotiations.

“They don’t know how to sign a non-nuclear deal,” he added, signalling frustration with Tehran’s latest proposal to end the conflict.

His remarks come as the United States moves to intensify pressure on Iran.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Trump has instructed aides to prepare for a prolonged blockade aimed at restricting vessels travelling to and from Iranian ports, targeting the country’s oil exports.

Iran has proposed resolving shipping disputes and ending the conflict before addressing its nuclear programme, but US officials say Trump has rejected that approach and wants nuclear issues dealt with from the outset.

Earlier, Trump claimed that Iran had asked for the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened while it worked through internal challenges, saying Tehran had indicated it was in a “state of collapse.”

The developments point to a hardening US stance, with Washington favouring sustained economic and maritime pressure over compromise as the two sides remain at odds over how to end the conflict.

In recent meetings, Trump opted to continue squeezing Iran’s economy and oil exports by preventing shipping to and from its ports, the report says, adding that he believes that his other options, including resuming bombing or walking away from the conflict, carry more risk than maintaining the blockade.

Trump said Tehran had informed the US it was in a “state of collapse” and was figuring out its leadership situation.

Iran’s most recent offer for resolving the two-month ​war would set aside discussion of its nuclear programme until the conflict was concluded and shipping disputes resolved.

But Trump wants nuclear issues dealt with from the outset, a US official briefed on ‌Trump’s meeting with his advisers said.

In a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Trump said: “Iran has just informed us that they are in a ‘State of Collapse’.

They want us to ‘Open the Hormuz Strait,’ as soon as possible, as they try to figure out their leadership situation (Which I believe they will be able to do!).“

It was unclear from his post how Iran might have communicated that message, and there was no immediate response from Tehran to Trump’s latest comments.

Earlier, an Iranian army spokesperson told state media the Islamic Republic did not consider the ​war over.

Ukraine has stepped up its attacks inside Russia in recent weeks, aiming to knock out oil refineries, depots and ports and cripple Moscow’s biggest source ​of funding for its war in Ukraine as global prices rose due ​to the Iran war.

Zelensky said Ukraine’s security service had reported a ⁠successful strike deep inside Russia, calling it “a new stage in the use ​of Ukrainian weapons to limit the potential of Russia’s war” in a post ​on X.

The Ukrainian president posted a video of smoke billowing into the sky, but did not identify the target that was hit.

“The straight-line distance is over 1,500 kilometres. We will ​continue to extend these ranges,” he added.

Ukraine’s Security Service, the SBU, said ​in a later post that its drones struck a Russian oil pumping station near the city ‌of ⁠Perm overnight, some 1,500 km from Ukraine.

On Tuesday, a Ukrainian drone attack caused a major fire at a Russian oil refinery in the Black Sea port of Tuapse, a third attack on the refinery in less than two weeks.

Russian ​President Vladimir Putin ​described the attack ⁠as evidence of increased Ukrainian attacks on civilian targets.

Ukraine’s Defence Ministry said that since 2022, when Russia launched the ​full-scale invasion of its neighbour, Ukraine has increased the range ​of ⁠its strikes against Russia by 170%.

Ukraine has built up a stock of domestically produced long-range weapons since the 2022 invasion.

In February, Ukrainian drones struck the Ukhta refinery in ⁠Russia’s ​Komi region, some 1,750 km from the Ukrainian ​border, regional officials said.

“It is important that every strike reduces the capabilities of Russia’s military industry, ​logistics, and oil exports,” Zelensky added.

“It’s development in reverse,” Alexander De Croo told AFP on the sidelines of a G7 development meeting in Paris.

“It took decades to build stable societies, to develop local economies, and it took only several weeks of war to destroy that,” he added.

“We did a study after six weeks of war and estimated that even if the conflict ended at that point, 32 million people would be pushed into precarity in 160 countries,” said De Croo.

The war has led to closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flows in peacetime.

Gulf nations are also important for many oil products and feedstocks to make fertiliser.

A shortage of supplies and high prices has led to countries in Africa and Asia imposing a range of measures that include fuel rationing and shortening the work week to reduce consumption. Other countries have reduced fuel taxes to cushion the impact on consumers.

The UNDP says the war will have a profound impact on Sub-Saharan African countries as well as certain countries in Asia such as Bangladesh and Cambodia.

Developing island nations will also be particularly hard hit.

High “energy costs, a lack of fertiliser, will have an enormous impact in the months to come” on people in these countries, said De Croo, a former prime minister of Belgium.

He also warned of “political instability and a drop in remittances from abroad because a lot of people working in the Gulf countries send money home”.

To avoid poverty taking hold, the UNDP estimates that around $6bn “is needed in subsidies to support those most vulnerable to high food and energy prices”, he added.

De Croo said discussions were already underway within the IMF and World Bank.

“You can say that six billion dollars is a lot — the war cost nine billion dollars per week,” he added.

The crisis comes as development aid is at a historic low, having dropped by more than 23 per cent last year, primarily due to cuts by major donors led by the United States.

The spat reflects diverging views between the Trump administration and its European NATO allies on Iran and other issues, ​including the Ukraine conflict.

“From my perspective, my personal relationship with the ​US President remains good. I simply had doubts from the ⁠start about what was begun with the war in Iran. That is ​why I have made that clear,” Merz told reporters.

“In Germany and Europe, we are ​suffering from the consequences, such as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. This has a direct impact on our energy supply and a huge impact on our economic performance,” ​said Merz, adding that Washington and Berlin were speaking to each other.

