The governor of the Mexican state of Baja California, which borders the US, said on social media Sunday that the United States withdrew tourist visas from her and her husband.

Marina del Pilar Ávila, from the ruling Morena party, did not say why her visa was withdrawn.

A spokesperson for the US Embassy said that visa records are confidential and that the details of individual cases cannot be discussed.

Baja California borders California and day-to-day commercial ties between the two states run deep.

”I fully trust that the situation will be satisfactorily clarified for both of us,” Ávila said on X.

Her husband, Carlos Torres Torres, who is an active member of Morena, said his “conscience is clear,” in a statement on Facebook on Saturday.

“This proceeding does not represent a formal accusation, investigation or indictment by any authority in Mexico or the United States,” he added.

A massive fire that destroyed a large shopping center in Warsaw last year was the result of arson ordered by Russian intelligence services, Polish officials said Sunday on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the blaze.

The fire broke out May 12, 2024, in the Marywilska 44 shopping that housed some 1,400 shops and service points. Many of the vendors were from Vietnam, and it inflicted tragedy on many in Warsaw’s Vietnamese community.

“We now know for certain that the massive fire on Marywilska was the result of arson commissioned by Russian services,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X. “The actions were coordinated by a person residing in Russia. Some of the perpetrators are already in custody, while the rest have been identified and are being sought. We will catch them all!”

In a joint statement, Justice Minister Adam Bodnar and Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said the May 12, 2024, blaze gutted 1,400 shops and service points. Authorities have been investigating the incident for a year, with support from police and the Internal Security Agency.

Officials said the arson was part of a coordinated sabotage campaign directed from Russia. Some perpetrators are in custody, while others have been identified and are being sought. Polish authorities are also cooperating with Lithuania, where some suspects allegedly carried out related activities.

The investigation involved 121 days of site inspections and the work of 55 prosecutors and 100 police officers. More than 70 witnesses and over 500 victims were interviewed.

“We are determined to hold accountable those responsible for these disgraceful acts of sabotage,” the ministers said.

The announcement comes amid rising concerns in Europe over Russian attempts to destabilize the region through covert operations.

Russia has in the past denied allegations that it is orchestrating arson and sabotage operations across Europe.

Hamas has announced the imminent release of Edan Alexander, the last known living American hostage held in Gaza.

The head of Hamas’ negotiating team said they had been in contact with the US administration “during the past few days” in talks that “showed high positivity.”

Following the communications, Hamas announced it will release Alexander as part of the steps toward a ceasefire that will see the crossings into Gaza opened and humanitarian aid brought into Gaza following an Israeli blockade that has lasted more than two months.

The release could be as early as Monday but is more likely to occur on Tuesday, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

“The movement affirms its readiness to immediately start intensive negotiations, and make serious efforts to reach a final agreement to stop the war, exchange prisoners in an agreed manner, and manage the Gaza Strip by an independent professional body,” Khalil Al-Hayya said in a statement.

According to a third source familiar with the matter, Steve Witkoff, the Trump administration’s Middle East envoy, will arrive in Tel Aviv Monday morning ahead of the release of Alexander.

The source called it “a total good will gesture,” especially since it comes with Israel poised to expand its military operations in Gaza.

Israel is not expected to release any Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Alexander.

“We’re going to go into immediate peace deal negotiations,” the source said.

In a closed meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Sunday evening in the Knesset, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the members that Hamas may soon release American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, according to another source familiar with the matter.

The Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement that it had been informed of Hamas’ intention to release Alexander “without compensation or conditions.”

The release is expected to lead to negotiations for the release of more hostages, but Netanyahu’s office said that “negotiations will take place under fire.”

News of the announcement of Alexander’s release was first reported by Axios.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said Alexander’s release must be the beginning of a “comprehensive” agreement to secure the release of all the hostages.

‘Bring them all home’

“Prime Minister Netanyahu must immediately fulfill the supreme moral obligation – and the demand of the vast majority of the Israeli public – to bring everyone back,” the forum said. “President (Donald) Trump, you’ve given the families of all the hostages hope. Please, complete your mission and bring them all home.”

