By MATT SEDENSKY and STEFANIE DAZIO Associated Press
Travelers are scrambling for ways out of the Middle East as the Iran war keeps much of the region's airspace closed and flights grounded. The conflict that started Saturday when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran stranded airline passengers in major Mideast cities as well as in countries far from the threat of airstrikes. With commercial flights tightly restricted across much of the Gulf for a fourth day, many were unsure what to do and appealed to their governments for information and exit strategies. The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday that it was "actively securing" military and charter aircraft to fly Americans out of the region.
Iran has reached out to Middle Eastern countries over the threat of a possible U.S. military strike. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have signaled they won't allow their airspace to be used for any attack. The United States has moved the USS Abraham Lincoln into the region and President Donald Trump has urged Iran to negotiate. A month has passed since protests in Iran began over the economy and grew to challenge the theocracy. They led to a bloody crackdown, and activists say at least 6,301 people were killed. Meanwhile, Iran's currency on Wednesday reached a new low.
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.
President Donald Trump has used the first major foreign trip of his second term to outline a vision for restoring global stability that is grounded in pragmatism and self-interest rather than values. His four-day swing through Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates puts a spotlight on Trump's transactional approach to foreign affairs as he was feted by autocratic rulers. His trip played out against the backdrop of stubborn global conflicts that showed the limits of his influence. But Trump insisted he was turning the page on American "interventionalism" as he moved to recognize the new government in Syria for the first time and prodded Iran to engage on nuclear talks.
By ZEKE MILLER, AAMER MADHANI and JON GAMBRELL Associated Press
Updated
President Donald Trump is holding out Saudi Arabia as a model for a reimagined Middle East. He's using his first major foreign trip of his term to emphasize the promise of economic prosperity over instability in a region that is reeling from multiple wars. The president says he will move to lift sanctions on Syria and normalize relations with the new government led by a former insurgent,. And he's touting the U.S. role in bringing about a fragile ceasefire with Yemen's Houthis. But Trump also is indicating his patience is not endless. He urged Iran to make a new nuclear deal with the U.S. or risk severe economic and military consequences.
By JON GAMBRELL and TIA GOLDENBERG Associated Press
U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to the Middle East this week as scheduled won't include a trip to Israel to discuss the war in Gaza or talks with Iran about its nuclear program. Instead, Trump will travel to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, three energy-rich monarchies home to existing or planned Trump-branded real estate projects. These are places where he aims to leverage American economic interests to do what he personally revels in: making business deals. But Trump won't be able to avoid altogether diplomacy on Gaza or Iran. The Gulf countries hosting him are also interested in easing the regional tensions.
By MATTHEW LEE and HANNA ARHIROVA Associated Press
Two senior Ukrainian officials say a Kyiv delegation that will meet with America's top diplomat in Saudi Arabia will propose a ceasefire with Russia covering the Black Sea and long-range missile strikes. The officials also told The Associated Press that the delegation is ready to sign an agreement with the United States on access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals. That's a deal that U.S. President Donald Trump is keen to secure. The Ukrainian delegation is due to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday. Ukraine's president is also in Saudi Arabia but will not attend the talks.