On ​Tuesday, Trump crtiticised Merz over his stance, saying in a social media post that the German chancellor thought ‌it ⁠was “OK” for Iran to have a nuclear weapon and that he didn’t know what he was talking about.

Merz has said Iran must not have a nuclear weapon.

Trump’s comments followed a rebuke to Washington from Merz on Monday, when he said ​Iran’s leadership was “humiliating” ​the United States ⁠by getting US officials to travel to Pakistan for peace talks and then leaving them without results.

Merz also said ​he did not see what exit strategy the US was ​pursuing.

Trump ⁠has harshly criticised NATO allies for not sending their navies to help open the Strait of Hormuz, which has remained virtually shut since early March, causing market ⁠turmoil ​and unprecedented disruption in energy supplies.

Despite a ceasefire ​in the US-Israeli war with Iran, the conflict is deadlocked as both sides seek a formal end ​to the fighting.

The figure was announced in a joint statement by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation, the World Food Programme and Lebanon’s agriculture ministry.

Some “1.24 million people — nearly one in four of the population analysed — are expected to face food insecurity” at crisis levels or worse between April and August 2026, they said.

They were referring to analysis from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a UN-backed group that monitors hunger and malnutrition.

This marks a “significant deterioration” from before the war erupted in March, “when an estimated 874,000 people, roughly 17 per cent of the population, were experiencing acute food insecurity”, the statement said.

“The deterioration is due to conflict, displacement and economic pressures,” it added.

A ceasefire since April 17 has paused six weeks of war between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah that has killed more than 2,500 people in Lebanon and displaced more than one million, according to the authorities.

Israeli forces are operating in southern Lebanon near the border, where residents have been warned not to return, and both sides have been trading fire despite the truce.

“Acute food insecurity is likely to deepen without sustained and timely humanitarian and livelihood support,” the statement added.

The US trip concludes in Virginia on Thursday with the king meeting those involved in conservation work, reflecting his long-standing environmental advocacy.

He will then travel to Bermuda.

King Charles III told Congress earlier Tuesday that the same “unyielding resolve” seen after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the US was “needed for the defence of Ukraine and her most courageous people … to secure a truly just and lasting peace.”

The king’s visit comes at a time of tensions between the two long-time allies over the war with Iran.

In a speech to Congress earlier, Charles made no direct mention of the Iran war, but referred to NATO, highlighted the importance of continued US help for Ukraine in its war with Russia, and the dangers of isolationism.

Both Britain and the United States have maintained over the years that Tehran should not develop nuclear weapons.

Charles began his speech by paying tribute to the security services “for their swift actions on Saturday evening in preventing further injury” at the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ dinner, when Donald Trump was hustled out of the room.

“As your own response demonstrates, what used to be called in the last war in the United Kingdom: Keep calm and carry on,” he said.

He also drew laughs with a quip about the White House renovations.

“We British, of course, made our own small attempt at real estate redevelopment of the White House in 1814,” he said.

He acknowledged that the two countries have had their “moments of difficulty even in more recent history”, but stressed that “it is not hard to see how important the relationship remains in matters both seen and unseen.”

In the 20th century, “American leadership has helped rebuild a shattered continent, playing a decisive role as a defender of freedom in Europe,” the king said.

“We, and I shall never forget that. Not least, as freedom is again under attack following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

The actor, who is serving as a judge alongside Geeta Kapur, Terence Lewis and Javed Jaffrey, was surrounded by paparazzi upon arriving on set.

While posing for pictures, Kapoor suddenly became cautious. As she walked away, she was heard warning photographers: “Don’t zoom in too much.”

The remark was caught on camera and quickly went viral across social media platforms.

The clip has triggered mixed reactions online. Some critics speculated that the actor may be uncomfortable with close-up shots due to signs of ageing.

Others defended her, calling it a reasonable request for personal space and privacy.

The incident has drawn comparisons with celebrities like Jaya Bachchan and Salman Khan, who are known for their strained interactions with paparazzi.

Kapoor’s return to television marks a significant comeback after a long hiatus.

The show is set to premiere on Sony TV on May 9, 2026, where the 1990s dance icon will mentor emerging talent.

The four-day poll completed on Monday showed 34% of Americans approve of Trump’s performance in the White House, down from 36% in a prior Reuters/Ipsos survey, which was conducted from April 15 to 20.

The majority of responses were gathered prior to the Saturday ​night shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, where Trump was due to speak.

It remains to be seen if ​the incident, in which a gunman was stopped before he could enter a hall where Trump was dining, ⁠might affect people’s views of the US leader.

Federal prosecutors have charged the accused shooter with attempting to assassinate the president.

Trump’s standing with the ​US public has trended lower since taking office in January 2025, when 47% of Americans gave him a thumbs-up.

His popularity has taken a beating ​since the US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, which has led to a surge in gasoline prices.

Only 22% of poll respondents approved of Trump’s performance on the cost of living, down from 25% in the prior Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Surging gas prices weigh on voters

US gasoline prices have surged more than ​40% to roughly $4.18 a gallon since the US and Israel launched surprise attacks on Iran on February 28, triggering a response that shut ​down a fifth of the global oil trade.

The price hikes are weighing heavily on American households and fueling concern among Trump’s Republicans that they could lose control ‌of ⁠the US Congress in the November midterm elections.

While a solid majority of Republicans — 78% — still say they back Trump, 41% of the party say they disapprove of his handling of the cost of living, the Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

Independent registered voters, a group that could be decisive in the midterms, favoured Democrats by 14 points, 34% to 20%, when asked who would get their vote in congressional elections. One in four said they ​were still undecided.