Alexander is one of 59 hostages still held in Gaza. Last week, Trump said that only 21 of the hostages were still alive, fewer than Israel’s official count of 24 living hostages. Trump’s surprise announcement forced Netanyahu to acknowledge that there are three hostages “where there is doubt whether they are alive.”

Among the hostages are four deceased American citizens, including husband and wife Gadi Haggai and Judi Weinstein Haggai, as well as soldiers Itay Chen and Omer Neutra.

In an interview aired on Saturday evening, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called the return of the hostages “the highest priority that the president has as it related to this country.”

In a joint statement, Qatar and Egypt called Alexander’s release “an encouraging step for the parties to return to the negotiating table for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the release of prisoners and detainees, and ensuring the safe and unhindered flow of aid to address the tragic situation in the Strip.”

Alexander’s release is “part of the steps taken” for humanitarian aid to once again flow into Gaza, according to Hamas, following a complete Israeli blockade of the territory that began on March 2. Since then, food stocks have run out at warehouses and food kitchens across Gaza as the enclave has moved closer to famine.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza said Sunday there were severe shortages of medical supplies, warning that 43% of essential medication is currently out of stock. Emergency rooms and ICUs in Gaza are being forced to operate on “depleted supplies amid a rise in critical injuries,” the ministry said.

UNRWA, the main UN agency in Gaza, warned Friday that “basic humanitarian supplies, including food, fuel, medical aid and vaccines for children, are rapidly running out.” The agency said it has now run out entirely of its stocks of flour and food parcels.

On Friday, World Chef Kitchen said that its teams in Gaza can “no longer cook meals or bake bread” and are focusing their efforts instead on expanding clean water supply in the enclave.

The statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office made no mention of resuming the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Khader Al-Za’anoun of Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency, contributed to this story.

The Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for three ports in Yemen on Sunday night after vowing to “defend itself by itself” following a ceasefire deal between the US and the Houthis that excluded Israel.

The warning, posted on social media by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Arabic media spokesperson Avichay Adraee, warned people to evacuate the ports of Ras Isa, Hodeidah, and Salif.

The anticipated airstrikes come two days after Israel intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, according to the IDF.

That missile was the first since President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire deal between the US and the Iran-backed rebel group last week.

Despite the deal, the Houthis said they would continue to attack Israel in solidarity with the Palestinian population of Gaza.

Blindsided by the deal, Israel vowed it would strike the Houthis alone if necessary.

“Israel must be able to defend itself by itself against any threat and any enemy,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement last week. “This has been true in the face of many past challenges, and it will remain true in the future.”

This marks the second time within a week that Israel has issued an evacuation warning for Yemen.

Last Tuesday, the military issued a warning for Yemen’s international airport in the capital of Sana’a before carrying out strikes that it said “fully” disabled the facility.

Three energy-rich Gulf Arab nations are racing to turn their influence over Donald Trump into tangible gains with the president set to visit next week.

They have built personal ties with the president and collectively pledged trillions in US investments while casting themselves as key intermediaries in conflicts Trump wants to resolve, from Gaza to Ukraine and Iran.

Now, they’re being rewarded with the privilege of hosting Trump’s first state visit of his second term. The US president is set to land in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, followed by visits to Qatar and then the United Arab Emirates that stretch till May 16.

Given Trump’s transactional approach to foreign policy, the three states have much to offer

Behind this carefully crafted strategy of wooing Trump is a desire from Gulf states to solidify and formalize their positions as the US’ indispensable security and economic partners, and extract as much benefit for themselves as they can.

US-Gulf relations have improved significantly since Trump returned to office. Frustrated at the perceived lack of US interest in their needs under the Biden administration, Saudi Arabia and the UAE had sought to diversify their military, technological and economic ties. With Trump in office, they see what one Gulf official called “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for to achieve his country’s objectives.

From their perspective, now is the time to cement ties with Washington, and even “secure greater privileges in their relationship with the world’s most powerful nation,” Ebtesam AlKetbi, founder and president of the Emirates Policy Center think tank in Abu Dhabi, said.

