Kuwait says Iranian drones have heavily damaged a passenger terminal at its main, killing one person, wounding dozens and briefly closing the airfield. The reported strike Wednesday is the latest in back-and-forth attacks by Iran and the U.S. that test a fragile ceasefire. Iran denies damaging the airport. The U.S. military says Iran also fired missiles at Kuwait, but they fell apart en route. The U.S. also says it downed drones targeting American forces. The strike reinforced the risks to residents and travelers in Gulf countries that had considered themselves relative havens before the war, now in its fourth month.
By JON GAMBRELL and MELANIE LIDMAN Associated Press
Kuwait accused Iran of launching a failed attack earlier this month on an island where China is helping build a port in the Middle East nation. The accusation brought Tuesday came just before U.S. President Donald Trump was to depart for Beijing where he'll meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a high-stakes visit over the war and other issues. Kuwait said a team of six armed members of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard tried to infiltrate Bubiyan Island to carry out "hostile acts." Kuwait said that it detained four of the men while two escaped. Iran didn't immediately acknowledge the allegation by Kuwait. With ceasefire negotiations between Iran and the U.S. at a standstill, ongoing attacks threaten to reignite open warfare.
By SAM MEDNICK, KONSTANTIN TOROPIN and SEUNG MIN KIM Associated Press
Officials say a U.S. fighter jet has been shot down in Iran and one crew member was rescued. It's first aircraft downed since the war began nearly five weeks ago. It marked a major escalation in the conflict just two days after President Donald Trump said in a national address that the U.S. has "beaten and completely decimated Iran." Separately, a second U.S. Air Force combat aircraft went down in the Middle East on Friday, according to a U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive military situation. It was not clear if the aircraft crashed or was shot down or whether Iran was involved.
Talks on a treaty to address the global crisis of plastic pollution in Geneva ended without an agreement Friday. The session was adjourned and will be resumed at a later date. Nations were meeting for an 11th day at the United Nations office to try to complete a landmark treaty to end the plastic pollution crisis. They remain deadlocked over whether the treaty should reduce exponential growth of plastic production and put global, legally binding controls on toxic chemicals used to make plastics. The negotiations at the U.N. hub were supposed to be the last round and produce the first legally binding treaty on plastic pollution, including in the oceans.