Trump won the 2024 ​presidential election on promises to bring ⁠down prices after several years of high inflation vexed his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden. Now Trump’s approval rating on the economy — at 27% — is well below any reading he had during his 2017-2021 administration, and ​also lower than Biden’s weakest economy rating.

While the US conflict with Iran has cooled since the two ​sides agreed to a ⁠ceasefire earlier this month, Iran’s threats are preventing most oil shipments from leaving the Persian Gulf, fueling further increases in US and global energy prices as oil reserves decline.

Just 34% of Americans approve of the US conflict with Iran, down from 36% in mid-April and 38% in mid-March, the Reuters/Ipsos poll ⁠found.

During Trump’s ​first administration, his popularity hovered around 40% for long stretches. The latest reading remains ​a touch above the low point of his first term, which was 33%.

The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, which was conducted nationwide and online, gathered responses from 1,269 US adults, including 1,014 ​registered voters and had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

Global soccer governing body FIFA gave Trump the inaugural award at the World Cup draw in December for “promoting peace and unity around the world”, triggering condemnation from ​human rights groups and activists in the lead-up to ⁠the World Cup.

Australian soccer player Jackson Irvine said ​this week that giving the award to Trump made a mockery of FIFA’s Human Rights Policy, while Norway’s soccer federation said FIFA should abolish the award.

The White House responded by saying Trump’s “Peace through Strength ​foreign policy” had ended eight wars in less than ​a year.

“There is no one else in the world more deserving ‌of ⁠FIFA’s first-ever Peace Prize than President Trump. Anyone who thinks otherwise clearly suffers from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said ​in a statement.

The ​US, which ⁠is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July ​19, launched a military strike on Venezuela ​a month after ⁠the draw for the tournament was made and began joint airstrikes with Israel on Iran on February 28.

Trump frequently invokes ⁠his ​success at resolving international conflicts and has ​said on numerous occasions that he should be awarded the Nobel Peace ​Prize.

The Arab Centre for the Advancement of Social Media (7amleh) said in a statement that the revisions affect several location-based tools, including Microsoft’s Bing search engine.

Labels that previously identified West Bank locations as “Judea and Samaria, Israel” have now been replaced with “West Bank,” the statement added.

“Judea and Samaria” is the Israeli administrative term used for the occupied West Bank.

However, under international law, the territory — including East Jerusalem — is considered occupied Palestinian land and is widely viewed as part of a future Palestinian state.

7amleh described the update as a “necessary correction,” with advocacy manager Lama Nazeeh urging technology companies to comply with international law and avoid contributing to what she called the “digital erasure of Palestinian geography.”

A check of Bing maps showed that Microsoft has indeed adopted “West Bank” as the label for the territory. The company has not yet issued an official statement on the change.

The report said that the update comes amid broader scrutiny of how global technology firms present geographic data in conflict zones, particularly in relation to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

According to the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association, the price of gold per tola dropped by Rs5,500 to settle at Rs479,562 in the local market.

Similarly, the price of 10 grams of gold decreased by Rs4,715, bringing it down to Rs411,147.

The downward trend follows a drop in global prices, where gold fell by $55 to reach $4,572 per ounce, including a premium of $20.

A day earlier, gold had already recorded a sharp decline of Rs8,900 per tola, closing at Rs485,062, indicating continued volatility in the market.

Silver prices also saw a decrease, falling by Rs45 per tola to settle at Rs7,766.

Market analysts attribute the decline to fluctuations in international rates, which continue to influence domestic pricing trends.

The surprise move comes at a time of unprecedented turmoil in energy markets as Gulf oil and gas exports have remained ​largely paralysed for two months due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has muted OPEC’s traditional ability to manage the oil market during times of distress.

UAE Energy Minister Suhail Mohamed al‑Mazrouei told Reuters on ‌Tuesday the decision to leave the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries was driven by the need to meet rising global energy demand.

That may be the case, but the freedom to ramp up production without constraints was likely an equally powerful - if less altruistic - motive.

The UAE was in February OPEC’s fourth‑largest producer after Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq, accounting for about 12% of total output, according to the International Energy Agency.

The UAE has a capacity of around 4.85 million barrels per day (bpd) and aims to lift that to 5 million bpd by 2027 - ambitions that sat uneasily with OPEC’s ongoing output curbs.

Speculation ​that the UAE would quit OPEC had been circulating for years.

Like other Gulf producers, the UAE sits on vast oil reserves and enjoys some of the world’s lowest extraction costs.

This means it is in a strong position ​to generate profits even during prolonged periods of low prices.

That advantage has made Saudi-mandated production curbs progressively harder to justify from Abu Dhabi’s perspective.

While the curbs prop up prices, they also cap ⁠revenue and can cede market share to higher-cost rivals.

On top of this, there is a finite window to monetise hydrocarbons.

Oil consumption is widely expected to peak in the coming decades and start declining as economies shift towards renewables.

Producers thus have more incentive ​to maximise output now rather than restrain it in defence of long‑term price stability.

As Saudi Arabia has struggled to rein in overproduction in recent years, the UAE has frequently exceeded its assigned quotas, leaving relations between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi increasingly fraught.

The Saudi-UAE ​tensions have spilt beyond oil, into conflicts in Yemen, Libya, and Sudan. More recently, the two Gulf powers have differed in their public responses to Iran’s strikes.