Each of the three nations Trump is visiting has its own list of priorities. Here’s what they want from the US and how they’re going about achieving it.

Sealing a US-Saudi security pact

“Security, security and security” is what Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states seek most from Trump’s visit, said Ali Shihabi, an author and commentator on politics and economics of Saudi Arabia.

Last year, the US and Saudi Arabia came close to finalizing a landmark defense and trade pact – but the deal stalled over Saudi insistence that Israel commit to a path toward Palestinian statehood.

Riyadh is also seeking US cooperation to develop a civil nuclear program, but that has been held over its insistence on enriching uranium domestically – raising concerns in the US and Israel over nuclear weapons proliferation. Uranium, when enriched to high levels, can be used to produce nuclear weapons.

White House backing for a Saudi nuclear program could see American firms win lucrative contracts.

Riyadh appears to be framing its relationship with the US as a win-win. In March, Trump said he’d go to Saudi Arabia if it invests $1 trillion in the US. “They’ve agreed to do that, so I’m going to be going there,” he said.

While Saudi Arabia didn’t confirm that figure, it announced plans in January to expand trade and investment with the US by $600 billion over four years, with potential for more.

But for Riyadh to diversify away from oil, it still needs to sell oil – at a healthy profit – to fund that transition. Recent price drops, driven in part by Trump’s tariffs, threaten to undermine those ambitions. Trump has made clear he wants oil prices lower, putting him at odds with Saudi Arabia’s need for high revenues to finance its economic transformation.

UAE’s quest for AI dominance

Perhaps more than any other Gulf state, the UAE sees investment as central to its strategy for deepening ties with the US and securing returns – and it has money to back it up. Among the world’s richest countries per capita, it has pledged trillions in US investments. Abu Dhabi has even branded itself “the capital of capital.”

“Expanding trade and investment is a way to reinforce this strategic partnership,” AlKetbi said. “The US remains a critical security guarantor for the Gulf region, while also offering a dynamic economy full of opportunities and capabilities that align with the long-term Gulf development plans.”

In March, the UAE announced a $1.4 trillion investment plan over 10 years focused on AI, semiconductors, manufacturing, and energy. Its existing US investments already total $1 trillion, according to its embassy in Washington.

But it won’t be easy for Abu Dhabi to achieve its stated goal of becoming a global leader in AI by 2031 without US microchips.

During the final days of former President Joe Biden’s administration, the US tightened curbs on AI exports to keep advanced technology out of the hands of foreign adversaries like China, which were meant to take effect on May 15. The UAE has been one of the countries facing restrictions and may expect them to be lifted during Trump’s trip.

On Thursday, the US announced that Trump will rescind a set of the Biden-era curbs.

Qatar’s global diplomacy

Qatar is the Gulf Arab nation with the most formalized security ties with the US. It hosts the biggest US military installation in the Middle East, which the State Department describes as “indispensable” for US military operations in the region.

Last year, the US quietly reached an agreement that extends its military presence at the sprawling base in Qatar for another 10 years. It also amended a 1992 defense cooperation agreement with the US, which is meant to further strengthen their security partnership.

In 2022, the Biden administration also designated Qatar as a Major Non-NATO Ally, a title granted to close friends that have strategic working relationships with the US military.

Qatar has been a key mediator in a number of conflicts – from the war in Gaza to Afghanistan. Experts say it is part of an effort to remain relevant in the eyes of Washington.

Doha also maintains close ties with Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has been on a quest to relieve his country of years-long sanctions by the West.

Trump’s visit is ultimately about what he can get out of the three Gulf states, experts said, adding that each of the three nations is anticipating a set of new deals that will benefit both parties.

“He’s coming here because he believes it is in the interest of the US economy, perhaps his interest and those around him, to have those deals here with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar,” Maksad said. “So expect big announcements.”

A fourth round of talks between the US and Iran on Tehran’s nuclear program have begun in Oman, according to Iranian state media, with the two sides aiming to overcome divisions that could scupper the tentative negotiations.

