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09:27
US Lets Russian Oil Waiver Linked To Iran War Expire, Reimposing Sanctions
WASHINGTON -- The Trump administration has allowed a controversial waiver on sanctions targeting Russian seaborne oil to expire, reimposing restrictions that had temporarily enabled countries such as India to continue purchasing Russian crude despite Western efforts to curb Moscow's wartime revenues.
The move, which took effect on May 16 after the Treasury Department declined to renewGeneral License 134B,highlights the increasingly difficult balance Washington faces between tightening pressure on the Kremlin and preventing further disruption to global energy markets already rattled by the Iran conflict and instability around the Strait of Hormuz.
The waiver, first introduced in March and extended in April, permitted transactions involving certain Russian oil cargoes that had already been loaded onto tankers before sanctions deadlines took effect.
Administration officials defended the measure as a temporary safeguard aimed at preventing a deeper global energy shock as fighting in the Middle East pushed oil prices higher and threatened key shipping routes.
To read the full report, clickhere.
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09:21
Israel, Hezbollah Continue To Exchange Attacks In Southern Lebanon
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli air strike that targeted the southern Lebanese village of Al Qlailah on May 16.
Just one day after the cease-fire was extended, reciprocal attacks between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah continued on May 16.
The Israeli Army first launched air strikes on several villages in southern Lebanon on May 16, which began with evacuation warnings for residents, although Israel says it targeted sites belonging to the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
Hezbollah is both a militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon. It is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, although the European Union has only blacklisted its armed wing.
According to the official Lebanese news agency, more than 20 villages in the south of the country were targeted on May 16, including a village about 50 kilometers from the border.
According to the news agency, villagers have begun to leave for the cities of Sidon and Beirut following the attacks.
Hours later, Hezbollah announced that it had attacked a "military target" in northern Israel with a drone.
The attacks came as Lebanon and Israel announced on May 15 that they would extend the cease-fire that began a month ago for another 45 days. During the first month, both sides repeatedly violated the truce.
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03:12
We are now closing the live blog for the day. We'll be back at 7:30 a.m. Central European time to cover the latest events across the Middle East.
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03:10
Massive US Aircraft Carrier Returns Home After Middle East Deployment
A US aircraft carrier that was deployed to the Middle East before the outbreak of war in Iran has returned to the US after a 326-day mission, the Pentagon said on May 16.
Defense chief Pete Hegseth was in Norfolk, Virginia, to greet the return of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest aircraft carrier in the world,the US military said.
It was the longest deployment for a US carrier strike group since the Vietnam War.
The carrier was sent to the Middle East to participate in combat operations against Iran after it took part in US operations in the Caribbean, where US forces have carried out strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats, intercepted tankers, and captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
The USS George H.W. Bush -- the largest aircraft carrier in the world.
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00:06
Iran Soccer Team Set To Travel To Turkey For World Cup Preparations
Iran's soccer team is scheduled to travel to Antalya, Turkey, on May 18 to begin its training camp, compete in friendlies, and to finalize formalities ahead of its planned journey to the US for the 2026 World Cup.
A squad of 30 players is traveling for the training camp, but the number will be reduced to a maximum of 26 for the World Cup.
Iran is looking to play two friendlies -- exhibition matches -- in Antalya. A match against Gambia is set for May 29.
A farewell ceremony was held in Tehran for Iran's national soccer team ahead of its 2026 World Cup departure.
Visa formalities will be one of the challenges faced by the Iranian squad. Tehran and Washington cut diplomatic relations in 1980.
"No visas have been issued yet," Mehdi Taj, the Iranian football federation head, told Iranian media on May 14.
The US-Israeli war with Iran has led to uncertainty around the team's participation in the World Cup. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said at the soccer governing body's annual congress in Vancouver last month that: "of course, Iran will play in the United States of America."
Iran's Taj was refused entry into Canada for the conference because of his links to the Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
Iran had requested that its matches scheduled for US sites be moved to Mexico, which is co-hosting the event along with the US and Canada. The request was denied.
The squad is scheduled to begin its World Cup play against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15 June, then face Belgium on June 21, also in Los Angeles, and then Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
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22:09
16.5.2026
Iran Plans To Reopen Its Stock Market After Wartime Suspension
Iran plans to reopen its stock market on May 19 after being suspended during the active phase war with the US and Israel, Iran's IRNA news agency reported, cited a senior official.
"The suspension of stock market activities from the start of the war was aimed at protecting shareholders' assets, preventing panic-driven trading and allowing for more transparent pricing conditions," Hamid Yari of Iran's Securities and Exchange Organization said on May 16.
"Now, with the reopening of the stock market, we will see the full resumption of all capital market sectors," he added.
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21:40
16.5.2026
Iranian Authorities Report 30 Executions Since Start of the War
Iranian authorities reported that 30 people have been executed on political grounds since the beginning of the country's conflict with the United States and Israel on February 28.
The report released on May 16 by Iran's judicial system said that those executed were found guilty of espionage and terrorism in cases related to large-scale anti-government protests that took place across the country earlier in the year.
SEE ALSO:
Iran Has Carried Out Nearly 30 Political Executions Since Start Of US-Israel War
According to the report, 36 more people were sentenced to long prison terms, property belonging to 400 journalists was confiscated, and the bank accounts of dozens of bloggers and activists were frozen.
On May 14, Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) said that hard-line rulers in Tehran have executed at least 14 participants in the protests in recent weeks, while six more were hanged after being charged with spying for Israel.
Last month, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turkcalled onIran to "establish a moratorium on the use of capital punishment" and release prisoners "arbitrarily detained."
"I am appalled that -- on top of the already severe impacts of the conflict -- the rights of the Iranian people continue to be stripped from them by the authorities, in harsh and brutal ways," he said.
Iran is one of the world's biggest executioners, hanging hundreds of people per year, many for drug-related offenses and homicide.
Two of the latest executions came on May 13 when Ehsan Afrashteh, a cybersecurity and network specialist, was hanged on charges of espionage for Israel, followed hours later by the execution of Mohammad Abbasi, who took part in mass protests in January, on charges of killing a security officer.
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