The UAE’s dramatic move thus not only marks a watershed moment for OPEC but also potentially a turning point for power relations in the Gulf itself.

A blow to Saudi

Riyadh’s de facto leadership of OPEC has long been a central pillar of its strategy to project international power and dominate the region.

The departure of a key, long‑standing OPEC member severely weakens this already fraying alliance.

It has come under strain repeatedly this year, first ​from the US removal of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, then from the Iran war itself.

OPEC, which currently has 12 members, including the UAE, has for decades attempted to regulate the oil market by jointly managing crude output.

While the group controls roughly 80% ​of global oil reserves, its share of global production has fallen from about 50% in the 1970s to roughly 30% today.

Conflicts within some member states are partly responsible, but the bigger shift has been the surge of non‑OPEC supply, particularly from the US, Canada and Brazil.

The OPEC+ alliance, ‌formed in 2016 ⁠to include Russia, briefly restored some of that lost influence.

Encompassing more than 40% of global production, it proved an effective tool in managing supply disruptions and price volatility.

That coherence, however, depended heavily on Saudi Arabia’s ability to enforce discipline.

The UAE’s exit not only further erodes OPEC’s market share but may also encourage other OPEC+ members to question the value of limiting output, weakening collective decision‑making and raising the risk of further defections.

More importantly, once the Iran war ends, this new dynamic could mark the opening shot in a bitter struggle for market share among major producers - OPEC+, the UAE and the US - potentially triggering a sharp drop in oil prices and years of turbulence.

Good, poor timing

At first glance, the timing could hardly be worse. The Middle East is reeling from the ​Iran war.

The near-airtight closure of the Strait of Hormuz - ​now in its third month – has trapped more than ⁠13 million bpd of oil production, roughly 13% of global supplies, as well as about a fifth of global liquefied natural gas flows.

The blockade has choked off vital revenue to the region and forced producers to shut in close to 10 million bpd.

Compounding the shock, Tehran has launched thousands of missiles and drones at neighbouring OPEC members, inflicting heavy economic damage and crippling energy ​facilities.

Looked at differently, Iran’s assault on the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq - all fellow OPEC members - was bound to accelerate this split, underscoring the fragility of the group’s unity.

​Shared membership has proven no guarantee ⁠of shared interests when national security and revenue are at stake.

Indeed, Abu Dhabi has criticised fellow Arab states for failing to do enough to protect it from Iranian attacks, underscoring the extent to which security concerns have bled into economic decision-making.

Perhaps most importantly, the turmoil has handed the UAE a convenient moment to exit without having much immediate impact on physical supply or prices.

The UAE is not the first country to walk away from OPEC.

Qatar left in 2019, Ecuador in 2020, and Angola in 2024. But none departed with the scale, spare ⁠capacity and regional ​clout of Abu Dhabi.

This time is different. The loss of a heavyweight producer with ambitions to rapidly expand output risks stripping OPEC of what remains ​of its authority.

Once the Iran war subsides and barrels return to the market, the group may find itself less unified than ever, suggesting that OPEC as we know it is gone.

The intelligence community is analysing ‌the question along with others at the request of senior administration officials.

The goal is to understand the implications of Trump potentially pulling back from a conflict that some officials and advisers worry could contribute to deep Republican losses at the midterm elections later this year, according to the sources.

While no decision has been made — and Trump could easily ramp back up military operations — a quick de-escalation could ease political pressure on the president, even as it could ​leave behind an emboldened Iran that could eventually rebuild its nuclear and missile programmes and threaten US allies in the region.

The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity in order ​to discuss sensitive intelligence matters.

It is not clear when the intelligence community would complete its work, but it has previously analysed the likely reaction of ⁠Iran’s leaders to a US declaration of victory.

In the days following the initial bombing campaign in February, intelligence agencies assessed that if Trump were to declare victory and the US drew down its ​forces in the region, Iran would likely view it as a win, one of the sources said.

If Trump instead said the US had won but maintained a heavy troop presence, Iran would likely see ​it as a negotiating tactic, but not one that would necessarily lead to the end of the war, the source said.

“CIA is not familiar with the intelligence community’s reported assessment,” Liz Lyons, director of the agency’s office of public affairs, said in a statement after the publication of this story.

The CIA declined to answer Reuters’ specific questions about its current work on Iran.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment.

White House spokeswoman ​Anna Kelly said the US is still engaging with the Iranians on negotiations and would “not be rushed into making a bad deal.”

“The president will only enter into an agreement that puts US national ​security first, and he has been clear that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon,” she said.

High political costs

Opinion polls show the war is overwhelmingly unpopular with Americans.

Only 26% of respondents in a Reuters/Ipsos poll ‌released last week ⁠said the military campaign has been worth the costs, and only 25% said it has made the US safer.

Three people familiar with White House discussions in recent days have described Trump as keenly aware of the political price being paid by him and his party.

Twenty days after Trump declared a ceasefire, a flurry of diplomacy has failed to fully open the economically vital Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran closed by attacking ships and laying mines in the narrow waterway.

Choking off the shipping that carries about 20% of the world’s crude oil has driven up energy costs worldwide and the price at ​US gasoline pumps.

Iran’s ability to disrupt commerce ​gives it powerful leverage against the United States ⁠and its allies.

A decision to scale back the US military presence in the region, paired with a mutual lifting of the blockade, would eventually bring down gasoline prices.

So far, however, the two sides appear far from any agreement.