The talks, held indirectly, are the latest between the two countries, and are aimed at addressing Tehran’s nuclear program and lifting sanctions.

The Iranian delegation is led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who said before the talks got underway that the US side “holds contradictory positions which is one of the issues in our negotiations.”

“We have been clear about our boundaries,” Araghchi added, according to the Fars news agency.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff, who has been heading the American side, warned that if talks were not productive, “then they won’t continue and we’ll have to take a different route.”

Speaking to Breitbart, Witkoff outlined the US’ expectations for the talks, including on the country’s uranium enrichment program. “An enrichment program can never exist in the state of Iran ever again. That’s our red line. No enrichment,” he said.

Iran has said it will not surrender its capability to enrich uranium. The country has long insisted it does not want a nuclear weapon and that its program is for energy purposes.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Pope Leo XIV stepped out onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to thunderous applause and an electric atmosphere, to deliver his first Sunday blessing and an address calling for peace in Ukraine and Gaza.

The last time he stood on the same velvet-draped ledge, the fragrant scent of white smoke was still hanging in the air and looks of shock permeated the crowd. Just days ago, the election of a US-born pope seemed almost impossible.

But those gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday knew exactly what to expect – a pontiff who was born in Chicago, shaped in Peru and well-experienced in Vatican leadership.

“Let us take up the invitation that Pope Francis left us in his Message for today: the invitation to welcome and accompany young people,” Leo said Sunday from the balcony, speaking in fluent Italian. “And let us ask our heavenly Father to assist us in living in service to one another.”

“In today’s dramatic scenario of a third world war being fought piecemeal, as Pope Francis said, I too turn to the world’s leaders with an ever timely appeal: never again war!,” he said.

Pope Leo called for peace in Ukraine, as well as a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages. He also called for humanitarian aid to be provided “to the exhausted population” in Gaza.

“I welcomed the announcement of the ceasefire between India and Pakistan and I hope that through negotiations we can reach a lasting agreement,” he added.

He delivered a “message of peace” and led the faithful crowd in the Regina Caeli (“Queen of Heaven”) prayer for the first time, surprising those gathered by singing part of the prayer.

The prayer is one of four Marian antiphons, or prayers to the Virgin Mary, which is said throughout the Easter season.

The city of Rome said 150,000 people were expected to gather in St. Peter’s Square for the prayer and significant law enforcement resources are deployed, but an official estimate of the crowd has yet to be announced.

The square was booming with music ahead of Leo’s address, as hundreds of musicians from around the world marched into St. Peter’s Square for a Jubilee of Bands, playing classic songs from their home countries and even pop songs like Village People’s 1978 hit “YMCA.”

As he finished his address, loud shouts of “viva il papa,” or “long live the pope,” were heard among the tens of thousands of people.

Pope Leo is indicated on Saturday that his papacy will follow closely in the footsteps of the late Pope Francis, setting out a vision for a church led be a missionary focus, courageous dialogue with the contemporary world and “loving care for the least and the rejected.”

Leo is expected to lean in a more progressive way on social issues like migration and poverty but fall more in line with moderates on moral issues of Catholic doctrine.

In his first meeting with cardinals on Saturday, the new pontiff said that he chose his papal name to continue down the path of Pope Leo XIII, who addressed “the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution.” Leo XIII, who was pope from 1878 to 1903, had a strong emphasis on workers’ rights and Catholic social doctrine.

Leo XIV also used his first weekend as pontiff to visit the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, where he prayed at the tomb of Francis.

He also traveled to an Augustinian sanctuary just outside Rome, the Madonna del Buon Consiglio (Mother of Good Counsel), in Genazzano, Italy.

Leo is the first pontiff from the Augustinian order, which places an emphasis on service work and building community. He spent more than a decade leading the Augustinians as the prior general, giving him experience of heading an order spread across the world.

Even larger crowds are expected to fill St. Peter’s Square during Pope Leo’s installation Mass, which will take place on Sunday, May 18.