Large crowds gather in Serbia for the funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić, as supporters openly glorify his legacy and many kiss his coffin.

Iran's FM Spox. Esmail Baghaei:

Iran and Oman, as the two coastal states, have been engaged in serious and advancing negotiations to establish safe shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz.

Consultations between the two countries have now reached their final stages.

Once a final agreement is reached, the joint Iran-Oman memorandum of understanding on establishing a temporary safe passage for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is expected to be formally registered with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) within the coming days.

Iran's Ghalibaf:

It’s simple: the oil and gas production chain here is sprawling, accessible, and exposed.

American oil and gas companies across these waters and facilities share that exposure.

Strike our assets and you get struck. We’ve already proven it. Ask the bases that are no longer viable.

Iran Denies "Blatant Lie" of Sanctions-Driven Famine

Iran's Security Council Secretary Rezaei denied sanctions are causing famine and said Iran has ample food stocks. The secretary vowed retaliation for a US strike and announced a planned restricted zone near the Strait of Hormuz.

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North Korea and Russia opened their first road bridge over the Tumen River, marking another step in their growing strategic ties.

Genocide Convict Mladić Buried With Military Honors

Convicted genocide perpetrator Ratko Mladić is being buried with military honors in Belgrade on Monday, as thousands paid tribute and rival football ultras chanted his name earlier this week.

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Russia's Foreign Minister Lavrov:

We need to end the "special military operation" in a way that ensures there is no more Nazism in Europe.

North Korea Commissions Second Nuclear-Linked Destroyer

North Korea commissioned its second 5,000-ton destroyer in Wonsan, the Kang Kon, with Kim Jong Un calling it part of the country's nuclear response system capable of "annihilating retaliatory strikes."

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UN rights chief Volker Türk:

Israel has killed more than 1,300 Palestinians in daily strikes despite the ceasefire that was announced almost a year ago.

In the West Bank, Israel's annexation is unfolding unobstructed despite the clear ruling of the International Court of Justice.

What more will it take for states to take action to prevent the entrenchment of occupation across land earmarked for Palestinians under the two-state solution?

Words of condemnation ring hollow in the face of deliberate violations and suffering.

NEW: Volkswagen is selling its Osnabrück plant to become an Iron Dome production hub.

A consortium of Lower Saxony, investor Aurelius, and Israel's Rafael will convert the factory into a defense center making transport trucks, launchers, and generators for the Iron Dome system.

The deal was structured to bypass VW shareholder Qatar, which had blocked an earlier VW-Rafael joint venture.

The plant currently builds T-Roc Cabriolets with 2,300 workers; car production ends in 2027.

Still a letter of intent, not final.

NEW: Germany is making its case at the ICJ today that the Nicaragua v. Germany lawsuit over Gaza should be dismissed before reaching the merits.

Nicaragua accuses Germany of facilitating genocide through military and financial support for Israel.

Germany's lead objection: the Court would have to rule on Israel's conduct first, but Israel isn't a party and hasn't consented — making the case legally impossible to proceed.

Nicaragua responds tomorrow, arguing Germany's own obligations can be judged independently.

A ruling on these preliminary objections is expected in about six months.

Hearings run through Thursday.

UAE presidential adviser Gargash says "rebuilding trust with Iran may take decades."

At the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi he said:

UAE energy exports "will not be held hostage" to the Hormuz crisis, that no single state should control the strait, and called the UAE's response to Iranian missile attacks a "military success story."

Pakistan Air Force officially revealed Türkiye's KORKUT 35mm anti-aircraft gun system in its Defence Day video, the first confirmation of induction.

The PAF showed a layered air defense stack.

Chinese HQ-17 SAMs, Turkish KORKUT guns (twin 35mm, 1,100 rounds per minute, 4km range with airburst ammo), and Turkish ŞAHİN 40mm counter-drone turrets.

The same video featured multiple Turkish drones including AKINCI and Bayraktar TB2.

The combination is designed as a gun-missile-point defense layer against drones, loitering munitions, and low-flying aircraft.

Germany’s far-right AfD lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund thanked Elon Musk for his "support and clear and high important perspective," and said he welcomed “strong and constructive cooperation” after Musk congratulated AfD co-leader Alice Weidel.

Azerbaijan is now jointly producing Turkish unmanned naval vessels domestically.

President Aliyev visited a production line run by Azerbaijan's MIRAS and Türkiye's Dearsan Shipyard, inspecting two platforms.

The SALVO armed USV (15m, missiles and guns, recoverable) and the KAYRA kamikaze drone boat (7.6m, 60+ knots, rams targets with a warhead).

Both platforms are designed for Caspian coastal defense and energy infrastructure protection.

📸 German Chancellor Friedrich Merz now has his own British-style grim-faced car photo after the AfD’s victory last night.

German AfD Leader Alice Weidel:

Germany is de facto bankrupt. Germany is broke, and they are not telling you that.

At some point, you simply have to lay the cards on the table and put the numbers out there. The whole thing is no longer financially sustainable.

France is broke as well. Who is actually supposed to pay for this whole circus in the European Union?

Soon, we will no longer be able to do it, because interest costs alone are going through the roof.

And then we will have to freeze everything — and that is going to happen, because completely irresponsible and unserious policies are being pursued against our own country.

German AfD Leader Alice Weidel:

No chancellor before him has been as unpopular as Friedrich Merz, who has become a major burden on Germany’s positive development.

German AfD Leader Alice Weidel:

We will make policy for the Germans, for our own population, whose sense of security has been disturbed.

And quite apart from that, this whole spectacle of open borders that is being carried out here is simply no longer financially sustainable.

Just look at the labour and social affairs budget. Look at the entire spending policy.

A military widow went viral after the Pentagon told her she was ineligible for certain benefits because Congress hasn't declared war on Iran.

Major Alex Klinner, 33, died in a KC-135 crash in Iraq in March supporting strikes on Iran.

The Air Force later admitted it gave inaccurate information and that his pay did include combat pay.

VP Vance said "we love you" but refused to call it a war.

Trump called it "small potatoes for us."

Since the conflict began, 18 US service members have been killed and 780 wounded.

The widow:

No Gold Star family should have to become an expert in government language to understand what they are entitled to.

Source: The Telegraph

Russia unveiled a statue in Khabarovsk showing a Soviet soldier destroying a stone marker with Japan's chrysanthemum crest.

Japan's PM Takaichi called it "completely unacceptable" and demanded its removal.

The unveiling was timed for Russia's renamed holiday — "The Day of Victory over Militarist Japan."

It follows Putin's first visit last month to Russian-held islands claimed by Japan off Hokkaido.

Relations have been deteriorating since Japan imposed sanctions over the Ukraine invasion.