Last weekend, Trump cancelled a trip by his special envoy Steve Witkoff and ​son-in-law Jared Kushner to meet Iranian officials in Pakistan, telling reporters on Saturday that it would take “too much time” and that if Iran ​wanted to talk, “all they had ⁠to do was call.”

Military options remain

Various military options remain formally on the table, with renewed air strikes on Iran’s military and political leaders among them, according to a separate person familiar with administration dynamics.

One of the US officials and another person familiar with the discussions said, however, that the most ambitious of those options — such as a ground invasion of the Iranian mainland — appear less likely than they did a ⁠few weeks ​ago.

A White House official described the domestic pressure on the president to wrap up the war as “enormous.”

One of the sources ​said Iran has taken advantage of the ongoing ceasefire to dig out launchers, munitions, drones and other materiel that had been buried by US and Israeli bombing in the opening weeks of the conflict.

As a result, the tactical costs of resuming ​full-scale war are arguably higher now than they were in the initial days of the ceasefire, which began on April 8.

The bronze coin was discovered when the teenager brought it to researchers during a November 2025 visit to Petri Berlin, an interactive archaeology site built on the remains of a medieval-era Latin school.

Archaeologists later identified the object as a Trojan coin minted between 281 and 261 B.C.E. in the ancient city of Troy, located in what is now western Turkey.

Experts say it is the first ancient Greek artefact ever found in Berlin.

Jens Henker of the Berlin Heritage Authority said the coin was initially so small that its origin was not immediately clear, though it was recognised as an ancient object.

A numismatist confirmed its origin, identifying imagery of the Greek goddess Athena on both sides of the coin.

One side shows her wearing a Corinthian helmet, while the other depicts her holding a spear and spindle.

Measuring just 12 millimetres in diameter, smaller than a modern dime, the coin was likely of little monetary value to local Germanic tribes at the time, who did not use a formal currency system.

Such items were often treated as metal sources or kept as burial goods.

The discovery site in western Berlin is already known to archaeologists, with excavations in past decades revealing evidence of burial activity dating back to the early Iron Age, along with ceramics, bronze objects and other artefacts.

Experts say it remains unclear how the coin travelled from ancient Troy to northern Europe.

One possibility is long-distance trade networks between Greek and European regions, while another suggests movement through migration or military recruitment involving Germanic peoples.

Similar ancient Greek coins have previously been found elsewhere in Germany, and archaeological evidence also shows the exchange of goods such as amber between northern Europe and the Mediterranean world.

Researchers say the find adds to growing evidence of early connections between ancient societies, though the exact path of the coin remains uncertain.

The commemorative passports are part of nationwide plans to celebrate 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, with special events scheduled across the United States next year.

Images released by the White House and the State Department show Trump’s portrait integrated into the passport design alongside elements of the US flag and the Declaration of Independence.

The design also includes his signature in gold.

A separate page features an illustration of the Founding Fathers signing the Declaration of Independence.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said the special passports will be released as part of the anniversary celebrations and will be available to US citizens applying through the Washington Passport Agency, with distribution beginning this summer and continuing while supplies last.

Current US passports include historical imagery such as the Statue of Liberty, the Apollo 11 Moon landing, and references to the origins of the national anthem inspired by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812.

The redesign is the latest in a series of branding efforts linked to Trump during his administration, with his image appearing across multiple federal initiatives tied to the 250th anniversary.

Earlier this year, national park passes were updated to include his image alongside George Washington, while draft designs for a commemorative $1 coin also feature Trump’s profile and imagery referencing a campaign rally following a 2024 assassination attempt.

Other proposals and changes have included attempts to rename New York’s Penn Station after the president and the addition of his name to the Kennedy Centre in Washington, DC, alongside former President John F Kennedy, following a board decision.

Plans have also included large-scale visual displays of Trump’s image on federal buildings and proposed architectural projects in the capital.

Officials say the passport release forms part of broader efforts to mark the 250th anniversary year with commemorative designs and national events.

These pilots, and about a thousand other crews like them, are on the frontlines of Ukraine’s drive to knock one of Russia’s most potent weapons out of the war: the Shahed drone.

“Even if you use 50 ​drones to shoot down one Shahed, it’s worth it,” said Borys, the commander of the crew, who was a TV news producer before the war upended his life.

“One Shahed can fly in and destroy something far more valuable.”

The pioneering low-cost, long-range attack drones ‌designed by Iran have indeed become the scourge of Ukraine, with Russia unleashing thousands of them on its enemy every month.

Moscow has adapted the design of the Shahed, which it calls the Geran, to include improved navigation and engines as well as larger warheads.

While most Shaheds and other long-range drones are downed by Ukraine, those that get through — more than 1,000 out of about 6,500 launched last month, according to Ukrainian air force data — have wrought havoc on military infrastructure, cities and energy facilities, depriving millions of people of heating and lighting.

In February, new Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced a drive to reach a target of neutralising 95% of all Shaheds and other long-range attack drones launched by Russia.

The air ​force data, compiled by Come Back Alive, a Ukrainian military charity, shows the interception rate that month was just over 85%.

With Russia’s land campaign having slowed to a crawl, Fedorov said tightening air defences could be vital to Ukraine’s ability to survive another year of ​war.

According to Reuters interviews with a dozen Ukrainian officials, manufacturers and soldiers involved in the drive, the campaign is yielding gradual results.

Fedorov himself said this month that the interception rate had gone up to 90%.

Reuters couldn’t independently ⁠verify the data on drone launches and interceptions.

The Russian defence ministry didn’t respond to a request for comment for this article.

Moscow has repeatedly denied targeting civilians and said the purpose of its air assaults is to degrade Ukraine’s military.

Ukraine has also fired thousands of long-range drones, also known as ​unmanned aerial vehicles, at targets in Russia, including energy facilities.

The Ukrainians involved in the interception drive cautioned, however, that getting a nationwide system involving thousands of air defence teams up to speed would take months and that gains could prove short-lived in the technological race with Russia.

The first interceptor to destroy a ​Shahed in early 2025, for example, became ineffective after four months because the Russians realised they could outrun it by increasing the Shahed’s speed from 170km per hour to more than 200kph, according to Taras Tymochko, a specialist in the technology at Come Back Alive.

As a consequence, interceptors — which must travel faster than targets to catch them — have had to be upgraded to fly at up to 300 kph, said Tymochko.

Now, about 15-20% of the Shaheds sent by Russia are powered by jet engines, rather than the usual propeller ones, allowing them to hit speeds of 400 kph, according to Yuriy Cherevashenko, a senior commander in Ukraine’s air force.

Fedorov told Reuters that the solution to this problem ​lay in jet-powered interceptor drones, which he said Ukrainian manufacturers were currently developing.

Battle of low-cost drones

Shaheds imported by Russia from Iran first appeared in Ukrainian skies soon after Moscow’s 2022 military attack.

The craft, which resemble miniature planes with their pointy noses and triangular wings, quickly became notorious for ​the high-pitched whine of their engines, earning them the nickname “mopeds”.

Now, Russia makes thousands a month in its own factories, and they make up the bulk of its fleet of long-range drones.

“As Russia builds out more and more of these UAVs, they represent an existential threat to Ukraine,” said Samuel Bendett, a senior fellow at the Centre ‌for a New American ⁠Security, a Washington-based think-tank.

“Therefore, taking them down is of the utmost importance.”

The costs have not been made public, but a US think-tank, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, estimated last year that the Russian Shahed models cost $35,000 apiece to produce.

By comparison, each Ukrainian interceptor drone costs several thousand dollars, with the cheapest models costing less than $1,500, according to manufacturers.

They are typically 3D-printed plastic domes containing a brick of explosive and powered by four small propellers.

For Ukrainian interceptor crews, work in the field can be frustrating.

The soldiers have a window of only a few minutes from the moment a Shahed pops up on their radar before it moves out of range.

They must direct an interceptor towards the dot until they spot the Shahed through their drone’s camera, before flying at the target and detonating.

Being able to spot a target is highly dependent on weather conditions: “We had a night when we had 10 launches and we didn’t find a single (Shahed),” ​said Borys.

He left his TV job to enlist after the invasion and ​now commands a platoon of three interceptor crews in the 420th Unmanned ⁠Systems battalion.

The 47-year-old asked for his full name to be withheld in line with standard Ukrainian military practice.

After fog descended on a cold March night, the soldiers in the Kharkiv region were forced to abandon their mission – they couldn’t see anything through their drones’ onboard camera.

Fedorov said Ukraine was now working on automated drone guidance systems to allow them to be more effective in adverse weather conditions.

Chance to beat Shahed

Swarmed by over 500 drones on ​some nights, Ukraine has had to quickly invent ways to defend its cities, power grid and arms factories as inexpensively as possible.

It has a nationwide, multi-layered system to down drones with equipment including electronic warfare, ​interceptor drones, pickup trucks with heavy machine ⁠guns, helicopters and fighter jets.

Cherevashenko, the air force commander, said the military was building on the lessons learned during Russia’s drone campaigns of last summer and winter to defeat the Shahed.

“We have a great opportunity to do this.”

The effectiveness of electronic warfare systems, which disrupt the Shahed’s navigation, varies, but on some nights they can neutralise nearly half of the drones launched during an attack, air force spokesperson Colonel Yuriy Ihnat said.

Interceptor drones currently bring down 40% of Russia’s Shahed-style weapons and other long-range attack UAVs, according to Cherevashenko, up from around 25% in winter.

Ukraine’s F-16 fighter jets are also involved, and can each take down as many as 10 Shaheds a ⁠night, Ihnat told Reuters.

Cherevashenko ​said one of the major challenges was Russia’s use of AI to create fresh approaches and flight plans, making it hard for Ukraine to keep up.

He also highlighted the use of “mesh ​networks”, where a group of drones act as signal transmitters to one another in grids spanning over 120 km, allowing them to defeat Ukrainian navigation jamming.

On the plus side, Ukrainian interception efforts were receiving a boost from an unlikely source: remote working.

Some top pilots now fly interceptors remotely via internet link in multiple regions across Ukraine, switching instantly between video feeds, Cherevashenko said.

​Support staff on the ground set up the drones and signal antennae, but the pilot can be anywhere.

The charges, brought in the ‌federal court in the Eastern District of North Carolina, accuse Comey of threatening the life of the US president and transmitting a threat across state lines.

The case relates to an Instagram post Comey published last May while vacationing in North Carolina, showing the arrangement of shells on a beach.

In US parlance, the number 86 can be used as a verb meaning to throw somebody out of a bar, while 47 could be seen as code for Trump, the 47th president.

The ​indictment marks a renewed push by Trump’s Justice Department to target perceived political enemies of the president with criminal prosecution.

Trump last year referred to Comey by name in a social media ​post calling for criminal charges against his adversaries.

“I’m still innocent. I’m still not afraid,” Comey said in a video posted online after the indictment, adding: “This is ⁠not how the Department of Justice is supposed to be.”

Comey deleted the May 2025 Instagram message after it attracted controversy.

“I didn’t realise some folks associate those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me, ​but I oppose violence of any kind, so I took the post down,” Comey said shortly after posting it.

Cases against Trump’s opponents

Trump and his allies at the time said they interpreted Comey’s post ​as a threat to violently remove Trump from power.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has moved quickly to carry out Trump’s demands for criminal cases after his predecessor, Pam Bondi, was ousted in part for not moving fast enough on them.

Blanche on Tuesday depicted the case as a routine prosecution for a threat against a public official, the type of case federal prosecutors frequently bring.

“While this case is unique and this indictment stands out because of the name of the ​defendant, his alleged conduct is the same kind of conduct that we will never tolerate, and that we will always investigate and regularly prosecute,” Blanche said during a news conference.

US officials investigated Comey in the days ​following the post, and he was interviewed by the US Secret Service, but was not charged.

Since Blanche took over the top post in April, the Justice Department has brought criminal charges against the Southern Poverty Law Centre, released a report ‌alleging misconduct ⁠in prior prosecutions of anti-abortion activists, and indicted a former National Institutes of Health official for allegedly concealing records related to COVID-19 pandemic research.

Trump has for years railed against Comey over his role overseeing an FBI investigation into alleged ties between Trump’s first presidential campaign and Russian officials in 2016.

The Justice Department brought a separate case against Comey last September, accusing him of lying in congressional testimony about authorising disclosures to the news media about FBI investigations.

A federal judge dismissed the case after finding that the prosecutor who secured the indictment was not lawfully appointed. The Justice Department is appealing the ruling.

That case was brought after Trump issued ​a call on social media for Bondi to ​seek criminal charges against Comey and other Trump ⁠adversaries.

The Justice Department for decades sought to preserve distance between the White House and individual criminal investigations.

The first case against Comey encountered several legal obstacles.

A federal judge found that the lead prosecutor, Lindsey Halligan, may have made serious legal errors before the grand jury that approved the indictment.

Another judge later blocked the Justice ​Department from using crucial evidence, finding that prosecutors had violated protections against unlawful searches and seizures in the US Constitution.

Comey’s lawyers said the case was a vindictive prosecution ​brought to punish Comey for ⁠his criticism of Trump, which the defence may revive in the latest case.

The case is also likely to be challenged on free speech grounds. The First Amendment to the US Constitution includes robust protections for political statements, even those that use intimidating language or advocate violence.

The Constitution does not, however, protect direct threats to a person’s life or safety, legal scholars say.

“We will contest these charges in the courtroom and look forward to vindicating Mr. Comey ⁠and the First ​Amendment,” Comey’s lawyer Patrick Fitzgerald said in a statement.

The US Supreme Court has not clearly defined a “true threat,” scholars say, making ​it difficult for police and prosecutors to know where to draw the line.

Law enforcement officials often look for language or context that reflects a clear intent to act or instil fear, rather than simply suggesting a frightening outcome.

The First Amendment has at ​times posed obstacles for the Justice Department in investigating people who direct explicitly intimidating and violent language at public officials.

Andrie Yunus, a deputy coordinator with the Commission for Missing ​Persons and Victims of Violence, a rights group also known as KontraS, suffered burns to ​20% of his face and body from acid thrown by assailants on a motorcycle ⁠on March 12.

The attack, which left Andrie permanently scarred and his right eye heavily damaged, drew local ​and international condemnation.

The four officers were charged under Indonesia’s criminal code with serious premeditated assault, carrying a ​maximum sentence of 12 years in prison, court documents showed.

Mohammad Iswadi, a military prosecutor, said during the hearing at a military court that the four officers from the military’s intelligence unit allegedly attacked Andrie because they felt affronted by his protest last year ​against legal changes allowing more military officers to be appointed to civilian government posts.

“With the incident, the ​suspects deemed Andrie Yunus to have insulted and stomped on the military as an institution,” he said, adding the ‌alleged ⁠defendants used a mixture of car battery acid and rust remover when they attacked Andrie.

Reuters was not immediately able to contact any of the four officers or their legal representatives. All four attended the hearing, and their titles ranged from captain to second sergeant.

In a separate investigation, Indonesia’s top human rights watchdog, Komnas HAM, said there ​were at least 14 people ​linked to the attack.

“The ⁠attack could lead to fear among civilians to criticise government officials,” it said.

The watchdog said the fact that Andrie’s case is being handled by the military court ​shows a lack of public participation and could mean the officers will be treated ​more leniently. ⁠

It also urged police to investigate the other 10 people allegedly linked to the attack in civilian courts.

Concern about the erosion of democratic values has grown in Indonesia, the world’s third-largest democracy, with the military’s involvement in civilian areas and state-run ⁠businesses increasing ​significantly under the administration of President Prabowo Subianto, a retired ​general.

Shortly before the attack, Andrie had recorded a podcast episode on the subject of the military’s expanding powers.

Prabowo said last month that the attack ​on Andrie was an act of “terrorism,” and pledged a thorough investigation.

The event was held on the second day of a four-day visit ​to the United States at a tense time in ties, after ​Trump had repeatedly criticised British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for ⁠what Trump calls a lack of help in prosecuting the Iran war.

“We’re doing ​a little Middle East work right now, and we’re doing very well,” ​Trump said at the dinner.

“We have militarily defeated that particular opponent, and we’re never going to let that opponent ever — Charles agrees with me even more than I do — ​we’re never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon.”

In ​his own comments following Trump, Charles did not speak about Iran or the war. The ‌king ⁠is not a spokesman for the British government.

Asked about the state dinner comments, the British Embassy in Washington referred Reuters to Buckingham Palace, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a speech to Congress ​earlier, Charles made no ​direct mention ⁠of the Iran war, but referred to Trump’s criticism of NATO, highlighted the importance of continued US help for ​Ukraine in its war with Russia, and the dangers ​of isolationism.

Both ⁠Britain and the United States have maintained over the years that Tehran should not develop nuclear weapons.

Tehran, which does not have nuclear weapons, denies seeking ⁠them ​but says it has the right to develop ​nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

In speech during a pomp-filled welcome featuring a 21-gun salute, Trump’s tone was a world away from the recent broadsides aimed at Britain’s government for failing to join the conflict with Tehran.

“In the centuries since we won our independence, Americans have had no closer friends than the British,” said Trump, referring to the fact that the visit marks the 250th anniversary of the US colonies declaring their freedom from British rule.

Using a phrase prized by British governments since Winston Churchill first used it after World War II, Trump said that the two countries had a “special relationship, and we hope it will always remain that way.”

The US leader also praised the British military, saying that “nobody fought better together” with the United States — despite recently deriding Britain’s two aircraft carriers as “toys.”

After his speech, four US jets roared over the White House in a noisy flypast as Trump, Charles, Queen Camilla and First Lady Melania Trump watched.

On the second day of the four-day state visit, Charles will later address the US Congress and is expected to call in his speech for “reconciliation and renewal” amid the recent strains in ties.

‘Beautiful British day’

A long-term fan of the British royals, Trump appeared in a jovial mood on a rainy Washington morning as he looked to the sky and quipped: “What a beautiful British day this is.”

The 79-year-old president even joked about how his late mother “had a crush on Charles”, who is now 77.

Cannons rang out while a military band played “God Save the King,” the British national anthem, and the Star Spangled Banner, the anthem of the United States.

Charles shook hands with top Trump administration officials including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The king and the president — who received his own state visit to Britain last September — inspected troops from different branches of the US armed forces.

A band of soldiers dressed in uniforms from the Revolutionary War that drove the British out of America two and a half centuries ago then marched past, playing fife and drums.

As the ceremony unfolded, construction noise could be heard from the site of the huge $400 million ballroom that Trump is building at the White House.

The Trumps are next due to host the royals in the Oval Office behind closed doors. In the evening they will return to the White House for a grand state dinner.

Tight security

Security has been tight for the visit, which comes just days after a shooting at a White House Correspondents Dinner attended by Trump.

The first day of the trip featured a more informal welcome, with the Trumps treating Charles and Camilla to tea and cakes in the White House before showing them beehives on the famed lawn.

But the second day will feature perhaps the most public-facing moment, when Charles becomes the first British monarch to address Congress since his mother, queen Elizabeth, in 1991.

It comes at a delicate moment after Trump raged over London’s refusal to help with his war in Iran.

In the 20-minute speech, Charles is expected to appeal to Trump in guarded terms, saying that defending common democratic ideals is “crucial for liberty and equality.”

“Time and again, our two countries have always found ways to come together,” he is expected to say.

But he will have his work cut out to placate the mercurial Republican in the longer term.

Trump has repeatedly lambasted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over his war opposition, alongside the country’s immigration and energy policies.

The statement was delivered as Opec prepared to meet in Vienna on Wednesday. It will also leave the broader Opec+.

“This decision follows a comprehensive review of the UAE’s production policy and its current and future capacity and is based on our national interest and our commitment to contributing effectively to meeting the market’s pressing needs,” UAE state news agency Wam said.

“While near-term volatility, including disruptions in the Arabian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, continues to affect supply dynamics, underlying trends point to sustained growth in global energy demand over the medium to long term.”

The decision will take effect on May 1.

Wam said the decision “reflects a policy-driven evolution in the UAE’s approach, enhancing flexibility to respond to market dynamics while continuing to contribute to stability in a measured and responsible manner”.

The stunning loss of the UAE, a longstanding OPEC member, could create disarray and weaken the group, ​which has usually sought to show a united front despite internal ​disagreements over a range of issues from geopolitics to production quotas.

OPEC ⁠Gulf producers have already been struggling to ship exports through the Strait of ​Hormuz, a narrow chokepoint between Iran and Oman through which a fifth of ​the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes, because of Iranian threats and attacks against vessels.

But the UAE exit from OPEC represents a big win for US ​President Donald Trump, who has accused the organisation of “ripping off the rest ​of the world” by inflating oil prices.

Trump has also linked US military support for the ‌Gulf ⁠with oil prices, saying that while the US defends OPEC members, they “exploit this by imposing high oil prices”.

The move came after the UAE, a regional business hub and one of Washington’s most important allies, criticised fellow Arab ​states for not doing ​enough to protect ⁠it from numerous Iranian attacks during the war.

Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic adviser for the UAE president, criticised the Arab ​and Gulf response to the Iranian attacks in a ​session at ⁠the Gulf Influencers Forum on Monday.

“The Gulf Cooperation Council countries supported each other logistically, but politically and militarily, I think their position has been the weakest ⁠historically,” ​Gargash said.

“I expect this weak stance from the ​Arab League and I am not surprised by it, but I haven’t expected it from the (Gulf) ​Cooperation Council and I am surprised by it,” he said.